the discouery of a new world or a description of the south indies hetherto vnknowne by an english mercury. mundus alter et idem. english hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) the discouery of a new world or a description of the south indies hetherto vnknowne by an english mercury. mundus alter et idem. english hall, joseph, - . gentili, alberico, - . healey, john, d. . [ ], p. : ill. imprinted for ed: blount. and w. barrett, [london] : [ or ] english mercury = joseph hall. sometimes attributed to alberico gentili. translator's preface signed: iohn healey. a free translation of: mundus alter et idem. the title page is engraved. publication date conjectured by stc. this state has original [par]. cancelled by ² [par.]⁴ containing a new preface. identified as stc a on umi microfilm reel , and as on reel . reproductions of the originals in the folger shakespeare library and the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. appears at reel (folger shakespeare library copy) and at reel (henry e. huntington library and art gallery copy). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user 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or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng satire, english. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the discovery of a new world or a description of the south indies . hetherto vnknowne by an english mercury imprinted for ed : blount and w. barrett . to the trve mirror of truest honor , william earle of penbroke . if it be an offence ( my noble lord ) to shew our affections vnto those wee honor in any obiect of dutyfullnesse whatsoeuer : then haue i offended , and must kneele for remission . but if loue and gratitude be law dable effects , in what forme soeuer they appeare , then haue not i broken any condition of decorum , in consecrating this worke to your illustrious honour . it bare the badge of an honorable patron in the originall : and i could make it doe no lesse in the translation . and for mine election , the worlds generall decay of the esteeme of learning , in those breasts that haue best meanes to support it , and the farre-spread fame of your glory , by that phoenix-bounty that hath left all the land to build her nest in your bosome , these motiues haue more then induced mee to approache so neere that bright lustre your honour lights the world with , as to beare one part in the hymnes of your prayses , by this dutifull dedication ▪ and ( good my lord ) herein bee ▪ you my seauen-sold shield against the shout of all those blistered mouthes , whose most felicitie is to mis-interprete most maliciouslie : or doe but giue mee foote-holde , and then let mee alone to beate all their disgraces about their owne eares , and the whole worlds , in a true satyrick furie ; in an ariostoes swanne , that shall snatch their names from times all-wasting skirt , and beare them vp , to euer-lasting recorde in the temple of infamie . but for my dutie to your sacred vertues , let this expresse mee : i will bee that bolognian dogge , whose faith purchased him this epi●aph : that hee did alwayes latrai a ladri , & a gli amanti tacqui , &c. barke lowd at theeues , and make them euer faile : but whē friends came , lay down , & wagd his taile . such am i : consecrated to your lordships seruice : and vnder the protection of this mine owne zeale , aduenture to present you with a discouerie and no discouerie , of a world and no world , both knowne and vnknowne , by a traueller that neuer trauelled . written first in latine , and no latine , and now translated , and yet not translated , by the same man , yet not the same man that first of all pend it . your honours most zealously deuoted : i. h. to the readers , instructions for their voiage into this new world . there are diuers inquisitiue sceptiques ( vnpartial reader , for such i would haue thee to be , ) who since this new discouery of the south indies , vpon some ouer-sight of mine owne , in not giuing sufficient intimation of the grounds whence i had the first light of the said discouery , as also of the manner wherein i haue proceeded vpon the said grounds haue out-runne their owne iudgments in descanting farre otherwise of this worke , then a fauourable censure would euer haue held it to deserue , and being either lead with too much zeale to the well deseruing vertues of that reuerend man that long agoe laid the first proiect of this discouery , or with ( it may be a true ) obseruation of some imperfection in mee that now of late haue raised this new building vpon that old foundation : haue taken occasion both to thinke him lesse worthy of their good conceites , and also to proclaime me a iust deseruer of the seuerest and most exemplary censures . which wrong done vnto him ( whome i must euer reuerence ) hath bound mee to make an ingenuous acknowledgement of mine owne forgetfulnesse in the first edition of this present worke , rather then to sit still and see his reputation exposed to the misconstructions to which my negligence is ( & in some iudgements , iustly ) imagined to haue giuen the first and originall cause . but let this protestation be ( if it may be ) sufficient to remooue the weight of siniste imputations from his grauity , and lay them vpon mine owne youthfulnesse , that i dare engage my life , there is no man in the whole world , who hath either conuersed with himselfe in person , or his workes in print , that euer will surmise this present copy to haue had any testimony of his acknowledgement , or approbation to bee any way befitting his place , or ( which is more ) his profession . wherefore to giue a full answere vnto that grosse misprision of theirs , who imagine the worke it selfe to haue beene of his writing and publishing in the forme wherein it now passeth ; whereby they take occasion to taxe him of diuers ( in their iudgement ) immodest , light , scurrilous , and ridiculous passages therein . i doe here absolutely auerre , and giue notice to all that shall hereafter take view hereof , this worke was neuer his , he neuer saw it , neuer dreamed of any such matter , vntill hee met it in the hand of another man. there was indeed a little booke some . or . yeares agoe that came from franckford , which some few ( i know not vpon what illumination more then ordinary ) affirmed to haue passed the file of his muse , which if it be true , it can be no way in the world either preiudiciall to his learning , ( seeing it hath all perfection fitting an absolute poeme ) nor to his grauity or profession , seeing it was a birth of his youth ; wherein neuerthelesse i will a vow that hee hath towred aboue the capacities ( at least aboue the imitation ) of all those ouer-weening iudgements that dare any way presume to traduce his originall . in iust defence of which worthy worke , i cast defiance in the teeth of all that malice or traduce him , that it is neither any way scurrilous , immodest , light , nor ridiculous : and i will giue the proudest critique that liues , as many yeares as hee and his fellowes haue bin fooles , either to parallell it , or to pick any the least touch out of it , which cannot bee defended euen till his wittes that shall oppose , be drawne as dry as euer dutchman left cup. but as touching this present pile of english , it is mine , it hath no further alliāce to his , then chalke hath to cheese , for as these haue no cohaerence in their nearest proprieties ( which translations should neuer want ) but onely in their generall kind of essence as they are both corporeall substances ; no more doth this worke any way resemble his in fashion , stile , or discourse , but onely in the inuention and proiect . as for the passages in it , which some pretend to bee scurrilous or immodest , there may perhaps bee some indeed that carry not that pondrous respect in them which an ancient iudgement , or retired grauity may seeme to require : i grant it , what would yee haue more ? they are flashes of youth : semel insaniuimus omnes ; and i pray yee ( that censure mee so ruthlesly ) which of you all is there , but one time or other in the forenoone of your daies , hath had his vagaries in the world , and hath flowne out sometimes as well as i ? oh but , not inprint , saies some seuerer critique ! alas yet had ouid his amores , seneca his lusus in claudium , and others as graue as hee , their exorbitances now and then as vnguirt as others ! but that these weakenesses ( for so i confesse they are ) in mee , should be made as staines to the reputation of another , of one whose learning , life , and workes now extant may serue as purging fires whereat all those that hence haue taken occasion to wrong him thus , might long agoe haue lighted their ignorance were it neuer so immense ; that my lightnesses should bee reputed as births of his worthines ! oh that my pen ( whereby since i have ignorantly iniur'd him , i doe thus willingly and freely cleare him ) could but make them see what an vniust construction they haue made of an ignorant ( and i protest vtterly vnwilling ) offence ! but since mine owne vnwarinesse gaue first occasion of those vnkinde , and more then foolish callumniations which ignorance draweth from mine error , to staine his goodnesse with ; all the satisfaction i can giue him , is to shew my selfe willing to make a faire way againe for his deserts , in the bosomes of such as hence take their occasiō of dislike , by proclaiming this truth to all that shall read it , that this present discouery of the south-indies is none of his , but had this forme giuen it , without his knowledge , by one who will euer acknowledge his worth & grauity to haue beene vtterly ignorant of any vnfit phrase whatsoeuer included in the whole booke . hee whom my contrition , and this satisfaction ( collaterally ) cannot content , is without mercy , and i assure my selfe will dye without merit , if hee bee not quickly shipt away for this new continent , with letters of commendation to all our friends in cockscombaya . as for you ( gentlemen and frinds ) whose iudgements haue giuen gracious acceptance to this our imaginary world , i will euer endeuor to further your contentments with the best inuentions that the labours of a yong scholler can produce . you , ( right iouiall spirits ) and none but you , are they to whom i consecrate these my trauels , since none but you can discerne the sence which they include . onely in one thing i must intreate your fauorable censures , and that is , in my allusions here and there vnto the names of some cities of fame and respect , both of our owne , and others : assuring you ( as your true examination of the particulars may assure you better ) that i had no intent to intimate any collation or reference of the state or maners of those i describe , vnto theirs to which i allude . let this protestation therefore cleare me from sinister imputations , and you from all vntrue suppositions . and know all you that haue not yet seene these lands , but intend to take a view of thē hereafter , that you must first of al take one of that french doctors pills , despouillez vous de tout affection , and this will enable you fully to endure the alteration of all ayres in this clime . secondly you must neuer trauell single , but two , or three in a company , for one you know may apprehend more then another can , and those before , that haue miscaried in this voiage , as you haue heard , incurred their misfortunes onely by neglecting this direction , and by too much conuersing with those of the foolianders nation . thirdly , you must go ouer the country thrice , ere you shal be able to make any exact platforme of it : once for strabo , once for socrates , and once for merlin cocaius ; the first for the geography , the second for the morality , and the third for the language , and etymology . no more at this time , but aboord when you please and a good gale of wit go along with you . his , that is his . iohn healey . a table of the chapters . the first booke . the discouery of the land of tenter-belly part of the south indies bordering vpon tierra del fuego , and the situation thereof . liber . chapter . eat-allia and drink-allia . chap. . dressem-bourg the first canton of eat-allia . cap. . banquetois the second canton of eat-allia . cap. . pewter-platteria the third canton of eat-allia . cap. the metropolitaine citty of eat-allia and the peoples conditions . cap. . the warres of the eat-allians . cap. . of idle-bergh an imperiall free towne . cap. . the lawes of the land . cap. . their religion . cap. . the election of the great duke . cap. . of starue-ling iland , or hungerland . cap. . drinke-allia the second prouince of tenter-belly and the conditions of the inhabitants . chap. . the shires of their countrie . cap. . the discription of carousi-kanikin the chiefe citty of drink-allia , as also of the fashions and conditions of the drink-alls . cap. . of the knights of the goulden tunne , and of the lawes of the cittie . cap. . the artes , and millitary discipline of the drink-alls . cap. . the funeralls of one of the cheefe quagmyrists , and the sacrifices of bacchus . cap. . of hot-watria or lycor-ardent , and of the pilgrimage to saint borachio . cap. . and last of the first booke . the second booke . the description of shee-landt , or womandecoia and of the situtation thereof . cap. . how the gossipingo-esses vsed the author of this descouery . cap. . their formes of gouernment , and elections of persons of state. cap. . the originall of the shee-landresses . cap. . of gigglot-tangir . cap. . of double-sex i le , otherwise called skrat or hermophrcodite iland . cap. . of srews-bourg . cap. . and last of the second booke . the third booke , or the descouery of fooliana and the situation and populousnesse thereof . chap. . the parts of fooliana and the peoples conditions in general . cap. . of fooliana the fickle . cap. . of the peoples conditions and attires . sect . . of the duke and inhabitants of solitaria the sad . sect . . . . of cholericoy the other dutchie of fooliana the craggy . cap. . fooliana the fond . cap. . of ass-sex . sect . . of the citties of cocks-combria , and ass-sex and of blocks-foord the metropolitane sea . sect . . of the bourgue-maisters of blocks-foord . sect . . of the marquisate of spendal-ezza . sect . . and . of fooliana the fatte . cap. . the quality and condition of the people . sect . . the paradise of fooliana the fatte . sect . . of fooliana the deuout . cap. . sectorioua the second prouince of fooliana the deuout . sect . . the state politique of fooliana , in generall . cap. . and last of the third booke . the fourth booke , or the descouery of thee-uingen and the description thereof . chap. . the conditions of the robbers-walders . cap. . the pirats , and sea-borderers of robbers-walder . cap. . how the author got into this country of the harpies . cap. . of lyers-buy plaines ; the natures of the leger-demanians of free-purlogne , and bags-death . cap. . of lurtch-thrift a country in legerdemaine . cap. . of still-moore . cap. . and last of the forth booke . finis . ❧ the occasion of this trauell , and the pre-instruction for it . mine acquaintance with trauellers of all sorts , is both well knowne to our vniuersitie men , and recorded by the curteous correspondence that haue beene euer held betweene strangers and me : whether this of homer mooued mee to this humour , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : or were it that mine vnquenched thirst and desire of knowledge , togither with the applausiue carriage i found in these men , were the motiues to these effects , i knowe not . i was already fully acquainted with all the rarities of mine owne nation : and falling into a discourse of the profit of trauell with two aliens of my neare acquaintance ( peter beroaldus , a frenchman , and adrian cornelius droge , a dutchman ) wherein wee had many delightfull passages about comparisons of languages , conditions , and cities ; at last , in troth ( quoth beroaldus ) i know not as yet what trauell meanes , if hee that leaues his natiue soyle to passe but into a neighbour countrie , or ouer a neighbour riuer ( admit it bee the rhine , or the tweed ) deserue this name ( as vulgar opinion seemes to allow ) whereas hee neuer changes eyther skie , ayre , or soyle : i see not ( if this bee true ) any profit or worth in the world , contained in trauell . my parents & friends at montauban , haue written very often for my returne , as though i were farre from them : whereas i ( beleeue mee ) haue imagined my selfe all this whole two yeares at home : for how little a way is it from mount-auban to paris , from paris to callis , from callis to douer ? truely when i thinke of the land , it seemes about an elle : in the mappe a finger-breadth : in the forme of the heauens , iust nothing . nor see i any reason why that france should hee held my natiue soyle more then all europe : for if you stand vpon diuersity of language , how many languages ( i pray yee ) haue yee in europe quite different from the french ? if the conditions of the nations mooue yee , view not europe , but view the whole world , and euery prouince thereof , leaning to the qualities of those that adioyne vpon it , as the polipus turnes into the colour of euery stone shee comes neere ! o beroaldus ( quoth i againe ) but we do enuie at the licence you haue to contemne trauell : wee ( wretches ) that like tortoyses , are bound to our owne houses , whilest you haue taken suruey of all the worlds singularities , and now that you are filled with their knowledge , you set them at nought thus . might i but view the snowie alpes , or the shady pyrenes , oh how much should i thinke my selfe beholding to mine eyes at my resting time , when all that i had seene should turne to my benefit , and store mine vnderstanding with a fresh fraught of knowledge ! ah how much ( quoth beroaldus ) doth absence promise him that would bee present , and how vaine are the hopes that attend on ignorance ! friend , when i was at home , vnexperienced , i thought as you do ; but triall hath now taught me to see mine owne simplicity . a trauell of so small toyle yeelds easie satisfaction : and in this , your expectation shall exceede your experience in all those nouelties . forreine parts are so like ours , that you cannot thinke them strange to yee , though you neuer saw them before . and what is there in all the knowne world , which mapps , and authors cannot instruct a man in , as perfectly as his owne eyes ? your england is described by cambden : what vnderstanding man is there , that cannot , out of him , make as perfect a description of any cittie , riuer , monument , or wonder in all your ile , as well as if hee had viewed it in person himselfe ? what part of europe is there that affoords more to a strangers eye then is related by one pen-man or other ? the seuerall conditions of the people are all described already : as farre as eyther pen or experience can set downe : but neither can giue any vniuersall knowledge . the french are commonly called rash , the spaniard proud , the dutch drunken ; the english the busi-bands ; the italians effeminate ; the swethen timoroas , the bohemians inhumaine ; the irish barbarous and superstitious : but is any man so sottish , as to thinke that france hath no staid man at all in it ; spaine , no meacock ; or germanie none that liues soberly ? they are fooles ( beleeue it ) that will tie mens manners so firme vnto the starres , that they will leaue nothing to a mans owne power , nothing to the parents natures , nothing to nurture and education . view this pernassus here , whereon we liue : suppose here were a colledge of italians , spanish , french , danes , dutch and polacques ? doe you thinke to finde more varietie of dispositions in this company of students , then you may doe amongst your owne english ? turne yee therefore which way yee will , i cannot see how this halfe a foote trauell can benefit vs any waye , excepting that wee may reape some annimation to learning by the sight of such great schollers , as whitaker , raynolds , bellarmine , beza , iunius , lipsius , and such like as those vvere . indeede i holde , that your drake and your candish were trauellers , as also sebastian delcano , the portughesse , because their voyages put girdles about the whole world : nay i will allow chrystopher colono that name also , for his discouerie of the west indies , francesco piccaro , and almagro for peru , hernando magellano for the moluccaes , and sir hugh willoughbye for his northren discoueries : together with all such as eyther haue first found out vnknowne regions , or haue brought them to order . and truly ( i will tell you two plaine ) my minde doth prompt me with some noble enterprise of this kinde , such as the world might gaze at , and all posterity record with admiration . with that hee blusht , and held his peace , as if he had blabd some bold secret . yea beroaldus ( quoth drogius to him ) & dare you not speake it out ? doe you imagine to torture our mindes with setting them on worke vpon doubtfull inquiries , or is your modest secret ( hetherto so closely suppressed ) afraide to aduenture vpon so many eares at once ? nay speake what ere it bee , wee haue cleere browes ( looke you ) open eares , and faithfull hearts : nor can your vnknowne enterprise come to light eyther vvith more securitie , or fitter occasion . well drogius well , ( quoth beroaldus ) you take my silence in no good sence , but mixe it with your coniectures , that though great matters neuer goe but ( like as princes doe with their numerous traines ) with a great preamble of ambiguous tearmes ; yet that i should not doe so , but vent a pondrous conceite , a birth that my braine hath trauelld a yeare with , all naked , without any praemonitions . in truth i resolued at the first to let you know it : marry not with-out some graduall proceedings , and materiall preparations , without which , i know well how fond the vvisest proiect doth commonly seeme : but now i see my selfe chayned to a head-long discouerie mauger my beard , vnlesse i should giue you iust cause to call my loue to you both , in question . wherefore you shall know it : sooner ( i assure you ) then i did intend , but with no lesse willingnesse : onely imagine you , that you haue already heard mine intended premonition . it hath euer offended mee to looke vpon the geographicall mapps , and finde this : terra australis , nondum cognita . the vnknowne southerne continent . what good spirit but would greeue at this ? if they know it for a continent , and for a southerne continent , why then doe they call it vnknowe ? but if it bee vnknowne ; why doe all the geographers describe it after one forme and site ? idle men that they are , that can say , this it is , and yet wee know it not : how long shall wee continue to bee ignorant in that vvhich vvee professe to haue knowledeg of ? certé si nemo vnquam — vv — fragilem truci commisisset pelago ratem if none had euer beeen so bold as to expose the slender barke vnto the oceans teene then vvee might haue had some excuse for our obstinate ( wee may euen as vvell confesse it ) and notorius idlenesse : but seeing all is opened now ; seeing there is not a ship-boy but knows all the vvindes , creekes , shelfes and harbours of the whole world ; slie vpon this slouth of ours , this more then female feare , this vaine carelesnesse , that vvittingly and willingly robbes vs of another world . what colour haue vve for it ? vvhat feare vve ? shadowes , or our selues ? there is heauen , there is earth in that continent , & there is men , perhaps more ciuill then wee are . who euer expected such wit , such gouernment in china ? such arts , such practise of all cunning ? wee thought learning had dwelt in our corner of the world : they laugh at vs for it and well may ▪ auouching that they of al the earth , are twoey'd men , the europians the one eyd , and all the world else , starke blind . but admit there be no men in this climate : it is a shame for a wise man either to feare or complaine of solitarinesse . these thoughts haue fired my brest full often : and whilest others neglect them , haue kindled a bold attempt in mee , beyond the rest . i see the land lye vnknowne ; no man dreames of it ; i will assay to discouer it . your enterprise beroaldus ( quoth i ) is great , and almost more then mortall power can execute . howeuer it succeede , i applaude your generous spirit , as like your owne : but as you said , great matters , as they require many praemonitions , so doe they more premeditations . haue you therefore cast your full account of the dangers , labours , hopes , expences , and all other such accidents as must attend this your attempt ? there is heauen you say : there may bee so , and yet you bee kept from the sight of it by perpetuall darkenesse . there is earth ; but you may bee driuen out of that by beasts and serpents : there are men : but perhaps you had rather want their company , when you know them , then haue it . if one of you patagonian giants should catch your and eate you quite vp , where are you then my fine discouerer ? it is good thinking of those things , but it is dangerous trying . o sir ( saith beroaldus againe ) you know not that the cape of good hope lies ouer against this land . we must hope , and wee must dare . those bug-beares of dangers at fit to fright babies : but they anymate bolder spirits . if we should sticke at them , wee should neuer looke out at our owne dores . that was the cause america lay so long vnknowne , and had done still ( for ought i see ) but that god sent a doue from heauen , which plucking of an oliue branch from this continent , taught vs by that , that there was yet more land , and lesse sea then wee dreamed of : o how sacred shall his name beheld with all posterity ! his statue shal be aduanced , for vs al to gaze vpon , whilst earth keepes her foundation . it is as great a glory ( thinke i ) to bee called the new worlds discouerer , as her conqueror . and why may not wee haue that successe , and the like glory ? i am the more excited to this , by that ancient , and famous prophecy of seneca , which remayneth vnto vs to fulfill . — venient annis secula seris , quando oceanus vnicula rerum laxet , & ingens ●ateat tellus . — when certaine years are spent hereafter ; shall the spumy ocean shew ●is secret store , and ope to mortals view — a larger continent . what can be spoken more plaine , to point out this discouery ? here did drogius replie : what man ? beware how you raise so great a building on so weake a foundation . your doue hath fulfilled your poets coniectures , all of them , alreadie . the summe of yeares is now runne : america is that large continent . dreame you of any other either age , or discouery ? i know the generality of your opinion ( quoth beroaldus ) but i doubt of the truth , for prophecies are alwaies de futuro : and what if i prooue the countrie america to be knowne to former ages ? if i doe , senecaes wordes are no presage , but an intimation of a thing done . now i am fully perswaded that some part of these west indies was that ophir , where salomons and hirams nauy had their gold . for whereas there are fiue seuerall opinionists touching this , viz. . rabanus , maurus and nicholaus de lyra , affirming that ophir was in the east-indies . . volateranus , and ortelius , auoutching it to bee an island in the ethiopian ocean , from an apocryphall relation of one lewis venetus ; . gaspar varerius , who affirmed all that was contayned in pegu , malaca , and sumatra , to be whilom called by this name . . francis vatablus whom colonus also ( as p. martyr saith ) did follow : who said that hispaniola was ophir . . william postelius , goropius becanus , and arias montanus , all which auoutch directly that ophir was this continent in which peru lieth . of these the two last , and likeliest , make for vs , i care not which you take . the first two , varerius hath ouerthrowne , horse & foote : to ad more were too superfluous . sufficeth only that i proue him erroneous , in putting pegu , sumatra & malaca for ophir . and first , holy writ saith plaine , that those two nauies were two years out , in each of their voiages to ophir : but the space of . months , or . at the most , will serue to passe and returne from the red sea to sumatra : how then can this proposition of time agree with his opinion ? what can varerius say to this : that nauigation was not exact then , as the portugalls haue made it since , and therefore in such a vast roome for ignorance , the nauies might spend the more in a wrong course . well sir , but how came salomon to the knowledge of this farre distant land ? from god you say , i beleeue yee . so then , hee that taught him that there was such a land , and that there was gold in such a land , and aduised him to send thither , would not hee ( thinke you ) shew him the right way thether ? againe , the time of their being out is alwaies set downe but one : at the end of which they euermore returned , neither staying longer , nor comming sooner : which proues the distance of the place , and not the error of the sailers . lastly , the very name speaketh for vs as plaine as may : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do but transpose one letter , and they are all one . let mee therefore hold you for incredulous obstinates if you confesse not that america was knowne long before senecaes time . you are victor beroaldus , quoth i , and may now lawfully triumph : but admit that it was knowne to salomon , and his nauigators ; doth it follow therefore that it was discouered to the whole world besides , and such as had no commerce at all with the iewes ? or might not the memory of it bee vtterly extinct before the later times of the romaines ? which if it were , your opinion and senecaes presage are both ouerthrowne . nay nay , quoth beroaldus , i am not so easily disheartened with shadowes of reason . this sit doubt of yours , giues mee the stronger foote-hold . history is not silent in this discouery , but preserues the memory of it euen vnto the last posterities of the romans . for you know that from salomon to the building of carthage was little lesse then . yeares . but the carthaginians ( as aristotle witnesseth , nor can i beleeue that they did this in their citties infancie ) after a tedious nauigation did finde an island beyond the gades , ( which can bee none but this ) situate in the atlantike sea ; wherevpon they made a law ( which is a true signe that neither did they people it , nor the rest of the world , as then , commonly knew it ) that none should euer saile thether againe ; fearing least the wealthy and pleasant soile should allure the citizens to leaue carthage and go dwell there . now the grecians hauing this knowledge of it from carthage , how should it bee euer kept from rome ? but sirs , kicke against the truth as long as you list , or yeeld to it as i doe : i am most firmely perswaded that senecaes large continent is yet vndiscouered , and staies to yeeld vs this glorie , if we dare venter on it . for my selfe ; i am comming ( my world ) after so many vowes , and delaies , now i come at last , all fraight with hope and confidence , either to vnmaske thee to europe , or to lay my bones in thee . and you ( my friends and fellowes ) if there bee any true vertue , or loue of glory in your breasts , goe and share with mee in my fortunes in this great enterprise . shame goe with those frozen bosomes that affect nothing but security and in glorious estate ; that like no sepulcher but of the nations earth where they first breathed . we shall thirst , we shall be sicke , wee shall perish , o base hearing ! vnseemely for a philosopher once to think vpō ! and shaming the thoughts of trauellers , of such as seeke out a new world , and scorne this olde one . there wanteth nothing but a good will. if yee bee men take that will vnto yee , arme your selues against weake opinatiuenesse , and let vs undertake that iourney which may be perhaps , delightfull , and cannot but proue glorious vnto vs howsoeuer it may seeme laborious . if not , lusk at home with vigour without honor : i will finde some that shall beare mee company in this famous enterprise , whose after renowne you may perhaps enuy too late . here he stopt his speech , and beheld vs with an eye somewhat disturbed . his pithy speech ( whereof i cannot rehearse the tenth part ) mooued vs much , and so did our desires of nouelty and glorie : briefely , wee assented , and resolued all to assay this great discouerie , and embarked our selues in a ship called the fancie , taking our leaues of all our friends and acquaintance . after three daies wee arriued on the belgique shores , and at the weekes end in aquitane : but drogius staied behinde at delfe , and beroaldus left mee here and departed vnto monutauban , against both their wills : exposing mee to the derision of all mine acquaintance , after their great expectation of this our discouerie vnlesse i would proceede , and aduenture vpon all those vnknowne perills alone . yet this vnexpected departure of theirs did not ouer-come my resolution , but i would needes forwards , and hauing ( after two yeares ) passed the canaries , the coasts of affrica , and monomotapa : at last i arriued at that promontory of tenter-belly , which is called il cabo negro . the discouery of the land of tenter-belly , a part of the south indies , bordering vpon terra del fuego . the first booke , of the situation thereof . the land of tenter-belly is a region farre extending both in longitude and latitude , bounding on the north vpon the ethiopian ocean , on the east vpon a letcheritania & shee-landt : on the south , vpon b fooliana the fatte : and on the west vpon filtching-fennes . it lieth in that vndiscouered continent , where that huge and monstrous birde called c rvc , snatcheth vp ( now and then ) a whole elephant at a stoope , and swappes him vp at a bit . this is not incredible , for what i auerre , most of our geographers in their moderne discoueries doe confirme . touching the soyle , the fertilitie is most worthily admirable : the ayre most delicately temperate : ô how i haue pittied , that so bad husbandmen should possesse so happy an habitation . in latitude it lieth full sixtie degrees , and in longitude seuenty foure frō cabo de bona speranza , and is situate almost directly opposite vnto the southerne frontiers of affrica . such cosmographers as write hereof , diuide it generally into two prouinces , eat-allia ( called otherwise in the naturall idiome of the inhabitants gluttonia ) and drink-allia , or ( in the same language ) quaffonia : the former , situate in the same longitude and latitude ( god saue the sample ) with our england and the later , with the two germanies . both haue one prince , both one lawe : and a little reformation would make them concurre both in prince , lawe , habite and manners . eat-allia , or gluttonia . chap. . eat-allia , is in forme triangulare , like the greeke letter delta , which beareth this forme : [ Δ ] it is d as broad as long , and resembleth the figure of the old aegypt ; being full of high skie towring hills , and yet so fertile , that the very birds ( that flock thether from all places to feed ) if they stay but one three moneths at the mangery this soile affords them , are so ladened with the luggage of their owne fatned bodies , that they cannot possibly get wing so high as to ouer-toppe one of the meaner mountaines , but become sworne inhabitants of this fatte countrie all their liues after . fatte ? why your italian ortolano , or beccafico is but carrion to them . no. they are rarely fedde . this may seeme a fiction , but hee that hath seene the workes of nature in scotland , where the leaues that fall from certaine trees , lying but a while to rotte , become a goodly kinde of fowle called f barnacles , ( which are a kinde of wild-geese ) or in scythia , where ( as an honorable embassador of ours hath giuen an approued testimonie ) there are certaine creatures grow out of the earth in the shapes of g lambes , which being fast ioyned vnto the stalke they grow vpon , do notwithstanding eate vp all the grasse about them : he ( i say ) that hath assurance of these rare effects , cannot but assent vnto mine assertions as most authenticall . but ( to leaue digressions , and to returne to our purpose ) the fishes of the eat-allian shores ( and fish they haue in great aboundance ) are naturally so rauenous and greedy , that ( whether they pertake of the nature of the nation , or like h nero's turbut , presage their honorable sepultures ) you can no sooner cast out your angle-hooke amongst them , but immediatly , ( like the soules in lucian about charons boate , or cole-miners about the rope when the candles burning blew tels the dampe commeth ) you shall haue hundreds about the line , some hanging on the hooke , and some on the string besides it , such is their pleasure to goe to the pot , such their delight to march in pompe from the dresser . besides , the land hath diuerse good hauens , but they serue for harbour to no ship but such as comes fraught with good fare , and is laden with delicious viands . if any parcell of their fraight haue taken salt-water , or bee otherwise offensiue to the iudgment of the i maister of the custome-house , it commeth not a shore by any meanes . the soyle beares no tree that beares no fruite : ashes , oakes , willowes , & such fruitlesse fill-roomes , such saw i none , for none were there to be seene . but all the hedges ( and so it is also in drink-allia ) were stuck thick with hops : and surely in my conceit , the k westerne english and the lumbards had this custome ( at first ) from the drink-alls . this territory of old , was ( vnlesse their chronicles do mistake ) vnder the gouerment of the thriuingers ( inhabitants of l thriuingois ( a nation lying a good way further into the maine land ) for their annales report , how in the dayes of old saturne , the thriuonian princes bare sway ouer all this continent , and had their principall seate in that part now called eat-allia , and that because the men of those times liued most part vpon garlick ( called in latine allium ) therefore was this region called allia : but forreine inuasions ensuing , and those antient worthies being hereby chased from their places of soueraigntie , the conditions of the people grew to a great alteration , & to proportionate the name of the country to the natures of the inhabitants , they added eate vnto the ancient name , allia , & so from that change , it beareth the name of eat-allia vnto this present . dressembourg , the first canton of eat-allia . chap. . dressembourg , a is the first part of this great land of eat-allia , & fittest for vs to begin with in our intended discouery . this canton ( were it not for a greater instinct of naturall inclination ) is in too hotte a climate for any true eatall to inhabit : for the vttermost corner of it , ( which some geographers name the south cape , ) lieth vnder the same latitude with the most southerne point of castile , and is about two and fortie degrees distant from the aequinoctiall . the inhabitants be of a swartie tawnie , and most of them haue their skins all riuelled and withred , and for their conditions , they affect deliciousnesse rather then excesse . vpon the foresayd point of this canton which wee named the swarty cape , ( as the whole countrie is wondrously ouer-clowded with smoke , partly because the soile is very fennish , and partly because of the neerenesse of terra del fuego , the land of fire , which lieth as all the discouerers thereof doe with one voyce affirme , immediatly vpon the right hand thereof ) standeth the citty kitchin , the buildings of which towne are generally very lofty , and yet as generally smoakie and euill sented : i imagine that cochin in the east indies , was a colony sent at first from this citie . in the midst of this cittie standeth a goodly temple , dedicated to b god all-panch , a vaste and spacious building , wherein there are a thousand altars , burning with continuall incence ( excepting from shrouetide vnto easter-euen ) vnto the foresaid deitie . in the midst of this temple is a tower erected , of incredible altitude , no worke made with mans hand euer came neere it , the pyramides of memphis are but mole-hils to it : the inhabitants called it chymney-turret , and from the height thereof the whole region round about it haue the vsuall signall of warte giuen them ; for whereas wee vse to giue notice of such ensuing dangers by fyring a tarre-barrell on the toppe of a beacon , they on the contrary side haue their information from the ceasing of the smoake , for when-so-euer that eternall fume ceaseth to ascend in caliginous clouds , it is a sure warning that the foe approacheth : and this inuasion is most cōmonly attempted by the inhabitants of the starueling iles , ( otherwise called hunger-landers , ) for these are the most formidable enemies that the eat-alls haue , or can be annoied by . neare vnto the sayd city kitchin , are certaine villages that are all within the liberties thereof : and first , there is cole-house , a large towne truely , and all consisting ( a strange forme of building ) of caues vnder the ground : then is there ashe-ton , and that stands vpon the toppe of cole-house , on a most droughty and barren soile . tonges-worth , another little village and this ashe-ton , are both in one parish , and so is fyer-pan and c ayre-bumme , two goodly sweet farmes : on the left hand you haue three others , d spit-stead , kettle-drop , and spoones-by , all pretty townes , and maruellous well peopled . kettle-drop hath a faire riuer passeth through it , called e ture-mois , which ( they say ) boyleth euery . houres , not much vnlike the fountaine of the f peake , in england . banquet-ois , the second canton of eat-allia . chap. . passing out of dressembourg , the next canton yee enter is the very garden of all eat-allia , it is called banquetois , and is as it were a continuall forrest of nothing but dates , almonds , figges , oliues , pomegranates , cytrons , and nutmegs : and the riuer of oylebrooke hath his course through the heart of all this goodly territory . the citty of march-paine is the chiefe towne of note in this canton , beeing built after a stately manner with turrets , and obeliskes all guilt ouer , but indeede it is but of a slender kinde of fortification , and lieth verie open to the enemies cannon , a little aboue this city are certaine mines , called the sugar-hills , whence they digge a certain oare in collour whitish , in touch hard , & in tast sweete , a substance a vnknown of old , & since hauing bin counterfetted by arte , and drawne by alchymy b out of the arabian and indian reedes . this city hath very few inhabitants of any yeares that haue any teeth left : but all , from . to the graue are the naturall heires of stinking breaths . next vnto this , lieth another little corporation called drugges-burge , and here they haue a law , that none must bee made free of the city but apothecaries , grocers and boxe-makers . the shee-landresses vse much traffique vnto this place , but more vnto letcheri-tania , where they vse to make exchange by bartering christaline glasses , for vnguents and pomanders . now for these drugges-burgers , the very heauens seeme to conspire with the places fitnes , to increase their trading : for at certaine times of the yeare , you shall haue the whole countrie couered quite ouer with aromaticall trochisches , comfits and confections , that fall from the aire in as great aboundance c ( at those times when they do fal ) as euer fel showre of haile : now i hold this to be nothing really , but that same hony-dew which we shall finde now and then vpon the leaues of the oke in a kindly spring : the onely difference is in the solidity , for where as ours falleth in small dewy droppes , theirs is congealed by the cold of the ayres midle region , and so falleth in round balls , that rebound in their fall through this their accidētall induration . pewter-platteria , the third canton of eat-allia . chap. . as wee passed vnder the . degree beyond the line , wee entred into a spacious plaine , the inhabitants named it pewter-platteria , and wee for breuity sake , entred it in our mappe vnder the name of platters-plaine : it lieth in the very heart of eat-allia , and the first city that we met within this tract was a victullu , through the midst of which there passeth a riuer called b sauce , whose water is some-what tart in the taste . in the market place of this town we beheld a tombe , which as far as i could guesse by the weather-worne inscription , conteined the bones of the romane apicius . it was no rare peece of worke but it was of a most ancient model , and the tombe-stone was cut in forme of a sea-crab . and surely ( let seneca say what hee please ) it might very well be that this famous gurmōd hauing bestowed a great deale of lost labour in seeking bigger crabbes on the african shores then the french afforded , turned his course vnto this country , ( or els was forced hither by tempest ) and so here layd his bones , vpon some deadly surfet . let the colledge of critiques be iudge . i do here purposely omit the fruitfull plaines of goblet the great , and fat-land forrest : togither with the goodly citty c sausagiena : oh there 's a towne rarely seated , onely it stands a little too neere the salt-water : i ouer passe that stinking d cheese-mongeria also , and e butterkin the fennie , the last towne of all eat-allia , and situate vpon the very borders of quaffonia , these i passe ouer slightly , onely because i would faine bee at the metropolitane city of the whole region , for that very place alone , in structure of houses , manners of inhabitants , and formality of discipline , is worth all the rest to one that wayeth it well . the metropolitane city of eat-allia : the peoples conditions . chap. . hereabouts are but few villages , no more then in other places of the land , so that one may easily discerne that the a cities haue eaten vp all the boroughs . neither are their citties so aboundant in nūber as they are in ritches and inhabitants , but of them all , the prime and mother cittie is that famous flesh-pasty-nople . their old records doe report , that in former ages there were two ritch and potent citties , fleshton , and py-nople , betweene whome ( as is vsuall amongst great men , and great places , in so much that the b two best vniuersities of the worlde , both of them my mothers , and one of them my nurse also , and both sisters , yet can scarely for-beare this froward contention ) there was long and vehement altercation about the soueraignity . py-nople stood vpon hie antiquitie : and assuredly in old saturnes time , the world afforded not hir parallell . but flesh-ton counterpoised the others continuance , with hir owne glorie , pleasant situation and powerfulnesse : well , a parliament was called , and finally , the whole house with one consent gaue the supremacy vnto flesh-ton . such is the vilenesse of this depriued age , that though it bee gray headed with decay , yet wil it prefer proud and vnripe ( or rather to soone ripe nouelty ) an hundred degrees before pure simple antiquity . c py-nople being thus disgraced , decayed to nothing , it is at this daie almost impossible to know where it stood that was whilome a goodly cittie neuer had d poets , saint albones iuster cause to accuse the malice of man and of time , then this poore ruined pile hath to condemne it . now grew flesh-ton into more and more lustre , and both to adde a magnificence to the name , as also to past the foile of py-nople vpon the fore-head of all posterity , it left the last syllable of the old name , and assumed the two last of py-nople for it , ioyning them , togither with the cement wherof the ancient walls were made ( called in their language , payste ) and so was thence-forth called flesh-pasti-nople . touching the forme of it , it is rather vast in compasse then comely in buildings : and hath a ditch ( or rather a riueret ) of spring water running almost through euery streete , in which water , you shall see a thousand seuerall impayled fish-ponds , wherein also they keepe swannes ; duckes , diue-dappers , herons , teales , and all water foules whatsoeuer , ( as they do now at auspurg , vpon instruction from hence ) and this current is called c grauy-ditch . it is double walled about , with the bones that remained of their carniuall reuellings , and these bones were most artificially disposed each in his due place , the great bones standing vnderneath as pillers to the whole worke ; the mid-most were next in order aboue them , and the smallest were ranked in the highest place , and all very well fastned togither with morter made of the whites of egges ; in good sadnesse most artificially , and with full iudgement . their houses with-in , were neither too stately nor too lofty , they needed no f augustus to forbid the building aboue . foote high , nor any g iuuenal , or h seneca to complaine of their stories vpon stories . no ( faith ) they kept a very good course for that . they loue no ascents by staires vp to their dores , for two causes ; partly because it is toilesome to climbe vp them when their bellies are bum-basted , and partly because it is dangerous to come downe them when their braines are throughly moistned , ( as they must bee most commonly vpon a great forfeiture ) : insteed of lead , tile , & states , their houses are all rooft with beasts shoulder-bones , very cunningly knit together i assure yea : their city consisteth not of any saue such as haue one dependance or other vpon the good fellowes rack and manager . the husbandmen , carpenters millers and butchers haue each their habitations assigned thē in the suburbes : who notwithstanding if they can bring their bellies vnto a certain set size , are presently carried to gurmonds hall , and there made free of the wide-throates , or large-weasands : but no stranger can haue his freedome at first , vnlesse he be either a cooke , a baker , or an inkeeper : the citty is gouerned by a set number of gratie senators , peculiarly enstiled alder-guts , who are not elected ( as our european burgomaisters are ) for their wisdome , their wealth , or their horse-taile beards , but by the circumference of their naturall tankards ( their paūches ) which at a sollemn set feast are euery yeare measured once : and the more that each mans rotundity of corpulence is found to bee enlarged ; vnto the higher place is hee presently 〈◊〉 : so that i haue seene some come sneaking out of the fagge end of the suburbes , who had held their i shappikino●e in the verges of the cities bodex ; food knowes how many winters , iustle notwithstanding at length , into and honorable place in the citty , and at lasticome to be a principal syre of this famous common-weale . but now 〈◊〉 all heare or 〈…〉 her sicknesse , ( as it often falleth out ) or age , doe chance to make these alder-guts cast their colloppes afterward , they are immediate put off the bench and loose both greace , and grace 〈◊〉 one clap : this is hard now but it 〈◊〉 as hard as it is i can 〈◊〉 that . the 〈◊〉 ( which ) admired in a city otherwise so regardlesse of curiosity ) are al paued with faire large marble stones : because ( as i imagine ) othewise the inequality of pebbles lay thē neuer so euen , would haue bin a troble to the gourmonds & other citizens in making them lift their feete too high , whereas 〈◊〉 they are both eased of that encombranced , and their coaches haue lesse occasion to shake their distended guts : for they neuer go abroad on foot , nor on hors-back , nor in litters , but are caried about the streetes in great foure-wheeled coatches , that they may haue the quieter means to sit and spaule when they are caried home from wheeleing-in . the geometricall proportion of the city is circular , and hath foure gates at which there doe sit daily ( course by course ) alderguts selected , and properly instiled of that office superuisors of the paunshery : and these are ( like the guales guard in a town of garrison ) to examine al ingredients , and egredients : the fatter , to see that they go not out fasting ( which their long and graue experience in the extension and contraction of gutts makes them able most exactly to discouer , and where they finde the person defectiue , his mulct is to eate two suppers ) and the first , to see that they come not in emptie-handed : for not to go out ful-bellied and not to come in ful-handed , is an heinous contempt of the citties right health-ful gouernment . euery month , they are bound by their law , ( and would bee so were there no such law ) to celebrate a sollemne feast , where euery aldergut of the whole society must prefent himself , all excuses and delaies set apart what soeuer , to consult ( after dinner , for before it is vnlawful for any one to giue his voice ) about the publique good . the place where they meet is gourmonds hall : euery one knoweth his seate , & hath his iourdan or chamber-pot standing by him in a little coffer made for the purpose . wel being met , & hauing turned their wine into water , and their oysters into shells , euery one takes his chaire and to dinner they go . their daintiest dishes , are euermore the first sacrifices vnto their stomakes , for they hold it fit that the best meat meeteth fittest with the best appetite . now they may not in any case haue their boares , sheepe , goates , lambs &c. serued vp in parcels & ioynts , as we of europe vse , but they must haue all whole ( the old romanes taught them that ) you shal see the waiters come sweating with an whole hogge , or an whole calfe vpon a great pewter engine , you would blesse yee to behold it . hee that riseth before six houres bee fully ruine , runs his head vnder a rigorous fine and al this while they eate & drinke by little and little only ( for that cause that made k aristotles parasite with himselfe the necke of a crane ) to take the more delight in the delicacies . but for the breaking vp of the feast , they haue this order . they haue a dore in their hall , large enough 〈◊〉 the greatest gut-monger that liues , and take him fasting . at this dore , the alder-guts enter when they come to the feast , which beeing ended , he that offers to passe the same way hee came , and cannot get his belly through , is let forth another waie : but hee that passeth as easily as he came in , is staid by an officer appointed for that purpose , called the serieant of the mawe , and brought back againe ( will hee nill hee ) where hee must settle him to a renewed rouse , vntill his belly bee able to kisse both the cheekes of the dore at once , and then he is dismissed . ( i cannot bee fully perswaded but the creeping through l saint wilfrids needle was a deuise brought by some ancient pilgrim from this more ancient alder-guts custome ) . the towns-men of this place haue the hugest gardens of the world , but they are all out of order , nothing like the gardens of adonis , alcinous , no nor m langius-his neither , no sir , come not thether to looke for your arbours , your alleies , or your conceited flowry knots , mary if you looke for your radish , your garlike , your cabbidge , your muske-melon , or so , they are for you : italy her selfe had most of her more delicate rootes from hence : an hundred carthusians might haue a christmas dinner from hence at an houres warning . the goodly colewort there you soone should finde , the lettuce , and the onions double kinde : and beetes , for him that would be loose behinde . nay marke but whether these men haue a care of the citties credite . they haue a common hospitall ( and that , i may tel you , a large one ) wherein al such as haue got the dropsie , the goute , the cough of the lungs , or any such malady by too much gour-mandizing , are maintained of the publike charge . but al such as haue lost their teeth by age , or by eating their broth too hot , are forth with prouided for very conueniently & sent away n into spone-meat ilands : there are many belonging to this city that liue in forme of slaues , and those are appointed to till the fields , and sow the gardens . euery ritch gurmond keepes diuers of these labourers , who notwithstanding when the guts are at sufficient growth , haue their freedome giuen them gratis . if any of the nobility chance to die of a surfet ( as there doth assuredly , more , then of any other death ) his statue is presently forged of most select & delicate dishes , and so he is laid forth for his slaues and o his p●ndentes per , to tire vpon : nor is it lawfull for them to bee so idle as to refuse immeditate execution of this honorable ordinance . the , whole sort of al these citizens are generally of an vnmeasurable grosenesse ( and seemed to mee when i sawe them walke iust like so many tunnes , mouing each vpon two pottle pots ) : nor is that man worthy of any ( the meanest ) saluation in the world , that is not p all cheekes to the belly , and all belly to the knees : and such shapes doe the women of this cittie walke in also : ( the germaine frowes doe prittily well in imitation of these fusty-lugs , but the barbarians come very neere them ) . the yong women may not mary till such time as before a bench of matrons , they make a publicke demonstration to their husbands that shall bee , that their dugges and chinnes may meete without any forcing of either . they go for the most part all naked , onely their alder-guts may weare gownes ; mary those must be onely the skinnes of such beasts as they are able to deuoure alone at one sitting . yet there is no free-man of the towne but weares a large knife , and a spoone as big as a ladle bound to his right arme . before ; vpon the breasts , each one weareth a poke of hayre-cloth to saue the gobbets that chance to fall besides , and to wipe their mouths with-all , but those they vse so long in this greasie imployment , that whether their shining exceed their blacknesse , or their blacknesse their shining he had need be well sighted that should iudge . they are naturally dull of wit , and slow of apprehension , and yet notwithstanding most perfect in all the arts they respect . their schooles haue no lectures read in them , but onely q apicius his institutions of the arte of muncherie : & there are all the yong fry taught the sciences of caruing , chewing and swallowing , oh most profoundly : the muncherie lecturer ( when i was there ) was one doctor full-gorge , a man most rare in his profession , and insteed of his grammar , hee read the first section of the foresaid institutiō of apicius . their library is a large roome , rancked full of potts and kannes of all sorts , euery sorte being enseamed in their seuerall classes : so the schollers haue also , each one his full pott and his laden plat●er , r for his booke : the freshmen haue lesser measures , the sophisters larger , and so vp to the graduates . the first perhaps hath his pinte & his pullet , the next his quart & his goose , the third his pot●●● and his fat lambe , or his gammon of baton , and so vpwards : nor may any leaue his taske , or haue leaue to play till he haue made an end of what was enioyned him . if any one stay seauen yeares in these schooles , and benefit nothing , he is forth-with banished for euer into the starueling iles , to hunger-land is he sent away immediatly , to deale vpon spanish dinners , furnished with halfe piltchers . thether also they thrust all phisitions and prescribers of diers : if any of thē be ill at ease ( let asclepiades swagger & hang if he list ) he presently eates a raw radish , drinkes a little hott water , spewes a while , & within a quarter of an houre , viah , he lets flie vpon aiax , & rises from his roast as sound as a bell . now all the what you wil , that the voids at either end during this purging time , is immediatly confiscate vnto the dukes treasurie and s strained vpon in such a case , by certaine surueyors , especially appointed for such commodities . they loue venison dearely well , yet can they not tell how to catch it : onely such deere as comes willingly amongst them , those they entangle in netts and soyles and so take them . but the noble swine , oh they prize that beast aboue all that euer nature produced ; but whether it be because of their sympathy of natures , being both fatally consecrated to the table , or by reason that the swine will feede on the coursest meate and yet be soonest fedde , this i leaue to a more iudicious censor to determine . what man is he now would thinke , that in this inundation of profusenesse their should be any dry hillock left for parsimony to inhabit ? yet ( sooth ) there is many haue an vnfit dwelling among such gulp-thrifts : certainly i haue obserued an exceeding care they haue in the reseruing of the smallest bit-bone , and fragment that remaines after their banquetings ; wherevpon they neither keepe dogge , catte , hawke , nor any creature whatsoeuer that will eate flesh : nay which is more , in the fatting of their pidgeons , and capons , they will take them and make them vn-gorge the corne that they haue already halfe disgested , and giue it for meate vnto the others . the venetians haue learnt this pretty trick of them already , and t can doe it very neatly . now as for the men themselues , if any one keepe any victuals by him vntill they stinke , hee is forth-with condemned of high treason , and spitted vpon a stake . onely two reseruations this lawe agreeeth vnto , the first is , they may keepe their . venison vntill it bee all hoarie , and mouldie quite ouer , and the second is , they may lay vp ( foh , nasty ! ) their cheese where they thinke good , so long , vntill it be ready to creepe quite away with maggots , and then they take these wormes ( the very putrification of a most putride meate ) and scraping a little sugar on them , crash them vppe with spoones as if they were almond-comfites . out vpon them ; i wonder our low dutch would be such logger-heads as to follow them in this filthy fashion . this region aboundeth with riuers , whose course is ( most of them ) vncertaine , because of the aboundance of ordure that stops them , some-times heere , and sometimes there , but generally ( take this for an infallible rule ) n at the beginning of ianuary , and the ending , or about the ending of february , they are sure all of them to ouer-slow the bankes , and ( if the breatches bee not stop in time ) to do much harme in the pastures adioyning . the warres of the eat-allians . chap. . the eat-allians haue vnreconcileable warres with a two other nations , the hunger-landers of the starueling iland , and the thriuingers of thriuingois : the first , inhabite certaine westerne iles in the atlantike sea , not farre from eat-allia : but the later lie somewhat further of it , by reason of a great part of the tertorie of fooliana , and some parcell also of b shee-landt , that puts in betweene them : their historicall monuments relate that the plienger-landers being confederate with the theeuing-arians , haue made many terrible inuasions vp on the eat-allians borders : and one time gaue them a sore foyle , insomuch that the poore inhabitants were faine to hide themselues in hores and causes vnder ground : vntill at last their gods guardions pitied them , and made their foes owne chappes their full destruction ; for they did so ingorge them selues after this sudden change , that growing hereby all diseased , there was not a man left of them in three yeares , if you would haue giuen a spanish reall for a man : not a man to cast at a dog . the thriuingers also , the ancient inhabitauts of this land , haue made many attempts to regaine their lost possession , but ( as fortune lightly lea●eth to the wrong side ) haue beene continually beaten backe by the eat-all an● good successe . they march vnto battell , armed onely before , for what-neede any fence behinde , se●ing they cannot turne them-selues to runne away ? ) with oxe-hides , sheepe-skins , & swines pelts , that you would imagine , seeing them goe to warre , that it were a heard of cattle that were a driuing to the watring place : their weapons commonly are spits , and fire-forkes , mary some of them haue , gunnes , and crossebowes made of the bones of the largest oxen they kill : but the very truth is ( i may tell it here to you in priuate , but 't is a rare point of pollicie . ) the drink-allians giue them their best assistance , for had not they beene , the eat-allians had beene downe the winde long ere this : and there is c the maine of all the matter . of idle-bergh , an imperiall free towne . chap. . bvt i haue some-what to say of a idle-bergh , though i haue said nothing of it yet ; it may not passe mee so being so famous and free a state as it is . it hath a large territorie vnder command , & is situate in the farthest confines of pewter-platteria , towards fooliana . there is not a towne either of more antiquity , or worthy more admiration in all eat-allia then this is : the citizens liue in farre more happy estate then euer monke did : for they haue all things they can desire , in aboundance . for first the towne is so strongly situate , that it is vtterly impregnable , and may iustly mock at all the enemies enterprises , being built vpon a rock b ten germaine miles in height , and withall so steepe , that it is vtterly inaccessible : at the foote of this cliffe runs the riuer of idle , whereof the towne taketh her name : runs said i ? nay it seemes rather to creepe : being more like a lake then a riuer . there is but one way vp to the towne , and that is not by mounting the rock by degrees , and windings , as wee see in other forts of this situation , but the townes-men let downe a roape and a basket , like the bucket of a well , and so hale vp the passengers . they liue all vpon certaine birds naturally bred amongst them , i neuer saw any of them else-where , the inhabitants call them c gulls , and they are not much vnlike to our bald cootes . they serue the cities vse with three sorts of meates , flesh , egges , and fish ; flesh , from their owne carcasses , egges from their nests , where they lay them in great aboundance , and fish which they bring for the feeding of their young ones , in huge excesse : and besides , the sticks of their nests finde the citizens perpetuall firing . what , would yee more ? and more yee shall haue . their fethers serue the citizens for stopping of their beds , yea and some to spare also , for transportation . the grounds within the walls bring forth both whole vintages of delicate grapes , and whole haruests of the purest wheate . nor is there any other thing whatsoeuer that the idle-berghers esteeme , but they enioy it within themselues . the people do liue an vncurious life , and in apuleius his sence ( who called a fatte lambe , an vncurious one ) selues are truly vncurious . d they sup , they sleepe , they rise , they dine , and they sup , and so round in a ring , ( vnlesse a little whoring now and then chance to adde one dance more to the round . ) they haue a lawe ( and that i thinke they had from the e sybarites ) that barreth all eunuches , and all artificers from dwelling amongst them . their swine serue for their plow-men ( as they did whilom in aegipt ) they vse no other husbandrie : yet the ritcher sort haue attendants : one to open the maisters eyes gently when hee awaketh : another to fanne a coole ayre whilest hee eateth , a third to put in his viands when hee gapeth , a fourth to fit his girdle to his belly , as it riseth and falleth , the maister onely excerciseth but eating , disgesting , and laying out . there are diuerse other cities that hold of this idle-bergh in capite , & vnder protection of her , enioy the same priuiledges with her , namely f sleepe-on , and snort-apace : yet here the citizens are seldome or neuer awake , but ( as g pliny writeth of the beares ) do generally lye so soundly a iouking , that a man may wound them ere hee awake them : and it is strange to see how fatte they grow by this drowsie lethargie . the lawes of the land. chap. . gourmonds hall is a very faire , large house , statefully set forth with arched bay windowes , and vpon the front of the entrance are these words fairely engrauen in letters of gold , to , revell , and to , methode . a and within , there hung a table chained to a marble piller , conteining these sacred and inuiolable lawes . be it enacted . . that eating but one meale a day , bee hence-forth held for a capitall transgression . . that he that ouer-throwes a full dish or a cup rashly , or howsoeuer , be forthwith by vertue of this statute enioyned to stand vpright on his feete , and hauing a dish of broth set betweene his heeles , to eate it all vp with a thimble . . that none eate alone , nor violate the lawes of the table by any priuate suppers : but that euery citizen do eate either in the streetes or in an open window , vpon paine of eating his next meale with his heeles vpward . . that whosoeuer forbeareth to sleepe or eate foure houres together , do satisfie the state by eating two suppers . . yet if the mouth bee full , it shall bee sufficient to giue an answer by holding vp the finger . . that conspiratours bee forth-with starued to death , and other malefactors punished by the losse of a tooth . . that all cookes that dresse not their meate according to the iudicious palate , be immediatly bound vnto stakes , & flesh halfe roasted hung by them , vntill some pittifull and hungry spectator take compassion on them , and eate it all vp . . that to belch bee held not onely lawfull , but honorable also : and that the gouerment of the next future feast bee assigned vnto him that broke winde the strongliest at the last . . that b if any one hold his breath whilest his belly is a measuring , he be forthwith made vncapable of all aduancement , and condemned to fast one whole day in a grate , where he may behold the rest of the alder-guts at dinner and supper . . that euery mans weekly maungery be brought in a billa vera by his fellow gurmond vnto the register to be recorded , and withall that if he haue not fulfilled the lawe in that case enacted , hee may be accordingly fined . signed all-paunch . those that are the least offenders , are put for foure and twenty houres into the temple of famine , a prison directly contrary vnto our c bedlem . it stands without the cittie as aesculaps temple stood without rome : but not for healths sake ( as plutarch saith how that did ) but onely least such as are condemned vnto that gaole should so much as once sent the ayre of the kitchin. the walls of it are all painted about with all manner of good victualls , onely to excite the prisoners appetite vnto his greater plague , and verily one iesuite or other hath seene these walles , and there-vpon deuised pictures for their chambers of meditation . they vse no money : what haue wee to doe , say they , with these saplesse and vnsauory mettals ? no , they follow that ancient custome that d aristotle records , and barter goods for goods by way of exchange . two sparrowes is the price of a stare , two stares for a black-bird , two black-birds for a hen , two hens for a goose , two geese for a lambe , two lambes for a calfe ; two calfes for a goate , & two goates for a cow : and thus they do also in fish and rootes , at a set price : the towle-mens especiall care beeing this , that neither their stuffe be too bad , nor their price too great . their religion . chap. . they cannot endure iupiter , for he , when hee thunders , sowres all their wines , and ouer-wets their plants with vnseasonable showers . they haue a good deuotion vnto god trine , because he eateth vp althings before him , and shewes himselfe herein a true eat-all . they haue built a goodly temple vnto him , in which i saw the picture of saturne eating vp his children , passing artificially portrayed . on shroue-tuesday , they offer sacrifice vnto the genius of the place , whom they hold for their chiefe deitie , and almost for their onely deity : euery yeare once doth this power appeare vnto them in forme of a monstrous fowle , most huge and most rauenous , ( the inhabitants call him rvc ) and accepts the offrings of his seruants , and they for their parts are not behinde hand with him , but present him with whole hecatombes of raw-flesh , thus ordered . in pewter-platter-ia ( of which you heard before ) there is a large plaine , lying towards the south , circled in with mountaines on each side . vnto this plain do al the inhabitāts flock at a certain day appointed , bringing with them an ocean of victuals , elephants , rhinocerots , camells ( all which they feed for this purpose , for other-wise they would neuer keepe such vnprofitable creatures ) oxen of the largest size , boares , sheepe , goates , togither with a whole army of birds , all with the feathers pluckt off : all these they put as it were into this large cage ; which being done , they get them vp on the mountaines sides , as if they tooke their seates in a play-house , and with bended knees doe there expect the comming of this great deity , old ruc of rucs hall . at length sir , you shall see him come a farre off , with a noise , able to deafe the whole nation three hundred miles about , with a great crooked bill as bigge a ( almost ) as halfe the equinoctiall circle , with a paire of tallants , like two broade spred okes , with two eyes in his head like two townes that were on fire , and such an inundation of harpies , rauens , vultures , and haukes , about him , ! o strange ! stupendious sight , for man to see ! with a cry , able to procure an earth-quake they approach the plaine , and by and by , their wings eclipse the sunne , and bring a midnight ouer the whole valley , they are so huge a multitude . three times they flagge about the plaine , while the people powre out their very bladders in teares , and all that is in their bellies in hearty praiers vnto this route of religious birdes . by this time , generall rvc , the leader of this starued regiment hath spied his pray , for hee out of all that folio catalogue of carcasses , must choose what pleases his tooth first , supose hee take some fiue elephants , or halfe a score oxen , he is to be first serued , and then euery one to his sharke , tagge and ragge there yee should see one fly away with a calfe here another with a lambe , ther● one with a boare and here anothe● with a swanne , euery one fitting his luggage to his strength , and thus with a reuerent and religious applause of all the lookers on , b they depart euery one with his cariage , and leaues the rest behind them : all which ( and that is an huge deale of meate ) the people are bound in conscience to get ready and eate vp ere they goe , whereby their bellies are so ouer-stuffed , that they loath flesh almost forty daies after , during which space they liue all vpon fish ( but that is costly drest with sirrups and sauces ) and with the dainties of banquet-ois : both to refresh themselues with the delicacy thereof , as also to returne to flesh againe which the sharper appetite , hauing thus long forborne it . sure as death the pope had his lent sent him out of this country , vpon the granting them some odde indulgence , or vpon dispensing with them for ember weekes . the election of the great duke . chap. . now wee come to the great dukes place , and thether by good chance came i , the very same day that a new duke was elected , according to the custome of the country . there is a stately palace standeth vpon a narrow ledge of land lying iust betweene eat-allia and drink-allia , which also ioyneth them both together : this pallace was built ( as their most ancient chroniclers auouch ) by a giant called ( in the sayd chronicles ) all-paunch : who was of an incredible height of body ; not like him whose picture the schollers of cambridge goe to see at hogmagog hills : but rather like him that ought the two aple-teeth which were digged out of a well in cambridge that were little lesse then a mans head , ( yet was not the tooth that was found on the shore of vtina any way comparable to these ) plinyes a orestes , or b plutarches orion were but dwarfes in respect of this same great all-paunch . suppose rather that you saw antaeus that was three-score cubites heigh , or him whose carcasse being digged vp at drepano , was , ( as boccace affirmeth the symetrians to haue gathered by his thigh bone ) two hundred cubites in length , this later i thinke might bee brother to him wee speake off . this all-paunch was the first that conquered this countrie from the thriuingois , draue them all out of the land , brought in a new people , and gaue them new lawes : and his soule they imagine ( as pythagoras his opinion affirmed ) to bee entred into that huge bird rvc , in which shape ( as i said ) they do yearly adore him . the silly people haue this fellow in as great reuerence as the turkes haue mahomet . hee lyeth buried in the midst of the palaces base court : where for a sacred memorial of him , there is a statue erected , farre higher then lisippus his brazen colossus , neare vnto which his tombe is , vpon which i discerned some markes of letters , but antiquity had so eaten them out , as ouid saith . old time that razeth all and spareth none , and age that eateth through the hardest stone had so defaced the inscription , that i could scarcely make any good sence of it . the fragments stood in this manner . i all panch d●ke of tenterbelly ly here a lord a victor a prince a deity . let none goe by me fasting nor name me hvngry . nor salvte me sober . be mine heire he that can. my svbiect hee that will mine enemy he that dare . farewell bellies and be fatte . now i imagine it should conteine these words ; iudge i pray the gentle reader , and if thou canst restore the fragments to their true contents better then i haue done here , thou maist doe the antiquaries much pleasure herein : i thinke it is thus . i all-pavnch , dvke of tenter-bellye , ly here entombed . dying a lord , a victor , a prince , a deity . let none go by me fasting , nor name me hvngry , nor salvte mee sober . be mine heire hee that can , my svbiect hee that will , mine enemy he that dare . fare-wel bellies and be fatte . this tombe is to bee seene in the pallace of the duke , who hath his regalitie according to this first dukes institution , not by succession , but by election , for there are foure chiefe linages , or families in the land : the treble-chins , the bacon-choppes , the woolsacks , and the nimble-iawes : any one of these foure houses may stand for the dukedome , and vpon desert obtaine it . this now is the order of the election : there is a yearely tilting ordained ( not any tilting with speares , but a tilting of barrells ) whervnto euery one comes armed with his teeth , all new sharpened , and to it they goe , where hee that vnhorseth most meate , and lifteth most measures of wine out of their pewtersaddles , is not onely honoured with a crowne of clustered vines , but furthermore is made lord high steward of the land , the dukes next inferior : which done , and the tournament ended , each one ariseth ( if hee can ) and laying his hand on the sacred tombe of dead duke all-paunche , taketh an othe by the deities of bacchus , saturne ; and the reuerend all-paunch to performe his duety in this election without any partiall dealing whatsoeuer . then they depart vnto the theater which is prepared for that daies vse ( not too high for feare of beeing tired ere they got vp staires ) and there they take their places to behold this future election . then first commeth forth the new chosen lord high steward , and he bringeth in his hand a golden girdle , all enchased with pearles , diamonds , rubies &c. and this they call the holie belt of state : and vpon it , i espied these words , set in perfect rubies ; nothing , if not beyond . now first , the last yeares duke puts it on , and taketh the exact measure of his owne souse-tub , and then al the rest of the nobility doe so after him , and hee that can set it on the tenters ( without stretching of his bellie , or holding of his breath ) so stiffe , that it neede bee letten out one hole more ; hee is the man that with great acclamations is proclamed high duke of tenter-belly . and then presently commeth his cup-bearer , and vpon his knees presents him with a siluer tankard of some dozen quartes , and intreates his grace to drinke a health vnto the people . hee takes it , and lifting vppe the lidde , beginnes an oration to the people befitting occasion , or if hee bee no good oratour , yet hee giues them as kinde a congratulation as hee can . truely i was verie attentiue to it b but they doe all speake so in the throate , that i could neither like the sound nor learne the sence , vntill mine interpretour told mee how it was : and thus it was indeede . after hee had yeelded thankes ( quoth hee ) to bacchus , c carnea , and all those fauourable deities , especiallie to his owne great mawe , the giuer of such high honours , and had giuen gramercie to his eyes , that had beheld him the best man in all tenter-bellie d ere they fell out , hee turned his speach vnto the people , and in most excellent and rhetoricall good tearmes , tooke a fresh oathe by saint all-●aunche , that hee would be a bulwarke to our liberties , a drudge to our businesses , a terrour to our enemies , a childe to our aduises ; a follower of our counsells , a preseruer of our studies , a father to our desires , an enlarger of our weasands , and an increaser of our measures : finally , he would preserue vs as wee were now , and make vs as wee would bee . and then hee denounced himselfe a professed foe to hunger , abstinence , diet , naughty ale and meagernesse of wine , beere , and bodie , and swore once more ( to assure vs ) that while hee bare that roiall belt , none should either fast vnpunished , or bee drunke vnrewarded . goe on my good subiects ( quoth he ) i adiure you by the sacred weight of your well distended wombes , goe on , bee yee all and alwaies free and frolicke ! o the royalty of reuells ! o honorable helter skelters ! let neuer this goodlie formed goblet of wine ( quoth hee , and tooke vppe his pot of twelue quartes ) goe iouiallie through mee , ( and then hee set it to his mouth , stole it off euery droppe saue a little remainder which hee was by custome to set vpon his thumbes naile and licke it off , as hee did , and then proceeded ) vnlesse i doe from the bottome of mine heart , will and wishe you continuallie dronken heads , full bellies , and fatte fortunes . then hauing made an end , the audience made all ring with their applause , they gaue it him so fully and so faithfully : longe liue bounsingut , wool-sack , caesar , emperor of tenter-belly , long liue he , long reigne hee , long grow hee ; this they rattled yee vppe , at least a dozen times ouer . then were the armes of the dukedome giuen him , which was the rampant estridge , swallowing of an iron horshooe : the word disgest , and do best . for his sword and scepter , the lord high-steward presented him with a great knife , and a pretty golden tunne , and in deliuering them ( according to custome ) pronounced these words , vse and enioye them . but then for the coronation dinner and supper ! oh mercifull heauens ! what castles of platters and chargers , what mountaines of flesh and banquetry , what deluges of wine ale and vsquebath did i see there ! i will neuer stand vpon perticulars : onely this i cannot ommit , the streetes that night were strowed so thicke with drunken carcasses that i thinke in conscience there was neuer more memories left in the field , of the greatest massacre that euer this moderne age was witnesse of . there are diuers cities besides in this dominion , as swallow-all , hogges-den , tickle-chere , and e lickingoa , but their formes of gouernment are peculiarlie declared in the description of flesh-pastinople , and so need no perticular rehearsall . the starueling iland , or hungerland . chap. . bvt wee had quite forgotten the remembrance of starueling iland , take it therefore with you now , as a pennance for your tedious abode in eat-allia . it lieth vnder three and thirty degrees of longitude , and foure and fifty of latitude , beeing on the north , directly opposite vnto cabo bianco , and on the south , vnto filtching-fennes . it is a stonie , swartie , barren , grass-lesse , sandie soyle : there are some trees in it , but they haue neuer an inch of barke left , nor blossome , nor budde : nay the plentie of all places , the weede , cannot finde in his heart to make any ( the smallest ) residence in these quarters . the lands naturall barrennesse affordes no distinction either of summer or winter , whether it bee because the inhabitants snappe vppe there herbes as soone as euer they peepe out of the ground , or that it bee the effect of ceres curse , ( who sayling about the world to seeke her daughter , made ship-wracke on the craggie shore of this i le , and therevpon , they say , layde her malediction vpon it ) it lies not in mee to resolue you . there is none that dwells in this soile willinglie , but all the inhabitants are exiles : and their hew is naturallie betweene a pale and a swartie , their skinnes crumpled like halfe burnt partchment , and puckered like the hide of an elephant : the sunne did neuer see more meager creatures , you would sweare they were anatomies couered with fresh skinne , or els one of athenodorus his apparitions , they looke so ghastly . you shall haue one laying a plotte how to intrappe the flies : another , contriuing a conspiracie against the wormes ; nay there bee they that sitte shauing of the earthes ( god knowes already neere shorne ) beard , to discouer the rootes of the vngrowne grasse : nay they will lye in ambushes one for another ( like so many a bald-cannyes in a dead vacation of butcherie ) yet notwithstanding they haue a good excuse for this out of aristotle , for you know that the greater number of strangers arriuing , the greater scarcity of belly-timber must needs ensue . by this meanes no stranger escapes them vnlesse he bee either too strong for their assaults , or too leane for their stomacks . they are ( most of them ) blacksmiths , notwithstanding that the eatealls banish all their philosophers and phisitians hither , and so doe the spaniards all their slaues that haue serued out their time . they haue a strange and fierce wilde beast rangeth continually in the night all about the deserts of this iland , and they giue it the name of b an emptie-maw : it will keepe such a terrible barking , that it makes the hollow ayre eccho againe : and he of this land that heareth it not barke once in twelue houres , growes deafe immediatly , but hee that heareth it thrice in six and thirty houres and giueth it nothing to deuoure ere twelue houres more be runne c dieth presently , without all auoidance . touching other beasts , i saw none in all this whole iland , but a sort of wolues , and some d monkeyes that had eaten of a great part of their owne tailes . not any else could i espie , indeed i durst not make any long aboade in so leane a land , it was no wisdome , was it thinke yee ? thus farre of eat-allia , and the adiacent iles ; now come we to drink-allia , and so good night . of drink-allia , the second prouince of tenter-belly . chap. . the conditions of the inhabitants . let none expect any exact description of drink-allia in this place , for i durst not for mine eares offer to go into any cittie of the whole prouince , vntill it was darke night , that all the citizens were wrapt in wine and warme clothes , and then ( you know ) how was it possible to discouer any thing ? you may perhaps say , what should you feare ? faith i le tell yee : harke in your eare ! i feared the burgomaisters bountie : for their fashion is , as soone as any one settes foote in at the cittie gate , to giue him , by my troth i wotte neere how many lifts of wine for his welcome ; oh they receiue him in pompe ; and all of the common purse of the cittie : now so many stoopes must hee pull of , or else hee is held an vngratefull , vnmannerly fellow , and which is worse , a direct foe to the common good of the cittie . now i feared both this honour and this danger , and now i hope you are answered . to our purpose . this prouince is some-what larger then eat-allia , and what that hath in wealth , this hath in intemperancie . it is as broad or rather broader then both the germanies : nor is there any nation vnder the cope of heauen so fortunate , nor so aboundant in the delicate iuice of the grape , as this is . the peculiar wines of all our kingdomes of europe , the germaines rhenish , the frenchmans white and claret , the spaniards xeres , malaga , and the canaries , tush , they haue them all here in excesse . the temperature of their bodies are somewhat different from the eat-alls , for these delight in the qualities of heate and drought , whereas the drink-alls especially affect heate and moisture : so that the bordering neighbours doe ieastingly call the eat-alls , blackmen , and kitchin-tenter-bellyes , but the drink-alls they name read-men , and cellerian-tenter-bellyes . but their bodies and their wittes hold both one key in difference : for the drink-alls as they are more ingenious then the eat-alls , so are they much more lasciuious : in their young yeares they are generally very quick witted , but being come to a more grauer age ( especally old age ) they grow so forgetfull , that you shall not haue one amongst twenty that can remember his owne name . the shires of the countrie . chap. . the inhabitants affirme the whole prouince to bee diuided into three counties : the countie of wine-cester , the county of vsque-bathe , and the countie of hoppe-sack , or strong-biera . the first of these , wine-shire , is parted from eat-allia , vpon the westerne verge thereof by the riuer piss-on , a salt current that ebbes and flowes . this riuer runnes round about the dukes palace , and as for the saltnesse , the philosophers of this countrie say it hath it not from the sea , but from an ayrie humor that often-times falls vpon it . the first towne that i came vnto in this region , was called vine-spring , and was in forme of a fiue-angled trencher : it lay downe as farre as vine-prophils , and so some of it became part of the suburbes of cluster-beg , a pretty fine cittie , walled about with stones of the colour of bricke , but some-what deeper of dye . this cittie stands in the bottome of pressing-dale , ( a valley so called ) through the which runnes a delicateriuer called iuice , which passeth along by three or foure pretty citties , ( seated vpon the bankes thereof , most iudiciously , and to the founders eternall commendations ) their names as i remember were tankards-bridge , that was the first , then tunning-trie , then broachingford , & lastly , carousi-kanikin . tunning-try i remember was fotified with a wall of wood , and broaching-ford had neuer but one gate open at once , and that when it was shut , was made fast with nothing but the end of a faggot-stick . there is not in all the world any one riuer comparable to this that runs through these cities ; donaw , thames , volga , seyne , or sir walter rawleys riuer of guiana , put them all in , they are but kennells to this : for besides the pleasing meanders that hee makes in his wanton course , the water is so sweete and delicate , that neither the best europes wine , nor the turkes delicious a zerbeth can possibly goe beyond it . this worthy sonne of the ocean , hath one peculiar fish belongeth vnto it , called a tappe , and this fish will some-times lye by the shore , and spoute a huge deale of the water aloft , ( mary the remaining of it in his belly hath made it some-what more pleasing to the taste then it was before ) and this the inhabitants watch for in boates , and when they get it , make great store of it . this riuer ( as i told you ) passeth through tuning-try : masse i had fotgotten one towne , it goeth from thence to celleridge , ere it come to broaching-ford , and so by broaching-ford passeth directly vnto carousi-kannikin , the prime cittie of the whole prouince . the description of carousi-kanikin , chiefe city of drinke-allia , as also of the fashions and conditions of the drink-alls . chap. . carousi-kanikin , is a name that i vnderstand not , further then that i haue a little light of it from the germaine tongue , but as for the citie , it is built vpon an hill , and carieth the forme of a tankard , from what quarter soeuer you behold it . it is of ancient renowne , and one of the best seated ports for traffique in all the whole land . on the east part it is strongly fortified with barricadoes , and bulwarkes built all of barrels , and the roofes of the houses are most of one and the same manner , tiled with the boords of broken caskes . in the entrance of the gate , from morning vntill night there is placed a double canon of pewter , ( for their lawe commandeth this to bee duly obserued ) the citizens call it the flaggon of hospitalitie , and round about it , are these words engrauen , a aut bibe , aut abi : drinke or bee gone . hee that ariueth , must either lift it all of , or else he is caried before the magistrate , to render accompt of his contumacie . the armes of the citie are aduanced ouer the gate , and they are the three horse-leaches vpon three naked feete , in a bloudy field ; the word , plaenae , quiescimus . being full , we rest . here by a fortunate chance , did i meete with another stranger , a letcheri-tanian borne , who was bound for the citie as well as i , his name he told me was b cinciglion . he ( being acquainted with their fashions ) brought mee secretly by night into the towne , and shewed mee such things as i should neuer haue discouered of my selfe . their buildings are not much vnlike the eat-alls , but that the fronts of their houses are so wholy hidde with spreading vines , that had i not seene the signes hang out on euery side , i would haue sworne i had beene in a vineyard and not in a cittie : in sadnesse it was a pleasant spectacle . in the market place are all the measures hung vp in chaines , sealed with the dukes stampe on their tops , and by them , hangeth a table of the lawes of the land , which you shall haue truely set downe hereafter . the inhabitants go all naked , but for a wreath of vines about their foreheads . but their skins are all carued with figures , and painted after the maner of the ancient picts , and brittons . one hath himselfe drawne into the forme of a centaure , another of a c tragelaphus , a third of a pidgeon ( a terrible drinking byrd ) and you shall haue some painted so perfectly like a flaggon , that if hee set but his hands on his sides you would sweare it were a liuing flaggon . i did see one also so directly in the shape of a whale , that when hee vomited , no man in the world but would haue taken him for a liue whale , spewing vp the ocean . i had a great affection to see the maner of their publike feasts , and yet not bee seene by the citizens . so mine hoste at last agreed to performe my request , and satisfy my longing , mary hee gaue mee , withall , certaine cautions of danger , that might ensue if i were discouered , and likewise informed me in some necessary points of behauiour : so hauing mine instructions about me , i and mine honest hoste , my leader , got vs into the townes hall , in the euening , vnspyed of any . by and by come the feasters , and take their places , iust as the eat-alls doe ( as you haue heard ) onely they had more drinke and lesse meate . euery one had his purueyance at either elbowe , a pisse-pott for his vrine on one side , and a bowle for his vomite on the other . at first , they begin a sacrifice to bacchus , their generall god : not as the romanes did of old , with powring a little wine vpon the ground ; no , no , farre more religiously , and with more stately ceremonies . at the vpper end of the table stands a statue of bacchus , holding in his right hand a monstrous great goblett of such weight , that ( as virgill sayde once ) the left hand is now and then faine to helpe her sister . into this goblet or standing cup , the maister of the ceremonies in the name of the whole company , powres an hoggs-head of wine , ( it holds no lesse i can assure yee ) which passing in pipes as if it were in veines vnto his mouth , and his t'other thing both at once , makes a pretty shew as hee both pissed wine and spewed it , all in one moment . and this is the houre-glasse proportioning the continuance of the feast , for when he leaueth powring out , they must all leaue powring in , and that vpon paine of sacriledge . then sir comes me vp a seruice of shooing-hornes ( do yee see ) of all sorts , salt-cakes , red-herrings , anchoues , & gammons of bacon ( westphalia may goe pipe in an iuie leafe , if it seeke to equall these ) and aboundance of such pullers on . d and then begins the full potts to goe round about the table , and the empty against the walles , so that you cannot possibly tel whether they are sooner filled to be emptied , or emptied to be filled ; but ( as plautus saith of one ) the drinke is sure to go , be it out of can , e quoniam , or iourdan . now when one of them will drinke to another , he first challengeth him with a solemne f ceremoniall song . and then they ioyne hands fast together , and giuing a sound shake or two , the challenger aduanceth his moistened weapon , and blowes it drye : hee may puffe a little , or talke a few gentle words among hands , but the pott is disrobed of his liquor , ere it bee seuered from his gripe : and then the tother answereth him at his owne weapon . the second course is not very dainty , but howsoeuer , they moysten it well with redoubled rouses . then comes the fruite with the third course , and that in truth is very rarely furnished , which being almost finished , and the cloth being now thrust vpon an heape , the maister of the ceremonies cryeth healths , three times with a lowd voyce . i imagined that this had beene a summons to the breaking vp of the companie and was a going hence ; when mine hoast pulled mee by the sleeue , why how now yee sleepie spectator ( quoth hee ) and the feast is scarcely begun ? stay and see the conclusion of it i pray yee : doe yee not see how fast god bacchus his houre-glasse runnes ? so i satte downe againe and stayed . then steps mee out one of the company , and taking of his wreath , downe vpon his knees he goes , ( i thought hee had beene going to his prayers ) and presently calls for a quart pott . an health ( quoth hee ) vnto great bousing-gut ; woolsack , arch-duke of tenbelly , and presently the potte stops his mouth : he drinkes , he puffes , he belches , hee talkes , vntill within a while hee had gulpd downe as many quartes as his name had letters , and when he had done , hee falls a spewing , till all cryed twang againe , and dyes ( as horace said ) the pauement where he stood , with proud lyaean bloud . well , they all follow in order from the highest to the lowest , each one with the same pott , execution , & eiection : proouing him-selfe hereby a faithfull citizen , and ( which is more ) a strenuous emptykan . this past , vpstarts another , with this catch , a health to you and vs , this day , and health to all drink-allia , seasoning his song with many a goodly belche , and so downe vpon hi● mary-bones , & vp with the pott hand-smooth , the deuill a bone finds hee in the drinke . after him they must all follow wo be to him that hangs anarse . this showre ouer-blowen , out steps a third , and hee aduanceth a quarte of plumpe lyaeus to the health of all the quagmirists ( which is the generall name of the nobility ) of the most famous and eternall citie of carousi-kanikin ; briefly , after him they goe , and thus euery man in order brings in his foundation of a new round . now euery man hauing his share , they must each one in his order ( poxeon't , that madded mee ) goe play the g poet , out of the inspiration of bacchus onely ( the muses may go hang for any roome they haue here ) & herein according to the old maner that plutarch speaketh of , euery one sings his song , & insteed of his harpe , he had a knife and a quart pot , and truly they plaid fine musick on it . one , in his song commended his mistresse , another , the goodnesse of the wine , a third related all the passages betwixt him and his wife at home , so that it m●de mee remember t●at old saying of laberius : ebriulati mentem hilarem accipiunt . when wines effect the braine doth binde , then mirth doth caper in the minde . an other rimed all in satyre against one that was not at this drinking : and euery one ( mee thought ) kept h anacreons measures ; ( like will to like quoth the deuill to the collier . ) but in the meane time , while these songs were a singing , it was a world to see their seuerall behauiours , euery man had his humor to himselfe : you should see one , for very pure loue , weeping in his fellowes bosome , and another sitte a kissing of his companion , one setting his mouth on the racke with laughter ( wise were the man that could tell at what , ) another downe vpon all foure in deuotion to bacchus , a third swaggering & swearing godts hundred thousand tufels , because the bowle of wine was brought him no sooner ; a fourth arguing of religion and matter of state : & here in a corner you should haue a fift sit nodding and slauering , it would doe a blind-mans heart good to see him . but now at the beginning of the feast , because they are generally so slippery of memory that they quickly forget what they haue to doe , they haue a publike notary , whom they call i clarke of the wind-pipe , and he registers euery perticular carouse , and so files them vp for common records : what each man hath drunke , and vnto whom ; which done after supper hee readeth them to the company ( if any man be awake to heare them ) pottle-gulp . vnto swolne-gut . — iii. gallons . swolne-gut . vnto gultche . — iiii . gallons ½ dry-mouth . vnto lurtch-cup . — iii. pottles . draw-large . vnto broken-belt . — vii pottles ½ sup-it-off . vnto full-brink . — halfe an hogshead concordat cum originali . p. skinker . if any one haue failed in the taking of his liquour , hee must forth-with make present satisfaction , ( if hee bee able ) otherwise , at the next meeting hee is sure to pay sound interest for his forbearance . well the roll being read , and the houre-glasse runne all out : mary quoth i to mine host but how will they get home now ? that maruell i at most . oh well inough sir ( quoth hee ) feare ye not . do yee not see those ropes there in the court , that are fastned vnto them iron rings ? these , their seruants ( who may not touch a droppe of wine till the feast bee done ) beeing so sober as to know euery one his owne rope , doe take hold of , and the other end of it beeing fastned to their maisters dore , so draw themselues and their maisters both in one cart , directly home , for these ropes are as good vnto them as a thred in a labyrinth . masse you say true ( quoth i ) but what if one should come in the meane-time and tie the ropes further end to a wrong dore ? why doe you thinke ( quoth hee smiling ) that any one wakes this night ? yet i haue known it done , & the cart go to a wrong house and the man to another mans wife ; who perhaps beeing as drunke as hee , neuer discouers the matter vntill next day at noone ; and then , that which they ignorantly committed , they doe wittingly laugh at : for it is a principle here , that a drunken man can neuer offend , for it is the effects of bacchus , that hee is but instrument vnto , and nothing else . but i remembred that place of lucian ; bacchus neuer biddes them drinke more then they neede . of the knights of the golden tun , and of the lawes of this citty . chap. . in the townes hall , ( properlie called gulpers court ) there hangeth vp that ancient embleme of the order of their knights , the golden ●unne ; hee that can drinke this vessell thrice off and goe his waies without indenting , for this good seruice is presently knighted by the great duke himselfe , & hath a chaine of extraordinary value bestowed vpon him besides . these knights haue a large charter , and are allowed many goodly priuiledges ; they haue absolute commaund in al tauernes , & at al tables . they may furnish so many soldiours in pewter-coates out of any mans celler in the towne , gratis ; and besides they haue full authority to set what limmets they please vnto euery mans pot-licking . these hardy men haue great conflicts at euery sollemne meeting ( as the a sword-plaiers had in rome ) their weapons are full charged cuppes , and hee that carrieth most of them away cleere , is conquerour , and leads the rest about the towne ( if they can goe ) in triumph . and this is their triall of the victory . if hee can put his finger iust into the flame of the candle without playing hit-i-misse i , let him spew whole fish-ponds , hee is held a sober man. now gentle reader will i present thee with the lawes both of carousi-kanikin , and of all drink-allia : read and if thou wilt not laugh , choose . it is decreed , and absolutely enacted , by the high and mighty duke of tenter-belly , and the whole states both of eat-allia and drink-allia . . that all promises , othes , bills , bonds , indentures or any other conueyances whatsoeuer , made , or caused to bee made in the after-noone , bee vtterly voide and of none effect . . that no man of what state or degree soeuer hee bee , haue his cuppes priuate vnto himselfe , vpon paine of drinking two daies , after in a fire-shouell ? . that if any one cast away any snuff , but meere froath , he be forthwith enioyned to goe downe vpon his knes and lick vp the otherwise perrishing liquor . . that euery one pledge his challenger in the same cup , and on the same fashion , vpon paine of beeing debarred from drinke two daies after . . that the pottes in banquets bee either alwaies full , or empty : the waiter that presents a pot halfe filled , and the person that takes it shal be both guiltie of breach of goodfellowship . . that hee that beeing sober shall strike him that is drunk , be immediate disabled for euer giuing testimony in any cause whatsoeuer : but the drunken man striking the sober shal be acquitted . . that he that being sober shall robbe him that is drunke , bee forbidden wine for euer : and if he kill him , he shal be put to death by thirst . . that hee that shall speake euill of the duke of tenter-belly , as in saying , god send him a dry health , or so , bee held guilty of high treason . . that hee whome either nature or sicknesse hath made abstinent ; bee banished the land . . that hee that goeth from any publique meeting , without staggering , bee accompted a malefactor in the highest degree . . that all that stay three daies in the cittie , doe offer sacrifice vnto bacchus . . that the calling of a citizen theefe or whore-maister , beare no action , that to call him abstayner , shal be lyable to the lawe . . that hee that mixeth water with his wine , bee sent to suppe amongst the dogs . . that hee that sweareth by bacchus , and keepeth not his word , bee vtterly disabled from making any will , and bearing any witnesse . . that hee that striketh with a pot ▪ and either spilleth the wine , or breaketh the pot , bee enioyned to touch neither pot nor wine for foure and twenty houres after . ouer the portall of the hall were these verses written . the house of youthfull mirth , and lusty cheere : peace , wine , sport , rest , haue al their mansions here . subscribed stillyard . the artes , and military discipline of the drink-alls . chap. . the people of this prouince are almost all bleere-eyed , and troubled with the palsie , with goodly chowles about their necks and chinnes whereof the mountainers of the alpes and the pyrenaeian hills are so proud . they are very good painters , when drinke and age hath made their hands to quiuer , that you would thinke verylie ( as lucian saith ) that hee were sober that did it , when indeed hee is as foxt as forty beggers . they haue also some poets amongst them , whom their principall neuer crowneth with lawrell ( because that tree is a foe vnto the vine ) but all with iuye : these poets are the very off-scum of the basest rascally rabble , i am as much greeued that they should beare that so sacred a name , as antigenides in apuleius was , that horne-blowers should be called cornetiers . they are the veriest lacklatines , and the most vn-alphabeticall raggabashes that euer bred lowse : they cannot make two rimes in their mothers tongue in two houres , and yet these shake-ragges liue by other mens trenshers , filling all the tauernes in the town with epithalamiums , elegies , and epitaphes , your eares would blister to heare them , these are they that haue the managing of maskes , and the disposing of pageants and haue the same sway ouer the vses of balets that the knights of the tunne haue ouer the barrells . they had but one good poet ( as it is said ) in an whole age , and hee was starued to death for telling truth out of season . they goe often to warre , in assistance of the eat-alls ; but they neuer goe armed , not so much as with an irish steel-coate , a shurt on their backes ; their lances are sapplins of elmes , sharpned and dried at the ends in the fire , but yet notwithstanding ( for stand well they cannot ) it is admirable to behold both their valour in fight and their fortune in conquest . indeede they haue a law that none must goe sober to the field , so that the wine maketh them as bold and valiant as lyons , and you know full well , audaces fortuna iuuat , fortune helpes the forward . the funeralls of one of the chiefe quagmyrists : and the sacrifices of bacchus . chap. . the same night that i was a spectator of their more then rambling reuells , one of the quagmyrists , whose house was of some height , beeing loose in the breech , intending to goe thether whether neither pope nor emperour can send an embassador , and being truely tapp-shackled , mistooke the window for the dore , so stepping rashly on , downe hee came with the wrong end forward , and in plaine english , broake his neck . his funeralls were very ritchly set forth : i can tell , for i was at them . euery man was died , all ouer with black , and for that day ware a cypresse wreath , in steed of his vines . the body was not layd in a coffin , nor vpon an hearse , as we vse , but being put into a caske halfe full of wine was so borne to the graue , and when hee came there , it was to lie rather in a cesterne of sacke , then in a graue of earth , and to bee drowned rather then buried . for whereas the romanes vsed to cast balls of frankincence vpon the pile wherein the bodie was burnt , they did not so here , but each one powred his kanne of wine into the graue , and bidding thrise adieu most sweete and corpulent countriman , put finger in their eye , wept some quart of rheume and to it they went , hand in hand to the tauerne . this quagmirist it seemes was well esteemed amongst them , for hee had a statue erected him in bacchus his court , and vnder it these two verses in faire romane letters . although he tooke his window for his dore his valiāt death shal make his honor more . and vpon his graue they set vp a pritty obeliske , and a brazen flaggon on the top of it , with these verses carued round about it . a by wine i liu'd , and wine me kild , men say : for being sober , i could nere see day . gone is my flesh , yet thirst lies in the bone : giue me one rouse my freind , and get thee gone . farewell fellow tosse-pots . now had i staid too daies in this towne , without euer beeing demanded what i was , but then mine host came and told mee , my friend quoth hee , you haue had a faire reign ; if you stay one day longer , you must perforce do sacrifice vnto god bacchus : i may not conceale you further vnlesse you would haue mee forsworne . no , quoth i ? what custome is that i pray you that you are so strictly bound vnto ? tell mee the course , and i le either performe it and staie longer , or els i le get mee presently gone , and ridde vs both from future danger . well sir ( saies hee ) saw yee not the statue of bacchus yesterdaie in gulpers court , and the huge goblet hee holdeth , wherein they powred the wine that runnes out at two passages ? yes that i did . well then , you must set your mouth to one of them ( choose you which ) and suck vntill yee bee able to stand no longer , but fall flat to the ground , and so must you lie vnder the spout , wallo-wing in the wine , vntill all bee runne out vpon you . how like you this ? faith not altogither so delightfull ( quoth i ) but i pray tell mee , was there euer any strangers that offered this sacrifice ? all , all , ( quoth hee ) not a man nor a mans taile escapes it , but to it hee must , maugre his beard ; some will come spiritfullie to it , but others are faine to bee haled to their teate , like a beare to the stake . well sir ( quoth i ) but i le be iogging hence : onelie i would intreate yee to informe mee which country in this tract is next in dignitie vnto this of yours and worthiest of trauell . so faith hee told mee : hot-waters quoth hee ) is the best , some call it liguour-ardente , it is vnder the gouernment of sir limbeck stillitorye , a knight of the noble familie of the king-cuppes : and so ledde mee forth , shewed mee the way , as plaine as dunstable roade , and then curteouslie gaue mee the bascio los manos , and i thankt him heartily for his valienado , and parted . of hot-watrea , or licor-ardente , and of the pilgrimage of saint borachio . chap. now gan i all alone to take my way towards the north , leauing the riuer of ●roath , behinde mee , vntill i came at a spewers-burie , the filthiest towne that euer i saw since my mother cradeled my head . well i staid not long there ( i had not neede ) but on i passed vntill i came to coopers-nor-ton , a pretty well seated village , but not a droppe of water was to bee got in it for loue nor money : the reason is ( as i heard afterward ) least they should mixe it with the wine and so prooue euill common-wealths men . onelie this i must tell the reader : by the way , for i promise yee it put mee often to a shrewd putther , i was as much troubled with pottes and flaggons in my iourney , as the traueller that hath farre to goe , is with the spanish and italian crosses : i could neuer goe three miles to an end , but i should finde a bouncing tankard : kenneld vnder an arch , and drinke i must needes , no gain-saying the lawes of the lands holie hospitality : at last i ouertooke a traueller , in an old tatterd cassocke of haire-cloath , bare-foote and bare-head . i demaunded whether hee went so fast . sir ( quoth hee ) i haue vndertaken a long pilgrimage vnto saint borachio of bottles-brooke . i wondered at this new name , and this as yet vndiscouered pilgrimage , so i questioned him at large of the country , of this townes situation , and discipline , and finally of the vertues of this borachio . bottles-brooke sir ( quoth hee ) is seated in the confines of hot-watria , and let cheritania , and is of great fame through out both the soiles . besides diuers other ancient monuments in the towne there is a temple of bacchus fiery-face , they call it the chappell ardent , where a ritch and rare statue of his is erected , not like a grown man as else-where it is , but of an informed birth , iust as his father tooke him from the burning womb of semele , so is it , hauing beene long ago so cut , out of the hard rocke of rubies . the top of this temple is al set with carbunickles ▪ & golden sparks , most ritch to behold , & from the embowed arch there drops they say , a kinde of hot fuming liquour ( as the b cataracts doe in some places of mar del zur ) and is receiued into a borachio that standes placed accordinglie , whose vertue is such , that if one drinke a large draught of it with good deuotion , he shall neuer in all his life after be either drunke before noone , or a thirst before midnight : both which helpes may doe mee much good , for i am a man so employed in my countrie , that i can neuer lye in my bed vntill mid-night for thirst , nor neuer rise in the morning but before noone i am drunke and fast a sleepe againe . therefore haue i gone this three dayes without drinking at all , ( saue that i dranke one dish of water this morning ) because i would merite the more of this holy saint borachio when i come there ; nor dares any man importune mee to drinke , or any in my company as long as i weare this weede . bir-lady sir you must thinke i was not meanly glad of so good a priuiledge , and therefore i intreated both his company and patronage . well , wee went chatting on , vntill i obseruing the soile altered , asked him where we were now . this country ( quoth he ) euer since wee came ouer the lake metheglin , is called the c countie of vsquebath , being the first shire of hott-watria : it is not so well husbanded , but it is farre more fertile then our country of wine-cester , exceeding both in fatnesse of soile and purenesse of ayre . so when i heard the name i vnderstood presently both the originall and the definition thereof . vsquebathia , because they drinke there vsque ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , euen to the bottome : there are other deriuations thereof , but those i leaue vnto the six wits to censure of . the people of this nation are generally fulsome and slouenly , and of a continuall fearce and terrible aspect ( vnlesse they be drunke ) yet they vsed mee very kindly for my religious pilgrims sake ( as they are very much giuen to superstition ) who lodged with me the first night in the common hospitall of an obscure little cittie ( i forgot the name ) yet we lay very quietly , for wee found all the towne dead drunke at our comming , and left them so at our parting , much other matter past vs , but i leaue it as vnworthy of regarde . at length through many craggie , fennie , woody passages , wee ariued at a famous port towne , called puerto d' aqua forte . now quoth i ( being as weary as a dog ) whether goe we now ? is not this bottlesbroke ? o lord no quoth he : but cheere vp your selfe , we haue not a foote of ground more to passe vntill we bee there , all the rest of our iourney lyes by water : which when we haue passed , we shall coast a little by the pleasant shores of hott-watria , and presently we are at bottlesbroke : ( this country is like denmarke parted into two by the sea , & that was the cause of our crossing the water . well , to ship we went , and away : by this time imagine vs in the midst of the sea : well , my heart is cold yet to thinke but what a danger wee escaped there : for looke yee sir , our mariners were all drunke to a haire , not a man could guide himselfe , if hee might haue a kingdome . one was a sleepe at the sterne : another going about to row , had palinures destinie , and fell ouer-boord , whō two more seeking to hale vp again , had not we two held thē , had both falne after . a third falls into choller , & laieth a fourth ouer the pate for not helping his fellow : he st●ikes againe , & to it they go , fight beare fight dogge : and all the rest diuided themselues on two sides . now flew the pondrous oares about their eares , and clubbs and pumpe-staues , all their armes appeares , the water was quiet , and euery one vsed his oare in the aire . but indeed they are easily knockt downe , whose ham-strings bacchus hath already cut in two . flat they lay , all but a couple of conquerors , who being too late weary of the massacre , fell vpon vs two , laying all the blame vpon vs. but wee two , scorning to bee put downe by two walking tankards , got vp a couple of cudgels , and gaue them their due , disarmed them , bound them fast to the mast , and plaide the sailers our selues . but our boat ( sympathizing belike with hir ancient maisters the drunkards ) did so welter from side to side , that had not aeolus sent vs a strong gale , and forced the boate on against hir will , wee had laide our bones in the bottome of those seas , for ought that i saw , and my religious fellow had neuer seene saint borachio . as we sailed on , i descried a farre of , on the left hand , a certaine high iland couered with snow , and asking him how he called it , it is ( quoth he ) the frozen iland , where bacchus liued for feare of his step-dames wrath , when hee was young : and the inhabitants vsing him churlishly , and at length chasing him by force from thence , his father being offended , laid a plague of perpetuall snow and darknesse vpon them . but whence is that smoake i see a farre of ? that smoake comes out of mount denis , wherein the soules of such as either liued too soberly , or killed themselues desperately , are purified by fire ; and there they burne , vntill some of their liuing friends go in pilgrimage to chappell ardent for a bottle of st. borachios water , & powring that vpon their tombe , they are freed . i smiled at this , and thought , now surely i haue found the originall of purgatorie ; let abbat odilo , and his monkes of corunna tell mee neuer so many tales of mount aetna , and many good morrows : 't is here or 't is no where . well , at length we came a shore , and found it a pretty sweete towne in truth ( to giue it the due ) marry it was both paued with bottles , and roofed with letherne bougets . i doe not remember i saw any attificer in all the towne but letherne iack-makers , and taylors for bottle-cases ; so that now i saw what vtterance the eat-alls had for their hides . the reason is , the men of this towne and country , vse no pure wine , as the other drink-alls doe , but certaine distilled waters mixt with the strongest grape they can get , which are so forcibly hott , that the brittle glasse cannot hold them , and therefore they are driuen to fortifie their bottles with letherne ierkins , riuerted together with pitch and rosen . the citizens are fiery of face , and cholericke of condition , enuious , suspicious , paralitique , and of a staggering manner of pace in their going : but that which is most terrible of all , they drinke and they breath nothing but meere flames . as much cold water , or scarr-gut , as one of vs will drinke , so much fire will one of them take : that a man would verily imagine when hee saw them , that they were so many fire-drakes , or saint georges dragons . i was in danger of water before , but now i feared nothing but that i should be stifled with fire . so that i left my companion in his orisons vnto bacchus ( i loued him well , but i loued my selfe better ) the very next morning i got me out of this vulcans shop , for so it was , and a very cyclops forge , rather then a citie of bacchus . now being vpon my way , i began to resolue with my selfe to passe by the verges of lecheritania back againe , and so to see some-what of the fashions of the a hop-sackers , the third countie of drink-allia ; but iust as i was plodding on with this thought in my head , rushes mee forth an ambush of armed sheelandresses ( you heard of shee-landt before ) besette mee , tooke mee , and carryed mee prisoner ( the more vnfortunate i ) a long and toylesome iourney , euen to the chiefe cittie of the land , called gossipingoa . i would not haue the reader take any vnkindnesse at my hands for omitting the rest of drink-allia , for as my pilgrim told me , it is the basest part of the land , this countie of hop-sack ; and but that it is more beast-like , different in nothing from the others which you heard described before . finis lib. . the second booke . the description of shee-landt , or womandeçoia . of the situation and the parts thereof . chap. . the new discouered womandeçoia , ( which some mistaking both name and nation ) call wingandecoia , & make it a part of virginia ) otherwise called shee-landt , lieth in that part of the southerne continent , which our geographers of europe a called psytacorum regio , the land of parrots . on the north side it boundeth vpon letcheritania ( a nation that is a great enemy to it ) on the south , vpon thriuingois : on the east , vpon the two fooliana's , the fickle and the fatte . the soile thereof is very fruitfull , but b badly husbanded : it is diuided into many prouinces , both large and ritch , yet all of seuerall conditions , habites and languages . the principall of them are these ; tattlingen scoldonna , blubberick , gigglot-angir the high and the lowe ; cockatrixia , shrewes-bourg , and blackswanstack , otherwise called modestiana . not farre from these is also an iland called i le hermaphrodite , or more properly , double-sex . many of these prouinces did i passe through , sore against my will i le bee sworne . but to speake the truth , tattlingen is the best country of all the rest , & hath many faire cities in it , as pratlingople , tales-borne , & lyps-wagg , through the last of which there runneth a great riuer called slauer , which some-times will ouer-flow the bankes , and drowne all the lower part of the country , which they call chinn-dale , but the countrimen haue now deuised very strong rampires of bones and bend lether , to keepe it from breaking out any more , but when they list to let it out a little now & then for scouring of the channell . but of all the citties of tattlingen , or of all shee-landt , gossipingoa is the principall . thether was i brought , and deteined a great deale longer then stood with my good liking : i will ( for passing away a little time vntill the capon bee enough , we haue nothing else to do ) discourse the whole progresse of their dealing with mee here , and then i le goe on with the conditions of this new nation . how the gossipingoesses vsed the author of this discouerie . chap. . as soone as these cruell conqueresses had taken mee vpon the borders of lecheritania , they brought mee away to their chiefe city , & so to the court , told a bell and presently all the inhabitants came flocking thether in a trice , & began to prie more narrowly vpon mee who stood bound sure enough ( god wot ) for offering them any false measure . at length , one of the rout , ( their captainesse it seemed shee was ) gaue a signe to the rest to be silent ( as she had need ) and then bespake the company thus . what , or of whence this fellow is , i doe not know , onely wee tooke him in the confines of yonder damned country letcheritania , and seeing they haue offered vs so much iniury , i hold it very fitte now ( if it bee not too late ) to begin to take reuenge of them , and first with this prisoner . now she hauing made an end , i got leaue ( with much a doe for noise ) to speake , & so declared my nation , and the cause of my wandring as well as i could , and told her womanship that for my part i had not any acquaintance at all in letcheritania , i was one that wished her madam-hood and all hir sex all the good i could , and that it would derogate much from her nature , clemencie , and from the honor of her iust gouernment to condemne an innocent pilgrim , and one that had not offended , without hearing of his cause . well these good words i can tel yee wrought so prettily well , that the poore yong wenshes began many of them to weepe : yet the old countesses were not so much ouer-swaied by mine oration , but that i must to prison to a great house in the market place called cold and comfortlesse , vntill my country and cause of trauell were truely manifested vnto the shee-counsell . well to warde i went , and but that my countries name ( the a true paradice of women ) pleaded for mee , i had neuer come home aliue , for all the lecheritanians that they take , they either faire hange vp , or els put them vnto most slauish offices in this prison . herein plaging them for their iniuryes offered ; for that nation , although it bee most lasciuious , yet it rūneth a madding eirher after whore , or els in bestiality , either neglecting their wiues vtterly , or els keeping them continuall prisoners through mad-braind ielousie . o how many noble captaines did i see here wearing out their liues in spinning , carding woll and knitting ? faith at length , for my countries sake , i had my liberty , but not without an oth for i was brought to iunos altar , and there laying my hand on the same , tooke a sollemn oth to obserue all these conditions following . . that i should neuer goe about to iniure this noble sexe by word nor deed . . that i should neuer interrupt a woman in her tale . . that wher-soeuer i liued , i should leaue the rule of the house to my wife . . that i should neuer more come in letcheritania , for it is the common phrase here , many go thether good men , but come away againe euill husbands . . that i should neuer aime at more then the loue of one . . that i should neuer bewray my wiues secrets . . that i should neuer deny my wife any womans ornaments . . that i should continually giue women the prick and praise for beauty , wit and eloquence , and defend it against all men . this oth i b willingly tooke , & would haue taken one ten times stricter , rather then haue staied there . so therefore you see my tongue is tyed by mine oth , not to tell all the fine conundrums that i saw among these mad wenches . somewhat i may say , but no harme , no more i would in truth , if i had not beene sworne at all . their formes of gouernment , and elections of persons of state . chap. . their state ( for ought that i could obserue ) is popular ; each one seeking superiority , and auoyding obedience . they haue no lawes at all , but do euery thing by the numbers of voices . but the giuing vp of their voices struck me into a wonder , being vnacquainted therewith for they set vp a erie all together , none giues eare , but each one yells as if shee were horne mad . is not this able to abash a good mans spirit . they hold a continuall parliament about their more weighty affaires of state , so that erasmus were he aliue now , would be able to giue a strong testimony of womens turning sutors . now this continuance is necessary because of their lawes vncertainty : for the decrees of this day , may bee all disanulled to morrow , but the same day they cannot , least their law-giuers should seeme vnconstant in their edicts . euery ones voice is alike in worth , the whole citty thorow , but not euery ones dignity , for they haue a set number of chosen women , they call them grauesses , & these haue the authority of most honor in each particular citie : but they are not borne to this dignity , but elected either for their beauty , or their eloquence , for by these two are all elections ordered . they had once a custome to elect these grauesses by voices , but afterwards , euery one giuing her voice onely for her selfe , it bred a confusion , & so made them abolish that maner of election : and then they made a decree that only those should haue the sway in this enuious contention , who would professe themselues neither faire nor eloquent . but this brought all to such a passe that in the whole multitude of them , you should not find one that would be electresse , the elder sort holding that they had the eloquence , and the yonger standing as firme in it that they had the beauty . at length they all agree to passe ouer these places of electresses vnto twelue of the most aged matrons of old mumpington ( a ruinous village hard by ) and so they did , giuing them the glorious title of c electresses grauessiall , to set them the more a gogge to performe their charges . and besides this honorable stile , the hony of age , wealth and abundance , comes continually vpon thē ; for the ambitious young wenshes will so bribe and ply them with giftes , to haue their voices at the day of election , that i hold there is not a court either more corrupt in giuing voices , or more wealthy in giuen ritches . in stead of scepters and swordes , the grauesses haue fannes and glasses borne before them : huge christall glasses , and still as they passe through the streetes , they pranke vp their attires by the sayd glasses , and set all their gew-gawes in order as they go along . the originall of the shee-landresses . chap. . there are few shee-landresses borne in this nation , but such as either will needes weare their husbands breeches , or els such as their husbands iealousie will needs either banish or make prisoners , those runne flocking from all parts hether . now all such as are their husbands maisters , and are therevpon banished for their vniust clayme vnto soueraignty : these are assigned to inhabite the frontiers of shee-landt especially in the countries of shrewes-bourg , and there they are all put in garrison . but as for those that are voluntarie exiles , they are generally of meeke and vnmanly spirits , and these are seated in the heart of the land , to become votaresses to peace and to beautie , and yet you need neuer dreame that this weale-publike ( how euer weakely founded ) should go to ruine for want of perticuler members : and i le tell you why : there are so many voluntaries , ( especially free women ) come to this campe , that the feare is that rather here will want roome for new inhabitants , then otherwise . truely i am in a great perplexity least my country women should haue any vnderstanding of this state : for if they haue , wee may goe snicup for any female that will bide amongst vs , but all will away , wee should not haue one big belly left to lay the foundation for a future age by , and therefore i pray you sir ( whosoeuer you be ) as you loue the preseruation of our linage and the generall multiplication of mankinde , bee silent in this so important a secret : for it lies vs all vpon to keepe it vndiscouered from our giddie females , vnlesse wee can find a better meanes of generation . of gygglot-tangyr . chap. . at gossipingoa , i got ( besides my freedome ) the cities letters , for my passe-port , and so from thence i tooke my way towards giglot-tangire , a country lying vpon the south part of womandecoia , towardes letcheritania ; the land of it selfe in this part , is the worlds paradise : i was not many leagues from loues-den , the first towne of this county , when i entred into an ayre as delicatly sented , as if all the perfumers in england ( doe yee see ) had lately plaied their prizes there for eternal soueraignty : the whole country round about is so stuft with apothecaries , and a pomendrificoes . the rest i omit . the women of this wapentake are generally tall , gracefully adorned , and ( were it not that they practise the art of cheeke-oyling ouer much ) very beautifully . they weare nothing on their faces , nor on their breasts : as for the rest of their habite , it is faire in shew , light in weight , and easie to mount , as is the aire . but their naked parts are so crusted ouer with ouer-grosse painting , ( as they vse in muscouia ) that you would verily imagine , you saw some statue on a westminster tombe , rather then a liuing creature , such a cart loade of false colours ensconce their fairest beauties . the women of b shames-graue , ( for so they call the shire towne of gigglot-tangire ) haue their houses made all of muscouia glasse , as transparent as ayre : and it is labour lost to seeke any of them at home , vnlesse you make your inquest immediately vpon their dressing time , or some what before : but lay your plot to seeke them at a play-house , or in a tauerne , or so , and it stands vpon a good foundation : for there you are sure to finde your femall , either a laughing , a singing , c a dancing , or vpon some such employment in state . you neuer saw spider contriue a more artificiall net for a flie , then these women do for the lecheritanians ( how euer their countries deadly enemies ) yet some of these men serue their desires as voluntaries , for prouant , and preferment . others , they lay their ambushes for , and fetch them in first by loose allurements , then by praiers , and then by pence , and if none of these meanes will worke , they compell them to serue their wanton desires by force . and when they haue done so , iust as you see stallion horses kept for breede , so are they stowed into custody , dieted with eringo's , potatoes , cullises , and other dishes of lusts deuising , vntill venus send her second summons . this i no sooner heard , but i hated , and no sooner hated it , but i auoided it as neither daring presume of my learning , nor policy , but that i knew my selfe neither for proper young man , nor very fine gentleman ( none dispraised ) i otherwise durst not haue hazarded mine honesty vpon so slight foundations . but you may see ; it is sometimes good to want a good face : and those things with many a man doth oftentimes blame nature most for , may at one time or other stand him in more stead then her greatest benefits in ordinary estimations . of double-sex i le , otherwise called skrat or hermophradite iland . chap. . not farre from guaon , the last i le of the moluccaes , betweene cape hermose , and cape beach , lies double-sex i le , much like vnto our ile of man on the coast of lancashire . in this i le nature hath so orderly disposed all things to one forme , that i could finde no one plant in all the soile but was of a double kinde ; no tree , but beare two kinde of fruites or one fruite of two seuerall kindes & names : there was your peare-apple , your cherry-damsen , your date-alimond , your chestnut-fylberd , and a thousand of these conclusions of nature . yea in so much that the very inhabitants of the whole iland wore all their habits as indices of a coaptation of both sexes in one . those that bare the most man about them , wore spurres , bootes and britches from the heeles to the hanshes : and bodies , rebatoes and periwigges from the crupper to the crowne : and for those that were the better sharers in woman kind , they weare doublets to the rumpe , and skirts to the remainder . nay their very names bare notes of their perticipations of either side : there was mary-philip , peter-alice , iane-andrew , and george-audry , and many more that i remember not . all of their owne nation that haue not shewn themselues perfect both in begetting , & bringing forth , are made slaues to the rest : & when they take any that are but simply of one sexe , lord what a coile they keepe about thē , shewing them as prodigies & monsters , as wee doe those that are borne double-headed , or other such deformed birthes . their onely glory which they esteeme most , is that in their conceite they haue the perfection of nature amongst them alone , of all the world besides them . for seeing nature ( say they ) hath bestowed two hands , two feete , two eyes , two eares and two nosthrills to euery meaner perfect bodie , why should not the most excellent creature of all be perfect in two sexes also ? and againe : the ancient sacrificers to cybele , and the pathiques of old rome were faine to vse forced meanes for that which wee haue giuen vs by nature . thus are they wont to protect their deformities : and truely you may obserue in them all , a besides their shapes , both a mans wit , and a womans craft . they haue no cattle in this countrie but mules nor any wild beasts but hares . they liue most vpon shel-fish , for that is their best and most ordinary sustenance . of shrewes-bourg . chap. . in my returne from the confines of gigglot-tangia , beeing now vpon the most westerne angle of the same , i light ( iust as my staffe fell ) into the country of shrewes-bourg , the onely garrison of this feminine gouernment , and the onely defence it hath against forreigne incursions . now the country fearing no foe but the letcheritanians ( for the thriuingois are a quiet nation and neuer will offer to molest them , and the foolianders cannot though they would ) doe therefore place their fortes and townes of garrison vpon the easterne frontiers of letcheritania . here was i truely guld ; for espying persons in the habites of men , masse thought i , this is good , i am now gotten out of womendecoia : but when all came to all , i was flat cousned with a borrowed shape : for in this countrie women weare britches , and long beards , and the men goe with their chinnes all naked , in kirtles and peticoates ; spinning and carding wooll , whilest their wiues discharge the maine affaires of the state . in this tract is an ancient and ample towne seated , generally called pepuzia , and i do not thinke but a pepuzian heretiques were of this originall , who held that women should be both princes and priestes as well as men . the barbarians in b aristotles time neuer vsed their women halfe so imperiously as the men are vsed here : i had great compassion vpon their slauery : yes verely had i : the poore snakes dare not so much as wipe their mouthes vnlesse their wiues bidde them : not so much as ( sauing your presence ) goe pisse , nor passe a word with their best friend , but they must first come to their wiues with a writ of quaeso magistra , good mistresse giue me leaue to goe &c. i obserued this custome to bee more strictly looked vnto vpon one certaine daie whilest i was there , then at other times by far : and the reason was , because that while some of the better spirited husbands disdayning to bee chained in this vnmanly subiection by their wiues , had laid a plot amongst themselues to rise on a set night ( as it might bee this night ) in open armes vpon the sudden against wiues , and so shake off this infamous and disgracefull seruitude . this plotte had come to verie good effect had not misfortune crossed it : for one cowardly fellow of their confederacy , beeing threatned by his wife to bee soundly cudgelled for some other priuate escape that hee had made ; to procure himselfe a pardon , went and reuealed all the whole plat-forme of the conspiracie , iust the euening before the night appointed . the women sitte at meate and the men attend , the women sleepe and the men watch ; so doe they scold and fight , whilest the men are faine to beare off with eares , head and shoulders . happy may they call that daie whereon they are not lambeaked before night . i imagined my selfe amongst the turkish slaues , but that these distinction of habites assured mee this was a more base kinde of captiuity . ah what a beastly sight was it to see a distaffe and a spindle in a mans hand , and a sword and buckler in a womans ▪ yet i concealed my dislike as well as i could , desiring but to see without suffering . if any woman vse her husband somewhat gentlier then ordinarie ( as some of them bee tender hearted ) shee is presently informed against , cited to appeare before the court parliament of shrewes-bourg , and there endited of high treason against the state . her next neighbours giue euidence against her with such noise & furie , that it is strange to see how farre they are ouer-borne with impatience . if she be but conuicted by the smallest euidence that is , shee is condemned to this punishment . shee must first change attires with her husband , and then shaue off all her haire , aud so beeing ledde through the market place must stand for one whole daie vpon the pillorie , as an obiect vnto all the fleering scoffes of the beholders , nor shall the man escape scot-free , for beeing so audacious , as to take the fauours offred by his wife without a modest refusall : but when the woman comes home ( be shee all couered with durt , graines , rotten-egges , &c. ) she may not put off her vesture vntill shee bring a cudgell into the court , all died with the fresh bloud of her husbands broken pate . he that out-liueth his wife , must either marry his maide and bee sworne to her seruice as hee was to his former wiues , or els hee must become slaue to the next neighbours wife . for no man may bee the ruler of his owne house , in this country : when the wife goeth forth , either to warres , consultations , or for pleasure , she leaueth her keyes , & therewithal her gouernment vnto her maide , or her daughter : either of which if the husband but once mutter against , his shoulders are sure to pay for it soundly at his wiues returne , vnlesse hee can either begge or buy the silence of the deputie gouernesse . they a neuer lie with their husbands but when prouander prickes them : for that ( they hold ) would procure too much familiarity , notwithstanding if the husband arise not out of his cabbin in the entry before the wife bee warme in her bedde , and comming vppe staires bare-foote , knock thrise gentlie at her chamber dore , and offer her his seruice in a soft voice hee is sure to haue on the rubbes the next day . the women of this tract obserue a fashion directly contrary vnto ours , for they b clip their haire and let their nailes grow long . there are also certaine amongst them that are proffessitrixes of the noble science , and keepe free schooles , wherein the rest are taught al the wards offensiue and defensiue , both of heeles , nailes and teeth : as also the most exact and iudiciall method of clawing off the skinne of mens faces , pulling out eyes ; byting of armes , wringing of eares , and tearing of beards : these lectures they are instructed in both by precept and practise . now you would thinke it incredible if i should tell you of the neatenesse of their houses , yet the men are all their drudges to wash , wipe , scoure and sweepe all that is done : yea and dresse all the meate besides : so that i imagine that it is but mans esteeme of the vndecencie of such businesses , ( not any of his vnablenesse to discharge them ) that maketh him eschue such employments . there is no foule spot to bee found in any house here , sauing on the mens clothes , but those are so filthie that they are true notes how they neglect themselues as much as the women neglect them ; notwithstanding goe but abroad into the fieldes ( which are the womens charge to see to ) and there you shall finde all most beastlie : the verie walls of the citties are halfe downe and that which standeth is so disgracefullie framed , that the verie stones seeme to begge to bee at mans dispose , and to abhorre the ordering of womankinde . i know gentle reader thou maruelest much how i gotte safelie away from such a daungerous place , and from so mischieuous a forme of gouernment . faith i le tell thee truely , mine age , my habite , and good aduise were my patrons in all this perrilous aduenture . my habite was manlike , my face womanlike ( for i had yet no beard ) and besides i met a many of my owne countrimen ( a strange chance in a region so vnknowne ) whom i knew by sight as well as the begger knowes his dish ▪ verily i did , and these ( like true friends at need ) gaue me such good directions , that ( as aeneas did by sybilla ) i following their aduises got at length ( though with much toile and daunger ) through all the dirty fennes of c blubber-ick , ouer the mushrumpallian mountaines , and so finally into the confines of fooliana . but now you may come vpon me with another question , and aske me why i trauelled not in that part when the modestinians , the women of black swan-mark had their habitation . truely i hold my selfe infortunate in that one thing alone , that i could not come to see their state as well as the rest , seeing that my minde presageth vnto me , that it excelleth all the fore-named . there is such a people my friend i tell thee plaine : but the region wherein they inhabit i could neuer come to discouer , onely the name i brought from their ancient chronicles of the other states , and that as i sayd is d black-swan-marke . indeed there are some of them that liue as anchoresses , and hermitesses in the craggie deserts of some other parts of shee-landt , but their habitations are generally vnknowne , and almost inaccessible : these notwithstanding are the monestaries , whether ( as it is reported ) the fairest , chasest , and most zealous of the shee-landresses doe voluntarily retire themselues : hee that will take the paines to search those vast deserts , may questionlesse meete with some of those holy votaresses : i light by chance of one or two of them , whose variety of vertues , beauties and behauiours haue left mee in an extasie vntill this very houre : but our young trauellers being too idle to enter vpon so hard an inquest , that is the cause why they haue no other colour to couer their slouthfulnesse by , but by vniustly alledging the smalnesse of the number of honest women . finis lib. . the third booke . the discouerie of fooliana . the situation and populousnesse of fooliana . chap. . fooliana is the most a vast and ill-husbanded region that euer mine eyes beheld , and yet withall , the most populous . if a man should but goe into the burse of any towne of traffique in this whole nation , he would sweare , ( as one did once of paris ) that the whole world came to trade thether . i am not ignorant of the number of the people that are imagined to be in all europe , take it therefore as from the historiographers , and not from mee . italy is said to conteine , more or lesse : spaine , a number somewhat lesser ; england , ; the low countries as manie ; both the germanies , ; france as many ; sicilia : wee know also what they ( that vse to amplifie vpon all things ) say of the number of the inhabitants of china , that they do amount vnto ● . that countrie paralelld with the whole country of fooliana , is rather an vnhabitable desert thē a peopled nation : it lieth iust vnder the antarctike pole , as the b pigmey-land lieth vnder the articke : and hence doe i gather ( as any man else may ) that the extremity of cold in both these opposed regions , is cause both of the pigmees littlenesse , and the foolianders blockishnesse ● nature so well gracing hir selfe by effecting the defect of body in one place , and counterpeysing it with as great a defect of witte in another . to confirme this , doe we not see that such as inhabite the temperate zones are generally perfect both in body & mind : but let this be remooued vnto the cloisters of the philosophers , i must proceed with my purpose . fooliana , on the south butteth vpon tenter-belly , on the east vpon shee-landt , and the farthest corner of thriuingois , and finally on the west , vpon theeues-wijck . the parts of fooliana : the peoples conditions in generall . chap. . fooliana the great , is diuided into fiue lesser fooliana's , as namely there is fooliana the fickle , in the easterne frontires : fooliana the craggie , iust vnder the pole : fooliana the fatte , towards the south-west , fooliana the fond , betweene both : and fooliana the deuoute , towards the west . now the inhabitants of all these fiue , are generally tall of body ( for all the vehemencie of the cold climate wherein they liue ) their haire a pale flaxen , their heads a like sugar-loues ; their lipps bigg like a moores , and their eare● thick and spacious . but their conditions do not keepe all one forme : some things they haue generally in them all , and they are these : what euer stranger arriue amongst them ( vnlesse he light in fooliana the craggie ) they presently entertaine him with all the pleasures that their towne-house , & table can by any means affoord : come wee to any of them all , with a dust-licking congee , & some three or foure vostra signioria's , spaniard like , and either commend his good face , his new coate , his fine hand , his faire house , or season but his affections with an admiring applause , and this your obsequiousnesse shall purchase you an hoste whose curtesie will imagine nothing too deare for you ; good words & faire promises are all the moneys that this nation vseth ; yet they haue great store of gold , which they barter away for feathers , bells , timbrells , and garlands , happy hee that hath the best store of such commodities to vtter at these ports . the inhabitants are of a hard constitution , going bare-brested , & thin attired in the depth of winter , to take ayre the better : marry in the heate of summer , they were rugge gownes , and cloakes aboue that , to keep out heate the better : yet they haue some philosophotericall professors amongst them , that will go almost naked in midst of winter , in contempt of the colde , and their reason is this , that seeing all creatures besides man can bee content with haire and hide onely , why should not man that is made maister to them all , make shift to breake through all the battalions of colde , being armed onely with his shirt of nature , his skin ? i promise you , a strong & sensible argument . you shall neuer take any of them solitary , for they doe continually talke and contend in argument with them-selues when they are alone and in game : you shall haue them fall terribly out sometimes with themselues onely ; one word prouoking him to teares , & another immediatly procuring laughter , & the person being all this while single by himselfe . they haue also certaine sects of people , generally called fool-osophers amongst them , and these haue the same credit there , that the bonzoes haue in china . i haue well neere forgotten their seuerall orders : some of them run vpō my tongues end , and i thinke ( i am not sure ) that there was one sort called browne-backs , and another called b clunches : besides ( as i remember ) there are the c quadricornes , the barly-faces , the greenegeese , the societies of saint patch del culo , saint gynny come home at noone , & many more that are far frō my remembrance . all these giue their own allowances vnto others , and begge for scraps themselues , wandring through that verges of fooliana , & where they finde a stone with any picture vpon it , ( be it what it will ) downe they go vpon all foure , with curtsies , and cringes , 't is more thē strange to obserue them : gold is ready change with them for led , prouided it haue a taile of parchmēt at the end of it . tapers and noone day meete ordinarily at euery dinner time amongst them . to eate flesh is altogether vnlawfull for them ; but for fish , take your gorge full gratis , and neuer breake statute for it , i le bee your warrant : it is a sinne inpardonable d for some of them to touch gold or siluer with their bare hands : as it is also their generall custome scarcely to salute any man , yet may they neither omitte crosse , nor carued statue without a religious duck : they whip them-selues cruelly ; the e spartans boyes scourging was but a flye blowing vnto this of theirs : first because no man but themselues will vndergoe sore lashes , and secondly because in the obedient times , they had a tradition giuen them that calues bloud was a pleasing sacrifice to their gods nosthrils . their crownes are shauen , eyther to put the world in minde that all men are borne bald , or , for auoyding heate of the head , or else , least the haire growing betwixt heauen and the braine , should bee any hindrance to the minde in her celestiall meditation . onely two things ( in my simple iudgement ) they are iustly to be accounted too wittie in : first in that they bring the people into such a fooles paradice , that they fetch all the fruits of other mens labours into their platters , whilest themselues sitte at ease in their cells : and secondly , in that they can so cunningly auoide the bearing of their crosses at home , by getting grasse for their stallions abroad , and by keeping their foles at other mens mangers . there is witte in this beleeue me . if any of these monasticall men be sick , the couent neuer ceaseth weeping till he either goe for vp , or take a longer day : phisick hee must haue none : yet when they are in their pangs of death , their foolosophers anoint them with oyle : they measure not ones wisdome by his silence ( for so may one of iohn of paules church-yeards blocks , prooue wiser then he himselfe ) but by the choise composition and deliuerance of good & gracefull termes : hee is held a wise man , that speaketh not much vnto little purpose , not he that speaketh little vnto none at all . they neuer come on horse-back , nor a shipp-board , but hold it fondnesse to hazard their liues either on a stumbling iade , or in a weltring barge : they suck vntill their beards come : nor do they euer bury their dead , holding it a slauish part for a man to tumble his parent , wife , brother or so , into an hole , because that life is out of them , & to make a feast of them vnto the wormes , because of the lack of a little breath , & therefore they f hang them vp in the aire , in their best attire , & euery yeare keepe a solemne obite in honor of their departed ghosts , iust in the place where they are hung vp , and this forme of buriall is most ancient as may bee gathered out of many monuments yet extant in fooliana the deuoute . the women of this nation are the principall gouernesses also of the state , but their dominions more tolerable in that their witts cannot informe them of the true state of soueraignty . but what they haue ( as i was told ) grew first vpon this : the shrewes-burgesses whilom ouer-run all the whole region of fooliana , which not-with-standing by reason of the barrennesse of the soile , they would not possesse , but left the inhabitants in possessiō : prouided , they held it no longer then they did homage for it vnto them ; paying them an asse laden with gold , for their yearly tribute . this rent was paied along time , vntill at last the foolianders brake out vpon these conditions , that as for the gold , they did not respect it , so that the shrews-burgesses would demand it when it was due : but for them to force a louing creature , and one of their naturall towne-borne country-broode , with stroakes and battes , to beare this burden out of their land against his proper will and pleasure , this was a condition very hard , nay to their iudgments intollerable ; besides that their quiet hereby stood in doubt ; for one asse ( you know ) being heauier then another , if gold and asse and all , weighed more or lesse this yeare then they did the yeare before , the shrews-burgesses might alledge that they had not their due : especially ( which is a maine reason of this breach ) seeing that the poore creature , though seeming neuer so able to beare out his burden at first , yet after a few dayes iourneys hath beene forced to lay him downe vnder his loade . this message incensed the shrewesburgesses much , where-vpon to armes they go , & entring fooliana , came without any resistance vnto blocksford , otherwise called duns-ton , the chiefe citie of the land : alarum was giuen : out comes all the blocks-fordians hurling vpon an heape without armes or order . the foe was fairely ranged , and gaue the charge : downe falls a citizen or two , which the rest beholding , fell all vpon their knees in submission , with prayers for mercy , and protestations of innocencie : the weapons were held , and by and by one of the grauest foolianders bespake them in this maner . ah what a violent inundation of cruelty hath ouerflowne your good hearts , you right valiant shrewes-burgesses ? that for one poore asse you should kill thus many proper men , and pritty schollers : especially ( and oh let this especiall reason rule yee ) seeing that one quick asse , or one asse being quick ( do ye vnderstand me ) would haue bin more seruiceable to your estate then a thousand ( a thousand said i ? may then fiue and forty ) men being dead , as naile in dore ? take , ( mistake me not , i bid you take ) take euery one his asse , and his burden of gold , we had rather liue without them then to die for them : you shall all haue asses ( asses are not so scant in this country of ours ) once more i say , you shall haue asses , gods plenty : ô then put vp your shining things , & spare the liues of a many weaponlesse men : i know ( & to your honor be it spoken ) i do vnderstand that your valour scornes to stand in defence against a weaponlesse wretch : o spare vs then i do beseech you , & free vs from that present feare ! wel , the conqueresses are moued by this patheticall oration , & consented to giue them their pardons , mary vpon this condition , that the women of fooliana should euermore in domestique employments , haue preheminence before the men . the vanquished gaue their humble consents , and wee thanke yee too , for it was a noisome toile to them to bee euer-more in the taile of a slow-back , egging him on to performance whether hee would or no. of fooliana the fickle . chap. . fooliana the fickle , is the easter-most part of all fooliana the great , and next vnto shee-landt . expect not here ( gentle reader ) any exact description hereof : how i found it , and how i left it , i know thou shalt know as well as i : but if you chance to go thether your selfe ( as many a fine gentleman i can tell yee , and men of good worship haue done within this few yeares ) and finde not the state as i describe it vnto you , blame not any defect in me : for their formes of gouernment are so dayly altered , that one may describe yee the shape of proteus , or the colour of the chamaelion or tell what wether it will bee to morrow , sooner then giue you any true notice of their discipline . the portugales may brag of their trauels and discoueries , let them do so , but i durst venter a large wager , that if it could be tried , the ancient a french-men did first discouer this country , there are as yet so many monuments remaining that shew it , both in the names of the townes ▪ their most ancient lawes , and their chiefe coines . their grounds neuer cary any one certaine forme two yeares together : that which is pasture this yeare , shall bee arrable the next : that which was all high mountaines this yeare , shall be all carried away to fill vp dales withall , the next . nay they turne the very course of their riuers also , so that sometimes , as virgil saith . b plaustra boues ducunt quà remis acta carina est . the plough now teares that vp , that whilom was a way for nothing but for boates to passe : so do the inhabitants shut out their swelling riuers on one side , & they themselues ( raging at their forced stops ) carue themselues a new course out on the other sides . they haue great store of magnificent cities , but they change their fashion euery other day at the farthest : the chiefe of which , at my first comming thether , was called c farfellia , but ere i went away , it was decreed by the whole body of the counsell , that it should thence-forth bee called butterflieux : the whole frame of this city goeth all vpon wheeles , & may be drawne like a cart , whether the councels pleasures is to haue it . it is recorded to haue altered the situation a hundred times since the foundation , & thirty times it hath quite lost the former shape . in the time that i was there it stood seated by d the riuer of water-lesse , and was very shortly to be carried vp to the height of mount wantwood . the riuers are all so frozen ouer with the extreame colde , that if any towne be wearie of the old place it may passe the waters vnto a new one . euery moneth the forme of the city changeth , for euery house is separable from the next vnto it : so that as soone as euer they finde any the least fault with the old neighbors away goes house and household and all , to seat themselues in a new street . the armes where-with this cities scutchion was whilom charged , was a snaile with her shell on her back , on a chiefe argent : the words , mea mecum , i cary mine owne about mee : but now it is the butterflie desplaied , in a field vert and floured : the word , vbilibet : where i list . of the peoples conditions , and attires . sect. . the inhabitants goe all in painted fethers , as the indians doe ; for seeing that these light things kept the little birds warme enough , why ( say they ) should we desire now beeing farre more able to beare out could then those poore and tender creatures are ? now when they would seeme to haue new-coates , then they change the places of their fethers : so that that which in the morning wore on their heads , commeth before night to wipe the dust from their heeles , and so the rest , that which kept the knee warme but now , by and by getteth vp aboue halfe a yard higher . they do marry wiues , and loue them pestilently well for a while ; keping them selues truly loyall to their espousalls , vntill they either take some occasion of dislike in their old bedfellow , or chance to behold another that is fairer then she : and then , farewell wife , and welcome with all mine heart husband sayth shee ; for the wife is commonly as willing to make exchange , a as the man is : ( assure your selues that shee taketh the first dislike , if her husbands cocke-shippe bee , any way declyning ) . they vse a stranger for the first daie as if hee were their owne brother , ( though they neuer saw him before ) : marry the next daie they will passe you by , and forget that euer they knew yee . they seldome or neuer proferre any thing which they doe not call backe againe at the next breath they take , before the promise bee confirmed : nor doe they euer promise , but they afterwards forsweare it , vntill it bee performed : nor doe they euer performe any thing which they doe not afterwards , ( though all to late ) repent and bee sorie for . they will not sell you any thing to day , but if you dislike it , they will giue you double the price you paid for it to morrow . they make their lawes new euery yeare once : for it is not fit ( thus they defend it ) seeing all mans life is mutable , that the rules of life should not bee mutable also as well as the effects : besides , mans second cogitations being generally more perfect , it were a strange slauery to bee tied so to a first decree , that although the after-wit dislike it neuer so , may not be altered . turne-coates tombe . the nations ancient coines . sect. . in this citty , neere vnto the a asse-change , is a tombe of one turne-coate , of small antiquity , and of smaller beauty , vpon it i reade this inscription . passenger . stay , reade , walke . here lieth . b andrevv tvrne-coate , vvho vvas neither slave , nor soldior , nor phisitian , nor fencer , nor cobler , nor filtcher , nor lavvier , nor vsvrer , bvt all : vvho lived neither in citty , nor covntrie , nor at home , nor abroade , nor at sea , nor at land , nor here , nor elsvvhere , bvt every vvhere . who died neyther of hvnger , nor poyson , nor hatchet , nor halter , nor dogge , nor disease , bvt of all together . i , i. h. being neyther his debtovr , nor heire , nor kinsman , nor friend , nor neighbovr , bvt all : in his memory have erected this , neither monvment , nor tombe , nor sepvlcher , bvt all : vvishing neyther evill nor vvell , neyther to thee , nor mee , nor him , bvt all vnto all. somefoure miles from giggumbobbia , there is a plaine where there were certaine old coines digged vp whilest i was there , i care not much if i shew you the formes of some of them . one was a square peece , hauing a ianus head with two faces on the one side , and the semblance of a globe-like stone vpon a smooth table on the other , and in darke rust-eaten letters , this about it . fbr . var. dvc . the forme was this . the third was larger , and of more value it seemed ; bearing the figure of an egge : hauing on one side a leane face with a long nose , and a wreath of lawrell about the fore-head : on the other , a c polypus ( a many-footed fish called a pour-countrell , vpon a stone , passing well cut verely : the word was pour-bon . pour . bon. of the vniuersity that is in fooliana the fickle . sect. . as i traueled along the valley capritchious , i chanced to light vpon a towne that bare some shape of an vniuersitie . the name they told mee was whether-for-a-pennia . here met i with some shadowes of philosophers , but neuer a substance : you may go whistle and saue your labour , as well as to come and looke for any lectures , rectors , bookes or schooles of the seauen sciences here . euery peculiar man here is both his owne teacher and his owne auditor . yet are there two colledges in the towne : one of the a skeptikes , who deny that their is any trust to bee giuen to the sence : and they are such absolute suspenders , that they dare not for their eares decree any thing positiuely , no not this , that they ought to hold al things in suspence . steale away any one of their purses , cloakes or victualls b ( as one of them was serued once ) and hee presently falls into a doubt whether euer hee had such a thing or no : strike one of them as hard as you can , he doubts of it , both whether you struck hard or no , & whether hee feele it or no. speake to him or touch him , hee heares , sees , and feeles you , yet he dare not assure himselfe that any one thing of this is true . the other colledge consisteth wholie of gew-gawiasters , who giue them selues wholy to the inuention of nouelties , in games , buildings , garments , and gouernments . hee that can deuise a new game or a new fashion , according to his inuention hath a place of dignity assigned him by the duke . he that first deuised to blow out bubbles of sope and spettle forth of the walnut shell , is of as great renowne amongst them , as euer was the first printer , or gun-founder amongst vs of europe : these gew-gawiasters , are in great esteeme in court , yea and amongst the meaner sort also , in so much that many of them will not put on a tatter , nor once moue , without their directions . nay these i can tell yee are schollers indeed : they haue deuised a new language wherein they kept the misteries of their knowledge , onely to themselues : it is called the b supermonicall tongue . some of the words i will set downe in this place , for the good of such as shall trauell those countries hereafter , that they bee not vtterly c cedarine in this language when they heare it spoken . they call the earth ; silo. the soule ; adek . al thing within the skin ; chohos . the inner part of the midriff , coostrum . aquality borne with the body ; relloleum . a thing naturall : cherionium . salt : al , and malek . the earths vapor : leffas : the waters mouing : lorindt . wilde hony : tereniabin . the euill fumes of the elements ; realgar . a mandrake : aroph . a male cony , ircub . a beginning , ilech . a thinke supernaturall , iesadoal . an vnguent ; oppodeltoch . vineger , xisinium . star-slime , nostoch . iupiter , cydar . successiue generation , dordo . an vncertaine presage , erodinium . a certaine one , essodinium . pustules , bothor . lame , artetiscus . crooke-backed , nasda . an amulet against the plague , xenechtū . but i wondered much more at the names of their mineralls and spirits , for they call brimstone , chibur , alcubrith , kibrit , and alchur . quicksiluer , sibar , plissadā , azoth , vnquasi . vnfined lime , wismadt . the philosophers salt , alembrot . mercury precipitate , diatessadelton . a mettall like iron , bobolt . iron , edir . mercury , missader , zaibar . minerall gold , chifir , fido. copper , maelibeum . the rust of copper , almizadir . vitriol , colcohar . a compound of corall and the lobster , dubelcolep . and now come the spirits names , with whom they are wondrously familiar . euestrum , is the good genius . xeniphidei , good spirits that reueale secret things to man. trifertes , spirits of the fire . caballi , goblins . trarames , apparitions . operinethiolin , minerall spirits . gamahaea , an image impressed in the phantasie . sylphes , ayry spirits . paracelsus was prouost of the colledge , who inuented thē this strange language : but indeed i am not sure whether this tongue continuestill amongst them , or hath by this time giuen place to some language of the later edition . how-soeuer it bee , i haue done my duty in warning you of it before hand . of fooliana the craggye . chap. . fooliana the craggy lieth iust vnder the pole : the farthest of all the land southward : it is a mountaynous , stony , and eternally frosty country , lying in an ayre extreamely cold , and as extreamely dry . here there is an iron rock , iust like that rocke of lode-stone , which the geographers say is vnder the north pole : and this is the reason why the compasse , af●er you are past the epinoctiall , declines towards the south , the cause whereof no geographer , or marriner could euer as yet declare . this land is diuided into two dutchies rather spacious then fertile , commonly called solitary and the sad , cholerik-oye . of the duke , and inhabitants of solitaria the sad . sect. . the duke of solitaria is generally called by the name of grumble-doro the great , a testy and seuere man , whose subiects are as like in conditions vnto him , as they are vnlike to all the rest of the other foolianders . hee hath a huge & spacious pallace called hearts-griefe-court , built all of ebonye and iet , in a most magnificent kinde of structure . ouer the portch are these words enchased in corall . merentum locus est : procul hinc discedite laeti : this is the place where sorrow dwels and care : fly far , far hence , all you that mirthfull are . the people of this nation are generally al haire-be growne , leane , slouenly , swarty complexioned , rough headded , sternely visaged , and heauy eyed , fixing their lookes as in amazement , and seldome mouing their ey-bals : their optike organs stand far into their heads , making them looke like so many hollow-eyed sculls . here it is in vaine to looke either for citty or village : they dwell euery man in a place far from other , as hares choose their seates : and professe a kinde of life most truly heremiticall : partly because they are of too suspicious and fearefull a nature to dwell in companie ; & partly because the duke hath expresly forbidden all men to build any one house within the sight of another , or within the distance of thus many miles from any habitation whatso-euer . they seldome or neuer stirre forth a dores , partly for the continuall darkenesse that couereth all this climate , and partly for their owne , and their princes pleasures : and when they doe goe abroad they doe very seldome salute any one they meet , for this is one statute in their lawes : let no man stirre abroad , but vpon necessity , nor salute any man hee meetes but vpon a thursdaies . goe to any of their houses , and knocke at the dore , you shall stand a good while to coole your toes , and at last bee sent away with a snappish answere : for they are the most insociable creatures vnder the cope of heauen . but how doe they spend their time thinke you ? faith in imagining & framing fictions to themselues of things neuer done , nor neuer likely to bee done : in beleeuing these their fictions , and in following these beleefes : this is the reason why they abhorre company , and hate to bee interrupted in their ayrie castle buildings . you shall haue one of them directly perswaded that hee is dead , and lying all along vnder the stoole , like a dead carcasse . if any one come to question him , hee flieth in his face with most violent furie , supposing him some necromancer , that hath called his soule backe againe from the dead , by his magicall enchantments , and from that time forwards , b he wanders all about the country like a ghost , imagining himselfe hence-forth wholy inuisible : but if any of his fellowes take him and binde him , hee forth-with deemes him a fury sent from pluto , to fetch back the soule that lately brake away from hel , and now is he in the most pitiful taking that euer was man ; imagining his house which he held to be but his graue before , to be a direct hel to him now . another is of opinion that he is become a mole , and lieth in a caue vnder ground , hunting for wormes , and turning vp the earth with a pike vpon his nose prouided iust for the purpose : if any one follow him , and giue him but a little pricke , hee presently beleeueth himselfe taken by the mole-catcher , and with miserable cries prepares himselfe to bee hung vp on the hedge . a third holds himself to be atlas , the worlds supporter ; and so standeth immoueably still , now and then fetching a sigh or two , sometimes lifting vp his shoulder , and sometimes shrinking it downe-wards : now when hee hath swet a little with this excessiue toile , if any one come and thrust him from his station , he presently falls flatte downe on his face with roares and cries , expecting euery moment when the skies should fall vpon him , and railing at the wickednesse of man , that had so little respect of his owne preseruation , and the safety of the whole world . another auowes himselfe to bee megaera , one of the furies , & affrighteth the passengers with terrible gestures : shaking his haire ( which he thinkes is nothing but snakes ) hissing , and running at them that come by him , with open mouth : if hee catch a whelpe or a catte , ô how hee will torture it : and imagining it the soule of some sinner , taketh great pleasure in the cries of the poore beast ( as it is said aiax in his madnesse did by the rammes ) . another beleeues his nose to be grown of such a size , ( as cyngar did in c cocaius ) he gets him a great many thongs , to bind it vp at his back for the more conuenient cariage . another supposeth himselfe made all of glasse or potters earth , and so flieth all mens company , least hee should be broken amongst them . thus hath euery particular man in the whole land some conceit or other , vnto which he holds his shape to be conformed . sect. . from the foot of mount-eye , the riuer of teares hath his first spring , running through most part of this prouince , which is parted into two , by a continuall ledge of mountaines , called the nose-autems , iust as italy is diuided in the midst by mount appenine . these mountaines haue nothing in them but dire and frightfull desolation , nor giue harbor to any liuing thing saue beares , and witches , and these abound all the deserts through . the beare ( a most lumpish melancholy creature ) will lye yee all winter through , in a lightlesse caue , liuing onely vpon sleepe and licking of his feete . the witches being bleare-eyed & toothlesse old hags , do nothing but sitte muttering of charmes to raise winds and waters , to cure maladies , and call vp the dead , ouer all which they promise them-selues assured authority , and yet in the meane time are starued to death for want of meate . these hills on the one side are all couered with a thick darke wood , called owles-wood , which is continually haunted with spirits and apparitions , and not for mā to enter , or to passe through . here shall you haue your a witch-wolues in aboundance , whose howling if you know not their customes before , will set your haire an end with terror . in diuels-dale at the foote of these hills , you shall see many whom that famous enchantresse b choly-melan is said to haue transformed into c lions & asses , and yet left them both the faces and voyces of men . sect. . here we may not ouer-passe the onely wonder of the whole co●ntry , 't is this . on the side of the highest mountaines of all the nose-autems is cholly-melans caue . it hath a narrow entrance , and is almost frozen vp with ice , but it is as it seemeth by the sound , of a large compasse within . all the sides of the entry are hung with huge ice-hickles , which shewing like teeth , do make the place seeme like the picture of hels-mouth . in this caue they say the soules of melancholike persons are plagued with continuall and extreame cold : whosoeuer offers to looke in ( as few will that wise are ) is presently struck downe sencelesse , where his body lieth a good while dead , expecting the returne of his tormented spirit : but hee that layes his eare to the ground a little without the hole , oh what howling , sighing , ratling of chaines , and falling of ice-sickles shall hee seeme to heare ? or hee that sleepeth vpon any part of this mount ( which i more hardily then warily aduentured ) good god what chimaera's , centaures , and thousands of such amazefull apparitions shall hee ( to his horror ) behold in his dreames ! of cholerikoye , the other dutchie of fooliana the craggie . chap. . next vnto this is cholericoye , a barren , burnt , sandie soile ; producing a brood of hasty , furious , haire-braind , mad people : low of stature , pale-faced , read headed , ferret eyed , trembling lipped , & vnequally ( though ordinarily hastie ) paced . these are all vnder the gouernment of duke swash-buckliero , the model & embleme of all tyrranny . the reader will admire , and hold it incredible , that he should vse his subiects as he doth . the famous russian tyrant was a mercifull prince in respect of this man : there was neuer caesar , neuer cannibal so bloud-thirsty as he is . here now the ingenious searchers of nature may make a great doubt , how a nation so exorbitantly cold , should produce such extraordinarily fiery constitutions , the bodies of others generally following the nature of the clime wherein they are borne . o sir , content your selfe whosoeuer yee be ( if not , yee may choose , i will neuer intreate yee ) wee philosophers know well inough , that where the heat is kept in by the stronger antiperistasis , that is , where it is the stronglier bound in by encircling cold , there it breaketh out into a more violent operation . doth not affrica , that burnt region , produce serpents of the coldest nature of all others ? are there not flies bred in the furnaces of cyprus , whose cold do quite extinguish the heat of the fire ? hath not the thunder and lightning their first originall in the midle region of the ayre ? and is not the whole earth often-times shaken by a fire , hatched in the depth of her owne cold bowels ? wel , philosophy is on my side , and i dare therefore be hold to say what i doe say . on with our description . this dukedome is diuided into foure weapentakes ; sallow-hew , grene-chekes , blew brow , and a rougeux : the people of the first , weare all tawny : the second all greene , the third all blew , and the fourth all red . there is none of these that euer stirre abroad vnarmed ; hee that is but halfe sufficiently apparelled , will bee sure howsoeuer to haue his armour vpon him a capo a pie : and like a porter hyred by mars , ha's his musket on one shoulder , and his halberd on the tother , his sworde there , and his great bumme dagger here , with two boxe hilts , a man may boyle two ioynts of meate in them , and at his back hee bore his bow and shafts ; thus is hee accoutred if he goe b but to my neighbour iohns , hee must haue his mooueables about him . if hee meete any man that will not giue him the wall ; catzo del diablo , slaue , drawe , or prepare thy selfe to kisse my pumpe , for the resarciation of mine honour . they neuer make any iourney forth , but they eyther bring blowes home , or leaue some behinde them . if one chance to kill his enemy , hee feedes vpon him immediatly , for they eate raw flesh altogether , and drinke warme bloud , and this is the best esteemed fare . they haue no lawes , but all goes by might and maine . hee that is wronged , either reuengeth his owne wrong , or else hee may go home sitte him downe , and so turne ouer the leafe & sing : all the rules they follow is but one and that is this , conquer and possesse . if you haue any minde to reuenge a wrong , to regaine what was your owne , or to take from another , you may call him to the field at any time , and he must come , or loose his estate . if any come to interrupt yee , and so begin a sedition all that remaine vnslaine , are forth-with forfaited to furnish the dukes shambles , which crafty lawe doth both suppresse conspiracies , that were otherwise very likely to bee daily practised vpon the state , and also furnisheth the dukes table in farre greater aboundance , and at farre lesse charges . the chiefe seate of the duke is called c fierce-fooliangir , a great citie , but it is built onely of wood-worke , the duke would not haue it otherwise , that hee might the better ( vpon iust cause giuen ) set iron fire , and so burne cittie and cittizens when his pleasure is . it is inhabited with none but tinkers , black-smiths , & butchers , in whose shops you shall as commonly see legges of men hang vp , as here with vs you shall finde pestels of porke , or leggs of veale . through this citty runs the riuer furieuse , with a course like a torrent , which in winter they say will be exceeding hotte ( aboue your fountaines in frost ) and giueth vp vnwholesome fumes . hard by it stands the dukes pallace , on the top of an exceeding high hill , called mount scalpe , and it is reported how it is growne to this height onely by the multitude of dead mens heads that haue beene throwne on an heape continually in this place . the dukes pallace is built of brick , very strong , yet liueth hee in a continuall suspect of his subiects loyaltie , and had rather trust his owne iron gates , then their glassie obedience hee hath a guard of . d hacksters , who are ministers both to his furie and gluttony . if any stranger come heere , that knoweth not how all goeth , he is presently seazed vpon , & his head presented to the duke for picking meat at supper , which hee holdeth more delicate , and hunteth more after , then euer did vitellius after the e phoenicopters tongues , or lampreyes intrailes . hee likens a negro to a thrush , and a white man to a quaile ; but such as dye onely to doe his gutts seruice , are farre better vsed then the rest , for they ( as f olympias offered euridice ) haue their choice what way they will dye , whether being hangd or beheaded . the most famous mount in all this pallace , is the inquisition chappell , they call it saint shambles : dedicated vnto the powers infernall , whose statues stand all therein , in horrible figures , wrought all with ieatt and corall , and these doe they offer their orisons vnto . here might you behold all the sorts of deaths and tortures possibly to bee deuised : wheeles , iibbets , hatchets , halters , swords , clubbes , and rusty pistols , so old , that i dare passe my worde for the chinians , they will confesse that they had their first gunnes from hence . a thousand altars are in this chappell , fuming with continuall sacrifices to the deuill , and the duke , offering the soule to appease the furie of the first , and the body to satiate the couetousnesse of the later ; and for the bloud , they haue a certaine arte to keepe that from congelation , and so caske it vp like aligant , for the dukes owne weasand . through the middest of this chappell runneth a channell called nastie , and downe that , they scowre all the filth of the bloud-stained pauement . these men doe neuer goe , but runne altogether , and generally you shall not misse to take them all on a sweat . but there are two strange things , and worthy obseruation in this countrie , the first is , you shall not finde one man in this whole region , but hee is either lame in body , or deformed in face : which the more scarres that it beares , the more beauty it is held to adde vnto the bearer : and the second is , that a man of three score yeares old , is here held for a miracle . for it is more then extraordinary for any of them to attaine to the middle age of man , they are flesht so young . neere to the heart of the countrie is a fenne called full-gall , as large and as famous as euer was the ancient meotis , now called g mar delle sabacche : the water of it is of a deepe yellow to the eye , and most bitter to the taste : it ouerfloweth the bounds very often ( but at no sett times ) and some-times drownes the most part of cholerikoye : that which it doth drowne , the sulphurous nature of the water doth burne , as phaetons ill-guided waggon did the whole world : and at these times do all the inhabitants bottle vp this water , imagining that being drunke it annimateth their spirits vnto the most dangerous attempts . but here i would not haue my reader too credulous , for i haue this but by heare-say , by my faith sir i durst not goe to see if it were true or no , i rememberd that french-mans saying too wel , il faut menager la vie . this part of fooliana was too dangerous a region for me to trauell : i staid at mine ease in blockes-ford , and held it better to take this relation vpon credence ; then to confirme it with mine owne experience . fooliana the fond . chap. . this part of fooliana is both the largest and the most ancient of all the rest : the inhabitants of it affirme themselues to haue been created in this country , before any other part of the world was peopled : so that is held the a mother of all nations , as blocks-ford is of citties . it lieth in the very middest of all the rest , as the nauell of this goodly body . on the south it hath fooliana the craggy : on the east , the fickle : on the west , the deuoute : and on the north , the fatt . the south part of it is called cocks-combaya , peopled with slouthfull & flegmatique inhabitants ; but the northren part therof is possessed by more industrious and actiue spirits . had i not beheld the strange behauiours of this stupid sort of people with mine eyes , i should neuer haue beleeued that nature had bestowed so diuine a gift as reason vpon such brutish creatures . for all those that border vpon fooliana the craggie , goe directly like beasts vpon all foure , nor doe they know ( silly things ) any other way of going . there is no house in all this part of the country : because the inhabitants neither can build any them-selues , nor dare aduenture to come into any that are built by others , least they should fall vpon their heads . there are euery yeare great multitudes of them starued , and stormed to death , in that they can neither make ready their meate , nor frame themselues apparell , nor beds : nay they can scarcely speake true sence : not a man of them that knowes his owne father , nor his owne sonne , nor wife : nor how to returne the same way he came : nor how to distinguish a beare from a sheepe , or a lion from a whelpe . nay you haue of them that cānot tel whether they should put their meate in at their mouth , at the nosthrils , at their eares , or at some other more vnseasonable hold . finally , to be briefe imagine but that you saw a camane asse in an humaine shape , and such an one is a true cockscombayan . of asse-sex . sect. . asse-sex a the northerne part of fooliana the fond , is some-what better furnished with wit , and worthier of a trauellers presence and obseruation . the people hold themselues wonderful wise , and professe the search of natures most abstruse effects : neuer leauing till they haue drawne one reason or other , from the very depth of inuestigation . they haue but one eye a peece : they are not borne so , but the parents at the childs birth plucks out the other , as being of no vse in nature , in that when the one eye is shut , the other hath a more strong facultie to discerne . part of this nation go all naked , to auoid the labour of putting on & off : part of them haue houses , but with out either dores or walls , that the fresh aire may haue the freer accesse : part of them build nests like birds in the highest trees , both to bee nearer heauen , and for their bodies exercise in climing vp to them ; euery particular man of them hath both his peculiar opinion and profession . ambition & desire of glory draweth diuerse of them into most strange & incredible actions : you shall haue some going vp & down the streets on their heads & hands ; & others flying about with wings made of wax & fethers , you would verily imagine that b zetus and calain were come againe from the dead , if you but beheld how boldly these fellowes dare trust their wings with their necks . others , like your italian mount-bankes , draw the people together to see that effects of some rare vnguento , distilled water , or some strange engine : others , out of the basest of mettals , by a secret art ( and that by st. patrike a gainfull one too ) can draw the purest gold . but in faith it is worth the laughing at , to see the toylesome follie of these extractors : they are guld , and guld , and terrible guld yet can they not finde in their hearts to giue ouer . a sort of them of late ( as i was informed ) would needes to the oracle , to know the euent of that weighty businesse they had in hand . the oracle presently gaue thē this answere c trauaillez that is , take paines . pho , home come they as if they had gotten their god in a boxe : and forward they goe with their circulations , their sublimations , their coniunctions , their fermentations , till all this head-lesse action ended in putrefaction , vntill reputation and reuenues were both dead and rotten . thus each man seekes , to be an alchymist till all be gone , and he his number mist . whereas indeede the oracle gaue them better counsell then they could comprehend : take paines , that is , a mattock and a spade will get you gold ▪ sooner then chymistry , a thousand fold . of the cities of cockscombaya and asse-sex , and of blocs-foord , the metropolitane sea . sect. . the first citty i light vpon in this country was hollow-pate , a towne of good antiquity , and well contriued : but it affordes no rarityes , and therefore i leaue it and passe on to bable-dock , a corporation most worthely famous for the wisedome of the aldermen . these men a little before my arriuall , held a sitting vpon this occasion . they skie was verie cloudy , and raine was generallie feared on all sides : the maior calls a bensh , and fell to consultation , how to dispell the feared shower . the first mans aduise was to ring out all the bells of the towne : another aduised them to burne stinking sauour in the open streetes ( as the italian women doe to driue away tempests ) : at length , the grauest foolianders opinion was demanded , who arising , told them in plaine tearmes , their policy was vn-auaylable , and that the onelie quirke to fetch ouer this peremptorie storme , was to suffer all the moisture to fall that those bigge faced cloudes contained , and by that meanes ( and by no other ) the tempest would bee so braue ( seeming to haue no resistance ) that as hanniball did at capua , it would ruine it selfe or euer it were aware : was this an idle plotte ? no beleeue it : the whole bensh liked it and allowed it . twitlecome twattes , wisdome is not sworne to sitte in europe onlie . the very venus , the eye , the lustre of all citties terrestriall , is here seated : ciuitas angelorum ? why t is a verie peticoate lane , a pease-market hill to it : the name of it is blocks-foorde : for site , it standeth partlie vpon a plashie plaine , and part vpon a little mountaine : both of them lying in the descent , northward : farre from any wood , or any riuer . the vpper part of the towne serues the lower with snow water , and the lower doth the like for the vpper with spring water , mary that is of iohn a cragges standing . there are in the whole circumference of the walles iust sixeteene gates , wherein ( according to the intent of the founders ) it exceedes all citties of the world , by foure . the geometricall forme therof is neither circular , nor ouall , but of a meane proportion betweene a cylinder , and a renuersed pyramide , iust like vnto the portraiture of a mans body . what now ? are your vnderstandings vn-aquainted with such a geometrical draught as this ? why then you are but scioccoes , & neuer saw belgia in the forme of a lyon , italy of a leg , morea , of a plaine tree leafe , spaine , of an oxe-hide , the west indies , of a fishes lunges , nor all europe in the shape of an empresse . hee that hath seene these , and shal but view this towne ( as he cannot lightly choose ) must needs avow directly , that he beholds the lineaments either of some colossus , laid all along , or else of prometheus , as hee lieth bound vpon mount a adazar ▪ the market place is on the hills toppe : for that it is the head of the citty , and so administers life and sence to the residue . but ( honest reader ) if thou consider but the toyle that the poore porters endure by both horse and foote , whilest they lugge vppe all necessaries , euen hogs-heads of beare and wine against the steepe descent of the hil : vpon mine honest word i know not whether i should bidde thee laugh or lie downe : thou woldest sweare thou wert in hell , and saw an hundred sisiphi at once , rowling so many restlesse stones . and when they are gotten halfe vp the hill ( nay by saint loye sir , perhaps almost to the top ) with halfe an hogs-head of sweate vpon their quarters : then ( beshrew that then , may they say ) down comes another barrel , which hauing the vpper ground , holds it selfe the better man , and laies all the poore mens labour in the durt , and that not without endaungering themselues . on this mountaines toppe , the magnificoes , and the whole signioria of the cittie haue their habitations , to the end that the whole towne may lie as a fitter obiect to their prospect : this , as i sayd , resembleth the head of the towne : down from thence you descend a narrow which resembles the neck of this head , and this is inhabited onely with serieants , beadles , deputy-constables , and b derick-iastroes . from the lower end of this street , do two other extend themselues on either side , expressing the armes and hands in mans bodie , and these are peopled ( but slenderly god hee knowes ) with handicrafts men , but not ouer many handicraftes maisters . the bulke of this fabrike lies in a broader streete , and here you haue all your innes , alehouses , tauernes and hosterians whatsoeuer , and these haue houses downe to the very loynes , where ( as mine author affirmes , but i was neuer so farre in the towne ) they keepe the burdello . here indeed ( saith hee ) dwell the cocatrices , the roffianaes , the makquerells , & all those c ancient fish wiues that sell ruffes , mackrell and whiting-mops whatsoeuer ; and then if you descend a little further , ( all in one parish ) you come into d bride-streete , and there haue all the scauingers , scoure-aiaxes , and eleauen a clocke perfumers , tagge and ragge : this is called the draffe-sacke of the citie : the legges and feete of the towne are boxes to the ragmans rolles of porters and panier-ists : and here your poore traueller is ( now and then ) full faine , to take vp an hourely roost , bee his pennie neuer so good siluer . i am seges est vbi troia fuit . swine-troughes and sepulchers are some-times sworne acquaintance . but parcius ista viuis . e the houses of this towne ( faire though it bee ) haue none of them any foundation : for what alledge they ? had not wee rather giue honest buriall to the harmelesse stones , then teare them out of their graues ? hold yee content my friends , this is no laughing matter . the magnificoes build their houses of a statelie forme , and a loftie : to bee thereby the nearer to the skie , and the more eleuate from this vnrefined garbe of terrestrial conuersation . their houses are all passinglie well f painted within , especially with the names of their ancestry , their guests , and acquaintance , gracefully delineate with coale and candle . of the burguemasters of blosk-foord . sect. . the gran-dunsonioes ( for so the burguemaisters will haue themselues enstiled ) of blocks-foord , whilest i was there , held a parliament about matter of state , in generall and in speciall , about the securing , beautifiing , and aduancing the weale-publike of their city of blocks-foord . euery one gaue vp his opinion , according to that which seemed to him most commodious . one would aduise them to cut a conuenient hauen through the mountaines ( though it were some fiue hundred miles from the sea , a matter of small charge you know ) for shippes to traffique to the towne by : he wanted no store of examples from other cities , whose glory stoode wholy vpon the ritches they reaped by the sea . a second presently rises , and clearing his fore-head from furrowes , confutes all that euer the former had affirmed , shewing withall , how dangerous a thing it was to repose any confidence in such an inconstant and vnsatiate element : nor wanted hee examples at full , of citties that lay buried in the seas deuouring wombe . well , vp rises a third : and hee would haue the rarest conduites made that euer were deuised , and bring the water vp in pipes from the valley to the hills toppe ; a thing as possible , as could be thought vpon , seeing that euery man seeth the water in fountaines to bubble vp voluntarily , and striue vpwards of the owne accord , and wanting meanes to containe it to ouerflow the whole plaine about it : and againe , when the water runnes downe the kennell , doe yee plainely , that one part driues another forward ? as plaine as day . well , for all that , this will not fadge with the fancies of the bensh . speake another : one doth so : and his speech tends to the raysing of an high mountaine about the cittie , for these subsequent vses . first that the whole world might not haue notice of the actions of the blocks-fordians , especially of the grandunsonioes . second , that the cittie therby might be more augmented and fortified . third that there might be better auoidance of cold , by the warme seating of the citty within so high a mount : and for the mount it selfe , those that dwelt below should digge it out of the valley , and lay it togither . and then should there be abridge built from that vnto the next mount , by which the citty should bee furnished with necessaries . but then steps vp another , and smiling , asked how it were possible that a valley should bring forth a mountaine , but to allow a possibility of that , to suffer a bridge to be built were meere indiscretion : for if a carriage , or a traueller should stumble or loose foote-hold thereon , there were no way in the world for you but death , yea and that ( which is worse ) with the breaking of a legge or an arme : no , as for my small experience in state affaires ( quoth hee ) i would rather aduise thus ( graue grandunsonians ) to enterprise a matter which to effect is not laborious , and yet being effected , shall prooue most glorious : so that beeing propounded , i know that the well-willers of the state cannot choose but approue it : and thus it is . euery man according to his ability and the size of his house , shall erect a spire vpon the toppe thereof , and vpon the toppe , of that , shall aduance a cock ( vulgarlie tearmed a weather-cocke ) of brasse , or siluer , with a combe of gould , or gold smiths worke : and this shall bee mooueable , to follow and expresse the changes of the winde : now in euery spire i would haue a clocke to strike hourelie : which beeing once fully performed , o what pathetique spirit can expresse the reduplicate delight shall from hence redound both to the eye and the eare : to see such a bright fulgor of lof●ie spires , and to heare such a sweete clangor of harmonious bells . he had not shut his mouth , before the whole house opens , in acclamation to his proiect , so grauely , and statesman like propounded : and so they rose , to see it performed according to the intent of such a ponderous aduise : so that hee that shall in his trauell hereafter , arriue at this cittie , shall finde it in farre more gorgeous estate then it was my happe to behold it in , let him assure him selfe of that , for i sawe some of the broaches raysed ere i departed . of the marquisate of spendall-ezza . sect. . neere vnto blocks-foord lieth the marquisate of spendallezza , a countrie whilom most ritch , and of ancient and honorable memory , but now t is quite gone downe the winde : nor obserued i any thing in it worthy obseruation but a forrest called a actaeons b dogkennell , an eight square citty , called hey-dice , and an other little corporation called haukes-peartch . the inhabitants are the only spenders vnder the moone : they do nothing in the word , but inuent how to spend with the best garbe : some vpon dogges , some vpon haukes , or kites for a need : some vpon a paire of iuorye cubes , or abunsh of speckled past-boards , and thus flie their patrimonies : and when all is gone but the cloathes , farewell they also , the dise or the brokers are their ordinary cope-men ; alas poore gentlemen , what 's a man but his pleasures ? but whether this marquisate belong to fooliana the fond or the fatte , that i cannot resolue yee in , who soeuer ought it of yore , at this day i am sure it is not in the hands of the olde maisters ; it may bee there haue beene some lawiers , or some vsurers in this country in times past , but now farewell they . when these new inhabitants haue cast all their whole estate ouer-boord , then they doe either retire vnto other mens tables ; or else are maintained at the publike charge . and here is that ancient modell of cole-harbour , bearing the name of the brodigalls promontorie , and beeing as a sanctuary vnto banque-rupt detters : hether flie all they for refuge that are cast at lawe , or feele themselues insufficient to satifie their deluded creditors : any of whome , if they pursue their debters hetheb , and force them from their protection whether they wil or no , they are immediatelie accused as guiltie of sacriledge and so are throwne head long from the higher tower in all the territorie ; and when they rise from their fall , can no way complaine of any iniustice , but haue vnder gone the ancient law of the whole marquisate . those of this countrie that haue any sonnes , assigne them their full patrimonie ere nature allow them any bearde : and in case they die before this time , they leaue all their estate vnto their wiues to dispose as they list afterwards , without any respect of progenie : but if they haue the fortune to burie their wiues , then doe they lauish out more vpon their funeralls , then would serue for a dowrie vnto the fowlest of their daughters . sect. . betweene this marquisate and fooliana the fatte , lieth another nation called a clawback-ourt , peopled with the strangest monsters that euer man beheld . they beare euery one b two faces , and speake with two tongues : carrying the shapes of c apes vpon their formost partes , and all behinde of dogges : so that they seeme to bee a confused composition of man , ape , and dogge . that there are such monsters , let reuerend munster serue as a testimonie , who describeth certaine indian people that are partly thus formed . this nation , it seemes , is borne to seruitude : the greatest part of them doe make themselues voluntarie slaues vnto the magnificoes of fooliana the fatte , which borders vpon their countrie . and albeit they bee so sottish , that of their owne heads they can enterprise nothing praise-worthie : yet can they imitate , and counterfeite any action they see done before them , the world has not the like , for forging such exact resemblances . they neuer weare attire , neuer speake word , neuer doe deed , but they see or heare the like before they goe about it . whilest , i was there , they halted all vpod one legge ; and went spitting and spawling all the daie longe , because that signior tickle-eare , their gouernor , of late had hurt his foote , and with all , was troubled with an olde pockie catarrhe . they are most of them barbers , taylers , pandars , & procurers : there are also by report , some gallant courtiers amongst them : but how so euer , your spanish mimike is a meere ninnihammer vnto these clawbakc-ourtiers , take them as generally as you can . speake but , or looke but vpon one of them ; and yee shall presently haue him kisse his hand , cringe in the hamme , lick his two yeards of dust , and with a laborious congee , like an eccho , bandy the last word you spake , all the roome about , and with an applauding fleere , returne vppon you with all the gratious termes his gorge can possibly vent ; together with an whole heralds office of titles , and top-heauie exellentiaes , and then putting his lips together with another bascio dalli mani , stand houering at your next speach , to heare how his last stood to your liking . then do but you approue him , and talke on , and whatsoeuer you say ( bee it scarcely sence ) shall into his tables , as a more then humaine conceit ; as a very oracle . then will hee-stand with his eye fixt on the skyes , and adore you ( as a drunkard doth bacchus ) vpon all foure . they acknowledge no god but the man whom they make choise to serue , and him they obserue with more prayers , sacrifices and adorations then any idol would exact . now all this they do with one of their mouthes onely : marry there is not a word comes out of this mouth , but the other , ( their dogges mouth ) doth forth-with secretly retract , and disclaime . and thus much for their conditions . the first cittie in this region , is called d tutto-lodanie of faire and sight affecting structure : but so slightlye built , that there is no hope it should continue : it is much enriched by the trafficke which it hath by the meanes of the riuer of fiction , and againe , verye much endamaged by the same riuer , through often and seuerall inundations . neere vnto this towne standeth a village , called tongue-walke , the inhabitants whereof are neuer well but when they are talking . this village stands at the foote of a mountaine that rises along as farre as tickling-streete , another famous borough , where the townes-men keepe themselues continually employed in chasing of laughters . close vnto this , lyeth that pleasant valley called soothing-dale , at the farther end whereof there is a marish , called scoffe-stowe fenne , which reacheth downe along as farre as shame-stead , a towne of infamous note : whether they vse to bannish all their wizards , and all those whome they call c bashfull-apians . of fooliana the fatte . chap. . this region , compared eyther for wealth or pleasure with all the regions of this southerne continent , exceeds them all : and were it as wealthy as it maketh shew of , i make a great question whether the whole northren worlde could finde a countrey to parallell it : but indeede the people thereof doe generallye faigne to haue what they haue not , and to amplifie by their braues that which they haue indeed . there is a double ledge of mountaines extended some sixtie germaine miles in length on either side , betweene which lieth a plaine , full as iong , and this is fooliana the fatte : through which , the riuer of sound , a goodly current , hath his course , almost encircling the whole plaine . the reader may soone conceiue what a goodly ranke of cities are seated on the mountaines sides , hauing the prospect ouer such a fertile plaine , so delicately watred and diuided into such a many cantons , all fraught with fatte pastures , and spacious champians . the neatnesse of the cities in this tracte , excells their number ; yet are they but of a slender manner of building , & though their outward formes promise all decorum , yet when you are within you shall not finde ouer-much good order . at the mouth of the passage through the rhodomantadian mountaines , standeth the citie hydalgo , otherwise called a braggadrill : proudly built , but beggerly stated : and neare vnto this , is back-bitembourg , a towne that may be mother to the dirty streetes of paris . by this towne is a rock of incredible height , ( and of as incredible note ) called break-neck-cliffe : not much different from the peakes crag in england . it is as broad at the top as at the bottome : and yet so steepe , that it beareth the former rather of a towre built by mans hand , then any meere worke of nature . and this rocke is as famous for a place of execution here , as euer the tarpeian cliffe was in rome . on the other side of this famous hill , hath the cittie of bawdesden hir seate : this towne hath beene oftener on fire then euer was olde rome : partly through the negligence of the citizens , and partly through the aptnesse to take fire , that is in the bitumen , which they vse in their buildings in steed of lime . adioyning vnto this is another cittie called punkes-nest , built all of flint , and the hardest cement that can be deuised . and then a little further in , towards the frontires of idle-bergh , lie those large mountaines , commonly called hollyday-hills , where the people keepe continuall reuells , and sitt in iudgement vpon such as obserue any working-dayes : two citties there are vpon these hills , gamesware and merry-cum-twang : and on the east side of these two , the riuer of sound falls into the riuer of idle , making three or foure hands , skip-free iles the inhabitants called them where the peoples continuall exercise is in dancing vnto the sound of musicall instruments . the qualitie and condition of the people . sect. . every particular man in this countrie , auouches himselfe at least a gentleman borne : and most of them are able to shew a pedegree of ten thousand yeares long before euer the world was created . you shall haue them shew yee large galleries all drawne with their lineall and colaterall descents , and yet when all comes to all , their neighbours are able to prooue , that they had coblers , carters , or coster-mongers to their grand-fathers . nor is there any of their more select gentilitie , but hath his countrie farmes , three or foure , leased out vnto his viliacoes , his retainers , and those are commonly clawback-courtiers . the a sennaladij , their best sort of gentlemen , doe content them-selues with the poorest fare that euer attended a fasting day : yet some of them perhaps at the yeares end , will make a feast , which for excesse of preparation , and multitude of guests , will giue an end to the bidders whole reuenues : but all the yeare after hee will so defraude his barking stomacke , that many of them ( i assure you it is true , ) doe destroye themselues through meere hunger . others of them lett the guttes grone neuer so lowde , neuer respect the belly , but clappe all they can scrape vppon the backe : yet will they neyther acknowledge nor confesse their defect of belly-timber , but quite contrary , wheresoeuer you meete them about dinner time , you shall haue them go brushing of their beards , and picking of their teeth ; as if they were newly come from the death of an whole deluge of seuerall dishes . there is none of them hath so much either money or land , as his cloake and sword would purchase ; nor any of them that keepes not aboue an hundred b munch-gaines , ( for so they call their seruants ) yet haue they nothing in the world but they pay interest for it ( no man will lend them a quatrine vpon their credites ) in so much that i haue knowne diuerse of them hire their apparrell at the brokeria , onely for foure and twenty houres . nay i knew one of them build his horse a stable fitter for a kings horse then his : adorning it with farre-fetched marble , nay and enchasing the walls and pillers with iuory , and he himselfe meane while fatte warming of his heeles in a poore little , straw-thatched cottage . they giue themselues c tedious long names , and delight vnmeasurably to haue their country and their alliance mentioned in their stiles , adding such compositions , and reduplications vnto their prolixe titles , that to recite them with one breath is a thing directly impossible estridge fethers are deare with them , as rushian furres are with vs. some of them vse to hang siluer bells at their heeles , by the noyse whereof they may attract the peoples eyes vppon their gracefull carriage as they passe the streetes . those few of them that cannot deny their births to be base , are neuerthelesse of as haughtie spirits as the rest . i remember i read this distich ouer one of their dores . misero quello , chi di persona vile , nasce di cor magnanimoe gentile ! o wretched he , that hauing had his birth from a braue spirit , basely affecteth earth ! one thing i maruelled at aboue all the rest , as i lawfully might : there are few of this nation that liue by meate , or by drinke , but altogether vpon the fume of a certaine herbe ; which they take in smoake at their mouths , and giue it out at their noses , resembling the fumes of so many brewers chimneys . i know not certainly whether they had this from the indians , or the indians from them . i● is reported , that one rollo warallador , an vngodly fellow of this country ( though one of good place ) was taught the inuention of this wicked vapour by an indian deuill : yet some affirme that the indians of the torrid zone inuented the same to make themselues black within , disliking vtterly to haue their inner parts of one colour , and their outward of another . but this i am sure of once , that though it fill the nostrils , it empties the coffers , or that many good patrimonies haue by this meanes gone in snuffe out of their owners noses : that smoakt so long in fume , till all the satte was in the fire , and all the fire out of the kitchin. in all the cities , especially in baudesden and punkes-nest , euery other house keepes sale trugges or ganymedes , all which pay a yearly stipend for the licence they haue to trade . it is very lawfull to deale with these vpon any conditions you can make with them ; it is no shame for a man to salute his cockatrice , ( i and to do more too , to kisse her ) in the very market place , yea euen before his wife ; nay you shall haue some of them will make their wiues obserue their humors with all seruiceable attendance . the paradise of fooliana the fatte . sect. . there is not in all fooliana , ( no nor i doubt in the whole world ) so rare and stupendious a monument , as is the paradise of fooliana the fatte : a worke worthy all admiration , it is worthy both the toile & the cost of all trauellers , but once to behold it . you shall a farre of , behold a shining mountaine , all of pure gold ( for so it is , or so it seemes , and that 's as good ) framed ( as it is reported ) in old time by arte chymicall : yet if any one come to trie the goodnesse of the mettall by instrument , it falles all into dust ; if by fire it ascends all in smoake . on the top of this mountaine there standeth a castle all of christall ; not wrought by any arte of humane power , say the inhabitants : but the goddesse a fortune , being ( vpon some distast giuen vnto the court of the gods ) banished from heauen , set vp her rest here , and built this as a second , and terrestriall heauen . and from hence shee spreads her goodnesse through the world : here shee sitts giuing all aboundance that the most credulous seruant she hath , can possibly expect : nay be his expectation constant , he cannot choose but obtaine it . hether doe men and women flock , from all the nations of the earth , but especially from fooliana the deuoute : there is not one ( almost ) high or lowe , in the whole world , but hath seene this mount and ascended it . men talke of our lady of loretto , saint iames of compostella , our lady of walsingham , hall , and sichem , they are desert and desolate places in respect of this : here the pilgrims lye prostrate in the valley , in deuoute expectation of the goddesses call , as thick as euer haile-stones lay in high wayes after a frostie storme : nor may any man liuing approach the ascent of the hill , vntill such time as the priests of the castle do hang out the white banner , & that is a signe that the goddesse is pleased they shall ascend : and then they crie all with one voice , making the skies rebound againe , b madona scoperta , and then run that run may , one ouer another , euery one crying out of the straightnesse of the passage vp . nor will the worst man there giue place to the best , so that some-times you shall haue them scold one with another , like so many inhabitants of ram-alley : and sometimes to it by th' eares , with dry blowes , euery one in the company thrusting on him that is before him , & flouting them that are behind . heere did i see certaine of them that durst not venter vpon the crowd , growne euen hoarie with expectation , and yet had not meanes to get vp the hill . but what doe they that get vp ? faith , desire to haue , called them together , & hope holds them together , each one praying that it would bee the goddesses pleasure to grant him his desires ▪ you shall haue one praying for the attainment of his way-ward loue : another , only that it would please fortune to send him a wife that were no shrew : a third for honors , & a fourth for ritches , euery man as hee likes , and there yee shall haue twenty praying for vnckles deaths , & as many for the burial of thus many church men , that he may passe from reuersion to possession of this or that fatte benefice . there sat one king-like fellow at the gate & he ( they said ) sued for the next monarchy : & by him sat a crue of ill-faced wenches , & their suite was for beauty : there was an old wife also , with as many oake trees in her mouth as teeth , & she expected to be restored to her youth againe , & a many more sutors ( you must thinke ) then i could take note of . now the signe of admission being giuen ( as i said ) vp the hill go all that can go , not on their feete ( for that were sacriledge ) but vpō hands and knees , & with great reuerēce i warrant ye . being gotten to the midway , one of the priest intertains them courteously & inquires euery particular mans name and country , which when he heareth , he proclaimeth it with as lowd a voice as euer had a stentor , partly to giue notice vnto his fellowes , and the goddesse her selfe , what guests were arriued , & partly by this means inquiring the deity of them , to know ere they come any neerer , whether they come with the faith and purity which is required : for if you come guilty of any heauy crimes , shee hangs out her red banner , in signe that you must be remoued into the cloisters , where he must be kept til he be able to salute her with a purer soule and passe the residue of the iourney with a lighter purse . but if the goddesse like you at first , the priest giues you a leaden token , & so lets you passe : mary withall hee speakes these . words in your eare ere you passe ; beleeue , expect and hope : and so god buoy . on go you as cheerfull as a pie , vntill you come at an iron threshold , a little below the steps that ascend to the castle gate : vpon which iron this distich is written : fortunam si auidè vorare pergas , illam vt male concoquas necesse est . who swalloweth fortune ere he chew it , through ill disgestion needs must rew it . the castle gates are kept by a rigorous porter : yet money will make him do any thing : the entrie is so narrow , that it seemes to be rather an hole then a gate : but after you are crept once in , then shal you see an house more like an heauenly habitation then an earthly . all pearle & gold , whose lustre dazels the eie to looke vpon it , and whose external view promiseth no lesse then the height of happinesse , i omit to speake of the forme of the temple , the priests habits , orders & offiees : these , for breuities sake , i wittingly ouer-passe . at length when you haue viewd all ( for you must needs bestow a little time to gaze vpon this pile of admiration ) comes another of the flamines to you , and taking you by the hand ( hauing first blind-folded you with a linnē cloth ) he leads you through a hūdred turnings , indeed whether hee lists , but as fond mē beleeue , into the temple of this good goddesse , whom mortall eyes must not behold , and therefore are you muffled . well , now you must coutch , and kisse the sacred pauement : and lie so without once moouing , vntill the goddesse call you by your name , and , then aske boldly what you list : doe but effect what she commands without delay , or distrust , and were your request neuer so hard , it should bee fulfilled . well , but what end of all this ceremonious obseruation , say you ? by my troth a ridiculous one , able to mooue the gentlest spleene aliue . they are all singularlie , and ingeniously con-icatcht , men and women , rarely fetcht ouer , and with arts quintessence : and yet for all that , this art is so secret , that though no man passe this triall , that is not made an asse , yet euery one had rather blame his owne slothfulnesse or incredulity , then once glance at any imperfection in the power of the goddesse . well , hauing propounded your petition , ( suppose it bee honour ) the goddesse assents to it , most gratiouslie , commanding the suppliant , first after some houres , to take the holie potion , whereby his spirit may bee the better adopted vnto the ensuing felicity : and then , to lay him downe againe vntill shee called him the second time : which if hee doe but duelie obserue , hee shall assuredly be crowned with his full wishes , to continue enstalled in happinesse for euer : and to haue euer the same cause to bee gratefull vnto the goddesse for her heauenly beneficence . it passeth ; the suppliant taketh the cuppe and drinkes it off : praysing to his owne thoughts the drinkes delicious taste , beeing vtterlie ignorant that it is onelie a potion made of poppie , opium , lettuce , and other such procurers of sleepe : but the effect is the triall ; hee has not beene an houre after hee hath taken it , but downe lies hee in a sleepe , yee may turne the house out at the windowe , ( if yee can ) and neuer awake him : and then is hee haled vppe and downe the pallace like a dead carcasse by the buriers , and when they haue laught at him till they bee a wearie , they lay him in a ritch bedde , in a chamber like a kings , all seeled with iuory , and arched with golden pillers , all the tables spread with couerings , the arras of campania , and the tapistrie of alexandria are but sacke-cloath to them . and about the doore standes a companie of attendants , each in his gold-chaine at least , and all courtier-like accoutred , expecting when this b endymion iunior will awake , ( which is commonlie some three daies after , ) who lifting vppe his head , beeholdes all the roome with amazement , ( as hee well may ) and seeing all this faire companie of shining attendance , is wholie transformed with wonders : whilest they in the meanetime approach all in order with a ceremonious reuerence to salute the awaked king : health and happie daies to thy sacred maiestie , great king. king thinks hee ? masse this is braue . what apparell will it please your maiestie to weare to day ? your sute of golds-miths worke , your suite of tissue embrodered with rubies , your cloth of gold doublet with the carbuncle buttons , or your pearle poudred cassock ? i ? tissues , rubies , carbuncles , cassockes ? heyda ! my man 's an endymion indeede now , and will not change states with the man in the moone , he , for al his fulgid throne he sittes in . well , ritch cloathes are brought him indeede , euery man helps this braue king , and as one saies . dant digitis gēmas , dāt longe monilia collo : his hāds with sparkling gems they deck and hang ritch chaines about his neck . set a diademe vpon his head adorned with pearles of incredible greatnesse and lustree . all this goes well still , thinkes hee to himselfe : c get dinner readie . so sayd , so done : dinner was prepared , and serued vp , all in state , such raritie of seruices , such braue attendants such mirth and such melodie ! pho , nineteene muses cannot giue a man words to describe it . and thus they spend the whole daie , as time , yee know , will passe . still my fine king thinkes all his owne , still . well , night comes , vp with supper , and vp supper comes , with as ritch , nay ritcher purueyance & attendance then waited on the dinner : and for a conclusion to the feast , my maiesticall king has the tother draught giuen him of the holy potion , which presently locks vppe his sences in sleepe as profound as the former : and then my poore twelue-houres king , beeing as virgill saies iam simul expletus dapibus , vinoque sepultus , gorgd with good cheere and wrapt in sleepy wine . is caried out at a posterne , stript out of his tissues , his rubies , and al his gold-smiths worke , and re-invested in his old cloathes , ( made somewhat more sluttish then they were before ) and so laid out in the high way , for passengers to gaze vpon : where when hee awakes , hee falls into as great amazement as before ; and remembring how glorious a blisse hee was enthroned in but yesterdaie , and finding himselfe now vtterlie depriued of all , d hee falles a lamenting most extreamelie , miserablie deploring , and bitterlie cursing either his owne sloath , that would not giue eare ( as shee had charged him ) to the goddesses second call : or his grosse ingratitude , who being placed in so high a felicity , neglected to pay the good goddesse her due tribute of thankefulnesse . so away goes hee weeping and wayling with this word continually in his mouth , fuimus , troes ! i was whilome a braue man , ! and exhorting all men to take example by him , neuer to bee negligent , neuer thankelesse , but to proceede with heed , and confidence , and obey what the goddesse enioyned , and then they could not faile of felicity . such had i once ( saith hee ) but now , by mine owne onelie follie , i haue lost it all , euery part and parcell of my former greatnesse . now euerie one that heareth him , thinkes this ; i hope to take better heede then so ; and they hood-winck themselues ere euer they come there . of fooliana the deuout . chap. . vpon the westerne and part of the two foolianaes , the fat , and the fond , lieth fooliana the deuout , a region fertile enough of it selfe , but through the inhabitants negligence , altogither vncultured . for whereas it is diuided into two prouinces , trust-fablia , and sectaryuoa , ( the former beeing farre the larger of the two ) yet is it so wholie giuen ouer to a sort of rotten ceremonies , that the inhabitants thereof are all of this opinion , that one cannot doe god better seruice then in the vtter neglect of themselues . there are good store of pretty hamblets in this prouince ; there is fragment , surnamed the mouldy , wonders-field , and within a little of them , crepe-ham high crosse , cringing-beck ; and kissing-all-vp . the borders of this nation are verie deserts to speake of , and haue scarcelie any inhabitants : some of the villages ( for some villages there are , but very few ) as lentestow right-maw , pilgrimes inne , and scourge-nock , are left almost vtterly desolate , but that they are once a yeare ( at a set day ) visited by some venetians ; otherwise their thresholds are worne by none but their owne countrimen . and here i may not ommit one memorable worke , erected vpon mount bagnacauallo ; it is a goodly , well contriued spittle , both for largenesse , and full furniture : it beareth the name of the hospitall of incurable foolianders , and was built at the publike charge of the whole countrie , and therevpon is maintained . the proctor of it , at my beeing there , was one a garzoni , an italian , a man of good prouidence and discretion , and truelie hee hath desposed the almesmen in passing good methode and in decent order . hether haue diuers colonies beene sent out of all parts of fooliana . but for a truth the number of the monasteries in this country , doe very nere exceed the number of the villages : besides which , there is nothing but scuruy sheddes , worse then any westphalian inne : nor is there any freeholder left in all this countrie : the cloisters haue got vp all the lands euery straw-bredth , to make the deities the better cheere . foure sorts of buildings did i obserue in this soile : temples , monasteries , hospitalls and cottages : for all those that are not professed cloysterers , are either slaues or beggers . they are all of one religion , mary they cannot tell of what : but professe ignorance , and neglect inquiry , it is inough for them to follow their fore-fathers , and to hold the places whilom belonging to saints , that is all they care for . in their pace they make continuall crosses ; one thigh comming thwart another at euery step , and so makes the forme of a crosse at euery foote of ground they passe : and so likewise do they cary their armes , folded in cross-like manner , as if they were all in loues melancholie . they haue goodly temples , yet downe vpon their knees will they go in the plaine fieldes , if they spy but any antique face vpon a stone , or an old logge , or so : and then their beades ( which they beare vpon strings ) must needes rattle some two and fiftie times ouer . there is more gods belongs to this country , then there is men . varroes nūber of the romane gods was but halfe an vnite in respect of those . they make them of stone , wood and lome : and some of them augment their deities number , with adoration of horses , hogges , and hounds . euery daie giues life vnto a new deity : and sometimes yee shall reckon two hundred , made in one temple vpon one day . and here wee finde the olde egiptian custome receiued , that men , whilest they liue , are naught set by , but dying , they are entombed in honorable sepulture . . pounds haue i seene bestowed at one funerall , and none of the greatest mans neither . in this land will i lay my bones , and i doe here by will and testament , charge mine heires to see me here entombed : and pray that all those that doe either condemne or commend this my description , beyond the desert , bee sent as mourners to accompany my corps to the graue , as likewise all such that shall hereafter bee guilty of immitation thereof . but let vs forward with it . at those obiects , besides the tapers , incenses , bells , and bables that attend the body , as beneficiall vnto the soule ; there are two select persons bound by the law to attend the bodie all the way with two blacke silke fannes , to driue away the flies from it , be it in winter when the flies are all dead , and the carcasse not a fart the sweeter , all 's one for that , law is law , and must bee allowed . these foolianders neuer touch any thing , bee it water , oyle , salt , waxe , or iron , vnlesse it bee first exorcised , and the diuell driuen out of euery corner of it . they hallow guilt roses , with great follemnity , as they doe also in baptizing of their bells , and ensignes . but here is the rarest miracle that euer nature saw or man heard of . in wonders-field there is not a stone , but can heare , weepe , laugh , mooue , cure diseases , sweate bloud , and do al that euer was done by the semones , the daemones , or al the black guard whatsoeuer . sectarioua , the second prouince of fooliana the deuout . sect. . the other part of fooliana the deuout , sectarioua , is a county of much variety , but little delight : euery village , euery house has his peculiar fashion , quite different from the rest . nor did i euer see , in all my trauells such a multitude of vnruined monuments , as i saw here . here was saturnietta , & the seauen piramides ( somewhat ruined ) which the citizens of this state built a in memory of the . angells that made the world against gods wil : then was there b abraxia , the basilidians seate ; wherein there were but iust . houses , the townesmen being forbidden by an ancient law , either to increase their number , or diminish it . nere to this , stands c gnostico , wherein there are . old weather worne statues , standing al hand in hand : whereof there are eight larger then the rest , all marked with hebrew characters . not far from thence is a desert somewhat wooddy wherin the d elcesaites or eb●onites had their mansions a long time : and here did i see some of the ruined alters whereon they had beene forced to offer sacrifice vnto idols . on the left hand were the tombes of the f heracleo nitikes , al moystned with oyle and balsame . and on the right hand was the g oxhites valley , where the sacred serpent had his caue , before which there stood an altar vpon the which their charmes forced him now and then to shew himselfe . hard by were the caues of the caianists , ( and that is hard by hell they say ) and here they kept caines batte , and iudas his halter , as holie and reuerend reliques . vpon the banke of the riuer higri , you shall finde the h seuerians dish hung vp by a chaine at a piller , the dish out of which those obstinate men did whilom drinke their water . by this riuer also are the i tacians , little cabbins , and lesser tables , and here and there by the k montanists fatall cakes , all scattred about : here also are to bee seene the l valesians pumy stones , the m manichees thorny gardens , the n psallians oratories , the o patricians gallowes , the p ascites vassells , the q patrolorinchites statues of silence , the r aquarians cuppes , and all the monuments of antique heresies . but of all those glorious buildings of antiquity , ſ rhetorius his pallace doth iustly deserue the prick and praise : it beareth the fashion of all the other , and yet seemes neuerthelesse to haue a perticular one of the owne . there are standing yet some of the t abelians walls , those that continuallie adopted other mens children , and vsed to glorie of the pedegrees and statues of such as were none of their owne fathers . here is one new cittie , built by acouple of damned vagabonds , u henrie nicholas , and dauid george : and here also haue certaine x virginian exiles laid a plot for to erect themselues a bodie politique . o all you earthly potentates , that know the contagious nature of heresie , and loue to haue your states secured from so dangerous an infection , banish those damnable perturbers of holie peace , vnto this country , and let them take vppe their stations here where they can doe no great mischiefe . the state politique of fooliana , in generall . chap. . the cities of this whole land are either vnder an aristocraticall gouernment , or a democraticall . the people choose as many burguemaisters as they thinke good of : and these must rule , but neither for their yeare , nor their liues , but euen while the people please . if any man of them giue any proofe of somewhat more sound iudgement then the rest , hee is presently put out of office , and banished by ostracisme● . but all these prouinces do acknowledge one grand superior , & doe fealty to one chiefe prince , whose name when i was in those parts , was ill buffonio ottimo massimo . his palace is in fooliana the fatte , neere vnto the deuout , and beares the a name of papagalli . hee is as it were a compound of an emperour and a priest , wearing a crowne vpon a miter , or a miter in a crowne . there is euer borne before him a key and a sword , the ancient emblemes of ritches & power . his key sheweth that all the foolianders coffers are at his command : his sword , that hee may at his owne pleasure both take from others , and defend his owne . all that come into his presence must kisse his foote , by an ancient custome , begun at first by certaine kings ( long agoe ) that were troubled with sores and apostemes on their hands . hee is not borne but chosen to this dignity , yet not before hee bee very olde , least the people should bee a weary of him ( as they are wondrous prone to innouation ) ere he were a weary of life . before saint sapa's chappell are two seates of porphiry , wherein hee that is to bee elected must passe a triall of his rems and his res , ere he bee installed . hee seldome rides but vpon mens shoulders , to shew that men in respect of him are but as beasts in respect of men . he sittes alway , and goeth abroad alwayes vnder a canopy : tush , these are things that others may do also as well as he : let vs here some of his singularities , beyond all others you shall . he neuer askes peny tribute of any subiect he hath , but what they giue willingly , he takes thankfully and spends freely . he decrees nothing against the consent of the meanest counsellor in his state . he makes no lawes , nor keepes any : nor doth he promulgate any decree of continuance , but once within two yeares it is quite out of vse . he vseth his seruants , ( yea euen his slaues ) with much familiaritie , and when hee list can lift them vp aboue the best man in his court . hee allowes his parasites to doe euen what themselues thinke good , to breake lawes , to counterfeit coines , or to disperse money stamped with their owne names and faces . i might haue learnt much more matter in this court worthy obseruation , but that i do not loue of all things in the world , to tarry in court longer then needs must : no , i was neuer good courtier , nor ( i hope ) euer shall be . finis lib. . the fourth booke . the description of theeue-ingen . chap. . of the situation thereof . theeuingen a is bounded on the west with the straite of magellanus , and on the east , with fooliana the deuout & part of tenter-belly . it is a soile so vtterly voide of fertility ( excepting one little country that pluto might rather seeme to haue stolne ceres daughter frō hence then from sicily . nor shepheard , nor husbandman shall yee finde here , would yee seeke your heart out : yet is it not strange that this barren country should neuer-the-lesse haue such aboundance of all necessaries , maye and superfluities also , that it may challenge all the world in a prize of wealth , and ( as farre as their naturall fiercenesse permitteth ) of delicacy too ? take it from me ( quoth hieremy ratcliffe ) they may ; there is no rariety , nor excellent thing of worth in all the world , but they will haue it , by hooke or by crooke , and if they once get it , yee shall sooner get a fart from a dead man , then fetch it back out of their clouches . the easterne part is enritched by the spoiles of the two fooliana's , the fatte , and the deuout : the westerne , by the treasures of india , together with the spaniards , caricks and b cacaplataes , for they are the notablest pyrates of the whole terrestriall globe . assambeg of alexandria , barbarossa , captaine warde , and yagup hemskerk ; tush these were all meere adalantadoes of herring-boates , in respect of the piraticall spirits this climate affords : i say it and i will stand vnto it . the whole countrie is deuided into two signiories : c robbers-waldt and lieger demaine : the first of which butts vpon fooliana and an angle of tenter-belly : the latter lyeth more west , and ( against all custome of the other theeuingers , the wandring robber swalders ) keepes it selfe in the owne bounds : but both of them are barbarous and vtterly inhospitable . the conditions of the robbers-walders . chap. . robberswaldt is diuided from the two foolianaes , by the fennes , vsually called filtching-fennes , wherein there are more ilands , or full as many , as is in the riuer rawley of guiana , made by the turnings of the water . the whole region is so woody and mountainous , that it seemes rather a desart then a place inhabited : and ( as strabo saith of a cittie in the world ) is to be held fitter for rebellion then habitation . their a language is very crabbed , i could not possibly learne it ; onely i obserued some welsh words , taught them as it seemes by some ancient trauellers of our westerne brittons . this signiorie is indifferent well peopled , but vnder no forme of rule : each man holds himselfe borne onely for himselfe , and so liueth obeying and respecting himselfe onely . what he can bereaue another of ( by any violence whatsoeuer ) is forth-with his owne , as good and lawfull prize : and the more powerfull he growes , the more he is feared , and is attended by the more vndersharkers that are his followers : they liue all in certaine families , all which giue due obedience to the father of the houshold and euery one forbeares his own bloud , and robs where he can besides , freely & without controll both the fooliana's had by these sharkers bin long since eaten vp , but that the inhabitants are faine to pay yearely a great sum of money , for their protection all the yeare after . this ransome ( for a kind of ransome it is ) is paid by the principals of fooliana , vnto the chiefe housholders of robberswaldt . in bodily shape they are like vnto vs , sauing that all but the ilanders , haue clawes vpo their hands insteed of nailes : and this is not onely naturall vnto all the robberswalders , but euen to the lieger dumanists also . vpon the mountaines of this soile there breedeth a kinde of people called the sbanditi , and these are especiall keepers of booty-forrest ( a frith so called ) which is of that breadth , that that same high dutch hercynian sherewood , put schwarizwaldt , odenwaldt , steigerwaldt , westerwaldt , behemerwaldt , waldt quoth you ? nay put all the waldts , welts and gards in europe to it : i tell yee , let one word suffice , they all make but a dayes iourney for an irish lowse , ( bee shee neuer so speedie ) if you measure it with this . no , i will bee as good as my word , and iustifie , that if hercynia keepe ten thousand theeues ( as lightlie it doth alwayes , ) booty-forrest shall keepe a thousand thousand : baw waw ! hercynia ? why 't is a blanket for a catte , a petty cock-pitte , nay a very tobaccoboxe in respect of booty-forrest . in this country , you shall not find any man of state but he keeps a fort : yes verily , all garrison soldiars : neither are their fortresses any way beautifull , but they are most iudiciously contriued , both for defence and purueyance : and here , they that liue within keepe all that they purloyne without ( and that is no small prize ) maugre the beard of haughtie zulzemin . no , they are no shitilecocks ! what they haue thei le hold , they are in place , & what 's a mans place if hee make no vse of it ? now in the meane while the poore commonalty vntrusse their states and their port-manuels vnder trees , and lay their noddles close to the stumpe of some ancient oke ; sic fuit ab initio ( quoth the gentleman to the chandlers sonne ) so did your fore-fathers ( my maisters ) be you neuer so top-heauie now , and so do these honest lads , these true tartarians , that neuer keepe one mansion eight and forty houres . but alas ! would this were all : but i must needes goe on . these plaine seeming villiacoes delight in nothing but to lye in waite to make prize of poore passengers , and when they catch them , they strippe them starke naked : they will not leaue them a tatter to serue for a curtaine to the worlds propagatour ; yet will they not murther , as the damned , soulelesse , fiend-bred , hell-borne italian theeues do , & those durty , gut-swolne , toad-sprung germaines , ( they haue no cause indeed , for their fact is not lyable to the lawe ) but him that they vnhuske , they doe presently binde , and carry in state vnto their dukes court , vnto whom hee must sweare perpetuall obedience and loyaltie : which if hee breake either in running his countrie , or in omitting to practise pourloynerie once or twise in a moneth , hee is forthwith condemned to commence at b doctor stories cappe : trusted he shall be no more , but once trust vp for all : this law maketh them maruailous mighty : and againe , the legerdumanists of late enacted this decree , that no yonger brother shall haue any share in the fathers land , and this law hath added a great multitude of voluntaries vnto robbers-waldt , as cannot but appeare to the politique , and him that can ponder it . the deuout foolianders ( as i said before ) loue crosses : well they cannot loue them so much as these hate them . so that though their tribute assure them quiet at home , yet if they bee ouer-taken in robberswaldt , farewell fooliander , vp they goe as round as a iuglers boxe : and the onely cause is , they vse to mock the robberswalders , by making iybbets at them with their fingers . the maine housholders are continually at dissention and ciuill warres amongst themselues , about iniurious booties , forced from one another : and by my faith sir , the whole world fares the better by it : for should these rogish improouers once lay their heads together against our world , we might put vp our pipes , the case is be-shitt , and go cast our capps at the moone , for any state that we should holde long : o sir , vnderstand me , the case is plaine , we were sure of ruine i grant ye that : and so were all that could not stand in defence against them : but the wiser sort of them-selues preuent that , by nousling priuate dissentions at home . it is a great commendation of towardnesse in their children ( as c caesar said of the germaines ) to bee cunning filtchers , in their young yeares : for this arte they teach them euen from their infancies , in precepts which they call hermeticall : ye shall haue the little theeuelings , euen while they suck their mothers brests , to steale needles & pence from out of their purses : but if they either ouer-shoote themselues , & be taken in the maner , by being either too slowe handed , or too boisterous , vp goes their bums incontinent : now as they grow to yeares , so must they augment their practise , by stealing of geese , ducks , or any such like prouant : nor doth any day passe them wherein they do not increase their stock by one lift or other . if their plot chance to haue any dangerous induction about it , then do they content themselues with d stealing a clod from your neighbors land , or a stake from his hedge , least their hands should grow out of vse : this is the ordinary practise of y● borderers of liegerdumaine : betweene it & robberswaldt lieth a large heath called ( e ) lyers-buy plaine , of which you shall heare more here-after , when we haue passed the maritimall coasts of robberswalat . the pyrates , and sea-borderers of robbers-waldt . chap. . these pirates disperse themselues all along the shores of magellanus his straite , on the bankes of theeuingen , and in the iles of filtching-fennes . now they know that no ship that passeth the straite can possibly returne back , the current is so swift , and therefore they stoppe the passage with chaines and shallops , and so make prize of all that should passe : whereby they that goe this voyage , doe seldome or neuer returne , more by reason of the multitude of these pyrates , then the strength of the opposed streame . europe affoords not any sea-man that knowes his bayes , creekes , tides , shelfes , rockes and channells better then these doe generally : besides that they swim as nimbly and as perfectly as the fishes themselues doe . their chiefe hauen is called a kirk-dun , a towne of no great strength , nor compasse : but fraught with as hardie pirates as christendome affordes , and with as great store of stolne ritches . it is situate in that angle of robberswaldt that lyeth iust vpon the head of filtching-fennes , ouer-against a part of tenter-belly . the shores here-abouts , as it is reported , are all ledged with rocks of the loade-stone , which drawe the ships vnto these coasts , that are an incredible distance off , and heere they hold them . but the kirk-duners that sayle out into the maine , and fetch in the merchants , they gette the cash . and strange it is to see how many purchases their bolde valour hath borne from strengths some-times trebbling theirs : some ascribe this vnto the magicall ensignes they haue from fooliana , let the reader choose whether hee will beleeue them or no. the citties armes , is the vulture , that feedes as shee flyes : the word , fruor nec quiesco : ritch and yet restlesse : mantled , geules ; doubled , ermines . a little within the mouth of the riuer filtching , is there another towne , called port van berghen , the queene and lady of all those iles and waters : it taketh tribute of all vessells that passe that way whatsoeuer , they cannot passe ere they paye : and besides , it layeth out great hookes with loade-stones vpon them , where-with it angleth for shipps , iust as wee doe for pikes , troutes , and other fishes : and where it once seazeth , there keepeth it sure hold . in these fens , and in this broade riuer , filled all with iles , you b shall not finde one cottage , nor one boate : partly in that the people doe choose rather to make themselues and their families nests in reeds ( which growe heere in a farre larger size then those of india , ) and partly because they are commixt with the foolianders ( lying one so neere another ) whereof there is none but had rather swim then sayle : so that they are so perfect in that arte , that like to the crocodiles , they liue as much in the water as in the land , and mooue as swiftly as the swifted whirry . and of these doe the nauigators stand more in feare , then of the other pyrates , by much : for these come suddenly vpon them , and many of them clap to them to the ship at once , stay her as fast as if a remora stuck to her keele : and then they tumble her with the bottome vpwards and sinke her , or traile her to a rock , and there wrack her . how the author got into this country : of the harpies . chap. . bvt the reader may well maruell how i came to learne thus much : and make a question whether any man ( that were wise ) would expose himselfe to such a barbarous nations curtesie : well sir i preuented all that . vnderstand , that the foolianders ( the deuout i meane ) and these people hold a iubylee both together , euery fiftie yeare : during the which yeare , they are at peace with all the world , & all men are free from feare of the rankest theefe that breathes . at these times doe men come hether from all parts of this continent : yet at their comming they do giue such gifts to the inhabitants , that this one yeares peace is more profitable vnto them , then foure yeares filching . now it was my chance to light here vpon this very yeare : and so i and my fellow trauellers had the better meanes to take an exact view of the country . onely we were in some feare of the harpies , as we trauelled : our gold got no peace at their hands . they are ( by my troth i know not what ; either fowles or diuels ) & haue kept here ( by report ) euer since ( zethes & calais chased them out of europe : they build their nests with strong beames , laying them a thwart ouer the forked armes of huge growne trees : they are faced like owles , backt & bodied like estridges , fethered like porcupines , beakt and pounced like eagles . truely they made me remember the birds that ( as a one writeth ) do keepe in the diomedaean iles , which would sawne vpon vpon the greekes , and flie at the faces of all men besides : iust so did the harpyes vse vs that were stangers ; they would not touch an inhabitant , but were as familiar with them as tame pidgeons ; but when any of vs came neere them , they would flie vpon vs like fiends : nor can any man passe booty forest , but they teare him all to peeces , vnlesse hee haue a b carauan , of robberswalders for his conuoie . of lyers-bury plaine . the natures of the legerdumaynians . of free-purlogne , and baggs-death , two citties . chap. . now i come againe to lyers-burie plaine , which lieth vpon the easterne verges of robberswaldt and legerdumayne : beeing a a free march vnto them both , there is a riuer runs thorow the midst of it , called b memento , which parts the whole plaine into two : and on this riuer , are diuers of the liegerdumaynians townes of garrisons seated . i am far mistaken if i saw not her some olde monuments of pliny , and herodotus , in this very dale . mercurius gallobelgicus , has built himselfe a delicate house in the country : and there is a certaine c cardinall ( an historian ) that hath layd the foundations of a mighty and spacious castle in these quarters . for euer since spaine got the conquest of those indies that ioyne vpon this land , the liegerdumanians haue giuen leaue to the iesuites ( those busy-bauds , that must scald their lips in the whole worlds pottage ) to visite , and to inhabite this land , which the robberswalders irruptions had otherwise vtterly dispeopled . here are many astrology schooles , whose professors are more in fauour with the liegerdumanians , then any other artists whatsoeuer , excepting poets & lawiers . in this very place , did i ( better confesse here then in a worse place ) set vp a schoole my selfe , and read the lecture of spying maruells in the heauens vrinall as methodically as any star-gazer a● thē all : i had my ptolomy , my guido bonatus , my bencorat , my zahel , my messahalach , my albohali , my hali aben razehell , al at an inch : and by their prescriptions wrote d an infallible prognostication of these present times . these liegerdumaynians are far more sociable ( at least more circumspect & secret in their villanies ) then the robberswalders ; for that which these doe in publike , the leigerdumaynians doe very closely : liuing vnder a law , & a prince also , called ( as i heard ) by the name of tiberiodi goldē-gripi : who keepeth state in free-purloine , a delicate citty in the very inmost edge of lyers-burie plaine : they neuer stir abroad on the day time , but effect all their businesse in the night : they hate the sunne and loue the moone , both with the extreamest of affection . the trees of this soile are naturally so viscous , y● no bird can light in them but she is presently taken . the greatest town of trafike in al this tract , is bagges-death otherwise called e bolseco , wherein there are two streetes , tongue-street , and pawns-brooke , which two in my iudgment exceed all the streetes of any one citty in the world , for largenesse , for buildings . tonguestreete is the rendeuous of all the lawiers , and cause-mongers : pawnes-brooke , of the vsurers , brokers , and taylers . and surely there is no nation vnder heauen so stored with lawiers as this is : who ( as f plautus saith of one ) if they wante meanes of contention , play the seed-men , and sow them themselues . our westminster , lay all the innes of court , and chancery to it , is but a very katherines hall , to the vtter temple of this streete : and yet , though their number do daily increase , it is held notwithstanding by the best politicians of the land , that they cannot continue . for when they haue lickt vp all the whole country ( as they haue almost done already ) they must needs lacke clyents , and so for want of emploiment goe to law one with another , & by that meanes disperse their euill gotten goods amongst the cōmunalty againe , to leaue their posterity the means of more gainefull trading . the lawiers men are all suted in g party coloured liueries ; to signifie that their maisters are ready to take fees on either side . now as for their emploiment , the vsurers doe make them the most of it , togither with the violent riuer fraude , which running amongst the h quirkney iles , eateth one peece away here , and casteth it vp , there ; and afterward washeth it from thence , and laies it in a third place ; changing his course now and then , and taking away one mans whole inheritance , to giue it vnto another , this it is that makes worke for the lawiers . the inhabitants are most of them ( as the high-land men of the alpes are ) troubled with chowles vnder their chins , called the i mony-chokes ; a malady so ordinary amongst them that they neither care for curing it nor couering it . but here is a strange worke of nature : their skinnes doe naturally attract gold and siluer , with as powrefull a strength , as the loadestone draweth steele , and holds it as fast : a thing that was neuer seene elsewhere , and therefore the worthier of record . pawnes-brooke is peopled with all sorts of artificers : yet they open no shops : but euery one attends the passengers at his owne dore with what lack yee gentlemen , & then if he get a chapman , hee leads him in , and shewes him his wares in priuate . k one will shew yee a chaine crusted offer with thin plates of gold ; and sweare , that india nor arabia did euer afford purer mettall . another cheares yee with a counterfeite musk-cod : a third with pearles , so rarelie adulterate both for l weight , fashion , clearenesse , smoothnesse and biggenesse , that you cannot discerne them from true ones : and then hee will shew yee the shells wherein they grew . and here yee shall haue your lapidaries , with gemmes of all sortes , able to delude any eye in the world : the cyprian dyamond , the corynthian hephestiles , the sicilian agat , the aegiptian galactites , the arabian asbest , the macedonian paeanites , the asian alabandine , the indian berill , the english ieat , the persian eagle-stone , the african chalcedon , the scithian smaragde , the germaine corneil , the aethiopian chrysolite , the lybian carbuncle ; here they are all ; al singularly forged . apothecaries there are also here in great abundance , and these do nothing but sophisticate receites with their succedanea , & their quid pro quo : it would aske a great volum to make a perticular discouery of their deceites . but one thing i am amazed at , & grieue at their successe herein , they are neuer takē in their falsifications , be they neuer so grosse : nor do they feare any trial of their forgeries , but only that of the fire . when they are tript , they are punished with al seuerity : but they haue this preuention for that : they can change their shapes , voices , trades & habits , vpō an instant , so cunningly , that he doth but wash an ethiop that seeketh for him to day that couzend him yesterday . there is a famous schoole in the suburbes , where art spagirike ( pardon me you alchymists , or blame your selues , that haue giuen falshood so good a name ) is read vnto the youth of the city . and here they haue a booke which they hold as holy as the turkes do their alcaron , it is called , the history of mercury , ( a booke vnknowne to vs ) wherein is related , how he in his infancy stole neptunes mace , mars his sword , phaebus his bow and shafts ; vulcans tongues , and venus her girdle : and how hee proloind ioues thunder , being as then so young as it seemed m hee had learnt the art of filtching in his mothers belly . it conteyned furthermore , all the documents of deceite and cousenage whatsoeuer . teaching the student of it how to picke lockes , how to draw latches , how to treade without noise , how to angle in a lockt chest with a twined thred : how to him the pence and neuer touch the purse : how to forsweare an ill deede without blushing & a thousand such secrets that i might haue learned but that i cared not for their art caballist . but of all of them , the inkeepers are the knaues rampant : so faithlesse , that the traueller dares neither trust his purse vnder his pillow , nor in any iron casket whatsoeuer , but must bee faine ( as n the iewes did , beeing besieged ) to engorge his gold for all the night , and seeke it in his close-stoole the next morning , it would bee gone else euery quart d'escu . the villages are inhabited with none but o millers and taylers , and vnlesse you happe here and there to finde some stragling gypsies . of lurtch-wit , a county in legerdumaine . chap. . lvrtch-witte a large county , lieth on the west of this leigerdumaine , wherein is the cittie rigattiera , new repaired : nere vnto which is mount a scapula , a very high hill . a poet that is a critique may here finde many ancient monuments . one stone i saw here whereon were engrauen certain greeke verses , b stolne by homere from orpheus and musaeus . from orpheus , these . c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and from musaeus this . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i found also many of virgils vpon another stone , which the inhabitants said he had hought of by the knees out of homer and hesiod . here were also some of petrarchs , nimd from another d tuscane poet : and many other such like monuments . on the south part , lieth e rapineux , a plaine all full of rubbish and ruines , which shew that there hath beene many cities there : but they were all pulled down long ago , to build those two magnificent piles , penny-patron , and chaffer-kirke : so that you shall see in this country , many old churches turned into stables , streetes into pastures , and steeples into priuies . besides this , the riuer fraude doth continually teare away one peece or other from this part of the country , and laieth it either on the marshes of lurtch-wit , or f stille-more . of still-more . chap. . this prouince is in the hands of a monstrous kinde of men , such as you see pictured in munster and maundeuill , with heads like hogges . they go alwaies vpon their hands and knees , least they should otherwise misse any thing as they passe along the streetes , that were worth the taking vp . their voice is a kinde of grunting , nor haue they other speach . none may dwell amongst them , but a old folkes . their youth they doe spend in booty-forrest ( if they be valiant ) or else in bags-death schooles : the inhabitants are all husbandmen , marchants , and mettall-mongers . they do eat earth ( as b the wolfe doth when hee is to go to fight ) almost continually : yet some there are that eate nothing at all ; but liue vpon the sight onely of gold and siluer . they neuer sleepe but with their eyes open ; herein onely c resembling the lyon. they serue a god whom they call quadagno , with al superstitious reuerēce : they neuer goe to their rest but when they haue seene him : nor doe they eate but in his presence . touching the citties of this prouince , there is swine-borow , a filthy towne , a very stincking heape : but then is there gatherington d hoord-sterdam , and lockadolid , all handsomly built things , marry i could not come to view them within : by reason that euery particular citizen in all these places hath a priuate key for the gates , to lock at his going in & out , so that by this meanes they preuent all strangers accesse . the residue of this nation liue more like swine then men , in the ilands of hoggs-bourg and the scrapiglias . these men , townes , and manners , did i behold , admire , and laugh at : and after . yeares trauell , growing weary of wandring , i returned into my natiue country . finis . the cambridge pilgrime . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e seneca in mcdea . notes for div a -e a for gluttony is the induction vnto lecherie . b a fat belly makes a leane braine . c this birds picture is to be seene in the largest maps of the vvorld , with an elephant in his pounces . and for his insatiate greedinesse , is held to be the regions genius . d and so are most of you belly gods , the inhabitants thereof . f hector boetius , hollingshead , &c. g the dukes of muscouie haue the skins of these creatures kept for their ovvne vses : they grovv in horda zauolh a plaine in scythia , and are called the skins of samarchand . of this lambe you may read in scaliger , excercit . . cardan . baro heberstin . & libau . tract de agno vegetab . h iunenal . satyr . . i whose name vvhen i vvas there , vvas sir spatious mouth . k shropshire & worcestershire . l onely fooliana lyeth betvveene tenter-belly and thriuingois : for if men vvere not fooles they vvould follovv thrift and flie luxurie . a for meate must first be dressed and then eate . b of him here-after . chap. . c othervvise called vvarming-pan . d three villages vvhere spits , kettles and spounes vvere first inuented . e in english moisture . f in darbyshire . a galen knew it not . b plin. lib. chap. . c that is alwaies in the greeke calends . neuer but then . a built in the same fashion that cambalu is , if you were euer there . b from this riuer only the eat-alls haue all their water wherewith they do dresse their meate . volaterr . autropol . l. . c like vnto cartaegena in spaine , but far better seated . d two ports where our hollanders haue much traffique . e two ports where our hollanders haue much traffique . a and reason good the land is called eat-allia . b cambridge and oxford . c this was py-nople the plaine : but oyster pynople , and potato-py-nople are cities in letcheritania , that flourish vntill this day : beeing both founded by hercules , vpon his copulation with . women vpon one night . georg cap. currant . de punct . aretinens . lib. . d spencer in his ruines of time . c if a pasty haue no grauy in it , it is not worth a doite● ▪ f strabo . geog. lib. ▪ g satyra . . h contro . lib. . i a diminutiue of shops you shall find the word in antony mundaies discourse of ●he ref●rmation of redfaces . k in ethic. his name was philoxenus . l which was whilom to be seene in beuer castle . m where lipsius pretendeth that langius and he had that discourse de constantia . martiall epig . lib. . chap. . n iles in the atlantike sea like our orades , where they that haue the fewest teeth are held in highest respect , and hee that hath none , is made a clarissimo of suppington , the chiefe citty of the whole teritorie . o his hang bits . p like him whose epitaph this was : here lyes sir iohn of redcrosse streete : he was beard to th' belly , and belly toth ' fecie . q for some such bookes he wrote , witnesse suidas . r we haue some vniuer side men that are too well read in these authors , yet verily , some study them so sore that they bring themselues of on their legs by it , saith panurg . in his le tric-trac clericorum . s not strained through a colander you must thinke , but seazed vpon by those inquisitors . t so can our poulters here in london , yea and worse , as some report , the deuill con them thanke for it . n at christmas and at shrouetide all the ●akesf●rmers termes a gluttony is a deadly enemy both to hunger and good husbandry . b for an whore wil euer stand between thrift and thee . c and so it is : for giue one his liquor soundly first , and then set him on to sight , and he will rush vpon dangers , the very thought whereof were inough to kil him , were hee sober . a idlenesse hath a great sway among gluttons . b 't is no lesse , beleeue it : if you will not , go and see your selfe , and trust your owne eyes . but we haue englishmen enow that haue beene in idle-bergh , and can auouch this to be true . o anglia quam segnis , quàm insignis ? bucer . c we haue store of them here in england , & most of your beds in court are stuffed with their fethers . i haue seene many of them together flying in companies from one tauerne figne to another , for the space of an whole moneth together d dauies in fuscnm epig. . e the most luxurious nation that euer was . f the two twins of idlenesse . g lib. . cap. a and vnder it were these verses engrauen . frolick fatnesse here doth dvvell : keepe leanesse out and all goes well . sueton. in claud. b the reason of this law is to bee read in the next chapter . c beth-lehem in hebrew , is the house of bread in english d in politic. a almost , not fully so big : it wants some . degrees . . min. . seconds . b into the forrests of theuegen , whereof read the . booke . chap. . a who was . cubites high . plin lib. . chap. . b who was . cubites in height . b yee know that the fettest geese haue the smallest wind-pipes . c the god desse of all shambles and flesh-markets whatsoeuer . d the honester they , to stick so reuel to him . the dukes oration to the people after his election . e lickingoa is a colony , sent from goa in the east-indies , saith pantagruel in his merda geographica . lib. chap. . sect. . a otherwise ( although vnproperly ) called cannibals . b we haue of these beasts here in england , duke humphrey keepes a kennell of them continually . c prouided alwayes , that he can liue no longer . d a munkey will eate the owne taile for hunger . a a drinke made of honey and water . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , such an inscription is vpon the dolphin in cambridge . b an italian word expressing the noise that the wine maketh in running from the tap . c a beast that is halfe like a goate , and halfe like a stag. d here is no vse of the ol● romane caution , vsed in their meetings , drinke three potts , or fiue , but neuer foure . plutarch . sympos . acad. . athanae . l. plaut . in stich. e a quoniam is a glasse as well knowne in drink-allia , as chaucers old queynt is in letcheri-tania . f the reliques of some ●auerne ca●ch . mero tingit pauimentum superbo . g of one of these might horace haue truly said , aut insanit homo , aut versus facit , the man is mad , or else he maketh verses . h he was a drunken poet and dyed of a surfet . aske francis meres in his vvitts commō wealth if you will not beleeue me . i the wind-pipe office there , is farre greater then the pipe office here in england . in dialog . a or as the helots had with the lacedaemonians . a three such epitaphes in lattine are to be seene at siena , two in san domingo , and one in s. spirito . a if bucklersbury stood alone it were very like this towne . sure as death there is some affinity betweene them ▪ b hackluits voyages affirme as much . c our ordinary passe to ireland is through wales . dionysius is denis , and bacchus both . a otherwise called strong●ieros . notes for div a -e a ouer against moleture and beach . b t were pitty it should be otherwise , being so shrewdly wiued . a it is a prouerb in france that england is the paradice of women , the purgatory of seruants , and the hell of horses . b i beleeue yee sir with a little aequiuo●cation . in collo qui c the chiefe of whom when as i was there were these , the dutchesse of cackletout , the countesse of banne-alleyla the arch-pressbyteresse of slauersperg , the countesse pratline of twitlecome and eight more subordinate electresses . a the states magnificoes . b the sepulchre of modesty is in this towne . c dauncing is here taken in the largest sence , including both the moderne , as galiard , pauan ●ig &c. and the ancient , called the beginning of the world vide rab. apodemat . . chap. . a the mule is held both to conceiue and to beget , in syria , arist . and some hold the like of the hare . a arist . de haeres . b aristo-polit . lib. . . . a ●ust court fashion in england . b that there may bee lesse ho●d taken by their assailants , and more by themselues . aeneid . . c where the women will fal a weeping vpon any wager , euen when they list . d a chaste and modest vvoman , is rara anis ia terris , nigroque simillima cigno iuuenal . notes for div a -e a stultorum plena sunt omnia . b mercator in his atlas geograph , affirmes as much . a as homer saith of thersi●es , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b cluniacenses . c the trinitarians with square caps . d the tale of the franciscan and the dominican is common . e who were solemnly scourged at the altar of diana . plut. in apoph . f as the indians of brasilia , peru , and other places did when these parts were first discouered . petr. mart. ab anglcria decad. ocean . annal. foolian dens . centur. . sect . . li. . cap. . the foolianders oration vnto the shrewefburg●sses . a it is naturall to the french-man to be a wether cocksape , and to an english-man ( pardon me you few of firmer spirits ) to bee his ape . b virgil. c which is in italian a● butter flye . d sir thomas moore in his eutopia hath a riuer of the same name , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a iust as our citizens vse a man as long as hee hath cash , you haue him , brow and bosome , but that fayling , my maister is not within sir . a built in the fashion of our exchange & far better traded . b iust such an epitaph is there in bologna in italy in saint peters , beginning , aelia laelia crispis , nec vir nec inulier , nec androgynan , nec casta , &c. c polipus is a disease in the nose , called noli melangere asvvell as a many footed fish . a philosophers that held themselues discussers and exact inquirers of all things . gell. lib. . chap. . b in diog. laert. de lacyda . b so do the parace●sists call their balde●dashe . c cedarine , in paracelsisme is blockish or ignorant . written by ranizouius in a chappell nere to sigeberg . a this the ca●thusians obserue very duly , and deuoutly . b so did one pisander in a melancholy fit . cael rhodig . lib. . chap. . c the inuentor of the macaronicall tongue , hee wrote of the gests of bal●us , cyngar , fracasso , vin●azzo , seraffus , &c. all in strambottologicall verse . a lycanthropi , they are men or women that by sorcery can put on the shapes of wolues , & yet reserue the reason of man. b by a me●tathesis , otherwise called melancholy . c all melancholie is asse-like , or lion-like . the naturall token of choller . mercurial . va● . lection . georg. agric. lib. de subterean . a as much to say fiery-front . rouge in french , is red in english . b iohn fisticankots , aiax his sonne and heyre , according to the pedigree drawne by peter de qui , in his catalogus dunsor . ioannens . lib. . cap. . c built iust after the forme of tangir in africa . d eps , ware , things , and welsh dauie , were whi●om of his gard , as i was credibly enformed by such as knew . e sueton in vitelio . f diod. sicul . g ortel . or 〈◊〉 della ta●a : bellonius ●●ch the ita●●ans , it●ar ●ar bianco . 〈◊〉 scythia it is 〈◊〉 ca●pa●●● , as tzetz● 〈◊〉 . a had not our first parents 〈◊〉 fooles , in 〈◊〉 not beene 〈◊〉 but now it is ▪ a assex in fooliana is larger then our three sexes in england here , essex , middlesex & suffix . b the two winged brethren sonnes vnto boreas : they ridd phineus of the harpyes . c libauius sets downe this rime of alchimy . alchymia est ars sine arte cuius scire est parscum par●e , medium est strenue mentiri . finis , 〈◊〉 dicatum 〈◊〉 . ariost . orland . furios . the author had this description from an experienced geographer , or fooliander . spell the meaning . a so doth theuet call caucasus . b hangmen , and other executioners . c this is a mataphor that needes no glosse . d a iakes farmers burden in the night is called a bride , as i haue heard . e tamen obijcienda memento . f muro bianco carto di matto . a white wall is a fooles booke . a actaeon was eaten vp by dogs , that is , he spent his estate vpon them ▪ b dogs , dice , and ha●kes , the three obiects of prodigali●y . a or flatter itan●a ▪ b ●n one hood . c to sooth , and to backbite . d in english it is praise●all . c bashfull modestie is a foe to flattery . a like madril in spaine . a quasi senza lode , vnworthy of praise . b mangeguadagnos : so the italians cal their seruants ▪ c as he did who demanding lodging at a meane inne , and being asked what hee was : our name quoth he is hernando gonzales ri●adeneira de toledo . by my troth sir ( quoth the hostesse ) wee haue not beds enow for so many . a fortuna fauet fatuis , is not so old as true . b the italians crie so , vnuailing of the picture of our lady of lore●to . a a fellow in homer 〈◊〉 had a voice alowd as fiftie mens . sannazer . b the mi●on of the moone ▪ he slept . years together ere euer hee awaked . c 't is time poore king , for thou hast eaten no meate this three daies . d heu quò decidimus . a thus was hee borne that wrote the hospitall of incurable fool●s . a this was the saturnians opin●on . b the basilidians held that there were . heauens , according to the number of the letters contained in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c they were called gnostikes , that is , muddy , for the falthinesse of the misteries , and so were the carpocratians called : iren. l. . c. . d iren. in ep . ad eus●b . these held th●t they might deny , their faith in persecution . hieron . f they had a nevv maner of redeeming their dead with oyle , balsame , water . g they held that christ was that serpent that deceiued . euah and kept a snake vvhich came forth at priests incantations , licken of the offring & then returned to his hold . h these would drinke no wine , but held it to bee brought forth by satan and the earth august de heres . i they held marriage to bee as bad as fornication , & therefore vsed little beds and lesse tables for they eate no flesh . aug. ibid. k they pricked little infants vvith kniues and of the bloud and meale , they made themselues communion cakes . aug. ib. l they held it good seruice vnto god to geld both themselues and strangers m they affirmed that all plants had sence , and therefore they would neuer cut vp any thornes or briers , &c. n these did very continually , it was incredible ( saith august . ) to heare them , they were also called euchites . o those held that the deuill ereated the flesh : and therefore they did so hate it , that many of them killed themselues . p who called themselues new vessells filled with new wine , and bare a barrell about , in their bacchanalles . q so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : they stopt their mouthes & noles with their fingers , and so professed silence . aug. calleth them dac●ylorenchites . r they offred water in the sacrament , insteed of wine . ſ this fellow held that all heresies were true doctrine philaster . t they neuer vsed their wiues carnally , and yet would not liue without them , so that they made w●●ing choise of their neighbours children to inherite their estates . aug. ibi . u the two founders of anabaptisme , or the family of loue . x certaine english brownists , exiled into virginia . a the chamber where the pope is elected . notes for div a -e a a word compounded of theue , in english , and ingenium in latine . b as the spaniard called one of their great caricks , which si● francis drake tooke . her name ( quoth he ) was caca fuego shite-fire before , but now she may be called caca plata , that is , shite-siluer . c as there are two species of this trade , the euery and cousinage a of this language there is an excellent exact discouerie made in thomas deckers bellman , but in his lanthorne and candle-light , he hath out-stript all the world for variety of knowledge in canting . b tiborne was built for him , as some say . c de bello galiico . lib. . d as the welch man stole rushes , onely to keep his hand in vre . a not dun kirke . b no more then the egiptian pyrates had in heliodorus . lib. . a aristot lib. de mirabi . lib. b so doe the turkes cal the from cayro to ormus , and the other po●ts of their traffique . a as the way by the crosse was in camden . i am free marchant as passengers may ken , to scots , to brittaines , and to englishmen . b for a lier must haue a good memory . c if he doe meane baroniu● hee is not farre amisse , many suppose . d right , for this is but a discouery of mundus altered et idem . e of bo●sa vvhich is in spanish , a purse ; and seco , in latine to cut : h●er●nimus b●●secus , that same rare raskall that wrote the liues of caluine and beza , was the founder of this city . f in paenulo . g as the vniuersity shew makers do vsually sute their parasites . h otherwise called th● strophades , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to wrest or turne , those quirkneyes are somewhat like our orkeneyes , for situation , but not not for condition . i demosthenes his disease . it raignes here in england , at some seasons of the yeare , very powerfully , god knowes , and to the wrack of many an vpright cause . meliora deus . k clauius chrysopaeiae . lib. . &c. l the fiue true trialls of the goodnesse of pearles . plin. m lucian . n iosep . de bello iudaico . o the two emblemes of the euerie . a scapula stole his greek lexicon , from steuens , and yet durst avow this . hoc ego contendo lexiconesse vovum . b iustin . marter in protreptico ad gentes , and canter . var. lect. p. . c. . c hom. iliad . p. d d●nte , or messier c●no , or sen●ccio , or some of those times . e it is inhabited with none but pursuiuants , and benefice-bar●erers . f otherwise called , neuer-enough . a couetice is called the old mans euill . b gesner . de quadruped . c idem ibid. d ritcher then amsterdam for all that it is called the low-countries store-house . heauen vpon earth, or of true peace, and tranquillitie of minde. by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) heauen vpon earth, or of true peace, and tranquillitie of minde. by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p., folded table printed by iohn windet for iohn porter, london : . in most copies the folded table before a is lacking. the huntington library and art gallery copy of stc a retains a torn fragment of it--stc. a variant of the edition with s. macham and m. cooke's names in the imprint. reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion heaven vpon earth , or of true peace , and tranquillitie of minde . by ios . hall. london . printed by iohn windet for iohn porter . to the right honorable henry earle of huntingdon , lord hastings , hungerford , botreaux molines & moiles , his maiesties lieu-tenant in the counties of leicester and rutland my singular good lord all increase of true honor ▪ and heauen begun vpon earth . right honorable i haue vndertaken a great taske to teach men how to be happy in this life : i haue vndertaken and performed it : wherein i haue followed seneca and gone beyond him ; followed him as a philosopher , gone beyond him as a christian , as a diuine . finding it a true cēsure of the best moralist , that they were like to goodly ships , graced with great titles the saue-gard , the triumph , the good-speed , and such like , when yet they haue beene both extreamely sea-beaten and at last wracked . the volume is little , perhaps the vse more ; i haue euer thought according to the greeke prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . what it is , euen iustice challengeth it to him , to whom the author hath deuoted himselfe : the children of the bondman are the goods of the parents maister . i humbly betake it to your honors protection , and your honor to the protection of the highest . your honors most humbly deuoted in all duty and seruice . ios . hall. heaven vpon earth or of true peace of minde . sect. . when i had studiously red ouer the morall writings of some wise heathen , especially those of the stoicall profession , i must confesse i found a little enuie and pitie striuing together within me : i enuied nature in them , to see her so witty in deuising such plausible refuges for doubting and troubled mindes : i pitied them to see that their carefull disquisition of true rest , led them in the end but to meere vnquietnesse : vvherein mee thought , they were as hounds swift of foote , but not exquisite in sent , which in an hasty pursute take a wrong waie , spending their mouthes , and courses in vaine . their praise of gessing wittily they shall not leese , their hopes both they lost , and whosoeuer followes them . if seneca could haue had grace to his wit , what wonders would he haue done in this kind ? what diuine might not haue yeelded him the chayre for precepts of trāquillitie without any disparagement ? as he was , this he hath gained . neuer any heathen wrote more diuinely , neuer any philosopher more probably . neither would i euer desire better master if to this purpose i needed no other mistres then nature . but this in truth is a taske , which nature hath neuer without presumption vndertaken , and neuer performed without much imperfection . like to those vaine and wandring empiricks which in tables and pictures make great ostētatiō of cures , neuer approouing their skill to their credulous patients . and if she could haue truely effected it alone . i know not what employment in this life she should haue left for grace to busie her selfe about , nor what priuiledge it should haue beene here below to be a christian , since this that we seeke is the noblest worke of the soule , and in which alone consists the only heauen of this world ; this is the summe of all humane desires , which when we haue attained , then onely we begin to liue , and are sure we cannot thence forth liue miserably . no maruell then if al the heathen haue diligently sought after it , many wrot of it , none attained it . not athens must teach this lesson , but ierusalem . sect. . yet something grace scorneth not to learne of nature , as moses may take good counsell of a midianite . nature hath euer had more skill in the end , then in the way to it , and whether she haue discoursed of the good estate of the mind , which we call tranquillitie or the best which is happinesse hath more happely gessed at the generall definition of them then of the meanes to compasse them . she teacheth vs therefore without controlement , that the tranquillitie of the mind is , as of the sea and weather , when no winde stirreth , when the waues doe not tumultuously rise and fall vpon each other , but when the face both of the heauen and waters is still , faire , and equable . that it is such an euen disposition of the hart , wherein the scoales of the mind neither rise vp towards the boame , through their owne lightnesse , or the ouer-weening opinion of prosperity , nor are too much depressed with any loade of sorrow ; but hanging equall and vnmooued betwixt both ; giue a man libertie in all occurrences to enioy himselfe . not that the most temperate minde can be so the maister of his passions , as not somtimes to ouer-ioy his griefe , or ouer-grieue his ioy , according to the contrary occasions of both , for not the euenest weights , but at their first putting into the balance somewhat sway both parts thereof , not without some shew of inequalitie , which yet after some little motion , settle themselues in a meete poyse . it is enough that after some sudden agitation , it can returne to it selfe , and rest it selfe at last in a resolued peace . and this due composednesse of minde we require vnto our trāquillitie , not for some short fits of good moode , which soone after ende in discontentment , but with the condition of perpetuitie . for there is no hart makes so rough weather , as not sometimes to admitte of a calme , and whether for that he knoweth no present cause of his trouble , or for that he knoweth that cause of trouble is countervayled with as great an occasion of priuate ioy , or for that the multitude of euils hath bred carelessenesse , the man that is most disordered finds some respits of quietnesse . the balances that are most ill matched in their vnsteddie motions come to an equalitie , but stay not at it . the franticke man cannot auoide the imputatiō of madnes , though he be sober for many moones , if he rage in one . so then the calme minde must be setled in an habitual rest , not then firme when there is nothing to shake it , but then least shaken when it is most assayled . sect. . whence easily appears how vainly it hath beene sought either in such a constant estate of outward thinges , as shoulde geue no distast vnto the minde , whiles all earthly thinges varie with the weather , & haue no stay but in vncertaintie , or in the naturall temper of the soule , so ordered by humaine wisdome , as that it should not be affected with anie casuall euentes to either part ; since that cannot euer by naturall power be held like to it selfe ; but one while is cherefull , stirrīg , & redy to vndertake ; anotherwhile drousie , dull , comfortlesse , prone to rest , wearie of it selfe , loathing his own purposes , his own resolutions . in both which , since the wisest philosophers haue grounded al the rules of their tranquillitie , it is plaine that they saw it a farre off , as they did heauen it selfe with a desire and admiratiō , but knew not the way to it : wherupon alas , how sleight & impotent are the remedies they prescribe for vnquietnes . for what is it that for the inconstancie and lazinesse of the minde still displeasing it selfe in what it doth , and for that distemper thereof which ariseth frō the fearefull , vnthriuing , and restlesse desires of it , wee should euer be imploying our selues in some publike affaires , choosing our businesse according to our inclination , and prosecuting what we haue chosen ? wherewith being at last cloied we should retire our selues and we are the rest of our time in priuat studies ; that wee should make due comparatiue trials of our own ability ; nature of our businesses ; disposition of our chosē freends ? that in respect of patrimonie we should be but carelesly affected , so drawing it in as it may be least for show , most for vse ; remouing all pompe , bridling our hopes , cutting off superfluities for crosses , to cōsider that custome will abate and mitigate them that the best thinges are but chaynes & burdens to those that haue them to those that vse thē , that the worst thinges haue some mixture of cōforte to those that grone vnder them . or leauing these lower rudimentes that are geuen to weake and simple nouices to examine those golden rules of mortality , which are commended to the most wise & able practitioners , what is it to accoūt himselfe as a tenant at will ? to fore-imagine the worst in al casual matters ? to auoyde all idle & impertinent businesses all pragmaticall medling with affairs of state ? not so to fix our selues vpō any one estate as to be impatiēt of a change , to call backe the mind frō outward things , and draw it home into it self ? to laugh at & esteeme lightlie of others misdemeanours ? not to depend vpon others opiniōs but to stād on our own bottoms ? to carry our selues in an honest and simple truth , free frō a curious hypocrisy , & affectation of seeming other then we are , & yet as free frō a base kinde of carelesnes ? to intermeddle retyrednes , with society , so as one may giue sweetnesse to the other and both to vs. so slackening the minde that we may not loosen it , & so bēding as we may not break it ? to make most of our selues , chearing vp our spirits with variety of recreations with satiety of meals , & all other bodily indulgence , sauing that kennes ( me thinkes ) can neither beseeme a wise philosopher to prescribe nor a vertuous man to practise . al these in their kindes please well , profit much , and are as soueraigne for both these , as they are vnable to effect that for which they are propounded . nature teaches thee all these should be done , she cannot teach thee to do thē and yet do all these and no more , let mee neuer haue rest , if thou haue it . for neither are here the greatest enemyes of our peace so much as descryed a fair off , nor those that are noted are hereby so preuented that vpon most diligent practise we cā promise our selues any security : wherewith who so instructed dare cōfidently giue chalenge to all sinister euentes , is like to some sk●●●● fencer who stands vpō his vsuall wards , & plaies well ; but if there come a strange fetch of an vnwonted blowe , is put besides the rules of his art , and with much shame ouertaken . and for those that are knowne , beleeue me , the mind of man is too weak to beare out it selfe hereby against all onsets : there are light crosses that will take an easie repulse , others yet stronger , that shake the house side , but breake not in vpō vs ; others vehemēt , which by force make way to the hart where they find none breaking open the dore of the soul that denies entiāce : others violent that lift the minde of the hendges , or rend the bars of it in peeces , others furious that teare vp the very foundations from the bottome , leauing no monument behind thē , but ruine . the wisest & most resolute moralist that euer was , lookt pale when he shold tast of his hemlock ; & by his timorousnesse made sport to those that enuied his speculations . the best of the heathen emperors ( that was honored with the title of pietie ) iustly magnified that courage of christians which made thē insult ouer their tormētors & by their fearelessenesse of earthquakes , & deaths argued the truth of their religion . it must be , it can be none but a diuine power , that can vphold the minde against the rage of maine afflictions & yet the greatest crosses are not the greatest enemies to inward peace . let vs therefore looke vp aboue our selues , and from the rules of an hyer air , supply the efects of naturall wisdome , giuing such infallible directions for trāquillity that whosoeuer shall-follow , cannot but liue sweetly and with c●ntinuall delight applauding himselfe at home when all the world besides him sh●lbee miserable . to w●ich purpose it shall be requisite , first to remoue all causes of vnquietnes , and then to set down the groundes of our happy ●est . sect. . i finde on the one two vniuersall enemyes of tr●nquillity , conscience of euil done , sense or fear of euill suffred . the former in one word we call sins , the latter crosses . the . of these must bee quite taken away , the second duely tempered ere the hart can bee at rest . for first , how can that man be at peace , that is at variāce with god & himselfe ? how shoulde peace be gods gift , if it could be without him , if it could be against him ? it is the professiō of sin although faire spokē at the first closing , to be a perpetual make-bate betwixt god and man , betwixt a mā & himself . and this enmity , tho it do not cōtinually show it selfe , ( as the mortallest enemies are not alwaies in pitched fieldes one against the other ) for that the cōsciēce is not euer clamorous , but somwhile is silēt , otherwhiles with stil murmurings bewrais his mislikes yet doth euer more work secret vnquientnes to the hart . the guilty man may haue a seeming truce , a tru peace he cānot haue . look vpō the face of the guilty hart , & thou shalt see it pale aud gastly ; the smiles & laughters fainte & hartles , the speeches doubtful , & ful of abrupt stops & vnseasonable turnīgs , the purposes & motiōs vnsteddy , & sauorīg of much distractiō , arguing plainly that sin is not so smooth at hir first motions , as turbulent afterwards : hēce are those vain wearyīgs of places & cōpanies together with our selues , that the galled soule doth after the wōt of sick patients , seeke refreshing in variety , and after many to●l●d & turned sides complaines of remedilesse and vnabated torment . nero , after so much innocent blood may change his bed chamber , but his friendes euer attend him , euer are within him , and are as parts of himselfe . alas what auailes it to seeke outward releefes , when thou hast thine executioner within thee ? if thou couldest shift from thy selfe thou mightest haue some hope of ease ; now thou shalt neuer wāt furies so long as thou hast thy selfe . yea , what if thou wouldst runne from thy selfe ? thy soule may flie from thy body , thy conscience will not flye from thy soule , nor thy sin from thy conscience . some men indeed in the bitternes of these pangs of sinne , like vnto those fondly impatient fishes , that leape out of the pan into the flame , haue leapt out of this priuate hell that is in themselues , into the common pit , choosing rather to aduenture vpon the future paines that they haue feared , rather then to indure the present horrors they haue felt : wherin what haue they gayned , but to that hell which was within them , a second hell without . the conscience leaues not where the feends begin , but both ioyne together in torture . but there are some firme & obdurate forheads , whose resolution can laugh their sinnes out of countenance . there are so large and able gorges as that they can swallow and digest bloody murders , without complaint , who with the same hāds which they haue since their last meale embrued in blood can freely carue to themselues large mor sels at the next sitting . beleeuest thou that such a mans heart laughs with his face ? will not he dare to be an hypocrite that durst be a villaine ? these glow-wormes when a night of sorrow compasses them , make a lightsome and fiery show of ioy , when if thou presse thē thou findest nothing but a cold & crude moisture . knowest thou not that ther are those , which coūt it no shame to sin , yet coūt it a shame to be checked with remorse especially so as others eies may descry ? to whom repentāce seems base-mindednesse , vnworthie of him that professes wisedome and valour . such a man can greeue when none sees it but himself cā laugh when others see it himself feeles not . assure thy selfe that mans heart bleedeth when his face counterfaites a smile , hee wears out many waking hours when thou thinkst hee resteth , yea as his thoughts affoorde him not sleep , so his very sleep affordes him not rest : but while his senses are tyed vp , his sin is loose , representing it selfe to him in his vgliest shape & frighting him with horrible and hellish dreames . and if perhaps custome hath bred a carelesnesse in him , ( as we see that vsual whipping makes the childe not care for the rod ) yet an vnwonted extremity of the blow shall fetch blood of the soule , and make the backe that is most hardned , 〈◊〉 of smart : and the further the blow is fetcht through intermission of remorse , the harder it must needs alight . therefore i may confidently tell the carelesse sinner as that bolde tragediā said to his great pompey . the time shal come wherein thou shalt fetch deepe sighes , and therefore shalt sorrowe desperately , because thou sorrowedst not sooner . the fier of the cōsciēce may ly for a time smothered with a pile of greene wood , that it cannot bee discerned , whose moisture when once it hath maistred , it sends vp so much greater flame by how much it had greater resistance . hope not thē to stop the mouth of thy conscience from exclaiming whiles thy sin cōtinues , that indeuor is both vain & hurtful ; so i haue seene them that haue stopt the nosthrill for bleeding in hope to stay the issue when the blood hindered in his former course hath broken out of the mouth , or found way downe into the stomack . the conscience is not pacifiable while sinne is within to vexe it . no more then an angry swelling can cease throbbing and aching whiles the thorne or the corrupted matter lyes rotting vnderneath . time that remedies all other euils of the mind encreaseth this , which like to bodily diseases pr●oues worse with continuance , and growes vpon vs with our age . sect. . there can be therefore no peace without reconciliatiō , thou canst not be friends with thy selfe , till wi●h god ▪ for thy conscience ( which is thy best friend while thou sinnest not ) like an honest seruant takes his masters part against thee when thou hast sinned ; and will not looke straight vpon thee , till thou vpon god ; not daring to be so kinde to thee , as to be vnfaithfull to his maker : there can be no recōciliation without remission . god can neither forget the iniurie of sinne , nor dissemble hatred . it is for men , & those of hollow harts , to make pretences contrary to their affections : soothings , and smiles , & imbracements where we meane not loue , are from weakenesse . either for that we feare our insufficiencie of present reuenge , or hope for a fitter oportunitie afterwards , or for that we desire to make our further aduantage of him to whom wee meane euill . these courses are not incident into an almighty power , who hauing the command of all vēgeāce can smite where hee list without all doubtings or delayes . there can be no remissiō without satisfaction , neither dealeth god with vs as wee men with some desperat debters , whom after long dilation of paiments and many dayes broken wee altogether let go for disability , or at least dismisse them vpon an easy cōpositiō . al sins are debts ; all gods debts must bee discharg●d . it is b●lde worde but a true . god should not bee iust if any of his debts shoulde passe vn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the cōceit of the prophane vulgar makes god all of mercies , and therevpon hopes for pardon without payment . fo●d and ignorant presumption to disioyne mercy & iustice in him to whō they are both essentiall to make mercy exceede iustice in him , in whom both are infinite . darest thou hope god can be so kind to thee as to be vniust to himself ? god will be iust goe thou on to p●esume and perish . there can be no satisfaction by any recompence of ours , an infinite iustice is off●nded , an infinite punishment is deserued by euery sin , & euery mās sins are as neer to infinite as number can make them . our best endeuour is worse then finite , imperfect , & faulty . if it could be perfect wee owe it al in present , what we are bound to doe in present cannot make amends for what we haue not done in time past , which while we offer to god as good payment , we do with the profane traueller thinke to please him with empty dateshelles in lieu of preseruation where shal we then finde a payment of infinite value but in him which is onely and all infinite . the dignity of whose person being infinite gaue such worth to his satisfaction that what he suffred in short time was proportionable to what we should haue suffred beyond all times . he did all , suffred all , paid all , he did it for vs , we in him . where shall i begin to wonder at thee o thou diuine & eternall peace-maker , the sauiour of men , the ānointed of god , mediator betweene god & man , in whom there is nothing which doth not exceede not only the conceit , but the very wonder of angels , who saw thee in thine humiliatiō with silēce , & adore thee in thy glory with perpetuall prayses and reioysinges . thou wast for euer of thy selfe as god , of the father as the son ; the eternall son of an eternall father , not later in being , not lesse in dignity , not other in substance . begotten without diminotion of him that begot thee while he cōmunicated that wholy to thee , which hee retained wholy in himself , because both were infinite without inequality of nature , without diuision of essēce when being in this estate thine infinite loue and mercy to deperate mankind caused thee o sauiour to empty thy selfe of thy glory , that thou mightst put on our shame and misery . vvherfore not ceasing to be god as thou wert , thou beganst to bee what thou wert not , mā ; to the ende that thou mightst be a perfect mediatour betwixt god & man , which wert both in one person ; god that thou mightst satisfie , man that thou mightst suffer , that since man had sinned god was offended , thou which wert god and man , mightst satissy god for man. none but thy selfe which art the eternall word , can expres the depth of this mistery that god should be cloathed with flesh , come downe to men , and become man , that man might be exalted into the highest heauens ; and that our nature might be taken into the fellowship of the deity . that he to whom all powers in heauen bowed , and thought it their honor to be seruiceable , should come downe to be a seruant to his slaues , a ransome for his enemies ; together with our nature taking vp our very infirmities , our shame , our tormēts , and bearing our sinnes without sin . that thou whom the heauens were too strait to containe , shouldst lay thy selfe in an obscure cratch , thou which wert attended of angels , shouldst be derided of men , reiected of thine owne , persecuted by tyrants , tempted with diuels , betrayed of thy seruant , crucified among theeues , and ( which was worse then all these ) in thine owne apprehēsion for the time as forsaken of thy father ; that thou whō our sins had pierced shouldst for our sins both sweat drops of blood in the garden , and powre out streames of bloode vppon the crosse . o the inualuable purchase of our peace . o ransome enough for mo worlds ! thou which wert in the counsell of thy father the lambe slayne from the beginning of tyme , camst now in fulnes of tyme to bee slayne by man , for man ; being at once the sacrifice offred , the priest that did offer ; and the god to whome it was offred . how gratiously didst thou both proclaime our peace as a prophet in the tyme of thy life vppon earth , and purchase it by thy blood as a priest at thy death , and now confirmest and applvest it as a king in heauē ? by thee only it was procured , by thee it is profered . o mercy without example , without measure ! god offers peace to man , the holy seekes to the vniust , the potter to the clay , the king to the traytor . we are vnworthy that we shoulde be receiued to peace tho we desired it ; what are wee then that wee shoulde haue peace offred for the receiuing ? an easy condition of so great a benefit , hee requires vs not to earne it , but to accept it of him , what could hee giue more ? what could he require lesse of vs ? sect. . the purchase therefore of our peace was paid at once , yet must be seue rally reckoned to euery soule , whom it shall benefit . if we haue not an hād to take what christs hand doth either hold , or offer , what is sufficient in him , cānot be effectuall to vs. the spirituall hand wherby we apprehend the sweet offers of our sauior is faith , which in short is no other then an affiāce in the mediator receiue peace & be happy beleue & thou hast receiued . from hēce it is that we are interessed in al that either god hath promised , or christ hath performed . hence haue wee frō god both forgiuenes & loue the ground of all either peace or glory . hence of enemies we become more then friends sonnes , and as sōnes may both expect and challenge not onely carefull prouision and safe protection on earth , but an euerlasting patrimony aboue . this fielde is so spatious , that it were easy for a man to leese himselfe in it , and if i should spend all my pilgrimage in this walk , my tyme would sooner ende then my way , wherein i woulde haue measured more paces , were it not that our scope is not so much to magnify the benefit of our peace , as to seeke how to obtaine it . behold now , after we haue sought heauen and earth where onely the wearied doue may find an oliue of peace . the apprehending of this alsufficiēt satisfactiō makes it ours , vpon our satisfaction we haue remission ; vpon remission followes reconciliation ; vpon our recōciliatiō , peace . whē therfore thy conscience like a sterne sergeāt shall catch thee by the throat , and arrest thee vpon gods debt , let thy onely plea be that thou hast already paid it ; bring forth that bloody acquittance sealed to thee from heauen vpon thy true faith , straight way thou shalt see the fierce and terrible looke of thy conscience changed into frendly smiles , and that rough and violent hand that was reddy to drag thee to prison , shall now louingly imbrace thee , & fight for thee against all the wrongfull attempts of any spirituall aduersary . o heauenly peace and more then peace , frendship , wherby alone we are leagued with our selues and god with vs , which who euer wants shall finde a sad remembrance in the midst of his dissembled iollity , and after all vayne strifes sha●l fall into many secret dumps , from which his guilty heart shall deny to be cheared , tho all the world were his minstrell . oh pleasure worthy to be pitied , & laughter worthy of teares , that is without this ! go then foolish man , and when thou feelest any check of thy sinne , seeke after thy iocondest companions , deceiue the tyme and thy selfe with mery purposes , with busy games , feast away thy cares , burie them and thy selfe in wine and sleepe , after all these friuolous differings , it will returne vpon thee , when thou wakest , perhaps ere thou wakest , nor will be repelled till it haue showed thee thy hell , nor when it hath showed thee , will yet be repelled ; so the stroken dear hauing receiued a deadly arrowe , whose shaft shaken out hath left the head behind it , runes from one thicket to another , not able to change his paine with his places , but finding his woundes still the worse with continuance . ah foole , thy soule festereth within , and is affected so much more dāgerously by how much lesse it appeareth . thou maist while thy selfe with variety , thou canst not ease thee . sinne owes thee a spight , & will pay it thee , perhaps when thou art in worst case to sustaine it . this flitting doth but prouide for a further violence at last . i haue seen a little stream of no noise which vpon his stoppage hath swelled vp , & with a loude gushing hath borne ouer the heape of turues wherewith it was resisted . thy death-bed shall smart for these wilfull adiournings of repentance ; whereon how many haue we heard rauing of their oulde neglected sins , and fearfully despairing when they haue had most need of comfort ? in summe there is no way but this . thy conscience must haue either satisfaction or torment . discharge thy sinne betymes and bee at peace . hee neuer breakes his sleepe for debt , that payes when he takes vp . sect. . neither can it suffice for peace , to haue crossed the old scrole of our sins if we preuent not the future , yea the present ; very importunity of tētation breeds vnquietnes . sin where it hath got an haunt looketh for more , as humours that fall towards their old issue , & if it be not strōgly repelled doth neer as much vex vs with soliciting as with yeelding . let others ēuy their happines i shall neuer thīk their life so much quiet , whose dores are continuall beaten , and their morning sleep broken with early clients , whose entries are dayly thrōged with suters pressing neare for the next audience ; much lesse that through the remisse answeres are daily haunted with traytors or other instrumēts of villany , offering their mischieuous seruice & inciting them to some pestilent enterprise . such are tentations to the soule . whereof it cannot be ridde so long as it holds them in any hope of entertainement and so long they will hope to preuaile , while we giue them but a cold and timorous denyall ; suters are drawne on with an easy repulse ; counting that as halfe grāted which is but faintly gainsaid : peremptory answeres can onely put sin out of heart for any second attempts . it is euer impudent when it meets not with a bold heart ; hoping to preuayle by wearying vs , & wearying vs by intreaties . let all suggestions therefore finde thee resolute so shall thy soule finde it selfe at rest for as the diuell , so sinne his naturall brood flies away with resistance . to which purpose all our heddy & disordered affections , which are the secret factors of sinne & satan , must be restrained by a strong and yet temperate command of reason and religion ; these , if they finde the reynes loose in their necks ( like to the wilde horses of that chast hunter , in the tragedie ) carry vs ouer hils and rocks , and neuer leaue vs till we be disincombred , and they breathlesse ; but contrarily if they be pulled in with the sudden violence of a straite hand , they fall to plunging , and careering , and neuer leaue till their saddle be emptie , & euen then daungerously strike at their prostrate rider . if there be any exercise of christian wisedome , it is in the menaging of these vnrulie affections , which are not more necessarie in their best vse , then pernicious in their mis-gouernance . reason hath alwaies beene busie in vndertaking this so necessarie a moderation , wherein altho she haue preuailed with some of colder temper , yet those which haue beene of more stub borne mettall , like vnto growen schollers , which scorne the ferula that ruled their minority , haue still despised her weake indeuours . onely christianity hath this power which with our second birth giues vs a new nature , so that now , if excesse of passions be naturall to vs as men , the order of them is naturall to vs as christians . reason bids the angry man lay ouer his alphabet ere he giue his answere ; hoping by this intermission of tyme to gaine the mitigation of his rage . hee was neuer throughly angry that can endure the recital of so many idle letters . christianity giues not rules , but power to auoid this short madnesse . it was a wise speech that is reported of our best and last cardinall i hope , that this iland either did or shall see , who when a skilfull astrologer vpon the calculation of his natiuity had fortold him some specialities , concerning his future estate , answered : such perhaps i was borne , but since that time i haue beene borne again & my second natiuitie hath crossed my first . the power of nature is a good plea for those that acknowledge nothing aboue nature . but for a christian to excuse his intemperatenes by his naturall inclination , and to say i am borne cholericke , sullen , amorous , is an apologie worse then the faulte . wherefore serues religion but to subdue or gouerne nature ? wee are so much christians as we cā rule our selues , the rest is but forme , and speculation . yea the very thought of our profession is so powerfull that ( like vnto that precious stone ) being cast into this sea it asswayeth those inward tempestes , that were raysed by the affections . the vnregenerate minde is not capable of this power , and therefore through the continuall mutinyes of his passions cannot but be subiect to perpetuall vnquietnesse . there is neither remedy nor hope in this estate : but the christian soule that hath inured it selfe to the awe of god , & the exercises of true mortification , by the onely looking vp at his holy profession cureth the burning venome of these fiery serpents that lurke within him . hast thou nothing but nature ? resolue to looke for no peace . god is not prodigall to cast away his best blessings on so vnworthy subiects . art thou a christian ? do but remember thou art so : and then if thou darst if thou canst , yeelde to the excesse of passions . sect. . hitherto the most inward and dangerous enemy of our peace which if wee haue once maistred , the other field shal be fought & won with lesse blood . crosses disquiet vs either in their present feeling , or their expectatiō . both of them when they meet with weak minds , so extreamely distempering them , that the patient for the time is not himselfe : how many haue wee knowne which through a lingring disease , weary of their paine , weary of their liues haue made their owne hands their executioners ? how many meeting with an hedstrong griefe which they could not menage , haue by the violēce of it beene carried quite from their wits ? how many milliōs what for incurable maladies , what forlosses , what for defamatiōs , what for sad accidēts to their childrē rub out their liues in perpetual discōtētment , therefore liuing because they cannot yet dye , not for that they like to liue . if there could be any humane receit prescribed to auoid euils , it wold be purchased at an hie rate ; but both it is impossible that earth should redres that which is sēt frō heauē & if it cold be dōe , euē the wāt of miseries wold proue miserable ; for the mind cloied with cōtinu alfelicity wold grow aburdē to it selfe , lothing that at last which intermission would haue made pleasāt giue a free horse the full rains & he will soon tire . sūmer is the sweetest season by all consents , where in the earth is both most rich with encrease , & most gorgeous for ornament , yet if it wer not receiued with enterchāges of cold frosts & peircing winds , who could liue . summer would be no summer , if winter did not both lead it in & follow it we may not therfore either hope or striue to escape al crosses , some we may , what thou canst , fly from ; what thou cāst not , allay & mitigat ; in crosses vniuersally let this be thy rule , make thy self none , escape some beare the rest , sweeten al. sect. . apprehēsiō giues life to crosses , & if some be simply most are as they are taken . i haue seene many which when god hath meant thē no hurt haue framed themselues crosses out of imagination & haue foūd that insupportable for weight , which in truth neuer was , neither had euer any but a fancied being . others againe laughing out heauy afflictiōs , for which they wer bemoned of the beholders . one receiues a dedly woūd ; & lookes not so much as pale at the smart another heares of maine losses , & like zeno after newes of his shipwrack , ( as altogether passiō-lesse goes to his rest , not breaking an houres sleepe for that , which woulde breake the hart of some others . greenham that s. of ours ( whom it cannot disparage that he was reserued for our so loose an age ) can lye spred quietly vpon the forme looking for the chirurgians knife , binding himselfe as fast with a resolued patience , as others with strongest cords , abiding his flesh carued and his bowels rifled , and not stirring more then if hee felt not , while others trēble to expect , & shrink to feel but the pricking of a vayne . there can be no remedie for imaginary crosses but wisedome , which shall teach vs to esteeme of all euentes as they are , like a true glasse representing all thinges to our minds in their due proportiō . so as crosses may not seeme that are not , nor little & gētle ones seeme great and intolerable . giue thy body elsebore , thy mind good counsell , thine eare to thy friend , and these fantasticall euils shall vanish away like themselues . sect. . it were idle aduise to bid men auoyd euils . nature hath by a secret instinct taught brute creatures so much , whether wit or sagacitie : & our selfe loue making the best aduantage of reason will easily make vs so wise & carefull ; it is more worth our labor , since our life is so open to calamities , & nature to impatience , to teach men to beare what euils they cannot auoyd , & how by a well-disposednesse of minde , we may correct the iniquitie of all hard euents . wherein it is hardly credible how much good art , and precepts of resolution may auayle vs. i haue seene one man by the helpe of a little engine lift vp that weight alone which fortie helping handes by their cleare strength might haue endeuored in vaine we liue here in an ocean of troubles , wherein we can see no firme land . one waue falling vpon another ere the former haue wrought all his spight . mischiefes striue for places , as if they feared to loose their roome if they hasted not : so many good thinges as wee haue , so many euilles arise from their priuation ; besides no fewer reall and positiue euills that afflict vs ; to prescribe & apply receyts to euery particular crosse were to write a salmeron-like commentary vpon petrarchs remedies , & i doubt whether so the worke would be perfect , a life would be too little to write it , & but enough to read it . sect. . the same medicines cannot helpe all diseases of the bodie , of the soule they may . we see fencers giue their schollers the same common rules of position of warding and weilding their weapon for offence for defence against all commers : such vniuersal precepts there are for crosses . in the first wherof , i would prescribe expectation , that either killeth or abateth euills . for crosses after the nature of the cockatrice , dye if they be foreseene : whether this prouidence makes vs more strong to resist or by some secret power makes them more vnable to assault vs. it is not credible what a fore-resolued mind can do , can suffer . could our english milo , of whome spayne yet speaketh since their last peace , haue ouerthrown that furious beast , made now more violēt throgh the rage of his bayting , if he had not setled himselfe in his station , and expected ? the frighted multitude ran away frō that ouer-earnest sport , which begun in pleasure , ended in terror , if he had turned his backe with the rest , where had been his safety , where his glory , and reward ? now he stoode still , expected , ouercame , by one fact he at once preserued , honored , enriched himselfe . euills will come neuer the sooner for that thou lookest for them , they will come the easier ; it is a labor wel lost if they come not , & well bestowed if they do cōe . we are sure the worst may come , why should we be secure that it will not ? suddennesse finds weak minds secure makes them miserable , leaues them desperate . the best way therefore is to make things present in conceit before they come , that they may be halfe past in their violence whē they doe come : euen with woodē wasters we learn at the sharp . as therefore good souldiors exercise thēselus lōg at the pale , & there vse those actiuities which afterwardes they shall practise vpon a true aduersary so must we presēt to ourselues imaginary crosses & menage thē in our mind before god sēds them in euēt . now i eat , sleep , digest , all soundly without cōplaint ; what if a lāquishing disease shold bereaue me of my appetite & rest ? that i shold see dainties & loath thē , surfetting of the very smell , of the thought of the best dishes ? that i should count the lingring hours and think ezechias long day returned wearying my selfe with changing sides , and wishing any thing but what i am . how could i take this distemper ? now i haue ( if not what i woulde ) yet what i need , as not aboūding with idle superfluities , so not straitned with penurie of necessarie thinges . what if pouerty should rush vpon me as an armed man , spoyling me of all my little , that i had , and send me to the fountaine for my best cellar ? to the ground for my bed , for my bread to anothers cup-bord , for my cloathes to the brokers shoppe , or my friendes wardrop ? how could i brooke this want , i am now at home walking in my owne grounds , looking on my yong plantes the hope of posterity , cōsidering the nature , aduantages or feares of my soile , inioying the patrimony of my fathers ; what if for my religion , or the malicious sentēce of sōe great one , i should be exiled from my country , wandring amongst those whose habit , language , fashion my ignorance shal make me wonder at ; where the solitude of places , and strangenes of persons shall make my life vncomfortable . how could i abide the smell of forrain smoke ? how shold i take the contēpt & hard vsage that waits vpō strāgers ? thy prosperity is idle , & il spent if it be not medled with such forecasting and wisely suspicious thoughts , if it bee wholly bestowed in enioying , no whit in preuenting : like vnto a foolish citty which notwithstanding a dangerous situatiō , spends al her wealth in rich furniturs of chambers , & state-houses ; vvhile they bestowe not one shouel-full of earth on outward bulwarkes to their defence : this is but to make our enemies the happier and our selues the more redily miserable : if thou wilt not therefore be oppressed with euills ; expect , and exercise ; exercise thy selfe with conceit of euills ; expect the euills themselues ; yea exercise thy selfe in expectation ; so while the minde pleasetth it selfe in thinking , yet i am not thus , it prepareth it selfe against it may be so : and if some that haue beene good at the foyles , haue proued cowardly at the sharpe , yet on the contrary who euer durst point a single combate in the field , that hath not beene somewhat trayned in the sence schoole ? sect. . neither doth it a little blunt the edge of euills to consider that they come from a diuine hand , whose almighty power is guided by a most wise prouidence and tēpered with a fatherly loue . euer the sauadge creatures will be smitten of their keeper , & repine not ; if of a stranger , they teare him in peeces . hee strikes me that made me , that moderats the world , why struggle , i with him , why with my selfe ? am i a foole , or a rebel ? a foole if i be ignorant whence my crosses come ; a rebel if i know it , and be impatient ? my sufferinges are from a god , from my god , hee hath destin'd me euery dramme of sorrow that i feele : thus much thou shalt abide , & here shall thy miseries be stinted : al worldly helps cannot abate them ; all powers of hell cannot ad one scruple to their weight , that he hath allotted mee : i must therfore either blaspheame god in my heart , detracting from his infinite iustice , wisedome , power , mercy which al shal stand inuiolable , when milliōs of such worms as i am are gone to dust . or els cōfes that i ought to be patient and if i profes i shold be that i will not , i befoole my selfe and bewray miserable impotency . but , ( as impatience is full of excuses ) it was thine own rash improuidēce , or the spight of thine enemy that impouerisht , that defamed thee , it was the malignity of some vnholesomedish , or some grosse corrupted aire that hath distempered thee ? ah foolish curte , why doest thou bite at the stone , which could neuer haue hurt thee but from the hand that threw it ? if i wounde thee what matters it whether with mine owne sword , or thine , or anothers . god strikes some immediately from heauen with his owne arme , or with the arme of angels : others bee buffetes with their own hands , some by the reuenging sword of an enemy , others with the sist of his dumb creatures god strikes in all ; his hand moues theirs . if thou see it not , blame thy carnall eyes : why doest thou fault the instrumēt while thou knowest the agent ? euer the dying theefe pardons the executioner , exclaimes on his vniust iudge or his malicious accusers . either then blame the first mouer , or discharge the meanes , which as they could not haue touched thee but as from him ; so frō him they haue afflicted thee iustly , wrōgfully perhaps as in themselues . sect. . bvt neither seemeth it enough to be patient in crosses if we be not thankfull also : good things challenge more then bare contentment . crosses ( vniustly termed euils ) as they are sent of him that is all goodnes so they are sent for good and his end cannot bee frustrate . what greater good can be to the diseased man then fit and proper physicke to recure him ? crosses are the onely medicines of sicke mindes . thy sounde body carryes within it a sicke soule ; thou feelest it not perhappes so much more art thou sicke and so much more daungerously : perhaps thou labourest of some plethorie of pride , or of some dropsie of couetousnesse , or the staggers of inconstancy , or some feuer of luxurie , or consumption of enuye , or perhaps of the lethargie of idlenesse , or of the phrensie of anger : it is a rare soule that hath not some notable disease : onely crosses are thy remedyes : what if they bee vnpleasant ? they are physicke it is enough if they bee wholesome ; not pleasant tast , but the secret vertue commends medicines ; if they cure thee , they shal please thee euen in displeasing , or els thou louest thy palate aboue thy soule . what madnesse is this ? when thou complainest of a bodily disease , thou sendest to the phisician , that he may send thee not sauorie but wholsome potions ; thou receiuest them in spight of thine abhorring stomacke , and withall both thankest & rewardest the phisician . thy soule is sicke ; thy heauenly phisician sees it , and pitties thee ere thou thy selfe , and vnsent to , sends thee not a plausible but a souerayne remedy , thou loathest the sauor , and rather wilt hazard thy life , then offend thy palate ; and in steede of thankes repinest at , reuilest the phisician . how comes it that wee loue our selues so little ( if at least we count our soules the best or any part ) as that we had rather vndergoe death then paine ; choosing rather wilfull sicknes then an harsh remedy ? surely wee men are meere fooles in the estimation of our own good like children our choice is led altogether by show no whit by substāce . we cry after euery well-seeming toy , and put from vs solide profers of good thinges : the wise arbitrator of all thinges sees our folly and corrects it , with holding our idle desires and forcing vpon vs the sound good wee refuse : it is second folly in vs if we thanke him not : the foolish babe cryes for his fathers bright knife or gilded pilles ; the wiser father knowes that they can but hurt him ; & therfore-holdes them after al his tears ; the child thinks he is vsed but vnkindly : euery wise man , & himselfe at more yeares can say it was but childish folly , in desiring it , in cōplaining that hee missed it . the losse of wealth , friendes , health is sometimes gayne to vs , thy body , thy estate , is worse thy soule is better , why complainest thou ? sect. . nay , it shal not be inough ( me thinks ) if only we be but cōtented & thankfull , if not also chearful in afflictiōs ; if that as wee feele their paine , so we look to their end ; although indeede this is not more requisite then rarely found , as being proper only to the good heart ; euery bird can sing in a cleare heauē in a temperat spring , that one as most familiar so is most cōmēded that sings mery notes in the midst of a showre , or the dead of winter ; euery epicure can enlarge his heart to mirth in the midst of his cups , and daliance ; only the three childrē can sing in the furnace , paul & silas in the stocks , martyres at the stake : it is from heauen , that this ioy comes so contrary to all earthly occasions , bred in the faithfull heart through a serious & feeling respect to the issue of what hee feeles ; the quiet and vntroubled fruit of his righteousnesse , glorie , the crowne after his fight after his minute of paine eternitie of ioy he neuer lookt ouer the threshold of heauen that cannot more re●oyce that he shall be glorious , then mour●e in present that he is miserable . sect. . yea this consideration is so powerful , that it alone is able to make apart against the feare or sense of the last and greatest of all terribles , death it selfe ; which in the conscience of his owne dreadfulnesse , iustly laughes at all the vaine humane precepts of tranquillitie , appalling the most resolute and vexing the most cheerefull mindes . neither prophane lucretius , with all his epicurean rules of confidence , nor drunken anacreon , with all his wantō odes , can shift of the importunate , and violent horror of this aduersarie . seest thou the chaldean tyraunt beset with the sacred boules of ierusalem , the late spoiles of gods temple , and in cōtempt of their owner● carousing healthes to his queenes , concubines , peires ; singing amids his cups triumphant carols of praise to his molten & carued gods ? wouldst thou euer suspect that this hie courage could be abated , or that this sumptuous & presumptuous banquet after so royall and rocond continuance should haue any other conclusion but pleasure ? stay but one houre longer , and thou shalt see that face , that now shines with a ruddy glosse according to the colour of his liquor , looke pale and gastly , stayned with the colours of feare and death , and that proud hand , which now lifts vp his ma●sie gobl●ts in defiance of god , tremble like a leafe in a storme ; and those strong knees which neuer stooped to the burden of their laden body , now notable to beare vp themselues : but loosened with a sudden palsie of feare , one knocking against the other . and all this , for that death writes him a letter of summons to appeare that night before him ; and accordingly ere the next sun , sent two eunuches for his honourable conueyance into an other world ; where now are those delicate morselles , those deepe draughts , those mery ditties , wherwith the palat & eare so pleased themselues ? what is now become of al those chearful lookes , loose laughters , stately port , reuelles , triumphs of the feasting court ? why doth none of his gallant nobles reuiue the faynted courage of their lorde with a new cuppe ? or with some stirring iest shake him out of this vnseasonable melancholy ? o death how imperious art thou to carnall mindes ? aggrauating their misery not onely by expectation of future payne , but by the remembrance of the wonted causes of their ioy ? and not suffering them to see ought but what may torment them ? euen that monster of cesars , that had been so well acquainted with blood & neuer had found better sport them in cutting of throates when no wit came to his owne ru●ne how effeminate , how desperately cowardous did he show himselfe ? to the wōder of al readers , that hee which was euer so valiant in killing shold bee so womanishly hartelesse in dying . sect. . there are that fear not so much to be dead , as to dye ; the very act of dissolutiō frighting them with a tormenting expectation of a short , but intollerable painfulnes , which let , if the wisedome of god had not interposed to timorous nature , there would haue beene many more lucreces , cleopatraes , achitophles ; & good lawes should haue found little oportunity of execution , through the wilfull funeralles of malefactors for the soule that comes into the body without any ( at least sensible ) pleasure departs not from it without an extreamitie of payne ; which varying according to the manner and meanes of separation yet in all violent deathes especially , retayneth a violence not to be auoyded , hard to bee indured and if diseases , which are destin'd towardes death as their end , bee so painfull , what must the ende and perfection of diseases bee ? since as deseases are the maladies of the body , so death is the maladie of diseases : there are that feare not so much to dye as to bee dead . if the pang bee bitter , yet it is but short ; the comfortlesse state of the dead strikes some that could well resolue for the act of their passage . not the worste of the heathen emperors , made that monefull ditty on his death-bed , wherein he be wrayeth to all memory , much feeling pittie of his soule , for her doubtfull and impotent condition after her parture . how doth platoes worldling bewaile the misery of the graue , besides all respect of paine ? woe is mee that i shall lye alone rotting in the silent earth , amongst the crawlinge wormes not seeing ought aboue , not seene . very not being is sufficiently abhorred of nature , if death had no more to make it fearfull : but those that haue liued vnder light enough , to show them the gates of hell , after their passage through the gates of death , and haue learned that death is not onely horrible for our not being here , but for being infinitely , eternally miserable in a future world , nor so much for the dissolution of life , as the beginning of tormēt those cannot without the certaine hope of their immunity , but carnally fear to dy , and hellishly feare to bee dead : for if it bee such paine to dye , what is it to bee euer dying ? & if the strayning or luxation of one ioynt , can so afflict vs , what shall the racking of the whole body and the torturing of the soule , whose animation alone makes the body to feele and complaine of smart ? and if men haue deuised such exquisite torments , what can spirites , more subtile more malicious ? and if our momentany sufferinge seeme long , how long shall that be that is eternall ? and if the sorrowes i● differently incidēt to gods dear ones vpon earth be so extreme as sometimes to driue them within sight of despayring , what shall those bee that are reserued onely for those that hate him , and that hee hateth ? none but those who haue hearde the desperat complaints of some guilty spyra , or whose soules haue beene a little scorched with these flames , can enough conceiue of the horror of this estate ; it beeing the policie of our common enemie to conceale it so long , that wee may see and feele it at once : least wee shoulde feare it , before it be too late to bee auoyded . sect. . now when this great aduersary , ●ike a proud giant comes stalking out in his feareful shape , and insults ouer our fraile mortality , daring the worlde to match him with an equall champion , whiles a whole hoast of worldlings show him their backs for feare , the true christian armed onely with confidence and resolutiō of his future happinesse dares boldly en counter him , and can wound him in the forehead ( the wonted seate of terror ) and trampling vpon him can cut off his head with his own sword & victoriously returning , can sing in triumph oh death where is thy s●ing ! an happy victory ! we die & are not foiled : yea we are conquerors in dying : wee could not ouer come death , if wee dyed not : that dissolution is well bestowed , that parts the soule from the body that it may vnite both to god : all our life here ( as that heauēly doctor wel termes it ) is but a vitall death how aduantageous is that death that determines this false & dying life , and beginnes a true one , aboue all the titles of happinesse ? the epicure or saducee , dare not dye for feare of not being ; the guiltye and loose worldling dare not dye for feare of beeing miserable ; the distrustfull and doubting semi-christian dare not dye , because he knows not , whether hee shall bee , or bee miserable , or not bee at all ; the resolued christian dare and woulde dye , because hee knowes hee shall bee happye , and looking merrily towards heauen the place of his rest can vnfainedly say , i desire to bee dissolued : i see thee , my home , i see thee ; a sweete and glorious home , after a weary pilgrimage ; i see thee and now after manye lingring hopes , i aspire to thee : howe ofte haue i looked vp at thee with admiratiō & rauishment of soule ; & by the goodly beams that i haue seen gessed at the glorye that is aboue them ? how ofte haue i scorned these dead and vnpleasant pleasures of earth , in comparison of thine ? i come now my ioyes , i come to possesse you : i come through paine and death ; yea , if hell it selfe were in the way betwixt you and mee , i woulde paste through hell it selfe to enioy you . and in truth if that heathen cleombrotus a follower of the ancient academy , but vpon only reading of his maister platoes discourses of the immortality of the soule , coulde cast downe himselfe hedlong from an hye rocke , and wilfully breake his necke , that he might bee possessed of that immortality which hee beleeued to follow vpon death , how contented should they be to dye that know they shall be more then immortall glorious ? he went , not in an hate of the flesh as the patrician hereticks of olde , but in a blind loue to his soule out of bare opiniō : wee vpon an holy loue grounded vpon assured knowledge : he vpon an opinion of future life , we on knowledge of future glory . hee went vnsent for , we called for by our maker : why should his courage exceede ours , since our ground , our estate so far exceedes his ; euen this age , within the reach of our memorie , bred that peremptory ▪ italian which in imitation of the old romā courage ( least in that degenerated nation , there shoulde bee no step left of the qualities of their ancestours ) entring vpon his tormēt for killing a tyrant , cheared himselfe with this cōfidēce . my death is sharp my fame shall bee euerlasting : the voyce of a romane , not of a christian ; my fame shal bee eternall ; an idle comfort : my fame shall liue , not my soule liue to see it : what shall it auayle thee to bee talkt of while thou art not : then fame only is pretious when a man liues to enioy it ; the fame that suruiues the soule , is bootles ; yet euē this hope cheared him against the violēce of his death ; what should it do vs that not our fame but our life , our glory after death cānot dy ? hee that hath stephens eies to look into heuē cānot but haue the tongue of the saints come lord. how long ? that man seeing the glory of the end , cannot but contemne the hardnesse of the way ; but who wants those eies , if he say and sweare that he feares not death , beleeue him not if he protest his tranquillity , & yet fear death , beleeue him not ; beleeue him not if he say he is not miserable . sect. . these are enemies on the left hand . there want not some on the right ; which with lesse profession of hostilitye , hurt no lesse ; not so easily perceiued , because they distemper the mind not without some kinde of pleasure . surfeit killes more then famine . these are the ouer-desiring and ouer-ioying of these earthly thinges . all immoderations are enemyes , as to health so to peace . he that desires , wants as much , as he that hath nothing . the drunken man is as thirstie , as the sweating traueller : hence are the studies , cares , feares , ielousies , hopes griefes , enuies , wishes , platforms of atchiuing , alterations of purposes , and a thousand like , whereof each one is enough to make the life troublesom . one is sicke of his neighbour field , whose mishapen angels disfigure his , and hinder his lordship of entirenes : what he hath is not regarded , for the want of what he cannot haue . another feeds on crusts to purchase what he must leaue perhaps to a foole , or ( which is not much better ) to a prodigall heyre . another , in the extremitie of couetous folly , chooses to die an vnpitied death , hanging himselfe for the fall of the market , while the commons laugh at that losse , & in their speeches epitaph vpō him , as on that pope . he liued as a wolfe , & died as a dog . one cares not what attēdance he daunces at all houres , on whose stairs he sits , what vices he sooths , deformities he imitates , what seruile offices hee doth , in an hope to rise . another stomackes the couered head , and stiffe knee of his inferiour ; angry that other men think him not so good as hee thinks himselfe . another eates his own heart with enuie at the richer furniture , and better estate , or more honor of his neighbor thinking his own not good , because another hath better : another vexeth himselfe with a word of disgrace , past from the mouth of an enemie , which hee neither can digest nor cast vp , resoluing because another will bee his enemy , to be his own , these humors are as manifold , as there are men that seeme prosperous : for the auoiding of all which ridiculous and yet spightful inconueniences ; the minde must bee setled in a perswasion of the worthlessenesse of these outward things ; let it know , that these riches haue made many prouder , none better ; that as neuer man was , so neuer wise man thought himselfe better for enioying them . would that wise philosopher , haue cast his gold into the sea , if he had not knowne he should liue more happily without it ? if he knew not the vse of riches hee was no wise man ; if hee knew not the best way to quietnes , he was no philosopher ; now euen by the voyce of their oracle hee was confessed to bee both , yet cast away his gold that hee might bee happy . would that wise prophet haue prayed aswell against riches , as pouerty ? would so many great mē ( wherof our litle ilād hath yeilded . crowned kings , while it was held of old by the saxōs ) after they had continued their life in the throne , haue ended it in the cell , and changed their scepter for a booke , if they could haue foūd as much felicity in the hyest estate , as security in the lowest ? i heare peter and iohn , the eldest and dearest apostles , say golde and siluer haue i none , i heare the diuell say all these will i giue thee , and they are mine to giue ; vvhether shal i desire to bee in the state of these saints , or that deuil ? he was therfore a better husband , then a philosopher , that first termed riches , goods , and hee mended the title wel , that adding a fit epithet , called them goodes of fortune , false goods , ascribed to a false patron , ther is no fortune to giue or guide riches ; there is no true goodnes in riches to be guided ; his meaning then was ( as i can interpret it ) to teach vs in this title ; that it is a chance if euer riches were good to any . in summe , who would account those as riches , or those riches as goods , which hurt the owner , disquiet others which the worst haue , which the best haue not , which those that haue , not , wāt not ; which those want that haue them , which are lost in a night and a man is not worse when hee hath lost them ? it is true of them that we say of fire and water , they are good seruantes , ill maisters . make them thy slaue , they shall be goodes indeede , in vse if not in nature ; good to thy selfe , good to others by thee : but if they bee thy maisters , thou hast condemned thy selfe to thine own gallyes ; if a seruant rule , he proues a tyrant ; what madnes is this , thou hast made thy selfe at once , a slaue and a foole ? vvhat if thy chaines bee of golde , or if with heliogabalus thou hast made thee silken haliers ? thy seruitude may be more glorious , it is no lesse miserable . sect. . honour perhaps is yet better ; such is the confused opinion of those that knowe little ; but a distinct and curious head shall finde an hard taske to define in what point the goodnes therof consisteth : is it in hye descent of blood ? i would thinke so , if nature were tyed by any law to produce children like qualited to their parents : but although in the brute creatures shee bee euer thus regular , that ye shal neuer find a yong pigeō hatched in an eagles nest , neither can i thinke that true ( or if true it was monsterous ) that nicippus his sheep shold yeane a lion , yet in the best creature ( which hath his form & her attending qualities from aboue ) with a likenes of face and features , is commonly founde an vnlikenes of disposition : onely the earthly part followes the seede , wisedome , valour ; vertue are of another beginning : shall i bow to a molten calfe because it was made of goldē eare-rings ? shal i condemne all honor of the first head ( tho vpō neuer so noble deseruing ) because it can shewe nothing before it selfe but a white shield ? if cesar or agathocles be a potters sonne shall i contemne him ? or if wise bion be the sonne of an infamous curtizan , shall the censorious lawyer race him of the catalogue with partus sequitur ventrem ? lastly shall i account that good which is incident to the worst ? either therefore greatnes must show some charter wherein it is priueledged with successiō of vertue , or els the goodnes of honor cannot consist in blood : is it then in the admiration and hye opinion that others haue cōceiued of thee , which drawes all dutiful respect and humble offices from thē to thee ? ofickle good that is euer in the keeping of others especially of the vnstable vulgar , that beast of many heads , whose deuided tongues , as they neuer agree with each other , so seldōe when euer agree lōg with thēselus . do we not see the superstitious listrians , that ere-while would needs make paul a god against his wil , & in deuout zeal drew crowned buls to the altars , of their new iupiter , & mercury ? violence can scarce hold thē frō sacrificing vnto him : now not many hours after gather vp stōs against him ; hauing in their cōceits turned him frō a god into a malefactor ; and are ready to kill him in steed of killing a sacrifice to him : such is the multitude & such the steddines of their honor : there thē ōly is tru honor where blood and vertue meet together , the greatnesse whereof is from blood , the goodnes from vertue ; reioyce ye great men ; that your blood is ennobled with the vertues and deserts of your ancestors ? this onely is yours , this onely challenges all vnfayned respect of your inferiours , count it praise-worthy not that you haue , but that you deserue honour . blood may be tainted , the opinion of the vulgar cannot be constant onely vertue is euer like it selfe ; & only wins reuerence euen of those that hath it ; without which , greatnes is as a beacon of vice , to draw mens eyes the more to behold it ; and those that see it , dare loath it ; tho they dare not censure it : so while the knee bendeth , the minde abhorreth , and telleth the body it honors an vnworthy subiect , within it selfe secretly comparing that vicious great man , on whom his submisse curtesie is cast away , to some goodly faire bound seneca●s tragedies , that is curiously gilded without ; which if a man open he shall finde thyestes the toomb of his owne children ; or oedipus the husband of his owne mother or some such monstrous part , which he at once reades and hates . sect. . let him thinke that not onelie these outwarde thinges are not in themselues good , but that they expose their owners to misery , for besides that god vsually punishes our ouer-louing them with their losse ( because hee thinks thē vnworthy riualls to himself , who challengeth all height of loue as his onely right ) so that the way to loose is to loue much , the largenes moreouer either of affectiō , or estate , maks an opē way to ruin ; while a mā walks on plain groūd he falls not , or if hee fall hee doth but measure his lēgth on the groūd , & rise again with out harme , but hee that climbeth hye is in dāger of falling , & if he fal of killing . all the sailes hoised giue vantage to a tempest which by the mariners foresight giuing timely roome therto by their fall deliuer the vessel from the daunger of that gust whose rage now passes ouer with onely beating her with waues , for anger that hee was preuented ; so the larger our estate is , the fayrer marke hath mischiefe giuen to it ; and which is worse , that which makes vs so easy to hit , makes our wound more deepe and greiuous : if poore codrus his house burne , he stands by , and warms him with the flame , because hee knowes it is but the losse of an outside , which by gathering some few sticks , straw , and clay , may with litle labor , and no cost be repayred : but when the many lostes of the rich man doe one giue fire to another , be cries out one while of his counting-house , another while of his wardrop , then of some noted chest , and straight of some rich cabinet , and lamenting both the frame and the furniture , is therefore impatient because he had something . sect. . but if there bee any sorceresse vpon earth , it is pleasure , which so inchāteth the mindes of men , and worketh the disturbance of our peace , with such secret delight , that foolish men thinke this want of tranquillity , happines . shee turneth men into swine , with such sweete charmes , that they would not change their brutish nature for their former reason . it is a good vnquietnesse ( say they ) that contenteth it is a good enemy that profiteth ; is it any wonder that men should bee sortish , when their reason is maistred with sensuality ? thou foole , thy pleasure contents thee : how much ? how long ? if shee haue not more befriended thee then euer shee did any earthly fauorite , yea if she haue not giuen thee more then shee hath her selfe thy best delight hath had some mixture of discontentment ; for either some circūstāce crosseth thy desire , or the inward distast of thy conscience checking thine appetite , permits thee not any entire fruition of thy ioy . euen the sweetest of all flowers hath his thornes ; and who can determine whether the sent bee more delectable , or the prickes more yrksome ? it is enough for heauen to haue absolute pleasures ; which if they could be found here below , certainly that heauē which is now not inough desired , would then be feared : god will haue our pleasures here , according to the fashion of our selues , compounded so as the best delights , may still sauor of their earth . see how that great king which neuer had any match for wisdome , searce euer any superiour forwealth , trauersed ouer all this inferior world with diligent inquirie , & obseruation , and all to find out that goodnesse of the children of men which they enioy vnder the sunne ; abridging himselfe of nothing , that either his eyes , or his hart could suggest to him ; ( as what is it , that hee coulde not either know or purchase ? ) and now comming home to himselfe , after the disquisition of all naturall and humane things , cōplaines , that behold , all is not onely vanitie , but vexation . goe then thou wise scholler of experience , and make a more acurate search for that which hee sought and missed . perhaps somewhere betwixt the tallest cedar in lebanon , and the shrubbie hissop vpon the wall ? pleasure shrouded her selfe that shee coulde not be descryed of him , whether through ignoraunce or negligence ; thine insight may be more peircing , thy meanes more commodious , thy successe happier ; if it were possible for any man to intertaine such hopes , his vaine experience could not make him a greater foole ; it coulde but teach him what hee is , and knoweth not and yet so imperfect as our pleasures are , they haue their satietie : and as their continuance is not good , so their conclusion is worse . looke to their end , and see how sudden , how bitter it is . their only curtesie is to salute vs with a farewell , and such a one as makes their salutation vncomfortable . this dalila showes and speakes faire but in the ende she will bereaue thee of thy strength , of thy sight , yea of thy selfe . these gnats flie about thine eares , and make thee musick awhile but euermore they sting ere they part : sorrow & repentāce is the best end of pleasure , paine is yet worse , but the worst is despa●re . 〈…〉 of the ●●rst of these , one of the latter shall 〈◊〉 thee , perhaps both . howe much better is it for thee to want a little hony thē to bee swolne vp with a venemous sting ? thus then the minde resolued that these earthly things , honours , wealth pleasures are casuall , vnstable , deceitfull , imperfect dangerous must learne to vse them without trust & to want them without griefe ; thinking still if i haue them i haue some benefit with a great charge , if i haue thē not with little respect of others i haue much security and ease in my selfe , which once obtained we cannot fare amisse in either estate , and without-which we cānot but miscarry in both . sect. . all the enemies of our inwarde peace are thus descried and discomfited which done , wee haue enough to preserue vs frō miserie , but since wee moreouer seeke how to bee well and happily , there yet remaine those positiue rules whereby our tranquillity may bee both had continued and confirmed : vvherin i feare not least i should seeme ouer-diuine , in casting the anchor of quietnes so deep as heauen , the only seat of constancy , whiles it can finde no holde at all vpon earth : all earthly thinges are full of variablenes , & therefore hauing no stay in themselues , can giue none to vs. he that will haue and hold right tranquillity must find in himselfe a sweete fruition of god and a 〈◊〉 apprehension of his prese●ce . that when he finds manifolde occasions of vexation in these earthly thinges he ouer-looking them all , and hauing recourse his comforter may finde in him such matter of contentment , that he may passe ouer al these petrye grieuances with contempt ; which whos euer wants , may be secure , cannot be quiet . the mind of man cānot want some refuge ▪ & ( as wee say of the elephant ) cannot rest vnlesse it haue somthing toleane vpon : the couetous man , whose heauen is his chest , whē he heares him selfe rated and cursed for oppression , comes home and seeing his bags safe , applaudes himselfe against all censures : the gluttō when hee looseth friendes or good name ; yet ioyes in his full furnish't table , & the laughter of his wine ; more pleasing himselfe in some one dish ; then he can be greeued with all the worldes mis-carriage : the needy scholler whose wealth lyes al in his brain , chears himselfe against iniquity of times , with the conceit of his knowledge . these starting holes the mind cannot want when it is hard driuen : now when as , like to some chased sisera it shrowdes it selfe vnder the harbor of these iaels altho they giue it house-roome , and milke for a time , yet at last either they entertain it with a nayle in the temples , or beeing guilty to their owne impotency , send it out of themselues ; for safety and peace . for if the crosse light in that which it made his refuge as if the couetous man bee crossed in his riches what earthly thing can stay him from a desperate phrensy ? or if the crosse fall in a degree aboue the height of his stay , as if the rich man be sick or dying ( wherein all wealth is either contemned ; or remembred with anguish ) how doe all his comforts ( like vermin frō an house on fier ) runne away from him , and leaue him ouer to his ruine ? vvhiles the soule , that hath placed his refuge aboue , is sure that the ground of his cōfort cānot be matched with an earthly sorrowe , cannot be made variable by the chāge of any euēt but is infinitly aboue all casualtyes , & without all vncertainties . what state is there wherein this heauenly stay shall not aforde me not only peace but ioy ? am i in prison ? or in the hell of prisons , in some darke , low , and desolate dungeon ? loe there , algerius that sweet martyr findes more light then aboue , and pitties the darknes of our libertie wee haue but a sunne to enlighten our world , which euery cloud dimmeth , and hideth from our eyes , but the father of lights ( in respect of whome all the bright starres of heauen , are but as the snaffe of a dim candle ) shines into his pit , & the presence of his glorious angels make that an heauē to him , which the world purposed as an hel of discomfort . what walles can keepe out that infinite spirit , that filles al thinges ? what darkenesse can bee where the god of this sunne dwelleth ? what sorrow where hee comforteth ? am i wandring in banishmēt ? can i go whither god is not ? what sea can diuide betwixt him and mee ? then would i feare exile if i could be driuē away as wel from god , as my country . now hee is as much in all earthes ; his title is alike to all places , and mine in him : his sun shines to mee , his sea or earth beares mee vp , his presence cheareth mee , whethersoeuer i goe . hee cannot bee saide to flitte that neuer changeth his host . hee alone is a thousand companions , he alone is a world of friendes ; that man neuer knew what it was to be familiar with god that complaines of the want of home ; of friends of companions while god is with him . am i contemned of the world it is enough for me that i am honored of god , of both i cānot : the world loue me more , if i were lesse friends with god : it cannot hate me so much as god hates it : what care i to be hated of thē , whom god hateth . he is vnworthy of gods fauor that cannot thinke it happines enough with out the worlds ? how easy is it for such a man ▪ whiles the world disgraces him at once to scorne and pitty it , that it cannot think nothing more contemptible then it self ? i am empouerished with losses : that was neuer throughly good , that may be lost : my riches will not leese mee yea , tho i forgoe all to my skin , yet haue i not lost any part of my welth for if hee bee rich that hath somthing , how rich is he that hath the maker and owner of al thinges ? i am weak and diseased in body ; he cannot miscarry that hath his maker for his physician : yet my soule , the better part is sound , for that cannot be weake , whose strength god is : how many are sicke in that & complain not : i can bee content to bee let blood in the arme or foot , for the curing of the head or heart ; the health of the principall part is more ioy to mee then it is trouble to be distempered in the inferiour . let me knowe that god fauours me , thē i haue liberty in prison , home in banishment , honor in contempt , in losses wealth , health in infirmity , life in death , and in all these happines : and surely if our perfect fruition of god be our complete heauen , it must needs be , that our inchoate cōuersing with him is our heauen imperfectly ; & the entrance into the other ▪ which ( me thinks ) differs frō this , not in the kind of it , but in degree : for the cōtinuatiō of which happy society ( sith strāgenes leeseth acquaintāce , and breedeth neglect ) on our part must be a daily renuing of heuēly familiarity , by seeking him vp , euen with the cōtēpt of al inferior distractiō ; by talking with him in our secret inuocatiōs , by hearing his cōferēce with vs ; and by mutual intertainment of ech other in the sweet discourses of our daily meditatiōs ; he is a sullē & vnsociable frend that wants words : god shal take no pleasur in vs if we be silēt : the hart that is ful of loue cannot but haue a busy tongue : al our talk with god is either suites or thankes : in them the christian heart pours out it selfe to his maker , and would not change this priuiledge for a world : all his annoiances , al his wants , all his dislikes are poured into the bosome of his inuisible friēd who likes vs stil so much more as wee aske more , as wee complaine more ; oh the easy and happy recourse ▪ that the poore soule hath to the hye throne of heauen ▪ we stay not for the holding out of a golden scepter , to warne our admissiō , before which our presence should bee presumption and death ; no houre is vnseasonable , no persō too base , no words too homely , no fact too hard , no importunity too great : we speak familiarly we are heard , answered , comforted : another-while god interchangeably speakes vnto vs by the secret voyce or his spirit ; or by the audible sound of his word , we heare , adore , answere him ; by both which the minde so communicates it selfe to god , and hath god so plentifully communicated vnto it , that hereby it growes to such an habit of heauenlinesse , as that now it wants nothing but dissolution of full glory . sect. . ovt of this main groūd once setled in the heart ( like as so many riuers from one common sea ) flow those subordinate resolutions , which wee require as necessary to our peace , whether in respect of our actions , or our estate . for our actiōs ther must be a secret vow passed in the soul both of cōstāt refraining frō what soeuer may offend that maiesty we rest vpō ; and aboue this , of true and canonicall obedience to god , without all care of difficulty , and in spight of all contradictions of nature : not out of the confidence of our owne power : impotent men , who are we , that we shoulde either vow or performe ? but as hee saide ; giue what thou bid'st , and bid what thou wilt : hence the courage of moses durst venture his hand to take vppe the crawling and hissing serpent ; hence peter durst walke vpon the pauement of the waues ; hence that heroicall spirit of luther ( a man made of metall fit for so great a worke ) durst resolue and professe to enter into that fore-warned cittye , tho there had been as many diuells in their streetes as tiles on their houses : both these vowes as wee once solemnly made by others , so for our peace must wee renew in our selues . thus the experienced mind both knowing that it hath met with a good friend , & withall what the price of a friend is ; cannot but be carefull to retayne him , and wary of displeasing & therefore to cut off all daungers of variance , voluntarily takes a double oath of alleageance of it selfe to god ; which neither benefit shall induce vs to breake , if we might gaine a world , nor feare vrge vs thereto , tho we must leese our selues : the wauering hart that finds continuall combates in it selfe betwixt pleasure & conscience ▪ so equally matched that neither gets the day , is not yet capable of peace ; and whether euer ouer commeth , is troubled both with resistance & victory . barren rebecca found more ease , then whē her twins struggled in her womb : if iacob had been there alone , she had not complained of that painfull contentiō : one while pleasure holdes the fort , and conscience assaults it , which when it hath entred at last by strong hand , after manye batteries of iudgementes denounced , ere long pleasure either corruptes the watch , or by some cuning stratagem , findes way to recouer her first hold ; so our part is euer atempting , and euer resisting , betwixt both , the hart cānot haue peace , because it resolues not ; for while the soule is held in suspense , it cannot enioy the pleasure it vseth , because it is halfe taken vp with feare ; onely a strong and resolute repulse of pleasure is truly pleasant ; for therein the conscience filling vs with heauenly delight , maketh sweete triumphes in it selfe ; as beeing now the lorde of his own dominions & knowing what to trust to no man knows the pleasure of this thought , i haue dōe wel , but he that hath felt it : & he that hath felt it , contemnes all pleasure to it . it is a false slander raysed on christianity , that it makes men dūpish and melancholicke ; for therfore are we heuy , because wee are not enough christians . wee haue religion enough to mislike pleasures , not enough to ouercome thē ; but if wee bee once conquerours ouer our selues and haue deuoted our selues wholly to god , there can be nothing but heauenly mirth in the soule . loe here ye philosophers , the true musick of heauen , which the good heart continually heareth , and answeares it in the iust measurs of ioy others may talk of mirth as a thing they haue hard of , or vainly fancied ; only the christian feeles it ; and in comparison therof scorneth the idle ribaldish , and scurrilous mirth of the prophane . sect. . and this resolution which wee call for , must not onely exclude manifestly euill actions , but also doubting and suspension of minde in actions suspected , and questionable ; wherein the iudgement must euer giue confident determination one way : for this tranquillity cōsisteth in a steddines of the mind ; and how can that vessell which is beaten vpon , by contrarie waues and windes , and tottereth to either part , be said to keepe a steddy course ? resolution is the onely mother of securitie . for instance ; i see that vsurie , which was wont to be condemned for no better then a legall theft , hath now obtained with many , the the reputatiō of an honest trade : & is both vsed by many , & by some defended . it is pittie that a bad practise should finde any learned or religious patron : the summe of my patrimony lieth dead by me , sealed vp in the bag of my father ; my thriftier friends aduise me to this easy & sure improuemēt ; their counsel & my gain preuaile ; my yearly sums come in with no cost , but of time , waxe , parchmēt ; my estate likes it well : better then my conscience ; which tels me still he doubts my trade is too easy to be honest ; yet i cōtinue my illiberall course not without some scruple and contradiction ; so as my feare of offēce hinders the ioy of my profit , & the plesure of my game , hartens mee against the feare of : iniustice ; i wold be rich with case , and yet i would not be vncharitable , i would not be vniust all the while i liue in vnquiet doubts , and distraction ; others are not so much entangled in my bonds , as i in my owne . at last that i may bee both iust and quiet , i cōclude to referre this case wholly to the sentence of my inward iudge , the conscience , the aduocates , gaine and iustice plead on either part at this barre with doubtfull successe . gaine informes the iudge of a new and nice distinction of toothlesse and biting interest , & brings presidents of particular cases of vsury so farre from any breach of charity or iustice , that both parts therein confes themselues aduantaged : iustice pleades euen the most toothlesse vsury to haue sharpe gummes ; & finds in the most harmelesse and profitable , practise of it and insensible wrong to the common body ; besides the infinite wracks of priuate estates ; the weake iudge suspends in such probable allegatiōs , & demurreth ; as being ouercome of both , and of neither part : & leaues me yet no whit more quiet , no whit lesse vncertaine : i suspend my practise accordingly , being sure it is good not to doe , what i am not sure is good to be done ; and now gaine ▪ solicites mee as much as iustice did before ▪ betwixt both i liue troublesomely : nor euer shal doe other , till in a resolute detestation i haue whipped this euil merchant out of the temple of my heart : this rigour is my peace ; before i coulde not bee well , either full or fasting : vncertainetie is much payne , euen in a more tollerable action : neither is it ( i thinke ) easy to determine , whether it be worse to doe a lawfull acte with doubting , or an euill with resolution : since that within it selfe is good , is made euil to me by my doubt , and ! what is in nature euill , is in this one point not euill to mee , that i do it vpon a verdict of a conscience , so now my iudgement offends in not following the truth i offend not in that i follow my iudgement : wherin if the most wise god had left vs to roue onely according to the aime of our owne coniectures , it should haue beene lesse faulty to be sceptickes in our actions , and either not to iudge at all , or to iudge amisse : but how that he hath giuen his a perfite rule of eternall equity , and truth : wherby to direct the sentences of our iudgement , that vncertainty which alloweth no peace to vs , will aforde vs no excuse before the tribunall of heauē : wherfore , then onely is the hart quiet , when our actions are grounded ▪ vpon iudgement & our iudgement vpon truth . sect. . for his estate the quiet minde must first rolle itself vpō the prouidence of the hyest : for whosoeuer so casts himselfe vpō these outwarde thinges that in their prosperous estate here ioyceth ▪ & cōtrarily is cast downe in their miscarriage , i know not whether hee shall finde more vncertaintye of rest , or more certaintye of vnquietnesse : since hee must needes bee like a light vnballanced vessell , that rises and falles with euery waue , and depends only on the mercy of wind & water : but who relyes on the ineuitable decree , & all-seeing prouidence of god , which can neither bee crossed with second thoughts , nor with euēts vnlooked for , layes a sure grounde of tranquillity , let the world tosse how it list , and vary it selfe ( as it euer doth ) in storms & calms , his rest is pitched alo●t , aboue the sphere of changeable mortality . to begin is harder then to prosecute ▪ what coūsell had god in the first molding of thee in the womb of thy mother ? what ayde shall hee haue in repairing thee from the womb of the earth ? & if he could make , & shall restore thee without thee why shall hee not much more ( not without thy in deuor ) dispose of thee ? is god wise enough to guide the heauens & to produce all creatures in their kindes : and seasons and shall he not bee able to order thee alon ? thou sayst i haue friendes , and ( which is my best friend i haue wealth , to make both them , and mee ; and wit to put both to best vse . o the broken reedes of humaine confidence ! who euer trusted on friendes that could trust to himselfe ? who euer was so wise , as not sometimes to be a foole in his owne conceit , ofte times in the conceit of others ? who was euer more discōtent then the wealthy ? friends may bee false , wealth cannot but be deceitfull , wit hath made many fooles ; trust thou to that , which if thou wouldst cannot fail thee . not that thou desirest shall come to passe ; but that which god hath decreed : neither thy feares nor thy hopes , nor vows shall either for slow or alter it . the vnexperienced passenger when hee sees the vessell go amisse or too farre , laies fast hold on the contrary part , or on the mast for remedy , the pilot laughs at his folly , knowing that ( what euer ●e labors ) the barke will goe which way the winde and his sterne directeth it . thy goods are embarked ; now thou wishest a direct northwinde to driue thee to the straytes ▪ and then a west to runne in ; and now , when thou hast emptyed and laded againe , thou callst as earnestlie for the south , and southeast to returne ; and lowrest if all these answer thee not : as if heauen and earth had nothing else to doe but to wayte vpon thy pleasure , and serued onely to bee commaunded seruice by thee : another that hath contrary occasions asks for windes quite opposite to thine : he that sits in heauen , neither fits thy fancy nor his , but bids his winds spit sometimes in thy face , sometimes to fauor thee with a sideblast , sometimes to be boisterous otherwhiles to be silēt at his own plesure . vvhether the marriner sing or curse , it shal go whither it is sent ; striue or lye still , thy destiny shal run on , & what must bee , shal bee ; not that we should hēce exclude benefit of means ( which are alwaies necessarily included in this wise preordination of all things ) but perplexity of cares , and wrestling with prouidence . oh the idle & ill spent cares of curious men , that consult with starres , and spirits for their destinies , vnder colour of preuentiō ; if it bee not thy destiny , why wouldst thou know it , what needes thou resist it ? if it be thy destiny , why wouldst thou know that thou canst not preuent ? that which god hath decreede is already done in heauē , and must be done on earth . this kind of expectation doth but hasten slow euills , & prolong them in their continuāce ; hasten them not in their euent but in our conceit : shortly then if thou swimmest against the streame of this prouidence , thou canst not escape drowning , euerye waue turns thee ouer like a porckpose before a tempest ; but if thou swim'st with the streame , do but cast thine armes abroade thou passest with safetye , and with ease ; it both beares thee vppe , and carries thee on to the hauē , whither god hath determined thine arriuall in peace . sect. . next to this the minde of the quiet mā must bee to wrought by these former resolutions , that it bee throughlye perswaded the estate wherein hee is , is best of all ; if not in it selfe , yet to him : not out of pride , but out of contentment : which who euer wanteth , cannot but be continually vexed with enuy ▪ & racked with ambition : yea if it were possible to bee in heauen without this , hee coulde not be happy : for it is as impossible to the mind at once to long after , and enioy , as for a mā to feed and sleepe at once . and this is the more to be striuen for , because we are al naturally prone to afflict our selues with our owne frowardnes , ingratefully contemning al wee haue , for what we would haue euen the best of the patriarks could say , o lord what wilt thou giue me , since i go childlesse : the bond man desires now and controll nature . ovaine fooles whither doth our restlesse ambition climbe ? what shal be at length , the period of our wishes ? i coulde not blame these desires , if contentment consisted in hauing much , but now that he only hath much that hath contentment , and that is as easily obtayned in a lowe estate ; i can account of these thoughtes no better then proudely foolish . thou art poore ? vvhat differēce is there betwixt a greater man and thee saue that he doth his businesses by others , thou doest them thy selfe ? he hath caters , cookes , bayliues , stewardes , secretaries , and all other offices for his seuerall seruices , thou prouidest , dressest , gatherest , receiuest , expendest , writest for thy selfe : his patrimonie is large , thine earnings small . if briareus feed fiftie bellies with his hundreth hands , what is he the better , then hee that with two hands feedeth one : he is serued in siluer , thou in vessell of the same colour , of lesser price ; as good for vse , tho nothing but liberty , that alone would make him happy : once free forgetting his former thought , he wishes some wealth to make vse of his freedome , & sayes it were as good be straited in place as in ability ; once rich , he longeth after nobility , thinking it no prayse to be a welthy peasāt . once noble he begins to deem it a base matter to be subiect ▪ nothing can now content him but a croshn then it is a small matter to rule , so long as he hath but little dominions , and greater neighbours ; he woulde therefore bee an vniuersall monarch ; whither then ? surely it vexes him as much , that the earth is so small a globe , so little a mole-hill ; and that there are no moe worldes to conquer ; and now that hee hath attayned the hyest dignitye among men , hee would needes bee a god , conceites his immortalitye , erects temples to his owne name commaundes his deade statues to bee adored : and not thus contented , is angry that hee cannot commande heauen in to solace himselfe ; the weight whereof varies according to our estimation of them : one hath much wealth , but no child to inherite it , he enuyes at the poore mans fruitfulnesse , which hath many heires and no lands and coulde bee content with all his aboundance to purchase a successour of his owne loynes . another hath many children , little maintenance he commēdeth the careles quietnes of the barren & thinks fewer mouthes and more meate woulde do better ; the labouring man hath the blessing of a strōg body fit to digest any fare , to indure any labor ; yet he wisheth himselfe weaker , on condicion he might bee wealthier ; the man of nice education hath a feeble stomach , and rasping since his last meale , doubts whether he shoulde eate of his best dish , or nothing ; this man repines at nothing more thē to se his hūgry plowman feed on a crust ; and wisheth to change estates on condicion hee might change bodies with him : say that god should giue thee thy wish , what not for value : his dishes are more dainty , thine as well relished to thee , and no lesse wholesome : hee eates oliues , thou garlick , he mislikes not more the smell of thy sauce , then thou dost the taste of his , thou wantest somwhat that he hath , hee wisheth something which thou hast , and regardest not : thou couldst be cōtent to haue the rich mans purse , but his gout thou woldst not haue ; he would haue thy health , but not thy fare : if we might picke out of all mens estates that which is laudable , omitting the inconueniences wee woulde make our selues complete ; but if wee must take altogether , vvee shoulde perhaps little aduantage our selues with the change . for the most wise god hath so proportion'd out euery mans condition , that hee hath some iust cause of sorrow inseperably mixed with other cōtentmēts ; and hath allotted to no man liuing , an absolute happines without some grieuances ; nor to any man such an exquisite misery , as that he findeth not somwhat wherin wouldst thou desire ? let me ( thou saiest ) bee wise helthfull , rich , honorable , strong , learned , beautiful immortall : i knowe thou louest thy selfe so well , that thou canst wish all these , and more ; but say that god hath so shared out all these gifts by a most wise and iust distribution , that thou canst haue but some of these , perhaps but one ; which wouldst thou single out for thy selfe ? any thing beside what thou hast : if learned , thou wouldst be strong , if strong honorable , if honorable long-liued ; some of these thou art already . thou foole ; cannot god choose better for thee , then thou for thy selfe ? in other matches thou trustest the choyce of a skillfuller chapman ; when thou seest a goodly horse in the fayre ( tho his shape please thine eye well ) yet thou darest not buye him , if a cunning horsemaister shall tell thee hee is faulty and art willing to take a playner & soūder , on his cōmēdatiō against thy fācy : how much more should we in this case allow his choyce that cannot deceiue vs ; that cannot bee deceyued ? but thou knowest that other thou desirest , better then what thou hast ; better perhaps for him that hath it , not better for thee : libertye is sweete and profitable to those that can vse it ; but fetters are better for the frantick man : wine is good nourishment for the healthfull , poyson to the aguish ; it is good for a sound body to sleep in a whole skin , but he that complains of swelling sores cānot sleep till it be brokē : hemlock to the goat , & spiders to the monky turn to good sustenance , which to other creatures are accoūted deadly ; as in diets so in estimation of good & euill , of greater and lesser good ; there is much variety : all palats commend not one dish , and what one commends for most delicate , another reiects for vnsauory . and if thou know what dish is most pleasant to thee , thy physician knowes best which is wholesome : thou wouldst follow thine appetite too much and ( as the french haue in their prouerb ) woldst dig thy owne graue with thy teeth ; thy wise physician ouersees & ouerrules thee : he sees if thou wert more esteemed , thou wouldst bee proude , if more strong , licentious , if richer , couetous , if health fuller , more secure ; but thou thinkest not thus hardly of thy selfe fond man , what knowest thou futur things ? beleue thou him that onely knowes what would bee , what will bee ; thou wouldst willingly go to heauen , what better guide canst thou haue , then him that dwels there ? if he lead thee thorough deepe sloughes , and brackie thickets , know that he knowes this the neerer way though more cumbersome : can there be in him any want of wisedome not to foresee the best ? can there be any want of power not to effect the best ? any want of loue not to giue thee what he knowes is best ? how canst thou then faile of the best ? since what his power can doe , and what his wisedome sees should be done , his loue hath done , because all are infinite : he willeth not things because they are good , but they are good because hee wils them : yea if ought had beene better , this had not beene ; god willeth what he doth , and if thy will accord not with his , whether wilt thou condemne of imperfection ? sect. vlt. i haue chalked out the way of peace ; what remains ▪ but that we walke along in it . i haue cōducted my reader to the mine , yea to the mint of happines , & showed him those glorious heapes , which may eternally enrich him . if now he shall go away with his hands and skirt empty ; how is he but worthy of a miserable want ? who shall pitty vs while we haue no mercy on our selues ? wilfull distresse hath neither remedy nor compassion : and to speake freely , i haue oft wondred at this painful folly of vs men , which in the open view of our peace , as if wee were condemned to a necessary & fatall vnquietnes , liue vpon our own rack , finding no more ioy then if wee were vnder no other handes , but our executioners . one droupeth vnder a fained euill , another augments a small sorrow through impatience , another drawes vpon himselfe an vncertaine euill through feare ; one seekes true contentment , but not inough ; another hath iust cause of ioy , and perceiues it not : one is vexed for that his grounds of ioy are matched with equall grieuances ; another cannot complaine of any present occasion of sorrowe , yet liues sullenly , because he finds not any present cause of comfort ; one is haunted with his sinne , another distracted with his passiō : amongst all which , he is a miracle of men , that liues not some way discontented . so wee liue not while wee doe liue , onely for that wee want either wisedome , or will , to husband our liues to our owne best aduantage . o the inequalitye of our cares ! let riches or honour bee in question ; we sue to them , we seeke for them with importunitye , with seruile ambition : our paynes neede no solicitor ; yea there is no way wrong that leades to this end : vvee abhorre the patience to stay till they inquire for vs. and if euer ( as it rarely happens ) our desert and worthinesse winnes vs the fauour of this profer , wee meete it with both handes , not daring with our modest denyalles to whet the instancy , and double the intreaties of so welcome suiters ; yet lo , here the onely true and precious riches , the hyest aduancement of the soule , peace and happines , seeks for vs , sues to vs for acceptation ; our aunswers are coy and ouerly , such as we giue to those clients that look to gaine by our fauors . if our want were through the scarcity of good , we might yet hope for pittye to ease vs , but now that it is through negligence , and that wee perish with our hands in our bosome , wee are rather worthy of stripes for the wrong wee doe our selues , then of pitty for what we suffer . that we may and will not , in oportunity of hurting others ▪ is noble and christian but in our owne benefite sluggish , and sauoring of the worst kind of vnthriftinesse . sayest thou then this peace is good to haue , but hard to get ? it were a shamefull neglect that hath no pretence : is difficulty sufficient excuse to hinder thee from the pursuit of riches , of preferment , of learning , of bodily pleasures ? art thou cōtent to sit shrugging in a base cottage , ragged , affamished , because house , clothes , and food will neither be had without money , nor money without labour , nor labour without trouble and painefulnesse ? who is so mercifull , as not to say that a whip is the best almes for so lazy and wilfull neede ? peace shoulde not bee good , if it were not harde : go , and by this excuse shut thy selfe out of heauen at thy death and liue miserabely til thy death , because the good of both worldes is hard to compasse . there is nothing but miserye on earth and hell belowe , that thou canst come to without labour ; and if wee can bee content to cast awaye such immoderate and vnseasonable paynes vpon these earthly trifles , as to weare our bodyes with violence , and to incroach vpon the night for tim● to get them ; what madnes shall it seem in vs not to afforde a lesse labour to that which is infinitly be●ter , and which onely giues worth & goodnes vnto the other ? wherefor if we haue not vowed enmity with our selues if we be not in loue with misery and vexation , if we be not obstinatly carelesse of our owne good ; let vs shake off this vnthrifty , dangerous & desperate negligence , and quicken these dull hearts to a liuely and effectuall search of what onely can yield them sweete and abiding contentment ; which once attayned ; how shall we insult ouer euils , and bid them do their worst ? how shall wee vnder this calme & quiet bay laugh at the rough weather & vnsted dye motions of the worlde ? how shall heauen and earth smile vpon vs , and we on them ; commāding the one ; aspiring to the other ? how pleasāt shall our life be , while neither ioies nor sorrows can distemper it with excesse ? yea while the matter of ioy that is within vs , turnes all the most sad occurrences into pleasure ? how deare & welcome shall our death bee that shall but leade vs from one heauen to another , from peace to glorye ? goe now yee vaye and idle worldlinges , and please your selues in the large extent of your rich mannors , or in the homage of those whome basenesse of mind hath made slaues to your greatnesse , or in the price and fashions of your full wardrop ; or in the wanton varietyes of your delicate gardens ; or in your cofers full of red and white earth , or if there bee any other earthly thing more alluring , more precious , enioy it , possesse it , and let it possesse you : let mee haue only my peace & let me neuer want it , till i enuie you . finis . the errata . read moralists pag , , of the epist . morality p. l. pen. antoninus p. . margent . on the one hand p. ● . l. . feends p. . l. . remembrācer . p. . l. . differrings p. . l. pen. their remisse p. , l. , dismembred p. . l. pen. ferule . p. l , . say ou●● p. , l. vlt. asswageth . p. . l. , lāguishing , p. , l , . euen p. . l. . euen p. . l. . now it p. . l. ● . hate it p. . l. . lofts p. . l. wall pleasure p. . l. . world would loue me p. . l. . one part . p. . l. pen. my gain p. . l. . an insensible p. l. . which in it selfe p. . l. vlt. kinds & seasons p. . l. . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e censure of philosophers . what tranquillitie is , & wherein it consists . insufficiency of humane precepts . senecaes rules of tranquillity abridged allowed ●et by seneca ●n his last chapter of tranquillity senecas rules reiected as vnsufficient . antonius pius . an epistle to the asians concerning the persecuted christians . 〈…〉 worke . 〈…〉 the torment of an euil cōscience . the ioy and peace of the gilty but dissembled . the remedy 〈…〉 cōscience the receit of our peace offred by faith. a corollary of the benefite of this receite . the vain shifts of the guilty solicitation of sin remedied . the ordering of affections . the second paine enemie to peace crosses . of crosses that arise from conceit . of true & r●all cros●es . the first remedy of crosses . before they come . the next remedie of crosses when they are come . from their author ; the third antidote of crosses . the . and last part from their issue of the importunity & terrour of death . the grounds of the feare of death . hadrian animula vagula blandula . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. remedie of the last & greatest breach of peace , arising from death . augustine . tull. tuscul . cal●imach . epigram . august . de heres . mor● acerba , fama perpetua . the second rāke of the enemies of peace . hippocr . aphons . the first remedie of an ouer prosperous estate . the vanitie & vnprofitablenes of riches . the first enemie on the right hand . socrates . a proofe that with christians deserues no credit , but with heathens cōmands it . the second enemie on the right hand honor . olympia . diog. lae●● . lucian the second remedie of ouer-ioyed prosperitie . inuen . sat . . the vanitie of pleasure the third enemy on the right hand . positiue rules of our peace . pompon . alger . fox . martyr . the subordinate rules of tranquillitie . . for actions . . rule for our actions . rules for estate . . reliance vpon the prouidence of god. the second rule for estate . a perswasion of the goodnesse and fitnesse of it for vs. the conclusion of the whole a defence of the humble remonstrance, against the frivolous and false exceptions of smectymnvvs wherein the right of leiturgie and episcopacie is clearly vindicated from the vaine cavils, and challenges of the answerers / by the author of the said humble remonstrance ; seconded (in way of appendance) with the judgement of the famous divine of the palatinate, d. abrahamvs scvltetvs, late professor of divinitie in the university of heidelberg, concerning the divine right of episcopacie, and the no-right of layeldership ; faithfully translated out of his latine. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a defence of the humble remonstrance, against the frivolous and false exceptions of smectymnvvs wherein the right of leiturgie and episcopacie is clearly vindicated from the vaine cavils, and challenges of the answerers / by the author of the said humble remonstrance ; seconded (in way of appendance) with the judgement of the famous divine of the palatinate, d. abrahamvs scvltetvs, late professor of divinitie in the university of heidelberg, concerning the divine right of episcopacie, and the no-right of layeldership ; faithfully translated out of his latine. hall, joseph, - . scultetus, abraham, - . determination of the question, concerning the divine right of episcopacie. [ ], , [ ], - p. printed for nathaniel butter ..., london : . "the epistle dedicatorie" signed: the most humble remonstrant. the determination of the qvestion, concerning the divine right of episcopacie / by the famous and learned divine dr. abrahamus scultetus has special t.p. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng smectymnuus. -- answer to a book entituled, an humble remonstrance. hall, joseph, - . -- humble remonstrance to the high court of parliament. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a defence of the humble remonstrance , against the frivolous and false exceptions of smectymnvvs . wherein the right of leiturgie and episcopacie is clearly vindicated from the vaine cavils , and challenges of the answerers . by the author of the said humble remonstrance . seconded ( in way of appendance ) with the judgement of the famous divine of the palatinate , d. abrahamvs scvltetvs , late professor of divinitie in the universitie of heidelberg : concerning the divine right of episcopacie , and the no-right of lay-eldership . faithfully translated out of his latine . london , printed for nathaniel butter in pauls church-yard at the pyde-bull neare st. austins gate . . to the kings most sacred maiestie . most dread soveraigne , your majesty was pleased to cast a gracious eye upon a late humble remonstrance , made to the high court of parliament , bemoaning the lawelesse frequence of scandalous libels , and modestly asserting the true right of liturgie and episcopacie . i little thought that so meek and gall-lesse a discourse could have irritated any the least opposition ; but now , i find to my griefe , that even to move for peace , is quarrell enough ; and feele many fists about my eares , ere i could imagine to have offended . occasion is taken from those quiet lines , to combine forces against the cause i maintained . the quarrell is insolently managed by many unknowne hands ; yet , the riot of these impotent assailants should not easily have drawn me forth , had i not perceived that their confident ostentation and proud carriage in this affray , hath won them some ( how undeserved soever ) opinion of skill , with their credulous abettors ; and thereby , some disadvantage to my just cause . as one therefore that hates to betray the truth by an unfaithfull silence , i doe cheerfully enter these lists ; rejoycing to hope that your majesties eye may be the judge and vvitnesse of my successe . neither shall it be displeasing to your majestie , that your most honourable peeres , and most faithfull commons , now assembled , shall see the injustice , and ungroundednesse of that bold appeale , which was made to them , by my daring answerers ; whose abilities i taxe not , but their fidelity i must ; as those who have sought foulely to abuse their implored judges with false shews of mis-alledged antiquity , and meerly colourable pretences of proofs : vvhich if i doe not make good to them and the world in this ensuing discourse , let the blemish of reputation lead way to the sharpest censure upon the person of your majesties zealously-loyall subject , the most humble remonstrant . a defence of the humble remostrance . sect . i. my single remonstrance is encountred with a plurall adversary that talkes in the style of we , and vs : their names , persons , qualities , numbers , i care not to know ; but , could they say , my name is legion , for we are many ; or were they as many legions as men , my cause , yea gods , would bid me to meet them undismaid , and to say with holy david , though an hoast should incamp against me , my heart shall not feare : the truth of god , which i maintaine , shall beare me up against the discouragements of my confessed weaknesse ; in which just confidence i doe gladly fly to the bar of this high and honourable court , craving no favour but justice . besides number , these men think perhaps to carry it by bulk ; for those that spare not to condemne the multitude of my few words , lash out into so tedious an answer , that if i should return them a reply in the same proportion , the readers eye would be tired with the very prospect , and his tongue could not but say , quis leget haec ? but , though they have had so little mercy on him , as to put him to the penance of their long-some volume , i dare not abuse his leasure in following them in every step of their loose and superfluous discourse ; but shall so contract their lavish sheets , as that whiles i save time , i shall not lose ought of truth . and first , these briefe men complaine of the length of my preface ; and fetch their grounds afar off , from the admired sons of justice , the areopagi : the areopagi ? who were those ? truly my masters , i had thought this had been the name of the place , not of the men . it is an ill signe , they say , to stumble at the threshold . and what say the admired areopagi , the grave judges of athens ? they condemne prefaces , and passion ; neither of which can be justly charged upon the remonstrance : for the passion , let any reader judge , whether ought can be more calmly , more mildly written ; and for the preface , brethren , your censure is palpably mistaken ; for that which you mis-call the preface , is one of the maine pieces of the substance of that intended discourse , which was a too just complaint of the shamefull number of libels , lately dropped from our lawlesse presses ; a point no lesse considerable , nor lesse essentiall to that proposed remonstrance , then those , which your peremptory analysis makes the only subject thereof . i beseech you brethren , spend your logique upon your own works , let mine be such as i contrive them . those trifling cavils which you are pleased to make at some phrases of this mis-named preface , are not worth notice ; it is not for us to run after the spending of every mouth : belike , it angers you , to heare of the honesty of my moderate paper , out of the conscience of your own guiltinesse . faine would you excuse that which the world cries shame on , the multitude of the late seditious pamphlets ; whereat you might well blush in silence ; when an honourable person in open parliament could reckon up no lesse then sevenscore , that had passed the presse since the beginning of this session . those other verball exceptions are but light froth , and will sink alone ; that scum may be worth taking off , which followes ; wherein i shall desire all indifferent eyes to judge , whether these men doe not endeavour to cast unjust envie upon me , against the clear verdict of any knowing mans conscience : in comparing of governments of churches and states , i had said , that if antiquity may be the rule , the civill politie ( as in generall notion ) hath sometimes varied , ( as that of the state of rome had done to seven severall formes ) the sacred , never ; the civill came from arbitrary imposers , the sacred from men inspired : these gracious interpreters would needs draw my words to the present , & particular government of our owne monarchie , as if i implyed that to be variable and arbitrary ; and are not ashamed to mention that deadly name of treason ; whereas no man that is not wilfully blinde , but sees that i speak of the common forms of government , that are in the severall states and dominions in the world ; whereof some are ruled by an aristocracie , others by a democracie , others by a monarchie , whether limited , or absolute , others by a mixed form of all these ; which were in the first beginnings , in the free arbitrement of their founders ; not aiming at the setled government of any one kingdome , much lesse of our owne . brethren , whiles you desire to seem godly , learne to be lesse malicious . in the meane time , god blesse all good men from such charity , and our sacred monarchy from such friends . the forme of the episcopall government of the church hath , contrarily , been ever one and the same , without any considerable variation ; and if it have anywhere invaded the civil administration and yoked monarchy , it is the insolence of the persons , not the fault of the calling : and if william rufus , a prince noted for grosly irreligious , oppressed by tyrannicall popish prelates , did let fall this cholerick word , that he would have the jews confute them , and that rather then faile , england should turne jewish , on this condition ; is this an argument for any christian to use , for the confuting of godly , and loyall protestant bishops ? which are ready to be censured rather for too great observance of soveraignty ? let any but a jew judge , whether this be a fit instance for a christian . any thing serves against episcopacie ; the testimony of a pope , ( whom these men honour highly ) pius . is also brought in as irrefragable , against the divine right of bishops . and what sayes antichrist ? he tels the spanish ambassador , that his master , suing for the councels declaration of this truth , knew not what he demanded ; for bishops so declared , would be exempted frō his regall power , and as independent as the pope himselfe . tell me , brethren , do ye like , or beleeve this assertion , because a pope said it ? or can ye blame him ( who would have all episcopall jurisdiction derived meerly from himselfe ) to be unwilling that their right should be yeelded to have the same grounds which he pretends for his owne ? and if there might be this danger in those kingdomes where the clergy challengeth an exemption from the power of all secularity ; why is this enviously upbraided to those of ours , who doe gladly professe , notwithstanding the apostolicall , that is , divine right of their calling , to hold their places and exercise of their jurisdiction wholly from his majesty ? not lesse spitefull , nor more true , is your observation of the comparison made betweene the indeavours of alteration in our neighbour church , by our episcopall faction , and that which is now justly desired by the humble petitioners to the honourable house . it is a foule sclander to charge the name of episcopacy with a faction , for the fact imputed to some few . fie brethren , are ye presbyters of the church of england , and dare challenge episcopacie of faction ? had you spoken but such a word in the time of holy cyprian , whom you frequently cite , as a patterne of good discipline , what had become of you ? neither is the wrong lesse , to make application of that which was most justly charged upon the practises , and combinations of libelling separatists , to humble and peaceable petitioners ; the one railing down-right upon an established and holy government , whom i deservedly censured , the other modestly suing for a reformation of the abuses of government : surely , whiles the worst are thus patronized by our indulgent answerers , it is an hard question , whether the libellers themselves , or these their mis-zealous advocates , are more justly to be branded for incendiaries . sect . ii. after this overflowing of your gall , you descend to the two maine subjects of this quarrell , liturgy , and episcopacy . i had truly said that our liturgy hath been hither to esteemed sacred , reverently used by holy martyrs , frequented by devout protestants , as that which hath been confirmed by edicts of religious princes , and our owne parliamentary acts. and hath it so ? say you ; whence then proceed so many ▪ additions and alterations , that have changed the face , and fabrick thereof ? additions and alterations ? what in the present liturgie ? where or what ? tell me , i beseech you brethren , are they visible , or are they not ? if not , how come ye to see them ? if so , why cannot we ? perhaps somewhere in stead of priest , there is minister ; perhaps absolution is interpreted by a remission ; perhaps in private baptisme , there is mention of a lawfull minister ; perhaps in stead of purification of women , there is thanksgiving ; and can ye know the book when ye see it again , after these alterations , these additions ? is it not now with this mis-altered liturgie , as with the disguised dames , mentioned of old by d. hall , ( whom you name , i dare say , for honors sake ) so mis-shapen by their monstrous fashions , that their redivived grandsires could not now know them ? can ye but blush at this envious and groundlesse suggestion ? and why should not i speake of martyrs , as the authors and users of this holy liturgie ? why should not we glory in their name and authority ? sleight you them as you please , we blesse god for such patrons of our good cause : what a poore returne is this ? whiles i tell you what our holy martyrs did , you tell me what one of our bishops said ; as if we were bound to make good every word that falls from the mouth of every bishop : even of the best man we may say as the psalmist doth of moses , effutiit labiis , he spake unadvisedly with his lips ; as for the words themselves ; if a bishop have said , that our liturgy hath been so wisely and charitably framed , as that the devotion of it yeeldeth no cause of offence to a very popes eare , as onely aiming at an uncontroversory piety , i see not what hainous fault can herein be imputed to the speech , or the author : would you think it requisite that we should chide , and quarrell when we speak to the god of peace ? it is no little advantage therefore both to our cause and piety , that our liturgie is taught to speak severall languages , both for use and example ; and thereby our church hath gained much justification and honour : as for that sharp censure of learned m r calvins , tolerabiles ineptiae , how ever it might well have been forborne by him , in alienâ republicâ ; and by you , to presse it upon our owne ; we honor the name of that noble instrument of gods glory in his church , yet withall , we fear not to say , without any disparagement to his worth , that our liturgie both in the frame , and survay of it , passed the judgement of no lesse reverend heads then his owne : neither would you think it could become any of our greatest divines , to meddle with the wafers , or lords-day markets of his charge ; let every church take care of their own affaires . as for that unparalleld discourse of mine , concerning the antiquity of liturgies ; vnparalleld , you say , because no man , that you have seene , ever drew the line of liturgie so high as i have done ; i must tell you , that perhaps there may bee some things in the world , that may have escaped your not-omniscient eies , and perhaps this may bee one ; i cannot help your wonder , but i shall justifie my own assertion . in the meane while , ye doe almost yeeld the question , ere you argue it ; if by liturgie ( you say ) this remonstrant understand an order observed in church assemblies , of praying , reading , and expounding the scriptures , administration of sacraments , &c. such a liturgie wee know , and acknowledge , both iews and christians have used ; this yeelded , what stick you at ? that there were prescribed , and stinted formes composed by particular men in the church , and imposed upon the rest , this will not down with you ; wherein i cannot see , how ye will avoid your own contradiction ; for i demand ; is this order of praying and administration set , or no ? if it be not set , how is it an order ? and if it be a set order both for matter and form ( for you cannot , i suppose , under the name of an order , intend a meere table , or rabrick ) how can it be other , then prescribed ? if the formes were meerly arbitrary , to what use was the prescription of an order ? and , if they were not arbitrary , certainly they were in some sort stinted and imposed . but what a poore exception is this ? that they were composed by some particular men ; was it ever heard that a whole church together framed a forme of prayer ? can one uniforme expression bee the originall act of many thousand braines , and tongues ? certainly , some one , or few , must mold that , which all shall both own and use . it is a silly ostentation of antiquity , that these men bring against these prescribed formes of liturgie . tertullian in his apol. chap. . sayes , the christians of those times did in their assemblies pray for the emperour , * sine monitore , quia de pectore ; that is , not being urged by any superiour injunction , but freely out of the loyall inclination of their owne hearts : ( you mis-english it , without any prompter but their own hearts . ) what is this to a prescribed forme ? or if they will needs so take it , why do they not as well argue , that because our ministers doe ordinarily in their pulpits pray for the king in their own expressions , therefore there is no forme of liturgie injoyned ? as for their other testimony , it is lesse to the purpose ; who ever denied that some things are to be asked according to every mans occasion ? doe we abridge this liberty by ordaining a publique forme ? and if the lords prayer be yeelded for an ordinary and stinted forme , why not others ? since the opposers of stinted forms , do , upon the same grounds , decrie that also . s. austin sayes , it is free to ask the same things that are desired in the lords prayer , aliis atque aliis verbis , ( in other wayes of expression ) who ever doubted of it ? yet themselves will not dare to hold , that in s. austins time , there was no publike liturgy ; this is but to mock the reader . if iustin martyr said , that [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ( whom they somewhat guiltily translate , the instructer of the people ) prayed ( as they falsly turne it ) according to his ability : it is true ; so doe ours , and yet god bee thanked wee have a liturgie , and so had they . neither is this liberty of pouring out our selves in our prayers ever the more impeached by a publique forme , since both those may , and doe well stand together . it is somewhat magisterially said by these men , that set and imposed formes were not introduced , till the arrian and pelagian heresies did invade the church ; and as clerkly doe they immediately confute themselves , by their owne testimonies cited out of the councell of laodicea , which was before their limited time , as being before the nicene : and betwixt that and the neocesarean . nothing can be more full then the canon of that ancient synode , that the same liturgie of prayers should be alwaies used both in morning and evening . yet to mend the matter , this ( say they ) was a forme of a mans owne prescribing : were it so , wherein is that the better ? but how appears it ? by another canon in a following councell , which was the third councell of carthage , cap. . as if carthage meant to tell what was before done at laodicea . and what say the fathers at carthage ? that in assisting at the altar ( so are their words ) the prayer should be directed to the father , & quicunque sibi preces aliunde describit : that is , whosoever shall offer to make use of any other form then is prescribed , should first conferre with his more learned brethren : plainly implying the contrary to that , for which the answerers alledge it , that the usuall and allowed forme was not of his own composing ; and his own must not be at his own choise . that of the milevitane councell is shuffled up by the answerers , not with too much fidelity , for where they pretend the onely drift of the councell to be , that none should use set prayers , but such as were approved of in the synode , the words of the councell are full and affirmative , placuit ut preces , it is ordered that the prayers or orisons which are allowed in the synod , &c. shall be used or celebrated by all men ; nec aliae omnino dicantur , and that no other shall be used in the church , then those , &c. approved in a synod ; adding a sound reason , ne fortè aliquid , &c. lest perhaps something may be composed by them , through ignorance , or want of care , contrary to the faith. nothing can be more plain then that our saviour prescribed to his disciples ( besides the rules ) a direct form of prayer , whiles he saith , pray thus : much of which form i find cited , as of ancient use , out of the seder tephilloth of the jews of portugall , the antiquity wherof , as not knowing how i might avow , i expressed my selfe ( within three dayes of the first impression ) in the safe termes of the immediate edition ; which these men wil not be pleased to take notice of , lest they should find their mouths to be stopt before-hand ; and so they should have lost their deare quarrell . howsoever , that it may not seeme too strange , that our saviour should take up the formes , and usages , that had formerly obtained ; surely , that he was pleased to make use , in the celebration of his last , and heaven-by banquet , of both the fashions , and words which were usuall in the jewish feasts , cassander hath well shewed in his liturgica . the set formes of prayer , that were used at the mincha , and other the severall occasions of the jewish sacrifices , i find specified by learned capellus in his spicilegium , to whom i referre the reader . in the mean while , since they make such wonder of a set forme , used by gods people , ever since moses his time , i shall give them such a hint thereof , as perhaps they have not heard of before : in the samaritane chronicle , now in the hands of the incomparable primate of ireland , the lord archbishop of armach , by him procured out of the library of the famously learned ios . scaliger , thus they shall find , after relation of the death of adrian the emperour ( whom these jewes curse with a deus conterat ejus ossa ) which in their computation falls upon the yeare . from adam ; quo tempore abstulit , &c. at which time say they , * he tooke away that most excellent book which was in their hands , ever since the calme and peaceable times of the israelites , which contained those songs , and prayers , which were ever used before their sacrifices ; for before every of their severall sacrifices ; they had their severall songs , still used in those times of peace ; all which accurately written , were transmitted to the subsequent generations , from the time of moses , ( the legat ) unto this day , by the ministery of the high priest ; this book , did that high priest embezell , wherein was contained their genealogies , to the dayes of phineas , together with an historicall enarration of the yeares of their generation , and life ; then which book , there is no history besides the bookes of moses , found more ancient ; thus that ancient record . that there were such forms in the jewish church we doubt not , but that they should be deduced to the use of the church evangelicall , to save the labour of their devotions , is but a poore and groundlesse requisition . those formes which we have under the names of st. iames , ( who was , as egesippus tells us , the first bishop and leiturgus of hierusalem ) of basil , and chrysostome , though they have some intersertions which are plainly spurious , yet the substance of them cannot be taxed for other then holy , and ancient : and the implication of the ancient councell of ancyra is worthy of observation , which forbids those presbyters that had once sacrificed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to offer , or to preach , or to serve in the holy liturgies , or administrations ; howsoever , i perswade my selfe every ingenuous reader finds reason and authority enough in this undeniable practise of antiquity , to out-face an upstart conceit , of some giddie heads , that condemne all formes of prayer , ( be they never so holy ) because such . now what should a man doe with such sullen and crabbed pieces as these ? if he crosse them in plaine termes , he is false ? if he comply with them in good words , he rhetoricates ? what have i professed concerning conceived prayers , but that which i ever allowed , ever practised , both in private , and publike ? god is a free spirit , and so should ; ours be ▪ in powring out our voluntary devotions , upon all occasions ; nothing hinders , but that this liberty , and a publique liturgie should be good friends , and may goe hand in hand together ; and whosoever would forcibly sever them , let them beare their owne blame ; i perceive , this is it which these techy men quarrell , and dislike , that i make the applause of conceived prayer , but a vantage-ground to lift up the publique forme of our sacred church-liturgy the higher ; which they are indeed loth should stand upon even termes , yea above ground , professedly wrangling , first , at the originall , then the confirmation of it : for the first , i had said our liturgy was selected out of ancient modells ; including in a parenthesis , [ not roman , but christian ] and thereby signifying ( as any ingenuous reader would construe it ) that our said liturgie had no relation either to the place , or religion of rome , but only to the christian and holy matter of those godly prayers . now these charitable men fly out into high termes , and beseech your honours to consider , how ye may trust these men , who sometimes speaking , and writing of the roman church , proclaime it a true church of christ , and yet here , roman and christian stand in opposition ▪ ignorantly , or maliciously ? when any man may see here is not an opposition meant , but a different modification : as when the prophet sayes , i am a worme , and no man , or ; the apostle , it is no more i , but sin , or ; i live , yet not i but christ liveth in me : neither is any phrase more common in our usuall speech . in what sense we hold the roman , a true church , is so cleared by the unanimous suffrages of unquestionable divines , that this iron is too hot for their fingers . being then thus qualified , our liturgie needs not be either ashamed of its originall , ( published in king edwards proclamation ) or blankt with their unjust aggravation . the composers of it we still glory to say , were holy martyrs , and confessors of the blessed reformation of religion ; and if any rude hand have dared to cast a foul aspersion on any of them , he is none of the tribe i plead for , i leave him to the reward of his owne merits : thus composed , and thus confirmed by the recommendation of foure most religious princes , and our owne parliamentary acts , they dare not absolutely discharge it ; but they doe as they may , nibble at it in a double exception , the one of the over-rigorous pressing of it , to the justling out of preaching , and conceived prayer , which was never intended either by the law-makers , or moderate governours of the church ; the other , that neither our owne lawes , nor k. james his proclamation are so unalterable as the lawes of the medes & persians . which bold flout , how well it becomes their gravity , and pretended obedience , we leave at either bar. after an over-comprehensive recapitulation of their exploits in this mighty section , they descend to two main quaere's , whereof the first is , whether it be not fit to consider of the alteration of the present liturgie ; intimating herein , not an alteration in some few expressions , excepted against , but a totall alteration in the very frame of it , as their reasons import . yes doubtlesse , sirs , ye may consider of it ; it is none of the lawes of the medes and persians . what if the weak judgement of k. iames , upon some pretended reasons , decreed all forbearance of any farther change ? what if that silly and ignorant martyr , d r taylor , could magnifie it to b. gardner , and others , as complete ? what if great elogies and apologies have been cast away upon it , by learned men , since that time ? what if innovations in religion be cryed out of , as not to be indured ? yet consider of the alteration ▪ neither need ye to doubt but that this will be considered by wiser heads then your own ▪ and whatsoever shall be found in the manner of the expressions sit to be changed , will doubtlesse be altered accordingly ; but the maine fabrick of it , which your reasons drive at , my hope is we shall never see to undergo an alteration : yet still do you consider of this your projected alteration , whiles i consider shortly of the great reasons of your consideration . first , it symboliseth much with the popish masse ▪ surely neither as masse , nor as popish : if an holy prayer be found in a roman portuise , shall i hate it for the place ? if i find gold in the channell , shall i throw it away because it was ill laid ? if the devills confessed christ the son of god , shall i disclaime that truth , because it passed through a damned mouth ? why should we not rather allow those good prayers , which symbolize with all christian piety , then reject those which dwel amongst some superstitious neighbours ? it was composed , you say , into this frame , on purpose to bring papists to our churches . well , had it been so , the project had been charitable , and gracious . what can be more thank-worthy , then to reclaime erring soules ? but it failed in the successe . pardon me , brethren ; if it had done so , it was neither the fault of the matter , or of the men ; but it did not : sir edward coke can tell you , that till the eleventh year of qu. elizabeth , all came to church : those times knew no recusant then : at last , the jesuitish casuists , finding their great disadvantage by the inoffensive use of our liturgie , determined it utterly unlawfull to joyne in church-service with heretiques . hence came this alienation , hence this distraction , that we have not won more ; it is not the fault of our publique devotion , why do you not impute it to the want , or weaknesse in preaching rather ? but that our liturgy hath lost any to the popish part , it is not more paradoxe then sclander . those stumbling blocks which you say our liturgie laies before the feet of many , are by many removed , and amongst the rest , by a blind man , whose eie-lesse head directed how to avoid those blocks , which these quick-sights will needs see how to stumble at . but if there be found ought that may indanger a scandall , it is under carefull hands to remove it . it is idoliz'd , they say , in england ; they meane at amsterdam ; some separists have made it such ; never any just protestant : others say rather that too many doe injuriously make an idoll of preaching ; shall we therefore consider of abandoning it ? and if some one have passed an hyperbolicall praise of it , must it therefore be marred in mending ? multitudes of people ( they say ) distast it ; more shame for those that have so mistaught them ; ( would god too much multitude did not , ( through ill teaching ) distast the truth of wholsome doctrine , and abhorre communion with the true church of christ ) shall we to humour them , abandon both ? there is a vast difference , ( they say ) betweene it and the liturgies of all other reformed churches . a difference ? wherein ? not in the essentiall points , but in some accidents , and outward formalities ; whose fault is that ? ours was before theirs ; why did not they conforme to us ; rather , then we come back to them ? i may boldly say , ours was , and is the more noble church ; and therefore more fit to lead , then to follow : but indeede since our languages , and regions are different ; what neede is there , our liturgies should be one ? and why should we be more tyed to their formes , then those of all other christians , grecians , armenians , cophs , abassine , arabian , egyptian ? all which differ in no lesse from each other , then we from them : consider now , brethren , whether these reasons of a change be worthy of any consideration . the second quaere is so weak , that i wonder it could fall from the pens of wise men ; whether the first reformer of religion did ever intend the use of a liturgie , further then to be an helpe in the want , and to the weaknesse of the minister ; brethren , can ye thinke that our reformers had any other intentions then all other the founders of liturgies , through the whole christian , yea and jewish church ? the least part of whose care was the help of the ministers weaknesse , and their main drift the helpe of the peoples devotion , that they knowing before-hand , the matter , that should be sued for , and the words wherewith it should be clothed , might be the more prepared to joyn their hearts to the ministers tongue , and be so much more intent upon their devotion , as they had lesse need to be distracted with the doubtfull expectation of the matter , or words to be delivered . it is no lesse boldly then untruly said , that all other churches reformed , though they use liturgies , doe not bind their ministers to the use of them ; [ binding ] is an ambiguous word ; i am sure both the french , and dutch , churches ( in both which i have been present ) require their prescribed formes , to be used both in baptisme , and in celebration of the lords supper , and in solemnization of matrimony : and in what rank will they place the lutheran churches ? and if the reformed churches use this liberty , what a poore handfull are they to that world of christian churches abroad , which do both use and injoyn their liturgie , in that first forme we have seen urged in the melevitane councell ? the rubrick in king edwards booke is mis-construed , which only out of respect to the peoples ease , and their more willing addiction to the hearing of sermons , ( which were then so much more long as they were more rare ) gave that liberty to ministers in the use of the liturgie , which divers ordinaries at this day ( upon my certain knowledge ) have often yeelded unto : that rubrick imports no more then our practise ; neither of them disparages our liturgie . the homilies are left free ( they say ) to be read or not , by preaching ministers ; why not then the liturgie ? and if it can be thought no lesse then sacriledge to rob the people of the ministers gift in preaching , and to tie him to homilies , it can be no lesse to deprive them of their gift in prayer . did we utterly abridge all ministers of the publique use of any conceived prayer , on what occasion soever , the argument might hold force against us ; but , that being yeelded ▪ our liturgie is untouched : neither were it a lesser sacriledge to rob the people of a set forme , by the liberty of a free expression : and how doth this argument more strike us then all the churches of the christian world , whose preaching is out of their conception , whiles their liturgie is injoyned ? it is a false ground , that the imposing of the book ties godly men from exercising their gift in prayer : an enjoyned liturgie may well stand with the freedome of a prayer conceived : the desk is no hinderance to the pulpit : he is wanting to his duty , that slackneth either service . much lesse can this be any reason to keep men from their presence at our church-service , that a liturgie is imposed . tell me , is this liturgie good or evill ? if it be evill , it is unlawfull to be used ; if good , it is not unlawfull to be imposed : and were the imposition amisse , what is that to the people ? it is imposed upon the minister ; that whether act , or passion rests in him , the people are no more concerned in it , then if a minister should tye himselfe to the use of a prayer of his owne making , ( as i have knowne some of the most famous divines of this kingdome constantly do : ) if then there be no way left to recover the people to a stinted prayer but by leaving it free to use , or not to use , o● miserably mis-led people , whom nothing belike , can reclaime , ( after such doctrine instilled ) but a professed confusion ! well may they object to themselves in this way , divisions and disturbances , following upon a perfect deformity ; and sooner may they object then avoid them . but why more here ( they say ) then in other reformed churches ? the difference is evident , our churches have never been but used to a setled liturgie , which the eares and hearts of our people look for ; theirs , perhaps , began without it : yet so , as i doubt not but if any man should now refuse to conforme to their estabilished formes , hee should soon feele the dint of their censures . the like answer serves for their objected homilies ; surely were they enjoyned to all , by lawfull authority , and made so familiar to the eares of every congregation , as the liturgie is , some few could not forbeare them without offence ; whiles withall , they should be allowed the helps of preaching : as in this case it is done , the use of the set liturgie being seconded by prayers conceived . but the project is singular , that if any ministers should prove insufficient to discharge the duty of prayer in a conceived way , it may be imposed upon him as a punishment to use set formes , and no other . never confessor injoyned such a penance ; never law-maker imposed such a mulct : certainly it were a more just and needfull motion , that many who take upon them to preach , ( with so small abuse of gods sacred word ) might ( as in way of correction ) be injoyned onely to reade homilies : but who sees not in this overture , an utter cassation of that liturgie which is pretended to be left free ? for if the freedome of a sole conceived prayer shall depend upon the supposed sufficiency of the minister , shew me the man amongst five hundred of the forward artizans , that will confesse , or think himselfe insufficient for the act , or unfurnished with the gifts of prayer . away then with the book , whiles it may be supplied with a more profitable non-sense . surely , where god hath bestowed gifts , it is fit they should be imployed , and improved to the best advantage of his people : but where there is nothing but an empty over-weening , and proud ignorance , there is great reason for a just restraint . sect . iii. thus their cavils concerning the liturgie are vanished , we descend to the longer quarrell of episcopacie : where it is their ill hap to stumble again at the entring into these lists : beginning their answer ( pardon good reader ) with a manifest leasing ; whiles they dare say , that whatsoever hath been either spoken , or written by any , either learned divines , or well reformed churches , is taxed by me , as no other then the unjust clamours of weak , or factious persons : certainly , had i done so , i had been no lesse worthy to be spit upon , for my saucy uncharitablenesse , then they are now for their uncharitable falshood : after my complaints of the many railing invectives , and scandalous libels published of late , i came now to bemoane my self to that high court of justice , in these words ; as for that forme of episcopall government which hath hitherto obtained in the church of god , i confesse i am confounded in my selfe to heare with what unjust clamours it is cried down abroad , by either weak or factious persons ; abroad ( i say ) in relation to both houses , lest any malicious person should have traduced my words , as reflecting upon any free speech , made in either of them , against some of that calling ; alluding to that impious licentiousnesse of our frequent libellers , both in the city and countrey , which shamefully revile episcopacy , as wicked and antichristian ; now come these brotherly slanderers ( sure the termes can be no better ) and would needs wier-draw my words as farre as france , germany , or geneva it self ; and cry out of my arrogancy ; as condemning all divines , all churches ; which the god of heaven knowes never came within the verge of my thoughts ; yea , if i could have been so abominably presumptuous as to inlarge my [ abroad ] to other nations ; yet i beseech you , readers , see how well this follows ; episcopall government is with unjust clamours cryed down abroad , by either weake or factious persons , therefore , whosoever speaks or writes against episcopacy , is either weake or factious : brethren , if you have any remainders of modesty , or truth , left in you , cry god mercy for this egregious and palpable calumnie . of the same straine is their witty descant upon my confoundednesse ; i made use of the phrase , as that which is taken up by the most elegant greek and latine authors , to expresse extreame sorrow , these deep philologers , ( as not seeming to know other sense ) take it of a confoundednesse , through distraction ; sure the man is not in his rightwits ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and how so , trow we ? heare how he raves ; he talks of all peaceable and right affected sons of the church , and craves an admittance in all their names , whereas all could not take notice of his book ; doubtlesse a deep phrensie ; brethren , i am still , and shall ever be thus selfe-confounded , as confidently to say , that he is no peaceable , and right affected son of the church of england , that doth not both hate libels , and wish well to liturgy and episcopacy ; both which summe up my humble remonstrance . but this flip , they confesse , is small , that other is worthy of a large dos of ellebore ; that i say , episcopall govermnent , that is , government by diocesan bishops , derives it selfe from the apostles times ; this ( they say ) they cannot but rank amongst my notorious — speake out masters ; i would not have that word stick in your teeth , or in your throat ; and why is this truth so notorious ; because there were no diocesans of above an hundred yeares after christ . now readers , i beseech you , cast back your eies upon those , lines of mine , and see , whether i make any mention at all of diocesans , but onely of the sacred government by episcopacy ; wanton wits must have leave to play with their owne stern ; brethren , what needs this importunity ? even selfe-confounded men doe not alwaies speake false ; what the joynt-confession of all reformed divines is concerning the derivation of episcopacy from the apostolique times , i have elsewhere shewed from some , in the name of all ; and shall doe again in the due place ; to what purpose were this unseasonable anticipation ? indeed no true divine did ever hold otherwise : the question never was , whether bishops were derived from the apostles , but what kinde of bishops they were : for us , if we not deduce ours from them in respect of all the essentialls of our calling , let the shame be ours . whereas i say the government hath continued without any interruption , they aske jeeringly , what at rome ? and tell me of some places of the world , as scotland for example , wherein this government was never known for many years together . brethren , what means this , whether simplicity , or scorne ? could yee imagine me to meane , that every place through the whole world hath had a continued line of bishops ever since the apostles ? sure you cannot so wrong your own judgements ; alas , we could tell you of china , iapan , peru , brasil , new-england , virginia , and a thousand others , that never had any bishops to this day : yet it is never the lesse safe to say , that the form of government by bishops in the christian world , derives it selfe ( without interruption ) from the apostles times ; for as much as there hath been no time or age since them , wherein there hath not been this forme of episcopall government continued . you tell me , that in ancient times the scots were instructed by priests , and monks , and were without bishops two hundred and ninety years . i acknowledge the words of iohannes major , i wish they had not been without , either before , or since ; but what is this to my assertion ? there could be no interruption of that , which had as yet no being ▪ neither did i ever say that bishops were every where . you come to england , there you think to have me sure ; you desire to know of the remonstrant , whether god had a church in england in q. maries dayes or no ? and if so , who were then bishops ? sure , brethren , you cannot be so ignorant as you make your selves ; have you not seen m r foxes acts and monuments ? have you not seen m r fr : masons vindication of our succession ? or doe ye make no difference betwixt an intermission and an interruption ? doe ye not know that even the see of rome , ( which would faine boast of a known succession ) hath yet been without a bishop longer then the whole raigne of qu. mary ; if we may beleeve damasus himselfe , after marcellinus , for . years , . moneths , and . daies ? and if after the martyrdome of our orthodoxe bishops , revolted , or popish governors held those sees , they were corrupt in their places , judgement , and practise ; there was not an utter abolition of their calling , which their repentance restored to its first vigour . where i justly aver this continuance to have been without the contradiction of any one congregation in the christian world , you vainly think to choak me with a story from our own darling , heylin , which tels us of the furious violence of the people of biscay against the bishop of pampelona , reported also by the spanish history : to which you referre us ; concealing yet , that which the same history relates , that this was done upon some attempts and wrong conceived to be offered them by the clergy . a goodly instance , and fit for the gall of your inke , and as good a consequence . the biscainers upon a private quarrell are enraged against the person of their bishop , & for his sake ( for the time ) against his fellowes ; therefore some christian congregation denies the succession of episcopall government , from the times of the apostles . of the like validity and judgement is your instance of french , scotish , and belgick churches : who doubts of either their christianity , or their contradiction to episcopacy ? but if you did not wilfully both shut your own eies , and endeavour to blind the eies of your reader , you could not but see , that i limit the time untill this present age . good brethren , whiles you object bold falshood to me , learn to make some conscience of truths . to let passe your untrue suggestions concerning my assertion , of one and the same forme of prayer continued from moses to the apostles , and by the apostles , &c. i cannot but wonder with what face you can reckon it amongst my untruths , that episcopall government hath continued in this iland , ever since the first plantation of the gospel . i challenge you before that awfull bar , to which you have appealed , name but one yeare ever since christianity had footing in england , ( which was under the british o● roman government ) wherein there were no bishops in this land ; if you can name neither yeare nor author , be ashamed to say this truth hath had any contradiction , or else i hope the readers will be ashamed of you . what a poore shift is it to tell me of the contradiction that episcopacie hath had since the reformation ? i can tell the world that your selves oppose it ; what of that ? you mislike the government , you cannot deny that it hath so long continued ; so as my assertion continues inviolable , that the form of this government hath , without contradiction , continued here ever since the first plantation of the gospel . the man runs on still , you say , and as thinking to get credit to his untruths by their multiplication , dares boldly say , that except all histories , all authors , faile them , nothing can be more certaine then this truth : and here you cry out , os durum ! and aggravate the matter enviously , by the instance of divine truths , concerning the maine points of our holy creede : but , good sirs , doe ye bethink whom you speake to ? could you suppose to meete with so meane readers , as should not know that no phrase is more ordinary in our hourly discourse , then this ; when we would cōfidently affirme any truth , to say , it is so true as nothing can be truer ? not to enter into any metaphysicall discourse concerning the being , or degrees of truth , ( wherein some that would be wise , may perhaps have lost themselves ) would any man think it reasonable , that upon such an ordinary and familiar assertion he should be called to account for the articles of his creede , and be urged to compare his truth with gods ? away with this witlesse and malicious intimation : pardon me readers , that i have spent so much time and paper , in following these triflers so close ; their uncharitable suggestions drew me on , judge yee now whether of us have more just cause of indignation . sect . iiii. hitherto they have flourished , now i hope they will strike ; against the libellers importune projects of innovations , i urged that were this ordinance meerly humane , or ecclesiasticall , if there could be no more said for it , but that it is exceeding ancient , of more then . years standing , and in this iland of the same age with the gospell it self , this might be a just reason to make men tender of admitting a change ; an argument which i seconded with so rationall inforcement , as will i doubt not prevaile with all unpartiall judgements : now my witty answerers tell me this is an argumentum galeatum ( and that the reader may know they have seen a father , cite hierome , who gave that title to a prologue , but never to an argument ) and as if arguments were almanacks , tell us , it was calculated for the meridian of episcopacy , and may indifferently serve for all religions . truly brethren , you have not well taken the height of the pole , nor observed a just zenith ; for could you say so much for the presbyteriall government , had it continued here so long , i should never yeeld my vote to alter it ; an uninterrupted course of so many years should settle it still : so as you are plainly deceived , the argument is not calculated for the meridian of episcopacy ; but for whatsoever government ; if so long time have given it peaceable possession , there had need to be strong reasons of law , for an ejection ; but that it may serve for all religions , it is but an envious suggestion ; unlesse you adde this withall , save where the ground of the change is fully convictive , and irrefragable ; in which cause both the mouthes of jews , and heathens , and papists , and your own may be justly stopped . as for that overworne observation of cyprian , that our saviour sayes , i am the way , the truth , and the life ; but doth not say , i am custome , it is no lesse plausible then usefull , but if wee regard soundnesse of ratiocination , it is an illustration meerly negative : so we may say , hee saith not , i am reason , i am experience , i am authoritie ; and yet authoritie , experience , reason are worthy to sway with us , in all matters of question : and withall , hee that said , i am the way , said , that the old way was the good way : and if custome without truth ( as that father said well ) be nothing but a gray-hair'd error ; or , as sir francis bacon wittily , antiquitie without truth is a cipher without a figure ; yet where custom & antiquitie are backed with truth , there they are figures multiplied with many ciphers . as for the time wherein their learned ancients affirme , the church not to have beene governed by bishops , but by presbyters , and for the difference pretended to be betwixt the primitive bishops and ours , wee shall meet with it in such due time and place , as shall be justly occasioned : what needs this frivolous waste of unseasonable words ? wherewith unlesse these men desired to swell up this their windy bulke , why doe they tell us yet againe , of that already answered , and groundlesse exception ; against both their owne eyes , and conscience ; where i say , that this government hath continued in this iland ; ever since the plantation of the gospel without contradiction ; when as they cannot name any man in this nation that ever contradicted episcopacie , till this present age , or that ever contradicted this truth , that episcopacy hath so long continued in this iland ; which is the only drift of my words ; for alas , could i be so simple as not to know that this age hath bred opposition enough to the present government ? could i doubt whether these very men oppose it ? yet , let the boldest forehead of them all denie that it hath continued thus long in this our iland , or say that any till this age contradicted it ; so as that my assertion is just , their exception false ; and vain : as for that supplie of accessory strength , which i did not beg , but raise & evince from the light of nature and rules of just policie , for the continuance of those things , which long use and many laws have firmly established , as necessary , and beneficiall ; it will stand long enough , against the battery of their paper-pellets ; if some statute laws , which seemed once necessary , and beneficiall , proving afterwards , in processe of time , noxious and burthensome , have been justly , and wisely repealed ; let them tell mee , whether the fundamentall lawes of the kingdome , upon any mans abuse , may be subject to alteration , or whether rather their wisdomes would not think fit to determine that the laws must stand , and the abuses be removed ; such is the cause we have now in hand , and if we shall goe lesse : i speak not against an impossibility , but an easinesse of change , the question being so stated ( which their guiltinesse would willingly over-look ) that things indifferent , or good , having been by continuance and generall approbation well rooted in church and state , may not upon light grounds be pulled up . sect . v. i justly fetch the pedegree of our holy calling from no lesse then apostolicall ( and in that right , divine ) institution , and prove it from the clear practise of their immediate successors , and justly triumph in that confidence . they tell me of one scruple yet remaining ; it is well , if there be no more : and what may that be ? that in originall authority of scripture , bishops and presbyters went originally for the same . alas , brethren , what needed this to be a scruple in your thoughts , or your words , when it is in expresse termes granted by us ? that there was at first a plain identity in their denomination ; here is one page , and that not without some labour of proofs , idly lost . it is true , that the remonstrant undertakes to shew a cleare and received distinction of bishops , presbyters , and deacons , ( out of the undeniable writings of those holy men , which lived in the times of the apostles , and after them ) with an evident specification of their severall duties : and what say my answerers to this ? yet , say they , let us tell him , that we never finde in scripture these three orders , bishops , presbyters , deacons . brethren , ye might have spared to tell me that which i had told you before : i speak of the monuments of immediate succession to the apostolique times ; ye , of the writings of the apostles themselves : how then doe you either answer , or oppose my assertion ? although i must also tell you , that though in the apostolique epistles there be no nominall distinction of the titles , yet there is a reall distinction and specification of the duties , as we shall see in due place . that ye may seem not to say nothing , and may make your readers beleeve you are not quite forsaken of antiquity , ye call hierome , chrysostome , theophylact , irenaeus , and cyprian , to the book : and what evidence will they give for you ? that the names of bishops and presbyters were not at first distinguished , but used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a promiscuous sense , and that some succeeding bishops of rome were styled presbyters ; this is all : but that your trifling may appeare to all the world , name but any one of our writers , who have hitherto stood up in the cause of episcopacie , that hath not granted and proclaimed this which you contend for : although withall , let me tel you , that you could not have brought a stronger argument against your selves : for hence the world shall see how little force can be drawne from the name to the thing , since the mentioned anicetus , pius , hyginus , telesphorus , bishops of rome , are so famously known to have been in an height of elevation above presbyters ; and since cyprian , who is styled by his presbyters , frater , is never found to style his presbyters , bishops ; and being an holy bishop himselfe , in many epistles , stifly maintaines the eminence of his superiority ; and is some-whiles honored with the title of beatissimus papa cyprianus , which i suppose was never given to a meere presbyter : but what do i here follow them who confesse themselves out of the way ? at last acknowledging , that their adversaries confesse , that which they would needs spend time to prove ; let the names passe ; all the question is of the distinction of their offices , which they wil follow as tediously as loosly . and first they would faine know what we make the distinct office of a bishop , wherein they fall somewhat unhappily , upon the very words of that branded aerius ; is it , say they , to edifie the church by word & sacraments ? is it to ordaine others to that worked ? is it to rule , to governe by admonition , and by other censures ? any , or all of these belong unto the presbytery . compare now the words of aerius , as they are related by epiphanius , whom that father brings in speaking thus , concerning episcopacy and presbytery , there is one order of both , one honor , one dignity ; the bishop imposeth hands , so doth the presbyter ; the bishop doth administer gods worship or service , so doth the presbyter ; the bishop sitteth on the throne , so doth also the presbyter : see reader and acknowledge the very phrases of that man , whom holy antiquity censured even in this point both for a frantick man , and an hereticke ; brethren , god speed you well with your question ; as for the first , which is edifying the church by word , and sacraments , we make no difference , your distance may ; we both hold it our worke and make it so ; and if any one have beene slack herein , the fault is personall , we neither defend , nor excuse it . the maine quarrell you grant to be in the second , which is the power of ordination ; impropriated ( as you enviously and untruly speake ) to our selves : this you say was in former times in the hands of the presbyters , and undertake to prove it from tim. . . neglect not the gift which was given thee by prophesie , and by laying on the hands of presbytery , a place that hath received answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; which i wonder ye can so presse , when calvin himselfe , ( as you well know ) in his learned institutions , even in his last , and ripest judgement , construes it quite otherwise ; taking it of the office , and not of the men ; ( however elsewhere otherwise ) wherein he also followes the judgement of ierome , primasius , anselme , haymo , liranus , erasmus , and others ; as our learned bishop downam hath largely shewed . to countenance this sense of yours , you tel us , you find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so taken in scripture ; and cite luc. . . and act. . . wherein you do meerly delude the reader ; you find indeed the elders of the people so called , but the elders of the church never ; to make good your own construction therefore , you must maintaine that lay-men did and must lay on hands in ordination , which calvin himself utterly abominates . neither need we to give any other satisfaction to the point , thē that which we have from s. paul himselfe , tim. . . stirre up the gift of god which is in thee by the imposition of my hands ; mine , not others : i aske then , was timothy ordained more then once ? once surely s. pauls hands were laid upon him , when therefore the presbyters ? yes , you say , this was a joynt act of both , else the harmony of scripture is not maintained ; pardon me brethren , if i think mr. calvin was more skilled in the harmony of scripture then our selves , yet in his eare it sounded well , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , should be the office to which timothy was ordained by paul , and not a company of men that ordained him ; yet give me leave to marvell how you can have the boldnesse to say , this power is communicated to presbyters , when you know that not onely other antiquity , but even hierome himself and that councell of aquisgrane which you cite , doe still except ordination , which yet we doe not so appropriate , as to lay our hands alone upon the head of any presbyter . the third part of our office consists in ruling ; which though our bishops ( you say ) assumed to themselves , you will discover to have bin committed to , and exercised by presbyteriall hands . for evidence whereof you cite heb. . . obey them that have the rule over you , for they watch for your souls . brethren , what an injurious imputation is this ? do we not give you the title of rectores ecclesiarum ? doe we not in your institution commit to you regimen animarum ? why will ye therefore bear your readers in hand , that we herein rob you of your right ? it is true , that here is a just distinction to be made , betwixt the government of soules , in severall congregations , and the government of the church , consisting of many congregations ; that task is yours , this is the bishops , wherein their rule yet , is not lordly , but brotherly , or paternall ; your argument reacheth not home to this , and yet you strain that place of thes . . . beyond the due breadth , whiles you tenter it out to either a paritie , or communitie of censure . injoy now what you have so victoriously purchased , but give me leave to summe up my reckonings also . since then ( how ever the name was at first promiscuously used , yet ) the office of bishops , and presbyters differed , even by apostolike institution : and the acts pertaining thereto , of ordination , and power of ordinary government and censures , were in that very first age of the church manifestly differenced ; therefore bishops and presbyters were not one . sect . vi. the practise of the apostles is so farre from contradicting their rules , ( which your brotherly charity would fasten upon my assertion ) as that it is a most cleare proof , and illustration of it ; their practise is irrefragable in the charge , which they gave to timothy , and titus , as we shall prove in due place : now if to this we shall adde the unquestionable glosse of the more cleare practise of their immediate successors , i know not what more light can be desired for the manifestation of this truth . whereto ye boldly answer , if this gloss corrupt not the text , we shall admit it ; implying therein , too presumptuously , that the universall practise of the whole primitive church succeeding the apostles , may prove a burdeaux-glosse to marre the text. brethren , goe you your owne way , let me erre with such guides : but ye are disposed to be liberall ; somewhat ye will grant us , besides that which we grant you . it is agreed , that the name of bishops and presbyters were at first promiscuously used ; it is yeelded by you , that in process of time , some one was honoured with the name of bishop , and the rest were called presbyters . but what , i beseech you , was this process of time ? here lies your either error , or fraud : we doe justly and confidently defend , that this time had no processe at all ; it was in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the living apostles , which we shall plainly make good in the sequell . it is also yeelded , that this was not [ nomen inane , ] but seconded with some kind of imparity . what then is the difference ? all the question , you say , is of divine right , and apostolicall institution of this imparity . let me beseech the reader to consider seriously of the state of this difference , in the mistaking whereof i have , not a little , unjustly suffered ; and to remember how i have expressed it in my remonstrance , fetching the pedegree of episcopacy from apostolicall ( and therefore , in that right , divine ) institution : and interpreting my self not to understand by [ divine right ] any expresse law of god requiring it , upon the absolute necessity of the being of a church , but an institution of apostles , inspired by the holy ghost , warranting it where it is , and requiring it where it may be had . now whether it may be thus apostolicall , or a meerly humane and ecclesiasticall invention , is the question in hand . on your part , you say , stand ierome , and ambrose . two stiffe champions indeed . and surely i must needs confesse , this is the onely countenance of your cause , which yet hath been blanked more then once . ierome tels us , you say , right down in tit. . idē est ergo presbyter , &c. out of whose testimony you in summe collect , that a presbyter and a bishop were originally one : that the imparity was grounded upon ecclesiasticall custome : that before this priority , the church was governed by the common councell of presbyters , and that bishops ought still so to govern : and lastly , that the occasion of this imparity , was the division , which through the devils instinct fell among christians . you look now that i should tell you that the book is of uncertain credit , or that ierome was a presbyter , and not without some touch of envie to that higher dignity he missed ; or that wiser men then your selves have censured him in this point , for aerianisme : i plead none of these , but whiles you expect that i should answer to ierome , i shall set ierome to answer for himselfe . for the first , i cannot but put you in mind , that the same father citing the words of the bishop of jerusalem , that there is no difference betwixt a bishop and a presbyter , passeth a satis imperitè upon it : but let it be so . at first , he sayes , bishops and presbyters had but one title . so say we too ; but when began the distinction ? ye need not learne it of saravia , he himselfe tels you , when divisions began : and when that ? when they began to say , i am pauls , i am apollo's , i am cephas ; which was ( i think ) well and high in the apostles time : but this you would cleanly put of , as spoken by ierome in the apostles phrase , not of the time of the apostle : this is but a generall intimation of contentions arisen ( though later ) in the church . excuse me brethren , this shift will not serve your turne : then , belike , there should have been no distinct bishops till after-ages , upon this ground , that till then there were no divisions : or if so , why should the remedie be so late after the disease ? or how comes he elsewhere to name bishops made by the apostles , and to confesse that before his time there had been many successions ? besides , he instanceth in the peculiar mis-challenging of baptisme , which only s. paul specifieth in his owne time : and clemens seconds him in his epistle to the corinthians , in taxing the continuance of those distractions ; so as by ieroms own confession , episcopacy was ordained early within the apostles times . but then , say you , it was not of apostolicall intention , but of diabolicall occasion : weakly and absurdly ; as if the occasion might not be devilish , and the institution divine : as if the best lawes did not rise from the worst manners . were not the quarrels betwixt the grecians and hebrews for the maintenance of their widows , an evill occurrence ? yet from the occasion thereof was raised the ordination of deacons in the church . yea but ierome saith , this was rather by the custome of the church , then by the truth of the lords disposition . true , it was by the custome of the church , but that church was apostolicall ; not by the lords disposition immediately : for christ gave no expresse rule for it , but mediately it was from christ , as from his inspired apostles . let ierome himselfe interpret himselfe , who tels us expresly in his epistle to euagrius , this superiority of bishops above presbyters , is by apostolicall tradition ; which is as much as we affirme . and whiles he saith , ( toto orbe decretum est ) that in the time of those first divisions , it was decreed all the world over , that bishops should be set up ; i would faine know , by what power ( besides apostolicall ) such a decree could be so soon and so universally enacted . but ierome saith , the presbyters governed the church by their common counsell : so they did doubtlesse altogether , till episcopacy was setled ; who dares deny it ? yea , but he saith , they ought to doe still : so say we also , and so in some cases we do : church-government is aristocraticall . neither is any bishop so absolute , as not to be subject to the judgement of a synode : yea in many matters it is determined by our laws , that hee must take the advise and assistance of his ecclesiasticall presbytery . so then , s. ierome is in his judgement no back friend of ours , but in his history he is our patron . with what forehead can they perswade their reader , the originall of episcopacie was not in ieroms opinion so early , when they cannot but confesse that the same father hath , in flat termes , told us , that iames was bishop of jerusalem , timothy of ephesus , titus of crete , that ever since the time of mark the euangelist , ( who died five or sixe yeares before peter and paul , and almost forty years before s. iohn ) at alexandria , ( till the dayes of heraclas and dionysius ) the presbyters have alwayes chosen one to be their bishop . as for those poore negative arguments which follow , palpably begging the question , they are scarce worthie of a passe ; were it not , that by them they goe about to confute their own author , affirming , that upon occasion of divisions , episcopacie was constituted : but he stands so close to his owne grounds , as that ( contrary to their mis-allegation of d r whitakers ) he plainly tels them , episcopacie is so proper a remedy for this evill , that unlesse the bishop have a peerlesse power , there will be as many schismes as priests ; the wofull experience whereof we finde in the miserable varieties of separatisme , at this day . goe on , brethren , since you are so resolved , to strike that friend , whom you bring in to speak for you ; teach your advocate s. ierome , how unlikely it is , that the apostles should give way ( as he professes they did ) to such a remedie , as might prove both ineffectuall , and dangerous ; and that their holinesse should make a stirrup for antichrist . we lookt for ambrose to come in next ; and , behold , you bring in a foisted commenter ; a man by the convictions of whitakers , spalatensis , cocus , rivetus , bellarmine , possevine , maldonate , ( as hath beene elsewhere shewed ) of not a suspected onely , but a crackt credit : if it mattered much , what he said , i could out of his testimonie picke more advantage then you prejudice to my cause : but , if you will heare the true ambrose speake ; he tells you ; there is one thing which god requireth of a bishop , another of a presbyter , another of a deacon ; as for the persons who brought in this imparitie , you tell us out of the same authors , the presbyters themselves brought it in ? witnesse ierome ad euagrium . the presbyters of alexandria did call him their bishop , whom they had chosen from among themselves , and placed in an higher degree : but , brethren , what meanes this faithlesse and halved citation ? had you said all , the place would have answered for it selfe ; the words are , nam & alexandriae à marco evangelista , &c. for at alexandria ever since mark the evangelist , untill the times of heraclas and dionysius , bishops , the presbyters have alwayes called one ( chosen out of themselves , and placed in an higher degree ) bishop , as if an army should chuse their generall . why did you avoid the name of [ mark the evangelist ] but that your hearts told you , that he dying many yeares within the time of the apostles , this election , and appellation , and distinction of degrees of bishops and presbyters , must needs have been in the life time of the apostles ; and not without their knowledge and approbation ? the presbyters then chose their bishops : who doubts it ? but upon whose order , and institution save that which s. paul to the superintendents met at miletus , acts . spiritus sanctus vos constituit episcopos ? i marvell brethren , with what face you can make ierome say , that the presbyters themselves were the authors of this imparity , when as himself hath plainly ascribed this to gods own work ; when reading that , esay . . i will make thy officers peace , ( according to the septuagint ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. i will give thy princes in peace , and thy bishops in righteousnesse , he applies this to the governours of the evangelicall church : and the blessed martyr and bishop s. cyprian , to the same purpose ; the deacons ( saith he ) must remember that the lord himselfe chose apostles , that is , bishops , but deacons were chosen by the apostles themselves . and when ye cannot but know , that the apostles themselves were the immediate actors in this businesse ; if at least ye will beleeve the histories , and fathers of the church ; irenaeus tels you plainly , that the apostles peter and paul , delivered the episcopacy of that church to linus : and , that polycarpus was by the apostles made bishop , in asia , of the church of smyrna : and tertullian particularly , that polycarpus was there placed by s. iohn . and s. chrysostome clearly sayes , that ignatius was not onely trained up with the apostles , but that he received his bishoprick from them ; and emphatically , that the hands of the blessed apostles touched his holy head . and lastly , the true ambrose , ( to the shameing of that counterfeit , whom you bring forth under that name ) tels you , that paul saw iames at ierusalem , because he was made bishop of that place , by the apostles : your slip may talk of a councell , wherein this was done : but this is as false , as himselfe : it is well known there never was any such councell in the christian world : since , the first generall synod was the nicene . and ieroms [ toto orbe decretum ] as we have shewed , could import no other , then an apostolicall act : as for s. augustine , is it not a just wonder , reader , that these men dare cite him for their opinion , ( upon occasion of a modest word concerning the honourable title of episcopacy ) when as they cannot but know , and grant , that he hath blazoned aerius for an heretick , meerly for holding the same tenet which they defend ? lastly , if gregory nazianzen in a pathetick manner have wished the abolition of episcopacie , ( as he never did ) what more dislike had he shown to it , then he did to synods , when he said ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ) that he never knew good come of them ? but reader , it will be worth the while , to inquire into the fidelity of these mens allegations ; doe but consult the place of nazianzen , & thou shalt ●●nd that he speaks not particularly of episcopacie , but of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or precedencie , and of all quarrelsome challenges of place , & all tyrannicall carriage of one man towards another , wishing that there were no standing upon points of precedency , but every man might be respected according to his vertue : and adding at last ( nunc autem dextrum hoc , et sinistrum , et medium latus , &c. ) but now ( saith he ) the right hand , and the left , and the middle place , and the higher and lower degree , and going before , and going cheeke by jole , what a world of troubles have they brought upon us ? thus he . see then , reader , what a testimony , here is for the utter abolition of episcopacy , from a man who was so interessed in the calling , that he was wont to be styled by his adversaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the bishop of three sees : by this judge , reader , of the rest . so then , after all the clamours , and colourable pretences of these men , this imparity and jurisdiction was conveyed from the apostles hands , and deduced in an uninterrupted line , through all following ages to this present day . how can this be ( say they ) unlesse our bishops will draw the line of their pedegree , through the lines of antichrist , and joyne issue , and mingle blood with rome ? for shame , brethren , eate this word ; what ? are there no bishops but at rome ? is the whole church all the world over antichristian , even those , which are no lesse angry at rome then your selves ? hath not episcopall imparitie continued in them , all this while ? is there no distinction to be had betwixt the calling , and the abuse ? if the antichristian church have had bishops ; so it hath had churches , scriptures , baptisme , learning , creeds ; because we have all these with them , will ye say we deduce them from the loines of antichrist ? away with this impotent spight , and uncharitablenesse ; and learne to be more modest & true in your assertions , and lesse confident in your appeals . sect . vii . let me balk your idle words ; the question is of the difference betwixt our present bishops , and the ancient , this you will spread forth in three particulars ; the first is the manner of election , to these places of eminence ; which was , of old , ordered , by the privity , consent , and approbation of the people , which you eagerly seeke to prove out of cyprian : neither can it be denied that he is full , and punctuall in this point : holy athanasius seconds it ; and the old rule was : electio clericorum , consensus principis , petitio plebis ; that a bishop came in by the suite of the people , the election of the clergy , the consent of the prince . ye might well have in this case spared the fetching in of the good emperour constantine : doubtlesse this was the manner of old ; what variations followed afterward in these proceedings , our learned dr. field hath well showed ; but sure , this interest of the people continued so long , even in the roman church , that platina can tell us , gregory the seventh was elected by cardinalls , clerks , acoluthites , subdeacons , priests , abbots , bishops , clergie , and laitie : the inconveniences that were found in those tumultuarie elections , and the seditious issue of them ( which nazianzen and eusebius have laid before us in some particulars ) were , i suppose , the cause why they were ( in a sort ) laid downe ; but an imitation of this practise , we have still continuing in our church , wherein upon the vacancy of every see , there is a conge-d'eslire ( that is , a leave to elect ) sent down from the king , to the presbyters ( viz. the deane and chapter of that church ) for an ensuing election of their bishop ; and , if this were yet more free , we should not like it the lesse : but , in the meane time , brethren , how are you quite beside the cushion ? where the objection was , that the apostles bishops , and ours were two , in respect of managing their function ; and my defence is , that our bishops challenge not any other spirituall power , then the apostles delegated to timothy and titus , you now tell us , of the different manner of our elections ; what is this ad rhombum ? we speake of their actions , and exercise of power , you talke of others actions to them ; were it so pleasing to his majesty and the state , to decree it , we should be well content to submit to this ancient forme of election ; the forbearance whereof , is neither our fault , nor our prejudice : so as you might well have bestowed this breath to a better purpose , and rather conclude , that notwithstanding this forme of different choice , our bishops and those of former times are not two . sect . viii . wee follow you into the execution of our episcopall office , wherein you will show ours , and the apostles to be two ; so clearely , that he who will not wilfully shut his eyes , may see a latitude of differences , and that in three points : the first , in sole jurisdiction , which you say , was a stranger , yea a monster to former times , and will make it good by the power of ( that , which in all wise writers was wont to be contra-distinguished ) ordination . for this maine point , let my answerers know , that the ordination is the bishops , but the sole ( in their sense ) is their own : neither did our bishops ever challenge it , as theirs alone , without the presbyters , but as principally theirs , with them : so , as if the power be in the bishop , the assistance is from them , the practise in both : so is it in the bishops , that ordinarily and regularly it may not be done without them , and yet ordinately , it may not be done without them by the bishop : which hath bin so constantly , and carefully ever observed , that i challenge them to shew any one instance in the church of england to the contrary ; say brethren , i beseech you , after all this noyse , what bishop ever took upon him to ordain a presbyter alone , or without the concurrent imposition of many hands ? they , no lesse then cyprian , can say , ego & collegae ; although i must tell you this was in the case of aurelius , made a lector ; and in that other testimony , which you cite out of his epistle . he speaks onely of the fraternities consent , and approbation , not of their concurrence in their act ; this is small game with you . neither is it lesse the order of the church of england then of the councell of carthage , cum ordinatur presbyter , &c. when a presbyter is ordained , the bishop blessing him , and holding his hand upon his head , all the presbyters that are present , shall likewise lay their hands upon his head , with the hands of the bishop : with what conscience can ye alledge this , as to choak us in our contrary practise ; when you know this is perpetually , and unfailably done by us ? but now , that the readers may see how you shuffle , shew us but one instance of a presbyters regular and practised ordaining without a bishop , and carry the cause ; else you do but abuse the reader with an ostentation of proving what was never denied . but here , by the way , brethren , you must give me leave to pull you by the sleeve , and to tell you of two or three foul scapes , which will trie whether you can blush . first , that you abuse firmilianus in casting upon him an opinion of presbyters ordaining , which he never held ; he , in his epistle to stephen bishop of rome , speaking of the true church in opposition to heresies , describes it thus , ( vbi praesident majores natu , qui & baptizandi , & manum imponendi , et ordinandi possident potestatem : under this name expressing those bishops ; who presiding in the church , possesse the power of baptizing , confirming , ordaining ; you injuriously wire-draw him to presbyters , and foist in [ seniores et praepositos ] which are farre from the clause and matter . be convinced with the more cleare words of the same epistle , apostolis , et episcopis , qui illis vicariâ ordinatione successerunt . secondly , that you bewray grosse ignorance in translating ambroses [ presbyteri consignant ] by presbyters ordaining ; who , that ever knew what belonged to antiquity , would have beene guilty of such a solecisme : when every novice knowes , that , consigning , signifies confirmation , and not ordaining ? thirdly , you discover not too much skill in not distinguishing of the chorepiscopi : some whereof had both the nature and power of episcopacy to all purposes , and therefore might well by the bishops licence in his owne charge impose hands , others not ; and lesse fidelity , in citing the councell of antioch , can . . and the . of the councell of ancyra , if it were not out of our way , to fetch them into tryall . lastly , i cannot but tell you that you have meerly cast away all this labour , and fought with your owne shadow ; for , how ever it were not hard to prove , that in the first times of the church it was appropriated to the bishop , to ordaine , ( which you cannot but cōfesse out of ierome , and chrysostom ) yet , since we speaking of our owne time and church , doe both professe and practise an association of presbyters with us , in the act of ordination , whom have you all this while opposed ? it is enough that you have seemed to say somthing , and have showne some little reading , to no purpose . sect . ix . yet still , you will needs beat the ayre very furiously , and fight pitifully with your selves ; alas , brethren , why will ye take so much paines to goe wilfully out of your way , and to mis-lead the reader with you ? who ever challenged ( in that sense which you faine to your selves ) a sole jurisdiction ? why will you with some show of learning confute that , which you yeeld us to confesse ? we confesse this [ sole ] cryed downe by store of antiquity ; we doe willingly grant that presbyters have , and ought to have , and exercise a jurisdiction within their owne charge , in foro conscientiae ; we grant that in all the great affayres of the church , the presbyters , whether in synodes , or otherwise , ought to be consulted with ; we grant that the bishops had of old their ecclesiasticall councell of presbyters , with whose advise they were wont to manage the greatest matters , and we still have so ; for to that purpose serve the deanes and chapters ; and the lawes of our church frequently make that use of them ; we grant , that presbyters have their votes in provinciall synods : but we justly say that the superiority of jurisdiction is so in the bishop , as that presbyters neither did , nor may exercise it without him ; and that the exercise of externall jurisdiction is derived , from , by , under him to those which execute it within his dioces . thus , it is to timothy that s. paul gives the charge concerning the rebuke of an elder , or not receiving an accusation against him ; it is to titus that s. paul leaves the ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) correction of his cretians ; thus , the canons of the apostles ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. thus the blessed martyr ignatius in his undoubted epistle to those of smyrna , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. let no man doe any thing , in matters belonging to the church , without the bishop . thus the councell of antioch orders , that whatsoever belongs to the church , is to be governed , managed , and disposed , by the judgement and authority of the bishop , who hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the power of those things which belong to the church . it were easie to surfet the readers eyes , with the cleare testimonies of fathers , and councells , to this purpose . our learned bishop downam hath given a world of instances of the severall acts of jurisdiction , appropriated to bishops by antiquity , exercised upon both laicks , and clergy : to him i remit my reader ; so as , you may easily set antiquity together by the eares , in this point , if you please ; but surely , the advantage will be so farre on our side , that if you have not ten for one against you , i will yeeld my cause . there is great difference of times , and in them of fashions : in those persecuted times , when the church was backed with no christian magistrate , it was no boot to bid the guides of the church to combine their councels , and to give strength to their mutuall actions : when a generall peace once blessed them , and they had the concurrence both of soveraigne and subordinate authority with them , they began so much to remit of this care of conjoyning their forces , as they supposed to find lesse need of it . from hence grew a devolution of all lesse weighty affairs to the weilding of single hands . for my part , i perswade my selfe , that the more frequent communicating of all the important businesse of the church , whether censures or determinations , with those grave assistents , which in the eye of the law are designed to this purpose , were a thing not onely unprejudiciall to the honour of our function , but very behovefull to the happy administration of the church . in the mean while , see brethren , how you have with simon fished all night , and caught nothing . my word was , that ours were the same with the apostles bishops , in this , that they challenge no other spirituall power then was by apostolique authority delegated to timothy and titus : you run out upon the following times of the church , and have with some wast quotations laboured to prove , that in after ages , bishops called in presbyters to the assistance of their jurisdiction ; which is as much to me , as baculus stat in angulo . sect . x. your next section runs yet wilder : i speak of the no-difference of our bishops from the first , in the challenge of any spirituall power to themselves , other then delegated to timothy and titus ; you tell mee of delegating their power to others . what is this to the nature of the calling ? doth any man claime this as essentiall to his episcopacie ? doth any man stand upon it , as a piece of his spirituall power ? if this be granted to be an accidentall error of some particular man , ( for it cannot be fastned upon all ) what difference doth it make in the substance of the function ? as if some monster suddenly presented it selfe to you , you aske , was ever such a thing heard of in the best primitive times ? that men which never received imposition of hands , should not only be received into assistance , but be wholly intrusted with the power of spirituall jurisdiction ? let me ask you again , was ever such a thing heard of , either in the primitive , or following times , that lay-men should be so far admitted to the managing of spirituall jurisdiction , as to lay their hands upon their ministers in their ordination ? yet this is both done and challenged by too many of your good friends . why do you object that to us , wherewith the presbyterian part may be more justly choaked ? but herein , brethren , you do foulely over-reach , in that you charge our bishops , as in a generality , with wholly-intrusting the power of spirituall jurisdiction to their chancellors , and commissaries : the assistance of those which are learned in the law , wee gladly use , neither can well want in the necessary occasions of our judicature ; but that wee doe either wilfully or negligently devest our selves absolutely of that power , and wholly put it into laick hands , it is a meere sclander . for want of better proofs of the illegality of this course , you bring a negative authority from cyprian , telling us , what that holy martyr did not , that he did not send complainants to his chancellour or commissarie : it is very like he did not , nor yet to the bench of a lay presbyterie ▪ but if he did not commit the hearing of his causes to a lay-man , we find that some others did : socrates can tell you of silvanus the good bishop of troas , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. perceiving that some of his clergie did corruptly make gaine of causes , would no more appoint any of his clergie ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to be a judge , but made choise of some faithfull man of the laity to whom he committed that audience , and was much honoured for it . what bishop downam yeelds concerning the ordinaries , vicars , and chancellors of former times , ( till ambrose's daies ) that they were onely clergie-men , you reject witn scorne , and challenge any man to produce the names of any clergie-man that was vicar to ambrose , or chancellour to augustine , &c. what a poore brave is this ? i challenge you to produce the name of any secretary , or actuary that ambrose , or austin had : because you cannot , shall i conclude they had none such ? that instance of sylvanus , not long after ambrose , is evidence enough : but the antiquity of chancellors , which were the same with ecclesiecdici , or episcoporum ecdici , is proveable enough , ( if it were for this place ) and their necessary use , beyond the power of your confutation ; but i had rather refer my reader to s. thomas ridley , and others that have laboured in that argument ; and appeale to all mens judgement how soundly you have ( upon this ground ) proved that our bishops and the former were two . sect . xi . how justly may i say , readers , of these men as the king of israel said of the king of syria : see i beseech you , how they seeke a quarrell against me ? my just defence was , that our bishops are the same in substance , and effect , with those which were ordained by the apostles : they come now , and tell me , of an oath ex officio , used in the high commission , and in our consistories ; as if every particular manner of proceeding in our courts , and judicatures must either be patterned by the apostolike , or els they are utterly unjustifiable ; why do they not as wel chalenge us , that we give men the book to touch , and kisse , in taking an oath ? why doe they not aske , how wee can prove that those apostolicall bishops had notaries , registers , advocates , consistories ? what frivolous and delusory exceptions are these to all wise men ; and how strangely savouring of a weak judgement , and strong malice ? as for your cavil at the oth ex officio , since you wil needs draw it in by head and shoulders ; how little soever it concernes us , i returne you this answer ▪ that , if any of our profession have in the pressing of it exceeded the lawfull bounds , i excuse him not , i defend him not ; let him bear away his own load ; but in these , surely there is more to bee said for it , then you wil seem to take notice of . you ask for any precedent of it , in good antiquity : i give a precedent as ancient as moses , exod. ● . , . and that other oath and real imprecation , in the cause of jelousie , num. . . but perhaps it wil fit you better , that i instance in m. calvins case , who together with the consistory of elders , appointed the said oath to be given to camperell a minister of geneva , and to the other parties accused of an offensive dancing in the house of widow balthasar , in which corporal oath three interrogatories being put to the deponents , two of them are said to be concerning their purposes and intentions . if yet you cal for other precedents , i cal your eys home , and wil you to look into our courts of kings bench , common pleas , exchequer , star-chamber , wherein the defendant is ordinarily put to answer the bill , and interrogatories , upon oath . as for that old maxime of nemo tenetur prodere seipsum , you may ( if it please you ) object it as well to moses , to calvin , to our courts ; it is easily thus satisfied , that no man is bound at the suit of a party , so to answer criminous articles , or such as are propinqui actus , ( as lawyers interpret it ; ) but as petrus de ferrariis well determins it , proditus per famam ; tenetur seipsum ostendere , & purgare ; when a fame accuses him he may clear himselfe by an oath ; it is to be presupposed , that a man is brought into question by some of those lawfull meanes , which open a way to a further inquiry ; and then ( as aquinas well ) if there be a semi-plena probatio , or a strong fame , or evident tokens , an oath is seasonably imposed : but sure , the intention of the oath is quite mistaken , for it is meant to acquit and justifie , not to accuse ; neither is any man pressed to answer further , then he is bound in law : neither are the compulsions simple and absolute , but onely causative , as the learned apologist hath fully declared . if then a dioclesian or maximilian ( as you cal him ) shall enact , that the adverse party shall not be required to exhibite such evidences as should create troubles to themselves , it is no other then is every where practised in all courts of iudicature , and may well stand with the oath ex officio , as it is formerly limited . be advised therfore ( til you understand the case better ) to forbear to talke of the lamp of nature , in the night of eth nicisme but know , that the light of the law of god , and rigt reason & common practise , give sufficient alowance to that which your misprision cavills at , in those , whom ye ought to acknowledge the fathers of the church . you tell us of the custome of the church , & proceedings in the time of athanasius , and the rule of gratian ; as if we disallowed those just courses , where there is a direct & manifest accusation and evident proofes to bee had ; but what doth this hinder , that in case of a justly grounded suspition , and a complaint of a halfe-proved offence , a man should manifest his innocence by oath ? that ye might seem to have seene the canon-law , you tell us that in some cases , it allowes tryall without witnesses , namely , where the crime may be justly called notorious & then deeply expound notorium , by manifestum , therein plainly contradicting your selves ; for , if that be manifest which is lawfully known , by confession , or by probation , or by the evidence of the thing ; what probation can there be , ( besides confession and evidence ) without witnesses ? but this errour is as trifling , as your accusation ; and after all this wast of words , notwithstanding some personall abuses of officers in undue processes of their courts , our bishops and the former are not two . sect . . your next section hath more pompe of reading in it , then the rest , but to as little purpose , i shall trouble you with neglecting it ; we cannot anger a gay man more then in passing by him unseene ; my ground was , that our bishops differ not in respect of any spirituall power , from that , which was delegated from apostolike authority , to timothy & titus ; you spend your time , in proving that they differ in their imployment , in secular and state affaires ; but , i aske , is this difference , or fault universall , or not ; sure , you cannot say they are all thus misimployed ; and if not , why is this blame cast upon al ? why should the calling , & others innocence suffer ? my cause shall yeeld you your postulate herein , and be no whit the worse , it is true the ordinary managing of secular affaires , is not proper for a bishop : chrysostoms counsell , julians practise ▪ constatines bounty , cyr●lls insolent pompe , the romane bishops degenerating , into a secular principality , cyprians grave limitation , the just inhibitions of many canons , are of an undoubted truth ; and we could easily ( if need were ) ad many more to these , and tell you of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that must upon the apostolike canons be avoyded by sacred persons , and the rigorous charge of cyprian , against geminius victor , for ordaining geminius faustinus , a presbyter , but the executor of his last will ; with many other the like instances ; but what are these to the work in hand ? two exceptions must necessarily bee admitted ; the one of extraordinary ocsicaons , and services , as , when a prince , or state , having had good proofe of the abilities of an ecclesiasticall person , shall thinke fit , ( as now it is done in this great northerne negotiation ) to call for his counsaile , or to employ his present agency , for a time , in some main businesse that may import the publike good , and safety of the church , or common-wealth , so st. chrysostome once ; so st. ambrose twice , was imployed in embassie , from the emperours : the very trade of tent-making did as much take up st. paul for the time , as a state-imployment might have done ; and how many have we knowne , that have ( not unprofitably ) professed physicke both for soule and body ; and done much good in both ? the other , of a charitable interposition in matters of difference for peace and reconciliation ; and composing of the unkinde quarrels of dissenting neighbours , , wherewith st. ambrose and st. austine were so extreamly taken up , that the latter makes no little complaint of the importunity of those continuall interpellations ; such , as both his morning studies were distracted by them , and the afternoon wholly spent in them : and professeth , he could not have the opportunity of opening his estate , and heart to bishop ambrose , by reason of that continuall audience of causes , daily brought before that great prelate : surely , if the charity of more of ours have not rendered them more guilty of secularity , in this kind , than the supposed ambition of others , there will be no cause why our bishops , and the bishops of former times should be two . sect . . it is true the remonstrant soares above these after-times , even as high as the apostles : as if you knew not this before ; when as all this while , you have indeavoured to shew that the apostles bishops , and ours are two . we do again professe , that if our bishops challenge any other power , then was delegated to , and required of timothy and titus , wee shall yeeld them usurpers : you kindely tell us , so we deserve to be , if we doe but challenge the same power ; and why so , i beseech you brethren ? because timothy and titus ( yee say ) were evangelists , and so moved in an higher sphere ; liberally and boldly spoken ; but where is your proofe ? for timothy , ye say the text is cleare : but what text , what the least intimation have you for titus ? surely not so much as the least ground of a conjecture ; yet how confidently you avow for both : and even for timothy your glosse is clear , not your text : st. paul bids him do the worke of an euangelist , what then , that rather intimates that he was none : for he doth not say , do thine own worke : but the worke of an evangelist : when i tell my friend , that i must desire him to do the office of a soliciter , or a secretary for me ; i do herein intimate , that he is neither ; but so for the time employed ; why is it not so here ? and what i beseech you is the worke of an evangelist , but to preach the evangell , or good tydings of peace ? so , as st. paul herein gives no other charge to his timothy , then in . tim. . . preach the word , be instant in season and out of season : and this you say and urge , to be the worke of a bishop too ; well , therefore may timothy , notwithstanding this charge , be no other then a bishop : what need these words to be contradistinguished ? st. paul sayes of himselfe , whereto i am appoynted a preacher , and an apostle , and a teacher of the gentiles ; what shall we say st. paul was an apostle , he was not a preacher , or not a doctor , but an apostle ? you distinguish of evangelists ; the word is taken either for the writers of the gospell , or for the teachers of it , and why then was not st. paul an evangelist , who professed to be a teacher of the gospell unto the gentiles , these teaching evangelists , you dreame to be of two sorts ; the one , those that had ordinary places and gifts ; the other extraordinary : but tell me sirs , for my learning ; where do you finde those ordinary-placed , and ordinary-gifted evangelists ? unlesse you mean to comprse all preachers under this name ? and then a bishop may be an evangelist also ; so , as the difference of a bishop and an evangelist vanisheth . the truth is , these ordinary evangelists are a new fiction ; their true imployment was to be sent by the apostles , from place to place , for the preaching of the gospell , without a setled residence upon any one charge : upon this advantage , you raise a slight argument , that st. paul besought timothy to abide at ephesus . . tim. . . which had been a needlesse importunity if he had the episcopall charge of ephesus ; for then he must have necessarily resided there : whereas you recite severall proofes and occasions of his absence , which will appear to be of little force , if a man doe duly consider the state of those times : the necessity wherof in that first plantation of the gospell , made even the most sixed sars planetary , calling them , frequently , from the places of their abode , to those services which were of most use for the successe of that great worke : yet so , as that either after their errands fully-done , or upon all opportune intermissions , they returned to their own chaire : the story therefore of those journal computations might well have been spared . your argument from pauls calling the elders of ephesus to miletus , how ever you lean upon it , it will prove but a reed . your selves confesse ( i know not upon what certaine ground ) that timothy was at the meeting , acts . with st. paul : had he been bishop there , the apostle ( you say ) in stead of giving the elders a charge to feede the flocke of christ , would have given that charge to timothy , and not to them : besides , the apostle would not have so forgotten himselfe , as to call the elders bishops , before the bishops face ; and would have given them some directions , how to carry themselves to their bishops : in all which , brethren , you goe upon wrong ground ; wil ye grant that these assembled persons were presbyters , and not bishops ? under some bishop , though not under timothy ? otherwise , why doe you argue from the want of directions to them , as inferiours ? but if they were indeed bishops , and not mere presbyters , ( as the word it selfe imports ) your argument is lost : for then the charge is equally given to timothy , and all the rest ; and it was no forgetfulnesse to call them as they were , you are straight ready to reply , how unpossible it is ( according to us ) there should be many bishops in one city ; and here were many presbyters from ephesus : but let me mind you , that though these presbyters were sent for from ephesus , yet they were not said to be all of ephesus : thither they were called to meet st. paul in all likelihood , from divers parts , which he seemes to imply , when he saith ; ye all amongst whom i have gone preaching the kingdome of god ; intimating the super-intendents of severall places ; so as , notwithstanding these urged probabilities , timothy might have beene , both before this time and at that present bishop of ephesus ; after which , if paul tooke him along with him to hierusalem , this is no derogation to his episcopacy : and if timothy were yet , after this , prisoner with st. paul at rome , ( as you argue from hebr. . . ) this is no derogation from his episcopacy at ephesus ; but to cut the sinewes of all this strong proofe of your computation ; it is more than probable , that , whereas the whole history of the acts ends with pauls first beeing at rome , that apostle survived divers years , and passed many travells , and did many great matters , for the plantation , and setling of churches , whereof we can looke for no account from scripture , save by some glances in his following epistles ; into which time these occurrents concerning timothy and titus , his ordination did fall , as may be justly proved out of the chronologicall table of the experienced jacob cappellus , compared with baronius : now then , the reader may take his choyse , whether he will believe all antiquity , ( that have medled with this subject ) affirming timothy to have been bishop of ephesus , or whether he wil believe a new hatched contradiction of yesterday , raised out of imaginary probabilities : shortly , it is far enough from appearing , that timothy was no bishop , but a minister , an evangelist a fellow-labourer of the apostles , an apostle , a messenger of the church ; it rather appeares that he was al these in divers sences , and upon severall occasions . the like yea say of titus , whom you are pleased to create an evangelist , not being able to shew , that ever god made him so ; save in that generall sence that might well stand with episcopacy ; you tel us a story of his perigrination in the attendance of paul , wherein you shall not expect any contradiction ; but you shall give me leave to take you tripping in your own tale : from cilicia , you say , paul passed to creet , where he left titus for a while to set in order things that remain : this ( for a while ) you put into a different character , as if it were part of the text ; and guiltily translate ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) things that remaine , whereas ours turne it ( in a more full expression of an episcopall power ) things that are wanting , or left undone ; but this is not the matter , you do yet again repeat the ( for a while ) urging the short time that titus could bee left at creet , and yet , in your own marginall computation there is no lesse distance of time , betwixt this placing in creet , and sending for him to his next remove , unto nicopolis , thā betwixt the year & . the space of five years , which was a large gap of time , in that unsetled condition , and manifold distractive occasions of the church ; if afterwards hee were by apostolicall command called away to tend the more concerning services of the church ; this could no whit have impeacht the truth of his episcopacy ; but the truth is , he was ordained by st. paul after all those journeys mentioned in the acts , ( and as baronius with great consent of antiquity computes it ) a year after timothy ; so , as you may well put up your conclusion , as rather begged than inforced , and cast it upon the readers courtesie to beleeve you against al antiquity , that titus was an evangelist and no bishop ; where as these two may well agree together , he was an evangelist when he travelled abroad ; he was a bishop afterwards , when hee stayed and setled at home . you object to your selfe the authority of some fathers , that have called timothy and titus bishops : some ? name , if you can , that father that hath called them otherwise : away with these envious diminutions , when yea have a cloud of witnesses of much antiquity , which averre timothy and titus to have both lived , and dyed bishops , the one of ephesus , of creet the other : yea but so some fathers have called them arch-bishops and patriarchs too : what of that ? therein they have then acknowledged them bishops , paramount ; and if titus were bishop of creet , which was of old ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the hundred-cityed island , and timothy of ephesus , the metropolis of asia , the multitude of the territories under them , whiles it inlargeth their charge , doth detract nothing from the use of their office . secondly you tell us from learned d. raynolds , that the fathers , when they called any apostle bishop , they meant it in a generall sort , aad signification ; because they did attend that church for a time , and supply that roome in preaching the gospell , which bishops did after not intending it , as it is commonly taken for the over-seer of a particular church , and pastor of a severall flocke : but , what is this to timothy and titus ? you say , the same may be said of them , but the doctor gave you no leave so to apply it ; neither do we . although to say truth , all this discourse of yours is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) needlesse and extravagant : whether timothy or titus were evangelists , or no , sure we are , that heere they stand for persons charged with those offices , and cares which are delivered to the ordinary church governours , in all succeeding generations : and we do most justly take them , as we finde them ; and with our first confidence maintain , that we challenge no other spirituall power , then was delegated unto them , and unto the angels of the asian churches ; you meane to confute us by questions ; and those so poore and frivolous , as are not worth answer ; fastning that upon some particular abuse , which wee disclaime from our calling ; as if under this claime , wee were bound to justifie every act of a bishop . to answer you in your own kind : when , or where did our bishops challenge power to ordaine alone , to govern alone ? when ( though you ignorantly turne an elder in age , to an elder in office ) did our bishops challenge power to passe a rough and unbeseeming rebuke upon an elder ? where did our bishops give commission to chancellors , commissaries , officials , to rayle upon presbyters , or to accuse them without just grounds , and without legall proceedings ? as for your last question , i must , tell you it is no better raised then upon an ignorant negative . did the apostle say , reject none but an heretick ? did he not wish would to god they were cut off that trouble you ? is it not certainly proved true , that some scismaticke may be worse then some hereticke ; which i speak not so , as to traduce any of our unconforming brethren , whose consciences are unsetled in the point of this mean difference , as guilty of that hatefull crime : but to convince the absurdity of our questionists ; after whose ill raised cavills , thus fully answered , we have no cause to feare , upon their suggestions , to bee disclaimed as usurpers . from timothy and titus you descend to the angels of the seven asian churches ; which no subtilty at all , but the common interest of their condition , hath twisted together in our defence . in the generality whereof i must premonish my reader , that this piece of the task fell unhappily upon some dull and tedious hand , that cared not how oft sod coleworts he dished out to his credulous guests ; i shall ( what i may ) prevent their surfet . your shift is , that the angel is here taken collectively , not individually : a conceit , which if your selves , certainly no other wise man can ever believe ; for if the interest be common and equally appertayning to all , why should one be singled out above the rest ? if you will yeeld the person to be such , as had more than others , a right in the administration of all , it is that we seeke for : surely , it did in some sort concerne all that was spoken to him , because he had the charge of al : but the direction is individuall , as beza himselfe takes it ; as if a letter be indorsed from the lords of the counsaile to the bishop of durham or salisbury , concerning some affaires of the whole clergy of their diocesse , can we say that the name bishop , is there no other then a collective ; because the businesse may import many ? verily i do not believe that the authors of this sence can believe it themselves . to your invincible proofes ; in the epistle to thyatira you say it is written ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) i say to you , and to the rest : where ( by you ) must ( as you imagine ) be signified , the governours ; by the rest , the people : but what if the better copyes read , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) i say to you , the rest in thyatira , without the copulative , as is confessed by your good friends ; where then is your doughty argument ? here are no divisions of parties , but the pastor and flock . and truly thus it is ; and my own eyes have seen it , in that noble manuscript , written by the hand of tecla ( as is probably supposed ) some . years agoe , as cyrill , the late renowned patriarch of constantinople avoweth ; your goodly proof therefore is in the suds . but to meete with you in your own kinde , if you will goe upon divers readings ; what will you say to that vers where the angel of thyatira is encharged : thou sufferest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( thy wife iezebell ) ( for so it is in very good copies ) to teach and seduce ; yea so it is in that memorable copy of tecla , forementioned , which is to be seene in the princes library , under the custody of the industrious and learned mr· patrick young , as my owne eyes can witnesse : and thus st. cyprian reads it of olde : what ? shall wee thinke shee was wife to the whole company , or to one bishop alone ? i leave you to blush , for the shame this very proofe alone casts upon your opinion : secondly , you tell us , it is usuall with the holy ghost , even in this very booke , to expresse a company under one singular person : as , the beast is the civill state ; the whore , and the false prophet , the ecclesiasticall state of rome : but what if it be thus in visions , or emblematicall representations ? must it needs be so in plaine narrations , where it is limited by just praedicates ? or because it is so in one phrase of speech , must it bee so in all ? why doe you not as well say , where the lambe is named , or the lion of juda , this is a collective of many ; not an individuall subject : the seven angels , you say , that blew the seven trumpets , and poured out the seven phialls , are not to bee taken literally , but synecdochically ; perhaps so , but then the synecdoche lyes in the seven , and not in the angels , so i grant you the word angel , is here metaphoricall ; but you are no whit nearer to your imagined synecdoche . the very name angell , ( you say ) is sufficient proofe , that it is not meant of one person alone , as being a common name to all gods ministers , and messengers : as if he did not well know this that directed these epistles ▪ and if hee had so meant it , had it not been as easie to have mentioned more as one ? had he said , the angels of the church of ephesus , or thyatira , the cause had been cleare : now , hee sayes the angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the denoted person must be singular ; for surely you cannot say that all the presbyters at ephesus were one angel : the same reason holds for the stars : had he said , to the star of ephesus , i suppose no body would have construed it of many , but of one eminent person : now he speaks of so many stars , as angels , to wit , seven in those seven churches . your fourth argument from the text it selfe , is no better then ridiculous : poorely drawn from what it doth not say : lo , hee saith , the . candlesticks which thou sawest are the . churches : but he doth not say , the . stars are the . angels of the seven churches : but , the angels of the . churches . forbear , if you can , readers , to smile at this curious subtilty : because , the seven is not twice repeated , in mentioning the angels , there is a deep mystery in the omission : what cabalisme have we here ? had he said , the seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches , now , all had been sure ; but he saith not so , but onely thus ; the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches , it is plaine , that every church hath his angell mentioned ; and there being seven churches how many angels , i beseech you , are there ? now because he doth not say expressely in termes , seven angels of the seven churches , we are foyled in our proofe ; judge reader , what to expect of so deep speculations . lastly , it is evident ( you say ) though but one angell be mentioned in the front , yet the epistles themselves be dedicated to all the angels and ministers , and to the churches themselves ; who ever doubted it ? the foot of every epistle runs ( what the spirit saith unto the churches ) not to one church , but to all seven : if therfore you argue , that the name angel is collective , say also that every of these seaven angels , is the whole company of all the seaven churches ; which were a foule non-sence ; you might have saved the labour both of ausbertus , and the rest of your authors , and your own ; we never thought otherwise , but that the whole church is spoken to ; but so , as that the governour or bishop is singled out , as one that hath the maine stroke in ordering the affairs thereof , and is therefore either praised , or challenged , according to his carriage therein ; although also there are such particularities both of commendations , and exceptions , in the body of the severall epistles , as cannot but have relation to those severall over-seers , to whom they were endorsed , as i have else where specified ; had all the presbyters of ephesus lost their first love ; had each of them tryed the false apostles ? had all those of sardis a name to live , and were dead ? were all the laodicean ministers of one temper ? these taxations were no doubt of individuall persons , but such as in whom the whole churches were interessed . as for those conjecturall reasons , which you frame to your selves , why the whole company of presbyters should be written to under the singular name of an angel , if yee please your selves with them , it is well , from me they have no cause to expect an answer : they neither can draw my assent , nor merit my confutation . take heed of yeelding that , which ye cannot but yield to be granted by d. raynolds , & mr. beza , doctor fulke , pareus , and others , that the angel is here taken individually ; but still if you be wise , hold your own ; that our cause is no whit advanced , nor yours impaired by this yieldance : let him have been an angell , yet what makes this for a diocesan bishop ? much every way : for if the church of ephesus ( for example ) had many ministers or presbyters in it to instruct the people in their severall charges , ( as it is manifest they had ) and yet but one prime over-seer , which is singled out by the spirit of god , and stiled by a title of eminence , the angel of that church , it must needs follow , that in st. johns time there was an acknowledged superiority in the government of the church : if there were many angels in each , and yet but one that was the angel , who can make doubt of an inequality ? it is but a pittifull shift that you make , in pleading that these angels ( if bishops ) yet were not diocesan bishops ; for that parishes were not divided into diocesses ( i had thought dioceses should have been divided into parishes rather ) in s. iohns dayes : for by the same reason , i may as well argue , that they were not parochial bishops neither , since that then no parishes were as yet distinguished : as if you had resolved to speak nothing but bulls , and soloecismes ; you tell me , that the seven stars are said to be fixed in their seven candlesticks ; whereas those stars are said to bee in the right hand of the son of god : but ( say you still ) not one star was over divers candlesticks : truly no ; who ever said , that one angel was over all the seven churches ? but that each of these famous churches were under their own star , or angel ; but those churches ( you say ) were not diocesan : how doth that appeare ? because first tindall , and the old translation calls them seven congregations : for answer , who knows not that tindall , and the old translation are still wont to translate the word church , wheresoever they finde it , by congregation , which some papists have laid in our dish : learned doctor fulk hath well cleared our intentions herein from their censure : tindall himselfe professes to doe it out of this reason , because the popish clergy had appropriated to themselves the name of the church ; but however , they rather made use of the word ; yet not so as that hereby they intend onely to signifie parishionall meetings . so ephesians . to the intent that now to the rulers and powers in heavenly places , might bee knowne by the congregation , the manifold wisedome of god ; doe wee thinke this blessed revelation confined to a parish , or common to the whole church of god ? so . corinthians . they turne , i am not worthy to bee called an apostle , because i persecuted the congregation of god : doe we thinke his cruelty was confined to a parish ? so matthew . . vpon this rocke will i build my congregation : was this a parish onely ? so acts . herod the king stretched out his hands to vexe certaine of the congregation : was his malice onely parochiall ? but secondly , ye tell us , that in ephesus , which was one of those candlesticks , there was but one flock . acts . . yea , but can you tell us what kind of flock it was , whether nationall , or provinciall , or diocesan ? parochiall ( i am sure ) it could not be : you have heard before , that those elders or bishops were sent for from ephesus : but that they were all of ephesus it cannot be proved ; when all of them then are bidden to take heede to the flocke of christ , whereof they are made over-seers , each is herein charged to look to his owne ; and all are in the next words required to feed the church of god , which he hath purchased with his owne blood . so as your second argument is fully answered in the solution of the first , and in the former passages of this section . the advantage that you take from epiphanius , affirming that divers cities of that time might have two bishops , whereas alexandria held close to one , can availe you little , when it shall bee well weighed ; first , that your tenet supposeth and requireth that every presbyter should bee a bishop , and therefore ( if your cause speed ) there should be no fewer bishops than parishes . secondly , that the practise of the whole church , both before and after epiphanius , is by such cleare testimonies convinced to be contrary : famous , and irrefragable , is that canon of nicen councell , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that in one city there might not bee two bishops : so before this , cornelius writing to the bishop of antioch objects it scornfully to novatian , that hee did not know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that in a catholike church there ought to be but one bishop ; and it is a knowne word of the confessors of old , in cyprians time , one god , one lord , one bishop : make much ( if you please ) of this conceit of yours , that epiphanius his neighbour-hood might acquaint him well with the condition of the asian churches : but let mee adde , that you shall approve your selves meere strangers to all the rules and practises of antiquity : if you shall stand upon the generall plurality of bishops in the same city , or dioces : and last of all , remember , that epiphanius reckons up aerius as an hereticke , for holding presbyters equall with bishops . your third argument , that there is nothing said in these seven epistles , that implyes a superiority , is answered by the very superscription of each letter , which is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the angel : and much more by the matter of the severall epistles : for what reason were it for an ordinary presbyter to bee taxed for that , which hee hath no power to redresse ? that the angel of pergamus should bee blamed for the having of those which hold the doctrine of balaam or the nicolaitans , when hee had no power to proceed against them ? or the angel of the church of thyatira , for suffering the woman jezabel , ( if it must bee so read ) to teach , and seduce , when hee had no power of publick censure to restraine her ? but what need wee stand upon conjecturall answers , to convince you in this plea , as likewise in the supposed decision of the kinde of superiority , which you urge in the next paragraph ; when wee are able to shew both who the parties were , to whom some of these epistles were directed , and to evince the high degree of their superiority ; ignatius the martyr ( besides tertullian ) is witnesse for both , who tells us that onesimus was now the angel or bishop of ephesus , polycarpus of smyrna ; and as commenting upon this very subject , oft ingeminates the duty of subjection owing to the bishop ; and the divers degrees of those several stations in the church ; as we already instanced ; away then with those your unproving illustrations , and unregardable testimonies , which you ( as destitute of all antiquity ) shut up the scene withall : and let the wise reader judge , whether the remonstrant hath not from the evidence of timothy and titus , and the angels , of the asian churches , made good that just claime of this sacred hierarchy , against all your weak and frivolous pretentions . from the remonstrant ( least your discourse should not be tedious enough ) you fly upon some other defenders of the hierarchy , and fall upon the two post-scripts of saint pauls epistles ( to timothy and titus , wherein timothy & titus are stiled the first bishops of ephesus , and creet ) which i am no way engaged to defend : you say they are not of canonical authority ; so say i too ; but i say they are of great antiquity , & so you must confesse also . faine would i see but any pretence of so much age against the matter of those subscriptions : the averred episcopacy of timothy and titus , cited by these confident antiquaries : surely he were senceles , that would imagine the post-scripts as old as the text , or as authenticke ; but we may boldly say they are older then any records of the gain-sayers . where these subscriptions are not seconded by authority of the ancient church , there i leave them ; but where they are so wel backed , there is no reason to forsake them . the exception therefore which you take at the post-script of the epistle to titus , is not more stale than unjust . you say peremptorily , it was not written from nicopolis ; neither was paul then there : how appeares it ? because hee sayes in the body of the epistle , come to mee to nicopolis , for i am determined there to winter : hee saith not , heere to winter , but there : as speaking of a third place : but how slight this ground is , will bee easily apparent to any man that shall consider , that saint paul was in perpetuall journying from place to place : and therfore , though now at that instant at nicopolis , yet how soone , occasions might call him away , and how long , hee knew not : therefore it was most fit that he should pitch upon a certaine place , whither titus should direct his way toward him : notwithstanding your ghesse therefore , since holy athanasius plainely tells us , that s. paul wrote this epistle from nicopolis ; and is therein followed by oecumenius , and theophylact , and in that famous ancient manuscript , sent by the late patriarch of constantinople ; i finde it plainly dated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must needes follow , that either this subscription was before athanasius and teclaes time ; or else that they went upon some other good ground of their assertion . lastly , it may well goe for a reason of your owne making , that the post-script stiles titus bishop of the church of the cretians ; whereas it would be said of the churches of the cretians ; for the christian churches , of any nation , are called by luke and paul churches , and not church : who would not yeelde you this truth , that the christian churches are called churches ? what can they bee called else , when they are mentioned in their severall diversities ; but when they are upon some intire relation , conjoyned & united , as these of creet , under one government , they may well bee called not the churches , but the church . that flash of wit might well have beene forborne , wherein you make an envious comparison betwixt the authority of these subscriptions , and episcopall authority , of urging subscription to their ceremonies : and why theirs , i beseech you ? have you beene urged to subscribe to any other ceremonies , than have been established by the lawes of this realme & church ? was it episcopall power that enacted them ? had you beene but as obedient , these ceremonies had beene equally yours : now out of pure love you impose that upon us , which you repined that the lawes should impose upon you : goe on thus charitably & prosper . because you wanted worke from the remonstrance , you will cut out some for your selves : an objection of your owne must be answered ; that is , from the inequalitie that was betweene the twelve apostles , and the seaventy disciples : and wel may you shape and fashion your owne answere unto your owne objection : it cannot bee prooved , ( you say ) that the twelve had any superiority over the seaventy , eyther of ordination , or jurisdiction . what ? have you forgotten , brethren , that the apostles ordained the decons , acts . . by praier and imposition of hands ? that the apostle paul laid his hands on timothy ? have you forgotten how by vertue of his apostleshippe hee charges , commands , controllers , censures ? what is , if this bee not ordination and jurisdiction ? but ( say you ) suppose it were so ; yet a superiority and inferiority betweene officers of different kindes , will not prove a superiority and inferiority betweene officers of the same kinde . deeply argued ; surely hence you may inferre , that one bishop is not superiour to another ; nor one presbyter above another ; but that a bishop should not bee superiour to a presbyter , were an uncouth consequence : if the twelve apostles therefore were superiours to the . disciples , and bishops ( as your owne jerome tells you ) succeed those apostles , and presbyters come in the roome of the seventy , where is that identity or samenesse of kind which you pretend ? all antiquity hath acknowledged , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three severall rankes in the church-hierarchy ; and if you have a minde to jumble them together , take away the difference betwixt presbyters , and deacons , as well as that betwixt bishops and presbyters , jam sumus ergo pares . and now wee appeale to the same barre , how farre you have beene from disproving the divine right , or apostolicall institution of episcopacy ; and whether your relyance upon hieromes authority in this poynt hath beene grounded upon any other reason , but your owne weak presumption . yet still like ( as i have heard ) some beaten cocks , you dare crow ; and tell your reader , that though scriptures faile us , yet wee support our selves by the indulgence and munificence of religious princes : surely , if god should have withdrawne himselfe , in vaine should wee make flesh our armes : our calling we challenge from god : some accessory titles , dignities , maintenance , we thankfully professe to have received from the bountie of royall benefactors : what of this ? herein , you say , the author acknowledgeth a difference , betweene our bishops , and the bishops of old . yes verily , so hee gladly doth , with all humble thankefulnesse to god , and good princes : make your best of this concession . suddainly you fall faire , and professe your well-pleasednesse , with the liberall maintenance of the church , although somewhat yet sticks with you : when the ministery came to have agros , domos , locationes , vehicula , as you say from chrysostome , then religio peperit divitias , religion brought forth riches , and the daughter devoured the mother ; and a voice was heard from heaven hodie venenum : and then you tell us of woodden priests , and golden challices but , brethren , take no care for this danger ; our last age hath begun to take sufficient order for the redresse of this evill : and if in time you shall see wooden chalices , and wooden priests , thanke your selves . however , you grant there is not an incompossibility betwixt large revenues , and an humble sociablenesse ; yet you say , it is rare ; and tell us , that the rich provision of bishops hath ushered in , both neglect of their ministery , and pompous attendance , and insultation over their brethren : and you instance in the pride of paulus samosatenus , and shut up with the grave complaint of sulpitius severus . it is not to be denied , brethren , that some such ill use hath beene made , by some , of their abundance : but surely , in this ablative age , the fault is rare , and hardly instanceable ; both the wings and train of many of ours have beene so clipped , that there is no great feare of flying high . but if it bee so , the fault is fixed to the person , who with more grace might otherwise improve the blessing . cast your eyes upon others , even your owne great patrons , and tell mee if you doe not espie the same ill use of large meanes , and flattering prosperity ; yet you desire not to abridge their store , but to rectifie the imployment of it : learne to be so charitable to your spirituall superiors . and now at last you give a vale to your remonstrants arguments , and shut up with a bold recollection , concerning which , let mee say thus much ; truely , brethren , had you as good a faculty in strewing , as you have in gathering , there were no dealing with you : but it is your ill hap to tell the reader in your recapitulation of great feates that you have done in your former discourse , when as he must needs professe that he sees no such matter . i appeal to his judicious eies , whether in all this tedious passage , you have proved any thing but your owne bold ignorance , and absurd inconsequences . sect . xiv . my satisfaction to objections comes next to be scanned ; objections , which would to god they were onely of my own framing . in the first , that episcopacy is no prejudice of soveraigntie , i justly prove , for that there is a compatiblenesse in this case of gods act , and the kings . it is god that makes the bishop , the king that gives the bishoprick : what can you say to this ? you tell us you have already proved that god never made a bishop , as hee stands in superiority over presbyters , so you told us ; and that is enough , we were hard hearted if wee would not believe you : when as wee have made good by undeniable proofes , that ( besides the grounds which our saviour laid of this imparity ) the blessed apostles by inspiration from god , made this difference in a personall ordaining of some above the rest , and giving expresse charge of ordination and iurisdiction to those select persons , in church government , the bishops have ever since succeeded . tell us not therefore , that if wee disclaim the influence of soveraignty into our creation , and assert that the king doth not make us bishops , wee must have no beeing at all ; for , that the reader may see you stop your owne mouth ; answer me , i beseech you , where , or when ever did the king create a bishop ? name the man , and take the cause . it pleases his majestie to give his congedelier for a bishops election to his see , to signifie his royall assent thereunto ; upon which the bishop is solemnly ordained by the imposition of the hands of the metropolitan , and other his brethren ; and these doe , as from god , invest him in his holy calling , which he exercises in that place , which is designed and given by his majestie : what can be more plaine then this truth ? as for that unworthy censure which you passe upon the just comparison of kings in order to bishops , and patrons in order to their clerks , it shall be acknowledged , well deserved , if you shall be able to make good the disparity ; when hee shall prove ( you say ) that the patron gives ministeriall power to his clerke , as the king gives episcopall power to the bishop , it may bee of some conducement to his cause : shortly , brethren , the same day that you shall shew mee that the king ordained a bishop , the same day will i shew you that a patron ordained a presbyter : the patron gives the benefice to the one , the king gives the bishopricke to the other : neither of them do give the office , or calling to either . goe you therefore with your frier simon , to your cell , and consult with your covent for more reason and wit , then you shew in this , and the next scornfull paragraph ; wherein whiles you flout at my modest concession with an unbeseeming frump , you are content silently to balke that my second answer , which you know was too hot , or too heavie for your satisfaction . in the second ; the imputation pretended to bee cast by this tenet upon al the reformed churches , which want this governement , i indevoured so to satisfie , that i might justly decline the envy , which is intended to be thereby raised against us : for which cause , i professed that wee doe love and honour those our sister churches , as the dear spouse of christ , and give zealous testimonies of my well wishing to them . your uncharitablenesse offers to choake me with those scandalous censures , and disgracefull terms which some of ours have let fall upon those churches , and their eminent professors , which i confesse , it is more easie to be sorry for , then ( on some hands ) to excuse ; the errour of a few may not bee imputed to all . my just defence is that no such consequent can be drawne from our opinion ; for as much as the divine or apostolicall right , which wee hold , goes not so high , as if there were an expresse command , that upon an absolute necessity there must bee either episcopacy , or no church ; but so far only , that it both may and ought to be ; how fain would you heere finde mee in a contradiction ? whiles i one-where reckon episcopacy amongst matters essential to the church , another where , deny it to be of the essence thereof ; wherein you willingly hide your eys that you may not see the distinction that i make expresly betwixt the being & well-beeing of a church : affirming that those churches , to whom this power and faculty is denied , lose nothing of the true essence of a church , though they misse something of their glory , and perfection . no , brethren , it is enough for some of your friends to hold their discipline altogether essentiall to the very being of a church ; we dare not be so zealous . the question which you aske concerning the reason of the different intertainment , given in our church to priests converted to us from rome , and to ministers , who in qu. maries dayes had received imposition of hands in reformed churches abroad , is meerely personall ; neither can challenge my decision ; onely i give you these two answers ; that what fault soever may bee in the easie admittance of those , who have received romish orders , the sticking at the admission of our brethren returning from reformed churches , was not in case of ordination ; but of institution : they had beene acknowledged ministers of christ , without any other hands layed upon them , but according to the lawes of our land they were not , perhaps , capable of institution to a benefice , unlesse they were so qualified , as the statutes of this realme doe require ; and secondly i know those , more then one , that by vertue onely of that ordination , which they have brought with them from other reformed churches , have enjoyed spirituall promotions and livings without any exception against the lawfulnesse of their calling . the confident affirmation which you alleage of the learned bishop of norwich is no rule to us ; i leave him to his owne defence ; you think i have too much work on my hand to give satisfaction for myselfe in these two main questions which arise from my book . what high points shall wee now expect trow wee ? first , whether that office , which by divine right hath sole power of ordination , and ruling all other officers of the church ( which hee sayth episcopacy hath ) belong not to the being , but onely to the glorie , and perfection of a church : can wee tell what these men would have ? have they a minde to goe beyond us in asserting that necessity , and essentiall use of episcopacy , which we dare not avow ? do they not care to lose their cause , so they may crosse an adversary ? for your question , you stil talke of sole ordination , and sole jurisdiction ; you may ( if you please ) keepe that paire of soles for your next shooes : vvee contend not for such an height of propriety , neither do we practise it ; they are so ours , that they should not bee without us , as we have formerly shewed ; that therefore there should bee a power of lawfull ordination and government in every setled church , it is no lesse then necessary , but that in what case soever of extremity , and irresistible necessitie , this should be only done by episcopall hands , we never meant to affirme : it is enough that regularly it should be their act. your second question is , there being ( in this mans thoughts ) the same jus divinum for bishops , that there is for pastors and elders , whether , if those reformed churches , wanted pastors and elders too , they should want nothing of the essence of a church ; but of the perfection , and glory of it : the answere is ready : if those reformed churches , wanting those whom you call pastors and elders , did yet injoy the government , by bishops , priests & deacons , they should be so far from wanting ought of the essence of a church , that they should herein attain to much glory and perfection : and so much for your deepe questions . the presumptuous remonstrant would seeme to know so much of the minde of those churches , that hee saith , if they might have their option , he doubts not but they would gladly embrace episcopall government ; a foule imputation which your zeale must needes wipe off ; for which purpose you bring the confessions of the french , and dutch churches , averring the truth , and justifiablenesse of their owne government ; for which they have good reason : neither shall you herein expect my contradiction ; nor yet my present labour of reconciling their governement , and ours in the maine and materiall points of both , this condition they are in , and they doe well to defend it , but they did not tell you they would not ( if oportunity were offered ) be content with a better ; i am deceived if their own publicke constitutions be not still concluded with the power of a change ; and i have elsewhere shewed out of fregevillaeus , that this order of government was in their churches at first only provisionall ; and instanced in those testimonies of approbation , which their learned divines have freely given to our forme of administration ; which i shal not now stand either to repeate , or multiply : let it be enough for the present to say , that upon my certain knowledg , many eminent divines of the churches abroad have earnestly wished themselves in our condition , and have applauded and magnified our church , as the most famous , exemplary and glorious church in the whole christian world : so as i wanted not good reason , for that which you are pleased to stile presumptuous assertion . but the reason of my assertion is yet so more offensive , that you wonder how it could fall from my pen : that there is little difference in the governement of other protestant churches and our owne , save in the perpetuity of their moderatorship , and the exclusion of lay elders ; a passage , belike , as you say , of admirable absurdity . but soft , brethren , i am afraid , first , least you speake of what you know not ; i speak not onely of the next churches of fraunce , and the netherland , i speake of them in a generalitie , as one that ( if this place would bear it ) could give a particular account of them all : neither can your cavills worke my repentance . you tell me of the moderatour in geneva ( as if all the church of god were included in those strait walls ) i could tell you of the superintendents of the churches of germany , of the prepositi in the churches of weteraw , hessia , anhalt , of the seniores , in transylvania , polonia , bohemia ; but what of the moderator in geneva ? hee is not of a superiour order to his brethren ; but let mee tell you , when master calvin was moderatour there , as hee constantly was for many yeeres , no bishop in england swayed more , then he did in that church : and even in the low countries how much the deputati synodi , after they had beene frequently imployed in those services , ( as for instance , my ancient and truly reverend friend mr. bogermannus ) prevailed ) & with what authority they carrie the affaires of the church , it is not hard to understand ; for those other circumstances , which you are pleased to mention , were the moderatorship perpetuall ; they would soon accordingly vary ; and if not so , yet you may remember , that i said not , no difference at all , but , little , whereof your well affectednes to our government can make this use , that then the abrogation of episcopacy will be wrought with the lesse difficulty , and occasion the lesse disturbance ; the old word is ; welfare a friend in a corner ; still you are for the destructive ; none but the babylonian note sounds well in your eare , downe with it , downe with it , even to the ground : but the god of heaven whose cause it is , will , we hope , vindicate his owne ordinance , so long perpetuated to his church , from all your violent and subtile machinations , and prevent the utmost danger of your already sufficiently raised disturbance . sect . xv. concerning the lay presbitery i said , and say still most justly , that it never had footing in the church of god till this present age : these wits cry out in great sport , see , see , how like the man lookes to doctor hall , in his irrefragable propositions ? truely , brethren , as like him , as yee are like your selves : who are still scornfull and insolent : but though yee be commonly spightful , yet you are so seldome witty , that we may well bear with you for once : be he like whom hee will ; dr. hall will sufficiently defend both those propositions , and this remonstrance against all your impotent cavils : for this , concerning the questioned lay presbitery , you make a faire flourish to little purpose : you do wisely to omit those three knowne texts , which the world knows have beene so throughly canvased and eluded , and that famous text of an acknowledged counterfeit , ambrose , so often exploded : wee shall have now new stuffe from you , but of as little worth : surely had the fore-going patrons of your lay-eldership found that they could have received any colour of protection from these places of antiquity , alleaged by you , they had not , after the raking of all the channels of time , forborn the utmost urging of these your testimonies , in their favour and defence ; but they well saw how little reason there was , to presse those unproving evidences , which you will needs urge as convictive . your testimony from origen cannot but shame you , if yet you can blush ; you feared to cite the chapter , that in so long a book , you might not be discovered . but the scope of the place is clearly thus , origen is upon comparison of the philosophers and christians in their care of teaching ; nam illi ( scil . philosophi ) propalam apud vulgus disserentes non sunt curiosi in descernendis auditoribus , &c. for the philosophers , saith hee , in their publick discourses to the people are not curious in the differences of their auditors , but every one that lists , comes and heares them at pleasure : but the christians doe , what they may , carefully pre-examine the mindes of those that desire to heare them : and first they doe privately so to those which are bewitched ( with paganisme ) before they bee received into the congregation ; and when they seeme to have come on so farre , as to be desirous to live honestly , then doe they bring them in ; but in distinct degrees ; the one of those which are newly admitted , but have not yet attained ( the cognizance of their purification , ) baptisme ; the other of those which are now come on so farre as to professe the christian religion ; in this latter ranke are appointed some , which do inquire into the lives and manners of those that come ; that they may be a meanes to keepe off such candidates of religion as doe carry themselves amisse , from their assemblies : and the rest that are like themselves , they may gladly receive : in which passage it is most evident that origen speakes of those which are newly admitted into the church , who by reason of their late knowledge and acquaintance with those which they left behinde them in pagan superstition , might bee fit monitours to knowe , and notifie the condition of such candidates as did offer to come into the church ; now these trusty answerers would make the world believe , that this is spoken of some sage elders , that were to governe the church ; and ( to deceive the reader ) unfaithfully turne the words , nonnulli praepositi sunt , as if they were some ruling elders indeed ; whereas the word signifies , and intends onely a designation of such novices as were well approved , to an office of monitorship concerning those which would professe to bee converts . and now to return your owne words , wee would gladly knowe whether these were not , as it were , lay elders . as for those other testimonies , which you have drawne hither out of augustine , optatus , and the letters of fortis , and purpurius out of baronius ; i could , if neede were , double your files in this kinde , might that doe you any service , i could tell you out of the acts of the purgation of foelix and caecilianus , of episcopi , presbyteri , diaconi , seniores ; out of the synodal epistle of the cabarsussitan councell ( as mentioned by saint augustine in his enarration upon the psalmes ) necesse nos fuerat primiani causam seniorum literis ejusdem ecclesiae postulantibus , audire atque discutere ; which is a more pregnant place then any you have brought ; and could reckon you up yet more , out of the code of the african canons , can. . out of gregory turonensis , who speaking of the bishop of marselles brings him in to say , nihil per me feci , &c. i did nothing of my selfe , but that which was commaunded me à dominis nostris , & senioribus : out of gregory the great in his epistles more then once , i could weary you with supply of such authorities : but , brethren , i shal sadly tel you , that you do herein nothing but abuse your reader , with a colourable pretence : for all those places you alleage , are nothing at all to the purpose in hand . vvho can make question but that carthage and hippo , and other african cities , had old and grave men in them ? vvho can doubt that they had magistrates and men in authority ? such , as we stil are wont out of the ancient appellation , to style aldermen ? who can doubt that they did in all great occasions of the church take the advise , and assistance of these prime men ? but wil it hence follow that in the sense you contend for , they had a setled lay presbytery ? was their church ere the more ( according to your construction ) governed by pastors , elders , deacons ? that these forecited were such , as we have intimated , is most evident ; in the affrican canons ( can ) they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old men ; and in the canon , we find as a commentary upon this point , debere unumquemque nostrum in civitate sua convenire donatistarum praepositos , aut adjungere sibi vicinum collegam , ut pariter eos in singulis quibusque civitatibus per magistratus , vel seniores locorum conveniant that is , that every one of us should in our own cities meet with the chiefe governours of the donatists , and take with him some neighbour as his colleague or assistant , that they together may give them a meeting by the magistrates or elders of the places . but you will say , there were those which were called seniores ecclesiastici ; ecclesiasticall elders also ; true , there were such , iustellus confesses so much , and learned isaacus causabonus ( whose manuscript notes i have seene , ) and his worthy sonne , mericus causabonus in his notes upon optatus , yield no lesse , but these they do truly say , were but as our church-wardens ; men that were trusted with the utensils , stock , and outward affairs of the church ; or , as i may more fully compare them , our vestry-men : who are commonly and of old designed under the name of the eight men , or twelve men , in every great parish ( as i am sure it is in the western parts ) to order the businesses of seats , and rates , and such like externall occasions ; now that those places which you have cited intend no other elders , then these , you shall he convinced out of your own testimonies . the place which you bring out of saint austen cōtra cresconium grāmaticum , runs thus ; omnes vos , &c. all you bishops , presbyters , deacons , and elders , do know , &c. where you see plainly that the elders which hee means are below deacons , and so you shall find them , wheresoever they are mentioned ; now those that you contend for , are by your own claime , in a key above them . optatus whom you cite is cleer against your sense ; whiles he makes only quatuor genera capitum only four sorts of mē in the church ; bishops , presbyters , deacons , & the faithful ( laity ) and in his first book against parmenian , quid commemorē laicos , &c. he reckons up , meer laicks , ministers , deacons ; presbyteros secundo sacerdotio constitutos , presbyters in the second degree of priesthood , & principes omnium episcopos , and the chiefe of all bishops . shortly , brethren , that there were in the church of old ruling elders , which were in a rank above deacōs , and had together with the pastors a setled power of governmēt , in the church , it is an opinion no lesse new , then unjustifiable ; & i do here solemnly professe , that if any one such instance can be brought , i wil renoūce episcopacie for ever . do not thē , against the light of your own knowledge set a face on proofs of those things , which never were , but give glory to god in yielding to so undoubted and cleer a truth . sect . xvi . xvii.xviii . the rest that remaines is but mere declamation , not worthy of any answere , but contempt and silence ; it is most true that the religious bishops of all times have strongly upheld the truth of god against satan and his antichrist . what can you say to this ? you tell mee of some irreligious ones , that have as strongly upheld satan and his antichrist against the truth of god ; what is this to the calling ? can not i tell you of some wicked and irreligious presbyters , shall the function it selfe therefore suffer ? you tel us what an unpreaching bishop once said of a preacher ; i challeng you to shew any unpreaching bishop in the church of england this day ? it is your slander , this , not their just epithete : the scandalls of our inferiour ministers , i professe i could not but bleed to see , but withall desired to have had them lesse publique ; your charity accuseth mee of excusing them , and blaming my humble motion of constantines example , professe to desire the blazoning of them to the world ; whether of us shall give a better account of our charity to the god of peace , i appeale to that great tribunall . in your next section , like ill-bred sonns , you spit in the face of your mother ; a mother too good for such sonnes ; the church of england ; and tell us of papists that dazle the eyes of poore people with the glorious name of the holy mother the church ; if they bee too fond of their mother , i am sure your mother hath little cause to be fond of you ; who can and dare compare her to those aethiopian strumpets , which were common to all commers ; for your whole undutifull carriage towards her , take heed of the ravens of the valley : as if wee were no lesse strangers , then you enemies to the church of england , you tell the world that wee know not who she is ; and that we wonder when wee are askt the question ; and run descant upon the two archbishops , bishops , convocation ; even what your luxuriant wit shall please ▪ and at last you make up your mouth with a merry jest , telling your reader that the remonstrant , out of his simplicity , never heard , nor thought of any more churches of england then one ridiculum caput ! sit you merry , brethren but truly after all your sport , still my simplicity tells mee there is but one church of england ; there are many churches in england ; but many churches of england , were never till now heard of ; you had need fetch it as farre as the heptarchie ; and to shew how far you are from the objected simplicity , yee tell us in the shutting up ▪ that england , scotland , and ireland , are all one church . nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae . but now take heed of obelisks : you professe , you for your parts do acknowledge no antiprelaticall church : i am glad to heare it ; nor i neither ; but i beseech you , if you make and condemne a prelaticall church of england , what shall bee the other part of the contradistinction ? the remonstrant tels you of further divisions , and subdivisions , which upon this ground you must necessarily make of the church , your deepe wisdomes take this , as of his upbrading of the divisions in the church , in meer matter of opinion , and fly out into the censures of the prelaticall party , as the cause thereof ; and would have them say , mitte nos in mare , & non erit tempestas ; the truth is , the severalties of sects , and their separate congregations about this citie are many and lamentable ; i doe not upbraid , but bewaile them ; the god of heaven be iudge where the fault rests , and ( if it bee his holy will ) finde some speedy redresse , but in the mean time , one casts it upon faction , another upon ungrounded rigour , wheresoever it bee , woe bee to those by whom the offence commeth ; lay you your hands on your hearts onwards , and consider well whether your fomenting of so unjust and deep dislikes of lawfull government have not been too much guilty of these wofull breaches . as one that love that peace of the church which you are willing to trouble , i perswading an unity , ask what bounders you set , what distinction of professors you make , what grounds of faith , what new creed , what different scriptures , baptisme , means of salvation are held by that part which you mis-call the prelaticall church ; you answer according to your wonted charity , and truth . what bounds ? those ( you say ) of the sixth canon ▪ from the high and lofty promontory of archbishops , to the terra incognita of an &c. witty again . alas , brethren , if this bee all , the lists are too narrow . here are but four ranks of dignities , and few in each ; put if that inclusive , [ &c. ] reach far , yet what will you make of all this ? doe you exclude bishops , deans , archdeacons , &c. from being members of the church of england ? sure you dare not bee so shamefully unjust : if therefore , that they have an interest in the prelacy , cannot exclude them for their interest in the church : what becomes of your bounders ? this is fit work for your obelisk . what distinction ? you say , worshiping to the east , bowing to the altar , prostituting ( perhaps you meane prostrating ) themselvs in their approches into churches : and are these fit distinctions , brethren , whereupon to ground different churches ? if they difference men , doe they difference christians ? what new creed ? you say , episcopacie by divine right is the first article of their creed . for shame brethren , did ever man make this an article of faith ? who will thinke you worthy to have any faith given you in the rest of your assertions ? you adde ; absolute and blind obedience to all the commandements of bishops ; blush yet again , bretheren , blush to affirme this , when you well know that the words of the oath of canonicall obedience run only , in omnibus licitis & honestis mandatis , in all lawfull and honest commands . you adde , election upon faith foreseene ; what ? nothing but grosse untruths ? is this the doctrine of the bishops of england , have they not strongly confuted it in papists , in arminians ; have they not cry'd it downe to the pit of hell ? what means this wickedly false suggestion ? judge reader , if here bee not work for obelisks . what scripture ? you say , apocrypha , and traditions unwritten ; mark i beseech you , unwritten traditions are scriptures , first : then apocrypha ; and why , i pray you , is it more our apocrypha , then yours ? are all our bibles prelaticall too ? shortly all those churches and houses , and persons that have the apocrypha in their bibles belong to the church prelaticall , what have wee lost by the match . what baptisme ? what eucharist ? you tell us of the absolute necessity which some popish fooles have ascribed to the one ; and of an altar and table set altarwise in the other what are these to the church of england ? doth the errour of every addle head ? or the sight or posture of a boord make a different church ? what christ ? you answere , ( near to a blasphemy ; ) a christ who hath given the same power of absolution to a priest that himselfe hath : this can be nothing but a slanderous fiction ; no christian divine ever held that a priests power of absolution was any other then ministeriall ; christs soveraign and absolute . if you know the man bring him forth that he may be stoned . what heaven ? you say , such as is receptive of drunkards , swearers , adulterers . brethren , take heed of an hel , whiles you fain such an heaven ▪ and feare lest your uncharitableness will no lesse bar you out of the true heaven above , then you bar prelaticall sinners from their accesse thereinto : but , if you had rather , goe on still in your owne way , separate your selves from us that professe wee are one with you ; charge upon us those doctrines and opinions which wee hate no whit lesse then your selves , fasten upon the church of england those exoticall positions of unsound teachers , which it selfe hath in terminis condemned ; and say as you are not ashamed to do , we thank god we are none of you ; we forgive you , and pray for your repentance . your quaeres , wherein i see you trust much , are made up of nothing but spight and slander : if i answere you with questions shorter then your own , and more charitable , you will excuse mee . in answer then to your first , i ask , who ever held the lordships of bishops to stand by divine right . if no body , whether hee that intimates it doth not falsifie and slander ? why is it a greater fault in one of our doctors to hold the lords day to stand iure bumano , then it was in master calvin ? i aske whether it were any other then k. iames himselfe of blessed memory that said , no bishop , no king ; and if it were he , whether that wise king did not meane to prejudice his own authoritie ? whether since it hath beene proved that bishops are of more then meerely humane ordinance , and have so long continued in the christian church to the great good of church , and state , it be not most fit to establish them for ever : and to avoid all dangerous motions of innovation ? whether these answerers have the wit or grace to understand the true meaning of the ius divinum of episcopacie ? or if they did , whether they could possibly be so absurd , as to raise so sensless and inconsequent inferences upon it ? whether there bee any question at all in the fifth question ? since the remonstrant himselfe hath so fully cleered this point , professing to hold episcopacie to bee of apostolicall , and , in that right , divine institution ? whether master beza have not heard foundly of his distinction of the three kinds of episcopacie , in the full and learned answere of saravia : and whether hee might not have beene better advised then in that conceit of his , to crosse all reverend antiquity : and whether the painter that drest up his picture after the fancy of every passenger , doe not more fitly resemble those , that frame their discipline according to the humour of their people , varying their projects every day , then those which hold them constantly to the only ancient and apostolicall forme . whether it were not fit that wee also should speake as the ancient fathers did , according to the language of their times ; and whether those fathers could not better understand and interpret their owne meaning in the title of episcopacie , then these partiall , and not over-judicious answerers ; and whether they have not cleerely explicated themselves in their writings , to have spoken properly and plainly to the sense now enforced . whether presbyters can with out sin arrogate unto themselves the exercise of the power of publique church government , where bishops are set over them to rule and order the affaires both of them , and the church ; and whether our saviour when he gave to peter the promisse of the keyes , did therein intend to give it ( in respect of the power of publike jurisdiction ) to any other save the apostles ; and their successours the bishops ; and whether ever any father or doctour of the church till this present age , held that presbyters were the successours to the apostles , and not to the seventy disciples rather . whether ever any bishops assumed to themselves power temporall to bee barons , and to sit in parliament , as iudges , and in court of star-chamber , &c. or whether they bee not called by his majesties writ , and royall authority to these services ; and whether the spirituall power which they exercise , in ordaining , silencing , &c. bee any other then was by the apostles delegated to the first bishops of the church , & constantly exercised by their holy successors in all ages , especially by cyprian , ambrose , augustine , and the rest of that sacred order ; men which had as little to do with antichrist , as our answerers have with charity . whether the answerers have not just cause to be ashamed of patronizing a noted heretick , aerius , in that for which hee was censured of the ancient saints , and fathers of the church ; and whether the whole church of christ ever since his time till this age have not abandoned those very errours concerning the equality of bishops and presbyters which they now presume to maintain . whether the great apostacy of the church of rome do , or did consist in maintayning the order of government set by the apostles themselves ; and whether all the churches in the whole christian world ( even those that are professedly opposite to the church of rome ) doe let in antichrist by the doore of their discipline , since they all maintain episcopacie no lesse constantly then rome it selfe ; whether if episcopacie be ( through the munificence of good princes ) honoured with a title of dignity , and largnesse of revenues , it ought to be , ere the more declined and whether themselves , if they did no hope to carry some sway in the presbytery would be so eager in crying up that government ; and whether if there were not ● maintenance annexed , they would not hid themselves , and jeopard their eares rathe● then mancipate themselves to the charge o● souls . whether there bee no other apparen● causes to be given for the increase of poper● and superstition in the kingdome , beside● episcopacie ( which hath laboured strongly to oppose it ) and whether the multitudes of sects , and professed slovenlynesse in gods service , ( in too many ) have not bin guilty of the increase of profanesse amongst us . why should england one of the most famous churches of christendome , seperate it selfe from that forme of government , which all churches through the whole christian world have ever observed , and do constantly and uniformely observe and maintain ; and why should not rather other less noble churches conform to that universall government which all other christians besides do gladly submit unto . why should the name of bishops , which hath beene for this . yeers appropriated ( in a plain contradistinction ) to the governours of the church , come now to be communicated to presbyters , which never did all this while so much as pretend to it ; and if in ancient times they should have done it could not have escaped a most severe censure . and shortly whether if wee will allow you to bee bishops all will not bee well . whether since both god hath set such a government in his church , as episcopacie , and the lawes of this land have firmly established it , it can bee lawfull for you to deny your subjection unto it ; and whether it were not most lawfull and just to punish your presumption and disobedience in framing so factious a question ? and thus i hope you have a sufficient answere to your bold and unjust demands , and to those vain cavills which you have raised against the humble remonstrance . god give you wisdome to see the truth , and grace to follow it , amen , to the poscript . the best beauty that you could have added to your discourse , brethren , had been honesty and truth both in your allegations of testimonies , and inferences of argumentation ; in both which i must needs say ( and i speake it in the presence of god to whom i must shortly give an account ) that i never saw any writer that would dare to profess christian syncerity , so fouly to overlash ; as if yee made no conscience by what means you uphold a side , or win a proselyte ; god touch your hearts with a true sense of that whereof you cannot be but in this discourse convinced . now you thinke to garnish your worke with a goodly pasquin borrowed ( for a great part ) out of sion's plea , and the breviate consisting of a rhapsodye of histories , concerning the pride , insolence , treachery , cruelty , and all other the deadlie sins of popish prelates , but especially of those , who swayed the see of canterbury , in those days of darknesse and renish tyranny . whereto i suppose you expect no answere as being a thing utterly unconcerning us ; and that , whereof i might say ( setting aside the ill intention of an application ) as huntingdoniensis said of the cardinals adultery , celari non potuit , negari non debuit . but tell me brethren what can be your drift in this your tedious relatiō ? is there any man that offers to undertake their patrocination ? or is it any advantage to you to make their memory yet more odious ? let them have beene as foule as ill will can make them ; let them have been in their times devills incarnate ; what is that to us ? they were bishops you say . true , but they were popish bishops ; limmes of that body , whose head wee abjure ; the fault of their wickednesse was in the popery , not in the episcopacie , in the men , not the calling , why should you think to choake us with these hatefull instances if i should goe about to rake together all the insolences , murthers , incests , treasons , and villainies , that have beene done by popish presbyters in the time of that lawlesse ignorance , & superstition , would you think these could bee any blemish to you ? why will you then bee so miserably uncharitable , as to cast upon us the crimes of those whom we equally condemne , and to feoffe their faults upon their chaires ? what one profession is there in all mankind , which if wee should go about to ransack , would not yield some persons extreamely vicious , shall the vocation bee condemned , for the crimes of the men ? at last to make up the mouth of your admirable charity , you tell us of the gracious practices of the prelates from the beginning of queene elizabets raigne to this present day ; whose great designe , you say , still hath beene to hinder reformation , to further popery and arminianisme , to beat downe preaching , to persecute zealous professors , and some such other noble projects of episcopall pietie : tell me brethren , as you will answere it before the just iudge of all the world ; have these beene the main designes of bishops ? are they all guilty of these wofull enormities , or are they not ; if yee say they are , the world will cry shame on your falshood ; if they are not , the world will cry no lesse shame on your injustice , in taxing all for the fault of some : what ? are these the onely remarkable works that your eyes could discover to fall from the hands of bishops ? could you see no colledges , no hospitalls built ? no churches re-edified ? no learned volumes written ? no heresies confuted ? no seduced persons reclaimed ? no hospitality kept ? no great offenders punished ? no disorders corrected ? no good offices done for the publique ? no care of the peace of the church ? no diligence in preaching ? no holinesse in living ? truly , brethren , i can say no more , but that the fault is in your eys , and not in your object : wipe them , and looke better ; yea , i beseech god to open them rather , that they may see good , as well , as evill . as for that base and scurrilous proverb , to which you say it is now comne ( whereas the world knowes it is elder then your grandsires , and was taken up , in the popish times ) it were more fit for a scurra in trivio , or some ribald upon an ale-bench , then for grave divines . how easie were it for mee to reckon up an hundred of such spightfull adages which vulgar envy hath beene wont to cast upon the rest of the clergie , worthy of nothing but scorne ? and so had this bin , if your wit and charity had not bin alike ; but surely , brethren , if whatsoever is spoiled , they say , the bishops foot hath beene in it ; i doubt not but they wil say , the bishops foote hath been in your book , for i am sure it is quite spoiled by this just confutation . afier your own pottage ( for your proverb sapit ollam ) you tell us of boner's broath ; i should have too much wondred at this conclusion , but that i hear it is the fashion in some countries , to send in their keal in the last service , and this , it seems , is the manner amongst our smectymnuans . well ; to shut up all , let them of their boners beef and broath , make what brewesse they please for their credulous guests : learned and worthy doctor moulin shall tell them , that the restauration of the english church , and eversion of popery , next under god , and our king , is chiefely to be ascribed and owed to the learning and industry of our bishops ; some whereof being crowned with martyrdome , subscribed the gospell with their blood ; thus hee ; neither doubt i but that many of them ( if occasion were offered ) would be ready to imitate them in those red characters . in the mean time i beseech the god of heaven to humble you in the sight and sense of your own grievous uncharitablenesse , and to put ( at last ) into your hearts and tongues , the counsels of peace . finis . an advertisement to the reader . know reader , that whereas in one of those many angry pamphlets , which have beene lately published , there is an intimation given of some disgracefull language that fell from dr. voetius , the learned professor of vtrecht , concerning the person of doct. hall b. of exeter ; there hath been serious inquisition made into the truth of that report ; and that the said d. voetius disavowes ( to the party that inquired of it ) any such words of under-valuation , by him spoken , as it is testified under the hand of sir william boswell knight , his majesties lieger with the states : and , if , upon the sight of a displeasing title of a booke ( contrary to his own judgement ) any learned divine , should have passed a censure upon the worke ; there was small reason for the reporters to reflect upon the person of the authour . yea , i am confident that many of our worthy brethren at home , who are differently minded concerning this tenet of the right of episcopacie , if they would be pleased to informe themselves throughly of the state of the question , as it is defended by the authour of that treatise , would find small cause of scruple in this opinion . for whereas there are three degrees of truths , and holy institutions ( as they are commonly distinguished ) humane , apostolike , divine ; the first from mere men ; the second from men apostolical ; the third from god himselfe immediately ; the authour desires to goe a mid-way in this difference ; holding it too low to derive episcopacy from a merely humane , and ecclesiasticall ordinance ; holding it too high to deduce it from an immediate command from god ; and therefore pitching upon an apostolicall institution ; rests there : but because those apostles were divinely inspired , & had the directiōs of gods spirit for those things which they did for the common administration of the church , therefore , and in that onely name is episcopacie said to lay claime to a divine right ; howsoever also it cannot be gainsaid that the grounds were formerly laid by our saviour in a knowne imparity of his first agents ; now surely this truth hath so little reason to distaste them , that , even learned chamier himselfe can say ; res ipsa coepit tempore apostolorum , vel potius ab ipsis profecta est . and why should that seeme harsh in us , which soundeth well in the mouthes of lesse-interessed divines ? but because the very title of that book hath raised more dust then the treatise it selfe ; bee pleased , readers , to see , that this very question is in the very same termes determined by that eminent light of the palatinate ; dr. abrah . scultetus ; whose tract to this purpose i have thought fit to annex . peruse it , and judge whether of those two writers have gone further in this determination ; and if you shall not meet with convincing reasons to bring you home to this opinion ; yet , at least-wise find cause enough to retaine a charitable and favourable conceit of those , who are ( as they think , upon good grounds ) otherwise minded ; and whilest it is on all parts agreed by wise and unprejudiced christians , that the calling is thus ancient and sacred ; let it not violate the peace of the church to scan the originall , whether ecclesiasticall , apostolicall , or divine . shortly , let all good men humbly submit to the ordinance , and heartily wish the reformation of any abuses . and so many as are of this mind , peace be upon them , and the whole israell of god. amen . the determination of the question , concerning the divine right of episcopacy . by the famous and learn'd divine dr. abrahamus scultetus , late professour of divinity in the vniversity of heidelberg . faithfully translated out of his observations upon the epistles to timothy and titus . london printed for nathaniell bvtter . , the question . whether episcopacie be of divine right ? that is , whether the apostles ordained this government of the church , that not onely one should be placed over the people , but over presbyters and deacons , who should have the power of imposition of hands , or ordination , and the direction of ecclesiasticall counsels . this was anciently denyed by aerius , as is related by epiphanius , in his heresie , and by iohn of hierusalem , as appears by hierome , in his epistle to pammachius . and there are not wanting in these dayes many learned and pious men , who , although they acknowledge aerius to have erred , in that he should disallow of that manner of ecclesiasticall government , which had beene received by the whol world ; yet in this they agree with him , that episcopall government is not of divine right . from whose opinion why i should sever my judgement , i am moved by these strong reasons , famous examples , and evident authorities . my judgement is this ; first , in the apostles epistles the name of bishop did never signifie any thing different from the office of a presbyter . for a bishop , presbyter , and an apostle , were common names , as you may see act. . phil. . v. . tit. . . pet. v. . act. . . next . in the chiefe apostolicall church , the church was governed by the common advice of presbyters ; and that for some yeers in the time of the preaching of the apostles . for first of all , companies must bee gathered together , before we can define any thing concerning their perpetuall government . then , the apostles , as long as they were present or neere their churches , did not place any bishop over them , properly so called , but only presbyters , reserving episcopall authority to themselves alone . lastly , after the gospell was farre and neere propagated , and that out of equality of presbyters , by the instinct of the devill , schismes were made in religion , then the apostles ( especially in the more remote places ) placed some over the pastors , or presbyters , which shortly after , by the disciples of the apostles , ignatius , and others , were onely called bishops , & by this appellation , they were distinguished from presbyters & deacons . reasons moving me to this opinion ? first , hierome upon the . chapter of the epistle to titus , writeth , that a presbyter is the same with a bishop , and before that , by the instinct of the devill , factions were made in religion , and it was said among the people , i am of paul , i of apollo , but i of cephas , the churches were governed by the common counsell of presbyters : afterwards it was decreed in the whol world , that one chosen out of the presbyters , should be placed over the rest . from whence i thus argue . when it began to be said among the people , i am of paul , i of apollo , but i of cephas , then one chosen out of the presbyters , was placed over the rest . but whiles the apostles lived , it was so said among the people . as the first epistle to the corinthians , besides other of st. pauls epistles , puts it out of doubt . therefore , while the apostles lived , one chosen out of the presbyters was placed over the rest . againe , there can be no other terme assigned , in which bishops were first made , then the time of the apostles ; for all the prime successors of the apostles were bishops : witnesse the successions of bishops in the most famous churches of hierusalem , alexandria , antioch , and rome , as it is in eusebius , therefore , either the next successors of the apostles , changed the force of ecclesiasticall government , received from the apostles , according to their owne pleasure , which is very unlikely , or the episcopall government came from the apostles themselves . besides , even then in the time of the apostles , there were many presbyters , but one bishop , even then in the time of the apostles , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee that was placed over the rest , which afterwards was called bishop , did impose hands , or ordaine ministers of the word , which presbyters alone did not presume to doe . even then , therefore , the calling of bishops was distinct from the office of presbyters . if any desire the examples of apostolicall bishops , the books of the antient are full of the episcopal authority , of timothy and titus , either of which , howsoever , first performed the office of an evangelist , yet notwithstanding , ceased to be an evangelist , after that timothy was placed over the church of ephesus , and titus over the church of crete ; for evangelists did only lay the foundations of faith in forraign places , & then did commend the rest of the care to certaine pastors , but they themselves went to other countries , and nations , as eusebius writes in his third booke of ecclesiasticall history , and . chap. but paul taught sometimes in ephesus and crete and laid the foundations of faith there ; therefore he commandeth timothy to stay at ephesus , & titus at crete , not as evangelists but as governors of the churches . and indeed , the epistles , written to either of them , doe evince the same ; for in these , he doth not prescribe the manner of gathering together a church , which was the duty of an evangelist , but the manner of governing a church , being already gathered together , which is the duty of a bishop ; and all the precepts in those epistles , are so conformable hereunto , as that they are not refer'd in especiall to timothy , and titus , but in general to all bishops , and therefore in no wise , they suit with the temporary power of evangelists . besides , that timothy and titus , had episcopall jurisdiction , not onely eusebius , chrysostome , theodoret , ambrosius , hierome , epiphanius , oecumenius , primasius , theophylact , but also the most ancient writers , of any that write the history of the new testament , whose writings are now lost , do sufficiently declare : eusebius without doubt appealing unto those , in his third book of ecclesiasticall history and . chapter , timothy ( saith hee ) in histories is written to bee the first which was made bishop of the church of ephesus , as titus was the first , that was made bishop of the church of crete . but if john the apostle , and not any antient disciple of the apostles , bee the authour of the revelation , hee suggests unto us , those seven new examples of apostolicall bishops : for all the most learned interpreters interpret the seven angels of the churches , to be the seven bishops of the churches ; neither can they doe otherwise , unlesse they should offer violence to the text . what should i speake of james , not the apostles but the brother of our saviour , the sonne in law of the mother of our lord : who by the apostles , was ordained bishop of hierusalem , as eusebius , in his d. book of ecclesiasticall history , & chap. out of the . of the hypotyposes of clement , hierome concerning ecclesiasticall writers , out of the . of the comments of egesippus , relate , ambrose upon the . chap. unto the galatians , chrysostome in his homily upon the of the acts , augustine in his d. book and chap. against cresconius , epiphanius in his , heresie , the . synod in tullo , and canon , all assenting thereunto . for indeed , this is that james that had his first residence at jerusalem , as an ordinary bishop , whom paul in his first , and last coming to hierusalem , found in the city ; almost all the apostles preaching in other places , gal. . . and that concluded those things , which were decreed in the assembly of the apostles , act. . for hee was with chrysostome bishop of the church of hierusalem , from whom when certaine came , peter would not eate with the gentiles . galat. . . from examples , i passe to authorities , which ignatius confirmes by his own authority , whose axiomes are these . the bishop is he , which is superiour in all chiefty , and power . the presbytery , is a holy company of counsellours , and assessours to the bishop . the deacons are the imitators of angelicall vertues , which shew forth their pure , and unblameable ministry . he which doth not obey these , is without god , impure , and contemnes christ , and derogates from his order , and constitution , in his epistle to the trallians . in an other place , i exhort that ye study to doe all things with concord . the bishop being president in the place of god. the presbyters in place of the apostolick senate , the deacons as those to whom was committed the ministry of jesus christ , in his epistle to the magnesians . and againe , let the presbyters be subject to the bishop , the deacons to the presbyters , the people to the presbyters and deacons , in his epistle to those of tarsus . but ignatius was the disciple of the apostles , from whence then had he this hierarchie but from the apostles ? let us now heare epiphanius in his . heresie . the apostles could not presently appoint all things : presbyters and deacons were necessary ; for by these two , ecclesiasticall affaires might bee dispatch . where there was not found any f●t for the episeopacie , that place remained without a bishop , but where there was need , and there were any fit for episcopacy , they were made bishops . all things were not compleat from the beginning , but in tract of time all things were provided which were required for the perfection of those things which were necessary , the church by this means receiving the fulnesse of dispensation . but eusebius comes neerer to the matter , & more strongly handles the cause , who in his third booke of ecclesiasticall history , and : chapter , as also in his chronicle affirmeth that erodius was ordained the . bishop of antioch in the yeere of our lord. . in the . yeere of claudius the emperor : at which time , many of the apostles were alive . now hierome writeth to evagrius , that at alexandria , from mark the evangelist , unto heraclius and dionisius the bishop , the presbyters called one , chosen out of themselvs , and placed in a higher degree , the bishop . but marke dyed , as eusebius , and bucholcerus testifie , in the yeere of our lord . peter , paul , and john , the apostles , being then alive : therefore , it is cleere , that episcopacie was instituted in the time of the apostles , and good hierome suffered some frailty , when he wrote , that bishops were greater then presbyters , rather by the custome of the church , then the truth of the lords disposing ; unlesse perhaps , by the custome of the church , hee understands the custome of the apostles , and by the truth of the lords disposing , hee understands the apointment of christ , yet not so , hee satisfies the truth of history . for it appears out of the . . and . chapters of the revelation , that the forme of governing the church by angels or bishops , was not only ratified , and established , in the time of the apostles , but it was cōfirmed by the very son of god. and ignatius called that form the order of christ . and when hierome writes , that it was decreed in the whole world , that one chosen out of the presbyters should bee placed over the rest . and when i have demonstrated , that in the life-time of the apostles , bishops were superior to presbyters in ordination : and that each church had one placed over it , doe wee not without cause demand ; where , when , and by whom episcopacie was ordained ? episcopacie therefore is of divine right . which , how the prelates of the church of rome , for almost . yeers , did adorne with the truth of doctrine , innocency of life , constancy in afflictions , and suffering death it selfe for the honour of christ ; and on the other side , how in succeding times , first by their ambition , next by their excessive pragmaticall covetousnesse , scraping up to themselves the goods of this world , then by their heresie , last of all by their tyranny they corrupted it , that the roman hierarchy , at this day , hath nothing else left but a vizard of the apostolicall ecclesiasticall hierarchy , and the lively image of the whore of babylon , our histories both antient and moderne doe abundantly testifie . wherefore all bishops are warned from hence , that they throughly weigh with themselves the nature of apostolicall episcopacie , of which they glory that they are the successors . that episcopacie had two things peculiar to it , the privilege of succeeding , & the prerogative of ordaining : all other things were common to them with the presbyters . therefore both bishops and presbyters , should so exercise themselves in godlinesse , should so free themselves from contempt by their conversation , and so make themselves examples to their flock ; not neglecting especially the gift of prophecying , received from above , but being wholly intent , to reading , consolation , and teaching : to meditate on these things , to be wholly conversant in them ; and so perpetually imployed in this holy function , and divine affairs , with this promise , that if they shall doe these things , they shall both save themselves , and their auditors , but if after the custome of some great ones , they follow the pride and luxury of this world , they shall both destroy themselves , and them that heare them . ( * ) finis . the judgment of the learned divine , doctor abrahamus scultetus , prime professor of divinity at heidelberge , concerning lay-elders . observations vpon timothy , by abraham scultetus . cap. . concerning . tim. . . there are some that thinke this place of scripture is of force enough to make good a lay-presbytery ▪ for their eyes and judgements are dazled w th . that distinction of elders , which they suppose , to be cleerly intimated here by s. paul : but , if they shall have diligently scanned the place , & compared it with other texts of scripture , they shall soone finde that the defence of lay elders out of this place , is both contrary to the signification of the word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) i e. those that rule , and contrary to the signification of the word presbyter ; and that it is quite against st. pauls perpetuall doctrine , and it is against the judgement of all the fathers , that have expounded this speech of saint paul. it is contrary to the signification of the word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) for ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or ecclesiasticall rule or government is an honour wherewith onely ministers of gods word are invested in the new testament , and not any lay persons : we beseech you brethren saith the apostle , thes . v. . that you know those that labour amongst you , and are over you in the lord , and that admonish you , and to esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake : upon which words , saith calvin , it is worthy to bee observed ; what titles he gives to pastors . first he saith , that they labor , and then he sets them forth , by the name of rule , or governance . and beza upon the place it appeares from hence , that the church was governed by pastors in common , and that the degree of a bishop was not thought of , and therefore ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to rule , is the same with ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to leade , because the shepheards are wont to goe before their flock . but the apostle heb. . . and . calls the ministers of the word leaders . therefore , according to beza , we must acknowledge those that are over the people , are the ministers of the word : neither doth iustin martyr in his apology to antonius call the ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) any other then the pastor and teacher of the congregation . moreover , the defence of lay-elders out of this present text of st. paul , is contrary to the signification of the word presbyter , which when it is used , concerning the polity of the new testament , doth always signifie the ministers of the word : acts . . they sent their collection to the elders by the hands of barnabas , and saul , that is to the ministers , of whom it is said , acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they ordained them elders in every church : and acts . . a main question of faith is propounded to the apostles and elders of hierusalem ; but what ? to be decided by lay-men ? for the elders met with the apostles to consider of this matter , acts . . and the presbyters are joyned together with the apostles verse . and are distinguished from the whole church , as also v. . and chap. . . again in the . of the acts the elders of ephesus verse . are said to be made bishops to feede the flocke of christ , ver . . and in acts . . and the verses following , the presbyters or elders of jerusalem instruct the apostle paul what he is to doe ; and therefore were no lay-men . in this very chapter , when timothy is commanded to receive no accusation against an elder , the elder there is a teacher , as shall be shewed in the next chapter . titus . . that thou maist ordain elders in every city ▪ what kind of elders ? surely , teachers ; for hee adds , if any be blamelesse . &c. for a bishop must be unreproveable , &c. and james . . the sick are bidden to send for the elders of the church , that they may pray over , and anoint the sick with oyle in the name of the lord , which is no lay-mans duty : peter . . the elders i exhort who am also a fellow-elder , feede the flock ; how is hee a fellow-elder , but because he is a teacher as they ? and they are charged to feed the flook , therefore pastors , , ioh· . & ioh. . iohn the apostle without all question is called an elder . ignatius makes often mention of elders , or presbyters in his epistles , but never of lay-elders . and in his epistle to those of tarsus describing the ecclesiasticall hierarchy of his time , he saith ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) let the presbyters bee subject to the bishops , and the deacons to the presbyters , and the lay-men to both deacons , and presbyters : and to the magnesians as the lord saith hee doth nothing without the father : so neither do you without your bishop , neither presbyter , nor deacon , nor laick . where observe that the very deacons did not sit in the presbytery apostolique , much lesse lay-men . thirdly , the defence of lay-elders out of the . verse of chap. . of the . tim. is against the perpetuall doctrine of st. paul : for to give honour to the presbyters , or elders , is to honour them with maintenance , out of the publique stock of the church ; for so the apostle , before , commands these that are indeed widowes to be honoured , that is to be designed to publique attendances and allowances ; and the reason which the apostle gives , confirmes this explication of the honour required ; when he saith thou shalt not muzzle the oxe that treadeth out the corne . and in matthew the honor of parents is chiefely to be taken of meat and maintenance , which signification is very familiar and proper to the word ( kabud ) used in the fifth commandement , and so the word is expounded by marke . . but maintenance , out of the stock of the church , the apostle would not have to be given even to such poore widdows , as could be otherwise provided for ; as before verse . and he himselfe laboured with his owne hands , that he might not bee burdensome to others , much lesse would he have the chiefe of the laity who abound with wealth to bee maintained of the common store ; and that more liberally then others : for , if by those that rule well , you shall understand both lay-elders and sacred also , you must needs conclude , that they are all worthy of double honour , both those which rule , and those which labour in doctrine : which conclusion the apostle is against elsewhere ; whilest hee saith , those which serve at the altar , must partake of the altar . and the lord himselfe who hath appointed that those which preach the gospell should live of the gospell , . corinthians . . . wherupon hierome in the same place ; hee would saith hee , have them to yeeld carnall things to those of whom they receive spiritual things , because they being taken up in teaching , cannot provide necessary things for themselves . yea , i say yet more , if st. paul had , by those that rule , understood lay-elders , certainly hee would some-where have put them in minde of their duty , or , at least have made mention of them , tim. . where he doth not omit to give charge even of deacons , and deaconesses : but he doth neither of the two , but presently after the mention of bishops , or presbyters that were pastors , he falls into the speech concerning deacons , and their wives ; so as it is a plaine proofe that lay-elders were utterly unknown to him . fourthly , the defence of lay-elders out of this place is utterly against the judgment of the fathers , so many as ever have expounded this text of the apostle : neither indeed is there any necessity at all , that because the apostle saith , those especially that labour in word and doctrine , therefore we should devise new elders to bee taken out of the common people : for it was well knowne , that those of the clergie , which are over the lords flock , have their distinct offices , and employments . there are of them , which administer sacraments , make publike prayers , privately admonish faithfull people , and with-hold them from sinning ; there are others , which being indued with excellent guifts of speaking , imploy themselves in being teachers & guids to mens soules in the way to heaven , and the labors of these men , which are taken by them , in word and doctrine , are justly preferred before the service of them , which administer the sacraments , and make prayers for the church ; even by the testimony of the apostle himselfe , who saith ; christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospell , . cor. . . he was sent for both purposes , but the chief end of his mission , was , the preaching of the gospell . whosoever therefore , thus rule the people , whether they doe administer the sacrament , or onely preach the word , or whether they doe both , are worthy of double honour ; where a certain number is put for an uncertain , double honour , that is greater and more then others ; although some are of opinion , that here by apostolique authority there is a greater portion assigned to the governors , then to others that appertain to the church , others interpret it of that double honour which is fit for governours to have ; one , of an awfull reverence and command , the other of more largenesse of maintenarce ; that they be , both , observed , and respected above others , and , that they have a more liberall provision of necessaries for their livelyhood ; but the first of them is the more simple exposition of the words . he therefore holds those , that are set over the people worthy of double honour ; and why double ? a little before he had given them order about the honoring , that is maintaining of their widowes , at the charge of the church : from the widows , hee passeth to the elders , or presbyters ; whom , if they rule well , hee would have honoured with a double alowance , that is greater then that of the widowes , both by reason of their office , and by reason of their family ; and amongst those that rule , yet againe , hee would have those most regarded , who are imployed not so much in administring the sacraments , as in preaching the word . i doubt not but this is the most true explication of this place finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e psal . . . acts ▪ . areopagus mars-hill , or the c●urt of areopagites . branded , and mislik't , &c. pag. . * if we may not rather take it to allude to the manner of the heathens , who because their gods were multinomines , according to their severall powers and vertues , had certain monitors to put the suppliants in mind of the appellations of their deities , as desiderius heraldus thinks ; and to this purpose brings that of s. augustine , cited out of seneca ; as he reads it , alius numina dei subjicit ; or as lipsius , nomina ; however it cannot give the least colour to the sense intended by the answerers . aug. ep. aug. de bon . persever . c. . vtinam tardi corde sic audirent disputationes nostras ut magis intuerentur orationes nostras , quas semper habuit , & habebit ecclesia ab exordiis suis , usque dum finiatur seculum . just . mart. apol. . the words are , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : that is , with all intention ; and implied in that of the same justin martyr , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . conc. laod. c. . first the prayers of the catechumeni preceded , then those of the penitents followed , then those of the faithfull concluded . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . con. laod. c. concil . milev . . cont . celest . & pelag. poste à mortuus est adrianus ( cujus deus non misereatur ) obiitque cum luctu magno , &c. * ( viz. the high priest then living ) buxtorfius tells us that the creed of r. ben maimon was taken out of the jews liturgy . in his speech at norwich assizes , published . m. fisher . i beseech you tell me brethren , how you construe those words of calvin which he wrote to the protector of england . anno . oct. . quod ad formulam precum & rituū ecclesiasticorum , valde prob● ut certa illa extet à qua pastoribus discedere non liceat infunctione sua ; tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati & imperitiae , quam ut certius ita constet omnium inter se ecclesiarum consensus ; postremo etiam , &c. that is , as for a forme of prayers , and of rites ecclesiasticall ; i do greatly approve that there be a certain one extant , from which it should not be lawfull for the ministers in their function to depart : both that by this meanes provision may bee made for the simplicity , and unskilfulnesse of some , and the consent of all churches amongst thēselves may more certainly appeare ; lastly , that thus there may be a remedy for the desultory levity of some men that affect still certain innovations ; as i have shewed that the catechisme it selfe serves for this purpose . so therefore there ought to be a set forme of catechisme , a set form of administration of sacraments , and of publique prayers . quanquam descessu veteris confusus amici , , juvenal . you might as well have told us out of the same author , of the strange conditions that are in use amongst them , which they impose upon their king , if ever he come into their coast ; of his riding with one leg bare , and their mocking of him with their maravedis . yet the words of the remonstrance are not , nothing can be a more certain truth , but , nothing can be more plain then this truth . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epiph. amb. de dignit● sacerd. c. . nam & alexandriae à marco evangelistausque ad heraclam & dionysium episcopos , pr●sbyteri semper unum ex se electū , in excel siori gradu collocatum , episcopum nominabant , quomodo si exercitus imperatorem faciat , &c. the holy ghost made you bishops , or over-seers . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrysost . tom. . edition . savil. p. . aug. f p. . greg. naz. orat. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. platina in vita greg. . cypr. ep. . fi●mil cyp●ian . epist . . to this purpose is that which you cite out of clemens alex . strom. l. . alluded to in that usuall allegation of ambrose . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . concil . antioch . c. , . b. down . def . l. . ch . . howsoever it is now in some reformed churches laid down . socrat. l. . c. . king. . . calvin epist f . aquin. pro dormit●one victioris non fiat blatio , a uto depre , catio aliquanomine ejus in ecclesia frequentetur . cypr. rogatiano fratri l. . ep. . aug. ep. . · tim . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : rev. . cypr. l. . ad antonianum epist . revel . . . conc. nic. can . ignat. ad ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. so cyprian , epicopis loquens , &c. qui apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt . ep. . vnitas per apostolos novis successoribus tradita . ep. meminisse debent diaconi quoniam apostolos i. e. episcopos & prapaesitos dominus clegit . ep. . b. montague orig. contra celsum c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide justellum , in notis ad canon . african . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . can. afr. aug. contra crescon . l. . omnes vos episcopi , presbyteri , diaconi , & seniores scitis , &c. where against your own knowledge you translate presbyteri ( elders ) to bleare the readers eys , with a shew of a double sort of elders , whereas presbyteri are there manifestly distinguished from seniores . p. moulin . epist . . ad episcop . winton , &c. christ mysticall, or, the blessed union of christ and his members also, an holy rapture, or, a patheticall meditation of the love of christ : also, the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage / by j.h. d.d. b.n. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christ mysticall, or, the blessed union of christ and his members also, an holy rapture, or, a patheticall meditation of the love of christ : also, the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage / by j.h. d.d. b.n. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. : port. printed by m. flesher, and are to be sold by william hope, gabriel beadle, and nathaniel webbe, london : . marginal notes. added t.p. on p. [ ]: an holy rapture, or, a patheticall meditation of the love of christ. added t.p. on p. [ ]: the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- mystical body. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christ mysticall ; or , the blessed union of christ and his members . also , an holy raptvre : or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ. also , the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage . by j. h. d. d. b. n. london , printed by m. flesher , and are to be sold by william hope , gabriel beadle , and nathaniel webbe . . to the only honour and glory of his blessed saviour and redeemer : and to the comfort and benefit of all those members of his mysticall body , which are still labouring and warfaring upon earth ; i. h. their unworthiest servant , humbly dedicates this fruit of his old age . the contents . § . how to be happy in the apprehending of christ. § . the honour and happinesse of being united to christ. § . the kinde and manner of our union with christ. § . the resemblance of this union by the head and members of the body . § . this union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife . § . this union resembled by the nourishment & the body . § . the resemblance of this union by the branch , and the stock ; the foundation , and the building . § . the certainty and indissolublenesse of this union . § . the priviledges and benefits of this union : the first of them life . § . a complaint of our insensiblenesse of this mercy , and an excitation to a chearfull recognition of it . § . an incitement to a joy and thankfulnesse for christ our life . § . the duties we owe to god for his mercy to us in this life , which we have from christ. § . the improvement of this life ; in that christ is made our wisdome . § . christ made our righteousnesse . § . christ made our sanctification . § . christ made our redemption . § . the externall priviledges of this union , a right to the blessings of earth and of heaven . § . the means by which this union is wrought . § . the union of christs members with themselves . first , those in heaven . § . the union of christs members upon earth . first , in matter of judgement . § . the union of christians in matter of affection . § . a complaint of divisions , and notwithstanding them , an assertion of unity . § . the necessary effects and fruits of this union of christian hearts . § . the union of the saints on earth with those in heaven . § . a recapitulation and sum of the whole treatise . i have with much comfort and contentment perused these divine and holy meditations , entituled christ mysticall , an holy rapture , and the christian , laid forth , or characterised in his whole disposition and carriage ; and relishing in them much profitable sweetnesse and heavenly raptures of spirituall devotion , i doe license them to be printed and published . john dovvname . christ mysticall ; or , the blessed union of christ and his members . there is not so much need of learning , as of grace , to apprehend those things which concern our everlasting peace ; neither is it our brain that must be set on work here , but our heart ; for true happinesse doth not consist in a meer speculation , but a fruition of good : however therefore there is excellent use of scholar-ship in all the sacred imployments of divinity , yet in the main act which imports salvation , skill must give place to affection . happy is the soul that is possessed of christ , how poor so ever in all inferiour endowments : ye are wide , o ye great wits , whiles you spend your selves in curious questions , and learned extravagancies ; ye shal find one touch of christ more worth to your souls , then all your deep , and laboursome disquisitions ; one dram of faith more precious then a pound of knowledge : in vain shall ye seek for this in your books , if you misse it in your bosomes : if you know all things , and cannot truly say , i know whom i have beleeved , you have but knowledge enough to know your selves truly miserable . wouldst thou therefore , my son , finde true and solid comfort in the houre of temptation , in the agony of death ? make sure work for thy soul , in the days of thy peace ; finde christ thine ; and , in despight of hell , thou art both safe , and blessed ; look not so much to an absolute . deity , infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious : alas , that majesty ( because perfectly , and essentially good ) is , out of christ , no other then an enemy to thee ; thy sinne hath offended his justice , which is himself ; what hast thou to doe with that dreadfull power which thou hast provoked ? look to that mercifull , and all-sufficient mediator betwixt god and man , who is both god and man , jesus christ the righteous : it is his charge , and our duty , ye beleeve in god , beleeve also in me . yet look not meerly to the lord jesus , as considered in the notion of his own eternall beeing , as the son of god , co-equall and co-essentiall to god the father , but look upon him , as he stands in reference to the sons of men : and herein also look not to him so much , as a law-giver , and a judge , ( there is terror in such apprehension ) but look upon him , as a gracious saviour and advocate ; and lastly , look not upon him , as in the generality of his mercy , the common saviour of mankind , ( what comfort were it to thee , that all the world except thy selfe were saved ? ) but look upon him , as the dear redeemer of thy soul , as thine advocate at the right hand of majesty ; as one , with whom thou art ●hrough his wonderfull m●rcy , inseparably united : t●us , thus , look upon him firmly and fixedly ; so as he may never be out of thine ei●s ; and what ever secular objects interpose themselves betwixt thee and him , look through them , as some slight mists , and terminate thy sight still in this blessed prospect : let neither earth , nor heaven hide him from thee in whatsoever condition . and whiles thou art thus taken up ; see if thou canst without wonder and a kinde of ecstaticall amazement , behold the infinite goodness of thy god , that hath exalted thy wretchednesse to no lesse then a blessed and indivisible union with the lord of glory ; so as thou , who in the sense of thy miserable mortality , maist say to corruption , thou art my father , and to the worm , thou art my mother and my sister , canst now through the priviledge of thy faith , hear the son of god say unto thee , thou art bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh : surely , as we are too much subject to pride our selves in these earthly glories , so we are too apt , through ignorance , or pusillanimity , to undervalue our selves in respect of our spirituall condition ; wee are far more noble and excellent then we account our selves . it is our faith that must raise our thoughts to a due estimation of our greatnesse ; and must shew us how highly we are descended , how royally we are allied , how gloriously estated : that onely is it , that must advance us to heaven , and bring heaven down to us : through the want of the exercise whereof , it comes to passe , that , to the great prejudice of our souls , we are readie to think of christ jesus as a stranger to us : as one aloof off in another world ; apprehended onely by fits , in a kind of ineffectuall speculation , without any lively feeling of our own interesse in him ; whereas we ought by the powerfull operation of this grace in our hearts , to finde so heavenly an appropriation of christ to our souls , as that every beleever may truly say , i am one with christ , christ is one with me . had we not good warrant for so high a challenge , it could bee no lesse then a blasphemous arrogance to lay claim to the royall bloud of heaven ; but since it hath pleased the god of heaven so far to dignifie our unworthinesse , as in the multitudes of his mercies to admit and allow us to be partakers of the divine nature , it were no other then an unthankfull stupidity not to lay hold on so glorious a priviledge , and to goe for lesse then god hath made us . know now , my son , that thou art upon the ground of all consolation to thy soul , which consists in this beatificall union with thy god and saviour , think not therefore to passe over this important mystery with some transient , and perfunctory glances ; but , let thy heart dwell upon it , as that which must stick by thee in all extremities , and chear thee up , when thou art forsaken of all worldly comforts : doe not then conceive of this union , as some imaginary thing , that hath no other beeing but in the braine ; whose faculties have power to apprehend , and bring home to it self , far remote substances ; possessing it self in a sort of whatsoever it conceives : doe not think it an union meerly virtuall , by the participation of those spirituall gifts and graces which god worketh in the soul ; as the comfortable effects of our happy conjunction with christ ; doe not think it an accidentall union in respect of some circumstances and qualities wherein we communicate with him who is god and man ; nor yet a metaphoricall union by way of figurative resemblance ; but know that this is a true , reall , essentiall , substantiall union , whereby the person of the beleever is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the son of god ; know , that this union is not more mysticall then certain ; that in naturall unions there may bee more evidence , there cannot be more truth ; neither is there so firm and close an union betwixt the soul & body , as there is betwixt christ and the beleeving soul : for as much as that may be severed by death , but this , never : away yet with all grosse carnality of conceit ; this union is true , and really existent , but yet spirituall ; and if some of the ancients have tearm'd it naturall and bodily , it hath been in respect of the subject united , our humanity , to the two blessed natures of the son of god met in one most glorious person ; not in respect of the manner of the uniting : neither is it the lesse reall , because spirituall . spirituall agents neither have , nor put forth any whit lesse vertue , because sense cannot discern their manner of working ; even the loadstone though an earthen substance , yet , when it is out of sight , whether under the table , or behinde a solid partition , stirreth the needle as effectually , as if it were within view : shall not hee contradict his senses , that will say , it cannot work because i see it not ? oh saviour , thou art more mine , then my body is mine , my sense feels that present , but so as that i must lose it ; my faith sees and feels thee so present with mee , that i shall never be parted from thee . there is no resemblance , whereby the spirit of god more delights to set forth the heavenly union betwixt christ and the beleever , then that of the head and the body : the head gives sense and motion to all the members of the body ; and the body is one ; not onely by the continuity of all the parts held together with the same naturall ligaments , and covered with one and the same skin ; but much more by the animation of the same soul quickning that whole frame ; in the acting whereof , it is not the large extent of the stature , and distance of the lims from each other , that can make any difference ; the body of a child that is but a span long , cannot bee said to be more united , then the vast body of a giantly son of anak whose height is as the cedars ; and if we could suppose such a body as high as heaven it self , that one soul which dwels in it , and is diffused through all the parts of it , would make it but one entire body : right so , it is with christ and his church ; that one spirit of his which dwels in , and enlives every beleever , unites all those far-distant members , both to each other , and to their head ; and makes them up into one true mysticall body : so as now every true beleever may , without presumption , but with all holy reverence , and all humble thankfulnesse , say to his god and saviour ; behold , lord , i am ( how unworthy soever ) one of the lims of thy body ; and therefore have a right to all that thou hast , to all that thou doest ; thine eye sees for me ; thine ear hears for me ; thine hand acts for me ; thy life , thy grace , thy happinesse is mine : oh the wonder of the two blessed unions ! in the personall union , it pleased god to assume and unite our humane nature the deitie ; in the spirituall and mysticall , it pleases god to unite the person of every beleever to the person of the son of god : our souls are too narrow to blesse god enough for these incomprehensible mercies : mercies , wherein he hath preferred us ( be it spoken with all godly lowlinesse ) to the blessed angels of heaven ; for verily he took not upon him the nature of angels , but he took on him the seed of abraham ; neither hath he made those glorious spirits members of his mysticall body , but his saints ; whom he hath ( as it were ) so incorporated , that they are become his body , and he theirs ; according to that of the divine apostle ; for as the body is one and hath many members , and all the members of that one body being many , are one body , so also is christ. next hereunto , there is no resemblance of this mystery either more frequent , or more full of lively expression , then that of the conjugall union betwixt the husband and wife ; christ is , as the head , so the husband of the church ; the church and every beleeving soul is the spouse of this heavenly bridegroom ; whom hee marrieth unto himselfe for ever in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies ; and this match thus made up , fulfils that decretive word of the almighty , they twain shal be one flesh : o happy conjunction of the second adam , with her which was taken out of his most precious side ; oh heavenly and compleat marriage , wherein god the father brings , and gives the bride ; ( all that the father giveth me shall come to me , saith christ ) wherein god the son receives the bride , as mutually partaking of the same nature ; and can say , this now is bone of my bones , and flesh of my flesh ; wherein god the holy ghost knits our wils in a full and glad consent , to the full consummation of this blessed wedlock : and those whom god hath thus joyned together , let no man ( no devill can ) put asunder : what is there then , which an affectionate husband can withhold from a dear wife ? he that hath given himself to her ; what can be deny to impart ? he that hath made himself one with her , how can he be divided from his other-self ? some wilde fancies there are that have framed the linkes of marriage of so brittle stuffe , as that they may be knapt in sunder upon every sleight occasion , but he that ordained it in paradise , for an earthly representation of this heavenly union betwixt christ and his church , hath made that , and his own indissoluble . here is no contract in the future , which upon some intervenient accidents may be remitted ; but , i am my welbeloveds , and my welbeloved is mine , and therefore each is so others , that neither of them is their own ; oh the comfortable mystery of our uniting to the son of god! the wife hath not the power of her own body , but the husband . we are at thy disposing , ô saviour , we are not our own ; neither art thou so absolutely thine , as that we may not ( through thine infinite mercy ) claim an interesse in thee . thou hast given us such a right in thy self , as that wee are bold to lay challenge to all that is thine ; to thy love , to thy merits , to thy blessings , to thy glory : it was wont of old , to be the plea of the roman wives to their husbands , where thou art caius , i am caia ; and now , in our present marriages , we have not stuck to say , with all my worldly goods i thee endow ; and if it be thus in our imperfect conjunctions here upon earth , how much more in that exquisite one-nesse which is betwixt thee , ô blessed saviour , and thy dearest spouse , the church ? what is it then that can hinder us from a sweet and heavenly fruition of thee ? is it the loathsome condition of our nature ? thou sawst this before , and yet couldst say , when we were yet in our bloud , live : had we not been so vile , thy mercy had not been so glorious : thy free grace did all for us ; thou washedst us with water , and anointedst us with oyle , and cloathedst us with broidered work , and girdedst us about with fine linnen , and coveredst us with silk , and deckedst us with ornaments ; and didst put bracelets upon our hands , and a chain on our neck , and jewels on our fore-heads , and eare-rings on our ears , and a beautifull crown on our heads ; what we had not , thou gavest ; what thou didst not find , thou madest ; that we might be a not-unmeet match for the lord of life : is it want of beauty ? behold , i am black , but comely : what ever our hiew be in our own , or others eyes ; it is enough that we are lovely in thine . behold , thou art fair , my beloved , behold , thou art faire , yea pleasant ; thou art beautifull , o my love , as tirzah , comely as jerusalem . how fair and how pleasant art thou , o love , for delights ! but , oh saviour , if thou take contentment in this poor unperfect beauty of thy spouse the church , how infinite pleasure should thy spouse take in that absolute perfection that is in thee , who art all lovelinesse and glory ? and if she have ravished thy heart with one of her eyes , how much more reason hath her heart to be wholly ravished with both thine , which are so full of grace and amiablenesse ? and in this mutuall fruition , what can there be other then perfect blessednesse ? the spirit of god , well knowing how much it imports us both to know and feel this blessed union whereof himself is the onely worker , labours to set it forth to us by the representations of many of our familiar concernments which we daily finde in our meats and drinks , in our houses , in our gardens and orchards ; that which is nearest to us is our nourishment ; what can bee more evident , then that the bread , the meat , the drinke that we receive is incorporated into us , and becomes part of the substance whereof we consist ? so as , after perfect digestion , there can be no distinction betwixt what we are , and what wee took : whiles that bread was in the bing , and that meat in the shambles , and that drink in the vessell , it had no relation to us , nor we to it ; yea , whiles all these were on the table , yea , in our mouths ; yea , newly let down into our stomacks , they are not fully ours ; for upon some nauseating dislike of nature , they may yet go the same way they came ; but if the concoction be once fully finished , now they are so turned into our blood , and flesh , that they can be no more distinguished from our former substance , then that could be divided from it self ; now they are dispersed into the veins , and concorporated to the flesh ; and no part of our flesh and blood is more ours , then that which was lately the bloud of the grapes , and the flesh of this fowl , or that beast : oh saviour , thou who art truth it selfe hast said , i am the living bread , that came down from heaven . my flesh is meat indeed , and my blood is drink indeed ; and thereupon hast most justly inferred ; he that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , dwelleth in mee , and i in him : and , as a necessary consequent of this spirituall manducation , whoso eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , hath eternall life : lo , thou art bread indeed ; not the common bread , but manna ; not the israelitish manna ; alas , that fell from no higher then the region of clouds ; and they that ate it died with it in their mouths ; but thou art the living bread that came down from the heaven of heavens , of whom whosoever eats lives for ever : thy flesh is meat , not for our stomacks , but for our souls ; our faith receives and digests thee , and makes thee ours , and us thine : our materiall food in these corruptible bodies runs into corruption ; thy spirituall food nourisheth purely , and strengthens us to a blessed immortality ; as for this materiall food , many a one longs for it that cannot get it ; many a one hath it , that cannot eat it ; many eat it , that cannot digest it ; many digest it into noxious and corrupt humours ; all that receive it , do but maintain a perishing life , if not a languishing death : but this flesh of thine , as it was never withheld from any true appetite , so it never yeelds but wholesome and comfortable sustenance to the soul , never hath any other issue then an everlasting life and happinesse . o saviour , whensoever i sit at mine own table , let mee think of thine ; whensoever i feed on the bread and meat that is set before mee , and feel my self nourished by that repast , let me mind that better sustenance , which my soul receives from thee , and finde thee more one with me , then that bodily food : look but into thy garden , or orchard ; and see the vine , or any other fruit-bearing tree how it grows , and fructifies ; the branches are loaden with increase ; whence is this , but that they are one with the stock ; and the stock one with the root ? were either of these severed , the plant were barren and dead : the branch hath not sap enough to maintain life in it self , unlesse it receive it from the body of the tree ; nor that , unlesse it derived it from the root ; nor that , unlesse it were cherished by the earth : lo ; i am the vine , ( saith our saviour ) ye are the branches ; he that abideth in me ; and i in him ; the same bringeth forth much fruit ; if a man abide not in me , he is cast forth as a branch , and is withered ; were the branch and the body of the tree , of different substances , and only closed together in some artificiall contiguity , no fruit could be expected from it ; it is onely the abiding in the tree as a living lim of that plant , which yeelds it the benefit and issue of vegetation . no otherwise is it betwixt christ and his church ; the bough and the tree are not more of one piece , then we are of one substance with our saviour ; and branching out from him , and receiving the sap of heavenly vertue from his precious root , we cannot but be acceptably fruitfull : but if the analogie seem not to be so full , for that the branch issues naturally from the tree , and the fruit from the branch , wheras we by nature have no part in the son of god ; take that clearer resemblance which the apostle fetches from the stock and the griffe , or cion : the branches of the wilde olive are cut off ; and are graffed with choice cions of the good olive ; those impes grow , and are now , by this insition , no lesse embodyed in that stock then if they had sprouted out by a natural propagation : neither can be any more separated from it then the strongest bough that nature puts forth : in the mean time that cion alters the nature of that stock ; and whiles the root gives fatnesse to the stock , and the stocke yeelds juice to the cion , the cion gives goodnesse to the plant , and a specification to the fruit : so as whiles the impe is now the same thing with the stock , the tree is different from it was ; so it is betwixt christ and the beleeving soul : old adam is our wilde stock , what could that have yeelded but either none , or sowre fruit ? we are imped with the new man , christ ; that is now incorporated into us , we are become one with him ; our nature is not more ours , then he is ours by grace ; now we bear his fruit and not our own ; our old stock is forgotten , all things are become new ; our naturall life we receive from adam ; our spirituall life and growth from christ ; from whom after the improvement of this blessed insition we can be no more severed , then he can be severed from himself . look but upon thy house ( that from vegetative creatures , thou maist turne thine eyes to those things which have no life ) if that be uniform , the foundation is not of a different matter from the wals ; both those are but one piece ; the superstructure is so raised upon the foundation , as if all were but one stone ; behold , christ is the chiefe corner stone , elect and precious ; neither can there be any other foundation laid then that which is laid on him ; we are lively stones built up to a spirituall house , on that sure and firm foundation ; some loose stones perhaps that lye unmortered upon the battlements , may be easily shaken down , but whoever saw a squared marble laid by line and levell in a strong wall upon a well-grounded base , flye out of his place by whatsoever violence ; since both the strength of the foundation below , and the weight of the fabrick above , have setled it in a posture utterly unmoveable ? such is our spirituall condition , o saviour ; thou art our foundation , we are laid upon thee , and are therein one with thee ; we can no more be dis-joyned from thy foundation , then the stones of thy foundation can be dis-united from themselves : so then , to sum up all ; as the head and members are but one body , as the husband and wife are but one flesh , as our meat and drink becomes part of our selves , as the tree and branches are but one plant , as the foundation and wals are but one fabrick ; so christ and the beleeving soul are indivisibly one with each other . where are those then that goe about to divide christ from himself ; christ reall , from christ mysticall ; yeelding christ one with himself , but not one with his church : making the true beleever no lesse separable from his saviour , then from the entirenesse of his own obedience ; dreaming of the uncomfortable , and self-contradicting paradoxes of the totall and finall apostasie of saints : certainly , these men have never thorowly digested the meditation of this blessed union whereof wee treat : can they hold the beleeving soul a lim of that body whereof christ is the head ; and yet imagine a possibility of dissolution ? can they affain to the sonne of god a body that is unperfect ? can they think that body perfect that hath lost his lims ? even in this mysticall body the best joynts may be subject to strains , yea , perhaps to some painfull and perilous luxations ; but , as it was in the naturall body of christ , when it was in death , most exposed to the cruelty of all enemies , that ( upon an over-ruling providence ) not a bone of it , could be broken ; so it is still and ever with the spirituall ; some scourgings and blows it may suffer , yea , perhaps some bruises , and gashes , but no bone can be shattered in peeces , much lesse dissevered from the rest of the body : were we left to our selves , or could we be so much as in conceit , sundred from the body whereof we are , alas we are but as other men , subject to the same sinfull infirmities , to the same dangerous and deadly miscarriages : but since it hath pleased the god of heaven to unite us to himself , now it concerns him to maintain the honour of his own body by preserving us entire . can they acknowledge the faithfull soul married in truth and righteousnesse to that celestiall husband ; and made up into one flesh with the lord of glory ; & can they think of any bils of divorce written in heaven ? can they suppose that which by way of type was done in the earthly paradise , to be really undone in the heavenly ? what an infinite power hath put together , can they imagine that a limited power can disjoyn ? can they think sin can be of more prevalence then mercy ? can they think the unchangeable god subject to after-thoughts ? even the jewish repudiations never found favour in heaven : they were permitted , as a lesser evill to avoid a greater , never allowed as good ; neither had so much as that toleration ever been , if the hard-heartednesse , and cruelty of that people had not enforced it upon moses , in a prevention of further mischief 〈◊〉 what place can this finde with a god , in whom there is an infinite tendernesse of love and mercy ? no time can be any check to his gracious choice ; the inconstant mindes of us men may alter upon sleight dislikes ; our god is ever himself ; jesus christ the same yesterday , and to day , and for ever ; with him there is no variablenesse , nor shadow of turning ; divorces were ever grounded upon hatred ; no man ( saith the apostle ) ever yet hated his owne flesh : much lesse shall god do so , who is love it self : his love and our union , is like himself , everlasting : having loved his own ( saith the disciple of love ) which were in the world , he loved them to the end . he that hates putting away , can never act it ; so as in this relation we are indissoluble : can they have received that bread which came down from heaven , and that flesh which is meat indeed , and that bloud which is drink indeed , can their souls have digested it by a lively faith , and converted themselves into it , and it into themselves , and can they now think it can be severed from their own substance ? can they finde themselves truly ingraffed in the tree of life , and grown into one body with that heavenly plant , and as a living branch of that tree , bearing pleasant , and wholesome fruit , acceptable to god , and beneficiall to men ; and can they look upon themselves , as some withered bough fit onely for the fire ? can they find themselves living stones surely laid upon the foundation jesus christ , to the making up of an heavenly temple for the eternall inhabitation of god , and can they think they can be shaken out with every storm of temptation ? have these men ever taken into their serious thoughts that divine prayer and meditation which our blessed redeemer now at the point of his death left for an happy farewell to his church , in every word whereof , there is an heaven of comfort ; neither pray i for these alone ; but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their word ; that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may bee one with us ; and the glory that thou gavest me , i have given them , that they may be one , even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me . oh heavenly consolation ; oh indefeasible assurance ! what roome can there be now here for our diffidence ? can the son of god pray and not be heard ? for himselfe hee needs not pray , as being eternally one with the father , god blessed for ever ; he prays for his ; & his prayer is , that they may be one w th the father & him ; even as they are one . they cannot therefore but be partakers of this blessed union ; and being partakers of it they cannot be dissevered : and to make sure work , that glory which the father gave to the son of his love , they are already ( through his gracious participation ) prepossessed of ; here they have begun to enter upon that heaven , from which none of the powers of hell can possibly eject them : oh the unspeakably happy condition of beleevers ! oh that all the saints of god , in a comfortable sense of their inchoate blessednesse , could sing for joy , and here before-hand begin to take up those hallelujahs , which they shall ere long continue ( and never end ) in the chore of the highest heaven . having now taken a view of this blessed union , in the nature and resemblances of it ; it will be time to bend thine eyes upon those most advantageous consequents , and high priviledges , which doe necessarily follow upon , and attend this heavenly conjunction . whereof the first is that , which we are wont to account sweetest , life : not this naturall life , which is maintained by the breath of our nosthrils ; alas , what is that but a bubble , a vapour , a shadow , a dreame , nothing ? as it is the gift of a good god , worthy to be esteemed precious ; but as it is considered in its own transitorinesse , and appendent miseries , and in comparison of a better life , not worthy to take up our hearts . this life of nature is that which ariseth from the union of the body with the soul , many times enjoyed upon hard tearms ; the spirituall life which we now speak of , arising from the union betwixt god and the soul , is that wherein there can be nothing but perfect contentment , and joy unspeakable and full of glory . yea , this is that life which christ not only gives , but is : he that gave himself for us , gives himselfe to us , and is that life that he gives us ; when christ , which is our life , shall appeare ; saith the apostle : and christ is to me , to live : and most emphatically , i am crucified with christ ; neverthelesse i live ; yet not i , but christ liveth in mee ; lo , it is a common favour , that in him we live but it is an especiall favour to his own , that he lives in us : know you not your own selves , ( saith the apostle ) how that jesus christ is in you , except ye be reprobates ? and wheresoever he is , there he lives ; we have not a dead saviour , but a living ; and where he lives , he animates : it is not therefore saint pauls case alone ; it is every beleevers ; who may truly say , i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in mee : now , how these lives , and the authors of them are distinguished , is worth thy carefullest consideration . know then , my son , that every faithfull mans bosome is a rebeccaes womb , wherein in there are twins : a rough esau , and the seed of promise ; the old man , and the new ; the flesh , and the spirit ; and these have their lives distinct from each other ; the new man lives not the life of the old , neither can the old man live the life of the new ; it is not one life that could maintain the opposite struglings of both these : corrupt nature is it that gives and continues the life of the old man ; it is christ that gives life to the new ; we cannot say but the old man , or flesh , is the man too : for i know ( saith the chosen vessell ) that in me , that is , in my flesh , dwelleth no good thing : but the spirituall part may yet better challenge the title . for i delight in the law of god after the inward man : that old man of ours is derived from the first . adam : as we sinned in him , so hee liveth in us ; the second adam both gives , and is the life of our regeneration , like as he is also the life of our glory ; the life that follows our second resurrection : i am ( saith he ) the resurrection and the life . what is it then whereby the new creature lives ? surely no other then the spirit of christ ; that alone is it , that gives beeing and life to the renued soule . life is no stranger to us , there is nothing wherewith we are so well acquainted ; yea , we feel continually what it is , and what it produceth ; it is that , from whence all sense , action , motion floweth ; it is that , which gives us to be what we are : all this is christ to the regenerate man : it is one thing what he is , or doth as a man ; another thing what he is , or doth as a christian : as a man , he hath eyes , ears , motions , affections , understanding , naturally as his own : as a christian he hath all these from him with whom he is spiritually one , the lord jesus ; and the objects of all these vary accordingly : his naturall eyes behold bodily and materiall things ; his spirituall eyes see things invisible ; his outward eares hear the sound of the voice ; his inward ears hear the voice of gods spirit , speaking to his soul ; his bodily feet move in his own secular ways ; his spirituall walk w th god in all the ways of his commandements . his naturall affections are set upon those things which are agreeable thereunto ; he loves beauty , fears pain and losse , rejoyces in outward prosperity , hates an enemy ; his renued affections are otherwise , and more happily bestowed ; now he loves goodnesse for its own sake ; hates nothing but sin , fears onely the displeasure of a good god , rejoyces in gods favour which is better then life : his former thoughts were altogether taken up with vanity , and earthed in the world ; now he seeks the things above , where christ sitteth at the right hand of god ; finally , he is such , as that a beholder sees nothing but man in him ; but god and his soul finde christ in him , both in his renued person and actions ; in all the degrees both of his life , and growth of his sufferings , and glory : my little children ( saith saint paul ) of whom i travell in birth again untill christ be formed in you . lo , here christ both conceived and born in the faithfull heart ; formation follows conception , and travell implies a birth : now the beleever is a new-born babe in christ , and so mutually christ in him ; from thence he grows up to a strength of youth ; and at last to b perfection , even towards the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ ; and in this condition he is dead with christ ; c he is buried with christ ; d he is alive again unto god through christ , e he is risen with christ , f and with christ he is glorified ; yea , yet more then so , his g sufferings are christs , christs sufferings are his ; h he is in christ an heir of glory ; i and christ is in him , the hope of glory . dost thou not now finde cause ( my son ) to complain of thy self ( as , i confesse , i daily doe ) that thou art so miserably apt to forget these intimate respects between thy christ and thee ? art thou not ashamed to think , how little sense thou hast had of thy great happinesse ? lo , christ is in thy bosome , and thou feelst him not ; it is not thy soul that animates thee in thy renued estate , it is thy god and saviour , and thou hast not hitherto perceived it ; it is no otherwise with thee in this case , then with the members of thine own body ; there is the same life in thy fingers and toes , that there is in the head , or heart , yea , in the whole man , and yet those lims know not that they have such a life : had those members reason as well as sense , they would perceive that , wherewith they are enlived ; thou hast more then reason , faith ; and therefore maist well know whence thou hast this spiritual life , & therupon art much wanting to thy self , if thou dost not enjoy so usefull and comfortable an apprehension : resolve therefore with thy self that no secular occasion shall ever set off thy heart from this blessed object ; and that thou wilt as soon forget thy naturall life , as this spirituall : and raise up thy thoughts from this dust , to the heaven of heavens : shake of this naturall pusillanimity , and meane conceit of thy self as if thou wert all earth , and know thy self advanced to a celestiall condition , that thou art united to the son of god , and animated by the holy spirit of god ; so as the life which thou now livest in the flesh , thou livest by the faith of the son of god , who loved thee , and gave himself for thee . see then and confesse how just cause we have to condemn the dead-heartednesse wherewith we are subject to be possessed : and how many worthy christians are there in the world who bear a part with us in this just blame ; who have yeelded over themselves to a disconsolate heartlesnesse , and a sad dejection of spirit ; partly through a naturall disposition inclining to dumpishnesse , and partly through the prevalence of temptation : for satan well knowing how much it makes for our happinesse chearfully to reflect upon our interest in christ , and to live in the joyfull sense of it , labours by all means to withdraw our hearts from this so comfortable object ; and to clog us with a pensive kinde of spirituall fullennesse : accounting it no small mastery if he can prevail with us so far as to be reave us of this habituall joy in the holy ghost , arising from the inanimation of christ living , and breathing within us : so much the more therefore must we bend all the powers of our souls against this dangerous and deadly machination of our spirituall enemy ; and labour , as for life , to maintain this fort of our joy against all the powers of darknesse ; and , if at any time we finde our selves beaten off , through the violence of temptation ; we must chide our selves into our renued valour : and expostulate the matter with our shrinking courage ▪ ( with the man after gods own heart ) why art thou cast down , o my soul , and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope thou in god ; for i shall yet praise him , who is the health of my countenance and my god. neither is here more place for an heavenly joy , then for height of spirit , and raptures of admiration at that infinite goodnesse and mercy of our god , who hath vouchsafed so far to grace his elect , as to honour them with a speciall inhabitation of his ever-blessed deity : yea , to live in them , and to make them live mutually in , and to himself ; what capacity is there in the narrow heart of man to conceive of this incomprehensible favour to his poor creature ? oh saviour , this is no small part of that great mystery wherin to the angels desire to look , and can never look to the bottome of it ! how shall the weak eyes of sinfull flesh ever be able to reach unto it ? when thou in the estate of thine humane infirmity offeredst to goe down to the centurions house , that humble commander could say ; lord , i am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof : what shall we then say , that thou in the state of thine heavenly glory , shouldst vouchsafe to come down , and dwell with us in these houses of clay ; and to make our breasts the temples of thy holy ghost ? when thine holy mother came to visit the partner of her joy , thy fore-runner then in the womb of his mother , sprang for the joy of thy presence , though distermined by a second womb ; how should we be affected with a ravishment of spirit , whom thou hast pleased to visit in so much mercy , as to come down into us , and to be spiritually conceived in the womb of our hearts , and thereby to give a new and spirituall life to our poore souls ; a life of thine own , yet made ours ; a life begun in grace , and ending in eternall glory ? never did the holy god give a priviledge where he did not expect a duty : hee hath more respect to his glory , then to throw away his favours ; the life that ariseth from this blessed union of our souls with christ , as it is the height of all his mercies , so it cals for our most zealous affections , and most effectuall improvement . art thou then thus happily united to christ , and thus enlived by christ ? how entire must thou needs be with him , how dear must thy valuations be of him , how heartily must thou be devoted to him ? the spirit of man ( saith wise solomon ) is the candle of the lord searching all the inward parts of the belly ; and therefore cannot but be acquainted with his own inmates ; and finding so heavenly a guest as the spirit of christ in the secret lodgings of his soul , applyes it self to him in all things : so as these two spirits agree in all their spirituall concernments ; the spirit it self ( saith the holy apostle ) beareth witnesse with our spirit , that we are the children of god ; and not in this case onely , but upon whatsoever occasion , the faithfull man hath this urim in his breast , & may cōsult with this inward oracle of his god for direction , and resolution in all his doubts : neither can he , according to the counsell of the psalmist , commune with his own heart , but that christ who lives there , is ready to give him an answer . shortly , our souls and we are one ; and the soul and life are so near one , that the one is commonly taken for the other ▪ christ therefore , who is the life and soul of our souls , is and needs must be so intrinsecall to us , that we cannot so much as conceive of our spirituall beeing without him . thou needest not be told , my son , how much thou valuest life ; besides thine own sense , satan himself can tell thee , ( and in this case thou maist beleeve him ) skin for skin , and all that a man hath will he give for his life ; what ransome can be set upon it , that a man would stick to give ? though mountains of gold ; though thousands of ●●ms , or ten thousand rivers of oyl ? yea , how readily doe we expose our dear lims , not to hazard onely , but to losse for the preservation of it ? now alas , what is our life ? it is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time , and then vanisheth away ▪ and if we doe thus value a perishing life , that is going out every moment , what price shall we set upon eternity ? if christ be our life , how precious is that life , which neither inward distempers , nor outward violences can bereave us of ; which neither can be decayed by time , nor altered with crosse events ? hear the chosen vessel ; what things were gain to me , those i counted losse for christ ; yea , doubtless i count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus my lord ; for whom i have suffered the losse of all things ; and doe count them but dung that i may win christ ; and , as one that did not esteem his own life dear to him , in respect of that better ; always ( saith he ) bearing about in the body , the dying of the lord jesus , that the life also of jesus , might be made manifest in our body : how chearfully have the noble and conquering armies of holy martyrs given away these momentany lives , that they might hold fast their jesus , the life of their souls ? and who can be otherwise affected that knows and feels the infinite happinesse that offers it self to be enjoyed by him in the lord jesus ? lastly , if christ bee thy life , then thou art so devoted to him that thou livest , as in him , and by him , so to him also ; aiming onely at his service and glory , and framing thy self wholly to his will and directions : thou canst not so much as eat or drink but with respect to him ; oh the gracious resolution of him that was rapt into the third heaven , worthy to be the pattern of all faithfull hearts ; according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing i shall be ashamed , but that with all boldnesse , as always , so now also christ shall be magnified in my body , whether it be by life or by death : for to me to live is christ ▪ and to dye is gain . our naturall life is not worthy to be its own scope ; we doe not live meerly that we may live : our spirituall life , christ , is the utmost and most perfect end of all our living ; without the intuition whereof , we would not live , or if we should , our naturall life were no other then a spirituall death : oh saviour , let me not live longer then i shall be enlived by thee , or then thou shalt be glorified by me : and what rule should i follow in all the carriage of my life but thine ? thy precepts , thine examples , that so i may live thee , as well as preach thee ? and in both may finde thee , as thou hast truly laid forth thy self , the way , the truth , and the life ; the way wherein i shall walk , the truth which i shall beleeve and professe , and the life which i shall enjoy : in all my morall actions therefore teach me to square my self by thee ; what ever i am about to doe , or speak , or affect ; let me think : if my saviour were now upon earth , would he doe this that i am now putting my hand unto ? would he speak these words that i am now uttering ? would he be thus disposed as i now feel my self ? let me not yeeld my self to any thought , word , or action which my saviour would be ashamed to own : let him be pleased so to manage his own life in me , that all the interesse he hath given me in my self may bee wholly surrendred to him ; that i may be as it were dead in my self , whiles he lives and moves in me . by vertue of this blessed union , as christ is become our life ; so ( that which is the highest improvement not onely of the rationall , but the supernaturall and spirituall life ) is he thereby also made unto us of god , wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption . not that he onely workes these great things in and for us , ( this were too cold a construction of the divine bounty ) but that he really becomes all these to us , who are true partakers of him . even of the wisest men that ever nature could boast of , is verified that character which the divine apostle gave of them long agoe ; their foolish heart was darkned ; professing themselves to be wise , they became fools ; and stil the best of us ( if we be but our selves ) may take up that complaint of asaph : so foolish was i and ignorant ; i was as a beast before thee ; and of agur the son of jake ; surely i am more brutish then man ; and have not the understanding of a man ; i neither learned wisdome , nor have the knowledge of the holy ▪ and if any man will be challenging more to himself , he must at last take up , with solomon ; i said i will be wise , but it was farre from me ; but how defective soever we are in our selves , there is wisdome enough in our head , christ , to supply all our wants : he that is the wisdome of the father , is by the father made our wisdome : in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge , saith the apostle : so hid , that they are both revealed , and communicated to his own : for god who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse , hath shined in our hearts , to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god , in the face of jesus christ : in and by him hath it pleased the father to impart himself unto us ; he is the image of the invisible god ; even the brightnesse of his glory , and the expresse image of his person . it was a just check that he gave to philip in the gospel ; have i been so long time with you , and yet hast thou not known mee , philip ? he that hath seen me , hath seen the father : and this point of wisdome is so high and excellent , that all humane skil , and all the so much admired depths of philosophy are but meer ignorance and foolishnesse , in comparison of it ; alas , what can these profound wits reach unto , but the very outside of these visible and transitory things ? as for the inward forms of the meanest creatures , they are so altogether hid from them , as if they had no beeing ; and as for spirituall and divine things , the most knowing naturalists are either stone-blinde , that they cannot see them , or grope after them in an egyptian darknesse : for the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god ; neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned ; how much lesse can they know the god of spirits , who ( besides his invisibility ) is infinite , and incomprehensible ? only he , who is made our wisdome enlightneth our eyes with this divine knowledge ; no man knoweth the father but the son , and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him . neither is christ made our wisdome onely in respect of heavenly wisdome imparted to us ; but in respect of his perfect wisdome imputed unto us : alas , our ignorances and sinfull misprisions are many and great , where should we appear , if our faith did not fetch succour frō our all-wise , and all-sufficient mediator ? oh saviour , we are wise in thee our head , how weak soever we are of our selves : thine infinite wisdome and goodnesse both covers and makes up all our defects ; the wife cannot be poor , whiles the husband is rich ; thou hast vouchsafed to give us a right to thy store ; we have no reason to be disheartned with our own spirituall wants , whiles thou art made our wisdome . it is not meer wisdome that can make us acceptable to god ; if the serpents were not in their kinde wiser then we , we should not have been advised to be wise as serpents : that god , who is essentiall justice , as well as wisedome , requires all his to be not more wise , then exquisitely righteous : such , in themselves they cannot be ; for in many things we sin all ; such therefore they are , and must be in christ , their head , who is made unto us of god , together with wisdome , righteousnesse ; oh incomprehensible mercy ! he hath made him to be sin for us , who knew no sin , that we might be made the righteousnesse of god in him ; what a marvellous and happy exchange is here ? we are nothing but sin ; christ is perfect righteousnesse ; he is made our sin , that we might he made his righteousnesse ; he that knew no sin , is made sin for us ; that we who are all sin , might be made gods righteousness in him ; in our selves wee are not onely sinfull , but sin ; in him we are not righteous onely , but righteousnesse it self ; of our selves , we are not righteous , we are made so ; in our selves , we are not righteous , but in him ; we made not our selves so , but the same god in his infinite mercy who made him sin for us , hath made us his righteousnesse : no otherwise are we made his righteousnesse , then he is made our sin : our sin is made his by gods imputation ; so is his righteousnesse made ours ; how fully doth the second adam answer , and transcend the first ; by the offence of the first , judgement came upon all men to condemnation ; by the righteousnesse of the second , the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life . as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners , so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous ; righteous , not in themselves , ( so death passed upon all , for that all have sinned ) but in him that made them so , by whom we have received the atonement : how free then , and how perfect is our justification ? what quarrell may the pure and holy god have against righteousnesse ? against his own righteousnesse ? and such are we made in , and by him : what can now stand between us and blessedness ? not our sins ; for this is the praise of his mercy , that he justifies the ungodly ; yea , were wee not sinfull , how were we capable of his justification ? sinfull , as in the tearm from whence this act of his mercy moveth , not , as in the tearm wherein it resteth ; his grace findes us sinfull , it doth not leave us so : far be it from the righteous judge of the world to absolve a wicked soul continuing such : he that justifieth the wicked , and he that condemneth the just , even they both are an abomination to the lord : no , but he kils sin in us whiles he remits it ; and , at once cleanseth , and accepts our persons : repentance and remission doe not lagge one after another ; both of them meet at once in the penitent soul : at once doth the hand of our faith lay hold on christ , and the hand of christ lay hold on the soul to justification : so as the sinnes that are done away , can be no barre to our happinesse : and what but sinnes can pretend to an hindrance ? all our other weaknesses are no eye-sore to god , no rub in our way to heaven ; what matters it then how unworthy wee are of our selves ? it is christs obedience that is our righteousnes : and that obedience cannot but be exquisitely perfect , cannot but be both justly accepted as his , and mercifully accepted as for us . there is a great deal of difference betwixt being righteous , and being made righteousnesse ; every regenerate soul hath an inherent justice , or righteousnesse in it self ; he that is righteous , let him be righteous still , saith the angel : but at the best this righteousness of ours , is like our selves full of imperfection ; if thou , lord , shouldst mark iniquities , o lord , who shall stand ? behold , we are before thee in our trespasses , for we cannot stand before thee , because of this ; how should a man be just with god ; if he will contend with him , he cannot answer him one of a thousand . so then , hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous , but by pardon and indulgence , because the righteousnesse he doth is weak and imperfect ; he that is made righteousnesse , is perfectly righteous by a gracious acceptation , by a free imputation of absolute obedience . wo were us , if wee were put over to our own accōplishments ; for , cursed is every one that cōtinueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them ; and , if we say that we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us ; lo , if there be truth in us , we must confesse we have sinne in us ; and if we have sin , we violate the law ; and if we violate the law , we lye open to a curse . but here is our comfort , that our surety hath paid our debt : it is true , we lay forfaited to death ; justice had said , the soul that sinneth shall die : mercy interposeth , and satisfies ; the son of god ( whose every drop of bloud was worth a world ) payes this death for us : and now , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth , who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died , yea , rather that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of god , who also maketh intercessiō for us . our sin , our death is laid upon him , and undertaken by him ; he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisements of our peace were upon him , and with his stripes we are healed ; his death , his obedience is made over to us ; so then , the sin that we have committed , and the death that we have deserved is not ours ; but the death which he hath endured , and the obedience that he hath performed , is so ours , as he is ours , who is thereupon made of god our righteousnesse . where now are those enemies of grace that scoffe at imputation ; making it a ridiculous paradox , that a man should become just by another mans righteousnesse ? how dare they stand out against the word of truth , which tels us expresly that christ is made our righteousnesse ? what strangers are they to that grace they oppugn ? how little do they consider that christ is ours ? his righteousnesse therefore by which we are justified , is in him our own ; hee that hath borne the iniquitie of us all hath taught us to call our sinnes our debts ; those debts can be but once paid ; if the bounty of our redeemer hath staked down the sums required , and cancelled the bonds ; and this payment is ( through mercy ) fully accepted as frō our own hands , what danger , what scruple can remain ? what doe we then , weak souls , tremble to think of appearing before the dreadfull tribunall of the almighty ? we know him indeed to be infinitely , and inflexibly just ; we know his most pure eyes cannot abide to behold sin ; we know wee have nothing else but sinne for him to behold in us : certainly , were we to appear before him in the meer shape of our own sinfull selves , we had reason to shake and shiver at the apprehension of that terrible appearance ; but now that our faith assures us , we shall no otherwise bee presented to that awfull judge then as cloathed with the robes of christs righteousnesse , how confident should we be , thus decked with the garments of our elder brother , to carry away a blessing ? whiles therefore we are dejected with the conscience of our own vilenesse , we have reason to lift up our heads in the confidence of that perfect righteousnesse which christ is made unto us , and we are made in him . at the barre of men many a one is pronounced just who remains inwardly foule and guilty ; for the best of men can but judge of things as they appear , not as they are ; but the righteous arbiter of the world declares none just whom he makes not holy . the same mercy therefore that makes christ our righteousnesse , makes him also our sanctification ; of our selves , wretched men , what are we other at our best , then unholy creatures , full of pollution and spirituall uncleannesse ? it is his most holy spirit that must cleanse us from all the filthinesse of our flesh and spirit , and work us daily to further degrees of sanctification , ( he that is holy , let him be holy stil ) neither can there be anything more abhorring from his infinite justice and holinesse , then to justifie those souls which lie still in the loathsome ordure of their corruptions . certainly , they never truly learnt christ , who would draw over christs righteousnesse , as a case of their close wickednesses ; that sever holinesse from justice , and give no place to sanctification , in the evidence of their justifying : never man was justified without faith ; and wheresoever faith is there it purifieth and cleanseth ; but besides that the spirit of christ works thus powerfully ( though gradually ) within us , that he may sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water , by the word , his holinesse is mercifully imputed to us , that he may present us to himself a glorious church , not having spot , or wrinckle , or any such thing , but that wee should bee holy and without blemish : so as that inchoate holinesse , which by his gracious inoperation grows up daily in us towards a full perfection , is abundantly supplyed by his absolute holinesse , made no lesse by imputation , ours , then it is personally his : when therefore we look into our bosomes , we finde just cause to bee ashamed of our impurity , and to loath those dregs of corruption , that yet remain in our sinfull nature ; but when vve east up our eyes to heaven and behold the infinite holinesse of that christ , to whom we are united , which by faith is made ours , vvee have reason to bear up against all the discouragements , that may arise from the conscience of our own vilenesse , and to look god in the face with an awfull boldnesse , as those vvhom he is pleased to present holy , and unblameable , and unreproveable in his sight : as knowing that he that sanctifieth , and they that are sanctified are all of one . redemption vvas the great errand for vvhich the sonne of god came down into the vvorld ; and the vvorke vvhich hee did vvhiles hee vvas in the vvorld ; and that , vvhich ( in vvay of application of it ) hee shall bee ever accomplishing , till he shall deliver up his mediatory kingdome into the hands of his father ; in this he begins , in this he finishes the great businesse of our salvation : for those who in this life are enlightned by his vvisdome , justified by his merits , sanctified by his grace , are yet conflicting vvith manifold temptations , and strugling with varieties of miseries and dangers , till upon their happy death , and glorious resurrection , they shall be fully freed , by their ever-blessed and victorious redeemer : he therefore , vvho by vertue of that heavenly union , is made unto us of god , wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification ; is also upon the same ground made unto us our full redemption . redemption implies a captivity ; we are naturally under the vvofull bondage of the law , of sin , of miseries , of death : the law is a cruell exactor ; for it requires of us vvhat vvee cannot now doe ; and vvhips us for not doing it ; for the law worketh wrath ; and , as many as are of the workes of the law , are under the curse . sinne is a vvorse tyrant then he , and takes advantage to exercise his cruelty by the law ; for when we were in the flesh , the motions of sins , which were by the law , did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death ; upon sinne necessarily follows misery , the forerunner of death ; and death the upshot of all miseries ; by one man sinne entred into the world , and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men , for that all have sinned . from all these is christ our redemption ; from the law ; for christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us : from sin ▪ for we are dead to sin , but alive unto god through jesus christ our lord ; sin shall not have dominion over you , for ye are not under the law , but under grace . from death , and therein from all miseries : o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? the sting of death is sinne ; and the strength of sinne is the law : but thanks be to god which giveth us victory through our lord jesus christ. now then , let the lavv doe his vvorst , we are not under the law , but under grace . the case therefore is altered betwixt the law and us . it is not now a cruell task-master , to beat us to , and for our vvork ; it is our school-master , to direct , and to whip us unto christ : it is not a severe judge , to condemne us , it is a friendly guide to set us the vvay towards heaven . let sin joyn his forces together vvith the law , they cannot prevail to our hurt ; for what the law could not doe , in that it was weak through the flesh , god sending his owne son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh , condemned sin in the flesh , that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit . let death joyn his forces vvith them both , vve are yet safe ; for the law of the spirit of life , hath freed us from the law of sin , and of death ; what can vve therefore fear , vvhat can vve suffer , vvhiles christ is made our redemption ? finally , as thus christ is made unto us wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , & redemption ; so whatsoever else he either is , or hath or doth , by vertue of this blessed union , becomes ours ; he is our riches a , our strength b , our glory c , our salvation d , our all e : he is all to us ; and all is ours in him . from these primary and intrinsecal priviledges therefore , flow all those secondary and externall , vvherewith vve are blessed ; and therein a right to all the blessings of god , both of the right hand and of the left ; an interesse in all the good things both of earth and heaven : hereupon it is that the glorious angels of heaven become our guardians , keeping us in all our ways , and vvorking secretly for our good upon all occasions ; that all gods creatures are at our service ; that we have a true spirituall title to them ; all things are yours ( saith the apostle ) and ye are christs , and christ gods. but take heed , my son , of mis-laying thy claime to what , and in what manner thou ought'st not . there is a civill right , that must regulate our propriety to these earthly things ; our spirituall right neither gives us possession of them , nor takes away the right and propriety of others ; every man hath and must have what by the just lawes of purchase , gift , or inheritance is derived to him ; otherwise there would follow an infinite confusion in the world ; we could neither enjoy nor give our owne ; and onely will , and might must be the arbiters of all mens estates ; which how unequall it would be , both reason and experience can sufficiently evince . this right is not for the direption or usurpation of that which civill titles have legally put over to others ; there were no theft , no robbery , no oppression in the world , if any mans goods might be every mans : but for the warrantable and comfortable injoying of those earthly commodities in regard of god their originall owner , which are by humane convciances justly become ours ; the earth is the lords and the fulnesse of it ; in his right what ever parcells doe lawfully descend unto us , we may justly possesse as we have them legally made over to us from the secondary and immediate owners . there is a generation of men who have vainly fancied the founding of temporall dominion in grace ; and have upon this mistaking outed the true heyres as intruders , and feoffed the just and godly in the possession of wicked inheritors ; which whether they be worse commonwealths-men , or christians is to me utterly uncertaine ; sure i am they are enemies to both ; whiles on the one side , they destroy all civill propriety , and commerce ; and on the other , retch the extent of the power of christianity so far , as to render it injurious , and destructive both to reason and to the lawes of all well-ordred humanity ▪ nothing is ours by injury and injustice , all things are so ours , that we may with a good conscience enjoy them as , from the hand of a munificent god , when they are rightfully estated upon us by the lawfull convention or bequest of men . in this regard it is that a christian man is the lord of the whole universe ; and hath a right to the whole creation of god : how can he challenge lesse ? he is a son ; and in that an heire ; and ( according to the high expression of the holy ghost ) a co-heir with christ ; as therefore we may not be high-minded , but fear ; so we may not be too low-harted in the under-valuing of our condition ; in god we are great , now mean soever in our selves : in his right the world is ours , what ever pittance we enjoy in our owne ; how can we goe lesse when we are one with him who is the possessour of heaven and earth ? it were but a poore comfort to us , if by vertue of this union wee could only lay claime to all earthly things : alas , how vaine and transitory are the best of these ? perishing under our hand in the very use of them , and in the meane while how unsatisfying in the fruition ? all this were nothing , if we had not hereby an interesse in the best of all gods favours , in the heaven of heavens and the eternity of that glory which is there laid up for his saints ; far above the reach of all humane expressions , or conceits ; it was the word of him who is the eternall word of his father ; father , i will that they also whom thou hast given mee , be with me where i am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me ; and not only to be meere spectators , but even partners of this celestiall blisse together with himselfe ; the glory which thou gavest me i have given them , that they may be one , even as we are one . oh the transcendent and incomprehensible blessednesse of the beleevers , which even when they enjoy they cannot be able to utter , for measure infinite , for duration eternall ! oh the inexplicable joy of the ful & everlasting accomplishment of the happy union of christ & the beleeving soule , more fit for thankfull wonder and ravishment of spirit then for any finite apprehension ! now that we may looke a little further into the meanes by which this union is wrought ; know , my sonne , that as there are two persons betwixt whom this union is made , christ and the beleever ; so each of them concurres to the happy effecting of it ; christ , by his spirit diffused through the hearts of all the regenerate , giving life and activity to them : the beleever , laying hold by faith upon christ so working in him ; and these doe so re-act upon each other , that from their mutuall operation results this gracious union whereof wee treat . here is a spirituall marriage betwixt christ and the soule : the liking of one part doth not make up the match , but the consent of both . to this purpose christ gives his spirit ; the soule plights her faith : what interesse have we in christ but by his spirit ? what interesse hath christ in us but by our faith ? on the one part ; he hath given us his holy spirit , saith the apostle ; and ( in a way of correlation ) we have received not the spirit of the world , but the spirit which is of god ; and this spirit we have so received , as that he dwells in us ; and so dwells in us , as that we are joyned to the lord ; and he that is joyned to the lord is one spirit . on the other part , wee have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand , and reioice in hope of the glory of god ▪ so as now the life that wee live in the flesh , we live by the faith of the sonne of god ; who dwells in our hearts by faith ▪ o the grace of faith ( according to st. peters style ) truly ▪ precious ; justly recommended to us by s. paul above all other graces incident into the soule ; as that , which if not alone yet chiefly transacts all the maine affaires tending to salvation : for faith is the quickning grace a , the directing grace b , the protecting grace c , the establishing grace , d the justifying grace , e the sanctifying and purifying grace ; f faith is the grate that assents to , g apprehends , applyes , appropriates christ , and hereupon the uniting grace , and ( which comprehends all ) the saving grace . if ever therefore we looke for any consolation in christ , or to have any part in this beatificall union , it must be the maine care of our hearts to make sure of a lively faith in the lord jesus , to lay fast hold upon him , to clasp him close to us , yea to receive him inwardly into our bosomes ; and so to make him ours , and our selves his , that we may be joyned to him as our head , espoused to him as our husband , incorporated into him as our nourishment , engrafted in him as our stock , and layd upon him as a sure foundation . hitherto wee have treated of this blessed union as in relation to christ the head ; it remaines that we now consider of it , as it stands in relation to the members of his mysticall body , one towards another ▪ for as the body is united to the head , so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly compleat : thus the holy ghost by his apostle : as the body is one and hath many members , and all the members of that one body being many , are one body , so is christ. from this entire conjunction of the members with each other , arises that happy communion of saints , which wee professe both to beleeve and to partake of ; this mysticall body of christ is a large one , extending it self both to heaven and earth ; there is a reall union betwixt all those farre-spred limmes : betweene the saints in heaven ; betweene the saints on earth ; between the saints in heaven and earth . we have reason to begin at heaven , thence is the originall of our union and blessednesse : there was never place for discord in that region of glory , since the rebellious angels were cast out thence ; the spirits of just men made perfect must needs agree in a perfect unity ; neither can it be otherwise , for there is but one will in heaven ; one scope of the desires of blessed souls , w ch is the glory of their god ; all the whole chore sing one song , and in that one harmonious tune of allelujah . we poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth professe to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end , the honour of our maker and redeemer , but , alas , at our best , we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit , or pleasure ; wee professe to sing loud praises unto god , but it is with many harsh and jarring notes ; above , there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever ; oh , how ye love the lord , all ye his saints , oh how joyfull ye are in glory . the heavens shall praise thy wonders , o lord ; thy faithfulnesse also in the congregation of the saints : o what a blessed common-wealth is that above ! the city of the living god , the heavenly jerusalem ( ever at unity within it selfe ) & therin the innumerable company of angels , and the generall assembly and church of the first-born , which are written in heaven ; the spirits of just men made perfect , and ( whom they all adore ) god the judge of all ; and jesus the mediator of the new testament : all these as one , as holy : those twenty thousand chariots of heaven move all one way ; when those four beasts full of eyes , round about the throne give glory , and honour , and thanks to him that sits upon the throne , saying , holy , holy , holy lord god almighty , which was , and is , and is to come ; then the four and twenty elders fall down before him , and cast their crownes before the throne ; no one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs , all accord in one act of giving glory to the highest . after the sealing of the tribes , a great multitude , which no man could number , of all nations , and kindreds , and people , and tongues stood before the throne , and before the lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands . and cryed with a loud voice , salvation to our god , which sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lamb ; and all the angels stood about the throne , and about the elders , and the four beasts , and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped god , saying , amen : blessing , and glory , and wisdome , and thanksgiving , and honour , and power , and might be unto god for ever and ever . lo , those spirits which here below were habited with severalll bodies , different in shapes , statures , ages , complexions , are now above as one spirit rather distinguished , then divided ; all united in one perpetuall adoration and fruition of the god of spirits ; all mutually happy in god ; in themselves , in each other . our copy is set us above ; we labour to take it out here on earth ; what doe we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls , which is eminent in that empyrcall heaven , may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality ? for , having through christ an accesse by one spirit unto god the father , being no more strangers and forainers , but fellow citizens with the saints , and of the houshold of god , we cease not to pray , thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven : yea , o saviour , thou , who canst not but be heard , hast prayed to thy father for the accomplishment of this union ; that they may be one even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me ; that they may be perfect in one . what then is this union of the members of christ here on earth , but a spirituall onenesse arising from an happy conspiratiō of their thoughts and affections ? for whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions , the brain and the heart ; the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union ; from the one our thoughts take their rise ; our affections from the other ; in both , the soul puts it self forth upon all matter of accord , or difference . the union of thoughts is , when we minde the same things , when we agree in the same truths : this is the charge which the apostle of the gentiles lays upon his corinthians , and , in their persons , upon all christians ; now i beseech you , brethren , by the name of our lord jesus christ , that ye all speak the same thing ; and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement ; and this is no other then that one faith , which makes up the one church of christ upon earth ; one , both in respect of times and places . of times : so as the fathers of the first world , and the patriarks of the next , and all gods people in their ages , that lookt ( together with them ) for the redemption of israel ; are united with us christians of the last days in the same beleef ; and make up one entire body of christs catholik church : of places ; so as all those that truly professe the name of christ ( though scattered into the farthest remote regions of the earth ) even those that walk with their feet opposite to ours , yet meet with us in the same center of christian faith , and make up one houshold of god. not that we can hope it possible that all christians should agree in all truths ; whiles wee are here , our mindes cannot but be more unlike to each others , then our faces : yea , it is a rare thing for a man to hold constant to his own apprehensions . lord god! what a world doe we meet with of those , who mis-call themselves severall religions , indeed , severall professions of one and the same christianity ? melchites , georgians , maronites , jacobites , armenians , abysines , cophti , nestorians , ruffians , mengrellians ; and the rest that fill up the large map of christianography ; all which , as whiles they hold the head christ , they cannot be denyed the priviledge of his members ; so being such , they are , or should be indissolubly joined together in the unity of spirit , and maintenance of the faith which was once delivered unto the saints . it is not the variety of by opinions that should , or can exclude them from having their part in that one catholick church ; and their just claim to the communion of saints : whiles they hold the solid and precious foundation , it is not the hay , or stubble , which they lay upon it , that can set them off from god , or his church : but in the mean time , it must be granted , that they have much to answer for to the god of peace and unity , who are so much addicted to their own conceits , and so indulgent to their own interesse , as to raise and maintain new doctrines , and to set up new sects in the church of christ , varying from the common and received truths ; labouring to draw disciples after them ▪ to the great distraction of souls , and scandall of christianity : with which sort of disturbers , i must needs say , this age into which we are fallen , hath been , and is above all that have gone before us , most miserably pestered : what good soul can be other then confounded to hear of , and see more then an hundred and fourscore new , ( and some of them dangerous and blasphemous ) opinions broached , and defended in one ( once famous and unanimous ) church of christ ? who can say other , upon the view of these wild thoughts , then gerson said long since , that the world now growne old , is full of doting fancies ; if not rather that the world now near his end , raves , and talks nothing but fancies , and frenzies ? how arbitrary soever these selfe-willed fanaticks may think it , to take to themselves this liberty of thinking what they list ; and venting what they think , the blessed apostle hath ▪ long since branded them with an heavy sentence ; now i beseech you , brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which you have learned , and avoid them ; for they that are such serve not our lord jesus christ , but their own belly ; and by good words , and by fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple . but notwithstanding all this hideous variety of vain and heterodoxall conceptions ; he who is the truth of god , and the bridegroom of his spouse the church , hath said , my dove , my undefiled is one . one , in the main , essentiall , fundamentall verities necessary to salvation ; though differing in divers mis-raised corollaries , inconsequent inferences , unnecessary additions , feigned traditions , unwarrantable practises : the body is one , though the garments differ ; yea , rather ( for most of these ) the garment is one , but differs in the dressing ; handsomely and comely set out by one , disguised by another ; neither is it , nor ever shall be in the power of all the fiends of hell , the professed make-bates of the world , to make gods church other then one ; which were indeed utterly to extinguish , and reduce it to nothing : for the unity , and entity of the church , can no more be divided then it self . it were no lesse then blasphemy to fasten upon the chaste and most holy husband of the church any other then one spouse ; in the institution of marriage did he not make one ? yet had he the residue of the spirit ; and wherefore one ? that he might seek a godly seed : that which he ordained for us , shall not the holy god much more observe in his own heavenly match with his church ? here is then one lord , one faith , one baptisme ; one baptisme , by which wee enter into the church , one faith , which we professe in the church , and one lord whom wee serve , and who is the head , and husband of the church . how much therefore doth it concern us , that we who are united in one common beleef , should be much more united in affection ; that where there is one way , there should bee much more one heart ? this is so justly supposed , that the prophet questions , can two walk together , except they be agreed ? if we walk together in our judgements , we cannot but accord in our wils : this was the praise of the primitive christians , and the pattern of their successours ; the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart , and of one soul ; yea , this is the livery which our lord and saviour made choice of , whereby his meniall servants should be known and distinguished ; by this shall all men know that ye be my disciples , if ye have love to one another : in vain shall any man pretend to a discipleship , if he do not make it good by his love to all the family of christ. the whole church is the spirituall temple of god ; every beleever is a living stone laid in those sacred wals ; what is our christian love but the morter or cement whereby these stones are fast joyned together to make up this heavenly building ? without which that precious fabrick could not hold long together , but would be subject to dis-joynting by those violent tempests of opposition , wherewith it is commonly beaten upon : there is no place for any loose stone in gods edifice ; the whole church is one entire body , all the lims must be held together by the ligaments of christian love ; if any one will be severed , and affect to subsist of it self , it hath lost his place in the body ; thus the apostle , that we being sincere in love may grow up into him in all things , which is the head , even christ ; from whom the whole body fitly joyned together , and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth ; according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part , maketh increase of the body , unto the edifying of it self in love . but in case there happen to be differences in opinion , concerning points not essentiall , not necessary to salvation , this diversity may not breed an alienation of affection . that charity which can cover a multitude of sins , may much more cover many small dissensions of judgement : we cannot hope to be all , and at all times equally enlightned ; at how many and great weaknesses of judgement did it please our mercifull saviour to connive , in his domestique ples ? they that had so long sate at the sacred feet of him that spake as never man spake , were yet to seek of those scriptures , which had so clearely foretold his resurrection ; and after that were at a fault for the manner of his kingdome ; yet he that breaks not the bruised reed , nor quenches the smoaking flaxe , fals not harshly upon them for so foul an error , and ignorance , but entertains them with all loving respects , not as followers onely , but as friends : and his great apostle , after hee had spent himself in his unweariable endeavours upon gods church ; and had sown the seeds of wholesom , & saving doctrine every where , what ranke and noisome weeds of erroneous opinions rose up under his hand , in the churches of corinth , galatia , ephesus , colosse , philippi , and thessalonica ? these he labours to root out , with much zeal , with no bitternesse ; so opposing the errors , as not alienating his affection from the churches ; these , these must be our precedents , pursuing that charge of the prime apostle , finally , be ye all of one minde ; having compassion one of another , love as brethren , be pitifull , be courteous : and that passionate and adjuring obtestation of the apostle of the gentiles ; if there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowels and mercies ; fulfill ye my joy , that ye be like minded , having the same love , being of one accord , of one minde . this is it that gives beauty , strength , glory to the church of god upon earth ; and brings it nearest to the resemblance of that triumphant part above , where there is all perfection of love and concord ; in imitation whereof , the psalmist sweetly ; behold , how good and joyfull a thing it is brethren to dwel together in unity . so much the more justly lamentable it is to see the manifold and grievous distractions of the church of christ , both in judgement and affection . woe is me , into how many thousand peeces is the seamlesse coat of our saviour rent ? yea , into what numberlesse atomes is the precious body of christ torn and minced ? there are more religions , then nations upon earth ; & in each religion as many different conceits , as men . if saint paul , when his corinthians did but say , i am of paul , i am of apollo , i am of cephas , could ask , is christ divided ? when there was onely an emulatory magnifying of their own teachers , ( though agreeing and orthodoxe ) what ( think wee ) would he now say , if he saw hundred of sect-masters and heresiarchs ( some of them opposite to other , all to the truth ) applauded by their credulous and divided followers ? all of them claiming christ for theirs , and denying him to their gain-sayers ; would hee not aske , is christ multiplied ? is christ sub-divided ? is christ shred into infinities ? o god! what is become of christianity ? how doe evill spirits & men labour to destroy that creed w ch we have always constantly professed ? for , if we set up more christs , where is that one ? and if we give way to these infinite distractions , where is the communion of saints ? but he not too much dismaid , my son ; notwithstanding all these cold disheartnings , take courage to thy self : he that is truth it self hath said , the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church : in spight of all devils , there shall be saints , and those are , and shall be as the scales of the leviathan , whose strong peeces of shields are his pride , shut up together as with a close seal ; one is so near to another , that no ayr can come betwixt them ; they are joyned one to another , they stick together , that they cannot be sundred : in all the main principles of religion , there is an universall and unanimous consent of all christians , and these are they that constitute a church : those that agree in these , christ is pleased to admit ( for matter of doctrine ) as members of that body whereof he is the head : and if they admit not of each other as such , the fault is in the uncharitablenesse of the refusers , no lesse then in the error of the refused : and if any vain and loose straglers will needs sever themselves , and wilfully choose to goe ways of their own ; let them know that the union of christs church shall consist entire without them ; this great ocean will be one collection of waters , when these drops are lost in the dust : in the mean time it highly concerns all that wish well to the sacred name of christ , to labour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ; and to renue and continue the prayer of the apostle for all the professors of christianity . now the god of patience and consolation , grant you to be like-minded one towards another , according to christ jesus ; that ye may with one minde , and one mouth glorifie god , even the father of our lord jesus christ. far be it from us to think this union of the hearts of gods saints upon earth can be idle and ineffectuall ; but where ever it is , it puts forth it self into a like-affectednesse of disposition , into an improvement of gifts , into a communication of outward blessings , to the benefit of that happy consociation . we cannot be single in our affections , if we be lims of a christian community ; what member of the body can complain , so as the rest shall not feel it ? even the head and heart are in paine , when a joynt of the least toe suffers ; no christian can be afflicted alone ; it is not saint pauls case onely ; who is weak , and i am not weak ? who is offended , and i burn not ? our shoulders are not our own , we must bear one anothers burdens : there is a better kinde of spirituall good fellowship in all the saints of god ; they hate a propriety of passions , rejoyce with them that rejoyce , and weep with them that weep . their affections are not more communicative then their gifts and graces ; those , as they are bestowed with an intuition of the common good , so they are improved ; wherefore hath this man quicknesse of wit , that man depth of judgment , this , heat of zeal , that , power of elocution ; this , skill , that , experience ; this , authority , that , strength ; but that all should be laid together for the raising of the common stock ? how rich therefore is every christian soul , that is not onely furnished with its own graces , but hath a speciall interest in all the excellent gifts of all the most eminent servants of god through the whole world ? surely , he cannot be poore , whiles there is any spirituall wealth in the church of god upon earth . neither are , or can these gifts be in the danger of concealments ; they are still put forth for the publike advantage : as therefore no true christian is his own man ; so he freely lays out himself , by example , by admonition , by exhortation , by consolation , by prayer , for the universall benefit of all his fellow-members ; by example , which is not a little winning and prevalent ; let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works , and glorifie your father which is in heaven ; saith our saviour in his sermon upon the mount ; and his great apostle seconds his charge to his philippians ; that ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse , the sons of god , without rebuke in the midst of a crooked , and perverse nation , among whom ye shine as lights in the world , holding forth the word of life ; lo , the world sits in darknesse , and either stirs not , or moves with danger ; good example is a light to their feet , which directs them to walk in the ways of god , without erring , without stumbling : so as the good mans actions are so many copies for novices to take out ; no lesse instructive then the wisest mens precepts . by admonition ; the sinner is in danger of drowning ; seasonable admonition is an hand reacht out , that lays hold on him now sinking , and draws him up to the shore . the sinner is already in the fire ; seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burnings . the charitable christian may not forbear this ( oft times thanklesse , but ) always necessary and profitable duty ; thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him . by exhortation ; the fire of gods spirit within us , is subject to many damps , and dangers of quenching ; seasonable exhortation blowes it up , and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame ; even the best of us lies open to a certain deadnesse and obdurednesse of heart , seasonable exhortation shakes off this perill , and keeps the heart in an holy tendernesse ; and whether awfull , or chearfull disposition ; exhort one another daily , whiles it is called , to day ; lest any of you bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin . by consolation ; we are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions ; seasonable comforts lift , and stay us up : it is a sad complaint that the church makes in the lamentations ; they have heard that i sigh ; there is none to comfort me ; and david sets the same mournfulditty upon his shoshannim ; reproach hath broken my heart , and i am full of heavinesse ; and i looked for some to take pity , and there was none , and for comforters , but i found none . wherefore hath god givē to men the tongue of the learned , but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary ? that they may strengthen the weak hands , and confirm the feeble knees ; and say to them that are of a fearfull heart , be strong , fear not . the charge that our saviour gives to peter , holds universally ; thou when thou art converted , strengthen thy brethren . by prayer : so as each member of christs church sues for all ; neither can any one bee shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all gods saints upon earth : there is a certain spirituall traffique of piety betwixt all gods children , wherein they exchange prayers with each other ; not regarding number , so much as weight : am i weak in spirit , and faint in my supplications ? i have no lesse share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants , then in my own ; all the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects ; whiles there is life in their faithfull devotions , i cannot goe away unblessed . lastly , where there is a communion of inward graces , and spirituall services , there must needs much more be a communication of outward , and temporall good things , as just occasion requireth ; away with those dotages of platonicall , or anabaptisticall communities ; let prieties be , as they ought , constantly fixed where the laws , and civill right have placed them ; but let the use of these outward blessings be managed , and commanded by the necessities of our brethren ; withhold not thy goods from the owners therof , when it is in the power of thy hand to doe it : say not unto thy neighbour , go , and come again to morrow , and i will give it , when thou hast it by thee . these temporall things were given us not to engrosse , and hoard up superfluously , but to distribute and dispense ; as we have therefore opportunity , let us doe good unto all men , especially them who are of the houshold of faith . such then is the union of gods children here on earth , both in matter of judgement , and affection ; and the beneficiall improvement of that affection , whether in spirituall gifts , or good offices , or communicating of our earthly substance ; where the heart is one , none of these can be wanting , and where they all are , there is an happy communion of saints . as there is a perfect union betwixt the glorious saints in heaven ; and a union ( though imperfect ) betwixt the saints on earth : so there is an union partly perfect , and partly imperfect , between the saints in heaven , and the saints below upon earth : perfect , in respect of those glorified saints above , imimperfect , in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again . let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight farre distant in another world , and we are here toyling in a vale of tears , wee have therefore lost all mutuall regard to each other : no , there is still , and ever will be a secret , but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth . the present happinesse of those heavenly citizens cannot have abated ought of their knowledge , and charity , but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both : they therefore , who are now glorious comprehensors , cannot but in a generality , retain the notice of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below , pāting towards our rest together w th thē , and , in common , wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage , in the fruition of their glory ; that they have any perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants , is that which we finde no ground to beleeve ; it is enough that they have an universall apprehension of the estate of christs warfaring church upon the face of the earth ; and as fellow-members of the same mysticall body , long for a perfect glorification of the whole . as for us wretched pilgrims , that are yet left here below to tugge with many difficulties , we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory ; o ye blessed saints above , we honour your memories so far as wee ought ; wee doe with praise recount your vertues , wee magnifie your victories , we blesse god for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world , and for your estating in that blessed immortality ; wee imitate your holy examples , we long and pray for an happy consociation with you ; we dare not raise temples , dedicate altars , direct prayers to you ; we dare not finally , offer any thing to you which you are unwilling to receive , nor put any thing upon you , which you would disclaim as prejudiciall to your creator , and redeemer . it is abundant comfort to us , that some part of us is in the fruition of that glory ; whereto we ( the other poor labouring part ) desire , and strive to aspire : that our head and shoulders are above water , whiles the other lims are yet wading through the stream . to winde up all , my son , if ever thou look for sound comfort on earth , and salvation in heaven ; unglue thy self from the world and the vanities of it ; put thy self upon thy lord and saviour jesus christ ; leave not till thou findest thy self firmly united to him ; so as thou art become a limb of that body whereof he is head , a spouse of that husband , a branch of that stemme , a stone laid upon that foundation ; look not therefore for any blessing out of him ; and in , and by , and from him look for all blessings ; let him be thy life , and wish not to live longer then thou art quickned by him ; find him thy wisdome , righteousness , sanctification , redemption ; thy riches , thy strength , thy glory : apply unto thy self all that thy saviour is , or hath done ; wouldst thou have the graces of gods spirit ? fetch them from his anointing ; wouldst thou have power against spirituall enemies ? fetch it from his soveraignty ; wouldst thou have redemption ? fetch it from his passion ; wouldst thou have absolution ? fetch it from his perfect innocence ; freedome from the curse ? fetch it from his crosse ? satisfaction ? fetch it from his sacrifice ; cleansing from sin ? fetch it from his bloud ; mortification ? fetch it from his grave ; newnesse of life ? fetch it from his resurrection ; right to heaven ? fetch it from his purchase ; audience in all thy suits ? fetch it from his intercessiō ; wouldst thou have salvation ? fetch it from his session at the right hand of majesty : wouldst thou have all ? fetch it from him who is one lord , one god and father of all , who is above all , and through all , and in all : and as thy faith shall thus interesse thee in christ thy head : so let thy charity unite thee to his body the church , both in earth , and heaven ; hold ever an inviolable communion with that holy and blessed fraternity . sever not thy selfe from it either in judgement , or affection ; make account there is not one of gods saints upon earth , but hath a propriety in thee : and thou maist challenge the same in each of them : so as thou canst not but be sensible of their passions ; and be freely communicative of all thy graces , and all serviceable offices , by example , admonition , exhortation , consolation , prayer , beneficence , for the good of that sacred community . and when thou raisest up thine eyes to heaven , think of that glorious society of blessed saints , who are gone before thee , and are now there triumphing , and reigning in eternall , and incomprehensible glory ; blesse god for them , and wish thy self with them , tread in their holy steps , and be ambitious of that crown of glory and immortality which thou seest shining upon their heads . an holy rapture : or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ. by j. h. b. n. the contents . § . the love of christ , how passing knowledge ; how free ; of us , before we were . § . how free ; of us that had made our selves vile , and miserable . § . how yet free ; of us that were professed enemies . § . the wonderfull effects of the love of christ ; . his incarnation . § . . his love in his sufferings . § . . his love in what hee hath done for us ; and . in preparing heaven for us from eternity . § . his love in our redemption from death , and hell . § . his love in giving us the guard of his angels . § . his love in giving us his holy spirit . § . our sense and improvement of christs love in all the former particulars ; and first in respect of the inequality of our persons . § . a further improvement of our love to christ , in respect of our unworthinesse , and of his sufferings and glory prepared for us . § . the improvement of our love to christ for the mercy of his deliverance , of the tuition of his angels , of the powerfull working of his good spirit for the accomplishment of our salvation . an holy raptvre : or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ . what is it , o blessed apostle , what is it , for which thou dost so earnestly bow thy knees ( in the behalf of thine ephesians ) unto the father of our lord jesus christ ? even this , that they may know the love of christ which passeth knowledge . give me leave first to wonder at thy suit ; and then , much more , at what thou suest for : were thine affections raised so high to thine ephesians , that thou shouldst crave for them impossible favours ? did thy love so far over-shoot thy reason , as to pray they might attain to the knowledge of that which cannot be known ? it is the love of christ which thou wishest they may know , and it is that love which thou sayest is past all knowledge ; what shall we say to this ? is it for that there may be holy ambitions of those heights of grace , which we can never hope actually to attain ? or is it , rather , that thou supposest , and prayest they may reach to the knowledge of that love , the measure whereof they could never aspire to know : surely , so it is , o blessed jesu ; that thou hast loved us , we know ; but , how much thou hast loved us , is past the comprehension of angels : those glorious spirits , as they desire to looke into the deep mystery of our redemption , so they wonder to behold that divine love whereby it is wrought , but they can no more reach to the bottome of it , then they can affect to be infinite . for surely , no lesse then an endlesse line can serve to fadome a bottomlesse depth : such , o saviour , is the abysse of thy love to miserable man : alas , what doe we poor , wretched , dust of the earth goe about to measure it by the spans , and inches of our shallow thoughts . far , far , be such presumption from us ; onely admit us , o blessed lord , to look at , to admire and adore that which we give up for incomprehensible ; what shall wee then say to this love ; oh dear jesu , both as thine , and as cast upon us ; all earthly love supposeth some kinde of equality , ( or proportion at least ) betwixt the person that loves , and is loved ; here is none at all ; so as ( which is past wonder ) extreams meet without a mean : for , lo , thou , who art the eternall and absolute beeing , god blessed for ever , lovedst me that had no beeing at all ; thou lovedst me both when i was not , and could never have been but by thee : it was from thy love that i had any beeing at all : much more that when thou hadst given me a beeing , thou shouldst follow mee with succeeding mercies ? who but thou ( who art infinite in goodnesse ) would love that which is not ? our poor sensuall love is drawn from us by the sight of a face , or a picture ; neither is ever raised but upon some pleasing motive : thou wouldst make that which thou wouldst love , and wouldst love that which thou hadst made ; o god , was ▪ there ever love so free , so gracious , as this of thine ? who can be capable to love us but men or angels ? men love us because they see something in us which they think amiable ; angels love us because thou dost so : but why doest thou ( o blessed lord ) love us , but because thou wouldst ? there can be no cause of thy will , which is the cause of all things ; even , so lord , since this love did rise onely from thee , let the praise and glory of it rest onely in thee . yet more , lord ; we had lost our selves before we were , and having forfaited what we should be , had made our selves perfectly miserable ; even when wee were worse then nothing , thou wouldst love us ; was there ever any eye enamoured of deformity ? can there bee any bodily deformitie comparable to that of sin ? yet , lord , when sin had made us abominably loathsome , didst thou cast thy love upon us : a little scurf of leprosie , or some few nastie spots of morphew , or , but , some unsavory sent sets us off ; and turns our love into detestation . but for thee , ( o god ) when we were become as foul , and ugly as sinne could make us , even then was thy love inflamed towards us ; even when we were weltring in our blood , thou saidst , live , and washedst us , and anointedst us , and cloathedst us with broidered work , and deckedst us with ornaments , and graciously espousedst us to thy self , and receivedst us into thine owne bosome : lord , what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him , and the son of man that thou thus visitest him ? oh what are we in comparison of thine once-glorious angels ? they sinned and fell , never to bee recovered ; never to be loosed from those everlasting chains , wherein they are reserved to the judgement of the great day : whence is it then , o saviour , whence is it that thou hast shut up thy mercy from those thy more excellent creatures , and hast extended it to us , vile sinfull dust ? whence ? but that thou wouldst love man , because thou wouldst ? alas , it it is discouragement enough to our feeble friendship , that he to whom we wisht well , is miserable : our love doth gladly attend upon , and enjoy his prosperity ; but when his estate is utterly sunke , and his person exposed to contempt and ignominy , yea , to torture and death ; who is there that will then put forth himself to owne a forlorn , and perishing friend ? but for thee , o blessed jesu , so ardent was thy love to us , that it was not in the power of our extream misery to abate it ; yea so , as that the deplorednesse of our condition did but heighten that holy flame ; what speak i of shame or sufferings ? hell it self could not keep thee off from us ; even from that pit of eternall perdition didst thou fetch our condemned souls , and hast contrarily vouchsafed to put us into a state of everlasting blessednesse . the common disposition of men pretends to a kind of justice in giving men their own ; so as they will repay love for love ; and thinke they may for hatred return enmity ; nature it self then teacheth us to love our friends , it is onely grace that can love an enemy : but , as of injuries , so of enmities thereupon grounded , there are certain degrees ; some are sleight and trivial , some main and capitall ; if a man doe but scratch my face , or give some light dash to my fame , it is no great mastery upon submission to receive such an offender to favour ; but if he have endevoured to ruine my estate , to wound my reputation , to cut my throat , not onely to pardon this man , but to hug him in my arms , to lodge him in my bosome as my entire friend , this would be no other then an high improvement of my charity . o lord jesu , what was i but the worst of enemies , when thou vouchsafedst to embrace me with thy loving mercy ? how had i shamefully rebelled against thee , and yeelded up all my members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin ? how had i crucified thee the lord of life ? how had i done little other then trod under foot thee the blessed son of god , and counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing ; how had i in some sort done despight unto the spirit of grace ? yet even then , in despight of all my most odious unworthinesse , didst thou spread abroad thine arms to receive me , yea , thou openedst thine heart to let me in : o love passing not knowledge onely , but wonder also ! o mercy , not incident into any thing lesse then infinite ; nor , by any thing lesse , comprehensible ! but , oh dear lord , when from the object of thy mercy , i cast mine eyes upon the effects and improvement of thy divine favours ; and see what thy love hath drawn from thee towards the sons of men , how am i lost in a just amazement ? it is that which fetcht thee down from the glory of the highest heavens , from the bosome of thine eternall father to this lower world , the region of sorrow and death : it is that which ( to the wonder of angels ) cloathed thee with this flesh of ours , and brought thee ( who thoughtst it no robbery to be equall with god ) to an estate lower then thine own creatures . oh mercy transcending the admiration of all the glorious spirits of heaven , that god would bee incarnate ! surely , that all those celestiall powers should be redacted to either worms , or nothing ; that all this goodly frame of creation should run back into its first confusion , or be reduced to one single atome ; it is not so high a wonder as for god to become man ; those changes ( though the highest that nature is capable of ) are yet but of things finite ; this is of an infinite subject , with which the most excellent of finite things can hold no proportion : oh the great mystery of godlinesse ; god manifested in the flesh , and seen of angels ! those heavenly spirits had ever since they were made , seen his most glorious deity , and adored him as their omnipotent creator ; but to see that god of spirits invested with flesh , was such a wonder , as had been enough ( if their nature could have been capable of it ) to have astonished even glory it self ; and whether to see him that was their god so humbled below themselves , or to see humanity thus advanced above themselves , were the greater wonder to them , they onely know : it was your foolish misprison , o ye ignorant listrians , that you took the servants for the master ; here onely is it verified ( which you supposed ) that god is come down to us in the likenesse of man ; and as man conversed with men : what a disparagement doe wee think it was for the great monarch of babylon , for seven years together , as a beast to converse with the beasts of the field ? yet alas , beasts and men are fellow-creatures ; made of one earth , drawing in the same ayre , returning ( for their bodily part ) to the same dust ; symbolizing in many qualities ; and in some , mutually transcending each others : so as here may seem to bee some tearms of a tolerable proportion ; sith many men are in disposition too like unto beasts , and some beasts are in outward shape somewhat like unto men : but for him that was , and is , god , blessed for ever , eternall , infinite , incomprehensible , to put on flesh , and to become a man amongst mē , was to stoop below al possible disparities that heaven and earth can afford ; oh saviour , the lower thine abasement was for us , the higher was the pitch of thy divine love to us . yet in this our humane condition there are degrees ; one rules and glitters in all earthly glory ; another sits despised in the dust ; one passes the time of his life in much jollity and pleasure ; another wears out his days in sorrow and discontentment ; blessed jesu , since thou wouldst be a man , why wouldst thou not be the king of men ? since thou wouldst come down to our earth , why wouldst thou not enjoy the best entertainment that the earth could yeeld thee ? yea , since thou who art the eternall son of god , wouldst be the son of man , why didst thou not appear in a state like to the king of heaven , attended with the glorious retinue of blessed angels ? o yet greater wonder of mercies ; the same infinite love that brought thee down to the form of man , would also bring thee down , being man , to the form of a servant . so didst thou love man that thou wouldst take part with him of his misery , that he might take part with thee of thy blessednesse : thou wouldst be poor to enrich us , thou wouldst be burdened for our ease , tempted for our victory , despised for our glory . with what lesse then ravishment of spirit can i behold thee , who wert from everlasting cloathed with glory and majesty , wrapped in rags : thee , who fillest heaven and earth with the majesty of thy glory , cradled in a manger ; thee , who art the god of power , fleeing in thy mothers arms from the rage of a weak man ; thee , who art the god of israel , driven to be nursed out of the bosome of thy church ; thee , who madest the heaven of heavens , busily working in the homely trade of a foster-father ; thee , who commandest the devils to their chains , transported and tempted by that foul spirit ; thee , who art god all-sufficient , exposed to hunger , thirst , wearines , danger , contēpt , poverty , revilings , scourgings , persecution ; thee , who art the just judge of all the world , accused and condemned ; thee , who art the lord of life , dying upon the tree of shame and curse ; thee , who art the eternall son of god , strugling with thy fathers wrath ; thee , who hadst said , i and my father are one , sweating drops of bloud in thine agony , and crying out on the crosse , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? thee , who hast the keys of hell , and of death , lying sealed up in another mans grave : oh saviour , whither hath thy love to mankinde carried thee ? what sighs , and groans , and tears , and blood , hast thou spent upon us wretched men ? how dear a price hast thou paid for our ransome ? what raptures of spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of thy so infinite mercy ? be thou swallowed up , o my soul , in this depth of divine love ; and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world , when thou hast such a saviour to take them up . but o blessed jesu , if from what thou hast suffered for me , i shall cast mine eyes upon what thou hast done for my soul ; how is my heart divided betwixt the wonders of both ; and may as soon tell how great either of them is , as whether of them is the greater . it is in thee that i was elected from all eternity ; and ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a world : we are wont ( o god ) to marvell at , and blesse thy provident beneficence to the first man , that before thou wouldst bring him forth into the world , thou wert pleased to furnish such a world for him , so goodly an house over his head , so pleasant a paradise under his feet , such variety of creatures round about him for his subjection , and attendance ; but how should i magnifie thy mercy , who before that man , or that world had any beeing , hast so far loved me as to pre-ordain me to a place of blessedness in that heaven which should be , and to make me a co-heir with my christ of thy glory : and oh , what an heaven is this that thou hast laid out for me : how resplendent , how transcendently glorious ? even that lower paradise which thou providedst for the harbour of innocence and holinesse , was full of admirable beauty , pleasure , magnificence , but if it be compared with this paradise above , which thou hast prepared for the everlasting entertainment of restored souls , how mean and beggerly it was ? oh match too unequall , of the best peece of earth , with the highest state of the heaven of heavens . in that earthly paradise i finde thine angels , the cherubim ; but it was to keep man off from that garden of delight , and from the tree of life in the midst of it ; but in this heavenly one i finde millions of thy cherubim , and seraphim rejoycing at mans blessednesse , and welcomming the glorified souls to their heaven : there i finde but the shadow of that , whereof the substance is here ; there we were so possessed of life that yet we might forfait it ; here is life without all possibility of death : temptation could finde accesse thither , here is nothing but a free and compleat fruition of blessednesse : there were delights fit for earthly bodies ; here is glory more then can be enjoyed of blessed souls : that was watered with four streams , muddy , and impetuous ; in this is the pure river of the water of life clear as crystall , proceeding out of the throne of god , and of the lamb : there i finde thee onely walking in the cool of the day ; here manifesting thy majesty continually : there i see onely a most pleasant orchard , set with all manner of varieties of flourishing and fruitfull plants ; here i finde also the city of god infinitely rich , and magnificent ; the building of the wall of it , of jasper ; and the city it selfe pure gold , like unto cleare glasse ; and the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of precious stones : all that i can here attain to see , is the pavement of thy celestiall habitation : and , lord , how glorious it is ; how bespangled with glittering starres ; for number , for magnitude equally admirable ? what is the least of them , but a world of light ? and what are all of them , but a confluence of so many thousand worlds of beauty and brightnesse met in one firmament ? and if this floor of thine heavenly palace be thus richly set forth , oh , how infinite glory and magnificence must there needs be within ? thy chosen vessell , that had the priviledge to be caught up thither , and to see that divine state , ( whether with bodily , or mentall eyes ) can expresse it no otherwise , then that it cannot possibly be expressed : no , lord , it were not infinite if it could bee uttered ; thoughts goe beyond words ; yet even these come far short also ; he that saw it , says ; eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , the things which god hath prepared for them that love him . yet is thy love , o saviour , so much more to bee magnified of me , in this purchased glory ; when i cast down mine eyes , and look into that horrible gulf of torment , and eternall death , whence thou hast rescued my poor soul : even out of the greatest contentment which this world is capable to afford unto mankind , to be preferred to the joys of heavē , is an unconceivable advantage ; but from the depth of misery to be raised up unto the highest pitch of felicity , addes so much more to the blessing , as the evill from which we are delivered is more intolerable : oh blessed jesu , what an hell is this out of which thou hast freed me ? what dreadfull horror is here ? what darknesse ? what confusion ? what anguish of souls that would , and cannot die ? what howling , and yelling , and shrieking , and gnashing ? what everlasting burnings ? what never slaking tortures ? what mercilesse fury of unweariable tormentors ? what utter despair of any possibility of release ? what exquisitenesse , what infinitenesse of paines that cannot , yet must be endured ? oh god , if the impotent displeasure of weake men have devised so subtile engines of revenge upon their fellow-mortals for but petty offences ; how can wee but think thine infinite justice and wisdome must have ordained such forms and ways of punishment for hainous sins done against thee , as may be answerable to the violation of thy divine majesty ? oh therefore the most fearfull and deplored condition of damned spirits , never to be ended , never to be abated ; oh those unquenchable flames ; oh that burning tophet , deep and large ; and those streams of brimstone wherewith it is kindled ; oh that worm ever gnawing and tearing the heart , never dying , never sated : oh ever-living death , oh ever renuing torments ; oh never pitied , never intermitted damnation ; from hence , o saviour , from hence it is that thou hast fetcht up my condemned soul ; this is the place , this is the state out of which thou hast snatcht me up into thy heaven : oh love and mercy more deep then those depths from which thou hast saved me ; more high then that heaven to which thou hast advanced me ! now , whereas in my passage from this state of death towards the fruition of immortall glory ▪ i am way-laid by a world of dangers ; partly , through my own sinfull aptnesse to miscarriages , and partly through the assaults of my spirituall enemies , how hath thy tender love and compassion , ô blessed jesu , undertaken to secure my soul from all these deadly perils ▪ both without , and within : without , by the guardance of thy blessed angels : within , by the powerfull inoperation of thy good spirit which thou hast given me ? oh that mine eyes could be opened with elishaes servant , that i might see those troops of heavenly soldiers , those horses and chariots of fire , wherewith thou hast encompassed mee ! every one of which is able to chase away a whole host of the powers of darknes : who am i , lord , who am i , that , upon thy gracious appointment , these glorious spirits should still watch over me in mine uprising , and down lying ; in my going out , and comming in ? that they should bear me in their arms , that they should shield me with their protection ? behold , such is their majesty and glory , that some of thy holiest servants have hardly been restrained from worshipping them ; yet so great is thy love to man , as that thou hast ordained them to be ministring spirits , sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation . surely they are in nature far more excellent then man ; as being spirituall substances , pure intelligences , meet to stand before the throne of thee the king of glory ; what a mercy then is this , that thou , who wouldst humble thy self to be lower then they , in the susception of our nature ; art pleased to humble them in their offices to the guardianship of man , so far , as to call them the angels of thy little ones upon earth ? how hast thou blessed us , and how should we blesse thee in so mighty , and glorious attendants ? neither hast thou , o god , meerly turn'd us over to the protection of those tutelary spirits ; but hast held us still in thine own hand ; having not so strongly defenced as without , as thou hast done within ; since that , is wrought by thine angels , this , by thy spirit ; oh the soveraign and powerfull influences of thy holy ghost ; whereby wee are furnished with all saving graces , strengthned against all temptations , heartned against all our doubts and fears ; enabled both to resist , and overcome ; and upon our victories , crowned . oh divine bounty , far beyond the reach of wonder ! so god ( the father ) loved the world , that he gave his onely begotten sonne , that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life : so god the son loved the world of his elect , that he gave unto thē the holy spirit of promise , wherby they are sealed unto the day of redemption ; wherby according to the riches of his glory they are strengthned with might in the inner man ; by the vertue whereof shed abroad in their hearts , they are enabled to cry , abba , father . oh gifts ; either of which are more worth then many worlds ; yet through thy goodnes , ô lord , both of thē mine : how rich is my soul through thy divine munificence , how over-laid with mercies ? how safe in thine almighty tuition ? how happy in thy blessed possession ? now therefore i dare in the might of my god , bid defiance to all the gates of hell ; doe your worst , ô all ye principalities and powers , and rulers of the darknesse of this world , and spirituall wickednesses in high places ; doe your worst ; god is mine , and i am his ; i am above your malice in the right of him whose i am ; it is true , i am weak , but he is omnipotent ; i am sinfull , but he is infinite holinesse ; that power , that holinesse in his gracious application is mine ; it is my saviours love that hath made this happy exchange of his righteousnesse for my sin ; of his power for my infirmity ; who then shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth : who shal separate us from the love of christ ? shall tribulation , or distresse , or persecution , or famine , or nakednesse , or perill , or sword ? nay , in all these things we are more thē conquerors through him that loved us : so as , neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come ; nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of god which is in christ jesus our lord. lo , where this love is placed ; were it our love of god , how easily might the power of a prevalent temptation separate us from it , or it from us ; for , alas , what hold is to be taken of our affections , w ch , like unto water , are so much more apt to freeze because they have been heated ; but it is the love of god to us in christ jesus , which is ever as himself constant and eternall : he can no more cease to love us , then to be himself ; he cannot but be unchangeable , we cannot but be happy . all this , o deare jesu , hast thou done , all this hast thou suffered for me ; and oh now for an heart that might be some ways answerable to thy mercies ! surely , even good natures hate to be in debt for love ; and are ready to repay favours with interest ; oh for a soul sick of love , yea , sick unto death ! why should i , how can i be any otherwise , any whit lesse affected , o saviour ? this onely sicknesse is my health , this death is my life , and not to be thus sick , is to be dead in sins and trespasses . i am rock and not flesh , if i be not wounded with these heavenly darts : ardent affection is apt to attract love even where is little or no beauty ; and excellent beauty is no lesse apt to enflame the heart where there is no answer of affection ; but when these two meet together , what breast can hold against them ? and here they are both in an eminent degree . thou canst say even of thy poore church ( though labouring under many imperfections ) thou hast ravished my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes , with one chain of thy neck ; how fair is thy love , my sister , my spouse ? and canst thou , o blessed saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of thy faithfull ones ; and shall not we much more be altogether enamoured of thine absolute and divine beauty ? of whom every beleeving soul can say ; my beloved is white and ruddy , the chiefest among ten thousand ; his head is as the most fine gold ; his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters , his cheekes are as a bed of spices , as sweet flowers ; his lips like lillies , dropping sweet smelling myrrhe , &c. it hath pleased thee , o lord , out of the sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love , to say to thy poor church , turn away thine eyes from mee , for they have overcome me ; but oh let mee say unto thee ; turn thine eyes to me , that they may overcome me ; i would be thus ravished , thus overcome ; i would be thus out of my self , that i might be all in thee . thou lovedst me before i had beeing ; let me now that i have a beeing be wholly taken up with thy love ; let me set all my soul upon thee that gavest me beeing ; upō thee who art the eternal , & absolute self-beeing ; who hast said , and only could say , i am that i am ; alas , lord , we are nothing but what thou wilt have us ; and cease to be when thou callest in that breath of life w ch thou hast lent us ; thou ▪ art that incōprehensibly glorious , & infinite self-existing spirit from eternity , in eternity , to eternity ; in , and from whom all things are : it is thy wonderfull mercy that thou wouldst condescend so low , as to vouchsafe to be loved of my wretchednesse , of whom thou mightest justly require and expect nothing but terrour and trembling . it is my happinesse that i may be allowed to love a majesty so infinitely glorious : oh let me not be so farre wanting to my own felicity , as to bee lesse then ravished with thy love . thou lovedst me when i was deformed , loathly , forlorn , and miserable ; shall i not now love thee when thou hast freed me , and deckt me with the ornaments of thy graces ? lord jesu , who should enjoy the fruit of thine own favours but thy self ? how shamefully injurious were it , that when thou hast trimm'd up my soul , it should prostitute it self to the love of the world ? oh take my heart to thee alone ; possesse thy self of that which none can claim but thy self . thou lovedst me when i was a professed rebell against thee , and receivedst me not to mercy onely , but to the indearment of a subject , a servant , a son ; vvhere should i place the improvement of the thankfull affections of my loyaltie and duty but upon thee ? thou , o god , hast so loved us , that thou wouldst become the son of man for our sakes , that vve vvho are the sons of men might become the sons of god ; oh that vve could put off the man , to put on christ ; that we could neglect and hate our selves for thee that hast so dearly loved us as to lay aside thine heavenly glory for us ! how shall i bee vile enough , o saviour , for thee , who for my sake ( being the lord of life and glory ) wouldst take upon thee the shape of a servant ? how should i welcome that poverty which thy choice hath sanctified ? how resolutely shall i grapple with the temptations of that enemy , vvhom thou hast foiled for me ? how chearfully should i passe through those miseries and that death , which thou hast sweetned ? with vvhat comfortable assurance shall i look upon the face of that mercifull justice vvhich thou hast satisfied ? but oh vvhat a blessed inheritance hast thou in thine infinite love provided for me ? an inheritance incorruptible , and undefiled , and that fadeth not away , reserved in heaven for me ; so as when my earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved , i have a building of god , an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens : an house ? yea , a palace of heavenly state and magnificence ; neither is it lesse then a kingdome that abides there for mee : a kingdome so much more above these worldly monarchies , as heaven is above this clod of earth : now , lord , vvhat conceits , vvhat affections of mine can be in the least sort answerable to so transcendent mercy ? if some friend shall have been pleased to bestow some mean legacy upon me ; or shall have feoffed me in some few acres of his land ; how deeply doe i finde my self obliged to the love and memory of so kinde a benenefactor ? oh then , lord , how can my soul be capable of those thoughts and dispositions , vvhich may reach to the least proportion of thine infinite bounty , vvho of a poor worm on earth , hast made me an heir of the kingdome of heaven . wo is me , how subject are these earthly principalities to hazard , and mutability , whether through death , or insurrectiō ; but this crown w ch thou hast laid up for me is immarcescible ; and shall sit immoveably fast upon my head , not for years , not for millions of ages , but for all eternity ; oh let it be my heaven here below , in the mean vvhile , to live in a perpetuall fruition of thee , and to begin those allelujahs to thee here , vvhich shall be as endlesse as thy mercy , and my blessednesse . hadst thou been pleased to have translated me frō thy former paradise , the most delightfull seat of mans originall integrity and happinesse , to the glory of the highest heaven , the preferment had been infinitely gracious ; but to bring my soul from the nethermost hell and to place it among the chore of angels , doubles the thank of thy mercy , and the measure of my obligation : how thankfull was thy prophet but to an ebedmelech , that by a cord and rags let down into that dark dungeon , helpt him out of that uncomfortable pit wherein he was lodged ; yet , what was there but a little cold , hunger , stench , closenesse ▪ obscurity ? lord , how should i blesse thee , that hast fetcht my soul from that pit of eternall horrour , from that lake of fire and brimstone , from the everlasting torments of the damned , wherein i had deserved to perish for ever ? i will sing of thy power ; unto thee , o my strength will i sing ; for god is my deliverer , and the god of my mercie . but , o lord , if yet thou shouldst leave me in my own hands , where vvere i ? how easily should i be rob'd of thee with every temptation ? how should i be made the scorn and insultation of men and devils ? it is thy wonderfull mercy that thou hast given thine angels charge over me ; those angels great in power , and glorious in majesty are my sure ( though invisible ) guard : oh blessed jesu , what an honour , what a safety is this , that those heavenly spirits which attend thy throne should be my champions ▪ those that ministred to thee after thy temptation ▪ are readie to assist and relieve me in mine ; they can neither neglect their charge , because they are perfectly holy , nor fail of their victory , because they are ( under thee ) the most powerfull . i see you , o ye blessed guardians , i see you by the eye of my faith , no lesse truly , then the eye of my sense sees my bodilie attendants ; i do truly ( though spirituallie ) feel your presence by your gracious operations , in , upon , and for me ; and i doe heartilie blesse my god and yours , for you , and for those saving offices that ( through his mercifull appointment ) you ever doe for my soul. but as it was with thine israelites of old , that it would not content them that thou promisedst , and wouldst send thine angel before them , to bring them into the land flowing with milk and hony , unlesse thy presence , o lord , should also goe along with them ; so is it still with me and all thine , wert not thou with , and in us , what could thine angels doe for us ? in thee it is that they move and are ; the same infinite spirit which works in , and by them , works also in me : from thee it is , o thou blessed and eternall spirit , that i have any stirrings of holy motions , any breathings of good desires , any life of grace , any will to resist , any power to overcome evill ; it is thou , o god , that girdest me with strength unto battell ; thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation ; thy right hand hath holden me up ; thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies . glory and praise be to thee , o lord , which alwaies causest us to triumph in christ ; vvho crownest us with loving kindnesse , & tender mercies ; and hast not held us short of the best of thy favours . truly , lord , hadst thou given us but a meer beeing , as thou hast done to the lowest rank of thy creatures , it had been more then thou owest us : more then ever we could be able to requite to thy divine bountie ; for every beeing is good , and the least degree of good is farre above our worthinesse ; but , that to our beeing thou hast added life , it is yet an higher measure of thy mercy ; for certainly , of thy common favours , life is the most precious ; yet this is such a benefit as may be had and not perceived ; for even the plants of the earth live and feel it not ; that to our life , therefore thou hast made a further accession of sense , it is yet a larger improvement of thy beneficence : for this facultie hath some power to manage life ; and makes it capable to affect those means which may tend to the preservation of it , and to decline the contrary ; but this is no other then the brute creatures enjoy equallie with us , and some of them beyond us : that therefore to our sense thou hast blessed us vvith a further addition of reason , it is yet an higher pitch of munificence ; for hereby we are men ; and , as such , are able to attain some knowledge of thee our creator , to observe the motions of the heavens , to search into the natures of our fellow-creatures , to passe judgement upon actions , and events , and to transact these earthlie affairs to our own best advantage . but when all this is done , wo were to us if vve vvere but men ; for our corrupted reason renders us of all creatures the most miserable : that therefore to our reason thou hast superadded faith ; to our nature grace ; and of men hast made us christians ; and to us , as such , hast given thy christ , thy spirit ; and thereby made us of enemies , sons , and heirs ; co-heirs with christ of thine eternall and most glorious kingdome of heaven ; yea , hast incorporated us into thy self , & made us one spirit with thee our god ; lord , what room can there be possibly in these strait and narrow hearts of ours for a due admiration of thy transcendent love and mercy ? i am swallowed up , o god , i am willingly swallowed up in this bottomlesse abysse of thine infinite love ; and there let me dwell in a perpetuall ravishment of spirit , till being freed from this clog of earth , and filled with the fulnesse of christ , i shall be admitted to enjoy that , which i cannot now reach to wonder at , thine incomprehensible blisse , and glory , which thou laid up in the highest heavens for them that love thee , in the blessed communion of all thy saints , and angels , thy cherubim , and seraphim , thrones , dominions , and principalities , and powers ; in the beatificall presence of thee the ever-living god , the eternall father of spirits , father , son , holy ghost , one infinite deity , in three , co-essentially , co-eternally , co-equally glorious persons ; to vvhom be blessing , honour , glory , and power for ever and ever . amen , allelujah . the christian , laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage . by i. h. d. d. b. n. the contents . the exhortatory preface . § . the christians disposition . § . his expence of the day . § . his recreations . § . his meals . § . his nights rest . § . his carriage . § . his resolution in matter of religion . § . his discourse . § . his devotion . § . his sufferings . § . his conflicts . § . his death . an exhortatory preface to the christian reader . ovt of infallible rules and long experience have i gathered up this true character of a christian : a labour ( some will think ) might have been well spared : every man professes both to know and act this part ; who is there that would not be angry , if but a question should be made either of his skill , or interest ? surely , since the first name givē at antioch , all the beleeving world hath been ambitious of the honour of it ; how happy were it , if all that are willing to wear the livery , were as ready to doe the service . but it fals out here , as in the case of all things that are at once honourable , and difficult , every one affects the title , few labour for the truth of the atchievement . having therefore leisure enough to look about me , and finding the world too prone to this worst kind of hypocrisie , i have made this true 〈◊〉 , not more for direction , then for tryall . let no man view these lines as a stranger ; but when he looks in this glasse , let him ask his heart whether this be his own face ; yea , rather when he sees this face , let him examine his heart whether both of thē agree with their pattern . and where he findes his failings , ( as who shall not ? ) let him strive to amend them ; and never give over , whiles he is any way lesse fair then his copy . in the mean time , i would it were lesse easie , by these rules , to judge even of others besides our selves ; or , that it were uncharitable to say , there are many professors , few christians ; if words and forms might carry it , christ would have clients 〈◊〉 ▪ but if holinesse of disposition , and uprightnesse of carriage must be the proof , wo is me , in the midst of the land , among the people , there is as the shaking of an olive tree , and as the gleaming grapes where the vintage is done . for where is the man that hath obtained the mastery of his corrupt affections , and to be the lord of his unruly appetite ? that hath his heart in heaven , whiles his living carcass is stirring here upō earth ? that can see the invisible , and s●or●tly enjoy that saviour , to whom he is spiritually united ? that hath subdued his will and reason to his beleef ; that fears nothing but god ; loves nothing but goodnesse ; hates nothing but sin ; rejoyceth in none but true blessings ? whose faith triumphs over the world ; whose hope is anchored in heaven : whose charity knows no lesse bounds then god , and men : whose humility represents him as vile to himself , as he is honourable in the reputation of god ; who is wise heaven-ward ; however he passes with the world ; who dares be no other then just , whether he win or lose ; who is frugally liberall , discreetly courageous , holily temperate : who is ever a thrifty menager of his houres , so dividing the day betwixt his god , and his vocation , that neither shall finde fault with a just neglect , or an unjust partiality : whose recreations are harmlesse , honest , warrantable , such as may refresh nature , not debauch it : whose diet is regulated by health , not by pleasure , as one whose table shall be no altar to his belly , nor snare to his soul : who in his seasonable repose lies down , and awakes with god , caring only to relieve his spirits ; not to cherish sloth . whose carriage is meek , gentle , compliant , beneficiall in whatsoever station ; in magistracy unpartially just ; in the ministery conscionably faithfull ; in the rule of his family , wisely provident , and religiously exemplary ; shortly , who is a discreet and loving yoke-fellow , a tender and pious parent , a dutious and awfull son : an humble and obsequious servant , an obedient and loyall subject . whose heart is constantly setled in the main truths of christian religion ▪ so , as he cannot be removed ; in litigious points , neither too credulous , nor too peremptory : whose discourse is such as may be meet for the expressions of a tongue that belongs to a sound , godly , and charitable heart ; whose breast continually burns with the heavenly fire of an holy devotion ; whose painfull sufferings are overcome with patience , and chearfull resolutions ; whose conflicts are attended with undaunted courage , and crowned with an happy victory : lastly , whose death is not so full of fear and anguish , as of strong consolations in that saviour , who hath overcome and sweetned it ; nor of so much dreadfulnesse in it self , as of joy in the present expectation of that blessed issue of a glorious immortality , which instantly succeeds it . such is the christian whom we doe here characterize , and commend to the world both for trial , and imitation ; neither know i which of these many qualifications can be missing in that soul , who lays a just claim to christ , his redeemer . take your hearts to task , therefore , my dear brethren , into whose hands soever these lines shall come : and , as you desire to have peace at the last , ransack them thoroughly ; not contenting your selves with a perfunctory , and fashionable over-sight ( which will one day leave you irremediably miserable ) but so search , as those that resolve not to give over till you finde these gracious dispositions in your bosomes , which i have here described to you : so shall we be , and make each other happy in the successe of our holy labours ; which the god of heaven blesse in both our hands , to his own glory , and our mutuall comfort in the day of the appearing of our lord jesus christ , amen . the christian . the christian is a man and more ; an earthly saint , an angel cloathed in flesh ; the onely lawfull image of his maker , and redeemer ; the abstract of gods church on earth : a modell of heaven made up in clay ; the living temple of the holy ghost . for his disposition , it hath in it as much of heaven , as his earth may make room for ; he were not a man , if he were quite free from corrupt affections ; but these he masters , and keeps in with a strait hand ; and if at any time they grow resty and headstrong , he breaks them with a severe discipline , and will rather punish himself , then not tame them ; hee checks his appetite with discreet , but strong denials , and forbears to pamper nature , lest it grow wanton , and impetuous ; he walks on earth , but converses in heaven ; having his eyes fixed on the invisible , and enjoying a sweet communion with his god , and saviour ; whiles all the rest of the world sits in darknesse , he lives in a perpetuall light ; the heaven of heavens is open to none but him ; thither his eye pierceth , and beholds those beams of inaccessible glory , which shine in no face but his : the deep mysteries of godlinesse which to the great clerks of the world are as a book clasped and sealed up , lye open before him fair and legible ; and whiles those book-men know whom they have heard of , hee knowes whom he hath beleeved : he will not suffer his saviour to be ever out of his eye ; and if through some worldly interceptions , he lose the sight of that blessed object for a time , he zealously retrives him , not without an angry check of his own mis-carriage ; and is now so much the more fixed by his former slackning ; so as he will henceforth sooner part with his soul , then his redeemer . the tearmes of entirenesse wherein he stands with the lord of life , are such as he can feel ; but cannot expresse , though hee should borrow the language of angels : it is enough that they two are one spirit : his reason is willingly captivated to his faith ; his will to his reason ; and his affections to both : he fears nothing that he sees , in comparison of that which he sees not ; and displeasure is more dreadfull to him then smart : good is the adequate object of his love ; which he duly proportions according to the degrees of its eminence ; affecting the chiefe good , not without a certaine ravishment of spirit ; the lesser with a wise and holy moderation . whether he do more hate sin , or the evil spirit that suggests it , is a question ; earthly contentments are too mean grounds whereon to raise his joy ; these , as hee baulks not whē they meet him in his way , so he doth not too eagerly pursue ; he may taste of them , but so , as he had rather fast then surset . he is not insensible of those losses w ch casualty , or enmity may inflict ; but that w ch lyes most heavily upon his heart , is his sin : this makes his sleep short & troublesome , his meals stomacklesse ; his recreations listlesse ; his every thing , tedious ; till he finde his soul acquitted by his great surety in heaven : which done , he feels more peace and pleasure in his calm , then he found horrour in the tempest . his heart is the store-house of most precious graces : that faith whereby his soul is established , triumphs over the world , wvether it allure , or threaten ; and bids defiance to all the powers of darknesse ; not fearing to be foiled by any opposition : his hope cannot be discouraged with the greatest difficulties ; but bears up against naturall impossibilities ; and knows how to reconcile contradictions ; his charity is both extensive , and fervent ; barring out no one that bears the face of a man ; but pouring out it self upon the houshold of faith : that studies good constructions of men , and actions ; and keeps it self free both from suspicion , and censure : grace doth not more exalt him , then his humility depresses him : were it not for that christ who dwels in him , he could think himself the meanest of all creatures ; now , he knows he may not disparage the deity of him , by whom he is so gloriously inhabited ; in whose only right he can be as great in his own thoughts , as he is despicable in the eyes of the world . he is wise to god-ward , however it be with him for the world ; and well knowing he cannot serve two masters , he cleaves to the better ; making choice of that good part which can never be taken from him ; not so much regarding to get that which he cannot keep , as to possesse himself of that good which he cannot lose . he is just in all his dealings with men ; hating to thrive by injury , and oppression ; and will rather leave behinde something of his own , then silch from anothers heap . hee is not close-fisted , where there is just occasion of his distribution ; willingly parting with those metals which he regards onely for use ; not caring for either their colour , or substance ; earth is to him no other then it self , in what hiew so ever it appeareth . in every good cause hee is bold as a lion ; and can neither fear faces , nor shrink at dangers : and is rather heartned with opposition , pressing so much the more where he findes a large door open , and many adversaries ; and when he must suffer , doth as resolutely stoop , as he did before valiantly resist . he is holily temperate in the use of all gods blessings , as knowing by whom they are given , and to what end ; neither dares either to mis-lay them , or to mis-spend them lavishly : as duly weighing upon what tearms he receives them ; and fore-expecting an account . such an hand doth he carry upon his pleasures and delights , that they run not away with him ; he knows how to slacken the reins without a debauched kind of dissolutenesse , and how to straiten them without a sullen rigour . he lives as a man that hath borrowed his time , and challenges not to be an owner of it ; caring to spend the day in a gracious and well-governed thrift ; his first mornings task , after he hath lifted up his heart to that god who gives his beloved sleep , shall be to put himself into a due posture , wherein to entertain himself , and the whole day : which shall be done , if he shall effectually work his thoughts to a right apprehension of his god , of himself , of all that may concern him . the true posture of a christian then , is this ; he sees still heaven open to him , and beholds & admires the light inaccessible ; he sees the all-glorious god ever before him ; the angels of god about him ; the evill spirits aloofe off enviously groyning , and repining at him ; the world under his feet , willing to rebell , but forced to be subject ; the good creatures ready to render their service to him ; and is accordingly affected to all these ; he sees heaven open with joy and desire of fruition ; he sees god with an adoring awfulnesse ; he sees the angels with a thankfull acknowledgement , and care not to offend them ; he sees the evill spirits with hatred and watchfull indignation ; he sees the world with an holy imperiousnesse , commanding it for use , and scorning to stoop to it for observance ; lastly , he sees the good creatures , with gratulation , and care to improve them to the advantage of him that lent them . having thus gathered up his thoughts , and found where he is , he may now be fit for his constant devotion ; which he fals upon , not without a trembling veneration of that infinite and incomprehensible majesty , before whom he is prostra●e ; now he climbes up into that heaven , which he before did but behold ; and solemnly pours out his soul in hearty thanksgivings , and humble supplications into the bosome of the almighty ; wherein his awe is so tempered with his faith , that whiles he labours under the sense of his own vilenesse , he is raised up in the confidence of an infinite mercy ; now he renues his feeling interest in the lord jesus christ his blessed redeemer ; and labours to get in every breath new pledges of his gracious entirenesse ; so seasoning his heart with these earely thoughts of piety , as that they stick by him all the day after . having thus begun with his god , and begg'd his blessing : he now finds time to addresse himself to the works of his calling ▪ to live without any vocation , to live in an unwarrantable vocation , not to labour in the vocation wherein he lives , are things which his soul hateth : these businesses of his calling therefore , he follows with a willing and contented industry ; not as forced to it by the necessary of human laws , or as urged by the law of necessity , out of the sense or fear of want : nor yet contrarily , out of an eager desire of enriching himself in his estate ; but in a conscionable obedience to that god , who hath made man to labour as the sparks to flye upward ; and hath laid it upon him both as a punishment , and charge : in the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread . in an humble alacrity he walks on in the way , wherein his god hath set him ; yet not , the while , so intent upon his hands , as not to tend his heart ; which he lifts up in frequent ejaculations to that god , to whom he desires to be approved in all his endevours ; ascribing all the thanks both of his ability , and successe to that omnipotent hand : if he meet with any rubs of difficulty in his way , hee knows who sent them , and who can remove them ; not neglecting any prudentiall means of remedy , he is not to seek for an higher redresse ▪ if he have occasion of trading with others ; his will may not be the rule of his gain , but his conscience ; neither dares he strive for what he can get , but what he ought : equity is here the clerk of the market ; and the measure w ch he would have others mete out to himself , is the standard whereby he desires to be tryed in his mensurations to all other . he hates to hoise prices upon occasion of his neighbours need ; & to take the advantage of forfaits by the clock . he is not such a slave to his trade , as not to spare an hour to his soul ; neither dares be so lavish as utterly to neglect his charge upon whatever pretence of pleasure , or devotion . shortly , he takes his work at the hand of god , and leaves it with him : humbly offering up his services to his great master in heaven ; and after all his labour sits comfortably down in the conscience of having faithfully done his task , though not without the intervention of many infirmities . his recreations ( for even these humane frailty will sometimes call for ) are such , as may be meet relaxations to a minde over-bent , and a body tired with honest and holy employments ; safe , inoffensive , and for time and measure fitly proportioned to the occasion ; like unto soft musick betwixt two long and stirring acts ; like unto some quick and savory sauce to a listlesse and cloyed stomach ; like unto a sweet nap after an over-watching . he is farre from those delights that may effeminate , or corrupt the minde ; abhorring to sit by those pleasures , from which he shall not rise better : he hates to turn pastime into trade ; not abiding to spend more time in whetting , then till his edge be sharp ; in the height of his delectations he knows to enjoy god ; from whom as he fetches his allowance , so he craves and expects a gracious acceptation , even when he lets himself most loose . and if at any time he have gone beyond his measure , he chides himself for the excesse , and is so much the more carefull ever after to keep within compasse . he can onely make a kinde of use of those contentments , with light mindes are transported : and can manage his disports without passion ; and leave a loser without regret . a smile to him is as much as a loud laughter to the worldling ; neither doth he entertain mirth as his ordinary attendant , but as his retainer to wait upon his serious occasions : and finally , so rejoyceth , as if he rejoyced not . his meals are such as nature requires , and grace moderates ; not pinching himself with a penurious riggardlinesse , nor pampering his flesh with a wanton excesse : his palate is the least part of his care ; so as his fare may be wholesome , he stands not upon delicacy . he dares not put his hand to the dish till he have lookt up to the owner ; and hates to put one morsell into his mouth , unblessed ; and knows it his duty to give thanks for what he hath paid for ; as well considering , that neither the meat that he eats , nor the hand and mouth that receives it , nor the mawe that digests it , nor the metall that buyes it , is of his own making : and now having fed his belly , not his eye , he rises from his board , satisfied , not glutted ; and so bestirs himself upon his calling , as a man not more unwieldy by his repast , but more chearfull ; and as one that would be loth his gut should be any hindrance to his brain , or to his hand . if he shall have occasion to entertain himself and his friends more liberally , he dares not lose himself in his feast ; he can be soberly merry , and wisely free ; onely in this he is willing not to be his own man , in that he gives himself for the time to his guests . his cator is friendly thrift ; and temperance keeps the boards end , and carves to every one the best measure of enough : as for his own diet , when he is invited to a tempting variety , he puts his knife to his throat ; neither dares he feed without fear , as knowing who over-looks him : obscenity , detraction , scurrility , are barred from his table ; neither doe any words sound there that are lesse savoury then the dishes . lastly , he so feeds , as if he sought for health in those viands , and not pleasure ; as if he did eat to live ; and rises not more replenished with food , then with thankfulnesse . in a due season he betakes himself to his rest , he presumes not to alter the ordinance of day , and night , nor dares confound , where distinction is made by his maker ; it is not with him as with the brute creatures , that have nothing to look after but the meer obedience of nature ; he doth not therefore lay himself down as the swine in the stye , or a dog in a kennell , without any further preface to his desired sleep , but improves those faculties which he is now closing up , to a meet preparation for an holy repose : for which purpose , he first casts back his eye to the now-expired day ; and seriously considers how he hath spent it ; and will be sure to make his reckonings even with his god , before he part . then he lifts up his eyes and his heart to that god , who hath made the night for man to rest in ; and recommends himself earnestly to his blessed protection : and then closeth his eyes in peace , not without a serious meditation of his last rest ; his bed represents to him , his grave ; his linnen , his winding sheet ; his sleep , death ; the night , the many days of darknesse : and shortly , he so composeth his soul , as if he lookt not to wake till the morning of the resurrection : after which , if he sleep , he is thankfully chearfull ; if he sleep not , his reins chasten , and instruct him in the night season : and if sleep be out of his eyes , yet god and his angels are not : whensoever he awakes , in those hands he findes himself , and therefore rests sweetly , even when he sleeps not . his very dreams however vain , or troublesome , are not to him altogether unprofitable ; for they serve to bewray not onely his bodily temper , but his spirituall weaknesses , which his waking resolutions shall endevour to correct . he so applies himself to his pillow , as a man that meant not to be drowned in sleep , but refreshed , not limiting his rest by the insatiable lust of a sluggish and drowzie stupidnesse , but by the exigence of his health , and abilitation to his calling ; and rises from it ( not too late ) with more appetite to his work , then to a second slumber ; chearfully devoting the strength renued by his late rest , to the honour and service of the giver . his carriage is not strange , insolent , surly , and overly contemptuous , but familiarly meek , humble , courteous : as knowing what mold he is made of ; and not knowing any worse man then himself ; he hath an hand ready upon every occasion to be helpfull to his neighbour ; as if he thought himself made to do good ; he hates to sell his breath to his friend , where his advice may be usefull ; neither is more ambitious of any thing under heaven , then of doing good offices ; it is his happinesse if he can reconcile quarrels , and make peace between dissenting friends . when he is chosen an umpire , he will be sure to cut even betwixt both parties ; and commonly displeaseth both , that he may wrong neither ; if he be called forth to magistracy , he puts off all private interests , and commands friendship to give place to justice ▪ now he knows no couzens , no enemies ; neither couzens for favour , nor enemies for revenge ; but looks right forward to the cause , without squinting aside to the persons . no flattery can keep him from brow-beating of vice ; no fear can work him to discourage vertue : where severity is requisite , he hates to enjoy anothers punishment ; and where mercy may be more prevalent , he hates to use severity ; power doth not render him imperious and oppressive , but rather humbles him in the awfull expectation of his account . if he be called to the honour of gods embassie to his people , he dares not but be faithfull in delivering that sacred message ; he cannot now either fear faces , or respect persons ; it is equally odious to him to hide and smother any of gods counsell , and to foist in any of his own ; to suppresse truth , and to adulterate it ; he speaks not himself , but christ ; and labours not to tickle the ear , but to save souls : so doth he goe before his flock as one that means to feed them no lesse by his example , then by his doctrine ; and would condemn himself , if he did not live the gospel , as well as preach it ; he is neither too austere in his retirednesse , nor too good-cheap in his sociablenesse ; but carries so eaven an hand that his discreet affablenesse may be free from contempt , and that he may win his people with a loving conversation ; if any of his charge be mis-carried into an errour of opinion , he labours to reclaim him by the spirit of meeknesse ; so as the mis-guided may reade nothing but love in his zealous conviction ; if any be drawn into a vicious course of life , he fetches him back with a gentle , yet powerfull hand ; by an holy importunity , working the offender to a sense of his own danger , and to a saving penitence . is he the master of a family ? he dares not be a lion in his own house ; cruelly tyrannizing over his meanest drudge : but so moderately exercises his power , as knowing himself to be his apprentices fellow-servant ; he is the mouth of his meiny to god , in his daily devotions ; offering up for them the calves of his lips , in his morning and evening sacrifice ; and the mouth of god unto them in his wholesome instructions , and godly admonitions : he goes before them in all good examples of piety , and holy conversation , and so governs , as one that hath more then meer bodies committed to his charge . is he the husband of a wife ? he carries his yoak even ; not laying too much weight upon the weaker neck ; his helper argues him the principall , and he so knows it , that he makes a wise use of his just inequality : so remembring himself to be the superiour , as that he can be no other then one flesh : he maintains therefore his moderate authority with a conjugall love , so holding up the right of his sexe , that in the mean time he doth not violently clash with the britler vessel : as his choice was not made by weight , or by the voice , or by the hiew of the hide , but for pure affection grounded upon vertue ; so the same regards hold him close to a constant continuance of his chast love ; which can never yeeld either to change or intermission . is he a father of children ? he looks upon them as more gods , then his own ; and governs them accordingly : he knows it is onely their worse part which they have received from his loins ; their diviner half is from the father of lights , and is now become the main part of his charge . as god gave them to him , and to the world by him : so his chief care is , that they may be begotten again to god ; that they may put off that corrupt nature which they took from him , and be made partakers of that divine nature which is given them in their regeneration . for this cause he trains them up in all vertuous and religious education ; he sets them in their way , corrects their exorbitances , restraines their wilde desires , and labours to frame them to all holy dispositions ; and so bestows his fatherly care upon , and for them , as one that had rather they should be good then rich , and would wish them rather dead , then debaucht : he neglects not all honest means of their provision , but the highest point he aims at , is to leave god their patrimony . in the choice of their calling , or match , he propounds , but forces not , as knowing they have also wils of their own , which it is fitter for him to bow , then to break . is he a son ? he is such as may be fit to proceed from such loins . is he a servant ? he cannot but be officious : for hee must please two masters , though one under , not against the other ; when his visible master sees him not , he knows he cannot be out of the eye of the invisible ; and therefore dares not be either negligent , or unfaithfull . the work that he undertakes , he goes through , not out of fear , but out of conscience ; and would doe his businesse no otherwise then well , though he served a blinde master ; he is no blab of the defects at home , and where he cannot defend , is ready to excuse : he yeelds patiently to a just reproof , and answers with an humble silence : and is more carefull not to deserve , then to avoid stripes . is he a subject ? he is awfully affected to soveraignty , as knowing by whom the powers are ordained ; he dares not curse the king , no not in his thought ; nor revile the ruler of his people , though justly faulty : much less dare he sclander the footsteps of gods anointed . he submits not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake , to every ordinance of god ; yea , to every ordinance of man for the lords sake ; not daring to disobey in regard of the oath of god ; if he have reacht forth his hand to cut off but the skirt of the royall robe , his heart smites him : he is a true paymaster , and willingly renders tribute to whom tribute , custome to whom custome , honour to whom honour is due ; and justly divides his duties betwixt god and caesar. finally , in what ever relation he stands , he is diligent , faithfull , conscionable , observant of his rule , and carefull to be approved such , both to god and men . he hath fully informed himself of all the necessary points of religion ; and is so firmly grounded in those fundamentall and saving truths , that he cannot be carried about with every winde of doctrine ; as for collaterall and unmateriall verities , he neither despiseth , nor yet doth too eagerly pursue them ; he lists not to take opinions upon trust ; neither dares absolutely follow any guide , but those who he knows could not erre ; he is ever suspicious of new faces of theologicall truths ; and cannot think it safe to walk in untroden paths : matters of speculation are not unwelcome to him ; but his chief care is to reduce his knowledge to practise , and therefore he holds nothing his own , but what his heart hath appropriated , and his life acted : he dares not be too much wedded to his own conceit ; and hath so much humility , as to think the whole church of christ upon earth wiser then himself ; however he be a great lover of constancy , yet upon better reason he can change his minde in some litigious , and un-importing truths , and can be silent where he must dissent . his discourse is grave , discreet , pertinent , free from vanity , free from offence ; in secular occasions nothing fals from him but seasonable and well-advised truths ; in spirituall , his speech is such , as both argues grace , and works it : no foul and unsavoury breath proceeds out of his lips ; which he abides not to be tainted with any rotten communication , with any slanderous detraction : if in a friendly merriment he let his tongue loose to an harmlesse urbanity , that is the furthest he dares goe ; scorning to come within the verge of a base scurrility . he is not apt to spend himself in censures , but as for revilings , and cursed speakings against god , or men , those his soul abhorreth . he knowes to reserve his thoughts by locking them up in his bosome under a safe silence , and when hee must speak , dares not be too free of his tongue , as well knowing that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sinne . his speeches are no other then seasonable , well fitted both to the person , and occasion ; jigges at a funerall , lamentations at a feast , holy counsell to scorners , discouragements to the dejected , and applauses to the prophane , are hatefull to him ; he meddles not with other mens matters , much lesse with affairs of state ; but keeps himself wisely within his own compasse : not thinking his breath well spent , where he doth not either teach , or learn. he is so perpetually resident in heaven , that he is often in every day before the throne of grace ; and he never comes there without a supplication in his hand ; wherein also he loves to be importunate ; and he speeds accordingly , for he never departs empty ; whiles other cold suiters that come thither but in some good fits of devotion , obtain nothing but denials ; he dares not presse to gods foot-stool in his own name , ( he is conscious enough of his own unworthinesse ) but he comes in the gracious and powerfull name of his righteous mediatour , in whom hee knows he cannot but be accepted ; and in an humble boldnesse for his onely sake craves mercy ; no man is either more awfull , or more confident ; when he hath put up his petition to the king of heaven , he presumes not to stint the time , or manner of gods condescent ; but patiently and faithfully waits for the good hour , and leaves himself upon that infinite wisdome and goodnes . he doth not affect length so much as fervour ; neither so much mindes his tongue as his heart . his prayers are suited according to the degrees of the benefits sued for ; he therefore begs grace absolutely ; temporall blessings with limitation ; and is accordingly affected in the grant : neither is he more earnest in craving mercies , then he is zealously desirous to be retributory to god , when he hath received them : not more heartily suing to bee rich in grace , then to improve his graces to the honour and advantage of the bestower : with an awfull and broken heart doth he make his addresses to that infinite majesty , from whose presence he returns with comfort and joy : his soul is constantly fixed there whither he pours it out ; distraction and distrust are shut out from his closet ; and he is so taken up with his devotion , as one that makes it his work to pray : and when he hath offered up his sacrifices unto god , his faith listens and looks in at the door of heaven to know how they are taken . every man shows fair in prosperity ; but the main triall of the christian is in suffering ; any man may steer in a good gale , and clear sea , but the mariners skill will be seen in a tempest : herein the christian goes beond the pagans , not practise onely , but admiration ; we rejoyce in tribulation , saith the chosen vessel ; lo here a point transcending all the affectatiō of heathenism . perhaps some resolute spirit , whether out of a naturall fortitude , or out of an ambition of fame or earthly glory , may set a face upon a patient enduring of losse , or pain ; but never any of those heroick gentils durst pretend to a joy in suffering ; hither can christian courage reach ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience , and patience , experience , and experience , hope , and hope maketh not ashamed . is he bereaved of his goods and worldly estate ? he comforts himself in the conscience of a better treasure that can never be lost ; is he afflicted with sicknesse ? his comfort is that the inward man is so much more renued daily , as the outward perisheth : is he slandered and unjustly disgraced ? his comfort is that there is a blessing , which will more then make him amends ; is he banished ? he knows he is on his way home-ward ; is he imprisoned ? his spirit cannot be lockt in ; god and his angels cannot be lockt out ; is he dying ? to him to live is christ , and to dye is gain ; is he dead ? he rests from his labours , and is crowned with glory : shortly , he is perfect gold that comes more pure out of the fire then it went in ; neither had ever been so great a saint in heaven , if he had not passed through the flames of his triall here upon earth . he knows himself never out of danger ; and therefore stands ever upon his guard ; neither of his hands are empty ; the one holds out the shield of faith ; the other manageth the sword of the spirit ; both of them are employed in his perpetuall conflict . he cannot be weary of resisting , but resolves to dye fighting : he hath a ward for every blow ; and as his eye is quick to discern temptations , so is his hand and foot nimble to avoid them : he cannot be discouraged with either the number or power of his enemies knowing that his strength is out of himself , in him in whom he can doe all things ; and that there can be no match to the almighty ; he is carefull not to give advantage to his vigilant adversary ; and therefore warily avoids the occasions of sinne : and if at any time he be overtaken with the suddainnesse , or subtilty of a temptation , he speedily recovers himself by a serious repentance ; and fights so much the harder because of his foil . he hates to take quarter of these spirituall powers ; nothing lesse then death can put an end to this quarrell ; nor nothing below victory . he is not so carefull to keep his soul within his teeth , as to send it forth well addressed for happinesse : as knowing therefore the last brunt to be most violent , he rouzeth up his holy fortitude ▪ to encounter that king of fear , his last enemy , death ; and now after a painfull sicknesse , and a resolute expectation of the fiercest assault , it fals out with him as in the meeting of the two hostile brothers , jacob and esau , in stead of grapling he findes a courteous salutation , for stabs , kisses ; for height of enmity , offices of love ; life could never befriend him so much , as death offers to doe : that tenders him ( perhaps a rough , but ) a sure hand to lead him to glory ; and receives a welcome accordingly : neither is there any cause to marvell at the change ; the lord of life hath wrought it ; he having by dying subdued death , hath reconciled it to his own ; and hath ( as it were ) beaten it into these fair tearms with all the members of his mysticall body : so as , whiles unto the enemies of god , death is still no other then a terrible executioner of divine vengeance , he is to all that are in christ , a plausible and sure convoy unto blessednesse ; the christian therefore now laid upon his last bed , when this grim senger comes to fetch him to heaven , looks not so much at his dreadfull visage , as at his happy errand : and is willing not to remember what death is in it self , but what it is to us in christ ; by whom it is made so usefull and beneficiall , that we could not be happy without it ; here then comes in the last act , and employment of faith ; ( for after this brunt passed , there is no more use of faith , but of vision ) that heartens the soul in a lively apprehension of that blessed saviour , who both led him the way of suffering , and is making way for him to everlasting glory : that shews him jesus the authour and finisher of our faith , who for the joy that was set before him , endured the crosse , despising the shame , and is set down at the right hand of the throne of god ; that clings close unto him , and lays unremoveable hold upon his person , his merits , his blessednesse ; upon the wings of this faith is the soul ready to mount up toward that heaven , which is open to receive it ; and in that act of evolation puts it self into the hands of those blessed angels , who are ready to carry it up to the throne of glory . sic , o , sic juvat vivere , sic perire . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e § . how to be happy in the apprehending of christ. tim. . . tim. . joh. . . joh. . . luther in gal. § . the honour and happiness of being united to christ. job . . gen. . . eph. . . pet. . . § . the kind and manner of this union with christ. § . the resemblāce of this union by the head & body . heb. . . cor. . . § . this union set forth by the resemblāce of the husband and wife . esa. . . hose . . . ephe. . . gen. . . gen. . . joh. . . joh. . . gen. . . cant. . . cant. . . cor. . . ezek. . . 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 , cant. . . cant. . cant. . . cant. . . cant. . . cant. . . § . the resemblāce of this union by the nourishment and the body . joh. . . . . . § . this union resēbled by the brāch and the stock ; the foundation and the building . joh. . , ▪ rom. . pet. . . cor. . pet. . . § . the certainty & indissolublenesse of this union . heb. . . jam. . . mal. . . eph. . . joh. . . joh. . . mal. . . rev. . . joh. . , . § . the priviledges & benefits of this union : the first of them life . col. . . phil. . . gal. . . cor. . gen. . . rom. . rom. . col. . . gal. . . cor. . . pet. . . a john . . b ephes. . . cor. . . heb. . . c rom. . d rom. . . e col. . . f rō . . . g col. . h rō . . . i col. . § . a complaint of our insēsiblenesse of this mercy , & an excitation to a chearful recognition of it . gal. . . psal. . . . § . an incitement to joy and thankefulnesse for christ our life . pet. . cor. . luk. . . § . the duties we owe to god for his mercy to us , in this life which we have frō christ. pro. . rom. . psal. . . job . . ps. . . micah . . jam. . . phil. . , act. . cor. . cor. . ▪ phil. . , . joh. . . § . the improvement of this life ; in that christ is made our wisdome . cor. . . rom. . , . ps. . . prov. . , . eccl. . . col. . . cor. . . col. . . heb. . . john . cor. . ● mat. . § . christ made our righteousnesse . cor. . rom. . rō . . . rom. . . . rom . . pro. . rev. . ps. . . ezra . . job . , . joh. . . gal. . . deut. . . joh. . . ezek. . rom. . . esa. . . esa. . . mat. . . § . christ made our sanctification . cor. . . rev. . acts. . eph. . , . col. . . heb. . . § . christ made our redemption . rom. . gal. . . rom. . . rom. . gal. . . rom. . . . cor. . , , . rom. . rō . . , . rom. . . a eph. . . b psal. . . . c eph. . d thes. . . esa. . . e col. § . the externall priviledges of this uniō , a right to the blessings of earth and heaven . cor. . , . ioh. . . ioh. . . § . the meanes by which this union is wrought . thes. . cor. . rom. . cor. . . gal. . . ephes. . pet. . . ephes. . a gal. . rom. . ▪ b cor. . . c ephes. . . d rom. . ▪ cor. . . e rom. . . f act. . . g heb. . § . the union of christs members with themselves ; first , those in heaven . cor. . . heb. . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . . heb. . ps. . . ps. . . rev. . , . rev. . , , . rev. . . v. , . revel . . , . § . the uniō of christs members upon earth : first , in matter of judgement . eph. . , . mat. . . joh. . . cor. . eph. . . luke . jude . cor. . rō . . . cant. . . mal. . . § . the uniō of christians in matter of affection . jer. . . amos . . acts . . joh. . eph. . , . joh. . . acts . . joh. . . pet. . . phil. . , . ps. . . § . a complaint of divisions , and , notwithstanding thē , an assertion of unity . cor. . , . mat. . job . , . eph. . . rom. . , . § . the necessary effects & fruits of this uniō of christian hearts . cor. . . gal. . . rō . . . mat. . . phil. . , . jude . lev. . heb. . . lam. . ps. . . esa. . . esa. . . luk. . prov. . , . gal. . . § . the union of the saints on earth with those in heaven . rev. . . § . arecapitulatiō and sum of the whole treatise . hier. zanch. loc . com . . de symbolo apost . eph. . , . notes for div a -e § . the love of christ how passing knowledge ; how free ; of us before we were . eph. . . . § . how free ; of us that had made our selvs vile and miserable . § . how yet free ; of us that were professed enemies . § . the wonderfull effects of the love of christ : his incarnatiō . § . his love in his sufferings . § . his love in preparing heaven for us . § . his love in our redemption frō death & hell . § . christs love in giving us the guard of his angels . § . his love in giving us his holy spirit . § . our sense and improvement of christs love in all the former particulars : and first , in respect of the inequality of the persons . § . a further inforcemēt of our love to christ in respect of our unworthinesse and his sufferings , & prepared glory . § . the improvement of our love to christ for the mercy of his deliverance ; of the tuition of his angels ; of the powerfull working of his good spirit . notes for div a -e esa. . . notes for div a -e § . his disposition . § . his expence of the day . § . his recreatiōs . § . his meals . § . his nights rest . § . his carriage . § . his resolution in matter of religion . prov. . , . § . his discourse . § . his devotion . § . his sufferings . § . his conflicts . § . his death . seven irregragable propositions concerning oaths dedicated to king charles i. by the right reverend dr. jos. hall, then lord bishop of exon. and printed in the year . hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) seven irregragable propositions concerning oaths dedicated to king charles i. by the right reverend dr. jos. hall, then lord bishop of exon. and printed in the year . hall, joseph, - . , [ ] p. s.n., [london? : ?] caption title; suggested imprint from wing. concerns oaths and covenants; a reprinting of the edition (stc b). lacks the dedication to king charles i and the two 'corollaries' and has in addition a section with caption title: questions concerning the validity of the late act for the oath of abjuration. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng oaths -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion seven irrefragable propositions concerning oaths . dedicated to king charles i. by the right reverend dr. jos . hall , then lord bishop of exon. and printed in the year . i. no man may swear , or induce another man to swear unlawfully . ii. it is no lawful oath that is not attended with truth , justice , and judgment , jer. . . the first whereof requires , that the thing sworn be true ▪ the second , that it be just : the third , that it be not undue , and unmeet to be sworn and undertaken . iii. a promissory oath , which is to the certain prejudice of another man 's right , cannot be attended with justice . iv. no prejudice of another man's right can be so dangerous and sinful , as that prejudice which is done to the right of publick and soveraign authority . v. the right of soveraign authority is highly prejudiced , when private subjects incroach upon it ; and shall , upon suspicion of the disavowed intentions , or actions of their princes , combine , and bind themselves to enact , establish , or altar any matters concerning religion , without ( and therefore much more if against ) the authority of their lawful soveraign . vi. a man is bound in conscience to reverse and disclaim that which he was induced unlawfully to ingage himself by oath to perform . vii . no oath is , or can be of force , that is made against a lawful oath formerly taken ; so as he that hath sworn allegiance to his soveraign , and thereby bound himself to maintain the right , power , and authority of his said soveraign , cannot by any second oath , be tyed to do ought that may tend to the infringement thereof : and if he have so tyed himself , the obligation is , ipso facto , void and frustrate . questions concerning the validity of the late act for the oath of abjuration . . whether an act of parliament may not be void , and of none effect in whole or in part ? . whither there be not two originally distinct authorities in this kingdom or nation ; a civil authority for ordering of civil matters , and a sacred for matters of religion , and merely spiritual ? . whither by the fundamental principles of the true english government , whatever acts are made contrary to , inconsistent with , or derogatory from the laws of god , or the authority of christ committed to the ministers of his kingdom be not so far void ? . whither an act of parliament requiring the subjects under great penalties to swear such m●tters , as they are not competent judges of , be not to involve them in a sin , and contrary to , or inconsistent with the principles of christianity ? . whither this be not such matter of religion , as ought to have been consider'd in a free national synod , before it was past in an act of parliament ? . whither , for these reasons , the injury to the subject , the inconsistence with the principles of christianity , and the irregular and illegal proceedings in it , the late act concerning the oath of abjuration be not a void act of parliament , and the oath not to be taken by any members of parliament or other subjects ? . whether there be not a heavy load of guilt , of perjury , and divers other sins upon the nation already , and this likely to fill up the measure , and bring down the judgments of god upon it ? . whether to prevent the judgments of god there ought not to be a solemn fast appointed , and a publick confession be made by some act of the state of the publick national sins , which have been committed , within or years last past , and all things done , which are requisite to a sincere national penitence , and giving glory to the majesty of the great god of heaven ? finis . a survay of that foolish, seditious, scandalous, prophane libell, the protestation protested. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a survay of that foolish, seditious, scandalous, prophane libell, the protestation protested. hall, joseph, - . [ ], [i.e. ] p. [s.n.], london : . "errata" : verso of d prelim. leaf. attributed to hall by theodore c. pease, the leveller movement, , on p. . a reply to henry burton's the protestation protested, . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng burton, henry, - . -- protestation protested. great britain -- history -- charles i, - -- sources. a r (wing h ). civilwar no a survay of that foolish, seditious, scandalous, prophane libell, the protestation protested. hall, joseph d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a survay of that foolish , seditious , scandalous , prophane libell , the protestation protested . boeth . de consolatione . 〈…〉 . london , printed in the yeare , . reader . this flash , the suddain thoughts of a day , had outfac't its adversarie the first week of his age , ni praesum sub frequenti puerpero gemiscens , obste●●iceam negasset operam ; nor without much pressure through a croud of opposition hath it throng'd out to thy hands ; the birth how mean soever was nigh strangled in the ●●adle : take it as it is , an autoschediastick . the same affection to my mother the church skrewd it from me , that loosed his tongue in defence of his father ; she may say to her more concerned sonnes , as jacob to his , why stand you gazing one upon another ? a fatall lethargie hath so stiffned their imaginations , that nothing is heard from them but the damps and groans of a dying body , whether sydere tacti , or fallen in a spirituall premunire , i know not . it is true their scale may expect a more proportioned adversarie , but they do not mean time consider that libels the more vulgar , because fitted to that capacity , be the more dangerous ; silence appears guilty or timorous to this talkative age , either of these may edge an ignorant or base party . this come● points also at the state , for the loose rain'd popularity the libeller aims at , is no lesse dangerous to the liberty of the subject , then a too high tun'd prerogative . once acquaint that briareus , the multitude with the secrets of government , they will rush into the cloath of state ; they like the smaller starres have their course th●art that of the greater lights of the kingdome , nor give any motion ( unlesse these be retrograde at biddings ) to the higher spheres , except that of trepidation , and when they come to be stellae culminantes , and take the influence , the management upon them , they neither know the disease , nor the remedy , but like empty 〈◊〉 ●●acks work upon themselves , while the spiders of the state weave nets of their humors to catch adv 〈◊〉 . sed manum de tabula , i find my affections 〈…〉 here for my iudgement . i do ingenuously 〈…〉 no enemy to the agents or petitioners for a reforma●●on ; the last times abound most in lees , and the evening horizon hath the thickest vapours : but a medicine not a destructive must purge those , a 〈◊〉 not ●●hunderclap dispell these , onely the sectaries who swell now beyond the reach of names and numbers , i have here glanced at : these hotspurs run themselves breathlesse , and leave others so far behind that they despair to follow : nor can they ( errour and faction is so individ●ated with their opinions ) attend the leisure of authority , or keep the path chalked out to them by a parliament , but they must needs instantly from superstition to prophanenesse , from disorder to anarchy ; so farre have i justified my self , give thy approbration if it please thee , i court it not , nor 〈◊〉 i a chameli●● to breath in that ●ire ; onely let thy charity extend to the errors of the presse , and be not mooved with such grains and scruples , but impute them to the epidemick of the times . farewell . errata . pag. . l. . for a read or . p. . l. . f. ●ayles r. 〈…〉 p. . l. . to 〈…〉 . a survay of that foolish , seditious , scandalous , profane libell , the protestation protested . epist. . timoth. chap. . in the last times perillous dayes shall come ; for men shall be lovers of their owne selves , covetous , boasters , blasphemous , disobedient to parents , unthankefull , unholy ; without naturall affection , truce-breakers , false accusers , incontinent , fierce , despisers of these that are good : trayterous , heady , high-minded , lovers of pleasure more then lovers of god : having a forme of godlinesse , but denying the power thereof , from such turne away : for of this sort are they that creepe unto houses , and leade captive silly women , loaden with sinne , led away with divers lusts , ever learning , and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ; now as iannes and iambres withstood mooses , so doe these also resist the truth . epist. . pet. chap. . but these speake evill of the things they understand not , and shall perish utterly in their owne corruption : they have eyes full of adultery , and that cannot cease from sinne , beguiling unstable soules : an heart they have exercised with covetous practises ; cursed children , which have forsaken the right way , and have gone astray , following the way of baalam the sonne of bosor , who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse : these are wells without water , clouds that are carried with a tempest , to whom the mist of darkenesse is reserved for ever : for when they speake swelling words of vanity , they allure through the lusts of the flesh , and while they promise them liberty , they themselves are the servants of corruption . epist. jude . also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh , despise dominions , and speak ill of dignities : these speake ill of these things which they know not : w●e unto them , for they have gone in the way of coin , and run greedily after the errour of baalam for reward , and perished in the gainsaying of core : clouds they are without water , carried about with winds ; trees , whose fruit withereth ; without fruit , twice dead , plucked up by the root : raging waves of the sea , foaming out their owne shame ; wandring starres , to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever : these are murmurers , complainers , walking after their owne lusts , and their mouthes speake great swelling words . goodman cobler , ( it is you that hath stitched together this tubb-sermon ) or whosoever else of the most holy inspired fraternitie , i have taken you sir for my taske : and that because of my abilities , nil su●or ultra crepidam , i dare venture no farther than your old shooes ; if i can finde you there , and that your trade mistake not the reformation of soales , it is well : but you are become a preacher at the last , and by that old peece of yours , ( such stuffe you meddle with ) taken from barrow , or marprelates reliques , hath made the scissure worse . nor shall i trouble your conscience to thrust order upon you , whose religion it is to contemne all order ; i must follow you , as you have followed your enthusiasmes , and that in the same manner ; for as in preaching and prayer you are extemporary , so am i in answering : i am not two dayes your debter , lest you , as your usurious brethren are wont , had expected interest : it was too much cost to bestow paper though not paines upon you . when i traced every step of your lazie and superfluous discourse , to have joyn'd with my adversarie , i found you as naked as an adamite , not ( one reason ) the least peece of armour with you ; it had been a shame therefore to have drawn upon you , i have onely used the whip , that may perhaps teach you sense . it is true , foure times you cite antiquitie , but in your own way , that is , with greater respect to heathenisme , then christianity , if that proceed from a bishop , for you marshall three ethnick emperours with one eusebius . and why him , i pray you ? doth not this derogate from your infallibilitie , if in a syllable you be obliged to a father ? what ? are not you and your bible the onely judge of controversies ? can any one finde out the true meaning of scripture , except your selfe , who hath monopolized ( with all pietie and reverence be it spoken ) the spirit of truth ? to say otherwise , were to preferre rome to amsterdam : but i doe forgive you , you have dealt very moderately in this point ; one onely you mention , and him in matter of fact , the rest of the booke is your owne invention , where you have as faithfully abstained from learning and antiquitie , as ( and they are so to you ) from heresie and superstition . if the reader complaine of vineger in the inke , let him remember that the bite of the viper ( and such they are that rend the bowels of their mother the church ) is best helped by the antidote of vipers : a phrensie is hardly cured but by the lance , the scourge , the whipping-post : darke roomes indeed , and a large dose of ellebor , were the fittest attendants for such roavings : but give me leave to convey him home to his bedlam , there in the paroxisme of his madnesse , to have his familie exercise ; and by the way ( though i wander after him that hath long since wandred from himselfe ) i hope in charity so be-labour the man , that hee may henceforth know that part of scripture practically ; ( if it be not against his justification to know any so ) a rod is for the backe of the foole : nor wish i worse successe to all his braying associates , though their lugges be without the bishops visitation , yet i hope their necks is within that of the parliament ; that honourable and judicious assembly will in due time provide against these monstrously absurd libells , that heap of non-sense , from the which such a vapor of stupiditie and ignorance is exhaled ; that who are strangers to our better times , if they behold this iland thorow the same , shall verily thinke it under an universall lunacie . but i have stayed you too long before the doore . you vsher in that discourse of yours by a preface , used belike many times before your dresser-lectures , and tell us something of conscience , and its scale ; not unlike the lap-wing , keeping the greatest stir when you are farthest from your nest : conscience in the contemplation , in the pretence , is yours ; but what have you to doe with it in the realitie , ( so here you presse it ) in the practice ? beware this care of yours in agendis make you not suspect of merit , if not of supererogation . the peece of sacred scripture you make bold with , in my poore judgement comes not home to the point : the words doe rather concerne a voluntary then imposed vow , if any be such ; and therefore had beene more congruous ( if , as you doe , by your infallibilitie , you had justified the matter ) to the holy protestation is made in your parlour meetings , for tearing a liturgie , rending a surplice , burning the railes , and pluming a bishop : but you cheat the world with a froath of words , and amuse the well-meaning ; but the ignorant multitude with an empty noise of conscience , purity , and reformation : they say it is an evill signe to stumble at the threshold ; and if god take no pleasure in fooles , you have prefixed a very slender approbation to your booke . your next is , you tremble to see what small account most men doe make of so solemne a vow . how doe you ( which is yours quarto modo ) preach and practise contradictions ? were ever the most superlative votaries of the church of rome , jesuites and seminarie priests , more obstinately mis-zealous in refusing oaths , as civill and ecclesiasticall tyrannie and antichristianisme then you , when they sute not with your passions , and interests ? witnesse these of supremacie and canonicall obedience ; the gate-house can tell us how much lesse you have esteemed your bodily , then your christian liberty in such cases : and if the feare to be plundred of a faire estate , or the love to a fatter benefice , can buy in this nicenesse of yours , and perswade you to lose a button , you have no more conscience in observing , than you had obedience in taking the oath : for , if authority be in the waining , and some popular stars promise you liberty , how soone doe you breake these cords asunder ; and with a jusjurandum illicitum solummodo stringit ad poenitentiam , start you aside like a deceitfull bow ? yea , thinke your selfe obliged to redeeme your slackned rigour by an after-increase of heate and violence ? yet are you still the same man , love of gaine prescribed your oath , and the same absolves you from it , which doubtlesse your honesty by a mentall reservation , did ever lay as a ground ; happy you , whose conscience can mould and fashion it selfe to the impresse of the times , and ebbe and flow with the aspect of different occasions ! bee ashamed therefore ( tremble you cannot ) when you see what small account most of you make of your solemne vowes : god is not mocked ; nor shall your bragges of casting out devils of idolatrie and superstition in his name , save you in that day . having thus skirmished , you advance with the maine battle , subjoyning , that the ministers and people have taken the protestation , and have solemnely vowed to maintaine the doctrine of the church , so farre as it is opposite to popery . they have so , and so might they ever performe ; but cannot one devill be cast out , unlesse seaven enter ? have they therefore vowed to erect anabaptisme ? is there no midde betwixt the extreames ? no salvation , but either in the communion of the one , or conventicle of the other ? must either a shaveling or a scavinger be the starre to point us out the way to christ ? lend us some of your light , your tallow , to finde out a consequence here , i pray : i must tell you , and ( ni frons periit ) you may blush at it ; you have defiled your fathers house , and laid us open to the opprobrious insolence of the common enemie , who eying us in ( 〈◊〉 ) our drosse , wantonly upbraid us , to have rejected under the name of superstition all visibilitie of a church , and by the title of purity , to have brought in nothing else but profanenesse and atheisme . and it is not profanenesse to thinke so slovenly as you doe of god and his service , atheisme ; to professe so much , and practise nothing at all ? you are so point-blanke against an innocent , harmelesse , decent worship ; that either there have beene no christians before your dayes , or you are none such : ours perhaps in abomination of so obstinate foolishnesse , may desperately make apostasie to rome , but we can expect none from thence , if you be admitted to banish from us the outward being of a church , their very sayles may thinke us refuted by common sense , when they finde nothing amongst us that relates to christianity . but what if under the name of popery we finde you 〈◊〉 touched by the protestation , and so transport you in a second colonie from new-england to babylon ? it is a received principle , that proximius est extremum extremo , quam extremum medio : and lysimachus nicanor doth tell you , ( not these to whom he speakes ) that whilst you refute the ●ittle , you nourish the worst of papists in your owne bosomes . see your selfe in him , and take these gleanings further : you plead the same independancie with rome from the civill power , except it bee more easie for a state to tamper with one bishop in christendome , than with one in each parish : you maintaine the excommunication of princes , which is denied by many of her followers ; and that too , so much the more dangerous in you , as you are ready to pretend a charter , a demise , of temporalities in ordine ad spiritualia , not from the pope , but by a revelation from heaven ; with the clause , deus transfert imperia : you may , and it please you , remember of johannes lerdensis rex israel , who was hurried by such a trick as this from the shuttle to the scepter . yea , in the matter of episcopacie you joyne hands with the beast ; you and his holinesse must have all bishops , except him and your selves , to be in the best sense , but of humane institution ; see the hot bickerings about this plea , ( if your reading goeth beyond a six-penny ware ) in the third convocation of the councell of trent : vnhappy bishops ! grownd betwixt two factions , as betwixt two milstones ; there the pope of rome , here the pope of the parish upbraiding them equally as usurpers . i could tell you further your ethusiasmes , and their traditions are from the same mint-house , you from a tumour of presumption , they of authority , alike ready to belie the holy spirit , and the blessed fathers : but having brought you to tyber , i leave you both as twins ( no difference but in age ) to sucke the wolfe your common nurse , and proceed to your ( for the sections , if no more ) schismaticall discourse . here i must luctare cum larva , grapple with non-entities , doubts and negatives ; as if the old sceptike philosophers were revived in you , or as if sixins empericus had founded your sect ; tell me in good earnest , why is there nothing positive in you , but all your reformations consist of denialls : you are perhaps , afraid , by having any thing common with others , to be thought of the church universall , which you have now thrust out of your creed , and given her a bill of divorce ; or else it is that your christian liberty can heare of no restraint , even in the fundamentals . your objections ( though like ixions cloud , airy , and by your owne fancie and supposition ) i passe them by , as the onely orthodox part in you ; and shall strictly tie my selfe to your answers , lest i seeme rather to have a cause , then found a party . ) in your first and second , you make your posture , and take your ayme , in the third you let in the thrust against the church of england ; but with no lesse mistake , nor better successe , than when dou quixot ( one who for a head-piece , might have beene moderator to your dyet ) justed against the wind-mill , in stead of the inchanted castle . at the first view , by the multiplying glasse of your purity , you can discry foure of the beasts heads , and informe us , that the liturgie , discipline , government and ceremonies of the church of england are popish . suppose now it were so , is not your curse , who discovereth your mothers nakednesse , double to his , who did not cover his fathers ? but i have mistaken you , your anabaptization doth priviledge you to be none of her sons . what a cursed shimei is this to lay this heaviest imputation upon the most glorious church in the world ? i should tell you , if you had either patience or judgement for instruction , the church of england , since the reformation hath beene onely she , who hath seriously entred the lists with the enemy , keeped them in hot blood , and scarce granted a breathing time to her opposites , who , if not to award her blowes , had not daign'd to blunt a pen against your sect. did not cranmer , ridley , latimer , and numbers more of religious and learned martyrs , seale their departure from the church of rome by their dearest blood , and must your sacrilegious hands throw their sacred dust in the ayre , by perswading us , that they dyed popish , not as members only , but ( in some kind ) authors of that church , that publique service wee now enjoy ? how may this incourage the romanists , when by our pretended selves , not onely our best champions , but our very church is made theirs ? how shall they triumph over us , and our unnecessary debates , ( they fight closely within doores , when we bawle in the streets ) telling us , we cannot agree amongst our selves , untill wee returne ad petram unde excisi sumus . what you say in defence of this your generall position , wee shall see in each particular , only i cannot passe your imposition of the liturgie ; hinc illae lachrymae : any thing that is by order and authority is burthensome ; you idolize onely the calves of your owne making , that is , of your crazed imagination . but how shall this humor of yours suit with the unity of a church ? can many shreads of cloth make a garment , and doe not you remember that christs coat was without a seame ? nay , for that you care not , you will be very loth to plead right in christs testament ; my peace i leave you ; for a needlesse feare to be polluted with the antichristianisme of ecclesiasticall courts . these who are in civill or ecclesiasticall power , may from thence learne , what a narrow circle you confine them within ; nor should they take this ill , when some of you , the antinomians , doe pretend immunity from the morall law , the law of god himselfe ( perhaps they dreame of a patentee by the gospell ) and tell us with pharabo , in the pride and hardnesse of their hearts , who is the lord that we should obey him ? but i hasten to your next . then you labour with tooth and naile to untie the obligement of the chaos , and tell us first , that the law for reformation never intended to allow or set up popery in england , nor i hope to deface christianity . what the intention of the law hath been , and how understood hitherto , whether shall we believe the law it selfe , the articles , the canons , the rubrickes , the service of the church , the statutes of parliament , the joynt consent and practice of all good men , and learned writers ( these without a seeming difference , give approbation to the present liturgie and government of the church ) or you , who is filius terrae , a mushrume , a sonne of yesterdayes ? your selfe conceit deserves my pity , not my refutation , and having by your pulse found out your fever , pardon me if i refuse to take such a verdict upon your trust , untill you be restored to your wits , neither then must you expect to be ballanced with so many contrary pregnant testimonies . your second is yet of a higher reach , all humane lawes contrary to gods word are invalid and voyd , ipso facto , and all must be such , to the which your infallibility is not pleased to give approbation . tel me , i pray you , whether should the judges , or your selves determine the integrity of the law ? if they , why doe not you attend their determination ? how is it , that the hand must reforme the head , the people their prince ? and doe you thinke petitions , covenants , and insurrections the surest gradations to the kingdome of heaven ? but if your selves onely , what need have you of judges ? magistracie , and trienniall parliaments are to you but cyphers , and visible nothings ; your consent is the figure which makes the number : for if old lawes be to be repealed , it is sufficient , if you say , these are against the word of god , no more obedience from you ; your sic volo sic jubeo is more than powerfull , the wall of each citie must to the ground at the voyce of your rams-hornes . and if new lawes be to be made , it seemes it is you that truch with the scepter ; unlesse your wise heads finde them agreeable to the word of god , all is voyde ipso facto : what language is this ? is it not the dial●ct of rebellion ? the very {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the tactus physicus of all disorder , mutinie , and confusion ? now let the world judge betwixt us , whether or not this your doctrine strikes home to the very life of government , and destroyes it insensibly , as the worme that gourd of jonas : every man , by this ipso facto of yours , is left with a supreame power to bee king and priest to himselfe . your third ground is of the same bullion , and carryeth your image , that is , of schisme and democracie : you have vowed against all popery , and finding the particulars mentioned to be so , you will have no more communion with them . what if you should finde the decalogue , and the lords prayer ( as you have already the creed ) to be popish , must not all the principles of our religion , for your pleasure , be drawne within the verge of a thundring abjuration ? nor is this feare in vaine : your precisest gospellers already deny the law , as only suteable to the climate of the jewes , and some of your best rabbies make it a case of conscience not to say the lords prayer , that magicum canticum ( as they tearme it ) pontificorum ; if therefore this wantonnesse of yours bee not restrained , i appeale to your selves ( that is , to prejudice and faction it selfe ) if we shall have more certainty of religion left us , then what may subsist with the ebbing and flowing of your distempered and moone-changing braines . it is your next care to draw the parliament to your party ; but there is no communication betwixt light and darkenesse : nature hath taught all entities to intend their owne preservation ; nor can that honourable court forget its beeing , and ioyne with you : plant you at such a distance , whether your antipathy may reach , you shall no lesse exhaust the priviledges and authority of that most honourable meeting , then the cabage doth the sap and life , and vigour of the noble vine : can this bee more evident than by the case in hand , where you take the supremacie upon you , and with intollerable pride and foolishnesse presumes to give us the infallible sense and meaning of the parliament : i know you had no such commission from their honours , as to bee their trenchman , and to print a declaration for them . but let us examine your reasons . first , they intended the protestation against all papery . it is granted : but are you not like the doore that turneth all day upon the hinges , and never changeth its place ? have you yet proved these things to be popish ? nay , though you had , ( which you shall never doe , — rumpantur utilia codro . ) were the probabilities of your arguments , a warrant good enough for your reformation , without the approbation of your superiours ? you indeed never desire a better , whilst you doe what seemes good in your owne eyes , acknowledging no king in israel . but who gave you authority to cleanse the temple , unlesse you mantaine that all power is from the people , ( your hands ) and that you may stop the wel-spring , the fountaine , when the fit takes you . secondly , you remember us that the honourable house of commons will not have the protestation extended to the maintenance of any forme of worship , discipline , and government ; nor of any rites and ceremonies of the church of england , and therefore they condemne them as popish ? what a wild consequence is this ? if that pious judicatory did not finde it convenient ( as it is not ) to assert the grounds of doctrine and discipline with the same oath ; did they therefore condemne all as antichristianisme ? that they did not is cleare to any that will not shut his eyes : first , from the maine distance they put betwixt popery and popish innovations , and the forme of worship , discipline , government , and ceremonies of the church of england , interserted by such a period , as your ends shall never be able to draw together : secondly , from their laudable and religious practice , in being at all occasions present at the service of the church , wherein none but familists ( who doe conforme themselves to any publike worship ) can imagine their integrity and noblenesse , for all the world would prevaricate , if they had but thought ( much lesse declared ) the liturgie , as you would have it , to be the masse-booke . and for the government of the church by archbishops and bishops ( this is the heell you would most willingly bruise , because it bruiseth your head ) it is no lesse evident that the protestation doth not condemne that : first , from their actuall sitting in the house , should these members integrate that body , if they were already adjudged as ●ims of the antichrist ? this were a too heterogenious fancie : secondly , what needed the late dispute concerning the present discipline , if the sentence had beene already past ? thirdly , would so considerable men for honesty , wisedome and power , of that number , whose reasons militates for episcopacie have stood up in defence of a maine branch of popery , and not have beene ashamed ( if not punished ) for publike maintaining the antichrist , and contradicting their late vow and order ? these reasons , nill you will you , doe convince you , that it was not the intention of the parliament ( as you to arme them against ecclesiasticall persons and orders in every corner of the kingdome would beare the people in hand ) to protest against ( though it seemed not fitting to protest for ) the present discipline , government and ceremonies of the church ; if you had a fore-head , you would be ashamed of this boldnesse , but your obduration hath no more sense , quam si dura silex , aut stet marpesia cautes . these great patrons of church and state , shall no doubt punish this malepert saucinesse of yours ; for their love to peace and truth cannot permit such a firebrand to belie their int●ntion , and abuse the credulous simplicity of the multitude : i am confident this reply of mine shall first visit you in the gate-house . did you , i beseech you , ever thinke it possible , that the roarings and out-cries of such braying schismatikes as your selfe , could have induced the honourable court of parliament to change upon a sudden the whole face of the church , as that of a scene , upon the daring and misgrounded information of your ignorant & malicious libels : the drosse , the off-scourings of the multitude are yours ; these , and these only , you are able to induce by promises , or deceive by pretences : tell them , as you doe , that they are the people of god , set apart for the great worke , and shall not this ambition blow up the unconstant vulgar ? shew them they may change their fortunes , and last share in the publike government , you may draw them along with you to the slaughter , though there you leave them with your grand-father munsers benediction , si quidem populus vult decipi , decipiatur . but doe you expect that the grave states-men of the kingdome shall be pleased to venture upon this chaos , and let you shuffle the cards againe , in hopes of a better set ? your parity brings along with it an anarchie , and that , all imaginable ruine and confusion ; i 'll tell you in your eare , you had better keepe your pamphlets at home , and have restrained the late zealous sturs at southwarke and saint margarets , if you would not have had your passions detected ; these staring lookes of yours so soone after the change , do fore-tell what madnesse you may come to at the heighth of the moone , and will ( no doubt ) perswade that supreme judicatory either to draw blood of you in time , or to provide manacles for binding up your furious attempts , lest you teare out your owne bowells . your third reasons leanes to a thought , a supposition , and is a straine of your old lunacy ; that the honourable house of commons did intend to exclude whatsoever should be found to be a branch of popery . but who should finde it so ? themselves , or you ? have they resigned that power which god , his majesty , and their ancient privileges have indued them with , into your hands ? must they and we be tyed to what fancy your humour shall be pleased , to thrust upon their just commands , and our due obedience ? this were a dangerous implicit faith , and of as large bounds and great variety , as there is judgements and opinions in a kingdome : for shame ( if you be reasonoable creatures ) spare this non-sense ; and rather thinke that the protestation hath an edge to cut out your tongue , than to cut off what your unsetled imagination after a fridayes supper from the back of an oister shall dictator-like happen to belch up . you tell us in the fourth place : that you are all in an erected hope of a reformation from this most noble parliament ; and so are we too ; yea , no lesse confident than your selves , that all popish trash shall be made packing ; but may it please you to go along with that baggage , and attend the safe transportation of these fopperies , we shall be rid of two great evils ; at your returne from rome , you may take your rest by the way with your brethren at amsterdame ; no peace for israel how long the jebusites are thornes in our sides ; and if the papists and you ( i cannot tell how to name you , unlesse it be legions , you are so many ) the foxes , the boutefeux joyn'd by the tailes were once removed , wee should have good hopes no more to see our corn-fields in a fire . the reformation you expect , is a deformation ; your active zeale extends to the purifying of churches , yea , of church-yards ; as lately one of your societie was buried in the fields , lest his sanctified body might be polluted by consecrated , that is , superstitious ground : a strange separation that hold even amongst the dead : but when you have banished from us all that can speake as christians , what shall be the event ? the sad ruines of a torne church and state , yea , of religion it selfe is at the stake : for the more weake and conscientious people , who expect salvation in some church , will rather joyne with rome , then have no church at all , like the fish , changing the hot water with the hotter fire ; others , who have made religion their hand-maide , shall be bold to laugh at piety , and thinke it nothing but an invention of policy , to bridle the humours of the lesse daring , and to encompasse the designes of the more active wits ; so the fruits of your reformation shall be like these of gomorra , pleasing to the sight , but in effect either apostacie , or athisme . in your fifth ground i acknowledge your perfect idiome , the compleat language of amsteldame ; their you tell me , that suppose the house of commons had , not intended the removall of these things , but the protection rather of the same , yet private christians must put to their bands , and reforme themselves , and live no longer schoole-boyes and punies under the fernla of that discipline : now you speake to the point , and have but dallied hitherto . bishops i see and parliaments are in the same respect to you , if once they crosse your humour ; if this be not a trumpet of sedition , there is nothing so . goe on , and give not over till the common-wealth be fitted to your church ( as one of yours said , the hangings to the roome ) let us have that prodigious monster , your parity , in both , without so much as distinction of head and feet , and then you may reforme when , and what , and how you please . can there be the least thought of loyalty and subjection beneath this , when such an o yes is made for every man to take up armes , and to reforme what first comes unto his hand ? nor is it a wonder to heare this from you ; e're all be done you will speake with a higher tone , even that the propriety of all goods is your owne : for it is your doctrine that wee have fallen from all dominion and right to the creature by the mortall sinne of adam ; this , say you , was restored by christ , who reserved the dominion to himselfe ( there your love to magistracy ) but gave the right to his children , the sonnes of the church , these whom the conventicle hath assured that they are marked with the white stone , you may therefore possidere terram , and who besides you doe so , are but usurpers . yet give mee leave to wonder , if in a settled church and state some care be not taken to supresse this madnesse , whereby every man is invited to a freedome and liberty of doing what his humour suggesteth ; as if this diana of yours inspired nothing else but phrensie and rebellion : you will by this your exorbitancie , make the bishops enemies long after them , and while they are going out at doores , pull them backe by the gownes : in the time of their power , which of you durst vent such dangerous whimsies ; now you teach us , that by one blow wee cannot lop off the inconveniencie of bishops , and the inconveniencie of no bishops , and that the greatest danger in a mutation is that all daugers cannot be fore-seene : if this popular reformation of yours take root for religion , learning and civilitie , wee must content our selves with prophanenesse , ignorance and barbarity , nay , all the evills that anarchie and confusion can produce must attend upon us . but the honourable house of commons , against whom by this reason you have taken up the bucklers , will provide for that fire , that gangrene of yours , which hath already inflamed the bed-straw , and ceased almost upon the very heart of the kingdome . in your sixt answer delt your strokes about you ; your first blow is at the liturgy ; this you observe to bee popish in two respects . first , in regard of the whole frame and matter of it , as being translated out of the romish latine liturgie : but is it not the romish liturgie translated ? that is , are there any thing in the masse booke , which is not in the booke of service ▪ if your answer be negative , i leave you to bee hissed at ; but if affirmative , what advantage have you gotten by this envious calumny ? doe you thinke we may not use what is in the masse booke consonant to scripture , and purest antiquity ? to say otherwise , were to deny the lords prayer and the decalogue , because they are there : indeed i thinke you intend no lesse then a perfect reformation from rome , that is , a flat denyall of all that ever rome maintained , so much doth your new creed proport : god grant you doe not deny christ to be the sonne of god , because the devills confessed him to be so . tell mee in good earnest , are you so silly as to conceive that there have beene heretiques before your selves , who durst adventure to have nothing common with preceding christianity ? and why may there not be some few pearles in that dung-hill , the masse-booke ? if these be culled out , and according to scripture , and the best patterne of ancient liturgies , most judiciously framed for the service of our church , what can malice or ignorance say against it ? no greater errour in you , and our other enemies of rome , than not to distinguish betwixt the purging of an old church , and the building of a new ; they upbraid us , because they say it is so , you because you thinke it is not so ; all must be admitted from them , errours with truths , all rejected by you , truthes with errors : they destroy the perfection of the scripture , you the being of the church ; you no lesse enemies to the authoritie of this , then they to the beliefe of that . but let both of you roare like the lyonesse bereaved of her whelps , and mixe heaven and earth together by your lowings , naaman shall be the same man to us before and after his washing , wee will in despight of papists cleanse the leprosie , in spight of you retaine the substance ; you mention the late parallel , in a mathematicall sense , justly so called ; for as lines parallel cannot be in one point coincident : so neither the service booke with that of the masse : he is an ungratious sonne of the church , who hath falsly invented these whoredomes , and they the unworthy off-spring of such a mother , if they rest unrevenged . meane time what a death it is to thinke of the sport and advantage our watchfull enemies will be sure to make of our self-confession , that we have the same publike worship which in them we doe condemne as heresie , as idolatrie ? what exporbrations , what triumph of theirs will hence ensue ? how shall we argue against them without bespattering our owne faces in time to come ? all our helpe is that the treatise it selfe ( the parallell ) is so ridiculous a peece , that it will bee thought the dreames of a sleeping person , and ( they say ) dormientes non tenentur de j●re , we are not answerable for the fact . you tell us , you omit to say , what you cannot , you dare not say , all your frivolous exceptions are so fully answered by the learned mason , judicious hooker , and others , that it will be three ages yet ere you attaine to so much judgement as to understand their discourses : why doe you gull the world with these bravadoes , such generall flashes , and when it comes to the close , to the dispute , — frustra comprensa manus affugit imag● , par levibus ventis volucrique fimillima som●● . no word of you then : if we dare call the settled lawes of church and state in question , we shall by the meanest of five thousand in england stop your blacke and ignorant mouthes , and make you confesse , there is nothing conteined in that booke which is not agreeable with scripture , suteable to antiquitie , and allowable by the confessions and writings of the best reformed churches and divines in europe . and you sir , who hath made all this dinne , how should a man finde your out , either to convert you , or to be converted by you ? your name it seemes was affrighted of the title-page ; but it may be you had none , and that this libell hath been penn'd by you , in the interi●● betwixt your renunciation of that name you had from the church of england , and your anabaptization . you adde there is vitious things ( animus meminisse horret ) that runne thorow all the veines of the service booke ; all the letters of the alphabet cannot furnish censures for this blasphemous rabshakeh ; god rebuke thee satan . sufficiently discovered ? by whom ? in whose age ? did your separatists ever produce any thing upon this subject , but lazie indigested fables , as farre from learning as their authors from sense . king arthurs storie , a tale of robin hood , or the bookes of chivalrie , were ever thought more profitable non-sense , more judicious stuffe . your second generall respect is , the imposition of the liturgie upon all mens consciences ; let the matter be never so landable , yet the manner , the imposition , is a wile of the antichrist : here i entreat geneva to answer you , whose church hath an imposed , a set forme of liturgie , and whose worthiest men , calvin and beza , doe stoutly maintaine the churches power in prescribing ceremonies and orders for unitie and peace sake : it were easie to have loaden the margine with quotations , if i had not abhorred the ostentive foolishnesse of your sect. who runnes may reade here that in terminis terminantibus you brand all superioritie ecclesiasticall , whether of king , church , or parliament ( for all these are included in this imposition ) with the minsing titles of popery and antichristianisme ; if this be the reformation you intend , that no law can please you , much good may it doe you , and those that desire it : i am confident the church and state of england are not so wearie of themselves as to become slaves to your fancie ; this perhaps may fit america , where there is no government at all , but how it may subsist with a being of a kingdome here , i understand it not . popery ( you say ) is antichristianisme , hence every papist must be the antichrist ; nor stay you here , but bring the matter home from italie to england , and tell us by a necessarie consequence ; that not bishops onely , but all superiours doe oppose and overthrow the kingly office of christ , which is incommunicable to any creature and power in heaven or earth , bona verba quaeso . the scripture you bring ioh. . is as farre from the point as you from truth and judgement : speake out , dare you say it in open termes , though indeed you say as much , that the king and parliament , because of the liturgie imposed have denyed jesus to be christ ? tiburne for you if you doe . you indeed seem rather stained with this blasphemie , who hath boldly and prophancly averred , that bowing at that sacred name is idolatrie , and ( as you jeere with the bad thiefe on the crosse ) jesu-worship . but let me from your own principles use one argument against you ; whosoever prescribeth to their people a set forme of prayer , doe lord it over the conscience , and are the very antichrist , but your extemporarie prayers in publike are to your people a set forme of prayer , you therefore are the antichrist . the major is your owne , the subsumption is proved by this inevitable dilemma ; when you pray before your hearers , either it is as their mouth to god , or for your selves only : if you say the last , you contradict the action it selfe , your expressions , and the cause of your meeting ; and if the first , must not the people joyne with you in word , or at least , in thought ? and is not this to bee stinced and tyed to aforme of prayer how raw and senselesse so ever ? by your sole law-giver , you expresse your thoughts of authoritie ; you can heare of no generall commission for ordering the house of god as place and time shall require ; but pardon me to beleeve the apostle better then you , who hath not in vaine appointed this qualification , omnia fiant decenter & ordine ; if the kings and states of europe would bee pleased from this your tenet to learne what a moath , a cancer-worme you are to all superioritie and iurisdiction , you would be sent novos quaeritare orbes . and for this cause the pope , say you , is proved to be the antichrist , in that hee fitteth in and over the temple of god , that is , as you please to paraphrase it , the consciences of men : it had beene well you had spoken with application ; you are the onely men i know , who must have all mens consciences squared by the supposition of your owne . the will-worship you name is truely that you practise , that is , an affected contradictorious way in the service of god to scripture , to antiquitie , to the church you live in , to discretion , yea to christianitie it selfe . if by a liturgie devised by men , you understand mans devise , it is a grosse calumnie , a notorious untruth , not a syllable in that booke , which is not either ( as the greater part ) the words of scripture it selfe , or cleerely deducible in the very phrase from thence ; if your sense be , that it is imposed by humane power , you are no lesse mistaken ; there is either a particular warrant from scripture , or at the least a generall commission granted for the ordering of the house of god , which extends to the full latitude of the booke , if you had either impartialitie to conceive aright , or conscience to obey ; but it may be you meane that men have contrived the booke of liturgie , so they have the apostles creed , which perhaps you for the same reason have rejected ; nor was ever the church of god since the first congregation of the jewes in a politicke bodie , to your last and worst dayes , without a publike forme of service and worship . we bid you therefore with saint augustins , erigere scal●● , and goe up to heaven alone , but againe , dat● venia●● , nos non credimus , that all the churches of the christian world have beene over-laid with idolatrie and antichristianisme , till this late one of yours . having choaked ( as you think ) the liturgie with this illpeec't discourse of yours concerning the antichrist , your second onset is upon the ceremonies of the church ; these you say because of mans devising and imposed upon the conscience are also popery : you give no new reason , nor i any new answer , onely this , there is no greater errour committed by you sectaries , then that because the church of rome hath thrust upon us some unnecessary , many superfluous ceremonies , you would have the reformation to have none at all , not confidering that ceremonies as the hedge , doe fence the substance of religion from the indignities that prophanenesse and irreligion oftentimes put upon it . ceremonies though in the particular , that is , this or that , be not necessarie , in the generall they are ; how long we are men , and do inhabite these our dull bodies , we had much need of some visible helps to sti●re up our devotion , and to give a being , a continuitie to publike decencie and order : it is true , the inward worship of the heart , is the great service of god , but the outward worship of god , is the great witnesse to this , whereby our light shineth to the world , that men may glorifie our father which is in heaven ; now no outward worship without ceremonies , they , the ancienter ( superfluity and superstition laid aside ) the better , so they fit time and place : for you , your are so spirituall , ( though some think you no lesse carnall then your neighbours ) i am afraid your religion , may evapour in words , turne in the smoak of a thin airy profession , and as no substance of good works , so leave no visibility of worship behind it ; though now while the heat of a party keeps in the fire , you seem to have some zeal in your breasts , if you were settled on your dregs , and after this great motion returned to your cold bloud , it is very possible you shall have no religion 〈◊〉 all . it were not hard to tell you here what happinesse christians doe enjoy by the wholsome constitutions of a church or state ; what peace , what unity , what concord , what increase of ●●ll p●ety and vertue from thence . and unity , if it be not nature it selfe , it is the first principle riveted by the hand of nature , no essence , no action without this sicknesse and rebellion , the two great confusions of the naturall and politique body do evidence this truth , no subsistence , no continuation of other , but by a first cause , a prime agent , even your discipline must have unity and order in it , if it have life and motion ; and this the more generall it is , the better : it s true , the extension of good is not its touchstone , yet this doth not hinder it to be communicative , and that to the dimension of the body which is to be governed . but now the matter imposed is left in its own nature indifferent still , though not so in the practice , and why this very same restraint enlargeth then christian liberty , for otherwise they would be in conscience obliged to abstain from every thing that the nice and peevish humorist should conceive to be offensive , now , being tyed by a law , they may use their freedome , yea , must preferre a necessary duty to an imaginarie scandall . but this were to digresse , nor are you for such peaceable thoughts , for you love that order and not any besids it , that may be raked out of the ashes of monarchy , but your late injuries meeting with its discretion will teach a necessity of foresight , not to adventure huge bodies as you are , quia su● feruntur pondere , downe steepe hills , that is , to your owne swinge . but you could soon reply to me that not to abstaine for every offence though in a case commanded by lawfull authoritie , were soul-murder , and against the sixth commandement , and that the authority so commanding were antichristian : which how it may agree with a legislative power in king or in parliament , and how comply with the presbyteriall or parochiall government more then with that of bishops , i professe i do not understand , all superioritie , all imposition , all publique order and common decency is a popish and antichristian usurpation of christs scepter . your third endeavour is against the discipline of the church in exercising the power of excommunication ; this you prove to be another branch of popery , because it is from the church of rome : you may with the same pains argue christ and his apostles to have been popish , who are the undoubted authors of that power , but you doe well to deny all censures , having already denyed all lawes , superiors , and judges , least you might happen be punished for this contumacie . you tell us of the homilies , and what doe you think are meant by the third mark , the true discipline there ? it must be either this of ours , or that of yours : yours are not at all , that we have heard of , nor needs there discipline where there is neither law nor injunction ; if this of ours , the homilies stand up and witnesse against you : but your aime is to prove the church of england by the book of homilies to be no church at all ; i pray you , how were they homilies , but by the church ? this is to prove by a church that we have no church at all . a logick indeed that beseems your conventicles , where repugnantia in adiecto is attended by willfull malice and grosse ignorance . now , this cleer deniall of a church , how agreeth it with your advise of reformation ? motus supponit non facit subiectum , nor can we reforme that church which as yet is not gathered together ; i know by your breath you are an actuall separatist , who have some years agoe condemned the whole body of this church to hell and perdition , though now to insinuate your self the better you appear ( as your master before you ) sometime as an angel of light . you adde the not due administration of the sacraments ; did you never think that rightly done , till in germany the holy supper ( with all reverence to that sacred mystery be it spoken ) was given by one of your number after some long winded orations from the back of an oyster board to his fellow sitting communicanter in brown bread and small beare : it was say you , the pride and delicacie of the antichrist , that first used a wheat loaf and wine , nor will you have us in this ( though in other things to the very communicating in an upper room , as you doe , and after supper ) follow the example of christ , he , you tell us ( horr●sco refer●us ) was content with the ordinary and native elements of the countrey , and so must we be too . but the church of england doth no lesse hate the absurd popish transubstantiation , then your foolish sacramentary bare representing signes : both sacrificall and sacramentary let them goe packing for her , and so that other sacrament of baptisme , though you have vainly nibbled about the signe of the crosse , ( no lesse hatefull and idolatmus to you , then ridiculous and shamefull to the pagans of old ) yet when it comes to the push of an argument , you deserve nothing but virgils description of his evanishing apparitions : ingenti trepidare metu : parstollere vocem exiguam : incoeptus clamor frustratur hiantes . in spight of you and all wrangling opposites , the church of england , as the purity , so shall ever retein her decency as beseemeth so high actions in dispensing these sacred mysteries . the restraint and edicts you complain of were much indeed against your catholike gift of preaching , but now i hope you have repayed that losse , when not a sow-gelder among you who makes not hold with a tub for his pulpit , dii , fi qua est coelo pietas quae talia curet , persolvant grates dignas . the fourth plea is against the root of all bitternesse , the very heart and lungs of the antichrist , the government of bishops , each casuall mishap in them must be an errour , so will your rabbies have to be , who deeming themselves lesse in imployment then in merit , doe heartily raile against that which they heartily desire , the rochet . this you say is not of divine , therefore it must be of diabolicall institution , can you giue a reason of this consequence ? yes , i will helpe your to it , and from your owne grounds , all lawes , impositions ; superiorities , ordinanc●s from men , are in your opinion , ( and this is no weak one ) usurped , tyrannicall , ●ntichristianty , and against the prerogative of christ , who is the sole 〈◊〉 to the commonwealth of israel in his spirituall kingdome ; these are your wise religious thoughts , but what say you to your parishes , these were not instituted by christ , here perhaps you will slip me and adhere to family , yea personall discipline , and withall bring your warrant for it , that paul did send greeting to the church at the house of priscilla and aquila : neither can i reach you here , i know not what customes you use in your rebaptization ; what say you of meeting together in private houses , and expounding a peece of scripture ? for this you will alledge apostolicall practice , and the same necessity , because of the persecution , and the same ( otherwise the argument were nought ) infallibly too : what say you of the giving of the holy supper to women ? this sure you dare not deny , least the diaconists punish you , if i should remember you here of the baptizing of infants , the distinction of apocryphical & canonicall scripture the apostles creed , you would presently stifle me with the noyse of tradition , the first and last of those you have taken an order with , and for the other , you desire no more testimony from or of scripture , then your owne , that is , of your own spirit , you are so naked in your outward worship ( as the wrestlers of old ) it is impossible to lay hold upon you , and so grumbling against all church custome and laws ( for what is not commanded in scripture is to you contramandat , and shall so be to us too if you grant a generall power , and rest not only upon particulars ) that i can finde nothing materiall of publike order and decencie to lay to your charge . i must therefore goe about to prove the government of bishops to be of divine institution , or nothing , and here i will take the surest way , that is to shew the divine institution of episcopacy from christ himselfe , not from the precept and practices of the apostles , else you would s●ip out of my fingers and tell me , that if not by the blessed apostles themselves ( as one of yours said ) yet in their time this mistery of iniquity of antichristianisme , did begin to worke . my assertion is therefore and with better ground then your deniall of all authority , that the apostolicall office it self , in its proper & reciprocal acts , was nothing els but the episcopall ( i see you startle & chang your complexion ) as it is now a dayes exercised in the church of england : whether the ordination of that function was , ioh. . . or . . or as others more probable by these words , as my father sent me so send i you in the same place , and at the same time were bishops ordained : these are the apostles successors in asse et ex solido in all things that ever was assentative to their office ; as to call the disciples and elders of the church ( not theirs who come with sword● and pistols to maintaine the truth ) together , act. . . . . v. or divine prosbytors . act. . . to give direction for church censures corinth . . . to make lawes and canons ecclesiasticall . cor. . . to require observation of the same cor. . . now the gifts of immediate calling universall commission , infallibility , long●●● , and miracles , were 〈◊〉 , in the apostles nor officiall , but personally only extraordinary , and for the imployments of the time ▪ neither indeed can that be called apostolicall , which is not proper to , and convertible with the apostles , but all these extraordinary inducements were in others besides them , and in the e●angelists , in philip the deacon , or in the disciples , though not all of them in every one of these 〈…〉 essentiall to that office in constituendo , but the acts of ordination and iurisdiction : these the apostles as apostles once had , and these by the same right of institution , transmitted by the succession of many ages to the present bishops . 〈◊〉 you angry at this ( stant lumina flamma ) and it may be it may doe your good , if you shall happen to empty your stomack of some loathsome humors at the view of this position , nor have you a possible way , for all your windings to get about it , unlesse you either maintaine that the office of the apostles , in its very 〈◊〉 was extraordinary ( and then no office , 〈◊〉 an inducement , a gift ) and nothing usefull for our times , which your schismes , as many of them , as you are of men , will not suffer us to beleeve ; or that each of you , and not the bishops onely are the 〈◊〉 of the apostles , and then would we gladly see you give imposition of hands ( as they did ) and pronounce the sentence of excommunication , without the consent or assistance of your lay-brethren , and inspired-parishoners , but you divide the coat , seemlesse before , betwixt you . you have better right , i thinke , to the extraordinary gifts , as that of immediate calling , when you dispise the orders of the church , & tel us the imposition of hands was the ceremony of a miracle if you can presume upon your abilities , and obtaine the hummings of a factious congregation , you have your calling , and are sent by god : that of universall commission , when the reformation of all kingdom●s is alike to you ; 〈◊〉 parishes must confine the single gifts of others , but a whole nationall church , not your double qualifications , that of infal●ibility , when you obtrude your sense of scripture ; the fathers are but dull tapers to your bright stars , they more of kinn to the antichrist than you ; if you thinke you have found a text for it they ( good men ) must be heretikes , no more disprite , you cannot erre , that of miracles was never more believed by the popish ridiculous legends , than by you , iohannes de vordg . fained something that deserved the name of a wonder , but your rabbies , to the laughter of the hearers , content themselves with each common accident , ) this they will have to fall out by the strength of their prayers , either for the confusion of the reprobate , as they call them , or the furtherance of the good cause ; nor are they satisfied to give ( which every christian must and should ) the determination of all successes to almightie god . but they in a presumptuous holines will be upon his sacred counsels , prey into his secrets , and boldly designe a particular end for his divine providence in every thing . only the gift of tongues , i cannot tell how to fix upon you , and withall not polute you with ( which god knowes you are not guilty of the language 〈…〉 ) you see now i have not troubled 〈◊〉 conscience with timothy and titus ( and the●e shall be still bishops to me ; while you prove the circular and monethly changes ) i have derived the originall of episcopacy from the apostles office ; not their authority ; doubt not therefore if bishops be 〈…〉 , unlesse you doubt if the apostles were so , or because of your love of parity you thinke them of that same order with the seaventy disciples , deny if you dare that the institution of our blessed saviour iesus christ were divine , and i give you the bucklers , as to neg antibus principia . thus have i flourished with you ; it were a shame to bestow a blow in earnest upon such a poor smatterer as your selfe , i have ever thought it the best refutation of you and of your cause , to lay your foolish impertinences open to the eye of the world , then i am assured onlie these who love to have their braines suspected , would give you the least approbation . you finde in the administration of the episcopacy office the perfect image of the papall beast from horne to hoose ; but stay and take it home to yourselfe , who a●e the only beasts i know amongst men , if irrationality and passion , can argue want of iudgement , and turbulency in affections , your plurality of marriages ( the old licence o● the germane anabaptists ) your love feasts , your night me●tings can abundantly witnesse this ; your absurd simplici●y and ignorance in this and other your libels give testimony of that , it is not altogether a mistake of religion but aliquod naturae vitium , a hypocondriacie a fault in your braine , that causeth your ravings ( hence i incline to thinke this humor of yours may be epedemicall because of some 〈◊〉 ) & this to be as physio logists transformed ( as the life quoad act● secundum ) a man in a beast . but i have mistaken you , all this time you m●ane the papal beast the antichristianisme , i pray you if his definition can fit you , who sit in the house of god and opposeth●l ( magistrates ) that are called gods ; only in this you differ , that gods house is mistaken for your owne : nor shall we want an individuality , it is no lesse in the unity of your covenants and oaths of secrecie , than in the successive race of the bishops of rome . you are pleased to call the ministers a dumbe preisthood , a mockery : what disgrace is this to the church , to these that have baptisme from her , or doe expect salvation in her ? you have indeed named them bald-pate● , with those ungracious children , but take your seat for it in the first psalme , and there stay for your punishment . doctors with us and priests doe pronounce the sentence of excommunication , and with no more indecency , we thinke , than if some reverend cobler , or inspired button maker did the same ; give me leave to remember you here of the late schisme of your congregation at rotterd 〈◊〉 ; they upon debate were divided in two bodies ; each of them was the supreame church of god upon earth , and each of them gave commission to an honest weaver to excommunicate the other ; this cannot but please you well ( though your discipline cannot ) because there is neither reason , nor order in it . i thinke it strange , that you who deny all outward calling except that from the people , should think the curates , none of the ministers of christ in that they derive their ministery from the antichristian hierarchy , if no orders be necessary , sure a mistake of orders cannot be much prejudiciall . hence let the world judge how both these mal●cious factions spend their fury upon the church of england ; the papists object that shee hath for feited her ordination , you that she hath one , but the papists they tell us we are noe church because we want a priesthoood , you , because we have one : they will here of none but a monarchicall subjection , you doe establish a democracy in the church or an anarchy rather ; they complain of perjury , because we refuse to maintain their orders ( as if who amongst them had sworne canonicall obedience to a heriticall bishop , were obliged to be a heretike ) you of the want of purity , because we doe not renounce all continuation and orders of the church . in spight of you both she shall still maintaine a visible succession in the mi●istery from the very apostles times : may not the church of rome though in her old age more faulty , give baptisme , and may not this warrant the derivation of our orders from her first and better times ? but i crave you mercy sir , this argument do●h not concerne you , who not after the church of rome only , but also in the church of england , doe rebaptize . you frame here an objection to your self concerning the antiquity of arch-bishops , & dio●esan bishops ( this you adde to distinguish them from these of the late edition for parishes ) and how doe you answer it ? first you tell us they were not knowne by the primitive fathers ; but this is as grosse as to say the primitive fathers did not know themselves , whom we undoubtedly know by a morall beliefe to have beene bishops , as we doe that the saxons did here succeed the britaines : scarce a leafe in the councels , fathers , and church histories that doth not speake this for us . secondly , you tell us that government was corrupt even from the well-head , but since i have proved to you that this was christ ( the apostles you will venture upon ) i hope you will mend your expression , and retire . thirdly , you will have this government a● limbe of papacy , and i dare boldly-say it , there is nothing more destructive of it , for to maintaine that every bishop is de jure divin● ( as you in the same place grant that the present bishops of england do ) is 〈◊〉 only to deny all dependence from rome but to give her her deaths wound by lopping of the prerogative whereby she subsists ; for by vertue of this , 〈…〉 come to her , dispensations from her , exemptions of 〈◊〉 and religious houses ( the maine pillers ) which if the bishops of europe by man-seeming there office to be de jure divino , would challeng as an usurpation , her borrowed fathers might ; perhaps returne home to the first own ; 〈◊〉 . you say the pope and the bishops of england hold their authority by the 〈…〉 ●amely from christ , so i hope duth the meanest 〈◊〉 sweeper amongst you his calling to preach , to expound scri●pture , to give the sacraments , and yet will be oftended , if you think him or his argument popish , though the pope of rome doe the very same here , like your selfe , that is , a very compound of absurdity , and boldnesse , you mention doctor hall , and his learned paines : out upon thee for a fool , and a babler ! the workes of that reverend , p●infull , and judicious bishop , shall be entertained by the posterity , with app●obation and thankfulnesse , when the better times shal ●isse thee and thy associat● out of the church ; the quintessence of you al do come short to the meanest croatchet of his learning , judgement , integrity , & eloquence ; nor shall these your calumnies be ought els to him but stig●ata laudis , cicatrices to testifie his conscience and resolution , who had the courage to set his face against you the amalakites , when others turned the backe . for 〈◊〉 ; his very citation refutes you ; you say he failes in that he cannot prove romes succession from peter , and yet you have said , his assertion is that he proved saint gregoryes succession from peter . but i forgive you , you knew not before now 〈…〉 it , that gregori● was bishop of rome . now , what if i should teach you , that we in the church of england , perhaps have neither christianity nor sacred orders from rome , s●re the first we had not : for by the observation of easter according to the tradition of the easterne church ( to let the tale of simon zelotes , and ioseph of aramathe● passe ) it is most probable this kingdome had the blessing of the gospell from the disciples of iohn : if after the saxon devastation we were restored by rome , in some parts of the iland , the northerns at the same time ; were converted to the faith , by bishop aydanus from scotland ; as beda mentions lib. . cap. . but this discourse is not for you , who in the preceeding page hath prophainly called the ministry it selfe a pe●ce of popery , whether from rome or not is all one to you , such is your superlative hatred against all order . give me leave here to slip out of the way , and meet with a friend of yours , the author of the petition for bishops examined ; this man tells us our arch-bishops , and bishops were substituted to the places of the ar●hflamins & flamins of the heathens , this is a now conceit , that bishops are not from the new , but old rome , not antichristian but heathenish . here for all the grace you bragg of you may learne of nature , that not the least shew of religion , except this mad one of yours , can subsist without 〈◊〉 cement , this harmony , the subordination in its office-betrers . but will he have the bishops heathenish 〈…〉 joy the roomes designed for the residence of the flamins , and are we not all papists , yea pagans , because such did once inhabit this kingdome ? now i smel out the reason why you perswade so vehemently the pulling downe of churches , it is because of some inherent wickednesse in the place . he saies further that the first foure or five hundred years there was bishops in scotland , but that ( as he cites ioannes maior ) communi monachorū regebantur concilio , but their histories are there for it , that amphibalus was bishop in the isle of man an. . and for some of yeares after the monkes were not so much as reckoned among the clergy , much lesse had they dominion over them . in the close of this answer you are assured that the government is protested against . if such a worme as my self might presume to speak of that honorable iudicaturie and the p●otestation made by it , i might upon better grounds argue , that you and your sectaries , are within the reach of the same : my instance shall be in one point ( when i might in a hundred ) that of magistracie , your doctrine concerning it , is point-blanck against the doctrine of the church of england , the kings honor and estate , the power and priviledg of parliaments , and that for to use your termes , deserveth to be cut off and cast out as a fruitlesse withered branch , and to be plucked up by the roots as a tree twice dead , and as a plant not of gods planting . hitherto i might have taken you up by some paines , but now you passe all understanding : fall you once upon the businesse of reformation , you rave perfectly , like these lunaticks who will perhaps speak sense , doe they encounter with the purpose that first chased them out of their witts , then streight they run out . sir , by laughing at you , you have spared me the cost of physick for expelling malancholy . your first assertion is that it will be impossible to constitute a nationall church agreeable in all points to the visible congregation of christ : here you no lesse crosse the consisteries than the bishops ; and therefore it shall be convenient to leave you to their refutation . it is your bragge , that there is many thousand saints , whose hearts are perfect before god , that is pleasing to you : and shall these empty pitchers , these factious lights , these trumpets of intent , multiplyed to make a noyse , afright the kingdome ? i dare say , that if from your party you deduce mad men and fooles ( and none of these , are men envied ) with such as love for their owne ends , to fish in your muddy waters , scar●e a number , yea scarse an unity shall remaine ; though you try the sword of the lord and of geddon , as a friend of yours did in another kingdome , the church and state of england , will ever have prudence to detect your stratagems , and courage to award your blowes . what you meane by defiling of garments i know not , but i know you have lately provided against that by your naked meetings . now you speake plaine language in perswading a separation , and , forcing us to believe , we are in no better condition than those heathens to whome the apostles first peached the gospell ; for you tell us the sheep must be called forth , and gathered into christs folds , and that it is a strange speech be you separate . you therefore will begin ab ovo , and call together the holy ones , to make up your new houshold congregations : but how shall these be discended ? onely by the infallibility and presumed omniscience of your spirit , that of errour , not that of truth ; you onely know these few names , and here you tell us that sca●se a number shall bee found to make up these holy meetings , what ? are all your thousands evanished , you boasted of in the last page ? oportuit mendacem esse memorem , but i take you at your last word , if there be so few ( as you profanely abuse that scripture ) marked with the white stone in his kingdome , pray you spare us the paines of separation , separate your selves for some new colonie in virginia , and trouble not your pates about unpossibiliti●s ; would to god you would leave us , or your madnesse you , and then both of us should be at rest . now let the whole world judge if you be a fit man to usher in a reformation , and thus boldly to thrust your impious sense upon the protestation , ( made by the most honourable parliament ) whose head is fraughted with such whimses , and who can heare of nothing but the gathering of a new church in this kingdome . and if we all had made a totall apostasy from the faith ; we should descry you blasphemously as the apostles did when they came to plante churches in a country where the gospell had not beene formerly preached ; not your eares , but your neck is in danger for this . but what answer you to the question , if they have not received baptisme ? or are they not christians ? here something sticks in your throat : you answer negatively , by an equipollent metaphor , that the lame and blind are not to be offered up in a sacri●ice to the lord . do you thus tempt the patience of the prince and people ? is it nothing for you to object paganisme to them at every word ? to call them profane , ignorant , unbaptized , unchristian persons ? this were intollerable to any free soule , and must induce all those who have the smallest affection to generosity and religion , to provide a way how such monsters as your selfe may be supprest . you goe on , and tell us the godly may not communicate with the profane . quo donate ruis ? are not al profane to you , that are good church-men and obedient subjects ? and must all these fall within the verge of your excommunication ? may we expect , dum viatores sumus , your contemplative perfection , or that the wheate shall be here without the chaffe ? and know you what iniquity some of your holy sisters might have committed yesternight ? if you communicate with them , doe you partake of their profanation ? it may be you have so before , nor is it a sinne in you or her , but an oversight : i see there is a necessity laid upon us to search the hearts of men , to have their brests made of christall , to finde out their very thoughts , else no fellowship , no communion . but if every knowne sin be every mans , where is christs burthen ? what difference put you betwixt the head and the branch ? others uncleannesse can no more defile you , then your holinesse excuse them : if you be for this separation , you must either flye out of the world , or your flight is in vain ; the best metal here hath its drosse , the best graine its oftall , there is need indeed of a fanne , and a furnace , but not that of yours , destructive , not purging . nor stay you here , all are dogges and swine to you that will not be of your kennell , nor wallow in your puddle : so your founders the pharises upbraided christ , with the name of a wine bibber , and said he had a devill , because he haunted with sinners and publicans , while they themselves cleansed onely the outside of the platter , beware of their woe . a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe , never better knowne then of late by you , what couzenage and hypocrisie have these yeares by-gone hid up in the masse from the eye of disciplin : none must come to the passeover except your selves , who have not washen your hands in innocency , but your tongues in the gall of asps . you seeme to speake of knowne evill doers ; if you meane such as are under the churches censures , you fight against your owne shadow , none such are admitted to partake of our holy mysteries ; but if you understand , as you doe , those of a contrary judgement to your selfe ( for it is the first , and your fancie about that , not the second table , all this time you respect ) we pray for your health , and doe protest against your madnesse . now i have found you out — qualem primo qui s●rgere mense aut videt aut vidisse putat per nubila iunam . and know how to take a direct aime : the reformation you ayme at is shorter laced then either consistories or parishes , there is a necessity of setting up other congregations besides these ; here your intent is to have all reduced to families , old 〈◊〉 must be your doctor and pastor , his wife tib your diaconesse , his sonne die your ruling elder , and the serving man will your deacon : a pretty church indeed , and where none are to be admitted but such as are approved by the whole assembly ; he and his houshold , the supreame and only congregation upon earth ; not any beyond it in purity , above it in jurisdiction ; no more contest now for consistories , or parochial churches , you for the avoyding of profanenesse have assigned us a lesser circle — ipse ratem conto subigit — all will be well and you be at the stearn . is this your modell , your patterne of reformation ? it is so , ridiculous children will point at you and it in the streets ; if not for christianity , yet for shame ●ake abstaine from such motions for the which the enemies dreaming you and the church of england to be concentrike , nam● us no more heretickes , but mad men : nor are you lesse dangerous then they : the innocent sheepe are no lesse terrified by the barking of the dogs within , then by the handling of the wolves without ; my very soule bleedeth to thinke what discouragements you give us at home , what ignominy , and scandall , and disgrace you are to us abroad . but you proceed and tell us , if there must bee a nationall church , let not this exclude and barre out the free use of congregations . here you play the libertine : give you freedome and you care not what religion is at the next doors : this is the golden branch , let you once see this , though your mouths were as maine and wide as these of cerberuss tumida ex ira tune corda recedunt . this is indeed the confusion your parity aymes at , that every man may do what seemeth him good in his own eyes : now let any christian judge , whether it is your love to purity , that perswaded your separation from the church , now your reformation of the church , or your desire of license , when , if that be granted to you , you are willing to be dayly spectatours of the antichristianisme and their patron ( such is all to you beside your sanctified conventicle ) of a nationall church , order as they call it : and how doe you ? you have no use , no name for order at all : all be●de your humour , though prescribed by the state , must be order as they call it : this is your respect to parliaments , you are the onely mouths , i know , of all power and iurisdiction . nor must the consciences of gods people in things indifferent for order and unities sake , be regulated by wholesome lawes ; when every mans conscience must be tyed to yours in the very principles of religion ; how farre they decline from this , so farre from purity , from salvation : without this no admission to your society , to your communion , nor ( as you will have it ) to the kingdome of heaven . it is said of aristotle , he disputed against monarchie , least any beside his master should affect that , just so you against government , when you are the hardest tax-masters , the most curious searchers of opinions in the world , nothing can passe your censures ( and that is either to be saved or damned ) which is not borrowed from your selves . you wil have us to believ , that though you are in , yet you are not of the world , you , good men , are separated from the world in the corruptions thereof ; whether is this that you cannot sin , or that you do not sin , whether boast you here of your opinion , or your practise ? if the first , take it with you , and that of the apostles , when you say you have not sinne you are lyers , and the truth is not in you : but if the last , i will tell you , you are now too grosse not to bee discerned , all your figge-tree leaves , of purity and reformation , will not cover your nakednesse , violence , rebellion , deceit , cruelty , dissimulation , wrath , incharity , in a word all the titles that attend you in the first page , are your individuall lackeys , and doe your best , will acknowledg no other master ; i have knowne men of honest civill dispositions , ere they joyned to your sect , but then , as if sathan had entered with the sop , immediately became proud , testie , hollow-hearted , and whose charity dar'd nor so much as extend it selfe to the respects of nature or acquaintance : these in the children of disobedience might be accompted sinnes , what they are in you i know not ; it may be , as by the accesse of trueth and light , your natures are essentialy changed , so the qualities and viciousnesse of your actions . but i have mistaken you all this time , it is a separation from the world in doctrin , not in practise ; you intend you are as farre from this , as you are from rome . meane time you beare us in hand you are not separate ( and woes me for it ) from the civill state , but are peac●able members thereof , subject and obedient to all good , and just lawes , how long they may happen to fit your i●ching humours ; go beyond this traine , the laws will be neither good nor just ; you must have the power to interpret them , as you have the protestation , and thereafter obey not them , but your fancy concerning them . here you bring in your fulminatrix leg●o , as if all we were pagans about you , what your prayers have procured to us , let these last thundring dayes witnesse ; the almost ruines of a poore church by your schismes , wil testifie it to the succeeding ages . the apostle indeed exhorts us to pray for kings , your hearers know how you obey this exhortation , when by your praiers you teach them how to suspect their princes of luke-warmenesse and oppression ; in your wavering petitions to god for their reformation , their amendment , as ioab did to amasa , you stab their authority , their reputation , beneath the fifth rib. but if it were not proprium convertibile with your sect , to make bold with scripture , i could fit you better with texts , and tell you of a miriam , who said , hath the lord spoken onely by moses , and not by us also ? and of a core of whom you learned your dialect , you take too much upon you , seeing all the congregation of the lord are holy , wherefore lift you your selves above the congregation of the lord ? but you are worse then both these ; no speech by moses , as by your selves ; not all the congregation of the lord , but onely you are holy . i will therefore assigne you a third , that comes more home to the point , to your tents o israel , what inheritance have we in the sonne of iesse ? validior est oris quàm operis vox . let the condition of the times , your defections , your stirres , speake for me the truth of the matter : if the parliament should give eare to your desires , royalty might seeke a patrone amongst the nominalists ; you would soone finde that burthensome that is not profitable , and at the last answer the charges of the crown with a quorsum proditio haec ? you make too bold with domitian's example ; blessed bee god for it , we have none such ; no edicts come out for persecution ; but it is customary with you to compare king and people to tyrants and heathens . you tell us here of protection and tolleration from civill states , what if you shall imagine , as now you doe , that this reciprocall dutie is not sufficiently afforded you ? why then have you not onely jus determinationis , but vindictae , you may judg betwixt you and your prince , and thereafter your rebellion is but a holy warre ; for the maintenance of religion you may doe any thing . this is a summary excommunication of yours ; and the martyrs of the primitive times were but dunces , that could not fall upon it : kings have no more certainty of your obedience , then of your humours , your mutations , at the first change of the wether-cocke ( and you are no lesse moving ) or information sent you from amsterdam of a designe against the religion , omnia susque deque miscentur , all is turned topsie turvie . doe not therefore offer us sugar for your pill : we are not so purblinde , but we doe perceive the naile in the one hand , while you carry milke in the other hand . now when you have drained us of all discipline and unity , how proceed you against the fomentation of envy , and faction in the state ? you give a bil of divorce to all ecclesiasticall , and a seeming power to civil lawes : these say you , may take order with transgressors , but with the proviso of incorrigibility : and can there be any such in your exempted congregations ? this is either against your doctrine of admission or perseverance . but let no man blame you before they try you : do you deale so with others ? no , that were a suspition of charity , or a remission of zeale in you : quod tibi non vis fieri &c. is a precept too practical for your contemplative faith , what accusations from you of apostacy , of treason , of heresie , upon suspitions , probabilities , and consequents ? heare you of preparation for warre ? it is to bring in popery . of the a ornation of a chappell ? it is superstition . aske you how you know this , you reply , the thoughts and intentions of the men are not upright , and is not this without tryall to judge the minde ? whether is this a trick of the antichrist or not , an usurpation of gods prerogative ? but you have made too bold with infallibility to forge this priviledge , without this fewell your calumnies ( the very life of your sect ) might be soone starv'd in cold bloud . nay how blame you a whole church and nation ? is there a corner in all this 〈◊〉 of yours which is not stuft with accusations of a totall apostacy and profanation against her ? her doctrine is idolatry , her disciplin antichristianisme , her religion at every turne , compared with heathenisme : b●t the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the government of his mother , the ravens of the river shall pull it out , and the young eagles eate it . that old stratagem of sathan , you have executed handsomely this yeare against the bishops , and with as great moderation as he whom you name did , nero : they poore men , are by you made the gate to disburthen the people of their sinnes ; and will that slaughter on too if you can accomplish your ends , but it is their , and our comfort , that he who hath let you loose can cast a hook in your nose , and chaine you againe , the divell cannot so much as enter a heard of swine without permission from almighty god , you tell us the gospell , that novum evangelium of yours , will kindle coales and stir up debate , and for all this the civill power may not cast you out , nor can without much fasting and praier , you then ( it seems ) and religion are convertible tearms , but see how you deale with us here ; shall we seeme profane to you , you must separate from us , shal you be troublesome and contentious to us , we not from you ? this is your legerdemaine , your hocus pocus whereby you delude the people by this you intend to blindfold the state , and tosse the whole kingdome ( with reverence be it spoken ) like to an old beare tyed to a stake . kings you will have none , unlesse they bee made by your selves , as he at leyden : a one may give you , the sonnes of the church , that which is yours , the fat of the earth for others , they are children of belial , all both prince and people have forfeited their right , their dominion in the creature , and never as yet restored , because not of the reformation , onely you whom the ●onventicle hath assured to bee of the faithfull , have the liberty of the gospell . you may therefore freely , and with a safe conscience reject your king , and deceive your neighbour , and think it no more sinne , then when the israelites revolted from pharaoh , and borrowed the eate-rings of the egyptians ; your bondage hath been the same , and your warrant as particular , if we may beleeve you ; nor doe the coales you talke of burne no heigher ; you are as peremptory in granting rooms in heaven , as you are in giving peace on earth , to them you are pleased to call hereticks ; and yet not the lesse for all this , the state must nourish you in her bosome , though your ●rrand be then to suck out her heart blood . for your next doubt , that your perfection will be envyed , it is of your own making ; there is none who knowes your conversations , can justly charge you with popery , that you intend for heaven by good works : but if you had not added purity ( which with you is only speculative ) to your perfection , i might have suspected you of the three vowes , which falsly march under that name ; though your many wives , and large usury may serve to purge you from that of chastity and poverty ; and for that of obedience you may very well take it in the negative . you call your way of devotion christs sweetnesse ; spare , i intreat you such appropriations ; your works must not ever passe as the works of god : lest as you else where make him the author of sin , so you may thrust ( with all reverence be it spoken ) violence or dissimulation upon him ; and is not this to lay a ground work for atheisme , when you preach and practise contradictions ? and yet will have your credulous hearers ( who have pulled out their eyes for you ) conceive , that all you speak is from above ? now fall you downe againe upon the parishes , and maintaine a necessity to seperate your exempted congregations from them ; no minister , you say , will be so unchristian as to envye this : pereunt civili vulnere fratres ; each of you hath his sword in his brothers side . when will you agree among your selves ? it seemes you are erecting the babel ; you so much talke of ; if the confusion of tongues , hearts , and opinions be sutable to the work ; one calls for an elder , another brings a widow ; one will have a parish , another a family ; one for the separation another against it ; this man that the doctor is an office-bearer , this that he is not , he for a diaconisse , he against her : one sayes the doctors may excommunicate , another contradicts that ; he gives the right of prophecying to the inspired-lay-elder , he denies it ; another denies all church superiority and jurisdiction ; he maintaines it in a presbyterie , this man in a parish ; — non si linguae centum , oraeque centum — ferrea vox , and yet all of these ( mirum dictu ! ) leaning to the like immediate , the like infallible revelation ; neither learning , church , nor fathers , must assist to find out the genuine sense of scripture concerning any of these . the poets tell us that the mistaken history of babylon , was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , this in a twofold meaning , may be so . settle the busines among your selves , and say ( you who maintaine the discipline and government of the church to bee so cleerly and perticularly set down in gods word ) hitherto shall our proud wits ( that casteth up dirt and myre continually ) come . then it is possible we may joyne with you , and that safely too , because you are no more your selves , if you once but listen to unity and concord ; but this were dangerous ; agreement amongst your selves might at the last end in the monarchicall government of the church of rome ; your purity , and peace are compositio incompossibilium ; and that is even what you are in your most formall essence , a very notion of the braine , christ told us in his apologie for himself , that the old serpent would not have regnum in se divisum , his poyson is yours , not his policy , you are not so far learned yet . in the close of this answer you tell us , that your independent congregations will not plead for tithes : now you take the title of independence upon you , from church and state ; such is the liberty of your familie meetings ; nor will you meddle with tithes , this were ( god save us ) to iudaise . it is your custome to ingratiate the people to you by preaching sacriledge , rebellion , and usury ; king , preist and people are too cheap sold for your . s. freewill-offering . nor shall you thus avoid the reward of balaam ; your purchase it may bee is as good as the set rent of others ; to live by the chimney corner is sometimes as profitable as to live by the altar : twenty or thirty pounds of collection is a mean reward for some of your houshold lectures , even for one exhortation , if some godly families about midnight be pleased to joyne themselves together . that peece of scripture is practically yours indeed , godlinesse is great gaine ; nor must the good women ( the conceit of whose devotion is measured by their reward ) want their oblation , though they should borrow it from the pockets of their sleeping husbands , or send their cloathes to long-lane to fetch it : not many wise , you can tell us , these are likely to detect your knaveryes , but as rich as may be , they will drop the more oyle for your zeale , and you out of your christian pitty will adventure to disburthen them of part of their goods that they may have the more easie passage through the needles eye . your small tithes you gather them ipsa corpora at your chamber conferences and long feasts , which you repay with as long graces , praying to the extent of your belly , where not a morsell may passe your censure if your hand be not in the dish ; fastings , unlesse it be with the manichaes upon the lords day , fall not out in your callendar till the day of the moneth . the parliament you tell us is about a reformation ; a glorious work indeed ! god prosper them , and send it us , to the rooting out of you and all who have wrought our unquiet and troubled the peace of israel : these convulsions and renting paines , which in a part , you to the horror of every christian soule do stir up , admonish us what humors , what obstructions are yet to be purged : but under favour you must not prescribe the medicine , such a measure of acrimony should then be administred , that not the diseases only but the vitall spirits might readily be exhausted : you are a part of our consumption , and in such a case strength not weaknesse is to be studyed , whereby the kingdome may worke out the malignity of the sicknesse . but what reformation do you conceive ? when shall you make a stand ? must every yeere produce you a new religion ? every moneth a new faith ? nor shall the rabbyes of the next moone , be content with what you doe , a new inspired-eldership upon a new pretended revelation will perhapps demolish this platforme : you have indeed reached home to the first , the patriarchall , each of them were priests to themselves , so you ; thus is was before the law , before ceremonies were in custome and therefore is the only means for you , who are without all law , to reclaime the church your houshold from ceremonies . you perswade your self , the parliament wil remove that government you name hierarchicall , and we hope it wil not ; you indeed labour what you can to throw sparks in the flax to put the kingdom in a flame , that you may see to finde out popery , or rather the treasure and revennues of the church , hid up in the time of darknesse ; hence your zeale is active , yea so hot , that it is strange that it melt not the plate , the bells , the very lead of the church into coyne . but those of that honourable that religious iudicature are lately taught by your madnesse , that essentially to change the present state of things , were no lesse present death to the state , then to open a veine and disable nature in the highth the rage of a feaver , if in the time of your seeming interdict , you have been so excessive , how should we find superlatives to expresse your carriage , if the church government were totally removed ? sure no more difference , propriety , nor distinction of person , things , and conditions , should be left amongst us then if that dreame , that idea of platoes were made reall , did you imagine these noble and conscientious pilots of this great body would resigne their present tranquility , for the fancies of you , distempered humorists ? nay though they should ( animpossible supposition ) god himselfe would preserve some order amongst us , lest the harmony of nature should be dissolued by you , and all reduced to the mother , chaos . goe therefore with this your conceit to new-england , there convert the americans from popery ( every thing beside your owne opinion is so to you ) we hope never to see this confusion of government , this parity of beings , this annihilation of lawes and magistracy , you bring along with you , received with any thing but laughter and derision in this kingdome . it is true you have some reason & no more to brag of your connivance hitherto ; not is it wonderfull ( that is without a known cause ) though you would bear the world in hand , that as your knowledge , so your helps are immediately from heaven : it wil be possible to tel you , what angeli ●otores , what great agents have turned the sphear , and racked their heads , if not their consciences ( these i know they have , i doubt if those ) to advance your ends , for their own ; i speak no misteries now , blindnesse it self hath gotten eyes to see it . but the never sufficiently admired parliament by the hand of wisdome and providence will a midst all these distractions pull off your mask , and having made you visible to the world , either reduce you to a non-entity , or restraine you within the limits of your proper vocations , no more to intermeddle your selves with church and state . doe not you too much rejoyce over the ( perhaps deserved ) afflictions of others : if judgement begin at the house of god , what doe you expect ? the brim of the cup may purge , may refine them ; the dregges , plague and confound you ; and such fierce scourges as your selves , after their just chastisment , may be ( if your proper element can punish you ) thrown into the fire . that a nationall church hath no patterne , no direction in scripture , is false and scandalous ; and because no lesse repugnant to the position of consistories , then of bishopps , i leave you to their just censures : if you loved peace halfe so well , as you pretend to love trueth , this expression had never dropped from your pen : that olive branch , i am afraid , shall not be brought home to us , while it please god by a mighty wind to abate and dry up your waters . you would gladly purge the universities and schooles ; non amonimium diligentes : this vomitive of yours may be the evacuation of their learning and livelihoods ; i pray god the houses themselves may obtaine favour at your religious hands , whose piety extends to the very extirpation of your owne enemy knowledge , and a single life ; that argues your simplicity , this your wantonnesse : nor shall you want pretext ; this is monasticall , that vaine phylosophy ; either paganisme , or that which is worse , popery . but since already , the name of a scholar is no lesse odious to you , then that of an academick to paul the second , and that to know but the titles of schoolemen , and in what language the fathers have written , is for that to be suspected of heresie , for this of superstition . — ●ro miserere laborum tantorum , miserere auimi non digna ferentis . for generosities sake , envade not your enemie under the cloud , but leave us the title page of two universities , that the after ages may know , we had once religion and civility amongst us . you come at the last to a strange position , it is indifferent to you what ever liturgy or ceremonies or discipline are left to accompany this nationall government : is this you that told us all these are popish ? it is true you did , but it is the imposition you only complaine of , let you enioy your christian liberty at home in your parlours , and let mahomatisme reigne in our cathedralls for you ; now let your blinded followers themselves judge whether it be prejudice or reason , your malice or its misdeserving hath so inflamed you against the present church government ; give freedom to you , you crave no more ; it is therefore not the crimes of the episcopall office , but because it curbes your passions , your vagaries , that hath stirred your humours against it . if the juditious reader shall take the measure of your whole body by this your foot , he shal find that it is nor your purity but your pevishnesse is in the issue betwixt us : our camells shall be but gnats to you , if a way may be found to dispence with your obedience , and make you something betwixt a king and a subject ; by this outward pulse a man may find the inward motions of your heart , how unequall these are and how this aguish and preternatural heat of yours forespeaks a sweat from my heart ; i wish not that of bloud . you adde , that a dangerous error stifly maintained , is liable to excommunication : i am glad you grant a possibility of errour ; now there is some hopes you may be instructed since your presumed infallibility permitts you to thinke , you can thinke amisse , the acknowledgement of a sicknesse is the first step to health , but how your excommunication from other churches and your exempted independent congregations can be soadered together , i professe i understand it not ; to me they seem as contradictorious , as independent , & not independent : your herisie divides it selfe in so many crosse wayes that it must sometimes thwart , and the more , that your extemporary conclusion , know neither premisses nor deliberation . in your last words you seeme to cast a smile upon the civill power , and give a haile to your master , by granting that in a reflexive way it may punish the oversights of the s●aternity ; but if hypotheca impossibilis aequipollet simpliciter neganti , this is no grant at all , so you speake of such crimes as cannot possible fall upon any of that sanctification , such as the roote of apostacy , and the errours derived from hence ; nay if they did , such falterers were no more of your society , because you are obliged in conscience to seperate from them : so it is then that the magistrate hath not only no power in ecclesias●icis ( this is to you directly antichristianisme ) but in civilibus , neither to censure any member of your exempted and independent congregation : this is the gideons fleece that must never be of the common dependence and condition of the rest of the kingdom . see now what necessity his sacred majesty hath ( unlesse he would sell all his possession ) to buy your pearles to curb this feaster of yours ; doe not flatter your selves , his authority and yours cannot breathe under one climate your pretended freedome is wholely incompatible with his due obedience , ( witnesse these sad eclipses , these late stormes , these clouds that yet threaten a tempest ) either that , or this , withall loyalty i speake , it is not of god ; nor deale you more favourably with parliaments ; how much you regard the power , the integrity of that most honorable court this your discourse can best give evidence ; if you once carried the busines , you have professed it , that no law no statute shall oblige you further then you find convenient to your exempted congregation . and how have you suted your respects to the better times ? that light of redresse hath onely served to make your iett the blacker : what horrid monsters , quot africa non caperet , hath a too favourable beame of toleration , raised out of the mud and clay of your ignorant presumption and drossie wits ? how is the pleasant land become a wildernesse . infelix lolium & steriles dominantur avenae ; pro molli violâ , pro purpureo narcisso carduus , & spinis surgit paliurus acutis . and why doe such batts and owles as you screech about our churches ? enter , you may not for pollution ) as if the ruines and desolations of babel had already seised upon us ? the spirits of all good men doe already groane under your spirituall democracy , and doe suffer a forehand , when their tendernesse represents to them the rubbish ( unlesse your violence be prevented ) of a demolished church and state ; it is true you are of flint , and the polititions of the times who do use you as their stalking-horse from whence to shoot their prey , abundantly furnish tinder , but our prudent king and most careful parliament shal quench your ignis fatu●s & not suffer you to consume us all to ashes : you have bin spared hitherto either to try the length of your arme how far these your designes would reach , or that the kingdom had not yet collected it selfe out of that amazement , which by your suddaine irruption as that of many rivers , you had caused : but it is now high time to throw full buckets of water upon your fiery heads , to take the matches from you , and either to send you hence , or prescribe you bounds ; lest that the combustible body about you ( all are now of gunpowder ) take hold of your sparks , and burn up all to the extirmination first of order , then of religion , and last of humanity it self . these are the prayers , and these the feares of all them that with more reall sighes and groanes , than you , to the hazard of your buttons imploy in charming of your hearers , love the prosperity , and long after the peace of jerusalem . finis . the kings prophecie: or vveeping ioy expressed in a poeme, to the honor of englands too great solemnities. ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the kings prophecie: or vveeping ioy expressed in a poeme, to the honor of englands too great solemnities. ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ +] p. printed by t. c[reede] for symon waterson, london : . in verse. printer's name from stc. signatures: a-b+ (-a ). imperfect; all after leaf b lacking. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng james -- i, -- king of england, - -- poetry -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the kings prophecie : or vveeping ioy. expressed in a poeme , to the honor of englands too great solemnities . ios . hall. london printed by t. c. for symon waterson . . the kings prophecy or weeping ioy. . what stoick could his steely brest containe ( if zeno self , or who were made beside of tougher mold ) from being torne in twaine with the crosse passions of this wondrous tide ? grief at elizaes toomb , orecomne anone with greater ioy at her succeeded throne ? . me seems the world at once doth weep & smile , washing his smiling cheeks with weeping dew , yet chearing still his watered cheeks the while with merry wrinckles that do laughter shew ; amongst the rest , i can but smile and weepe , nor can my passions in close prison keepe . . yet now , when griefe and ioy at once conspire to vexe my feeble minde with aduerse might , reason suggests not words to my desire , nor daines no muse to helpe me to endite ; so doth this ciuil strife of passions strong , both moue and marre the measures of my song . . for long agone , when as my weaker thought was but assaylde with change of ioy & paine : i wont to finde the willing muse vnsought , and vent my numbers in a plenteous vaine , whether i wisht to write some loftie verse , or with sad lines would straw some sable hearse . . so , when but single passions in the field meet reason sage ; soone as she list aduance her awful head ; they needs must stoop , & yeeld their rebell armes to her wise gouernance : whence , as their mutin'drage did rashly rise ylike by reasons power it cowardly dies . . but when that passions ranke arayes beset reason alone , without or friend , or fere , who wonders if they can the conquest get and reaue the crown her royal head did weare ? goe yet tumultuous lines , and tydings bring what passion 〈◊〉 in reasons silence sing . . oft did i wish the closure of my light , before the dawning of that fearfull day which should succeed elizaes latest night , sending her glorious soule from this sad clay , vp to a better crowne then erst she bore vpon her weary browes , and temples hoare : . for then i fear'd to finde the frowning skie cloathed in dismall black , and dreadfull red , then did i feare this earth should drenched lie with purple streames in ciuil tumults shed : like when of yore in th' old pharsalian downes , the two crosse eagles grapled for the crowne . . or when the riper english roses grew on sundrie stalks , from one selfe roote ysprung , and stroue so lōg for praise of fairer hew , that milliōs of our sires to death were stung with those sharp thornes that grew their sweets beside or such , or worse i ween'd should now betide . . nor were leud hopes ought lesser thē my dread , nor lesse their triumphs then my plained woe , triumphs , and plaints for great eliza dead ; my dread , their hope for englands ouerthrow : i fear'd their hopes , & waild their pleasāt cheare , they triumpht in my griefes , & hop't my feare . ii. waiting for flames of cruell martyrdome , alreadie might i see the stakes addrest , and that stale strumpet of imperious rome , hie mounted on her seuen-headed beast , quaffing the bloud of saints in boules of gold , whiles all the surplus staines the guiltles mold . . now might i see those swarmes of locusts sent , hell's cursed off-spring , hyred slaues of spaine , till the world sawe , and scorned their intent , of a sworne foe to make a soueraigne ; how could but terrour with his colde affright strike my weake brest vpon so sad foresight ? . tho on that day before the world began eliza dyde , and with the closing yeare her dayes vpclosde ; when i the light did ban , and chide the heauens that they left not there : and thought it wrōg ( yet god that thought forefended ) that the worlds course with her course was not ended . . now , not moe worlds could hire my closed light ere but the setting of that euen-sun , which late her breathing sawe with beames so bright , and early rising found her life for done ; ah most vnhappie wights that went beforne , that dyde ere this , or that are yet vnborne ! . oh turned times beyond all mortall feare , beyond all mortall hopes ! not till this day began the fulnesse of our blisse appeare ; which dangers dimmed erst with fresh dismay : still euer checking ioy with seruile care , still charging vs for tragick times prepare . . false starres , and falser wisards that foresaine by their aspects the state of earthly things : how bene your bold predictions proued vaine , that here brake off the race of brittish kings ? which now alone began ; when first we see faire britaine formed to a monarchie . . how did i better long agone presage , ( that ioyes me still i did presage so right ) when in the wardship of my weaker age my puis-ne muse presumed to recite the vatick lines of that cumean dame , ( which maro falsely sung to pollios name ) . to the deare natals of thy princely sonne , o dreadest soueraigne ; in whose timely birth mee seem'd i sawe this golden age begonne , i sawe this wearie loade of heauen and earth freshly reuiu'd , rouze vp his fainting head , to see the sweete hopes this day promised . . and now i liue ( i wisht to liue so long till i might see these golden dayes succeed , and solemne vow'd that mine eternall song should sound thy name vnto the future seed ) i liue to see my hopes ; ô let me liue till but my vowed verse might me suruiue . . so may thy worth my lowly muse vpraise , so may mine hie-vp-raised thoughts aspire that not thy bartas selfe , whose sacred layes the yeelding world doth with thy selfe admire , shal passe my sōg , which nought cā reare so hye , saue the sweete influence of thy gracious eye . . meane while , amongst those throngs of poesies which now each triuial muse dares harshly sing this vulgar verse shall feed plebeian eies , nor prease into the presence of my king ; so may it safely praise his absent name ; that neuer present tongue did voyd of blame . . well did the wise creator , when he laid earth's deepe foundations , charge the watery maine , this northerne world should by his waues be made cut frō the rest , and yet not cut in twaine diuided , that it might be blest alone , not sundred , for this fore-set vnion . . for here he ment in late succeeding time , to seat a second paradise below ; or for composed temper of the clyme , or those sound blasts the clensing north doth blow . or , for he sawe the sinfill continent should with contagious vice be ouerwent . . for great euphrates and the swelling nile , with tigris swift ; he bad the ocean hoare serue for the great moate of the greatest ile , and wash the snowy rocks of her steepe shore as for that tree of life faire edens pride , hee set it in our mids , and euery side . . from oft attempted , oft repulsed spight more then one angell gards our safer gate ; nought wāts of highest blisse , & sweet'st delight that euer was attaind by mortall state . but that giues life to all , and all exceeds he sets his princely image in his steed . . his liuely image , in whose awfull face appeare deepe stamps of dreadfull maiestie , whose glorious beames from his diuiner grace dazle the weake , and dim the bolder eye . mercie sits on his brow ; and in his brest vnder his lions paw , doth courage rest . . deepe wisedome doth adorne his princely head , iustice his hand , his lips graue eloquence , and that which seld in princes brest is bred , ( the princes greatest praise , and best defence ) purest religion hath his heart possest . o iland more then fortunate and blest . . heauens chiefest care , earth's second paradise , wonder of times , chiefe boast of natures stile , enuy of nations , president of blisse , mistresse of kingdomes , monarch of all iles ; world of this world , & heauen of earth ; no lesse can serue to shadow out thine happinesse . . thou art the worlds sole glory , he is thine ; frō him thy praise is fetcht , the worlds frō thee , his from aboue ; so the more famous bene his rarest graces , more thy fame shall bee . the more thy fame growes on , the fairer shew his heauenly worth shal make to forraign view . . like when by night , amids the clensed skie , the suns faire sister by her louely rayes gathers a circled halo vp on hie , of kindly vapours that her spouse did raise : shee thus inclos'd in her cleare ouall round , doubles her light vnto the gazing ground . . but for the onely bane of blessed state is ignorance of blisse ; let mee deare dread for thy diuiner oracles relate the sum of those sweet hopes that long haue fed thy liegest nation ; pardon thou the while mine high attempt , harsh verse , and ruder stile . . and yet thrise happy mates , whō that great king endowes with equall peace : so more his raigne aboue your hopes , eternall comfort bring to your late nephewes race ; as ye may daigne credulous eares to my prophetick lines , truer thē those were fetcht frō delphick shrines . . he that giues crownes ( as crowns frō heau'n are sent not since the day that ishay's yongest son rose from the fold ; hath euer yet besprent with the sweet oyle of sacred vnction an holyer head : then that this present day the weight of englands roial crown doth sway . . nor can his subjects more him feare or loue , ( loyall their loue , and lowly is their feare ) then he shall loue and feare his king aboue , whose name , place , image , scepter he doth bear , religions spring , autumne of heresie , winter of atheisme his raigne shall bee . . and thou great rome , that to the martian plaine long since didst lowly stoope ; and leaue for lore thy loftie seate of hils : shalt once againe creepe lower to the shade of tybers shore : yet lower shall his arme thy ruines fell , downe from thy tyber into lowest hell. . not number shall , but weight his lawes cōmend ; which wisely made , shall iustly be maintain'd , his gentle brows shal first seuerely bend and lowre at vice : whose course eftsoones restraind they smooth shal wax again ; mixing by mesure ounces of grace , with drams of iust displeasure . . so haue i seene a morne of chearefull may orecast with clouds to threatē sormfull stoures , which yet ere noone , hath prou'd the clearest day : whiles brighter morns haue broght vs euening shoures ; his frownes shall fright the ill ; his mercious cic shall raise the humble soule of modestie . . the treble mischiefe that was wont infest our holy state ( ah me what state can misse some staine of natiue ill ) shall be redrest by timely care : and now shall fairely rise the noble name of our diuiner trade , from out the dust wherein it long hath laid . . longlay it in the dust of wrong disdaine ; expos'd to euery rascall pesants spight : o times ! but now , were best my rage containe vntill i mought a second satyre write . but ah fond threat , as if these mended daies would once deserue the brand of my dispraise ? . nor shall the lordly peeres once ouerlooke their humble vassals dwelling all below : like as we see some large out-spreading oke ore-drop the silly shrubs that vnder grow . nor noble bloud shall want true honors fee , whiles it shall light on groomes of low degree . nor now the greedy merchant that for gaine sailes to both poles , & sounds both indian seas whe his long beaten bark from forth the maine vnlades her weary fraight ; shall as he please raise by excessiue rate his priuate store , and to enrich himselfe make thousands poore . . vnder the safer shadow of his wing shall exilde aliens shroud their restlesse head ; and here alone shall forced exile bring better contentment to the banished then home-smelt smoke ; o i land kind & free in fauouring those that once befrended thee . . and for the princes eye doth life inspire to loyall brests ( like as the vernall sunne cheares the reuiued earth with friendly fires that lustles lies when those hote rayes are gone ) oft shall his presence blesse our hungry eyes , to our horizon oft this sunne shall rise . . for ere the worlds great lamp shal thrise decline into his southern spherc , and thrise retyre vp to the turning of his northern line , our second sunne shall in his earthly gyre turn once to al the realms his light doth guide ; and yet obserue his yearly race beside . . then shall my suffolke ( englands eden hight as england is the worlds ) be ouer blest and surfet of the ioy of that deare sight whose pleasing hope their harts so long possest which his great name did with such triumph greet when erst it loudly ecchoed in our street . . and thou , renowmed drury mongst the rest , aboue the rest ; whether thee still detaine , the snowy alpes , or if thou thoughtest it best to trust thy speed vnto the watery playne , shalt him receiue ; he thee , with such sweet grace as may beseeme thy worth and noble race . . the yron doores of ianus by his hand shall fast be bard ; vnlesse some hostile might ( if any hostile might dares him withstand ) shall break those bars ; and boldly shall excite our sleeping lyon ; who but once awoke woe to the wight that did his wrath prouoke . . wise and not wrongfull stratagems shall speed his justest warre , and straiter discipline shal guide the war like troupes himself shal lead to doubtfull field ; o let the shield diuine protect my lieges head ; and from on hie let it be girt with crownes of victorie . . his frequent court ( yet feare i to fore-saine too much of princes courts , which ages past haue long since noted with the secret staine of wanton daliance and luxurious wast ) his court shall be a church of saints : quite free from silth , excesse and seruile flattery . . hence ye false parasites , whose only guise is feeding princes eares with wrongful praises , and euer who mought hope to honor rise , by what large bribes their leuder brocage raises . the courtiers onely grace shal henceforth lie in learning , wisedome , valour , honestie . . o court fit for thy king ; and like to none but heauens court , where nought impure may bide ; like as thy king resembleth god alone , for such on earth were vaine to seeke beside . well might i here his vertues rolle rehearse , but them his life speakes better then my verse . . yet let me not thy learned muse omit , the onely credit of our scorned skill , redoubted liege ; whose rarely polisht writ sauors of long sleep in that sacred hill ; looke that the muses all shall once agree , as thou hast honor'd them , to honor thee . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e caesar & pompey . lanc. & yorke . 〈◊〉 march. . virgils fourth egloge translated and applyed to the birth of hen. the prince . britaine compared with the olde paradise riuers of paradise . word and sacram : the sum of bazil . doron drawne in forme of prophecy into verse . the olde religion a treatise, wherin is laid downe the true state of the difference betwixt the reformed, and romane church; and the blame of this schisme is cast vpon the true authors. seruing for the vindication of our innocence, for the setling of wauering minds for a preseruatiue against popish insinuations. by ios. hall, b. of exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the olde religion a treatise, wherin is laid downe the true state of the difference betwixt the reformed, and romane church; and the blame of this schisme is cast vpon the true authors. seruing for the vindication of our innocence, for the setling of wauering minds for a preseruatiue against popish insinuations. by ios. hall, b. of exon. hall, joseph, - . [ , , [ ] p. printed by w[illiam] s[tansby] for nathaniell butter and richard hawkings, london : . printer's name from stc. running title reads: the old religion. a r is partially reset with 'errata committed by the printer, which will bee verie vnpleasing to the reuerend authour ..'( a variant has 'errata, which will better instruct you in the true vnderstanding of the authors meaning'); o r headline has plain 'r' (a variant has swashed 'r'). reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -- controversial literature. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the olde religion : a treatise , wherin is laid downe the true state of the difference betwixt the reformed , and romane church ; and the blame of this schisme is cast vpon the true avthors . serving for the vindication of our innocence , for the setl●ng of wauering minds for a preseruatiue against popish insinuations . by ios . hall , b. of exon. london , printed by w. s. for nathaniell butter and richard hawkings . . to my newe , and dearely affected charge , the diocesse of exceter , all grace and benediction . the truth of my heart giues mee boldnes to professe , before him , who onely knowes it , that the same god , who hath cald me to the ouer-sight of your soules , hath wrought in me a zealous desire of your saluation . this desire cannot but incite mee to a carefull preuention of those dangers , which might threaten the disappointment of so happie an end : those dangers are either sinnes of practice , or errours of of doctrine : against both these i haue faithfully vowed my vtmost indeuours . i shal labour against the first , by preaching , example , censures ; wherein it shall bee your choyce to expect either the rod , or the spirit of meekenesse . against the latter , my pen hath risen vp in this early assault . it hath beene assured mee , that in this time of late vacancie , false teachers , catching the fore-locke of occasion , haue beene busie in scattering the tares of errours amongst you : i easily beleeue it ; since i know it is not in the power of the greatest vigilancie to hinder their attempts of euill . euen a full see is no sufficient barre to craftie seducers ; their suggestions wee cannot preuent , their successe wee may : this i haue here assay'd to doe ; bending my stile against popish doctrine , with such christian moderation , as may argue zeale without malice , desire to winne soules , no will to gall them . and since the commonest of all the grounds of romish deceit is the pretence of their age , and our noueltie ; and nothing doth more dazle the eyes of the simple , then the name of our forefathers , and the challenge of a particular recital of our professors before luthers reuolt , i haue ( i hope ) fully cleared this coast , so as out of the right apprehension of these differences , my reader shal euidently see the vanitie of this cauill , and find cause to blesse god for the safetie of his station in so pregnant , and vndeceiueable a truth . for me , i shame not to professe , that i haue passed my most , and best houres in quiet meditation ; wherein i needed not bend mine edge against any aduersarie , but satan , and mine own corruptions : these controuersorie points i haue rather crost in my way , then taken along with me ; neither am i ignorant what incomparably cleare beames ( in this kind ) some of the worthy lights of our church haue cast abroad into all eyes , to the admiration of present , and future times ; no corner of truth hath lyen vnsearcht , no plea vnargued : the wit of man can not make any essentiall additions either to our proofes , or answeres ; but , as in the most perfect discouerie , where lands and riuers are specially descried , there may bee some small obscure in-lets reserued for the notice of following experience ; so is it in the businesse of these sacred quarrels ; that braine is very vnhappie which meets not with some trauers of discourse more then it hath borrowed from anothers pen ; besides which , hauing fallen vpon a methode , and manner of tractation , which might be of vse to plain vnderstandings , the familiaritie whereof promised to contribute , not a little , to the information and setling of weaker soules , i might not hide it from you , to whose common good i haue gladly resolu'd to sacrifice my selfe : let it bee taken with the same construction of loue , wherewith it is tendred , and , that you may improoue this , and all other my following labours to a sensible aduantage , giue mee leaue to impart my selfe to you a litle in this short , and free preamble . it is a large body , i know , and full of ordinate varietie , to which i now direct my words ; let mee awhile , in these lines , seuer them , whom i would neuer abide really dis-ioyned . yee my deare fellow-labourers ( as my immediate charge ) may well challenge the first place . it is no small ioy to mee to expect so able hands , vpon whom i may comfortably vnloade the weight of this my spirituall care : if fame doe not ouer-speake you , there are not many soyles that yeeld either so frequent flockes , or better fed ; goe on happily in these high steps of true blessednesse , & saue your selues , and others ; to which purpose ; let mee commend to you ( according to the sweete experience of a greater shepheard ) two maine helpes of our sacred trade , first , the tender pastures , and second the still waters ; by the one , i meane an inuring of our people to the principles of wholesome doctrine ; by the other , an immunitie from all faction , and disturbance of the publike peace . it was the obseruation of the learnedst king that euer sate hitherto in the english throne ▪ that the cause of the mis-carriage of our people into poperie , and other errours , was , their vngroūdednes in the points of catechisme ; how should those soules bee but carried about with euerie wind of doctrine , that are not wel ballasted with solid informations : whence it was that his said late maiestie ( of happie memorie ) gaue publike order for bestowing the later part of gods day in familiar catechising ; then which , nothing could bee deuised more necessarie , and behouefull to the soules of men ; it was the ignorance , and ill-disposednesse of some cauillers , that taxed this course , as preiudicial to preachings since , in truth , the most vse-full of all preaching is catecheticall . this layes the grounds , the other raiseth the wals , and roofe ; this informes the iudgement , that , stirres vp the affections : what good vse is there of those affections that runne before the iudgement ? or of those wals that want a foundation ? for my part , i haue spent the greater halfe of my life in this station of our holy seruice : i thanke god , not vnpainefully , not vnprofitably ; but , there is no one thing , whereof i repent so much , as not to haue bestowed more houres in this publike exercise of catechisme ; in regard whereof , i could quarrell my very sermons , and wish that a great part of them had beene exchanged for this preaching conference : those other diuine discourses enrich the braine & the tong ; this settles the heart ; those other are but the descants to this plain-song ; contemne it not , my brethren , for the easie & noted homelinesse ; the most excellent and beneficiall thinges are most familiar ; what can bee more obuious then light , ayre , fire , water ; let him that can liue without these , despise their commonnesse : rather , as we make so much more vse of the diuine bountie in these ordinarie benefits , so let vs the more gladly improoue these ready & facil helps to the saluation of many soules ; the neglect whereof breedes instabilitie of iudgment , mesprision of necessarie truths , fashionablenesse of profession , frothinesse of discourse , obnoxiousnesse to all errour and seduction . and if any of our people loath this manna , because they may gather it from vnder their feete , let not their palates be humourd ic this wanton nauseation : they are worthy to fast , that are wearie of the bread of angels : and if herein we bee curious to satisfie their rouing appetite , our fauour shall be no better then iniurious : so wee haue seene an vndiscreete schoole-master , whiles he affects the thankes of an ouerweening parent , marre the progresse of a forward child , by raysing him to an higher forme , and author , ere he haue wel learned his first rules ; whence followes an emptie ostentation , and a late disappointment : our fidelitie and care of profit must teach vs to driue at the most sure , and vniuersall good , which shall vndoubtedly bee best attained by these safe and needfull ground-workes . from these tender pastures let mee leade you , ( and you , others ) to the still waters ; zeale in the soule is as naturall heat in the body ; there is no life of religion without it ; but as the kindliest heat , if it bee not tempered with a due equalitie of moysture , wasts it selfe and the body ; so doth zeale , if it be not moderated with discretion , and charitable care of the common good ; it is hard to bee too vehement in contending for maine and euident truthes ; but litigious and immateriall verities may soone be ouer-striuen for ; in the prosecution whereof , i haue oft lamented to see how heedlesse too many haue beene of the publike welfare ; whiles , in seeking for one scruple of truth , they haue not cared to spend a whole pound-weight of precious peace . the church of england , in whose motherhood wee haue all iust cause to pride our selues , hath , in much wisdome , and pietie , deliuered her iudgment concerning all necessary points of religiō in so compleat a body of diuinitie , as all hearts may rest in ; these wee read , these we write vnder , as professing not their truth onely , but their sufficiencie also . the voice of god our father , in his scriptures , and ( out of these ) the voyce of the church our mother in her articles , is that , which must both guide and settle our resolutiōs : whatsoeuer is besides these , is but either priuate , or vnnecessarie and vncertain : oh that whiles we sweat and bleed for the maintenance of these oracular truthes , we could be perswaded to remit of our heat in the pursuit of opinions : these , these are they that distract the church , violate our peace , scandalize the weake , aduantage our enemies . fire vpon the hearth warmes the body , but if it be mis-placed , burnes the house : my brethren , let vs bee zealous for our god ; euery heartie christian will powre oyle , and not water vpon this holy flame : but , let vs take heed least a blind selfe ▪ loue , stiffe preiudice , and factious partialitie impose vpon vs , in stead of the causes of god ; let vs be suspicious of all new verities , and carelesse of all vnprofitable ; and let vs hate to thinke our selues either wiser then the church , or better then our superiors : and if any man thinke that he sees further then his fellowes , in these theologicall prospects , let his tongue keepe the counsel of his eyes ; least , whiles he affects the fame of deeper learning , he embroyle the church , and rayse his glory vpon the publike ruines . and ye worthy christians whose soules god hath entrusted with our spirituall guardianship , be ye alike minded with your teachers ; the motion of their tongues lyes much in your eares ; your modest desires of receiuing needfull , and wholsome truthes , shal auoide their labour after friuolous , and quarrelsome curiosities . god hath blessed you with the reputation of a wise , and knowing people ; in these diuine matters , let a meeke sobrietie set boūds to your inquiries . take vp your time , and hearts with christ and him crucified ; with those essentiall truthes which are necessarie to saluation ; leaue al curious disquisitions to the schooles , and say of those problemes , as the philosopher did of the athenian shops : how many things are here that we haue no need of . take the neerest cut yee can , yee shall finde it a side way to heauen , yee need not lengthen it with vndue circuitions . i am deceiued if ( as the times are ) yee shall not find worke enough to beare vp against the oppositions of professed hostility , it is not for vs to sqander our thoughts and houres vpon vse-lesse janglings ; wherewith if we suffer our selues to be still taken vp , satan shal deale with vs like some craftie cheater , who whiles he holds vs at gaze with trickes of iugling , pickes our pockets . deare brethren , what euer become of these worthlesse driblets , bee sure to looke well to the free-hold of your saluation . errour is not more busie then subtile , superstition neuer wanted sweet insinuations : make sure worke against these plausible dangers , suffer not your selues to bee drawne into the net by the common stale of the church ; know that outward visibilitie may too well stand with an vtter exclusion from saluation . saluation consists not in a formalitie of profession , but in a soundnesse of beliefe . a true body may be ful of mortall diseases : so is the romane church of this day ; whom we haue long pitied , and laboured to cure in vaine ; if she will not bee healed by vs , let not vs be infected by her ; let vs bee no lesse ielous of her contagion , then she is of our remedies . hold fast that precious truth , which hath been long taught you by faithfull pastors , confirmed by cleare euidences of scriptures , euinced by sound reasons , sealed vp by the bloud of our blessed martyrs ; so whiles no man takes away the crowne of your constancie , yee shall be our crowne and reioycing in the day of the lord iesus ; to whose all-sufficient grace i commend you al ; and vow my selfe your common seruant in him whom we all reioyce to serue . ios . exon . the contents . chap. i. the extent of the differences betwixt the churches . fol. . chap. ii. the originall of the differences . fol. . chap. iii. the reformed vniustly charged with noueltie , heresie , schisme . . chap. iv. the roman church guiltie of this schisme . chap. v. the newnesse of the article of iustification by inherent righteousnesse . sect . ii this doctrine proued to be against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. vi. the newnesse of the doctrine of merit sect . ii against scripture . . sect . iii. against reason . chap. vii . the newnesse of the doctrine of transubstantiation . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. viii . the newnesse of the halfe-communion . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. ix . the newnesse of the missall sacrifice . sect . ii against scripture , sect . iii. against reason . chap. x. the newnesse of image-worship . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. xi . the newnesse of jndulgences and purgatorie . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. agai●st reason . chap. xii . the newnesse of diuine seruice in an vnknowne tongue . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. xiii . the newnesse of a full , forced sacramentall confession . sect . ii not warranted by scripture . sect . iii. against reason . sect . iv. the noueltie of absolution before satisfaction . caap. xiv . the newnesse of the romish inuocation of saints . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. xv. the newnesse of seuen sacraments . sect . ii besides scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. xvi . the newnesse of the romish doctrine of traditions . sect . ii against scripture . sect . iii. against reason . chap. xvii . the newnesse of the vniuersall headship of the bishop of rome . sect . ii the newnesse of challenged infallibilitie . sect . iii. the newnesse of the popes superioritie to councels . sect . iv. the new presumption of papall dispensations . sect . v. the new challenge of popes domineering ouer kings and emperours . chap. xviii . the epilogue both of exhortation , and apologie . an aduertisement . courteous reader ; i shall entreat you where you finde some few , either ●iterall , or verball faults , to haue recourse to this following errata committed by the printer , which will bee verie vnpleasing to the reuerend authour ( who is many miles distant from the presse ) which errors if you shall vouchsafe to pardon in this impression , they shall be more carefully amended in the next . n. b. errata . pag. . in margine , for probant , read prolaeus pag. . in marg . for pierius , read prierius . p. . l. . for angry part , read angry to part . pag. . lin . . for professe , read professeth . p. . in marg . for haeresia , read hereses . p. ibid. in marg . for bellidanus , read bellidauus . p. . in marg . for pushius read pighius . p. ibid. for turrectsm read turrecremat . p. . l. . for censures , read censurers . p. ● . l. . for by and , read by faith . and ▪ p. . l. . for muddle , read muddie ▪ p. . l. . for habita , read habitatio . p. . l. . for them yeelding . read them ; yeelding . p. . l· . for barengarius , read bereng●rius . p. . dele that . p. . l. vlt. dele not . p. . l. . for practices , read practicers . p. . l. . read mirrour . p. . l . for vnnecessarie , read necessarie . p. . l. . for salonons , read salomons . the old religion . chap. i. the extent of the differences betwixt the churches . the first blessing that i dayly begge of my god , for his church , is , our sauiours legacie , peace : that sweete peace ; which in the verie name of it comprehends all happinesse both of estate and disposition . as that mountaine whereon christ ascended , though it abounded with palmes , and pines , and mirtles , yet it caried onely the name of oliues , which haue beene an ancient embleme of peace : other graces are for the beautie of the church ; this for the health and life of it ; for how so euer , euen waspes haue their combes , and heretickes their assemblies ( as tertullian , ) so as all are not of the church that haue peace ; yet so essentiall is it to the church , in saint chrysostomes opinion , that the very name of the church implyes a consent , and concord ; no maruel then if the church labouring here below , make it her dayly suite to her glorious bride-grome in heauen , da pacem , giue peace in our time , o lord : the meanes of which happinesse are soone seene , not so soone attained ; euen that which hierome hath to his ruffinus , vna fides ; let our beleefe be but one , and our hearts will be one . but since , as erasmus hath too truely obserued , there is nothing so happie in these humane things , wherein there is not some intermixtures of distemper ; and s. paul hath told vs , there must be heresies , and the spouse , in salomons song , compares her blessed husband to a yong hart vpon the mountaine of bether ; that is , diuision ; yea , rather , as vnder gensericus , and his vandals , the christian temples flamed higher then the townes ; so for the space of these last hundred yeeres , there hath beene more combustion in the church , then in the ciuill state ; my next wish is , that if differences in religion cannot bee avoided , yet that they might bee rightly iudged off , and be but taken as they are . neither can i but mourne , and bleede , to see how miserably the world is abused on all hands with preiudice in this kinde : whiles the aduerse part brands vs with vniust censures , and with loude clamours cries vs downe for heretickes : on the other side , some of ours , doe so sleight the errours of the romane church , as if they were not worth our contention ; as if our martyrs had beene rash , and our quarrels trifling ; others againe doe so aggrauate them , as if we could neuer bee at enough defiance with their opinions , nor at enough distance from their communion . all these three are dangerous extremities ; the two former whereof shall ( if my hopes faile me not ) in this whole discourse be sufficiently conuinced ; wherein as wee shal fully cleare our selues from that hateful slander of heresie , or schisme , so we shall leaue vpon the church of rome , an vnauoydable imputation of many no lesse foule , and enormious , then nouell errours ; to the stopping of the mouthes of those adiaphorists , whereof melancthon seemes to haue long agoe prophesied ; metuendum est , &c. it is to be feared ( saith he ) that in the last age of the world this errour will raigne amongst men , that either religions are nothing , or differ onely in words . the third comes now in our way ; that which laertius speakes of menedemus that in disputing his very eyes would sparkle , is true of many of ours , whose zeale transports them to such a detestation of the romane church , as if it were all errour , no church ; affecting nothing more , then an vtter opposition to their doctrine and ceremonie , because theirs ; like as maldonate professeth to mislike and auoide many faire interpretations , not as false , but as caluins : these men haue not learned this in saint austens schoole , who tels vs , that it was the rule of the fathers well before cyprian and agrippinus , as since , that whatsoeuer they found in any schime or heresie , warrantable and holy , that they allowed for its owne worth , and did not refuse it for the abettors ; neither for the chaffe doe we leaue the floore of god , neither for the bad fishes doe we breake his nets . rather , as the priests of mercurie had wont to say , when they eate their figs and honie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. all truth is sweet ; it is indeed gods , not ours , wheresoeuer it is found , the kings coyne is currant , though it be found in any impure channell . for this particular ; they haue not well heeded that charitable profession of zealous luther ( nos fatemur , &c ) we professe ( saith hee ) that vnder the papacy there is much christian good , yea all ; &c. i say moreouer , that vnder the papacie is true christianitie , yea the very kernell of christianitie , &c. no man i trust will feare that feruent spirits too much excesse of indulgence ; vnder the papacie may bee as much good , as it selfe is euill ; neither doe we censure that church for what it hath not ; but for what it hath : fundamentall truth is like that maronaean wine , which if it bee mixed with twentie times so much water holds his strength : the sepulchre of christ was ouer-whelmed by the pagans with earth and rubbish ; and and more then so ; ouer it , they built a temple to their impure venus ; yet still , in spight of malice , there was the sepulchre of christ ; and it is a ruled case of papinian , that a sacred place looseth not the holinesse , with the demolished walles ; no more doth the romane , loose the claime of a true visible church , by her manifold and deplorable corruptions ; her vnsoundnesse is not lesse apparent , then her being ; if shee were once the spouse of christ , and her adulteries are knowne , yet the diuorce is not sued out . chap. ii. the originall of the differences . it is too true that those two maine elements of euill ( as timon called them ) ambition and couetousnesse , which bernard professes were the great masters of that clergie in his times , hauing palpably corrupted the christian world , both in doctrine and manners , gaue iust cause of scandall , and complaint to godly minds ; which ( though long smothered ) at last brake forth into publike contestation ; augmented by the fury of those guiltie defendants , which loued their reputation more then peace : but yet so , as the complainants euer professed a ioynt allowance of those fundamentall truths , which discried themselues , by their bright lustre , in the worst of that confusion ; as not willing that god should leese any thing by the wrongs of men , or that men should leese any thing by the enuie of that euill spirit , which had taken the aduantage of the publike sleepe for his tares : shortly then , according to the prayers and predictions of manie holy christians , god would haue his church reformed ; how shall it be done ? licentious courses ( as seneca wisely ) haue sometimes beene amended by correction , and feare , neuer of themselues ; as therefore their owne president was stirred vp in the councell of trent , to crie out of their corruption of discipline ; so was the spirit of luther , somewhat before that , stirred vp to taxe their corruption of doctrine ; but , as all beginnings are timerous , how calmely did he enter , and with what submisse supplications did hee sue for redresse ? i come to you ( saith he ) most holy father , and humbly prostrate before you , beseech you , that , if it be possible , you would be pleased to set your helping hand to the worke , intreaties preuaile nothing ; the whiles , the importune insolence of eckius , and the vndiscreete carriage of caietan ( as luther there professes ) forced him to a publike opposition . at last ( as sometimes euen poysons turne medicinall ) the furious prosecution of abused authoritie increased the zeale of truth ; like as the repercussion of the flame intends it more ; and as zeale grew in the plaintiue , so did rage in the defendant ; so as now that was verified of tertullian ( a primordio , &c. from the beginning righteousnesse suffers violence , and , no sooner did god begin to be worshipped , but religion was attended with enuie . the masters of the pythonisse are angrie part with a gainefull ( though euill ) guest : am i become your enemie because i tolde you the truth ? saith saint paul , yet that truth is not more vnwelcome , then successefull ; for , as the breath of a man that hath chewed saffron discolours a painted face , so this blunt sinceritie shamed the glorious falshood of superstition . the proud offenders , impatient of reproofe , trie what fire and faggot can doe for them ; and now according to the old word , suppressed spirits gather more authoritie ; as the egyptian violence rather addeth to gods israel . in so much as erasmus could tell the rector of louan , that by burning luthers bookes they might rid him from the li●raries of men , not from their hearts . the ventilation of these points dif●used them to the knowledge of the world ; and now , vpon serious scanning , it came to this ( as that honor of rotterdam professe ( non defuisse ) ●hat there wanted not great di●ines , which durst confidently affirme , that there was nothing in luther , which might not be defended by good and allowed authors . nothing doth so whet the edge of wit as contradiction ; now , hee , who at first , like the blind man in ●he gospell ( it is bezaes comparison ) saw men like trees , vpon more cleare light , sees and wonders at ●hose grosse superstitions , and tyrannies , wherewith the church of god had beene long abused : and ●ow , as the first hue and crie rayseth a whole countrie , the world was awakned with the noyse , and startling vp , saw , and stood amazed to see its owne slauerie and besot●ednesse : meane while ; that god , who cannot bee wanting to himselfe , rayseth vp abettors to his truth ; the contention growes , bookes flie abroad on both parts . straight buls bellow from rome nothing but death , and damnation to the opposites ; excommunications are thundred out , from their capitoline powers , against all the partakers of this ( so called ) heresie ; the flashes of publike anathemaes strike them downe to hell . the condemned reprouers stand vpon their owne integritie , call heauen and earth to record , how iustly they haue complained , how vniustly they are censured ; in large volumes defending their innocence ; and , challenging an vndeniable part in the true visible church of god , from which they are pretended to bee eiected ; appeale , ( next to the tribunall of heauen ) to the sentence of a free generall councell , for their right . profer is made at last of a synode at trent ; but neither free , nor generall ; nor such , as would afford ( after all semblances ) either safetie of accesse , or possibilitie of indifferencie ; that partiall meeting ( as it was * prompted to speake ) condems vs vnheard ; right so as ruffinus reports it in that case of athanasius ; iudicandi potestas , &c. the power of iudging was in the accusers ; contrarie to the rule of their owne lawe ; non debet , &c. the same partie may not bee the iudge , accuser witnesse ; contrarie to that iust rule of theodericus , reported by cassiodore ( sententia , &c. ) the sentence that is giuen in the absence of the parties is of no moment . we are still where we were , opposing , suffering . in these termes wee stand , what shall wee say then , if men would either not haue deserued , or haue patiently indured reproofe , this breach had neuer beene . woe bee to the men by whom this offence commeth ; for vs , that rule of saint bernard shall clearely acquit vs , before god , and his angels ( cum carpuntur vitia , &c. ) when faults are taxed , and scandall growes , hee is the cause of the scandall , who did that which was worthie to bee reproued not he that reproued the ill doer . chap. iii. the reformed vniustly charged with noueltie , heresie , schisme . be it therefore knowne to all the world , that our church is onely reformed , or repaired , not made new : there is not one stone of a new foundation laide by vs ; yea , the old wals stand still ; onely the ouer-casting of those ancient stones which the vntempered morter of new inuentions , displeaseth vs. plainely , set aside the corruptions , and the church is the same : and what are these corruptions , but vnsound adiections to the ancient structure of religion ; these we cannot but oppose ; and are therefore vniustly , and imperiously eiected ; hence it is that ours is by the opposite stiled an ablatiue , or negatiue religion ; for so much as wee ioyne with all true christians in all affirmatiue positions of ancient faith , onely standing vpon the deniall of some late and vndue additaments to the christian beleefe ; or if those additions bee reckoned for ruines : it is a sure rule which durandus giues concerning materiall churches , applyable to the spirituall ; that if the wall be decayed , not at once but successiuely , it is iudged still the same church , and ( vpon reparation ) not to bee reconsecrated , but onely reconciled . well therefore may those mouthes stop themselues , which loudly call for the names of the professors of our faith , in all successions of times , till luther look't forth into the world. had wee gone about to broach any new positiue truths , vnseene , vnheard of former times , well and iustly might they challenge vs for a deduction of this line of doctrine , from a pedigree of predecessours ; now , that we only disclayme their superfluous , and nouell opinions , and practices , which haue beene by degrees thrust vpon the church of god , retayning inuiolably all former articles of christian faith , how idle is this plea , how worthy of hissing out ? who sees not now that all we need to doe , is , but to show that all those points which wee cry downe in the romane church , are such , as carrie in them a manifest brand of newnesse , and absurditie . this proofe will cleerely iustifie our refusall ; let them see how they shall once , before the awfull tribunall of our last iudge , iustifie their vncharitablenesse , who cease not vpon this our refusall to eiect , & condemne vs. the church of rome is sicke ; ingenuous cassander confesseth so ; ( nec inficior , &c. ) i deny not ( saith he ) that the romane church is not a little changed from her ancient beautie , and brightnesse , and that shee is deformed with many diseases , and vicious distempers ; bernard tels vs how it must bee dieted ; profitable , though vnpleasing , medicines must bee poured into the mouth of it ; luther , and his associates did this office ( as erasmus acknowledgeth ; ( lutherus porrexit ) luther , saith hee , gaue the world a potion violent , and bitter ; what euer it were , i wish it may breed some good health in the bodie of christian people , so miserably foule with all kinds of euils . neuer did luther meane to take away the life of that church , but the sicknesse ; wherein ( as socrates answered to his iudges ) surely , he deserued recompence , in steed of rage ; for as saint ambrose worthily ; ( dulcior est ) sweeter is a religious chastisement , then a smoothing remission . this that was meant to the churches health , proues the physitians disease ; so did the bitternesse of our wholsome draughts offend , that we are beaten out of doores ; neither did wee runne from that church , but are driuen away , as our late soueraigne professeth by casaubons hand ; wee know that of cyrill is a true word ; those which seuer themselues from the church , and communion , are the enemies of god , and friends of deuils ; and that which dionysius said to nouatus ; any thing must rather be borne , then that we should rend the church of god : farre , far was it from our thoughts , to teare the seamelesse coate ; or , with this precious oyle of truth to breake the churches head ; we found iust faults ; else , let vs bee guiltie of this disturbance . if now , choler vniustly exasperated with an wholsome reprehension , haue broken forth into a furious persecution of the gainesayers , the sinne is not ours ; if we haue defended our innocence with blowes , the sinne is not ours . let vs neuer prosper in our good cause , if all the water of tyber can wash off the bloud of many thousand christian soules that hath beene shed in this quarrell , from the hands of the romish prelacie . surely , as it was obserued of olde , that none of the tribe of leui , were the professed followers of our sauiour , so it is too easie to obserue , that , of late times , this tribe hath exercised the bitterest enmitie vpon the followers of christ . suppose wee had offended in the vndiscreet managing of a iust reproofe ; it is a true rule of erasmus , that generous spirits would bee reclaymed by teaching , not by compulsion ; and as alipius wisely to his augustine ; heed must bee taken , least whiles wee labour to redresse a doubtfull complaint , wee make greater wounds then we find . oh how happy had it beene for gods church , if this care had found any place in the hearts of her gouernours ; who regarding more the entire preseruation of their own honour , then truth , and peace , were all in the harsh language of warre ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) smite , kill , burne , persecute : had they beene but halfe so charitable to their moderne reprouers , as they professe they are to the fore-going , how had the church flourished in an vnterrupted vnitie ? in the old catholike writers ( say they ) wee beare with many errours , wee extenuate , and excuse them , wee find shifts to put them off ; and deuise some commodious senses for them ; guiltinesse , which is the ground of this fauour , workes the quite contrarie courses against vs : alas , how are our writings racked , and wrested to enuious senses , how misconstrued , how peruerted , and made to speake odiously on purpose to worke distaste , to enlarge quarrell , to draw on the deepest censures . woe is mee , this cruell vncharitablenesse is it , that hath brought this miserable calamitie vpon distracted christendome ; surely , as the ashes of the burning mountaine vesuuius being dispersed farre and wide , bred a grieuous pestilence in the regions round about ; so the ashes that flie from these vnkindly flames of discord haue bred a wofull infection , and death of soules through the whole christian world. chap. iiii. the church of rome guiltie of this schisme . it is confessed by the president of the tridentine councell , that the deprauation of discipline and manners of the romane church , was the chiefe cause and originall of these dissensions . let vs cast our eyes vpon the doctrine , and wee shall no lesse find the guilt of this fearefull schisme to fall heauily vpon the same heads . for first ; ( to lay a sure ground ; ) nothing can be more plaine then that the romane is a particular church , as the fathers of basil well distinguish it , not the vniuersall ; though we take in the churches of her subordination or correspondence : this truth we might make good by authoritie , if our very senses did not saue vs the labour , secondly , no particular church ( to say nothing of the vniuersall since the apostolike times ) can haue power to make a fundamental point of faith ; it may explane or declare , it cannot create articles . thirdly , only an errour against a point of faith is heresie . fourthly , those points wherein wee differ from the romanists are they , which only the church of rome hath made fundamentall , and of faith. fiftly , the reformed , therefore , being by that church illegally condemned for those points are not heretickes . hee is properly an hereticke , ( saith hosius ) , who being conuicted in his owne iudgement , doth of his owne accord cast himselfe out of the church ; for vs , we are neither conuicted in our owne iudgement ; nor in the lawfull iudgement of others ; we haue not willingly cast our selues out of the church , but howeuer wee are said to be violently eiected , by the vndue sentence of malice , hold our selues close to the bosome of the true spouse of christ , neuer to bee remoued ; as farre therefore from heresie as charitie is from our censures . only wee stand conuicted by the doome of good pope * boniface ; or t syluester prierius . quicunque non , &c. whosoeuer doth not relie himselfe vpon the doctrine of the romane church , and of the bishop of rome as the infallible rule of faith , from which euen the scripture it selfe receiues her force , he is an hereticke . whence followes that the church of rome condemning and eiecting those for heretickes which are not , is the authour of this wofull breach in the church of god. i shall therefore , i hope , abundantly satisfie all wise and indifferent readers , if i shall show that those points which wee refuse , and oppose , are no other then such , as by the confessions of ingenuous authors of the romane part , haue beene ( besides their inward falsity ) manifest vpstarts ; lately obtruded vpon the church ) such as our ancient progenitours in many hundreds of successions , either knew not , or receiued not into their beliefe , and yet both liued and dyed worthy christians . surely it was but a iust speech of saint bernard , and that which might become the mouth of any pope , or councell ; ( ego si peregrinum , &c. ) if i shall offer to bring in any strange opinion ; it is my sinne : it was the wise ordinance of the thurians , as diodorus siculus reports , that he who would bring in any new law amongst them to the preiudice of the old , should come with an halter about his necke into the assembly , and there , either make good his proiect , or die . for , howeuer in humane constitutions ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ) the later orders are stronger then the former ; yet , in diuinity , primum verum ; the first is true , as tertullians rule is ; the old way is the good way , according to the prophet ; heere wee hold vs ; and because we dare not make more articles then our creedes , nor more sinnes then our ten commandements , we are indignely cast out . let vs therefore addresse our selues roundly to our promised taske ; and make good the noueltie , and vnreasonablenesse of those points we haue reiected ; out of too many controuersies disputed betwixt vs , we select only some principall ; and out of infinite varieties of euidence , some few irrefragable testimonies . chap. v. the newnesse of the article of iustification by inherent righteousnesse . to begin with iustification . the tridentine fathers , in their seauen moneths debating of this point , haue so cunningly set their words , that the errour which they would establish , might seeme to be either hid , or shifted ; yet , at the last , they so far declare themselues , as to determine , that the only formall cause of our iustification is gods iustice , not by which he himselfe is iust , but by which he makes vs iust ; wherewith being endowed by him wee are renewed in the spirit of our mindes , and are not only reputed , but are made truly iust , receiuing euery man his owne measure of iustice , which the holy ghost diuides to him , according to each mans predisposition of himselfe , and cooperation ; and withall , they denounce a flat anathema to all those , who shall dare to say that wee are formally iustified by christs righteousnesse , or by the sole imputation of that righteousnesse ; or , by the sole remission of our sinnes , and not by our inherent grace diffused in our hearts by the holy ghost ; which termes they haue so craftily laid together , as if they would cast an aspersion vpon their aduersaries , of separating the necessitie of sanctification from the pretended iustification by faith ; wherein all our words and writings will abundantly cleare vs , before god and men ; that there is an inherent iustice in vs , is no lesse certaine , then that it is wrought in vs by the holy ghost . for god doth not iustifie the wicked man as such ; but of wicked makes him good ; not by meere acceptation , but by a reall change ; whiles hee iustifies him whom hee sanctifies ; these two acts of mercie are inseparable ; but this iustice being wrought in vs by the holy spirit , according to the modell of our weake receit , and not according to the full power of the infinite agent , is not so perfect , as that it can beare vs out before the tribunall of god. it must bee onely vnder the garment of our elder brother , that wee dare come in for a blessing ; his righteousnesse made ours by faith , is that whereby wee are iustified in the sight of god ; this doctrine is that which is blasted with a tridentine curse . heare now the historie of this doctrine of iustification , related by their andrew vega ( de iustif . l. . c. . ) magna fuit , &c. some ages since ( saith hee ) there was a great concertation amongst diuines , what should bee the formall cause of our iustification : some thought it to be no created iustice , infused into man , but only the fauour and mercifull acceptation of god. in which opinion the master of sentences is thought by some to haue beene : others whose opinion is more common , and probable , held it to bee some created qualitie informing the soules of the iust ; this opinion was allowed in the councell of vienna : and , the schoole-doctors after the master of sentences deliuered this not as probable only , but as certaine : afterwards , when some defended the opposite part to be more probable , it seemed good to the holy synode of trent , thus to determine it . so as , till the late councell of trent ( by the confession of vega himselfe ) this opinion was maintayned , as probable only ; not as of faith : yea , i adde , by his leaue , the contrary was till then most currant . it is not the logick of this point , we striue for ; it is not the grammer ; it is the diuinitie : what is that whereby wee stand acquitted before the righteous iudge , whether our inherent iustice , or christs imputed iustice apprehended by faith ; the diuines of trent are for the former , all antiquity with vs for the latter . a iust volume would scarce contayne the pregnant testimonies of the fathers to this purpose . saint chrysostome tels vs it is the wonder of gods mercie , that hee who hath sinned , confesseth , is pardo● secured , and suddenly app●●st ; iust , but how ? the 〈◊〉 ●ooke away the curse ( saith be●●ost sweetly . faith brought in righteousnesse , and righteousnesse drew on the grace of the spirit . saint ambrose tels vs that our carnall infirmitie blemisheth our workes , but that the vprightnesse of our faith couers ours errours , and obtaines our pardon ; and professeth that hee will glory , not for that he is righteous , but for that hee is redeemed , not for that he is void of sinnes , but for that his sinnes are forgiuen him . saint ierome tels vs then wee are iust when we confesse our selues sinners , and that our righteousnesse stands not in any merit of ours , but in the meere mercie of god ; and , that the acknowledgement of our imperfection , is the imperfect perfection of the iust . saint gregorie tels vs that our iust aduocate shall defend vs righteous in his iudgement , because we know and accuse our selues vnrighteous , and that our confidence must not be in our acts , but in our aduocate . but the sweete and passionate speeches of saint austen , and saint bernard would fill a booke alone ; neither can any reformed diuine either more disparage our inherent righteousnesse , or more magnifie and challenge the imputed ; it shall suffice vs to giue a taste of both : we haue all therefore , brethren , receiued of his fulnesse ; of the fulnesse of his mercie , of the abundance of his goodnesse haue we receiued ; what ? remission of sinnes that we might be iustified by faith ; and what more , grace for grace ; that is , for this grace wherein we liue by faith , we shall receiue another ; saith that diuinest of the fathers ; and soone after ; all that are from sinfull adam , are sinners , all that are iustified by christ , are iust , not in themselues ; but in him ; for in themselues , if ye aske after them , they are adam ; in him , they are christs . and elsewhere ; reioyce in the lord , and bee glad , o yee righteous : o wicked , o proud men that reioyce in your selues ; now beleeuing in him who iustifieth the wicked , your faith is imputed to you for righteousnesse . reioyce in the lord ; why ? because now yee are iust ; and whence are yee iust ? not by your owne merits , but by his grace ; whence are yee iust ? because yee are iustified . who shall lay any thing to the ●harge of gods elect ? it sufficeth ●●ee for all righteousnesse , that i haue that god propitious to mee , against whom only i haue sinned ; all that he hath decreed not to impute vnto mee , is as if it had not beene ; not to sinne is gods iustice , mans iustice is gods indulgence , saith deuout bernard . how pregnant is that famous profession of his . and if the mercies of the lord be from euerlasting , and to euerlasting ; i will also sing the mercies of the lord euerlastingly ; what , shall i sing of my owne righteousnesse ? no lord , i will remember thy righteousnesse , alone ; for that is mine too ; thou art made vnto me , of god , righteousnesse ; should i feare that it will not serue vs both ? it is no short cloake , that it should not couer twaine ; thy righteousnesse is a righteousnesse for euer ; and what is longer then eternitie ? behold thy large and euerlasting mercie will largely couer both thee , and mee , at once ; in mee it couers a multitude of sinnes , in thee , lord , what can it couer but the treasures of pittie , the riches of bountie : thus he . what should i need to draw downe this truth through the times of anselme , lombard , bonauenture , gerson . the manuell of christian re●igion set forth in the prouinciall councell of coleyne , shall serue for ●ll ; bellarmine himselfe grants them ●erein ours ; and they are worth ●ur entertayning ; that booke is ●ommended by cassander , as mar●ellously approued by all the lear●ed diuines of italy , and france , ●s that , which notably sets forth the ●umme of the iudgement of the ancients concerning this , and o●her points of christian religion ; ● nos dicimus , &c. ) wee say that a ●an doth then receiue the gift of ●ustification by faith , when being ●●rrified , and humbled by repen●●nce , hee is againe raysed vp by ●●ith ; beleeuing that his sinnes are ●●rgiuen him for the merits of christ ; who hath promised remission of sinnes to those that beleeue in him ; and when he feeles in himselfe new desires ; so as detesting euill , and resisting the infirmitie of his flesh , he is inwardly inkindled to an indeauour of good ; although this desire of his be not yet perfect . thus they , in the voyce of all antiquitie ; and the-then-present church . only the late councell of trent hath created this opinion of iustification a point of faith . sect . ii. the errour hereof against scripture . yet if age were all the quarrel● it were but light , for , thoug● newnesse in diuine truths is a iu● cause of suspition , yet wee doe no● so shut the hand of our munifice● god , that he cannot bestow vpon ●is church new illuminations in ●ome parcels of formerly-hidden ●erities ; it is the charge both of ●heir canus , and caietan , that no ●an should detest a new sense of scripture for this , that it differs ●rom the ancient doctors ; for god ●ath not ( say they ) tyed exposition ●f scripture to their senses . yea , if we may beleeue salme●on , the later diuines are so much ●ore quick-sighted ; they , like the dwarfe sitting on the gyants ●houlder , ouer-looke him that is ●arre taller then themselues . this ●osition of the romane church is ●ot more new , then faultie : not ●● much noueltie , as truth con●inceth heresies , as tertullian ; we ●ad beene silent , if wee had not ●und this point ( besides the late●esse ) erroneous : erroneous ; both ●gainst scripture , and reason . a●●inst scripture , which euery where ●acheth , as , on the one side the ●●perfection of our inherent righteousnesse , so , on the other , our perfect iustification by the imputed righteousnesse of our sauiour , brought home to vs by faith . the former iob saw from his dung-hill ; how should a man bee iustified before god ? if hee will contend with him , hee cannot answere one of a thousand ; whence it is , that wise salomon askes , who can say , my heart is cleane ; i am pure from sinne : and himselfe answers ; there is not a iust man vpon earth , which doth good , and sinneth not . a truth which ( besides his experience ) hee had learned of his father dauid , who could say ▪ enter not into iudgement with thy seruant ( though a man after gods owne heart ) for in thy sight shal● no man liuing bee iustified . and i● thou , lord , shouldst marke iniquities ▪ o lord , who shall stand ? for wee are all as an vncleane thing ( we saith the prophet esay , including euen himselfe ) and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges ▪ and was it any better with the best saints vnder the gospell ? i see ( saith the chosen vessell ) in my members , another law warring against the law of my minde , and leading mee captiue to the law of sinne , which is in my members . so as in many things wee sinne all : and if we say that we haue no sinne , we doe but deceiue our selues , and there is no truth in vs. the latter , is the summe of saint pauls sermon at antioch ; bee it ●nowne vnto you , men and brethren , that through this man is prea●hed to you forgiuenesse of sinnes ; and ●y him all that beleeue are iustified : they are iustified , but how ? freely , ●y his grace : what grace ? inherent in vs , and working by vs ? no ; ●y grace are yee saued through faith ; ●nd that , not of your selues ; it is the ●ift of god. not of workes , least any man should boast . workes are ours , ●ut this is righteousnesse of god , which 〈◊〉 by the faith of iesus christ , to all ●hem that beleeue . and how doth this become ours ? by his gracious imputation : not to him that worketh , but beleeueth in him who iustifieth the wicked , is his faith imputed for righteousnesse . loe ; it is not the act , not the habit of faith that iustifieth , it is he that iustifies the wicked , whom our faith makes ours , and our sinne his ; he was made sinne for vs , that we might be made the righteousnesse of god in him . loe , so were wee made his righteousnesse , as he was made our sinne . imputation doth both ; it is that which enfeoffes our sinnes vpon christ , and vs in his righteousnesse ; which both couers and redresses the imperfection of ours . that distinction is cleere , and full ; that i may be found in him , not hauing mine owne righteousnesse , which is of the law , but that which is through the faith of christ , the righteousnesse which is of god by faith . saint paul was a great saint ; he had a righteousnesse of his owne ( not as a pharisee only , but as an apostle ) but that which hee dares not trust to , but forsakes ; and cleaues to gods : not , that essentiall righteousnesse , which is in god , without all relation to vs , nor that habit of iustice which was remayning in him ; but that righteousnesse , which is of god , by faith made ours . thus being iustified by faith , we haue peace with god through our lord iesus christ. for what can breake that peace but our sinnes ? and those are remitted ; for , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect , it is god that iustifies : and in that remission is grounded our reconciliation ; for god was in christ reconciling the world to himselfe , not imputing their sinnes vnto them ; but contrarily , imputing to them his owne righteousnesse , and their faith for righteousnesse . wee conclude then , that a man is iustified by and blessed is hee to whom the lord imputes righteousnesse without works : blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen , and whose sinnes are couered let the vaine sophistry of carnall minds deceiue it selfe with idle subtilties , and seeke to elude the plaine truth of god , with shifts of wit ; we blesse god for so cleere a light ; and dare cast our soules vpon this sure euidence of god ; attended with the perpetuall attestation of his ancient church . sect . iii. against reason . lastly , reason it selfe fights against them . nothing can formally make vs iust but that which is perfect in it selfe ; how should it giue what it hath not ? now our inherent righteousnesse , at the best , is in this life , defectiue ( nostra siqua est humilis , &c. ) our poore iustice ( saith bernard ) if we haue any , it is true , but it is not pure : for how should it be pure , where we cannot but be faultie ? thus hee . the challenge is vnanswerable . to those that say they can keepe gods law , let mee giue saint hieromes answere to his ctesiphon ; profer quis impleuerit ; show mee the man that hath done it : for , as that father else-where , in thy sight shall none liuing be iustified ; hee said not , no man , but , none liuing ; not euangelists , not angels , not thrones , not dominions ; if thou shalt marke the iniquities euen of thine elect , saith saint bernard , who shall abide it ? to say now that our actuall iustice , which is imperfect through the admixtion of veniall sinnes , ceaseth not to bee both true and ( in a sort ) perfect iustice , is , to say , there may be an vniust iustice , or a iust iniustice ; that euen muddie water is cleare , or a leprous face beautifull . besides , all experience euinceth our wants : for as it is saint anstens true obseruation ; hee that is renued from day to day , is not all renued , and so much as he is not renued , so much he must needs bee in his olde corruption ; and , as hee speakes to his hierome , of the degrees of charitie ; there is in some more , in some lesse , in some none at all ; but the fullest measure which can receiue no increase is not to bee found in any man , whiles hee liues here ; and so long as it may bee increased , surely that which is lesse then it ought , is faulty ; from which faultinesse it must needs follow , that there is no iust man vpon earth which doth good , and sinneth not ; and thence in gods sight shall none liuing be iustified . thus he . to the very last houre our prayer must be , forgiue vs our trespasses ; our very daily indeuour therefore of increasing our renouation conuinceth vs sufficiently of imperfection ; and the imperfection of our regeneration conuinceth the impossibilitie of iustification by such inherent righteousnesse . in short therefore since this doctrine of the roman church is both new and erroneous ; against scripture and reason ; we haue iustly refused to receiue it into our beliefe ; and for such refusall are vniustly eiected ▪ chap. vi. the newnesse of the doctrine of merit . merit is next ; wherein the councell of trent is no lesse peremptory . if any man shall say that the good workes of a man iustified doe not truly merit eternall life , let him bee anathema . it is easie for errour to shroud it selfe vnder the ambiguitie of words ; the word merit hath been of large vse with the ancient , who would haue abhorred the present sense ; with them it sounded no other then obtayning , or impetration ; not , as now , earning in the way of condigne wages , as if there were an equalitie of due proportion betwixt our workes , and heauen ; without all respects of pact , promise , fauour ; according to the bold comment of sotus , tollet , pererius , costerus , weston and the rest of that straine . farre , farre was the gracious humilitie of the ancient saints from this so high a presumption ; let saint basil speake for his fellowes ; eternall rest remaynes for those who in this life haue lawfully striuen , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ) not for the merits of their deedes , but of the grace of that most munificent god in which they haue trusted : why did i name one ; when they all with full consent ( as cassander witnesseth ) professe to repose themselues wholly vpon the meere mercie of god , and merit of christ , with an humble renunciation of all worthinesse in their owne workes . yea that vnpartiall author deriues this doctrine euen through the lower ages of the schoolemen , and later writers ; thomas of aquine , durand , adrian de traiecto ( afterwards pope ) clictoueus , and deliuers it for the voyce of the then present church ; and , before him , thomas waldensis the great champion of pope martine , against the miscalled hereticks of his owne name , professes him the sounder diuine , and truer catholique , which simply denies any such merit , and ascribes all to the meere grace of god , and the will of the giuer . what should i need to darken the ayre with a cloud of witnesses , their gregorie ariminensis , their brugensis , marsilius , pighius , eckius , ferus , stella , faber stapulensis ; let their famous preacher royard shut vp all ( quid ●gitur is qui merita praetendit , &c. ) whosoeuer he be that pretends his merits , what doth hee else but deserue hell by his workes ? let bellarmines tutissimum est , &c. ground it selfe vpon saint bernards experimentall resolution , periculosa habita est , perilous is their dwelling place who trust in their owne merits , perillous , because ruinous ; all these and many more teach this , not as their owne doctrine , but as the churches ; either they and the church whose voyce they are , are hereticks with vs , or we orthodoxe with them ; and they and wee with the ancients . the noueltie of this romane doctrine is accompanied with errour ; against scripture , against reason . sect . ii. against scripture . that god doth graciously accept , and munificently recompence our good workes , euen with incomprehensible glory , we doubt not , we denie not ; but this , either out of the riches of his mercy , or the iustice of his promise ; but that we can earne this at his hands , out of the intrinsecal worthines of our acts , is a challenge too high for flesh and bloud , yea , for the angels of heauen . how direct is our sauiours instance of the seruant comne out of the field , and commanded by his master to attendance . doth hee thanke that seruant because hee did the things that were commanded him ? i trow not ; so likewise yee , when yee shall haue done all things which are commanded you , say , we are vnprofitable seruants ; vnprofitable perhaps ( you will say ) in respect of meriting thankes ; not vnprofitable in respect of meriting wages ; for to him that worketh is the reward , not reckoned of grace , but of debt : true ; therefore herein our case differeth from seruants , that wee may not looke for gods reward as of debt , but as of grace ; by grace are yee saued through faith ; neither is it our earning , but gods gift . both , it cannot be ; for if by grace , then it is no more of workes ( euen of the most renued ) otherwise grace is no more grace ; but if it be of workes , then it is no more grace , otherwise worke should bee no more worke ; now , not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done ( at our best ) but according to his mercie he saueth vs ; were our saluation of workes , then should eternall life be our wages , but now ; the wages of sinne is death , but the gift of god is eternall life through iesus christ our lord. sect . iii. against reason . in very reason , where all is of meere dutie , there can bee no merit ; for how can wee deserue reward by doing that which if we did not , we should offend ? it is enough for him that is obliged to his taske , that his worke is well taken : now , all that wee can possibly doe , and more , is most iustly due vnto god by the bond of our creation , of our redemption ; by the charge of his royall law ; and that sweet law of his gospell : nay , alas , wee are farre from beeing able to compasse so much as our dutie ; in many things we sinne all . it is enough that in our glory we cannot sinne ; though their faber stapulensis would not yeeld so much , and taxeth thomas for saying so ; with the same presumption that origen held the very good angels might offend ; then is our grace consummate ; till then our best abilities are full of imperfection ; ●herefore the conceit of merit is not more arrogant , then absurd . we cannot merit of him whom we gratifie not : we cannot gratifie ● man with his owne ; all our good ●s gods alreadie ; his gift , his proprietie : what haue wee that we haue not receiued ? not our talent only , but the improouement also is his meere bountie ; there can be therefore no place for merit . in all iust merit there must needs be a due proportion betwixt the act , and the recompence . it is of fauour if the gift exceed the worth of the seruice . now , what proportion can bee betwixt a finite , weake , imperfect obedience ( such is ours at the best ) and an infinite , full and most perfect glory ; the bold schooles dare say that the naturall and entitatiue value of the workes of christ himselfe was finite , though the moral● value was infinite . what then shall bee said of our workes , which are like our selues , meere imperfection ; we are not so proud that we should scorne ( with ruard . tapperus ) to expect heauen as a poore man doth an almes ; rather , ( according to saint austens charge ( non sit cap●●turgidum , &c. ) ( let not the hea● bee proud , that it may receiue a crowne . ) we doe with all humilitie , and selfe-deiection looke vp to the bountifull hands of that god , who crowneth vs in mercie and compassion . this doctrine then of merit being both new and erroneous , hath iustly merited our reproofe and detestation ; and we are vniustly censured for our censure thereof . chap. vii . the newnesse of the doctrine of transsubstantiation . the point of transsubstantion is iustly ranked amongst our highest differences . vpon this quar●ll , in the very last age , how many ●ules were sent vp to heauen , in ●he midst of their flames ; as if the sacrament of the altar had beene sufficient ground of these bloudie sacrifices . the definition of the tridentine councell is herein beyond the wont ) cleare , and expresse . if any man shall say that in the sacrament of the sacred eucharist , there remaynes still the substance of bread and wine , together with the body and bloud of our lord iesus christ ; and shall denie that maruellous and singular conuersion of the whole substance of bread into the bodie , and the whole substance of wine into bloud , the ( species ) semblances or shewes only of bread , and wine remaining ; ( which said conuersion the catholike church doth most fitly call transsubstantiation ) let him be accursed . thus they . now let vs inquire how old this piece of faith is ; in synaxi sero , &c. it was late ere the church defined transsubstantiation ( saith erasmus : ) for , of so long it was ( saith hee ) held sufficient to beleeue that the true bodie of christ was there , whether vnder the consecrated bread , or howsoeuer . and how late was this ? scotus shall tell vs ; ( ante concilium lateranense ) before the councell of lateran , transsubstantiation was no point of faith ; as cardinall bellarmine himselfe confesses his opinion , with a ( ●minime probandum . ) and this councell was in the yeere of our lord one thousand two hundred and fifteene ; let who list , beleeue that this subtile doctour had neuer heard of the roman councell vnder gregory the seuenth , which was in the yeere one thousand seuentie nine ; or that other , vnder nicholas the second , which was in the yeare one thousand and threescore , or that he had not read those fathers , which the cardinall had good hap to meet with ; certainly , his acutenesse easily found out other senses of those conuersions which antiquitie mentions ; and therefore dares confidently say ( wherein gabriel biel seconds him ) ( non admodum antiquam ) that this doctrine of transsubstantiation is not very ancient . surely , if wee yeeld the vtmost time , wherein bellarmine can plead the determination of this point , wee shall arise but to ( saltem ab annis quingentis , &c. ) fiue hundred yeares agoe ; so long , saith he , at least was this opinion of transsubstantiation vpon paine of a curse established in the church : the church , but what church ? the roman , ywis , not the greeke . that word of peter martyr is true , that the greeks euer abhorred from this opinion of transsubstantiation ; in so much as at the shutting vp of the florentine councell , which was but in the yeare . when there was a kind of agreement betwixt the greekes and latines about the procession of the holy ghost , the pope earnestly moued the grecians that amongst other differences they would also accord , ( de diuinâ panis transmutatione , ) concerning the diuine transmutation of the bread ; wherein notwithstanding they departed as formerly , dissenting ; how palpably doth the cardinall shuffle in this businesse , whiles hee would perswade vs , that the greekes did not at all differ from the romans in the mayne head of transsubstantiation ; but only concerning the particularitie of those wordes , whereby that vnspeakeable change is wrought ; when as it is most cleere by the acts of that councell , related euen by their binius himselfe , that after the greekes had giuen in their answere , that they doe firmely beleeue that in those words of christ the sacrament is made vp , ( which had beene sufficient satisfaction if that only had beene the question ) the pope vrges them earnestly still , ( vt de diuinâ panis transmutatione , &c. ) that in the synod there might bee treatie had of the diuine transmutation of the bread ; and when they yet stif●ly denied , he could haue beene content to haue had the other three questions of vnleauened bread , purgatorie , and the popes power discussed , wauing that other of transsubstantiation , which hee found would not abide agitation . since which time their patriarch ieremias of constantinople , hath expressed the iudgement of the greeke church , ( et enim verè ) for the bodie and bloud of christ are truely mysteries ; not that these are turned into mans bodie , but that ( the better preuayling ) wee are turned into them yeelding a change , but mysticall not substantiall . as for the ancients of either the greeke or latine church , they are so farre from countenancing this opinion , that our learned whitakers durst challenge his duraeus ; si vel vnum , &c. if you can bring me but one testimonie of sincere antiquitie , whereby it may appeare that the bread is transubstantiate into the flesh of christ , i will yeeld my cause . it is true that there are faire flourishes made of a large iurie of fathers , giuing their verdict this way ; whose verie names can hardly finde roome in a margine . scarce any of that sacred ranke are missing ; but it is as true , that their witnesses are grossely abused to a sense that was neuer intended ; they onely desiring in an holy excesse of speech , to expresse the sacramentall change that is made of the elements , in respect of vse , not in respect of substance ; and passionately to describe vnto vs the benefit of that sacrament in our blessed communion with christ ; and our liuely incorporation into him . in so much as cardinall bellarmine himselfe is faine to confesse a verie high hyperbole in their speeches ( non est nouum ) it is no vnusuall thing ( saith he ) with the ancients , and especially irenaeus , hilarie , nyssen , cyrill , and others , to say that our bodies are nourished by the holy eucharist . neither doe they vse lesse height of speech ( as our learned bishop hath particularly obserued ) in expressing our participation of christ in baptisme , wherein yet neuer any man pleaded a transsubstantiation . neither haue their beene wanting some of the classicall leaders of their schooles , which haue confessed more probabilitie of ancient euidence for consubstantiation , then for this change . certainely , neither of them both entred euer into the thoughts of those holy men , how euer the sound of their words haue vndergone a preiudiciall mistaking . whereas the sentences of those ancients against this mis-opinion are direct , punctuall , absolute , conuictiue , and vncapable of any other reasonable sense . what can bee more choaking then that of their pope gelasius aboue a thousand yeares since ( et tamen , &c. ) yet there ceaseth not to be the very substance of bread and wine ? what can bee more plaine then that of saint augustine . it is not this bodie which you see , that you shall eat , neither is it this bloud which my crucifiers shall spill , that you shall drinke ; it is a sacrament that i commend vnto you ; which being spiritually vnderstood , shall quicken you . or , that other ; where a flagitious act seemes to bee commanded , there the speech is figuratiue ; as , when he saith , except yee eat the flesh of the sonne of man , &c. it were an horrible wickednesse to eat the very flesh of christ ; therefore here must needs bee a figure vnderstood . what should i vrge that of tertullian ( whose speech rhenanus confesseth to haue been condemned after in berengarius ) my bodie , that is , the figure of my bodie ; that of theodoret ; the mysticall signes , after consecration , lose not their owne nature . that of saint chrysostome , it is a carnall thing to doubt how christ can giue vs his flesh to eate ; when as this is mystically and spiritually to bee vnderstood : and soone after , inquiring what it is to vnderstand carnally ; he thus explicates it ; it is to take things simply as they are spoken , and not to conceiue of any other thing meant by them . this wherein we are is a beaten path , trod with the feet of our holy martyrs , and traced with their bloud ; what should i need to produce their familiar and ancient aduocates , who haue often wearied and worne this bar● . athanasius , a iustine , b origen , c cyprion , d nazianzen , e basil , f hierome , g hillary , h cyril , i macarius , k bertram , besides those whom i formerly cited . of all others ( which i haue not found pressed by former authors ) that of our albinus or alcuinus , bedaes learned scholler ( who liued in the time of charles the great ) seemes to mee most full and pregnant . hoc est ergo , this is therefore to eate that flesh , and to drinke that bloud to remayne in christ and to haue christ remayning in vs ; so as he that remaynes not in christ , and in whom christ remayneth not , without doubt doth not spiritually eat his flesh , although carnally and visibly hee chew the sacrament of his bodie and bloud with his teeth : but rather he eates and drinkes the sacrament of so great a thing , vnto his owne iudgement , because hee presumed to come vncleane vnto those sacraments of christ , which none can take worthily but the cleane ; thus he . neither is this his single testimonie , but such as hee openly professeth the common voyce of all his predecessours : and a little after , vpon those words the flesh profiteth nothing ; hee addeth ; the flesh profiteth nothing , if yee vnderstand the flesh so to bee eaten as other meate , as that flesh which is bought in the shambles . this is the ordinary language of antiquitie , whereof wee may truely say as the disciples did of christ , behold now thou speakest plainly , and speakest no parable . at last , ignorance and misunderstanding brought forth this monster of opinion , which superstition nursed vp , but fearefully and obscurely , and not without much scope of contrary iudgements ; till after pope nicholas had made way for it in his proceedings against barengarius ( by so grosse an expression as the glosse is faine to put a caueat vpon ) anno . the laterane councell authorized it for a matter of faith , anno . thus young is transsubstantiation ; let scripture and reason show how erroneous . transsubstantiation . sect . ii. against scripture . were it not that men doe wilfully hoodwinke themselues with their own preiudice , the scripture is plaine enough ; for the mouth that said of bread , this is my bodie , said also of the same bodie , my flesh is meate indeed , long before there can be any plea of transsubstantiation ; and i am the bread that came downe from heauen ; so was he manna to the iewes as he is bread to vs ; and , saint paul sayes of his corinths , yee are the body of christ ; yet not meaning any transmutation of substance . and in those words wherein this powerfull conuersion is placed , hee sayes only , this is , not , this is transsubstantiate ; and if whiles he sayes , this is , hee should haue meant a transsubstantiation , then it must needs follow , that his bodie was transsubstantiate before hee spake ; for this is , implyes it alreadie done . he addes , this is my bodie ; his true naturall humane bodie was there with them , tooke the bread , brake it , gaue it , eat it ; if the bread were now the bodie of christ , either hee must haue two bodies there , or else the same bodie is by the same bodie taken , broken , eaten , and is ( the while ) neither taken , nor broken , nor eaten ; yet hee addes , which is giuen for you ; this was the bodie which was giuen for them , betrayed , crucified , humbled to the death ; not the glorious bodie of christ , which should bee capeable of ten thousand placcs at once , both in heauen , and earth ; inuisible , incircumscriptible : lastly , he addes , doe this in remembrance of mee ; remembrance implyes an absence ; neither can wee more bee said to remember that which is in our present sense , then to see that which is absent . besides , that the great doctour of the gentiles tels vs that after consecration , it is bread which is broken and eaten ; neither is it lesse then fiue times so called after the pretended change . shortly ; christ as man was in all things like to vs except sinne ; and our humane bodie shall be once like to his glorious bodie . the glorie which is put vpon it shall not strip it of the true essence of a bodie ; and if it retaine the true nature of a bodie , it cannot be at the same instant both aboue the heauens , and below on earth , in a thousand distant places . he is locally aboue , for the heauens must receiue him till the times of the restitution of all things ; he is not at once in many distant places of the earth , for the angell euen after his resurrection , sayes , he is not here , for he is risen . sect . iii. transsubstantiation against reason . neuer did , or can reason triumph so much ouer any prodigious paradoxe , as it doth ouer this . in so much as the patrones of it are faine to disclaime the sophistry of reason , and to stand vpon the suffrages of faith , and the plea of miracles . we are not they , who with the manichees , refuse to beleeue christ vnlesse hee bring reason ; wee are not they , who thinke to lade the sea with an egge-shell ; to fadome the deepe mysteries of religion with the short reach of naturall apprehension ; wee know there are wonders in diuinitie fit for our adoration , not fit for our comprehending ; but withal we know , that if some theologicall truths bee aboue right reason , yet neuer any against it ; for all veritie complyes with it selfe , as springing from one and the same fountaine ; this opinion , therefore , wee receiue not ; not because it transcends our conceit , but because we know it crosseth both true reason and faith ; it implyes manifest contradiction , in that it referres the same thing to it selfe in opposite relations ; so as it may be at once present and absent ' neere and far off , below and aboue . it destroyes the truth of christs humane bodie , in that it ascribes quantitie to it , without extension , without localitie ; turning the flesh into spirit ; and bereauing it of all the properties of a true bodie ; those properties which ( as nicetas truly ) cannot so much as in thought be separated from the essence of the bodie ; in so much as cyril can say if the deitie it selfe were capeable of partition , it must bee a bodie , and if it were a bodie it must needs bee in a place , and haue quantitie and magnitude ; and thereupon should not auoid circumscription . it giues a false bodie to the sonne of god making that , euery day , of bread , by the power of wordes , which was made once of the substance of the virgin , by the holy ghost . it so separates accidents from their subiects , that they not only can subsist without them , but can produce the full effects of substances ; so as bare accidents are capeable of accidents ; so as of them substances may be either made , or nourished . it vtterly ouerthrowes ( which learned cameron makes the strongest of all reasons ) the nature of a sacrament ; in that it takes away , at once , the signe , and the analogie betwixt the signe , and the thing signified ; the signe , in that it is no more bread , but accidents ; the analogie , in that it makes the signe to be the thing signified ; lastly , it puts into the hands of euery priest , power to doe , euery day , a greater miracle , then god did in the creation of the world , for in that , the creatour made the creature ; but in this , the creature daily makes the creatour . since then this opinion is both new , and conuinced to bee grossely erroneous by scripture , and reason , iustly haue we professed our detestation of it ; and , for that , are vniustly eiected . chap. viii . the newnesse of the halfe-communion . the noueltie of the halfe-sacrament , or dry communion , deliuered to the laitie , is so palpable , as that the patrones of it , in the presumptuous councell of constance , professe no lesse . licet christus , &c. although christ ( say they ) after his supper , instituted , and administred this venerable sacrament vnder both kinds of bread , and wine , &c. ( licet in primitiua , &c. ) although in the primitiue church , this sacrament were receiued by the faithfull vnder both kindes ; ( non obstante , &c. ) yet , this custome for the auoiding of some dangers , and scandalls , was vpon iust reason brought in , that laickes should receiue only vnder one kind ; and those that stubbornely oppose themselues against it , shal be eiected , and punished as heretickes . now this councell was but in the yeare of our lord god , one thousand , foure hundred fiftie three . yea , but these fathers of constance , how euer they are bold to controule christs law by custome , yet they say it was ( consuetudo diutissimè obseruata ) a custome very long obserued ; true ; but the full age of this ( diutissimè ) is openly and freely calculated by their cassander . ( satis constat ) it is apparent enough that the westerne , or romane church , for a thousand yeares after christ , in the solemne and ordinary dispensation of this sacrament , gaue both kinds of bread , and wine to all the members of the church . a point , which is manifest by innumerable ancient testimonies , both of greekes , and latines ; and this they were induced to doe , by the example of christs institution . quare non temerè , &c. it is not therefore ( saith hee ) without cause , that most of the best catholickes , and most conuersant in the reading of ecclesiasticall writers , are inflamed with an earnest desire of obtayning the cup of the lord ; that the sacrament may bee reduced to that ancient custome and vse , which hath beene for many ages perpetuated in the vniuersall church . thus he ; wee need no other aduocate . yea , their vasquez drawes it yet lower , negare non , &c. we cannot deny that in the latin church there was the vse of both kinds , and that it so continued vntill the dayes of saint thomas , which was about the yeare of god . thus it was in the romane church ; but as for the greeke ; the world knowes it did neuer but communicate vnder both kindes . these open confessions , spare vs the labour of quoting the seuerall testimonies of all ages ; else it had beene easie to show how in the lyturgy of saint basil and chrysostome , the priest was wont to pray , vouchsafe , o lord , to giue vs thy bodie , and thy bloud , and by vs to thy people . how in the order of rome the archdeacon taking the chalice from the bishops hand confirmeth all the receiuers with the bloud of our lord. and from ignatius his ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) one cup distributed to all ; to haue descended along , through the cleere records of s. cyprian , hierome , ambrose , augustine , leo , gelasius , paschasius and others to the verie time of hugo and lombard , and our halensis ; and to show , how s. cyprian would not deny the bloud of christ to those , that should shed their bloud for christ : how s. austen ( with him ) makes a comparison betwixt the bloud of the legall sacrifices , which might not bee eaten , and this bloud of our sauiours sacrifice , which all must drinke . but , what need allegations to proue a yeelded truth ? so as this haluing of the sacrament is a meere noueltie of rome , and such a one , as their owne pope gelasius stickes not to accuse of no lesse then sacriledge ; sect . ii. halfe communion against scripture . neither shall wee need to vrge scripture ; when it is plainely confessed by the late councels of lateran and trent , that this practice varies from christs institution ; yet the tridentine fathers haue left themselues this euasion , that , howeuer our sauiour ordained it in both kindes , and so deliuered it to his apostles , notwithstanding hee hath not by any command enioyned it to be so receiued of the laitie ; not considering that the charge of our sauiour is equally vniuersall in both ; to whom he sayd , take and eat , to the same also he sayd , drinke ye all of this ; so as by the same reason , our sauiour hath giuen no command at all vnto the laitie to eat , or drinke ; and so this blessed sacrament should bee to all gods people ( the priests onely excepted ) arbitrarie and vnnecessarie : but the great doctor of the gentiles is the best commenter vpon his master , who writing to the church of god at corinth , to them that are sanctified in christ iesus , with all that in euerie place call vpon the name of iesus christ ; so deliuers the institution of christ , as that in the vse of the cup hee makes no difference ; six times conioyning the mention of drinking with eating ; and fetching it in with an ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) equalitie of the manner , and necessitie of both , charges all christians indifferently ( probet seipsum ) let euerie man examine himselfe , &c. and so let him eat of that bread , and drinke of that cup. sect . iii. halfe communion against reason . in this practice , reason is no lesse their enemie ; though it bee but a mans testament , yet if it be confirmed , no man disanulleth it , ( saith s. paul. ) how much lesse shall flesh and bloud presume to alter the last will of the sonne of god ; and that in so materiall a point , as vtterly destroyes the institution . for as our learned bishop of carlile argues truly ; halfe a man is no man , halfe a sacrament is no sacrament . and as well might they take away the bread , as the cup ; both depend vpon the same ordination : it is only the command of christ that makes the bread necessarie : the same command of christ equally enioynes the cup ; both doe either stand , or fall vpon the same ground . the pretence of concomitancie is so poore a shift , that it hurts them rather , for if by vertue thereof the body of christ is no lesse in the wine , then the bloud is in the bread , it will necessarily follow , that they might as well hold backe the bread , and giue the cup ; as hold backe the cup , and giue the bread : and could this mysterie bee hid from the eyes of the blessed author of this sacrament ? will these men bee wiser then the wisdome of his father ? if hee knew this , and saw the wine yet vsefull , who dares abrogate it , and if hee had not seene it vsefull , why did hee not then spare the labour and cost of so needlesse an element ? lastly , the bloud that is here offered vnto vs , is that which was shed for vs ; that which was shed from the body , is not in the body , in vaine therefore is concomitancie pleaded for a separated bloud . shortly then , this mutilation of the sacrament being both confessedly late , and extremely iniurious to god and his people ; and contrarie to scripture and reason , is iustly abandoned by vs ; and wee for abandoning it vniustly censured . chap. ix . the newnesse of the missall sacrifice . it sounds not more prodigiously , that a priest should euerie day make his god , then that hee should sacrifice him . antiquitie would haue as much abhorred the sense , as it hath allowed the word . nothing is more ordinarie with the fathers , then to call gods table an altar , the holy elements an oblation , the act of celebration an immolation , the actor a priest . s. chrysostome reckons ten kindes of sacrifice , and at last ( as hauing forgotten it ) addes the eleuenth ; all which we well allow ; and indeed many sacrifices are offered to god in this one ; but a true , proper , propitiatorie sacrifice for quicke and dead , ( which the tridentine fathers would force vpon our beleefe ) would haue seemed no lesse strange a soloecisme to the eares of the ancient , then it doth to ours . saint augustine calls it a designation of christs offering vpon the crosse . saint chrysostome ( and theophylact after him ) a remembrance of his sacrifice : emissenus a daily celebration in mysterie of that which was once offered in payment ; and lombard himselfe , a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice vpon the crosse : that which cassander cites from saint ambrose or chrysostome , may be in stead of all . in christ is the sacrifice once offered able to giue saluation ; what doe we therefore ? doe we not offer euerie day ? surely , if we offer daily , it is done for a recorbation of his death : this is the language and meaning of antiquitie , the verie same which the tridentine synod condemneth in vs. if any man shall say , that the sacrifice of the masse is onely a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing , or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice offered vpon the crosse , let him be accursed· sect . ii. sacrifice of the masse against scripture . how plaine is the scripture ; whiles it tells vs that our high priest needeth not daily , as those high priests ( vnder the law ) to offer vp sacrifice , first for his own sins , then , for the peoples ; for this hee did once , when hee offered vp himselfe . the contradiction of the trent-fathers is here verie remarkable : christ ( say they ) who on the altar of the crosse offered himselfe in a bloudie sacrifice , is now this true propitiatorie sacrifice in the masse made by himselfe : hee is one and the same sacrifice , and one and the same offerer of that sacrifice , by the ministerie of his priests , who then offered himselfe on the crosse ; so then , they say , that christ offered vp that sacrifice then , and this now : saint paul sayes he offered vp that sacrifice and no more . saint paul saies our high priest needs not to offer daily sacrifice . they say these daily sacrifices must bee offered by him ; saint paul sayes that he offered himselfe but once , for the sins of the people . they say hee offers himselfe daily for the sins of quicke and dead : and if the apostle in the spirit of prophesie foresaw this errour , and would purposely fore-stall it , he could not speake more directly , then when he saith , we are sanctified through the offering of the bodie of iesus christ , once for all . and euerie high priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes ; but this man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinnes , for euer sate downe on the right hand of god ; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole : for by one offering hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified . now let the vaine heads of men seeke subtill euasions in the different manner of this offering , bloudie then , vnbloudie now ; the holy ghost speakes punctually of the verie substance of the act ; and tells vs absolutely , there is but one sacrifice once offered by him in any kinde ; else the opposition that is there made betwixt the legall priesthood and his , should not hold , if , as they , so he had often properly and truly sacrificed . that i may not say they build herein what they destroy ; for an vnbloudie sacrifice , in this sense , can bee no other then figuratiue , and commemoratiue . is it really propitiatorie ? without shedding of bloud there is no remission . if therfore sins be remitted by this sacrifice , it must bee in relation to that bloud , which was shed in his true personall sacrifice vpon the crosse ; and what relation can bee betwixt this and that , but of representation and remembrance ; in which their moderate cassander fully resteth ? sect . iii. missall sacrifice against reason . in reason , there must be in euerie sacrifice ( as cardinall bellarmine grants ) a destruction of the thing offered ; and shall we say that they make their sauiour to crucifie him againe ? no , but to eat him ; for ( consumptio seu manducatio quae sit à sacerdote ) the consumption or manducation which is done of the priest is an essentiall part of this sacrifice ; ( saith the same author ; ) for in the whole action of the masse , there is ( saith hee ) no other reall destruction but this : suppose we then the true humane flesh , bloud , and bone of christ , god and man , really and corporally made such by this transsubstantiation , whether is more horrible to crucifie , or to eat it ? by this rule it is the priests teeth , and not his tongue , that makes christs bodie a sacrifice : by this rule it shall be ( hostia ) an host , when it is not a sacrifice ; and a reserued host is no sacrifice , howsoeuer consecrated . and what if a mouse , or other vermin , should eat the host ( it is a case put by themselues ) who then sacrificeth ? to stop all mouthes ; laicks eat as well as the priest , there is no difference in their manducation , but laicks sacrifice not ; and ( as salmeron vrges ) the scripture distinguisheth betwixt the sacrifice and the participation of it ; are not they which eat of the sacrifices , partakers of the altar ? and in the verie canon of the masse , vt quot quot , &c. the prayer is , that all wee which in the participation of the altar haue taken the sacred bodie and bloud of thy son , &c. wherein it is plaine , saith hee , that there is a distinction betwixt the host , and the eating of the host . lastly , sacrificing is an act done to god ; if then eating bee sacrificing , the priest eats his god to his god ; quorum deus venter . whiles they in vaine studie to reconcile this new-made sacrifice of christ already in heauen , with ( iube haec perferri ) command these to be carried by the hands of thine holy angels to thine high altar in heauen , in the sight of thy diuine maiestie : wee conclude , that this proper and propitiatorie sacrifice of the masse , as a new , vnholy , vnreasonable sacrifice is iustly abhorred by vs , and wee for abhorring it vniustly eiected . chap. x. newnesse of image-worship . as for the setting vp , and worshipping of images , wee shall not neede to climbe so high , as arnobius , or origen , or the councell of eliberis , anno . or to that fact and historie of epiphanius , ( whose famous epistle is honoured by the translation of hierome ) of the picture found by him in the church of the village of anablatha , though out of his owne diocesse ; how he tore it in an holy zeale ; and wrote to the bishop of the place , beseeching him that no such pictures may be hanged vp , contrarie to our religion ; though ( by the way ) who can but blush at master fishers euasion , that it was sure the picture of some profane pagan , when as epiphanius himselfe there sayes it had ( imaginem quasi christi , vel sancti cuiusdam ; ) the image , as it were of christ , or some saint : surely therfore the image went for christs , or for some noted saints ; neither doth he find fault with the irresemblance , but with the image ; as such : that of agobardus is sufficient for vs ; ( nullus antiquorum catholicorum ) none of the ancient catholiques euer thought , that images were to be worshipped , or adored ; they had them indeed , but for historie-sake ; to remember the saints by , not to worship them . the decision of gregory the great ( some six hundred yeeres after christ ) which he gaue to serenus bishop of massilia , is famous in euerie mans mouth , and pen : ( et quidem quia eas adorari vetuisses , &c. ) wee commend you ( saith hee ) that you forbade those images to bee worshipped ; but we reproue your breaking of them ; adding the reason of both ; for that they were onely retained for historie and instruction , not for adoration ; which ingenuous cassander so comments vpon , as that he showes this to be a sufficient declaration of the iudgement of the roman church in those times . ( videlicet ideo haberi picturas , &c. ) that images are kept not to bee adored and worshipped , but that the ignorant by beholding those pictures might , as by written records , be put in minde of what hath beene formerly done , and bee thereupon stirred vp to pietie ; and the same author tells vs , that ( sanioribus scholasticis displicet &c. ) the sounder schoole-men disliked that opinion of thomas aquine , who held that the image is to be worshipped with the same adoration , which is due to the thing represented by it ; reckoning vp durand , holcot , biel. not to spend many words in a cleere case . what the iudgement and practice of our ancestors in this iland was , concerning this point , appeares sufficiently by the relation of roger houeden our historian ; who tells vs that in the yeere . charles the king of france sent into this isle , a synodall booke directed vnto him from constantinople , wherein there were diuers offensiue passages ; but especially this one , that by the vnanimous consent of all the doctors of the east , and no fewer then . bishops , it was decreed , that images should be worshipped ( quod ecclesia deiexecratur ) ( saith he ) which the church of god abhorres . against which errour , albinus ( saith he ) wrote an epistle maruellously confirmed by authoritie of diuine scriptures ; and in the person of our bishops and princes exhibited it together with the sayd booke vnto the french king ; this was the setled resolution of our predecessours ; and if since that time preuailing superstition haue incroached vpon the ensuing succession of the church , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) let the old rules stand , as those fathers determined : away with nouelties . but , good lord , how apt men are to raise or beleeue lies for their owne aduantages ? vspergensis , and other friends of idolatrie , tell vs of a councell held at london , in the dayes of pope constantine , anno . wherein the worship of images was publiquely decreed ; the occasion whereof was this : egwin the monke , ( after made bishop ) had a vision from god , wherein hee was admonished to set vp the image of the mother of god , in his church . the matter was debated ; and brought before the pope in his see apostolike ; there , egwin was sworne to the truth of his vision . thereupon pope constantine sent his legate boniface into england ; who called a councell at london ; wherein , after proofe made of egwins visions , there was an act made for image-worship . a figment so grosse , that euen their baronius and binius fall foule vpon it , with a ( facile inducimur , &c. ) we are easily induced to beleeue it to be a lie . their ground is , that it is destitute of all testimony of antiquitie ; and besides , that it doth directly crosse the report of beda , who tells vs that our english , together with the gospell , receiued the vse of images from their apostle augustine ; and therefore needed not any new vision for the entertainment thereof . let vs inquire then a little into the words of beda ; at illi ( but they , augustine and his fellowes ) non daemoniaca &c. came armed not with the power of deuils , but of god , bearing a siluer crosse for their standard , and the image of our lord and sauiour painted in a table , and singing letanies both for the saluation of themselues , and of them whom they came to conuert . thus he . this shewes indeed , that augustine and his fellowes brought images into england , vnknowne here before ; ( a point worthy of good obseruation ) but how little this proues the allowed worship of them , will easily appeare to any reader , if hee consider , that gregorie the first and great was he , that sent this augustine in england , whose iudgement concerning images is cleerely published by himselfe to all the world in his fore-cited epistle , absolutely condemning their adoration ; augustine should haue been an ill apostle , if he had herein gone contrarie to the will of him that sent him . if withall he shall consider , that within the verie same centurie of yeeres , the clergie of england , by albinus bedes scholler , sent this publique declaration of their earnest disauowing both of the doctrine and practice of image-worship . sect . ii. image worship against scripture . as for scripture . we need not to goe further then the verie second commandement ; the charge whereof is so ineuitable , that it is very ordinarily ( doubtlesse , in the guiltinesse of an apparent checke ) left out in the deuotionall bookes to the people . m others , since they cannot raze it out , would faine limit it to the iewes , pretending that this precept against the worship of images was only temporall , and ceremoniall , and such as ought not to be in force vnder the times of the gospell ; wherin they recal to my thoughts that which epiphanes the sonne of carpocrates answered , when his lust was checked with the command of ( non concupisces ) . true , said hee , that is to be vnderstood of the heathen , whose wiues and sisters wee may not indeed lust after . some more modest spirits are ashamed of that shift , and fly to the distinction of idols and images ; a distinction , without a difference ; of their making , not of gods ; of whom we neuer learned other , then that as euery idoll is an image of something so euery image worshipped turnes idoll : the language differs , not the thing it selfe : to be sure , god takes order for both , yee shall make you no idoll , nor grauen image , neither reare you vp any standing image , neither shall you set vp any image of stone in your land to bow downe to it ; yea , as their owne vulgar turnes it , non facies tibi , &c. statuam , thou shalt not set thee vp a statue which god hateth . the booke of god is full of his indignation against this practice . wee may well shut vp all with that curse in mount geresim , cursed bee the man that maketh any grauen , or molten image , an abhomination vnto the lord ; the worke of the hands of the craftsman , and putteth it in a secret place . and all the people shall say , amen . surely , their durandus after he hath cited diuers scriptures against idols , as exod. . leuit. . deut. . numb . . &c. at last concludes , ex his & similibus , &c. by these and the like authorities is condemned the too much vse of images . now because many eyes are bleared with a pretence of worshipping these , not as gods , but as resemblances of gods frends ; let any indifferent man but read the epistle of ieremie ( baruch . ) ( canonicall to them , though not to vs ) and compare the estate and vsage of those ancient idols , with the present images of the roman church , and if hee doe not finde them fully paralleld , let him condemne our quarrell of iniustice . but wee must needs thinke them hard driuen for scripture , when they run for shelter vnder that text , which professedly taxeth them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. in illicitis idolorum cultibus , saith saint peter . in vnlawfull idolatries ; speaking of the gentiles ; therefore , saith valentia , there is a lawfull worship of idols . as if that were an epithete of fauour , which is intended to aggrauation ; so hee that should call satan an vncleane deuill should imply that some deuill is not vncleane ; or , deceiuable lusts , some lusts deceitlesse ; or hatefull wickednesse , some wickednesse not hatefull ; the man had forgot that the apostle spake of the heathenish idolatrie ; wherein himselfe cannot plead any colour of lawfulnesse : may this therefore befrend them to call idolatrie abhominable , the scripture is theirs ; neither can they looke for ●●y other countenance from those sacred monuments . sect . iii. what need wee seeke any other reason of gods prohibition then his will : and yet god himselfe hath giuen abundant reason of his prohibition of images erected to himselfe . to whom will yee liken god , or what likenesse wil ye compare vnto him . yee saw no manner of similitude in the day that the lord spake to you in horeb. it is an hie iniurie to the infinite and spirituall nature of god to bee resembled by bodily shapes ; and , for the worship of images erected to himselfe , or his creature . i am the lord , that is my name , and my glorie will i not giue to another , nor my praise to molten images . the holy ielousie of the almightie will not abide any of his honour diuided with his creature ; and what euer worship more then meere humane is imparted to the creature , sets it in riualitie with our maker . the man is better then his picture ; and if religious worship will not bee allowed to the person of man , or angell , how much lesse to his image ; not to man ; saint peter forbids it ; not to angell , himselfe forbids it . what a madnesse then is it for a liuing man to stoope vnto a dead stocke ; vnlesse ( as that cynicke had wont to speake vnto statues ) to vse himselfe to repulses ? this curtesie was too shamefull in the pagans of old , how much more intolerable in christians : and as for that last shift of this vnlawfull deuotion , that they worship not the image , but , by it , the person represented ; haec a paganis afferri solebat , this ( saith cassander , out of the euidence of arnobius and lactantius , to whom he might haue added saint augustine ) was the verie euasion of the old heathen ; ( nec valebat tunc illa ratio ) neither would this colour then serue , how can it hope now to passe and finde allowance ? the doctrine therefore and practice of image-worship , as late as erroneous , is iustly reiected by vs ; who according to saint ieroms profession , worship not the reliques of martyrs , nor sunne , nor moone , nor angels , nor archangels , nor cherubim , nor seraphin , nor any name that is named in this world , or in the world to come ; and vniustly are we hereupon eiected . chap. xi . the newnesse of indulgences and purgatorie . nothing is more palpable then the noueltie of indulgences , or pardons , as they are now of vse in the romane church ; the intolerable abuse whereof , gaue the first hint to luthers inquirie ; pope leo had gratified his sister magdalene with a large monopoly of german pardons ; aremboldus her factor was too couetous , and held the market too high : the height of these ouer-rated wares caused the chapmen to inquire into their worth ; they were found as they are , both for age and dignitie ; for age so new , as that cornelius agrippa , and polydore virgil , and machiauell ( and who not ? ) tells vs boniface the eighth , who liued anno . was the first that extended indulgences to purgatorie , the first that deuised a iubilee for the full vtterance of them ; the indulgences of former times were no other then relaxations of canonicall penances , which were enioyned to hainous sinners ; whereof burchard the bishop of wormes set downe many particulars , about t●e . for example , if a man had committed wilfull murder , hee was to fast fortie dayes together , in bread and water , ( which the common people calls a lent ) and to obserue a course of penance for seuen yeeres after ; now these yeeres of penance , and these lents were they , which the pardons of former times were vsed to strike off , or abate , according as they found reason in the disposition of the penitent ; which may giue light to those termes of so many lents and yeeres remitted in former indulgences . but that there should bee a sacred treasure of the church , wherein are heaped vp piles of satisfactions of saints , whereof onely the pope keepes the keyes , and hath power to dispense them where hee lists , is so late a deuice , that gregorie of valence is forced to confesse , that not so much as gratian , or peter lombard ( which wrote about . yeeres before him ) euer made mention of the name of indulgence ; well therefore might durand & antonine grant it not to bee found either in the scriptures , or in the writings of the ancient doctours ; and our b. fisher goes so farre in the acknowledgement of the newnesse hereof , that hee hath run into the censure of late iesuites . iust and warrantable is that challenge of learned chemnitius , that no testimony can bee produced of any father , or of any ancient church , that either such doctrine , or practice of such indulgences was euer in vse , vntill towards one thousand , two hundred yeeres after christ . talium indulgentiarum : some there were in the time immediately foregoing ; but such as now , they were not . besides , eugenius his time which was too neere the verge ; for the words of chemnitius are * ( per annos fermè mille ducentos ) bellarmine instances in the the third councell of lateran , about the yeere . wherein pope paschal the second gaue indulgences of fortie dayes to those which visited the threshold of the apostles ; but it must be considered , that wee must take this vpon the bare word of conradus vrspergensis . secondly , that this indulgence of his is no other but a relaxation of canonicall penance . for hee addes , which bellarmine purposely concealeth ( ijs qui de capitalibus , &c. ) to those that should doe penance for capitall sinnes , hee released fortie dayes penance ; so as this instance helpes nothing ; neither are the rest , which hee hath raked together within the compasse of a few preceding yeeres , of any other alloy . neither hath that cardinall offered to cite one father for the proofe of this practice ; the birth whereof was many hundred yeeres after their expiration ; but cunningly shifts it off with a cleanly excuse , neque mirum , &c. neither may it seem strange if wee haue not many ancient authors , that make mention of these things in the church , which are preserued only by vse , not by writing : so he : he sayes , not many authors ; hee showes not one : and if many matters of rite haue been traduced to the church without notice of pen , or presse ; yet , let it be showne what one doctrine , or practice of such importance ( as this is pretended to bee ) hath escaped the report , and maintenance of some ecclesiasticke writer , or other , and we shall willingly yeeld it in this ; till then , wee shall take this but for a meere colour , and resolue that our honest roffensis deales plainly with vs ; who tells vs , quam diu nulla fuerat de purgatorio cura , &c. so long as there was no care of purgatorie , no man sought after indulgences ; for vpon that depends all the opinion of pardons ; if you take away purgatorie , wherefore should wee need pardons ? since therefore purgatorie was so lately knowne , and receiued of the whole church , who can maruell concerning indulgences , that there was no vse of them in the beginning of the church . indulgences then began , after men had trembled somewhile at the torments of a purgatorie ; thus their martyr , not partially for vs , but ingenuously out of the power of truth professes the noueltie of two great articles of the roman creed ; purgatorie and indulgences . indeed , both these now hang on one string ; although there was a kinde of purgatorie dreamed of , before their pardons came into play : that deuice peept out fearefully from origen ; and pull'd in the head againe , as in saint austens time , doubting to show it ; tale aliquod , &c. that there is some such thing ( saith hee ) after this life it is not vtterly incredible , and may be made a question : and elsewhere . i reproue it not , for it may perhaps be true . and yet againe , as retracting what hee had yeelded , resolues ; let no man deceiue himselfe my brethren , there are but two places , and a third there is none : before whom saint cyprian is peremptorie ; quando istinc excessum fuerit ; when wee are once departed hence , there is now no more place of repentance , no effect of satisfaction ; here is life either lost , or kept ; and gregorie nazianzens verse sounds to the same sense . and saint ambrose can say of his theodosius , that being freed from this earthly warfare ; fruitur nunc luce perpetua , &c. hee now enioyes euerlasting light , during tranquillitie , and triumphs in the troopes of the saints . but , what striue wee in this ? wee may well take the word of their martyr , our roffensis for both : and true erasmus for the ground of this defence ; ( mirum in modum &c. they doe maruellously affect the fire of purgatorie , because it is most profitable for their kitchins . sect . ii. indulgences and purgatorie against scripture . these two then are so late comne strangers , that they cannot challenge any notice taken of them by scripture ; neither were their names euer heard of in the language of canaan ; yet the wisedome of that all-seeing spirit , hath not left vs without preuentions of future errours , in blowing vp the very grounds of these humane deuises . the first and mayne ground of both is the remainders of some temporall punishments to be paid after the guilt , and eternall punishment remitted : the driblets of veniall sinnes to bee reckond for , when the mortall are defraied . heare what god saith , i , euen i , am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake ; and will not remember thy sinnes . loe , can the letter bee read that is blotted out ? can there be a back-reckoning for that which shal not be remembred ? i haue done away thy transgressions as a cloud : what sinnes can bee lesse then transgressions ? what can bee more cleerely dispersed then a cloud ? wash me , and i shall be whiter then snow : who can tell where the spot was , when the skin is rinced ? if we confesse our sinnes , he is faithfull to forgiue our sinnes , and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse . loe , he cleanseth vs from the guilt , and forgiues the punishment : what are our sinnes but debts ? what is the infliction of punishment , but an exaction of payment ? what is our remission , but a striking off that score ? and when the score is strucke off , what remaynes to pay ? remitte debita ; forgiue our debts is our daily prayer . our sauiour tels the paralitick , thy sinnes are forgiuen thee ; in the same words implying the remouing of his disease ; the sinne bee gone , the punishment cannot stay behind : we may smart by way of chastisement , after the freest remission , not by way of reuenges ; for our amendment , not for gods satisfaction . the second ground is a middle condition betwixt the state of eternall life and death ; of no lesse torment for the time , then hell it selfe ; whose flames may burne off the rust of our remayning sinnes ; the issues where-from are in the power of the great pastor of the church : how did this escape the notice of our sauiour ? verify , verily i say vnto you , hee that heareth my word , and beleeueth in him that sent mee , hath euerlasting life , and comes not into iudgement ( as the vulgar it selfe turnes it ) but is passed from death vnto life ; behold a present possession , and immediate passage , no iudgement interuening , no torment ; how was this hid from the great doctor of the gentiles , who putting himselfe into the common case of the beleeuing corinthians , professes ; wee know , that if once our earthly house of this tabernacle bee dissolued , wee haue a building of god , not made with hands , eternall in the heauens . the dissolution of the one is the possession of the other ; here is no interposition of time , of estate . the wise man of old could say . the soules of the righteous are in the hand of god ; and there shall no torment touch them . vpon their very going from vs they are in peace . ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as saint iohn heard from the heauenly voyce ; from their very dying in the lord is their blessednesse . sect . iii. indulgences against reason . it is absurd in reason , to thinke that god should forgiue our talents , and arrest vs for the odde farthings ; neither is it lesse absurd to thinke , that any liuing soule can haue superfluities of satisfaction ; when as all that man is capable to suffer , cannot be sufficient for one ; ( and that the least ) sin of his owne ; the wages whereof is eternall death . or , that those superfluities of humane satisfaction should peece vp the infinite , and perfitly meritorious superabundance of the sonne of god ; or that this supposed treasure of diuine and humane satisfactions ; should bee kept vnder the key of some one sinfull man ; or that this one man who cannot deliuer his owne soule from purgatorie , no not from hell it selfe , should haue power to free what others hee pleaseth from those fearefull flames ; to the full iaole-deliuerie of that direfull prison : which though his great power can doe , yet his no lesse charitie will not , doth not . or that the same pardon which cannot acquit a man from one houres tooth-ach , should be of force to giue his soule ease , from the temporarie paines of another world . lastly , guilt and punishment are relatiues ; and can no more be seuered then a perfect forgiuenesse , and a remaining compensation can stand together . this doctrine therefore of papall indulgences , as it led the way to the further discouery of the corruptions of the degenerated church of rome , so it still continues iustly branded with noueltie and errour , and may not bee admitted into our beleefe ; and wee for reiecting it are vniustly refused . chap. xii . the newnesse of diuine seruice in an vnknowne tongue . that prayers and other diuine offices should bee done in a known tongue , vnderstood of the people , is not more auailable to edification ( as their caietan liberally confesseth ) then consonant to the practice of all antiquitie ; in so much as lyranus freely , in the primitiue church , blessings and all other seruices were done in the vulgar tongue . what need wee looke backe so farre , when euen the lateran councell , which was but in the yeere . vnder innocent the third , makes this decree . quoniam in plaerisque , because in many parts within the same citie and diocesse , people are mixed of diuers languages hauing vnder one faith diuers rites and fashions , wee strictly command , that the bishops of the sayd cities or diocesses prouide fit and able men , who according to the diuersities of their rites and languages may celebrate diuine seruices , and administer the sacraments of the church to them , instructing them both in word and example . cardinall bellarmines euasion is verie grosse . that in that place innocentius and the councell speake onely of the greeke , and latine tongue : for then ( saith he ) constantinople was newly taken by the romans , by reason whereof there was in greece a mixture of greekes and latines ; in so much as they desired that in such places of frequence two bishops might be allowed for the ordering of those seuerall nations . whereupon it was concluded , that since it were no other then monstrous to appoint two bishops vnto one see ; it should be the charge of that one bishop to prouide such vnder him as should administer all holy things to the grecians in greeke , and in latine to the latines . for who sees not that the constitution is generall , plaerisque partibus , for verie many parts of the christian world , and ( populi diuersarum ling●arum ) people of sundrie languages ; not as bellarmine cunningly , ( diuersae linguae ) of a diuerse language : and if these two only languages had been meant , why had it not bin as easie to specifie them , as to intimate them by so large a circumlocution ? this synode is said to be vniuersall , comprehending all the patriarkes ; seuentie seuen metropolitans , and the most eminent diuines of both east and west churches ; to the number of at least . persons , or , as some others , . besides the embassadours of all christian princes of seuerall languages ; now shall wee thinke that there were in all their territories and iurisdictions no mixtures of inhabitants , but onely of grecians and romans ? or , that all these fathers were carelesse of the rest ? especially , since the end which they professe to propose vnto themselues herein , is the instruction of the people , of what nation or language soeuer ; which end , as it was neuer meant to bee limited to two sorts of people , so could it neuer be attained without this libertie of language fitted to their vnderstanding : to which may bee added , that the greekes and latines , of all other , had the least need of this prouision , since it was famously knowne that they had their seuerall seruices already of receiued and currant vse , before this constitution was hatched . neither , is it of any moment , which hee addeth , that in italy it selfe this decree was not extended to the vse of vulgar tongues ; for that it is euident that saint thomas ( who liued soone after ) composed in latine the office of the feast of corpus christi ; not in the italian ; although the same aquinas confesses that that the vulgar tongue of italy at that time was not latine ; for , what childe cannot easily see , that if their great doctor would write an office for the publique vse ( as is intended ) of the whole church ; hee would make choyce to write it in such a language as might improue it to the most common benefit of all the christian world ? not confining it to the bounds of a particular nation ; besides what was the italian ( in those times especially ) but a broken and corrupt latine differing more in idiome and termination , then in the substance of speech : that which radeuicus about the yeere . records for the voyce of the people , in the election of pope victor , papa vittore sancto pietro l'elege , makes good no lesse ; for what such difference is betwixt this , and papam victorem sanctus petrus elegit ; so as this instance doth nothing at all infringe that iust decree of the roman fathers . howsoeuer , that obseruation of erasmus is true , and pregnant to this purpose , ( nec lingua vulgaris & e. ) neither was the vulgar tongue ( i. the latine ) withdrawne from the people , but the people went off from it . and as for our ancestours in this island ; our venerable bede witnesses , that in england the scriptures were read by them in fiue languages , according to the number of the bookes wherein the law of god was written , namely english , scottish , brittish , pictish , and latine ; which saith hee in meditation of the scriptures is made common to all the rest . a point which the sayd author specifies for a commendation of the well-instructednesse of those people , not , as purposing to intimate that the vse of the latine did thrust out the other foure ; for , he there tells vs that in all foure they did not only search , but confesse , and vtter the knowledge of the highest truth . this restraint then is not more new then enuious and preiudiciall to the honour of god , and the soules of men . sect . ii. against scripture . as for scriptures . were this practice so old as it is pretended ; the rule is ( longaeuae consuetudinis , &c. ) the authoritie of an ancient custome is not to be sleighted , so long as it is not against the canons : nothing can be more against the canons of the blessed apostle , then this ; who , did he liue in these our dayes , and would bend his speech against the vse of a language not vnderstood in gods seruice , could not speake more directly , more punctually , then hee doth to his corinths . how doth hee tell vs , that the speaking in a strange tongue edifies not the church , profits not the hearers ; produces a necessarie ignorance of the thing spoken ; makes mee a barbarian to him that speaketh , and him that speakes a barbarian to me . how doth hee require him that speaketh in an vnknowne tongue to pray that hee may interpret . and if hee must pray that hee may doe it ; how much more must he practice it , when he can doe it ? how doth hee tell vs that in a strange languaged prayer the vnderstanding is vnfruitfull . that it is better to speake fiue words with vnderstanding , that wee may teach others , then ten thousand words in an vnknowne tongue . that those which speake with strange tongues are but as mad men to the vnlearned , or vnbeleeuers . sect . iii. against reason . in which scriptures ( besides authoritie ) the apostle hath comprized vnanswerable , and conuincing reasons against this romish abuse ; amongst the rest is intimated that vtter frustration of the vse of the tongue in gods seruice : for it is a true rule which salmeron cites out of lactantius ( nihil valet ex se &c. ) that thing is to no purpose which auailes not vnto the end whereto it serues : silence doth as much expresse the thought , as a language not vnderstood : in this sense is that of laurentius too well verified , sacerdos imperitus mulier sterilis : a priest vnable to expresse himselfe is as a barren woman ; vncapable of bringing forth children to god : as good no tongue as no vnderstanding ; what good doth a well sealed vp , as ptolome sayd of the hebrew text. wherefore doe we speake , if we would not bee vnderstood : it was an holy resolution of saint augustine , that hee would rather say ossum in false latin , to be vnderstood of the people , then os in true , not to be vnderstood : this practice , howeuer it may seeme in it selfe sleight and vnworthy of too much contention , yet in regard of that miserable blindnesse and mis-deuotion , which it must needs draw in after it , it is so hainous , as may well deserue our vtmost opposition : the vnauoydablenesse of which effects hath carried some of their casuists into an opinion of the vnnecessarinesse of deuotion in these holy businesses ; so as one sayes , he that wants deuotion sinnes not ; another , though it bee conuenient that the communicant should haue actuall deuotion , yet it is not necessarie : alas , what seruice is this which poore soules are taught to take vp with ; which god must be content to take from hood-winkt suppliants ? this doctrine , this practice , thus new , thus preiudiciall to christians , we blesse god that we haue so happily discarded ; and for our iust refusall are vniustly eiected . chap. xiii . the newnesse of forced sacramentall confession . the necessitie of a particular , secret , full , sacramentall confession of all our sins to a priest ; vpon paine of non-remission , is an act or institution of the romane church , for , as for the greeke church it ownes not either the doctrine , or practice . so the glosse of the canon law directly ; confessio apud graecos , &c. confession is not not necessary amongst the grecians ; vnto whom no such tradition hath beene deriued . that glosse would tell vs more ; and so would gratian himselfe , if their tongues were not clipt by a guiltie expurgation . but in the meane time the glosse of that canon ( hitherto allowed ) plainly controules the decree of that late councell ; for if the necessitie of confession be only a tradition , and such a one , as hath not beene deduced to the greeke church , then it stands not by a law of god , which is vniuersall ; not making differences of places , or times ; like an high-eleuated starre which hath no particular aspect vpon one region . that there is a lawfull , commendable beneficiall vse of confession was neuer denied by vs ; but to set men vpon the racke , and to straine their soules vp to a double pin , of absolute necessitie ( both praecepti and medij ) and of a strict particularitie ; and that by a screw of ius diuinum , gods law , is so meere a romane noueltie , that many ingenuous authors of their owne haue willingly confessed it . amongst whom cardinall bellarmine himselfe yeelds vs , erasmus , and beatus rhenanus , two noble witnesses ; whose ioynt-tenet he confesses to be , confessionem secretam , &c. that the secret confession of all our sinnes is not only not instituted , or commanded iure diuino , by gods law ; but that it was not so much as receiued into vse in the ancient church of god. to whom he might haue added , out of maldonates account ( omnes decretorum , &c. ) all the interpreters of the decrees , and amongst the schoolemen , scotus . we know well those sad and austere exomologesis , which were publikely vsed in the seuere times of the primitiue church : whiles these tooke place , what vse was there of priuate ? these obtayned euen in the westerne or latine church , till the dayes of leo ; about . yeares . in which time they had a graue publike penitentiarie for this purpose . afterwards ( whether the noted inconueniences of that practice , or whether the cooling of the former feruour occasioned it ) this open confession beganne to giue way to secret ; which continued in the church , but with freedome , and without that forced and scrupulous strictnesse which the later times haue put vpon it . it is verie remarkable which learned rhenanus hath ( caeterum thomas ab aquino , &c. ) but ( saith hee ) thomas of aquine and scotus ( men too acute ) haue made confession at this day such , as that ioannes geilerius a graue and holy diuine , which was for many yeeres preacher at strasburgh , had wont to say to his frends , that according to their rules it is an impossible thing to confesse ; adding , that the same geilerius being familiarly conuersant with some religious votaries , both carthusians and franciscans , learned of them , with what torments the godly mindes of some men were afflicted , by the rigour of that confession , which they were not able to answer ; and thereupon he published a booke in dutch , entitled the sicknesse of confession . the same therefore which rhenanus writes of his geilerius , he may well apply vnto vs ; itaque geilerio non displicebat , &c. geilerius therefore did not dislike confession , but the scrupulous anxietie which is taught in the summes of some late diuines , more fit ●●deed for some other place , then for libraries . thus he . what would that ingenuous author haue sayd , if hee had liued to see those volumes of cases which haue beene since published , able to perplex a world ; and those peremptorie decisions of the fathers of the societie , whose strokes haue beene with scorpions , in comparison of the rods of their predecessors . to conclude ; this bird was hatched in the councell of lateran , ( anno . ) fully plumed in the councell of trent ; and now lately hath her feathers imped by the moderne casuists . sect . ii. romish confession not warranted by scripture . since our quarrell is n●t with confession it selfe , which may bee of singular vse and behoofe ; but with some tyrannous straines in the practice of it , which are the violent forcing and perfit fulnesse thereof ; it shall be sufficient for vs herein to stand vpon our negatiue ; that there is no scripture in the whole booke of god , wherein either such necessitie , or such intirenesse of confession is commanded ; a truth so cleare , that it is generally confessed by their owne canonists . did we question the lawfulnesse of confession , we should be iustly accountable for our grounds from the scriptures of god ; now that we cry downe only some iniurious circumstances therein , well may wee require from the fautors thereof their warrants from god ; which if they cannot show , they are sufficiently conuinced of a presumptuous obtrusion : indeed , our sauiour sayd to his apostles , and their successours , whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted , and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained . but did hee say , no sinne shall bee remitted , but what yee remit ? or , no sinne shall be remitted by you , but what is particularly numbred vnto you . saint iames bids , confesse your sinnes one to another ; but would they haue the priest shrieue himselfe to the penitent , as well as the penitent to the priest ? this act must bee mutuall , not single . many beleeuing ephesians came and confessed , and shewed their deeds . many , but not all , not omnes vtriusque sexus , they confessed their deeds ; some that were notorious , not all their sinnes . contrarily rather , so did christ send his apostles , as the father sent him , he was both their warrant and their patterne ; but that gracious sauiour of ours many a time gaue absolution , where was no particular confession of sinnes : only the sight of the paralyticks faith fetcht from him , sonne be of good cheere , thy sins be forgiuen thee ; the noted sinner in simons house , approuing the truth of her repentance by the humble and costly testimonies of her loue , without any enumeration of her sinnes , heard , thy sinnes are forgiuen thee . sect . iii. against reason . in true diuine reason this supposed dutie is needlesse , dangerous , impossible . needlesse in respect of all sinnes , not in respect of some ; for how euer in the cases of a burdened conscience , nothing can bee more vsefull , more soueraigne , yet , in all , our peace doth not depend vpon our lips ; being iustified by faith , wee haue peace with god through iesus christ our lord. dangerous , in respect both of exprobration , as saint chrysostome worthily , and of infection ; for delectabile carnis ( as a casuist confesseth ) fleshly pleasures the more they are called into particular mention , the more they moue the appetire . i doe willingly conceale from chaste eyes and eares what effects haue followed this pretended act of deuotion , in wanton and vnstayed confessours . impossible , for who can tell how oft he offendeth ; he is poore in sin that can count his stocke ; and hee sinnes alwayes that so presumes vpon his innocence , as to thinke hee can number his sinnes : and , if hee say of any sinne , as lot of zoar , is it not a little one ? as if therefore it may safely escape the reckoning , it is a true word of isaac the syrian , qui delicta &c. hee that thinkes any of his offences small , euen in so thinking falls into greater . this doctrine and practice therfore , both as new and vnwarrantable , full of vsurpation , danger , impossibilitie is iustly reiected by vs ; and wee for so doing , vniustly eiected . sect . iv. the noueltie of absolution before satisfaction . lest any thing in the romane church should retaine the old forme , how absurd is that innouation which they haue made in the the order of their penance and absolution . the ancient course , as cassander and lindanus truly witnesse , was that absolution and reconciliation , and right to the communion of the church was not giuen by imposition of hands vnto the penitent , till hee had giuen due satisfaction by performing of such penall acts , as were enioyned by the discreet penitētiary ; yea , those works of penance ( saith he ) when they were done out of faith , and an heart truly sorrowfull ; and by the motion of the holy spirit , preuenting the minde of man , with the helpe of his diuine grace , were thought not a little auailable to obtaine remission of the sinne , and to pacifie the displeasure of god for sinne ; not , that they could merit it by any dignitie of theirs , but that thereby the minde of man is in a sort fitted to the receit of gods grace ; but now , immediately vpon the confession made , the hand is layd vpon the penitent , and he is receiued to his right of communion , and after his absolution , certaine workes of pietie are enioyned him , for the chastisement of the flesh , and expurgation of the remainders of sinne . thus cassander . in common apprehension this new order can bee no other then preposterous ; and ( as our learned bishop of carlile ) like easter before lent. but for this , ipsi viderint ; it shall not trouble vs how they nurture their owne childe . chap. xiv . the newnesse of the romish inuocation of saints . of all those errours which we reiect in the church of rome , there is none that can plead so much show of antiquitie , as this of inuocation of saints : which yet , as it hath beene practised and defended in the latter times , should in vaine seeke either example or patronage amongst the ancient ; how euer there might be some grounds of this deuotion secretly muttered , and at last expressed in panegyricke formes , yet , vntill almost fiue hundred yeeres after christ , it was not in any sort admitted into the publique seruice . it will be easily graunted that the blessed virgin is the prime of all saints ; neither could it be other then iniurious , that any other of that heauenly societie should haue the precedencie of her : now the first that brought her name into the publike deuotions of the greeke church , is noted by nicephorus , to be petrus gnapheus , or fullo , a presbyter of bithynia ; afterwards the vsurper of the see of antioch , much about yeeres after christ ; who ( though a branded heretick ) found out foure things ( saith he ) verie vsefull and beneficiall to the catholike church ; whereof the last was , ( vt in omni precatione &c. ) that in euerie prayer the mother of god should bee named , and her diuine name called vpon ; the phrase is verie remarkable wherein this rising superstition is expressed . and as for the latine church , we heare no newes of this inuocation , in the publique letanies , till gregories time , about some . yeeres after the former . and in the meane time , some fathers speake of it fearefully and doubtfully ; how could it bee otherwise , when the common opinion of the ancients , euen below saint austens age did put vp all the soules of the faithfull , except martyrs in some blinde receptacles , whether in the center of the earth , or elsewhere , where they might in candida expectare diem iudicij , as tertullian hath it foure seuerall times ; and stapleton himselfe sticks not to name diuers of them thus fouly mistaken . others of the fathers haue let fall speeches directly bent against this inuocation ( non opus est patronis , &c. ) there is no need of any aduocates to god , saith saint chrysostome ; and most plainly elsewhere , homines si quando &c. if wee haue any suit to men ( saith he ) wee must fee the porters , and treat with iesters and parasites , and goe many times a long way about ; in god there is no such matter ; he is exorable without any of our mediatours , without mony , without cost , he grants our petitions : it is enough to cry for thee with thine heart alone , to powre out thy teares , and presently thou hast won him to mercie . thus hee . and those of the ancients , that seeme to speake for it , lay grounds that ouerthrow it ; howsoeuer it be , all holy antiquitie would haue both blushed , and spit at those formes of inuocation , which the late clients of rome haue broached to the world ; if perhaps they spake to the saints ( tanquam deprecatores , vel potius comprecatores ) as spalatensis yeelds ; mouing them to bee competitioners with vs to the throne of grace , not properly , but improperly , as altisiodore construes it ; how would they haue digested that blasphemous psalter of our ladie , imputed to bonauenture , and those stiles of meere deification which are giuen to her ; and the diuision of all offices of pietie to mankinde , betwixt the mother and the sonne . how had their eares glowed to heare , christus orauit , franciscus exoranit , christ praied , francis preuailed ; how would they haue brooked that which ludouicus viues freely confesses , multi christiani & c· many christians worship ( diuos , diua●que ) the saints of both sexes , no otherwise then god himselfe ; or that which spalatensis professes to haue obserued that the ignorant multitude are carried with more entire religious affection to the blessed virgin , or some other saint , then to christ their sauiour . these foule superstitions are not more hainous then new , and such , as wherein we haue iustly abhorred to take part with the practices of them . sect . ii. inuocation of saints against scripture . as for the better side of this mis-opinion ; euen thus much colour of antiquitie were cause enough to suspend our censures ( according to that wise and moderate resolution of learned zanchius ; ) were it not that the scriptures are so flatly opposite vnto it ; as that , we may iustly wonder at that wisdome , which hath prouided antidotes for a disease , that of many hundred yeares after , should haue no being in the world. the ground of this inuocation of saints is their notice of our earthly condition , and speciall deuotions ; and behold thou preuaylest euer against man , and he passeth ; thou changest his countenance , and sendest him away ; his sonnes come to honour and hee knowes it not , and they are brought low and he perceiueth it not , saith iob. the dead know nothing at all , saith wise salomon ; also their loue , and their hatred , and their enuie is now perished , neither haue they any more a portion for euer , in any thing that is done vnder the sunne ; no portion in any thing , therefore not in our miseries ; not in our allocutions . if we haue a portion in them , for their loue and prayers in common for the church , they haue no portion in our particularities , whether of want , or complaint . abraham our father is ignorant of vs ( saith esay ) and israel acknowledges vs not . loe , the father of the faithful aboue knowes not his own children , till they come into his bosome ; and hee that giues them their names , is to them as strangers ; wherefore should good iosiah bee gathered to his fathers as hulda tels him , but that his eyes might not see all the euill which should come vpon ierusalem ? wee cannot haue a better commenter , then saint augustine , if ( saith hee ) the soules of the dead could be present at the affaires of the liuing , &c. surely my good mother would no night forsake me , whom whiles she liued , shee followed both by land , and sea ; farre be it from mee to thinke , that an happier life hath made her cruell , &c. but certainly , that which the holy psalmist tels vs , is true ; my father and my mother haue forsaken me , but the lord tooke me vp ; if therefore our parents haue left vs , how are they present or doe interesse themselues in our cares , or businesses ? and if our parents do not , who else among the dead know what wee doe , or what wee suffer ? esay the prophet saith ; thou art our father , for abraham is ignorant of vs , and israel know vs not ; if so great patriarkes were ignorant , what became of that people , which came from their loynes , and which vpon their beliefe was promised to descend from their stocke , how shall the dead haue ought to doe either in the knowledge , or aide of the affaires , or actions of their dearest suruiuers ? how doe we say that god prouides mercifully for them who die before the euils come , if euen after their death , they are sensible of the calamities of humane life , &c. how is it then that god promised to good king iosiah for a great blessing , that hee should die before hand , that he might not see the euils which hee threatned to that place and people . thus that diuine father . with whom agrees saint ierome ; nec enim , possumus , &c. neither can we ( saith hee ) when this life shall once be dissolued , either enioy our owne labours , or know what shall bee done in the world afterwards . but could the saints of heauen know our actions , yet our hearts they cannot : this is the peculiar skill of their maker , thou art the searcher of the hearts and reines , o righteous god ; god only knowes ( abscondita animi ) the hidden secrets of the soule . now , the heart is the seat of our prayers . the lips doe but vent them to the eares of men : moses said nothing , when god said , let me alone moses . o therefore thou that hearest the prayers , to thee shall all flesh come . salomons argument is irrefragable ; heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place ; and doe , and giue to euery man according to his wayes : whose heart thou knowest ; for thou , euen thou only , knowest the hearts of all the children of men . he only should be implored that can heare ; hee only can heare the prayer that knowes the heart : yet could they know our secretest desires . it is an honour that god challengeth as proper to himselfe , to bee inuoked in our prayers ; call vpon me in the day of thy trouble , and i will deliuer thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . there is one god , and one mediator betwixt god and man , the man iesus christ. one , and no more , not only of redemption , but of intercession also ; for through him ( onely ) we haue accesse by one spirit , vnto the father ; and he hath inuited vs to himselfe ; come to me all yee that labour and are heauie laden . sect . iii. against reason . how absurd therefore is it in reason , when the king of heauen cals vs to him , to run with our petitions to the guard or pages of the court ? had we to doe with a finite prince , whose eares must be his best informers , or whose will to help vs were iustly questionable , wee might haue reason to present our suits by second hands ; but since it is an omnipresent and omniscious god with whom wee deale , from whom the saints and angels receiue all their light , and loue to his church , how extreme folly is it to sue to those courtiers of heauen , and not to come immediately to the throne of grace ? that one mediatour is able ( and willing also ) to saue them to the vtmost , that come vnto god by him ; seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them . besides , how vncertaine must our deuotions needes bee , when we can haue no possible assurance of their audience ; for who can know that a saint heares him ? that god euer heares vs , wee are as sure , as wee are vnsure to be heard of saints : nay , we are sure wee cannot bee all heard of them : for what finite nature can diuide it selfe betwixt ten thousand suppliants at one instant , in seuerall regions of the world , much lesse impart it selfe whole to each ? either therefore , wee must turne the saints into so many deities , or wee must yeeld that some of our prayers are vnheard ; and whatsoeuer is not of faith , is sinne . as for that heauenly glasse of saint gregories , wherein the saints see vs , and our suits ( confuted long since by hugo de sancto victore ) it is as pleasing a fiction , as if we imagined therefore to see all the corners of the earth , because we see that sun which sees them . and the same eyes that see in god the particular necessities of his saints below , see in the same god such infinite grace and mercie , for their releefe , as may saue the labour of their reflecting vpon that diuine miroir in their speciall intercessions . this doctrine therefore and practice of the romish inuocation of saints , both as new and erroneous , against scripture and reason , wee haue iustly reiected ; and are thereupon eiected as vniustly . chap. xv. the newnesse of seuen sacraments . the late councell of florence indeed insinuates this number of seuen sacraments , as suarez contends : but the later councell of trent determines it , si quis dixerit aut plura , &c. if any man shall say , that there are either more , or fewer sacraments then seuen , viz. baptisme , confirmation , &c , or that any of these is not truly and properly a sacrament , let him be anathema . it is not more plaine that in scripture there is no mention of sacraments , then that in the fathers there is no mention of seuen . cardinall bellarmines euasion , that the scripture and fathers wrote no catechisme , is poore and ridiculous ; no more did the councels of florence and trent , and yet there the number is reckoned and defined . so as the word sacrament may be taken ( for any holy , significant rite ) there may bee as well seuentie as seuen ; so strictly as it may be , and is taken by vs , there can no more bee seuen , then seuentie . this determination of the number is so late , that cassander is forced to confesse , nec temerè , &c. you shall not easily find any man before peter lombard , which hath set downe any certaine and definite number of sacraments . and this obseruation is so iust that vpon the challenges of our writers , no one author hath bin produced by the roman doctours , for the disproofe of it , elder then hugo , and the said master of sentences . but , numbers are ceremonies . both luther , and philip melancthon professe they stand not much vpon them ; it is the number numbred ( which is the thing it selfe mis-related into that sacred order ) that we sticke at . there we find that none but christ can make a sacrament ; for none but he who can giue grace , can ordaine a signe and seale of grace ; now it is euident enough , that these adscititious sacraments were neuer of christs institution . so was not confirmation , as our alexander of hales , and holcot ; so was not matrimony , as durand ; so was not extreme vnction , as hugo , lombard , bonauenture , halensis , altisiodore , by the confession of their suarez . these were ancient rites , but they are new sacraments ; all of them haue their allowed , and profitable vse in gods church , though not in so high a nature ; except that of extreme vnction ; which as it is an apish mis-imitation of that extraordinarie course , which the apostolike times vsed in their cures of the sicke , so it is grossely mis-applyed to other purposes , then were intended in the first institution . then it was ( vngebant & sanabant ; ) the oyle miraculously conferring bodily recouerie ; but now , ( non nisi in mortis articulo adhibetur ) it is not vsed , but vpon the verie point of death , as caietan and cassander confesse , and all experience manifests ; and by felix the fourth , drawne to a necessitie of addresse to eternall life . sect . ii. seuen sacraments beside scripture . not to scan particulars , which all yeeld ample exceptions , but to wind them all vp in one bottome ; whosoeuer shall looke into the scripture shall finde it apparent , that as in the time of mans innocence , there were but two sacraments , the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge ; so , before , and vnder the law ( how euer they had infinite rites ) yet in the proper sense , they had but two sacraments ; the same in effect with those vnder the gospel ; the one , the sacrament of initiation , which was their circumcision ; paralleld by that baptisme which succeeded it ; the other , the sacrament of our holy confirmation , that spirituall meat and drinke which was their paschall lambe and manna , and water from the rocke ; prefiguring the true lambe of god , and bread of life , and bloud of our redemption . the great apostle of the gentiles , that well knew the analogie , hath compared both ; moreouer , brethren , i would not haue you ignorant , how that all our fathers were vnder the cloud , and all passed thorow the sea ; and all were baptized in the cloud , and in the sea ; and all did eat the same spirituall meat , and all did drinke the same spirituall drinke , for they dranke of that spirituall rocke , that followed them , and that rocke was christ . what is this in any iust construction , but that the same two sacraments of baptisme and the lords supper , which wee celebrate vnder the gospell , were the verie same with those , which were celebrated by gods ancient people , vnder the law ; they two , and no more ; hoc facite ( doe this ) is our warrant for the one ; and ite baptizate , &c. and go teach and baptize , for the other : there is deepe silence in the rest . sect . iii. against reason . in reason it must bee yeelded , that no man hath power to set to a seale , but he whose the writing is ; sacraments , then , being the seales of gods gracious euidences , whereby hee hath conueyed to vs eternall life , can bee instituted by no other , then the same power that can assure and performe life to his creature . in euerie sacrament therefore must bee a diuine institution and command of an element that signifies , of a grace that is signified , of a word adioyned to that element , of an holy act adioyned to that word : where these concurre not , there can bee no true sacrament ; and they are palpably missing in these fiue adiections of the church of rome . lastly ; the sacraments of the new law ( as saint austen often ) flowed out of the side of christ ; none flowed thence , but the sacrament of water , which is baptisme , and the sacrament of bloud in the supper ; whereof the author saith , this cup is the new testament in my bloud , which is shed for you . the rest neuer flowing either from the side , or from the lips of christ , are as new and mis-named sacraments iustly reiected by vs , and we thereupon as vniustly censured . chap. xvi . the newnesse of the doctrine of traditions . the chiefe ground of these , and all other errours in the church of rome , is the ouer-valuing of traditions ; which the tridentine synode professeth to receiue , and reuerence with no lesse pious affection , then the bookes of the old , and new testament ; and that , not in matter of rite , and historie only , but of faith and manners also ; wherein , as they are not vn willing to cast a kind of imputation of imperfection vpon the written word ; so they make vp the defects of it , by the supply of vnwritten traditions ; to which indeed they are more beholden , for the warrant of the greater part of their super-added articles , then to the scriptures of god : both which , are points so dangerously enuious , as that antiquitie would haue abhorred their mention : neither is any thing more common with the holy fathers of the church , then the magnifying the complete perfection of scripture , in all things needfull , either to be beleeued , or done . what can be more ful and cleere , then that of saint austen , in his quae apertè , &c. in these things , which are openly laid forth in scripture , are found all matters that containe either faith , or manners . cardinall bellarmines elusion is not a little preiudiciall to his owne cause . he tels vs , that saint austen speakes of those points , which are simply necessary to saluation for all men ; all which hee acknowledges to be written by the apostles ; but besides these , there are many other things ( saith hee ) which wee haue only by tradition ; will it not therfore hence follow , that the common sort of christians need not looke at his traditions ? that commonly men may be saued without them ? that heauen may bee attained , though there were no traditions ; who will not now say , let mee come to heauen by scripture , goe you whither you will by traditions ? to which adde , that a great , yea , the greater part ( if wee may beleeue some of their owne ) of that which they call religion , is grounded vpon only tradition ; if then tradition bee only of such things as are not simply unnecessary to saluation , then the greater part of their mis-named religion , must needs be yielded for simply vnnecessary to all men : and if wee may bee saued without them , and bee made citizens of heauen , how much more may we without them , be members of the true church on earth ? as for this place , saint augustines words are full , and comprehensiue , expressing all those things , which containe either faith , or manners , whether concerning gouernours , or people : if now , they can finde out any thing , that belongs not either to beleefe , or action , wee doe willingly giue it vp to their traditions , but all things which pertaine to either of those , are openly comprized in scripture . what can bee more direct , then that of holy athanasius ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the holy scriptures inspired by god , are in themselues all-sufficient to the instruction of truth ; and , if chemnitius construe it , all truth , this needs not raise a cauill ; the word signifies no lesse ; for if they bee all-sufficient to instruction , they must needs be sufficient to all instruction in the truth intended ; tertullian professes openly , adoro scripturae pleni●udinem , &c. i adore the fulnesse of scripture ; let the skill of hermogenes show where it is written ; if it bee not written , let him feare that woe which is pronounced against those , that adde or detract . thus he . who can but feare that the cardinall shifts this euidence against his owne heart ? for ( saith he ) tertullian speakes of that one point . that god created all things of nothing , and not of a pre-existent matter , as hermogenes dreamed ; now , because this truth is clearely expressed in scripture , therefore the fulnesse of scripture , as concerning this point is adored by tertullian ; and for that hermogenes held an opinion contrarie to scripture , he is said to adde vnto scripture , and to incurre that malediction ; now , let any reader , of common sense , iudge , whether the words of tertullian be not generall ; without any limitation ; and if the first clause could bee restrained , the second cannot ; scriptum esse doceat &c. whatsoeuer therefore is not written , by this rule may not be oberuded to our beleefe ; neither doth he say , if it be written against ; but , if it be not written ; and his challenge is ( nusquam legi ) that the words are no where read , as if this were quarrell enough , without a flat contradiction to what is read . so as the cardinals glosse meerely corrupts the text ; how easie were it for me to tire my reader , with the full suffrages of origen , cyprian , chrysostome , basil , cyrill , epiphanius , hierome , ambrose , theodoret , hilarie , vincentius lirinensis , and in a word with the whole streame of antiquitie , which though they giue a meet place to traditions of ceremony , of historie , of interpretation , of some immateriall verities , yet reserue the due honour to the sacred monuments of diuine scriptures . our learned chemnitius hath freely yeelded seuen sorts of traditions , such as haue a correspondence with , or an attestation from the written word , the rest , we do iustly ( together with him ) disclaime , as vnworthy to appeare vpon that awfull bench , amongst the inspired pen-men of god. sect . ii. traditions against scripture . it is not to be imagined that the same word of god , which speakes for all other truths , should not speake for it selfe ; how fully doth it display it 's owne sufficiencie and perfection . all scripture ( saith the chosen vessell ) is giuen by inspiration of god ; and is profitable for doctrine , for reproofe , for correction , for instruction in righteousnesse . profitable , saith the cardinall , but not sufficient ; many things may auaile to that end whereto they suffice not ; so meat is profitable to nourish , but without naturall heat it nourisheth not : thus hee . heare yet what followeth . that the man of god may bee perfited , and thorowly furnished vnto all good workes . loe it is so profitable to all these seruices , that thereby it perfects a diuine ; much more an ordiarie christian : that which is so profitable , as to cause perfection , is abundantly sufficient , and must needs haue full perfection in it selfe ; that which can perfit the teacher , is sufficient for the learner . the scriptures can perfit the man of god , both for his calling in the instruction of others , and for his owne glorie . thou hast knowne the scriptures from a childe ( saith saint paul to his timothy ) which are able ( not profitable only ) to make thee wise vnto saluation , through faith which is in christ iesus . it is the charge therefore of the apostle , not to bee wise aboue that which is written : the same with wise salonons , the whole word of god is pure : adde thou not vnto his words , lest he reproue thee , and thou be found a lier . loe , hee saith not , oppose not his words , but , adde not to them : euen addition detracts from the maiestie of that word ; for the law of the lord is perfect , conuerting the soule , the testimonie of the lord is sure , making wise the simple . the statutes of the lord are right , reioycing the heart , the commandement of the lord is pure , enlightning the eyes . as for those traditions which they doe thus lift vp to an vniust competition with the written word , our sauiour hath before hand , humbled them into the dust : in vaine doe they worship me , teaching for doctrines the commandements of men ; making this a sufficient cause of abhorring both the persons , and the seruices of those iewes , that they thrust humane traditions into gods chaire , and respected them equally with the institutions of god. cardinall bellarmine would shift it off with a distinction of traditions ; these were such , saith hee ( quas acceperant à recentioribus , &c. ) as they had receiued from some later hands , whereof some were vaine , some others pernicious , not such as they receiued from moses and the prophets : and the authors of these reiected traditions hee cites from epiphanius to be r. akiba , r. iuda , and the asamoneans ; from hierome , to bee sammai , hillel , akiba . but this is to cast mists before the eyes of the simple : for who sees not that our sauiours challenge is generall , to traditions thus aduanced , not to these , or those traditions : and , where he speakes of some later hands , he had forgotten , that our sauiour vpon the mount tells him ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) that these faulted traditions were of old . and that he may not cast these vpon his sammai and hiliel , let him remember that our sauiour cites this out of esay ( though with some more cleernesse of expression ) who farre ouerlooked the times of those pretended fathers of mis-traditions . that i may not say , how much it would trouble him to shew any dogmaticall traditions , that were deriued from moses and the prophets ; in parallel whereof , let them be able to deduce any euangelicall tradition from the apostles , and we are ready to imbrace it with all obseruance . shortly , it is cleere that our sauiour neuer meant to compare one tradition with another , as approuing some , reiecting others , but with indignation complaines , that traditions were obtruded to gods people , in a corriualitie with the written word ; which is the verie point now questioned . sect . iii. traditions against reason . even the verie light of reason showes vs that as there is a god , so , that he is a most wise , & most iust god ; needs therefore must it follow , that if this most iust and wise god will giue a word whereby to reueale himselfe and his wil to mankinde , it must bee a perfect word ; for , as his wisdome knowes what is fit for his creature to know of himselfe , so his iustice will require nothing of the creature , but what hee hath enabled him to know and doe ; now then , since hee requires vs to know him , to obey him , it must needs follow that hee hath left vs so exquisite a rule of this knowledge and obedience , as cannot admit of any defect , or any supplement . this rule can bee no other then his written word ; therefore written , that it might be preserued entire , for this purpose , to the last date of time : as for orall traditions , what certaintie can there be in them ? what foundation of truth can be layd vpon the breath of man ? how doe wee see the reports varie , of those things , which our eyes haue seene done ? how doe they multiply in their passage , and either grow , or dye vpon hazards ? lastly , we thinke him not an honest man , whose tongue goes against his owne hand ; how hainous an imputation then doe they cast vpon the god of truth ; which plead traditions deriued from him , contrarie to his written word ? such , apparently , are the worship of images , the mutilation of the sacrament , purgatorie , indulgences , and the rest which haue passed our agitation . since therefore the authoritie of romish traditions is ( besides noueltie ) erroneous ; against scripture and reason , we haue iustly abandoned it , and are thereupon vniustly condemned . as for those other dangerous and important innouations , concerning scriptures , their canon inlarged , their faultie version made authenticall , their fountaines pretended to be corrupted , their mis-pleaded obscuritie , their restraint from the laitie , we haue already largely displaid them in another place . chap. xvii . the newnesse of the vniuersall head-ship of the bishop of rome . those transcendent titles of head-ship , and vniuersalitie , which are challenged to the bishop , and sea of rome , are knowne to bee the vpstart brood of noted ambition . simple and holy antiquitie was too modest , either to require , or tolerate them . who knowes not the profession of that holy martyr in the councell of carthage ; ( neque enim , &c. ) there is none of vs , that makes himselfe a bishop of bishops ; or by a tyrannous feare compels his vnderlings to a necessitie of obedience ; but perhaps , at rome it was otherwise ; heare then with what zeale their owne pope gregorie the great , inueighs against the arrogance of iohn bishop of constantinople , for giuing way to this proud stile ; his epistles are extant in all hands ; so cleare and conuictiue , as no art of sophistrie can elude them ; wherein hee calls this title ( affected by the said iohn , and cyriacus , after him , ) a new name , a wicked , profane , insolent name , the generall plague of the church , a corruption of the faith , against canons , against the apostle peter , against god himselfe ; as if he could neuer haue branded it enough . and least any man should cauill that this stile is only cryed downe in the bishops of constantinople , which yet might bee iustly claymed by the bishops of rome ; gregorie himselfe meetes with this thought , and answers beforehand ; nunquam pium virum , &c. that neuer any godly man , neuer any of his predecessors vsed those titles ; and , more then so , that whosoeuer shall vse this proud stile , hee is the very fore-runner of antichrist . if in a fore-sight of this vsurpation , gregorie should haue beene hired to haue spoken for vs , against the pride of his following successours ; he could not haue set a keener edge vpon his stile . consonant whereto , it is yet extant in the very canon law ( as quoted by gratian out of the epistle of pope pelagius the second ) vniuersalis autem nec etiam romanus pontifex appelletur ; not the bishop of rome himselfe may bee called vniuersall ; yet how famously is it knowne to all the world , that the same gregories next successour , saue one , boniface the third , obtained this title of vniuersall bishop from the emperour phocas ; which the said emperour gaue him in a spleene against cyriacus patriarch of constantinople , for deliuering constantina the wife of mauritius and her children ; or ( as some others relate it ) vpon a worse occasion : and accordingly , was this haughty title communicated by the same power to the see of rome , and by strong hand euer since maintained . this qualification their register platina confesses , was procured not without great contention . and otho frisingensis fully and ingenuously writeth thus . gregorie departed hence to the lord ; after whom ( the next saue one ) boniface obtained of phocas , that by his authoritie the romane church might bee called the head of all churches ; for at that time the see of constantinople ( i suppose , because of the seat of the empire translated thither ) wrote her selfe the first . thus their bishop otho : now if any man shall think that hence it will yet follow , that the see of rome had formerly enioyed this honour , how euer the constantinopolitan for the present , shouldred with her for it ; let him know the ground of both their challenges , which ( as it was supposed by otho ) so , is fully ( for the satisfaction of any indifferent iudgement ) layd forth in the generall councell of chalcedon . the same ( say those fathers ) we determine of the priuiledges of the most holy church of constantinople , called new rome : for the fathers haue iustly heretofore giuen priuiledge to the throne of old rome , because that citie was then the gouernesse of the world ; and vpon the same consideration were the hundred and fiftie bishops ( men beloued of god ) moued to yeeld equall priuiledges to the throne of new rome , rightly iudging , that this citie , which is honoured with the empire , and senate , and is equally priuiledged with old rome the then queene of the world , should also in ecclesiasticall matters bee no lesse extolled and magnified . thus they . and this act is subscribed , bonifacius presbyter ecclesiae romanae statui & subscripsi . i boniface presbyter of the church of rome haue so determined and subscribed ; ( et caeteri &c. ) and the rest of the bishops of diuers prouinces and cities subscribed . what can be more plaine ? this headship of the bishop was in regard of the see ; and this headship of the see was in regard of the preeminence of the citie ; which was variable , according to the changes of times , or choyce of emperours . but binius wrangleth here ; can we blame him when the free-hold of their great mistresse is so neerely touched ? this act ( saith he ) was not synodicall , as that which was closely and cunningly done , in the absence of the popes legates , and other orthodox bishops , at the instance of anatolius , patriarch of constantinople , an ambitious man , by the easterne bishops only . how can this plea stand with his owne confessed subscription ? besides that their caranza in his abridgement , showes , that this point was long and vehemently canuassed in that councell , betweene lucentius and boniface , legates of the romane church , and the rest of the bishops ; and at last , so concluded , as we haue related ; not indeed without the protestation of the sayd legates , nobis praesentibus & e. the apostolike see must not in our presence be abased : notwithstanding , this act then carried ; and , after this , pope simplicius succeeding to hilarius made a decree to the same purpose , not without allusion to this contention for precedencie , that rome should take place of constantinople : yea , so vtterly vnthought of was this absolute primacie and headship of old ; as that when the roman dition was brought downe to a dukedome , and subiected to the exarchate of rauenna , the arch-bishop of rauenna , vpon the verie same grounds , stucke not ( as blondus tells vs ) to striue with the bishop of rome for prioritie of place . so necessarily was the rising or fall of the episcopall chaire annexed to the condition of that citie , wherein it was fixed . but in all this , we well see , what it is that was stood vpon ; an arbitrable precedencie of these churches , in a prioritie of order ; and according thereunto , the bishop of rome is determined to be primae sedis episcopus , the bishop of the first see. a style , which our late learned soueraigne professed with iustinian not to grudge vnto the moderne bishops of that see ; but as for a primacie of soueraignty ouer all churches , and such an headship , as should enforme , and enliue the body , and gouerne it with * infallible influences , it is so new , and hatefull , as that the church in all ages hath opposed it to the vtmost ; neither will it bee endured at this day by the greeke church , notwithstanding the colourable pretence of subscription hereunto , by their dying patriarch ioseph of constantinople , in the late florentine councell , and the letters of vnion subscribed by them , anno . yea , so farre is it from that , as that their emperour michael paleologus , for yeelding a kinde of subiection of the easterne bishops to the roman , would not bee allowed the honour of christian buriall , as aemilius hath recorded . and in our time basilius the emperour of russia ( which challengeth no small part in the greeke church ) threatned to the popes legate ( as i haue beene informed ) an infamous death , and buriall , if hee offered to set foot in his dominions , out of a iealous hate of this vsurpation . sect . ii. the newnesse of challenged infallibilitie . the particularities of this new arrogation of rome are so many , that they cannot be pent vp in any strait roome . i will only instance in some few . the popes infallibilitie of iudgement is such a paradoxe , as the very histories of all times , and proceedings of the church doth sufficiently conuince . for , to what purpose had all councels beene called ; euen of the remotest bishops , to what purpose were the agitations of all controuersall causes in those assemblies ( as erasmus iustly obserues ) if this opinion had then obtained ? or how came it about that the sentences of some bishops of rome were opposed by other sees ; by the successours of their owne , by christian academies , if this conceit had formerly passed for currant with the world ; how came it to passe , that whole councels haue censured , and condemned some bishops of rome for manifest heresies , if they were perswaded , before hand , of the impossibilitie of those errours : not to speake of honorius , of liberius ▪ and others ; the councell of basil shall be the voyce of common obseruation ; multi pontifices , &c. many popes ( say they ) are recorded to haue falne into errours and heresies : either all stories mocke vs , or else this parasiticall dreame of impeccancie in iudgement , is a meere stranger : and his disguise is so foule , that it is no maruell if ( errare non possum ) ( i cannot erre ) seemed to eberhardus , bishop of saltzburgh , no other then the suit of an antichrist . sect . iii. the newnesse of the popes superioritie to generall councells . how bold and dangerous a noueltie is that which cardinall bellarmine , and with him the whole societie , and all the late fautors of that see ( after the florentine synode ) sticke not to auouch , summus pontifex , &c. the pope is absolutely aboue the whole church , and aboue a generall councell , so as hee acknowledges no iudge on earth ouer himselfe : how would this haue relished with those ( well neere ) a thousand fathers in the councell of constance , who punctually determined thus . ipsa synodus , &c. this synode lawfully assembled in the holy ghost , making a generall councell , representing the catholike church militant vpon earth , hath immediately power from christ ; whereunto euery man , whosoeuer he be , of what state , or dignitie so euer , although he be the pope himselfe , is bound to obey , in those things , which pertaine to faith , or to the extirpation of schisme . and fifteene yeeres after that , the generall councell of basil , wherein was president iulianus cardinal of saint angelo , the popes legate , defined the same matter , in the same words . it is no maruell if cardinall bellarmine , and some others of that strain , reiect these , as vnlawfull councels ; but they cannot deny , first , that this decree was made by both of them ; secondly , that the diuines there assembled , were ( in their allowance ) catholique doctors ; and such as in other points adhered to the roman church ; in so much as they were the men by whose sentence iohn husse , and hierome suffered no lesse then death ; and yet euen so lately did these numerous diuines in the voyce of the church , define the superioritie of a councell aboue the pope ; what speake we of this , when wee finde that the bishops of the east excommunicated in their assembly , iulius the bishop of rome himselfe , amongst others , without scruple , as sozomen reporteth . how ill would this doctrine or practice now bee endured ? in so much as gregorie of valence dare confidently say , that whosoeuer he be that makes a councel superior to the pope , fights directly ( though vnawares ) against that most certaine point of faith concerning saint peters , and the romane bishops primacie in the church . sect . iv. the new presumption of papall dispensations . from the opinion of this supereminent power hath flowed that common course of dispensations with the canons and decrees of councells , which hath beene of late a great eye-sore to moderate beholders . franciscus à victoria makes a wofull complaint of it , professing to doubt whether in the end of the the yeere , there bee more that haue leaue by this meanes to breake the lawes , then those that are tied to keepe them . thereupon wishing ( for remedy ) that there were a restraint made of those now-boundlesse dispensations ; and at last , obiecting to himselfe that such a decree of restriction would bee new , and not heard of in any former councell , hee answers ; ( tempore conciliorum antiquorum , &c. ) in the time of the ancient councels , popes were like to the other fathers of those councells , so as there was no need of any act for holding them backe from this immoderate licence of dispensing ; yea , if wee doe well turne ouer the lawes , and histories of the ancient , wee shall find that popes did not presume so easily , and commonly , to dispense with decrees of councels , but obserued them as the oracles of god himselfe : yea , not onely did they forbeare to doe it ordinarily , but perhaps not once did they euer dispense at all , against the decrees of councels ; but now ( saith he ) by little , and little , are we growne to this intemperance of dispensations , and to such an estate as that wee can neither abide our mischiefes , nor our remedies . thus that learned spanyard , in an honest confession of the degenerate courses of the late popes from the simple integritie of their predecessours . what should i adde vnto these the presumptuous dispensations with vowes , and oathes , with the lawes of god himselfe , with the law of nature ; a priuiledge ordinarily both yeelded , and defended by flattering canonists ; and that which meets with vs , at euerie turne , in hostiensis , archidiaconus , felinus , capistranus , triumphus , angelus de clauasio , petrus de ancorano , panormitan , as is largely particularized by our learned bishop of dery . sect . v. the new challenge of popes dominering ouer kings and emperours . i may well shut vp this scene , with that notorious innouation of the popes subducing himselfe from the due obedience of his once-acknowledged lord , and soueraigne , and endeuouring to reduce all those imperiall powers , to his homage , and obedience . the time was , when pope gregorie could say to mauritius , vobis obedientiam praebere desidero ; i desire to giue you due obedience : and when pope leo came with cap and knee , to theodosius , for a synod to be called , with clementia vestra concedat , as cardinall cusanus cites it , from the historie ; the time was , when ( nemo apostolicae &c. ) no man did offer to take vpon him the steering of the apostolike barke , till the authoritie of the emperour had designed him , as their balbus out of their owne law. that of pope gregorie is plaine enough , ecce serenissimus , &c. behold ( saith he , speaking of his owne aduancement to the bishopricke of rome ) our gracious lord the emperour hath commanded an ape to be made a lion ; and surely at his command it may be called a lion , but it cannot be one ; so as hee must needs lay all my faults and negligences , not vpon mee , but vpon his owne pietie , which hath committed this ministerie of power to so weake an agent . the time was when the popes of rome dated their apostolique letters with the style of the raigne of their lords , the emperours ; now , euer since pope paschal , they care onely to note the yeere of their owne apostleship , or papacie . the time was , when the holy bishops of that see professed to succeed saint peter in homely simplicitie , in humble obedience , in pietie , in zeale , in preaching , in teares , in sufferings ; now since , the case is altered ; the world sees , and blushes at the change ; for now ( quanta inter solem & lunam , &c. ) looke how much the sunne is bigger then the moone ; so much is the papall power greater then the imperiall ; now , papa est dominus imperatoris ; the pope is the emperours lord ( saith their capistranus ) and the emperour is subiect to the pope as his minister or seruant , saith triumphus , and lest this shold seem the fashionable word of some clawing canonist only , heare what pope adrian himselfe saith , vnde habet , &c. whence hath the emperour his empire , but from vs ? all that hee hath , hee hath wholly from vs , behold it is in our power to giue it , to whom we list . and to the same purpose is that of pope innocent the fourth , imperator est aduocatus , &c. the emperour is the popes aduocate , and sweares to him , and holds his empire of him . but perhaps this place is yet too high for an emperour ; a lower will serue ; fit canonicus , &c. the emperour is ( of course ) made a canon , and brother of the church of lateran . yet lower ; he shall be the sewer of his holinesses table , and set on the first dish , and hold the basin for his hands . yet lower , he shall be the train-bearer to the pope in his walking processions . he shall be the quirie of his stable , and hold his stirrope in getting vp on his horse : he shal be , lastly , his very porter to carrie his holinesse on his shoulder . and all this , not out of will , but out of dutie . where now is augustus ab augendo , as almain deriues him , when he suffers himselfe thus diminished . although there is more wonder in the others exaltation ; papae ! men are too base to enter into comparison with him , his authoritie is more then of the saints in heauen , saith one , yet more , hee excelleth the angels in his iurisdiction ; saith another , yet , more once . the pope seemes to make one and the same consistory with god himselfe ; and , which comprehends all the rest , tues omnia , & super omnia ; thou art all , and aboue all , as the councell of lateran vnder iulius . oh strange alteration , that the great commanders of the world should be made the drudges of their subiects , that order and soueraigntie should leese themselues in a pretence of pietie ! that the professed successor of him that said , gold and siluer haue i none , should thus trample vpon crownes ; that a poore silly worme of the earth should rayse vp it selfe aboue all that is called god , and offer to crawle into the glorious throne of heauen . chap. xviii . the epilogue both of exhortation and apologie . not to wearie my reader with more particularities of innouation ; let now all christians know , and be assured , that such change as they sensibly find in the head , they may as truly ( though not so visibly ) note in the bodie of the roman church , yea rather in that soule of religion , which informeth both : and if thereupon , all our endeuour ( as we protest before god , and his holy angels ) hath beene , and is , only , to reduce rome to it selfe ; that is , to recall it to that originall truth , pietie , synceritie , which made it long famous through the world , and happy , how vniustly are we eiected , persecuted , condemned ? but , if that ancient mistresse of the world shall stand vpon the termes of her honour , and will needs plead the disparagement of her retractations , and the age and authoritie of these her impositions , let me haue leaue to shut vp all , with that worthy and religious contestation of saint ambrose , with his symmachus . that eloquent patron of idolatry had pleaded hard for the olde rites of heathenisme ; and brings in ancient rome speaking thus , for her selfe ▪ optimi principes , &c. excellent princes , the fathers of your countrey , reuerence yee my yeares , into which my pious rites haue brought me : i will vse the ceremonies of my ancestors , neither can i repent mee . i will liue after mine own fashion , because i am free . this religion hath brought the world vnder the subiection of my lawes ; these sacred deuotions haue driuen hannibal from our walles , from our capitoll ; haue i beene preserued for this , that in mine old age i should be reproued ? say , that i did see what were to bee altered , yet late and shamefull is the amendement of age . to which that holy father no lesse wittily and elegantly answers , by way of retortion , bringing in rome to speake thus , rather . i am not ashamed in mine old age to be a conuert , with all the rest of the world. it is surely true , that in no age it is too late to learne . let that olde age blush that cannot mend it selfe ; it is not the grauitie of yeares , but of manners , that deserues prayse . it is no shame to goe to the better ; and when symmachus vrges ( maiorum seruandus est ritus ) wee must obserue the rites of our forefathers ; dicant igitur , ( saith saint ambrose ) let them as well say , that all things should remayne in their owne imperfect principles , that the world once ouer-couered with darknesse , offends in being shined vpon by the glorious brightnesse of the sunne ; and how much more happie is it , to haue dispelled the darknesse of the soule , then of the bodie ; to bee shined vpon by the beames of faith , then of the sunne . thus he ; most aptly to the present occasion ; wherto did that blessed father now liue , he would doubtlesse , no lesse readily apply it : nec erubescas mutare sententiam , saith hierome to his ruffinus , neuer blush to change your minde ; you are not of such authoritie as that you should bee ashamed to confesse you haue erred : oh that this meeke ingenuitie could haue found place in that once famous , and orthodoxe church of christ ; how had the whole christian world beene as a citie at vnitie in it selfe , and triumphed ouer all the proud hostilities of paganisme ? but , since wee may not bee so happie , wee must sit downe ; and mourne for our desolations , for our diuisions . in the meane time wee wash our hands in innocence . there are none of all these instanced particulars ( besides many more ) wherein the church of rome hath not sensibly erred in corrupt additions to the faith ; so as herein wee may iustly ( before heauen and earth ) warrant our disagreement of iudgement from her . the rest is their act , and not ours ; wee are meere patients in this schisme ; and therfore go , because we are driuen ; that we hold not communion with that church , the fault is theirs ; who both haue deserued this strangenesse by their errours , and made it by their violence ; contrarie to that rule which cato in tully giues of vnpleasing frendship , they haue not ript it in the seame , but torn it in the whole cloth . perhaps , i shall seeme vnto some , to haue spoken too mildly , of the estate of that debauched church : there are that stand vpon a meere nullitie of her being , not resting in a bare deprauation ; for mee , i dare not goe so farre : if she be foule , if deadly diseased ( as she is ) these qualities cannot vtterly take of her essence , or our relations . our diuines indeed call vs out of babylon , and wee run ; so as here is an actuall separation , on our parts ; true , but from the corruptions ( wherein there is a true confusion ) not from the church ; their verie charge implies their limitation ; as it is babylon , we must come out of it , as it is an outward visible church , we neither did , nor would : this dropsie , that hath so swolne vp the body , doth not make it cease to bee a true body , but a sound one . the true principles of christianitie , which it maintaines , maintaine life in that church ; the errors which it holds , together with those principles , struggle with that life , and threaten an extinction : as it is a visible church then , we haue not detrected to hold communion with it ( though the contemptuous repulse of so many admonitions haue deserued our alienation ) as babylon , wee can haue nothing to doe with it . like as in the course of our life ; we freely conuerse with those men in ciuill affaires , with whom we hate to partake in wickednesse . but will not this seeme to sauour of too much indifferencie ? what need wee so vehemently labour to draw from either part , and triumph in winning proselytes ; and giue them for lost , on either side , and brand them for apostates that are won away ; if ( which way so euer we fall ) wee cannot light out of a true visible church of christ ? what such necessitie was there of martyrdome , what such danger of relapses , if the church bee with both . let these sophisters know , that true charitie needs not abate any thing of zeale . if they bee acquainted with the iust value of truth , they shall not enquire so much into the persons , as into the cause . what euer the church be , if the errours be damnable , our bloud is happily spent in their impugnation ; and wee must rather chuse to vndergoe a thousand deaths , then offend the maiestie of god , in yeelding to a knowne falshood in religion ; neither doth the outward visibilitie of the church abate ought of the hainousnesse of mis-opinions , or the vehemence of our oppositions . were it saint peter himselfe , if hee halt in iudaizing , saint paul must resist him to his face ; neither is his fault lesse , because an apostles : yea , let me say more ; were the church of rome , and ours , layd vpon seuerall foundations , these errours should not be altogether so detestable , since the symbolizing in many truths makes grosse errours more intolerable , as the samaritan idolatrie was more odious to the iewes then meerely paganish : if the dearest daughter of god vpon earth should commit spirituall whoredome , her vncleannesse is so much more to be hated , as her obligations were greater . oh the glorious crownes therfore of those blessed martyrs of ours , who rather gaue their bodies to bee burnt to ashes , then they would betray any parcell of diuine truth . oh the wofull and dangerous condition of those soules , which shutting their eyes against so cleere a light , either willingly sit downe in palpable darknesse , or fall backe from the sincerity of the gospel into these miserable enormities both of practice and doctrine . it is not for me to iudge them ; that , i leaue vnto that high and awfull tribunall , before which i shall once appeare with them ; but this i dare say , that if that righteous iudge shall punish either their obstinacie , or relapses with eternall damnation , he cannot but bee iustified in his iudgements , whiles in the midst of their torments , they shall bee forced to say , thou , o god , art iust in all that is befalne vs ; for thou hast done right , but we haue done wickedly . for vs , as wee would saue our soules , let vs carefully preserue them from the contagion of romish superstition ; let vs neuer feare that our discretion can hate errour too much ; let vs awaken , our holy zeale to a serious and feruent opposition , ioyned with a charitable endeuour of reclamation . shortly , let vs hate their opinions , striue against their practice , pittie their mis-guiding ▪ neglect their censures , labour their recouerie , pray for their saluation . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ioh. . . adrichoni descr . hiero fol. fig. ● . faciunt fau● ; & v●s●e faciunt ecclesias & marcionitae . ter tull . aduer . marcion . l. . c . ecclesiae nomen consensus , concordiaeque est chrysost . com . in ep. ad gal. sit inter nes vna fides & illico pax sequetur hier. aduers . ruff. erasm . epist . l. . paulo decimario . . cor. . cantic . . vlt. victor . perser . afric . l. . spalat . de hist . eccles . tom . vlt. lib. . melanct. postill . de baptismo chri. diog laert. hooker . eccles . pol. l . §. . comment . in euang. saepe . patres nostri & saluberrimam consuetudinem tenuerunt vt quicquid diuinum ac legitimum , &c. aug-neque propter paleam relinquimus aream domini , neque propter pisees malos rumpimus retia domini aug , epist . sic anabaptistae accusant paedobaptismum . papismi cliston , contr . smith . sic neariani trinitatem arguunt & articulum papae . probant· fascic· c. . nos fatemur sub papatu plurimum esse boni christiani , imo omne bonum christianum ; dico insuper & imo vero verum nucleum christianitatis . luther . in epist . ad . pleb . de anabapt . cit●a cromero de falsa relig . lutheran . aliud est credere quod papa credit , aliud credere quod est papae . prolaeus . ibid. vbi supr . euseb . de vita constantini . l. . c. . iustin . tit. . §. . annot. in leg . . tan. magistris vtentes ambitione & auaritiá bern , ad henric senonensem . quae fuerant vitia , mores fiunt . ger● . de negligentia prae●atorum . ex seuet . grauam . germ. matth. . . per disciplinam & ●e●um , nun ●u imsponia . ●en . corrigenda & ●eformanda est ecclesiastica disciplina quae iam diu deprauata atque corrup . &c. orat. praesid . conc . trid ses . prim or dia cuncta pauida sunt . cassiod . luther offered . conclus . to be disputed at wittenb . io. tecelius . offers the contrarie propos . at francfort . vid. hist . conc. trid. lib. . lutherus , &c. ita venio beatissime pater , &c. et adhuc prostratus rogo , &c. epi. ad leonem ▪ ibid. lut. eckius & siluester pieríus write ag . luth. vid. histor . conc trid. saepe solutisue repestifera . ser iames hogo strata dominican inquisitor stirs vp pope leo to capitall punishments of luther and his followers . ibid hist . concil . a primordio iustitiam vim patitur statim vt coli deus coepit inuidiam religio sortita est . tert. scorpiac . aduers . gnostic . c. . bapt. porta . leonis bulla . anno . punitis ingenijs gliscit authoritas . erasm . godesch . rosemund . non defuisse magnos theologos qui non verebantur affirmare nihil esse in luthero quin per probatos authores defendi possit . eras . lib. epist . . godeschalco rosemund , &c. theod. bez ▪ contr . andreā , &c. vid. histor , conc . trid. l. . hulr . zu●ng●●us in eccl. zurich . opon●● se tratij sampsoni mediolan . francis . hugo constantiens . episco●us opponit se zuin glio . ibid. bullasecunda leonis papae . an. . anna. . vid. histor. concil . trid. l. . tres salui-conductus concessi protestantibus , sed quam frustra . vid. iunij animaduersiones in bellar. * vid epist . epi. q●inque eccles . in histor . concil trid. iudicandi potestas apud accusatores erat . ruffin . hist . l . cap. . ● . q. mu●t● , &c. . q. . nullus debet . sententia non praesentibus partibus dicta nullius moment● est cassiod . de amicit . c . nullus ante rectam cognitionem causae debet priuari suo iure . rodriguez . cas . cons . c. . cum carpuntur vitia & inde scandalum orituripso sibi scandali causa est qui fecit quod argui debet , non ille qui arguit . bernard . ad hug. de sancto vict ▪ epist . . nos vetera in stauramus , noua non prodimus eras . godeschalco , &c. vide . fregeu●llij politique reforme . an. . haeresia non tam docent credere , noua , quam vetera non credere : magis enim heresis in non credendo . ioan. lensaeus bellidanus de christiana libert l. . c. . durand . ration . lib. ; fisher . contr . d. white , & d. featly . accuatio non debet admitti quae non procedit ex charitate . qu. . nec inficior rom. ecclesiam à prisco suo decore & splendore non parum diuersam , multisque morbis , & vitijs deformatam . cassde offic. boni vir , &c. vtilia vero & nolenti ingerenda . bern. de vita solit. lutherus porrexit orbi pharmacum violentum & amarum ; id quale , quale sit optarim vt aliquid bonae sanitatis , &c. eras . georgio saxon. duci . l. . nouis morbis nouis obuiandum medicamentis . bern. ep . . dulcior est religiosa castigatio , quam blanda remissio . ambr. in obit . theodosser . . non fu●us sed 〈◊〉 . ●aus●●b . ad per●n . qui ab ecclesia & communio ●● , &c. cyrill , orat . de exitis animae . opertebat quidem nihil non ferre ne ecclesiam deiscinderes . di●●● . ad nouat euseb . l. s. c. . &c. qui statum conturbat ecclesiae ab eius liminibus arceatur . . epist . alexand . pap. ingenia generosa doceri capiunt , cogi non ferunt ; cogere tyrannorum est , cogi tantum asinorum . eras . rosumdauo . vbi supra . cauendum est ne cum r●m dubiam emendare volumus maiora vulnera faciamus . alip . aug. epist , . index expurgat . belg. iussu phil. . antwerp . offic. plaut . in catholicis veteribus alios plurimos , &c. magdeb , cent. . quae 〈◊〉 deprauata atque corr●sp●a , ●arum 〈…〉 haere●●●m magna ex pa●● causa origoque●x●iti● . ore● , praes , cone . trid. sess . . pe●●us oxon. sum . concil . sub sixto . si authoritas quaer . tur . orbis 〈◊〉 est vr●●e 〈…〉 fuerit 〈…〉 romae , siue eu●●●lij hic 〈…〉 ●gria . 〈◊〉 d●ctr . fid . tem. ●● p●s●us . hierar . eccl. l. . . turrect● 〈◊〉 , & alij vid. mart. 〈◊〉 . lib. . c. . §. . answer of the bishop of s. dauids chapl. to fisher . nec papa , nec episcopus proprie potest propositionem alihaereticare , gers . an liceat in causis fidei , &c. nil . thessal . orat . de dissens . is proprie haereticus dicitur qui suo ipsius iudicio condemnatus s●● sponte seipsum eijcit ab ecclesia . hosius de legitimis iudicibus rerum , ecclesias●icarum . l. . * subesse romano , &c. extr. de maior . & obe● . vnam , &c. t s●lu . prier . epitom . resp . ad luther . l. . c. . nilus imputat diuisiones orbis christiani praesumptioni romanae ecclesiae , quae susceperit in se absque graecis definire de rebus fidei , & contra sentientes anathema te ferire . orat. de dissens . eccles . ego si peregrinum dogma induxero ipse peccaui , bern. in cant. ser . . cit. demosth . annotat. in leg . . tab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . modest . annot. ibid. card. de monte praes . concil . orat. sua . sess . . professes what they meant to haue dispatcht in . dayes ; cost seuen moneths worke . vnica formalis causa est iu●titia dei non qua ipsa iustus est , sed qua nos iustos facit , &c. concil . trid. sess . . secundum propriam cuiusque dispositionem & cooperationem . ibid. si quis dixerit , &c. per eam ipsam for maliter iustos esse . vel sola imputatione iustitiae christi , vel sola remissione peccatorum &c. anathema sit . can. . . nunquam remittetur culpa quin fimul insundatur iustitia . bell. l. . de iustificat . c. . perfecta sunt opera dei ex deuter. . bellarm . l. . de iustif . c. . iustitiam in nobis recipientes vnusquisque suam secundum mensuram quam spiritus sanctus partitur singulis prout vult , & secundum propriam cuiusque dispositionem . conc. trid. vbi supra . forense vocab . iustif . verbum iustificandi in alia significatione vfurpant patres . chemnit . exam de iustif . causa formalis propter quam homo dicitur iustus coram deo , bell. l. . de iustif . c. . yet in the next chapter he corrects this propter in chemnitius ; and expresses it by per. l. . c. . chrysost . in gen. hom . . o miserecordiae magnitudinem , &c. repenteque iustus apparet . chrys . in galat. c. . crux sustulit execrationem fides inuexit iustitiam iustitiam iustitia vero gratiam spiritus allexit . ambros . de iacob . & vita beata . non operibus iustificamur sed fide , quoniam carnalis infirmitas , &c. ibid. c. . non gloriabor quia mens , &c. similiter de cain & abel . l. . c. . de fuga , sec . c. & . hieron . aduers . pelag. l. . tunc iusti sumus imperfectos nos , &c. gregor . in ezech . hom . . ad finem iustus igitur aduocatus noster , &c. ergo fratres , omnes de plenitudine eius accepimus , de pl●nitudine miserecordiae , &c. quid ? remissionem peccatorum vt iustificaremur ex fide , august . tract . . in ioannem· omnes qui ex adam cum peccato , peccatores omnes qui per christum iustificati , iusti non in se , sed in illo . nam in se si interroges adam sunt &c. ibid. august . laetamini &c. o qui laetamini in vobis , o impij , o superbi qui laetamini in vobis ; iam credentes in eum qui iustificat impium , &c. aug. . enarrat in psal . . quis accusauit , &c. sufficit mihi ad omnem iustitiam solum habere propitiū cui soli peccaui . omne quod &c. non peccare dei iustitia est : hominis iustitia indulgentia dei , bern. in cantic . ser . . et si miserecordia domini , &c. nunquid iustitias meas . domine memorabor iustitae ●ue soli●es , &c. non est pallium breue , &c. et te pariter & me operiet largiter larga & aeterna iustitia , &c. bern. sup . cant. serm . . bellarm. de iustif . l . c. . & l. . c. . qui liber ab omnibus eruditoribus theologis etiam per italiam & galliam summope●e commendatus fui● , &c. cass . consult . art. . nos dicimus hominem per fidem donum iustificationis tum demum accipere , &c. enchirid . colon. can. loc . com . l. . c. . res . haec de caiet . quò iuniores , cò perspicaciores . salmer . in rom. . disput . . haereses non tam nouitas quam veritas reuincit . tertull . de veland . virgin. iob . , . prou. . . eccles . . . psal . . . psal , . . esa . . . rom. . . iam. . . ioh. , . acts . . rom. . . ephes . . , . rom . . rom. . . cor. . . philip. . . rom. . rom. . cor. . . cor. . . rom. . . rom. . ad haec vide . gen. . . esa . . . esa . . . esa . . . rom. . . & . . rom. . . rom , . rom. . . & . rom. . . . rom . rom. . , . cor. . gal. . . gal. . . gal. . . . . non maius est creare coelum & terram quàm peccatores iustificare . gers . tract . sup . magnificat . . bern. de verbis esai . ser . . hieron . ad ctesiphontem . hieron . de filio prodigo . bern. in cantic . ser . . iustitia actualis imperfecta &c. non desinit tamen esse vera iustitia , & suo quodam modo perfecta . bell. de iustif . l. . c. . aug. ad hieron . ep . . concil . trid. sess . . c. . can . . si quis &c. augmentum gratiae , vitam aeternam , & ipsius vitae aeternae consecutionem anathema sit , &c. o foelix culpa quae talem meruit habere saluatorem , ecclesia cauit in benedictione cerei . salm. in tim. . apostoli à suis ciuibus occidi meruerunt , aug. in psal . . maiorest mea iniquitas quàm vt veniam merear . gen. . vulg. tral . vid. mort. appell . manet sempiterna requies , &c. basil . in psal . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. veteres omnes summo consensu tradunt , &c. cassand . consult . de bonis quaest . neque ab hac &c. scholastici scriptores & recentiores ecclesiastici , &c. tho. wald. tom . . sacr . tit. . c. . thomas wald. praeclarus wicklifistarum impugnator . andr. vega. l. . de causis iustif . c. . royard . tom . . dominic . . post pentecost . luc. . , . rom. . . ephes . . . rom. . . tit. . . rom. . . alex. pesaut . m. . ae . qu. . artic. . disp . . gloria est gratia consummata . p. ferius specim . schol. orth. c. . cor. . . pesaut . in . . th. q. . art . . valor physicus & entitatiu●●s operum christi , &c. absit vt iusti vitam aeternam expectent sicut pauper eleemosynam . ruard . tap. ex artic. colon. aug. de verb. apost . ser . . fons idolomaniarum transsubstan . melanct . ad amicum , . boxhorn . isag . ad concord . l. . fox acts and mon. passim . 〈…〉 , &c concil . t●●d . de transsub . c. . ca● . . in syraxi s●ro ●ran subsia●tiationem de fi●●●it ecclesia . diu satis erat credere , siue sub pa●e consecra●o , si●e qu●cunque modo adesse verum corpus christi , eras . annot. in cor. . bellar. de euchar . l. . c. . ibid. bellar. consitente etiam suarez . saltem ab annis ●●●●ngentis dog●a ●ranssub . 〈◊〉 anathemate ●●b●●tum . bell. de euch. l. . c. . concil . florent . ●●ss . vlt. se firmiter credere verbis illis dominicis sacramentum fieri , ibid. sess . vlt. act. theol. wittenberg . ann. . whitak . contr . ●ur . l. ● . fol. . ignat. ad smyr . iren. l. . cont . haeres . tertull. de resur . orig. hom . . in diuer . loc . cyprian . de coena dom. basil . in reg . breu . q. . greg. nyssen . in ca●echet . cyrill hierosol . cat. myst . . hilar. l. . de trinit . ambr. de sacr . l. . c. . & greg. naz. in epit. gorgon . epiph. in anch. chrys . hom . in cor. cyril alex. epist ▪ ad caelesyrium . aug. in psal . . 〈◊〉 ad hedib . theodor. dial . i. eoser . . de ieiunio . damas . l. de fid . orth . theophylact. in luc . et quidem mutatur ; est enim alia elementi natura , sacramentialia . eliens . cont . bell. bellar. de euchar . l. . c. . bish . mortons appell . gel●s . pap. de duabus christ . nat . biblioth . patr. tom. . august . in psal . . non hoc ipsum corpus quod videtis &c. neque hunc ipsum sanguinem , &c. sacramentum vobis aliquod com . &c. vbi slagitiam , &c. aug. de doctrin . christ . l. . c. . tertull. contr . marcionem . l. . theoder dial . & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. carnale est dubitare quo modo de coelo descendit , &c. & quomodo possit carnem suam dare ad mandecandum ; haec inquam omnia carnalia , quae mystica & s●iritaliter intelligenda sunt . chrys . in cap. . ioan. hom . simpliciter vt res dicuntur neque aliud quippiam excogitare , &c. ibid. in iliud si quis dixerit contra filium h●m ▪ a contr. tryphon . b hom. . in leuit. c de coena dom. d in epitaph . caesarij , & ad ciues nazaian . e l. de baptis . f in esa . . g lib. . de trin. h in ioan. l. . c. . i hom. . k lib. de corp. & sang. &c. albin . in ioa ● . c. . dentibus premat , &c. sicu● etiam a●te nos intellexerunt homines dei. ibid. ioh. . . anno . iohn . . iohn . . . cor. . . mat. . . marke . . luc. . . . cor. . . heb. . . acts . . mat. . . aug. de vtil . cred . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . quod cum affi●matur negatur impossibile & ●t implicat contradictio●●● ca●●●n in ●●p●●c . contra●●● . spatia locorum tolle corpuribus aug. ep. . nicetas . in nazianz . orat. de pontec . quidam ne cogitatione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. sic & aug. tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus , &c. nam siverè sectionem & partitionem diuina natura reciperet , &c. cyrill . alex. tom . dialog . de trin. lib ▪ . resp . ad epist . viri docti . constant . synod . sess . . inter alia , propter periculum effusionis . io. de burgo . . partis cap. . ibid. cassand . consult . de vtraque spec . sacr . &c. liturg. basil . & chrysost . vid. cassand . consult . vbi supra . in epist . ad philadelph . lib. ep. . lib. de coena dom . quaest . in leuit . . grat. decret . de consecrat . dist . . c. . comperimus . diuisio vnius eiusdem mysterij non sine grandi sacrilegio potest peruenire . etsi . christus dominus , &c. non tamen illa institutio & traditio eo tendunt vt omnes christi fideles statuto domini ad vtramque speciem accipiendam astringantur , &c. concil . trid. sess . . sub pio anno cap. . . cor. . . nihil differt sacerdos à subdito quando fruendum est mysterijs , chrysost . . cor. . . gal. . . doct. white cont . fisherum . macarium in altare insult asse , mensam domini euertisse , socrat. l. . c. · chrys . in ps . . concil . trid. sess . . c. . can . . verum , proprium propitiatorium , &c. in lib. sent . prosp. hom. . ad hebr. prece mystica consecratur nobis in memoria dominicae passionis . lomb. sent . l. . d. . cassand . consult . de sacrificio . et ibidem , hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius . chrys . vbi supra . si qu●s dixerit missae sacrificium antum esse laudis & tiarum actionis , &c. sess . . cap. . heb. . . co● tri● . sess . cap. . heb. . . verse , . verse , . sola offerendi ratione diuersa . ibid. concil . trid heb. . . cassand . consult . de sacrif . bell. l. . de missa , cap. . io ▪ de burg . partis c. . de ministratione euch. salmer . tom. . tract . . an euchar. sit proprie sacrificium . cor. . . epist . epiphan . inter opera hierom. &c. quae contra religionem nostram veniunt , &c. biblioth . patr. ●om . . greg epi●t . l. . epist . . indict . cassand . consult . ● . artic. de cultu imag. rog. houeden . part. annal . anno . fol. vid . binium in vita constantini p. beda eccles . hist . angl. l. . c. . &c. m azorius institut . l. . c. . cites for this opinion . alex. p. . q. . memb . . art . . albert. . d. . art . . bonauent . . d. . q. richard. . d. . art . q . palud . . d. . q. . marsil . . q. . henriq . quod· lib. q. . cent. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sept . simulachr . vers . acts . . & . . . cor. . . . iohn . . leuit. . . deut . . esay . . & . . mich . . abac. . , . zach. . esay . & ● . . & & verse , , . & esay . . ier. . & . . & . . ezec. . . & & . . . ezec. . . ose . , . mic. . . deut. . . durand . ration . l. . c. . ex his & similibus anthoritatibus reprobatur ●imius imaginem vsus . . pet. . . we turne it well abhominable idolatries . greg. val. l. . apol. de idol . c. . neque absurde profecto putaueris . b. patrum insinuauisse cultum aliquem simulachrorum rectum esse , &c. contra herbrandum . esay . . deut. . . esay . . si quis puram creaturam propter quamcunque excellentiam colit cultu & honore maiori quam puro humano , culius hic iam accedit ad cultum religiosum & per cons . ad diuinum spalat . de rep. eccl. l. . c. . sed neque elias adorandus est , etiamsi in viuis sit , neque ioannes adorandus , &c. epiphan . cont . collyrid . her . . acts . reuel . . diog. laert. per illa colitur deus less . de iure , &c. de relig . l. . . dub . cassand . cons . art. . nos non dico martyrio reliquias &c. hier. ad riparium . his●●● ▪ concil . tr●● . l. . de'vanit . scient . c. . de inuent . rep . lib. . c. . dies indulgentiam referuntur ad poenitentias pro vita iniunctas . gers . reg . moral . greg. de val. & bellar. l. . de indulgent . chemn . exam. de indulgen . c. . ibid. * for well-neere a thousand two hundred yeares . bellar. lib. . de indulgent . c. . aug. enchir. c. . de ciuit. dei , l. . c. . quicquid sit quod illo significatur sum abbrabae confess . l. c. . serm. de temp. . qui cum christo regnare non meruerit , cum diabolo absque dubitatione peribit &c. ibid. and the like de civitate dei , l. . cap. . cypr. contra demetrian . ad finem . hic etiam nobis est . prompta medela , post autem clausa est omnis medicina salutis . naz. car. de rebus suis . carm. . fig. . c. ambros . orat . de obitu theodos . ad medium , &c. eras . epist . l. . hier. agathio . esay . . esay . . psal . . . . iohn . . mat. . . mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & c· iohn . . . cor. . . wisd . . . verse . reuel . . . collegia clericorum & conuentus religiosorum aspergunt & incensant corpus papae , & absoluunt . sacr. cerem . cai●t . in . cor. . ex hac paul● doctrina h●betur quod ●●eli●s ad aedis●●ation . in ecclesiae est orationes publicas quae audiente po●u●● dicantur dici lingua communi clericis & po●ulo quàm dici latine . lyr. ibid. concil . later . anno . thom. aquinin● cor. c. . nec lingua vulgaris populo subtracta est , sed populus ab e a recessit . eras . declarat . ad censur . purif . tit . . sect . . bed histor . l. . longaeuae 〈…〉 non 〈…〉 ritas 〈…〉 con●uet , &c . cor. . , verse . verse . verse . verse . verse . verse . salmeron in illa vos estis sal terrae . ex lactanctio . laurent . presbyt . pisanus , paradox . euangelic . quid prodest fons signatus ? i●c . graph. decis . aur . sylu quaest . . artic. . concil . trid. si quis dixerit in sacram. poenitentiae ad remissionem , &c. anath . &c. sess . . gloss . grat. de poenit. dist . . c. in poenitentia . graeci solummodo deo confitendum dicunt . de poenit . d. . multa alia & magni ponderis emendata sunt . in notis ibid. bellar. de poenit . l. . c. . in annot. hier. ad ocean . in notis tertull. de poenitent . &c. de presbyt . poenitentiarijs , vide socrat. l. . c. . beat. rhenan . argum. in tert. de poenitentia . argentoratum , &c. iohn . . iames . . acts . . iohn . . mat. . . rom. . . chrys . in ps . . sayr . summa cas . nauar. isaac . syr. presb . antiochen . de contempt . mundi . &c. cassand . consult . art. de confess . lind. pan●pl . l . c●ss . ibid. resp . ad fisherum . spalat . de resp . eccl. l. . c. . § . rex iacob . praemonit . ad principes , &c. niceph. l. . c. . ecclesiae catholicae commodissima , ibid. ios . scalig. notis in nouum test . stap. l. de author . scr . chrysost . homil. de poenitentia , hom . . which place , the margine of the latine edition of venice , set forth by the authoritie of the inquisition , tels vs , ( and wee must beleeue it ) makes nothing against inuocation of saints . vide ibid. spalat . l. . c. . § . gul. altis . in . sent . &c. dea , primas coeli , &c. praecipe angelis vt nos custodiant . in rosar . canon . reg. anonym . diuidunt coram patre inter se mater & silius pietatis officia , & condunt inter se reconciliationis nostrae inuiolabile testamentum . arnold . carnot . de laudibus . virg . lud. viues in aug. de ciuitat . dei l. . c. vlt. nam & plebem rudiorem religiose &c. et magis plurimos interne religioso affectu erga beatam virg . &c. quam erga christum , spalat . de re. eccl. l. . c. . s . . ego certè ab autiquitate non recedo nisi coactus zanch. in coloss . iob . , verse . eccles . . , verse . esay . . . kings . . august . de cura pro●n ort . gerend . cap. . hieron . in eccles . . ad fin . psal . . . psal . ● . . & , . . & . prou. . & . . & . . ier. . . & . . & . . . kings . . psal . . . . tim. . . ephes . . ● . heb. . . hugo de sancto vict. de sacr . l summa caranzae , &c. concil . trid. cess . can. . cassand . consult . art. . de numero sacr . luther de capti●●t . babyl . i● loc . com . cass●● l. ibid. thus all antiquitie runnes upon two . ●em recognit . 〈◊〉 . a● tertull de 〈◊〉 milit. & 〈…〉 . epist . . 〈…〉 august , &c. suar. tom. . disp . ● . s . . vid mort. ap●ell . l. . c. . §. . marc. . . iames . franc. iun. animadu . in bellar. l. de verb. dei. . . cor. . . verse , . verse . &c. concil . trid. sess . . in his rebus de quibus nihil certi flatuit scriptura diuina , mos populi dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt . august . epist . . aug. l. . de doctrina christ . c. in his quae apertè posita sunt in scriptura inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viueundi . bell. l. . de verb. dei. . . athanas . l. . cont . gent. initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. sufficiunt per se vertit nannius . tert. lib. aduers . hermogenem . . tim , . . bellar. de verbo dei , l. . c. . . tim. . . . tim. . . prou. . , . psal . . , . matth. . . epiphan . in haeres . ptolom . hieron . in c. . isa . et in epist . ad algas . q. . matth. . , , . serious disswasiue , &c. haereseos mater est principatus cupiditas , chrysost . in gal. . neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum episcoporum se constituit , aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem suos , adigit . orat . cypr. in syn. greg. epist . l. . epist . . & . et lib. . ep. . nouum , scelestum , profanum , &c. et lib. . epist . . . &c. nunquam pium virum huiusmodi titulis vsum esse , &c. nullum praedecessorum meorum , &c. pelag. . omnibus episcopis illicite à ioanne & decret . p. . dist . . c. . nullus , &c. baron . an. . plat. in vita bonif . . gregorius migra●it ad dominum , &c. a quo , &c. vt ipsius authoritate , &c. otho frising . l. . c. . concil . . gener. act. . seuer . bin. in notis concil . chalced. caranz . epitom . concil . sedes apostolica nobis praesentibus humiliari non debet . ibid. constantinopolitano , episcopo damnato ecclesia●um omnium primam esse romanam , caranz . epit. concil . carthag . . can. . de●r . p. . d. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pri●●●eg●um concessum à iustiniano . s●ncimus senior● rome papam primum esse omnium sacerdo●●m . praerog . ante alios refidendi . cod. de sacr●s . eccl. decernimi●s . * inf●uentia vitae . capistran . inf●uentia regiminis . august . triumph . bin. in concil . florent . p. emyl . hist . gall. multi pontifices in errores & haereses lapsi esse leguntur concil . basil . in ep. synod . auentin . l. . bell. l. . de concil . c. . concil . const . sess . . & . caranz . anno . anno . sozom. l. . c. . fr. victor . rele●t . de potest . papae & concil . pag. . pontificalis authoritas à iuramento fid . ●at●s absoluit . decr p. . q. . ●liùs . almain de potest . eccles . & ●aica c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the rule of old . diatrib . papa antichrist . l. . cap. . greg. lib. . ep. . & serenissimis iussionibus obedientiam praebeo . ibid. hieron . balb. de cor. ecce serenissimus dominus imperator fieri simiam le●●em iussit , &c. greg. epist . . qui virtutis ministerium infirmo commisit , ibid. g●i●ciard . l. . hist . imperante carolo domino nostro . paschalis anno euangelij . primus omissis imperatoris annis sui pontifica●us annos subscripsit . in data . apostolatus nostri , anno . dein pontificatus . lib. sacr. cerem . greg. l. . de maior . & obed . ex innoc. capis●r . . aug. triumph . q. . . vide diatr. derens . episc . l. . c. . §. . vnde habet imperator imperium nisi à n●bis : imperator quod habet totum habet à nobis , ecce in potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus . hadrian . epist . apud auentin . l. innoc. . in cap. licet . de foro compet . lib. sacr . cerem . etiam imperator aut rex aquam ad la●andas eius manus ferre debet ; primum item serculum , &c. ibid. in processionibus , &c. ibid. stapham equi papalis tenet , &c. ibid. sellami●sam eum pontifice humeris suis aliquantulum portare debet , ibid. alm. de potest . eccl. cassan . . parte . consid . . c. de libellis . dist . aug. triumph . de pot . ecc. q. vid. derens . vbi supra . cassan . glor. mundi . part . cons . . innocent . & host . in c. . de transt . inter epistolas ambrosij lib. . epist . . sera tamen & contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis . ibid. ambros . epist . l. . ep. . nullus pudor est ad meliora transire , ibid. non es tantae authoritatis vt errasse te pudeat , &c. hier. apol . adu . ruffin . fr. ian. de ecclesia . capitis autem male saniet deliri contagia vitanda sunt , ne & ipsi artus pestilenti humore labesierent . f. pic. mirand . theor. . maldon . in. . ioan. nehem. . · contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holie historie. the third volume: in three bookes. by i. hall, doctor of diuinitie contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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[ ], , [ ] p. printed by h[umphrey] l[ownes and eliot's court press] for nathanael butter, and william butler, [london] : . books - . identification of printers from stc; "eliot's court press pr[inted]. aa-gg"--stc. the last leaf is blank. the first volume was issued under the title: contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t -- meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holie historie . the third volvme : in three bookes . by i. hall , doctor of diuinitie . printed by h. l. for nathanael butter , and william butler . . contemplations . the ninth booke . containing the rescue of gibeon . the altar of the reubenites . ebud and eglon. iael and sisera . gideons calling . gideons preparation & victory . the reuenge of succoth and penuel . abimelech's vsurpation . to the right honovrable my singvlar good lord , sir tho : egerton knight , lord ellesmere ; lord chancelour of england ; chancelour of the vniuersitie of oxford ; the sincere and graue oracle of equitie ; the great & sure friend of the church ; the sanctuarie of the clergy ; the bountifull incourager of learning , j. h. with thankfull acknowledgement of gods blessing vpon this state , in so vvorthy an instrument , and humble prayers for his happy continuance , dedicates this poore and vnworthy part of his labors . contemplations . the rescve of gibeon . the life of the gibeonites , must cost thē seruitude from israel , and danger from their neighbours : if ioshua will but sit stil , the deceit of the gibeonites shall be reuenged by his enemies . fiue kings are vp in armes against them , and are ready to pay their fraude with violence : vvhat should these poore men doe ? if they make not their peace , they die by strangers ; if they doe make their peace with forrainers , they must die by neighbours . there is no course that threatens not some danger ; wee haue sped well if our choice hath light vpon the easiest inconuenience . if these hiuites haue sinned against god , against israel , yet what haue they done to their neighbours ? i heare of no trechery , no secret information , no attempt . i see no sinne but their league with israel , & their life : yet ( for ought we find ) they were free men ; no way either obliged , or obnoxious . as satan , so wicked men cannot abide to lose any of their community : if a conuert come home , the angels welcome him with songs , the diuels follow him with vprore and fury , his old partners vvith scornes and obloquy . i finde these neighbour princes halfe dead with feare , and yet they can finde time to be sick of enuie . malice in a wicked hart is the king of passions : all other vaile & bow when it comes in place ; euen their owne life was not so deare to them as reuenge . who would not rather haue lookt , that these kings should haue tryed to haue followed the copie of this league ? or if their fingers did itch to fight , why did they not rather think of a defensiue war against israel , then an offensiue against the gibeonites . gibeon was strong , and would not bee won without bloud ; yet these amorites , which at their best were too weake for israel , would spend their forces before hand on their neighbors . here was a strong hatred in weake breasts : they feared , and yet began to fight ; they feared jsrael , yet began to fight with gibeon . if they had sat still , their destruction had not beene so suddaine : the malice of the wicked , hastens the pase of their owne iudgement . no rod is so fit for a mischieuous man , as his owne . gibeon , and these other cities of the hiuites , had no king : & none yeelded , and escaped , but they . their elders consulted before for their league ; neither is there any challenge sent to the king , but to the citie : and now the fiue kings of the amorits haue vniustly compacted against them . soueraignty abused , is a great spur to out-rage ; the conceit of authoritie in great persons , many times lies in the way of their own safety , whiles it vvill not let them stoope to the ordinarie courses of inferiours . hence it is , that heauen is peopled with so few great-ones : hence it is , that true contentment seldome dwells high ; whiles meaner men of humbled spirits , enioy both earth and heauen . the gibeonites had wel proued that thogh they wanted an head , yet they wanted not wit ; and now the same wit that won ioshua and israel to their friendship and protection , teacheth them to make vse of those they had won . if they had not more trusted ioshua , then their walls , they had neuer stolne that league ; & whē shold they haue vse of their new protectors , but now that they were assailed ? whither should wee fly but to our ioshua , when the powers of darknes ( like mighty amorites ) haue besieged vs ? if euer wee will send vp our prayers to him , it will be , when we are beleaguered with euils . if we trust to our owne resistance , wee cannot stand ; we cannot miscary , if we trust to his : in vaine shall we send to our ioshua in these straits , if we haue not before come to him in our freedom . which of vs would not haue thought ioshua had a good pretence for his forbearance ; & haue said , you haue stolne your league with me ; why do you expect help from him whom yee haue deceiued ? all that wee promised you , was a sufferance to liue ; inioy what wee promised , wee will not take your life from you ; hath your faithfulnes deserued to expect more then our couenant ; we neuer promised to hazard our liues for you , to giue you life with the losse of our owne . but that good man durst not construe his owne couenant to such an aduantage ; hee knew little difference betwixt killing them with his own sword , and the sword of an amorite : vvhosoeuer should giue the blow , the murder would bee his . euen permission in those things wee may remedy , makes vs no lesse actors then consent ; some men kill as much by looking on , as others by smiting : vvee are guilty of all the euill wee might haue hindered . the noble disposition of ioshua , besides his ingagement , will not let him forsake his new vassalls : their confidence in him , is argument enough to draw him into the field . the greatest obligation to a good mind , is anothers trust ▪ which to disappoint , were mercilesly perfidious . how much lesse shall our true ioshua faile the confidence of our faith ? oh my sauiour , if we send the messengers o● our prayers to thee into thy gilgal , thy mercy bindes thee to releefe : neuer any soule miscaried that trusted thee ; we may be wanting in our trust , our trust can neuer want success . speed in bestowing , doubles a gift ; a benefit deferred , loses the thanks , and prooues vnprofitable . ioshua marches all night , & fights all day for the gibeonites : they tooke not so much pains in comming to deceiue him , as he in going to deliuer them . it is the noblest victory to ouercome euill with good ; if his very israelites had been in danger he could haue done no more : god , and his ioshua , make no difference betwixt gibeonites israelited , and his owne naturall people . all are israelites whom he hath taken to league : we strangers of the gentiles , are now the true iewes ; god neuer did more for the naturall oliue , then for that wild impe which he hath graffed in . and as these hiuites could neuer be thankfull enough to such a ioshua ; no more can we to so gracious a redeemer , vvho forgetting our vnwoorthiness , descended to our gibeon , and rescued vs from the powers of hell , and death . ioshua fought , but god discomfited the amorites ; the praise is to the workman , not the instrument : neither did god slay them onely with ioshua's sword , but with his owne haile-stones ; that now the amorites may see both these reuenges come frō one hand . these bullets of god doe not wound , but kill : it is no wonder that these fiue kings flie ; they may soone run away from their hope , neuer from their horror : if they looke behind , there is the sword of israel , which they dare not turn vpon , because god had taken their hart from them , before their life : if they looke vpwards , there is the haile-shot of god fighting against them , out of heauen ; which they can neither resist , nor auoyd . if they had no enemy but israel , they might hope to runne away from death , sith feare is a better footeman , then desire of reuenge ; but novv , vvhither-soeuer they runne , heauen will be aboue their heads : and now , all the reason that is left them in this confusion of their thoughts , is to wish themselues well dead ; there is no euasion where god intends a reuenge . wee men haue deuised to imitate these instruments of death , and send foorth deadly bullets out of a clowd of smoke ; wherein yet , as there is much danger , so much vncertaintie : but this god , that discharges his ordinance from heauen , directs euery shotte to an head , and can as easily kil as shoot . it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing god : hee hath mo waies of vengeance , then hee hath creatures . the same heauen that sent foorth water to the old world , fire to the sodomites , lightning and thunderbolts to the egyptians , sends out haile-stones to the amorites . it is a good care how wee may not anger god ; it is a vain study how we may fly from his iudgements , when wee haue angred him ; if wee could run out of the vvorld , euen there shall we finde his reuenges far greater . was it not miracle enough that god did braine their aduersaries from heauen , but that the sunne and moone must stand stil in heauen ? is it not enough that the amorites fly , but that the greatest planets of heauen must stay their owne course , to witnesse , and wonder at the discomfiture ? for him which gaue them both beeing and motion , to bid them stand still , it seemes no difficulty , although the rarenes would deserue admiration : but , for a man to commaund the chiefe starres of heauen ( by whose influence he liueth ) as the centurion would do his seruant , sunne stay in gibeon , and moone stand still in aialon , it is more then a wonder . it was not ioshua , but his faith that did this ; not by way of precept , but of prayer . if i may not say that the request of a faithfull man ( as wee say of the great ) commaunds , gods glorie vvas that which ioshua aimed at : hee knew that all the world must needs be witnesses of that , which the eye of the world stood still to see . had he respected but the slaughter of the amorites , hee knew the haile-stones could doe that alone ; the sunne needed not stand still to direct that clowd to persecute them ; but the glory of the slaughter was sought by ioshua , that hee might send that vp , whence those haile-stones , and that victory came : all the earth might see the sunne and moon ; all could not see the cloud of haile , which because of that heauie burden flew but low . that all nations might knowe the same hand commands both in earth , in the clouds , in heauen , ioshua now prayes , that hee which dishartned his enemies vpon earth , & smote them from the cloud , would stay the sunne and moone in heauen . god neuer got himselfe so much honour by one dayes worke amongst the heathen ; and vvhen was it more fitte , then now , vvhen fiue heathen kings are banded against him ? the sun and the moone were the ordinary gods of the world : and who would not but think , that their standing still but one houre , should be the ruine of nature ? & now , all nations shall well see , that there is an higher then their highest ; that their gods are but seruants to the god whom themselues should serue , at whose pleasure both they and nature shall stand at once . if that god which meant to work this miracle , had not raised vp his thoughts to desire it , it had bin a blameable presumption , which now is a faith vvorthy of admiration . to desire a miracle without cause , is a tempting of god. o powerfull god that can effect this ! o power of faith that can obtaine it ! what is there that god cannot doe ? and what is there which god can doe , that faith cannot doe ? the altar of the reubenites . reuben , and gad , were the first that had an inheritance assigned thē ; yet they must inioy it last : so it falls out oft in the heauenly canaan , the first in title , are the last in possession . they had their lot assigned them beyond iorden ; which tho it were allotted them in peace , must be purchased with their war : that must be done for their brethren , which needed not be done for themselues : they must yet still fight , and fight for-most , that as they had the first patrimonie , they might indure the first incounter . i do not hear them say , this is our share , let vs sitte downe , and enioy it quietly , fight who will for the rest : but when they knew their own portion , they leaue wiues and children to take possession , and march armed before their brethren , till they had conquered all canaan . whether should wee more commend their courage , or their charitie ? others were mooued to fight with hope , they onely with loue : they could not winne more , they might lose themselues ; yet they wil fight , both for that they had something , and that their brethren might haue . thankfulnesse and loue can doe more with gods children , then desire to merit , or necessitie : no true israelite can ( if hee might chuse ) abide to sitte still beyond iordan , when all his brethren are in the field . now when all this war of god was ended , and all canaan is both won and diuided , they returne to their owne ; yet not till they were dismissed by ioshua : all the sweet attractiues of their priuate loue cannot hasten their pase . if heauen be neuer so sweet to vs , yet may we not runne from this earthen warfare till our great captaine shall please to discharge vs. if these reubenites had departed sooner , they had been recalled , if not as cowards , surelie as fugitiues ; now they are sent back with victorie and blessing . how safe and happie it is to attend both the call , and the dispatch of god ! beeing returned in peace to their home , their first care is , not for trophees ; nor for houses , but for an altar to god ; an altar , not for sacrifice , which had been abominable , but for a memoriall what god they serued . the first care of true israelites , must be the safetie of religion ; the world , as it is inferiour in worth , so must it be in respect : hee neuer knew god aright , that can abide any competition with his maker . the rest of the tribes no sooner heare newes of their new altar , but they gather to shiloh , to fight against them : they had scarce breathed from the cananitish war , and now they will goe fight with their brethren : if their brethren will ( as they suspected ) turne idolaters , they cannot hold them any other then canaanites . the reubenites & their fellowes , had newly settled the rest of israel in their possessions , and now ere they can be warme in their seates , israel is vp in armes to thrust them out of their owne : the hatred of their suspected idolatry , makes them forget either their bloud , or their benefits . israel sayes , these men were the first in our battels , and shall be the first in our reuenge ; they fought well for vs , wee will try how they can fight for themselues . vvhat if they were our champions ? their reuolt from god hath lost them the thanke of their former labours ; their idolatry shall make them of brethren , aduersaries ; their own bloud shall giue handsell to their new altar . o noble and religious zeale of israel ! who would think these men the sonnes of them that danced about the molten calfe ? that consecrated an altar to that idol ? now they are ready to die or kill , rather then endure an altar without an idol . euery ouerture in matter of religion , is woorthie of suspicion , worthie of our speedie opposition : god lookes for an early redresse of the first beginnings of impietie . as in treasons or mutinies , wise states-men find it safest to kill the serpent in the egge ; so in motions of spirituall alterations : one spoonefull of water will quench that fire at the first , which afterwards whole buckets cannot abate . yet doe not these zealous israelires runne rashly and furiouslie vpon their brethren , nor say , what need wee expostulate ? the fact is cleare : what care wee for words , when wee see their altar ? what can this meane , but either seruice to a false god , or diuision in the seruice of the true ? there can bee no excuse for so manifest a crime : why doe we not rather thinke of punishment , then satisfaction ? but they send ere they goe ; and consult ere they execute . phineas the sonne of eleazar the priest , and ten princes ( for euery tribe one ) are addressed both to inquire , & disswade ; to inquire of the purpose of the fact ; to disswade from that which they imagined was purposed . wisedome is a good guide to zeale , and onely can keepe it from running out into furie : if discretion doe not hold in the raynes , good intentions wil both breake their owne necks , and the riders : yea , which is strange , without this , the zeale of god , may leade vs from god. not onely wisedome , but charitie mooued them to this message . for , grant they had beene guiltie , must they perish vnwarn'd ? peaceable meanes must first be vsed to recall them , ere violence be sent to persecute them . the old rule of israel , hath been still to inquire of abel ; no good shepheard sends his dog to pul out the throat of his strayed sheepe , but rather fetches it on his shoulders to the fold : sudden crueltie stands not with religion : he which will not himselfe breake the bruised reed , how will hee allow vs , either to bruise the whole , or to breake the bruised , or to burne the broken ? neither yet was here more charitie in sending , then vncharitableness in the misconstruction . they begin with a challenge ; & charge their brethren deeply with transgression , apostasie , rebellion . i know not how two contrary qualities fall into loue ; it is not naturally suspicious , & yet many times suggests iealous feares of those we affect . if these israelites had not loued their brethren , they wold neuer haue sent so farre to restraine them ; they had neuer offred them part of their owne patrimonie : if they had not been excessiuely iealous , they had not censured a doubtfull action , so sharply . they met at shilo , where the tabernacle was ; but if they had consulted with the arke of god , they had saued both this labor , & this challenge : this case seemed so plain , that they thought aduice needless : their inconsiderateness therefore brands their brethren with crimes whereof they were innocent ; and makes themselues the onely offenders . in cases which are doubtfull and vncertaine , it is safe either to suspend the iudgement , or to passe it in fauor ; otherwise , a plain breach of charitie in vs , shall bee worse then a questionable breach of iustice in another . yet this little gleame of their vncharitable loue began at themselues ; if they had not feared their owne iudgements in the offence of ruben , i knowe not whether they had been so vehement : the fearefull reuenges of their bretherens sinne are still in their eye . the wickednes of peor , stretched not so farre as the plague ; achan sinned , and israel was beaten : therefore by iust induction , they argue ( ye rebel to day against the lord , tomorrow wil the lord be wroth with all the congregation . ) they still tremble at the vengeance passed ; and finde it time to preuent their own punishment , in punishing their brethren . gods proceedings haue then their right vse , when they are both carefully remembred , and made patterns of what he may doe . had these reubenites been as hot in their answere , as the israelites were in their charge , heere had grown a bloudy warre out of misprision : but now their answer is milde and moderate , and such as wel shewed , that though they were further from the arke , yet no lesse neer to god. they thought in thēselues , this act of ours , though it were wel meant by vs , yet might well be by interpretation scandalous ; it is reason our mildnesse should giue satisfaction for that offence , vvhich we haue not preuented . heereupon , their answer was as pleasing , as their act vvas dangerous . euen in those actions whereby an offence may be occasioned ( though not giuen ) charitie bindes vs to cleare both our owne name , and the conscience of others . little did the israelites looke for so good a ground of an action so suspicious ; an altar vvithout a sacrifice ? an altar and no tabernacle ? an altar without a precept , and yet not against god ? it is not safe to measure all mens actions by our owne conceit , but rather to thinke there may bee a further drift , and warrant of their act , then we can attaine to see . by that time the reubenites haue commented vpon their owne vvorke , it appeares as iustifiable , as before offensiue . what vvisedome and religion is found in that altar , which before showed nothing but idolatry ? this discourse of theirs , is full both of reason and pietie ; we are seuered by the riuer iordan from the other tribes ; perhaps heereafter , our choice may exclude vs from israel : posteritie may peraduenture say , iordan is the bounds of all natural israelites ; the streames whereof neuer gaue way to those beyond the riuer : if they had beene ours , either in bloud or religion , they would not haue been sequestred in habitation . doubtlesse therfore these men are the ofspring of som strangers , which by vicinity of abode , haue gotten some tincture of our language , manners , religion ; what haue wee to doe with them , what haue they to doe with the tabernacle of god ? sith therfore we may not either remooue gods altar to vs , or remoue our patrimonie to the altar ; the patterne of the altar shall go with vs , not for sacrifice , but for memoriall ; that both the posterity of the other israelites may know , we are no lesse deriued from them , then this altar from theirs ; & that our posterity may know , they pertain to that altar , whereof this is the resemblance . there was no danger of the present ; but posteritie might both offer and receiue preiudice , if this monumēt were not . it is a wise & holy care to preuent the dangers of ensuing times , and to settle religion vpon the succeeding generations . as we affect to leaue a perpetuity of our bodilie issue , so much more to traduce pietie with them . doe wee not see good husbands set and plant those trees , whereof their grand-children shall receiue the first fruit , & shade ? why are we lesse thrifty in leauing true religion intire , to our childrens children ? ehud and eglon. as euery man is guiltie of his own sorrow , these israelites bred mischiefe to themselues : it vvas their mercy that plagued them with those canaanites , which their obedience shold haue rooted out . if foolish pitty be a more humane sinne , yet it is no lesse dangerous then crueltie : cruelty kils others , vniust pittie kills our selues . they had beene lords alone of the promised land , if their commiseration had not ouer-swayed their iustice ; and now their enemies are too cruell to them ( in the iust reuenge of god ) because they were too merciful : that god , which in his reuealed will had commanded all the canaanites to the slaughter , yet secretly giues ouer israel to a toleration of some canaanites , for their own punishment . hee hath bidden vs cleanse our hearts of all our corruptions : yet hee will permit some of these thornes still in our sides , for exercise , for humiliation . if wee could lay violent hands vpon our sinnes , our soules should haue peace ; now our indulgence costs vs many stripes , & many teares : what a continued circle is heere of sins , iudgements ; repentance , deliuerances ? the conuersation with idolaters , taints them with sinne ; their sin drawes on iudgements ; the smart of the iudgement moues them to repentance ; vpon their repentance followes speedy deliuerance , vpon their peace and deliuerance they sinne againe . othniel , calebs nephew , had rescued them from idolatry and seruitude : his life , and their innocence and peace ended together . how powerfull the presence of one good man is in a church or state , is best found in his losse . a man that is at once eminent in place & goodnes , is like a stake in a hedge ; pull that vp , and all the rest are but loose and rotten sticks , easily remoued : or like the piller of a vaulted roofe , which either supports , or ruines the building . who would not think idolatry an absurd and vnnaturall sin ? which as it hath the fewest inducements , so had also the most direct inhibitions from god ; and yet after all these warnings , israel falls into it againe : neither affliction nor repentance can secure an israelite from redoubling the worst sinne , if he be left to his own frailtie . it is no censuring of the truth of our present sorow , by the euent of a following miscariage ; the former cryes of israel to god were vnfained , yet their present wickedness is abhominable : let him that thinks he stands , take heed least hee fall . no sooner had hee said ( israel had rest ) but he addes , they committed wickednesse : the securitie of any people is the cause of their corruption ; standing waters soone grow noysom . whiles they were exercised with warre , how scrupulous were they of the least intimation of idolatry ? the newes of a bare altar beyond iordan , drew them together for a rèuenge ; now they are at peace with their enemies , they are at variance vvith god : it is both hard & happy not to be the worse with liberty ; the sedentary life is most subiect to diseases . rather then israel shall want a scourge for their sinne , god him selfe shall raise them vp an enemy : moab had no quarrell but his own ambition , but god meant by the ambition of the one part , to punish the idolatry of the other ; his iustice can make one sin the executioner of another , whiles neither shall looke for any other measure from him , but iudgement : the euill of the citie is so his , that the instrument is not guiltless . before , god had stirred vp the king of syria against israel ; now , the king of moab ; afterwards , the king of canaan : hee hath more varietie of iudgements , then there can be offences ; if we haue once made him our aduersary , he shall bee sure to make vs aduersaries enovv ; vvhich shall reuenge his quarrell , vvhiles they prosecute their owne . euen those were idolaters by whose hands god plagued the idolatries of israel . in moab , the same wickednes prospers , which in gods owne people is punished : the iustice of the almightie can least brooke euill in his owne ; the same heathen which prouoked israel to sinne , shall scourge them for sinning . our very profession hurts vs , if we be not innocent . no lesse then eighteene yeares did the rod of moab rest vpon the inheritance of god : israel seemes as borne to seruitude ; they came from their bondage in the land of egypt , to serue in the land of promise ; they had neglected god , now they are neglected of god ; their sinnes haue made them seruants , whom the choice of god had made free , yea his first borne . woorthy are they to serue those men , whose false gods they had serued , & to serue them alwaies in thraldome , whom they haue once serued in idolatry . we may not measure the continuance of punishment , by the time of the commission of sinne ; one minutes sin deserues a torment beyond all time . doubtlesse , israel was not so insensible of their own misery , as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteene yeeres ; the first houre they sighed for themselues , but now they cried vnto god. the very purpose of affliction is to make vs importunate ; hee that heares the secret murmurs of our griefe , yet will not seeme to heare vs , till our cryes be loud & strong . god sees it best to let the penitent dwell for the time vnder their sorrowes ; hee sees vs sinking all the while , yet he lets vs alone till wee be at the bottome : and when once we can say , out of the depths haue i cryed to thee ; instantly followes , the lord heard me . a vehement suter cannot but be heard of god , whatsoeuer hee askes . if our prayers want successe , they want hart ; their blessing is according to their vigour . wee liue in bondage to these spirituall moabites , our owne corruptions . it discontents vs ; but where are our strong cries vnto the god of heauen ? where are our teares ? if wee could passionately bemone our selues to him , hovv soone should we be more then conquerours ? some good motions wee haue to send vp to him , but they faint in the way . we may call long enough , if we cry not to him . the same hand that raised vp eglon against israel , raised vp also ehud for israel , against eglon ; when that tyrant hath reuenged god of his people , god will reuenge his people of him . it is no priuiledge to be an instrument of gods vengeance by euil meanes : though eglon were an vsurper , yet had ehud beene a traytor if god had not sent him ; it is onelie in the power of him that makes kings , when they are once settled , to depose them . it is no more possible for our moderne butchers of princes , to show they are imployed by god , then to escape the reuenge of god in offering to doe this violence , not being imployed . vvhat a strange choice dooth god make of an executioner ? a man shut of his right hand ; either he had but one hand , or vsed but one , and that the worse , and more vnready : who would not haue thought both hands too little for such a worke ; or , if either might haue been spared , how much rather the left ? god seeth not as man seeth ; it is the ordinary wont of the almightie , to make choice of the vnlik eliest meanes . the instruments of god must not bee measured by their own power , or aptitude , but by the will of the agent : tho ehud had no hands , he that imployed him , had enabled him to this slaughter . in humane things , it is good to looke to the meanes ; in diuine , to the worker ; no meanes are to be contemned that god will vse ; no meanes to be trusted that man will vse without him . it is good to be suspicious where is least show of danger , and most appearance of fauour . this left-handed man comes with a present in his hand , but a dagger vnder his skirt . the tyrant , besides seruice , lookt for gifts ; and now receiues death in his bribe : neither god nor men , doe alwaies giue where they loue . how oft dooth god giue extraordinary illumination , power of miracles , besides wealth and honor , where he hates ? so doe men too oft accompanie their curses with presents ; either least an enemy should hurt vs , or that wee may hurt them . the intention is the fauour in gifts , and not the substance . ehuds faith supplies the want of his hand : where god intends success , he lifts vp the hart with resolutions of courage , & contempt of danger . what indifferent beholder of this proiect would not haue condemned it , as vnlikely to speed ; to see a maimed man goe alone to a great king , in the midst of all his troupes ; to single him out from all witnesses ; to set vpon him with one hand in his owne parlor , where his courtiers might haue heard the least exclamation , and haue comne in , if not to the rescue , yet to the reuenge . euery circumstance is full of improbabilities : faith euermore ouerlookes the difficulties of the way , & bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end . in this intestine slaughter of our tyrannicall corruptions , when we cast our eyes vpon our selues , we might well despaire ; alas , what can our left-hands doe against these spirituall wickednesses ? but when wee see who hath both commaunded , and vndertaken to prosper these holy designes , how can wee misdoubt the success ? i can doe all things throgh him that strengthens me . when ehud hath obtained the conuenient secrecie both of the weapon & place ; now with a confident forhead he approaches the tyrant , and salutes him , vvith a true and awfull preface to so important an act . i haue a message to thee from god. euen ehuds poynard was gods message ; not onely the vocall admonitions , but also the reall iudgements of god , are his errands to the world . hee speakes to vs in raine & waters , in sicknesses & famine , in vnseasonable times & inundations : these are the secondary messages of god ; if we will not hear the first , we must heare these to our cost . i cannot but wonder at the deuout reuerence of this heathen prince ; hee sate in his chaire of state ; the vnweildinesse of his fat body was such , that he could not rise with readiness and ease ; yet no sooner doth he heare newes of a message from god , but hee rises vp from his throne , & reuerently attends the tenor therof : though hee had no superior to controle him , yet hee cannot abide to bee vnmannerly in the businesse of god. this man was an idolater , a tyrant : yet what outward respects doth he giue to the true god ? externall ceremonies of pietie , and complements of deuotion , may well be found with falshood in religion . they are a good shadow of truth where it is : but where it is not , they are the very body of hypocrisie . hee that had risen vp in armes against gods people , and the true worship of god , now rises vp in reuerence to his name : god would haue liked well to haue had less of his curtesie , more of his obedience . he lookt to haue heard the message with his eares , and he feeles it in his guttes ; so sharp a message , that it pierced the body , & let out the soule through that vncleane passage : neither did it admit of any aunswer , but silence and death . in that part had hee offended by pampering it , and making it his god ; and now his bane findes the same way with his sinne . this one hard and cold morsell , which hee cannot digest , payes for all those gluttonous delicates , whereof he had formerly surfeted . it is the manner of god , to take fearefull reuenges of the professed enemies of his church . it is a maruell , that neither any noise in his dying , nor the fall of so gross a body , called-in some of his attendants : but that god , which hath intended to bring about any designe , disposes of all circumstances to his owne purpose . if ehud had not come forth with a calme and settled countenaunce , and shut the doores after him , all his proiect had been in the dust . what had it been better that the king of moab was slaine , if israel had neither had a messenger to informe , nor a captain to guide them ? now hee departs peaceably , & blowes a trumpet in mount ephraim , gathers israel , and falls vpon the body of moab , as well as hee had done vpon the head , and procures freedome to his people . hee that would vndertake great enterprises , had need of wisdome , and courage ; wisedome to contriue , and courage to execute ; wisedome to guide his courage , & courage to second his wisedome : both which , if they meet with a good cause , cannot but succeed . iael and sisera . it is no wonder if they vvho ere foure-score dayes after the law deliuered , fell to idolatry alone , now after foure-score yeeres since the law restored , fell to idolatry among the canaanites : peace could in a shorter time work ●ooseness in any people : and if for●ie yeeres after othniels deliue●ance , they relapsed , what marvell is it that in twise fortie after e●ud , they thus miscaried ? vvhat ●re they the better to haue killed eglon the king of moab , if the idolatry of moab haue killed them ? the sinne of moab shal be found a worse tyrant then their eglon. israel is for euery market ; they sold themselues to idolatry , god sells them to the canaanites ; it is no maruell they are slaues , if they wil be idolaters : after their longest intermission , they haue now the sorest bondage . none of their tyrants were so potent as iabin with his . chariots of iron . the longer the reckoning is deferred , the greater is the summe : god prouides on purpose mighty aduersaries for his church , that their humiliation may bee the greater in sustaining , and his glory may be greater in deliuerance . i doe not finde any prophet in israel during their sin ; but so soone as i heare newes of their repentance , mention is made of a prophetesse , & iudge of israel . there is no better signe of gods reconciliation , then the sending of his holy messengers to any people ; he is not vtterly fallen out vvith those whom hee blesses with prophecie . whom yet doe i see raysed to this honour ? not any of the princes of israel ; not barac the captaine ; not lapidoth the husband ; but a woman , for the honor of her sex ; a wife , for the honor of wedlock : deborah , the wife of lapidoth . hee that had choice of all the millions of israel , culls out two weake women , to deliuer his people ; deborah shall iudge , iael shall execute . all the palaces of israel , must yeeld to the palme-tree of deborah ; the weakenesse of the instruments , redounds to the greater honour of the workman . who shall aske god any reason of his elections , but his owne pleasure ? deborah was to sentence , not to strike ; to commaund , not to execute : this act is masculine , fit for some captaine of israel ; she was the head of israel , it was meet som other should be the hand : it is an imperfect and titular gouernment vvhere there is a commaunding power , without correction , without execution . the message of deborah findes out barac the son of abinoam , in his obscure secrecie , and calls him from a corner of nepthali , to the honour of this exploit . hee is sent for , not to gette the victory , but to take it ; not to ouercome , but to kill ; to pursue , & not to beat sisera . who could not haue done this work , whereto not much courage , no skill belonged ? yet euen for this wil god haue an instrument of his ovvne choice : it is most fit that god shold serue himselfe where he list , of his owne ; neither is it to be inquired , whom we thinke meet for any imployment , but whom god hath called . deborah had beene no prophetesse , if shee durst haue sent in her owne name ; her message is from him that sent herselfe , hath not the lord god of israel commaunded ? baracs answer is faithfull , tho conditionate ; and doth not so much intend a refusall to goe without her , as a necessary bond of her presence vvith him . vvho can blame him that hee would haue a prophetesse in his cōpany ? if the man had not been as holy as valiant , he wold not haue wished such societie . how many thinke it a perpetual bondage to haue a prophet of god at their elbow ? god had neuer sent for him so farre , if he could haue bin content to goe vp without deborah ; hee knew that there was both a blessing , and incouragement in that presence . it is no putting any trust in the success of those men , that neglect the messengers of god. to prescribe that to others , which we draw back from dooing our selues , is an argument of hollowness and falsity : barac shall see that deborah doth not offer him that cup , whereof she dare not beginne ; without regard of her sexe shee marches with him to mount tabor , and reioyces to be seen of the tenne thousand of israel . with what scorne did sisera looke at these gleanings of israel ? how vnequall did this match seeme of ten thousand israelites against his three hundred thousand foot , ten thousand horse , nine hundred chariots of iron ? and now in a brauery , he calls for his troupes , and meanes to kill this handfull of israel with the very sight of his piked chariots ; and onely feared it would be no victory to cutte the throates of so few . the faith of deborah and barac was not appalled with this world of aduersaries , which from mount tabor they saw hiding all the vally belowe them ; they knew whom they had belieued , and how little an arme of flesh could do against the god of hosts . barac went down against sisera , but it was god that destroyed him . the israelites did not this day wield their owne swords , least they should arrogate any thing ; god told them before hand , it should be his own act . i heare not of one stroke that any canaanite gaue in this fight ; as if they were called hither , onely to suffer . and now proud sisera , after many curses of the heauinesse of that iron carriage , is gladde to quit his chariot , and betake himselfe to his heeles . who euer yet knew any earthly thing trusted in , without disappointment ? it is wonder if god make vs not at last as weary of whatsoeuer hath stolne our harts from him , as euer wee were fond . yet sisera hopes to haue sped better then his followers , in so seasonable an harbour of iael . if heber and iael had not been great persons , there had beene no note taken of their tents ; there had been no league betwixt king iabin and them : now their greatnes makes them known , their league makes them trusted . the distresse of sisera might haue made him importunate , but iael begins the curtesie , and exceeds the desire of her guest : hee askes vvater to drinke , shee giues him milke ; hee wishes but shelter , shee makes him a bed ; hee desires the protection of her tent , she couers him with a mantle . and now sisera pleases himselfe with this happy change , and thinks how much better it is to be here , then in that whirling of chariots , in that horror of flight , amongst those shriekes , those woundes , those carcasses . whiles hee is in these thoughts : his weariness & easie reposall hath brought him asleepe . vvho would haue looked that in this tumult and danger , euen betwixt the very iawes of death , sisera should finde time to sleepe ? how many vvorldlie harts doe so in the midst of their spirituall perils ? now whiles hee was dreaming , doubtlesse , of the clashing of armors , ratling of chariots , neighing of horses , the clamor of the conquered , the furious pursute of israel ; iael seeing his temples lie so faire , as if they inuited the naile & hammer , entred into the thought of this noble execution ; certainly not without som checks of doubt , and pleas of feare : what if i strike him ? and yet who am i , that i should dare to thinke of such an act ? is not this sisera , the famousest captaine of the world , whose name hath wont to be fearefull to whole nations ? what if my hand should swarue in the stroke ? what if hee should awake , whiles i am lifting vp this instrument of death ▪ what if i should be surprised by some of his followers while the fact is greene , and yet bleeding ? can the murder of so great a leader be hid , or vnreuenged ? or if i might hope so , yet can my heart allow mee to be secretly trecherous ? is there not peace betwixt my house , and him ? did not i inuite him to my tent ? doth he not trust to my friendship & hospitalitie ? but what doe these vveake feares , these idle fancies of ciuilitie ? if sisera be in league with vs , yet is he not at defiance with god ? is hee not a tyrant to israel ? is it for nothing that god hath brought him into my tent ? may i not now finde meanes to repay vnto israel all their kindnesse to my grand-father iethro ? dooth not god offer mee this day , the honour to bee the rescuer of his people ? hath god bidden mee strike , and shall i hold my hand ? no sisera , sleepe now thy last , and take here this fatall reward of all thy cruelty and oppression . he that put this instinct into her hart , did put also strength into her hand ; he that guided sisera to her tent , guided the naile throgh his temples ; which hath made a speedie way for his soule throgh those parts , and now hath fastened his eare so close to the earth , as if the body had been listening what was becomne of the soule . there lyes now the great terror of israel at the foote of a woman : hee that brought so many hundred thousands into the field , hath not now one page left , either to auert his death , or to accompany it , or bewaile it : hee that had vaunted of his iron chariots , is slaine by one naile of iron , wanting onely this one point of his infelicity , that hee knowes not by whose hand he perished . gideons calling . the iudgements of god still the further they go , the sorer they are ; the bondage of israel vnder iabin was great , but it was freedome in comparison of the yoke of the midianites . during the former tyrannie , deborah was permitted to iudge israel vnder a palme-tree ; vnder this , not so much as priuate habitations will be allowed to israel : then , the seat of iudgement was in the sight of the sun , now their very dwellings must be secret , vnder the earth . they that reiected the protection of god , are glad to seeke to the mountaines for shelter ; & as they had sauagely abused themselues , so they are faine to creepe into dennes & caues of the rocks , like wilde creatures for safegard : god had sowen spirituall seed amongst them , and they suffered their heathenish neighbors to pull it vp by the rootes ; and now , no sooner can they sowe their materiall seed , but midianites and amalekites are ready by force to destroy it . as they inwardly dealt with god ; so god deales outwardly by them ; their eyes may tell them what their soules haue done : yet that god whose mercie is aboue the worst of our sinnes sends first his prophet with a message of reproofe , and then his angell with a message of deliuerance . the israelites had smarted enough with their seruitude , yet god sends them a sharp rebuke . it is a good signe when god chides vs , his round reprehensions are euer gracious forerunners of mercie : wheras his silent conniuence at the wicked , argues deepe and secret displeasure : the prophet made way for the angell , reproofe for deliuerance , humiliation for comfort . gideon was threshing wheat by the wine-presse . yet israel hath both wheat and wine , for all the incursions of their enemies . the worst estate out of hell , hath either some comfort , or at least , some mitigation ; in spight of all the malice of the world , god makes secret prouision for his owne . how should it be but he that ownes the earth , and all creatures , should reserue euer a sufficiencie from forrainers ( such the wicked are ) for his houshold ? in the worst of the midianitish tyranny , gideons field and barne are priuiledged , as his fleece was afterwards from the shower . why did gideon thresh out his corne ? to hide it ; not from his neighbours , but his enemies : his granary might easily bee more close , then his barne . as then , israelites threshed out their corne , to hide it from the midianites : but now , midianites thresh out corne , to hide it from the israelites . these rurall tyrants of our time , do not more lay vp corne , then curses ; he that withdraweth corne , the people will curse him ; yea , god will curse him , with them , & for them . what shifts nature will make to liue ? oh that we could be so carefull to lay vp spirituall foode for our soules , out of the reach of those spirituall midianites , vvee could not but liue , in despight of all aduersaries . the angels that haue euer god in their face , & in their thoughts , haue him also in their mouthes , the lord is with thee . but this which appeared vnto gideon , was the angel of the couenaunt , the lord of angels . whiles hee was with gideon , he might well say , the lord is with thee . he that sent the comforter , vvas also the true comforter of his church ; he wel knew , how to lay a sure ground of consolation , and that the onelie remedy of sorrow , and beginning of true ioy , is the presence of god. the griefe of the apostles for the expected losse of their master , could neuer be cured by any receit but this , of the same angel , behold , i am with you to the end of the world . what is our glory but the fruition of gods presence ? the punishment of the damned , is a separation from the beatifical face of god ; needs must therfore his absence in this life , be a great torment to a good heart : and no crosse can bee equiualent to this beginning of heauen in the elect , the lord is with thee . who can complaine either of solitariness , or opposition , that hath god with him ? with him , not only as a witness , but as a partie : euen wicked men and diuells cannot exclude god , not the bars of hell can shutte him out ; hee is with them perforce , but to iudge , to punish them : yea , god will be euer with them to their cost ; but to protect , comfort , saue , hee is with none but his . whiles he calls gideon valiant , he makes him so . how could hee be but valiant , that had god with him ? the godless man may bee carelesse , but cannot be other then cowardly . it pleases god to acknowledge his owne graces in men , that he may interchange his owne glory , with their comfort ; how much more should wee confesse the graces of one another ? an enuious nature is preiudiciall to god ; hee is a strange man in whom there is not some visible good ; yea , in the diuels themselues wee may easily note some commendable parts , of knowledge , strength , agilitie : let god haue his owne in the worst creature ; yea , let the worst creature haue that praise , which god wold put vpon it . gideon cannot passe ouer this salutation , as som fashionable complement , but layes hold on that part , which was most important ; the tenure of all his comfort ; and ( as not regarding the praise of his valour ) inquires after that vvhich should be the ground of his valour , the presence of god : god had spoken particularly to him ; he expostulates for all . it had bin possible god should be present with him , not with the rest ; as hee promised to haue been with moses , israel : and yet when god saies , the lord is with thee , he answers , alas lord , if the lord bee with vs. gideon cannot conceiue of himselfe as an exempt person ; but puts himselfe among the throng of israel , as one that could not be sensible of any particular comfort , while the common case of israel laboured . the maine care of a good hart is still for the publique , neither can it inioy it selfe , while the church of god is distressed . as faith drawes home generalities , so charitie diffuses generalities from it selfe to all . yet the valiant man was heere weake ; weake in faith , weake in discourse ; whiles he argues gods absence by affliction , his presence by deliuerances , and the vnlikelihood of success by his own disabilitie ; all gross inconsequences : rather should hee haue inferred gods presence vpon their correction ; for wheresoeuer god chastises , there he is , yea , there hee is in mercy . nothing more proues vs his , then his stripes ; hee will not bestow whipping where he loues not . fond nature thinks god should not suffer the wind to blow vpon his deare ones , because her selfe makes this vse of her own indulgence ; but none out of the place of torment , haue suffered so much as his dearest children . hee sayes not we are idolaters ; therefore the lord hath forsaken vs , because wee haue forsaken him : this sequell had been as good , as the other was faultie ; ( the lord hath deliuered vs vnto the midianites , therefore hee hath forsaken vs : ) sinnes , not afflctions , argue god absent . whiles gideon bewrayeth weaknes , god both giues him might and imployes it ; ( goe in this thy might , and saue jsrael . ) who wold not haue looked that god should haue looked angerly on him , and chid him for his vnbeliefe ? but he whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace , though it be but in flax , lookes vpon him with compassionate eyes ; and to make good his owne word , giues him that valour hee had acknowledged . gideon had not yet said , lord deliuer jsrael : much lesse had hee said , lord deliuer israel by my hand . the mercy of god preuents the desire of gideon : if god shold not begin with vs , we should be euer miserable ; if hee should not giue vs till we aske , yet who shold giue vs to aske ; if his spirit did not worke those holy grones , & sighes in vs , wee should neuer make sute to god. he that commonly giues vs power to craue , sometimes giues vs without crauing , that the benefit might be so much more welcome , by how much less it was expected ; and we so much more thankfull , as hee is more forward . when he bids vs aske , it is not for that he needes to be intreated ; but that hee may make vs more capable of blessings , by desiring them : and where hee sees feruent desires , he stayes not for words ; and he that giues ere wee aske , how much more will hee giue when we aske . hee that hath might enough to deliuer israel , yet hath not might enough to keepe himselfe from doubting . the strongest faith will euer haue some touch of infidelitie . and yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of deliuering israel , as an inquiry after the meanes ; whereby shall i saue israel ? the salutation of the angel to gideon , was as like to gabriels salutation of the blessed virgin , as their answeres were like : both angels brought newes of deliuerance ; both were answered with a question of the meanes of performance ; with a report of the difficulties in performing : ah my lord , whereby shall i saue israel ? how the good man disparages himselfe ! it is a great matter ( o lord ) that thou speakest of , and great actions require mightie agents : as for me , who am i ? my tribe is none of the greatest in israel ; my fathers family , is one of the meanest in his tribe , and i the meanest in his family ; pouerty is a sufficient bar to great enterprises . whereby shall i ? humilitie is both a signe of following glory , & a way to it , and an occasion of it : bragging and height of spirit , will not carry it , with god : none haue euer been raised by him , but those which haue formerly deiected themselues ; none haue been confounded by him , that haue been abased in themselues . therevpon it is that he adds , i will therfore be with thee ; as if hee had answered , hadst thou not beene so poore in thy selfe , i wold not haue wrought by thee . how shold god be magnified in his mercies if wee were not vnworthy ? how should he be strong , if not in our weakenesse ? all this while , gideon knew not it was an angel that spake vvith him ; hee saw a man stand before him like a trauailer , with a staffe in his hand . the vnusualness of those reuelations in those corrupted times was such , that gideon might thinke of any thing rather then an angell : no maruell if so strange a promise from an vnknowne messenger , found not a perfect assent ; faine would he belieue , but faine would hee haue good warrant for his faith . in matters of faith we cannot goe vpon too sure grounds . as moses therefore being sent vpon the same errand , desired a signe , whereby israel might knowe that god sent him : so gideon desires a signe from this bearer ▪ to know that his newes is from god. yet the very hope of so happy newes , not yet ratified , stirres vp in gideon both ioy and thankfulness . after all the iniury of the midianites , he was not so poore , but he could bestowe a kid , and cakes , vpon the reporter of such tidings . those which are rightly affected with the glad newes of our spirituall deliuerance , study to show their louing respects to the messengers . the angel stayes for the preparing of gideons feast . such pleasure dooth god take in the thankfull indeauours of his seruants , that he patiently waites vpon the leysure of our performances . gideon intended a dinner , the angel turned it into a sacrifice . he whose meat and drinke it was to doe his fathers will , calls for the broth and flesh to be poured out vpon the stone ; and when gideon lookt hee should haue blessed , and eaten , hee touches the feast with his staffe , and consumes it with fire from the stone , and departed . he did not strike the stone with his staffe ( for the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire ) but hee touched the meat , and brought fire from the stone : and now whiles gideon saw and wondred at the spirituall act , he lost the sight of the agent . hee that came vvithout intreating , vvould not haue departed without taking leaue , but that hee might increase gideons vvonder , and that his wonder might increase his faith . his salutation therefore was not so strange as his farewell . moses touched the rock with his staffe , and brought forth vvater , and yet a man , and yet continued vvith the israelites . this messenger touches the stone vvith his staffe , and brings foorth fire , & presently vanishes , that he may approue himselfe a spirit . and now gideon , when he had gathered vp himselfe , must needes thinke , hee that can raise fire out of a stone , can raise courage and power out of my dead breast ; he that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh , can by the feeble flame of my fortitude consume midian . gideon did not so much doubt before , as now he feared . we that shall once liue with , and bee like the angels , in the estate of our impotencie thinke we cannot see an angel , and liue . gideon was acknowledged for mighty in valour , yet he trembles at the sight of an angel. peter , that durst draw his sword vpon malchus , and all the traine of iudas , yet feares when he thought he had seene a spirit . our naturall courage cannot be are vs out against spirituall obiects . this angel was homely & familiar , taking vpon him for the time , a resemblance of that flesh wherof he would afterwards take the substance ; yet euen the valiant gideon quakes to haue seen him : how awfull and glorious is the god of angels , when he will be seen in the state of heauen ! the angel that departed for the wonder , yet returnes for the comfort of gideon ; it is not the wont of god to leaue his children in a maze , but hee brings them out in the same mercy which led them in , and will magnifie his grace in the one , no lesse then his power in the other . now gideon growes acquainted with god , and interchanges pledges of familiarity ; he buildes an altar to god , and god conferres with him ; and ( as he vses where he loues ) imployes him . his first task must be to destroy the god of the midianites , then the idolaters thēselues . whiles baals altar & groue stood in the hill of ophrah , israel should in vaine hope to preuaile : it is most iust with god that iudgment should continue with the sin , and no less mercy , if it may remoue after it . woldst thou fain be rid of any iudgment ? inquire what false altars & groues thou hast in thy heart ; down with them first . first must baals altar be ruined ere gods be built , both may not stand together ; the true god will haue no societie with idols , neither will allow it vs. i doe not heare him say , that altar & groue which were abused to baal , consecrate now to me ; but as one whose holy ielousie wil abide no worship till there be no idolatry , hee first commands down the monuments of superstition , and then inioynes his owne seruice ; yet the wood of baals groue must be vsed to burne a sacrifice vnto god : when it was once cut down , gods detestation , & their danger ceased . the good creatures of god that haue beene profaned to idolatry , may in a change of their vse , bee imployed to the holie seruice of their maker . though some israelites vvere penitent vnder this humiliation , yet still many of them persisted in their wonted idolatry . the very houshold of gideons father were still baalites , and his neighbours of ophrah were in the same sin : yea if his father had been free , what did he with baals groue and altar ? he dares not therfore take his fathers seruants , thogh he tooke his bullocks , but commaunds his owne . the master is best seene in the seruants : gideons seruants ( amongst the idolatrous retinue of ioash ) are religious , like their master ; yet the mis-deuotion of ioash , and the ophrathites was not obstinate . ioash is easily perswaded by his sonne , and easily perswades his neighbours , how vnreasonable it is to plead for such a god , as cannot speak for himselfe ; to reuenge his cause , that could not defend himselfe . let baal plead for himselfe . one example of a resolute onset in a noted person , may doe more good then a thousand seconds in the proceeding of an action . soone are all the midianites in an vprore to lose their god ; they need not now be bidden to muster themselues for reuenge : hee hath no religion that can suffer an indignitie offered to his god. gideons preparation and victorie . of all the instruments that god vsed in so great a worke , i finde none so weake as gideon ; who yet ( of all others ) was stiled valiant : naturall valour may well stand with spirituall cowardise . before he knew that he spake with a god , he might haue iust colours for his distrust ; but after god had approoued his presence , and almighty power , by fetching fire out of the stone , then to call for a watery signe of his promised deliuerance , was no other then to poure water vpon the fire of the spirit . the former triall god gaue vnwished ; this , vpon gideons choice and intreatie : the former miracle was strong enough to cary gideon through his first exploit of ruinating the idolatrous groue , and altar ; but now , when he saw the swarme of the midianites and amalekites about his eares , he calls for new ayde ; and not trusting to his abiezrites , and his other thousands of israel , hee runnes to god for a further assurance of victorie . the refuge was good , but the manner of seeking it , sauours of distrust . there is nothing more easie then to be valiant , when no perill appeareth ; but when euills assaile vs vpon vnequall tearms , it is hard , and commendable not to be dismaied . if god had made that proclamation now , which afterwards was commaunded to be made by gideon , let the timorous depart , i doubt whether israel had not wanted a guide : yet how willing is the almighty to satisfie our weak desires ! what tasks is he content to bee set by our infirmitie ? the fleece must be wet , and the ground dry ; the ground must be wet , and the fleece dry : both are done ; that now gideon may see whether hee would make himselfe hard earth , or yeelding vvoll . god could at pleasure distinguish betwixt him , and the midianites , & poure down either mercies or iudgement where he lists , and that hee was set on worke by that god , which can commaund all the elements , and they obey him ; fire , water , earth , serue both him , and ( when he will ) his . and now when gideon had this reciprocall proofe of his insuing successe , he goes on ( as hee vvell may ) harnessed with resolution , and is seene in the head of his troupes , and in the face of the midianites . if we cannot make vp the match with god , when wee haue our owne asking , wee are worthie to sit out . gideon had but thirty thousand souldiers at his his heeles ; the midianites couered all the vally , like grashoppers : and now whiles the israelites thinke , we are too few ; god sayes , the people are too many . if the israelites must haue looked for victory from their fingers , they might well haue said , the midianites are too many for vs ; but that god , whose thoughts and words are vnlike to mens , sayes , they are too many for mee to giue the midianites into their hands . if humane strength were to be opposed , there should haue needed an equalitie ; but now god meant to giue the victory , his care is not how to get it , but how not to lose or blemish the glory of it gotten . how ielous god is of his honour ! hee is willing to giue deliuerance to israel , but the praise of the deliuerance he will keepe to himselfe ; and will shorten the meanes , that hee may haue the full measure of the glory . and if hee will not allow lawfull meanes to stand in the light of his honour , how will hee indure it to be crossed so much as indirectly ? it is less danger to steale any thing from god , then his glory . as a prince , which if wee steale or clip his coyne , may pardon it ; but if we goe about to rob him of his crowne , will not be appeased . there is nothing that we can giue to god , of whom wee receiue all things ; that which he is content to part with , he giues vs ; but he will not abide wee should take ought from him , which he would reserue for himselfe . it is all one with him to saue with many , and with fewe , but hee rather choses to saue by fewe , that all the victory may redound to himselfe . o god , what art thou the better for our praises , to whom because thou art infinite nothing can be added ? it is for our good that thou wouldst be magnified of vs ; oh teach vs to receiue the benefit of thy mercifull fauours , and to returne thee the thanks . gideons army must be lessened ; who are so fitte to be cashered as the fearefull ? god bids him therefore proclaime licence for all faint harts to leaue the field . an ill instrument may shame a good work : god will not glorifie himselfe by cowards . as the timorous shall be without the gates of heauen ; so shall they be without the lists of of gods field . although it vvas not their courage that should saue israel , yet without their courage god would not serue himselfe of them . christianity requires men ; for if our spiritual difficulties meet not with high spirits , in steed of whetting our fortitude , they quaile it . dauids royall band of woorthies , was the type of the forces of the church ; all valiant men , and able to incounter with thousands . neither must we be strong onely , but acquainted with our owne resolutions ; not out of any carnal presumption , but out of a faithfull reliance vpō the strength of god ; in whom , when we are weak , then we are strong . oh thou white liuer ! doth but a foule word , or a frowne scarre thee from christ ? dooth the losse of a little land , or siluer disquiet the ? doth but the sight of the midianites in the vally strike thee ? home then , home to the world ; thou art not then for the conquering band of christ : if thou canst not resolue to follow him throgh infamie , prisons , racks , ●ibbets , flames ; depart to thine house , & saue thy life to thy losse . mee thinks now , israel should haue complained of indignity , & haue said , vvhy shouldst thou thinke , o gideon , that there can be a cowardly israelite ? and if the experience of the power and mercy of god , be not enough to make vs feare less , yet the sense of seruitude must needes haue made vs resolute ; for who had not rather to be buried dead , thē quick ? are we not faine to hide our heads in the caues of the earth , and to make our graues our houses ? not so much as the very light that wee can freely inioy ; the tyrannie of death is but short and easie , to this of midian : and yet what danger can there be of that , fith thou hast so certainly assured vs of gods promise of victory , and his miraculous confirmation ? no , gideon , those harts that haue brought vs hither after thy colours , can as well keepe vs from retyring . but now , vvho can but blesse himselfe , to finde of two & thirtie thousand israelites , two & twenty thousand cowards ? yet all these in gideons march made as faire a flourish of courage as the boldest . vvho can trust the faces of men , that sees in the army of israel , aboue two for one timorous ? how many make a glorious show in the warfaring church , vvhich when they shall see danger of persecution , shall shrinke from the standard of god ? hope of safety , examples of neighbours , desire of prayse , fear of censures , coaction of lawes , fellowship of friends , draw many into the field ; which so soone as euer they see the aduersary , repent of their conditions : and if they may cleanly escape , will be gone early from mount gilead . can any man be offended at the number of these shrinkers , when he sees but tenne thousand israelites left of two and twenty thousand in one morning . these men that would haue bin ashamed to go away by day , now drop away by night ; and if gideon should haue called any one of them backe , and said , wilt thou flee ? would haue made an excuse . the darkness is a fit vaile for their palenesse , or blushing ; fearfulness cannot abide the light : none of these thousands of israel but wold haue bin loath gideon should haue seen his face whiles hee said , i am fearefull ; very shame holds some in their station , whose hearts are already fled . and if we cannot indure that men should be witnesses of that fear which we might liue to correct , how shall wee abide once to show our fearefull heads , before that terrible iudge , when hee calls vs foorth to the punishment of our feare ? oh the vanitie of foolish hypocrites , that run vpon the terrors of god , whiles they would auoyde the shame of men ? how doe wee thinke the small remainder of israel looked , when in the next morning-muster they found themselues but tenne thousand left ? how did they accuse their timorous countrymen , that had left but this handfull to encounter the millions of midian ? and yet still , god complaines of too many ; and vpon his triall , dismisses nine thousand seauen hundred more . his first triall was of the valour of their minds : his next is of the ability of their bodies ; those which besides boldnes are not strong , patient of labour and thirst , willing to stoope , content with a little ( such were those that took vp water with their hand ) are not for the select band of god. the lord of hosts will serue himselfe of none but able champions ; if he haue therefore singled vs into his combat , this very choice argues , that hee findes that strength in vs , which we cannot confesse in our selues . how can it but comfort vs in our great trialls , that if the searcher of hearts did not find vs fit , hee would neuer honour vs with so hard an imployment ? now , when there is not scarce left one israelite to euery thousand of the midianites , it is seasonable with god to ioyne battell . when god hath stripped vs of all our earthly confidence , then doth hee finde time to giue vs victory ; and not till then , least he should be a loser in our gaine : like as at last he vnclothes vs of our body , that he may clothe vs vpon with glory . if gideon feared when he had two and thirty thousand israelites at his heeles , is it any wonder if hee feared , when all these were shrunke into three hundred ? though his confirmation were more , yet his meanes were abated . why vvas not gideon rather the leader of those two and twenty thousand runne-awaies , then of these three hundred souldiers ? oh infinite mercie , and forbearance of god , that takes not vantage of so strong an infirmitie , but in stead of casting , incourages him . that wise prouidēce hath prepared a dream in the head of one midianite , an interpretation in the mouth of another , and hath brought gideon to bee an auditor of both ; and hath made his enemies prophets of his victory , incouragers of the attempt , proclaimers of their owne confusion . a midianite dreames , a midianite interprets . our verie dreames many times are not without god ; there is a prouidence in our sleeping fancies : euen the emies of god may haue visions , & power to construe them aright ; how vsually are wicked men forwarned of their owne destruction ? to foreknow & not auoyd , is but an aggrauation of iudgement . when gideon heard good newes ( tho from an enemy ) he fel down and worshipped . to heare , himselfe but a barly-cake , troubled him not , when hee heard withall , that his roling down the hill shold breake the tents of midian ; it matters not how base wee bee thought , so we may be victorious . the soule that hath receiued full confirmation from god , in the assurance of his saluation , cannot but bow the knee , and by all gestures of bodie , tell how it is rauished . i vvould haue thought gideon should rather haue found full confirmation in the promise , and act of god , then in the dreame of the midianite . dreames may be full of vncertainty ; gods vndertakings are infallible : well therefore might the miracle of god giue strength to the dreame of a midianite ; but what strength could a pagans dreame giue to the miraculous act of god ? yet by this is gideon throughly settled . when wee are going , a little thing driues vs on ; when we are come neere to the shore , the very tide vvithout sailes , is enough to put vs into the harbour . we shall now heare no more of gideons doubts , but of his atchieuements : and though god had promised by these three hundred to chase the midianites , yet he neglects not wise stratagems to effect it . to wait for gods performance in doing nothing , is to abuse that diuine prouidence , which will so worke , that it vvill not allow vs idle . now , when wee would looke that gideon should giue charge of whetting their swords , & sharpening their speares , and fitting their armour , he onely giues order for empty pitchers , and lights , and trumpets . the cracking of these pitchers shall breake in peeces this midianitish clay : the kindling of these lights , shall extinguish the light of midian : these trumpets , sound no other then a soule-peale to all the host of midian : there shal need nothing but noise & light to confound this innumerable armie . and if the pitchers , and brands , and trumpets of gideon , did so daunt & dismay the proud troopes of midian , & amalecke , who can we think shall be able to stand before the last terror , vvherein the trumpet of the archangell shall sound , and the heauens shall passe away with a noise , & the elements shal be on a flame about our eares ? any of the vveakest israelites would haue serued to haue broken an empty pitcher , to haue carried a light , & to haue sounded a trumpet , and to strike a flying aduersarie . not to the basest vse will god employ an vnworthy agent ; hee will not allow so much as a cowardly torch-bearer . those two and twenty thousand israelites that slipt away for feare , when the feareful midianites fled , can pursue , and kill them , & can follovv them at the heeles , whom they durst not looke in the face . our flight giues aduantage to the feeblest aduersary , whereas our resistance foileth the greatest : how much more , if we haue once turned our backs vpon a tentation , shall our spirituall enemies ( which are euer strong ) trample vs in the dust ? resist , and they shal flee : stand still , and we shall see the saluation of the lord. the reuenge of succoth and penuell . gideon was of manasseh : ephraim and hee vvere brothers , sonnes of ioseph ; none of all the tribes of jsrael fall out with their victorious leader , but he : the agreement of brothers is rare ; by how much nature hath more endeared them , by so much are their quarrels more frequent and dangerous . i did not heare the ephraimites offring themselues into the front of the army , before the fight , and now they are readie to fight with gideon , because they were not called to fight with midian : i heare them expostulating after it ; after the exploit done , cowards are valiant . their quarrell was that they were not called ; it had bin a greater praise of their valour to haue gone vnbidden : what need was there to call them , when god complained of multitude , and sent away those which were called ? none speake so bigge in the end of the fray , as the fearefullest . ephraim flies vpon gideon , vvhiles the midianites flie from him ; when gideon should be pursuing his enemies , he is pursued by brethren ; & now is glad to spend that wind in pacifying of his own , which should haue been bestowed in the slaughter of a common aduersary : it is a wonder if satan suffer vs to be quiet at home , whiles wee are exercised with warres abroad . had not gideon iearned to speake faire , as well as to smite , he had found work enough from the swords of iosephs sonnes ; his good wordes are as victorious as his sword ; his pacification of friends , better then his execution of enemies . for ought i see , the enuy of israelites was more troublesome to gideon , then the opposition of midian ; he hath left the enuy of ephraim behind him : before him , he findes the enuy of succoth and penuell . the one , enuies that hee should ouer-come without them ; the other , that hee should but say hee had ouer-come . his pursute leades him to succoth , there hee craues releefe , & is repelled . had he said , come forth & draw your sword with mee against zeba and zalmunna , the motion had beene but equall ; a common interest challenges an vniuersall ayde : now he saies , but , giue morsells of bread to my followers ; he is turn'd off with a scorne ; hee asks bread , and they giue him a stone . could hee aske a more slender recompence of their deliuerance , or a lesse reward of his victory ? giue morsels of bread . before this act , all their substance had been too small an hire of their freedome from midian ; now when it is done , a morsell of bread is too much : well might hee challenge bread , where he gaue liberty , and life . it is hard , if those which fight the warres of god , may not haue necessary reliefe ; that whiles the enemy dies by them , they should die by famine . if they had laboured for god at home in peace , they had been worthy of maintenance ; how much more now , that danger is added to their toyle ? euen very executioners looke for fees : but heere were not malefactors , but aduersaries to be slaine ; the sword of power and reuenge was now to bee wielded , not of quiet iustice . those that fight for our soules against spirituall powers , may challenge bread from vs , and it is a shamelesse vnthankfulnesse to deny it . when abraham had vanquished the fiue kings , & deliuered lot and his familie , the king of salem met him with bread and wine ; and now these sonnes of abram , after an equall victorie , aske dry bread , and are denied by their brethren : craftily yet , & vnder pretence of a false title , had they acknowledged the victory of gideon , with what forhead could they haue denied him bread ? now , i knowe not vvhether their faithlesnesse , or enuy lie in their way ; are the hands of zeba and zalmunna in thy hands ? there vvere none of these princes of succoth and penuel , but thought thēselues better men then gideon ; that hee therefore alone , should doe that , which all the princes of israel durst not attempt , they hated and scorned to heare . it is neuer safe to measure euents by the power of the instrument ; nor in the causes of god ( whose calling makes the difference ) to measure others by our selues : there is nothing more dangerous then in holy businesses to stand vpon comparisons , and our own reputation ; sith it is reason god should both chuse , and blesse where he lists . to haue questioned so sudden a victory had bin pardonable : but to deny it scornfully , was vnworthy of israelites . carnall men think that impossible to others , vvhich themselues cannot doe : from hence are their censures , hence their exclamations . gideon hath vowed a fearfull reuenge , and now performes it ; the taunts of his brethren may not stay him from the pursute of the midianites ; common enmities must first be opposed , domesticall , at more leysure . the princes of succoth feared the tyranny of the midianitish kings , but they more feared gideons victory . what a condition hath their enuy drawn them into ? that they are sory to see gods enemies captiue ; that israels freedome must bee their death ; that the midianites & they , must tremble at one and the same reuenger . to see themselues prisoners to zeba and zalmunna , had not been so fearefull , as to see zeba & zalmunna prisoners to gideon . nothing is more terrible to euill mindes , then to read their owne condemnation in the happy successe of others : hell it selfe would want one peece of his torment , if the wicked did not knowe those whom they contemned , glorious . i knowe not whether more to commend gideons wisedome and moderation in the proceedings , then his resolution and iustice in the execution of this business . i doe not see him runne furiouslie into the citie , and kill the next ; his sword had not been so drunken with bloud , that it shold know no difference : but he writes down the names of the princes , and singles them forth for reuenge . when the leaders of god come to a iericho , or ai , their slaughter was vnpartiall ; not a woman or child might liue to tell newes : but now that gideon comes to a succoth , a citie of israelites , the rulers are called foorth to death , the people are frighted with the example , not hurt vvith the iudgement . to enwrappe the innocent in any vengeance , is a murderous iniustice : indeede where all ioyne in the sin , all are woorthy to meet in the punishment . it is like , the citizens of succoth could haue been glad to succour gideon , if their rulers had not forbidden : they must therefore escape , vvhiles their princes perish . i cannot thinke of gideons reuenge without horror ; that the rulers of succoth shold haue their flesh torne from their backs with thornes & briers ; that they should be at once beaten , and scratcht to death . what a spectacle it was to see their bare bones looking some-where through the bloudie ragges of their flesh and skinne , and euery stroke worse then the last ; death multiplied by torment ! iustice is sometimes so seuere , that a tender beholder can scarce discerne it from crueltie . i see the midianites fare lesse ill ; the edge of the sword makes a speedie and easie passage for their liues , whiles these rebellious israelites die lingringly vnder thornes and bryers , enuying those in their death , whom their life abhorred . howsoeuer men liue or die without the pale of the church , a wicked israelite shal be sure of plagues . how many shal vnwish themselues christians , when gods reuenges haue found them out ? the place where iacob wrestled with god and preuailed , now hath wrestled against god , and takes a fall ; they see god auenging which would not belieue him deliuering . it was now time for zeba & zalmunna to follow those their troups to the graue , whom they had led in the field : those which the day before , were attended with an hundred thirty fiue thousand followers , haue not so much as a page now left to weepe for their death ; and haue liued onely to see all their friends , and some enemies , die for their sakes . who can regard earthly greatness , that sees one night change two of the greatest kings of the world into captiues ? it had been both pitie and sinne , that the heads of that midianitish tyranny , into which they had drawne so many thousands , should haue escaped that death . and yet , if priuate reuenge had not made gideon iust , i doubt whether they had died ; the bloud of his brothers calls for theirs , and awakes his sword to their execution ; hee both knew and complained of the madianitish oppression , vnder which israel groned : yet the cruelty offered to all the thousands of his fathers sonnes , had not drawne the bloud of zeba and zalmunna , if his own mothers sons had not bled by their hands . hee that slew the rulers of succoth and penuel , & spared the people , now hath slaine the people of midian , and would haue spared their rulers : but that god which wil finde occasions to wind wicked men into iudgement , wil haue them slain in a priuate quarrell , which had more deserued it for the publike ; if we may not rather say , that gideon reuenged these as a magistrate , not as a brother : for gouernors to respect their own ends in publique actions , and to weare the sword of iustice in their owne sheath , it is a wrongfull abuse of authoritie . the slaughter of gideons brethren , was not the greatest sinne of the midianitish kings ; this alone shall kill them , vvhen the rest expected an vniust remission . how many lewd men hath god paid with some one sinne for all the rest ? some that haue gone away with vnnaturall filthinesse , & capitall thefts , haue clipped off their own dayes with their coine ; others , whose bloudy murders haue been punished in a mutinous word ; others , whose suspected felony hath payd the price of their vnknowne rape . o god , thy iudgements are iust , euen vvhen mens are vniust ! gideons young son is bidden to reuenge the death of his vncles ; his sword had not yet learn'd the way to bloud , especially of kings , though in irons : deadly executions require strength both of heart and face . how are those aged in euill , that can draw their swords vpon the lawfully anointed of god ? these tyrants pleade not now for continuance of life , but for the haste of their death ; fall thou vpon vs. death is euer accompanied with paine , which it is no maruell if we wish short : wee doe not more affect protraction of an easefull life , then speed in our dissolution ; for heere euery pang that tends toward death , renewes it : to lie an houre vnder death , is tedious ; but to be dying a whole day , we thinke aboue the strength of humane patience . oh what shal wee then conceiue of that death , which knowes no end ? as this life is no lesse fraile then the bodie which it animates ; so that death is no lesse eternall then the soule which must endure it : for vs to be dying so long as wee now haue leaue to hue , is intolerable ; and yet one onely minute of that other tormenting death , is worse then an age of this . oh the desperate infidelitie of carelesse men , that shrinke at the thought of a momentany death , and feare not eternal . this is but a killing of the body : that is a destruction of body and soule . who is so worthy to weare the crowne of israel , as hee that won the crowne from midian . their vsurpers were gone , now they are headless ; it is a doubt whether they were better to haue had no kings , or tyrants ; they sue to gideon to accept of the kingdom , & are repulsed ; there is no greater example of modestie , then gideon . when the angel spake to him , he abased himselfe belowe all israel ; when the ephraimites contended with him , hee prefers their gleanings to his vintage , and casts his honour at their feet : and now when israel profers him that kingdome which he had merited , hee refuses it . hee that in ouercomming would allow them to cry , the sword of the lord , and of gideon , in gouerning , will haue none but the sword of the lord. that which others plotte , and sue , and sweare , and bribe for , dignity and superiority , hee seriously reiects ; vvhether it were , for that he knew god had not yet called them to a monarchy ; or rather , for that hee saw the crowne among thornes ? what doe wee ambitiously affect the commaund of these mole-hils of earth , when wise men haue refused the profers of kingdomes ? why doe we not rather labor for that kingdome which is free from all cares , from all vncertaintie ? yet he that refuses their crown , calls for their earings , although not to enrich himselfe , but religion . so long had god bin a stranger to israel , that now superstition goes currant for deuout worship . it were pitty that good intentions shold make any man wicked ; here they did so : neuer man meant better then gideon in his rich ephod ; yet this very act set all israel on whoring : god had chosen a place , and a seruice of his owne . when the wit of man will be ouer-pleasing god with better deuises then his owne , it turnes to madness , and ends in mischiefe . abimelechs vsurpation . gideon refused the kingdome of israel when it was offred ; his seuenty sonnes offred not to obtaine that scepter , which their fathers victorie had deserued to make hereditary : onely abimelec the concubines sonne , sues and ambitiously plots for it . vvhat could abimelec see in himselfe that hee should ouer-looke all his brethren ? if hee lookt to his father , they were his equals ; if to his mother , they were his betters . those that are most vnworthy of honor , are horest in the chase of it , whiles the conscience of better deserts bids men sitte still , and stay to be either importuned , or neglected ; there can be no greater signe of vnfitness , then vehement sute : it is hard to say , whether there be more pride , or ignorance in ambition . i haue noted this difference betwixt spirituall and earthly honor , and the clients of both ; wee cannot be worthy of the one without earnest prosecution ; nor with earnest prosecution worthy of the other : the violent obtain heauen ; onely the meek are worthy to inherit the earth . that which an aspiring heart hath proiected , it will finde both argument and means to effect ; if either bribes or fauour will carry it , the proud man will not sit out ; the shechemites are fit brokers for abimelec ; that citie which once betrayed it selfe to vtter depopulation in yeelding to the sute of hamor , now betraies it selfe , and all israel in yielding to the request of abimelec ; by them hath this vsurper made himselfe a faire way to the throne : it was an easie question , whether will ye admitte of the sonnes of gideon for your rulers , or of strangers ? if of the sons of gideon , whether of all , or one ? if of one , whether of your owne flesh and bloud , or of others vnknown ? to cast off the sonnes of gideon for strangers , were vnthankfull ; to admit of seauentie kings in one small country , were vnreasonable ; to admit of any other rather then their owne kinsman , were vnnaturall . gideons sons therefore must rule amongst all israel ; one of his sonnes amongst those seuentie : and who should be that one but abimelec ? natural respects are the most dangerous corrupters of all elections ; what hope can there bee of worthy superiors in any free people , where neereness of bloud carries it from fitnes of disposition ? whiles they say , he is our brother , they are enemies to themselues , and israel . faire words haue won his brethren ; they the sechemites ; the sechemites furnish him with mony , mony with men ; his men begin with murder , and now abimelec raignes alone ; flattery , bribes and bloud , are the vsuall stayres of the ambitious : the mony of baal is a fit hire for murderers ; that which idolatry hath gathered , is fitlie spent vpon treason : one diuel is ready to help another in mischief ; seldome euer is ill-gotten riches better imployed . it is no wonder if he that hath baal his idol , now make an idol of honour . there was neuer any man that worshipped but one idol ; wo be to them that lie in the way of the aspiring : tho they be brothers , they shall bleed ; yea the nearer they are , the more sure is their ruine . vvho would not now thinke that abimelec should finde an hell in his breast , after so barbarous and vnnaturall a massacre ; and yet behold he is as senselesse as the stone vpon which the bloud of his seauenty brethren was spilt . vvhere ambition hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule , it turnes the heart into steele , and makes it vncapable of a conscience ; all sinnes will easily downe vvith the man that is resolued to rise . onely iotham fell not at that fatall stone with his brethren ; it is an hard battell where none escapes . hee escapes , not to raigne , not to reuenge ; but to be a prophet , and a witnesse of the vengeance of god vpon the vsurper , vpon the abettors ; hee liues to tell abimelec hee was but a bramble , a weed rather then a tree . a right bramble indeed , that grew but out of the base hedg-row of a concubine , that could not lift vp his head from the earth , vnlesse he were supported by some bush or pale of shechem , that had laid hold of the fleece of israel , and had drawne bloud of all his brethren ; and lastly , that had no substance in him , but the sap of vaine-glory , and the pricks of crueltie . it vvas better then a kingdom to him , out of his obscure beer , to see the fire out of this bramble to consume those trees ; the view of gods reuenge , is so much more pleasing to a good heart , then his owne , by how much it is more iust and full . there was neuer such a patterne of vnthankfulness , as these israelites : they which lately thought a kingdome too small recompence for gideon and his sonnes , novv thinke it too much for his seede to liue ; and take life away from the sonnes of him , that gaue thē both life and liberty . yet if this had bin some hundred of yeers after , when time had worne out the memory of ierub-baal , it might haue borne a better excuse . no man can hope to hold pase with time ; the best names may not think scorne to be vnknowne to following generations : but ere their deliuerer vvas cold in his coffin , to pay his benefits ( which deserued to be euerlasting ) with the extirpation of his posteritie , it was more then sauage . vvhat can bee looked for from idolaters ? if a man haue cast off his god , hee will easily cast off his friends : when religion is once gone , humanitie will not stay long after . that , which the people were punished afterwards for but desiring , he inioyes . now is abimelec seated in the throne which his father refused , and no riuall is seene to enuy his peace : but how long will this glory last ? stay but three yeeres , and ye shall see this bramble withered , and burnt . the prosperitie of the wicked is short and fickle ; a stolne crowne ( tho it may looke faire ) cannot be made of any but brittle stuffe . all life is vncertaine : but wickednes ouer-runnes nature . the euill spirit thrust himselfe into the plot of abimelechs vsurpation and murder , & wrought with the sechemites for both : and now god sends the euill spirit betwixt abimelec and the sichemites , to work the ruine of each other . the first could not haue been without god ; but in the second , god challenges a part : reuenge is his , where the sinne is ours . it had bin pitty that the sichemites should haue been plagued by any other hand then abimelecs ; they raised him vniustly to the throne , they are the first that feele the weight of his scepter . the foolish bird limes herself with that which grew from her owne excretion : vvho wonders to see the kinde peasant stung with his owne snake ? the breach begins at shechem ; his own countrimen flie off from their promised allegeance ; tho all israel should haue faln of from abimelec , yet they of shechem shold haue stuck close : it was their act , they ought to haue made it good . how should good princes be honoured , when euen abimelecs once settled cannot be opposed vvith safety ? now they begin the reuolt to the rest of israel . yet , if this had been done out of repentance , it had bin praise-worthy ; but to be done out of a trecherous inconstancie , was vnworthy of israelites . how could abimelec hope for fidelity of them , whom he had made and found traytors to his fathers bloud ? no man knowes how to be sure of him that is vnconscionable ; he that hath bin vnfaithful to one , knowes the way to be perfidious , and is onely fit for his trust , that is worthy to be deceiued ; vvhereas faithfulnesse , besides the present good , laies a ground of further assurance . the friendship that is begun in euil , cannot stand ; wickednes , both of it owne nature , and through the curse of god , is euer vnsteddy : and thogh there be not a disagreement in hell ( being but the place of retribution , not of action ) yet on earth , there is no peace among the wicked ; whereas that affection which is knit in god , is indissoluble . if the men of shechem had abandoned their false god , with their false king , and out of a serious remorse , & desire of satisfaction for their idolatry & bloud , had opposed this tyrant , & preferd iotham to his throne , there might haue bin both warrant for their quarrel , and hope of success : but now , if abimelec be a wicked vsurper , yet the shechemites are idolatrous traytors . how could they thinke , that god wold rather reuenge abimelecs bloody intrusion by them , then their trechery & idolatry by abimelec ? whē the quarrel is betwixt god & satan , there is no doubt of the issue ; but when one diuel fights with another , what certenty is there of the victory ? though the cause of god had bin good , yet it had bin safe for them to looke to thēselues : the vnworthiness of the agent many times , curses a good enterprise . no sooner is a secret dislike kindled in any people against their gouernours , then there is a gaal ready to blow the coales : it were a wonder if euer any faction should want an head ; as contrarily , neuer any man was so ill , as not to haue some fauorers : abimelec hath a zebul in the midst of shechem ; lightly , all treasons are betrayd euen with some of their owne ; his intelligence brings the sword of abimelec vpon shechem , who now hath demolished the city , & sown it with salt . oh the iust successions of the reuenges of god! gideons ephod is punished with the bloud of his sonnes ; the bloud of his sons is shed by the procurement of the shechemites ; the bloud of the shechemites is shed by abimelec : the bloud of abimelec is spilt by a woman . the retaliations of god , are sure and iust , & make a more due pedigree , then descent of nature . the pursued shechemites , flie to the house of their god berith ; now they are safe : that place is at once a fort , and a sanctuary . vvhether should we fly in our distresse but to our god ? and now this refuge shall teach them what a god they haue serued : the iealous god whom they had forsaken , hath them now where he would , & reioyces at once to be reuenged of their god , & them : had they not made the house of baal their shelter , they had not died so fearfully . now , according to the prophecie of iotham , a fire goes out of the bramble , and consumes these cedars , and their eternall flames begin in the house of their berith : the confusion of wicked men , rises out of the false deities vvhich they haue doted on . of all the conspirators against gideons sonnes , only abimelec yet suruiues , and his day is now comming . his success against shechem , hath filled his hart with thoughts of victorie ; he hath caged vp the inhabitants of tebez within their tower also ; and what remaines for them , but the same end with their neighbours ? and behold , while his hand is busie in putting fire to the dore of their tower , which yet was not hie ( for then he could not haue discerned a woman to be his executioner ) a stone from a vvomans hand strikes his head ; his paine in dying , was not so much as his indignation to know by whom he died : & rather wil he die twise , then a woman shal kill him . if god had not known his stomack so big , he had not vexed him with the impotency of his victor : god findes a time to reckon with wicked men for all the arrerages of their sinnes . our sins are not more our debts to god , then his iudgements are his debts to our sinnes , which at last hee will be sure to pay home . there now lies the greatness of abimelec ; vpon one stone had hee slaine his seuenty brethren , & now a stone slaies him ; his head had stolne the crown of israel , & now his head is smitten : and what is abimelec better that he was a king ? what difference is there betwixt him , and any of his seauenty brethren whom he murdred , saue only in guiltinesse ? they beare but their owne bloud ; hee , the weight of all theirs . how happy a thing is it to liue well ! that our death , as it is certaine , so may be comfortable : what a vanitie it is to insult in the death of them , whom wee must follow the same way ? the tyran hath his payment , & that time which he shold haue bestowed in calling for mereie to god , and washing his bloudie soule with the last teares of contrition , he vainly spends in deprecating an idle reproach ; kill me , that it may not be said , he died by a woman : a fitte conclusion for such a life . the expectation of true and endless torment , doth not so much vex him , as the friuolous report of a dishonor ; neither is he so much troubled with , abimelec is frying in hell , as , abimelec is slaine by a woman . so , vaine fooles are niggardly of their reputation , & prodigall of their soules ; doe we not see them runne wilfully into the field , into the graue , in●o hell ? and all , least it shold be said , they haue but as much feare , as wit. contemplations . the tenth booke . contayning ieptha . sampson conceiued . sampsons mariage . sampsons victory . sampsons end . michaes idolatry . to the right honovrable my singvlar good lord , sir henrie danuers , knight ; baron of dantesey : a vvorthy patterne of all true nobilitie , accomplished both for warre and peace ; a munificent fauourer of all learning and vertue ; i. h. with humble apprecation of all true happinesse , dedicates this part of his poore labors . contemplations . jeptha . israel , that had now long gone a whoring from god , hath bin punished by the regiment of the concubines sonne , and at last seekes protection from the sonne of an harlot : it is no small miserie to be obliged vnto the vnworthy . the concubines son made sute to them ; they make sute to the son of the harlot . it was no fault of ieptha that hee had an ill mother , yet is he branded with the indignitie of his bastardie ; neither would god conceale this blemish of nature , which ieptha could neither auoyd , nor remedy . god , to show his detestation of whoredom , reuenges it not onely vpon the actors , but vpon their issue : hence he hath shut out the base-son from the congregation of israel , to the tenth generation , that a transient euil might haue a durable reproch attending it ; and that after the death of the adulterer , yet his shame might liue . but , that god who iustly ties men to his lawes , will not abide that wee should tie him to our lawes , or his owne ; he can both rectifie and ennoble the bloud of ieptha . that no man should be too much discouraged with the errors of his propagation , euen the base son of man may be the lawfully begotten of god ; & though hee be cast out from the inheritance of his brethren vpon earth , may bee admitted to the kingdome of israel . i heare no praise of the lawfull issue of gilead ; onely this mis-begotten sonne is commended for his valour , and set at the sterne of israel : the common gifts of god respect not the parentage or blood , but are indifferently scattered where he pleases to let them fall . the choice of the almighty , is not guided by our rules ; as in spirituall , so in earthly things , it is not in him that willeth : if god would haue men glory in these outward priuiledges , he would bestow vpon them none but the worthy . now , who can bee proude of strength or greatnes , when he sees him that is not so honest , yet is more valiant , and more aduaunced ? had not ieptha been base , he had not been thrust out ; and if he had not been thrust out from his brethren , hee had neuer been the captaine of israel . by contrarie pases to ours , it pleaseth god to come to his owne ends : and how vsually doth he looke the contrary way , to that he moues ? no man can measure the conclusion of gods act by his beginning : hee that fetches good out of euill , raises the glory of men out of their ruine . men loue to goe the neerest way , and often faile : god commonly goes about , and in his owne time comes surely home . the gileadites were not so forward to expell ieptha , as gladde to recall him ; no ammonite threatned them when they parted vvith such an helper : now , whom they cast out in their peace , they fetch home in their danger and misery . that god who neuer gaue ought in vaine , will finde a time to make vse of any gift that hee hath bestowed vpon men ; the valour of ieptha shall not rust in his secrecie , but bee imploied to the common preseruation of israel : necessitie will driue vs to seeke vp all our helps , euen those whom our wantonnesse hath despised . how iustly are the sutes of our need vp braided with the errors of our prosperitie ? the elders of gilead now heare of their ancient wrong , and dare not finde fault with their exprobration ; did yee not hate mee , and expell me out of my fathers house ? how then come yee now to mee in time of tribulation ? the same expostulation that ieptha makes with gilead , god also at the same time makes with israel ; ye haue for saken me , & serued other gods ; wherefore should i deliuer you any more : goe & cry vnto the gods whom ye haue serued . as we , so god also findes it seasonable to tell his children of their faults , whiles hee is whipping them . it is a safe and wise course , to make much of those in our peace , whom we must make vse of in our extremity ; else it is but iust , that we should be reiected of those , whom we haue reiected . can we look for any other answere from god then this ? did ye not driue me out of your houses , out of your harts , in the time of your health and iollitie ? did yee not plead the strictnesse of my charge , & the weight of my yoke ? did not your wilfull sinnes expell mee from your soules ? what doe you now crowching & creeping to me in the euill day ? surelie , o god , it is but iustice , if thou bee not found of those , which vvere glad to lose thee ; it is thy mercie , if after many checks , and delaies , thou wilt be found at last . where an act cannot be reuersed , there is no amends , but confession ; and if god himselfe take vp with this satisfaction , he that confesses , shall finde mercy ; how much more shold men hold thēselues well paid with words of humilitie , and deprecation ? iepthaes wisedome had not bin answerable to his valour , if he had not made his match before hand ; he could not but know how trecherously israel had dealt with gideon . vvee cannot make too sure worke , when we haue to doe with vnfaithfull men : it hath been an old policie to serue our selues of men ; and after our aduantage , to turne them vp . he bargains therfore for his soueraignttie ere he winne it , shall i be your head ? we are all naturally ambitious , and are ready to buy honor euen with hazard . and if the hope of a troublesome superioritie incouraged ieptha to fight against the forces of ammon , what hart should vvee take in the battels of god against spirituall wickednesses , when the god of heauen hath said , to him that ouercomes , will i giue power ouer nations , and to sit with me in my throne ? oh that wee could bend our eyes vpon the recompence of our reward ; how willingly should wee march forward against these mighty ammonites ! ieptha is noted for his valour , and yet he intreates with ammon , ere he fights . to make war any other then our last remedy , is not courage , but cruelty and rashness : and now , when reason will not preuaile , he betakes himselfe to his sword . as god began the warre vvith ieptha , in raising vp his hart to that pitch of fortitude ; so ieptha began his warre at god , in crauing victory from him , & pouring out his vow to him : his hand tooke hold of his sword ; his hart , of god : therefore hee , whom the old testament stiles valiant , the new , stiles faithfull ; hee who is commended for his strength , dares trust in none , but the arme of god : if thou wilt giue the ammonites into my hand . if ieptha had not lookt vpward for his victory , in vaine had the gileadites lookt vp to him : this is the disposition of all good harts , they looke to their sword , or their bowe , as seruants , not as patrons ; and whiles they vse them , trust to god. if we could doe so in all our businesses , wee should haue both more ioy in their successe , and lesse discomfort in their miscariage . it was his zeale to vow : it vvas his sinne to vow rashly . iacob his fore-father , of whom hee learned to vow , might haue taught him a better forme ; if god will bee with me , then shall the lord be my god. it is well with vowes , when the thing promised makes the promise good : but when ieptha saies , whatsoeuer thing commeth out of the doores of my house , shall bee the lords , or i will offer it for a burnt sacrifice ; his deuotion is blind , and his good affection ouer-runnes his iudgement : for what if a dog , or a swine , or an asse had met him , where had been the promise of his consecration ? vowes are as they are made ; like vnto sents , if they bee of ill composition , nothing offends more ; if well tempered , nothing is more pleasant : either certainty of euill , or vncertainty of good , or impossibilitie of performance , makes vowes no seruice to god. when we vow what we cannot , or what we ought not doe , we mock god insteed of honoring him : it is a vaine thing for vs , to go about to catch god hood-winkt ; the conscience shall neuer finde peace in any way , but that which we see before vs , and which we know safe both in the kind , and circumstances . there is no comfort in ( peraduenture i may please god. ) what good child wil not take part of the parents ioy ? if ieptha returne with trophees , it is no maruell if his daughter meet him with timbrels : oh that we could be so affected with the glorious acts of our heauenly father ! thou subduest thine enemies , and mightily deliuerest thy people . o god , a song waiteth for thee in sion . who vvould haue suspected danger in a dutifull triumph ? vvell might iepthaes daughter haue thought ; my sexe forbad me to doe any thing towards the help of my fathers victory ; i can doe little , if i cannot applaud it ; if nature haue made me weake , yet not vnthankfull ; nothing forbids my ioy to be as strong as the victors ; though i might not goe out with my father to fight , yet i may meet him with gratulations ; a timbrel may become these hands which were vnfit for a sword ; this day hath made me the daughter of the head of israel ; this day hath made both israel free , my father a conqueror , and my selfe in him noble : and shal my affection make no difference ? what must my father needs think , if hee shall finde me sitting sullenly at home , whiles all israel striues who shall run first to blesse him with their acclamations ? should i onely be insensible of his , and the common happinesse ? and now , behold when shee lookes for most thanks , her father answers the measures of her feet , with the knocking 's of his breast , and weeps at her musick , & teares his clothes to looke vpon her , whom he best loued , and giues no answere to her timbrels , but alas my daughter , thou art of them that trouble mee : her ioy alone hath changed the day , & lost the comfort of that victory , which shee inioyed to see won . it falls out often , that those times and occasions , which promise most contentment , prooue most dolefull in the issue : the hart of this virgin was neuer lifted vp so hie as now , neither did any day of her life seem happy but this ; and this onely , proues the day of her solemne , and perpetuall mourning : as contrarilie the times and euents which wee haue most distrusted , proue most beneficiall . it is good in a fair morning , to thinke of the storme that may rise ere night , and to enioy both good and euill fearefully . miserable is that deuotiō which troubles vs in the performance ; nothing is more pleasant then the acts of true pietie : ieptha might well see the wrong of this religion , in the distaste of it ; yet whiles himselfe had troubled his daughter , hee faies , alas my daughter , thou art of them that trouble mee . she did but her dutie , he did what he should not ; yet hee would be rid of the blame , tho he cannot of the smart . no man is willing to owne a sin ; the first man shifted it from himselfe , to his wife ; this , from himselfe to his daughter : hee was ready to accuse another , which onely committed it himselfe . it were happy if we could be as loth to commit sinne , as to acknowledge it . the inconsideration of this vow was very tough , and settled ; i haue opened my mouth , and cannot goe backe . if there were iust cause to repent , it was the weakness of his zeale , to thinke that a vow could binde him to euill ; an vnlawfull vow is ill made , but worse performed . it were pitty this constancie should light vpon any , but an holy obiect : no lone can make a truer debt , then our vow ; which if we pay not in our performance , god will pay vs with iudgement . we haue all opened our mouthes to god in that initiall , and solemn vow of christianity ; oh that wee could not goe backe ! so much more is our vow obligatory , by how much the thing vowed is more necessary . why was the soule of ieptha thus troubled , but because he saw the entaile of his new honour thus suddenly cut off ? he saw the hope of posteritie extinguished , in the virginity of his daughter . it is naturall to vs , to affect that perpetuitie in our succession , which is denied vs in our persons ; our very bodies would emulate the eternity of the soule . and if god haue built any of vs an house on earth , as well as prepared vs an house in heauen , it must be confessed a fauour , worth our thankfulness : but as the perpetuitie of our earthlie houses is vncertaine ; so let vs not rest our harts vpon that , but make sure of the house which is eternall in the heauens . doubtlesse , the goodnes of the daughter added to the fathers sorow : shee was not more louing , then religious ; neither is she lesse willing to be the lords , then her fathers : and as prouoking her father to that which he thought pietie , though to her own wrong , she saies , if thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the lord , doe with mee as thou hast promised . many a daughter would haue disswaded her father with teares , and haue wisht rather her fathers impietie , then her own preiudice ; shee sues for the smart of her fathers vowe . how obsequious should children be to the will of their carefull parents , euen in their finall disposition in the world , when they see this holie maid willing to abandon the world vpon the rash vow of a father ? they are the liuing goods of their parents , and must therefore waite vpon the bestowing of their owners : they mistake themselues , which thinke they are their owne ; if this maid had vowed herselfe to god vvithout her father , it had been in his power to abrogate it ; but now that hee vowed her to god vvithout her selfe , it stands in force . but what shall wee say to those children , whom their parents vow and care , cannot make so much as honest ; that will be no other then godlesse in spight of their baptisme , and education ? what , but that they are giuen their parents for a curse , and shall one day finde what it is to bee rebellious . all her desire is , that shee may haue leaue to bewaile that which she must be forced to keepe , virginitie : if shee had not held it an affliction , there had been no cause to bewaile it ; it had bin no thanke to vnder-goe it , if shee had not known it to be a cross . teares are no argument of impatience ; wee may mourne for that wee repine not to beare : how comes that to be a meritorious vertue vnder the gospell , which was but a punishment vnder the law ? the daughters of israel had been too lauish of their teares , if virginitie had bin absolutely good : vvhat iniurie should it haue been to lament that spirituall preferment , which they should rather haue emulated ? while iepthaes daughter vvas two monethes in the mountaines , she might haue had good opportunitie to escape her fathers vow ; but as one , whom her obedience tyed as close to her father , as his vow tyed him to god , she returns to take vp that burden , which she had bewailed to foresee : if we be truly dutifull to our father in heauen , wee would not slip our necks out of the yoke tho we might , nor flie from his commaunds , though the doore were open . sampson conceiued . of extraordinary persons , the very birth & conception is extraordinary ; god beginnes his wonders betimes , in those whō hee will make wonderfull : there was neuer any of those which were miraculously conceiued , vvhose liues were not notable , and singular . the presages of the wombe , and the cradle , are commonly answered in the life ; it is not the vse of god to cast away strange beginnings . if manoahs wife had not been barren , the angell had not been barren , the angell had not been sent to her : afflictions haue this aduantage , that they occasion god to show that mercy to vs , whereof the prosperous are vncapable ; it would not beseem a mother to bee so indulgent to an healthfull child , as to a sick . it was to the woman that the angell appeared , not to the husband ; whether for that the reproach of barrennesse lay vpon her more heauily , then on the father ; or for that the birth of the child should cost her more deare then her husband ; or lastly , for that the difficultie of this newes was more in her conception , then in his generation : as satan layes his batteries euer to the weakest ; so contrarily , god addresseth his comforts to those harts that haue most need ; as , at the first , because eue had most reason to be deiected , for that her sin had drawne man into the transgression , therefore the cordiall of god most respecteth her ; the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head . as a physitian first tells the state of the disease with his symptoms , and then prescribes ; so dooth the angell of god , first tell the wife of manoah her complaint , then her remedy ; thou art barren . all our afflictions are more noted of that god which sends them , then of the patient that suffers them : how can it be but lesse possible to indure any thing that he knows not , than that hee inflicteth not ? hee saith to one , thou art sicke ; to an other , thou art poore ; to a third , thou art defamed ; thou art oppressed , to another : that all-seeing eye , takes notice from heauen of euery mans condition , no lesse then if he should send an angel to tell vs he knew it ; his knowledge compared with his mercy , is the iust comfort of all our sufferings . o god , vvee are many times miserable , and feele it not ; thou knowest euē those sorrowes which wee might haue ; thou knowest what thou hast done : do what thou wilt . thou art barren . not that the angel would vpbrayd the poore woman with her affliction ; but therefore he names her paine , that the mention of her cure might be so much more welcom ; comfort shal com vnseasonably to that hart which is not apprehensiue of his owne sorrow : we must first know our euils , ere we can quit them . it is the iust method of euery true angel of god , first to let vs see that whereof either wee doe , or should complaine , and then to apply comforts . like as a good physitian , first pulls downe the body , and then raises it with cordialls . if wee cannot abide to heare of our faults , wee are not capable of amendement . if the angel had first said , thou shalt conceiue , and not premised , thou art barren ; i doubt whether shee had conceiued faith in her soule , of that infant which her body should conceiue ; now , his knowledge of her present estate , makes way for the assurance of the future . thus euer it pleases our good god , to leaue a pawne of his fidelitie with vs ; that vvee should not distrust him in what he will do , when we find him faithfull in that which we see done . it is good reason that he which giues the sonne to the barren mother , should dispose of him , and diet him both in the wombe first , and after , in the world . the mother must first be a nazarite , that her sonne may be so . whiles shee was barren , she might drink what she would : but now that shee shall conceiue a sampson , her choice must be limited ; there is an holie austerity that euer followes the speciall calling of god ; the worldling may take his full scope , and deny his backe and belly nothing ; but he that hath once conceiued that blessed burden , whereof sampson was a type , must bee strict and seuere to himselfe ; neither his tongue , nor his palat , nor his hand may runne riot ; those pleasures which seemed not vnseemly for the multitude , are now debarred him . we borrow more names of our sauiour then one ; as wee are christians , so wee are nazarites , the consecration of our god is vpon our heads ; and therfore our very haire should be holie . our appetite must be curbed , our passions moderated , and so estranged from the world , that in the losse of parents , or children , nature may not make vs forget grace . what doth the loosenes of vaine men perswade them that god is not curious , when they see him thus precisely ordering the very diet of his nazarites ? nature pleades for liberty ; religion for restraint : not that there is more vncleannesse in the grape , then in the fountaine ; but that wine findes more vncleannesse in vs , then water , and that the hie feede is not so fit for deuotion , as abstinence . who sees not a ceremony in this commaund ? vvhich yet carries with it this substance of euerlasting vse , that god and the bellie will not admit of one seruant ; that quaffing and cramming is not the way to heauen : a drunken nazarite is a monster among men . we haue now more scope then the ancient ; not drinking of vvine , but drunkennesse with wine is forbidden to the euangelicall nazarite ; wine , wherein is excess . oh that euer christian should quench the spirit of god , with a liquor of gods owne making ; that they should suffer their hearts to bee drowned with wine , and should so liue , as if the practice of the gospell , were quite contrary to the rule of the law . the mother must conceiue the onely giant of israel , & yet must drinke but water ; neither must the child touch any other cup. neuer wine made so strong a champion as water did heere : the power of nourishment , is not in the creatures , but in their maker . daniel and his three companions kept their complexion , vvith the same diet where-with sampson got his strength ; he that gaue that power to the grape , can giue it to the streame . o god , how iustlie doe wee raise our eyes from our tables vnto thee , which canst make water nourish , and wine enfeeble vs ! sampson had not a better mother , then manoah had a wife ; she hides not the good newes in her owne bosome , but imparts it to her husband : that wife hath learned to make a true vse of her head , which is euer reade to consult with him , about the messages of god. if shee were made for his helper , hee is much more hers . thus should good women make amends for their first offence ; that as eue no sooner had receiued an ill motion , but she deliuered it to her husband ; so they should no sooner receiue good , then they should impart it . manoah ( like one which in those lend times had not lost his acquaintance with god ) so soone as hee heares the newes , falls downe vpon his knees : i do not hear him call forth and addresse his seruants to all the coasts of heauen ( as the children of the prophets did in the search of elias ) to finde out the messenger ; but i see him rather looke straight vp , to that god which sent him ; my lord , i pray thee let that man of god come again . as a straight line is the shortest , the neerest cutte to any blessing is to goe by heauen ; as we may not sue to god , and neglect meanes , so wee must sue to god for those meanes which we shall vse . whē i see the strength of manoahs faith , i maruell not that hee had a sampson to his sonne ; he saw not the messenger , hee heard not the errand , hee examined not the circumstances ; yet now hee takes thought , not whether he shal haue a sonne , but how he shall order the sonne which hee must haue ; and sues to god , not for the son which as yet hee had not , but for the direction of gouerning him , when he should be . zachariah heard the same message , & crauing a signe , lost that voice wherwith he craued it : manoah seekes no signe for the promise , but counsell for himselfe ; and yet , that angel spake to zachary himselfe , this onely to the wife of manoah ; that , in the temple like a glorious spirit ; this , in the house , or fielde , like some prophet , or traueller ; that to a priest , this to a woman . all good men haue not equall measures of faith ; the bodies of men haue not more differences of stature , then their graces : credulity to men is faulty and dangerous ; but in the matters of god , is the greatest vertue of a christian ; happy are they that haue not seene , yet belieued : true faith takes all for granted , yea for performed , vvhich is once promised . hee that before sent his angel vnasked , will much more send him againe , vpon intreatie ; those heauenly messengers are readie both to obey their maker , and to relieue his children . neuer any man prayed for direction in his duties to god , and was repulsed : rather will god send an angel from heauen to instruct vs , then our good desires shall be frustrate . manoah prayed , the angel appeared againe ; not to him , but to his wife . it had been the shorter way , to haue come first to the man whose prayers procured his presence : but as manoah went directlie , and immediatly to god , so god comes mediatly & about to him ; and will make her the meanes to beare the message to her husband , who must beare him the sonne : both the blessing and the charge are chiefely meant to her . it was a good care of manoah , whē the angel had giuen order to his wife alone , for the gouerning of the childs diet , to profer himselfe to this charge ; how shall we order the child ? as both the parents haue their part in the being of their children , so should they haue in their education ; it is both vnreasonable and vnnaturall in husbands , to cast this burden vpon the weaker vessel alone : it is no reason that she which alone hath had the paine of their birth , should haue the pain of their breeding . thogh the charge be renued to the wife , yet the speech is directed to the husband ; the act must be hers , his must be the ouer-sight ; let her obserue all that i haue commanded her . the head must ouer-look the body ; it is the duty of the husband to be carefull that the wife do her dutie to god. as yet , manoah saw nothing but the out-side of a man , and therfore offers the angel an answerable entertainment , wherein there is at once hospitality and thankfulness . no man shal bring him good newes from god , and goe away vnrecompenced ; how forward he is to feast him , whom hee tooke for a prophet : their feet should be so much more beautifull , that bring vs newes of saluation , by how much their errand is better . that manoah might learn to acknowledge god in this man , hee sets off the proffer of his thankfulnes from himselfe , to god ; and ( as the same angel which appeared to gideon ) turnes his feast into a sacrifice : and now he is manoahs solicitor to better thanks than hee offered . how forward the good angels are to incite vs vnto pietie ! either this was the sonne himself , which said it was his meat and drinke to doe his fathers will , or else one of his spirituall attendance of the same diet . wee can neuer feast the angels better , then with our harty sacrifices to god ; why do not we learne this lesson of them , whom wee propound to our selues as the patterns of our obedience ? we shall be once like the angels in condition , why are wee not in the meane time in our dispositions ? if wee doe not prouoke , and exhort one another to godlinesse , and doe care more for a feast , then a sacrifice , our appetite is not angelicall , but brutish . it was an honest minde in manoah , whiles hee was addressing a sacrifice to god , yet not to neglect his messenger ; faine would he know whom to honour ; true pietie is not vnciuill , but whiles it magnifies the authour of all blessings , is thankfull to the meanes : secondary causes are woorthy of regard : neither need it detract any thing from the praise of the agent , to honor the instrument . it is not onely rudeness , but iniustice in those , which can bee content to heare good newes from god , with contempt of the bearers . the angell wil neither take nor giue , but conceales his very name from manoah . all honest motions are not fit to be yeelded to ; good intentions are not alwayes sufficient grounds of condiscent . if wee doe somtimes aske what we know not , it is no maruell if wee receiue not what wee aske . in some cases , the angel of god tells his name vnasked , as gabriel to the virgin ; heere , not by intreaty : if it were the angel of the couenant , he had as yet no name but iehouah ; if a created angel , hee had no commission to tell his name ; & a faithful messenger hath not a word beyond his charge : besides that , hee saw it would bee of more vse for manoah , to know him really , then by words . oh the bold presumption of those men , which ( as if they had long soiourned in heauen , and been acquainted with all the holy legions of spirits ) discourse of their orders ; of their titles , when this one angels stoppes the mouth of a better man then they , with why doost thou aske after my name , which is secret ? secret things to god ; reuealed , to vs and our children . no word can be so significant as actions ; the act of the angel tels best who hee was ; hee did wonderfully : wonderfull therefore was his name . so soon as euer the flame of the sacrifice ascended , hee mounted vp in the smoke of it ; that manoah might see the sacrifice , and the messenger belonged both to one god ; and might know , both whence to acknowledge the message , and whence to expect the performance . gideons angel vanished at his sacrifice , but this in the sacrifice ; that manoah might at once see both the confirmation of his promise , and the acceptation of his obedience , whiles the angel of god vouchsafed to perfume himselfe with that holy smoke , & carry the sent of it vp into heauē . manoah belieued before , and craued no signe to assure him ; god voluntarily confirmes it to him aboue his desire : to him that hath , shall be giuen . where there are beginnings of faith , the mercy of god will adde perfection . how doe we thinke manoah and his wife looked to see this spectacle ? they had not spirit enough left to looke one vpon another : but in steed of looking vp cheerefully to heauen , they fall downe to the earth , on their faces ; as weak eyes are dazeled with that which should comfort them . this is the infirmitie of our nature , to be afflicted with the causes of our ioy ; to be astonished with our confirmations ; to cōceiue death in that vision of god , wherein our life & happiness consists . if this homely sight of the angell did so confound good manoah , what shal become of the enemies of god , whē they shall be brought before the glorious tribunall of the god of angels ? i maruell not now , that the angel appeared both times rather to the wife of manoah ; her faith was the stronger of the two . it falls out sometimes , that the weaker vessel is fuller ; and that of more precious liquor : that wife is no helper which is not ready to giue spirituall comfort to her husband ; the reason was good , and irrefragable , if the lord were pleased to kill vs , hee would not haue receiued a burnt offring from vs ; god will not accept gifts , where he intēds punishment , and professes hatred . the sacrifice of the vvicked , is an abomination to the lord : if wee can finde assurance of gods acceptation of our sacrifices , wee may be sure hee loues our persons . if i incline to wickednes in my hart , the lord will not heare mee ; but the lord hath heard mee . sampsons marriage . of all the deliuerers of israel , there is none of whom are reported so many weakenesses , or so many miracles , as of sampson : the newes which the angell told of his conception and education , was not more strange , then the newes of his owne choice ; hee but sees a daughter of the philistims , and falls in loue ; all this strength beginnes in infirmitie ; one maid of the philistims , ouer-comes that champion which was giuen to ouercome the philistims : euen hee that was dieted with water , found heat of vnfit desires : as his bodie was strong notwithstanding that fare , so were his passions ; without the gift of continencie , a lowe feed may impaire nature , but not inordination . to follow nothing but the eye in the choice of his vvife , was a lust vnworthy of a nazarite ; this is to make the sense not a counsellor , but a tyran . yet was sampson in this verie impotencie , dutifull ; hee did not in the presumption of his strength rauish her forceably ; hee did not make vp a clandestine match without consulting his parents , but he makes sute to them for consent ; giue mee her to wife : as one that could be master of his owne act , tho not of his passion ; and as one that had learned so to be a sutor , as not to forget himselfe to bee a sonne . euen in this deplored state of israel , children durst not presume to be their own caruers ; how much less is this tolerable in a wel-guided and christian common-wealth ? whosoeuer now dispose of themselues without their parents , they doe wilfully vn-child themselues , and change naturall affection for violent . it is no maruell if manoah and his wife were astonished at this vnequall motion of their son ; did not the angell ( thought they ) tell vs that this child should be consecrated to god , and must he begin his youth in vnholy wedlock ? did not the angel say that our sonne should beginne to saue israel from the philistims , and is he now captiued in his affections by a daughter of the philistims ? shall our deliuerance from the philistims beginne in an alliance ? haue we bin so scrupulously carefull , that hee should eate no vncleane thing , & shall wee now consent to an heathenish match ? now therefore they grauely indeauour to coole this intemperate heat of his passion , with good counsell ; as those which well knew the inconueniences of an vnequall yoke ; corruption in religion , alienation of affections , distraction of thoughts , conniuence at idolatry , death of zeale , dangerous vnderminings , and lastly , an vnholy seed : who can blame them if they were vnwilling to call a philistim , daughter ? i wish manoah could speake so loud that all our israelites might heare him ; is there neuer a woman among the daughters of thy brethren , or among all gods people , that thou goest to take a wife of the vncircumcised philistims ? if religion be any other then a cypher , how dare we not regard it in our most important choice ? is shee a faire philistim ? why is not this deformitie of the soule more powerfull to disswade vs , then the beautie of the face , or of metall to allure vs ? to dote vpon a faire skinne when we see a philistim vnder it , is sensuall and brutish . affection is not more blind , thē deafe . in vaine doe the parents seeke to alter a young man , not more strong in body , then in will ; tho he cannot defend his desires , yet he pursues them ; get mee her , for she pleases mee . and although it must needs be a weake motion that can plead no reason , but appetite ; yet the good parents , sith they cannot bow the affection of their sonne with perswasion , dare not breake it with violence . as it becomes not children to bee forward in their choice ; so parents may not be too peremptorie in their denial ; it is not safe for children to ouer-runne parents in setling their affections ; nor for parents ( where the impediments are not very materiall ) to come short of their children , when the affections are once settled : the one is disobedience ; the other may be tyranny . i know not whether i may excuse either sampson in making this sute , or his parents in yeelding to it , by a diuine dispensation in both : for on the one side , whiles the spirit of god notes , that as yet his parents knew not this was of the lord , it may seeme that hee knew it ; and is it likely hee would know and not impart it ? this alone was enough to win , yea to command his parents ; it is not mine eye onely , but the counsell of god , that leades me to this choice ; the way to quarrell with the philistims , is to match with them ; if i follow mine affection , mine affection followes god , in this proiect . surely , hee that commaunded his prophet afterwards to marry an harlot , may haue appointed his nazarite to marry with a philistim : on the other side , whether it were of god permitting , or allowing , i find not ; it might so be of god , as all the euill in the citie ; and then the interposition of gods decree , shall be no excuse of sampsons infirmitie . i would rather think , that god meant onely to make a treacle of a viper ; and rather appointed to fetch good out of sampsons euill , then to approue that for good in sampson , which in it selfe was euil . when sampson went on wooing , he might haue made the sluggards excuse , there is a lion in the way : but he that could not be staied by perswasion , will not by fear . a lion , young , wilde , fierce , hungry , comes roring vpon him when hee had no weapon but his hand , no fence but his strength ; the same prouidence that carried him to timnah , brought the lion to him . it hath been euer the fashion of god , to exercise his champions with some initiatory incounters : both sampson & dauid must first fight with lions , then with philistims ; & he whose type they bore , meets with that roring lion of the wildernesse , in the very threshold of his publique charge . the same hand that prepared a lion for sampson , hath proportionable matches for euery christian ; god neuer giues strength , but hee imployes it : pouerty , meets one like an armed man ; infamy , like some furious mastiue , comes flying in the face of another ; the wild bore out of the forrest , or the bloudie tyger of persecution sets vpon one ; the brawling curres of hereticall prauitie or cōtentious neighbourhood , are ready to bait another : and by all these meaner and brutish aduersaries , wil god fit vs for greater conflicts : it is a pledge of our future victory ouer the spirituall philistims , if we can say , my soule hath been among lions . come forth now thou weak christian , and behold this preparatorie battel of sampson ; dost thou think god deales hardly with thee in matching thee so hard , and calling thee forth to so many fraies ? what doost thou but repine at thine own glory ? how shouldst thou be victorious , without resistance ? if the parents of sampson had now stood behind the hedge and seene this incounter , they vvould haue taken no further care of matching their sonne with a philistim ; for who that should see a strong lion ramping vpon an vnarmed man , would hope for his life and victory ? the beast came bristling vp his fearefull mane , wafting his raised sterne , his eyes sparkling with furie , his mouth roaring out knells of his last passage , and breathing death from his nostrills , and now reioyced at so faire a prey . surely , if the lion had had no other aduersary then him whom he saw , hee had not lost his hope ; but now he could not see that his maker was his enemy ; the spirit of the lord came vpon sampson ; what is a beast in the hand of the creator ? he that strooke the lions with the awe of adam , noah , and daniel , subdued this rebellious beast to sampson ; vvhat maruell is it , if sampson now tore him , as if it had bin a young kid ? if his bones had been brasse , and his skin plates of iron , all had been one : the right hand of the lord bringeth mighty things to pass . if that roring lion , that goes about continually seeking whom he may deuour , find vs alone among the vineyards of the philistims , where is our hope ? not in our heeles ; hee is swifter then we : not in our weapons ; we are naturally vnarmed : not in our hands , which are weak and languishing ; but in the spirit of that god , by whom we can do all things : if god fight in vs , who can resist him ? there is a stronger lion in vs , then that against vs. sampson was not more valiant then modest ; hee made no words of this great exploit : the greatest performers euer make the least noyse ; he that works wonders alone , could say , see thou tell no man ; where as those , whose hands are most impotent , are busiest of their tongues . great talkers show that they desire only to be thought eminent , whereas the deepest waters are least heard . but , whiles he concealed this euent from others , hee pondred it in himselfe ; and when hee returned to timnath , went out of the way to see his dead aduersary , and could not but recal to himselfe his danger , and deliuerance ; heere the beast met me , thus he fought , thus i slew him . the very dead lion taught sampson thankfulnesse : there was more hony in this thought , then in the carcasse . the mercies of god are ill bestowed vpon vs , if we cannot steppe aside to view the monuments of his deliuerances ; dangers may bee at once past , & forgotten . as sampson had not found his hony-comb , if he had not turned aside to see his lion ; so we shall lose the comfort of gods benefits , if we doe not renue our perills by meditation . least any thing should befall sampson , wherein is not some wonder , his lion doth more amaze him dead , then aliue ; for loe , that carcasse is made an hiue ; & the bitternesse of death , is turned into the sweetness of hony . the bee , a nice & dainty creature , builds her cells in an vnsauory carcasse ; the carcass that promised nothing but strength , and annoyance , now offers comfort & refreshing ; and in a sort , payes sampson for the wrong offered . oh the wonderfull goodnes of our god , that can change our terrors into pleasure , and can make the greatest euils beneficiall ! is any man , by his humiliation vnder the hand of god , growne more faithfull , and conscionable ? there is hony out of the lion. is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect ? there also is hony out of the lion : there is no sampson to whom euery lion dooth not yeeld hony : euerie christian is the better for his euils ; yea , satan himselfe , in his exercise of gods children , aduantageth them . sampson doth not disdaine these sweets , because he finds them vncleanly layd ; his diet was strict , and forbad him any thing that sauour'd of legall impurity ; yet hee eates the hony-combe out of the belly of a dead beast ; good may not be refused , because the means are accidentally euil ; hony is hony still , tho in a dead lion. those are lesse wise , and more scrupulous then sampson , which abhorre the graces of god , because they finde them in ill vessels : one cares not for the preachers true doctrine , because his life is euill ; another will not take a good receit from the hand of a physitian , because he is giuen to vnlawfull studies ; a d , wil not receiue a deserued contribution from the hands of a vsurer . it is a weak neglect not to take the hony , because we hate the lion : gods children haue right to their fathers blessings , wheresoeuer they finde them . the match is now made ; sampson ( tho a nazarite ) hath both a wedding , and afeast ; god neuer misliked moderate solemnities in the seuerest life ; and yet this bridall-feast was long , the space of seuen daies . if sampson had matched with the best israelite , this celebration had been no greater ; neither had this perhaps been so long , if the custome of the place had not required it . now i doe not heare him pleade his nazaritisme , for a colour of singularitie : it is both lawfull and fit , in things not prohibited , to conforme our selues to the manners and rites of those with whom we liue . that sampson might think it an honour to match with the philistims , hee whom before the lion found alone , is now accompanied with thirty attendants ; they called them companions , but they meant them for spies : the curtesies of the world are hollow and and thanklesse ; neither doth it euer purpose so ill , as when it showes fairest . none are so neere to danger , as those whom it entertains with smiles ; whiles it frownes , wee knowe what to trust to ; but the fauours of it are worthy of nothing but feares & suspicion : open defiance is better then false loue . austeritie had not made sampson vnciuill ; hee knowes how to entertaine philistims with a formall familiaritie : and that his intellectuall parts might be approued answerable to his armes , hee will first try maisteries of wit , and set their braines on worke vvith harmless thoughts ; his riddle shal appose them , and a deepe wager shall hinde the solution ; thirtie shirts , and thirty sutes of raymem ; neither their losse , nor their gaine could be much , besides the victory , beeing diuided vnto thirtie partners : but sampsons must needs bee both waies very large , vvho must giue or receiue thirty alone . the seauen dayes of the feast are expiring , and yet they which had been all this while deuouring of sampsons meat , cannot tell who that cater should be from whence meat shold come . in course of nature , the strong feeder takes-in meat , and sends out filthiness ; but , that meat and sweetnesse should come from a deuouring stomack , was beyond their apprehension . and as fooles and dogges vse to beginne in iest , and end in earnest , so did these philistims ; and therefore they force the bride to intice her husband to betray himselfe . couetousnes & pride haue made them impatient of loss : and now they threat to fire her , and her fathers house , for recompence of their entertainment , rather then they will lose a small wager to an israelite . some-what of kinne to these sauage philistims , are those cholerick gamesters , which if the dice bee not their friend , fall out with god , curse ( that which is not ) fortune ; strike their fellowes , and are ready to take vengeance vpon themselues : those men are vnfit for sport , that lose their patience together with their wager . i do not wonder that a philistim woman loued herselfe and her fathers family , more then an israelitish bride-groome ; and if shee bestowed teares vpon her husband , for the ransome of them . sampson himselfe taught her this difference , i haue not told it my father or my mother , and should i tell it thee ? if she had not been as shee was , fhee had neither done this to sampson , nor heard this from him ; matrimoniall respects are dearer then naturall ; it was the law of him that ordained marriage ( before euer parents were ) that parents should bee forsaken , for the husband or wife : but now , israelitish parents are woorthy of more intirenesse , then a wife of the philistims ; and yet , whom the lion could not conquer , the teares of a woman haue conquered . sampson neuer bewrayed infirmitie but in vxoriousnes ; what assurance can there be of him that hath a philistim in his bosome ? adam , the perfectest man , sampson , the strongest man , salomon , the wisest man , were betrayed with the flattery of their helpers . as there is no comfort comparable to a faithfull yoke-fellow , so wo be to him that is matched with a philistim . it could not but much discōtent sampson , to see that his aduersaries had plowed with his heifer , & that vpon his own back ; now therfore hee payes his wager to their cost . ascalon the citie of the philistims is his wardrobe , he fetches thence thirty sutes , lined with the liues of the owners : hee might vvith as much ease haue slaine these thirtie companions , which were the authors of this euill ; but his promise forbad him whiles he was to clothe their bodies , to vnclothe their soules ; and that spirit of god , which stird him vp to reuenge , directed him in the choice of the subiects . if we wonder to see thirtie throates cut for their sutes , wee may easily know , that this was but the occasion of that slaughter , whereof the cause was their oppression , and tyranny . dauid slew two hundred philistims for their fore-skinnes : but the ground of his act was their hostilitie . it is iust with god to destine what enemies he pleases , to execution : it is not to be expostulated why this man is striken rather then another , vvhen both are philistims . sampsons victorie . i can no more iustifie sampson in the leauing of his wife , then in the chusing her ; he chose her because she pleased him ; and because shee despised him , hee left her : though her feare made her false to him in his riddle , yet shee was true to his bed ; that vveake trechery was worthy of a check , not a desertion . all the passions of sampson were strong , like himself : but ( as vehement motions are not lasting ) this vehemēt wind is soone allayd ; and hee is now returning with a kid to winne her that had offended him , and to renue that feast which ended in her vnkindnesse . slight occasions may not breake the knot of matrimoniall loue ; and if any iust offence haue slackned it on either part , it must be fastned again by speedy reconciliation . now sampsons father in law showes himselfe a philistim , the true parent of her that betrayed her husband ; for no sooner is the bride-groome departed , then he changes his sonne : what pretence of friendshippe soeuer he made , a true philistim will soone be wearie of an israelite . sampson hath not so many dayes libertie to enioy his wedding , as hee spent in celebrating it : marriage hath been euer a sacred institution , and who but a philistim would so easily violate it ? one of his thirtie companions enioyes his wife , together with his sute ; & now laughes to be a partner of that bed , whereon hee was an attendant . the good nature of sampson , hauing forgottē the first wrong , carried him to a proffer of familiarity , and is repulsed ; but vvith a gentle violence , i had thought thou hadst hated her . lawfull wedlock may not be dissolued by imaginations , but by proofes . who shall stay sampson from his owne wife ? hee that slew the lion in the way of his wooing , and before whom thousands of the philistims could not stand , yet suffers himselfe to be resisted , by him that was once his father in law , without any returne of priuate violence . great is the force of dutie once conceiued , euen to the most vnworthy ; this thought , i was his sonne , bindes the hands of sampson : else how easily might hee that slew those thirty philistims for their sutes , haue destroyed this familie for his wife ? how vnnatural are those mouthes , that can curse the loynes from which they are proceeded ; and those hands that dare lift vp themselues against the meanes of their life and being ? i neuer read that sampson slew any but by the motion and assistance of the spirit of god : and the diuine wisedome hath reserued these offenders to another reuenge ; iudgement must descend from others to thē , sith the wrong proceeded from others , by them . in the very marriage god foresaw and intended this parting , and in the parting this punishment vpon the philistims . if the philistims had not bin as much enemies to god , as to sampson ; enemies to israel in their oppression , no lesse then to sampson , in this particular iniurie , that purpose and execution of reuenge , had been no better then wicked : now he to whom vengeance belongs , sets him on worke , and makes the act iustice : when he commaunds , euen very crueltie is obedience . it was a busie and troublesome proiect of sampson , to vse the foxes for his reuenge : for not without great labour & many hands could so many wilde creatures be gotte together , neither could the wit of sampson want other deuises of hostilitie ; but he meant to finde out such a punishmēt , as might in som sort answere the offence , & might imply as much contempt , as trespasse . by wiles , seconded with violence , had they wronged sampson , in extorting his secret , and taking away his wife : & what other embleme could these foxes tied together present vnto them , then wiliness combined by force , to worke mischiefe ? these foxes destroy their corn , before he which sent them , destroy the persons . those iudgements which beginne in outward things , end in the owners ; a stranger that had been of neither side , vvould haue said , what pitty it is to see good corn thus spoiled : if the creature be considered apart frō the owners , it is good ; and therefore if it be mis-spent , the abuse reflects vpon the maker of it ; but if it be looked vpon , with respect to an ill master , the best vse of it , is to perish . he therefore that slew the egyptian cattell with murrain , & smote their fruit with haile-stones ; hee that consumed the vines of israel with the palmer-worme , and caterpiller , and canker-worme ; sent also foxes by the hand of sampson , into the fields of the philistims . their corne was too good for them to enioy , not too good for the foxes to burn vp ; god had rather his creature should perish any way , then serue for the lust of the wicked . there could not be such secrecy in the catching of three hundred foxes , but it might well be knowne who had procured them : rumor will swiftly fly of things not done : but of a thing so notoriously executed , it is no maruell if fame be a blab . the mention of the offence drawes in the prouocation : & now the wrong to sampson is scanned & reuenged ; because the fieldes of the philistims , are burned for the wrong done to sampson by the timnite in his daughter , therefore the philistims burne the timnite & his daughter . the tying of the firebrand between two foxes , was not so witty a policy , as the setting of a fire of dissension betwixt the philistims : what need sampson be his owne executioner , when his enemies will vndertake that charge ? there can be no more pleasing prospect to an israelite , then to see the philistims together by the eares . if the vvife of sampson had not feared the fire for herselfe , and her fathers house , she had not betrayed her husband , her husband had not thus plagued the philistims , the philistims had not consumed her and her father with fire : now shee leapes into that flame which shee meant to auoid . that euill which the wicked feared , meets them in their flight : how many in a feare of pouerty , seeke to gaine vnconscionably , and die beggers ? how many to shunne paine and danger haue yeelded to euill , and in the long runne haue been met in the teeth with that mischiefe which they had hoped to haue left behind them ? how many , in a desire to eschue the shame of men , haue fallen into the confusion of god ? both good and euill are sure pay-masters at the last . hee that was so soone pacified towards his wife , could not but haue thought this reuenge more then enough , if he had not rather wielded gods quarrell then his owne ; he knew that god had raised him vp on purpose , to be a scourge to the philistims , whom as yet he had angred more then punished : as if these therefore had been but florishes before the fray , he stirres vp his courage , & strikes them both hip and thigh , vvith a mighty plague . that god vvhich can do nothing imperfecty , where he begins either mercy or iudgement , will not leaue till hee haue happily finished : as it is in his fauours , so in his punishments ; one stroke drawes on another . the israelites were but slaues , & the philistims were their masters : so much more indignely threfore must they needs take it , to be thus affronted by one of their owne vassals : yet shall we commend the moderation of these pagans ; sampson , beeing not mortally wronged by one philistim , falls foule vpon the whole nation ; the philistims hainously offended by sampson , doe not fall vpon the whole tribe of iudah , but being mustered together , call to them for satisfaction from the person offending : the same hand of god which wrought sampson to reuēge , restrained them from it ; it is no thanke to themselues , that sometimes wicked men cannot bee cruell . the men of iudah , are by their fear made friends to their tyrans , & traytors to their friend ; it was in their cause that sampson had shed bloud , and yet they conspire with ●he philistims , to destroy their own flesh and bloud . so shal the philistims be quit with israel , that as sampson by philistims , reuenged himself of philistims ; so they of an israelite , by the hand of israelites . that which open enemies dare not attempt , they worke by false brethren ; and these are so much more perilous , as they are more entire . it had been no lesse easie for sampson to haue slaine those thousands of iudah that came to binde him , then those other of the philistims , that meant to kill him bound : and what if he had said ; are yee turnd traytors to your deliuerer ? your bloud bee vpon your owne heads . but the spirit of god ( without whom he could not kill either beast , or man ) would neuer stirre him vp to kill his brethren , tho degenerated into philistims ; they haue more power to binde him , then hee to kill them : israelitish bloud was precious to him , that made no more scruple of killing a philistim , then a lion : that bondage and vsury that was allowed to a iew from a pagan , might not bee exacted from a iew. the philistims that had before plowed with sampsons heifer in the case of the riddle , are now plowing a worse furrow with an heifer more his owne . i am ashamed to heare these cowardly iewes say , knowst thou not that the philistims are lords ouer vs ? why hast thou done thus vnto vs ? we are therefore come to binde thee : whereas they should haue said ; wee find these tyrannicall philistims to vsurp dominion ouer vs ; thou hast happily begun to shake off their yoke , and now wee are come to second thee with our seruice ; the valor of such a captain shall easily lead vs forth to liberty ; we are ready either to die with thee , or to be freed by thee : a fearefull man can neuer be a true friend ; rather then incur any danger , hee will be false to his owne soule . oh cruell mercie of these men of iuda ! we will not kill thee , but we will bind thee , and deliuer thee to the hands of the philistims , that they may kill thee . as if it had not been much worse to die an ignominious and tormenting death , by the hands of philistims , then to bee at once dispatcht by them , which wisht either his life safe , or his death easie . when saul was pursued by the philistims vpon the mountaines of gilboa , he could say to his armor-bearer , draw forth thy sword , and kill mee , least the vncircumcised come and thrust me thorough , & mock mee ; and at last , would rather fall vpon his own sword , then theirs : and yet these cosins of sampson , can say , wee will not kill thee , but we will bind thee , & deliuer thee . it was no excuse to these israelites , that sampsons binding had more hope , then his death ; it was more in the extraordinary mercie of god , then their will , that he was not tyed with his last bonds : such is the goodness of the almightie , that he turnes the cruell intentions of wicked men to an aduantage . now these iewes that might haue let thēselues loose from their owne bondage , are binding their deliuerer , whom yet they knew able to haue resisted . in the greatest strength , there is vse of patience ; there was more fortitude in this suffering , then in his former actions ; sampson abides to be tied by his owne countrymen , that hee may haue the glory of freeing him selfe victoriously . euen so , o sauiour , our better nazarite , thou which couldst haue called to thy father , and haue had twelue legions of angels for thy rescue , wouldst be bound voluntarily , that thou mightst triumph ; so the blessed martyrs were racked , & would not be losed , because they expected a better resurrection : if we be not as well ready to suffer ill , as to doe good , wee are not fit for the consecration of god. to see sampson thus strongly manicled , and exposed to their full reuenge , could not but bee a glad spectacle to these philistims ; & their ioy was so full , that it could not but flie forth of their mouthes in shouting and laughter ; whom they saw loose with terror , it is pleasure to see bound . is is the sport of the spirituall philistims , to see any of gods nazarites fettered with the cords of iniquitie ; and their imps are ready to say , aha , so would wee haue it . but the euent answers their false ioy , with that clause of triumph , reioyce not ouer me , o mine enemy : tho j fall , yet i shall rise againe . how soone vvas the countenance of these philistims changed , and their shouts turn'd into shriekings ? the spirit of the lord came vpon sampson , and then , what are cords to the almighty ? his new bonds are as flax burnt with fire ; and he rouzes vp himselfe , like that young lion whom he first incountred , & flyes vpon those cowardly aduersaries , who if they had not seen his cords , durst not haue seene his face . if they had been so many diuels , as men , they could not haue stood before that spirit , which lifted vp the hart & hand of sampson . wicked men neuer see fairer prospect , then when they are vpon the verie threshold of destruction ; securitie and ruine , are so close bordering vpon each other , that where we see the face of the one , we may be sure the other is at his backe . thus didst thou , o blessed sauiour , when thou wert fastned to the crosse , when thou layest bound in the graue with the cords of death ; thus didst thou miraculously raise vp thy selfe , and vanquish thine enemies , and lead captiuitie captiue ; thus do all thy holy ones when they seem most forsaken , & laid open to the insultation of the world , finde thy spirit mightie to their deliuerance , and the discomfiture of their malicious aduersaries . those three thousand israelites were not so ill aduised , as to come vp into the rock vnweaponed , to apprehend sampson ; sampson therfore might haue had his choice of swords , or speares , for this skirmish with the philistims ; yet hee leaues all the munition of israel , & finding the new iaw-bone of an asse , takes that vp in his hand , and with that base instrument of death , sends philistimes to their place . all the swords and shields of the armed philistims , cannot resist that contemptible engine , which hath novv left a thousand bodies , as dead as the carcasse of that beast , whose bone it was . this victory was not in the weapon , was not in the arme : it was in the spirit of god , which moued the weapon in the arme . o god , if the meanes bee weake , yet thou art strong : through god we shal do great acts ; yea , i can do all things through him that strengtheneth me . seest thou a poore christian , which by weake counsell hath obtained to ouercome a tentation , there is the philistim vanquisht with a sory iaw-bone . it is no maruell , if he were thus admirably strong , and victorious , whose bodily strength god meant to make a type of the spirituall power of christ : and behold , as the three thousands of iuda stood still gazing with their weapons in their hands , while sampson alone subdued the philistims ; so did men and angels stand looking vpon the glorious atchieuements of the sonne of god , who might iustlie say , i haue trode the wine-presse alone . both the sampsons complained of thirst ; the same god which gaue his champion victory , gaue him also refreshing ; and by the same meanes ; the same bone yeelds him both conquest , & life ; and is of a weapon of offence , turned into a vvell of water : he that fetcht water out of the flint for israel , fetches it out of a bone for sampson . what is not possible to the infinite power of that almightie creator , that made all things of nothing ? he can giue sampson hony from the mouth of the lion , and water from the mouth of the asse . who would not cheerfully depend vpon that god , which can fetch moisture out of drinesse , and life out of death ? sampsons end. i cannot wonder more at sampsons strength then his weakenesse ; he that beganne to cast away his loue vpon a wife of the philistims , goes on to misspend himselfe vpon the harlots of the philistims : hee that did not so much ouercome the men , as the women ouercome him . his affections blinded him first , ere the philistims could doe it : would he else , after the effusion of so much of their bloud , haue suffered his lust to carry him within their walls , as one that cared more for his pleasure , then his life ? oh strange debauchednesse , and presumption of a nazarite : the philistims are vp in armes to kill him ; he offers himselfe to their citie , to their stewes , and dares expose his life to one of their harlots , whō hee had slaughtered . i would haue looked to haue seen him betake himselfe to his stronger rock , then that of etam , and by his austere deuotion , to seeke protection of him , of whom he receiued strength : but now , as if hee had forgotten his consecration , i finde him turnd philistim for his bed , and of a nazarite , scarce a man. in vain doth hee nourish his haire , whiles hee feedes these passions . how vsually doe vigor of body , and infirmitie of minde lodge vnder one roofe ? on the contrary , a wearish out-side is a strong motiue to mortification : sampsons victories haue subdued him , & haue made him first a slaue to leud desires , & then to the philistims . i may safely say , that more vessels miscarrie with a faire gale , then with a tempest . yet was not sampson so blinded with lust , as not at all to looke before him ; he foresaw the morning would be dangerous , the bed of his fornication therefore could hold him no longer thē midnight ; then he rises , & in a mock of those ambushes which the azabites laid for him , he carries away the gates wherein they thought to haue incaged him . if a temptation haue drawn vs aside , to lie down to sin , it is happy for vs if we can arise ere wee be surprised with iudgement . sampson had not left his strength in the bed of an harlot ; neither had that god which gaue it him , stript him of it with his clothes , when he layd him down in vncleanenesse : his mercy vses not to take vantage of our vnwoorthinesse , but euen when we cast him off , holds vs fast . that bountifull hand leaues vs rich of common graces , when we haue mis-spent our better store : like as our first parents , when they had spoiled themselues of the image of their creator , yet were left vvealthie of noble faculties of the soule . i finde sampson come off from his sinne with safety ; he runnes away lightly with an heauier weight then the gates of azzah , the burden of an ill act . present impunity argues not an abatement of the wickedness of his sinne , or of the dislike of god ; nothing is so worthy of pitty , as a sinners peace : good is not therefore good because it prospers , but because it is commaunded ; euill is not euil because it is punished , but because it is forbidden . if the holy parents of sampson , liued to see these outrages of their nazarite , i doubt whether they did not repent them of their ioy ●o heare newes of a sonne . it is a ●hame to see how hee that might not drinke wine , is drunk with the cup of fornications ; his lust carries him from azzah to the plain of sorek , & now hath found a dalilah , that shall pay him for all his former vncleaneness . sin is steepe and slippery ; and if after one fall we haue found where to stand , it is the praise , not of our footing , but of the hand of god. the princes of the philistims knew already where sampsons weakeness lay , though not his strength ; and therfore they would entise his harlot by gifts , to entise him by her daliance , to betray him selfe . it is no maruell , if shee which would be filthy , wold be also perfidious . how could sampson chuse but thinke , if lust had not bewitched him , shee whose bodie is mercenary to mee , will easily sell me to others ; shee will be false , if she will be an harlot ? a wide conscience will swallow any sin : those that haue once thrall'd themselues to a known euill , can make no other difference of sinnes , but their owne losse , or aduantage : a lyer wil steale ; a theefe can kil ; a cruell man can be a traytor ; a drunkard can falsifie ; wickednesse once entertained , can put on any shape : trust him in nothing , that makes not a conscience of euery thing . vvas there euer such another motion made to a reasonable man ? tell me wherein thy great strength lieth , & wherwith thou maist be bound to doe thee hurt . vvho would not haue spurned such a sutor out of doores ? what wil not impudency aske , or stupiditie receiue ? hee that killed the thousand philistims for cōming to binde him , indures this harlot of the philistims to consult with himselfe of binding him ; and when vpon the triall of a false answer , hee saw so apparent trechery , yet wilfully betrayes his life by her , to his enemies : all sinnes , all passions haue power to infatuate a man ; but lust most of all . neuer man that had drunke flagons of wine , had lesse reason , then this nazarite ; many a one loses his life : but this casts it away ; not in hatred of himselfe , but in loue to a strumpet . we wonder that a man could possibly be so sottish , & yet we our selues by tentation becom no lesse insensate ; sinful pleasures like a common dalilah , lodge in our bosoms , we knowe they aime at nothing but the death of our soule ; we wil yeeld to them , & die : euery willing sinner is a sampson ; let vs not inuey against his senselesnes , but our owne : nothing is so grosse & vnreasonable to a well disposed minde , which tentation will not represent fit , and plausible : no soule can out of his owne strength , secure himselfe from that sin which he most detesteth . as an hood-winkt man sees som little glimmering of light , but not enough to guide him ; so did sampson , who had reason enough left him to make triall of dalilah , by a crafty mis-information ; but not enough vpon that tryall , to distrust , and hate her ; hee had not wit enough to deceiue her thrise ; not enough to keepe himselfe from being deceiued by her . it is not so great wisedom to proue thē whom wee distrust , as it is folly to trust them whom wee haue found trecherous : thrise had he seene the philistims in her chamber , ready to susprise him , vpon her bonds ; and yet will needs be a slaue to his traytor . warning not taken , is a certaine presage of destruction ; and if once neglected it receiue pardon , yet thrise is desperate . vvhat man would euer play thus with his owne ruine ? his harlot bindes him , and calls-in her executioners to cut his throat ; hee rises to saue his owne life , and suffers them to carry away theirs , in peace . where is the courage of sampson ? where his zeale ? hee that killed the philistims for their clothes ; hee that slew a thousand of them in the field at once ; in this quarrell , now suffers them in his chamber vnreuenged . whence is this ? his hands were strong , but his hart was effeminate ; his harlot had diuerted his affection . whosoeuer slackens the raines to his sensuall appetite , shall soone grow vnfitte for the calling of god. sampson hath broke the greene withies , the new ropes , the woofe of his haire , & yet still suffers himselfe fettered with those inuisible bonds of an harlots loue ; and can indure her to say , how canst thou say , i loue thee , when thy hart is not with mee ; thou hast mocked me these three times : wheras he should rather haue said to her ; how canst thou challenge any loue from me , that hast this thrise sought my life ? or canst thou thinke my mocks a sufficient reuenge of this trecherie ? but contrarily , he melts at this fire ; and by her importunate insinuations , is wrought against himselfe . wearinesse of solicitation , hath won some to those actions , which at the first motion they despised ; like as wee see some sutors are dispatcht , not for the equity of the cause , but the trouble of the prosccution ; because it is more easie to yeelde , not more reasonable . it is more safe to keepe our selues out of the noyse of suggestions , then to stand vpon our power of deniall . who can pitty the losse of that strength which was so abused ? who can pitty him the loss of his locks , which after so many warnings can sleepe in the lappe of dalilah ? it is but iust that he should rise vp from thence , shauen and feeble ; not a nazarite , scarce a man. if his strength had lyen in his hair , it had been out of himselfe ; it was not therefore in his locks , it was in his consecration , whereof that haire was a signe . if the razor had come sooner vpon his head , he had ceased to be a nazarite ; and the gift of god had at once ceased , vvith the calling of god ; not for the want of that excretion , but for the want of obedience . if god withdrawe his graces , when hee is too much prouoked , who can complain of his mercie ? he that sleeps in sin , must looke to wake in losse , and weakeness . could sampson thinke , though i tell her my strength lies in my haire , yet shee will not cut it ; or though shee doe cut my haire , yet shal i not lose my strength ; that now hee rises and shakes himselfe in hope of his former vigor ? custome of successe , makes men confident in their sins , and causes them to mistake an arbitrary tenure for a perpetuity . his eyes were the first offenders , which betrayed him to lust : and now they are first pull'd out ; and he is ledde a blind captiue to azzah , where hee was first captiued to his lust . the azzahites , which lately saw him not without terror , running lightly away with their gates at mid-night , see him now in his owne perpetuall night , struggling with his chaines : and that he may not want paine , together with his bondage , hee must grind in his prison . as hee passed the street , euery boy of the philistims could throw stones at him , euery woman could laugh , and shout at him ; and what one philistim doth not say , whiles he lashes him vnto bloud , there is for my brother , or my kinsman , whom thou slewest . who can look to runne away with a sinne , when sampson a nazarite is thus plagued ? this great hart could not but haue broken with indignation , if it had not pacified it selfe with the conscience of the iust desert of all this vengeance . it is better for sampson to bee blinde in prison , then to abuse his eyes in sorek : yea , i may safelie say , hee was more blinde when he saw licentiously , then now , that hee sees not ; hee was a greater slaue when hee serued his affections , then now in grinding for the philistims . the losse of his eyes showes him his sin ; neither could hee see how ill hee had done , till hee saw not . euen yet , still the god of mercy lookt vpon the blindness of sampson , and in these fetters enlargeth his heart from the worse prison of his sinne ; his haire grew together with his repentance , & his strength with his haire . gods merciful humiliations of his owne , are sometimes so seuere , that they seeme to differ little from desertions ; yet at the worst , he loues vs bleeding : & when we haue smarted enough , wee shall feele it . vvhat thankfull idolaters were these philistims ? they could not but knowe , that their bribes , and their dalilah , had deliuer'd sampson to them , and yet they sacrifice to their dagon ; and , as those that would be liberall in casting fauors vpon a senselesse idol ( of vvhom they could receiue none ) they cry out , our god hath deliuered our enemy into our hands . where vvas their dagon , when a thousand of his clients were slaine with an asses iaw ? there was more strength in that bone , then in all the makers of this god ; and yet these vaine pagans say , our god. it is the qualitie of superstition to mis-interpret all euents , and to feed it selfe with the conceit of those fauours , which are so farre from beeing done , that their authors neuer were . why doe not we learn zeale of idolaters ? and if they be so forward in acknowledgemēt of their deliuerances to a false deitie ; how cheerefully should we ascribe ours to the true ? o god , whatsoeuer be the meanes , thou art the author of all our successe : oh that men would praise the lord for his goodnes , and tell the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of men ! no musician would serue for this feast , but sampson ; hee must now bee their sport , which was once their terror ; that hee might want no sorrow , scorne is added to his miserie : euery wit , and hand playes vpon him ; who is not readie to cast his bone , and his iest at such a captiue ? so as doubtlesse hee wisht himselfe no lesse deafe , then blinde , and that his soule might haue gone out with his eyes . oppression is able to make a wise man mad : and the greater the courage is , the more painfull the insultation . now sampson is punished , shall the philistims escape ? if the iudgement of god beginne at his own , what shall becom of his enemies ? this aduantage shal sampson make of their tyranny , that now death is no punishment to him , his soule shall flie foorth in this bitternesse , without pain ; & that his dying reuenge shal be no less sweet to him , then the liberty of his former life : he could not but feel god mockt through him ; and therfore whiles they are scoffing , hee prayes ; his seriousness hopes to pay them for all those iests . if he could haue bin thus earnest with god , in his prosperity , the philistims had vvanted this laughing stock : no deuotion is so feruent , as that which arises frō extremity ; o lord god , i pray thee think vpon me ; o god i beseech thee strengthen mee at this time onely . tho sampsons haire were shorter , yet he knew gods hand was not ; as one therefore that had yet eyes ●ow to see him that was inuisible , and whose faith was recouered before his strength , hee sues to that god , which was a party in this indignitie , for power to reuenge his wrongs , more then his owne : it is zeale that moues him , and not malice ; his renued faith tells him , that he was destin'd to plague the philistims : & reason tells him , that his blindnes puts him out of the hope of such another oportunity . knowing therefore , that this play of the philistims must end in his death , he recollects all the forces of his soule and body , that his death may be a punishment in steed of a disport ; and that his soule may bee more victorious in the parting , then in the animation : and so addresses himselfe both to die , and kill ; as one , whose soule shall not feele his own dissolution , whiles it shal carry so many thousand philistims with it to the pit . all the acts of sampson are for wonder , not for imitation : so didst thou , o blessed sauiour , our better sampson , conquer in dying ; and triumphing vpon the charriot of the crosse , didst lead captiuity captiue ; the law , sin , death , hell , had neuer bin vanquisht , but by thy death ; all our life , liberty , and glory , springs out of thy most precious bloud . michaes idolatrie . the mother of micha hath lost her siluer , and now she falls to cursing : she did afterwards but change the forme of her god ; her siluer was her god , ere it did put on the fashion of an image : else she had not so much cursed to lose it , if it had not too much possessed her in the keeping . a carnall hart cannot forgoe that wherein it delights , without impatience ; cannot be impatient , vvithout curses : whereas the man that hath learned to inioy god , and vse the world , smiles at a shipwrack , and pitties a theefe , and cannot curse , but pray . micha had so little grace , as to steale from his mother ; and that out of wantonnesse , not out of necessity ; for , if shee had not been rich , so much could not haue been stoln from her ; and now , hee hath so much grace as to restore it ; her curses haue fetcht again her treasures ; hee cannot so much loue the mony , as hee feares her imprecations ; wealth seemes too deare bought with a curse ; tho his fingers were false , yet his heart was tender . many that make not conscience of committing sinne , yet make conscience of facing it : it is well for them , that they are but nouices in euill ; those whom custome hath fleshed in sinne , can either deny and forfweare , or excuse and defend it : their seared hearts cannot feele the gnawing of any remorse ; and their forhead hath learned to be as impudent , as their hart is senseless . i see no argument of any holinesse in the mother of micha ; her curses were sinne to her selfe , yet micha dares not but feare them . i knowe not whether the causelesse curse be more worthy of pitty , or derifion ; it hurts the author , not his aduersary : but the deserued curses , that fall euen from vnholy mouthes , are worthy to be feared : how much more should a man hold himselfe blasted with the iust imprecations of the godlie ? what metall are those made of , that can applaude themselues in the bitter curses which their oppressions haue wrung from the poore , and reioyce in these signes of their prosperity ? neither yet was micha more striken with his mothers curses , then with the conscience of sacriledge : so soone as he findes there was a purpose of deuotion in this treasure , he dares not conceale it , to the preiudice ( as he thought ) of god , more then of his mother . what shall we say to the palate of those men , which as they finde no good relish but in stoln waters ; so best in those , which are stoln from the fountaine of god ? how soone hath the old woman changed her note ? euen now she passed an indefinite curse vpon her sonne for stealing ; and now shee blesses him absolutely , for restoring , blessed be my sonne of the lord. shee hath forgotten the theft , when shee sees the restitution ; how much more shall the god of mercies be more pleased with our confession , then prouoked with our sinne ? i doubt not but this siluer , and this superstition came out of egypt , together with the mother of micha . this history is not so late in time , as in place ; for the tribe of dan was not yet setled in that first diuision of the promised land ; so as this old woman had seen both the idolatry of egypt , & the golden calfe in the wildernesse ; and no doubt contributed some of her earings to that deity ; and after all the plagues which shee saw inflicted vpon her brethren , for that idol of horeb , and baal-peor , she stil reserues a secret loue to superstition , and now showes it . where mis-religion hath once possessed it selfe of the hart , it is very hardly clensed out ; but ( like the plague ) it will hang in the very clothes , & after long lurking , breake forth in an vnexpected infection ; and old wood is the aptest to take this fire : after all the ayring in the desert , michaes mother will smell of egypt . it had been better the siluer had been stoln then thus bestowed ; for now they haue so imployed it , that it hath stoln away their harts from god ; and yet , while it is molten into an image , they thinke it dedicated to the lord ; if religion might be iudged according to the intention , there should scarce be any idolatry in the world . this woman loued her siluer enough ; and if shee had not thought this costly piety , worth thanks , shee knew which way to haue imploied her stocke to aduantage : euen euill actions haue oft-times good meanings , and those good meanings are answered with euill recompences ; many a one bestows their cost , their labour , their blood , and receiues torment in steed of thanks . behold a superstitious son of a superstitious mother ; she makes a god , and hee harbours it ; yea , ( as the streame is commonly broader then the head ) he exceedes his mother in euill : he hath an house of gods , an ephod , teraphin ; & that he might be complete in his deuotion , he makes his sonne his priest , and feoffes that sinne vpon his sonne , which he receiued from his mother . those sinnes vvhich nature conuayes not to vs , wee haue by imitation ; euery action and gesture of the parents , is an example to the child ; and the mother , as she is more tender ouer her sonne , so by the power of a reciprocall loue , she can worke most vpon his inclination ; whence it is that in the history of the israelitish kings , the mothers name is commonly noted : and as ciuilly , so also morally , the birth followes the belly ; those sonnes may blesse their second birth , that are deliuered from the sinnes of their education . who cannot but thinke how far micha ouer-lookt all his fellow israelites , and thought them profane and godlesse in comparison of himselfe ? how did hee secretly clap himselfe on the breast , as the man , whose happinesse it was to ingross religion from all the tribes of israel , and little can imagine , that the further hee runs , the more out of the way . can an israelite be thus paganish ? o micha ! how hath superstition bewitched thee , that thou canst not see rebellion in euery of these actions , yea in euery circumstance , rebellion ? what , more gods then one ? an house of gods , beside gods house ? an image of siluer to the inuisible god ? an ephod , and no priest ? a priest besides the family of leui ? a priest of thine owne begetting , of thine own consecration ? what monsters dooth mans imagination produce when it is forsaken of god ? it is wel seen there is no king in israell ; if god had been their king , his lawes had ruled them : if moses or ioshua had been their king , their sword had awed them ; if any other , the courses of israel could not haue been so headlesse . we are beholden to gouernment for order , for peace , for religion ; where there is no king , euery one will bee a king , yea a god to himselfe ; vvee are worthy of nothing but confusion , if we blesse not god for authoritie . it is no maruell if leuites wandred for maintenance , whiles there was no king in israel ; the tithes and offerings were their due : if these had been paid , none of the holy tribe needed to shift his station . euen vvhere royall power seconds the claime of the leuite , the iniustice of men shortens his right . what should becom of the leuites if there were no king ? and what of the church if no leuites ? no king therefore , no church ; how could the impotent childe liue without a nurse ? kings shall be thy nursing fathers , and queens thy nurses , saith god. nothing more argues the disorder of any church , or the decay of religion , then the forced stragling of the leuites . there is hope of growth , when micha rides to seek a leuite ; but vvhen the leuite comes to seek a seruice of micha , it is a signe of gasping deuotion . micha was no obscure man ; all mount ephraim could not but take notice of his domesticall gods. this leuite could not but heare of his disposition , of his mis-deuotion ; yet vvant of maintenance , no lesse then conscience , drawes him on , to the danger of an idolatrous patronage : holiness is not tyed to any profession ; happie were it for the church , if the clergy could be a priuiledge from leudnesse . when need meets with vnconscionableness , all conditions are easily swallowed , of vnlawfull entrances , of wicked executions : ten shekels , and a sute of apparell , and his diet , are good wages for a needy leuite . hee that could bestow eleuen hundred shekels vpon his puppets , can afford butten to his priest : so hath hee at once a rich idoll , and a beggerlie priest . whosoeuer affects to serue god , good cheape , showes , that hee makes god but a stale to mammon . yet was micha a kinde patron , tho not liberall ; hee calls the young leuite his father , and vses him as his sonne ; & what he wants in means , supplies in affection . it were happy , if christians could imitate the loue of idolaters , towards them which serue at the altar . micha made a shift vvith the priesthood of his owne sonne ; yet that his heart checks him in it , appeares , both by the change , & his contentment in the change ; now i knowe that the lord will be good to mee , seeing i haue a leuite to my priest : therefore , whiles his priest was no leuite , hee sees there was cause , why god should not bee good to him . if the leuite had not comne to offer his seruice , michaes sonne had been a lawfull priest ; many times the conscience runnes away smoothly with an vnwarrantable action , and rests it selfe vpon those grounds , which afterward it sees cause to condemne . it is a sure way therfore to informe our selues throughly ere we settle our choice , that wee be not driuen to reuerse our acts with late shame , and vnprofitable repentance . now did micha beginne to see some little glimpse of his own error ; he saw his priesthood faultie , he saw not the faults of his ephod , of his images , of his gods , & yet ( as if he thought all had been well , when hee had amended one ) hee sayes , now i know the lord will be good to mee . the carnall hart pleases it selfe with an outward formalitie ; and so delights to flatter it selfe , as that it thinks , if one circumstance be right , nothing can be amisse . israel was at this time extremely corrupted ; yet the spyes of the danites had taken notice euen of this young leuite , and are glad to make vse of his priesthood . if they had but gone vp to shilo , they might haue consulted with the arke of god : but worldly minds are not curious in their holy seruices ; if they haue a god , an ephod , a priest , it suffices them ; they had rather inioy a false worship with ease , then to take paines for the true : those that are curious in their diet , in their purchases , in their attire , in their contracts , yet in gods businesses are very indifferent . the author of lyes sometimes speakes truth for an aduantage : & from his mouth , this flattering leuite speakes what he knew would please , not what hee knew would fall out ; the euent answers his prediction , and now the spyes magnifie him to their fellowes : michaes idol is a god , and the leuite is his oracle . in matter of iudgement , to be guided onely by the euent , is the way to error ; falshood shall be truth , and satan an angell of light , if we follow this rule ; euen very coniectures somtimes happen right ; a prophet , or dreamer may giue a true signe , or wonder , and yet himselfe say , let vs goe after other gods. a small thing can winne credite with weake mindes , which where they haue once sped , cannot distrust . the idolatrous danites are so besotted with this success , that they wil rather steale , thē want the gods of micha ; and because the gods without the priest can doe them lesse seruice , then the priest without the gods , therfore they steale the priest with the gods . o miserable israelites ! that could think that a god , which could be stoln ; that could looke for protection from that , which could not keep it selfe from stealing ; which was won by their theft , not their deuotion : could they worship those idols more deuoutly then micha that made them ? and if they could not protect their maker from robbery , how shall they protect their theeues ? if it had been the holie arke of the true god , how could they thinke it would blesse their violence , or that it wold abide to be translated by rapine , and extortion ? now their superstition hath made them mad vpon a god , they must haue him ; by what meanes they care not , tho they offend the true god , by stealing a false . sacriledge is fit to be the first seruice of an idol . the spyes of dan had bin curteously intertained by micha : thus they reward his hospitalitie . it is no trusting the honestie of idolaters : if they haue once cast off the true god , whom will they respect ? it seemes , leuites did not more vvant maintenance , then israel wanted leuites ; heere was a tribe of israel without a spirituall guide . the with-drawing of due meanes , is the way to the vtter desolation of the church ; rare offerings make cold altars . there needed small force to draw this leuite to change his charge ; hold thy peace , and come , & be our father , & priest ; whether is it better , &c. heere is not patience , but ioy ; hee that was won with tenne shekels , may be lost with eleuen : when maintenance and honour calls him , he goes vndriuen ; and rather steales himselfe away , then is stoln . the leuite had too many gods , to make conscience of pleasing one : there is nothing more in cōstant , then a leuite that seekes nothing but himselfe . thus the wilde fire of idolatrie , which lay before couched in the priuate ball of micha , now flies furiously through all the tribe of dan ; who ( like to theeues that haue caried away plaguie clothes ) haue insensibly infected thēselues , and their posteritie , to death : heresie and superstition haue small beginnings , dangerous proceedings , pernicious cōclusions . this contagion is like a canker , which at the first is scarce visible ; afterward it eates away the flesh , and consumes the body . contemplations . the eleventh booke . contayning the leuites concubine . the desolation of beniamin . naomi and ruth . boaz and ruth . anna and peninna . anna and eli. eli and his sonnes . to the right honovrable sir fulke greuille , knight ; chancelour of the exchequer , one of his maiesties most honourable priuie counsailours ; a most wise , learned , iudicious , ingenuous censor of schollership ; a worthy example of benefactors to learning , i. h. with his vnfained prayers for the happie successe of all his honourable designements , humbly dedicates this meane peece of his studies . contemplations . the levites concubine . there is no complaint of a publiquelie disordered state , where a leuite is not at one end of it ; either as an agent , or a patient . in the idolatry of micha , and the danites , a leuite was an actor ; in the violent vncleaneness of gibeah , a leuite suffers ; no tribe shal sooner feele the want of gouernment , then that of leui. the law of god allow'd the leuite a wife ; humane conniuence , a concubine ; neither did the iewish concubine differ from a wife , but in some outward complements ; both might challenge all the true essence of marriage ; so little vvas the difference , that the father of the concubine , is called the father in law to the leuite . she whom ill custome had of a wife made a concubine , is now by her lust , of a concubine made an harlot : her fornication , together with the change of her bedde , hath changed her abode . perhaps her owne conscience thrust her out of doores , perhaps the iust seueritie of her husband . dismission was too easie a penalty for that which god had sentenced with death : shee that had deseru'd to bee abhorred of her husband , seekes shelter from her father . why would her father suffer his house to be defiled with an adulteresse , tho out of his own loynes ? vvhy did hee not rather say ; vvhat ? doost thou looke to finde my house an harbour for thy sinne ? whiles thou wert a wife to thine husband , thou wert a daughter to me ; now , thou art neither ; thou art not mine , i gaue thee to thy husband ; thou art not thy husbands , thou hast betrayed his bed ; thy filthiness hath made thee thine owne , and thine adulterers ; goe seeke thine entertainement , where thou hast lost thine honestie ; thy lewdness hath brought a necessity of shame vpon thine abettors ; how can i countenance thy person , and abandon thy sin ? i had rather be a iust man , then a kinde father ; get thee home therfore to thy husband , craue his forgiueness vpon thy knees , redeem his loue with thy modestie , and obedience ; when his heart is once open to thee , my doores shall not be shut : in the meane time , know i can be no father to an harlot ; indulgence of parents is the refuge of vanitie , the bande of wickedness , the bane of children . how easily is that theefe induced to steale , that knowes his receiuer : when the lawlesnesse of youth knovves vvhere to finde pittie & toleration , vvhat mischiefe can it forbeare ? by how much better this leuite was , so much more iniurious was the concubines sinne : what husband would not haue said ; she is gone , let shame and griefe goe with her , i shall finde one no less pleasing , and more faithfull : or if it be not too much mercy in me to yeeld to a returne , let her that hath offended , seeke mee ; vvhat more direct way is there to a resolued loosenesse , then to let her see i cannot want her ? the good nature of this leuite casts off all these tearms ; and now after moneths absence , sends him to seek for her , that had runne away from her fidelitie : and now he thinks , she sind against me : perhaps shee hath repented ; perhaps , shame and feare haue with-held her from returning ; perhaps shee will be more loyall , for her sinne ; if her importunitie should winne me , halfe the thanks were lost ; but now , my voluntarie offer of fauour shall oblige her for euer . loue procures truer seruitude then necessitie : mereie becomes well the heart of any man , but most of a leuite . he that had helped to offer so manie sacrifices to god for the multitude of euery israelites sinnes , saw how proportionable it was , that man should not hold one sinne vnpardonable : hee had serued at the altar to no purpose , if hee ( whose trade was to sue for mercie ) had not at all learned to practice it . and if the reflexion of mercie wrought this in a seruant , vvhat shall wee expect from him , whose essence is mercy ? o god , wee doe euery day breake the holy couenant of our loue ; wee prostitute our selues to euery filthy tentation , and then runne , and hide our selues in our fathers house , the world ; if thou didst not seeke vs vp , wee should neuer returne ; if thy gracious proffer did not preuent vs , wee should be vncapable of forgiueness ; it were abundant goodnes in thee to receiue vs , when we shold intreat thee : but lo , thou intreatest vs that we wold receiue thee . how should wee now adore , and imitate thy mercy , sith there is more reason , wee should sue to each other , then that thou shouldst sue to vs ; because we may as well offend , as be offended . i doe not see the womans father make any meanes for reconciliation : but when remission came home to his doores , no man could entertaine it more thankfully . the nature of many men is forward to accept , and negligent to sue for ; they can spend secret wishes vpon that , which shall cost them no indeauour . great is the power of loue , which can in a sort vndoe euills past , if not for the act , yet for the remembrance . where true affection was once conceiued , it is easily peeced againe , after the strongest interruption ; heere needs no tedious recapitulation of wrongs , no importunitie of sute ; the vnkindnesses are forgotten , their loue is renued ; and now the leuite is not a stranger , but a sonne ; by how much more willingly he came , by so much more vnwillingly hee is dismissed . the foure moneths absence of his daughter is answered with foure dayes feasting ; neither was there so much ioy in the former wedding feast , as in this ; because then he deliuered his daughter intire ; now , desperate : then he found a sonne ; but now , that sonne hath found his lost daughter , and he found both : the recouerie of any good , is farre more pleasant then the continuance . little doe we knowe what euill is towards vs ; now did this old man , and this restored couple promise themselues all ioy , & contentment after this vnkind storm ; and said in themselues , now we begin to liue : and now this feast , which was meant for their new nuptialls , prooues her funerall . euen when wee let our selues loosest to our pleasures , the hand of god ( thogh inuisibly ) is writing bitter things against vs : sith we are not worthie to know , it is wisedome to suspect the worst , whilst it is least seene . sometimes it falls out , that nothing is more iniurious then curresie ; if this old man had thrust his sonne and daughter early out of doores , they had auoyded this mischiefe ; now , his louing importunity detaines them to their hurt , and his owne repentance . such contentment doth sincere affection find in the presence of those we loue , that death it selfe hath no other name , but departing ; the greatest comfort of our life , is the fruition of friendship , the dissolution whereof , is the greatest paine of death : as all earthly pleasures , so this of loue , is distasted with a necessitie of leauing . how worthy is that onely loue to take vp our harts , which is not open to any danger of interruption ; which shall out-liue the date euen of faith and hope , and is as eternall , as that god , and those blessed spirits whom we loue ? if we hang neuer so importunately vpon one anothers sleeues , and shed floods of teares to stop their way , yet wee must be gone hence ; no occasion , no force , shall then remooue vs from our fathers house . the leuite is stayed beyond his time by importunitie ; the motions whereof are boundlesse , and infinite ; one day drawes on another ; neither is there any reason of this dayes stay , which may not serue still for to morrow . his resolution at last breaks throgh all those kind hinderances ; rather will hee venture a benighting , then an vnnecessary delay . it is a good hearing that the leuite makes haste home ; an honest mans heart is where his calling is ; such a one , when he is abroade , is like a fish in the ayre ; whereinto if it leape for recreation , or necessitie , yet it soone returns to his own element . this charge , by how much more sacred it is , so much more attendance it expecteth ; euen a day breakes square vvith the conscionable . the sunne is ready to lodge before them ; his seruant aduises him to shorten his iourney , holding it more fit to trust an early in of the iebusites , then to the mercy of the night . and if that counsell had been followed , perhaps they , which found iebusites in israel , might haue found israelites in iebus : no wise man can hold good counsell disparaged , by the meanenesse of the author : if wee be gladde to receiue any treasure from our seruant , why not precious admonitions ? it was the zeale of this leuite that shut him out of iebus ; we will not lodge in the city of strangers . the iebusites were strangers in religion , not strangers enough in their habitation ; the leuite wil not receiue common curtesie from those which were aliens frō god , though home-borne in the hart of israel . it is lawfull enough in tearmes of ciuilitie to deale with infidels ; the earth is the lords , and wee may enioy it in the right of the owner , while we protest against the wrong of the vsurper ; yet the lesse communion with gods enemies , the more safety . if there were another aire to breathe in from theirs , another earth to tread vpon , they should haue their owne : those that affect a familiar intirenesse with iebusites , in conuersation , in leagues of amitie , in matrimoniall contracts , bewray either too much boldness , or too little conscience . hee hath no bloud of an israelite , that delights to lodge in iebus : it was the fault of israel , that an heathenish towne stood yet in the nauell of the tribes , and that iebus was no sooner turn'd to ierusalem ; their lenitie and neglect , were guilty of this neighborhood , that now no man can passe from bethleē iuda , to mount ephraim , but by the citie of iebusites . seasonable iustice might preuent a thousand euills , which afterwards know no remedy but patience . the way was not long betwixt iebus and gibeah : for the sun was stooping when the leuite was ouer against the first , & is but now declined , whē he comes to the other . how his hart was lightned , when he was entred into an israelitish citie ! and can thinke of nothing , but hospitalitie , rest , securitie . there is no perfume so sweet to a traueller , as his own smoake . both expectation and feate , doe commonly disappoint vs ; for seldome euer do wee inioy the good we looke for , or smart with a feared euill . the poore leuite could haue found but such entertainement with the iebusites . whither are the posteritie of beniamin degenerated , that their gibeah shold be no lesse wicked then populous ? the first signe of a settled godlesnesse , is , that a leuite is suffered to lie without doores . if god had been in any of their houses , his seruant had not been excluded : where no respect is giuē to gods messengers , there can be no religion . gibeah was a second sodome ; euē there also is another lot : which is therefore so much more hospitall to strangers , because himselfe was a stranger . the host as well as the leuite is of mount ephraim ; each man knows best to commiserate that euil in others , which him selfe hath passed thorough ; all that professe the name of christ , are countrimen , and yet strangers heere belowe ; hovv cheerefully should we entertaine each other , when we meet in the gibeah of this inhospitall world ? this good old man of gibeah , came home late from his work in the fields ; the sunne was sette ere he gaue ouer ; and now , seeing this man a stranger , an israelite , a leuite , an ephraimite , and that in his way to the house of god , to take vp his lodging in the street , hee proffers him the kindness of his house-roome . industrious spirits are the fittest receptacles of all good motions ; whereas those which giue themselues to idle and loose courses , do not care so much as for themselues . i heare of but one man at his worke , in all gibeah : the rest were quaffing and reuelling . that one man ends his worke in a charitable entertainement ; the other , end their play in a brutish beastlinesse , & violence . these villaines had learn'd both the actions , and the language of the sodomites ; one vncleane diuell was the prompter to both : & this honest ephraimite , had learnt of righteous lot , both to intreat , and to proffer . as a perplexed mariner , that in a storme must cast away something , although precious ; so this good host , rather will prostitute his daughter , a virgin , together with the concubine , then this prodigious villany should be offered to a man , much more to a man of god. the detestation of a foule sinne drew him to ouer-reach in the motion of a lesser ; which if it had been accepted , how could he have escaped the partnership of their vncleanenesse , and the guilt of his daughters rauishment ? no man can wash his hands of that sinne , to which his will hath yeelded . bodily violence may be inoffensiue in the patient ; voluntary inclination to euill ( tho out of feare ) can neuer be excusable : yet behold this wickednesse is too little to satisfie these monsters . who would haue looked for so extreame abhomination from the loynes of iacob , the wombe of rachel , the sons of beniamin ? could the very iebusites their neighbors be euer accused of such vnnaturall outrage ? i am ashamed to say it , euen the worst pagans vvere saints , to israel . vvhat auailes it that they haue the arke of god in shiloh , while they haue . sodom in their streets ? that the law of god is in their sringes , whiles the diuell is in their harts ? nothing but hell it selfe can yeeld a worse creature then a depraued israelite ; the very meanes of his reformation , are the fuell of his wickednes . yet lot sped so much better in sodom , then this ephraimite did in gibeah , by how much more holy guests hee entertained . there the guests were angels ; here a sinfull man. there the guests saued the host ; heere the host could not saue the guest from brutish violence ; those sodomites vvere striken with outward blindnes and defeated ; these beniamites are onely blinded with lust , and preuaile . the leuite comes forth , perhaps his coat saued his person from this villany ; who now thinks himselfe well , that hee may haue leaue to redeeme his owne dishonour with his concubines . if hee had not loued her deerely , he had neuer sought her so farre , after so foule a sinne ; yet now his hate of that vnnaturall wickednesse ouercame his loue to her ; she is exposed to the furious lust of barbarous ruffians , and ( which hee misdoubted not ) abused to death . oh the iust and euen course which the almightie iudge of the world holds in all his retributions ! this woman had shamed the bed of a leuite , by her former wantonnesse ; shee had thus farre gone smoothly away with her sinne ; her father harbourd her , her husband forgaue her , her owne hart found no cause to complaine , because shee smarted not : now , vvhen the world had forgotten her offence , god calls her to reckoning and punishes her with her owne sinne . she had voluntarily exposed herselfe to lust ; now is exposed forceably . adultery was her sinne , adultery was her death . vvhat smiles soeuer wickedness casts vpon the heart , vvhiles it solicites ; it vvill owe vs a displeasure , and prooue it selfe a faithfull debter . the leuite looked to find her humbled with this violence , not murdered ; and now , indignation moues him to adde horror to the fact : had not his heart been raised vp with an excess of desire to make the crime as odious , as it was sinfull , his action could not be excused . those hands that might not touch a carcass , now carue the corps of his owne dead wife , into morsels ; and send these tokens to all the tribes of israel ; that when they should see these gobbets of the body murdered , the more they might detest the murderers . himselfe puts on cruelty to the dead , that hee might draw them to a iust reuenge of her death ; actions notoriously vilanous , may iustlie countenance an extraordinarie meanes of prosecution : euery israelite hath part in a leuits wrong ; no tribe hath not his share in the carcasse , and the reuenge . the desolation of beniamin . these morsels could not chuse but cut the harts of israel with horror , and compassion ; horror of the act , and compassion of the sufferer : and now their zeale drawes them together , either for satisfaction , or reuenge . vvho would not haue looked that the hands of beniamin should haue been first vpon gibeah ; and that they should haue readily sent the heads of the offenders , for a second seruice after the gobbets of the concubine : but now , insteed of punishing the sinne , they patronize the actors ; and will rather die in resisting iustice , then liue and prosper in furthering it . surely , israel had one tribe too many : all beniamin is turned into gibeah , the sonnes not of beniamin , but of belial . the abetting of euill , is worse then the commission ; this may bee vpon infirmitie , but that must be vpon resolution : easie punishment is too much fauour to sinne : conniuence is much worse : but the defence of it ( and that vnto bloud ) is intollerable . had not these men been both wicked , and quarrellous , they had not drawne their swords in so foule a cause . peaceable dispositions are hardly drawne to fight for innocence : yet these beniaminites ( as if they were in loue with villany , and out of charitie with god ) will be the wilfull . champions of lewdness . how can gibeah repent them of that wickednesse , which all beniamin will make good ; in spight of their consciences ? euen where sinne is suppressed , it will rise ; but , where it is incouraged , it insults & tyrannizes . it was more iust that israel shold rise against beniamin , then that beniamin should rise for gibeah ; by how much it is better to punish offenders , then to shelter the offenders from punishing ; and yet the wickedness of beniamin , sped better for the time , then the honestie of israel ; twise was the better part foyled by the lesse , and worse ; the good cause vvas sent backe with shame : the euill returned with victory , and triumph . o god ! their hand was for thee in the fight , and thy hand was with them in their fall ; they had not fought for thee , but by thee ; neither could they haue miscarried in the fight , if thou hadst not fought against them ; thou art iust & holy in both . the cause was thine : the sinne in managing of it , vvas their owne ; they fought in an holy quarrell , but with confidence in themselues ; for , as presuming of victorie , they aske of god , not what should be their success , but who should be their captaine . number & innocence made them too secure ; it was iust therefore with god , to let them feele , that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption : and that victory lyes not in the cause , but in the god that ownes it . vvho cannot imagine hovv much the beniaminites insulted in their double field , and day ? and now beganne to think , god was on their side ; those swords which had bin taught the way into fortie thousand bodies of their brethren , cannot feare a new incounter . wicked men cannot see their prosperity a peece of their curse , neither can examine their actions , but the euents : soone after , they shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse , and that the victory of an euill cause , is the way to ruine and confusion . i should haue feared least this double discomfiture should haue made israel , either distrustfull , or weary of a good cause : but still i finde them no lesse courageous , with more humilitie . now they fast , & weepe , and sacrifice ; these weapons had been victorious in their first assault ; beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouer comming , if this humiliation of israel had preuented the fight . it is sildom seen , but that which we do with feare , prospereth ; wheras confidence in vndertaking , layes euen good indeauours in the dust . wickednesse could neuer brag of any long prosperitie ; nor complaine of the lacke of payment : still god is euen with it at the last ; now hee payes the beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the israelites , and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of gibeah : and novv that both are metre in death , there is as much difference betwixt those israelites , and these beniaminites , as betwixt martyrs , and malefactors : to die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne ; the sword consumes their bodies , another fire their cities , vvhat-soeuer became of their soules . now might rachel haue iustlie wept for her childrē , because they were not ; for , behold the men , women , and children of her wicked tribe , are cut off ; onely some few scattred remainders , ran away from this vengeance , and lurked in caues , and rocks , both for fear , and shame ; there was no difference , but life , betwixt their brethren and them ; the earth couered them both : yet vnto them , doth the reuenge of israel stretch it self ▪ and vowes to destroy , if not their persons , yet their succession ; as holding them vnwoorthy to receiue any comfort by that sexe , to which they had bin so cruell , both in act , and maintenance . if the israelites had not held marriage & issue a very great blessing , they had not thus reuenged themselues of beniamin ; now they accounted the vvith-holding of their wiues , a punishment second to death : the hope of life in our posteritie , is the next contentment to an inioying of life in our selues . they haue sworn , and now vpon cold bloud repent them . if the oath were not iust , why wold they take it ? and if it were iust , why did they recant it ? if the act were lustifiable , what needed these tears ? euen a iust oath may be rashly taken : not onely iniustice , but temerity of swearing ends , in lamentation . in our very ciuill actions , it is a weaknes , to do that which we would after reuerse ; but in our affaires with god , to check our selues too late , and to steepe our oathes in teares , is a dangerous folly ; he doth not commaund vs to take voluntary oathes ; he commaunds vs to keepe them . if wee bind our selues to inconuenience , we may iustly cōplain of our owne fetters : oaths doe not onely require iustice , but iudgment ; wise deliberation , no lesse then equity . not conscience of their fact , but commiseration of their brethren , led them to this publique repentance . o god , why is this come to pass , that this day one tribe of israel shall want ? euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pittie ; insultation in the rigor of iustice , argues crueltie ; charitable mindes are grieued to see that done , which they would not wish vndone ; the smart of the offender doth not please thē , which yet are throughly displeased with the sin , and haue giuen their hands to punish it . god himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner , yet loues the punishment of sin : as a good parent whips his child , yet weepes himselfe ; there is a measure in victorie , and reuenge , if neuer so iust ; which to exceed , leeses mercie in the sute of iustice . if there were no fault in their seueritie , it needed no excuse ; and if there were a fault , it will admitte of no excuse : yet , as if they meant to shift off the sinne , they expostulate with god ; o lord god of israel , why is this come to passe this day ? god gaue them no commaund of this rigour ; yea he twise crost them in the execution ; and now , in that which they intreated of god with teares , they challenge him . it is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sinnes vpon him , which tempteth no man , nor can be tempted with euill ; whiles we would so remooue our sinne , we double it . a man that knew not the power of an oath , wold wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of israel ; they are sory for the slaughter of beniamin , and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter . their oath calls them to more bloud ; the excess of their reuenge vpon beniamin , may not excuse the men of gilead ; if euer oath might looke for a dispensation , this might plead it ; now , they dare not but kill the men of iabesh gilead , least they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing , then punishing . iabesh gilead came not vp to ayde israel , therefore all the inhabitants must die . to exempt our selues ( whether out of singularitie , or stubbornness ) from the common actions of the church , when wee are lawfully called to them , is an offence woorthy of iudgement : in the maine quarrels of the church , neutralls are punished . this execution shal make amends for the former ; of the spoile of iabesh gilead , shall the beniaminites be stored with wiues : that no man may think these men slain for their daughters , they plainlie die for their sin ; and these gileadites might not haue liued , without the periury of israel : and now , sith they must die , it is good to make benefit of necessity . i inquire not into the rigour of the oath ; if their solemn vow did not bind them to kill all of both sexes in beniamin , why did they not spare their virgins ? and if it did so binde them , why did they spare the virgins of gilead ? fauors must bee inlarged in all these religious restrictions ; where breath may be taken in them , it is not fit nor safe they should be strainted . foure-hundred virgins of gilead haue lost parents , and brethren , and kindred , and now finde husbands in lieu of them . an inforced marriage , was but a miserable comfort for such a losse : like wards , or captiues they are taken , and chuse not . these suffice not , their friendly aduersaries consult for more , vpon worse conditions . into what troublesome and dangerous straits do men thrust themselues , by either vniust , or inconsiderate vowes ? in the midst of all this common lawlesnes of israel , here was conscience made on both sides , of matching with infidels ; the israelites can rather be content their daughters should be stoln by their own , then that the daughters of aliens should be giuen them . these men which had not grace enough to detest & punish the beastliness of their gileadites , yet are not so graceless , as to chuse them wiues of the heathen : all but atheists ( howsoeuer they let themselues loose ) yet in some things , find thēselues restrained , and show to others that they haue a conscience . if there were not much danger , & much sinne in this vnequall yoke , they would neuer haue perswaded to so heauy an inconuenience ; disparitie of religion in matrimoniall contracts , hath so many mischiefes , that it is worthy to be redeemed with much preiudice . they which might not giue their own daughters to beniamin , yet giue others , whiles they giue leaue to steale them . stoln marriages , are both vnnaturall , and ful of hazard ; for loue ( whereof marriage is the knot ) cannot be forced : this was rather rape , then wedlocke . what vnlikeness ( perhaps contrarietie ) of disposition , what auersenesse of affection , may there be in not onely a sudden , but a forceable meeting ? if these beniaminites had not taken libertie of giuing themselues ease by diuorcement , they would often haue found leasure to rue this stoln booty . this act may not bee drawn to example ; and yet here was a kind of indefinite consent ; both deliberation , and good liking , are little enough for a during estate , & that which is once done for euer . these virgins come vp to the feast of the lord ; and now , out of the midst of their daunces are carried to a double captiuitie . how many virgins haue lost themselues in daunces ? and yet this sport was not immodest . these virgins danced by themselues , without the company of them vvhich might moue towards vnchastity ; for if any men had bin with thē , they had found so many rescuers , as they had assaulters ; now , the exposing of their weake sex to this iniurie , prooues their innocence . our vsuall daunces are guilty of more sin ; wanton gestures , & vnchast touches , lookes , motions , drawe the hart to folly ; the ambushes of euill spirits , carry away manie a soule from daunces , to a fearefull desolation . it is supposed , that the parents thus robbed of their daughters , will take it heauily : there cannot be a greater crosse , then the miscarriage of children ; they are not onely the liuing goods , but peeces of their parents ; that they should therefore bee torne from them by violence , is no lesse iniury , then the dismembring of their owne bodies . naomi and ruth . betwixt the raigne of the iudges , israel was plagued with tyrannie ; and whiles some of them raigned , with famine ; seldome did that rebellious people want somewhat to humble them ; one rod is not enough for a stubborne childe : the famine must needs be great , that makes the inhabitants to runne their country ; the name of home is so sweet , that we cannot leaue it for a little ; behold that land , which had wont to flow with milke and honie , now abounds with want and penurie , and bethleem in stead of an house of bread , is an house of famine ; a fruitfull land doth god make barren , for the wickednesse of them , that dwell therein ; the earth beares not for it selfe , but for vs ; god is not angry with it , but with men ; for our sakes , it was first cursed to thornes and thistles , after that , to moisture , and since that ( not seldome ) to drought ; and by all these to barrennesse . wee may not looke alwaies for plenty ; it is a wonder whiles there is such superfluitie of wickednes , that our earth is no more sparing of her fruits . the whole earth is the lords , and in him , ours ; it is lawfull for the owners to change their houses , at pleasure ; why should we not make free vse of any part of our owne possessions ? elimelech and his familie remoue from bethleem iuda vnto moab ; nothing but necessitie can dispense with a locall relinquishing of gods church ; not pleasure , not profit , not curiositie ; those which are famished out , god calls , yea driues from thence . the creator and possessor of the earth , hath not confined any man to his necessarie destruction . it was lawfull for elimelech to make vse of pagans , and idolaters , for the supply of all needfull helps ; there cannot be a better imployment of moabites , then to be the treasurers and purueyours of gods children ; wherefore serue they but to gather for the true owners ? it is too much nicenesse in them , which forbeare the benefit they might make of the faculties of profane , or hereticall persons ; they consider not that they haue more right to the good such men can doe , then they that doe it , and challenge that good for their owne . but i cannot see , how it could be lawful for his sonnes to match with the daughters of moab ; had these men heard how farre , and vnder how solemne an oath , their father abraham sent for a wife of his owne tribe , for his son isaac ? had they heard the earnest charge of holy isaac , to the sonne he blessed , thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of canaan ? had they forgotten the plagues of israel for but a short conuersation with the moabitish women ? if they plead remotenesse from their owne people ; did they not remember how farre iacob walked to padan-aram ? was it further from moab to bethleem , then from bethleem to moab ? and if the care of themselues led them from bethleem to moab ; should not their care of obedience to god haue as wel carried thē back from moab to bethleem ? yet if their wiues would have left their idolatrie with their maiden-head , the match had been more safe ; but now , euen at the last farewell , naomi can say of orpah , that she is returned to her gods . these men haue sinned in their choice , and it speeds with them accordingly : where did euer one of these vnequall matches prosper ? the two sonnes of elimelech are swept away childlesse in the prime of their age , and in steed of their seed they leaue their carcasses in moab ; their wiues widdowes , their mother childlesse , and helplesse amongst infidels , in that age which most needed comfort . how miserable doe we now finde poore naomi ? which is left destitute of her country , her husband , her children , her friends ; and turned loose , and solitarie to the mercie of the world : yet euen out of these hopelesse ruines , will god raise comfort to his seruant . the first good newes is , that god hath visited his people with bread ; now therefore , since her husband and sonnes were vnrecouerable , she will try to recouer her country , and kinred ; if wee can haue the same conditions in iudah , that we haue in moab , we are no israelites ▪ if wee returne not ; whiles her husband and sonnes liued , i heare no motion of retiring home , now these her earthly stayes are remoued , shee thinks presently of remouing to her country ; neither can we so hartily thinke of our home aboue , whiles wee are furnished with these worldly contentments ; when god strips vs of them , straight-waies our mind is homeward . she that came from bethleem , vnder the protection of an husband , attended with her sonnes , stored with substance ; resolues now to measure all that way alone : her aduersitie had stript her of all , but a good heart ; that remaines with her , and beares vp her head , in the deepest of her extremitie : true christian fortitude wades through all euills ; and , tho we be vp to the chin , yet keepes firme footing against the streame : where this is , the sexe is not discerned ; neither is the quantitie of the euill read in the face ; how well doth this courage become israelites , when wee are left comfortlesse in the midst of the moab of this world , to resolue the contempt of all dangers , in the way to our home ; as contrarily , nothing doth more misbeseeme a christian , then that his spirits should flagge with his estate , and that any difficultie should make him dispaire of attayning his best ends . goodnes is of a winning quality wheresoeuer it is ; and euen amongst infidels , will make it selfe friends ; the good disposition of naomi carries away the hearts of her daughters in law with her ; so as they are ready to forsake their kinred , their countrey , yea their owne mother , for a stranger , whose affinity died with her sons : those men are worse then infidels , and next to diuels that hate the vertues of gods saints ; and could loue their persons well if they were not conscionable . how earnestly doe these two daughters of moab plead for their continuance with naomi ; and how hardly is either of them disswaded from partaking of the miserie of her society ; there are good natures euen among infidels , and such as for morall disposition , and ciuill respects cannot be exceeded by the best professors : who can suffer his heart to rest in those qualities , which are common to them that are without god ? naomi could not be so insensible of her owne good , as not to know how much comfort shee might reape to the so litarinesse , both of her voyage , and her widdowhood , by the society of these two yonger widdowes , whose affections she had so well tried ; even very partnership is a mitigation of euils ; yet so earnestly doth she disswade from accompanying her , as that she could not haue said more , if she had thought their presence irkesome , and burdenous : good dispositions loue not to pleasure themselues with the disaduantage of others ; and had rather be miserable alone , then to draw in partners to their sorrow ; for the sight of anothers calamity doth rather double their owne ; and if themselues were free , would affect them with compassion ; as contrarilie , ill mindes care not how many companions they haue in miserie , nor how few consorts in good ; if themselues mis-carry , they could be content all the world were enwrapped with them in the same distresse . i maruell not that orpah is by this seasonable importunity perswaded to returne ; from a mother in law , to a mother in nature ; from a toylesome iourney to rest , from strangers to her kinred , from an hopelesse condition , to likelihoods of contentment . a little intreaty will serue to mooue nature to be good vnto it selfe : euery one is rather a naomi to his owne soule , to perswade it to stay still , and inioy the delights of moab , rather then to hazard our entertainment in bethleem : will religion allow me this wilde libertie of my actions , this loose mirth , these carnal pleasures ? can i be a christian , and not liue sullenly ? none but a regenerate heart can choose rather to suffer aduersity with gods people , then to inioy the pleasures of sin for a season . the one sister takes an vnwilling farwell , and moistens her last kisses with many teares ; the other cannot be driuen back but repells one intreatie , with another ; intreat me not to leaue thee ; for whither thou goest , i will go ; where thou dwellest i will dwell , thy people shall be my people , thy god my god , where thou diest i will die , and there will i be buried ; ruth saw so much vpon ten yeares tryall , in naomi , as was more worth then all moab ; and in comparison whereof , all worldly respects deserued nothing but contempt : the next degree vnto goodnesse is the loue of goodnesse : he is in a faire way to grace , that can value it ; if she had not been already a proselite , she could not haue set this price vpon naomies vertue . loue cannot be seperated from a desire of fruition ; in vaine had ruth protested her affection to naomi , if she could haue turned her out to her iourney alone ; loue to the saints doth not more argue our interest in god , then societie argues the truth of our loue . as some tight vessell that holds out against winde and water , so did ruth against all the powers of a mothers perswasions ; the impossibilitie of the comfort of marriage in following her ( which drew backe her sister in law ) cannot moue her ; she heares her mother , like a modest matrone ( contrary to the fashion of these times ) say , i am too old to haue an husband , and yet she thinkes not on the contrary , i am too young to want an husband : it should seeme the moabites had learned this fashion of israel to expect the brothers raising of seed to the deceased ; the widdowhood and age of naomi cuts off that hope ; neither could ruth then , dreame of a boaz that might aduance her ; it is no loue that cannot make vs willing to be miserable for those we affect ; the hollowest heart can be content to follow one that prospereth : aduersity is the onely furnace of friendship ; if loue vvill not abide both fire and anuile , it is but counterfeit ; so in our loue to god vve doe but crack and vaunt in vaine if we cannot be willing to suffer for him . but if any motiue might hope to speed , that which was drawne from example , was most likely ; behold thy sister in law , is gone backe vnto her people , and to her gods ; returne thou after her : this one art-lesse perswasion hath preuailed more with the world , then all the places of reason : how many millions miscarry vpon this ground ; thus did my fore-fathers ; thus doe the most ; i am neither the first , nor the last ; doe any of the rulers ; we straight thinke that , either safe , or pardonable , for which we can plead a precedent . this good woman hath more warrant for her resolution , then anothers practise ; the minde can neuer be steddy , whiles it standes vpon others feet , and till it be setled vpon such grounds of assurance , that it will rather lead , then follow ; and can say with ioshua , whatsoeuer become of the world , i and my house will serue the lord. if naomi had not been a person of eminent note ; no knowledge had been taken at bethleem , of her returne ; pouerty is euer obscure ; and those that haue little , may go and come without noise : if the streets of bethleem had not before vsed to say , there goes naomi ; they had not now asked , is not this naomi ? she that had lost all things , but her name , is willing to part with that also ; call mee not naomi , but call me marah ; her humility cares little for a glorious name , in a deiected estate ; many a one would haue set faces vpon their want , and in the bitternesse of their condition , haue affected the name of beauty ; in all formes of good , there are more that care to seeme , then to be ; naomi hates this hypocrisie , and since god hath humbled her , desires not to bee respected of men : those which are truely brought downe , make it not daintie , that the world should thinke them so ; but are ready to bee the first proclaimers of their owne vilenesse . naomi went full out of bethleem to preuent want ; and now shee brings that want home with her , which shee desired to auoide : our blindnesse oft times carries vs into the perills wee seeke to eschew ; god finds it best many times to crosse the likely proiects of his dearest children ; and to multiply those afflictions , which they feared single . ten yeares haue turned naomi into marah ; what assurance is there of these earthly thinges , whereof one houre may strip vs ? what man can say of the yeares to come , thus i will be ? how iustly doe we contemne this vncertainty , and looke vp to those riches that cannot but indure , when heauen and earth are dissolued ? boaz and ruth . whiles elimelech shifted to moab to auoide the famine ; boaz abode still at bethleem , and continued rich , and powerfull ; he staide at home , and found that , which elimelech went to seeke , and missed : the iudgement of samme doth not lightly extend it selfe to all ; pestilence and the sword spare none ; but dearth commonly plagueth the meaner sort , and balketh the mightie ; when boaz his store-house was emptie , his fieldes were full ; and maintaine the name of bethleem . i do not heare ruth stand vpon the termes of her better education , or wealthy parentage , but now that god hath called her to want , she scornes not to lay her hand vnto all homely seruices ; and thinkes it no disparagement to finde her bread in other mens fields ; there is no harder lesson to a generous minde , nor that more beseemes it , then either to beare want , or to preuent it ; base spirits giue themselues ouer to idlenesse , and miserie , and because they are crossed , will sullenly perish . that good woman hath not been for nothing in the schoole of patience ; shee hath learned obedience to a poore stepmother ; shee was now a widdow , past he reach of any danger of correction , besides , that penurie might seeme to dispense with awe ▪ euen children doe easily learne to contemne the pouertie of their owne parents ; yet hath shee so inured her selfe to obedience , that shee will not so much as goe forth into the field to gleane , without the leaue of her mother in law , and is no lesse obsequious to march , then shee was to naomi ; what shall wee say to those children , that in the maine actions of their life , forget they haue naturall parents : it is a shame to see that in meane families want of substance causeth want of dutie ; and that children should thinke themselus priuiledged for vnreuerence , because the parent is poore . little do we know , when wee goe forth in the morning , what god meanes to doe with vs ere night ; there is a prouidence that attends on vs in all our waies ; and guides vs insensibly to his owne ends ; that diuine hand leads ruth blindfolded to the field of boaz : that shee meets with his reapers , and falls vpon his land amongst all the fields of bethleem , it was no praise to her election , but the gracious disposition of him , in whom wee mooue ; his thoughts are aboue ours ; and do so order our actions , as we , if wee had knowne , should haue wished . no sooner is she come into the field , but the reapers are friendly to her ; no sooner is boaz come into his field , but he inuites her to more bountie then shee could haue desired ; now god begins to repay into her bosome , her loue and dutie to her mother in law ; reuerence and louing respects to parents , neuer yet went away vnrecompenced ; god will surely raise vp friends amongst strangers , to those that haue been officious at home . it was worth ruthes iourney from moab , to meet with such a man as boaz , whom wee finde thriftie , religious , charitable ; tho he were rich yet he was not carelesse ; hee comes into the field to ouersee his reapers ; euen the best estate requires carefull menaging of the owner ; he wanted not officers to take charge of his husbandrie , yet he had rather be his owne witnesse : after all the trust of others , the masters eye feeds the horse : the master of this great houshold of the world giues vs an example of this care , whose eye is in euery corner of this his large possession ; not ciuilitie only , but religion binde vs to good husbandrie ; we are all stewards , and what account can we giue to our master , if we neuer looke after our estate ? i doubt whether boaz had been so rich , if he had not been so frugall : yet was he not more thriftie , then religious : he comes not to his reapers , but with a blessing in his mouth : the lord be with you , as one that knew , if hee were with them , and not the lord , his presence could auaile nothing ; all the businesse of the familie speeds the better , for the masters benediction ; those affaires are likely to succeed , that take their beginning at god. charitie was well matched with his religion ; without which , good words , are but hypocrites ; no sooner doth hee heare the name of the moabitesse , but he seconds the kindnes of his reapers ; and still he rises in his fauours ▪ first , she may gleane in his field ; then shee may drinke of his vessells ; then , shee shall take her meale with his reapers ; and part of it , from his owne hand ; lastly , his worke-men must let fall sheaues for her gathering : a small thing helps the needie : an handfull of gleanings , a lap-full of parched corne , a draught of the seruants bottles , a loose sheafe was such a fauour to ruth , as she thought was aboue all recompence ; this was not seene in the estate of boaz , which yet makes her for the time , happy . if we may refresh the soule of the poore with the very offalls of our estate , and not hurt our selues , woe be to vs if we doe it not ; our barnes shall bee as full of curses as of corne , if we grudge the scattered eares of our field to the hands of the needie . how thankfully doth ruth take these small fauours from boaz : perhaps some rich iewell in moab would not haue been so welcome ; euen this was a presage of her better estate ; those which shall receiue great blessings , are euer thankfull for little ; and if poore soules be so thankfull to vs , for but an handfull , or a sheafe ; how should we be affected to our god , for whose fieldsfull , for full barnes , full garners ? doubtlesse , boaz , hauing taken notice of the good nature , dutifull cariage , and the neere affinitie of ruth , could not but purpose some greater beneficence , and higher respects to her ; yet now onwards he fits his kindnes to her condition , and giues her that , which to her meanenesse seemed much , tho he thought it little : thus doth the bountie of our god deale with vs ; it is not for want of loue , that he giues vs no greater measure of grace , but for want of our fitnesse and capacitie ; hee hath reserued greater preferments for vs , when it shall bee seasonable for vs to receiue them . ruth returnes home wealthy with her ephah of barley , and thankfully magnifies the liberalitie of boaz , her new benefactor : naomi repayes his beneficence with her blessing ; blessed be he of the lord. if the rich can exchange their almes with the poore for blessings , they haue no cause to complaine of an ill bargaine our gifts cannot be worth their faithfull prayers : therefore it is better to giue then to receiue , because he that receiues , hath but a worthlesse almes , hee that giues , receiues an vnualuable blessing . i cannot but admire the modestie and silence of these two women ; naomi had not so much as talked of her kinred in bethleem , nor till now , had shee told ruth that she had a wealthy kinsman ; neither had ruth inquired of her husbands great alliance ; but both sate downe meekly with their owne wants , and cared not to know any thing else saue that themselues were poore : humilitie is euer the way to honor . it is a discurtesie where we are beholden , to alter our dependencie ; like as men of trade take it ill , if customers which are in their bookes , goe for their wares to another shop ; wisely doth naomi aduise ruth not to bee seene in any other field , whiles the haruest lasted . the very taking of their fauours is a contentment to those that haue already well deserued ; and it is quarrell enough that their curtesie is not receiued ; how shall the god of heauen take it , that whiles he giues and proffers largely , wee runne to the world that can afford vs nothing but vanitie and vexation ? those that can least act , are oft-times the best to aduise : good old naomi sits still at home , and by her counsell payes ruth all the loue shee owes her . the face of that action , to which shee directs her , is the worst peece of it ; the heart was sound ; perhaps , the assurance , which long tryall had giuen her of the good gouernment , and firme chastitie of her daughter in law , together with her perswasion of the religious grauitie of boaz , made her thinke that designe safe , which to others had been perilous , if not desperate ; but besides that , holding boaz next of blood to elimelech , shee made account of him , as the lawfull husband of ruth ; so as there wanted nothing but a challenge , and consummation ; nothing was abated but some outward solemnities , which ( tho expedient for the satisfaction of others ) yet were not essentiall to marriage : and if there were not these colours for a proiect so suspicious , it would not follow , that the action were warrantable , because naomies : why should her example be more safe in this then in matching her sonues with insidels ; then in sending backe orpah to her fathers gods ? if euery act of an holy person should bee our rule , wee should haue crooked liues : euery action that is reported , is not straight-waies allowed ; our courses were very vncertaine , if god had not giuen vs rules , whereby wee may examine the examples of the best saints , and as well censure , as follow them . let them that stumble at the boldnes of ruth , imitate the continence of boaz. these times were not delicate ; this man ( though great in bethleem ) laies him downe to rest vpon a pallet , in the floore of his barne ; when hee awakes at midnight , no maruell if he were amazed to finde himselfe accompanied ; yet , though his heart were cheared with wine , the place solitarie , the night silent , the person comely , the inuitation plausible , could hee be drawne to a rash act of lust ▪ his appetite could not get the victorie of reason , tho it had wine and oportunitie to helpe it ; herein boaz showd himselfe a great master of his affections , that hee was able to resist a fit tentation ; it is no thanke to many that they are free of some euills ; perhaps they wanted not will , but conuenience ; but if a man when hee is fitted with all helps to his sin , can repell the pleasure of sin , out of conscience ; this is true fortitude . in steed of touching her as a wanton , he blesses her as a father , incourageth her as a friend , promiseth her as a kinsman , rewards her as a patron , & sends hir away lade with hopes , & gifts , no lesse chaste , more happy then shee came : oh admirable temperance worthy the progenitor of him , in whose lips and heart was no guile . if boaz had been the next kinsman , the marriage had needed no protraction , but now that his conscience told him , that ruth was the right of another , it had not been more sensualitie then iniustice , to haue touched his kinswoman ; it was not any bodily impotencie , but honestie and conscience that restrained boaz , for the very next night shee conceiued by him ; that good man wished his mariage bed holy , and durst not lye downe in the doubt of a sinne : many a man is honest out of necessitie , and affects the praise of that , which hee could not auoide ; but that mans minde is still an adulterer , in the forced continence of his bodie ; no action can giue vs true comfort , but that which we do out of the grounds of obedience . those which are fearefull of sinning , are carefull not to bee thought to sin ; boaz , though he knew himselfe to be cleare , would not haue occasion of suspicion giuen to others ; ( let no man know that a woman came into the floore : ) a good heart is no lesse afraide of a scandall , then of a sin ; whereas those that are resolued not to make any scruple of sin , despise others constructions , not caring whom they offend , so that they may please themselues . that naomi might see her daughter in law was not sent backe in dislike ; she comes home laden with corne ; ruth hath gleaned more this night , then in halfe the haruest ; the care of boaz was , that she should not returne to her mother emptie : loue wheresoeuer it is , cannot bee niggardly ; wee measure the loue of god by his gifts ; how shall hee abide to send vs away emptie from those treasures of goodnesse . boaz is restlesse in the prosecution of this sute ; and hies him from his threshing floore , to the gate ; and there conuents the nearer kinsman before the elders of the citty ; what was it that made boaz so readie to intertaine , so forward to vrge this match ? wealth she had none , not so much as bread , but what she gleaned out of his fielde : friends she had none , and those she had else where , moabites ; beauty she could not haue much , after that scorching in her trauell , in her gleanings , himselfe tells her what drew his heart to her , ( all the citie of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman : ) vertue in whomsoeuer it is found , is a great dowry , and where it meetes with an heart that knowes how to value it , is accounted greater riches then all that is hid in the bowels of the earth : the corne heape of boaz was but chaffe to this , & his mony , drosse . as a man that had learned to square all his actions to the law of god , boaz proceeds legally with his riuall ; and tells him of a parcell of elimelecs land ( which , it is like vpon his remouall to moab , he had alienated ; ) which he ( as the next kinsman ) might haue power to redeeme ; yet so , as he must purchase the wife of the deceased , with the land ; euery kinsman is not a bonz , the man could listen to the land , if it had beene free from the clog of a necessary marriage ; but now he will rather leaue the land , then take the wife ; least , whiles he should preserue elimelecs inheritance , he should destroy his owne ; for the next seede , which he should haue by ruth , should not be his heire , but his deceased kinsmans ; how knew he whether god might not by that wife , send heires enow for both their estates ? rather had he therefore incurre a manifest iniustice , then hazard the danger of his inheritance ; the law of god bound him to raise vp seede to the next in blood ; the care of his inheritance drawes him to a neglect of his duty , tho with infamy and reproch , and now he had rather his face should bee spit vpon , and his name should bee called , the house of him whose shooe was pull'd off , then to reserue the honour of him , that did his brother right , to his owne preiudice ; how many are there that doe so ouer-loue their issue , as that they regard neither sinne , nor shame in aduancing it ? and that will rather indaunger their soule then leese their name ? it is a wofull inheritance that makes men heires of the vengeance of god. boaz is glad to take the aduantage of his refusall ; and holds that shooe ( which was the signe of his tenure ) more worth then all the land of elimelec . and whereas other wiues purchase their husbands , with a large dowrie , this man purchaseth his wife , at a deare rate , and thinkes his bargaine happy ; all the substance of the earth , is not worth a vertuous and prudent wife ; which boaz doth now so reioyce in , as if he this day onely began to be wealthy . now is ruth taken into the house of boaz ; she , that before had said , she was not like one of his maidens , is now become their mistresse ; this day she hath gleaned all the fields and barnes of a rich husband ; and ( that there might be no want in her happinesse ) by a gracious husband she hath gained an happy seede ; and hath the honour , aboue all the dames of israel , to be the great grandmother of a king , of dauid , of the messiah . now is marah turn'd backe againe to naomi ; and orpah , if she heare of this in moab , cannot but enuie at her sisters happines : oh the sure and bountifull payments of the almightie ; who euer came vnder his wing in vaine ? who euer lost by trusting him ? who euer forsooke the moab of this world for the true israel , and did not at last reioyce in the change . anna and peninna . ill customes where they are once intertained are not easily discharged ; polygamie besides carnall delight might now plead age and example : so as euen elkanah ( though a leuite ) is tainted with the sinne of lamech ; like as fashions of attire , which at the first were disliked as vncomely , yet when they are once growne common , are taken vp of the grauest : yet this sinne ( as then currant with the time ) could not make elkanah , not religious ; the house of god in shilo was duely frequented of him ; oftentimes , alone , in his ordinary course of attendance ; with all his males , thrise a yeare ; and once a yeare , with all his familie ; the continuance of an vnknowne sin cannot hinder the vprightnes of a mans heart with god ; as a man may haue a mole vpon his backe , and yet thinke his skin cleare ; the least touch of knowledge , or wilfulnes marres his sincerity . he that by vertue of his place was imploied about the sacrifices of others , would much lesse neglect his own ; it is a shame for him that teaches gods people that they should not appeare before the lord empty , to bring no sacrifice for himselfe . if leuites be profane , who should be religious ? it was the fashion when they sacrificed , to feast ; so did elkanah ; the day of his deuotion is the day of his triumph ; he makes great cheere for his whole familie , euen for that wife which he loued lesse ; there is nothing more comely , then cheerefulnes in the seruices of god ; what is there in all the world , wherewith the hart of man should be so lift vp , as with the conscience of his dutie done to his maker ? whiles wee doe so , god doth to vs , as our glasse , smile vpon vs , while we smile on him . loue will be seen by entertainment ; peninnah and her children shall not complaine of want , but anna shall finde her husbands affection in her portion ; as his loue to her was double , so was her part ; she fared not the worse , because she was childlesse ; no good husband will dislike his wife for a fault out of the power of her redresse : yea rather , that which might seeme to loose the loue of her husband , wins it , her barrennesse ; the good nature of elkanah laboured by his deare respects , to recompence this affliction ; that so she might finde no lesse contentment in the fruit of his hearty loue , then she had greife from hir owne fruitlesnesse ; it is the property of true mercy , to be most fauorable to the weakest ; thus doth the gracious spouse of the christian soule pittie the barrennesse of his seruants ; o sauiour , we should not finde thee so indulgent to vs , if wee did not complaine of our owne vnworthinesse : peninnah may haue the more children but barren annah hath the most loue ; how much rather could elkanah haue wished peninnah barren ; and annah fruitfull ; but if she should haue had both issue , and loue , she had been proud , and her riuall despised ; god knowes how to disperse his fauours so , that euery one may haue cause both of thankfulnesse and humiliation ; whiles there is no one that hath all , no one but hath some ; if enuie and contempt were not thus equally tempered , some would be ouer hauty , and others too miserable ; but now , euery man sees that in himselfe which is worthy of contempt , and matter of emulation in others , and contrarily sees what to pittie and dislike in the most eminent , and what to applaud in himselfe , and out of this contrarietie , arises a sweete meane of contentation . the loue of elkanah is so vnable to free anna from the wrongs of her riuall , that it procures them rather ; the vnfruitfulnesse of anna had neuer with so much despight beene laid in her dish , if her husbands heart had been as barren of loue to her ; enuie though it take aduantage of our weakenesses , yet is euer raised vpon some grounds of happines , in them whom it emulates ; it is euer an ill effect of a good cause : if abels sacrifice had not beene accepted , and if the acceptation of his sacrifice had not beene a blessing , no enuie had followed vpon it . there is no euill of another , wherein it is fit to reioyce , but his enuie ; and this is worthy of our ioy , and thankfulnesse , because it showes vs the price of that good , which wee had , and valued not ; the malignitie of enuie is thus well answered , when it is made the euill cause of a good effect to vs ; when god and our soules may gaine by anothers sinne . i do now finde that anna insulted vpon peninnah , for the greater measure of her husbands loue , as peninna did vpon her , for her fruitfulnesse ; those that are truely gracious , know how to receiue the blessings of god , without contempt of them that want ; and haue learned to bee thankefull , without ouerlinesse . enuie when it is once conceiued in a malicious heart , is like fire in billers of iuniper , which ( they say ) continues more yeares then one ; euery yeare was anna thus vexed with her emulous partner ; and troubled , both in her praiers and meales ; amidst all their feastings , shee fed on nothing but her teares : some dispositions are lesse sensible , and more carelesse of the dispight and ●●●ties of others , and can turne ouer vnkinde vsages , with contempt ; by how much more tender the heart is , so much more deeply is it euer affected with discurtesies ▪ as waxe receiues and retaines that impression , which in the hard clay cannot be seen ; or , as the eie feeles that mote , which the skin of the eie-lid could not complain of : yet the husband of anna ( as one that knew his dutie ) labours by his loue , to comfort her against these discontentments , why weepest thou ? am not i better to thee then ten sonnes ? it is the weaknesse of good natures , to giue so much aduantage to an enemie ; what would malice rather haue then the vexation of them whom it persecutes ? wee cannot better please an aduersarie , then by hurting our selues ; this is no other , then to humor enuie , to serue the turne of those , that maligne vs ; and to draw on that malice , whereof we are weary ; whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance ; and makes it withdraw it selfe in a rage , as that which doth but shame the author , without the hurt of the patient : in causelesse wrongs the best remedie is contempt . she that could not finde comfort in the louing perswasions of her husband , seeks it in her prayers ; she rises vp hungry from the feast , and hyes her to the temple ; there shee powres out her teares , and supplications ; whatsoeuer the complaint be , here is the remedie ; there is one vniuersall receit for all euills , prayer ; when all helps faile vs , this remaines , and whiles wee haue an heart , comforts it . here was not more bitternesse in the soule of anna , then feruencie ; shee did not onely weep and pray , but vow vnto god ; if god will giue her a sonne , she will giue her sonne to god backe againe ; euen nature it selfe had consecrated her son to god ; for he could not but be borne a leuite ; but if his birth make him a leuite , her vow shal make him a nazarite , & dedicate his minoritie to the tabernacle ; the way to obtaine any benefit , is to deuote it in our hearts , to the glory of that god , of whom wee aske it ; by this meanes shall god both pleasure his seruant , and honour himselfe ; whereas , if the scope of our desires be carnall , wee may be sure either to faile of our suite , or of a blessing . ely and anna. old ely sits on a stoole , by one of the posts of the tabernacle ; where should the priests of god be but in the temple ? whether for action or for ouer-sight ; their very presence keeps gods house in order , and the presence of god keeps their hearts in order . it is oft found that those which are themselues conscionable , are too forward to the censuring of others ; good ely , because hee markes the lips of annah to moue without noyse , chides her as drunken , and vncharitably misconstrues her deuotion ; it was a weake ground whereon to build so heauie a sentence ; if she had spoken too loude , and incomposedly , hee might haue had some iust colour for this conceit , but now to accuse her silence ( notwithstanding all the teares which he saw ) of drunkennesse , it was a zealous breach of charitie . some spirit would haue been enraged with so rash a censure ; when anger meets with griefe , both turne into furie● ; but this good woman had been inured to reproches , and besides , did well see the reproofe arose from mesprison , and the mesprison from zeale ; and therefore answers meekly , as one that had rather satisfie , then expostulate , nay my lord , but i am a woman troubled in spirit ; hely may now learne charitie of annah : if she had been in that distemper , whereof he accused her , his iust reproofe had not been so easily digested ; guiltinesse is commonly clamorous , and impatient , wheras innocence is silent , and carelesse of misreports ; it is naturall vnto all men to wipe off from their name all aspersions of euill , but none doe it with such violence , as they which are faultie ; it is a signe the horse is galled , that stirs too much when he is touched . shee that was censured for drunken , censures drunkennesse more deeply then her reprouer ; count not thine handmaid , for a daughter of belial ; the drunkards stile begins in lawlesuesse , proceeds in vnprofitablenesse , ends in miserie ; and all shut vp in the denomination of this pedegree ; a sonne of belial . if hannah had been tainted with this sinne , she would haue denied it with more fauour , and haue disclaimed it with an extenuation ; what if i should haue been merrie with wine , yet i might bee deuout ? if i should haue ouer-ioyed in my sacrifice to god , one cup of excesse had not been so haynous ; now her freedome is seene in her seueritie ; those which haue cleare hearts from any sinne , prosecute it with rigour ; whereas the guiltie are euer partiall ; their conscience holds their hands , and tells them that they beat themselues , whiles they punish others . now hely sees his error , and recants it ; and to make amends for his rash censure , prayes for her ; euen the best may erre , but not persist in it ; when good natures haue offended , they are vnquiet till they haue hastned satisfaction ; this was within his office , to pray for the distressed ; wherefore serues the priest but to sacrifice for the people ; and the best sacrifices are the prayers of faith . shee that began her prayers with fasting , and heauinesse , rises vp from them with cheerefulnesse , and repast : it cannot bee spoken , how much ease and ioy the heart of man findes in hauing vnloaded his cares , and powred out his supplications into the eares of god ; since it is well assured , that the suite which is faithfully asked , is already granted in heauen : the conscience may well rest , when it tells vs , that wee haue neglected no meanes of redressing our affliction ; for then it may resolue to looke either for amendment , or patience . the sacrifice is ended , and now elkanah , and his familie rise vp early , to returne vnto ramah ; but they dare not set forward , till they haue worshipped before the lord ; that iourney cannot hope to prosper , that takes not god with it ; the way to receiue blessings at home , is to be deuout at the temple . she that before conceiued faith in her heart , now conceiues a sonne in her wombe ; god will rather worke miracles then faithfull prayers shall returne empty : i doe not finde that peninna asked any sonne of god , yet she had store ; anna begged hard for this one ; and could not till now obtaine him : they which are dearest to god doe oft-times with great difficultie worke out those blessings , which fall into the mouthes of the carelesse : that wise disposer of all things knowes it fit to hold vs short of those fauours which we sue for ; whether for the tryall of our patience , or the exercise of our faith , or the increase of our importunitie , or the doubling of our obligation . those children are most like to proue blessings , which the parents haue begged of god ; and which are no lesse the fruit of our supplications , then of our bodie ; as this childe was the sonne of his mothers prayers , and was consecrated to god ere his possibilitie of being ; so now himselfe shall know , both how hee came , and whereto hee was ordeined ; and lest hee should forget it , his very name shall teach him both ; ( she called his name samuel ) ; hee cannot so much as heare himselfe named , but hee must needs remember both the extraordinarie mercie of god in giuing him to a barren mother ; and the vow of his mother in restoring him backe to god by her zealous dedication ; and by both of them learne holinesse , and obedience : there is no necessitie of significant names ; but wee cannot haue too many monitors to put vs in minde of our dutie . it is wont to be the fathers priuiledge to name his childe ; but because this was his mothers son , begotten more by her prayers , then the seed of elkanah , it was but reason , she should haue the chiefe hand both in his name ▪ and disposing ; it had been indeed in the power of elkanah , to haue changed both his name , and profession , and to abrogate the vow of his wife ; that wiues might know , they were not their owne ; and that the rib might learne to know the head ; but husbands shall abuse their authoritie , if they shall wilfully crosse the holy purposes , and religious indeuours of their yoke-fellowes ; how much more fit is it for them to cherish all good desires in the weaker vessells ; and as we vse , when wee carrie a small light in a winde , to hide it with our lap , or hand , that it may not goe out ; if the wife bee a vine , the husband should be an elme to vphold he● in all worthy enterprises ; els● shee falls to the ground , an● proues fruitlesse . the yeere is now come about ; and elkanah calls his familie to their holy iourney ; to goe vp to ierusalem , for the aniuersarie solemnity of their sacrifice ; annaes heart is with them , but she hath a good excuse to stay at home , the charge of her samuel ; her successe in the temple , keeps her happily from the temple ; that her deuotion may bee doubled , because it was respited : god knowes how to dispense with necessities ; but , if we suffer idle and needlesse occasions to hold vs from the tabernacle of god , our hearts are but hollow to religion . now at last , when the childe was weaned from her hand , she goes vp , and payes her vow , and with it , payes the interest of her intermission : neuer did anna go vp with so glad an heart to shilo , as now that she carries god this reasonable present , which himselfe gaue to her , and she vowed to him ; accompanied with the bountie of other sacrifices , more in number and measure , then the law of god required of her ; and all this , is too little for her god , that so mercifully remembred her affliction , and miraculously remedied it ; those hearts which are truly thankfull , doe no lesse reioyce in their repayment , then in their receit ; and doe as much studie , how to show their humble and feruent affections , for what they haue , as how to compasse fauours when they want them ; their debt is their burden , which when they haue discharged , they are at ease . if anna had repented of her vow , and not presented her son to the tebernacle , ely could not haue challenged him ; he had only seen her lips stir , not hearing the promise of her heart ; it was enought , that her owne soule knew her vow , and god which was greater then it ; the obligation of a secret vow is no lesse , then if it had ten thousand witnesses . old hely could not choose but much reioyce to see this fruit of those lips , which he thought moued with wine ; and this good proofe , both of the mercifull audience of god , and the thankfull fidelity of his handmaide ; this sight calls him down to his knees ( he worshipped the lord ) ; we are vnprofitable witnesses of the mercies of god , and the graces of men , if we do not glorifie him for others sakes , no lesse then for our owne . hely and anna grew now better acquainted ; neither had he so much cause to praise god for her , as she aftewards for him ; for if her owne praiers obtained her first childe ; his blessing inriched her with fiue more ; if she had not giuen her first sonne to god , ere she had him ; i doubt , whether she had not been euer barren ; or if shee had kept her samuel at home , whether euer she had conceiued againe ; now that piety which stripped her of her onely childe , for the seruice of her god , hath multiplied the fruit of her wombe , and gaue her fiue for that one , which was still no lesse hers , because he was gods : there is no so certaine way of increase , as to lend , or giue vnto the owner of all things . ely and his sonnes . if the conueyances of grace were naturall ; holy parents would not be so ill suted with children : what good man would not rather wish his loynes drie , then fruitfull of wickednesse ? now , wee can neither traduce goodnes , nor choose but traduce sinne ; if vertue were as well intailed vpon vs , as sin , one might serue to checke the other in our children ; but now since grace is deriued from heauen on whomsoeuer it pleases the giuer , and that euill which ours receiue hereditarily from vs , is multiplied by their owne corruption , it can be no wonder that good men haue ill children , it is rather a wonder that any children are not euill : the sonnes of ely are as lewde , as himselfe was holy ; if the goodnesse of examples , precepts , education , profession could haue beene preseruatiues from extremitie of sin , these sonnes of an holy father had not beene wicked ; now , neither parentage , nor breeding , nor priesthood can keepe the sonnes of hely from sonnes of belial ; if our children bee good , let vs thanke god for it ; this was more then wee could giue them ; if euill they may thanke vs , and themselues ; vs , for their birth-sinne , themselues for the improuement of it to that height of wickednesse . if they had not been sonnes of ely , yet being priests of god , who would not haue hoped their very calling should haue infused some holinesse into them ; but now , euen their white ephod couers foule sinnes ; yea rather , if they which serue at the alter degenerate , their wickednesse is so much more aboue others , as their place is holier ; a wicked priest is the worst creature vpon earth ; who are diuels but they which were once angels of light ? who can stumble at the sinnes of the euangelicall leuites , that sees such inpuritie euen before the arke of god ? that god which promised to be the leuites portion , had set forth the portion of his ministers ; he will feast them at his owne altar ; the breast and the right shoulder of the peace offering was their morsell ; these bold and couetous priests will rather haue the flesh-hock their arbiter , then god ; whatsoeuer those three teeth fasten vpon , shall bee for their tooth ; they were weary of one ioynt , and now their delicacy affects variety ; god is not worthy to carue for these men , but their owne hands ; and this they do not receiue , but take ; and take violently , vnseasonably ; it had beene fit god should be first serued ; their presumption will not stay his leasure ; ere the fat bee burned , ere the flesh be boiled , they snatch more then their share from the altar ; as if the god of heauen should waite on their palate ; as if the israelites had come thither to sacrifice to their bellies ; and ( as commonly a wanton tooth is the harbinger to luxurious wantonnesse ) they are no sooner fed , then they neigh after the dames of israel ; holy women assemble to the doore of the tabernacle ; these varlets tempt them to lust , that came thither for deuotion ; they had wiues of their owne , yet their vnbridled desires roue after strangers , and feare not to pollute euen that holy place with abominable filthinesse , o sinnes , to shamefull for men ; much more for the spirituall guides of israel ! he that makes himselfe a seruant to his tooth , shall easily become a slaue to all inordinate affections : that altar which expiated other mens sins , added to the sinnes of the sacrificers ; doubtlesse many a soule was the cleaner for the bloud of the sacrifices , which they shed , whiles their owne were more impure ; and as the altar cannot sanctifie the preist , so the vncleannes of the minister cannot pollute the offering ; because the vertue thereof is not in the agent , but in the institution ; in the representation his sinne is his owne ; the comfort of the sacrament is from god ; our clergy is no charter for heauen ; euen those whose trade is deuotion , may at once show the way to heauen by their tongue , and by their foot lead the way to hell ; it is neither a coule , nor an ephod that can priueledge the soule . the sinne of these men was worthy of contempt , yea perhaps their persons ; but for the people therefore to abhorre the offrings of the lord , was to adde their euill vnto the priests ; and to offend god , because hee was offended ; there can no offence be iustly taken , euen at men ; much lesse at god for the sake of men : no mans sinnes should bring the seruice of god into dislike ; this is to make holy thinges guiltie of our profanenesse : it is a daungerous ignorance not to distinguish betwixt the worke , and the instrument ; whereupon it oft comes to passe , that we fall out with god , because we finde cause of offence from men ; and giue god iust cause to abhorre vs , because wee abhorre his seruice vniustly . although it be true ( of great men especially ) that they are the last that know the euils of their owne house , yet either it could not be , when all israel rung of the lewdnesse of elyes sonnes , that he onely should not know it , or if he knew it not , his ignorance cannot be excused ; for a seasonable restraint might haue preuented this extremitie of debauchednesse . complaints are long muttered of the great , ere they dare breake forth to open contestation ; publique accusations of authoritie argues intollerable extremities of euill ; nothing but age can pleade for ely , that hee was not the first accuser of his sonnes ; now when their enormities came to be the voice of the multitude , he must heare it perforce ; and doubtlesse hee heard it with greife enough , but not with anger enough ; he that was the iudge of israel , should haue vnpartially iudged his own flesh , and blood ; neuer could he haue offered a more pleasing sacrifice , then the depraued blood of so wicked sonnes ; in vaine do wee rebuke those sinnes abroad , which we tolerate at home ; that man makes himselfe but ridiculous , that leauing his owne house on fire , runnes to quench his neighbours . i heard ely sharpe enough to annah , vpon but a suspicion of sinne ; and now , how milde i finde him to the notorious crimes of his owne ? why doe you so my sonnes : it is no good report ; my sonnes do no more so ; the case is altered with the persons ; if nature may be allowed to speake in iudgement , and to make difference , not of sinnes but offenders , the sentence must needes sauour of partialitie ; had these men but some little slackened their dutie , or heedlesly omitted some rite of the sacrifice , this censure had not beene vnfit ; but to punish the thefts , rapines , sacriledges , adulteries , incests of his sonnes , with why do yee so , was no other then to s●aue that head , which had deserued cutting off ; as it is with ill humors , that a weak dose doth but stirre , and anger them , not purge them out ; so it fareth with sinnes ; an easie reproofe doth but incourage wickednesse , and makes it thinke it selfe so sleight , as that censure importeth ; a vehement rebuke to a capitall euill , is but like a strong shower to a ripe fielde ; which laies that corne which were worthy of a sickle . it is a breach of iustice not to proportionate the punishment to the offence ; to whip a man for a murder , or to punish the purse for incest , or to burne treason in the hand , or to award the stocks to burglairy , is to patronize euill , in steed of auenging it ; of the two extremes , rigor is more safe for the publique weale , because the ouer-punishing of one offender frights many from sinning : it is better to liue in a common-welth where nothing is lawfull , then where euery thing . indulgent parents are cruell to themselues , and their posteritie ely could not haue deuised which way to haue plagued himselfe , and his house so much , as by his kindnesse to his childrens sinnes ; what variety of iudgements doth he now heare of from the messenger of god ? first , because his old age ( which vses to be subiect to choler ) , inclined now to misfauor his sonnes , therefore , there shall not be an old man left of his house for euer ; and because it vexed him not enough , to see his sonnes enemies to god in their profession , therefore he shall see his enemie in the habitation of the lord ; and because himselfe forbore to take vengeance of his sons , and esteemed their life aboue the glory of his master , therefore god will reuenge himselfe , by killing them both in one day ; and because he abused his soueraigntie by conniuence at sinne , therefore shall his house be stripped of this honor , and see it translated to another ; and lastly , because he suffered his sonnes to please their owne wanton appetite , in taking meat off from gods trencher , therfore , those which remaine of his house shall come to his successors , to beg a piece of siluer , and a morsell of bread ; in a word , because hee was partiall to his sonnes , god shall execute all this seuerely vpon him , and them : i doe not read of any fault ely had , but indulgence ; and which of the notorious offenders were plagued more ? parents need no other meanes to make them miserable , then sparing the rod. who should be the bearer of these fearefull tidings to ely , but yong samuel , whom himselfe had trained vp ; he was now growne past his mothers cotes , fit for the message of god ; old ely rebuked not his yong sonnes , therefore yong samuel is sent to rebuke him ; i maruell not whiles the priesthood was so corrupted , if the word of god were precious , if there were no publike vision ; it is not the manner of god to grace the vnworthy ; the ordinarie ministration in the temple was too much honor for those that robbed the altar , though they had no extraordinarie reuelations ; hereupon it was , that god lets old hely sleep ( who slept in his sinne ) and awakes samuel , to tell him what hee would do with his master : hee which was wont to be the mouth of god to the people , must now receiue the message of god , from the mouth of another ; as great persons will not speake to those , with whom they are highly offended , but send them their checks by others the lights of the temple were now dim , and almost ready to giue place to the morning , when god called samuel ; to signifie perhaps , that those which should haue been the lights of israel , burned no lesse dimly , and were neere their going out , and should be succeeded with one , so much more lightsome then they , as the sunne was more bright then the lampes : god had good leasure to haue deliuered this message by day , but hee meant to make vse of samuels mistaking ; and therfore so speaks , that ely may bee asked for an answer , and perceiue himselfe both omitted , and censured ; he that meant to vse samuels voice to ely , imitates the voice of ely to samuel ; samuel had so accustomed himselfe to obedience , and to answer the call of ely , that lying in the further cells of the leuites , hee is easily raised from his sleep ; and euen in the night runs for his message , to him , who was rather to receiue it from him : thrice is the old man disquieted with the diligence of his seruant , and , tho visions were rare in his daies , yet is hee not so vnacquainted with god , as not to attribute that voyce to him , which himselfe heard not ; wherefore like a better tutor then a parent , he teaches samuel what hee shall answer , speake lord , for thy seruant heareth . it might haue pleased god at the first call to haue deliuered his message to samuel , not expecting the answer of a nouice vnseene in the visions of a god ; yet doth he rather defer it till the fourth summons , and will not speake till samuel confessed his audience : god loues euer to prepare his seruants for his imployments , and will not commit his errands , but to those , whom he hath addressed both by wonder , and attention , and humilitie . ely knew well the gracious fashion of god , that where hee intended a fauour , prorogation could be no hinderance ; and therefore after the call of god , thrice answered with silence , he instructs samuel to be ready for the fourth : if samuels silence had been wilfull , i doubt whether he had been againe solicited ; now god doth both pittie his error , and requite his diligence by redoubling his name at the last . samuel had now many yeeres ministred before the lord , but neuer till now heard his voice ; and now heares it with much terror ; for the first word that he heares god speake , is threatning , and that of vengeance to his master ; what were these menaces but so many premonitions to himselfe that should succeed ely ? god begins early to season their harts with feare , whom he means to make eminent instruments of his glory ; it is his mercie to make vs witnesses of the iudgments of others , that wee may be forewarned , ere we haue the occasions of sinning . i do not heare god bid samuel deliuer this message to ely ; hee that was but now made a prophet , knowes , that the errands of god intend not silence ; and that god would not haue spoken to him of another , if he had meant the newes should be reserued to himselfe : neither yet did he run with open mouth vnto ely , to tell him this vision , vnasked ; no wise man will be hastie to bring ill tidings to the great ; rather doth hee stay till the importunitie of his master should wring it from his vnwillingnesse ; and then , as his concealement showd his loue , so his full relation shall approue his fidelitie : if the heart of ely had not told him this newes , before god told it samuel , hee had neuer been so instant with samuel , not to conceale it ; his conscience did well presage that it concerned himselfe ; guiltinesse needs no prophet to assure it of punishment : the minde that is troubled proiecteth terrible things ; and though it cannot single out the iudgment allotted to it , yet it is in a confused expectation of some grieuous euill : surely , ely could not thinke it worse then it was ; the sentence was fearefull , and such as i wonder the necke , or the heart of old ely could hold out the report of ; that god sweares he will iudge elyes house ; and that with beggerie , with death , with desolation ; and that the wickednes of his house shall not be purged with sacrifice , or offrings for euer ; and yet , this which euery israelites eare should tingle to heare of , when it should be done , old ely heares with an vnmoued patience , and humble submission , it is the lord , let him doe what seemeth him good ; oh admirable faith , and more then humane constancie and resolution , worthy of the aged presisident of shiloh , worthy of an heart sacrificed to that god , whose iustice had refused to expiate his sinne by sacrifice : if ely haue been an ill father to his sonnes , yet he is a good sonne to god , and is ready to kisse the very rod hee shall smart withall ; it is the lord , whom i haue euer found holy , and iust , and gracious , and hee cannot but be himselfe ; let him doe what seemeth him good ; for whatsoeuer seemeth good to him , cannot but bee good ; howsoeuer it seemes to me : euery man can open his hand to god while hee blesses ; but to expose our selues willingly to the afflicting hand of our maker , and to kneele to him whiles he scourges vs , is peculiar only to the faithfull . if euer a good heart could haue freed a man , from temporall punishments , ely must needs haue escaped ; gods anger was appeased by his humble repentance , but his iustice must be satisfied ; elyes sinne and his sons , was in the eye and mouth of all israel , his glorie therefore should haue been much wronged by their impunitie : who would not haue made these spirituall guides an example of lawlesnes ? and haue said ; what care i how i liue , if elyes sonnes goe away vnpunished ? as not the teares of ely , so not the words of samuel may fall to the ground ; wee may not measure the displeasure of god by his stripes ; many times , after the remission of the sinne , the very chastisements of the almightie are deadly ; no repentance can assure vs that wee shall not smart with outward afflictions : that , can preuent the eternall displeasure of god ; but still it may be necessarie and good wee should be corrected : our care and suite must be , that the euills which shall not be auerted , may be sanctified . if the prediction of these euils were fearefull , what shall the execution be ? the presumption of the ill-taught israelites shall giue occasion to this iudgement ; for being smitten before the philistims , they send for the arke into the field ; who gaue them authority to commaund the arke of god at their pleasure ? here was no consulting with the arke , which they would fetch ; no inquiry of samuel whether they should fetch it ; but an heddie resolution of presumptuous elders to force god into the field , and to challenge successe : if god were not with the arke , why did they send for it , and reioyce in the comming of it ? if god were with it , why was not his allowance asked that it should come ? how can the people bee good where the preists are wicked ? when the arke of the couenant of the lord of hosts that dwells betweene the cherubims , was brought into the host ( tho with meane and wicked attendance ) israel doth , as it were , fill the heauen , and shake the earth with shoutes ; as if the arke and victory were no lesse vnseparable , then they and their sinnes ; euen the leudest men will be looking for fauour from that god , whom they cared not to displease , contrary to the conscience of their deseruings ; presumption doth the same in wicked men , which faith doth in the holiest ; those that regarded not the god of the arke , thinke themselues safe and happie in the arke of god ; vaine men are transported with a confidence in the out-sides of religion , not regarding the substance and soule of it , which only can giue them true peace ; but rather then god will humor superstition in israelites , he will suffer his owne arke to fall into the handes of philistims ; rather will he seeme to slacken his hand of protection , then hee will bee thought to haue his hands bound by a formall mis-confidence . the slaughter of the israelites was no plague to this ; it was a greater plague rather to them that should suruiue , and behold it . the two sonnes of ely which had helped to corrupt their brethren , die by the handes of the vncircumcised , and are now too late separated from the arke of god by philistims , which should haue been before separated by their father ; they had liued formerlie to bring gods altar into contempt , and now liue to carrie his arke into captiuitie , and at last , as those that had made vp the measure of their wickednesse are slayne in their sinne . ill newes doth euer either run , or flie ; the man of beniamin , which ran from the host , hath soone filled the city with outcries ; and elyes eares with the crie of the city ; the good old man after ninety and eight yeares , sits in the gate , as one that neuer thought himselfe too aged to do god seruice ; and heares the newes of israels discomfiture , and his sonnes death , though with sorrow , yet with patience ; but , when the messenger tells him of the arke of god taken , he can liue no longer , that word strikes him downe backward from his throne , and kills him in the fall ; no sword of a philistim could haue slaine him more painefully , neither know i , whether his necke , or his heart were first broken : oh fearefull iudgement , that euer any israelites eare could tingle withall ; the arke lost ; what good man would wish to liue without god ? who can choose but think he hath liued too long , that hath ouerliued the testimonies of gods presence with his church ? yea the very daughter in law of ely , a woman , the wife of a lewd husband , when she was at once trauelling ( vpon that tidings ) and in that trauell , dying ( to make vp the full summe of gods iudgement vpon that wicked house ) as one insensible of the death of her father , of her husband , of her selfe , in comparison of this losse , calls her ( then vnseasonable ) sonne , ichabod ; and with her last breath saies , the glorie is departed from israel ; the arke is taken : what cares she for a posterity , which should want the arke ? what cares she for a sonne , come into the world of israel , when god was gone from it ? and how willingly doth she depart from them , from whom god was departed ? not outward magnificence , not state , not wealth , not fauour of the mightie , but the presence of god in his ordinances , are the glory of israel ; the subducing whereof is a greater iudgement , then destruction . oh israel , worse now then no people ; a thousand times more miserable then philistims ; those pagans went away triumphing with the arke of god , and victorie ; and leaue the remnants of the chosen people to lament , that they once had a god : oh cruell and wicked indulgence , that is now found guiltie of the death , not onlie of the priests , and people , but of religion . vniust mercie can neuer end in lesse then bloud , and it were well if onlie the bodie should haue cause to complaine of that kinde crueltie . finis . errata . pag. . lin . . for wooll god , read wooll . god : p. l. . for intreats , read treats . p ▪ . . for inioyed , read ioyed . p. . l. . for may be , read may not be . p. . l. . for strength , read stench . p . for had not wit , read had wit p. . vlt. for strainted , read straitned . p. . l. . for representation his . r. representation : his . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e peni-el . the reconciler: or an epistle pacificatorie of the seeming differences of opinion concerning the true being and visibilitie of the roman church enlarged with the addition of letters of resolution, for that purpose, from some famous divines of our church. by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the reconciler: or an epistle pacificatorie of the seeming differences of opinion concerning the true being and visibilitie of the roman church enlarged with the addition of letters of resolution, for that purpose, from some famous divines of our church. by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], - p. printed [by miles flesher and william stansby] for nath: butter, london : . ios: exon = joseph hall. printers' names from stc. the first leaf is blank. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -- controversial literature. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the reconciler : or an epistle pacificatorie of the seeming differences of opinion concerning the true being and visibilitie of the roman church . enlarged with the addition of letters of resolution , for that purpose , from some famous divines of our chvrch . by ios : exon. london , printed for nath : bvtter . . to the right honovrable , and truly religious , my singular good lord , edward earle of norwich . my ever honoured lord : i confesse my charity led me into an error ; your lordshippe well knowes how apt i am to be overtaken with these better deceits of an over kinde credulitie . i had thought that any dash of my pen , in a sudden , and easie advertisement , might have served to have quitted that ignorant scandall , which was cast upon my mis-taken assertion , of the true visibility of the romane church . the issue proves all otherwise : i finde , to my griefe , that the misunderstanding tenacitie of some zealous spirits hath made it a quarrell . it cannot but trouble me to see that the position , which is so familiarly current with the best reformed divines ; & which hath beene so oft and long since published by mee without contradiction ; yea , not without the approbation and applause of the whole representative body of the clergie of this kingdome , should now be quarrelled , and drawne into the detestation of those that know it not ; as one therefore that should thinke it corosive enough , that any occasion should be taken by ought of mine , to ravell but one thred of that seamless coat , i doe earnestly desire , by a more full explication , to give cleare satisfaction to all readers ; and by this seasonable reconcilement , to stop the flood-gates of contention ; i know it will not be unpleasing to your lordship , that through your honourable and pious hands , these welcome papers should be transmitted to many ; wherein i shall first beseech , yea adjure al christians , under whose eies they shall fall , by the dreadfull name of that god , who shall judge both the quicke , and the dead , to lay aside all unjust prejudices ; and to allow the words of truth , and peace ; i dare confidently say , let us be understood , and we are agreed . the searcher of all harts knows how far it was from my thoughts to speak ought in favour of the roman synagogue : if i have not sufficiently branded that strūpet , i justly suffer . luthers broad word is by me already both safely cōstrued , & sufficiently vindicated . but , doe you not say , it is a true visible church ? doe you not yeeld some kinde of communion with these clients of antichrist ? what is , if this be not , favour ? marke well , christian reader , and the lord give thee understanding in all things : to beginne with the latter ; no man can say but the church of rome holds some truths ; those truths are gods , and in his right , ours , why should not wee challenge our owne , wheresoever we finde it ? if a verie devill shall say of christ , thou art the sonne of the living god , wee will snatch this truth out of his mouth , as usurped ; and in spight of him , proclaime it for our own . indeed ; there is no communion betwixt light and darknesse , but there is communion betwixt light and light ; now all truth is light , and therefore symbolizeth with it selfe . with that light , therefore , whose glimmering yet remaines in their darknesse , our clearer light will , and must hold communion ; if they professe three persons in one godhead ; two natures in one person of christ ; shall we detrect to joine with them in this christian veritie ? we abhorre to have any communion with them in their errors , in their idolatrous or superstitious practices , these are their owne , not ours . if we durst have taken their part in these , this breach had not beene ; now who can but say that wee must hate their evill , and allow their good ? it is no countenance to their errors that we imbrace our owne truths ; it is no disparagement to our truths , that they have blended them with their errors : here can be no difference , then , if this communion bee not mis-taken ; no man will say that we may sever from their common truths ; no man will say that we may joyne with them in their hatefull errours . for the former ; hee that saith a theefe is truly a man , doth hee therein fauour that theefe ? he that saith , a diseased , dropsied , dying bodie , is a true ( though corrupt ) body , doth he favour that disease , or that living carcasse ? it is no other , no more that i say of the church of rome : truenesse of being , and outward visibility , are no praise to her ; yea , these are aggravations to her falshood : the advantage that is both sought and found in this assertion is onely ours ; as we shall see in the sequell , without any danger of their gain . i say , then , that she is a true church , but , i say withall , shee is a false church : true in existence , but false in beleefe : let not the homonymie of a word breed jarres , where the sense is accorded : if we doe not yeeld her the true being of a church , why do we call her the church of rome ? what speake we of ? or where is the subject of our question ? who sees not that there is a morall trueness , and a naturall ? he that is morally the falsest man , is , in nature , as truly a man , as the honestest ; and therefore in this regard as true a man : in the same sense therefore that wee say the devill is a true ( though false ) spirit ; that a cheater it a true ( though false ) man , wee may & must say , that the church of rome is a true ( though false ) church ; certainely , there hath beene a true errour , and mis-taking of the sense that is guiltie of this quarrell . as for the visibility , there can be no question : would god , that church did not too much fill our eie , yea the world ; there is nothing wherein it doth more pride it selfe , than in a glorious conspicuitie , scorning , in this regard , the obscure paucitie of their opposers . but you say , what is this but to play with ambiguities ; that the church of rome is it selfe , that is , a church ; that it is visible ; that it is truly existent , there can be no doubt ; but is it still a part of the truly existent , visible church of christ ? surely , no otherwise than an hereticall and apostaticall church is , and may be : reader , whosoever thou art , for gods sake , for thy soules sake , marke where thou treadest ; else thou shalt bee sure to fall either into an open gulfe of uncharitablenesse , or into a dangerous precipice of errour . there is no feare , nor favour to say , that the church of rome , under a christian face , hath an antichristian heart ; overturning that foundation by necessarie inferences , which by open profession in avoweth : that face , that profession , those avowed principles are enough to give it claime to a true outward visibilitie of a christian church ; whiles those damnable inferences are enough to feoffe it in the true style of heresie , and antichristianisme ; now , this heresie , this antichristianisme makes rome justly odious , and execrable to god , to angels , and men ; but cannot utterly dischurch it , whiles those main principles maintaine a weake life in that crazie , and corrupted bodie . but is not this language different from that whereto our eares and eies have beene inured , from the mouthes , and pens of some reverend divines and professors of our church ? know , reader , that the streame of the famous doctors , both at home , and abroad , hath runne strongly my way : i should have feared , and hated to goe alone ; what reason is there then to single out one man in a throng ? some few worthie authors have spoken otherwise , in the warmth of their zealous contention ; yet so , as that even to them durst i appeale for my iudges ; for if their sound differ from me , their sense agrees with me : that , which as i touched in my advertisement , so i am now readie to make cleare by the instance of learned zanchius ; whose pregnant testimonies compared together , shall plainly teach us , how easie a reconcilement may bee made betwixt these two , seemingly-contrarie , opinions : that worthie author , in his profession of christian religion , which hee wrote , and published , in the . yeare of his age , having defined the church of christ in generall , and passed thorow the properties of it , at last , descending to the subdivision of the church militant , comes to inquire , how particular churches may be knowne to be the true churches of christ , wherof he determines thus . illas igitur , &c. those churches therefore doe wee acknowledge for the true churches of christ ; in which first of all , the pure doctrine of the gospell is preached , heard , admitted ; and so onely admitted , that there is neither place , nor eare given to the contrarie : for both these are the just propertie of the flocke or sheepe of christ ; namely , both to heare the voice of their owne pastor , and to reject the voice of strangers . iohn . . in which , secondly , the sacraments instituted by christ , are lawfully , and ( as much as may bee ) according to christs institution , administred , and received ; and therefore , in which the sacraments devised by men are not admitted , and allowed ; in which lastly , the discipline of christ hath the due place ; that is , where both publiquely , and privately , charitable care is had , both by admonitions , corrections , and at last ( if need be ) by excommunications , that the commandements of god be duly kept , and that all persons live soberly , iustly , and piously , to the glory of god , and edification of their neighbour . thus hee ; wherein , who sees not how directly he aymes , both at the justifying of our churches , and the casheering of the roman , which is palpably guiltie of the violation of these wholsome rules ? and indeed , it must needes be said , if we bring the roman church to this touch , she is cast for a meer counterfeit ; shee is as farre from truth , as truth is from falshood : now by this time you goe away with an opinion that learned zanchie is my professed adversarie , and hath directly condemned my position , of the truenesse , and visibilitie of the roman church : have but patience , i beseech you , to read what the same excellent author writes , in his golden preface to that noble worke , de natura dei ; where this question is clearly , & punctuall decided : there you shall finde , that having passed through the wofull and gloomie offuscations of the church of god , in all former ages , he , descending to the darknesse of the present babylon ; concludes thus : deinde non potuit satan , &c. moreover , satan could not , in the verie roman church , doe what he listed , as hee had done in the easterne ; to bring all things to such passe , as that it should no more have the forme of a christian church ; for , in spight of satan , that church retained still the chief foundations of the faith , although weakned with the doctrines of men ; it retained the publique preaching of the word of god , thogh in many places mis-understood , and mis-construed ; the invocation of the name of christ , though joyned also with the invocation of dead men ; the administration of baptisme , instituted by christ himselfe , howsoever defiled with the addition of many superstitions . so as , together with the symbole of the covenant , the covenant it selfe remained still in her ; i meane in all the churches of the west , no otherwise than it did in the church of israel , even after that all things were in part profaned by ieroboam , and other impious , and idolatrous kings , upon the defection made by them from the church , and tribe of iuda ; for , neither doe i assent to them which would have the church of rome to have no lesse ceased to be the church of christ , than those easterne churches , which afterwards turned mahumetan ; what church was ever more corrupt than the church of the ten tribes , yet we learne from the scriptures , that it was still the church of god ? and how doth s. paul call that church , wherein antichrist ( hee saith ) shall sit , the temple of god ? neither is it any baptisme at all , that is administred out of the church of christ . the wife that is an adulteresse , doth not cease to be a wife , unlesse being despoiled of her mariage-ring , she be manifestly divorced : the church of rome , therefore , is yet the church of christ ; but what manner of church ? surely so corrupted and depraved , and with so great tyrannie oppressed , that you can neither , with a good conscience , partake with them , in their holy things , nor safely dwell amongst them . thus he againe ; wherein you see hee speakes as home for me , as i could devise to speake for my selfe : and as appositely professeth to oppose the contrarie . looke , now how this learned author may be reconciled to his owne pen ; and by the very same way , shall my pen bee reconciled with others : either he agrees not with himselfe , or else , in his sense , i agree with my gainsayers : nothing is more plaine , then that hee in that former speech , and all other classicke authors , that speake in that key , meane , by a true church , a sound , pure , right beleeving church ; so as their vera is rather verax : zanchie explicates the terme , whiles he joines veram & puram together ; so as in this construction it is no true church that is an unsound one ; as if truth of existence were all one with truth of doctrine : in this sense , whosoever shall say the church of rome is a true church , i say he calls evill good , and is no better than a teacher of lyes . but , if we measure the true being of a visible church , by the direct maintenance of fundamentall principles , though by consequences indirectly overturned , and by the possession of the word of god , and his sacraments , though not without soule adulteration ; what judicious christian can but , with mee , subscribe to learned zanchius , that the church of rome hath yet the true visibilitie of a church of christ : what should i need to press the latitude , and multiplicity of sense of the word , church ; there is no one term that i know , in all use of speech , so various ; if , in a large sense , it be taken to comprehend the society of all that professe christian religion , through the whole world , howsoever impured , who can denie this title to the roman ? if , in a strict sense , it be taken ( as it is by zanchius here , and all those divines who refuse to give this style to the synagogue of rome ) for the companie of elect faithfull men gathered into one mysticall bodie under one head , christ , washed by his blood ; justified by his merits , sanctified by his spirit , conscionablie waiting upon the true ordinances of god , in his pure word , and holie sacramēts ▪ who can be so shamelesse , as to give this title to the roman church ? both these sentences , then , are equally true ; the church of rome is yet a true church in the first sense ; the church of rome long since ceased to bee a true church in the second . as those friendly souldiers therefore , of old , said to their fellowes ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? ) why fight we ? stay , stay , deare brethren , for gods sake , for his churches sake , for your soules sake , stay these busie and unprofitable litigations ; put up , on both sides , your angrie pens ; turne your swords into sithes , to cut downe the ranke corruptiōs of the roman church ; and your speares into mattockes , to beat downe the walls of this mysticall babylon ; there are enemies ●now abroad , let us bee friends at home ; but if your sense be the same , you will aske , why our termes varie , and why wee have chosen to fall upon that maner of expression , which gives aduantage to the adversarie , offence to our owne ? christian reader , let me beseech thee , in the bowels of christ , to weigh well this matter , and then tell me why such offence , such advantage should bee rather given by my words , than by the same words , in the mouth of luther , of calvin , of zanchie , iunius , plessee , hooker , andrewes , field , crakenthorpe , bedel , and that whole cloud of learned and pious authors , who have , without exceptiō , used the same language ? and why more by my words , now , than twentie yeares agoe , at which time i published the same truth , in a more ful and liberall expression . wise and charitable christians may not be apt to take offence where none is given . as for anie advantage that is hereby given to the adversaries , they may put it in their eye , and see never the worse . loe ; say they , we are of the true visible church ; this is enough for us ; why are we forsaken , why are we presecuted , why are we solicited to change ? alas , poore soules , doe they not know , that hypocrites , leud persons , reprobates , are no lesse members of the true visible church ? what gaine they by this but a deeper damnation ? to what purpose did the iewes crie , the temple of the lord , whiles they despighted the lord of that temple ? is the sea-weed ever the lesse vile , because it is dragd vp together with good fish ? they are of the visible church , such as it is ; what is this but to say , they are neither iewes , nor turkes , nor pagans ; but misbeleevers , damnablie hereticall in opinion , shamefullie idolatrous in practice ; let them make their best of this just elogie ; and triumph in this style , may we never prosper if we envie them this glorie : our care shall be , that , besides the church sensible , ( as zuinglius distinguisheth ) we may be of the church spirituall ; and not resting in a fruitlesse visibilitie , wee may finde our selves livelie limbes of the mystical body of christ ; which onelie condition shall give us a true right to heaven ; whiles fashionable profession , in vaine cries , lord , lord , and is barred out of those blessed gates , with an , i know you not . neither may the reader think , that i affect to goe by-waies of speech : no , i had not taken this path , unlesse i had found it both more beaten , and fairer : i am not so unwise , to teach the adversarie what disadvantage i conceive to be given to our most just cause , by the other manner of explication . let it suffice to say , that this form of defence more fully stops the adversaries mouth in those two maine and envious scandals , which hee casts upon our holy religion , defection from the church , and innovation ; than which , no suggestion hath wont to bee more prevalent with weake , and ungrounded hearts , what wee further win by this , not more charitable , than safe tenet , i had rather it should bee silently conceived by the judicious , then blazoned by my free penne ; shortly , in this state of the question , our gaine is as cleare , as the adversaries losse : our ancient truth triumphes over their upstart errours , our charitie over their mercilesse presumptions ; feare not therefore , deare brethren , where there is on roome for danger ; suspect not fraud where there is nothing but plaine , honest , simplicitie of intentions ; censure not where there is the same truth , clad in a different , but more easie habite of words ; but if any mans fervent zeale shall rather draw him to the liking of that other , rougher , and harder way , so as in the meane time he keepe within the bounds of christian charitie , i taxe him not ; let everie man abound in his owne sense ; onely let our hearts , and tongues , and hands , conspire together in peace with our selves , in warre with our common enemies . thus farre have i ( right honourable ) in a desire of peace , poured out my selfe into a plaine explication , and easie accordance : those whom i strive to satisfie , are onely mis-takers ; whose censures , if some man would have either laught out , or despised , yet i have condescended to take off by a serious deprecation , and just defence . it is an vnreasonable motion to request mindes prepossessed with prejudice to heare reason ; whole volumes are nothing to such as have contented themselves onely to take up opinions upon trust , and will hold them , because they know where they had them : in vaine should i spend my selfe in beating upon such anviles ; but for those ingenuous christians , which will hold an eare open for justice , and truth , i have said enough , if ought at all needed . alas , my lord , i see and grieve to see it ; it is my rochet that hath offended , and not i ; in another habit , i , long since , published this , and more , without dislike ; it is this colour of innocence that hath bleared some over-tender eyes ; wherein i know not whether i should more pittie their errour , or applaud my owne sufferings ; although i may not say with the psalmist , what hath the righteous done ? let mee ( i beseech your lordship ) upon this occasion , have leave to give a little vent to my just griefe in this point . the other day i fell upon a latine pamphlet , homely for style , tedious for length , zealously uncharitable for stuffe , wherein the author ( onely wise in this , that he would bee unknowne ) in a grave fiercenesse flies in the face of our english prelacie ; not so much enveighing against their persons , ( which he could be content to reverence ) as their verie places . i blest my selfe to see the case so altered : heretofore , the person had wont to beare off manie blowes from the function ; now the verie function wounds the person : in what case are we , when that which should command respect , brands us ? what blacke art hath raised up this spirit of aerius from his pit ? wo is mee , that zeale should breed such monsters of conceit : it is the honour , the pompe , the wealthe , the pleasure ( hee saith ) of the episcopall chaire that is guiltie of the depravation of our calling ; and if himselfe were so overlayd with greatnesse , hee should suspect his owne fidelitie . alas , poore man , at what distance doth hee see us ? foggie ayre useth to represent everie object farre bigger than it is . our sauiour in his temptation upon the mount , had onely the glorie of those kingdomes showed to him , by that subtile spirit , not the cares , and vexations ; right so are our dignities exhibited to these envious beholders ; little doe these men see the toyles , and anxieties that attend this supposedly-pleasing eminence . all the revenge that i would wish to this uncharitable censurer , should bee this , that hee might bee but for a while adjudged to this so glorious seate of mine ; that so his experience might taste the bewitching pleasures of this envied greatnesse ; hee should well finde more danger of being over-spent with worke , than of languishing with ease & delicacie . for mee i need not appeale to heaven : eyes enow can witnesse how few free houres i have enjoyed , since i put on these robes of sacred honour . in so much as i could finde in my heart , with holy gregorie , to complaine of my change ; were it not , that i see these publique troubles are so many acceptable services to my god , whose glorie is the end of my being : certainly , my lord , if none but earthly respects should sway me , i should heartily wish to change this pallace ( which the providence of god , and the bountie of my gracious soveraigne hath put mee into ) for my quiet cell at waltham , where i had so sweet leasure to enjoy god , your lordship , and my selfe : but i have followed the calling of my god , to whose service i am willingly sacrificed ; and must now , in an holy obedience to his divine majestie , with what cheerefulnesse i may , ride out all the stormes of envie , which unavoidably will alight vpon the least appearance of a conceived greatnesse ; in the meane time , what ever i may seeme to others , i was never lesse in my owne apprehensions ; and , were it not for this attendance of envie , could not yeeld my selfe any whit greater than i was ; what ever i am , that good god of mine , make mee faithfull to him ; and compose the unquiet spirits of men , to a conscionable care of the publique peace ; with which prayer , together with the apprecation of all happinesse to your lordship , and all yours , i take leave and am your lordships truly devoted in all hearty observance and dutie , ios . exon . to the christian reader wisedome and charitie . it is no easie matter for a man so far to mortifie his self-love , as to neglect himselfe for the publique good ; & to vaile his private ingagements ( though with some seeming disadvantage ) to the peace of the church ; that which is too apparent in the present occasion . whiles there might be some colour of ambiguitie of termes , and possibilitie of misconstruction , in that position concerning the true being , and visibility of the roman church ; i could the lesse marvell that a mistaking should breed a quarrell ; but now , after so clear an explication , as i have given of my sense , and so satisfactory a reconcilement , as no ingenuous christian can except against ; i am not a little troubled to see the peace of the church yet disquieted with personall , and unkinde dissertations . surely ( what ever may bee pretended ) not one haire of any christians head can be indangered , in that assertion of mine ( yet not so much mine , as the most of the reformed divines of christendome ) as it is by them , and me both understood , and interpreted ; since we call all christians to no lesse detestation of the abhominable corruptiōs , & idolatries of the roman church , notwithstanding the yeeldance of a bootlesse visibilitie , then those that deny it the being , and name of a church : yea wee raise more strong advantage against the adversary by this grant , then by that denyall . neyther is here the least contradiction to any clause of the articles of our church , of england , in that sense wherein i have delivered my selfe ; such is my true filiall honor to that our holy mother , that i should hate my selfe , if i should offer to oppose any of her sacred dictates ; how ever it may sound to an ignorant eare . in every opposition there must be supposed the same subject , the same respect , the same understanding of both ; else how ever the words run , the matter disagrees not . for example ; if one man shall say , the church is visible , materiall , consisting of lime and stone ; another shall say , the church is invisible , immateall , not consisting of any earthly stuffe ; these two doe not contradict each other ; whiles the one speakes of the outward fabricke of the church ; the other of the spirituall state of the church ; neyther is it otherwise in my assertion , and that which is counter-alledged from the articles or homilies of the church ; as i have sufficiently explained my sense both in my advertisement , and reconciler ; it is not for me to cloy my reader with repetitions . now , lest i might perhaps seeme partiall to my own cause ; and flatter my selfe in my own opinion ; i have craved the judgement of some , of the most eminent & approved divines of our church , & the french ; whose names are justly reverend ; whose workes have made thē famous in our gates : i have of many hundreds , selected only foure ; * two bishops , and two doctors ; such , as whose very mētion is able to stop the mouth of calumny ; and to make ignorance ashamed of it selfe . i have taken the boldnes to publish their private letters in answer to mine . peruse them , reader , and take satisfaction ; and confesse it was thy mistaking , and not my errour that made me appeare foule : farewell , and love peace , and the god of peace be with thee . i. e. to the right reuerend father in god , thomas , lord bishop of couentree and lichfield . my lord ; may your leasure serue you to read ouer this poore sheete of paper , and to censure it : your name is left out in the catalogue of some other famous diuines , mentioned in the body of it , that you might not be forestalled . i suffer for that wherein your selfe , amongst many renowmed orthodoxe doctors of the church , are my partner ; as if you had not already said it enough ; i beseech your lordship say , once more , what you thinke of the true being , and visibilitie of the romane church , your excellent and zealous writings haue iustly won you a constant reputation of great learning , and no lesse sinceritie , and haue placed you out of the reach of suspicion ; no man can , no man dare mis-doubt your decision ; if you find any one word amisse in this explication , spare me not ; i shall gladly kisse your rod ; and hold your vtmost seueritie a fauour ; but if you here meete with no other then the words of a commonly professed truth ; acquit me so farre as to say , there is no reason i should suffer alone ; and let the wilfull , or ignorant mis-takers know that they wound innocencie , and , through my sids , strike their best friends . i should not herein desire you to tender my fame , if the iniurie done to my name did not reflect vpon my holy station , vpon my wel-meant labours , vpon almost all the famous , and wel-deseruing authors that haue stood for the truth of god ; and lastly if i did not see this mis-taken quarrell to threaten much preiudice to the church of god ; whose peace is no lesse deare to vs both , then our liues ; in earnest desire , and hope of some few satisfactorie lines from your reuerend hand , in answere to this , my bold , yet iust , suit , i take leaue , and am your much deuoted and louing brother , ios . exon . to the right reuerend father in god , my verie good lord and brother ioseph lord bishop of exon , these . right reuerend , and as dearely beloued brother , i haue ( i confesse ) beene too long in your lordships debt for these letters ; which are now to apologize for me , that although i had my payment ready , and in numeratis at the first reading of your reconciler , yet i reserued my answere vntill i had perused the two other bookes and seconds , that so i might returne my payment cum faenore . in that your lordships tractate , i could not but obserue the liuely image of your selfe ; that ●s ( according to the generall interpretation of all sound professors of the gospell of christ ) of a most orthodoxe diuine ; and now remembring the accordance your lordship hath with others touching the argument of your booke , i must needes reflect vpon my selfe ; who haue long since defended the same point , in the defence of many others . i do therefore much blame the petulcitie of whatsoeuer author that should dare to impute a popish affection to him , whome ( besides his excellent writings and sermons ) gods visible , eminent , and resplendent graces of illumination , zeale , pietie & eloquence haue made truely honourable and glorious in the church of christ . let me say no more , i suffer in your suffering , not more in consonancie of iudgement then in the sympathie of my affection . goe on deare brother with your deserued honor in gods church with holy courage , knowing that the dirtie feete of an aduersarie , the more they tread , and rubbe , the more lustre they giue the figure grauen in gold. our lord iesus preserue vs to the glorie of his sauing grace . your lordships vnanimous friend and brother , tho. couent . and lichfield . to the right reuerend father in god , iohn , lord bishop of salisburie . my lord , i send you this little pamphlet for your censure ; it is not credible how strangely i haue beene traduced euerie where , for that , which i conceiue to be the common opinion of reformed diuines , yea of reasonable men ; that is , for affirming the true being and visibilitie of the romane church ; you see how clearely i haue endeauored to explicate this harmelesse position ; yet i perceiue some tough mis-vnderstandings will not bee satisfied ; your lordship hath with great reputation spent manie yeares in the diuinitie-chaire of the famous vniuersitie of cambridge . let me therefore beseech you , whose learning , and sinceritie is so throughly approued in gods church , that you would freely ( how shortly so euer ) expresse your selfe in this point ; and , if you find that i haue deuiated , but one hayre-breadth from the truth , correct me ; if not , free me by your iust sentence : what need i intreat you to pittie those , whose desires of faithfull offices to the church of god are vnthankefully repayed with suspicion , and sclaunder ; whose may not this case be ? i had thought i had sufficiently in all my writings , and in this verie last booke of mine ( whence this quarrell is picked ) showed my feruent zeale for gods truth against that antichrian faction of rome , and yet i doubt not but your owne eares can witnesse what i haue suffered . yea as if this calumnie were not enough , there want not those whose secret whisperings cast vpon mee the foule aspersions of another sect , whose name is as much hated , as little vnderstood , my lord , you know i had a place with you ( though vnworthy ) in that famous sinod of drot , where ( howsoeuer sicknesse bereaued me of the houres of a conclusiue subscription ) yet , your lordship heard me , with equall vehemencie to to the rest , swaying downe the vnreasonablenesse of that way : i am still the same man , and shall liue and die in the suffrage of that reuerend synod ; and doe confidently auow , that those other opposed opinions cannot stand with the doctrine of the church of england . but if for the composing of the differences at home ( which your lordship knowes to be farre different from netherlandish ) there could haue beene tendred any such faire propositions of accordance , as might bee no preiudice to gods truth , i should haue thought it an holy , and happie proiect , wherein , if it be not a fault to haue wished a safe peace , i am innocent . god so loue me as i doe the tranquilitie and happinesse of his church ; yet can i not so ouer-affect it that i would sacrifice one dram of truth to it ; to that good god doe i appeale as the witnesse of my sincere he art to his whole truth , and no lesse then euer zealous detestation of al poperie , & pelagianisme . your lordship will be pleased to pardon this importunitie , and to vouchsaue your speedy answere , to your much deuoted and faithfull brother , ios . exon . my lord ; you desire my opinion concerning an assertion of yours , wherat some haue taken offence . the proposition was this . [ that the romane church remaynes yet a true visible church . ] the occasion which makes this an ill sounding proposition in the eares of protestants ( especially such as are not throughly acquainted with schoole distinctions ) is the vsuall acception of the word , true , in our english tongue . for though men skilled in metaphysickes hold it for a maxime , ens , verum , bonum conuertuntur : yet with vs , he which shall affirme , such an one is a true christian , a true gentleman , a true scholler , a true souldier , or the like ; hee is conceiued not only to adscribe truenesse of beeing vnto all these , but those due qualities , or requisite actions wherby they are made commendable or praise-worthy in their seuerall kinds . in this sense the roman church is no more a true church in respect of christ , or those due qualities , and proper actions which christ requires ; then an arrant whore is a true and loyall wife vnto her husband i durst vpon mine oath be one of your compurgators , that you neuer intended to adorne that strumpet with the title of a true church in this meaning . but your owne writings haue so fully cleered you herein ; that suspition it selfe , cannot reaosnably suspect you in this point . i therefore can say no more concerning your mistaken proposition then this . if in that treatise wherein it was deliuered ; the antecedents , or consequents were such , as serued fitly to leade the reader into that sense , which vnder the word true , comprehendeth only truth of beeing or existencie , and not the due qualities of the thing or subiect ; you haue beene causelesly traduced . but on the other side , if that proposition comes in ex abrupto , or stands solitarie in your discourse , you cannot maruell though by taking the word true according to the more ordinarie acception , your true meaning was mistaken . in briefe , your proposition admits a true sense ; & in that sense , is by the best learned in our reformed church , not disallowed . for the beeing of a church does principally stand vpon the gratious action of god , calling men out of darknesse and death , vnto the participation of sight and life in christ iesus . so long as god continues this calling vnto any people , though they ( as much as in them lies ) darken this light , and corrupt the meanes which should bring them to life and saluation in christ ; yet where god calls men vnto the participation of life in christ , by the word & by the sacraments , there is the true being of a christian church ; let men bee neuer so false in their expositions of gods word , or neuer so vntrustie in mingling their owne traditions with gods ordinances . thus the church of the iewes lost not her being of a church , when shee became an idolatrous church . and thus vnder the gouernment of the scribes and pharisees , who voided the commandements of god by their owne traditions ; there was yet standing a true church in which zacharias , elizabeth , the virgin mary , and our sauiour himselfe was borne , who were mēbers of that church , and yet participated not in the corruptions thereof . thus to grant that the roman was , and is a true visible christian church , ( though in doctrine a false , and in practice an idolatrous church ) is a true assertion , and of greater vse and necessitie in our controuersie with papists about the perpetuitie of the christian church , then is vnderstood by those who gainsay it . this in your reconciler is so wel explicated , as if any shall continue in traducing you , in regard of that proposition , so explained , i thinke it wil be only those who are better acquainted with wrangling , then reasoning , and deeper in loue with strife , then truth : as for the aspersion of arminianisme , i can testifie that in our ioint imployment at the synod of dort , you were as farre from it , as my selfe . and i know that no man can imbrace it in the doctrine of predestination , and grace , but he must first desert the articles agreed vpon by the church of england , nor in the point of perseuerance , but he must vary from the common tenet , and receiued opinion of our best approued doctors in the english church . i am assured that you neither haue deserted the one , nor will vary from the other . and therefore be no more troubled with other mens groundlesse suspitions , then you would be in like case , with their idle dreames . thus i haue inlarged my selfe beyond my first intent . but my loue to your selfe , and the assurance of your constant loue vnto the truth , inforced me thereunto . i rest alwayes ian . . your louing brother io. sarvm . ¶ to the reuerend and learned , master doctor predeavx , professor of diuinitie in oxford , and rector of exceter colledge . worthy master doctor predeaux : all our litle world here , takes notice of your worth , and eminencie ; who haue long furnished the diuinitie chaire in that famous vniuersitie , with mutuall grace and honour . let me intreate you , vpon the perusall of this sorie sheete of paper , to impart your selfe freely to me , in your censure ; and to expresse to mee your cleare iudgement , concerning the true being , and visibilitie of the romane church ; you see in what sence i professe to hold it ; neither was any other euer in my thoughts ; say , i beseech you , whether you thinke any learned orthodoxe diuine can , with any colour of reason , maintaine a contradiction herevnto ; and if you find ( as i doubt not ) much necessitie and vse of this true , and safe tenet ; helpe me to adde ( if you please ) a further supplie of antidotes to those popish spiders , that would faine sucke poyson out of this herbe . it was my earnest desire that this satisfactorie reconcilement might haue stilled all tongues , and pens , concerning this ill-raysed brabble : but i see to my griefe , how much men care for themselues more , then peace ; i suffer , and the church is disquieted ; your learning and grauitie will be ready to contribute to a seasonable pacification ; in desire , and exspectation of your speedie answere , i take my leaue , and am your very louing friend , and fellow-labourer , ios . exon . right reuerend father in god ; vpon the receite of your reconciler , which it pleased you to send me , i tooke occasion ( as my manifolde distractions would permit ) to peruse what had beene said on both sides , concerning the now-being of the romane church . vvherin i must professe , that i could not but wonder at the needlesse exceptions against your tenet ; you affirming no new thing in that passage misliked in your old religion . and this your aduertisement ( afterward ) so fully and punctually cleareth , and your reconciler so acquitteth , with such satisfying ingenuitie , that i cannot imagin they haue considered it well , or meane wel , that shal persist to oppose it . for who perceiues not , that your lordship leaues no more to rome , then our best diuines euer since the reformation haue granted ? if their speeches haue beene sometimes seemingly different , their meaning hath beene alwayes the same ; that in respect of the common truths yet professed among the papists they may , and ought to bee tearmed , a true visible . church , in opposition to iewes , turkes , and pagans , who directly denie the foundation , howsoeuer their antichristian aditions make them no better then the synagogue of sathan . this being agreed vpon by those , whose iudgement wee haue good reason to follow ( cited in your aduertisement , and by others ) they doe an ill office to our church ( in my opinion ) who set them at ods in this point , that are so excellently reconciled ; and giue more aduantage to the aduersarie by quarrelling with our worthies , then the aduersarie is like to get by our acknowledgment , that they are such a miserable church , as we discouer them to be . vvhat i haue thought long since in this behalfe , it appeareth in my lecture de visibilitate ecclesiae ; and as often as this hath come in question in our publicke disputes , we determine here no otherwise , then your lordship hath stated it . and yet wee trust to giue as little vantage to poperie , as those that doe detest it ; and are as circumspect to maintaine our receiued doctrine and discipline without the least scandall to the weakest , as those that would seeme most forward . that distinction of romes case before , and since , the councell of trent , holds not to dis-church it ; but shewes it rather to be more incureable now , then heretofore neither find i any particulars obiected , which those worthy men haue not sufficiently cleared , that haue iustifyed your assertion . not to trouble therefore your weightier affairs with my needlesse interposition ; as that controuersie about the altar ( iosuah . ) had presently a faire end vpon the ful vnderstanding of the good meaning on both sides ; so i trust in god this shall haue : in which i am so perswaded that if it were to bee discussed there after our scholasticall manner , it might well bee defended either pro , or con , with out preiudice to the truth , according to the full stating , which your aduertisement , and reconciler haue afforded . and thus , with tender of my due obseruance , and prayers for your happinesse , i rest your lordships in christ to be commanded , io. prideavx from exon coll. marij . no. ¶ to my reuerend and learned friend m. doctor primerose , preacher to the french church in london . worthy master doctor primerose ; you haue beene long acknowledged a great light in the reformed churches of france ; hauing , for many yeeres , shined in your orbe , the famous church of burdeaux , with notable effects , and singular approbation both for iudgment and sinceritie ; both which also your learned writings haue well approued ; so as your sentence cannot be liable to the danger of any suspition ; let me intreate you to declare freely what you hold concerning the truenesse , and visibilitie of the romane church , as it is by me explicated ; and , with all , to impart your knowledg of the common tenet of those foraine diuines , with whom you haue so long conuersed , concerning this point ; which ( if i mistake not ) onely a stubburne ignorance will needs make litigious . it grieues my soule to see the peace of the church troubled with so absurd a mes prison ; in exspectation of your answer , i take leaue , and commend you , and your holy labours to the blessing of our god. farewell ; from your louing brother , and fellow-labourer ios . exon . to the right reuerend father in god , and my very good lord , ioseph bishop of exceter . right reuerend father in god , i haue beene so busied about my necessarie studies for preaching on sunday , tuesday , and this thursday , that i could not giue sooner a full answer to your lordships letter , which i receiued on friday last at night , whereby i am desired to declare freely what i think concerning the truenesse and visibilitie of the present roman church , as it is by your lordship explicated , and what is the common tenet of the forraine diuines ; with whom i haue so long conuersed beyond the seas , concerning that point . i might answere in two lines , that i haue read your reconciler , and iudge your opinion concerning that point to be learned , sound , and true ▪ though that if i durst fauour an officious lie , i would willingly giue my suffrage to those diuines which out of a most feruent zeale to god , and perfect hatred to idolatry , hold that the roman church is in all things babel , in nothing bethel . and as they which seek to set right a crooked tree , bow it the cleane contrary way to make it straight , so to recouer and pull out of the fire of eternall damnation , the roman christians , i would gladly pourtray them with sable colours , and make their religion more black in their owne eyes , then they are in ours the hellish coloured faces of the flat-nosed ethiopians , or to the spaniard the monstrous sambenit of the inquisition . but fearing the true reproch cast by iob in his friends teeth , a will you speake wickedly for god , and talke deceitfully for him ? and knowing that we must not speake a lie , no not against the deuill which is the father of lies , i say that the roman church is both babel and bethel , and as gods temple was in christs daies at once b the house of prayer , and a den of theeues , so shee is in our dayes , c gods temple , and the d habitation of deuils , the hold of euery foule spirit , and a cage of euery vncleane , and hatefull bird ; which i proue thus . the church is to be considered three manner of wayes . first according to gods right which he keepeth ouer her , and maintaineth in her by the common and externall calling of his word and sacraments . secondly , according to the pure preaching of the word , and externall obedience in hearing , receiuing , and keeping the word syncerely preached . thirdly , according to the election of grace , and the personall calling , which hath perpetually the inward working of the holy ghost ioyned with the outward preaching of the word , as in e lydia . thence commeth f the answere of a good conscience toward god , by the resurrection of iesus christ . to begin with the last consideration , these only are gods church which are g iewes inwardly in the spirit , aswell as outwardly in the letter , whose prayse is not of men , but of god , h who are nathaniels , and true israelites , in whom there is no guile : inuisible to all men : visible to god alone , i who knoweth them that are his , and each of them to themselues , because k they haue receiued the spirit which is of god , that they might know the things which are freely giuen to them of god , and l the white stone , which no man knoweth , sauing he that receiueth it . of this church called by the apostle , the people which god foreknew , rom. . there is no controuersie amongst our diuines . in the second consideration , these onely are the true visible church of god , amongst whom the word of god is truly preached without the mixture of humane traditions , the holy sacraments are celebrated according to their first institution , and the people consenteth to bee led and ruled by the word of god. as when m moses laid before the faces of the people all the words which the lord commanded him , and all the people answered together , all that the lord hath spoken we will doe , the lord said vnto moses , n write thou these words : for after the tenor of these words i haue made a couenant with thee , and with israel : and moses said to the people , o thou hast auouched this day the lord to bee thy thy god , & to walke in his wayes ; and to keepe his statutes , and his commandements , and his iudgements , & to harken vnto his voice : and the lord hath auouched thee this day to be his peculiar people , as he hath promised thee , & that thou shouldest keepe all his commandements . this condition of the commandement god did often inclucate into their eares by his prophets . as when hee said to them by ieremiah , p this thing commanded i them , saying , obey my voice , and i will be your god , and yee shall bee my people , and walke yee in all the wayes , in that i haue commanded you , that it may bee well vnto you . so in the gospell , christ saith , q my sheepe heare my voice , and i know them , and they follow me . but r a stranger will they not follow , but will flie from him : for they know not the voice of strangers : where he giueth the first marke of the visibly true and pure church , to wit , the pure preaching , and hearing of christs voice . as likewise saint iohn saith , ſ he that knoweth god heareth vs : hereby know wee the spirit of truth , and the spirit of errour . againe , the lord saith , t by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye haue loue one to another , pointing out the concord and holy agreement which is among the brethren , as another marke of the orthodoxe church : as likewise when hee saith , u let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good workes , and glorifie your father which is in heauen , hee sheweth that good workes are the visible mark of the true orthodoxe church : the true preaching & reuerent hearing of the gospel , is a visible mark of our faith and hope : our concord in the lord , is a marke of our charitie : our good workes are reall and sensible testimonies of our inward faith , hope , and charitie . where wee finde these three signes , we know certainly that there is christs true church , and iudge charitably , that is probably , that euery one in whom wee see these outward tokens of christs true and orthodoxe church , is a true member of the mysticall body of the lord iesus . i say charitably , because outward markes may be outwardly counterfeited by hypocrites , as it is said of israel , x they did flatter with their mouth , and they lyed vnto him with their tongues , for their heart was not right with him , neither were they stedfast in his couenant : and of many of these that followed our sauiour , y many beleeued in his name , when they saw the miracles which he did : but iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them , because he knew all men . therefore when the people of israel departed from the couenant , and by their idolatrie brake , as much as in them lay , the contract of marriage betweene them and god , they ceased in that behalfe , to bee gods true spouse and people , though still they called him their husband and their god. when they made a molten calfe in the wildernesse , and worshipped the works of ▪ their owne fingers , god said to moses , a thy people which thou broughtest out of the land of egypt , haue corrupted themselues , and not my people . and moses to shew that on their part they had broken the couenant , b broken the tables of the couenant , when vnder achaz they did worse , isaiah called them c children that are corrupted , their prince and gouernours , rulers of sodome , themselues , people of gomorrah . their holy citie ▪ an harlot : and god about the same time cried vnto them by micah , d thou that art named the house of iacob : thou that was ●●late my people . and to the teh tribes by hosea , e yee are not my people , and i will not bee your god : after the same manner christ said to the iewes , which gloried and made their boast that god was their father , f if god were your father , yee would loue me ; yee are of your father the deuill : and the lusts of your father yee will doe ? if we speake of the romish church according to this distinction , defining the church by the keeping of the couenant in purenesse of doctrine , and holinesse of life , god himselfe hath stript her of that glorious name , calling her g spiritually sodome , egypt , and h babylon . sodome in the pollution of her most filthy life ; egypt in the abominable multitude of her filthy idols ; babylon in the cruell and bloudie oppression and persecution of the saints . and because she was to cal her selfe as falsly as arrogantly the mother church , the angell calleth her the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth : because also shee was to bring and magnifie her selfe in the multitude of her saints , hee saith , that i shee is drunke with the bloud of the saints , and with the bloud of the martyrs of iesus . and taking from her the name of the church , which she challengeth priuatiuely to all other christian congregations , hee nameth her , as i haue already said , k the habitation of deuils , the hold of euerie foule spirit , and a cage of euerie vncleane and hatefull bird . in the first sence moses said to god , l why doth thy wrath wax hote against thy people : because although they had broken the couenant on their part by the workes of their hands , god had not as yet broken it on his part . ieremiah in the greatest heate of their monstruous i dolatries prayed after the same maner , m doe not abhorre vs for thy names sake , doe not disgrace the throne of thy glorie : remember , breake not thy couenant with vs. and esaiah , n thou art our father , we are all thy people . for so long as god cals a people to him by his word and sacraments , and honoureth them with his name : so long also as they consent to be called by his name , professing it outwardly , they remaine his people , although they answere not his calling , neither in soundnesse of faith , nor in holinesse of life . euen as rebellious subiects are still true subiects on the kings behalfe , who looseth not his right by their rebellion : nay on their owne also in some maner , because they still keepe and professe his name , and giue not themselues to any forraine prince . did dauid loose his right by the rebellion of the people vnder his sonne absalom ! and therefore when the king subdueth these traitours , hee carrieth himselfe towards them , both in forgiuing and in punishing , as their lawfull and naturall prince , and not as a conquerour of new subiects . so as a strumpet is a true wife , so long as her husband consents to dwell with her , and shee is named by his name ; and as agar when shee fled from her mistresse sarai , was still sarais maide , as shee confessed , saying , o i flee from the face of my mistresse sarai . in like manner a rebellious , fugitiue , and whooring church , is still a true church , so long as god keeping the right of a king , of a master , of a husband ouer her , giueth her not the bill of diuorcement , but consents that her name bee called vpon her , and shee still calleth her selfe his kingdome , his maide , his wife . thus god calleth the iewes his people , euen then when he said they were not his people , because hee had not broken the band of marriage with them , and put them away by diuorcement . therefore he said vnto them , p where are the letters of your mothers diuorcement , whom i haue put away ? meaning he had not giuen vnto them a writing of diuorcement , but did still acknowledge them to bee his spouse , notwithstanding their manifold and most filthy whoredomes with false gods , which he charged them with , saying vnto them by ieremiah , q thou hast polluted the land with thy whooredomes , and with thy wickednesse : thou hast a whoores forehead , and refusest to bee ashamed , wilt thou not for this time cry vnto me , my father thou art the guide of my youth . turne , o backsliding children , saith the lord , for i am married vnto you : or according to the french translation , i haue the right of an husband ouer you . so after hee had called the ten tribes r lo-ruhama , and lo-hammi , saying , hee would no more haue mercie vpon them , and that they were not his people , he calleth them his people , ſ my people , saith he , asketh counsell at their stickes , and their stuffe answereth them . but after that god had scattered them among the medes and other nations of assyria , and broken his couenant with them , they became not onely in the second , but also in the first sence . iesrehel , and no more israel , lo-ruhama , and no more ruhama , lo-hammi , & no more hammi . then was fulfilled the the prophesie , t plead with your mother , plead : for shee is not my wife , neither am i her husband . so the iewes which were gods people in the midst of their idolatrie , since they haue denied christ to bee the messias , the mediatour betweene god and them , and haue crucified the lord of glory , are no more gods people , although they beg still that name . u they are , saith christ , the synagogue of satan : they say they are iewes , and are not , but doe lye : for seeing god x hath broken them off , and grafted the gentiles in their roome , they qualifie themselues gods people as falsely and iniuriously , as a whoore lawfully diuorced by her husband , calleth her selfe his wife . to applie this to the romane church , which hath adulterated and corrupted the whole seruice of god , and is more adulterous then was at any time iuda or ephraim , and therefore is not a true visible church in the second sence , i say shee is one in some sort in the first . in her god doth still keepe his true word in the old and new testament , as the contract of his marriage with her . in her is the true creed , the true decalogue , the true lords prayer , which luther calleth the kernel of christianitie : in her christ is preached , though corruptly . in her the trinitie and incarnation of christ are beleeued : in her the father , the sonne and the holy ghost are prayed vnto , though in an vnknown tongue to the most part : in her the little children are baptised in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy ghost . and no diuine will denie that their baptisme is a true sacrament , whereby their children are borne to god , seeing wee doe not rebaptise them , where leauing her , they adioyne themselues to vs. who then can denie , that shee is a true church ? for out of the church there is no baptisme , and the church alone beareth children to god. in her sitteth the man of sinne , the sonne of perdition , who sitteth y in the temple of god , which is the church . it s graunted that shee is babylon in the second sence : and a gods people is commanded to come out of babylon . what is gods people , but gods church which forsaketh her successiuely , as of old the typicall people came out of the typicall babylon , not at once , but at many seuerall times ? if then we applie vnto her gods commandement , exhorting her to come out of babylon , either wee vnderstand not what wee say , or we acknowledge her to bee gods people , that is gods church , though idolatrous , rebellious , and disobedient : neither shall shee cease to bee gods people in this sence , till the comming of the blessed day , when the ayre shall rebound with the shouting of the saints , b babylon is fallen , shee is fallen that great citie , because shee made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication . i say then , that as ierusalem was at the same time the holy citie , and a harlot , the temple was bethel and bethauen , gods house , and a house of iniquitie , the iewes were gods people , and no people , gods children & the deuils , ephraim was idammi and lo-hammi , in diuers r●spects , euen so the romish church is both bethel and babel , bethel from god , calling her to the communion of his grace in christ by his word , and sacrament of baptisme , babel from her selfe , because shee hath made a gallimaufrey of the christian religion , confounding pell-mell her owne traditions with gods word , her owne merits with christs , the bloud of martyrs with the bloud of the lambe of god , h which taketh away the sinne of the world , purgatorie with the same bloud , i which purgeth vs from all sinne , iustification by workes with iustification k by faith only , praying to the creatures with praying to the creator , idols of men , women , beasts , angels with gods worship , the mediation of saints with the mediation of him who is l the suretie of the new testament , and is able to saue to the vttermost all those that come vnto god by him , seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them . nay , as caluin said truly , in the romish church christ is scarcely knowne among the saints , of whom some are in heauen , as the apostles , &c. some on earth , as the pope , some in hell , as saint george an arrian hereticke , and bloudie butcher of true christians , saint dominicke the firebrand of the warre against the albigeois , saint garnet whom tyburne sent to his owne place , to bee rewarded of the gunne-powder treason : some did neuer die , because they had neuer the honour to liue , as saint christopher , saint katherine , saint vrsule , saint longin , who was a speare . saint eloi who was two couple of sharpe nailes , and many more of the same stuffe . in a word , the roaring of the camards of bahal is so lowd in that church , that christs voice is scant heard in her , and yet heard both in the mouth of these babylonian builders , which vnderstand not one another , and in the mouthes of the people halting betweene christ and the pope their bahal . and therefore in that behalfe not the true , but a true christian church . this testimony is the praise of the most wonderfull patience of god , who suffereth so long that common hackney to beare his name . it is her shame , as it is the shame of a queane married to a good husband , to be conuicted of running vp & downe after strangers it s a vantage to vs in our imployment for her conuersion . for as when agar had confessed truly that she was sarahs maid , the angell tooke her at her word , saying , m returne to thy mistresse , and submit thy selfe to her , and perswaded her : euen so wee take the roman church by the necke , when shee confesseth that shee is christs church , as shee is indeed , exhorting her to returne vnto christ , to obey his word , to submit her selfe vnto him , and to folow the true faith of the ancient catholicke and apostolicke church . neither is it any vantage to her against vs , to inforce vs to returne to her , or to vpbraid vs for forsaking her . for as moses , when the people had committed idolatrie , n tooke his tabernacle , and pitched it without the campe , afarre off from the campe , breaking of all communication with those which had broken the couenant of the lord their god , till they repented : as god said to ieremiah , of the iewes , which had o opened their legges to euery one that passed by , & multiplied their whoredomes , p cast them out of my fight , and let them goe forth : let them returne vnto thee : but returne not thou vnto them . as hosea said of ephraim , q ephraim is ioyned to idols , let him alone : so christ saith vnto vs , r come out of babylon , my people , that yee be not partakers of her sinnes : and that ye receiue not of her plagues : her sinnes are a spirituall leprosie . and we run away from leprous men , though true men , and our neerest and dearest friends , crying what they are loth to cry , ſ vncleane vncleane , lest their breath should infect vs : her sinnes are infidelitie , not negatiue , but pri●atiue , not in whole , but in part ; as saint paul a beleeuing lew was in vnbeliefe when he persceuted the church : and saint paul saith vnto vs t be ye not vnequally yoked together with vnbeleeuers , &c. come out from among them , and be ye separate , saith the lord , and touch not the vncleane thing , and i will receiue you , and will be a father vnto you , and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters , saith the lord almightie . a faithfull subiect will not take a traitour , though a subiect , by the hand , nor i a papist in matter of his religion : neither will honest women 〈…〉 with the greatest lady , thogh shee be a great ones wife . this i haue euer taught priuately , preached publikely , published in printed bookes against papists , during these thirtie three yeares of my ministrie in the french churches , without any aduantage to our aduersaries , without any contradiction of our diuines , without any acception taken against it by our churches , or any particular among the brethren , which all in their name preach and publish that they are of the same mind , calling themselues the reformed churches , and our religion the reformed religion . for as the good kings of iuda did not build a new temple , call to god a new people , set vp a new religion , but repurge and clense the old temple , restore the ancient religion , exhorted gods people to shake off the new inuentions of the new patched religion , and to returne to the lord their god by the olde way , which their fathers had beaten , and moses had traced vnto them in the law ; and as zorobabel , esdras , u nehemiah , ieshuah , builded the wals of ierusalem vpon the ancient foundation , euerie man building next himselfe ; euen so the protestant diuines haue euerie one next himselfe , not builded a new church vpon a new foundation , but repurged the auncient church of idolatrie , superstition , false interpretations of the scriptures , and traditions of men , whereof shee was fuller then euer augeas his stable was full of mucke , but beaten downe , and burned with the fire of gods word the wals x of wood , hay , stubble , which the babylonian builders had raysed vpon the old foundation , which is christ iesus , and edified vpon it a faire palace of siluer , gold , precious stones . this same is the opinion also of my collegues of the french church of this citie of london . if any selfe-conceited christian thinketh this an aduantage , rather then a disparagement & disgrace to that punke , the romane church , and taketh thereby occasion to perseuere to be her bawd or stalion , and to runne a whoring with her , i say with the psalmist , y the wicked hath left off to bee wise , and to doe good , and with the angell , a hee that is vniust , let him he vniust still : and he which is filthy , let him be filthy still : for neither must an honest heart speake a lie for the good that may come of it ; nor conceale in time and place a necessarie truth for any euill that may insue of it . if it harden more and more the flintie hearts of some vnto death , it will soften and melt the iron hearts of others vnto life , that seeing among vs the mudde and dirt of humane traditions , wherewith the pope and his clergie had furred and soyled the bright-shining glasse of the gospel , wiped away from this heauenly mirror of gods fauor , they may come vnto vs , and b beholding with open face , as in a glasse , the glorie of the lord , may be changed with vs into the same image , from gloire to glorie , euen as by the spirit of the lord. which last effect i pray with my heart your reconciler may haue with those that are children of peace : and so recommending your lordship , with all your learned , eloquent , sound , and vsefull labours to gods most powerfull blessing and my selfe to the continuance of your godly prayers , and old friendship , i remaine for euer your lordships most humble and affectionate seruant , gilbert primrose . from london the . of februarie , . ¶ to my vvorthy and much respected friend mr. h. chomley . master cholmely , i haue perused your learned and full reply to master burtons answere ; wherein you haue in a iudicious eye abundantly righted your self , and cleared a iust cause ; so , as the reader would wonder where an aduersarie might find ground to raise an opposition ; but , let me tell you , were it a booke written by the pen of an angest from heauen , in this subiect , i should doubt whether to wish it publique . how true , how iust soeuer the plea be , i find ( such is the selfe-loue , and partialitie of our corrupt nature ) the quarrell is inlarged by multiplying of words ; when i see a fire quenched with oyle , i will expect to see a controuersie of this nature , stinted by publike altercation . new matter still rises in the agitation , and giues hint to a fore-resolued opposite , of a fresh disquisition : so as we may sooner see an end of the common peace , then of an vnkindly iarre in the church ; especially such a one , as is fomented with a mistaken zeale on the one side , and with a confidence of knowledge , on the other . silence hath somtimes quieted such like mis-raised brabbles , neuer , interchange of words ; this very question was on foot , some fortie yeares agoe , in the hote chase of great authors , but , whether through the ingenuitie of the parties , or some ouer-ruling act of diuine prouidence , it soone died , without noyse ; so i wish it may now doe ; rather let the weaker title goe away with the last word , then the church shall bee distracted ; for that position of mine , which occasioned your vindication , you see it sufficiently abetted , and determined , by so reuerend authoritie , as admits no exception ; i dare say ; no learned diuine of our owne church , or the foraine , can but subscribe ( in this our sense ) to the iudgement of these worthies ; to draw forth therefore this cord of contention to any futher length , were no lesse needlesse , then preiudiciall to the publike peace ; hee is not worthy to bee satisfied , that will yet wrangle . as for those personall aspersions that are cast vpon you by malice , be perswaded to despise them . these westerne parts , where your reputation is deseruedly precious , know your zeale for gods truth no lesse feruent , ( though better gouerned ) then the most fierie of your censurers ; no man more hateth popish superstition ; only your fault is , that you doe not more hate errour , then iniustice ; and cannot abide wrong measure offered to the worst enemie . neither bee you troubled with that idle exprobration of a prebendary retribution ; who would care for a contumely so void of truth ? god knowes that worthlesse gift was conferred vpon you , ere this taske came into either of our thoughts ; and who so knowes the entire respects betwixt vs , from our very cradles , till this day , may well thinke that a prebend of three pounds by yeare , need not go for a fee , where there is so much , and so ancient cause of dearenesse : i am sorrie to see such rancour vnder the cote of zeale ; surely , nothing but mere malice can bee guiltie of this charge ; no lesse then of that other enuious challenge of your decay of graces , of falling from your first loue , from industry to ease , from a weekly , to a monethly preaching ; when those that know the state of your tiuerton , the foure-parted diuision of that charge , and your forced confinement to your owne day , by publique authoritie , both spirituall , and temporall , must needs acquit you , and cry downe the wrong of an accuser ; as for the vigour of gods good graces in you , both common , and sanctifying , all the countrie are your ample witnesses ; i that haue interknowne you from our childhoods , cannot but professe to find the entrance of your age no lesse aboue the best of your youth in abilities , then in time ; and still , no lesse fruitfull in promises ; of increase , then in eminent performances . what need i vrge this ? your aduersaries do enough feele your worth ; so as ( to speake seriously ) i cannot sufficiently wonder at the libertie of those men , who professing a strict conscience of their wayes , dare let their pens , or tongues loose to so iniurious and vncharitable detraction , whereof they know the iust auenger is in heauen ; it should not be thus betwixt brethren , no not with enemies . for the mayne businesse ; there wants not confidence on either side ; i am appealed to by hoth ; an vnmeet iudge , considering my so deepe ingagements . but , if my vmperage may stand , i award an eternall silence to both parts ; sit downe in peace , then , you , and your worthy second ; whose yong ripenes , and modest and learned discourse , is worthy of better intertainment then contempt ; and let your zealous opponents say , that you haue ouer-comne your selues in a resolued cessation of pens ; and them , in a loue of peace . farewell , from your louing friend and ancient colleague . ios . exon . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ob. resp . ob. resp . ibid. praefat . de nat . dei. epist . l. . resp . ad catabaptist . notes for div a -e * b. morton of cov. and lichfield . b. dauenan● of salisbury dr. prideaux of oxford . dr. primerose preacher of the french church . notes for div a -e a iob . . b mat. . . c . thes . . . d reuel . . , . e acts . . f . pet. . . g rom. . ● . h iohn . i . tim. . . k . cor. . . l reuel . m exod . , . exod. . , . n exod. . . o dent. . , . p ier. . . ier. ● . . q iohn . . r iohn . . ſ . iohn . . t iohn . . u matth. . . x ps . . . . y iohn . . . a exod ▪ . . b exod. . . c esay . , . d micah . . , . e hosea . . f iohn . . ● . g reuel . . . h reuel . ● i reuel . . , k reuel . . . l exod. . . m iere. . n esa . . , . o gene. . . p esa . . q iere. . . r hosea . , . ſ hosea . . t hosea . . u reuel . . . x rom. . y . thess . . . a reuel . . . b reuel . . . h iohn . . i . iohn . . k gal. . . l heb. . , . m gen. . . n exod. . . o ezech. . . p ier. . . . q hosea . . r reuel . . . ſ leuit. . . t . cor. . , , , , . u n●h● . . & . x . cor. . , , . y psal . . . a reuel . . . b . cor. . the lavvfvlnes and vnlavvfvlnes of an oath or covenant set downe in short propositions agreeable to the law of god and man and may serve to rectifie the conscience of any reasonable man : very fitting for every man to take into serious consideration in these undutifull times : whether he hath sworne or not sworne to any late or new oath or covenant made by any subordinate authority whatsoever. certain irrefragable propositions worthy of serious consideration. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no or :e , no ) the lavvfvlnes and vnlavvfvlnes of an oath or covenant set downe in short propositions agreeable to the law of god and man and may serve to rectifie the conscience of any reasonable man : very fitting for every man to take into serious consideration in these undutifull times : whether he hath sworne or not sworne to any late or new oath or covenant made by any subordinate authority whatsoever. certain irrefragable propositions worthy of serious consideration. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. by leonard lichfield, printed at oxford : . epistle dedicatory signed jos: exon. attributed to joseph hall. cf. blc. originally published in with title: certaine catholicke propositions. this ed. is a reissue, with new t.p., of the sheets of the ed., which has title: certaine irrefragable propositions ... reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng oaths -- england. a r (wing h ). civilwar no the lavvfulnes and vnlavvfulnes of an oath or covenant set downe in short propositions agreeable to the law of god and man, and may serve to hall, joseph a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the lavvfvlnes and vnlavvfvlnes of an oath or covenant set downe in short propositions agreeable to the law of god and man , and may serve to rectifie the conscience of any reasonable man : very fitting for every man to take into serious consideration in these undutifull times , whether he hath sworne or not sworne to any late or new oath or covenant made by any subordinate authority whatsoever . printed at oxford by leonard lichfield . . to my dread soveraign , the kings most excellent maiestie . may it please your matie , as one , whose heart ( amongst many thousands ) bleeds with the sad thoughts of the wofull divisions of our deare fellow-subjects ; and unfainedly pitties the mis-guidance of those poore well-meaning soules amongst them , whose credulity hath heedlesly betray'd them into a zealous errour ; i have let fall these few propositions ; which i have presumed to set downe , not as in the way of a challenger ; for , most ( if not all ) of them are such , as be not capable of contradiction ; but rather of a faithfull remembrancer to my dear brethren , of those points which they cannot but know , and yeeld : as well supposing , that nothing but meer want of consideration can be guilty of this perillous distraction , in them , who professe to love their king , and the truth . now the good god of heaven open the eyes and hearts of us all , that we may both see , and be sensible of the invaluable blessing of our peace , and the happy freedome of his gospel , which we doe comfortably enjoy under your maiesties sweet and religious government , to the wonder , and envie of all other nations ; and compose the hearts of all your native subjects to meet your maiesties most gracious indulgence , with all humble thankefulnesse . and the same god forbid that any of us should be weary of our happiness : and be drawne to doe any act that may ( before all the world ) poure shame upon our holy profession ; whose chiefe glory it hath alwayes hitherto beene to render us still loyall and obedient , and in this very regard , to triumph over the false religion of our opposites . such shall be ever the prayers of your maties most humble , and faithfull subject , and ancientest chaplain , jos : exon. an holy panegyrick a sermon preached at paules crosse vpon the anniuersarie solemnitie of the happie inauguration of our dread soueraigne lord king james, mar. , / by j.h.d.d. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an holy panegyrick a sermon preached at paules crosse vpon the anniuersarie solemnitie of the happie inauguration of our dread soueraigne lord king james, mar. , / by j.h.d.d. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by iohn pindley for samuel macham, london : . signatures: a⁴(-a ) b-g⁸ h⁷. title within architectural border. imperfect: print show-through. reproduction of original in the harvard university. library. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng james -- i, -- king of england, - -- sermons. bible. -- o.t. -- samuel, st, xii, - -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an holy panegyrick . a sermon preached at paules crosse vpon the anniuersarie solemnitie of the happie inauguration of our dread soueraigne lord king james , mar. . . by j. h. d. d. london printed by iohn pindley for samvel macham . . to the right honorable , sir iohn svvinerton , knight , lord maior of the citie of london , all grace and happinesse . right honorable , mine owne forwardnesse ( whereof it repenteth me not ) hath sent forth other of my labours vnbidden ; but this , your effectual importunitie hath drawne forth into the common light . jt is an holy desire that the eye may second the eare in any thing that may helpe the soule : and we , that are fishers of men , should be-wanting to our selues , if we had not baits for both those sences . i plead not the disaduantage of a dead letter , in respect of that life which elocution puts into any discourse such as it is , i make it both publike and yours . i haue caused my thoughts , so neere as i could to goe back to the verie tearmes wherein i expressed them , as thinking it better to fetch those words i haue let fall , then to follow those i must take vp . that therefore which it pleased your lo to heare with such patient attention , and with so good affection to desire , i not vnwillingly suffer abroad ; that these papers may speake that permanently to the eyes of all our countrimen , which in the passage found such fauor in the eares of your citizens , and such roome in so many heart's . besides your first and vehement motion for the presse , your knowne loue to learning deserues a better acknowledgement , and no doubt finds it from more worthie hands . and if my gratulation would add any thing , those should enuie you which wil not imitate you . for the rest , god giue your lo. a wise , vnderstanding , & courageous heart , that you may prudently & strongly menage these wild times , vpon which you are fallen : and by your holy example and powerfull endeuors , helpe to shorten these raines of licentiousnesse : that so this citie , which is better taught then anie vnder heauen , may teach all other places how to liue ; & may honor that profession which hath made it renowmed , and all gods church ioyfull : the welfare and happinesse whereof , and your lo. in it , is vnfainedly wished , by your lordships humbly deuoted , ios. hall . an holy panegyrick . . sam . . , . therefore feare you the lord , and serue him in truth with all your hearts , and consider how great things he hath done for you . but if you do wickedly , ye shall perish both yee and your king. i hold it no small fauor of god ( right honourable & beloued ) that he hath called me to the seruice of this day ; both in the name of such a people , to praise him for his anointed , and in his name to praise his anointed to his people . the same hand that giues the oportunite , vouchsafe to giue successe to this businesse . that which the lewes sinned in but desiring , it is our happinesse to inioy . i need not call any other witnesse then this day , wherin we celebrate the blessing of a king , and ( which is more ) of a king higher then other princes by the head and shoulders . and if other yeeres had forgotten this tribute of their loyaltie and thankfulnesse , yet the example of those ancient roman christians ( as eusebius and sozomen reporr ) would haue taught vs , that the tenth complete yeere of our constantine , deserues to be solemne & iubilar . and if our ill nature could bee content to smother this mercie in silence , the very lepers : of samaria shold rise vp against vs & say , wee doe not well ; this is a day of good tidings , & we hold our peace . my discourse yet shall not bee altogether laudatory , but as samuels , led in with exhortation , and caried out with threatning . for this text is a composition of duties , fauors , dangers : of duties which we o●●e , of fauours receiued , of dangers threatned . the duties that god idokes for of vs , come before the mention of the fauors wee haue receiued from him , ( though after their receit ) to teach vs , that as his mercy , so our obediēce should be absolute : and the danger followes both , to make vs more carefull to hold the fauors , and performe the duties ; and me thinks there cannot be a more excellent mixture . if we should heare only of the fauors of god , nothing of our duties , wee should fall into conceitednesse : if only of our duties without recognition of his sauours , we should proue vncheerfull ; and if both of these , without mention of any danger , wee should presume on our fauours , and bee slacke in our duties . prepare therfore your christian eares and hearts for this threefold cord of god , that ( through his blessing ) these duties may draw you to obedience , the dangers to a greater awe , and the fauours to further thankefulnesse . the goodnesse of these outward things is not such as that it can priuiledge euery desire of them from sinne monarchy is the best of gouernments , & likest to his rule , that sits in the assembly of gods. one god , one king , was the acclamation of those ancient christians : and yet it was mis-desired of the israelites : we may not euer desire that which is better in it selfe , but that which is better for vs ; neither must we follow our conceit in this iudgement , but the appointment of god : now , though god had appointed in time , both a scepter and a law giuer to iuda , yet they sinned in mending the pace of god , and spurring on his decree . and if they had staid his leasure ; so that they had desired that which was best in it selfe , best for them , appointed by god , and now appointed , yet the manner and ground offended : for out of an humour of innouation , out of discontent , out of distrust , out of an itch of conformitie to other nations , to aske a king , it was not onely a sinne as they confesse : vers . . but ( ragnah rabbah ) a great wickednesse as samuel tels them . vers . . and ( as oftentimes we may reade gods displeasure in the face of the heauen ) he showes it in the weather . god thunders and raynes in the middest of wheat haruest . the thunder was fearefull , the raine in that hote climate and season strangely vnseasonable : both to be in the instant vpon samuels speech , was iustly miraculous . the heathen poets bring in their fained god thundering in applause ; i neuer finde the true god did so . this voice of god brake these cedars of lebanon , and made these hindes to calue : and now they cry peccauimus , ver . if euer we will stoope , the iudgements of god will bring vs on our knees . samuel takes vantage of their humiliation , and according to the golden sentence of that samian wise-man , that bids vs lay waight vpon the loden , ( how euer hierom take it in another sense ) he lades them with these three duties ; feare , seruice , consideration . feare and seruice goe still together . serue the lord in feare , saith dauid . feare the lord and serue him , saith ioshua ; and , feare euer before seruice , for that vnlesse our seruice proceede from feare , it is hollow and worthlesse . one saies well , that these inward dispositions are as the kernell ; outward acts are as the shell ; he is but a deafe nut therfore , that hath outward seruice , without inward feare ; feare god ( saith salomon ) first , and then , keepe his commandements . behold , the same tongue that bad them not feare , vers . . now bids them feare ; and the same spirit that tels vs they feared exceedingly ( vers . . ) now enioynes them to feare more . what shall we make of this ? their other feare was at the best initiall ; for now they began to repent ; and as one saies of this kinde of feare , that it hath two eyes fixed on two diuers obiects , so had this of theirs . one eye looked vpon the raine and thunder ; the other looked vp to the god that sent it ; the one of these it borrowed of the slauish or hostile feare ( as basil calls it , ) the other of the filiall ; for the slauish feare casts both eyes vpon the punishment ; the filiall lookes with both eyes on the partie offended . now then samuel would rectifie and perfect this affection , and would bring them from the feare of slaues , through the feare of penitents , to the feare of sons : and indeed one of these makes way for another . it is true that perfect loue thrusts out feare : but it is as true , that feare brings in that perfect loue , which is ioined with the reuerence of sonnes . like as the needle or bristle ( so one compares it ) drawes in the thred after it , or as the potion brings health . the compunction of feare ( saith gregorie ) fits the minde for the compunction of loue . wee shall neuer reioyce truely in god , except it bee with trembling : except we haue quaked at his thunder , we shall neuer ioy in his sunne shine . how seasonably therefore doth samuel , when hee saw them smitten with that guiltie and seruile feare , call them to the : reuerentiall feare of god ; therefore feare yee the lord ? it is good striking , when god hath striken ; there is no fishing so good as in troubled waters . the conscience of man is a nice and sullen thing , and if it be not taken at fit times , there is no medling with it . tell one of our gallants in the midst of all his iollity and reuells , of deuotion , of piety , of iudgements ; he hath the athenian question ready , what will his babler say ? let that man alone till god haue touch't his soule with some terrour , till hee haue cast his body on the bed of sicknesse , when his fether is turned to a kerchiefe , when his face is pale , his eyes sunke , his hands shaking , his breath short , his flesh consumed , now hee may bee talk't with , now he hath learned of eli to say , speake lord for thy seruant heareth . the conuexe or out-bowed side of a vessell will hold nothing ; it must be the hollow and depressed part that is capable of any liquor . oh , if wee were so humbled with the varieties of gods iudgements as wee might , how sauoury should his counsels be , how precious & welcome would his feare bee to our trembling hearts ? whereas now , our stubborne sencelesnesse frustrates ( in respect of our successe , though not of his decree ) all the threatnings and executions of god. there are two maine affections , loue , and feare , which as they take vp the soule where they are , and as they neuer go a sunder , ( for euery loue hath in it a feare of offending and forgoing ; and euery feare implyes a loue of that , which we suspect may mis-carry ) so ech of them fulfils the whole law of god. that loue is the abridgement of the decalogue both our sauiour , and his blessed apostle haue taught vs : it is as plaine of feare ; the title of iob is , a iust man , and one that feared god ; iustice is expressed by feare . for what is iustice , but a freedome from sinne ? and the feare of the lord hates euil , saith salomon . hence moses his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt feare , is turned by our sauiour ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) thou shalt worship , or adore . and that which esay saith , in vaine they feare me , our sauiour renders , in vaine they worship mee ; as if all worship consisted in feare . hence it is probable that god hath his name in two languages from ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) feare , and the same word in the greeke signifies both feare & religion . and salomon when he saies the feare of the lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning ( as we turne it , ) of wisedome , saies more then we are a ware of ; for the word signifies as well caput or principatum ; the head or top of wisedome ; yea ( saith siracides ) it is the crown vpon the head ; it is the roote of the same wisedome , whereof it is the top-branch , saith the same author . and surely this is the most proper disposition of men towards god ; for though god stoope down so low as to vouchsafe to bee loued of men , yet that infinite inequalitie , which there is betweene him and vs , may seeme not to allow so perfect a fitnesse of that affection , as of this other , which suites so well betwixt our vilenesse , and his glory , that the more disproportion there is betwixt vs , the more due & proper is our feare . neither is it lesse necessarie then proper , for wee can be no christians without it ; whether it be ( as hemingius distinguishes it well ) timor cultus , or culpae , either our feare in worshipping , or our feare of offending ; the one is a deuout feare , the other a carefull feare . the latter was the corinthians feare , whose godly sorrow when the apostle had mentioned , he addes , yea what indignation , yea what feare , yea what desire ? the former is that of the angels , who hide their faces with their wings ; yea of the son of god , as man , who fell on his face to his father . and this is due to god , as a father , as a maister , as a benefactor , as a god infinite in all that he is . let me be bold to speake to you , with the psalmist , come ye children , hearken to mee , and i will teach you the feare of the lord. what is it therefore to feare god ; but to acknowledge the glorious ( the inuisible ) presence of god in all our wayes , with moses his eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : to bee awefully affected at his presence with jacob ( quàm tremendus ? ) to make an humble resignation of our selues to the holy will of god with eli , it is the lord ; and to attend reuerently vpon his disposing with dauid , here i am , let him doe to me , as seemeth good in his eyes . this is the feare of the lord. there is nothing more talk't of , nothing lesse felt . i appeale from the tongues of men to their hands ; the wise heathen taught me to doe so , uerbarebus proba . the voice of wickednesse is actuall , saith the psalmist , wickednesse saith there is no feare of god before his eyes . behold wheresoeuer is wickednesse , there can be no feare of god ; these two cannot lodge vnder one roofe , for the feare of god driues out euill ( saith ecclesiasticus . ) as therefore abraham argues well from the cause to the effect ; because the feare of god is not in this place , therfore they will kill me : so dauid argues back from the effect to the cause , they imagine wickednesse on their bed , &c. therefore the feare of god is not before them . i would to god this argument were not too demonstratiue . brethren , our liues shame vs. if wee fear'd the lord , durst we dally with his name , durst wee teare it in pieces ? surely we contemn his person , whose name we contemne . the iewes haue a conceit , that the sinne of that israelite which was stoned for blasphemie , was onely this , that hee named that ineffable name of foure letters iehouah . shall their feare keepe them from once mentioning the dreadfull name of god , and shall not our feare keepe vs from abusing it ? durst we so boldly sinne god in the face , if wee feared him ? durst wee mocke god with a formall flourish of that , which our heart tels vs wee are not , if wee feared him ? durst wee be christians at church , mammonists at home , if we feared him ? pardon mee , if in a day of gratulation , i hardly temper my tongue from reproof ; for as the iewes had euer some malefactour brought forth to them in their great feast ; so it shall bee the happiest peece of our triumph and solemnitie , if wee can bring forth that wicked profanenesse , wherewith wee haue dishonor'd god , & blemisht his gospell , to bee scourged , and dismissed with all holy indignitie . from this feare , let vs passe as briefly , through that which we must dwel in all our liues , the seruice of god. this is the subiect of all sermons , mine shall but touch at it . you shall see how i hasten to that discourse , which this day & your expectation calls me to . diuine philosophy teaches vs to referre , not onely our speculations , but our affections to action . as therefore our seruice must be grounded vpon feare , so our feare must be reduced to seruice . what strength can these masculine dispositions of the soule yeild vs , if with the israelites brood they bee smoothered in the birth ? indeed the worst kinde of feare is that we call seruile ; but the best feare , is the feare of seruants . for there is no seruant of god , but feares filially . and againe god hath no sonne but he serues . euen the natural sonne of god , was so in the forme of a seruant , that hee serued indeed ; and so did hee serue that he indured all sorrow , and fulfilled all righteousnesse . so euery christian is a sonne and heyre to the king of heauen , and his word must be , i serue . wee all know what seruice meanes . for wee all are , or were ( i imagine ) either seruants of maisters , or seruants of the publique , or maisters of seruants , or all these . wee cannot therefore be ignorant either what we require of ours , or what our superiors require of vs. if seruice consisted onely in wearing of liueries , in taking of wages , in making of curtesies , and kissing of hands , there were nothing more easie , or more common . al of vs weare the cognizance of our christianity in our baptisme , all liue vpon gods trencher in our maintenance , all giue him the complements of a fashionable profession . but , be not deceiued , the life of seruice is worke ; the worke of a christian is obedience to the law of god. the centurion when hee would describe his good seruant in the gospell , needed say no more but this ; i bid him doe this , and he doth it . seruice then briefely is , nothing but a readinesse to doe as wee are bidden ; and therefore both salomon , and he that was greater then salomon , describes it by keeping the commandements ; and the chosen vessell giues an euerlasting rule : his seruants ye are to whom yee obey . now i might distinguish this seruice into habituall , and actuall . habituall ; for as the seruant , while hee eates or sleepes , is in seruice still ; so are wee to god : actuall , whether vniuersal in the whole carriage of our liues ( which zacharie tels vs is in holinesse , and righteousnesse , holinesse to god , righteousnesse to men ) or particular , either in the duties which are proper to god , inuocation and attendance on his ordinance ( which by an excellence is termed his seruice ) or in those which are proper to vs , as wee are peeces of a family , church , common-wealth ; the stations whereof god hath so disposed , that wee may serue him in seruing one another . and thus you see i might make way for an endlesse discourse ; but it shal content me ( passing ouer this world of matter ) to glance onely at the generalitie of this infinite theme . as euery obedience serues god , so euery sin makes god serue vs. one said wittily , that the angry man made himselfe the iudge , and god the executioner . there is no sin that doth not the like . the glutton makes god his cator , and himselfe the guest , and his belly his god , especially in the new-found feasts of this age , wherin profusenesse and profanenesse striue for the tables end . the lasciuious man makes himselfe the louer , and ( as viues saies of mahumet ) god the pandar . the couetous man makes himselfe the vsurer , and god the broker . the ambitious makes god his state , and honor his god. of euery sinner doth god say iustly , seruire me fecisti . thou hast made mee to serue with thy sinnes . there cannot be a greater honor for vs then to serue such a maister , as commands heauen , earth , & hell : whom it is both dishonour and basenesse not to serue . the hyest stile that king dauid could deuise to giue himselfe ( not in the phrase of a friuolous french complement , but in the plaine speech of a true israelite ) was , behold i am thy seruant ; and he that is lord of many seruants of the diuell , delights to call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of god. the angels of heauen reioyce to be our fellowes in this seruice . but there cannot be a greater shame then to see seruants ride on horsebacke , and princes walking as seruants on the ground . i meane to see the god of heauen made a lacquey to our vile affections , and in the liues of men , to see god attend vpon the world , brethren , there is seruice enough in the world , but it is to a wrong maister . in mea patria deus venter , ( as hierome said ; ) euery worldling is a papist in this , that he giues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice , to the creature , which is the lowest respect that can bee ; yea so much more humble then ( latria ) as it is more absolute , and without respect of recompence . yea , i would it were vncharitable to say , that many besides the sauages of calecut , place satan in the throne , and god on the footestoole . for as witches and sorcerers conuerse with euill spirits in plausible and familiar formes , which in vgly shapes they would abhorre ; so many a man serues satan vnder the formes of gold and siluer , vnder the images of saints and lightsome angels ; vnder glittering cotes , or glorious titles , or beauteous faces , whom they would defie as himselfe . and as the freeborn israelite might become a seruant , either by forfaiture vpon trespasse , or by sale , or by spoile in warre ; so this accursed seruitude is incurred the same waies , by them which should be christians . by forfaiture : for though the debt and trespasse bee to god , yet ( tradet lictori ) he shall deliuer the debtor to the iaylor . by sale , as ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse : sold vnder sinne , saith the apostle . by spoile . beware least any man make a spoile of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith paul to his colossians . alas what a miserable change doe these men make , to leaue the liuing god , which is so bountifull , that hee rewards a cup of cold water with eternall glorie , to serue him that hath nothing to giue but his bare wages ; and what wages ? the wages of sinne is death ; and what death ? not the death of the body , in the seuering of the soule , but the death of the soule , in the separation from god ; there is not so much difference betwixt life and death , as there is betwixt the first death and the second . oh wofull wages of a desperate worke . well were these men , if they might goe vnpaide , and serue for nothing ; but as the mercie of god will not let any of our poore seruices to him goe vnrewarded ; so will not his iustice suffer the contrarie seruice goe vnpaid ; in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not god , and those that obey not the gospell of our lord iesus . beloued , as that worthy bishop said on his death-bed , we are happie in this , that wee serue a good maister ; how happie shall it bee for vs if wee shall doe him good seruice , that in the day of our account we may heare , euge serue bone , well done good seruant , enter into thy maisters ioy . now hee that prescribes the act ( seruice , ) must also prescribe the manner ; ( truely , totally . ) god cannot abide wee should serue him with a double heart ( an heart & an heart ) that is hypocritically . neither that we should serue him with a false heart , that is , niggardly and vnwillingly : but against doubling , he will be seru'd in truth , and against haluing , hee will bee seru'd with all the heart . to serue god and not in truth is mockerie . to serue him truely and not with the whole heart is a base dodging with god. this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-seruice is a fault with men : but let vs serue god , but while he sees vs , it is enough . behold he sees vs euery where . if hee did not see our heart , it were enough to serue him in the face ; and if the heart were not his , it were too much to giue him a part of it ; but now that he made this whole heart of outs , it is reason he should bee seru'd with it ; and now that hee sees the inside of the heart , it is madnesse not to serue him in truth . those serue god , not in truth , which as seneca saies of some auditors , come to heare , not to learne : which bring their tablets to write words , not their hearts for the finger of god to write in . whose eies are on their bible , whiles their heart is on their count-booke ; which can play the saints in the church , ruffians in the tauerne , tyrants in their houses , cheators in their shops ; those dames which vnder a cloke of modestie and deuotion hide nothing but pride , and fiendishnesse . those serue god , not with all their heart ; whose bosome is like rachels tent , that hath ( teraphim ) idols hid in the straw ; or rather like a philistims temple , that hath the arke and dagon vnder one roofe ; that come in euer with naamans exceptiues , onely in this : those that haue let downe the world like the spies into the bottome of the well of their heart , and couer the mouth of it with wheare : i meane , that hide great oppressions , with the show of small beneficences : those which like salomons false curtizan , cry ( diutdatur ) and are willing to share themselues betwixt god and the world . and certainely , this is a noble policie of the diuell , because he knowes he hath no right to the heart , he can bee glad of any corner ; but with all he knowes , that if hee haue any , hee hath all ; for where hee hath any part , god will haue none . this base-mindednesse is fit for that euill one . god will haue all , or nothing . it was an heroicall answere , that theodoret reports of valentinian , whom when the souldiers had chosen to be emperour , they were consulting to haue another ioyned with him . no ( my souldiours ) said hee , it was in your power to giue mee the empire , while i had it not : but now when i haue it , it is not in your power to giue me a partner . wee our selues say , the bed and the throne can abide no riualls . may wee not well say of the heart , as lot of zoar , is it not a little one ? alas it is euen too little for god ; what doe wee thinke of taking an inmate into this cottage ? it is a fauour and happinesse , that the god of glorie will vouchsafe to dwell in it alone . euen so ( o god ) take thou vp these roomes for thy selfe ; and inlarge them for the entertainment of thy spirit : haue thou vs wholly , and let vs haue thee . let the world serue it selfe . o let vs serue thee , with all our hearts . god hath set the heart on worke to feare , the hands on worke to serue him , now ( that nothing may be wanting ) he sets the head on worke to consider ; and that , not so much the iudgements of god , ( yet those are of singular vse , and may not bee forgotten ) as his mercies , what great things hee hath done for you , not against you . he that looked vpon his owne workes , and saw they were good , and delighted in them , delights that wee should looke vpon them too , and applaud his wisedome , power , and mercy , that shines in them . euen the least of gods works are worthy of the obseruation of the greatest angell in heauen , but ( the magnalia dei ) the great things he hath done , are more worthy of our wonder , of our astonishmēt . great things indeed that he did for israel ; hee meant to make that nation a precedent of mercie ; that all the world might see what he could doe for a people . heauen and earth conspir'd to blesse them . what should i speake of the wonders of egypt ? surely i know not whether their preseruation in it , or deliuerance out of it , were more miraculous . did they want a guide ? himselfe goes before them in fire . did they want a shelter ? his cloud is spread ouer them for a couering . did they want way ? the sea it selfe shall make it ; and bee at once a street , and a wall to them . did they want bread ? heauen it selfe shall powre downe foode of angels . did they want meate to their bread ? the winde shall bring them whole driftes of quailes into their tents . doe they want drinke to both ? the verie rocke shall yeeld it them . doe they want suites of apparell ? their very clothes shall not waxe old on their backes . doe they want aduise ? god himselfe shall giue his vocall oracle between the cherubins . doe they want a law ? god shall come downe vpon sinai , and deliuer it in fire , thundring , smoke , earthquakes , and write it with his own finger , in tables of stone . doe they want habitations ? god shall prouide them a land that flowes with milke and hony . are they persecuted ? god stands in fire betweene them & their harmes . are they stung to death ? the brazen serpent shal cure them . are they resisted ? the walles of iericho shall fall downe alone ; hailestones braine their enemies . the sunne shal stand still in heauen , to see ioshuahs reuenge and victory . oh great and mighty things that god did for israel ! and if any nation vnder heauen could either parallel or second israel in the fauours of god , this poore little iland of ours is it . the cloud of his protection hath couer'd vs. the bloud-red sea of persecution hath giuen way to vs , and wee are passed it dry-shod . the true manna from heauen is rained downe abundantly about our tents . the water of life gusheth forth plenteously to vs : the better law of the gospell is giuen vs from heauen by the hands of his sonne : the walles of the spirituall ierocho are fallen downe before vs , at the blast of the trumpets of god ; and cursed be hee that goes about to build them vp againe . now therefore , that we may come more close to the taske of this day ; let mee say to you , as samuel to his israelites , consider with mee what great things the lord hath done for vs : and as one wish't that the enuious had eyes in euery place , so could i seriously wish , that all which haue ill will at our sion , had their eares with mee but one houre , that if they belong not to god , they might burst with iudas , which repine with iudas at this seasonable cost of the precious ointment of our praises . if i should looke back to the ancient mercies of god , and shew you that this kingdome ( though diuided from the world ) was one of the first that receiued the gospel : that it yeelded the first christian emperour that gaue peace and honour to the church : the first and greatest lights that shone forth in the darkest of popery , to all the world ; and that it was the first kingdome that shooke antichrist fully out of the saddle . i might finde iust matter of praise and exultation , but i will turne ouer no other chronicles but your memory . this day alone hath matter enough of an eternall gratulation . for this is the communis terminus , wherein gods fauours meete vpon our heads ; which therefore represents to vs , both what wee had , and what wee haue . the one to our sense , the other to our remembrance . this day was both queene elizabeths initium gloriae , and king james his initium regni . to her natalitium salutis , as the passion-dayes of the martyrs were called of old ; and natalis imperij to him . these two names shew vs happinesse enough to take vp our hearts and tongues for euer . and first , why should it not be our perpetuall glorie and reioicing , that we were her subiects ? oh blessed queene , the mother of this nation , the nurse of this church , the glorie of womanhood , the enuie and example of forraine nations , the wonder of times , how sweet and sacred shall thy memory bee to all posterities ? how is thy name not parables of the dust as the iewes speake ; not written in the earth as jeremie speaks , but in the liuing earth of all loyal hearts , neuer to be razed . and though the foule mouthes of our aduersaries stick not to call her miseram foeminam , as pope clement did ; nor to say of her , as euagrius saies vncharitably of iustinian the great law-giuer ( ad supplicia iusto dei iudicio apud inferos luenda profecta est ; ) and those that durst bring her on the stage liuing , bring her now dead ( as i haue heard by those that haue seene it ) into their processions , like a tormented ghost , attended with fiends and firebrands , to the terrour of their ignorant beholders : yet , as wee saw she neuer prospered so well , as when she was most cursed by their pius . . so now wee hope shee is rather so much more glorious in heauen , by how much they are more malicious on earth . these arrogant wretches , that can at their pleasure fetch salomon from heauen to hell , and traian and falconella from hell to heauen ; campian and garnet from earth to heauen , queene elizabeth from earth to hell , shall finde one day that they haue mistaken the keyes , and shall know , what it is to iudge , by being iudged . in the meane time , in spight of the gates of rome , memoria iustae in benedictionibus . to omit those vertues which were proper to her sexe , by which she deserued to be the queene of women , how excellent were her masculine graces of learning , valour , wisedome , by which she might iustly challenge to bee the queene of men . so learned was shee , that shee could giue present answeres , to embassadours in their own tongues , or if they listed to borrow of their neighbours , shee paid them in that they borrowed . so valiant , that her name like ziscaes drum , made the proudest romanists to quake . so wise that whatsoeuer fell out happily against the common aduersarie in france , netherlands , ireland , it was by themselues ascribed to her policy . what should i speake of her long and successefull gouernment , of her miraculous preseruations , of her famous victories , wherein the waters , windes , fire and earth fought for vs , as if they had beene in pay vnder her , of her excellent lawes , of her carefull executions . many daughters haue done worthily , but thou surmountest them all . such was the sweetnesse of her gouernement , and such the feare of miserie in her losse , that many worthy christians desired their eyes might be closed before hers ; and how many thousands therefore welcomed their owne death , because it preuented hers . euery one pointed to her white haires , & said with that peaceable leontius , when this snow melts there wil be a floud . neuer day except alwaies the fift of nouember , was like to be so bloudy as this ; not for any doubt of title ( which neuer any loyall heart could question , nor any disloyall euer did , besides dolman ) but for that our esauites comforted themselues against vs , and said , the day of mourning for our mother will come shortly , then will we slay our brethren . what should i say more ? lots were cast vpon our land ; and that honest polititian ( which wanted nothing but a gibbet to haue made him a saint ) father parsons , tooke paines to set downe an order , how all english affayres should bee marshalled , when they should come to bee theirs . consider now the great things that the lord hath done for vs. behold this day , which should haue beene most dismall to the whole christian world , hee turned to the most happie day , that euer shone forth to this iland . that now we may iustly insult with those christians of antioch ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) where are your prophesies , o yee fond papists ? our snow lyes here melted , where are those flouds of bloud that you threatned ? yea , as that blessed soule of hers gained by this change of an immortall crowne , for a corruptible ; so ( blessed bee the name of our god ) this land of ours hath not lost by that losse . many thinke that this euening the world had his beginning . surely a new and golden world began this day to vs , and ( which it could not haue done by her loynes ) promises continuance ( if our sins interrupt it not ) to our posterities . i would the flatterie of a prince were treason ; in effect it is so : ( for the flatterer is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a kinde murtherer . ) i would it were so in punishment . if i were to speake before my soueraigne king and maister , i would praise god for him , not praise him to himself . a preacher in constantines time saith eusebius ( ausus est imperatorem in os beatum dicere ) presumed to call constantine an happy emperor to his face ; but hee went away with a checke ; such speed may any parasite haue , which shall speake , as if hee would make princes proud , & not thankefull . a small praise to the face may be adulation , ( though it be within the bounds : ) a great praise in absence , may be but iustice . if we see not the worth of our king , how shall we be thankefull to god that gaue him ? giue me leaue therefore freely to bring forth the lords annointed before you , and to say with samuel , see you him whom the lord hath chosen . as it was a great presage of happinesse to mauritius the emperor , that an ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a familiar diuell remouing him from place to place in his swathing bands , yet had no power to hurt him ; so , that those early conspiracies , wherwith satan assaulted the very cradle of our dear soueraine , preuailed not , it was a iust bodement of his future greatnesse and beneficiall vse to the world . and hee that gaue him life and crowne together , and miraculously preserued them both : gaue him graces fit for his deputy on earth , to weild that crowne , and improoue that life to the behoofe of christendome . let me begin with that ( which the heathen man required to the happinesse of any state ) his learning & knowledge , wherein i may safely say hee exceedeth all his . predecessors . our conquerour king william ( as our chronicler reports ) by a blunt prouerbe that hee was wont to vse against vnlearned princes made his sonne henry a beau-clerc to those times . but a candle in the darke will make more show , then a bonefire by day . in these dayes so lightsome for knowledge to excell ( euen for a professed student ) is hard , and rare . neuer had england more learned bishops , and doctors ; which of them euer returned from his maiesties discourse without admiration ? what king christned hath written so learned volumes ? to omit the rest , his last ( of this kinde ) wherein hee hath so held vp cardinall bellarmine , and his maister pope paulus , is such , that plessis and mouline ( the two great lights of france ) professe to receiue their light in this discourse , from his beames ; and the learned iesuite salkeild , could not but bee conuerted with the necessitie of those demonstrations ; and i may boldly say , poperie ( since it was ) neuer receiued so deepe a wound from any worke , as from that of his. what king euer moderated the solemne acts of an vniuersitie in all professions , and had so many hands clapt in the applause of his acute , and learned determinations ? briefely , such is his intire acquaintance with all sciences , and with the queene of all , diuinitie , that hee might well dispute with the infallible pope paulus us for his triple crowne ; and i would all christian quarrels lay vpon this duell . his iustice in gouerning matcheth his knowledge how to gouerne ; for as one that knowes the common-wealth cannot bee vnhappie , wherein ( according to the wise heathens rule ) law is a queene , and will a subiect , he hath euer indeauoured to frame the proceedings of his gouernement to the lawes , not the lawes to them . witnesse that memorable example , whereof your eyes were witnesses . i meane the vnpartiall execution of one of the ancientest barons of those parts , for the murder of a meane subiect . wherein not the fauour of the block might bee yeelded , that the dishonour of the death might bee no lesse then the paine of the death . yet who will not grant his mercy to bee eminent amongst his vertues , when parsons himselfe yeelds it ? and if a vertue so continuing , could bee capable of excesse , this might seeme so in him . for , that which was said of anastasius the emperour , that he would attempt no exploit ( though neuer so famous ) if it might cost the price of christian blood , and that which was said of mauricius , that by his good-will hee would not haue so much as a traitour dye ; and that of vespasian , that hee wept euen for iust executions ; and lastly that of theodosius , that hee wish't hee could recall those to life againe that had wronged him ; may in some sence , bee iustly verified of our mercifull soueraigne . i pray god the measure of this vertue may neuer hurt himselfe , i am sure the want of it shall neuer giue cause of complaint to his aduersaries . but among all his heroicall graces , which commend him as a man , as a christian , as a king ; pietie and firmenesse in religion cals mee to it , and will not suffer me to defer the mention of it any longer . a priuate man vnsetled in opinion , is like a loose tooth in the head , troublesome and vse-lesse , but a publique person vnstayed , is dangerous . resolution for the truth is so much better then knowledge , by how much the possessing of a treasure , is better then knowing where it is . with what zeale did his maiestie fly vpon the blasphemous nouelties of vorstius ? how many sollicitations , threats , promises , profers hath he trampled vnder his feete in former times , for but a promise of an indifferent conniuencie at the romish religion ? was it not an answere worthy of a king , worthy of marble and brasse , that he made vnto their agent for this purpose , in the times of the greatest perill of resistance . that all the crownes and kingdomes in this world should not indure him to change any iot of his profession ? hath hee not so ingaged himselfe in this holie quarrell , that the world confesses rome had neuer such an aduersarie ? and all christian princes reioice to follow him as their worthy leader , in all the battels of god ; and all christian churches in their prayers and acclamations , stile him , in a double right , defender of the faith , more by desert , then inheritance . but because as the sunne-beames , so praises are more kindly , when they are cast oblique vpon their obiects then when they fall directly ; let mee shew you him rather in the blessings we receiue from him , then in the graces which are in him . and not to insist vpon his extinguishing of those hellish feudes in scotland , & the reducing of those barbarous borderers to ciuilitie and order , ( two acts worthy of eternitie , and which no hand but his could doe ) consider how great things the lord hath done for vs , by him , in our peace , in our freedome of the gospell , in our deliuerance . continuance detracts from the value of any fauour . little doe wee know the price of peace . if wee had beene in the cotes of our forefathers , or our neighbours , we should haue knowne how to esteeme this deare blessing of god. oh , my deare brethren , we neuer knew what it was to heare the murdering peeces about our eares ; to see our churches and houses flaming ouer our heads ; to heare the fearefull cracks of their fals mixed with the confused out-cries of men , killing , encouraging to kill , or resist , dying ; and the shriekings of women and children ; wee neuer saw tender babes snach't from the breasts of their mothers , now bleeding vpon the stones , or sprauling vpon the pikes ; and the distracted mother rauished , ere she may haue leaue to dye . wee neuer saw men and horses lye wallowing in their mingled bloud , and the gastly visages of death deformed with wounds . the impotent wife hanging with teares on her armed husband , as desirous to dye with him , with whom shee may not liue . the amazed runnings to and fro of those that would faine escape , if they knew how , and the furious pace of a bloudy victor ; the rifling of houses for spoile , and euery souldiour running with his load , and readie to fight with other for our bootie ; themiserable captiue driuen manicled before the usulting enemie . neuer did wee know how cruell an aduersarie is , and how burdensome an helper is in warre . looke round about you . all your neighbours haue seene and tasted these calamities . all the rest of the world haue been whirled about in these wofull tumults : onely this iland , hath like the center stood vnmoueable . onely this isle hath beene like nilus , which when all other waters ouer-flow , keepes within the banks . that we are free frō these & a thousand other miseries of warre , whether should wee ascribe it , but next vnder god , to his anointed , as a king , as a king of peace ? for both anarchy is the mother of diuision , as wee see in the state of italy , wherein , when they wanted their king , all ranne into ciuill broiles ; the venetians with them of rauenna , verona and vincentia , with the paduans and taruisians ; the pisans and florentines , with them of luca and sienna ; and besides ; euery king is not a peace-maker : ours is made of peace . there haue been princes , which , as the antiochians said of iulian , ( taking occasion by the bull which he stamp't in his coine ) haue gored the world to death . the breasts of some princes haue beene like a thunder-cloud , whose vapours would neuer leaue working till they haue vented themselues with terrour to the world ; ours , hath nothing in it , but a gracious rayne to water the inheritance of god. behold hee , euen he alone , like to noahs doue , brought an oliue of peace to the tossed arke of christendome ; hee like another augustus , before the second comming of christ hath becalmed the world , and shut the iron gates of warre ; and is the bond of that peace hee hath made . and if the peace-maker both doth blesse and is blessed ; how should we blesse him , and blesse god for him , and hold our selues blessed in him ? now what were peace without religion , but like a nabals sheepe-shearing ; like the fatting of an epicurian hogge ; the very festiuall reuels of the diuell . but for vs ; wee haue gloria in excelsis deo , sung before our pax in terris ; in a word , wee haue peace with the gospell . machiauell himselfe could say in his discourses , that two continued successions of vertuous princes ( fanno grandi effetti ) cannot but doe great matters . we proue it so this day ; wherein religion is not onely warmed but locked in her seat so fast , that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it . there haue beene princes , and that in this land , which ( as the heathen politician compared his tyrant ) haue beene like to ill physitians , that haue purged away the good humours , and left the bad behinde them ; with whom any thing hath beene lawfull , but to be religious . some of your gray hayres can bee my witnesses . behold , the euils wee haue escaped , show vs our blessings . here hath been no dragging out of houses , no hiding of bibles , no creeping into woods , no bonnering or butchering of gods saints , no rotting in dungeons , no casting of infants out of the mothers belly into the mothers flames ; nothing but gods truth aboundantly preached , cheerefully professed , incouraged , rewarded . what nation vnder heauen yeeldes so many learned diuines ? what times euer yeelded so many preaching bishops ? when was this citie ( the citie of our ioy ) euer so happy this way , as in these late successions ? whither can wee ascribe this health of the church , and life of the gospell , but , next to god , to his example , his countenance , his indeuours . wherein i may not omit how right he hath trod in the steps of that blessed constantine , in all his religious proceedings . let vs in one word parrallel them . constantine caused fiftie volumes of the scriptures to be fayre written out in parchment , for the vse of the church . king iames hath caused the bookes of scriptures to bee accurately translated , and published by thousands . constantine made a zealous edict against nouatians , valentinians , marcionites . king iames , besides his powerfull proclamations and soueraine lawes hath effectually written against popery , and vorstianisme . constantine tooke away the liberty of the meetings of heretickes : king iames hath by wholesome laws inhibited the assemblies of papists and seismatickes . constantine sate in the midst of his bishops , as if hee had been one of them . king iames besides his solemne conferences , vouchsaues ( not seldome ) to spend his meales in discourse with his bishops , and other worthy diuines . constantine charged his sonnes ( vt planè & sine fuco christiani essent ) that they should be christians in earnest . king iames hath done the same in learned and diuine precepts which shall liue till time be no more . yea , in their very coines is a resemblance . constantine had his picture stampt vpon his mettals , praying . king iames hath his picture with a prayer about it . o lord protect the kingdomes which thou hast vnited . lastly , constantine built churches ; one in hierusalem , another in nicomedia . king james hath founded one colledge , which shall help to build and confirme the whole church of god , vpon earth . yee wealthy citizens that loue ierusalem , cast in your store after this royall example , into the sanctuary of god , and whiles you make the church of god happie , make your selues so . brethren , if we haue any rellish of christ , any sense of heauen , let vs blesse god for the life of our soule , the gospel , and for the spirit of this life , his anointed . but where had beene our peace , or this freedome of the gospell , without our deliuerance ? & where had our deliuerance bin without him ? as it was reported of the oke of mamre , that al religions rendred their yearly worship there . the iewes , because of abraham their patriarch , the gentiles because of the angels that appeared there to abraham . the christians because of christ that was there seene of abraham , with the angels ; so was there to king iames in his first beginnings , a confluence of all sects , with papers in their hands , and ( as it was best for them ) with a rogamus domine , non pugnamus , like the subiects of theodosius . but our cozens of samaria , when they saw that salomons yoke would not bee lightened , soone flew off in a rage . what portion haue we in dauid ? and now those , which had so soft look't vp to heauen in vaine , resolue to digge downe to hell for aide . satan himselfe met them , and offred ( for sauing of their labour ) to bring hell vp to them . what a world of sulphur had hee prouided against that day ? what a brewing of death was tun'd vp in those vessels ? the murderous pioners laugh't at the close felicitie of their proiect ; and now before-hand seemed in conceit to haue heard the cracke of this hellish thunder , and to see the mangled carkasses of the heretickes flying vp so suddenly , that their soules must needes goe vpward towards their perdition ; the streetes strawed with legges and armes ; and the stones braining as many in their fall , as they blew vp in their rise . remember the children of edom , o lord , in the day of ierusalem , which said , downe with it , downe with it , euen to the ground . o daughter of babel , worthy to be destroyed , blessed shall hee bee that serueth thee , as thou wouldest haue serued vs. but hee that sits in heauen laugh't as fast at them ; to see their presumption that would be sending vp bodies to heauen before the resurrection , and preferring companions to elias in a fiery chariot ; and said ( vt quid fremuerunt ? ) consider now how great things the lord hath done for vs ; the snare is broken , and wee are deliuered . but how ? as that learned bishop well applyed salomon to this purpose , diuinatio in labijs regis . if there had not been a a diuination in the lips of the king , wee had beene all in iawes of death . vnder his shadow wee are preserued aliue , as ieremie speaketh . it is true , god could haue done it by other meanes , but hee would doe it by this , that wee might owe the being of our liues to him , of whom wee held our well-being before . oh praised be the god of heauen for our deliuerance ! praised bee god for his anointed , by whom we were deliuered . yea how should wee call to our fellow creatures ; the angels , saints , heauens , elements , meteors , mountaines , beasts , trees , to help vs praise the lord for this mercie . and ( as the oath of the roman souldiours ranne ) how deare and precious should the life of our caesar bee to vs , aboue al earthly things ? how should wee haue the base vnthankefulnesse of those men , which can say of him , as one said of his saint martin , martinus bonus in auxilio , charus in negotio ; who whiles they owe him all grudge him any thing . away with the mention of outward things : all the bloud in our body is due to him , all the prayers & well-wishes of our soules are due to him , how solemnely festiuall should this day bee to vs , and to our posterities for euer ? how cheerefully , for our peace , our religion , our deliuerance , should wee take vp that acclamation which the people of rome vsed in the coronation of charles the great , carolo iacobo a deo coronato , magno & pacifico britannorum imperatori , vita & victoria . to charles iames crowned of god , the great and peaceable emperour of britanie , life and victorie . and let god , and his people say amen . these were great things indeed , that god did for israel ; great that hee hath done for vs ; great for the present , not certaine for the future . they had not , no more haue wee , the blessings of god by entayle , or by lease . onely at the good will of the lord ; and that is , during our good behauiour . sinne is a forfaiture of all fauours . jf you doe wickedly , you shall perish . it was not for nothing , that the same word in the originall signifies both sinne and punishment ; these two are inseparable . there is nothing but a little prioritie in time betweene them . the angels did wickedly , they perish't by their fall from heauen . the old world did wickedly , they perish't by waters from heauen . the sodomites did wickedly , they perish't by fire from heauen . corah and his company did wickedly , they perish't by the earth . the egyptians did wickedly , they perish't by the sea. the canaanites did wickedly , they perish't by the sword of israel . the israelites did wickedly , they perish't by pestilence , serpents , philistims . what should i runne my selfe out of breath , in this endlesse course of examples ? there was neuer sinne but it had a punishment , either in the actor , or in the redeemer . there was neuer punishment , but was for sinne . heauen should haue no quarrell against vs ; hell could haue no power ouer vs , but for our sinnes . those aie they that haue plagued vs , those are they that threaten vs. but what shall bee the iudgement ? perishing . to whom ? to you and your king. he doth not say , if your king doe wickedly you shall perish , as sometimes he hath done . nor if your king doe wickedly hee shall perish , although kings are neither priuiledged from sinnes , nor from iudgements . nor if you doe wickedly , you onely shall perish ; but if yee doe wickedly , yee and your king shall perish . so neare a relation is there betwixt the king and subiect , that the sinne of the one reaches to the iudgement of the other , and the iudgement of the one , is the smart of both . the king is the head ; the commons the stomach ; if the head be sicke , the stomach is affected . dauid sins , the people dye . if the stomach bee sick , the head complaines . for the transgression of the people are many princes . what could haue snatch't from our head that sweet prince , of fresh and bleeding memorie , ( that might iustly haue challeng'd othoes name , mirabilia mundi ) now in the prime of all the worlds expectation , but our trayterous wickednesses ? his christian modestie vpon his death-bed could charge himselfe . ( no , no , i haue sins enow of mine owne to doe this : ) but this very accusation did cleare him , and burden vs. o glorious prince , they are our sinnes that are guilty of thy death , and our losse . we haue done wickedly , thou perishedst . an harsh word for thy glorifyed condition . but such a perishing , as is incident to saints ; ( for there is a perire de medio , as well as a perire a facie , ) a perishing from the earth , as well as a perishing from god. it was a ioyfull perishing to thee . our sinnes haue aduantaged thy soule , which is partly therefore happie , because wee were vnworthy of thee ; but they haue robbed vs of our happinesse in thee . oh our treacherous sinnes , that haue offred this violence to that sweet hopefull sacred person ! and doe they not yet still conspire against him that is yet dearer to vs , the roote of these goodly branches , the breath of our nosthrils , the anointed of god ? brethren , let mee speake it confidently . as euery sinne is a traytor to a mans own soule , so euery wicked man is a traitor to his king. yea euerie one of his crying sinnes is a false hearted rebell that hides ponder and pocket-dags for the precious life of his soueraine . any states man may learne this euen of machiauell himselfe , which i confesse when i red , i thought of the diuell confessing christ . that the giuing of god his due is the cause of the greatnesse of any state ; and contrarily , the neglect of his seruice the cause of ruine ; and if any profane zosimus shall doubt of this point , i would but turne him to euagrius his discourse to this purpose , where hee shall finde instances of enow particulars . what euer politick philosophers haue distinguish't , betwixt bonus vir , and ciuis , i say , that as a good man cannot be an ill subiect , so a lewd man can no more be a good subiect , then euill can be good . let him sooth , and sweare what he will , his sinnes are so many treasons against the prince and state , for ruine is from iniquitie , saith ezechiel . alas , what safety can wee be in , when such miscreants lurke in our houses , iet in our streetes ; when the country , citie , court , is so full of these spirituall conspiracies ? ye that are magistrates ; not for gods sake onely , but for your kings sake , whose deputies ye are , as hee is gods ; not for religion onely , but for very policie , as you tender the deare life of our gracious soueraine ; as you regard the sweet peace of this state , and kingdome ; the welfare of this church ; yea , as ye loue your owne life , peace , welfare , rouze vp your spirits , awaken your christian courage , and set your selues heartily against the traitorly sinnes of these times , which threaten the bane of all these . cleanse ye these augean stables of our drunken tauernes , of our profane stages , and of those blind vaults of professed filthinesse , whose steppes goe downe to the chambers of death ; yea , to the deepe of hell. and yee , my holy brethren , the messengers of god , if there be any sonnes of thunder amongst you , if euer yee ratled from heauen the terrible iudgements of god against sinners , now doe it ; for ( contrarie to the naturall ) the deepe winter of iniquitie is most seasonable for this spirituall thunder . bee heard aboue , be seene beneath . out-face sinne , out-preach it , out-liue it . we are starres in the right hand of god , let vs bee like any starres saue the moone , that hath blots in her face ; or the starre wormewood , whose fall made bitter waters ; or saint iudes planets , that wander in irregularities . let the light of our liues shine in the faces of the world ; and dazle them whom it shall not guide . then shall wee with authoritie speake what wee doe , when we doe that which we speake . wee can neuer better testifie our thankefull and loyall respects to so good a king , in whose fauour is our life , and by whose grace wee are vpheld against the vnworthy affronts of this sacrilegious age , then by crying downe , by liuing downe those sinnes which threaten our happinesse in him . and ye , beloued christians , whose faces seeme worthily to congratulate the ioy of this day , if ye would approue your selues good subiects to our king , labour to bee good subiects to his king , the king of heauen . away with those rebellious wickednesses which may bee preiudiciall to our peace . in vaine shall wee testifie our loyaltie by these outward ceremonies of reioycing , if wee bee faulty in the substance . to what purpose shall wee ring our bels , if in the meane time we hold fast salomons ( funes peccatorum ) cords of sinne ; yea the prophets cart-ropes of iniquitie ; and thereby pull down iudgement vpon our heads ? to what purpose shall we kindle bonfiérs in our streets , if wee kindle the flames of gods displeasure against vs by our sinnes ? to what purpose shal ye feast one another in your houses , if you shall feast the fiends of hell with your wilfull sinnes ? daemonum cibus ebrietas , hierome saith well , drunkennesse , luxurie , fornication , and euery sinne is the very diet and dainties of the diuell . for gods sake therefore , for your kings sake , for your owne soules sake , be good , that you may bee loyall . oh my brethren , let vs not with old toby suffer our eyes to bee blinded with the swallowes dung of this world . let vs not dare to make a willing shipwracke of conscience , for the venture of a little ballast of gaine . away with our pride , vsurie , oppression , false weights , false oathes , false faces ; doe no more wickedly , that wee perish not . they are our sins which as they threaten to lose vs our best friend aboue , ( the god of our saluation ) so they harten our aduersaries against vs on earth . their hopes , their designes , their wickednesse to vs , hath beene profest to be built vpon ours to god. if they did not see we did euill , they durst not hope we could perish . authoritie hath wisely and seasonably taken order for disarming of wilfull recusants . what should weapons doe in the hands of disloyaltie ? oh that it could take order to strip vs of our sinnes , which will else arme god and his creatures against vs ! the gates of rome , the gates of hell , could not hurt vs , if wee did not hurt our selues . oh that wee could so loue our selues , as to part with all our plausible and gainefull euils , that we would this day renue our holy couenants with god , and keepe them for euer ! how would he still feede vs with the finest of the wheate ? how would he that ( as this day ) when we feared a tempest , gaue vs an happie calme , preuent a tempest in our calme when wee feare not ? how safely should our children play , & wee feast in our streets ? how memorable a patterne of mercie should this hand be to all posterities ? what famous trophees of victory would hee erect ouer all antichristianisme amongst vs ? how freely and loud should the gospell of god ring euery where in the eares of the generations yet vnborne ? how sure should we be , long and long to enioy so gracious , and deare a soueraine , so comfortable a peace , so happy a gouernment ? euen till this eue of the annunciation of the first comming of christ , ouertake the day of the annunciation of his second comming , for our redemption . which god for his mercies sake , for his christs sake vouchsafe to grant to vs ▪ amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e decimum quem que annum imperatores romani magna festiuitate celebrant . sozom. l . . idem euseb . de vita const . juxta homer . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. psal . . jnter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pythagorae oneratis superponendum onus ; id est , ad virtutem incedentibus augmentanda praecepta ; tradentes se otio relinquendos . hier. aduers . ruffin . psal . . iosh . . . eccl. vlt. iob. de combis compend . theol. greg. . dial. c. . compunctio formidinis tradit animum compunctioni dilectionis . pro. . . deut. . . mat. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isay . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plut. caesare . act. . . heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eccles . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eccl. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . v. . hem. in ps . . . cor. . . psal . . . heb. . sic semper deum praesentem intelligit ac si ipsum qui praesens est in sua essentia vide . rit . bern. form . bon . vitae . . sam. . . senec. epist . psal . . . ecclus . . . rom. . . luke . . lud. viues de verit . relig. l. esay . . non reputes magnum quod deo seruis , sed maximum reputa , quod ipse dignatur te in seruum assumere sibi . bernard . psal . . reuel . vlt. eccles . . . in mea n. patria deus venter est , & in diem viuitur & sanctior est ille qui ditior est . hier. ad chrematium . mat. . . . kin. . . col. . . . thes . . . ambrose . ep. . quidam veniunt vt audiant non vt discant , aliqui cum pugillaribus veniunt non vt res excipiant sed verba . theod. l. . c. . iob . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euagr. l. . c. . didymus veridicus . onimiùm dilecta deo cui militat aether : & coniurati veniunt ad classica venti . claud. pro. . . soz l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; &c. dolm. p. . p. p. . p. . theod. . . euseb . de vitae const . l. . c. . . sam. . . euagr. l. . . malmesbur . plato . euagr. l. . c. euagr. l . c. sueton. vesp . socr. l. . c. watson . b. barl. answer to parsons . p . e. com. northamp . lib. tum vero & genitus morientum & sanguine in alto . armaque corporaque & permisti caede virorli semianimes voluuntur equi . virg. aen. . nam cum trisiis hyems alias produxerit vndas , tum nilum retinent ripae . claud. epigr. otho . fris . l. . c. . socr. l. . c. discors . l. . c. due continuoue successions di principi virtuosi fanno grandi effetti . plato . de repub. euseb . de vitae const . l. . c. . lib . . . lib. . . lib. . c. . in media istorū frequentia accongressu adesse & vna considere non dedignatus . basil . dor . lib. . . lib. . . & socr. l. . c. . ribera in prophet . min. ex ioseph . antiq. lib. vlt. samaritani iudaeos cognatos appellare soliti quamdiuillis bene erat . at vbi contra , &c. . king. . flectere si nequeo , &c. psal . . pro. . b. barlow pag. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suet. addit neque me liberosque meos cariores habebo quam caium & eius sorores . clodoueus otho firs . l. . c. . fris . l. . c. . otho . . fris. . . ossernanza del culto diuiao ecagione della grandezza delle . cosi il dispregio diqua , &c. discorsd . . c. euagr. l. . c. . ezec. . . pro. . . . reu. . . iud. . cum imperio doceiur quod prius agitur quam dicatur . greg. . in iob. pro. . . hier. de filio prodigo . daemonum cibus ebrietas , luxuria , fornicatio & vniuersa vitia . dum nontiniet in sereno patitur tempestatem . hier. dial . aduers . pelag. a letter concerning christmasse sent to a knight in suffolke by that reverent father in god dr. joseph hall ... hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a letter concerning christmasse sent to a knight in suffolke by that reverent father in god dr. joseph hall ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], - p., [ ] leaf of plates : port. printed by e.c. for fran grove ..., london : . engraved frontispiece portrait of author opposite t.p. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng christmas. a r (wing h ). civilwar no a letter concerning christmasse sent to a knight in suffolke by that reverent father in god dr. joseph hall ... hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - derek lee sampled and proofread - derek lee text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vera effigies reverendi doni . iosephi hall norwici nuper episcopi a letter concerning christmasse ; sent to a knight in suffolke : by that reverent father in god dr. joseph hall , late lord bishop of norwich . london , printed by e.c. for fran grove , dwelling on snow-hill . . to the reader . i here present you with a true copie of a letter sent by dr. joseph hall , late of norwich bishop , to the right worshipfull sir iohn wentworth knight , in suffolke ; and this iaverre to be transcribed by me iohn smith from the bishops own hand-writting , and i wish it as good success as st. pauls letter to the corinthians had ( that you may not read it with prejuduce ) that ye sorrow godly , so that in nothing ye be hurt therby . and rather then this so worthy a letter should have been obscured ● one familie i have ventured it to the publick ; that they may save the good that was meant to my noble friend and kinsman before mentioned , and that that hvmble and meeke author ( and saint now in abrahams-bosom ; might have his due of all . now the lord grace us with all spirituall blessings , till he bring us to glory the perfection of grace ; for the attainment of which , together with all external prosperity , and temporal felicitie in this life , you shall never want the instant prayer of , john smith , gent. a letter concerning christmass , sent to a knight in suffolke . by that reverent father in god dr. joseph hall , the late lord bishop of norwich . sir , with my loving remembrance , &c. it cannot but be a great griefe to any wise and moderate christian , to see zealous and well meaning soules carried away after the giddy humour of their new tea●ers , to a contempt of all holy and reverant antiquitie ; and to an eager affectation of novel fancies , even whilst they cry out most utterly against innovation ; when the practice and judgement of the whole christian world , even from the daies of the blessed apostles to this present age , is pleaded , for ●●y forme of government , or laudable observation , they are streight taught that old things are passed , and that all things are become new ; making their word good by so new , and unheard of an interpretation of scripture , whereby they may as justly argue the introducing of a new church , a new gospel , a new religion , with the annulling of the old ; and that they may not want an alsufficient patronage of their fond conceit , our blessed saviour himself is brought in , who in his sermon on the mount controlled the antiquity of the pharisaical glosses of the law . mat. . , . ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old , thus and thus ; but i say unto you thus & thus , & as if the son of god in checking the upstart antiquities of a misgrounded & unreasonable tradition , meant to condemn the truly ancient and commendable customs of the whole christian church , which all sober and judicious christians are wont to look upon with meet respect and reverence : and certainly whosoever shall have set down this resolution with himself to sleight those , either institutions or practices which are derived to us from the primitive times , and have ever since been entertained by the whole church of christ upon earth , that man hath laid sufficient foundation of schismes and dangerous singularities : and doth that which the most eminent of the fathers st. augustine , chargeth with no less then the most insolent madness , insolenti sini est , &c. for me and my friends , god give us grace to take the advice which our saviour gave his spouse , to go forth by the footsteps of the flock , and to feed our kids besides the shepherds tents , canticle . and to walk in the sure paths of uncorrupt antiquity , for the celebration of the solemn feast of our saviours nativity , resurrection , ascension , and the coming down of the holy ghost , which you say is cryed down by your zealous lecturers : one would think these should be reasons enough in those wonderfull and unspeakable benefits , which those days serve to commemorate unto us ; for ( to instance in the said feast of the nativity ) when the angel brought the news of that blessed birth to the jewish shepherds : behold ( saith he ) i bring you good tidings of great joy , which shall be unto all people ; for unto you is born this day a saviour , luke . . if then the report of this blessing were the best tidings of the greatest joy that ever was , or ever could be possibly incident unto mankinde , why should not the commemoration thereof be answerable : where we conceive the greatest joy , what should hinder us to express it in a joyfull festivity ; but you are taught to say the day conferred nothing on the blessing : that every day we should with equal thankfulness remember this inestimable benefit of the incarnation of the son of god . so as a set aniversary day is altogether needless . know then and consider , that the all-wise god , who knew it fit that his people should every day think of the great work of the creation , and of that miraculous deliverance of the egyptian servitude , and should daily give honour to their almighty creator and deliverer ; yet ordained one day of seven for the more special recognition of these marvellous works , as well knowing , how apt we are to forget those duties , wherewith we are only encharged in common , without the designement of a particular renumeration : besides , the same reason will hold proportionable against any monethly or annual celebration whatsoever : the jews should have been much to blame , if they had not every day thankfully remembred the great deliverance which god wrought for them from the bloody design of cruel haman : yet it was thought requisite , if not necessary , that there should be two special days of purim set apart for the aniversary memorial of that wonderful preservation , the like may be said for the english purim of november . it is well in besides the general tye of our thankfulness , a precise day ordained by authority can enough quicken our unthankful dulness to give god his own for so great a mercy : shall we say it is the work of the year , what needs a day ? as therefore no day should pass over our heads without a gratefull acknowledgement of the great mysterie of god incarnate : so withall the wisdom of the primitive church , no doubt but by the direction of the holy ghost hath pitched upon one special day wherein we should intirely devote our thoughts to the meditation of this work which the angels of heaven cannot enough admire . but we are told , that perhaps we misse of the day , since the season is litigious , uncertain , unknown , and in all likelyhood other then our december , and that it is purposely not revealed , that it may not be kept . as to the first , i deny not that the just day is not certainly known , the great saviour of the world , that would have his second coming without observation going before it , would have his first coming without observation following it : he meant to come down without noise , without a recorded notice , even in the second hundred so ancient we are sure this festivity is . there was question and different opinions of the season , the just knowledge and determination whereof , matters nothing at all to the duty of our celebration ; most sure we are that such a day there was , and no less sure that it was the happiest day that ever lookt forth into the world : it is all one to us , whether this day , or that , we content our selves with this , that it hath pleased the church for many hundred years to ordain this day for the commemoration of that transcendent blessing , what care we to stand upon these . hours that made up the artificial day wherein this wonderfull work was wrought , which we are sure cannot be much changed by so many intercalations , so long and constant a practise of the christian church upon so holy grounds , it is no less warrant to us , then if an angel from heaven should have revealed unto us the just hour of this blessed nativitie . as to the second , surely , whosoever shall tell you , that god did purposely hide this day from us that it might escape a celebration , as he concealed the burial of moses to avoid the danger of an idolatrous adoration , makes himself a presumptuous commentator upon the actions of the almighty ; when did god tell him so ? or what revelation can he pretend for so bold an assertion ? if this were the matter , why then did not the same god , with equal caution conceal the day of the passion , resurrection , & ascension of our blessed saviour , and of the descent of the holy ghost , the observation of all which days , is with no less vehemency , and upon the same danger cried down by these scrupulous persons ; either therefore let him say that god would have these other feast days observed because he would have them known to the world , or yield that he did not therefore conceal the day of the nativity of christ , because he would not have it observed . but you hear it said , there is popery and superstition in keeping that day . tell those that suggest so , that they cast a foul slander upon the saints of god in the primitive church , upon the holy and learned fathers , who preached , and wrote so , and kept the feast of christs nativity ; which sacred solemnity many hundred years before popery was hatched , and that they little know what wrong they do to religion and themselves , and what honour they put upon that superstition which they profess to detest , in ascribing that to popery which was the meer act of holy and devout christians . but to colour this plea , you are taught that the mysterie of iniquity began early to work , even in the very apostolick times ; and that antichrist did secretly put in his claw before his whole body appeared . surely there is a singular use wont to be made of this shift by those which would avoid the countenance of all primitive authority , to any displeasing ( however lawfull and laudible ) institutions and practises : so the anabaptists tels us , that the baptizing of infants is one of the timely workings of the mysterie of iniquity ; so the blasphemous nestorians of our time tell us that the mysterie of the blessed trinity of persons in the unity of one godhead , is but an ancient device of antichrist , working under hand before his formal exhibition . every sort is apt to make this challenge , and therefore it behooves us wisely to distinguish betwixt those things which men did as good christians , and those which they did as engaged to their own private , or to the more common interest of others : what advantage can we conceive it might be to antichrist , that christ should have a day celebrated to the memory of his blessed birth , and that devout christians should meet together in their holy assemblies , to praise god for the benefit of that happy incarnation : and what other effect could be expected from so religious a work , but glory to god and edification to men ? who can suppose that the enemy of christ should gain by the honour done to christ ? away therefore with this groundless imagination , and let us be so popish , so superstitious , as those holy fathers , and doctors of the primitive church , famous for learning and piety , who lived and died devout observers of this christian festival . but you are bidden to aske what warrant we find in the word of god ( which is to be the rule of all our actions ) for the solemn keeping of this day ? in answer you may tell that questionist , that to argue from the scripture negatively in things of this nature is somewhat untheological . aske you him again with better reason , what scripture he findes to forbid it , for if that be unlawfull to be done , which is not in gods word commanded ▪ then much rather that which is not there forbidden , cannot be unlawfull to be done : generall grounds of edification , decency , peaceable conformity to the injunctions of our spiritual governors , are in these cases more then enough to build our practice upon : if it be replyed that we are injoyned six dayes to labour , and forbidden to observe dayes and times as being part of the jewish pedoegogie ( two common pretences with which the eyes of the jgnorant are wont to be bleared ) know that for the first , it is not so much preceptive , as permissive , neither was it the intentions of the almighty to interpose the command of humane affaires in the first table of his royal law , wherein himselfe and his service is imediately concern'd , in such like expressions ; mayst , and shalt , are equivalent and promiscvovsly used , that instance is clear and pregnant , gen. . . the lord , ( saith the text ) commanded the man , saying , eating thou shalt eat of every tree in the garden , which our last version renders well to the sense : thou mayst freely eat of every tree of the garden . and if that charge in the th . commandment were absolute and peremptory , what humane authority could dispense with those large threds of time , which we usually cut out of the six days for sacred occasions , what warrant could we have to intermit our work for a daily lecture ; or a monethly fast , or for an aniversary fifth of november ; and if notwithstanding this command of god it be allowed to be in the power of man , whether soveraign ( as constantine appropriated it ) or spiritual , to ordain the setting of some set parcels of time to holy uses , why should it be stuck at in the appropriating and observing the pious and usefull celebration of this festival . as for that other suggestion of the apostles taxation of observing days and times ; any one that hath but half an eye may see that it hath respect to those judaical holy days , which were part of the ceremonial law , now long since out of date , as being of typical signification , and shadows of things to come , should we therefore go about to revive those jewish feasts , or did we erect any new day to an essential part of the worship of god ? or place holiness in it as such ? we should justly incur that blame which the apostles cast upon the galatians and colossians , false teachers ; but to wrest this forbiddance to a christian solemn purity , which is meerly commemoration of a blessing received , without any prefiguration of things to come , without any opinion of holiness anexed to the day , is no other then injurious violence . vpon all this which hath been said , and upon a serious weighing of what ever may be further alledged to the contrary , i dare confidently affirm that there is no just reason why good christians should not withall godly cheerfulness observe this , which that holy father stiled the metropolis of all feasts , to which i add that those , which by their example and doctrine sleight this day , causing their people to dishonour it with their worst cloaths , with shops open , with servile works , stand guilty before god of an high and sinfull contempt of that lawfull authority under which they live ; for as much by the statutes of our land made by the full concurrence of king and state : this is commanded to be kept holy by all english subjects , and this power is backed by the charge of god ; submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake . if now after all this i should let my pen loose to the suffragant testjmonies , whether of antiquity , or modern divines , and reformed churches , i should tire your patience , and instead of a letter send you a volume , let it suffice , that ever since the second ▪ years after christ , this feast hath without contradiction obtained due respect in the church of god , & received many noble elogies and passionate inforcements from the learned and holy fathers of the church , amongst the rest that of gregory nazianzen [ in his orations upon the day of the nativity of christ ] is so remarkable , that i may not omit it , as that which sets forth the excess of joyfull respect wherewith the ancient christians were wont to keep this day . let us saith he , celebrate this feast , not in a panegyrical , but divine , not in a worldly , but supersecular manner : not regarding so much our selvs , or others ; as the worship of christ , and how shall we effect this ? not with crowning our doors with garlands , nor leading of dances , nor adorning our streets , not by feeding our eyes , not by delighting our ears with pleasant songs , not by effeminating our smell with perfumes , not with humouring our taste with dainties , not with pleasing our touch , not with silken & costly cloaths , and not with the sparkling jewels , not with the luster of gold , not with the artifice of counterfeit colours ; let us leave these things to pagans ; for their pomp , &c. but we who adore the word of the father , if we think fit to affect delicacies , let us feed our selves with the dainties of the law of god , and with those divine discourses , especiall which are fitting for this present festival . so that learned and eloquent father to his auditors of constantinople , where to , let me ( if you please ) have leave to add one or two practical instances , one shall be of the good emperour theodosius , lying now for eight moneths under the severe censure of bishop ambrose when the feast of the nativity drew neer , what moan did that religious prince make to his courtiers , that he was by that resolute bishop shut out ( for his blood-guiltiness ) from partaking with the assembly in that holy service , and what importunate means did he make for his admission , hist. tri . partit . lib. . cap. . had that gracious emperour been of the diet of these our new divines he would have sleighted that repulse , and gladly taken this occasion of absense from that superstitious solemnity , or had one of these grave monitors been at his elbow , he might have saved that pious prince the expence of many sighs and tears , which now he bestowed upon his abstention from that dearly affected devotion . the other shal be a history of as much note , as horror , too clear a proofe of the ancient celebration of this feastival , it was under the tyrany of dioclesian , and his co-partner maximinus , nicephor . . . ca. . that . christians met to celebrate the feast of this nativity in the large church of nicomedia , which were made an holocaust , and burnt together with that goodly fabrick to ashes on that day ; lo so great a multitude as . christians of al ages , of both sexes , had not thus mett together in a time of so mortal danger , to celebrate this feast , if the holy zeal of their duty had not told them they ought to keep that day , which these novellers teach us to contemne . now let these bold men see , of how contrary a disposition they are to those , blessed martyrs , which as this day sent up their soules ( like manoahs angel ) to heaven in those flames . after thus much said , i should be glad to know ( since reason there can be none ) what authority induces these gain-saiers to oppose so antient & received a custome in the church of god ; you tell me of a double testimony cyted to this purpose , the one of socrates the historian , which i suppose is fetched out of the th . book of eclesiastical story chap. . where upon occasion of the feast of easter , he passeth his judgement upon the indeffrent nature of all those ancient feasts which were of use in the primitive times , shewing , that the apostles never meant to make any law for the keeping them , but left men to the free observation thereof . for answer whereunto , i do not tell you that this author is wont to be impeached of novatianism , and therefore may seem fit to yield patronage to such a clyent ; i rather say , that take him at the worst , he is no enemy to our opinion , or practice , we agree with him that the apostles would have men free from servitude of the jewish observation of days , that they enacted no law for set festivals , but left persons and places so to their liberty in these cases , that none should impose a necessity upon others ; this were to be pressed upon victor bishop of rome , who violently obtruded a day for the celebration of easter upon all churches ( supposing in the mean time an easter universally kept of all christians , though not on the same day . ) this makes nothing against us , who place no holiness in the very hours , nor plead any apostolicall injunction for days , nor tye any person , or church to our strict calender , but only hold it fit out of obedience to the laws both of our church and kingdom , to continue a joyfull celebration of a memorial day to the honour of our blessed saviour : but that other authority which you tell me was urged to this purpose , i confess doth not a little amaze me : it was , you say , of k. james our learned soveraign of late & blessed memory , whose testimony was brought in before the credulous people ( not without the just applause of a solomon-like-wisdom ) as crying down these festivals : and in a certain speech of his applauding the purity of the church of scotland above that of geneva , for that it observed not the common feasts of christs nativity & resurrection , &c. is it possible , that any mouth could name that wife and good king , in such a cause , whom all the world knows to have been as zealous a patron of these festivals , as any lived upon earth ; and if he had let fall any such speech before he had any down upon his chin , & whiles he was under the ferule , what candor is it to produce it now to the contradiction of his better experience , and riper judgement : nay , is it not famously known that it was one of the main errands of his journey into his native kingdom of scotland , to reduce that church into a conformity to the rest of the churches of christendom in the observation of these solemn dayes , and to this purpose was it not one of the main businesses which he set on work in the assembly at perth . [ one of the . articles of perth ] and wherein he imployed the service of his worthy chaplain , dr. young dean of winchester , to recall and re-establish these festivals . and accordingly in pursuance of his majesties earnest desires this way , was it not enacted in that assembly , that the said feasts should be duly kept ? doubtless it was , & that not without much wise care & holy caution , which act because it cannot be had every where , and is well worthy of your notice : and that which clears the point in hand , i have thought good here to insert : the tenor of it , therfore is this , as we abhor the superstitious observation of festivall days by the papist : and detest all licentious and prophane abuse thereof , by the common sort of professors , so we think that the inestimable benefits received from god by our lord iesus christs birth , passion , resurrection , ascension , and sending down of the holy ghost , was commendably and godly remembred at certain particular days , and times , by the whole churches of the world , and may be also now ; therefore the assembly ordains that every minister shall upon these days have the commemoration of the aforesaid inestimable benefits , and make choice of severall pertinent texts of scripture , and frame their doctrine and exhortations thereto , and rebuke all superstitious observation , & licentious prophanation thereof . i could , if it were needfull , give you other proofs of k. iames his zeal for these days : but what should i spend time in proving there is a sun in the heaven , & light in the sun , the name of that great king suffereth for his exces this way . seeing then the church of god , his anointed law , antiquity , and reason , are for us in this point ( and i doubt not but we wil gladly be on their side ) away with all innovations and frivolous quarrels , we were divided enough before , and little needed any new rents ; the god of peace quiet all these distempers , and unite our hearts one to another , and all to himself ; farewell in the lord . finis . epistles the first volume: containing ii. decads. by ioseph hall epistles. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion epistles the first volvme : containing ii. decads . * ⁎ * by ioseph hall . at london printed by h. l. for samuel macham & e. edgar : & are to be sold in pauls church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to the high and mightie prince , henrie , prince of great britaine , sonne and heyre apparant to our soueraigne lord , iames , king of great brit. &c. all glorie in either world . most gracious prince : it is not from any conceit of such worth in my labors , that they durst looke so hye . a lower patronage would haue serued an hyer work . it were well , if ought of mine could bee worthie of popular eyes . or if i could wring ought from my selfe , not vnworthie of a iudicious reader ; i knowe your highnesse wants neither presents , nor counsells : presents from strangers , counsells from your teachers ; neither of them matcheable by my weakenesse : only duty herein excuses mee from presumptiō . for , i thought it iniustice to deuote the fruite of my labour , to any other hand beside my maisters : which also i knewe to bee as gratious , as mine is faithfull . yet ( since euen good affections cannot warrant too much vilenesse in gifts to princes ) lest while my modesty disparages my worke , i should hazard the acceptation ; heere shall your grace finde varietie , not without profite . i hate a diuine , that would but please ; and , withall , thinke it impossible for a man to profit , that pleaseth not . and if , while my stile fixeth it selfe vpon others , any spirituall profite shall reflect vpon your h. how happie am i ! who shall euer thinke , i haue liued to purpose , if ( by the best of my studies ) i shall have done any good office to your soule . further ( which these times account not the least prayse ) your grace shal herein perceiue a new fashion of discourse , by epistles ; new to our language , vsual to others : and ( as noueltie is neuer without some plea of vse ) more free , more familiar . thus , we do but talke with our friends by our pen , and expresse our selues no whit lesse easily ; some-what more digestedly . whatsoeuer it is , as it cannot be good enough to deserue that countenance ; so , the countenance of such patronage shall make it worthie of respect from others . the god of princes protect your person , perfect your graces , and giue you as much fauour in heauen , as you haue honour on earth . your graces humbly-deuoted seruant , ios . hall . ep. . to iacob wadsworth , lately reuolted , in spayne . ep. . expostulating for his departure , and perswading his returne . how vnhappily is my stile changed ! alas , that to a friend , to a brother , i must write as to an apostate , to an aduersary ! dooth this seem harsh ? you haue turned it , by beeing turned your selfe . once , the same walls held vs in one louing society ; the same diocess , in one honourable function ; now , not one land , and ( which i lament ) not one church : you are gone , we stand and woder . for a sheep , to stray through simplicitie , is both ordinarie and lamentable : but , for a shepheard is more rare , more scandalous . i dare not presume ouer-much , vppon an appeale to a blinded conscience . those , that are newly come from a bright candle into a dark roome , are so much more blinde , as their light was greater ; and the purest yuorie turneth with fire into the deepest black . tell vs yet by your old ingenuitie , and by those sparks of good which yet ( i hope ) ly couered vnder your cold ashes , tell vs , what diuided you ? your motiues shall once bee scanned before an higher barre . shame not to haue the weake eyes of the world see that , which once your vndeceiueable iudge shall see , and censure . what sawe you , what heard you a-new , that might offer violence to a resolued minde , & make it either to alter , or suspend ? if your reasons be inuincible ; informe vs , that we may follow you : but if ( as they are ) slight and feeble ; returne you to vs : returne , and thinke it no shame to haue erred , iust shame to continue erring . what such goodly beautie sawe you in that painted , but ill-fauored strūpet , that should thus bewitch you , so to forget your selfe , and contemne the chaste loue of the spouse of your sauiour ? i sawe her , at the same time in her gayest dresse : let my soule neuer prosper , if i could see any thing worthie to commaunde affection . i saw , and scorned : you saw , and adored . would god your adoration were as farre from superstition , as my scorne from impietie . that god iudge betwixt vs , whether heerin erred : yea , let men iudge , that are not drunke with those babylonish dreggs . how long might an indifferent eie looke vpon the comicall and mimick actions in those your mysteries , that should be sacred , your magicall exorcismes , your clericall shauings , your vncleanly vnctions , your crossings , creepings , censings , sprinklings , your cozening miracles , garish processions , burning of noone-daie , christning of bells , marting of pardons , tossing of beades , your superstitious hallowing of candles , waxe , ashes , palmes , chrisme , garments , roses , swords , water , salt , the pontificall solemnities of your great-master , and what-euer your new mother hath ( besides ) plausible , before he should see ought , in all these , worthy of anie other intertainment , then contempt ! who can but disdaine , that these things should procure anie wise proselyte ? cannot your owne memorie recount those trulie religious spirits , which having sought rome as resolued papistes , haue left the world as holie martyrs ; dying for the detestation of that vvhich they came to adore ? whence this ? they heard and magnified that , which they novv savve , and abhorred . their fire of zeale brought them to the flames of martyrdome . their innocent hopes promised them religion : they founde nothing but a pretence ; promised deuotion , and beholde idolatrie : they saw , hated , suffered , and now raigne ; vvhiles you wilfully , and vnbidden , will lose your soule , where others meant to lose , and haue found it . your zeale dyes , where theirs began to liue : you like to liue , where they would but die . they shall comfort vs , for you : they shall once stand vppe against you : while they would rather dye in the heat of that fire , then liue in the darkenesse of their errors ; you rather dye in the egyptian darknesse of errours , then liue in the plesant light of truth : yea , i feare , rather in another fire , then this light . alas ! what shall wee looke-for of you ? too late repentance , or obstinate errour ? both miserable . a spira , or a staphylus ? your friends , your selfe , shall wish you rather vnborne , then either . o thou , which art the great shepheard , great in power , great in mercie , which leauest the ninetie & nine to reduce one , fetch home ( if thy will bee ) this thy forlorne charge : fetch him home , driue him home to thy fold , though by shame , though by death . let him once recouer thy church , thou him , it is enough . our common mother i knowe not whether more pitties your losse , or disdeignes thus to bee robb'd of a sonne : not for the neede of you ; but her owne pietie , her owne loue . for , howe many troupes of better informed soules hath shee euerie day returning into her lap ; now breathing from their late antichristianisme , and embracing her knees vppon their owne ? shee laments you , not for that shee feares shee shall misse you ; but , for that shee knovves you shall want her . see you her teares , and doo but pittie your selfe as much as shee you . and , from your mother , to descende to your nurse ; is this the fruit of such education ? was not your youth spent in a societie of such comely order , strict gouernment , wise lawes , religious care ( it vvas ours , yet let mee praise it to your shame ) as maie iustlie challenge ( after all bragges ) either rhemes , or dovvay , or if your iesuites haue anie other denne more cleanlie , and more worthie of ostentation ? and coulde you come out , fresh and vnseasoned , from the middest of those salt waues ? could all those heauenlie showers fall beside you ; vvhile you , like a gedeons fleece , want moisture ? shall none of those diuine principles , which your youth seem'd to drinke in , check you in your new errours ? alas ! how vnlike are you to your selfe , to your name ? jacob wrestled with an angell , and preuailed : you grapple but with a iesuite , and yield . jacob supplanted his brother : an esau hath supplanted you . jacob changed his name for a better , by his valiant resistance : you , by your cowardlie yielding , haue lost your owne . jacob stroue with god , for a blessing : i feare to saie it , you against him for a curse ; for , no common measure of hatred , nor ordinarie opposition can serue a reuolter : either you must be desperatelie violent , or suspected . the mightie one of israel ( for hee can doo it ) raise you fallen , return you wandred ; and giue you grace at last to shame the diuel , to forsake your stepmother , to acknowledge your true parent , to satisfie the world , to saue your owne soulē . if otherwise ; i will say of you , as ieremie of his israelites ( if not rather with more indignation ) my soule shall weepe in secret for your reuolt , and mine eyes shall drop down teares , because one of the lords flocke is carried away captiue . to my lord and patron , the lord denny , baron of waltham . ep. . of the contempt of the world . my lord , my tongue , my penne , and my heart , are all your seruants ; when you cannot heare mee , through distance , you must see me in my letters . you are now in the senate of the kingdom , or in the concourse of the city , or perhaps ( tho more rarely ) in the royal face of the court. all of them , places fit for your place . from all these , let mee call off your minde to her home aboue ; and , in the midst of businesse , showe you rest : if i may not rather commend , then admonish , and before-hand confesse my counsell superfluous , because your holy forwardnesse hath preuented it . you can afford these , but halfe of your selfe : the better part is better bestowed ; your soule is still retired , and reserued . you haue learned to vouchsafe these worldly things , vse , without affection ; and knowe to distinguish wisely , betwixt a stoicall dulnesse , and a christian contempt : & haue long made the world , not your god , but your slaue . and , in truth ( that i may loose my selfe into a bold and free discourse ) what other respect is it worthy of ? i would adore it on my face , if i could see any maiestie , that might commaund veneration . perhaps , it loues me not so much , as to showe me his best . i haue sought it enough : and haue seene what others haue doted on ; and wondred at their madnesse . so may i look to see better things aboue , as i neuer could see ought heere , but vanitie & vilenesse . what is fame , but smoke ? and metall , but drosse ? and pleasure , but a pill in suger ? let som gallants condemne this , as the voice of a melancholike scholler : i speake that which they shall feele , and shall confesse . tho i neuer was so , i haue seen som as happy , as the worlde could make them : and yet i neuer saw any more discontented . their life hath beene neither longer , nor sweeter , nor their heart lighter , nor their meales hartier , nor their nights quieter , nor their cares fewer , nor their complaints . yea , wee haue knowen some , that haue lost their mirth when they haue found wealth ; and at once haue ceased to be merrie and poore . all these earthly delights , if they were sound , yet how short they are ! and if they could be long , yet how vnsound ! if they were sound , the● are but as a good day betweene two agues , or a sunne-shine betwixt two tempests . and if they were long , their hony is exceeded by their gall . this ground beares none but maples , hollow , and fruitlesse ; or , like the bankes of the dead sea , a faire apple , which vnder a red side containes nothing but dust . euery flower in this garden either prickes , or smells ill . if it be sweet , it hath thornes : and if it haue no thorns , it annoies vs with an ill sent . go then , ye wise idolatrous parasites , & erect shrines , and offer sacrifices to your god , the world ; and seeke to please him with your base and seruile deuotions : it shall be long enough ere such religion shall make you happy . you shall at last forsake those altars , empty and sorrowfull . how easie is it for vs christians , thus to insult ouer the worldling , that thinkes himselfe worthy of enuie ? how easie to turne off the world with a scornefull repulse ; and when it makes vs the diuels proffer , all these will i giue thee , to returne peters answer , thy siluer & thy gold perish with thee ? how easie to accoūt none so miserable , as those that are rich with iniurie , and growe great by being conscious of secret euils ? wealth and honor , whē it coms vpon the best terms , is but vain ; but , when vpō ill conditions , burdensom . when they are at the best , they are scarce friends ; but , when at the worst , tormentors . alas ! how ill agrees a gay coate , and a festered heart ? what auailes an high title , with an hell in the soule ? i admire the faith of moses : but , presupposing his faith , i wonder not at his choice . he preferred the afflictions of israel , to the pleasures of egypt ; and chose rather to eate the lambe , with sowre herbs , then all their flesh-pots : for , how much better is it to be miserable then guilty ? and what comparison is ther betwixt sorrow and sinne ? if it were possible , let mee bee rather in hell without sinne , then on earth wickedly glorious . but , how much are wee bound to god , that allowes vs earthlie fauours , without this opposition ! that god hath made you at once honourable and iust , and your life pleasant and holy , and hath giuen you an high state with a good heart ; are fauours , that looke for thanks . these must bee acknowledged , not rested in : they are yet higher thoughts that must perfect your contentment . what god hath giuen you , is nothing to that he meanes to giue : he hath beene liberall ; but , hee will be munificent . this is not so much as the taste of a full cup. fasten your eyes vpon your future glory , and see how meanly you shall esteeme these earthly graces . here , you command but a little pittance of mould ( great indeede , to vs ; little , to the whole ) : there , whole heauen shall bee yours . heere you commaund , but as a subiect : there you shall raigne as a king. heere , you are obserued ; but sometimes with your iust distaste : there , you shall raigne with peace , and ioy . heere , you are noble among men ; there , glorious amongst angels . here , you want not honour ; but you want not crosses : there , is nothing but felicity . here , you haue some short ioyes : there , is nothing but eternity . you are a stranger , heere ; there , at home . here , satan tempts you , and men vexe you : there , saints and angels shall applaud you ; and god shall fill you with himselfe . in a word , you are onely blessed here , for that you shall be . these are thoughts worthy of greatnesse : which , if we suffer either imployments , or pleasures to thrust out of our doores , wee doe wilfully make our selues comfortlesse . let these still season your mirth , & sweeten your sorrowes , & euer interpose thēselues betwixt you & the world . these , only , can make your life happy , and your death welcome . to my lord hay , h. and p. ep. . of true honour . my lord , it is safe to complaine of nature where grace is ; and to magnifie grace , where it is at once had , and affected . it is a fault of nature , and not the least , that as she hath dim eies , so they are mis-placed . shee lookes still , either forward , or downward ; forward to the obiect she desires , or downward to the meanes : neuer turnes her eyes either backward , to see what she was ; or vpward , to the cause of her good : whence , it is iust with god to with-hold what hee would giue , or to curse that which he bestowes ; and to besot carnall minds with outward things , in their value , in their desire , in their vse : whereas true wisedome hath cleare eyes , and right set ; and therefore sees an inuisible hand in all sensible euents , effecting all things , directing all things to their due end ; sees on whom to depend , whom to thanke . earth is too lowe , and too base , to giue bounds vnto a spirituall sight . no man then can truely knowe what belongs to wealth , or honour , but the gracious ; either how to compasse them , or how to prize them , or how to vse them . i care not how manie thousand wayes there are to seeming honour , besides this of vertue : they all ( if more ) still leade to shame : or what plots are deuised to improue it ; if they were as deepe as hell , yet their end is losse . as there is no counsell against god : so there is no honour without him . hee enclines the hearts of princes to fauour ; the hearts of inferiours to applause . without him , the hand cannot moue , to successe ; nor the tongue , to praise : and what is honour without these ? in vaine doth the world frowne vpon the man , whom hee meanes to honour ; or smile , where hee would disgrace . let mee then tell your l. who are fauorites in the court of heauen ; euen whiles they wander on earth : yea , let the great king himselfe tell you , those that honour mee , i will honour . that men haue the grace to giue honour to god , is an high fauour : but , because men giue honour to god ( as their duty ) that therfore god should giue honour to men , is to giue , because hee hath giuen . it is a fauour of god , that man is honoured of man like himselfe : but , that god alloweth of our endeuours as honour to himselfe , is a greater fauour then that vvherewith hee requires it . this is the goodnesse of our god : the man that serues him , honours him : and whosoeuer honours him with his seruice , is crowned with honour . i challenge all times , places , persons : who euer honour'd god , and was neglected ? vvho wilfully dishonoured him , and prospered ? turne-ouer all records ; and see howe successe euer blessed the iust , after manie daungers , after manie stormes of resistance , and left their conclusion glorious ; how all godlesse plots , in their loose , haue at once deceiued , shamed , punished their author . i goe no further : your owne brest knowes , that your happie experience can heerein iustifie god. the world hath noted you , for a follower of vertue ; and hath seene howe fast honour followed you : vvhiles you sought fauour with the god of heauen , hee hath giuen you fauour with his deputie on earth . gods former actions are patternes of his future : hee teaches you what hee will doe , by what hee hath done . vnlesse your hand be wearie of offering seruice , hee cannot either pull-in his hand from rewarding , or hold it out empty . honour him still , and god pawnes his honour , on not failing you . you cannot distrust him , whom your proofe hath found faithfull . and , whiles you settle your heart in this right course of true glorie ; laugh , in secret scorne , at the idle endeuours of those men , whose policies would out-reach god , and seize vpon honour , without his leaue . ( god laughes at them in heauen . it is a safe and holie laughter , that followes his . ) and pittie the preposterous courses of them , which make religion but a foote-stoole to the seat of aduancement ; which care for all things but heauen , which make the worlde their standing marke ; and doe not so much as roue at god. manie had sped well , if they had begun well , and proceeded orderlie . a false method is the bane of manie hopefull endeuours . god bids vs seek first his kingdome ; and earthly things shall find vs , vnsought . foolish nature first seekes the world : and if she light on god by the waie , it is more then she expects , desires , cares for ; and therfore failes of both , because she seekes neither aright . manie had been great , if they had cared to bee good ; which now are crossed in what they woulde , because they willed not what they ought . if salomon had made wealth his first suite , i doubt he had been both poore and foolish ; now , he asked wisdome , and gained greatnesse ; because he chose well , he receiued what he asked not . o the bountie and fidelitie of our god! because we would haue the best he giues vs all : earth shall wait vpon vs , because wee attende vppon heauen . go-on then , my lord , go-on happily to loue religion , to practice it : let god alone , with the rest . be you a pattern of vertue ; hee shall make you a precedent of glory . neuer man lost ought , by giuing it to god : that liberall hand returnes our gifts , with aduantage . let men , let god see that you honour him ; and they shall heare him proclaime before you , thus shalt it bee done to the man whom the king will honor . to mr nevvton , tutor to the prince . ep. . of gratulation , for the hopes of our prince ; with an aduising apprecation . sir , god hath called you to a great and happy charge ; you haue the custody of our cōmon treasure : neither is there any seurice comparable to this of yours ; whether wee regard god , or the world . our labours , oft-times bestowed vpon many , scarce profit one : yours , bestowed vpō one , redounds to the profit of manie millions : this is a summarie waie of obliging al the world to you . i incourage you not in your care : you haue more comfort in the successe of it , then all worlds can giue you . the verie subiect of your paines would giue an hart to him that hath none . i rather congratulate , with you , our common happinesse , and the hopes of posteritie , in that roiall and blessed issue . you haue best cause to be the best witness of the rare forwardnesse of our gratious maister : and i haue seen enough , to make me think i can neuer be enough thankfull to god for him . that princes are fruitfull , is a great blessing : but , their children are fruitful in grace , & more eminēt in place then vertue , is the greatest fauour god can doo to a state. the goodness of a priuate man is his owne ; of a prince , the whole worlds . their wordes are maximes , their actions examples , their examples , rules . when i compare them with their royall father ( as i doo ofte and chearfully ) i cannot say whether he bee more happie in himselfe , or in them . i see both in him , and them ; i see & wonder , that god distributes to naturall princes giftes proportionable to their greatness . that vvise moderator of the world knows what vse is of their parts : he knowes that the head must haue all the senses that pertaine to the whole bodie : and how necessarie it is , that inferiours should admire them no lesse for the excellencie of their graces , then for the swaie of their authoritie . whereupon , it is , that hee giues heroicall qualities to princes : and , as he hath bestowed vpon them his own name ; so also he giues them speciall stamps of his own glorious image . amōgst all other vertues , what a comfort is it to see those yeares , and those spirits stoope so willingly to deuotion ? religion is growen too seuere a mistresse for yong and high courages to attend . verie rare is that nobility of blood , that doth not chalenge libertie ; and that libertie , that endes not in loosenesse . lo , this example teaches our gallants , how wel euen maiestie can stand with homage ; maiestie to men , with homage to god. farre be it from mee , to do that which my next clause shal condemn : but , i thinke it safe to say , that seldome euer those yeares haue promised , seldom haue performed so much . only god keep two mischiefes euer from within the smoke of his court ; flatterie and trecherie : the iniquity of times may make vs feare these ; not his inclination . for , whether as english , or as men , it hath been euer familiar to vs to faune vpon princes : tho , what do i bestow two names vppon one vice , but attyred in two sundry sutes of euill : for , flatterie is no other than gilded treason ; nothing else but poyson in golde : this euill is more tame ; not lesse daungerous . it had beene better for many great ones not to haue beene , then to haue beene in their conceites more then men . this , flatterie hath done : and what can it not ? that other , trecherie , spills the blood ; this , the vertues of princes . that takes them from others : this bereaues them of themselues . that , in spight of the actours , doth but change their crowne : this steales it from them for euer . vvho can but wonder , that reades of som not vnwise princes , so bewitched with the inchantments of their parasites , that they haue thought themselues gods immortall , and haue suffred thēselues so stiled , so adored ? neither temples , nor statues , nor sacrifices haue seemed too much glory to the greatness of their selfe-loue ; now none of all their actions could be either euil , or vnbeseeming ; nothing could proceede from them worthy of censure , vnworthy of admiration : their very spots haue beene beautie , their humors iustice , their errors wittie , their paradoxes diuine , their excesses heroicall . o the damnable seruilitie of false minds ! which perswade others of that which themselues laugh to see beleeued . o the dangerous credulitie of selfe-loue which intertaines all aduantages if neuer so euill , neuer so impossible . how happy a seruice shal you do to this whole world of ours , if you shal stil setle in that princely minde a true apprehensiō of himselfe ; and shal teach him to take his owne height aright ; and euen from his childhood to hate a parasite , as the worst traytor : to breake those false glasses , that would present him a face not his owne : to applaud plaine truth , and bend his browes vpon excessiue prayses . thus affected , hee may bid vice do her worst . thus shal he striue with vertue , whether shal more honour each other . thus sincere and solid glory shal euery where follow , and crowne him . thus , when he hath but his due , hee shal haue so much , that he shal scorne to borrow the false colors of adulation . go-on happily in this worthy and noble imployment . the worke cannot but succeed , that is furthered with so many prayers . to sr. thomas challoner , ep. . a report of some obseruations in my trauell . sir , besides my hopes , not my desires , i traueled of late ; for knowledge partly , & partly for health . there was nothing that made not my iourny pleasāt , saue the labour of the way : which yet was so sweetly deceiued , by the society of sr edmund bacon ( a gentlemā truly honorable , beyond al titles ) that i found smal cause to cōplain . the sea brookt not me , nor i it ; an vnquiet element , made only for wonder and vse , not for pleasure . alighted once from that wodden conueyance , and vneuen way , i bethought my selfe how fondly our life is committed to an vnsteadie and reeling peece of wood , fickle windes , restlesse waters ; while wee may set foot , on stedfast and constant earth . lo , then euery thing taught me , euery thing delighted me ; so ready are we to be affected with those forraine pleasures , which at home we should ouer-look . i saw much , as one might in such a span of earth , in so fewe months . the time fauored me : for , now newly had the key of peace opened those parts which war had before closed ; closed ( i say ) to all english , saue either fugitiues or captiues . all ciuill occurrences ( as what faire cities , what strange fashions , entertainement , dangers , delights we found ) are fit for other ears , and winter euenings . what i noted , as a diuine within the sphere of my profession , my paper shal not spare in som part to report ; and that to your self , which haue passed a longer way , with more happie fruit of obseruatiō . euē little streams emptie themselues into great riuers ; and they againe into the sea. neither do i desire to tell you what you know not : it shall be sufficient that i relate ought , which others shall think memorable . along our way , how many churches saw we demolished ! nothing left , but rude heapes , to tell the passenger , there had beene both deuotion and hostilitie . o the miserable foot-steps of war , besides bloodshed , ruine and desolation ! furie hath don that there , which couetousnesse would do with vs ; would do , but shall not : the truth within , shal saue the walles without . and , to speak truely ( whateuer the vulgar exclaime ) idolatrie pull'd downe those walles ; not rage . if ther had beene no hollander to raze them , they should haue fallen alone , rather thē hide so much impiety vnder their guiltie roofe . these are spectacles not so much of crueltie , as iustice ; crueltie of man , iustice of god. but ( which i wōdred at ) churches fall , and iesuites colledges rife , euery where : there is no city , where those are not either rearing , or built . whence commeth this ? is it , for that deuotion is not so necessarie as policy ? those men ( as we say of the fox ) fare best , when they are most cursed . none so much spighted of their owne ; none so hated of all ; none so opposed by ours : and yet these ill weedes growe . whosoeuer liues long , shall see them feared of their owne , which now hate them ; shall see these seuen leane kine deuoure all the satte beastes that feede on the medowes of tyber . i prophecie , as pharaoh dreamed : the euent shal iustifie my confidence . at bruxelles , i saw some english-women professe themselues vestalls ; with a thousād rites , i know not whether more ridiculous , or magicall . poore soules ! they could not be fooles enough at home . it would haue made you to pitty , laugh , disdaine ( i know not which more ) to see by what cunning sleightes and faire pretences that weake sexe was fetcht into a willfull bondage ; and ( if those two canne agree ) willingly constrained to serue a maister whome they must and cannot obey : whom they neither may forsake for their vow , nor can please for their frailty . what followes hence ? late sorrow , secret mischiefe , misery irremediable . their forwardnesse , for will-worship , shall condemne our coldnesse for truth . i talked there ( in more boldnesse , perhaps , then wisdom ) with costerus a famous iesuite ; an old man , more teasty then subtle , and more able to wrāgle then satisfie . our discourse was long & rouing ; & on his part ful both of words & vehemency . he spake as at home ; i as a stranger : yet so , as he saw me modestly peremptory . the particulars would swell my letter too much : it is enough , that the truth lost lesse then i gayned . at gaunt ( a citie that commaunds reuerence for age , and wonder for the greatnesse ) wee fell vpon a cappucine nouice , which wept bitterly , because he was not allowed to be miserable . his head had now felt the razor , his backe the rod : all that laconicall discipline pleased him well ; which another , being condemned to , would iustly account a torment . what hindred then ? piety , to his mother , would not permit this which he thought piety to god : he could not be a willing begger , vnlesse his mother must begge vnwillingly . he was the onely heire of his father , the onely stay of his mother : the comfort of her widow-hoode depended on this her orphane ; who now naked must enter into the worlde of the capucines , as hee came first into this ; leauing his goods to the diuision of the fraternity : the least part whereof should haue beene hers , whose hee wished all : hence those teares , that repulse . i pitied his ill-bestowed zeale ; and rather wished , then durst teach him more wisedome . these men for deuoute , the jesuites for learned and pragmaticall , haue ingrossed all opinion , from other orders . o hypocrisie ! no capucine may take or touch siluer : for , these are ( you knowe ) the quintessence of franciscan spirits . this metall is as very an anathema to these , as the wedge of gold to achan ; at the offer whereof he starts back , as moses from the serpent : yet he caries a boy with him , that takes and caties it ; and neuer complaines of either metall or measure . i sawe , and laughed at it ; and , by this open trick of hypocrisie , suspected more , more close . how could i choose ? while commonly the least appeares of that which is ; especially of that which is loathsom in appearance , much more in nature . at namurs , on a pleasant and steep hill-top , we found one that was tearmed a maried hermite ; approuing his wisdome aboue his fellowes , that could make choice of so cheerfull and sociable a solitarinesse . whence , after a delightful passage vp the sweet riuer mosa , wee visited the populous and rich clergy of leodium . that great citie might well bee dichotomized into cloisters , & hospitalls . if i might aduenture , i could here play the critick , after all the ruins of my neglected philology . olde monumnts , and after them our lipsius , call this people eburones : i doubt whether it should not rather bee written ebriones ; yet without search of any other records , saue my owne eyes : while yet i vvould those streetes vvere more moist with wine , then with bloud ; wherein no day , no night is not dismall to some . no law , no magistrate layeshold on the knowen murderer , if himselfe lift : for three dayes after his fact ; the gates are open , and iustice shut : priuate violence may pursue him , publique iustice can not : whence , some of more hote temper carue themselues of reuenge ; others take-vp with a smal pecuniarie satisfaction . o england , thought i , happie for iustice , happy for securitie ! there you shall finde in euery corner a maumet ; at euery door a begget , in euery dish a priest . from thence we passed to the spa , a village famous for her medicinall and minerall waters , compounded of yron & copperice ; the vertue whereof yet the simple inhabitant ascribes to their beneficiall saint , whose heauie foote hath made an ill-shaped impression , in a stone of his * sauenir ; a water more wholsome then pleasant , & yet more famous then wholsome . the wilde deserts ( on which it borders ) are haunted with three kindes of ill cattell ; free-booters , wolues , witches ; although these two last are oft-times one . for , that sauage ardenna , is reputed to yield many of those monsters , whom the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; they , lougarous ; we ( if you wil ) witch-wolues : witches that haue put on the shape of those cruell beasts . wee sawe a boy there , whose halfe-face was deuoured by one of them neere the village : yet so , as that the eare was rather out then bitten off . nor many dayes before our comming , at limburgh was executed one of those miscreants , who confessed on the wheele to haue deuoured two and fourtie children in that forme . it would aske a large volume , to scan this probleme of lycanthropy . the reasons , wherewith their relation furnisht mee on both parts , would make an epistle tedious . this in short i resolued ; a substantiall change is aboue the reach of all infernall powers , proper to the same hand that created the substance of both : herein the diuell playes the double sophister ; yea , the sorcerer with sorcerers . hee both deludes the witches conceite , and the beholders eyes . one thing i may not omit , without sinfull ouer-sight ; a short , but memorable storie , which the grephier of that towne ( though of different religion ) reported to more eares then ours . vvhen the last inquisition tyrannized in those parts , and helpt to spende the faggots of ardenna ; one of the rest , a confident confessour , beeing led farre to his stake , sung psalmes along the way , in an heauenlie courage , and victorious triumph : the cruell officer enuying his last mirth , and grieuing to see him merrier then his tormentours , commaunded him silence ; hee singes still , as desirous to improoue his last breath to the best . the view of his approaching glorie , bred his ioy ; his ioy breakes forth into a cheerefull confession : the enraged sheriffe causes his tongue , drawen foorth to the length , to be cut off neere the rootes . bloudie wretch ! it had beene good musicke to haue heard his shreekes : but , to heare his musick was torment . the poor martyr dies in silence , rests in peace . not many moneths after , our butcherly officer hath a sonne born with his tongue hanging down vpon his chinne , like a deare after long chace ; which neuer could bee gathered vp within the bounds of his lippes . o the diuine hand , full of iustice , full of reuenge ! goe now , lipsius , and write the new miracles of thy goddesse ; and confirme superstition by strange euents . iudge you that haue seene , if euer the chappell of halle or zichem haue yielded ought more notable . we met euery where pilgrimes to those his ladies : two ladies shall i call them , or one lady in two shrines ? if two , why do they worshippe but one ? if but one , why doth shee that cure at zichem , which at halle she could not ? o what pitty it is , that so a high a wit should in the last be subiect to dotage ! all the masculine broode of that braine wee cherished , and ( if neede were ) admired : but , these his silly virgins , the feeble issue of distempered age , who can abide ? one of his darlings , at louan , tolde mee from his owne mouth ; that the elder of these two daughters , was by him in ten dayes got , conceiued , borne , christened . i beleeued , and wondred not . these acts of superstition haue an inuisible father , and mid-wife : besides that it is not for an elephant to goe three yeares with a mouse . it was tolde mee in the shop of his moretus , not without some indignation , that our king , when hee had well viewed the booke , and read some passages , threw it to the ground with this censure ; damnation to him that made it , and to him that beleeues it . whether a true story , or one of their legends , i inquire not : i am sure , that sentence did nor so much discontent them , as it ioyed mee . let mee tell you yet , ere i take off my pen , two wonders more , which i saw in that wonder of cities , antwerp ; one , a solemne masse in a shambles , & that on gods day : while the house was ful of meat , of butchers , of buyers ; some kneeling , others bagaining , most talking , all busie . it was strange to see one house sacred to god , and the belly ; and how those two seruices agreed : the priest did eate flesh , the butchers sold flesh in one roofe , at one instant . the butcher killed , and sold it by peeces ; the priest did sacrifice , and orally deuour it whole : whether was the more butcher ? the like wee might haue seen at malines . the other , an english-man , so madly deuout , that hee had willfully mur'd vp himselfe as an anachoret ; the worst of all prisoners : there sate hee pent-vp , for his further merite , halfe hunger-starued for the charitie of the citizens . it was worth seeing , how manly hee could bite-in his secret want , and dissemble his ouer-late repentance . i cannot commend his mortification , if hee wish to be in heauen , yea , in purgatorie , to be deliuered from thence : i durst not pittie him ; because his durāce was willing , & ( as he hoped ) meritorious : but , such incouragement as hee had from mee , such thanke shall hee haue from god ; who in steade of an euge , which hee lookes for , shall angerly challenge him , with who required this ? i leaue him now , in his owne fetters ; you , to your worthie , and honourable imployments . pardon me this length . loquacity is the naturall fault of trauailers : while i profit any , i may well bee forgiuen . to sr david mvrray , ep. . concerning the miracles of our time . indeede the worlde abounds with miracles . these , while they fill the mouthes of many , sway the faith of some , and make all men wonder . our nature is greedy of newes ; which it will rather faine , then want . certainly , ere long , miracles will bee no wonders , for their frequence . i had thought , our age had had too many graye hayres , and with time experience , and with experience craft , to haue descryed a iuggler : but , now i see , by the simplicitie , it declines to his second childhood . the two lipsian ladies , the charmes of bluntstones boye , and garnets strawe , what a noyse haue they made ! i only wonder how faux and catesby escaped the honor of saints , and priuiledge of miracles . heerein you aske my sentence ; more seasonably , then you hoped . for , i meant to haue wrote a iust volume of this subiect , and furnisht my selfe accordingly in that region of wonders ; but that i feared to surcharge the nice stomach of our time , with too much . neither would my length haue ought auailed you ; whose thoughts are so taken vp with those hie and seruiceable cares , that they can giue no leasure to an ouer long discourse . may it please you therefore to receiue , in short , what i haue deliberately resolued in my selfe , and think i can make good to others . i haue noted foure ranks of commonly named miracles : from which , if you make a iust subduction , how fewe of our wōders shal remaine either to beleefe or admiration ? the first meerely reported , not seene to be done ; the next seeming to be don , but counterfaited ; the third , truely done , but not true miracles ; the last , truely miraculous , but by satan . the first of these are bred of lyes , and nourished by credulitie : the mouth of fame is full of such blasts . for these , if i listed awhile to rake in the legends , and booke of conformities , an ingenuous papist could not but blush , an indifferent reader could not but lay his hand on his spleene , and wonder as much that anie man could bee so impudent to broach such reports , or any so simple to beleeue them ; as the credulous multitude wonders that any should be so powerfull to effect them . but , i seeke neither their shame , nor others laughter . i dare say , not the talmud , not the alcoran , hath more impossible tales , more ridiculous lyes . yea , to this head , canus himselfe ( a famous papist ) dare referre many of those antient miracles reported , and ( by all likelihood ) beleeued of bede , and gregory . the next are bred of fraud , & cozenage , nourished by superstition . who knowes not , how the famous kentish i do i moued her eies , and hands , by those secret gimmers , which now euery puppet-play can imitate ? how saint wilfreds needle opened to the penitent , and closed it selfe to the guiltie ? how our lady sheds the teares of a bleeding vine ? and doth many of her daily feates , as bel did of olde eate vp his banket , or as picens the eremite fasted fourty dayes . but , these two euery honest papist wil confesse , with voluntarie shame and griefe ; and grant that it may grow a disputable question whether mountebāks or priests are the greatest cozeners . viues , beyond his wont vehemently , tearmes them execrable and satanicall impostors . the third are true workes of god , vnder a false title : god giues them their being , men their name : vniust , because aboue their nature ; wherein , the philosopher and the superstitiously-ignorant , are contrarily extreame : while the one seekes out naturall causes of gods immediate and metaphysicall works ; the other ascribes ordinary effectes , to supernaturall causes . if the violence of a disease cease , after a vow made to our ladie ; if a souldier , armed with this vow , escape gunshot ; a captiue , prison ; a woman traueling , death ; the vulgar ( and i would they alone ) cry out , a miracle . one loadstone hath more wonder in it , then a thousand such euentes . euerie thing drawes a base minde to admiration . francesco del campo ( one of the arch-dukes quiryes ) told vs , not without importunate deuotion , that in that fatall fielde of newport , his vow to their virgin helpt him to swimme ouer a large water , when the oares of his armes had neuer before tryed any waues . a dogge hath done more , without acknowledgement of any saint . feare giues sudden instincts of skill , euen without precept . their owne costerus durst say , that the cure of a disease is no miracle : his reason , because it may be done by the power of nature , albee in longer time . * yeeld this , and what haue lipsius his two ladies done ? wherefore serues all this clamour , from the two hilles ? i assented not ; neither will bee herein thus much their enemy : for , as well the manner of doing , as the matter , makes a miracle . if peters handkerchiefe , or shadow , heale a disease , it is miraculous , though it might haue been done by a potion . many of their recoueries , doubtlesse , haue beene wrought through the strength of nature in the patient ; not of vertue in the saint . how many sicke men haue mended , with their physicke in their pocket ? tho many other also ( i doubt not ) of those cures haue fallē into the fourth head ; which indeed is more knotty , and requires a deeper discourse . wherein , if i shal euince these two things , i shal ( i hope ) satisfie my reader , and cleare the truth : one , that miracles are wroght by satā ; the other , that those which the romish church boasteth , are of this nature , of this author . i contend not of words : we take miracles in augustines large sense ; wherein is little difference betwixt a thing maruelous & miraculous ; such as the spirite of god in either instrument calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . perhaps , it would bee more proper to say , that god workes these miracles by satan : for , as in the naturall and voluntarie motions of wicked men ; so in the supernatural acts of euil spirits ( as they are acts ) there is more then a meere permission . satan , by his tempest , bereaues iob of his children : yet iob , looking higher , sayth the lord hath taken . no sophistrie can elude this proofe of moses ; that a prophet or dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder , and yet say let vs goe after strange gods : nor that of our sauiour , who ●oretels of false christs , false prophets that shall giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; signes and wonders , and those great . the are some too great , i grant , for the hand of all infernall powers : by which , our sauiour inuincibly proues the truth of his deity : these neuer graced falsehood , neither admitte any precedent from our times . as to the rest so frequent and common , for mee , i could not beleeue the church of rome were antichristian , if it had not boasted of these wōders . al the knot lyes then , in the application of this to rome , and our imaginarie lady : how shall it appeare , that their miracles are of this kinde ? ludouicus viues giues sixe notes to distinguish gods miracles , from satans ; lipsius three : both of them too many , as might easily bee discouered by discussing of particulars . it is not so much the greatnesse of the worke , not the beleefe of witnesses , not the qualitie nor manner of the action , nor trueth of essence , that canne descrie the immediate hand which worketh in our miracles . that alone is the true and golden rule which iustin martyr ( if at least that booke bee his ) prescribes in his questions and aunswers ; how shall it bee knowen that our miracles are better then the heathens , although the euent countenaunce both alike ? resp . ex fide & cultu veri dei : miracles must bee iudged by the doctrine which they confirme ; not the doctrine , by the miracles . the dreamer , or prophet , must bee esteemed , not by the euent of his wonder ; but , by the substance and scope of his teaching . the romanists argue preposterously , while they would prooue the trueth of their church by miracles ; whereas they should proue their miracles by the trueth : to say nothing of the fashion of their cures , that one is prescribed to come to our ladie , rather on a fridaye , as * henrie loyez ; another , to washe nine dayes in the water of mont — aigv , as leonard stocqueau ; another , to eate a peece of the oke where the image stood , * as magdaleine the widow of bruxelles . all which if they sauour not strong of magical receits , let the indifferent iudge . surely , either there is no sorcery , or this is it . all shall bee plaine , if the doctrine confirmed by their miracles be once discussed : for , if that be diuine truth , we do vniustly impugne these workes as diabolicall ; if falshood , they do blasphemously proclaime them for diuine . these workes tend all chiefly to this double doctrin ; that the blessed virgin is to bee inuoked , for her mediation ; that god & saints are to be adored in & by images ; positions that would require a volume , and such as are liberally disputed by others : whereof one is against scripture ; the other ( which in these cases values no lesse ) besides it . one deifies the virgin ; the other , a stocke or stone . it matters not what subtile distinctions their learned doctors make betwixt mediation of redemption , and intercession , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the saint and the image : wee knowe , their common people , whose deuotion inriches those shrines ( by confession of their owne writers ) climbe the hill of zichem with this conceite , that marie is their sauioresse ; that the stocke is their goddesse : which vnlesse it bee true , how do their wonders teach them lyes ! and therefore how from god ? but , to take the first at best ( for , the second is so grosse , that were not the seconde commaundement by papistes purposely razed out of their primiers , children and carrers would condemne it ) it cannot be denied , that all the substance of prayer is in the heart ; the vocall sound is but a complement , and as an outwarde case wherein our thoughts are sheathed . that power cannot knowe the prayer , which knowes not the heart : either then the virgin is god , for that shee knowes the heart , or to knowe the heart is not proper to god : or to knowe the heart , and so our prayers , is falsely ascribed to the virgin : and therefore these wonders , which teach men thus to honour her , are doctors of lyes ; so , not of god. there cannot be any discourse , wherein it is more easie to bee tedious . to ende ; if prayers were but in wordes , and saints did meddle with all particularities of earthly thinges , yet blessed marie should bee a god , if shee could at once attend all her suiters . one solicites her at halle , another at scherpen-heuuell , another at luca , at our walsingham another ; one in europe , another in asia ; or perhappes another is one of her newe clientes in america : tenne thousande deuout supplyants are at once prostrate before her seuerall shrines . if shee cannot heare all ; why pray they ? if shee canne , what canne god doe more ? certainely ( as the matter is vsed ) ther cannot bee greater wrong offered to those heauenly spirits , then by our importunate superstitions to be thrust into gods throne ; and to haue forced vppon them the honours of their maker . there is no contradiction in heauen : a saint cannot allowe that an angell forbids . see thou doe it not , was the voyce of an angell : if all the miraculous blocks in the world shall speake contrarie , wee knowe whome to beleeue . the olde rule was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : either that rule is diuelish , or this practice . and if this practice bee ill , god deliuer mee from the immediate authour of these miracles . change but one idoll for another , and what differ the wonders of apolloes temples , from those of these chappelles ? wee reuerence ( as wee ought ) the memorie of that holy and happie virgin : wee hate those that dishonour her ; wee hate those that deifie her . cursed bee all honour , that is stollen from god. this short satisfaction i giue , in a long question ; such as i dare rest in ; and resolue that all popish miracles are either falsely reported , or falsely done , or falsely miraculous , or falsely ascribed to heauen . to mr. willliam bedell , at venice . ep. . lamenting the death of our late diuines and inciting to their imitation . we haue heard , how full of trouble , & dāger , the alpes were to you ; and did at once both pittie your difficulties , and reioyce in your safetie . since your departure from vs , reynolds is departed from the world. alas ; how many worthy lightes haue our eyes seene shining and extinguisht ? how many losses haue wee liued to see the church sustaine , and lament ; of her childrē , of her pillers ; our own , and forraine ? i speake not of those , which ( being excellent ) would needs be obscure : whom nothing but their owne secrecie depriued of the honor of our teares . there are , besides , too many whome the world noted and admired ; euen since the time that our common mother acknowledged vs for her sonnes . our fulk ledde the way ; that profound , readie and resolute doctor , the hāmer of heretickes , the champion of truth : whome our younger times haue heard oft disputing acutely , and powerfully . next him , followed that honour of our schools , & angel of our church , learned whitakers ; then whom , our age saw nothing more memorable : what clearnes of iudgemēt , what sweetnes of stile , what grauity of person , what grace of cariage was in that man ? who euer saw him , without reuerēce ? or heard him , without wonder ? soone after , left the world that famous and truly illuminate doctor , francis iunius , the glory of leiden , the other hope of the church , the oracle of textuall and schoole-diuinity : rich in languages , subtil in distinguishing , & in argument inuincible : and his cōpanion in labours , lu. trelcatius , wold needs be his cōpanion in ioyes ; who had doubled our sorrow & loss , but that he recōpenced it with a son like himself . soon after , fell old reuerend beza ; a long-fixed star in this firmament of the church : who , after many excellent monuments of learning and fidelity , liued to proue vpon his aduersaries , that hee was not dead at their day . neither may i without iniury , omit that worthie payr of our late diuines , greenham , and perkins : whereof the one excell'd in experimentall diuinity ; and knew well how to stay a weake conscience , how to raise a fallen , how to strike a remorse-lesse : the other , in a distinct iudgement , and a rare dexterity in clearing the obscure subtilties of the schoole , and easie explication of the most perplex discourses . doctor reynolds is the last ; not in worth , but in the time of his losse . hee alone was a well-furnisht librarie , full of all faculties , of all studies , of all learning : the memorie , the reading of that man , were neere to a miracle . these are gone , amongst many more , whom the church mournes for in secret : would god her losse could be as easily supplied , as lamented . her sorrowe is for those that are past ; her remainder of ioy in those that remaine ; her hope in the next age . i pray god the causes of her hope , and ioy , may bee equiualent to those of her griefe . what should this worke in vs , but an imitation , yea ( that word is not too bigge for you ) an emulation of their worthinesse ? it is no pride , for a man to wish himselfe spiritually better then he dare hope to reach : nay , i am deceiued , if it be not true humility . for , what doth this argue him , but lowe in his conceite , high in his desires onely ? or if so ; happy is the ambition of grace , and power of sincere seruiceablenesse to god. let vs wish , and affect this , while the world layes plots for greatnesse : let me not prosper , if i bestowe enuie on them . he is great , that is good : and no man , me thinks , is happy on earth , to him that hath grace for substance , and learning for ornament . if you knowe it not , the church ( our mother ) lookes for much at your hands : shee knowes how rich our common father hath left you : shee notes your graces , your opportunities , your imployments : she thinks you are gone so farre , like a good merchant , for no small gaine ; and lookes you shal com home well laded . and for vent of your present commodities ( tho our chiefe hope of successe bee cut-off with that vnhoped peace ) yet what can hinder your priuate traffique for god ? i hope ( and who doth not ? ) that this blow wil leaue in your noble venetians a perpetuall scar ; & that their late irresolution shal make them euer capable of all better counsels ; and haue his worke ( like some great eclipse ) many yeares after . how happy were it for venice , if as she is euery yeare maried to the sea , so shee were once throughly espoused to christ ! in the meane time , let mee perswade you to gratifie vs at home , with the publication of that your exquisite polemicall discourse ; wherto our cōference with m. alabaster , gaue so happy an occasion : you shall heereby cleare many truthes ; and satisfie all readers : yea , i doubt not , but an aduersary ( not too peruerse ) shall acknowledge the truthes victorie and yours . it was wholsom counsell of a father , that in the time of an heresy euery man should write . perhaps , you complaine of the inundations of francford : how many haue been discouraged from benefiting the world , by this conceit of multitude ! indeed we all write ; and , while we write , cry out of number . how well might many be spared , euen of those that complaine of too many ? whose importunate babbling cloyes the world , without vse . to my lord , the earle of essex . ep. . aduise for his trauailes . my lord , both my duty and promise make my letters your debt ; and , if neither of these , my thirst of your good . you shall neuer but neede good counsell , most in trauaile : then are both our dangers greater , and our hopes . i neede not tell you the eyes of the world are much vpon you , for your owne sake , for your fathers : only let your eyes be vpon it again , and pittied , which haue brought nothing from forraine countries , but misshapen cloathes , or exoticall gestures , or new games , or affected lisspings , or the diseases of the place , or ( which is worst ) the vices ? these men haue at once wandered from their countily , and from themselues : and some of them ( too easie to instance ) haue left god behinde them ; or perhaps , in stead of him , haue after a loose and filthy life brought home some idle puppet in a boxe , whereon to spende their deuotion . let their wracke warne you : and let their follies bee entertained by you , with more derestation then pitty . i knowe your honour too well to feare you : your young yeares haue been so graciously preuented with soueraigne antidotes of truth and holy instruction , that this infection despaires of preuailing . your very bloud giues you argument of safety : yet , good counsell is not vnseasonable , euen where danger is not suspected . for gods sake , my lord , whatsoeuer you gaine , lose nothing of the truth ; remit nothing of your loue and pietie to god ; of your fauour and zeale to religion . as sure as there is a god , you were trained vp in the true knowledge of him . if either angell , or diuell , or iesuite , should suggest the contrary , send him away , with defiance . there you see and heare , euerie day , the true mother and the fained , striuing and pleading for the liuing childe . the true prince of peace hath past sentence frō heauen , on our side . doe not you stoope so much as to a doubt , or motion of irresolution . abandon those from your table and salt , whom your owne or others experience shall descry dangerous ; those serpents are full of insinuations : but , of all , those of your owne country : which are so much more pernicious , by how much they haue more colour of priuiledge of entirenesse . religion is the greatest care : aduises for cariage , & improuement of trauaile , chalenge the next place . i neede not counsell you to keepe your state , with affability ; and so to menage your selfe , as that your curtesie may be more visible , then your greatnesse . nature hath taught you this , and hath secretly propagated it from your father : who , by his sweetnesse of disposition , wonne as many hearts , as by his valour and munificence . i rather tell you , that a good nature hath betrayd many ; who , looking for that in others which they haue found in themselues , haue at last complained of their owne credulity , and others deceit . trust not strangers too much ; with your counsell , with your person : and , in your greatest familiarities , haue an eye to their common disposition , and infirmities . those natures , wherewith you conuerse , are subiect to displeasure ; and violent , in pursuit of smal indignities . yesterday heard i named , from no vnfaithfull report , a french courtier , that in single combat hath sent . soules from the field to their place : yet he euer as the patient in the quarrell ; and for this , mentioned with more then excuse : i censure not how iustly . this is others care : onely hence i argue the rifeness of vnkindnesse taken , and pursued . you shall see , that the soile is not so diuerse , as the inclination of persons : vvho , in all climates , though they differ in particulars , yet still agree too well in cōmon falls . the italian deepe , close , and crafty ; the french rash ; the germain dull . one not forward to offer wrongs ; but , apprehensiue of a small wrong offred : another , prone either to take , or giue them ; but , not vneasie to remit : another , long in conceiuing , long in retaining . what doe i exemplifie ? ther are long catalogues of peculiar vices , that haunt speciall places ; which , if they were not notoriously infamous , my charity would serue me to particularize : it were pittie ther should be fewer vertues , locall and proper . there are good vses to bee made of others enormities ; if no more , by thē to correct our owne : who loathes vice in another , is in good forwardnes to leaue it in himself . the view of the publique calamities , and disorders of other churches , shall best teach you thankfulnesse for the better state of ours : but , better vse of their vertues ; by how much it is more excellent to knowe what wee should doe , then what we should not . you must now looke vpon all things , not with the eyes of a stranger onely , but of a philosopher , but of a christian ; which accounts all lost , that is not reduced to practice . it is a great praise , that you are wiser by the contemplation of forraine things ; but , much greater , that you are better . that you haue seene cities , and courts , and alpes , & riuers , can neuer yield you so sound comfort , as that you haue lookt seriously into your selfe . in vain doe we affect all forraine knowledge , if we be not throughly acquainted at home . thinke much , and say little ; especially in occasions of dispraise : wherein , both a little is enough , and oft-times any thing is too much . you cannot enquire too much : that , which in vs inferiours would bee censured for dāgerous curiosity , in your greatnes shall be construed as a cōmendable desire of knowledge . ask still after men of greatest parts & reputation : & where you finde fame no lier , note & respect them . make choice of those for conuersation , which either in present , or in hope , are eminent : & when you meet with excellencies in any faculty , leaue not without som gaine of knowledge . what are others graces to you , if you onely admire them ; not imitate , not appropriate them ? lo , your equals in time growe vp happily in the colledge ( so i may tearme it ) of our young , and hopefull court , which you haue left ; and , aboue all , that gracious president of worthinesse and perfection : whom while in all other things you serue , you may without reproofe emulate for learning , vertue , pietie . my selfe am witnesse of their progresse ; which i do ioyfully gratulate to the succeeding age . beware , least their diligēce shall out-strip you , and vpbraid you with that auncient check of going farre and faring worse . i am bolde & busie in counselling : you abound with better monitors ; and the best you carrie about , i hope , in your own bosome . tho these should be needlesse , yet they argue my humble affection , and discharge my dutie . my prayers are better then my counsels ; both of them heartie and vnfained for your good . god guide and returne you safe , from a iourney not more happy and prosperous then i wish it . to st. robert drvry , and his lady . ep. . concerning my remooueall from them . with how vnwilling an heart i leaue you , hee knowes that searches the heart : neither durst i go , but that i sensibly see his hand pulling mee from you . indeed , desire of cōpetencie betrayed mee , at first ; and drew mine eyes to looke aside : but , when i bent them vppon the place , and saw the number and the neede of the people , together with their hunger and applause , meeting with the circumstances of gods strange conueyance of this offer to mee ; i saw , that was but as the fowlers feather , to make mee stoope : and , contemning that respect of my selfe , i sincerely acknowledged hyer motiues of my yeelding ; and resolued i might not resist . you are deare to mee , as a charge to a pastor ; if my paines to you haue not proued it , suspect mee : yet i leaue you . god calls mee to a greater worke : i must followe him . it were more ease to mee , to liue secretly hidden in that quiet obscuritie , as saul amongst the stuffe , then to bee drawen out to the eye of the world , to act so hye a part before a thousand witnesses . in this point , if i seem to neglect you , blame me not ; i must neglecte and forget my selfe . i can but labour , wheresoeuer i am . god knowes how willingly i do that , whether there or here . i shall dig , and delve , & plant , in what ground soeuer my maister sets mee . if hee take mee to a larger fielde , complaine you not of losse , while the church may gaine . but , you are my owne charge ; no wise father neglectes his owne in compassion of the greater neede of others : yet consider , that euen carefull parentes , when the prince commaundes , leaue their families , and go to warfare . what if god had called mee to heauen ; would you haue grudged my departure ? imagine that i am there , where i shall bee ; altho the case bee not to you altogether so hopelesse : for , now i may heare of you , visit you , renue my holy counsels , and bee mutually comforted from you ; there , none of these . hee , that will once transpose mee from earth to heauen , hath now chosen to transpose mee from one peece of earth to another : what is heere worthy of your sorrow , worthy of complaint ? that should bee for my owne good : this shall bee for the good of many . if your experience haue taught you , that my labours doe promise profit ; obtaine of your selfe to deny your selfe so much , as to reioyce that the losse of a fewe should bee the aduantage of many soules . tho , why do i speake of losse ? i speak that , as your feare , not my owne : and your affection causes that feare , rather then the occasion . the god of the haruest shal send you a laborer , more able , as carefull : that is my prayer , and hope , and shall bee my ioy . i dare not leaue , but in this expectation , this assurāce . what-euer become of me , it shall be my greatest comfort to hear you cōmend your change ; and to see your happy progress in those wayes i haue both shewed you , and beaten . so shal wee meete in the ende , and neuer part . written to mr. i. b. and dedicated to my father , mr. i. hall . ep. . against the feare of death . you complaine , that you feare deathe : hee is no man , that doth not . besides the paine , nature shrinkes at the thought of parting . if you would learne the remedie , knowe the cause ; for that shee is ignorant ▪ & faithlesse . she would not be cowardly , if shee were nor foolish . our feare is from doubt , and our doubt from vnbeliefe : and whence is our vnbeleefe , but chiefly from ignorance ? shee knowes not what good is else-where : shee beleeues not her part in it . get once true knowledge and true faith , your feare shall vanish alone . assurance of heauenly things , makes vs willing to part with earthly . he cannot contemne this life , that knowes not the other . if you would despise earth therefore , thinke of heauen . if you would haue death easie , thinke of that glorious life that followes it . certainely if we can indure paine , for health ; much more shall we abide a fewe pangs , for glorie . thinke how fondly wee feare a vanquisht enemy . lo , christ hath triumpht ouer death : hee bleedeth and gaspeth vnder vs ; and yet we tremble . it is enough to vs , that christ died : neither would he haue died , but that we might die with safetie , and pleasure . thinke , that death is necessarily annexed to nature : wee are for a time on condition that wee shall not be ; wee receiue life , but vppon the tearmes of redeliucrie . necessitie makes somethings easie ; as it vsually makes easie things difficult . it is a fond iniustice to embrace the couenant , and shrinke at the condition . thinke , there is but one common rode to all flesh : there are no by-paths of any fairer , or neerer way ; no , not for princes . euen companie abateth miseries : and the commonnesse of an euill makes it lesse fearefull . what worlds of men are gone before vs ; yea , how many thousāds out of one field ? how many crownes and scepters ly piled vp at the gates of death , which their owners haue left there , as spoyles to the conqueror ? haue wee beene at so many graues , & so oft seene our selues die in our friends ; and do wee shrinke when our course commeth ? imagine you alone were exempted from the common law of mankinde , or were condemned to methusalahs age ; assure your selfe death is not now so fearefull , as your life would then bee wearisome . thinke not so much what death is , as from whom hee comes , and for what . wee receiue euen homely messengers from great persons ; not without respect to their maisters : and what matters it who hee bee , so hee bring vs good newes ? what newes can bee better then this . that god sends for you , to take possession of a kingdome ? let them feare death , which knowe him but as a pursuiuant sent from hell ; whome their conscience accuses of a life wilfully filthy ; and bindes-ouer secretly to condemnation : wee knowe whither wee are going , and whom wee haue beleeued ; let vs passe on cheerefully ▪ through these blacke gates , vnto our glory . lastly , knowe that our improuidence only addes terrour vnto death . thinke of death , and you shall not feare it . do you not see , that euen beares , and tigres , seeme not terrible to those that liue with them ? howe haue wee seene their keepers sport with them , when the beholders durst scarce trust their chaine ? bee acquainted with death ; though hee looke grimme vppon you , at the first , you shall finde him , yea , you shall make him a good companion . familiaritie cannot stand with feare . these are receites enow . too much store doth rather ouerwhelme then satisfie . take but these , and i dare promise you securitie . finis . the second decade of epistles . to sr. robert darcy . ep. . the estate of a true , but weake christian . if you aske how i fare : sometimes , no man better ; and , if the fault were not my owne , alwayes . not that i can commaund health , & bid the world smile when i li●t . how possible is it for a man to bee happie without these ; yea in spight of them ? these thinges canne neither augment , nor empaire those comforts , that come from aboue . what vse , what sight is ther of the starres , when the sunneshines ? then onely can i finde my self happy , when ( ouer-looking these earthly things ) i can fetch my ioy from heauen . i tell him that knowes it , the contentments that earth can afford her best fauourites , are weake , imperfect , changeable , momentary ; and such , as euer end in complaint . wee sorrow that wee had them ; and , while wee haue them , we dare not trust them : those from aboue are full , and constant . what an heauen do i feele in my self , when ( after many trauerses of meditation ) i finde , in my heart , a feeling possession of my god! when i can walke , and conuerse with the god of heauen , not without an opennesse of heart , and familiarity : when my soule hath caught fast and sensible hold of my saviour ; and either pulls him down to it selfe , or rather lifts vp it selfe to him ; and can and dare secretly auouch , i knowe whom i haue beleeued : when i can looke vpon all this inferiour creation , with the eyes of a stranger , & am trāsported to my home in my thoughts ; solacing my selfe in the view and meditation of my future glory , and that present of the saints : when i see wherefore i was made , and my conscience tells mee i haue done that for which i came ; done it , not so as i canne boast , but so as it is accepted ; while my weakenesses are pardoned , and my actes measured by my desires , and my desires by their sinceritie ; lastly , when i can finde my selfe ( vpon holy resolution ) made firme & square , fit to entertaine all euents ; the good with moderate regard , the euill with courage and patience , both with thanks ; strongly settled to good purposes , constant and cheerefull in deuotion ; and , in a word , ready for god , yea full of god. sometimes i can be thus , and pity the poore and miserable prosperity of the godlesse ; and laugh at their moneths of vanitie , and sorrow at my owne : but then againe ( for why should i shame to confesse it ? ) the world thrusts it selfe betwixt me and heauen ; and , by his darke and indigested parts , eclipseth that light which shined to my soule . now , a senselesse dulnesse ouer-takes mee , and besots mee ; my lust to deuotion is little , my ioy none at all : gods face is hid , and i am troubled . then i begin to compare my selfe with others , and thinke , are all men thus blockish and earthen ? or , am i alone worse then the rest , and singular in my wretchednesse ? nowe i carie my carcasse vp and downe carelesly , and ( as dead bodies are rubbed , without heate ) i doe in vaine force vpon my selfe delights , which others laugh at : i endeuour my wonted worke , but without an heart ; there is nothing is not tedious to mee , no not my selfe . thus i am , till i single my selfe out alone , to him that alone canne reuiue mee : i reason with my selfe , & confer with him ; i chide my selfe , and intreat him : and , after some spirituall speeches interchanged , i renue my familiaritie vvith him ; and he the tokens of his loue to me . lo , then i liue againe , and applaud my selfe in this happinesse , and wish it might euer continue , and think basely of the world in comparison of it . thus i hold on , rising and falling ; neither knowe , whether i should more praise god for thus much fruition of him , or blame my selfe for my inconstancie in good ; more reioice , that sometimes i am well , or grieue that i am not so alwaies . i striue , and wish , rather then hope , for better . this is our warfare ; we may not looke to triumph alwaies : wee must smart sometimes , & complaine ; and then againe reioyce that we can complaine ; and grieue that we can reioyce no more , and that we can grieue more , our hope is , if wee be patient , wee shall once be constant . to sr. edmvnd bacon . ep. . of the benefit of retirednesse , and secrecie . svspect ( if you can ) that , because now many cold winds blowe betwixt vs , my affection can be cooler to you . true loue is like a strong streame , which the further it is from the head , runnes with more violence . the thoughts of those pleasures i was wont to finde in your presence , were neuer so delightful , as now when i am barred from renuing them . i wish me with you ; yea ( if i could or might wish to change ) i should wish mee your selfe . to liue hidden , was neuer but safe , and pleasant ; but now , so much better , as the world is worse . it is an happinesse , not to bee a witnesse of the mischiefe of the times ; which it is hard to see , and bee guiltlesse . your philosophical cell is a safe shelter from tumults , from vices , frō discontentments . besides that liuely , honest , and manly pleasure , which arises from the gaine of knowledge in the deepe mysteries of nature ; how easie is it , in that place to liue free from the common cares , from the infection of common euils . whether the spaniard gaine or saue by his peace , and how hee keepes it ; and whether it were safer for the states to lay downe armes , and bee at once still and free ; whether the emperours truce , with the turke , were honourable and seasonable ; or whether venice haue wonne or lost by her late iarres ; are thoughts that dare not looke-in at those doores . who is enuied , and who pittied at court ; who buyes hopes , and kindenesse dearest ; who layes secret mines to blowe vp another , that himselfe may succeede , can neuer trouble you : these cares dare not enter into that sanctuarie of peace . thence you cā see how all , that liue publique , are tossed in these waues , and pitty them . for , great places haue seldome safe and easie entrances : and ( which is worst ) great charges can hardly bee plausibly wielded , without som indirect policies . alas ! their priuiledges cannot counteruaile their toile . wearie dayes , and restlesse nights , short liues and long cares , weake bodies , & vnquiet mindes attend lightly on greatness . either clients break their sleepe in the morning , or the intention of their minde driues it off from the first watch : either sutes or complaints thrust themselues into their recreations ; and packets of letters interrupt their meales . it is euer terme with them , without vacation . their businesses admit of no night , no holiday : lo , your priuacie frees you from all this , and what-euer other glorious miserie . there you may sleepe , and eate , and honestly disport , and enioy your selfe , and cōmaund both your selfe and others . and , whiles you are happy , you liue out of the reach of enuie ; vnlesse my praises send that guest thither : which i should iustly condemne as the fault of my loue . no man offers to vndermine you , none to disgrace you : you could not want these incōueniences abroad . yea , let a mā liue in the open world , but as a looker on , hee shall be sure not to want abundance of vexations . an ill minde holds it an easie torment , to liue in continuall sight of euill ; if not rather a pleasure : but , to the well disposed , it is next to hell . certainly , to liue among toades & serpents , is a paradise to this . one iests pleasantly with his maker : another makes himself sport with scripture . one fills his mouth with oathes of sound : another scoffes at the religious . one speakes villany ; another laughes at it ; a third defends it . one makes himself a swine ; another a diuell : who ( that is not all earth ) can endure this ? who cannot wish himself rather a desolate hermite , or a close prisoner ? euery euill we see , doth either vexe , or infect vs. your retirednesse auoids this ; yet so , as it equally escapes all the euills of solitarinesse . you are full of friends ; whose society , intermixed with your closenes , makes you to want little of publique . the desert is too wilde , the city too populous : the country is only fit for rest . i knowe , there want not som obscure corners , so haunted with dulness , that as they yield no outward vnquietnes , so no inward cōtentment . yours is none of those ; but such as striues rather , with the pleasure of it , to require the solitarinesse . the court is for honour , the city for gain , the country for quietnesse ; a blessing , that neede not ( in the iudgement of the wisest ) yield to the other two . yea , how many haue we knowen , that hauing nothing but a cote of thatch to hide thē frō heauen , yet haue pittied the carefull pomp of the mighty ? how much more may those which haue full hands , and quiet hearts , pitty them both ? i do not so much praise you in this , as wonder at you . i know many vpon whom the conscience of their wants , forces a necessary obscurity ; who if they can steale a vertue out of necessity , it is well : but , i no where knowe so excellent parts shrouded in such willing secrecie . the worlde knowes you , and wants you ; and yet you are volūtarily hid . loue your self stil ; & make much of this shadow , vntill our cōmon mother call you forth to her necessary seruice , & charge you to neglect your selfe , to pleasure her . which once don ; you know where to finde peace . whether others applaud you , i am sure you shall your self : and i shall still magnifie you , and ( what i can ) imitate you . to mr. iohn whiting . ep. . an apologeticall discourse of the mariage of ecclesiasticall persons . i knowe not , whether this quarrell bee worthy of an answer , or rather of a silent scorne ; or if an answere , whether merry or serious . i doe not willingly suffer my penne to wade into questions : yet , this argument seemes shallowe enough for an epistle . if i free not this truth , let me be punished with a diuorce . som idle table-talk cals vs to plead for our wiues . perhaps som gallants grudge vs one , who can be cōtent to allow thēselues more . if they thought vviues curses , they would afford thē vs. our mariage is censured ( i speak boldly ) of none but them , which neuer knew to liue chastly in mariage ; who neuer knew gratians true distinction of virginitie . what care we for their cēsure , where god approues ? but some perhaps maintain it , out of iudgemēt : bid them make much of that , which paul tells them , is a doctrine of diuels . were it not for this opiniō , the church of rome would want one euidēt brād of her antichristianisme . let their shauelings speak for thēselues ; vpon whom , their vnlawfull vow hath forced a wilfull & impossible necessity . i leaue them to scan the olde rule of in turpi voto muta decretum ; if they had not rather , cautè si non castè . euen moderate papists will graunt vs free , because not bound by vow ; no not so farre as those olde germans , pro posse et nosse . or what care wee , if they grant it not ? while wee holde vs firme to that sure rule of basil the great ; * he that forbids what god inioynes , or inioynes what god forbids , let him bee accursed . i passe not what i heare men , or angels say , while i hear god say , let him be the husband of one wife . that one word shal cōfirme me , against the barking of all impure mouths . he that made mariage , saies it is honorable : what care wee for the dishonour of those that corrupt it ? yea , that which nature noteth with shame , god mentions with honour , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; b greg. with the title of opus castū ; paphnutius , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , chastity . but , if god should be iudge of this controuersie , it were soone at an end ; who , in the time euen of that legall strictnesse , allowed wedlocke , to the ministers of his sanctuarie . let cardinall panormitan be heard speake . c continencie , saith he , in clergie men is neither of the substance of their order , or appointed by any law of god. and gratian , out of augustine , yet more . d their mariage , sayth hee , is neither forbidden by legall , nor euangelicall , nor apostolike authoritie . god neuer imposed this law of cōtinence : who then ? e the church . as if a good spouse would gainesay what her husband willeth : but , how well ? heare , o ye papists , the iudgement of your owne cardinall ; and confesse your mouths stopped . f but i beleeue ( saith hee ) it were for the good and safetie of many soules , and would be an whole some law , that those which would , might marrie ; for that , as experience teacheth vs , a contrarie effect followes vpon that lawe of continencie ; since at this day they liue not spiritually , neither are cleane , but are defiled with vnlawfull copulation , to their great sinne : whereas with their owne wife it might bee chastitie . is this a cardinall , thinke you , or an huguenot ? but , if this red hat bee not worthie of respect ; let a pope himself speake out of peters chaire . pius the second , as learned as hath sitte in that roome this thousande yeares ; g marriage sayth hee , vpon great reason was taken from the clergie ; but , vpon greater reason is to bee restored . what neede wee other iudge ? how iust this law is , you see ; see now how ancient : for , some doctrines haue nothing to plead for them , but time. age hath beene an old refuge for falshood . tertullians rule is true ; that , which is first , is truest . what the auncient iewish prelates did , moses is cleare : what did the apostles ? doth not h paul tell vs that both the rest of the apostles , and the brethren of the lord , and cephas , had wiues , and ( which is more ) carried them still along in their trauells ? for that childish elusion of i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who canne abide , but to laugh at ? doth not k clemens of alexandria ( a father not of more antiquitie , then credit ) tell vs , that peter , philip , and paul himselfe , were maried ? and this last ( tho vnlikest ) how is it confirmed by ignatius , in his epistle to the philadelphians ? yea , their owne cardinall , learned l caietane , doth both auouch and euince it . this was their practice : what was their constitution ? looke in these canons , which the romish church fathers vpon the apostles , and franciscus ●urrian their lesuite sweates to defend it in a whole volume : there you finde , canon . . enacted that m no bishoppe , presbyter , deacon , shall forsake his wife ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in pretence of religion , vpon paine of deposition . it would moue laughter , to see how the iesuites gnaw vpon this bone , and suck-in nothing but the blood of their owne iawes ; n while the sixt generall councell auerres and proclaimes this sense truely apostolicall , in spight of all contradiction . follow the times now , and descende lower ; what did the ages succeeding ? search recordes : what-euer some palpably-foysted epistles of popes insinuate ; they married , without scruple of any contrarie iniunction . many of those ancients admired virginitie ; but , imposed it not . amongst the rest , o origen ( tho himselfe a wilfull eunuch ) is faine to perswade the sonnes of clergie men , not to bee proud of their parentage . after this , when the fathers of the nicene councell went about to enact a law of continency , socrates the historian expresses it thus : p it seemed good ( sayth hee ) to the bishoppes to bring in a new law into the church . * it was then newe , and they but would haue brought it in ; therefore before it was not : where we know how paphnutius , himselfe a virgin , famous for holinesse , famous for miracles ; rising ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) cryed loud , that they ought not to lay this ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) heauie yoke , vpon men of the church . his arguments wan assent . hee spake and preuailed . so this libertie was still continued and confirmed . if this bee not plaine enough ; holy q athanasius , a witnesse past exception , shall serue for a thousand histories till his age . r many bishoppes , sayth hee haue not married ; and contrarily monkes haue beene fathers of children : as contrarily , you see bishoppes the fathers of children ; and monkes that haue not sought posteritie . would you yet haue instances of the former , and the next age ? here you haue ſ numidicus the martyr , a maried presbyter ; t cheremon of nilus , a married bishoppe ; v demetrianus bishop of antioch , whose sonne domnus succeeded paulus samosatenus ; philo●omus and phileas bb. of the thmuites ; gabinius brother of eutychianus bb. of rome ; the father of nazianzen , basil , and the other x gregorie , hilarius , and that good spiridion bishop of cyprus , of whom sozomen giues so direct testimony . to omit others ▪ what shold i speake of many bishoppes of rome , whose sonnes not spurious , as now a-dayes , but ( as pope vrban himselfe witnesses ) z lawfully begot in wedlocke , followed their fathers in the pontificall chaire . a the reason whereof , that pope himself ingenuously rendereth ; for that mariage was euery where lawfull to the clergy , before the prohibition ( which must needes bee late ) and in the easterne church to this day is allowed . what need we more testimonies or more exāples ? what euer b heliodorus , bishop of trica ( a man fitter for a wanton loue-storie , then a church controuersie ) brought into the church of thessalia , socrates thus flatly writes of those bishoppes of his time ; c for many of them in the place and function of bishops , beget children of their lawful wiues . this was practiced : see what was decreed in that sixt general d coūcel of constantinople , to this purpose , to the confusion of all replyers . if any protestant church in christendome can make a more peremptory , more full and absolute , more cautelous decree for the mariage of ecclesiastical persons , let mee bee condemned as faithlesse : a place , i grant , miserably handled by our aduersaries ; and because they cannot blemish it enough , indignely torne out of the councels . what dare not impudency doe ? against all evidences of greeke copies , against their owne gratian , against pleas of antiquity . this is the readiest way ; whom they cannot answer , to burn ; what they cannot shift off , to blot out ; and to cut the knot , which they cannot vntie . the romanists of the next age were somewhat more equall : who , seeing themselues pressed with so flat a decree , confirmed by authoritie of emperours , as would abide no deniall , began to distinguish vpon the point ; limiting this libertie onely to the easterne church , and granting that all the clergy of the east might marry , not theirs . so pope steuen the second freely confesses : e the tradition ( saith hee ) of the easterne churches is otherwise , then that of the roman church . for , their priests , deacons , or subdeacons are maryed ; but , in this church , or the western , no one of the clergie , frō the subdeacon to the bishop , hath leaue to mary . liberally ; but not enough : and if he yield this , why not more ? shall that bee lawefull in the east , which in the west is not ? do the gospels or laws of equity alter according to the foure corners of the world ? doth god make differēce betwixt greece & englād ? if it be lawefull , why not every where ? if vnlawful , why is it done any where ? so then you see , we differ not from the church in this ; but from the romish church : but this sacred councel doth not only vniuersally approue this practice ( with paine of deposition to the gainsayers ) but auouches it for a decree apostolical . iudge now , whether this one authority be not enough to weigh down an hundred pety conuenticles , and many legions ( if ther had beene many ) of priuate cōtradictions . thus , for seauen hundred yeares , you finde nothing but open freedom : all the scuffling arose in the eight age ; wherein yet this violent imposition found many & learned aduersaries , & durst not be obtruded at once . lo , euē then , gregorie the third , writing to the bbs. of bauaria , giues this disiunct charge ; f let none keep an harlot or a cōcubine : but either let him liue chastly , or marrie a wife ; whom it shall not be lawfull for him to forsake : according to that rule of clerks cited from g isidore , and renued in the h councell of mentz , to the perpetual shame of our iuggling aduersaries . nothing can argue guiltines so much , as vniust expurgations . i isidore sayth , let them containe , or let them marie but one : they cite him , let them containe ; and leaue out the rest : somewhat worse thē the diuell cited scripture . but , i might haue spared al this labor of writing , could i perswade whosoeuer either doubts , or denies this , to reade-ouer that one epistle which k huldericus bb. of auspurge wrote learnedly , and vehemently , to pope nicolas the first , in this subiect : which if it do not answer all cauils , & satisfie all readers , and conuince all ( not wilfull ) aduersaries , let mee bee cast , in so iust a cause . there you shal see , how iust , how expedient , how ancient this liberty is ; together with the feeble and iniurious grounds of forced continencie : reade it , and see whether you can desire a better aduocate . after him ( so strongly did he plead , & so happily ) for two hundred years more , this freedom stil blessed those parts ; yet , not without extreme opposition . histories are witnesses of the busie , & not vnlearned cōbats of those times , in this argument . but now , when the body of antichristianisme began to be complete , and to stand vp in his absolute shape , after a thousand yeares from christ ; this libertie , which before wauered vnder nicolas . now by the hands of leo . nicolas . and that brand of hell , gregorie . was vtterly ruined , wiues debarred , single life vrged : l a good turne for whoremaisters ( saith auentine ) who now for one wife might haue six hundred bed-fellowes . but , how approued of the better sort appeares ( besides that the churches did ring of him , ech-where , for antichrist ) in that at the m councell of wormes the french and german bb ● deposed this gregorie , in this name ( amongst other quarells ) for n separating man and wife . violence did this ; not reasō : neither was gods will here questioned ; but , the popes wilfulnesse . what broyles hereon insued , let o ●uentine witnesse . the bickeringes of our english clergie , with their dunstanes , about this time , are memorable in our owne hist . which teach vs how late , how repiningly , how vniustly , they stooped vnder this yoke . i had rather send my reader to bale and fox , thē abbridge their monumēts , to enlarge my owne . i haue ( i hope ) fetcht this truth farre enough ; and deduced it lowe enough , through many ages , to the midst of the rage of antichristian tyrannie . there left our libertie ; there began their bondage . our libertie is happily renued with the gospell : what god , what his church hath euer allowed , we do inioy . wherein wee are not alone : the greeke church , as large for extent as the roman ( and , in some parts of it , better for their soundnesse ) do thus ; and thus haue euer done . let papists and atheists say what they will ; it is safe erring with god and his purer church . to my sister , mrs. b. brinsly . ep. . of the sorrow not to be repented of . it is seldome seene , that a silent griefe speedes well : for , either a mā must haue strong hands of resolution to strangle it in his bosome ; or else it driues him to some secret mischiefe : whereas sorrow reuealed , is halfe remedied , and euer abates in the vttering . your griefe was wisely disclosed ; and shall bee as strangely answered . i am glad of your sorrow ; and should weepe for you , if you did not thus mourne . your sorrow is , that you cānot enough grieue for your sinnes . let me tell you , that the angells themselues sing at this lamentation ; neither doth the earth afford any so sweete musicke in the eares of god. this heauinesse is the way to ioy . worldly sorow is worthy of pitie , because it leadeth to death : but , this deserues nothing but enuie and gratulation . if those teares were common , hell would not so enlarge it selfe . neuer sinne , repented of , was punished : and neuer any thus mourned , and repented not . lo , you haue done that , which you grieue you haue not done . that good god , whose act is his will , accounts of our wil as our deed . if he required sorrow proportionable to the hainousnesse of our sinnes , there were no end of mourning . now , his mercy regards not so much the measure , as the truth of it ; & accounts vs to haue that which we complaine to want . i neuer knew any truly penitent , which in the depth of his remorse , was afraid of sorowing too much ; nor any vnrepentant , which wisht to sorrow more . yea , let me tell you , that this sorrow is better , and more , then that deep heauinesse for sin , which you desire . many haue beene vexed with an extreame remorse for som sin , from the gripes of a galled cōscience , which yet never cam wher true repētance grew ; in whō the cōsciēce plaies at once the accuser , witnes , iudge , tormētor : but , an earnest grief , for the want of grief , was neuer found in any but a gratious heart . you are happy , & complaine . tell me , i beseech you ; this sorrow which you mourne to want , is it a grace of the spirit of god , or not ? if not , why do you sorrow to want it ? if it be , oh how happy it is to grieue for wāt of grace ! the god of all truth & blessednes hath said , blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse ; and , with the same breath , blessed are they that mourne : for , they shall be comforted . you say , you mourne ; christ saith , you are blessed : you say you mourne ; christ saith , you shall bee comforted . either now distrust your sauiour , or else confesse your happinesse , and with patience expect his promised consolation . what do you feare ? you see others stand like strong oakes , vnshaken , vnremoued : you are but a reed , a feeble plant , tossed & bowed with euery winde , and with much agitation brused : lo , you are in tender and fauourable hands , that neuer brake any , whom their sins bruised ; neuer bruised any whom temptations haue bowed . you are but flax ; and your best is not a flame , but an obscure smoke of grace : lo , here his spirit is as a soft winde , not as cold water ; he will kindle , will neuer quench you . the sorrow you want , is his gift : take heede least while you vex your selfe with dislike of the measure , you grudge at the giuer . beggers may not choose . this portion hee hath vouchsafed to giue you , if you haue any , it is more then he was bound to bestow : yet you say , what , no more ? as if you tooke it vnkindely , that he is no more liberal . euen these holy discontentments are dangerous . desire more ( so much as you can ) but repine not , when you do not attain . desire ; but so as you be free from impatience , free from vnthankfulnes . those , that haue tried , cā say how difficult it is to complain , with due reseruation of thanks . neither know i whether is worse , to long for good things impatiently , or not at all to desire them . the fault of your sorrow , is rather in your conceit , then in it self . and , if indeed you mourne not enough , stay but gods leisure , and your eyes shall run ouer with teares . how many doe you see sport with their sinnes , yea bragge of them ? how many that should die for want of pastime , if they might not sin freely , and more freely talke of it ? what a saint are you to these , that can droup vnder the memory of the frailty of youth , and neuer think you haue spent enow teares ! yet so i encourage you in what you haue , as one that perswades you not to desist from suing for more . it is good to be couetous of grace , and to haue our desires heerein enlarged with our receits . weepe still , and still desire to weepe : but , let your teares be as the raine in a sun-shine ; comfortable and hopefull : and let not your longing , sauour of murmur , or distrust . these teares are reserued ; this hunger shall be satisfied ; this sorrow shall be cōforted : there is nothing betwixt god and you , but time . prescribe not to his wisedome : hasten not his mercy . his grace is enough for you : his glory shall bee more then enough . to mr. hvgh cholmley . ep. . concerning the metaphrase of the psalmes . feare not my immoderate studies . i haue a body that controlls mee enough in these courses ; my friends neede not . there is nothing whereof i cold sooner surfet , if i durst neglect my body to satisfie my minde : but , vvhiles i affect knowledge , my weakenesse checks me and saies , better a little learning then no health . i yield , and patiently abide my selfe debarred of my chosen felicity . the little i can get , i am no niggard of : neither am i more desirous to gather , then willing to impart . the full handed , are cōmonly most sparing . vvee vessels , that haue any emptie roome , answer the least knock with a hollow noise : you , that are full , sound not . if we pardon your closeness , you may well beare with our profusion : if there be any wrong , it is to our selues , that we vtter what we should lay vp . it is a pardonable fault to do less good to our selues , that we may doe more to others . amongst other indeuors , i haue boldly vndertaken the holy meeters of dauid ; how happily , iudge you by what you see . ther is none of all my labors so open to all censures ; none , wherof i wold so willingly hear the verdit of the wise , and iudicious . perhaps , some think the verse harsh ; whose nice eare regards roundnesse , more then sense : i embrace smoothnesse , but affect it not . this is the least good quality of a verse ; that intends any thing but musicall delight . others may blame the difficulty of the tunes : whose humour cannot be pleased without a greater offence . for , to say truth , i neuer could see good verse written in the wonted measures . i euer thought them most easie , and least poeticall . this fault ( if any ) will light vpon the negligence of our people ; which endure not to take paines for any fit variety : the french & dutch haue giuen vs worthy examples of diligence , & exquisitenesse in this kinde . neither our eares , nor voices are lesse tunable . heere is nothing wanting , but will to learne . what is this but to eate the corne out of the eare , because we wil not abide the labour to grinde , and knead it ? if the question be , whether our verse must descēd to thē , or they ascend to it ; a wise moderatiō i think would determine it most equall , that each part should remit somwhat , and both meet in the midst . thus i haue endeuored to do , with sincere intent of their good , rather then my own applause . for , it had been easie to haue reached to an higher straine : but i durst not ; whether for the graue maiestie of the subiect , or benefit of the simplest reader . you shall still note , that i haue laboured to keepe dauids entire sense , with numbers neither lofty , nor slubbred : which meane is so much more difficult to finde , as the businesse is more sacred ; and the liberty lesse . manie great wits haue vndertaken this taske ; which yet haue either not effected it , or haue smothered it in their priuate desks , and denied it the common light . amongst the rest , were th●se two rare spirits of the sidnyes ; to whom , poësie was as naturall as it is affected of others : and our worthie friend , mr. syluester , hath shewed mee , how happily he hath sometimes turned from his bartas , to the sweete singer of israel . it could not bee , that in such aboundant plentie of poësie , this worke should haue past vnattempted : would god i might liue to see it perfected , either by my owne hand , or a better . in the mean time , let me expect your vnpartial sentence , both concerning the forme , and sense . lay aside your loue , for a while ; which too oft blinds iudgement . and as it vses to be done in most equal proceedings of iustice , shut me out of doores , while my verse is discussed : yea , let mee receiue not your censure onely , but others by you : this once ( as you loue me ) play both the informer and the judge . whether you allow it , you shall encourage me ; or correct , you shall amend me : either your starres or your spits ( that i may vse origens notes ) shall be welcome to my margent . it shall bee happy for vs , if god shall make our poore labours any way seruiceable to his name , & church . to mr. samvel sotheby . ep. . a preface to his relation of the russian affaires . trauell perfiteth wisedome ; and obseruation giues perfection to trauell : without which , a man may please his eyes , not feede his braine ; and , after much earth measured , shall returne with a wearie body , and an empty minde . home is more safe , more pleasant ; but lesse fruitfull of experience : but , to a minde not working and discursiue , all heauens , all earths are alike . and , as the end of trauell is obseruation ; so , the end of obseruation is the informing of others : for , what is our knowledge if smothered in our selues , so as it is not knowen to more ? such secret delight can content none but an enuious nature . you haue breathed many & cold ayres , gone farre , seen much , heard more , obserued all . these two yeares you haue spent in imitation of nebuchadnezars seuen ; cōuersing with such creatures as paul fought with , at ephesus . alas ! what a face , yea what a backe of a church haue you seene ? what manners ? what people ? amōgst whō , ignorant superstitiō striues with close atheisme , trechery with cruelty , one diuel with another ; while truth & vertue do not so much as giue any chalenge of resistāce . returning once to our england after this experience , i imagine you doubted whether you were on earth , or in heauē . now thē ( if you wil heare me , whō you were wont ) as you haue obserued what you haue seen , & writtē what you haue obserued ; so , publish what you haue writtē : it shal be a grateful labor , to vs , to posterity . i am deceiued , if the ficklenes of the russian state , haue not yielded more memorable matter of history thē any other in our age , or perhaps many centuries of our predecessors . how shal i think , but that god sēt you thither before these broils , to be the witnes , the register of so famous mutations ? he loues to haue those iust euils which hee doth in one part of the world , knowen to the whole ; & those euils , which men doe in the night of their secrecie , brought forth into the theater of the world ; that the euill of mens sinne being compared with the euill of his punishmēt , may iustifie his proceedings & condemne theirs . your worke shall thus honour him ; besides your second seruice , in the benefit of the church . for , whiles you discourse of the open tyranny of that russian nero , john basilius ; the more secret , no lesse bloodie plots of boris ; the ill successe of a stolne crowne ; tho set vpon the head of an harmlesse sonne ; the bolde attempts and miserable end of a false , yet aspiring chalenge ; the perfidionsnesse of a seruile people , vnworthy of better gouernours ; the miscariage of wicked gouernours , vnworthy of better subiects ; the iniust vsurpations of men , iust ( tho late ) reuenges of god , cruelly rewarded with bloud , wrong claimes with ouerthrowe , trecherie with bondage ; the reader , with some secret horror , shal draw-in delight , and with delight instruction : neither knowe i any relation whence he shall take out a more easie lesson of iustice , of loyaltie , of thankfulnesse . but , aboue all , let the world see & commiserate the hard estate of that worthie and noble secretarie , buchinski . poore gentleman ! his distresse recalles euer to my thoughts esops storke , taken amongst the cranes : hee now nourishes his haire , vnder the displeasure of a forraine prince ; at once in durance , and banishmēt . he serued an ill master ; but , with an honest heart , with cleane hands . the masters iniustice doth no more infect a good seruant , then the truth of the seruant can iustifie his ill master . a bad workeman may vse a good instrument : and oft-times a cleane napkin wipeth a foule mouth . it ioyes me yet to think , that his pietie , as it euer held friendship in heauen , so now it wins him friends in this our other world : lo , euen from our iland inexpected deliuerance takes a long flight , and blesseth him beyond hope ; yea rather , from heauen , by vs. that god , whom hee serues , will be knowen to those rude and scarce humane christians , for a protector of innocence , a fauourer of truth , a rewarder of pietie . the mercy of our gratious king , the cōpassion of an honorable councellor , the loue of a true friend , and ( which wrought all , and set all on worke ) the grace of our good god , shal now loose those bonds , and giue a glad welcome to his libertie , and a willing farewel to his distresse . hee shall , i hope , liue to acknowledge this ; in the meane time , i do for him . those russian affaires are not more worthie of your records , then your loue to this friend is worthie of mine . for , neither cold this large sea drowne or quench it , nor time and absence ( which are wont to breed a lingring consumption of friendship ) abate the heat of that affection , which his kindnesse bred , religion nourished . both rarenesse , and worth shall commend this true loue ; which ( to say true ) hath beene now long out of fashiō . neuer times yeilded more loue ; but , not more subtle . for , euery man loues himselfe in another , loues the estate in the person : hope of aduantage is the loadstone that drawes the yrō harts of men ; not vertue , not desert . no age afforded more parasites , fewer friends : the most are friendly in sight , seruiceable in expectation , hollow in loue , trustlesse in experience . yet now buchinski , see & cōfesse thou hast found one friend , which hath made thee many : on whome while thou bestowedst much fauour , thou hast lost none . i cannot but thinke how welcome , libertie ( which tho late , yet now at last hath lookt backe vpon him ) shall bee to the cell of his affliction ; whē , smiling vpon him , shee shall lead him by the hand , and ( like another angel ) open the yron gates of his miserable captiuitie , and ( from those hard prestaues and sauage christians ) carry him by the haire of the head , into this paradise of god. in the meane time i haue written to him as i could , in a knowen language , with an vnknowen hand ; that my poor letters of gratulation might serue as humble attendants to greater . for your work , i wish it but such glad intertainment , as the profit , yea the delight of it deserues ; and feare nothing , but that this long delay of publicatiō will make it scarce newes : wee are all growen athenians , and account a strange report like to a fish , and a guest . those eyes and hands staid it , which might do it best . i cannot blame you , if you thinke it more honored by the stay of his gratious perusall , then it could be by the early acceptatiō of the world . euē the cast garments of princes are pretious others haue in part preuented you ; whose labors , to yours , are but as an eccho to a long period : by whom , we heare the last sound of these stirs , ignorant of the beginning . they giue vs but a taste in their hand : you lead vs to the open fountaine . let the reader giue you but as much thank , as you giue him satisfaction ; you shal desire no more . finally , god giue vs as much good vse , as knowledge of his iudgements ; the world , helpe of your labors ; your selfe , incouragement ; buchinski , libertie . to stanislavs bvchinski , late secretarie to demetrivs emp. of russia . ep. . of the comfort of imprisonment . the knowledge , that the eie giues of the face alone , is shallow , vncertaine , imperfect . for , what is it , to see the vtmost skin , or fauour of the visage ; changeable with disease , changeable with passion ? the eare ( mee thinks ) doth both most clearely disclose the mindes of others , and knit them faster to ours : which , as it is the sense of discipline , so of friendship ; commaunding it euen to the absent , and in the present cherishing it . this thing we haue lately proued in your selfe , most noble stanislaus : neerer examples wee might haue had ; better , we could not . how many , how excellent things haue wee heard of you , from our common friend , tho most yours , which haue easily won our beleefe , our affections ! how oft , how honourable mention hath hee made of your name ! how frequently , how seruētly haue we wisht you , both safety , and libertie ! and now , lo where she comes , as the greekes say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & visites her forlorne client . altho , i would not doubt to say that this outwarde durance of the body , hath seemed more harsh to the behoulders , then to your selfe , a wise man , and ( which is more ) a christian ; whose free soule , in the greatest straights of the outer man , flies ouer seas and lands , whither it listeth ; neither can , by any distance of place , nor swelling of waues , nor height of mountaines , nor violence of enemies , nor strong barres , nor walles , nor guards , bee restrained from what place it selfe hath chosen . lo , that enioyes god , enioyes it self , and his friends ; and so feedes it selfe with the pleasure of enioying them , that it easily either forgers , or contemnes all other things . it is no paradoxe , to say that a wise christian cannot bee emprisoned , cannot bee banished : hee is euer at home , euer free . for , both his libertie is within him , and his home is vniuersall . and what is it , i beseech you ( for you haue tried ) that makes a prison ? is it straitnesse of walls ? then you haue as many fellowes , as there are men . for , how is the soule of euerie man pent within these clay-walles of the body , more close , more obscure● whence , shee may looke oft , through the grates of her busie thoughts ; but , is neuer released in substance , till that god , who gaue vs our mittimus into this gaole , giue vs our deliuerie , with a returne yee sonnes of adam : thus , either all men are prisoners , or you are none . is it restraint ? how many ( especially of that other sexe in those your easterne partes ) chamber vp themselues , for state ; so as they neither see the sunne , nor others them ? how many superstitious men , for deuotion ? how many obscure aglai , for ease and carelesnesse , keepe themselues in their owne cottage , in their owne village ; & neuer walke foorth so much as to the neighbour townes ? and what is your russia to all her inhabitants , but a large prison , a wide gally ? yea , what other is the world to vs ? how can hee complaine of straitnes , or restraint , that roues all ouer the world , and beyond it ? tyranny may part the soule from the body ; cannot confine it to the bodie . that which others do for ease , deuotion , state , you doe for necessitie : why not as willingly , since you must do it ? do but imagine the cause other ; & your case is the same with theirs which both haue chosen , and delight to keepe close ; yet hating the name of prisoners , while they embrace the condition . but , why do i perswade you , not to mislike that , which i pray you may forsake ? i had rather you should bee no prisoner at all ; then to be a cheerfull prisoner vpon necessitie . if the doores bee open , my perswasion shall not hold you in : rather our prayers shall open those doores , and fetch you foorth into this common libertie of men ; which also hath not a little ( tho an inferiour ) contentment . for , how pleasant is it to these senses , by which wee men are wont to be led , to see & be seene , to speake to our friends , and heare them speake to vs ; to touch and kisse the deare hands of our parents and with them at last to haue our eyes closed ? either this shall befall you ; or what hopes , what paines ( i adde no more ) hath this your careful friend lost ? and we , what wishes , what consultations ? it shall bee ; i dare hope , yea beleeue it : only thou our good god giue such ende , as thou hast done entrance into this businesse ; and so dispose of these likely indeuours , that whom we loue and honour absent , we may at last in presence see and embrace . to my father in law , mr. george wenyffe . ep. . exciting to christian cheerefulnesse . you complaine of dulnesse ; a common disease , and incident to the best mindes , and such as can most contemne vanities . for , the true worldling hunts after nothing but mirth ; neither cares how lawlesse his sport be , so it be pleasant : hee faines to himselfe false delights , whē he wants : and , if he can passe the time , and chase away melancholy , hee thinkes his day spent happily . and thus it must needs bee ; while the world is his god , his deuotion can bee but his pleasure : whereas the mortified soule , hath learned to scorne these friuolous and sinfull ioyes ; and affects either solid delights , or none ; and had rather be dull for want of mirth , then transported with wanton pleasures . when the world , like an importunate minstrel , thrusts it selfe into his chamber , and offers him musicke , vnsought ; if hee vouch-safe it the hearing , it is the highest fauour he dare , or can yield : hee rewards it not , hee commends it not ; yea , hee secretlie loathes those harsh and iarring notes , and reiects them . for , hee findes a better consort within , betwixt god and himselfe , when hee hath a little tuned his heart with meditation . to speake fully , the world is like an ill foole in a play : the christian is a iudicious spectator , which thinkes those iestes too grosse to bee laught at ; and therefore entertaines that with scorne , which others with applause . yet in truth , wee sinne , if wee reioyce not : there is not more errour in false mirth , then in vniust heauinesse . if worldlings offende , that they laugh when they should mourne ; wee shall offende no lesse , if wee droupe in cause of cheerefulnesse . shall wee enuie , or scorne , to see one ioy in redde and white drosse , another in a vaine title ; one in a daintie dish , another in a ieste ; one in a booke , another in a friend ; one in a kite , another in a dogge ; vvhiles vvee enioy the god of heauen , and are sorrowfull ? what dull metall is this we are made of ? we haue the fountaine of ioy , and yet complaine of heauinesse . is there any ioy , without god ? certainly , if ioy be good , and all goodnesse be frō him ; whence should ioy arise , but from him ? and if hee be the author of ioy ; how are we christians , and reioyce not ? what ? doe wee freeze in the fire , and starue at a feast ? haue we a good conscience , and yet pine and hang down the head ? when god hath made vs happy , do we make our selues miserable ? when i aske my heart dauids question , i knowe not whether i bee more angry , or ashamed at the answer ; why art thou sad , my soule ? my body , my purse , my fame , my friends ; or perhaps none of these : only i am sad , because i am . and what if all these , what if more ? when i come to my better wits , haue i a father , an aduocate , a comforter , a mansion in heauen ? if both earth and hell conspired to afflict me , my sorrow cannot counteruaile the causes of my ioy . now i can chalenge all aduersaries ; and either defie all miseries , or bid all crosses , yea death it selfe , welcome . yet god doth not abbridge vs of these earthly solaces , which dare weigh with our discontentments , & sometimes depress the balance . his greater light doth not extinguish the lesse . if god had not thought them blessings , hee had not bestowed them : and how are they blessings , if they delight vs not ? bookes , friends , wine , oyle , health , reputation , competency , may giue occasions , but not bounds to our reioycings . we may not make them gods riualls , but his spokes-men . in themselues they are nothing ; but , in god , worth our ioy . these may be vsed ; yet so as they may be absent without distraction . let these goe ; so god alone be present with vs , it is enough : he were not god , if he were not all-sufficient . wee haue him , i speake boldly ; wee haue him in feeling , in faith , in pledges , and earnest ; yea , in possession . why doe wee not enioy him ? why doe we not shake-off that senselesse drowsinesse , which makes our liues vnpleasant ; and leaue-ouer all heauiness , to those that want god ; to those that either knowe him not , or knowe him displeased ? to mr. w. r. dedic . to mr. thomas bvrlz . ep. . consolations of immoderate griefe for the death of friends . while the streame of sorrow runnes full , i knowe how vaine it is to oppose counsell . passions must haue leasure to digest . wisedome doth not more moderate them , then time . at first , it was best to mourne with you , and to mitigate your sorrow , by bearing part ; wherein , would god my burden could be your ease . euery thing else is less , when it is diuided ; and then is best , after teares , to giue counsell : yet , in these thoughts i am not a little straited . before you haue digested grief , aduise coms too early ; too late , when you haue digested it . before , it was vnseasonable ; after , would be superfluous . before , it could not benefit you : after , it may hurt you , by rubbing-vp a skinned sore afresh . it is as hard to choose the season for counsell , as to giue it : and that season is , after the first digestion of sorrow ; before the last if my letters then meet with the best opportunity , they shall please me , and profit you : if not , yet i deserue pardon , that i wished so . you had but two iewels , which you held precious ; a wife , and a sonne : one was your self diuided ; the other , your selfe multiplied : you haue lost both , and well-neere at once . the losse of one caused the other , & both of them your iust griefe . such losses , when they come single , afflict vs ; but , when double , astonish vs ; and , tho they giue aduātage of respite , would almost ouerwhelme the best patient . lo , now is the trial of your manhood , yea of your christianity : you are now in the lists , set-vpon by two of gods fierce afflictions ; showe now what patience you haue , what fortitude . wherefore haue you gathered , and layd-vp , all this time , but for this brunt ? now bring forth all your holy store to light , and to vse ; and approue to vs in this difficulty , that you haue all this while beene a christian in earnest . i knowe , these euents haue not surprised you on a suddain : you haue suspected they might com ; you haue put-cases if they should come . thinges that are hazardous , may be doubted : but , certaine things are , and must bee expected . prouidence abates griefe , and discountenances a crosse . or , if your a●●●ction were so strong , that you 〈◊〉 not fore-thinke your losse ; take it equally but as it falls . a wise man and a christian , knowes death so fatall to nature , so ordinary in euent , so gainfull in the issue , that i wonder hee can for this either feare or grieue . doth god onely lend vs one another , and doe wee grudge when hee calls for his owne ? so i haue seene ill debters , that borrow with prayers , keepe with thankes , repay with enmitie . wee mistake our tenure : wee take that for gift , which god intendes for loane ; wee are tenants at will , and thinke our selues owners . your wife and childe are dead : well ; they haue done that for which they came . if they could not haue died , it had beene worthy of wonder ; not at all , that they are dead . if this condition were proper onely to our families ; and friends , or yet to our climate alone ; how vnhappy should we seeme to our neighbours , to our selues ! now it is common , let vs mourne that wee are men . lo , all princes and monarchs daunce with vs in the same ring : yea , what speake i of earth ? the god of nature , the sauiour of mē , hath trod the same steps of death ? and doe wee thinke much to follow him ? how many seruants haue wee knowen , that haue thrust themselues betwixt their maister & death ; which haue died , that their master might not dy ? and shall we repi●e to die with ours ? how truly may we say of this our dauid , thou art worth ten thousand of vs ; yea , worth a world of angels : yet he died , and died for vs. who would liue , that knowes his sauiour died ? who can be a christian , and would not be like him ? who can bee like him , that would not die after him ? thinke of this , and iudge whether all the world can hire vs not to die . i need not aske you , whether you loued those whō you haue lost : could you loue them , and not wish they might bee happy ? could they be happy , and not die ? in truth , nature knowes not what shee would haue ; wee can neither abide our friends miserable in their stay , nor happy in their departure : wee loue our selues so well , that we cannot be content they should gaine by our losse . the excuse of your sorrow is , that you mourn for your selfe . true : but , compare these two , and see whether your losse or their gain be greater . for , if their aduantage exceede your losse ; take heed , least while you bewray your loue in mourning for them , it appeare that you loue but your selfe in them . they are gone to their preferment , and you lament : your loue is iniurious . if they were vanished to nothing , i could not blame you , tho you tooke vp rachels lamentation : but now , you knowe they are in surer handes then your owne : you knowe , that he hath taken them , which hath vndertaken to keep them , to bring them againe : you knowe , it is but a sleepe , which is miscalled death ; and that they shall , they must awake , as sure as they lie down ; and wake more fresh , more glorious , then when you shut their eyes . what do we with christianitie , if we beleeue not this ? and if wee doe beleeue it , why doe wee mourne as the hopeless ? but the matter , perhaps , is not so heauie as the circumstance : your crosses came sudden , and thicke ; you could not breathe from your first losse , ere you felt a worse . as if hee knew not this , that sent both : as if he did it not on purpose . his proceedings seeme harsh ; are most wise , most iust . it is our fault , that they seeme otherwise then they are . doe we thinke , wee could carue better for our selues ? o the mad insolence of nature , that dares controll , where she should wonder ! presumptuous clay ! that wil be checking the potter . is his wisedome , himselfe ? is he , in himselfe , infinite ? is his decree out of his wisedom ; and doe wee murmur ? doe wee , foolish wormes , turne againe when he treads vpon vs ? what ? doe you repine at that which was good for you , yea best ? that is best for vs , which god seeth best : and that he sees best , which he doth . this is gods doing . kisse his rod in silence , and giue glory to the hand that rules it . his will is the rule of his actions ; and his goodness , of his will. thinges are good to vs , because he wills them : he wills them , because they are good to himselfe . it is your glory that he intends , in your so great affliction . it is no praise to wade ouer a shallow ford : but , to cut the swelling waues of the deepe , commendes both our strength and skill . it is no victorie , to conquer an easie and weake crosse . these maine euils haue crownes answerable to their difficulty : wrestle now , and goe away with a blessing . bee patient in this losse , and you shall once triumph in your gaine . let god haue them with cheerefulnesse , and you shall enioy god with them in glory . to mr. i. a. merchant . ep. . against sorrowe for worldly losses . it is fitter for mee to begin with chiding , then with aduice : what means this weake distrust ? go on , and i shall doubt whether i write to a christian . you haue lost your heart , together with your wealth : how can i but feare , least this mammon was your god ? hence was gods iealousie in remoouing it ; and hence your immoderate teares for losing it . if thus ; god had not loued you , if he had not made you poore . to some , it is an aduantage to leese : you could not haue beene at once thus rich , and good . now , heauen is open to you , which was shut before ; & could neuer haue giuen you entrāce , with that lode of iniquitie . if you be wise in menaging your affliction , you haue changed the world for god , a little drosse for heauē . let me euer lose thus , and smart when i cōplain . but , you might haue at once retained both . the stomach , that is purged , must bee content to part with some good nourishment , that it may deliuer it selfe of more euill humors . god saw ( that knowes it ) you could not hold him so strongly , while one of your hands was so fastened vpon the world . you see , many make them selues wilfully poore : why cannot you be content god should impouerish you ? if god had willed their pouerty , he would haue cōmanded it : if he had not willed yours , he would not haue effected it . it is a shame for a christiā , to see an heathen philosopher laugh at his owne shipwracke ; while himselfe houles out , as if all his felicity were imbarked with his substāce . how should we scorn , to think that an heathen man should laugh either at our ignorance , or impotence ? ignorāce , if we thought too highly of earthly things ; impotēce , if we ouer-loued them . the feare of some euils is worse thē the sense . to speake ingenuously ; i could neuer see , wherin pouerty deserued so hard a cōceit . it takes away the delicacy of fare , softnesse of lodging , gaynesse of attyre , and perhaps brings with it cōtempt : this is the worst , and all . view it now on the better side : lo , there quiet securitie , sound sleepes , sharpe appetite , free meriment ; no feares , no cares , no suspicion , no distemper of excesse , no discontentment . if i were iudge , my tongue should be vniust , if pouertie went away weeping . i cannot see , how the euills it brings , can cōpare with those which it remoues ; how the discommodities should match the blessings of a mean estate . what are those you haue lost , but false friends , miserable comforters ? else they had not left you . oh slight and fickle stay , that windes could bereaue you of ! if your care could go with them , here were no dammage : and , if it go not with them , it is your fault . grieue more for your fault , then for your losse . if your negligence , your riotous misspence had empaired your estate , then satan had impouerisht you ; now would i haue added to your griefe , for your sinne , not for your asfliction : but now , since windes and waters haue done it as the officers of their maker ; why should not you say with mee , as i with job , the lord hath taken ? vse your losse well , and you shall finde that god hath crossed you with a blessing . and if it were worse then the worlde esteemes it , yet thinke not what you feele , but what you deserue : you are a stranger to your selfe , if you confesse not , that god fauours you in this whip . if hee had stripped you of better things , and scourged you with worse , you should still haue acknowledged a mercifull iustice : if you now repine at an easie correction , you are worthy of seueritie . beware the next , if you grudge and swell at this . it is next to nothing which you suffer : what can be further from vs , then these goods of outward estate ? you need nor abate either health , or mirth , for their sakes . if you do now draw the affliction neerer then hee which sent it , and make a forraine euil domesticall ; if while god visits your estate , you fetch it home to your body , to your minde ; thank your selfe that you will needes be miserable : but , if you loue not to fare ill ; take crosses as they are sent , and go lightly away with an easie burden . finis . errata . pag. . line . falls for faults . pag . li. . nor for not . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * the name of the vpper well of the spa. histoire et miracles , &c. que le . iour du mois de septembre an dict an . . estant feste de la natiuitè de nostre dame , le nombre de pelerins a estè euuiron . pag. . virgo hallensis . mechlinia . one goodwin a kentish-man . the rood of grace at boxley abbey . * ●n l' an mil six cents & trois , y fureut comptez cent & trente cinque potences & iambes de bo●s de personnes boyteuses y apportées au seul espace de quatre ou cincque mois . histoire & miracles . c. . p. . or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deut. . by the faith and worship of the true god. pag. . * histoire & miracles de nostre dame. pag. . pag. . examen pacifique de la doctrine des hugenots . osauueresie sauue moy . manuel of french praiers , printed at liege , by approbatiō and authoritie of anton. gheuart inquisitor , &c. let no man worship the virgin marie . notes for div a -e virg . carnis , mētis caus . q. . c. tunc sa●●bitur . m●lier suam virginitatem bene secuat , si●●eo nubat vt filios pariat ad iustitiam . profitentur continentiā corporum , in incontinē tiam debacchantur animorum . de rom. cler. saluianus . * qui vetat quod deus , praecepit . aut praecipit quod deus vetuit , maledictus habeatur ab omnious qui amant dominum . in moralib . sum . ca . a heb. . the mariage bed is honorable . b non quia peccatum sit coniugibus commisceri : hoc enim opus castum non habet culpā in coniuge , &c. gregory in psal . poenit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . socrat. hist . eccles . c continentia non est in clericis secularibus de substantia ordinis , nec de iure diuino . 〈◊〉 d copula sasacerdotalis nec legali , nec euangeli●● nec apostolica authoritate prohibetur . . q . c sors . ex aug. e only ex statuto ecclesiae . durand . . dist . . q . tom. in . . q. . art . . f sed credo pro bono & salute esse animarum ( quod esset salubre statutum ) vt volentes possint contrahere ; quia experientia docente , cōtrarius prorsus effectus sequit●r ex illa lege cōtinent ae ; cū hodie non viuant spiritualiter nec sint mundi , sed maculātur illicito coitu cum eorum grauissimo peccato , vbi cū propriâ vxore esset castitas . panormit . de cler. comug . cap. cum olim . g sacerdotibus magna ratione sublatas nuptias , maiore restituendas videri : in the record of platina himselfe in vita pij . . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. . cor. . . &c. i rhemists read it a woma● asister . k clemens , citatus etiam ab euseb . l. . c. ▪ petrum cum vxorem suā ad mortem ducicerneret hortatum & consolatum his verbis . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l in illud . ad philip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( non eijciat ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . can. apost . . n constant . l. . can. quoniam . canon apostolicae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nos , sequētes veterem canonem apostolicae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & constitutiones sacrorū virorum , legales suptias amodò valere volumus , &c. o qui a christianis parentibus enutriti sūt , &c. maximè si fuerint ex patribus sacerdot●li sede dignificatis . i. episco patus , presbyteratus , aut diaconatus ne glorientur . orig. tract . in matth ▪ p visum erat episcopis legē nouam introducere in ecclesiam . socr. l. . c. . * signa per paphnutium non m●nus quàm dudum per apostolos siebant . ruff. n. l. . c. . pathnutium , miraculis & pietate clarus , obtinuit in nicena synodo habendum pro castitate cū propriavxore concubitum socra . l. ● . c. q in epist . ad dracont . r multi ex episcopis matrimonia nō inierūt ; monach● cōtrà parentes ●iberorū facti sūt : quemad modū vicissim episcopos filiorum patres , & monachos generis potestatē nō quaesiuisse animaduertas . athana● . epistola . ad dracon●ium . ſ numidicus presbiter , qui vxorē concrematā & adhae a rentem lateri laetus aspexit . cyprian . l. . ep. . t ex d●onisio . euseb . l. . c. v euseb . l. . cap. . euseb . l. . c. . gregorios verò apud nazianzum oppidum in locum patris sui episcopus subrogatus ruffin . l. . c . x gregor . nassen frater basilij , teste nicephoro , vxoratus , vxorem & liberos habuit : sed non propterea fuit inrebus et exercitijs diuinis inferior vel deterior . sozom ▪ z de legiti nis coniugiis nat . a cùm ergo ex sacerdotibus nati in summos pontifices legantur esse promoti , non sunt intelligendi de fornicatione sed de legitimis connubiis nati ; quae sacerdotibu● vbique ante prohibitionem licita erant , et in orientali ecclesia vsque bodie eis licere probantur , dist . . ceno●an . b the author of the aeth●opick historie . c nam non pauci illorum , dū episcopatū gerunt , etiā liberos ex vxore legitimâ procreant . socrat. l. . cap. . d the words of that councel are thus truly translated by chemnitius ; quoniam in romana ecclesia , loco canonis seu decieti , traditum esse cognouimus , vt ij qui digni habē di sunt ordinatione diaconi vel piesa byteri piofiteātur se deinceps cum vxoribus suis nō congressuros ; nos sequentes veterem canonem apostolicae , sincerae , exquisitae & ordinatae constitutionis , legitimas sacrorū virorū cohabitationes coniugales etiā ex hodierno die in poster● valere ratas & firmas esse volumus ; nullo modo eorū cum vxoribus propriis coniūctionē seu copulationē dissoluentes . itaque si quis dignus inueniatur &c. is minime prohibēdus est ad hūc gradū ascēdere , ideo quòd eū legitimâ vxore cohabitet . nec tēpore ordinationis suae ab eo postuletur , seu cogatur vt abstinere velit aut debeat legitimo cōgressu cū propriâ vxore . citat a nilo thesalonicensi . e aliter se orientaliū habet traditio ecclesiarū : aliter huius sanctae romanae ecclesiae . nam eorum sace●dotes , diaconi , ●ut subdiacont . matrimonio copulantur : istius autem ecclesiae vel occidentaliū nullus sacerdotum , a subdiacono vsque ad episcopum , licentiam habet coniugiun sortiendi . dis . f nemo scor ta aut concubinam alat : sed aut castē viuat , aut vxorem ducat ; quā repudiare fas non esto . g dist . . h anno. i clerici castimoniā inuiolati corporisperpetuò conseruare studeant ; aut certè vnius matrimonij vinculo foederentur . isid . reg . cleric . k whether huldericus or ( as hee is somwhere intitled ) volusianus , i inquire not : the matter admits of no doubt . huldericus episcopus augustae . anno. . aeneas sylu. in suā germ. hedion . eccl. hist . l. . c. . fox , in act. & monum . hath it fully translated . l auentinus l. . gratū scortatoribus , quibus pro vna vxore sex centas iā malierculas ●●re l●cebat . m anno. . n maritos ab vxoribus separat . o ex interdicto sacerdotum coniugio , grauissiam seditio gregem christi perculit : nec vrquam talis lues populum christi afflixit . auent . l. . henric. huntingdon . de anselmo . l . de an. in synodo londinensi : prohibu●● sacerdotibus vxores , antè non prohibitas : anselm . ( saith that historian ) was the first that forbad mariage to the clergie of england ( and this was , about the yeare of our lord , ) till then euer free . item fabianus liberos aijt fu●sse sacerdotes per annos . asteriscus . veru . quo vadis? a iust censure of travell as it is commonly vndertaken by the gentlemen of our nation. by ios. hall d. of diuinitie. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) quo vadis? a iust censure of travell as it is commonly vndertaken by the gentlemen of our nation. by ios. hall d. of diuinitie. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by edward griffin for nathaniel butter, london : . in this edition there are numbered pages. a variant of stc a, an edition with h. fetherstone's name in the imprint. imperfect; tightly bound affecting text. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng travel -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion quo vadis ? a ivst censvre of travell as it is commonly vndertaken by the gentlemen of our nation . by ios . hall d. of diuinitie . london , printed by edward griffin for nathaniel butter . . to the right honorable , my singular good lord , edward lord denny , baron of waltham . right honorable , i feuer any men had reason to bee in loue with the face of a forraine entertainment , those are they , which were admitted to the attendance of the truly generous and honorable , lord hay , your most noble sonne , in his late embassage to france ; in which number my vnworthinesse was allowed to make o●e ; who ca● therefore well witnesse , that no man could either recei●e more honour from a strange countrey , or doe more honour to his owne . what wanted there that might make men confesse themselues more welcome then strangers ? neither doubt i but that after many ages , france it selfe will wonder at the bountifull express●ons of her own● fauours . but whiles others were ●nioying the noble courtesies of the time , my thoughts entertained themselues with searching into the proofe of that ordinary trauell , wherewith i saw men comm●nly affected ; which , i must needs confesse , the more i saw , the lesse i liked . neither is it in the power of any forraine munificence , to make mee thinke ours any where so well● as at home . earthly commodities are no part of my thought : i looked ( as i ought ) at the soule ; which i ●ell saw , vses not only to gather 〈◊〉 mosse in this rolling , but suffers the best graces it bath , ●o molder away insensibly in such vnnecessary agitation . i haue now beene twise abroad : both times ( as thinking my selfe worthy of nothing but neglect ) i bent my eyes vpon others , to see what they did , what they got : my inquirie found our spirituall losse so palpable , that now at last my heart could not chuse but breake forth at my hand , and tell my countrymen of the dangerous issue of their curiositie . i meddle not with the common iourneyes to the miner all waters of the spa ; to which many sicke soules are beholden for a good excuse : who whiles they pretend the medicinall vse of that spring , can freely quaffe of the puddle of popish superstition ; poisoning the better part , in stead of helping the worse . these i leaue to the best physician , authoritie ; which if it may please to vndertake the cure , may perhaps saue as many english soules from infection , as that water cures bodies of diseases . i deale only with those , that professe to seeke the glory of a perfect breeding , and the perfection of that , which we call ciuilitie , in trauell : of which sort i haue ( not without indignation ) seene too many lose their hopes , and themselues in the way ; returning as empty of grace , and other vertues , as full of words , vanitie , mis-dispositions . i dedicate this poore discourse to your lo : as ( besides my daily renued obligations ) congratulating to you the sweet libertie and happy vse of your home ; who like a fixed starre may well ouer-looke these planets , and by your constant settlednesse , giue that aime to inferiour eies , which shall be in vaine expected from a wandring light . the god of beauen , to whose glorie i haue intended this weake labour , giue it fauor in the ●ight of his church , and returne it backe ; but with this good newes that any one of the son● of iaphet , is hereby perswaded to dwell euer in the tents of sem : vnto that diuine protection , i humbly betake your lo : iustly vowing my selfe your lo : humbly deuoted in a●l faithfull and christian obseruance , ios . hall . qvo vadis ? sect. . it is an ouer-rigorous construction of the workes of god , that in moting our iland with the ocean he ment to shut vs vp from other regions ; for god himselfe that made the sea , was the author of nauigation , and hath therein taught vs to set vp a wooden bridge , that may reach to the very antipodes themselues : this were to seeke discontentment in the bounty of god , who hath placed vs apart , for the singularity of our happinesse , not for restraint . there are two occasions wherein trauell may passe , matter of trafique , and matter of state. some commodities god hath confined to some countries , vpon others hee hath with a full hand powred those benefits , which hee hath but sprinkled vpon some . his wise prouidence hath made one countrey the granary , another the celler , another the orchard , another the arsenall of their neighbours , yea of the remotest parts . the earth is the lords which he meant not to keepe in his hands , but to giue ; and hee which hath giuen no man his faculties and graces for himselfe , nor put light into the sun , moone , stars for their owne vse , hath stored no parcell of earth with a purpose of priuate reseruation . salomon would neuer haue sent his nauie for apes and peacockes , but yet held gold and timber for the building of gods house , and his own , worthy of a whole three yeares voyage : the sea and earth are the great cofers of god ; the discoueries of nauigation are the keyes , which whosoeuer hath receiued , may know that he is freely allowed to vnlocke these chests of nature , without any neede to picke the wards : wise salomons comparison is reciprocall . a ship of merchants that fetches her wares from farre is the good hus-wife of the common-wealth , and if she were so in those blind voyages of antiquity , which neuer saw needle nor card , how much more thrifty must shee needes be in so many helpes both of nature and art ? either indies may be searched for those treasures , which god hath laid vp in them for their fardistant owners ; onely let our merchants take heed , least they go so farre , that they leaue god behinde them ; that whiles they buy all other things good cheape , they make not an ill match for their soules , least they end their prosperous aduentures in the shipwracke of a good conscience . sect. . and for matter of policy , nothing can be more plaine then that our correspondence with other nations cannot possibly be held vp , without intelligence of their estate , of their proceedings ; the neglect whereof were no other then to prostrate our selues to the mercie of an hollow friendship , and to stand still , and willingly lie open whiles wee are plaide vpon by the wit of vntrusty neighbourhood . th●se eyes and eares of state are necessarie to the well-being of the head ; in which number i doe not include those priuate inter-lopers of intelligence , that lie abroad only to feed some vaine cameleons at home with the aire of newes , for no other purpose , saue idle discourse ; but only those profitable agents , whose industrie either fitteth them abroad for publike imployment , or imployeth them after due maturitie , in the fit seruices of the common-wealth : neither my censure nor my direction reaches to either of these occasions . it is the trauell of curiosity wherwith my quarrell shall bee maintained ; the inconueniences whereof my owne senses haue so sufficiently witnessed , that if the wise parents of our gentry could haue borrowed mine eyes for the time , they wou●d euer learne to keepe their sonnes at home , and not wil●ully beate themselues with the ●taffe of their age : vpon them let my pen turne a little , as those that are more then accessaries to this both priuate and publike mischiefe . sect. . it is the affectation of too-early ripenesse that makes them prodgall of their childrens safety an● hopes ; for , that they may be wi●● betimes , they send them foo●● to the world in the minority bo● of age and iudgement , like as fon● mothers vse to send forth the● daughters on frosting , early in col● mornings ( though into the mi● of a vaporous and foggy ayre ) an● whiles they striue for a colo● loose their health ; if they were n● blinded with ouer-weening a● desire , they could not but see 〈◊〉 their vnsetlednesse carries in it manifest perill of mi●-carriag● grant that no danger were thre●ned by the place , experience gi● vs , that a weake-limde childe if 〈◊〉 be suffered to vse his legges too soone , too mu●h , lames himselfe for euer ; bu● if hee wa●ke in vneuen ground , he is no le●se subiect to maimes , then crookednesse . do they not see how easily a young twig is bowed any way● do they not see that the mid-wi●● and the nurse are wont to frame the gristly head of the infant to any fa●hion ? may not any thing be written vpon a blanke ? and if they make choice of this age , because it is most docible , and for that they would take the day before them , why doe they not consider that it ●s therefore more docible of e●ill ; ●ince wickednesse is both more 〈◊〉 and more plausible then ●ertue , especially when it meetes with an vntutored iudge ; and ●inc●●here is so much inequality of ●he ●umber of both , that it is not ●ore hard to finde vertue , then to misse vice . heare this then , yee carelesse ostriches , that leaue your egges in the open sand for the sun to hatch , without the feare of any hoo●e that may crush them in peec●s , haue your stomackes resolued to digest the hard newes of the ruine of your children ? doe ye professe anmity to your owne loynes ? then turne them ( as ye doe ) loose to these dangers , ere they c●n resist , ere they can discerne ; but if ye had rather they should liue and grow , bestow vpon them the kindly heat of your be●t plumes , and shelter them with your owne brest and wings , till nature haue opened a seasonable way to their owne abilities . se●● . . yea let it be my iust complaint in this place , that in the very transplantation of our sonnes to the sa●er soile of our owne vniuersities , and innes of court , nothing is more preiudiciall then speede . perfection is the childe of time ; neither was there euer any thing excellent , that required not meet leisure : but besides , how commonly is it seene , that those which had wont to swimme onely with bladders , sinke when they come first to trust their owne armes ? these lap-wings that goe from vnder the wing of their damme with their shell on their heads , run wilde . if tutors be neuer so carefull of their early charge , much must be left to their owne disposition ; which if it leade them not to good , not only the hopes of their youth , but the proofe of their age lies bleeding . it is true , that as the french lawyers say merily of the normans , which by a speciall priuiledge are reputed of full age at . yeeres , whereas the other french stay for their fiue and twentieth , that malitia supplet aetatem ; so may i say of the younglings of our time , that precocitie of vnderstanding supplieth age and stature : but as it is commonly seene , that those blossomes which ouer-runne the spring , and will be looking forth vpon a february-sunne , are nipped soone after with an aprill-frost , when they should come to the knitting : so is it no lesse ordinary that these rathe-ripe wits preuent their owne perfection , and after a vaine wonder of their haste , end either in shame , or obscuritie . and as it thus falles out euen in our vniuersities ( the most absolute and famous seminaries of the world ) where the tutors eye supplies the parents ; so must it needs much more , in th●se free and honourable innes ( as they are called , for their libertie , colledges for their vse ) of our english gentry , wherein each one is his owne master in respect of his priuate studie and gouernment : where there are many pots boiling , there cannot but bee much scumme . the concourse of a populous citie affords many brokers of villanie , which liue vpon the spoiles of young hopes , whose very acquaintance is destruction . how can these nouices , that are turned loose into the maine , ere they know either coast , or compasse , auoid these rockes and shelues , vpon which both their estates and soules are miserably wracked ? how commonly doe they learne to roare in stead of pleading , and in stead of knowing the lawes , learne how to conternne them ? we see , and rue this mischiefe , and yet i know not how carelesse we are in preuenting it . how much more desperate must it then needs be to send forth our children into those places which are professedly infectious , whose very goodnesse is either impietie , or superstition ? if wee desired to haue sonnes poisoned with mis-be●eefe , what could wee doe otherwise ? or what else doe those parents , which haue bequeathed their children to antichristianisme ? our late iourney into france informed me of some ordinary factors of rome , whose trade is the transporting and placing of our popish nouices beyond the seas ; one whereof ( whose name i noted ) hath beene obserued to carry ouer sixe seuerall charges in one ye●re . are wee so foolish to goe their way , whiles wee intend a contrary period ? doe wee send our sonnes to learne to be chaste in the midst of sodome ? the world is wide and open ; but our ordinary trauell is southward , into the iawes of danger : for so farre hath satans policie preuailed , that those parts which are only thought worth our viewing , are most contagious ; and will not part with either pleasure , or information , without some tang of wickednesse . what can wee pleade for our confidence , but that there is an houshold of righteous lot in the midst of that impure citie ; that there are houses in this lericho , which haue scarlet threeds shining in their windowes ; that in the most corrupted aire of poperie , some well reformed christians draw their breath , and sweeten it with their respiration . blessed bee god , that hath reared vp the towers of his sion , in the midst of babylon . wee must acknowledge , not without much gratulation to the gospell of christ , that in the very hottest climates of opposition , it findes many clients , but more friends ; and in those places , where author●tie hath plea●ed to giue more aire to the truth , would haue had many more , if the retormed part had happily continued that correspond●nce in some circumstances wi●h the romane church , which the church of englan● hath hitherto maintained . god is my record how ●r●e my heart is both from pa●●●alitic , and pr●iudi●e . mine eyes and eares can witnesse with wha● approo●e and applause diuer● of the catholiques royall ( as they are termed ) entertained the new-tran●lated liturgie o● our church , as maruelling to see such order and regular deuotion in them , whom they were taught to condemne for hereticall . whose allowances i w●ll saw , might with a little helpe , haue beene raised higher , from the practise of our church , to some points of our iudgement . but if true religion were in those parts yet better attended , and our young traueller could finde mo●e abettors , and examples of pie●ie , on whom wee might relie , yet how safe can it bee to trust young eyes with the view and censure of truth or ●alshood in religion ? especially when truth brings nothing to this barre , but extreme simplicitie , and contrarily , ●alshood , a gaw dy magnificence , and proud maiestie of pompous ceremonies , wherewith the hearts of children and fooles are easily taken . that curtizan of rome ( according to the mann●r of that profession ) sets out her selfe to sale in the most tempting fashion ; here want no colours , no per●umes , no wanton dre●ses ; whereas the poore spouse of christ can on●y say of her selfe , i am blacke , but comely . when on the one side they shall see such rich shrines , garish altars , stately processions , when they shall see a pope adored of emperours , cardinals preferd to kings , confessors made saints , little children made angels , in a word nothing not outwardly glorious : on the other side , a seruice without welt or guard , whose maiestie is all in the heart , none in the face , how easily may they incline to the conceit of that parisian dame , who seeing the procession of s. genoueifue goe by the streets , could say , ( o que belle , &c. ) how fine a religion is ours in comparison of the hugenots ? whereto must bee added , that ( supposing they doe not carry with them , but rather goe to fetch the language of the place ) some long time needs be spent , ere they can receiue any helpe to their deuotion ; whiles in the meane season , their vnthriuing intermi●●ion is assailed with a thousand suggestions : and who sees not that this lucrum cessans ( as the ciuil●ans terme it ) offers an open aduantage to a bu●●e aduersarie ? sect. . in a word , it hath beene the old praise of early rising , that it makes a man healthfull , holy , and rich ; whereof the first respects the body , the second the soule , the third the estate : all fals out contrary in an early trauell . for health : the wise prouidence of god hath so contriued his earth , and vs , that he ha●h fitted our bodies to our clime , and the natiue sustenance of the place vnto our bodies . the apparant difference of diet ( and of drinkes especially ) falling into so tender age , must needs cause a iarre in the constitution ; which cannot in all likelihood , but send forth distemper into the whole course of the ensuing life . the streame runnes like the fountaine , and speeds well , if at last , by many changes of soile it can leaue an ill qualitie behinde it : besides that the mis-gouernance of diet , whereto their libertie layes them open in the weaknesse of their pupillage , cannot but bee extremely preiudiciall . in this point let experience be consulted with ; her vnpartiall sentence shall easily tell vs , how few young trauellers haue brought home , sound and strong , and ( in a word ) english bodies . as for holinesse , we lose our labour , if this discourse proue not that it hath none so great enemie as timely trauell ; at once doe wee hazard to abandon god and our home : set an empty pitcher to the fire , it crackes presently , whereas the full will abide boiling . it was the younger sonne in the gospell , who therefore turnes vnthrift , because he got his portion too soone into his hands , and wandred into a farre countrey . the eye of the parent , and the ferule of the master , is all too little to bring our sonnes to good . where then there is neither restraint of euill , nor helps to grace , how should their condition bee other than hopelesse ? the soile doth much in many plants : the persian hyos●yamus if it be translated to egypt , proues deadly ; if to ierusalem , safe and wholesome : neither is it otherwise with some dispositions , which may iustly curse the place , as accessory to their vndoing . lastly , for riches , not of the purse , ( which is not here thought of ) but of the mind , what can bee expected from that age , which is not capable of obseruation , carele●●e of reposition ? whereof the one gets , the other keepes the treasure of our vnderstanding . what is this age fit to looke after but butterflies , or birds nests , or perhaps the gay coat of a courtier ? and if remarkable considerations be put into it by others , they are as some loose pearles , which for want of filing vpon a string , shake out of our pockets ; so as all the wealth of a young traueller is only in his tongue , wherein he exceeds his mothers parrat at home , both for that hee can speake more , and knowes that he speaketh . sect. . and in truth , it is not onely in trauell , wherein wee may iustly complaine of the inconuenience of haste , but ( that wee may looke● a little aside ) in all the important businesses of our life ; especially in marriages and professions ; the ordinary haste in the one ( before the face can descry the sex ) fils the world full of beggerie and impotence ; and no lesse haste in the other , fils it as full of ignorance and imperfection . for on the one side , where the vigour of nature wants , what can be propagated but infirmity , or how can hee skill to liue that wants experience ? on the other , what plenty of water can there be , where the leade of the cisterne is put all into the pipes ? where those that should be gathering knowledge for themselues , spend it ( like vnthrifty heires ) vpon others , as fast as they get it . i am deceiued , if i haue not touched one of the maine grounds of that vniuersall decay of arts and men , wherewith the world is commonly checked : they must bee mightier and wiser , that know to redresse it . sect. . but let vs giue our traueller ( that which parents seldome care to giue ) maturity of age ; let him be as ripe as time can make him ; what is the best aduantage which his absence can promise vs : let vs lay the benefits of trauell in the one sca●e , the inconueniences on the other , whethersoeuer ouer-waighes , shall sway downe the beame of our iudgement . the priuate contentment of a mans owne heart in the view o● forraine things , is but a better name of an humorous curio●ity . if a man yeelde to runne after his appetite and his eye , he shall neuer know where to re●t , and after many idle excursions , ●hal lie downe weary , but vnsa●is●ied . for , giue me a man that hath seene ●udasses lanterne at s. dennises , the ephe●ian ●iana in the louure , the great vessell at heydelberg , the amphitheater at ●ismes , the ruines and halfe-lettred monuments of the seuen hilles , and a thousand such rarities ; what peace hath his heart aboue those , that sit at home , and contemne these toyes ? and what if that mans fancie shall call him to the stables of the great mogol , or to the solemnities of mecha , or to the librarie of the moun●aine of the moone , will hee be so farre the drudge or lacquay of his owne imagination , as to vndertake ●his pilgrimage ? or where will he stay at last , vpon his returne ? if he haue smelt the ill-sented cities of france , or haue seene faire florence , rich venice , proud genua , luca the industrious : if then his thoughts shall tempt him to see the rich gluttons house in ierusalem , or inuite him to asmere , or bengala , must he goe ? and if hee can denie and chide his owne vnprofitable desires at the last , why began hee no sooner ? that could not be forborne too early , which at last we● repent to haue done : he therefore that trauels onely to please his fantasie , is like some woman with childe , that longs for that peece which she sees vpon anothers trencher , and swounds if she miss● it ; or some squire of dames , tha● doats vpon euery beautie , and is euery day loue-sicke anew : these humours are fitter for controlment , than obseruation . sect. . it is an higher facultie that trauell professeth to aduance , the supreme power of our vnderstanding , which if from hence it may be manifestly improued , he should not bee worthy to tread vpon the earth , that would not emulate drake , and candish , in compassing it : but ( set aside the studie of ciuill law , which indeed findes bett●r helpes abroad ) all sciences ( the word may seeme proud , but is true ) may be both more fitly wooed , and more surely wonne within our foure seas : for what learning is that , which the seas , or alpes , or pyrenees haue ingrossed from vs ? what profession either liberall , or manuary , wherein the greatest masters haue not beene at least equalled by our hom●-bred ilanders ? what hath this , or the former age knowne more eminent for learning , then some of ours , whi●h haue neuer trod on any but th●ir owne earth ? and ( as good market-men by one handfull iudge of● all the whole sacke ) why may we● not finde cause to thinke so of the rest , if they would not be wanting to themselues ? i am sure the vni uersities of our iland know no matches in all the world ; vnto whose per●e●tion ( that as they exceed others , so they may no lesse exceed themselues ) nothing wanteth , but seuere execution of the wise and carefull lawes of our ancestors , and restraint o● that libertie , which is the common disease of the time . and why should not the childe thriue as well with the mothers milke , as with a strangers ? whether it be the enuie , or the pusillanimitie of vs english , wee are still ready to vnder-value our owne , and admire forrainers ; whiles other nations haue applauded no professors more then those which they haue borrowed from vs ; neither haue wee beene so vnwise , as to lend forth our best : our neighbours ( which should be our corriuals in this praise ) shall be our iudges , if those f●w of our writers , which could be drawne forth into the publike light , haue not set copies to the rest of the world , not without iust admiration . and how many starres haue wee of no lesse magnitude , that will not be seene ? blessed be god ( who hath made this word as true , as it is great ) no nation vnder heauen so aboundeth with all varietie of learning , as this iland . from the head of gods anointed doth this sweet perfume distill to the vtmost skirts of this our region . knowledge did neuer sit crowned in the throne of maiestie , and wanted either respect , or attendance . the double praise which was of old giuen to two great nations , that italie could not be put down for armes , nor greece for learning , is happily met in one iland . those therefore that crosse the seas to fill their braine , doe but trauell northward for heat , and seeke that candle which they carry in their hand . sect. . yea so farre is our ordinary trauell from perfecting the intellectiue powers of our gentry , that it rather robs them of the very desire of perfection . for what discouragements shall they finde from the loue of studies , in those parts which are most sough● to for ciuilitie ? who k●ow●● not that they are growne to that height of debauch●ment , as to hold learning a shame to nobilitie ; esteeming it as a fit gard for the l●ng robe only , too base for their tiss●es ? an opinion so sauouring of proud ignorance , and ignorant looseness● , tha● i cannot honour it with a confutation . who would thinke that the reasonable soule of men , not professedly barbarous , should bee capable of such a monster ? what is learning , but reason improued ? and can reason so farre degenerate , as to hate and contemne it selfe ? were these men made onely for a sword , or a dogge , or an horse ? onely for sport , or execution ? i know not wherein lewi● the eleuenth shewed himselfe vnwitty , but in the charge which hee gaue to his sonne , to learne no more latine , but , qui nescit dissimulare , nescit viuere : and would this alone teach him to rule well ? doth the art of arts ( such is the gouernment of men ) require no grounds but dissimulation , or ignorance ? euen to the feeding of hogges , or sheepe , there is more and better skill necessary . how v●like is this to a successor of charles the great , whose word it had wont to be , that he had rather abound in knowledge , then wealth ? in the court of our king henry the eight , a certaine great peere ( of this diet ) could say , it was enough for noblemens sonnes to winde their horne , and carry their hauke faire ; that studie was for the children of a meaner ranke : to whom pace iustly replied , that then noblemen must bee content that their children many winde their hornes , and carry their haukes , while meaner mens sons doe weild the affaires of state. certainly it is a blinde and lame gouernment that lackes learning ; whose subiects , what are they else , but as limmes of a body whose head wanteth senses , which must needs therefore faile of either motion , or safetie ? from hence it is , that so few of the forraine noblesse are studious , in comparison of ours ; ( in which regard i am not ashamed to recant that which my vnexperience hath ( out of heare-say ) written in praise of the frenc● education ) and those few that haue stolne the turning ouer of bookes , hide their skill , left they should be made to blush at their vertue . what braue trophees and rich monuments hath the pen of our gracious soueraigne raised of himselfe vnto all posterities ? when ignorance and malice haue shot their bolt , the glory of his great wisdome , and knowledge , shall more fill the mouthes and affect the hearts of all succeeding ages , then of his greatnesse . paul the fift , and his greatest chaplaines , bellarmine and perron , haue felt the weight of his hand ; whereas the great king that stiles himselfe catholike , when he comes to passe his censorious edict vpon cardinall baronius ( who in the eleuenth tome of his historie seemed too busie in fastening the title of the kingdome of sicilie vpon the pope ) professeth to ground his intelligence of this wrong only vpon others eyes ; as if a booke ( though of a cardinall ) were too meane an obiect for the view of maiesty : and as all subordinate greatnes flowes from the head , so doe commonly also the dispositions . neither haue the doctours of the romish church ( vpon whom the implicit faith of the laitie is suspended ) found it any ill policie , to cherish this dislike of bookishnesse in the great ; for , whiles the candle is out , it is safe for them to play their trickes in the darke : and if the assyrians be once blinded , how easily may they bee led into the midst of any samar●a ? if the light of knowledge might freely ●hine to the world , poperie would soone bee ashamed of it selfe , and vanish amongst the workes of darknesse . now how well these examples , and this conuersation , shall whet the appetite vnto good studies , it cannot be hard to iudge . sect. . but perhaps it is not the learning of the schoole , but of the state , wherein our traueller hopes for perfection : the site and forme of cities , the fashions of gouernment , the manners of people , the raising and rate of forraine reuenues , the deportment of courts , the menaging both of warre and peace , is that wherein his owne eye shall be his best intelligencer ; the knowledge whereo● shall w●ll requite his labour , whether for discourse or for vse . what if i say , that ( saue the soothing vp of our fancy in all this ) these lessons may bee as well taken out at home : i haue knowen some that haue trauelled no further then their owne closet , which could both teach and correct the greatest traueller , after all his tedious and costly pererrations , what doe wee but lose the benefit of so many iournals , maps , hystoricall descriptions , relations , if we cannot with these helps , trauell by our owne fire-side ? hee that trauels into forraine countries , talkes perhaps with a peasant , or a pilgrim , or a citizen , or a courtier ; and must needs take such information as partiall rumour , or weake coniecture can giue him ; but hee that trauels into learned and credible authors , talkes with them who haue spent themselues in bolting out the truth of all passages ; and who hauing made their labours publike , would haue beene like to heare of it , if they had mis-reported : the ordinary traueller propounds some prime cities to himselfe , and thither hee walkes right forward , if he meet with ought that is memorable in the way , hee takes it vp ; but how many thousand matters of note fall beside him , on either hand ; of the knowledge whereof he is not guilty ; whereas ●ome graue and painefull author hath collected into one view , whatsoeuer his country affords worthy of marke ; hauing measured many a fowle step for that , which we may see dry-shod ; and worne out many yeeres in the search of that , which one houre shall make no lesse ours , then it was his owne . to which must be added , that our vnperfit acquaintance may not hope to finde so perfect information on the sudden , as a naturall inhabitant may get , by the disquisition of his whole life : let an italian or french passenger walk through this our iland , what can his table-bookes carry home , in comparison of the learned britaine of our camden , or the accurate tables of speed ? or if one of ours should ( as too many doe ) passe the alpes , what pittances can his wilde iourney obserue , in comparison of the itenerary of fr. schottus and capugnanus : or he that would discourse of the royalties of the french lillies , how can hee bee so furnished by flying report , as by the elaborate gatherings of cassaneus , or of degrassalius ; what should i bee infinite ? this age is so full of light , that there is no one country of the habitable world , whose beames are not crossed and interchanged with other ; knowledge of all affaires , is like musicke in the streets , whereof those may partake , which pay nothing ; wee doe not lie more open to one common snnne , then to the eyes and pens of our neighbours ; euen china itselfe , and iaponia , and those other remotest isles , & continents ( which haue taken the strictest order for closenesse ) haue receiued such discoueries , as would rather satisfie a reader , then prouoke him to amend them . a good booke is at once the best companion , and guide , and way , and end of our iourney ; necessity droue our forefathers out of doores , which else in those misty times had seene no light , we may with more ease , and no lesse profit sit still , and inherit , and enioy the labours of them , & our elder brethen , who haue purchased our knowledge with much hazard , time , toile , expence ; and haue beene liberall of their bloud ( some of them ) to leaue vs rich . sect. . as for that verball discourse , wherein i see some place the felicity of their trauell ( thinking it the onely grace , to tell wonders to a ring of admiring ignorants ) it is easie to answer ; that table-talk is the least care of a wise man ; who like a deepe streame desires rather to runne silent ; and as himselfe is seldome transported with wonder , so doth he not affect it in others ; reducing all to vse , rather then admiration , and more desiring to benefit , then astonish the hearer ; withall , that the same means which enable vs to know , d● at o●ce furnish vs with matter of dis●ourse , & for the forme of our expression , if it proceede not from that naturall dexterity which we carry with vs , in vaine shall wee hope to bring it home ; the change of language is rather an hinderance to our former readinesse ; and if some haue fetcht new noses , and lips , and eares from italy ( by the helpe of tagliacotius , & his schollers ) neuer any brought a new tongue from thence . ●o conclude , if a man would giue himselfe leaue to bee thus vaine and free , like a mill without a scluse , let him but trauell through the world of bookes , & he shall easily be able to out-talke that tongue , whose feet haue walkt the furthest ; what ●ath any eye seene , or imagination deuised , which the pen hath not dared to write ? out of our bookes can we tell the stories of the monocelli , who lying vpon their backes , shelter themselues from the sunne with the shadow of their one only foot . we can tell of those cheape-dieted men , that liue about the head of ganges , without mea● , without mouthes , feeding onely vpon aire at their nosthrils . or of those headlesse easterne people , that haue their eyes in their breasts ( a mis-conceit arising from their fashion of attire , which i haue sometimes seene ) : or of those coromand●e , of whom pliny speaks , that couer their whole body with their eares : or of the persecutors of s. thoma● of canterbury , whose posteritie ( if wee beleeue the con●ident writings of degra●●alius ) are borne with long and hairie tailes , souping after them ; which ( i imagine ) gaue occasion to that prouerbiall iest , wherewith our mirth vses to vpbraid the kentish : or of am●zons , or pygme●s , or satyres , or the samarcaudean lambe , which growing out of the earth by the nauell , grazeth so ●ar●e as that natural●●●ther will reach : or of the bird ruc , or ten thousand such miracles , whether of nature , or euent● little neede wee to stirre our feet to lea●●e to tell either loud lies , or large ●ruth● . wee haue heard a bird in a cage ●ing more change of ●otes , then others haue done i● the wilde libertie of the wood● and as for the present occurrences of ●he time , the world about vs is so full of presses , that it may , and ●s grow●e so good a fellow , that it will , impart what it knowes to all the neighbours : whose relations , if sometimes o●ey swarue from truth , we may well consider , what varietie of report euery accident will y●●ld ; and ●hat therefore our eares abroad are no whit more credible , then our eyes at home . yea rather , as tully could say , that at antium he could heare the newes of rome , better then at rome ; so may wee oft-times better heare and see the newes of france , or spaine , vpon our exchange , then in their paris , or madrill : since ( what libertie soeuer tongues may take to themselues ) a discreet man will be ashamed to subscribe his name to that , whereof hee may bee afterwards conuinced . sect. . since therefore trauell cannot out-bid vs in these highest commodities , which concerne the wealth of the minde ; all the aduantage it can afford vs , must bee in those mixt abilities , wherein our bodies are the greatest partners , as dancing , ●encing , musicke , vaulting , horsemanship ; the only professions of the mis-named academies of other nations . who can denie that such like exercises are fit for young gentlemen , not onely for their present recreation , but much more for the preparing of them to more serious action ? yet must these learne to know their places : what are they else but the varnish of that picture of gentry , whose substance consists in the lines and colours of true vertue ? but the lace or facing of a rich garment ? but the hang-byes of that royall court which the soule keeps in a generous heart ? he that holds gentilitie accomplished with these ( though laudable ) qualities , partakes more of his horse , then his horse can possibly of him . this skill then is worthy of our purchase , yet may not bee bought too deare ; and perhaps need not bee fetch 't so farre . neither my profession , nor my experience will allow mee to● hold comparisons in this kinde ; but i haue beene heartened by no meane masters of these arts , to say that our nation hath yeelded some in all these faculties , which need not stoope vnto the proudest ●orrainer : ours haue no fault but one , that they are our owne ; and what h●●h their countrey offended , if their art offend not ? it is an humorous giddinesse to measure the goodn●●●e of any thing by the distance of miles , and where there is equalitie of worth , to neglect the neerest . i slander our nation if it bee not sicke of this disease , in the course of all sciences . and if neerenesse and presence bee the cause of our dislike , why doe wee not hate our selues , which are euer in our owne bosomes ? why doe we not hate this fastidious curiositie , which is too close to vs ? perhaps perfection in these qualities is thinner sowne amongst vs , then some other-where ; so as our iland for want of worke , and incouragement , affords not such multitude of masters : but how can wee complaine of rarenesse , since if our age yeeld vs but one excellent in each kinde , it is more then wee are willing to vse ? and if the fault were not in our selues , one candle may light a thousand . to instance in the best : the horse is a noble cr●ature , which as it is the str●ngth and pride of france , so wins the hearts and heeles of that nation : the generalitie of their skill is nothing to a stranger ; each pri●ate mans cunning rests in himselfe ; it is only the teacher , whose abilitie may concerne vs. and whereas there is a double kinde of menage ( as i haue heard ) one for seruice , the other for pleasure ; in the first our masters thinke they cannot yeeld vnto the best ; in the latter , if they grant themselues exceeded , how many men haue taught their dogge the same trickes , with no lesse contentment ? in both , we haue the written directions of their greatest artists ; who ( for the perpetuitie of their owne honour ) failed not to say their best . and if these dead masters suffice not , wee haue had , wee may haue the best of their liuing : the conscience of a mans excellencie will abide no limits , but spurres him forth to winne admiration abroad ; and if therewithall he can finde aduancement of profit , how willingly doth hee change his home ? wee haue had experience of this in higher professions , much more in these vnder foot . one obscure towne of holland in our memory , had by this meanes drawne together at once the greatest lights of evrope , and made it selfe then no lesse renowned for professors , then it is now infamous for schisme . feare of enuy forbids me to name those amongst vs , which haue honoured this iland in the choice of their abode . where art is encouraged , it will soone rise high , and go farre , and not suffer a channell of the sea to stay it from the presence of a more bountifull patronage . sect. . but let vs grant these faculties so fixed vpon any nation , that all our water must necessarily bee fetcht at their well ; and adde vnto these a few wa●te complements , and mimicall courtesies , which must needs bee put into the match of our ordinary trauell : and now let vs sit downe , and see what wee paid for this stocke , and count our winnings : what must our com●pleat traueller stake downe for this goodly furniture o● his gentry ? if not losse , danger ; danger of the best part , if not all ; a double danger ; of corruption of religion , and deprauation of manners ; both capitall : and can we thinke these endowments so precious , that they should bee worth fetching vpon such an hazard ? will any man ( not desperate ) runne into an infected house , to rifle for a rich suit ? will any man put his finger into a fiery crucible , to pull out gold ? it is wittily taken of chrysostome , when our sauiour said , ne exeat is in eremum ; that he sayes not , goe forth into the desert and see , but beleeue not ; but giues an absolute prohibition of going forth at al● , that they might be out of the danger of misbeleefe . tush , idle and melancholicke feares , say some of our gallants ; wherefore serues discretion , but to seuer good from ill ? how ●asily may a wise man pull a rose , and not pricke his hand ? how freely may he dip in this streame , and not be drowned ? little doe these peremptory re●oluers know , either the in●inuatiue power of euill , or the treachery of their owne heart in receiuing it , or the importunitie of deceiuers in obtruding it : they are the worse for their trauell , and perceiue it not . an egge couered with salt , as our ph●losophers teach vs , hath the m●at of it consumed , whiles the shell is whole : many a one receiues poison , and knowes not when hee tooke it . no ma● proues extremely euill on the sudden . through many insensible declinations doe wee ●all from vertue ; and at the first are so gently seazed by vice , that wee cannot beleeue our accusers . it is mischiefe enough , if they can bee drawne to a lesse dislike of ill ; which now by long acquaintance is growne so ●amiliar to their eyes , that they cannot thinke it so loathsome , as at the first view . the societie of wilfull idolaters will now downe with them , not without ease ; and good meanings beginne to bee allowed for the clokes of grosse superstition . from thence they grow to a fauourable construction of the mis-opinions of the aduerse part , and can complaine of the wrongfull aggrauations of some contentious spirits : and from thence ( yet lower ) to an indifferent conceit of some more politike positions , and practises o● the romanists . neither is ther● their rest . hereupon ensues an allowance of some of their do●trines , that are more plausible , and lesse important , and withall a censure of vs that are gone too farre from rome . now the mariage of ecclesiasticall persons begins to mislike them : the daily and frequent consignation with the crosse is not to no purpose : the retired life of the religious ( abandoning the world forsooth ) sauours of much mortification ; and confession giues no small ease and contentment to the soule . and now by degrees , poperie beginnes to be no ill religion : if there cannot be a false fire of mis-deuotion kindled in them , it is enough , if they can be cooled in their loue of truth ; which how commonly it fals out amongst vs , i had rather experience should speake , then my selfe . some there are that by a spirituall antiperistasis haue growne hotter in their zeale , by being encompassed with the outward cold of irreligion , and errour , who as they owe not this grace to themselues , so they are more for wonder then imitation . if daniel found a guard in the lions denne , shall another put himselfe thither for ●helter ? and if peter walkt vpon the pauement of the water , did the rest of the disciples step forth and follow him ? that valiant champion of christ ( since wee are fallen vpon his name ) who durst draw his sword vpon a whole troupe , after all the protestations of his inseparablenesse from his master , was yet infected with the aire of the high-priests hall : and whiles hee but warmed himselfe at that fire , cooled in his respect to his sauiour . although perhaps this contagion working ( as it commonly doth ) remissely , causeth not any sudden alteration in our traueller , but ( as wee say of comets and eclipses ) hath his effect when the cause is forgotten . neither is there any one more apparant ground of that luke-warme indifferencie , which is fallen vpon our times , then the ill vse of our wandrings : for our trauellers being the middle-ranke of men , and therefore either followers of the great , or commanders of the meaner sort , cannot want conuenience of diffusing this temper of ease , vnto both . sect. . all this mischiefe is yet hid with a formall profession , so as euery eye cannot finde it : in others it dares boldly breake ●orth to an open reuolt . how many in our memory , whiles with dina● they haue gone fo●th to gaze , haue lo●● their ●pirituall chastitie , and therewith both the church , and themselues ? how many ( like vnto the brooke ●●dron ) run from ●ierus●lem through the vale of ●●hos●p●●t , and end their course in the dead sea ? a popish writer of our nation ( as himselfe thought ) not vnlearned , complaining of the obstinacie of vs heretickes , despaires of preuailing , because hee findes it to be long agoe fore-prophecied of vs in the booke of the chronicles , at illi protestantes audire noluerunt . it is well that protestants were yet heard of in the old testament , as well as i●suites ; whose name , one of their owne by good hap hath found , numb● . . like as erasmus found friers in s. pauls time , inter falsos fratres . but it were better , if this mans word were as true , as it is idle . some of ours haue heard to their cost , whose losse ioyned with the griefe of the church , and dishonour of the gospell , wee haue sufficiently lamented . how many haue wee knowne strucken with these asps , which haue died sle●ping ? and in truth , whosoeuer shall consider this open freedome of the meanes of seducement , must needs wonder that wee haue lost no more ; especially if he be acquainted with those two maine helpes of our aduersaries , importunitie and plausibilitie . neuer any pharisee was so eager to make a proselyte , as our late factors of rome : and if they bee so hot set vpon this seruice , as to compasse sea and land to winne one of vs , shall wee be so madde as to passe both their sea and land , to cast our selues into the mouth of danger ? no man setteth foot vpon their coast , which may not presently sing with the psalmist , they come about mee like bees . it fares with them as with those which are infected with the pestilence , who ( they say ) are carried with an itching desire of tainting others . when they haue all done , this they haue gained , that if satan were not more busie and vehement then they , they could gaine nothing . but in the meane time there is nothing wherein i wi●h we would emulate them , but in this heat of diligence , and viol●nt ambition of winning . pyr●●us did not more en●ie the valour of those old roman souldiers , which hee read in their wounds , and dead faces , then we doe the bus●e audacitie of these new . the world could not stand before vs , if our truth might bee but as hotly followed , as their falshood . oh that our god , whose cause wee maintaine , would enkindle our hearts with the fire of holy zeale , but so much as satan hath inflamed theirs with the fire of ●urie and faction . oh that hee would shake vs out of this dull ●ase , and quicken our slacke spirits vnto his owne worke . arise , o north , and come , o south , and blow vpon our garden , that the spices thereof may flow forth . these suters will take no deniall , but are ready ( as the fashion was to doe with rich matches ) to carry away mens soules whether they will or no. wee see the proofe of their importunitie at home : no bulwarkes of lawes , no barres of iustice ( though made of three trees ) can keepe our rebanished fugitiues from returning from intermedling . how haue their actions said in the hearing of the world , that since heauen will not heare them , they will tr●e what hell can doe ? and if they dare bee so busie in our owne homes , where they would seeme somewhat awed with the danger of iustice ; what ( thinke wee ) will they not dare to doe in their owne territories , where they haue not free scope only , but assistance , but incouragement ? neuer generation was so forward as the iesuiticall , for captation of willes amongst their owne , or of soules amongst strangers . what state is not haunted with these ill spirits ? yea what house ? yea what soule ? not a princes counsell-table , not a ladies chamber can be free from their shamelesse insinuations . it was not for nothing , that their great patron philip the second king of spaine , called them clerigos negotiadores ; and that marcus antonius columna generall of the nauie to pius quintus , in the battell of lepanto , and viceroy of sicilie , could say to father don alonso , a famous ●esuite , affecting to be of the counsell of his conscience , voi altri padri di ●h●su ●auete la mente al cielo , le mani al mondo , l' anima al diauolo . sect. . yet were there the lesse perill of their vehemence , if it were onely rude and boisterous ( as in some other sects ) that so ( as it is in canon●shot ) it might be more easily shun'd , then re●●sted : but here , the skill of doing mis●hiefe contends with the power ; their mis-zealous passions hide themselues in a pleasing sweetnesse , and they are more beholden to policie , then strength . what gentleman of any note can crosse our seas , whose name is not landed in their bookes before hand , in preuention of his person , whom now arriued , if they finde vntractable through too much preiudice , they labour ●irst to temper with the plausible con●●rsation of some smooth catholike of his owne nation : the name of his country is warrant enough for his in●inuation . not a word yet may be spoken of religion ; as if that were no part of the errand . so haue wee seene an ha●ke cast off at an heron shaw , to looke and flie a quite other way , and after many carelesse and ouerly fetches , to towre vp vnto the pr●y intended . there is nothing wherein this faire companion shall not apply himselfe to his welcome countriman . at last , when hee hath possest himselfe of the heart of his new acquaintance , and got himselfe the reputation of a sweet ingenuitie , and delightfull sociablenesse ; hee findes opportunities to bestow some wittie scoffes vpon those parts of our religion , which lie most open to aduantage . and now it is time to inuite him ( after other rarities ) to see the monasterie of our english benedictines , or ( if elsewhere ) those english colledges , which the deuout beneficence of our well-meaning neighbours ( with no other intention then some couetous farmers lay faltca●s in their doue-cotes ) haue bountifully erected . there , it is a wonder if our traueller meet not with some one , that shall claime kindred or country of him in a more intire fashion . the societie welcomes him with more then ordinary courtesie : neither can hee refuse ( except hee will be vnciuill ) to be their guest . he cannot mislike the loue of his countrimen , hee cannot fault their carriage . and now that they haue mollified the stiffenesse of his preiudice , and with much tempering fitted him for their mold , he is a taske meet for one of their best workmen ; who willingly vndertaking it , hath learned to handle him so sweetly , as if he would haue him thinke it a pleasure to bee seduced . doe yee thinke this doctor will begin first with the infallibilitie of their great master , and perswade him that a necromancer , an hereticke , an atheist , cannot erre in peters chaire ? or tell him that hee may buy off his sinnes as familiarly as he may buy wares in the market ? or teach him that a man may and must both make and eat his god to his breakfast ? this hard meat is for stronger mawes . hee knowes how first to begin with the spoone , and to offer nothing to a weake stomacke , but discourse of easie digestion : as first , that a ca●holike so l●uing and dying ( by our confession ) may be saued : that there is but one church , as but one christ ; and that out of this arke , there is no way but drowning : that this one church is more likely to bee found in all the world , then in a corner ; in all ages , then in the last century of yeeres ; in vnitie , then in diuision . and now comes in the glorious bragge of the roman vniuersalitie , their inviolate antiquitie , their recorded successions , their harmonious vnitie , their confessed magnificence : that theirs is the mother church , as to the rest of christendome , so especially to the english : how well a monarchie ( the best forme of gouernment ) beseemes the church : how vnlikely it is that christ would leaue his spouse in the confusion of many heads , or of none . and now , what are wee but a ragge torne from their cote ? and where was our religion before luther lay with bora ? and what miserable subdiuisions are there in our protestancie ? and what a gleaning are we to the haruest of christendome ? w●th infinite suggestions of this nature ; able ( as they are plausibly vrg●d ) to shake an vngrounded iudgement : which i● they haue so farre preuailed , as that the hearer will abide himselfe hood-winkt with this vaile of the church , how easily shall time lead him into those hatefuller absardities ? sect. . in all which proceedings , these impostors haue a double aduantage : first , that they deliuer the opinion of their church with such mitigation and fauour , as those that care to please , not to enforme : forming the voyce of the church to the liking of the hearer , not the iudg●ment of the hearer to the voyce of the church : wherein it is not hard to obserue , that popery spoken and written are two things ; in discourse , nothing is more ordinary then to disclaime some of their receiued positions , to blanch others . it is the malice of an aduersary that mis-reports them ; they doe not hold that images should bee adored ; that the wood of the crosse should be worshipped with the very same deuotion that is due to christ himselfe ; that the church is the iudge of gods writings ; that panl the fift cannot erre ; that a man may merit of his maker , much lesse supererogate ; that a mouse may runne away with that which either is , or was god almighty ; that it is lawfull to kill an hereticall king , and all other those monsters of opinion , which their most classicke authors haue both hatched and shamelesly thrust into the light of the world . they defie those ridiculous legends which we father vpon their church ; and how much doe they scorne s. francis his bird , or his wolfe , or his wounds , or his apostles of assise . pope ioane was but a fancy : neuer pope was an hereticke . if now wee cry out of impudence , and call their allowed writers to witnesse . lo , euen they also are forged by vs , & are taught to play booty on our side . thus resolued to out-face all euidence , they make faire weather of their fowlest opinions , and inueigh against nothing so much as the spightfulnesse of our slanders . it is not possible that any wise stranger should be in loue with the face of their church , if he might see her in her owne likenesse , and therfore they haue cunningly masked one part of it , and painted another , so as those features of hers which are vgly and offensiue , shall not appeare to any but her owne eyes . and because bookes are dangerous blabs , and will be telling the generations to come , how strangely that face is altered with age and art , therefore their tongues are clipped also , and made to speake none but her owne words . out of this licence , and hope to winne , they can fit their dishes to euery palate , and are so sawcy , as to make the church belye it selfe . hence it was that a spanish father could teach , that it is not of the necessity of faith , to beleeue that the present pope is the vicar of christ , and the successor of peter . that hostius the ●esuite could say , that the pope abused his keyes , and the authority of the church , in receiuing henry the fourth . that another of his fellowes in a discourse with a french bishop , could disparage the decision of his holines in comparison of a generall counsel . that men●s the reader of diuinity at valledolid following salas the iesuite , could affirme the lawfulnes of the mariage of religious persons vpon a doubtful reuelation . that more then one of that order , haue dared to broach confession by letters , against the of clement bull the . and if these men be no sparing of their contradictions to that vice-god of theirs , whose vassals they are by peculiar profession , how much more boldly will they swim against the streame of any common opinion , that may concerne the body of that head ? sect. . their second aduantage is , that they regard not with what vntruths they make good th●ir owne assertions ; it is all one with what morter or rubbish they build vp a side . from hence flow the confifident reports , both of their miracles to conuince vs , and their slanders to disgrace vs. father hayndius , a iesuite of . yeeres standing , amongst fifty two complaints , which ( out of an honest remorse ) he put vp against his owne society , to their generall aquauiua , findes this not the least , that his fellowes s●amed not to seeke the honour of their order , by cogging of miracles . what packets flie about daily of their indian wonders ? euen card. bellarmine can abide to come in as an auoucher of these couzenages ; who dares auerre that his fellow xauier had not only healed the deafe , dumb and blinde , but raised the dead ; whiles his brother acosta after many yeeres spent in those parts can pull him by the sleeue , and tell him in his eare , so lowd that all the world may heare him , prodigia nulla producimus , neque verò est opus . of the same stamp are the daily-renued miracles , reuelations , vi●ions , wherewith any mans eares must needes bee beaten amongst them : africke was at the best but barren of nouelties , in comparison of rome ; and yet the world is incredulous , if it will not suffer it selfe gulled with these holy frauds . and no fewer are those lewd calumniations ( the stuffe of all their inuectiues ) whereby they labour to make vs loathsome to the world : our persons , our doctrines are loaded with reproaches ; neither matters it how iust they are , but how spightfull ; what other measure can be expected of vs , when their best friends haue thus ( vpon some priuate dislikes ) smarted from them . their owne holy fathers , clement the eight , and sixtus quintus , and with them ( the honour of the iesuiticall order ) cardinall tollet , can all shew bloudy wales in their backes , from their lashes . their late patron of famous memory , whose heart they well-merited , and keep it ( as their deere relique ) enshrined in their la-flesche , was after his death in their pulpits proclaimed tyran and worse : no maruell then if after the virulent declamations of our gifford ( their gabriel ) and the malicious suggestions of others of that viperous brood , we haue much adoe to perswade our neighbors , that we haue any churc●●s , baptisme , liturgy , religion . i appeale then to all eyes and eares , how easie it is for a man that will take leaue to himselfe , of making what truth he lists , and defending them by what vutruths he pleaseth , to lead a credulous hea●t whither he pleaseth . sect. . but if the power of falsified reason preuaile not , these desperate factors of rome ( as i haue beene informed ) haue learned out of their acquaintance in the court of the prince of darknesse , to imploy stronger aid . on some of their hands , i feare , magicall delusions and deuillish incantations shall not want , rather then they will want a client . neither can this feeme strange to any , that knowes how familiarly the roman church professes the solemne practise of coniuration ; in such a fashion , as it doth more then trouble the best casuists , to set downe a perfect difference betwixt their sacred magicke , & the diabolicall . from hence perhaps haue proceeded those miraculous apparitions ( if at least they were any other but fancie , or fraud ) wherewith some of our death-sicke gentlemen amongst them , haue beene frighted into catholikes . a famous diuine of france , second to none for learning , or fidelitie , told me this one● amongst other instances , of his owne experience , which hee yet liues to iustifie : a gentleman of the religion , whose wife was popishly deuoted , lying vpon the bed of his sicknesse , in expectation of death , sends for this diuine , his pastor ; the sicke mans wife sends for a iesuite ; both meet at the beds side ; each perswades him to his owne part ; both pleade for their religion at this barre , before these iudges : after two houres disputation , not only the gentleman was cheerefully confirmed in that iudgement which hee had embraced , but his wife also , out of the euidence of truth , began to incline to him , and it : the iesuite departed discontent ; yet within some few houres after , returning ( when the coast was clearer ) intreats some priuate conference with the gentlewoman ; with whom walking in her garden , hee did vehemently expostulate , mixing therewithall his strongest perswa●●ons ; at last to shut vp his discourse , he importun'd her with many obsecrations , that she would vou●hsafe to receiue from his hands a little boxe which he there offred her , and for his sake weare it about her continually : shee condescended . no sooner had shee taken it , then shee fell to so great a detestation of her husband , that shee could by no meanes bee drawne into his presence , and within two dayes a●ter , in this estate shee died . an act more worthy the sword of iustice , then the penne of an aduersarie . these courses are as secret as wicked : not daring therefore peremptorily to accuse , i had rather leaue these practises to further inquirie . sure i am that by their tongues satan labours to inchant the world , and hath strongly deluded too many soules . and are wee weary of ours , that wee dare tempt god , and offer our selues as challengers to this spirituall danger ? the iesuites , amongst much change of houses , haue two famous for the accordance of their names ; one called the bow , at nola ; the other the arrow , ( la flesche ) in france : though this latter were more worthy of the name of a whole quiuer , containing not fewer then eight hundred shafts of all sizes . their apostate ferrier ( if i shall not honour him too much ) plaid vpon them in this distich : arcum nola dedit , dedit ill is alma sagittam gallia ; quis funem , quem meruere , dabit ? nola the bow , and france the shaft did bring : but who shall helpe them to an hempen string ? this prouision is for the care of christian prouinces : but in the meane time , what madnesse is it in vs , not only to giue aime to these rouing flights , but to offer our selues to bee their standing butt , that they may take their full aime and hit vs leuell at pleasure . doe wee not heare some of their owne fellow-catholikes in the midst of their awfullest senate , the parliament of paris , pleading vehemently against these factious spirits , and crying out passionately of that danger ( which will follow vpon their admission ) hoth of lewd manners , and false doctrine , and doe we in greater opposition feare neither ? and especially from english iesuites ? some countries yeeld more venomous vipers then others ; ours the worst . i would it were not too easie to obserue , that as our english papists are commonly more iesuitish , so our english iesuites are more furious , then their fellowes . euen those of the hottest climates cannot match them in fiery dispositions . and doe we put our selues out of our comfortable sunne-shine , into the midst of the flame of these noted incendiaries ? doe wee take pleasure to make th●m rich with the spoile of our soules , and because they will not come fast enough to fetch these boo●ies , doe we g●e to carry them vnto their pillage ? sect. . the danger is in the men more then in their cause ; and if this great curtizan of the world had not so cunning pandars , i should wonder how shee should get any but foolish customers . th● searcher of all hearts ( before whose tribunall i shal once come to giue an account of this censure ) knowes i speake it not maliciously ; him i call to witnesse that i could not find any true life of religion amongst those that would bee catholikes . i meddle not with the errours of speculations , or schole-points ; wherein their iudgement palpably offendeth , i speake of the liuely practise of piety ; what haue they amongst them but a very out-side of christianity , a meere formality of deuotion ; looke into their churches ; there their poore ignorant laity hope to present their best seruices to god ; and yet alas they say they know not what , they heare they know not what , they doe they they know not what ; returning empty of all hearty edification , and onely full of confused intentions ; and are taught to thinke this sacrifice of fooles meritorious . looke vpon their chemarim the sacred actors in this religious scene , what shall you see but idle apishnesse in their solemnest worke , and either mockery , or slubbering ? looke into their religious houses ; what shall you see but a trade of careles and lazie holinesse ; houres obserued● , because they must , not because they would . what doe they but lull piety a sleepe with their heartlesse and sleepy vespers ? look into the priuate closets of their deuout ignorants , what difference shall you see betwixt the image and the suppliant ? if they can heare their beades knacke vpon each other , they are not bid to care for hearing their prayers reflect vpon heauen : shortly in all that belongs to god , the worke done sufficeth , yea meriteth ; and what neede the heart bee wrought vpon for a taske of the hand ? looke into the melancholike cels of some austere recluses ; there you may finde perhaps an hairecloth , or a a whip , or an heardle ; but shew me true mortification , the power of spirituall renouation of the soule ? how should that bee found there when as that sauing faith ( which is the onely purger of the heart ) is barred out as presumptuous : and no guest of that kinde allowed , but the same which is common to diuels . what papist in all chistendome hath euer beene heard to pray daily with his family ; or to sing , but a psalme at home ? looke into the vniuersall course of the catholike life ; there shall you find t●e decalogue professedly broken , besides the ordinary practise of idolatry ; and frequence of oathes ; who euer saw gods day duely kept in any city , village , houshold vnder the iurisdiction of rom● ? euery obscure holy-day takes the wall of it , and thrusts it into the channell . who sees not obedience to authority so sleighted , that it stands onely to the mercy of humane dispensation ; and in the rest of gods lawes , who sees not how fowle sinnes passe for veniall ? and how easily veniall sinnes passe their satisfaction : for which , a crosse , or a drop of holy-water is sufficient amends . who sees not how no place can bee left for truth , where there is full roome giuen to equiuocation . all this , though it bee harsh to the conscionable man , yet is no lesse pleasing to the carnall . the way of outward fashionablenesse in religion , and inward libertie of heart cannot but seeme faire to nature ; and especially when it hath so powerfull angariation . it is a wonder if but one halfe of christendome bee thus won to walke in it . those which are either vngrounded in the principles of religion , or the vnconscionable in the practise , are fit to trauell into the●e miserable errours , but though israel play the harlot , yet let not iudah sinne . come yee not to gilgal ; neither goe yee vp to bethauen . sect. . from the danger of corruption iudgement . let vs turne our eyes to the deprauation of manners ; which not seldome goes before : apples therefore fall from the tree because they are worme-eaten , they are not worme-eaten because they fall ; and , as vsually followes , satan like the rauen first seizes vpon the eye of vnderstanding , and then preyes freely vpon the other carcase . wee may be bad enough at home , certainly wee are the worse for our neighbours . old rome was not more iealous of the grecian and african manners , then wee haue reason to be of the roman . it were well if wee knew our owne fashions , better if wee could keepe them . what mischiefe haue wee amongst vs that we haue not borrowed ? to begin●● at our skinne ; who knowes not whence wee had the varietie of our vaine disguises ? as if wee had not wit enough to bee foolish , vnlesse wee were taught it . these dresses being constant in their mutabilitie , shew vs our masters . what is it that wee haue not learned of our neighbours , saue only to be proud good cheape ? whom would it not vexe to see how that other sexe hath learned to make antiks and monsters of themselues ? whence came their hips to the shoulders , and their breasts to the nauell ; but the one from some ill-shap't dames of france , the other from the worse minded curtizans of italie ? whence else learned they to daube these mudde-walles with apothecaries morter ; and those high washes , which are so cunningly lickt on , that the wet napkin of phryne should be deceiued ? whence the frisled and poudred bushes of their borrowed excrements ? as if they were ashamed of the head of gods making , and proud of the tire-womans ? where learned wee that deuillish art and practise of duell , wherein men seeke honour in bloud , and are taught the ambition of being glorious butchers of men ? where had we that luxurious delicacie in our feasts , in which the nose is no lesse pleased , then the palate ; and the eye no lesse then either ? wherein the piles of dishes make barricades against the appetite , and with a pleasing encombrance trouble an hungry guest ? where those formes of ceremonious quaffing , in which men haue learned to make gods of others , and beasts of themselues ; and lose their reason whiles they pretend to doe reason ? where the lawlesnesse ( mis-called freedome ) of a wilde tongue , that runs , with reynes in the necke , through the bed-chambers of princes , their closets , their counsell-tables , and spares not the very cabinet of their breasts , much lesse can bee barr'd out of the most retired secrecie of inferiour greatnesse ? where the change of noble attendance , and hospitalitie , into foure wheeles , and some few butterflies ? where the art of dishonestie in practicall machiauelisme , in false equiuocations ? where the slight account of that filthinesse , which is but condemned as veniall , and tolerated as not vnnecessary ? where the skill of ciuill and honorable hypocrisie , in those formall complements , which doe neither expect beleefe from others , nor carry any from our selues ? where that vnnaturall villanie , which though it were burnt with fire and brimstone from heauen , and the ashes of it drowned in the dead sea , yet hath made shift to reuine , and cals for new vengeance vpon the actors ? where that close atheisme , which secretly laughes god in the face , and thinkes it weaknesse to beleeue , wisdome to professe any religion ? where the bloudy and tragicall science of king-killing ; the new diuinitie of disobedience and rebellion ; with too many other euils , wherewith forraine conuersation hath indangered the infection of our peace . loe here , deare countrimen , the fruit of your idle gaddings : better perhaps might bee had ; but hee was neuer acquainted at home , that knowes not our nature to bee like vnto fire , which if there bee any infection in the roome , drawes it straight to it selfe : or like vnto ●et , which omitting all precious obiects , gathers vp strawes and dust . ilanders haue beene euer in an ill name . wherefore ? saue only for the confluence of forrainers , which neuer come without the fraight of their nationall wickednesse . the experience whereof , hath moued some witty nations , both ancient and present , to shut themselues vp within their owne bounds , and to barre the entercourse of strangers , as those that thought best to content themselues with their owne faults . a corrupt disposition , out of a naturall fertilitie , can both beget and conceiue euill alone ; but if it bee seconded by examples , by precepts , by incouragements , the ocean it selfe hath not so much spawne , as it : in all which regards , he hath escaped well , that returnes but what hee carried ; but hee is worthy of memorie , that returnes either more good , or lesse euill . some haue come home perhaps more sparing , others more suttle , others more outwardly courteous , others more capricious , some more tongue-free , few euer better . and if themselues bee not sensible of their alterations , yet their country and the church of god feeles and rues them . sect. . let mee theref●re haue leaue to close this discourse with a double sute , one to our gentry ; the other to supream authority ; both which shall come from the bottome of an heart vnfainedly sacrificed to the common good ; neither speak i words , but my very soule vnto both . to the former my suit is , that they would bee happy at home : god hath giuen vs a world of our owne , wherein there is nothing wanting to earthly contentment . whither goe yee then , worthy country-men , or what feeke yee ? heere growes that wealth , which yee go but to spend abroad ; heere is that sweet peace which the rest of the world admires and enuies : heere is that gracious and well-tempered gouernment , which no nation vnder heauen may dare once offer to parallell : here all liberall arts raigne and triumph : and for pleasure , either our earth , or our sea yeelds vs all those dainties , which their natiue regions enioy but single . lastly , heere heauen stands open , which to many other parts is barred on the out-side with ignorance or mis-beleefe . and shall our wantonnes contemn all this bounty of god , & carry vs to seek that , which we shall find no where but behind vs , but within vs ? shall the affectation of some friuolous toyes draw vs away from the fruition of those solid comforts , which are offred vs within our owne doores ? how many of ours , whom their iust offence hath cast out of the bosome of their country , compare their exile with death , and can scarce abide to bid that breath welcome , which they are forced to draw in a forraine aire ; and though freedome of conscience entertaine them neuer so liberally abroad , yet resolue either to liue or die at home ; and doe wee suffer our folly to banish vs from those contentments , which they are glad to redeeme with the hazard of their blood ? are we so little in our owne books that wee can bee content to purchase out-landish supers●uities with the mis-carriage of our soules , with the danger of mis-carriage , with the likely-hood of danger ? are we so foolish , that whiles we may sweetely enjoy the settled estate of our primogeniture , wee will needes bring vpon our selues the curse of reuben , to run abroad like water ; whose quality it is , not ea●ily to be kept within the proper bounds ? yea the curse of cain , to put our selues from the ●ide of eden into the land of nod , that is , of demigration ? none of the least imprecations , which dauid makes against gods enemies , is , make them vnto like a wheele , o lord : motion is euer accompanied with vnquietnesse ; and both argues , and causes imperfection , whereas the happy estate of heauen is described by rest ; whose glorious spheres in the meane time , doe so perpe●ually moue , that they are neuer remoued from their places . it is not the least part either of wisdome , or happinesse , to know when wee are well . shall we● not be shamelesly vnthankfull , if we cannot sing the note of that great chorister of god , my lot is fallen to mee in a good ground ? hath not the munificence of god made this iland as it were an abridgement of his whole earth , in which he hath contriued ( though in a lesser letter ) all the maine and materiall commodities of the greater world , and doe wee make a prison where god meant a paradise ? enioy therefore ( happy countrimen ) enioy freely god and your selues ; enrich your selues with your owne min●s , improue those blessed opportunities which god hath giuen you , to your mutuall aduantage ; and care not to be like any but your selues . sect. . and if at any time these vnworthy papers may fall betwixt the hands of my soueraigne master , or any of his graue and honorable ministers of state , let the meanenesse of so weake and obscure solicitors presume to commend this matter to their deepest consideration ; and out of an honest zeale of the common safetie , sue to them for a more strict restraint of that dangerous libertie , whereof too many are bold to carue themselues . who can bee ignorant of those wise and wholesome lawes , which are enacted already to this purpose ? or of those carefull and iust cautions , wherewith the licences of trauell are euer limited ? but what are wee the better for gods owne lawes , without execution ? or what are limits vnto the lawlesse ? good lawes are the hedges of the common-wealth : iust dispensations are as gates , or stiles in the hedge . if euery stragler may at pleasure cast open a gap in this fence of the state , what are we the better for this quickset , then if wee lay open to the common ? who sees not how familiarly our young recusants , immediately vpon their disclosing , are sent ouer for their full hatching and making ? italie , spaine , artois , and now of late france it selfe , prouides nests , and perches , and mewes for these birds , with the same confidence , wherewith wee breede our owne at home ; which , when they are once well acquainted with the roman lure , are sent backe againe , fit for the prey . and as for those of our owne feather : whereas the libertie of their trauell is bounded chiefly with this double charge ; one , that they haue no conuersation or conference with iesuites , or other dangerous persons ; the other , that they passe not into the dominions of the kings enemies ; both these are so ●ommonly neglected , as if they were intended only for a verball formalitie , yea as if the prohibition meant to teach men what they should doe . euery of our nouices hath learned to make no difference of men ; and dare breathe in the poisonous aire of italie it selfe , and touch the very pommell of the chaire of pestilence . it is this licentious freedome ( which wee mis-call open-hearted ingenuitie ) that vndoes vs. doe wee not see the wary closenesse of our aduersaries , which will not so much as abide one of our books ( a mute solicitor ) to harbour in any of their coasts ? how many of the italian or spanish noblesse haue wee knowne allowed to venture their education in our courts or vniuersities ? doe they lie thus at the locke , and doe wee open our breast , and display our armes , and bid an enemie strike vs where hee list ? since then wee haue no more wit , or care , then ●o bee willingly guiltie of our owne shame , oh that the hands of supreme authoritie would be pleased to locke vs within our owne doores , and to keepe the keyes at their owne girdle . and ( to speake truth ) to what purpose are those strait and capitall inhibitions of the returne of our factious fugitiues into th●s kingdome , if whiles the wicket is shut vpon them , that they should not come to vs , the posterne be open to vs , that we may goe to them ? as all intercourse is perillous , so that is most , which is by our owne prouocation . here yet they dare but lurke in secret , and take only some sudden snatches at a weake prey , like vnto euening-wolues , that neuer walke forth but vnder the cloake of the night ; but in their owne territories , they can shew the sunne their spoiles , and thinke this act worthy of garlands and trophees . here we haue mastiues to secure our flockes : there the prey goes stragling alone to the mouth of their dennes , without protection , without assistance , and offers to be deuoured . ye whom the choice of god hath made the great shepheards of his people , whose charge it is to feed them by gouernment , suffer not their simplicitie to betray their liues vnto the fangs of these cruell beasts ; but chase them home rather , from the wilfull search of their owne perdition , and shut them vp together in your strong and spacious folds , that they may be at once safe , and yee glorious . sect. . lastly , for those , whom necessary occasions draw forth of their owne coasts ( that wee may haue done with those , which like foolish papists goe on pilgrimage to see another blocke better dressed then that at home ) let mee say to them , as simeon that propheticall monke said to the pillers which hee whipped before the earth-quake , stand fast , for yee shall be shaken . and therefore , as the crane , when shee is to flie against an high winde , doth ballace her selfe with stones in her bill , that shee may cut the aire with more steddinesse ; so let them carefully fore-instruct , and poise themselues with the sound knowledge of the principles of religion , that they may not bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine . whereto if they adde but those lessons , which they are taught by the state , in their letters of passage , there may be hope , they shall bring backe the same soules they carried . it was at least an inclination to a fall , that eue tooke boldnesse to hold chat with the serpent . and as subtill lawyers desire no more aduantage in the quarrell , which they would picke at conueyances , then many words , so neither doe our aduersaries . whiles our eares are open , and our tongues free , they will hope well of our very denials . errour is cra●tie , and out of the power of his rhetoricall insinuations , oft-times carries away probabilitie from truth . i remember in that famous embassie of the three philosophers , which athens sent to rome , critolaus , diogenes , and carneades , there falling out many occasions of discourse , wise cato perswaded the senate to a speedie dismission of those ( otherwise welcome ) guests ; because ( said hee ) whiles carneades disputes , scarce any man can di●cerne which is the truth . there is more danger of these spirituall sophisters , by how much the businesse is more important , and their subtiltie greater . let our passenger therefore ( as that wise grecian serued his fellowes ) stop vp his eares with waxe against these syrens . our sauiour would not giue satan audience euen whiles hee spake true ; because hee knew that truth was but to countenance errour . there is euer true corne strowed vnder a pit-fall : those cares are full and weightie , which wee dresse with lime to deceiue the poore birds in a snow . no fisher lets downe an emptie hooke , but clothed with a proper and pleasing bait . these impostors haue no other errand , but deceit . if he loue himselfe , let him bee afraid of their fauours , and thinke their frownes safer then their smiles . and if at any time ( as no flie is more importunate ) they thrust themselues into his conuersation , let him ( as those which must necessarily passe by a carrion in the way ) hold his breath , and hasten to be out of their aire . and if they yet follow him in his flight , let him turne backe to them with the angels farewell , increpet te dominus . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e edicto del ●ey d●n phelipped● espana co●tra el tr●ct ad● della mon●r●●ia d● s●cil●a e●xerid● por cesar baronio cardenal , on el t●mo vndecim● de 〈◊〉 annales eccl●si●stic●s . ●●bert p●int● in his pre●ace to the t●stimonies for the r●all presence . chron. . 〈◊〉 ●n i●s●am , l. ● . c. 〈◊〉 q. . gret●er . contra le●●●eum , c. ● . & . v r● ai● quida● 〈◊〉 iesu●ta●●n s●cris l●●●ris ●●p●riri . exemplar . epist . scriptae ad d●minum paulinum quondam datarium sub ciementis ● beat● m●mori● ponti●●cat● . ibid. ibid. lib. . de salut . ind. c. . &c. examplar . ●pi●t . supr . cit . at etiam nu●● non animaduertimus quod lati●● sermonis ob●●n●● impurissimè gallici inuentutis mores ingenuos foedant , bonarum literarum praete●t ●pessimas edocent artes , dum ingenia excolunt , animas perdunt , &c. oratio ad curiam parlamenti super henrici magni parricidali n●ce . good counsells for the peace of reformed churches by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines ; translated out of latine. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) good counsells for the peace of reformed churches by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines ; translated out of latine. dury, john, - . davenant, john, ca. - . morton, thomas, - . hall, joseph, - . ussher, james, - . [ ], , , , , p. printed by leonard lichfield for william webb, oxford [oxfordshire] : . marginal notes. attributed to john dury. cf. madan . includes essays by john davenant, thomas morton, joseph hall, ussher, and french divines. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng church of england. -- thirty-nine articles. concord. a r (wing d ). civilwar no good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines. translated out of latine. [no entry] c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - rina kor sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion good covnsells for the peace of reformed churches . by some reverend and learned bishops and other divines . translated out of latine . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield , for william webb . cvm privilegio . k. james our late most learned soveraigne , in the epistle of is. casaubon to cardinall perron , upon the d observation . the king thinketh that the number of things absolutely necessary to salvation is not great . wherefore his majesty is of opinion that there is no readier way to a generall accord , than diligently to sever necessary points from unnecessary ; and so that there be a consent in the necessary articles , in the other unnecessary place may be given to christian liberty . the king judgeth those points simply necessary , which are either expresly in the word of god commanded to be beleived or done , or collected out of the word by the ancient church , by immediate consequence . if this distinction were well applyed to the deciding of controversies at this day , and divine lawes fairely severed from positive or ecclesiasticall constitutions , it is very likely that godly and moderate men would not long be at any variance in things absolutely necessary . for they are but few , as we said before ; and they are already almost agreed upon among all that call themselves christians . and further , his majestie doth so approve of the former distinction , and esteemes it to be of such moment for the lessening and setling of controversies ( which at this day so much vex the church of christ , ) that in his judgement it is the duty of all godly men that love truth and peace most diligently to teach , presse , and urge it . mr hooker in his answer to mr travers , at the end . sith there can come nothing of contention but the mutuall wast of the parties contending , till a common enimy dance in the ashes of them both ; j doe wish heartily , that the grave advice which constantine gave for reuniting of his clergy , so many times upon so small occasions in so lamentable sort divided ; or rather , the strict commandment of christ unto his , that they should not be divided at all , may at the length , if it be his blessed will , prevaile so farre , at the least in this corner of the christian world , to the burying and quite forgetting of strife ▪ together with the causes which have either bred it or brought it up ; that things of small moment never disjoyne them , whom one god , one lord , one faith , one spirit , one baptisme , bands of so great force , have linked ; that a respective eye towards things wherewith we should not be disquieted , make us not , as through infirmity the very patriarchs themselves were , full gorged , unable to speake peaceably to their own brother ; finally , that no strife may ever be heard of againe , but this , who shall hate strife most , who shall pursue peace and unity with swiftest paces . sr edwin sandys in his book entitled europae speculum , or a veiw of the state of religion in the westerne parts of the world . pag : . the end ( of these unhappy differences in religion betwixt the protestant churches ) will bee , that their enimies shall laugh , when themselves shall have cause to weep : unlesse the graciousnesse of god stirre up some worthy princes of renowne and reputation with both sides , to interpose their wisedome , industry , and authority , for the uniting these factions , or at leastwise for reconciling and composing these differences in some tolerable sort : a work of immortall fame and desert ; and worthy of none other but of them of whom this wicked base world is not worthy . the opinion of the right reverend father in god iohn davenant bishop of sarisbury . to his learned and worthy friend mr iohn dury . t is well worthy the consideration of all pious divines , which god speakes by his prophet zachary , love the truth and peace . with which that of the apostle also suite's well , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , speake the truth in love . wee may not so hotly pursue after trueth , as that in the mean time we wholly neglect . peace ; nor may we desire such a peace as will not consist with the trueth . those divines therefore who quarrell and contend so much for the faith and religion , they may talke what they list , but hee that love's not both trueth and peace , love's indeed neither ; nor hath he any true affection or desire to either of them , who desire 's them not both . for if it be true which philosophers tell us , that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unitie than it 's being , i see no reason why the spirituall and mysticall body , the church catholique , should not with as great a zeale study to preserve her unitie : seeing if that be once dissolved and lost , shee is so farre from being a church , that she cannot so much as be imagined one . let us then on god's name be as earnest and eager in desiring & defending the trueth as the best , but withall let us not forget that of saint paul , that if it be possible , and as much as in us lie's , we live peaceably with all men : j say , with all men , in an externall and civill ; but with all christian men , in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall peace . this is the earnest desire of our saviour christ , and 't is the joynt wish & prayer of his whol church , that all they who professe themselves beleivers in christ , might be united and knit together into one body ; that they might be all of one heart and of one soule . this being so , surely those pious and peacemaking divines are highly to bee commended , who of late have imployed themselves and their endeavours about the reconciling of the reformed churches . for my owne part , i would to god i were able to contribute any thing that might further and promote so good and godly a worke . what i can , i shall willingly at your request ( sir ) doe it : and shall impart unto you what my thoughts were , when j lately meditated with my selfe hereupon . in the first place therefore , it would bee considered , whether or no it be possible to establish such an union amongst all the reformed churches , so as that they shall account of one another not as friends only , but as brethren ; and exhibit mutually each to other the signes , fruites , and effects not onely of an outward and generall freindship , but of a more intimate & spirituall amity and communion . for if this fraternall & spirituall union we so much desire , cannot be had , we may then desist ; things impossible doe not binde us to the having or seeking of them : but if it may possibly be procured , 't were a great pitty and a shame that so good a worke and so well-pleasing to god as this is , should be either opposed or delayed . now when i say , that it would first be considered whether or no this union we treate of , be possible ; my meaning is , whether or no such an union may stand with a diversity of opinions amongst private doctors in these severall churches , touching those much-controverted points . which have of a long time ( to the great greife of all good men ) much troubled the germane churches . for although it were to be wished , that divines would fairely and fully agree amongst themselves about all those controversies ; yet for so many different mindes to concurre all in the same opinion , is ( as i conceave ) a thing scarce to be hoped for , much lesse to be effected in one age . but that these said churches , notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided may neverthelesse entertaine amongst themselves a christian charitie and correspondence , is apparent from hence , that as often as divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work , they still prevailed in it as much as they desired ; and they might no doubt have prevailed further , if they themselves had not wilfully stood in their own way . witnesse luther himselfe and the helvetians : betwixt whom ( though they differed in their opinions about the presence of christs body ) a freindly agreement notwithstanding was made at marpurge : luther there professing , that he would not by any meanes permit the adverse party that honour ▪ to outstrip him in their desires of amitie and peace . which peace , after that it had by i know not what mischeivous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished , was againe renewed & confirmed by them : whereat luther himselfe rejoyced ▪ and upon a strict examination of the helveticke confession , held it very requisite that they should lovingly joyne hearts and hands together . but here if any one think , that this was no such entire and perfect union as that which now i affirm to be possible ; i will grant him this : but then i must adde withall , that it was not any impossibility in the thing it selfe , but rather the wilfull opposition of some amongst them , possest with some jealousies and suspitions , which was the cause why that godly and good worke was not brought to full perfection . for as for bucer and some other eminent divines of the same opinion with him , they did not only sue for an absolute and perfect agreement , but besides they offered to make it appeare that it was very fit such an union should be concluded ▪ neither did they omit any thing that might make for the furthering of it . moreover , that this union of the reformed churches we speake of , is not a thing impossible , is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the polonian churches , begun of late at sendomire , & ever since carefully by them kept and observed : it is true , they could not bury all controversies ; but they could banish all contentions ; and establish so perfect a peace , as that they refused not to admit of each other into their publike congregations , to the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments . which holy & brotherly concord of those churches , that most wise prince lodowick , electour and count palatine , did not only by his letters to them congratulate , but desired of almighty god in his prayers , that the germane churches also might be blessed with it . what therefore was long since said to that blessed peace maker king solomon , concerning the building of the temple at ierusalem , the same say i to all moderate and peaceable divines concerning the uniting of the reformed churches ; arise , yee worthies , and be doing , and the lord will be with you . never despaire but that may be now effected , which all men will grant hath been done heretofore . but least this groundlesse bugbeare of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of princes , or divines , or any other pious and well affected christians , and deterre them from proceeding herein ; i will recount all those lets and hinderances , which render the peace and union of churches utterly impossible to be obtained : from whence it will easily appeare , that there 's no one of them here , to hinder why the germane churches ( notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them ) may not setle a firme peace amongst themselves , and being once setled preserve it inviolable . now the first and maine obstacle that hinders those churches which agree not in all points of religion , from entertaining a communion amongst themselves , is the usurping and exercising of a tyrannicall power and authority one over another . for if any one church will take upon her to domineer and lord it over the faith of other churches , so as not to acknowledge any for her brethren , nor admit of any into her fellowship and communion , but such onely as will be content to beleive and speak just as shee will have them , all hope is then taken away of ever obtaining or preserving any agreement in any differences or disputes whatsoever . for the sacred scriptures forbid us thus to enslave our selves to any humane authoritie , and our sole lord and master christ jesus forbid's us to acknowledge any upon earth for a lord over our faith and conscience : and that church which enter's into a communion with another upon these termes , doth not hereby purchase a peace , but rather resigne's up her selfe to a most unjust slavery . onely the church of rome is come to that height of pride & madnesse , that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of saints , & damne to the pit of hell all such churches as will not submit their necks to that antichristian yoake of absolute and blind obedience . god of his goodnes ever keep off this popish folly and fury from setting foot in the protestant churches : which if it should once take place , that union of our churches which we are all bound to pray for , would bee no longer either to be hoped or wisht for . but ( blessed be god for it ) it is well known , there 's not any of the reformed churches but doe from their soules detest and abhorre all such antichristian ambition and desire of soveraignety . and thus have i removed out of the way the maine obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetuall division & rent betwixt such churches as differ in some points , and thereby make's an union of those churches to become impossible . a second let or hinderance which may render the said union of different churches ( for example , the saxon and helvetian churches ) impossible , is the approbation and practice of jdolatry in the one , & the utter detestation of it in the other . that of the prophet hosea is well knowne , though israel play the harlot , yet let not judah offend : come yee not unto gilgal , neither goe yee up to beth-aven . likewise also that of the apostle , what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? and a number of places more to the same purpose . neither is that saying of tertullian touching this matter unworthy our observation , idolatry ( saith he ) is become the grand and generall sin of whole mankinde , the epidemicall disease of the whole world . since therefore god so severely chargeth us to keepe our selves from idols & all kinde of idolatry , though never so speciously colour'd over , wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some staine and tincture of idolatry , and without a high and hainous offence against the sacred majestie of god . here then we may behold that grand let , whereby the reformed churches ( to their great greife of heart ) are forced to shunne a communion with the church of rome . for so farre in love is shee with her idolls , and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children , that no man can be admitted into her communion , at least not continue in it , unlesse he will become a notorious and down-right idolater . if the case so stood , that the germane churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed unity and peace one with another , except they must be required and bound either to practise an idolatrous worship , or at the least to beleive and professe that such practice is not unlawfull , i would not stick to affirme that a communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions , is indeed impossible to bee had ▪ since ( as lawyers use to speake ) wee can doe onely so much , as may lawfully be done by us . and here we have just cause to blesse god , that the reformed churches ( although they have not the happinesse to agree ) in all matters of lesser moment ) yet doe they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire & joyne together against idolatry ; so as not onely to condemne , but also to beat downe and abolish it : insomuch that if at this very houre they were all disposed and desirous to joyne hands and strike a league of amity and union , it might be done without any the least danger of idolatry . away then with that pretended impossibility of a reconciliation , grounded upon the perill of idolatry : nor let any such false ▪ surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious christian from going on with so good a worke . the third & last obstacle which doth block up the way to an union & render's it impossible , is the differing of severall churches about some fundamental point of faith , necessary to be knowne and beleived by every christian upon paine & perill of eternall damnation ; so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintaine it , the other heretically denie's and oppose's it . for to be at peace with heretickes who goe about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our christian faith , what is it else but to revolt from christ the rocke on which the church is founded & built ? of this last obstacle , because it is of speciall use and moment , i shall treate somewhat more at large . in the first place therefore , i conceive that to be a fundamentall point , which ( by the ordination of god revealing such a truth ) is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto , as that a bare ignorance , much more a wilfull opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven . divines now-adaies have no commission to invent or coine any new articles of this nature , and obtrude them on gods church : that which was not fundamentall in the apostolicall and primitive times , all our assertions and altercations and anathema's will never bee able to make it such . these first and fundamentall trueths , collected out of the whole body of the scriptures & put together in the apostles creed , make up that rule of faith which s. austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem , a commom rule for all men , both great & small : and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all . concerning the which , that speech of hilary also is much to the same effect ; 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first & onely-evangelicall faith , which we made confession of at our baptisme . and to these fundamentall trueths the apostle ( i beleive ) had an eye , when he stiled titus , his owne sonne [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] after the common faith . this common faith laid downe in the apostles creed , proposeth to all christians , to be beleived by them , the wonderfull production of all creatures out of nothing , the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious trinitie , the fruit & benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the incarnation , passion , resurrection , and glorification of christ ; & , what follow's thereupon , the redemption of mankind , the sanctification of the elect , the communion of saints , the remission of sins , the resurrection of mens bodies , and the glorifying of the faithfull . he that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short creed , and endeavour's to lead his life according to the commandements and precepts of our saviour christ , cannot justly be denied the title of a christian , nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any christian church whatsoever . on the other side , he that shall deny or oppose any one of the said articles , although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a christian , yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound christians . besides these , there are ( i confesse ) many other trueths contained in the scriptures , and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence , which are very profitable to be knowne , and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of divinity : but they are then only ( and not otherwise ) necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the church , when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in gods word , or may necessarily be inferred from it . in these points therefore , if any particular church cannot make the trueth which she her selfe beleive's , so cleare and manifest to other churches , as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife , shee must forsake them in their errours , but by no meanes may she ( because of such errours ) deny them her charity and communion . i adde further , that if it should happen that two churches should vary about some particular place of holy writ , the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of faith , and the other thinking that it doth not so : yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds , and separate one from another ; so long as they agree both of them in the point it selfe , and acknowledge it to have cleare & solid foundation in other places of god's word . and last of all this may be added yet further , that 't is not a thing impossible , nor any way contrary to the duety of good christians , to entertaine a communion with those churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall trueth , so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive & professe that fundamentall trueth it selfe . for 't is utterly against all charity , yea and reason too , that a man should be thought ( meerely for some consequences , which he neither apprehend's nor grants ) to deny and reject a fundamentall point , which yet he strongly beleives , expresly affirme's , yea and ( if need so required ) would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood . how much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate divine ? we must not ( saith he ) so much consider what will follow in the thing it selfe from every assertion , as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintaine any such assertion as seeme's to us repugnant to some fundamentall point of faith . for as he who assent's to the trueth of some principle , cannot therefore be said properly to beleive and understand whatsoever an abler schollar can by consequences infer from that principle ; so neither can he who maintaine's a false opinion , justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous opinion of his . we may indeed urge and presse these consequences upon our brethren , to see if haply wee can by this meanes beat them off their errour ; but malitiously to fasten them upon them , as though they were their profest opinions , this we may not doe . how farre this extend's , and of what excellent use it is to the setling of a brotherly union amongst the reformed churches , all wise men and such as unfainedly desire the peace of gods church , will easily perceive . for if it once be granted , that a peace and union is not impossible ( that is , not unlawfull ) save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamentall point of faith , or maintaine some such heresy as strike's at the heart of religion , and cut's off the abettors of it from having any communiō with christ ; then will it follow , that betwixt a found and a diseased church , betwixt two churches whereof one is more , the other lesse pure , there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the germane churches . let therefore the orthodoxe churches separate themselves from all such as have plaid the apostates & fallen away from fundamentall faith , but let them not separate from those which erre onely in points of lesser moment and such as doe not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mysticall body of christ , the sole author and fountaine of our salvation . the apostle command's us to receive ( not , reject ) such as are weake in the faith : and the same apostle tel's us how that we which are strong , ought to beare the infirmities of the weake , & not to please our selves . that church therefore doe's but too much please & indulge her selfe , which despise's other churches , as unworthy of her fellowship and communion , not for any tyranny that they exercise , nor any idolatry which they approve or practise , nor any damnable heresie which they maintaine , but meerely for some mistakes , or infirmity of their knowledge . this was not the practice of the fathers in the primitive church : whose care and diligence in procuring & preserving peace amongst particular churches disperst and scattered over the whole world , stand's upon record in ecclesiasticall storie and may be observed in each severall age of the church . but of all other , that of optatus milevitanus fit's best to our purpose ; that all the churches throughout the whole world were by the help and entercourse of those letters by them called [ formatae ] kept in one communion and fellowship . now those [ formatae ] or synodicall letters contained nothing at all save onely a bare confession of the catholike faith delivered in their generall creeds , and breifely explained , afterwards in opposition to some heretickes , by the unanimous consent of the church universall met together in generall councells held at nice , chalcedon , and other places . as for those infinite other questions which might be raised and debated amongst private doctours of each side , no church ever required or expected from others an absolute & universall consent therein . for if such an universall agreement in all points had been deemed so necessary as that unity & peace could not possibly have been maintained betwixt particular churches without it , there would then have been more need of huge and high-swollne volumes of controversies , than of such breife confessions and synodicall letters as they made use of for that purpose . but if wee refuse to learne of the ancient fathers of the church , yet let us at length learne thus much from our very adversaries , that it is not a thing impossible for severall churches to live charitably and peaceably together , and use the same service and sacraments , although they differ one from another about some controversies , wherein 't is meerely in vaine even to look for an universall agreement . to say nothing of the contentions betwixt the thomists and scotists , neither of those between the dominicans and iesuites ; there is one controversie hotly and violently dispured amongst popish churches , which , if taken single and by it selfe , is of greater moment than all ours put together ; i meane that concerning the infallible judge in all matters of faith : the churches of spaine and italy will have the pope to be this supreme judge , authorised by christ himselfe , and to farre illuminated and assisted with an infallible spirit , as that he cannot possibly erre in such decrees and determinations as hee give's out with an intention to binde the whole church : on the other side , the french churches deny the pope any such priviledge , throwing him downe from his chaire of infallibility , and making him liable to errour as well as other men ; so farre forth that should he refuse to submit to the authoritie and judgement of a generall councell , either in matters of faith or of practice , they will tell you he 's to be esteemed a schismaticke and a hereticke , and to be deposed thereupon . behold here a great difference amongst them about the very foundation and the maine pillar of the whole catholike faith ! and yet notwithstanding this so great a variety of opinions , they still hold together all of them in one and the same brotherly communion . o for sion's sake let it not be told in gath , nor published in the streets of ashkelon , that the philistines should be better affected and more desirous of peace and unity amongst themselves , than the israel of god is . last of all , if an union may not consist with a diversity of opinions in some controversies of lesser moment , i would gladly that any man would show me but two churches in the whole christian world ( except they be such whereof one is subordinate to the other ) which must not necessarily hereupon be divided , and as it were by a wall of partition separated frō each other . unlesse therefore we will grant , that a separation from other churches is not to be made save onely upon a difference in fundamentalls , the communion of the church catholike ( aunciently so much famed and talked of ) will be found in the end to be nothing else but an aery and empty sound or name void of all trueth and reality . the donatists of old were wont to say , that the church was perished from off the whole earth save onely from the part of donatus , in whom alone ( they said ) it was preserved : and our adversaries of rome ( herein right donatists ) tell us that the church catholike is of no larger extent than the romane . as for our selves , it become's and behove's us to detest this schismaticall and factious humour , and to foster and cherish a brotherly communion with all such christian churches as neither heresie nor idolatry hath cut off from christ our head , and such as have not exercised any usurped tyranny over other churches . all that hath hitherto beene said touching the lets & hinderances which render a communion of severall churches impossible , as also touching diversity of opinions which may well consist with such a reconciliation , aymes at this , that if once it were agreed upon amongst divines that all those controversies where about the reformed churches have of a long time busied and wearied themselves , are of that nature that a man may safely be of either opinion and still remaine in christ , holding the substance of saving faith without incurring any damnable heresy , then must we needs grant , that an union and agreement amongst all protestant churches may be made and maintained notwithstanding all such controversies , as being indeed not so properly any differences of our churches as of our schooles . it is not my purpose to enter the lists of those controversies : onely i doe pray and earnestly intreat those learned & reverend divines of germany , that laying aside all passion & partialitie , they would in the spirit of meeknesse calmely and candidly discusse all those severall controversies which are agitated amongst them : for if once we let loose the raines to passion , judgement must needs give place . the maine controversie , and which indeed is the fountaine from whence all the rest in a manner are derived , is that which stands yet undecided concerning the manner how christ's body and blood are present in the eucharist . touching which point the learned (a) bucer , having well waighed the matter , give's in at last this verdict , that they agreed in the thing it selfe ; all the difference was meerely in words and manner of expression . 't was once the speech of (b) luther , if you beleive & teach that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes of bread and wine , and that such receiving thereof is true and reall , not imaginary onely , the strife betwixt us is ended . at that very same time (c) bucer & his adherents granted , that the very body and blood of our lord is offered , given , and received together with the visible signes of bread and wine . iacobus andreae faith , we neither hold with the capernaites , nor admit of popish transubstantiation , non maintaine we any physicall or locall presence and inclusion of christs body and blood in the blessed sacrament ; nor doe we by those words [ substātially , corporally , orally ] understand any thing else but only a true & reall presence and participation of his body and blood in this sacrament . now let us heare the judgement of the helvetians herein ; although they deny that there 's any transubstantiation of the elements , or any locall inclusion of christ's body in the bread , or any conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the sacrament is ended ; yet they willingly grant that by vertue of a mysticall & sacramentall union the bread is christ's body , & that his body is truely present and received together with the bread . j doe not knowe what two things can possibly be more like than is this opinion of the helvetians with that of the lutheran̄s . but if any man suspect that there may privily lurke a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions , yet are we still to urge , and enquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the peace and union of those churches utterly impossible , and to give just occasion for a perpetuall rent and division amongst them . i assure my selfe , learned & judicious divines when they are out of the heat of controversy , and look indifferently into the matter , will think farre otherwise of it . now as for those other controversies , concerning the ubiquity of christ's body , the communication of properties , & other such like , all springing from that former touching the sacrament , he that doth seriously ponder with himselfe what is granted and what denied of each side , will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question , much lesse oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamentall point of faith : since both sides hold and professe whatsoever the church catholike in her creeds and generall councells hath declared to be beleived in these points ; and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous , is equally rejected by both . but yet notwithstanding all this , that we see now and then some men catching at consequences , and taking advantage from thence to charge heresy one upon another , it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty : we all of us know , 't is the common custome of hot and eager disputants , especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choller and passion : and besides , i have already showne in breife , what we are to think of such heresies as are fastned upon men meerely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehend nor grant . for the present , this alone may suffice to show the possibility of a reconciliation , that there 's no one opinion expresly maintained by either side , which is directly contrary to the substance of faith , or destructive of salvation [ salutis devoratorium ] to make use of tertullian's expression : nay whatsoever is such , is plainly and expresly condemned by both . if of later times any new differences have been raised amongst those churches touching predestination , freewill , and the like ; these can no way be made a sufficient ground of schisme and separation betwixt them . for in all these there is nothing of fundamentall and necessary beleife save onely this , that the free grace & goodnesse of god , in the predestination of miserable men , in the conversion of sinfull men ▪ in the freeing of their captivated wills ; in a word , in the finall perseverance and salvation of his elect , be so farre forth acknowledged and extoll'd , as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory , and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto , all must be ascribed to the speciall grace and mercy of almighty god : on the contrary , whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature , his obstinacie in sinne , the pravitie and servitude of his corrupt will ; in short , whatsoever praecipitate's & plunge's wretched men into hell and everlasting perdition , all this we must thank ourselves & our sins for , & by no meanes impute any part of it to god . so long as these things stand firme and unshaken ( as without doubt they doe ) though in the meane time their manner of apprehensions and expressions , yea though their opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetuall breach and division should be made and continued betwixt whole churches for such petty matters . if therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst divines , that their jarres and contentions are not , nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved , then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth , that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and communion may be established this dangerous schisme utterly rooted out , and a blessed peace setled and preserved amongst the german churches . and thus having proved that a reconciliation is possible , it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no princes , doctors and pastors of gods church , and in generall all christians bee not bound in duty by the law of god , every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the reformed churches . and that all men are so bound , seeme's to be intimated by that of s. paul which i alledged before ; if it be possible , & as much as in you lie's , live peaceably with all men . if so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men , then surely a spirituall & ecclesiasticall peace amongst christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved , where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an union may not be obtained , such men can in no wise be excused , who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the commandements of god herein . nor can any man justly here pretend that discords and diversities of opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled : for if it be possible that the schisme it selfe & the rent betwixt these churches may be taken away , ( as without all question it may ) i had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck , and that i were drowned in the depth of the sea , than that i should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work , so well-pleasing to god , and so necessary to the removall of scandall ; nay than that i should not with my whole minde and might promote and further it . to this may be further added , what must necessarily be confes't by all men , that a true and right order'd charity is of as great necessity for the attaining of salvation , to all churches and to every particular member in any church , as is the true and entire profession of sound and saving faith : our lord and saviour christ jesus make's this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discerne betwixt his true disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit ; by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples , if yee love one another . now i leave it to every man's conscience to judge , what manner of charity that is , which see's and suffer's christian churches ( without all just cause and necessity ) to stand still at distance and defiance one with another , and perpetually to shunne a reconciliation and union . is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble , i meane , from the errours of other churches , but must we by a voluntary separation forsake the churches themselves which as yet have not forsaken christ or his truth ? further yet , we see how that both zuinglians and lutherans ( as they are usually termed ) confesse that those churches which hold with either side , doe notwithstanding still remaine true christian churches , & true members of the church catholike , whereof christ is the head . the renowned princes in their preface prefixt to the forme of agreement plainly professe , that it was farre from their thoughts and intentions to condemne such persons as erred through the weaknesse of their judgement ; provided that they did not defame and blaspheme god's trueth ; much lesse to condemne whole churches , living either under the romane empire or elsewhere : nay they did not doubt but that there were many pious & religious men living in those churches , though they agreed not with them in all points of religion . moreover , when it was objected to lucas osiander , how that he had sometimes termed calvinists the divel's martyres , hee forthwith purged himselfe from that aspersion thus ; they that have heard my sermons , will say that they never heard from me any reproachfull termes against the blessed martyrs of christ : yea my owne writings publisht to the world will witnesse for me , that i termed those which were massacred in france on s. bartholomewe's day , holy martyres . this then would be seriously thought upon , whether or no it will stand with the policy , piety , and the duty of christian churches , for every petty errour to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love to those churches , who in the mean time ( notwithstanding such errours ) may continue christ's blessed martyrs and holy brethren . they who acknowledge christ for their elder brother , must of necessity whether they will or no have all christs brethren joyned to them in a most sure and fast knot of consanguinity and communion . besides , i am very confident that both the saxon , and helvetian , & all other churches which joyne with either of those two , will professe that they desire to have and to retaine a brotherly communion and peace with this our church of england , as also with the scottish , irish , and all other forraigne churches of the reformation . and truely we for our parts , although we doe not assent to them in all points of controverted . divinity , yet doe we account of them as our brethren in christ , and doe solemnely protest that we entertaine a holy and brotherly communion with them . and if they be like affected towards us , with what reason then and equitie doe the german churches deprive themselves of that brotherly communion one with another , which yet they are not afraid to entertaine with forraigne churches ? what therefore moses said long since to the two israelites that were striving together , the same may truly be said to the germane churches quarrelling and contending one with another , but cannot so truely be disproved ; sirs , yee are brethren , why doe yee wrong one to another . last of all , that which all good men are bound to beg of almighty god in their prayers to him , questionlesse they are bound likewise to imploy their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it . now who is there that doe's not daily solicite god for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his church ? who is there that make's it not a part of his daily prayers , that god would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturbe her peace , or any way let and hinder her spirituall growth and edification ? this was king david's wish ; & it should be the wish of all good princes , and divines , and generally of all christians . neither did david wish onely the happinesse and prosperity of gods church , but hee carefully sought to doe it good , and as much as in him lay he did procure and effect it . all this was but duty in him to doe , and can it be lesse then dutie in us ? and here i should but trifle away the time , should i goe about to play the oratour and expresse at large to the germane churches , the blessings that accompany peace & unitie , & the many miseries & calamities of a long-continued schisme and division . that speech of prudentius is a most certaine trueth , — scissura domestica turbat rem populi ; titubatque foris quod dissidit intùs : civill and intestine broiles alwaies prove the undoing of a people ; nor doe things ever goe right abroad , when there is dissention at home . what may make most for the good and advantage of their churches , let it be their care to consider ; and resolve this with themselves , that what ever it be , it is not onely to be sought after with their prayers , but with the utmost diligence and endeavours of every one of them in particular . neither let any unexperienced men amongst them thinke or hope , that they shall ingratiate themselves with papists , and so live more peaceably by them and suffer lesse harme from them , by refusing to enter into freindship and fellowship with calvinists ( as they terme them . ) what is to be hoped for & expected from them , we may learne from osiander ; papists ( saith he ) spare neither lutherans nor zuinglians , but condemne both of them to fire and faggot , in all those places where the pope ( that raging and ravenous beast of rome ) beare's rule and sway : they that are most in favour with them , can at best but hope for that kindnesse from them which vlysses ( in homer ) obtained of polyphemus , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ] to be devoured last , after he had lookt on and seene all his freinds and companions devoured before him . they will perhaps destroy the calvinists first , but the lutherans must look to follow after them : none are like to escape in the end , if once the papists have them at their mercy . what hitherto hath been said , is to show that a communion and reconciliation of the germane churches is a thing , not only possible , but in obedience to gods commandement a necessary duty . it now remaine's that j proceed to set downe the way and meanes whereby such a reconciliation may be compassed , and the rents and distractions of the said churches may with most conveniencie and speed bee made up : which i shall doe , rather to testifie that vehement desire & zeale which i have to so good a work , than out of any opinion that those famous churches ( which alwaies have abounded with store of learned and pious divines ) can any way stand in need of advice herein from me or any other forraigne divine whatsoever . seeing therefore that the fore-mentioned controversies may be agitated either betwixt severall and distinct churches , whereof one is no way subordinate to the other ; or else betwixt such particular men as are members of the same church , and subjects to one & the same prince : j will speak first , of divers churches independent one upon another , and afterwards of particular men in one & the same church , and show how peace and unitie may be made and preserved amongst them . for the first , i conceive there 's no readier and better way for reducing of two different churches to the same communion , than is that usuall one of procuring a faire and peaceable conference amongst divines of both sides , authorised and appointed thereunto by their princes . for if any one imagine , that a councell being once held of all the reformed churches , there will out of hand within the compasse of some few moneths , or yeares , yea or in one age , an end be put to all disputes whatsoever , which have of a long time troubled and busied the learned , so as that they shall all joyne and agree in the same opinion about all such points of controversie ; this ( with submission to better judgements ) seemes to me very unlikely . for so dull and dim-sighted is the eye of our understanding , that it can hardly peirce into the depth of such subtle and intricate questions , no not when it is alone , free and undisturbed in it's contemplations : but being distracted , by the stirs & tumults of disputation so far unable are we to penetrate into the quick of them , that many times we cannot so much as discerne and perceive them , no not when we look upon them with a fixt and steddy eye . and ( to speak plainly what i conceive in this matter ) the cheife use of councells , especially of generall councells , is to maintaine and defend those necessary and plaine points of faith against the oppositions of hereticks , rather than to discusse or determine nice controversies of lesser moment and use . to returne then to that faire & freindly conference , which but now i commended for the likeliest and fittest meanes of obtaining an union : if it could be undertaken with such an intention , & mannaged in such sort , as it ought to be , wee have good cause to hope that we shall in a short time see a blessed peace and union established amongst the germane churches . this therefore must carefully be remēbred by all such as shall be present & parties to such a meeting , that the end why they are called together , is not that like adversaries they should strive for the mastery , but rather that they should like brethren search out and make use of all lawfull and warrantable meanes for the setling of peace and unitie . for if once they fall a crossing and contending one with another , they will never be able to perswade , much lesse to procure any agreement betwixt such churches as are at ods and opposition . let them therefore carefully keep off and forbeare to enter the intricate labyrinths of ordinary disputes : & let their meeting aime at this one end , to make it appeare to their churches , how that there 's no just cause why they should any longer stand out and refuse to joyne hands and be united . to effect this , let it in the first place be set downe how farre the church catholike hath declared herselfe in each controversie , what hath been by her defined and required to be beleived generally by all sub anathemate . for about points fundamentall there may sometimes arise such doubts and disputes as are no way fundamentall : and such , as that the ancient fathers of the church , had they been raised in their times , would never have attempted a decision of them , to the hazard of breeding or fostering a schisme betwixt severall churches . for instance , that god is one in essence , and three in persons distinguished one from another ; that the sonne is begotten of the father ; that the holy ghost is the spirit of both father and sonne ; that these three persons are coeternall and coequall ; all these are fitly determined , and reckoned in the number of fundamentalls : but now if any man should peremptorily affirme and maintaine , that all those schoole-nicities touching the manner of the sonne 's generation , and the procession of the holy ghost , are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former , & ought to be determined one way ; that man should deserve but litle thanks from christ and his church , by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion . so likewise , that our lord jesus christ is both god and man ; that he hath both natures , divine and humane , inseparably united in one person ; and that we have salvation onely by this god incarnate ; all this is fundamentall , or rather 't is that firme & immoveable foundation whereon the whole catholike & saving faith is built : but yet notwithstanding we must not think , that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures , or the manner how his body is present in the blessed sacrament , as also concerning the communication of properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the divinity , or touching the actions and operations of his humanity depending upon the said union , wee must not ( i say ) imagine that all these belong to fundamentall faith , but rather to theologicall science , or perhaps not so neither , but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular divines . let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse , carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so ; and let them not think , that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point , must therefore forth with be it selfe fundamentall . when this is once done ; their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner , and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the churches . certa semper sunt in paucis , saith tertullian ; certaine and undoubted . trueths are not many and they are such as maybe delivered in a few words : whatsoever is necessary for a christian man's salvation to be knowne by him ; and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy , it is all of it plaine and obvious . here 's no use either of subtle & acute distinctions , or of any long and tedious explications , which are oftimes used not for the building up of christians in the fundamentall faith , but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private doctors . in a word , here 's no use of any metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions ; which serve only to perplex and confound the learned , and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the catholike faith ; but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of faith . after they have proceeded thus far , having drawn up a breife and plaine forme of all such points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all churches ; & having passed by & left undecided all such points as are not so generally received & agreed upon ; in the next place , moderate & peaceable divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest , that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation ; and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē , to the danger of the church , the losse of her peace , and the scandall of schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her . of what good use and necessity this advice is , may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the church of rome , and her clean contrary practice herein : who being not content with those articles delivered in the apostles creed , and nicene creed , will needs obtrude upon the christian world those other new-coin'd articles of the trent-conventicle , and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and schisme amongst the churches . how much more prudently did that blessed martyr and most learned father of his times , s. cyprian behave himselfe ? who professeth , that he would not , for difference in opinion , contend or strive with any man ; nor would he break the peace of our lord with his brethren , or cast off any man from his communion , because he was of a different minde from him . by which his christian charity and moderation , s. cyprian ( though in an errour ) deserved better of the church than stephen bishop of rome who was in the right , and did ( by his unquiet spirit ) as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the churches . thus warranted by the example of this blessed martyr , and likewise by the judgement of s. austin herein , i need not stick to affirme , that amongst the doctors and divines of germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly communion with the rest , are freer & further from schisme in gods sight , than they who are in the trueth & withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a communiō with other churches which seek and sue for it . if therefore they can but get an universall consent in all fundamentalls , though in other things there bee some difference amongst private doctors yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to god , nulla salus bello , pacem te poscimus omnes ; no safety can be had or hoped for in warre , therefore give peace in our time ô lord . but if any here shall demand , what course is to be taken about such controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon , that they may not give any occasion whereby this peace and union of the churches should be hindered , or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost ; i will set down some few rules , which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of divines on both sides . first , that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from adversaries either by word or writing , amids the heat of disputation , they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good , and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion . and if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards he reprinted ; before they passe the presse , let them first be purged of all gall & bitternesse , which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife & contention amongst brethren . secondly , because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with heresie , heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of nestorian , eutychian , or any other condemned hereticke , so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd opinions of such hereticks : seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly communion and concord , who for every petty difference in opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another . and it were to be wished further , that those siding names of lutherans , zuinglians , calvinists , were all laid aside ; which are badges rather of faction than any fraternall union , anh such as the ancient fathers could never approve of . epiphanius would not allow christians to beare any {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , any other name added over & above to the name of christian , but rest content with that . non petrianos , non paulinos vocari nos oportet , sed christianos : whe ought not to be called either petrians , or paulians , but christians , saith nazianzen . but of all others lactantius is the most severe and rigorous herein ; christiani esse desierunt , qui christi nomine omisso humana & externa vocabula induerunt they have left off to be christians , who take up forraigne titles and humane appellations instead of the name christian : though to say the trueth , such names are rather fasten'd and father'd on particular churches by others , than by themselves either desired or owned . thirdly , that all profound and controverted points be let alone and not medled with in sermons preached to the common people , or in any such books as are publisht in the vulgar tongue ; let them be accounted rather the exercise and busines of the schooles , than any fit food & nourishment for men's soules . such perplex'd disputes may very well be spared in the pulpit ; but charity , which usually is impaired by the handling and discussing of them , cannot be spared or wanting amongst christians , without the utmost danger and hazard of their soules . the common people doe but play and sport with such controversies , they are no whit profited by them ; and in the end , not well understanding them , they give over sporting , and fall a quarrelling and contending about them . last of all , if divines shall hereafter have a minde to disperse or publish and discourses about these points , let them doe it according to that grave advice of greg. nazianzen , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with reasons , not revilings ▪ let their aimes & intentions be , not to non-plus and baffle , but rather fairely and freindly to informe and reduce their straying brother into the way of trueth . hee that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his errour , will not thinke himselfe vanquished , but instructed ; nor will he be abasht and asham'd , like one overmatcht & overcome by his adversary , but rather rejoyce as one better'd and benefited by his brother . he that is a proficient is never ashamed . hitherto have i laid down the meanes and manner how an union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent churches . but because it may and often doth happen , that there are divers men , both learned and unlearned , living in the same church and within the dominions of the same prince , whose consciences ( whether rightly or misinformed ) will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received opinion in these controversies ; let us in the next place enquire , what course is best to be taken concerning such men . and here , the governours of each severall church if they have any regard & respect to the safety of their weak brethren , they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike confessions and articles of religion , which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their jurisdiction , any curious and unnecessary controversies , nor any decisions of nice and subtle questions ; but rather they must take care that such publike confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people , so as they may instruct & edify the ignorant , and promote the salvation of all . herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our fore-fathers ; whose ancient confessions ( unlesse we corrupt & stuffe them with new opinions of our own , on purpose to disturb the publike peace ) no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them . neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike confessions with any such additions of our own ; since god himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines , not through the rough & knotty paths of perplex'd & intricate disputes , but by the smooth and compendious way of faith & charity . why then such strifes and contentions about words ? what make schoole-nicities amongst church-confessions ? the salvation of christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving god , as that great athanasius sometimes gravely spake . adde to this , that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other churches , who cease not to persecute men and expell them their communion ( as if they were hereticks ) onely because they maintain that doctrine which those other churches hold and professe : for in so doing , what doe they else but tacitly charge heresy upon other churches ? whom though in word they acknowledge for their brethren , yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them . lastly , unlesse the publike confessions of churches be cnofined to such points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the reformed churches , this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon , that many learned , pious , and peaceable ministers shall be driven out & disenabled from exercising the ministery in those churches wherein they live . but if any man doubt , whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall communion one with another in the same church , who yet agree not amongst themselves in all points of divinity ▪ this ( as i conceive ) is a matter out of all doubt and question ▪ for as touching that blessed communion which is betwixt christians at the receiving of the lord's supper , it consist's cheifly in these particulars , that by the common bond of the blessed spirit we are all united to that sole head of the church christ jesus ; that by the same spirit , and by faith and charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body ; that lastly , like men fed at the same table , we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food , to wit the body and blood of christ : in all these particulars doe they professe a communion , whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy table . but now as we doe not by this mutuall communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in divinity : so neither doe we hereby professe , that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all points of divinity , or that we are all of us in one and the same opinion about all disputes and controversies . if no communion could be had amongst christians , but upon such hard termes as these , i beleive it would hardly be found betwixt s. peter and s. paul ; certaine i am the church of corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices ; and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many divines of note and eminence , which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy sacrament and supper of our lord . it is therefore the duty of all church-governours ( as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men , both themselves & others ) to take heed least while they exact of their people a too strict and punctuall confession of more than what 's necessary , they thereby wound and weaken the sweet peace and unity of christendome , than which nothing more necessary . so much for church-governours . come we in the next place to such ministers and other christians of what state and condition soever , as desire to continue in the communion of those churches wherein they live , but yet their consciences will not permit them to allow & professe all the common and received opinions of the said churches . such men must see that they show themselves reachable and tractable , and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those opinions wherein they dissent from their church . now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable , who lends a willing and attentive eare to the instructions and information of the church ; who doe's not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour , but meerely out of the weaknesse of his judgement , being not able in such profound points to discerne that trueth vvhich men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive . and because it is the peculiar prerogative of almighty god to search the hearts , it behoves us christians to encline alwaies to the more favourable and more charitable side ; and , where we have not cleare and evident reasons for the contrary , we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perversenesse . they who thus behave themselves , are not to be excluded and expelled the communion of those churches wherein they live , for petty mistakes and errours in their opinions : but yet with this caution and condition , that they take not upon them to oppose the received opinion of the church , or to publish & spread their own private opinion amongst the common people . nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill , whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the communion of the church : for admit that the private opinion of some divine or any other christian , be true ; and the publike judgement of the church , erroneous : yet neverthelesse , if the errour be such as doe's not prejudice a christian man's salvation , it is much better that the true opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lie hid in silence and obscurity , than that the publike authority of the church should be openly contemned and trampled on , or that the churche's peace , by this unnecessary conflict of jarring opinions , as by two contrary windes , should be shaken and torne in peices . but if any man be perswaded in his conscience , that his private opinion wherein hee differ's from the church , is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it ; such a one , if he cannot perswade and convince the rulers and governours of his church in this matter , must either turne aside into some other church , or else ( for the good of men's soules ) patiently submit to such censures as the church in which he live's shall inflict upon him . this is it ( most learned sir ) which at your request i thought good to write and send unto you . if it may stand you or any man else in any steed for the advancing of the churche's peace , i have all my wish & ayme for which i penned it . they who are better acquainted with the present state and affaires of the germane churches than i am , will be able ( no doubt ) to give you fuller and better advice herein . for my selfe , it remaine's onely that i humbly beseech almighty god , that he would move and encline the hearts of princes , earnestly to desire this blessed union of our churches ; that he would enlighten the understandings of divines to find out and follow after such meanes as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it ; that lastly he would enflame the hearts of all christians to embrace this peace , & bequeath it to all posterity . the god of peace grant this for the sake of his deare sonne , the sole author & procurer of our peace . to whom with the blessed spirit be all honour , glory , & thankesgiving world without end . amen . the opinion of the right reverend father in god thomas morton bishop of dvrham , concerning the peace of the church . worthy sir , i cannot easily expresse how much i was joyed with those few leaves which i lately receaved from you ; as soone as i understood how that there was now at length some hopes of setling a true and brotherly union betwixt us & those of germany who hold the augustane confession . for seeing that the very name of peace is sweet and delightsome , much more the thing it selfe ; especially if it be a peace in religion , which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true peace and unity : i cannot chuse therefore but congratulate and joy you ( sir ) with that good and truly-apostolicall office which you now undergoe : an emploiment which hath ever this successe , that it never can prove in vaine , or be altogether lost ; for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it ( if it be embraced , ) or else ( if rejected ) returne back againe into his bosome who proffer's it . notwithstanding , i observe there are two maine controversies set downe by you , which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one church ; the former is touching the eucharist ; the other , touching that involv'd and mysterious point of praedestination . for the composing of which two controversies , that you should desire my opinion , seeme's truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order : rather wee should imitate ( as i conceive ) those expert physitions , who sometimes cure one contrary by another : so likewise we , seeing that discords in opinion have bred disaffection and hatred in men's minds , 't were necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men , that so we may the more easily allay their heat in disputation , and reconcile them in their much differing opinions . to the promoting of this good work i neither can nor may be wanting . all that i shall say touching both controversies , give me leave to glance at in three words ; to wit , that the way & meanes of establishing an union , to men of peaceable minds , is easie ; to such as are lesse moderate , t is possible ; to both , very necessary . the first thesis . that 't is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled . this appeare's plainely from that love and freindship which was in times past betwixt the professors of both sides , notwithstanding that their differences in opinion were then very rife . this is a point of speciall moment , and therefore for proofe of it we should not alledge the examples of any obscure men , but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides . let them then ( if they please ) consult their luther , melanchthon , iacobus andreae , brentius : wee 'l bring in our calvin , bucer , peter martyr , and zanchy : all which sometimes shined in the church of christ like starres of the first magnitude . first then , there are to be seene in calvin's workes many excellent elogies of luther , even then when luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the point of the sacrament , and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language . whose passions , thereby moved & enflamed , calvin with admirable prudence supprest & kept from breaking out : but i desire ( saith he ) you would consider , first what a worthy man luther is , and with what excellent gifts qualified ; with what courage & constancy , with what dexterity , with what successe and efficacy of his doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the kingdome of antichrist , & maintaine the doctrine of our salvation : i have many times said , that should he call me divel , yet neverthelesse i would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of god . thus calvin : a saying ▪ so full of sweetnesse and moderation , as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it . not long after , he made use of the apostle's argument to containe & keep in our divines , least waxing too hot and passionate , they should break out into revilings : it become's us ( saith he ) so to reprove what we finde amisse in him , as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments : let not therefore that befall us , which is denounced by s. paul , that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed . though he have provoked us , yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of god's church . but now how did luther carry himselfe ? was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion , as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men ? nay he refused not to enter into freindship with calvin himselfe , though he knew him to be a stout champion of our sacramentary cause . let calvin himselfe speake , if you please , notwithstanding luther ( saith he ) in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy , that though he well knew my opinion , ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by letters writ with his owne hand , ( for the dishonesty of westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly , so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used . ) afterwards , when the agreement was halfe finished at marpurge , and they were not yet departed from that meeting , he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of oecolampadius and zuinglius as he formerly had done and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them henceforth as brethren . secondly , what an intimate freindship & familiarity there was betwixt melanchthon , iacobus andreae , brentius , and our divines , the mutuall salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes : melanchthon writing to calvin , begins his letter after this manner ; reverend and christian brother , i trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together . and afterwards concluding , i beseech the sonne of god , our lord iesus christ , the guardian and keeper of his church , that he would guide and protect thee and us all . farewell most deare brother . besides , what was observed concerning melanchthon & others by our sturmius , he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us ; as though ( saith he ) philip melanchthon did not impart his opinion ( touching the sacrament ) to peter martyr ; afterwards , to divers others : with whom he still continued in love and freindship ▪ further , iacobus andreae and brentius did unanimously adhere to the opinion of luther concerning the eucharist , of whom notwithstanding calvin thus speaks ; your letters , worthy sir and my much honoured brother ( speaking to iacobus andreae ) were not a litle welcome to me ; for as much as i understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions , wherein i am most unwillingly engaged , you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been . againe , this your moderation of mind i embrace & highly applaud . farewell worthy sir , and my much respected brother . i wish all happinesse to brentius . god almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit , strengthen and sustaine you by his power , and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you . and againe , in another letter , brentius salute's you . thus were matters carried amongst thē : and why should not we , putting on bowells of meeknesse , tread the steps of these worthies ? shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse , and wee nought but rage and fury ? god forbid . i have done with the first thesis ; i now proceed to the second . the second thesis . that 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed . give mee leave to make use of that maxime of aristotle , so frequently used in the schooles ; but in a sense somewhat different — quae conveniunt in codem tertio , inter so conveniunt : such two things as agree in any one third , agree likewise betwixt themselves . in like manner , i conceive that though we differ much in our opinions about the eucharist , yet there are still remaining amongst us some common principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion . one is , the authority of scripture , sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife : a second is , the cleare light of antiquity , as cleare as the sunne at mid-day . but this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these . three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over , seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts . i wil begin with the first of thē . the augustane confession is by the divines of saxony esteemed as an oracle , of undeniable and unquestionable authority ; now if our men allow and approve of that confession , j doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a reconciliation . and for certaine calvin herein agrees with them : i desire ( saith hee ) as much as any man a sincere and true union , so it be such as god hath approved in his word : nor doe i reject the augustane confession ; whereunto i did once wittingly and willingly subscribe , according to that interpretation which the author thereof himselfe put upon it . againe , i affirme ( saith hee ) that in that confession , as it was printed at ratisbon , there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our doctrine : and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense , none is more fit to be the interpreter of it than the author himselfe , whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men . so he. neither is he singular in this : but others there are , though of the same opinion with him concerning the eucharist , who will grant as much . (a) i am of the number of those ( saith iohn sturmius ) who concerning the receiving of the body & blood of christ approve of the augustane confession ▪ hierome zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too , (b) i professe ( saith hee ) that as often as i had occasion to speake any thing about this point , i did alwaies containe my selfe within the compasse of these three heads the first whereof is , that in the lord's supper not onely bread and wine , but the very body and blood of our lord is truely offered us by christ , and likewise truely received , truely eaten and drunke by us . the second , but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body , but by a true and an actuall faith . the last , that therefore this is done by beleivers onely , and by none others . now these heads are taken out of god's word , nor are they repugnant to the augustine confession . these things being so , those worthy men have the more reason to be treated by us , that besides the said augustine confession ( which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of faith for all protestants , whereby they might be distinguished from papists ) they would not obtrude upon us any other private opinions of their own , to the hinderance of the publike peace . a second principle of the like nature , which even reason it selfe doth dictate , is this ▪ that no antecedent is to be urged and pressed the necessary consequent and sequell whereof may not bee granted by us . but now it is well knowne , that luther , to remove out of the way the perill of idolatry , did abolish all (a) worshipping at the celebration of the eucharist , which had formerly been practised ; and for the same end he abolisht the elevation of the host also , that (b) brentius likewise did with much earnestnesse oppose their br●●den god , ( for so hee himselfe terme's it ; ) lastly , that (c) melanchthon did reject their bread-worship in the lord's supper . those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated , that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which they with so great applause cryed down and abhorred , be not for all that the genuine ofspring of that vbiquity which at this day is maintained by them . thirdly , least any man haply should pretend , that no whit is to bee 〈◊〉 of that bitternesse and rigour where with at first they exercised the patience of oecolampadius , and zuinglius , they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference ▪ ananias , in the ninth of the acts , when first he was warned in a vision to put his hands upon saul , he was somewhat unwilling to doe it ; i have heard ( saith he ) by many of this man &c. but afterwards , having better understood the counsell and purpose of god he gladly embrace's him , saying , brother saul the lord hath sent mee unto thee . the very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of luther himselfe towards zuinglius and oecolampadius ; whom at first hee fell upon roughly , when he heard that they held there was nothing in the eucharist save only bare signes and figures : but afterwards , having further examined their meaning , he kindly & courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them . after the very same manner did calvin likewise stand affected towards them , as he himselfe confesseth ; when at my first entrance ( saith hee ) into the cleare sun-shine of the gospell out of popish darknes , i read in luther how that oecolampadius and zuinglius would admit of nothing in the sacraments but bare and empty figures , this ( i confesse ) so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings , that i refrained a long time from reading them . thus spoke calvin at that time of those men , whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him . why may not then the saxon divines be pleased to show themselves luthers towards us , so long as they finde us not inferiour to oecolampadius and zuinglius in this point ? the third thesis . that this freindly vnion and reconcilement we wish for , is very necessary for all men , whether of a milde or turbulent disposition . it is not my purpose to lash out into common places , wherein much paines might be spent , and litle or no benefit got by it . it behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments , as may , not coldly beg and intreat , but command , and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves . neither are there any ( as you well know ) fitter for the setling and confirming of such a communion , than are those which are drawne from the common joy , or greife , the common danger , or the common good & advantage of both sides . there 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of christ , than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another ; which is seene especially in two things : first , in rejoycing at the hopes of a reconciliation ; such as was the psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of brethren , ô how good and joyfull a thing it is ! secondly , a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention ; such as the jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of reuben . schisme growing and getting upon the church at corinth , the apostle exhort's them to bee [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement : the word is derived frō {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which amongst physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt . the same apostle , that he might compose and setle the mindes of the philippians , ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of ! if ( saith he ) there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowells of mercies , fulfill my joy . but how may they doe that ? he goes on ; that yee be like minded , having the same love , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] being of one accord , of one mind . i verily beleive , that eloquence her selfe , if she had a tongue to speake , she could not have spoke more emphatically : where each word is a sharp dart , peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules . i will adde onely that long chaine of vnities in the same apostle to the ephesians ; one body , one spirit , one hope , one calling , one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god and father of all : all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at , to wit , that the ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . as touching the danger , we all of us know that the tyranny of the romish antichrist hang's over our heads : who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall maxime [ divide & impera ] set them once at variance , and then you may quickly master them ; or rather , by setting them at variance , you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell : for the kingdome being once divided , hell it selfe cannot stand . let us learn to be wise from the examples of others : the guelphi and gibellini [ those two implacable and irreconcileable factions ] did agree together and joyne their forces , when the common enimie came against them . and shall not we rowse our selves up to save & defend our selves ? as for the gaine and advantage i mentiond , can there be any greater gaine than salvation ? and yet even this too , the more common , the greater and better it is . let us then ( i beseech you for the love of god ) set before our eyes the greek church , which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement , as appeare's from that confession of faith lately set forth in the name of all the easterne-churches by the right reverend father cyrill patriarch of constantinople : which agrees exactly with our protestant confessions in every article set forth and published by him . me thinks i see this most ample & farre spreading part of the christian world ready to fly into our armes & embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves : which hope of ours should christ be pleased to crowne with successe , this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the emperours in the world . but i hasten to your other question . the other controversy . concerning that unfathom'd mystery of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes . this is that other question ( as i gather from your letter ) whereon as on a rock divers men ( otherwise desirous of peace ) have dasht and split themselves . that therefore men may knowe , i have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute , but rather am cast upon it against my will , my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation , but ( as the times rather require ) by way of exhortation & advice . i hope therefore the learned divines of saxony will take this my advice in good part , wherein i earnestly pray and beseech them , first , that they would be reconciled to their owne luther in this point , who ( as it did well become a child of grace ) did constantly hold and maintaine that the grace of god is every way free and gratuitous . next , that they would not , in the patronizing and vindicating of divine grace , suffer themselves to be outstript by papists , nay jesuites , and the prime doctors too of that sect , bellarmine , tolet , pererius , suarez , salmeron , maldona●● who have all of them exploded this doctrine of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes , as pure pelagianisme . last of all , it is some wisdome for a man to profit by his enimy : there came out a book two yeares agon , written by will : de gibieuffe , of the oratorian order , priest and doctor of the sorbon , dedicated to the present pope vrban : wherein are inserted the words of pope clement the eighth concerning the auxilia gratiae : the summe whereof is this ; that this whole doctrine ought to be squared and conformed to s. austin's judgement in the point of grace ; that the same s. austin ought be acknowledged and followed as a guide and leader , for asmuch as that good father seeme's to have omitted nothing which concernes the said controversies : and because ( saith he ) many of our praedecessours have stood up so stoutly for that doctrine of s. austin concerning grace as if they desired to have it continued in the church as her right of inheritance , it is not meet i should suffer her to be deprived of this her patrimony . thus farre that pope : unto whose judgement ( j will not say , for the authority , but the trueth of it ) i nothing doubt but calvin himselfe , were he now living , would subscribe : and he that shall read calvin's writings , will quickly grant , that in these controversies he had more than an ordinary share of s. austin's legacy . thus you see , sir , how that partly your importunity ( who are such an earnest factour for peace ) and partly my own zeale in so necessary a cause , have made me exceed the accustomed bounds of a letter . wherein , if you finde not much judgement , yet may you behold my care & desires for christian peace . the author of all true peace , our lord jesus christ , strengthen and enable you by the power of his holy spirit cheerefully to goe thorough with this so waighty an employment for the publike peace of his church . farewell . thomas durham . postscript . that we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love & unity , is so farre from being any prejudice to our cause , as that it is rather to be counted an honour to us : in that we herein follow the precept and practice of god himselfe ; of whom the evangelist saith , . joh. . . he first loved us . the opinion of the right reverend father in god ioseph hall bishop of exceter . those articles of religion wherein the divines of both sides doe fully agree , are abundantly sufficient , both for a christian man's salvation , and likewise for the establishing of a firme & lasting peace in the churches of god . as for the rest , i would not have them reckoned amongst the apostle's [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] foolish questions : doubtlesse they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the divinity-schooles , there to bee throughly discussed : but by no meanes ought they to disquiet the peace either of any christian soule , or of god's holy church . what doe we professing christian charity and love , if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our brethren this litle liberty of dissenting from us in doubtfull & difficult schoole-questions ? seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and greivous errours in comparison of these ( if it be granted that these are errours , ) and that too even in such as were of his owne houshold and retinue . there are but three things about which the reverend divines of both sides professe themselves to differ . the first is , whether or no our lord and saviour jesus christ be truly omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , not only according to his divinity , but also according to his humane nature , by vertue of the personall union ? that the lord jesus ( to wit god and man ) is in both his natures omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , is confest on each side : this being granted , the word [ according ] is a meere schoole-nicity . how farre the vertue of that hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , the holy ghost is silent , and a christian may safely be ignorant of it . let the doctors , if they list , dispute and busie their braines as much as they please about this matter : it will be enough for a christian , to knowe that he hath a saviour who is both god and man , to whom all these attributes truely belong and appertaine . nay even divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied , so long as this be granted on both sides , that even the humane nature considered personally is omniscient , omnipresent , & omnipotent : which wee all of us roundly and readily professe without any doubt or scruple . o what enimies are we to peace , if we will yet needs quarrell amongst our selves ! in all this , i wish we would carefully remember that usefull distinction of iohn gerson , esse quaedam de necessitate fidei , quaedam verò de fidei devotione : that there are some things essentiall and necessary to faith , other some things which shee piously and devoutly beleives , but yet they are not of such necessity as the other : the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of , but these latter may admit of an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; we may safely either suspend our assent unto them , or positively dissent from them . the second article wherein they differ ; is concerning the manner of receiving christ in the eucharist . both agree , that christ's body is truly and really given , taken , and eaten in this sacrament together with the outward elements : all the question is concerning vnworthy receivers . an unworthy question truly it is , that the publike peace should any way be disturbed about it . we willingly grant both of us , that even such as are vnworthy doe eat that which by a sacramentall union is christ's body ; and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of jesus christ . what doe wee now making any more adoe about the manner of their eating , whether it be orall or not ? let christians make this their care , that they thēselves may be found worthy communicants , and let them not trouble themselves to knowe how those which are unworthy are partakers of christ . how farre the vertue of that sacramental union extends it selfe , and whether the manner of this eating be orall or spirituall , let the schools dispute it : christians need not be too curious in enquiring after it ; nor is it fit wee should disquiet the churche's peace , by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of opinion in such nice points . the third article is that fatall point of praedestination : about which , divines of both sides expresse themselves variously , but yet modestly and discreetly . in many things , and such as are of most moment , their judgements on both sides are the same : as , that election is most free , & proceeding from the meere mercy of god , that god found not any cause or occasion in those whom hee elected , the sight whereof might move him to chuse them rather than others : but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternall damnation such as persevere and persist in their sinnes and infidelity ; not by any rigid and absolute decree , without having any respect or regard to sin , but out of his most just judgement : so as all the cause & the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves . in this they are at a stand ; that the foresight of faith and perseverance is by the reverend divines of saxony placed before the act of god's election : so as god did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time beleive , &c. certainly of all the questions about praedestination , this concerning the order of his decree is least materiall ▪ seeing we know assuredly that the infinite & all-wise disposer of things performes all this with one single & most simple act . there is nothing more certain than that god did foresee who would beleive , and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved : let but this then be granted ( which they of saxony willingly professe ) that faith is the sole gift of god , and that whatsoever good there is in the elect , all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace & meere mercy of god , which was bestowed on them in jesus christ from all eternity ; i say , let this be granted , and doubtlesse there can be no danger in that opinion of praevision or fore-sight : god from everlasting fore-saw that , which he himselfe from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should beleive . all this is sound and safe , nor is there any cause why any further strife & contention should be made here about . in all this , i embrace and applaud this christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of peace : thus it becomes christians , thus it becomes divines . i am much deceived , if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds doe's not promise a firme and perpetuall peace to god's church . thou god of peace , in thy good time accomplish it : give eare to the prayers of thy people , and grant that all christians may be of one heart and one way , till at length we come , by thee who art the way , to thee who art the life . amen , amen . from the palace at exceter . febr. . . which is the humble , daily , and devout prayer of jos : exon : afterwards the same mr john dury sent unto the ld bishop of exceter a coppy of a certaine pious and peaceable decree , made & published by a generall vote at a publike meeting of the states in franckfort : requesting his opinion concerning the meanes and manner how this good worke might be advanced : whereunto he had returned him this answer . to his most faithfull , learned , and loving freind mr john dury , all happinesse . sir , i have read over , with a great deale of delight , the transcript you sent me of that decree for peace , which was lately signed by all the protestant states and delegates assembled at franckfort : than which decree , nothing ( in my opinion ) could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion : nor doe i see ( as the case now stand's ) what more could be once hoped for ; or what could possibly have beene proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the publike peace , which all good men so much wish and desire . thus it was meet that the holy citizens of god's church , that pious princes and peeres should thus carefully provide for the peace and safety of christendome and blessed be god , the bestower of every good gift , the author of peace , who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes : may the same good god be pleased , at length to finish this his owne work so hopefully begun , and crowne it with successe . and truely neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto : neither know i well upon what hopes it is , but methinkes my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise . for indeed what a small and slender hedge is it , which now divide's and part 's us ? we doe all of us of the reformation , receive and approve the same scriptures , the same creeds the same augustane confession : onely in one article the sense is so doubtfully expressed , that the author himselfe did not thinke it safe to adhere to the letter of it . the foundation of the christian faith is , amongst us all , one and the same , entire and unshaken ; there 's not so much as one stone in it , or the least peice of coement , about which any question either is or can be made . upon this foundation there are built certain points of schoole-divinity , about which alone we so hotly contend : but what are these to a christian ? what are these to salvation ? in what a safe and quiet state might the affaires of christendome have been , if such nice disputes of curious and over-busie heads had never been heard of ; if learned men could have contented thēselves with some generall formes of expressing the trueth , and not presently to have sifted divinity so over-nearly as they have done ? but seeing these strifes , which are not onely unprofitable , but very hurtfull and prejudiciall to both sides , are thus unfortunately raised ; what better advice can be thought upon for the setling and composing of these stirres , than that the faith be brought back againe to its primitive simplicitie and plainenesse , by the publike authority and joynt consent of the christian church ? and that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of beleife , the christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper articles of faith , and the lesse necessary additions of schoole-conclusions : which truely in this very businesse is a matter of no great difficulty to performe . this especially is fundamentall , christ is both god and man ; and so likewise this , christ , god and man , is truely omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent : now if any shall adde further , iesus christ , according to his humane nature , is omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent ; truely that word [ according ] seemes to be farre off from the foundation ; 't is a scholasticall notion , and to be turned over to profest divines ; but it is not fit the salvation of plaine and illiterate christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice point as this is . can these knowe , or are they bound to know , how farre the vertue of the hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures ? certainely if god had intended this for a necessary point to be knowne by all men , he would not so sparingly and obscurely have revealed unto his church a mystery so fundamentall and important . i dispute not the trueth of the point , ( nor is this pertinent to my purpose , ) onely i question whether it be of necessity to be beleived . let us view a comparison betwixt things humane & divine , although what similitude can there bee'twixt earth and heaven ? man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other : and yet notwithstanding , each part hath its severall properties and actions , which are usually attributed ( and that very rightly too ) to the whole ; the whole man hath the use of sense , doth understand , eat , walke , sleep , dye : thus much even sense & reason doth unanswerably evince : will any man hereupon say , that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne , man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason ; and according to his soule he doth eat , walke , sleep , and dye ? truly the same that reason is , in respect of intelligible matters ; the same is faith , in things spirituall and divine : i am not ignorant , how much they differ in their subjects ; yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived , is alike different in both . such trueths therefore as are certaine , such as are necessarily to be beleived , and apparently fundamentall , let us all unanimously embrace and professe them : as for the rest , let divines ( if they please ) busie their heads with them , but let not the plaine & common sort of christians trouble themselves about them more than needs . but if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike peace , that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression ; let us but say ( as * hier : zanchy sometimes alledged out of innocent and the schoole-men ) that even christ's humane nature according to its personall essence is omnipresent , &c. and i see no reason why both sides may not , nay will not readily consent and agree to it . here let us fixe ; let neither side proceed any further beyond this , and wee are safe . in the point of the sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall , that the true and essentiall body and blood of christ is truely present , offered , and received in that holy supper ▪ but whether or no it be corporally present in the bread & wine , whether or no ( by a supernaturall vertue of the consecrated elements ) it be orally received and eaten , even by wicked and unworthy communicants , this is a matter of theologicall dispute , and such as ( in the judgement of luther , melanchthon , iustus ionas , osiander , brentius , stephanus agricola ; yea & of oecolampadius , zuinglius , bucer , hedio ) ought not to infringe christian love and charity . and upon this promising signe was begun that famous agreement at marpurge , in the yeare . that likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory , which is related concerning the meeting at witemberge , in the yeare , by ludovicus rabus pastor at vlme , in his history of martyrs : with whom agree's iohn swiccius , pastor at constance ( cited by hospinian ) who was there present at that time ; and 't is to be seen likewise in the english writings of bucer : there were present at that meeting , of the one side , capito , bucer , musculus , and the rest of the more eminent divines out of the cheife imperiall cities in high germany ; of the other side , luther , philip , ionas , pomeranus , cruciger , with other doctors & preachers of witemberge : and after some expostulations , and divers speeches to and fro , wherein both sides freely & fairely delivered their opinions , at length luther ( stepping a litle aside with his associates , and conferring with them about it ) concluded with these words ; if yee beleive and teach , that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes bread and wine ; and that such giving and receiving is true and reall , not onely imaginary , the strife betwixt us is at an end , and we doe acknowledge & receive you as our deare brethren in the lord . all this , bucer , capito , and the rest , plainely and freely affirmed : whereupon they joyned hands , and so parted . indeed the waters were then calme and quiet , not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds ; and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of trueth . why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise ? and having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed , why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of peace and unity ? concerning the point of praedestination , how doth the church of christ groane under the burden of a number of huge & high-swolne volumes ? yet when wee have done all we can , and wearied our selves and the christian world with our wrangling pens , this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men , . that god from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto salvation . . that none were elected by god , nor shall be saved , who doe not beleive in jesus christ , and persevere in this faith . . that none can beleive in christ , save onely they whom god is pleased to enable hereunto , and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his spirit . . that god did not damne , no nor reprobate any man , but with an eye to sin : so that all the cause & the blame of men's damnation , lie's in themselves ; but the cause of election and salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of god . now all this is confest on both sides . j know right well , there are infinite questions & controversies raised about this point : let every man on god's name enjoy his owne opinion ; i will not prescribe to any man . for my selfe , if any man be desirous to know what my opinion herein is , i freely professe my selfe to adhere to the articles of the church of england , and to the judgement of our english divines who voted in the synod at dort ( wherein my selfe was present . ) but what is there in this profound point , about which vulgar and illiterate christians need to trouble themselves , save onely that plaine & obvious trueth confest by all ? for the rest , let divines dispute them in the schooles ; but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the pulpit . how are the very same controversies , and others of greater waight and moment , still on foot in the church of rome , and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter , that the publike peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them . let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us . would but christian princes by their authority decree , & divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of disputation and controversie ( bounds indeed larg and spatious enough , ) wee should have a lasting & firme agreement , the church would flourish in peace and tranquillity , and lastly trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common enimy . that this may be brought to passe ( as we all wish and desire it should ) the honourable states and delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike meeting of peaceable divines should be summoned and sought for by invitatory letters , that the freindly & laudable conference , which was begun at lipswich , should be reassumed and prosecuted with like modesty as it had formerly been begun ; that all such divines of note & eminence as cannot be present at that meeting should send over their opinions and advice ; that all the fundamentalls of religion , necessary for salvation , should be determined , and all other points laid aside , and turned over to the schooles ( if need should require ; ) that in the meane time men's tongues and pens should be enjoyned moderation or else silence ; that lastly publike prayers should be solemnly made in the churches of both sides for the successe of this good worke . let but these things be done with an upright heart , in the feare of god , and wee need not doubt of a happy issue ; it is god's own cause , he will not be wanting to himselfe . for you , mr dury , who have hitherto with such zeale , such unwearied paines , so many dangers , so great charges , prosecuted this designe so well pleasing to god , his angells , and men ; truly you have deserved so well of the whole church , as that all good men must acknowledge themselves much indebted to you . goe on ( worthy sir ) with your great undertakeings , and put a period to this good worke : or rather , may the great god of heaven & earth doe this for you and us all ; and may he still preserve and prosper you in these travailes and labours of yours . farewell from your loving freind jos : exon : the opinion of the most reverend father in god iames usher lord arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland , with some other reverend bishops in ireland . reverend and much respected brother in christ ; wee had long since by common consent made ready an answer to your former letters which you writ unto us severally some moneths agon : but being desirous to have likewise a generall subscription to it , according to that agreement which should be betwixt fellow-brethren of the clergy , we deferred the sending of it somewhat the longer in hopes of a meeting . you desire us now in your second letter dated from london march . that we would give you our opinion concerning the conference at lipswich ; the rather , because that conference is likely to have some effect and influence upon the busines you have in hand . thus therefore ; that meeting ( though it was called for other ends and reasons ) yet seeing it was holden with such good successe , and that the cheife divines of both sides had so faire & freindly a conference , heard one another with such patience , & parted with such love and brotherly affection , it is a very good signe that this matter is from the lord , and from this good beginning who can chuse but hope for a happy and successefull issue ? but yet notwithstanding , they parted differing about three points : it is well that they differd but in three ; & 't is better yet , that even in those three points they agreed in most things , and such as are of greatest moment ; nor was their difference so much about the thing it selfe , as about some formes of expression , which for the most part we cannot so easily forget and cast off after we have been long accustomed to them . for seeing it is confest on both sides , that christ hath two natures in one person , so inseparably united that neither can they be divided , nor are they confounded , but still remaine distinct and severall without all mixture or aequality ( so much as of their properties , ) to what end is it to quarrell about improper and figurative propositions ? so likewise in the eucharist , seeing they both agree that the faithfull doe eat not only the fruit and benefit , but the very essence ( or substance ) of christ's body ; and that on god's part the sacraments are exhibited entire & perfect , the thing signified together with the sign , what doe they contending about hypocrites and unbelievers ? 't is all one as if physitions should fall a disputing about a dead man , whether or no the potion he tooke hath any operation upon him . there remaines yet that other much controverted question touching praedestination ▪ and yet even in this too it would be no hard matter for them to be reconciled , were but spleen and partiality laid aside , and in the roome thereof a reverent and modest feare how we pry too farre-into god's secret counsells , placed and planted : seeing the best and ablest divines of both sides acknowledge , that in many questions about this mystery we must be faine to take up st paul's exclamation , o the depth ! and that 't is both lawfull & sufficient for them to rest and hold together in those cleare & undoubted trueths ; namely , that the election of such as shall be saved , was made in christ ; that the destruction of all such as perish , is from themselves ; that salvation is from god ; that faith ( yea even foreseen faith ) is not from our selves , it is the gift of god ; that we may not boast of any thing , seeing we have nothing of our own ; all must be ascribed to god : as s. cyprian of old devoutly and pithily spake . thus you have , both what we hope & conceive of the conference at lipswich . but the most principall and speciall thing , which should be earnestly prest and inculcated , is this ; that in divine matters , especially in such high and difficult mysteries as these are , which are rather to be adored than pried into , we ought to have a certaine and set rule to speake by as s. austin sometimes prudently and piously counselled ▪ & therefore it would be a very safe and good course for us to refraine from all novell and new-fangled expressions , and to confine the liberty of prophecying to such formes and phrases as the holy scriptures doe furnish us withall . it remaines , that wee earnestly beseech the god of peace to bruise satan under our feet , & that shortly : unto which god we heartily recommend you ( reverend brother ) & rest may . anno . your most affectionate freinds james armagh . william kilmore . john ardagh . the judgement of the same right reverend father , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , delivered in a sermon of his preached before k. iames at wansted , iune th . . if at this day wee should take a survay of the severall professions of christianity , that have any large spread in any part of the world ( as of the religion of the romane and the reformed churches in our quarters , of the aegyptians and aethiopians in the south , of the grecians & other christians in the easterne parts , ) and should put-by the points wherein they differ one from another , and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they doe all generally agree ; wee should finde , that in those propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole christian world , so much trueth is contained , as being joyned with holy obedience , may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation . neither have we cause to doubt , but that as many as doe walke accorto this rule ( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon , nor otherwise vitiating their holy faith with a lewd and wicked conversation ) peace shall be upon them , and mercy , and upon the israel of god . the opinion of some famous divines of the french church . that which hath been the constant and earnest wish of all good men for these hundred yeares past , and which by all wise men hath been esteemed worthy to be purchased at any rate and with any paines though never so great ; this ( we heare , to the exceeding great joy of our hearts ) is at this day endeavoured by some worthy servants of christ with singular zeale , and not without good hopes of a happy successe : to wit , that the protestant churches which differ one from another about some points of religion , laying aside or at least moderating on both sides their over-tenacious adhering to their own opinions , may now at length be united and made up into one body . we being much joyed with this welcome newes , first of all we render all possible praise and thankesgiving to almighty god the giver of all good things , that he hath been pleased to put such good thoughts and intentions into the hearts of his servants ; and wee most earnestly beseech him , that his blessing may goe along with this good designe , & crowne it with successe : next , we returne many thanks to those our reverend and worthy brethren and fellow-ministers , who have put their hands to this worke ; and we doe highly applaud and admire their faithfulnesse , zeale , charity , and singular magnanimity & courage herein . what a brave and noble spirit doe's it argue in them , that they could once hope for an unity and peace of our churches in these desperate and distracted times ? or that they durst venter upon a matter of such difficulty , which had so often been attempted heretofore by men of great abilities , but could never be brought to passe ? what the event of this so great and good a designe will be , is in the sole power & pleasure of almightie god : but surely the very endeavouring and intending of so good a worke deserve's no litle commendation : for , the bare purpose or having in one's heart and thoughts matters of great concernment , and such as may make for the good of christ's church , is a great and good worke , & never faile's of its reward from our bountifull god : although there be good cause to hope , that the paines which learned men take hereabout shall even with men too have its fruit & effect . for , now that they have spent their spirits and heat of contention , & wearied themselves with long strife and variance , it is more than probable that they will now at last entertaine those counsells of peace which they have hitherto out of spleene and passion rejected and set light by . besides , that most sharp plowshare of god's judgement wherewith for almost these foureteene yeares he hath furrowed and plowed up the french and german churches , hath so subdued & broken up men's minds on each side , that never was there a more fit and seasonable opportunity for sowing and casting in the seeds of unity and peace , than now . wee cannot chuse therefore but greatly approve , commend , and admire the purposes and endeavours of those worthy men who have imployed their paines in so necessary a worke : but since we understand how that they are desirous to knowe more particularly what our opinion is of this whole businesse , let us proceed to set downe ( as breifly and plainly as we can ) our judgement herein . indeed it were much to be wished , that they who professe themselves christ's disciples and followers , would all think and speake alike of matters spirituall and divine , perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement , ( as s. paul exhorts his corinthians . ) but since there is so much weaknesse in man's understanding , and so great difficulty in points of divinity , that this perfect and absolute agreement betwixt pious men is a thing not to be had or hoped for in this world ; in the next place it were to be wished , that they would agree and be of the same beleife about the maine & principall heads of religion : and for other matters which are of lesse moment and use , and such as do not any way make either for holinesse of life , or comfort of men's consciences , & consequently doe not necessarily pertaine to christ's kingdome ( which consists in those two things ) that they would in such wise beleive them , as to beare with others who dissent frō them about such points . for as we see in civill & saecular matters , the best states-men are not alwaies of the same opinion concerning the affaires of the commonwealth ; so likewise in the church , so long as the summe and substance of religion is agreed upon & maintained , no matter though in some other points the judgements of the faithfull be various and different . that this is lawfull , both the thing it selfe loudly proclaimes it , and s. paul confirmes it ; who doe's not only permit but command us ( more than once ) to beare with such as differ from us in their opinions : and 't is the common and generall opinion of all such divines as have been of any note and esteem in the church ever since our saviour christ's times downe to this present age . yet is not this so to be understood , as if all manner of differences in religion were to be tolerated : for even the same apostle denounceth an anathema against such as shall preach any other gospell than that which he had preached ; and the most moderate amongst the fathers of the christian church have alwaies constantly held , that we are to shunne and avoid the company of hereticks . for there bee some opinions of those men who differ about religion , which overthrow the very foundation of our salvation , & destroy either that piety or that charity which wee are commanded by god's word to practise towards god and men : such are the erroneous doctrines of romanists , who will have that religious worship given to creatures , which god hath reserved peculiar to himselfe ; who make our faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men ; who severall waies overthrow the preistly office of jesus christ ; in a word , who have with their own inventions so stained and deformed the whole christian religion , that they have left no one part in it sound and untainted . such likewise are the opinions of socinians , who ( to let passe their other positions ) deny our lord and saviour christ jesus to be truely god : and if once you take away his divinity , it will necessarily follow , that either wee worship a creature , or else that we doe not worship the sonne of god ; both of which are manifestly repugnant to those trueths which are delivered to us in holy writ as absolutely necessary to salvation . we conceive therefore that no peace in way of religion can be had with these men , nor with any others who maintaine any errours of this nature , till they shall renounce these their private doctrines . but for those who hold some erroneous opinion which yet may consist with piety , & charity , and all christian duties belonging thereunto , we think ( as s. paul seeme's to have determined ) a communion may be held with them . wee may mildly admonish such , and when opportunity is offered , discreetly reprove and instruct them ; but to cast them out of the church , and ( for no other cause ) to curse and excommunicate them as men in a desperate and damnable estate , this ( in our opinion ) is neither fitting nor lawfull to be done . now to apply this to the matter in hand , we conceive that to this latter sort all those controversies doe belong which are agitated amongst protestant divines , touching christ's presence in the sacramentall signes , touching divine praedestination , and some few other points . for they doe agree in all such points as conduce either to piety towards god , or charity towards men ; they maintain on both sides , that the scriptures are of divine inspiration , that they are perfect , perspicuous , and authenticall ; they detest with one heart & mouth the tyranny , and pernitious doctrines of the pope , and they equally keep off from entertaining a communion with him ; they have the same sacraments ; they worship the same christ ; they professe the same righteousnesse and holinesse in this life , and they expect the same glory in the life to come : in a word , so great and so wonderfull an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary doctrines , that ( did not the history of their affaires , and those bitter contentions which have hitherto ( more is the pitty ) been fomented amongst them , witnesse the contrary ) there 's no man but would thinke they had a meeting at the beginning , and by common counsell & consent agreed upon the same confession of faith . in such a multitude of mysteries , who can chuse but admire that there should not be above one or two points wherein they did not fully agree ? for even about the eucharist , which is the maine matter of this woefull division , they both of them grant that 't is a sacrament , not a sacrifice ; that it is to be eaten , not worshipped ; both the two kindes instituted by our saviour christ ( to wit , bread and wine ) are neither transubstantiated nor divided one from the other by either side ; they both acknowledge the same use and end of this holy rite , to wit the commemorating of christ's death , & the partaking of his body which was crucified , and of his blood which was shed for us : there is onely one thing about which they disagree , namely the manner how christ's body is given to us and received by us in that sacrament ; the thing is the same on both sides , onely the manner of it is divers . this difference , though it be but small , yet is it not ( wee confesse ) altogether of no moment : but that it should be of so great moment , as that it ought to make a breach of charity and affection amongst brethren , a duty so useful and necessary to the christian world , and so miraculously wrought amongst them by the hand of heaven , this we utterly deny . neither doe we alone deny it : to say nothing of our brethren in poland , and almost all the germans which hold with us , who ( as it is well knowne to all men ) ever did , and at this day doe make the same reckoning and account of that controversy as we but now did ; to say nothing likewise of those famous divines of both sides in saxony and brandenburge , who ( as we have been informed ) were lately of the very same opinion concerning these points , when they had fairely discussed them at lipswich , whither they were come with their princes . but one thing there is which we cannot here omit to mention , a matter perhaps not so well knowne to forraine nations , yet such a matter it is as we confidently beleive will be most welcome and acceptable to all good & peaceable men , to wit that the reformed churches here in france ( whereof there are good store ) have alwaies been of that same opinion touching these controversies , & they have given testimony of this their opinion , both heretofore sundry waies , and likewise now very lately by an expresse decree made in a generall synod held here at charenton neare paris in the yeare . for when , upon occasion of a citizen of lions ( unto whose daughter a certaine young german of the augustane confession , as they call it , was a suiter ) it was questiond , how we are to account and esteeme of such as are commonly termed lutherans ; all the brethren which were there met , out of all the provinces of france , and sent thither from their several churches , did unanimously vote thus ; that seeing the churches of the augustane confession doe agree with the other reformed churches in all the principles and fundamentall points of true religion , and that in their discipline and forme of divine worship there is neither idolatry nor superstition : such of the faithfull of that confession as shall with the spirit of charity and in a truly peaceable way joyne themselves unto the publike assemblies of the churches in this kingdome , and desire to communicate with them , may , without the abjuration of their former opinions which they hold contrary to the beleife of these churches , be admitted to the holy table , contract marriages with the faithfull of our confession , and present themselves in the quality of godfathers to the children which shall be baptized ; upon their promise given to the consistory , that they will never solicite such children , directly or indirectly , against the doctrine beleived and professed in our churches , but shall content themselves with giving them instruction onely in those points wherein we all agree . we are not ignorant , how that many objections may be made against this decree by such as have a mind to contend & cavill : but such objections they are , most of them , as have but litle strength and validity in them , and such as can no way stand in comparison with those waighty reasons wherewith the christian faith and charity doe furnish us . it is not our purpose to insist on every particular ; onely in general , we think it not amisse to put men in minde of two things , which if they were observed with that care as it fitting , both sides perhaps would henceforth judge more mildly and charitably of each other than hitherto they have done . first then , speciall heed would be taken by us , that the assertions and opinions of private men , though doctors , though of never so great esteem and repute amongst their own men , be not father'd on that whole church wherein such men live , as the common and generally received doctrine of them all . for what can be imagined more unequall , than that one man's crime , or commendation , should be imputed to all ? and what by him hath been spoken well or ill , should be rewarded or punished in others , who were so farre from deserving any such matter , as that many times such things are fastned on them as they never so much as once heard of from others , or once thought thereupon themselves . the generall doctrine of each severall church is laid downe and comprised in publike confessions , severall for each side ; their's ( namely the doctrine of the lutheran party ) in the augustane confession ( as they terme it ; ) that of the other side , in many severall confessions , diversly expressed according to the diversity of countries and kingdomes . from these are we to judge and esteeme what is held and maintained by both : seeing they doe all professe themselves to assent and adhere to these , and that they will live & dye in this faith . but ( for ought i know ) neither doe they so generally approve the writings of brentius or chemnitius , nor doe these so farre magnifie piscator or beza , as if they would that whatsoever is affirmed by those men , should be admitted and acknowledged as the common and necessary faith of all christians . nay so farre are they both of them from this folly , that they themselves freely reprove and censure their own men , and mark out many passages in their writings , as different from the common and received doctrine of their church . whence it follow's , that the sayings of such men , whosoever they be , are unjustly , and ( to speake the most favourably of it ) preposterously fatherd on the whole church in which they lived . and yet notwithstanding , what else are all those tenents with which protestant divines cast one another in the teeth , with which they upbraid one another as if they were the publike and generall faults of the two adverse parts , and for which they so labour to draw one another into envy & contempt ? i say , what else are they but the private positions of some particular doctors on both sides , vented many times either in choler and passion , or out of a vehement zeale to maintaine their cause , when they were hard pressed & put to it either with the difficulty of the things themselves , or the subtilty of an acute adversary ; and so , spake rather out of necessity than judgement and premeditation . for truely so sound and untainted are the publike confessions of our churches on each side , that there is very litle and hardly any thing which either of them can finde wanting in the other's confession . our divines in germany doe commend the augustane confession ; and no doubt but our brethren the lutherans will in like manner approve of ours , for the farre greater part of it , would they but once be pleased to read it over impartially without passion and prejudice . certainly neither in that confession of theirs shall any man meet with that vbiquity of christ's body , which wee condemne in lutheranisme ; nor is this of ours , that stoicall fate so much objected against us . but a second fault there is , very frequent amongst men of both sides , and almost hereditary , which ought ( as we conceive ) with all care and diligence to bee shun'd and avoided in this businesse ▪ namely , that they who maintaine any position , should not bee thought to hold whatsoever seemes to us to follow thereupon by the rules of disputation . for it often fall's out , that he who hold's a principle from which such a conclusion is inferred , may notwithstanding be utterly ignorant of that which is inferred from his principle . for instance , he that first observed the loadstone to point towards the north pole , did not forthwith perceive all the severall experiments that have been afterwards made from thence for the use and benefit of navigation : for conclusions lye hid and buried in their principles , nor are they deduced thence without some paines and study . he therefore who hold's some principle , and withall doth either not heed and regard it ; or else considers it , but with an intellect which is either dull or prepossessed with anger or affection or some other passion , this man , from that principle of his which hee understand's , doth not straightway understand whatsoever may be knowne and concluded from it . thus they who live in the papacy , having their mindes bewitched ( that i may so speake ) with the authority of their leaders , though they grant with us that the sinnes of men are most fully expiated by that sacrifice offered up by christ on the crosse , yet can they not hence conclude ( although it evidently follow hereupon ) that their sacrifice of the altar is vaine and superfluous . now as he who understand's some one trueth , is sometimes ignorant of other trueths which are consequent thereupon : so likewise he who hath some erroneous opinion , must not therefore be thought to hold and maintaine all the absurdities that may be inferred from it : for there 's the same account to bee made of consequences either way . thus tertullian of old , and many of the ancient fathers , taught that the humane soule is derived from the father to the sonne by way of propagation ; but that 't is mortall , which followes upon the former , this they were so farre from granting , that they did alwaies expressely deny it . as therefore wee doe not say that the papists doe therefore deny their sacrifice of the altar , because they grant ( as we doe ) the perfection and sufficiency of that sacrifice which was offered up by christ on the crosse , though in all good consequence this overthrowes that sacrifice of theirs : so neither doe we think that tertullian , & others of the same opinion touching the originall of man's soule ought to be charged for holding the soule to be mortall , because this latter errour seeme's to be deducible from the former . now then how extreme faulty in this kinde divines of both sides have beene , who is there that see's not ? for we commonly charge our brethren ( the lutherans ) with eutychianisme , ( though they in the meane time deny and disclaime it , ) because this errour , as we think , follows upon their doctrine concerning the lord's supper they againe on the other side , stick not to charge us with i knowe not what monstrous opinions , as if we made god the author of all sin and wickednesse , ( assertions which we justly abhorre & tremble at , because they perswade themselves that this may be gathered from our doctrine about god's . praedestination and providence . wee will not here dispute whether these things be rightly inferred yea or no from our severall tenents and opinions on both sides . it sufficeth , that whatsoever they be , whether justly or unjustly pin'd upon our opinions , they are denied by us both : nor can we ever be induced by any arguments whatsoever , to grant that they are agreeable and consonant to our faith . for so long as this is done ( as indeed it is , ) it is manifest from what hitherto hath been delivered , that neither can they without injustice and calumniation bee charged with eutychianisme , nor we with those monstrous and damnable opinions , although both these errours could by true & solid consequence be concluded from our severall positions , ( which yet neither side will ever confesse for their own part . ) seeing therefore that all or most of those doctrines which the one side taxeth in the other as pernicious and such as cannot consist with salvation , are but either the private opinions of some particular men , or else but corollaries and conclusions violently wrested by force of argument out of their severall opinions , would but men ( as in reason they ought ) forbeare to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole churches expresly owne and professe for their received opinions , it would be very easie to maintaine that all the dispute and controversie which is in agitation betwixt them , is such as may be tolerated , and that there is not any thing contained in the faith and doctrine of either side which overthrowe's salvation . now were but this once agreed upon and beleived on both sides , there would remaine litle or no difficulty in this whole businesse wherein worthy men doe at this present employ themselves , namely of setling peace and unity amongst our churches . for seeing there are but two waies possible of being reconciled ; either , that one side shall renounce their private opinions , and come over to the other ; or else , that both sides shall joyne together , retaining their severall opinions , and by a mutuall condescending shall each of them tolerate that which they dislike in the other's doctrine , especially if it be such as cannot be altered without perill and dammage to a whole church ; the former of these two waies ( as we conceive ) is not now to be stood upon , whereof triall hath been heretofore made not onely without successe but with much danger & harme , as appeares sufficiently from those many disputations & conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole age ; whereby hatred and & enmity hath been ingendred rather than extinguished , and the number of controversies rather increased than diminished . wee must therefore betake our selves to that other way of being reconciled , and in it must we employ all our paines and cares & studies , as being indeed both the only easie and lawfull way , yea and necessary too in our judgement . and that wee may at length attaine unto this , it would not be amisse ( as we conceive ) to proceed after this manner and method ; first , wee must endeavour that a kinde of truce and cessation from our strifes & contentions may be agreed upon and enjoyned the divines of both sides , and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole businesse into consideration : this being obtained , in the next place speciall diligence must be used , that after a meeke , freindly , and most persuasive manner it be made appeare to all , that we are not at variance about any fundamentall point of christian religion , or such wherein men may not safely be of either opinion without hazarding their salvation : and here men must be very carefull that they refraine from all intricate questions , and trifling disputes , ( such wherein the schoolemen have spent so much paines , mincing and mangling every thing into i know not how many peices , & then handling every peice severally , ) which serve for no other end save onely to torture & torment mens mindes , but no way make for edification . would but god be pleased so farre to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to passe , wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired communion , which none ever shunn'd or refused but out of a kinde of religion and conscience , conceiving it unlawfull to entertaine a communion with any that are not of the same beleife and opinion with themselves ▪ so soone as men on both sides shall be wrought off from this superstitious conceit , they will gladly run and rush ( as it were ) into one anothers armes and embraces . for it cannot be imagined that there is any man , either of the one side or the other , so stupid & void of all reason & & religion , but knows how foul & scandalous a thing , how hurtfull to both sides , how dangerous and pernitious to the whole christian world this schisme is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us ; on the other side , how sweet , how beneficiall , both to our selves & all others , unity and peace would be , so it might be had without losse of faith and salvation . and truely the way to setle this unity ( were we but once come to that ) is plaine and easie . for seeing we doe both of us ( by god's grace ) equally acknowledge and beleive the gospell of our lord jesus christ penned by his disciples ; and seeing we confesse , that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be beleived or done by us , it is all clearely and plainly laid downe in this gospell , what hinder's why we may not joyntly confirme and ratify those articles wherein we both agree ? & for those other points about which wee differ , wee may expresse them in such words and phrases as the sacred scriptures afford us , and not suffer our men to enquire any further , or contest about thē . for if it be true which we both confesse , that all those heavenly mysteries which must necessarily be knowne by us , are clearely revealed in god's word , doubtles then we may content our selves with so much as the scripture has delivered , and wee may safely forgoe all other points wherein the scripture is silent . let therefore all the heads of matters in dispute amongst us be laid downe and expressed in a certaine and set forme , such as may give satisfaction to both parties , made up wholly ( if it be possible ) of scripture-words : and let no man require from his brother any more besides it : if any man have attained to a further degree of knowledge , let him keep his knowledge to himselfe ; and let him not despise the weaknesse and simplicity of others who have not made so great a progresse in knowledge as himselfe . as for rites and ceremonies wherein the forme of divine worship and the churche's discipline are contained , we conceive it fit that every church should be left to her owne judgement and liberty herein , and that no innovation be made about such matters . hereafter , if it shall please god , when time shall have confirmed and strengthened this union , there may be compiled , by the joynt consent and advice of all , a common liturgy ; which would be both a token and bond of peace . for the present , we shall think our paines well bestowed , if at this first attempt we can prevaile with both sides to tolerate mutually out of christian charity such differences of opinion as are betwixt us either in doctrine or discipline ( which truely are but small , & altogether unworthy to occasion such a rupture and breach betwixt us , ) and so at length to acknowledge one another to be ( as indeed we are ) brethren in the lord . thus much we thought good to speak in breife touching this matter , that our reverend brethren , who are well affected to the publike peace , may understand how ready & willing wee are to concurre with them in this pious and christian worke . and though our meane abilities and the present state and condition of our affaires be such , as that wee cannot performe such service in it as is meet and requisite , yet shall our earnest prayers alwaies accompany the labours and endeavours of those reverend men who are or shall be employed therein : and we shall account that day most happy , wherein we shall behold brethren ( having buried all strifes and contentions ) joyne hands and hearts , and dwell together in the same ierusalem ; by this fast and firme communion , anticipating ( as it were ) & foreacting here upon earth that everlasting unity and concord which we shall hereafter enjoy in heaven . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- c. . v. . ephes. . . rom. . . joh ▪ . . act. . . hosp. histor. sacr. ann. . idem ann. - ibid. harm. confes. par . . & . in confess . polon. . chron. . . mat . c. . v. . . cor. . . epist. . ad dardan . ad constant. august . tit. . . bucer . rom. . . rom. . . magdeburg . lib. . cap. . august . de unitate eccl. . . (a) in epist. ad luther . (b) contra rober . atringen . & alibi . hosp : in . hist. sacr. pag ad an. . (c) ibid. colloq. momp. . pag. . hospin . ann. p. . math. . joh ▪ . . cor. . . osiand . antist. pag. . in antist. pag . gal. . . act. . . psal. . . in antist. pag. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} tit. . . epist. ad stephen . & ad iubaian . praef. ad concil. carthag . vid. august . de bapt. lib. . cap. . epiph. har. . & . nazian. orat. . institut . lib . cap. . orat. . de pace . in orat. unum esse christum notes for div a e- calvin . epist. . bulling . calvin . tract. . desens . de sacram. coenae . melanchthon calvino , inter epistolas calvini , . ioh. sturmius ep. ad princ. freder . inter calvini ep. . calvin . epist. . iacob . andre . e . & epist. . farello . calvin . epist. . martino schalingio eccles ratis . pastori . calv opusc. tract. defens . de sacram. coenae . (a) ep. sturmii ad fred. princ. inter epist. calvin . . (b) zanch. miscel. tract. de coena domini confess . ad magistrat . (a) ep. sturmiiquae extat inter calvini epist. . & epist. . quae est sultzer . ib. (b) calvin . epist . farello . (c) melancht. . epist. calvin . quae inter ep. . calv. opuse . defens . . de sacram. coenae this is the title of that confession . guil. de gibieuffe de libertate dei & creaturaruta . notes for div a e- * zanch. iudicio de dissidio coenae in fine miscellaneorum . quod idem probatur à zuinglio ibidem citato . vid. etiam feildium nostratem , in lib. de eccles. & appendice ▪ vid. lib. de ecclesia . c. . & . & append. part . . respons . ad secundum caput higgonii . vbi etiam citantur pic. miran . l. caietanus , alii . these heads are granted on both sides in this conference . notes for div a e- gal. . . notes for div a e- rom. . . phil. . . certaine irrefragable propositions worthy of serious consideration. by i.h. b. of exon hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc b estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) certaine irrefragable propositions worthy of serious consideration. by i.h. b. of exon hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by m[iles] f[lesher] for nath: butter, london : mdcxxxix. [ ] dedication signed: jos: exon, i.e. joseph hall. concerns oaths and covenants. printer's name from stc. reproduction of the original in harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of england -- government -- early works to . oaths -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certaine irrefragable propositions worthy of serious consideration . by j. h. b. of exon. london , printed by m.f. for nath : butter . mdcxxxix . to my dread soveraign , the kings most excellent maiestie . may it please your ma tie , as one , whose heart ( amongst many thousands ) bleeds with the sad thoughts of the wofull divisions of our deare fellow-subjects ; and unfainedly pitties the mis-guidance of those poore well-meaning soules amongst them , whose credulity hath heedlesly betray'd them into a zealous errour ; i have let fall these few propositions ; which i have presumed to set downe , not as in the way of a challenger ; for , most ( if not all ) of them are such , as be not capable of contradiction , but rather of a faithfull remembrancer to my dear brethren , of those points which they cannot but know , and yeeld : as well supposing , that nothing but meer want of consideration can be guilty of this perillous distraction , in them , who professe to love their king , and the truth . now the good god of heaven open the eyes and hearts of us all , that we may both see , and be sensible of the invaluable blessing of our peace , and the happy freedome of his gospel , which we doe comfortably enjoy under your maiesties sweet and religious government , to the wonder , and envie of all other nations ; and compose the hearts of all your native subjects to meet your maiesties most gracious indulgence , with all humble thankefulnesse . and the same god forbid that any of us should be weary of our happiness : and be drawne to doe any act that may ( before all the world ) poure shame upon our holy profession ; whose chiefe glory it hath alwayes hitherto beene to render us still loyall and obedient , and in this very regard , to triumph over the false religion of our opposites . such shall be ever the prayers of your ma ties most humble , and faithfull subject , and ancientest chaplain , jos : exon . seaven irrefragable propositions concerning oaths and covenants . . no man may sweare , or induce another man to swear unlawfully . . it is no lawfull oath that is not attended with truth , justice , and judgement , jer. . . the first vvhereof requires that the thing svvorn be true : the second , that it be just : the third , that it be not undue , and unmeet meet to be svvorn and undertaken . . a promissory oath vvhich is to the certaine prejudice of another mans right , cannot be attended vvith justice . . no prejudice of another mans right can be so dangerous and sinfull , as that prejudice vvhich is done to the right of publique and soveraign authority . . the right of soveraign authority is highly prejudiced , vvhen private subjects incroach upon it ; and shall , upon suspicion of the disavowed vovved intentions , or actions of their princes , combine , and binde themselves to enact , establish , or alter any matters concerning religion , vvithout ( and therefore much more if against ) the authority of their lawfull soveraign . . a man is bound in conscience to reverse and disclaime that vvhich he vvas induced unlawfully to ingage himselfe by oath to performe . . no oath is , or can be of force , that is made against a lawfull oath formerly taken ; so as he that hath svvorne allegeance to his soveraign , and thereby bound himselfe to maintain the right , povver , and authority of his said soveraign , cannot by any second oath , be tyed to doe ought that may tend to the infringement thereof : and if he have so tyed himselfe , the obligation is , ipso facto , void and frustrate . corollarie . if therefore any sworne subject shall by pretences and persvvasions , be dravvne to binde himselfe by oath or covenant , to determine , establish , or alter any act concerning matter of religion , vvithout , or against the allowance of soveraign authority , the act is unlavvfull and unjust , and the party so ingaged is bound in conscience to reverse and renounce his said act : othervvise ( besides the horrible scandall vvhich hee shall dravv upon religion ) he doth manifestly incur the sinne of the breach of the third and fift commandements . two , as undoubted propositions , concerning church-government . . no man living , no history , can shevv any vvel-allovved and setled nationall church in the vvhole christian world , that hath beene governed othervvise then by bishops , in a meet & moderate imparity , ever since the times of christ and his apostles , untill this present age. . no man living , no record of history can shevv any lay-presbyter that ever vvas in the whole christian church , untill this present age. corollarie . if men would as easily learne as christian wisdome can teach them , to distinguish betwixt callings and persons , betwixt the substance of callings , and the not-necessary appendances of them , betwixt the rules of government , and the errors of execution , these ill-raised quarrels vvould dye alone . da pacem domine , f.e. salomons diuine arts, of . ethickes, . politickes, . oeconomicks that is; the gouernment of . behauiour, . common-vvealth, . familie. drawne into method, out of his prouerbs & ecclesiastes. with an open and plaine paraphrase, vpon the song of songs. by ioseph hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) salomons diuine arts, of . ethickes, . politickes, . oeconomicks that is; the gouernment of . behauiour, . common-vvealth, . familie. drawne into method, out of his prouerbs & ecclesiastes. with an open and plaine paraphrase, vpon the song of songs. by ioseph hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by h[umphrey] l[ownes] for eleazar edgar, and samuel macham, at london : . the words " . behauiour .. familie." are bracketed together on the title page. printer's name from stc. "salomons ethicks, or morals", "salomons politicks", "salomons oeconomicks" each have separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. "an open and plaine paraphrase vpon the song of songs" has separate dated title page and pagination; register is continuous. the last leaf is blank except for rule border. reproduction of the original in yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng wisdom literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion salomons diuine arts , of . ethickes , . politickes , . oeconomicks : that is ; the gouernment of . behaviovr , . common-vvealth , . familie . drawne into method , out of his prouerbs & ecclesiastes . with an open and plaine paraphrase , vpon the song of songs . by ioseph hall. at london , printed by h. l. for eleazar edgar , and samuel macham . . to the right honovrable and hopefull lord , robert , earle of essex , my singular good lord , all increase of grace & true honour . right honovrable , whiles i desired to congratulate your happy returne with some worthy present ; i fel vpon this : which i dare not only offer , but commend ; the royallest philosopher and wisest king , giuing you those precepts , which the spirit of god gaue him . the matter is all his ; nothing is mine , but the methode ; which i doe willingly submit to censure . in that he could not erre : in this , i cannot but haue erred ; either in art , or application , or sense , or disorder , or defect : yet not wilfully . i haue meant it well , and faithfully to the church of god , & to your honor , as one of her great hopes . if any man shall cauill that i haue gone about to correct salomons order , or to controule ezekias seruants : i complaine both of his charity , and wisdom ; and appeale more lawefull iudgement : let him aswell say , that euery concordance peruerts the text. i haue only endeuoured to be the common-place-booke of that great king , and to referre his diuine rules to their heads , for more ease of finding , for better memory , for readier vse . see , how that god , whose wisdom thought good to bereaue mankinde of salomons profounde commentaries of nature , hath reserued these his diuine morals , to out-liue the world ; as knowing , that those would but feed mans curiositie , these would both direct his life , and iudge it . hee hath not done this without expectation of our good , and glory to himselfe : which if wee answere , the gaine is ours . i know how little need there is , either to intreat your lo : acceptation , or to aduise your vse . it is enough to haue humbly presented them to your hands ; and through them to the church : the desire of whose good , is my good ; yea , my recompence and glory . the same god , whose hand hath led and returned you in safetie , from all forraine euils : guide your wayes at home , & gratiously increase you in the ground of all true honor ; goodnesse . my praiers shall euer follow you : vvho vow my selfe your honours , in all humble and true duetie , ios . hall. salomons ethicks , or morals , in foure bookes . the . of felicitie , . of prvdence , . of ivstice , . of temperance , fortitvde . anno domini , . salomons ethickes , or gouernement of behauiour and manners . the first booke . felicity . §. . of ethicks in common : the description , the chiefe end , which is felicity . ethicks is a doctrine of wisedom and knowledge to liue wel , and of the madness and foolishnesse of vice : or instruction to doe wisely by iustice and iudgement and equitie , and to doe good in our life . the end wherof is to see and attaine that chiefe goodnes of the children of men , which they inioy vnder the sun , the whole number of the dayes of their life . §. . wherein felicity is not . not in pleasure , not in wealth . for heerein is . no satisfaction . increased expence , . restlesnesse , . want of fruition , . vncertainty . . necessity of leauing it . which cōsists not in plesure ; for i sayd in mine heart , go to now , i will prooue thee with ioy , therfore take thou pleasure in pleasant things ; yea , i with-drewe not my heart from any ioy : for my heart reioyced in all my labour : and who could eat , and who could haste to outwarde things more then i ? and beholde , this also is vanitie . not in riches . . for he that loueth siluer shall not be satisfide with siluer , and hee that loueth riches shall be without the fruite of them : this also is vanity . . when riches increase they are increased that eate them : and what good commeth to the owners thereof , but the beholding therof with their eies ? yea , much euill ; for whereas the sleep of him that trauelleth is sweet , whether he eate little , or much ; contrarily , the satietie of the rich will not suffer him to sleepe ; so there is an euill sickenesse , which i haue seene vnder the sunne , riches reserued to the owners thereof , for their euill , and ofter , not for their good : for there is another euill , which i haue seene vnder the sunne , and it is frequent among men ; a man to whome god hath giuen riches and treasures , and honour , and he wanteth nothing for his soule , of all it desireth ; but god giueth him not power to eate thereof ; and if hee haue that , yet how long ? riches remaine not alwayes , but taketh her to her wings as an eagle , and flyeth to the heauens . and for their owner , as he came forth of his mothers belly , hee shall returne naked , to goe as he came , and shall beare away nothing of his labour , which hee caused to pass by his hand : and this is also an euill sicknesse , that in all points as hee came , so shall he goe : and what profit hath he , that hee hath trauelled for the winde ? §. . not in magnificence of estate royaltie , great attendance . of works planting , gathering treasures , building , &c. not in honor & magnificence . i the preacher haue beene king ouer israell in ierusalem , and i was great , and increased aboue all that were before me in ierusalem , which also j showed in effect ; for i made me great works , i built me houses , i planted me vineyards , i made me gardens , and orchards , & planted in them trees of all fruites ; i made mee ponds of water , to water therewith the woods that growe with trees ; i got me seruants , & maids ; and had children borne in the house ; also i had great possession of beeues , and sheep , aboue all that were before me in ierusalem ; i gathered to me also siluer and gold , and the chief treasures of kings and prouinces ▪ i prouided men-singers , & women-singers , and the delights of the sonnes of men , musicall conforts of all kindes : yea , i king salomon made my selfe a palace of the trees of lebanon ; i made the pillars thereof of siluer , and the pauement thereof of golde ; the hangings thereof of purple ; whose mids was paued with the loue of the daughters of israel : then i looked on all my vvorkes that my hands had wrought , ( as who is the man that will compare with the king in things which men now haue done ? and on the trauell that i laboured to doe ; and beholde all is vanitie , and vexation of spirit ; and there is no profit vnder the sunne . §. . long life and issue reiected , for certaine end , vnperfect satisfaction , remembrance and continuance of darkenesse . not in long life , and plentious issue : for if a man beget an hundreth children , and liue many yeares , and the dayes of his yeares be multiplyed ; and his soule be not satisfide with good things , and hee be not buryed , i say that an vntimely fruit is better then he . for he commeth into vanity , and goeth into darknesse , and his name shal be couered with darkenesse : also , hee hath not seen the sun , nor knowen it ; therefore , this hath more rest then the other : and if hee had liued a thousand years twise tolde , and had seene no good ; shall not all goe to one place ? and howsoeuer , the light surely is a pleasant thing , and it is good for the eyes to see the sunne ; yet tho a man liue many yeares , and in them all he reioice ; if he shall remember the dayes of darkenesse , because they are manie , all that commeth is vanitie . §. . knowledge tho better then folly ; yet reiected , vpon experience , indiferēcy of euēts , imperfection . not in learning , and humane knowledge . i haue giuen my heart to search and find out wisdome , in all things that are done vnder the heauen , ( this sore trauaile hath god giuē to the sons of men to humble them therby ) yea , i thought in my heart and sayd , beholde i haue amplified and increased wisedome , aboue all them that haue beene before mee , in the court and vniuersitie of ierusalem , and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge : for ( when j was at the wildest ) my wisedome remained with mee : then i sawe , inindeede , that there is profit in wisedome more then in folly ; as the light is more excellent then darkenesse ; for the wisemans eyes are in his head , but the foole walketh in darkenesse : but yet , i knowe that the same condition falleth to them all : then i thought in mine heart ; it befalleth to mee as it befalleth to the foole ; why therefore doe i labour to be more wise ? for , what hath the wise-man more then the foole ? there shall bee no remembraunce of the wise , nor of the foole for euer : for that that now is , in the dayes to come shall bee forgotten ; and how dieth the wise-man ? as dooth the foole : besides the imperfection of the best knowledge ; for the eye is not satisfide with seeing , nor the eare filled with hearing : i thought i wil be wise : but it went farre from mee ; it is farre off ▪ what may it bee ? and it is a profound deepeness , who can find it ? yea , so farre is it from giuing contentment , that in the multitude of wisdō is much griefe , and hee that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrowe . lastly , not in any humane thing : for i haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne ; and behold , all is vanity & vexation of spirit . §. . wherein felicity is .i. in approuing our selues to god. from hence life , blessing fauour , ioy , preseruation , prosperity , long life , &c. wherein then doth it consist ? let vs heare the end of all ; feare god , and keep his commandements ; for this is the whole of man , the whole dutie , the whole scope , the whole happinesse ; for life is in the waie of righteousnesse , and in that path there is no death ; and attending thereon , all blessings are vpon the head of the righteous . wouldst thou haue fauour ? a good man getteth fauour of the lord : joy ? the righteous shall sing & reioice ; and surely to a man that is good in his sight , god giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioie ; so that the light of the righteous reioyceth , but the candle of the wicked shall be put out : preseruation and deliuerance ? lo , the righteous is as an euerlasting foundation ; for the waie of the lord is strength to the vpright man , so as the righteous shall neuer be remoued ; and if hee be in trouble , riches auaile not in the daie of wrath , but righteousnesse deliuereth from death ; so the righteous shall come out of aduersitie , and escape out of trouble , and the wicked shall come in his stead : thus euery way righteousnes preserueth the vpright in heart ; prosperitie and wealth ? the house of the righteous shall haue much treasure , and his tabernacle shall florish . long life ? the feare of the lord increaseth the daies ; & not onely himselfe , but his house shall stand ; and though a sinner do euill an hundred times , and god prolong his daies , yet know i that it shall be well to them that feare the lord , & do reuerēce before him ; and lastly , whatsoeuer good ? god will grant the desire of the righteous , and hee that keepeth the lawe is blessed . §. . in the estate of wickedness our good things are accursed wealth , life , fame , deuotiōs ; prayers , sacrifices euill inflicted ; of losse , paine ; affliction , death , damnatiō . contrarily , ther is perfect misery in wickedness . looke on all that might seem good in this estate ; welth . the tresures of the wicked profit nothing ; the l. will not famish the soule of the righteous , but he either casteth away the substance of the wicked , so that the belly of the wicked shall want , or els imploieth it to the good of his : for the wicked shal be a ransome for the iust ; & to the sinner god giueth paine to gather , and to heap , to giue to him that is good before god. the wicked man may be rich : but how ? the reuenues of the wicked is trouble . life ; the yeares of the wicked shall bee diminished : as the whirlewinde passeth , so is the wicked no more ; for god ouerthroweth the wicked , and they are not . whatsoeuer therefore their hope be , the wicked shall be cut off from the earth , & the transgressors shall be rooted out ; it shall not be well to the wicked , neither shall he prolōg his daies ; he shall be like to a shadow , because he feared not god ; yea , the very house of the wicked shall bee destroyed . fame . whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed , the name of the wicked shall rot : yea looke vpon his best indeauours ; his prayers . the lord is farre off from the wicked , but heareth the prayer of the righteous : farre off from accepting for hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the lawe , euen his prayer shall bee abhominable ; his sacrifice ( tho well intended ) as al the rest of his wayes , is no better then abhomination to the lord ; how much more when hee brings it with a wicked minde ? and as no good , so much euill ; whether of losse : the way of the wicked will deceiue them ; their hope shall perish , especially when they dy ; their candle shall be put out , their works shall proue deceitful ; or of paine ; for the excellent that formed all things , rewardeth the foole , and the transgressour ; and hee hath appointed , that affliction should follow sinners : follow ? yea ouertake them ; his own iniquity shall take the wicked himself , and couer his mouth ; and hee shall be holden with the coardes of his own sinne : euen in the transgression of the euill man is his snare ; so the wicked shall fall in his own wickednes : for of it own selfe , iniquitie ouerthroweth the sinner : but besides that , the curse of the lord is in the house of the wicked : tho hand ioyne in hand , he shall not be vnpunished : beholde , the righteous shall bee payde vppon earth , how much more the vvicked and the sinner ? that then vvhich the wicked man feareth shall come vppon him ; both , death ; hee shall die for default of instruction , and that by his owne hands : for , by following euill hee seeks his ovvne death ; and after that damnation ; the vvicked shall bee cast awaie for his malice : hell and destruction are before the lord ; and a man of vvicked imaginations vvill hee condemn ; so both in life , in death , after it , nothing but terror shall be for the workers of iniquitie : where contrarily , the feare of the lord leadeth to life , and hee that is filled therewith shall contontinue , and shall not be visited with euill . salomons ethickes . the second booke . prvdence . §. . of vertue in cōmon : wherein it consisteth . whereby it is ruled , and directed . vertue consistes in the mean ; vice in extreams . let thy wayes bee ordered aright ; turne not to the right hand , nor to the left , but remoue thy foote from euill ; the rule whereof is gods lawe : for the commandement is a lantern , and instruction a light ; and euery word of god is pure . my son , hearken to my words ; incline thine eare to my sayings ; let them not depart from thine eies ; but keepe them in the midst of thine heart . for , they are life vnto those that finde them , and health vnto all their flesh . keepe my commandements and thou shalt liue , and mine instruction as the apple of thine eye : binde them vpon thy fingers , & write them vppon the table of thine heart . all vertue is eyther prudence , iustice , temperance , fortitude . . of prudence : which comprehends wisdome , prouidence , discretion . §. . of wisdome ; the description , effectes . it procures knovvledge : safety from sinne , from iudgemēt . good direction for actions , for words . wealth , honor , life . the prudent man is he , whose eyes are in his head to see all ihings , and to foresee ; and whose heart is at his right hand to doe all dextrouslie , and with iudgement . vvisedome dwelles with prudence and findeth forth knowledge , and counsels . and to describe it : the wisedome of the prudēt is to vnderstand his way ; his owne ; if thou bee wise , thou shalt be wise for thy selfe : an excellent vertue . for blessed is the man that findeth wisedome , and getteth vnderstandinge : the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of siluer , and the gaine thereof is better then golde : it is more precious then pearles , and all the things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared to her . length of dayes are in her right hand ; and in her left hand riches and glory : her wayes are wayes of pleasure , and all her pathes prosperitie : shee is a tree of life to them that laie holde on her , and blessed is he that receiueth her . the fruites of it are singular : for , first , a wise heart doth not only seeke , but get knowledge , without which the minde is not good ; & the eare of the wise , learning ; and not get it onely but lay it vp , and not so onely but workes by it ; and yet more , is crowned with it . besides knowledge , heere is safety . when wisdome entreth into thy heart , and knowledge delighteth thy soule , then shall counsell preserue thee , and vnderstanding shall keep thee : and deliuer thee from the euil way , and from the man that speaketh froward things , and from them that leaue the wayes of righteousnesse , to walke in the wayes of darkenesse : and as from sinne , so from iudgement . the way of life is on hy to the prudent , to avoid from hell beneath . thirdly , good direction . . for actions ; wisdom causeth to walke in the waie of righteousnes , and in the mids of the paths of iudgement : . for words , the hart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely , and addeth doctrine to his lips ; so that the words of the mouth of a wise man haue grace : yea , he receiues grace from others . either instruct , or reprooue the prudent , and he wil vnderstand knowledge . not to speake of wealth ; shee causeth them that loue hir to inherit substance , and filleth their treasures : she giueth not onely honor : for the wisdome of a man doth make his face to shine , & the wiseman shal inherit glory ; but life : vnderstanding is a wel-spring of life to him that hath it ; and he that findeth me ( sayth wisdome ) findeth life , and shall obtaine fauour of the lord. wherfore get wisdom ; get vnderstanding ; forget not , neither decline from the words of my mouth . forsake her not , and she shall keep thee ; loue her , & she shall preserue thee . wisdom is the beginning ; get wisedome therfore , & aboue all possessions get vnderstanding : exalt her and shee shall exalt thee : shee shall bring thee vnto honour , if thou embrace her : shee shall giue a goodly ornament to thine head ; yea , she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie : §. . of prouidence what shee is , what her obiects , what her effectes , prouidence is that wherby the heart of the wise fore-knoweth the time , and iudgement ; the time when it will be ; the iudgemēt how it will bee done : both which are appointed to euery purpose vnder heauen : not that man can fore-see all future things : no , he knoweth not that , that shall be ; for who can tel him when it shal be ? not so much as cōcerning himselfe . neither doth man knowe his time , but as the fishes are taken with an euill net , and as the birdes which are caught in the snare ; so are the children of men snared in the euill time , when it falleth on them suddenly ; yea , the steps of a man are ruled by the lord ; how should a man thē vnderstand his owne way ? but , sometimes hee may : the prudent man seeth the plague afarre off , and fleeth ; and as for good things , with the pismire hee prouideth his meat in summer ; working still according to fore-knowledge ; yet not too strictly , and fearefully ; for he that obserueth the wind shall not sowe , and he that regardeth the cloudes shall not reape . §. . of discretion : what it is , what it worketh for our acts for our speeches . djscretion is that whereby a man is wise in his businesses , and whereby the heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely , & addeth doctrine to his lips . for actions : the prudent wil consider his steps , and make choice of times : for , to all things there is an appointed time ; and a time for euery purpose vnder heauen ; a time to plant , & a time to pluck vp that which is planted ; a time to slay , and a time to heale , &c. a time of warre and a time of peace : from hence it is that the wise man is strong , and rich ; for by knowledge shall the chambers be fild with precious things which he knows how to employ wel : the crown of the wise is their riches ; from hence , that his good vnderstanding maketh him acceptable to others . for speeches , the tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright , & in the lips of him that hath vnderstanding wisdome is found ; & his words haue grace , both for the seasonablenes , a word spokē in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer , & how good is a word in due seasō ! for the worth of them , the lips of knowledge are a precios iewel ; lastly , for their vse : the lips of the wise shall preserv them , & their toung is helth , and with health pleasure ; fayre wordes are as an hony-combe ; sweetnesse to the soule ; & health to the bones . §. . the extreames ouer-wise , foolish vvho hee is : what kinds there bee of fooles ; the meer foole : the rash foole : the wicked fool . vvhat successe . here are two extreams : on the right hand ; make not thy self ouer-wise , wherfore shouldst thou be desolate ? on the left : neither be foolish ; why shouldst thou perish , not in thy time ? the fool is that man that wandreth out of the waie of wisdom , which hath none hart , that is , is destitute of vnderstanding , either to conceiue , or to do as he ought : of which sort is , . the meere foole ; that foole who when he goeth by the waie , his heart fayleth ; whose folly is foolishnesse , in whose hand there is a price in vaine to get wisdom , which is too high for him to atain : lastly , in whom are not the lips of knowledge . . the rash foole , that is hastie in his matters , that povvreth out all his minde at once ; which the wise man keepes in , till afterwarde ; that hasteth with his feet and therfore sinneth . there is more hope of the other foole then of him . . the wicked foole : that despiseth wisedome and instruction , that maketh a mock of sinne ; to whom it is an abhomination to depart from euill ; to whom foolishnesse is ioy , yea , it is his pastime to doe wickedly , and his practice to spread abroad folly : and this man is obstinate in his courses ; for tho thou bray a foole in a morter among wheat , brayd with a pestell , yet wil not his foolishnes depart from him : and tho it seem to depart , yet as a dog turneth again to his vomit , so returns hee to his foolishnes . spare thy labor therfore , speak not in the eares of a foole , for he will despise the wisdome of thy words . to these saith wisdome , o ye foolish , how long will ye loue foolishnes , and the scornfull take pleasure in scorning , and fooles hate knowledge ? turne you at my correction . lo , i will powre out my mind vnto you ; & make you vnderstand my words . because i haue called and ye refused , i haue stretched out my hād , and none would regard ; but ye haue despised all my counsell , and would none of my correction ; i will also laugh at your destruction , and mocke vvhen your feare commeth ; like suddaine desolation , and your destruction shall come like a whirlwinde ; when affliction , and anguish shall come vppon you . then shall they call vppon mee , but i will not answere : they shall seeke mee early , but they shall not finde me ; because they hated knovvledge , and did not choose the feare of the lord ; they would none of my counsel , but despised all my correction ; therefore shall they eate of the fruite of their owne way , and be filled vvith their owne deuises : and what is that fruit but sorrow ? euen in laughing their heart is sorrowfull ; and the end of that mirth is heauinesse : and like the noise of thornes vnder a pot , so ( short and vaine ) is the laughter of fools : what but stripes ? a rod shall be for the back of him that is destitute of vnderstanding : yea , it is proper to him . to the horse belongeth a whip , to the asse a bridle , & a rod to the fools backe : wherewith not onely himselfe shal be beaten , but the companion of fools shal be afflicted : lastly , what but death ? fooles shall dy for want of wit , and remain in the congregation of the dead ; yea the mouth of the foole is present destruction ; and the lippes of a foole shall deuoure himselfe , and that which should seeme to preserue him , very ease slayeth the foolish , and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them . salomons ethickes . the third booke . jvstice . iustice gives to each his owne ; to god , pietie : which cōprehends feare , honour and respect , * obedience . to god & man fidelitie , truth in words , in dealings . loue. to man only others mercie , liberalitie . our selues ; diligēce in our vocations . §. . . of iustice in generall . . of the feare of god what it is what fruits it hath present future next to prudence , is justice . a man of vnderstanding vvalketh vprightly : the iust man , therfore , is he that walketh in his integrity ; and whose path is to decline from euill ; and brieflie , hee that deales truely , in giuing each his owne . whether to god ; vnto whome iustice challengeth pietie : which comprehends , first , the feare of the lord ; and this feare of the lord is to hate euil , as pride , arrogancie , and the euill way ; and in all our waies to acknowledge god ; that he may direct our waies ; so that , he that walketh in his righteousnes , feareth the lord ; but hee that is lewd in his wayes despiseth him : which grace , as it is the beginning of knowledge , & the very instruction of wisdom , so in some respect knowledge is the beginning of it ; for if thou callest after knowledge , and cryest for vnderstanding ; if thou seekest her as siluer , and searchest for hir as treasures ; then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the lord , and finde the knovvledge of god ; and this feare giues both contentment ; better is a little with the feare of the lord , then great treasure , and trouble therwith ; and . future hope . feare the lord continually : for surely there is an end , & thy hope shall not be cut off . in which regarde , this feare of the lord is an assured strength to depende vpon ; because his childrē shal haue hope yea & present health & ioy . feare the lord , & depart from euil ; so health shall be to thy nauell , and marrowe to thy bones : and with health , life eternall ; the feare of the lord leadeth to life , yea is a welspring thereof , and he that is filled therewith , shall continue , and shall not be visited with euil ; so that blessed is the man that feareth alway : whereas on the cōtrary , he that hardneth his hart , and denies god , and saith who is the lord , shall fall into euill . §. . honor in the best things , in the best times . obedience in attending on his will , in performing it . . honor & respect ; both from the best things : honor the lord , with thy riches , and the first fruits of all thy increase ; so shall thy barnes be filled with abundance , and thy presses shall burst with new wine : and in our best times ; remember now thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth ; vvhile the euill dayes come not , nor the yeares approach ; wherein thou shalt say , i haue no pleasure in them . thirdly , obedience . he that obeyeth mee , shall dwell safely ( sayth wisdome ) and be quiet frō feare of euill : whether in attendance to the will of god ; my son hearken to my wordes , incline thine eare vnto my sayings ; let them not depart from thine eies , but keepe them in the midst of thine heart : for , hee that regardeth instruction is in the waie of life : wheras he that turneth away his eare from it , his very prayer shall be abhominable ; or in executing of it . he that keepeth the commandement is a child of vnderstanding ; yea he is blessed , & thereby keepeth his owne soule ; where they that forsake the lawe prayse the wicked : and he that despiseth his wayes shall die . §. . fidelitie in performances to god , to man. in faithfull eproofe . or whether to god and man. . fidelitie : both , first in performing that wee haue vndertaken : if thou haue vowed a vowe to god , deferre not to paie it ; for he delighteth not in fooles ; pay therfore that thou hast vowed ; it is better that thou shouldst not vowe ; then that thou shouldst vow , and not paie it : suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sinne ; neither say before the angell that this is ignorance : wherefore shall god bee angry by thy voice , and destroy the worke of thine hands ? for , it is destruction to a man , to deuoure that which is sanctified ; and after the vowes to inquire . neither this to god onely , but to man ; they that deale truly are his delight ; and the vpright shall inherite good things : yea , the faithfull man shall abound in blessings ; whereas the perfidious man as he wrongs others ( for confidence in an vnfaithfull man in time of trouble , is like a broken tooth , and a sliding foot ) so bee gaineth not in the end , himselfe ; he that rewardeth euill for good , euill shall not depart from his house . . jn a faithfull reproofe : open rebuke is better thē secret loue : the wounds of a louer are faithful , & the kisses of an enemy are pleasant , but false : so that he that reprooueth shal find more thank at the last : and how euer the scorner take it , yet hee that reprooueth the wise , & obedient eare is as a golde eare-ring , and an ornament of fine golde . §. . truth in words the qualitie , the fruite to himselfe to others the opposites . lyes , slaunder . . dissimulation , flatterie . hee that speaketh truth will shovve righteousnesse . wherein ? a faithfull vvitnesse deliuereth soules : but a deceiuer speaketh lyes ; a vertue of no small importance : for , death and life are in the hand of the tongue ; and as a man loues , he shall eate the fruite thereof , to good , or euill ; to himselfe , others : himselfe ; a wholesom tongue is as a tree of life , and the lippe of truth shall bee stable for euer : others , the tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer , and the lippes of the righteous doo feede manie : therefore buy the truth , and sell it not ; as those do , which eyther . lie , . slaunder , . dissemble , or . flatter . §. . the lyer his fashions , his manifestation , his punishment . a faithfull witnesse will not lie , but a false record will speake lyes . of those sixe , yea seauen things that god hateth , two are , a lying tongue , and a false witnesse that speaketh lyes ; for such a one mocketh at iudgement , and his mouth swallowes vp iniquity ; yea , a false tong hateth the afflicted . he is soone perceiued ; for a lying tong varieth incontinently : & when he is found , a false witnes shall not be vnpunished , & hee that speaketh lyes shal not escape ; for the lying lips are abomination to the lord , therefore a false witnesse shall perish : and who pitties him ? such a one is an hammer , a sworde , a sharpe arrow to his neighbour ; he deceiueth with his lippes and sayth , i will do to him as he hath done to mee . two things then haue i required of thee , deny me them not vntill i die &c. remooue farre from me vanitie , & lyes . let me be a poore man rather then a lyer . §. . the slaunderer what his exercise in misreports , in vnseasonable meddling . what his entertaynment . this wicked man diggeth vp euil , & in his lips is like burning fire ; hee shutteth his eyes to deuise wickednesse : he mooueth his lips , and bringeth euill to passe : and either he inuenteth ill rumours ; a righteous man hateth lying words : but the wicked causeth slaunder and shame ; or els in true reports he will be foolishly medling , and goeth about discouering secrets ; ( where hee that is of a faithful heart concealeth matters ) and by this meanes raiseth discorde . without wood the fire is quenched , and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth ; for the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings , and goe down into the bowells of the belly : therfore as on the one side , thou mayst not giue thine heart to all that men speake of thee ; least thou heare thy seruant cursing thee ; so on the other , no countenance must be giuen to such : for as the north-wind driues away raine ; so dooth an angry countenance the slaundering tongue . §. . the dissembler of foure kindes malicious , vaineglorious , couetous , impenitent . the flatterer his successe to himselfe , to his friend . his remedie . the slaunderer and dissembler goe togither : he that dissembleth hatred with lying lips , and hee that inuenteth slaunder , is a foole ; there is then a malicious dissembler : hee that hateth will counterfeit with his lippes , and in his heart hee layeth vp deceit ; such one , tho he speake fauourably , beleeue him not ; for there are seauen abhominations in his heart . hatred may be couered with deceit ; but the malice therof shall ( at last ) bee discouered in the congregation . there is a vaine-glorious dissembler , that maketh himself rich & is poore ; and . a couetous : there is that makes himselfe poore hauing great riches ; & this both in bargains : it is naught , it is naught , sayth the bu●er ; but when hee is gone apart ; hee boasteth ; and . jn his entertaynement ; the man that hath an euill eye , as though hee thought in his heart , so will hee saie to thee , eate and drinke , but his heart is not with thee : lastly , an impenitent ; hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper : but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie . the flatterer prayseth his friend with a loude voyce , rising early in the morning ; but with what success ? to himselfe ; it shall bee counted to him for a curse : to his friend ; a man that flattereth his neighbour , spreadeth a not for his steps ; hee spreadeth and catcheth : for a flattering mouth causeth ruine . the only remedie then is ; meddle not with him that flattereth with his lippes ; for it is better to heare the rebuke of wise men , then the song of fooles . §. . truth in dealings : wherein is the true-dealers practices to doe right , with ioye . reward gods loue , good memoriall . the vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them , and direct their waie ; which is euer plaine and straight ; whereas the waie of others is peruerted , & strāge . yea , as to do iustice and iudgement is more acceptable ( to the lord ) then sacrifice ; so it is a ioy to the iust himselfe , to do iudgement : all his labour therfore tendeth to life ; hee knovveth the cause of the poore , and wil haue care of his soule : his worke is right , neither intendeth he anie euill against his neighbour ; seeing he dwelleth by him without feare ; and what loseth hee by this ? as the true balance , and weight are of the lord , & al the weights of the bagge are his worke : so god loueth him that followeth righteousnesse : and with men ; the righteous is more excellēt then his neighbour : and better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse , then hee that peruerteth his wayes , though hee be rich . yea finally ; the memoriall of the iust shall bee blessed . §. . deceit the kinds coloured , direct priuate , publike . the iudgement attending it . contrary to this is deceit : whether in a colour ; as hee that faineth himself mad , casteth firebrands , arrowes , and mortall things ; so dealeth the deceitfull man , & saith , am i not in sport ? as this deceit is in the heart of them that imagine euill : so in their hands are diuers weights , and diuers balances : or directly , hee that is partner with a theefe , hateth his owne soule , and dangerous are the wayes of him that is greedy of gaine ; much more publiquely , i haue seene the place of iudgement , where was wickednesse ; and the place of iustice vvhere was iniquitie : i thought in mine heart god will iudge the iust and the wicked , yea oft-times speedily ; so as the deceitfull man roasteth not what he tooke in hunting : or if he eate it ; the bread of deceit is sweet to a man , but afterward his mouth shal be filled with grauell . §. . loue to god , rewarded with his loue , with his blessings . to men in passing by offences , in doing good to our enemies . loue to god : i loue them that loue me : and they that seeke me early shall finde me ▪ & with me , blessings : i cause them that loue me to inherit substance , and i will fill their treasures . . to men , . jn passing by offences ; hatred stirreth vp contentions , but loue couereth all trespasses , and the shame that arises from them : so that hee onely that couereth a transgression seeketh loue . . jn doing good to our enemies , if hee that hateth thee bee hungry giue him bread to eate ; and if hee bee thirsty , giue him water to drinke . here therefore doe offend , . the contentious . . the enuious . §. . the contentious whether in raysing ill rumours , or whether by pressing matters too farre . the first is hee that raiseth contentions among brethren : which once raised are not so soone appeased . a brother offended is harder to win thē a strong city : and their contentions are like the barre of a palace . this is that violent man that deceiueth his neighbour , and leadeth him into the way that is not good , the way of discord : whether by ill rumours ; the fooles lips come with strife ; and as the coale maketh burning coales , and wood a fire , so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife ; and that euen among great ones , a froward person soweth strife , and a talebearer maketh diuision among princes ; or by pressing matters too farre : when one churneth milk , he bringeth forth butter ; and he that wringeth his nose , causeth blood to come out : so he that forceth wrath , bringeth forth strife , the end wherof is neuer good : for it a wise man contend with a foolish man , whether he bee angry or laugh , there is no rest . §. . enuie the kinds at our neighbour , at the wicked . the effects to others , it selfe . the second is that iniustice wherby the soule of the wicked wisheth euill , and his neighbour hath no fauour in his eyes ; that moueth him to be glad when his enemie falleth , and his heart to reioyce when hee stumbleth ; and this is a violent euill . . to it selfe ; a sound heart is the life of the flesh ; but enuy is the rotting of the bones . . to others ; anger is cruell , and wrath is raging : but who can stand before enuie ? but of all other it is most vniust , when it is set vpon an euill subiect . fret not thy selfe because of the malitious , neyther bee enuious at the wicked , nor chuse anie of his wayes ; neyther let thine heart bee enuious against sinners , nor desire to bee with them ; for , as their heart imagineth destruction , and their lips speake mischiefe , so the frowarde is an abomination to the lord ; and there shall bee none end of the plagues of the euill man ; and his light shall bee put out . §. . iustice to man only : first to others . in mercy the qualitie , the gaine of it . let not mercy and trueth forsake thee : binde them on thy necke , and write them vpon the table of thine heart ; this suffereth not to stop thine eare at the cry of the poore : yea , the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast ; no vertue is more gainfull : for by mercy and trueth iniquity shall bee forgiuen ; and by this thou shalt find fauor and good vnderstanding in the sight of god and man : good reason ; for he honoreth god that hath mercy on the poore : yea he makes god his debter ; he that hath meron the poore lendeth to the lord , and the lord will recompence him : so that the mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule ; for hee that followeth righteousnesse and mercy , shall find righteousnesse , and life , and glory ; and therefore is blessed for euer . §. . against mercy offend . vnmercifulnesse , . oppression , blood-thirstinesse . that ( not onely ) the rich ruleth the poore , but that the poore is hated of his owne neighbour ; whereas the friends of the rich are many : of his neighbour ? yea all the brethren of the poore hate him : how much more will his friendes depart from him ? though he be instant with wordes , yet they will not . . there is a generation , whose teeth are as swordes , and their iawes as kniues , to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth . these are they that oppresse the poore to increase themselues , and giue to the rich ; that rob the poore , because he is poore , and oppresse the afflicted in iudgemēt ; that take away the garment in the cold season , & therfore are like vineger powred vpon nitre , or like him that singeth songs to an heauy heart ; that trouble their owne flesh , and therefore are cruell ; an ordinary sinne . i turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne ; and behold the teares of the oppressed , and none comforteth them ; and the strength is of the hand of those that oppresse them , & none comforteth them . none ? yes surely , aboue . if in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore , and the defrauding of iudgement , and iustice , bee not astonied at the matter ; for he that is hyer then the hyest regardeth , and there bee hyer then they , which will defend the cause of the poore , to cause the oppressour to come to pouerty : in which estate hee shall cry and not be heard . . the bloody man is hee which not only doth hate him that is vpright , but laieth wait against the house of the righteous , and spoyleth his resting place ; yea that doeth violence against the blood of a person , such as will say , come with vs , wee will lay wait for blood , and lie priuily for the innocent without a cause . we will swallow them vp aliue like a graue , euen whole ; as those that goe downe into the pit ; but , my sonne , walke not thou in the way with them : refraine thy foot from their path : for their feet run to euill , and make haste to blood-shed . certainely as without cause the net is spred before the eyes of all that hath wings : so they lay wait for blood , & lie priuily for their liues ; thus the mercies of the wicked are cruell : but shall they preuaile in this ? the causelesse curse shall not come : the iust man may fall seuen times in a day , but hee riseth vp againe , whiles the wicked shall fall into mischief ; yea into the same they had deuised : hee that diggeth a pit shall fall therein ; and he that rolleth a stone , it shall fall vpon him , and crush him to death : for he that doth violence against the blood of a person , shall flee vnto the graue , and they shall not stay him . §. . the second kind of iustice to others , is liberality described , limited , rewarded , with his owne , with more . liberality or beneficēce , is to cast thy bread vpon the waters ; to giue a portion to seuen , and also to eight ; in a word , to giue of his bread to the poore , and not to withhold his goods from the owners thereof ( . the needy ) tho there bee power in his hand to doe it , and not to say to his neighbour , goe and come againe , to morrow i will giue thee , if hee now haue it ; not that god would not haue vs inioy the comforts he giues vs , our selues ; for , to euery man to whom god hath giuen riches and treasures , and giueth him power to eate thereof , and to take his part , and to inioy his labours , this is the gift of god ; but if the clouds bee full , they will powre out raine vpon the earth , and yet they shall bee neuer the emptier . the liberall person shall haue plentie , and he that watereth , shall also haue raine : yea not onely hee that giueth to the poore , shall not lacke , but shall finde it after many daies ; whereas he that hideth his eies , shall haue manie curses : but , there is that scattereth and is more increased ; thus hee that hath a good eye is blessed of god. §. . the extreams whereof are couetousnes the descripon of it , the curse . prodigalitie . the couetous is he , that is greedy of gaine , that hauing an euill eie , and coueting still greedily , trauelleth too much to bee rich ; and therefore both spareth more then is right , and increaseth his goods by vsury and interest ; there is one alone , & there is not a second , which hath neither sonne , nor brother ; yet is there none end of his trauell , neither can his eyes bee satisfied with riches , neither doth hee thinke for whom doe i trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasures . this man is vnsatiable , like to the horse-leeches two daughters , which cry still , giue , giue : especially in his desires ; the graue and destruction can neuer bee full ; so the eyes of a man can neuer bee satisfied : all the labour of man is for his mouth , and yet the soule is not filled : yea this is the curse that god hath set vpon him ; he that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer : and he that loueth riches shal be without the fruite thereof ; and whereas the riche mans riches are his strong citie , hee that trusteth in riches shall fall , and by his sparing commeth surely to pouertie . all this while hee sets his eyes on that which is nothing , and dooth but gather for him , that will be mercifull to the poore : wherefore , better is a little with right , then great reuenues without equitie . giue mee not pouerty , nor riches : feed me with foode conuenient for mee , least i be full and denie thee , and saie , vvho is the lord : or least i bee poore and steale , & take the name of god in vaine . §. . prodigality in too much expence : whereof the quality , the ende . carelesness of his estate . the prodigall is the man that boasteth of false liberalitie , that loueth pastime , and vvine and oyle , that feedeth gluttons , and followeth the idle ; the vnthriftie man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth ; lewde things are in his heart , he imagineth euill at all times ; therefore ( also ) shall his destruction come speedily , and he shall bee destroyed suddainely vvithout recouerie ; and in the meane time , the riches of vanity shall diminish ; so that hee shall be a man of want ; yea filled with pouertie , and a shame to his father ; of this kinde also is hee that is otherwise carelesse of his estate : be not thou of them that touch the hand , nor among them that are surety for debts : if thou hast nothing to paie ; vvhy causest thou that he should take thy bed from vnder thee . §. . diligence what it is , how profitable in health , wealth & abūdance honour . ivstice to a mans selfe , is diligence ; for hee that trauelleth , trauelleth for himselfe : the diligent is he , who all that his hand shall finde to doe , dooth it with all his power . i haue seene ( indeed ) the trauell , that god hath giuen the sons of men , to humble them thereby , that all things are full of labour , man cannot vtter it ; but what profit hath he that worketh , of the thing wherin hee trauelleth ? much euerie way : first , health : the sleep of him that trauelleth is sweete , whether hee eate little or much ; secondly , wealth : open thine eyes , and thou shalt be satisfied with bread : yea , the hand of the diligent maketh rich , and his soule shal be fat : and not sufficiency only ; but in all labour there is abundance , but the talke of the lippes bringeth want : yet more , the riches that the diligent man hath , are precious . . honour . a diligent man shall stand before kings , and not before the base sort ; and the hand of the diligent shall beare rule , but the idle shall bee vnder tribute . §. . slouthfulness the properties , the danger of it . the slouthfull , is he that foldeth his hands , and eateth vp his owne flesh ; that hideth his hand in his bosome , and will not pull it out againe to his mouth ; that turneth on his bed , as a dore turneth on his hinges , and saith , yet a little steepe , a little slumber , a little folding of the hands to sleepe . euery thing that hee ought to doe is troublesome , the waie of the slouthfull man is an hedge of thornes ( which hee is loath to set foote in ) : there is a lion without ( saith he ) i shall be slaine in the street : who although herein hee bee wiser in his owne conceit , then seauen men that can render a reason : yet ( the truth is ) he that ( so much as ) followes the idle , is destitute of vnderstanding . hee lusteth ( indeed ) & affecteth great things , but his soule hath nought ; so , the verie desire of the slouthfull slayeth him , for his hands refuse to worke . and not onely he that is slothfull in his worke is brother to him that is a great vvaster ; but he that sleepeth ( and slothfulnesse causeth to fall asleepe ) in haruest , is the sonne of confusion : and hee that vvill not plovve , because of winter ; shall begge in sommer , and haue nothing : loue not sleepe therfore , least thou come to pouertie ; for , what is it , that hence commeth not to ruine ? for , the house : by slouthfulness the roofe of the house goeth to decay , and by idlenes of the hands , the house droppeth thorough for the land ; i passed by the field of the slouthfull , & by the vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding ; and loe , it was all growen ouer with thornes , and nettles had couered the face of it ; and the stone wall thereof was broken downe . then i behelde and considered it well ; i looked vpon it , and receiued instruction ; so in euery respect the slouthfull hand maketh poore . go to the pismire therefore thou sluggard , and behold her waies , and bee wise : for , shee hauing no guide , gouernour , nor ruler , prepareth her meate in summer , and gathereth her foode in haruest ; how long wilt thou sleepe o sluggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe ? yet a little sleepe , yet a little slumber , yet a little folding of the hands to sleepe : therfore thy pouerty commeth as a speedie traueller , and thy necessitie as an armed man. salomons ethickes . the fourth booke . temperance & fortitude . temperance is the moderation of our desires : whether in diet ; sobrietie . in words & actions modestie , & humilitie . in affectiōs , continencie , refraining of anger . §. . temperance in diet , excesse : how dangerous to bodie , soule , estate . the temperate in dyet , is hee that refrayneth his appetite , that looks not on the wine when it is red , that puts his knife to his throat , when hee sits with a ruler ; that when he findes honie , eates but that vvhich is sufficient for him ; least hee should be ouer-full : jt is true , that a man eateth , and drinketh , and seeth the commoditie of all his labour ; this is the gifte of god : yea , this i haue seene good , that it is comely to eate and to drinke , and to take pleasure in all his labour vvherein hee trauelleth vnder the sunne , the vvhole number of the dayes of his life vvhich god giueth him ; for this is his portion ; god allowes vs to eate our bread vvith ioy ; and drink our wine with a cheerfull heart , and there is nothing better then this , yea there is no profite but this : but not that a man should bee giuen to his appetite ; that hee should seeke in his heart to drawe his flesh to vvine ; or that vvhatsoeuer his eyes desire hee should not withholde it from them : such a man vvhen hee is full , despiseth an hony-comb ; whereas to the hungrie , euery bitter thing is sweet ; and in his excesse is outrageous : one of the three things , yea foure , for which the earth is moued , and cannot sustaine it self , is a foole vvhen hee is filled vvith meate . neither doth this prosper , with himselfe . for his bodie ; the satietie of the rich , vvill not suffer him to sleepe : to whome is woe ? to whome is sorrow ? to whom is murmuring ? to whom are woundes without cause ? and to whō is the rednesse of the eyes ? euen to them that tarry long at the wine ; to them that goe and seeke mixt wine : for his soule ; looke not on the wine when it is red , and showeth his colour in the cuppe , or goeth downe pleasauntly . in the ende thereof , it will bite like a serpent , and hurt like a cockatrice : thine eyes shall looke vpon the strange woman , and thy lippes shall speake lewd things : and thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the midst of the sea , and as hee that sleepeth in the top of the mast : they haue striken mee ( shalt thou say ) but i was not sicke : they haue beaten mee , but i knewe not vvhen i awooke ; therefore will i seeke it yet still : for his estate , he is like a citie which is broken downe , and without walles : keepe not companie therefore vvith drunkards , nor with gluttons ; for the glutton and drunkard shall bee poore , and the sleeper shall bee cloathed with ragges ; and in all these , wine is a mocker , & strong drinke is raging , and vvhosoeuer is deceiued thereby is not vvise . §. . modestie in words what it requires : that they be few , seasonable . what it profits argues wisedome , giues safetie . in actions . contrarie to it , loquacitie , ill speech , immoderate mirth . the modest ( for wordes ) is a man of a pretious spirit , that refraineth his lippes , and spareth his words . the wordes of a modest man are like deepe waters , and the welspring of wisdome like a flowing riuer : but when he doth speak , it is to purpose ; for , the mouth of the iust shal be fruitfull in wisdom : & the lips of the righteous do feed many , yea himself ; a man shal be satiate with good things by the fruite of his mouth ; & with the fruit of a mans mouth his belly shal be satisfied : but still bee speaketh sparingly ; a wise man concealeth knowledge , and a man of vnderstanding will keepe silence : which as it argues him wise ( for euen a foole when hee holdeth his peace is counted wise ; and hee that stoppeth his lippes , as prudent ) ; so it giues him much safetie . hee that keepeth his mouth , and his tongue , keepeth his foule from affliction ; yea , he keepeth his life ; where contrarily , the mouth of the foole is in the multitude of wordes , it babbleth out foolishnesse ; as it is fedde with it : neither hath hee any delight in vnderstanding , but that which his heart discouereth ; and while he bewrayeth it , the heart of fooles publisheth his foolishnesse : and as he multiplieth words , so in many words there cannot want iniquity : his mouth ( still ) babbleth euill things ; for either he speaketh froward things , or how to lie in wait for blood , or in the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride ; and what is the issue of it ? he that openeth his mouth , destruction shall bee to him . and hee that hath a naughty tongue shall fall into euill ; for , both it shall be cut out , and the frowardnesse of it is the breaking of the heart . lastly , a fooles mouth is his owne destruction , and his lips are a snare for his soule . for actions : the modest shall haue honour : and tho wee need not say , of laughter , thou art mad , & of ioy , what is this thou doest ; yet anger is better then laughter , for by a sadde looke the heart is made better . the heart of the wise , therefore , is in the house of mourning , but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth . reioyce then , o yong man , in thy youth , and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth , & walke in the wayes of thine heart , and in the sight of thine eyes ; but know , that for all these things god will bring thee to iudgement . §. . humility , pride — ouerweening wherein it is , how absurd , how dangerous . scornefulnesse . next to the modest , is the humble in spirit ; hee saith , surely , i am more foolish then aman , & haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me ; for i haue not learned wisedome , and haue not attained to the knowledge of holy things : but doth he want it ere the more ? no : with the lowly is wisedome , and the eare that hearkeneth to the corrections of life , shall lodge among the wise : better it is , therefore , to bee of an humble mind with the lowely , then to diuide the spoyles with the proud : for before honour goeth humilitie ; and hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes , shall haue mercy ; yea , the humble of spirit shall inioy glory : and the rewarde of humilitie , & the feare of god , is riches , and glory and life . contrary whereto ; there is a generation , whose eyes are hautie , and their eye lids are lift vp ; there is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit , and yet are not washed from their filthinesse . yea , all the wayes of a man are cleane in his own eies : but the lord pondereth : the spirits ; and not sonnely , but many men will boast of their goodnes ; but it is not good to eate much honie , so to search their owne glory is not glory ; let another man prayse thee , and not thine owne mouth ; a stranger and not thy owne lips : this ouer-weening is commonly incident to great men . the rich man is wise in his owne conceit , but the poore that hath vnderstanding can trie him : hence it is , that he affects singularity ; according to his desire , he that separates himself , will seeke , and occupy himselfe in all wisedome : but seest thou a man thus wise in his owne conceit , there is more hope of a foole then of him : yea , he is a foole in this : in the mouth of the foolish , is the rod of pride ; i thought , i will be wise , but it went farre from me ; it is farre off , what may it bee ? and that , a wicked foole ; a hautie looke , and a proud heart which is the light of the wicked is sin : if therefore thou hast bene foolish in lifting vp thy selfe , and if thou hast thought wickedly , lay thy hand vpon thy mouth , for god hateth an hauty eye ; yea he so hateth it , that al that are proud in heart , are an abomination to the lord : and tho hand ioyne in hand , they shall not be vnpunished ; and what punishment shall be bane ? the lord will destroy the house of the proud man ; and his very pride is an argument of his ruine : before destruction the heart of a man is haughty : pride goeth before destruction , and an hie mind before the fall : before it ? yea with it : when pride commeth , then cōmeth shame . now the height of pride is scornefulnesse . hee that is proud and haughty , scornefull is his name , who worketh in the pride of his wrath : and this man despiseth his neighbour , and therefore is destitute of understanding : when the wicked commeth ▪ then commeth contempt ; and with the vile man is reproche , but ▪ of all , him that reproues him : hee that reproueth a scorner , purchaseth to himselfe shame , and hee that rebuketh the wicked , getteth himselfe a blo● ; therefore iudgements are prepared for the scorners , and stripes for the backe of fooles ; so , as others are hurt by his sinne ; for a scornefull man bringeth a whole citie into a snare : so they shall bee likewise bettered by his iudgement ; when the scorner is punished , the foolish is wise . §. . continency of lust , of anger , with their cōtraries . of the first kind , is hee that drinkes the waters of his owne cisterne ; that desires not the beautie of a stranger in his heart ; neither lets her take him with her eye-lids : contrarily , the incōtinent is he that delights in a strange woman , & imbraces the bosome of a stranger ; or she that forsakes the guide of her youth , and forgetteth the couenant of god ; shee lyeth in wait for a pray , and shee increaseth the trangressers amongst men . for a whore is as a deepe ditch , & a strange woman as a narrow pit : yea , i finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares , and whose hands as bands : hee that is good before god shall bee deliuered from her , but the sinner shall be taken by her . of the second , is he that is slow to anger , slow to wrath ; whose discretion differreth his anger , and whose glory is to passe by an offence : which moderation , as it argues him to bee of great wisedome ( for wise men turne away wrath ) so it makes him better then the mightie man , and procures him iust honour ; for it is the honour of a man to cease from strife : cōtrary to which , is he that is of an hasty spirit to be angry ; which as it proues him foolish : ( for anger resteth in the bosom of fooles , and he that is hastie to anger , not onely committeth folly , but exalteth it ) so it makes him dangerous : anger is cruell , and wrath is raging ; and a furious man aboundeth in trangressions : wherefore make no friendshippe with an angry man , least thou learne his wayes , and receiue destruction to thy soule . §. . fortitude in generall , the specials of it ; confidence , patience in gods afflictiōs , in mens iniuries . fortitude is that , whereby the spirit of a man susteines his infirmities ; which makes the righteous bold as a lyon : contrarily the weake of strength is he that is faint in the day of aduersitie ; whose feare bringeth a snare vpon him ; and that , desperate : a wounded spirit who can beare ? which is often caused through guiltinesse : the wicked fleeth , when none pursueth him . confidence is , to trust in the lord with all thine heart , and not to leane to thine owne wisedome ; but in all thy wayes to acknowledge him , and to commit thy works to the lord , and to haue hope in thy death : and tho in other things , the hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart ; yet in this , hee that trusteth in the lord shall bee fatte ; for , from hence , not onely his thoughts and wayes are directed , but he receiueth safetie , and protection ; he is a shield to those that trust in him . the horse is prepared for the day of battaile , but saluation is of the lord. yea , the name of the lord is a strong tower : the righteous runneth to it , and is exalted . so that , hee that trusteth in the lord , he is blessed ; whereas hee that trusteth in his owne heart , is a foole : and it is a vaine thing , to boast thy selfe of to morrow ; for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth . patience is , not to refuse the chastening of the lord , neither to be grieued with his correction : the patient man , in the day of wealth , is of good comfort , and in the day of affliction considereth , god also hath made this contrary to that , that man should finde nothing after him whereof to complaine : knowing that the lord correcteth whom hee loueth ; and that the patient abiding of the righteous shall bee gladnesse : contrarily , the heart of the foole , fretteth against the lord ; he is carelesse and rageth : but to what purpose ? man cannot striue with him that is stronger then he : yea rather , the man that hardeneth his necke when hee is rebuked , shall suddenly bee destroyed , and cannot bee cured : in respect of mens iniuries , he saith not , i will recompence euill ; but waits vpon the lord , and he shall saue him . in which regard , the patient in spirit that suffers , is better then the proud of spirit , that requites . salomons politicks , or common-wealth : . booke , his king , covnsailor , covrtier , svbiect . anno domini , . salomons politickes , or common-wealth : and , first , his king . §. . degrees must be and are subordinate , hyest not many , but one . and those from god. in all well ordered gouerments there are degrees , an hyer then the hyest , and yet an hyer then they : and these , of gods appointment ; not onely in the inferiour rankes , the rich & poore meet , and the lord is the maker of them all : but in the supreame : by me kings raigne ( saith wisdom ) and princes decree iustice : and not they only , but the nobles & all the iudges of the earth ; so , it is a iust wonder , that the grashoppers haue no king ; yet they goe forth by bands . and as no king is a iudgement ; so , many : for because of the transgression of the land , there are many princes , many , not only in frequent succession , but in societie of regiment . §. . in a king are described quality of his person naturall , morall . actions . a king must be hie ; as in place , so in bloud : blessed art thou o land , vvhen thy king is the sonne of nobles ; not of any seruile condition ; for , nothing can bee more vncomely , then for a seruant to haue rule ouer princes : and it is a monster in state , to see seruants ride on horses , and princes ( of blood ) to walke as seruants on the ground ; neither more monstrous , then intolerable . there are three things for vvhich the earth is mooued , yea foure which it cānot sustein : whereof one is , a seruant when he reigneth . §. . morall qualities negatiue ; what one he may not be : not lasciuious , not riotous , not hollow and dissembling , not childish , not imprudent , not oppressing . affirmatiue . and as his bloud is heroicall , so his disposition ; not lasciuious . what , o son of my desires , giue not thy strength to women , nor thy wayes : but why should he withhold from his eies whatsoeuer they can desire , and withdrawe his heart from anie ioy ? why may he not haue all the delights of the sonnes of men : as women take captiue ; as queens and concubines , and damosels without number ? this is to destroy kings ; he shall finde more bitter then death the vvoman whose hart is as nets and snares . not riotously excessiue ; whether in wine : for it is not for kings to drink wine , nor for princes strōg drinke : what , not at all ? to him alone is it not saide , goe eat thy bread with ioy , and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart ? who should eat or drink , or hast to outwarde things more then hee ? not immoderately : so as he should drinke and forget the decree , and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction : or in meat ; for , woe be to thee ô land , when thy princes eate in the morning : and if he be not the master of his appetite , his daintie meates will prooue deceiueable . not hollow , not double in speeches , in profession : the lip of excellencie becomes not a foole ; much lesse , lying talke a prince : not childish ; wo to thee , o land , whose king is a child : not so much in age , which hath sometimes proued succesfull ; but in condition : not imprudent , not oppressing ; two vices conioined : a prince destitute of vnderstanding is also a great oppressour ; and to conclude , in all or any of these , not wilfully inflexible : a poore and wise childe is better then an old & foolish king , that will no more be admonished . §. affirmatiue ; what one he must be : to others iust , mercifull , slow to anger , bountifull . in himselfe temperate , wise , valiant , secret. contrarily , he must be temperate . blessed art thou , o land , vvhen thy princes eate in time , for strength and not for drunkennesse : iust and righteous ; for false balances ( especially in the hand of gouernment ) are an abominatiō to the lord : but a perfit weight pleaseth him ; a vertue beneficial , both to himself ( for the throne is established by iustice ) & to the state. iustice exalteth a nation ; then which , nothing doth more binde and cheare the hearts of the people : for , when the righteous are in authority the people reioice , but when the wicked beares rule the people sigh : and with truth & iustice , must mercy be ioined inseparably ; for mercy and truth preserue the king : and his throne shall be established , also , by mercy . and all these must haue wisdome to menage them : by it , princes rule , & are terrible to the ill-deseruing . a wise king scattereth the wicked , & causeth the wheele to turn ouer them . to all these must bee added bountie ; a prince that hateth couetousness shall prolong his daies ; where cōtrarily , a man of gifts destroieth his country : and yet further , a cōquest of his owne passions ; a princely victory : for he that is slowe to anger , is better then the mighty man ; and he that ruleth his owne minde better then hee that vvinneth a citie ; because of all other , the kings wrath is like the roaring of a lion : and what is that but the messenger of death ? and if it may be , a conquest of all others , through valour . there are three things that order well their going , yea foure are comely in going : wherof the last and principall is , a king against whom no man dares rise vp : lastly , secrecy in determinations . the heauen in height , and earth in deepnesse , and the kings heart can no man ( no man should ) search out : neyther should it be in any hands , but the lords ; who as he knowes it , so hee turnes it whither soeuer it pleaseth him . §. . his actions common , speciall to his place : to iudge righteously . according to the truth of the cause . . according to the distresse of the partie , vnpartially . remit mercifully . his actions must sute his disposition ; which must be vniuersally holy : for , it is an abhomination to kings ( of all other ) to cōmit wickedness . which holinesse alone is the way to all peace : when the waies of a man please the l. he wil make his enimies at peace with him : peculiarly to his place ; he must first iudge his people : a king that sitteth in the throne of iudgement , chaseth away all euill with his eyes ; & by this , he maintains his country : & while hee doth sit there , a divine sentēce must be in the lips of the king , & his mouth may not transgress in iudgemēt . for , a king that iudgeth the poor in truth , his throne shall be established for euer : neither may his eare be partially open : which disposition shal be sure to be fed with reports ; for , of a prince that harkeneth to lyes , al his seruants are wicked : nor his mouth shut ; especially in cases of distresse : open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destructiō : open thy mouth , iudge righteously , & iudge the afflicted & the poore : yet , not with so much regard to the estate of persōs , as the truth of the cause ; for surely it is not good to condemne the iust in what-euer condition ; nor that princes should smite such for equity : wherin he shal wisely search into all difficulties . the glorie of god is to pass by infirmities , but the kings honour is to search out a thing ; yet so , as he is not seldome mercifull in execution , deliuering them that are drawne to death , and preseruing them that are drawne to be slaine : these obserued , it cannot be , that man should rule ouer man to his hurt . salomons covnsailor . sect. . coūsaile for the soule how giuē : the necessitie of it , the qualitie wise , righteus pleasant . how receiued . for the state. as where no soueraigntie , so vvhere no counsell is , the people fall ; and contrarily , where many counsellers are , there is health ; and more then health , stedfastnes : counsel for the soule , where no vision is , the people perish : which requires both holinesse and wisedome : the fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life , and hee that vvinneth soules is is vvise ; and the more vvise the preacher ( is ) the more hee teacheth the people knovvledge , and causeth them to heare , and searcheth forth , and prepareth many parables : & not only an vpright writing ( & speaking ) euen the word of truth ; but pleasant words also ; so that the sweetness of the lips increaseth doctrine ; & not more delightfull , then effectual : for , the wordes of the wise are like goades , and nayles fastned by the masters of the assemblies , that are giuen by one pastour : which againe , of euery hearer , challenge due reuerence & regard ; who must take heed to his foot , when he entreth into the house of god , and bee more neere to heare , thē to giue the sacrifice of fooles : for , he that despiseth the word , shall be destroyed : but hee that feareth the commaundement , shall be rewarded . §. . in a counsellour of state , or magistrate , is required wisdom , discussing of causes , prouidence , and working according to knowledge . pietie , iustice , and freed from partialitie , bribes , oppression ▪ without counsell , all our thoughts ( euen of policie & state ) come to nought : but in the multitude of counsellors is stedfastnes : & no lesse in their goodnes ; 〈…〉 their wisdom , which alone giv's strength to the owner , aboue ten mighty princ . that are in the city ; a vertue , which tho it resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding , yet is knowne in the mids of fooles . for wisedome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding , and in his lippes : for , howsoeuer he that hath knowledge spareth his words , yet the tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright ; and the foole cannot open his mouth in the gate ; and therefore is vnfit for authoritie . as snowe in summer , and raine in haruest ; so is honor vnseemely for a foole . and tho it bee giuen him ; how ill it agrees ? as the closing vp of a precious stone in an heape of stones , so is he that giues glory to a foole . from hence , the good iusticer both carefully heareth a cause , knowing , that he which answereth a matter before he heare it , it is a folly and shame to him ; and that related on both parts ▪ for hee that is first in his owne cause is iust : then commeth his neighbour and maketh inquirie of him ; and deepely sifteth it : else he loseth the truth ; for the counsel of the heart of a man is like deepe waters : but a man that hath vnderstanding will draw it out . from hence , is his prouidence for the common good ; not onely in seeing the plague , and hiding himselfe , but in deliuering the city : and as hee foreseeth , so hee worketh by knowledge : and not in peace only ; as , the words of the wise are more heard in quietnesse , then the cry of him that ruleth among fooles ; but in warre : a wise man goeth vp into the city of the mighty , and casteth downe the strength of the cōfidence thereof . for , wisedome is better then strength , yea then weapons of warre ▪ i haue seene this wisdome vnder the sun , and it is great vnto mee ; a little citie and fewe men in it , and a great king came against it , and compassed it about , and builded forts against it ; and there was found , in it , a poore and wise man , and he deliuered the city by his wisdome : neither can there be true wisedome in any counsellour , without piety . the wise man feareth , & departs from euill ; being well assured , that there is no wisdome , nor vnderstanding , nor counsel against the lord ; & that , man cānot be established by wickednes : and indeed bow oft doth god so dispose of estats that the euil shal bow before the good , & the wicked at the gates of the righteus ? neither is this more iust with god , the● acceptable with men ▪ for , when the righteous reioice , there is great glory , & whē they are in authority the people reioice ▪ cōtrarily , whē the wicked comes on , and rises vp , & beares rule , the mā is tried ; the good hide thēselues , & all the people sigh : & the righteous man falling down before the wicked , is like a troubled well , and a corrupt spring . neither is iustice lesse essentiall , then either ; for to do iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the lord , then sacrifice : to know faces , therefore ( in a iudge ) is not good ; for that man will transgresse for a peece of bread ; much lesse to accept the person of the wicked , to cause the righteous to fall in iudgement : hee that saith to the wicked thou art righteous , him shall the people curse , and the multitude shall abhorre him : yea yet byer ; hee that iustifieth the wicked , & condēneth the iust ▪ both are an abomination to the lord. wherefore , howsoeuer . the wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome , to wrest the wayes of iudgemēt ; and commonly , a mans gift inlargeth him , and leadeth him ( with approbation ) before greatmen : yet he knoweth , that the reward destroyeth the heart ; that the acceptance of it is but the robbery of the wicked ; which shall destroy them , because they haue refused to execute iudgement : he hateth gifts , then , that he may liue , and it is a ioy to him to doe iudgement : he doth vnpartially smite the scorner , yea seuerely punish him , that the wickedly foolish may beware and become wise . and wheras euery way of a man is right in his owne eyes , and a false record will speake lies , and vse deceit ; he so maketh inquirie , that a false witnes shall not be vnpunished : and he that speaketh lies shall perish : lastly , his hand is free from oppression of of his inferiors : which as it makes a wiseman mad ; so the actor of it , miserable : for hee that oppresseth the poore , reproueth him that made him ; and if the afflicted bee opprest in iudgement , the lord will defend their cause , & spoile the soule ▪ that spoyleth them ; and vpon all occasions , 〈◊〉 so determineth , that they shal kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright words . salomons covrtier §. . must be discreet , religious , humble , charitable , diligent , faithfull . in the light of the kings countenance is life , and his fauour is as the cloud of the latter raigne , or as the deaw vpon the grasse : which that the courtier may purchase ; he must be . discreet : the pleasure of a king is in a wise seruant , but his wrath shall bee towards him that is lewd ; . religious , both in heart , hee that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of the lips the king shal be his friend : & in his actions , hee that seeketh good things getteth fauour ; in both which , the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour : and besides these , humble ; the reward wherof is glory : for , before glory goeth humilitie . he dare not therefore boast himselfe before the king , and thrust himselfe ouer-forward in the presence of the prince , whom his eyes doe see : whom if he see moued , he pacifieth by staying of anger , and by a soft answer breaketh a man of bone ; not aggraunting the faults of others : he that couereth a transgression seeketh loue ; but hee that repeateth a matter separateth the prince . to these , he is diligent , taking heed to the mouth of the king ; & therfore worthily standeth before kings , and not before the base sort : and withall , true and faithfull ; when he vndertakes anothers suite he lingers not : knowing , that the hope that is differred is the fainting of the heart ; and tho a bribe or reward is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it , and prospereth whither soeuer it turneth , ( for , euery man is a friend to him that giueth gifts ) : yet he accounteth the gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue , to be vanitie , tossed too and fro , of them that seeke death . salomons svbiect . §. . his duery to his prince ; reuerence , obedience . fellow subiects . every gouernment presupposeth subiects . in the multitude of the people is the honour of the king ; and for the want of people , commeth the destruction of the prince : of whom god requires , in respect of the prince , reuerence , obedience ; that they should reuerence , and seeke the face of the prince ; not cursing the king , so much as in their thought , nor the rich in their bedchāber ; but fearing the lord , and the king , and not meddling with the seditious , which onely seeke euill . for , as the foule of the heauen shall cary the voice , and the master of the wing declare the matter : so ( for reuenge ) a cruell messenger shall be sent against them ; their destruction shall arise suddenly , and who knoweth their ruine ? for their due homage therefore and obedience to lawes , they take heede to the mouth of the king , and the word of the oath of god ; and if a law bee enacted , they violate it not , nor striue for innouation . hee that breakes the hedge , a serpent shall bite him . he that remoueth stones , shall hurt himselfe thereby : and hee that cutteth wood shall bee in danger thereby . and if they have offended , they haste not to goe forth of the princes sight , nor stand in an euill thing : for he will doe what-euer pleaseth him ; but rather if the spirit of him that ruleth rise vp against them , by gentlenesse pacifie great sinnes . §. . to his fellow subiect , in respect of more publike society , is required , . regard to superiors in estate , desert . inferiors , equals . . commer●● more priuate societie , iust maintenance of each mans proprietie , truth of friendship . in respect of themselues , he requires due regard of degrees : whether of superiors . the rich ruleth the poore ; and as the fi●ing potte is for siluer , and the fornace for golde , so is euery ma●otryed according to his dignifie ; so as they that come from the holy place be not forgotten in the city where they haue done right : or whether of inferiors ; for , a poore man , if he oppresse the poore , is like a raging raine that leaueth no food ; yea ( lesse then oppression ) he that despiseth his neighbour is both a sinner and destitute of vnderstanding : or lastly , of equals ; & therin , quiet & peaceable demeanure , not striuing with others causelesse ; not to begin cōentions , for , the beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters ; therefore ere it bee meddled with , hee leaueth off ; and being prouoked , debateth the matter with his neighbor . and as he goes not forth hastily to strife : so much lesse doth hee take part in impertinent quarrells : he that passeth by , and meddleth vvith the strife that belonges not to him , is as one that takes a dog by the care ; and one of the sixe things that god hates , is he that rayseth vp contentions among neighbours . secondly , mutuall commerce , and interchange of commodities ; without which , is no liuing : the abundance of the earth is ouer all : and the king consists by the field that is tilled . the husbandman therefore must till his land , that hee may bee satisfied with bread ; for , much increase commeth by the strēgth of the oxe : and moreouer , he must sell corn , that blessings may be vpō him ; which if he withdrawe , the people shall curse him ; so that , the slothfull man vvhose field is ouergrowen with thornes , and nettles , is but an ill member : and againe , the merchant must bring his wares from farre ; and each so trade with other , that both may liue . they prepare bread for laughter , & wine comforts the liuing ▪ but siluer answereth to all . f●r lesse publicke society , it required due reseruation of proprietie ; not to remoue the ancient boundes which his fathers haue made ; not to enter into the field of the fatherless ; for ▪ he that redeemeth thē is mighty , not to increase his riches by vsury and interest , not to hasten ouer-much to be rich : for such one knoweth not that pouerty shall come vpon him ; & that an heritage hastily gotten in the beginning , in the ende thereof , shall not bee blessed : and that in the meane time , the man that is greedie of gaine troubleth his own house . . truth of friendship . a man that hath friendes , ought to showe himselfe friendly : for a friend is neerer then a brother ; thy owne friend therefore , and thy fathers friend forget thou not : for whether hee reprooue thee ; the woundes of a louer are faithfull or whether hee aduise ; as oyntment and perfui●●e reioyce the heart , so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsell : or whether he exhort ; iron sharpens iron , so doth a man sharpen the face of his friend ; and all this , not in the time of prosperity onely , as commonly , riches gather manie friends , and the poore is separated from his neighbour : but contrarily , a true friend loueth at all times , & a brother is born for aduersitie ; in all estates therfore , as the face in the water answers to face , so the hart of man to man ; who yet , may not bee too much pressed : withdrawe thy foot from thy neighbors house , least he be wearie of thee , and hate thee ; neither enter into thy brothers house in the daie of thy calamitie : nor againe , too forward in profering kindnesse to his owne losse ; a man destitute of vnderstanding toucheth the hand , and becommeth suretie for his neighbour : if therefore thou art become surety for thy neighbour ( much more if thou haue strikē hands with the strāger ) thou art snared with the wordes of thine owne mouth , thou art euen taken with the words of thine owne mouth . doe this now my sonne , seeing thou art comne into the hand of thy neighbour ( not hauing taken a pledge for thy suretiship ) goe and humble thy selfe and solicit thy friends , giue no sleepe to thine eyes , nor slūber to thine ey lids . deliuer thy self as a doe from the hand of the hunter , & as a bird from the hand of the fowler ; & take it for a sure rule , he that hateth suretiship is sure . salomons oeconomicks , or gouernment of the family . . hvsband , wife . parent , childe . . master , servant . anno domini , . salomons oeconomicks , or family . §. . the head of the family in whome is required , wisedome , stayednesse , thrift . the man is the head , and guide of the family ; jn whom wisdome is good with an inheritance : for through wisedome an house is builded , and established : which directs him to doe all things in due order ; first , to prepare his worke without , and then after to builde his house ; and there-with , stayednes . for , as a bird that wandreth frō her neast , so is a man that wandreth from his owne place ▪ and ( which is the chief stay of his estate ) thriftiness ; for , he that troubleth his owne house ( by excesse ) shall inherit the winde : and the foole shal be seruant to the wise in hart : for which purpose , he shall finde , that the house of the righteous shall haue much treasure , while the reuenues of the wicked is but trouble : or if not much ; yet , better is a little with the feare of the lord , then great treasure and trouble therewith : howsoeuer , therefore , let him bee content with his estate : let the lambes be sufficient for his cloathing ; and let the goates bee the price of his fielde . let the milke of his goates bee sufficient for his foode , for the food of his family , and the sustenance of his maydes : and if hee haue much reuenue ; let him looke for much expence . for , when goods increase , they are increased that eat them : and what good commeth to the owners therof , but the beholding therof vvith their eyes ? the hvsband : §. . who must beare himself wisely , chastly , quietly , and cheerefully . he that findeth a vvise , findeth a good thing , and receiueth fauour of the lord : who must therefore behaue himselfe , . wisely , as the guide of her youth : as the heade to which shee is a crowne : . chastely . drink the water of thy owne cistern , and the riuers out of the midst of thine owne well . the matrimoniall loue must be pure , and cleare , not muddy and troubled ; let thy fountaines flowe forth , and the riuers of waters in the streets ; the sweet & comfortable fruits of blessed marriage , in plentifull issue : but let them bee thine alone , and not the strangers with thee . this loue abides no partners : for , this vvere to giue thine honour vnto others , and thy strength to the cruell ; so should the stranger be filled with thy strength , and ( as the substance will be with the affections ) thy laboures should bee in the house of a stranger ; and thou shalt mourne ( which is the best successe heereof ) at thine ende , vvhen thou hast consumed ( besides thy goods ) thy flesh , and thy body , and say : how haue i hated instruction , and mine heart despised correctiō . i was almost plunged into all euill , of sinne and torments , and that which is most shamefull , in the midst of the assembly , in the face of the world . let therfore that thy owne fountaine be blessed , and reioice with the wise of thy youth : let her be as the louing hinde , and pleasant roe ; let her breasts satisfie thee , at all times , and erre thou in her loue continually ; for why shouldst thou delight my sonne , in a strange woman ; or ( whether in affection , or acte ) embrace the bosome of a stranger ? for , the vvayes of man are before the eyes of the lord , and hee pondereth all his pathes : and if thy godlesnesse regarde not that , yet for thy owne sake , desire not her beautie in thy heart , neyther let her take thee with her eie-lids ; for , because of the whorish woman , a man is brought to a morsell of bread , yea to the very huskes : and more then that ; a vvoman will hunt for the precious life of a man. thou sayest , thou canst escape this actuall defilement . can a man take fire in his bosome , and his cloathes not bee burnt ? or can a man goe vpon coales , and his feete not bee burnt ? so , hee that goeth in , to his neighbours wife , shall not bee innocent , vvhosoeuer toucheth her : this sinne is farre more odious then thefte : for , men doo not despise a thiefe when hee steales to satisfie his soule , because hee is hungrie . but if hee be found , hee shall restore seauen folde , or he shall giue all the substance of his house ; and it is accepted . but , hee that commits adultery with a woman , is mad : he that would destroy his owne soule , let him doe it : for , he shall finde a wounde and dishonour , and his reproache shall neuer bee put avvaie : neither is the daunger lesse then the shame . for , ielousie is the rage of a man : therefore ▪ the wronged husband will not spare , in the day of vengeance . hee cannot beare the sight of any raunsome ; neither will he consent to remit it , tho thou multiplie thy giftes . and tho stollen waters be sweet , and hid bread be pleasant to our corrupt taste ; yet , the adulterer knowes not that the dead are there : and that her guests are in the deepes of hell , that her house tendeth to death ; and howsoeuer her lips drop as an hony-combe , and her mouth is more soft then oyle ; yet the end of her is bitter as wormewood , & sharpe as a two edged sword : her feete goe downe to death , and her steps take hold of hell : yea , the mouth of the strange woman is a deepe pit , and hee with whom the lord is angry shall fall into it . . quietly and louingly : for , betteris a dinner of green herbs where loue is , then a stalled oxe , and hatred therewith . yea , better is a dry morsell , if peace be with it ; then an house full of sacrifices with strife . and if he find sometime cause of blame ; the discretion of a man differreth his anger , and his glory is to passe by an offence : and onely he that couereth a transgression , seeketh loue : reioyce with thy wife , whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie , which god hath giuen thee vnder the sunne . for , this is thy portion in this life , and in the trauels wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne . the wife . §. . she must be . faithfull to her husband ; not wanton . . obedient , . discreet , . prouident and hous-wife-like . a vertuous wife is the crowne of her husband : who shall finde such a one ? for her price is farre aboue the pearles . shee is true to her husbands bedde ; such as the heart of her husband may trust to , as knowing that she is tied to him by the couenant of god ; not wanton and vnchaste : such one as i once saw from the window of my house : i looked through my window , & saw among the fooles , & considered among the children a yong man wanting wit , who passed through the streete by her corner , and went toward her house , in the twi-light , in the euening , when the night began to bee blacke and darke , so as hee thought himselfe vnseene ; and behold there met him ( the same he sought for ) a woman with an harlots fashion , and close in heart , as open in her habite . she is babbling and peruerse ; whose feete ( contrary to the manner of all modest wiues , which onely attaine honour ) cannot abide in her house ; but are ouer gadding . now shee is without the gates , now in the streetes , and lyeth in wayte in euery corner ; or at the least , sitteth at the doore of her house , on a seat in the hie places of the city : so she ( not staying to be solicited ) caught him by the necke , and kissed him , and with an impudent face , said vnto him , i haue the flesh of peace offrings , ( both good cheere , and religion pretended ) this day haue i paid my vowes : therefore i came foorth , on purpose to meete thee , that i might earnestly seeke thy face , of all others ; and now , how happy am j that j haue found thee . i haue decked my bedde with ornaments , with curtaines , and strings of egypt . i haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe , aloes , and cinnamon , that wee may lie sweet ; come goe , let vs take our fill of loues , vntill the morning , let vs take our pleasure in dalliance ; feare nothing , for my husband is not at home , hee is gone a iourney farre off , neither needest thou to doubt his returne ; for he hath taken with him a bagge of siluer , and will come home at his set day : sooner hee cannot ; this shee said : what followed ? by the abundance of the sweetnesse of her speech , shee caused him to yeeld : and with the flatterie of her lippes , she intised him ; and straight wayes hee followes her as an oxe goeth to the slaughter , and as a foole to the stockes for correction , till a dart strike through his liuer , the seate of his lust : or as a birde hasteneth to the snare , and knoweth not that it is against his owne life : thus shee doeth , and when her husband returnes , shee wipeth her mouth , and saith i haue not committed iniquitie . ( . ) she is duetifull and obedient ; by a soft answere appeasing wrath : not hatefull ; for whom , a whole world is mooued ; not stubborne , not quarellous : for , the contentions ( and brawlings ) of a wife , are like a continuall dropping in the day of raine ; a discomfort to the husband , a rotting to the house . so , it is better to dwell in a corner of the house top , then with a contentious woman in a wide house . and tho , for society , two bee better then one ; yet it is better to dwell alone in the wildernesse , then with a contentious , and angry woman . for , herein as his griefe cannot be auoyded , so his shame cannot bee conceiued . for , hee that hideth her , hideth the winde ; and she is as oyle in his right hand , that vttereth it selfe . §. . the good hous-wife ( pro. . ) set foorth by her actions , in her owne persō ; labours , bargaines , liberall prouision , for her selfe , the poore , her family ; husband seruants . in the ouersight of her family . speeches , disposition . . she is moreouer prudent , and discreet . a wise woman buildeth her house ; but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hands : and as a ring of gold in a swines snowt , so is a faire woman which lacketh discretion . . lastly , shee is carefull and hous-wifelike ; so as she will doe her husband good , and not euill , all the dayes of her life : for , as for her actions , in her owne person , whether you looke to her labours ; shee seeketh wooll and flaxe , and laboureth cheerefully with her hands . she riseth while it is yet night : she girdeth her loynes with strength , and strengtheneth her armes . shee putteth her hands to the wheele ; and her hands handle the spindle : or whether , to her bargaines ; she considereth a field , and getteth it , and with the fruit of her handes she planteth a vineyard . shee is like the shippe of merchants , shee bringeth her food from farre ; shee feeleth that her merchandise is good , her candle is not put out by night : shee maketh sheets & selleth them , and giueth girdles vnto the merchants ; or whether , to her liberall prouision ; for her husband , who is knowen in the gates ( by her neate furnishing ) when hee sits with the elders of the land ; . for her selfe , shee maketh her selfe carpets : fine linnen & purple is her garment ; . for her seruants , shee feareth not the snow for her family , for all her familie is clothed with scarlet ; . for the poore , shee stretcheth out her hands to the poore , and putteth foorth her hands to the needy ; for her ouersight of her familie , she giueth the portion to her household , and the ordinary ( or stint of work ) to her maids : she ouerseeth the wayes of her household , and eateth not the bread of idlenesse . for her speeches ; she openeth her mouth with wisedome , and the lawe of grace is in her tongue . lastly , strength and honour is her clothing , and in the latter day shee shall reioyce . so worthie shee is in all these , that her owne children cannot containe , but rise vp and call her blessed ; and her husband shall prayse her , and say , many daughters haue done vertuously , but thou surmountest them all : fauour is deceitfull , and beautie is vanitie ; but a woman that feareth the lord , shee shall be praised : since therefore shee is so well deseruing , giue her of the fruit of her owne hands , and let her owne workes prayse her . parents : §. . who owe to their children prouision , instruction , correction . parents and children are the next payre ; which doe giue much ioy to each other : childrens children are the crowne of the elders , and the glory of the children are their fathers : to which purpose , the parent oweth to the childe , . prouision . a good man shall giue inheritance to his childrens children . all the labour , wherein hee hath trauelled , he shall leaue to the man that shall be after him . and who knoweth whether hee shall be wise or foolish : yet shal he rule ouer all his labour wherein hee hath laboured , and shewed himselfe wise , vnder the sunne . here are therefore two grosse vanities , which i haue seene : the one , there is one alone , & there is not a second , which hath neither sonne nor brother : yet is there none end of his trauell , neither can his eye be satisfied with riches ; neither doth he thinke , for whom do i trauell , and defraud my soule of pleasure . the other , contrary ; riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill . and these riches perish in his euill business ; and he begetteth a sonne , and in his hand is nothing . . instructiō and good education : for , he that begetteth a foole ( whether naturally , or by ill breeding ) begetteth himselfe sorrow : and the father of a foole can haue no ioy . and therefore , teach a child in the trade of his way : and when he is olde , hee shall not depart from it . . correction : he that spareth his rodde , hateth his sonne : but he that loueth him , chasteneth betime ; for foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child : the rodde of correction shall driue it from him : yea , there is yet great benefit of due chasticement ; for , the rodde and correction giue life : but a child set at libertie makes his mother ( who is commonly faulty this way ) ashamed ; yea , more them shame , death and hell follow to the child vpon indulgence : ( onely ) if thou smite him with the rod , hee shall not die : if thou smite him with the rod , thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell . tho thy sonne therefore be tender and deare in thy sight ; correct him , and hee will giue thee rest , and will giue pleasures to thy soule : wherefore , chasten him while there is hope ; and let not thy soule spare , to his destruction . the sonne that is of a great stomach , shall indure punishment : and tho thou deliuer him , yet thou shalt take him in hand againe . children : §. . their duties ; obedience to instructions , cōmandements . submission to correction . care of their parents estate , of their owne carriage . a wise sonne reioyceth the father , and the father of the righteous shall greatlie reioyce ; vvhereas , the foolish is the calamitie of his parents : contrarilie , if thou bee a wise sonne , or louest wisdome , thy father & thy mother shall be glad , and she that bare thee shall reioice . such a one is , first , obedient ; for , a wise son will heare and obey the instruction of his father , and not forsake his mothers teaching ; yea , in euery command , he will obey him that begot him , and not despise his mother when she is olde ; not vpon any occasion cursing his parents ( as there is a generation that doth ) : for , he that curseth his father , or mother , his light shall be put out in obscure darkness ; not mocking & scorning them ; for , the eye that mocketh his father , and despiseth the instruction of his mother , the rauens of the vally shall picke it out , and the young eagles eate it : and not obedient to counsell only , but to stripes ; hee that hateth correction is a foole : and he that regardeth it , is prudent . for , those corrections that are for instruction , are the waie of life : therfore , hee that hateth them shall die . secondly , carefull both of their estate : he that robbeth his father & mother , and saith it is no transgression , is a cōpanion of a man that destroieth ; and of his owne carriage : for a lewde and shamefull childe destroyeth his father , and chaseth away his mother . let therefore euen the childe showe himselfe to bee knowen by his dooings , whether his worke be pure and right : so his fathers reynes shall reioice , when he speaketh & doth righteous things . the maister , & servant . §. . the master must be prouident for his seruant : not too seuere , too familiar . the seruant must be faithfull , diligent . the seruant is no small commodity to his master . hee that is despised , & hath a seruant of his own is better then he that boasts ( whether of gentry , or wealth ) & wanteth bread . the master , therefore , must prouide sufficiency of foode for his family , and sustenance for his maydes : who also as hee may not bee ouer-rigorous in punishing , or noting offences ; sometimes not hearing his seruant , that curseth him : so not too familiar ; for he that delicately bringeth vp his seruant from his youth , at length he wil be as his sonne . he must therefore be sometimes seuere , more then in rebukes ; ( for , a seruant will not bee chasticed with words : and tho he vnderstand , yet he will not regarde ) yet so , as hee haue respect euer to his good deseruings . a discreet seruant shall rule ouer a levvde sonne : and he shall diuide the heritage among the brethren . jn answer whereto , the good seruant must bee faithfull vnto his master ; as the colde of snovve in time of haruest , so is a faithful messenger to them that send him , for he refresheth the soule of his master . a wicked messenger falleth into euil : but a faithfull ambassadour is preseruation ; and diligent , whether in his charge ; be diligent to knowe the estate of thy flock ( or rather , the face of thy cattel ) and take heed to the heardes : or in his attendance , hee that keepeth his fig-tree shall eate of the fruite of it : so hee that carefully waiteth on his master , shall come to honour , where contrarily , in both these , as vinegar to the teeth , and smoke to the eyes : so is a slouthfull messenger to them that send him . finis . an open and plaine paraphrase , vpon the song of songs , which is salomons . by ios . hall . anno domini , . to the right honovrable , my singular good lord & patron , edvvard lord denny , baron of waltham , all grace & happinesse . right honovrable : when i would haue withdrawen my hand from diuine salomon : the heauenly elegance of this his best song drewe me vnto it ; and would not suffer me to take off mine eies , or pen. who can read it with vnderstanding , & not bee transported from the world ; from himselfe ? and be any other where , saue in heauen , before his time ? i had rather spende my time in admiration , then apology : surely , heere is nothing that sauours not of extasie , and spirituall rauishment ; neither was there euer so high and passionate a speculation deliuered by the spirit of god , to mankind : which by how much more diuine it is , by so much more difficult : it is wel , if these mysteries can be found out by searching . two things make the scriptures hard : prophecies , allegories ; both are met in this : but the latter so sensibly to the weakest eyes , that this whole pastoral-mariage-song ( for such it is ) is no other then one allegory sweetly continued : where the deepest things of god are spoken in riddles , how can there be but obscurity & diuers construction ? all iudgements will not ( i know ) subscribe to my senses ; yet i haue beene fearefull and spiritually nice in my choice , not often dissenting from all interpreters ; alwaies , from the vnlikeliest . it would bee too tedious to giue my account for euery line : let the learned scanne and iudge . what-euer others censures be , your honours was fauourable ; and ( as to all mine ) full of loue and incouragement . that , therefore , which it pleased you to allow from my penne , vouchsafe to receiue from the presse ; more common , not lesse deuoted to you . what is there of mine that doth not ioy in your name , and boast it selfe in seruing you ? to whose soule and people , i haue long agone addicted my selfe , and my labours ; and shall euer continue your lordships , in all humble & vnfained dutie , ios . hall . salomons song of songs , paraphrased . chap. i. dialog . the church , to christ . oh that he would bestovve vpon me the comfortable testimonies of his loue , and that hee would vouchsafe me yet a neerer coniunction with himselfe ; as in glory hereafter , so for the meane time in his sensible graces . for , thy loue , o my sauiour , and these fruites of it , are more sweet vnto me , then all earthly delicates can bee to the bodily taste . yea , so wonderfully pleasant are the sauours of those graces that are in thee , wherewith i desire to be indued ; that al , whom thou hast blessed with the sense thereof , make as high and deare account of thy gospell , vvhereby they are wrought , as of some precious oyntment , or perfume : the delight whereof is such , that ( heereuppon ) the pure and holy soules of the faithfull , place their whole affection , vpon thee . pull me therefore out from the bondage of my sinnes : deliuer mee from the world , and doe thou powerfully incline my will , and affections toward thee : and in spight of all tentations , giue mee strength to cleaue vnto thee ; and then both i , and all those faithfull children thou hast giuen me , shall all at once with speede and earnestnesse walke to thee , and with thee : yea , when once my royall and glorious husband hath brought mee both into these lower roomes of his spirituall treasures on earth , and into his heauenlie chambers of glorie , then will we reioyce and bee glad in none , but thee ; which shalt be all in all to vs : then will wee celebrate and magnifie thy loue , aboue all the pleasures we found vpō earth ; for , all of vs thy righteous ones , both angels and saints , are inflamed with the loue of thee . neuer vpbraid mee ( o ye forraine congregations ) that i seeme in outward appearance discoloured by my infirmities , and duskish with tribulations : for , what soeuer i seeme to you , i am yet inwardly wel-fauoured in the eyes of him , whom i seeke to please ; and tho i bee to you blacke like the tents of the arabian shepherds : yet to him and in him , i am glorious and beautiful , like the curtains of salomon . looke not therefore disdainefully vpon me , because i am blackish , & darke of hew : for , this colour is not so much naturall to me ; as caused by that continuall heate of afflictions wherewith i haue bene vsually scorched : neither this , so much vpon my owne iust desert , as vpon the rage and enuie of my false brethren , the world : who would needs force vpon me the obseruation of their idolatrous religions , and superstitious impieties ; through whose wicked importunitie , and my owne weakenesse , i haue not so intirely kept the sincere truth of god committed to me , as i ought . now therfore , that i am some little started aside from thee , o thou whom my soule notwithstanding dearely loueth , shew me , i beseech thee , where , and in what wholesome & diuine pastures thou ( like a good shepherd ) feedest , & restest thy flockes with comfortable refreshings , in the extreamity of these hot persecutiōs : for , how can it stand with thy glory , that i should through thy neglect , thus suspiciously wander vp and downe , amongst the congregations of them that both command & practise the worship of false gods . christ , to the church . if thou know not , ô thou my church , whō i both esteeme and haue made most beutifull by my merits , and thy sanctification : stray not amongst these false worshippers , but follow the holy steps of those blessed patriarchs , prophets , apostles , which haue bin my true & ancient flocke ; who haue both knowen my voice , & followed me : & feed thou my weake & tender ones with this their spirituall food of life ; far aboue the carnall reach of those other false teachers . such is mine estimation of thee , o my loue , that so farre as the choisest egyptian horses of pharaoh , for comely shape , for honourable seruice , for strength and speed , exceed all other , so farre thou excellest all that may be compared with thee . those parts of thee , which both are the seats of beauty , and most conspicuous to the eye , are gloriously adorned with the graces of my sanctification ; which are for their worth as so many precious borders of the goodliest stones , or chaines of pearle . and tho thou be already thus set forth : yet i and my father haue purposed a further ornament vnto thee , in the more plentifull effusion of our spirit vpon thee : which shal be to thy former deckings , in stead of pure gold curiously wrought with specks of siluer . the church . behold ( o yee daughters ) euen now , whiles my lord and king seemes farre distant from me , & sits in the throne of heauen amongst the companies of angels ( who attend around vpon him ) yet now doe i find him present with mee in spirit ; euen now , the sweet influence of his graces , like to some precious ointmēt , spreds it selfe ouer my soule ; and returnes a pleasant fauour into his owne nosthrils . and tho i bee thus delightful to my sauiour , yet nothing so much as he is vnto me : for loe , as some fragrant pomander of myrrhe , laid betweene the brests , sends vp a most cōfortable sent ; so , his loue , laid close vnto my heart , doth still giue me continual & vnspeakable refreshings . or if any thing can bee of more excellent vertue , such smell as the clusters of cypersberries , within the fruitfulst , pleasantst , & richest vineyards , & gardēs of iudaea , yeeld vnto the passengers ; such and more delectable doe i finde the sauour of his grace to me . christ . neither doest thou on my part lose any of thy loue , o my deare church : for , behold ; in mine eies , thus clothed as thou art with my righteousnesse , oh how faire & glorious thou art ; how aboue all comparison glorious and faire ! thine eies ( which are thy seers , prophets , apostles , ministers ) and those inward eyes , whereby thou seest him that is inuisible , are full of grace , chastity , simplicitie . the church . nay then ( o my sweet sauiour and spouse ) thou alone art that faire and pleasant one indeed , from whose fulnesse i confesse to haue receiued al this little measure of my spiritual beauty : and behold , from this our mutuall delight , & heauenly coniunctiō , there ariseth a plentifull and florishing increase of thy faithfull ones , in all places , & through all times . and behold , the congregations of saints , the places where we do sweetly conuerse and walke together , are both firme and during ( like cedars amongst the trees ) not subiect through thy protecting grace to vtter corruptiō ; & through thy fauourable acceptation and word ( like to galleries of sweet wood ) full of pleasure and contentment . chap. ii. christ . thou hast not without iust cause magnified mee , o my church : for , as the fairest & sweetest of all floures which the earth yeeldeth , the rose & lilly of the valleyes , excell for beautie , for pleasure , for vse , the most base and odious weeds that growe ; so doth my grace , to al them that haue felt the sweetnesse thereof , surpasse all worldly contentments . neither is this my dignitie alone : but thou o my spouse ( that thou mayest bee a fit match for mee ) art thus excellent aboue the world , that no lilly can bee more in goodly shew beyond the naked thorn , then thou in thy glory thou receiuest from me , ouer-lookest all the assemblies of aliens and vnregenerates . the church . and ( to returne thine owne praises ) as some fruitful & wel-growen apple-tree , in comparison of all the barren trees of the wild forest : so art thou ( o my beloued sauiour ) to me , in comparison of all men , and angels ; vnder thy comfortable shadowe alone , haue i euer wont to find safe shelter against all mine afflictions , all my tentations and infirmities , against all the curses of the law , and dangers of iudgement , and to coole my selfe after all the scorching beames of thy fathers displeasure , and ( besides ) to feed and satisfie my soule with the soueraigne fruite of thy holy word ; vnto eternall life . hee hath gratiously led me by his spirit , into the midst of the mysteries of godliness ; and hath plentifully broached vnto me the sweet wines of his scriptures , & sacrament . and looke how soldiers are drawn by their colours , from place to place , and cleaue fast to their ensigne : so his loue , which he spred forth in my hart , was my only bāner , wherby i was both drawen to him , directed by him , and fastened vpon him . and now , o ye faithfull euangelists , apostles , teachers apply vnto me , with all care & diligence , all the cordiall promises of the gospel : these are the full flagons of that spirituall wine , which only can cheere vp my soule ; these are the apples of that tree of life , in the middest of the garden , which can feed me to immortalitie . oh come and apply these vnto my heart : for , i am euen ouercome with a longing expectation and desire of my delayed glory . and whilest i am thus spiritually languishing in this agony of desire ; let my sauiour imploy both his hands to releeue mine infirmitie : let him comfort my head & my heart , my iudgement and affections ( which both complaine of weakenesse ) with the liuely heate of his gratious imbracements : and so let vs sweetly rest together . in the meane time , i charge you ( o all yee that professe any friendship or affinitie with mee ) i charge you , by whatsoeuer is comely , deare , and pleasant vnto you , as you will auoid my vttermost censures , take heed how you vexe and disquiet my mercifull sauior , & greeue his spirit , and wrong his name , with your vaine and leud cōuersatiō ; & do not dare by the least prouocation of your sin to interrupt his peace loe , i haue no sooner called , but hee heares and answeres me with his louing voice : neither doth he only speak to me afar , but hee comes to me with much willingnes & celeritie ; so willingly , that no humane resistaunce can hinder him , neither the hillocks of my lesser infirmities , nor the mountaines of my grosser sinnes ( once repented of ) can staie his merciful pase towards me . so swiftly , that no roe , or hinde , can fully resemble him in this his speed & nimbleness : and loe , euen now , before i can speak it , is he come neere vnto me ; close to the doore and wall of my heart . and tho this wall of my flesh hinder my full fruition of him : yet loe , i see him by the eye of faith , looking vpon me ; i see him as in a glasse ; i see him shining gloriously , through the grates and vvindowes of his word and sacraments , vpon my soule . and now , mee thinkes , i heare him speake to mee in a gracious invitation & say , arise ( o my church ) rise vp , whether from thy security , or feare : hide not thy head anie longer , o my beautiful spouse for danger of thine enemies : neither suffer thy selfe to bee pressed with the dulness of thy nature , or the carelesse sleepe of thy sinnes ; but come forth into the comfortable light of my presence , and shew thy self cheerefull in me . for beholde , all the cloudie winter of thy afflictions is passed , all the tempests of tentations are blowen ouer ; the heauen is cleare , and novv there is nothing that may not giue thee cause of delight . euerie thing novv resembles the face of a spirituall spring ; all the sweete flovvers and blossomes of holy profession put forth , and shewe themselues in their opportunities : now is the time of that heauenly melodie , which the cheerefull saints and angells make in mine eares ; vvhile they sing songs of deliuerance and praise me with their alleluiahs and say , glory to god on hie , in earth peace , good-will towards men . what speake i of blossoms ? beholde , those fruitfull vines , and fig-trees of my faithfull ones , whome my husbandry hath carefully tended & dressed , yeeld forth both pleasant ( tho tender ) fruits of obedience , and the wholsome and comfortable sauours of better desires : wherefore , now o my deare church , shake off all that dull securitie , wherewith thou hast beene held ; and come forth , and inioy me . o my beautifull , pure , and chaste spouse , which like vnto some solitary doue hast long hid thine head in the secret & inaccessible clifts of the rocks , out of the reache and knowledge of thy persecutours ; how-euer thou art concealed from others , shew thy selfe in thy works and righteousnesse , vnto me : and let me be euer plied with thy words of imploration , and thankesgiuing : for thy voice ( tho it be in mourning ) and thy face ( tho it bee sad and blubbered ) are exceedingly pleasing vnto me . and in the meane time ( o all yee that wishe vvell to my name and church ) do your vtmost indeauour , to deliuer her from her secret enemies ( not sparing the least ) who either by hereticall doctrine , or profane conuersation , hinder the course of the gospell ; and peruert the faith of many ; especially of those , that haue newly giuen vp their names to me , and are but newly entred into the profession of godlinesse . my beloued sauior is mine , through my faith ; and i am his through his loue : and we both are one , by vertue of that blessed vnion on both partes ; whereby wee mutually inioy each other , with all sufficient contentment . and how worthily is my loue placed vpon him , who leadeth mee forth into pleasant pastures ; and at whose right hand there is the fulnesse of ioy for euermore ? come therefore ( o my sauiour ) and vntill the day of thy glorious appearance shall shine forth to the world , wherin our spirituall marriage shall be consummate , and vntill all these shadowes of ignorance , of infidelity , of troubles of conscience , and of outwarde tribulations be vtterly dispersed , and chased away ; come and turne thee to me againe : thou which to the carnall eyes of the world seemest absent ; come quickly and delay not : but , for the speed of thy return be like vnto som swift roe , or hind , vpō those smooth hills of gilead , which iordan seuers from the other part of iury. chap. iii. my securitie told me that my sauior was neer vnto my soule , yea with it , and in it : but vvhen by serious and silent meditation i searched my owne heart , i found that ( for ought my ovvne sense could discerne ) hee was farre off from me . then thought i vvith my selfe , shall i lie still contented with this want ? no , i wil stirre vp my selfe : and the helpe i cannot finde in my selfe , i will seeke in others ; of all that haue been experienced in all kinde of difficulties : of all deep philosophers , of the wisest and honestest worldlings , i will diligently enquire for my sauiour : amongest them i sought him , yet could receiue no ansvvere to my satisfaction . missing him there , i ran to those vvise and carefull teachers , whom god hath set , as so many watch-men vpon the walles of his ierusalem , vvho sooner found me then i could aske after them ; to whome i sayde , ( as thinking no man coulde bee ignoraunt of my loue ) can you giue mee no direction where i might finde him , vvhome my soule loueth ? of whome when i had almost left hoping for comfort , that gracious sauiour vvho would not suffer mee tempted aboue my measure , presented himselfe to my soule : loe then , by a newe act of faith , i laide fast holde vpon him , and will not let him anie more part from my ioyfull embracements ; vntil both i haue brought him home fully into the seate of my conscience , and haue won him to a perpetuall cohabitation with mee ; and a full accomplishment of my loue , in that ierusalem which is aboue , which is the mother of vs all . christ . now that my distressed church hath beene , all the night long of my seeming absence , toyled in seeking mee , i charge you ( o all that professe anie friendship with mee ) i charge you by whatsoeuer is comly , deare , and pleasant vnto you , that ( as you will answere it ) you trouble not her peace vvith anie vniust or vnseasonable suggestions , vvith vncharitable contentions , with anie nouelties of doctrine ; but suffer her to rest sweetelie , in that diuine truthe , vvhich shee hath receiued , and this true apprehension of mee vvherein shee reioyceth . oh who is this , how admirable ? hovv louely ? vvho but my church , that ascendeth thus gloriouslie out of the vvildernesse of the world , vvherein shee hath thus long vvandered , into the blessed mansions of my fathers house ; all perfumed vvith the graces of perfect sanctification , mounting right vpward into her glorie , like some straight pillar of smoake , that ariseth from the most rich and pleasant composition of odours that can be deuised . the church . i am ascended ; and loe how glorious is this place where i shall eternally inioy the presence and loue of my sauiour ; hovv farre doth it exceede the earthlie magnificence of salomon : about his bedde doe attende a guard of threescore choysest men of israel . all stout vvarriers , able and expert to handle the sword ; which , for more readinesse , each of them weares hanging vpon his thigh , so as it may be hastily dravven vppon anie suddaine daunger : but about this heauenlie pauilion of my sauiour , attend millions of angelles , spirituall souldiers , mightie in power , readie to bee commaunded seruice by him . the bride-bed that salomon made ( so much admired of the world ) vvas but of the cedars of lebanon . the pillars but of siluer , and the bed-steed of golde ; the tester or canopie but of purple ; the couerlet wrought vvith the curious and painefull needle-worke of the maydes of iervsalem : but this celestiall resting place of my god is not made with hands , not of anie corruptible metall , but is full of incomprehensible light , shining euermore vvith the glorious presence of god. and as the outward state , so the maiesty of his person is aboue all comparison . come forth ( o ye daughters of sion ) lay aside all priuate and earthly affections , looke vpon king salomon as hee sits solemnlie crovvned in the daie of his greatest royaltie and triumph , and compare his highest pompe vvith the diuine magnificence of my sauiour ; in that daie vvhen his blessed marriage shall bee fully perfited aboue , to the eternall reioycing of himselfe , and his church ; and see vvhether there bee any proportion betwixt them . chap. iiii. christ . oh how faire thou art and comely , my deer spouse ; how inwardely faire with the giftes of my spirit ; how faire outwardly in thy comely administration , and gouernmēt : thy spirituall eyes of vnderstanding , and iudgement , are full of puritie , chastitie , simplicitie ; not wantonly cast forth , but modestly shining amidst thy locks : all thy gratious profession and all thy appendances , and ornaments of expedient ceremonies , are so comely to behold , as it is to see a flock of well-sed goates grasing vpon the fruitfull hils of gilead . those that chew and prepare the heauenly food for thy soule , are both of gratious simplicitie , and of sweete accordance one with another ; hauing all one heart , and one tongue : and both themselues are sanctified , & purged from their vncleannesses , and are fruitfull in their holy labours vnto others ; so that their doctrine is neuer in vaine , but is still answered with plentifull increase of soules added to the church . thy speech ( especially in the mouth of thy teachers ) is both gratious in it selfe , and such as administers grace to the hearers ; full of zeale and feruent charitie , full of grauitie and discretion : and that part of thy countenance , which thou wilt haue seene ( tho dimly and sparingly ) is full of holy modesty and bashfulnesse ; so blushing , that it seemeth like the colour of a broken peece of pomgranate . those , who by their holy authority sustaine thy gouernment ( which are as some straight and strong neck to beare vp the head ) are like vnto dauids hie tower of defence , furnished with a rich armory ; which affords infinite wayes of safe protection , and infinite monumēts of victory . thy two testaments ( which are thy two ful & faire breasts whereby thou nursest all thy faithfull children ) are as two twinnes of kiddes : twinnes , for their excellent and perfect agreement , one with another , in all resemblances : of kiddes , that are daintily fed among the sweete flowers , for the pleasant nourishment , which they yeeld to all that sucke thereof . vntill the day of my gratious appearance shall shine foorth , and vntill all these shadowes of ignorance , infidelitie , afflictions , be vtterly and suddenly dispersed , o my spouse , i will retire my selfe ( in regard of my bodily presence ) into my delightfull and glorious rest of heauen . thou art exceeding beautifull , o my church , in all the parts of thee : for , all thy sinnes are done away , and thine iniquitie is couered , and loe i present thee to my father without spot , or wrinkle , or any such deformitie . and now , ( o thou which i professe to haue married to my selfe in trueth and righteousnesse ) thou shalt be gathered to me from all parts of the world : not onely from the confines of iudea , where i planted and found thee , but from the remotest and most sauage places of the nations ; out of the company of infidels , of cruell & bloody persecutors , who like lyons and leopards haue tyrannized ouer thee , & mercilessely torn thee in pieces . thou hast vtterly rauisht me from my selfe ( o my sister and spouse ; for so thou art , both ioyned to me in that spirituall vnion , and coheire with mee of the same inheritance , and glory ) thou hast quite rauisht my heart with thy loue : euen one cast of one of thine eyes of faith ; and one of the ornaments of thy sanctification where with thou art decked by my spirit , haue thus stricken mee with loue : how much more , when i shall haue a full sight of thee , and all thy graces , shall i bee affected towards thee . o how excellent , how precious , howe delectable are those loues of thine , o my sister , my spouse ; how farre surpassing all earthlie delicates ; and the sauour of those diuine vertues , wherwith thou art indued , more pleasing to my sent , then all the perfumes in the world . the gratious speeches that proceede from thee , are as so many droppes of the honie-combe that fall from thy lippes : and whether thou exhort , or confesse , or pray , or comfort , thy words are both sweete and nourishing ; and the sauour of thy good workes , and outward conuersation , is to mee as the smell of the woode of lebanon to the sense of man. my sister , my spouse , is as a garden or orchard full of all varietie of the heauenly trees , & flowers of grace ; not lying carelesly open , either to the loue of strāgers , or to the rage of enemies , which like the wild bore out of the wood , might root vp , & destroy her choise plants : but safely hedged and walled about , by my protection , and reserued for my delight alone ; she is a spring and well of wholesome waters , from whom flowe foorth the pure streames of my word ; but , both inclosed and sealed vp : partly , that shee may the better ( by this closenesse ) preserue her owne naturall taste ; and vigor , from the corruptions of the world ; and partly , that she may not be defiled & mudded by the profane feete of the wicked . thou art an orchard , yea a paradise , whose plants ( which are thy faithfull children that grow vp in thee ) are as pomgranate trees ; the apples whereof are esteemed , for the largenesse , colour and taste , aboue all other : or ( if i would feede my other senses ) the plentifull fruites of thy holie obedience ( which thou yieldest vnto mee ) are for their smell as some composition of cipresse , spikenard , saffron , sweete cane , cinamon , incense , myrrhe , aloes , and whatsoeuer else may bee deuised , vnto the most perfect sent . thou art so a spring in my garden , that the streames which are deriued from thee , water all the gardens of my particular congregations , all the world ouer : thou art that fountaine , from whose pure head issue all those liuing waters , which who-so drinketh , shall neuer thirst againe ; euen such cleare currents , as flow from the hill of libanus , which like vnto another iordan , water all the israel of god. the church . if i be a garden , as thou saist ( o my sauiour ) then arise , o all ye souerain winds of the spirit of god , and breath vpon this garden of my soule ; that the sweet odours of these my plants , may both be increased , and may also bee dispersed afarre , and carried into the nosthrils of my wel-beloued : & so let him come into this his owne garden ( which his owne hand hath digged , planted , watered ) and accept of the fruit of that seruice & prayse , which hee shall inable mee to bring forth to his name . chap. v. christ . beholde , according to thy desire , i am come into my gardē , o my sister , my spouse ; i haue receiued those fruites of thine obedience which thou offerest vnto mee , with much ioy : and pleasure . i haue accepted not onely of thy good workes , but thy indeauours & purposes of holinesse : both which are as pleasant to mee , as the honie and the honie combe . i haue allovved of the cheerefulnesse of thy seruice , and the wholesomnesse of thy doctrine . and ye , o my friends , whether blessed angells , or faithfull men , partake with mee in this ioie arising from the faithfulnesse of my church : cheere vp and fill your selues , o my beloued , with the same spirituall dainties vvherevvith i am refreshed . the church . when the world had cast mee into a secure sleep , or slumber rather ( for my hart was not vtterly bereaued of a true faith , in my sauiour ) euen in this darkenesse of my minde , it pleased my gracious redeemer not to neglect mee ; hee came to mee , and knocked oft , and called importunately at the doore of my heart , by his word and chastisements , and said ; open the doore of thy soule , o my sister , my deare , chaste , comely , vnspotted church : let me come in , & lodge & dwell with thee , in my graces ; shut out the world , and receiue me with a more liuely act , and renouation of thy faith . for loe , i haue long waited paciently for this effect of thy loue , and haue indured all the iniuries both of the night , and weather of thy prouocations , that i might at last inioy thee . i answered him again , pleading excuses for my delay ; alas lord , i haue now , since i left my forward profession of thee , auoyded a great number of cares and sorrowes : must i take them vp againe to follow thee ? i haue liued cleane from the soile of these euils : and shall i now thrust my selfe into daunger of them ? when my sauiour heard this vnkind answere of delay : hee let his hand fall from the key-hole , which he had thus before without successe labored about ; & withdrew himself from soliciting mee any more : whereupon my hart & bowels yearned within mee for him , and for the remorse of my so long foreslowing his admittance vnto me . and now i rouzed vp my drousy hart ( what i could ) that i might in some cheerefull manner desire to receiue so gratious a sauior : which when i but indeauoured , i found that hee had left behind him such a plentifull blessing ( as the monument of his late presence ) vpon the first motions of my heart , as that with the very touch of them i was both exceedingly refreshed , and mooued to further indignation at my selfe for delaying him . i opened to my beloued sauiour : but my sauiour had now ( in my feeling ) withdrawen himselfe , & hid his countenance from me , holding me short of those gracious offers , and meanes which i had refused ; and now i was almost past my selfe with despaire , to remember that sweete inuitation of his , which i neglected : i sought him therefore in my thoughts , in the outward vse of his ordinances , and of my earnest praiers ; but he would not as yet be found of me , or let mee finde that i was heard of him . those which should haue regarded me , and by their vigilancy haue secured me from danger , proued mine aduersaries : instead of comforting mee , they fell vpon mee , and wounded mee with their false doctrines , drawing me on into further errours , spoyling mee of that puritie and sinceritie of profession , vvherewith as with some rich & modest vaile i was formerly adorned , and couered . i aduise you solemnely , o all ye that wish well to me ( for i care not who knowes the vehemencie of my passion ) if you shall finde my sauiours presence in your selues before me , praie for the recouerie of his loue to mee ; and bemone my estate to him , tel him how i languish with the impatient desire of his loue , & presence to be restored vnto me . o thou which art the most happie , most gracious , & most glorious of all creatures , the chosen of the liuing god ; what is thy welbeloued whom thou seekest , aboue al other the sons of men ? what such eminency is there in him aboue all saints and angells : that thou art both so far gone in affectiō to him ; and doest so vehemently adiure vs to speake vnto him for thee ? my welbeloued ( if you know not ) is of perfect beautie ; in vvhose face is an exact mixture of the colours of the purest & healthfullest complexion of holinesse : for , he hath not receiued the spirit by measure ; and in him the god-head dwells bodily ; he is infinitely fairer , then all the sonnes of men ; & for goodliness of person may beare the standard of comelinesse and grace amōgst tenne thousand . the deitie which dwelleth in him , is most pure and glorious : and that fulnesse of grace which is communicated to his humane nature is wondrously beautifull , and so sets it forth , as the black curled lockes doe a fresh and welfauoured countenance . his iudgement of al things , and his respect to his church ( which are as his eyes ) are full of loue , and full of pittie , shining like vnto doues washed in water , yea in milke , so as there is no spot , or blemish to bee found in them : and they are withall so fully placed ; as is both most comely and most expedient for the perfect sight of the estate , and necessities of his seruants . the manifestation of himselfe to vs in his word , is sweet to our spirituall feeling , as an heape of spice , or those flowers that are vsed to make the best perfuming oyntmēts are to the other senses : his heauenly instructions and promises of his gospel are vnspeakably comfortable , and plentious , in the grace that is wroght by them . his actions , and his instruments ( which are his hands ) are set forth with much port & maiestie , as some precious stone beautifies the ring wherin ▪ it is set : the secret counsells of his breast , and the mysteries of his wil are most pure and holy , and full of excellent glory . all his proceedings are firm and stable ; and withall , as pillars of marble set in sockets of tryed golde ; so as they are neither subiect to vvauering , nor to anie danger of infirmitie and corruption : the shewe and carriage of his whole person whereby he makes himself knowen to his chosen , is exceeding goodly , & vpright like to the streight and lofty cedars of lebanon . his mouth out of which , proceedeth innumerable blessings & cōfortable promises , is to my soule euen sweetnesse it selfe ; yea ( what speak i of anie one part ? ) as you haue heard in these particulars , hee is as sweets : there is nothing but comfort in him ; and there is no comfort but in him ; and this ( if ye would know ) is my welbeloued ; of so incomparable glory and worthinesse , that ye may easily discern him from all others . forraine congregations . since thy welbeloued is so glorious , and amiable ( o thou which art for thy beauty worthie to bee the spouse of such an husband ) tell vs ( for thou onely knowest it ; and to seek christ without the church we knowe is vain ) tel vs where this sauiour of thine is to bee sought ; that we ( rauished also with the report of his beautie ) may ioin with thee in the same holy studie of seeking after him . chap. vi. my welbeloued sauiour ( if you vvould knowe this also ) is to bee sought and found in the particular assemblies of his people , which are his garden of pleasure , wherin are varieties of all the beds of renued soules , which both he hath planted , and dressed by his continuall care , and wherin hee walketh for his delight ; feeding and solacing himselfe vvith those fruites of righteousnesse , and new obedience , which they are able to bring forth vnto him . and now loe , whatsoeuer hath happened cross to me , in my sensible fruition of him ; in spight of al tentations , my beloved sauior is mine through faith ; and i am his through his loue ; and both of vs are by an inseparable vnion knit together ; vvhose coniunction and loue is most sweete , and happy for , all that are his , he feedeth continually with heauenly repast . christ . notwithstanding this thy late blemish of neglecting me , o my church : yet stil in mine eies , throgh my grace ; vpon this thy repētance , thou art beautifull , like vnto that neate and elegante citie of ●irzah , and that orderly building of ierusalem , the glorie of the world : and with this thy louelinesse , thou art awefull vnto thine aduersaries , throgh the power of thy censures , and the maiestie of him that dwelleth in thee . yea , such beautie is in thee , that i am ouercome with the vehemencie of my affection to thee : turne away thine eies a while from beholding mee ; for , the strength of that faith , whereby they are fixed vpon me , rauishes me from my selfe vvith ioy . i doe therefore again renew thy former praise ; that thy gracious profession , and all thy appendances & ornamēts of expedient ceremonies , are so comely to behold , as it is to see a flock of wel-fed goates grasing vpon the fruitfull hills of gilead . thy teachers , that chew & prepare the heauenly foode for thy soule , are of sweet accordance one vvith another , hauing all one heart , and one tongue ; and both themselues are sanctified & purged from their vncleannesses , and are fruitfull in their holy labours vnto others : so that their doctrine is neuer in vaine , but is still aunsvvered vvith plentifull increase of soules to the church . that part of thy countenaunce which thou wilt haue seene ( tho dimmely and sparingly ) is full of holy modestie and bashfulnesse ; so blushing , that it seemeth like the colour of a broaken peece of pomgranate . let there be neuer so great a number of people and nations of churches and assemblyes , vvhich challenge my name and loue , and perhaps by their outwarde prosperitie may seeme to plead much interest in mee , and much worth in themselues : yet thou onely art alone my true and chaste spouse , pure and vndefiled in the truth of thy doctrine , and the imputation of my holinesse ; thou art shee , whome that ierusalem vvhich is aboue , ( the mother of vs all ) acknovvledgeth for her only true , and deare daughter . and this is not my commendation alone , but all those forraine assemblyes , vvhich might seeme to bee riualles vvith thee of this prayse , doe applaude and blesse thee in this thine estate , and saie ; blessed is this people , whose god is the lord. and admiring thy goodlinesse shall say ; who is this that lookes out so freshlie as the morning nevve risen ; which from these vveake beginnings is grovven to such hie perfection , that nowe shee is as bright , and glorious , as the sunne in his full strength ; and the moone in a cleare skie ; and vvithall is so dreadefull thorough the maiestie of her countenance , and povver of her censures , as some terrible armie , vvith ensignes displayed , is to a vveake aduersarie . thou complaynest of my absence , ( o my church ) : there vvas no cause ; i meant not to forsake thee : i did but onelie vvalke dovvne into the vvell-dressed orcharde of thine assemblyes , to recreate and ioy my selfe , with the viewe of their forvvardnesse : to see the happie progresse of the humble in spirit , and the gracious beginnings of those tender soules , vvhich are newly conuerted vnto mee . so earnestly did i long to reuisit thee , and to restore comfort vnto thee ; that i hasted i knevve not vvhich vvaie : and vvith insensible speede , i am come backe , as it were vppon the swiftest chariots , or the vvinges of the vvinde . now therefore returne ( o my spouse , the true daughter of ierusalem ) returne to mee , returne to thy selfe and to thy former feeling of my grace : returne , that both my selfe , & all the company of angels , may see , and reioyce in thee : and what shall ye see ( o all ye hoast of heauen ) what shall ye see in my church ? euen such an awfull grace and maiestie , as is in a wel-marshalled armie , ready to meet with the enemy . chap. vii . how beautiful are thy feet o daughter of the hyest ; being shod with the preparation of the gospell of peace , and readily addressed to run the way of the commaundements of thy god : thou art compassed about thy loynes with the girdle of verity ; which is both precious for the matter of it , and cunningly framed by the skill of the spirit of truth . the nauell , whereby all thy spirituall conceptions receiue their nourishment , is full of all fruitfull supplie , and neuer wants meanes of sustenance , to feed them in thy wombe : which also is so plentious in thy blessed increase , that it is as an heape of wheat , consisisting of infinite pure grayns which consort together with much sweetnesse , and pleasure . thy two testaments ( which are thy two full and comely breasts ; by whose wholesome milke thou nourishest all thy faithfull children , once borne into the light ) are for their excellēt & perfect agreement , & their amiable proportion , like two twins of kids . those , who by their holy authority support thy gouernmēt ( which are as som straight and strong necke to beare vp thy head ) are for their height and defence like a tower ; for their order , purenesse , and dignitie , like a tower of iuory : thy teachers and ministers ( which are thine eyes ) are like vnto some cleare and artificiall ponds of water , in a place of greatest resort : wherein all commers may see the faces of their consciences ; & whence they may plentifully draw the waters of life . thy nose , by which all spirituall sents are conuaied to thee , is perfectly composed , and featured like some curious turret of that goodly house in lebanon ; so as thy iudgement , and power of discerning the spirits , is admirable for the order and excellency thereof . the whole tyre of thine head ( which are the ceremonies vsed by thee ) are very gracefull , and of hie estimation and price to all the beholders : and as for me , i am so enamoured of thee , that i am euen tyed by my owne desire , to a perpetuall presence in thine holy assemblies . oh how beautifull & louely art thou therefore ( o my church ) in all thy parts and ornaments ? how sweete and pleasant art thou ( o my loue ) in whatsoeuer might giue me true contentment ? thy whole frame is , for goodliness & streight growth , like vnto some tall palme-tree ; which the more it is depressed by the violence of persecutions , riseth the more ; and the two breasts of thy testaments are like two full iuicie clusters , which yeeld cōfortable and abundant refreshing . seeing then thou art my palme-tree , i haue resolued in my selfe to adioyne my selfe to thee ; to inioy thee , to gather those sweet fruits of thy graces , which thou yeeldest ; and by my presence also will cause thee to bee more plentifull in all good works , and doctrine ; so as thou shalt afford abundance of heauenly liquor vnto all the thirstie soules of thy children ; and an acceptable verdure of holinesse and obedience vnto me . and the deliuerie of my word , by the mouthes of thy ministers , shall bee as some excellent wine , which sparkleth right vpward : being wel accepted of that god , in whose name it is taught , and looketh most pleasantly in the glasse , being no less highly esteemed of the receiuers : which is of such wōderfull power , that it is able to put words both of repentance , and praise into the lips of him , that lies asleepe in his sinnes . the church . behold , such as i am , i am not my owne ; much lesse am i any others : i am wholely my sauiours ; and now i see , and feele , whatsoeuer i had deserued , that he is mine also , in all intire affection ; who hath both chosen me , and giuen himselfe for me . come therefore , o my deare sauiour , let vs ioyne together in our naturall care : let thy spirit and my seruice be intent vpon thy congregations here below on earth ; and let vs stay in the place where our spirituall husbandry lieth . let vs with all hast & cheerfulnesse visit the fruitfull vines of our beleeuing children ; & to our mutuall comfort , bee witnesses and partakers of all the signes and fruits of grace , of all those good workes , and thankesgiuings , of those holy indeauours and worthy practises , which they yeeld forth vnto vs : let vs iudge of their forwardnesse , and commend it : whereupon it will easily appeare , that the consummation of our happie marriage draweth neere , in which there shall bee a perfect vnion betwixt vs. behold : thy godly seruants , which not onely beare fruit themselues , but are powerfull in the prouocation of others , present their best seruices vnto thee ; and euen at our doores ( not farre to seeke , not hard to procure ) is offer made vnto thee , of all varietie of fruite ; whether from thy yong conuerts ▪ or thy more settled professors : & all these i spend not lauishlie ; but , in my louing care , duely reserue them for thee , and for the solemne day of our full marriage . chap. viii . the iewish church . oh that i might see thee ( my sauiour ) clothed in flesh : oh that thou which art my euerlasting husband , mightest also be my brother , in partaking the same humane nature with me ; that so i finding thee below vpon earth , might familiarly intertaine thee , and conuerse with thee , without the reproach of the world ; yea , might be exalted in thy glory . then would i ( tho i be now pent vp in the limits of iudea ) bring thee forth into the light , and knowledge of the vniuersall church , whose daughter i am : and then and there , thou shouldest teach me how perfectly to serue & worship thee , & i shall gladly intertaine thee with a royall feast of the best graces that are in my holiest seruants ; which i knowe thou wilt account better cheere , thē all the spiced cups , and pomgranate wines in the world . then shall i attaine to a neerer communion with him ; and both his hands shall bee imployed to susteine , and relieue me : yea , he shall comfort my head and my heart ( my iudgement , and affections ) with the liuely heat of his gracious imbracements . i charge you ( o all ye that professe any friendship to me ) i charge yee deepely , as yee will auoyd my vttermost censures ; take heed how ye vexe and disquiet my mercifull sauiour , and grieue his spirit : and doe not dare , by the least prouocation of him , to interrupt his peace . christ . who is this , that from the comfortless desertes of ignorance , of infidelity , of tribulatiōs , ascendeth thus vp into the glorious light & libertie of my chosen ? relying her selfe wholly vpon her sauiour , and solacing her selfe in him ? is it not my church ? it is she , whom i haue loued , & acknowledged of olde : for , euen vnder the ●ree of offence , the forbidden fruit which thou tastedst to thy destruction , i raysed thee vp againe from death ; euen there , thy first mother conceiued thee ; while by faith shee layd hold on that blessed promise of the gospel , whereby she , and her beleeuing seed were restored . iewish church . and so haue thou me still ( o my sauiour ) in a perpetual and deare remēbrance : keepe me sure in thine heart , yea in thine armes , as that which thou holdest most precious ; and let me neuer be remoued from thy loue ; the least shew and danger whereof i cannot indure : for , this my spirituall loue is exceeding powerfull , and can no more be resisted then death it selfe : & the ielous zeale which i haue for thee , and thy glory , consumes me , euen like the graue , and burnes mee vp like vnto the coales of some most vehemēt and extreame fire . yea , more then any fire ; for any flame yet may be quenched with water : but al the water of afflictions & terrors ( yea whole streams of persecutiōs ) cānot quench this loue : & for all tempting offers of wealth , of pleasures & honor , how easily are they all contemned for the loue of my sauiour ? we haue yet a sister ( as thou knowest o sauiour ) ordained through thy mercy to the same grace with me : the vncalled church of the gentiles ; small ( as yet ) of groth , through the rareness of her conuerts , & destitute of the helpe of any outward ministery ; whereby she might either bear , or nourish children vnto thee : when she growes vnto her maturitie ; and the mystery of calling her vniuersally to thee , shall be reuealed to the world , and her selfe ; what course will it please thee to take with her ? christ . if shee shall continue firme and constant , in the expectation of her promises , and the profession of that truth which shall bee reuealed ; wee will beautifie and strengthen her , with further grace , and make her a pure and costly palace , fit to entertaine my spirit : and if she will giue free passage & good entrance , to my word and grace ; wee will make hir sure and safe from corruption , and reserue hir to immortalitie . iewish church . behoulde : that condition vvhich thou requirest in the church of the gentiles , thou findest in me ; i am thus firme and constant in my expectation , in my profession : and that vvant thou findest in her of abilitie to nourish her children , by the breast of thy worde , is not in mee ; who haue abundance both of nourishment & defence : vpon which my cōfession and plea , i found grace and peace in the eyes of my sauiour ; and receiued from him assurance of his euerlasting loue to me . christ . my church is my vine , & i am the owner , and husbandman : our thrift and profit therof farre exceedeth the good husbandry of salomon : he hath a rich vineyard indeed in a most fruitfull soyle ; but he lets it forth to the hands of others , as not beeing able to keepe and dresse it himselfe : and therefore he is faine to be content with the greatest part of the increase , not expecting the whole . but my vine is euer before me , i am with it to the end of the world , i reserue it in mine owne hands , and dresse it with mine owne labour : and therfore if thou ( o salomon ) canst receiue from thine , to the proportion of a thousand , thy workemen and farmers vvill looke for the fift part to come vnto their share ; wheras the gaine of my vineyard ariseth wholly , and onely , vnto my selfe . sith therefore such is my care of thee , and ioy in thee ( o my church ; which cōsistest of the particular assemblies of men professing my name ) see thou be diligent in declaring my will , & giuing holy counselles to all thy fellow-members : speake forth my prayse in the great congregations , ( which al attend willingly vpon thee ) and let me heare the voice of thy constant & faithfull confession of mee before the world . the church . i will most gladly doe what thou commaundest , o my sauiour but , that i may performe it accordingly ; be thou ( which art , according to thy bodily presence , in the hyest heauens ) euer present with me by thy spirit , & hasten thy glorious comming , to my full redemption . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ecc. . ecc. . . . . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . cant. . cāt. . . ecc. . . ecc. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . ▪ pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. ● pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . notes for div a -e pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . ecc. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr . pr. . . ecc . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. pr. . notes for div a -e * honor and obedience are indeede mixed duties of iustice both to god & man : but because as they belong to mā , they are politick vertues & there hādled ; here we consider the onely as due to god. pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. pr. . . pr. . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . · pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . ec. ● . ● . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . see more of this rule in the two last pag. of politicks , following . pr. . . ec. . ec. . ec. . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . notes for div a -e pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . ec. . . ec. . ec. . ec. . ec. . . pr. . ec. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . pr. . pr. . ▪ pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr ▪ . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . ▪ pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . ● . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . see more of this vice , oecon. sect . . & . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . notes for div a -e ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . pr. . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . . ec. . cant . pr. . ec. . pr. . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . ec. . . pr. . pr . pr. . ec. . . pr. . ec. . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . ec. . pr. . ec. . ec. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . ec. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. pr. . pr. . . pr. . ●● . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . ▪ pr. pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. ● . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . pr. . . pr. . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . p. . . pr. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . ● pr. . . &c. pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . notes for div a -e ec. . pr. . pr. . pr. pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . ec. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . . pr. . pr. . pr. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . · pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . ec. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . . ec. . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . . pr. . . pr. . pr. . notes for div a -e let him kisse me , with the kisses of his mouth ; for , thy loue is better then wine . . because of the sauour of thy good ointmēts , thy name is as an oinmēt powred out : therfore the virgins loue thee . draw me , we will runne after thee : the king hath brought me into his chābers , we will reioyce , & be glad in thee : we will remēber thy loue , more then vine , the righteous doe loue thee . . i am black o daughters of ierusalē , but comely : if i be as the tents of kedar , yet i am as the curtaines of salomon . . regard yee me not , because i am blacke : for the sun hath looked vpon me ; the sons of my mother were angry against me : they made m● keeper of the vines : but i kept not min● owne vine . . shew me , o thou whom my soule loueth , where thou feedest , where thou liest at noon : for why shold i be as shee that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions ? . if thou know not , o thou the fairest among women , get thee foorth by the steps of the flocke : & feed thy kids aboue the tents of the shepherds . . i haue cōpared thee , o my loue , to the troups of horses in the chariots of pharaoh . . thy cheeks are comely with rowes of stones , & thy necke with chaines . . we will make thee borders of gold , with studs of siluer . while the king was at his repast , my spiknard gaue the smell thereof . . my welbeloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto me , lying betweene my breasts . . my welbeloued is as a cluster of cypers vnto me among the vines of engeddy . . my loue behold thou art faire , thine eyes are like the doues . my wel-beloued , behold , thou art faire & pleasant : also our bed is greene . . the beames of our house are cedars , our galleries are of firre . . i am the rose of the field , and the lillie of the valleyes . . like a lilly among the thorns , so is my loue among the daughters . . like the apple-tree among the trees of the forest , so is my wel-beloued among the sonnes of men : vnder his shadow had i delight , & sate down ; and his fruit was sweet vnto my mouth . . he broght me into the wine cellar , and loue was his banner ouer me . . stay me with flagons , and comfort me with apples : for , i am sicke of loue . . his left hand be vnder my head : and let his right hand imbrace mee . . i charge you o daughters of ierusalem , by the roes & by the hinds of the field , that ye stirre not vp , nor waken my loue , vntill he please . . it is the voice of my wel-beloued : behold he cōmeth leaping by mountains and skipping by the hils . . my welbeloued is like a roe , or a yoūg hart : loe , hee standeth behinde our wall , looking forth of the windowes , shewing himselfe through the grates . . my vvelbeloued spake , & sayd vnto me , arise my loue , my faire one , and come thy way . for , behold winter is past , the rain is changed and gone way . . the flowers appeare in the earth : the time of the singing of birds is come , and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land . . the fig-tree hath broght forth her young figs and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauor : arise my loue , my fa●re one , and come away . . my doue , thou art in the hoales of the rocke , in the secret places of the cliftes : shewe mee thy sight , let mee heare thy voice : for thy voice is sweet and thy sight comely . . take vs the foxes , the litle foxes which destroy the vines : for our vines haue small grapes . . my vvelbeloued is mine , & i am his : hee feedeth amōg the lillies . . vntill the day break and the shadowes flee away ; returne my vvelbeloued , & be like a roe or a young hart vpon the moūtaines of bether . . in my bed , by night i sought him that my soule loued : i soght him , but i found him not . . i will rise therefore now , and goe about in the citie by the streetes , and by open places , and will seek him that my soule loueth : i soght him , but i found him not . , the watchmen that went about the city , found me : to whom i sayd , haue you seen him whom my soule loueth ? . vvhen i had past a little from them , then i found him whō my soule loueth : i took holde on him , and left him not , till i had brought him vnto my mothers house into the chāber of hir that conceiued me . . i charg ye ô daughters of ierusalem , by the roes , & by the hinds of the fielde , that yee stirre not vp nor wakē my loue vntill shee please . . who is she that commeth vp out of the wilderness , like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and incense , & with al the chief spices ? . behold his bed better then salomons : threescore strong men are roūd about it , of the valiant men of israel . . they all handle the sword , and are expert in war euery one hath his sword vpō his thigh , for the fear by night . . king salomon made himself a bed of the trees of lebanon . . hee made the pillars therof of siluer , and the sted thereof of gold , the hangings thereof of purple , whose midst was in-layde with the loue of the daughters of ierusalem . . come forth yee daughters of sion , and beholde the king salomon with the crowne wherwith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage , and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart . . behold , thou art faire my loue , beholde thou art faire , thine eyes are like the doues within thy locks , thine haire is like a flocke of goats which looke downe from the mountaines of gilead . . thy teeth are like a flock of sheepe in good order which goe vp from the washing : which euery one bring out twinnes , and none is barren among them . . thy lips are like a thred of scarlet , and thy talke is comely ; thy temples are within thy locke as a peece of a pomgranate . . thy necke is as the towre of dauid , built for defence : a thousand shields hang therein , & all the targets of the strong men . . thy two brests are as two yong kids that are twins , feeding among the lillies . . vntill the day breake and the shadowes fly away , i will go into the moūtaine of myrrh , and to the mountain of incense . . thou art all farre my loue , & there is no spot in thee . . come with me from lebanon , my spouse , euen with me from lebanon , and looke from the top of amanah , from the toppe of shenir and hermon , frō the dens of the lyons , & frō the mountaines of the leopards . . my sister my spouse , thou hast ●ounded my hart with one of thine eies : and with a chaine of thy necke . . my sister , my spouse ; how faire is thy loue ; how much better is thy loue thē wine , and the sauour of thine ointments then all spices ? . thy lippes , my spouse , drop as hony-combs : honie and milke are vnder thy tongue , & the sauour of thy garments is as the sauour of lebanon . . my sister my spouse , is as a garden inclosed , as a spring shut vp , & a fountaine sealed vp . . thy plants are as an orchard of pomegranats with sweete fruits : as cipers , spikenard , euen spikenard & saffron , calamus and cinamō , with all the trees of incense , mirrh & aloes with all the chief spices . . o fountaine of the gardens , o well of liuing waters & the springs of lebanon . . arise o north , & come o south , and blowe on my garden , that the spices thereof may flow out : let my wel-beloued come to his garden , and eate his pleasant fruit . i am come into my garden , my sister , my spouse : i gathered my myrrh with my spice ; i eate my hony with my hony comb , i drank my wine with my milk : eate o my friends drinke , and make you merry o welbeloued . . i sleepe , but my heart waketh : it is the voice of my vvelbeloued that knocketh , saying , open vnto me my sister , my loue , my doue , my vndefiled : for mine head is full of dew , & my locks with the drops of the night . . i haue put off my coat : how shal i put it on ? i haue washed my feet : how shall i defile them . . my wel-beloued put his hand from the hole of the doore ; & my bowels yearned toward him . . i rose vp to open to my wel-beloued , and my hands did drop down myrrhe , and my fingers pure myrrhe vpon the handles of the barres . . i opened to my welbeloued : but my welbeloued was gone and past ; mine hart was gone when hee did speak : i soght him but i could not find him ; i called him , but hee answered mee not . . the watch-men that went about the city found mee , they smote me and wounded me : the watch men of the walls tooke away my vaile from me . . i charge you ô daughters of ierusalem , if you finde my wel-beloued , that you tell him i am sicke of loue . . o the fairest among women , what is thy welbeloued , more thē another wel-beloued ? what is thy welbeloued , more then another louer , that thou dost so charge vs ? . my welbeloued is white & ruddy , the standerdbearer of ten thousand . . his head is as fine gold , his locks curled , and black as a rauen . . his eies are like doues vpon the riuers of waters , which are washt with milke , and remaine in their fulnesse . . his cheeks are as a bed of spices and as sweete flowers , and his lips like lillies dropping downe pure myrrhe . . his hands as rings of gold set with the chrisolit ; his belly like white iuory couered with saphirs . . his legs are as pillars of marble , set vppon sockets of fine golde : his countenance as lebanon , excellent as the cedars . his mouth is as sweet things , & he is wholy delectable : this is my welbeloued , and this is my louer , o daughters of ierusalem . . o the fairest among women , whether is thy welbeloued gon ? whither is thy welbeloued turned aside , that we might seeke him with thee . my welbeloued is gone down in to his garden to the beds of spices , to feed in the gardens and to gather lillies . . i am ●y welbeloueds , and my welbeloued is mine , who feedeth amōg the lillies . . thou art beautifull my loue as tirzah , comly as ierusalē , terrible as an army with banners . . turne away thine eyes from me , for they ouercom me : thine haire is like a flocke of goats which looke downe from gilead . . thy teeth are like a flock of sheep which goe vp from the washing , which euery one bring out twins , and none is barren among them . . thy temples are within thy lockes as a peece of a pomgranate . . there are threescore queenes , and fourescore concubines , and of the dāsels , without number . . but my loue is alone , and my vndefiled , shee is the onely daughter of hir mother , & she is deare to her that bare hir : the daughters haue seen hir , and coūted hir blessed , euen the queenes and the cōcubines and they haue praised hir . . who is shee that looketh forth as the morning , faire as the moone , pure as the sunne , terrible as an armie with banners . . i went downe to the dressed orchard , to see the fruits of the vally , to see if the vine budded , and if the pomgranates flourished . . i knew nothing , my soule set mee as the charets of my noble people . . return , return , ô shulamite : returne , return , that i may behold thee : what shall you see in the shulamite , but as the company of an army ? . how beautifull are thy goings with shooes , o princes daughter ? the compasse of thy hyps like iewels : the worke of the hand of a cunning workeman . . thy nauell is as a round cup , that wanteth not liquor : thy bellie is as an heap of wheat compassed about with lillies . . thy two breasts are as two yong kids that are twins . . thy necke is like a tower of iuory : thine eies are like artificiall pooles in a frequented gate : thy nose is as the tower of lebanon , that looketh toward damascus . . thine head vpō thee is as scarlet , and the bush of thine head like purple : the king is tied in thy beames . . how faire art thou & how pleasant art thou , o my loue , in pleasures ? . this thy stature is like a palme-tree , and thy breasts like clusters . . i said , i will goe vp into the palme-tree . i will take hold of her boughes : thy breasts shall now be like the clusters of the vines , and the sauour of thy nose like apples . . and the roofe of thy mouth like good wine , which goeth straight vp to my welbeloued ; & causeth the lips of him that is asleepe , to speake . . i am my welbeloueds , and his desire is toward mee . . come my wel-beloued , let vs goe into the fields let vs lodge in the villages . . let vs goe vp earely in the morning to the vines , and see if the vine florish , whether it hath disclosed the first grapes , or whether the pomegranats blossom : therewill i giue thee my loue . . the mandrakes haue giuen a smell , and in our gates are all sweete things , new and old ; my welbeloued , i haue kept thē for thee . . oh that thou werest as my brother that sucked the breast of my mother . i would finde thee without , i would kisse thee , then they should not despise mee . . i will lead thee , and bring thee into my mothers house ; there thou shalt teach me : i will cause thee to drinke spiced wine , & new wine of the pomgranats . . his left hand shall bee vnder my head , and his right hand shall imbrace mee . . i charge you o daughters of ierusalem , that you stirre not vp , nor waken my loue , vntill hee please . . vvho is this that cōmeth out of the wildernesse ; leaning vpon her welbeloued ? i raised thee vp vnder an apple-tree : there thy mother conceiued thee : there she conceiued that bare thee . . set mee is a seale on thy hart , and as a signet on thine arme : for loue is strong as leath ; ielousie is cruell as the graue : the coales thereof are siery coales , and a vehement flame . . much water cannot quench loue , neither can the floudes drowne it : if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue , they would greatly contemne it . . vve haue a little sister , and she hath no breasts : what shall we doe for our sister , when she shall be spoken for ? . if she be twall , we will build vpon her a siluer palace : and if she be a doore , we will keepe her in with boards of cedar . . i am a wall , and my breasts are as towers : then was i in his eyes as one that findeth peace . . salomon had a vine in baalhamon : hee gaue the vineyard vnto keepers : euery one bringeth for the fruite thereof a thousand peeces of siluer . . but my vineyard which is mine is before mee : to thee ô salomon appertaineth a thousand peeces of siluer , and two hundreth to them that kept the fruit thereof . . o thou that dwellest in the gardēs , the companions hearken vnto thy voice , cause me to heare it . . oh my welbeloued , flee away , and be like vnto the roe , or to the yong hart vpon the mountaines of spices . contemplations vpon the historicall part of the old testament. the eighth and last volume. in two bookes. by i.h. deane of worcester contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations vpon the historicall part of the old testament. the eighth and last volume. in two bookes. by i.h. deane of worcester contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed by m. flesher for nath. butter, london : . dedication signed: ios. hall. books - . with a final postscript leaf. the first volume was issued under the title: contemplations upon the principall passages of the holie storie. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t -- meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations vpon the historicall part of the old testament . the eighth and last volvme . in two bookes . by i. h. deane of worcester . london printed by m. flesher for nath. butter . . to the high and mighty monarch charles , by the grace of god king of great britaine , france and ireland , defender of the faith , &c. my dread soueraigne lord and master . may it please your maiesty : now at last ( thankes be to my good god ) i haue finished the long-taske of my meditations vpon the historicall part of the old testament : a worke that i foresaw must be the issue both of time , and thoughts ; it presumed to intitle it selfe at first , to your gracious name , in succession to your immortall brothers ; and now , it brings to your royall hands , a due account of an happy dispatch . besides my owne publique ingagement , the incouragements of many worthy diuines , both at home , and abroad , drew me on , in this pleasing , though busie , labour ; and made mee beleeue the seruice would not be of more paine , then vse . i humbly present it to your maiestie ; not fearing to say , that in regard of the subiect , it is not so fit for any eies as princely ; for what doth it else but comment vpon that , which god hath thought good to say of kings ; what they haue done , what they should haue done ; how they sped in good , in euill ? certainly there can be none such miroir of princes vnder heauen , as this , which god hath made for the faces of his deputies on earth . neither can the eyes of soueraigne greatnesse be better taken vp then with this sacred reflection . if my defects haue not been notorious , the matter shall enough commend the worke ; which together with the vnworthy author , humbly casts it selfe at the feet of your maiesty ; with the best vowes of fidelity and obseruance , from him , that prides himselfe in nothing more , then in the style of your maiesties most faithfully deuoted seruant , ios : hall . contemplations . the th booke . the shunamite suing to iehoram : elisha conferring with hazael . iehu with iehoram and iezebel . iehu killing the sonnes of abab , and the priests of baal . athaliah and ioash . ioash with elisha dying . vzziah leprous . ahaz with his new altar . the vtter destruction of the kingdome of israel . hezekiah and senacherib . hezekiah sicke , recouered , visited . manasseh . iosiahs reformation . iosiahs death , with the desolation of the temple and ierusalem . contemplations . the shvnamite suing to iehoram ; elisha conferring with hazael . how royally hath elisha paid the shunamite for his lodging ! to him already she owes the life of her sonne , both giuen , and restored ; and now againe ( after so many yeares , as might well haue worne out the memory of so small a courtesie ) her selfe , her sonne , her family owe their liues to so thankfull a guest . that table , and bed , and stoole , and candlesticke was well bestowed : that candlesticke repaid her the light of her future life and condition , that table the meanes of maintenance , that stoole a seat of safe abode , that bed a quiet rest from the common calamities of her nation : hee is a niggard to himselfe , that scants his beneficence to a prophet , whose very cold water shall not go vnrewarded . elijah preserued the sareptan from famine ; elisha the shunamite ; he , by prouision of oyle and meale ; this , by premonition : arise , and goe , thou and thine houshold , and soiourne wheresoeuer thou canst soiourne . the sareptan was poore , and driuen to extremes , therefore the prophet prouides for her , from hand to mouth : the shunamite was wealthy , and therfore the prophet sends her to prouide for her selfe : the same goodnes that relieues our necessity , leaues our competency to the hand of our owne counsell ; in the one , he will make vse of his owne power , in the other , of our prouidence . the very prophet aduises this holy client to leaue the bounds of the church : and to seeke life , where she should not finde religion : extremity is for the time a iust dispensation with some common rules of our outward demeanure , and motions , euen from better to worse . all israel and iudah shall be affamished ; the body can be preserued no where , but where the soule shall want ; somtimes the conueniences of the soule must yeeld to bodily necessities . wantonnesse and curiosity can finde no aduantage from that which is done out of the power of need . it is a long famine that shall afflict israel ; hee vpon whom the spirit of elijah was doubled , doubled the iudgement inflicted by his master ; three yeares and an halfe did israel gaspe vnder the drought of elijah ; seauen yeares dearth shall it suffer vnder elisha : the tryals of god are many times not more grieuous for their sharpnesse , then for their continuance . this scarcity shall not come alone ; god shall call for it : what euer be the second cause , he is the first . the executioners of the almighty ( such are his iudgments ) stand ready waiting vpon his iust throne ; and doe no sooner receiue the watch-word , then they flye vpon the world , and plague it for sinne ; onely the cry of our sinnes moues god to call for vengeance : and if god once call , it must come ; how oft , how earnestly are we called to repentance , and stir not ? the messengers of gods wrath flye forth at the least becke ; and fulfill the will of his reuenge vpon those , whose obedience would not fulfill the will of his command . after so many proofes of fidelitie the shunamite cannot distrust the prophet ; not staying therfore to be conuicted by the euent , she remoues her family into the land of the philistims : no nation was more opposite to israel , none more worthily odious ; yet , there doth the shunamite seeke , & finde shelter ; euen the shade of those trees that are vnwholsome , may keepe vs from a storme ; euery where will god finde roome for his owne . the fields of philistins flourish , whiles the soyle of israel yeelds nothing but weeds and barrennesse : not that israel was more sinfull , but that the sin of israel is more intolerable . the offers of grace are so many aggrauations of wickednesse : in equall offences those doe iustly smart more , who are more obliged . no pestilence is so contagious as that which hath taken the purest ayre . these philistine neighbours would neuer haue endured themselues to be pestered with forrainers ; especially israelites , whom they hated ( besides religion ) for their vsurpation : neyther were they in all likelihood pressed with multitude : the rest of israel were led on with hopes ; presuming vpon the amends of the next haruest , till their want grew desperate , and irremediable ; onely the forwarned shunamite preuents the mischiefe ; now she findes what it is to haue a prophet her friend : happy are those soules that vpon all occasions consult with gods seers ; they shall be freed from the plagues , wherein the secure blindnesse of others is heedlesly ouertaken . seauen yeares had this shunamite soiourned in palestine , now she returnes to her owne ; and is excluded : she that found harbour among philistines , findes oppression and violence among israelites : those of her kinred , taking aduantage of her absence , had shared her possessions . how oft doth it fall out that the worst enemies of a man are those of his owne , house ? all went by contraries with this shunamite ; in the famine she had enough , in the common plenty she was scanted ; philistines were kinde to her , israelites cruell : both our feares , and our hopes doe not seldome disappoint vs ; it is safe trusting to that stay which can neuer faile vs ; who can easily prouide vs both of friendship in palestine , and of iustice in israel . wee may not iudge of the religion by particular actions ; a very philistine may be mercifull , when an israelite is vniust ; the person may be faulty , when the profession is holy . it was not long since the prophet made that friendly offer to the shunamite , out of the desire of a thankfull requitall ; vvhat is to be done for thee ? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king , or to the captaine of the host ? and she answered ; i dwell among my brethren . little did she then thinke of this iniurious measure ; else she might haue said ; i dwell amongst mine enemies , i dwell amongst robbers . it is like they were then friendly , who were now cruell , and oppressiue ; there is no trust to be reposed in flesh and blood : how should their fauors be constant , who are in their nature , and disposition , variable ? it is the furest way to relye on him , who is euer like himselfe ; the measure of whose loue is eternitie . whither should the shunamite goe to complaine of her wrong , but to the court ? there is no other refuge of the oppressed , but publike authoritie : all iustice is deriued from soueraignty : kings are not called gods for nothing ; they doe both sentence and execute for the almighty . doubtlesse , now the poore shunamite thought of the courteous profer of elisha ; and missing a friend at the court , is glad to be the presenter of her owne petition . how happily doth god contriue all euents for the good of his ! this suppliant shall fall vpon that instant for her suit , when the king shall bee talking with gehezi ; when gehezi shall bee talking of her , to the king ; the words of gehezi , the thoughts of the king , the desires of the shunamite shall be all drawne together by the wise prouidence of god into the center of one moment , that his oppressed seruant might receiue a speedy iustice . oh the infinite wisedome , power , mercy of our god , that insensibly orders all our wayes , as to his owne holy purposes , so to our best aduantage . what doth iehoram the king talking with gehezi the leper ? that very presence was an eye-sore . but if the cohabitation with the infectious were forbidden , yet not the conference . certainly , i begin to thinke of some goodnesse in both these : had there not beene some goodnesse in iehoram , he had not taken pleasure to heare , euen from a leprous mouth , the miraculous acts and praises of gods prophet ; had there not beene some goodnesse in gehezi , he had not after so fearfull an infliction of iudgment , thus ingenuously recounted the praises of his seuere master ; hee that told that deare-bought lye to the prophet , tells now all truths of the prophet , to the king : perhaps his leprosie had made him cleane ; if so : happy was it for him that his forhead was white with the disease , if his soule became hereupon white with repentance . but wee may well know that the desire , or report of historicall truths , doth not alwayes argue grace . still iehoram , after the inquiry of the prophets miracles , continues his idolatry . he that was curious to harken after the wonders of elisha , is not carefull to follow his doctrine ; therefore are gehezi and the shunamite met before him , that hee may be conuicted , who will not be reformed : why was it els that the presence of the persons should thus inexpectedly make good the relation , if god had not meant the inexcusablenesse of iehoram ; whiles he must needs say within himselfe ; thus potent is the prophet of that god , whom i obey not ; were not elishaes , the true god , how could hee worke such wonders ? and if he be the true god , why is he not mine ? but what ? shall i change ahabs god for iehosaphats ? no ; i cannot deny the miracles , i will not admit of the author : let elisha be powerfull , i will be constant . o wretched iehoram ; how much better had it been for thee neuer to haue seene the face of gehezi , and the son of the shunamite ; then to goe away vnmoued with the vengeance of leprosie in the one , with the mercifull resuscitation of the other ? therfore is thy iudgment fearfully aggrauated , because thou wouldst not yeeld to what thou couldst not oppose . had not ahabs obduratenesse beene propagated to his sonne , so powerfull demonstrations of diuine power could not haue been vneffectuall . wicked hearts are so much worse by how much god is better ; this anvile is the harder by being continually beaten vpon , whether with iudgments , or mercy . yet this good vse will god haue made of this report , and this presence , that the poore shunamite shall haue iustice ; that sonne , whose life was restored , shall haue his inheritance reuiued ; his estate shall fare the better for elishaes miracle : how much more will our mercifull god second his owne blessings , when the fauors of vniust men are therefore drawne to vs , because wee haue beene the subiects of diuine beneficence . it was a large , and full award , that this occurrence drew from the king ; restore all that was hers , and all the fruits of the field , since the day that she left the land , euen vntill now . not the present possession onely is giuen her , but the arerages . nothing hinders , but that outward iustice may stand with grosse idolatry . the widow may thanke elisha for this ; his miracle wrought still ; and put this new life into her dead estate ; his absence did that for the preseruation of life , which his presence did for the restoring it from death . shee that was so ready to expostulate with the man of god , vpon the losse of her sonne , might perhaps haue beene as ready to impute the losse of her estate to his aduice ; now , that for his sake shee is enriched with her owne ; how doth shee blesse god for so happy a guest ? when we haue forgotten our owne good turnes , god remembers and crownes them : let vs do good to all whiles we haue time , but especially to the houshold of faith . could israel haue beene sensible of their owne condition , it was no small vnhappinesse to lose the presence of elisha : whether , for the idolatries , or for the famine of israel , the prophet is gone into syria ; no doubt naaman welcomd him thither ; and now would force vpon him those thankes for his cure , which the man of god would not receiue at home . how famous is he now grown that was taken from the teame ? his name is not confined to his owne nation ; forraine countries take notice of it ; and kings are glad to listen after him , and wooe him vvith presents : benhadad the king of syria , whose counsells he had detected , reioyeeth to heare of his presence ; and now , as hauing forgotten that he had sent a vvhole host , to besiege the prophet in dothan , sends an honorable messenger to him , laden with the burden of fourty camels , to consult with this oracle , concerning his sicknesse , and recouery . this syrian belike in his distresse dares not trust to his owne gods ; but hauing had good proofe of the power of the god of israel , both in naamans cure , and in the miraculous defeats of his greatest forces , is glad to send to that seruant of god , whom he had persecuted . wicked men are not the same in health and in sicknesse : their affliction is worthy of the thankes , if they be well-minded ; not themselues . doubtlesse the errand of benhadad was not onely to inquire of the issue of his disease , but to require the prayers of the prophet for a good issue : euen the worst man doth so loue himselfe , that hee can be content to make a beneficiall vse of those instruments , whose goodnesse he hateth . hazael , the chiefe peere of syria is designed to this message ; the wealth of his present striues with the humility of his cariage , and speech : thy sonne benhadad king of syria hath sent me to thee , saying , shall i recouer of this disease ? not long since , iehoram king of israel had said to elisha , my father , shall i smite them ; and now benhadad king of syria , sayes , my father , shall i recouer : lo how this poore meholathite hath kings to his sons : how great is the honor of gods prophets with pagans , with princes ? who can bee but confounded to see euangelicall prophets despised by the meanest christians ? it is more then a single answer that the prophet returnes to this message : one answer he giues to benhadad , that sent it ; another hee giues to hazael , that brings it : that to benhadad , is , thou maiest surely recouer ; that to hazael , the lord hath shewed me that he shall surely dye : what shall we say then ? is there a lye , or an equiuocation in the holy mouth of the prophet ? god forbid : it is one thing what shall be the nature , and issue of the disease ; another thing what may outwardly befall the person of benhadad : the question is moued of the former ; wherto the answer is direct ; the disease is not mortall ; but withall an intimation is giuen to the bearer , of an euent beyond the reach of his demand ; which hee may know , but eyther needs not , or may not returne : the lord hath shewed me that he shall surely dye ; by another meanes , though not by the disease . the seer of god descries more in hazael , then hee could see in himselfe ; hee fixes his eyes therefore stedfastly in the syrians face , as one that in those lines read the bloody story of his life . hazael blushes , elisha weepes ; the intention of those eyes did not so much amaze hazael , as the teares ; as yet he vvas not guilty to himselfe of any wrong that might straine out this iuyce of sorrow : why weepeth my lord ? the prophet feares not to foretell hazael all the villanies which he should once do to israel ; how he should fire their forts , and kill their yong men , and rip the mothers , and dash the children . i maruell not now at the teares of those eies which foresaw this miserable vastation of the inheritance of god ; the very mention whereof is abhorred of the future author : what is thy seruant a dog , that i should doe this great thing ? they are sauage cruelties whereof thou speakest ; it were more fit for mee to weepe that thou shouldest repute mee so brutish ; i should no lesse condemne my selfe for a beast , if i could suspect my owne degeneration so farre . wicked men are caryed into those heights of impiety , which they could not in their good mood haue possibly beleeued ; nature is subiect to fauourable opinions of it selfe ; and will rather mistrust a prophet of god , then her owne good disposition : how many from honest beginnings , haue risen to incredible licentiousnesse , whose liues are now such , that it were as hard for a man to beleeue they had euer beene good , as to haue perswaded them once they should proue so desperately ill . to giue some ouerture vnto hazael of the oportunitie of this ensuing mischiefe ; the prophet foretells him from god , that hee shall be the king of syria . he that shewes the euent , doth not appoint the meanes ; far was it from the spirit of gods prophet to set , or encourage a treason : whiles hee said therefore , thou shalt be king of syria ; he said not , goe home , and kill thy master : the wicked ambition of hazael drawes this damnable conclusion out of holy premises ; and now hauing fed the hopes of his soueraigne with the expectation of recouery ; the next day he smothers his master . the impotent desire of rule brookes no delay : had not hazael been gracelesly cruell , after hee had receiued this prediction of the seer , hee should haue patiently awaited for the crowne of syria , till lawfull meanes had set it vpon his head ; now , he will by a close execution make way to the throne ; a wet cloth hath stopt the mouth of his sicke soueraigne ; no noyse is heard ; the carcasse is faire ; who can complaine of any thing but the disease ? o hazael , thou shalt not thus easily stop the mouth of thine owne conscience ; that shall call thee traytor , euen in thy chaire of state ; and shall checke all thy royall triumphs , with , thou hast founded thy throne in blood . i am deceiued if this wet cloth shall not wipe thy lips in thy iollyest feasts , and make thy best morsells vnsavory : soueraignty is painfull vpon the fairest termes ; but vpon trechery , and murder , tormenting : wofull is the case of that man whose publike cares are aggrauated with priuate guiltinesse ; and happy is he , that can inioy a little with the peace of an honest heart . iehv with iehoram and iezebel . yet hazael began his cruelty with losse : ramoth gilead is won from him ; iehoram the son hath recouered that , which ahab his father attempted in vaine ; that city was dear-bought of israel ; it cost the life of ahab , the blood of iehoram ; those wounds were healed with victory ; the king tends his health at iezreel , whiles the captaines were enioying , and seconding their successe at ramoth . old elisha hath neither cotage , nor foot of land , yet sitting in an obscure corner , he giues order for kingdomes ; not by way of authority ( this vsurpation had been no lesse proud , then vniust ) but by way of message , from the god of kings ; euen a meane herald may goe on a great errand : the prophets of the gospell haue nothing to doe but with spirituall kingdoms ; to beate downe the kingdomes of sinne and satan ; to translate soules to the kingdome of heauen . hee that renued the life of the shunamites sonne , must stoope to age ; that blocke lies in his way to iehu ; the aged prophet imployes a speedier messenger , who must also gird vp his loynes , for hast : no common pace will serue vs when we goe on gods message ; the very losse of minutes may be vnrecouerable . this great seer of god wel saw a present concurrence of all oportunities : the captaines of the host were then readily combined for this exploit : the army was on foot ; iehoram absent ; a small delay might haue troubled the work ; the dispersion of the captaines , and host , or the presence of the king , might eyther haue defeated , or slacked the dispatch : he is prodigall of his successe , that is slow in his execution . the directions of elisha to the young prophet , are full , and punctuall : whither to goe ; what to cary ; what to doe ; where to doe it ; what to say , what speed to make , in his act , in his returne : in the businesses of god it matters not how little is left to our discretion ; there is no important businesse of the almighty , wherin his precepts are not strict , and expresse ; looke how much more specialty there is in the charge of god , so much more danger is in the violation . the young prophet is curiously obedient ; in his haste ; in his obseruation and cariage : and finding iehu , according to elishaes prediction , set amongst the captaines of the host , he singles him forth , by a reuerent compellation ; i haue an errand to thee , o captaine ; might not the prophet haue stayed till the table had risen , and then haue followed iehu to his lodging ? surely , the wisdome of god hath purposely pitcht vpon this season , that the publike view of a sacred messenger , and the hasty euocation of so noted a person , to such a secrecy , might prepare the hearts of those commanders of israel , to the expectation of some great designe . the inmost roome is but close enough for this act ; ere many houres , all israel shall know that , which yet may not bee trusted with one eye ; the goodnesse of god makes wise prouision for the safety of his messengers , and whiles he imployes their seruice , preuents their dangers . but how is it that of all the kings of the ten tribes , none was euer anointed but iehu ? is it for that the god , who would not countenance the erection of that vsurped throne , would countenance the alteration ? or is it , that by this visible testimony of diuine ordination , the courage of the israelitish captaines might be raised vp to second the high and bold attempt of him , whom they saw destin'd from heauen to rule ? together with the oyle of this vnction , here was a charge of reuenge ; a reuenge of the blood of the prophets , vpon iezebel ; of wickednesse and idolatry , vpon ahab : neither was the extirpation of this leud family fore-prophesied onely to iehu , but inioyned . elijah foretold , and the world expected some fearfull account of the abhominable cruelty , and impiety of that accursed house ; now it is called for , when it seemed forgotten : ahab shall haue no posterity , iezebel shall haue no toomb , but the doggs . this woful doome is committed to iehues execution . oh the sure , though patient , iustice of the almighty : not only ahab and iezebel had beene bloody , and idolatrous , but israel was drawne into the partnership of their crimes ; all these shall share in the iudgment : elijahs complaint in the caue now receiues this late answer ; hazael shall plague israel ; iehu shall plague the house of ahab and iezebel ; elishaes seruant thus seconds elishaes master : when wickednes is ripe in the field , god will not let it shee l to grow againe , but cuts it vp by a iust , and seasonable vengeance : ahabs drouping vnder the threat hath put off the iudgment from his owne dayes ; now it comes , and sweepes away his wife , his issue ; and falls heauy vpon his subiects . please your selues , ô ye vaine sinners , in the slow pace of vengeance ; it will be neither lesse certaine , nor more easie for the delay ; rather it will pay for that leasure in the extremitie . the prophet hath done his errand , and is gone . iehu returnes to his fellowes , with his head not more wet with oyle , then busied with thoughts : no doubt , his face bewrayed some inward tumults , and distractions of imagination ; neyther seem'd hee to returne the same he went out . they aske therefore , is all well ? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee ? the prophets of god were to these idolatrous israelites , like comets ; who were neuer seene without the portendement of a mischiefe : when the priests of their baal were quietly sacrificing , all was well ; but now when a prophet of god comes in sight , their guiltinesse askes , is all well ? all would be well but for their sinnes ; they feare not these , they feare their reprouer . israel was comne to a good passe , when the prophets of god went with them for mad men : oh ye baalitish ruffians , whither hath your impiety and profanenesse caryed you , that ye should thus blaspheme the seruants of the liuing god ? ye that run on madding after vaine idols , taxe the sober guides of true worship , for madnesse . thus it becomes the godlesse enemies of truth , the heralds of our patience , to mis-call our innocence , to reuile our most holy profession : what wonder is it that gods messengers are mad men vnto those , to whom the wisedome of god is foolishnes ? the message was not deliuered to iehu for a concealment , but for publication : silence could not effect the word that was told him ; common notice must ; yee know the man , and his communication : the habit showes you the man ; the calling showes you his errād : euen prophets were distinguished by their clothes ; their mantle was not the common weare ; why should not this sacred vocation be knowne by a peculiar attyre ? these captaines had not calld him a mad-man , if they had not knowne him a prophet : by the man therefore they might guesse at his message ; prophets doe not vse to appeare , but vpon serious errands ; whether of reproofe , or of prediction . nice ciuilities of denialls were not then knowne to the world ; they said , it is false , tell vs now : amongst these captains no combat , no vnkindnesse followes vpon a word so rudely familiar . iehu needs not tell them , that the man was a prophet ; hee tels them the prophesie of the man ; what he had said , what hee had done . their eies had no sooner seene the oyle ; their eares had no sooner heard , thus saith the lord , i haue anointed thee king ouer israel , then they rise from their seates , as rapt with a tempest , and are hurled into armes ; so doe they hast to proclaime iehu , that they scarce stay to snatch vp their garments , which they had perhaps left behind them for speed , had they not meant with these rich abiliments to garnish a state for their new soueraigne ; to whom hauing now erected an extemporall throne , they doe by the sound of trumpets giue the style of royalty , iehu is king. so much credit hath that mad fellow with these gallants of israel , that vpon his word they will presently aduenture their liues , & change the crowne . god giues a secret authority to his despised seruants ; so as they which hate their person , yet reuerence their truth : euen very scorners cannot but beleeue them ; if when the prophets of the gospell tell vs of a spirituall kingdome , they be distrusted of those which professe to obserue them , how shamefull is the disproportion ? how iust shall their iudgment be ? yet i cannot say whether meer obedience to the prophet , or personall dislikes of iehoram , or partiall respects to iehu , drew the captaines of israel ; the will of god may be done thanklesly , when fulfilling the substance , we faile of the intention , and erre in circumstance . onely ramoth is conscious of this sudden inauguration ; this new prince-dome yet reaches no further then the sound of the trumpet : iehu is no lesse subtile , then valiant ; he knew that the notice of this inexpected change might worke a busie , and dangerous resistance ; he therfore giues order that no messenger of the newes may preuent his personall execution , that so he might surprise iehoram in his palace of izreel , whether tending his late wounds , or securely feasting his friends , and dreaming of nothing lesse then danger ; and might be seene , and felt at once . secresie is the safest gard of any designe ; disclosed proiects are either frustrated , or made needlesly difficult . neither is iehu more close , then swift ; that very trumpet with the same wind sounds his march ; from the toppe of the staires , he steps downe into his charet ; that man meanes to speed , who can bee at once reserued in his counsels , and resolute and quicke in his performances . who could but pity the vnhappy and vnseasonable visitation of the grand-childe of iehosaphat , were it not that hee was degenerate into the family of abab ? ahaziah king of iudah is comne to visit iehoram king of israel ; the knowledge of his late receiued wounds hath drawn thither this kind ill-matched allie : he who was partner of the warre , cannot but be a visitor of the wounds . the two kings are in the height of their complement , and entertainments , when the watchman of the tower of izreel espies a troupe , a farre off . for ought was knowne , there was nothing but peace in all the land of israel ; and iudah was now so combined with it , that both their kings were feasting vnder one roofe ; yet , in the midst of this supposed safety , the watch-tower is not vnfurnished with heedy eyes : no securitie of peace can free wise gouernors from a carefull suspition of what may come , and a prouidence against the worst . euen whiles we know of no enemies , the watch-tower of due intelligence may not be empty . in vaine are dangers fore-seen , if they be not premonished ; it is all one to haue a blind and a mute watch-man ; this speakes what he sees ; i see a company . doubtlesse iehorams head was now full of thoughts ; neither knew hee what construction to put vpon this approching troupe ; perhaps , the syrians ( hee thinkes ) may haue recouered ramoth ; and chased the garison of israel ; neither can hee imagine whether these should be hostile victors , or vanquished subiects , or conspiring rebells . euery way this rout was dreadfull . oh iehoram , thou beginst thy feares too late ; hadst thou beene afraid to prouoke the god of israel , thine innocency had yeelded no roome to these terrors . an horseman is dispatcht to discouer the meaning of this descryed concourse : hee meets them , and inquires of peace ; but receiues a short answer , what hast thou to doe with peace ? turne thee behind mee ? a second is addressed ; with the same successe : both attend the traine of iehu in stead of returning ; indeed , it is not for priuate persons to hope to rectifie the publike affaires , when they are growne to an height of disorder , and from thence to a ripenesse of mis-cariage : sooner may a well-meaning man hurt himselfe , then redresse the common danger . these messengers were now within the mercy of a multitude , had they but indeuored to retire , they had perished as wilfully , as vainly : whosoeuer will be striuing against the torrent of a iust iudgment , must needs bee caried downe in the streame : sometimes there is as much wisdome in yeelding , as courage in resistance . had this troupe beene farre off , the watchman could not haue descryed the arriuall of the messengers , their turning behind , the manner of the march ; iehu was a noted captaine , his cariage and motion was obserued more full of fire , then his fellowes ; the driuing is like iehues , for hee driueth furiously : god makes choyce of fit instruments , as of mercy , so of reuenge ; these spirits were needfull for so tragicall a scene , as was now preparing in israel . iehoram and abaziah , as netled with this forced patience of expectation , can no longer keepe their seates ; but will needs hasten their charets ; and fetch that costly satisfaction , which would not be sent , but giuen . they are infatuated , which shall perish ; otherwise iehoram had beene warned enough by the forceable retention of his messengers , to expect none but an enemy . a friend , or a subiect could not haue beene vnwilling to bee knowne , to be lookt for ; now ; forgetting his wounds , he will go to fetch death . yet when he sees iehu , whom he left a subiect , hopes striue with his doubts , is it peace , iehu ? what may be the reason of this sudden iourney ? is the army foyled by the syrians ? is ramoth recouered ? or hath the flight of the enemy left thee no further worke ? or is some other ill newes guilty of thy hast ? what meanes this vnwished presence , and returne ? there needs no stay for an answer ; the very face of iehu , and those sparkling eyes of his spake fury , and death to iehoram ; which yet his tongue angerly seconds : what peace , so long as the whordomes of thy mother iezebel , and her witchcrafts are so many ? wicked tyran , what speak'st thou of peace with men , when thou hast thus long waged warre with the almightie ? that cursed mother of thine hath nursed thee with blood , and trained thee vp in abominable idolatries . thou art not more hers , then her sinne is thine ; thou art polluted with her spirituall whoredomes , and inchanted with her hellish witchcrafts : now that iust god whom thou , and thy parents haue so hainously despited , sends thee by me this last message of his vengeance ; which whiles hee spake , his hand is drawing vp that deadly arrow , which shall cure the former wounds with a worse . too late now doth wretched iehoram turne his charet , and flee ; and cry treason , ô ahaziah ; there was treason before , ô iehoram ; thy treason against the maiesty of god , is now reuenged by the treason of iehu against thee . that fatall shaft , notwithstanding the swift pace of both the charets , is directed to the heart of iehoram ; there is no erring of those feathers which are guided by the hand of destinie . how iust are the iudgments of god! it was in the field of naboth , wherein iehoram met with iehu ; that very ground called to him for blood ; and now this new auenger remembers that prophesie which he heard from the mouth of elijah , in that very place , following the heeles of ahab ; and is carefull to performe it . little did iehu thinke , when he heard that message of elijah , that his hands should act it ; now , as zealous of accomplishing the word of a prophet ; hee giues charge to bidkar his captaine , that the bleeding carkasse of iehoram should be cast vpon that very platt of naboth : oh naboths blood well paid for ! ahabs blood is licked by dogs , in the very place where those dogs lickt naboths ; iehorams blood shall manure that ground , which was wrung from naboth ; and iezebel shall adde to this compost . oh garden of hearbes dearly bought , royally dunged . what a resemblance there is betwixt the death of the father , and the sonne ; ahab and iehoram ? both are slaine in their charet ; both with an arrow ; both repay their blood to naboth ; and how perfit is this retaliation ? not only naboth miscaried in that cruell iniustice , but his sonnes also ; else the inheritance of the vineyard had descended to his heires , notwithstanding his pretended offence ; and now not onely ahab forfaits his blood to this field ; but his sonne iehoram also : face doth not more answer to face , then punishment to sinne . it was time for ahaziah king of iuda , to flee : nay it had beene time long before to haue fled from the sins , yea from the house of ahab ; that brand is fearfull which god sets vpon him ; hee did euill in the sight of the lord as did the house of ahab ; for he was the sonne in law of the house of ahab ; affinity is too often guilty of corruption ; the son of good iehosaphat is lost in ahabs daughter . now hee payes for his kinde alliance ; accompanying the son of ahab in his death , whom hee consorted with in his idolatry : yong ahaziah was scarce warme in his throne , when the mis-matched blood of athaliah is required from him ; nothing is more dangerous then to be imped in a wicked family ; this relation too often drawes in a share both of sin , and punishment . who would not haue lookt that iezebel hearing of this bloody end of her son ; and pursuit of her allye ; and the fearfull proceedings of this prosperous conspiracy , should haue put her selfe into sack-cloth and ashes ; and now finding no meanes either of defence , or escape , should haue cast her selfe into such a posture of humiliation , as might haue moued the compassion of iehu ; her proud heart could not suddenly learne to stoope : rather she recollects her high spirits ; and in stead of humbling her soule by repentance , and addressing her selfe for an imminent death ; she pranks vp her old carkasse , and paints her wrinkled face , and as one that vainly hopes to daunt the courage of an vsurper , by the sudden beames of maiesty ; she lookes out , and thinks to fright him with the challenge of a traitor , whose either mercy , or iustice could not be auoided : extremitie findes vs such as our peace leaues vs ; our last thoughts are spent vpon that wee care most for ; those that haue regarded their face more then their soule , in their latter end are more taken vp with desire of seeming faire , then being happy : it is no maruell if an heart obdured with the custome of sinne shut vp gracelesly . counterfait beauty agrees well with inward vncleannesse . iebues resolution was too strongly setled to bee remoued with a painted face , or an opprobrious tongue ; he lookes vp to the window , and sayes , who is on my side , who ? there want not those euery where , which will be ready to obserue preuailing greatnesse : two or three eunuchs looke out ; he bids them , throw her downe : they instantly lay hold on their lately adored mistris , and notwithstanding all her shrieks and prayers , cast her downe headlong into the street . what heed is to be taken of the deepe professed seruices of hollow harted followers ; all this while they haue with humble smiles , and officious deuotions fawned vpon their great queene ; now vpon the call of a prosperous enemy , they forget their respects , her royalty ; and cast her downe , as willing executioners , into the iawes of a fearfull death : it is hard for greatnesse to know them whom it may trust : perhaps the fairest semblance is from the falsest heart ; it was a iust plague of god vpon wicked iezebel , that shee was inwardly hated of her owne ; he whose seruants she persecuted , raised vp enemies to her from her owne elbow . thus must pride fall ; insolent , idolatrous , cruell iezebel besprinkles the walls , and pauement with her blood ; and now those braines that deuised mischiefe against the seruants of god , are strawed vpon the stones ; and she that insulted vpon the prophets , is trampled vpon by the horses heeles : the wicked is kept for the day of destruction , and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath . death puts an end commonly to the hyest displeasure . he that was seuere in the execution of the liuing , is mercifull in the sepulture of the dead ; goe see now this cursed woman , and bury her , for she is a kings daughter ; she that vpbrayded iehu with the name of zimri , shall be interred by iehu as omries daughter in law , as a sydonian princesse ; somewhat must bee yeelded to humanity ; somewhat to state. the dogs haue preuented iehu in this purpose , and haue giuen her a liuing toomb more ignoble , then the worst of the earth ; onely the scull , hands , and feet of that vanished carkasse yet remaine ; the scull which was the roofe of all her wicked deuices , the hands and feet which were the executioners ; these shall remaine as the monuments of those shamefull exequies : that future times seeing these fragments of a body , might say , the dogges were worthy of the rest ; thus iezebel is turned to dung , and dogs-meat ; elijah is verified , naboth is reuenged ; izreel is purged , iehu is zealous , and in all , god is iust . iehv killing the sonnes of ahab , and the priests of baal . there were two prime cities of the ten tribes , which were the set courts of the kingdome of israel ; samaria and iezreel ; the chiefe palace of the king was iezreel , the mother city of the kingdome , was samaria ; iehu is possessed of the one , without any sword drawne against him ; iezreel willingly changes the master , yeelding it selfe to the victor of two kings , to the auenger of iezebel ; the next care is samaria ; either policy , or force shall fetch in that head of the tribes . the plentifull issue of princes is no small assurance to the people ; ahab had sonnes enough to furnish the thrones of all the neighbour nations , to maintaine the hopes of succession , to all times ; how secure did he think the perpetuation of his posterity , when he saw seuenty sons from his owne loynes ? neither was this royall issue trusted , either to weake walls , or to one roofe ; but to the strong bulwarkes of samaria , and therein to the seuerall guards of the chiefe peeres ; it was the wise care of their parents not to haue them obnoxious to the danger of a common mis-cariage , or , of those emulations which wait vpon the cloyednesse of an vndiuided conuersation ; but , to order their separation so , as one may rescue other from the perill of assault , as one may respect other out of a familiar strangenesse . had ahab and iezebel beene as wise for their soules , as they were for their seed , both had prospered . iehu is yet but in his first act ; if all the sonnes of ahab bleed not , the prophesie is vnanswered ; there shall be no need of his sword , his penne shall worke all this slaughter . he writes a challenge to samaria , and therein to the guardians of the sons of ahab ; daring them , out of the confidence in their defenced city , in their charets , and horses , in their associats and armes , to set vp the best of their masters sonnes , on his fathers throne , and to fight for his succession . all the gouernours of ahabs children conspire in one common feare ; no doubt there wanted not in that numerous brood of kings , some great spirits that if , at least they attained to the notice of this designe , longed for a reuenge , and suggested counsels of resolution to their cowardly guardians ; shall an audacious vsurper runne thus away with the crowne of israel ? shall the blood of iezebel be thus traiterously spilt , thus wilfully forgotten ? o israelites , can ye be so base , as to be ruled by my fathers seruant ? where are the merits of ahab , and iehoram ? what is becomne of the loyall courage of israel ? doubtlesse , ye shal not wāt able seconds to your valour ; do ye thinke the royall and potent alliances of our mother iezebel ; and the remayning heyres of iudah , can draw back their hands from your aide ? will they indure to swallow so cruell an indignity ? stir vp your astonished fortitude , ô ye nobles of israel ; redeeme your bleeding honour , reuenge this trecherous conspirator , and establish the right of the vndoubted heires of your soueraignes ; but as warm clothes to a dead man , so are the motions of valour to a fearfull heart : behold two kings stood not before him , how then shall we stand ? feare affrights it selfe rather then it will want bugs of terror : it is true : two kings fell before iehu ; but , two kings vnarmed , vnguarded ; had not the surprizall of iehu taken aduantage of the vnsuspitious nakednesse of these two princes , his victory had not beene thus successfull , thus easie . halfe one of those two kings , vpon aduertisement and preparation , had abated the fury of that hot leader . it is the fashion of feare to represent vnto vs alwaies the vvorst , in euery euent : not looking at the inequality of the aduantages , but the misery of the successe : as contrarily , it is the guise of faith , and valour , by the good issue of one enterprise to raise vp the heart to an expectation and assurance of more . these mens hearts are dead with their kings , neither dare entertaine the hope of a safe and prosperous resistance , but basely returne , we are thy seruants , and will doe all that thou shalt bid vs , we will not make any king ; doe thou that which is good in thine eyes . well may iehu think , these men which are thus disloyall to their charge , cannot be faithfull to me ; it is their feare that drawes them to this obseruation : were they not cowards , they would not be traitors to their princes , subiects to me : i may vse their hands , but i will not trust them : it is a thanklesse obedience that is grounded vpon feare ; there can be no true fidelity without loue , & reuerēce . neyther is it other betwixt god and vs ; if out of a dread of hel we be officious , who shall thanke vs for these respects to our selues ? as one that had tasted already the sweetnesse of a resolute expedition , iehu writes backe instantly , if ye be mine , and if ye will harken vnto my voyce ; take ye the heads of the men your masters sonnes , and come to me to iezreel by to morrow this time . valiant iehu was so well acquainted with the nature of feare , that he well knew this passion once growne desperate , would be ready to swallow all conditions : so far therefore doth his wisedome improue it , as to make these peers his executioners ; who presently vpon the receit of his charge turne cruell , & by a ioynt consent fetch off the seauenty heads of those princes , whom they vndertooke to guard , vvhom they had flattered vvith the hopes of greater honour . no doubt , but amongst so many sonnes of ahab , some had so demeaned themselues , that they had wonne zealous professions of loue from their guardians : except perhaps death stole vpon them in sleepe , what teares , what intreaties , what cōiurations must here needs haue beene ? what haue wee done , ô yee peeres of israel , that might deserue this bloody measure ? we are the sonnes of ahab , therefore haue ye hitherto professed to obserue vs ; what change is this ? vvhy should that which hath hitherto kept you loyall , now make you cruell ? is this the reward of the long peaceable gouernment of our father ? are these the trophees of ahabs victories against benhadad , iehorams against hazael ? if wee may not raigne , yet at least , let vs liue : or if vve must dye ; why will your hands bee imbrued in that blood , vvhich ye had vvont to terme royall , and sacred ? vvhy will ye of tutors turne murtherers ? all pleas are in vaine to them that are deafned with their owne feares . perhaps these expostulations might haue fetched some dewes of pity from the eyes , and kisses from the lips of these vnfaithfull tutors , but cannot preuent the stroke of death ; these crocodiles vveepe vpon those , vvhom they must kill : & if their owne sonnes had beene in the place of ahabs , doubtlesse they had beene sacrificed to the vvill of an vsurper , to the paients safety : it is ill relying vpon timerous natures ; vpon euery occasion those crazie reeds vvill breake , and runne into our hands . how vvorthy were ahab and iezebel of such friends ? they had been euer false to god , how should men be true to thē ? they had sold themselues to vvorke wickednes , and now they are requited with a mercenary fidelity : for a few lines haue these men sold all the heads of ahabs posterity : could euer the policy of iezebel haue reacht so farre , as to suspect the possibility of the extirpation of so ample an issue in one night , by the hands of her trustiest subiects ? now she that by her letter sent to the elders of iezreel , shed the blood of naboth and his sonnes , hath the blood of all her sonnes shed by a letter sent from iezreel , to the elders of samaria . at last , god will be sure to come out of the debt of vvicked sinners , and will pay them with that coyne , which is both most proper , and least lookt for . early in the morning , in that gate of iezreel where ahab had passed many an vniust sentence , is presented vnto iehu , the fearfull pledge of his soueraignty , seuenty gastly heads of the sons of ahab . some carnall eye that had seene so many young and smooth faces besmeared vvith blood , would haue melted into compassion , bemoning their harmlesse age , their vntimely end : it is not for the iustice of god to stand at the barre of our corrupted iudgment . except we include some grandchildren of ahab within this number , none of these dyed before they vvere seasoned vvith horrible idolatry ; or if they had ; they were in the loynes of ahab when hee sold himselfe to worke wickednesse ; & now it is iust vvith god to punish ahabs vvickednesse in this fruit of his loynes . the holy seuerity of god in the reuenge of sinne sometimes goes so farre that our ignorance is ready to mistake it for cruelty . the vvonder and horror of those two heapes hath easily drawne together the people of iezreel : iehu meets them in that seat of publique iudgment ; and finding much amazednes & passionate confusion in their faces ; he cleares them , and sends them to the true originall of these sudden and astonishing massacres . howeuer his owne conspiracy , and the cowardly trechery of the princes of israel had been ( not vvithout their hainous sinne ) the visible meanes of this iudgment , yet he directs their eyes to an hyer authoritie ; the iust decree of the almighty , manifested by his seruant elijah ; vvho euen by the vvilling sinnes of men can most wisely , most hostilely fetch about his most righteous and blessed purposes . if the peers of samaria out of a base feare , if iehu out of an ambition of raigning shed the foule blood of ahabs posterity ; the sin is their owne , but in the meane time the act is no other then what the infinite iustice of god would iustly worke by their mis-intentions . let these israelites but looke vp from earth to heauen , these tragicall changes cannot trouble thē ; thither iehu sends them ; wiping off the enuy of all this blood , by the warrant of the diuine preordination : in obedience whereunto he sends after these heyres of ahab , all his kinsfolkes , fauourites , priests that remained in iezreel : and now hauing cleared these coasts , he hasts to samaria : whom should he meet with , in the way , but the brethren of ahaziah king of iudah ; they are going to visit their cozens the sonnes of ahab : this young troupe was thinking of nothing but iollity , and courtly intertainment , when they meet with death : so suddenly , so secretly had iehu dispatched these bold executions , that these princes could imagine no cause of suspition : how could they thinke it might be dāgerous to be knowne for the brethren of ahaziah , or friends to the brethren of iehoram ? the iust prouidence of the almightie hath brought all this covie vnder one net ; iehu thinkes it not safe to let goe so many auengers of ahaziahs blood ; so many corriuals of his soueraignty . the vnhappy affinitie of iehosaphat with ahab is no lesse guilty of this slaughter , then iehues ambition ; this match by the inoculation of one bud , hath tainted all the sap of the house of iudah . the two & fourtie brethren of ahaziah are therefore sent after the seuentie sonnes of ahab ; that they may ouertake them in death , whom they came to visit ; god will much lesse brooke idolatry from the loines of a iehosaphat : our intirenesse with wicked men feoffs vs both in their sinnes and iudgments . doubtlesse , many israelites that were deuoted to the family and allies of ahab , lookt ( what they durst ) awry at this cōmon effusion of royal blood ; yet in the worst of the deprauednes of israel , there were some which both drouped vnder the deplored idolatry of the times , and congratulated to iehu this seuere vindication of gods inheritance : amongst the rest , ionadab the son of rechab was most eminent . that man was by descent deriued from iethro ; a midianite by nation , but incorporated into israel ; a man , whose piety , and strict conuersation did both teach , and shame those twelue tribes to which he was ioyned ; he was the author of an austere rule of ciuility to his posterity ; to whom he debarred the vse of wine , cities , possessions : this old and rough friend of iehu , ( out of his mouing habitations ) meets him , and applauds his successe ; he that allowed not wine to his seed , allowes the blood of ahabs seed poured out , by the hand of iehu ; he that shun'd the city , is caryed in iehues charet , to the palace of samaria . how easily might iehu haue beene deceiued ? many a one professes vprightnesse , who yet is all guile : ionadabs cariage hath been such , that his word merits trust : it is a blessing vpon the plaine-hearted , that they can be beleeued : honest ionadab is admitted to the honor of iehues seat ; and called ( in stead of many ) to witnesse the zeale of the new-anointed king of israel . whiles iehu had to doe with kings , his cunning and his courage held equal pace together ; but now that he is to deale with idolatrous priests , his wile goes alone , and preuailes : he calls the people together , and dissembling his intentions , sayes , ahad serued baal a little , but iehu shall serue him much : now therefore call vnto me all the prophets of baal , all his seruants , and all his priests , let none be wanting : for i haue a great sacrifice to doe to baal : whosoeuer shall be wanting , he shall not liue . what a dead palenesse was there now in the faces of those few true-harted israelites , that looked for an happy restauration of the religion of god ? how could they choose but think ; alas , how are we fallen from our hopes ? is this the change we lookt for ? was it only ambition that hath set this edge vpon the sword of iehu ? it was not the person of ahab that we disliked but the sins : if those must still succeed , what haue we gained ? woe be to vs , if onely the author of our misery be changed , not the condition , not the cause of our misery . on the other side , what insultations and triumphs sounded euery where of the ioyfull baalites ? what glorying of the truth of their profession , because of the successe ? what scornes of their deiected opposites ? what exprobrations of the disappointed hopes , and predictions of their aduerse prophets ? what promises to thēselues of a perpetuity of baalisme ? how did the dispersed priests of baal now flock together , and applaud each others happinesse , and magnifie the deuotions of their new soueraigne ? neuer had that idoll so glorious a day as this for the pompe of his seruice ; before , he was adored singlely in corners , now solemne sacrifices shall bee offered to him by all his clients , in the great temple of the mother citie of israel . i can commend the zeale of iehu , i cannot commend the fraud of iehu ; we may come to our end euen by crooked wayes : he that bad him to smite for him , did not bid him to lie for him : falshood , though it be but tentatiue , is neither needed , nor approued by the god of truth : if policy haue allowed officious vntruths , religion neuer . by this deuice , the house of baal is well furnished , well filled ; not one of his chemarim eyther might , or would be absent : not one of those which were present , might be vnrobed : false gods haue euer affected to imitate the true . euen baal hath temples , altars , priests , vestments : all religions haue allotted peculiar habits to their hyest deuotions . those vestments which they mis-called sacred are brought forth , and put on for the glory of this seruice . iehu and ionadab are first carefull that this separation be exact ; they search , and see that no seruant of the lord be crept into that thrōg : what should a religious israelite doe in the temple of baal ? were any such there , hee had deserued their smart , who would partake with their worship ; but if curiosity should haue drawne any thither , the mercy of iehu seekes his rescue : how much more fauourable is the god of mercies in not taking aduantage of our infirmities . well might this search haue bred suspition , were it not that in all those idolatrous sacrifices , the first care was to auoid the profane : euen baal would admit no mixture , how should the true god abide it ? nothing wanted now , but the sacrifice : no doubt whole heards and flockes were ready for a pretence of some royall hecatombs ; whereof some had now already smoked on their altars . o iehu what meanes this dilation ? if thou abhorrest baal , why didst thou giue way to this last sacrifice ? why didst thou not cut off these idolaters before this vpshot of their wickednesse ? was it that thou mightst be sure of their guiltinesse ? was it that their number , together with their sinne , might be complete ? what acclamations were here to baal , what ioy in the freedome of their reuiued worship : when all on the sudden , those that had sacrificed , are sacrificed ; the souldiers of iehu by his appointment rush in with their swords drawne , and turne the temple into a slaughter-house . how is the tune now changed ? what shrieking was here ? what out-cries ? what running from one sword , to the edge of another ? what scrambling vp the walls and pillars ? what climbing into the windowes ? what vaine endeuors to escape that death which would not be shunned ? whether running , or kneeling , or prostrate , they must dye . the first part of the sacrifice was baals , the latter is gods : the blood of beasts was offered in the one , of men in the other ; the shedding of this was so much more acceptable to god , by how much these men were more beasts , then those they sacrificed . oh happy obedience ; god was pleased with a sacrifice from the house of baal ; the idolaters are slaine , the idols burnt , the house of baal turn'd to a draught ( tho euen thus lesse vncleane , lesse noysome , then in the former perfumes ; ) and in one word , baal is destroyed out of israel . who that had seene all this zeale for god , would not haue said ; iehu is a true israelite . yet , he that rooted out ahab , would not be rid of ieroboam : he that destroyed baal , maintained the two calues of dan and bethel . that idolatry was of a lower ranke ; as being a mis-worship of the true god , whereas the other was a worship of the false : euen the easier of both is haynous ; and shall robb iehu of the praise of his vprightnesse . a false heart may laudably quit it selfe of some one gross sin , & in the meane time hugg some lesser euill that may condemne it : as a man recouered of a feuer , may dye of a iaundis , or a dropsie . we lose the thanke of all , if wee wilfully fault in one . it is an intire goodnes that god cares for : perhaps ( such is the bounty of our god ) a partiall obedience may be rewarded with a temporall blessing ; ( as iehues seuerity to ahab shal cary the crown to his seed for foure generations ) but we can neuer haue any comfortable assurance of an eternall retribution , if our hearts & wayes be not perfit with god. woe be to vs , ô god , if wee bee not all thine : wee cannot but euerlastingly depart from thee , if wee depart not from euery sinne : thou hast purged our hearts from the baal of our grosse idolatries , oh cleare vs from the golden calues of our pety-corruptions also ; that thou maist take pleasure in our vprightnesse ; and wee may reape the sweet comforts of thy gracious remuneration . athaliah and ioash . oh the wofull ruines of the house of good iehosaphat : iehu hath slain two and fourty of his issue ; athaliah hopes to root out the rest : this daughter of ahab was not like to be other then fatall to that holy line ; one drop of that wicked blood was enough both to impure , and spill all the rest which affinity had mixed with it . it is not vnlike that ahaziah betaking himselfe to the society of iehorams warres , committed the sway of his scepter to his mother athaliah . the daughter of iezebel cannot but be plotting : when she heares of the death of ahaziah , and his brethren , inflicted by the heauy hand of iehu , shee straight casts for the kingdome of iudah : the true heires are infants , their minority giues her both colour of rule , and oportunity of an easie extirpation . perhaps , her ambition was not more guilty then her zeale of baalisme : she saw iehu out of a detestation of idolatry , trampling on the blood of iehoram , iezebel , ahaziah , the sonnes of ahab , the brethren of ahaziah , the priests and prophets of baal ; and in one word , triumphing in the destruction both of ahab , and his gods out of israel : and now she thinks , why should not i destroy iehosaphat , and his god out of iudah ? who euer saw an idolater that was not cruell ? athaliah must needs let out some of her owne blood , out of the throat of ahaziahs sonnes ; yet she spares not to shed it out of a thirst of soueraignty . o god how worthy of wonder are thy iust and mercifull dispensations ? in that thou sufferest the seed of good iehosaphat to bee destroyed by her hand , in whose affinity he offended , and yet sauest one branch of this stock of iehosaphat , for the sake of so faithfull a progenitor . wicked athaliah , couldst thou thinke god would so farre forget his seruant dauid ( though no other of those loynes had seconded his vertues ) as to suffer all his seed to be rooted out of the earth ? this vengeance was for thy father ahab ; the man according to gods owne heart shall haue a lineall heyre to succeed in his throne , when thou and thy fathers house shall haue vanished into forgetfulnesse . for this purpose hath the wise prouidence of god ordained a iehosheba , and matcht her in the priestly tribe : such reuerence did iehoram , king of iudah ( though degenerated into the idolatry of his father in law ahab ) beare to this sacred function , that he marries his daughter to iehoiada the priest . euen princesses did not then scorne the bed of those that serued at gods altar : why should the gospel poure contempt vpon that which the law honoured ? that good lady had too much of iehosaphat in her , to suffer the vtter extirpation of that royall seed ; she could not doubtlesse , without the extreme danger of her owne life , saue the life of her nephew ioash ; with what a louing boldnesse doth she aduenture to steale him from amongst those bleeding carkasses , in the chamber of death ? her match gaue her oportunity to effect that , which both nature , and religion moued her to attempt : neyther know i , whether more to wonder at the cunning of the deuice , or the courage of the enterprise , or the secresie of the concealment , or the happinesse of the successe : certainly , athaliah was too cruelly-carefull to forget this so late borne sonne of ahaziah ; of all the rest , his age would not suffer him to be out of her eye : in all likelihood therefore , shee must needs haue missed so noted a corps , had there not beene a substitution of some other dead chyld in his roome : in that age , the fauour is not so distinguishable ; especially of a dead face . without some pious deceit this worke could neuer haue beene effected ; else , had the chyld beene secretly subduced , and missed by his bloody grandmother , her perpetuall iealousie had both expected a suruiuing heyre , and continued a curious , and vnauoydable search : both which were now shunned at once , whilst athaliah reckons him for dead , whom iehosheba hath preserued . mischiefe sometimes failes of those appointments , wherein it thinkes to haue made the surest worke ; god laughes in heauen at the plots of tyrans ; and befooles them in their deepest proiects . he had said to dauid , of the fruit of thy body will i set vpon thy seate ; in vaine shall earth and hell conspire to frustrate it . sixe yeares hath ioash , and his nurse beene hid in a close cell of the temple : those roomes were destin'd onely to the holy tribe ; yet now reioyce to harbour such a guest ; the rigour of the ordinary law must yeeld to cases of so important necessity . all this could not possibly be done and continued without the priuity of many faithfull priests & leuites ; who were as carefull to keepe this counsell , as hopefull of the issue of it : it is not hard for many honest hearts to agree in a religious secresie ; needs must those lips bee shut , which god hath sealed vp . iudah had not been vsed to such a yoke ; long had it groned vnder the tyranny not of a woman onely , but an idolatrous sydonian : if any of that sexe might haue claimed that scepter , none had so much right to it , as iehosheba her selfe ; but good iehoiada the priest , who had rather to bee a loyall guardian to the king , then an husband to a queene , now findes time to set on foot the iust title of ioash ; and to put him into the misvsurped throne of his father ahaziah . in the seuenth yeare , therefore , he sends for the captaines , and the gard ; and hauing sworne them secrecy ; by vndoubted witnesses makes faith vnto them of the truth of their natiue prince , thus happily rescued from the bloody knife of his mercilesse grandmother ; marshals the great businesse of his inauguration ; giues euery one his charge ; sets euery one his station ; and so disposes of his holy forces , as was most needfull for the safety of the king , the reuenge of the vsurper , the preuention of tumults , the establishment of the crowne vpon the owners head in peace and ioy. there was none of all these agents who did not hold the businesse to bee his owne ; euery true subiect of iudah was feelingly interessed in this seruice ; neither was there any of them , who was not secretly heart-burned all this while , with the hatefull gouernment of this idolatrous tyrannesse : and now this inward fire is glad to find a vent ; how gladly do they address themselues to this welcome imployment ? the greatest part of this secret band were leuites , who might therefore both meet together with least suspition , and be more securely trusted by iehoiada , vnder whom they serued ; euen that holy priest of god in stead of teaching the law , sets the gard , orders the captaines , ranges the troupes of iudah ; and in stead of a censer , brings forth the speares and shields of dauid ; the temple is for the present , a field , or an artillery-yard ; and the ephods are turned into harnesse . that house , in the rearing whereof not the noyse of an hammer might be heard , now admits of the clashing of armour , and the secret murmurs of some military atchieuement : no circumstances either of place , or calling , are so punctuall , as that publique necessity may not dispense with their alteration . all things are now ready for this solemnity : each man reioyces to fixe vpon his owne footing ; and longs to see the face of their long-concealed soueraigne ; and vowes his blood to the vindication of the common liberty , to the punishment of a cruell intruder : now iehoiada brings forth vnto them the kings son , and presents him to the peeres , and people ; hardly can the multitude containe it selfe from shouting out too soone : one sees in his countenance the features of his father , ahaziah ; another of his grandfather , iehoram ; a third professes to discerne in him some lines , and fashion of his great-grandfather iehosaphat ; all find in his face the naturall impressions of maiesty ; and reade in it the hopes , yea the prophesies of their future happinesse . not with more ioy , then speed , doth iehoiada accomplish all the rites of the coronation . before that young king could know what was done to him , hee is anointed , crowned , presented with the booke of the law : those ceremonies were instructiue ; and , no doubt , iehoiada failed not to comment vpon them in due time , to that royall pupill . the oyle , wherewith he was anointed , signified his designation to that high seruice ; and those indowments from heauen that might inable him to so great a function . the crowne , wherewith he was adorned , signified that glorie and maiesty which should both incourage , and attend his princely cares . the booke of the testimony signified the diuine rules and directions , whereto he must frame his heart and actions , in the weilding of that crowne , in the improuement of that oile . these three , the oile , the crown the testimonie , that is , inward powers , outward magnificence , true pietie and iustice make vp a perfect prince ; none of these may be wanting ; if there be not a due calling of god , and abilities meet for that greatnesse , the oile faileth : if there be not a maiesticke grace and royaltie , that may command reuerence , the crowne is missing ; if there be not a carefull respect to the law of god , as the absolute guide of all counsells , and determinations , the testimonie is neglected ; all of them concurring , make both king and people happy . now , it is time for the people to clap their hands , and by their lowd acclamations to witnesse their ioy ; which must needs break forth with so much more force , by how much it was longer , vpon feares and policy , suppressed . the court and the temple were neere together ; howeuer it was with athaliah , and the late reuolted princes of iudah , according to the common word , the neerer to the church , the further from god ; their religious predecessors held it the greatest commodity of their house , that it neighboured vpon the house of god ; from her palace might athaliah easily heare the ioyfull shouts of the multitude , the lowd noise of the trumpets ; and as astonished with this new tumult of publike gratulations , she comes running into the temple : neuer had her foot trod vpon that holy pauement , till now that she came to fetch a iust reuenge from that god whose worship shee had contemned . it fell out well , that her sudden amazednesse called her forth , without the attendance of any strong guard ; whose side-taking might haue made that quarrell mutually bloody : shee soone heares , and sees what shee likes not ; her eare meets with , god saue the king ; her eye meets with the vnlooked for heyre of the kingdome , sitting on his throne , crowned , and robed , in the royall fashion ; guarded with the captaines and souldiers , proclaimed by the trumpeters , acclamed & applauded by the people . who can say whether this sight draue her more neer to frenzie , or death ? how could it bee otherwise , when those great spirits of hers , that had beene long vsed to an vncontrolled soueraigntie , find themselues so inexpectedly suppressed . shee now rends her cloathes , and cryes , treason , treason , as if that voice of hers could still command all hearts , all hands ; as if one breath of hers were powerfull enough to blow away all these new designes : oh athaliah , to whom dost thou complaine thy selfe ? they are thy iust executioners wherewith thou art incompassed ; if it be treason to set vp the true heire of ahaziah , thou appealest to thy traitors . the treason was thine , theirs is iustice ; the time is now come of thy reckoning for all the royall blood of iudah , which thine ambition shed ; wonder rather at the patience of this long forbearance , then the rigor of this execution . there needs no formall seat of iustice in so apparent offence , iehoiada passes the sentence of death vpon her ; haue her forth of the ranges ; let her not be slaine in the house of the lord ; and him that followeth her , kill with the sword . had not this vsurpation beene palpable , iehoiada would not haue presumed to intermedle ; now being both the priest of god , and vnckle and protector to the lawfull king , he doth that , out of the necessity of the state , which his infant soueraigne ( if hee could haue beene capable of those thoughts ) would haue desired . violent hands are layd vpon athaliah , whom no doubt a proud and furious disdaine of so quicke a charge , and of so rough an vsage made miserably impatient ; now she frownes , and cals , and shrieks and commands , and threatens , and reuiles , and intreats in vaine ; and dyes with as much ill will from her selfe , as she liued with the ill will of her repining subiects . i see not any one man of all her late flatterers , that followes her , either for pitty , or rescue ; euery man willingly giues her vp to iustice ; not one sword is drawn in her defence ; not one eye laments her . such is the issue of a tyrannicall mis-gouernment ; that which is obeyed not without secret hate , is lost not without publique ioy . how like is athaliah to her mother iezebel , as in conditions and carriage , so euen in death : both killed violently , both killed vnder their owne walls ; both slaine with treason in their mouthes ; both slaine in the entrance of a changed gouernment : one trod on by the horses , the other slaine in the horse-gate . both paid their owne blood for the innocent blood of others . how suddenly , how easily is iudah restored to it selfe , after so long , and so fearfull a deprauation ; the people scarce beleeue their owne eyes , for the wonder of this happy change ; neither know i whether they bee more ioyed in the sight of their new king , thus strangely preserued , or in the sight of iehoiada , that had preserued him . no man can enuy the protection of the young king vnto him , by whose meanes hee liues and raignes : that holy man cares onely to improue his authority , to the common good : he makes a couenant betweene the lord , and the king , and the people : and after so long & dangerous a disjunction , reunites them to each other . their reuiued zeale bestirs it selfe , and breakes downe the temples , and altars , and images of baal , and sacrifices his idolatrous priest ; shortly , both ahab , and baal is destroyed out of iudah . the scepter of iudah is changed from a woman , to a child ; but , a child trained vp , and tutored by iehoiada ; this minority so guided was not inferiour to the mature age of many predecessors . happy is that land , the non-age of whose princes falls into holy and iust hands . yet euen these holy and iust hands came short of what they might haue done ; the high places remained still : those altars were erected to the true god , but in a wrong place : it is maruell if there be not some blemishes found in the best gouernment : i doubt iehoiada shall once abuy it deare that hee did not his vtmost . but for the mayne , all was wel with iudah , in all the dayes of iehoiada ; euen after that ioash was growne past his pupillage : hee that was the tutor to his infancie , was the councellor of his ripe age ; and was equally happy in both : how pleasing was it to that good high priest , to be commanded by that charge of his in the businesse of god ? the yong king giues order to the priests , for the collection of large summs , to the repayring of the breaches of gods house . it becomes him well to take care of that , which was the nursery of his infancy : and now , after three and twentie yeares he expostulates with his late guardian , iehoiada , and the rest of his coate , why repayre ye not the breaches ? oh gracious and happy vicissitude ; iehoiada the priest had ruled the infancy of king ioash in matters of state ; and now ioash the king commands aged iehoiada the priest in matter of deuotion . in the affaires of god , the action is the priests , the ouersight and coaction is the princes : by the carefull indeuor of both , gods house is repayred , his seruice flourisheth . but alas , that it may too well appeare , that the ground of this motion was not altogether inward , no sooner doth the life of iehoiada cease , then the deuotion of ioash begins to languish : and after some languor , dyes . the benefit of a truly religious prelate , or states-man , is not knowne till his losse . now some idolatrous peeres of iudah haue soone mis-carryed the king from the house of the lord god of their fathers , to serue groues , and idols . yea , whither goe we wretched men , if we be left by our maker ? king ioash is turned , not idolater onely , but persecutor ; yea , ( which is yet more horrible to consider ) persecutor of the sonne of that iehoiada to whom he owes his owne life . zechariah his cosen german , his foster-brother , the holy issue of those parents , by whom ioash liues , and raignes , for the conscionable rebuke of the idolatry of prince , and people , is vniustly , and cruelly murthered by that vnthankfull hand : how possible is it for faire and saint-like beginnings to shut vp in monstrous impieties ? let him that thinkes hee stands , take heed lest he fall . when did god euer put vp so foule ingratitude to himselfe , to his seruants ? o ioash , what eye can pitty the fearfull destruction of thee , and thy iudah ? if ye haue forgotten the kindnesse of iehoiada , your vnkindness to iehoiada shall not be forgotten : a small army of syrians came vp against iudah and ierusalem , and destroyed all the princes of the people , and sent all the spoyle of them to damascus . now hazael reuenges this quarrell of god , and his anointed ; and plagues that people which made themselues vnworthy to bee the lords inheritance . and what becomes of ioash ? hee is left in great diseases , when his owne seruants conspired against him for the blood of the sonnes of iehoiada , and slew him on his bed , and he dyed ; and they buryed him not in the sepulcher of the kings . dying zechariah had sayd in the bitternesse of his departing soule , the lord looke vpon it , and require it : i confesse i had rather to haue heard him say , the lord passe it ouer , and remit it ; so said steuen ; such difference there is betweene a martyr of the law , and of the gospell : although i will hope the zeale of iustice , not the vncharitable heate of reuenge drew forth this word : god heares it , and now giues an account of his notice ; thus doth the lord require the blood of iehoiadaes son ; euen by the like vnthankfull hand of the obliged seruants of ioash . he that was guilty of abhominable idolatry , yet ( as if god meant to waue that challenge ) is called to reckoning for his cruell vnthankfulnesse to iehoiada ; this crime shall make him odious aliue , and shall abandon him dead from the sepulcher of his fathers ; as if this last royalty were too good for him , who had forgotten the law of humanity . some vices are such , as nature smiles vpon , though frowned at by diuine iustice : others are such , as euen nature it selfe abhorres ; such is this of ingratitude , which therefore caries so much more detestation from god , as it is more odious euen to them that haue blotted out the image of god. ioash with elisha dying . the two kingdoms of iudah and israel , how euer diuided both in gouernement , and affection , yet loued to interchange the names of their kings ; euen israel also had their ioash , no better then that of iudah ; he was not more the father of a later ieroboam , then ( in respect of mis-worship ) he was the son of the first ieroboam , who made israel to sin ; those calues of dan and bethel , out of a politick mis-deuotion , besotted all the succession of the ten vsurped tribes : yet euen this idolatrous king of israel comes downe to visit the sicke bed of elisha , and weeps vpon his face . that holy prophet was neuer any flatterer of princes , neyther spared he inuectiues against their most plausible sinnes : yet king ioash , that was beaten by his reproofes , washes that face with the teares of loue , and sorrow , which had often frowned vpon his wickednesse . how much difference there was betwixt the ioash of israel , and the ioash of iudah ? that of iudah hauing beene preserued and nurtured by iehoiada the priest , after all professions of dearnesse shuts vp in the vnkinde murther of his sonne ; and that meerly for the iust reproofe of his own idolatry : this of israel hauing beene estranged from the prophet elisha , and sharply rebuked for the like offence , makes loue to his dying reprouer , and bedewes his pale face with his teares : both were bad enough , but this of israel was , howeuer vicious , yet good-natur'd : that of iudah added to his wickednesse , an ill disposition , a dogged humor . there are varieties euen of euill men ; some are worse at the root , others at the branch ; some more ciuilly harmlesse , others fouler in morality . according to the exercise of the restraining grace , naturall men doe eyther rise , or fall in their ill . the longest day must haue his euening : good elisha , that had liued some ninety yeares , a wonder of prophets , and had outworne many successions in the thrones of israel , & iudah , is now cast vpon the bed of his sicknesse , yea , of his death : that very age might seeme a disease ; which yet is seconded with a languishing distemper : it is not in the power of any holinesse to priuiledge vs from infirmity of body , from finall dissolution : he that stretched himselfe vpon his bed , ouer the dead carkasse of the shunamites sonne , and reuiued it ; must now stretch out his owne limmes vpon his sicke bed , and dye : hee saw his master elijah rapt vp suddenly from the earth , and fetcht by a fiery chariot from this vale of mortalitie ; himselfe must leasurely wait for his last pangs , in a lingring passage to the same glory . there is not one way appointed to vs , by the diuine prouidence , vnto one common blessednesse : one hath more paine , another hath more speed : violence snatcheth away one , another by an insensible pace drawes euery day neerer to his terme : the wisedome and goodnesse of god magnifies it selfe in both : happy is he that after due preparation , is past through the gates of death , ere he be aware ; happy is he that by the holy vse of long sicknesse is taught to see the gates of death afarre off , and addressed for a resolute passage : the one dyes like elijah , the other like elisha , both blessedly . the time was , when a great king sent to elisha to know if he should recouer ; now the king of israel , as knowing that elisha shall not recouer ( so had his consumption spent him ) comes to visit the dying prophet ; & when his teares would giue him leaue ; breakes forth into a passionate exclamation , o my father , my father , the chariot of israel and the horsmen thereof . yet the calues of dan and bethel haue left some goodnesse in ioash : as the best man hath something in him worthy of reproofe ; so the faultiest hath somthing commendable . had not the spirit of god himselfe told vs , that ioash did that which was euill in the sight of the lord , wee had admired this piety , this reuerent respect to the prophet . the holiest man could not haue said more : it is possible for the clients of a false worship , to honor ( out of another regard ) the professors of truth ; from the hand of elisha had iehu the grandfather of ioash receiued his vnction to the kingdome : this fauour might not be forgotten . visitation of the sicke is a duty required both by the law of humanity , and of religion ; bodily infirmity is sad , and comfortlesse ; and therefore needs the presence , and counsell of friends to relieue it ; although , when wee draw the curtaines of those that are eminently gracious , wee doe rather fetch ( with ioash ) then bring a blessing . how sensible should wee bee of the losse of holy men , when a ioash spends his teares vpon elisha ? if we be more affected with the forgoing of a naturall friend , or kinsman , then of a noted and vsefull prophet , it argues more loue to our selues , then to the church of god , then to god himselfe . what vse there was of charets and horsemen in those warres of the ancient , all histories can tell vs : all the strength of the battell stood in these : there could bee neither defence , nor offence , but by them : such was elisha vnto israel ; the greatest safegard to any nation is the sanctity , and faithfulnesse of their prophets ; without which , the church and state lyes open to vtter desolation . the same words that elisha said of his master elijah , when he saw him taken vp from the earth , doth ioash now speake of elisha , neere his dissolution : o my father , my father , the charets of israel , and the horsemen thereof . the words were good ; the teares were pious ; but where are the actions ? o ioash , if the prophet were thy father , wher was thy filiall obedience ? he cry'd downe thy calues , thou vpheldst them ; he counsell'd thee to good , thou didst euill in the sight of the lord. if the prophet were the charets and horsemen of israel , why didst thou fight against his holy doctrine ? if thou weepest for his losse , why didst thou not weepe for those sinnes of thine , that procured it ? had thine hand answered thy tongue , israel had been happy in elisha ; elisha had beene happy in israel , and thee ; words are no good tryall of profession : the worst men may speake well : actions haue onely the power to descry hypocrites . yet euen a ioash thus complying , shall not goe away vnblessed : this outward kindnesse shall receiue an outward retribution ; these few drops of warme water shed vpon the face of a prophet , shall not lose their reward ; the spirit of prophesie forsakes not the death-bed of elisha ; hee calls for bow , and arrowes , and puts them into the hand of ioash , and putting his hands vpon the kings hand , hee bids to shoot eastward : and whiles the shaft flyes , and lights , he sayes , the arrow of the lords deliuerance from syria ; for thou shalt smite the syrians in aphek , till thou haue consumed them : if the weake and withered hand of the prophet had not beene vpon the youthfull , and vigorous hand of the king , this bow had been drawn in vaine ; the strength was from the hand of the king , the blessing from the hand of the prophet : he whose reall parable hath made the earth to be syria , the arrow , reuenge , the archer , ioash , hath obtained for his last boone from god to israel , that this archer shall shoot this arrow of reuenge , into the heart of syria , and wound it to death . when the hand of the king , and of the prophet drawes together , there cannot choose but successe must follow . how readily doth elisha now make good the words of ioash ? how truly is he the charets , and horsemen of israel ? israel had not fought without him , much lesse had been victorious ; if theirs be the indeuour , the successe is his : euen the dying prophet puts life , and speed into the forces of israel , and whiles hee is digging his owne graue , is raising trophees to gods people . hee had receiued kindnesse from the syrians ; amongst them was hee harbour'd in the dearth ; and from some of their nobles , was presented with rich gifts ; but their enmity to israel drowns all his priuate respects ; he cannot but professe hostility to the publique enemies of the church : neither can he content himselfe with a single prediction of their ruine . hee bids ioash to take the arrowes , and smite vpon the ground ; hee sets no number of those strokes ; as supposing the frequēce of those blowes , which ioash might well ( vpon his former parabolicall act ) vnderstand to bee significant . the slacke hand of the king smites but thrise . so apt we are to be wanting to our selues ; so coldly doe wee execute the commands of god : the sick prophet is not more greeued , then angry at this dull negligence ; doubtlesse god had reuealed to him ( for his last gratification ) that vpon his feruent prayers , so oft as ioash should voluntarily ( after his generall charge ) smite the earth , so oft should israel smite syria . elishaes zeale doth not languish with his body : with a fatherly authoritie hee chides him , who had styled him father ; not fearing to spend some of his last winde in a myld reproofe , thou shouldst haue smitten fiue or six times , then thou hadst smitten syria till thou hadst consumed it , whereas now thou shalt smite syria but thrise . not that the vnchangeable decree of the almighty meant to suspend it selfe vpon the vncertaine issue of ioashes will ; but , hee that put this word into the mouth of his prophet , puts this motion into the hand of the king , which did not more willingly stay , then necessarily obey that prouidence wherby it was stirred . euen whiles wee haue our freest choyce , wee fall vpon those actions and circumstances , whereby the iust and holy will of our god is brought about . our very neglects , our ignorances shall fulfill his eternall councells . elisha dyes , and is buried ; his miracles doe not cease with his life : who can maruell that his liuing prayers raised the sonne of the shunamite , when his dead bones raise the carkasse that touched them . god will bee free in his works ; he that must dye himselfe , yet shall reuiue another ; the same power might haue continued life to him , that gaue it by his bones . israel shall well see that he liues , by whose vertue , elisha was both in life , and death , miraculous : whiles the prophet was aliue , the impetration might seeme to be his , though the power were gods ; now that he is dead , the bones can challenge nothing , but send the wondring israelites to that almighty agent , to whom it is all one to worke by the quicke , or dead . were not the men of israel more dead then the carkasse thus buryed , how could they choose but see in this reuiued corps , an embleme of their owne cōdition ? how could they choose but thinke , if wee adhere to the god of elisha , he shall raise our decayed estates , and restore our nation to the former glory . the sadduces had as yet no being in israel , with what face could that heresie euer after looke into the world , when before the birth of it , it was so palpably conuinced , with an example of the resurrection ? intermission of time , and degrees of corruption adde nothing to the impossibilitie of our rising : the body that is once cold in death , hath no more aptitude to a reanimation , then that which is moldred into dust ; onely the diuine power of the maker must restore eyther , can restore both : when wee are dead , and buryed in the graue of our sinne ; it is only the touch of gods prophets , applying vnto vs the death and resurrection of the sonne of god , that can put new life into vs ; no lesse true , though spirituall , is the miracle of our raising vp from an estate of inward corruption , to a life of grace . yet all this preuailes not with israel : no bones of elisha could raise them from their wicked idolatry : and , notwithstanding their grosse sins , ioash their king prospers : whether it were for the sake of iehu , whose grand-chyld he was ; or for the sake of elisha , whose face hee wept vpon , his hand is notably successfull : not onely against the son of hazael , king of syria , whom hee beates out of the cities of israel ; but , against amaziah king of iudah , whom he tooke prisoner , beating downe the very walls of ierusalem , and returning laden with the sacred , and rich spoyle both of the temple , and court , to his samaria . oh the depth of the diuine iustice , and wisedome in these outward administrations ! the best cause , the best man doth not euer fare best : amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the lord ; ioash , euill : amaziah followes dauid ( though not with equall paces ) ioash followes ieroboam , yet is amaziah shamefully foyled by ioash ; whether god yet meant to visit vpon this king of iudah , the still-odious vnthankfulnes of his father to iehoiada ; or , to plague iudah for their share in the blood of zechariah , and their late reuolt to idolatry ; or , whether amaziahs too much confidence in his own strength ( which moued his bold challenge to ioash ) were thought fit to be thus taken downe , or what euer other secret ground of gods iudgment there might be , it is not for our presumption to inquire : who so by the euent shall iudge of loue , or hatred , shall be sure to run vpon that woe , which belongs to them that call good euill , and euill good . what a sauage peece of iustice it is to put the right , whether of inheritance , or honor , to the decision of the sword , when it is no newes for the better to mis-cary by the hand of the worse ? the race is not to the swift ; the battell is not to the strong ; no , not to the good : perhaps , god will correct his owne by a foyle ; perhaps he will plague his enemy by a victory . they are only our spirituall combats wherein our faithfull courage is sure of a crowne . vzziah leprous . even the throne of dauid passed many chāges of good , and euill : good iehosaphat was followed with three successions of wicked princes ; and those three , were again succeeded with three others godly , and vertuous ; amaziah for a long time shone fair , but at the last , shut vp in a cloud ; the gods of the edomites marred him ; his rebellion against god , stirr'd vp his peoples rebellion against him : the same hands that slew him , crowned his sonne vzziah ; so as the yong king might imagine it was not their spight , that drew violēce vpō his father , but his owne wickednesse ; both early did this prince raigne , and late ; he began at sixteene ; and sat fifty two yeares in the throne of iudah : they that mutined in the declining age of amaziah , the father ; are obsequious to the childhood of the sonne , as if they professed to adore souerainty , whiles they hated lewdnesse : the vnchanged gouernment of good princes is the happinesse , no lesse of the subiects then of themselues : the hand knowes best to guide those reines to which it hath beene inured ; and euen meane hackneyes goe on cheerfully in their wonted rode ; custome , as it makes euils more supportable , so where it meets with constant mindes , makes good things more pleasing and beneficiall . the wise and holy prophet zechariah , was an happy tutor to the minority of king vzziah ; that vessell can hardly mis-cary where a skilfull steres-man sits at the helme : the first praise of a good prince is to be iudicious , & iust , and pious , in himselfe ; the next is , to giue eare , and way , to them that are such : whiles zechariah hath the visions of god , and vzziah takes the counsels of zechariah , it is hard to say whether the prophet , or the king , or the state be happier . god will be in no mans debt ; so long as vzziah sought the lord , god made him to prosper . euen what we doe out of duty cannot want a reward : godlinesse neuer disappointed any mans hopes , oft hath exceeded them . if vzziah fight against the philistims , if against the arabians , and mehunims ; according to his names , the strength , the help of the almighty is with him : the ammonites come in with presents , and all the neighbour nations ring of the greatnesse , of the happinesse of vzziah ; his bounty and care makes ierusalem both strong , and proud of her new towers ; yea the very desert must tast of his munificence . the outward magnificence of princes cannot stand firme , vnlesse it be built vpon the foundations of prouidence and frugality ; vzziah had not beene so great a king , if he had not been so great an husband ; he had his flockes in the deserts , and his heards in the plaines ; his plowes in the fields , his vine-dressers vpon the mountaines , and in carmel : neither was this more out of profit , then delight , for he loued husbandry . who can contemne those callings for meannesse , which haue beene the pleasures of princes ? hence was vzziah so potent at home , so dreadfull to his neighbours ; his warres had better sinewes then theirs ; which of his predecessors was able to maintaine so setled an army , of more then of three hundred and tenne thousand trained souldiers , well furnished , well fitted for the suddenest occasion ? thrift is the strongest prop of power . the greatnesse of vzziah , and the rare deuices of his artificiall engines for war , haue not more raised his fame , then his heart : so is hee swolne vp with the admiration of his owne strength , and glory , that he breaks againe ; how easie it is for the best man to dote vpon himselfe ; and to bee lifted vp so high , as to lose the sight both of the ground , whence he rises , and of the hand that aduanced him : how hard it is for him that hath inuented strange engines for the battering of his enemies , to find out any meanes to beat downe his owne proud thoughts ? wise salomon knew what he did , when hee prayed to bee deliuered from too much : lest , said he , i be full , and deny thee , and say , who is the lord ? vpon this rocke did the sonne of salomon run , and split himselfe ; his full sayles of prosperity caryed him into presumption & ruine : what may he not now doe ? what may he not be ? because hee found his power otherwise vnlimited ; ouer-ruling in the court , the cities , the fields , the deserts , the armies , and magazins , therefore he thinkes hee may doe so in the temple too : as things royall , ciuill , husbandly , military passed his hands , so why should not ( thinkes hee ) sacred also ? it is a dangerous indiscretion for a man not to know the bounds of his owne calling : what confusion doth not follow vpon this breaking of rankes ? vpon a solemne day , king vzziah clothes himselfe in pontifical robes , and in the view of that populous assembly , walkes vp in state , into the temple of god , and boldly approching to the altar of incense , offers to burne sweet odours vpon it , to the god of heauen : azariah the priest is sensible of so perillous an incrochment ; he therefore attended with fourscore valiant assistants , of that holy tribe , hastēs after the king , and finding him with the censer in his hand , readie addressed to that sinfull deuotion , stayes him with a free , and graue expostulation : there is no place wherein i could be sory to see thee , ô king , but this , where thou art ; neither is there any act , that wee should grudge thee so much , as this , which is the most sacred ; is it possible that so great an ouersight should fall into such wisedome ? can a religious prince , trained vp vnder an holy zechariah , after so many yeares zealous profession of piety , be either ignorant , or regardlesse of those limits , which god hath set to his owne seruices ? oh , what meanes this vncouth attempt ? consider , ô deare soueraigne , for gods sake , for thy soules sake , consider , where thou art , what thou doest ; it is gods house wherein thou standest , not thine owne ; looke about thee , and see , whether these vailes , these tables , these pillars , these walls , these pauements , haue any resemblance of earth : there is no place in all the world whence thy god hath excluded thee , but only this ; this he hath reserued for his own vse : and canst thou think much to allow one roome as proper to him , who hath not grudged all the rest to thee ? but if it bee thy zeale of a personall seruice to god , that hath caried thee hither ; alas , how canst thou hope to please the almighty with a forbidden sacrifice ? which of thine holy progenitors euer dared to tread , where thy foot now standeth ? which of thē euer put forth their hand to touch this sacred altar ? thou knowest that god hath set apart , and sanctified his owne attendants ; wherefore serues the priesthood , if this be the right of kings ? were it not for the strict prohibition of our god , it could seeme no other then an honour to our profession , that a king should thinke to dignifie himselfe by our employment ; but now , knowing the seuere charge of the great king of heauen , wee cannot but tremble to see that censer in thine hand ; who euer , out of the holy tribe , hath weilded it vnreuenged ? this affront is not to vs , it is to the god whō we serue ; in awe of that terrible maiesty , as thou wouldst auoid some exemplary iudgement , o king , withdraw thy selfe , not without humble deprecations , from this presence ; and lay down that interdicted handfull , with feare and trembling ; bee thou euer a king , let vs bee priests ; the scepter is thine , let censers be ours . what religious heart could do other then relent at so faithfull and iust an admonition ? but how hard it is for great persons to yeeld they haue offended ? vzziah must not be faulty ; what is done rashly shall be born out with power ; he was wroth ; and thus expresses it : what meanes this saucy expostulation , o ye sons of leui ? how dare ye thus malapertly controll the well-meant actions of your soueraigne ? if ye be priests , remember that ye are subiects ; or if ye will needs forget it , how easie is it for this hand to awake your memory ? what such offence can it be for me to come into that house , and to touch that altar , which my royall progenitors haue made , beautified , consecrated ? is the god of this place only yours ? why doe ye thus ambitiously ingrosse religion ? if princes haue not intermedled with these holy affaires , it was because they would not , not because they might not ; when those lawes were made for the sanctuary , there were no kings to grace these diuine ceremonies ; yet euen then , moses was priuiledged : the persons of princes ( if yee know not ) are no lesse sacred then your owne . it is your presumption to account the lords anointed , prophane : contest with those , whose dry & vnhallowed heads are subiect to your power ; for me , i will not aske your leaue to bee deuout ; looke yee to your owne censers , presume not to meddle with mine ; in the meane time , can ye thinke this insolence of yours shall escape vnreuenged ? can it stand with the honour of my soueraignty , to be thus proudly checked by subiects ? god doe so to me and more also , if . whiles vzziah yet speakes , god strikes : ere the words of fury can come forth of his mouth , the leprosie appeares in his forhead : leprosie was a most loathsome disease ; the forhead is the most conspicuous part : had this shamefull scurfe broken forth vpon his hand , or foot , or brest , it might haue been hid from the eyes of men ; now the forhead is smitten with this iudgement , that god may proclaime to all beholders , thus shal it be done to the man whose arrogance hath thrust him vpon a sacred charge . publique offences must haue open shame . it is a dangerous thing to put our selues into the affaires , into the presence of god , vnwarranted ; there cannot be a more foolish mesprision , then , because we are great on earth , to thinke wee may be bold with heauen : when gods messengers cannot preuaile by counsels , intreaties , threats , it is time for god to show his immediate iudgements . wilfull offenders can expect nothing but a fearfull reuenge . now begins vzziah to be confounded in himselfe ; and shame striues with leprosie , for a place in his forehead ; the hand of god hath done that in an instāt , which all the tōgues of men had attempted in vaine : there needs no further solicitor of his egresse , the sense of his plague sends him forth alone : and now he thinks ; wretched man that i am , how haue i angred god , and vndone my selfe ? i would needs come in like a priest , i now goe forth a leper : the pride of my hart made me thinke my selfe worthy the presence of a god ; gods iust displeasure hath now made me vnworthy of the presence of men : whiles i affected the altar , i haue lost my throne ; whiles i scornfully reiected the aduice and censures of gods ministers , i am now becomne a spectacle of horror , and deformity , to my owne seruants ; i that would be sending vp perfumes to heauē , haue made my nastinesse hatefull to my own senses . what doe i vnder this sacred roofe ? neither is gods house now , for mee , nor mine owne ; what cell , what dungeon is close enough for me , wherin to weare out the residue of mine vnhappy and vncomfortable dayes ? o god thou art iust , and i am miserable . thus with a deiected countenance , and sad heart , doth vzziah hast to retire himselfe ; & wishes , that he could be no lesse hid from himselfe , then from others : how easie is it for the god of heauen to bring downe the hyest pitch of earthly greatnesse , and to humble the stubbornest pride ? vpon the leasure of second thoughts , vzziah cannot but acknowledge much fauour in this correction , and confesse to haue escaped well ; others , hee knew , had beene strucke dead , or swallow'd vp quick for so presumptuous an intrusion : it is happy for him if his forehad may excuse his soule . vzziah ceased not to be a king , when he began to be a leper ; the disease of his forhead did not remoue his crowne : his sonne iotham raigned for him , vnder him ; and whiles he was not seene , yet hee was obeyed . the character of soueraignty is indeleble , whether by bodily infirmity , or by spirituall censure : neither is it otherwise , o god , betwixt thee , and vs , if we be once a royall generation vnto thee , our leprosies may deforme vs , they shall not dethrone vs : stil shall we haue the right , still the possession of that glorious kingdome , wherin wee are inuested from eternity . ahaz with his new altar . after many vnhappy changes of the two thrones ; ahaz succeedes iotham in the kingdome of iudah : an ill sonne of a good father ; not more the heyre of dauids seat , then of ieroboams sinne : though israel play the harlot , yet who can abide that iudah should sin ? it is hard not to be infected with a contagious neighbourhood : who euer read that the kingdome of israel was seasoned with the vicinity of the true religion of iudah ? goodnesse ( such as our nature is ) is not so apt to spread : a tainted ayre doth more easily affect a sound body , then an wholsome ayre can cleare the sicke : superstition hath euer bin more successefull , then truth ; the yong yeares of ahaz are soone mis-led to a plausible mis-deuotiō . a man that is once falne from truth , knowes not where he shall stay : from the calues of ieroboam is ahaz drawne to the gods of the heathen ; yea , now , bulls and goates are too little for those new deities , his owne flesh and blood is but deare enough ; he made his son to passe through their fire . where doe we finde any religious israelite thus zealous for god ? neither doth the holinesse and mercy of our god require so cruell a sacrifice : neither is our dull , and niggardly hand ready to gratifie him with more easie obediences ; o god how gladly should wee offer vnto thee our soules , and bodies , which wee may inioy so much the more , when they are thine ; since zealous pagans sticke not to leese their owne flesh , and blood in an idols fire ? he that hath thus shamefully cast off the god of his fathers , cannot bee long without a fearefull reuenge . the king of israel galls him on the one side ; the king of syria on the other : to auoid the shocke of both , ahaz doth not betake himselfe to the god whō he had offended ; who was able to make his enemies at peace with him , but to tiglath pileser king of ashur : him doth hee wooe with suits , with gifts ; and robs god of those presents , which may indeare so strong an helper . hee that thought not his son too deare for an idol , thinkes not gods siluer and gold too deare for an idolatrous abettor . oh the infinite patience of the almighty ! god giues successe a while to so offensiue a riuality : this assyrian king preuailes against the king of syria ; kils him , and takes his chiefe city , damascus ; the quarrell of the king of iudah hath inlarged the territories of his assistant , beyond hope ; and now , whiles this assyrian victor is inioying the possession of his new-won damascus : ahaz goes vp thither to meet him , to congratulate the victory , to adde vnto those triumphs , which were drawne on by his solicitation . there hee sees a new fashion'd altar , that pleases his eye ; that old forme of salomons , which was made by the pattern showd to moses in the mount , is now growne stale , and despicable ; a modell of this more exquisite frame is sent to vrijah , the priest ; and must be sampled in ierusalem . it is a dangerous presumption to make innouations , if but in the circumstances of gods worship . those humane additions which would seeme to grace the institution of god , depraue it ; that infinite wisedome knowes best what will please it selfe , and prescribes accordingly ; the foolishnesse of god is wiser then the wisedome of men ; idolatry and falshood is commonly more gawdy and plausible , then truth ; that hart which can for the outward homelinesse despise the ordinances of god , is already aliened from true religion , and lyes open to the grossest superstition . neuer any prince was so foully idolatrous , at that he wanted a priest to second him : an vrijah is fit to humor an ahaz . greatnesse neuer could command any thing , which some seruile wits were not ready both to applaud , and iustifie . ere the king can be returned from damascus , the altar is finished ; it were happy if true godlinesse could be so forward in the prosecutions of good : neither is this strange pile reared onely , but thrust vp betwixt gods altar , and the temple ; in an apparent precedency , as if he said , let the god of iudah come behind the deities of syria . and now , to make vp the full measure of his impiety , this idolatrous king will himselfe be sacrificing vpon his new altar , to his new gods ; the gods of damascus : an vsurped priesthood well becomes a false deity . because ( saith he ) the gods of the kings of syria helpe them , therefore will isacrifice to them , that they may helpe mee . oh blinde superstition ! how did the gods of syria helpe their kings , when both those kings , and their gods were vanquished , and taken by the king of assyria ? euen this damascus , and this altar were the spoyle of a forraigne enemy ; how then did the gods of syria helpe their kings , any other , then to their ruine ? what dotage is this to make choice of a foyled protection ? but had the syrians prospered , must their gods haue the thanks ? are there no authors of good but blocks or deuils ? or is an outward prosperity the only argument of truth , the onely motiue of deuotion ? o foolish ahaz , it is the god thou hast forsaken , that plagues thee , vnder whose onely arme thou might'st haue preuailed . his power beats those pagan stockes , one against other , so , as one while , one seems victorious , another vanquisht ; and at last hee confounds both , together with their proudest clients : thy selfe shall be the best instance . of all the kings of iudah hitherto , there is none so dreadfull an example either of sin , or iudgement , as this son of good iotham . i abhor to think that such a monster should descend from the loynes of dauid ; where shall bee the period of this wickednesse ? hee beganne with the hie places , thence he descends to the calues of dan and bethel ; from thence he falls to a syrian altar , to the syrian god ; then from a partnership hee falls to an vtter exclusion of the true god , and blocking vp his temple ; and then to the sacrifice of his owne sonne ; and at last , as if hell were broken loose vpon gods inheritance , euery seuerall city , euery hie place of iudah hath a new god : no maruell if he bee branded by the spirit of god , with , this is that king ahaz . what a fearfull plague did this noysome deluge of sin leaue behind it , in the land of iudah ? who can expresse the horror of gods reuenge vpō a people that should haue beene his ? pekah the king of israel , slew an hundred and twentie thousand of them in one day ; amongst whom was maseiah the sonne of ahaz : o iust iudgement of the almighty ! ahaz sheds the blood of one sonne to an idoll : the true god sheds the blood of another of his sons , in reuenge . yet , the hand of the lord is stretched out still : two hundred thousand of them were caried away by the israelites captiue to samaria : the edomites came , and caried away another part of them for bondslaues , to their country : the philistims came vp and shared the cities of the south of iudah , and the villages thereof ; shortly , what other is miserable iudah , then the prey , and spoile of all the neighbouring nations ? for the lord brought iudah low because of ahaz king of israel , for hee made iudah naked , and transgressed sore against the lord : as for the great king of ashur , whom ahaz purchased with the sacrilegious pillage of the house of god , in stead of an ayd , hee proues a burden ; how euer he sped in his first onsets ; now , hee distressed iudah , but strengthned it not : the charge was as great , as the benefit small : sooner shall hee eate them out , then rescue them . no arme of flesh can shelter ahaz from a vengeance . be wise , ô ye kings , be instructed ô yee iudges of the earth ; serue the lord with feare , and reioyce with trembling : kisse the sonne lest he be angry , and ye perish from the way , when his wrath is kindled but a little . his subiects complaine , that he died so late , and , as repenting that he euer was , deny him a roome in the sepulchers of kings : as if they said ; the common earth of ierusalem is too good for him that degenerated from his progenitors , marr'd his kingdome , depraued his people , forsooke his god. the vtter destruction of the kingdome of israel . ivdah was at a sore heaue , yet israel shall mis-cary before it ; such are the sins of both , that they striue whether shall fall first ; but this lot must light vpon the ten tribes ; though the late king of iudah were personally worse then the most of ieroboams successors , yet , the people were generally lesse euill : vpon whom the incroachments of idolatry were more by obtrusion , then by consent , besides that the thrones of iudah had some interchanges of good princes , israel none at all : the same iustice therefore that made israel a scourge to iudah , made assyria a scorpion to israel . it was the quarrell of iudah that first ingaged the king of ashur in this warre against israel ; now he is not so easily fetcht off ; so we haue seen some eager mastiue , that hath beene set on by the least clap of the hand , but could not bee loosned by the force of staues . salmaneser king of assyria comes vp against hoshea king of israel , and subdues him ; and puts him to his tribute : this yoke was vncouth and vnpleasing ; the vanquisht prince was neither able to resist , nor willing to yeeld ; secretly therefore he treats with the king of egipt for assistance , as desiring rather to hazard his liberty by the hand of an equall , then to inioy a quiet subiection vnder the hand of an ouer-ruling power ; wee cannot blame princes to bee iealous of their soueraignties ; the detaining of his yearely tribute , and the whisperings with new confederates , haue drawne vp the king of ashur to perfect his own victories : he returnes therefore with a strong power , and after three yeares siege , takes samaria , imprisons hoshea , and in the exchange of a wofull captiuity , he peoples israel with assyrians , and assyria with israelites . now that abused soyle hath vpon a surfet of wickednesse , cast out her perfidious owners , and will try how it can fare with heathenish strangers : now the assyrian gallants triumph in the palaces of samaria and iezreel ; whiles the peeres and captaines of israel are driuen manicled through the assyrian streets , and billeted to the seuerall places of their perpetuall seruitude : shortly , now the flourishing kingdome of the tenne tribes is comne to a finall and shamefull end ; and so vanished in this last dissipation , that , since that day , no man could euer say , this was israel . oh terrible example of vengeance , vpon that peculiar people , whom god hath chosen forhimselfe , out of all the world : all the world were witnesses of the fauours of their miraculous deliuerances , and protections ; all the world shall be witnesses of their iust confusion . it is not in the power of sleight errors to set off that infinite mercy : what was it , ô god , what was it , that caused thee to cast off thine owne inheritance ? what but the same that made thee to cast the angells out of heauen ? euen their rebellious sins . those sins dared to emulate the greatnesse of thy mercies , no lesse , then they forced the seuerity of thy iudgments : they left all the commandements of the lord their god ; and made them molten images , euen two calues ; and made a groue and worshipped all the host of heauen ; and serued baal ; and caused their sonnes and daughters to passe through the fire , and vsed diuination , and enchantments , and sold themselues to doe euill in the sight of the lord to prouoke him to anger . neither were these slips of frailty , or ignorant mis-takings , but wilfull crimes , obstinate impieties , in spight of the doctrines , reproofes , menaces , miraculous conuictions of the holy prophets , which god sent amongst them : thy destruction is of thy selfe , ô israel ; what could the iust hand of the almighty doe lesse then consume a nation so incorrigibly flagitious ? a nation so vnthankfull for mercies , so impatient of remedies , so vncapable of repentance : so obliged , so warned , so shamelesly , so lawlesly wicked ? what nation vnder heauen can now challenge an vndefaisible interest in god ; when israel it selfe is cast off ? what church in the world can show such deare loue-tokens from the almighty as this , now-abhorred , and adulterous spouse ? hee that spared not the naturall oliue , shall hee spare the wild ? it is not for vs sinners of the gentiles to be high-minded , but awfull . the israelites are caryed captiue into assyria ; those goodly cities of the ten tribes may not lie wast , and vnpeopled : the wisedome of the victor findes it fit to transplant his owne colonies thither ; that so he may raise profit thence , with security : from babylon therfore , and cuthah , and aua , and hamath , and sepharuaim , doth he send of his owne subiects to possesse , and inhabit the cities of samaria . the land doth not brook her new tenants : they feared not the lord ; ( how should they , they knew him not ? ) therefore the lord sent lyons amongst them which slew some of them : not the veriest pagan can bee excused for his ignorance of god ; euen the deprauedst nature might teach vs to tremble at a deity ; it is iust with the almighty not to put vp neglect , where hee hath bestowed reason . the brute creatures are sent to reuenge the quarrell of their maker , vpon worse beasts , then themselues . still hath god left himselfe champions in israel : lyons teare the assyrians in pieces ; and put them in mind , that , had it not beene for wickednesse , that land needed not to haue changed masters . the great lord of the world cannot want meanes to plague offenders : if the men bee gone , yet the beasts are there ; and if the beasts had beene gone , yet so long as there were stones in the wals , in the quarries god would be sure of auengers : there is no security but in being at peace with god. the king of assyria is sued to , for remedy : euen these pagans haue learned to know that these lyons were sent from a god ; that this punishment is for sinne ; they know not the manner of the god of the land , therefore he hath sent lyons among them : these blind heathen that thinke euery land hath a seuerall god ; yet , hold that god , worthy of his owne worship ; yet , hold that worship must bee grounded vpon knowledge ; the want of that knowledge , punishable , the punishmēt of that want , iust , and diuine : how much worse then assyrians are they that are ready to ascribe all calamities to nature to chance ? that acknowledging but one god of all the world , are yet carelesse to know him to serue him ? one of the priests of israel is appointed to bee caried backe to samaria , to teach the assyrian colony the fashions of the god of the land ; not for deuotion , but for impunity : vaine politicians thinke to satisfie god by patching vp religions ; any formes are good enough for an vnknowne deity : the assyrian priests teach , and practise the worship of their own gods ; the israelitish priest prescribes the worship of the true god ; the people will follow both ; the one out of liking , the other out of feare : what a prodigious mixture was here of religions ? true with false , iewish with paganish , diuine with diuellish ; euery diuision of these transplanted assyrians had their seuerall deities , high places , sacrifices ; this priest of israel intercommons with euery of them : so as now these fathers of samaritanisme , are in at all ; they feare the lord and serue their idols : no beggers cloak is more peeced then the religion of these new inhabitants of israel . i know not how their bodies sped for the lyons , i am sure their soules fared the worse for this medlie : aboue all things god hates a mungrell deuotion ; if we be not all israel , it were better to bee all ashur ; it cannot so much displease god to bee vnknowne or neglected , as to bee consorted with idols . hezekiah and senacherib . israel is gone , iudah is left standing ; or rather some few sprigs of those two tribes : so we haue seene in the shredding of some large timber-tree , one or two boughes left at the top to hold vp the sap . who can but lament the poore remainders of that languishing kingdome of dauid ? take out of the two tribes of iudah , and beniamin , one hundred and twenty thousand , whom pekah the king of israel slew in one day . take out two hundred thousand that were caried away captiue to samaria ; take out those that were transported into the bondage of the edomites ; and those that were subdued in the south parts , by the philistims ; alas , what an handfull was left to the king of iudah ; scarce worth the name of a dominion : yet , euen now , out of the gleeds of iudah , doth god raise vp a glorious light to his forlorne church ; yea , from the wretched loynes of ahaz , doth god fetch an holy ezekiah . it had beene hard to conceiue the state of iudah worse then it was ; neither was it more miserable , then sinfull , and in regard of both , desperate ; when beyond hope , god reuiues this dying stocke of dauid , and out of very ruines builds vp his owne house . ahaz was not more the ill sonne of a good father , then he was the ill father of a good sonne . he was the ill sonne of good iotham , the ill father of good hezekiah . good hezekiah makes amends for his fathers impietie ; and puts a new life into the hartlesse remnant of gods people . the wisedome of our good god knowes when his ayd will bee most seasonable , most welcome ; which hee then loues to giue , when he findes vs left of all our hopes : that mercifull hand is reserued for a dead lift ; then , he failes vs not . now , you might haue seene this pious prince busily bestirring himselfe , in so late and needfull a reformation , remouing the high places , battering and burning the idolls , demolishing their temples , cutting downe their groues , opening the temple , purging the altars , and vessells , sanctifying the priests , rekindling the lampes , renuing the incense , reinstituting the sacrifices , establishing the order of gods seruice , appointing the courses , setling the maintenance of the ministers , publishing the decrees for the long-neglected pass-ouer ; celebrating it , and the other feasts , with due solemnity , incouraging the people , contributing bountifully to the offerings , and , in one word , so ordering all the affayres of god , as if hee had beene sent downe from heauen to restore religion ; as if dauid himself had been aliue againe in this blessed heyre , not so much of his crowne , as of his piety . oh iudah , happy in thy ezekiah , oh ezekiah happy in the gratious restauration of thy iudah : ahaz shall haue no thanke for such a sonne ; the god that is able of the very stones to raise children to abraham , rayses a true seed of dauid out of the corrupt loynes of an idolater : that infinite mercy is not tyed to the termes of an immediate propagation : for the space of three hundred yeares , the man after gods owne heart had no perfect heyre till now ; till now did the high places stand : the deuotions of the best princes of iudah were blemished with some weake omissions ; now the zeale of good ezekiah cleares all those defects , and workes an intyre change . how seasonably hath the prouidence of god kept the best man for the worst times ? when god hath a great worke to doe , hee knowes to fit himselfe with instruments . no maruell if the paganish idolls goe to vvracke , vvhen euen the brazen serpent that moses had made by gods owne appointment , is broken in peeces : the israelites were stung with fiery serpents , this brazen serpent healed them , which they did no sooner see , then they recouered : but now , such was the venome of the israelitish idolatry , that this serpent of brasse , stung worse then the fiery ; that , which first cured by the eye , now by the eye poysoned the soule ; that which was at first , the type of a sauiour , is now , the deadly engine of the enemy . whiles it helped , it stood ; it stood whiles it hurt not , but when once wicked abuse hath turned it into an idoll ; what was it but nehushtan ? the holinesse of the first institution cannot priuiledge ought from the danger of a future profanation ; nor , as the case may stand , from an vtter abolition : what antiquity , what authoritie , what primary seruice might this serpent haue pleaded ? all that cannot keepe it out of the dust . those things which are necessarie in their being , beneficiall in their continuance , may still remaine when their abuse is purged ; but those things whose vse is but temporary , or whose duration is needlesse and vnprofitable , may cease with the occasion , and much more perish with an inseparable abuse . ezekiah willingly forgets who made the serpent , when he fees the israelites make it an idoll : it is no lesse intolerable for god , to haue a riuall of his owne making . since hezekiah was thus , aboue all his ancestors , pright with the lord ; it is no maruell if the lord were with him ; if he prospered , whither soeuer hee went ; the same god that would haue his iustice magnified in the confusion of the wicked princes of issrael , and iudah , would haue his mercy no lesse acknowledged , in the blessings of faithfull hezekiah . the great king of assyria had in a sort swallowed vp both the kingdomes of iudah , and israel ; yet not with an equall cruelty ; he made israel captiue , iudah ( vpon a willing composition ) tributary . israel is vanished in a transportation , iudah continues vnder the homage wherein ahaz left it : hezekiah had raigned but sixe yeares when he saw his neighbours of israel packing into a miserable captiuity ; & the proud assyrians lording in their cities ; yet , euen then , when hee stood alone , in a corner of iudah , durst hezekiah draw his necke out of the yoke of the great , and victorious monarch of assyria ; and , as if one enemy had not beene enough , at the same time , hee falls vpon the incroaching philistims , and preuailes . it is not to be asked , what powers a man can make , but in what termes he stands with heauen . the vnworthy father of hezekiah had clogged iudah with this seruile fealty to the assyrian ; what the conditions of that subiection were , it is too late , and needlesse for vs to inquire , if this payment were limited to a period of time , the expiration acquitted him ; if vpon couenants of ayd , the cessation thereof acquitted him ; if the reforming of religion , & banishment of idolatry ran vnder the censure of rebellion , the quarrell on ezekiahs part , was holy , on senacheribs vniust : but if the restipulation were absolute , and the withdrawing of this homage vpon none but ciuill grounds , i cannot excuse the good king from a iust offence : it was an humane frailty in an obliged prince by force to affect a free and independant soueraignty . what doe we mince that fact , which holy ezekiah himselfe censures ? i haue offended , returne from mee , what thou putst on mee will i beare ? the comfort of liberty may not be had with an vnwarranted violence . holinesse cannot free vs from infirmity : it was a weaknes to doe that act , which must bee soone vndone with much repentance , and more losse ; this reuolt shall cost ezekiah ( besides much humiliation ) three hundred yearely talents of siluer , thirty talents of gold : how much better had it beene for the cities of iudah to haue purchased their peace with an easie tribute , then warre with an intolerable taxation . fourteene years had good hezekiah fed vpon a sweet peace , sauced only with a set pension ; now he must prepare his pallat for the bitter morsels of warre . the king of assyria is comne vp against all the defenced cities of iudah ; and hath taken them : ezekiah : is faine to buy him out with too many talents ; the poore kingdome of iudah is exhaust , with so deepe a payment ; in so much as the king is forced to borrow of god himselfe , for hezekiah gaue him all the siluer that was found in the house of the lord ; yea , at that time did hezekiah cut off the gold from the doores of the temple of the lord , and from the pillars which he had ouer-laid , and gaue it to the king of assyria . how hard was good hezekiah driuen , ere he would bee thus bold with his god ? surely if the mines , or cofers of iudah could haue yeelded any supply , this shift had beene hatefull ; to fetch back for an enemy , that which hee had giuen to his maker : onely necessity excuses that from sacriledge in the sonne , which will , made sacriledge in the father : that which is once deuoted to a sacred vse , may not be called backe to a profane : but he whose the earth is , and the fulnesse of it , is not so taken with our metals , that hee should more regard our gold , then our welfare : his goodnes cannot grudge any outward thing for the price of our peace : to rob god out of couetousnesse , or wantonnesse , or neglect is iustly damnable ; wee cannot robbe him out of our need ; for then he giues vs all we take ; and bids vs ransome our liues , our liberties ; the treasures of gods house were precious , for his sake , to whom they were consecrated , but more precious in the sight of the lord was the life of any one of his saints . euery true israelite was the spirituall house of god ; why should not the doore of the materiall tēple be willingly stripped , to saue the whole frame of the spirituall temple . take therefore , ô hezekiah what thou hast giuen , no gold is too holy to redeeme thy vexation : it matters not so much how bare the doores of the temple bee , in a case of necessity , as how wel the insides be furnished with sincere deuotion . o the cruell hard hartednesse of those men which will rather suffer the liuing temples of god to be ruined ; then they will ransome their life , with farthings . it could not bee , but that the store of needy iudah must soone be drawne dry with so deepe an exaction ; that sum cannot be sent , because it cannot be raised : the cruell tyran calls for his brickes whiles he allowes no straw ; his anger is kindled because ezekiahs cofers haue a bottome ; with amighty host doth he come vp a gainst ierusalem ; therefore shal that city be destroyed by him , because by him it hath bin impouerished ; the inhabitants must bee slaues , because they are beggers . oh lamentable , and , in sight , desperate condition of distressed ierusalem : wealth it had none ; strength it had , but a little ; all the country round about was subdued to the assyrian ; that proud victor hath begirt the wals of it , with an innumerable army , scorning that such a shouell-full of earth should stand out but one day ; poore ierusalem stands alone , block't vp with a world of enemies , helplesse , friendlesse , comfortlesse ; looking for the worst of an hostile fury ; when tartan and rabsaris , and rabshakeh , the great captaines of the assyrians , call to a parlee . hezekiah sends to them three of his prime officers , his steward , his secretary , his recorder . lord ; what insolent blasphemies doth that foule mouth of rabshakeh belch out against the liuing god , against his anointed seruant ? how plausibly doth hee discourage the subiects of ezekiah , how proudly doth hee insult vpon their impotency , how doth he braue them with base offers of aduantage ; and lastly , how cunningly doth he fore-lay their confidence ( which was onely left them ) in the almighty , protesting not to bee comne vp hither without the lord ; the lord said to me , goe vp to this land , and destroy it ; how fearfull a word was this ? the rest were but vaine crackes , this was a thunderbolt to strike dead the heart of ezekiah ; if rabshakeh could haue been beleeued , ierusalem could not but haue flowne open ; how could it think to stand out no lesse against god , then men ? euen thus doth the great enemy of mankinde ; if hee can dis-hearten the soule from a dependance vpon the god of mercies , the day is his : lewd miscreants care not how they be-lye god for their owne purposes . eliakim the steward of hezekiah well knew , how much the people must needes bee affected with this pernicious suggestion ; and faine would therefore , if not stop that wicked mouth , yet diuert these blasphemies into a forraigne expression . i wonder that any wise man should looke for fauour from an enemy : speak i pray thee , to thy seruants in the syrian language : what was this but to teach an aduersary hovv to doe mischiefe ? wherfore came rabshakeh thither but to gall ezekiah , to vvith-dravv his subiects ? that tongue is properest for him vvhich may hurt most ; deprecations of euill to a malicious man are no better then aduices . an vnknowne idiome is fit to keepe counsell ; they are familiar words that must conuey ought to the vnderstanding . leud men are the worse for admonitions . rabshakeh had not so strained his throat , to corrupt the citizens of ierusalem , had it not beene for the humble obtestation of eliakim ; now he reares vp his voyce , and holds his sides , and roares out his double blasphemies ; one while affrighting the people with the great power of the mighty king of assyria ; another while debasing the contemptible force of hezekiah ; now smoothly alluring them , with the assurances of a safe and successfull yeeldance ; then , discouraging them with the impossibility of their deliuerance ; laying before them the fearfull examples of greater nations vanquished , by that sword , which was now shaken ouer them ; triumphing in the impotency , and mis-cariage of their gods : who are they among all the gods of the countries , that haue deliuered their country out of mine hand , that the lord should deliuer ierusalem out of mine hand ? where are the gods of arpad , and of hamath ? where , but in that hellish darknesse , that is ordained both for them , and for thee , barbarous assyrian , that darest thus open thy mouth against thy maker : and can those atheous eyes of thine see no differēce of gods ? is there no distance betwixt a stocke , or stone , and that infinite deity that made heauen & earth ? it is enough that thou now feelest it ; thy torments haue taught thee too late , that thou affrontedst a liuing god. how did the fingers & tongues of these iewish peeres and people , itch to be at rabshakeh ; in a reuengefull answer to those impieties : all is whus ht ; not a word sounds from those vvalls : i doe not more wonder at hezekiahs wisedome , in commanding silence , then at the subiects obedience , in keeping it ; this rayler could not be more spighted , then with no answer ; and if he might be exasperated , he could not bee reformed ; besides , the rebounding of those multiplyed blasphemies , might leaue some ill impressions in the multitude ; this sulphurous flaske , therefore , dyes in his owne smoke : onely leauing an hatefull stench behind it . good hezekiah cannot easily passe ouer this deuillish oratory ; no sooner doth he heare of it , thē he rends his clothes , and couers himselfe with sack-cloth , and betakes himselfe to the house of the lord , and sends his officers , and the grauest of the priests , clad in sack-cloth , to esay the prophet of god , with a dolefull and querulous message . oh the noble piety of hezekiah ; notwithstanding all the straits of the siege , and the danger of so powerfull an enemy ; i find not the garments of this good king , any otherwise then whole , and vnchanged ; but now so soon as euer a blasphemy is vttered against the maiesty of his god , ( though by a pagan dog ) his clothes are torne , and turned into sack-cloth : there can bee no better argument of an vpright heart , then to be more sensible of the indignities offered to god , then of our owne dangers . euen these desperate reproches send ezekiah to the temple : the more we see gods name profaned , the more shall we , if we be truely religious , loue and honor it . whither should hezekiab run but to the temple , to the prophet ? there , there is the refuge of all faithfull ones , where they may speak with god , where they may bee spoken to from god , and fetch comfort from both : it is not possible that a beleeuing heart should bee disappointed : isaiah sends that message to the good king , that may dry vp his teares , and cheere his countenāce , and change his suit ; thus saith the lord , be not afraid of the wordes which thou hast heard , with which the seruants of the king of syria haue blasphemed me ; behold i will send a blast vpon him ; and bee shall heare a rumor , and shall returne to his owne land ; and i will cause him to fall by the sword in his owne land. loe ; euen whiles senacherib was in the height of his iollity & assurance ; gods prophet foresees his ruine ; and giues him for dead , whiles that tyran thought of nothing but life and victory . proud & secure worldlings little dreame of the neere approach of their iudgements : whiles they are plotting their deepest designes , the ouer-ruling iustice of the almighty hath contriued their sudden confusion , and sees , and sets them their day . rabshakeh returnes , and finding the king of assyria warring against libnah , reports to him the silent , ( and therein ) contemptuous answer , and firme resolutions of hezekiah ; in the meane time god pulls senacherib by the eare , with the newes of the approching army of tirhakah king of ethiopia , which was comming vp to raise the siege ; and to succour his confederats : that dreadfull power will not allow the assyrian king , in person to lead his other forces vp against ierusalem , nor to continue his former leaguer long before those walls . but now , hee writes big words to hezekiah , and thinks with his thundering menaces to beat open the gates , and leuell the bulwarks of ierusalem : like the true master of rabshakeh , hee reuiles the god of heauen ; and basely parallels him with the dunghill deities of the heathen . good ezekiah gets him into his sanctuary ; there he spreads the letters before the lord ; and calls to the god that dwells between the cherubims , to reuenge the blasphemies of senacherib , to protect and rescue himselfe , and his people . euery one of those words pierced heauen ; which was no lesse open to mercy vnto hezekiah ; then , vengeance to senacherib ; now is isaiah addressed with a second message of comfort to him , who doubtlesse distrusted not the first : onely the reiteration of that furious blasphemy made him take faster hold , by his faithfull deuotion . now , the iealous god in a disdaine of so blasphemous a contestation , rises vp in a stile of maiesty , and gloriously tramples vpon this saucie insolency , because thy rage against me , and thy tumult is comne vp into mine eares , therefore i will put my hooke into thy nose , and my beidle into thy lips : and will turne this backe by the way thou camest . lod , senacherib , the god of heauen makes a beast of thee , who hast so brutishly spurned at his name ; if thou be a rauenous beare , hee hath an hooke for thy nosthrils : if thou be a resty horse , he hath a bridle for thy mouth ; in spight of thee , thou shalt follow his hooke , or his bridle ; and shalt be led to thy iust shame by either . it is not for vs to bee the lords of our owne actions ; thus saith the lord concerning the king of assyria ; he shall not come into this city , nor shoot an arrow there , nor come before it with shield , nor cast a banke against it ; by the way that he came shal he returne ; &c. impotent men , what are we in the hands of the almighty ? we purpose , he ouer-rules ; wee talke of great matters , and thinke to doe wonders ; he blowes vpon our proiects , and they vanish with our selues : he that hath set bounds to the sea , hath appointed limits to the rage of the proudest enemies ; yea , euen the deuils themselues are confined ; why boast yee your selues , ô ye tyrans , that ye can doe mischiefe ; yee are stinted : and euen within those lists , is confusion . o the trophees of diuine iustice , that very night the angell of the lord went out , and smote in the campe of the assyrians an hundred fourescore & fiue thousand ; and when they arose earely in the morning , behold they were all dead corps . how speedy an execution was this , how miraculous ? no humane arme shall haue the glory of this victory ; it was god that was defied by that presūptuous assyrian ; it is god that shall right his owne wrongs ; had the egyptian , or ethyopian forces beene comne vp , though the same god had done this worke by them , yet some praise of this slaughter had perhaps cleau'd to their fingers . now an inuisible hand sheds all this blood ; that his very enemies may cleare him frō all partnership of reuenge . go now , wicked senacherib , and tell of the gods of hamath and arpad , and sepharuaim , and hena , & iuah , which thou hast destroyed , and say , that hezekiahs god is but as one of these : goe , and adde this deity to the number of thy conquests : now , say that ezekiahs god in whom hee trusted hath deceiued him , and graced thy tryumphes . with shame and griefe enough is that sneaped tyran returned to his niniue , hauing left behinde him , all the pride and strength of assyria , for compost to the iewish fields . well were it for thee , ô senacherib , if thou couldst escape thus ; vengeance waits for thee at home , and welcomes thee into thy place ; whiles thou art worshipping in the house of nisroch thy god , two of thine own sons shall be thine executioners . see now , if that false deity of thine can preserue thee frō that stroke which the true god sends thee by the hand of thine owne flesh ; hee that slew thine hoast by his angell , slayes thee by thy sonnes : the same angell that killed all those thousands , could as easily haue smitten thee ; but he rather reserues thee for the further torment of an vnnaturall stroke , that thou mayest see too late , how easie it is for him in spight of thy god , to arme thine owne loines against thee . thou art auenged , o god , thou art auenged plentifully of thine enemies ▪ whosoeuer striues with thee , is sure to gaine nothing but losse , but shame , but death , but hell . the assyrians are slaine , senacherib is rewarded for his blasphemy : ierusalem is rescued , ezekiah reioyces , the nations wonder and tremble . o loue the lord all ye his saints , for the lord preserueth the faithfull , & plenteously rewarded the proud doer . hezekiah sicke , recouered , visited . hezekiah was freed from the siege of the assyrians , but hee is surprised with a disease : he that deliuered him from the hand of his enemies , smites him with sicknesse : god doth not let vs loose from all afflictions , when he redeemes vs from one . to thinke that ezekiah was either not thankfull enough for his deliuerance , or too much lifted vp with the glory of so miraculous a fauour ; were an iniurious mis-construction of the hand of god ; and an vncharitable censure of an holy prince : for , though no flesh and blood can auoid the iust desert of bodily punishment , yet god doth not alwayes strike with an intuition of sinne ; sometimes he regards the benefit of our triall ; sometimes the glory of his mercy in our cure . it was no sleight distemper , that seized vpon ezekiah , but a disease both painfull , and fierce , and in nature deadly . o god , how thou lashest euen those whom thou louest : hadst thou euer any such dearling in the throne of iudah , as hezekiah ? yet he no sooner breatheth from a miserable siege , then hee panteth vnder a mortall sicknesse : when as yet he had not so much , as the comfort of a child , to succeed him , thy prophet is sent to him with the heauy message of his death , set thine house in order , for thou shalt dye and not liue . it is no small mercy of god that he giues vs warning of our end ; we shall make an ill vse of so gratious a premonition , if we make not a meet preparation for our passage . euen those that haue not an house , yet haue a soule ; no soule can want important affaires to be ordered for a finall dissolution ; the neglect of this best thrift is desperate . set thy soule in order , ô man , for thou shalt dye , and not liue . if god had giuen ezekiah a son , nature had bequeathed his estate ; now , hee must study to find heyres : euen these outward things , ( though in themselues worthlesse ) require our carefull disposition , to those we leaue behind vs ; and if wee haue delayed these thoughts , till then , our sicke beds may not complaine of their importunity ; we cannot leaue to our families a better legacy , then peace . neuer was the prophet esay vnwelcome to this good king , vntill now : euen sad tidings must be caried by those messengers , which would be faithfull : neither may wee regard so much how they will bee taken , as by whom they are sent . it was a bold and harsh word to say to a king , thou shalt dye , and not liue : i doe not heare hezekiah rage , & fret at the message ; or threat the bearer , but he meekly turnes his face to the wall , and weepes , and prayes : why to the wall ? was it for the greater secrecie of his deuotion ? was is for the more freedome from all distraction ? was it that the passion which accompanied his prayer , might haue no witnesses ? or , was it for that this wall lookt towards the temple , which his heart and eyes still moued vnto , though his feet could not ? howsoeuer , the patient soule of good ezekiah turnes it selfe to that holy god , from whom hee smarts , and bleeds ; and poures out it selfe into a feruent deprecation , i beseech thee , o lord , remember now how i haue walked before thee in truth , and with a perfect hart ; and haue done that which is good in thy sight . couldst thou feare , ô ezekiah , that god had forgotten thine integrity ? the grace that was in thee , was his owne worke ; could he in thee neglect himselfe ? or dost thou therefore doubt of his remembrance of thy faithfulness , because hee summons thee to receiue the crowne of thy faithfulnesse , glory , and immortality ? wherein canst thou bee remembred , if this bee to forget thee ? what challenge is this ? is god a debter to thy perfection ? hath thine holy cariage merited any thing from that infinite iustice ? farre , farre were these presumptuous conceits from that humble and mortified soule : thou hadst hated thine owne brest , if it could once haue harboured so proud a thought . this perfection of thine was no other , then an honest soundnesse of hart , & life , which thou knowest god had promised to reward : it was the mercy of the couenant that thou pleadedst , not the merit of thine obedience . euery one of these words were steeped in teares : but what meant these words , these teares ? i heare not of any suit moued by hezekiah ; onely he wishes to bee remembred , in that which could neuer bee forgotten , though hee should haue intreated for an obliuion . speake out hezekiah , what is it that thy teares craue , whiles thy lips expresse not ? o let me liue , and i shall praise thee , o god. in a naturall man none could wonder at this passionate request ; who can but wonder at it , in a saint ? whose happinesse doth but then begin , when his life ceaseth : whose misery doth but then end , when his death enters : the word of faith , is , oh let me dye , that i may inioy thee . how then doth the good king crye at the newes of that death , which some resolute pagans haue intertained with smiles ? certainly , the best man cānot strip himselfe of some flesh , and whiles nature hath an vndeniable share in him , he cannot but retaine some smatch of the sweetnesse of life , of the horror of dissolution ; both these were in hezekiah , neither of them could transport him into this passion : they were higher respects that swayed with so holy a prince ; a tender care of the glory of god , a carefull pitty of the church of god ; his very teares said ; ô god , thou knowest that the eyes of the world are bent vpon me , as one that hath abandoned their idolatry , and restored thy sincere worship ; i stand alone in the midst of a wicked and idolatrous generation , that lookes thorough all my actions , all my euents ; if now they shall see me snatcht away in the midst of my dayes , what will these heathen say ; how can thy great name but suffer in this mine vntimely extinction ? besides , what will become of thy poore church , which i shall leaue feebly religious , and as yet scarce warme , in the course of a pious reformation ? how soone shall it be miserably ouer growne with superstition , and heathenisme ; how soone shall the wild boare of assyria root vp this little vineyard of thine ? what need i beseech thee , ô lord , to regard thy name , to regard thine inheritance ? what one teare of hezekiah can run wast ? what can that good king pray for , vnheard , vnanswered ? senacherib came in a proud confidence to swallow vp his citie , and people : prayers and teares send him away confounded : death comes to swallow vp his person , ( and that not without authority ) prayers and teares send him away disappointed . before isaiah was gone out into the midle court , the word of the lord came to him , saying ; turne againe , and tell hezekiah the captaine of my people ; thus saith the lord , the god of dauid thy father ; i haue heard thy prayer , i haue seene thy teares ; behold i will heale thee ; on the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the lord ; and i will adde to thy dayes fifteene yeares . what shall we say then , ô god , hast thou thus soone changed thy purpose ? was it not thy true message which thy prophet , euen now , deliuered to ezekiah ? is some what falne out that thou fore-sawst not ? or , doest thou now decree somewhat thou meantst not ? the very thought of any of these were no better then blasphemous impiety . certainly , hezekiah could not liue one day longer , then was eternally decreed ; the decree of gods eternall counsell had from euerlasting , determined him fifteene yeeres yet longer : why then doth god say , by his prophet , thou shalt dye , and not liue ? he is not as man that he should repent ; the message is changed , the will is not changed ; yea rather the message is explicated , not changed ; for the signified will of god , though it sound absolutely , yet must bee vnderstood with condition ; that tells hezekiah what hee must expect frō the nature of his disease , what would befall him , without his deprecations : there was nothing but death in the second causes ; what euer secret purpose there was in the first ; and that purpose shall lye hid for a time , vnder a reserued condition : the same decree that sayes , niniue shall be destroyed , meanes , if niniue repent , it shall not be destroyed ; hee that finds good reason to say , hezekiah shall dye , yet still meanes , if the quickned deuotion of hezekiah shall importune mee for life , it shall be protracted . and the same god that hath decreed this addition of fifteene years , had decreed to stirre vp the spirit of hezekiah , to that vehement and weeping importunity , which should obtaine it . o god , thou workest thy good pleasure in vs , and with vs ; and by thy reuealed will mouest vs in those wayes , whereby thou effectest thy secret will. how wonderfull is this mercy ? hezekiahs teares are not dry vpon his cheekes , yea his breath is not passed his lips , when god sends him a comfortable answer . how carefull is the god of compassions , that his holy seruant should not languish one houre , in the expectation of his denounced death ? what speed was here , as in the errand , so in the act of recouery ? within three daies shall hezekiah be vpon his feet ; yea his feet shall stand in the courts of gods house ; he that now in his bed sighes , and grones , & weeps out a petition , shall then sing out a thanksgiuing in the temple . oh thou that hearest the prayer , vnto thee shall all flesh come : with what cheerfull assurance shold we approach to the throne of that grace , which neuer fayled any suppliant . neither was this grant more speedie , then bountifull ; wee are wont to reckon seuen yeares for the life of a man ; and now , behold , more then two liues hath god added to the age of hezekiah . how vnexampled a fauour is this ? who euer but hezekiah knew his period so long before ? the fixednesse of his terme , is no lesse mercy , then the protraction ; we must be content to liue or die at vncertainties ; we are not worthy to calculate the date of our owne times : teach vs , o lord , so to number our dayes , that we may apply our hearts to wisedome . there is little ioy in many daies , if they be euill ; ezekiah shall not be blessed onely with life , but with peace ; the proud assyrian threatens an inuasiō ; his late foyle still stickes in his stomacke , and stirs him to a reuenge ; the hooke is in his nosthrils , hee cannot moue whither he lists ; the god of heauen will maintaine his owne quarrell : i will defend this city for mine owne sake , and for my seruant dauids sake . loe ; for his life , ezekiah is beholden ( next vnder the infinite goodnes of god ) to his prayers ; for his protection , to the deare memory of his father dauid ; surely , for ought we find , ezekiah was no lesse vpright , and lesse offensiue then dauid ; yet both ezekiah and ierusalem shall fare the better for dauids sake , aboue three hundred yeares after . to that man after his owne heart , had god ingaged himselfe , by his gracious promise , to preserue his throne , his seed : god loues to remember his ancient mercies : how happy a thing it is to be faithfull with god ; this is the way to oblige those which are yet vnborne ; and to intayle blessings vpon the successions of future generations . it seemes it was some pestilent vlcer that thus indangered the life of hezekiah . isaiah is not a prophet only , but a physician . and isaiah said , take a lump of figs : hee that gaue an assurance of recouery , giues a receit for the recouery . the decree of god includes the meanes : neither can the medicine worke without a word ; neither will the word worke without the medicine ; both of them must meet in the cure : if we so trust the promise , that we neglect the prescript , we presume to no purpose . happy is that soule , that so regards the promise of gods prophets , as that withall he receiues their counsells . nothing could bee more proper for the ripening of hard and purulent tumors , then dryed figs ; herein isaiahs direction was according to nature ; wherefore should wee balke the ordinary road , when it is both fayre and neere ? the sudden contradiction of the message causes a iust difficulty in the assent . hezekiah therefore craues a signe ; not for that he distrusted , but that hee might trust the more ; wee can neuer take too fast hold of those promises of god , which haue not more comfort in the application , then naturall impossibility in the performance . we beleeue , lord , helpe our vnbeleefe . the sicke king hath his option ; his father was offred a signe and refused it ; hee sues for one , and obtaines it : shall the shadow goe for ward ten degrees , or backe ten degrees ? as if heauen it selfe lay open to his choyce ; and were ready either to mend this pace , or retire for his confirmation ; what creature is not cheerfully forward to obey the faith of gods seruāts ? hezekiah fastens rather vpon that signe which is more hard , more disagreeing from the course of nature ; not without good reason ; euery proofe must bee clearer then the thing to bee proued , neither may there want a meet proportion betwixt both ; now the going forward of the shadow was a motion , no other thē naturall , the recouery of that pestilent disease was against the streame of nature ; the more difficult signe therefore , the surer euidence . whether shall we more wonder at the measure of the loue of god to hezekiah , or at the power of isaiahs faith in god ? out of both , either the sun goes backe in heauen that his shadow may goe backe on earth : or the shadow no lesse miraculously goes backe on earth , whiles the sunne goes forward in heauen . it is true that the prophet speakes of the shadow , not of the sun ; except perhaps because the motion of the sun is best discerned by the shadow ; and the motion of the shadow is led by the course of the sunne : besides , that the demonstration of this miracle is reported to be locall in the diall of ahaz , not vniuersall , in the sensible length of the day ; withall , the retrait of the sunne had made a publike and noted change in the frame of nature , this particular alteration of the shadow in places limited , might satisfie no lesse without a confusiue mutation in the face of the world ; whethersoeuer ; to draw the sun backe together with the shadow ; or to draw the shadow backe without the sunne was the proofe of a diuine omnipotency ; able therefore to draw backe the life of hezekiah , fifteene degrees , from the night of death ; towards which it was hasting . o god , thou wilt rather alter the course of heauen and earth , then the faith of thy children shall sinke for want of supportation . it should seeme the babylonians finding the assyrian power abated by the reuengefull hand of gods angell , and their owne discord , tooke this aduantage of a reuolt ; and now to strengthen their part , fall in with hezekiah king of iudah , whom they found the old enemy to the assyrians , & the great fauourite of heauen : him they wooe with gifts ; him they congratulate with ambassages : the fame of hezekiahs sicknesse , recouery , forme , and assurance of cure , haue drawne thither messengers , and presents from berodach baladan king of babylon . the chaldees were curious searchers into the secrets of nature , especially into the motions of the celestiall bodies ; though there had beene no politicke relations , this very astronomicall miracle had beene enough to fetch them to ierusalem , that they might see the man , for whose sake the sun forsooke his place , or the shadow forsooke the sun. how easily haue we seene those holy men mis-caried by prosperity , against whom no miseries could preuaile ? hee that stood out stoutly against all the assyrian onsets , clinging the faster to his god , by how much he was harder assaulted by senacherib , melteth now with these babylonian fauours , and runnes abroad into offensiue weaknesses . the babylonian ambassadors are too welcome to ezekiah ; as a man transported with the honor of their respectiue , and costly visitations , he forgets his teares , and his turning to the wall ; he forgets their incompatible idolatry ; so hugging them in his bosome , as if there had beene no cause of strangenesse : all his doores fly open to them ; and in a vainglorious ostentation all his new-gathered treasures , all his strong armoryes entertaine their eyes ; nothing in his house , nothing in his dominion is hid from them . oh ezekiah , what meanes this impotent ambition ? it is not long since thou tarest off the very plates of the temple doores , to giue vnto senacherib ; and can thy treasures be suddenly so multiplied , that they can be worthy to astonish forraine beholders ? or , if thy store-house were as rich as the earth , can thy heart be so vain as to be lifted vp with these heauie metals ? didst thou not see that heauen it selfe was at thy becke , whilest thou wert humbled ? and shall a little earthlie drosse haue power ouer thy soul ? can the flattering applause of strangers let thee loose into a proud ioy , whom the late message of gods prophet resolued into teares ? oh god , if thou do not keepe vs , as well in our sun-shine , as in our storme , wee are sure to perish : as in all time of our tribulation , so in all time of our wealth , good lord deliuer vs. alas , how sleight doth this weaknesse seeme in our eyes , to reioyce in the abundance of gods blessings ? to call in forraine friēds to be witnesses of our plenty ? to raise our conceits , some little , vpon the acclamations of others , vpon the value of our owne abilities ? lay thine hand vpon thy mouth , ô foolish flesh and blood when thou seest the censure of thy maker . isaiah the prophet is sent speedily to hezekiah , with a sharpe and heart-breaking message : behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house , and that which thy fathers haue layd vp in store vnto this day , shall be caried into babylon ; nothing shall be left , saith the lord ; and of thy sonnes that shall issue from thee , which thou shalt beget , shall they take away , and they shall bee eunuches in the palace of the king of babylon . no sinne can bee light in hezekiah : the holinesse of the person addes to the vnholinesse of the act ; eminency of profession doubles both the offence , and the iudgement . this glory shall end in an ignominious losse . the great and holy god will not digest pride in any , much lesse , in his owne . that which was the subiect of hezekiahs sin , shall be the matter of his punishment ; those with whom he sinned , shall be his auengers ; it was his treasure and munitiō , wherin he prides himselfe to these men of babylon : the men of babylon shall cary away his treasure and munition ; what now doth hezekiah but tempt them with a glorious booty ; as some fond traueler that would show his gold to a thiefe ? these worldly things are furthest off from the heart ; perhaps hezekiah might not bee much troubled with their losse : loe , god comes closer to him , yet . as yet was ezekiah childlesse ; how much better had it beene to continue so still , then to bee plagued in his issue ? he shall now beget children to seruitude ; his loines shall yeeld pages to the court of babylon : whiles he sees them borne princes , he shal foresee them made eunuches in a forraigne palace : what comfort can he take in the wishes and hopes of sonnes , when ere they bee borne , hee heares them destin'd to captiuitie and bondage ? this rod was smart , yet good ezekiah kisses it ; his heart strucke him no lesse , then the mouth of the prophet ; meekly therefore doth he yeeld to this diuine correction ; good is the word of the lord which thou hast spoken . thou hast spoken this word , but from the lord ; it is not thine , but his ; and being his , it must needs bee , like himselfe , good : good because it is iust , for i haue deserued more , and worse ; good , because mercifull ; for i suffer not according to my deserts . is it not good , if there be peace and truth in my daies ? i haue deserued a present paymēt , o god thou deferrest it ; i haue deserued it in person , thou reseruest it for those whom i cannot yet so feele , because they are not ; i haue deserued war & tumult , thou fauorest me with peace ; i haue deseru'd to be ouer-run with superstition , and idolatry , thou blessest me with truth ; shouldst thou continue truth vnto me , ( though vpon the most vnquiet termes ) the blessing were too good for me ; but now thou hast promised , and wilt not reuerse it , that both truth and peace shall bee in my dayes ; lord i adore thy iustice , i blesse thy mercy . gods children are neither waspish nor fullen whē they are chid or beaten , but patiently hold their backes to the stripes of a displeased mercy ; knowing how much more god is to be magnified , for what he might haue done , then repined at , for what hee hath done ; resigning themselues ouer into the hand of that gracious iustice , which in their smart seekes their reformation and glory . manasseh . at last , some three yeares after his recouery , hezekiah hath a sonne ; but such a one , as if he could haue foreseene , orbity had beene a blessing . still in the throne of iudah there is a succession , and interchange of good and euill : good iotham is succeeded by wicked ahaz ; wicked ahaz is succeed by good ezekiah ; good ezekiah is succeeded by wicked manasseh : euill princes succeed to good , for the exercise of the church : and good succeed to euill , for the comfort of the church . the young yeares of manasseh giue aduantage to his mis-cariage ; euen , whiles he might haue been vnder the ferule , hee swayed the scepter : whither may not a child be drawne , especially to a garish , and puppet-like superstition ? as infancy is capable of all impressions , so most of the worst . neither did manasseh beginne more earely thē he held out long ; he raigned more yeares then his good father liu'd : notwithstanding the miraculous addition to his age ; more then euer any king of iudah , besides , could reach : length of daies is no true rule of gods fauour ; as plants last longer then sensitiue creatures , and brute creatures out-liue the reasonable ; so , amongst the reasonable , it is no newes for the wickedly great , to inherit these earthly glories , longer then the best . there wants not apparent reason for this difference ; good princes are fetcht away to a better crowne ; they cannot bee losers , that exchange a weake and fading honor , for a perfection and eternity of blessednesse : wicked men liue long to their owne disaduantage ; they do but cary so many more brands to their hell : if therefore there be a iust man that perisheth in his righteousnesse ; and there bee a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickednesse , farre be it from vs , either to pity the remouall of the iust , or to enuie the continuance of the wicked ; this continues to his losse , that departs to an happy aduancement . it is very like that ezekiah marrying so late , in the vigour both of his age , and holinesse , made a carefull choyce of a wife sutable to his owne piety ; neither had his delight beene so much in her ( according to her name ) if her delight had not beene , as his , in god ; their issue swarues from both , so fully inheriting the vices of his grandfather ahaz , as if there had beene no interuention of an ezekiah : so wee haue seene the kernell of a well fruited plant degenerate into that crab , or willow , which gaue the originall to his stocke ; yet can i not say that ezekiah was as free from traducing euill to his sonne manasseh , as ahaz was free from traducing good to his sonne hezekiah : euill is incorporated into the best nature , whereas euen the least good descends from aboue . we may not measure grace by meanes : was it possible that manasseh hauing beene trained vp in the religious court of his father hezekiah , vnder the eye of so holy prophets and priests , vnder the shadow of the temple of god , after a childhood seasoned with so gracious precepts , with so frequent exercise of deuotiō , should run thus wild into all heathenish abominations ; as if there had bin nothing but idolatry in the seed of his conception , in the milke of his nourishment , in the rules of his institution , in the practice of his examples ? how vaine are all outward helpes without the influence of gods spirit ? and that spirit breathes where he listeth : good educatiō raiseth great hopes , but the proofe of them is in the diuine benediction . i feare to looke at the out-rages of this wicked sonne of ezekiah : what hauocke doth hee make in the church of god ? as if hee had beene borne to ruine religion , as if his onely felicity had beene to vntwist , or teare , in one day , that holy web which his father had beene weauing , nine and twenty yeares ? and contrarily , to set vp in one houre that offensiue pile , which had beene aboue three hundred yeares in pulling down : so long had the high places stood ; the zeale of ezekiah in demolishing them honored him , aboue all his predecessors ; and now the first act of this greene head was their reedifiyng : that mischiefe may be done in a day , which many ages cannot redresse . fearefull were the presages of these bold beginnings ; from the mis-building of these chappels of the hills to the true god , manasseh proceeds to erecting of altars to a false : euen to baal , the god of ahab , the stale idoll of the heathen ; yet further , not content with so few deities ; he worships all the hoast of heauen ; and , that hee might despight god yet more , he sets vp altas to these abused riuals of their maker , in the very house of the lord ; that holy place doth hee not feare to defile with the grauen image of the groue , that he had made : neuer amorite did so wickedly as manasseh ; and , which was yet worse , it sufficed not to be thus wicked himselfe , but hee seduced gods people to these abominations ; and , that his example might moue the more , he spares not his owne sonne from the fire of the idol sacrifices . neither were his witcheries lesse enormious , then his idolatry ; he obserued times , hee vsed inchantments , he dealt with familiar spirits , & with wizards : neither were either of these worse then his cruelty ; hee shed innocent blood till hee had filled ierusalem from one end to another . o manasseh , how no lesse cruell wert thou to thine owne soule , thē to thy iudah : what an hideous list of monstrous impiety is here ; any one of which were enough to draw iudgment vpon a world ; but what hell is sufficient for all together ? what browes are not now lifted vp to an attentiue expectation of some present , and feareful vengeance from god , vpon such flagitious wickednesse ? therefore thus saith the lord , behold i am bringing such euill vpon ierusalem , & iudah , that whosoeuer heareth of it , both his eares shall tingle : the person of manasseh is not capable of reuenge enough ; as his sin dilated it selfe by an infectious diffusion to his people , so shall the punishment . wee are sensible of the least touch of our owne miseries , how rarely are wee affected with other mens calamities ? yet this euill shall be such , as that the rumor of it shall beat no eare that shall not glow with an astonishing commiseration : what thē ô god , what shall that plague be , which thou threatnest with so much preface of horror ? i will stretch ouer ierusalem the line of samaria , and the plummet of the house of ahab ; and i will wipe ierusalem as a man wipeth a dish , wiping it and turning it vpside downe : and i will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance ; and i will deliuer them into the hand of their enemies , and they shall become a prey and a spoile vnto all their enemies . it is enough ô god , it is enough : what eare can but tingle ? what eye can but weepe ? what haire can but start vp ? what heart can bee but confounded at the mention of so dreadfull a reuenge ? can there bee a worse iudgement then desolation , captiuity , desertion , spoyle , and torture of preuailing enemies ? but howeuer , other cities and nations haue vndergone these disasters , without wonder , that all this should befall to thy ierusalem , the place which thou hast chosen to thy selfe , out of the whole earth , the lot of thine inheritance , the seat of thine abode , whereof thou hast said , here shall bee my rest for euer , it is able to amaze all eyes , all eares . no city could fare worse then samaria , whose inhabitants after a wofull siege , were driuen , like cattle , into a wretched seruitude ; ierusalem shall fare no better from nebuchadnezzar the king of babylon : ierusalem , the glory of the earth , the dearling of heauen , see , ô ye vaine men , that boast of the priuiledges of chaires , and churches , see , and tremble . there is no place vnder heauen to which the presence of god is so wedded as that the sins thereof shall not procure a disdainfull , & finall diuorce : the height of former fauors shall be but an aggrauation of vengeance . this totall vastation of ierusalem , shall take time : onwards , god begins with the person of wicked manasseh ; against whom he stirres vp the captaines of the hoast of the late friend , and old enemy of iudah : those thornes amongst which hee had shrouded his guilty head , cannot shelter him from their violence ; they take him , and binde him with fetters of yron , and cary him to babylon ; there hee lyes loaded with chaines , in an vncomfortable dungeon exercised with variety of tortures , fed with such coorse pittances of bread , and sips of water , as might maintaine an vn willing life , to the punishmēt of the owner . what eye can now pity the deepest miseries of manasseh ? what but bondage can befit him , that hath so lawlesly abused his liberty ? what but an vtter abdication can befit him that hath cast off his god , and doted vpon deuils ? what but a dying life , and a tormenting death can bee fit for a man of blood ? who now wold not haue giuē this man for lost ; and haue lookt when hell should claime her owne ? but oh the height , oh the depth of diuine mercy ! after all these prodigies of sin , manasseh is a conuert ; when he was in affliction he besought the lord his god : and humbled himselfe greatly before the god of his fathers . how true is that word of the prophet , vexation giues vnderstanding ; the viper when he is lashed , casts vp his poyson : the traitor when hee is racked , tells that truth which he had else neuer vttered ; if the crosse beare vs not to heauen , nothing can : what vse were there of the graine , but for the edge of the sickle , wherewith it is cut downe ; the stroke of the flayle , wherewith it is beaten ; the weight and attrition of the mill , wherewith it is crushed ; the fire of the ouen wherewith it is baken ? say now , manasseh , with that grandfather of thine ( who was , till now , too good for thee ) it is good for mee that i was afflicted : euen thine yron was more precious to thee , then thy gold ; thy gaole was a more happy lodging to thee , then thy palace ; babylon was a better schoole to thee , thē ierusalem : what fooles are wee to frowne vpon our afflictions ? these , how crabbed soeuer , are our best friends . they are not , indeed , for our pleasure , they are for our profit : their issue makes them worthy of a welcome . what doe wee care how bitter that potion bee which brings health ? how farre a man may goe , and yet turne ? could there bee fouler sinnes then these ? lo , here was idolatrie in the height , violation of gods house , sorceries of all kinds , bloodie crueltie to his owne flesh , to the saints of god ; and all these against the streame of a religious institution , of the zealous counsels of gods prophets , of the checks of his owne heart . who can complaine that the way of heauen is blocked vp against him , when hee sees such a sinner enter ? say the worst against thy selfe , ô thou clamorous foule ; here is one that murdered men , defied god , worshipt diuels ; and yet finds the way to repentance ; if thou bee worse then he , deny ( if thou canst ) that to thy selfe , which god hath not denied to thee , capacitie of grace : in the meane time ; know that it is not thy sinne , but thine impenitence that barres heauen against thee . presume not yet , ô man , whosoeuer thou art , of the libertie of thy conuersion ; as if thou couldest run on lawlesly in a course of sinning , till thou come to the brim or hell ; and then couldst suddenly stop , and returne at leasure : the mercy of god did neuer set period to a wilfull sinner ; neither yet did his owne corrupt desires ; so as when he is gone the furthest , he could yet stay himselfe from another step : no man that truly repents is refused : but many a one sins so long , that he cannot repent . his custome of wickedness hath obdur'd his hart , & made it flint to all good impressions . there were ieroboams , and abijams , and ahabs , and ioashes , & ahazes , in these sacred thrones , there was but one manasseh : god hath not left in any mans hād the reines of his owne hart , to pace , & turne , and stop as hee lists ; this priuiledge is reserued to him that made it ; it is not of him that wils , nor of him that runs , but of god that showes mercy : and that mercy neglected , iustly binds ouer to iudgement . i wonder not at manasseh , either sinning , or repenting , i wonder at thy goodnesse , ô lord ; who after thy iust permission of his sinne , callest him thus graciously to repent , and so graciously receiuest him repenting : so as manasseh was not a more loathsome and monstrous spectacle of wickednesse , then he is now a pleasing and vsefull patterne of conuersion ; who can now despaire of thy mercie , ô god , that sees the teares of a manasseh accepted ? whē wee haue debauched our worst ; our euill cannot match with thy goodnesse ; rather it is the praise of thine infinite store , that where sinne abounds , grace abounds much more ; o keepe vs from a presumption of grace , that wee may repent ; and raise vs from a distrust of grace when wee haue repented . no sooner is manasseh penitent , then he is free ; his prayers haue at once loosed him from his sinnes , and from his chaines ; and of a captiue haue made him a king ; and from the dungeon of babylon haue restored him to the palace of ierusalem : how easie is it for the same hand that wounds to cure : what cannot feruent prayers doe , eyther for our rescuing from euill , or for our inuesting with good ? then manasseh knew that the lord he was god. then ? and not before ? could his yonger eares escape the knowledge of gods miraculous deliuerance of ierusalem from the assyrians ? could hee but know the slaughter that gods angell made in one night , of an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand ? could he but haue heard the iust reuenge vpon senacherib ? could he be ignorant of his fathers supernaturall recouery ? could hee but see that euer-lasting monument of the noted degrees in the dyall of ahaz ? could he auoid the sense of those fifteene yeares , which were super-added to his fathers age ? what one of these proofes doth not euince a deity ? yet , till his owne smart , and cure , manasseh knew not that the lord was god. foolish sinners pay deare for their knowledge ; neither will indure to be taught good-cheape : so we haue seene resty horses that will not moue till they bleed with the spur : so we haue seene dull and carelesse children , that will learne nothing but what is put into them with the rod. the almighty wil be sure to be knowne for what he is : if not by faire meanes , yet by foule ; if our prosperity , and peace , and sweet experience of his mercy can win vs to acknowledge him , it is more for our ease , but , if we will needes bee taught by stripes , it is no lesse for his glory . manasseh now returnes another man to ierusalem : with what indignation doth hee looke vpon his old follies ? and now , all the amends he can make , is to vndoe what he did ; to doe that which hee vndid : hee tooke away the strange gods , and the idoll out of the house of the lord , and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the lord , and in ierusalem , and cast them out of the city . true repentance beginnes to decline at the ablatiue ; destroying those monuments of shame which former errour had reared ; the thornes must first be stubbed vp , ere the ground can be capable of seed ; the true method of grace , is , first , cease to doe euill ; then , learne to doe good . in vaine had manasseh professed a repentance , if the strange gods had still held possession of ierusalem , if the idoll had still harboured in gods temple , if forraigne altars had still smoked vpon the holy mountaine ; away with all this trash , when once manasseh comes to a true sense of piety . there is nothing but hypocrisie in that penitent , who after all vowes , and teares , retaines his old abhominations ; it is that poore peece of satisfactiō which we can giue to the diuine iustice , in an hearty indignation , to fling downe that cup of wickednesse wherewith wee haue beene bewitched , and to trample vpon the shreads : without which , confession is but winde , and the drops of contrition , water . the liuing god loues to dwell cleane , hee will not come vnder the roofe of idols , nor admit idols to come vnder his : first therfore , manasseh casts out the strange gods and idols , and altars ; and then , he repaires the altar of the lord , and sacrifices thereon peace-offerings , and thanke-offerings . not , till he had pull'd down , might he build ; and when hee had pull'd downe , hee must build : true repentance is no lesse actiue of good . what is it the better , if when the idolatrous altars are defaced , the true god hath not an altar erected to his name ? in many altars was superstition , in no altars , atheisme . neither doth penitent manasseh build god a new altar , but hee repaires the old , which by long dis-vse lay wast , and was mossie & mouldred with age & neglect . god loues well his owne institutions ; neither can he abide innouations , so much as in the out-sides of his seruices . it is an happy worke to vindicate any ordinance of god from the iniurie of times , and to restore it to the originall glory . what haue our pious gouernors done other in religion ? had wee gone about to lay a new foundation , the worke had been accursed ; now wee haue onely scraped off some superfluous mosse , that was growne vpon these holy stones , we haue cemented some broken peeces , we haue pointed some crazie corners with wholsome morter , in stead of base clay , wherewith it was disgracefully patched vp : the altar is old , it is gods altar : it is not new , not ours : if we haue layd one new stone in this sacred building , let it flye in our faces , and beat out our eyes . on this repaired altar doth manasseh send vp the sacrifices of his peace , of his thankfulnesse ; and doubtlesse the god of heauen smels a sweet sauour of rest ; no perfume is so pleasing to god , as that which is cast in by a penitent hand . it had not serued the turne that manasseh had approched alone to this renued altar ; as his leud example had withdrawn the people from their god ; so now he commands iudah to serue the lord god of israel ; had he been silent , he could not haue been vnfollowed : euery act of greatnesse is preceptiue ; but now that religion is made law , what israelite will not be deuout ? the true god hath now no competitour in iudah ; all the idolls are pull'd downe , the high places will not be pull'd downe ; an ill guise is easilie taken vp , it is not so easily left . after a common deprauation of religion , it is hard to returne vnto the first purity : as when a garmēt is deeply soiled , it cannot without many lauers recouer the former cleannesse . iosiah's reformation . yet , if wee must alter from our selues , it is better to bee a manasseh , then a ioash : ioash beganne well , and ended ill : manasseh began ill , and ended well ; his age varied from his youth , no lesse , then one mans condition can varie from another ; his posterity succeeded in both ; amnon his sonne succeeded in the sinnes of manassehs youth ; iosiah his grandchild succeeded in the vertues of his age . what a vast differēce doth grace make in the same age ? manasseh began his reigne at twelue yeares ; iosiah at eight ; manasseh was religiously bred vnder hezekiah ; iosiah was mis-nurtured vnder amnon ; and yet manasseh runs into absurd idolatries , iosiah is holie and deuout . the spirit of god breathes freely ; not confining it selfe to times , or meanes . no rules can bind the hands of the almightie ; it is in ordinarie proofe too true a word , that was said of old , woe be to thee , o land , whose king is a child : the goodnesse of god makes his owne exceptions ; iudah neuer fared better , then in the green years of a iosiah : if wee may not rather measure youth , and age by gouernment , and disposition , then by yeares : surely thus , iosiah was older with smooth cheekes , then manasseh with gray haires . happy is the infancie of princes , when it falls into the hands of faithfull counsellors . a good patterne is no small helpe for young beginners ; iosiah sets his father dauid before him , not amnon , not manasseh : examples are the best rules for the inexperienced ; where their choice is good , the directions are easiest : the lawes of god are the wayes of dauid ; those lawes were the rule , these wayes were the practice ; good iosiah walkes in all the wayes of his father dauid . euen the minority of iosiah was not idle ; we cannot be good too early : at eight yeares it was enough to haue his eare open to heare good counsaile ; to haue his eies & hart opē to seek after god : at twelue , he begins to act : and showes well that hee hath found the god he sought : then he addresses himselfe to purge iudah , and ierusalem , from the high places , groues , images , altars , wherewith it was defiled ; burning the bones of the idolatrous priests vpon their altars ; strawing the ashes of the idols vpon the graues of them that had sacrificed to them , striuing by those fires , and mattocks to testifie his zealous detestation of all idolatry . the house must first be clensed , ere it can bee garnished ; no man will cast away his cost vpon vncleane heaps ; so soone as the temple was purged , iosiah bends his thoughts vpon the repayring , and beautifying of this house of the lord. what stir was there in iudah , wherein gods temple suffered not ? sixe seuerall times was it pillaged , whether out of force , or will : first , iehoash king of iudah is faine by the spoile of it to stop the mouth of hazael ; then , ioash king of israel fils his owne hands with that sacred spoile , in the dayes of amaziah ; after this , ahaz rifles it for tiglath pileser , king of assyria ; then hezekiah is forced to ransacke the treasures of it for senacherib ; yet after , the sacriledge of manasseh makes that booty of it , which his later times indeuoured to restore ; and now lastly , amnon his sonne neglects the frame , embeazels the furniture of this holy place : the very pile began to complaine of age and vnrespect : now comes good iosiah , and in his eighteenth yeare ( when other young gallants would haue thought of nothing but pleasure , and iollity ) takes vp the latest care of his father dauid , and giues order for the repayring of the temple . the keepers of the doore haue receiued the contribution of all faithfull iewes , for this pious vse ; the king sends shaphan the scribe to hilkijah the priest to summe it vp , and to deliuer it vnto carpenters , and masons , for so holy a worke . how well doth it beseeme the care of a religious prince , to set the priests and scribes in hand with reedifying the temple ? the command is the kings , the charge is the high-priests , the execution is the workmens ; when the laborers are faithfull in doing the worke , and the high priest in directing it , and the king in inioining it , gods house cannot faile of an happy perfection ; but when any of these slackens , the businesse must needs languish . how god blesses the deuout indeuours of his seruants ? whiles hilkijah was diligently suruaying the breaches and the reparation of the temple , hee lights vpon the booke of the law : the authenticke and originall booke of gods law was by a speciall charge appointed to be carefully kept within a safe shrine , in the sanctuary : in the depraued times of idolatry , some faithfull priest ( to make sure worke ) had locked it fast vp , in some secret corner of the temple , from the reach of all hands , of all eyes : as knowing how impossible it was , that diuine monument could otherwise escape the fury of prophane guiltinesse : some few transcripts there were doubtlesse , ( parcels of this sacred book ) in other hands ; neither doubt i , but as hilkijah had been formerly well acquainted with this holy volume ( now of long time hid ) so the eares of good iosiah had beene inured to some passages thereof ; but the whole body of these awfull records , since the late night of idolatrous confusion , and persecution saw no light , till now ; this precious treasure doth hilkijah find , whiles he digs for the temple : neuer man laboured to the reparation of gods church , but he met with a blessing more thē he looked for . hilkijah the priest , and shaphan the scribe do not ingrosse this invaluable wealth into their owne hands , nor suppresse these more then sacred roles , for their owne aduantage ; but trans-mit them , first to the eares of the king , then by him , to the people : it is not the praise of a good scribe , to lay vp , but to bring forth , both old and new : and if the priests lips shall keepe knowledge , they keep it to impart , not to smother : the people shall seeke the law at his mouth ; for hee is the messenger of the lord of hosts . so soone as the good king heares the words of the booke of the law , and in speciall , those dreadfull threats of iudgement , denounced against the idolatries of his iudah ; he rends his clothes , to show his heart rent with sorrow , and fearfull expectation of those plagues ; and washes his bosome with teares . oh gracious tendernesse of iosiah : he doth but once heare the law read , and is thus humbled ; humbled for his fathers sins , for the sins of his people : how many of vs , after a thousand hammerings of the menaces of gods law , vpon our guilty soules , continue yet insensible of our danger ? the very reading of this law doth thus affect him ; the preaching of it stirs not vs ; the sinnes of others strucke thus deepe with him ; our owne are sleighted by vs : a soft hart is the best tempered for god : so physitians are wont to like those bodies best , which are easiest to worke vpon : o god make our clay , waxe , and our waxe pliable to thine hand ; so shall we be sure to be free either from sin , or from the hurt of sin . it is no holy sorrow that sends vs not to god ; iosiah is not moaped with a distractiue griefe , or an astonishing feare , but in the height of his passion , sends fiue choice messengers to huldah the prophetesse , to enquire of the lord , for himselfe , for iudah : it is an happie trouble that driues vs to this refuge . i doe not heare any of these courtiers reply to this godly motion of their young king : alas , sir , what meanes this deepe perplexity ? what needs all this busie inquisition ? if your father were idolatrous , what is that to you , who haue abandoned his sinnes ? if your people were once idolatrous , what is that to you , yea to them , who haue expiated these crimes by their repentance ? haue you not carefully reformed all those abuses ? hath not your happy reformatiō made an abūdant amends for those wrongs ? spare your teares , and saue the labor of your messengers ; all is well , all shall be well ; these iudgements are for the obstinate ; had we beene still guilty , these feares had been iust : were wee still in danger , what had we gained by our conuersion ? rather , as glad to second the religious cares of their young king , they feed his holy anxieties with a iust aggrauation of perill ; and by their good counsell , whet these his zealous desires of a speedy resolution : that state cannot but be happy , whose priests and peeres are ready as to suggest , so to cherish , and execute the deuout proiects of their soueraignes . the graue priest , the learned scribe , the honourable courtiers doe not disdaine to knocke at the doore of a prophetesse : neither doth any of them say ; it were hard if wee should not haue as much acquaintance with god , as a woman ; but in an humble acknowledgement of her graces , they come to learne the will of god , from her mouth : true piety is modest , and stands not vpon termes of reputation , in the businesses of god ; but willingly honors his gifts in any subiect , least of all in it selfe . the sexe is not more noted in huldah , then the condition ; as she was a woman , so a wife ; the wife of shallum : holy matrimony was no hindrance to her diuine reuelations ; she was at once a prophetesse in her colledge , an huswife in her family ; it was neuer the practice of god to confine his graces to virginitie : at this very time the famous prophet ieremy flourished , some years had he already spent in this publike seruice ; why was not he rather consulted by iosiah ? it is not vnlike that some propheticall imployments called him away , at this time from ierusalem : his presence could not haue beene balked : purposely , doubtlesse doth god cast this message vpon the point of that absence , that hee might honor the weaker vessell with his diuine oracle ; and exercise the humility of so great clients : in the answers of god , it is not to be regarded , who speakes , but from whom : the iniury redounds to god , if the weaknesses of the person cause vs to vndervalue the authority of the function . as iosiah and his messengers do not despise huldah , because shee was a woman ; so huldah doth not flatter iosiah , because a king : goe tell the man that sent you ; thus saith the lord : behold i will bring euill vpon this place . loe , hee that was as god to his subiects , is but as a man to the prophetesse : neither is the message euer the sweeter , because it is required by a prince : no circumstance may vary the forme of diuine truth . euill must befall ierusalem and iudah , yea , all the words of that booke , must allight vpon the inhabitants of both : in how bad a case we may bee , and yet thinke our selues not safe onely , but happy ? these iewes had forgotten their old reuolts ; and now hauing framed themselues to holy courses ; promised themselues nothing but peace , when the prophetesse foresees , and foretels their approching ruine : euen their old score must be paid , after the opinion of a cleer agreement . in vaine shall wee hope to quit our arrerages by prorogation . this prophetesse had immediate visions from god , yet shee must speake out of the booke ; there was neuer any reuelation from the lord , that crossed his writings : his hand , and his tongue agree eternally : if that booke haue cursed iudah , she may not absolue it . yet , what a gracious mixture was here of mercy , with souerity ; seuerity to iudah , mercy to iosiah ; iudah shall be plagued , and shall become a desolation , and a curse ; iosiah shall bee quietly housed in his graue , before this storme fall vpon iudah : his eye shall not see , what his people shall feele : it is enough that the expectation of these euills afflicts him , the sense shall not . whence is this indulgence ? because thine heart was tender , and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the lord. how happy a thing it is to bee a reed vnto gods iudgements , rather then an oake , the meeke and gentle reed stoops and therefore stands , the oake stands stiffely out against the strongest gust , and therefore is turned vp by the roots : at least , let vs lament those sins wee haue not auoyded ; and mourne for the sins of others , whiles wee hate our owne . he that found himselfe exempted from this vengeance , by his repentance and deepe humiliatiō , would faine find the fame way for the deliuerance of his people : the same words of the law therefore , that had wrought vpon his heart , are by him caused to be publikely read in the eares of iudah , and ierusalem ; the assembly is vniuersall , of priests , prophets , people , both small and great ; because the sin was such , the danger was such : that no man may complaine to want information , the law of god soūds in euery eare . if our eare be shut to the law , the sin is ours ; but if the law be shut to our eares , the sin is of our gouernors : woe be to them that hide gods booke from the people , as they would doe rats-bane from the eye of children : ignorant soules cannot perish without their murder : there is no feare of knowing too much , there is too much feare of practizing too little : now , if the people doe not imitate their king in relenting , they are not worthy to partake with him in his impunitie . howsoeuer , they shall not want a great example ; as of sorrow , so of amendment . good iosiah stands by the pillar , and solemnly renewes his couenant with his god ; the people cannot for shame refuse to second him : euen they that lookt for a destruction , yet doe not with-draw their obedience ; gods children may not be sullen vnder his corrections , but whether they expect or feele smart , are no other then dutifull to his awfull hand . as a man that findes hee hath done something that might indanger the forfait of his fauour , puts himselfe into some deseruing action , whereby hee may hope to re-indeare himselfe , so doth iosiah here ; no indeauor is enough to testifie his zeale to that name of god which was so profaned by his peoples idolatry ; what euer monuments were yet remaining of wicked paganisme , hee defaces with indignation ; hee burnes the vessels of baal , and puts downe his chemarim , destroyes the houses of the sodomites , strawes the powder of their idols in the brooke kedron , defiles topheth , takes away the horses , of the sun , burns the charets of the sun with fire , and omits nothing that might reconcile god , cleare iudah , perfit a reformation . neither is this care confined to ierusalem , and the neighboring townes , but stretches it selfe to the vtmost coasts of iosiahs kingdome ; bethel was the infamous seat of the pollution of israel ; it seemes the heyres of ieroboam ( who set vp his goldē calfe there ) inioyed it not long ; the kings of iudah recouered it to their crown , but , it had not yet recouered it selfe from that ancient infection : thither doth good iosiah send the vnhallowed ashes of baals reliques , to staine that altar first , which hee will soone after deface . the time was , and it was no lesse then three hundred and fiftie yeares since , that the man of god , out of iudah , cried against ieroboams altar ; o altar , altar ; thus saith the lord ; behold a child shall be borne , vnto the house of dauid , iosiah by name , and vpon thee shall he offer the priests of the high-places , that burne incense vpon thee , and mens bones shall be burnt vpon thee . and now is the houre come , wherein euerie of those words shall bee accomplished : it could not but bee a great confirmation to iosiah , to see that god had so long agoe fore-markt him for his owne ; and fore-nam'd him to so zealous a seruice . all our names are equally fore-known of that diuine prouidēce , though not fore-spoken : neither can any act passe from vs , which was not pre-determined in that eternall counsell of the almightie : neither can any act that is there pre-determined bee vnfulfilled vpon earth : interuention of time breakes no square in the diuine decrees : our pur-blind eies see nothing , but that which toucheth their lidds ; the quicke sight of gods prescience sees that , as present , which is a world off : according to the prediction , the stench of dead mens bones is a fit perfume to send vp from this altar to heauen ; whose best sacrifices sauoured worse in the nosthrils of god. and the blood of the idolatrous sacrificers was a meet oblation to that god , who had beene dishonoured by their burnt-offerings to his base corriualls . euen that prophet who fore-told this , had his toomb in bethel , and that toomb had his inscription ; his last weakenesse might not rob him of the honour of his sepulture : how palpablie doe these israelites condemne themselues , whiles they reserue so famous a monument of their own conviction . it was no preiudice to this holy prophet , that his bones lay amongst the sepulchers of idolaters . his epitaph preserued those bones from burning , vpon that altar , which he had accursed ; as the lyon might not teare his carcasse , when hee died , so now , the furie of the multitude may not violate his verie bones , in the graue . i doe not see iosiah : saue them for reliques ; i heare him command they shall rest in peace ; it is fit the dead bodies of gods saints should be as free from contempt , as from superstition . after the remouall of these rites of false worship , it is time to bring in the true : now a solemne passouer shall be kept vnto the lord , by the charge of iosiah : that book of the law sets him , the time , place , circumstances of this sacrament , his zeale so carefully followes it , that since the dayes of samuel , this feast was neuer so gloriously , so punctually celebrated . ierusalē is the place , the fourteenth day of the first moneth is the time , the leuites are the actors , a yearling and spotlesse lambe is the prouision ; no bone of it is broken , the blood is sprinkled vpon the doore-postes , it is roasted whole , eaten with sowre herbs , with bread vnleauened ; the remainder is consumed by fire . the law , the sacrifices , had beene in vaine , if the passouer had beene neglected . no true israelite might want , whether this monument of their deliuerance past , or this type of the messiah to come . rather then faile , iosiahs bountie shall supplie to iudah lambs for their paschall deuotion : no almes is so acceptable , as that whereby the soule is furthered . iosiah 's death ; with the desolation of the temple , and ierusalem . iosiah hath now happily setled the affaires both of god , & the state : and now hath sweet leisure to inioy himselfe , and his people : his conscience doth not more cheare him at home , then his subiects abroad ; neuer king raigned with more officious piety to god , with more loue , and applause of men : but what stability is there in these earthly things ? how seldome is excellency in any kind long-liu'd ? in the very strength of his age , in the height of his strength , is iosiah withdrawne from the earth ; as not without a mercifull intention of his glory , on gods behalfe , so , not without some weaknesse , on his own . pharaoh necho king of egipt comes vp to fight against the king of assyria : what is that to iosiah ? perhaps the egiptians attempted to passe through the land of iudah , towards carchemish the seat of his war ; but , as a neighbour , not as an enemy : iosiah resists him ; as neither holding it safe to admit a forraigne power into the bosome of his countrey , nor daring to giue so faire an occasion of prouoking the assyrian hostility against him . the king of egipt mildly deprecates this enmity , hee sends ambassadors to iosiah , saying , what haue i to doe with thee thou king of iudah , i come not against thee , this day , but against the house wherewith i haue warre ; for god commanded me to make hast ; forbeare thee from medling with god , who is with me , that hee destroy thee not . what friend could haue sayd more ? what prophet could haue aduised more holily ? why doth not good iosiah say with himselfe ; there may bee truth in this suggestion ; god may haue sent this man , to be a scourge of mine old enemy , of ashur : if the hand of the almighty be in this designe , why doe i oppose it ? the quarrell is not mine , why do i thrust my finger into this flame , vnbidden ? wherefore should i hazard the effusion of blood , vpon an harmlesse passage ? can i heare him plead a command from god , and not inquire into it ? how easie is it for me to know the certainty of this pretended commission ? haue not i the priests , and prophets of god about me ? let mee first goe and consult his oracle ; if god haue sent him , and forbidden mee , why should my courage cary me against my piety ? it is strange that the good hart of iosiah could escape these thoughts ; these resolutions : yet , hee that vpon the generall threats of gods law against iudah , sends messengers to inquire of a prophetesse ; now , vpon these particular threats of danger to himselfe , speaks not , stirs not . the famous prophet ieremy was then liuing , and zephaniah ; besides a whole colledge of seers , iosiah doth not so much as send out of doores , to aske , shall i goe vp against the king of egipt ? sometimes , both grace and wit are asleepe in the holiest and wariest brests : the best of all gods saints may bee sometimes miscaried by their passions , to their cost . the wise prouidence of god hath mercifully determined to leaue iosiah to his owne counsels , that by the weaknesse of his seruant , hee might take occasion to perfit his glory : euen that wherein iosiah was wanting vnto god , shall concurre to the making vp of gods promise to iosiah : when we are the most blind-folded , we run on the waies of gods hidden decrees ; and , what euer our intents be , cannot , if wee would , goe out of that vnknowne path . needs will iosiah put himselfe into armes against an vnwilling enemie ; and , to bee lesse noted , disguises himselfe . the fatall arrow of an egyptian archer findes him out , in the throng , and giues him his deaths-wound ; now , too late hee calls to a retrait ; his changed charet is turned to a biere , to carie his bleeding corps to his graue , in ierusalem . what eye doth not now pitie and lament the vntimely end of a iosiah ? whom can it choose but affect , to see a religious , iust , vertuous prince snatcht away in the vigour of his age ? after all our foolish moane , the prouidence that directed that shaft to his lighting place , intends that wound for a stroke of mercy : the god whō iosiah serues , looks through his death , at his glorie : and by this sudden violence will deliuer him from the view , and participation of the miseries of iudah , which had beene many deaths ; and fetches him to the participation of that happinesse , which could countervaile more deathes , then could be incident into a iosiah . oh the wonderfull goodnesse of the almighty , whose verie iudgements are mercifull ; oh the safe condicion of gods children , whom very paine easeth , whom death reuiues , whom dissolutiō vnites , whom lastly their verie sinne and temptation glorifies . how happily hath iosiah gained by this change ? in stead of a froward people , he now is sorted with saints and angels ; in stead of a fading , and corruptible crowne , he now inioyes an eternall . the orphane subiects are readie to weepe out their eyes , for sorrow ; their losse cannot be so great , as his gaine : he is glorious , they , as their sins had deserued , miserable . if the separated soule could be capable of passion , could iosiah haue seene , after his departure , the calamities of his sons , of his people , it could not but haue laid siege to his peace . the sad subiects proclaime his sonne iehoahaz , king , in stead of so lamented a father ; he both doth ill , and fares ill : by that time he hath sat but three moneths in the throne , pharaoh nechoh king of egypt secōds the fathers death , with the sonnes captiuity : this victorious enemy puts downe the wicked sonne of iosiah , and lades him with chains at riblath , in the land of hamath ; and lades his people with the tribute of an hundred talents of siluer , and a talent of gold : yet , as if he that was vnwilling to fight with iosiah , were no lesse vnwilling to root out his posterity , this egyptian sets eliakim , the second sonne of iosiah , vpon the seat of his father ; & , that he might be al his , changes his name to iehoiakim : oh the woful & vnworthy successiō of iosiah ; one son is a prisoner , the other is a tributary ; both are wicked . after that iehoiakim hath been some yeares pharaohs bayliue , to gather , and racke the deare rents of iudah ; nebuchadnezzar the great king of babylon comes vp , and sweepes away both the lord , and his feodary , pharaoh , and iehoiakim . so farre was the ambitious egyptian from maintaining his incroachment vpon the territories of iudah , that hee could not now hold his owne : from nilus to euphrates , all is lost : so subiect are the lesser powers still to bee swallowed vp of the greater ; so iust it is with god , that they which will bee affecting vndue inlargement of their estates , should fall short of what they had . iehoiakim is caried in fetters to babylon : and now in that dungeon of his captiuity , hath more leasure , then grace , to bethinke himselfe of all his abominations ; and whiles hee inherits the sad lodging of his great grandfather , manasseh , inherits not his successe . whiles hee is rotting in this goale , his young sonne iehoiachin starts vp in his throne ; like to a mushrom that rises vp in a night , and withers in a day : within three moneths , and ten dayes , is that young prince ( the meet son of such a father ) fetcht vp in irons to his fathers prison ; neither shall he goe alone ; his attendance shal adde to his misery ; his mother , his wiues , his officers , his peeres , his craftsmen , his warriours accompany him , manicled , and chained , to their perpetuall bondage . now , according to isaiahs word , it would haue been great preferment for the fruit of hezekiahs loynes to bee pages in the court of babylon . one only branch yet remaines of the vnhappy stocke of holy iosiah , mattaniah , the brother of iehoiakim , whom nebuchadnezar ( changing his name to zedekiah ) sets vp in that forlorne , and tributary throne ; there might hee haue liued ( though an vnderling ) yet peaceable ; this man ( to make vp the measure of gods iust iudgments ) as he was euer a rebell to god , so proues rebellious to his soueraigne master , the king of babylon : the prophet ieremy hath forewarn'd him in vain ; nothing could teach this man , but smart . who can looke for other then fury frō nebuchadnezzar , against ierusalem , which now had affronted him with three seuerall successions of reuolts , and conspiracies against his gouernment ; and thrice abused his bounty , and indulgence ? with a mighty army doth he therfore come vp against his seditious deputy ; and besieges ierusalem , and blockes it vp with forts round about . after two yeares siege , the chaldees without , and the famine within , haue preuailed ; king zedekiah and his souldiers are fled away by night , as thinking themselues happy , if they might abandon their walls , and saue their liues . the chaldees ( as caring more for the birdes , then for the nest ) pursue them , and ouertake zedekiah , forsaken of all his forces , in the plaine of iericho , and bring him to nebuchadnezzar , king of babylon . what can so vnthankfull and perfidious a vassall expect , but the worst of reuenge ? the sentence is fearfull : first , the sonnes of zedekiah are slaine before his eyes ; then those eyes of his ( as if they had seene enough , when they had seene him childlesse ) are put out : his eyes are onely lent him so long , as to torment him with the sight of his owne vtmost discomfort ; had his sonnes but ouer-liued his eies , the griefe had beene so much the lesse , as the apprehension of it had beene lesse liuely , and piercing ; now , this wofull obiect shall shut vp his sight , that , euen when his bodily eyes are gone , yet the eyes of his minde might euer see what he last saw ; that thus his sonnes might bee euer dying before him , and himselfe in their death euer miserable . who doth not now wish that the blood of hezekiah and iosiah could haue beene seuered from these impure dregs of their lewd issue ? no man could pity the offenders , were it not for the mixture of the interest of so holy progenitors . no more sorrow can come in at the windowes of zedekiah , more shall come in at his doores ; his care shall receiue what more to rue for his ierusalem : nebuzaradan the great marshall of the king of babylon comes vp against that deplored city , and breakes downe the walls of it , round about , and burnes the temple of the lord , and the kings house , and euery faire pallace of ierusalem , with fire ; driues away the remainder of her inhabitants , into captiuity , caries away the last spoiles of the glorious temple . oh ierusalem , ierusalem , the wonder of all times , the paragon of nations , the glory of the earth , the fauourite of heauen , how art thou now become heapes of ashes , hilles of rubbish , a spectacle of desolation , a monument of ruine ? iflater , yet no lesse deepe hast thou now pledged that bitter cup of gods vengeance , to thy sister samaria ; how carefully had thy god forwarned thee ? thogh israel play the harlot , yet , let not iudah sinne : loe now , as thine iniquities , so thy iudgements haue ouertaken her : both lye together in the dust , both are made a curse to all posterities : oh god , what place shall thy iustice spare , if ierusalem haue perished ? if that delight of thine were cut off for her wickednesse , let not vs bee high minded but feare . what pity it was to see those goodly cedars of the temple flaming vp higher then they stood in lebanon ? to see those curious marbles , which neuer felt the dint of the pick-axe , or hammer , in the laying , wounded with mattockes , and wounding the earth in their fall ? to see the holy of holies , whereinto none might enter but the high-priest , once a yeare , thronged with pagans ; the vailes rent , the sacred arke of god vilated , and defaced , the tables ouer-turned , the altars broke down , the pillars demolished , the pauements digged vp , yea , the very groūd , where that famous pile stood , deformed . o god , thou woldst rather haue no visible house vpon earth , then indure it defiled with idolatries . foure hundred thirty and sixe yeares had that temple stood , and beautified the earth , and honored heauen , now it is turned into rude heapes ; there is no prescription to be pleaded for the fauour of the almighty : onely that temple , not made with hands , is eternall in the heauens . thither hee graciously bring vs , that hath ordain'd vs thither , for the sake of that glorious high-priest , that hath once for all entred into that holy of holies , amen . contemplations on the historie of the old testament . the th . and last booke . wherein are , zerubbabel and ezra . nehemiah building the walls of ierusalem . nehemiah redressing the extortion of the iewes . abasuerus feasting ; vashti cast off : esther chosen . haman disrespected by mordecai ; mordecaies message to esther . esther suing to ahasuerus . mordecai honored by haman . haman hanged ; mordecai aduanced . zervbbabel and ezra . the first transportation into babylon , vnder iehoiakim , ( wherein daniel , ezekiel , and many other of the best note , were driuen into captiuity , ) was ( some eleuen yeares after ) followed with a second , vnder zedekiah ; wherin the remnant of the , now-ruined , ierusalem , and iudah , were swept away . seuenty yeares was the period of their longest seruitude ; whiles babylō was a queen , iudah was her vassall : when that proud tyrannesse fell , gods people began to rise againe : the babylonian monarchie was no sooner swallowed vp of the persian , then the iewes felt the comfort of libertie . for cyrus conquering babylon , and finding the iewes groaning vnder that miserable captiuity , straight releases them , and sends them , vnder the conduct of their captaine zorobabel , backe to their almost-forgotten country . the world stands vpon vicissitudes ; euery nation hath her turne , and must make vp her measure : threescore and tenne yeares agoe , it was the course of iudah , the iniquity of that rebellious people was full . some hundred and thirty yeares before that , was the turne of samaria , and her israelites : now the staffe is come to the doores of babylon , euen that wherewith iudah was beaten : and those persians which are now victorious , must haue their terme also . it is in vaine for any earthly state to promise to it selfe an immutable cōdition . at last , the rod that scourged gods children , is cast into the fire : thou hast remembred , o lord , the children of edom in the day of ierusalem , how they said , downe with it , downe with it , euen to the ground : o daughter of babylon wasted with misery , how happy is hee that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued them : it is cyrus that hath wrought this reuenge , this rescue . doubtlesse , it did not a little moue cyrus to this fauour , that he found himselfe honorably fore-named in these iewish prophesies , and fore appointed to this glorious seruice , no lesse then an hundred and seuenty yeares , before he was : who would not be glad to make good so noble and happy a destiny ? o god , if wee heare that thou hast ordained vs to life , how gladly , how carefullie , should we worke out our saluation ? if to good workes , how should we abound ? in the first yeare of his monarchy , doth cyrus both make proclamations , and publish them in writing , through all his kingdome ; wherein he both professeth his zealous resolutions , and desires to build vp gods house , in ierusalem , and inioynes , and incourages all the iewes , through his dominions , to addresse themselues to that sacred worke ; and incites all his subiects to ayd them with siluer , and gold , and goods , and beasts . how gracious was the command of that , whereof the very allowance was a fauour ? was it cyrus that did this ? was it not thou , o god , in whose hands are the harts of kings , that stirredst vp the spirit of this persian ; as if he had beene more then a sonne of thy church , a father ? how easie is it for thee to make very pagans protectors to thy church ; enemies , benefactors ? not with an empty grace doth this great king dismisse the iewes , but with a royall bountie ; hee brings forth the vessels of the house of the lord , which nehuchadnezzar had brought forth out of ierusalem , and had put them in the house of his gods ; and causes them to be numbred by his treasurer to the hands of sheshbazzar the prince of iudah , for the vse of the temple ; no fewer then fiue thousand and foure hundred vessels of gold and siluer . certainly , this great monarch wanted not wit to thinke ; it is a rich booty that i find in the temples of babylon ; by the law of conquest it is mine ; hauing vanquisht their gods , i may well challenge their spile ; how seasonably doth it now fall into my hands , vpon this victorie , to reward my souldiers , to settle my new empire : what if this treasure came from ierusalem ? the proprietie is now altered ; the very place ( according to the cōceit of iewes ) hath profaned it ; the true god , i haue heard , is curious ; neither will abide those vessels , which haue beene polluted with idolatrous vses : it shall bee enough if i loose the bonds of this miserable people : if i giue liberty , let the next giue wealth : they will think themselues happy in bare walls , in their natiue earth : to what purpose should i pamper their penurie with a sudden store ? but the princely hart of cyrus would admit of no such base sacrilegious thoughts ; those vessels that hee finds stampt with gods marke , he will returne to their owner ; neither his owne occasions , nor their abuse shall be any colour of their detention . o cyrus , how manie close-handed , griple-minded christians shall once be choked in iudgement with the example of thy iust munificence ? thou restoredst that which wee purloine : woe bee to those houses that are stored with the spoiles of gods temple : woe bee to those fingers that are tainted with holy treasures . kings can hardly doe good alone ; their lawes are not more followed , then their examples : no sooner doe the chiefe of the fathers of iudah and beniamin , and the priests , and leuites set their faces towards ierusalem for the building of the temple , then the liberall hands of their pagan neighbours furnish them with gold , and siluer , and precious things . euer persian is glad to be at the charge of laying a stone , in gods house . the same god that had giuen them these mettals , out of his cofers of the earth , giues it out of their cofers to his temple . he that tooke away by the chaldees , giues by the persians : where the almighty intends a worke , there cannot bee any want of meanes . thus hartened , thus laded , doe the ioyfull families of iudah returne to their old home ; how many thousands of them were worne out , and lost in that seuenty yeares seruitude ? how few of them yet suruiued , that could know the place of their birth , and habitation ; or , say , here stood the temple , here the palace ? amongst those fourty and two thousand , three hundred & threescore iewes , that returned in this first expedition ; there were whō the confusion of their long captiuity had robbed of their pedigree ; they knew themselues iewes , but could not deriue their line : these were yet admitted , without difficulty ; but those of the priestly tribe , which could not deduce their genealogy from the register , are cashiered as vncleane . then , god would bee serued in a blood , now in a due succession : if we could not fetch the line of our pedigree from christ , and his apostles , we were not fit for the euangelicall altars . their calling was by nature , ours by grace ; the grace of inward abilities , of outward ordination ; if we cannot approue both these , we are iustly abādoned ; now had the children of israel taken down their harpes from the willowes , which grew by the waters of babylon , & could , vnbidden , sing the true sōgs of their recouered zion : they are newly setled in their old māsions , when vpō the first publike feast , in the autumne , immediately following their return , they flock vp to ierusalē : their first care is their publike sacrifice ; that school of their captiuity , wherin they haue been long trained , hath taught them to begin with god : a forced discontinuance , makes deuotion more sauoury , more sweet to religious hearts ; whereas in an open freedome , piety doth too often languish . ieshua the priest , and zorobabel the prince are fitly ioyned in the building of the altar : neither of their hands may be out of that sacred worke : no sooner is that set vpon the bases , then it is imployed to the daily burnt-offerings : the altar may not stay the leisure of the temple ; gods church may not want her oblations ; he can be none of the sons of israel , that doth not euery day renue his acknowledgements of god. how feelingly doe these iewes keepe their feast of tabernacles , whiles their soiourning in babylon was still in their thoughts ; whiles as yet their tēts must supply their ruined houses ? the first motions of zeale are commonly strong , and feruent ; how carefully doe these gouernours and priests make preparatiō for gods temple ? carpenters and masons are hyred ; tyrian workmen are againe called for , and lebanon is now anew solicited for cedar trees . the materials are ready ; euery israelite , with such courage addresses himselfe to this seruice , as if his life lay in those stones : and now , whiles the foundation of the temple was laying , the priests stand in their habits , with trumpets , the leuites with cymbals , interchanging their holy musicke , and melodiously singing praises to the god of israel , who had turned their captiuity as the streames in the south , and honoured their eyes and hands with the first stones of his house : the people second their songs with shouts ; the earth sounds , and heauen rings with the ioyfull acclamations of the multitude ; it is no small comfort , in a good action , to haue begun wel ; the entrance of any holy enterprise is commonly encountred with many discouragements , which if wee haue once ouercome , the passage is smooth . how would these men haue shouted at the laying on of the last stone of the battlements , who are thus ioyed with laying the first stones of the foundation ? the end of any thing is better then the beginning : that hath certainty , this danger ; this labour , that rest : little did these men thinke that , for all this , few of them should liue to see the roofe . what different affections shall wee see produced in men by the same occasion ? the younger iewes shouted at this sight , the elder wept : the yonger shouted to see a new foundation ; the elder wept to remember the old : they who had seene no better , thought this goodly ; they who had seen the former , thought this meane , and homely ; more sorrowing for what they had lost , then reioycing in so vnequal a reparation . as it may fall out , it is some peece of misery to haue beene happier ; euery abatement of the degrees of our former height laies siege to our thankfulnesse , for lesser mercies . sometimes , it proues an aduantage to haue knowne no better ; he shall more comfortably inioy present benefits , who takes them as they are , without any other comparisons , then of the weakenesse of his owne deseruings . it is nothing to mee what my selfe or others haue beene , so i bee now well : neither is it otherwise in particular churches , if one be more gloriously built then another , yet if the foundation be rightly layd in both ; one may not insult , the other may not repine : ech must congratulate the truth to other , each must thankfully inioy it selfe . the noise was not more loud , then confused ; here was a discordant mixture of lamentation , and shouting ; it was hard to say whether drowned the other . this assembly of iewes was a true image of gods church on earth ; one sings , another cries ; neuer doth it all either laugh or mourne at once . it shall bee in our triumph that all teares shall be wipt from our eyes ; till then , our passions must bee mixed , according to the occasions . the iewes are busie at worke , not more full of ioy , then hopes ; and now that the wals begin to ouerlook the earth ; their thoughts seeme to ouerlooke the walls . but what great enterprise was euer set on foot for god , which found not some crosses ? there was a mungrell brood of samarit-assyrians , which euer since the daies of senacherib dwelt in the land of israel ; whose religion was a patched coate of seuerall shreds ; some little part iewish , the rest pagan , not without much variety of idolatry . these hollow neighbours profer their assistance to the children of the captiuity ; let vs build with you , for we seeke your god , as ye doe : and doe sacrifice to him . might men be their owne iudges , there would bee no heresie in the world , no mis-worship . it is true ; these men did sacrifice to the true god ; the lyons taught them to seeke , and the israelitish priest taught them to find the fashions of the god of the land : some of these iewes knew their deuotion of old ; they serued israels god ; but with their owne : as good no god , as too many . in a iust indignation therefore do these iewish gouernours repell the partnership of such helpers : you haue nothing to doe with vs , to build an house to our god ; but we our selues together will build vnto the lord god of israel . the hand of an idolater is contagious . yet , had it beene to the building of some fortresse , or common-hall , perhaps their ayd had not beene refused , but when the wals of gods house are to be raised , this society had beene piacular . those that may not be allowed to helpe the worke , will aske no leaue to hinder it : their malicious suggestions weaken the hands of the people of iudah , and stirre vp authoritie to suppresse them . cyrus was farre off ; neither liued he long after that gracious commission ; and besides was so taken vp the while with his wars , that he could not haue leasure to sift those querulous accusations . now therefore , during the last yeares of cyrus , and the raigne of his sonne cambyses , and the long gouernment of darius hystaspides , and of his sonne xerxes , or ahasuerus , and lastly of his sonne artaxerxes , vntill the daies of darius nothus , ( which was no lesse then fiue successions of kings , ( besides cyrus ) doe the wals of the temple stand still , yea lye waste ; subiect to the wrongs of time , and wether : the fit matter of sorrow to the iewes , insultation to the enemies , derision to passengers . what a wide gap of time was here betwixt the foundation of gods house , and the battlements ? how large a triall doth god now secondly take of the faith , of the patience of his people ? how large a proofe doth he giue of his own long-suffering ? oh god , when thou hadst but one house vpon earth , thou wert content to put vp delayes , yea affronts in the building of it ; now thou hast many , it is no maruell if thy longanimity and iustice , abide some of them to lie desolate : they are not stones , or mettals , or men that can make thee more glorious ; thou best knowest when to serue thy selfe of all these ; when to honour these with thy seruice . a small matter hinders the worthiest action ; as a little fish ( they say ) stayes the greatest ship : before , the iewes were discouraged with words , but now they are stopped by commands . these enuious samaritans haue corrupted the gouernours which the persian kings set ouer those parts ; and from their hands haue obtained letters of deepe calumniation , to ahasuerus the king ; and after him , to his sonne artaxerxes ; wherein ierusalem is charged with old rebellion to kings ; and for proofe , appellation is made to the records ; frō which euidence , is spightfully inferred , that if these wals bee once built , the king shall receiue no tribute on this side the riuer . neuer was gods church but subiect to reproaches . princes haue reason to bee iealous of their rights . the records are searcht ; it soone appeares that within one century of yeares , ierusalem had rebelled against nebuchadnezzar , and held out two yeares siege of that great babylonian . the scandall of disloyaltie is perpetuall : although indeed they held him rather a preuailing enemie , then a lawfull soueraine ; one act disparages either place , or person , to all posterities . therefore shall the wals of ierusalem lie waste , because it had once beene trecherous ; after an hundred yeares doth that citie rue one perfidious act of zedekiah . fidelitie to our gouernours is euer both safe , and honourable . command is now sent out from * artaxerxes , ( euen the son of queene esther ) to restrain the worke : all respects must cease with carnall minds , when their honors , or profits are in question . rehum the chancellor , and shimshai the scribe , come now armed with authoritie : the sword hath easily preuailed against the trowell . still do the iewes find themselues as it were , captiues at home , and in silence , and sorrow , cease from their labors , vntill the dayes of the next successour , darius nothus . as those that had learn'd to sow after a bad crop , these iewes , vpon the change of the prince , by the incouragement of the prophets of god , haggai , and zechariah , take new heart to build againe : if others power hinder vs in the worke of god , our will may not be guilty . their new gouernors come , as before ; to expostulate ; who hath commanded you to build this house , and to make vp this wall ? and what are your names ? they wisely and modestly plead the seruice of the god of heauen , the decree of cyrus ; still persisting to build , as if the prohibition of artaxerxes had dyed with the author . the vnpartiall gouernours doe neither claw , nor exasperate ; but relating the humble and iust answer of the iewes , moue the king that search may be made in the rolles of babylon , whether such an edict were made by cyrus ; and require his royall pleasure , concerning the validity of such pretended decree . darius searches , findes , ratifies , inlargeth it , not onely charging his officers not to hinder the worke , but commanding to leuie summes of his own tribute , beyond the riuer , for the expences of the building , for the furnishing of sacrifices ; threatning vtter ruine to the house of that man , and death to his person , who shold offer to impeach this bounty : and shutting vp with a zealous imprecation ; the god of heauen that hath caused his name to dwell there , destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter , and to destroy this house of god which is at ierusalem : i darius haue made a decree , let it be done with speed . who would haue lookt for such an edict from a persian ? no salomon , no dauid could haue said more . the ruler of all hearts makes choyce of his owne instruments , and when hee pleaseth , can glorifie himselfe by those meanes , which are least expected : that sacred work which the husband , and son of an esther crossed , shall bee happily accomplished by a darius : in the sixt yeare of his raigne , is the temple of god fully finished ; and now the dedication of it , is celebrated , by a ioyfull feast : an hundred bullocks , two hundred rams , foure hundred lambes , in a meet proportion , smoke vpon their altars : and now the children of the captiuitie thinke this day a sufficient payment for all their sorrowes : we haue reason to thinke it the fairest day that euer shone forth to vs , wherein the spirituall building of gods house is raised vp in our soules . how should wee shout at the laying of this foundation , and feast at the laying on of the roofe ? what other , what better sacrifice can wee offer vp to god in the sense of our ioy , then our selues ? let our hearts be at once , the temple , the altar , the sacrifice ; oh god , bee thou glorified in all these , who hast graciously honoured all these with thy selfe . euery holy feast is now duely kept , the priests know their diuisions , the leuites their courses ; and the whole seruice of god is put into a setled order ; but , as there can be no new beginnings without imperfection , nor long continuance , without corruption ; reformation is no lesse necessary then good institutions ; ataxerxes * mnemon hath learn'd of his father darius to befriend gods people ; and striues to inherit his beneficence : vnder his gouernment , is ezra the priest , & learned scribe , sent with a large commission frō babylon , to ierusalem , to inquire into the wants , and redresse the disorders of the iewes ; with full power not onely to cary with him all the voluntaries of his nation ; and the treasures contributed in all the prouince of babylon ; but to raise such summes , out of the kings reuenues , as should be found requisite ; and withall to ordaine magistrates and iudges , and to crowne the lawes with due execution , whether to death , or banishment , or confiscation ; and lastly , with a large exemption of the priests and leuites , and all the inferiour officers of the temple , from all toles , tributes , customes . nothing wanted here , whether for direction , or incouragement . it is a signe of gods great fauour to any nation , when the hearts of soueraigne gouernours are raised vp , both to the choice of worthy agents , and to the commanding of pious , and restauratiue actions . holy and carefull ezra gathers a new colony of iewes , takes view of them , at the riuer of ahaua ; and finding a misse of the sonnes of leui ( without whom no company , no plantation can bee compleat ) sends for their supply ; and now , fully furnished , hee proclaimes a fast in the way . i doe not heare him say , the iourney is long and dangerous ; the people haue need of all their strength . i could well wish vs al afflicted with a religious fast , were it not that the abatement of the courage , and vigour of the multitude may indanger our successe ; but without all these carnall consultations , he begins with this solemne act of humiliation ; it is better to haue god strong in our weaknesse , then to haue flesh and blood strong in his neglect . artaxerxes was a patron of the iewes , yet a pagan by profession ; wise ezra was afraid of quenching those sparkes of piety which he descryed in this semi-proselite . rather therefore then hee will seeme to imply a distrust in the prouidēce of that god , in whose seruice he went by seeking a conuoy of souldiers from the king ; ezra chooses to put himselfe vpon the hazard of the way , and the immediate protection of the almighty . any death were better then to heare artaxerxes say , is this the man that so confidently told me , the hand of our god is vpon all them for good that seeke him ; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him ? doth he beleeue himselfe that he thus doubts ere he begin ? dare he not trust his god with his owne businesses ? the resolutions of faithfull hearts are heroicall : no heathen man shall stumble at ezraes feare : hee can finde more assurance in his fast , then in a persian band : with a couragious relyance vpon the hand of his god he puts himselfe into the iourney ; and finds nothing but safety and successe : the fidelity of the almighty neuer disappointed the confidence of his seruants . all the army of artaxerxes could not haue been so strong a gard to the iewes , as their inuisible protection . in the space of foure moneths is ezra , and his company happily ariued at ierusalem : where hee ioyes to see the new temple , and his old colleagues : and now hauing deliuered vp the charge of his treasure , by waight , in the chambers of the house of the lord , hee applies himselfe to his worke , and deliuers the kings commissions to the lieu-tenants and gouernors , for their vtmost assistance . the princes of iudah doe not ( for ought i heare ) repine at the large patent granted to this priest , nor say , what doth a man of this robe meddle with placing , or displacing magistrates ? with execution of iudgements to death , bonds , banishment ? but rather as congratulating this power to sacred hands , gladly present vnto him all their grieuances . truly religious hearts cannot grudge any honour to their spirituall guides . this holy commissioner is soone welcomed with a sad bill of complaint , from some good peeres of israel ; wherein they charge diuers of the priests , leuites , people , not to haue separated themselues from the idolatrous inhabitants of the lands , nor ( therefore ) from their abominations , euen from canaanites , hittites , perizzites , and the rest of those branded nations ; that they haue taken of their daughters for themselues , and for their sonnes : so that the holy seed haue mingled themselues with those forbidden people ; and , ( which made the matter so much more hainous , lesse remediable ) that the hand of the princes , and rulers , hath beene chiefe in this trespasse . oh hypocriticall iewes , did ye refuse to suffer your samaritan neighbours to ioyne with you in building a liuelesse house vnto god , and doe ye now ioyne affinitie with a more accursed generatiō for the building of liuing houses vnto posteritie ? for the pulling down of the liuely house of god ? how could ezra heare this with his cloathes , his haire , his beard vntorne ? what griefe , what astonishment must this newes needs bring to a zealous heart ? and , were it not that the conscience of his sincere respect to gods glory relieued him , how could ezra choose but repent him of his iourney ; and say ; am i comne from babylon to find paganisme in iudah ? did i leaue persians , to meet with canaanites ? what doe i here , if ierusalem bee remoued ? how much better were a cleare captiutie , then an idolatrous freedome ? wo is me , that hauing left many iewish harts in babylon , i now am forced to find heathen blood in ierusalem . as a man distracted with sorrow , ezra sits downe vpon the earth with his garmēts rent , with the haire of his head , and beard pluckt off , wringing his hands , knocking his brest , not mouing from his place vntill the euening sacrifice . it is hard to be too much affected with the publike sinnes of gods people . those who find themselues in the ship of gods church , cannot but bee much troubled with euery dangerous leake that it takes : common cases are not more neglected by the carelesse , then taken to heart by the wise , and godly . there , and thus , ezra sits astonied vntill the euening sacrifice : others resorted to him the while ; euen all that trēbled at the words of the god of israel ; but to help on his sorrow , not to relieue it ; neither doth any man with a mitigation of his owne , or others griefe . at last , hee rises vp from his heauinesse , and casts himselfe vpon his knees , and spreads out his hands vnto the lord his god : wherefore was all that pensiuenesse , fasting , silence , tearing of haire and clothes , but to serue as a meete preface to his prayers ? wherein he so freely powres out his hart , as if it had beene all dissolued into deuotion ; professing his shame to lift vp his face towards the throne of god ; confessing the iniquities of his people , which were increased ouer their heads , and growne vp vnto heauen ; fetching their trespasse farre , and charging them deepe ; feelingly acknowledging the iust hand that had followed them , in all their iudgements , and the iust confusion wherein they now stand before the face of their god. teares , and sighes , and grouelings accompanied his prayers ; the example and noise whereof drew israel into a participation of this publike mourning , for the people wept very sore : how can they choose but thinke , if he thus lament for vs , how should wee grieue for our selues ? all iudah went away merrily with their sinne , till this checke of ezra , now they are afflicted : had not the hands of the peeres beene in this trespasse , the people had not beene guilty ; had not the cheekes of ezra beene first drenched with teares , the people had not beene penitent . it cannot be spoken , what power there is in a great example , whether to euill , or good . prayers and teares are nothing without indeauors . shechaniah , the sonne of iehiel puts the first life into this businesse . hauing seconded the complaint of ezra , he now addes , yet there is hope in israel concerning this thing . now therefore let vs make a couenant with our god to put away all the wiues , and such as are borne of them . arise , for this matter belongeth to thee , wee also will be with thee ; be of good courage , and doe it . when mischiefe is once done , the chiefe care is how to redresse it . the best way of redresse is the deliberate vndoing of that which wee haue rashly committed ; the surest obligation to the vndoing of an euill act , is an oath or couenant made with god for the performance . there is no man so wise , but hee may make vse of good counsell ; there is no man so forward , but he may abide incitation . it is no small incouragement to see an harty assistance in an enuious and difficult seruice . then arose ezra , and made the chiefe priests , the leuites and all israel to sweare that they should doe according to this word . it is halfe done that is thus assured . there was need of a strōg power to dissolue a matrimoniall , though inordinate loue : doubtlesse , these men had maried out of affection ; their hearts were no lesse set vpon these wiues ( though heathenish ) then if they had beene of their owne tribes ; neither were their children , thus begotten lesse deare vnto them , then if they had laine in iewish wombes : nothing lesse then an oath of god , therefore could quit these passions ; that is both required and taken now begins ezra to conceiue some hope of present redresse ; the comfort whereof , yet , cannot turne off his sorrow for the offence passed ; hee neither eates bread , nor drinkes water ; willingly punishing himself , because israel had sinned : now shall his countreymen easily reade in his face their owne penance , and iust humiliation ; and say ; this man takes no ioy in our sufferings ; hee would not smart thus for vs , if he did not descry more danger towards vs then we can apprehēd . proclamation is made through iudah and ierursalem , vnder paine of forfaiture of substance , and excommunication from gods people ; that all the children of the captiuity should gather themselues together vnto ierusalem . they are met accordingly ; the courts of gods house are thronged with penitents ; and now , as if the heauen would teach them what to doe , the cloudes raine downe aboundance of teares . what with those sad showres , what with their inward remorse , the people sit trembling in the open courts ; and humbly wait for the reproofe , for the sentence of ezra . he rises vp ; and with a seuere countenance , layes before them their sinne , their amends : the sinne of their strange wiues ; the amends of their confession , of their separation : not sparing to search their wound ; not neglecting the meet plaister for their cure . the people , as willing to bee healed , yeeld themselues patiently to that rough hand ; not shrinking at the paine , not fauouring the sore ; as thou hast said , so must wee doe ; onely crauing a fit proportion of time , and a due assistance for the dispatch of so long and important a worke . ezra gladly harkens to this , not so much request , as counsell of israel ; the charge is diuided to men , and dayes ; for two moneths space the commissioners sit close ; and within that compasse , finish this businesse , not more thanklesse then necessary : doubtlesse much varietie of passion met with thē in this busie seruice ; here you should haue seene an affectionate husband bitterly weeping at the dismission of a louing wife , and drowning his last farewell in sobs : there you might haue seen a passionate wife , hanging vpon the armes of her beloued husbād , and on her knees , coniuring him by his former vowes , and the deare pledges of their loues ; and profering with many teares , to redeeme the losse of her husband with the change of her religion : here , you might haue seene , the kindred and parents of the dismissed , shutting vp their denyed suites with rage and threats . there , the abandoned children kneeling to their seemingly-cruell father , beseeching him not to cast off the fruit of his owne loynes ; and expostulating , what they haue offended in being his : the resolued israelites must be deafe , and blind to these mouing obiects ; and so farre forget nature , as to put off part of themselues . personall inconueniences haue reason to yeeld to publike mischiefes long intertainment makes that sinne hard to be eiected ; whose first motions might haue beene repelled with ease . had not the prohibition of these mariages been expresse , and their danger and mischiefe palpable , the care of their separation had not bred so much tumult in israel . hee that ordained matrimony , had vpon fearefull curses forbidden an vnequall yoke with infidels . besides the marring of the church by the mixture of an vnholy seed , religion suffered for the present , and all good hearts with it . many teares , many sacrifices needed to expiate so foule an offence , and to set israel straight againe . all this while euen these mesline iewes were yet forward to build the temple ; the worst sinners may yeeld an outward conformity to actions of piety : ezra hath done more seruice in pulling downe , then the iewes in building ; without this act , the temple might haue stood , religion must needes haue falne . bebel had beene translated to ierusalem ; iewes had turned gentiles . oh happy indeauors of deuout and holy ezra that hath at once restored iudah to god , and to it selfe . nehemiah building the walls of ierusalem . thirteen years were now passed since ezraes going vp to ierusalem , whē nehemiah the religious courtier of artaxerxes , inquires of the estate of his country , and brethren of iudaea : hee might well finde that holy scribe had not beene idle : the commission of artaxerxes had beene improued by him to the vtmost ; disorders were reformed , but the walls lay wast ; the temple was built , but the citie was ruinous ; and if some streets were repaired , yet they stood vngarded ; open to the mercy of an enemie , to the infestation of ill neighbourhood : great bodies must haue slow motions ; as ierusalem , so the church of god , whose type it was , must bee finisht by leasure . nehemiah sate warme in the court at shushan , fauored by the great king artaxerxes ; nothing could be wanting to him , whether for pleasure , or state ; what needed hee to trouble his head with thoughts for ierusalem ? what if those remote wals lay on heaps whiles himselfe dwelt faire ? what if his far-distant countrymen be despised , whiles himselfe is honoured , by the great monarch of the world ? it is not so easie for gracious dispositions to turne off the publike calamities of gods church ; neither can they doe other then leese their priuate felicities in the common distresses of the vniuersall body . if i forget thee , o ierusalem , let my right hand forget her cunning ; if i doe not remember thee , let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth . many iewes went vp from babylon , and shushan , to ierusalem , few euer returned voluntarily from their natiue home to the region of their captiuity : some occasion drew hanani with certaine others of iudah , to this voyage . of them doth nehemiah carefully inquire the present condition of ierusalem : it was no newes that the people were afflicted , and reproached , the walls broken downe , the gates burnt with fire . euer since the furious vastation of nebuzaradan , that city knew no better termes : seldome when doth the spirituall ierusalem fare otherwise in respect of outward estate : externall glory and magnificence is an vnsure note of the church . well had nehemiah hoped that the gracious edict , and beneficēce of darius , and the successiue patronage of his lord artaxerxes had by the continuance of twenty yeares fauour aduanced the strength and glory of ierusalem , but now , finding the holy city to lie still in the dust of her confusion , neglected of god , despised of men , hee sits downe and weepes , and mournes , and fasts , and prayes to the god of heauen . how many saw those ruines , and were little affected ? he heares of them a far off , and is thus passionate ? how many were vpon this sight affected with a fruitlesse sorrow , his mourning is ioyned with the indeuors of redresse . in vaine is that griefe which hath no other end then it selfe . nehemiah is resolued to kneele to the king , his master , for the repaire of his ierusalem ; he dares not attempt the suit till hee haue begun with god ; this good courtier knew well that the hearts of these earthly kings are in the ouer-ruling hand of the king of heauen to incline whither hee pleaseth : our prayers are the only true meanes to make way for our successe ; if in all our occasions we doe not begin with the first mouer , the course is preposterous and commonly speeds thereafter . who dares censure the piety of courtiers , when he finds nehemiah standing before artaxerxes ? euen the persian pallace is not vncapable of a saint : no man that waits on the altar at ierusalem can compare for zeale , with him , that waits on the cup of a pagan monarch : the mercies of god are vnlimited to places , to callings . thus armed with deuotions , doth nehemiah put himselfe into the presence of his master artaxerxes . his face was ouerclouded with a deepe sadnesse , neither was hee willing to cleare it . the king easily notes the disparity of the countenance of the bearer , & the wine that he beares : and in a gracious familiarity askes the reason of such vnwonted change ; how well it becomes the great to stoope vnto a curteous affability , and to exchange words of respect , euen with their humble vassalls . nehemiah had not been so long in the court but hee knew that princes like no other then cheerefull attendants ; neither was hee wont to bring any other face into that presence , then smooth , and smiling . greatnesse vses to bee full of suspition , and where it sees a deiection , and sowernesse of the browes , is ready to apprehend some sullē thoughts of discontētment , or , at the least , construes it for a disrespect to that soueraignty , whose beames should bee of power to disperse all our inward mists : euen good manners forbid a man to presse into the presence of a prince , except hee can either lay by these vnpleasing passions , or hide them : so had nehemiah hitherto done : now , he purposely suffers his sorrow to looke through his eies , that it may worke both inquiry , and compassion from his master ; neither doth hee faile of his hopes in either ; why is thy countenance sad , seeing thou art not sicke . how sensible doe we thinke the father of mercies is of all our pensiue thoughts , when an heathen master is so tender of a seruāts griefe ? how ready should our tongues bee to lay open our cares to the god of all comfort , when we see nehemiah so quicke in the expressions of his sorrow to an vncertaine eare ? let the king liue for euer : why should not my countenance , bee sad when the city the place of my father sepulphres lyeth wast , and the gates thereof are burnt with fire . not without an humble preface doth nehemiah lay forth his grieuance ; complaints haue euer an vnpleasing harshnesse in them which must bee taken off by some disscreet insinuation : although it could not but sound well in the generous eare of artaxerxes , that his seruant was so carefull for the honour of his countrey ; as nature hath made vs all members of a community and hath giuen vs common interests , so , it is most pleasing to vs , to see these publike cares diuide vs from our owne . the king easily decryes a secret supplication wrapt vp in this moanefull answer , which the modest suiter was afraid to disclose , and therefore he helps that bashfull motion into the light ; for what dost thou make request ? it is the praise of bounty to draw on the iust petitions of fearefull suppliants . nehemiah dares not open his mouth of the king , till his heart hath opened it selfe by a sudden eiaculation to his god ; no businesse can bee so hasty , but our prayer may preuent it ; the wings whereof are so nimble , that it can fly vp to heauen , and solicit god , and bring downe an answer , before euer our words need to come forth of our lips . in vaine shall we hope that any designe of ours can prosper , if wee haue not first sent this messenger on our errād . after this silent , and insensible preparation ; nehemiah moues his suit to the king ; not yet at once ; but by meet degrees ; first hee craues leaue for his iourney , and for the building : then he craues ayd for both ; both are granted ; nehemiah departs furnished with letters to the gouernours , for a conuoy ; with letters to the keeper of the kings forrest for timber . not more full of desire , then hope . who euer put his hand to any great worke for the behoofe of gods church , without opposition ? as the wals of the temple found busie enemies , so shall the walls of the city ; and these so much more ; as they promise more security and strength to ierusalem : sanballat the deputie-lieutenant of the moabites , and tobiab , the like officer to the ammonites , and geshem , to the arabians , are galled with enuy at the ariuall of a man authorized to seek the welfare of the children of israel : there cannot bee a greater vexation to wicked hearts , then to see the spiritual ierusalem in any likelihood of prosperity . euill spirits and men need no other torment , then their owne despight . this wise courtier hath learnt that secrecy is the surest way of any important dispatch . his errand could not but be known to the gouernors ; their furtherance was inioyned for the prouision of materialls ; else the walls of ierusalem had ouer-lookt the first notice of their heathē-neighbors . without any noise doth nehemiah arise in the dead of night , and taking some few into his companie , none into his counsaile , hee secretly rounds the decayed wals of ierusalem , and viewes the breaches , and obserues the gates ; and returnes home in silence , ioying in himselfe to fore-see those reparations , which none of the inhabitants did once dreame of : at last , when hee had fully digested this great worke in his owne brest , hee cals the rulers and citizens together , and hauing condoled with them , the common distresse , and reproach , hee tells them of the hand of his god , which was good vpon him ; hee shewes them the gracious commission of the king , his master , for that good worke . they answer him with a zealous incouragement of each other , let vs rise vp and build ▪ such an hearty inuitation countenanced by authority hath easily strengthened the hands of the multitude ; with what obseruance and dearnesse doe they now looke vpon their vnexpected patron ? how do they honour him as a man fent from heauen , for the welfare of ierusalem ? euery man flyes to his hodde , and trowell , and reioyces to second so noble a leader , in laying a stone in that wall of their common defence . those emulous neighbours of theirs , sanballat , tobiah , geshem , the cheife commanders of moab , ammon , arabia , haue soone espyed the first morter , that is laid vpon that old foundation . enuy is vsually more quicke-sighted then loue : and now they scornfully apply themselues to these despised iewes , and thinke to scoffe them out of their worke : the fauourablest persecution of any good cause is the lash of lewd tongues ; whether by bitter taunts or by scurrilous inuectiues : which it is as impossible to auoyd , as necessary to contemne . the barking of these dogs doth not hinder nehemiah from walking on his way ; professing his confidence in the god of heauen , whose work that was ; he shakes off their impotent malice , and goes on cheerfully to build : euery israelite knowes his station . eliashib the high priest , and the rest of that sacred tribe put the first hand to this worke ; they build the sheep-gate , and sanctifie it ; and in it , all the rest . as the first fruits of the field , so the first stones of the wall , are hallowed to god , by the consecration of those deuout agents : that businesse is like to prosper which beginnes with god. no man was idle , no part was intermitted ; all ierusalem was at once encompassed with busie labourers . it cannot bee , but the ioynt-indeauors of faithfull harts must raise the walles of the church . now sanballat , and his brethren , find some matter to spend their scoffes vpon ; what doe these feeble iewes ? will they fortifie themselues ? will they sacrifice ? will they make an end in a day ? will they reuiue the stones out of the heapes of rubbish which are burnt ? how basely do carnall minds thinke of the proiects , and actions of gods children ; therefore vilifying them , because they measure them by no other line , then outward probability . oh foolish moabites , this worke is gods , and therefore in despight of all your tonges and hands , it shall prosper : he heares you whom yee haue blasphemed , and shall turne your reproach vpon your own heads . and , thou proud ammonite , that couldst say , if a foxe goe vpon their stone-wall , hee shall breake it downe ; shalt well find , that all the woluish troopes of your confederats shall not bee able to remoue one stone of this sure fortification ; whiles moab and ammon repine and bluster in vaine this wal shal rise , & when moab & ammon shal lye in the dust , this wall shall stand . the morter that hath beene tempered with so many teares , and layed with so many prayers , cannot but out-last all the flints , and marbles of humane confidence . now the growth of this wall hath turned the mirth of the aduersaries into rage : these moabites , ammonites , arabians , ashdodites conspire all together , to fight against ierusalem ; and whiles the morter is yet greene , to demolish those enuied heapes . what hath this city offended in desiring to be defenced ? what wrong could it be to wish a freedome from wrongs ? were this people so mighty , that there could be danger in ouer-powring their neighbours , or in resisting a common soueraign , there might haue appeared some colour for this hostile opposition ; but , alas ; what could a despised handfull doe to the preiudice of either ? it is quarrell enough to ierusalem that it would not be miserable . neither is it otherwise with the head of these hellish complices ; there needs no other cause of his vtmost fury , then to see a poor soule strugling to get out of the reach of his tyrannie . so doe sauage beasts bristle vp themselues , and make the most fierce assaults when they are in danger of loosing the prey , which they had once seized on . in the meane while , what doth nehemiah with his iewes for their common safety ? they pray , and watch ; they pray vnto god , they watch against the enemy . thus , thus shall wee happily preuaile against those spirituall wickednesses , which war against our soules : no euill can surprize vs if we watch ; no euill can hurt vs , if we pray ; this is the victory that ouercomes the world , euen our faith . there was need of a continued vigilancy ; the enemy was not more malicious , then subtle , and had said ; they shall not know , neither see , till wee come in the midst among them , and slay them . open force is not so dangerous , as close dissimulation ; they meant to seeme iewes , whiles they were moabites and ammonites ; and in the clothes of brethren purposed to hide murderers . neuer is satan so preuailent , as when hee comes transformed into an angell of light . it was a mercifull prouidence of god , that made these mens tongues the blabs of their owne counsell . many a fearfull designe had prospered , if wickednesse could haue beene silent . warning is a lawfull gard to a wise aduersary : now doth nehemiah arme his people ; and for the time , changes their trowels into swords , & speares , and bowes ; raising vp their courage with a vehement exhortation , to remember the lord , which is great , and terrible , and to fight for their brethren , their sonnes , their daughters , their wiues , and their houses . nothing can so harten vs to the encountring of any euill , as the remembrance of that infinite power and wisdome which can either auert , or mittigate , or sanctifie it : wee could not faint if wee did not forget god. necessity vrges a man to fight for himself , loue inables his hand to fight for those which challēge a part in him ; where loue meets with necessity , there can want no indeuor of victory ; necessity can make euen cowards , valiant ; loue makes the valiant , vnresistable : nehemiah doth not therefore perswade these iewes to fight for themselues , but for theirs : the inlargement of the interest , and danger , cannot but quicken the dullest spirits . discouered counsels are alreadie preuented ; these serpents dye by being first seene ; when the enemies heard that it was knowne vnto vs , they let fall their plot . could wee descry the enterprises of satan , that tempter would returne ashamed . it is a safe point of wisedome to carrie a iealous eye ouer those , whom we haue once found hollow , and hostile : from that time forth nehemiah diuided the taske , betwixt the trowell , and the sword ; so disposing of euery israelite , that whiles one hand was a mason , the other was a souldier : one is for worke , the other for defence . oh liuely image of the church militant , wherein euery one labours , weaponed ; wherein there is neither an idle souldier , nor a secure workman : euery one so builds , as that he is ready to ward temptations ; euerie one so wields the sword of the spirit , for defence , that , withall , hee builds vp himselfe in his most holy faith ; here is neither a fruitlesse valour , nor an vnsafe diligence . but what can our weapons auaile vs , if there be not meanes to warne vs of an enemie ? without a trumpet we are armed in vain . the worke is great and large , and we are separated vpon the wall , one farre from another : yea , so farre as the vtmost bounds of the earth , are wee separated one from another , vpon the wals of the spirituall ierusalem ; onely the sacred trumpets of god , call vs , who are distant in place , to a combination in profession . and who are those trumpets , but the publike messengers of god , of whom god hath said ; if the watchmen see the sword come , and blow not the trumpet , and the people be not warned , if the sword come , and take any person from among them , hee is taken away in his iniquitie , but his blood will i require at the watchmans hand . wo bee to vs if we sound not ; if the sound we giue be vncertaine : wo be to our people , if when we premonish them of enemies , of iudgements , they sit still vnmoued , not buckling themselues to a resistance , to a preuention . it is a mutuall ayd , to which these trumpets inuite vs ; wee might fight apart , without the signals of warre ; in what place yee heare the sound of the trumpet , resort ye thither vnto vs. there can bee no safety to the church , but wher euery man thinkes his life , and welfare consists in his fellowes ; conioyned forces may prosper , single oppositions are desperare : all hearts and hands must meet in the common quarrell . nehemiah redressing the extortion of the iewes . with what difficultie doe these miserable iewes settle in their ierusalem ? the feare of foraine enemies doth not more afflict them , then the extortion of their owne : dearth is added vnto warre : miseries doe not stay for a mannerly succession to each other , but in a rude importunity throng in , at once . babel may be built with ease , but whosoeuer goes about to raise the walls of gods citie , shall haue his hands full : the incursion of publike enemies may be preuented with vigilancy and power ; but there is no defence against the secret gripes of oppression . there is no remedy , the iewes are so taken vp with their trowel , and sword , for the time , that they cannot attend their trades ; so as , whiles the wall did rise , their estates must needs impayre : euen in the cheapest season they must needs be poore , that earned nothing but the publike safetie , how much more in a common scarcity ? their houses , lands , vineyards are therefore morgaged , yea their very skins are sold , for corn , to their brethren : necessity forces them to sell that , which it was cruelty to buy ; what will we not , what must we not part with , for life ? the couetous rulers did not consider the occasions of this want , but the aduantage . sometimes , a bargaine may bee as vnmercifull as a robbery : charity must be the rule in all contracts ; the violation whereof , whether in the matter , or the price , cannot but be sinfull . there could not bee a iuster ground of expostulation then this of the oppressed iewes : our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren , our children as their children ; and loe , we bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters : whiles there is no difference in nature , why should there bee such an iniurious disproportion in condition . euen the same flesh may beare a iust inequality ; some may be rulers , whiles others are subiect ; some wealthy , others poore ; but why those wealthy rulers should tyrannize ouer those poore inferiours , and turne brotherhood into bondage no reason can be giuen but lawlesse ambition ; if there were one flesh of peeres , another of peasants , there should be some colour for the proud impositions of the great , as because the flesh of beasts is in a lower ranke then ours , we kill , we deuoure it at pleasure ; but now , since the large body of mankinde consists of the same flesh , why should the hand strike the foot ? and if one flesh may challenge meet respects from vs , how much more one spirit ; the spirit is more noble , then the flesh is base ; the flesh is dead without the spirit ; the spirit without the flesh , actiue and immortall ; our soule , though shapelesse , and immateriall , is more apparently one , then the flesh ; and if the vnity of our humane spirit call vs to a mutuall care , and tendernesse in our cariage , each to other , how much more of the diuine ? by that we are men , by this we are christians : as the soule animates vs to a naturall life , so doth gods spirit animate the soule to an heauenly ; which is so one ; that it cannot bee deuided . how should that one spirit cause vs so farre to forget all naturall , and ciuill differences , as not to contemne , not to oppresse any whom it informeth ? they are not christians , not men , that can inioy the miseries of their brethren , whether in the flesh or spirit . good nehemiah cannot choose but bee much moued at the barbarous extortion of the people ; and now , like an vnpartiall gouernour , hee rebukes the rulers and nobles , whose hand was thus bloody with oppression . as of fishes , so of men , the lesser are a prey to the great : it is an ill vse made of power , whē the weight of it serues onely to crush the weake . there were no liuing amongst men had not god ordained higher then the highest ; and yet higher then they . eminency of place cannot bee better improued , then by taking down mighty offenders . if nobility doe embase it selfe to any foule sinne , it is so much more worthy of coertion , by how much the person is of greater marke . the iustice of this reproofe could not but shame impudence it selfe ; wee after our abilitie haue redeemed our brethren the iewes which were sold to the heathen , and will you sell your brethren , or shall they be sold to vs ? shall they finde at home that yoke of bondage which they had put off abroad ? whiles they are still iewes , shall we turne assyrians ? if they must be slaues , why not rather to enemies , then to brethren ? how much more tollerable were a forayne seruitude , then a domesticall : be ashamed , ô ye nobles of israel , to renue babylon in ierusalem . i maruell not if the offenders be stricken dumbe with so vnanswerable an expostulation ; guiltinesse , and confusion haue stopt their mouthes . many of those who haue not had grace enough to refraine sin , yet are not so vtterly void of grace as to maintaine sinne ; our after-wits are able to discerne a kinde of vnreasonableness in those wicked actions , which the first appearance represents vnto vs plausible . gaine leads in sinne , but shame followes it out . there are those that are bold and witty to beare out commodious , or pleasant euills ; neither could these iewish enormities , haue wanted some colours of defence ; their stocke was their owne , which might haue beene otherwise improued , to no lesse profit ; the offer , the suit of these bargaines was from the sellers ; these escheates fell into their hands , vnsought ; neither did their contract cause the neede of their brethren , but releeue it : but their conscience will not beare this plea. i know not whether the maintenance of the least euill bee not worse , then the commission of the greatest ; this may bee of frailty , that argues obstinacy : there is hope of that man that can blush , and be silent . after conuiction of the fact , it is seasonable for nehemiah , to perswade reformation : no oratory is so powerfull , as that of mildnesse : especially when we haue to doe with those , who either through stomach , or greatnesse , may not indure a rough reproofe : the drops that fall easily vpon the corne , ripen , and fill the eare , but the stormy showers that fal with violence , beat down the stalkes flat to the earth , and lay whole fields , without hope of recouery . who can resist this sweet & soueraign reprehension ; ought yee not to walke in the feare of our god , because of the reproach of the heathen , our enemies ? did we dwell alone in the midst of the earth , yet the feare of our god should ouer-awe our wayes ; but now that we dwell in the midst of our enemies , whose eies are bent vpon all our actions , whose tongues are as ready to blaspheme god , as we to offend him , how carefully should we auoid those sins , which may draw shame vpon our profession ? now , the scandall is worse then the fact ; thus , shall religion suffer more from the heathen , then our brethren doe from vs : if iustice , if charity cannot sway with vs , yet , let the scornfull insultations of the prophane gentiles , afright vs frō these pressures . no ingenuous disposition can be so tender of his own disgrace , as the true israelite is of the reproch of his god : what is it that hee will not rather refraine , doe , suffer , then that glorious name shall hazard a blemish ? they cannot want outward retentiues from sin , that liue either among friends , or enemies ; if friends , they may not be grieued , if enemies , they may not be prouoked : those that would liue well , must stand in awe of all eyes ; euen those that are without the church yet may not bee without our regard : no person can bee so contemptible , as that his censure should be contemned . in dissuading from sinne , reason it selfe cannot preuaile more then example . i likewise , and my brethren , and my seruants might exact of them money , and corne . but from the time that i was appointed to the charge of iudah , i , and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour . hee shall neuer rule well , that doth all that hee may : it is not safe for either part , that a prince should liue at the height of his power : and if the greatest abate of their right , is it for inferiors to extort ? had nehemiah aimed at his own greatnesse , no man could haue had fairer pretences for his gaine . the former gouernors that were before him were chargeable vnto the people , and had taken of them bread and wine , besides fourty shekels of siluer . his foot had not first trod in this commodious path ; it was beaten by the steps of his predecessors ; neither did any of them walke beside it : how euer it might bee enuious to raise new taxations , yet to continue those he found vnrepined at , had been out of the reach of exception : a good gouernour lookes not so much what hath beene done , as what should bee ; precedents are not the rule , whereby hee rules , but iustice , but piety . so did not i , because of the feare of the lord : lawes are not a straiter curbe to subiects , then conscience is to good princes . they dare not doe what they cannot doe charitably : what aduantage can they thinke it to bee from vnder the controllment of men , when the god of heauen notes , and punishes their offences . who so walketh by this rule , can neither erre , nor mis-cary ; it is not trusting to the externall remedies of sinne , either they are not alwaies present ; or if present , not powerfull enough ; but if the feare of god haue once taken vp the heart , it goes euer with vs , and is strong enough to ouer-maister the forceablest temptation . therefore must these iewes follow this example of nehemiah , because he followed not the example of his predecessors ; because he left their euill , they must imitate his good . in vaine shall rulers aduise against their owne practice ; when they lead the way , they may well challenge to bee followed : seldome hath it been euer seene that great persons haue not beene seconded in euill , why should not their power serue to make patternes of their vertues ? thus well did it speed with nehemiah ; his mercifull cariage , and zealous suit haue drawne the rulers to a promise of restitution ; we will restore them , and will require nothing of them , so will we doe as thou sayest . it is no small aduantage that these nobles must forgoe , in their releases : there cannot be a better signe of a sound amendment , thē that we can be content to be loosers by our repentance ; many formall penitents haue yeelded to part with so much of their sinne , as may abate nothing of their profit ; as if these rulers should haue beene willing to restore the persons , but withall should haue stood stifly to require their sums : this whining and partiall satisfaction had been thanklesse . true remorse inlargeth the heart , and openeth the hand to a bountifull redemption of our errors . good purposes doe too often coole in time , and vanish into a carelesse forgetfulnesse ; nehemiah feared this issue of these holy resolutions ; and therfore he prosecutes them in their first heat ; not leauing these promises , till he had secured them , with an oath ; the priests are called for , that in their mouthes , the adiuration may be more solemne , & sacred ; it is the best point of wisedome to take the first opportunity of fixing good motions , which otherwise are of themselues light , & sleightie . to make all yet more sure , their oathes are crosse-barred with his execration . also i shooke my lap , and said , so god shake out euery man from his house , and from his labour that performeth not this promise , euen thus be he shaken out , and emptied , and all the congregation said , amen . a promise , an oath , a curse , are passed vpon this act ; now , no israelite dares falter in the execution : when we haue a sin in chace , it is good to follow it home , not slackning our pursuit till we haue fully preuailed ; and when it is once falne vnder our hands , we cannot kill it too much . now nehemiah hauing thus happily deliuered his people frō a domesticall captiuity , commēds his seruice to the gracious remuneration of the almighty ; thinke vpon me my god , for good , according to all that i haue done for this people ; therfore doth hee refuse the bread of the gouernour , that hee may receiue the reward of the gouernour of heauen : had hee taken a temporary recompence , both he and it had beene forgotten , now he hath made an happy change for eternity . not that he pleades his merit , but sues for mercy ; neither doth he pray to bee remembred for his work , but according to his worke . our good deedes as they are well accepted of god , so they shall not goe vnrewarded ; and what god will giue , why may not wee craue . doubtlesse , as we may offer vp our honest obediences vnto god , so we may expect and beg his promised retributions ; not out of a proud conceit of the worth of our earnings , who at the best are no other then vnprofitable seruants ; but out of a faithfull dependance vpon his pact of bounty , who cannot bee lesse then his word : o god , if we doe ought that is good , it is thine act , and not ours ; crowne thine owne worke in vs , and take thou the glory of thine own mercies . whiles nehemiah is busie in reforming abuses , at home ; the enemy is plotting against him , abroad ; sanballat , and tobiah , and geshem the arabian conspire against his life , and in him , against the peace of ierusalem : what open hostility could not do , they hope to effect by pretence of treaties : foure seuerall messages call nehemiah to a friendly meeting . distrust is a sure gard . the wise gouernor hath learn'd to suspect the hollow fauours of an enemy ; and to returne them , with safe and iust excuses . i cannot come downe , why should the worke cease whiles i leaue it , and come downe to you ? i doe not heare him say , you intend mischiefe to mee ; i will not come forth to you ; though this were the proper cause of his forbearance , but he hee turnes them off with an answer , that had as much truth , as reseruednesse . fraud is the fitliest answered with subtlety : euen innocencie is allowed a lawfull craft ; that man is in an ill case , that conceales no truth from an aduersary . what intreaties cannot doe , shall bee attempted by threats ; sanballats seruant comes now the fifth time , with an open letter , importing dangerous intimation , wherein is written , it is reported among the heathen and gashmu saith it , that the iewes thinke to rebell ; for which cause thou buildest the wall that thou mayest be their king. it is reported : and what falshood may not plead this warant●● what can be more lying then report ? among the beathen : and who is more ethnick then sanballat ? what pagan can be worse then a mungrel idolater ? and gashmu saith it , aske my fellow else ; this arabian was one of those three heads of all the hostile combination , against ierusalem , against nehemiah ; it would be wide with innocēce if enemies might bee allow'd to accuse . that the iewes thinke to rebell : a stale suggestion , but , once , powerfull ; malice hath learn'd to miscall all actions ; where the hands cannot bee taxed , very thoughts are preiudged : for which cause thou buildest the wall , that thou mayest be their king ; hee was neuer true israelite that hath not passed spightfull slanders , and misconstructions : artaxerxes knew his seruant too well , to beleeue any rumour , that should haue beene so shamelesse ; the ambition of nehemiah was wel known to reach onely to the cup , not to the scepter of his soueraign : and yet , to make vp a sound tale , prophets are suborned to preach , there is a king in iudah : as if that loyall gouernor had corrupted the pulpits also ; and had taught them the language of treason . but what of all this ? what if some false tongue haue whispered such idle tales ? it is not safe for thee , o nehemiah , to contemn report : perhaps this newes shal fly to the court , and worke thee a deadly displeasure ere thou canst know thy selfe traduced ; come therefore , and let vs take counsell together : surely that man cannot be sparing of any thing , that is prodigall of his reputation . if ought vnder heauen can fetch nehemiah out of his hold , it is the care of his fame . but , that wary gouernour sees a net spred neere vnto this stall ; and therfore keeps aloofe , not without contempt of those slie deuises . there are no such things done as thou sayest , but thou fainest them out of thine owne heart : some imputations are best answered with a neglectiue deniall : it fals out often that plaine dealing puts craft out of countenāce , since neither force nor fraud can kill nehemiah , they will now try to draw him into a sinne , and thereby into a reproach ; o god , that any prophets tongue should be mercenary ! shemaiah the seer , is hyred by tobiah , and sanballat , to affright the gouernour , with the noyse of his intended murder ; and to aduise him for shelter , to flye to the forbidden refuge of the temple . the colour was faire . violence is meant to thy person , no place but one can promise thee safetie ; the city hath as yet no gates ; come therefore , and shut thy selfe vp in the temple , there onely shalt thou be free from all assaults . and what if nehemiah had harkened to this counsell ? sinne , and shame had followed ; that holy place was for none but persons sacred ; such as were priuiledged by blood , and function ; others should presume , and offend in entring ; and now , what would the people say ? what shall become of vs whiles our gouernour hides his head for feare ? when shall wee finde a temple to secure vs ? what doe wee depending vpon a cowardly leader ? well did nehemiah fore-cast these circumstances , both of act , and euent , and therefore resoluing to distrust a prophet that perswaded him to the violation of a law , hee reiects the motion with scorne ; should such a man as i flee ? should i goe into the temple to saue my life ? i will not goe : it is fit for great persons to stand vpon the honour of their places ; their very stations should put those spirits into them , that should make them hate to stoope vnto base conditions . had god sent this message , wee know hee hath power to dispence with his owne lawes ; but well might the contradiction of a law argue the message not sent of god. god as he is one , so doth hee perfitly agree with himselfe . if any priuate spirit crosse a written word , let him be accursed . ahasvervs feasting , vashti cast off , esther chosen . what bounds can be set to humane ambition ? ahasuerus , that is , xerxes , the sonne of darius is already the king of an hundred , and seuen and twenty prouinces , and now is ready to fight for more . hee hath newly subdued egypt , and is now addressing himself for the conquest of greece . hee cannot hope euer to see all the land that hee possesseth , and yet hee cannot be quiet , whiles he heares of more . lesse then two ells of earth shall ere long serue him , whom , for the time , a whole world shall scarce satisfie ; in vaine shall a man striue to haue that which he cannot inioy , and to inioy ought by mere relation ; it is a windy happinesse that is sought in the exaggeration of those titles , which are taken vpon others credit , without the sense of the owner : nothing can fill the heart of man , but he that made it . this great monarch , partly in triumph of the great victories , that he hath lately wonne in egypt , and partly , for the animation of his princes , and souldiers , to his future exploits , makes a feast , like himselfe , royall and magnificent . what is greatnesse if it bee not showed ? and wherein can greatnesse bee better showne , then in the atcheiuments of warre , and the intertainments of peace ? all other feasts were but hunger to this of ahasuerus , whether we regard the number of guests , or the largenesse of preparation , or continuance of time : during the space of a whole halfe yeare , all the tables were sumptuously furnished for all commers from india , to ethyopia ; a world of meat was euery day dressed for a world of men ; euery meale was so set on , as if it should haue beene the last : yet all this long feast hath an end ; and all this glory is shut vp in forgetfulnesse ; what is ahasuerus the better , that his peeres then said , hee was incomparably great ? what are his peeres the better , that they were feasted ? happy is he that eates bread , and drinkes new wine in the kingdome of god ; this banquet is for eternity , without intermission , without satiety . what variety of habits , of languages , of manners , met at the boards of ahasuerus ? what confluence of strange guests was there now to shushan ? and , lest the glory of this great king might seeme , like some coorse picture , only faire a farre off ; after the princes and nobles of the remote prouinces , all the people of shushan are intertained , for seuen daies with equall pompe and state ; the spacious court of the palace is turned into a royall hall , the walls are rich hangings , the pillars of marble , the beds of siluer and gold , the pauement of porphirie curiously checkered ; the wine and the vessels stroue whether should bee the richer ; no man drunke in worse then gold ; and whiles the mettall was the same , the forme of each cup was diuers ; the attendants was answerable to the cheare ; and the freedome matched both : here was no compulsion , either to the measure , or quality of the draught ; euery mans rule was his owne choice . who can but blush to see forced healths in christian banquets , when the ciuility of very pagans commands liberty . i cannot but enuy the modesty of heathen dames ; vashti the queene , and her ladies , with all the seuerall rankes of that sexe , feast apart ; intertaining each other , with a bashfull curtesie , without wantonnesse , without that wild scurrility , which vseth to haunt promiscuous meetings : oh shamefull vnchastity of those loose christians , who must feed their lust , whiles they fill their bellies ; and thinke the feast vnperfit , where they may not sate their eye no lesse then their palate . the last day of this pompous feast is now come : king ahasuerus is so much more cheerfull , by how much his guests are neerer to their dismission . euery one is wont to close vp his curtesie with so much more passion , as the last acts vse to make the deeper impression ; and now , that he might at once amaze , and indeare the beholders , vashti the queene in all her royalty , is called for ; her sight shall shut vp the feast , that the princes and people may say , how happy is king ahasuerus , not so much in this greatnesse , as in that beauty . seuen officers of the chamber are sent to cary the message , to attend her entrance , and are returned with a deniall : perhaps vashti thought ; what meanes this vncouth motion ? more then sixe moneths hath this feast continued ; and , all this while wee haue inioyed the wonted liberty of our sexe ; were the king still himselfe , this command could not bee sent ; it is the wine , and not hee , that is guiltie of this errand ; is it for mee to humour him in so vaine a desire ? will it agree with our modest reseruednesse , to offer our selues to bee gazed at by millions of eyes ? who knowes what wanton attempts may follow vpon this vngouerned excesse ? this very message argues that wit , and reason haue yeelded their places to that besotting liquor . nothing but absence can secure vs from some vnbeseeming profer ; neither doubt i , but the king when he returnes to himselfe , will giue me thankes for so wise a forbearance . thus , vpon the conceit ( as is likely ) that her presence would bee either needlesse , or vnsafe . vashti refuseth to come . although perhaps her great spirits thought much to receiue a command frō the hand of officers . the blood that is once inflamed with wine , is apt to boyle with rage : ahasuerus is very wroth with this indigne repulse : it was the ostentation of his glory , and might , that hee affected , before those princes , peeres , people ; and now that seemes eclipsed , in the shutting vp of all his magnificence , with the disgraceful affront of a woman . it vexes him to thinke , that those nobles , whom hee meant to send away astonished with the admiration of his power , and maiesty , should now say : what boots it ahasuerus to rule afarre off , when hee cannot command at home ? in vaine doth he boast to gouerne kings , whiles hee is checked by a woman . what euer were the intentions of vashti , surely her disobedience was inexcusable ; it is not for a good wife to iudge of her husbands will , but to execute it : neither wit , nor stomacke may carie her into a curious inquisition into the reasons of an inioyned charge , much lesse to a resistance : but in an hood-winkt simplicity she must follow , whither shee is led ; as one that holds her chiefe praise to consist in subiection . where should the perfection of wisedome dwell , if not in the courts of great princes ? or what can the treasures of monarchs purchase more invaluably precious , then learned and iudicious attendance ? or who can be so fit for honour as the wisest . i doubt how ahasuerus could haue beene so great , if his throne had not beene still compassed with them that knew the times , and vnderstood the law , and iudgement . these were his oracles in all his doubts : these are now consulted in this difficulty ; neither must their aduice bee secretly whispered , in the kings eare , but publikely deliuered in the audience of all the princes . it is a perillous way that these sages are called to goe , betwixt an husband and wife ; especially of such power , and eminency ; yet memucan feares not to passe an heauie sentence against queen vashti . vashti , the queene hath not done wrong to the king onely , but also to all the princes , and all the people , that are in all the prouinces of the king ahasuerus . a deepe and sore commination ; iniuries are so much more intolerable , as they are dilated vnto more ; those offences which are of narrow extent , may receiue an easie satisfaction ; the amends are not possible , where the wrong is vniuersall : for this deed of the queene shall come abroad to all women , so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes : indeed so publique a fact must needs fly ; that concourse gaue fit opportunity to diffuse it all the world ouer ; the examples of the great are easily drawne into rules . bad lessons are apt to be taken out ; as honour , so contempt fals downe from the head to the skirts ; neuer ascends from the skirts to the head . these wise men are so much the more sensible of this danger , as they saw it more likely , the case might proue their owne . likewise shall the ladies of persia and media say this day vnto all the kings princes . the first precedents of euill must bee carefully auoided , if wee care to keepe a constant order in good . prudence cannot better bestirre it selfe , then in keeping mischiefe from home . the foundation of this doom of memucan is not laid so deep for nothing ; if it please the king let there goe a royall commandement from him , and let it bee written among the lawes of the persians , and medians , that it bee not altered , that vashti come no more before ahasuerus ; and let the king giue her royall estate to another that is better then she . how bold a word was this , and how hazardous ? had ahasuerus more loued the beauty of vashti , then his honor , memucan had spoken this against his owne life : howsoeuer , a queene of so great spirit , could not want strength of fauour , and faction , in the persian court ; which could not but take fire at so desperate a motiō . faithfull statesmen , ouerlooking priuate respects , must bend their eies vpon publique dangers , labouring to preuent a common mischiefe , though with the aduenture of their owne . nature had taught these pagans the necessitie of a female subiection ; and the hate and scorne of a proud disobedience . they haue vnlearned the very dictates of nature , that can abide the head to bee set below the ribbe . i cannot say but vashti was worthy of a sharpe censure ; i cannot say she was worthy a repudiation . this plaister drew too hard ; it was but heathen iustice to punish the wiues disobedience in one indifferent act , with a diuorce : nothing but the violation of the mariage-bed , can either breake , or vntye the knot of mariage . had she not been a queen , had not that contemptuous act beene publique , the sentence had not beene so hard ; now the punishment must be exemplary , lest the sin should be so . many a one had smarted lesse , if their persons , if their places had beene meaner . the king , the princes approue this heauy iudgment of memucan ; it is not in the power of the faire face of vashti , to warrant her stomacke : no doubt many messages passed ere the rigour of this execution : that great hart knows not to relēt , but will rather break , then yeeld to an humble deprecation . when the stone , and the steele meet , fire is stricken ; it is a soft answer that appeaseth wrath . vashti is cast off , letters are sent from the king , into all his prouinces , to command that euery man should rule at home ; the court affords thē an awfull patterne of authority : had not ahasuerus doted much vpon vashties beauty , hee had not called her forth at the feast , to be wōdredat , by his peeres & people ; yet now hee so feeles the wound of his reputation , that he forgets he euer felt any wound of his affection . euen the greatest loue may be ouer-strained ; it is not safe presuming vpon the deepest assurances of dearnesse : there is no heart that may not be estranged . it is not possible that great princes should want soothing vp in all their inclinations , in all their actions : whiles ahasuerus is following the chace of his ambition , in the wars of greece , his followers are prouiding for his lust at home ; nothing could sound more pleasing to a carnall eare , then that all the faire yong virgins , throughout all his dominions , should be gathered into his palace at shushan , for his assay , and choice : the decree is soone published ; the charge is committed to hege , the kings chamberlain , both of their purification , and ornaments . what strife , what emulation was now , amongst all the persian damosells , that either were , or thought themselues faire ? euery one hopes to bee a queene ; and sees no reason why any other should be thought more excellent ; how happy were wee , if we could be so ambitious of our espousalls to the king of heauen ? amongst all this throng of virgins , god hath prouided a wife for ahasuerus ; hauing determined his choice , where most aduantage shall rise to his forlorne people . the iewes were miserably scattered ouer the world , in that wofull deportation vnder iechoniah ; scarce an handfull of them returned to ierusalem ; the rest remaine still dispersed where they may but haue leaue to liue . there are many thousands of them turned ouer with the babylonian monarchy , to the persian ; amōgst the rest , was mordecai , the sonne of iair , of the tribe of beniamin ; a man of no meane note , or ability ; who , liuing in shushan , had brought vp hadassah , or esther , his vncles daughter , in a liberall fashion ; it was happy for this orphane , that in a region of captiuity , shee light into such good hands ; her wise kinsman finds it fit , that her breeding , and habit shold be persian-like ; in outward and ciuill formes , there was no need to vary from the heathen ; her religion must bee her owne ; the rest was so altogether theirs , that her very nation was not discerned . the same god that had giuen incomparable beauty to this iewesse , gaue her also fauor in the eies of hegai , the keeper of the women ; shee is not only taken into the persian court , as one of the selected virgins , but obserued with more then ordinary respect ; all necessaries for her speedie purification are brought to her ; seuen maides are allowed for her attendance , and the best & most honorable place in that seraglio is allotted to her ; as if this great officer had designed her for a queene , before the choice of his master . what strange preparation was here for the impure bed of an heathen ? euery virgin must be sixe moneths purified with oyle of myrrhe , and six other months perfumed with sweet odors , besides those speciall receits , that were allowed to each , vpon their owne election : o god , what care , what cost is requisite to that soule which should be addressed a fit bride for thine holy and glorious maiesty ? when wee haue scoured our selues with the most cleansing oyle of our repentance , and haue perfumed our selues with thy best graces , and our perfectest obedience , it is the onely praise of thy mercy , that we may bee accepted . the other virgins passed their probation , vnregarded ; when esthers turne came , though shee required nothing ; but tooke what was giuen her ; though she affected nothing , but brought that face , that demeanure , which nature had cast vpon her , no eye sees her without admiration ; the king takes such pleasure in her beauty , that , contemning all the other vulgar formes , his choyce is fully fixed vpon her ; all things must prosper , where god hath intended the suceesse : the most wise prouidence of the almighty fetches his proiects from farre ; the preseruation and aduantage of his owne people is in hand ; for the contriuing of this , vashti shal be abandoned ; the virgins shall be chosen ; esther only shall please ahasuerus ; mordecai shall displease haman ; hamans ruine shall raise mordecai : the purposes of god cannot be iudged by his remote actions ; only the accōplishment showes his designes ; in the meane time , it pleaseth him to looke another way , then hee moues ; and to worke his owne ends , by arbitrary , and vnlikely accidents . none but esther shall succeed vashti ; she onely caries the heart of ahasuerus from all her sexe ; the royall crowne is set vpon her head ; and , as vashti was cast off at a feast , so , with a solemne feast shall esther bee espoused ; here wanted no triumph , to expresse the ioy of this great bridegroom ; and that the world might witnesse he could be no lesse louing , then seuere , all his prouinces shal feele the pleasure of this happy match , in their immunities , in their rich gifts . with what enuious eyes doe we thinke vashti lookt vpon her glorious riuall ? how doth shee now ( though too late ) secretly chide her peeuish will , that had thus stript her of her royal crown , and made way for a more happy successor ? little did shee thinke her refusall could haue had so hainous a construction : little did she feare , that one word ( perhaps not ill meant ) should haue forfaited her husband , her crowne , and all that she was . who so is not wise enough to forecast the danger of an offence , or indiscretion , may haue leasure enough of an vnseasonable repentance . that minde is truly great and noble , that is not changed with the hyest prosperity ; queen esther cannot forget her cozen mordecai ; no pompe can make her sleight the charge of so deare a kinsman : in all her royalty , she casts her eie vpon him , amongst the throng of beholders , but shee must not know him ; her obedience keeps her in awe , and will not suffer her to draw him vp with her , to the participation of her honor ; it troubles her , not a little , to forbeare this duty ; but shee must ; it is enough for her , that mordecai hath commanded her not to be acknowne , who , or whose she was . perhaps the wise iew feared , that whiles her honour was yet greene , and vnsetled , the notice of her nation , and the name of a despised captiue might bee some blemish to her in that proud court ; when as afterwards , vpon the merit of her cariage , and the full possession of all harts , her name might dignifie her nation , and countermand all reproches mordecai was an officer in the court of ahasuerus ; his seruice called him daily to attend in the kings gate ; much better might he , being a iew , serue a pagan master , then his foster-daughter might ascend to a pagans bed . if the necessity or conuenience of his occasions called him to serue ; his pietie and religion called him to faithfulnesse in his seruice : two of the kings chamberlaines , bigthana , and teresh , conspire against the life of their soueraine . no greatnesse can secure from trecherie , or violence : hee that ruled ouer millions of men , through an hundred , and seuen and twenty prouinces , cannot assure himselfe from the hand of a villaine ; he that had the power of other mens liues , is in danger of his owne . happy is that man , that is once possessed of a crown incorruptible , vnfadable , reserued for him in heauen : no force , no treason can reach thither , there can be no perill of either violence , or forfaiture . the likeliest defence of the person of any prince , is the fidelity of his attendants : mordecai ouer-hears the whispering of these wicked conspirators ; and reueales it to esther ; she ( as glad of such an opportunity to commend vnto ahasuerus the loyalty of him whom she durst but secretly honour ) reueales it to the king ; the circumstances are examined , the plot is discouered , the traytors executed , the seruice recorded , in the persian annalls . a good foundation is thus laid for mordecaies aduancement , which yet is not ouer-hastened , on either part ; worthy dispositions labour onely to deserue well , leauing the care of their remuneration , to them , whom it concernes ; it is fit that gods leasure should be attended in all his designements ; the houre is set , when mordecai shall bee raised : if in the meane time there be an interuention , not only of neglect , but of feares , and dangers , all these shall make his honour so much more sweet , more precious . haman disrespected by mordecai . mordecais message to esther . besides the charge of his office , the care of esthers prosperity calls mordecai to the kings gate ; and fixes him there : with what inward contentment did he thinke of his so royall pupill ? here i sit among my fellowes ; little doth the world thinke , that mine adopted child sits in the throne of persia : that the great empresse of the world owes her selfe to me ; i might haue more honor , i could not haue so much secret comfort , if al shushan knew what interest i haue in queene esther . whiles his hart is taken vp with these thoughts , who should come ruffling by him , but the new-raised fauorite of king ahasuerus , haman the sonne of ammedatha the agagite ? him hath the great king inexpectedly aduanced , and set his seat aboue all the princes that were with him : the gracious respects of princes are not alwayes led by merit , but by their owne will ; which is euer affected to bee so much the freer , as themselues would bee held more great . when the sunne shines vpon the diall , euery passenger will be looking at it ; there needed no command of reuerence , where ahasuerus was pleased to countenance ; all knees will bow alone euen to forbidden idols of honor ; how much more where royall authority inioynes obeysance ? all the seruants , all the subiects of king ahasuerus are willingly prostrate before this great mignon of their souerayn ; onely mordecai stands stiffe , as if he saw nothing more then a man in that proud agagite . they are not obserued that do as the most ; but if any one man shall vary from the multitude , all eyes are turned vpon him : mordecaies fellow-officers note this palpable irreuerence , and expostulate it ; why transgressest thou the kings commandements ? considerest thou not how far this affront reacheth ? it is not the person of haman , whom thou refusest to adore , but the king in him : neither doe we regard so much the man , as the command ; let him be neuer so vile whom the king bids to bee honoured , with what safety can a subiect examine the charge , or resist it ? his vnworthinesse cannot dispence with our loyalty . what a dangerous wilfulnesse should it be to incurre the forfaiture of thy place , of thy life for a curtesie ? if thou wilt not bow with others , expect to suffer alone ; perhaps ( they thought ) this omission was vnheedy ; in a case of ignorance , or incogitancie , it was a friendly office to admonish ; the sight of the errour had beene the remedy . mordecai heares their challenge , their aduice ; and thinks good to answer both , with silence ; as willing they should imagine , his inflexiblenesse proceeded from a resolution ; and that resolution from some secret grounds , which he needed not impart : at last yet he imparts thus much : let it suffice , that i am a iew , and haman an amalekite . after a priuate expostulation , the continuance of that open neglect is construed for a sullen obstinacie ; and now , the monitors themselues grow sensible of the contempt : men are commonly impatient to lose the thanke of their indeuours , and are prone to hate whom they cannot reforme . partly therfore to picke a thanke , and partly to reuenge this contumacy , these officers turne informers against mordecai , neither meant to make the matter fairer then it was ; they tell haman how proud , and stubborne a iew sate amongst them , how ill they could brooke so saucie an affront to be offered to his greatnesse ; how seriously they had expostulated , how stomackfully the offender persisted ; and beseech him , that he would bee pleased in his next passage , to cast some glances that way , and but obserue the fashion of that intolerable insolency . the proud agagite cannot long indure the very expectation of such an indignity ; on purpose doth he stalk thither , with higher then his ordinary steps ; snuffing vp the aire , as he goes , and would see the man , that durst deny reuerence to the greatest prince of persia . mordecai holds his old posture ; onely hee is so much more carelesse , as he sees haman more disdainfull , and imperious ; neither of them goes about to hide his passion ; one lookt , as if hee said , i hate the pride of haman ; the other lookt , as if he said , i will plague the contempt of mordecai : how did the eies of hamā sparkle with fury , and as it were dart our deadly beames in the face of that despightfull iew ? how did he swell with indignation ; and then againe waxe pale with anger ? shortly , his very brow and his motion bad mordecai looke for the vtmost of reuenge . mordecai foresees his danger , and contemnes it ; no frownes , no threats can souple those ioints : he may breake , he will not bow . what shall we say then to this obfirmed resolution of mordecai ? what is it , what can it be , that so stiffens the knees of mordecai , that death is more easie to him , then their incuruation ? certainly , if meere ciuility were in question , this wilfull irreuerence to so great a peere , could not passe without the iust censure of a rude peruersnesse ; it is religion that forbids this obeisāce , & tels him , that such curtesie could not bee free from sinne ; whether it were , that more then humane honor was required to this new-erected image of the great king , as the persiās were euer wont to bee noted for too much lauishnesse in these courtly deuotions : or whether it were , that the ancient curse wherewith god had branded the blood , and stocke of haman , made it vnlawfull for an israelite to giue him any obseruance : for the amalekites ( of whose royall line haman was descended ) were the nation , with which god had sworne perpetuall hostility ; and whose memory hee had straitly charged his people to root out , from vnder heauen ; how may i ( thinks he ) adore , where god commāds me to detest ? how may i professe respect , where god professeth enmity ? how may i contribute to the establishment of that seed vpon earth , which god hath charged to be pull'd vp from vnder heauen ? outward actions of indifferency , when once they are felt to trench vpon the conscience , lay deepe obligations vpon the soule ; euen whiles they are most sleighted by carelesse hearts . in what a flame of wrath doth haman liue this while ? wherewith he could not but haue consumed his owne heart , had hee not giuen vent to that rage in his assured purposes of reuenge : great mens anger is like to themselues , strong , fierce , ambitious of an excessiue satisfaction . haman scornes to take vp with the blood of mordecai ; this were but a vulgar amends ; poore men can kill where they hate , and expiate their owne wrong , with the life of a single enemie : hamans fury shall fly an higher pitch ; millions of threats are few enow to bleed for this offence : it is a iew that hath despighted him ; all the whole nation of the iewes shall perish for the stomach of this one : the monarchy of the world was now in the hand of the persian , as iudaea was within this compasse , so there was scarce a iew vpon earth , without the verge of the persian dominions : the generation , the name shall now dye at once ; neither shall there bee any memory of them ; but this ; there was a people , which hauing beene famous through the world , for three thousand , foure hundred , and fourescore yeares , were in a moment , extinct by the power of haman for default of a courtesie . perhaps , that hereditary grudge , and old antipathy , that was betwixt israel , and amalek , stucke still in the heart of this agagite ; he might know that god had commanded israel to root out amalek from vnder heauen ; and now therefore an amalekite will bee ready to take this aduātage against israel . it is extreame iniustice to dilate the punishment , beyond the offence ; and to enwrap thousands of innocents within the trespasse of one : how many that were yet vnborne when haman was vnsaluted , must rue the fact they liued not to know ? how many millions of iewes were then liuing , that knew not there was a mordecai ? all of them are fetcht into one condicion , and must suffer , ere they can know their offence . oh the infinite distance betwixt the vniust cruelty of men , and the iust mercies of the almighty ; euen caiphas himselfe could say , it is better that one man dye , then that all the people should perish ; and here haman can say , it is better that all the people should perish then that one man should dye . thy mercy , ô god , by the willing death of one that had not sinned , hath defrayed the iust death of a world of sinners : whiles the iniurious rigour of a man , for the supposed fault of one , would destroy a whole nation , that had not offended : it is true , that by the sinne of one , death raigned ouer all ; but it was , because all sinned in that one : had not all men beene in adam , all had not falne in him , all had not dyed in him ; it was not the man , but mankind that fell into sinne , and by sinne , into death : no man can complaine of punishment , whiles no man can exempt himselfe from the transgression : vnmercifull haman would haue imbrued his hands in that blood , which hee could not but confesse innocent . it is a rare thing , if the height of fauour cause not presumption ; such is hamans : greatnesse , that he takes his designe for granted , ere it can receiue a motion ; the fittest dayes for this great massacre , are determined by the lots of their common diuination ; according whereunto , haman chooseth the houre of this bloody suit ; and now , waited on by opportunity , he addresseth himselfe to king ahasuerus . there is a certaine people scattered abroad , and dispersed among the people , in all the prouinces of the kingdome , and their lawes are diuers from all people ; neither keepe they the kings lawes , therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them ; if it please the king , let it bee written that they may be destroyed , and i will pay tenne thousand talents of siluer to the hands of the officers . with what cunning hath this man couched his malice ? he doth not say , there is a iew that hath affronted mee , let me be auenged of his nation ; this rancour was too monstrous to be confessed ; perhaps this suggestion might haue bred in the mind of ahasuerus a conceit of hamans ill nature , and intolerable immanity ; but his precences are plausible , and such as driue at no other , then the publique good ; euery word hath his insinuation : it is a scattered people ; were the nation intire , their maintenance could not but stand with the kings honour ; but now since they are but straglers , as their losse would be insensible , so their continuance , and mixture cannot but be preiudiciall ; it was not the fault , it was the misery of these poore iewes , that they were dispersed ; and now their dispersion is made an argument of their extirpation ; therefore must they be destroyed , from the earth , because they were scattered ouer the earth . as good , so euils draw on each other ; that which should plead for pitty in the well-affected , is a motiue to cruelty in sauage minds . seldome euer hath extremity of mischiefe seized , where easier afflictions haue not beene billeted before . all faith full iewes had wont to say vnto god , haue mercy vpon vs , o god , and saue vs , for our soule is full of contempt , and we are scattered amongst the heathen ; and here this enemy can say of them , to ahasuerus , destroy them for they are scattered ; root them out , for they are contemned ; how much better is it to fall into the hands of god , thē of men ; since that which whets the sword of men , works commiseration in the almighty : besides the dissipation of the persons , their lawes are diuers from all people : all other people liue by thy lawes , they onely by their owne : and how can this singularity of their fashions , but breed disorder , and inconuenience ? did they liue in some corner of the earth apart , their difference in religion and gouernment could not import much ; now , that they are dispersed amongst all thy subiects , vvhat doe these vncouth formes of theirs , but teach all the vvorld to bee irregular ? vvhy should they liue vnder thy protection , that will not be gouerned by thy lawes ? wicked haman ! what were the lawes of israel , but the lawes of god ? if this be a quarrell , what shall the death of the iewes bee other , then martyrdome ? the diuersity of iudgement , and practice from the rest of the world hath beene an old , and enuious imputation cast vpō gods church : what if we be singled from others , whiles wee walke with god ? in matters lawfull , arbitrary , indifferent , wisedome teacheth vs to conforme our selues to all others ; but , where god hath laid a speciall imposition vpon vs , we must either vary , or sinne : the greatest glory of israel was their lawes , wherein they as far exceeded all other nations , as heauen is aboue earth ; yet , here their lawes are quarrelled , and are made the inducements of their destruction ; it is not possible the church of god should escape persecution , whiles that which it hath good is maligned ; whiles that offēds which makes it happy . yet , that they haue lawes of their owne , were not so vnsufferable , if withall , they did obserue thine , ô king , but these iewes , as they are vnconformable ; so they are seditious : they keepe not the king lawes : thou slanderest haman ; they could not keepe their owne lawes , if they kept not the kings ; for their lawes call them to obedience vnto their soueraignes ; and adiudge hell to the rebellious : in all those hundred and seuen and twenty prouinces , king ahasuerus hath no subiects , but them ; they obey out of conscience , others out of feare : why are they charged with that , which they doe most abhorre ? what can be the ground of this crimination ? ahasuerus commanded all knees to bow to haman ; a iew onely refuses ; malicious haman ; he that refused to bow vnto thee , had sufficiently approued his loyalty to ahasuerus ; ahasuerus had not been , if mordecai had not beene a good subiect ; hath the king no lawes , but what concerne thine adoration ? set aside religion ( wherein the iew is ready to present if not actiue , yet passiue obedience ) and name that persian law , which a iew dares break . as i neuer yet read , or heard of a conscionable israelite , that hath not passed vnder this calumniation , so i cannot yeeld him a true israelite , that deserues it . in vaine doth hee professe to acknowledge a god , in heauen , that denies homage to his deputy on earth . it is not for the kings profit to suffer thē . worldly hearts are not led by good , or euill , but by profit , or losse ; neither haue they grace to know that nothing is profitable but what is honest , nothing so desperately incommodious , as wickednesse ; they must needs offend by rule that measure all things by profit , & measure profit by their imagination . how easie is it to suggest strange vntruths , when there is no body to giue an answer ? false hamā , hovv is it not for the kings profit to suffer the iewes ? if thou construe this profit , for honor , the kings honor is in the multitude of subiects , and what people more numerous then they ? if for gaine , the kings profit is in the largenesse of his tributes ; and what people are more deepe in their payments ? if for seruices ? what people are more officious ? how can it stand with the kings profit to bereaue himselfe of subiects , his subiects of their liues , his exchequer of their tributes , his state of their defence ? hee is a weake polititian that knowes not to guild ouer the worst proiect , with a pretence of publike vtility . no name vnder heauen hath made so many fooles , so many villaines , as this of profit . lastly , as ahasuerus reapes nothing but disprofit by the liues of the iewes , so hee shall reape no small profit by their deaths : i will pay tenne thousand talents of siluer to the kings treasuries for this execution . if reuenge were not very sweet to the malicious man , hee could not be content to purchase it at so high a rate ; how doe we see daily that the thirst hereof caries men to a riotous prodigality of estate , body , soule ? cruell haman , if thou couldst haue swim'd in a whole sea of iewish blood , if thou couldst haue raised mountaines of their carcasses ; if thou couldst haue made all persia thy shambles ; who would haue giuen thee one farthing for all those piles of flesh , for all those streames of blood ? yea who would not rather haue beene at charge for the auoyding of the annoyances of those slaughtered bodies , which thou offerest to buy at ten thousand talents ? it were an happy thing , if charitie could inlarge it selfe , but so much as malice ; if the preseruation of mankinde could be so much beholden to our bountie , as the destruction . now when all these are laid together , the basenesse and dispersednesse of the people , the diuersitie of their lawes , the irregularitie of their gouernment , the rebellion of their practice , the inconuenience of their toleration , the gaine of their extirpation ; what could the wit or art of man deuise more insinuatiue , more likely to perswade ? how could it bee but ahasuerus must needs thinke ( since he could not suspect the ground of this suit ; ) what a zealous patriot haue i raised that can be content to buy off the incōmodity of the state , at his own charge ? how worthy is hee rather of the aide both of my power , and purse ? why should i be fee'd to ease my kingdomes of rebels : the siluer is giuen to thee , the people also , to doe with them as seemeth good to thee : without all delay , the secretaries are call'd to write the warrants , the kings ring is giuen to seale them , the posts are sent out to cary them into all prouinces ; the day is set wherein all iewes , of all ages , of both sexes , through the hundred and seuen and twenty prouinces of the king , shall be sacrificed to the wrath of haman . in all the cariage of ahasuerus , who sees not too much heddinesse of passion ? vashti is cast off for a trifle ; the iewes are giuen to the slaughter for nothing , his rage in the one , his fauour in the other is too impotent : hee is not a worse husband then a king ; the bare word of haman is enough to kill so many subiects : no disposition can bee more dangerous in great persons , then violence of affectiō mixed with credulity . oh the seeming inequality of humane condicions : the king and haman sate down to drink , but the city of shushan was perplexed : it is a wofull thing to see great ones quaffe the teares of the oppressed ; & to heare them make musick of shriekes . with what lamentation doe we thinke all the synagogues of iewes through the world receiued this fatall message of their proclaimed destruction ? how doe they bemone themselues , each to other ? how doe their conioyned cries fill heauen , and earth ? but aboue all , what sack-cloth and ashes could suffise wofull mordecai , that found in himselfe the occasion of all this slaughter ? what soule could bee capable of more bitternesse , then he felt ? whiles he could not but think , wretched man that i am ; it is i , that haue brought all this calamity vpon my nation ; it is i , that haue beene the ruine of my people : wo is me that euer i put my selfe into the court , into the seruice of a pagan ; how vnhappy was i to cast my selfe into these straits , that i must either honour an agagite , or draw a vengeance vpon israel ? yet how could i imagine , that the flame of hamans rage would haue broken out so farre ? might that reuenge haue determined in my blood , how happy should i haue been ? now , i haue brought death vpon many thousands of innocents , that cannot know wherefore they dye ; why did i not hide my selfe rather frō the face of that proud amalekite ? why did i stand out in contestation with so ouer-powerfull an enemy ? alas , no man of israel shall so much as liue to curse me , onely mine enemies shall record my name , with ignominy , and say , mordecai was the bane of his nation . oh , that my zeale should haue reserued mee for so heauie a seruice ! where now are those vaine ambitions , wherewith i pleased my selfe in this great match of esther ? how fondly did i hope by this vndue meanes to raise my selfe , and my people ? yea , is not this carnall presumption the quarrell that god hath against me ? doe i not therefore smart from these pagans , for that i secretly affected this vncircumcised alliance ? howsoeuer it bee , yet , ô god , what haue thy people done ? oh let it be thy iust mercy that i may perish alone ! in these sad thoughts did mordecai spend his hart , vvhiles hee vvalked mournfully in sackcloth , before that gate , wherein he vvas wont to sit ; now his habit bars his approach ; no sackcloth might come vvithin the court : lo , that vvhich is vvelcomest in the court of heauen , is here excluded from the presence of this earthly royaltie : a broken and a contrite hart , o god , thou wilt not despise . neither did it a little adde to the sorrow of mordecai , to heare the bitter insultations of his former monitors : did wee not aduise thee better ? did we not foreadmonish thee of thy danger ? see now the issue of thine obstinacy : now see , what it is for thine earthen pitcher to knock vvith brasse ? now , vvhere is the man that vvould needs contest vvith haman ? hast thou not now brought thy matters to a fair pass ? thy stomacke had long owed thee a spight , and now it hath paid thee ; vvho can pitty thy wilfulnesse ? since thou vvouldest needs deride our counsell , vvee vvill take leaue to laugh at thy sackcloth . nothing but scornes , and griefes , and terrors present themselues to miserable mordecai : all the externall buffets of aduersaries were sleight to the vvounds that he both made , and felt in his owne heart . the perpetuall intelligences that were closely held betwixt esther , and mordecai , could not suffer his publique sorrow to bee long concealed from her ; the newes of his sackcloth afflicts her ere she can suspect the cause ; her crowne doth but clog her head , vvhiles shee heares of his ashes ; true friendship transformes vs into the condicion of those vvee loue ; and if it cannot raise them to our cheerfulnesse , drawes vs downe to their deiection : faine vvould shee vncase her foster-father of these mournfull vveeds ; and change his sackcloth for tissue ; that yet , at least , his cloathes might not hinder his accesse to her presence , for the free opening of his griefes . it is but a sleight sorrow that abides to take in outward comforts ; mordecai refuses that kinde offer ; and vvould haue esther see that his afflictiō was such , as that hee might well resolue to put off his sackcloth and his skin at once ; that he must mourne to death rather then see her face to liue . the good queene is astonisht with this constāt humiliatiō of so deare a friend ; and now she sends hatach , a trusty ( though a pagan ) attendant , to inquire into the occasion of this so irremediable heauinesse : it should seeme esther inquired not greatly into matters of state ; that which perplexed all shushan , was not yet knowne to her ; her followers , not knowing her to be a iewesse , conceiued not how the newes might concerne her , and therefore had forborne the relation : mordecai first informes her , by her messenger , of the decree that was gone out against all her nation , of the day wherein they must all prepare to bleed , of the summe which haman had profered for their heads , & deliuers the copy of that bloody edict ; charging her , now , if euer , to bestirre her selfe ; and to improue all her loue , all her power with king ahasuerus , in a speedy and humble supplication for the sauing of the life ( not of himselfe so much , as ) of her people . it was tydings able to confound a weake heart ; and hers , so much the more , as shee could apprehēd nothing but impossibility of redresse : she needs but to put mordecai in mind of that , which all the kings seruants and subiects knew well enough , that the persian law made it no lesse then death for whom soeuer , man , or woman , that should presse into the inner court of the king , vncalled . nothing but the royall scepter extended , could keepe that presumptuous offender from the graue . for her , thirty dayes were now passed since shee was called in to the king ; an intermission , that might bee iustly suspicious ; whether the heate of his first affection were thus soone ( : of it selfe ) allayed towards her ; or whether some suggestions of a secret enemie ( perhaps his agagite ) may haue set him off ; or whether some more pleasing obiect may haue laid hold on his eyes ; what euer it might be , this absēce could not but argue some strangenesse , and this strangenesse must needs imply a danger in her bold intrusion : shee could bewaile therfore , she could not hope to remedy this dismallday of her people . this answer in the eares of mordecai sounded truth , but weaknesse ; neither can he take vp with so feeble a returne ; these occasions require other spirits , other resplutions , which must bee quickened by a more stirring reply : ) thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kings house , more then all the iewes . for if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time , then shall their inlargement , & deliuerance arise to the iewes from another place , but thou and thy fathers house shall bee destroyed . and who knoweth whether thou art comne to the kingdome for such a time as this . the expectation of death had not quailed the strong heart of faithfull mordecai ; euen , whiles hee mournes , his zeale droupes not ; there could haue beene no life in that brest , which this message could not haue rouzed . what then ? is it death that thou fearest in this attempt of thy supplication ; what other thē death awaits thee in the neglect of it ? there is but this difference , sue , & thou maist die , sue not , and thou must dye : what blood hast thou but iewish ? and if these vnalterable edicts exempt no liuing soule , what shall become of thine ? and canst thou be so vainly timerous , as to die for feare of death ? to preferre certaintie of danger , before a possibility of hopes ? away with this weake cowardise vnworthy of an israelite , vnworthy of a queene : but if faint heartednesse or priuate respects shall seale vp thy lippes , or with-hold thine hand from the ayde of thy people ; if thou canst so farre neglect gods church , know thou that god will not neglect it ; it shall not be in the power of tyrans to root out his chosen seed ; that holy one of israel shall rather worke miracles from heauen , thē his inheritance shall perish vpon earth ? and how iust shall it then be for that iealous god , to take vengeance vpon thee , and thy fathers house for this cold vnhelpfulnesse to his distressed church ? suffer me therefore to adiure thee by all that tendernesse of loue , wherewith i haue trained vp thine orphane infancie ; by all those deare and thankfull respects which thou hast vowed to mee againe ; by the name of the god of israel whom wee serue , that thou awaken and stirre vp thine holy courage , and dare to aduenture thy life , for the sauing of many ; it hath pleased the almighty to raise thee vp to that height of honor , which our progenitors could little expect ; why shouldst thou bee wanting to him , that hath beene so bountifull to thee ? yea why should i not thinke that god hath put this very act into the intendement of thine exaltation ? hauing on purpose thus seasonably hoysed thee vp to the throne , that thou maist rescue his poore church from an vtter ruine ? oh the admirable faith of mordecai , that shines through all these cloudes , and in the thickest of these fogges , descries a cheerfull glimpse of deliuerance ; hee saw the day of their common destruction enacted , he knew the persian decrees to be vnalterable ; but , withall , hee knew there was a messias to come ; he was so well acquainted with gods couenanted assurances to his church , that he can through the midst of those bloody resolutions foresee indemnity to israel ; rather trusting the promises of god , then the threats of men . this is the victory that ouercomes all the feares , and fury of the world , euen our faith . it is quarrell enough against any person , or community not to haue been aidfull to the distresses of gods people . not to ward the blow , if wee may , is construed for little better then striking . till we haue tryed our vtmost , wee know not whether wee haue done that we came for . mordecai hath said enough ; these words haue so put a new life into esther , that she is resolute to hazard the old ; goe gather together all the iewes that are present in shushan , and fast ye for me , and neither eate nor drinke , three daies night or day ; i also and my maidens will fast likewise , and so will i goe in vnto the king , ( which is not according to the law ) and if i perish , i perish . heroicall thoughts doe well befit great actions . life can neuer be better aduentured , then where it shall begaine to leese it . there can bee no law against the humble deprecation of euils ; where the necessity of gods church calls to vs , no danger , should with-hold vs from all honest meanes of releife . deepe humiliations must make way for the successe of great enterprises , wee are most capable of mercy , vvhen we are throughly empty : a short hunger doth but whet the appetite , but so long an abstinence meets death halfe way , to preuent it ; well may they inioyne sharp penances vnto others , who practise it vpon themselues . it was the face of esther that must hope to win ahasuerus , yet that shall be macerated with fasting , that she may preuaile . a carnall heart would haue pampered the flesh , that it might allure those wanton eyes ; shee pines it , that she may please . god , and not she , must work the hart of the king ; faith teaches her rather to trust her deuotions , then her beauty . esther suing to ahasvervs . the iewes are easily intreated to fast , who had receiued in themselues the sentence of death ; what pleasure could they take in meat , that knew what day they must eate their last ? the three dayes of abstinence are expired ; now esther changes her spirits , no lesse then her clothes ; who that sees that face , and that habit , can say she had mourned , she had fasted ? neuer did her royall apparell become her so well . that god before whom she had humbled her selfe , made her so much more beautifull , as she had beene more deiected ; and now , with a winning confidence , she walks into the inner court of the king , and puts her selfe into that forbidden presence : as if she said ; here i am with my life in my hand , if it please the king to take it , it is ready for him ; vashti , my predecessor , forfaited her place for not comming when she was called ; esther shall now hazard the forfaiture of her life , for comming when she is not called : it is necessity , not disobedience that hath put me vpon this bold approch ; according to thy construction , o king , i doe either liue or dye , either shall be welcome . the inexpectednesse of pleasing obiects makes them many times the more acceptable : the beautifull countenance , the gracefull demeanure , and goodly presence of esther , haue no sooner taken the eyes , then they haue rauished the hart of king ahasuerus : loue hath soone banished all dreadfulnesse ; and the king held out to esther the golden scepter that was in his hand : moderate intermission is so farre from cooling the affection , that it inflames it : had esther been seene euery day , perhaps that satiety had abated of the height of her welcome ; now , three and thirty dayes retirednesse hath indeared her more to the surfeted eyes of ahasuerus . had not the golden scepter been held out , where had queen esther beene ? the persian kings affected a stern awfulnesse to their subiects ; it was death to solicit them , vncalled ; how safe , how easie , how happy a thing it is to haue to doe with the king of heauen , who is so pleased with our accesse , that he solicits sutors ; who , as he is vnweariable with our requests , so is infinite in his beneficences ! how gladly doth esther touch the top of that scepter , by which shee holds her life ? and now , whiles she thinks it well that she may liue , she receiues besides pardon , fauour : what wilt thou queene esther , and what is thy request ? it shall be giuen thee , euen to the halfe of the kingdome . commonly , when wee feare most , wee speed best ; god then most of all magnifies his bounty to vs , when we haue most afflicted our selues . ouer-confident expectations are seldome but disappointed ; whiles humble suspicions goe laughing away : it was the benefit and safety of but one peece of the kingdome that esther comes to sue for , and behold , ahasuerus offers her the free power of the halfe : he that gaue haman , at the first word , the liues of all his iewish subiects , is ready to giue esther halfe his kingdome , ere she aske : now shee is no lesse amazed at the louing munificence of ahasuerus , then she was before afraid of his austerity ; the kings hart is in the hand of the lord , as the riuers of water ; hee turneth it whithersoeuer hee will. it is not good to swallow fauours too greedily , lest they either choke vs in the passage , or proue hard of digestion . the wise queene , howeuer shee might seeme to haue a faire opportunity offered to her suit , findes it not good to apprehend it too suddenly ; as desiring by this small dilation , to prepare the eare and hart of the king for so important a request . now , all her petition ends in a banquet ; if it seeme good vnto the king , let the king and haman come this day vnto the banquet , that i haue prepared for him . it is an easie fauor to receiue a small courtesie , where we offer to giue great . haman is called , the king comes to esthers table ; and now highly pleased with his entertainment , hee himselfe solicits her to propound that suit , for which her modesty would , but durst not solicit him : bashfulnesse shall leese nothing at the hand of wel-gouerned greatnesse . yet still esthers suit stickes in her teeth , and dares not come forth without a further preface of time , and expectation ; another banquet must passe , ere this reckning can be giuen in . other suitors wait long for the deliuerie of their petition ; longer for the receit of their answer : here the king is faine to wait for his suit : whether esthers hart would not yet serue her to contest with so strong an aduersary , as haman , without further recollection ; or whether she desired to get better hold of the king , by indearing him with so pleasing entertainments ; or whether shee would thus ripen her hopes , by working in the mind of king ahasuerus a fore-conceit of the greatnesse , and difficulty of that suit , which was so loath to come forth ; or , whether she meant thus to giue scope to the pride , and malice of haman , for his more certaine ruine : howsoeuer it were , to morrow is a new day , set for esthers second banquet , & third petition . the king is not inuited without haman ; fauors are sometimes done to men , with a purpose of displeasure ; doubtlesse haman tasted of the same cates with his master ; neither could hee in the forehead of esther read any other characters , then of respect , and kind applause , yet had shee then , in her hopes , disigned him to a iust reuenge . little do we know , by outward cariages , in what termes we stand with either god or men . euery little winde raiseth vp a bubble ; how is haman now exalted in himselfe with the singular grace of queene esther ; and begins to value himselfe so much more , as hee sees himselfe higher in the rate of others opinion . only surly , and sullen mordecai is an allay to his happinesse ; no edict of death can bow the knees of that stout iew : yea the notice of that bloody cruelty of this agagite , haue stiffned them so much the more : before , he lookt at haman as an amalekite , now , as a persecutor . disdaine and anger looke out at those eyes , and bid that proud enemy doe his worst . no doubt , mordecai had beene listening after the speed of queen esther ; how shee came in to the king , how she was welcom'd with the golden scepter , and with the more precious words of ahasuerus ; how shee had intertained the king , how shee pleased ; the newes had quit his sackcloth , and raised his courage to a more scornfull neglect of his professed aduersary . haman comes home , i know not whether more full of pride , or of rage ; calls an inward counsell of his choise friends , together with his wife ; makes a glorious report of all his wealth , magnificence , height of fauor , both with the king and queene ; and at last , after all his sun-shine , sets in this cloudy epilogue , yet all this auaileth me nothing , so long as i see mordecai the iew sitting at the kings gate . it is seldome seene that god allowes euen to the greatest dearlings of the world , a perfect contentment ; something they must haue to complaine of , that shall giue an vnsauory verdure to their sweetest morsels ; and make their very felicity , miserable . the wit of women hath wont to be noted for more sudden and more sharpe . zeresh the wife of haman sets on foot that motion of speedy reuenge , which is applauded by the rest . let a gallowes be made of fifty cubits high , and to morrow , speake thou to the king , that mordecai may be hanged thereon ; then goe thou in merily with the king , vnto the banquet . i doe not heare thē say ; be patient a while , thou hast already set mordecai his last day ; the month adar will not be long in comming ; the determination of his death hath made him desperate , let him in the meane time eate his owne heart in enuy at thy greatnesse ; but they rather aduise of a quicke dispatch . malice is a thing full of impatience , and hates delay of execution , next vnto mercy . whiles any grudge lies at the heart , it cannot bee freelie cheerfull . forced smiles are but the hypocrisie of mirth . how happy were it for vs , if we could be so zealously carefull to remoue the hindrances of our true spirituall ioy , those stubborne corruptions , that will not stoope to the power of grace . mordecai honored by haman . the wit of zeresh had like to haue gone beyond the wit of esther ; had not the working prouidence of the almighty contriued these euents , beyond all hopes , all conceits , mordecai had beene dispatched , ere esters secōd banket . to morrow was the day pitched for both their designes ; had not the streame beene inexpectedly turned , in vaine had the queene blamed her delayes ; mordecaies breakfast had preuented esthers dinner : for certainly , hee that had giuen to haman so many thousand liues , would neuer haue made dainty , vpon the same suit , to anticipate one of those , whom he had condemned to the slaughter : but , god meant better things to his church , and fetches about all his holy purposes , after a wonderfull fashion , in the very instant of oportunity : hee that keepeth israel , and neither slumbreth , nor sleepeth , causeth sleepe to depart that night from him that had decreed to root out israel . great ahasuerus , that commanded an hundred and seuen and twenty prouinces , cannot command an houres sleepe . pouerty is rather blessed with the freedome of rest , then vvealth , and power : cares and surfet vvith-hold that from the great , vvhich presseth vpon the spare diet , and labour of the meanest . nothing is more tedious then an eager pursuit of denied sleepe : vvhich ( like to a shadow ) flyes away so much faster , as it is more followed : experience tels vs , that this benefit is best solicited by neglect ; and soonest found when vve haue forgotten to seeke it . whether to deceiue the time , or to bestow it well ; ahasuerus shall spend his restlesse houres in the chronicles of his time . nothing is more requisite for princes , then to looke backe vpon their owne actions , and euents , and those of their predecessors ; the examination of fore-past actions makes them wise , of euents , thankfull , and cautelous . amongst those voluminous registers of acts & monuments , which so many scores of prouinces must needs yeeld , the booke shall open vpon mordecaies discouery of the late treason of the two euruches : the reader is turned thither , by an insensible sway of prouidence : our most arbitrary or casuall actions are ouer-ruled by an hand in heauen . the king now feeles afresh the danger of that conspiracy ; and ( as great spirits abide not to smother or bury good offices ) in quires into the recompence of so loyall a seruice , what honour and dignity bath beene done to mordecai for this ? surely mordecai did but his duty ; he had hainously sinned , if hee had not reuealed this wicked trechery ; yet ahasuerus takes thought for his remuneratiō : how much more carefull art thou , ô god of all mercies , to reward the weake obediences of thine ( at the best ) vnprofitable seruants ? that which was intended to procure rest , sets it off ; king ahasuerus is vnquiet in himselfe , to think that so great a merit should lye , but so long , neglected ; neither can he find any peace in himselfe , till hee haue giuen order for a speedy retribution : hearing therefore by his seruants , that haman was below in the court , hee sends for him vp , to consult with him , what should be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour : o maruellous concurrence of circumstances , drawne together by the infinite vvisedome , and power of the almighty : who but haman should be the man ? and vvhen should haman bee called to aduise of mordecaies honour , but in the very instant , vvhen hee came to sue for mordecaies hanging ? had ahasuerus but slept that night , mordecai had beene that morning aduanced fifty cubits higher then the earth , ere the king could haue remembred to vvhō he vvas beholden . what shall vvee say then to reconcile these crosse-passions in ahasuerus ? before he signed that decree of killing all the iewes , hee could not but know that a iew had saued his life ; and now , after that he hath enacted the slaughter of all iewes , as rebels , he is giuing order to honour a iew , as his preseruer . it were strange if great persons in the multitude of their distractions should not let fall some incongruities . yet , vvho can but think that king ahasuerus meant vpon some second thoughts to make amends to mordecai ? neither can he choose but put these two together ; the iewes are appointed to death , at the suit of haman ; this mordecai is a iew ; how then can i doe more grace to him , that hath saued my life , then to command him to be honored by that man who vvould spill his ? when haman heard himselfe called vp to the bed-chamber of his master , he thinks himselfe too happy in so early an oportunity of presenting his suit ; but yet more in the pleasing question of ahasuerus ; vvherein he could not but imagine that fauour forced it selfe vpon him vvith strange importunity ; for how could hee conceiue that any intention of more then ordinary honor could fall besides himselfe ? selfe-loue , like to a good stomach , drawes to it selfe what nourishment it likes ; and casts off that which offends it . haman will bee sure to bee no niggard in aduising those ceremonies of honour , which he thinkes meant to his owne person . could hee haue once dreamed that this grace had been purposed to any vnder heauen , besides himselfe , he had not beene so lauish in counselling so pompous a shew of excessiue magnificence . now the kings owne royall apparell , and his owne steed is not sufficient , except the royall crowne also make vp the glory of him , who shall thus triumph in the kings fauour . yet all this were nothing in base hands : the actor shall be the best part of this great pageant . let this apparell , and this horse , be deliuered to one of the kings most noble princes , that they may aray the man withall , whom the king delighteth to honour , and bring him on horse backe through the streets of the city , and proclaime before him , thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour . honour is more in him that giues , then him that receiues it : to be honoured by the vnworthy is little better then disgrace ; no meaner person will serue to attend this agagite , in his supposed greatnesse , then one of the noblest princes . the ambition is too high flowne that seekes glory in the seruility of equals . the place addes much to the act ; there is small hart in a concealed honour ; it is nothing vnlesse the streets of the city shushan be witnesses of this pompe , and ring with that gracious acclamation . the vaine harts of proud men can easily deuise those meanes , whereby they may best set out themselues . oh that wee could equally affect the meanes of true and immortall glory . the heart of man is neuer so cold within him , as when from the height of the expectation of good , it falls into a sudden sense of euill : so did this agagites . then the king sayd to haman , make hast , and take the apparell , and the horse , as thou hast said , and doe euen so to mordecai the iew , that sitteth at the kings gate ; let nothing faile of all that thou hast said . how was haman thunder-stricken with this killing word ? doe thou so to mordecai ? i dare say all the honors that ahasuerus had heaped vpon haman , cannot counteruaile this one vexation : doubtlesse , at first , he distrusts his eare , and then muzes whether the king be in earnest ; at last , when he heares the charge so seriously doubled , and findes himselfe forced to beleeue it , hee beginnes to thinke , what meanes this vnconceiuable alteration ? is there no man in all the court of persia to bee pickt out for extraordinary honor , but mordecai ? is there no man to bee pickt out for the performance of this honour to him , but haman ? haue i but one proud enemie in all the world , and am i singled out to grace him ? did it gall me to the heart , and make all my happinesse tedious vnto mee , to see that this iew would not bow to me , & must i now bow to him ? that which he would rather dye , and forfait the life of all his nation , then doe to mee , notwithstanding the kings command ; shall i bee forced by the kings command to doe vnto him ? yea , did hee refuse to giue but a cap , and a knee to my greatnesse ; and must i lacquay so base a fellow through the streets , must i be his herald to proclaime his honour through all shushan ? why doe i not let the king know the insolent affronts that hee hath offered me ? why doe i not signifie to my soueraigne , that my errand now was for another kinde of aduancement to mordecai ? if i obtaine not my desired reuenge , yet , at least , i shall preuaile so far , as to exempt my selfe from this officious attendance vpon so vnequall an enemy . and yet , that motiō cānot be now safe ; i see the kings heart is ( vpon what groūd so euer ) bent vpon this action ; should i flye off neuer so little ( after my word so directly passed ) perhaps my coldnesse , or opposition might be construed as some wayward contestation with my master : especially , since the seruice that mordecai hath done to the king , is of an higher nature , then the despight which he hath done to mee . i will , i must giue way for the time ; mine humble yeeldance , ( when all the cariage of this businesse shall bee vnderderstood ) shal ( i doubt not ) make way for mine intended reuenge : mordecai , i will honor thee now , that by these steps , i may ere long raise thee many cubits higher . i will obey the command of my soueraigne in obseruing thee , that he may reward the merit of my loyalty , in thine execution . thus resolued , haman goes forth , with a face and heart full of distraction , full of confusion ; and addresses himselfe to the attyring , to the attending of his old aduersary , and new master , mordecai ; what lookes doe we now think were cast vpō each other , at their first greeting ? their eyes had not forgotten their old language ; certainly , when mordecai saw haman come into the roome where he was , he could not but thinke ; this man hath long thirsted for my blood , and now hee comes to fetch it ; i shall not liue to see the successe of esther , or the fatall day of my nation : it was knowne that morning in the court , what a lofty gibbet haman had prouided for mordecai ; and why might it not haue comne to mordecaies eare ? what could he therefore now imagine other , then that he was called out to that execution ? but , when he saw the royall robe that haman brought to him ; he thinks , is it not enough for this man to kill mee , but he must mock me too , what an addition is this to the former cruelty ? thus to insult , and play vpon my last distresse ? but , when he yet saw the royall crowne ready to be set on his head , and the kings owne horse richly furnished , at his gate , and found himselfe raised by princely hands , into that royall seat , he thinks ; what may all this meane ? is it the purpose of mine aduersary that i shal dye in state ? would he haue me hangd in triumph ? at last , when hee sees such a traine of persian peeres attending him , with a graue reuerence ; and heares haman proclaime before him , thus shall it bee done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour ; finding this pompe to be serious , & well meant , hee imagines ( in all likelihood ) that this inexpected chāge proceeds from the suit of his esther ; now , he begins to lift vp his head , and to hope well of himselfe , and his people , and could not but say within himselfe , that he had not fasted for nothing . o the wondrous alteration that one morning hath made in the court of persia ; he that was yesternight despised by hamans footmen , is now waited on by haman , and all his fellow-princes ; hee that yester-night had the homage of all knees but one , and was ready to burst for the lacke of that , now doth obeysance to that one , by whom hee was wilfully neglected ; it was not ahasuerus that wrought this strange mutation , it was the ouer-ruling power of the almighty , whose immediate hād would thus preuent esthers suit , that he might challenge all the thanke to himselfe . whiles princes haue their owne wills , they must doe his ; and shall either exalt , or depresse according to diuine appointment . i should commend hamans obedience in his humble condiscent to so vnpleasing , and harsh a command of his master , were it not , that either he durst doe no other , or that hee thus stoopt for an aduantage . it is a thanklesse respect that is either forced , or for ends : true subiection is free and absolute ; out of the conscience of duty , not out of feares , or hopes . all shushan is in an amaze at this sudden glory of mordecai , and studies how to reconcile this day with the thirteenth of adar ; mordecai had reason to hope well ; it could not stand with the honour of the king , to kill him whom he saw cause to aduance ; neither could this be any other , then the beginning of a durable promotion ; otherwise , what recompence had at houres riding beene to so great a seruice ? on the other side , haman droupes , and hath changed passions with mordecai ; neither was that iew euer more deeply afflicted with the decree of his owne death , then this agagite was with that iewes honour . how heauy doth it lye at hamans heart , that no tongue , but his , might serue to proclaime mordecai happy : euen the greatest mignons of the world must haue their turnes of sorrow . with a couered head , and a deiected countenance , doth hee hasten home , and longs to impart his griefe , where he had receiued his aduice : it was but cold comfort that hee finds from his wife zeresh , and his friends . if mordecai be of the seed of the iewes , before whom thou hast begunne to fall , thou shalt not preuaile against him , but shalt surely fall before him : out of the mouth of pagans , o god , hast thou ordained strength , that thou maist still the enemy , and the auenger . what credit hath thy great name won with these barbarous nations , that they can out of all experience make maximes of thine vndoubted protection of thy people , and the certaine ruine of their aduersaries ? men finde no difference in themselues ; the face of a iew lookes so like other mens , that esther and mordecai were not ( of long ) taken for what they were : he that made them , makes the distinction betwixt them ; so as a iew may fall before a persian , & get vp , and preuaile ; but if a persian ( or whosoeuer of the gentiles ) begin to fall before a iew , he can neither stay , nor rise : there is an inuisible hand of omnipotency that strikes in for his owne , and confounds their opposites . o god , neither is thine hand shortned , nor thy bowels straitned in thee ; thou art still and euer thy selfe ; if wee be thy true spirituall israel , neither earth nor hell shall preuaile against vs ; we shall either stand sure , or surely rise , whiles our enemies shall lick the dust . haman hanged . mordecai aduanced . hamans day is now comne ; that vengeāce which hath hitherto slept , is now awake , and rouzeth vp it selfe to a iust execution ; that heauy morning was but the preface to his last sorrow , and the sad presage of his friends is verified in the speaking ; while the word was in their mouthes , the messengers were at the doore to fetch haman to his funerall-banquet . how little do we know what is towards vs ? as the fishes that are taken in an euill net , and as the birds that are caught in the snare , so are the sonnes of men snared in an euill time , when it falleth suddenly vpon them . it was ( as haman conceiued ) the onely priuiledge of his dearnesse , and the comfort of his present heauinesse , that he only was called with the king , to esthers banquet , when this onely was meant for his bane : the face of this inuitation was faire , and promised much ; and now the ingenuous man begins to set good constructions vpon all euents . surelv ( thinkes he ) the king was tyed in his honor to giue some publique gratification to mordecai ; so good an office could deserue no lesse , then an houres glory ; but little doth my master know what termes there are betwixt me , and mordecai ; had he fully vnderstood the insolencies of this iew , and should notwithstanding haue inioined me to honour him , i might haue had iust cause to complaine of disgrace , and disparagement ; but now , since all this businesse hath beene caried in ignorance , and casualty , vvhy doe i wrong my selfe in being too much affected vvith that vvhich was not ill meant ? had either the king , or queene , abated ought of their fauour to mee , i might haue dined at home ; now this renued inuitation argues me to stand right in the grace of both : and why may not i hope , this day , to meet with a good occasion of my desired reuenge ? how iust will it seeme to the king , that the same man whō he hath publikely rewarded for his loyalty , should now bee publiquely punished for his disobedience ? with such like thoughts haman cheares vp himselfe ; and addresses himselfe to the royall banquet , with a coūtenāce that wold fain seem to forget his mornings taske : esther workes her face to an vnwilling smile vpon that hatefull guest ; and the king ( as not guilty of any indignity that he hath put vpon his fauorite ) frames himselfe to as much cheerfulness , as his want of rest would permit . the table is royally furnished with all delicate confections , with all pleasing liquors : king ahasuerus so eates , as one that both knew hee was , and meant to make himselfe , welcome : haman so poures in , as one that meant to drowne his cares ; and now , in this fulnesse of cheere , the king hungers for that long-delayed suit of queene esther ; thrice , hath he graciously call'd for it ; and ( as a man constāt to his owne fauours ) thrice hath he , in the same words vowed the performance of it , though to the halfe of his kingdome : it falls out oftentimes , that when large promises fall suddenly from great persons , they abate by leisure ; and shrinke vpon cold thoughts ; here king ahasuerus is not more liberall in his offer , then firme in his resolutions ; as if his first word had beene , like his law , vnalterable . i am ashamed to misse that steddinesse in christians , which i finde in a pagan . it was a great word that he had said , yet he eates it not , as ouer-lauishly spoken : but doubles , and trebbles it with hearty assurances of a reall prosecution ; whiles those tongues which professe the name of the true god , say , and vnsay at pleasure ; recanting their good purposes , contradicting their owne iust ingagements vpon no cause , but their owne changeablenesse . it is not for queene esther to driue off any longer , the same wisedome that taught her to deferre her suit , now teaches her to propound it ; a well chosen season is the greatest aduantage of any action ; which as it is seldome found in hast , so is too often lost in delay : now therefore with an humble and gracefull obeysance , and with a countenance ful of modest feare , and sad grauity , she so deliuers her petition , that the king might see , it was necessity that both forc't it vpon her , & wrung it from her . if i haue found fauour in thy sight o king , and if it please the king , let my life bee giuen me at my petition , and my people at my request : epectation is either a friend or an enemy , according to the occasion : ahasuerus lookt for some high and difficult boon ; now , that he heares his queene beg for her life , it could not bee , but that the surplusage of his loue to her must be turned into fury against her aduersary ; and his zeale must bee so much more to her , as her suit was more meek & humble . for we are sold , i and my people , to be destroyed , to be slaine , and to perish ; but if we had beene sold for bondmen , & bondwome , i had held my tongue , although the enemy could not counteruaile the kings damage . crafty men are sometimes choaked with their owne plots . it was the profer of ten thousand talents wherewith haman hoped both to purchase his intended reuenge , and the reputation of a worthy patriot ; that summe is now laid in his dish , for a iust argument of malicious corruption ; for , well might esther plead ; if wee iewes deserued death , what needed our slaughter to be bought out ? and if we deserued it not , what horrible cruelty was it to set a price vpon innocent blood ? it is not any offence of ours , it is the only despight of an enemy that hath wrought our destruction . besides , now it appeares the king was abused by mis-information ; the aduersary suggested that the life of the iewes could not stand with the kings profit ; whereas their very bondage should bee more damage to the state , thē all hamans worth could counteruaile . truth may bee smothered , but it cannot dye ; it may be disguised , but it will bee knowne ; it may bee suppressed , but it will triumph . but what shall wee say to so harsh an aggrauation ? could esther haue beene silent in a case of decreed bondage ; who is now so vehement in a case of death ? certainly , to a generous nature , death is farre more easie then bondage ; why would she haue indured the greater , and yet so abhorres the lesse ? was it for that the iewes were already too well inured to captiuity ; and those euils are more tolerable wherewith wee are acquainted : or , was it , for that there may be hopes in bondage , none in death ? surely , either of them were lamentable , and such as might deserue her humblest deprecation . the queene was going on , to haue said , but , alas , nothing will satisfie our bloody enemie , saue the vtter extirpation of mee , and my nation ; when the impatient rage of the king interrupts her sentence in the midst , and ( as if he had heard too much already , and could too easily supply the residue of her cōplaint ) snatches the word out of her mouth , with a furious demand ; who is he , and where is he that durst presume in his heart to doe so ? it was the interest of queene esthers person that raised this storme in ahasuerus ; set that aside , how quietly , how merily was the determined massacre of the iewes formerly digested ? actions haue not the same face when we looke vpon them with contrary affections . now queene esther musters vp her inward forces , and with an vndaunted courage , fixing her angry eyes vpon that hated agagite , shee saies , the aduersary , and enemy is this wicked haman . the word was loath to come forth , but it strikes home at the last . neuer till now did haman heare his true title ; before some had stiled him , noble ; others great ; some , magnificent , and some perhaps , vertuous ; onely esther giues him his owne , wicked haman ; ill-deseruing greatnesse doth in vaine promise to it selfe a perpetuitie of applause : if our waies be foule , the time shall come , when after all vaine flattery , after all our momentanie glory , our sins shall be ript vp ; and our iniquities laid before vs to our vtter confusion . with what consternation did haman now stand ? how doe we thinke he lookt to heare himselfe thus enstyled , thus accused , yea , thus condemned ? certainly , death was in his face , and horror in euery of his ioynts ; no sense , no limme knowes his office : faine would he speake , but his tongue falters , and his lips tremble ; faine would he make apologies vpon his knees , but his hart failes him ; and tells him the euidence is too great , and the offence aboue all pardon : onely guiltinesse , and feare look through his eyes vpon the enraged countenance of his master ; which now bodes nothing to him but reuenge , and death . in what a passionate distemper doth this banquet shut vp ? king ahasuerus flyes from the table , as if hee had beene hurried away with a tempest . his wrath is too great to come forth at his mouth ; onely his eye tels haman that he hates to see him , & vowes to see his dispatch : for solitarinesse , and not for pleasure , doth hee now walke into his garden ; and thinkes with himselfe ; what a monster haue i fauoured ? is it possible that so much cruelty and presumption should harbour in a brest that i thought ingenuous ? could i bee so bewitched as to passe so bloody a decree ? is my credulity thus abused by the trecherous subtilty of a miscreant whom i trusted ? i confesse it was my weake rashnesse to yeeld vnto so prodigious a motion , but it was the villany of this agagite , to circumuent me by false suggestions ; he shall pay for my error ; the world shall see , that as i exceeded in grace , so i wil not come short in iustice . haman , thy guilty blood shall expiate that innocent blood , which thy malice might haue shed . in the meane time , haman , so soone as euer he could recouer the qualme of his astonishment , finding himselfe left alone with queene esther , looseth no time , spareth no breath to mitigate her anger , which had made way to his destruction . doubtlesse , with many vowes , and teares , and deierations , he labours to cleare his intentions to her person ; bewailing his danger , imploring her mercy , confessing the vniust extent of his malice , profering indeauors of satisfaction : wretched man that i am , i am condemned before i speake , and when i haue spoken , i am condemned : vpon thy sentence , o queene , i see death awaits for me , in vaine shall i seeke to auoid it ; it is thy will that i should perish ; but let that little breath i haue left , acquit me so farre with thee , as to call heauen and earth to record , that in regard of thee , i dye innocent : it is true that mine impetuous malice miscarried me against the nation of the iewes , for the sake of one stubborne offender ; but did i know there was the least drop of israelitish blood in thy sacred person ? could i suspect that mordecai , or that people , did ought concerne thee ? let not one death be enough for me if i would euer haue entertained any thought of euill against nation , or man , that should haue cost but a frowne from thee : all the court of persia can sufficiently witnesse how i haue magnified and adored thee , euer since the royall crowne was set on thy head ; neither did i euer faile to doe thee all good offices vnto that my soueraigne master , whom thou hast now mortally incensed against me . o queene , no hand can saue my life , but thine , that hath as good as bereaued it : show mercy to him , that neuer meant but loyalty to thee : as euer thou wouldst oblige an humble and faithfull vassall to thee , as euer thou vvouldst honour thy name , and sexe , with the praise of tender compassion , take pitty vpon me , and spare that life vvhich shall be vowed to thy seruice : and , wheras thy displeasure may iustly alledge against mee that rancorous plot for the extirpation of that people , vvhom i , too late , know to be thine , let it suffice that i hate , i curse mine owne cruelty ; and onely vpon that condition shall beg the repriuall of my life , that i shall worke , and procure by thy gracious ayd , a full defeazance of that vniust execution . o let fall vpon thy despairing seruant one word of fauour to my displeased master , that i may yet liue . whiles hee vvas speaking to this purpose , hauing prostrate himselfe ( for the more humilitie ) before the queene , and spread his armes in a vehement imploration vp to her bed ; the king comes in , and , as not vnwilling to misconstrue the posture of him , vvhom he now hated , saies , what , will hee force the queene also before me in the house ? that vvhich haman meant as an humble suppliant , is interpreted as from a presumptuous offender ; how oftmight he haue done so , and more , vvhiles he vvas in fauour , vncensured ? actions are not the same vvhen the man alters . as charity makes a good sense of doubtfull occurrents , so preiudice and displeasure takes all things ( though well-meant ) at the vvorst . it is an easie thing to picke a quarrell , vvhere vve intend a mischiefe . the wrath of the king is as a messenger of death : whiles these vvords were yet in the mouth of ahasuerus , haman , in turning his head towards the king , is suddenly muffled for his execution ; he shall no more see either face , or sun : he shall bee seene no more but as a spectacle of shame , and horror : and now he thinkes , wo is me whose eyes serue me onely to foresee the approch of a dishonourable , and painfull death ! what am i the better to haue been great ? o that i had neuer beene , oh that i could not be : how too truly haue zeresh and my friends foretold me of this heauy destiny ? now am i ready to feele what it is that i meant to thousands of innocents ; i shall dye with paine and ignominie : oh that the conscience of mine intended murder could die with me . it is no maruel if wicked men find nothing but vtter discomforts in their end : rather then faile , their former happinesse shall ioyne with their imminent miseries , to torment thē . it is the iust iudgement of god that presumptuous sinners shold be swallowed vp of those euills , which they would not feare ; happy is that man , who hath grace to fore-see , and auoyd those waies , which will lead him to a perfect confusion . happy is hee that hath so liued that hee can either welcome death as a friend , or defie it as an enemy . who was euer the better for fauour past ? those that had before kissed the feet , and smiled in the face of haman , are now as ready to couer his head , and helpe him to the gallowes . harbonah one of the chamberlaines , seasonably tells the king how stately a gibbet haman had newly set vp for well-deseruing mordecai , within his owne palace . i heare not one man open his mouth to intercede for the offender , to pacifie the king , to excuse or lesse the fact ; euery one is ready to pull him down that is falling , to trample on him that is downe ; yet no doubt , there were some of these courtiers whom haman had obliged ; had the cause been better , thus it would haue beene . euery curre is ready to fall vpon the dog that he sees werryed ; but here , it was the iust hand of god to set off all hearts from a man that had beene so vnreasonably mercilesse ; and to raise vp enemies ( euen among friēds ) to him , that had professed enmity to gods church : so let thine enemies perish , ô lord , vnsuccored , vnpitied . then the king said , hang him thereon : there can bee no truer iustice then in retaliation ; who can complaine of his own measure : behold the wicked trauaileth with iniquity , and hath conceiued mischiefe , and brought forth falshood . he made a pit and digged it , & is falne into the ditch that hee made . his mischiefe shall returne vpon his owne head , and his violent dealing shal come downe vpon his owne pate . there hangs haman , in more reproch , then euer he stood in honor ; and mordecai ( who is now first knowne for what hee was ) succeeds his fauour , and changes inheritances with his enemy ; for whiles haman inherits the gibbet of mordecai , mordecai inherits the house and honor of haman . o lord , let the malice of the wicked come to an end , but establish thou the iust . one houre hath changed the face of the persian court ; what stability is there in earthly greatnesse ? he who in the morning all knees bowed vnto , as more then a man , now hangs vp like a despised vermin , for a prey to the rauens : he , who this morning was destin'd to the gallowes , now rules ouer princes ; neither was it for nothing , that hee this day rode in triumph : the kings ring that was taken from haman , is now giuen to mordecai , as the pledge of his authority ; and hee that euen now sate in the gate , is called vp next to the throne . wickednesse , and honest innocence haue now payd their debts to both their clients . little ioy would it yet haue been to esther , that her enemy was dead , her kinsman aduanced , if still her people must for all this expect their fatall day : her next suit therfore is for the safety of her nation , in the countermand of that bloody decree , which haman had obtained against them : that which was surrepticiously gotten , and rashly giuen , is so much more gladly reuersed ; by how much mercy is more pleasing to a good nature , then cruell iniustice . mordecai hath power to endite , seale , send out letters of fauor to the iewes , which were causlesly sentenced to the slaughter . if a persian law might not be reuersed , yet it might be countercharged : mordecai may not write , let no iew be slaine , he may write , let the iewes meet , and stand for their liues against those that would slay them . this command flyes after the former , so fast , as if it would ouer-take that , which it cannot recall ; the iewes are reuiued with this happy tydings , that they may haue protection as well as enmity ; that authority will not be their executioner ; that their owne hands are allowed to be their auengers . who would imagine that after publike notice of this alteratiō at the court ; when the world could not choose but know the malicious ground of that wrongfull edict , the shamefull death of the procurer , the power of the party opposite ; any one should be found , throughout all the prouinces , that would once lift vp his hand against a iew ? that , with his owne danger , would indeauor to execute a controlled decree ? the church of god should cease to bee it selfe , if it wanted malicious persecution ; there needs no other quarrell thē the name , the religion of israel . notwithstanding the known fauour of the king , and the patronage of mordecai , the thirteenth of adar is meant to be a bloody day ; haman hath too many abettors in the persian dominions ; these ioyne together to performe that sentence , whereof the author repented : the iewes take hart to defend themselues , to kill their murtherers . all the prouinces are turn'd into a field of ciuill war ; wherein innocence vanquisheth malice . the iewes are victors , & not onely are aliue , but are feared ; the most resist them not , many assist them , & some become theirs : the countenance of the great leads the world at pleasure ; feare of authority swayes thousands that are not guilty of a consciēce . yea , besides the liberty of defence , the iewes are now made their owne iusticers ; that there may be none left from the loynes of that accursed agagite , ( who wold haue left none of the iewish seed ) they slay the ten sons of haman ; & obtaine new daies of further executions ; neither can death satisfie their reuēge ; those ten sons of haman shall , in their very carcasses beare the reproach of their father , and hang aloft vpon his gallowes . finally , no man doth , no man dares frowne vpon a iew ; they are now becomne lords in the midst of their captiuity ; no maruell if they ordaine , and celebrate their ioyfull purim , for a perpetuall memory , to all posterities , of their happy deliuerance . it were pity that the church of god should not haue sun-shines , as well as stormes , and should not meet with interchanges of ioy in their warfare , before they enter vpon the vnchangeable ioy of their endlesse triumph . finis . post-script to the reader . i may not but tell my reader , there was a mistaking in the post-script of my late large volume ; wherein the printer vndertooke the authors promise , to publish no more , till he should finish his whole labour , in a full second tome . whereas i onely yeelded , for the incouragement of the buyer , to adde nothing to the first . should these haue stayed the leasure of my meditations vpon the new testament ; some readers would haue complained to bee held too long fasting ; euen this small intermissiō hath beene call'd on with no small importunity of many ; whose suggestion was no other then iust ; that , as on the one side i might prouide for the ease of many buyers by an entire publication : so , on the other side , i should discontent no fewer , who hauing furnished themselues with the seuerall volumes of my contemplations already published , should be forced to breake the sute , and to want the remaining parts . out of these considerations , i was not vnwilling to send forth these thoughts , after their fellowes ; beseeching my reader not to hasten his expectation of my labours vpon the residue of the new testament , which , vpon some priuate reasons , haue resolued to pace more slowly towards the publike light . god make these , and them , as profitable , as they are well meant to the common good . faults of the presse . for read page line hostilely holily succeed succeeded goale gaole euer euery with wish when where vlt. attendants attendance commination crimination threats throates at an notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e kings . kings . kings iob . kings . kings , & . and chron. . & . kings . chro. and king , . vzziah , azariah . king. . chr. . . chr. . . king. . kings . and . king. . king. . and chor. . king. . and . . chro . . deut. . . kin. . king. . vers . and chro. . vers . chr. . notes for div a -e esay vlt besides seruants . * surnamed long-hand . * the windfull . nehemiah , , , , chapt. ezee. . . ester , . ester . . ex. . . deu. . . esther . . esther . . esther . . eccles. . psal . . . the remedy of prophanenesse. or, of the true sight and feare of the almighty a needful tractate. in two bookes. by ios. exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the remedy of prophanenesse. or, of the true sight and feare of the almighty a needful tractate. in two bookes. by ios. exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by thomas harper, for nathanael butter, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the pyde-bull, at s. austins gate, london : . ios. exon. = joseph hall. the first leaf is blank. "a sermon preach't in the city of excester, at the consecration of a new buriall-place, there, on saint bartholomews day, aug. . " has separate dated title page and pagination; register is continuous. with errata list on imprimatur leaf. variant: without errata list; preliminaries ([ ] p.) in an earlier imposition. reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fear of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the remedy of prophanenesse . or , of the true sight and feare of the almighty . a needfull tractate . in two bookes . by ios . exon . london , printed by thomas harper , for nathanael butter , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the pyde-bull , at s. austins gate , . imprimatur . sa . baker . octob. . . the contents . the remedy of prophanenesse . a sermon preach't in the city of excester , at the consecration of a new buriall-place there , gen. . . . reader , i had meant to take leave of the presse , as one that repented to bee guilty of this common surfet . yet once againe my zeale urges me to breake silence . i finde so little feare of god in this world which i am shortly leaving , that i could not forbeare , after my tears , to bestow some inke upon it . every man can bewaile it , i have studied to redresse it . wee may indevour that which god onely can effect . i humbly leave this to the worke of no lesse then an omnipotent grace . in the meane time it is both holy and laudable to project the remedies ; and it shall bee the no-small comfort of my death-bed , that i have left behind me this seasonable advice of better thoughts ; which , when i am gone , may survive to the benefit of many : know withall that this treatise entred the presse under the honored name of my deare lord , the earle of norwich , whose death preventing the publication , hath sent it forth patron-lesse ; mee thought i should not indure that what was once his , in my destination , should ever bee any others ; let this blanke be as my last memoriall of the honour that i justly beare to that incomparable friend , both alive and dead , serve to professe unto the world , that these papers yeeld themselves not unwilling orphans upon his losse : but why doe i so mis-name his glory ? that blessed soule not staying the leisure of my present directions , hasted up to the free view of the face of his god , which i could onely shew dimly , and aloofe . there will be more use of the imitation of his practice , then of the honour of his protection ; let us goe cheerefully on in the steps of true piety , and conscionable obedience , untill our faith likewise shall shut up in an happy fruition . the contents of the severall sections . booke i. proem . the occasion , need and use of the treatise ensuing . sect. . no one word can expresse that grace which we treat of ; what it includes and intimates . feare is no fit terme for it : affections well imployed , turne vertues . wherein holy feare consists : what is required to the attaining of it : the sight of god. the sight of our selves . sect. . of the sight of the invisible : moses a fit patterne for it . two waies wherein he saw the invisible . our felicity consists in the sight of god : the degrees of our spirituall sight : how sight and invisibility may consist together . sect. . how wee may not think to see god : not by any fained representation ; not by the worke of improved reason ; not in a full comprehention ; not here in his divine essence , or height of resplendence . how moses desired to see the face of god. sect. . how we must indeavour to s●e the invisible : . that our eyes must be cleared from all hindrances of sight . . that blessed object must bee set before our eyes . sect. . . there must be an exaltation , and fortification of our sight . . there must be a trajection of the visuall beames of the soule thorow all earthly occurrences . . a divine irradiation of the mind must follow : what light wee must conceive . sect. . . the eye must be fixed upon this blessed object unremoveably . how this may bee effected , and how farre . three waies of our apprehention of god. sect. . . there will follow a delight and complacency in that god whom wee see . reprobates doe rather see gods anger , than himselfe . sect. . motives to stirre us up to strive to this happie sight : the act is reward enough to it selfe : . this sight frees us from being transported with earthly vanities . sect. . . it is a prevalent meanes to restraine us from sinning . . it upholds us in the constant suffering of evill . sect. . . it enters us into our heaven . this vision is not without a fruition : not so in other objects . sect. . of the casting downe our eyes to see our owne wretchednesse . how fraile we are ; how sinfull ; in how wofull condition by our sinne . booke ii. sect. . what the feare of god is . a double stamp or signature in this impression of feare . . an inward adoration of god. . a filiall care of being approved to god. sect. . what inward adoration is ; wherein it consists , and how to be wrought . of gods infinite greatnesse , shown in the creation of the world , and the government thereof , in the frame of the heaven , earth , sea , man himselfe . sect. . of gods infinite mercy shown in the redemption of mankind . sect. . of the holy mixture of this feare : of the continuation and perpetuily of it . sect. . religious adoration diffused through our whole outward cariage , in our respects . . to the holy name of god. the iewes scruples ; our carelesnesse . sect. . . to the word of god. sect. . . to the services of god , prayer , preaching , administration of sacraments . sect. . . to the house of god. sect. . . to the messengers of god. sect. . of the humble subjection of our selves to the hand of god. . in suffering from him meekely , and patiently : the good examples thereof . . in all changes of estates . sect. . of our child-lik care of a secret approving our selves to god , and avoyding his displeasure : how wee are affected after wee have beene miscarried . the holy jelousy and suspicion of gods children : this feare a retentive from sinne . rifenesse of sinne , an argument of the want of this feare . wicked hearts must have terrible remedies . the misplaced feare of prophane men . sect. . of the filiall indevour of obedience ; in particular callings , arising from this feare . the happy effects and issue of this feare . sect. . of the extreames of this feare , on both sides . . whereof the first is security : whence it ariseth . of the abuse of gods mercy , in giving and forgiving . . of the custome of sinning . sect. . of the remedies of security . meanes to keepe the heart tender . meditations of gods judgements , and of our owne frailties . a resolution to repell the first motions of sinne . care of speedy recovery after our fall . due heed not to check the conscience . a right estimation of worldy things . sect. . of presumption , another opposite to feare . presumption of the way . presumption of the end . . in matter of event . . in matter of ability . sect. . the remedies of presumption , in the severall kindes of it . . in respect of outward events ; of our due valuation of them . sect. . . in respect of abilities . an exact survay of our graces . the differences betwixt counterfeit vertues and true . sect. . the remedy of our presumption of the end , which is salvation . of our modest consideration of the waies and counsels of god. sect. . the extreames on the other hand . . of the feare of horrour ; how to be remdyed . sect. . . of the feare of distrust ; with the remedy thereof . conclusion . a recapitulation of the whole . of the sight and feare of the almighty . the first book . the proem . nothing is more easie to observe , than that the mind of man ( beeing ever prone to extremities ) is no sooner fetcht off from superstition , than it is apt to fall upō prophanenesse : finding no meane betwixt excesse of devotion , and an irreligious neglect . no wise christian , who hath so much as sojourned in the world , can choose but feele , and ( with griefe of heart ) confesse this truth : we are ready to think of gods matters , as no better than our owne : and a saucy kind of familiarity , this way , hath bred a palpable contempt ; so as we walk with the great god of heaven , as with our fellow ; and think of his sacred ordinances , as either some common imployment , or fashionable superfluity . out of an earnest desire therefore to settle in my selfe , and others , right thoughts , and meet dispositions of heart , towards the glorious and infinite majesty of our god , and his holy services ( wherein we are all apt to be too defective ) i have put my pen upon this seasonable task ; beseeching that almighty god , ( whose work it is ) to blesse it both in my hand , and in the perufall of all readers ; whom i beseech to know , that i have written this , not for their eyes , but for their hearts ; and therefore charge them as they tender the good of their owne soules , not to rest in the bare speculation , but to work themselves to a serious , and sensible practice of these holy prescriptions , as without which , they shall never have either true hold of god , or found peace , and comfort in their owne soules . come then yee children , hearken unto me , and i shall teach you the feare of the lord ; there cannot be a fitter lesson for me , in the improvement of my age , to reade , nor for your spirituall advantage to take out : one glance of a thought , of this kind , is worth a volume of quarrelsome litigation . sect . ii. as above we shall need no words ; when we shall be all spirit , and our language shall be all thoughts , so , below , wee cannot but want words , wherein to cloath the true notions of our hearts . i never yet could find a tongue , that yeelded any one terme to notifie the awfull disposition of the heart towards god ; wee are wont to call it feare ; but this appellation comes farre too short ; for this signifies an affection ; whereas this , which we treat of , is no other than an excellent vertue , yea a grace rather ; yea rather a precious composition of many divine graces , and vertues . it is no marvell therefore , if the spirit of god have wont under this one word , to comprehend all that belongs either to the apprehension , or adoration of a god ; for this alone includes all the humble constitution of an holy soule , and all the answerable demeanure of a mortified creature : neither is there any thing so well becomming an heart sensible of infinitenesse , as this which wee are faine to mis-name feare . to speak properly , there is no feare but of evill , and that w ch we justly call servile : which is a doubtfull expectation of something that may be hurtfull to us : and this , when it prevailes , is horror , and dreadfull confusion ; an affection ( or perturbation rather ) fit for the gallies , or hell it selfe ; love casts it out , as that which is ever accompanied with a kind of hate ; and so will we ; we are meditating of such a temper of the heart , as in the continuance of it is attended with blessednesse ; as in the exercise of it , is fixed upon infinite greatnesse , and infinite goodnesse , and in the meane time is accompanied with unspeakable peace , and contentment in the soule . and yet , who so had a desire to retaine the word ( if our ethick doctors would give him leave ) might say , that affections well imployed upon excellent objects , turne vertues ; so love though commonly marshelled in those lower ranks of the soule , yet when it is elevated to the all-glorious god , is justly styled the highest of theologicall vertues , yea , when it rises but to the levell of our brethren , it is christian charity ; so , griefe for sinne , is holy penitence ; and what more heavenly grace can be incident into the soule , than joy in the holy ghost ? neither is it otherwise with feare , when it is taken up with worldly occurrents of paine , losse , shame , it is no better than a troublesome passion , but when wee speak of the feare of god , the case and style is so altered , that the breast of a christian is not capable of a more divine grace . but not to dwell in syllables , nor to examine curious points of morality : that which we speak of , is no other than a reverentiall awe of the holy and infinite majesty of god , constantly and unremovably setled in the soule ; a disposition so requisite , that he who hath it , cannot but be a saint , and he that hath it not , is in a sort without god in the world . to the producing whereof there is need of a double apprehension ; the one of an incomprehensible excellence , and inseparable presence of god ; the other of a most miserable vilenesse , and , as it were , nothingnesse of our selves . the former is that which the spirit of god calls the sight of the invisible : for sight is a sense of the quickest , and surest perception ; so as in seeing of god , we apprehend him infinitely glorious in all that he is , in all that he hath , in all that he doth ; and intimately present to us , with us , in us . sect . ii. let us then first see what that sight is ; wherein we cannot have a more meet patterne than moses ; that exposed infant , who in his cradle of bulrushes was drawne out of the flagges of nilus , is a true embleme of a regenerate soule , taken up out of the mercy of a dangerous world , in whose waves he is naturally sinking : hee that was saved from the waters saw god in fire ; and in an holy curiosity hasted to see the bush that burned , and consumed not ; let our godly zeale carry us as fast to see what he saw ; and make us eagerly ambitious of his eyes , of his art. surely moses , as st. stephen tels us , was learned in all the wisedome of the egyptians ; hee was not a greater courtier , than a scholler : but , moses his opricks were more worth than all the rest of his skill . all egypt , and chaldea to boot , though they were famous of old for mathematick sciences , could not teach him this art of seeing the invisible : as only the sunne gives us light to see it selfe , so only the invisible god gives a man power to see himselfe that is invisible . there is a threefold world objected to humane apprehension ; a sensible world , an intelligible , a spirituall or divine ; and accordingly man hath three sorts of eyes , exercised about them ; the eye of sense , for this outward and materiall world ; of reason , for the intelligible ; of faith , for the spirituall : moses had all these ; by the eye of sense he saw pharaohs court , and israels servitude ; by the eye of reason he saw the mysteries of egyptian learning ; by the eye of faith hee saw him that is invisible . in the eye of sense , even brute creatures partake with him , in the eye of reason men , in the faculty of discerning spirituall and divine things only saints and angels . doubtlesse moses was herein priviledged above other men , two wayes therefore did he see the invisible , first , by viewing the visible signes , and sensible representations of gods presence ; as in the bush of horeb ( the hill of visions : ) in the fire and cloud in the mount of sinai ; secondly , by his owne spirituall apprehension : that first was proper to moses , as an eminent favourite of god : this other must be common to us with him . that we may then attaine to the true feare and fruition of god , we must see him that is invisible , as travellers here , as comprehensors hereafter ; how we shall see him in his , and our glorious home , we cannot yet hope to comprehend ; when we come there ●o see him , we shall see and know how , and how much we see him ; and not till then . in the meane time it must bee our maine care to blesse our eyes with moses object , and even upon earth to aspire to the sight of the invisible . this is an act wherein indeed our cheife felicity consists . it is a curiously witty disquisition of the schooles , since all beatitude consists in the fruition of god , whether we more essentially , primarily , and directly injoy god in the act of understanding , ( which is by seeing him , ) than in the act of will , which is by loving him ; and the greatest masters ( for ought i see ) pitch upon the understanding in the full sight of god ; as whose act is more noble , and absolute , and the union wrought by it more perfect . if any man desire to spend thoughts upon this divine curiosity , i referre him to the ten reasons which the doctor solennis gives and rests in , for the decision of this point . surely these two go so close together , in the separated soule , that it is hard , even in thought , to distinguish them . if i may not rather say , that as there is no imaginable composition in that spirituall essence ; so its fruition of god is made up of one simple act alone , which here results out of two distinct faculties . it is enough for us to know , that if all perfection of happinesse and full union with god consist in the seeing of him , in his glory , then it is , and must be our begun happinesse , to see him ( as we may ) here below : hee can never be other than he is ; our apprehension of him varies : here we can only see him darkly , as in a glasse , there cleerely , and as hee is . even here below there are degrees , as of bodily , so of spirituall , sight : the newly recovered blind man saw men like trees , the eyes of true sense see men like men ; the illuminated eyes of elisha , and his servant , saw angels , invironing them ; saint stephens eyes saw heaven opened , and iesus standing at the right hand of god : the cleere eyes of moses see the god of angels : saint pauls eyes saw the unutterable glories of the third heaven : still , the better eyes the brighter vision . but what a contradiction is here , in seeing the invisible ? if invisible , how seene ? and if seene , how invisible ? surely god is a most purely and simply spirituall essence . here is no place for that , not so much heresie , as stupid conceit , of anthropomorphisme : a bodily eie can only see bodies like it selfe ; the eye must answer the object : a spirituall object therefore ( as god is ) must be seene by a spirituall eye : moses his soule was a spirit , and that saw the god of spirits : so he that is in himselfe invisible , was seene by an invisible eye : and so must be . if we have no eyes but those that are seene , we are as very beasts as those that we see ; but if we have invisible and spirituall eyes , we must improve them to the sight of him that is invisible . sect . iii. let us then , to the unspeakable comfort of our soules , inquire , and learne how wee may here upon earth , see the invisible god. and surely , as it was wisely said of him of old , that it is more easie to know what god is not , than what he is , so it may be justly said also , of the vision of god , it is more obvious to say how god is not seene , than how he is ; let us ( if you please ) begin with the negative , we may not therefore think to see god by any fancied representation ; hee will admit of no image of himselfe ; no not in thought ; all possibly conceiveable ideas , and similitudes , as they are infinitely too low , so they are cleane contrary to his spirituall nature , and his expresse charge ; and the very entertainment of any of them is no other than a mentall idolatry . in the very holy of holyes , where he would most manifest his presence , there was nothing to be seene but a cloud of smoake , as the poet scoffingly ; and as that great king professed to see there ; to teach his people that he would not be conceived any way , but in an absolute immunity from all formes . secondly , we may not hope to see god by the working of our improved reason ; for as intelligible things are above the apprehension of sense , so divine matters are no lesse above the capacity of understanding . iustly is durand exploded here , who held that a created understanding was of it selfe , sufficient for the vision of god , without supernaturall aid ; for what ever our soule understands here , it doth it by the way of those phantasmes which are represented unto it ; by which it is not possible there should be any comprehension of this infinite essence : every power works within the compasse of his owne sphere ; even from the lowest of sense , to the highest of faith : if the eye should encroach upon the eare , in affecting to discerne the delicate ayre of pleasant sounds ; and the eare should usurp upon the eye , in professing to judge of a curious picture , or pleasant prospect ; it were an absurd ambition of both . it is all one for a beast to take upon him to judge of matter of discourse ; and for a philosopher to determine of matters of faith : reason was not given to man for nought , even that can impart unto us something concerning god , but not enough . i remember gerson , a great master of contemplation , professes that he knew one , ( which is , in saint pauls phrase , himselfe ) who after many temptations of doubt , concerning a maine article of faith , was suddenly brought into so cleere a light of truth , and certitude ; that there remained no reliques at all of dubitation ; nothing but confidence , and serenity , which ( saith hee ) was wrought by an hearty humiliation , and captivation of the understanding to the obedience of faith ; neither could any reason bee given of that quiet , and firme peace in beleeving , but his owne feeling and experience : and surely , so it is in this great businesse of seeing god ; the lesse wee search , and the more wee beleeve , the cleerer vision do we attain of him that is invisible . neither , thirdly , may wee hope here to aspire to a perfect sight , or a full comprehension of this blessed object ; the best of all earthly eyes doth but look through a scarfe at this glorious sight , and complaines of it's owne weaknesse and obscurity ; and what hope can we have to compasse this infinite prospect ? the cleerest eye cannot , at once , see any round body , if it be but of a small bullet , or ring ; and when we say , wee see a man , we meane , that we see but his outside ; for surely , his heart , or lungs , or braine , are out of our sight ; much lesse can we see his soule , by which he is : what speak i of the poore narrow conceit of us mortals ? i need not feare to say , that the glorified saints and glorious angels of heaven , being but of a finite ( though spirituall ) nature , hold it no disparagement to disclaime the capacity of this infinite object ; much lesse may we think to draine this ocean with our egge shell . lastly , we may not make account here to see the face of god in his divine essence , or in the height of the resplendence of his glory : this , even moses himselfe did not ; he desired it indeed , but it might not be yeelded , ( exodus ) and god tels him , this was no object for mortall eyes ; a man must die to see it , as austen well . indeed it is said , moses spake to god , face to face ; the word in the originall is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) faces to faces : ) but ye never read that he saw god face to face ; he still conferred with that oracle which was ever invisible . it is a poore conceit of cornelius à lapide , that moses longed so much to see the face of god in some assumed forme ; for then that face should not have been his : and if god should have been pleased to assume such a forme , it had beene no lesse easie for him , to have made the face aspectable , as the back ; in this sense , old jacob calls his altar penu-el , the face of god , and professes to have seene god , face to face ; his face saw that face which god had for the present assumed , without a present death : doubtlesse moses , having seene divers vayles of gods presence , ( that is , sensible testimonies of his being there ) desires now to see that glorious majesty of god open-faced , without those maskes of outward representation , ( so hee interprets himselfe whiles he expresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers . . ) the desire was zealously ambitious ; too high , even for him , that had beene twice blessed with forty dayes cōference with the god whom he longed to see ; much lesse may we think of aspiring to this sight , who must know our distance , even from the foot of the mount. it is abundantly enough , for us , if out of some small loop hole of the rock , we may be allowed , in his passage , to see some after-glimpses of that incomprehensible majesty ; to see him , both as we can be capable , and as he will be visible ; that is , as he hath revealed himselfe to us in his word , in his works , in his wonderfull attributes . in his word as a most glorious spirituall substance , in three equally glorious subsistences . in his works , as the most mighty creator , and munificent preserver , as the most mercifull redeemer of the world , as the most gracious comforter , and sanctifier of the world of his elect. in his attributes , as the god of spirits , whose infinite power , wisedome , mercy , justice , truth , goodnesse is essentiall ; so as he is all these abstractedly , uncompoundedly , really , infinitely . shortly therefore , we may not look here to see him by the eye of fancy , or by the eye of reason , or in a full view , or in the height of his glory . let us then in the next place see how we may and must see him . sect . iiii. would we therefore see him that is invisible ? in the first place we must have our eyes cleered from the naturall indisposition , to which they are subject ; we have all , in nature , many both inward , and ambient hinderances of this sight ; there is a kind of earthlinesse in the best eye ; whereby it is gouled up , that it cannot so much as open it selfe , to see spirituall things ; these are our carnall affections : there is a dimnesse and duskinesse in the body of the eye , when it is opened ; which is our naturall ignorance of heavenly things : there is , besides these , a filme , which is apt to grow over our eye , of naturall infidelity ; which makes it incapable of this divine vision ; and after all these , ( when it is at the clearest ) the moats and dust of worldly thoughts , are apt to trouble our sight : lastly , every known sinne , wherein a man willingly continues , is a beame in the eye , that bars all sight of god : jn malevolam animam , &c. wisdome enters not into an ill-doing soule , and malitia occaecat intellectum , as the wise man of old ; there must bee a removall and remedy of all these , ere we can attaine to a comfortable vision of the invisible . the goule of our eyes must bee washt off ; and if we cannot by our utmost endeavours , lift up our eye-lids , as we ought , we must sue to him that can do it , ( aperioculos : ) open thou mine eyes that i may see the wonderfull things of thy law. the dimnesse and duskinesse of our eyes must be cleared , by that eye-salve of the spirit . ( revel . . ) the filme of our infidelity must be scoured off by the clensing waters of siloam , the fountaine of divine truth , welling out of the holy scriptures ; the moates and dust of worldly cares must be wipt out , by a contemptuous , and holy resolution ; the beame of sinne , lastly , must be pulled out by a serious repentance . so then , if there be any of us that makes account to see god , whiles he is taken up with sensuall affections , whiles he is blinded with his naturall ignorance , and infidelity , whiles he is seized upon by worldly cares , and distractions , whiles he harbours any knowne sinne in his bosome , he doth but deceive his own soule ; away with all these impediments , that wee may be capable of the vision of god. in the second place , wee must set this blessed object before our eyes ; resolving of the certainty of his presence , with us ; or , rather , we must set our selves before him , who is ever unremovably before us , with us , in us ; acknowledging him with no lesse assurance of our faith , than we acknowledge the presence of our owne bodies , by the assurance of sense : for , how shall we suppose wee can see him that is absent from us ? no man will say , he sees the sun , when it is out of our hemisphere : that infinite god therefore , who cannot but be every where , must bee acknowledged to be ever , in a glorious manner , present with us ; manifesting his presence most eminently , in the high heavens , and yet filling both heaven and earth with the majesty of his glory : in him it is that we live , and move , and have our being : he comprehends the whole world , himselfe being only incomprehensible ; secluded from no place , included in no place ; neerer to us than our owne soules : when we die , we part from them ; from him we cannot part ; with whom remotenesse of place can make no difference , time no change : when the heart is thus throughly assured , it is in a faire way to see the invisible ; for now , after all the former impediments , the hinderance of distance is taken away ; and nothing remaineth , but that the eye bee so affected , and imployed hereabouts , as it ought . sect . v. to which purpose , in the third place , there must be an exaltation , and a fortification of our sight ; an exaltation rasing it above our wonted pitch , for our heart is so inured , and confined to bodily objects , that , except it bee somewhat raised above it selfe , it is not capable of spirituall things . a fortification of our sight , so raised ; for our visive beames are ( at our best ) so weak , that they are not able to look upon a sight so spiritually glorious ; alas , wee cannot so much as look upon the sunne-beames , but we are dazeled , and blinded , with that , which gives us opportunity of sight : how shall wee be able to behold the infinite resplendence of him that made it ? st. stephen was a true eagle ; that blessed protomartyrs cleared , exalted , fortified sight pierced the heavens , and saw jesus standing at the right hand of god ▪ whence was this vigor , and perspicacity ? hee was full of the holy ghost , that spirit of god , that was within him , gave both clearnesse , and strength ( in such miraculous manner ) to the eyes of him , who should strait-way see , as hee was seene ; who should instantly by the eye of his glorified soule , no lesse see the incomprehensible majesty of god the father , than now by his bodily eye , he saw the glorified body of the son of god : it must bee the only work of the same spirit of god within us , that must enable us , both to the faculty , and exercise of seeing the invisible ; for the performance whereof , there must be , in the fourth place , a trajection of the visuall beames of the soule , thorow all earthly occurrences , terminating them only in god ; as now , we look thorow the aire , at any object , but our sight passes thorow it , and rests not in it : whiles we are here , we cannot but see the world ; even the holiest eye cannot look off it ; but it is to us , as the vast aire is betwixt us and the starry heaven , only for passage ; all is translucid , till the sight arrive there ; there it meetes with that solid object of perfect contentment , and happinesse , wherewith it is throughly bounded . when it hath therefore attained thither , there must bee , in the fifth place , a certaine divine irradiation of the mind , which is now filled , and taken up with a lightsome apprehension of an infinite majesty , of a glory incomprehensible , and boundlesse ; attended and adored by millions of heavenly angels , and glorified spirits ; whereto way must be made by the conceit of a transcendent light ; wherein god dwelleth ; as far above this outward light which we see , as that is above darknesse : for though we may not in our thoughts liken god to any created brightnesse , ( bee it never so glorious ; ) yet nothing forbids us to think of the place of his eternall habitation , as infinitely resplendent , above the comparison of those beames which any creature can cast forth . he is clothed ( saith the psalmist ) with light as with a garment . lo , when wee cannot see a mans soule , yet we may see his body ; and when we cannot see the body , yet wee may see the clothes : even so , though wee may not think to see the essence of god , yet we may see , and conceive of this his resplendent garment of light . farre be it therefore from us , when we would look up to a deity , to have our eye-sight terminated in a gloomy opacity , and sad darksomnesse , which hath no affinity with any appendance of that divine majesty , who hath thought good to describe it selfe by light : let our hearts adore such an infinite spirit , as that the light wherein he dwels , is inaccessible , the light which he hath , and is , is inconceiveable , and rather rest themselves in an humble and devout adoration of what they cannot know , than weary themselves with a curious search of what they cannot comprehend . a simple and meek kind of astonishment , and admiration , beseemes us here better , than a bold and busie disquisition . but , if this outward light ( which of all visible creatures comes neerest the nature of a spirit ) shall seeme too materiall , to expresse the glory of that blessed habitation , of the highest : let the mind labour to apprehend an intellectuall light , which may be so to our understanding , as this bodily light is to our sense , purely spirituall , and transcendently glorious ; and let it desire to wonder at that which it can never conceive ; how should this light be inaccessible , if it were such as our either sense , or reason could attaine unto ? sect . vi. when we have attained to this comfortable and heavenly illumination , there must be , in the sixt place , a fixing of the eye upon this beatificall object , so , as it may be free from distraction , and wandring . certainly there is nothing more apt to be miscarried , than the eye ; every new sight winnes it away from that which last allured it . it is not hard , or unusuall to have some sudden short glympses of this happy vision ; which yet the next toy fetches off , and makes us to forget : like as the last wave washeth off the impression of the former : what are we the better for this , than that patient , who having the filme too early raised from his eye , sees the light for the present , but shall never see any more . would wee see god to purpose ? when we have once set eye upon him , we may not suffer our selves , by any means to lose the sight of him againe ; but must follow it still with a constant and eager intention : like as the disciples of christ , when they had fixed their eyes upon their ascending saviour , could not be taken off , with the presence of angels ; but sent their eye-beames after him into heaven , so earnestly , that the reproofe of those glorious spirits could hardly pull them off . you are now ready to tell me , this is a fit task for us , when we are in our heaven ; and to plead the difficulty of such our settlement , in this region of change ; where our eyes cannot but bee forced aside , with the necessity of our worldly occasions ; and to question the possibility of viewing two objects at once ; god , and the world ; not considering , that herein lyes the improvement of the christians skill , in these divine opticks : the carnall eye looks through god , at the world ; the spirituall eye lookes through the world , at god ; the one of those he seeth mediately , the other terminatively ; neither is it in nature hard to conceive , how we may see two such objects , as whereof one is in the way to the other , as thorow a prospective glasse , we can see a remote mark ; or thorow a thin cloud wee can see heaven . those glorious angels of heaven are never without the vision of god , yet being ministring spirits for the good of his elect , here below , they must needs take notice of these earthly occurrents : the variety of these sublunary objects cannot divert their thoughts from their maker : although also ( to speak distinctly ) the eye thus imployed is not the same : nothing hinders but that whiles the bodily sees a body , the spirituall eye may see a spirit : as when a load-stone is presented to my view , the eye of my sense sees the body , and fashion of the stone , my eye of reason sees the hidden vertue which is in it ; both these kinds of eyes may be thus fixed upon their severall objects without any intersection of the visuall lines of each other . but , that no man may think god hath so little respect to our infirmities as to impose upon us impossible tasks , we must know , that since the soule of man in this state of fraile mortality , is not capable of a perpetuall act of such an intuition of god , here is necessary use of a just distinction : as the schoole therefore is wont to distinguish of intentions , so must we here of the apprehension of god , which is either actuall , or habituall , or virtuall . actuall , when our cogitations are taken up , and directly imployed in the meet consideration of the blessed deity , and the things thereto appertaining : habituall , when we have a settled kind of holy disposition , and aptitude inclining us ever to these divine thoughts , ready still to bring them forth into act , upon every least motion : virtuall , betwixt both these , being neither so quick and agile , as the actuall ; nor yet so dull and flagging as the habituall , ( which may be incident to a man whether sleeping , or otherwise busied ) when by the power of an heavenly disposition , wrought in the mind , we are so affected , as that divine thoughts are become the constant ( though insensible ) guests of the soule ; whiles the vertue of that originall illumination sticks still by us , and is , in a sort , derived into all our subsequent cogitations ; leaving in them perpetuall remainders of the holy effects of the deeply-wrought , and well grounded apprehension of god : as in a pilgrim towards the holy land , there are not alwaies actual thoughts concerning his way , or end ; yet there is still , an habituall resolution , to begin and compasse that journey ; and a secret power of his continued will , to put forward his steps to that purpose ; there being a certaine impression remaining in the motive faculty , which still insensibly stirres him towards the place desired : neither is it unusuall , ( even in nature ) to see many effects continuing , when the motion of the cause , by which they were wrought , ceaseth ; as when some deep bell is rung to the height , the noyse continues some time in the ayre , after the clapper is silent : or when a stone is cast into the water , the circles that are caused by it are enlarged , and multiplyed , after the stone lyes still in the bottome . how ever therefore we cannot hope in this life ( through our manifold weaknesses , and distractions ) to attaine unto the steddy continuance of the actuall view of him that is invisible , yet , to the habituall , and virtuall power of apprehending him , wee may , ( through the goodnesse of him , whom we strive to see ) happily aspire . neither may we be wanting to our selves in taking all occasions of renewing these our actuall visions of god ; both set , and casuall : there is nothing that wee can see , which doth not put us in mind of god ; what creature is there , wherin we do not espy some footsteps of a deity ? every herb , flower , leafe , in our garden ; every bird , and fly in the aire ; every ant and worme in the ground ; every spider in our window , speakes the omnipotence , and infinite wisedome of their creator : none of these may passe us without some fruitfull monition of acknowledging a divine hand . but besides these , it will be requisite for us , every morning to season our thoughts with a serious renovation of our awfull apprehensions of god ; and not to take off our hand , till wee have wrought our hearts to some good competency of right , and holy conceits of that glorious majesty ; the efficacy whereof may dilate it selfe to the whole following day ; which may be often revived by our frequent ejaculations : but above all other , when wee have to do with god , in the set immediate exercises of his services , and our heavenly devotions , we must endeavour ( to our utmost ) to sharpen our eyes , to a spirituall perspicacity ; striving to see him , whom we speak unto , and who speaks unto us , as he hath pleased to reveale himselfe . but , over and beside all these , even when we have no provocations from any particular occasion , it must be our continual care , to labour with our god , that it would please him to work us to such an holy , and heavenly disposition , as that what ever our imployments may be , we may never want the comfort of a virtuall and habituall enjoying the sight of god ; so as the power and efficacy of our first , well-taken apprehension may runne on , thorow all the following actions , and events both of our life , and death . sect . vii . vpon this constant fixednesse of our thoughts , on god , there cannot but follow ( in the seventh place ) a marvellous delight , and complacency of the soule , in so blessed an object ; neither is it easie to determine whether of these doe more justly challenge a precedency in the heart , whether the eye be so fixed , because it is well pleased with the sight ; or whether it be so pleased and ravished , with that happy sight , because it is so fixed : whatsoever these two are in the order of nature , i am sure in time , they are inseparable , neither is it possible for any man to see god as interessed in him , and not to love him , and take pleasure in him : as a stranger , as an enemy , or avenger , even divels and reprobate soules behold him , to their regret , and torment ; if i may not say , they rather see his anger , and judgement , than himselfe ; but never eye can see him as his god , and not be taken with infinite delight : for that absolute goodnesse ( out of which no man can contemplate god ) can be no other , than infinitely amiable . and if in the seeing of god , we be ( as the schoole hath taught us to speak ) unitively carried into him , how can we choose but in this act , bee affected with joy unspeakable and glorious ? in thy presence , saith the psalmist , is the fulnesse of joy : and at thy right hand , are pleasures for evermore . in summe therefore ; if when our eyes being freed from all naturall indispositions , and both inward , and outward impediments ; wee have so this blessed object presented before us , as that , there is an exaltation and fortification of our sight ; and thereupon a trajection of the visuall beames thorow all earthly occurrents , and a divine irradiation of the understanding , and a stedfast fixing of the eye upon this happy object , without wandring and distraction ; not without a wonderfull delight , and joy in the god of all comfort , whom we apprehend ; we do now effectually borrow moses his eyes , and , as he did , see the invisible . sect . viii . bvt as all good things are difficult , and all difficulties full of discouragement , unlesse they be matched with a countervaileable benefit , ( in which cases they doe rather whet , than turne the edge of our desires ) let us see what considerations of profit , arising from this noble act , may stirre up our languishing hearts to the endeavour , and performance thereof : there are actions , which carrying nothing but danger and trouble in the mouth of them , had need to be drawne on with the promise of an externall reward ; there are those , which carry in them their owne recompence ; such is this wee have in hand : what can there bee out of it selfe , so good as it ? when we take paines to put our selves into some theater , or court , or some pompous triumph , we have no other end but to see ; and yet how poore , and unsatisfying is that spectacle ; and such , as wherein our frivolous curiosity shuts up in emptinesse , and discontentment ? how justly then are we ambitious of this prospect , wherein , to but see , is to be blessed . it is no newes to see wantons transported from themselves , with the sight of a beautifull face , though such , perhaps , as wherein they can never hope to have any interest ; and some curious eyes no lesse taken with an exquisite picture , which yet shall never be theirs : how can we be other than ravished with an heavenly delight , and pleasure , in so seeing the infinite beauty of the god of spirits , as that our sight cannot be severed from fruition ? the act it selfe is an abundant remuneration , yet doth it not want many sweet , and beneficiall consequences , which do justly quicken our desires to attaine unto the practise of it . whereof it is not the meanest , that who-ever hath happily aspired thereunto , cannot bee carryed away with earthly vanities ; what poore things are these , in comparison of those invisible glories ? alas , what was the pleasure and riches of the court of egypt , in the eyes of moses , when he had once seene his god ? it is a true word , that of the chancellor of paris , when a man hath tasted once of the spirit , all flesh is savourlesse : surely , when once the chosen vessell had beene rapt into the third heaven , and seene those unutterable magnificencies of the divine majesty , who can wonder , if he looked , ever after , with scorne , and pitty upon all the glittering poverty of this inferiour world ? goe then ye poorely-great ones of the world , and admire the piles of your treasures , the statelinesse of your structures , the sound of your titles , the extent of your territoryes ; but know , that hee who hath seene the least glympse of the invisible , knowes how to commiserate your felicity , and wonders what yee can see in all these , worth your admiration , and pursuit : what joy and triumph was among the iewes when they saw the foundation of the second temple laid ? yet those ancient priests and levites , whose eyes had seene the glory of the former temple , wept , and cryed as loud , as the rest shouted : those that know no better , may rejoyce and exult in these worldly contentments ; but those , who have had but a blink of the beauty of heaven , can look upon them no otherwise , than with an overly contemptuousnesse . i wonder not if good old simeon were content to have his eyes clozed for ever , when he had once seene the sonne of god : what ever he should see afterwards , would but abase those eyes , that had beene blessed with the face of his saviour . it was no ill conceit of the wise oratour , that he who had once knowne and considered the magnitude of the world , could never after admire any thing ; surely we may more justly say , that hee who hath duly taken into his thoughts the consideration of the infinite power , wisdome , goodnesse , of the great god of the world , cannot think the world it selfe , worthy of his wonder . as some great peere therefore , that hath beene used to stately showes , and courtly magnificence , doth not vouchsafe so much as to cast his eye towards the meane worthlesse gewgawes of a pedlars stall , ( which yet silly children behold with great pleasure and admiration : so the soule that hath beene inured to the sight of the divine majesty , scornes to suffer it selfe to be transported with the trash and toyes of this vaine and transitory world . sect . ix . no whit inferiour to this benefit , is the second ; that this sight of the invisible is a notable and prevalent meanes to restraine us from sinning , for how dares he sinne , that sees god ever before him ? whom he knowes of so pure eyes , that he detests the least motion to evill ; of so almighty power , as to revenge it everlastingly . it was a poore thought of him ( who yet could know no better ) that hee who would disswade himselfe from a secret wickednesse , should suppose a grave cato , or some other such austere frowning censor , to be by him , looking upon his actions ; as if the shame or feare of such a witnesse were a sufficient coercion from evill : he that hath no eyes to see a god , may scarre himselfe with the imagined sight of a man , somewhat better than himselfe ; but he who hath the grace to see the invisible , finds a stronger restraint in that presence , than if hee were looked on by millions of witnesses , iudges , executioners : yet as this sight is mutuall , ( ours of god , and gods of us , ) the good heart finds a more powerfull restriction in his seeing of god , than in gods seeing of him : if there be more feare in this , there is more love in the other ; for , since this holy vision of god is ever joyned with some warmth of good affection to that prime , and infinite goodnesse , the very apprehension of that unspeakable lovelinesse , which is in him , more effectually curbeth all evill desires , in us , than the expectation of any danger , that can threaten us : how can i do this great evill , and sinne against god , saith good ioseph : the sinne affrights him more than the suffering , and the offence of a god , more than his owne danger . the spirit of god hath thought fit to specifie the third benefit , upon occasion of the mention of moses his vision of god ; he endured , as seeing him who is invisible : as this sight therefore hath power to withhold us from doing evill ; so also to uphold us in the suffering of evill ; what but cheerfulnesse , and ease , could holy stephen find in the stones of his enraged murtherers , when , through that haile storme he could see his iesus , standing at the right hand of god , ready to revenge , and crowne him ? what a pleasing walk did the three children find in nebuchadnezzars fornace , whiles the sonne of god made up the fourth ? what bath was so suppling , and delightfull , as the rack of theodorus the martyr , whiles gods angel wip't , and refreshed his distended joynts ? with what confidence and resolution , did the father of the faithfull break thorow all troubles , and tentations , when he heard god say , feare not , abraham , i am thy sheild , and thy exceeding great reward . certainly , all feare and discouragement arises from a conceit of our owne weaknesse , and an adversaries power , and advantage ; take away these two , and the mind of man remaines undanted : and both these vanish at the sight of the invisible ; for , what weaknesse can we apprehend , when god is our strength , or what adversary can we feare , when the almighty is with us ? good ezekiah was never so much scarred with all the bravings of rabshakeh , as when he said , am i come up hither without the lord ? had god taken part against his degenerated people , what could the arme of flesh have availed , for their defence ? as contrarily , when hee strikes in , what can the gates of hell do ? is it multitude that can give us courage ? as elisha's servant said ; there are more with us than against us : it is strength ? behold , the weaknesse of god is stronger than men ; than divels : how justly do we contemne all visible powers , when we see the invisible ? when we see him , not empty handed , but standing ready , with a crowne of glory , to reward our conquest ; vincenti dabitur : are we therfore persecuted , for professing the truth of the gospell , and cast into a dark , and desolate dungeon , where no glimmering of light is allowed to look in upon us ; where we are so farre from being suffered to see our friends , that we cannot see so much as the face of our keeper ? lo even there , and thence , we may yet see the invisible , and ( in spight of malice ) in his light wee can see light . do we lie groaning upon the painfull bed of our sicknesse , closing our curtaines about us to keep out the light , which now growes offensive to our sight ; yea , doth death begin to seize upon our eyes , and to dim and thicken our sight , so as now we cannot discerne our dearest friends , that stand ready to close them for us ; yet , even then may we most cleerly see the invisible ; and that sight is able to cheere us up , against all the pangs , and terrours of death , and to make us triumph even in dying . sect . x. lastly , what other doth this vision of god but enter us into our heaven ? blessed are the pure in heart , ( saith our saviour upon the mount ) for they shall see god ; lo , he that only can give blessednesse , hath promised it to the pure ; and he that best knowes wherin blessednesse consists , tells us , it is in the seeing of god ; the blessed spirits above , both angels and soules of the departed saints , see him cleerly , without any vaile drawne over their glorified eyes ; we , wretched pilgrims here on earth , must see him as wee may ; there is too much clay in our eyes , and too many , and to grosse vapors of ignorance and infidelity betwixt us and him , for a full and perfect vision : yet even here , we see him truly , though not cleerly ; and the stronger our faith is , the clearer is our sight ; and the clearer our sight is , the greater is our measure of blessednesse : neither is it a meere presence , or a bare simple vision , which doth either inchoate , or perfect our happinesse : we find there was a day , when the sonnes of god came to present themselves before the lord , and satan came also among them ; and the wickeds eyes shall see him whom they have peirced ; we see so much of god , ( in the way of our blisse ) as we enjoy . i know not how the eye in these spirituall objects , ( betwixt which and us there is a gracious relation ) hath a certaine kind of applicatory faculty , which in these materiall things it wanteth : o taste , and see ( saith the psalmist ) how sweet the lord is ; as if our sight were more inwardly apprehensive of heavenly pleasures , than our most sensible gustation : in these bodily objects , either there is no operation upon the sense , or , to no purpose ; the eye is never the warmer for seeing a fire a farre off , nor the colder for beholding yce : we are no whit the richer for seeing heapes of treasure , nor the fairer for viewing anothers beauty ; but such a powerfull , and glorious influence there is of god into our spirituall senses , that we cannot see him by the eye of our faith here , and not be the happier ; we cannot see him above by the eye of our separated soules , and not be perfectly glorious ; and the one of these doth necessarily make way for the other : for , what is grace here but glory begun ? and what is glory above , but grace perfected ? whosoever therfore here , hath pitcht the eye of his faith upon the invisible , doth but continue his prospect , when he comes to heaven : the place is changed , the object is the same ; the act more compleat : as then , we do ever look to have our eyes blessed with the perpetuall vision of god , in the highest heavens ; let us acquaint them before hand , with the constant and continuall sight of him , in this vale of mortality . sect . xi . no sooner have our eyes beene thus lifted up above the hills , to the sight of the invisible , than they must be instantly cast downe , and turned inwards to see our owne wretchednesse ; how weak and poore we are , how fraile , how vaine and momentany , how destitute of all good , how obnoxious to all sinne , and misery : contrarieties make all things better discerned ; and surely however it be cōmonly seene , that the neernesse of the object , is an hindrance to the sight , yet here , the more closely we behold our owne condition , the more cleerly we shall discerne , and the more fully shall we be convinced of this unpleasing truth : it is not for us to look back ( like the heires of some decayed house ) at what we were ; whoever was the better for a past happinesse ? alas , what are we now ? miserable dust and ashes ; earth at the best , at the worst , hell ; our being is vanity , our substance corruption ; our life is but a blast , our flesh wormes-meat , our beginning impotent , above all creatures , ( even wormes can crawle forward , so soone as they are , so cannot we ) our continuance short , and troublesome ; our end grievous ; who can assure himselfe of one minute of time , of one dramme of contentment ? but , woe is me , other creatures are fraile too , none but man is sinfull ; our soule is not more excellent , than this tainture of it , is odious , and deadly ; our composition laies us open to mortality , but our sinne exposes us to the eternall wrath of god , and the issue of it , eternall damnation : the grave waits for us , as men ; hell , as sinners : beasts compare with us in our being ; in our sinning , devils insult over us . and now , since the spring is foule , how can the streames be cleare ? alas , what act of ours is free from this wofull pollution ? who eats , or drinks , or sleepes , or moves , or talks , or thinks , or heares , or prayes without it ? even hee that was blessed with the sight of the third heaven , as tyred with this clogge , could say , o wretched man that j am , who shall deliver mee from this body of death ? blessed apostle , if thou wert so sensible of thy in-dwelling corruptions , who knew'st nothing by thy selfe , how must our hearts needs rend with shame , and sorrow , who are guilty of so many thousand transgressions , which our impotence can neither avoid , nor expiate ? how justly do we feare god , since we have deserved to be under so deep a condemnation . of the sight and feare of the almighty . the second book . sect . i. thus therefore when a man shall have stedfastly fixed his eyes upon the dread majesty of an ever-present god , and upon the deplored wretchednesse of his own condition , hee shall bee in a meet capacity to receive this holy feare , whereof we treat : neither indeed is it possible for him to see that all-glorious presence , and not presently thereupon find himselfe affected with a trembling kind of awfulnesse . neither can hee look upon his owne vilenesse , without an humble and bashfull dejection of soule ; but when he shall see both these at once , and compare his owne shamefull estate , with the dreadfull , incomprehensible majesty of the great god ; his owne impotence , with that almighty power ; his owne sinfulnesse , with that infinite purity , and justice ; his owne misery with the glory of that immense mercy , how can he choose but be wholly possessed with a devout shivering , and religious astonishment . the heart then thus tempered with the high thoughts of a god , and the humble conceits of our selves , is fit for the impression of this feare , which is no other , than an awfull disposition of the soule to god : wherein there is a double stamp , or signature ; the one , is an inward adoration of the majesty seene and acknowledged ; the other , a tender and filiall care of being secretly approved of god ; and of avoyding the displeasure , and offence of that god whom we so adore . the first , is a continuall bowing the knees of our hearts to that great , and holy god ; both inwardly blessing , and praising him in all his divine attributes ; in his infinite power , wisedome , justice , mercy , and truth ; and humbly submitting and resigning our selves wholly to his divine pleasure in all things ; whether for his disposing , or chastising . sect . ii. all true adoration begins from within ; even the soule hath the same parts , and postures with the body : as therefore it hath eyes to see , so it hath a tongue to speak unto , and a knee to bend unto the majesty of the almighty : shortly then ; we shall inwardly adore the god of heaven , when our hearts are wrought to bee awfully affected to the acknowledgment , cheifly of his infinite greatnesse , and infinite goodnesse ; and this shall be best done , by the consideration of the effects of both : even in meaner matters , wee cannot attaine to the knowledge of things by their causes ; but are glad to take up with this secondary information : how much more in the highest of all causes , in whom there is nothing but transcendency , and infinitenesse ? we shall therefore most feelingly adore the infinite greatnesse of god , upon representing unto our selves , the wonderfull work of his creation , and his infinite goodnesse , in the no lesse wonderfull work of our redemption : for ( as the great doctor of the gentiles most divinely ) the invisible things of god from the creation of the world are cleerly seene , being understood by the things that are made ; even his eternall power , and godhead . even so , o god , if we cannot see thee , we cannot but see the world , that thou hast made : and in that , wee see some glympses of thee : when wee behold some goodly pile of building , or some admirable picture , or some rarely-artificiall engine , our first question uses to be , who made it ? and we judge of , and admire the skill of the workman , by the excellent contrivance of the work ; how can we do otherwise in this mighty and goodly frame of thy universe ? lord what a world is this of thine , which wee see ? what a vast , what a beautifull fabrick is this , above and about us ? lo thou , that madest such an heaven , canst thou be other than infinitely glorious ? o the power and wisdome of such a creator ! every starre is a world alone , the least of those globes of light , are farre greater than this our whole inferiour world , of earth and waters ( which we think scarce measurable , ) and what a world of these lightsome worlds hast thou marshalled together in that one firmament ? and yet what roome hast thou left in that large contignation , for more ? so as the vacant space betwixt one starre , and another , is more in extent than that which is filled : in how exact a regularity do these celestiall bodies move , ever since their first setting forth , without all variation of the time or place of their rising , or setting ; without all change of their influences ? in what point and minute adams new created eyes saw them begin , and shut up their diurnall motions , we , his late posterity , upon that same day and in the same climate find them still ; how have they looked upon their spectators , in millions of changed generations , and are still where they were , looking still for more ? but , above the rest , who can but be astonished at that constant miracle of nature , the glorious sunne , by whose beames , all the higher and lower world is illuminated ; and by whose sole benefit , we have use of our eyes ? o god , what were the world without it , but a vast , and sullen dungeon of confusion , and horrour ; and , with it , what a theater of beauty and wonders ? what a sad season is our midnight , by reason of his farthest absence ; and yet , even then , some glympses of emanations , and remainders of that hidden light , diffuse themselves thorow the aire , and forbid the darknesse to bee absolute . oh what an hell were utter darknesse ; what a reviving and glorious spectacle it is , when the morning opens the curtaines of heaven , and showes the rising majesty of that great ruler of the day , which too many eyes have seene with adoration ; never any saw , without wonder , and benediction : and if thy creature be such , what , oh , what art thou that hast made it ? as for that other faithfull witnesse in heaven , what a cleare and lasting testimony doth it give to all beholders , of thine omnipotence ? alwayes , and yet never changing ? still uniforme in her constant variations , still regular in the multiplicity of her movings ; and o god , what a traine doth that great queene of heaven ( by thine appointment ) draw after her ? no lesse than this vast element of waters , so many thousand miles distant from her sphere ? she moves in heaven , the sea followes her , in this inferiour orb , and measures his paces by hers : how deep , how spacious , how restlesly turbulent is that liquid body ? and how tamed and confined by thine almightinesse ? how justly didst thou expostulate with thy people of old , by thy prophet ieremy , feare yee not mee , saith the lord , will ye not tremble at my presence , which have placed the sand , for the bounds of the sea , by a perpetuall decree , that it cannot passe it ; and though the waves thereof tosse themselves , yet they cannot prevaile ; though they roare , yet can they not passe over it ? and what a stupendious work of omnipotence is it , that thou , o god , hast hanged up this huge globe of water and earth , in the midst of a yeelding aire , without any stay , or foundation , save thine owne eternall decree ? how wonderfull art thou in thy mighty winds ; which , whence they come , and whither they go , thou only knowest ; in thy dreadfull thunders , and lightnings ; in thy threatning comets , and other fiery exhalations ? with what marvellous variety of creatures hast thou peopled all these thy roomy elements ; all of severall kinds , fashions , natures , dispositions , uses ; and yet all their innumerable motions , actions , events , are predetermined and over-ruled by thine all-wise , and almighty providence ! what man can but open his eyes , and see round about him these demonstrations of thy divine power , and wisedome , and not inwardly praise thee in thine excellent greatnesse ? for my owne practise , i cannot find a better notion , wherby to work my heart to an inward adoration of god , than this ; thou that hast made all this great world , and guidest , and governest it , and fillest and comprehendest it , being thy selfe infinite and incomprehensible : and i am sure there can be no higher representation of the divine greatnesse unto our selves . although withall , we may find enough at home : for what man that lookes no further than himselfe , and sees the goodly frame of his body , erected and imployed for the harbour of a spirituall , and immortall soule , can choose but say , i will praise thee , for i am fearefully , and wonderfully made . sect . iii. svrely , could we forget all the rest of the world , it is enough to fetch us upon our knees , and to strike an holy awe into us , to think that in him we live , and move , and have our being : for , in these our particular obligations , there is a mixed sense both of the greatnesse , and goodnesse of our god ; which , as it manifestly showes it selfe in the wondrous work of our excellent creation , so most of all magnifies it selfe , in the exceedingly gratious work of our redemption : great is thy mercy that thou mayst be feared , saith the sweet singer of israel ; lo , power doth not more command this holy feare , than mercy doth ; though both here , meet together ; for as there was infinite mercy mixed with power , in thus creating us ; so also , there is a no lesse mighty power mixed with infinite mercy , in our redemption : what heart can but awfully adore thy soveraigne mercy , o blessed god , the father of our lord iesus christ , in sending thine only , and coequall sonne , the sonne of thy love , the sonne of thine eternall essence , out of thy bosome , downe from the height of celestiall glory , into this vale of teares and death , to abase himselfe , in the susception of our nature , to clothe himselfe with the ragges of our humanity , to indure temptation , shame , death , for us ? o blessed iesu , the redeemer of mankind , what soule can be capable of a sufficient adoration of thine inconceive able mercy , in thy meane and despicable incarnation , in thy miserable , and toilsome life , in thy bloudy agony , in thine ignominious and tormenting passion , in thy wofull sense of thy fathers wrath in our stead , and lastly , in thy bitter and painfull death ? thou that knewest no sinne , wert made sinne for us , thou that art omnipotent , would'st die ; and by thy death , hast victoriously triumphed over death , and hell . it is enough , o saviour , it is more than enough , to ravish our hearts with love , and to bruise them with a loving feare . o blessed spirit , the god of comfort , who but thou only can make our soules sensible of thy unspeakable mercy , in applying to us the wonderfull benefit of this our deare redemption , in the great work of our inchoate regeneration , in the mortifying of our evill and corrupt affections , in raising us to the life of grace , and preparing us for the life of glory ? o god , if mercy be proper to attract feare , how must our hearts , in all these respects , needs be filled with all awfull regard unto thy divine bounty ? oh how great is the goodnesse that thou hast laid up for those that feare thee , even before the sonnes of men ! sect . iv. now we may not think this inward adoration of the greatnesse , & goodnes of god to be one simple act , but that , which is sweetly compounded of the improvement of many holy affections : for there cannot but be love mixed with this feare ; the feare of the lord is the beginning of love ; and this feare must be mixed with joy : rejoyce in him with trembling : and this feare and joy , is still mixed with hope : for in the feare of the lord is strong confidence ; and the eye of the lord is upon them that feare him , upon them that hope in his mercy : as therefore , we are wont to say that our bodies are not , neither can bee nourished with any simple ingredient ; so may we truly say of our soules , that they neither receive any comfort , or establishment , nor execute any powers of theirs , by any sole single affection ; but require a gracious mixture for both . as that father said of obedience , we may truly say of grace , that it is all copulative . neither may wee think , that one only impression of this holy feare , and inward adoration will serve the turne , to season all our following disposition , and carriage ; but , there must be a virtuall continuation thereof , in all the progresse of our lives ; our schooles do here seasonably distinguish of perpetuity , of , whether the second act , when all our severall motions and actions are so held on , as that there is no cessation , or intermission of their performance : ( which wee cannot here expect ) or , of the first act , when there is an habit of this inward adoration , settled upon the heart so constantly , that it is never put off , by what ever occurrences ; so as whatsoever we do , whatsoever we indeavour , hath a secret relation hereunto . and this second way ; we must attaine unto , if ever we will aspire to any comfort in the fruition of gods presence here , upon earth , and our meet disposition towards him . i have often thought of that deep , and serious question of the late judicious , and honourable , sir fulke grevil , lord brook , ( a man worthy of a fairer death , and everlasting memory ) moved to a learned kinsman of mine , ( much interessed in that noble man ) who when he was discoursing of an incident matter , very considerable , was taken off with this quick interrogation , of that wise and noble person ; what is that to the infinite ? as secretly implying , that all our thoughts and discourse must be reduced thither ; and that they faile of their ends , if they be any other where terminated ▪ it was a word well becomming the profound judgement , and quintessentiall notions of that rare , memorable peere . and certainly so it is , if the cogitations and affections of our hearts be not directed to the glory of that infinite god , both they are lost , and we in them . sect . v. religious adoration begins in the heart , but rests not there ; diffusing it selfe through the whole man , and commanding all the powers of the soule , and all the parts of the body to comply in a reverent devotion : so that , as we feare the lord whom wee serve , so wee serve the lord with feare . where the heart stoopes , it cannot be , but the knees must bend , the eyes and hands must be lift up ; and the whole body will strive to testifie the inward veneration ; as upon all occasions , so especially , when wee have to deale with the sacred affaires of god , and offer to present our selves to any of his immediate services : our feare cannot bee smothered in our bosomes ; every thing that pert●ines to that infinite majesty must carry from us due testifications of our awe ; his name , his word , his services , his house , his messengers : i cannot allow the superstitious niceties of the iewes , in the matters of god ; yet i find in their practise , many things worthily imitable ; such as favour of the feare of their father isaac , and such as justly shame our prophane carelesnesse . there is no wise man but must needs mislike their curious scruples , concerning that ineffable name , the letters and syllables wherof , they held in such dreadfull respect , that they deemed it worthy of death , for any but sacred lips , and that , but in set times and places , to expresse it ; as if the mention of it pierced the side of god , together with their owne heart ; and , if the name of god were written upon their flesh , that part might not bee touched either with water , or oyntment . but well may wee learne this point of wit , and grace from this first , ( and , then , the only ) people of god ; not rashly , sleightly , regardlesly , to take the awfull name of god into our mouths , but to heare and speak it ( when occasion is given ) with all holinesse , and due veneration . there are those that stumble at their adoration at the blessed name of iesus , prescribed and practised by our church ; as unjustly conceiving , that wee put a superstitious holinesse in the very sound , and syllabicall enunciation of the word ; wheras , it is the person of that blessed saviour , to whom , upon this occasion , our knees are bended : a gesture so far out of the just reach of blame , that if it seemed good to the wisedome of the church , to allot this reverent respect to all ▪ whatsoever the names , wherby the majesty of god , in the whole sacred trinity , is signified , and expressed to men , it were most meet to be accordingly exhibited unto them : and now , since it hath ( without inhibition of the like regard to the rest ) pitched upon that name , which intimating and comprising in it the whole gratious work , and immediate author of our deare redemption , hath beene exposed to the reproach and opposition of the gain-saying world ; we cannot ( if we be not wanting to our filiall obedience ) detrect our observance of so antient , and pious an institution . never any contempt was dared to bee cast upon the glorious name of the almighty , and absolute deity , only the state of exinanition , subjected the sonne of god to the scorne , and under-valuation of the world ; iustly therefore hath our holy and gracious mother thought fit , and ordained , upon that person and name , which seemed lesse honourable , and lay more open to affront , to bestow the more abundant honour : in the meane time , as shee is a professed incourager and an indulgent lover of all true devotion , shee cannot but be well pleased , with what soever expressions of reverence , we give to the divine majesty , under whatsoever termes , uttered by our well advised , and well instructed tongues . i have knowne , and honored , as most worthy a constant imitation , some devout persons , that never durst mention the name of god , in their ordinary communication , without uncovering of their heads , or elevation of their hands , or some such other testimony of reverence . and certainly , if the heart be so throughly possessed with a sad awe of that infinite majesty , as it ought ; the tongue dares not presume in a sudden unmannerlinesse to blurt out the dreadfull name of god ; but shall both make way for it , by a premised deliberation , and attend it with a reverent elocution . i am ashamed to think how farre we are surpassed by heathenish piety ; the ancient grecians and amongst the rest , plato , ( as suidas well observes , ) when they would sweare by their iupiter , out of the meere dread , and reverence of his name , forbare to mention him : breaking off their oath , with a , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as those that onely dare to owe the rest to their thoughts ; and climas the pythagorean , out of this regard , would rather undergoe a mulct of three talents , than sweare . whiles the prophane mouthes of many christians , make no difference in their appellation , betweene their god , and their servant . sect . vi. as the name , so the word of our maker challengeth an awfull regard from us , as a reflection of that feare wee owe to the omnipotent author of it . what worlds of nice caution have the masters of the synagogue prescribed to their disciples , for their demeanour towards the book of the law , of their god ? no letter of it might be writ without a copy ; no line of it without a rule ; and the rule must be upon the back of the parchment ; no parchment might bee imployed to this service , but that which is made of the skinne of a cleane beast ; no word might be written in a different colour ; insomuch as when in the pentateuch of alexander the great , the name of iehovah , was ( in pretence of honour ) written in golden characters , their great rabbins cōdemned the whole volume to be obliterated , and defaced : no man might touch it , but with the right hand , and without a kisse of reverence : no man might sit in the presence of it ; no man might so much as spit before it ; no man might carry it behind him ; but lay it next to his heart , in his travell ; no man might offer to read it , but in a cleane place ; no man might sell it , though the copy were moth-eat , and himselfe halfe famished : and is the word of the everlasting god of lesse worth and authority , now , than it hath beene ? or is there lesse cause of our reverence of those divine oracles , than theirs ? certainly , if they were superstitiously scrupulous , it is not for us to be carelesly slovenly , and neglective of that sacred book , out of which wee shall once bee judged : even that impure alcoran of the turkes is forbidden to bee touched by any but pure hands . it was not the least praise of carlo boromeo , the late saint of millaine , that hee would never read the divine scripture , but upon his knees ; and if we professe to beare no lesse inward honour to that sacred volume ; why should we , how can wee think it free for us to entertaine it with an unmannerly neglect ? sect . vii . as to the name and word , so to the services of god must the efficacy of our holy feare bee diffused ; and these , whether private or publick : if we pray , our awe will call us , either to a standing on our feet , as servants ; or a bowing of our knees , as suppliants ; or , a prostration on our faces , as dejected penitents ; neither when the heart is a camell , can the body be an elephant : what prince would not scorne the rudenesse of a sitting petitioner ? it was a just distinction of socrates of old , that , to sacrifice , is to give to god ; to pray , is to beg of god : and who is so liberall , as to cast away his almes upon a stout , and unreverent beggar ? if we attend gods message in the mouth of his holy servants , whether read or preached , our feare will frame us to a reverent carriage of our bodies ; so as our very outward deportment may really seeme to speak the words of the good centurion ; now we are all here present before god , to heare all things that are commanded thee of god ; we shall need no law to vaile our bonnets , save that in our owne breast . it was a great word that simeon the sonne of satach , said to the iewish prince , and priest , convented before their sanhedrin ; thou standest not before us , but before him that said , let the world be made , and it was made : did we think so , how durst wee sit in a bold saucinesse ( whiles that great embassie is delivered ) with our hats on our heads ; as if we acknowledged no presence but of our inferiours ; yea , ( that which is a shame to say ) those very apprentices , who dare not cover their heads at home , where their master is alone ; yet , in gods house , where they see him in a throng of his betters , waiting upon the ordinances of the god of heaven , think it free for them , equally , to put on , and to bee no lesse fellowes with their master , than he is with his maker : as if the place and service gave a publick priviledge to all commers , of a prophane lawlesnesse : surely , the same ground whereon the apostle built his charge for the covering of the heads of the women , serves equally for the uncovering the heads of the men , because of the angels ; yea more , because of the god of the angels ; who by these visible angels of his church , speakes to us , and solicites our salvation . if we addresse our selves to the dreadfull mysteries of the blessed sacrament of the body and bloud of our lord iesus , our feare will bend our knees in a meet reverence to that great and gracious saviour , who is there lively represented , offered , given , sealed up to our soules ; who at that heavenly table , is , ( as saint jerome truly ) both the guest , and the banquet : neither can the heart that is seasoned with true piety , be afraid of too lowly a participation of the lord of glory ; but rather resolves , that he is not worthy of knees , who will not here bow them ; for , who should command them , if not their maker , if not their redeemer ? away with the monsters of opinion , and practise , concerning this sacrament : christ iesus is here really tendred unto us ; and who can , who dares take him but on his knees ? what posture can we use with our fellowes , if we sit with our god and saviour ? at our best , well may we say with the humble centurion ; lord we are not worthy thou shouldest come under our roofe : but , if we prepare not both soules , and bodies , to receive him reverently , our sinfull rudenesse shall make us utterly uncapable of so blessed a presence . sect . viii . neither doth our awfull regard reach onely to the actions of gods service , but extends it selfe even to the very house , which is called by his name : the place where his honour dwelleth . for , as the presence of god gives an holinesse to what place soever he is pleased to shew himselfe in ; ( as the sunne carries an inseparable light wheresoever it goes ) so that holinesse calls for a meet veneration from us : it was a fit word for that good patriarch , who sware by his fathers feare ; which he spake of his bethel ; how dreadfull is this place , this is none other , but the house of god : this is the gate of heaven . the severall distances , and distinctions that were observed in the temple of god , at hierusalem , are famously knowne : none might sit within the verge thereof , but the king ; all others , either stood , or kneeld . i have read of some sects of men so curiously scrupulous , that their priests were not allowed to breathe in their temple , but were commanded ( whiles they went in to sweep the floore ) to hold their winde , ( like those that dive for sponges at samos ) to the utmost length of time ; and when they would vent their suppressed aire , and change it for new , to goe forth of the doores , and returne with a fresh supply . but , we are sure the ethiopian christians are so holily mannerly , that they doe not allow any man so much as to spit in their churches ; and if such a defilement happen , they cause it to be speedily clensed : what shall we then say of the common prophanenesse of those carelesse christians , that make no distinction , betwixt their church , and their barne ; that care not to looke unto their foule feet , when they come under this sacred roofe ; that with equall irreverence stumble into gods house , and their tavern ; that can find no fitter place for their ambulatory , their burse , their counting house ; their sepulcher ? it is recorded of saint swithine , the ( no lesse famous than humble ) bishop of winchester , that when he died , he gave charge that his body should not in any case be buryed , within the church ; but be layd where his grave might be wet with raine , and open to weather & passengers ; i suppose , as conceiving that sacred place too good for the repository of the best carcasses . surely , we cannot easily entertaine too venerable an opinion of the habitation of the almighty : if our hearts have the honour to be the spirituall temples of god , we shall gladly give all due honour to his materiall temples : and doubtlesse in all experience , we shall so respect the house , as we are affected to the owner . it was the discipline and practise of the hetruscians , from whom old rome learned much of her skill in auguries , and many mysteries of religion , that those deities whom they desired to harbour in their owne breasts , as vertue , peace , modesty , should have temples erected within their walls ; but those , which were the presidents of warres and combustions , or pleasures , and sensualitie , ( as mars , venus , vulcan , ) should take up with temples without their walls : and even so it is , and will be ever with us ; if we have an holy regard to the god of heaven , and adore him , as inhabiting our bosomes , we cannot but give all faire and venerable respects to those houses , which he hath taken up for his own worship , and presence . sect . ix . neither , lastly , can gods very messengers ( though partners of our owne infirmities ) escape some sensible reflections of our feare : it was the rule of the iewes , that the very prince of the people , if hee would consult gods oracle , out of reverence to that divine pectorall , must reverently stand before that priest , who , at other times was bound to give lowly obedience to his soveraigne lord. what great alexander did to the iewish high priest , who knowes not ? neither hath the practises of the godly emperours in the christian church , through all successions of ages , savored of lesse regard : even the late caesar ferdinand in the sight of our english , not long before his end , together with his empresse , received an episcopall benediction publickly , upon their knees . away with that insolent pompe of kissing of toes , ( which iustus lipsius justly called once , foule and servile ) fit for a caligula , or maximinus the younger , or a dioclesian ; away with the proud horsing on shoulders , or treading on necks , or the lackeying of princes ; it was a moderate word of cardinall zabarell , concerning his great master ; so is he to be honoured , that he be not adored . surely when religion was at the best , great peeres thought it no scorne to kisse the venerable hands of their spirituall fathers ; and did not grudge them eminent titles of honour . it was but a simple port that elijah carryed in the world , who after that astonishing wonder of fetching downe fire and water from heaven , thought it no abasement to be ahabs lackey from carmel to iezreel ; yet obadiah , who was high steward to the king of israel , even that day , could fall on his face to him , and say , art thou that my lord elijah ? not much greater was the state of those christian bishops , who began , now to breathe from the bloudy persecutions of the heathen emperours ; yet , with what dearenesse did that gracious constantine ( in whom this iland is proud to challenge no small share ) kisse those scarres , which they had received for the name of christ ? with what titles did he dignifie them ? as one that saw christ in their faces ; and meant in their persons to honour his saviour : and indeed , there is so close , and indissoluble a relation betwixt christ and his messengers , that their mutuall interest can never be severed . what prince doth not hold himselfe concerned in the honors , or affronts that are done to his ambassadors ? those keyes which god hath committed to our hands , lock us so fast to him , that no power in earth , or hell , can separate us ; but still that word must stand fast , in heaven : he that despiseth you , despiseth me : in vaine shall they therefore pretend to feare god , that contemne and disgrace their spirituall governours . there is a certain plant , which our herbalists call ( herbam impiam ) or wicked cudweed , whose younger branches still yeeld flowers to over-top the elder ; such weeds grow too rife abroad ; it is an ill soyle that produceth them : i am sure , that where the heart is manured , and seasoned with a true feare of the almighty , there cannot be but an awfull regard to our spirituall pastors ; well are those two charges conjoyned , feare god , and honour his preists . sect . x. hitherto having considered that part of holy feare , which ( consisting in an inward adoration of god ) expresseth it selfe in the awfull respects to his name , word , services , house , messengers ; we descend to that other part , which consists in our humble subjection , and selfe-resignatito his good pleasure , in all things ; whether to order , or correct : the suffering part is the harder . it was a gracious resolution of old eli ; jt is the lord , let him doe whatsoever hee will ; surely , that man , though he were but an ill father , to his worse sonnes , yet he was a good sonne to his father in heaven : for nothing but a true filiall awe could make the heart thus pliant ; that represents our selves to us , as the clay , and our god to us , as the potter ; and therefore showes us how unjustly we should repine at any forme , or use , that is by his hand put upon us : i could envy that word which is said to have falne from the mouth of francis of assisse , in his great extremity ; i thank thee , o lord god , for all my paine ; and i beseech thee ( if thou think good ) to adde unto it , an hundred fold more . neither was it much different from that , which i have read , as reported of pope adrian , but i am sure was spoken by a worthy divine , within my time and knowledge , of the vniversity of cambridge . ( whose labours are of much note , and use in the church of god ) master perkins ; who , when he lay in his last , and killing torment of the stone , hearing the by-standers to pray for a mitigation of his paine , willed them , not to pray for an ease of his complaint , but for an increase of his patience ; these speeches cannot proceed but from subdued , and meek , and mortified soules ; more intentive upon the glory of their maker , than their owne peace and relaxation : and certainly , the heart thus seasoned , cannot but bee equally tempered to all conditions , as humbly acknowledging the same hand , both in good , & evill : and therfore , even frying in phalaris his bull ( as the philosopher said of a wise man ) will be able to say , quàm suave ? was it true of that heathen martyr , socrates , that , as in his lifetime he was not wont to change his countenance upon any alteration of events , so when hee should come to drink his hemlock , as plato reports it , no difference could be descryed , either in his hand or face ; no palenesse in his face , no trembling in his hand , but a stedfast and fearlesse taking of that fatall cup , as if it differed not from the wine of his meals ? even this resolution was no other , than an effect of the acknowledgment of that one god for which he suffered ; if so , i cannot lesse magnifie that man for his temper , than the oracle did for his wisdome : but i can doe no lesse than blesse , and admire the known courage , and patience of those christian martyrs , who out of a loving feare of him , that only can save , and cast both bodies and soules in hell , despised shame , paine , death , and manfully insulted upon their persecutors ? blessed ignatius could professe to challenge and provoke the furious lyons , to his dilaniation . blessed cyprian could pray that the tyrant would not repent of the purpose of dooming him to death ; and that other holy bishop , when his hand was threatned to be cut off , could say , seca ambas , cut of both : it is not for me to transcribe volumes of martyrologies . all that holy army of conquering saints began their victories in an humble awe of him , whose they were ; and cheerfully triumphed over irons , and racks , and gibbets , and wheeles , and fires , out of a meek and obedient submission to the will and call of their ever-blessed god , and most deare redeemer ; in so much as saint chrysostome professes to find patterns and parallels , for himselfe in all varieties of tormenrs , and whatsoever severall formes of execution : and the blessed apostle hath left us a red calender of these constant witnesses of god ; whose memory is still on earth , their crowne in heaven . neither is it thus only in the undaunted sufferings for the causes of god ; but our awe subjects us also to the good will of god , in all whatsoever changes of estate . do i smart with afflictions ? i will beare the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him . i held my peace because thou lord hast done it . doe i abound in blessings ? who am i , o lord god , and what is my fathers house , that thou hast brought me hitherto : in both ; j have learned in what condition soever i am , to bee there with content . sect . xi . thus do we bow the knee● of our hearts to god , in our adoration of his majesty , both in duely magnifying his greatnesse and goodnesse ; and in our humble submission to his holy , and gratious pleasure ▪ there remaines that other signature of our awfull disposition , which consists in a tender and child-like care , both of his secret approbation of us , and of our avoydance of his displeasure , and our offence towards him ; these two part not asunder , for , he that desires to be approved , would be loath to displease . the heart that is rightly affected to god , is ambitious , above all things , under heaven , of the secret allowance of the almighty ; and therefore is carefull to passe a continuall , and exact inquisition upon all his thoughts , much more upon his actions , what acceptation , or censure they find above ; like as some timorous child upon every stitch , that she takes in her first sampler , lookes tremblingly in the face of her mistresse , to see how she likes it ; as well knowing that the law of god was not given us ( as some have said of benedicts rule ) only to professe , but to peforme ; and that accordingly the conscience shall find either peace or tumult . as we are wont therefore , to say of the dove , that at the picking up of every graine , she casts her eyes up to heaven , so will our godly feare teach us to do , after all our speeches and actions : for which cause it will be necessary to exercise our hearts with very frequent ( if not continuall ) ejaculations ; i remember the story tells us of that famous irish saint ( of whom there are many monuments in these westerne parts ) that hee was wont to signe himselfe , no lesse than an hundred times in an houre : away with all superstition ; although cardinall bellarmine tells us ( not improbably ) that in the practise of those ancient christians , their crossing was no other than a silent kind of invocation of that saviour , who was crucified for us ; surely i should envy any man that hath the leisure , and grace , to lift up his heart thus often , to his god ; let the glance bee never so short : neither can such a one choose , but be full of religious feare : i like not the fashion of the euchites , that were all prayer , and no practise , but the mixture of these holy elevations of the soule , with all out actions , with all recreations , is so good and laudable , tha● whosoever is most frequent i● it , shall passe with me for mos● devout , and most conversant it heaven . but the most proper an● pregnant proofe of this fear● of god , is the feare of offending god ; in which regard i● is perfectly filiall ; the goo● child is afraid of displeasin● his father , though he were su●● not to be beaten ; whereas , th● slave is only afraid of stripes not of displeasure : out of this deare awe to his father in heaven , the truly regenerate trembles to be but tempted ; and yet resolves not to yeild to any assault ; whether proffers of favour , or violence of battery , all is one : the obfirmed soule will hold out , and scornes so much as to looke of what colour the flagge is ; as having learned to bee no lesse affraid of sin , than of hell : and if the option were given him , whether hee would rather sinne without punishment ; or bee punished without sinne , the choyce would not be difficult ; any torment were more easie than the conscience of a divine displeasure . it was good iosephs just question . how shall i do this great wickednesse and sinne against god ? lo it is the sinne that he sticks at , not the judgement ; as one that would have feared the offence , if there had beene no hell : but , if it fall out that the renewed person ( as it is incident to the most dutifull children of god ) bee , through a violent tentation , and his owne infirmity , miscarryed into a knowne sinne , how much warme water doth it cost him , ere hee can recover his wonted state ? what anxiety , what strife , what torture , what selfe-revenge , what ejaculations and complaints , what unrepining subjection to the rod ? i have sinned , what shall i do to thee , o thou preserver of men ; so i have seene a good natur'd child , that even after a sharp whipping , could not be quieted till hee had obtained the pardon , and evened the browes of a frowning parent . and now , ( as it is with little ones , that have taken a knock with a late fall ) the good man walkes hereafter with so much the more wary foot ; and is the more fearefully jealous of his owne infirmity , and finding in himselfe but the very inclinations towards the first motions of evill , he is carefull , according to that wholsome rule of a strict votary , ( cogitationes malas mox ad christum allidere , ) instantly to dash his new borne evill thoughts against the rocke christ . and henceforth , out of a suspition of the danger of excesse , he dares not go to the further end of his tether , but in a wise and safe rigour , abridges himself of some part of that scope , which he might be allowed to take , and will stint himselfe rather than lash out ; indeed , right reason teacheth us to keep aloofe from offending that power which wee adore : the ancient almaines holding their rivers for gods , durst not wash their faces with those waters , lest they should violate those deities : and the iewes were taught not to dare to come neere an idolatrous grove , though the way were never so direct and commodious . no wise man however hee might have firme footing upon the edge of some high rocky promontory , will venture to walk within some paces of that downfall ; but much more will his sense and judgement teach him to refraine from casting himselfe headlong ( like that desperate barbarian in xenophon ) from that steep precipice ; the feare of god therefore is a strong retentive from sinne ; neither can possibly consist ( in what-soever soule ) with a resolution to offend ; as then the father of the faithfull when he came into gerar , a philistim city , could strongly argue that those heathens would refraine from no wickednesse , because the feare of god was not in that place ; so , we may no lesse irrefragably inferre , where we see a trade of prevalent wickednesse , there can be no feare of god : wo is me , what shall i say of this last age , but the same that i must say of mine owne ? as this decrepit body , therefore , by reason of the unequall temper of humors , and the defect of radicall moysture and heat , cannot but be a sewer of all diseases ; so it is , so it will be with the decayed old age of this great body of the world , through want of the feare of the ever-living god ; rivers of waters o god shall run downe mine eyes because men keep not thy law . but what do i suggest to the obdured hearts of wilfull sinners , the sweet and gracious remedies of a loving feare ? this preservative is for children ; sturdy rebells must expect other receits : a frown is an heavy punishment to a dutifull sonne , scourges and scorpions are but enough for a rebellious vassall . i must lay before such , an hell of vengeance ; and show them the horrible topheth prepared of old , even that bottomlesse pit of perdition ; and tell them of rivers of brimstone , of a worm ever gnawing , of everlasting burnings , of weeping , wailing , and gnashing , when the terrible iudge of the world shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not god , and obey him not ; and certainly , if the sinner had not an infidell in his bosome , the expectation of so direfull a condition , to be inflicted and continued upon him , unto all eternity , without possibility of any intermission , or of any remission ▪ were enough to make him run made with feare ; only unbeleefe keeps him from a frantick despaire , and a sudden leap into his hell . and if the custome and deceit of sinne have wrought an utter senselesnesse in those brawny hearts , i must leave them over to the wofull sense of what they will not feare , yea to the too late feare of what they shall not bee able either to beare , or avoid . certainly the time will come , when they shall be swallowed up with a dreadfull confusion , and shall no more be able not to feare , than not to bee ; oftentimes even in the midst of all their secure jollity , god writes bitter things against them , such as make their knees to knock together , their lips to tremble , their teeth to chatter , their hands to shake , their hearts to faile within them , for the anguish of their soules ; were they as insensate as the earth it selfe , touch the mountaines and they shall smoke , saith the psalmist ; the mountaines saw thee , and they trembled , saith habbacuc : but if their feare be respited , it is little for their ease ; it doth but forbeare a little that it may overwhelme them at once for ever ; woe is mee for them ; in how heavy and deplorable case are they and feele it not ? they lie under the fierce wrath of the almighty , and complaine of nothing but ease . the mountains quake at him , and the hils melt , and the earth is burnt at his presence ; who can stand before his indignation ? and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger ? his fury is poured out like fire , and the rockes are thrown downe by him , saith the prophet nahum . yet , oh , what a griefe it is to see , that so dreadfull a power should carry away no more feare from us wretched men ; yea even from those that are ready to feare where no feare is ? paines of body , frownes of the great , restraint of liberty , losse of goods , who is it that feares not ? but , alas , to avoid these , men feare not to venture upon the displeasure of him whose anger is death , and who is able to cast body and soule into hell fire : so wee have seene fond children , that to avoid a bug-beare have runne into fire , or water : so we have seen a starting jade , that suddenly flying from a shadow , hath cast himselfe into a ditch ; we can but mourne in secret for those that have no teares to spend upon themselves , and tremble for them that will needs gnash . if those that are filthy , will be filthy still ; if secure men will set up a trade of sinning ; every good heart will take up nehemiahs resolution : but so did not j , because of the feare of the lord ; and the practice of holy habacuc ; i trembled in my selfe , that i might rest in the day of trouble : it is wise solomons good experiment , ( which hee loved to repeat ; ) by the feare of the lord men depart from evill : for they say one to another , ( as the tremelian version hath it , in malachy ) the lord hearkeneth and heareth ; and how dare they , how can they doe amisse in that presence ? for as the saints say , after the song of moses , and the song of the lambe ; great and marvellous are thy workes , lord god almighty : iust and true are thy wayes , thou king of saints ; who shall not feare thee , and glorifie thy name ? for thou onely art holy . sect . xii . shortly then , that wee may put these two together , ( which are not willing to be severed : ) whosoever is duely affected with a true filiall feare of the almighty , cannot by allurements be drawne to doe that which may offend so sweet a mercy : cannot by any difficulties bee discouraged from doing that which may bee pleasing to so gracious a majesty : the magistrate that feares god , dares not , cannot be partiall to any wickednesse ; dares not , cannot bee harsh to innocence ; managing that sword wherewith hee is intrusted , so as god himselfe , if he were upon earth , would doe it , for the glory of his owne just mercie : the messenger of god that feares him on whose errand hee goes , dares not , cannot either smother his message , or exceed it : he will , he must lift up his voice like a trumpet , and tell israel of her sinnes , and iudah of her transgressions ; not fearing faces , not sparing offences . the ordinary christian that feares god , dares not cannot , but make conscience , of all his wayes ; he dares not defraud or lie for an advantage , he dares not sweare falsely for a world , hee dares not prostitute his body to whatsoever filthinesse , he dares not oppresse his inferiours , he dares not turn away his owne face from the poore , much lesse dares hee grind theirs ; in one word , he dares rather dy than sinne ; and contrarily ; what blockes soever nature layes in his way , ( since his god calls him forth to this combat ) he cannot but bid battell to his owne rebellious corruptions , and offer a deadly violence to his evill and corrupt affections ; and enter the lists with all the powers of darknesse , resisting unto bloud , and willingly bleeding , that he may overcome : who now would not be in love with this feare ? o feare the lord yee his saints , hee that feares him shall lacke nothing ; the sunne of righteousnesse shall arise unto him with healing in his wings ; in the meane time , the secret of the lord is with him ; the angells of the lord are ever about him ; his soule shall dwell at ease here below ; and above salvation is neare unto him ; yea , he is already feoffed of life and glory . sect . xiii . now , as some carefull pilot , that takes upon him to direct a difficult sea-passage , which his long and wary observation hath discovered , doth not content himselfe to steere a right course , in his owne vessell , and to show the eminent sea-markes a farre off , but tells withall , what rocks , or shelves lie on either side of the channell , which , upon the least deviation , may indanger the passengers ; so must we do , here ; having therefore sufficiently declared wherein this feare of god consisteth , what it requireth of us , and how it is acted , and expressed by us ; it remayneth , that we touch at those extremes , which on both sides must bee carefully avoyded ; these are , security , and presumption on the one hand ; on the other , vicious feare . it was the word of the wise man , yea , rather of god , by him , happy is the man that feareth alway ; but he that hardneth his heart , shall fall into mischiefe ; lo an obdured security is proposed to feare , both in the nature and issue of it : feare intenerates the heart , making it fit for all gracious impressions ; security hardens it , and renders it uncapable of good : feare ends in happinesse , security in an evitable mischiefe ; and these two ( though contraries , yet ) arise from the same cause contrarily applyed : like as the same sunne hardens the clay , and softens the wax ; it is heat that doth both ; causing drynesse in the one , and a dissolution in the other : even so the same beames of divine mercy melt the good heart into an holy feare , ( great is thy mercy that thou mayst be feared ) and harden the wicked heart in a state of security ; for , upon the goodnesse of god to men , both in giving and forgiving , do men grow securely evill , and rebellious to their god ; as being apt to say ; j have sinned , and what harme hath happened unto mee ? saith siracides : lo even forbearance obdureth , because sentence against an evill work , is not executed speedily , therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evill : how much more do the riches of gods goodnes which are the hottest beams of that sun , when they beat directly upon our heads ? the ease of the simple shall slay them , and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them , saith salomon ; our philosophy tells us , that an extreme heat shuts up those pores , which a moderate openeth ; it was a sore word of saint ambrose ; that no man can at once embrace gods favour , and the worlde : neither can i disallow that observation of a rigorous votary ; that the divells of consolation ( as he calls them ) are more subtile , and more pernicious , than those of tribulation ; not so much perhaps in their own nature , as for the party they find in our own breasts : the wise man could say ; lest j bee full and deny thee , and aske , who is the lord ? even very heathens have beene thus jealously conscious of their owne disposition ; so as camillus when upon ten yeeres siege he had taken the wealthy city veies , could pray forsome mishap to befall himselfe , and rome , to temper so great an happinesse . this is that which gregory the great , upon his exaltation to that papall honour , doth so much complaine of , in himselfe : that his inward fall was no lesse than his outward raysing ; and that his dull heart was almost grown stupid , with those temporall occasions : and surely , so it will be , if there be not a strong grace within us , to season our prosperity . that which the historian observed in the course of the world , that abundance begets delicacy and animosity ; that againe , quarrells and vastation of warre ; and from thence growes poverty ; is no lesse true in the particular state of the soule ; if we be rich and high fed , we grow wanton , and stomackfull , and apt to make warre with heaven , till we be taken down againe with affliction : thereupon , it is that the wise and holy god , hath found it still needfull to sauce our contentments with some mixtures of sorrow ; and to proclaime the iubile of our mirth and freedome , upon the sad day of expiation : the man after gods owne heart could say , in my prosperity i said , i shall never be moved ; but the next yee heare is , thou didst hide thy face , and i was troubled ; and this trouble he professes to have beene for his good ; without these meet temperaments , worldly hearts runne wilde , and can say with the scornfull men , that rule in ierusalem ; we have made a covenant with death , and with hell are wee at agreement ; when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow , it shall not come to us , for we have made lies our refuge , and under falshood have wee hid our selves : yea in a stout insolence , as the prophet ieremy expresses it ; they belie the lord , and say , it is not he ; neither shall evill come upon us ; neither shall we see sword , or famine . neither yet is it only the abuse of gods long suffering and bounty that produceth this ill habit of security , and hard-heartednesse ; but especially , a custome of sinning : oft treading hardens the path ; the hand that was at the first soft , and tender , after it hath beene inured to worke , growes brawned , and impenetrable . wee have heard of virgins , which at the first , seemed modest ; blushing at the motions of an honest love ; who being once corrupt , and debauched , have grown flexible to easie intreaties unto unchastity , and from thence , boldly lascivious , so as to solicite others , so as to prostitute themselves to all commers , yea ( as our casuists complaine of some spanish stewes ) to an unnaturall filthinesse . that which our canonists say , in an other kind , is too true here , custome can give a iurisdiction ; neither is there any stronger law than it : the continued use then of any known sinne , be it never so small , gives ( as gersons phrase is ) a strong habituation ; and , though it be a true rule , that habits do only incline , not compell ; yet the inclination that is wrought by them , is so forceable , that it differs little from violent : surely so powrefull is the habit of sinne , bred by ordinary practise , as that it takes away the very sense of sinning ; so as the offender now knowes not that he doth the very act of some evill ; much lesse that he sinnes , and offends in doing it ; and now the heart is all turned dead flesh , whether too good , or ill : there is not then a more dangerous condition incident into the soule of man , than this of security ; it bars us of the capacity of any good , that may be wroug●● upon us , it exposes us to the successe of all tentations , it drawes downe the heaviest of gods judgements upon our heads ; it defies justice , it rejects mercy , it makes the heart gods anvile , ( which the harder it is struck , the more rebounds the blow ) but the devills featherbed , wherein hee sinkes , and lyes soft , at free ease ; neither would that evill spirit wish for any more pleasing repose ; it flatters the soule with an impossible impunity , it shifts off necessary vengeance : lastly , whiles other dispositions do but yeild to an hell , this invites it . by how much more wofull it is , by so mu●h more carefull must we be to avoid it . sect . xiv . if we care for our souls then , we shall zealously apply our selves to prevent this hellish evill ; which shall bee done , if wee shall constantly use all meanes to keepe the heart tender ; whereof the first is , frequent meditation upon the judgements of god , attending sinners : it is the apostles owne prescript ; let us have grace , whereby we may serve god acceptably , with reverence and godly feare ; for our god is a consuming fire . could wee but stoop downe a little , and looke into hell , wee should never come thither ; the apprehension of those torments would be sure to keep us from sinning , and and impenitence ; it is a true observation of cyrill , that the want of beleefe is guilty of all our obdurednesse ; for should it be told thee , ( saith that father ) that a secular iudge intends to doome thee to bee burned alive to morrow , how busily wouldst thou imploy the remaining time to prevent the judgement ? how eagerly wouldst thou runne about , how submissively and importunately wouldst thou sue , and beg for pardon , how readily wouldest thou poure out thy mony to those friends , that should purchase it ? and why wouldest thou do all this , but because thou doubtest not of the truth of the report ? were our hearts no lesse convinced of the designation of an everlasting burning to the rebellious and impenitent , could we lesse bestirre our selves ? to this purpose also it will much conduce that we meditate often of our owne frailty and momentanynesse ; no evill can fasten upon the soule of that man , that hath death ever before his eyes ; that father said well , he easily contemnes all things that thinks to die every day ; the servant that said , my master deferres his comming , was he that revelled in the house , and beat his fellowes ; he durst not have done it , if he had seene his master at the doore : no whit lesse prevalent a remedy of security is a firme resolution of the soule to repell the first motions to what soever sinne , whose nature ( as experience tells us ) is to gather strength by continuance ; commonly all onsets are weakest in their beginnings , and are then most easily , and safely resisted : custome can never grow where no action will be admitted to make a precedent : it is well observed by that learned chancellour of paris , that some filthy and blasphemous cogitations are better overcome by contemning them , than by answering them ; if either way they bee repulsed , the heart is safe from security : but , thirdly , if we have beene so farre overtaken as to give way to the perpetration of evill , our care must be to work our hearts to a speedy renovation by repentance ; if sinne have seized upon the soule , it may not settle there ; this is that which will else work a palpable indisposition : let a knife be wet with the strongest aqua fortis , and presently wipt dry againe , the mettall is yet smooth , and bewrayeth no change ; but , if that moist fire bee suffered to rest upon it a while , it eates into the blade , and leaves behind , some deep notes of corrosion ; it is delay in these cases that breeds the utmost danger ; let a candle that is casually put out , be speedily rekindled at the next flame , neither is the scent offended , nor the wick unapt to be strait-way re-inlightned ; stay but a while , the whole roome complaines of the noysome smell , and it will cost perhaps much puffing , and dipping in ashes , ere it can recover the lost light . that which salomon advises in matter of suretiship , we must do in the case of our sinne ; speedily extricate our selves , and give no sleep to our eyes till we bee freed from so dangerous an engagement . moreover , unto these , it must bee our maine care , not to give any check to the conscience , upon whatsoever occasions : that power hath as a keene so a tender edge , and easie to be rebated ; when that dictates to a man some duty , or the refraining of some doubtfull action , he that disobeyes it , makes way for an induration ; for when that faculty hath once received a discouragement , it will not be apt to controule us in evill ; but growes into a carelesse neglect of what we do , or omit ; and so declines to an utter senselessenesse ; as therefore wee must bee carefull to have our consciences duly regulated by the infallible word of god , so must wee be no lesse carefull still , to follow the guidance of our conscience , in all our wayes : and that all these things may be performed with effect , we must bee sure that wee do constantly observe all our set exercises of piety , hearing , reading , receiving the blessed sacrament , prayer , and especially , strict selfe examination , whereby wee may come to espy our first failings , and correct our very propensions to evill : one said well , that nature doth not more abhorre vacuity than grace doth idlenesse : now all these , if they seeme harsh and tedious to corrupt nature ; yet to the renewed heart ( familiarly conversant in them ) nothing is more pleasing , and cordiall . the philosopher could say , and find , that vertuous actions are delightfull to well disposed minds ; in so much as it is defined for the surest argument of a good habit fully acquired , that wee find contentment and delectation in good performances . lastly , because ill used prosperity is apt to obdure the heart , we must be sure to settle in our selves a right estimation of all these worldly things ; which indeed , are , as they are taken : i may well say of riches , as the iewish rabbins had wont to say of their cabala ; with a good heart , they are good ; otherwise they are no better than the mammon of iniquity : and indeed , worse than want ; but at their best , they are such , as are utterly unable to yeeld true contentment to the soule ; they are good for use , ill for fruition ; they are for the hand to imploy , not for the heart to set up his rest in : hereupon it is , that the holiest men have still both inclined and perswaded to their contempt : that great master of meditation applauded it in his friend , the cardinal of cambray , as the happiest condition ; that all these earthly and temporall things which his eye beheld , were tedious unto him ; and saint bernard magnifies in this name his deare acquaintance , gilbert , bishop of london , that even in that state , he would live poore ; and the same father would have his monke to take most joy , and think himselfe then welcommest , when the coursest fare was set before him ; answerable whereunto ( but beyond it was the diet of valentine a rigorous votary , who for ten yeares together , would eat nothing but bread dipt in water , wherein wormwood was steept ; and of that other his fellow , who steept his bread in lye , that he might eat ashes with the prophet . not to runne into extremities , it is sure and necessary counsell which the psalmist gives us to resolve ; if riches increase , not to set our hearts upon them ; to account them no other than as good helps , and needfull impediments ; and all worldly contentments such , as are not worthy to take us up : it was a question moved to the founder of some strict devotionists , whether they might laugh with all their heart , and it is answered negatively ; non licet : and the devout governour of the votaries of clareval , could give charge to his religious ; non debet totus manducare : and it is reported by the writer of his life , if he heard any of his dorter snorting in his sleep , he would chide that man , as sleeping carnally , and secularly . surely the world is , and should be the same to them and us , who have no lesse ingaged our selves to a professed hostility unto all the vanities thereof ; and have no more hearty share in the pomps , and pleasures of it , than the most reclused anachorets : at the best , this earth can be no other than our vally of teares , and region of our pilgrimage . our giraldus cambrensis tells us that his saint brendan , upon long and wearisome travell , at last went so farre , as to come to the sight of the earthly paradise : they may , that list , believe it , but sure i am ; never any mortall eye ( since the angell brandished his sword there ) could find ought worthy the name of a paradise , in this inferiour world ; here is purgatory enough , and perhaps , some hell above ground : but if , as ortelius of late held , that all the whole earth was , at the first , paradise , any man shall now think that any part of it is so still , i shall pitty him ; and think him worthy the pleasure of these earthly torments : for us , if we would have our soules safe , wee must learn with the blessed apostle , so to use the world , as if we used it not , and strive to attaine to the equable temper of that holy man , whose face was neither darkned with sorrow nor smoothed with laughter , as well knowing , that what affection soever the world wins of us , is lost unto god. thus , if we shall keep our selves carefully from the trade of sinne , and from the fascination of the world , wee shall be sure that our hearts shall not thus be deaded with security . sect . xv. the no lesse direct , but more active opposite to holy feare , is presumption . we presume when , out of an unjust selfe-love , we entertaine an higher opinion of our spirituall estate , than there is cause ; whether in respect of the way , or of the end ; gods favour as the way , salvation as the end : we are apt to overweene our interest in gods favour & our assured safety thereby ; cōmonly upon a double ground , either matter of event , or matter of ability : for , either we misinterpret faire events , as pledges of happinesse , and safety ; or , we mistake those qualities , for true graces , which are either meere appearances , or perhaps , no better than very enormities ; millions of men miscarry both wayes ; and are therfore so far from feare , as that they go dancing towards their hell . it was the strong bulwark which the egyptian iewes set up against all ieremy's menaces , we will burne incense to the queene of heaven , and poure out drink-offerings to her , as wee have done , we and our fathers , our kings and our princes , in the cityes of judah , and in the streets of ierusalem : for then , wee had plenty of victuals , and were well , and saw no evill . had their belly beene their god , the argument had held well ; that deity is best pleased with store of cares , but the true god , many times , even with quailes sends leannesse : carnall hearts know not how to measure felicity , but by the affluence of what most pleases them ; and that please them most , which gives most contentment to their sense , and appetite ; wherin , if their desires be answered , they are soone transported from themselves ; and now , can be no other than the great favourites of heaven . if vzziah once feele himselfe growne strong , his heart is lifted up ; why should not a censer fit him no lesse than a scepter ? the great dragon of egypt , when hee hath lien at ease a while , in the swolne waters of his nilus , can say , my river is my owne , and i have made it for my selfe : and , who is there that hath fished successefully in this sea of the world , but is ready to sacrifice unto his owne nets ; and sayes within himselfe , had i not beene so good , i had not sped so well : our naturalists truly observe , that the most poysonous flyes are bred in the sweetest fruit-trees ; so are these most dangerous presumptions in an outward happinesse of condition : let an amalekitish agag be but a little made of , he comes in delicately and sayes ; surely the bitternesse of death is overpast ; when a king hath beene indulgent , a prophet will not be bloudy : all is safe ; there may be hope of my crowne ; there can bee no danger of my head . hereupon it is , that ( as those whose heads are laid upon downe pillowes , are not apt to heare noyse ) the over-prosperous have their eares precluded against all threats of perill , all counsells of reformation ; as thinking they neither need to wish themselves better , nor to feare being worse . and whiles they applaud themselves ( as the only darlings , they looke overly and scornfully upon the meaner estate of others , and passe deep censures upon the adversities of their miserable neighbours ; as if they could not fare ill , if they were not so : iob cannot bee afflicted if hee were not an hypocrite ; doth the tower of siloe , like some dreadfull pitfall , overwhelme eighteene citizens of jerusalem ? they were more hainous sinners than their fellowes . doth a viper seize upon saint pauls hand ? doubtlesse , this man is a murtherer , whom vengeance would not suffer to live : thus the vaine hearts of sensuall men are carried with those outward events , which god never meant for the distinction of either love , or hatred ; those that are rich in these proud conceits , make their imaginary wealth their strong city ; which they please themselves in thinking impregnable ; and as foolish micah argued a necessity of gods future beneficence to him , by the good that he had done , in procuring a levite to his priest ; so these flatter themselves with an assurance of gods present favour , by the benefits which god hath showred downe upon them ; wherein it falls out oft , as it did with the riflers of semiramis his tombe ; who , where they expected to find the richest treasure , met with a deadly poyson . neither is it easie to know whether that other presumption of abilities be not at least equally frequent and dangerous ; the proud angell of the church of laodicea could say , i am rich and increased with goods , and have need of nothing ; not knowing that hee was wretched , miserable , poore , blind , naked : how many have wee heard to boast of those graces , whereto they beene perfect strangers ? how have wee knowne some that have pretended to no lesse illumination than pisanus reports of iohn of alverne , who in a rapture was elavated above every creature , and his soule swallowed up in the abisse of the divinity ; when it hath beene , indeed , nothing but a fanaticall illusion : how ordinarily do wee find men challenging no meane share in a lively faith , spirituall joy , fervent zeale , true sanctity , when in the meane while , they have embraced nothing but the clouds of their owne fancies , instead of these heavenly graces ; and , by this meanes have stript themselves of the possibility of those holy vertues , which they falsly soothed in themselves : for who can care to seeke for that which he thinks he hath already ? men do not so much covet , as arrogate spirituall gifts , every zidkijah can say , which way went the spirit of god from mee to speake unto thee ? and like a spirituall epicure , can clap himselfe on the breast , with soule take thy ease , thou hast grace enough layd up for many yeares : from this opinion of satiety arises a necessary carelesnesse of better indeavors , and a contemptuous undervaluation of the poore stock of grace in others ; it being commonly incident into these presuming soules , that was of old wont to be said of the tartars , that they are better invaders of other mens possessions , than keepers of their owne : those censures then , which they should spend upon their owne secret corruptions , they are ready to cast upon the seeming enormities of their neighbours : and as if they would go contrary to the apostles charge ; be not high minded , but feare ; these men are high-minded and feare not . the way leades to the end , the presumption of the way , to the presumption of the end : over-weening and misprision of grace , to an over-reckoning of an undue salvation . good god , with what confidence have i heard some , not over-conscionable men , talke of the assurance of their heaven ; as if the way thither were so short , and so plaine , that they could not misse it ; as if that passage had neither danger nor difficulty ; as if it were but a remove from the lobby to the great chamber , wherein they can neither erre , nor fall : here need no harsh exercises of mortification , here are no misdoubts of gods desertions , no selfe-conflicts , no flashes of troubled consciences , but all faire and smooth ; have they sinned , the score is crossed by their surety ; have they forfeited their soules , their ransome is payd ; is justice offended , mercy hath satisfied : shortly , they have by acesius his ladder climbed up into heaven , and stollen the sight of the book of life , and found their name there ; and who can obliterate it ? i cannot forget a bold word , which many yeeres ago , i heard fall from a man whom i conceived not to have had any extraordinary reason of confidence ; if i should heare god say , there shall but one man be saved , i would strait say , that is i , lord. surely the man was in good favour with himselfe , in what termes soever hee stood with the almighty . not that i condemne an holy and well-grounded resolution of our spirituall estate ; i know who hath charged us , to give diligence to make our calling and election sure : had it not been at all feisible , our wise and good god had not tasked our diligence with it ; and , had it been easie , and obvious , it might even without diligence of study and endeavour , have beene effected : now , as one said of evangelicall councels , i must say of this high pitch of christianity ; it is not for every man to mount up this steep hill of assurance ; every soule must breathe , and pant towards it , as he may ; even as wee would and must to perfection : hee is as rare as happy , that attaines it . give mee a man that hath worne out himselfe with a strict austerity , who by many secret bickerings hath mastered his sturdy and rebellious corruptions , who in a trembling awfulnesse walks constantly with his god , keeping a severe watch over all his wayes , assiduous and fervent in his devotions ; shorly , who hath spent his time in heaven before-hand : why should i not beleeve that god hath sealed up to such a soule , an assecurance of his future glory ? some transient acts of interposed doubting may , and will glance into the holiest heart ; but , a formed habit of doubt falles not into such an eminence of grace : this is not a lesson for every novice to take out ; whose maine care must ever bee , to work out his salvation with feare and trembling . as for spirituall security , let him labour towards it , as that which hee would most gladly compasse , but not brag of it too soone , as that which he hath already compassed . sect . xvi . as there is no disease incident into the body , for which nature hath not provided a remedy , so neither is there any spirituall complaint incident into the soule , for which grace affords not a redresse . the way of the generall cure of presumption is , to take a just estimate of our priviledges and abilities ; and to work the heart to a true selfe-dejection , and humiliation , under the mighty hand of god ; particularly , he can never presume upon those outward commodities , that seriously considers how they are valued by the owner , and giver of them : where are the most curious and rich pearles layd up , but in the mud of the sea ? and what is the earth , but marsupium domini , ( as saint malacby termd it of old ; ) gods purse wherein he puts his most precious jewells , and mettalles ; and what baser peece hath the world , than this repository ? and , if it please him to lay them out ; how doth hee think them worthy to be bestowed ; he fills the belly of the ungodly with his hidden treasure , saith the psalmist ; and , the earth is given into the hands of the wicked , saith holy iob in his answer to bildad ; neither is it other that he observes in his reply to zophar , the tabernacles of the robbers prosper , and they that provoke god , are secure , into whose hands god bringeth abundantly ; how then can we esteeme those things as pledges of favour , which god makes choyce to cast upon enemies ? which mere naturall men have contemned , as not worthy their affectation , or regard ? with what scorne did those naked brachmanni ( the relation is fatherd upon saint ambrose ) repell the profered gold ? and if at any time it hath pleased him , whose the earth is , and the fullnesse thereof , to lade his deere ones with this thick clay , as himselfe stiles it ; and , to store them with abundance , he doth it not without a further blessing of sanctification ; some kinds of fishes there are that passe for delicate , with our great masters of the palate , which yet , must have the dangerous string in their backs puld out , ere they can bee safely fed upon . such is worldly wealth and prosperity ; the wise and holy god plucks out their venome , when he will have them serv'd up for dainties to his childrens table ; or if he find that the deceitfulnesse of riches will be apt to beguile good soules , he deales with them , as carefull gardiners are wont to do by those trees from which they expect fayre fruit ; abate the number of their blossomes , as more caring they should be good , than full : lastly then , how can we account those arguments of favour , which the best have had least ; even the great lord of all the world , for whom heaven it selfe was too strait , when he would come down and converse with men , could say , the foxes have holes , and the fowles of heaven have nests , but the son of man hath not where to rest his head ; and when the tribute mony was demanded , is faine to send for it , to the next fish : shortly , wore out his few dayes upon earth , in so penall a way , that his sorrowes were read in his face ; in so much as when he was but two and thirty yeares of age , the by-standers could say , thou art not yet fifty ; what proofes of divine favour then are these to presume upon , which the worst have , which the best want , which god oft-times gives in judgement , denyes in mercy . sect . xvii . there cannot bee a more sure remedy for presumtion of abilities , than to take an exact survay of our graces , both of their truth , and degrees . satan is a great imposter , hee that was once an angell of light , knowes how to seeme so still ; when hee left to bee an angell , hee began to bee a serpent ; and his continuall experience cannot but have added to his art , so as he knowes how to counterfeit graces , both in himselfe and his , in so exquisite a fashion , that it is not for every eye to discerne them from true . we see to what perfection mechanicall imitation hath attayned ; what precious stone hath nature yeelded , which is not so artificially counterfeited , both in the colour and lustre , that only the skilfull lapidary can descry it ; pearles so resembled , that for whitenesse , cleernesse , smoothnesse , they dare contend with the true ; gold so cunningly multiplyed and tinctured , that neither the eye can distinguish it , nor the touch , scarce the crucible : so as art would seeme to bee an havilah , whose gold is good ; whiles nature is an ophir , whose gold is exceeding good : what marvell is it then , if crafty spirits can make so faire representations of spirituall excellencies , as may well deceive ordinary judgements ? the pythonesse's samuel was so like the true , that saul adored him for such ; and iannes and iambres made their wooden serpent to crawle so nimbly , and hisse so fiercely , that till moses his serpent devoured theirs , the beholders knew not whether were more formidable ; some false things seeme more probable than many truths ; there must be therefore much serious and accurate disquisition , ere we can passe a true judgement , betwixt apparent and reall graces ; neither would it aske lesse than a volume to state the differences whereby we may discriminate counterfeit vertues from true , in all their severall specialties ; they are faced alike , they are clad alike ; the markes are inward , and scarce discernable by any but the owners eyes . in a generality , we shall thus descry them in our owne hearts . true grace is right-bred , of a divine originall , and comes down from above , even from the father of lights ; gods spirit working with , and by his own ordinances , produceth it in the soule , and feeds it by the same holy meanes it is wrought : the counterfeit is earth-bred , arising from mere nature , out of the grounds of sensualialitie . true grace drives at no other end than the glory of the giver , and scornes to look lower than heaven : the counterfeit aimes at nothing but vaine applause , or carnall advantage , not caring to reach an inch above his own head . true grace is apt to crosse the plausiblest inclinations of corrupt nature , and chears up the heart to a delihgtfull performance of all good duties , as the best pastime . the counterfeit is a meere parasite of fleshly appetite , and findes no harshnesse , but in holy devotions . true grace is undantedly constant in all opposition ; and like a well wrought vault , is so much the stronger by how much more weight it undergoes ; this metall is purer for the fire , this eagle can look upon the hottest sunne : the counterfeit showes most gloriously in prosperity ; but when the evill day commeth , it looks like the skinne of a dead camelion , nasty and deformed . lastly , true grace is best alone : the counterfeit is all for witnesses . in briefe , if in a holy jealousie of our own deceitfulnesse , wee shall put dayly interrogatories to our hearts , and passe them under severe examinations , we shall not bee in danger to presume upon our mistaken graces ; but the more we search , the more cause we shall find of our humiliation , and of an awfull recognition of gods mercy , and our own unworthinesse . sect . xviii . the way not to presume upon salvation , is , in an humble modesty to content our selves with the clearely revealed will of our maker ; not prying into his counsells , but attending his commands : it is a grave word wherein the vulgar translation expresses that place of salomon , scrutator majestatis , opprimetur à gloria ; hee that searcheth into majesty , shall bee overwhelmed with glory ; amongst those sixteene places of the bible , which in the hebrew are marked with a speciall note of regard ; that is one , the secret things belong unto the lord our god , but those things which are revealed , belong unto us and to our children for ever ; that wee may do all the words of this law. wherein our maine care must bee , both not to sever , in our conceit , the end from the meanes , and withall , to take the meanes along with us , in our way to the end : it is for the heavenly angels to climbe downe the ladder from heaven to earth : it is for us onely to climbe up from earth to heaven : bold men ! what do we begin at gods eternall decree of our election , and thence descend to the effects of it in our effectuall calling , in our lively and stedfast faith , in our sad and serious repentance , in our holy and unblameable obedience , in our unfaileable perseverance ; this course is saucily preposterous ; what have wee to do to be rifling the hidden counsells of the highest ; let us look to our owne wayes : wee have his word for this ; that if wee do truly beleeve , repent , obey , persevere , wee shall bee saved ; that if wee do heartily desire , and effectually indeavour , in the carefull use of his appointed meanes , to attaine unto these saving dispositions of the soule , wee shall bee sure not to faile of the successe : what need wee to look any further , than conscionably and cheerefully to do what we are enjoyned ; and faithfully and comfortably to expect what hee hath promised ? let it be our care , not to be wanting in the parts of our duty to god ; we are sure hee cannot be wanting in his gracious performances unto us : but if wee in a groundlesse conceit of an election shall let loose the reines to our sinfull desires , and vicious practises , thereupon growing idle or unprofitable ; wee make divine mercy a pander to our uncleannesse , and justly perish in our wicked presumption . sect . xix . the other extreame followes : it may seeme a harsh word , but it is a true one ; that there may bee an evill feare of a good god ; a feare of horror , and a feare of distrust . that god , who is love it selfe , is terrible to a wicked heart ; even in the beginning , our first progenitor ran from the face of his late maker , and hid him in the thickets ; for it is a true observation of tertullian , no wickednesse can bee done without feare , because not without the conscience of doing it . neither can any man flee from himselfe , as bernard wittily : and this conscience reads the terrible things that god writes against the sinner ; and holds the glasse , wherein guilty eyes may see the killing frownes of the almighty : now offensive objects cause the spirits to retire , as philosophy and experience teacheth us ; whereupon followes a necessary trepidation in the whole frame of the body : and now the wicked heart could wish there were no god ; or ( which is all one ) that this god had not power to avenge himselfe ; and , finding that after all his impotent volitions , the almighty will bee still and ever himselfe ; he is unspeakably affrighted with the expectation of that just hand , which hee cannot avoid : this terror , if ( through the improvement of gods mercy ) at the last it drive the sinner to a true penitence , makes an happy amends for its owne anguish ; otherwise , it is but the first flash of that unquenchable fire , which is prepared for damned soules . in this case men do not so much feare god , as are afraid of him : and such a torturing feare is never but joyned with heart-burning , and hatred : wherin sinners demeane themselves to god , as they say the lampray doth to the fisher , by whose first blow that fish is said to bee dulled , and astonished , but inraged with the next , and following : wretched men ! it is not gods fault that hee is terribly just ; no , it is his glory , that hee is mercifully terrible . it is not for me to say as spalatensis cites from cyrill , that those who would not bee saved , are no lesse beholden to the bounty of the good god , than those that are brought home to glory : i know and blesse god ▪ for the difference ; but certainely , god is wonderfully gracious ( as hee is also infinitely just ) even to those that will needs incurre damnation ; having tendered unto them many powerfull helps to their repentance , which hee hath , with much patience , and longanimity expected . that god therefore is just , it is his owne praise , that hee is terrible , wee may thank our selves ; for were it not for our wickednesse , there were nothing in god , not infinitely amiable : seest thou then , o sinnefull man , nothing at all in gods face , but frownes , and fury ; doth every beame of his angry eye dart vengeance into thy soule ? so as thou would'st faine runne away from his presence , and wooest the rocks and mountaines to fall upon thee and hide thee from the sight of that dreadfull countenance ; cleanse thy hands , purge thine heart , cleare thine eyes with the teares of true contrition , and then look up , and tell me , whether thou dost not see an happy change of aspect , whether thou canst now discerne ought in that face , but a glorious lovelinesse , fatherly indulgence , unconceivable mercy , such as shall ravish thy soule with a divine love , with a joy unspeakable and glorious . sect . xx. seldome ever is the feare of horror separated from a feare of distrust ; which in the height of it , is that which we call despaire : for when the soule apprehends a deep feare of gods dereliction , it cannot but be filled with horrour . now as the holy and well moderated feare gives glory to god , in all his attributes , so this extremity of it affronts and dishonours him in them all ; but especially , in his mercy , and truth . in his truth , suggesting that god will not make good his promises ; in his mercy , suggesting that he either cannot , or will not , forgive and save ; it was a true observation of saint hilary , that it is not the least office and effect of faith to feare , for that it is said by the prophet esay , he shall fill them with the spirit of the feare of the lord : and againe , we are charged to worke out our salvation with feare . but there cannot be an act more opposite to faith , then to feare distrustfully ; to despaire in fearing , none more injurious either to god , or our owne soules : for surely , as cyrill well , the wickednesse of our offences to god , cannot exceed his goodnesse toward us ; the praise whereof from his creature he affects and esteems so highly , as if he cared not , in any other notion , to bee apprehended by us : proclaiming himselfe no otherwise in the mount , then , the lord , the lord god , mercifull , and gracious , long suffering , and abundant in goodnesse and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity and transgressions , and sinne ; adding onely one word , ( to prevent our too much presumption ) that will by no meanes cleare the guilty ; which to doe , were a meere contradiction to his justice : of all other therefore god hates most to be robbed of this part of his glory . neither is the wrong done to god more palpable , then that which is done herein unto our selves ; in barring the gates of heaven upon our soules ; in breaking open the gates of hell to take them in , and in the meane time striving to make our selves miserable , whether god will or no. and surely , as our experience tels us concerning the estate of our bodily indispositions , that there is more frequent sicknesse in summer , but more deadly in winter ; so we finde it here ; other sinnes , and spirituall distempers are more common , but this distrustfull feare , and despaire of mercy ( which chils the soule with a cold horror ) is more mortall . for the remedy wherof , it is requisite that the heart should be throughly convinced of the super-abundant and ever ready mercy of the almighty , of the infallible and unfaileable truth of all his gracious ingagements ; and in respect of both , be made to confesse , that heaven can never be but open to the penitent . it is a sweet word and a true one of saint bernard , in thy booke o lord , are written all that doe what they can , though they cannot doe what they ought ; neither doth god onely admit , but he invites , but he intreates , but he importunes men to be saved ; what could he doe more , unlesse he would offer violence to the will , which were no other then to destroy it , and so to undoe the best piece of his owne workmanship ? it is the way of his decree , and proceedings to dispose of all things sweetly ; neither is it more against our nature , then his , to force his owne ends ; and when he sees that fayre meanes will not prevayle to win us from death , he is pleased feelingly to bemone it , as his owne losse : why will ye dye , o house of israel ? as for the stable truth of his promises , it is so everlasting , that heaven and earth , in their vanishing , shall leave it standing fast : his title is , amen , and faithfull is he that hath promised , who will also doe it : his very essence can no more faile , then his word : he that feares therefore that god will be lesse then his promise , let him feare that god will cease to be himselfe . it was the motto of that witty and learned doctor donne , the late deane of paules , which i have seene , more then once , written in spanish with his owne hand , blessed bee god that hee is god , divinely , like himselfe : as the being of god is the ground of all his blessed adscriptions , so of all our firmitude , safety , consolation : since the veracity and truth of god ( as his other holy attributes ) are no other then his eternall essence : feare not therefore , o thou weake soule , that the almighty can bee wanting to himselfe , in fayling thee ; hee is iehovah , and his counsels shall stand ; feare and blame thine owne wretched infirmities , but the more weake thou art in thy selfe , bee so much the str●nger in thy god ; by how much more thou art tempted to distrust , cling so much the closer to the author and finisher of thy salvation . thus if wee shall hold an even course betwixt security on the one part , and horrour and distrust on the other ; if the fortified and exalted eyes of our soules , being cleared from all inward and ambient impediments , shall have constantly fixed themselves upon the ever-present majesty of god ; not without a spirituall lightsomnesse , and irradiation , and therewith , an awfull complacency of soule in that glorious sight , and from thence shall bee cast downe upon our owne vilenesse , throughly apprehending how much worse then nothing we are , in , and of our selves , in the sight of god , wee shall be put into a meet capacity of an holy and well mixed feare : and , if now , our hearts thus enlightened , shall be taken up with an inward adoration of the infinite power and greatnesse of god , manifested in the framing and ordering of this visible world , and of the infinite goodnesse and mercy of god , shewed in the marvellous worke of mans redemption , and shall be carefull to expresse this inward worship in all due reverence , ( upon all occasions ) to the name , the word , the services , the house , the messengers of the almighty ; withall , if our humble soules shall meekly subject , and resigne themselves over to the good pleasure of god , in all things , being ready to receive his fatherly corrections with patience , and his gracious directions with obedience . lastly , if wee shall have settled in our hearts a serious care of being alwayes approved to god in whatsoever actions ; and a child-like loathnesse , and dread to give any offence unto so deare and glorious a majesty , wee shall have attained unto this blessed feare , which wee seeke for , and be happily freed from that wicked indevotion , and prophanenesse , to which the world is so much , and so dangerously subject : which i beseech the god of heaven to worke out in all readers , to his glory in their salvation , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e psal . . gen. . deu . . psa . . . eccl. . psal . . . psa . . . eccl. . . iohan. de neapoli . qu. . act. . . nil preter nubes . iuv. alex. mag. io. gers : de distinctione verarum visionum à falsis . gen . thy face , by thy glory . exo. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisd . . . wickednesse blinds the understanding . gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro . gers . de . . domibus . gen. . gen. . . revel . , . to him that overcomes it shall be given . iob . . zach. . notes for div a -e rom. . . ier. . . psal . . . eccl. . . psal . . . pro. ● . ● . psal . . ● . mr. samuel burton archdeacon of glocester . schichard de jure regio hebr. idem schicardus de jure regio heb●aeorum . ogier . apolog . balsac● , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. apol. acts . talm. cor. . . ipse conviva & convivium . ad hedibiam gen. . gen. . rugianorum sacerdos non intra aedem dei sui halitum emittebatne , &c. hospinian de orgi . festor . mabumetan . zago zabaes relation . matth. westmonast . . vide schicardum de jure regio hebr. lipsius , electorum lib. . turpem & servilem . tract . de schism : innocentii septimi & benedicti . paulin. in vita sancti ambrosii . kings . . gerard pag. . eccl. . . sam. . lib. . conform●●uct . . binius , &c. hovv pleasant ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. apol. &c. heb. . , , . mich. . . sam. . philip. . . error tho. aqui. quodlib . art . . hospin . in notis ad regul benedicti . io. capgrave . patricius . in one of his prefaces to his controversie . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. euthy phr . gen. . . iob . . benedict . reg . cap. . marr. dorza . sab. post d●minic . quadrag xenoph. de exped . cyri. gen. . psal . . thes . habac. . . nahum . . . neh. . hab. . . prov. . . prov. . . mal. . . revel . . . . psal . . . mal. . . psal . ● p●al . ●● psal . ● . psal . . pro. . prov. . . ecclus. . . eccles . . . rom. . . prov. . . nemo potest amplecti dei gratiam simul & seculi . ambros , lib. . epist . . aegidius . lib. conform . & .c. conform . prov. . . tit. livius . torpet ignava mens , & circumla ▪ trantibus curis temporalibus cum pene ad stuporem deducta &c. greg. epist . l. . . trifarius rerum cursus , abun dantiae , indigentiae , temperantiae ; ex abundantia animoptatas &c. fascic . temp . in an. . psal . . . esay . . ier. . . martin . vivaldus in candelabro . in cap. de confessi . vivald . . parte in . habitus inclinant , non cogunt . heb. . , . cyr. in lev. lib. cogitationes fo●dae , blasphemae , noxiae , potiùs vincuntur contemnendo , quàm respondendo . gers . de precept . theolog. prov. . . gers . ser . de domin . evangel . plus abhorret gratia otium , quàm natura vacuum . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist . eth. lib. . bene habet quod molestant te omnia quae cernis , utique temporali : & mortalia , &c. gers . epist . ad card. cameracens . ep. . ad gilbertum londini . ber. specul . monachorum . lib. conformirat : conform . . psal . . . si ex toto corde ridere non licet ? r●sp . negativè reg. benedic●i . c. . girald . cambr. prefat . ad tract . de mirac . abrah . ortel . in the geograph . ego vero paradisum ubique fuisse puto , nempe ante adami lapsum , & non locum significare , sed loci naturam & qualitatem . s. martin . cujus faciem non fusca vit moeror , nec l●vigavit risus . ber. spec . monach . quantò in●erius delectamur , tan tò a superno amore disju●gimur . her. de interiore domo . ier. . . chron. . . ezec. , . sam. . ● . luk. . acts . . iudg. . ● . lib. conformit . king. . . non est omnium vo●are ad alta montana consiliorum . gers . iob. . . iob. . . pro. . . deut . . lib. . de repub ecclesiast . cap. . nu . . non est minimum officium fidei metus . hilar. in ps . . non superat bonitatem de● malitia delictorum cyril in levit. l. . exod. . . . jn libro tuo scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt , et si quod debent non possunt b●n . apol ad guli●lm . ab●●t . contemplations, the sixth volume. by ios. hall d. of d. contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations, the sixth volume. by ios. hall d. of d. contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by i[ohn] h[aviland] for nathaniel butter, london : . books - on the old testament; includes book on the new testament. printer's name from stc. the first volume was issued under the title: contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t -- meditations -- early works to . bible. -- n.t -- meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations , the sixth volvme . by ios. hall d. of d. london , printed by j. h. for nathaniel butter . . contemplations . the sixteenth booke . containing shimei cursing . achitophel . the death of absalom . shebaes rebellion . the gibeonites reuenged . the numbring of the people . to the right honorable and trvly noble lord , francis , lord rvssell , baron of thornhavgh all increase of honour and happinesse . right ho : you shall not need to impute it to any other reason besides your vertues , that i haue presumed to shroud this peece of my labours vnder your noble patronage . the world hath taken iust notice how much the gospell is graced by your reall profession ; whom neither honor hath made ouerlie , nor wealth lauish , nor charge miserable , nor greatnesse licentious . goe on happily in these safe and gainfull steps of goodnesse ; and still honour the god that hath honoured you ; in the meane time , accept from my vnworthy hands these poore meditations , more hie for their subiect , then meane for their author ; wherein shimeies curses shall teach you how vnable either greatnesse , or innocence is to beare off the blowes of ill tongues ; and how basenesse euer molds it selfe according to the aduantage of times . achitophels depth compared with his end shall shew how witlesse , and insensate craft is , when it striues against honestie ; and how iustly they are forsaken of their reason , that haue abandoned god ; the bloud of absalom and sheba proclaime the ineuitable reuenge of rebellion , which neither in woods nor walls can finde safetie . the late famine of israel for the forgotten violence offered to the gibeonites , shewes what note god takes of our oathes , and what sure vengeance of their violation . davids muster seconded with the plague of israel teaches , how highly god may be offended with sinnes of the least appearance , how seuere to his owne , how mercifull in that seueritie . if these my thoughts shall be approued beneficiall to any soule , i am rich . i shall vow my praiers to their successe ; and to the happinesse of your honourable familie , both in the root , and branches ; whereto i am in all humble dutie deuoted , ios : hall . contemplations . shimei cursing . with an heauy heart , and a couered head , and a weeping eie , and bare feet , is dauid gone away from hierusalem ; neuer did he with more ioy come vp to his citie , then now he left it with sorrow : how could he doe otherwise , whom the insurrection of his owne sonne droue out from his house , from his throne , from the arke of god ? and now , when the depth of this griefe deserued nothing but compassion , the foule mouth of shimei entertaines dauid with curses : there is no small crueltie in the picking out of a time for mischiefe ; that word would scarce gall at one season , which at another killeth . the same shaft flying with the winde pierces deepe , which against it , can hardly finde strength to sticke vpright . the valour , and iustice of children condemnes it for iniuriously cowardly to strike their aduersary when he is once downe . it is the murder of the tongue to insult vpon those , whom god hath humbled , and to draw bloud of that backe , which is yet blew from the hand of the almightie . if shimei had not presumed vpon dauids deiection , he durst not haue beene thus bold ; now he that perhaps durst not haue lookt at one of those worthies single , defies them all at once , and doth both cast , and speake stones against dauid , and all his armie . the malice of a base spirits sometimes carries them further then the courage of the valiant . in all the time of dauids prosperitie , we heard no newes of shimei ; his silence and colourable obedience made him passe for a good subiect ; yet all that while was his heart vnsound , and trayterous . peace and good successe hides many a false heart ; ( like as a snow-drift couers an heape of dung ) which once melting away descryes the rottennesse that lay within : honor and welfare are but flattering glasses of mens affections ; aduersitie will not deceiue vs ; but will make a true report as of our owne powers , so of the dispositions of others . he that smiled on dauid in his throne , curseth him in his flight ; if there be any quarrels , any exceptions to be taken against a man , let him looke to haue them laid in his dish when he fares the hardest . this practise haue wicked men learnt of their master to take the vtmost aduantages of our afflictions ; he that suffers had need to be double armed , both against paine , and censure . euery word of shimei was a slaunder ; he that tooke sauls speare from his head , and repented to haue but cut the lap of his garment , is reproched as a man of bloud ; the man after gods owne heart is branded for a man of belial . he that was sent for out of the fields to be anointed , is taxed for an vsurper ; if dauids hands were stained with bloud , yet not of sauls house ; it was his seruant , not his master that bled by him ; yet is the bloud of the lords anointed cast in dauids teeth , by the spight of a false tongue . did we not see dauid ( after all the proofes of his humble loyaltie ) shedding the bloud of that amalakite who did but say he shed sauls ? did we not heare him lament passionately for the death of so ill a master , chiding the mountaines of gilboa on which he fell ; and angerly wishing that no dewe might fall where that bloud was powred out ; and charging the daughters of israel to weepe ouer saul , who had clothed them in scarlet ? did we not heare and see him inquiring for any remainder of the house of saul , that he might shew him the kindnesse of god ? did we not see him honouring lame mephibosheth with a princely seat at his owne table ? did we not see him reuenging the bloud of his riuall ishbosheth , vpon the heads of rechab and baanah ? what could any liuing man haue done more to wipe off these bloudy aspersions ? yet is not a shimei ashamed to charge innocent dauid with all the bloud of the house of saul . how is it likely this clamorous wretch had secretly traduced the name of dauid , all the time of his gouernment , that dares thus accuse him to his face , before all the mightie men of israel , who were witnesses of the contrary ? the greater the person is , the more open doe his actions lie to mis-interpretation , and censure . euery tongue speakes partially according to the interest he hath in the cause , or the patient . it is not possible that eminent persons should be free from imputations ; innocence can no more protect them , then power . if the patience of dauid can digest this indignitie , his traine cannot ; their fingers could not but itch to returne iron for stones . if shimei raile on dauid , abishai railes on shimei ; shimei is of sauls familie , abishai of dauids ; each speakes for his owne ; abishai most iustly bends his tongue against shimei , as shimei against dauid , most vniustly ; had shimei been any other then a dog , he had neuer so rudely barked at an harmlesse passenger ; neither could he deserue lesse then the losse of that head which had vttered such blasphemies against gods anointed ; the zeale of abishai doth but plead for iustice , and is checked ; what haue i to doe with you ye sonnes of zeruiah ? dauid said not so much to his reuiler , as to his abettor : he well saw that a reuenge was iust , but not seasonable ; he found the present a fit time to suffer wrongs , not to right them : he therefore giues way rather meekly to his owne humiliation , then to the punishment of another ; there are seasons wherein lawfull motions are not fit to be cherished ; anger doth not become a mourner ; one passion at once is enough for the soule . vnaduised zeale may be more preiudiciall , then a cold remisnesse . what if the lord for the correction of his seruant haue said vnto shimei , curse dauid ; yet is shimeies curse no lesse worthy of abishaies sword ; the sinne of shimeies curse was his owne , the smart of the curse was gods ; god wils that as dauids chastisement , which he hates as shimeies wickednesse ; that lewd tongue moued from god , it moued lewdly from satan . wicked men are neuer the freer from guilt , or punishment , for that hand which the holy god hath in their offensiue actions ; yet dauid can say , let him alone , and let him curse , for the lord hath bidden him ; as meaning to giue a reason of his owne patience , rather then shimeies impunitie ; the issue showd how well dauid could distinguish betwixt the act of god , and of a traytor ; how he could both kisse the rod , and burne it ; there can be none so strong motiue of our meeke submission to euils , as the acknowledgement of their originall ; he that can see the hand of god striking him by the hand or tongue of an enemie , shall more awe the first mouer of his harme , then maligne the instrument . euen whiles dauid laments the rebellion of his sonne , he gaines by it ; and makes that the argument of his patience , which was the exercise of it . behold , my sonne which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life ; how much more now may this beniamite doe it ? the wickednesse of an absalom may rob his father of comfort , but shall help to adde to his fathers goodnesse ; it is the aduantage of great crosses , that they swallow vp the lesse ; one mans sin cannot be excused by anothers , the lesser by the greater ; if absalom be a traytor , shimei may not curse and rebell : but the passion conceiued from the indignitie of a stranger may be abated by the harder measure of our owne ; if we can therefore suffer because we haue suffered , we haue profited by our affliction . a weake heart faints with euery addition of succeeding trouble ; the strong recollects it selfe , and is growne so skilfull that it beares off one mischiefe with another . it is not either the vnnaturall insurrection of absalom , nor the vniust curses of shimei , that can put dauid quite out of heart . it may be that the lord will looke on mine affliction , and will requite good for his cursing , this day . so well was dauid acquainted with the proceedings of god , that he knew cherishing was euer wont to follow stripes ; after vehement euacuation , cordialls ; after a darke night , the cleere light of the morning : hope therefore doth not only vphold , but cheere vp his heart , in the midst of his sorrow ; if we can looke beyond the cloud of our affliction , and see the sun-shine of comfort on the other side of it , we cannot be so discouraged with the presence of euill , as hartened with the issue ; as on the contrary , let a man be neuer so mery within , and see paine and miserie waiting for him at the doore , his expectation of euill shall easily daunt all the sense of his pleasure ; the retributions of temporall fauours goe but by peraduentures , it may be the lord will looke on mine affliction ; of eternall , are certaine and infallible ; if we suffer , we shall raigne ; why should not the assurance of raigning make vs triumph in suffering ? dauids patience drawes on the insolence of shimei . euill natures grow presumptuous vpon forbearance : in good dispositions , iniury vnanswered growes weary of it selfe , and dies in a voluntary remorse ; but in those dogged stomacks , which are only capable of the restraints of feare , the silent digestion of a former wrong prouokes a second ; mercy had need to be guided with wisdome , lest it proue cruell to it selfe . oh the base mindes of inconstant-time-seruers ! stay but a while , till the wheele be a little turned ; you shall see humble shimei fall downe on his face before dauid , in his returne ouer iordan ; now his submission shall equall his former rudenesse ; his praiers shall requite his curses , his teares make amends for his stones , let not my lord impute iniquitie vnto me ; neither doe thou remember that which thy seruant did peruersly , the day that my lord the king went out of ierusalem , that the king should take it to heart ; for thy seruant doth know that i haue sinned ; false-hearted shimei , had absalom prospered , thou hadst not sinned , thou hadst not repented ; then hadst thou braggd of thine insultation ouer his miseries , whose pardon thou now beggest with teares . the changes of worldly mindes are thanklesse ; since they are neither wrought out of conscience , nor loue , but only by a slauish feare of a iust punishment . dauid could say no more to testifie his sorrow ( for his hainous sinnes against god ) to nathan , then shimei saies of himselfe to dauid ; whereto may be added the aduantage of a voluntarie confession in this offender , which in dauid was extorted by the reproofe of a prophet ; yet is dauids confession seriously penitent , shimeies craftily hypocriticall ; those alterations are iustly suspected , which are shaped according to the times , and outward occasions ; the true penitent lookes only at god , and his sinne , and is changed when all other things are themselues . great offences had need of answerable satisfactions ; as shimei was the only man of the house of beniamin that came forth and cursed dauid in his flight , so is he the first man ( euen before those of the house of ioseph , though neerer in situation ) that comes to meet dauid in his returne with praiers and gratulation : notorious offenders may not thinke to sit downe with the taske of ordinary seruices ; the retributions of their obedience must be proportionable to their crimes . achitophel . so soone as dauid heard of achitophels hand in that conspiracie , he falls to his praiers , o lord , i pray thee turne the counsell of achitophel into foolishnesse ; the knowne wisdome of his reuolted counsellor made him a dangerous and dreadfull aduersarie : great parts mis-imployed cannot but proue most mischieuous : when wickednesse is armed with wit , and power , none but a god can defeat it ; when we are matched with a strong and subtile enmitie , it is hie time ( if euer ) to be deuout ; if the bountie of god haue thought good to furnish his creatures with powers to warre against himselfe , his wisdome knowes how to turne the abuse of those powers to the shame of the owners , and the glory of the giuer . oh the policie of this machiauell of israel , no lesse deepe , then hell it selfe : goe in to thy fathers concubines , which he hath left to keepe the house ; and when all israel shall heare that thou art abhorred of thy father , the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong . the first care must be to secure the faction : there can be no safetie in siding with a doubtfull rebell ; if absalom be a traitor yet he is a sonne ; nature may returne to it selfe ; absalom may relent , dauid may remit ; where then are we that haue helpt to promote the conspiracie : the danger is ours , whiles this breach may be peeced ; there is no way but to ingage absalom in some further act , vncapable of forgiuenesse ; besides the throne , let him violate the bed of his father ; vnto his treason let him adde an incest , no lesse vnnaturall ; now shall the world see that absalom neither hopes , nor cares for the reconciliation of a father ; our quarrell can neuer haue any safe end but victorie ; the hope whereof depends vpon the resolution of our followers ; they cannot be resolute , but vpon the vnpardonable wickednesse of their leader ; neither can this villanie be shamefull enough , if it be secret . the closenesse of euill argues feare , or modestie ; neither of which can beseeme him that would be a succesfull traitor ; set vp a tent on the top of the house , and let all israel be witnesses of thy sin , and thy fathers shame ; ordinary crimes are for vulgar offenders ; let absalom sinne eminently ; and doe that which may make the world at once to blush , and wonder . who would euer haue thought that achitophel had liued at the court , at the councell-table of a dauid ? who would thinke that mouth had euer spoken well ? yet had he beene no other then as the oracle of god to the religious court of israel ; euen whiles he was not wise enough to be good : policie and grace are not alwaies lodged vnder one roofe ; this man whiles he was one of dauids deepe counsellors , was one of dauids fooles that said in their hearts , there is no god ; else he could not haue hoped to make good an euill with worse , to build the successe of treason vpon incest . prophane hearts doe so contriue the plots of their wickednesse , as if there were no ouer-ruling power to crosse their designes , or to reuenge them : he that sits in heauen laughs them to scorne , and so farre giues way to their sinnes , as their sinnes may proue plagues vnto themselues . these two sonnes of dauid met with pestilent counsell : amnon is aduised to incest with his sister ; absalom is aduised to incest with his fathers concubines ; that by ionadab , this by achitophel : both preuaile : it is as easie at least to take ill counsaile , as to giue it : pronenesse to villanie in the great cannot want either proiectors to deuise , or parasites to execute the most odious and vnreasonable sinnes . the tent is spred ( lest it should not be conspicuous enough ) on the top of the house , the act is done ; in the sight of all israel : the filthinesse of the sinne was not so great , as the impudencie of the manner : when the prophet nathan came with that heauie message of reproofe , and menace to dauid , after his sinne with bathsheba , he could say from god , behold i will raise vp euill against thee , out of thine owne house , and will take thy wiues before thine eies , and giue them vnto thy neighbour , and he shall lie with thy wiues , in the sight of this sunne : for thou didst it secretly , but i will doe this thing before all israel , and before this sunne . the counsell of achitophel , and the lust of absalom haue fulfilled the iudgement of god. oh the wisdome of the almightie , that can vse the worst of euils , well ; and most iustly make the sinnes of men his executioners ! it was the sinne of reuben that he defiled his fathers bed ; yet not in the same height of lewdnesse : what reuben did in a youthfull wantonnesse , absalom did in a malicious despight ; reuben sinned with one ; absalom with ten ; reuben secretly , absalom in the open eies of heauen and earth ; yet old iacob could say of reuben , thou shalt not excell ; thy dignitie is gone ; whiles achitophel saies to absalom , thy dignitie shall arise from incest ; climbe vp to thy fathers bed , if thou wilt sit in his throne ; if achitophel were a politician , iacob was a prophet ; if the one spake from carnall sense , the other from diuine reuelation . certainly , to sinne is not the way to prosper ; what euer vaine fooles may promise to themselues , there is no wisdome , nor vnderstanding , nor counsell against the lord. after the rebellion is secured for continuance , the next care is that it may end in victorie ; this also hath the working head of achitophel proiected . wit and experience told him that in these cases of assault , celeritie vses to bring forth the happiest dispatch : whereas protraction is no small aduantage to the defendant . let me ( saith he ) choose out now twelue thousand men , and i will vp , and follow after dauid this night ; and i will come vpon him while he is wearie , and weak-handed . no aduice could be more pernicious : for , besides the wearinesse , and vnreadinesse of dauid and his armie , the spirits of that worthy leader were daunted , and deiected with sorrow , and offered way to the violence of a sudden assault . the field had beene halfe won ere any blow striken . achitophel could not haue beene reputed so wise , if he had not learned the due proportion betwixt actions and times : he that obserueth euery winde shall neuer sowe ; but he that obserues no winde at all , shall neuer reape . the likeliest deuices doe not alwaies succeed ; the god that had appointed to establish dauids throne , and determined salomon to his succession , findes meanes to crosse the plot of achitophel , by a lesse-probable aduice : hushai was not sent backe for nothing : where god hath in his secret will decreed any euent , he inclines the wills of men to approue that which may promote his owne purposes : neither had hushai so deepe an head ; neither was his counsell so sure , as that of achitophel , yet his tongue shal refell achitophel , and diuert absalom : the pretences were fairer ; though the grounds were vnsound ; first , to sweeten his opposition , he yeelds the praise of wisdome to his aduersarie in all other counsells , that he may haue leaue to denie it in this ; his very contradiction in the present insinuates a generall allowance . then , he suggests certaine apparent truths concerning dauids valour , and skill , to giue countenance to the inferences of his improbabilities ; lastly , he cunningly feeds the proud humour of absalom , in magnifying the power and extent of his commands , and ends in the glorious boasts of his fore-promised victorie ; as it is with faces , so with counsell , that is faire that pleaseth . he that giues the vttrance to words , giues also their speed : fauour both of speech and men is not euer according to desert , but according to fore-ordination : the tongue of hushai , and the heart of absalom is guided by a power aboue their owne ; hushai shall therefore preuaile with absalom , that the treason of absalom may not preuaile ; he that worketh all in all things , so disposeth of wicked men and spirits , that whiles they doe most oppose his reuealed will , they execute his secret , and whiles they think most to please , they ouerthrow themselues . when absalom first met hushai returned to hierusalem , he vpbraided him pleasantly with the scoffe of his professed friendship to dauid ; is this thy kindnesse to thy friend ? sometimes there is more truth in the mouth then in the heart , more in iest then in earnest ; hushai was a friend , his stay was his kindnesse ; and now he hath done that for which he was left at hierusalem , disappointed achitophel , preserued dauid ; neither did his kindnesse to his friend rest here , but ( as one that was iustly iealous of him , with whom he was allowed to temporize ) he mistrusts the approbation of absalom ; and not daring to put the life of his master vpon such an hazard , he giues charge to zadok , and abiathar of this intelligence vnto dauid : we cannot be too suspicious when we haue to doe with those that are faithlesse : we cannot be too curious of the safetie of good princes . hushai feares not to descry the secrets of absaloms counsell ; to betray a traitor is no other then a commendable worke ; zadok and abiathar are fast within the gates of hierusalem ; their sonnes lay purposely abroad in the fields ; this message that concerned no lesse then the life of dauid , and the whole kingdome of israel , must be trusted with a maid : sometimes it pleaseth the wisdome of god , who hath the varietie of heauen and earth before him , to single out weake instruments for great seruices ; and they shall serue his turne , as well as the best ; no counsailour of state could haue made this dispatch more effectually ; ionathan and ahimaaz are sent , descried , pursued , preserued ; the fidelitie of a maid instructed them in their message , the suttletie of a woman saued their liues . at the well of rogel they receiued their message , in the well of bahurim was their life saued ; the sudden wit of a woman hath choked the mouth of her well with dried corne , that it might not bewray the messengers ; and now dauid heares safely of his danger , and preuents it ; and though weary with trauell , and laden with sorrow , he must spend the night in his remoue . gods promises of his deliuerance , and the confirmation of his kingdome may not make him neglect the meanes of his safetie : if he be faithfull , we may not be carelesse ; since our diligence and care are appointed for the factors of that diuine prouidence ; the acts of god must abate nothing of ours ; rather must we ●abour , by doing that which he requireth , to further that which he decreeth . there are those that haue great wits for the publique , none for themselues : such was achitophel , who whiles he had powers to gouerne a state , could not tell how to rule his owne passions : neuer till now doe we finde his counsell balked ; neither was it now reiected as ●ll , only hushaies was allowed for better ; he can liue no longer now that he is beaten at his owne weapon : this alone i● cause enough to saddle his asse● and to goe home , and put th● halter about his owne necke pride causes men both to misinterpret disgraces , and to ouerrate them ; now is dauids praie● heard , achitophels counsell is turned into foolishnesse ; desperat● achitophel , what if thou be no● the wisest man of all israel● euen those that haue not attained to the hiest pitch of wisdome , haue found contentment in a mediocritie ; what 〈◊〉 thy counsell were despised ? 〈◊〉 wise man knowes to liue happily in spight of an vniust contempt : what madnesse is this 〈◊〉 reuenge another mans reputation vpon thy selfe ? and whiles thou striuest for the hiest roome of wisdome , to run into the grossest extremitie of folly ? worldly wisdome is no protection from shame and ruine . how easily may a man , though naturally wise , be made wearie of life : a little paine , a little shame , a little losse , a small affront can soone rob a man of all comfort , and cause his owne hands to rob him of himselfe ; if there were not hier respects then the world can yeeld , to maintaine vs in being , it should be a miracle if indignation did not kill more then disease : now , that god by whose appointment we liue here , for his most wise and holy purposes , hath found meanes to make life sweet , and death terrible . what a mixture doe we finde here of wisdome and madnesse ? achitophel will needs hang himselfe , there is madnesse ; he will yet set his house in order ; there is an act of wisdome ; and could it be possible , that he who was so wise as to set his house in order , should be so mad as to hang himselfe ? that he should be carefull to order his house , who regarded not to order his impotent passions ? that he should care for his house , who cared not for either body or soule ? how vaine it is for a man to be wise , if he be not wise in god ? how preposterous are the cares of idle worldlings that prefer all other things to themselues , and whiles they looke at what they haue in their cofers , forget what they haue in their breasts . the death of absalom . the same god that raised enmitie to dauid from his own loines , procured him fauour from forrainers ; strangers shall releeue him , whom his owne sonne persecutes ; here is not a losse , but an exchange of loue : had absalom beene a sonne of ammon , and shobi a sonne of dauid ; dauid had found no cause of complaint : if god take with one hand , he giues with another : whiles that diuine bountie serues vs in , good meat , though not in our owne dishes , we haue good reason to be thankfull . no sooner is dauid come to mahanaim , then barzillai , machir , and shobi refresh him with prouisions ; who euer saw any childe of god left vtterly destitute ? whosoeuer be the messenger of our aide , we know whence he comes ; heauen shall want power , and earth meanes , before any of the houshold of faith shall want maintenance . he that formerly was forced to imploy his armes for his defence against a tyrannous father in law , must now buckle them on against an vnnaturall sonne : now therefore he musters his men , and ordaines his commanders , and marshalls his troupes , and , since their loyall importunitie will not allow the hazard of his person , he at once incourages them by his eye , and restraines them with his tongue , deale gently with the yong man absalom , for my sake : how vnreasonably fauourable are the warres of a father ? o holy dauid , what meanes this ill-placed loue , this vniust mercy ? deale gently with a traytor ? but of all traytors with a sonne ? of all sonnes with an absalom , the gracelesse dareling of so good a father ; and all this for thy sake , whose crowne , whose bloud he hunts after ? for whose sake should absalom be pursued , if hee must be forborne for thine ? he was still courteous to thy followers , affable to sutors , plausible to all israel , only to thee he is cruell : wherefore are those armes , if the cause of the quarrell must be a motiue of mercy ? yet thou saist , deale gently with the young man absalom , for my sake : euen in the holiest parents nature may be guilty of an iniurious tendernesse , of a bloudy indulgence . or , whether shall we not rather thinke this was done in type of that vnmeasurable mercy of the true king , and redeemer of israel , who prayed for his persecutors , for his murderers ; and euen whiles they were at once scorning and killing him , could say , father forgiue them , for they know not what they do ? if we be sonnes , we are vngratious , we are rebellious , yet still is our heauenly father thus compassionately regardfull of vs : dauid was not sure of the successe ; there was great inequalitie in the number ; absaloms forces were more then double to his ; it might haue come to the contrary issue , that dauid should haue beene forced to say , deale gently with the father of absalom ; but , in a supposition of that victorie , which only the goodnesse of his cause bade him hope for , he saith , deale gently with the young man absalom ; as for vs , we are neuer but vnder mercy ; our god needs no aduantages to sweepe vs from the earth , any moment , yet he continues that life , and those powers to vs , whereby we prouoke him , and bids his angels deale kindly with vs , and beare vs in their armes , whiles we lift vp our hands , and bend our tongues against heauen . o mercie past the comprehension of all finite spirits , and only to be conceiued by him whose it is : neuer more resembled by any earthly affection then by this of his deputie and type , deale gently with the young man absalom , for my sake . the battell is ioyned ; dauids followers are but an handfull to absaloms ? how easily may the fickle multitude be transported to the wrong side ? what they wanted in abettors , is supplied in the cause . vnnaturall ambition drawes the sword of absalom , dauids , a necessarie and iust defence . they that in simplicitie of heart followed absalom , cannot in malice of heart , persecute the father of absalom : with what courage could any israelite draw his sword against a dauid ? or on the other side , who can want courage to fight for a righteous soueraigne , and father , against the conspiracie of a wicked sonne ? the god of hosts , with whom it is all one to saue with many or with few , takes part with iustice , and lets israel feele , what it is to beare armes for a traiterous vsurper . the sword deuoures twentie thousand of them , and the wood deuoures more then the sword , it must needs be a very vniuersall rebellion , wherein so many perished ; what vertue or merits can assure the hearts of the vulgar , when so gracious a prince findes so many reuolters ? let no man looke to prosper by rebellion ; the very thickets , and stakes , and pits , and wild beasts of the wood shall conspire to the punishment of traitors ; amongst the rest , see how a fatall oke hath singled out the ring-leader of this hatefull insurrection ; and will at once serue for his hangman and gallowes ; by one of those spreading armes snatching him away to speedy execution . absalom was comely , and he knew it well enough ; his haire was no small peece of his beautie , nor matter of his pride : it was his wont to cut it once a yeere ; not for that it was too long , but too heauie ; his heart could haue borne it longer , if his necke had not complained ; and now , the iustice of god hath platted an halter of those lockes ; those tresses , had formerly hangd loosely disheueld on his shoulders , now he hangs by them ; he had wont to weigh his haire , and was proud to finde it so heauie ; now his haire poyseth the weight of his bodie , and makes his burden his torment : it is no maruell if his owne haire turnd traitor to him , who durst rise vp against his father . that part which is misused by man to sinne , is commonly imployed by god to reuenge ; the reuenge that it worketh for god , makes amends for the offence , whereto it is drawne against god ; the very beast wheron absalom sat , as wearie to beare so vnnaturall a burden , resignes ouer his lode to the tree of iustice ; there hangs absalom betweene heauen and earth , as one that was hated , and abandoned both of earth , and heauen : as if god meant to prescribe this punishment for traitors , absalom , achitophel , and iudas die all one death : so let them perish that dare lift vp their hand against gods anointed . the honest souldier sees absalom hanging in the oke , and dares not touch him ; his hands were held with the charge of dauid , beware that none touch the young man absalom ; ioab , vpon that intelligence , sees him , and smites him , with no lesse then three darts ; what the souldier forbore in obedience , the captaine doth in zeale : not fearing to preferre his soueraignes safetie , to his command ; and more tendering the life of a king , and peace of his countrie , then the weake affection of a father ; i dare not sit iudge betwixt this zeale and that obedience ; betwixt the captaine and the souldier ; the one was a good subiect , the other a good patriot : the one loued the king , the other loued dauid ; and out of loue disobeyed ; the one meant as well , as the other sped : as if god meant to fulfill the charge of his anointed , without any blame of his subiects , it pleased him to execute that immediate reuenge vpon the rebell , which would haue dispatcht him without hand , or dart : only the mule and the oke conspired to this execution ; but that death would haue required more leasure , then it was safe for israel to giue ; and still life would giue hope of rescue ; to cut off all feares , ioab lends the oke three darts to helpe forward so needfull a worke of iustice : all israel did not afford so firme a friend to absalom , as ioab had beene ; who but ioab had suborned the wittie widow of tekoah , to sue for the recalling of absalom , from his three yeeres exile ? who but he went to fetch him from geshur to ierusalem ? who but he fetcht him from his house at ierusalem ( whereto he had beene two yeeres confined ) to the face , to the lips of dauid ? yet now he that was his solicitour for the kings fauour , is his executioner against the kings charge : with honest hearts all respects either of bloud or friendship cease in the case of treason ; well hath ioab forgotten himselfe to be friend to him who had forgotten himselfe to be a sonne . euen ciuilly , the king is our common father ; our countrie our common mother ; nature hath no priuate relations which should not gladly giue place to these ; he is neither father , nor sonne , nor brother , nor friend that conspires against the common parent ▪ well doth he who spake parables for his masters sonne , now speake darts to his kings enemie ; and pierces that heart which was false to so good a father : those darts are seconded by ioabs followers ; each man tries his weapon vpon so faire a marke . one death is not enough for absalom ; he is at once hanged , shot , mangled , stoned : iustly was he lift vp to the oke , who had lift vp himselfe against his father , and soueraigne ; iustly is he pierced with darts , who had pierced his fathers heart with so many sorrowes ; iustly is he mangled , who had dismembred and diuided all israel ; iustly is he stoned , who had not only cursed , but pursued his owne parent . now ioab sounds the retrait ; and calls off his eager troupes from execution ; howeuer he knew what his rebellious countrimen had deserued in following an absalom ; wise commanders know how to put a difference betwixt the heads of a faction , and the misguided multitude ; and can pittie the one , whiles they take reuenge on the other . so did absalom esteeme himselfe , that he thought it would be a wrong to the world , to want the memoriall of so goodly a person . god had denied him sonnes ; how iust it was that hee should want a sonne , who had robd his father of a sonne , who would haue robd himselfe of a father , his father of a kingdome ? it had beene pitty so poysonous a plant should haue beene fruitfull ; his pride shall supply nature , hee reares vp a stately piller in the kings dale , and cals it by his owne name , that he might liue in dead stones , who could not suruiue in liuing issue ; and now , behold this curious pile ends in a rude heape , which speakes no language , but the shame of that carcasse which it couers : heare this yee glorious fooles , that care not to perpetuate any memory of your selues to the world , but of il-deseruing greatnesse ; the best of this affectation is vanity ; the worst , infamy and dishonour ; whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed ; and if his humility shall refuse an epitaph , and chose to hide himselfe vnder the bare earth , god himselfe shall ingraue his name vpon the pillar of eternity . there now lies absalom in the pit , vnder a thousand graue-stones , in euery of which is written his euerlasting reproch ; well might this heape ouer-liue that pillar ; for when that ceased to be a piller , it began to be an heape ; neither will it cease to be a monument of absaloms shame , whiles there are stones to bee found vpon earth ; euen at this day very pagans and pilgrims that passe that way , cast each man a stone vnto that heape , and are wont to say in a solemne execration ; cursed be the paricide absalom , and cursed be all vniust persecutors of their parents , for euer ; fasten your eies vpon this wofull spectacle , ô all ye rebellious and vngratious children , which rise vp against the loynes and thighes from which ye fell : and know that it is the least part of your punishment , that your carcasses rot in the earth , and your name in ignominie ; these doe but shadow out those eternall sufferings , of your soules , for your foule and vnnaturall disobedience . absalom is sped ; who shall report it to his father ? surely ioab was not so much afraid of the fact , as of the message ; there are busie spirits that loue to carry newes , though thanklesse , though purposelesse ; such was ahimaaz , the sonne of zadock ; who importunately thrusts himselfe into this seruice ; wise ioab , who well saw , how vnwelcome tydings must be the burden of the first post , disswades him in vaine ; hee knew dauid too well to imploy a friend in that errand . an ethiopian seruant was a fitter bearer of such a message , then the sonne of the priest. the entertainment of the person doth so follow the quality of the newes , that dauid could argue afar off , he is a good man , he commeth with good tidings . oh how welcome deserue those messengers to be that bring vs the glad tidings of saluation ; that assure vs of the foile of all spirituall enemies , and tell vs of nothing but victories , and crownes , and kingdomes ; if we thinke not their feet beautifull , our hearts are foule with infidelity , and secure worldlinesse . so wise is ahimaaz growne by ioabs intimation , that though he out-went cushi in his pace , he suffers cushi to out-goe him in his tale , cunningly suppressing that part , which hee knew must be both necessarily deliuered , and vnpleasingly receiued . as our care is wont to bee where our loue is ; dauids first word is not , how fares the host , but how fares the young man absalom : like a wise , and faithfull messenger , cushi answers by an honest insinuation , the enemies of my lord the king , and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt , be as that young man is ; implying both what was done , and , why dauid should approue it being done ; how is the good king thunder-strooke with that word of his black-moore ? who , as if he were at once bereaued of all comfort , and cared not to liue , but in the name of absalom , goes and weepes , and cries out , o my sonne absalom , my sonne , my sonne absalom ; would god i had died for thee , o absalom , my sonne , my sonne . what is this we heare ? that he whose life israel valued at ten thousand of theirs , should be exchanged with a traytors ? that a good king , whose life was sought , should wish to lay it downe for the preseruation of his murtherer ? the best men haue not wont to be the least passionate ; but what shall wee say to that loue of thine , ô sauiour , who hast said of vs wretched traytors , not , would god i had died for you ; but i will dye , i doe dye , i haue died for you ; oh loue , like thy selfe , infinite , incomprehensible , whereat the angels of heauen stand yet amazed ; wherewith thy saints are rauished , turne away thine eyes from mee , for they ouercome me ▪ oh thou that dwellest in the gardens , the companions hearken to thy voyce , cause vs to heare it ; that wee may in our measure answere thy loue , and enioy it for euer . shebaes rebellion . it was the doome which god passed vpon the man after his owne heart by the mouth of nathan , that the sword should neuer depart from his house , for the bloud of vriah ; after that wound healed by remission , yet this scarre remaines ; absalom is no sooner cast downe into the pit , then sheba the sonne of bichri is vp in armes ; if dauid be not plagued , yet he shall be corrected ; first by the rod of a sonne , then of a subiect : he had lift vp his hand against a faithfull subiect ; now a faithlesse dares to lift vp his hand against him ; malice like some hereditarie sicknesse runs in a bloud ; saul and shimei , and sheba were all of an house ; that ancient grudge was not yet dead ; the fire of the house of iemini was but raked vp , neuer throughly out ; and now , that which did but smoke in shimei , flames in sheba ; although euen through this chastisement it is not hard to discerne a type , of that perpetuall succession of enmitie , which should be raised against the true king of israel . o sonne of dauid , when didst thou euer want enemies ? how wert thou designed by thine eternall father , for a signe that should be spoken against ? how did the gentiles rage , and the people imagine vaine things ? the kings of the earth assembled , and the rulers came together against thee ? yea , how doe the subiects of thine owne kingdome daily conspire against thee ? euen now whiles thou inioyest peace , and glorie at thy fathers right hand , as soone shalt thou want friends , as enemies vpon earth . no eye of any traitor could espie a iust quarrell in the gouernment of dauid , yet sheba blowes the trumpet of rebellion ; and whiles israel and iudah are striuing who should haue the greatest part in their re-established soueraigne , he sticks not to say , we haue no part in dauid , neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of ishai ; and whiles he saies , euery man to his tents o israel , he calls euery man to his owne ; so in proclaiming a libertie from a iust and loyall subiection , he inuites israel to the bondage of an vsurper . that a lewd conspirator should breath treason , it is no wonder ; but is it not wonder and shame , that vpon euery mutinous blast israel should turne traitor to gods anointed ? it was their late expostulation with dauid , why their brethren the men of iudah should haue stollen him from them ; now might dauid more iustly expostulate , why a rebell of their brethren should haue stolne them from him : as nothing is more vnstable then the multitude , so nothing is more subiect to distastes , then soueraigntie ; for as weake mindes seeke pleasure in change ; so euery light conceit of irritation seems sufficient colour of change ; such as the false dispositions of the vulgar are , loue cannot be securitie enough for princes , without the awfulnesse of power ; what hold can there be of popularitie , when the same hands that euen now fought for dauid to be all theirs , now fight against him , vnder the son of bichri , as none of theirs ? as bees when they are once vp in a swarme , are ready to light vpon euery bow , so the israelites , being stirred by the late commotion of absalom , are apt to follow euery sheba ; it is vnsafe for any state , that the multitude should once know the way to an insurrection ; the least track in this kinde is easily made a path ▪ yet , if israel rebell , iudah continues faithfull ▪ neither shall the sonne of dauid euer be left destitute of some true subiects in the worst of apostasies : he that could command all hearts , will euer be followed by some ; god had rather glorifie himselfe by a remnant . great commanders must haue actiue thoughts ; dauid is not so taken vp with the embroiled affaires of his state , as not to intend domesticke iustice ; his ten concubines , which were shamelesly defiled by his incestuous sonne , are condemned to ward , and widow-hood ; had not that constupration beene partly violent , their punishment had not beene so easie ; had it not also beene partly voluntarie , they had not beene so much punished ; but how much so euer the act did partake of either force , or will , iustly are they sequestred from dauids bed ; absalom was not more vnnaturall in his rebellion , then in his lust ; if now dauid should haue returned to his owne bed , he had seconded the incest : how much more worthy of separation are they , who haue stained the mariage bed with their wilfull sinne ? amasa was one of the witnesses , and abettors of absaloms filthinesse , yet is he ( out of policie ) receiued to fauour and imployment , whiles the concubines suffer ; great men yeeld many times to those things , out of reasons of state , which if they were priuate persons could not be easily put ouer ; it is no small wisdome to ingage a new reconciled friend , that he may be confirmed by his owne act : therefore is amasa commanded to leuie the forces of iudah : ioab after many great merits and atchieuements lies rusting in neglect : he that was so intire with dauid as to be of his counsell for vriahs bloud ; and so firme to dauid , as to lead all his battels against the house of saul , the ammonites , the aramites , absalom is now cashiered , and must yeeld his place to a stranger , late an enemie : who knowes not that this sonne of zeruiah had shed the bloud of warre in peace ? but if the bloud of absalom had not beene louder then the bloud of abner , i feare this change had not been ; now ioab smarteth for a loyall disobedience ; how slippery are the stations of earthly honours , and subiect to continuall mutability ? happy are they who are in fauour with him , in whom there is no shadow of change . where men are commonly most ambitious to please with their first imployments , amaza slackens his pace ; the least delay in matters of rebellion is perilous , may be irrecouerable ; the sonnes of zeruiah are not sullen ; abishai is sent , ioab goes vnsent to the pursuit of sheba . amasa was in their way ; whom no quarrell but their enuy had made of a brother an enemy ; had the heart of amasa beene priuy to any cause of grudge , hee had suspected the kisse of ioab ; now his innocent eyes looke to the lips , not to the hand of his secret enemy ; the lips were smooth , art thou in health , my brother ; the hand was bloudie , which smote him vnder the fift ribbe ; that vnhappie hand knew wel this way vnto death ; which with one wound hath let out the soules of two great captaines , abner and amasa ; both they were smitten by ioab , both vnder the fift ribbe , both vnder a pretence of friendship . there is no enmity so dangerous as that which comes masked with loue ; open hostility cals vs to our guard ; but there is no fence against a trusted trecherie : wee neede not be bidden to auoid an enemy , but who would runne away from a friend ? thus spiritually deales the world with our soules ; it kisses vs , and stabs vs at once ; if it did not embrace vs with one hand , it could not murther vs with the other ; onely god deliuer vs from the danger of our trust , and we shall be safe . ioab is gone , and leaues amasa wallowing in bloud ; that spectacle cannot but stay all passengers ; the death of great persons drawes euer many eyes ; each man sayes , is not this my lord amasa ? wherefore doe we goe to fight , whiles our generall lyes in the dust ? what a sad presage is this of our owne miscarriage ? the wit of ioabs followers hath therefore soone both remoued amasa out of the way , and couered him ; not regarding so much the losse , as the eye-sore of israel . thus wicked politicks care not so much for the commission of villany , as for the notice ; smothered euils are as not done ; if oppressions , if murders , if treasons may be hid from view , the obdured heart of the offender complaines not of remorse . bloudy ioab , with what face , with what heart canst thou pursue a traitor to thy king , whiles thy selfe art so foule a traytor to thy friend , to thy cozen-german , and ( in so vnseasonable a slaughter ) to thy soueraigne , whose cause thou professest to reuenge ? if amasa were now in an act of loyalty , iustly ( on gods part ) payd for the arerages of his late rebellion , yet that it should be done by thy hand , then , and thus , it was flagitiously cruell ; yet , behold ioab runnes away securely with the fact , hasting to plague that in another , whereof himselfe was no lesse guilty ; so vast are the gorges of some consciences , that they can swallow the greatest crimes , and finde no straine in the passage . it is possible for a man to be faithful to some one person , and perfidious to all others ; i doe not finde ioab other then firme and loyall to dauid , in the middest of all his priuate falshoods ; whose iust quarrell he pursues against sheba , through all the tribes of israel . none of all the strong forts of reuolted israel can hide the rebell from the zeale of his reuenge ▪ the citie of abel lends harbour to that conspirator , whom all israel would , and cannot protect ; ioab casts vp a mount against it , and hauing inuironed it with a siege , begins to worke vpon the wall ; and now , after long chase , is in hand to digge out that vermin , which had earth'd himself in this borough of beth-maachah . had not the citie been strong and populous , sheba had not cast himselfe for succor within those wals ; yet of all the inhabitants , i see not any one man moue for the preseruation of their whole body : onely a woman vndertakes to treat with ioab , for their safety : those men whose spirits were great enough to maintaine a traytor against a mighty king , scorne not to giue way to the wisdome of a matrone ; there is no reason that sex should disparage , where the vertue and merit is no lesse then masculine : surely the soule acknowledgeth no sexe , neither is varied according to the outward frame ; how oft haue wee knowne female hearts in the brests of men ▪ and contrarily manly powers in the weaker vessels ? it is iniurious to measure the act by the person , and not rather to esteeme the person for the act . shee , with no lesse prudence then courage challengeth ioab for the violence of his assault ; and laies to him that law which he could not be an israelite , and disauow ; the law of the god of peace ; whose charge it was , that when they should come neere to a citie to fight against it , they should offer it peace ; and if this tender must be made to forrainers , how much more to brethren ? so as they must inquire of abel , ere they batter'd it ; warre is the extreme act of vindicatiue iustice ; neither doth god euer approue it for any other then a desperate remedy ; and if it haue any other end then peace , it turnes into publique murder . it is therefore an inhumane crueltie to shed bloud , where wee haue not profered faire conditions of peace : the refusall whereof is iustly punished with the sword of reuenge . ioab was a man of bloud , yet when the wise woman of abel charged him with going about to destroy a mother in israel ; and swallowing vp the inheritance of the lord , with what vehemencie doth he deprecate that challenge , god forbid , god forbid it me , that i should deuoure , or destroy it ; although that citie with the rest had ingaged it selfe in shebaes sedition , yet how zealously doth ioab remoue from himselfe the suspicion of an intended vastation ? how fearfull shall their answer be , who vpon the quarrell of their owne ambition haue not spared to waste whole tribes of the israel of god ? it was not the fashion of dauids captaines to assault any citie ere they summond it ; here they did ; there be some things that in the very fact carrie their owne conuiction ; so did abel in the entertaining , and abetting a knowne conspirator ; ioab challenges them for the offence , and requires no other satisfaction then the head of sheba ; this matrone had not deserued the name of wife , and faithfull in israel , if she had not both apprehended the iustice of the condition , and commended it to her citizens ; whom she hath easily perswaded to spare their owne heads , in not sparing a traitors ; it had beene pittie those walls should haue stood if they had beene too hie to throw a traitors head ouer . spiritually , the case is ours : euery mans brest is as a citie inclosed ; euery sinne is a traitor , that lurkes within those walls ; god calls to vs for shebaes head ; neither hath he any quarrell to our person , but for our sinne : if we loue the head of our traitor , aboue the life of our soule , we shall iustly perish in the vengeance : we cannot be more willing to part with our sin , then our mercifull god is to withdraw his iudgements . now is ioab returned with successe , and hopes by shebaes head to paie the price of amasaes bloud ; dauid hates the murder , entertaines the man , defers the reuenge ; ioab had made himselfe so great , so necessarie , that dauid may neither misse , nor punish him : policie led the king to conniue at that which his heart abhorred ; i dare not commend that wisdome which holds the hands of princes from doing iustice ; great men haue euer held it a point of worldly state , not alwaies to pay where they haue beene conscious to a debt of either fauour , or punishment ; but to make time their seruant for both ; salomon shall once defraie the arerages of his father ; in the meane time ioab commands and prospers ; and dauid is faine to smile on that face , whereon he hath in his secret destination written the characters of death . the gibeonites reuenged . the raigne of dauid was most troublesome towards the shutting vp ; wherein both warre and famine conspire to afflict him ; almost fortie yeeres had he sate in the throne of israel , with competencie , if not abundance of all things ; now at last are his people visited with a long dearth ; we are not at first sensible of common euils ; three yeeres drought and scarcitie are gone ouer ere dauid consults , with god , concerning ▪ the occasion of the iudgement , now he found it hie time to seeke the face of the lord ; the continuance of an affliction sends vs to god , and calls vpon vs to aske for a reckoning ; whereas like men strucken in their sleep , a sudden blow cannot make vs to finde our selues ; but rather astonisheth , then teacheth vs. dauid was himselfe a prophet of god , yet had not the lord all this while acquainted him with the grounds of his proceedings against israel ; this secret was hid from him , till he consulted with the vrim ; ordinarie meanes shall reueale that to him , which no vision had discryed ; and if god will haue prophets to haue recourse vnto the priests , for the notice of his will ; how much more must the people ? euen those that are the inwardest with god must haue vse of the ephod . iustly is it presupposed by dauid that there was neuer iudgement from god , where hath not beene a prouocation from men ; therefore when he sees the plague , he inquires for the sinne . neuer man smarted causelesly from the hand of diuine iustice ; oh that when we suffer , we could aske what we haue done ; and could guide our repentance to the root of our euils . that god whose counsells are secret , euen where his actions are open , will not be close to his prophet , to his priest : without inquirie we shall know nothing ; vpon inquirie nothing shall be concealed from vs , that is fit for vs to know . who can choose but wonder at once both at dauids slacknesse in consulting with god , and gods speed in answering so slow a demand ? he that so well knew the way to gods oracle , suffers israel to be three yeeres pinched with famine , ere he askes why they suffer ; euen the best hearts may be ouertaken with dulnesse in holy duties ; but oh the maruellous mercy of our god , that takes not the aduantage of our weaknesses ; dauids question is not more slow , then his answer is speedie , it is for saul , and for his bloudie house , because he slew the gibeonites . israel was full of sinnes , besides those of sauls house ; sauls house was full of sinnes besides those of bloud ; much bloud was shed by them besides that of the gibeonites ; yet the iustice of god singles out this one sinne of violence offered to the gibeonites ( contrary to the league made by ioshua , some foure hundred yeeres before ) for the occasion of this late vengeance . where the causes of offence are infinite , it is iust with god to pitch vpon some ; it is mercifull not to punish for all : welneere fortie yeeres are past betwixt the commission of the sinne , and the reckoning for it . it is a vaine hope that is raised from the delay of iudgement ; no time can be any preiudice to the ancient of daies ; when we haue forgotten our sinnes , when the world hath forgotten vs , he sues vs afresh for our arerages . the slaughter of the gibeonites was the sinne not of the present , but rather the former generation ; and now posteritie paies for their forefathers ; euen we men hold it not vniust to sue the heires and executors of our debters ▪ eternall paiments god vses only to require of the person , temporarie oft-times of succession . as saul was higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of israel , both in stature and dignitie , so were his sinnes more conspicuous then those of the vulgar . the eminence of the person makes the offence more remarkable to the eies both of god and men . neither saul nor israel were faultlesse in other kindes ; yet god fixes the eie of his reuenge vpon the massacre of the gibeonites , euery sin hath a tongue , but that of bloud ouer cries ▪ and drownes the rest . he who is mercy it selfe abhorres crueltie in his creature aboue all other inordinatenesse ; that holy soule which was heauie pressed with the weight of an hainous adulterie , yet cries out , deliuer me from bloud , o god , the god of my saluation , and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse . if god would take account of bloud , he might haue entred the action vpon the bloud of vriah spilt by dauid ; or ( if he would rather insist in sauls house ) vpon the bloud of ahimelech the priest ; and fourescore and fiue persons that did weare a linnen ephod ; but it pleased the wisdome and iustice of the almightie rather to call for the bloud of the gibeonites , though drudges of israel , and a remnant of amorites ; why this ? there was a periurie attending vpon this slaughter ; it was an ancient oath , wherein the princes of the congregation had bound themselues ( vpon iosua●s league ) to the gibeonites , that they would suffer them to liue ; an oath extorted by fraud , but solemne , by no lesse name , then the lord god of israel ; saul will now thus late either not acknowledge it ; or not keepe it ; out of his zeale therefore to the children of israel , and iudah , he roots out some of the gibeonites , whether in a zeale of reuenge of their first imposture , or in a zeale of inlarging the possessions of israel , or in a zeale of executing gods charge vpon the brood of canaanites , he that spared agag whom he should haue smitten , smites the gibeonites whom he should haue spared : zeale and good intention is no excuse , much lesse a warrant for euill ; god holds it an hie indignitie that his name should be sworne by , and violated . length of time cannot dispense with our oathes , with our vowes ; the vowes and oathes of others may binde vs , how much more our owne ? there was a famine in israel ; a naturall man would haue ascribed it vnto the drought ; and that drought perhaps to some constellations ; dauid knowes 〈◊〉 looke higher ; and sees a diuine hand scourging israel for some great offence ; and ouer-ruling those second causes to his most iust executions . euen the most quick-sighted worldling is pore-blinde to spirituall obiects ; and the weakest eyes of the regenerate pierce the heauens , and espy god in all earthly occurrences . so well was dauid acquainted with gods proceedings , that hee knew the remouall of the iudgement must begin at the satisfaction of the wronged ; at once therefore doth he pray vnto god , and treat with the gibeonites ; what shall i doe for you , and wherewith shall i make the attonement , that i may blesse the inheritance of the lord ? in vaine should dauid ( though a prophet ) blesse israel , if the gibeonites did not blesse them : iniuries done vs on earth giue vs power in heauen ; the oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled vpon . little did the gibeonites thinke that god had so taken to heart their wrongs , that for their sakes all israel should suffer . euen when we thinke not of it , is the righteous iudge auenging our vnrighteous vexations ; our hard measures cannot be hid from him , his returns are hid from vs ; it is sufficient for vs , that god can be no more neglectiue then ignorant of our sufferings . it is now in the power of these despised hiuites to make their own termes with israel ; neither siluer , nor gold will sauour with them towards their satisfaction ; nothing can expiate the bloud of their fathers , but the bloud of seauen sonnes of their deceased persecutor ; here was no other then a iust retaliation ; saul had punished in them the offence of their predecessours ▪ they will now reuenge sauls sinne in his children . the measure we mete vnto others , is with much equitie re-measured vnto our selues . euery death would not content them , of sauls sonnes , but a cursed and ignominious , hanging on the tree ; neither would that death content them , vnlesse their owne hands might be the executioners ; neither would any place serue for the execution but gibeah , the court of saul ; neither would they doe any of this for the wreaking of their owne fury , but for the appeasing of gods wrath , we will hang them vp vnto the lord in gibeah of saul . dauid might not refuse the condition : hee must deliuer , they must execute : hee chooses out seuen of the sonnes , and grand-children of saul ; that house had raysed long an vniust persecution against dauid ; now god payes it vpon anothers score . dauids loue and oath to ionathan , preserues lame mephibosheth ▪ how much more shall the father of all mercies doe good vnto the children of the faithfull , for the couenant made with their parents ? the fiue sonnes of adriel the meholathite , dauids ancient riuall in his first loue , which were borne to him by merab , sauls daughter , and brought vp by her barren sister michol , the wife of dauid , are yeelded vp to death ; merab was after a promise of marriage to dauid , vniustly giuen away by saul , to adriel ; michol seemes to abet the match in breeding the children ; now in one act ( not of dauids seeking ) the wrong is thus late auenged vpon saul , adriel , merab , michol , the children : it is a dangerous matter to offer iniury to any of gods faithful ones ; if their meeknesse haue easily remitted it , their god will not passe it ouer without a seuere retribution . these fiue , together with two sonnes of rizpah , sauls concubine , are hanged vp at once before the lord ; yea and before the eies of the world ; no place but an hill will serue for this execution ; the acts of iustice as they are intended for example , so they should be done in that eminent fashion that may make them both most instructiue , and most terrifying ; vnwarrantable courses of priuate reuenge seeke to hide their heads in secresie ; the beautifull face of iustice both affects the light , and becomes it . it was the generall charge of gods law that no corps should remaine all night vpon the gibbet ; the almighty hath power to dispense with his owne command ; so doubtlesse hee did in this extraordinary case ; these carcasses did not defile , but expiate . sorrowfull rizpah spreads her a tent of sackcloth vpon the rocke , for a sad attendance vpon those sons of her wombe ; death might bereaue her of them , not them of her loue ; this spectacle was not more grieuous to her , then pleasing to god , and happy to israel ; now the clouds drop fatnesse , and the earth runs forth into plenty . the gibeonites are satisfied , god reconciled , israel relieued . how blessed a thing it is for any nation that iustice is vnpartially executed euen vpon the mighty . a few drops of bloud haue procured large showres from heauen . a few carcasses are a rich compost to the earth ; the drought and dearth remoue away with the breath of those pledges of the offender ; iudgements cannot tyrannize where iustice raignes : as contrarily , there can be no peace where bloud cries vnheard , vnregarded . the numbring of the people . israel was growne wanton and mutinous ; god pulls them downe first by the sword , then by famine , now by pestilence ; oh the wondrous , and yet iust waies of the almightie ! because israel hath sinned , therefore dauid shall sinne that israel may be punished ; because god is angrie with israel , therefore dauid shall anger him more , and strike himselfe in israel , and israel through himselfe . the spirit of god else-where ascribes this motion to satan , which here it attributes to god ; both had their hand in the worke ; god by permission , satan by suggestion ; god as a iudge , satan as an enemie : god as in a iust punishment for sin , satan as in an act of sinne ; god in a wise ordination of it to good ; satan in a malicious intent of confusion ; thus at once god moued , and satan moued ; neither is it any excuse to satan or dauid , that god moued ; neither is it any blemish to god , that satan moued ; the rulers sinne is a punishment to a wicked people : though they had many sinnes of their owne , whereon god might haue grounded a iudgement , yet as before he had punisht them with dearth for sauls sinne , so now he will not punish them with plague , but for dauids sin ; if god were not angrie with a people , he would not giue vp their gouernours to such euills as whereby he is prouoked to vengeance ; and if their gouernours be thus giuen vp , the people cannot be safe ; the body drownes not whiles the head is aboue the water ; when that once sinkes ▪ death is neere , iustly therefore ere we charged to make praiers and supplications , as for all , so especially for those that are in eminent authoritie ▪ when we pray for our selues , we pray not alwaies for them , but we cannot pray for them , and not pray for our selues ; the publique weale is not comprised in the priuate , but the priuate in the publique . what then was dauids sinne ? he will needs haue israel and iudah numbred : surely there is no malignitie in numbers ; neither is it vnfit for a prince to know his owne strength ; this is not the first time that israel hath gone vnder a reckoning ▪ the act offends not , but the mis-affection ; the same thing had beene commendably done out of a princely prouidence , which now through the curiositie , pride , mis-confidence of the doer proues hainously vicious ; those actions which are in themselues indifferent , receiue either their life , or their bane from the intentions of the agent . moses numbreth the people with thankes , dauid with displeasure : those sins which carrie the smoothest forheads , and haue the most honest appearances , may more prouoke the wrath of god , then those which beare the most abomination in their faces . how many thousand wickednesses passed through the hands of israel , which we men would rather haue branded out for a iudgement , then this of dauids ? the righteous iudge of the world censures sinnes , not by their ill looks , but by their soule hearts . who can but wonder to see ioab the saint , and dauid the trespasser ? no prophet could speake better then that man of bloud ; the lord thy god increase the people an hundred fold more then they be ; and that the eies of my lord the king may see it ; but why doth my lord the king desire this thing ? there is no man so lewd as not to be sometimes in good moods , as not to dislike some euill ; contrarily no man on earth can be so holy , as not sometimes to ouerlash , it were pittie that either ioab or dauid should be tried by euery act ; how commonly haue we seene those men ready to giue good aduice to others for the auoiding of some sinnes ; who in more grosse ▪ outrages haue not had grace to counsell their owne hearts ? the same man that had deserued death from dauid for his trecherous cruelty , disswades dauid from an act that carried but a suspition of euill ; it is not so much to be regarded who it is that admonisheth vs , as what he brings ; good counsell is neuer the worse for the ▪ foule carriage ▪ there are some dishes that we may eate euen from sluttish hands . the purpose of sinne in a faithfull man is odious , much more the resolution : notwithstanding ioabs discreet admonition dauid will hold on his course ; and will know the number of the people , only that he may know it ; ioab and the captaines addresse themselues to the worke : in things which are not in themselues euill , it is not for subiects to dispute but to obey ; that which authoritie may sinne in commanding , is done of the inferiour , not with safetie only , but with praise . nine moneths and twentie daies is this generall muster in hand ; at last the number is brought in ; israel is found eight hundred thousand strong , iudah fiue hundred thousand ; the ordinarie companies which serued by course for the roiall gard ( foure and twentie thousand each moneth ) needed not be reckoned ; the addition of them with their seuerall captaines raises the summe of israel to the rate of eleuen hundred thousand . a power able to puffe vp a carnall heart ; but how can an heart that is more then flesh trust to an arme of flesh ? oh holy dauid , whither hath a glorious vanitie transported thee ? thou which once didst sing so sweetly , put not your trust in princes , nor in the sonne of man , for there is no helpe in him . his breath departeth , and he returneth to his earth , then his thoughts perish ; blessed is he that hath the god of iacob for his helpe , whose hope is in the lord his god ; how canst thou now stoope to so vnsafe and vnworthy a confidence ? as some stomackfull horse that will not be stopt in his career with the sharpest bit , but runs on heddily till he come to some wall , or ditch , and then stands still and trembles ; so did dauid ; all the disswasions of ioab could not restraine him from his intended course ; almost ten moneths doth he run on impetuously , in a way of his owne , rough and dangerous , at last his heart smites him ; the conscience of his offence , and the feare of iudgment haue fetcht him vpon his knees , o lord i haue sinned exceedingly in that i haue done ; therefore now ▪ lord , i beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant , for i haue done very foolishly . it is possible for a sinne not to baite only , but to soiourne in the holiest soule ; but though it soiourne there as a stranger , it shall not dwell there as an owner . the renewed heart after some rouings of error will once ( ere ouer-long ) returne home to it selfe , and fall out with that ill guide , wherewith it was misled , and with it selfe for being misled ; and now it is resolued into teares , and breathes forth nothing but sighes , and confessions , and deprecations . heere needed no nathan by a parabolicall circumlocution to fetch in dauid to a sight , and acknowledgement of his sin ; the heart of the penitent supplied the prophet ; no others tongue could smite him so deep as his owne thoughts ; but though his reines chastisd him in the night , yet his seer scourges him in the morning , thus saith the lord , i offer thee three things , choose thee which of them i shall doe vnto thee . but what shall we say to this ? when vpon the prophets reproofe for an adulterie cloked with murder , dauid did but say , i haue sinned , it was presently returned , god hath put away thy sinne ; neither did any smart follow , but the death of a mis-begotten infant ; and now when he voluntarily reproued himselfe for but a needlesse muster , and sought for pardon vnbidden with great humiliation , god sends him three terrible scourges , famine , sword , or pestilence ; that he may choose with which of them he had rather to bleed ▪ he shall haue the fauour of an election , not of a remission . god is more angred with a spirituall , and immediate affront offred to his maiestie , in our pride , and false confidence in earthly things , then with a fleshly crime though hainously seconded . it was an hard and wofull choice ; of three yeeres famine added to the three fore-past ; or of three moneths flight from the sword of an enemie , or three daies pestilence ; the almightie that had fore determined his iudgement , referres it to dauids will as fully , as if it were vtterly vndetermined , god hath resolued , yet dauid may choose ; that infinite wisdome hath foreseene the very will of his creature ; which whiles it freely inclines it selfe to what it had rather , vnwittingly wills that which was fore-appointed in heauen . we doe well beleeue thee , ô dauid , that thou wert in a wonderfull straite ; this very libertie is no other then fetters ▪ thou needst not haue famine , thou needst not haue the sword , thou needst not haue pestilence ; one of them thou must haue ; there is miserie in all , there is miserie in any ; thou and thy people can die but once ; and once they must die , either by famine , warre , or pestilence . oh god , how vainely doe we hope to passe ouer our sinnes with impunitie , when all the fauour that dauid and israel can receiue is to choose their bane ? yet behold , neither sinnes , nor threats , nor feares can bereaue a true penitent of his faith , let vs fall now into the hands of the lord , for his mercies are great . there can be no euill of punishment wherein god hath not an hand ; there could be no famine , no sword without him ; but some euils are more immediate from a diuine stroke ; such was that plague into which dauid is vnwillingly willing to fal , he had his choyce of dayes , moneths , yeares in the same number ; and though the shortnesse of time prefixed to the threatned pestilence might seeme to offer some aduantage for the leading of his election , yet god meant ( and dauid knew it ) herein to proportion the difference of time to the violence of the plague ; neither should any fewer perish by so few daies pestilence , then by so many yeares famine : the wealthiest might auoyd the dearth , the swiftest might run away from the sword ; no man could promise himselfe safetie from that pestilence : in likelihood gods angell would rather strike the most guiltie ; how euer therefore dauid might well looke to be in wrapped in the common destruction , yet he rather chooses to fal into that mercy which he had abused , and to suffer from that iustice which he had prouoked ; let vs now fall into the hands of the lord. humble confessions , and deuout penance cannot alwaies auert temporall iudgements ; gods angell is abroad , and within that short compasse of time sweepes away seuentie thousand israelites ; dauid was proud of the number of his subiects , now they are abated ; that he may see cause of humiliation in the matter of his glory ; in what we haue offended , wee commonly smart ; these thousands of israel were not so innocent , that they should onely perish for dauids sinne ; their sins were the motiues both of this sinne , and punishment ; besides the respect of dauids offence , they die for themselues . it was no ordinary pestilence that was thus suddenly and vniuersally mortall ; common eyes saw the botch , and the markes , saw not the angell ; dauids clearer sight hath espyed him ( after that killing peragration through the tribes of israel ) shaking his sword ouer ierusalem , and houering ouer mount sion ; and now he who doubtlesse had spent those three dismall daies in the saddest contrition , humbly casts himselfe downe at the feete of the auenger , and layes himselfe ready for the fatall stroke of iustice ; it was more terror that god intended in the visible shape of his angell , and deeper humiliation ; and what hee meant , hee wrought ; neuer soule could be more deiected , more anguished with the sense of a iudgement ; in the bitternesse whereof hee cryes out , behold i haue sinned , yea i haue done wickedly ; but these sheepe what haue they done ? let thine hand , i pray thee , be against me , and against my fathers house . the better any man is , the more sensible hee is of his owne wretchednesse ; many of those sheepe were wolues to dauid ; what had they done ? they had done that which was the occasion of dauids sinne , and the cause of their owne punishment ; but that gracious penitent knew his owne sinne , he knew not theirs ; and therefore can say , i haue sinned , what haue they done ? it is safe accusing , where we may be boldest , and are best acquainted , our selues . oh the admirable charitie of dauid , that would haue ingrossed the plague to himselfe , and his house , from the rest of israel ; and sues to interpose himselfe betwixt his people and the vengeance ; hee that had put himselfe vpon the pawes of the beare , and lion , for the rescue of his sheepe , will now cast himselfe vpon the sword of the angell , for the preseruation of israel ; there was hope in those conflicts ; in this yeeldance there could be nothing but death ; thus didst thou , o sonne of dauid , the true and great shepheard of thy church , offer thy selfe to death for them who had their hands in thy bloud ; who both procured thy death , and deserued their owne . here hee offred himselfe that had sinned , for those whom hee professeth to haue not done euill ; thou that didst no sinne , vouchsauedst to offer thy selfe for vs , that were all sinne ; he offered and escaped , thou offeredst , and diedst ; and by thy death wee liue , and are freed from euerlasting destruction . but , o father of all mercies , how little pleasure doest thou take in the bloud of sinners ? it was thine owne pitty that inhibited the destroyer ; ere dauid could see the angell , thou hadst restrayned him ; it is sufficient , hold now thine hand ; if thy compassion did not both withhold and abridge thy iudgements , what place were there for vs out of hell ? how easie and iust had it been for god to haue made the shutting vp of that third euening red with bloud ? his goodnesse repents of the slaughter ; and cals for that sacrifice wherwith he will be appeased ; an altar must bee built in the threshing-floore of araunah the iebusite ; lo , in that very hill where the angel held the sword of abraham from killing his sonne , doth god now hold the sword of the angell from killing his people ; vpon this very ground shall the temple , after , stand ; heere shall be the holy altar , which shall send vp the acceptable oblations of gods people in succeeding generations . o god , what was the threshing-floore of a iebusite to thee aboue all other soyles ? what vertue , what merit was in this earth ? as in places , so in persons , it is not to be heeded what they are , but what thou wilt ; that is worthiest which thou pleasest to accept . rich and bountifull araunah is ready to meete dauid in so holy a motion ; and munificently offers his sion for the place , his oxen for the sacrifice , his carts and ploughes , and other vtensils of his husbandry for the wood ; two franke hearts are well met ; dauid would buy , araunah would giue ; the iebusite would not sell , dauid will not take : since it was for god , and to dauid , araunah is loth to bargaine : since it was for god , dauid wisheth to pay deare , i will not offer burnt offering to the lord my god , of that which doth cost mee nothing ; heroicall spirits doe well become eminent persons ; hee that knew it was better to giue then receiue , would not receiue but giue ; there can be no deuotion in a niggardly heart ; as vnto dainty palates , so to the godly soule , that tastes sweetest that costs most ; nothing is deare enough for the creator of all things . it is an heartlesse piety of those base-minded christians , that care onely to serue god good cheape . contemplations . the seventeenth booke . adonijah defeated . dauids end and salomons beginning . the execution of ioab and shimei . salomons choice , with his iudgement vpon the two harlots . the temple . salomon with the queene of sheba . salomons defection . to my worthily mvch honovred friend sr henry mildmay knight , master of the iewell-house ; all grace and peace . sir , besides all priuate obligations , your very name challengeth from me all due seruices of loue , and honour ; if i haue receiued mercy to beare any fruit , next vnder heauen , i may thanke the stocke wherein i was ymped ; which was set by no other then the happie hand of your right honorable grandfather ; how haue i so long forborne the publique testimonie of my iust gratulations , and thankfull respects to so true an heire of his noble vertues . pardon me that i pay this debt so late ; and accept of this parcell of my well-meant labours ; wherein you shall see salomon both in his rising and setting ; his rising hopefull and glorious , his declination fearefull ; you shall see the proofes of his early graces ; of mercie , in sparing adoniiah , and abiathar ; of iustice , in punishing that riuall of his , with ioab , and shimei ; of wisdome , in his award betwixt the two harlots , and the administration of his court , and state : of pietie , in building and hallowing the temple ; all dashed in his fall , repaired in his repentance . i haue no cause to misdoubt either the acceptation , or vse of these mine hie pitched thoughts ; which , together with your selfe , and your worthy and vertuous lady , i humbly commend to the care and blessing of the hiest ; who am bound by your worth and merits to be euer your syncerely , and thankfully deuoted in all obseruance , ios : hall . contemplations . adonijah defeated . david had not so carefully husbanded his yeeres , as to maintaine a vigorous age ; he was therefore what through warres , what with sorrowes , what with sicknesse , decrepit betimes ; by that time he was seuentie yeeres old , his naturall heate was so wasted , that his clothes could not warme him ; how many haue we knowne of more strength , at more age ? the holiest soule dwells not in an inpregnable fort ; if the reuenging angell spared dauid , yet age and death will not spare him ; neither his new altar , nor his costly sacrifice can be of force against decay of nature ; nothing but death can preuent the weaknesses of age . none can blame a people if when they haue a good king , they are desirous to hold him ; dauids seruants and subiects haue commended vnto his bed a faire young virgin ; not for the heat of lust , but of life ; that by this meanes they might make an outward supplie of fuell for that vitall fire which was well-neere extinguished with age . as it is in the market , or the stage , so it is in our life ; one goes in , another comes out ; when dauid was withering , adonijah was in his blossome ; that sonne , as he was next to absalom both in the beautie of his body , and the time of his birth , so , was he too like him in practise ; he also taking aduantage of his fathers infirmitie , will be caruing himselfe of the kingdome of israel ; that he might no whit vary from his patterne , he gets him also charets and horse-men , and fiftie men to run before him : these two , absalom and adonijah were the darlings of their father ; their father had not displeased them from their childhood , therefore they both displeased him in his age ; those children had need to be very gracious , that are not marred with pampering ; it is more then god owes vs , if we receiue comfort in those children whom we haue ouer-loued ; the indulgence of parents at last paies them home in crosses . it is true that adonijah was dauids ▪ eldest sonne now remaining , and therefore might seeme to challenge the iustest title to the crowne ; but the kingdome of israel ( in so late an erection ) had not yet knowne the right of succession : god himselfe that had ordained the gouernment , was as yet the immediate elector ; he fetcht saul from among the stuffe , and dauid from the sheepfold ; and had now appointed salomon from the ferule , to the scepter . and if adonijah ( which is vnlike ) had not knowne this , yet it had beene his part to haue taken his father with him in this claime of his succession ; and not so to preuent a brother , that he should shoulder out a father ; and not so violently to preoccupate the throne , that he should rather be a rebell , then an heire . as absalom , so adonijah wants not furtherers in this vsurpation , whether spirituall , or temporall ; ioab the generall , and abiathar the priest giue both counsell , and aid to so vnseasonable a challenge ; these two had beene firme to dauid in all his troubles , in all insurrections ; yet now finding him fastned to the bed of age , and death , they shew themselues thus slipperie in the loose ; outward happinesse and friendship are not knowne till our last act . in the impotencie of either our reuenge or recompence , it will easily appeare who loued vs for our selues , who for their owne ends . had not adonijah knowne that salomon was designed to the kingdome both by god , and dauid , he had neuer inuited all the rest of the kings sonnes , his brethren , and left out salomon ; who was otherwise the most vnlikely to haue beene his riuall in this honour ; all the rest were elder then he ; and might therefore haue had more pretence for their competition : doubtlesse the court of israel could not but know , that immediately vpon the birth of salomon , god sent him by nathan the prophet , a name and message of loue ; neither was it for nothing that god called him iedidiah ; and fore-promised him the honour of building an house to his name ; and ( in returne of so glorious a seruice ) the establishment of the throne of his kingdome ouer israel for euer ; notwithstanding all which , adonijah backed by the strength of a ioab , and the grauitie of an abiathar , will vnder-worke salomon , and iustle into the not-yet-vacant seat of his father dauid . vaine men , whiles like proud and yet brittle clay , they will be knocking their sides against the solid , and eternall decree of god , break themselues in peeces . i doe not finde that adonijah sent any message of threats , or vnkindnesse to zadok the priest , or nathan the prophet , or benaiah the sonne of iehoiada , and the other worthies ; only he inuited them not to his feast with the kings sonnes , and seruants ; sometimes a very omission is an affront , and a menace . they well knew that since they were not called as guests , they were counted as enemies ; ceremonies of curtesie , though they be in themselues sleight , and arbitrarie , yet the neglect of them in some cases may vndergoe a dangerous construction . nathan was the man by whom god had sent that errand of grace to dauid , concerning salomon , assuring him both to raigne , and prosper ; yet now when adonijahs plot was thus on foot , he doth not sit still , and depend vpon the issue of gods decree , but he bestirres him in the businesse , and consults with bathsheba how at once to saue their liues , and to aduance salomon , and defeate adonijah ; gods pre-determination includes the meanes as well as the end ; the same prouidence that had ordained a crowne to salomon , a repulse to adonijah , preseruation to bathsheba and nathan , had fore-appointed the wise and industrious endeuours of the prophet to bring about his iust , and holy purposes ; if we would not haue god wanting to vs , we must not be wanting to our selues : euen when we know what god hath meant to vs , we may not be negligent . the prophets of god did not looke for reuelation in all their affaires , in some things they were left to the counsell of their owne hearts ; the policie of nathan was of vse as well as his prophecie : that alone hath turned the streame into the right channell ; nothing could be more wisely contriued then the sending in of bathsheba to dauid , with so seasonable and forceable an expostulation , and the seconding of hers with his owne . though lust were dead in dauid , yet the respects of his old matrimoniall loue liued still ; the very presence of bathsheba pleaded strongly ; but her speech more ; the time was , when his affection offended in excesse towards her being then anothers ; he cannot now neglect her being his owne ; and if either his age , or the remorse of his old offence should haue set him off ; yet she knew his oath was sure ; my lord thou swarest by the lord thy god vnto thine handmaid , saying , assuredly salomon thy sonne shall raigne after me , and he shall sit vpon my throne ; his word had beene firme , but his oath was inuiolable ; we are engaged if we haue promised , but if we haue sworne , we are bound . neither heauen nor earth hath any gieues for that man that can shake off the fetters of an oath ; for he cares not for that god whom he dares inuoke to a falshood ; and he that cares not for god , will not care for man. ere bathsheba can be ouer the threshold , nathan ( vpon compact ) is knocking at the doore . gods prophet was neuer but welcome to the bed-chamber of king dauid ; in a seemiug strangenesse he falls vpon the same suit , vpon the same complaint with bathsheba : honest policies doe not mis-become the holiest prophets ; she might seeme to speake as a woman , as a mother , out of passion ; the word of a prophet could not be misdoubted ; he therefore that had formerly brought to dauid that chiding and bloudy message concerning bathsheba , comes now to dauid , to sue for the life and honour of bathsheba , and he that was sent from god ( to dauid ) to bring the newes of a gracious promise of fauour vnto salomon , comes now to challenge the execution of it from the hands of a father ; and he whose place freed him from suspicion of a faction , complaines of the insolent demeanure and proclamation of adonijah ; what he began with an humble obeysance , shutting vp in a lowly and louing expostulation , is this thing done by my lord the king , and thou hast not shewed thy seruant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him ? as nathan was of gods counsell vnto dauid , so was he of dauids counsell both to god , and the state ; as god therefore vpon all occasions told nathan what he meant to doe with dauid , so had dauid wont to tell nathan what he meant to doe in his holy and most important ciuill affaires . there are cases wherein it is not vnfit for gods prophets to meddle with matters of state ; it is no disparagement to religious princes to impart their counsels vnto them , who can requite them with the counsels of god. that wood which a single yron could not riue , is soone splitted with a double wedge ; the seasonable importunitie of bathsheba and nathan , thus seconding each other , hath so wrought vpon dauid , that now his loue to adonijah giues place to indignation , nature to an holy fidelitie ; and now he renewes his ancient oath to bathsheba with a passionate solemnitie ; as the lord liueth , who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie , euen as i sware vnto thee by the lord god of israel , saying , assuredly salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me , and he shall sit vpon my throne in my stead ; so will i certainly doe this day ; in the decay of dauids body i finde not his intellectiue powers any whit impaired : as one therefore that from his bed could with a perfect ( if weake ) hand stere the gouernment of israel ; he giues wise and full directions for the inauguration of salomon ; zadok the priest , and nathan the prophet , and benaiah the captaine receiue his graue and princely charge for the carriage of that so weightie a businesse . they are commanded to take with them the royall gard , to set salomon vpon his fathers mule , to carry him downe in state to gihon , to anoint him with the holy oile of the tabernacle , to sound the trumpets and proclaime him in the streets , to bring him backe with triumph and magnificence to the court , and to set him in the royall throne with all the due ceremonies of coronation . how pleasing was this command to them who in salomons glorie saw their owne safetie ? benaiah applauds it , and not fearing a fathers enuie , in dauids presence wisheth salomons throne exalted aboue his ; the people are rauished with the ioy of so hopefull a succession ; and breake the earth , and fill the heauen with the noise of their musicke and shoutings . salomons guests had now at last better cheere then adonijahs ; whose feast ( as all wicked mens ) ended in horror ; no sooner are their bellies full of meat , then their eares are full of the sound of those trumpets , which at once proclaime salomons triumph , and their confusion ; euer after the meale is ended comes the reckoning ; god could as easily haue preuented this iollitie , as marred it ; but he willingly suffers vaine men to please themselues for the time in the conceited successe of their owne proiects , that afterwards their disappointment may be so much more grieuous ; no doubt , at this feast there was many an health drunke to adonijah , many a confident boast of their prospering designe , many a scorne of the despised faction of salomon ; and now for their last dish is serued vp astonishment , and fearefull expectation of a iust reuenge . ionathan , the sonne of abiathar the priest , brings the newes of salomons solemne and ioyfull enthronization ; now all hearts are cold , all faces pale ; and euery man hath but life enough to run away ; how suddenly is this brauing troupe dispersed ? adonijah their new prince flies to the hornes of the altar , as distrusting all hopes of life , saue the sanctitie of the place , and the mercie of his riuall . so doth the wise and iust god befoole proud and insolent sinners in those secret plots , wherein they hope to vndermine the true sonne of dauid , the prince of peace ; he suffers them to lay their heads together and to feast themselues in a iocund securitie , and promise of successe ; at last , when they are at the height of their ioyes , and hopes , he confounds all their deuices , and laies them open to the scorne of the world , and to the anguish of their owne guiltie hearts . dauids end , and salomons beginning . it well became salomon to begin his raigne in peace . adonijah receiues pardon vpon his good behauiour , and finds the throne of salomon , as safe as the altar . dauid liues to see a wise sonne warme in his seat , and now hee that had yeelded to succession yeelds to nature . many good counsels had dauid giuen his heire ; now hee summes them vp in his end . dying words are wont to be weightiest ; the soule when it is entring into glory breathes nothing but diuine . i goe the way of all the earth ; how well is that princely heart content to subscribe to the conditions of humane mortalitie ; as one that knew soueraigntie doth not reach to the affaires of nature ? though a king , he neither expects , nor desires an immunity from dissolution ; making not account to goe in any other then the common tracke , to the vniuersall home of mankinde , the house of age ; whither should earth but to earth ? and why should wee grudge to doe that , which all doe ? be thou strong therefore , and shew thy selfe a man , euen when his spirit was going out , he puts spirit into his sonne ; age puts life into youth , and the dying animates the vigorous . he had well found that strength was requisite to gouernment ; that he had need to be no lesse then a man that should rule ouer men ; if greatnesse should neuer receiue any opposition , yet those worlds of cares , and businesses that attend the chayre of state , are able to ouer-lay any meane powers ; a weake man may obey , none but the strong can gouerne . gracelesse courage were but the whet-stone of tyranny ; take heed therefore to the charge of the lord thy god , to walke in his wayes , and to keepe his statutes . the best legacy that dauid bequeathes to his heire , is the care of piety ; himselfe had found the sweetnesse of a good conscience , and now hee commends it to his successor . if there be any thing that in our desires of the prosperous condition of our children , takes place of goodnesse , our hearts are not vpright . here was the father a king , charging the king his sonne to keepe the statutes of the king of kings ; as one that knew greatnesse could neither exempt from obedience , nor priuiledge sinne ; as one that knew the least deuiation in the greatest and hiest orbe , is both most sensible , and most dangerous : neither would he haue his sonne to looke for any prosperity , saue onely from well-doing ; that happinesse is built vpon sands or ice , which is raised vpon any foundation besides vertue . if salomon were wise , dauid was good ; and if old salomon had well remembred the counsell of old dauid , hee had not so foulely mis-carried . after the precepts of pietie , follow those of iustice ; distributing in a due recompence , as reuenge to ioab and shimei , so fauour to the house of barzillai . the bloudinesse of ioab had lien long vpon dauids heart ; the hideous noyse of those treacherous murders , as it had pierced heauen , so it still filled the eares of dauid ; he could abhorre that villanie , though hee could not reuenge it ; what hee cannot pay , he will owe , and approue himselfe at last a faithfull debtor : now he will defray it by the hand of salomon . the slaughter was of abner , and amasa , dauid appropriates it ; thou knowest what ioab did to mee : the soueraigne is smitten in the subject ; neither is it other then iust , that the arraignement of meane malefactors runnes in the stil● of wrong to the kings crowne and dignitie : how much more doest thou , o sonne of dauid , take to thy selfe those insolencies which are done to thy poorest subiects , seruants , sonnes , members here vpon earth ? no saul can touch a christian here below , but thou feelest it in heauen , and complainest . but , what shall we thinke of this ? dauid was a man of war , salomon a king of peace ; yet dauid referres this reuenge to salomon , how iust it was that he who shed the bloud of warre in peace , and put the bloud of war vpon his girdle that was about his loynes , should haue his bloud shed in peace , by a prince of peace ; peace is fittest to rectifie the out-rages of warre ; or whether is not this done in type of that diuine administration , wherein thou , o father of heauen , hast committed all iudgement vnto thine eternall sonne ? thou who couldst immediately either plague , or absolue sinners , wilt doe neither but by the hand of a mediator . salomon learned betimes what his ripenesse taught afterwards , take away the wicked from the king , and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse ; cruell ioab , and malicious shimei , must be therefore vpon the first opportunity remoued ; the one lay open to present iustice , for abetting the conspiracy of adonijah ; neither needes the helpe of time for a new aduantage ; the other went vnder the protection of an oath from dauid , and therefore must be fetcht in vpon a new challenge . the hoare head of both must be brought to the graue with bloud ; else dauids head could not be brought to his graue in peace ; due punishment of malefactors is the debt of authoritie ; if that holy king haue run into arerages ; yet as one that hates and feares to breake the banke , he giues order to his pay-master ; it shall be defraid , if not by him , yet for him . generous natures cannot be vnthankfull : barzillai had shewed dauid some kindnesse in his extremitie ; and now the good man will haue posteritie to inherit the thankes . how much more bountifull is the father of mercies , in the remuneration of our poore vnworthy seruices ? euen successions of generations shall fare the better for one good parent . the dying words and thoughts of the man after gods owne heart did not confine themselues to the straites of these particular charges , but inlarged themselues to the care of gods publique seruice ; as good men are best at last , dauid did neuer so busily , and carefully marshall the affaires of god , as when he was fixed to the bed of his age and death . then did he lode his sonne salomon with the charge of building the house of god ; then did he lay before the eies of his sonne the modell and patterne of that whole sacred worke whereof if salomon beare the name , yet dauid no lesse merits it : he now giues the platforme of the courts , and buildings ; he giues the gold and siluer for that holy vse ; an hundred thousand talents of gold , a thousand thousand talents of siluer ; besides brasse and yron passing weight ; he weighes out those precious mettalls for their seuerall designements ; euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise , if not in his forme ; he excites the princes of israel to their assistance , in so high a worke ; he takes notice of their bountifull offerings ; he numbers vp the leuites for the publique seruice ; and sets them their taskes . he appoints the singers , and other musitians to their stations ; the porters to the gates that should be ; and now when he hath set all things in a desired order , and forwardnesse , he shuts vp with a zealous blessing of his salomon , and his people , and sleepe with his fathers . oh blessed soule , how quiet a possession hast thou now taken ( after so many tumults ) of a better crowne ! thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy god , how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his , not made with hands , eternall in the heauens ! who now shall enuie vnto good princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of god , and his church ; when dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions ? what feare can be of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent ? now is salomon the second time crowned king of israel ; and now in his owne right ( as formerly in his fathers ) sits peaceably vpon the throne of the lord ; his awe and power come on faster then his yeeres ; enuie and ambition where it is once kindled , may sooner be hid in the ashes , then quite put out ; adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes ; he remembers how sweet he found the name of a king ; and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title ; he would make the bed a step to the throne ; his old complices are sure enough ; his part would gather much strength , if he might inioy abishag the relict of his father , to wife ; if it were not the iewish fashion ( as is pretended ) that a kings widow should mary none but a king ; yet certainly the power both of the alliance , and friendship of a queene must needs not a little aduance his purpose ; the craftie riuall dare not either moue the suit to salomon , or effect the mariage without him ; but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother , whose suit had vndermined him . the weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill . bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine , yet she saw not the depth of this drift of adonijah ; therefore she both entertaines the suit , and moues it : but what euer were the intent of the suitor , could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match ? it is not long since she saw her late husband dauid abominating the bed of those his concubines , that had beene touched by his sonne absalom ; and can she hold it lawfull that his son adonijah should climbe vp to the bed of his fathers wife ? sometimes euen the best eies are dimme , and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights : or whether did not bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit , and yet in compassion of adonijahs late repulse ( wherein she was the chiefe agent ) and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the kingdome , she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him . it is an iniurious weaknesse to be drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faultie suits , of vnlawfull actions . no sooner doth bathsheba come in place , then salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of state and meets her and bowes to her , and sets her on his right hand ; as not so remembring himselfe to be a king , that he should forget he was a sonne . no outward dignitie can take away the rights and obligations of nature ; had bathsheba beene as meane , as salomon was mightie , she had carried away this honour from a gracious sonne : yet for all these due complements , bathsheba goes away with a deniall , reuerence she shall haue , she shall not haue a condescent . in the acts of magistracie , all regards of naturall relations must giue way ; that which she propounded as a small request , is now , after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable . it were pittie we should be heard in all our suits . bathsheba makes a petition against her selfe , and knowes it not ; her safetie and life depends vpon salomons raigne , yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of adonijah . salomon was too dutifull to checke his mother , and too wise to yeeld to her : in vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled . thus doth our god many times answer our praiers with mercifull denials and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires . wise salomon doth not finde himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise ; he that had said aske on , for i will not say thee nay , can now sweare , god doe so to me , and more also , if adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life ▪ his promise was according to his supposition ; his supposition was of no other then of a suit , honest , reasonable , expedient ; now he holds himselfe free from that grant , wherein there was at once both sinne and danger . no man can be intangled with generall words against his own iust and honest intentions . the policies of wicked men befoole them at last ; this intercession hath vndone adonijah , and in stead of the throne , hastens his graue : the sword of benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riualitie . ioab and abiatbar still held champerty with adonijah ; their hand was both in his claime of the kingdome , and in the suit for abishag ; there are crimes wherein there are no accessories , such is this of treason . abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues ; had he not borne the arke of the lord before dauid , he had not now carried his head vpon his shoulders ; had he not beene afflicted with dauid , he had perished with adonijah ; now though he were , in his owne merit , a man of death , yet he shall furuiue his partners , get thee to anathoth vnto thine owne fields ; the priesthood of abiathar , as it aggrauated his crime , so it shall preserue his life : such honour haue good princes giuen to the ministers of the sanctuarie , that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice ; how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons ? besides his function , respect is had to his sufferings ; the father and brethren of abiathar were slaine for dauids sake , therefore for dauids sake abiathar ( though worthy of death ) shall liue ; he had beene now a dead man , if he had not beene formerly afflicted ; thus doth our good god deale with vs ; by the rod he preuents the sword ; and therefore will not condemne vs for our sinnes , because we haue suffered . if abiathar doe not forfait his life , yet his office he shall ; he must change ierusalem for anathoth , and the priesthood for a retired priuacie . it was fourescore yeeres agoe since the sentence of iudgement was denounced against the house of eli ; now doth it come to execution ; this iust quarrell against abiathar ( the last of that line ) shall make good the threatned iudgement ; the wickednesse of elies house was neither purged by sacrifice , nor obliterated by time : if god pay slowly , yet he paies sure ; delay of most certaine punishment is neither any hindrance to his iustice , nor any comfort to our miseries . the execution of joab , and shimei . abiathar shall liue though he serue not ; it is in the power of princes to remit ( at least ) those punishments which attend the breach of humane lawes ; good reason they should haue power to dispence with the wrongs done to their owne persons ; the newes of adonijahs death , and abiathars remouall cannot but affright ioab ; who now runnes to gibeon , and takes sanctuary in the tabernacle of god ; all his hope of defence is in the hornes of the altar ; fond ioab hadst thou formerly sought for counsell from the tabernacle , thou hadst not now needed to seeke to it for refuge ; if thy deuotions had not beene wanting to that altar , thou had'st not needed it for a shelter : it is the fashion of our foolish presumption to looke for protection , where we haue not cared to yeeld obedience . euen a ioab clings fast to gods altar in his extremity ; which in his ruffe and welfare hee regarded not ; the worst men would be glad to make vse of gods ordinances , for their aduantage ; necessitie will driue the most profane and lawlesse man to god ; but what do those bloudie hands touching the holy altar of god ? miserable ioab , what helpe canst thou expect from that sacred pile ? those hornes that were besprinkled with the bloud of beasts , abhorre to be touched by the bloud of men ; that altar was for the expiation of sinne by bloud ; not for the protection of the sin of bloud . if adonijah fled thither and escaped , it is murder that pursues thee more then conspiracie ; god hath no sanctuary for a wilfull homicide . yet such respect doth benaiah giue to that holy place , that his sword is vnwilling to touch him that touches the altar : those hornes shall put off death for the time ; and giue protraction of the execution , though not preseruation of life ; how sweet is life euen to those who haue beene prodigall of the bloud of others ? that ioab shifts thus to hold it but some few houres ? benaiah returnes with ioabs answer , in stead of his head ; nay , but i will die here ; as not daring to vnsheath his sword against a man sheltered in gods tabernacle , without a new commission . yong salomon is so well acquainted with the law of god , in such a case , that he sticks not at the sentence : hee knew that god had enacted , if a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour , to slay him with guile , thou shalt take him from mine altar , that hee may die : he knew ioabs murders had not beene more presumptuous , then guilefull , and therefore he sends benaiah to take away the offender , both from god , and men , from the altar , and the world . no subiect had merited more then ioab ; when proclamation was made in israel , that who euer should smite the iebusites first , he should be the chiefe and captaine ; ioab was the man ; when dauid built some part of ierusalem , ioab built the rest ; so as ierusalem owes it selfe to ioab , both for recouery , and reparation ; no man held so close to dauid ; no man was more intent to the weale of israel , none so succesfull in victories ; yet now is he cald to reckon for his old sinnes , and must repay bloud to amasa , and abner : it is not in the power of all our deserts to buy off one sinne , either with god , or man : where life is so deeply forfaited , it admits of no redemption . the honest simplicity of those times knew not of any infamy in the execution of iustice . benaiah , who was the great marshall vnder salomon , thinkes not his fingers defiled with that fatall stroke . it is a foolish nicenesse to put more shame in the doing of iustice , then in the violating of it . in one act salomon hath approued himselfe both a good magistrate , and a good sonne ; fulfilling at once the will of a father , and the charge of god ; concluding vpon this iust execution , that , vpon dauid , and vpon his seed , and vpon his house , and vpon his throne there shall be peace for euer from the lord ; and inferring , that without this there could haue beene no peace . bloud is a restlesse suitor , and will not leaue clamoring for iudgement , till the mouth be stopped with reuenge . in this case fauour to the offender , is cruelty to the fauourer . now hath ioab paid all his arerages by the sword of benaiah ; there is no suit against his corps ; that hath the honor of a buriall fit for a peere of israel , for the neere cozen to the king. death puts an end to all quarrels ; salomon strikes off the skore , when god is satisfied ; the reuenge that suruiues death and will not be shut vp in the coffin , is barbarous , and vnbeseeming true israelites . onely shimei remaines vpon the file ; his course is next , yet so , as that it shall be in his owne liberty to hasten his end ; vpon dauids remission , shimei dwels securely in bahurim , a towne of the tribe of beniamin ; doubtlesse , when he saw so round iustice done vpon adonijah , and ioab , his guiltie heart could not thinke salomon message portended ought but his execution ; and now he cannot but be well pleased with so easie conditions , of dwelling at ierusalem , and not passing ouer the brooke kidron ; what more delightfull place could he choose to liue in , then that citie , which was the glorie of the whole earth ? what more pleasing bounds could he wish then the sweet bankes of kidron ? ierusalem could be no prison to him , whiles it was a paradise to his betters ; and if he had a desire to take fresh aire , he had the space of six furlongs to walke from the citie to the brooke ; he could not complaine to be so delectably confined ; and besides , thrice euery yeere he might be sure to see all his friends without stirring his foot . wise salomon whiles he cared to seeme not too seuere an exactor of that , which his father had remitted ; prudently laies insensible twigs for so foule an offender ; besides the old grudge , no doubt salomon saw cause to suspect the fidelitie of shimei ; as a man who was euer knowne to be hollow to the house of dauid ; the obscuritie of a countrie life would easily afford him more safe oportunities of secret mischiefe ; many eies shall watch him in the citie ; he cannot looke out vnseene , he cannot whisper , vnheard : vpon no other termes shall he inioy his life , which the least straying shall forfait . shimei feeles no paine in this restraint ; how many nobles of israel doe that for pleasure , which he doth vpon command ? three yeeres hath he liued within compasse ; limited both by salomons charge and his owne oath ; it was still in his power ( notwithstanding dauids caueat ) to haue laid downe his hoare-head in the graue , without bloud ; the iust god infatuates those whom he meanes to plague ; two of shimeies seruants are fled to gath ; and now he saddles his asse and is gone to fetch them backe ; either ( he thinkes ) this word of salomon is forgotten , or in the multitude of greater affaires , not heeded ; or this so small an occurrence will not come to his eare : couetousnesse and presumption of impunitie are the destruction of many a soule ; shimei seekes his seruants , and loses himselfe ; how many are there who crie out of this folly , and yet imitate it ; these earthly things either are our seruants , or should be ; how commonly doe we see men run out of the bounds , set by gods law , to hunt after them , till their soules incurre a fearefull iudgement ? princes haue thousands of eies , and eares ; if shimei will for more secrecie saddle his owne asse , and take ( as is like ) the benefit of night , for his passage ; his iourney cannot be hid from salomon ; how warie had those men need to be which are obnoxious ? without delay is shimei complained of , conuented , charged with violation both of the oath of god , and the iniunction of salomon ; and that all these might appeare to be but an occasion of that punishment , whose cause was more remote , now is all that old venome laid before him , which his malice had long since spit at gods anointed : thou knowst all the wickednesse , whereto thine heart is priuie , that thou didst to dauid my father . had this old tallie beene striken off ; yet could not shimei haue pleaded ought for his life ; for , had he said ; let not my lord the king be thus mortally displeased for so small an offence : who euer died for passing ouer kidron ? what man is the worse for my harmlesse iourney ? it had soone beene returned , if the act be small , yet the circumstances are deadly ; the commands of soueraigne authoritie make the sleightest duties weightie ; if the iourney be harmlesse , yet not the disobedience ; it is not for subiects to poyse the princes charge in the scales of their weake constructions ; but they must suppose it euer to be of such importance , as is pretended by the commander . besides the precept , here was a mutuall adiuration ; shimei swore not to goe , salomon swore his death if he went ; the one oath must be reuenged , the other must be kept : if shimei were false in offending ; salomon will be iust in punishing . now therefore , that which abishai the sonne of zeruiah wished to haue done in the greenenesse of the wound , and was repelled ; after long festering benaiah is commanded to doe , the stones that shimei threw at dauid , strucke not so deepe , as benaiahs sword ; the tongue that cursed the lords anointed hath paid the head to boot . vengeance against rebells may sleepe , it cannot die ; a sure , if late , iudgement attends those that dare lift vp either their hand , or tongue against the sacred persons of gods vice-gerents . how much lesse will the god of heauen suffer vnreuenged the insolencies , and blasphemies against his owne diuine maiestie ? it is a fearefull word , he should not be iust , if he should hold these guiltlesse . salomons choyce , with his iudgement vpon the two harlots . after so many messages and proofes of grace , salomon begins doubtfully , both for his match , and for his deuotion : if pharaohs daughter were not a proselyte , his early choice was ( besides vnwarrantable ) dangerous : the hie places not only stood , but were frequented , both by the people , and king ; i doe not finde dauid climbing vp those mis-hallowed hills , in an affectation of the varietie of altars ; salomon doth so , and yet loues the lord , and is loued of god againe : such is the mercy of our god , that he will not suffer our well-meant weaknesses to bereaue vs of his fauours : he rather pitties , then plagues vs for the infirmities of vpright hearts . gibeon was well worthy to be the chiefe , yea the only hie-place ; there was the allowed altar of god , there was the tabernacle , though ( as then ) seuered from the arke ; thither did young salomon goe vp ; and , as desiring to begin his raigne with god , there he offers no lesse then a thousand sacrifices . salomon worships god by day ; god appeares to salomon by night ; well may we looke to enioy god , when we haue serued him ; the night cannot but be happie whose day hath beene holy . it was no vnusuall course with god to reueale himselfe vnto his seruants by dreames ; so did he here to salomon ; who saw more with his eies shut , then euer they could see open , euen him that was inuisible : the good king had offered vnto god a thousand burnt-sacrifices , and now god offreth him his option , aske what i shall giue thee : he whose the beasts are on a thousand mountaines graciously accepts a small returne of his owne . it stands not with the munificence of a bountifull god to be indebted to his creature , we cannot giue him ought vnrecompensed ; there is no way wherein we can be so liberall to our selues , as by giuing to the possessor of all things . and art thou still , ô god , lesse free vnto vs thy meaner seruants vnder the gospell ? hast thou not said , whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name , it shall be giuen you ? only giue vs grace not to be wanting vnto thee , and we know thou canst not suffer any thing to be wanting vnto vs. the night followes the temper of the day ; and the heart so vseth to sleepe , as it wakes : had not the thoughts of salomon bin intent vpon wisdome by day , he had not made it his suit in his dreame : there needs no leisure of deliberation ; the heart was so fore-stalled with the loue , and admiration of wisdome , that not abiding the least motion of a competition , it fastens on that grace it had longed for ; giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding hart , to iudge thy people . had not salomon beene wise before , hee had not knowne the worth of wisdome , he had not preferred it in his desires ; the dung-hill cocks of the world cannot know the price of this pearle ; those that haue it , know that all other excellencies are but trash , and rubbish vnto it . salomon was a great king , and saw that he had power enough , but withall , he found that royalty , without wisdome , was no other then eminent dishonour ; there is no trade of life whereto there belongs not a peculiar wisdome ; without which there is nothing but a tedious vnprofitablenesse : much more to the hiest , and busiest vocation , the regiment of men ; as god hath no reason to giue his best fauours vnasked ; so hath he no will to withhold them where they are asked . he that in his cradle had the title of beloued of god , is now beloued more in the throne for the loue and desire of wisdome ; this soyle could neuer haue borne this fruit alone ; salomon could not so much as haue dreamed of wisdome , if god had not put it into him ; and now god takes the suit so well , as if hee were beholden to his creature for wishing the best to it selfe : and because salomon hath asked what he should , hee shall now receiue both what he asked , and what he asked not : riches and honor shall be giuen him in to the match . so doth god loue a good choyse , that hee recompences it with ouer-giuing ; could wee but first seeke the kingdome of god , and his righteousnes , all these earthly things should be super-added to vs ; had salomon made wealth his boone , hee had failed both of riches and wisdome ; now hee askes the best , and speeds of all ; they are in a faire way of happinesse that can pray well ; it was no dis-comfort to salomon , that he awaked and found it a dreame ; for hee knew this dreame was diuine , and oracular ; and he already found in his first waking , the reall performance of what was promised him sleeping : such illumination did he sensibly finde in all the roomes of his heart , as if god had now giuen him a new soule : no maruell if salomon now returning from the tabernacle to the arke , testified his ioy and thankfulnesse by burnt-offerings , and peace-offerings , and publique feastings ; the heart that hath found in it selfe the liuely testimonies of gods presence , and fauour , cannot containe it selfe from outward expressions . god likes not to haue his gifts lie dead where he hath confer'd them ; israel shall soone witnesse that they haue a king inlightened from heauen ; in whom wisdome did not stay for heires ; did not admit of any parallel in his predecessors ; the all-wise god wil find occasions to draw forth those graces to vse , and light , which he hath bestowed on man. two harlots come before young salomon with a difficult plea ; it is not like the princes eare was the first that heard this complaint ; there was a subordinate course of iustice for the determination of these meaner incidences : the hardnes of this decision brought the matter , through all the benches of inferiour iudicature , to the tribunall of salomon ; the very israelitish harlots were not so vnnaturall as some now adayes that counterfait honesty ; these striue for the fruit of their wombe , ours to put them off ; one sonne is yet aliue , two mothers contend for him . the children were alike for features , for age ; the mothers were alike for reputation , here can be no euidence from others eyes ; whethers now is the liuing childe , and whethers is the dead ? had salomon gone about to wring forth the truth by tortures , he had perhaps plagued the innocent , and added paine to the misery of her losse ; the weaker had beene guilty , and the more able to beare , had carried away both the childe , and the victory : the countenance of either of the mothers bewraied an equality of passion ; sorrow possessed the one , for the sonne shee had lost ; and the other , for the sonne shee was in danger to leese : both were equally peremptory , and importunate in their claime ; it is in vaine to think that the true part can be discerned by the vehemence of their challenge ; falshood is oft-times more clamorous then truth ; no witnesses can be produced ; they two dwelt apart vnder one roofe ; and if some neighbours haue seene the children at their birth , and circumcision ; yet how little difference , how much change is there in the fauour of infants ? how doth death alter more confirmed lines ? the impossibility of proofe makes the guilty more confident , more impudent ; the true mother pleads that her childe was taken away at midnight by the other ; but in her sleepe ; she saw it not , she felt it not ; and if all her senses could haue witnessed it , yet , here was but the affirmation of the one , against the deniall of the other , which in persons alike credible doe but counterpoise . what is there now to leade the iudge , since there is nothing either in the act , or circumstances , or persons , or plea , or euidence that might sway the sentence ? salomon well saw that when all outward proofes failed , there was an inward affection , which if it could be fetcht out , would certainly bewray the true mother ; he knew sorrow might more easily be dissembled then naturall loue ; both sorrowed for their owne ; both could not loue , one , as theirs ; to draw forth then this true proofe of motherhood , salomon calls for a sword ; doubtlesse , some of the wiser hearers smiled vpon each other ; and thought in themselues , what , will the young king cut these knottie causes in peeces ? will he diuide iustice with edge-tooles ? will he smite at hazard before conuiction ? the actions of wise princes are riddles to vulgar constructions ; neither is it for the shallow capacities of the multitude to fadome the deepe proiects of soueraigne authority : that sword which had serued for execution , shall now serue for triall ; diuide ye the liuing childe in twaine , and giue the one halfe to the one , and the other halfe to the other ; oh diuine oracle of iustice , commanding that which it would not haue done , that it might finde out that which could not be discouered ; neither god , nor his deputies may be so taken at their words , as if they alwaies intended their commands for action , and not sometimes for probation . this sword hath alreadie pierced the brest of the true mother ; and diuided her heart with feare , and griefe , at so killing a sentence ; there needs no other racke to discouer nature ; and now she thinkes , woe is me that came for iustice , and am answered with crueltie ; diuide yee the liuing childe ? alas , what hath that poore infant offended that it suruiues , and is sued for ? how much lesse miserable had i beene , that my childe had beene smothered in my sleepe , then mangled before mine eies ? if a dead carcasse could haue satisfied me , i needed not to haue complained ; what a wofull condition am i falne into , who am accused to haue beene the death of my supposed child already , and now shall be the death of my owne ? if there were no losse of my childe , yet how can i indure this torment of mine owne bowels ? how can i liue to see this part of my selfe sprawling vnder that bloudie sword ? and whiles she thinkes thus , she sues to that suspected mercie of her iust iudge , oh my lord , giue her the liuing childe , and slaie him not : as thinking , if he liue , he shall but change a mother ; if he die , his mother loseth a sonne ; whiles he liues , it shall be my comfort that i haue a sonne , though i may not call him so ; dying , he perisheth to both ; it is better he should liue to a wrong mother , then to neither : contrarily , her enuious competitor as holding her selfe well satisfied that her neighbour should be as childlesse , as her selfe , can say , let it be neither mine , nor thine , but diuide it ; well might salomon , and euery hearer conclude , that either she was no mother , or a monster , that could be content with the murder of her childe ; and that if she could haue beene the true mother , and yet haue desired the bloud of her infant , she had beene as worthy to be stript of her childe for so foule vnnaturalnesse , as the other had beene worthy to inioy him for her honest compassion . not more iustly then wisely therefore doth salomon trace the true mother by the footsteps of loue , and pittie ; and adiudgeth the childe to those bowels that had yearned at his danger . euen in moralitie it is thus also ; truth as it is one , so it loues intirenesse ; falshood , diuision : satan that hath no right to the heart , would be content with a peece of it ; god that made it all , will haue either the whole , or none ; the erroneous church striues with the true , for the liuing childe of sauing doctrine ; each claimes it for her owne ; heresie conscious of her owne iniustice , could be content to goe away with a legge , or an arme of sound principles , as hoping to make vp the rest with her owne mixtures ; truth cannot abide to part with a ioynt ; and will rather indure to leese all by violence , then a peece through a willing conniuencie . the temple . it is a weake and iniurious censure that taxeth salomons slacknesse in founding the house of god ; great bodies must haue but slow motions ; he was wise that said , the matters must be all prepared without , ere we build within ; and if dauid haue laid readie a great part of the mettals and timber ; yet many a tree must be felled and squared , and many a stone hewne and polished , ere this foundation could be laid ; neither could those large cedars be cut , sawne , seasoned in one yeere ; foure yeeres are soone gone in so vast a preparation : dauid had not beene so intire a friend to hiram , if hiram had not beene a friend to god ; salomons wisdome hath taught him to make vse of so good a neighbour , of a fathers friend ; he knowes that the tyrians skill was not giuen them for nothing ; not iewes onely , but gentiles must haue their hand in building the temple of god ; onely iewes medled with the tabernacle , but the temple is not built without the aide of gentiles ; they , together with vs , make vp the church of god. euen pagans haue their arts from heauen ; how iustly may we improue their graces to the seruice of the god of heauen ; if there be a tyrian that can worke more curiously in gold , in siluer , in brasse , in yron , in purple , and blew silke , then an israelite , why should not he be imployed about the temple ? their heathenisme is their own ; their skill is their makers ; many a one workes for the church of god , that yet hath no part in it . salomon rayses a tribute for the work ; not of mony , but of men : thirty thousand israelites are leuied for this seruice ; yet not continuedly , but with intermission ; their labour is more generous , and lesse pressing ; it is enough if they keepe their courses one moneth in lebanon , two at home ; so as euer ten thousand worke , whiles twenty thousand breathe . so fauourable is god to his creature , that he requires vs not to be ouertoyled in the works of his own seruice . due respirations are requisite in the holiest acts . the maine stresse of the worke lies vpon proselytes ; whose both number , and paines was herein more then the natiues : an hundred and fifty thousand of them are imployed in bearing burdens , in hewing stones ; besides their three thousand , three hundred ouer-seers ; now were the despised gibeonites of good vse , and in vain doth israel wish that the zeale of saul had not robbed them of so seruiceable drudges . there is no man so meane but may be some way vsefull to the house of god ; those that cannot worke in gold , and siluer , and silke , yet may cut and hewe ; and those that can doe neither , yet may carry burdens ; euen the seruices that are more homely , are not lesse necessarie : who can dis-hearten himselfe in the conscience of his owne insufficiency , when he sees god can as well serue himselfe of his labour , as of his skill . the temple is framed in lebanon , and set vp in sion ; neither hammer nor axe was heard in that holy structure ; there was nothing but noyse in lebanon , nothing in sion but silence and peace ; what euer tumults are abroad , it is fit there should be all quietnesse & sweet concord in the church ; oh god , that the axes of schisme , or the hammers of furious contentions should be heard within thy sanctuary ! thine house is not built with blowes , with blowes it is beaten downe : oh knit the hearts of thy seruants together in the vnity of the spirit , and the bond of peace ; that we may minde and speake the same things , that thou who art the god of peace , maist take pleasure to dwell vnder the quiet roofe of our hearts . now is the foundation laid , and the wals rising of that glorious fabricke , which all nations admired , and all times haue celebrated ; euen those stones which were laid in the base of the building were not ragged and rude , but hewne and costly ; the part that lyes couered with earth from the eyes of all beholders , is no lesse precious , then those that are most conspicuous : god is not all for the eye , hee pleaseth himselfe with the hidden value of the liuing stones of his spirituall temple ; how many noble graces of his feruants haue beene buried in obscurity ; not discerned so much as by their owne eyes ? which yet as he gaue , so he crowneth : hypocrites regard nothing but shew ; god nothing but truth . the matter of so goodly a frame striues with the proportion , whether shall more excell ; here was nothing but white marble without ; nothing but cedar and gold within ; vpon the hill of sion stands that glittering and snowy pile , which both inuiteth and dazeleth the eyes of passengers a farre off ; so much more precious within , as cedar is better then stone , gold then cedar ; no base thing goes to the making vp of gods house ; if satan may haue a dwelling , he cares not though he patch it vp of the rubbish of stone , or rotten sticks , or drosse of mettals ; god will admit of nothing that is not pure and exquisite ; his church consists of none but the faithfull , his habitation is in no heart but the gracious . the fashion was no other then that of the tabernacle ; only this was more costly , more large , more fixed ; god was the same that dwelt in both , hee varied not , the same mystery was in both ; onely it was fit there should be a proportion betwixt the worke and the builder ; the tabernacle was erected in a popular estate , the temple in a monarchy ; it was fit this should fauour of the munificence of a king , as that of the zeale of a multitude ; that was erected in the flitting condition of israel in the desert ; this , in their setled residence in the promised land ; it was fit therefore that should be framed for motion , this for rest . both of them were distinguished into three remarkable diuisions , whereof each was more noble , more reserued then other . but what doe we bend our eies vpon stone , and wood , and mettals ? god would neuer haue taken pleasure in these dead materials for their owne sakes , if they had not had a further intendment : me thinkes i see foure temples in this one . it is but one in matter , as the god that dwels in it is but one ; three yet more in resemblance : according to the diuision of them in whom it pleases god to inhabite ; for where euer god dwels , there is his temple ; oh god , thou vouchsafest to dwell in the beleeuing heart : as we thy sillie creatures haue our being in thee , so thou the creator of heauen and earth hast thy dwelling in vs. the heauen of heauens is not able to containe thee , and yet thou disdainest not to dwell in the strait lodgings of our renewed soule . so then , because gods children are many , and those many diuided in respect of themselues , though vnited in their head , therefore this temple which is but one in collection as god is one , is manifold in the distribution , as the saints are many ; each man bearing about him a little shrine of this infinite maiestie ; and for that the most generall diuision of the saints is in their place and estate ; some strugling , and toyling in this earthly warfare , others triumphing in heauenly glorie , therefore hath god two other , more vniuersall temples ; one the church of his saints on earth , the other , the hiest heauen of his saints glorified . in all these , ô god , thou dwellest for euer , and this materiall house of thine is a cleere representation of these three spirituall ; else what were a temple made with hands vnto the god of spirits ? and tho one of these was a true type of all , yet how are they all exceeded each by other ? this of stone , though most rich and costly , yet what is it to the liuing temple of the holy ghost , which is our body ? what is the temple of this body of ours , to the temple of christs body which is his church ? and what is the temple of gods church on earth , to that which triumpheth gloriously in heauen ? how easily doe we see all these in this one visible temple ? which as it had three distinctions of roomes ; the porch , the holy-place , the holy of holies ; so is each of them answered spiritually ; in the porch we finde the regenerate soule entring into the blessed societic of the church ; in the holy place , the communion of the true visible church on earth , selected from the world ; in the holy of holies ( whereinto the hie-priest entred once a yeere ) the glorious heauen , into which our true hie-priest , christ iesus , entred once for all to make an attonement betwixt god , and man. in all these what a meet correspondence there is both in proportion , matter , situation ? in proportion ; the same rule that skilfull caruers obserue in the dutting out of the perfect statue of a man , that the height be thrice the breadth , and the breadth one third of the height , was likewise dulie obserued in the fabrike of the temple ; whose length was double to the height , and treble to the breadth ; as being sixtie cubits long , thirtie hie , and twentie broad ; how exquisite a symmetrie hast thou ordained ( ô god ) betwixt the faithfull heart , and thy church on earth , with that in heauen ; how accurate in each of these , in all their powers and parts compared with other ; so hath god ordered the beleeuing soule that it hath neither too much shortnesse of grace , nor too much height of conceit , nor too much breadth of passion ; so hath he ordered his visible church , that there is a necessarie inequalitie , without any disproportion ; an height of gouernment , a length of extent , a breadth of iurisdiction duly answerable to each other ; so hath he ordered his triumphant church aboue , that it hath a length of eternitie , answered with an height of perfection , and a breadth of incomprehensible glorie . in matter ; all was here of the best ; the wood was precious , sweet , lasting ; the stone beautifull , costly , insensible of age ; the gold pure and glittering ; so are the graces of gods children , excellent in their nature ▪ deare in their acceptation , eternall in their vse : so are the ordinances of god in his church , holy , comfortable , irrefragable . so is the perfection of his glorified saints incomparable , vnconceiuable . in situation ; the outer parts were here more common , the inner more holy , and peculiarly reserued : i finde one court of the temple open to the vncleane , to the vncircumcised ; within that ; another open only to the israelites , and of them , to the cleane ; within that , yet another , proper only to the priests and leuites ; where was the brazen altar for sacrifice , and the brazen sea for washings ; the eies of the laitie might follow their oblations in hither , their feet might not . yet more , in the couered roomes of the temple , there is , whither the priests only may enter , not the leuites ; there is , whither the hie-priest only may enter , not his brethren . it is thus in euery renewed man , the indiuiduall temple of god ; the outward parts are allowed common to god and the world ; the inwardest and secretest , which is the heart , is reserued only for the god that made it . it is thus in the church visible , the false and foule-hearted hypocrite hath accesse to the holy ordinances of god , and treads in his courts ; only the true christian hath intire and priuate conuersation with the holy one of israel . he only is admitted into the holy of holies , and enters within the glorious vaile of heauen . if from the walls we looke vnto the furniture ; what is the altar whereon our sacrifices of praier and praises are offered to the almightie but a contrite heart ? what the golden candlesticks , but the illumined vnderstanding , wherein the light of the knowledge of god , and his diuine will shineth for euer ? what the tables of shew-bread , but the sanctified memorie , which keepeth the bread of life continually ? yea , if we shall presume so farre as to enter into the very closet of gods oracle ; euen there , ô god , doe we finde our vnworthy hearts so honoured by thee , that they are made thy very arke , wherein thy royall law , and the pot of thine heauenly manna is kept for euer ; and from whose propitiatorie , shaded with the wings of thy glorious angels , thou giuest the gratious testimonies of thy good spirit , witnessing with ours , that we are the children of thee the liuing god. behold , if salomon built a temple vnto thee , thou hast built a temple vnto thy selfe in vs ; we are not only through thy grace liuing stones in thy temple , but liuing temples in thy sion : oh doe thou euer dwell in this thine house ; and in this thy house let vs euer serue thee : wherefore else hast thou a temple , but for thy presence with vs , and for our worshipping of thee ? the time was , when , as thy people , so thy selfe ; didst lodge in flitting tents , euer shifting , euer mouing ; thence thou thoughtest best to soiourne both in shilo ; and the roofe of obed-edom ; after that , thou condescendedst to settle thine abode with men , and wouldst dwell in an house of thine owne , at thy ierusalem . so didst thou in the beginning lodge with our first parents as in a tent ; soiourne with israel vnder the law ; and now makest a constant residence vnder the gospell , in the hearts of thy chosen children ; from whence thou wilt remoue no more ; they shall remoue from the world , from themselues , thou shalt not remoue from them . wheresoeuer thou art , ô god , thou art worthie of adoration ; since thou euer wilt dwell in vs , be thou euer worshipped in vs ; let the altars of our cleane hearts send vp euer to thee the sweetly-perfumed smokes of our holy meditations , and faithfull praiers , and cheerefull thanks-giuings ; let the pure lights of our faith , and godly conuersation shine euer before thee , and men , and neuer be put out ; let the bread of life stand euer readie vpon the pure , and precious tables of our hearts . locke vp thy law , and thy manna within vs ; and speake comfortably to vs from thy mercie-seat . suffer nothing to enter in hither that is vncleane ; sanctifie vs vnto thy selfe , and be thou sanctified in vs. salomon , and the queene of sheba . god hath no vse of the darke lanternes of secret , and reserued perfections ; we our selues doe not light vp candles to put them vnder bushels . the great lights whether of heauen , or earth are not intended to obscuritie ; but as to giue light vnto others , so to be seene themselues ; dan and beersheba were too strait bounds for the fame of salomon ; which now hath flowne ouer all lands and seas , and raised the world to an admiration of his more then humane wisdome . euen so , ô thou euerlasting king of peace , thy name is great among the gentiles ; there is no speech , nor language , where the report of thee is not heard ; the sound of thee is gone forth through all the earth ; thy name is an ointment powred out , therefore the virgins loue thee . no doubt many from all coasts came to learne and wonder ; none with so much note as this noble daughter of cham : who her selfe deserues the next wonder to him whom she came to heare , and admire ; that a woman , a princesse , a rich and great queene , should trauell from the remotest south , from saba , a region famous for the greatest delicacies of nature , to learne wisdome , is a matchlesse example . we know merchants that venture to either indies for wealth ; others we know daily to crosse the seas for wanton curiositie ; some few philosophers we haue knowne to haue gone farre for learning , and amongst princes it is no vnusuall thing to send their embassadors to farre-distant kingdomes , for transaction of businesses either of state , or commerce ; but that a royall lady should in person vndertake and ouercome so tedious a iourney , only to obserue , and inquire into the mysteries of nature , art , religion , is a thing past both parallel , and imitation ; why doe we thinke any labour great , or any way long to heare a greater then salomon ? how iustly shall the queene of the south rise vp in iudgement , and condemne vs , who may heare wisdome crying in our streets , and neglect her ? certainly so wealthy a queene , and so great a louer of wisdome could not want great schollers at home ; them she had first apposed with her enigmaticall demands ; and now finding her selfe vnsatisfied she betakes her selfe to this oracle of god ; it is a good thing to doubt , better to be resolued : the minde that neuer doubts shall learne nothing ; the minde that alwaies doubts shall neuer profit by learning ; our doubts only serue to stir vs vp to seeke truth ; our resolutions settle vs in the truth we haue found . there were no pleasure in resolutions if we had not beene formerly troubled with doubts ; there were nothing but discomfort and disquietnesse in doubts , if it were not for the hope of resolution ; it is not safe to suffer doubts to dwell too long vpon the heart ; there may be good vse of them as passengers , dangerous as inmates : happie are we if we can finde a salomon to remoue them . fame as it is alwaies a blab , so oft-times a lyer . the wise princesse found cause to distrust so vncertaine an informer , whose reports are still either doubtfull , or fabulous ; and like windes , or streames , increase in passing : if very great things were not spoken of salomon , fame should haue wrongd him ; and if but iust rumors were spread of his wisdome , there needed much credulitie to beleeue them . this great queene would not suffer her selfe to be lead by the eares ; but comes in person to examine the truth of forraine relations . how much more vnsafe is it in the most important businesses of our soules , to trust the opinions and reports of others ? those eares and eies are ill bestowed that doe not serue to choose and iudge for their owners . when we come to a rich treasure , we need not be bidden to carrie away what we are able . this wise lady as she came far for knowledge , so finding the plentie of this veine , she would not depart without her full lode : there was nothing wherein she would leaue her selfe vnsatisfied : she knew that she could not euery day meet with a salomon ; and therefore shee makes her best vse of so learned a master ; now she empties her heart of all her doubts , and fils it with instruction . it is not good neglecting the oportunities of furnishing our soules with profitable , with sauing knowledge . there is much wisdome in mouing a question well , though there be more in assoyling it : what vse doe we make of salomons teacher , if sitting at the feet of christ we leaue our hearts either ignorant , or perplexed ? as if the errand of this wealthie queene had beene to buy wisdome , she came with her camels laden with gold , and precious stones , and rich odors : though to a mightie king she will not come to schoole emptie-handed ; if she came to fetch an inualuable treasure , she findes it reason to giue thankes vnto him that kept it . as he is a foole that hath a price in his hand to get wisdome , and wants an heart ; so is he vnthankfull that hath an heart to get wisdome , and hath no price in his hand ; a price , not counteruailable to what he seekes , but retributorie to him of whom he seekes . how shamefull is it to come alwaies with close hands to them that teach vs the great mysteries of saluation . expectation is no better then a kinde enemy to good deserts . wee leese those obiects which we ouer-looke . many had been admired if they had not beene ouer-much befriended by fame ; who now in our iudgement are cast as much below their ranke , as they were fore-imagined aboue it . this disaduantage had wife salomon with this stranger ; whom rumour had bid to look for incredible excellencies ; yet so wonderfull were the graces of salomon , that they ouercame the hiest expectation , and the liberallest beleefe : so as when shee saw the architecture of his buildings , the prouisions of his tables , the order of his attendants , the religion of his sacrifices , shee confessed both her iniust incredulity in not beleeuing the report of his wisdome , and the iniury of report in vnderrating it . i beleeued not the words till i came , and mine eyes had seene it ; and loe the one halfe was not told mee . her eyes were more sure informers then her eares . she did not so much heare as see salomons wisdome in these reall effects . his answers did not so much demonstrate it , as his prudent gouernment . there are some whose speeches are witty , whiles their carriage is weake , whose deeds are incongruities , whiles their words are apothegmes . it is not worth the name of wisdome that may be heard onely , and not seene ; good discourse is but the froth of wisdome ; the pure and solid substance of it is in well-framed actions ; if wee know these things , happy are we if we doe them . and if this great person admired the wisdome , the buildings , the domesticke order of salomon , and chiefly his stately ascent into the house of the lord ; how should our soules be taken vp with wonder at thee ▪ o thou true sonne of dauid , and prince of euer-lasting peace , who receiuedst the spirit not by measure ? who hast built this glorious house , not made with hands , euen the heauen of heauens ? whose infinite prouidence hath sweetly disposed of all the family of thy creatures , both in heauen and earth ; and who lastly didst ascend vp on hie , and ledst captiuity captiue , and gauest gifts to men ? so well had this studious lady profited by the lectures of that exquisite master , that now shee enuies , shee magnifies none but them who may liue within the ayre of salomons wisdome : happy are thy men , and happy are thy seruants , which stand continually before thee , and that heare thy wisdome ; as if she could haue beene content to haue changed her throne for the foot-stoole of salomon . it is not easie to conceiue how great a blessing it is to liue vnder those lips , which doe both preserue knowledge , and vtter it : if wee were not glutted with good counsell , we should finde no relish in any worldly contentment in comparison hereof ; but , hee that is full , despiseth an hony-combe . shee , whom her owne experience had taught how happy a thing it is to haue a skilfull pilote sitting at the sterne of the state , blesseth israel for salomon , blesseth god for israel , blesseth salomon and israel mutually in each-other ; blessed be the lord thy god which delighted in thee , to set thee on the throne of israel . because the lord loued israel for euer , therefore made hee the king to doe judgement and justice . it was not more salomons aduancement to be king of israel , then it was the aduancement of israel to be gouerned by a salomon . there is no earthly proofe of gods loue to any nation comparable to the substitution of a wise , and pious gouernour : to him wee owe our peace , our life , and which is deseruedly dearer , the life of our soules , the gospell . but , oh god , how much hast thou loued thine israel for euer , in that thou hast set ouer it that righteous branch of iesse , whose name is wonderfull , counsellor , the mightie god , the euerlasting father , the prince of peace : in whose dayes iudah shall be saued , and israel shall dwell safely ? sing o heauen , and reioyce , o earth , and breake forth into singing , o mountaines , for god hath comforted his people , and will haue euerlasting mercie vpon his afflicted . the queene of sheba did not bring her gold and precious stones to looke on , or to re-carry , but to giue to a wealthier then her selfe . shee giues therefore to salomon an hundred and twenty talents of gold , besides costly stones and odors . he that made siluer in hierusalem as stones , is yet richly presented on all hands . the riuers still runne into the sea ; to him that hath shall be giuen : how should wee bring vnto thee , o thou king of heauen , the purest gold of thine owne graces , the sweetest odors of our obediences ? was not this withall a type of that homage which should be done vnto thee , o sauiour , by the heads of the nations ? the kings of tarshish and the iles bring presents ; the kings of sheba and saba bring gifts ; yea all kings shall worship thee , all nations shall serue thee : they cannot inrich themselues but by giuing vnto thee . it could not stand with salomons magnificence to receiue rich curtesies without a returne ; the greater the person was , the greater was the obligation of requitall ; the gifts of meane persons are taken but as tributes of dutie ; it is dishonourable to take from equalls , and not to retribute : there was not therefore more freedome in her gift , then in her receit ; her owne will was the measure of both ; she gaue what she would , she receiued what soeuer she would aske ; and she had little profited by salomons schoole , if she had not learned to aske the best : she returnes therefore more richly laden then she came ; she gaue to salomon as a thankfull client of wisdome ; salomon returnes to her as a munificent patrone , according to the liberalitie of a king ; we shall be sure to be gainers by whatsoeuer we giue vnto thee , ô thou god of wisdome and peace : oh that we could come from the remote regions of our infidelitie , and worldlinesse , to learne wisdome of thee , who both teachest and giuest it abundantly , without vpbraiding , without grudging ; and could bring with vs the poore presents of our faithfull desires , and sincere seruices ; how wouldst thou receiue vs with a gracious acceptation , and sends vs away laden with present comfort , with eternall glorie ? salomons defection . since the first man adam , the world hath not yeelded either so great an example of wisdome , or so fearefull an example of apostasie as salomon : what humane knowledge adam had in the perfection of nature by creation , salomon had by infusion ; both fully , both from one fountaine ; if adam called all creatures by their names , salomon spake from the cedars of lebanon , to the mosse that springs out of the wall ; and besides these vegetables , there was no beast , nor fowle , nor fish , nor creeping thing that escaped his discourse . both fell , both fell by one meanes ; as adam , so might salomon haue said , the woman deceiued mee ; it is true indeed , that adam fell as all ; salomon as one ; yet so as that this one is the patterne of the frailty of all . if knowledge could haue giuen an immunity from sinne , both had stood : affections are those feet of the soule , on which it either stands , or fals ; salomon loued many out-landish women ; i wonder not if the wise king mis-carried ; euery word hath bane enough for a man ; women , many women , out-landish , idolatrous , and those not onely had , but doted on ; sexe , multitude , nation , condition , all conspired to the ruine of a salomon ; if one woman vndid all mankind , what maruell is it if many women vndid one ? yet had those many bin the daughters of israel , they had tempted him onely to lust , not to mis-deuotion ; now they were of those nations , whereof the lord had said to the children of israel , goe not yee in to them , nor let them come in to you , for surely they will turne your hearts after their gods ; to them did salomon ioyne in loue ; who can maruell if they disioyned his heart from god ? satan hath found this bait to take so well , that he neuer changed it since he crept into paradise . how many haue wee knowne whose heads haue bin broken with their owne ribbe ? in the first world the sonnes of god saw the daughters of men , and tooke them wiues of all they liked ; they multiplied not children , but iniquities ; balaam knew well if the dames of moab could make the israelites wantons , they should soone make them idolaters : all lies open where the couenant is not both made with the eye , and kept . it was the charge of god to the kings of israel , before they were , that they should not multiply wiues . salomon hath gone beyond the stakes of the law , and now is ready to leese himselfe amongst a thousand bed-fellowes : who so laies the reines in the necke of his carnall appetite , cannot promise where he will rest . oh salomon , where was thy wisdome , whiles thine affections run away with thee into so wilde a voluptuousnes ? what bootes it thee to discourse of all things , whiles thou misknowest thy selfe ? the perfections of speculation doe not argue the inward powers of selfe-gouernment ; the eye may be cleare whiles the hand is palsied . it is not so much to be heeded how the soule is informed , as how it is disciplined ; the light of knowledge doth well , but the due order of the affections doth better : neuer any meere man since the first , knew so much as salomon ▪ many that haue knowne lesse haue had more command of themselues ; a competent estate well husbanded , is better then a vast patrimony neglected . there can be no safety to that soule where is not a strait curbe vpon our desires ; if our lusts be not held vnder as slaues , they will rule as tyrans . nothing can preuent the extremity of our mis-carriage but early and strong denials to our concupiscence : had salomon done thus , delicacie and lawlesse greatnesse had not led him into these bogs of intemperance . the waies of youth are steep and slipperie , wherein as it is easie to fall , so it is commonly releeued with pittie ; but the wanton inordinations of age are not more vnseasonable then odious ; yet behold salomons younger yeeres were studious , and innocent , his ouer-hastened age was licentious and misgouerned ; for , when salomon was old , his wiues turned away his heart after other gods ; if any age can secure vs from the danger of a spirituall fall , it is our last ; and if any mans old-age might secure him , it was salomons ; the beloued of god , the oracle , the miracle of wisdome ; who would haue looked but that the blossoms of so hopefull a spring , should haue yeelded a goodly and pleasant fruit , in the autumne of age ? yet behold euen salomons old age vicious . there is no time wherein we can be safe , whiles we carrie this body of sinne about vs ; youth is impetuous , mid-age stubborne , old age weake , all dangerous ; say not now ; the furie of my youthfull flashes is ouer ; i shall henceforth finde my heart calme and impregnable ; whiles thou seest old salomon doting vpon his concubines , yea vpon their idolatrie . it is no presuming vpon time ▪ or meanes , or strength ; how many haue begun and proceeded well , who yet haue shamed themselues in their last stage ? if god vphold vs not , we cannot stand ; if god vphold vs , we cannot fall ; when we are at our strongest , it is best to be weake in our selues ; and when at our weakest , strong in him , in whom we can doe all things . i cannot yet thinke so hardly of salomon , that he would proiect his person to ashtaroth the goddesse of the sidonians , or milchom the idoll of the ammonites , or chemosh the abomination of moab : he that knew all things from the shrub , to the cedar , could not be ignorant that these statues were but stocks , or stones , or mettals , and the powers resembled by them , deuils . it is not like he could be so insensate to adore such deities ; but so farre was the vxorious king blinded with affection , that he gaue not passage only to the idolatrie of his heathenish wiues , but furtherance . so did he dote vpon their persons , that he humord them in their sins : their act is therefore his , because his eies winkt at it ; his hand aduanced it ; he that built a temple to the liuing god , for himselfe and israel in sion , built a temple to chemosh in the mount of scandall , for his mistresses of moab , in the very face of gods house : no hill about ierusalem was free from a chappell of deuils ; each of his dames had their puppets , their altars , their incense ; because salomon feedes them in their superstition , he drawes the sinne home to himselfe , and is branded for what he should haue forbidden . euen our very permission appropriates crimes to vs ; we need no more guiltinesse of any sinne then our willing toleration . who can but yearne , and feare to see the wofull wracke of so rich and goodly a vessell ? o salomon , wert not thou he whose younger yeeres god honoured with a message and stile of loue ? to whom god twice appeared ; and in a gracious vision renewed the couenant of his fauour ? whom he singled out from all the generation of men to be the founder of that glorious temple which was no lesse cleerely the type of heauen , then thou wert of christ the sonne of the euerliuing god ? wert not thou that deepe sea of wisdome which god ordained to send forth riuers and fountaines of all diuine , and humane knowledge to all nations , to all ages ? wert not thou one of those select secretaries , whose hand it pleased the almightie to employ in three peeces of the diuine monuments of sacred scriptures ? which of vs dares euer hope to aspire vnto thy graces ? which of vs can promise to secure our selues from thy ruines ? we fall , ô god , we fall to the lowest hell , if thou preuent vs not , if thou sustaine vs not : vphold thou me according to thy word that i may liue , and let me not be ashamed of my hope . order my steps in thy word , and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me . all our weaknesse is in our selues , all our strength is in thee . o god be thou strong in our weaknesse , that our weake knees may be euer steddie in thy strength . but in the midst of the horror of this spectacle ( able to affright all the sonnes of men ) behold some glimpse of comfort : was it of salomon that dauid his father prophesied ; though he fall , he shall not be vtterly cast downe ; for the lord vpholdeth him with his hand ? if sensible grace , yet finall mercy was not taken from that beloued of god ; in the hardest of this winter ▪ the sappe was gone downe to the root , though it shewed not in the branches : euen whiles salomon remoued , that word stood fast , he shall be my sonne , and i will be his father . he that foresaw his sinne , threatned and limited his correction . if he breake my statutes , and keepe not my commandements ; then will i visit his transgression with a rodde , and his iniquitie with stripes ; neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will i not vtterly take from him , nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile ; my couenant will i not breake ; nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth ; behold the fauour of god doth not depend vpon salomons obedience ; if salomon shall suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards his god ; god will not requite him with the failing of his faithfulnesse to salomon ; if salomon breake his couenant with god ; god will not breake his couenant with the father of salomon , with the sonne of dauid ; he shall smart , he shall not perish . oh gracious word of the god of all mercies , able to giue strength to the languishing , comfort to the despairing , to the dying , life . whatsoeuer wee are , thou wilt be still thy selfe , o holy one of israel , true to thy couenant , constant to thy decree ; the sinnes of thy chosen can neither frustrate thy counsell , nor out-strip thy mercies . now i see salomon of a wanton louer , a graue preacher of mortification ; i see him quenching those inordinate flames with the teares of his repentance . me thinkes i heare him sighing deeply betwixt euery word of that his solemne penance which he would needs inioyne himselfe before all the world , i haue applied my heart to know the wickednesse of folly , euen the foolishnesse of madnesse ; and i finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares , and her hands as bands ; who so pleaseth god shall be deliuered from her , but the sinner shall be taken by her . salomon was taken as a sinner , deliuered as a penitent . his soule escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers ; the snare was broken , and he deliuered ; it is good for vs that he was both taken , and deliuered ; taken , that wee might not presume ; and that we might not despaire , deliuered . he sinned , that we might not sinne ; he recouered , that we may not sinke vnder our sinne . but , oh the iustice of god inseparable from his mercie ; salomons sinne shall not escape the rod of men ; rather then so wise an offender shall want enemies , god shall raise vp three aduersaries vnto salomon , hadad the edomite , rezon the king of aram , ieroboam the son of nebat , whereof two were forraine , one domesticall : nothing but loue and peace sounded in the name of salomon ; nothing else was found in his raigne , whiles he held in good termes with his god ; but when once he fell foule with his maker , all things began to be troubled . there are whips laid vp against the time of salomons fore-seene offence , which are now brought forth for his correction ; on purpose was hadad the sonne of the king of edom hid in a corner of egypt from the sword of dauid and ioab , that he might be reserued for a scourge to the exorbitant sonne of dauid : god would haue vs make account that our peace ends with our innocence : the same sinne that sets debate betwixt god and vs , armes the creatures against vs ; it were pittie we should be at any quiet whiles we are falne out with the god of peace . contemplations vpon the principall histories of the nevv testament . the third booke . containing the widowes sonne raised . the rulers sonne healed . the dumbe deuill eiected . matthew called . christ among the gergesens ; or legion , and the gadarene heard . to my right worthy and worshipfvll friend , master iohn gifford of lancrasse in deuon , esquire , all grace and peace . sir , i hold it ( as i ought ) one of the rich mercies of god , that he hath giuen me fauour in some eies which haue not seene me ; but none , that i know , hath so much demerited me , vnknowne , as your worthy familie : ere therefore you see my face , see my hand willingly professing my thankfull obligations : wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcell of thoughts , not vnlike those fellowes of theirs , whom you haue entertained aboue their desert . these shall present vnto you our bountifull sauiour , magnifying his mercies to men , in a sweet varietie ; healing the diseased , raising the dead , casting out the deuill , calling in the publican , and shall raise your heart to adore that infinite goodnesse ; euery helpe to our deuotion deserues to be precious ; so much more , as the decrepit age of the world declines to an heartlesse coldnesse of pietie : that god , to whose honour these poore labours are meant , blesse them in your hands , and from them , to all readers . to his protection i heartily commend you , and the right vertuous gentlewoman , your worthy wife , with all the pledges of your happie affection , as whom you haue deserued to be your truly thankfull and officious friend , ios : hall . the widowes sonne raised . the fauours of our beneficent sauiour were at the least contiguous . no sooner hath he raised the centurions seruant from his bed , then he raises the widowes sonne from his beere . the fruitfull clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field ; nain must partake of the bountie of christ as well as cana , or capernaum : and if this sunne were fixed in one orbe , yet it diffuseth heat , and light to all the world ; it is not for any place to ingrosse the messengers of the gospell , whose errand is vniuersall ; this immortall seed may not fall all in one furrow . the little citie of nain stood vnder the hill of hermon , neere vnto tabor ; but now it is watered with better dewes from aboue , the doctrine and miracles of a sauiour . not for state , but for the more euidence of the worke , is our sauiour attended with a large traine ; so entring into the gate of that walled citie , as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power , and to take it ; his prouidence hath so contriued his iourney , that he meets with the sad pompe of a funerall ; a wofull widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her only sonne to the graue ; there was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion . a young man in the flowre , in the strength of his age swallowed vp by death ; our decrepit age both expects death , and solicites it ; but vigorous youth , lookes strangely vpon that grim sergeant of god ; those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree we gather vp with contentment ; we chide to haue the vnripe vnseasonably beaten downe with cudgells . but more , a young man , the only sonne , the only childe of his mother : no condition can make it other then grieuous for a well-natu'rd mother to part with her owne bowells ; yet surely store is some mitigation of losse : amongst many children one may be more easily missed ; for still we hope the suruiuing may supplie the comforts of the dead ; but when all our hopes and ioyes must either liue or die in one , the losse of that one admits of no consolation . when god would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable , he can but say , oh daughter of my people gird thee with sack-cloth , and wallow thy selfe in the ashes , make lamentation and bitter mourning , as for thine onely sonne ; such was the losse , such was the sorrow of this disconsolate mother ; neither words , nor teares can suffice to discouer it . yet more ; had she beene aided by the counsell and supportation of a louing yoke-fellow , this burden might haue seemed lesse intolerable ; a good husband may make amends for the losse of a sonne ; had the root beene left to her intire , she might better haue spared the branch ; now both are cut vp , all the stay of her life is gone ; and she seemes abandoned to a perfect miserie . and now when she gaue her selfe vp for a forlorne mourner , past all capacitie of redresse , the god of comfort meets her , pitties her , relieues her ; here was no solicitor but his owne compassion ; in other occasions he was sought , and sued to ; the centurion comes to him for a seruant , the ruler for a sonne ▪ iairus for a daughter , the neighbours for the paralyticke ; here he seekes vp the patient , and offers the cure vnrequested ; whiles we haue to doe with the father of mercies , our afflictions are the most powerfull suitors . no teares , no praiers can moue him so much as his owne commiseration . oh god , none of our secret sorrowes , can be either hid from thine eies , or kept from thine heart : and when we are past all our hopes , all possibilities of helpe ; then art thou neerest to vs for deliuerance . here was a conspiration of all parts to mercie . the heart had compassion , the mouth said , weepe not , the feet went to the beere , the hand touched the coffin , the power of the deitie raised the dead : what the heart felt was secret to it selfe , the tongue therefore expresses it in words of comfort , weepe not ; alas what are words to so strong and iust passions ? to bid her not to weepe that had lost her only sonne , was to perswade her to be miserable , and not feele it ; to feele , and not regard it : to regard , and yet to smother it ; concealement doth not remedie but aggrauate sorrow : that with the counsell of not weeping therefore , she might see cause of not weeping ; his hand seconds his tongue : he arrests the coffin , and frees the prisoner ; young man i say vnto thee arise ; the lord of life , and death , speakes with command ; no finite power could haue said so without presumption , or with successe : that is the voice that shall one day call vp our vanished bodies from those elements , into which they are resolued , and raise them out of their dust ; neither sea , nor death , nor hell can offer to detaine their dead , when he charges them to be deliuered : incredulous nature , what dost thou shrinke at the possibilitie of a resurrection , when the god of nature vndertakes it ? it is no more hard for that almightie word which gaue being vnto all things , to say , let them be repaired , then , let them be made . i doe not see our sauiour stretching himselfe vpon the dead corps , as elias , and elisha , vpon the sonnes of the sunamite , and sareptan , nor kneeling downe , and praying by the beere , as peter did to dorcas , but i heare him so speaking to the dead , as if he were aliue , and so speaking to the dead that by the word he makes him aliue , i say vnto thee , arise ; death hath no power to bid that man lie still , whom the sonne of god bids arise . immediatly he that was dead sate vp . so at the sound of the last trumpet by the power of the same voice , we shall arise out of the dust , and stand vp glorious ; this mortall shall put on immortalitie , this corruptible , incorruption ; this bodie shall not be buried , but sowne ; and at our day shall therefore spring vp with a plentifull increase of glorie ; how comfortlesse , how desperate should be our lying downe , if it were not for this assurance of rising ? and now , behold , lest our weake faith should stagger at the assent to so great a difficultie , he hath alreadie by what he hath done , giuen vs tastes of what he will doe ; the power that can raise one man , can raise a thousand , a million , a world ; no power can raise one but that which is infinite ; and that which is infinite admits of no limitation ; vnder the old testament , god raised one by elias , another by elisha liuing , a third by elisha dead ; by the hand of the mediator of the new testament he raised here the sonne of the widow , the daughter of iairus , lazarus , and , in attendance of his owne resurrection he made a gaole-deliuery of holy prisoners , at ierusalem . he raises the daughter of iairus from her bed ; this widowes sonne from his coffin ; lazarus from his graue , the dead saints of ierusalem from their rottennesse , that it might appeare no degree of death can hinder the efficacie of his ouer-ruling command ; he that keepes the keyes of death cannot only make way for himselfe through the common hall , and outer-roomes , but through the inwardest , and most reserued closets of darknesse . me thinkes i see this young man who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleepe , wiping and rubbing those eies that had beene shut vp in death ; and descending from the beere , wrapping his winding sheet about his loines , cast himselfe downe in a passionate thankfulnesse , at the feet of his almightie restorer ; adoring that diuine power which had commanded his soule backe againe to her forsaken lodging ; and though i heare not what he said , yet i dare say they were words of praise and wonder , which his returned soule first vttered ; it was the mother whom our sauiour pittied in this act , not the sonne ; ( who now forced from his quiet rest must twice passe through the gates of death . ) as for her sake therefore he was raised , so to her hands was he deliuered ; that she might acknowledge that soule giuen to her , not to the possessor : who cannot feele the amazement , and extasie of ioy that was in this reuiued mother , when her sonne now salutes her from out of another world ? and both receiues and giues gratulations of his new life ? how suddenly were al the tears of that mournfull traine dried vp with a ioyfull astonishment ? how soone is that funerall banquet turned into a new birth-day feast ? what striuing was here to salute the late carcasse of their returned neighbour ? what awfull and admiring lookes were cast vpon that lord of life , who seeming homely , was approued omnipotent ? how gladly did euery tongue celebrate both the worke , and the author ? a great prophet is raised vp amongst vs , and god hath visited his people . a prophet was the hiest name they could finde for him whom they saw like themselues in shape , aboue themselues in power ; they were not yet acquainted with god manifested in the flesh ; this miracle might well haue assured them of more then a prophet ; but he that raised the dead man from the beere would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the graue of infidelitie ; they shall see reason enough to know that the prophet who was raised vp to them , was the god that now visited them , and at last should doe as much for them as he had done for the young man , raise them from death to life , from dust to glorie . the rulers sonne cured . the bountie of god so exceedeth mans , that there is a contrarietie in the exercise of it ; we shut our hands because we haue opened them ; god therefore opens his , because he hath opened them : gods mercies are as comfortable in their issue , as in themselues ; seldome euer doe blessings goe alone ; where our sauiour supplied the bridegroomes wine , there he heales the rulers son ; he had not in all these coasts of galilee done any one miracle but here ; to him that hath shall be giuen . we doe not finde christ oft attended with nobilitie ; here he is ; it was some great peere , or some noted courtier that was now a suitor to him for his dying sonne : earthly greatnesse is no defence against afflictions : we men forbeare the mightie ; disease and death know no faces of lords , or monarkes ; could these be bribed , they would be too rich ; why should we grudge not to be priueledged , when we see there is no spare of the greatest ? this noble ruler , listens after christs returne into galile ; the most eminent amongst men will be glad to harken after christ in their necessitie : happie was it for him that his sonne was sicke ; he had not else beene acquainted with his sauiour , his soule had continued sicke of ignorance , and vnbeleefe ; why else doth our good god send vs paine , losses , opposition , but that hee may bee sought to ? are we afflicted , whither should we goe but to cana , to seeke christ ? whither but to the cana of heauen , where our water of sorrow is turned to the wine of gladnesse , to that omnipotent physitian , who healeth all our infirmities ; that we may once say , it is good for me that i was afflicted . it was about a daies iourney from capernaum to cana ; thence hither did this courtier come for the cure of his sonnes feuer ; what paines euen the greatest can be content to take for bodily health ? no way is long , no labour tedious to the desirous : our soules are sicke of a spirituall feuer , labouring vnder the cold fit of infidelitie , and the hote fit of selfe-loue ; and we sit still at home , and see them languish vnto death . this ruler was neither faithlesse , nor faithfull ; had he beene quite faithlesse , he had not taken such paines to come to christ. had he beene faithfull , he had not made this suit to christ , when he was come , come downe , and heale my sonne , ere he die . come downe , as if christ could not haue cured him absent ; ere he die , as if that power could not haue raised him being dead ; how much difference was here betwixt the centurion , and the ruler ; that came for his seruant , this for his sonne . this sonne was not more aboue that seruant , then the faith which sued for the seruant surpassed that which sued for the sonne ; the one can say , master come not vnder my roofe , for i am not worthy , only speake the word ; and my seruant shall be whole ; the other can say , master , either come vnder my roofe , or my sonne cannot be whole . heale my sonne , had beene a good suit , for christ is the only physitian for all diseases ; but , come downe , and heale him , was to teach god how to worke . it is good reason that he should challenge the right of prescribing to vs , who are euery way his owne ; it is presumption in vs to stint him vnto our formes : an expert workman cannot abide to be taught by a nouice ; how much lesse shall the all-wise god indure to be directed by his creature ? this is more then if the patient should take vpon him to giue a recipe to the physitian : that god would giue vs grace is a beseeming suit , but to say , giue it me by prosperitie , is a saucie motion . as there is faithfulnesse in desiring the end , so modestie and patience in referring the meanes to the author . in spirituall things god hath acquainted vs with the meanes whereby he will worke , euen his owne sacred ordinances ; vpon th●se , because they haue his owne promise , we may call absolutely for a blessing ; in all others , there is no reason that beggers should be choosers ; he who doth whatsoeuer he will , must doe it how he will ; it is for vs to receiue , not to appoint . he who came to complaine of his sonnes sicknesse , heares of his owne , except ye see signes and wonders , yee will not beleeue . this noble man was ( as is like ) of capernaum ; there had christ often preached ; there was one of his chiefe residences : either this man had heard our sauiour oft , or might haue done ; yet because christs miracles came to him only by heare-say ( for as yet we finde none at all wrought where he preached most ) therefore the man beleeues not enough ; but so speaks to christ as to some ordinarie physitian , come downe and heale ; it was the common disease of the iewes , incredulitie ; which no receit could heale but wonders ; a wicked and adulterous generation seekes signes . had they not beene wilfully gracelesse ; there was alreadie proofe enough of the messias ; the miraculous conception and life of the fore-runner ; zacharies dumbnesse ; the attestation of angels , the apparition of the starre , the iourney of the sages , the vision of the shepherds , the testimonies of anna and simeon , the prophesies fulfilled , the voice from heauen at his baptisme , the diuine words that he spake ; and yet they must haue all made vp with miracles ; which though he be not vnwilling to giue at his owne times , yet he thinkes much to be tied vnto , at theirs ; not to beleeue without signes , was a signe of stubborne hearts . it was a foule fault , and a dangerous one ; ye will not beleeue : what is it that shall condemne the world but vnbeleefe ? what can condemne vs without it ? no sinne can condemne the repentant , repentance is a fruit of faith ; where true faith is then , there can be no condemnation ; as there can be nothing but condemnation without it . how much more foule in a noble capernaite , that had heard the sermons of so diuine a teacher ? the greater light we haue , the more shame it is for vs to stumble . oh what shall become of vs , that reele and fall in the cleerest sun-shine that euer looked forth vpon any church ? be mercifull to our sinnes , ô god , and say any thing of vs , rather , then , ye will not beleeue . our sauiour tells him of his vnbeleefe ; he feeles not himselfe sicke of that disease ; all his minde is on his dying sonne ; as easily doe we complaine of bodily griefes , as we are hardly affected with spirituall . oh the meeknesse and mercy of this lambe of god ; when wee would haue lookt that he should haue punished this suitor for not beleeuing , he condescends to him , that he may beleeue : goe thy way , thy sonne liueth . if we should measure our hopes by our owne worthinesse , there were no expectation of blessings , but if we shall measure them by his bountie , and compassion , there can be no doubt of preuailing . as some tender mother that giues the brest to her vnquiet childe , in stead of the rod , so deales he with our peruersnesses . how god differences men according to no other conditions , then of their faith ! the centurions seruant was sicke , the rulers sonne ; the centurion doth not sue vnto christ to come ; only saies , my seruant is sicke of a palsie ; christ answers him , i will come , and heale him : the ruler sues vnto christ that he would come , and heale his sonne , christ will not goe ; only saies , goe thy way , thy sonne liues ; outward things carrie no respect with god ; the image of that diuine maiestie shining inwardly in the graces of the soule , is that which wins loue from him in the meanest estate ; the centurions faith therfore could doe more then the rulers greatnesse ; and that faithfull mans seruant hath more regard then this great mans sonne . the rulers request was , come and heale ; christs answer was , goe thy way , thy sonne liues ; our mercifull sauiour meets those in the end , whom he crosses in the way : how sweetly doth he correct our praiers , and whiles he doth not giue vs what we aske , giues vs better then we asked . iustly doth he forbeare to goe downe with this ruler , lest he should confirme him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of localitie , and distance ; but he doth that in absence , for which his presence was required with a repulse ; thy sonne liueth ; giuing a greater demonstration of his omnipotencie then was craued ; how oft doth hee not heare to our will ; that he may heare vs to our aduantage ? the chosen vessell would be rid of tentations , he heares of a supplie of grace ; the sickeman askes release , receiues patience : life , and receiues glorie : let vs aske what we thinke best , let him giue what he knowes best . with one word doth christ heale two patients , the sonne , and the father , the sonnes feuer , the fathers vnbeleefe ; that operatiue word of our sauiour was not without the intention of a triall ; had not the ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his sonnes life , and recouerie , neither of them had beene blessed with successe : now the newes of performance meets him one halfe of the way ; and he that beleeued somewhat ere he came , and more when hee went , grew to more faith in the way ; and when he came home , inlarged his faith to all the skirts of his familie ; a weake faith may be true , but a true faith is growing : hee that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent , may presume , but doth not beleeue . great men cannot want clients ; their example swaies some , their authoritie more ; they cannot goe to either of the other worlds alone ; in vaine doe they pretend power ouer others , who labour not to draw their families vnto god. the dumbe deuill eiected . that the prince of our peace might approue his perfect victories , wheresoeuer hee met with the prince of darknesse he foiled him , he eiected him ; he found him in heauen , thence did he throw him headlong ; and verified his prophet , i haue cast thee out of mine holy mountaine ; and if the deuils left their first habitation , it was because ( being deuils ) they could not keepe it ; their estate indeed they might haue kept , and did not ; their habitation they would haue kept , and might not ; how art thou falne from heauen ô lucifer ? he found him in the heart of man ; ( for in that closet of god did the euill spirit after his exile from heauen shrowd himselfe ; sinne gaue him possession , which he kept with a willing violence ) thence he casts him by his word , and spirit ; he found him tyrannizing in the bodies of some possessed men , and with power commands the vncleane spirits to depart . this act is for no hand but his : when a strong man keeps possession , none but a stronger can remoue it : in voluntarie things the strongest may yeeld to the weakest ; sampson to a dalilah ; but in violent , euer the mightiest carries it ; a spirituall nature must needs be in ranke aboue a bodily ; neither can any power be aboue a spirit , but the god of spirits . no otherwise is it in the mentall possession ; where euer sinne is , there satan is ; as on the contrarie , whosoeuer is borne of god , the seed of god remaines in him ; that euill one not only is , but rules in the sons of disobedience : in vaine shall we trie to eiect him , but by the diuine power of the redeemer ; for this cause the sonne of god was manifested , that he might destroy the workes of the deuill ; doe we finde our selues haunted with the familiar deuils of pride , selfe-loue , sensuall desires , vnbeleefe ? none but thou , ô sonne of the euer-liuing god , can free our bosomes of these hellish guests ; oh cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes , and keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me . o sauiour , it is no paradox to say that thou castest out more deuils now , then thou didst whiles thou wert vpon earth ; it was thy word , when i am lifted vp , i will draw all men vnto me ; satan weighes downe at the feet , thou pullest at the head , yea at the heart ; in euery conuersion which thou workest , there is a dispossession . conuert me , ô lord , and i shall bee conuerted ; i know thy meanes are now no other then ordinarie ; if we expect to be dispossessed by miracle , it would be a miracle if euer we were dispossessed ; oh let thy gospell haue the perfect worke in me , so only shall i be deliuered from the powers of darknesse . nothing can be said to be dumbe , but what naturally speakes ; nothing can speake naturally , but what hath the instruments of speech ; which because spirits want , they can no otherwise speake vocally , then as they take voices to themselues , in taking bodies ; this deuill was not therefore dumbe in his nature , but in his effect ; the man was dumbe by the operation of that deuill , which possessed him ; and now the action is attributed to the spirit , which was subiectiuely in the man ; it is not you that speake , saith our sauiour , but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you . as it is in bodily diseases , that they doe not infect vs alike , some seaze vpon the humors , others vpon the spirits ; some assault the braine , others the heart , or lungs ; so in bodily and spirituall possessions ; in some the euill spirit takes away their senses , in some their limms , in some , their inward faculties ; like as spiritually they affect to moue vs vnto seuerall sinnes ; one to lust , another to couetousnesse , or ambition , another to crueltie , and their names haue distinguished them according to these various effects : this was a dumbe deuill ; which yet had possessed not the tongue only of this man , but his eare ; nor that only , but ( as it seemes ) his eies too . o suttle and tyrannous spirit , that obstructs all waies to the soule : that keeps out all meanes of grace both from the doores , and windowes of the heart ; yea that stops vp all passages whether of ingresse , or egresse ; of ingresse at the eie , or eare ; of egresse at the mouth ; that there might bee no capacitie of redresse . what holy vse is thereof our tongue but to praise our maker , to confesse our sins , to informe our brethren ? how rife is this dumbe deuill euery-where , whiles he stops the mouthes of christians from these vsefull and necessarie duties ? for what end hath man those two priueledges aboue his fellow creatures , reason , and speech , but , that , as by the one he may conceiue of the great workes of his maker , which the rest cannot , so by the other he may expresse what he conceiues , to the honour of the creator , both of them , and himselfe ; and why are all other creatures said to praise god , and bidden to praise him , but because they doe it by the apprehension , by the expression of man ? if the heauens declare the glory of god , how doe they it but to the eies , and by the tongue of that man , for whom they were made ? it is no small honour whereof the enuious spirit shall robbe his maker , if he can close vp the mouth of his only rationall , and vocall creature ; and turne the best of his workmanship into a dumbe idoll , that hath a mouth and speakes not ; lord open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise . praise is not more necessarie then complaint ; praise of god , then complaint of our selues , whether to god , or men ; the only amends we can make to god , when we haue not had the grace to auoid sinne , is to confesse the sinne we haue not auoided : this is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurrs of our liues ; if we confesse our sinnes , he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins , and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse . that cunning man-slayer knowes there is no way to purge the sicke soule , but vpward by casting out the vicious humor wherewith it is clogged ; and therefore holds the lips close , that the heart may not disburden it selfe by so wholsome euacuation . when i kept silence , my bones consumed ; for day and night thy hand , ô lord , was heauie vpon me ; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer ; o let me confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee , that thou maist forgiue the punishment of my sinne . we haue a tongue for god , when we praise him ; for our selues , when we pray , and confesse ; for our brethren , when we speake the truth for their information ; which if we hold backe in vnrighteousnesse , we yeeld vnto that dumbe deuill : where doe we not see that accursed spirit ? he is on the bench , when the mute , or partiall iudge speakes not for truth , and innocence : he is in the pulpit , when the prophets of god smother , or halue , or adulterate the message of their master ; he is at the barre , when irreligious iurors dare lend an oath to feare , to hope , to gaine : he is in the market , when godlesse chapmen for their pennie sell the truth , and their soule ; hee is in the common conuersation of men , when the tongue belies the heart , flatters the guiltie , balketh reproofes euen in the foulest crimes : o thou , who only art stronger then that strong one , cast him out of the hearts , and mouthes of men ; it is time for thee , lord , to worke , for they haue destroyed thy law . that it might well appeare this impediment was not naturall ; so soone as the man is freed from the spirit , his tongue is free to his speech : the effects of spirits as they are wrought , so they cease at once . if the sonne of god doe but remoue our spirituall possession , we shall presently brake forth into the praise of god , into the confession of our vilenesse , into the profession of truth . but , what strange varietie doe i see in the spectators of this miracle , some wondring , others censuring , a third sort tempting , a fourth applauding ; there was neuer man , or action , but was subiect to varietie of constructions : what man could be so holy , as he that was god ? what act could be more worthy then the dispossession of an euill spirit ? yet this man , this act passeth these differences of interpretation : what can we doe to vndergoe but one opinion ? if we giue almes , and fast ; some will magnifie our charity , and deuotion , others will taxe our hypocrisie : if we giue not , some will condemne our hard-heartednesse , others will allow our care of iustice ; if we preach plainly , to some it will sauour of a carelesse slubbering , to others of a mortified sinceritie ; elaborately , some will tax our affectation , others will applaud our diligence in dressing the delicate viands of god ; what maruel is it , if it be thus with our imperfection , when it fared no otherwise with him that was puritie , and righteousnesse it selfe ? the austere fore-runner of christ came neither eating nor drinking , they say , he hath a deuill ; the sonne of man came eating and drinking , they say , this man is a glutton , a friend of publicans and sinners : and here one of his holy acts carries away at once wonder , censure , doubt , celebration . there is no way safe for a man but to square his actions by the right rule of iustice , of charitie ; and then let the world haue leaue to spend their glosses at pleasure . it was an heroicall resolution of the chosen vessell , i passe very little to be iudged of you , or of mans day . i maruell not if the people maruelled ; for here were foure wonders in one ; the blinde saw , the deafe heard , the dumbe spake , the demoniacke is deliuered ; wonder was due to so rare , and powerfull a worke , and , if not this , nothing ; we can cast away admiration vpon the poore deuices , or actiuities of men , how much more vpon the extraordinarie workes of omnipotencie ? whoso knowes the frame of heauen and earth shall not much be affected with the imperfect effects of fraile humanitie ; but shall with no lesse rauishment of soule acknowledge the miraculous workes of the same almightie hand . neither is the spirituall eiection worthy of any meaner intertainment ; raritie and difficultie are wont to cause wonder ; there are many things which haue wonder in their worth , and leese it in their frequence ; there are some which haue it in their strangenesse , and leese it in their facilitie ; both meet in this . to see men haunted , yea possessed with a dumbe deuill is so frequent , that it is a iust wonder to finde a man free ; but to finde the dumbe spirit cast out of a man , and to heare him praising god , confessing his sinnes , teaching others the sweet experiments of mercie , deserues iust admiration . if the cynick sought in the market for a man amongst men , well may we seeke amongst men , for a conuert . neither is the difficultie lesse then the rarenesse : the strong man hath the possession , all passages are blockt vp , all helpes barred , by the trecherie of our nature ; if any soule be rescued from these spirituall wickednesses , it is the praise of him that doth wonders alone . but whom doe i see wondring ? the multitude ; the vnlearned beholders follow that act with wonder , which the learned scribes entertaine with obloquie : god hath reuealed those things to babes , which he hath hid from the wise , and prudent . with what scorne did those great rabbins speake of these sonnes of the earth , this people that knowes not the law is accursed ? yet the mercie of god makes an aduantage of their simplicitie ; in that they are therefore lesse subiect to cauillation , and incredulitie ; as contrarily , his iustice causes the proud knowledge of the other to lie as a blocke in their way , to the readie assent vnto the diuine power of the messias ; let the pride of glorious aduersaries disdaine the pouertie of the clients of the gospell ; it shall not repent vs to goe to heauen with the vulgar , whiles their great ones goe in state to perdition . the multitude wondered ; who censured but scribes great doctors of the law , of the diuinitie of the iewes ? what scribes , but those of ierusalem , the most eminent academie of iudea ? these were the men , who out of their deepe-reputed iudgement cast these foule aspersions vpon christ. great wits oft-times mis-lead both the owners and followers ; how many shall once wish they had beene borne dullards , yea idiots , when they shall finde their wit to haue barred them out of heauen ? where is the scribe , where is the disputer of this world ? hath not god made the wisdome of the world foolishnesse ? say the world what it will , a dramme of holinesse is worth a pound of wit ; let others censure with the scribes , let me wonder with the multitude . what could malice say worse , he casteth out deuils through beelzebub the prince of deuils ? the iewes well knew that the gods of the heathen were no other then deuils ; amongst whom for that the lord of files ( so called , whether for the concourse of flies to the abundance of his sacrifices , or for his aide implored against the infestation of those swarmes ) was held the chiefe , therefore they stile him , the prince of deuils . there is a subordination of spirits ; some hier in degree , some inferiour to others ; our sauiour himselfe tels vs of the deuill , and his angels ; messengers are inferiour to those that send them : the seuen deuils that entred into the swept , and garnished house , were worse then the former ; neither can principalities , and powers , and gouernours , and princes of the darknesse of this world designe other then seuerall rankes of euill angels ; there can be no being , without some kinde of order , there can be no order in paritie ; if wee looke vp into heauen , there is the king of gods , the lord of lords ; hier then the hiest . if to the earth , there are monarchs , kings , princes , peeres , people ; if we looke downe to hell , there is the prince of deuils ; they labour for confusion that call for paritie ; what should the church doe with such a forme , as is not exemplified in heauen , in earth , in hell ? one deuill ( according to their supposition ) may be vsed to cast out another : how farre the command of one spirit ouer another may extend , it is a secret of infernall state , too deepe for the inquirie of men : the thing it selfe is apparent ; vpon compact , and precontracted composition , one giues way to other for the common aduantage ; as we see it in the common-wealth of cheaters , and cut-purses ; one doth the fact , another is feed to bring it out , and to procure restitution : both are of the trade ; both conspire to the fraud ; the actor falls not out with the reuealer ; but diuides with him that cunning spoile . one malicious miscreant sets the deuill on worke to the inflicting of disease , or death ; another vpon agreement , for a further spirituall gaine , takes him off ; there is a deuill in both ; and if there seeme more bodily fauour , there is no lesse spirituall danger in the latter ; in the one satan wins the agent , the suitor in the other ; it will be no cause of discord in hell , that one deuill giues ease to the body which another tormented , that both may triumph in the gaine of a soule . o god , that any creature which beares thine image , should not abhorre to be beholden to the powers of hell for aid , for aduice ? is it not because there is not a god in israel , that men goe to inquire of the god of ekron ? can men be so sottish to thinke that the vowed enemie of their soules can offer them a baite , without an hooke ? what euill is there in the citie which the lord hath not done , what is there which he cannot as easily redresse : he wounds , he heales againe ; and if he will not , it is the lord , let him doe what seemes good in his eies ; if he doe not deliuer vs , he will crowne our faithfulnesse in a patient perseuerance . the wounds of a god are better then the salues of satan . was it possible that the wit of enuie could deuise so hie a slander ? beelzebub was a god of the heathen ; therefore herein they accuse him for an idolater ; beelzebub was a deuill to the iewes , therefore they accuse him for a coniurer ; beelzebub was the chiefe of deuils , therefore they accuse him for an arch-exorcist , for the worst kinde of magician ; some professors of this blacke art , though their worke be deuillish , yet they pretend to doe it in the name of iesus , and will presumptuously seeme to doe that by command , which is secretly transacted by agreement ; the scribes accuse christ of a direct compact with the deuill ; and suppose both a league and familiaritie , which by the law of moses ( in the very hand of a saul ) was no other then deadly ; yea so deepe doth this wound reach , that our sauiour , searching it to the bottome , findes no lesse in it then the sinne against the holy-ghost ; inferring hereupon that dreadfull sentence of the irremissiblenesse of that sinne vnto death : and if this horrible crimination were cast vpon thee , ô sauiour , in whom the prince of this world found nothing , what wonder is it if we thy sinfull seruants be branded on all sides with euill tongues ? yea ( which is yet more ) how plaine is it that these men forced their tongue to speake this slander against their owne heart ? else , this blasphemie had beene only against the sonne of man , not against the holy ghost ; but now , that the searcher of hearts findes it to be no lesse then against the blessed spirit of god , the spight must needs be obstinate ; their malice doth wilfully crosse their conscience . enuie neuer regards how true , but how mischieuous ; so it may gall , or kill , it cares little , whether with truth , or falshood ; for vs , blessed are we when men reuile vs , and say all manner of euill of vs , for the name of christ ; for them : what reward shall be giuen to thee , thou false tongue ? euen sharpe arrowes with hote burning coles ; yea those very coles of hell from which thou wert enkindled . there was yet a third sort that went a mid-way betwixt wonder , and censure ; these were not so malicious as to impute the miracle to a satanicall operation ; they confesse it good , but not enough ; and therefore vrge christ to a further proofe ; though thou hast cast out this dumbe deuill , yet this is no sufficient argument of thy diuine power ; wee haue yet seene nothing from thee like those ancient miracles , of the times of our fore-fathers . iosua caused the sunne to stand still ; elias brought fire downe from heauen ; samuel astonisht the people with thunder and raine in the midst of haruest ; if thou wouldst command our beleefe , doe somewhat like to these ; the casting out of a deuill , shewes thee to haue some power ouer hell ; shew vs now , that thou hast no lesse power ouer heauen . there is a kinde of vnreasonablenesse of desire , and insatiablenesse in infidelitie ; it neuer knowes when it hath euidence enough ; this which the iewes ouer-looked , was a more irrefragable demonstration of diuinitie , then that which they desired . a deuill was more then a meteor , or a parcell of an element ; to cast out a deuill by command , more then to command fire from heauen : infidelitie euer loues to be her owne caruer . no sonne can be more like a father , then these iewes to their progenitors in the desert ; that there might be no feare of degenerating into good , they also of old tempted god in the wildernesse : first , they are wearie of the egyptian bondage , and are readie to fall out with god , and moses , for their stay in those fornaces : by ten miraculous plagues they are freed , and going out of those confines ; the egyptians follow them , the sea is before them ; now they are more afflicted with their libertie , then their seruitude ; the sea yeelds way , the egyptians are drowned ; and now , that they are safe on the other shore , they tempt the prouidence of god for water ; the rocke yeelds it them ; then , no lesse for bread and meat ; god sends them manna , and quailes , they crie out of the food of angels ; their present enemies in the way are vanquished , they whine at the men of measures , in the heart of canaan ; nothing from god but mercie ; nothing from them but temptation . their true brood both in nature and sinne had abundant proofes of the messiah ; if curing the blinde , lame , diseased , deafe , dumbe , eiecting deuils , ouer-ruling the elements , raising the dead could haue beene sufficient ▪ yet still they must haue a signe from heauen ; and shut vp in the stile of the tempter , if thou be the christ. the gracious heart is credulous ; euen where it sees not , it beleeues ; and where it sees but a little , it beleeues a great deale ; neither doth it presume to prescribe vnto god what , and how he shall worke ; but takes what it findes , and vnmoueably rests in what it takes . any miracle , no miracle serues enough for their assent , who haue built their faith vpon the gospell of the lord iesus . matthew called . the number of the apostles was not yet full , one roome is left void for a future occupant ; who can but expect , that it is reserued for some eminent person ? and behold , matthew the publican is the man : oh the strange election of christ ; those other disciples , whose calling is recorded , were from the fisher-boat , this from the tole-booth , they were vnlettered , this infamous ; the condition was not in it selfe sinfull , but as the taxes , which the romans imposed on gods free people , were odious , so the collectors , the farmers of them abominable ; besides , that it was hard to hold that seat without oppression , without exaction ; one that best knew it , branded it with poling , and sycophancie : and now , behold a griping publican called to the familie , to the apostle-ship , to the secretary-ship of god ; who can despaire in the conscience of his vnworthinesse ; when he sees this patterne of the free bountie of him that calleth vs ? merits doe not carrie it in the gracious election of god , but his meere fauour . there sate matthew the publican busie in his counting-house , reckoning vp the summes of his rentalls ; raking vp his arerages , and wrangling for denied duties , and did so little thinke of a sauiour , that he did not so much as looke at his passage , but , iesus , as he passed by , saw a man sitting at the receit of custome , named matthew ; as if this prospect had beene sudden and casuall , iesus saw him in passing by ; oh sauiour , before the world was , thou sawst that man sitting there , thou sawst thine owne passage ; thou sawst his call in thy passage ; and now thou goest purposely that way , that thou mightst see , and call : nothing can be hid from that piercing eie ; one glance whereof hath discerned a disciple in the clothes of a publican ; that habit , that shop of extortion cannot conceale from thee a vessell of election ; in all formes thou knowest thine owne ; and in thine owne time shalt fetch them out of the disguises of their foule sins , or vnfit conditions ; what sawst thou , ô sauiour , in that publican , that might either allure thine eie , or not offend it ? what but an hatefull trade , an euill eie , a griple hand , bloudie tables , heapes of spoile ? yet now thou saidst , follow mee ; thou that saidst once to ierusalem , thy birth and natiuitie is of the land of canaan ; thy father was an amorite , thy mother an hittite ; thy nauell was not cut , neither wert thou washed in water , to supple thee , thou wast not salted at all ; thou wast not swadled at all ; none eie pittied thee , but thou wast cast out in the open fields , to the loathing of thy person , in the day that thou wast borne ; and when i passed by thee , and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud , i said vnto thee , liue , yea , i said vnto thee , when thou wast in thy bloud , liue ; now also , when thou passedst by , and sawst matthew sitting at the receit of custome , saidest to him , follow mee ; the life of this publican was so much worse , then the birth of that forlorne amorite , as , follow mee , was more then , liue ; what canst thou see in vs , ô god , but vglie deformities , horrible sins , despicable miseries , yet doth it please thy mercie to say vnto vs , both , liue , and , follow mee ? the iust man is the first accuser of himselfe ; whom doe we heare to blazon the shame of matthew , but his owne mouth ? matthew the euangelist tells vs of matthew the publican ; his fellowes call him leui , as willing to lay their finger vpon the spot of his vnpleasing profession ; himselfe will not smother , nor blanche it a whit , but publishes it to all the world , in a thankfull recognition of the mercie that called him ; as liking well that his basenesse should serue for a fit foile to set off the glorious lustre of his grace by whom he was elected ; what matters it how vile we are , ô god , so thy glorie may rise in our abasement ? that word was enough , follow mee ; spoken by the same tongue , that said to the corps , at nain , young man i say to thee , arise ; he that said , at first , let there be light , saies now , follow me : that power sweetly inclines which could forceably command ; the force is not more vnresistible , then the inclination ; when the sun shines vpon the isicles , can they choose but melt , and fall ? when it lookes into a dungeon , can the place choose but be inlightened ? doe we see the iet drawing vp strawes to it , the load-stone yron , and doe we maruell if the omnipotent sauiour , by the influence of his grace , attract the heart of a publican ? he arose and followed him . we are all naturally auerse from thee , ô god ; doe thou but bid vs follow thee ; draw vs by thy powerfull word , and we shall run after thee . alas , thou speakest , and we sit still ; thou speakest by thine outward word to our eare , and we stir not , speake thou by the secret , and effectuall word of thy spirit , to our heart ; the world cannot hold vs downe , satan cannot stop our way , we shall arise , and follow thee . it was not a more busie then gainfull trade that matthew abandoned to follow christ into pouertie ; and now he cast away his counters , and strucke his tallies , and crossed his books , and contemned his heapes of cash in comparison of that better treasure , which he fore-saw lie open in that happie attendance . if any commoditie be valued of vs too deare to be parted with , for christ , we are more fit to be publicans , then disciples ; our sauiour inuites matthew to a disciple-ship ; matthew inuites him to a feast . the ioy of his call makes him to begin his abdication of the world , in a banquet . here was not a more cheerefull thankfulnesse in the inuiter , then a gracious humilitie in the guest : the new seruant bids his master , the publican his sauiour , and is honoured with so blessed a presence . i doe not finde where iesus was euer bidden to any table , and refused ; if a pharisee , if a publican inuited him , he made not daintie to goe ; not for the pleasure of the dishes ; what was that to him who began his worke in a whole lent of daies ? but ( as it was his meat and drinke to doe the will of his father , ) for the benefit of so winning a conuersation . if he sate with sinners , he conuerted them ; if with conuerts , he confirmed and instructed them ; if with the poore , he sed them ; if with the rich in substance , he made them richer in grace . at whose board did he euer sit , and left not his host a gainer ? the poore bridegroome entertaines him , and hath his water-pots filled with wine : simon the pharisee entertaines him , and hath his table honoured with the publique remission of a penitent sinner , with the heauenly doctrine of remission : zacheus entertaines him , saluation came that day to his house , with the author of it ; that presence made the publican a sonne of abraham ; matthew is recompenced for his feast with an apostle-ship : martha , and mary entertaine him , and besides diuine instruction receiue their brother from the dead ; o sauiour , whether thou feast vs , or we feast thee , in both of them is blessednesse . where a publican is the feast-master , it is no maruell if the guests be publicans , and sinners ; whether they came alone out of an hope of that mercie , which they saw their fellow had found ; or whether matthew inuited them to be partners of that plentifull grace , whereof he had tasted , i inquire not : publicans and sinners will flocke together ; the one , hatefull for their trade , the other for their vicious life . common contempt hath wrought them to an vnanimitie ; and sends them to seeke mutuall comfort in that societie , which all others held loathsome and contagious . moderate correction humbleth , and shameth the offender ; whereas a cruell seueritie makes men desperate ; and driues them to those courses , whereby they are more dangerously infected ; how many haue gone into the prison faultie , and returned flagitious ? if publicans were not sinners , they were no whit beholden to their neighbours . what a table full was here ? the sonne of god beset with publicans , and sinners : o happie publicans , and sinners , that had found out their sauiour ; oh mercifull sauiour , that disdained not publicans and sinners . what sinner can feare to kneele before thee , when he sees publicans and sinners sit with thee ? who can feare to be despised of thy meeknesse , and mercy , which didst not abhorre , to conuerse with the out-casts of men ? thou didst not despise the theefe confessing vpon the crosse , nor the sinner weeping vpon thy feet , nor the cananite crying to thee in the way , not the blushing adulteresse , nor the odious publican , nor the forswearing disciple , nor the persecutor of disciples , nor thine owne executioners , how can we be vnwelcome to thee , if we come with teares in our eies , faith in our hearts , restitution in our hands ? oh sauiour , our brests are too oft shut vpon thee , thy bosome is euer open to vs ; we are as great sinners as the consorts of these publicans , why should we despaire of a roome at thy table ? the squint-eid pharisees look a-crosse at all the actions of christ ; where they should haue admired his mercie , they cauill at his holinesse ; they said to his disciples ; why eateth your master with publicans , and sinners ? they durst not say thus to the master , whose answer ( they knew ) would soone haue conuinced them ; this winde ( they hoped ) might shake the weake faith of the disciples ; they speake where they may be most likely to hurt ; all the crue of satanicall instruments haue learnt this craft of their old tutor in paradise : wee cannot reuerence that man , whom we thinke vnholy ; christ had lost the hearts of his followers , if they had entertained the least suspicion of his impuritie ; which the murmur of these enuious pharisees would faine insinuate ; he cannot be worthy to be followed that is vncleane ; he cannot but be vncleane that eateth with publicans and sinners : proud and foolish pharisees , ye fast whiles christ eateth ; ye fast in your houses , whiles christ eateth in other mens ; ye fast with your owne , whiles christ feasts with sinners ; but if ye fast in pride , whiles christ eats in humilitie ; if ye fast at home , for merit , or popularitie , whiles christ feasts with sinners for compassion , for edification , for conuersion , your fast is vncleane , his feast is holy , ye shall haue your portion with hypocrites , when those publicans , and sinners shall be glorious . when these censurers thought the disciples had offended , they speake not to them , but to their master ; why doe thy disciples that which is not lawfull ? now , when they thought christ offended , they speake not to him , but to the disciples ; thus , like true make-bates they goe about to make a breach in the familie of christ , by setting off the one from the other ; the quicke cie of our sauiour hath soone espied the packe of their fraud , and therefore he takes the words out of the mouthes of his disciples , into his owne ; they had spoke of christ to the disciples ; christ answers for the disciples concerning himselfe , the whole need not the physitian , but the sicke . according to the two qualities of pride ; scorne , and ouer-weening , these insolent pharisees ouer-rated their owne holinesse , contemned the noted vnholinesse of others ; as if themselues were not tainted with secret sinnes , as if others could not be cleansed by repentance ; the searcher of hearts meets with their arrogance , and findes those iusticiaries sinfull , those sinners iust ; the spirituall physitian findes the sicknesse of those sinners wholsome , the health of those pharisees desperate : that , wholsome , because it calls for the helpe of the physitian , this , desperate , because it needs not . euery soule is sicke ; those most , that feele it not ; those that feele it , complaine , those that complaine , haue cure ; those that feele it not , shall finde themselues dying ere they can wish to recouer . oh blessed physitian , by whose stripes we are healed , by whose death we liue , happie are they that are vnder thy hands , sicke , as of sin , so of sorrow for sin ; it is as vnpossible they should die , as it is vnpossible for thee to want either skill , or power , or mercy ; sin hath made vs sicke vnto death , make thou vs but as sicke of our sinnes , we are as safe , as thou art gracious . christ among the gergesens , or legion , and the gadarene heard ▪ i doe not any where finde so furious a demoniacke , as amongst the gergesens ; satan is most tyrannous , where he is obeyed most . christ no sooner sailed ouer the lake , then he was met with two possessed gadarenes ; the extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other ; yet in the midst of all that crueltie of the euill spirit , there was sometimes a remission , if not an intermission , of vexation ; if , oft-times satan caught him , then , sometimes , in the same violence , he caught him not . it was no thanke to that malignant one , who as he was indefatigable in his executions , so vnmeasurable in his malice ; but ▪ to the mercifull ouer-ruling of god , who in a gratious respect to the weaknesse of his poore creatures , limits the spightfull attempts of that immortall enemie ; and takes off this mastiue , whiles we may take breath : hee who in his iustice giues way to some onsets of satan , in his mercie restraines them ; so regarding our deseruings , that withall he regards our strength : if way should be giuen to that malicious spirit , we could not subsist ; no violent thing can indure ; and if satan might haue his will , we should no moment be free ; he can be no more weary of doing euill to vs , then god is of doing good : are we therefore preserued from the malignitie of these powers of darknesse , blessed be our strong helper that hath not giuen vs ouer to be a prey vnto their teeth : or if some scope haue beene giuen to that enuious one , to afflict vs , hath it beene with fauourable limitations , it is thine only mercy , ô god , that hath ▪ chained and muzzled vp this band-dog , so as that he may scratch vs with his pawes , but cannot pierce vs with his fangs . farre , far is this from our deserts , who had too well merited a iust abdication from thy fauour , and protection , and an interminable seisure by satan , both in soule and bodie . neither doe i here see more matter of thankes to our god , for our immunitie from the externall iniuries of satan , then occasion of serious inquirie into his power ouer vs , for the spirituall . i see some that thinke themselues safe from this ghostly tyrannie , because they sometimes finde themselues in good moods , free from the suggestions of grosse sins , much more from the commission ; vaine men , that feed themselues with so false and friuolous comforts ; will they not see satan , through the iust permission of god , the same to the soule , in mentall possessions , that he is to the body , in corporall ? the worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites ; not euer tortured ; not euer furious ; betwixt whiles he might looke soberly , talke sensibly , moue regularly ; it is a wofull comfort that we sinne not alwaies : there is no master so barbarous as to require of his slaue a perpetuall vnintermitted toyle ; yet , though he sometimes eate , sleepe , rest , he is a vassall still ; if that wicked one haue drawne vs to a customarie perpetration of euill , and haue wrought vs to a frequent iteration of the same sinne , this is gage enough for our seruitude , matter enough for his tyrannie , and insultation ; he that would be our tormentor alwaies , cares only to be sometimes our tempter . the possessed is bound , as with the inuisible fetters of satan , so with the materiall chaines of the inhabitants ; what can bodily force preuaile against a spirit ? yet they indeuour this restraint of the man , whether out of charitie , or iustice ; charitie , that he might not hurt himselfe ; iustice , that he might not hurt others ; none doe so much befriend the demoniacke as those that binde him ; neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled ; for though this act of the enemie be plausible , and , to appearance , pleasant , yet there is more danger in this deare , and smiling tyrannie ; two sorts of chaines are fit for outragious sinners ; good lawes , vnpartiall executions ; that they may not hurt , that they may not be hurt to eternall death . these yron chaines are no sooner fast , then broken ; there was more then an humane power in this disruption ; it is not hard to conceiue the vtmost of nature , in this kinde of actions ; sampson doth not breake the cords , and ropes like a threed of towe , but god by sampson ; the man doth not breake these chaines , but the spirit . how strong is the arme of these euill angels , how farre transcending the ordinarie course of nature ? they are not called powers for nothing ; what flesh and bloud could but tremble at the palpable inequalitie of this match , if herein the mercifull protection of our god did not the rather magnifie it selfe , that so much strength , met with so much malice , hath not preuailed against vs : in spight of both we are in safe hands ; hee that so easily brake the yron fetters , can neuer breake the adamantine chaine of our faith ; in vaine doe the chafing billowes of hell beate vpon that rocke , whereon we are built ; and though these brittle chaines of earthly mettall be easily broken by him , yet the sure-tempered chaine of gods eternall decree , he can neuer breake ; that almightie arbiter of heauen , and earth , and hell , hath chained him vp in the bottomlesse pit , and hath so restrained his malice , that ( but , for our good ) wee cannot be tempted ; we cannot be foyled , but for a glorious victorie . alas it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed ; the chaines of restraint are commonly broken by the furie of wickednesse ; what are the respects of ciuilitie , feare of god , feare of men , wholsome lawes , carefull executions to the desperately licentious , but as cobwebs to an harnet ? let these wilde demoniacks know , that god hath prouided chaines for them , that will hold , euen euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse ; these are such as must hold the deuils themselues ( their masters ) vnto the iudgement of the great day , how much more those impotent vassals ? oh that men would suffer themselues to be bound to their good behauiour , by the sweet , and easie recognizances of their dutie to their god , and the care of their owne soules , that so they might rather be bound vp in the bundle of life . it was not for rest , that these chaines were torne off , but for more motion ; this prisoner runs away from his friends , he cannot run away from his iaylor ; he is now carried into the wildernesse ; not by meere externall force , but by internall impulsion ; carried by the same power that vnbound him , for the oportunitie of his tyrannie , for the horror of the place , for the affamishment of his 〈◊〉 for the auoidance of all meanes of resistance . solitarie deserts are the delights of satan ▪ it is an vnwise zeale that moues vs to doe that to our selues , in an opinion of merit , and holinesse , which the deuill wishes to doe to vs for a punishment , and conueniencie of tentation . the euill spirit is for solitarinesse ; god is for societie ; he dwells in the assembly of his saints , yea , there he hath a delight to dwell ; why should not we account it our happinesse that we may haue leaue to dwell , where the author of all happinesse loues to dwell ? there cannot be any miserie incident into vs , whereof our gracious redeemer is not both conscious , and sensible ; without any intreatie therefore of the miserable demoniack , or suit of any friend ; the god of spirits takes pittie of his distresse ; and , from no motion but his owne , commands the ill spirit to come forth of the man : o admirable precedent of mercy , preuenting our requests , exceeding our thoughts , forcing fauours vpon our impotence ; doing that for vs , which we should , and yet cannot desire . if men vpon our instant solicitations would giue vs their best aid , it were a iust praise of their bountie , but it well became thee , ô god of mercie , to goe without force , to giue without suit ; and doe we thinke thy goodnesse is impaired by thy glory ? if thou wert thus commiseratiue vpon earth , art thou lesse in heauen ? how doest thou now take notice of all our complaints , of all our infirmities ? how doth thine infinite pittie take order to redresse them ? what euill can befall vs which thou knowest not , feelest not , relieuest not ? how safe are we that haue such a guardian , such a mediator in heauen ? not long before had our sauiour commanded the windes , and waters , and they could not but obey him ; now , he speakes in the same language to the euill spirit ; he intreats not , he perswades not , he commands ; command argues superioritie , he only is infinitely stronger then the strong one in possession ; else , where powers are matcht , though with some inequalitie , they tugge for the victorie ; and without a resistance yeeld nothing . there are no fewer sorts of dealing with satan , then with men ; some haue dealt with him by suit , as the old satanian heretickes , and the present indian sauages , sacrificing to him , that he hurt not : others by couenant , condicioning their seruice vpon his assistance , as witches and magicians , others by insinuation of implicite compact , as charmers and figure-casters ; others by adiuration , as the sonnes of sceua , and moderne exorcists , vnwarrantably charging him by an hier name then their owne ; none euer offred to deale with satan by a direct and primarie command , but the god of spirits ; the great archangel , when the strife was about the body of moses , commanded not , but imprecated rather , the lord rebuke thee , satan ; it is only the god that made this spirit an angel of light , that can command him , now that he hath made himselfe the prince of darknesse . if any created power dare to vsurpe a word of command , he laughs at their presumption ; and knowes them his vassals whom he dissembles to feare as his lords ; it is thou only , ô sauiour , at whose becke those stubburne principalities of hell yeeld , and tremble : no wicked man can be so much a slaue to satan , as satan is to thee ; the interposition of grace may defeat that dominion of satan ; thy rule is absolute , and capable of no let . what need we to feare , whiles we are vnder so omnipotent a commander ? the waues of the deepe rage horribly , yet the lord is stronger then they ; let those principalities and powers doe their worst ; those mightie aduersaries are vnder the command of him , who loued vs so well as to bleed for vs , what can we now doubt of ? his power , or his will ? how can we professe him a god , and doubt of his power ? how can we professe him a sauiour , and doubt of his will ? he , both can , and will command those infernall powers ; we are no lesse safe , then they are malicious . the deuill saw iesus by the eies of the demoniack ; for the same saw , that spake ; but it was the ill spirit , that said , i beseech thee torment me not ; it was sore against his will that he saw so dreadfull an obiect ; the ouer-ruling power of christ dragged the foule spirit into his presence . guiltinesse would faine keepe out of sight ; the limmes of so wofull an head shall once call to the hills , and rockes to hide them from the face of the lambe ; such lyon-like terror is in that milde face , when it lookes vpon wickednesse : neither shall it be one day the least part of the torment of the damned , to see the most louely spectacle that heauen can afford : he , from whom they fled in his offers of grace , shall be so much more terrible , as he was , and is more gracious ; i maruell not therefore that the deuill , when he saw iesus , cryed out ; i could maruell that he fell downe , that he worshipped him : that which the proud spirit would haue had christ to haue done to him , in his great duell , the same he now doth vnto christ , fearfully , seruilely , forcedly ; who shall henceforth bragge of the externall homage he performes to the sonne of god , when he sees satan himselfe fall downe , and worship ? what comfort can there be in that , which is common to vs with deuils ; who as they beleeue , and tremble , so they tremble , and worship ? the outward bowing is the body of the action , the disposition of the soule is the soule of it ; therein lies the difference from the counterfait stoopings of wicked men , and spirits : the religious heart serues the lord in feare , and reioyces in him with trembling ; what it doth is in way of seruice ; in seruice to his lord , whose soueraintie is his comfort , and protection ; in the feare of a sonne , not of a slaue ; in a feare tempered with ioy ; in a ioy , but allaied with trembling ; whereas the prostration of wicked men , and deuils is only an act of forme , or of force ; as to their iudge , as to their tormentor , not as to their lord ; in meere seruilitie , not in reuerence , in an vncomfortable dulnesse , without all delight ; in a perfect horror , without capacitie of ioy ; these worship without thankes , because they fall downe without the true affections of worship . who so maruells to see the deuill vpon his knees , would much more maruell to heare what came from his mouth ; iesa the sonne of the most high god ; a confession , which if wee should heare without the name of the author , we should aske , from what saint it came . behold , the same name giuen to christ by the deuill , which was formerly giuen him by the angell , thou shalt call his name iesus ; that awfull name , whereat euery knee shall bow , in heauen , in earth , and vnder the earth , is called vpon , by this prostrate deuill : and lest that should not import enough , ( since others haue beene honoured by this name in type , ) he addes , for full distinction , the sonne of the most hie god , the good syrophenician , and blinde bartimeus could say , the sonne of dauid ; it was well to acknowledge the true descent of his pedigree , according to the flesh ; but this infernall spirit lookes aloft , and fetcheth his line out of the most heauens , the sonne of the most hie god ; the famous confession of the prime apostle ( which honoured him with a new name to immortalitie , ) was no other then , thou art the christ , the sonne of the liuing god ; and what other doe i heare from the lips of a fiend ? none more diuine words could fall from the hiest saint ; nothing hinders but that the veriest miscreant on earth , yea the foulest deuill in hell may speake holily : it is no passing of iudgement vpon loose sentences ; so peter should haue beene cast for a satan , in denying , forswearing , cursing ; and the deuill should haue beene set vp for a saint , in confessing , iesus the sonne of the most hie god ; fond hypocrite , that pleasest thy selfe , in talking well , heare this deuill , and when thou canst speake better then he ; looke to fare better ; but in the meane time know , that a smooth tongue , and a foule heart , carries away double iudgements . let curious heads dispute whether the deuil knew christ to be god ; in this i dare beleeue himselfe , though in nothing else ; he knew what he beleeued , he beleeued what he confessed , iesus the sonne of the most hie god ; to the confusion of those semi-christians , that haue either held doubtfully , or ignorantly misknowne , or blasphemously denied what the very deuils haue professed . how little can a bare speculation auaile vs in these cases of diuinitie ? so farre this deuill hath attained , to no ease , no comfort . knowledge alone doth but puffe vp ; it is our loue that edifies ; if there be not a sense of our sure interest in this iesus , a power to applie his merits , and obedience , we are no whit the safer , no whit the better ; only we are so much the wiser , to vnderstand who shall condemne vs. this peece of the clause was spoken like a saint , iesus the son of the most hie god ; the other peece , like a deuill , what haue i to doe with thee ? if the disclamation were vniuersall , the latter words would impugne the former ; for whiles he confesses iesus to be the sonne of the most hie god , he withall confesses his owne ineuitable subiection ; wherefore would he beseech , if he were not obnoxious ; hee cannot , he dare not say , what hast thou to doe with mee ; but , what haue i to doe with thee ; others indeed i haue vexed , thee i feare ; in respect then of any violence , of any personall prouocation , what haue i to doe with thee ? and doest thou aske , ô thou euill spirit , what thou hast to doe with christ , whiles thou vexest a seruant of christ ? hast thou thy name from knowledge , and yet so mistakest him whom thou confessest , as if nothing could be done to him , but what immediately concernes his owne person ? heare that great , and iust iudge sentencing vpon his dreadfull tribunall ; in as much as thou didst it vnto one of these little ones , thou didst it vnto mee ; it is an idle misprision to seuer the sense of an iniurie done to any of the members , from the head . he that had humilitie enough to kneele to the sonne of god , hath boldnesse enough to expostulate , art thou come to torment vs before our time ? whether it were , that satan , who vseth to inioy the torment of sinners , whose musicke it is to heare our shriekes , and gnashings , held it no small peece of his torment , to be restrained in the exercise of his tyrannie ; or , whether the very presence of christ were his racke : for , the guiltie spirit proiecteth terrible things , and cannot behold the iudge , or the executioner without a renouation of horror , or , whether ( as himselfe professeth ) he were now in a fearefull expectation of being commanded downe into the deepe , for a further degree of actuall torment , which he thus deprecates . there are tortures appointed to the very spirituall natures of euill angels ; men , that are led by sense , haue easily granted the body subiect to torment , who yet , haue not so readily conceiued this incident to a spirituall substance : the holy ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint vs with the particular manner of these inuisible acts , rather willing that we should herein feare , then inquire ; but , as all matters of faith , though they cannot be proued by reason ( for that they are in an hier sphere ) yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of all reason , that dares barke against them , ( since truth cannot be opposite to it selfe ) so , this of the sufferings of spirits ; there is therefore both an intentionall torment incident to spirits , and a reall : for , as in blessednesse the good spirits finde themselues ioyned vnto the chiefe good ; and , hereupon feele a perfect loue of god , and vnspeakable ioy in him , and rest in themselues , so contrarily , the euill spirits perceiue themselues eternally excluded from the presence of god , and see themselues setled in a wofull darknesse ; and , from the sense of this separation arises an horror not to be expressed , not to be conceiued ; how many men haue we knowne to torment themselues with their owne thoughts ? there needs no other gibbet then that , which their troubled spirit hath erected in their owne heart : and if some paines begin at the body , and from thence afflict the soule in a copartnership of griefe , yet others arise immediately from the soule , and draw the body into a participation of miserie ; why may we not therefore conceiue meere and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation ? besides which , i heare the iudge of men and angels say , goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire , prepared for the deuill , and his angels ; i heare the prophet say , tophet is prepared of old ; if with feare , and without curiositie we may looke vpon those flames ; why may we not attribute a spirituall nature to that more then naturall fire ? in the end of the world , the elements shall be dissolued by fire : and if the pure quintessentiall matter of the skie , and the element of fire it selfe , shall be dissolued by fire , then that last fire shall be of another nature , then that which it consumeth ; what hinders then but that the omnipotent god hath from eternitie created a fire of another nature proportionable euen , to spirituall essences ? or why may we not distinguish of fire , as it is it selfe , a bodily creature , and , as it is an instrument of gods iustice , so working , not by any materiall vertue , or power of it owne , but by a certaine height of supernaturall efficacie , to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous iudge ? or lastly , why may we not conceiue that though spirits haue nothing materiall in their nature , which that fire should worke vpon , yet by the iudgement of the almightie arbiter of the world , iustly willing their torment , they may be made most sensible of paine , and , by the obedible submission of their created nature , wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures ; besides , the very horror , which ariseth from the place , whereto they are euerlastingly confined : for if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may be held in a loathed , or painfull body , and conceiue sorrow to be so imprisoned ; why may we not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of angels , or men may be held in those direfull flames , and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer ? tremble rather , ô my soule , at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill angels ; who , for one only act of apostasie from god , are thus perpetually tormented , whereas we sinfull wretches multiplie many , and presumptuous offences against the maiestie of our god ; and withall admire , and magnifie that infinite mercie to the miserable generation of man ; which , after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted angels , so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities , and both suffers vs to be free for the time , from these hellish torments , and giues vs oportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer ; praise the lord , ô my soule , and all that is within mee , praise his holy name , who forgiueth all thy sinnes , and healeth all thine infirmities ; who redeemeth thy life from destruction , and crowneth thee with mercie and compassions . there is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented ; there is a time , wherein they expect to be tormented yet more ; art thou come to torment vs before our time ? they knew that the last assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution ; which they also vnderstood to be not yet come ; for though they knew not when the day of iudgement should be ; ( a point concealed from the glorious angels of heauen ) yet they knew when it should not be ; and therefore can say , before the time . euen the very euill spirits confesse , and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall sessions ; they beleeue lesse then deuils , that either doubt of , or denie that day of finall retribution . oh the wonderfull mercie of our god , that both to wicked men , and spirits , respites the vtmost of their torment ; he might vpon the first instant of the fall of angels , haue inflicted on them the hiest extremitie of his vengeance ; he might vpon the first sinnes of our youth ( yea of our nature ) haue swept vs away , and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake ; he staies a time for both ; though , with this difference of mercie to vs men , that here , not only is a delay , but , may be , an vtter preuention of punishment , which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible ; they doe suffer , they must suffer ; and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must , yet they must once suffer more then they doe . yet , so doth this euill spirit expostulate , that hesues ; i beseech thee torment me not . the world is well changed , since satans first onset vpon christ ; then , he could say , if thou be the sonne of god ; now , iesus , the sonne of the most hie god ; then , all these will i giue thee if thou wilt fall downe , and worship me ; now , i beseech thee torment mee not ; the same power , when he lists , can change the note of the tempter , to vs ; how happie are we that haue such a redeemer as can command the deuils to their chaines ? oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners , that haue said , let vs breake his bonds , and cast his cords from vs ; how euer the almightie suffers you , for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill , and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your creator , yet the time shall come , when ye shall see the very masters , whom ye haue serued , ( the powers of darknesse ) vnable to auoide the reuenges of god ; how much lesse shall man striue with his maker ; man , whose breath is in his nosthrills , whose house is clay , whose foundation is in the dust ? nature teaches euery creature to wish a freedome from paine : the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues ; and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill ; yet , what a thing is this , to heare the deuill at his praiers ? i beseech thee torment me not ; deuotion is not guiltie of this , but feare ; there is no grace in the suit of deuils , but nature ▪ no respect of glory to their creator , but their owne ease ; they cannot pray against sinne , but against torment for sinne . what newes is it now , to heare the profanest mouth , in extremitie , imploring the sacred name of god , when the deuils doe so ? the worst of all creatures hates punishment , and can say , lead me not into paine ; only the good heart can say , lead me not into temptation ▪ if we can as heartily pray against sinne , for the auoiding of displeasure , as against punishment , when we haue displeased , there is true grace in the soule : indeed , if we could feruently pray against sinne , we should not need to pray against punishment ; which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that body ; but if we haue not laboured against our sinnes , in vaine doe we pray against punishment ; god must be iust ; and the wages of sinne is death . it pleased our holy sauiour , not only to let fall words of command vpon this spirit , but to interchange some speeches with him : all christs actions are not for example : it was the error of our grand-mother to hold chat with satan ; that god , who knowes the craft of that old serpent , and our weake simplicitie , hath charged vs not to inquire of an euill spirit ; surely , if the disciples returning to iacobs well , wondred to see christ talke with a woman , well may we wonder to see him talking with an vncleane spirit ; let it be no presumption , ô sauiour , to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this , wherein we may not follow thee : we know , that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs ; we know there was no guile found in thy mouth , no possibilitie of taint in thy nature , in thine actions ; neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may be done by thee without sinne , which we cannot but sinne in doing . there is a vast difference in the intention , in the agent ; for , on the one side , thou didst not aske the name of the spirit , as one that knew not , and would learne by inquiring ; but , that by the confession of that mischiefe , which thou pleasedst to suffer , the grace of the cure might be the more conspicuous , the more glorious ; so , on the other , god and man might doe that safely , which meere man cannot doe , without danger ; thou mightest touch the leprosie , and not be legally vncleane , because thou touchedst it to heale it , didst not touch it with possibilitie of infection ; so mightest thou , who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature , wert vncapable of any staine , by the interlocution with satan , safely conferre with him , whom corrupt man , predisposed to the danger of such a pearle , may not meddle with , without sinne , because not without perill ; it is for none but god to hold discourse with satan ; our surest way is to haue as little to doe with that euill one , as we may ; and if he shall offer to maintaine conference with vs by his secret tentations , to turne our speech vnto our god , with the archangell , the lord rebuke thee satan . it was the presupposition of him that knew it , that not only men but spirits haue names ; this then he askes ; not out of an ignorance , or curiositie ; nothing could be hid from him who calleth the starres , and all the hosts of heauen by their names ; but , out of a iust respect to the glory of the miracle he was working ; whereto the notice of the name would not a little auaile : for , if without inquirie , or confession , our sauiour had eiected this euill spirit , it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely deuill , whereas now , it appeares there was a combination and hellish champertie in these powers of darknesse , which were all forced to vaile vnto that almightie command . before , the deuill had spoken singularly of himselfe , what haue i to doe with thee ; and , i beseech thee torment me not ; our sauiour yet , knowing that there was a multitude of deuils lurking in that brest , who dissembled their presence , wrests it out of the spirit by this interrogation , what is thy name ? now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselues ; he that asked the question , forced the answer , my name is legion . the author of discord hath borrowed a name of warre : from that militarie order of discipline ( by which the iewes were subdued ) doth the deuill fetch his denomination ; they were many , yet they say , my name , not , our name ; though many , they speake as one , they act as one , in this possession : there is a maruellous accordance euen betwixt euill spirits ; that kingdome is not diuided , for then it could not stand ; i wonder not that wicked men doe so conspire in euill ; that there is such vnanimitie in the brochers , and abettors of errors , when i see those deuils , which are many in substance , are one in name , action , habitation ; who can bragge too much of vnitie , when it is incident into wicked spirits ? all the praise of concord is in the subiect ; if that be holy , the consent is angelicall , if sinfull , deuillish . what a fearfull aduantage haue our spirituall enemies against vs ? if armed troupes come against single straglers , what hope is there of life , of victorie ? how much doth it concerne vs to band our hearts together , in a communion of saints ? our enemies come vpon vs like a torrent ; oh let not vs run asunder like drops in the dust ; all our vnited forces will be little enough , to make head against this league of destruction . legion imports order , number , conflict . order , in that there is a distinction of regiment , a subordination of officers ; though in hell there be confusion of faces , yet not confusion of degrees ; number ; those that haue reckoned a legion at the lowest , haue counted it six thousand ; others , haue more then doubled it ; though here it is not strict , but figuratiue , yet the letter of it implies multitude ; how fearfull is the consideration of the number of apostate-angels ? and if a legion can attend one man , how many must we needs thinke are they , who , all the world ouer , are at hand to the punishment of the wicked , the exercise of the good , the tentation of both ; it cannot be hoped there can be any place , or time , wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies ; be sure , ye lewd men , ye shall want no furtherance to euill , no torment for euill ; be sure , ye godly , ye shall not want combatants to trie your strength , and skill ; awaken your courages to resist , and stirre vp your hearts to make sure the meanes of your safetie ; there are more with vs then against vs ; the god of heauen is with vs , if we be with him ; and our angels behold the face of god ; if euery deuill were a legion , we are safe : though wee walke through the valley of the shadow of death , we shall feare no euill ; thou , ô lord , shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies , and thy right hand shall saue vs. conflict ; all this number is not for sight , for rest ; but for motion , for action ; neither was there euer houre , since the first blow giuen to our first parents , wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these aduersaries . as therefore strong frontier-townes , when there is a peace concluded on both parts , breake vp their garrison , open their gates , neglect their bull-warkes ; but , when they heare of the enemie mustering his forces , in great and vnequall numbers , then they double their guard ; keepe sentinell , repaire their sconces , so must we , vpon the certaine knowledge of our numerous , and deadly enemies , in continuall aray against vs , addresse our selues alwaies to a warie and strong resistance . i doe not obserue the most to thinke of this gostly hostilitie ; either they do not find there are tentations , or those tentations hurtfull ; they see no worse then themselues ; and if they feele motions of euill , arising in them , they impute it to fancie , or vnreasonable appetite ; to no power , but natures ; and ; those motions they follow , without sensible hurt ; neither see they what harme it is to sinne : is it any maruell that carnall eies cannot discerne spirituall obiects ? that the world who is the friend , the vassall of satan , is in no warre with him ? elishaes seruant , when his eies were opened saw troupes of spirituall soldiers , which before he discerned not ; if the eies of our soules be once enlightened by supernaturall knowledge , and the cleere beames of faith , we shall as plainly descrie the inuisible powers of wickednesse , as now our bodily eies see heauen , and earth . they are , though we see them not , wee cannot be safe from them , if we doe not acknowledge , not oppose them . the deuils are now become great suitors to christ ; that he would not command them into the deepe ; that he would permit their entrance into the swine . what is this deepe but hell ? both for the vtter separation from the face of god ; and for the impossibilitie of passage to the region of rest and glory ? the very euill spirits , then , feare , and expect a further degree of torment ; they know themselues reserued in those chaines of darknesse for the iudgement of the great day ; there is the same wages due to their sinnes , and to ours ; neither are the wages paid till the worke be done ; they , tempting men to sinne , must needs sinne grieuously in tempting ; as with vs men those that mislead into sinne , offend more then the actors ; not till the vpshot therefore of their wickednesse shall they receiue the full measure of their condemnation : this day , this deepe they tremble at ; what shall i say ▪ of those men that feare it not ? it is hard for men to beleeue their owne vnbeleefe : if they were perswaded of this fierie dungeon , this bottomlesse deepe , wherein euery sinne shall receiue an horrible portion with the damned , durst they stretch forth their hands to wickednesse ? no man will put his hand into a fierie crucible to fetch gold thence , because he knowes it will burne him ; did we as truly beleeue the euerlasting burning of that infernall fire , we durst not offer to fetch pleasures , or profits , out of the midst of those flames . this degree of torment they grant in christs power to command ; they knew his power vnresistible ; had he therefore but said , backe to hell , whence ye came , they could no more haue staid vpon earth , then they can now climbe into heauen . o the wonderfull dispensation of the almightie ; who though he could command all the euill spirits downe to their dungeons in an instant ; so as they should haue no more oportunitie of temptation , yet thinkes fit to retaine them vpon earth ; it is not out of weaknesse , or improuidence of that diuine hand , that wicked spirits tyrannzie here vpon earth , but out of the most wise , and most holy ordination of god , who knowes how to turne euill into good ; how to fetch good out of euill ; and by the worst instruments , to bring about his most iust decrees : oh that we could adore that awfull , and infinite power , and cheerefully cast our selues vpon that prouidence , which keepes the keyes euen of hell it selfe , and either lets out , or returnes the deuils to their places . their other suit hath some maruell in mouing it , more in the grant ; that they might be suffred to enter into the heard of swine . it was their ambition of some mischiefe , that brought forth this desire ; that since they might not vexe the bodie of the man , they might yet afflict men in their goods ; the malice of these enuious spirits reacheth from vs , to ours ; it is sore against their wills , if we be not euery way miserable : if the swine were legally vncleane for the vse of the table , yet they were naturally good ; had not satan knowne them vsefull for man , he had neuer desired their ruine ; but as fencers will seeme to fetch a blow at the legge , when they intend it at the head ; so doth this deuill ; whiles he driues at the swine , he aimes at the soules of these gadarens ; by this meanes , he hoped well ( and his hope was not vaine ) to worke in these gergesens a discontentment at christ , an vnwillingnesse to entertaine him , a desire of his absence ; he meant to turne them into swine , by the losse of their swine : it was not the rafters , or stones of the house of iobs children , that he bore the grudge to , but to the owners ; nor to the liues of the children so much , as the soule of their father ; there is no affliction wherein he doth not strike at the heart ; which , whiles it holds free , all other dammages are light ; but a wounded spirit ( whether with sinne or sorrow ) who can beare ? what euer becomes of goods , or limmes , happie are wee if ( like wise souldiers ) we gard the vitall parts ; whiles the soule is kept sound from impatience , from distrust , our enemy may afflict vs , he cannot hurt vs. they sue for a sufference ; not daring other then to grant that without the permission of christ , they could not hurt a very swine ; if it be fearfull to thinke how great things euill spirits can doe with permission ; it is comfortable to thinke how nothing they can doe without permission : we know they want not malice to destroy the whole frame of gods worke ; but of all , man ; of all men , christians ; but if without leaue they cannot set vpon an hogge , what can they doe to the liuing images of their creator ? they cannot offer vs so much as a suggestion , without the permission of our sauiour ; and can he that would giue his owne most precious bloud for vs , to saue vs from euill , wilfully giue vs ouer to euill ? it is no newes that wicked spirits wish to doe mischiefe , it is newes that they are allowed it ; if the owner of all things should stand vpon his absolute command , who can challenge him for what he thinkes fit to doe with his creature ? the first fole of the asse is commanded , vnder the law , to haue his necke broken , what is that to vs ? the creatures doe that they were made for , if they may serue any way to the glory of their maker ; but , seldome euer doth god leaue his actions vnfurnished with such reasons , as our weaknesse may reach vnto . there were sects amongst these iewes that denied spirits , they could not be more euidently , more powerfully conuinced then by this euent : now shall the gadarens see from what a multitude of deuils they were deliuered ; and how easie it had beene for the same power to haue allowed those spirits to seaze vpon their persons , as well as their swine ; neither did god this without a iust purpose of their castigation ; his iudgements are righteous , where they are most secret ; though we cannot accuse these inhabitants of ought , yet hee could ; and thought good thus to mulct them : and if they had not wanted grace to acknowledge it , it was no small fauour of god , that he would punish them in their swine , for that , which he might haue auenged vpon their bodies , and soules : our goods are furthest off vs ; if but in these we smart , we must confesse to finde mercie . sometimes it pleaseth god to grant the suits of wicked men , and spirits , in no fauour to the suitors : hee grants an ill suit , and withholds a good ; he grants an ill suit in iudgement , and holds backe a good one , in mercie ; the israelites aske meat ; hee giues quailes to their mouthes , and leanenesse to their soules ; the chosen vessell wishes satan taken off , and heares only , my grace is sufficient for thee : wee may not euermore measure fauour by condescent ; these deuils doubtlesse receiue more punishment for that harmefull act , wherein they are heard . if we aske what is either vnfit to receiue , or vnlawfull to begge , it is a great fauour of our god to be denied . those spirits which would goe into the swine by permission , goe out of the man by command ; they had staied long , and are eiected suddenly ; the immediate workes of god are perfect in an instant , and doe not require the aid of time for their maturation . no sooner are they cast out of the man , then they are in the swine ; they will leese no time , but passe without intermission from one mischiefe to another ; if they hold it a paine not to be doing of euill ; why is it not our delight to be euer doing good ? the impetuousnesse was no lesse , then the speed , the heard was carried with violence from a steep-downe place into the lake , and was choked . it is no small force that could doe this ; but if the swine had beene so many mountaines , these spirits , vpon gods permission , had thus transported them : how easily can they carrie those soules ( which are vnder their power , ) to destruction ? vncleane beasts that wallow in the mire of sensualitie , brutish drunkards , transforming themselues by excesse , euen they , are the swine , whom the legion carries headlong to the pit of perdition . the wicked spirits haue their wish ; the swine are choked in the waues ; what ease is this to them ? good god ; that there should be any creature that seekes contentment in destroying , in tormenting the good creatures of their maker ! this is the diet of hell ; those fiends feed vpon spight ; towards man so much more , as he doth more resemble his creator : towards all other liuing substances , so much more as they may be more vsefull to man. the swine ranne downe violently , what maruell is it if their keepers fled ; that miraculous work which should haue drawne them to christ , driues them from him : they run with the newes ; the countrie comes in with clamour ; the whole multitude of the countrie about , besought him to depart ; the multitude is a beast of many heads ; euery head hath a seuerall mouth , and euery mouth hath a seuerall tongue , and euery tongue a seuerall accent ; euery head hath a seuerall braine , and euery braine thoughts of their owne ; so as it is hard to finde a multitude , without some diuision : at least seldome euer hath a good motion found a perfect accordance ; it is not so infrequent for a multitude to conspire in euill ; generalitie of assent is no warrant for any act ; common error carries away many ; who inquire not into the reason of ought , but the practise : the way to hell is a beaten road through the many feet that tread it ; when vice growes into fashion , singularitie is a vertue . there was not a gadarene found , that either dehorted their fellowes , or opposed the motion ; it is a signe of people giuen vp to iudgement , when no man makes head against proiects of euill . alas , what can one strong man doe against a whole throng of wickednesse ? yet this good comes of an vnpreuailing resistance , that god forbeares to plague , where he findes but a sprinkling of faith : happie are they , who ( like vnto the celestiall bodies , which being carried about , with the sway of the hiest sphere , yet creepe on their owne waies ) keepe on the courses of their owne holinesse , against the swinge of common corruptions : they shall both deliuer their owne soules , and helpe to withhold iudgement from others . the gadarenes sue to christ for his departure ; it is too much fauour to attribute this to their modestie , as if they held themselues vnworthie of so diuine a guest ; why then did they fall vpon this suit in a time of their losse ? why did they not taxe themselues , and intimate a secret desire of that , which they durst not begge ? it is too much rigor to attribute it to the loue of their hoggs , and an anger at their losse ; then , they had not intreated , but expelled him ; it was their feare that moued this harsh suit : a seruile feare of danger to their persons , to their goods , least hee that could so absolutely command the deuils , should haue set these tormentors vpon them ; least their other demoniacks should be dispossessed with like losse . i cannot blame these gaderens that they feared ; this power was worthy of trembling at ; their feare was iust , the vse of their feare was vniust ; they should haue argued , this man hath power ouer men , beasts , deuils , it is good hauing him to our friend ; his presence is our safetie & protection ; now they contrarily mis-inferre , thus powerfull is he , it is good he were further off ; what miserable and pernicious misconstructions do men make of god ; of diuine attributes , and actions ? god is omnipotent , able to take infinite vengeance of sinne , oh that he were not ; he is prouident , i may be carelesse ; he is mercifull , i may sinne ; he is holy , let him depart from me , for i am a sinfull man ; how wittie sophisters are naturall men to deceiue their owne soules , to rob themselues of a god ? oh sauiour , how worthy are they to want thee that wish to be rid of thee ? thou hast iust cause to be wearie of vs , euen whiles we sue to hold thee ; but when once our wretched vnthankfulnesse growes wearie of thee , who can pittie vs to be punished with thy departure ? who can say it is other then righteous , that thou shouldst regest one day vpon vs , depart from mee yee wicked . finis . an humble remonstrance to the high court of parliament, by a dutifull sonne of the church hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (stc ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a stc estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an humble remonstrance to the high court of parliament, by a dutifull sonne of the church hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by m[iles] f[lesher] for nathaniel butter in pauls church-yard at the pyde-bull neare st. austins gate, london : [i.e. ] dutifull sonne of the church = joseph hall. printer's name from stc. the publication year is given according to lady day dating. the first leaf is blank. b r has catchword "hath". f r has a . mm gap between the "g" in "righteous" and the "i" in "finis". variant: the gap is mm (a resetting found in most copies of stc ). other sheets from stc may be found mixed in. reproductions of the originals in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery and the british library. eng episcopacy -- early works to . a r (stc ). civilwar no an humble remonstrance to the high court of parliament, by a dutifull sonne of the church. hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an humble remonstrance to the high covrt of parliament , by a dutifull sonne of the chvrch . london , printed by m.f. for nathaniel butter in pauls church-yard at the pyde bull neare st. austins gate . . an hvmble remonstrance to the high court of parliament . most honourable lords , and yee the knights , citizens and burgesses , of the honourable house of commons ; lest the world should think the presse had of late forgot to speake any language other then libellous , this honest paper hath broken through the throng , and prostrates it selfe before you : how meanly soever , and unattended , it presents it selfe to your view , yet it comes to you on a great errand , as the faithfull messenger of all the peaceable and right-affected sonnes of the church of england ; and in their names , humbly craves a gracious admittance : had it regarded the pomp and ostentation of names , it might have gloried in a train past number ; it is but a poore stock that may be counted ; millions of hands ( if that tumultuary , and under-hand way of procured subscriptions could have reason to hope for favour in your eyes ) shall at your least command , give attestation to that , which this scroll doth in their names humbly tender unto you . ye are now happily ( through gods blessing ) met in a much-longed-for parliament ; it were but a narrow word to say that the eyes of all us the good subjects of the whole realme are fixed upon your successe ; certainly there are not more eyes in these three interessed kingdomes , then are now bent upon you ; yea all the neighbour churches and kingdomes , if i may not say the whole christian world , and , no small part beyond it , look wishly upon your faces , and with stretched-out necks gaze at the issue of your great meeting ; neither doubt wee but since soveraigne authority hath for this purpose both summoned , and actuated you , you will not faile to produce something worthy of so high an expectation . yee are the sanctuary , whereto now every man flees , whether really , or pretendedly distressed ; even a ioab or adonijah will bee also taking hold of the hornes of the altar : your noble wisedomes know how to distinguish of men and actions , and your inviolable justice knowes to award each his owne . many things there are doubtlesse , which you finde worthy of a seasonable reformation , both in church and state . neither can it be otherwise , but that in a pamperd full body , diseases will grow through rest . ponds that are seldome scoured will easily gather mud ; metals , rust ; and those patients that have inured themselves to a set course of medicinall evacuations , if they intermit their springs and falls , fall into feverous distempers ; not , that supreme , and immediately-subordinate authority hath in the meane time been wanting to its charge ; surely , unlesse wee would suppose princes to be gods , wee cannot think they can know all things : of necessity they must look with others eyes , and heare with others eares , and be informed by others tongues , and act by others hands ; and when all is done , even the most regular , and carefullyinquisitive state is not like the sunne , from whose light and heat nothing is hid . it cannot be expected that those constellations which attend the southerne pole , should take view of our hemisphere , or intermixe their influences with those above our heads ; every agent is required , and allowed to work within the compasse of its own activitie : yee therefore , who by the benefit of your dispersed habitations , enjoy the advantage of having the whole kingdome , and all the corners of it within your eies , may both clearly see all those enormities , wherewith any part is infested , ( unknown to remoter intelligence ) and can best judge to apply meet remedies thereunto . neither can it be , but that those eies of yours , which have been privately vigilant , within the places of your severall abodes , must needs ( not without much regret ) in this your publique meeting , take notice of the miserable disorders of so many vicious and misaffected persons , as have thrust themselves upon your cognizance . whiles the orthodoxe part in this whole realme , hath ( to the praise of their patience ) been quietly silent , as securely conscious of their own right , and innocence , how many furious and malignant spirits every where have burst forth into sclanderous libels , bitter pasquines , railing pamphlets ? ( under which more presses then one have groaned ) wherein they have indeavoured , through the sides of some misliked persons , to wound that sacred government , which ( by the joynt-confession of all reformed divines ) derives it selfe from the times of the blessed apostles , without any interruption , ( without the contradiction of any one congregation in the christian world ) unto this present age ; wherein , as no doubt their lewd boldnesse hath been extremely offensive to your wisedomes , and piety , so may it please you to check this daring , and mis-grounded insolence of these libellers , and by some speedy declaration to let the world know , how much you detest this their malicious , or ignorant presumption ; and by some needfull act to put a present restraint upon the wilde and lawlesse courses of all their factious combinations abroad , and enterprises of this kinde . and if you finde it passe for one of the maine accusations against some great persons , now questioned before you , that they endeavoured to alter the forme of the established government of the common-wealth ; how can these pamphleters seem worthy of but an easie censure , which combine their counsels and practises , for the changing of the setled form of the government of the church ? since , if antiquity may be the rule , the civill politie hath sometimes varied , the sacred , never ; and if originall authority may carry it ; that came from arbitrary imposers , this , from men inspired , and from them in an unquestionable clearnesse derived to us : and if those be branded for incendiaries , which are taxed of attempting to introduce new formes of administration , and rules of divine worship into our neighbour church , how shall those boute-feux of ours escape , that offer to doe these offices to our owne ? the severall , and daily variable projects whereof , are not worthy of your knowledge , or our confutation ; let me have leave to instance in two , the prime subjects of their quarrell , and contradiction ; leitourgie , and episcopacy . the liturgie of the church of england hath been hitherto esteemed sacred , reverently used by holy martyrs , daily frequented by devout protestants , as that , which more then once hath been allowed and confirmed by the edicts of religious princes , and by your own parliamentary acts ; and but lately , being translated into other languages , hath been entertained abroad , with the great applause of forraigne divines and churches ; yet , now , begins to complain of scorn at home : the matter is quarrelled by some , the form by others , the use of it by both : that which was never before heard of in the church of god , whether jewish , or christian , the very prescription of the most holy devotion offendeth . surely , our blessed saviour , and his gracious fore-runner , were so farre from this new divinitie , as that they plainly taught that , which these men gain-say ; a direct forme of prayer ; and such , as that part of the frame prescribed by our saviour , was composed of the formes of devotion then formerly usuall ; and gods people ever since moses his daies , constantly practised it ; and put it over unto the times of the gospel ; under which , whiles it is said that peter and john went up to the temple at the ninth houre of prayer , we know the prayer wherewith they joyned was not of an extemporary , and sudden conception , but of a regular prescription ; the formes whereof are yet extant , and ready to be produced ; and the euangelicall church , ever since , thought it could never better improve her peace , and happinesse , then in composing those religious models of invocation and thanksgiving ; which they have traduced unto us : and can ye then with patience think , that any ingenuous christian should be so farre mis-transported , as to condemne a good prayer , because , as it is in his heart , so it is in his book too ? far be it from me to dishearten any good christian from the use of conceived prayer , in his private devotions ; and upon occasion also , in the publique ; i would hate to be guilty of pouring so much water upon the spirit , to which i shall gladly adde oyle rather ; no , let the full soule freely poure out it self in gracious expressions of its holy thoughts , into the bosome of the almighty : let both the sudden flashes of our quick ejaculations , and the constant flames of our more fixed conceptions mount up from the altar of a zealous heart , unto the throne of grace ; and if there be some stops or solecismes in the fervent utterance of our private wants , these are so far fro being offensive , that they are the most pleasing musique to the eares of that god , unto whom our prayers come : let them be broken off with sobs , and sighes , and incongruities of our delivery , our good god is no otherwise affected to this imperfect elocution , then an indulgent parent is to the clipped , and broken language of his deare childe , which is more delightfull to him then any others smooth oratory ; this is not to be opposed in another , by any man that hath found the true operation of this grace in himselfe : but in the meane time , let the publique formes of the sacred church-liturgie have its due honour ; let this , by the power of your authoritie be re-inforced , as that which being selected , out of ancient models , ( not romane , but christian ) and contrived by the holy martyrs , and confessors of the blessed reformation of religion , hath received abundant supply of strength , both from the zealous recommendation of foure most religious princes , and your own most firme and peremptory establishment ; amongst which powerfull inducements , that is worthy of no sleight consideration , which i humbly tender unto you , from the judgement of the learnedst king that ever sate upon this throne , or ( as i verily think ) since solomons time , upon any other ; king iames of blessed memory , who ( however mis-alledged by some , as letting fall disgracefull speeches concerning this subject ) after a solemne hearing of those exceptions , which were taken by some against this open forme of common-prayer , ( as it is called in queen elizabeths act for uniformity ) shuts up in his proclamation given at westminster , the fifth of march , in the first yeare of his raigne , with these words ; and last of all , we admonish all men , that hereafter they shall not expect or attempt any farther alteration into the common and publike forme of gods service , from this , which is now established ; for that , neither will we give way to any , to presume , that our own judgement having determined in a matter of this weight , shall be swayed to alteration , by the frivolous suggestion of any light spirit ; neither are we ignorant of the inconveniences that doe arise in government , by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation : and how necessary it is to use constancy in the upholding of the publique determinations of states ; for that such is the unquietnesse , and unstedfastnesse of some dispositions , affecting every yeare new formes of things , as , if they should be followed in their unconstancie , would make all actions of state , ridiculous and contemptible ; whereas the stedfast maintaining of things , by good advise established , is the weale of all common-wealths . thus , that great oracle of wisedome , and learning , whom i beseech you suppose , that you still heare directing this prudent and religious advise to your present eares ; and consider how requisite it is for you , out of the reason both of state , and pietie , to rest in that his sound , and exquisite judgement . as for those particularities of exceptions which have been taken by some at certain passages of that book , they have more then once received full satisfaction , by other pens : let me onely say thus much , that were the readers but as charitable , as the contrivers were religiously devout ; those quarrels had either never been raised , or had soone died , alone : oh suffer not then , i beseech you , this holy form of gods service , to be exposed to the proud contempt of ignorant , and ill-affected persons ; maintain , and beare up the pious acts of your godly predecessors , yea , make good your owne : and if our holy martyrs heretofore went to heaven with a litany in their mouth ; let not an ill advised newfanglenesse be suffered to put scorn upon that , wherein they thought themselves happy . as for that forme of episcopall government , which hath hitherto obtained in the church of god , i confesse , i am confounded in my selfe , to heare with what unjust clamours , it is cried down abroad , by either weak , or factious persons ; of either , or both which , i may well take up that word of our saviour , father forgive them , for they know not what they doe : surely , could those look with my eies , they would see cause to be thoroughly ashamed of this their injurious mis-conceit ; and should be forced to confesse , that never any good cause had more reason to complain of a wrongfull prosecution ; were this ordinance meerly humane , and ecclesiasticall , if there could no more be said for it , but that it is exceeding ancient , of more then yeares standing , and that it hath continued in this iland , since the first plantation of the gospel , to this present day , without contradiction : a man would think this were enough plea to challenge a reverent respect , and an immunity from all thoughts of alteration ; for , even nature if selfe teaches us to rise up before the hoare-head ; and hath wrought in us a secret honour , even to the very outward gravity of age ; and just policie teaches us , not easily to give way to the change of those things , which long use , and many lawes have firmly established , as necessary , or beneficiall . yea , the wisedome of the ancient grecians went so farre , as to forbid the removall of a well setled evill ; but , if religion teach us better things , and tell us , that nothing morally evill , can be setled well : and being , however , setled , had the more need to be ( after too long delay ) removed ; yet right reason , and sound experience informe us , that things indifferent , or good , having been by continuance , and generall approbation well rooted in church , or state ; may not upon light grounds be pulled up : but , this holy calling fetches its pedegree higher , even from no lesse , then apostolicall ; ( and therefore , in that right , divine ) institution ; for , although those things which the founders and prime governours of the euangelicall church did , as men , went no further then their own persons , yet , what they did as apostles , is of an higher and more sacred consideration ; and , if as apostolike men , they did , upon occasion , enact some temporary things , which were to die with , or before them , yet , those things which they ordained for the succeeding administration of the church which they should leave behinde them , in all essentiall matters , can be no otherwise construed , then as exemplary , and perpetuall . now if to this text , we shall adde the undoubted commentary of the apostles own practises , and to this commentary , we shall super-adde the unquestionable glosse of the cleare practise of their immediate succeslors , in this administration , continued in christs church to this very day ; what scruple can remain in any ingenuous heart ? but , if any one resolve to continue unsatisfied , in spight of reason , and all evidence of history , and will wilfully shut his eies , with a purpose not to see the light , that man is past my cure , and almost my pity : the good god of heaven be mercifull to such a mis-zealous obstinacy : certainly , except all histories , all authors faile us , nothing can be more plain then this truth ; out of them , we can , and doe shew , on whom the apostles of christ laid their hands , with an acknowledgement and conveyance of imparity and jurisdiction ; we shew what bishops so ordained lived in the times of the apostles ; and succeeded each other , in their severall charges , under the eies and hands of the then living apostles ; we shew who immediately succeeded those immediate successors , in their severall sees , throughout all the regions of the christian church ; and deduce their uninterrupted line , through all the following ages , to this present day ; and if there can be better evidence under heaven , for any matter of fact , ( and in this cause , matter of fact so derived , evinceth matter of right ) let episcopacy be for ever abandoned out of gods church ; but if these be ( as they are ) certain and irrefragable ; alas , what strange fury possesseth the minds of ignorant , unstable men , that they should thus headily desire , and sue to shake off so sacred , and well grounded an institution ! but i hear what they say ; it is not the office of episcopacy that displeases , but the quality : the apostles bishops , and ours , were two ; theirs was no other then a parochiall pastor , a preaching presbyter without inequalitie , without any rule over his brethren ; ours claims an eminent superiority , whether in a distinct order , or degree ; and a power of ordination , jurisdiction , unknown to the primitive times . alas , alas , how good people may be abused by mis-information ! heare , i beseech you , the words of truth and confidence ; if our bishops challenge any other spirituall power , then was by apostolique authority delegated unto , and required of timothy , and titus , and the angels of the seven asian churches , ( some whereof are known to us by name ) let them be disclaimed as usurpers ; and if we doe not shew , out of the genuine and undeniable writings of those holy men , which lived both in the times of the apostles and some yeares after them , and conversed with them , as their blessed fellow-labourers , a cleare and received distinction , both of the names and offices of the bishops , presbyters , and deacons , as three distinct subordinate callings , in gods church , with an evident specification of the duty and charge belonging to each of them ; let this claimed hierarchy , be for ever hooted out of the church : and if the bounty of religious princes have thought meet to grace this sacred function , with some accession of titles , and maintenance ; far be it from us to think , that the substance and essentiall parts of that calling is ought impaired , or altered , by such gracious munificence ; and , although ( as the world goes ) these honors cannot ballance the contempt of those eminent places ; and that portion ( which is now made hereditary to the church ) cannot , in the most of these dignities , ( after all deductions ) boast of any superfluity , yet ( such as they are ) if any man have so little grace , and power of selfe-government , as to be puffed up with pride , or transported to an immoderation in the use of these adventitious favours ; the sin is personall , the calling free ; which may be , and is managed by others , with all humble sociablenesse , hospitall frugality , conscionable improvement of all meanes and opportunities to the good of gods church . i may not yet dissemble , that , whiles we plead the divine right of episcopacy , a double scandall is taken , by men , otherwise not unjudicious , and cast upon us from the usuall suggestions of some late pamphleters ; the one , that we have deserted our former tenet , not without the great prejudice of soveraignty ; for , whereas we were wont to acknowledge the deriving of our tenure , as in fee , from the beneficent hand of kings , and princes ; now as either proudly , or ungratefully casting off that just dependence , and beholdingnesse , we stand upon the claime of our episcopacy , from a divine originall ; the other , that , whiles we labour to defend the divine right of our episcopacy , we seeme to cast a dangerous imputation upon those reformed churches , which want that government ; both which , must be shortly cleared . the former had never been found worth objecting , if men had wisely learned to consider , how little incompatiblenesse there is in this case , of gods act , and the kings ; both of them have their proper object , and extent : the office is from god ; the place , and station , and power , wherein that office is exercised , is from the king ; it is the king that gives the bishoprick , it is god that makes the bishop ; where was it ever heard of , that a soveraigne prince claimed the power of ordaining a pastor in the church ? this is derived from none , but spirituall hands : on the other side , who but princes can take upon them , to have power to erect , and dispose of episcopall sees , within their own dominions ? it is with a king , and a bishop , as with the patron , and the incumbent : the patron gives the benefice to his clerk , but pretends not to give him orders , that this man is a minister , he hath from his diocesan ; that he is beneficed , he hath from his patron ; whiles he acknowledgeth his orders from the reverend hands of his bishop , doth he derogate ought from the bounty of a patrons free presentation ? no otherwise is it with episcopacy ; which thankfully professes to hold at once from god and the king ; its calling , of god , its place and exercise of jurisdiction , of the king : and , if it be objected , that both some former , and modern divines , both abroad ▪ and at home , borrowing s. ieromes phrase , have held the superiority of bishops over presbyters , to be grounded rather upon the custome of the church , then any appointment of christ , i must answer ; first , that we cannot prescribe to other mens thoughts ; when all is said , men will take liberty , ( and who can hinder it ? ) to abound in their own sense : but secondly , if they shall grant ( as they shall be forced ) that this custome was of the church apostolicall , and had its rise , with the knowledge , approbation , practise of those inspired legates of christ , and was from their very hands recommended to the then present , and subsequent church , for continuance ; there is no such great dissonance in the opinions , as may be worthy of a quarrell . the second , is intended to raise envy against us , as the uncharitable censurers , and condemners of those reformed churches abroad , which differ from our government : wherein , we do justly complain of a sclanderous aspersion cast upon us ; we love and honour those sister-churches , as the dear spouse of christ ; we blesse god for them ; and we doe heartily wish unto them that happinesse in the partnership of our administration , which , i doubt not , but they doe no lesse heartily wish unto themselves . good words , you will perhaps say , but what is all this faire complement , if our act condemne them , if our very tenet exclude them ? for , if episcopacy stand by divine right , what becomes of those churches that want it ? malice and ignorance are met together in this unjust aggravation : first , our position is onely affirmative ; implying the justifiablenesse , and holinesse of an episcopall calling , without any further implication : next , when we speak of divine right , we meane not an expresse law of god , requiring it upon the absolute necessity of the being of a church ( what hinderances soever may interpose ) but a divine institution , warranting it where it is , and requiring it where it may be had ; every church therefore , which is capable of this forme of government , both may , and ought to affect it , as that , which is , with so much authority derived from the apostles , to the whole body of the church upon earth ; but , those particular churches , to whom this power and faculty is denied , lose nothing of the true essence of a church , though they misse something of their glory and perfection , whereof they are barred , by the necessity of their condition ; neither are liable to any more imputation , in their credit , and esteeme , then an honest , frugall , officious tenant , who , notwithstanding the profer of all obsequious services , is tied to the limitations and termes of an hard landlord . but so much we have reason to know , of the judgement of the neighbour churches , and their famous divines , that , if they might hope to live so long , as to see a full freedome of option tendred unto them , by soveraigne authority , with all sutable conditions , they would most gladly embrace this our forme of government ; which differs little from their owne , save , in the perpetuity of their ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or ) moderator-ship , and the exclusion of that lay-presbyterie , which never , till this age , had footing in the christian church . neither would we desire to choose any other judges of our calling , and the glorious eminence of our church , so governed , then the famous professors of geneva it selfe ; learned lectius for a civilian , and for a divine , fredericus span●emius , the now renowned pastor , and reader of divinitie in geneva ; who in his dedicatory epistle before the third part of his dubia euangelica , to the incomparable lord primate of ireland , doth zealously applaud , and congratulate unto us , the happy , & ( as he conceiveth ) flourishing estate of our church , under this government , magnifying the graces of god in the bishops thereof , and shuts up with fervent prayers to god for the continuance of the authority of the prelates of these churches . oh then , whiles geneva it self praiseth our government , and god for it , and prayes for the happy perpetuation of it , let it not be suffered , that any ignorant or spightfull sectaries , should openly in their libels curse it , and maliciously brand it , with the termes of unlawfull , and antichristian : your wisdomes cannot but have found abundant reason to hate , and scorn this base and unreasonable suggestion ; which would necessarily inferre , that not christ , but antichrist , hath had the full sway of all gods church upon earth , for these whole sixteen hundred yeares ; a blasphemy which any christian heart must needs abhorre ; and who that ever hath looked into either books , or men , knows not , that the religious bishops of all times , are , and have been they , which have strongly held up the kingdome of christ , and the sincere truth of the gospel , against all the wicked machinations of satan , and his antichrist ? and even amongst our owne , how many of the reverend , and learned fathers of the church , now living , have spent their spirits , and worne out their lives in the powerfull opposition of that man of sin . consider then i beseech you , what a shamefull injustice it is , in these bold sclanderers , to cast upon these zealously-religious prelates , famous for their workes ( against rome ) in forraigne parts , the guilt of that , which they have so meritoriously and convincingly opposed . if this most just defence may satisfie them , i shal for their sakes rejoyce ; but , if they shall either with the wilfully-deafe adder stop their eares , or against the light of their owne consciences , ( out of private respects ) beare up a known error of uncharitablenesse , this very paper shall one day be an evidence against them , before the dreadfull tribunall of the almighty . what should i urge in some others , the carefull , peaceable , painfull , conscionable managing of their charges , to the great glory of god , and comfort of his faithfull people ? and , if whiles these challenge a due respect from all well-minded christians , some others heare ill , ( how deservedly , god knows , and will in due time manifest ) yet , why should an holy calling suffer ? why should the faults ( if such be ) of some , diffuse their blame to all ? farre , far we know is this , from the approved integrity of your noble justice , whiles in the mean time , ( unlesse your just check doe seasonably remedy it ) the impetuous and undistinguishing vulgar are ready so to involve all , as to make innocence it self a sin ; and ( which i am amazed to think of ) dare say , and write , the better man , the worse bishop . and now , since i am faln upon this sad subject , give me leave i beseech you , to professe , with how bleeding an heart , i heare of the manifold scandals of some of the inferiour clergy , presented to your view , from all parts ; it is the misery , and shame of this church , if they be so foul as they are suggested ; but , if i durst presume so far , i should , in the bowells of christ , beseech you , ( upon the finding of so hateful enormities ) to give me leave to put you in mind , of the charitable example of our religious constantine , in the like case ; you cannot dislike so gracious a patterne ; i plead not for their impunity , let them ( within the sphere of their offence ) beare their own sin ; but oh , forbid to have it told in gath , or published in the streets of ascalon ; your wisedomes well see , under what malignant eyes we are , of opposite spectators ; what a death it is , to think of the sport , and advantage these watchfull enemies will be sure to make of our sins , and shame ? what exprobrations , what triumphs of theirs , will hence ensue ? these , and all other our cares are now securely cast upon your exquisite prudence , and goodnesse ; the very mention of our feares , whiles ye sit , had need to crave pardon of presumption ; but withall , to take down the insolence of those envious insulters , it may please you to give me leave to tell them , that , however , in so numerous a multitude , there be found some foully vicious , ( as there is no pomegranate wherein some grains are not rotten , and even in twelve there is one iudas ) yet , upon a just survay , it will be found , that no one clergy in the whole christian world , yeelds so many eminent scholars , learned preachers , grave , holy , and accomplished divines , as this church of england doth at this day ; and long , and ever may it thus flourish , as it surely shall ( through gods blessing ) whiles the bountifull incouragements of learning , and ingenuous education are happily continued to it ; and the more , when those luxuriant boughes of disorder and debauchednesse , are through just censures seasonably lopped off . but stay ; where are we , or what is this we speak of , or to whom ? whiles i mention the church of england , as thinking it your honour , and my own , to be the professed sons of such a mother , i am now taught a new divinity , and bidden to ask , which church we mean ? my simplicity never thought of any more churches of england but one ; now this very dayeswiser discovery tels us of more ; there is a prelaticall church ( they say ) for one ; and , which is the other ? surely it is so young , that as yet , it hath no name ; except we shall call it indefinitely , as the jews were wont to style the creature they could not abide to mention , that other thing ; and what thing shal that be , think we ? let it be called , if you please , the church antiprelaticall ; but leave england out of the style ; let it take a larger denomination , and extend to our friends at amsterdam , and elsewhere , and not be confined to our england : withall , let them be put in mind , that they must yet think of another subdivision of this division ; some there are ( they know ) which can be content to admit of an orderly subordination of severall parishes to presbyteries , & those again to synods ; others are all for a parochiall absolutenesse , and independence ; yea , and of these , there will be a division , in semper divisibilia ; till they come to very atomes : for to which of those scores of separated congregations , knowne to be within and about these walls will they be joyned ? and how long without a further scissure ? oh god ; where doe men stay , when they are once past the true bounds ? but if it be so , that the prelaticall part must needs make up one divident member of this english church ; tell me , brethren , i beseech you , what are the bounders of this church ? what the distinction of the professors and religion ? and , if the clients of the prelacy , and their adherents , ( whose severall thousands are punctually calculated ) be they who make up this prelaticall church , what grounds of faith , what new creed doe they hold , different from their neighbours ? what scriptures , what baptisme , what eucharist , what christ , what heaven , what meanes of salvation other then the rest ? alas , my brethren , whiles we doe fully agree in all these , and all other doctrinall and practicall points of religion ; why will ye be so uncharitable , as by these frivolous and causlesse divisions , to rend the seamlesse coat of christ ? is it a title , or a retinue , or a ceremony , a garment , or a colour , or an organ-pipe , that can make us a different church , whiles we preach and professe the same saving truth , whiles we desire ( as you professe to doe ) to walk conscionably with our god , according to that one rule of the royall law of our maker ; whiles we oppose one and the same common enemy , whiles we unfainedly indeavour to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ? oh consider , i beseech you in the feare of god , consider , whether these be the thoughts of the sons of peace , and such as are sutable to the charge , and legacy of our deare saviour , and think seriously from what spirit they proceed ; for us , we make no difference at all ( in the right and interest of the church ) betwixt clergy and laity , betwixt the clergy and laity of one part , and another ; we are all your true brethren ; we are one with you , both in heart and brain ; and hope to meet you in the same heaven ; but if yee will needs bee otherwise minded , we can but bewaile the churches misery , and your sin ; and shall beseech god to be mercifull to your willing and uncharitable separation . howsoever , i have freed my soule before my god , in the conscience of this just expostulation , and faithfull advise . what remains , but that i poure out my heart in my fervent , and dayly prayers to the father of all mercies , that it would please him to inspire this great counsell , with all wisedome from above ; and crown this great meeting with the blessing of all happy successe , so as it may produce much glory to his own name , much complacency and contentment to his deare anointed , comfort to all good hearts , terror to his enemies , seasonable restraint to all insolence and faction , prevention of all innovations ; and lastly , a firm peace and settlement to this church and common-wealth , and to all other his majesties dominions ? which god grant for the sake of the son of his love , jesus christ the righteous . amen . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- jacobus lectius pre●er . theol. l ● . vide episc. by divine right . fol. ult. obversatur mihi crebro grata ista ecclesiarum vestrarum facies , ista in publicis pietatis exercitiis reverentia , &c. et quamvis omnia illa regna abundent praesulibus eruditissimis , & theologis summis , &c. sive prolixi nostri erga ecclesias omnes britanicas affectus , quarum praesules amplissimos , pastores fidos , greges florentes in domino suspicimus & amplexamur , &c. quo deo sua semper apud vos constet gloria , serenissimo regi vestro suum jus , praesulibus sua authoritas pastoribus suus honor , eccles●is vestris omnibus sua sanctitas , sua tranquillitas , &c. epist. dedic. . part is dub. euang. anno . et nostris pinguescunt monstra ruinis . jos. isc . an italians dead bodie, stucke with english flowers elegies, on the death of sir oratio pallauicino. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an italians dead bodie, stucke with english flowers elegies, on the death of sir oratio pallauicino. field, theophilus, - . hall, joseph, - . [ ] p. printee [sic] by thomas creede, for andrew wise, and are to be sold at his shop in powles church-yard, london : . verses by theophilus field (ed.), joseph hall, and others. signatures: a-d⁴ (last leaf blank). reproduction of original in the lambeth palace library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic 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should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng palavicino, horatio, -- sir, d. -- poetry. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an italians dead bodie , stucke with english flowers . elegies , on the death of sir oratio pallauicino . london printee by thomas creede , for andrew wise , and are to be sold at his shop in powles church-yard . . to the right worshipfull and vertuous , his singular good lady , the lady pallauicino . theophilus feild , her deuote seruant , dedicateth these mourning weedes . right vertuous , and fayre lady , may it please your faire , now slubbred eyes , with weeping long , to take a truce with teares , that whilst you cease to mourne , with which you do your beauty wrong , there may be time for me , for to expresse my losse , which by your losse is comfortlesse , some comfort may from hence to you arise , ( if it be comfort not to weepe alone ) oh giue me leaue to speake , that which mine eyes haue writ in teares , with which my heart doth grone to be deliuered . loe this child of griefe seekes vnto you as nurse for some reliefe : be a dry nurse to it , let it not draw from nipples of your eyes one pretious teare , you need not giue it suck , for it can chaw , and what it chawes , his stomacke well will beare : vphold it not with helping it to mone , 't is big enough , and now can goe alone . this infant new borne of my moyster braine , i cloath'd in black , exposing it to view of many witnesses , some of their traine not well train'd vp , but of the ruder crew disroab'd it , robd me , without priuiledge to touch a holy thing is sacriledge . no lesse was this , nay more ( o foule disgrace ) they did not onely touch , but tooke away a holy poeme from a holy place vpon a birth , and on a buriall day a mourning , weeping birth day to my vearse , a day of buriall to horatios hearse . hence you prophane , what had you there to doo ? lady my babe was on your alter plac'd , sacred , deuote , and consecrate to you by your eyes gracious aspect to be grac'd , they were church robbers who did dare to spoyle the holy labors of an others toyle : after long search and much enquiry made , the lost child by his mother found againe , who trauailing a new on childbed laide , seekes vnto you as nurse to ease her paine , after your cloudes of griefe be ouer blowne , desires you to adopt him for your owne : his father would be yours , ( for yours he was ) whilst he belongd to your deceased mate no patron of his poems now he has , and therefore doth them to you dedicate : loue them for his sake , from whose sorrowed death halfe dead for sorrow , they haue borrowed breath . an italians dead bodie , stucke with english flowers . the heraulds office , i le assume to mee , forward my muse , chiefe mourner thou shalt bee : impute it not to pride i for most goe , t is a poore pride , to be the chiefe in woe . vpon the death of the right worshipfull knight , his very honourable patron , sir horatio pallauicino . verses thrust out by force when teares fell , and followed of their owne accord . nay spare not enuy , malice spit thy gall , say what you can gainst my horatio , gainst my maecenas : be not partiall , vertue , nor dead , nor liuing , wants a foe . him liuing , gainst you both i haue defended , he dead , in spight of spight shal be commended : enuy layes hand on mouth , nay sheare thy teeth , o art thou toothlesse ? she points to the graue , and saith she is buried with him . dead ▪ and seeth ▪ she win-kes . nay that is not that we would haue . there needs no winking where there is no error : looke on this sight , thy sight confounding mirror . put on thy spectacles and throughly view , we craue no fauour : still she will be blinde , because that vertue shall not haue her dew , she can no fault , she will nought praise-worth finde . i could saith she , say then and say but sooth , enuy still hath , though she doth hide her tooth : i for horatio held my hand at barre , of what small blemish canst thou him endite ? i haue withdrawne my action , dead men are dead to the law , who bites that cannot bite ? a dogge . such is that many headed cerberus ▪ the common people , whom horatio fed : yet could not stop their mouthes . now woe to vs they cry , and to our staruelings . he is dead who when with hunger we were all nigh dead , refreshed and reuiued vs with bread . and yet ( oh how far enuy carrieth men ? ) he carried and transported , stop toong there , recant a lye , thy words call backe agen . he did transport corne . when ? when corne was deare ? whither ? to heauen : euen corne of life the staffe , which when god winowed , he found no chaffe : and for he found no chaffe , he stor'd it vp in his owne garner . liuor post fata quiescit virtutem incolumem odimus sublatam ex oculis quaerimus inuidi . theophil . feild . vpon the same . patrons and poets haue bene alwaies scant , is now there number then encreased ▪ no ▪ shall dead augustus then a virgil want ▪ oh for a horace for horatio , horatio , maecaenas call him rather , or if ye will , the muses foster father . rimesters , enough , enough can make a song , a ballot , or such like , and thereunto annex a wofull tune : they do thee wrong apollo , and thy true borne sonnes vndo . for why are poets clogd with pouertie ▪ because these bastards imbase poesie . augustus nor maecaenas nere till now were miss'd and wish'd till horatio dide , in him they died both : the lawrell bough did wither , as his bodie putrifide . hence neither horace , nor a maro liues , since poets are their patrons relatiues . deceas'd augustus liues by liuely vearse of maro , maro liued by his purse : horace reuiueth his maecaenas hearse , whose bountie had bene erst his muses nurse . life giuen for liuing , and bread giuen for breath , virgil giues most , he giues life after death . how can you spend your treasure better then then treasuring vp eternall memorie ? ( you muck-wormes of the world , the scorne of men ) this gift is in the gift of poetrie . my patron was a patterne for you all , whose fames life is his bodies funerall . virgil and horace , i enuy you not for hauing so great patrons as you had : in poetrie you had a greater lot , augustus for bad ware so much nere bad , nere gaue so much . he gaue to publius a bakers dole , a boxe to chaerilus . bread , bare allowance for lifes sustenance , dry morsell beggers almes ( necessitie did aske no more ) more royall maintenance gaue my augustus . superfluitie so thinkes the baser clowne , what 's giuen to vs i meane to schollers , is superfluous . i chaerilus , or poet worse then hee , had royall phillips for my quarters pay : virgil and horace did deserue their fee , to giue them , is to sell , not giue away . no gift ( to sell for gaine ) but greedinesse , the lesse my worth , the more my worthinesse . i chaerilus , do pittie chaerilus , no verse did sound ill to augustus eare , but charilus his eare must strait vntrusse like schoole boy , and his fists correction beare . are not such patrons rife ? say satyrist who beare in ope hand bread , a stone in fist . maro be silent in thy patrons praise , let chaerilus augustus dead fame reare , commend him for his fist , thy muse vpraise : as high , as he is arme : a box on the eare , a pox vpon his hand , much kinder they , who with a flea in eare do send away : it bites not halfe so much , who lookes for more then flap with foxe-taile ? nay t is well if so we scape : yet make a crosse vpon his dore , nere beg more there : o my horatio ! my patron when i view these carles in grosse , thy death presents to me a greater losse : i was a deare , deare plot of ground to thee , i was waste ground , till in a barren field made fruitfull by thy liberalitie : you sowed and planted , yet i nere did yeeld better then flowers : in them thou lookest delight liuing , with them thy deads corpes shall be dight . sixe winters did thy bountie raine on mee : sixe sommers with thy sun-beames ouersplead , so many sommers brought not into thee one haruest : i still green , thou withered before my fruite be ripe , for i could pay tithe of thy april shewres , in flowres of may. would thou hadst liu'd till pan the shepheards god had entertained me into his rout , i might haue charm'd mens eares with arons rod , shimey his railing toong haue pulled out . giue vertue her due praise : which neuer liues , till death to enuy , death and honour giues . would thou hadst liued till then , and then thy field , for all thy cost and labour would haue paide some better vse , now onely it doth yeeld tenne in the hundred , being ouerlaide with too much seed . if teares were spent and all , my land-lord might haue lost his principall : but i am rich in teares , oh that they could supple thy withered rootes , reduce thy spring , my earth should turne to water , and i would weepe oceans : when i could no longer wring one poore teares sap from fountain of my eies , my heart should be thy tombe , i here he lies . namque prius timidi pascenter in aethere cerui et freta destituent nudos in littore pisces , ante perratis amborum finibus exul , aut ararim parthus bibet , aut germania tigrim quam nostro illius labatur pectore vultus . vpon the same . death went a rouing for to finde a marke , his day is night , his white is blacke and darke : at last by chaunce a paire of doues he spide , who had three louely pidgions by their side . fiue louely birds in all , all full of life , too faire a bootie for so foule a thiefe : his arrow to his bowstring he did fit , and so the biggest and the fairest hit but in the foote , who could not runne away , the other fled , so he seiz'd on his pray : and well they did to flie , for sure he ment t' haue kill'd them all , but missing his intent , he doth excuse his fact , and sayth that hee meant to kill none , but skare the yoonger three . how comes it then , this faire doue lost her mate ? he kild him sure for loue and not for hate : for death indeed with cupids arrowes dight , sought the loue shaft , on deadly shaft did light . why shot he not at her ? he oft did trye , shee was too glorious obiect for his eye : had he kild both , i would haue surely thought , that venus for her chariot had them bought . yet see not how of price they could agree , since the two doues could no way valued bee . why kild he not the yoong ones ? oh quoth he , they smil ▪ d vpon me , ' thad bene crueltie . besides ripe fruit ▪ fed foule make death best cheare , as yet yong pigens out of season were : t is well thou slew'st not them , for on their death , did hang a fiuefold threed of vitall breath . t is well thou slew'st not her ▪ for had she dy'de , none but death should haue bene his second bryde : and mother to his young ones . so in this death hath bene mercifull , our comfort is he liues , and still shall liue in his , whom wee murdred by deaths dead hand suppose to bee . and yet then so liues better , for indeed the cause why this my doue to heauen did speed , was this : ioues eagle was in some disgrace : this doue made eagle does supply his place . the same . an other . dead doubtlesse death thinkes sir horatio is , but death , deceiu'd , he tooke his markes amis : two yoong horatios he hath left behinde , the liuely image of the fathers minde . in them horatio liues in spight of death , and shall so long as they on earth draw breath . good lucke it was : doubtlesse had death them seene , these two fine boyes now liuing had not beene . your ladiship he saw : but thought you might be kild with griefe for your deceased knight . deceiue wise ladie his expectation , in making mone and lamentation . cheare vp your heart : yet looke still as you cried , and see your pretie sweetings be not spied . the same . an other . once sir horatio from the pope did steale , he stole away into our common-weale : but well and wisely from hence he stole , where still he liued in perill of his soule . but ill thou didst to steale the second time away from vs , that was no veniall crime : true it was mortall : death was is in the faut , that stole him hence : for some lookt on & saw 't , who did their part in making hue and cry , which forc't the theefe the while forgoe his booty : yet afterwards he spied his time and sped , doo what they could that stood then by his bed . i rather thinke he got himselfe away , at least consented to his dying day : nor can i iustly blame him for his deed , what brought him hither made him hence to speed , his soules estate , which was not at the best , vntill it came to euerlasting rest . the same . an other . if when the partie hath penance done , and in a white sheete stood his time , for him that lawe and penaltie will shunne , it is not good once ●o obiect the crime . deserue not they be taught to rule their tongue , that now he lies lapt in his winding-sheet , stick not to do that noble knight such wrong , in saying still ( their doue will with them meet . ) he robd the pope , did other things beside , wherein he was the while he liued belide . the same . another . a wandring knight was sir horatio , in this , the lowe , and other countreys mo : he liued and died a straunger with vs here , why name i where ? that 's neither here nor there . all men on earth they runne a straungers race , passe on along and haue no biding place . wherefore horatio died not for age , he died , because our life 's a pilgrimage . the same . an english man italionate , becomes a diuell incarnate : but an italian anglyfide , becomes a saint angelifide . ed. ma ▪ pemb ▪ hall. to the right vertuous ▪ his much honoured lady , the lady pallauicino . thus haue i cloath'd my childe the second time , because i had no flowers , in mourning weed : both fields and flowers , and weeds are past their prime , doo on them all a charitable deed . it lyeth in the flagges exposde , reiected , vnlesse by your faire hand it be protected . like pharo's daughter take it into grace , though meanly borne , yet brought vp by your hand ▪ it may in time aspire to higher place , and effect wonders by enchaunting wand . it hath alreadie turned earth to water , it may drie vp your sea of teares hereafter . this colour suting to the time i chose , hoping it might be pretious in your eyes ▪ this blacke , those faire , and that it would expose by foule your fairnesse , as two contraries ( let them be white and black ) together placed , are by their opposition ioyntly graced . my book 's a perfect mourner , see it weares your liuery , and mourneth for your lord his patron , drops of inke in steed of teares haue blubbred his leaues . his strings accord vnto the mourners fashion , all in all , it goes as they went to the funerall . in this respect you ought to welcome it , that it will be copartner of your griefe : nor suffer you alone lamenting sit , but mourning with you , giue some reliefe . 't will tell you , he you mourne for is not dead , but from this country to a better fled . my child i cald it for his infancie , because it cannot tell his tale of wo as it conceaues : but onely yet can crie , and sound the name of dead horatio . when it growes troublesome , do you but will it it soone will cease , cease crying and you still it . it onely yet can cry , but when t is growne able to tell his mind in better words : if you meane while vouchsafe it for to owne , it then shall giue you what his skill affords . then shall you gather for these weeds i yeeld , a coal-wort at the hardest in your field . your ladiships bounden in all dutie and seruice . theophilus feild . horatio's departed , so men do say : great pittie he could here no longer stay . say hee 's departed , say not hee 's dead : nor as of others , let of him be sed . he was not quelde , nor conquered of death : but him did combat while he was in breath . his breath him failing , cause he would not fite , he challeng'd death ; and for he has his rite , his body challendg'd : as a challenge gloue he gaue his body : plighting faith to proue , death in a deadly combat and affray , when the last sound shall call all men away . till then his soule , aboue , doth heauenly pleasures gaine , then will his bodie win from death , for aie to raigne . t. s. pemb. horatio's departed , so i heard them say : pittie he could here no longer stay . say hee 's departed say not he is dead : but from one place vnto an other sped . say not of him that he is dead and gone , say onely he is gone . with company or alone ? his wife and children he hath left behind , though to haue borne him company was their mind . but thus he thought : a long dead way and ill for them poore soules to go , it would them kill . alter idem . another . who sayes horatio died in his bed he lyes : he died like a dubbed head , he di'd i say like knighthood in the field , encountring death , which forc't him not to yeeld . i saw the fight : the knight nere shrunk for death , but stoutly stood too 't while he was in breath : when breath him failed , his foe him did cōfound , with deadly blow he feld him to the ground . a cowards part . might he haue tooke his winde the knight had liu'd , yea kild i beare the minde : who dying mindfull of his honor , graspt and held his armes ( men dying vse hold fast ) nor did his foe out of the field them carry , you saw the herauld did them with him bury . the same . another . a knight of late death challen'd into field , to fight a combat at sword and shield : the knight him answer'd as did become , and when they met as i haue heard by some , he felly fought , and stood to 't to the death , he tride it out till he was out of breath . a noble knight , death did him valiant finde , and had the worst while he might fetch his winde . pittie our life 's no better then a blast , and brauest mind should so be spent at last : when breath him faild , that day was at an end , he ceas'd hi● sword against his foe to bend : and giuing death the glory of that fray , dar'd him to try ▪ t againe another day : withall ▪ his corps his challenge for to proue , he cast in steed of gantlet or of gloue , and swore by th' honour of his head he would , againe recouer what was cast on mould . death tooke vp one , and vndertooke the other , and bids him poynt both place and places brother : he points the church-yard , and the latter day , when sound of trumpe shall batle bid array . the same . what i st thus many eyes one obiect haue ? and all are bended to yon new made graue . o t is on yonder corse their eyes are fixt , it sor to see , thus people here are mixt . and as the twinckling diamonds of heauen , when all thing● are of phaebus light bereuen , b● spred the heauens appearing to our sight , and lend the earth their litle borrowed light : so they all deeming this thrise worthy knight , worthy more dayes , his day now turn'd to night ▪ endeuour to illustrate with their light , in spight of clowdie death to make him bright : they do not looke vpon the fatall bere as most of them afore accustom'd were . his body hauing lost his soule and breath , they say's become a soule vnto the earth : his coffin is a coffer as they say , wherein this wary world thought good to lay this pretious iewel brought from farther parts , an ornament to schollers and the arts. t. s. pemb. horatios coffin no more it call , death's coffin call 't , if ye call 't at all : wherein he hath laid vp a pretious pearle , a noble man , though neither lord nor earle . muse you on earth death would not let him tarrie , men in the earth their treasure vse to burie . alter idem . the conquest of two traitors , enuie and death , by the worthy knight , sir horatio pallauicino . enuy and death conspired both togeather , gainst sir horatio , two leane-fac'd fiends , which euer haunt the best , birds of one feather , voyd of all loue , that pray vpon their friends . both qualifi'd alike , both treacherous , enuy is deadly , death is enuious . th' one to the body mortall wounds doth giue ▪ the other doth impeach a mans good name : th' one pines , the other liues by them that liue , yet fretteth at the liuings liuing fame . th' one is ( like sagittarius ) with shafts dight , th' other ( like scorpio's venomd teeth ) doth bite . this the conspiracie was which they wrought , that enuy for his life 's vncertaine lease should wrack his fame , whose ouerthrow she sought ▪ when death should warning giue , then to surcease ▪ death vowed not to hasten till that houre , when enuy on his name should haue no pow're ▪ enuy who neuer lookt with cheerfull eye , was glad at this , wishing no longer date her malice all-bewitching force to try , and exercise her inward-boyling hate . thinking that sooner heate would fire faile , then any thing her force abate or quaile . eftsoones she as impatient of delay , with tooth and nayle endeuor'd to outrace his rising fame ; taking the cause away , vertue i meane , and good deeds which win grace . which buildeth vp more high admired fame , then the pyramides skye ▪ climing frame . at first an ill opinion she rais'd , ( oh how much first opinions preuaile ! ) she rent her haire when once she heard him prais'd , and for ones praise , she made a thousand raile . he stole from rome , he for no goodnesse fled , coosned the pope , transported englands bread . these falsly-bred and misconceiued tayles , feeble at first , grew too head-strong at length : and flew about more swift then ships full sayles , and by their farther flying got more strength . thus enuy had his name in credit plac'd , with others helping mouths well nigh defac'd ▪ but his true vertues beames obscur'd before , in spight of enuies teeth at last appear'd : and could not be by enuy hidden more , but his decayed fame againe vprear'd . this sight astonied enuy , like that head of gorgon , caus'd men downe to fall stone-dead . who to her selfe reuiuing came againe , and seeing his good deeds the more encreast , ( the more his goods deeds , the more enuies paine ) could not suppresse them , yet she would not rest but sought alwaies to hinder his intent , hindring his fame , hindring the good he ment . at last she said , sithence i spent my pow're and can preuaile no more , ere all his fame he do againe recouer in happie howre , or altogether cleare his blemisht name , death ( that i cannot ) shorten thou his daies , least he in time exceed his former praise . short after , came th' appointed houre by death , when enuy no more bitter gall could spit : till then he graunted sir horatio breath , till then he vow'd his body not to hit . then death approching neare , sawe enuy stand stopping his silent mouth with open hand . has enuy parbrackt all her poyson than ( quoth death ) and cast her tongues three-forked sting ? vpon no obiect can detraction scan ? can slaunder no more loathsome venome fling ? enuy repli'd , what i can doe's in vaine , yet see , by me inflicted scarres remaine . then ô , then quickly cut him off in time , ere he can heale scarres vnto his name : nor let his fame flourish againe in prime , since i haue labour'd long to staine the same . still while we talke , his good name doth encrease , and though i cease , his good deeds neuer cease . death enuious himselfe , by enuy mou'd soone condescends , not brooking liuing name : and on his enuies obiect his force prou'd , thinking t' haue also nipt his rising fame . death is deceiu'd ; his rising fame not dies , as he to heauen his rising fame shall rise . p. p. p. come dolefull muse my soule infuse with that death-sounding straine : which orpheus playd when he assayd to win his spouse againe . or let me sing tun'd to that string which mournfully he strooke when hellish ioue recall'd his loue , as he on her did looke . with cypresse bowe engirt thy browe , thou queene of angry mood ▪ that with thy quill doest volumes fill of murders , death , and blood ▪ thou troope diuine of virgins nine , which sing on parnasse hill : if castaly with drought be dry , with teares the fountaine fill . fallen is your starre , surpassing farre that glorious lampe of light , whose golden raye makes brightsome day , whose frown makes dusky night . where shall ye finde mecaenas kinde , to cure poore horace wo ? horace must want , ( sith such be scant as was horatio . ) this phaenix-doue religions loue made flie from italy : and did enstall by latium's fall , alba in albany . ( as troy being wonne , faire venus sonne in spight of desteny , with daunger brought ( through daunger sought ) ilium to italy . then silent spirit vnto thy merit giue leaue this dirge to sing : whose worthy name , outstrips bright fame , and tires her flitting wing . since caesar dide in height of pride , whom guiltie hands did wound : a fairer flower in latium's bower then thee was neuer found . since venus sonne did carthage shunne bent to the rutiles land a worthier knight did neuer pight his tent on forraine sand ▪ sith then by thee faire britany the name of rome shall haue : shee giues thee roome within her wombe , and makes her brest thy graue . thee italy did once deny , albion a friend doth mone now not with men a citizen enstall'd in heau'ns throne . han. pemb. certaine verses written and sent in way of comfort ▪ to her ladiship . if those salt showers that your sad eyes haue shed haue quencht the flame your griefe hath kindled . madame my words shall not be spent in vaine , to serue for winde to chase that mournfull raine . thus farre your losse hath striuen with your griefe , whether each piteous eye should deeme the chiefe . whiles both your griefe doth make your losse the more , and your great losse doth cause you grieue so sore . both griefe and losse doo willing partners finde , in euery eye , and euery feeling minde . so haue i seene the silly turtle doue , the patterne of your griefe and chaster loue , sitting vpon a bared bough alone : her dearest mates vntimely losse bemone . whiles she denies all cares of due repast , and mourning thus , her weary dayes doth wast . thus natures selfe doth teach vs to lament , and reasons light our sorrowes doth augment . yet reason can it selfe this lesson teach , our reason should surpasse their sences reach . reason our sence , and grace should reason sway , that sence and reason both might grace obay . those silly birds whom nature hope denies , may die for griefe because their fellow dies . but on this hope our drouping hart should rest , that maugre death their parted soules are blest . that their swift course , that gole doth sooner gaine , whereto ere long , our slow steps shall attaine . some fewe short yeares your following race shall spend , then shall you both meete in a happie end . but you meane while all in a straunger coast , are left alone , as one whose guide is lost . madame what ere your grieued thought applies , we are all pilgrims to our commons skies . and who is nearest to this home of clay may find the worser speed and further way . and as i gesse , vnlesse our artists faine , england is nearer heauen of the twaine . there is your home , where now your knight doth bide , resting by many a saint and angels side . walke on in grace , and grieue your selfe no more , that your so loued mate is gone before . io. hall. imman . coll. an epitaph . some leaue their home for priuate discontent , some forced by compulsed banishment . some for an itching lust of nouell fight , some one for gaine , some other for delight . thus whilst some force , some other hope bereaues , some leaue their country , some their country leaues . but thee no griefe , force , lust , gaine or delight , exiled from thy home ( thrice worthy knight ) saue that griefe , force , that gaine , delight alone , which was thy good , and true religion . io. hall. idem . imman . col. you nymphs that in the meadowes keepe , and midst the smiling dasies sleepe , your odours powre on this dead flowre : whose losse doth make aurora weepe . a flowre he was , then crowne his tombe with flowers sprung from his mothers wombe . but if the modest roses want , or maiden lillies waxen scant : watch where horatia weepes her shewers ▪ and you shall finde a bed of flowers . like as of helens teares once came , the hearbe which emila we name . a floure he was , and as a floure he died , but now to stars as fairer flowers is hied : there to behold the chiefe rose of the field , the fairest lilly that the vallies yeild . sweet flowre of peace , & loue both red & white , that god and man together doth vnite . r. s. coll. iohan. two countries do contend for me , faire albion , and italie : to both i owe my selfe at once , there was i borne , here lye my bones . there did i rise , here do i fall : that gaue me birth , this buriall . that was my cradle , this my graue , there had i life , here death i haue . but that gaue life which now is runne , this life which neuer shall be done . r. f. pemb ▪ h. admired maro let me vse thy name , to proue aeneas to italia came : italian knight , if i should dare define that thou art come of this aeneas line , how ere perhaps some critick wil say no , yet will thy life and likenesse proue 't is so . and yet me thinkes vlisses though a greeke , was like horatio too , since both did seeke a toong of eloquence , so by a chast wise each of them had three children in his life . and now to trauell is horatio gone , leauing his penelope to mourne alone . now doth she tell her selfe , how he doth liue , and to her thread of life , that doth length giue : now doth she thinke hee 's dead , and gins lament , and wish her thread of life were also spent , thus like penelopes lingring web of paine , she weaues her life , and it vnweaues againe . but it may be when twentie yeares are past , that thy vlysses will returne at last : a ye if he were on earth : but hee 's too wise . for earth to leaue the heauens faire paradise . r. sen. coll. iohn . see here lie myrmidons , more hard then steele , that no remorse , nor woe could euer feele , this deare deare tombe that doth horatio keepe , and learne of this moist marble how to weepe . idem . the elements that when he was a liue , conspired in one to giue horatio breath : are since he dy'd deuided and do striue which shall be kindest to him after death . the earth doth promise gently to enfolde his tender body in her colde embrace : and for he softly trode commaunds the molde , softly to he vpon his louely face . the water for his sake to teares will turne , and drowne all eyes in neuer ceasing woe , that where horatio they gin to mourne , whole streams may from the swelling circles floe ▪ the ayre will through his lightsome regions sound , in doubled ecchoes great horatios fame : that through the world no kingdome may be found , whose vtmost shore haue not receiu'd the same . the fire no more will burne his pictures frame , but gliding from his natiue seate aboue , will henceforth vse the vertue of his flame , in kindling hearts with dead horatios loue . n. f. reg. coll. england lament , thus of thy neighbours checkt , a straunger came thy fruitfull wombe to cherish , but him thou sufferest without due respect , vngratefully within thy wombe to perish . for such a one within thee is inshrinde , as of thy owne scarce one is left behinde . s. h. the fates are queenes , they cannot be controld , this obiect proues it , who can it denie ? their law is ostracisme mongst yoong and old , they expulse the best , for still the best doth die . but a eacus is iust what ere betides , at plutoes court i le sue these homicides . i. cecill . s. iohns coll. to the suruiuing lady of the deceased knight . wast venus ? no. the fates haue stolne your loue , oh cut-throat queans , ( i hope they heare me not ) this yeare for-soothe they spunne tissue for loue to gaine a thread , they 'le spoyle a true-loue knot . let not his absence ( lady ) be your dome , phaebe shines most , when phaebus is from home . idem ▪ noctuluctus , or his night-mourning . rich tapird-sanctuarie of the blest , pallace of ruth , made all of teares and rest ; day of deepe students ▪ dead night , nurse of death , who breathlesse seed'st on nothing but our breath , to thy deepe shades , and desolatione , i consecrate my dying liuing mone . you dreadfull furies ▪ visions of the night , with ghastly howling , all approach my sight : and palish ghosts , with sable tapers stand , to lend sad lights to my more sadder hand . foxes come barke , and night-rauens belch in grones , and screetch-owles hollowe times confusiones . or i will furnish vp a funerall bed , strew'd with the bones and reli●ques of the dead : redoubling ecchoes shall like passing bells , chiming the dismall accent ▪ of their knells , reuiue the dead , or make the liuing die , in ruth , and terror of deathes torturie . here liues imprisoned sorrow , cloath'd in blacke , a dolefull hearse , fit for a dead mans backe : natures faire red , clad in pale sheetes of ruth , expressing in dumbe shew , a serious truth . a funerall solemniz'd in sad cheere , where eies be mourners , and where legs the beere . but ah my muse , my muse can but lament , with haire disheueld , words , and teares half spent , this dead quick-spirit , wits strange cameleon , which any authors colour could put on , and not in one sole tongue his thoughts dissūder . but like to scaliger our ages woonder , the learneds sun , wrapt in whose admiration , the rarest wits are fir'd in euery nation , whose happie wit with gracious iudgemēt ioyn'd , could giue a pasport unto words new coynd : in his owne shop , who could adopt the strange : engraft the wilde , enrich with mutuall change his powerfull stile ▪ yet sanz respect of sweetes , death folded vp his earth in earthen sheetes . o had i eyes to weepe griefes great'st excesse , or words expressing more then words expresse , each line should be a historie of woe , and euery accent as a dead mans throe . but teares shall serue for inke , for paper stones , eyes pens , for letters drops , for subiect mones , for epitaph these threnes . entomb'd here lies , ( in graue of memorie digd with weeding eies ) wits strange cameleon , dead quick-sprited roman , most like himselfe , else almost like to no man : arts various-varnish , enricht so with th' italian , french , latine , spanish , dutch , and nubian that rome , rheyn , rhone , greece , spain , & italy may all plead right in his natiuity . ye liuing spirits then , if any liue , whom like extreames , do like affections giue , shun , shun this cruell light , and end your thrall , in these soft shades of sable funerall . omnis vt vmbra . io : may : an other . muses losse lamenting treasure , dest'nies crosse-tormenting pleasure , wisedome wayling , honour crying , vertue weeping ▪ iudgement dying . altogether all betoken , griefes-griefe , not without griefe spoken . learnings legend , physicks phusicke , sence of science , muses musicke , pandoraes dowry , graces glory , sad melpomines sad story . write in teares ▪ and in teares read , natures grace , horatio dead . dead not dead in heauen he raines ▪ dying life such liuing gaines : liuing-dying was his state , now dying liuing spite of fate rais'd from earth to heauen , where liuing , liues concent , concent life-giuing . though bodies life here dead do lie , life of his soule liues ne're to die . the same . idem lectori in funera pallauicinaea . aspice quot vates pallauicinaea crearint funera , quos nunquam vates potuêre magistri reddere ; noctem vnam magnos fecisse poetas fama est , extempso velut olim perseus inter enituit summos vates , helicone relicto . tu modo ( si quis aues ) fueris cona●ine tanto versifices inter ▪ si non potes esse poeta . eia age sis , delubra deum , delubra dearum sedulus implora , totumque helicona duobus haustibus epotans , ingentem imitare furorem , atque altum quiddam spira , dignumque cothurno : ad fingendum audax : sic nostri ex tempore facti grandiloqui vates , sic tu , plaudente popello , ( si nihil est aliud ) dic occubuisse mineruae aonidumque decus , dic interijsse decorem pol latij ▪ et qui omnes paenè praedatus honores dic obijsse diem , dic inuida fata , colosque detestare nigras , nentesque ex ordine parcas exagita diris , musasque & apollina , quoquo versu itera , atque illas vitam attribuisse perennem defuncto exclama , mortem nos viuere ▪ vitam illum perpetuam ▪ vatesque videbere tandem ( dum nulla occurret melior , via trita terenda'st . ) idem pictoribus , ●que poëtis . sivspiam vapulet priscianus ( bone ) scia● ( lector ) vapular● a typographo . si verbum , syllaba , vel desit litera , ve● punctum , scias , culpa est typographi . est primum tempus parce , nunquam prius , latinas literas impressit hic typographus : si non parces , nunquam imprimet imposterum . io : may : ce● potius alter idem , ignotus . finis . a letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend and by him thought fit to be published. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend and by him thought fit to be published. hall, joseph, - . h. s. [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . signed: jo. norvic. in defence of his conduct in the diocese of norwich. the answer of the friend signed: h. s. attributed to joseph hall. cf. blc. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng hall, joseph, - . a r (wing h ). civilwar no a letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend: and by him thought fit to be published. hall, joseph a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tower , to a private friend : and by him thought fit to be published . london , printed in the yeare , . to my mvch respected good friend , mr h. s. vvorthy sir , you thinke it strange that i should salute you from hence ; how can you choose , when i doe yet still wonder to see-my selfe here ? my intentions , and this place are such strangers , that i cannot enough marvell how they met . but , howsoever , i doe in all humility kisse the rod , wherewith i smart , as well knowing whose hand it is that wields it ; to that infinite justice who can be innocent ? but to my king and country never heart was , or can be more cleare ; and i shall beshrew my hand if it shall have ( against my thoughts ) justly offended either ; and if either say so , i reply not ; as having learned not to contest with those that can command legions . in the meane time it is a kind , but a cold complement , that you pity me ; an affection well placed where a man deserves to be miserable ; for me , i am not conscious of such merit . you tell me in what faire termes i stood not long since , with the world ; how large roome i had in the hearts of the best men : but can you tell me how i lost it ? truly i have in the presence of my god narrowly searcht my owne bosome ; i have unpartially ransackt this fagge-end of my life , and curiously examined every step of my wayes ; and i cannot , by the most exact scrutiny of my saddest thoughts , finde what it is that i have done to forfeit that good estimation , wherewith , you say , i was once blessed . i can secretly arraigne and condemne my selfe of infinite transgresions , before the tribunal of heaven : who , that dwels in an house of clay , can be pure in his sight , that charged his angels with folly ? o god , when i look upon the reckonings betwixt thee and my soule , and find my shamefull areres , i can be most vile in my own sight , because i have deserved to be so in thine : yet , even then , in thy most pure eyes , give me leave , the whiles , not to abdicate my sincerity ; thou knowest my heart desires to be right with thee , what ever my failings may have been ; and i know what value thou puttest upon those sincere desires , notwithstanding all the intermixtures of our miserable infirmities : these i can penitently bewaile to thee ; but in the meane time , what have i done to men ? let them not spare to shame me with the late sinfull declinations of my age , and fetch blushes ( if they can ) from a wrinkled face . let mine enemies ( for such i perceive i have , and those are the surest monitors ) say what i have offended ; for their better irritation , my cleare conscience bids me boldly to take up the challenge of good samuel , behold , here i am ; witnesse against mee before the lord , and before his anointed ; whose oxe have i taken ? or whose asse have i taken ? or whom have i defrauded ? whom have i oppressed ? or of whose hand have i received any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith ? and i will restore it you . can they say , that i bore up the reyns of government too hard ; and exercised my jurisdiction in a rigorous and tyrannicall way , insolently lording it over my charge ? malice it self , perhaps , would , but dare not speak it ; or , if it should , the attestation of so grave and numerous a clergie would choak such impudence ; let them witnesse , whether they were not still entertained by me with an equall returne of reverence , as if they had been all bishops with me , or i onely a presbyter with them ; according to the old rule of egbert arch-bishop of yorke ; intra domum episcopus collegam se presbyterorum esse cognoscat ; let them say , whether ought here looked like despoticall , or sounded rather of imperious commands , then of brotherly complying ; whether i have not rather , from some beholders , undergone the censure of a too humble remisnesse ; as perhaps stooping too low beneath the eminence of episcopal dignity ; whether i have not suffered as much in some opinions , for the vvinning mildnesse of my administration , as some others for a rough severity . can they say ( for this aspersion is likewise common ) that i barred the free course of religious exercises , by the suppression of painfull & peaceable preachers ? if shame will suffer any man to object it , let me challenge him to instance but in one name ; nay , the contrary is so famously known in the westerne parts , that every mouth will herein justify mee . what free admission and incouragement have i alwayes given to all the sons of peace , that came with gods message in their mouthes ? what mis-suggestions have i waved ? what blowes have i borne off in the behalfe of some of them , from some gain-sayers ? how have i often and publiquely professed , that as well might we complain of too many stars in the skie , as too many orthodox preachers in the church ? can they complain that i fretted the neckes of my clergie with the uneasie yoake of new , and illegall impositions ? let them whom i have thus hurt blazon my unjust severity , and write their wrongs in marble : but , if disliking all novel devices , i have held close to those ancient rules which limited the audience of our godly predecessors ; if i have grated upon no mans conscience by the pressure ( no not by the tender ) of the late oath , or any unprescribed ceremonie ; if i have freely in the committee , appointed by the most honourable house of peeres , declared my open dislike in all innovations , both in doctrine and rites , why doth my innocence suffer ? can they challenge me as a close , and backstaire-friend to popery or arminianisme , who have in so many pulpits , and so many presses , cryed downe both ? surely , the very paper that i have spent in the refutation of both these , is enough to stop more mouthes then can be guilty of this calumnie . can they check me with a lazie silence in my place , with infrequence of preaching ? let the populous auditories where i have lived , witnesse , whether having furnished all the churches neare me with able preachers , i tooke not all opportunities of supplying such courses , as i could get , in my cathedrall ; and when my tongue was silent , let the world say whether my hand were idle . lastly , since no man can offer to upbraid me with too much pompe , which is wont to be the common eye-sore of our envied profession ; can any man pretend to a ground of taxing me ( as i perceive one of late hath most unjustly done ) of too much worldlinesse ? surely , of all the vices forbidden in the decalogue , there is no one which my heart upon due examination can lesse fasten upon mee then this : he that made it , knowes that he hath put into it a true disregard ( save onely for necessary use ) of the world , and of all that it can boast of , whether for profit , pleasure , or glory . no , no ; i know the world too well to dote upon it ; whiles i am in it , how can i but use it ? but i never care , never yeelde to emjoy it . it were too great a shame for a philosopher , a christian , a divine , a bishop to have his thoughts groveling here upon earth ; for mine , they scorn the imployment ; and look upon all these sublunary distractions ( as upon this mans false censure ) with no other eyes then contempt . and now ; sir , since i cannot ( how secretly faulty soever ) guesse at my owne publique exorbitances , i beseech you , where you heare my name traduced , learne of mine accusers ( whose lyncean eyes would seeme to see farther into me then my owne ) what singular offence i have committed . if perhaps my calling be my crime ; it is no other then the most holy fathers of the church in the primitive and succeeding ages , ever since the apostles , ( many of them also blessed martyrs ) have been guilty of ; it is no other then all the holy doctors of the church , in all generations , ever since , have celebrated , as most reverend , sacred , inviolable ; it is no other , then all the whole christian world , excepting one small handfull of our neighbours , ( whose condition denyed them the oportunity of this government ) is known to enjoy , without contradiction : how safe is it erring in such company ? if my offence be in my pen , which hath ( as it could ) undertaken the defence of that apostolicall institution , ( though with all modesty , and faire respects to the churches differing from us ) i cannot deprecate a truth : and such i know this to bee : which is since so cleared by better hands , that i well hope the better-informed world cannot but sit downe convinced ; neither doubt i , but that , as metals receive the more lustre with often rubbing , this truth , the more agitation it undergoes , shall appeare every day more glorious . onely , may the good spirit of the almighty speedily dispell all those duskie prejudices from the mindes of men , which may hinder them from discerning so cleare a light . shortly then , knowing nothing by my selfe , whereby i have deserved to alienate any good heart from me , i shall resolve to rest securely upon the acquiting testimony of a good conscience , and the secret approbation of my gracious god ; who shall one day cause mine innocence to breake forth as the morning light , and shall give me beauty for bonds , and for a light and momentany affliction , an eternall weight of glory . to shut up all , and to surcease your trouble . i write not this , as one that would pumpe for favour and reputation from the disaffected multitude , ( for i charge you , that what passes privately betwixt us , may not fall under common eyes ) but onely with this desire , and intention , to give you true grounds , where you shall heare my name mentioned , with a causelesse offence , to yeeld mee a just and charitable vindication . go you on still to doe the office of a true friend , yea , the duty of a just man ; in speaking in the cause of the dumb , in righting the innocent , in rectifying the mis-guided ; and lastly , the service of a faithfull and christian patriot , in helping the times with the best aid of your prayers ; which is the daily task of from the tower , ian. . . your much devoted , and thankfull friend , jo : norvic . to my right reverend good lord , joseph , lord bishop of norwich . my very good lord , i received , after much entreaty , your meeke and modest vindication of your selfe ; i pretended want of satisfaction concerning some late actions of your lordships , but now i must tell you , and the world together , i was fully convinced of your desert and integrity , before ; and this my request was but to draw from your lordship such a declaration of your selfe , as might convince others , by my divulging it abroad . but of this you have now sent me , i must say , as not more a friend to you then truth , you have not done your selfe right ; you have not followed your cause halfe throughly : and therefore give me leave ( for i will take it ) a little more to betray you to the eyes of men , and more openly to unvaile your bashfull innocence . i cannot without a vocall compassion , behold your injured vertue , the most remarkable example of the malignity of our times ; which , when i looked it should receive its crowne from god and men , quite contrary to my expectation , i finde cast downe , and trampled in the dust . it is not full two yeares agoe , when in that innovating age you suffered under storms and threats from over-busie instruments : every step waited on by intrapping spyes and informers ; and brought so far into the mouth of danger , that that accuser , kilvert , durst openly threaten you , to be the next man designed for his inquisition . how often have you stood as a shield betweene those men and danger , who can now complain you are a bishop ; when , if you had not been so , where had they been at this houre ? how many of those antiprelaticall men , even the most rigid of them , have we heard blessing god for such a diocesan , by whose provision and government , great hath been the company of preachers ; and acknowledging the sun of the gospel , with your approach , setting in your western sea , or rather rising there , in more perfect lustre , when the world justly complained it went downe in some other parts of the kingdome ? what prayers , what praises , what wishes were then , on all sides , poured out for you ? i should be accounted your flatterer , should i but mention them : whereas now in these dayes of reformation , when you might justly expect a reward of your former sufferings , as deserving ( let me confidently speak it ) the greatest share , i see you as much driven at , one the other side , by an ignorant fury of those you defend , and smarting as an enemy to that truth , the maintaining of which hath raised against you so many dangerous adversaries . i find you still the same man you were before ; and yet , what is strange , groaning under the same burthen of censure , and worse , from quite contrary hands ; even from those , whose duty it is to promote and vindicate you ; and yet who think they doe that very truth you maintaine good service , in punishing you its defender . a miserably misguided zeale ! father , forgive them , for they know not what they doe . in the meane time , what have they to answer for , who when they can finde no reall blemish upon you , dare like the romish imagers in q. maries dayes , paint fiends and faults upon your coat ; as those cunningly-cruell men , in the primitive times , cloathing the harmlesse christian martyrs with the skins of salvage bears and bulls , that they might be baited , and torne by the deceived mastiffes , which would have fawned upon them , had they appeared in their owne shapes : but i forbeare ; onely this , my lord , if you thus sink , and suffer under evill and killing tongues , happy , thrice happy are you ; you know one hath said it , that will make it good : i shall not , i seriously professe , pity , but envy you , for having this eternall honour to expire among scoffes , and unjust ignominy , with our great master . and therefore now , rouze up those drooping spirits , which age and restlesse labours have left you ; fixe your eyes stedfastly , with blessed stephen , upon heaven , and rest your thoughts there , as no doubt you doe , with a calme and smiling confidence ; and know , every stone is throwne at you , shall turn a precious one , to deck your crowne of glory . into the bosome of our gracious god , whom we have thus long served , and enjoyed together , i securely commend you ; and , till i meet you in another world , however this world judge of you , shall continue a constant lover of your tryed goodnesse . jan. , . h. s. the contemplations upon the history of the new testament. the second tome now complete : together with divers treatises reduced to the greater volume / by jos. exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the contemplations upon the history of the new testament. the second tome now complete : together with divers treatises reduced to the greater volume / by jos. exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by james flesher, london : . imperfect: p. - lacking. reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- history of biblical events. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the contemplations upon the history of the new testament , now complete . the second tome . together with divers treatises reduced to the greater volume . by jos . exon. mdclxi . london , printed by james flesher . to the kings most excellent majestie , charles by the grace of god king of great britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith. most gracious and dread soveraign , more then twenty years are slipt away , since i entred upon this task of sacred contemplations ; presuming so long agoe to prefix your royal name to some of the first pieces of this long work , which i rather wished , then hoped i might live to finish . the god of heaven hath been pleased to stretch out my daies so farre as to see it brought , at last , ( after many necessary intermissions ) to an happy end ; now , not with more contentment then boldness , i bring to your sacred hands ( besides variety of other discourses ) that work complete , whereof some few parcels saw the light before , under subordinate dedications . the whole is your majesties due , no less then the unworthy author ; whose age pleaseth and prideth it self in nothing more , then in the title of one of your majesties most ancient attendants ( in my station ) now living , jos. exon . the contents of this second tome . contemplations on the new testament . the first book containing , the angel and zachary . the annunciation of christ . the birth of christ . the sages and the star. the purification . herod and the infants . the second book containing , christ among the doctors . christ's baptisme . christ tempted . simon called . the marriage in cana. the good centurion . the third book containing , the widows son raised . the rulers son cured . the dumb devil ejected . matthew called . christ amongst the gergesens ; or legion , and the gadarene heard . the fourth book containing , the faithful canaanite . the deaf and dumb man cured . zacheus . john baptist beheaded . the five loaves and two fishes . the walk upon the waters . the bloody issue healed . jairus and his daughter . the motion of the two fiery disciples repelled . the ten lepers . the pool of bethesda . christ transfigured . the woman taken in adultery . the thankful penitent . martha and mary . the begger that was born blinde , cured . the stubborn devil ejected . the widows mites . the ambition of the two sons of zebedee . the tribute-money pay'd . lazarus dead . lazarus raised . christ's procession to the temple . the fig-tree cursed . christ betrayed . the agonie . peter and malchus ; or , christ apprehended . christ before caiaphas . christ before pilate . the crucifixion . the resurrection . the ascension . ●●● sermons and other treatises . a sermon of publick thanksgiving for the wonderful mitigation of the late mortality ; preach'd before his majesty at white-hall . one of the sermons preach'd at westminster on the day of the publick fast april . . to the lords of the high court of parliament . a sermon preach'd before his majestie on the sunday before the fast ( march . . ) at white-hall . one of the sermons preach'd to the lords of the high court of parliament , on ashwednesday , february . the hypocrite ; set forth in a sermon at court , february . . being the third sunday in lent. the beauty and unitie of the church ; in a sermon at white-hall . the fashions of the world ; laid forth in a sermon at grayes-inn on candlemas day . the estate of a christian , laid forth in a sermon at grayes-inn on candlemas day . the fall of pride ; out of proverbs . ver . . christ and caesar : a sermon preach'd at hampton-court . the defeat of cruelty prayed for , and laid forth in a sermon preach'd at a solemn fast at white-hall . s. paul's combat , in two sermons preach'd at the court to his majestie in ordinary attendance . s. paul's combat , in two sermons preach'd at the court to his majestie in ordinary attendance . the old religion : a treatise wherein is laid down the true state of the difference betwixt the reformed and roman church . the reconciler : an epistle pacificatory of the seeming difference of opinion concerning the trueness and visibility . of the romane church . occasional meditations . certain catholick propositions . an answer to pope urban his inurbanity , expressed in a breeve sent to lewis the french king. to my much honoured , and right worshipful friend , sir henry yelverton knight , atturney generall to his majestie . right worshipful , it is not out of any satietie that i change from the old testament to the new ; these two , as they are the breasts of the church , so they yield milk equally wholesome , equally pleasant unto able nurselings . herein i thought good to have respect unto my reader , in whose strength there may be difference . that other breast perhaps doth not let down this nourishing liquor so freely , so easily . even so small a variety refresheth a weak infant . neither will there perhaps want some palates which will finde a more quick and pleasing relish in this fresher substance . these i thought good to please with a taste , ere they come to sate themselves with a full meal of this divine nourishment ; in emulation of the good scribe , that brings forth both old and new . if it please god to inable my life and opportunities , i hope at last to present this church with the last service of the historie of either page : wherein my joy and my crown shall be the edification of many . in the mean time , i dedicate this part unto your name , whom i have so much cause to observe and honour . the blessing of that god whose church you have ever made your chief client be still upon your head , and that honourable society which rejoyces in so worthy a leader . to it and your self i shall be ever ( as i have cause ) humbly and unfeignedly devoted , jos. hall . contemplations . the first book . containing the angel and zachary . the annunciation . the birth of christ . the sages and the star. the purification . herod and the infants . the angel and zachary . when things are at worst , then god begins a change . the state of the jewish church was extreamly corrupted , immediately before the news of the gospel ; yet , as bad as it was , not only the priesthood , but the courses of attendance continued , even from davids time till christs . it is a desperately depraved condition of a church , where no good orders are left . judea passed many troubles , many alterations , yet this orderly combination endured about an eleven hundred years . a setled good will not easily be defeated , but in the change of persons will remain unchanged , and if it be forced to give way , leaves memorable footsteps behinde it . if david fore-saw the perpetuation of this holy ordinance , how much did he rejoice in the knowledge of it ? who would not be glad to doe good , on condition , that it may so long out-live him ? the successive turnes of the legal ministration held on in a line never interrupted . even in a forlorn and miserable church , there may be a personall succession . how little were the jewes better for this , when they had lost the urim and thummim , sincerity of doctrine and manners ? this stayed with them even whiles they and their sons crucified christ . what is more ordinary , then wicked sons of holy parents ? it is the succession of truth and holiness that makes or institutes a church , whatever become of the persons . never times were so barren , as not to yeeld some good ; the greatest dearth affords some few good eares to the gleaners . christ would not have come into the world , but he would have some faithful to entertain him : he , that had the disposing of all times and men , would cast some holy ones into his own times : there had been no equality , that all should either over-run , or follow him , and none attend him . zachary and elizabeth are just , both of aarons blood , and john baptist of theirs : whence should an holy seed spring if not of the loyns of levi ? it is not in the power of parents to traduce holinesse to their children : it is the blessing of god , that feoffes them in the vertues of their parents , as they feoffe them in their sinnes . there is no certainty , but there is likelihood , of an holy generation , when the parents are such . elizabeth was just , as well as zachary , that the fore-runner of a saviour might be holy on both sides . if the stock and the griffe be not both good , there is much danger of the fruit . it is an happy match , when the husband and the wife are one , not onely in themselves , but in god , not more in flesh , then in the spirit . grace makes no difference of sexes , rather the weaker carries away the more honour , because it hath had lesse helps . it is easie to observe , that the new testament affordeth more store of good women then the old . elizabeth led the ring of this mercy , whose barrenness ended in a miraculous fruit both of her body and of her time . this religious pair made no lesse progress in vertue then in age , and yet their vertue could not make their best age fruitfull : elizabeth was barren . a just soul and a barren womb may well agree together . amongst the jews barrenness was not a defect only , but a reproach : yet while this good woman was fruitful of holy obedience , she was barren of children . as john , which was miraculously conceived by man , was a fit fore-runner of him that was conceived by the holy ghost ; so a barren matron was meet to make way for a virgin. none but a son of aaron might offer incense to god in the temple , and not every son of aaron , and not any one at all seasons : god is a god of order , and hates confusion no lesse then irreligion . albeit he hath not so streightned himself under the gospel as to tie his service to persons or places , yet his choice is now no lesse curious because it is more large . he allows none but the authorised : he authoriseth none but the worthy . the incense doth ever smell of the hand that offers it . i doubt not but that perfume was sweeter which ascended up from the hand of a just zacharie . the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to god. there were courses of ministration in the legal services : god never purposed to burthen any of his creatures with devotion . how vain is the ambition of any soul that would load it self with the universal charge of all men ? how thankless is their labour that do wilfully overspend themselves in their ordinary vocations ? as zacharie had a course in gods house , so he carefully observed it : the favour of these respites doubled his diligence . the more high and sacred our calling is , the more dangerous is neglect . it is our honour that we may be allowed to wait upon the god of heaven in these immediate services . woe be to us if we flacken those duties wherein god honours us more then we can honour him . many sons of aaron , yea of the same family , served at once in the temple according to the variety of imployments . to avoid all difference , they agreed by lot to assign themselves to the several offices of each day : the lot of this day called zacharie to offer incense in the outer temple . i doe not finde any prescription they had from god of this particular manner of designment . matters of good order in holy affairs may be ruled by the wise institution of men according to reason and expediencie . it fell out well that zacharie was chosen by lot to this ministration , that gods immediate hand might be seen in all the passages that concerned his great prophet ; that as the person , so the occasion might be of gods own chusing . in lots and their seeming casual disposition , god can give a reason , though we can give none . morning and evening , twice a day , their law called them to offer incense to god , that both parts of the day might be consecrate to the maker of time . the outer temple was the figure of the whole church upon earth , like as the holy of holiest represented heaven . nothing can better resemble our faithful prayers then sweet perfume : these god looks that we should ( all his church over ) send up unto him morning and evening . the elevations of our hearts should be perpetual : but if twice in the day we do not present god with our solemn invocations , we make the gospel lesse officious then the law. that the resemblance of prayers and incense might be apparent , whiles the priest sends up his incense within the temple , the people must send up their prayers without . their breath and that incense , though remote in the first rising , met ere they went up to heaven . the people might no more goe into the holy place to offer up the incense of prayers unto god , then zacharie might goe into the holy of holies . whiles the partition wall stood betwixt jews and gentiles , there were also partitions betwixt the jews and themselves . now every man is a priest unto god , every man ( since the veil was rent ) prayes within the temple . what are we the better for our greater freedome of accesse to god under the gospel , if we doe not make use of our priviledge ? whiles they were praying to god , he sees an angel of god : as gideon's angel went up in the smoak of the sacrifice , so did zacharie's angel ( as it were ) come down in the fragrant smoak of his incense . it was ever great news to see an angel of god ; but now more , because god had long withdrawn from them all the means of his supernaturall revelations . as this wicked people were strangers to their god in their conversation , so was god grown a stranger to them in his apparitions : yet now that the season of the gospel approached , he visited them with his angels ; before he visited them by his son. he sends his angel to men in the form of man , before he sends his son to take humane form . the presence of angels is no novelty , but their apparition ; they are alwaies with us , but rarely seen , that we may awfully respect their messages when they are seen . in the mean time our faith may see them , though our senses doe not ; their assumed shapes doe not make them more present , but visible . there is an order in that heavenly hierarchie , though we know it not . this angel that appeared to zacharie was not with him in the ordinary course of his attendances , but was purposely sent from god with this message . why was an angel sent ? and why this angel ? it had been easie for him to have raised up the prophetical spirit of some simeon to this prediction . the same holy ghost which revealed to that just man , that he should not see death ere he had seen the messias , might have as easily revealed unto him the birth of the forerunner of christ , and by him to zacharie : but god would have this voice , which should goe before his son , come with a noise . he would have it appear to the world , that the harbinger of the messiah should be conceived by the marvellous power of that god whose coming he proclaimed . it was fit the first herald of the gospel should begin in wonder . the same angel that came to the blessed virgin with the news of christs conception , came to zacharie with the news of john's , for the honour of him that was the greatest of them which were born of women , and for his better resemblance to him which was the seed of the woman . both had the gospel for their errand , one as the messenger of it , the other as the author ; both are foretold by the same mouth . when could it be more fit for the angel to appear unto zacharie , then when prayers and incense were offered by him ? where could he more fitly appear then in the temple ? in what part of the temple more fitly then at the altar of incense ? and whereabout rather then on the right side of the altar ? those glorious spirits as they are alwaies with us , so most in our devotions ; and as in all places , so most of all in gods house . they rejoice to be with us whiles we are with god ; as contrarily they turn their faces from us when we goe about our sins . he that had wont to live and serve in the presence of the master , was now astonished at the presence of the servant . so much difference there is betwixt our faith and our senses , that the apprehension of the presence of the god of spirits by faith goes down sweetly with us , whereas the sensible apprehension of an angel dismayes us . holy zacharie , that had wont to live by faith , thought he should dye when his sense began to be set on work . it was the weaknesse of him that served at the altar without horror , to be daunted with the face of his fellow-servant . in vain doe we look for such ministers of god as are without infirmities , when just zacharie was troubled in his devotions with that wherewith he should have been comforted . it was partly the suddenness , and partly the glory of the apparition , that affrighted him . the good angel was both apprehensive and compassionate of zacharie's weakness , and presently incourages him with a cheerful excitation , ( fear not , zacharias . ) . the blessed spirits , though they doe not often vocally expresse it , doe pity our humane frailties , and secretly suggest comfort unto us when we perceive it not . good and evil angels , as they are contrary in estate , so also in disposition . the good desire to take away fear , the evil to bring it . it is a fruit of that deadly enmity which is betwixt satan and us , that he would , if he might , kill us with terror ; whereas the good spirits affecting our relief and happinesse , take no pleasure in terrifying us , but labour altogether for our tranquillity and chearfulnesse . there was not more fear in the face then comfort in the speech ; thy prayer is heard . no angel could have told him better newes . our desires are uttered in our praiers . what can we wish but to have what we would ? many good suits had zachary made , and amongst the rest for a son. doubtlesse it was now some space of years since he made that request . for he was now stricken in age , and had ceased to hope : yet had god laid it up all the while ; and when he thinks not of it , brings it forth to effect . thus doth the mercy of our god deale with his patient and faithfull suppliants . in the fervour of their expectation he many times holds them off ; and when they least think of it , and have forgotten their own suits , he graciously condescends . delay of effect may not discourage our faith . it may be god hath long granted ere we shall know of his grant . many a father repents him of his fruitfulnesse , and hath such sons as he wishes unborn : but to have so gracious and happy a son as the angel foretold , could not be lesse comfort then honor to the age of zacharie . the proof of children makes them either the blessings or crosses of their parents . to heare what his son should be before he was , to heare that he should have such a son , a son whose birth should concern the joy of many , a son that should be great in the sight of the lord , a son that should be sacred to god , filled with god , beneficial to man , an harbinger to him that was god and man , was news enough to prevent the angel , and to take away that tongue with amazement , which was after lost with incredulity . the speech was so good , that it found not a sudden belief . this good news surprised zachary . if the intelligence had taken leisure , that his thoughts might have had time to debate the matter , he had easily apprehended the infinite power of him that had promised ; the pattern of abraham and sara ; and would soon have concluded the appearance of the angel more miraculous then his prediction . whereas now , like a man masked with the strangenesse of that he saw and heard , he misdoubts the message , and asks , how shall i know ? nature was on his side , and alledged the impossibility of the event both from age and barrennesse . supernaturall tidings at the first hearing astonish the heart , and are entertained with doubts by those which upon further acquaintance give them the best welcome . the weak apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not so much to be censured as pittied . it is a sure way for the heart , to be prevented with the assurance of the omnipotent power of god , to whom nothing is impossible : so shall the hardest point of faith goe down easily with us . if the eye of our minde look upward , it shall meet with nothing to avert or interrupt it : but if right forward , or downward , or round about , every thing is a block in our way . there is a difference betwixt desire of assurance and unbelief . we cannot be too carefull to raise up our selves arguments to settle our faith ; although it should be no faith , if it had no feet to stand upon , but discursive . in matters of faith , if reasons may be brought for the conviction of the gain-sayers , it is well ; if they be helps , they cannot be grounds of our belief . in the most faithful heart there are some sparks of infidelity : so to believe , that we should have no doubt at all , is scarce incident unto flesh and blood . it is a great perfection if we have attained to overcome our doubts . what did mislead zacharie , but that which uses to guide others , reason ? ( i am old , and my wife is of great age . ) as if years and drie loines could be any let to him which is able of very stones to raise up children unto abraham . faith and reason have their limits : where reason ends , faith begins : and if reason will be encroaching upon the bounds of faith , she is straight taken captive by infidelity . we are not fit to follow christ , if we have not denied our selves ; and the chief piece of our selves is our reason . we must yield god able to doe that which we cannot comprehend , and we must comprehend that by our faith which is disclaimed by reason . hagar must be driven out of doors , that sara may rule alone . the authority of the reporter makes way for belief in things which are otherwise hard to passe ; although in the matters of god we should not so much care who speaks , as what is spoken , and from whom . the angel tells his name , place , office , unasked , that zacharie might not think any news impossible that was brought him by an heavenly messenger . even where there is no use of language , the spirits are distinguished by names , and each knows his own appellation and others . he that gave leave unto man his image , to give names unto all his visible and inferiour creatures , did himself put names unto the spiritual : and as their name is , so are they mighty and glorious . but lest zacharie should no lesse doubt of the stile of the messenger , then of the errand it self , he is at once both confirmed , and punished with dumbness . that tongue which moved the doubt , must be tyed up : he shall ask no more questions for forty weeks , because he asked this one distrustfully . neither did zacharie lose his tongue for the time , but his ears also ; he was not onely mute , but deaf : for otherwise , when they came to ask his allowance for the name of his son , they needed not to have demanded it by signs , but by words . god will not passe over slight offences , and those which may plead the most colourable pretences in his best children , without a sensible check : it is not our holy entireness with god that can bear us out in the least sin ; yea rather the more acquaintance we have with his majesty , the more sure we are of correction when we offend . this may procure us more favour in our well-doing , not lesse justice in evil . zacharie staied , and the people waited : whether some longer discourse betwixt the angel and him then needed to be recorded , or whether astonishment at the apparition and news , withheld him , i inquire not ; the multitude thought him long , yet though they could but see afar off , they would not depart till he returned to blesse them . their patient attendance without , shames us that are hardly perswaded to attend within , whiles both our senses are imploied in our divine services , and we are admitted to be co-agents with our ministers . at last zacharie comes out speechlesse , and more amazes them with his presence then with his delay . the eyes of the multitude that were not worthy to see his vision , yet see the signs of his vision , that the world might be put into the exspectation of some extraordinary sequell . god makes way for his voice by silence . his speech could not have said so much as his dumbness . zacharie would fain have spoken , and could not with us too many are dumb , and need not . negligence , fear , partiality stop the mouthes of many , which shall once say , woe to me , because i held my peace . his hand speaks that which he cannot with his tongue , and he makes them by signs to understand that which they might read in his face . those powers we have , we must use . but though he have ceased to speak , yet he ceased not to minister . he takes not this dumbness for a dismission , but stayes out the eight daies of his course , as one that knew the eyes and hands and heart would be accepted of that god which had bereaved him of his tongue . we may not straight take occasions of withdrawing our selves from the publick services of our god , much lesse under the gospel . the law , which stood much upon bodily perfection , dispensed with age for attendance . the gospel , which is all for the soul , regards those inward powers , which whiles they are vigorous , exclude all excuses of our ministration . the annunciation of christ . the spirit of god was never so accurate in any description as that which concerns the incarnation of god. it was fit no circumstance should be omitted in that story , whereon the faith & salvation of all the world dependeth . we cannot so much as doubt of this truth , and be saved ; no not the number of the moneth , not the name of the angel is concealed : every particle imports not more certainty then excellence . the time is the sixth moneth after john's conception , the prime of the spring . christ was conceived in the spring , born in the solstice . he in whom the world received a new life , receives life in the same season wherein the world received his first life from him ; and he which stretches out the dayes of his church , and lengthens them to eternitie , appeares after all the short and dimme light of the law , and enlightens the world with his glory . the messenger is an angel. a man was too mean to carry the news of the conception of god. never any businesse was conceived in heaven , that did so much concerne the earth as the conception of the god of heaven in womb of earth : no lesse then an arch-angel was worthy to bear this tydings , and never any angel received a greater honour then of this embassage . it was fit our reparation should answer our fall . an evil angel was the first motioner of the one to eve a virgin , then espoused to adam , in the garden of eden : a good angell is the first reporter of the other to mary , a virgin espoused to joseph , in that place which ( as the garden of galilee , ) had a name from flourishing . no good angel could be the author of our restauration , as that evil angel was of our ruine . but that which those glorious spirits could not doe themselves , they are glad to report as done by the god of spirits . good news rejoices the bearer . with what joy did this holy angel bring the news of that saviour , in whom we are redeemed to life , himself established in life and glory ? the first preacher of the gospel was an angel. that office must needs be glorious that derives it self from such a predecessor . god appointed his angel to be the first preacher , and hath since called his preachers angels . the message is well suited . an angel comes to a virgin , gabriel to mary ; he that was by signification the strength of god , to her that was by signification exalted by god , to the conceiving of him that was the god of strength : to a maid , but espoused ; a maid for the honour of virginity , espoused for the honour of marriage . the marriage was in a sort made , not consummate , through the instinct of him that meant to make her not an example , but a miracle of women . in this whole work god would have nothing ordinary . it was fit that she should be a married virgin , which should be a virgin mother . he that meant to take mans nature without mans corruption , would be the son of man without mans seed , would be the seed of the woman without man ; and amongst all women , of a pure virgin ; but amongst virgins , of one espoused , that there might be at once a witness and a guardian of her fruitful virginity . if the same god had not been the authour of virginity and marriage , he had never countenanced virginity by marriage . whether doth this glorious angel come to finde the mother of him that was god , but to obscure galilee ? a part which even the jewes themselves despised , as forsaken of their priviledges , ( out of galilee ariseth no prophet . ) behold , an angel comes to that galilee , out of which no prophet comes , and the god of prophets and angels descends to be conceived in that galilee , out of which no prophet ariseth . he that filleth all places , makes no difference of places . it is the person which gives honour and priviledge to the place , not the place to the person ; as the presence of god makes the heaven , the heaven doth not make the honour glorious . no blinde corner of nazareth can hide the blessed virgin from the angel. the favours of god will finde out his children wheresoever they are withdrawn . it is the fashion of god to seek out the most despised , on whom to bestow his honours . we cannot run away as from the judgements , so not from the mercies of our god. the cottages of galilee are preferred by god to the famous palaces of jerusalem : he cares not how homely he converse with his own . why should we be transported with the outward glory of places , whiles our god regards it not ? we are not of the angels diet , if we had not rather be with the blessed virgin at nazareth , then with the proud dames in the court of jerusalem . it is a great vanity to respect any thing above goodness , and to disesteem goodness for any want . the angel salutes the virgin , he prayes not to her ; he salutes her as a saint , he prayes not to her as a goddess . for us to salute her as he did , were grosse presumption ; for neither are we as he was , neither is she as she was . if he that was a spirit saluted her that was flesh and blood here on earth , it is not for us that are flesh and blood to salute her which is a glorious spirit in heaven . for us to pray to her in the angels salutation , were to abuse the virgin , the angel , the salutation . but how gladly doe we second the angel in the praise of her , which was more ours then his ? how justly doe we blesse her , whom the angel pronounceth blessed ? how worthily is she honoured of men , whom the angel proclaimeth beloved of god ? o blessed mary , he cannot blesse thee , he cannot honour thee too much , that deifies thee not . that which the angel said of thee , thou hast prophesied of thy self : we believe the angel , and thee . all generations shall call thee blessed , by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed . if zachary were amazed with the sight of this angel , much more the virgin : that very sex had more disadvantage of fear . if it had been but a man that had come to her in that secrecie and suddenness , she could not but have been troubled ; how much more , when the shining glory of the person doubled the astonishment ? the troubles of holy mindes end ever in comfort : joy was the errand of the angel , and not terrour . fear ( as all passions ) disquiets the heart , and makes it for the time unfit to receive the messages of god. soon hath the angel cleared these troublesome mists of passions , and sent out the beams of heavenly consolation in the remotest corner of her soul by the glad news of her saviour . how can joy but enter into her heart out of whose womb shall come salvation ? what room can fear finde in that breast that is assured of favour ? fear not , mary , for thou hast found favour with god. let those fear who know they are in displeasure , or know not they are gracious . thine happy estate calls for confidence , and that confidence for joy . what should , what can they fear , who are favoured of him at whom the devils tremble ? not the presence of the good angels , but the temptations of the evil , strike many terrors into our weaknesse : we could not be dismaied with them , if we did not forget our condition . we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again , but the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry , abba , father . if that spirit ( o god ) witnesse with our spirits that we are thine , how can we fear any of those spirituall wickednesses ? give us assurance of thy favour , and let the powers of hell doe their worst . it was no ordinary favour that the virgin found in heaven : no mortall creature was ever thus graced , that he should take part of her nature that was the god of nature ; that he which made all things , should make his humane body of hers ; that her womb should yield that flesh which was personally united to the godhead ; that she should bear him that upholds the world : loe , thou shalt conceive and bear a son , and shalt call his name jesus . it is a question , whether there be more wonder in the conception or in the fruit ; the conception of the virgin , or jesus conceived . both are marvellous , but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders then the latter exceedeth it . for the childe of a virgin is the reimprovement of that power which created the world : but that god should be incarnate of a virgin , was an abasement of his majestie , and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example . well was that child worthy to make the mother blessed . here was a double conception , one in the wombe of her body , the other of the soul . if that were more miraculous , this was more beneficiall ; that was her priviledge , this was her happinesse : if that were singular to her , this is common to all his chosen . there is no renewed heart wherein thou , o saviour , art not formed again . blessed be thou that hast herein made us blessed . for what womb can conceive thee , and not partake of thee ? who can partake of thee , and not be happy ? doubtlesse the virgin understood the angel , as he meant , of a present conception , which made her so much more inquisitive into the manner and means of this event : how shall this be , since i know not a man ? that she should conceive a son by the knowledge of man after her marriage consummate , could have been no wonder : but how then should that son of hers be the son of god ? this demand was higher . how her present virginity should be instantly fruitfull might be well worthy of admiration , of inquiry . here was desire of information , not doubts of infidelitie ; yea rather this question argues faith : it takes for granted that which an unbelieving heart would have stuck at . she sayes not , who and whence art thou ? what kingdome is this ? where and when shall it be erected ? but smoothly supposing all those strange things would be done , she insists onely on that which did necessarily require a further intimation , and doth not distrust , but demand . neither doth she say , this cannot be , nor , how can this be ? but , how shall this be ? so doth the angel answer , as one that knew he needed not to satisfie curiositie , but to informe judgement , and uphold faith . he doth not therefore tell her of the manner , but of the author of this act ; the holy ghost shall come upon thee , and the power of the most high shall over-shadow thee . it is enough to know who is the undertaker , and what he wil doe . o god , what doe we seek a clear light , where thou wilt have a shadow ? no mother knows the manner of her naturall conception : what presumption shall it be for flesh and blood , to search how the son of god took flesh and blood of his creature ? it is for none but the almighty to know those works which he doth immediatly concerning himself ; those that concern us , he hath revealed : secrets to god , things revealed to us . the answer was not so full , but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message ; yet after the angels solution , we hear of no more objections , no more interrogations . the faithfull heart , when it once understands the good pleasure of god , argues no more ; but sweetly rests it self in a quiet expectation : behold the servant of the lord , be it to me according to thy word . there is not a more noble proof of our faith , then to captivate all the powers of our understanding and will to our creator , and without all sciscitations to goe blind-fold whither he will lead us . all disputations with god ( after his will known ) arise from infidelity . great is the mysterie of godlinesse , and if we will give nature leave to cavil , we cannot be christians . o god , thou art faithfull , thou art powerfull : it is enough , that thou hast said it : in the humilitie of our obedience we resign our selves over to thee . behold the servants of the lord , be it unto us according to thy word . how fit was her womb to conceive the flesh of the son of god by the power of the spirit of god , whose breast had so soon by the power of the same spirit conceived an assent to the will of god ? and now of an hand-maid of god , she is advanced to the mother of god. no sooner hath she said ( be it done ) then it is done , the holy ghost over-shadows her and forms her saviour in her own body . this very angel that talks with the blessed virgin ; could scarce have been able to express the joy of her heart in the sense of this divine burden . never any mortall creature had so much cause of exultation . how could she that was full of god be other then full of joy in that god ? grief grows greater by concealing ; joy by expression . the holy virgin had understood by the angel , how her cousin elizabeth was no lesse of kin to her in condition ; the fruitfulnesse of whose age did somewhat suit the fruitfulnesse of her virginitie . happinesse communicated doubles it self . here is no straining of courtesie . the blessed maid whom vigor of age had more fitted for the way , hastens her journey into the hill-country to visit that gracios matron whom god had made a sign of her miraculous conception . onely the meeting of saints in heaven can parallel the meeting of these two cousins : the two wonders of the world are met under one roof , and congratulate their mutual happinesse . when we have christ spiritually conceived in us , we cannot be quiet till we have imparted our joy . elizabeth that holy matron did no sooner welcome her blessed cousin , then her babe welcomes his saviour . both in the retired closets of their mothers womb are sensible of each others presence ; the one by his omniscience , the other by instinct . he did not more fore-run christ then over-run nature . how should our hearts leap within us , when the son of god vouchsafes to come into the secret of our souls , not to visit us , but to dwell with us , to dwell in us ! the birth of christ . as all the actions of men , so especially the publick actions of publick men are ordered by god to other ends then their own . this edict went not so much out from augustus , as from the court of heaven . what , did caesar know joseph and mary ? his charge was universal to a world of subjects through all the roman empire . god intended this cension onely for the blessed virgin and her son , that christ might be born where he should . caesar meant to fill his coffers , god meant to fulfil his prophesies ; and so to fulfill them , that those whom it concerned might not feel the accomplishment . if god had directly commanded the virgin to goe up to bethleem , she had seen the intention , and expected the issue : but that wise moderatour of all things , that works his will in us , loves so to doe it as may be least with our fore-sight and acquaintance , and would have us fall under his decrees unawares , that we may so much the more adore the depths of his providence . every creature walkes blind-fold , onely he that dwels in light sees whither they goe . doubtless , blessed mary meant to have been delivered of her divine burden at home , and little thought of changing the place of conception for another of her birth . that house was honoured by the angel , yea , by the over-shadowing of the holy ghost , none could equally satisfie her hopes or desires : it was fit that he which made choice of the womb wherein his son should be conceived , should make choice of the place where his son should be born . as the work is all his , so will he alone contrive all the circumstances to his own ends . oh the infinite wisedom of god in casting all his designs ! there needs no other proof of christ then caesar and bethleem ; and of caesars , then augustus ; his government , his edict pleads the truth of the messias . his government now was the deep peace of all the world under that quiet scepter which made way for him who was the prince of peace . if wars be a sign of the time of his second coming , peace was a signe of his first . his edict ; now was the scepter departed from juda. it was the time for shilo to come . no power was left in the jewes , but to obey . augustus is the emperor of the world , under him herod is the king of judaea , cyrenius is president of syria ; jurie hath nothing of her own . for herod if he were a king , yet he was no jew ; and if he had been a jew , yet he was no otherwise a king , then tributary and titular . the edict came out from augustus , was executed by cyrenius ; herod is no actor in this service . gain and glory are the ends of this taxation : each man profest himself a subject , and paid for the priviledge of his servitude . now their very heads were not their own , but must be payed for to the head of a forrein seate . they which before stood upon the termes of their immunitie , stoop at the last . the proud suggestions of judas the galilean might shed their blood and swell their stomacks , but could not ease their yoak ; neither was it the meaning of god , that holinesse ( if they had been as they pretended ) should shelter them from subjection . a tribute is imposed upon gods free people . this act of bondage brings them liberty . now when they seemed most neglected of god , they are blessed with a redeemer ; when they are most pressed with forrein soveraignty , god sends them a king of their own , to whom caesar himself must be a subject . the goodnesse of our god picks out the most needfull times of our relief and comfort : our extremities give him the most glory . whither must joseph and marie come to be taxed , but unto david's citie ? the very place proves their descent : he that succeeded david in his throne , must succeed him in the place of his birth . so clearly was bethleem designed to this honour by the prophets , that even the priests and the scribes could point herod unto it , and assured him the king of the jews could be no where else born . bethleem justly the house of bread ; the bread that came down from heaven is there given to the world : whence should we have the bread of life , but from the house of bread ? o holy david , was this the well of bethleem , whereof thou didst so thirst to drink of old , when thou saidst , o that one would give me drink of the water of the well of bethleem ! surely that other water , when it was brought thee by thy worthies , thou pouredst it on the ground , and wouldst not drink of it . this was that living water for which thy soul longed , whereof thou saidst elsewhere , as the hart brayeth after the water-brooks , so longeth my soul after thee , o god : my soul thirsteth for god , for the living god. it was no lesse then four daies journey from nazareth to bethleem : how just an excuse might the blessed virgin have pleaded for her absence ? what woman did ever undertake such a journey so near her delivery ? and doubtlesse joseph , which was now taught of god to love and honour her , was loath to draw forth a dear wife in so unwieldy a case , into so manifest hazard . but the charge was peremptory , the obedience exemplary . the desire of an inoffensive observance even of heathenish authority , digests all difficulties . we may not take easie occasions to withdraw our obedience to supreme commands . yea how didst thou ( o saviour ) by whom augustus reigned , in the womb of thy mother yield this homage to augustus ? the first lesson that ever thy example taught us , was obedience . after many steps are joseph and mary come to bethleem . the plight wherein she was would not allow any speed , and the forced leisure of the journey causeth disappointment : the end was worse then the way ; there was no rest in the way , there was no room in the inne . it could not be but that there were many of the kindred of joseph and mary at that time in bethleem ; for both there were their ancestors born , if not themselves , and thither came up all the cousins of their blood ; yet there and then doth the holy virgin want room to lay either her head or her burthen . if the house of david had not lost all mercy and good nature , a daughter of david could not so near the time of her travel have been destitute of lodging in the city of david . little did the bethleemites think what a guest they refused : else they would gladly have opened their doors to him , which was able to open the gates of heaven to them . now their inhospitality is punishment enough to it self : they have lost the honour and happinesse of being host to their god. even still , o blessed saviour , thou standest at our doors and knockest ; every motion of thy good spirit tells us thou art there : now thou comest in thine own name , and there thou standest , whiles thy head is full of dew , and thy locks wet with the drops of the night . if we suffer carnal desires and worldly thoughts to take up the lodging of our heart and revel within us whiles thou waitest upon our admission , surely our judgement shall be so much the greater , by how much better we know whom we have excluded . what do we cry shame on the bethleemites , whilest we are wilfully more churlish , more unthankfull ? there is no room in my heart for the wonder at this humility . he for whom heaven is too streight , whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain , lies in the streight cabbin of the womb , and when he would inlarge himself for the world , is not allowed the room of an inne . the many mansions of heaven were at his disposing ; the earth was his and the fulnesse of it ; yet he suffers himself to be refused of a base cottage , and complaineth not . what measure should discontent us wretched men , when thou ( o god ) farest thus from thy creatures ? how should we learn both to want and abound , from thee , which abounding with the glory and riches of heaven , wouldst want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth ? thou camest to thine own , and thy own received thee not : how can it trouble us to be rejected of the world , which is not ours ? what wonder is it if thy servants wandred abroad in sheeps skins and goats skins , destitute and afflicted , when their lord is denyed harbour ? how should all the world blush at this indignity of bethleem ? he that came to save men , is sent for his first lodging to the beasts : the stable is become his inne , the cratch his bed . o strange cradle of that great king , which heaven it self may envy ! o saviour , thou that wert both the maker and owner of heaven , of earth , couldst have made thee a palace without hands , couldst have commanded thee an empty room in those houses which thy creatures had made . when thou didst but bid the angels avoid their first place , they fell down from heaven like lightning ; and when in thy humbled estate thou didst but say , i am he , who was able to stand before thee ? how easie had it been for thee to have made place for thy self in the throngs of the stateliest courts ? why wouldst thou be thus homely , but that by contemning worldly glories , thou mightest teach us to contemn them ? that thou mightest sanctifie poverty to them , whom thou calledst unto want ? that since thou which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions , wouldst be born poor and despised , those which must want out of necessity might not think their poverty grievous ? here was neither friend to entertain , nor servant to attend , nor place wherein to be attended , onely the poor beasts gave way to the god of all the world . it is the great mysterie of godlinesse , that god was manifested in the flesh , and seen of angels ; but here , which was the top of all wonders , the very beasts might see their maker . for those spirits to see god in the flesh , it was not so strange , as for the brute creatures to see him which was the god of spirits . he that would be led into the wildernesse amongst wilde beasts to be tempted , would come into the house of beasts to be born , that from the height of his divine glory his humiliation might be the greater . how can we be abased low enough for thee ( o saviour ) that hast thus neglected thy self for us ? that the visitation might be answerable to the homelinesse of the place , attendants , provision ▪ who shall come to congratulate his birth but poor shepherds ? the 〈◊〉 of the earth rest at home , and have no summons to attend him by whom they reign : god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty . in an obscure time ( the night ) unto obscure men ( shepherds ) doth god manifest the light of his son by glorious angels . it is not our meannesse ( o god ) that can exclude us from the best of thy mercies ; yea thus far dost thou respect persons , that thou hast put down the mighty , and exalted them of low degree . if these shepherds had been snorting in their beds , they had no more seen angels , nor heard news of their saviour , then their neighbours ; their vigilancy is honoured with this heavenly vision . those which are industrious in any calling are capable of further blessings , whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation . no lesse then a whole chore of angels are worthy to sing the hymn of glory to god , for the incarnation of his son. what joy is enough for us , whose nature he took , and whom he came to restore by his incarnation ? if we had the tongues of angels , we could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious redeemer . no sooner doe the shepherds hear the news of a saviour , then they run to bethleem to seeke him . those that left their beds to tend their flocks , leave their flocks to enquire after their saviour . no earthly thing is too dear to be forsaken for christ . if we suffer any worldly occasion to stay us from bethleem , we care more for our sheep then our souls . it is not possible that a faithfull heart should heare where christ is , and not labour to the sight , to the fruition of him . where art thou , o saviour , but at home in thine own house , in the assembly of thy saints ? where art thou to be found but in thy word and sacraments ? yea there thou seekest for us : if there we hast not to seek for thee , we are worthy to want thee , worthy that our want of thee here should make us want the presence of thy face for ever . the sages and the star. the shepherds and the cratch accorded well ; yet even they saw nothing which they might not contemn ; neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a king , then that king whom they came to see . but oh the divine majesty that shined in this baseness ! there lies the babe in the stable , crying in the manger , whom the angels came down from heaven to proclaim , whom the sages come from the east to adore , whom an heavenly star notifies to the world , that now men might see that heaven and earth serves him that neglected himself . those lights that hang low are not far seen , but those which are high placed are equally seen in the remotest distances . thy light , o saviour , was no lesse then heavenly . the east saw that which bethleem might have seen : oft-times those which are neerest in place are farthest off in affection . large objects when they are too close to the eye , doe so overfill the sense , that they are not discerned . what a shame is this to bethleem ? the sages came out of the east to worship him whom that village refused . the bethleemites were jews ; the wise-men gentiles . this first entertainment of christ was a presage of the sequel : the gentiles shall come from far to adore christ , whiles the jews reject him . those easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature , professed philosophers ; them hath god singled out to the honour of the manifestation of christ . humane learning well improved makes us capable of divine . there is no knowledge whereof god is not the authour : he would never have bestowed any gift that should lead us away from himself . it is an ignorant conceit , that inquiry into nature should make men atheous . no man is so apt to see the star of christ as a diligent disciple of philosophy . doubtless this light was visible 〈…〉 , onely they followed it , which knew it had more then nature : he 〈…〉 that is wise for his own soul . if these wise men had been acquainted with all the other stars of heaven , and had not seen the star of christ , they had had but light enough to lead them into utter darkness . philosophy without this star is but the wisp of errour . these sages were in a mean between the angels and the shepherds . god would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures have some to be witnesses of his son. the angels direct the shepherds , the star guides the sages . the duller capacity hath the more clear and powerful helps : the wisdome of our good god proportions the means unto the disposition of the persons . their astronomy had taught them this star was not ordinary , whether in sight , or in brightness , or in motion . the eyes of nature might well see that some strange news was portended to the world by it ; but that this star designed the birth of the messias , there needed yet another light . if the star had not besides had the commentary of a revelation from god , it could have led the wise-men onely into a fruitless wonder . give them to be the offspring of balaam , yet the true prediction of that false prophet was not enough warrant . if he told them the messias should arise as a star out of jacob , he did not tell them that a star should arise far from the posterity of jacob , at the birth of the messias . he that did put that prophesie into the mouth of balaam , did also put this illumination into the heart of the sages . the spirit of god is free to breathe where he listeth : many shall come from the east and the west to seek christ , when the children of the kingdome shall be shut out . even then god did not so confine his election to the pale of the church , as that he did not sometimes look out for special instruments of his glory . whither do these sages come , but to hierusalem ? where should they hope to hear of the new king , but in the mother city of the kingdome ? the conduct of the star was first only general to judaea ; the rest is for a time left to inquiry : they were not brought thither for their own sakes , but for jewrie's , for the worlds ; that they might help to make the jews inexcusable , and the world faithful . that their tongues therefore might blazon the birth of christ , they are brought to the head city of judaea , to report and inquire . their wisdome could not teach them to imagine that a king could be born to judaea of that note and magnificence , that a star from heaven should publish him to the earth , and that his subjects should not know it : and therefore as presupposing a common notice , they say , where is he that is born king of the jews ? there is much deceit in probabilities , especially when we meddle with spiritual matters . for god uses still to goe a way by himself . if we judge according to reason and appearance , who is so likely to understand heavenly truths as the profound doctors of the world ? these god passes over , and reveals his will to babes . had these sages met with the shepherds of the villages near bethleem , they had received that intelligence of christ which they did vainly seek from the learned scribes of jerusalem . the greatest clerks are not alwaiess the wisest in the affairs of god : these things goe not by discourse , but by revelation . no sooner hath the star brought them within the noise of jerusalem , then it is vanished out of sight . god would have their eyes lead them so far , as till their tongues might be set on work to win the vocal attestation of the chief priests and scribes to the fore-appointed place of our saviours nativity . if the star had caried them directly to bethleem , the learned jews had never searched the truth of those prophesies , wherewith they are since justly convinced . god never withdraws our helps , but for a further advantage . however our hopes seem crossed , where his name may gain , we cannot complain of losse . little did the sages think this question would have troubled herod : they had ( i fear ) concealed their message , if they had suspected this event . sure , they thought it might be some son or grandchild of him which then held the throne , so as this might win favour from herod , rather then an unwelcome fear of rivalty . doubtless they went first to the court ; where else should they ask for a king : the more pleasing this 〈…〉 if it had falne upon herod's own loyns , the more grievous it was to light upon a stranger . if herod had not over-much affected greatness , he had not upon those indirect terms aspired to the crown of jewry : so much the more therefore did it trouble him to hear the rumor of a successor , and that not of his own . setled greatness cannot abide either change or partnership . if any of his subjects had moved this question , i fear his head had answered it . it is well that the name of forrainers could excuse these sages . herod could not be brought up among the jews , and not have heard many and confident reports of a messias that should ere long arise out of israel ; and now when he hears the fame of a king born , whom a star from heaven signifies and attends , he is netled with the news . every thing affrights the guilty . usurpation is full of jealousies and fear ; no lesse full of projects and imaginations : it makes us think every bush a man , and every man a thief . why art thou troubled ( o herod ? ) a king is born ; but such a king , as whose scepter may ever concur with lawfull soveraignty ; yea such a king , as by whom kings doe hold their scepters , not lose them . if the wise-men tell thee of a king , the star tells thee he is heavenly . here is good cause of security , none of fear . the most general enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings . if men could but know how much safety and sweetnesse there is in all divine truth , it could receive nothing from them but welcomes and gratulations . misconceits have been still guilty of all wrongs and persecutions . but if herod were troubled , ( as tyranny is still suspicious ) why was all hierusalem troubled with him ? hierusalem , which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds , for a recovery of her liberty and right ? hierusalem , which now onely had cause to lift up her drooping head in the joy and happiness of a redeemer ? yet not herod's court , but even hierusalem was troubled ; so had this miserable city been overtoiled with change , that now they were setled in a condition quietly evil , they are troubled with the news of better . they had now got a habit of servility , and now they are so acquainted with the yoke , that the very noise of liberty ( which they supposed would not come with ease ) began to be unwelcome . to turn the causes of joy into sorrow , argues extreme dejectednesse , and a distemper of judgment no lesse then desperate . fear puts on a visor of devotion . herod calls his learned counsel , and as not doubting whether the messiah should be born , he asks where he shall be born . in the disparition of that other light , there is a perpetually-fixed star shining in the writings of the prophets , that guides the chief priests and scribes directly unto bethleem . as yet envy and prejudice had not blinded the eyes and perverted the hearts of the jewish teachers ; so as now they clearly justifie that christ whom they afterwards condemne , and by thus justifying him condemn themselves in rejecting him . the water that is untroubled yields the visage perfectly . if god had no more witnesse but from his enemies , we have ground enough of our faith . herod feared , but dissembled his fear , as thinking it a shame that strangers should see there could any power arise under him worthy of his respect or awe . out of an unwillingnesse therefore to discover the impotency of his passion , he makes little adoe of the matter , but onely , after a privy inquisition into the time , imployes the informers in the search of the person ; goe and search diligently for the babe , &c. it was no great journy from hierusalem to bethleem : how easily might herod's cruelty have secretly suborned some of his bloody courtiers to this inquiry and execution ? if god had not meant to mock him before he found himself mocked of the wise-men , he had rather sent before their journey , then after their disappointment . but that god in whose hands all hearts are did purposely besot him , that he might not finde the way to so horrible a mischief . there is no villan● 〈◊〉 but it will mask it self under a shew of piety . herod will also worship 〈◊〉 babe . the courtesie of a false tyrant is death . a crafty hypocrite never means so ill as when he speaketh fairest . the wise-men are upon their way full of exspectation , full of desire : i see no man either of the city or court to accompany them . whether distrust or fear hindred them , i inquire not : but of so many thousand jews , no one stirs his foot to see that king of theirs which strangers came so far to visite . yet were not these resolute sages discouraged with this solitarinesse and small respect , nor drawn to repent of their journey , as thinking , what do we come so farre to honour a king whom no man will acknowledge ? what mean we to travell so many hundred miles to see that which the inhabitants will not look out to behold ? but chearfully renew their journey to that place which the ancient light of prophesie had designed . and now behold , god encourages their holy forwardnesse from heaven , by sending them their first guide ; as if he had said , what need ye care for the neglect of men , when ye see heaven honours the king whom ye seek ? what joy these sages conceived when their eyes first beheld the re-appearance of that happy starre , they onely can tell , that after a long and sad night of tentation have seen the loving countenance of god shining forth upon their souls . if with obedience and courage we can follow the calling of god in difficult enterprises , we shall not want supplies of comfort . let not us be wanting to god , we shall be sure he cannot be wanting to us . he that led israel by a pillar of fire into the land of promise , leads the wise-men by a star to the promised seed . all his directions partake of that light which is in him : for god is light . this star moves both slowly and low , as might be fittest for the pace , for the purpose of these pilgrims . it is the goodness of god that in those means wherein we cannot reach him , he descends unto us . surely when the wise-men saw the star stand still , they looked about to see what palace there might be near unto that station fit for the birth of a king ; neither could they think that sorry shed was it which the star meant to point out , but finding their guide setled over that base roof , they goe in to see what guest it held . they enter , and , o god , what a king doe they finde ! how poor ! how contemptible ! wrapt in clouts , laid in straw , cradled in the manger , attended with beasts ! what a sight was this , after all the glorious promises of that star , after the predictions of prophets , after the magnificence of their expectation ! all their way afforded nothing so despicable as that babe whom they came to worship . but as those which could not have been wise-men unlesse they had known that the greatest glories have arisen from mean beginnings , they fall down and worship that hidden majesty . this baseness hath bred wonder in them , not contempt : they well knew the star could not lie . they which saw his star afar off in the east , when he lay swadled in bethleem , do also see his roialty further off , in the despised estate of his infancy : a roialty more then humane . they well knew that stars did not use to attend earthly kings ; and if their aime had not been higher , what was a jewish king to persian strangers ? answerable therefore hereunto was their adoration . neither did they lift up empty hands to him whom they worship'd , but presented him with the most precious commodities of their country , gold , incense , myrrhe ; not as thinking to enrich him with these , but by way of homage acknowledging him the lord of these . if these sages had been kings , and had offered a princely weight of gold , the blessed virgin had not needed in her purification to have offered two young pigeons , as the sign of her penury . as god loves not empty hands , so he measures fulness by the affection . let it be gold , or incense , or myrrhe , that we offer him , it cannot but please him , who doth not use to ask how much , but how good . the purification . there could be no impurity in the son of god : and if the best substance of a pure virgin carried in it any taint of adam , that was scowred away by sanctification in the womb : and yet the son would be circumcised , and the mother purified . he that came to be sin for us , would in our persons be legally unclean , that by satisfying the law he might take away our uncleanness . though he were exempted from the common condition of our birth , yet he would not deliver himself from those ordinary rites that implied the weakness and blemishes of humanity . he would fulfill one law to abrogate it , another to satisfie it . he that was above the law , would come under the law , to free us from the law. not a day would be changed , either in the circumcision of christ or the purification of mary . here was neither convenience of place , nor of necessaries for so painful a work , in the stable of bethleem ; yet he that made and gave the law , will rather keep it with difficulty , then transgress it with ease . why wouldst thou , o blessed saviour , suffer that sacred foreskin to be cut off , but that by the power of thy circumcision the same might be done to our souls that was done to thy body ? we cannot be therefore thine , if our hearts be uncircumcised . doe thou that in us which was done to thee for us ; cut off the superfluitie of our maliciousnesse , that we may be holy in and by thee , which for us wert content to be legally impure . there was shame in thy birth , there was paine in thy circumcision . after a contemptible welcome into the world , that a sharp rasor should passe through thy skin for our sakes , ( which can hardly endure to bleed for our owne ) it was the praise of thy wonderfull mercy in so early humiliation . what pain or contempt should we refuse for thee , that hast made no spare of thy self for us ? now is bethleem left with too much honour , there is christ born , adored , circumcised . no sooner is the blessed virgin either able or allowed to walk , then she travels to jerusalem , to perform her holy rites for her self , for her son ; to purifie her self , to present her son. she goes not to her owne house at nazareth , she goes to god's house at jerusalem . if purifying were a shadow , yet thanksgiving is a substance . those whom god hath blessed with fruit of body and safety of deliverance , if they make not their first journey to the temple of god , they partake more of the unthankfulnesse of eve then marie's devotion . her forty daies therefore were no sooner out then mary comes up to the holy city . the rumour of a new king borne at bethleem was yet fresh at jerusalem , since the report of the wise-men : and what good newes had this been for any pick-thank to carry to the court ? here is the babe whom the starre signified , whom the sages inquired for , whom the angels proclaimed , whom the shepherds talk'd of , whom the scribes and high priests notified , whom herod seeks after . yet unto that jerusalem which was troubled at the report of his birth is christ come , and all tongues are so lock'd up , that he which sent from jerusalem to bethleem to seek him findes him not , who ( as to countermine herod ) is come from bethleem to jerusalem . dangers that are aloof off , and but possible , may not hinder us from the duty of our devotion . god saw it not yet time to let loose the fury of his adversaries , whom he holds up like some eager mastives , & then onely lets goe when they shall most shame themselves and glorifie him . well might the blessed virgin have wrangled with the law , and challenged an immunity from all ceremonies of purification ; what should i need purging , which did not conceive in sinne ? this is for those mothers whose births are unclean : mine is from god , which is purity it self . the law of moses reaches onely to those women which have conceived seed : i conceived not this seed , but the holy ghost in me . the law extends to the mothers of those sons which are under the law : mine is above it . but as one that cared more for her peace then her priviledge , and more desired to be free from offence then from labour and charge , she dutifully fulfils the law of that god whom she carried in her wombe and in her armes : like the mother of him who , though he knew the children of the kingdome free , yet would pay tribute unto caesar : like the mother of him whom it behoved to fulfill all righteousnesse . and if she were so officious in ceremonies , as not to admit of any excuse in the very circumstance of her obedience , how much more strict was she in the main duties of morality ? that soul is fit for the spiritual conception of christ , that is conscionably scrupulous in observing all gods commandements ; whereas he hates all alliance to a negligent or froward heart . the law of purification proclaims our uncleannesse . the mother is not allowed after her child-birth to come unto the sanctuary , or to touch any hallowed thing , till her set time be expired . what are we whose very birth infects the mother that bears us ? at last she comes to the temple ; but with sacrifices , either a lamb and a pigeon , or turtle , or ( in the meaner estate ) two turtle-doves , or young pigeons : whereof one is for a burnt-offering , the other for a sin-offering ; the one for thanksgiving , the other for expiation : for expiation of a double sin , of the mother that conceived , of the childe that was conceived . we are all born sinners , and it is a just question , whether we doe more infect the world or the world us . they are gross flatterers of nature that tell her she is clean . if our lives had no sin , we bring enough with us : the very infant that lives not to sin as adam , yet he sinned in adam , and is sinful in himself . but , oh the unspeakable mercy of our god! we provide the sin , he provides the remedy . behold an expiation welnear as early as our sin ; the blood of a young lamb , or dove , yea rather the blood of him whose innocence was represented by both , cleanseth us presently from our filthiness . first went circumcision , then came the sacrifice ; that by two holy acts that which was naturally unholy might be hallowed unto god. under the gospel our baptism hath the force of both : it does away our corruption by the water of the spirit ; it applies to us the sacrifice of christs blood , whereby we are cleansed . oh that we could magnifie this goodness of our god , which hath not left our very infancy without redresse , but hath provided helps whereby we may be delivered from the danger of our hereditary evils . such is the favourable respect of our wise god , that he would not have us undoe our selves with devotion : the service he requires of us is ruled by our abilities . every poor mother was not able to bring a lamb for her offering : there was none so poor , but might procure a pair of turtles or pigeons . these doth god both prescribe and accept from poorer hands , no lesse then the beasts of a thousand mountains . he looks for somewhat of every one , not of every one alike . since it is he that makes differences of abilities , ( to whom it were as easie to make all rich ) his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation . the truth and heartiness of obedience is that which he will crown in his meanest servants . a mite from the poor widow is more worth to him then the talents of the wealthy . after all the presents of those eastern worshippers ( who intended rather homage then ditation ) the blessed virgin comes in the form of poverty with her two doves unto god : she could not without some charge lie all this while at bethleem , she could not without charge travel from bethleem to jerusalem . her offering confesseth her penury . the best are not ever the wealthiest . who can despise any one for want , when the mother of christ was not rich enough to bring a lamb for her purification ? we may be as happy in russet as in tissue . while the blessed virgin brought her son into the temple with that pair of doves , here were more doves then a pair . they for whose sake that offering was brought , were more doves then the doves that were brought for that offering . her son , for whom she brought that dove to be sacrificed , was that sacrifice which the dove represented . there was nothing in him but perfection of innocence : and the oblation of him is that whereby all mothers and sons are fully purified . since in our selves we cannot be innocent , happy are we if we can have the spotless dove sacrificed for us , to make us innocent in him . the blessed virgin had more business in the temple then her own ; she came , as to purifie her self , so to present her son. every male that first opened the womb , was holy unto the lord. he that was the son of god by eternal generation before time , and by miraculous conception in time , was also by common course of nature consecrate unto god. it is fit the holy mother should present god with his own . her first-born was the first-born of all creatures . it was he whose temple it was that he was presented in , to whom all the first-born of all creatures were consecrated , by whom they were accepted ; and now is he brought in his mothers arms to his own house , and as man is presented to himself as god. if moses had never written law of god's special propriety in the first-born , this son of god's essence and love had taken possession of the temple . his right had been a perfect law to himself . now his obedience to that law which himself had given doth no lesse call him thither then the challenge of his peculiar interest . he that was the lord of all creatures ( ever since he struck the first-born of the egyptians ) requires the first male of all creatures , both man and beast , to be dedicated to him : wherein god caused a miraculous event to second nature , which seems to challenge the first and best for the maker . by this rule god should have had his service done onely by the heirs of israel . but since god , for the honour and remuneration of levi , had chosen out that tribe to minister unto him , now the first-born of all israel must be presented to god as his due , but by allowance redeemed to their parents . as for beasts , the first male of the clean beasts must be sacrificed , of unclean exchanged for a price . so much morality is there in this constitution of god , that the best of all kindes is fit to be consecrated to the lord of all . every thing we have is too good for us , if we think any thing we have too good for him . how glorious did the temple now seem , that the owner was within the walls of it ? now was the hour and guest come , in regard whereof the second temple should surpasse the first . this was his house built for him , dedicated to him : there had he dwelt long in his spirituall presence , in his typical . there was nothing either placed or done within those walls whereby he was not resembled : and now the body of those shadows is come , and presents himself where he had been ever represented . jerusalem is now every where . there is no church , no christian heart , which is not a temple of the living god : there is no temple of god wherein christ is not presented to his father . look upon him ( o god ) in whom thou art well pleased ; and in him and for him be well pleased with us . under the gospel we are all first-born , all heirs ; every soul is to be holy unto the lord ; we are a royal generation , an holy priesthood . our baptism as it is our circumcision and our sacrifice of purification , so is it also our presentation unto god. nothing can become us but holinesse . o god to whom we are devoted , serve thy self of us , glorifie thy self by us , till we shall by thee be glorified with thee . herod and the infants . well might these wise-men have suspected herod's secrecy . if he had meant well , what needed that whispering ? that which they published in the streets , he asks in his privy chamber : yet they not misdoubting his intention , purpose to fulfill his charge . it could not in their apprehension but be much honour to them to make their successe known , that now both king and people might see it was not fancie that led them , but an assured revelation . that god which brought them thither , diverted them , and caused their eies to shut , to guide them the best way home . these sages made a happy voyage : for now they grew into further acquaintance with god. they are honoured with a second messenger from heaven . they saw the star in the way , the angel in their bed : the star guided their journey unto christ , the angel directed their return . they saw the star by day , a vision by night : god spake to their eies by the star , he speaks to their heart by a dream . no doubt they had left much noise of christ behinde them : they that did so publish his birth by their inquiry at jerusalem , could not be silent when they found him at bethleem . if they had returned by herod , i fear they had come short home . he that meant death to the babe for the name of a king , could mean no other to those that honoured and proclaimed a new king , and erected a throne besides his . they had done what they came for : and now that god whose businesse they came about , takes order at once for his sons safety and for theirs . god , which is perfection it self , never begins any businesse but he makes and end , and ends happily . when our waies are his , there is no danger of miscarriage . well did these wise-men know the difference , as of stars , so of dreams : they had learned to distinguish between the natural and divine ; and once apprehending god in their sleep , they follow him waking , and return another way . they were no subjects to herod ; his command pressed them so much the lesse : or if the being within his dominions had been no lesse bond then native subjection , yet where god did countermand herod , there could be no question whom to obey . they say not , we are in a strange country , herod may meet with us , it can be no lesse then death to mock him in his own territories ; but chearfully put themselves upon the way , and trust god with the successe . where men command with god , we must obey men for god , and god in men ; when against him , the best obedience is to deny obedience , and to turn our backs upon herod . the wise-men are safely arrived in the east , and fill the world full of exspectation as themselves are full of wonder . joseph and mary are returned with the babe to that jerusalem where the wise-men had inquired for his birth . the city was doubtlesse still full of that rumor , and little thinks that he whom they talk of was so neare them . from thence they are , at least in their way to nazareth , where they purpose their abode . god prevents them by his angel ; and sends them for safety into aegypt . joseph was not wont to be so full of visions . it was not long since the angel appeared unto him to justifie the innocency of the mother , and the deity of the son : now he appears for the preservation of both , and a preservation by flight . could joseph now chuse but think , is this the king that must save israel , that needs to be saved by me ? if he be the son of god , how is he subject to the violence of men ? how is he almighty , that must save himself by flight ? or how must he flie , to save himself out of that land which he comes to save ? but faithful joseph having been once tutored by the angel , and having heard what the wise-men said of the star , what simeon and anna said in the temple ; labours not so much to reconcile his thoughts , as to subject them ; and as one that knew it safer to suppresse doubts then to assoil them , can believe what he understands not , and can wonder where he cannot comprehend . oh strange condition of the king of all the word ! he could not be born in a baser estate , yet even this he cannot enjoy with safety . there was no room for him in bethleem ; there will be no room for him in judaea . he is no sooner come to his own , then he must flie from them ; that he may save them , he must avoid them . had it not been easie for thee ( o saviour ) to have acquit thy self from herod a thousand waies ? what could an arm of flesh have done against the god of spirits ? what had it been for thee to have sent herod five years sooner unto his place ? what to have commanded fire from heaven on those that should have come to apprehend thee ? or to have bidden the earth to receive them alive whom she meant to swallow dead ? we suffer misery , because we must ; thou , because thou wouldest . the same will that brought thee from heaven into earth , sends thee from jury to egypt . as thou wouldst be born mean and miserable , so thou wouldst live subject to humane vexations ; that thou , which hast taught us how good it is to bear the yoak even in our youth , mightst sanctifie to us early afflictions . or whether ( o father ) since it was the purpose of thy wisdom to manifest thy son by degrees unto the world , was it thy will thus to hide him for a time under our infirmity ? and what other is our condition ? we are no sooner born thine then we are persecuted . if the church travel and bring forth a male , she is in danger of the dragons streams . what do the members complain of the same measure which was offered to the head ? both our births are accompanied with tears . even of those whose mature age is full of trouble , yet the infancie is commonly quiet : but here life and toile began together . o blessed virgin ! even already did the sword begin to pierce thy soul : thou which wert forced to bear thy son in thy womb from nazareth to bethleem , must now bear him in thy arms from jury into egypt : yet couldst thou not complain of the way whilest thy saviour was with thee . his presence alone was able to make the stable a temple , egypt a paradise , the way more pleasing then rest . but whither then ? o whither dost thou carry that blessed burthen , by which thy self and the world are upholden ? to egypt , the slaughter-house of god's people , the fornace of israel's ancient affliction , the sink of the world . out of egypt have i called my son ( saith god. ) that thou calledst thy son out of egypt , o god , is no marvel : it is a marvel that thou calledst him into egypt ; but that we know all earths are thine , and all places and men are like figures upon a table , such as thy disposition makes them . what a change is here ? israel , the first-born of god , flies out of egypt into the promised land of judaea ; christ , the first-born of all creatures , flies from judaea into egypt . egypt is become the sanctuary , judaea the inquisition-house of the son of god. he that is everywhere the same , makes all places alike to his : he makes the fiery fornace a gallery of pleasure , the lions den an house of defence , the whales belly a lodging chamber , egypt an harbour . he flees that was able to preserve himself from danger ; to teach us how lawfully we may flee from those dangers we cannot avoid otherwise . it is a thanklesse fortitude to offer our throat unto the knife . he that came to die for us , fled for his own preservation , and hath bid us follow him ; when they persecute you in one city , flee into another . we have but the use of our lives , and we are bound to husband them to the best advantage of god and his church . god hath made us , not as butts to be perpetually shot at , but as the marks of rovers moveable , as the wind and sun may best serve . it was warrant enough for joseph and mary that god commands them to flee : yet so familiar is god grown with his approved servants , that he gives them the reason of his commanded flight ; ( for herod will seek the young child to destroy him . ) what wicked men will do , what they would do , is known unto god before-hand . he that is so infinitely wise to know the designs of his enemies before they are , could as easily prevent them that they might not be : but he lets them run on in their own courses , that he may fetch glory to himself out of their wickednesse . good joseph having this charge in the night , staies not till the morning ; no sooner had god said arise , then he starts up and sets forward . it was not diffidence , but obedience that did so hasten his departure . the charge was direct , the business important . he dares not linger for the light , but breaks his rest for the journey , and taking vantage of the dark , departs towards egypt . how knew he this occasion would abide any delay ? we cannot be too speedy in the execution of god's commands ; we may be too late . here was no treasure to hide , no hangings to take down , no lands to secure : the poor carpenter needs doe no more but lock the doors and away . he goes lightly that wants a load . if there be more pleasure in abundance , there is more security in a mean estate . the bustard or the ostridge , when he is pursued , can hardly get upon his wings ; whereas the lark mounts with ease . the rich hath not so much advantage of the poor in injoying , as the poor hath of the rich in leaving . now is joseph come down into egypt . egypt was beholden to the name , as that whereto it did owe no lesse then their universal preservation . well might it repay this act of hospitality to that name and blood . the going down into egypt had not so much difficulty , as the staying there : their absence from their country was little better then a banishment . but what was this other then to serve a prentiship in the house of bondage ? to be any where save at home was irksome : but to be in egypt so many years amongst idolatrous pagans , must needs be painful to religious hearts . the command of their god and the presence of christ makes amends for all . how long should they have thought it to see the temple of god , if they had not had the god of the temple with them ? how long to present their sacrifices at the altar of god , if they had not had him with them which made all sacrifices accepted , and which did accept the sacrifice of their hearts ? herod was subtle in mocking the wise-men , whiles he promised to worship him whom he meant to kill : now god makes the wise-men to mock him , in disappointing his expectation . it is just with god to punish those which would beguile others with illusion . great spirits are so much more impatient of disgrace . how did herod now rage and fret , and vainely wish to have met with those false spies , and tell with what torments he would revenge their treachery , and curse himself for trusting strangers in so important a businesse ? the tyrants suspition would not let him rest long . ere many daies he sends to inquire of them whom he sent to inquire of christ . the notice of their secret departure increaseth his jealousie ; and now his anger runs mad , and his feare proves desperate . all the infants of bethleem shall bleed for this one ; and ( that he may make sure work ) he cuts out to himself large measures both of time and place . it was but very lately that the starre appeared , that the wise-men re-appeared not . they asked for him that was born , they did not name when he was born . herod , for more securitie , over-reaches their time , and setches into the slaughter all the children of two years age . the priests and scribes had told him , the town of bethleem must be the place of the messia's nativity . he fetches in all the children of the coasts adjoyning ; yea his own shall for the time be a bethleemite . a tyrannous guiltinesse never thinks it self safe , but ever seeks to assure it self in the excesse of cruelty . doubtlesse he which so privily inquired for christ , did as secretly brew this massacre . the mothers were set with their children on their laps , feeding them with the breast , or talking to them in the familiar language of their love ; when suddenly the executioner rushes in , and snatches them from their armes , and at once pulling forth his commission and his knife , without regard to shrieks or teares , murthers the innocent babe , and leaves the passionate mother in a mean between madnesse and death . what cursing of herod ? what wringing of hands ? what condoling ? what exclaiming was now in the streets of bethleem ? o bloody herod , that couldst sacrifice so many harmlesse lives to thine ambition ! what could those infants have done ? if it were thy person whereof thou wert afraid , what likelihood was it thou couldst live till those sucklings might endanger thee ? this news might affect thy successors ; it could not concern thee , if the heat of an impotent and furious envy had not made thee thirsty of blood . it is not long that thou shalt enjoy this cruelty : after a few hatefull years thy soul shall feel the weight of so many innocents , of so many just curses . he for whose sake thou killedst so many , shall strike thee with death ; and then what wouldest thou have given to have been as one of those infants whom thou murtheredst ? in the mean time , when thine executioners returned and told thee of their unpartial dispatch , thou smiledst to think how thou hadst defeated thy rivall , and beguiled the starre , and deluded the prophecies ; whiles god in heaven and his son on earth laugh thee to scorn , and make thy rage an occasion of further glory to him whom thou meantest to suppresse . he that could take away the lives of other , cannot protract his own . herod is now sent home . the coast is clear for the return of that holy family : now god calls them from their exile . christ and his mother had not stayed so long out of the confines of the reputed visible church , but to teach us continuance under the crosse . sometimes god sees it good for us not to sip of the cup of affliction , but to make a diet-drink of it , for constant and common use . if he allow us no other liquor for many yeares , we must take it off chearfully , and know that it is but the measure of our betters . joseph and mary stir not without a command ; their departure , stay , removall is ordered by the voice of god. if egypt had been more tedious unto them , they durst not move their foot till they were bidden . it is good in our own businesse to follow reason or custome : but in god's businesse , if we have any other guide but himself , we presume , and cannot expect a blessing . o the wonderful dispensation of god in concealing 〈◊〉 himself from men ! christ was now some five years old ; he bears 〈◊〉 as an infant , and knowing all things , neither takes nor gives notice of ought concerning his removall and disposing , but appoints that to be done by his angel which the angel could not have done but by him . since he would take our nature , he would be a perfect child , suppressing the manifestation and exercise of that godhead whereto that infant-nature was conjoyned . even so , o saviour , the humility of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth . the more thou hidest and abasest thy self for us , the more should we magnifie thee , the more should we deject our selves for thee . unto thee , with the father and the holy ghost , he all honour and glory now & for ever . amen . contemplations . the second book , containing christ among the doctors . christ baptized . christ tempted . simon called . the marriage in cana. the good centurion . to the honourable general , sir edward cecill knight , all honour and happiness . most honoured sir , the store of a good scribe is ( according to our saviour ) both old & new . i would ( if i durst ) be ambitious of this only honour . having therefore drawn forth those not frivolous thoughts out of the old testament , i fetch these following from the new. god is the same in both ; as the body differs not with the age of the sute , with the change of robes . the old and new wine of holy truth came both out of one vineyard ; yet here may we safely say to the word of his father , as was said to the bridegroom of cana , thou hast kept the best wine till the last . the authority of both is equally sacred : the use admits no lesse difference then is betwixt a saviour fore shadowed and come . the intermission of those military imployments which have wone you just honour , both in forrain nations and at home , is in this onely gainfull , that it yields you leisure to these happy thoughts , which shall more fully acquaint you with him that is at once the god of hosts and the prince of peace . to the furtherance whereof these my poor labours shall doe no thankless offices . in lieu of your noble favours to me both at home and where you have merited command , nothing can be returned but humble acknowledgments , and hearty prayers for the increase of your honour , and all happiness to your self and your thrice-worthy and vertuous lady , by him that is deeply obliged and truly devoted to you both , jos. hall . christ among the doctors . even the spring shews us what we may hope for of the tree in summer . in his nonage therefore would our saviour give us a tast of his future proof ; lest if his perfection should have shewed it self without warning to the world , it should have been entertained with more wonder then belief . now this act of his childhood shall prepare the faith of men by fore-exspectation . notwithstanding all this early demonstration of his divine graces , the incredulous jews could afterwards say , whence hath this man his wisdome and great works ? what would they have said if he had suddenly leapt forth into the clear light of the world ? the sun would dazle all eyes , if he should break forth at his first rising into his full strength : now he hath both the day-star to goe before him , and to bid men look for that glorious body , and the lively colours of the day to publish his approach , the eye is comforted , not hurt by his appearance . the parents of christ went up yearly to jerusalem at the feast of the passeover : the law was only for the males . i do not finde the blessed virgin bound to this voiage : the weaker sex received indulgence from god. yet she knowing the spiritual profit of that journey , takes pains voluntarily to measure that long way every year . piety regards not any distinction of sexes or degrees , neither yet doth god's acceptation : rather doth it please the mercy of the highest more to reward that service which , though he like in all , yet out of favour he will not impose upon all . it could not be but that she whom the holy ghost over-shadowed , should be zealous of god's service . those that will goe no further then they are dragged in their religious exercises , are no whit of kin to her whom all generations shall call blessed . the childe jesus in the minority of his age went up with his parents to the holy solemnity , not this year only , but in all likelihood others also : he in the power of whose godhead and by the motion of whose spirit all others ascended thither , would not himself stay at home . in all his examples he meant our instruction . this pious act of his nonage intended to lead our first years into timely devotion . the first liquor seasons the vessel for a long time after . it is every way good for a man to bear god's yoke , even from his infancy : it is the policie of the devil to discourage early holinesse . he that goes out betimes in the morning , is more like to dispatch his journey then he that lingers till the day be spent . this blessed family came not to look at the feast , and be gone ; but they duly stai'd out all the appointed daies of unlevened bread . they and the rest of israel could not want houshold-businesses at home : those secular affairs could not either keep them from repairing to jerusalem , or send them away immaturely . worldly cares must give place to the sacred . except we will depart unblest , we must attend god's services till we may receive his dismission . it was the fashion of those times and places , that they went up , and so returned by troups , to those set meetings of their holy festivals . the whole parish of nazareth went and came together . good fellowship doth no way so well as in the passage to heaven : much comfort is added by society to that journey which is of it self pleasant . it is an happy word , come , let us goe up to the house of the lord. mutual incouragement is none of the least benefits of our holy assemblies . many sticks laid together make a good fire , which if they lie single lose both their light and heat . the feast ended , what should they do but return to nazareth ? god's services may not be so attended as that we should neglect our particular callings . himself cals us from his own house to ours , and takes pleasure to see a painful client . they are foully mistaken that think god cares for no other trade but devotion . piety and diligence must keep meet changes with each other . neither doth god lesse accept of our return to nazareth , then our going up to jerusalem . i cannot think that the blessed virgin or good joseph could be so negligent of their divine charge , as not to call the child jesus to their setting forth from jerusalem . but their back was no sooner turned upon the temple , then his face was towards it . he had businesse in that place when theirs was ended : there he was both worshipped and represented . he , in whom the godhead dwelt bodily , could doe nothing without god : his true father led him away from his supposed . sometimes the affairs of our ordinary vocation may not grudge to yield unto spirituall occasions . the parents of christ knew him well to be of a disposition not strange , nor sullen & stoicall , but sweet and sociable : and therefore they supposed he had spent the time and the way in company of their friends and neighbours . they do not suspect him wandered into the solitary fields : but when evening came , they go to seek him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance . if he had not wonted to converse formerly with them , he had not now been sought amongst them . neither as god nor man doth he take pleasure in a stern froward austerity and wilde retiredness ; but in a milde affableness and amiable conversation . but , o blessed virgin , who can express the sorrows of thy perplexed soul , when all that evening search could afford thee no news of thy son jesus ? was not this one of those swords of simeon which should pierce through thy tender breast ? how didst thou chide thy credulous neglect , in not observing so precious a charge , and blame thine eyes for once looking beside this object of thy love ? how didst thou , with thy careful husband , spend that restless night in mutual expostulations and bemoanings of your loss ? how many suspicious imaginations did that while rack thy grieved spirit ? perhaps thou mightest doubt , lest they which laid for him by herod's command at his birth , had now by the secret instigation of archelaus surprised him in his childhood : or it may be thou thoughtest thy divine son had now withdrawn himself from the earth , and returned to his heavenly glory , without warning : or peradventure thou studiedst with thy self whether any carelesness on thy behalf had not given occasion to this absence . o dear saviour , who can miss , and not mourn for thee ? never any soul conceived thee by faith , that was less afflicted with the sense of thy desertion then comforted with the joy of thy presence . just is that sorrow , and those tears seasonable , that are bestowed upon thy losse . what comfort are we capable of whiles we want thee ? what relish is there in these earthly delights without thee ? what is there to mitigate our passionate discomforts , if not from thee ? let thy self loose , o my soul , to the fulness of sorrow , when thou findest thy self bereaved of him in whose presence is the fulness of joy ; and deny to receive comfort from any thing save from his return . in vain is christ sought among his kindred according to the flesh : so far are they still from giving us their aide to finde the true messias , that they lead us from him . back again therefore are joseph and mary gone to seek him at jerusalem . she goes about in the city , by the streets and by the open places , and seeks him whom her soul loveth : she sought him for the time , and found him not . do we think she spared her search ? the evening of her return she hastes to the inne where she had left him : where missing him , she inquires of every one she met , have you not seen him whom my soul loveth ? at last , the third day , she finds him in the temple . one day was spent in the journey towards galilee ; another in the return to jerusalem ; the third day recovers him . he who would rise again the third day , and be found amongst the living , now also would the third day be found of his parents , after the sorrow of his absence . but where wert thou , o blessed jesu , for the space of these three daies ? where didst thou bestow thy self , or who tended thee whiles thou wert thus alone at jerusalem ? i know , if jerusalem should have been as unkind to thee as bethleem , thou couldst have commanded the heavens to harbour thee ; and if men did not minister to thee , thou couldst have commanded the service of angels . but since the form of a servant called thee to a voluntary homeliness , whether it pleased thee to exercise thy self thus early with the difficulties of a stranger , or to provide miraculously for thy self , i inquire not , since thou revealest not : only this i know , that hereby thou intendedst to teach thy parents that thou couldest live without them , and that not of any indigency , but out of a gracious dispensation , thou wouldest ordinarily depend upon their care . in the mean time thy divine wisdome could not but foreknow all these corroding thoughts wherewith the heart of thy dear mother must needs bleed through this sudden dereliction ; yet wouldst thou leave her for the time to her sorrow . even so , o saviour , thou thoughtest fit to visit her that bore thee with this early affliction . never any loved thee whom thou doest not sometimes exercise with the grief of missing thee ; that both we may be more careful to hold thee , and more joyful in recovering thee . thou hast said , and canst not lie , i am with you to the end of the world : but even whiles thou art really present , thou thinkest good to be absent unto our apprehensions . yet if thou leave us , thou wilt not forsake us ; if thou leave us for our humiliation , thou wilt not forsake us to our final discomfort . thou mayest for three daies hide thy self , but then we shall finde thee in the temple . none ever sought thee with a sincere desire , of whom thou wert not found . thou wilt not be either so little absent as not to whet our appetites , nor so long as to fainten the heart . after three daies we shall finde thee : and where should we rather hope to finde thee then in the temple ? there is the habitation for the god of israel , there is thy resting place for ever . oh all ye that are grieved with the want of your saviour , see where you must seek him . in vain shall ye hope to finde him in the streets , in the taverns , in the theaters : seek him in his holy temple : seek him with piety , seek him with faith ; there shall ye meet him , there shall ye recover him . whiles children of that age were playing in the streets , christ was found sitting in the temple ; not to gaze on the outward glory of that house , or on the golden candlesticks or tables , but to hear and appose the doctors . he who as god gave them all the wisdome they had , as the son of man hearkens to the wisdome he had given them . he who sate in their hearts , as the author of all learning and knowledge , sits in the midst of their school , as an humble disciple : that by learning of them , he might teach all the younger sort humility and due attendance upon their instructors . he could at the first have taught the great rabbins of israel the deep mysteries of god , but because he was not yet called by his father to the publick function of a teacher , he contents himself to hear with diligence , and to ask with modesty , and to teach only by insinuation . let those consider this which will needs run as soon as they can go : and when they finde ability , think they need not stay for a further vocation of god or men . open your eyes , ye rathe ripe invaders of god's chair , and see your saviour in his younger years not sitting in the eminent pulpits of the doctors , but in the lowly floors of the auditors . see him that could have taught the angels , listning in his minority to the voice of men . who can think much to learn of the ancients , when he looks upon the son of god sitting at the feet of the doctors of israel ? first he hears , then he asks . how much more doth it concern us to be hearers ere we offer to be teachers of others ? he gathers that hears ; he spends that teacheth : if we spend before we gather , we shall soon prove bankrupts . when he hath heard , he asks ; and after that he answers . doubtless those very questions were instructions , and meant to teach more then to learn. never had these great rabbins heard the voice of such a tutor , in whom they might see the wisdome of god so concealing it self , that yet it would be known to be there . no marvel then if they all wondred at his understanding and answers . their eyes saw nothing but humane weakness , their ears heard divine sublimity of matter : betwixt what they saw and what they heard , they could not but be distracted with a doubting admiration . and why did ye not ( o ye jewish teachers ) remember , that to us a childe is born , and unto us a son is given , and the government is upon his shoulder , and his name shall be called wonderful , counsellor , the mighty god , the everlasting father , the prince of peace ? why did ye not now bethink your selves what the star , the sages , the angels , the shepherds , zachary , simeon , anna , had premonished you ? fruitless is the wonder that endeth not in faith . no light is sufficient where the eyes are held through unbelief or prejudice . the doctors were not more amazed to hear so profound a childhood , then the parents of christ were to see him among the doctors : the joy of finding him did strive with the astonishment of finding him thus . and now not joseph , ( he knew how little right he had to that divine son ) but mary breaks forth into a loving expostulation , son , why hast thou dealt so with us ? that she might not seem to take upon her as an imperious mother , it is like she reserved this question till she had him alone : wherein she meant rather to expresse grief then correption . onely herein the blessed virgin offended , that her inconsideration did not suppose ( as it was ) that some higher respects then could be due to flesh and blood called away the son of god from her that was the daughter of man. she that was but the mother of humanity should not have thought that the business of god must for her sake be neglected . we are all partial to our selves naturally , and prone to the regard of our own rights . questionlesse this gracious saint would not for all the world have willingly preferr'd her own attendance to that of her god : through heedlesness she doth so : her son and saviour is her monitor , out of his divine love reforming her natural ; how is it that ye sought me ? know ye not that i must goe about my fathers businesse ? immediately before the blessed virgin had said , thy father and i sought thee with heavy hearts . wherein both according to the supposition of the world , she called joseph the father of christ , and according to the fashion of a dutiful wife , she names her joseph before her self . she well knew that joseph had nothing but a name in this business , she knew how god had dignified her beyond him ; yet she saies , thy father and i sought thee . the son of god stands not upon contradiction to his mother , but leading her thoughts from his supposed father to his true , from earth to heaven , he answers , knew ye not that i must go about my fathers business ? it was honour enough to her , that he had vouchsafed to take flesh of her : it was his eternal honour that he was god of god , the everlasting son of the heavenly father . good reason therefore was it that the respects to flesh should give place to the god of spirits . how well contented was holy mary with so just an answer ? how doth she now again in her heart renew her answer to the angel , behold the servant of the lord , be it according to thy word ? we are all the sons of god in another kinde . nature and the world thinks we should attend them . we are not worthy to say , we have a father in heaven , if we cannot steal away from these earthly distractions , and imploy our selves in the services of our god. christ's baptism . john did every way forerun christ , not so much in the time of his birth , as in his office . neither was there more unlikeliness in their disposition and carriage , then similitude in their function . both did preach and baptize : only john baptized by himself , our saviour by his disciples : our saviour wrought miracles by himself , by his disciples ; john wrought none by either . wherein christ meant to shew himself a lord , and john a servant : and john meant to approve himself a true servant to him whose harbinger he was . he that leapt in the womb of his mother , when his saviour ( then newly conceived ) came in presence , bestir'd himself when he was brought forth into the light of the church , to the honour and service of his saviour : he did the same before christ , which christ charged his disciples to do after him , preach and baptize . the gospel ran alwaies in one tenor , and was never but like it self . so it became the word of him in whom there is no shadow by turning , and whose word it is , i am jehova , i change not . it was fit that he which had the prophets , the star , the angel to foretell his coming into the world , should have his usher to goe before him , when he would notifie himself to the world . john was the voice of a cryer ; christ was the word of his father : it was fit this voice should make a noise to the world , ere the word of the father should speak to it . john's note was still , repentance ; the axe to the root , the fan to the floor , the chaffe to the fire : as his raiment was rough , so was his tongue ; and if his food were wilde hony , his speech was stinging locusts . thus must the way be made for christ in every heart . plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration . if the heart of man had continued upright , god might have been entertained without contradiction ; but now violence must be offered to our corruption , ere we can have room for grace . if the great way-maker do not cast down hills and raise up valleys in the bosomes of men , there is no passage for christ . never will christ come into that soul , where the herald of repentance hath not been before him . that saviour of ours who from eternity lay hid in the counsel of god , who in the fulness of time so came , that he lay hid in the womb of his mother for the space of forty weeks , after he was come , thought fit to lye hid 〈◊〉 nazareth for the space of thirty years , now at last begins to shew himself to the world , and comes from galilee to jordan . he that was god alwaies , and might have been perfect man in an instant , would by degrees rise to the perfection both of his manhood , and execution of his mediatorship ; to teach us the necessity of leasure in spiritual proceedings : that many suns and successions of seasons and means must be stayed for , ere we can attain our maturity ; and that when we are ripe for the imployments of god , we should no lesse willingly leave our obscurity , then we took the benefit of it for our preparation . he that was formerly circumcised , would now be baptized . what is baptism but an evangelical circumcision ? what was circumcision but a legal baptism ? one both supplied and succeeded the other ; yet the authour of both will undergoe both . he would be circumcised , to sanctifie his church that was ; and baptized , to sanctifie his church that should be : that so in both testaments he might open a way into heaven . there was in him neither filthiness nor foreskin of corruption , that should need either knife or water . he came not to be a saviour for himself , but for us : we are all uncleanness and uncircumcision : he would therefore have that done to his most pure body , which should be of force to clear our impure souls : thus making himself sin for us , that we might be made the righteousness of god in him . his baptism gives virtue to ours . his last action ( or rather passion ) was his baptizing with blood : his first was his baptization with water : both of them wash the world from their sins . yea , this latter did not onely wash the souls of men , but washeth that very water by which we are washed : from hence is that made both clean and holy , and can both cleanse and hallow us . and if the very handkerchief which touched his apostles had power of cure , how much more that water which the sacred body of christ touched ? christ comes far to seek his baptism : to teach us ( for whose sake he was baptized ) to wait upon the ordinances of god , and to sue for the favour of spiritual blessings . they are worthlesse commodities that are not worth seeking for . it is rarely seen , that god is found of any man unsought for : that desire which only makes us capable of good things , cannot stand with neglect . john durst not baptize unbidden : his master sent him to doe this service ; and behold , the master comes to his servant , to call for the participation of that priviledge which he himself had instituted and injoyned . how willingly should we come to our spiritual superiours , for our part in those mysteries which god hath left in their keeping ? yea , how gladly should we come to that christ who gives us these blessings , who is given to us in them ? this seemed too great an honour for the modesty of john to receive . if his mother could say , when her blessed cousin the virgin mary came to visit her , whence is this to me , that the mother of my lord should come to me ? how much more might he say so , when the divine son of that mother came to call for a favour from him ? i have need to be baptized of thee , and comest thou to me ? o holy baptist , if there were not a greater born of woman then thou ; yet thou couldest not be born of a woman , and not need to be baptized of thy saviour . he baptized with fire , thou with water . little would thy water have availed thee without his fire . if he had not baptized thee , how wert thou sanctified from the womb ? there can be no flesh without filthiness : neither thy supernatural conception nor thy austere life could exempt thee from the need of baptism . even those that have not lived to sin after the similitude of adam , yet are they so tainted with adam , that unless the second adam cleanse them by his baptism , they are hopeless . there is no less use of baptism unto all , then there is certainty of the need of baptism . john baptized without , christ within . the more holy a man is , the more sensible he is 〈◊〉 his unholiness . no carnal man could have said , i have need to be baptized of thee ; neither can he finde what he is the better for a little font-water . the sense of our wretchedness and the valuation of our spiritual helps , is the best tryal of our regeneration . our saviour doth not deny that either john hath need to be baptized of him , or that it is strange that he should come to be baptized of john ; but he will needs thus far both honour john and disparage himself , to be baptized of his messenger . he that would take flesh of the virgin , education from his parents , sustenance from his creatures , will take baptism from john. it is the praise of his mercy , that he will stoop so low as to be beholden to his creatures , which from him receive their being , and power both to take and give . yet no so much respect to john , as obedience to his father , drew him to this point of humiliation : thus it behoves us to fulfill all righteousness . the counsels and appointments of god are righteousness it self . there needs no other motive , either to the servant or the son , then the knowledge of those righteous purposes . this was enough to lead a faithful man through all difficulties and inconveniencies ; neither will it admit of any reply or any demur . john yieldeth to this honour which his saviour puts upon him , in giving baptism to the authour of it . he baptized others to the remission of their sins : now he baptizes him , by whom they are remitted both to the baptizer and to others . no sooner is christ baptized , then he comes forth of the water . the element is of force but during the use : it turns common when that is past : neither is the water sooner pow●ed on his head , then the heavens are opened , and the holy ghost descendeth upon that head which was baptized . the heavens are never shut whiles either of the sacraments is duly administred and received : neither do the heavens ever thus open , without the descent of the holy ghost . but now that the god of heaven is baptized , they open unto him , which are opened to all the faithful by him : and that holy ghost which proceeded from him , together with the father , joyns with the father in a sensible testimony of him ; that now the world might see what interest he had in the heavens , in the father , in the holy spirit , and might expect nothing but divine from the entrance of such a mediatour . christ tempted . no sooner is christ come out of the water of baptism , then he enters into the fire of tentation . no sooner is the holy spirit descended upon his head in the form of a dove , then he is led by the spirit to be tempted . no sooner doth god say , this is my son , then satan saies , if thou be the son of god. it is not in the power either of the gift or seals of grace , to deliver us from the assaults of satan ; they may have the force to repell evil suggestions , they have none to prevent them : yea , the more we are ingaged unto god by our publick vows and his pledges of favour , so much more busie and violent is the rage of that evil one to encounter us . we are no sooner stept forth into the field of god , then he labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands , or to turn them against us . the voice from heaven acknowledged christ to be the son of god. this divine testimony did not allay the malice of satan , but exasperate it : now that venomous serpent swels with inward poison , and hasts to assail him whom god hath honoured from heaven . o god , how should i look to escape the suggestions of that wicked one , when the son of thy love cannot be free ? when even grace it self draws on enmity ? that enmity that spared not to strike at the head , will he forbear the weakest and remotest limme ? arm thou me therefore with an expectation of that evil i cannot avoid ▪ make thou me as strong as he is malicious . say to my soul also , thou art my son , and let satan do his worst . all the time of our saviours obscurity i do not finde him set upon : now that he looks forth to the publick execution of his divine office , satan bends his forces against him . our privacy , perhaps , may sit down in peace : but never man did endevour a common good without opposition . it is a sign that both the work is holy , and the agent faithful , when we meet with strong affronts . we have reason to be comforted with nothing so much as with resistance . if we were not in a way to do good , we should finde no rubs : satan hath no cause to molest his own , and that whiles they goe about his own service . he desires nothing more , then to make us smooth paths to sinne ; but when we would turn our feet to holinesse , he blocks up the way with tentations . who can wonder enough at the sawcinesse of that bold spirit , that dares to set upon the son of the ever-living god ? who can wonder enough at thy meeknesse and patience , o saviour , that wouldst be tempted ? he wanted not malice and presumption to assault thee ; thou wantedst not humility to endure those assaults . i should stand amazed at this voluntary dispensation of thine , but that i see the susception of our humane nature laies thee open to this condition . it is necessarily incident to manhood to be liable to tentations . thou wouldst not have put on flesh , if thou hadst meant utterly to put off this consequence of our infirmity ▪ if the state of innocence could have been any defence against evil motions , the first adam had not been tempted , much lesse the second . it is not the presenting of tentations that can hurt us , but their entertainment . ill counsel is the fault of the giver , not of the refuser . we cannot forbid lewd eyes to look in at our windows , we may shut our doors against their entrance . it is no lesse our praise to have resisted , then satans blame to suggest evil . yea , o blessed saviour , how glorious was it for thee , how happy for us , that thou wert tempted ? had not satan tempted thee , how shouldest thou have overcome ? without blows there can be no victory , no triumph : how had thy power been manifested , if no adversary had tried thee ? the first adam was tempted and vanquished : the second adam , to repay and repair that foile , doth vanquish in being tempted . now have we not a saviour and high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities , but such an once as was in all things tempted in like sort , yet without sin . how boldly therefore may we goe unto the throne of grace , that we may receive mercy , and finde grace of help in time of need ? yea , this duell was for us . now we see by this conflict of our almighty champion , what manner of adversary we have , how he fights , how he is resisted , how overcome . now our very temptation affords us comfort , in that we see , the dearer we are unto god , the more obnoxious we are to this triall : neither can we be discouraged by the hainousnesse of those evils whereto we are moved , since we see the son of god solicited to infidelity , covetousnesse , idolatry . how glorious therefore was it for thee , o saviour , how happy for us , that thou wert tempted ? where then wast thou tempted , o blessed jesu ? or whither wentest thou to meet with our great adversary ? i do not see thee led into the market-place , or any other part of the city , or thy home-stead of nazareth , but into the vast wilderness , the habitation of beasts ; a place that carrieth in it both horror and opportunity . why wouldst thou thus retire thy self from men ? but as confident champions are wont to give advantage of ground or weapon to their antagonist , that the glory of their victory may be the greater : so wouldest thou , o saviour , in this conflict with our common enemy , yield him his own terms for circumstances , that thine honour and his foile may be the more . solitariness is no small help to the speed of a tentation . woe to him that is alone , for if he fall , there is not a second to lift him up . those that out of an affectation of holiness seek for solitude in rocks and caves of the desarts , do no other then run into the mouth of the danger of tentation , whiles they think to avoid it . it was enough for thee , to whose divine power the gates of hell were weakness , thus to challenge the prince of darkness . our care must be alwaies to eschew all occasions of spiritual danger ; and ( what we may ) to get us out of the reach of tentations but , o the depth of the wisdome of god! how camest thou , o saviour , to be thus tempted ? that spirit whereby thou wast conceived as man , and which was one with thee and the father as god , led thee into the wilderness to be tempted of satan . whiles thou taughtest us to pray to thy father , lead us not into temptation , thou meantest to instruct us , that if the same spirit led us not into this perilous way , we goe not into it . we have still the same conduct . let the path be what it will , how can we miscarry in the hand of a father ? now may we say to satan , as thou didst unto pilate , thou couldst have no power over me , except it were given thee from above . the spirit led thee ; it did not drive thee : here was a sweet invitation , no compulsion of violence . so absolutely conformable was thy will to thy deity , as if both thy natures had but one volition . in this first draught of thy bitter potion , thy soul said in a reall subjection , not my will , but thy will be done . we imitate thee , o saviour , though we cannot reach to thee . all thine are led by thy spirit : oh teach us to forget that we have wills of our own . the spirit led thee ; thine invincible strength did not animate thee into this combat uncalled . what do we weaklings so far presume upon our abilities or success , as that we dare thrust our selves upon temptations unbidden , unwarranted ? who can pitty the shipwrack of those marriners , which will needs put forth and hoise fails in a tempest ? forty daies did our saviour spend in the wilderness , fasting and solitary , all which time was worn out in temptation ; however the last brunt , because it was most violent , is only expressed . now could not the adversary complain of disadvantage , whiles he had the full scope both of time and place to do his worst . and why did it please thee , o saviour , to fast forty daies and forty nights , unless , as moses fasted forty daies at the delivery of the law , and elias at the restitution of the law , so thou thoughtest fit at the accomplishment of the law and the promulgation of the gospel , to fulfill the time of both these types of thine , wherein thou intendest our wonder , not our imitation ; not our imitation of the time , though of the act . here were no faulty desires of the flesh in thee to be tamed , no possibility of a freer and more easie assent of the soul to god that could be affected of thee , who wast perfectly united unto god ; but as for us thou wouldst suffer death , so for us thou wouldst suffer hunger , that we might learn by fasting to prepare our selves for tentations . in fasting so long , thou intendest the manifestation of thy power ; in fasting no longer , the truth of thy manhood . moses and elias , through the miraculous sustentation of god , fasted so long , without any question made of the truth of their bodies : so long therefore thou thoughtest good to fast , as by the reason of these precedents might be without prejudice of thine humanity ; which if it should have pleased thee to support , as thou couldst , without means , thy very power might have opened the mouth of cavils against the verity of thy humane nature . that thou mightest therefore well approve , that there was no difference betwixt thee and us but sin , thou that couldst have fasted without hunger , and lived without meat , wouldst both feed , and fast , and hunger . who can be discouraged with the scantnesse of friends or bodily provisions , when he sees his saviour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts , both of society and sustenance ? oh the policie and malice of that old serpent ! when he sees christ bewray some infirmity of nature in being hungry , then he layes sorest at him by temptations . his eye was never off from our saviour all the time of his sequestration ; and now that he thinks he espies any one part to lye open , he drives at it with all his might . we have to do with an adversary no lesse vigilant then malicious , who will be sure to watch all opportunities of our mischief , and where he sees any advantage of weaknesse , will not neglect it . how should we stand upon our guard for prevention , that both we may not give him occasions of our hurt , nor take hurt by those we have given ? when our saviour was hungry , satan tempts him in matter of food ; not then , of wealth or glorie : he well knows both what baits to fish withall , and when and how to lay them . how safe and happy shall we be , if we shall bend our greatest care where we discern the most danger ? in every temptation there is an appearance of good , whether of the body , of mind , or estate . the first is the lust of the flesh , in any carnal desire ; the second , the pride of heart and life ; the third , the lust of the eyes . to all these the first adam is tempted , and in all miscarried ; the second adam is tempted to them all , and overcometh . the first man was tempted to carnal appetite by the forbidden fruit ; to pride , by the suggestion of being as god ; to covetousnesse , in the ambitious desire of knowing good and evil . satan having found all the motions so successeful with the first adam in his innocent estate , will now tread the same steps in his temptations of the second . the stones must be made bread ; there is the motion to a carnal appetite . the guard and attendance of angels must be presumed on ; there is a motion to pride . the kingdomes of the earth and the glory of them must be offered ; there to covetousnesse and ambition . satan could not but have heard god say , this is my welbeloved son , he had heard the message and the carol of the angels , he saw the star and the journey , and offerings of the sages , he could not but take notice of the gratulations of zachary , simeon , anna , he well knew the predictions of the prophets ; yet now that he saw christ fainting with hunger , as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a godhead , he can say , if thou be the son of god. had not satan known that the son of god was to come into the world , he had never said , if thou be the son of god. his very supposition convinces him : the ground of his temptation answers it self . if therefore christ seemed to be a mere man , because after forty daies he was hungry ; why was he not confessed more then a man , in that for forty daies he hungred not ? the motive of the temptation is worse then the motion ; if thou be the son of god. satan could not chuse another suggestion of so great importance . all the work of our redemption , of our salvation , depends upon this one truth , christ is the son of god. how should he else have ransomed the world ? how should he have done , how should he have suffered that which was satisfactory to his fathers wrath ? how should his actions or passion have been valuable to the sin of all the world ? what marvel is it if we that are sons by adoption be assaulted with the doubts of our interest in god , when the natural son , the son of his essence is thus tempted ? since all our comfort consists in this point , here must needs be laid the chief battery ; and here must be placed our strongest defence . to turn stones into bread , had been no more faulty in it self then to turn water into wine : but to do this in a distrust of his fathers providence , to abuse his power and liberty in doing it , to work a miracle of satans choice , had been disagreeable to the son of god. there is nothing more ordinary with our spiritual enemy , then by occasion of want to move us to unwarrantable courses : thou art poor , steal ; thou canst not rise by honest means , use indirect . how easie had it been for our saviour to have confounded satan by the power of his godhead ? but he rather chuses to vanquish him by the sword of the spirit , that he might teach us how to resist & overcome the powers of darknesse . if he had subdued satan by the almighty power of the deity , we might have had what to wonder at , not what to imitate : now he useth that weapon which may be familiar unto us , that he may teach our weaknesse how to be victorious . nothing in heaven or earth can beat the forces of hell , but the word of god. how carefully should we furnish our selves with this powerful munition ? how should our hearts and mouths be full of it ? teach me , o lord , the way of thy statutes : o take not from me the words of truth . let them be my songs in the house of my pilgrimage : so shall i make answer to my blasphemers . what needed christ to have answered satan at all , if it had not been to teach us that temptations must not have their way ; but must be answered by resistance , and resisted by the word ? i do not hear our saviour aver himself to be a god , against the blasphemous insinuation of satan ; neither do i see him working this miraculous conversion , to prove himself the son of god : but most wisely he takes away the ground of the temptation . satan had taken it for granted , that man cannot be sustained without bread ; and therefore infers the necessity of making bread of stones . our saviour shews him from an infallible word , that he had mislayed his suggestion ; that man lives not by usual food only , but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of god. he can either sustain without bread , as he did moses and elias ; or with a miraculous bread , as the israelites with manna ; or send ordinary means miraculously , as food to his prophet by the ravens ; or miraculously multiply ordinary means , as the meal and oyle to the sareptan widow . all things are sustained by his almighty word . indeed we live by food , but not by any virtue that is without god ; without the concurrence of whose providence , bread would rather choak then nourish us . let him withdraw his hand from his creatures , in their greatest abundance we perish . why do we therefore bend our eyes on the means , and not look up to the hand that gives the blessing ? what so necessary dependance hath the blessing upon the creature , if our prayers hold them not together ? as we may not neglect the means , so we may not neglect the procurement of a blessing upon the means , nor be unthankful to the hand that hath given the blessing . in the first assault satan moves christ to doubt of his fathers providence , and to use unlawful means to help himself : in the next , he moves him to presume upon his fathers protection , and the service of his blessed angels . he grounds the first upon a conceit of want , the next of abundance . if he be in extremes , it is all to one end , to mislead unto evil : if we cannot be driven down to despair , he labours to lift us up to presumption . it is not one foil than can put this bold spirit out of countenance . temptations , like waves , break one in the neck of another . whiles we are in this warfare , we must make account that the repulse of one temptation doth but invite to another . that blessed saviour of ours that was content to be led from jordan into the wildernesse , for the advantage of the first temptation , yields to be led from the wildernesse to jerusalem , for the advantage of the second . the place doth not a little avail to the act . the wildernesse was fit for a temptation arising from want , it was not fit for a temptation moving to vain-glory ; the populous city was the fittest for such a motion . jerusalem was the glory of the world , the temple was the glory of jerusalem , the pinnacles , the highest piece of the pinnacle , there is christ content to be set for the opportunity of tentation . o saviour of men , how can we wonder enough at this humility of thine , that thou wouldest so farre abase thy self as to suffer thy pure and sacred body to be transported by the presumptuous and malicious hand of that unclean spirit ? it was not his power , it was thy patience that deserves our admiration . neither can this seem over-strange to us , when we consider that if satan be the head of wicked men , wicked men are the members of satan . what was pilate , or the jews that persecuted thine innocence , but limbs of this devil ? and why are we then amazed , to see thee touched and locally transported by the head , when we see thee yielding thy self over to be crucified by the members ? if satan did the worse and greater mediately by their hands , no marvel if he doe the lesse and easier immediately by his own ; yet neither of them without thy voluntary dispensation . he could not have looked at thee without thee . and if the son of god did thus suffer his own holy and precious body to be carried by satan ; what wonder is it if that enemy have sometimes power given him over the sinful bodies of the adopted sons of god ? it is not the strength of faith that can secure us from the outward violences of that evil one . this difference i finde betwixt his spiritual and bodily assaults : those are beaten back by the shield of faith , these admit not of such repulse . as the best man may be lame , blind , diseased ; so , through the permission of god , he may be bodily vexed by an old man-slayer . grace was never given us for a target against externall afflictions . methinks i see christ hoised upon the highest battlements of the temple , whose very roof was an hundred and thirty cubits high ; and satan standing by him with this speech in his mouth : well then , since in the matter of nourishment thou wilt needs depend upon thy father's providence , that he can without means sustain thee , take now further tryall of that providence in thy miraculous preservation ; cast thy self down from this height . behold , thou art here in jerusalem , the famous and holy city of the world ; here thou art , on the top of the pinnacle of that temple which is dedicated to thy father , and , if thou be god , to thy self . the eyes of all men are now fixt upon thee : there cannot be devised a more ready way to spread thy glory and to proclaim thy deity , then by casting thy self headlong to the earth . all the world will say there is more in thee then a man. and for danger , there can be none . what can hurt him that is the son of god ? and wherefore serves that glorious guard of angels , which have by divine commission taken upon them the charge of thine humanity ? since therefore in one act thou mayest be both safe and celebrated , trust thy father and those thy serviceable spirits with thine assured preservation ; cast thy self down . and why didst thou not , o thou malignant spirit , endeavour to cast down my saviour by those same presumptuous hands that brought him up , since the descent is more easie then the raising up ? was it for that it had not been so great an advantage to thee that he should fall by thy means as by his own ? falling into sin was more then to fall from the pinnacle . still thy care and suit is , to make us authors to our selves of evil : thou gainest nothing by our bodily hurt , if the soul be safe . or was it rather for that thou couldest not ? i doubt not but thy malice could as well have served to have offered this measure to himself , as to his holy apostle soon after . but he that bounded thy power , tethers thee shorter . thou couldest not , thou canst not do what thou wouldst . he that would permit thee to carry him up , bindes thy hands from casting him down . and woe were it for us if thou wert not ever stinted . why did satan carry up christ so high , but on purpose that his fall might be the more deadly ? so deals he still with us ; he exalts us , that we may be dangerously abased : he puffs them up with swelling thoughts of their own worthinesse , that they may be vile in the eyes of god , and fall into condemnation . it is the manner of god , to cast down that he may raise , to abase that he may exalt : contrarily satan raises up that he may throw down , and intends nothing but our dejection in our advancement . height of place gives opportunity of tentation . thus busie is that wicked one in working against the members of christ . if any of them be in eminence above others , those he labours most to ruinate . they had need to stand fast , that stand high . there is both more danger of their falling , and more hurt in their fall . he that had presumed thus far , to tempt the lord of life , would fain now dare him also to presume upon his deity : if thou be the son of god , cast thy self down . there is not a more tried shaft in all his quiver then this ; a perswasion to men , to bear themselves too bold upon the favour of god. thou art the elect and redeemed of god ; sin , because grace hath abounded ; sin , that it may abound . thou art safe enough though thou offend : be not too much an adversary to thine own liberty . false spirit ! it is no liberty to sinne , but servitude rather ; there is liberty , but in the freedome from sin . every one of us that hath the hope of sons , must purge himself , even as he is pure that hath redeemed us . we are bought with a price , therefore must we glorifie god in our body and spirits ; for they are god's . our sonship teaches us awe and obedience ; and therefore because we are sons , we will not cast our selves down into sin . how idlely do satan and wicked men measure god by the crooked line of their own misconceit ? iwis , christ cannot be the son of god , unlesse he cast himself down from the pinnacle , unlesse he come down from the crosse . god is not merciful unlesse he honour them in all their desires ; not just , unlesse he take speedy vengeance where they require it . but when they have spent their folly upon these vain imaginations , christ is the son of god , though he stay on the top of the temple . god will be merciful , though we miscarry ; and just , though sinners seem lawlesse . neither will he be any other then he is , or measured by any rule but himself . but what is this i see ? satan himself with a bible under his arm , with a text in his mouth , it is written , he shall give his angels charge over thee ? how still in that wicked one doth subtilty strive with presumption ? who could not but over-wonder at this , if he did not consider , that since the devil dar'd to touch the sacred body of christ with his hand , he may well touch the scriptures of god with his tongue ? let no man henceforth marvel to hear hereticks or hypocrites quote scriptures , when satan himself hath not spared to cite them . what are they the worse for this , more then that holy body wich is transported ? some have been poisoned by their meats and drinks ; yet either these nourish us , or nothing . it is not the letter of the scripture that can carry it , but the sense ; if we divide these two , we prophane and abuse that word we alledge . and wherefore doth this foul spirit urge a text , but for imitation , for prevention , and for successe ? christ had alledged a scripture unto him ; he re-alledges scripture unto christ . at leastwise he will counterfeit an imitation of the son of god. neither is it in this alone : what one act ever passed the hand of god , which satan did not apishly attempt to second ? if we follow christ in the outward action with contrary intentions , we follow satan in following christ . or , perhaps , satan meant to make christ hereby weary of this weapon : as we see fashions , when they are taken up of the unworthy , are cast off by the great . it was , doubtlesse , one cause why christ afterward forbad the devil even to confesse the truth , because his mouth was a stander . but chiefly doth he this , for a better colour of his tentation : he gilds over this false metall with scripture , that it may passe current . even now is satan transformed into an angel of light , and will seem godly for a mischief . if hypocrites make a fair shew to deceive with a glorious lustre of holinesse , we see whence they borrowed it . how many thousand souls are betraied by the abuse of that word whose use is soveraign and saving ? no devil is so dangerous as the religious devil . if good meat turn to the nourishment , not of nature , but of the disease , we may not forbear to feed , but endeavour to purge the body of those evil humours which cause the stomach to work against it self . o god , thou that hast given us light , give us clear and sound eyes , that we may take comfort of that light thou hast given us . thy word is holy , make our hearts so ; and then shall they finde that word not more true then cordial . let not this divine table of thine be made a snare to our souls . what can be a better act then to speak scripture ? it were a wonder if satan should do a good thing well . he cites scripture then , but with mutilation and distortion ; it comes not out of his mouth , but maimed and perverted : one piece is left , all misapplied . those that wrest or mangle scripture for their own turn , it is easie to see from what school they come . let us take the word from the author , not from the usurper . david would not doubt to eat that sheep which he pulled out of the mouth of the bear or lion. he shall give his angels charge over thee : oh comfortable assurance of our protection . god's children never goe unattended . like unto great princes , we walk ever in the midst of our guard ; though invisible , yet true , careful , powerful . what creatures are so glorious as the angels of heaven ? yet their maker hath set them to serve us . our adoption makes us at once great and safe . we may be contemptible and ignominious in the eyes of the world ; but the angels of god observe us the while , and scorn not to wait upon us in our homeliest occasions . the sun or the light may we keep out of our houses , the aire we cannot ; much lesse these spirits that are more simple and immaterial . no walls , no bolts can sever them from our sides : they accompany us in dungeons , they goe with us into our exile . how can we either fear danger or complain of solitarinesse , whiles we have so unseparable , so glorious companions ? is our saviour distasted with scripture , because satan mis-laies it in his dish ? doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand , & beat satan with the weapon which he abuseth ? it is written , thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god. the scripture is one , as that god whose it is : where it carries an appearance of difficulty or inconvenience , it needs no light to clear it but that which it hath in it self . all doubts that may arise from it are fully answered by collation . it is true that god hath taken this care and given this charge of his own : he will have them kept , not in their sins : they may trust him , they may not tempt him : he meant to incourage their faith , not their presumption . to cast our selves upon any immediate providence when means fail not , is to disobey , in stead of believing god. we may challenge god on his word , we may not strain him beyond it : we may make account of what he promised , we may not subject his promises to unjust examinations ; and where no need is , make triall of his power , justice , mercy , by devices of our own . all the devils in hell could not elude the force of this divine answer : and now satan sees how vainly he tempteth christ to tempt god. yet again , for all this , do i see him setting upon the son of god. satan is not foiled when he is resisted . neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon christ ; he shall be tried with honour . as some expert fencer that challenges at all weapons , so doth his great enemy . in vain shall we plead our skill in some , if we fail in any . it must be our wisedome to be prepared for all kinde of assaults : as those that hold towns and forts do not only defend themselves from incursions , but from the cannon and the pionier . still doth that subtil serpent traverse his ground for an advantage . the temple is not high enough for his next tentation ; he therefore carries up christ to the top of an exceeding high mountain . all enemies in pitcht fields strive for the benefit of the hill , or river , or wind , or sun. that which his servant balac did by his instigation , himself doth now immediately , change places in hope of prevailing . if the obscure country will not move us , he tries what the court can do ; if not our home , the tavern ; if not the field , our closer . as no place is left free by his malice , so no place must be made prejudicial by our carelesnesse : and as we should alwaies watch over our selves , so then most when the opportunity carries cause of suspicion . wherefore is christ carried up so high , but for prospect ? if the kingdomes of the earth and their glory were only to be presented to his imagination , the valley would have served ; if to the outward sense , no hill could suffice . circular bodies though small , cannot be seen at once . this shew was made to both ; divers kingdomes lying round about judea were represented to the eye , the glory of them to the imagination . satan meant the eye could tempt the fancy , no less then the fancie could tempt the will. how many thousand souls have died of the wound of the eye ? if we do not let in sin at the window of the eye or the door of the eare , it cannot enter into our hearts . if there be any pomp , majestie , pleasure , bravery in the world , where should it be but in the courts of princes , whom god hath made his images , his deputies on earth ? there is soft rayment , sumptuous feasts , rich jewels , honourable attendance , glorious triumphs , royal state ; these satan laies out to the fairest shew . but oh the craft of that old serpent ! many a care attends greatnesse : no crown is without thorns : high seats are never but uneasie . all those infinite discontentments which are the shadow of earthly soveraigntie , he hides out of the way ; nothing may be seen but what may both please and allure . satan is still and ever like himself . if tentations might be but turn'd about and shewn on both sides , the kingdome of darkness would not be so populous . now whensoever the tempter sets upon any poor soul , all sting of conscience , wrath , judgment , torment is concealed , as if they were not : nothing may appear to the eye but pleasure , profit , and a seeming happinesse in the enjoying our desires . those other woful objects are reserved for the farewell of sin ; that our misery may be seen and felt at once . when we are once sure , satan is a tyrant ; till then , he is a parasite . there can be no safety , if we do not view as well the back as the face of tentations . but oh presumption and impudence , that hell it self may be ashamed of ! the devil dares say to christ , all these will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me : that beggerly spirit , that hath not an inch of earth , can offer the whole world to the maker , to the owner of it . the slave of god would be adored of his creator . how can we hope he should be sparing of false boasts and of unreasonable promises unto us , when he dares offer kingdomes to him by whom kings reign ? tentations on the right hand are most dangerous . how many that have been hardned with fear , have melted with honour ? there is no doubt of that soul that will not bite at the golden hook . false lyars and vain-glorious boasters see the top of their pedigree ; if i may not rather say , that satan doth borrow the use of their tongues for a time : whereas faithfull is he that hath promised , who will also do it , fidelity and truth is the issue of heaven . if idolatry were not a dear sin to satan , he would not be so importunate to compasse it . it is miserable to see how he draws the world insensibly into this sin , which they professe to detest . those that would rather hazard the fornace then worship gold in a statue , yet do adore in it the stamp , and finde no fault with themselves . if our hearts be drawn to stoop unto an over-high respect of any creature , we are idolaters . o god , it is no marvel if thy jealousie be kindled at the admission of any of thine own works into a competition of honour with their creator . never did our saviour say , avoid satan , till now . it is a just indignation that is conceived at the motion of a rivaltie with god. neither yet did christ exercise his divine power in this command , but by the necessary force of scripture drives away that impure tempter ; it is written , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him only shalt thou serve . the rest of our saviours answers were more full and direct then that they could admit of a reply ; but this was so flat and absolute , that it utterly daunted the courage of satan , and put him to a shameful flight , and made him for the time weary of his trade . the way to be rid of the troublesome solicitations of that wicked one , is continued resistance . he that forcibly drove the tempter from himself , takes him off from us , and will not abide his assaults perpetual . it is our exercise and triall that he intends , not our confusion . simon called . as the sun in his first rising draws all eyes to it ; so did this sun of righteousness when he first shone forth into the world . his miraculous cures drew patients , his divine doctrine drew auditors ; both together drew the admiring multitude by troops after him . and why do we not still follow thee , o saviour , through desarts and mountains , over land and seas , that we may be both healed and taught ? it was thy word that when thou wert lift up , thou wouldst draw all men unto thee : behold , thou art lift up long since , both to the tree of shame , and to the throne of heavenly glory ; draw us , and we shall run after thee . thy word is still the same , though proclaimed by men ; thy virtue is still the same , though exercised upon the spirits of men . oh give us to hunger after both , that by both our souls may be satisfied . i see the people not onely following christ , but pressing upon him : even very unmannerliness findes here both excuse and acceptation . they did not keep their distances in an awe to the majesty of the speaker , whiles they were ravished with the power of the speech ; yet did not our saviour check their unreverent thronging , but rather incourages their forwardness . we cannot offend thee , o god , with the importunity of our desires . it likes thee well , that the kingdome of heaven should suffer violence . our slackness doth ever displease thee , never our vehemency . the throng of auditors forced christ to leave the shore , and to make peter's ship his pulpit . never were there such nets cast out of that fisher-boat before . whiles he was upon the land , he healed the sick bodies by his touch ; now that he was upon the sea , he cured the sick souls by his doctrine ; and is purposely severed from the multitude , that he may unite them to him . he that made both sea and land , causeth both of them to conspire to the opportunities of doing good . simon was busie washing his nets . even those nets that caught nothing must be washed , no lesse then if they had sped well . the nights toile doth not excuse his daies work . little did simon think of leaving those nets which he so carefully washed ; and now christ interrupts him with the favour and blessing of his gracious presence . labour in our calling ( how homely soever ) makes us capable of divine benediction . the honest fisher-man , when he saw the people flock after christ , and heard him speak with such power , could not but conceive a general and confuse apprehension of some excellent worth in such a teacher , and therefore is glad to honour his ship with such a guest ; and is first christ's host by sea , ere he is his disciple by land . an humble and serviceable entertainment of a prophet of god , was a good foundation of his future honour . he that would so easily lend christ his hand and his ship , was likely soon after to bestow himself upon his saviour . simon hath no sooner done this service to christ , then christ is preparing for his reward : when the sermon is ended , the ship-room shall be paid for abundantly : neither shall the host exspect any other pay-master then himself . lanch forth into the deep , and let down your nets to make a draught . that ship which lent christ an opportunity of catching men upon the shore , shall be requited with a plentiful draught of fish in the deep . it had been as easie for our saviour to have brought the fish to peter's ship , close to the shore ; yet as chusing rather to have the ship carried to the shole of fish , he bids lanch forth into the deep . in his miracles he loves ever to meet nature in her bounds ; and when she hath done her best , to supply the rest by his over-ruling power . the same power therefore that could have caused the fishes to leap upon drie land , or to leave themselves forsaken of the waters upon the sands of the lake , will rather finde them in a place natural to their abiding . lanch out into the deep . rather in a desire to gratifie and obey his guest , then to pleasure himself , will simon bestow one cast of his net . had christ injoyned him an harder task , he had not refused ; yet not without an allegation of the unlikelihood of successe , master , we have travailed all night , and caught nothing ; yet at thy word i will let down the net. the night was the fittest time for the hopes of their trade ; not unjustly might simon misdoubt his speed by day , when he had worn out the night in unprofitable labour . sometimes god crosseth the fairest of our exspectations , and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair . that pains cannot be cast away , which we resolve to lose for christ . o god , how many do i see casting out their nets in the great lake of the world , which in the whole night of their life have caught nothing ? they conceive mischief , and bring forth iniquity ; they hatch cockatrices egges , and weave the spiders web : he that eateth of their egges dieth , and that which is trodden upon breaketh out into a serpent ; their webs shall be no garment , neither shall they cover themselves with their labours . o ye sons of men , how long will ye love vanity , and follow after lies ? yet if we have thus vainly misspent the time of our darkness , let us at the command of christ cast out our new-washen nets : our humble and penitent obedience shall come home laden with blessings . and when they had so done , they inclosed a great multitude of fishes , so that their net brake . what a difference there is betwixt our own voluntary acts and those that are done upon command ; not more in the grounds of them , then in the issue ? those are oft-times fruitlesse , these ever successfull . never man threw out his net at the word of his saviour , and drew it back empty . who would not obey thee , o christ , since thou dost so bountifully requite our weakest services ? it was not mere retribution that was intended in this event , but instruction also : this act was not without a mysterie . he that should be made a fisher of men , shall in this draught foresee his success . the kingdome of heaven is like a draw-net cast into the sea , which when it is full , men draw to land . the very first draught that peter made after the complement of his apostleship , inclosed no lesse then three thousand souls . o powerful gospel , that can fetch sinful men from out of the depths of natural corruption ! o happy souls , that from the blinde and muddy cells of our wicked nature , are drawn forth to the glorious liberty of the sons of god! simon 's net breaks with the store . abundance is sometimes no lesse troublesome then want . the net should have held , if christ had not meant to over-charge simon both with blessing and admiration . how happily is that net broken , whose rupture draws the fisher to christ ? though the net brake , yet the fish escaped not : he that brought them thither to be taken , held them there till they were taken . they beckned to their partners in the other ship , that they should come and help them . there are other ships in partnership with peter , he doth not fish all the lake alone . there cannot be a better improvement of society then to help us gain , to relieve us in our profitable labours , to draw up the spiritual draught into the vessel of christ and his church . wherefore hath god given us partners , but that we should becken to them for their aid in our necessary occasions ? neither doth simon slacken his hand , because he had assistants . what shall we say to those lazie fishers , who can set others to the drag , whiles themselves look on at ease ; caring only to feed themselves with the fish , not willing to wet their hands with the net ? what shall we say to this excesse of gain ? the nets break , the ships sink with their burden . oh happy complaint of too large a capture ! o saviour , if those apostolical vessels of thy first rigging were thus overlaid , ours flote and totter with a ballasted lightness . thou , who art no lesse present in these bottoms of ours , lade them with an equall fraught of converted souls , and let us praise thee for thus sinking . simon was a skilfull fisher , and knew well the depth of his trade ; and now perceiving more then art or nature in this draught , he falls down at the knees of jesus , saying , lord , goe from me , for i am a sinfull man. himself is caught in this net. he doth not greedily fall upon so unexspected and profitable a booty , but he turns his eyes from the draught to himself , from the act to the author , acknowledging vileness in the one , in the other majestie : goe from me , lord , for i am a sinfull man. it had been pity the honest fisher-man should have been taken at his word . o simon , thy saviour is come into thine own ship to call thee , to call others by thee unto blessedness , and dost thou say , lord , goe from me ? as if the patient should say to the physician , depart from me , for i am sick . it was the voice of astonishment , not of dislike ; the voice of humility , not of discontentment : yea , because thou art a sinfull man , therefore hath thy saviour need to come to thee , to stay with thee ; and because thou art humble in the acknowledgment of thy sinfulness , therefore christ delights to abide with thee , and will call thee to abide with him . no man ever fared the worse for abasing himself to his god. christ hath left many a soul for froward and unkinde usage ; never any for the disparagement of it self , and intreaties of humility . simon could not devise how to hold christ faster , then by thus suing to him to be gone , then by thus pleading his unworthiness . o my soul , be not weary of complaining of thine own wretchedness ; disgrace thy self to him that knows thy vilenesse ; be astonished at those mercies which have shamed thine ill deservings . thy saviour hath no power to goe away from a prostrate heart . he that resists the proud , heartens the lowly : fear not , for i will make thee henceforth a fisher of men . loe , this humility is rewarded with an apostleship . what had the earth ever more glorious then a legacie from heaven ? he that bade christ goe from him , shall have the honour to goe first on this happy errand . this was a trade that simon had no skill of : it could not but be enough to him , that christ said , i will make thee ; the miracle shewed him able to make good his word . he that hath power to command the fishes to be taken , can easily inable the hands to take them . what is this divine trade of ours then but a spiritual piscation ? the world is a sea ; souls , like fishes , swim at liberty in this deep ; the nets of wholsome doctrine draw up some to the shore of grace and glory . how much skill , and toile , and patience is requisite in this art ? who is sufficient for these things ? this sea , these nets , the fishers , the fish , the vessels are all thine , o god ; doe what thou wilt in us and by us . give us ability and grace to take ; give men will and grace to be taken ; and take thou glory by that which thou hast given . the marriage in cana. was this then thy first miracle , o saviour , that thou wroughtest in cana of galilee ? and could there be a greater miracle then this , that having been thirty years upon earth , thou didst no miracle till now ? that thy divinity did hide it self thus long in flesh ? that so long thou wouldst lie obscure in a corner of galilee , unknown to that world thou camest to redeem ? that so long thou wouldst strain the patient expectation of those , who ever since thy star waited upon the revelation of a messias ? we silly wretches , if we have but a dram of vertue , are ready to set it out to the best shew : thou , who receivedst not the spirit by measure , wouldst content thy self with a willing obscurity ; and concealedst that power that made the world , in the roof of an humane breast , in a cottage of nazareth . o saviour , none of thy miracles is more worthy of astonishment then thy not doing of miracles . what thou didst in private , thy wisdome thought fit for secrecy : but if thy blessed mother had not been acquainted with some domestical wonders , she had not now expected a miracle abroad . the stars are not seen by day ; the sun it self is not seen by night . as it is no small art to hide art , so is it no small glory to conceal glory . thy first publick miracle graceth a marriage . it is an ancient and laudable institution , that the rites of matrimony should not want a solemn celebration . when are feasts in season , if not at the recovery of our lost rib ; if not at this main change of our estate , wherein the joy of obtaining meets with the hope of further comforts ? the son of the virgin , and the mother of that son , are both at a wedding . it was in all likelihood some of their kindred , to whose nuptial feast they were invited so far : yet was it more the honour of the act then of the person that christ intended . he that made the first marriage in paradise , bestows his first miracle upon a galilean marriage . he that was the author of matrimony and sanctified it , doth by his holy presence honour the resemblance of his eternal union with his church . how boldly may we spit in the faces of all the impure adversaries of wedlock , when the son of god pleases to honour it ? the glorious bridegroom of the church knew well how ready men would be to place shame even in the most lawful conjunctions ; and therefore his first work shall be to countenance his own ordinance . happy is that wedding where christ is a guest . o saviour , those that marry in thee , cannot marry without thee . there is no holy marriage whereat thou art not ( however invisible , yet ) truly present by thy spirit , by thy gracious benediction . thou makest marriages in heaven , thou blessest them from heaven . o thou that hast betrothed us to thy self in truth & righteousness , do thou consummate that happy marriage of ours in the highest heavens . it was no rich or sumptuous bridal to which christ with his mother & disciples vouchsafed to come from the further parts of galilee . i find him not at the magnificent feasts or triumphs of the great . the proud pomp of the world did not agree with the state of a servant . this poor needy bridegroom wants drink for his guests . the blessed virgin ( though a stranger to the house ) out of a charitable compassion , and a friendly desire to maintain the decencie of an hospital entertainment , inquires into the wants of her host , pities them , bemoans them where there was power of redresse : when the wine failed , the mother of jesus said unto him , they have no wine . how well doth it beseem the eyes of piety and christian love , to look into the necessities of others ? she that conceived the god of mercies both in her heart and in her womb , doth not fix her eyes upon her own teacher , but searcheth into the penurie of a poor israelite , and feels those wants whereof he complains not . they are made for themselves , whose thoughts are only taken up with their own store or indigence . there was wine enough for a meal , though not for a feast ; and if there were not wine enough , there was enough water : yet the holy virgin complains of the want of wine , and is troubled with the very lack of superfluitie . the bounty of our god reaches not to our life only , but to our contentment : neither hath he thought good to allow us only the bread of sufficiency , but sometimes of pleasure . one while that is but necessary , which some other time were superfluous . it is a scrupulous injustice to scant ourselves where god hath been liberal . to whom should we complain of any want , but to the maker and giver of all things ? the blessed virgin knew to whom she sued : she had good reason to know the divine nature and power of her son. perhaps the bridegroom was not so needy , but if not by his purse , yet by his credit , he might have supplied that want ; or , it were hard if some of the neighbour-guests ( had they been duely solicited ) might not have furnished him with so much wine as might suffice for the last service of a dinner . but blessed mary knew a nearer way : she did not think best to lade at the shallow channel , but runs rather to the well-head , where she may dip and fill the firkins at once with ease . it may be she saw that the train of christ ( which unbidden followed unto that feast , and unexspectedly added to the number of the guests ) might help forward that defect , and therefore she justly solicits her son jesus for a supply . whether we want bread , or water , or wine , necessaries or comforts , whither should we run , o saviour , but to that infinite munificence of thine , which neither denieth nor upbraideth any thing ? we cannot want , we cannot abound , but from thee . give us what thou wilt , so thou give us contentment with what thou givest . but what is this i hear ? a sharp answer to the suit of a mother ? oh woman , what have i to doe with thee ? he whose sweet mildness and mercy never sent away any suppliant discontented , doth he only frown upon her that bare him ? he that commands us to honour father and mother , doth he disdain her whose flesh he took ? god forbid : love and duty doth not exempt parents from due admonition . she sollicited christ as a mother , he answers her as a woman . if she were the mother of his flesh , his deity was eternal . she might not so remember her self to be a mother , that she should forget she was a woman ; nor so look upon him as a son , that she should not regard him as a god. he was so obedient to her as a mother , that withall she must obey him as her god. that part which he took from her shall observe her ; she must observe that nature which came from above , and made her both a woman and a mother . matter of miracle concerned the godhead only ; supernatural things were above the sphere of fleshly relation . if now the blessed virgin will be prescribing either time or form unto divine acts , o woman , what have i to doe with thee ? my hour is not come . in all bodily actions his style was , o mother : in spirituall and heavenly , o woman . neither is it for us in the holy affairs of god to know any faces ; yea , if we have known christ heretofore according to the flesh , henceforth know we him so no more . o blessed virgin , if in that heavenly glory wherein thou art thou canst take notice of these earthly things , with what indignation dost thou look upon the presumptuous superstition of vain men , whose suits make thee more then a solicitor of divine favours ? thy humanity is not lost in thy motherhood , nor in thy glory : the respects of nature reach not so high as heaven . it is far from thee to abide that honour which is stolne from thy redeemer . there is a marriage whereto we are invited , yea wherein we are already interessed , not as the guests onely , but as the bride ; in which there shall be no want of the wine of gladnesse . it is marvel if in these earthly banquets there be not some lack . in thy presence , o saviour , there is fulnesse of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . blessed are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the lamb. even in that rough answer doth the blessed virgin descry cause of hope . if his hour were not yet come , it was therefore coming : when the exspectation of the guests and the necessity of the occasion had made fit room for the miracle , it shall come forth and challenge their wonder . faithfully therefore and observantly doth she turn her speech from her son to the waiters , whatsoever he saith unto you , doe it . how well doth it beseem the mother of christ to agree with his father in heaven , whose voice from heaven said , this is my well-beloved son , hear him ? she that said of her self , be it unto me according to thy word , saies unto others , whatsoever he saith to you , doe it . this is the way to have miracles wrought in us , obedience to his word . the power of christ did not stand upon their officiousnesse : he could have wrought wonders in spite of them ; but their perverse refusall of his commands might have made them uncapable of the favour of a miraculous action . he that can ( when he will ) convince the obstinate , will not grace the disobedient . he that could work without us , or against us , will not work for us , but by us . this very poor house was furnished with many and large vessels for outward purification ; as if sin had dwelt upon the skin , that superstitious people sought holiness in frequent washings . even this rinsing fouled them with the uncleannesse of a traditional will-worship . it is the soul which needs scowring ; and nothing can wash that but the blood which they desperately wished upon themselves and their children , for guilt , not for expiation . purge thou us , o lord , with hyssop , and we shall be clean ; wash us , and we shall be whiter then snow . the waiters could not but think strange of so unseasonable a command , fill the water pots . it is wine that we want , what do we goe to fetch water ? doth this holy man mean thus to quench our feast , and cool our stomacks ? if there be no remedy , we could have sought this supply unbidden . yet so far hath the charge of christs mother prevailed , that in stead of carrying flagons of wine to the table , they goe to fetch pails-full of water from the cisterns . it is no pleading of unlikelihoods against the command of an almighty power . he that could have created wine immediately in those vessels , will rather turn water into wine . in all the course of his miracles , i do never finde him making ought of nothing ; all his great works are grounded upon former existences . he multiplied the bread , he changed the water , he restored the withered limmes , he raised the dead , and still wrought upon that which was , and did not make that which was not . what doth he in the ordinary way of nature , but turn the watery juice that arises up from the root into wine ? he will only do this now suddenly and at once , which he doth usually by sensible degrees . it is ever duly observed by the son of god , not to doe more miracle then he needs . how liberal are the provisions of christ ? if he had turned but one of those vessels , it had been a just proof of his power , and perhaps that quantity had served the present necessity : now he furnisheth them with so much wine as would have served an hundred and fifty guests for an intire feast . even the measure magnifies at once both his power and mercy . the munificent hand of god regards not our need only , but our honest affluence . it is our sin and our shame , if we turn his favour into wantonness . there must be first a filling , ere there be a drawing out . thus in our vessels , the first care must be of our receit ; the next , of our expence . god would have us cisterns , not channels . our saviour would not be his own taster , but he sends the first draught to the governour of the feast . he knew his own power , they did not : neither would he bear witness of himself , but fetch it out of others mouths . they that knew not the original of that wine , yet praised the taste ; every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine , and when men have well drunk , then that which is worse : but thou hast kept the good wine untill now . the same bounty that expressed it self in the quantity of the wine , shews it self no lesse in the excellence . nothing can fall from that divine hand not exquisite : that liberality hated to provide crab-wine for his guests . it was fit that the miraculous effects of christ ( which came from his immediate hand ) should be more perfect then the natural . o blessed saviour , how delicate is that new wine which we shall one day drink with thee in thy fathers kingdome ! thou shalt turn this water of our earthly affliction into that wine of gladnesse , wherewith our souls shall be satiate for ever . make haste , o my beloved , and be thou like to a roe , or to a young hart upon the mountain of spices . the good centurion . even the bloody trade of war yielded worthy clients to christ . this roman captain had learned to believe in that jesus ▪ whom many jews despised . no nation , no trade can shut out a good heart from god. if he were a forreiner for birth , yet he was a domestick in heart . he could not change his blood , he could over-rule his affections . he loved that nation which was chosen of god ; and if he were not of the synagogue , yet he built a synagogue ; where he might not be a partie , he would be a benefactor . next to being good , is a favouring of goodnesse . we could not love religion , if we utterly want it . how many true jews were not so zealous ? either will or ability lacked in them , whom duty more obliged . good affections do many times more then supply nature . neither doth god regard whence , but what we are . i do not see this centurion come to christ as the israelitish captain came to elias in carmel , but with his cap in his hand , with much suit , much submission , by others , by himself : he sends first the elders of the jews , whom he might hope that their nation and place might make gracious : then , left the imployment of others might argue neglect , he seconds them in person . cold and fruitlesse are the motions of friends , where we do wilfully shut up our own lips . importunity cannot but speed well in both . could we but speak for our selves , as this captain did for his servant , what could we possibly want ? what marvel is it if god be not forward to give , where we care not to ask , or ask as if we cared not to receive ? shall we yet call this a suit , or a complaint ? i hear no one word of entreaty . the lesse is said , the more is concealed : it is enough to lay open his want . he knew well that he had to deal with so wise and merciful a physician , as that the opening of the malady was a craving of cure . if our spiritual miseries be but confessed , they cannot fail of redress . great variety of suitors resorted to christ ; one comes to him for a son , another for a daughter , a third for himself : i see none come for his servant , but this one centurion . neither was he a better man then a master . his servant is sick : he doth not drive him out of doors , but laies him at home ; neither doth he stand gazing by his beds-side , but seeks forth : he seeks forth , not to witches or charmers , but to christ : he seeks to christ , not with a fashionable relation , but with a vehement aggravation of the disease . had the master been sick , the faithfullest servant could have done no more . he is unworthy to be well served , that will not sometimes wait upon his followers . conceits of inferiority may not breed in us a neglect of charitable offices . so must we look down upon our servants here on earth , as that we must still look up to our master which is in heaven . but why didst thou not , o centurion , rather bring thy servant to christ for cure , then sue for him absent ? there was a paralytick , whom faith and charity brought to our saviour , & let down through the uncovered roof in his bed : why was not thine so carried , so presented ? was it out of the strength of thy faith , which assured thee thou neededst not shew thy servant to him that saw all things ? one and the same grace may yield contrary effects . they , because they believed , brought the patient to christ ; thou broughtest not thine to him , because thou believedst . their act argued no lesse desire , thine more confidence . thy labour was lesse , because thy faith was more . oh that i could come thus to my saviour , and make such mone to him for my self , lord , my soul is sick of unbelief , sick of self-love , sick of inordinate desires ; i should not need to say more . thy mercy , o saviour , would not then stay by for my suit , but would prevent me ( as here ) with a gracious ingagement , i will come and heal thee . i did not hear the centurion say either , come , or , heal him : the one he meant , though he said not ; the other he neither said nor meant . christ over-gives both his words & intentions . it is the manner of that divine munificence , where he meets with a faithful suitor , to give more then is requested ; to give when he is not requested . the very insinuations of our necessities are no lesse violent then successefull . we think the measure of humane bountie runs over , when we obtain but what we ask with importunity : that infinite goodnesse keeps within bounds , when it overflows the desires of our hearts . as he said , so he did . the word of christ either is his act , or concurs with it . he did not stand still when he said , i will come , but he went as he spake . when the ruler intreated him for his son , come down ere he dye , our saviour stir'd not a foot : the centurion did but complain of the sicknesse of his servant , and christ unasked sayes , i will come and heal him . that he might be farre from so much as seeming to honour wealth and despise meannesse , he that came in the shape of a servant , would goe down to the sick servants pallet , would not goe to the bed of the rich rulers son. it is the basest motive of respect , that ariseth merely from outward greatnesse . either more grace or more need may justly challenge our favourable regards , no lesse then private obligations . even so , o saviour , that which thou offeredst to doe for the centurion's servant , hast thou done for us . we were sick unto death ; so farre had the dead palsie of sin overtaken us , that there was no life of grace left in us : when thou wert not content to sit still in heaven , and say , i will cure them ; but addedst also , i will come and cure them . thy self camest down accordingly to this miserable world , and hast personally healed us ; so as now we shall not die but live , and declare thy works , o lord. and oh that we could enough praise that love and mercy which hath so graciously abased thee , and could be but so low dejected before thee , as thou hast stooped low unto us ; that we could be but as lowly subjects of thy goodnesse , as we are unworthy . o admirable return of humility ! christ will goe down to visit the sick servant . the master of that servant saies , lord , i am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof : the jewish elders , that went before to mediate for him , could say , he is worthy that thou shouldest doe this for him ; but the centurion , when he comes to speak for himself , i am not worthy . they said , he was worthy of christ's miracle ; he sayes he is unworthy of christ's presence . there is great difference betwixt others valuations and our own . sometimes the world under-rates him that findes reason to set an high price upon himself . sometimes again , it overvalues a man that knows just cause of his own humiliation . if others mistake us , this can be no warrant for our errour . we cannot be wise , unlesse we receive the knowledge of our selves by direct beams , not by reflection ; unlesse we have learned to contemn unjust applauses , and scorning the flattery of the world , to frown upon our own vilenesse : lord , i am not worthy . many a one , if he had been in the centurion's coate , would have thought well of it ; a captain , a man of good ability and command , a founder of a synagogue , a patron of religion : yet he overlooks all these , and when he casts his eye upon the divine worth of christ and his own weaknesse , he saies , i am not worthy : alas , lord , i am a gentile , an alien , a man of blood ; thou art holy , thou art omnipotent . true humility will teach us to finde out the best of another , and the worst piece of our selves : pride contrarily shews us nothing but matter of admiration in our selves , in others of contempt . whiles he confest himself unworthy of any favour , he approved himself worthy of all . had not christ been before in his heart , he could not have thought himself unworthy to entertain that guest within his house . under the low roof of an humble breast doth god ever delight to dwell : the state of his palace may not be measured by the height , but by the depth . brags and bold faces do oft-times carry it away with men : nothing prevails with god but our voluntary dejections . it is fit the foundations should be layd deep , where the building is high . the centurion's humility was not more low then his faith was lofty : that reaches up into heaven , and in the face of humane weaknesse descries omnipotence : onely say the word , and my servant shall be whole . had the centurion's roof been heaven it self , it could not have been worthy to be come under of him whose word was almighty , and who was the almighty word of his father . such is christ confessed by him that saies , onely say the word . none but a divine power is unlimited : neither hath faith any other bounds then god himself . there needs no footing to remove mountains or devils , but a word . do but say the word , o saviour , my sin shall be remitted , my soul shall be healed , my body shall be raised from dust , both soul and body shall be glorious . whereupon then was the steddy confidence of the good centurion ? he saw how powerful his own word was with those that were under his command , ( though himself were under the command of another ) the force whereof extended even to absent performances ; well therefore might he argue , that a free and unbounded power might give infallible commands , and that the most obstinate disease must therefore needs yield to the beck of the god of nature . weaknesse may shew us what is in strength ; by one drop of water we may see what is in the main ocean . i marvell not if the centurion were kinde to his servants , for they were dutifull to him ; he can but say , doe this , and it is done : these mutuall respects draw on each other ; chearfull and diligent service in the one calls for a due and favourable care in the other : they that neglect to please , cannot complain to be neglected . oh that i could be but such a servant to mine heavenly master ! alas ! every of his commands saies , doe this , and i doe it not : every of his inhibitions saies , doe it not , and i doe it . he saies , goe from the world ; i run to it : he saies , come to me ; i run from him . woe is me ! this is not service , but enmity . how can i look for favour , while i return rebellion ? it is a gracious master whom we serve ; there can be no duty of ours that he sees not , that he acknowledges not , that he crowns not . we could not but be happy , if we could be officious . what can be more marvellous then to see christ marvell ? all marvelling supposes an ignorance going before , and a knowledge following some accident unexpected : now who wrought this faith in the centurion , but he that wondred at it ? he knew well what he wrought , because he wrought what he would ; yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew , to teach us , much more to admire that which he at once knows and holds admirable . he wrought this faith as god , he wondred at it as man : god wrought , and man admired : he that was both , did both , to teach us where to bestow our wonder . i never finde christ wondring at gold or silver , at the costly and curious works of humane skill or industry : yea , when the disciples wondred at the magnificence of the temple , he rebuked them rather . i finde him not wondring at the frame of heaven and earth , nor at the orderly disposition of all creatures and events ; the familiarity of these things intercepts the admiration . but when he sees the grace or acts of faith , he so approves them , that he is ravished with wonder . he that rejoyced in the view of his creation , to see that of nothing he had made all things good , rejoyces no lesse in the reformation of his creature , to see that he had made good of evil . behold , thou art faire , my love , behold , thou art faire , and there is no spot in thee . my sister , my spouse , thou hast wounded my heart , thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes . our wealth , beauty , wit , learning , honour , may make us accepted of men , but it is our faith onely that shall make god in love with us . and why are we of any other save god's diet , to be more affected with the least measure of grace in any man , then with all the outward glories of the world ? there are great men whom we justly pity ; we can admire none but the gracious . neither was that plant more worth of wonder in it self , then that it grew in such a soile , with so little help of rain and sun. the weaknesse of means addes to the praise and acceptation of our proficiency . to doe good upon a little is the commendation of thrist : it is small thank to be full-handed in a large estate : as contrarily , the strength of means doubles the revenge of our neglect . it is not more the shame of israel then the glory of the centurion , that our saviour saies , i have not found so great faith in israel . had israel yielded any equall faith , it could not have been unespied of these all-seeing eyes : yet were their helps so much greater as their faith was lesse ; and god never gives more then he requires . where we have laid our tillage and compost and seed , who would not look for a crop ? but if the uncultured fallow yield more , how justly is that unanswerable ground near to a curse ? our saviour did not mutter this censorious testimony to himself , not whisper it to his disciples , but he turned him about to the people , and spake it in their eares , that he might at once work their shame and emulation . in all other things , except spirituall , our self-love makes us impatient of equals ; much lesse can we endure to be out-stripped by those who are our professed inferiours . it is well if any thing can kindle in us holy ambitions . dull and base are the spirits of that man , that can abide to see another overtake him in the way and out-run him to heaven . he that both wrought this faith and wondred at it , doth now reward it ; goe thy waies , and as thou hast believed , so be it unto thee . never was any faith unseen of christ , never was any seen without allowance , never was any allowed without remuneration . the measure of our receits in the matter of favour , is the proportion of our belief . the infinite mercy of god ( which is ever like it self ) follows but one rule in his gift to us , the faith that he gives us . give us , o god , to believe , and be it to us as thou wilt , it shall be to us above that we will. the centurion sues for his servant , and christ saies , so be it unto thee . the servants health is the benefit of the master , and the masters faith is the health of the servant . and if the prayers of an earthly master prevailed so much with the son of god for the recovery of a servant , how shall the intercession of the son of god prevail with his father in heaven for us that are his impotent children & servants upon earth ? what can we want , o saviour , whiles thou suest for us ? he that hath given thee for us , can deny thee nothing for us , can deny us nothing for thee . in thee we are happy , and shall be glorious . to thee , o thou mightie redeemer of israel , with thine eternal father , together with thy blessed spirit , one god infinite and incomprehensible , be given all praise , honour and glory , for ever and ever . amen . contemplations . the third book , containing the widows son raised . the rulers son healed . the dumb devil ejected . matthew called . christ among the gergesens ; or legion , and the gadarene herd . to my right worthy and worshipful friend , mr john gifford of lancrasse in devon , esq . all grace and peace . sir , i hold it ( as i ought ) one of the rich mercies of god , that he hath given me favour in some eyes which have not seen me ; but none , that i know , hath so much demerited me unknown , as your worthy familie . ere therefore you see my face , see my hand willingly professing my thankfull obligations . wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcel of thoughts , not unlike those fellows of theirs , whom you have entertained above their desert . these shall present unto you our bountifull saviour , magnifying his mercies to men in a sweet variety ; healing the diseased , raising the dead , casting out the devil , calling in the publican , and shall raise your heart to adore that infinite goodness . every help to our devotion deserves to be precious ; so much more , as the decrepit age of the world declines to an heartlesse coldnesse of piety . that god to whose honour these poor labours are meant , blesse them in your hands , and from them to all readers . to his protection i heartily commend you , and the right vertuous gentlewoman , your worthy wife , with all the pledges of your happy affection , as whom you have deserved to be your truly thankful and officious friend , jos. hall . the widows son raised . the favours of our beneficent saviour were at the least contiguous . no sooner hath he raised the centurion's servant from his bed , then he raises the widows son from his biere . the fruitful clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field . nain must partake of the bounty of christ as well as cana , or capernaum . and if this sun were fixed in one orbe , yet it diffuseth heat and light to all the world . it is not for any place to ingrosse the messengers of the gospel , whose errand is universal . this immortal seed may not fall all in one furrow . the little city of nain stood under the hill of hermon , near unto tabor : but now it is watered with better dews from above , the doctrine and miracles of a saviour . not for state , but for the more evidence of the work , is our saviour attended with a large train ; so entering into the gate of that walled city , as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power , and to take it . his providence hath so contrived his journey , that he meets with the sad pomp of a funeral . a woful widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her onely son to the grave . there was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion . a young man in the flower , in the strength of his age , swallowed up by death . our decrepit age both exspects death and solicits it ; but vigorous youth looks strangely upon that grim serjeant of god. those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree , we gather up with contentment : we chide to have the unripe unseasonably beaten down with cudgels . but more , a young man , the onely son , the onely childe of his mother . no condition can make it other then grievous for a well-natur'd mother to part with her own bowels : yet surely store is some mitigation of loss . amongst many children one may be more easily missed ; for still we hope the surviving may supply the comforts of the dead : but when all our hopes and joyes must either live or dy in one , the loss of that one admits of no consolation . when god would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable , he can but say , oh daughter of my people , gird thee with sackcloth , and wallow thy self in the ashes , make lamentation and bitter mourning as for thine onely son. such was the loss , such was the sorrow of this disconsolate mother ; neither words nor tears can suffice to discover it . yet more , had she been aided by the counsel and supportation of a loving yoke-fellow , this burden might have seemed less intolerable . a good husband may make amends for the loss of a son ; had the root been left to her intire , she might better have spared the branch : now both are cut up , all the stay of her life is gone ; and she seems abandoned to a perfect misery . and now when she gave her self up for a forlorn mourner , past all capacity of redress , the god of comfort meets her , pities her , relieves her . here was no solicitor but his own compassion . in other occasions he was sought and sued to . the centurion comes to him for a servant , the ruler for a son , jairus for a daughter , the neighbours for the paralytick ; here he seeks up the patient , and offers the cure unrequested . whiles we have to doe with the father of mercies , our afflictions are the most powerful suitors . no teares , no prayers can move him so much as his own commiseration . o god , none of our secret sorrows can be either hid from thine eyes or kept from thine heart : and when we are past all our hopes , all possibilities of help , then art thou nearest to us for deliverance . here was a conspiration of all parts to mercy . the heart had compassion ; the mouth said , weep not ; the feet went to the bier ; the hand touched the coffin ; the power of the deity raised the dead . what the heart felt was secret to it self : the tongue therefore expresses it in words of comfort , weep not . alas ! what are words to so strong and just passions ? to bid her not to weep that had lost her only son , was to perswade her to be miserable , and not feel it ; to feel , and not regard it ; to regard , and yet to smother it . concealment doth not remedy , but aggravate sorrow . that with the counsel of not weeping therefore she might see cause of not weeping , his hand seconds his tongue . he arrests the coffin , and frees the prisoner ; young man , i say unto thee , arise . the lord of life and death speaks with command . no finite power could have said so without presumption , or with success . that is the voice that shall one day call up our vanished bodies from those elements into which they are resolved , and raise them out of their dust . neither sea , nor death , nor hell can offer to detain their dead , when he charges them to be delivered . incredulous nature ! what dost thou shrink at the possibility of a resurrection , when the god of nature undertakes it ? it is no more hard for that almighty word which gave being unto all things , to say , let them be repaired , then , let them be made . i do not see our saviour stretching himself upon the dead corps , as elias and elisha upon the sons of the sunamite and sareptan , nor kneeling down and praying by the bier , as peter did to dorcas ; but i hear him so speaking to the dead as if he were alive , and so speaking to the dead , that by the word he makes him alive , i say unto thee , arise . death hath no power to bid that man lye still , whom the son of god bids arise . immediatly he that was dead sate up . so at the sound of the last trumpet , by the power of the same voice we shall arise out of the dust , and stand up glorious : this mortall shall put on immortality ; this corruptible , incorruption . this body shall not be buried , but sown ; and at our day shall therefore spring up with a plentiful increase of glory . how comfortless , how desperate should be our lying down , if it were not for this assurance of rising ? and now , behold , lest our weak faith should stagger at the assent to so great a difficulty , he hath already , by what he hath done , given us tastes of what he will do . the power that can raise one man , can raise a thousand , a million , a world : no power can raise one man , but that which is infinite ; and that which is infinite admits of no limitation . under the old testament god raised one by elias , another by elisha living , a third by elisha dead : by the hand of the mediator of the new testament he raised here the son of the widow , the daughter of jairus , lazarus , and , in attendance of his own resurrection , he made a gaol-delivery of holy prisoners at jerusalem . he raises the daughter of jairus from her bed , this widows son from his coffin , lazarus from his grave , the dead saints of jerusalem from their rottenness ; that it might appear no degree of death can hinder the efficacie of his overruling command . he that keeps the keys of death cannot onely make way for himself through the common hall and outer-rooms , but through the inwardest and most reserved closets of darkness . methinks i see this young man , who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleep , wiping and rubbing those eyes that had been shut up in death ; and descending from the bier , wrapping his winding-sheet about his loyns , cast himself down in a passionate thankfulness at the feet of his almighty restorer , adoring that divine power which had commanded his soul back again to her forsaken lodging : and though i hear not what he said , yet i dare say they were words of praise and wonder which his returned soul first uttered . it was the mother whom our saviour pittied in this act , not the son ; ( who now forced from his quiet rest , must twice pass through the gates of death . ) as for her sake therefore he was raised , so to her hands was he delivered ; that she might acknowledge that soul given to her , not to the possessor . who cannot feel the amazement and ecstasie of joy that was in this revived mother , when her son now salutes her from out of another world , and both receives and gives gratulations of his new life ? how suddenly were all the tears of that mournful train dried up with a joyful astonishment ? how soon is that funeral banquet turned into a new birth-day feast ? what striving was here to salute the late carcase of their returned neighbour ? what awful and admiring looks were cast upon that lord of life , who seeming homely , was approved omnipotent ? how gladly did every tongue celebrate both the work and the author ? a great prophet is raised up amongst us , and god hath visited his people . a prophet was the highest name they could find for him , whom they saw like themselves in shape , above themselves in power . they were not yet acquainted with god manifested in the flesh . this miracle might well have assured them of more then a prophet : but he that raised the dead man from the bier , would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the grave of infidelity . they shall see reason enough to know that the prophet who was raised up to them was the god that now visited them , and at last should doe as much for them as he had done for the young man , raise them from death to life , from dust to glory . the rulers son cured . the bounty of god so exceedeth man's , that there is a contrarietie in the exercise of it : we shut our hands because we opened them ; god therefore opens his because he hath opened them . god's mercies are as comfortable in their issue as in themselves . seldom ever do blessings go alone : where our saviour supplied the bridegroom's wine , there he heals the rulers son . he had not in all these coasts of galilee done any miracle but here . to him that hath shall be given . we do not finde christ oft attended with nobilitie : here he is . it was some great peer , or some noted courtier that was now a suitor to him for his dying son . earthly greatness is no defence against afflictions . we men forbear the mightie : disease and death know no faces of lords or monarchs . could these be bribed , they would be too rich . why should we grudge not to be privileged , when we see there is no spare of the greatest ? this noble ruler listens after christ's return into galilee . the most eminent amongst men will be glad to hearken after christ in their necessity . happy was it for him that his son was sick ; he had not else been acquainted with his saviour , his soul had continued sick of ignorance and unbelief . why else doth our good god send us pain , losses , opposition , but that he may be sought to ? are we afflicted ? whither should we goe but to cana to seek christ ? whither but to the cana of heaven , where our water of sorrow is turned to the wine of gladness , to that omnipotent physician who healeth all our infirmities ; that we may once say , it is good for me that i was afflicted ? it was about a dayes journey from capernaum to cana : thence hither did this courtier come for the cure of his sons fever . what pains even the greatest can be content to take for bodily health ? no way is long , no labour tedious to the desirous . our souls are sick of a spiritual fever , labouring under the cold fit of infidelity , and the hot fit of self-love ; and we sit still at home , and see them languish unto death . this ruler was neither faithless nor faithful . had he been quite faithless , he had not taken such pains to come to christ . had he been faithful , he had not made this suit to christ when he was come , come down , and heal my son ere he die . come down ? as if christ could not have cured him absent . ere he die ? as if that power could not have raised him being dead . how much difference was here betwixt the centurion and the ruler ? that came for his servant , this for his son. this son was not more above the servant , then the faith which sued for the servant surpassed that which sued for the son . the one can say , master , come not under my roof , for i am not worthy ; onely speak the word , and my servant shall be whole . the other can say , master , either come under my roof , or my son cannot be whole . heal my son had been a good suit ; for christ is the onely physician for all diseases : but , come down and heal him , was to teach god how to work . it is good reason that he should challenge the right of prescribing to us , who are every way his own : it is presumption in us to stint him unto our forms . an expert workman cannot abide to be taught by a novice ; how much less shall the all-wise god endure to be directed by his creature ? this is more then if the patient should take upon him to give a recipe to the physician . that god would give us grace is a beseeming suit : but to say , give it me by prosperitie , is a sawcy motion . as there is faithfulness in desiring the end ; so modesty and patience in referring the means to the author . in spiritual things god hath acquainted us with the means whereby he will work , even his own sacred ordinances . upon these , because they have his own promise , we may call absolutely for a blessing : in all others there is no reason that beggers should be chusers . he who doth whatsoever he will , must doe it how he will. it is for us to receive , not to appoint . he who came to complain of his son's sickness , hears of his own ; except ye see signes and wonders , ye will not believe . this nobleman was ( as is like ) of capernaum : there had christ often preached ; there was one of his chief residencies . either this man had heard our saviour oft , or might have done : yet because christ's miracles came to him onely by hear-say ( for as yet we finde none at all wrought where he preached most ) therefore the man believes not enough ; but so speaks to christ as to some ordinary physician , come down and heal . it was the common disease of the jews , incredulity ; which no receit could heal but wonders . a wicked and adulterous generation seeks signes . had they not been wilfully graceless , there was already proof enough of the messias : the miraculous conception and life of the fore-runner , zacharie's dumbness , the attestation of angels , the apparition of the star , the journey of the sages , the vision of the shepherds , the testimonies of anna and simeon , the prophecies fulfilled , the voice from heaven at his baptisme , the divine words that he spake ; and yet they must have all made up with miracles : which though he be not unwilling to give at his own times , yet he thinks much to be tied unto at theirs . not to believe without signes , was a signe of stubborn hearts . it was a foul fault and a dangerous one , ye will not believe . what is it that shall condemn the world but unbelief ? what can condemn us without it ? no sin can condemn the repentant . repentance is a fruit of faith : where true faith is then , there can be no condemnation ; as there can be nothing but condemnation without it . how much more foul in a noble capernaite , that had heard the sermons of so divine a teacher ? the greater light we have , the more shame it is for us to stumble . oh what shall become of us that reel and fall in the clearest sun-shine that ever looked forth upon any church ? be merciful to our sins , o god , and say any thing of us rather then , ye will not believe . our saviour tels him of his unbelief . he feels not himself sick of that disease : all his minde is on his dying son . as easily do we complain of bodily griefs , as we are hardly affected with spiritual . oh the meekness and mercy of this lamb of god! when we would have look'd that he should have punished this suitor for not believing , he condescends to him that he may believe : go thy way , thy son liveth . if we should measure our hopes by our own worthiness , there were no exspectation of blessings : but if we shall measure them by his bounty and compassion , there can be no doubt of prevailing . as some tender mother that gives the breast to her unquiet childe in stead of the rod , so deals he with our perversnesses . how god differences men according to no other conditions then of their faith ! the centurion's servant was sick , the ruler's son . the centurion doth not sue unto christ to come ; onely sayes , my servant is sick of a palsie : christ answers him , i will come and heal him . the ruler sues unto christ that he would come and heal his son : christ will not goe ; onely sayes , goe thy way , thy son lives . outward things carrie no respect with god. the image of that divine majesty shining inwardly in the graces of the soul is that which wins love from him in the meanest estate . the centurion's faith therefore could doe more then the ruler's greatness ; and that faithful mans servant hath more regard then this great mans son . the ruler's request was , come and heale : christ's answer was , goe thy way , thy son lives . our merciful saviour meets those in the end whom he crosses in the way . how sweetly doth he correct our prayers , and whiles he doth not give us what we ask , gives us better then we asked ! justly doth he forbear to goe down with this ruler , lest he should confirm him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of locality and distance : but he doth that in absence for which his presence was required with a repulse , thy son liveth ; giving a greater demonstration of his omnipotencie then was craved . how oft doth he not hear to our will , that he may hear us to our advantage ? the chosen vessel would be rid of tentations , he heares of a supply of grace : the sick man asks release , receives patience ; life , and receives glory . let us ask what we think best : let him give what he knows best . with one word doth christ heal two patients , the son and the father ; the sons fever , the fathers unbelief . that operative word of our saviour was not without the intention of a tryal . had not the ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his sons life and recovery , neither of them had been blessed with success . now the news of performance meets him one half of the way : and he that believed somewhat ere he came , and more when he went , grew to more faith in the way ; and when he came home , inlarged his faith to all the skirts of his family . a weak faith may be true ; but a true faith is growing . he that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent , may presume , but doth not believe . great men cannot want clients ; their example swaies some , their authority more : they cannot goe to either of the other worlds alone . in vain do they pretend power over others , who labour not to draw their families unto god. the dumb devil ejected . that the prince of our peace might approve his victories perfect , wheresoever he met with the prince of darkness he foiled him , he ejected him . he found him in heaven ; thence did he throw him headlong ; and verified his prophet , i have cast thee out of mine holy mountain . and if the devils left their first habitation , it was because ( being devils ) they could not keep it . their estate indeed they might have kept , and did not ; their habitation they would have kept , and might not . how art thou faln from heaven , o lucifer ? he found him in the heart of man ; ( for in that closet of god did the evil spirit after his exile from heaven shrowd himself : sin gave him possession , which he kept with a willing violence ) thence he casts him by his word and spirit . he found him tyrannizing in the bodies of some possessed men , and with power commands the unclean spirits to depart . this act is for no hand but his . when a strong man keeps possession , none but a stronger can remove him . in voluntary things the strongest may yield to the weakest , sampson to a dalilah ; but in violent , ever the mightiest carries it . a spiritual nature must needs be in rank above a bodily : neither can any power be above a spirit , but the god of spirits . no otherwise is it in the mental possession , whereever sin is , there satan is : as on the contrary , whosoever is born of god , the seed of god remains in him . that evil one not onely is , but rules in the sons of disobedience : in vain shall we try to eject him , but by the divine power of the redeemer . for this cause the son of god was manifested , that he might destroy the works of the devil . do we finde our selves haunted with the familiar devils of pride , self-love , sensual desires , unbelief ? none but thou , o son of the ever-living god , can free our bosoms of these hellish guests . oh clense thou me from my secret sins , and keep me that presumptuous sins prevail not over me . o saviour , it is no paradox to say , that thou castest out more devils now then thou didst whiles thou wert upon earth . it was thy word , when i am lifted up , i will draw all men unto me . satan weighs down at the feet ; thou pullest at the head , yea at the heart . in every conversion which thou workest , there is a dispossession . convert me , o lord , and i shall be converted . i know thy means are now no other then ordinary . if we exspect to be dispossessed by miracle , it would be a miracle if ever we were dispossessed . oh let thy gospel have the perfect work in me ; so onely shall i be delivered from the powers of darkness . nothing can be said to be dumb , but what naturally speaks : nothing can speak naturally , but what hath the instruments of speech ; which because spirits want , they can no otherwise speak vocally then as they take voices to themselves , in taking bodies . this devil was not therefore dumb in his nature , but in his effect . the man was dumb by the operation of that devil which possessed him : and now the action is attributed to the spirit which was subjectively in the man. it is not you that speak , faith our saviour , but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you . as it is in bodily diseases , that they do not infect us alike ; some seize upon the humours , others upon the spirits ; some assalt the brain , others the heart or lungs : so in bodily and spiritual possessions ; in some the evil spirit takes away their senses , in some their lims , in some their inward faculties ; like as spiritually they affect to move us unto several sins , one to lust , another to covetousness , or ambition , another to cruelty : and their names have distinguished them according to these various effects . this was a dumb devil : which yet had possessed not the tongue only of this man , but his ear ; not that only , but ( as it seems ) his eyes too . o subtile and tyrannous spirit , that obstructs all wayes to the soul , that keeps out all means of grace both from the door and windows of the heart ; yea that stops up all passages whether of ingress or egress : of ingress at the eye or eare , of egress at the mouth , that there might be no capacity of redress ! what holy use is there of our tongue but to praise our maker , to confess our sins , to inform our brethren ? how rife is this dumb devil every where , whiles he stops the mouths of christians from these useful and necessary duties ? for what end hath man those two privileges above his fellow-creatures , reason and speech , but that as by the one he may conceive of the great works of his maker , which the rest cannot , so by the other he may express what he conceives to the honour of the creator both of them and himself ? and why are all other creatures said to praise god , and bidden to praise him , but because they do it by the apprehension , by the expression of man ? if the heavens declare the glory of god , how doe they it but to the eyes , and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made ? it is no small honour whereof the envious spirit shall rob his maker , if he can close up the mouth of his onely rational and vocal creature , and turn the best of his workmanship into a dumb idol , that hath a mouth and speaks not . lord , open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise . praise is not more necessary then complaint ; praise of god , then complaint of our selves , whether to god or men . the onely amends we can make to god , when we have not had the grace to avoid sinne , is to confess the sinne we have not avoided . this is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurs of our lives . if we confess our sinnes , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . that cunning man-slayer knows there is no way to purge the sick soul but upward , by casting out the vicious humour wherewith it is clogged ; and therefore holds the lips close , that the heart may not disburden it self by so wholesome evacuation . when i kept silence , my bones consumed : for day and night thy hand , o lord , was heavy upon me ; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer . o let me confess against my self my wickedness unto thee , that thou maist forgive the punishment of my sinne . we have a tongue for god , when we praise him ; for our selves , when we pray and confess ; for our brethren , when we speak the truth for their information ; which if we hold back in unrighteousness , we yield unto that dumb devil . where do we not see that accursed spirit ? he is on the bench , when the mute or partial judge speaks not for truth and innocence . he is in the pulpit , when the prophets of god smother , or halve , or adulterate the message of their master . he is at the barre , when irreligious jurours dare lend an oath to fear , to hope , to gain . he is in the market , when godless chapmen for their peny sell the truth and their soul . he is in the common conversation of men , when the tongue belies the heart , flatters the guilty , balketh reproofs even in the foulest crimes . o thou who onely art stronger then that strong one , cast him out of the hearts and mouths of men . it is time for thee , lord , to work , for they have destroyed thy law. that it might well appear this impediment was not natural ; so soon as the man is freed from the spirit , his tongue is free to his speech . the effects of spirits as they are wrought , so they cease at once . if the son of god do but remove our spiritual possession , we shall presently break forth into the praise of god , into the confession of our vileness , into the profession of truth . but what strange variety do i see in the spectators of his miracle , some wondring , others censuring , a third sort tempting , a fourth applauding ? there was never man or action but was subject to variety of constructions . what man could be so holy as he that was god ? what act could be more worthy then the dispossessing of an evil spirit ? yet this man , this act passeth these differences of interpretation . what can we doe to undergoe but one opinion ? if we give almes and fast , some will magnifie our charity and devotion , others will tax our hypocrisie : if we give not , some will condemn our hard-heartedness , others will allow our care of justice . if we preach plainly , to some it will favour of a careless slubbering , to others oft a mortified sincerity ; elaborately , some will tax our affectation , others will applaud our diligence in dressing the delicate viands of god. what marvel is it if it be thus with our imperfection , when it fared not otherwise with him that was purity and righteousness it self ? the austere forerunner of christ came neither eating nor drinking ; they say , he hath a devil : the son of man came eating and drinking ; they say , this man is a glutton , a friend of publicans and sinners : and here one of his holy acts carries away at once wonder , censure , doubt , celebration . there is no way safe for a man but to square his actions by the right rule of justice , of charity ; and then let the world have leave to spend their glosses at pleasure . it was an heroical resolution of the chosen vessel , i pass very little to be judged of you , or of mans day . i marvel not if the people marvelled ; for here were four wonders in one : the blind saw , the deaf heard , the dumb spake , the demoniack is delivered . wonder was due to so rare and powerful a work , and if not this , nothing . we can cast away admiration upon the poor devices or activities of men ; how much more upon the extraordinary works of omnipotency ? whoso knows the frame of heaven and earth , shall not much be affected with the imperfect effects of frail humanity ; but shall with no less ravishment of soul acknowledge the miraculous works of the same almighty hand . neither is the spiritual ejection worthy of any meaner entertainment . rarity and difficulty are wont to cause wonder . there are many things which have wonder in their worth , and lose it in their frequence ; there are some which have it in their strangeness , and lose it in their facilitie : both meet in this . to see men haunted , yea possessed with a dumb devil , is so frequent , that it is a just wonder to finde a man free : but to finde the dumb spirit cast out of a man , and to hear him praising god , confessing his sins , teaching others the sweet experiments of mercy , deserves just admiration . if the cynick sought in the market for a man amongst men , well may we seek amongst men for a convert . neither is the difficulty less then the rareness . the strong man hath the possession ; all passages are block'd up , all helps barred , by the treachery of our nature . if any soul be rescued from these spiritual wickednesses , it is the praise of him that doth wonders alone . but whom do i see wondring ? the multitude . the unlearned beholders follow that act with wonder , which the learned scribes entertain with obloquy . god hath revealed those things to babes which he hath hid from the wise and prudent . with what scorn did those great rabbins speak of these sons of the earth , this people that knows not the law is accursed ? yet the mercy of god makes an advantage of their simplicity ; in that they are therefore less subject to cavillation and incredulitie : as contrarily , his justice causes the proud knowledge of others to lie as a block in their way to the ready assent unto the divine power of the messias . let the pride of glorious adversaries disdain the povertie of the clients of the gospel : it shall not repent us to go to heaven with the vulgar , whiles their great ones go in state to perdition . the multitude wondered . who censured but scribes , great doctors of the law , of the divinitie of the jews ? what scribes but those of jerusalem , the most eminent academie of judaea ? these were the men who out of their deep reputed judgement cast these foul aspersions upon christ . great wits ofttimes mislead both the owners and followers . how many shall once wish they had been born dullards , yea idiots , when they shall finde their wit to have barred them out of heaven ? where is the scribe ? where is the disputer of this world ? hath not god made the wisdome of the world foolishness ? say the world what it will , a dram of holiness is worth a pound of wit. let others censure with the scribes : let me wonder with the multitude . what could malice say worse ? he casteth out devils through beelzebub the prince of devils . the jewes well knew that the gods of the heathen were no other then devils ; amongst whom for that the lord of flies ( so called , whether for the concourse of flies to the abundance of his sacrifices , or for his aid implored against the infestation of those swarms ) was held the chief , therefore they stile him the prince of devils . there is a subordination of spirits , some higher in degree , some inferiour to others . our saviour himself tells us of the devil and his angels . messengers are inferiour to those that send them . the seven devils that entered into the swept and garnished house , were worse then the former . neither can principalities , and powers , and governours , and princes of the darkness of this world , design others then several ranks of evil angels . there can be no being without some kind of order ; there can be no order in parity . if we look up into heaven , there is the king of gods , the lord of lords ; higher then the highest . if to the earth , there are monarchs , kings , princes , peeres , people . if we look down to hell , there is the prince of devils . they labour for confusion that call for parity . what should the church doe with such a for me as is not exempliied in heaven , in earth , in hell ? one devil ( according to their supposition ) may be used to cast out another . how far the command of one spirit over another may extend , it is a secret of infernal state , too deep for the inquiry of men . the thing it self is apparent ; upon compact and precontracted composition , one gives way to other for the common advantage . as we see in the common-wealth of cheaters and cut-purses , one doth the fact , another is feed to bring it out and to procure restitution : both are of the trade , both conspire to the fraud ; the actor falls not out with the revealer , but divides with him that cunning spoil . one malicious miscreant sets the devil on work to the inflicting of disease or death ; another upon agreement , for a further spiritual gain , takes him off : there is a devil in both . and if there seem more bodily favour , there is no less spiritual danger in the latter : in the one satan wins the agent , the suitor in the other . it will be no cause of discord in hell , that one devil gives ease to the body which another tormented , that both may triumph in the gain of a soul. oh god , that any creature which bears thine image should not abhorre to be beholding to the powers of hell for aid , for advice ! is is not because there is not a god in israel , that men goe to inquire of the god of ekron ? can men be so sottish to think that the vowed enemie of their souls can offer them a bait without an hook ? what evil is there in the city which the lord hath not done ? what is there which he cannot as easily redress ? he wounds , he heals again . and if he will not , it is the lord , let him doe what seems good in his eyes . if he do not deliver us , he will crown our faithfulness in a patient perseverance . the wounds of god are better then the salves of satan . was it possible that the wit of envy could devise so high a slander ? beelzebub was a god of the heathen , therefore herein they accuse him for an idolater : beelzebub was a devil to the jewes , therefore they accuse him for a conjurer : beelzebub was the chief of devils , therefore they accuse him for on arch-exorcist , for the worst kinde of magician . some professors of this black art , though their work be devilish , yet they pretend to doe it in the name of jesus , and will presumptuously seem to doe that by command which is secretly transacted by agreement . the scribes accuse christ of a direct compact with the devil , and suppose both a league and familiarity , which by the law of moses ( in the very hand of a saul ) was no other then deadly . yea so deep doth this wound reach , that our saviour searching it to the bottome , findes no less in it then the sin against the holy ghost ; inferring hereupon that dreadful sentence of the irremissibleness of that sin unto death . and if this horrible crimination were cast upon thee , o saviour , in whom the prince of this world found nothing , what wonder is it if we thy sinful servants be branded on all sides with evil tongues ? yea ( which is yet more ) how plain is it that these men forced their tongue to speak this slander against their own heart ? else this blasphemy had been onely against the son of man , not against the holy ghost : but now that the searcher of hearts findes it to be no less then against the blessed spirit of god , the spight must needs be obstinate ; their malice doth wilfully cross their conscience . envie never regards how true , but how mischievous : so it may gall or kill , it cares little whether with truth or falshood . for us , blessed are we when men revile us , and say all manner of evil of us , for the name of chirst . for them , what reward shall be given to thee , thou false tongue ? even sharp arrows with hot burning coales ; yea those very coales of hell from which thou wert inkindled . there was yet a third sort that went a mid-way betwixt wonder and censure . these were not so malicious as to impute the miracle to a satanical operation ; they confess it good , but not enough ; and therefore urge christ to a further proof : though thou hast cast out this dumb devil , yet this is no sufficient argument of thy divine power . we have yet seen nothing from thee like those antient miracles of the times of our fore-fathers . joshuah caused the sun to stand still ; elias brought fire down from heaven ; samuel astonish'd the people with thunder and rain in the midst of harvest : if thou wouldst command our belief , doe somewhat like to these . the casting out of a devil shews thee to have some power over hell ; shew us now that thou hast no less power over heaven . there is a kinde of unreasonableness of desire and insatiableness in infidelity ; it never knows when it hath evidence enough . this which the jews overlooked , was a more irrefragable demonstration of divinity then that which they desired . a devil was more then a meteor , or a parcel of an element ; to cast out a devil by command , more then to command fire from heaven . infidelity ever loves to be her own carver . no son can be more like a father then these jews to their progenitours in the desart : that there might be no fear of degenerating into good , they also of old tempted god in the wilderness . first , they are weary of the egyptian bondage , and are ready to fall out with god and moses for their stay in those fornaces . by ten miraculous plagues they are freed : and going out of those confines , the egyptians follow them ; the sea is before them : now they are more afflicted with their liberty then their servitude . the sea yields way , the egyptians are drowned : and now that they are safe on the other shore , they tempt the providence of god for water . the rock yields it them : then , no less for bread and meat . god sends them manna and quailes : they cry out of the food of angels . their present enemies in the way are vanquished : they whine at the men of measures in the heart of canaan . nothing from god but mercy ; nothing from them but temptations . their true brood both in nature and in sin had abundant proofs of the messiah ; if curing the blinde , lame , diseased , deaf , dumb , ejecting devils , over-ruling the elements , raising the dead , could have been sufficient : yet still they must have a signe from heaven , and shut up in the stile of the tempter , if thou be the christ . the gracious heart is credulous : even where it sees not , it believes ; and where it sees but a little , it believes a great deal . neither doth it presume to prescribe unto god what and how he shall work , but takes what it finds , and unmovably rests in what it takes . any miracle , no miracle serves enough for their assent who have built their faith upon the gospel of the lord jesus . matthew called . the number of the apostles was not yet full : one room is left void for a future occupant . who can but expect that it is reserved for some eminent person ? and behold matthew the publican is the man. oh the strange election of christ ! those other disciples whose calling is recorded , were from the fisher-boat ; this from the toll-booth : they were unlettered , this infamous . the condition was not in it self sinfull : but as the taxes which the romans imposed on god's free people were odious , so the collectors , the farmers of them abominable . besides that it was hard to hold that seat without oppression , without exaction . one that best knew it branded it with poling and sycophancy . and now behold a griping publican called to the family , to the apostleship , to the secretaryship of god. who can despair in the conscience of his unworthiness , when he sees this pattern of the free bounty of him that calleth us ? merits do not carry it in the gracious election of god , but his mere favour . there sate matthew the publican busie in his counting-house , reckoning up the sums of his rentals , taking up his arrerages , and wrangling for denied duties , and did so little think of a saviour , that he did not so much as look at his passage : but jesus , as he passed by , saw a man sitting at the receit of custome , named matthew . as if this prospect had been sudden and casual , jesus saw him in passing by . o saviour , before the world was thou sawest that man sitting there ; thou sawest thine own passage ; thou sawest his call in thy passage : and now thou goest purposely that way that thou mightest see and call . nothing can be hid from that piercing eye , one glance whereof hath discerned a disciple in the cloaths of a publican . that habit , that shop of extortion cannot conceal from thee a vessel of election . in all forms thou knowest thine own ; and in thine own time shalt fetch them out of the disguises of their soul sins or unfit conditions . what sawest thou , o saviour , in that publican that might either allure thine eye , or not offend it ? what but an hateful trade , an evil eye , a gripple hand , bloudy tables , heaps of spoil ? yet now thou saidest , follow me . thou that saidst once to jerusalem , thy birth and nativity is of the land of canaan : thy father was an amorite , thy mother an hittite : thy navel was not cut , neither wert thou washed in water to supple thee ; thou wast not salted at all , thou wast not swadled at all : none eye pitied thee , but thou wast cast out in the open fields , to the loathing of thy person , in the day that thou wast born . and when i passed by thee , and saw thee polluted in thine own blood , i said unto thee , live , yea , i said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood , live : now also , when thou passedst by , and sawest matthew sitting at the receit of custome , saidst to him , follow me . the life of this publican was so much worse then the birth of that forlorn amorite , as follow me was more then live. what canst thou see in us , o god , but ugly deformities , horrible sins , despicable miseries ? yet doth it please thy mercy to say unto us , both live , and , follow me . the just man is the first accuser of himself : whom do we hear to blazon the shame of matthew but his own mouth ? matthew the evangelist tels us of matthew the publican . his fellows call him levi , as willing to lay their finger upon the spot of his unpleasing profession : himself will not smother nor blanch it a whit , but publishes it to all the world in a thankful recognition of the mercy that called him ; as liking well that his baseness should serve for a fit foile to set off the glorious lustre of his grace by whom he was elected . what matters it how vile we are , o god , so thy glory may arise in our abasement ? that word was enough , follow me ; spoken by the same tongue that said to the corps at nain , young man , i say to thee , arise . he that said at first , let there be light , sayes now , follow me . that power sweetly inclines which could forcibly command : the force is not more unresistible then the inclination . when the sun shines upon the ice-icles , can they chuse but melt and fall ? when it looks into a dungeon , can the place chuse but be enlightned ? do we see the jet drawing up straws to it , the load-stone iron , and do we marvel if the omnipotent saviour , by the influence of his grace , attract the heart of a publican ? he arose and followed him . we are all naturally averse from thee , o god : do thou but bid us follow thee , draw us by thy powerful word , and we shall run after thee . alas ! thou speakest , and we sit still : thou speakest by thine outward word to our eare , and we stir not . speak thou by the secret and effectual word of thy spirit to our heart ; the world cannot hold us down , satan cannot stop our way , we shall arise and follow thee . it was not a more busie then gainful trade that matthew abandoned to follow christ into poverty : and now he cast away his counters , and struck his tallies , and crossed his books , and contemned his heaps of cash in comparison of that better treasure which he foresaw lye open in that happy attendance . if any commodity be valued of us too dear to be parted with for christ , we are more fit to be publicans then disciples . our saviour invites matthew to a discipleship ; matthew invites him to a feast . the joy of his call makes him begin his abdication of the world in a banquet . here was not a more chearful thankfulness in the inviter , then a gracious humility in the guest . the new servant bids his master , the publican his saviour ; and is honoured with so blessed a presence . i do not finde where jesus was ever bidden to any table and refused . if a pharisee , if a publican invited him , he made not dainty to goe . not for the pleasure of the dishes ; what was that to him , who began his work in a whole lent of dayes ? but ( as it was his meat and drink to doe the will of his father ) for the benefit of so winning a conversation . if he sate with sinners , he converted them ; if with converts , he confirmed and instructed them ; if with the poor , he fed them ; if with the rich in substance , he made them richer in grace . at whose board did he ever sit , and left not his host a gainer ? the poor bridegroom entertains him , and hath his water-pots fill'd with wine . simon the pharisee entertains him , and hath his table honoured with the publick remission of a penitent sinner , with the heavenly doctrine of remission . zachaeus entertains him ; salvation came that day to his house , with the author of it . that presence made the publican a son of abraham . matthew is recompensed for his feast with an apostleship . martha and mary entertain him , and besides divine instruction receive their brother from the dead . o saviour , whether thou feast us or we feast thee , in both of them is blessedness . where a publican is the feast-master , it is no marvel if the guests be publicans and sinners . whether they came alone out of the hope of that mercy which they saw their fellow had found ; or whether matthew invited them to be partners of that plentiful grace whereof he had tasted , i inquire not . publicans and sinners will flock together ; the one hateful for their trade , the other for their vicious life . common contempt hath wrought them to an unanimity , and sends them to seek mutual comfort in that society which all others held loathsome and contagious . moderate correction humbleth and shameth the offender : whereas a cruel severity makes men desperate , and drives them to those courses whereby they are more dangerously infected . how many have gone into the prison faulty , and returned flagitious ? if publicans were not sinners , they were no whit beholden to their neighbours . what a table-full was here ? the son of god beset with publicans and sinners . o happy publicans and sinners , that had found out their saviour ! o merciful saviour , that disdained not publicans and sinners ! what sinner can fear to kneel before thee , when he sees publicans and sinners sit with thee ? who can fear to be despised of thy meekness and mercy , which didst not abhorre to converse with the outcasts of men ? thou didst not despise the thief confessing upon the cross , nor the sinner weeping upon thy feet , nor the canaanite crying to thee in the way , nor the blushing adulteress , nor the odious publican , nor the forswearing disciple , nor the persecutor of disciples , nor thine own executioners : how can we be unwelcome to thee , if we come with tears in our eyes , faith in our hearts , restitution in our hands ? o saviour , our breasts are too oft shut upon thee ; thy bosome is ever open to us . we are as great sinners as the consorts of these publicans ; why should we despair of a room at thy table ? the squint-eyed pharisees look a-cross at all the actions of christ : where they should have admired his mercy , they cavil at his holinesle ; they said to his disciples , why eateth your master with publicans and sinners ? they durst not say thus to the master , whose answer ( they knew ) would soon have convinced them : this winde ( they hoped ) might shake the weak faith of the disciples . they speak where they may be most likely to hurt . all the crue of satanical instruments have learnt this craft of their old tutor in paradise . we cannot reverence that man whom we think unholy . christ had lost the hearts of his followers , if they had entertained the least suspicion of his impurity ; which the murmure of these envious pharisees . would fain insinuate : he cannot be worthy to be followed that is unclean ; he cannot but be unclean that eateth with publicans and sinners . proud and foolish pharisees ! ye fast whiles christ eateth ; ye fast in your houses whiles christ eateth in other mens ; ye fast with your own whiles christ feasts with sinners : but if ye fast in pride , while christ eats in humility ; if ye fast at home for merit or popularity , while christ feasts with sinners for compassion , for edification , for conversion , your fast is unclean , his feast is holy : ye shall have your portion with hypocrites , when those publicans and sinners shall be glorious . when these censurers thought the disciples had offended , they speak not to them but to their master , why doe thy disciples that which is not lawfull ? now , when they thought christ offended , they speak not to him , but to the disciples . thus , like true make-bates , they goe about to make a breach in the family of christ , by setting off the one from the other . the quick eye of our saviour hath soon espied the pack of their fraud , and therefore he takes the words out of the mouthes of his disciples , into his own . they had spoke of christ to the disciples : christ answers for the disciples concerning himself , the whole need not the physician , but the sick . according to the two qualities of pride , scorn and over-weening , these insolent pharisees over-rated their own holinesse , contemned the noted unholinesse of others : as if themselves were not tainted with secret sins , as if others could not be cleansed by repentance . the searcher of hearts meets with their arrogance , and findes those justiciaries sinfull , those sinners just . the spiritual physician findes the sicknesse of those sinners wholsome , the health of those pharisees desperate : that wholsome , because it calls for the help of the physician ; this desperate , because it needs not . every soul is sick ; those most that feel it not . those that feel it , complain ; those that complain , have cure : those that feel it not , shall finde themselves dying ere they can wish to recover . o blessed physician , by whose stripes we are healed , by whose death we live , happy are they that are under thy hands , sick , as of sin , so of sorrow for sin . it is as unpossible they should die , as it is unpossible for thee to want either skill , or power , or mercy . sin hath made us sick unto death : make thou us but as sick of our sins , we are as safe as thou art gracious . christ among the gergesens ; or legion , and the gadarene herd . i do not any where finde so furious a demoniack as amongst the gergesens : satan is most tyrannous where he is obeyed most , christ no sooner sailed over the lake , then he was met with two possessed gadarenes : the extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other . yet in the midst of all that cruelty of the evil spirit , there was sometimes a remission , if not an intermission of vexation . if oft-times satan caught him , then sometimes in the same violence he caught him not . it was no thank to that malignant one , who as he was indefatigable in his executions , so unmeasurable in his malice ; but to the mercifull over-ruling of god , who in a gracious respect to the weakness of his poor creatures , limits the spightfull attempts of that immortal enemy , and takes off this mastive , whiles we may take breath . he who in his justice gives way to some onsets of satan , in his mercy restrains them : so regarding our deservings , that withall he regards our strength . if way should be given to that malicious spirit , we could not subsist : no violent thing can endure ; and if satan might have his will , we should no moment be free . he can be no more weary of doing evil to us , then god is of doing good . are we therefore preserved from the malignity of these powers of darkness ? blessed be our strong helper , that hath not given us over to be a prey unto their teeth . or if some scope have been given to that envious one to afflict us , hath it been with favourable limitations , it is thine only mercy , o god , that hath chained and muzled up this band-dog , so as that he may scratch us with his paws , but cannot pierce us with his fangs . far , far is this from our deserts , who had too well merited a just abdication from thy favour and protection , and an interminable seisure by satan both in soul and body . neither do i here see more matter of thanks to our god , for our immunity from the external injuries of satan , then occasion of serious inquiry into his power over us for the spiritual . i see some that think themselves safe from this ghostly tyranny , because they sometimes finde themselves in good moods , free from the suggestions of gross sins , much more from the commission . vain men , that feed themselves with so false and frivolous comforts ! will they not see satan , through the just permission of god , the same to the soul in mental possessions , that he is to the body in corporal ? the worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites ; not ever tortured , not ever furious : betwixt whiles he might look soberly , talk sensibly , move regularly . it is a wofull comfort that we sin not alwaies . there is no master so barbarous as to require of his slave a perpetual unintermitted toyle ; yet , though he sometimes eat , sleep , rest , he is a vassal still . if that wicked one have drawn us to a customary perpetration of evil , and have wrought us to a frequent iteration of the same sin , this is gage enough for our servitude , matter enough for his tyranny and insultation . he that would be our tormenter alwaies , cares onely to be sometimes our tempter . the possessed is bound , as with the invisible fetters of satan , so with the material chains of the inhabitants . what can bodily forces prevail against a spirit ? yet they endeavour this restraint of the man , whether out of charity or justice : charity , that he might not hurt himself ; justice , that he might not hurt others . none do so much befriend the demoniack as those that binde him . neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled : for though this act of the enemy be plausible , and to appearance pleasant , yet there is more danger in this dear and smiling tyranny . two sorts of chains are fit for outragious sinners ; good laws , unpartiall executions ; that they may not hurt , that they may not be hurt to eternal death . these iron chains are no sooner fast then broken . there was more then an humane power in this disruption . it is not hard to conceive the utmost of nature in this kinde of actions . sampson doth not break the cords and ropes like a threed of towe , but god by sampson . the man doth not break these chains , but the spirit . how strong is the arm of these evil angels ! how far transcending the ordinary course of nature ! they are not called powers for nothing . what flesh & blood could but tremble at the palpable inequality of this match ! if herein the mercifull protection of our god did not the rather magnifie it self , that so much strength met with so much malice hath not prevailed against us . in spight of both we are in safe hands . he that so easily brake the iron fetters , can never break the adamantine chain of our faith. in vain do the chafing billows of hell beat upon that rock whereon we are built . and though these brittle chains of earthly metall be easily broken by him , yet the sure-tempered chain of god's eternal decree he can never break : that almighty arbiter of heaven and earth and hell hath chained him up in the bottomlesse pit , and hath so restrained his malice , that ( but for our good ) we cannot be tempted ; we cannot be foiled , but for a glorious victory . alas ! it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed . the chains of restraint are commonly broken by the fury of wickedness . what are the respects of civility , fear of god , fear of men , wholsome laws , carefull executions , to the desperately licentious , but as cobwebs to an hornet ? let these wilde demoniacks know that god hath provided chains for them that will hold , even everlasting chains under darkness . these are such as must hold the devils themselves ( their masters ) unto the judgment of the great day ; how much more those impotent vassals ? oh that men would suffer themselves to be bound to their good behaviour , by the sweet and easie recognizances of their duty to their god , and the care of their own souls , that so they might rather be bound up in the bundle of life . it was not for rest that these chains were torn off , but for more motion . this prisoner runs away from his friends , he cannot run away from his jaylor . he is now carried into the wildernesse ; not by mere external force , but by internal impulsion : carried by the same power that unbound him , for the opportunity of his tyranny , for the horrour of the place , for the affamishment of his body , for the avoidance of all means of resistance . solitary desarts are the delights of satan . it is an unwise zeal that moves us to doe that to our selves in an opinion of merit and holinesse , which the devil wishes to doe to us for a punishment , and conveniency of tentation . the evil spirit is for solitarinesse : god is for society ; he dwels in the assembly of his saints , yea there he hath a delight to dwell . why should not we account it our happinesse that we may have leave to dwell where the author of all happinesse loves to dwell ? there cannot be any misery incident unto us , whereof our gracious redeemer is not both conscious and sensible . without any intreaty therefore of the miserable demoniack , or suit of any friend , the god of spirits takes pity of his distresse ; and from no motion but his own , commands the evil spirit to come out of the man. oh admirable precedent of mercy , preventing our requests , exceeding our thoughts , forcing favours upon our impotence , doing that for us which we should , and yet cannot desire ! if men upon our instant solicitations would give us their best aide , it were a just praise of their bounty : but it well became thee , o god of mercy , to goe without force , to give without suit . and do we think thy goodness is impaired by thy glory ? if thou wert thus commiserative upon earth , art thou lesse in heaven ? how dost thou now take notice of all our complaints , of all our infirmities ? how doth thine infinite pity take order to redress them ? what evil can befall us which thou knowest not , feelest not , relievest not ? how safe are we that have such a guardian , such a mediator in heaven ? not long before had our saviour commanded the windes and waters , and they could not but obey him : now he speaks in the same language to the evil spirit : he intreats not , he perswades not ; he commands . command argues superiority . he only is infinitely stronger then the strong one in possession . else , where powers are matcht , though with some inequality , they tugge for the victory , and without resistance yield nothing . there are no fewer sorts of 〈◊〉 with satan then with men . some have dealt with him by suit , as the old satanian hereticks , and the present indian savages , sacrificing to him that he hurt not : others by covenant , conditioning their service upon his assistance , as witches and magicians : others by insinuation of implicite compact , as charmers and figure-casters : others by adjuration , as the sons of scaeva and modern exorcists , unwarrantably charging him by an higher name then their own . none ever offered to deal with satan by a direct and primary command but the god of spirits . the great archangel , when the strife was about the body of moses , commanded not , but imprecated rather , the lord rebuke thee , satan . it is only the god that made this spirit an angel of light , that can command him now that he hath made himself the prince of darkness . if any created power dare to usurp a word of command , he laughs at their presumption ; and knows them his vassals , whom he dissembles to fear as his lords . it is thou only , o saviour , at whose beck those stubborn principalities of hell yield and tremble . no wicked man can be so much a slave to satan , as satan is to thee . the interposition of thy grace may defeat that dominion of satan : thy rule is absolute , and capable of no lett . what need we to fear , whiles we are under so omnipotent a commander ? the waves of the deep rage horribly ; yet the lord is stronger then they . let those principalities and powers doe their worst : those mighty adversaries are under the command of him who loved us so well as to bleed for us . what can we now doubt of ? his power , or his will ? how can we professe him a god , and doubt of his power ? how can we professe him a saviour , and doubt of his will ? he both can and will command those infernal powers . we are no lesse safe then they are malicious . the devil saw jesus by the eyes of the demoniack : for the same saw that spake : but it was the ill spirit that said , i besecch thee torment me not . it was sore against his will that he saw so dreadfull an object . the over-ruling power of christ dragged the soul spirit into his presence . guiltiness would fain keep out of sight . the limmes of so wofull an head shall once call on the hills and rocks to hide them from the face of the lamb : such lion-like terrour is in that milde face , when it looks upon wickedness . neither shall it be one day the least part of the torment of the damned , to see the most lovely spectacle that heaven can afford . he from whom they fled in his offers of grace , shall be so much more terrible , as he was and is more gracious . i marvel not therefore that the devil , when he saw jesus , cried out . i could marvell that he fell down , that he worshipped him . that which the proud spirit would have had christ to have done to him in his great duell , the same he now doth unto christ , fearfully , servilely , forcedly . who shall henceforth brag of the external homage he performs to the son of god , when he sees satan himself fall down and worship ? what comfort can there be in that which is common to us with devils ; who as they believe and tremble , so they tremble and worship ? the outward bowing is the body of the action ; the disposition of the soul is the soul of it : therein lies the difference from the counterfeit stoopings of wicked men and spirits . the religious heart serves the lord in fear , and rejoices in him with trembling . what it doth is in way of service : in service to his lord , whose soveraignty is his comfort and protection : in the fear of a son , not of a slave ; in fear tempered with joy ; in a joy , but allayed with trembling : whereas the prostration of wicked men and devils is only an act of form , or of force ; as to their judge , as to their tormentor , not as to their lord ; in mere servility , not in reverence ; in an uncomfortable dulness , without all delight ; in a perfect horror , without capacity of joy . these worship without thanks , because they fall down without the true affections of worship . whoso marvels to see the devil upon his knees , would much more marvel to hear what came from his mouth , jesu , the son of the most high god. a confession , which if we should hear without the name of the author , we should ask from what saint it came . behold the same name given to christ by the devil , which was formerly given him by the angel , thou shalt call his name jesus . that awfull name whereat every knee shall bow , in heaven , in earth and under the earth , is called upon by this prostrate devil . and lest that should not import enough , ( since others have been honoured by this name in type , ) he addes for full distinction , the son of the most high god. the good syrophenician and blind bartimaeus could say , the son of david . it was well to acknowledge the true descent of his pedigree according to the flesh : but this infernall spirit looks aloft , and fetcheth his line out of the highest heavens , the son of the most high god. the famous confession of the prime apostle ( which honoured him with a new name to immortality , ) was no other then , thou art the christ , the son of the living god : and what other do i hear from the lips of a fiend ? none more divine words could fall from the highest saint . nothing hinders but that the veriest miscreant on earth , yea the foulest devil in hell , may speak holily . it is no passing of judgment upon loose sentences . so peter should have been cast for a satan , in denying , forswearing , cursing ; and the devil should have been set up for a saint , in confessing jesus the son of the most high god. fond hypocrite , that pleasest thy self in talking well , heare this devil ; and when thou canst speak better then he , look to fare better : but in the mean time know , that a smooth tongue and a foul heart carries away double judgments . let curious heads dispute whether the devil knew christ to be god. in this i dare believe himself , though in nothing else : he knew what he believed , what he believed that he confessed , jesus the son of the most high god. to the confusion of those semi-christians , that have either held doubtfully , or ignorantly mis-known , or blasphemously denied what the very devils have professed . how little can a bare speculation avail us in these cases of divinity ? so far this devil hath attained , to no ease , no comfort . knowledge alone doth but puffe up ; it is our love that edifies . if there be not a sense of our sure interest in this jesus , a power to apply his merits and obedience , we are no whit the safer , no whit the better ; only we are so much the wiser , to understand who shall condemn us . this piece of the clause was spoken like a saint , jesus , the son of the most high god : the other piece like a devil , what have i to doe with thee ? if the disclamation were universall , the latter words would impugne the former : for whiles he confesses jesus to be the son of the most high god , he withall confesses his own inevitable subjection . wherefore would he beseech , if he were not obnoxious ? he cannot , he dare not say , what hast thou to doe with me ? but , what have i to doe with thee ? others indeed i have vexed , thee i fear . in respect then of any violence , of any personal provocation , what have i to doe with thee ? and dost thou ask , o thou evil spirit ? what hast thou to doe with christ , whiles thou vexest a servant of christ ? hast thou thy name from knowledge , and yet so mistakest him whom thou confessest , as if nothing could be done to him but what immediately concerns his own person ? hear that great and just judge sentencing upon his dreadfull tribunal ; inasmuch as thou didst it unto one of these little ones , thou didst it unto me . it is an idle misprision to sever the sense of an injury done to any of the members from the head. he that had humility enough to kneel to the son of god , hath boldnesse enough to expostulate , art thou come to torment us before our time ? whether it were that satan , who useth to enjoy the torment of sinners , whose musick it is to hear our shrieks and gnashings , held it no small piece of his torment to be restrained in the exercise of his tyranny : or whether the very presence of christ were his rack ; for the guilty spirit projecteth terrible things , and cannot behold the judge or the executioner without a renovation of horrour : or whether that ( as himself professeth ) he were now in a fearfull expectation of being commanded down into the deep , for a further degree of actual torment , which he thus deprecates . there are tortures appointed to the very spiritual natures of evil angels . men that are led by sense , have easily granted the body subject to torment , who yet have not so readily conceived this incident to a spiritual substance . the holy ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint us with the particular manner of these invisible acts , rather willing that we should herein fear then enquire . but as all matters of faith , though they cannot be proved by reason , ( for that they are in a higher sphere ) yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of all reason that dares bark against them , ( since truth cannot be opposite to it self ; ) so this of the sufferings of spirits . there is therefore both an intentional torment incident to spirits , and a reall . for , as in blessedness the good spirits finde themselves joyned unto the chief good ; and hereupon feel a perfect love of god , and unspeakable joy in him , and rest in themselves : so contrarily , the evil spirits perceive themselves eternally excluded from the presence of god , and see themselves setled in a wofull darkness ; and from the sense of this separation arises an horrour not to be expressed , not to be conceived . how many men have we known to torment themselves with their own thoughts ? there needs no other gibbet then that which their troubled spirit hath erected in their own heart . and if some pains begin at the body , and from thence afflict the soul in a copartnership of grief ; yet others arise immediately from the soul , and draw the body into a participation of misery . why may we not therefore conceive mere and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation ? besides which , i hear the judge of men and angels say , goe ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the devil and his angels : i hear the prophet say , tophet is prepared of old . if with fear and without curiosity we may look upon those flames , why may we not attribute a spiritual nature to that more then natural fire ? in the end of the world the elements shall be dissolved by fire : and if the pure quintessential matter of the skie , and the element of fire it self shall be dissolved by fire , then that last fire shall be of another nature then that which it consumeth . what hinders then but that the omnipotent god hath from eternity created a fire of another nature proportionable even to spiritual essences ? or why may we not distinguish of fire , as it is it self , a bodily creature ; and as it is an instrument of gods justice , so working not by any material virtue or power of its own , but by a certain height of supernatural efficacy , to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous judge ? or lastly , why may we not conceive that though spirits have nothing material in their nature which that fire should work upon , yet by the judgement of the almighty arbiter of the world , justly willing their torment , they may be made most sensible of pain , and , by the obedible submission of their created nature , wrought upon immediately by their appointed tortures ; besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are everlastingly confined ? for if the incorporeal spirits of living men may be held in a lothed or painful body , and conceive sorrow to be so imprisoned ; why may we not as easily yield that the evil spirits of angels or men may be held in those direfull flames , and much more abhor therein to continue for ever ? tremble rather , o my soul , at the thought of this wofull condition of the evil angels ; who , for one onely act of apostasie from god , are thus perpetually tormented : whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the majesty of our god. and withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man , which after this holy severity of justice to the revolted angels , so graciously forbears our hainous iniquities , and both suffers us to be free for the time from these hellish torments , and gives us opportunity of a perfect freedome from them for ever . praise the lord , o my soul , and all that is within me praise his holy name , who forgiveth all thy sins , and healeth all thine infirmities ; who redeemeth thy life from destruction , and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions . there is no time wherein the evil spirits are not tormented : there is a time wherein they exspect to be tormented yet more . art thou come to torment us before our time ? they knew that the last assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution ; which they also understood to be not yet come . for though they knew not when the day of judgement should be ; ( a point concealed from the glorious angels of heaven ) yet they knew when it should not be : and therefore they say , before the time . even the very evil spirits confesse , and fearfully attend a set day of universal sessions . they believe lesse then devils , that either doubt of or deny that day of finall retribution . oh the wonderfull mercy of our god , that both to wicked men and spirits respites the utmost of their torment ! he might upon the first instant of the fall of angels have inflicted on them the highest extremity of his vengeance : he might upon the first sins of our youth ( yea of our nature ) have swept us away , and given us our portion in that fierie lake . he staies a time for both : though with this difference of mercy to us men , that here not onely is a delay , but may be an utter prevention of punishment , which to the evil spirits is altogether impossible . they do suffer , they must suffer : and though they have now deserved to suffer all they must , yet they must once suffer more then they do . yet so doth this evil spirit expostulate , that he sues , i beseech thee , torment me not . the world is well changed since satan's first onset upon christ . then he could say , if thou be the son of god ; now , jesu , the son of the most high god : then , all these will i give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me ; now , i beseech thee , torment me not . the same power , when he lists , can change the note of the tempter to us . how happy are we that have such a redeemer as can command the devils to their chains ? oh consider this , ye lawlesse sinners , that have said , let us break his bonds , and cast his cords from us . however the almighty suffers you for a judgement to have free scope to evil , and ye can now impotently resist the revealed will of your creator , yet the time shall come when ye shall see the very masters whom ye have served ( the powers of darkness ) unable to avoid the revenges of god. how much lesse shall man strive with his maker ? man , whose breath is in his nostrils , whose house is clay , whose foundation is the dust ? nature teaches every creature to wish a freedome from pain . the foulest spirits cannot but love themselves ; and this love must needs produce a deprecation of evil . yet what a thing is this , to hear the devil at his prayers ? i beseech thee , torment me not . devotion is not guilty of this , but fear . there is no grace in the suit of devils , but nature ; no respect of glory to their creator , but their own ease . they cannot pray against sin , but against torment for sin . what news is it now to hear the profanest mouth in extremity imploring the sacred name of god , when the devils do so ? the worst of all creatures hates punishment , and can say , lead me not into pain : onely the good heart can say , lead me not into temptation . if we can as heartily pray against sin , for the avoiding of displeasure , as against punishment , when we have displeased , there is true grace in the soul. indeed , if we could fervently pray against sin , we should not need to pray against punishment , which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that body : but if we have not laboured against our sins , in vain do we pray against punishment . god must be just ; and the wages of sin is death . it pleased our holy saviour , not only to let fall words of command upon this spirit , but to interchange some speeches with him . all christ's actions are not for example . it was the errour of our grandmother to hold chat with satan . that god , who knows the craft of that old serpent and our weak simplicity , hath charged us not to enquire of an evil spirit . surely if the disciples returning to jacob's well wondred to see christ talk with a woman , well may we wonder to see him talking with an unclean spirit . let it be no presumption , o saviour , to ask upon what grounds thou didst this wherein we may not follow thee . we know that sin was excepted in thy conformity of thy self to us : we know there was no guile found in thy mouth , no possibility of taint in thy nature , in thine actions : neither is it hard to conceive how the same thing may be done by thee without sin , which we cannot but sin in doing . there is a vast difference in the intention , in the agent . for on the one side , thou didst not ask the name of the spirit as one that knew not , and would learn by inquiring ; but that by the confession of that mischief which thou pleasedst to suffer , the grace of the cure might be the more conspicuous , the more glorious : so on the other , god and man might doe that safely which mere man cannot doe without danger . thou mightest touch the leprosie , and not be legally unclean , because thou touchedst it to heal it , didst not touch it with possibility of infection . so mightest thou , who , by reason of the perfection of thy divine nature , wert uncapable of any stain by the interlocution with satan , safely conferre with him , whom corrupt man , pre-disposed to the danger of such a parlee , may not meddle with without sin , because not without perill . it is for none but god to hold discourse with satan . our surest way is to have as little to doe with that evil one as we may ; and if he shall offer to maintain conference with us by his secret tentations , to turn our speech unto our god , with the archangel , the lord rebuke thee , satan . it was the presupposition of him that knew it , that not onely men but spirits have names . this then he asks , not out of an ignorance or curiosity ; nothing could be hid from him who calleth the stars and all the hoasts of heaven by their names : but out of a just respect to the glory of the miracle he was working , whereto the notice of the name would not a little avail . for if without inquiry or confession our saviour had ejected this evil spirit , it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely devil ; whereas now it appears there was a combination and hellish champertie in these powers of darknesse , which were all forced to vaile unto that almighty command . before , the devil had spoken singularly of himself , what have i to doe with thee ? and , i beseech thee torment me not . our saviour yet , knowing that there was a multitude of devils lurking in that breast , who dissembled their presence , wrests it out of the spirit by this interrogation , what is thy name ? now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselves : he that asked the question , forced the answer . my name is legion . the author of discord hath borrowed a name of war : from that military order of discipline by which the jews were subdued doth the devil fetch his denomination , they were many , yet they say , my name , not , our name ; though many , they speak as one , they act as one , in this possession . there is a marvellous accordance even betwixt evil spirits . that kingdome is not divided , for then it could not stand . i wonder not that wicked men do so conspire in evil , that there is such unanimity in the broachers and abettors of errors , when i see those devils , which are many in substance , are one in name , action , habitation . who can too much brag of unity , when it is incident unto wicked spirits ? all the praise of concord is in the subject : if that be holy , the consent is angelical ; if sinfull , devilish . what a fearfull advantage have our spiritual enemies against us ? if armed troops come against single straglers , what hope is there of life , of victory ? how much doth it concern us to band our hearts together in a communion of saints ? our enemies come upon us like a torrent : oh let us not run asunder like drops in the dust . all our united forces will be little enough to make head against this league of destruction . legion imports order , number , conflict . order , in that there is a distinction of regiment , a subordination of officers . though in hell there be confusion of faces , yet not confusion of degrees . number : those that have reckoned a legion at the lowest , have counted it six thousand : others have more then doubled it . though here it is not strict , but figurative , yet the letter of it implies multitude . how fearfull is the consideration of the number of apostate angels ? and if a legion can attend one man , how many must we needs think are they , who all the world over are at hand to the punishment of the wicked , the exercise of the good , the tentation of both ? it cannot be hoped there can be any place or time wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies . be sure , ye lewd men , ye shall want no furtherance to evil , no torment for evil . be sure , ye godly , ye shall not want combatants to trie your strength and skill . awaken your courages to resist , and stir up your hearts , make sure the means of your safety . there are more with us then against us . the god of heaven is with us , if we be with him : and our angels behold the face of god. if every devil were a legion , we are safe . though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death , we shall fear no evil . thou , o lord , shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies , and thy right hand shall save us . conflict . all this number is not for sight , for rest ; but for motion , for action . neither was there ever hour since the first blow given to our first parents , wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these adversaries . as therefore strong frontier towns , when there is a peace concluded on both parts , break up their garrison , open their gates , neglect their bulwarks ; but when they hear of the enemy mustering his forces in great and unequal numbers , then they double their guard , keep sentinell , repair their sconces : so must we , upon the certain knowledge of our numerous and deadly enemies in continual aray against us , addresse our selves alwaies to a wary and strong resistance . i do not observe the most to think of this ghostly hostility . either they do not find there are tentations , or those tentations hurtful ; they see no worse then themselves : and if they feel motions of evil arising in them , they impute it to fancy , or unreasonable appetite , to no power but nature's ; and those motions they follow without sensible hurt , neither see they what harm it is to sin . is it any marvell that carnal eyes cannot discern spiritual objects ? that the world , who is the friend , the vassal of satan , is in no war with him ? elisha's servant , when his eyes were opened , saw troops of spiritual souldiers , which before he discerned not . if the eyes of our souls be once enlightned by supernatural knowledge and the clear beams of faith , we shall as plainly descry the invisible powers of wickednesse , as now our bodily eyes see heaven and earth . they are , though we see them not : we cannot be safe from them , if we do not acknowledge , not oppose them . the devils are now become great suitors to christ ; that he would not command them into the deep ; that he would permit their entrance into the swine . what is this deep but hell , both for the utter separation from the face of god , and for the impossibility of passage to the region of rest and glory ? the very evil spirits then fear and expect a further degree of torment ; they know themselves reserved in those chains of darknesse for the judgment of the great day . there is the same wages due to their sins & to ours ; neither are the wages paid till the work be done . they tempting men to sin , must needs sin grievously in tempting ; as with us men those that mislead into sin offend more then the actors . not till the upshot therefore of their wickednesse shall they receive the full measure of their condemnation . this day , this deep they tremble at : what shall i say of those men that fear it not ? it is hard for men to believe their own unbelief . if they were perswaded of this fiery dungeon , this bottomlesse deep , wherein every sin shall receive an horrible portion with the damned , durst they stretch forth their hands to wickednesse ? no man will put his hand into a fiery crucible to fetch gold thence , because he knows it will burn him . did we as truly believe the everlasting burning of that infernal fire , we durst not offer to fetch pleasures or profits out of the midst of those flames . this degree of torment they grant in christ's power to command ; they knew his power unresistible : had he therefore but said , back to hell whence ye came , they could no more have stai'd upon earth , then they can now climbe into heaven . o the wonderfull dispensation of the almighty , who though he could command all the evil spirits down to their dungeons in an instant , so as they should have no more opportunity of temptation , yet thinks fit to retain them upon earth ! it is not out of weaknesse , or improvidence of that divine hand , that wicked spirits tyrannize here upon earth ; but out of the most wise and most holy ordination of god , who knows how to turn evil into good , how to fetch good out of evil , and by the worst instruments to bring about his most just decrees . oh that we could adore that awfull and infinite power , and chearfully cast our selves upon that providence which keeps the keyes even of hell it self , and either lets out , or returns the devils to their places . their other suit hath some marvell in moving it , more in the grant ; that they might be suffered to enter into the herd of swine . it was their ambition of some mischief that brought forth this desire : that since they might not vex the body of man , they might yet afflict men in their goods . the malice of these envious spirits reacheth from us to ours : it is sore against their wills if we be not every way miserable . if the swine were legally unclean for the use of the table , yet they were naturally good . had not satan known them usefull for man , he had never desired their ruine . but as fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg , when they intend it at the head ; so doth this devil , whiles he drives at the swine , he aimes at the souls of these gadarens : by this means he hoped well ( and his hope was not vain ) to work in these gergesens a discontentment at christ , an unwillingnesse to entertain him , a desire of his absence ; he meant to turn them into swine by the losse of their swine . it was not the rafters or stones of the house of job's children that he bore the grudge to , but to the owners ; nor to the lives of the children so much , as the soul of their father . there is no affliction wherein he doth not strike at the heart ; which whiles it holds free , all other damages are light : but a wounded spirit ( whether with sin or sorrow ) who can bear ? whatever becomes of goods or limmes , happy are we if ( like wise souldiers ) we guard the vital parts . whiles the soul is kept sound from impatience , from distrust , our enemy may afflict us , he cannot hurt us . they sue for a sufferance ; not daring other then to grant that without the permission of christ they could not hurt a very swine . if it be fearfull to think how great things evil spirits can doe with permission ; it is comfortable to think how nothing they can doe without permission . we know they want not malice to destroy the whole frame of god's work ; but of all , man ; of all men , christians : but if without leave they cannot set upon an hog , what can they doe to the living images of their creator ? they cannot offer us so much as a suggestion without the permission of our saviour . and can he that would give his own most precious blood for us , to save us from evil , wilfully give us over to evil ? it is no news that wicked spirits wish to do mischief : it is news that they are allowed it . if the owner of all things should stand upon his absolute command , who can challenge him for what he thinks fit to doe with his creature ? the first fole of the asse is commanded under the law to have his neck broken . what is that to us ? the creatures doe that they were made for , if they may serve any way to the glory of their maker . but seldome ever doth god leave his actions unfurnished with such reasons as our weaknesse may reach unto . there were sects amongst these jews that denied spirits . they could not be more evidently , more powerfully convinced then by this event . now shall the gadarens see from what a multitude of devils they were delivered ; and how easie it had been for the same power to have allowed these spirits to seize upon their persons as well as their swine . neither did god this without a just purpose of their castigation . his judgements are righteous , where they are most secret . though we cannot accuse these inhabitants of ought , yet he could ; and thought good thus to mulct them . and if they had not wanted grace to acknowledge it , it was no small favour of god that he would punish them in their swine , for that which he might have avenged upon their bodies and souls . our goods are furthest off us : if but in these we smart , we must confesse to finde mercy . sometimes it pleaseth god to grant the suits of wicked men and spirits , in no favour to the suitors . he grants an ill suit , and withholds a good : he grants an ill suit in judgement , and holds back a good one in mercy . the israelites ask meat ; he gives quailes to their mouths , and leannesse to their souls . the chosen vessel wishes satan taken off , and hears only , my grace is sufficient for thee . we may not evermore measure favours by condescent . these devils doubtless receive more punishment for that harmfull act wherein they are heard . if we ask what is either unfit to receive or unlawfull to beg , it is a great favour of our god to be denied . those spirits which would go into the swine by permission , go out of the man by command : they had staied long , and are ejected suddenly . the immediate works of god are perfect in an instant , and do not require the aid of time for their maturation . no sooner are they cast out of the man , then they are in the swine . they will lose no time , but passe without intermission from one mischief to another . if they hold it a pain not to be doing evil ; why is it not our delight to be ever doing good ? the impetuousnesse was no lesse then the speed . the herd was carried with violence from a steep-down place into the lake , and was choaked . it is no small force that could doe this : but if the swine had been so many mountains , these spirits , upon god's permission , had thus transported them . how easily can they carry those souls which are under their power to destruction ? unclean beasts that wallow in the mire of sensuality , brutish drunkards transforming themselves by excesse , even they are the swine whom the legion carries headlong to the pit of perdition . the wicked spirits have their wish ; the swine are choked in the waves . what ease is this to them ? good god , that there should be any creature that seeks contentment in destroying , in tormenting the good creatures of his maker ! this is the diet of hell. those fiends feed upon spight towards man , so much more as he doth more resemble his creator ; towards all other living substances , so much more as they may be more usefull to man. the swine ran down violently ; what marvell is it if their keepers fled ? that miraculous work which should have drawn them to christ , drives them from him . they run with the news ; the country comes in with clamour : the whole multitude of the country about besought him to depart . the multitude is a beast of many heads ; every head hath a several mouth , and every mouth a several tongue , and every tongue a several accent ; every head hath a several brain , and every brain thoughts of their own : so as it is hard to find a multitude without some division . at least seldome ever hath a good motion found a perfect accordance : it is not so infrequent for a multitude to conspire in evil . generality of assent is no warrant for any act . cōmon errour carries away many , who inquire not into the reason of ought , but the practice . the way to hell is a beaten road through the many feet that tread it . when vice grows into fashion , singularity is a vertue . there was not a gadarene found that either dehorted his fellows , or opposed the motion . it is a sign of people given up to judgment , when no man makes head against projects of evil . alas ! what can one strong man do against a whole throng of wickednesse ? yet this good comes of an unprevailing resistance , that god forbears to plague , where he findes but a sprinkling of faith. happy are they who ( like unto the celestial bodies , which being carried about with the sway of the highest sphere , yet creep on their own waies ) keep on the courses of their own holiness , against the swinge of common corruptions : they shall both deliver their own souls , and help to withhold judgment from others . the gadarenes sue to christ for his departure . it is too much favour to attribute this to their modesty , as if they held themselves unworthy of so divine a guest . why then did they fall upon this suit in a time of their losse ? why did they not taxe themselves , and intimate a secret desire of that which they durst not beg ? it is too much rigour to attribute it to the love of their hogs , and an anger at their losse : then they had not intreated , but expelled him . it was their fear that moved this harsh suit : a servile fear of danger to their persons , to their goods ; lest he that could so absolutely command the devils , should have set these tormentors upon them ; lest their other demoniacks should be dispossessed with like losse . i cannot blame these gadarenes that they feared . this power was worthy of trembling at . their fear was unjust : they should have argued , this man hath power over men , beasts , devils , it is good having him to our friend ; his presence is our safety and protection . now they contrarily mis-infer , thus powerfull is he , it is good he were further off . what miserable and pernicious misconstructions do men make of god , of divine attributes and actions ? god is omnipotent , able to take infinite vengeance of sin ; oh that he were not : he is provident ; i may be carelesse : he is merciful ; i may sin : he is holy ; let him depart from me , for i am a sinful man. how witty sophisters are natural men to deceive their own souls , to rob themselves of a god ? o saviour , how worthy are they to want thee , that wish to be rid of thee ? thou hast just cause to be weary of us , even whiles we sue to hold thee : but when once our wretched unthankfulnesse grows weary of thee , who can pity us to be punished with thy departure ? who can say it is other then righteous , that thou shouldst regest one day upon us , depart from me , ye wicked . contemplations . the fourth book , containing the faithfull canaanite . the deaf and dumb man cured . zacheus . john baptist beheaded . the five loaves and two fishes . the walk upon the waters . the bloody issue healed . jairus and his daughter . the motion of the two fiery disciples repelled . the ten lepers . the pool of bethesda . christ transfigured . the woman taken in adultery . the thankfull penitent . martha and mary . the begger that was born blinde , cured . the stubborn devil ejected . the widows mites . the ambition of the two sons of zebedee . the tribute-money payd . lazarus dead . lazarus raised . christ's procession to the temple . christ betrayed . the agony . peter and malchus ; or , christ apprehended . christ before caiaphas . christ before pilate . the crucifixion . the resurrection . the ascension . to the onely honour and glory of god my saviour , and to the benefit and behoof of his blessed spouse , the church , i do in all humility devote my self and all my meditations , the weak and unworthy servant of both , j. e. to the reader . those few spare houres which i could either borrow or steale from the many imployments of my busie diocese , i have gladly bestowed upon these , not more recreative then usefull , contemplations , for which i have been ( some years ) a debter to the church of god : now , in a care to satisfie the desires of many and my owne pre-ingagement , i send them forth into the light . my reader shall finde the discourse in all these passages more large , and in the latter ( as the occasion gives ) more fervent . and if he shall misse some remarkable stories , let him be pleased to know , that i have purposely omitted those pieces which consist rather of speech then of act , and those that are in respect of the matter coincident to these i have selected . i have so done my task , as fearing , not affecting length ; and as carefull to avoid the cloying of my reader with other mens thoughts . such as they are , i wish them , as i hope they shall be , beneficiall to god's church ; and in them intend to set up my rest : beseeching my reader that he will mutually exchange his prayers for and with me , who am the unworthiest of the servants of christ , j. e. the faithfull canaanite . it was our saviours trade to doe good : therefore he came down from heaven to earth , therefore he changed one station of earth for another . nothing more commends goodnesse then generality and diffusion ; whereas reservednesse and close-handed restraint blemish the glory of it ▪ the sun stands not still in one point of heaven , but walks his daily round , that all the inferiour world may share of his influences both in heat and light . thy bounty , o saviour , did not affect the praise of fixedness , but motion● one while i finde thee at jerusalem , then at capernaum , soon after in the utmost verge of galilee ; never but doing good . but as the sun , though he daily compass the world , yet never walks from under his line , never goes beyond the turning points of the longest and shortest day ; so neither didst thou , o saviour , passe the bounds of thine own peculiar people . thou wouldest move , but not wildly ; not out of thine own sphear : wherein thy glorified estate exceeds thine humbled , as far as heaven is above earth . now thou art lift up , thou drawest all men unto thee ; there are now no lists , no limits of thy gracious visitations : but as the whole earth is equidistant from heaven ; so all the motions of the world lie equally open to thy bounty . neither yet didst thou want outward occasions of thy removal : perhaps the very importunity of the scribes and pharisees , in obtruding their traditions , drave thee thence ; perhaps their unjust offence at thy doctrine . there is no readier way to lose christ then to clog him with humane ordinances , then to spurn at his heavenly instructions . he doth not alwaies subduce his spirit with his visible presence ; but his very outward withdrawing is worthy of our sighs , worthy of our tears . many a one may say , lord , if thou hadst been here , my soul had not died . thou art now with us , o saviour , thou art with us in a free and plentifull fashion ; how long , thou knowest : we know our deservings and fear . oh teach us how happy we are in such a guest ; and give us grace to keep thee . hadst thou walked within the phoenician borders , we could have told how to have made glad constructions of thy mercy in turning to the gentiles ; thou that couldest touch the lepers without uncleannesse , couldest not be defiled with aliens : but we know the partition wall was not yet broken down ; and thou that didst charge thy disciples not to walk into the way of the gentiles , wouldst not transgresse thine own rule . once we are sure thou camest to the utmost point of the bounds of galilee ; as not ever confined to the heart of jewry , thou wouldest sometimes blesse the outer skirts with thy presence . no angle is too obscure for the gospel : the land of zabulon and the land of nepthali , by the way of the sea beyond jordan , galilee of the gentiles , the people which sate in darknesse saw great light . the sun is not scornfull , but looks with the same face upon every plot of earth ; not onely the stately palaces and pleasant gardens are visited by his beams , but mean cottages , but neglected boggs and mores . god's word is like himself , no accepter of persons ; the wilde kern , the rude scythian , the savage indian are alike to it . the mercy of god will be sure to finde out those that belong to his election in the most secret corners of the world , like as his judgments will fetch his enemies from under the hills and rocks . the good shepherd walks the wildernesse to seek one sheep strayed from many . if there be but one syrophoenician soul to be gained to the church , christ goes to the coasts of tyre and sidon to fetch her . why are we weary to doe good , when our saviour underwent this perpetuall toyle in healing bodies and winning souls ? there is no life happy but that which is spent in a continuall drudging for edification . it is long since we heard of the name or nation of canaanites . all the country was once so styled ; that people was now forgotten : yet because this woman was of the blood of those phoenicians which were anciently ejected out of canaan , that title is revived to her . god keeps account of pedigrees after our oblivion ; that he may magnifie his mercies by continuing them to thousands of the generations of the just , and by renewing favours upon the unjust . no nation carried such brands and scars of a curse as canaan . to the shame of those carelesse jews , even a faithfull canaanite is a suppliant to christ , whiles they neglect so great salvation . she doth not speak , but cry . need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate clamour . the god of mercy is light of hearing ; yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation ; not to make himself inclinable to graunt , but to make us capable to receive blessings . they are words , and not prayers , which fall from carelesse lips . if we felt our want , or wanted not desire , we could speak to god in no tune but cries . if we would prevail with god , we must wrestle ; and if we would wrestle happily with god , we must wrestle first with our own dulnesse . nothing but cries can pierce heaven . neither doth her vehemence so much argue her faith , as doth her compellation , o lord , thou son of david . what proselyte , what disciple could have said more ? o blessed syrophoenician , who taught thee this abstract of divinity ? what can we christians confesse more then the deity and the humanity , the messiaship of our glorious saviour ? his deity as lord , his humanity as a son , his messiaship as the son of david . of all the famous progenitors of christ two are singled out by an eminence , david and abraham ; a king , a patriarch : and though the patriarch were first in time , yet the king is first in place ; not so much for the dignity of the person , as the excellence of the promise , which as it was both later and fresher in memory , so more honourable . to abraham was promised multitude and blessing of seed ; to david●●rpetuity ●●rpetuity of dominion . so as when god promiseth not to destroy his people , it is for abraham's sake ; when not to extinguish the kingdome , it is for david's sake . had she said , the son of abraham , she had not come home to this acknowledgment . abraham is the father of the faithfull ; david of the kings of juda and israel . there are many faithfull ; there is but one king : so as in this title she doth proclaim him the perpetual king of his church , the rod or flower which should come from the root of jesse , the true and onely saviour of the world . whoso would come unto christ to purpose , must come in the right style ; apprehending a true god , a true man , a true god and man : any of these severed from other , makes christ an idol , and our prayers sin . being thus acknowledged , what suit is so fit for him as mercy ? have mercy on me . it was her daughter that was tormented , yet she saies , have mercy on me . perhaps her possessed childe was senseless of her misery : the parent feels both her sorrow and her own . as she was a good woman , so a good mother . grace and good nature have taught her to appropriate the afflictions of this divided part of her own flesh . it is not in the power of another skin , to sever the interest of our own loyns or womb . we finde some fouls that burn themselves , whiles they endeavour to blow out the fire from their young . and even serpents can receive their brood into their mouth to shield them from danger . no creature is so unnatural , as the reasonable that hath put off affection . on me therefore in mine ; for my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil . it was this that sent her to christ : it was this that must incline christ to her . i doubt whether she had inquired after christ , if she had not been vexed with her daughters spirit . our afflictions are as benhadad's best counsellors , that sent him with a cord about his neck to the mercifull king of israel . these are the files & whetstones that set an edge on our devotions ; without which they grow dull and ineffectual : neither are they stronger motives to our suit then to christ's mercy . we cannot have a better spokes-man unto god then our own misery . that alone sues and pleads and importunes for us . this which sets off men , whose compassion is finite , attracts god to us . who can plead discouragements in his accesse to the throne of grace , when our wants are our forcible advocates ? all our worthiness is in a capable misery . all israel could not example the faith of this canaanite ; yet she was thus tormented in her daughter . it is not the truth or strength of our faith that can secure us from the outward and bodily vexations of satan : against the inward and spiritual that can and will prevail : it is no more antidote against the other then against feavers and dropsies . how should it , whenas it may fall out that these sufferings may be profitable ? and why should we exspect that the love of our god shall yield to forelay any benefit to the soul ? he is an ill patient that cannot distinguish betwixt an affliction and the evil of affliction . when the messenger of satan buffets us , it is enough that god hath said , my grace is sufficient for thee . millions were in tyre and sidon , whose persons , whose children were untouched with that tormenting hand . i hear none but this faithfull woman say , my daughter is grievously vexed of the devil . the worst of bodily afflictions are an insufficient proof of divine displeasure . she that hath most grace , complains of most discomfort . who would now expect any other then a kinde answer to so pious and faithfull a petition ? and behold , he answered her not a word . o holy saviour , we have oft found cause to wonder at thy words , never till now at thy silence . a miserable suppliant cries and sues , whiles the god of mercies is speechlesse . he that comforts the afflicted , addes affliction to the comfortlesse by a willing disrespect . what shall we say then ? is the fountain of mercy dried up ? o saviour , couldst thou but hear ? she did not murmur , not whisper , but cry out ; couldst thou but pity , but regard her that was as good as she was miserable ? if thy ears were open , could thy bowels be shut ? certainly it was thou that didst put it into the heart , into the mouth of this woman to ask , and to ask thus of thy self . she could never have said , o lord , thou son of david , but from thee , but by thee . none calleth jesus the lord but by the holy ghost . much more therefore didst thou hear the words of thine own making ; and well wert thou pleased to hear what thou thoughtest good to forbear to answer . it was thine own grace that sealed up thy lips . whether for the triall of her patience and perseverance , for● silence carried a semblance of neglect ; and a willing neglect laies strong siege to the best fort of the soul. even calm tempers when they have been stirred have bewrayed impetuousness of passion . if there be any dregs in the bottom of the glasse , when the water is shaken they will be soon seen . or whether for the more sharpning of her desires , and raising of her zealous importunity . our holy longings are increased with delaies : it whets our appetite to be held fasting . or whether for the more sweetning of the blessing by the difficulty or stay of obtaining . the benefit that comes with ease is easily contemned . long and eager pursuit endears any favour . or whether for the ingaging of his disciples in so charitable a suit . or whether for the wise avoidance of exception from the captious jews : or lastly , for the drawing on of an holy and imitable pattern of faithfull perseverance ; and to teach us not to measure god's hearing of our suit by his present answer , or his present answer by our own sense . whiles our weakness exspects thy words , thy wisdome resolves upon thy silence . never wert thou better pleased to hear the acclamation of angels , then to hear this woman say , o lord , thou son of david : yet silence is thy answer . when we have made our prayers , it is an happy thing to hear the report of them back from heaven : but if we alwaies do not so , it is not for us to be dejected , and to accuse either our infidelity or thy neglect ; since we finde here a faithfull suitor met with a gracious saviour , and yet he answered her not a word . if we be poor in spirit , god is rich in mercy ; he cannot send us away empty : yet he will not alwaies let us feel his condescent , crossing us in our will , that he may advance our benefit . it was no small fruit of christ's silence that the disciples were hereupon moved to pray for her : not for a mere dismission ; it had been no favour to have required this , but a punishment ; ( for if to be held in suspense be miserable , to be sent away with a repulse is more but for a mercifull grant . they saw much passion in the woman , much cause of passion : they saw great discouragement on christ's part , great constancy on hers . upon all these , they feel her misery , and become suitors for her unrequested . it is our duty in case of necessity to intercede for each other ; and by how much more familiar we are with christ , so much more to improve our interest for the relief of the distressed . we are bidden to say , our father , not mine : yea , being members of one body , we pray for our selves in others . if the foot be prickt , the back bends , the head bows down , the eyes look , the hands stir , the tongue calls for aide , the whole man is in pain and labours for redresse . he cannot pray or be heard for himself , that is no mans friend but his own . no prayer without faith , no faith without charity , no charity without mutual intercession . that which urged them to speak for her , is urged to christ by them for her obtaining ; she cries after us . prayer is as an arrow : if it be drawn up but a little , it goes not far ; but if it be pull'd up to the head , it flies strongly , and pierces deep . if it be but dribbled forth of carelesse lips , it falls down at our foot ; the strength of our ejaculation sends it up into heaven , and fetches down a blessing . the childe hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying ; and the very unjust judge cannot indure the widows clamour . heartless motions do but teach us to deny ; servent suits offer violence both to earth and heaven . christ would not answer the woman , but doth answer the disciples . those that have a familiarity with god shall receive answers , when strangers shall stand out . yea even of domesticks some are more intire : he that lay in jesus his bosome could receive that intelligence which was concealed from the rest . but who can tell whether that silence or this answer be more grievous ? i am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of israel . what is this answer but a defence of that silence and seeming neglect ? whiles he said nothing , his forbearance might have been supposed to proceed from the necessity of some greater thoughts : but now , his answer professeth that silence to have proceeded from a willing resolution not to answer : and therefore he doth not vouchsafe so much as to give to her the answer , but to her solicitors ; that they might return his deniall from him to her , who had undertaken to derive her suit to him ; i am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of israel . like a faithfull embassadour , christ hath an eye to his commission . that may not be violated , though to an apparant advantage : whither he is not sent , he may not goe . as he , so all his have their fixed marks set : at these they aime , and think it not safe to shoot at rovers . in matter of morality it is not for us to stand onely upon inhibitions , avoiding what is forbidden , but upon commands , endeavouring only what is injoyned . we need no other rule of our life then the intention of our several stations . and if he that was god , would take no further scope to himself then the limits of his commission , how much doth it concern us frail men to keep within compass ? or what shall become of our lawlesness , that live in a direct contrariety to the will of him that sent us ? israel was jacob's name ; from him derived to his posterity : till the division of the tribes under jeroboam , all that nation was israel : then the father's name went to the most ( which were ten tribes , ) the name of the son juda to the best , which were two . christ takes no notice of this unhappy division : he remembers the antient name which he gave to that faithfull wrestler . it was this christ with whom jacob strove ; it was he that wrencht his hip , and changed his name , and dismist him with a blessing ; and now he cannot forget his old mercy to the house of israel . to that only doth he profess himself sent . their first brood were shepherds , now they are sheep ; and those not garded , not empastured , but strayed and lost . o saviour , we see thy charge ; the house of israel , not of esau ; sheep , not goats , not wolves ; lost sheep , not securely impaled in the confidence of their safe condition . woe were to us if thou wert not sent to us . he is not a jew which is one without . every israelite is not a true one . we are not of thy fold , if we be not sheep : thou wilt not reduce us to thy fold , if we be not lost in our own apprehensions . o lord , thou hast put a fleece upon our backs , we have lost our selves enough : make us so sensible of our own wandrings , that we may finde thee sent unto us , and may be happily found of thee . hath not this poor woman yet done ? can neither the silence of christ nor his deniall silence her ? is it possible she should have any glimpse of hope after so resolute repulses ? yet still , as if she saw no argument of discouragement , she comes , and worships , and cries , lord , help me . she which could not in the house get a word of christ , she that saw her solicitors ( though christ's own disciples ) repelled , yet she comes . before she followed , now she overtakes him ; before she sued aloof , now she comes close to him : no contempt can cast her off . faith is an undaunted grace ; it hath a strong heart , and a bold forehead : even very denials cannot dismay it , much lesse delaies . she came not to face , not to expostulate , but to prostrate her self at his feet : her tongue worshipt him before , now her knee . the eye of her faith saw that divinity in christ which bowed her to his earth . there cannot be a fitter gesture of man to god then adoration . her first suit was for mercy , now for help . there is no use of mercy but in helpfulness . to be pitied without aide , is but an addition to misery . who can blame us , if we care not for an unprofitable compassion ? the very suit was gracious . she saith not , lord , if thou canst , help me , as the father of the lunatick ; but professes the power whiles she beggs the act , and gives glory where she would have relief . who now can expect other then a faire and yielding answer to so humble , so faithfull , so patient a suppliant ? what can speed well , if a prayer of faith from the knees of humility succeeds not ? and yet behold , the further she goes , the worse she fares : her discouragement is doubled with her suit . it is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs . first , his silence implied a contempt ; then his answer defended his silence ; now his speech expresses and defends his contempt . lo , he hath turned her from a woman to a dog , and ( as it were ) spurns her from his feet with an harsh repulse . what shall we say ? is the lamb of god turned lion ? doth that clear fountain of mercy run blood ? o saviour , did ever so hard a word fall from those milde lips ? thou called'st herod sox ; most worthily , he was crafty and wicked : the scribes and pharisees a generation of vipers ; they were venemous and cruell : judas a devil ; he was both covetous and treacherous . but here was a woman in distresse , and distresse challenges mercy : a good woman , a faithfull suppliant , a canaanitish disciple , a christian canaanite ; yet rated and whipt out for a dog by thee who wert all goodnesse and mercy ? how different are thy wayes from ours ? even thy severity argues favour . the triall had not been so sharp , if thou hadst not found the faith so strong , if thou hadst not meant the issue so happy . thou hadst not driven her away as a dog , if thou hadst not intended to admit her for a saint ; and to advance her as much for a pattern of faith , as thou depressedst her for a spectacle of contempt . the time was when the jews were children , and the gentiles dogs : now the case is happily altered ; the jews are the dogs , ( so their dear and divine country-man calls the concision ) we gentiles are the children . what certainty is there in an external profession , that gives us only to seem , not to be ; at least the being that it gives is doubtfull and temporary ? we may be children to day , and dogs to morrow . the true assurance of our condition is in the decree and covenant of god on his part , in our faith and obedience on ours . how they of children became dogs , it is not hard to say ; their presumption , their unbelief transformed them ; and ( to perfect their brutishnesse ) they set their fangs upon the lord of life . how we of dogs become children i know no reason . but , o the depth ! that which at the first singled them out from the nations of the world , hath at last singled us out from the world and them . it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in god that hath mercy . lord , how should we blesse thy goodnesse , that we of dogs are children ? how should we feare thy justice , since they of children are dogs ? oh let not us be high-minded , but tremble . if they were cut off who crucified thee in thine humbled estate , what may we expect who crucifie thee daily in thy glory ? now what ordinary patience would not have been over-strained with so contemptuous a repulse ? how few but would have faln into intemperate passions , into passionate expostulations ? art thou the prophet of god that so disdainfully entertainest poor suppliants ? is this the comfort that thou dealest to the distressed ? is this the fruit of my humble adoration , of my faithfull profession ? did i snarl or bark at thee , when i called thee the son of david ? did i flie upon thee otherwise then with my prayers and tears ? and if this terme were fit for my vileness , yet doth it become thy lips ? is it not sorrow enough to me that i am afflicted with my daughters misery , but that thou ( of whom i hoped for relief ) must adde to mine affliction in an unkinde reproach ? but here is none of all this . contrarily , her humility grants all , her patience overcomes all , and she meekly answers , truth , lord , yet the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their masters table . the reply is not more witty then faithfull . o lord , thou art truth it self ; thy words can be no other then truth : thou hast call'd me a dog , and a dog i am : give me therefore the favour and priviledge of a dog , that i may gather up some crums of mercy from under that table whereat thy children sit . this blessing ( though great to me ) yet to the infinitenesse of thy power and mercy is but as a crum to a feast . i presume not to presse to the board , but to creep under it . deny me not those small offalls which else would be swept away in the dust . after this stripe , give me but a crum , and i shall fawn upon thee , and depart satisfied . o woman ( say i ) great is thine humility , great is thy patience : but , o woman ( saith my saviour ) great is thy faith. he sees the root , we the stock . nothing but faith could thus temper the heart , thus strengthen the soul , thus charm the tongue . o precious faith ! o acceptable perseverance ! it is no marvel if that chiding end in favour : be it to thee even as thou wilt . never did such grace goe away uncrowned . the beneficence had been streight , if thou hadst not carried away more then thou suedst for . lo , thou that camest a dog , goest away a child ; thou that wouldst but creep under the childrens feet , art set at their elbow ; thou that wouldst have taken up a crum , art feasted with full dishes . the way to speed well at god's hand is , to be humbled in his eyes and in our own . it is quite otherwise with god , and with men . with men we are so accounted of as we account of our selves . he shall be sure to be vile in the sight of others , which is vile in his own . with god nothing is got by vain ostentation , nothing is lost by abasement . o god , when we look down to our own weaknesse , and cast up our eyes to thine infiniteness , thine omnipotence , what poor things we are ? but when we look down upon our sins and wickedness , how shall we expresse our shame ? none of all thy creatures ( except devils ) are capable of so soul a quality . as we have thus made our selves worse then beasts , so let us in a sincere humblenesse of minde acknowledge it to thee , who canst pity , forgive , redresse it . so setting our selves down at the lower end of the table of thy creatures , thou the great master of the feast mayst be pleased to advance us to the height of glory . the deaf and dumb man cured . our saviour's entrance into the coasts of tyre and sidon was not without a miracle ; neither was his regresse : as the sun neither rises nor sets without light . in his entrance he delivers the daughter of the faithfull syrophoenician ; in his egresse he cures the deaf and dumb . he can no more want work , then that work can want successe . whether the patient were naturally deaf and perfectly dumb , or imperfectly dumb and accidentally deaf , i labour not . sure i am that he was so deaf that he could not hear of christ ; so dumb that he could not speak for himself . good neighbours supply his ears , his tongue ; they bring him to christ . behold a miracle led in by charity , acted by power , led out by modesty . it was a true office of love to speak thus in the cause of the dumb ; to lend senses to him that wanted . poor man ! he had nothing to intreat for him but his impotence : here was neither eare to inform , nor tongue to crave . his friends are sensible of his infirmity , and unasked bring him to cure . this spiritual service we owe to each other . it is true , we should be quick of hearing to the things of god and of our peace , quick of tongue to call for our helps : but , alas ! we are naturally deaf and dumb to good . we have ear and tongue enough for the world : if that do but whisper , we hear it ; if that do but draw back , we crie after it : we have neither for god ; ever since our eare was lent to the serpent in paradise , it hath been spiritually deaf ; ever since we set our tooth in the forbidden fruit , our tongue hath been speechlesse to god ; and that which was faulty in the root , is worse in the branches . every soul is more deafned and bedumbed by increasing corruptions , by actual sins . some ears the infinite mercy of god hath bored , some tongues he hath untied by the power of regeneration : these are wanting to their holy faculties , if they doe not improve themselves in bringing the deaf and dumb unto christ . there are some deaf and dumb upon necessity , some others upon affectation . those , such as live either out of the pale of the church , or under a spiritual tyranny within the church : we have no help for them but our prayers ; our pity can reach further then our aide : these , such as may hear of a christ , and sue to him , but will not ; a condition so much more fearfull , as it is more voluntary . this kinde is full of wofull variety : whiles some are deaf by an outward obturation , whether by the prejudice of the teacher , or by secular occasions and distractions ; others by the inwardly-aposteming tumors of pride , by the ill vapors of carnal affections , of froward resolutions . all of them , like the deaf adder , have their ears shut to the divine charmer . oh miserable condition of foolish men , so peevishly averse from their own salvation ; so much more worthy of our commiseration as it is more incapable of their own ! these are the men whose cure we must labour , whom we must bring to christ by admonitions , by threats , by authority , and ( if need be ) by wholsome compulsions . they do not onely lend their hand to the deaf and dumb , but their tongue also : they say for him that which he could not wish to say for himself . doubtlesse they had made signs to him of what they intended , and finding him forward in his desires , now they speak to christ for him . every man lightly hath a tongue to speak for himself ; happy is he that keeps a tongue for other men . we are charged not with supplications only , but with intercessions . herein is both the largest improvement of our love , and most effectual . no distance can hinder this fruit of our devotion . thus we may oblige those that we shall never see , those that can never thank us . this beneficence cannot impoverish us : the more we give , we have still the more . it is a safe and happy store that cannot be impaired by our bounty . what was their suit , but that christ would put his hand upon the patient ? not that they would prescribe the means , or imply a necessity of his touch ; but for that they saw this was the ordinary course both of christ and his disciples , by touching to heal . our prayers must be directed to the usual proceedings of god. his actions must be the rule of our prayers ; our payers may not prescribe his actions . that gracious saviour who is wont to exceed our desires , does more then they sue for . not only doth he touch the party , but takes him by the hand , and leads him from the multitude . he that would be healed of his spiritual infirmities , must be sequestred from the throng of the world . there is a good use , in due times , of solitarinesse . that soul can never injoy god that is not sometimes retired . the modest bridegroom of the church will not impart himself to his spouse before company . or perhaps this secession was for our example of a willing and carefull avoidance of vain-glory in our actions . whence also it is that our saviour gives an after-charge of secrecy . he that could say , he that doth evil hateth the light , eschueth the light even in good . to seek our own glory is not glory . although besides this bashfull desire of obscurity , here is a meet regard of opportunity in the carriage of our actions . the envy of the scribes and pharisees might trouble the passage of his divine ministery : their exasperation is wisely declined by this retiring . he in whose hands time is , knows how to make his best choice of seasons . neither was it our saviours meaning to have this miracle buried , but hid . wisdome hath no better improvement then in distinguishing times , and discreetly marshalling the circumstances of our actions : which whosoever neglects , shall be sure to shame his work , and mar his hopes . is there a spiritual patient to be cured ? aside with him . to undertake him before the face of the multitude , is to wound , not to heal him . reproof and good counsel must be like our alms , in secret , so as ( if possible ) one eare or hand might not be conscious to the other . as in some cases confession , so our reprehension must be auricular . the discreet chirurgion that would cure a modest patient , whose secret complaint hath in it more shame then pain , shuts out all eyes save his own . it is enough for the god of justice to say , thou didst it secretly , but i will doe it before all israel , and before this sun. our limited and imperfect wisedome must teach us to apply private redresses to private maladies . it is the best remedy that is least seen , and most felt . what means this variety of ceremony ? o saviour , how many parts of thee are here active ? thy finger is put into the eare , thy spittle touche●h the tongue , thine eyes look up , thy lungs sigh , thy lips move to an ephphatha . thy word alone , thy beck alone , thy wish alone , yea the least act of velleity from thee might have wrought this cure . why wouldst thou imploy so much of thy self in this work ? was it to shew thy liberty in not alwaies equally exercising the power of thy deity ? in that one-while thine onely command shall raise the dead , and eject devils ; another while thou wouldest accommodate thy self to the mean and homely fashions of natural agents , and condescending to our senses and customes , take those waies which may carry some more near respect to the cure intended ? or was it to teach us how well thou likest that there should be a ceremonious carriage of thy solemn actions , which thou pleasest to produce cloathed with such circumstantial formes ? it did not content thee to put one finger into one eare ; but into either eare wouldst thou put a finger : both ears equally needed cure , thou wouldest apply the means of cure to both . the spirit of god is the finger of god. then dost thou , o saviour , put thy finger into our eare , when thy spirit inables us to hear effectually . if we thrust our own fingers into our eares , using such humane perswasions to our selves as arise from worldly grounds , we labour in vain : yea these stoppels must needs hinder our hearing the voice of god. hence the great philosophers of the antient world , the learned rabbins of the synagogue , the great doctors of a false faith are deaf to spiritual things . it is only that finger of thy spirit , o blessed jesu , that can open our eares , and make passage through our eares into our hearts . let that finger of thine be put into our eares , so shall our deafnesse be removed , and we shall hear not the loud thunders of the law , but the gentle whisperings of thy gracious motions to our souls . we hear for our selves , but we speak for others . our saviour was not content to open the eares only , but to untie the tongue . with the eare we hear , with the mouth we confesse . the same hand is applied to the tongue , not with a drie touch , but with spittle : in allusion doubtlesse to the removal of the natural impediment of speech . moisture , we know , glibs the tongue , and makes it apt to motion ; how much more from that sacred mouth ? there are those whose ears are open , but their mouths are still shut to god : they understand , but do not utter the wonderfull things of god. there is but half a cure wrought upon these men : their eare is but open to hear their own judgment , except their mouth be open to confesse their maker and redeemer . o god , do thou so moisten my tongue with thy graces , that it may run smoothly ( as the pen of a ready writer ) to the praise of thy name . whiles the finger of our saviour was on the tongue , in the eare of the patient , his eye was in heaven . never man had so much cause to look up to heaven as he : there was his home , there was his throne . he onely was from heaven , heavenly . each of us hath a good minde homeward , though we meet with better sights abroad : how much more when our home is so glorious above the region of our peregrination ? but thou , o saviour , hadst not onely thy dwelling there , but thy seat of majesty . there the greatest angels adored thee : it is a wonder that thine eye could be ever any where but there . what doth thine eye in this but teach ours where to be fixed ? every good gift and every perfect gift coming down from above , how can we look off from that place whence we receive all good ? thou didst not teach us to say , o infinite god which art every where ; but , o our father which art in heaven . there let us look up to thee . oh let not our eyes or hearts grovell upon this earth ; but let us fasten them above the hills , whence cometh our salvation . thence let us acknowledge all the good we receive ; thence let us expect all the good we want . why our saviour look'd up to heaven ( though he had heaven in himself ) we can see reason enough . but why did he sigh ? surely not for need : the least motion of a thought was in him impetratory . how could he chuse but be heard of his father , who was one with the father ? not for any fear of distrust ; but partly for compassion , partly for example . for compassion of those manifold infirmities into which sin had plunged mankinde ; a pitiful instance whereof was here presented unto him . for example , to fetch sighs from us for the miseries of others ; sighs of sorrow for them , sighs of desire for their redresse . this is not the first time that our saviour spent sighs , yea tears , upon humane distresses . we are not bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh , if we so feel not the smart of our brethren , that the fire of our passion break forth into the smoak of sighs . who is weak , and i am not weak ? who is offended , and i burn not ? christ was not silent whiles he cured the dumb ; his ephphatha gave life to all these his other actions . his sighing , his spitting , his looking up to heaven were the acts of a man : but his command of the eare and mouth to open was the act of god. he could not command that which he made not . his word is imperative , ours supplicatory . he doth what he will with us ; we doe by him what he thinks good to impart . in this mouth the word cannot be severed from the success . our saviour's lips are no sooner opened in his ephphatha , then the mouth of the dumb and the ears of the deaf are opened . at once behold here celerity and perfection . natural agents work by leasure , by degrees ; nothing is done in an instant : by many steps is every thing carried from the entrance to the consummation . omnipotency knows no rules . no imperfect work can proceed from a cause absolutely perfect . the man hears now more lightly then if he had never been deaf ; and speaks more plainly then if he had never been tongue-tyed . and can we blame him if he bestowed the handsel of his speech upon the power that restored it ? if the first improvement of his tongue were the praise of the giver , of the maker of it ? or can we expect other then that our saviour should say , thy tongue is free , use it to the praise of him that made it so ; thy ears are open , hear him that bids thee proclaim thy cure upon the house-top ? but now behold contrarily , he that opens this mans mouth by his powerfull word , by the same word shuts it again ; charging silence by the same breath wherewith he gave speech ; tell no man. those tongues which interceded for his cure , are charmed for the concealment of it . o saviour , thou knowest the grounds of thine own commands . it is not for us to inquire , but to obey : we may not honour thee with a forbidden celebration . good meanings have oft-times proved injurious . those men whose charity imployed their tongues to speak for the dumb man , do now imploy the same tongues to speak of his cure , when they should have been dumb . this charge , they imagine , proceeds from an humble modesty in christ ; which the respect to his honour bids them violate . i know not how we itch after those forbidden acts , which if left to our liberty we willingly neglect . this prohibition increaseth the rumor : every tongue is busied about this one . what can we make of this but a well-meant disobedience ? o god , i should more gladly publish thy name at thy command . i know thou canst not bid me to dishonour thee ; there is no danger of such an injunction : but if thou shouldest bid me to hide the profession of thy name and wondrous works , i should fulfill thy words , and not examine thine intentions . thou knowest how to win more honour by our silence then by our promulgation . a forbidden good differs little from evil . what makes our actions to be sin but thy prohibitions ? our judgement avails nothing . if thou forbid us that which we think good , it becomes as faulty to thee-ward as that which is originally evil . take thou charge of thy glory ; give me grace to take charge of thy precepts . zacheus . now was our saviour walking towards his passion : his last journey had most wonders . jericho was in his way from galilec to jerusalem : he balks it not though it were outwardly cursed ; but as the first joshua saved a rahab there , so there the second saves a zacheus ; that an harlot , this a publican . the traveller was wounded as he was going from jerusalem to jericho : this man was taken from his jericho to the true jerusalem , and was healed . not as a passenger did christ walk this way , but as a visitor ; not to punish , but to heal . with us , the sick man is glad to send far for the physician ; here the physician comes to seek patients , and calls at our door for work . had not this good shepherd left the ninety nine , and searched the desart , the lost sheep had never recovered the fold ; had not his gracious frugality sought the lost groat , it had been swept up with the rushes , and thrown out in the dust . still , o saviour , dost thou walk through our jericho : what would become of us , if thou shouldst stay till we seek thee alone ? even when thou hast found us , how hardly do we follow thee ? the work must be all thine : we shall not seek thee , if thou finde us not ; we shall not follow thee , if thou draw us not . never didst thou , o saviour , set one step in vain : wheresoever thou art walking , there is some zacheus to be won . as in a drought , when we see some weighty cloud hovering over us , we say there is rain for some grounds , wheresoever it falls . the ordinances of god bode good to some souls ; and happy are they on whom it lights . how justly is zacheus brought in with a note of wonder ? it is both great and good news to hear of a convert . to see men perverted from god to the world , from truth to heresie , from piety to prophaneness , is as common as lamentable ; every night such stars fall : but to see a sinner come home to god , is both happy and wondrous , to men and angels . i cannot blame that philosopher , who undertaking to write of the hidden miracles of nature , spends most of his discourse upon the generation and formation of man. surely we are fearfully and wonderfully made . but how much greater is the miracle of our spiritual regeneration ; that a son of wrath , a childe of satan , should be transformed into the son and heire of the ever-living god ? o god , thou workest both ; but in the one our spirit animates us , in the other thine own . yet some things which have wonder in them for their worth , lose it for their frequence ; this hath no lesse rarity in it then excellence . how many painfull peters have complained to fish all night , and catch nothing ? many professors and few converts hath been ever the lot of the gospel . god's house , as the streets of jericho , may be thronged , and yet but one zacheus . as therefore in the lottery , when the great prize comes , the trumpet sounds before it ; so the news of a convert is proclaimed with , behold zacheus . any penitent had been worthy of a shout ; but this man by an eminence ; a publican , a chief of the publicans , rich . no name under heaven was so odious as this of a publican ; especially to this nation , that stood so high upon their freedome , that every impeachment of it seemed no lesse then damnable : insomuch as they ask not , is it fit , or needfull , but , is it lawfull to pay tribute unto caesar ? any office of exaction must needs be hainous to a people so impatient of the yoke . and yet not so much the trade as the extortion drew hatred upon this profession ; out of both they are deeply infamous : one while they are matched with heathens , another while with harlots , alwaies with sinners . and behold , zacheus a publican . we are all naturally strangers from god ; the best is indisposed to grace : yet some there are whose very calling gives them better advantages . but this catchpole-ship of zacheus carried extortion in the face , and in a sort bade defiance to his conversion : yet behold , from this toll-booth is called both zacheus to be a disciple , and matthew to be an apostle . we are in the hand of a cunning workman , that of the knottiest and crookedst timber can make rafters and seeling for his own house ; that can square the marble or flint as well as the freest stone . who can now plead the disadvantage of his place , when he sees a publican come to christ ? no calling can prejudice god's gracious election . to excell in evil must needs be worse . if to be a publican be ill , surely to be an arch-publican is more . what talk we of the chief of publicans , when he that professed himself the chief of sinners is now among the chief of saints ? who can despair of mercy , when he sees one jericho send both an harlot and a publican to heaven ? the trade of zacheus was not a greater rub in his way then his wealth . he that sent word to john for great news , that the poor receive the gospel , said also , how hard is it for a rich man to enter into heaven ? this bunch of the camel keeps him from passing the needles eye ; although not by any malignity that is in the creature it self ( riches are the gift of god ) but by reason of those three pernicious hang-byes , cares , pleasures , pride , which too commonly attend upon wealth . separate these , riches are a blessing . if we can so possess them that they possess not us , there can be no danger , much benefit in abundance . all the good or ill of wealth or poverty is in the minde , in the use . he that hath a free and lowly heart in riches , is poor ; he that hath a proud heart under rags , is rich . if the rich man doe good and distribute , and the poor man steal , the rich hath put off his woe to the poor . zacheus had never been so famous a convert , if he had been poor ; nor so liberal a convert , if he had not been rich . if more difficulty , yet more glory was in the conversion of rich zacheus . it is well that wealthy zacheus was desirous to see christ . little do too many rich men care to see that sight : the face of caesar in their coin is more pleasing . this man leaves his bags , to blesse his eyes with this prospect . yet can i not praise him for this too much ; it was not ( i fear ) out of faith , but curiosity . he that had heard great same of the man , of his miracles , would gladly see his face . even an herod longed for this , and was never the better . onely this i finde , that this curiosity of the eye , through the mercy of god , gave occasion to the belief of the heart . he that desires to see jesus , is in the way to enjoy him : there is not so much as a remote possibility in the man that cares not to behold him . the eye were ill bestowed , if it were onely to betray our souls : there are no lesse beneficial glances of it . we are not worthy of this usefull casement of the heart , if we do not thence send forth beams of holy desires , and thereby re-conveigh profitable and saving objects . i cannot marvel if zacheus were desirous to see jesus . all the world was not worth this sight . old simeon thought it best to have his eyes closed up with this spectacle , as if he held it pity and disparagement to see ought after it . the father of the faithfull rejoiced to see him , though at nineteen hundred years distance ; and the great doctor of the gentiles stands upon this as his highest stair , have i not seen the lord jesus ? and yet , o saviour , many a one saw thee here , that shall never see thy face above ; yea , that shall call to the hills to hide them from thy sight . and if we had once known thee according to the flesh , henceforth know we thee so no more . what an happiness shall it be so to see thee glorious , that in seeing thee we shall partake of thy glory ? oh blessed vision , to which all others are but penal and despicable ! let me goe into the mint-house , and see heaps of gold , i am never the richer ; let me goe to the picturers , i see goodly faces , and am never the fairer ; let me goe to the court , i see state and magnificence , and am never the greater : but , o saviour , i cannot see thee , and not be blessed . i can see thee here , though in a glasse . if the eye of my faith be dim , yet it is sure . oh let me be unquiet till i do now see thee through the vaile of heaven , ere i shall see thee as i am seen . fain would zacheus see jesus , but he could not . it were strange if a man should not finde some lett in good desires : somewhat will be still in the way betwixt us and christ . here are two hinderances met ; the one internal , the other external ; the stature of the man , the prease of the multitude ; the greatness of the prease , the smalness of the stature . there was great thronging in the streets of j●richo to see jesus ; the doors , the windows , the bulks were all full . here are many beholders , few disciples . if gazing , if profession were godliness , christ could not want clients : now amongst all these wonderers , there is but one zacheus . in vain should we boast of our forwardness to see and hear christ in our streets , if we receive him not into our hearts . this croud hides christ from zacheus . alas ! how common a thing it is , by the interposition of the throng of the world to be kept from the sight of our jesus ? here a carnal fashionist sayes , away with this austere scrupulousness , let me doe as the most . the throng keeps this man from christ . there a superstitious misbeliever sayes , what tell you me of an handful of reformed ? the whole world is ours . this man is kept from christ by the throng . the covetous mammonist sayes , let them that have leasure be devout ; my imployments are many , my affairs great . this man cannot see christ for the throng . there is no perfect view of christ but in an holy secession . the spouse found not her beloved till she was past the company ; then she found him whom her soul loved . whoso never seeks christ but in the croud , shall never finde comfort in finding him . the benefit of our publick view must be enjoyed in retiredness . if in a prease we see a mans face , that is all ; when we have him alone , every limme may be viewed . o saviour , i would be loath not to see thee in thine assemblies ; but i would be more loath not to see thee in my closet . yet had zacheus been but of the common pitch , he might perhaps have seen christs face over his fellows shoulders : now his stature adds to the disadvantage ; his body did not answer to his minde ; his desires were high , whiles his body was low . the best is , however smalness of stature was disadvantageous in a level , yet it is not so at height . a little man , if his eye be clear , may look as high ( though not as farre ) as the tallest . the least pygmee may from the lowest valley see the sun or stars as fully as a giant upon the highest mountain . o saviour , thou art now in heaven : the smalness of our person or of our condition cannot lett us from beholding thee . the soul hath no stature ; neither is heaven to be had with reaching : onely clear thou the eyes of my faith , and i am high enough . i regard not the body : the soul is the man. it is to small purpose that the body is a giant , if the soul be a dwarf . we have to doe with a god that measures us by our desires , not by our statures . all the streets of jericho ( however he seemed to the eye ) had not so tall a man as zacheus . the witty publican easily finds both his hindrances , and the waies of their redress . his remedy for the prease , is to run before the multitude ; his remedy for his stature , is to climb up into the sycomore : he imployes his feet in the one , his hands and feet in the other . in vain shall he hope to see christ , that doth not out-go the common throng of the world . the multitude is clustred together , and moves too close to move fast : we must be nimbler then they , if ever we desire or exspect to see christ . it is the charge of god , thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil : we doe evil if we lagge in good . it is held commonly both wit and state for a man to keep his pace : and that man escapes not censure , who would be forwarder then his fellows . indeed for a man to run alone in wayes of indifferency , or to set an hypocritical face of out-running all others in a zealous profession , when the heart lingers behinde , both these are justly hateful : but in an holy emulation to strive truly and really to out strip others in degrees of grace , and a conscionable care of obedience , this is truly christian , and worthy of him that would hope to be blessed with the sight of a saviour . tell me , ye fashionable christians , that stand upon terms of equality , and will not go a foot before your neighbours in holy zeal and aidful charity , in conscionable sincerity ; tell me , who hath made other mens progress a measure for yours ? which of you saies , i will be no richer , no greater , no fairer , no wiser , no happier then my fellows ? why should you then say , i will be no holier ? our life is but a race ; every good end that a man proposes to himself is a several goal . did ever any man that ran for a prize , say , i will keep up with the rest ? doth he not know that if he be not foremost , he loseth ? we had as good to have sate still , as not so to run that we may obtain . we obtain not , if we out-run not the multitude . so farre did zacheus over-run the stream of the people , that he might have space to climb the sycomore ere jesus could pass by . i examine not the kinde , the nature , the quality of this plant ; what tree soever it had been , zacheus would have tried to scale it , for the advantage of this prospect . he hath found out this help for his stature , and takes pains to use it . it is the best improvement of our wit , to seek out the aptest furtherances for our souls . do you see a weak and studious christian , that being unable to inform himself in the matters of god , goes to the cabinet of heaven , the priests lips , which shall preserve knowledge ? there is zacheus in the sycomore . it is the truest wisdome that helps forward our salvation . how witty we are to supply all the deficiencies of nature ? if we be low , we can adde cubits to our stature ; if ill-coloured , we can borrow complexion ; if hairless , perukes ; if dim-sighted , glasses ; if lame , crutches : and shall we be conscious of our spiritual wants , and be wilfully regardless of the remedy ? surely , had zacheus stood still on the ground , he had never seen christ ; had he not climbed the sycomore , he had never climbed into heaven . o saviour , i have not height enough of my own to see thee : give me what sycomore thou wilt ; give me grace to use it , give me an happy use of that grace . the more i look at the mercy of christ , the more cause i see of astonishment . zacheus climbs up into the sycomore to see jesus : jesus first sees him , preventing his eyes with a former view . little did zacheus look that jesus would have cast up his eyes to him . well might he think the boys in the street would spy him out , and shout at his stature , trade , ambition : but that jesus should throw up his eyes into the sycomore , and take notice of that small despised morsel of flesh , ere zacheus could finde space to distinguish his face from the rest , was utterly beyond his thought or exspectation . all his hope is to see , and now he is seen . to be seen and acknowledged is much more then to see . upon any solemn occasion many thousands see the prince , whom he sees not ; and if he please to single out any one whether by his eye or by his tongue , amongst the prease , it passes for an high favour . zacheus would have thought it too much boldness to have asked what was given him . as jonathan did to david , so doth god to us , he shoots beyond us . did he not prevent us with mercy , we might climb into the sycomore in vain . if he give grace to him that doth his best , it is the praise of the giver , not the earning of the receiver . how can we doe or will without him ? if he see us first , we live ; and if we desire to see him , we shall be seen of him . whoever took pains to climb the sycomore , and came down disappointed ? o lord , what was there in zacheus , that thou shouldst look up at him ? a publican , a sinner , an arch-extortioner ; a dwarf in stature , but a giant in oppression ; a little man , but a great sycophant ; if rich in coin , more rich in sins and treasures of wrath . yet it is enough that he desires to see thee : all these disadvantages cannot hide him from thee . be we never so sinful , if our desires towards thee be hearty and servent , all the broad leaves of the sycomore cannot keep off thine eye from us . if we look at thee with the eye of faith , thou wilt look at us with the eye of mercy . the eye of the lord is upon the just ; and he is just that would be so ; if not in himself , yet in thee . o saviour , when zacheus was above , and thou wert below , thou didst look up at him : now thou art above , and we below , thou lookest down upon us ; thy mercy turns thine eyes every way towards our necessities . look down upon us that are not worthy to look up unto thee ; and finde us out , that we may seek thee . it was much to note zacheus , it was more to name him . methinks i see how zacheus startled at this , to hear the sound of his own name from the mouth of christ : neither can he but think , doth jesus know me ? is it his voice , or some others in the throng ? lo , this is the first blink that ever i had of him . i have heard the fame of his wonderful works , and held it happiness enough for me to have seen his face ; and doth he take notice of my person , of my name ? surely the more that zacheus knew himself , the more doth he wonder that christ should know him . it was slander enough for a man to be a friend to a publican ; yet christ gives this friendly compellation to the chief of publicans , and honours him with this argument of a sudden intireness . the favour is great , but not singular : every elect of god is thus graced . the father knows the childes name : as he calls the stars of heaven by their names , so doth he his saints , the stars on earth ; and it is his own rule to his israel , i have called thee by thy name , thou art mine . as god's children do not content themselves with a confused knowledge of him , but aspire to a particular apprehension and sensible application ; so doth god again to them : it is not enough that he knows them , as in the croud , wherein we see many persons , none distinctly ; but he takes single and several knowledge of their qualities , conditions , motions , events . what care we that our names are obscure or contemned amongst men , whiles they are regarded by god ; that they are raked up in the dust of earth , whiles they are recorded in heaven ? had our saviour said no more but , zacheus , come down , the poor man would have thought himself taxed for his boldness and curiosity : it were better to be unknown , then noted for miscarriage . but now the next words comfort him ; for i must this day abide at thine house . what a sweet familiarity was here ? as if christ had been many years acquainted with zacheus , whom he now first saw . besides our use , the host is invited by the guest , and called to an inexspected entertainment . well did our saviour hear zacheus his heart inviting him , though his mouth did not . desires are the language of the soul ; those are heard by him that is the god of spirits . we dare not doe thus to each other , save where we have eaten much salt ; we scarce go where we are invited : though the face be friendly , and the entertainment great , yet the heart may be hollow . but here , he that saw the heart , and foreknew his welcome , can boldly say , i must this day abide at thine house . what a pleasant kinde of entire familiarity there is betwixt christ and a good heart ? if any man open , i will come in , and sup with him . it is much for the king of glory to come into a cottage , and sup there ; yet thus he may doe , and take some state upon him in sitting alone . no , i will so sup with him , that he shall sup with me . earthly state consists in strangeness , and affects a stern kinde of majesty aloof . betwixt god and us though there be infinite more distance , yet there is a gracious affability and familiar intireness of conversation . o saviour , what dost thou else every day but invite thy self to us in thy word , in thy sacraments ? who are we that we should entertain thee , or thou us ? dwarfs in grace , great in nothing but unworthiness . thy praise is worthy to be so much the more , as our worth is less . thou that biddest thy self to us , bid us be fit to receive thee , and in receiving thee , happy . how graciously doth jesus still prevent the publican , as in his sight , notice , compell●tion , so in his invitation too ? that other publican , levi , bad christ to his house , but it was after christ had bidden him to his discipleship : christ had never been called to his feast , if levi had not been called into his family . he loved us first , he must first call us ; for he calls us out of love . as in the general calling of christianity , if he did not say , seek ye my face , we could never say , thy face , lord , will i seek : so in the specialties of our main benefits or imployments , christ must begin to us . if we invite our selves to him before he invite himself to us , the undertaking is presumptuous , the success unhappy . if nathanael , when christ named him , and gave him the memorial token of his being under the fig-tree , could say , thou art the son of god ; how could zacheus do less in hearing himself upon this wilde fig-tree named by the same lips ? how must he needs think , if he knew not all things , he could not know me ; and if he knew not the hearts of men , he could not have known my secret desires to entertain him ? he is a god that knows me , and a merciful god that invites himself to me . no marvel therefore , if upon this thought zacheus come down in hast . our saviour said not , take thy leisure , zacheus ; but , i will abide at thine house to day . neither did zacheus upon this intimation sit still and say , when the prease is over , when i have done some errands of my office ; but he hasts down to receive jesus . the notice of such a guest would have quickned his speed without a command . god loves not slack and lazy executions . the angels of god are described with wings : and we pray to doe his will with their forwardness . yea even to judas christ saith , what thou doest , doe quickly . o saviour , there is no day wherein thou dost not call us by the voice of thy gospel : what do we still lingring in the sycomore ? how unkindely must thou needs take the delaies of our conversion ? certainly , had zacheus staid still in the tree , thou hadst balked his house as unworthy of thee . what construction canst thou make of our wilful dilations , but as a stubborn contempt ? how canst thou but come to us in vengeance , if we come not down to entertain thee in a thankful obedience ? yet do i not hear thee say , zacheus , cast thy self down for hast ; this was the counsel of the tempter to thee ; but , come down in hast . and he did accordingly . there must be no more hast then good speed in our performances : we may offend as well in our heady acceleration , as in our delay . moses ran so fast down the hill that he stumbled spiritually , and brake the tables of god. we may so fast follow after justice , that we out-run charity . it is an unsafe obedience that is not discreetly and leisurely speedful . the speed of his descent was not more then the alacrity of his entertainment . he made hast , and came down , and received him joyfully . the life of hospitality is chearfulness . let our chear be never so great , if we do not read our welcome in our friends face as well as in his dishes , we take no pleasure in it . can we marvel that zacheus received christ joyfully ? who would not have been glad to have his house , yea himself , made happy with such a guest ? had we been in the stead of this publican , how would our hearts have leapt within us for joy of such a presence ? how many thousand miles are measured by some devout christians , onely to see the place where his feet stood ? how much happier must he needs think himself that owns the roof that receives him ? but oh the incomparable happiness then , of that man whose heart receives him , not for a day , not for years of dayes , not for millions of years , but for eternity ! this may be our condition , if we be not streightned in our own bowels . o saviour , do thou welcome thy self to these houses of clay , that we may receive a joyful welcome to thee in those everlasting habitations . zacheus was not more glad of christ then the jews were discontented . four vices met here at once , envy , scrupulousness , ignorance , pride . their eye was evil because christ's was good . i do not hear any of them invite christ to his home ; yet they snarl at the honour of this unworthy host : they thought it too much happiness for a sinner , which themselves willingly neglected to sue for . wretched men ! they cannot see the mercy of christ , for being bleared with the happiness of zacheus : yea that very mercy which they see , torments them . if that viper be the deadliest which feeds the sweetest , how poisonous must this disposition needs be that feeds upon grace ? what a contrariety there is betwixt good angels and evil men ? the angels rejoyce at that whereat men pout and stomack : men are ready to cry and burst for anger at that which makes musick in heaven . oh wicked and foolish elder brother , that feeds on hunger and his own heart without doors , because his younger brother is feasting on the fat calf within ! besides envy they stand scrupulously upon the terms of traditions . these sons of the earth might not be conversed with ; their threshold was unclean ; touch me not , for i am holier then thou . that he therefore , who went for a prophet , should go to the house of a publican and sinner , must needs be a great eye-sore . they that might not go in to a sinner , cared not what sins entred into themselves : the true cozens of those hypocrites , who held it a pollution to go into the judgment-hall , no pollution to murder the lord of life . there cannot be a greater argument of a false heart , then to stumble at these straws , and to leap over the blocks of gross impiety . well did our saviour know how hainously offensive it would be to turn in to this publican : he knows , and regards it not . a soul is to be won , what cares he for idle misconstruction ? morally good actions must not be suspended upon danger of causeless scandal . in things indifferent and arbitrary , it is fit to be overruled by fear of offence : but if men will stumble in the plain ground of good , let them fall without our regard , not without their own peril . i know not if it were not david's weakness to abstain from good words whiles the wicked were in place . let justice be done in spite of the world ; and in spite of hell , mercy . ignorance was in part guilty of these scruples : they thought christ either too holy to go to a sinner , or in going made unholy . foolish men ! to whom came he ? to you righteous ? let himself speak : i came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . whither should the physician go but to the sick ? the who le need him not . love is the best attractive of us ; and he to whom much is forgiven , loves much . o saviour , the glittering palaces of proud justiciaries are not for thee ; thou lovest the lowly and ragged cottage of a contrite heart . neither could here be any danger of thy pollution . thy sun could cast his beams upon the impurest dunghil , and not be tainted . it was free and safe for the leper and bloody-fluxed to touch thee ; thou couldst heal them , they could not infect thee . neither is it otherwise in this moral contagion . we who are obnoxious to evil , may be insensibly defiled : thy purity was enough to remedy that which might marre a world . thou canst help us , we cannot hurt thee . oh let thy presence ever bless us ; and let us ever bless thee for thy presence . pride was an attendant of this ignorance : so did they note zacheus for a sinner , as if themselves had been none . his sins were written in his forehead , theirs in their breast . the presumption of their secrecy makes them insult upon his notoriousness . the smoke of pride flies still upward , and in the mounting vanisheth ; contrition beats it down , and fetcheth tears from the tender eyes . there are stage-sins , and there are closet-sins . these may not upbraid the other : they may be more hainous , though less manifest . it is a dangerous vanity to look outward at other mens sins with scorn , when we have more need to cast our eyes inward to see our own with humiliation . thus they stumbled , and fell ; but zacheus stood . all their malicious murmur could not dishearten his piety and joy in the entertaining of christ . before zacheus lay down as a sinner , now he stands up as a convert : sinning is falling , continuance in sin is lying down , repentance is rising and standing up . yet perhaps this standing was not so much the site of his constancy or of his conversion , as of his reverence . christ's affability hath not made him unmannerly ; zacheus stood . and what if the desire of more audibleness raised him to his feet ? in that smalness of stature it was not fit he should lose ought of his height . it was meet so noble a proclamation should want no advantage of hearing . never was our saviour better welcomed . the penitent publican makes his will , and makes christ his supervisor . his will consists of legacies given , of debts paid : gifts to the poor , payments to the injuried . there is liberality in the former , in the latter justice ; in both the proportions are large : half to the poor ; fourfold to the wronged . this hand sowed not sparingly . here must needs be much of his own that was well gotten , whether left by patrimony , or saved by parsimony , or gained by honest improvement . for when he had restored fourfold to every one whom he had oppressed , yet there remained a whole half for pious uses : and this he so distributes , that every word commends his bounty . i give ; and what is more free then gist ? in alms we may neither sell , nor return , nor cast away . we sell , if we part with them for importunity , for vain-glory , for retribution : we return them , if we give with respect to former offices ; this is to pay , not to bestow : we cast away , if in our beneficence we neither regard order nor discretion . zacheus did neither cast away , nor return , nor sell , but give . i do give ; not , i will. the prorogation of good makes it thankless . the alms that smell of the hand , lose the praise . it is twice given that is given quickly . those that deferre their gifts till their death-bed , do as good as say , lord , i will give thee something when i can keep it no longer . happy is the man that is his own executor . i give my goods ; not anothers . it is a thankless vanity to be liberal of another mans purse . whoso gives of that which he hath taken away from the owner , doth more wrong in giving then in stealing . god exspects our gifts , not our spoils . i fear there is too many a school and hospital , every stone whereof may be challenged . had zacheus meant to give of his extortions , he had not been so careful of his restitution : now he restores to others , that he may give of his own ; i give half my goods . the publicans heart was as large as his estate ; he was not more rich in goods then in bounty . were this example binding , who should be rich to give ? who should be poor to receive ? in the streight beginnings of the church those beneficences were requisite , which afterwards in the larger elbow-room thereof would have caused much confusion . if the first christians laid down all at the apostles feet , yet ere long , it was enough for the believing corinthians , every first day of the week to lay aside some pittance for charitable purposes . we are no disciples , if we do not imitate zacheus so far as to give liberally , according to the proportion of our estate . giving is sowing : the larger seeding , the greater crop . giving to the poor is foeneration to god : the greater bank , the more interest . who can fear to be too wealthy ? time was when men faulted in excess : proclamations were fain to restrain the jews ; statutes were fain to restrain our ancestors . now there needs none of this : men know how to shut their hands alone . charity is in more danger of freezing then of burning . how happy were it for the church , if men were onely close-handed to hold , and not lime-fingered to take . to the poor ; not to rich heirs . god gives to him that hath ; we to him that wants . some want because they would , whether out of prodigality or idleness ; some want because they must : these are the fit subjects of our beneficence , not those other . a poverty of our own making deserves no pity . he that sustains the lewd , feeds not his belly but his vice . so then this living legacy of zacheus is free , i give ; present , i do give ; just , my goods , large , half my goods ; fit , to the poor . neither is he more bountiful in his gift , then just in his restitution : if i have take nought from any man by false ▪ accusation , i restore , it fourfold . it was proper for a publican to pill and pole the subject , by devising complaints , and raising causless vexations , that his mouth might be stopt with fees , either for silence or composition . this had zacheus often done . neither is this if a note of doubt , but of assertion . he is sure of the fact , he is not sure of the persons : their challenge must help to further his justice . the true penitence of this holy convert expresses it self in confession , in satisfaction . his confession is free , full , open . what cares he to shame himself , that he may give glory to god ? woe be to that bashfulness that ends in confusion of face . o god , let me blush before men , rather then be confounded before thee , thy saints and angels . his satisfaction is no less liberal then his gift . had not zacheus been careful to pay the debts of his fraud , all had gone to the poor . he would have done that voluntarily , which the young man in the gospel was bidden to doe , and refusing went away sorrowful . now he knew that his misgotten gain was not for god's corban ; therefore he spares half , not to keep , but to restore . this was the best dish in zacheus his good chear . in vain had he feasted christ , given to the poor , confessed his extortions , if he had not made restitution . woe is me for the paucity of true converts . there is much stoln goods ; little brought home . mens hands are like the fishers flew , yea like hell it self , which admits of no return . o god , we can never satisfie thee ; our score is too great , our abilities too little : but if we make not even with men , in vain shall we look for mercy from thee . to each his own had been well ; but four for one was munificent . in our transactions of commerce we doe well to beat the bargain to the lowest ; but in cases of moral or spiritual payments to god or men , now there must be a measure , pressed , shaken , running over . in good offices and due retributions we may not be pinching and niggardly . it argues an earthly and ignoble minde , where we have apparently wronged , to higgle and dodge in the amends . oh mercy and justice well repaid ! this day is salvation come to thine house . lo , zacheus , that which thou givest to the poor , is nothing to that which thy saviour gives to thee . if thou restorest four for one , here is more then thousands of millions for nothing : were every of thy pence a world , they could hold no comparison with this bounty . it is but dross that thou givest , it is salvation that thou receivest . thou gavest in present , thou dost not receive in hope ; but , this day is salvation come to thine house . thine ill-gotten metalls were a strong barre to bolt heaven gates against thee ; now that they are dissolved by a seasonable beneficence and restitution , those gates of glory fly open to thy soul. where is that man that can challenge god to be in his debt ? who can ever say , lord , this favour i did to the least of thine unrequited ? thrice happy publican , that hast climbed from thy sycomore to heaven ; and by a few worthless baggs of unrighteous mammon , hast purchased to thy self a kingdome uncorruptible , undefiled , and that fadeth not away . john baptist beheaded . three of the evangelists have ( with one pen ) recorded the death of the great harbinger of christ , as most remarkable and useful . he was the fore-runner of christ , as into the world , so out of it : yea , he that made way for christ into the world , made way for the name of christ into the court of herod . this herod antipas was son to that herod who was , and is ever infamous for the massacre at bethle●m . cruelty runs in a blood . the murderer of john the fore-runner of christ is well descended of him who would have murdered christ , and , for his sake , murdered the infants . it was late ere this herod heard the fame of jesus ; not till he had taken off the head of john baptist . the father of this herod inquired for christ too soon ; this too late . great men should have the best intelligence . if they improve it to all other uses of either frivolous or civil affaires , with neglect of spirituall , their judgment shall be so much more as their helps and means were greater . whether this herod were taken up with his arabian warrs against arethas his father in law , or whether he were imployed in his journey to rome , i inquire not : but if he were at home , i must wonder how he could be so long without the noise of christ . certainly , it was a sign he had a very irreligious court , that none of his followers did so much as report to him the miracles of our saviour ; who doubtless told him many a vain tale the while . one tells him of his brother philip's discontentment ; another relates the news of the roman court ; another , the angry threats of arethas ; another flatters him with the admiration of his new mistresse , and disparagement of the old : no man so much as sayes , sir , there is a prophet in your kingdome that doeth wonders . there was not a man in his countrey that had not been astonished with the fame of jesus ; yea all syria and the adjoining regions rung of it : only herod's court heares nothing . miserable is that greatness which keeps men from the notice of christ . how plain is it from hence , that our saviour kept aloof from the court ? the austere and eremitical harbinger of christ , it seems , preacht there oft , and was heard gladly , though at last , to his cost ; whiles our saviour , who was more sociable , came not there . he sent a message to that fox , whose den he would not approch . whether it were that he purposely forbore , lest he should give that tyrant occasion to revive and perose his fathers suspicion ; or whether for that he would not so much honour a place so infamously graceless and disorder'd ; or whether by his example to teach us the avoidance of outward pomp and glory . surely herod saw him not till his death ; heard not of him till the death of john baptist . and now his un-intelligence was not more strange then his misconstruction ; this is john baptist , whom i beheaded . first he doubted , then he resolved : he doubted upon others suggestions ; upon his own apprehensions he resolved thus . and though he thought good to set a face on it to strangers , unto whom is was not safe to bewray his fear ; yet to his domesticks he freely discovered his thoughts ; this is john baptist . the troubled conscience will many a time open that to familiars , which it hides from the eyes of others . shame and fear meet together in guiltiness . how could he imagine this to be john ? that common conceit of transanimation could have no place here ; there could be no transmigration of souls into a grown and well-statur'd body . that received fancy of the jewes held only in the case of conception and birth , not of full age . what need we scan this point , when herod himself professes , he is risen from the dead ? he that was a jew by profession , and knew the story of elisha's bones , of the sareptan's and shunamite's son , and in all likelihood had now heard of our saviours miraculous resuscitation of others , might think this power reflected upon himself . even herod , as bad as he was , believed a resurrection . leudness of life and practice may stand with orthodoxy in some main points of religion . who can doubt of this , when the devils believe and tremble ? where shall those men appear whose faces are christian , but their hearts sadducees ? oh the terrors and tortures of a guilty heart ! herod's conscience told him he had offered an unjust and cruel violence to an innocent ; and now he thinks that john's ghost haunts him . had it not been for this guilt of his bosome , why might he not as well have thought that the same god whose hand is not shortned , had conferred this power of miracles upon some other ? now it could be no body but john that doth these wonders : and how can it be ( thinks he ) but that this revived prophet , who doth these strange things , will be revenged on me for his head ? he that could give himself life , can more easily take mine : how can i escape the hands of a now-immortal and impassible avenger ? a wicked man needs no other tormentor ( especially for the sins of blood ) then his own heart . revel , o herod , and feast , and frolick ; and please thy self with dances , and triumphs , and pastimes : thy sin shall be as some fury that shall invisibly follow thee , and scourge thy guilty heart with secret lashes , and upon all occasions shall begin thine hell within thee . he wanted not other sins , that yet cryed , deliver me from blood-guiltiness , o god. what an honour was done to john in this misprision ? while that man lived , the world was apt to think that john was the christ : now that john is dead , herod thinks christ to be john. god gives to his poor conscionable servants a kinde of reverence and high respect , even from those men that malign them most ; so as they cannot but venerate whom they hate . contrarily , no wit or power can shield a leud man from contempt . john did no miracle in his life , yet now herod thinks he did miracles in his resurrection ; as supposing that a new supernatural life brought with it a supernatural power . who can but wonder at the stupid partiality of herod and these jews ? they can imagine and yield john risen fron the dead , that never did miracle , and rose not ; whereas christ , who did infinite miracles , and rose from the dead by his almighty power , is not yielded by them to have risen . their over-bountiful misconceit of the servant , is not so injurious as their niggardly infidelity to the master . both of them shall convince and confound them before the face of god. but , oh yet more blockish herod ! thy conscience affrights thee with john's resurrection , and flies in thy face for the cruel murder of so great a saint ; yet where is thy repentance for so foul a fact ? who would not have exspected that thou shouldest hereupon have humbled thy self for thy sin , and have laboured to make thy peace with god and him ? the greater the fame and power was of him whom thou supposedst recovered from thy slaughter , the more should have been thy penitence . impiety is wont to besot men , and turn them senseless of their own safety and welfare . one would have thought that our first grandsire adam , when he found his heart to strike him for his disobedience , should have run to meet god upon his knees , and have sued for pardon of his offence : in stead of that , he runs to hide his head among the bushes . the case is still ours ; we inherit both his sin and his senslesness . besides the infinite displeasure of god , wickedness makes the heart uncapable of grace , and impregnable of the means of conversion . even the very first act of herod's cruelty was hainous . he was foul enough with other sins ; he added this above all , that he shut up john in prison . the violence offered to god's messengers is branded for notorious . the sanctity and austere carriage of the man won him honour justly from the multitude , and aggravated the sin : but whatever his person had been , his mission was sacred ( he shall send his messenger ; the wrong redounds to the god that sent him . it is the charge of god , touch not mine anointed , nor doe my prophets any harm . the precept is perhaps one , for even prophets were anointed ; but at least next to violation of majesty , is the wrong to a prophet . but what ? do i not hear the evangelist say that herod heard john gladly ? how is it then ? did john take the ear and heart of herod , and doth herod binde the hands and feet of john ? doth he wilfully imprison whom he gladly heard ? how inconstant is a carnal heart to good resolutions ? how little trust is to be given to the good motions of unregenerate persons ? we have known when even mad dogs have fawned upon their master , yet he hath been too wise to trust them but in chains . as a true friend loves alwaies , so a gracious heart alwaies affects good : neither can be altered with change of occurrences . but the carnal man , like an hollow parasite or a fawning spaniel , flatters onely for his own turn ; if that be once either served or crossed , like a churlish curre , he is ready to snatch us by the fingers . is there a worldly-minded man that lives in some known sin , yet makes much of the preacher , frequents the church , talks godly , looks demurely , carries fair ? trust him not ; he will prove , after his pious fits , like some resty horse , which goes on some paces readily and eagerly , but anon either stands still , or falls to flinging and plunging , and never leaves till he have cast his rider . what then might be the cause of john's bonds , and herod's displeasure ? for herodias sake his brother philips wife . that woman was the subject of herod's lust , and the exciter of his revenge . this light huswife ran away with her husbands brother ; and now doting upon her incestuous lover , and finding john to be a rub in the way of her licentious adultery , is impatient of his liberty , and will not rest till his restraint . resolved sinners are mad upon their leud courses and run furiously upon their gainsayers . a bear robbed of her whelps is less impetuous . indeed those that have determined to love their sins more then their soules , whom can they care for ? though herod was wicked enough , yet had it not been upon herodias's instigation , he had never imprisoned john. importunity of leud solicitors may be of dangerous consequence , and many times draws greatness into those waies which it either would not have thought of , or abhorred . in the remotion of the wicked is the establishment of the throne . yet still is this dame called the wife of philip. she had utterly left his bed , and was solemnly coupled to herod ; but all the ritual ceremonies of her new nuptials cannot make her other then philip's wife . it is a sure rule , that which is originally faulty can never be rectified . the ordination of marriage is one for one ; they twain shall be one flesh . there cannot be two heads to one body , nor two bodies to one head . herod was her adulterer , he was not her husband : she was herod's harlot , philip's wife . yet how doth herod dote on her , that for her sake he loads john with irons ? whither will not the fury of inordinate lust transport a man ? certainly john was of late in herod's favour . that rough-hewn preacher was for a wilderness , not for a court : herod's invitation drew him thither , his reverence and respects incouraged him there . now the love of his lust hath carried him into an hate of gods messenger . that man can have no hold of himself or care of others , who hath given the rains to his unruly concupiscence . he that hath once fixed his heart upon the face of an harlot , and hath beslaved himself to a bewitching beauty , casts off at once all fear of god , respect to laws , shame of the world , regard of his estate , care of wife , children , friends , reputation , patrimony , body , soul. so violent is this beastly passion where it takes : neither ever leaves till it have hurried him into the chambers of death . herodias her self had first plotted to kill the baptist ; her murderers were suborned , her ambushes laid . the success failed , and now she works with herod for his durance . oh marvellous hand of the almighty ! john was a mean man for estate , solitary , guardless , unarmed , impotent : herodias a queen , so great that she swayed herod himself ; and not more great then subtile ; and not more great or subtile then malicious ; yet herodias laid to kill john , and could not . what an invisible , and yet sure , guard there is about the poor servants of god that seem helpless and despicable in themselves ? there is over them an hand of divine protection , which can be no more opposed then seen . malice is not so strong in the hand as in the heart . the devil is stronger then a world of men , a legion of devils stronger then fewer spirits ; yet a legion of devils cannot hurt one swine without a permission . what can bands of enemies or gates of hell doe against gods secret ones ? it is better to trust in the lord , then to trust in princes . it is not more clear who was the author , then what was the motive of this imprisonment , the free reproof of herod's incest ; it is not lawful , &c. both the offenders were netled with this bold reprehension . herod knew the reputation that john carried ; his conscience could not but suggest the foulness of his own fact : neither could he but see how odious it would seem to persecute a prophet for so just a reproof . for the colour therefore of so tyrannical an act , he brands john with sedition : these presumptuous taxations are a disgrace and disparagement to authority . it is no news with wicked tyrants , to cloak their cruelty with pretences of justice . never was it other then the lot of gods faithful servants , to be loaded with unjust reproaches in the conscionable performance of their duties . they should speed too well in the opinion of men , if they might but appear in their true shape . the fact of herod was horrible and prodigious ; to rob his own brother of the partner of his bed ; to teare away part of his flesh , yea his body from his head . so as here was at once in one act , adultery , incest , violence . adultery , that he took anothers wife ; incest , that he took his brother's ; violence , that he thus took her , in spight of her husband . justly therefore might john say , it is not lawful for thee . he balked not one of herod's sins , but reproved him of all the evils that he had done ; though more eminently of this , as that which more filled the eye of the world . it was not the crown or awful scepter of herod that could daunt the homely , but faithful , messenger of god : as one that came in the spirit of elias , he feares no faces , spares no wickedness . there must meet in gods ministers courage and impartiality . impartiality , not to make difference of persons ; courage , not to make spare of the sins of the greatest . it is an hard condition that the necessity of our calling casts upon us , in some cases to run upon the pikes of displeasure . prophecies were no burdens , if they did not expose us to these dangers . we must connive at no evil : every sin unreproved becomes ours . hatred is the daughter of truth . herod is inwardly vexed with so peremptory a reprehension : and now he seeks to kill the author . and why did he not 〈◊〉 he feared the people . the time was , when he feared john no less then now 〈◊〉 hates him : he once reverenced him as a just and holy man , whom now he h●art-burns as an enemy ▪ neither was it any counterfeit respect , sure the man was then in earnest . what shall we say then ? was it that his inconstant heart was now fetcht off by herodias , and wrought to a disaffection ? or was it with herod as with salomon's sluggard , that at once would and would not ? his thoughts are distracted with a mixt voluntary contradiction of purposes : as an holy man , and honoured of the people , he would not kill john ; he would kill him , as an enemy to his lust . the worst part prevaileth ; appetite oversways reason and conscience : and now , were it not for fear of the people , john should be murdered . what a self-conflicting and prodigious creature is a wicked man left over to his own thoughts ? whiles on the one side he is urged by his conscience , on the other by his lustful desires and by the importunity of satan . there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked : and after all his inward broils , he falls upon the worst ; so as his yieldance is worse then his fight . when god sees fit , herod's tyranny shall effect that which the wi●e providence of the almighty hath decreed for his servants glory . in the mean while , rubs shall be cast in his way ; and this for one , he feared the people . what an absurd and sottish thing is hypocrisy ? herod feares the people , he feares not god. tell me then , herod , what could the people doe at the worst ? perhaps , mutiny against thee , raise arms and tumults , disturb the government , it may be , shake it off . what could god doe ? yea , what not ? stirre up all his creatures to plague thee , and when he hath done , tumble thee down to hell , and there torment thee everlastingly . o fond herod , that fearest where no fear was , and fearest not where there is nothing but terrour ! how god fits lewd men with restraints ? if they be so godless as to regard his creature above himself , he hath external buggs to affright them withall ; if bashful , he hath shame ; if covetous , losses ; if proud , disgrace : and by this meanes the most wise providence keeps the world in order . we cannot better judge of our hearts , then by what we most fear . no man is so great as to be utterly exempted from fear . the jews feared herod ; herod feared the jews : the healthful fear sickness ; the free servitude : the people fear a tyrants oppression and cruelty ; the tyrant fears the peoples mutiny and insurrection . if there have been some so great as to be above the reach of the power and machinations of inferiours , yet never any that have been free from their fears and suspicions . happy is he that fears nothing but what he should , god. why did herod fear the people ? they held john for a prophet . and this opinion was both common and constant : even the scribes and pharisees durst not say , his baptisme was from men . it is the wisdome and goodness of god , ever to give his children favour somewhere . if jezebel hate elias , ahab shall for the time honour him : and if herod hate the baptist , and would kill him , yet the people reverence him . herod's malice would make him away ; the peoples reputation keeps him alive . as wise princes have been content to maintain a faction in their court or state for their own purposes ; so here did the god of heaven contrive and order differences of judgment and affection betwixt herod and his subjects for his own holy ends . else certainly , if all wicked men should conspire in evil , there could be no being upon earth ; as contrarily , if evil spirits did not accord , hell could not stand . oh the unjust and fond partiality of this people ! they all generally applaud john for a prophet , yet they receive not his message . whose prophet was john , but of the highest ? what was his errand , but to be the way-maker unto christ ? what was he but the voice of that eternal word of his father ? what was the found of that voice but , behold the lamb of god : he that comes after me is greater then i , whose shoe-latchet i am not worthy to unlose ? yet they honour the servant , and reject the master : they contemn that prince whose embassador they reve●ence . how could they but argue , john is a prophet ; he speaks from god ; his words must be true ; he tells us this is the lamb of god , the messias that should ●ome to redeem the world : this must then needs be he ; we will look for no other ? yet this perverse people receives john , and rejects jesus . there is ever an absurdity in unbelief , whiles it separates those relations and respects which can never in nature be disjoyned . thus it readily apprehends god as merciful in pardoning , not as just in punishing ; christ as a saviour , not as a judge . thus we ordinarily ( in a contrariety to these jews ) professe to receive the master , and contemn the servants : whiles he hath said that will make it good , he that despiseth you , despiseth me . that which herod in policie durst not , in wine he dares doe : and that which god had restrained till his own time , now in his own time he permits to be done . the day was , as one of the evangelists styles it , convenient : if for the purpose of herodias , i am sure for god's ; who having determined to glorifie himself by john's martyrdom , will cast it upon a time when it may be most notified , herod's birth-day . all the peers of the country , perhaps of the neighbour nations , are now assembled . herodias could not have found out a time more fit to blazon her own shame and cruelty then in such a confluence . the wise providence of god many times pays us with our own choice ; so as when we think to have brought about our own ends to our best content , we bring about his purposes to our own confusion . herod's birth-day is kept ; and so was pharaoh's : both of them with blood . these personal stains cannot make the practice unlawful . where the man is good , the birth is memorable . what blessing have we , if life be none ? and if our life be a blessing , why should it not be celebrated ? excess and disorder may blemish any solemnity ; but that cleaves to the act , not to the institution . herod's birth-day was kept with a feast , and this feast was a supper . it was fit to be a night-work : this festivity was spent in works of darkness , not of the light ; it was a childe of darkness that was then born , not of the day . those that are drunken , are drunk in the night . there is a kinde of shame in sin , even where it is committed with the stiffest resolution , at least there was wont to be : if now sin be grown impudent , and justice bashful , woe be to us . that there might be perfect revels at herod's birth-day , besides the feast , there is musick and dancing , and that by salome the daughter of herodias . a meet daughter for such a mother , bred according to the disposition of so immodest a parent . dancing in it self , as it is a set , regular , harmonious motion of the body , cannot be unlawful , more then walking or running ; circumstances may make it sinful . the wanton gesticulations of a virgin in a wild assembly of gallants warmed with wine , could be no other then riggish and unmaidenly . it is not so frequently seen that the child follows the good qualities of the parent ; it is seldom seen that it follows not the evil . nature is the soyle ; good and ill qualities are the herbs and weeds : the soyle bears the weeds naturally , the herbs not without culture . what with traduction , what with education , it were strange if we should miss any of our parents mis-dispositions . herodias and salome have what they desired . the dance pleased herod well : those indecent motions that would have displeased any modest eye , ( though what should a modest eye doe at herod's feast ? ) over-pleased herod . well did herodias know how to fit the tooth of her paramour , and had therefore purposely so composed the carriage and gesture of her daughter , as it might take best : although doubtless the same action could not have so pleased from another . herod saw in salome's face and fashion , the image of her whom he doted on ; so did she look , so did she move : besides that his lavish cups had predisposed him to wantonness : and now he cannot but like well that which so pleasingly suted his inordinate desire . all humours love to be fed ; especially the vicious , so much more , as they are more eager and stirring . there cannot be a better glass wherein to discern the face of our hearts , then our pleasures : such as they are , such are we , whether vain , or holy . what a strange transportation was this ? whatsoever thou shalt ask : half a kingdom for a dance ? herod , this pastime is over-pay'd for ; there is no proportion in this remuneration ; this is not bounty , it is prodigence . neither doth this pass under a bare promise onely , but under an oath , and that solemn and ( as it might be in wine ) serious . how largely do sensual men both profer and give for a little momentany and vain contentment ? how many censure herod's gross impotence , and yet second it with a worse giving away their precious souls for a short pleasure of sin ? what is half a kingdom , yea a whole world , to a soul ? so much therefore is their madness greater , as their loss is more . so large a boon was worthy of a deliberation . salome consults with her mother upon so ample and ratified a promise . yet so much good nature and filial respect was in this wanton damsel , that she would not carve her self of her option , but takes her mother with her . if herodias were infamously lewd , yet she was her parent , and must direct her choice . children should have no will of their own ; as their flesh is their parents , so should their will be . they do justly unchild themselves , that in main elections dispose of themselves without the consent of those which gave them being . it is both unmannerly and unnatural in the child to run before , without , against the will of the parent . oh that we could be so officious to our good and heavenly father , as she was to an earthly and wicked mother ; not to ask , not to undertake ought without his allowance , without his directions : that when the world shall offer us whatsoever our heart desires , we could run to the oracles of god for our resolution ; not daring to accept what he doth not both license and warrant . oh the wonderful strength of malice ! salome was offered no less then half the kingdom of herod , yet chuses to ask the head of a poor preacher . nothing is so sweet to a corrupt heart as revenge ; especially when it may bring with it a full scope to a dear sin . all worldlings are of this diet : they had rather sin freely for a while and dye , then refrain and live happily , eternally . what a suit was this ? give me here in a charger the head of john baptist . it is not enough for her to say , let john's head be cut off ; but , give me it in a charger . what a service was here to be brought into a feast , especially to a woman ? a dead mans head swimming in blood . how cruel is a wicked heart , that can take pleasure in those things which have most horrour ? oh the importunity of a galled conscience ! herodias could never think her self safe till john was dead ; she could never think him dead till his head were off ; she could not think his head was off , till she had it brought her in a platter : a guilty heart never thinks it hath made sure enough . yea , even after the head was thus brought , they thought him alive again . guiltiness and security could never lodge together in one bosome . herod was sorry , and no doubt in earnest ; in the midst of his cups and pleasance . i should rather think his jollity counterfeited then his grief . it is true , herod was a fox ; but that subtile beast dissembles not always : when he runs away from the dogs , he means as he does . and if he were formerly willing to have killed john , yet he was unwillingly willing ; and so farre as he was unwilling to kill him as a prophet , as a just man , so farre was he sorry that he must be killed . had herod been wise , he had not been perplexed . had he been so wise as to have ingaged himself lawfully and within due limits , he had not now been so intangled as to have needed sorrow . the folly of sinners is guilty of their pain , and draws upon them a late and unprofitable repentance . but here the act was not past , though the word were past . it was his misconceived intanglement that caused this sorrow ; which might have been remedied by flying off . a threefold cord tyed him to the performance . the conscience of his oath , the respect to his guests , a loathness to discontent herodias and her daughter . herod had so much religion as to make scruple of an oath ; not so much as to make scruple of a murder . no man casts off all justice and piety at once ; but whiles he gives himself over to some sins , he sticks at others . it is no thank to lewd men that they are not universally vicious . all god's several laws cannot be violated at once : there are sins contrary to each other ; there are sins disagreeing from the lewdest dispositions . there are oppressors that hate drunkenness ; there are unclean persons which abhorre murder ; there are drunkards which hate cruelty . one sin is enough to damn the soul , one leak to drown the vessel . but , oh fond herod ! what needed this unjust scrupulousness ? well and safely mightest thou have shifted the bond of thine oath with a double evasion . one , that this generality of thy promise was onely to be construed of lawful acts and motions : that onely can we doe , which we can justly doe ; unlawfulness is in the nature of impossibility . the other , that had this ingagement been so meant , yet might it be as lawfully rescinded as it was unlawfully made . a sinful promise is ill made , worse performed . thus thou mightest , thou shouldest have come off fair ; where now , holding thy self by an irreligious religion tyed to thy foolish and wicked oath ; thou onely goest away with this mitigation , that thou art a scrupulous murderer . in the mean while , if an herod made such conscience of keeping an unlawful oath , how shall he in the day of judgement condemn those christians which make no conscience of oaths lawful , just , necessary ? wo is me , one sels an oath for a bribe , another lends an oath for favour , another casts it away for malice . i fear to think it may be a question whether there be more oaths broken , or kept . o god , i marvel not , if being implored as a witness , as an avenger of falshood , thou hold him not guiltless that thus dares take thy name in vain . next to his oath is the respect to his honour . his guests heard his deep engagement , and now he cannot fall off with reputation . it would argue levity and rashness to say and not to doe , and what would the world say ? the misconceits of the points of honour have cost millions of souls . as many a one doth good onely to be seen of men , so many a one doth evil onely to satisfie the humour and opinion of others . it is a damnable plausibility so to regard the vain approbation or censure of the beholders , as in the mean time to neglect the allowance or judgement of god. but how ill guests were these ? how well worthy of an herod's table ? had they had but common civility , finding herod perplexed , they had acquitted him by their disswasions , and would have disclaimed the exspectation of so bloody a performance : but they rather ( to gratifie herodias ) make way for so slight and easie a condescent . even godly princes have complained of the iniquity of their heels : how much more must they needs be ill attended , that give incouragements and examples of leudness ? neither was it the least motive that he was loath to displease his mistress . the damsel had pleased him in her dance ; he would not discontent her in breaking his word . he saw herodias in salome : the suit , he knew , was the mothers , though in the daughters lips : both would be displeased in falling off ; both would be gratified in yielding . oh vain and wicked herod ! he cares not to offend god , to offend his conscience ; he cares to offend a wanton mistress . this is one means to fill hell , loathness to displease . a good heart will rather fall out with all the world then with god , then with his conscience . the misgrounded sorrow of worldly hearts doth not withhold them from their intended sins . it is enough to vex , not enough to restrain them . herod was sorry , but he sends the executioner for john's head . one act hath made herod a tyrant , and john a martyr . herod a tyrant , in that without all legal proceedings , without so much as false witnesses , he takes off the head of a man , of a propher . it was lust that carried herod into murder . the proceedings of sin are more hardly avoided then the entrance . whoso gives himself leave to be wicked , knows not where he shall stay . john a martyr , in dying for bearing witness to the truth ; truth in life , in judgement , in doctrine . it was the holy purpose of god , that he which had baptized with water should now be baptized with blood . never did god mean that his best children should dwell alwayes upon earth : should they stay here , wherefore hath he provided glory above ? now would god have john delivered from a double prison ; of his own , of herod's ; and placed in the glorious liberty of his sons . his head shall be taken off , that it may be crowned with glory . precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints . oh happy birth-day ( not of herod , but ) of the baptist ! now doth john enter into his joy ; and in this name is this day ever celebrated of the church . this blessed fore-runner of christ said of himself , i must decrease . he is decreased indeed , and now grown shorter by the head ; but he is not so much decreased in stature , as increased in glory . for one minutes pain he is possessed of endless joy ; and as he came before his saviour into the world , so is he gone before him into heaven . the head is brought in a charger . what a dish was here for a feast ? how prodigiously insatiable is the cruelty of a wicked heart ! o blessed service fit for the table of heaven ! it is not for thee , o wicked herod , nor for thee , malicious and wanton herodias ; it is a dish precious and pleasing to the god of heaven , to the blessed angels , who lookt upon that head with more delight in his constant fidelity , then the beholders saw it with horror , and herodias with contentment of revenge . it is brought to salome as the reward of her dance ; she presents it to her mother as the dainty she had longed for . methinks i see how that chast and holy countenance was tossed by impure and filthy hands ; that true and faithful tongue , those sacred lips , those pure eyes , those mortified cheeks are now insultingly handled by an incestuous harlot , and made a scorn to the drunken eyes of herod's guests . oh the wondrous judgements and incomprehensible dispositions of the holy , wise , almighty god! he that was sanctified in the womb , born and conceived with so much note and miracle , ( what manner of child● shall this be ? ) lived with so much reverence and observation , is now , at midnight , obscurely murthered in a close prison , and his head brought forth to the insultation and irrision of harlots and ruffians . o god , thou knowest what thou hast to doe with thine own . thus thou sufferest thine to be misused and slaughtered here below , that thou maist crown them above . it should not be thus , if thou didst not mean that their glory should be answerable to their depression . the five loaves and two fishes . what flocking there was after christ which way soever he went ? how did the kingdome of heaven suffer an holy violence in these his followers ? their importunity drave him from the land to the sea . when he was upon the sea of tiberias , they followed him with their eyes ; and when they saw which way he bent , they followed him so fast on foot , that they prevented his landing . whether it were that our saviour stai'd somewhile upon the water ( as that which yielded him more quietness , and freedom of respiration ; ) or whether the foot-passage ( as it oft falls out ) were the shorter cut , by reason of the compasses of the water and the many elbows of the land , i enquire not : sure i am , the wind did not so swiftly drive on the ship , as desire and zeal drave on these eager clients . well did christ see them all the way ; well did he know their steps , and guided them : and now he purposely goes to meet them , whom he seemed to flee . nothing can please god more then our importunity in seeking him : when he withdraws himself , it is that he may be more earnestly inquired for . now then he comes to finde them whom he made shew to decline : and seeing a great multitude , he passes from the ship to the shore . that which brought him from heaven to earth , brought him also from the sea to land ; his compassion on their souls , that he might teach them ; compassion on their bodies , that he might heal and feed them . judaea was not large , but populous : it could not be but there must be amongst so many men many diseased : it is no marvel if the report of so miraculous and universal sanations drew customers . they found three advantages of cure above the power and performance of any earthly physician , certainty , bounty , ease . certainty , in that all comers were cured without fail : bounty , in that they were cured without charge : ease , in that they were cured without pain . farre be it from us , o saviour , to think that thy glory hath abated of thy mercy : still and ever thou art our assured , bountiful , and perfect physician , who healest all our diseases , and takest away all our infirmities . oh that we could have our faithful recourse to thee in all our spiritual maladies : it were as impossible we should want help , as that thou shouldest want power and mercy . that our saviour might approve himself every way beneficent , he that had filled the souls of his auditors with spiritual repast , will now fill their bodies with temporal : and he that had approved himself the universal physician of his church , will now be known to be the great housholder of the world , by whose liberal provision mankinde is maintained . he did not more miraculously heal , then he feeds miraculously . the disciples having well noted the diligent and importune attendance of the multitude , now towards evening come to their master in a care of their repast and discharge . this is a desart place , and the time is now past : send the multitude away , that they may goe into the villages and buy themselves victuals . how well it becomes even spiritual guides to regard the bodily necessities of god's people ? this is not directly in our charge , neither may we leave our sacred ministration to serve tables . but yet , as the bodily father must take care for the soul of his childe ; so must the spiritual have respect to the body . this is all that the world commonly looks after ; measuring their pastors more by their dishes then by their doctrine or conversation : as if they had the charge of their bellies , not of their souls : if they have open cellars , it matters not whether their mouths be open . if they be sociable in their carriage , favourable and indulgent to their recreations , full in their chear , how easily doth the world dispense with either their negligence or enormities ? as if the souls of these men lay in their weasand , in their gut . but surely they have reason to exspect from their teachers a due proportion of hospitality . an unmeet parsimony is here not more odious then sinful : and where ability wants , yet care may not be wanting . those preachers which are so intent upon their spiritual work , that in the mean time they over-strain the weaknesses of their people , holding them in their devotions longer then humane frailty will permit , forget not themselves more then their pattern : and must be sent to school to these compassionate disciples , who when evening was come , sue to christ for the peoples dismission . the place was desart ; the time , evening . doubtless our saviour made choice of both these , that there might be both more use and more note of his miracle . had it been in the morning , their stomack had not been up ; their feeding had been unnecessary . had it been in the village , provision either might have been made , or at least would have seemed made by themselves . but now that it was both desart and evening , there was good ground for the disciples to move , and for christ to work their sustentation . then onely may we exspect and crave help from god , when we finde our need . superfluous aid can neither be heartily desired , nor earnestly lookt for , nor thankfully received from the hands of mercy . cast thy burden upon the lord , and he shall sustain thee . if it be not a burden , it is no casting it upon god. hence it is that divine aid comes ever in the very upshot and exigence of our trials ; when we have been exercised , and almost tired with long hopes , yea with despairs of success : that it may be both more longed for ere it come , and when it comes more welcome . oh the faith and zeal of these clients of christ ! they not only follow him from the city into the desart , from delicacy to want , from frequence to solitude ; but forget their bodies in pursuit of the food of their souls . nothing is more hard for an healthful man to forget then his belly ; within few hours this will be sure to solicit him , and will take no denials . yet such sweetness did these hearers finde in the spiritual repast , that they thought not on the bodily : the disciples pitied them , they had no mercy on themselves . by how much more a mans minde is taken up with heavenly things , so much less shall he care for earthly . what shall earth be to us , when we are all spirit ? and in the mean time , according to the degrees of our intellectual elevations , shall be our neglect of bodily contentments . the disciples think they move well : send them away , that they may buy victuals . here was a strong charity , but a weak faith. a strong charity , in that they would have the people relieved ; a weak faith , in that they supposed they could not otherwise be so well relieved . as a man when he sees many wayes lie before him , takes that which he thinks both fairest and nearest ; so doe they : this way of relief lay openest to their view , and promised most . well might they have thought , it is as easie for our master to feed them , as to heal them ; there is an equal facility in all things to a supernatural power : yet they say , send them away . in all our projects and suits we are still ready to move for that which is most obvious , most likely , when sometimes that is less agreeable to the will of god. the all-wise and almighty arbiter of all things hath a thousand secret means to honour himself in his proceedings with us . it is not for us to carve boldly for our selves ; but we must humbly depend on the disposal of his wisdom and mercy . our saviours answer gives a strange check to their motion ; they need not depart . not need ? they had no victuals ; they must have ; there was none to be had . what more need could be ? he knew the supply which he intended , though they knew it not . his command was therefore more strange then his assertion , give ye them to eat . nothing gives what it hath not . had they had victuals , they had not called for a dismission ; and not having , how should they give ? it was thy wisdom , o saviour , thus to prepare thy disciples for the intended miracle : thou wouldst not doe it abruptly , without an intimation both of the purpose of it , and the necessity . and how modestly dost thou undertake it , without noise , without ostentation ? i hear thee not say , i will give them to eate ; but , give ye : as if it should be their act , not thine . thus sometimes it pleaseth thee to require of us what we are not able to perform ; either that thou maiest shew us what we cannot doe , and so humble us ; or that thou majest erect us to a dependence upon thee , which canst doe it for us . as when the mother bids the infant come to her , which hath not yet the steddy use of his leggs , it is that he may cling the faster to her hand or coat for supportation . thou bidst us , impotent wretches , to keep thy royal law. alas ! what can we sinners doe ? there is not one letter of those thy ten words that we are able to keep . this charge of thine intends to shew us not our strength , but our weakness . thus thou wouldest turn our eyes both back to what we might have done , to what we could have done ; and upwards to thee in whom we have done it , in whom we can doe it . he wrongs thy goodness and justice that misconstrues these thy commands , as if they were of the same nature with those of the egyptian task-masters , requiring the brick , and not giving the straw . but in bidding us doe what we cannot , thou inablest us to doe what thou biddest . thy precepts under the gospel have not onely an intimation of our duty , but an habilitation of thy power : as here , when thou badest the disciples to give to the multitude , thou meantest to supply unto them what thou commandedst to give . our saviour hath what he would ; an acknowledgement of their insufficiency : we have here but five loaves and two fishes . a poor provision for the family of the lord of the whole earth : five loaves , and those barley ; two fishes , and those little ones . we well know , o saviour , that the beasts were thine on a thousand mountains , all the corn thine that covered the whole surface of the earth , all the fouls of the aire thine ; it was thou that providedst those drifts of quails that fell among the tents of thy rebellious israelites , that rainedst down those showrs of manna round about their camp : and dost thou take up ( for thy self and thy meiny ) with five barly loaves , and two little fishes ? certainly this was thy will , not thy need : to teach us , that this body must be fed , not pampered . our belly may not be our master , much less our god ; or if it be , the next word is , whose glory is their shame , whose end damnation . it is noted as the crime of the rich glutton , that he fared deliciously every day . i never finde that christ entertained any guests but twice ; and that was onely with loaves and fishes . i finde him sometimes feasted by others more liberally . but his domestical fare how simple , how homely it is ? the end of food is to sustain nature . meat was ordained for the belly , the belly for the body , the body for the soul , the soul for god : we must still look through the subordinate ends to the highest . to rest in the pleasure of the meat , is for those creatures which have no soules . oh the extreme delicacy of these times ! what conquisition is here of all sorts of curious dishes from the furthest seas and lands , to make up one hours meal ? what broken cookery ? what devised mixtures ? what nice sauces ? what feasting not of the tast only , but of the sent ? are we the disciples of him that took up with the loaves and fishes ; or the scholars of a philoxenus , or an apitius , or vitellius , or those other monsters of the palate ? the true sons of those first parents that killed themselves with their teeth ? neither was the quality of these victuals more course then the quantity small . they make a but of five loaves and two fishes ; and well might , in respect of so many thousand mouths . a little food to an hungry stomack , doth rather stir up appetite then satisfie it : as a little rain upon a droughty soil doth rather help to scorch then refresh it . when we look with the eye of sense or reason upon any object , we shall see an impossibility of those effects which faith can easily apprehend , and divine power more easily produce . carnal mindes are ready to measure all our hopes by humane possibilities ; and when they fail , to despair of success : where true faith measures them by divine power , and therefore can never be disheartned . this grace is for things not seen , and whether beyond hope , or against it . the virtue is not in the means , but in the agent . bring them hither to me . how much more easie had it been for our saviour to fetch the loaves to him , then to multiply them ? the hands of the disciples shall bring them , that they might more fully witness both the author , and manner of the instant miracle . had the loaves and fishes been multiplied without this bringing , perhaps they might have seemed to have come by the secret provision of the guests ; now there can be no question either of the act , or of the agent . as god takes pleasure in doing wonders for men , so he loves to be acknowledged in the great works that he doth . he hath no reason to part with his own glory ; that is too pretious for him to lose , or for his creature to embezel . and how justly didst thou , o saviour , in this mean to teach thy disciples , that it was thou only who feedest the world ; and upon whom both themselves and all their fellow-creatures must depend for their nourishment and provision ; and that if it came not through thy hands , it could not come to theirs ? there need no more words . i do not hear the disciples stand upon the terms of their own necessity ; alas ! sir , it is too little for our selves ; whence shall we then relieve our own hunger ? give leave to our charity to begin at home . but they willingly yield to the command of their master ; and put themselves upon his providence for the sequel . when we have a charge from god , it is not for us to stand upon self-respects ; in this case there is no such sure liberty as in a self-contempt . o god , when thou callest to us for our five loaves , we must forget our own interest : otherwise if we be more thristy then obedient , our good turns evil ; and much better had it been for us to have wanted that which we withhold from the owner . he that is the master of the feast marshals the guests ; he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass . they obey , and exspect . oh marvelous faith ! so many thousands sit down , and address themselves to a meal , when they saw nothing but five poor barly loaves and two small fishes . none of them say , sit down ? to what ? here are the mouths , but where is the meat ? we can soon be set , but whence shall we be served ? ere we draw our knives , let us see our chear . but they meekly and obediently dispose themselves to their places , and look up to christ for a miraculous purveyance . it is for all that would be christs followers , to lead the life of faith ; and , even where means appear not , to wait upon that merciful hand . nothing is more easy then to trust god when our barns and coffers are full ; and to say , give us our daily bread , when we have it in our cupbord . but when we have nothing , when we know not how or whence to get any thing , then to depend upon an invisible bounty , this is a true and noble act of faith. to cast away our own that we may immediately live upon divine providence , i know no warrant . but when the necessity is of god's making , we see our refuge ; and happy are we if our confidence can fly to it , and rest in it . yea fulness should be a curse , if it should debarre us from this dependence : at our best we must look up to this great housholder of the world , and cannot but need his provision . if we have meat , perhaps not appetite ; if appetite , it may be not digestion ; or if that , not health , and freedome from pain ; or if that , ( perhaps from other occurrents ) not life . the guests are set full of expectation . he that could have multiplied the bread in absence , in silence takes it and blesses it ; that he might at once shew them the author and the means of this increase . it is thy blessing , o god , that maketh rich . what a difference do we see in mens estates ? some languish under great means , and injoy not either their substance or themselves ; others are chearful and happy in a little . second causes may not be denied their work ; but the over-ruling power is above . the subordinateness of the creature doth not take away from the right , from the thank of the first mover . he could as well have multiplied the loaves whole ; why would he rather do it in the breaking ? was it to teach us that in the distribution of our goods we should exspect his blessing , not in their intireness and reservation ? there is that scattereth , and yet increaseth , saith salomon : yea there is no man but increaseth by scattering . it is the grain thrown into the severall furrows of the earth , which yields the rich interest unto the husbandman : that which is tyed up in his sack , or heaped in his granary , decreaseth by keeping . he that soweth liberally shall reap liberally . away with our weak distrust . if wealth came by us , giving were the way to want : now that god gives to the giver , nothing can so sure inrich us as our beneficence . he multiplied the bread not to keep , but to give ; he gave it to the disciples . and why not rather by his own hand to the multitude , that so the miracle and thank might have been more immediate ? wherefore was this , o saviour , but that thou mightest win respect to thy disciples from the people ? as great princes , when they would ingratiate a favorite , pass no suits but through his hands . what an honour was this to thy servants , that as thou wert mediatour betwixt thy father and man , so thou wouldest have them in some beneficial occasion mediate betwixt men and thee ? how fit a type is this of thy spiritual provision , that thou who couldest have fed the world by thine immediate word , wouldst by the hands of thy ministers divide the bread of life to all hearers ? like as it was with the law ; well did the israelites see and hear that thou couldst deliver that dreadful message with thine own mouth , yet in favour of their weakness thou wouldst treat with them by a moses . use of means derogates nothing from the efficacy of the principal agent , yea adds to it . it is a strange weakness of our spiritual eyes , if we can look but to the next hand . how absurd had these guests been , if they had termined the thanks in the servitours , and had said , we have it from you , whence ye had it is no part of our care : we owe this favour to you ; if you owe it to your master , acknowledge your obligations to him , as we do unto you . but since they well knew that the disciples might have handled this bread long enough ere any such effect could have followed , they easily finde to whom they are beholden . our christian wisdome must teach us , whosoever be the meanes , to reserve our main thanks for the author of our good . he gave the bread then to his disciples , not to eat , not to keep , but to distribute . it was not their particular benefit he regarded in this gift , but the good of many . in every feast each servitour takes up his dish , not to carry it aside into a corner for his own private repast ; but to set it before the guests , for the honour of his master : when they have done , his chear begins . what shall we say to those injurious waiters , who fatten themselves with those concealed messes which are meant to others ? their table is made their snare ; and these stoln morsels cannot but end in bitterness . accordingly the disciples set this fare before the guests . i do not see so much as judas reserve a share to himself , whether out of hunger or distrust . had not our saviour commanded so free a distribution , their self-love would easily have taught them where to begin . nature saies , first thy self , then thy friends : either extremity or particular charge gives grace occasion to alter the case . far be it from us to think we have any claim in that which the owner gives us merely to bestow . i know not now whether more to wonder at the miraculous eating , or the miraculous leaving . here were a whole host of guests , five thousand men ; and in all likelihood no fewer women and children . perhaps some of these only look'd on . nay , they did all eate . perhaps every man a crum , or a bit . nay , they did eat to satiety ; all were satisfied . so many must needs make clean work ; of so little there could be left nothing . yea , there were fragments remaining . perhaps some crums or crusts , hardly to be discerned , much less gathered . nay , twelve baskets full : more remained then was first set down . had they eaten nothing , it was a just miracle that so much should be left ; had nothing remained , it was no less miracle that so many had eaten , and so many satisfied : but now that so many bellies and so many baskets were filled , the miracle was doubled . oh work of a boundless omnipotency ! whether this were done by creation or by conversion , uses to be questioned ; but needs not . whiles christ multiplies the bread , it is not for us to multiply his miracles . to make ought of nothing , is more then to adde much unto something . it was therefore rather by turning of a former matter into these substances , then by making these substances of nothing . howsoever , here is a marvelous provision made , a marvelous bounty of that provision , a no less marvelous extent of that bounty . those that depend upon god , and busy themselves in his work , shall not want a due purveyance in the very desart . our streight and confined beneficence reaches so farre as to provide for our own : those of our domesticks which labour in our service do but justly expect and challenge their diet ; whereas day-labourers are oft-times at their own finding . how much more will that god who is infinite in mercy and power , take order for the livelihood of those that attend him ? we see the birds of the aire provided for by him ; how rarely have we found any of them dead of hunger ? yet what doe they but what they are carried unto by natural instinct ? how much more where , besides propriety , there is a rational and willing service ? shall the israelites be fed with manna , eliah by the ravens , the widow by her multiplied meal and oyle , christs clients in the wilderness with loaves and fishes ? o god , whiles thou dost thus promerit us by thy providence , let not us wrong thee by distrust . god's undertakings cannot but be exquisite ; those whom he professes to feed must needs have enough . the measure of his bounty cannot but run over . doth he take upon him to prepare a table for his israel in the desart ? the bread shall be the food of angels , the flesh shall be the delicates of princes , manna and quails . doth he take upon him to make wine for the marriage-feast of cana ? there shall be both store and choice ; the vintage yields poor stuff to this . will he feast his auditors in the wilderness ? if they have not dainties , they shall have plenty ; they were all satisfied . neither yet , o saviour , is thy hand closed . what abundance of heavenly doctrine dost thou set before us ? how are we feasted , yea pampered with thy celestial delicacies ? not according to our meanness , but according to thy state , are we fed . thrifty and niggardly collations are not for princes . we are full of thy goodness ; oh , let our hearts run over with thanks . i do gladly wonder at this miracle of thine , o saviour , yet so as that i forget not mine own condition . whence is it that we have our continual provision ? one and the same munificent hand doth all . if the israelites were fed with manna in the desart , and with corn in canaan , both were done by the same power and bounty . if the disciples were fed by the loaves multiplied , and we by the grain multiplied , both are the act of one omnipotence . what is this but a perpetual miracle , o god , which thou workest for our preservation ? without thee , there is no more power in the grain to multiply then in the loaf : it is thou that givest it a body at thy pleasure , even to every seed his own body ; it is thou that givest fulness of bread and cleanness of teeth . it is no reason thy goodness should be less magnified because it is universal . one or two baskets could have held the five loaves and two fishes ; not less then twelve can hold the remainders . the divine munificence provides not for our necessity only , but for our abundance , yea superfluity . envy and ignorance , whiles they make god the author of enough , are ready to impute the surplussage to another cause ; as we commonly say of wine , that the liquor is god's , the excess satan's . thy table , o saviour , convinces them , which had more taken away then set on : thy blessing makes an estate not competent only , but rich . i hear of barns full of plenty , and presses bursting out with new wine , as the rewards of those that honour thee with their substance . i hear of heads anointed with oyle , and cups running over . o god , as thou hast a free hand to give , so let us have a free heart to return thee the praise of thy bounty . those fragments were left behind . i do not see the people , when they had filled their bellies , cramming their pockets , or stuffing their wallets ; yet the place was desart , and some of them doubtless had farre home . it becomes true disciples to be content with the present , not too solicitous for the future . o saviour , thou didst not bid us beg bread for to morrow , but for to day : not that we should refuse thy bounty when thou pleasest to give ; but that we should not distrust thy providence for the need we may have . even these fragments ( though but of barley loaves and fish-bones ) may not be left in the desart , for the compost of that earth whereon they were increased ; but by our saviours holy and just command are gathered up . the liberal housekeeper of the world will not allow the loss of his orts : the childrens bread may not be given to dogs : and if the crums fall to their share , it is because their smalness admits not of a collection . if those who out of obedience or due thrift have thought to gather up crums , have found them pearls , i wonder not : surely both are alike the good creatures of the same maker ; and both of them may prove equally costly to us in their wilful mispence . but oh , what shall we say , that not crusts and crums , not loaves and dishes and cups , but whole patrimonies are idly lavisht away ; not merely lost , ( this were more easie ) but ill spent in a wicked riot upon dice , drabs , drunkards ? oh the fearful account of these unthrifty bailifs , which shall once be given in to our great lord and master , when he shall call us to a strict reckoning of all our talents ! he was condemned that increased not the sum concredited to him ; what shall become of him that lawlesly impairs it ? who gathered up these fragments but the twelve apostles , every one his basket ●●ll ? they were the servitours that set on this banquet at the command of christ , they waited on the tables , they took away . it was our saviours just care that those offals should not perish : but he well knew that a greater loss depended upon those scraps ; a loss of glory to the omnipotent worker of that miracle . the feeding of the multitude was but the one half of the work , the other half was in the remnant . of all other it most concerns the successors of the apostles to take care that the marvelous works of their god and saviour may be improved to the best ; they may not suffer a crust or crum to be lost that may yield any glory to that almighty agent . here was not any morsel or bone that was not worthy to be a relick ; every the least parcel whereof was no other then miraculous . all the antient monuments of gods supernatural power and mercy were in the keeping of aaron and his sons . there is no servant in the family but should be thriftily careful for his masters profit ; but most of all the steward , who is particularly charged with this oversight . wo be to us if we care only to gather up our own scraps , with neglect of the pretious morsels of our maker and redeemer . the walk upon the waters . all elements are alike to their maker . he that had well approved his power on the land , will now shew it in the aire and the waters ; he that had preserved the multitude from the peril of hunger in the desart , will now preserve his disciples from the peril of the tempest in the sea. where do we ever else finde any compulsion offered by christ to his disciples ? he was like the good centurion ; he said to one , go , and he goeth . when he did but call them from their nets they came ; and when he sent them by paires into the cities and country of ju●aea to preach the gospel , they went. there was never errand whereon they went unwillingly : only now he constrained them to depart . we may easily conceive how loth they were to leave him ; whether out of love , or of common civility . peter's tongue did but ( when it was ) speak the heart of the rest ; master , thou knowest that i love thee . who could chuse but be in love with such a master ? and who can willingly part from what he loves ? but had the respects been only common and ordinary , how unfit might it seem to leave a master now towards night , in a wild place , amongst strangers , unprovided of the means of his passage ? where otherwise therefore he needed but to bid , now he constrains . o saviour , it was ever thy manner to call all men unto thee ; come to me , all that labour and are heavy laden . when didst thou ever drive any one from thee ? neither had it been so now , but to draw them closer unto thee , whom thou seemedst for the time to abdicate . in the mean while , i know not whether more to excuse their unwillingness , or to applaud their obedience . as it shall be fully above , so it was proportionally here below ; in thy presence ( o saviour ) is the fulness of joy . once , when thou askedst these thy domesticks whether they also would depart , it was answered thee by one tongue for all , master , whither should we goe from thee ? thou hast the words of eternal life . what a death was it then to them to be compelled to leave thee ? sometimes it pleaseth the divine goodness to lay upon his servants such commands as savour of harshness and discomfort ; which yet both in his intention and in the event are no other then gracious and soveraign . the more difficulty was in the charge , the more praise was in the obedience . i do not hear them stand upon the terms of capitulation with their master , nor pleading importunately for their stay ; but instantly upon the command they yield and goe . we are never perfect disciples till we can depart from our reason , from our will ; yea ( o saviour ) when thou biddest us , from thy self . neither will the multitude be gone without a dismission . they had followed him whiles they were hungry , they will not leave him now they are fed . fain would they put that honour upon him , which to avoid he is fain to avoid them : gladly would they pay a kingdome to him as their shot for their late banquet ; he shuns both it and them . o saviour , when the hour of thy passion was now come , thou couldst offer thy self readily to thine apprehenders ; and now when the glory of the world presses upon thee , thou runnest away from a crown . was it to teach us that there is less danger in suffering then in outward prosperity ? what do we dote upon that worldly honour , which thou heldest worthy of avoidance and contempt ? besides this reservedness , it was devotion that drew jesus aside . he went alone up to the mountain to pray . lo , thou , to whom the greatest throng was a solitude in respect of the fruition of thy father , thou who wert uncapable of distraction from him with whom thou wert one , wouldst yet so much act man as to retire for the opportunity of prayer : to teach us , who are nothing but wilde thoughts and giddy distractedness , to goe aside when we would speak with god. how happy is it for us that thou prayedst ? o saviour , thou prayedst for us , who have not grace enough to pray for our selves ; not worth enough to be accepted when we do pray . thy prayers which were most perfect and impetrative , are they by which our weak and unworthy prayers receive both life and favour . and now how assiduous should we be in our supplications who are empty of grace , full of wants ; when thou , who wert a god of all power , praiedst for that which thou couldst command ? therefore do we pray , because thou praiedst : therefore do we exspect to be graciously answered in our prayers , because thou didst pray for us here on earth , and now intercedest for us in heaven . the evening was come ; the disciples look'd long for their master , and loath they were to have stirred without him : but his command is more then the strongest wind to fill their sailes , and they are now gone . their expectation made not the evening seem so long as our saviours devotion made it seem short to him . he is on the mount , they on the sea : yet whiles he was in the mount praying , and lifting up his eyes to his father , he failes not to cast them about upon his disciples tossed on the waves . those all-seeing eyes admit of no limits . at once he sees the highest heavens , and the midst of the sea ; the glory of his father , and the misery of his disciples . whatever prospects present themselves to his view , the distress of his followers is ever most noted . how much more dost thou now , o saviour , from the height of thy glorious advancement behold us thy wretched servants tossed on the unquiet sea of this world , and beaten with the troublesome and threatning billows of affliction ? thou foresawest their toil and danger are thou dismissedst them , and purposedly sendest them away that they might be tossed . thou that couldest prevent our sufferings by thy power , wilt permit them in thy wisdome , that thou maist glorifie thy mercy in our deliverance , and confirm our faith by the issue of our distresses . how do all things now seem to conspire to the vexing of thy poor disciples ? the night was sullen and dark , their master was absent , the sea was boistrous , the windes were high and contrary . had their master been with them , howsoever the elements had raged , they had been secure . had their master been away , yet if the sea had been quiet or the winds fair , the passage might have been indured . now both season , and sea , and winde , and their master's desertion had agreed to render them perfectly miserable . sometimes the providence of god hath thought good so to order it , that to his best servants there appeareth no glimpse of comfort ; but so absolute vexation , as if heaven and earth had plotted their full affliction . yea , o saviour , what a dead night , what a fearful tempest , what an astonishing dereliction was that , wherein thou thy self cryedst out in the bitterness of thine anguished soul , my god , my god , why hast thou for saken me ? yet in all these extremities of misery , our gracious god intends nothing but his greater glory and ours ; the triumph of our faith , the crown of our victory . all that longsome and tempestuous night must the disciples wear out in danger and horror , as given over to the windes and waves ; but in the fourth watch of the night , when they were wearied out with toils and fears , comes deliverance . at their entrance into the ship , at the arising of the tempest , at the shutting in of the evening , there was no news of christ : but when they have been all the night long beaten not so much with storms and waves as with their own thoughts , now in the fourth watch , ( which was near to the morning ) jesus came unto them , and purposely not till then ; that he might exercise their patience ; that he might inure them to wait upon divine providence in cases of extremity ; that their devotions might be more whetted by delay ; that they might give gladder welcome to their deliverance . o god , thus thou thinkest fit to doe still . we are by turns in our sea , the windes bluster , the billows swell , the night and thy absence heighten our discomfort , thy time and ours is set ; as yet it is but midnight with us ; can we but hold out patiently till the fourth watch , thou wilt surely come and rescue us . oh let us not faint under our sorrows , but wear out our three watches of tribulation with undaunted patience and holy resolution . o saviour , our extremities are the seasons of thine aide . thou camest at last ; but yet so , as that there was more dread then joy in thy presence . thy coming was both miraculous and frightfull . thou god of elements passedst through the aire , walkedst upon the waters . whether thou meantest to terminate this miracle in thy body , or in the waves which thou trodest upon ; whether so lightning the one , that it should make no impression in the liquid waters , or whether so consolidating the other , that the pavemented waves yielded a firm causey to thy sacred feet to walk on , i neither determine nor inquire : thy silence ruleth mine ; thy power was in either miraculous ; neither know i in whether to adore it more . but withall give me leave to wonder more at thy passage then at thy coming . wherefore camest thou but to comfort them ? and wherefore then wouldest thou passe by them , as if thou hadst intended nothing but their dismay ? thine absence could not be so grievous as thy preterition : that might seem justly occasioned , this could not but seem willingly neglective . our last conflicts have wont ever to be the sorest : as when after some dreeping rain it powrs down most vehemently , we think the weather is changing to serenity . o saviour , we may not alwaies measure thy meaning by thy semblance : sometimes what thou most intendest , thou shewest least . in our afflictions thou turnest thy back upon us , and hidest thy face from us , when thou most mindest our distresses . so jonathan shot the arrows beyond david , when he meant them to him . so joseph calls for benjamin into bonds , when his heart was bound to him in the strongest affection . so the tender mother makes as if she would give away her crying childe , whom she hugs so much closer in her bosome . if thou passe by us whiles we are strugling with the tempest , we know it is not for want of mercy . thou canst not neglect us ; oh let not us distrust thee . what object should have been so pleasing to the eyes of the disciples as their master ; and so much the more as he shewed his divine power in this miraculous walk ? but lo , contrarily , they are troubled : not with his presence , but with this form of presence . the supernatural works of god , when we look upon them with our own eyes , are subject to a dangerous misprision . the very sun-beams to whom we are beholden for our sight , if we eye them directly , blinde us . miserable men ! we are ready to suspect truths , to run away from our safety , to be afraid of our comforts , to mis-know our best friends . and why are they thus troubled ? they had thought they had seen a spirit . that there have been such apparitions of spirits , both good and evil , hath ever been a truth undoubtedly received of pagans , jews , christians ; although in the blinde times of superstition there was much collusion mixed with some verities : crafty men and lying spirits agreed to abuse the credulous world . but even where there was not truth , yet there was horror . the very good angels were not seen without much fear ; their sight was construed to bode death : how much more the evil , which in their very nature are harmfull and pernicious ? we see not a snake or a toad without some recoiling of blood & sensible reluctation , although those creatures run away from us : how much more must our hairs stand upright and our senses boggle at the sight of a spirit , whose both nature & will is contrary to ours , and protessedly bent to our hurt ? but say it had been what they mistook it for , a spirit ; why should they fear ? had they well considered , they had soon found that evil spirits are neverthelesse present , when they are not seen ; and neverthelesse harmfull or malicious , when they are present unseen . visibility addes nothing to their spight or mischief . and could their eyes have been opened , they had , with elisha's servant , seen more with them then against them ; a sure , though invisible , guard of more powerfull spirits , and themselves under the protection of the god of spirits : so as they might have bidden a bold defiance to all the powers of darkness . but , partly their faith was yet but in the bud ; and partly the presentation of this dreadfull object was suddain , and without the respite of a recollection and settlement of their thoughts . oh the weakness of our frail nature , who in the want of faith , are affrighted with the visible appearance of those adversaries whom we professe daily to resist and vanquish , and with whom we know the decree of god hath matched us in an everlasting conflict ! are not these they that ejected devils by their command ? are not these of them that could say , master , the evil spirits are subdued to us ? yet now when they see but an imagined spirit , they fear . what power there is in the eye to betray the heart ! whiles goliah was mingled with the rest of the philistin hoast , israel camped boldly against them ; but when that giant stalks out single between the two armies , and fills and amases their eyes with his hideous stature , now they run away for fear . behold , we are committed with legions of evil spirits , and complain not : let but one of them give us some visible token of his presence , we shreek and tremble , and are not our selves . neither is our weakness more conspicuous then thy mercy , o god , in restraining these spiritual enemies from these dreadfull and ghastly representations of themselves to our eyes . might those infernal spirits have liberty to appear how and when and to whom they would , certainly not many would be left in their wits , or in their lives . it is thy power and goodness to frail mankinde that they are kept in their chains , and reserved in the darkness of their own spiritual being , that we may both oppugn and subdue them unseen . but oh the deplorable condition of reprobate souls ! if but the imagined sight of one of these spirits of darkness can so daunt the heart of those which are free from their power , what a terror shall it be to live perpetually in the sight , yea under the torture , of thousands , of legions , of millions of devils ? oh the madness of wilfull sinners , that will needs run themselves headily into so dreadfull a damnation ! it was high time for our saviour to speak : what with the tempest , what with the apparition , the disciples were almost lost with fear . how seasonable are his gracious redresses ? till they were thus affrighted , he would not speak ; when they were thus affrighted , he would not hold his peace . if his presence were fearfull , yet his word was comfortable ; be of good chear , it is i : yea it is his word only which must make his presence both known and comfortable . he was present before ; they mistook him , and feared : there needs no other erection of their drooping hearts but , it is i. it is cordial enough to us in the worst of our afflictions , to be assured of christs presence with us . say but , it is i , o saviour , and let evils doe their worst ; thou needest not say any more . thy voice was evidence enough ; so well were thy disciples acquainted with the tongue of thee their master , that , it is i , was as much as an hundred names . thou art the good shepherd ; we are not of thy flock , if we know thee not by thy voice from a thousand . even this one is a great word , yea an ample style , it is i. the same tongue that said to moses , i am hath sent thee , saith now to the disciples , it is i ; i your lord and master , i the commander of windes and waters ▪ i the soveraign lord of heaven and earth , i the god of spirits . let heaven be but as one scroll , and let it be written all over with titles , they cannot expresse more then , it is i. oh sweet and seasonable word of a gracious saviour , able to calm all tempests , able to revive all hearts ! say but so to my soul , and , in spight of hell , i am safe . no sooner hath jesus said , i ; then peter answers , master . he can instantly name him that did not name himself . every little hint is enough to faith. the church sees her beloved as well through the lattice , as through the open window . which of all the followers of christ gave so pregnant testimonies upon all occasions of his faith , of his love to his master , as peter ? the rest were silent , whiles he both owned his master , and craved accesse to him in that liquid way . yet what a sensible mixture is here of faith & distrust ? it is faith that said , master ; it was distrust ( as some have construed it ) that said , if it be thou . it was faith that said , bid me come to thee ; ( implying that his word could as well enable as command ) it was faith that durst step down upon that watery pavement : it was distrust that upon the sight of a mighty winde feared . it was faith , that he walked ; it was distrust , that he sunk ; it was faith that said , lord , save me . oh the imperfect composition of the best saint upon earth ; as far from pure faith , as from mere infidelity ! if there be pure earth in the center , all upward is mixed with the other elements : contrarily , pure grace is above in the glorified spirits ; all below is mixed with infirmity , with corruption . our best is but as the aire ; which never was , never can be at once fully enlightned : neither is there in the same region one constant state of light . it shall once be noon with us , when we shall have nothing but bright beams of glory ; now it is but the dawning , wherein it is hard to say whether there be more light then darkness . we are now fair as the moon , which hath some spots in her greatest beauty ; we shall be pure as the sun , whose face is all bright and glorious . ever since the time that adam set his tooth in the apple , till our mouth be full of mould , it never was , it never can be other with us . far be it from us to settle willingly upon the dregs of our infidelity ; far be it from us to be disheartened with the sense of our defects and imperfections : we believe ; lord , help our unbelief . whiles i finde some disputing the lawfulness of peter's suit ; others quarrelling his , if it be thou : let me be taken up with the wonder at the faith , the fervour , the heroical valour of this prime apostle , that durst say , bid me come to thee upon the waters . he might have suspected that the voice of his master might have been as easily imitated by that imagined spirit as his person ; he might have feared the blustering tempest , the threatning billows , the yielding nature of that devouring element : but as despising all these thoughts of misdoubt , such is his desire to be near his master , that he saies , bid me come to thee upon the waters . he saies not , come thou to me : this had been christ's act , and not his . neither doth he say , let me come to thee : this had been his act , and not christ's . neither doth he say , pray that i may come to thee , as if this act had been out of the power of either . but , bid me come to thee . i know thou canst command both the waves and me : me to be so light that i shall not bruise the moist surface of the waves ; the waves to be so solid that they shall not yield to my weight . all things obey thee : bid me come to thee upon the waters . it was a bold spirit that could wish it , more bold that could act it . no sooner hath our saviour said , come , then he sets his foot upon the unquiet sea ; not fearing either the softness or the roughness of that uncouth passage . we are wont to wonder at the courage of that daring man who first committed himself to the sea in a frail bark , though he had the strength of an oaken planck to secure him : how valiant must we needs grant him to be , that durst set his foot upon the bare sea and shift his paces ? well did peter know that he who bade him , could uphold him ; and therefore he both sues to be bidden , and ventures to be upholden . true faith tasks it self with difficulties , neither can be dismaied with the conceits of ordinary impossibilities ? it is not the scattering of straws or casting of mole-hills , whereby the virtue of it is described , but removing of mountain . like some courageous leader , it desires the honour of a danger , and sues for the first onset : whereas the worldly heart freezes in a lazie or cowardly fear , and only casts for safety and ease . peter sues , jesus bids . rather will he work miracles , then disappoint the suit of a faithful man. how easily might our saviour have turned over this strange request of his bold disiple , and have said , what my omnipotence can doe is no rule for thy weakness ? it is no lesse then presumption in a mere man , to hope to imitate the miraculous works of god and man. stay thou in the ship , and wonder ; contenting thy self in this , that thou hast a master to whom the land and water is alike . yet i hear not a check , but a call ; come . the suit of ambition is suddainly quashed in the mother of the zebedees . the suits of revenge prove no better in the mouth of the two fiery disciples . but a suit of faith , though high and seemingly unfit for us , he hath no power to deny . how much lesse , o saviour , wilt thou stick at those things which lie in the very road of our christianity ? never man said , bid me to come to thee in the way of thy commandements , whom thou didst not both bid and inable to come . true faith rests not in great and good desires , but acts and executes accordingly . peter doth not wish to goe , and yet stand still● but his foot answers his tongue , and instantly chops down upon the waters . to sit still and wish , is for sluggish and cowardly spirits . formal volitions , yea velleities of good , whiles we will not so muc●●● step out of the ship of our nature to walk unto christ , are but the faint motions of vain hypocrisie . it will be long enough ere the gale of good wishes can carry us to our haven . ease slayeth the foolish . o saviour , we have thy command to come to thee out of the ship of our natural corruption : let no sea affray us , let no tempest of temptation withhold us . no way can be but safe , when thou art the end. lo , peter is walking upon the waves : two hands uphold him ; the hand of christ's power , the hand of his own faith ; neither of them would doe it alone . the hand of christ's power laid hold on him ; the hand of his faith laid hold on the power of christ commanding . had not christ's hand been powerfull , that faith had been in vain : had not that faith of his strongly fixed upon christ , that power had not been effectual to his preservation . whiles we are here in the world , we walk upon the waters ; still the same hands bear us up . if he let goe his hold of us , we drown ; if we let goe our hold of him , we sink and shreek as peter did here , who when he saw the winde boistrous , was afraid , and beginning to sink , cried , saying , lord , save me . when he wisht to be bidden to walk unto christ , he thought of the waters ; bid me to come to thee on the waters : he thought not of the windes which raged on those waters ; or if he thought of a stiffe gale , yet that tempestuous and sudden gust was out of his account and exspectation . those evils that we are prepared for , have not such power over us as those that surprise us . a good water-man sees a dangerous billow coming towards him , and cuts it , and mounts over it with ease ; the unheedy is overwhelmed . o saviour , let my haste to thee be zealous , but not improvident ; ere i set my foot out of the ship , let me foresee the tempest : when i have cast the worst , i cannot either miscarry or complain . so soon as he began to fear , he began to sink : whiles he believed , the sea was brass ; when once he began to distrust , those waves were water . he cannot sink , whiles he trusts the power of his master ; he cannot but sink when he misdoubts it . our faith gives us as courage and boldness , so success too : our infidelity laies us open to all dangers , to all mischiefs . it was peter's improvidence not to foresee , it was his weakness to fear , it was the effect of his fear to sink ; it was his faith that recollects it self , and breaks through his infidelity , and in sinking could say , lord , save me . his foot could not be so swift in sinking , as his heart in imploring : he knew who could uphold him from sinking , and being sunk deliver him ; and therefore he saies , lord , save me . it is a notable both sign and effect of true faith , in suddain extremities to ejaculate holy desires ; and with the wings of our first thoughts to flie up instantly to the throne of grace for present succour . upon deliberation it is possible for a man that hath been carelesse and profane , by good means to be drawn to holy dispositions : but on the suddain a man will appear as he is ; whatever is most rife in the heart will come forth at the mouth . it is good to observe how our surprisals finde us : the rest is but forced ; this is natural . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh . o saviour , no evil can be swifter then my thought : my thought shall be upon thee , ere i can be seized upon by the speediest mischief : at least , if i over-run not evils , i shall overtake them . it was christ his lord whom peter had offended in distrusting ; it is christ his lord to whom he sues for deliverance . his weakness doth not discourage him from his refuge . o god , when we have displeased thee , when we have sunk in thy displeasure , whither should we flie for aide but to thee whom we have provoked ? against thee only is our sin ; in thee only is our help . in vain shall all the powers of heaven and earth conspire to relieve us , if thou withhold from our succour . as we offend thy justice daily by our sins , so let us continually relie upon thy mercy by the strength of our faith ; lord , save us . the mercy of christ is at once sought and found ; immediately jesus stretched forth his hand , and caught him . he doth not say , hadst thou trusted me , i would have safely preserved thee , but since thou wilt needs wrong my power and care with a cowardly diffidence , sink and drown : but rather , as pitying the infirmity of his fearful disciple , he puts out the hand for his relief . that hand hath been stretch'd forth for the aide of many a one that hath never ask'd it ; never any ask'd it , to whose succour it hath not been stretched . with what speed , with what confidence should we flie to that soveraign bounty , from which never any suitor was sent away empty ? jesus gave peter his hand ; but withall he gave him a check : o thou of little faith , why doubtedst thou ? as peter's faith was not pure , but mixed with some distrust ; so our saviours help was not clear and absolute , but mixed with some reproof . a reproof , wherein there was both a censure and an expostulation ; a censure of his faith , an expostulation for his doubt : both of them sore & heavy . by how much more excellent and usefull a grace faith is , by so much more shamefull is the defect of it ; and by how much more reason here was of confidence , by so much more blame-worthy was the doubt . now peter had a double reason of his confidence ; the command of christ , the power of christ : the one in bidding him to come ; the other in sustaining him whiles he came . to misdoubt him whose will he knew , whose power he felt , was well worth a reprehension . when i saw peter stepping forth upon the waters , i could not but wonder at his great faith ; yet behold , ere he can have measured many paces , the judge of hearts taxes him for little faith. our mountains are but moats to god. would my heart have served me to dare the doing of this that peter did ? durst i have set my foot where he did ? o saviour , if thou foundest cause to censure the weaknesse and poverty of his faith , what maist thou well say to mine ? they mistake that think thou wilt take up with any thing . thou lookest for firmitude and vigour in those graces which thou wilt allow in thy best disciples , no lesse then truth . the first steps were confident , there was fear in the next . oh the sudden alteration of our affections , of our dispositions ! one pace varies our spiritual condition . what hold is there of so fickle creatures , if we be left never so little to our selves ? as this lower world wherein we are is the region of mutability ; so are we ( the living pieces of it ) subject to a perpetual change . it is for the blessed saints and angels above to be fixed in good : whiles we are here , there can be no constancy expected from us , but in variablenesse . as well as our saviour loves peter , yet he chides him . it is the fruit of his favour and mercy that we escape judgment , not that we escape reproof . had not peter found grace with his master , he had been suffered to sink in silence ; now he is saved with a check . there may be more love in frowns then in smiles : whom he loves he chastises . what is chiding but a verbal castigation ? and what is chastisement but a reall chiding ? correct me , o lord , yet in thy judgment , not in thy fury . oh let the righteous god smite me ( when i offend ) with his gracious reproofs ; these shall be a precious oyle that shall not break my head . the bloody issue healed . the time was , o saviour , when a worthy woman offered to touch thee , and was forbidden : now a meaner touches thee with approbation and incouragement . yet as there was much difference in that body of thine which was the object of that touch , ( being now mortal and passible , then impassible and immortal ) so there was in the agents ; this a stranger , that a familiar ; this obscure , that famous . the same actions vary with time and other circumstances ; and accordingly receive their dislike or allowance . doubtless thou hadst herein no small respect to the faith of jairus , unto whose house thou wert going . that good man had but one onely daughter , which lay sick in the beginning of his suit , ere the end , lay dead . whiles she lived , his hope lived ; her death disheartned it . it was a great work that thou meantest to doe for him ; it was a great word that thou saidst to him , fear not ; believe , and she shall be made whole . to make this good , by the touch of the verge of thy garment thou revivedst one from the verge of death . how must jairus needs now think ? he who by the virtue of his garment can pull this woman out of the paws of death which hath been twelve years dying ; can as well by the power of his word pull my daughter ( who hath been twelve years living ) out of the jaws of death which hath newly seised on her . it was fit the good ruler should be raised up with this handsel of thy divine power , whom he came to solicit . that thou mightest lose no time , thou curedst in thy passage . the sun stands not still to give his influences , but diffuses them in his ordinary motion . how shall we imitate thee , if we suffer our hands to be out of ure with good ? our life goes away with our time : we lose that which we improve not . the patient laboured of an issue of blood ; a disease that had not more pain then shame , nor more natural infirmity then legal impurity . time added to her grief ; twelve long years had she languished under this wofull complaint . besides the tediousness , diseases must needs get head by continuance ; and so much more both weaken nature and strengthen themselves , by how much longer they afflict us . so it is in the soul , so in the state ; vices , which are the sicknesses of both , when they grow inveterate , have a strong plea for their abode and uncontrollablenesse . yet more , to mend the matter , poverty ( which is another disease ) was superadded to her sicknesse : she had spent all she had upon physicians . whiles she had wherewith to make much of her self , and to procure good tendance , choice diet , and all the succours of a distressed languishment , she could not but finde some mitigation of her sorrow : but now want began to pinch her no lesse then her distemper , and helpt to make her perfectly miserable . yet could she have parted from her substance with ease , her complaint had been the lesse . could the physicians have given her , if not health , yet relaxation and painlesnesse , her means had not been mis-bestowed : but now , she suffered many things from them ; many an unpleasing potion , many tormenting incisions and divulsions did she endure from their hands : the remedy was equal in trouble to the disease . yet had the cost and pain been never so great , could she have hereby purchased health , the match had been happy ; all the world were no price for this commodity : but alas ! her estate was the worse , her body not the better ; her money was wasted , not her disease . art could give her neither cure nor hope . it were injurious to blame that noble science , for that it alwaies speeds not . notwithstanding all those soveraign remedies , men must ( in their times ) sicken and die . even the miraculous gifts of healing could not preserve the owners from disease and dissolution . it were pity but that this woman should have been thus sick ; the nature , the durablenesse , cost , pain , incurablenesse of her disease both sent her to seek christ , and moved christ to her cure . our extremities drive us to our saviour ; his love draws him to be most present and helpfull to our extremities . when we are forsaken of all succours and hopes , we are fittest for his redresse . never are we nearer to help , then when we despair of help . there is no fear , no danger but in our own insensiblenesse . this woman was a stranger to christ ; it seems she had never seen him . the report of his miracles had lifted her up to such a confidence of his power and mercy , as that she said in her self , if i may but touch the hem of his garment , i shall be whole . the shame of her disease stopt her mouth from any verbal suit . had she been acknown of her infirmity , she had been shunned and abhorred , and disdainfully put back of all the beholders ( as doubtlesse where she was known , the law forced her to live apart . ) now she conceals both her grief , and her desire , and her faith ; and only speaks ( where she may be bold ) within her self , if i may but touch the hem of his garment , i shall be whole . i seek not mysteries in the virtue of the hem rather then of the garment . indeed it was god's command to israel , that they should be marked , not only in their skin , but in their cloths too : those fringes and ribands upon the borders of their garments were for holy memorials of their duty , and gods law. but that hence she supposed to finde more virtue and sanctity in the touch of the hem then of the coat , i neither dispute nor believe . it was the site , not the signification that she intimated ; not as of the best part , but the utmost . in all likelihood , if there could have been virtue in the garment , the nearer to the body , the more . here was then the praise of this womans faith , that she promiseth her self cure by the touch of the utmost hem . whosoever would look to receive any benefit from christ , must come in faith : it is that only which makes us capable of any favour . satan , the common ape of the almighty , imitates him also in this point : all his charms and spells are ineffectual without the faith of the user , of the receiver . yea the endeavour and issue of all both humane and spiritual things depends upon our faith. who would commit a plant or seed to the earth , if he did not believe to have it nursed in that kindely bosome ? what merchant would put himself upon the guard of an inch-board in a furious sea , if he did not trust to the faithfull custody of that planck ? who would trade , or travell , or war , or marry , if he did not therein surely trust he should speed well ? what benefit can we look to carry from a divine exhortation , if we do not believe it will edifie us ? from a sacramental banquet ( the food of angels ) if we do not believe it will nourish our souls ? from our best devotions , if we do not perswade our selves they will fetch down blessings ? oh our vain and heartlesse services ! if we do not say , may i drink but one drop of that heavenly nectar , may i taste but one crum of that bread of life , may i hear but one word from the mouth of christ , may i send up but one hearty sigh or ejaculation of an holy desire to may god , i shall be whole . according to her resolution is her practice . she touched , but she came behind to touch ; whether for humility , or her secrecy rather , as desiring to steal a cure unseen , unnoted . she was a jewesse , and therefore well knew that her touch was ( in this case ) no better then a pollution ; as hers , perhaps , but not of him . for on the one side , necessity is under no positive law ; on the other , the son of god was not capable of impurity . those may be defiled with a touch that cannot heal with a touch : he that was above law is not comprised in the law. be we never so unclean , he may heal us ; we cannot infect him . o saviour , my soul is sick and foul enough with the spiritual impurities of sin : let me by the hand of faith lay hold but upon the hem of thy garment , ( thy righteousness is thy garment ) it shall be both-clean and whole . who would not think but a man might lade up a dish of water out of the sea unmissed ? yet that water ( though much ) is finite ; those drops are within number : that art which hath reckoned how many corns of sand would make up a world , could more easily compute how many drops of water would make up an ocean ; whereas the mercies of god are absolutely infinite , and beyond all possibility of proportion : and yet this bashfull soul cannot steal one drop of mercy from this endlesse , boundlesse , bottomlesse sea of divine bounty , but it is felt and questioned ; and jesus said , who touched me ? who can now say that he is a poor man that reckons his store , when that god , who is rich in mercy , doth so ? he knows all his own blessings , and keeps just tallies of our receits ; delivered so much honour to this man , to that so much wealth ; so much knowledge to one , to another so much strength . how carefully frugal should we be in the notice , account , usage of gods several favours , since his bounty sets all his gifts upon the file ? even the worst servant in the gospel confest his talents , though he imployed them not . we are worse then the worst , if either we mis-know , or dissemble , or forget them . who now can forbear the disciples reply ? who touched thee , o lord ? the multitude . dost thou ask of one , when thou art preased by many ? in the midst of a throng , dost thou ask , who touched me ? yea but yet some one touched me : all thronged me ; but one touched me . how riddle-like soever it may seem to sound , they that thronged me touch'd me not ; she onely touched me that thronged me not , yea that touched me not . even so , o saviour , others touch'd thy body with theirs ; she touched thy hem with her hand , thy divine power with her soul. those two parts whereof we consist ( the bodily , the spiritual ) do in a sort partake of each other . the soul is the man , and hath those parts , senses , actions which are challenged as proper to the body . this spiritual part hath both an hand , and a touch ; it is by the hand of faith that the soul toucheth : yea this alone both is , and acts all the spiritual senses of that immaterial and divine part ; this sees , hears , tasteth , toucheth god ; and without this the soul doth none of these . all the multitude then preased christ : he took not that for a touch , since faith was away ; onely she touched him that believed to receive virtue by his touch . outward fashionablenesse comes into no account with god ; that is onely done which the soul doth . it is no hoping that virtue should goe forth from christ to us , when no hearty desires go forth from us to him . he that is a spirit , looks to the deportment of that part which resembleth himself : as without it the body is dead , so without the actions thereof bodily devotions are but carcasses . what reason had our saviour to challenge this touch ? some body touch'd me . the multitude ( in one extreme ) denied any touch at all : peter ( in another extreme ) affirmed an over-touching of the multitude . betwixt both , he who felt it can say , some body touched me . not all , as peter ; not none , as the multitude ; but some body . how then , o saviour , how doth it appear that some body touched thee ? for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . the effect proves the act ; virtue gone out evinces the touch . these two are in thee convertible : virtue cannot goe out of thee but by a touch ; and no touch can be of thee without virtue going out from thee . that which is a rule in nature , that every agent works by a contact , holds spiritually too : then dost thou , o god , work upon our souls , when thou touchest our hearts by thy spirit ; then do we re-act upon thee , when we touch thee by the hand of our faith and confidence in thee : and in both these virtue goes out from thee to us . yet goes not so out , as that there is lesse in thee . in all bodily emanations , whose powers are but finite , it must needs follow , that the more is sent forth the lesse is reserved : but as it is in the sun , which gives us light , yet loseth none ever the more ( the luminosity of it being no whit impaired by that perpetual emission of light-some beams ; ) so much more is it in thee , the father of lights . virtue could not goe out of thee without thy knowledge , without thy sending . neither was it in a dislike , or in a grudging exprobration , that thou saidst , virtue is gone out from me . nothing could please thee better , then to feel virtue fetch'd out from thee by the faith of the receiver . it is the nature and praise of good to be communicative : none of us would be other then liberal of our little , if we did not fear it would be lessened by imparting . thou that knowest thy store so infinite , that participation doth only glorifie and not diminish it , canst not but be more willing to give then we to receive . if we take but one drop of water from the sea , or one corn of sand from the shore , there is so much ( though insensibly ) lesse : but were we capable of worlds of virtue and benediction from that munificent hand , our inriching could no whit impoverish thee . thou which wert wont to hold it much better to give then to receive , canst not but give gladly . fear not , o my soul , to lade plentifully at this well , this ocean of mercy , which , the more thou takest , over flows the more . but why then , o saviour , why didst thou thus inquire , thus expostulate ? was it for thy own sake ; that the glory of the miracle might thus come to light , which otherwise had been smothered in silence ? was it for jairus his sake ; that his depressed heart might be raised to a confidence in thee , whose mighty power he saw proved by this cure , whose omniscience he saw proved by the knowledge of the cure ? or was it chiefly for the womans sake ; for the praise of her faith , for the securing of her conscience ? it was within her self that she said , if i may but touch : none could hear this voice of the heart , but he that made it . it was within her self that the cure was wrought : none of the beholders knew her complaint , much lesse her recovery ; none noted her touch , none knew the occasion of her touch . what a pattern of powerfull faith had we lost , if our saviour had not called this act to triall ? as her modesty hid her disease , so it would have hid her vertue . christ will not suffer this secrecy . oh the marvelous , but free , dispensation of christ ! one while he injoyns a silence to his re-cured patients , and is troubled with their divulgation of his favour ; another while ( as here ) he will not lose the honour of a secret mercy , but fetches it out by his inquisition , by his profession ; who hath touched me ? for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . as we see in the great work of his creation , he hath placed some stars in the midst of heaven , where they may be most conspicuous ; others he hath set in the southern obscurity , obvious to but few eyes : in the earth , he hath planted some flowers and trees in the famous gardens of the world ; others , no lesse beautiful , in untracked woods or wild desarts , where they are either not seen , or not regarded . o god , if thou have intended to glorifie thy self by thy graces in us , thou wilt finde means to fetch them forth into the notice of the world ; otherwise our very privacy shall content us , and praise thee . yet even this great faith wanted not some weaknesse . it was a poor conceit in this woman , that she thought she might receive so soveraign a remedy from christ without his heed , without his knowledge . now that she might see she had trusted to a power which was not more bountifull then sensible , and whose goodnesse did not exceed his apprehension , but one that knew what he parted with , and willingly parted with that which he knew beneficial to so faithfull a receiver , he can say , some body hath touched me , for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . as there was an error in her thought , so in our saviours words there was a correction . his mercy will not let her run away with that secret offence . it is a great favour of god to take us in the manner , and to shame our closenesse . we scour off the rust from a weapon that we esteem , and prune the vine we care for . o god , do thou ever finde me out in my sin ; and do not passe over my least infirmities without a feeling controlment . neither doubt i but that herein , o saviour , thou didst graciously forecast the securing of the conscience of this faithfull ( though over-seen ) patient ; which might well have afterwards raised some just scruples , for the filching of a cure , for unthankfulness to the author of her cure ; the continuance whereof she might have good reason to misdoubt , being surreptitiously gotten , ingratefully concealed . for prevention of all these dangers , and the full quieting of her troubled heart , how fitly , how mercifully didst thou bring forth this close businesse to the light , and clear it to the bottome ? it is thy great mercy to foresee our perils , and to remove them ere we can apprehend the fear of them : as some skilfull physician , who perceiving a fever or phrensy coming , which the distempered patient little misdoubts , by seasonable applications anticipates that grievous malady ; so as the sick man knows his safety ere he can suspect his danger . well might the woman think , he who can thus cure , and thus know his cure , can as well know my name , and descry my person , and shame and punish my ingratitude . with a pale face therefore and a trembling foot she comes , and falls down before him , and humbly acknowledges what she had done , what she had obtained ; but the woman finding she was not hid , &c. could she have perceived that she might have slily gone away with the cure , she had not confessed it : so had she made god a loser of glory , and her self an unthankfull receiver of so great a benefit . might we have our own wills , we should be injurious both to god and our selves . nature laies such plots as would be sure to befool us ; and is witty in nothing but deceiving her self . the only way to bring us home , is to finde we are found , and to be convinced of the discovery of all our evasions : as some unskilfull thief that findes the owners eye was upon him in his pilfring , laies down his stollen commodity with shame . contrarily , when a man is possessed with a conceit of secrecy and cleanly escape , he is emboldened in his leudnesse . the adulterer chuses the twilight , and saies , no eye shall see me ; and joyes in the sweetnesse of his stoln waters . o god , in the deepest darknesse , in my most inward retirednesse , when none sees me , when i see not my self , yet let me then see thine all-seeing eye upon me : and if ever mine eyes shall be shut , or held with a prevailing temptation , check me with a speedy reproof , that with this abashed patient , i may come in , and confesse my errour , and implore thy mercy . it is no unusall thing for kindnesse to look sternly for the time , that it may indear it self more when it lists to be discovered . with a severe countenance did our saviour look about him , and ask , who touched me ? when the woman comes in trembling , and confessing both her act and successe , he clears up his brows , and speaks comfortably to her ; daughter , be of good chear , thy faith hath made thee whole ; goe in peace . o sweet and seasonable word , fit for those mercifull and divine lips ; able to secure any heart , to dispell any fears ! still , o saviour , thou doest thus to us : when we fall down before thee in an awfull dejectednesse , thou rearest us up with a chearfull and compassionate incouragement ; when thou findest us bold and presumptuous , thou lovest to take us down ; when humbled , it is enough to have prostrated us . like as that lion of bethel worries the disobedient prophet , guards the poor asse that stood quaking before him : or like some mighty winde , that bears over a tall elme or cedar with the same breath that it raiseth a stooping reed : or like some good physician , who finding the body obstructed and surcharged with ill humors , evacuates it , and when it is sufficiently pulled down , raises it up with soveraign cordials . and still doe thou so to my soul ; if at any time thou perceivest me stiffe and rebellious , ready to face out my sin against thee , spare me not ; let me smart , till i relent . but a broken and contrite heart , thou wilt not , o lord , o lord , do not reject . it is only thy word which gives what it requires , comfort and confidence . had any other shaken her by the shoulder , and cheared her up against those oppressive passions , it had been but wast winde . no voice but his who hath power to remit sin , can secure the heart from the conscience of sin , from the pangs of conscience . in the midst of the sorrows of my heart , thy comforts , o lord , thy comforts only have power to refresh my soul . her cure was christs act , yet he gives the praise of it to her ; thy faith hath made thee whole . he had said before , virtue is gone out from me ; now he acknowledges a virtue inherent in her . it was his virtue that cured her , yet he graciously casts this work upon her faith. not that her faith did it by way of merit , by way of efficiency , but by way of impetration . so much did our saviour regard that faith which he had wrought in her , that he will honour it with the successe of her cure. such and the same is still the remedy of our spirituall diseases , our sins : by faith we are justified , by faith we are saved . thou only , o saviour , canst heal us ; thou wilt not heal us but by our faith : not as it issues from us , but as it appropriates thee . the sicknesse is ours , the remedy is ours : the sicknesse is our own by nature , the remedy ours by thy grace , both working and accepting it . our faith is no lesse from thee then thy cure is from our faith. oh happy dismission , goe in peace ! how unquiet had this poor soul formerly been ? she had no outward peace with her neighbours ; they shunned and abhorred her presence in this condition ; yea they must doe so . she had no peace in body ; that was pained and vexed with so long and foul a disease . much lesse had she peace in her minde , which was grievously disquieted with sorrow for her sicknesse , with anger and discontentment at her torturing physicians , with fear of the continuance of so bad a guest . her soul ( for the present ) had no peace , from the sense of her guiltinesse in the carriage of this businesse ; from the conceived displeasure of him to whom she came for comfort and redresse . at once now doth our saviour calm all these storms ; and in one word and act restores to her peace with her neighbours , peace in her self ; peace in body , in minde , in soul. goe in peace . even so , lord , it was for thee only , who art the prince of peace , to bestow thy peace where thou pleasest . our body , minde , soul , estate is thine , whether to afflict , or ease . it is a wonder if all of us doe not aile somewhat . in vain shall we speak peace to our selves , in vain shall the world speak peace to us , except thou say to us , as thou didst to this distressed soul , goe in peace . jairus and his daughter . how troublesome did the peoples importunity seem to jairus ? that great man came to sue unto jesus for his dying daughter ; the throng of the multitude intercepted him . every man is most sensible of his own necessity . it is no straining courtesie in the challenge of our interest in christ : there is no unmannerlinesse in our strife for the greatest share in his presence and benediction . that only childe of this ruler lay a dying when he came to solicite christs aide , and was dead whiles he solicited it . there was hope in her sicknesse ; in her extremity there was fear ; in her death despair and impossibility ( as they thought ) of help . thy daughter is dead , trouble not the master . when we have to doe with a mere finite power , this word were but just . he was a prophet no lesse then a king , that said , whiles the childe was yet alive , i fasted and wept ; for i said , who can tell whether god will be gracious to me that the childe may live ? but now he is dead , wherefore should i fast ? can i bring him back again ? i shall goe to him , but he shall not return to me . but since thou hast to doe with an omnipotent agent , know now , o thou faithlesse messenger , that death can be no bar to his power . how well would it have become thee to have said , thy daughter is dead ; but who can tell whether thy god and saviour will not be gracious to thee that the childe may revive ? cannot he in whose hands are the issues of death , bring her back again ? here were more manners then faith ; trouble not the master . infidelity is all for ease , and thinks every good work tedious . that which nature accounts troublesome , is pleasing and delightfull to grace . is it any pain for an hungry man to eate ? o saviour , it was thy meat and drink to doe thy fathers will ; and his will was that thou shouldest bear our griefs and take away our sorrows . it cannot be thy trouble which is our happinesse , that we may still sue to thee . the messenger could not so whisper his ill news , but jesus heard it . jairus hears that he feared , and was now heartlesse with so sad tidings . he that resolved not to trouble the master , meant to take so much more trouble to himself , and would now yield to a hopelesse sorrow . he whose work it is to comfort the afflicted , rouzeth up the dejected heart of that pensive father ; fear not , believe only , and she shall be made whole . the word was not more chearfull then difficult . fear not ? who can be insensible of so great an evil ? where death hath once seized , who can but doubt he will keep his hold ? no lesse hard was it not to grieve for the losse of an only childe , then not to fear the continuance of the cause of that grief . in a perfect faith there is no fear : by how much more we fear , by so much lesse we believe . well are these two then coupled , fear not , believe only . o saviour , if thou didst not command us somewhat beyond nature , it were no thank to us to obey thee . while the childe was alive , to believe that it might recover , it was no hard task ; but now that she was fully dead , to believe she should live again , was a work not easie for jairus to apprehend , though easie for thee to effect : yet must that be believed , else there is no capacity of so great a mercy . as love , so faith is stronger then death ; making those bonds no other then ( as sampson did his withes ) like threds of tow . how much naturall impossibility is there in the return of these bodies from the dust of their earth , into which through many degrees of corruption they are at the last mouldred ? fear not , o my soul ; believe onely : it must , it shall be done . the sum of jairus his first suit was for the health , not for the resuscitation of his daughter : now that she was dead , he would , if he durst , have been glad to have asked her life . and now , behold , our saviour bids him expect both her life and her health ; thy daughter shall be made whole : alive from her death , whole from her disease . thou didst not , o jairus , thou daredst not ask so much as thou receivest . how glad wouldest thou have been , since this last news , to have had thy daughter alive , though weak and sickly ? now thou shalt receive her not living only , but sound and vigorous . thou dost not , o saviour , measure thy gifts by our petitions , but by our wants and thine own mercies . this work might have been as easily done by an absent command ; the power of christ was there whiles himself was away : but he will goe personally to the place , that he might be confessed the author of so great a miracle . o saviour , thou lovest to goe to the house of mourning ; thy chief pleasure is the comfort of the afflicted . what a confusion there is in worldly sorrow ? the mother shreeks , the servants crie out , the people make lamentation , the minstrels howl and strike dolefully ; so as the eare might question whether the ditty or the instrument were more heavy . if ever expressions of sorrow sound well , it is when death leads the quire . soon doth our saviour charm this noise , and turns these unseasonable mourners ( whether formal or serious ) out of doors . not that he dislikes musick , whether to condole or comfort ; but that he had life in his eye , and would have them know that he held these funeral ceremonies to be too early and long before their time . give place , for the maid is not dead , but sleepeth . had she been dead , she had but slept ; now she was not dead , but asleep , because he meant this nap of death should be so short , and her awakening so speedy . death and sleep are alike to him , who can cast whom he will into the sleep of death , and awake when and whom he pleaseth out of that deadly sleep . before the people and domesticks of jairus held jesus for a prophet ; now they took him for a dreamer . not dead , but asleep ? they that came to mourn cannot now forbear to laugh . have we piped at so many funerals , and seen and lamented so many corpses , and cannot we distinguish betwixt sleep and death ? the eyes are set , the breath is gone , the limmes are stiffe and cold . who ever died , if she do but sleep ? how easily may our reason or sense befool us in divine matters ? those that are competent judges in natural things , are ready to laugh god to scorn when he speaks beyond their compasse ; and are by him justly laughed to scorn for their unbelief . vain and faithlesse men ! as if that unlimited power of the almighty could not make good his own word ; and turn either sleep into death , or death into sleep , at pleasure . ere many minutes they shall be ashamed of their errour and incredulity . there were witnesses enough of her death , there shall not be many of her restoring . three choice disciples and the two parents are only admitted to the view and testimony of this miraculous work . the eyes of those incredulous scoffers were not worthy of this honour . our infidelity makes us incapable of the secret favours and the highest counsels of the almighty . what did these scorners think and say , when they saw him putting the minstrels and people out of doors ? doubtlesse the maid is but asleep ; the man fears lest the noise shall awake her ; we must speak and tread softly that we disquiet her not : what will he and his disciples doe the while ? is it not to be feared they will startle her out of her rest ? those that are shut out from the participation of god's counsels , think all his words and projects no better then foolishnesse . but art thou , o saviour , ever the more discouraged by the derision and censure of these scornfull unbelievers ? because fools jear thee , dost thou forbear thy work ? surely i do not perceive that thou heedest them , save for contempt ; or carest more for their words then their silence . it is enough that thine act shall soon honour thee , and convince them . he took her by the hand , and called , saying , maid , arise : and her spirit came again , and she arose straightway . how could that touch , that call be other then effectual ? he who made that hand , touched it ; and he who shall once say , arise ye dead , said now , maid , arise . death cannot but obey him who is the lord of life . the soul is ever equally in his hand who is the god of spirits : it cannot but goe and come at his command . when he saies , maid , arise , the now-dissolved spirit knows his office , his place , and instantly reassumes that room which by his appointment it had left . o saviour , if thou do but bid my soul to arise from the death of sin , it cannot lie still ; if thou bid my body to arise from the grave , my soul cannot but glance down from her heaven , and animate it . in vain shall my sin or my grave offer to withhold me from thee . the maid revives : not now to languish for a time upon her sick-bed , and by some faint degrees to gather an insensible strength ; but at once she arises from her death and from her couch , at once she puts off her fever with her dissolution , she findes her life and her feet at once , at once she findes her feet and her stomack . he commanded to give her meat . omnipotency doth not use to goe the pace of nature . all god's immediate works are ( like himself ) perfect . he that raised her supernaturally , could have so fed her . it was never the purpose of his power , to put ordinary means out of office . the motion of the two fiery disciples repelled . the time drew on wherein jesus must be received up . he must take death in his way . calvary is in his passage to mount olivet . he must be lift up to the cross , thence to climb into his heaven . yet this comes not into mention ; as if all the thought of death were swallowed up in this victory over death . neither , o saviour , is it otherwise with us , the weak members of thy mystical body . we must die , we shall be glorified . what if death stand before us ? we look beyond him at that transcendent glory . how should we be dismai'd with that pain which is attended with a blessed immortality ? the strongest receit against death is the happy estate that follows it ; next to that is the fore-exspectation of it and resolution against it . he stedfastly set his face to goe to hierusalem : hierusalem the nest of his enemies , the amphitheater of his conflicts , the fatall place of his death . well did he know the plots and ambushes that were there laid for him , and the bloody issue of those designs : yet he will goe , and goes resolved for the worst . it is a sure and wise way to send our thoughts before us , to grapple with those evils which we know must be incountred . the enemy is half overcome that is well prepared for . the strongest mischief may be outfaced with a seasonable fore-resolution . there can be no greater disadvantage then the suddennesse of a surprisal . o god , what i have not the power to avoid , let me have the wisdome to exspect . the way from galilee to judaea lay through the region of samaria , if not the city . christ now towards the end of his preaching could not but be attended with a multitude of followers : it was necessary there should be purveyors and harbingers to procure lodgings and provision for so large a troup . some of his own retinue are addressed to this service : they seek not for palaces and delicates , but for house-room and victuals . it was he whose the earth was and the fulnesse thereof , whos 's the heavens are and the mansions therein ; yet he , who could have commanded angels , sues to samaritanes : he that filled and comprehended heaven , sends for shelter in a samaritane cottage . it was thy choice , o saviour , to take upon thee the shape , not of a prince , but of a servant . how can we either neglect means , or despise homelinesse , when thou the god of all the world wouldst stoop to the suit of so poor a provision ? we know well in what terms the samaritanes stood with the jews ; so much more hostile as they did more symbolize in matter of religion : no nations were mutually so hatefull to each other . a samaritane's bread was no better then swines-flesh ; their very fire and water was not more grudged then infectious . the looking towards jerusalem was here cause enough of repulse . no enmity is so desperate as that which arises from matter of religion . agreement in some points , when there are differences in the main , doth but advance hatred the more . it is not more strange to hear the son of god sue for a lodging , then to hear him repelled . upon so churlish a denial , the two angry disciples return to their master on a fiery errand ; lord , wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them , as elias did ? the sons of thunder would be lightning straight ; their zeal , whether as kinsmen or disciples , could not brook so harsh a refusal . as they were naturally more hot then their fellows , so now they thought their piety bade them be impatient . yet they dare not but begin with leave , master , wilt thou ? his will must lead theirs ; their choler cannot drive their wills before his : all their motion is from him onely . true disciples are like those artificial engines which goe no otherwise then they are set ; or like little children , that speak nothing but what they are taught . o saviour , if we have wills of our own , we are not thine . do thou set me as thou wouldst have me goe ; do thou teach me what thou wouldst have me say or doe . a mannerly preface leads in a faulty suit ; master , wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them ? faulty , both in presumption , and in desire of private revenge . i do not hear them say , master , will it please thee , who art the sole lord of the heavens and the elements , to command fire from heaven upon these men ? but , wilt thou that we command ? as if , because they had power given them over diseases and unclean spirits , therefore heaven and earth were in their managing . how easily might they be mistaken ? their large commission had the just limits . subjects that have munificent grants from their princes can challenge nothing beyond the words of their patent . and if the fetching down fire from heaven were lesse then the dispossessing of devils , ( since the devil shall inable the beast to doe thus much ) yet how possible is it to doe the greater and stick at the lesse , where both depend upon a delegated power ? the magicians of egypt could bring forth frogs and blood ; they could not bring lice : ordinary corruption can doe that which they could not . it is the fashion of our bold nature , upon an inch given , to challenge an ell ; and where we finde our selves graced with some abilities , to flatter our selves with the faculty of more . i grant , faith hath done as great things as ever presumption undertook ; but there is great difference in the enterprises of both . the one hath a warrant , either by instinct or expresse command ; the other none at all . indeed , had these two disciples either meant , or said , master , if it be thy pleasure to command us to call down fire from heaven , we know thy word shall enable us to doe what thou requirest ; if the words be ours , the power shall be thine ; this had been but holy , modest , faithfull : but if they supposed there needed nothing save a leave only , and that ( might they be but let loose ) they could goe alone , they presumed , they offended . yet had they thus overshot themselves in some pious and charitable motion , the fault had been the lesse : now the act had in it both cruelty , and private revenge . their zeal was not worthy of more praise , then their fury of censure . that fire should fall down from heaven upon men , is a fearfull thing to think of , and that which hath not been often done . it was done in the case of sodome , when those five unclean cities burned with the unnatural fire of hellish lust : it was done two several times at the suit of elijah : it was done ( in an height of triall ) to that great pattern of patience . i finde it no more , and tremble at these i finde . but besides the dreadfulness of the judgment it self , who can but quake at the thought of the suddainnesse of this destruction , which sweeps away both body and soul in a state of unpreparation , of unrepentance ; so as this fire should but begin a worse , this heavenly flame should but kindle that of hell ? thus unconceivably heavy was the revenge : but what was the offence ? we have learned not to think any indignity light that is offered to the son of god ; but we know these spiritual affronts are capable of degrees . had these samaritans reviled christ and his train , had they violently assaulted him , had they followed him with stones in their hands and blasphemies in their mouths , it had been a just provocation of so horrible a vengeance : now the wrong was on●ly negative , they received him not : and that , not out of any particular quarrell or dislike of his person , but of his nation onely ; the men had been welcome , had not their country distasted . all the charge that i hear our saviour give to his disciples in case of their rejection , is , if they receive you not , shake off the dust of your feet . yet this was amongst their own , and when they went on that sacred errand of publishing the gospel of peace . these were strangers from the commonwealth of israel . this measure was not to preachers , but to travellers ; only a mere inhospitality to misliked guests . yet no lesse revenge will serve them then fire from heaven . i dare say for you , ye holy sons of zebedee , it was not your spleen , but your zeal , that was guilty of so bloody a suggestion : your indignation could not but be stirred to see the great prophet and saviour of the world so unkindly repelled : yet all this will not excuse you from a rash cruelty , from an inordinate rage . even the best heart may easily be miscarried with a well-meant zeal . no affection is either more necessary or better accepted . love to any object cannot be severed from hatred of the contrary : whence it is that all creatures which have the concupiscible part , have also the irascible adjoined unto it . anger and displeasure is not so much an enemy , as a guardian and champion of love. whoever therefore is rightly affected to his saviour , cannot but finde much regret at his wrongs . o gracious and divine zeal , the kindely warmth and vitall temper of piety , whither hast thou withdrawn thy self from the cold hearts of men ? or is this according to the just constitution of the old and decrepit age of the world , into which we are fallen ? how many are there that think there is no wisdome but in a dull indifferency ; and chuse rather to freeze then burn ? how quick and apprehensive are men in cases of their own indignities ? how insensible of their saviour's ? but there is nothing so ill as the corruption of the best . rectified zeal is not more commendable and usefull , then inordinate and misguided is hatefull and dangerous . fire is a necessary and beneficial element ; but if it be once misplaced , and have caught upon the beams of our houses or stacks of our corn , nothing can be more direfull . thus sometimes zeal turns murder , ( they that kill you shall think they doe god service ) sometimes phrensie , sometimes rude indiscretion . wholesome and blessed is that zeal that is well grounded and well governed : grounded upon the word of truth , not upon unstable fancies ; governed by wisdome and charity : wisdome , to avoid rashnesse and excesse ; charity , to avoid just offence . no motion can want a pretence . elias did so ; why not we ? he was an holy prophet : the occasion , the place abludes not much : there wrong was offered to a servant , here to his master ; there to a man , here to a god and man. if elias then did it , why not we ? there is nothing more perillous then to draw all the actions of holy men into examples : for as the best men have their weaknesses ; so they are not priviledged from letting fall unjustifiable actions , besides that , they may have had perhaps peculiar warrants signed from heaven , whether by instict , or speciall command , which we shall expect in vain . there must be much caution used in our imitation of the best patterns , ( whether in respect of the persons , or things ; ) else we shall make our selves apes , and our acts sinfull absurdities . it is a rare thing for our saviour to finde fault with the errous of zeal , even where have appeared sensible weaknesses . if moses in a sacred rage and indignation brake the tables written with gods own hand , i finde him not checked . here our meek saviour turns back , and frowns upon his furious suitors , and takes them up roundly ; ye know not of what spirit ye are . the faults of uncharitablenesse cannot be swallowed up in zeal . if there were any colour to hide the blemishes of this misdisposition , it should be this crimson die . but he that needs not our lie , will let us know he needs not our injury , and hates to have a good cause supported by the violation of our charity . we have no reason to disclaim our passions : even the son of god chides sometimes , yea where he loves . it offends not that our affections are moved : but that they are inordinate . it was a sharp word , ye know not of what spirit ye are . another man would not perhaps have felt it ; a disciple doth . tender hearts are galled with that which the carnal minde slighteth . the spirit of elias was that which they meant to assume and imitate : they shall now know their mark was mistaken . how would they have hated to think that any other but god's spirit had stirred them up to this passionate motion ? now they shall know it was wrought by that ill spirit whom they professed to hate . it is far from the good spirit of god to stir up any man to private revenge or thirst of blood . not an eagle , but a dove , was the shape wherein he chose to appear . neither wouldst thou , o god , be in the whirlwinde , or in the fire , but in the soft voice . o saviour , what do we seek for any precedent but thine , whose name we challenge ? thou camest to thine own , thine own received thee not . didst thou call for fire from heaven upon them ? didst thou not rather send down water from thy compassionate eyes , and weep for them by whom thou must bleed ? better had it been for us never to have had any spirit , then any but thine . we can be no other then wicked , if our mercies be cruelty . but is it the name of elias ( o ye zelots ) which ye pretend for a colour of your impotent desire ? ye do not consider the difference betwixt his spirit and yours . his was extraordinary and heroical , besides the instinct or secret command of god for this act of his ; far otherwise is it with you , who by a carnal distemper are moved to this furious suggestion . those that would imitate gods saints in singular actions , must see they goe upon the same grounds . without the same spirit and the same warrant it is either a mockery or a sin to make them our copies . elias is no fit pattern for disciples , but their master . the son of man came not to destroy mens lives , but to save them . then are our actions and intentions warrantable and praise-worthy , when they accord with his . o saviour , when we look into those sacred acts and monuments of thine , we finde many a life which thou preservedst from perishing , some that had perished by thee recalled ; never any by thee destroyed . only one poor fig-tree ( as the reall emblem of thy severity to the unfruitfull ) was blasted and withered by thy curse . but to man , how ever favourable and indulgent wert thou ? so repelled as thou wert , so reviled , so persecuted , laid for , sold , betrayed , apprehended , arraigned , condemned , crucified ; yet what one man didst thou strike dead for these hainous indignities ? yea when one of thine enemies lost but an eare in that ill quarrell , thou gavest that eare to him who came to take life from thee . i finde some whom thou didst scourge and correct , as the sacrilegious money-changers ; none whom thou killedst . not that thou either lovest not , or requirest not the duly-severe execution of justice . whose sword is it that princes bear but thine ? offenders must smart and bleed . this is a just sequel , but not the intention of thy coming ; thy will , not thy drift . good princes make wholesome laws for the well-ordering of their people : there is no authority without due coercion . the violation of these good laws is followed with death , whose end was preservation , life , order : and this not so much for revenge of an offence past , as for prevention of future mischief . how can we then enough love and praise thy mercy , o thou preserver of men ? how should we imitate thy saving and beneficent disposition towards mankinde ? as knowing , the more we can help to save , the nearer we come to thee that camest to save all ; and the more destructive we are , the more we resemble him who is abaddon , a murtherer from the beginning . the ten lepers . the samaritanes were tainted , not with schism , but heresie , but paganism ; our saviour yet blaks them not , but makes use of the way as it lies , and bestows upon them the curtesie of some miracles . some kind of commerce is lawfull even with those without . terms of intirenesse and leagues of inward amity are here unfit , unwarrantable , dangerous ; but civil respects , and wise uses of them for our convenience or necessity , need not , must not be forborn . ten lepers are here met : those that are excluded from all other society , seek the company of each other . fellowship is that we all naturally affct , though even in leprosie . ever lepers will flock to their fellows : where shall we finde one spiritual leper alone ? drunkards , profane persons , hereticks will be sure to consort with their matches . why should not gods saints delight in an holy communion ? why is it not our chief joy to assemble in good ? jews and samaritanes could not abide one another , yet here in leprosie they accord ; here was one samaritane leper with the jewish : community of passion hath made them friends , whom even religion disjoyned . what virtue there is in misery , that can unite even the most estranged hearts ! i seek not mystery in the number . these ten are met together , and all meet christ : not casually , but upon due deliberation ; they purposely waited for this opportunity . no marvell if they thought no attendance long to be delivered from so loathsome and miserable a disease . great naaman could be glad to come from syria to judaea , in hope of leaving that hatefull guest behinde him . we are all sensible enough of our bodily infirmities . oh that we could be equally weary of the sicknesses and deformities of our better part . surely our spiritual maladies are no lesse then mortal , if they be not healed ; neither can they heal alone . these men had died lepers if they had not met with christ . oh saviour , give us grace to seek thee , and patience to wait for thee ; and then we know thou wilt finde us , and we remedy . where do these lepers attend for christ , but in a village ? and that , not in the street of it , but in the entrance , in the passage to it . the cities , the towns were not for them ; the law of god had shut them out from all frequence , from all conversation . care of safety and fear of infection was motive enough to make their neighbours observant of this piece of the law. it is not the body only that is herein respected by the god of spirits . those that are spiritually contagious must be still and ever avoided ; they must be separated from us , we must be separated from them : they from us , by just censures ; or ( if that be neglected ) we from them , by a voluntary declination of their familiar conversation . ) besides the benefit of our safety , wickednesse would soon be ashamed of it self if it were not for the incouragement of companions . solitarinesse is the fittest antidote for spiritual infection . it were happy for the wicked man , if he could be separated from himself . these lepers that came to seek christ , yet finding him , they stand afar off ; whether for reverence , or for security . god had enacted this distance . it was their charge , if they were occasioned to passe through the streets , to cry out , i am unclean . it was no lesse then their duty to proclaim their own infectiousnesse : there was not danger only , but sin in their approach . how happy were it , if in those wherein there is more peril , there were more remotenesse , lesse silence ? o god , we are all lepers to thee , overspred with the loathsome scurf of our own corruptions : it becomes us well , in the conscience of our shame and vileness , to stand afar off . we cannot be too awfull of thee , too much ashamed of our selves . yet these men , though they be far off in the distance of place , yet they are near in respect of the acceptance of their prayer . the lord is near unto all that call upon him in truth . o saviour , whiles we are far off from thee , thou art near unto us . never dost thou come so close to us , as when in an holy bashfulnesse we stand furthest off . justly dost thou exspect we should be at once bold and bashfull . how boldly should we come to the throne of grace , in respect of the grace of that throne ? how fearfully , in respect of the awfulness of the majesty of that throne , and that unworthiness which we bring with us into that dreadfull presence ? he that stands near may whisper ; but he that stands afar off must cry aloud : so did these lepers . yet not so much distance as passion strained their throats . that which can give voice to the dumb , can much more give loudness to the vocal . all cried together : these ten voices were united in one sound ; that their conjoined forces might expugn that gracious eare . had every man spoken singly for himself , this had made no noise , neither yet any shew of a servent importunity : now as they were all affected with one common disease , so they all set out their throats together , and ( though jews and samaritanes ) agree in one joynt supplication . even where there are ten tongues , the word is but one ; that the condescent may be universal . when we would obtain common favours , we may not content our selves with private and solitary devotions , but must joyn our spiritual forces together , and set upon god by troups . two are better then one ; because they have a good reward for their labour . no faithfull prayer goes away unrecompensed : but where many good hearts meet , the retribution must be needs answerable to the number of the petitioners . oh holy and happy violence that is thus offered to heaven ! how can we want blessings , when so many cords draw them down upon our heads ? it was not the sound , but the matter , that carried it with christ : if the sound were shrill , the matter was faithfull ; jesu master , have mercy upon us . no word can better become the mouth of the miserable . i see not where we can meet with fitter patterns . surely , they were not verier lepers then we : why do we not imitate them in their actions , who are too like them in our condition ? whither should we seek but to our jesus ? how should we stand aloof in regard of our own wretchedness ? how should we lift up our voice in the fervour of our supplications ? what should we rather sue for then mercy ? jesu master , have mercy upon us . oh gracious prevention of mercy , both had and given ere it can be asked ! jesus , when he saw them , said , goe shew your selves to the priests . their disease is cured ere it can be complained of ; their shewing to the priest presupposes them whole ; whole in his grant , though not in their own apprehension . that single leper that came to christ before , ( mat. . luke . ) was first cured in his own sense ; and then was bid to goe to the priest for approbation of the cure. it was not so with these ; who are sent to the judges of leprosie , with an intention they shall in the way finde themselves healed . there was a different purpose in both these : in the one , that the perfection of the cure might be convinced , and seconded with a due sacrifice ; in the other , that the faith of the patients might be tried in the way ; which if it had not held as strong in the prosecution of their suit as in the beginning , had ( i doubt ) failed of the effect . how easily might these lepers think , alas , to what purpose is this ? shew our selves to the priests ? what can their eyes doe ? they can judge whether it be cured , ( which we see yet it is not ) they cannot cure it . this is not now to doe : we have been seen enough , and loathed . what can their eyes see more then our own ? we had well hoped that jesus would have vouchsafed to call us to him , and to lay his hands upon us , and to have healed us . these thoughts had kept them lepers still . now shall their faith and obedience be proved by their submission both to this suddain command , and that divine ordination . that former leper was charged to shew himself to the chief priest , these to the priests ; either would serve : the original command runs , either to aaron or to one of his sons . but why to them ? leprosie was a bodily sickness ; what is this to spiritual persons ? wherefore serve physicians , if the priests must meddle with diseases ? we never shall finde those sacred persons to passe their judgment upon fevers , dropsies , palsies , or any other bodily distemper : neither should they on this , were it not that this affection of the body is joyned with a legal uncleanness . not as a sickness , but as an impurity must it come under their cognisance : neither this , without a further implication . who but the successors of the legal priesthood are proper to judge of the uncleannesses of the soul ? whether an act be sinfull , or in what degree it is such ; what grounds are sufficient for the comfortable assurance of repentance , of forgivenesse ; what courses are fittest to avoid the danger of relapses , who is so like to know , so meet to judge , as our teachers ? would we in these cases consult ofter with our spiritual guides , and depend upon their faithfull advises and well-grounded absolutions , it were safer , it were happier for us . oh the dangerous extremity of our wisdome ! our hood-wink'd progenitors would have no eyes but in the heads of their ghostly fathers : we think our selves so quick-sighted , that we pity the blindness of our able teachers ; none but our selves are fit to judge of our own leprosie . neither was it onely the peculiar judgment of the priest that was here intended , but the thankfulness of the patient : that by the sacrifice which he should bring with him , he might give god the glory of his sanation . o god , whomsoever thou curest of this spiritual leprosie , it is reason he should present thee with the true evangelical sacrifices , not of his praises onely , but of himself , which are reasonable and living . we are still leprous if we do not first see our selves foul , and then finde our selves thankfully serviceable . the lepers did not , would not goe of themselves , but are sent by christ ; goe and shew your selves . and why sent by him ? was it in obedience to the law ? was it out of respect to the priesthood ? was it for prevention of cavils ? was it for conviction of gainsayers ? or was it for confirmation of the miracle ? christ that was above the law would not transgresse it ; he knew this was his charge by moses . how justly might he have dispensed with his own ? but he will not : though the law doth not binde the maker , he will voluntarily binde himself . he was within the ken of his consummatum est ; yet would not anticipate that approaching end , but holds the law on foot till his last pace . this was but a branch of the ceremonial ; yet would he not slight it , but in his own person gives example of a studious observation . how carefully should we submit our selves to the royal laws of our creator , to the wholsome lawes of our superiours , whiles the son of god would not but be so punctuall in a ceremony ? whiles i look to the persons of those priests , i see nothing but corruption , nothing but professed hostility to the true messiah . all this cannot make thee , o saviour , to remit any point of the observance due to their places . their function was sacred , whatever their persons were : though they have not the grace to give thee thy due , thou wilt not faile to give them theirs . how justly dost thou expect all due regard to thine evangelicall priesthood , who gavest so curious respect to the legall ? it were shame the synagogue should be above the church ; or that priesthood which thou meantest speedily to abrogate , should have more honour then that which thou meantest to establish and perpetuate . had this duty been neglected , what clamours had been raised by his emulous adversaries ? what scandalls ? though the fault had been the patients , not the physicians . but they that watched christ so narrowly , and were apt to take so poor exceptions at his sabbath-cures , at the unwashen hands of his disciples , how much more would they have calumniated him if by his neglect the law of leprosie had been palpably transgressed ? not only evil must be avoided , but offence ; and that not on our parts , but on others . that offence is ours , which we might have remedied . what a noble and irrefragable testimony was this to the power , to the truth of the messiah ? how can these jewes but either believe , or be made inexcusable in not believing ? when they shall see so many lepers come at once to the temple , all cured by a secret will , without word or touch , how can they chuse but say , this work is supernaturall ; no limited power could doe this ? how is he not god , if his power be infinite ? their own eyes shall be witnesses and judges of their own conviction . the cure is done by christ more exquisitely then by art or nature ; yet it is not publickly assured and acknowledged , till according to the mosaicall law certain subsequent rites be performed . there is no admittance into the congregation , but by sprinkling of blood . o saviour , we can never be ascertained of our cleansing from that spirituall leprosie wherewith our souls are tainted , but by the sprinkling of thy most precious blood : wash us with that , and we shall be whiter then snow . this act of shewing to the priest was not more required by the law then pre-required of these lepers by our saviour , for the tryall of their obedience . had they now stood upon terms with christ , and said , we will first see what cause there will be to shew our selves to the priests ; they need not see our leprie , we shall be glad they should see our cure : do thou work that which we shall shew , and bid us shew what thou hast wrought : till then excuse us : it is our grief and shame to be seen too much ; they had been still lepers . it hath been ever god's wont by small precepts to prove mens dispositions . obedience is as well tried in a trifle , as in the most important charge ; yea so much more , as the thing required is lesse : for oft-times those who would be carefull in main affairs , think they may neglect the smallest . what command soever we receive from god or our superiors , we must not scan the weight of the thing , but the authority of the commander . either difficulty or slightnesse are vain pretences for disobedience . these lepers are wiser ; they obeyed , and went. what was the issue ? as they went , they were healed . lo , had they stood still , they had been lepers ; now they went , they are whole . what haste the blessing makes to overtake their obedience ? this walk was required by the very law , if they should have found themselves healed : what was it to prevent the time a little , and to doe that sooner upon hopes which upon sense they must doe after ? the horror of the disease adds to the grace of the cure ; and that is so much more gracious as the task is easier : it shall cost them but a walk . it is the bounty of that god whom we serve , to reward our worthlesse endeavours with infinite requitals . he would not have any proportion betwixt our acts and his remunerations . yet besides this recompence of obedience , o saviour , thou wouldst herein have respect to thine own just glory . had not these lepers been cured in the way , but in the end of their walk , upon their shewing to the priests , the miracle had lost much light : perhaps the priests would have challenged it to themselves , and have attributed it to their prayers ; perhaps the lepers might have thought it was thy purpose to honour the priests as the instruments of that marvellous cure. now there can be no colour of any others participation , since the leprosie vanishes in the way . as thy power , so thy praise admits of no partners . and now , methinks , i see what an amazed joy there was amongst these lepers , when they saw themselves thus suddainly cured : each tells other what a change he feels in himself ; each comforts other with the assurance of his outward clearness ; each congratulates others happinesse , and thinks , and saies how joyfull this news will be to their friends and families . their society now serves them well to applaud and heighten their new felicity . the miracle indifferently wrought upon all , is differently taken . all went forward ( according to the appointment ) toward the priests , all were obedient ; one only was thankfull . all were cured , all saw themselves cured : their sense was alike , their hearts were not alike . what could make the difference but grace ? and who could make the difference of grace but he that gave it ? he that wrought the cure in all , wrought the grace not in all , but in one . the same act , the same motives , are not equally powerfull to all : where the oxe findes grasse , the viper poyson . we all pray , all hear ; one goes away bettered , another cavils . will makes the difference ; but who makes the difference of wills but he that made them ? he that creates the new heart , leaves a stone in one bosome , puts flesh into another . it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth , but in god that hath mercy . o god , if we look not up to thee , we may come , and not be healed ; we may be healed , and not be thankfull . this one man breaks away from his fellows to seek christ . whiles he was a leper , he consorted with lepers ; now that he is healed , he will be free . he saith not , i came with these men , with them i will goe ; if they will return , i will accompany them ; if not , what should i goe alone ? as i am not wiser then they , so i have no more reason to be more thankfull . there are cases wherein singularity is not lawfull only , but laudable . thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil . i and my house will serve the lord. it is a base and unworthy thing for a man so to subject himself to others examples , as not sometimes to resolve to be an example to others . when either evil is to be done or good neglected , how much better is it to goe the right way alone , then to erre with company ? oh noble pattern of thankfulnesse ! what speed of retribution is here ? no sooner doth he see his cure , then he hasts to acknowledge it : the benefit shall not die , not sleep in his hand . late professions of our obligations favour of dulnesse and ingratitude . what a laborious and diligent officiousnesse is here ? he stands not still , but puts himself to the pains of a return . what an hearty recognition of the blessing ? his voice was not more loud in his suit then in his thanks . what an humble reverence of his benefactour ? he falls down at his feet : as acknowledging at once beneficence and unworthinesse . it were happy for all israel , if they could but learn of this samaritane . this man is sent with the rest to the priests . he well knew this duty a branch of the law of ceremonies , which he meant not to neglect : but his heart told him there was a morall duty of professing thankfulnesse to his benefactor , which called for his first attendance . first therefore he turns back , ere he will stir forward . reason taught this samaritane ( and us in him ) that ceremony must yield to substance , and that main points of obedience must take place of all rituall complements . it is not for nothing that note is made of the countrey of this thankfull leper ; he was a samaritane : the place is known and branded with the infamy of a paganish mis-religion . outward disadvantage of place or parentage cannot block up the way of god's grace and free election ; as contrarily the priviledges of birth and nature availe us nothing in spirituall occasions . how sensible wert thou , o saviour , of thine own beneficence ? were there not ten cleansed ? but where are the nine ? the trouping of these lepers together did not hinder thy reckoning . it is both justice and wisdome in thee to keep a strict account of thy favours . there is an wholesome and usefull art of forgetfulnesse in us men , both of benefits done , and of wrongs offered . it is not so with god. our injuries indeed he soon puts over ; making it no small part of his style , that he forgives iniquities : but for his mercies , there is no reason he should forget them ; they are worthy of more then our memory . his favours are universall over all his works ; there is no creature that tasts not of his bounty ; his sun and rain are for others besides his friends : but none of his good turns escapes either his knowledge or record . why should not we ( o god ) keep a book of our receits from thee , which agreeing with thine may declare thee bounteous , and us thankfull ? our saviour doth not ask this by way of doubt , but of exprobration ? full well did he count the steps of those absent lepers ; he knew where they were ; he upbraids their ingratitude , that they were not where they should have been . it was thy just quarrell , o saviour , that while one samaritane returned , nine israelites were healed and returned not . had they been all samaritanes , this had been faulty ; but now they were israelites , their ingratitude was more foul then their leprosie . the more we are bound to god , the more shamefull is our unthankfulnesse . there is scarce one in ten that is carefull to give god his own : this neglect is not more generall then displeasing . christ had never missed their presence , if their absence had not been hatefull and injurious . the pool of bethesda , meditated on in a sermon preached at the court before king james of blessed memory . to the reader . the reader may be pleased to understand , that my manner hath still been , first , to passe through all these divine histories by way of sermons , and then after to gather the quintessence of those larger discourses into these formes of meditations which he sees : onely i have thought good upon these two following heads ( for some good reasons ) to publish the sermons in their own shape as they were delivered , without alteration . it seemed not amisse that some of those metalls should be shewn in the oare , whereof so great a quantity was presented in the wedge . the pool of bethesda . o therwhere ye may look long , and see no miracle ; but here behold two miracles in one view : the former , of the angel curing diseases ; the later , of the god of angels , christ jesus , preventing the angel in his cure. even the first christ wrought by the angel ; the second immediatly by himself . the first is incomparable , for ( as montanus truly observes ) there is no one miraculum perpetuum but this one , in the whole book of god. be content to spend this hour with me in the porches of bethesda , and consider with me the topography , the aitiology , the chronography of this miracle . these three limit our speech and your patient attention . the chronography ( which is first in place and time ) offers us two heads : . a feast of the jewes ; . christ going up to the feast . the jews were full of holy-days , both of god's institution and the churches . of god's , both weekly , monthly , anniversary . weekly , that one of seven , which i would to god we had learned of them to keep better . in this regard it was that seneca said , the jewes did septimam aetatis partem perdere , lose the seventh part of their life . monthly , the new moons , numb . . anniversary , easter , pentecost , and the september-feasts . the churches , both the purim by mardocheus ; and the encaenia by judas maccabaeus , which yet christ honored by his solemnization , john . surely god did this for the chearfulnesse of his people in his service : hence the church hath laudably imitated this example . to have no feasts is sullen : to have too many is paganish and superstitious . neither would god have cast the christian easter upon the just time of the jewish pasch , and their whitsontide upon the jewish pentecost ; if he would not have had these feasts continued . and why should the christian church have lesse power then the jewish synagogue ? here was not a mere feriation , but a feasting ; they must appeare before god cum muneribus with gifts . the tenth part of their encrease must be spent upon the three solemn feasts , besides their former tithes to levi , deut. . . there was no holy-day wherein they feasted above six hours : and in some of them tradition urged them to their quantities of drink : and david , when he would keep holy-day to the ark , allows every israelite a cake of bread , a piece of flesh , a bottle of wine ; not a dry dinner ( prandium caninum ) not a mere drinking , of wine without meat , but to make up a perfect feast , bread , flesh , wine , . sam. . the true purims of this iland are those two feasts of august and november . he is no true israelite that keeps them not , as the daies which the lord hath made . when are joy and triumphs seasonable if not at feasts ? but not excesse . pardon me , i know not how feasts are kept at the court : but , as job , when he thought of the banquets of his sons , sayes , it may be they have sinned ; so let me speak at peradventures , if sensuall immoderation should have set her foot into these christian feasts , let me at least say with indulgent ely , non est bona fama , filii , it is no good report , my sons . do ye think that s : paul's rule , non in comessationibus & ebrietate , not in surfeiting and drunkennesse , was for work-days only ? the jewes had a conceit , that on their sabbath and. feast-days the devils fled from their cities ad montes umbrosos , to the shadie mountains . let it not be said , that on our christian feasts they should è montibus aulam petere : and that he seeks , and finds not , loca arida , but madida . god forbid that christians should sacrifice to bacchus in stead of the ever-living god : and that on the day when you should have been blown up by treacherous fire from earth to heaven , you should fetch down the fire of god's anger from heaven upon you by swilling and surfeits : god forbid . god's service is unum necessarium one thing necessary , saith christ . homo cbrius , superflua creatura , a drunken man is a superfluous creature , saith ambrose . how ill do those two agree together ? this i have been bold to say out of caution , not of reproof . thus much , that there was a feast of the jewes . now , what feast it was is questionable : whether the pasch , as irenaeus , and beza with him , thinks , upon the warrant of john . . where our saviour had said , yet four months , and then comes harvest : or whether pentecost , which was fifty dayes from the shaking of the sheaf ( that was easter sunday ) as cyrill , chrysostome , theophylact , euthymius , and some later : or whether one of the september feasts , as some others . the excellencie of the feast makes for easter ; the feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the number of interpreters for pentecost ; the number of feasts for september . for as god delighted in the number of seven , the seventh day was holy , the seventh year , the seventh seven year : so he shewed it in the seventh month , which reserves his number still , september ; the first day whereof was the sabbath of trumpets , the tenth dies expiationum , and on the fifteenth began the feast of tabernacles for seven dayes . it is an idleness to seek that which we are never the better when we have found . what if easter ? what if tabernacles ? what if pentecost ? what loss , what gain is this ? magnâ nos molestiâ johannes liberasset , si unum adjecisset verbum , john had eased us of much trouble , if he had added but one word , saith maldonat . but for us , god give them sorrow which love it : this is one of saint paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain disputations , that he forbids his timothie ; yea , ( which is the subject thereof ) one of them which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , foolish and unlearned questions , tim. . . quantum mali facit nimia subtilitas ? how much mischief is done by too much subtilitie ? saith seneca . these are for some idle cloisterers that have nothing to doe but to pick straws in divinity : like to appian the grammarian , that with long discourse would pick out of homer's first verse of his iliads , and the first word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the number of the books of iliads and odysses ; or like didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that spent some of his four thousand books about , which was homer's countrey , who was aeneas's true mother , what the age of hecuba , how long it was betwixt homer and orpheus ; or those wise criticks of whom seneca speaks , that spent whole volumes , whether homer or hesiod were the elder . non profuturam scientiam tradunt , they vent an unprofitable skill , as he said . let us be content with the learned ignorance of what god hath concealed ; and know , that what he hath concealed , will not avail us to know . rather let us inquire why christ would go up to the feast . i find two silken cords that drew him up thither . his obedience . his desire of manifesting his glory . first , it was a general law , all males must appear thrice a year before the lord. behold , he was the god whom they went up to worship at the feast ; yet he goes up to worship . he began his life in obedience , when he came in his mothers belly to bethleem at the taxation of augustus , and so he continues it . he knew his due . of whom do the kings of the earth receive tribute ? of their own , or of strangers ? then their sons are free . yet he that would pay tribute to caesar , will also pay this tribute of obedience to his father . he that was above the law , yields to the law : legi satisfacere voluit , etsi non sub lege , he would satisfie the law , though he were not under the law. the spirit of god sayes , he learned obedience in that he suffered . surely also he taught obedience in that he did . this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to john baptist , it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness . he will not abate his father one ceremony . it was dangerous to goe up to that jerusalem which he had left before for their malice : yet now he will up again . his obedience drew him up to that bloody feast , wherein himself was sacrificed ; how much more now , that he might sacrifice ? what can we plead to have learned of christ , if not his first lesson , obedience ? the same proclamation that gedeon made to israel , he makes still to us , as ye see me doe , so doe ye . whatsoever therefore god injoyns us , either immediately by himself , or mediately by his deputies , if we will be christians , we must so observe , as those that know themselves bound to tread in his steps that said , in the volume of thy book it is written of me , i desired to doe thy will , o god , psal . . . i will have obedience ( saith god ) and not sacrifice . but where sacrifice is obedience , he will have obedience in sacrificing . therefore christ went up to the feast . the second motive was the manifestation of his glory . if we be the light of the world , which are so much snuffe , what is he that is the father of lights ? it was not for him to be set under the bushel of nazareth , but upon the table of hierusalem . thither and then was the confluence of all the tribes . many a time had christ passed by this man before , when the streets were empty ; for there he lay many years ; yet heales him not till now . he that sometimes modestly steals a miracle with a vide nè cui dixeris , see thou tell no man , that no man might know it ; at other times does wonders upon the scaffold of the world , that no man might be ignorant , and bids proclaim it on the house tops . it was fit the world should be thus publickly convinced , and either wone by belief , or lost by inexcusableness . good the more common it is , the better . i will praise thee , saith david , in ecclesia magna , in the great congregation . glory is not got in corners . no man ( say the envious kinsmen of christ ) keeps close , and would be famous . no , nor that would have god celebrated . the best opportunities must be taken in glorifying him . he that would be crucified at the feast , that his death and resurrection might be more famous ; will at the feast doe miracles , that his divine power might be approved openly . christ is flos campi , non horti , the flower of the field , and not of the garden , saith bernard . god cannot abide to have his graces smothered in us . i have not hid thy righteousness within my heart , saith the psalmist . absolon when he would be insigniter improbus notoriously wicked , does his villany publickly in the eyes of the sun , under no curtain but heaven . he that would doe notable service to god , must doe it conspicuously . nicodemus gain'd well by christ , but christ got nothing by him , so long as , like a night-bird , he never came to him but with owles and bats . then he began to be a profitable disciple , when he durst oppose the pharisees in their condemnation of christ , though indefinitely : but most , when in the night of his death the light of his faith brought him openly to take down the sacred corps before all the gazing multitude , and to embalm it . when we confess god's name , with the psalmist , before kings ; when kings , defenders of the faith , profess their religion in publick and everlasting monuments to all nations , to all times ; this is glorious to god , and in god to them . it is no matter how close evils be , nor how publick good is . this is enough for the chronography ; the topography follows . i will not here stand to shew you the ignorance of the vulgar translation , in joyning probatica and piscina together , against their own fair vatican copy , with other antient : nor spend time to discuss whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be here understood for the substantive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is most likely to be that sheep-gate spoken of in ezra : nor to shew how ill piscina in the latin answers the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ours turn it a pool , better then any latin word can express it : nor to shew you ( as i might ) how many publick pools were in jerusalem : nor to discuss the use of this pool , whether it were for washing the beasts to be sacrificed , or to wash the entrails of the sacrifice ; whence i remember hierom fetches the virtue of the water , and in his time thought he discerned some redness , as if the blood spilt four hundred years before could still retain his first tincture in a liquid substance ; besides that it would be a strange swimming pool that were brewed with blood , and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this conceit arises from the errour of the construction in mismatching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . neither will i argue whether it should be bethsida , or bethzida , or bethsheda , or bethesda . if either you or my self knew not how to be rid of time , we might easily wear out as many hours in this pool as this poor impotent man did years . but it is edification that we affect , and not curiosity . this pool had five porches . neither will i run here with s. austin into allegories ; that this pool was the people of the jews , aquae multae , populus multus , and these five porches the law in the five books of moses : nor stand to confute adrichomius , which out of josephus would perswade us that these five porches were built by solomon , and that this was stagnum solomonis , for the use of the temple . the following words shew the use of the porches ; for the receit of impotent , sick , blinde , halt , withered , that waited for the moving of the water . it should seem it was walled about to keep it from cattel , and these five valuted entrances were made by some benefactors for the more convenience of attendance . here was the mercy of god seconded by the charity of men : if god will give cure , they will give harbour . surely it is a good matter to put our hand to gods ; and to further good works with convenience of injoying them . jerusalem was grown a city of blood , to the persecution of the prophets , to a wilful despight of what belonged to her peace , to a profanation of god's temple , to a mere formality in god's services : and yet here were publick works of charity in the midst of her streets . we may not alwaies judge of the truth of piety by charitable actions . judas disbursed the money for christ ; there was no traitor but he . the poor traveller that was robb'd and wounded betwixt jerusalem and jericho , was passed over first by the priest , then the levite ; at last the samaritan came and relieved him : his religion was naught , yet his act was good , the priests and levites religion good , their uncharity ill . novatus himself was a martyr , yet a schismatick . faith is the soul , and good works are the breath , saith s. james : but as you see in a pair of bellows there is a forced breath without life ; so in those that are puffed up with the winde of oftentation , there may be charitable works without faith. the church of rome , unto her four famous orders of jacobins , franciscans , augustines and carmelites , hath added a fifth of jesuites ; and , like another jerusalem , for those five leprous and lazarly orders hath built five porches ; that if the water of any state be stirred , they may put in for a share . how many cells and convents hath she raised for these miserable cripples ? and now she thinks ( though she exalt her self above all that is called god , though she dispence with and against god , though she fall down before every block and wafer , though she kill kings and equivocate with magistrates , ) she is the onely city of god. digna est , nam struxit synagogam , she is worthy , for she hath built a synagogue . are we more orthodox , and shall not we be as charitable ? i am ashamed to think of rich noblemen and merchants that dye and give nothing to our five porches of bethesda . what shall we say ? have they made their mammon their god , in stead of making friends with their mammon to god ? even when they dye will they not ( like ambrose's good usurers ) part with that which they cannot hold , that they may get that which they cannot lose ? can they begin their will , in dei nomine , amen ; and give nothing to god ? is he onely a witness , and not a legatee ? can we bequeath our souls to christ in heaven , and give nothing to his lims on earth ? and if they will not give , yet will they not lend to god ? he that gives to the poor , foeneratur deo , lends to god. will they put out to any but god ? and then , when in stead of giving security , he receives with one hand and payes with another , receives our bequest and gives us glory ? oh damnable niggardliness of vain men , that shames the gospel , and loses heaven ! let me shew you a bethesda that wants porches . what truer house of effusion then the church of god , which sheds forth waters of comfort , yea of life ? behold some of the porches of this bethesda so farre from building , that they are pulled down . it is a wonder if the demolished stones of god's house have not built some of yours , and if some of you have not your rich suits garded with souls . there were wont to be reckoned three wonders of england , ecclesia , foemina , lana , the churches , the women , the wooll . foemina may pass stil ; who may justly challenge wonder for their vanity , if not their persons . as for lana , if it be wonderful alone , i am sure it is ill joyned with ecclesia : the church is fleeced , and hath nothing but a bare pelt left upon her back . and as for ecclesia , either men have said with the babylonians , down with it , down with it even to the ground ; or else in respect of the maintenance , with judas , ut quid perditio haec ? why was this wast ? how many remorseful souls have sent back , with jacob's sons , their money in their sacks mouths ? how many great testators have in their last will returned the anathematized peculium of impropriations to the church , chusing rather to impair their heire then to burden their souls ? dum times ne pro te patrimonium tuum perdas , ipse propatrimonio tuo peris , saith cyprian , whiles thou fearest to lose thy patrimony for thy own good , thou perishest with thy patrimony . ye great men , spend not all your time in building castles in the aire , or houses on the sand ; but set your hands and purses to the building of the porches of bethesda . it is a shame for a rich christian to be like a christmas-box , that receives all , and nothing can be got out till it be broken in pieces ; or like unto a drown'd mans hand , that holds whatsoever it gets . to doe good and to distribute , forget not ; for with such sacrifices god is well pleased . this was the place , what was the use of it ? all sorts of patients were at the bank of bethesda : where should cripples be but at the spittle ? the sick , blind , lame , withered , all that did either morbo laborare or vitio corporis , complain of sickness or impotency , were there . in natural course , one receit heales not all diseases , no nor one agent ; one is an oculist , another a bone-setter , another a chirugion : but all diseases are alike to the supernatural power of god. hippocrates , though the prince of physicians , yet sweares by aesculapius he will never meddle with cutting of the stone . there is no disease that art will not meddle with : there are many that it cannot cure . the poor haemorrhoissa was eighteen yeares in the physicians hands , and had purged away both her body and her substance . yea some it kills in stead of healing : whence one hebrew word signifies both physicians and dead men . but behold here all sicknesses cured by one hand , and by one water . o all ye that are spiritually sick and diseased , come to the pool of bethesda , the blood of christ . do ye complain of the blindness of your ignorance ? here ye shall receive clearness of sight : of the distemper of passions ? here ease : of the superfluity of your sinful humors ? here evacuation : of the impotency of your obedience ? here integrity : of the dead witheredness of good affections ? here life and vigor . whatsoever your infirmity be , come to the pool of bethesda , and be healed . all these may be cured ; yet shall be cured at leisure ; all must wait , all must hope in waiting . methinks i see how enviously these cripples look one upon another , each thinking other a lett , each watching to prevent other , each hoping to be next ; like emulous courtiers , that gape and vie for the next preferment , and think it a pain to hope , and a torment to be prevented . but bethesda must be waited on . he is worthy of his crutches that will not stay god's leisure for his cure. there is no virtue , no success without patience . waiting is a familiar lesson with courtiers : and here we have all need of it . one is sick of an overflowing of the gall , another of a tumor of pride , another of the tentigo of lust , another of the vertigo of inconstancy , another of the choking squinancy of curses and blasphemies ; one of the boulimy of gluttony , another of the pleuritical stitches of envy ; one of the contracting cramp of covetousness , another of the atrophy of unproficiency ; one is hide-bound with pride , another is consumed with emulation , another rotten with corrupt desires : and we are so much the sicker , if we feel not these distempers . oh that we could wait at the bethesda of god , attend diligently upon his ordinances : we could no more fail of cure , then now we can hope for cure . we wait hard , and indure much for the body . quantis laboribus agitur ut longiore tempore laboretur ! multi cruciatus suscipiuntur corri , ut panci dies adjiciantur incerti , what toile do we take that we may toile yet longer ! we indure many certain paines for the addition of a few uncertain daies , saith austin . why will we not doe thus for the soul ? without waiting it will not be . the cripple ( act. . . ) was bidden , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , look up to us . he look'd up . it was cold comfort that he heard , silver and gold have i none : but the next clause made amends for all , surge & ambula , rise and walk : and this was , because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he attended expecting , verse . would we be cured ? it is not for us to snatch at bethesda , as a dog at nilus ; nor to draw water and away , as rebecca ; nor to set us a while upon the banks , as the israelites by the rivers of babylon : but we must dwell in god's house , wait at bethesda . but what shall i say to you courtiers , but even as saint paul to his corinthians , ye are full , ye are rich , ye are strong without us ? many of you come to this place not as to bethel , the house of god , or bethesda , the house of effusion ; but as to bethaven , the house of vanity . if ye have not lost your old wont , there are more words spoken in the outer closet by the hearers , then in the chappel by the preacher ; as if it were closet , quasi close set , in an exchange , like communication of news . what , do ye think of sermons as matters of formality , as very superfluities , as your own idle complements , which either ye hear not , or believe not ? what do ye think of your selves ? have you only a postern to go to heaven by your selves , wherethrough ye can go , besides the foolishness of preaching ? or do ye sing that old pelagian note , quid nunc mihi opus est deo ? what need have i of god ? what should i say to this but , increpa , domine . as for our houshold sermons , our auditors are like the fruit of a tree in an unseasonable year ; or like a wood new felled , that hath some few spires left for standers some poles distance ; or like the tithe sheaves in a field when the corn is gone , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. as he said . it is true , ye have more sermons and more excellent then all the courts under heaven put together : but , as austin said well , quid mihi proderit bona res non utenti bene ? what am i the better for a good thing if i use it not well ? let me tell you , all these forcible meanes not well used , will set you the further off from heaven . if the chappel were the bethesda of promotion , what thronging would there be into it ? yea if it were but some mask-house , wherein a glorious ( though momentany ) show were to be presented , neither white staves nor halberts could keep you out . behold here , ye are offered the honour to be ( by this seed of regeneration ) the sons of god. the kingdome of heaven , the crown of glory , the scepter of majesty , in one word , eternal life is here offered and performed to you . o let us not so far forget our selves , as in the ordinances of god to contemn our own happiness . but let us know the time of our visitation : let us wait reverently and intentively upon this bethesda of god ; that when the angel shall descend and move the water , our souls may be cured , and through all the degrees of grace may be carried to the full height of their glory . the first part of the meditations upon the transfiguration of christ . in a sermon preacht at havering-bower before k. james of blessed memory . there is not in all divinity an higher speculation then this of christ transfigured . suffer me therefore to lead you up by the hand into mount tabor ( for nearer to heaven ye cannot come while ye are upon earth that you may see him glorious upon earth , the region of his shame and abasement , who is now glorious in heaven , the throne of his majestie . he that would not have his transfiguration spoken of till he were raised , would have it spoken of all the world over now that he is raised and ascended , that by this momentany glory we may judge of the eternal . the circumstances shall be to us as the skirts of the hill , which we will climb up lightly ; the time , place , attendants , company . the time , after six dayes ; the place , an high hill apart ; the attendants , peter , james , john ; the company , moses and elias : which when we have passed , on the top of the hill shall appear to us that sight which shall once make us glorious , and in the mean time happy . all three evangelists accord in the terminus à quo , that it was immediately after those words , there be some of them that stand here , which shall not taste of death till they have seen the son of man come in his kingdome . wherein , methinks , the act comments upon the words . peter , james and john , were these some : they tasted not of death , till they saw this heavenly image of the royalty of christ glorified . but the terminus quò disagrees a little . matthew and mark say , after six ; luke , post ferè octo : which as they are easily reconciled by the usual distinction of inclusivè and exclusivè , necessary for all computations , and luke's about eight ; so methinks , seem to intimate god's seventh day , the sabbath : why should there be else so precise mention of six dayes after , and about eight , but to imply that day which was betwixt the sixth and eighth ? god's day was fittest for so divine a work : and well might that day which imported god's rest and mans glory , be used for the clear representation of the rest and glory of god and man. but in this conjecture ( for ought i know ) i goe alone : i dare not be too resolute . certainly it was the seventh , whether it were that seventh , the seventh after the promise of the glory of his kingdome exhibited : and this perhaps not without a mystery . god teacheth both by words and acts , saith hilary , that after six ages of the world should be christs glorious appearance , and our transfiguration with him . but i know what our saviours farewel was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is not for us to know . but if we may not know , we may conjecture ; yet not above that we ought , faith s. paul : we may not super sapere , as tertullian's phrase is . for the place , tradition hath taken it still for tabor : i list not to cross it without warrant . this was an high hill indeed ; thirty furlongs high , saith josephus ; mirâ rotundi●ate sublimis , saith hierome : and so steep , that some of our english travellers , that have desired to climbit of late , have been glad to give it up in the mid-way , and to measure the rest with their eyes , doubtless this hill was a symbol of heaven , being near it as in situation , in resemblance . heaven is expressed usually by the name of god's hill : and nature or this appellation taught the heathens to figure it by their olympus . all divine affairs of any magnificence were done on hils . on the hill of sinai was the law delivered : on the hill of moriah was isaac to be sacrificed ; whence abraham's posie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in monte providebitur : on the hill of rephidim stood moses with the rod of god in his stretched hand , and figured him crucified upon the hill , whom joshua figured victorious in the valley : on the hils of ebal and gerizim were the blessings and curses : on carmel was eliah's sacrifice . the phrontisteria , schools or universities of the prophets , were still ramah and gibeah , excelsa , high places . who knows not that on the hill of sion stood the temple ? i have looked up to the hils , saith the psalmist . and idolatry , in imitation , had their hill-altars . on the mount of olives was christ wont to send up his prayers , and sent up himself . and here luke saith , he went up to an high hill to pray ; not for that god makes difference of places , to whose immensity heaven it self is a valley : ( it was an heathenish conceit of those aramites , that god is deus montium , the god of the mountains ) but because we are commonly more disposed to good by either the freedom of our scope to heaven , or the awfulness or solitary silence of places , which ( as one saith ) strikes a kinde of adoration into us , or by our local removal from this attractive body of the earth : howsoever , when the body sees it self above the earth , the eye of the minde is more easily raised to her heaven . it is good to take all advantage of place ( setting aside superstition ) to further our devotion . aaron and hur were in the mountain with moses , and held up his hands . aaron ( say some allegorists ) is mountainous ; hur , fiery : heavenly meditation and the fire of charity must lift up our prayers to god. as satan carried up christ to an high hill to tempt him , so he carries up himself to be freed from temptation and distraction . if ever we would be transfigured in our disposition , we must leave the earth below , and abandon all worldly thoughts . venite , ascendamus ; oh come , let us climb up to the hill , where god sees or is seen , saith devout bernard . o all ye cares , distractions , thoughtfulness , labours , pains , servitudes , stay me here with this ass , my body , till i with the boy , that is , my reason and understanding , shall worship and return , saith the same father , wittily alluding to the journey of abraham for his sacrifice . wherefore then did christ climb up this high hill ? not to look about him , but , saith s. luke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray ; not for prospect , but for devotion ; that his thoughts might climb up yet nearer to heaven . behold how christ entred upon all his great works with prayers in his mouth . when he was to enter into that great work of his humiliation in his passion , he went into the garden to pray ; when he is to enter into this great work of his exaltation in his transfiguring , he went up into the mountain to pray : he was taken up from his knees to both . o noble example of piety and devotion to us ! he was god that prayed : the god that he prayed to , he might have commanded ; yet he prayed , that we men might learn of him to pray to him . what should we men dare to doe without prayers , when he that was god would doe nothing without them ? the very heathen poet could say , a jove principium : and which of those verse-mongers ever durst write a ballad without imploring of some deity ? which of the heathens durst attempt any great enterprise , insalutato numine , without invocation and sacrifice ? saul himself would play the priest , and offer a burnt-offering to the lord , rather then the philistins should fight with him unsupplicated ; as thinking any devotion better then none ; and thinking it more safe to sacrifice without a priest , then to fight without prayers . ungirt , unblest , was the old word ; as not ready till they were girded , so not till they had prayed . and how dare we rush into the affaires of god or the state ? how dare we thrust our selves into actions either perilous or important , without ever lifting up our eyes and hearts unto the god of heaven ? except we would say ( as the devilish malice of surius slanders that zealous luther ) nec propter deum haec res coepta est , nec propter deum finietur , &c. this business was neither begun for god , nor shall be ended for him . how can god bless us if we implore him not ? how can we prosper if he bless us not ? how can we hope ever to be transfigured from a lump of corrupt flesh , if we do not ascend and pray ? as the samaritane woman said weakly , we may seriously , the well of mercies is deep : if thou hast nothing to draw with , never look to taste of the waters of life . i fear the worst of men , turks , and the worst turks , the moores , shall rise up in judgement against many christians , with whom it is a just exception against any witness by their law , that he hath not prayed six times in each natural day . before the day break , they pray for day ; when it is day , they give god thanks for day ; at noon they thank god for half the day past ; after that they pray for a good sun-set ; after that they thank god for the day passed ; and lastly , pray for a good night after their day . and we christians suffer so many suns and moons to rise and set upon our heads , and never lift up our hearts to their creatour and ours , either to ask his blessing , or to acknowledg it . of all men under heaven , none had so much need to pray as courtiers . that which was done but once to christ , is alwaies done to them . they are set upon the hill , and see the glory of the kingdomes of the earth . but i fear it is seen of them as it is with some of the mariners , the more need , the less devotion . ye have seen the place , see the attendants . he would not have many , because he would not have it yet know to all : hence was his intermination , and sealing up their mouths with a nemini dicite , tell no man. not none , because he would not have it altogether unknown ; and afterwards would have it known to all . three were a legal number ; in ore duorum aut trium , in the mouth of two or three witnesses . he had eternally possessed the glory of his father without any witnesses : in time the angels were blessed with that sight ; and after that two bodily , yet heavenly , witnesses were allowed , enoch and elias . now in his humanity he was invested with glory , he takes but three witnesses , and those earthly and weak , peter , james , john. and why these ? we may be too curious . peter , because the eldest ; john , because the dearest ; james , because next peter the zealousest : peter , because he loved christ most ; john , because christ most loved him ; james , because next to both he loved , and was loved most . i had rather to have no reason , but , quia complacuit , because it so pleased him . why may we not as well ask why he chose these twelve from others , as why he chose these three out of the twelve ? if any romanists will raise from hence any priviledge to peter , ( which we could be well content to yield , if that would make them ever the honester men ) they must remember that they must take company with them ; which these pompeian spirits cannot abide . as good no privilege as any partners . and withall , they must see him more taxed for his errour in this act , then honored by his presence at the act ; whereas the beloved disciple saw and erred not . these same three which were witnesses of his transfiguration in the mount , were witnesses of his agonie in the garden ; all three , and these three alone , were present at both : but both times sleeping . these were arietes gregis , the bell-wethers of the flock , as austin calls them . oh weak devotion of three great disciples ! these were paul's three pillars , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gal. . . christ takes them up twice ; once to be witnesses of his greatest glory , once of his greatest extremity : they sleep both times . the other was in the night , more tolerable ; this by day , yea in a light above day . chrysostome would fain excuse it to be an amazedness , not a sleep ; not considering that they slept both at that glory , and after in the agonie . to see that master praying , one would have thought should have fetcht them on their knees ; especially to see those heavenly affections look out at his eyes ; to see his soul lifted up in his hands in that transported fashion to heaven . but now the hill hath wearied their ●ims , their body clogs their soul , and they fall asleep . whiles christ saw divine visions , they dreamed dreams ; whiles he was in another world , ravished with the sight of his fathers glory , yea of his own , they were in another world , a world of fancies , surprized with the cozen of death , sleep . besides so gracious an example , their own necessity ( bernard's reason ) might have moved them to pray rather then their master : and behold , in stead of fixing their eyes upon heaven , they shut them ; in stead of lifting up their hearts , their heads fall down upon their shoulders ; and shortly , here was snorting in stead of sighs and prayers . this was not abraham's or elihu's ecstatical sleep , job . not the sleep of the church , a waking sleep ; but the plain sleep of the eyes : and that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a slumbring sleep , which david denies to himself , psal . . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sound sleep , which salomon forbids prov. . . yea rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the dead sleep of adam or jonas , and , as bernard had wont to say when he heard a monk snort , they did carnaliter seu seculariter dormire . prayer is an ordinary receit for sleep . how prone are we to it , when we should minde divine things ? adam slept in paradise and lost a rib : but this sleep was of god's giving , and this rib was of god's taking . the good husband slept , and found tares . eutychus slept , and fell . while satan lulls us asleep ( as he doth always rock the cradle when we sleep in our devotions ) he ever takes some good from us , or puts some evil in us , or indangers us a deadly fall . away with this spiritual lethargie . bernard had wont to say that those which sleep are dead to men , those that are dead are asleep to god. but i say , those that sleep at church are dead to god : so we preach their funeral sermons in stead of hortatory . and as he was wont to say , he lost no time so much as that wherein he slept ; so let me adde , there is no loss of time so desperate as of holy time . think that christ saith to thee at every sermon , as he did to peter , etiam petre dormis ? sleepest thou peter ? couldst thou not wake with me one hour ? a slumbring and a drowsie heart do not become the business and presence of him that keepeth israel , and slumbers not . these were the attendants ; see the companions of christ . as our glory is not consummate without society ; no more would christ have his : therefore his transfiguration hath two companions , moses , elias . as s. paul saies of himself , whether in the body or out of the body , i know not , god knows : so say i of these two . of eliah there may seem less doubt , since we know that his body was assumed to heaven , and might as well come down for christs glory as go up for his own ; although some grave authors , as calvin , oecolampadius , bale , fulk , have held his body with enoch's , resolved into their elements : sed ego non credulus illis . enoch translatus est in carne , & elias carneus raptus est in coelum , &c. enoch was translated in the flesh , and elias being yet in the flesh was taken into heaven , saith hierome in his epistle ad pammachium . and for moses ; though it be rare and singular , and austin makes much scruple of it : yet why might not he after death return in his body to the glory of christ's transfiguration , as well as afterwards many of the saints did to the glory of his resurrection ? i cannot therefore with the gloss think , there is any reason why moses should take another , a borrowed body , rather then his own . heaven could not give two fitter companions , more admirable to the jews for their miracles , more gracious with god for their faith and holiness : both of them admitted to the conference with god in horeb ; both of them types of christ ; both of them fasted fourty days ; both of them for the glory of god suffered many perils ; both divided the waters ; both the messengers of god to kings ; both of them marvellous , as in their life , so in their end , a chariot of angels took away elias ; he was sought by the prophets , and not found : michael strove with the devil for the body of moses ; he was sought for by the jews , and not found : and now both of them are found here together on tabor . this elias shews himself to the royal prophet of his church ; this moses shews himself to the true michael : moses the publisher of the law , elias the chief of the prophets , shew themselves to the god of the law and prophets . alter populi informator aliquando , alter reformator quandoque , one the informer once of the people , the other the reformer sometimes , saith tertull. in . adver . marcionem . alter initiator veteris testamenti , alter consummator novi , one the first register of the old testament , the other the shutter up of the new. i verily think , with hilary , that these two are pointed at as the fore-runners of the second coming of christ , as now they were the foretellers of his departure : neither doubt i that these are the two witnesses which are alluded to in the apocalyps ; howsoever divers of the fathers have thrust enoch into the place of moses . look upon the place , apoc. . . who but elias can be he of whom is said , if any man will hurt him , fire proceedeth out of his mouth and devoureth his enemies , alluding to kings ? who but elias of whom is said , he hath power to shut the heaven , that it rain not in the days of his prophesying , alluding to kings ? who but moses of whom it is said , he hath power to turn the waters into blood , and smite the earth with all manner of plagues , alluding to exod. , and ? but take me aright ; let me not seem a friend to the publicans of rome , an abettor of those alcoran-like fables of our popish doctors , who ( not seeing the wood for trees ) do haerere in cortice , stick in the bark , taking all concerning that antichrist according to the letter . odi , & arceo . so shall moses and elias come again in those witnesses , as elias is already come in john baptist : their spirits shall be in these witnesses , whose bodies and spirits were witnesses both of the present glory and future passion of christ . doubtless many thousand angels saw this sight , and were not seen ; these two both saw and were seen . o how great an happiness was it for these two great prophets , in their glorified flesh to see their glorified saviour , who before his incarnation had spoken to them ? to speak to that man god of whom they were glorified , and to become prophets not to men , but to god ? and if moses his face so shone before , when he spoke to him without a body in mount sinai , in the midst of the flames and clouds ; how did it shine now , when himself glorified , speaks to him a man , in tabor , in light and majesty ? elias hid his face before with a mantle when he passed by him in the rock : now with open face he beholds him present , and in his own glory adores his . let that impudent marcion , who ascribes the law and prophets to another god , and devises an hostility betwixt christ and them , be ashamed to see moses and elias not onely in colloquio , but in consortio claritatis , not onely in conference , but in a partnership of brightness ( as tertull. speaks ) with christ ; whom if he had misliked , he had his choice of all the quire of heaven ; and now chusing them , why were they not in sordibus & tenebris , in rags and darkness ? sic inalienos demonstrat illos , dum secum habet ; sic relinquendos docet quos sibi jungit ; sic destruit quos de radiis suis exstruit . so doth he shew them farre from strangeness to him , whom he hath with him ; so doth he teach them to be forsaken , whom he joyns with himself ; so doth he destroy those whom he graces with his beams of glory , saith that father . his act verifies his word . think not that i come to destroy the law or the prophets ; i am not come to destroy , but to fulfill them , mat. . . oh what consolation , what confirmation was this to the disciples , to see such examples of their future glory ? such witnesses and adorers of the eternal deity of their master ? they saw in moses and elias what they themselves should be . how could they ever fear to be miserable , that saw such precedents of their insuing glory ? how could they fear to die , that saw in others the happiness of their own change ? the rich glutton pleads with abraham , that if one came to them from the dead , they will amend : abraham answers , they have moses and the prophets , let them hear them . behold , here is both moses and the prophets ; and these too come from the dead : how can we now but be perswaded of the happy state of another world , unless we will make our selves worse then the damned ? see and consider that the saints of god are not lost , but departed ; gone into a far countrey with their master , to return again richer and better then they went. lest we should think this the condition of elias onely , that was rapt into heaven , see here moses matched with him , that died and was buried . and is this the state of these two saints alone ? shall none be seen with him in the tabor of heaven but those which have seen him in horeb and carmel ? o thou weak christian , was onely one or two lims of christs body glorious in the transfiguration , or the whole ? he is the head , we are the members . if moses and elias were more excellent parts , tongue , or hand ; let us be but heels or toes , his body is not perfect in glory without ours . when christ , which is our life , shall appear , then shall we also appear with him in glory , colos . . . how truely may we say to death , rejoyce not mine enemy , though i fall , yet shall i rise , yea i shall rise in falling ? we shall not all sleep , we shall be changed , saith saint paul to his thessalonians . elias was changed , moses slept ; both appeared : to teach us , that neither our sleep nor change can keep us from appearing with him . when therefore thou shalt receive the sentence of death on mount nebo , or when the fiery chariot shall come and sweep thee from this vale of mortality , remember thy glorious re-apparition with thy saviour , and thou canst not but be comforted , and chearfully triumph over that last enemie ; out-facing those terrors with the assurance of a blessed resurrection to glory . to the which , &c. the second part of the meditations upon the transfiguration of christ . in a sermon preacht at white-hall before k. james of blessed memory . it fals out with this discourse as with mount tabor it self ; that it is more easily climbed with the eye , then with the foot . if we may not rather say of it , as josephus did of sinai , that it doth not onely ascensus hominum , but aspectus fatigare , wearie not onely the steps but the very sight of men . we had thought not to spend many breaths in the skirts of the hill , the circumstances ; and it hath cost us one hours journey already : and we were glad to rest us , ere we can have left them below us . one pause more ( i hope ) will overcome them , and set us on the top . no circumstance remains undiscussed but this one , what moses and elias did with christ in their apparition . for they were not , as some sleepie attendants , ( like the three disciples in the beginning ) to be there and see nothing ; nor , as some silent spectators , mute witnesses , to see and say nothing : but , ( as if their glory had no whit changed their profession ) they are prophets still , and foretold his departure , as s. luke tels us . foretold , not to him which knew it before , yea which told it them ; they could not have known it but from him ; he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the word of his father : they told but that which he before had told his disciples ; and now these heavenly witnesses tell it over again , for confirmation . like as john baptist knew christ before ; he was vox clamantis , the voice of a cryer , the other verbum patris , the word of his father ; there is great affinity betwixt vox and verbum ; yea this voice had uttered it self clearly , ecce agnus dei , behold the lamb of god : yet he sends his disciples with an art thou he ? that he might confirm to them by him , that which he both knew and had said of him . so our saviour follows his fore-runner in this , that what he knew and had told his disciples , the other elias , the typical john baptist , and moses must make good to their belief . this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 departure of christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word both hard and harsh ; hard to believe , and harsh in believing . the disciples thought of nothing but a kingdom ; a kingdom restored magnificently , interminably : and two of these three witnesses had so swallowed this hope , that they had put in for places in the state , to be his chief peers . how could they think of a parting ? the throne of david did so fill their eyes , that they could not see his cross : and if they must let down this pill , how bitter must it needs be ? his presence was their joy and life ; it was their death to think of his loss . now therefore that they might see that his sufferings and death were not of any sudden impotence , but predetermined in heaven , and revealed to the saints , two of the most noted saints in heaven shall second the news of his departure ; and that in the midst of his transfiguration : that they could not chuse but think , he that can be thus happy , needs not be miserable ; that passion which he will undergo , is not out of weakness , but out of love. it is wittily noted by that sweet chrysostom● , that christ never lightly spake of his passion , but immediately before and after he did some great miracle . and here answerably , in the midst of his miraculous transfiguration , the two saints speak of his passion . a strange opportunity : in his highest exaltation to speak of his sufferings ; to talk of calvary in tabor ; when his head shone with glory , to tell him how it must bleed with thorns ; when his face shone like the sun , to tell him it must be blubbered and spat upon ; when his garments glistered with that celestial brightness , to tell him they must be stripped and divided ; when he was adored by the saints of heaven , to tell him how he must be scorned by the basest of men ; when he was seen between two saints , to tell him how he must be seen between two malefactors : in a word , in the midst of his divine majesty , to tell him of his shame ; and whilst he was transfigured in the mount , to tell him how he must be disfigured upon the cross . yet these two heavenly prophets found this the fittest time for this discourse : rather chusing to speak of his sufferings in the height of his glory , then of his glory after his sufferings . it is most seasonable in our best to think of our worst estate : for both that thought will be best digested when we are well ; and that change will be best prepared for when we are the furthest from it . you would perhaps think it unseasonable for me , in the midst of all your court-jollity to tell you of the days of mourning , and , with that great king , to serve in a death's head amongst your royal dishes , to shew your coffins in the midst of your triumphs : yet these precedents above exception shew me that no time is so fit as this . let me therefore say to you , with the psalmist , i have said , ye are gods : if ye were transfigured in tabor , could ye be more ? but ye shall die like men : there is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it was a worthy and witty note of hierome , that amongst all trees , the cedars are bidden to praise god , which are the tallest : and yet dies domini super omnes cedros libani , esay . ye gallants , whom a little yellow earth and the webs of that curious worm have made gorgeous without , and perhaps proud within , remember that ere long , as one worm decks you without , so another worm shall consume you within ; and that both the earth that you pranck up , and that earth wherewith you pranck it , is running back into dust . let not your high estate hide from you your fatal humiliation ; let not your purples hide from you your winding-sheet : but even on the top of tabor think of the depth of the grave : think of your departure from men , while ye are advanced above men . we are now ascended to the top of the hill. let us therefore stand , and see , and wonder at this great sight : as moses , to see the bush flaming , and not consumed ; so we , to see the humanity continuing it self in the midst of these beams of glory . christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith s. paul , in the form of a servant ; now for the time he was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transformed : that there is no cause why maldonat should so inveigh against some of ours , yea of his own , as jansenius , who translates it transformation : for what is the external form but the figure ? and their own vulgar ( as hotly as he takes it ) reads it philip. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , formam servi accipiens . there is no danger in this ambiguity . not the substantial form , but the external fashion of christ was changed : he having three forms ( as bernard distinguishes ) contemptam , splendidam , divinam , changeth here the first into the second . this is one of the rarest occurrences that ever befel the saviour of the world. i am wont to reckon up these four principal wonders of his life , incarnation , tentation , transfiguration , and agonie : the first in the womb of the virgin , the second in the wilderness , the third in the mount , the fourth in the garden : the first , that god should become man ; the second , that god and man should be tempted and transported by satan ; the third , that man should be glorified upon earth ; the last , that he which was man and god should sweat blood under the sense of gods wrath for man. and all these either had the angels for witnesses , or the immediate voice of god. the first had angels singing , the second angels ministring , the third the voice of god thundring , the fourth the angels comforting : that it may be no wonder , the earth marvels at those things whereat the angels of heaven stand amazed . bernard makes three kinds of wonderful changes : sublimitas in humilitatem , height to lowliness , when the word took flesh ; contemptibilitas in majestatem , when christ transformed himself before his disciples ; mutabilitas in aeternitatem , when he rose again , and ascended to heaven to reign for ever . ye see this is one of them : and as tabor did rise out of the valley of galilee , so this exaltation did rise out of the midst of christ's humiliation . other marvels do increase his dejection , this onely makes for his glory ; and the glory of this is matchable with the humiliation of all the rest . that face wherein before ( saith esay ) there was no form ▪ nor beautie , now shines as the sun : that face which men hid their faces from in contempt , now shines so , that mortal eyes could not chuse but hide themselves from the lustre of it , and immortal receive their beams from it . he had ever in vultu sidereum quiddam , as hierome speaks , a certain heavenly majesty and port in his countenance , which made his disciples follow him at first sight ; but now here was the perfection of supercelestial brightness . it was a miracle in the three children , that they so were delivered from the flames , that their very garments smelt not of the fire : it is no less miracle in christ , that his very garments were died celestial , and did savour of his glory : like as aaron was so anointed on his head and beard , that his skirts were all perfumed . his clothes therefore shined as snow , yea ( that were but a waterish white ) as the light it self , saith s. mark and matthew , in the most greek copies . that seamless coat , as it had no welt , so it had no spot . the king's son is all fair , even without . o excellent glory of his humanitie ! the best diamond or carbuncle is hid with a case : but this brightness pierceth through all his garments , and makes them lightsome in him , which use to conceal light in others . herod put him on in mockage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . not a white , but a bright robe ( the ignorance whereof makes a shew of disparity in the evangelists : ) but god the father , to glorifie him , cloaths his very garments with heavenly splendor . behold thou art fair ( my beloved ) behold thou art fair ; and there is no spot in thee . thine head is as fine gold , thy mouth is as sweet things , and thou art wholly delectable . come forth , ye daughters of sion , and behold king salomon , with the crown wherewith his father crowned him in the day of the gladness of his heart . o saviour , if thou wert such in tabor , what art thou in heaven ? if this were the glory of thy humanity , what is the presence of thy godhead ? let no man yet wrong himself so much as to magnifie this happiness as anothers , and to put himself out of the participation of this glory . christ is our head , we are his members . as we all were in the first adam , both innocent and sinning ; so are we in the second adam , both shining in tabor , and bleeding sweat in the garden . and as we are already happy in him , so shall we be once in our selves by and through him . he shall change our vile bodies , that they may be like his glorious body . behold our pattern , and rejoyce ; like his glorious body . these very bodies that are now cloddie like the earth , shall once be bright as the sun : and we that now see clay in one anothers faces , shall then see nothing but heaven in our countenances : and we that now set forth our bodies with clothes , shall then be clothed upon with immortality , out of the wardrobe of heaven . and if ever any painted face should be admitted to the sight of this glory , ( as i much fear it : yea i am sure god will have none but true faces in heaven ; ) they would be ashamed to think that ever they had faces to daub with these beastly pigments , in comparison of this heavenly complexion . let us therefore look upon this flesh , not so much with contempt of what it was and is , as with a joyfull hope of what it shall be . and when our courage is assaulted with the change of these bodies from healthfull to weak , from living to dead ; let us comfort our selves with the assurance of this change from dust to incorruption . we are not so sure of death as of transfiguration . all the daies of our appointed time we will therefore wait , till our changing shall come . now from the glory of the master , give me leave to turn your eyes to the error of the servant , who having slept with the rest , and now suddenly awaking , knoweth not whether he slept still . to see such a light about him , three so glittering persons before him , made him doubt now , as he did after , when he was carried by the angel through the iron gate , whether it were a pleasing dream , or a real act . all slept , and now all waked ; onely peter slept waking , and i know not whether more erred in his speech or in his sleep . it was a shame for a man to sleep in tabor , but it is more a shame for a man to dream with his eyes open . thus did peter ; master , it is good for us to be here . let us make us three tabernacles . i could well say with optatus in this or any other occasion , ipsius sancti petri beatitudo veniam tribuat , dubito dicere peccasse tantam sanctitatem , let blessed peter pardon me , i fear to say so great holiness offended . yet since our adversaries are so over-partial to this worthy saint , in whom they have as little as they boast much , that they can be content his praise should blemish the dignity of all the rest , yea that god himself is in danger to be a loser by the advancement of so dear a servant ; give me leave to lay my finger a little upon this blot . god would never have recorded that which it should be uncharitable for us to observe . it was the injurious kindness of marcion in honour of peter , to leave out the story of malchus , as epiphanius notes : it shall be our blame , if we do not so note , that we benefit our selves even by his imperfections . s. mark 's gospel is said to be peter's . o blessed apostle , can it be any wrong to say of thee that which thou hast written of thy self , not for insultation , not for exprobration ? god forbid but that men may be ashamed to give that to him which he hath denied to himself . let me therefore not doubt to say ( with reverence to so great a saint ) that as he spake most , so he is noted to have erred most . not to meddle with his sinking , striking , judaizing ; one while we finde him carnally insinuating , another while carnally presuming ; one while weakly denying , another while rashly misconstruing . carnally insinuating ; master , favour thy self . which though some parasites of rome would fain smooth up , that he in this shewed his love to christ , as before his faith , out of s. hierome and s. austin ; yet it must needs be granted , which bernard saith , diligebat spiritum carnaliter , he loved the spirit in a carnall fashion . let them chuse whether they will admit christ to have chid unjustly , or peter worthy of chiding : except perhaps , with hilary , they will stop where they should not ; vade post me , spoken to peter in approbation ; satana , non sapis quae dei sunt , spoken to satan in objurgation , carnally presuming ; though all men , yet not i. if he had not presumed of his strength to stand , he had not fallen . and as one yawning makes many open mouths ; so did his vain resolution draw on company : likewise said the other disciples . for his weak denial ; ye all know his simple negation , lined with an oath , faced with an imprecation . and here , that no man may need to doubt of an error , the spirit of god saith , he knew not what he said : not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as mark , what he should say ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith luke , what he did speak : whereof s. mark gives the reason , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were amazedly affrighted . amazedness may abate an errour of speech , it cannot take it away . besides astonishment , here was a fervour of spirit ; a love to christ's glory , and a delight in it : a fire , but misplaced , on the top of the chimney , not on the hearth ; praematura devotio , as ambrose speaks , a devotion , but rash and heady . and if it had not been so , yet it is not in the power of a good intention to make a speech good . in this the matter failed : for what should such saints doe in earthly tabernacles , in tabernacles of his making ? and if he could be content to live there without a tent ( for he would have but three made ) why did he not much more conceive so of those heavenly guests ? and if he spoke this to retain them , how weak was it to think their absence would be for want of house-room ? or how could that at once be which moses and elias had told him , and that which he wished ? for how should christ both depart at hierusalem , and stay in the mount ? or if he would have their abode there , to avoid the sufferings at hierusalem , how did he yet again sing over that song for which he had heard before , come behinde me , satan ? or if it had been fit for christ to have staied there , how weakly doth he ( which chrysostome observes ) equalize the servant with the master , the saints with god ? in a word , the best and the worst that can be said here of peter is , that which the psalmist saith of moses , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effutiit labiis , he spake unadvisedly with his lips , psal . . . yet if any earthly place or condition might have given warrant to peter's motion , this was it . here was a hill , the embleme of heaven ; here were two saints , the epitome of heaven ; here was christ , the god of heaven . and if peter might not say so of this , how shall we say of any other place , bonum est esse hîc , it is good to be here ? will ye say of the countrey , bonum est esse hîc ? there is melancholy dulness , privacy , toil . will you say of the court , bonum est esse hîc ? there dwels ambition , secret undermining , attendance , serving of humors and rimes . will ye say of the city , bonum est esse hîc ? there you finde continual tumult , usury , couzenage in bargains , excess and disorder . get you to the wilderness , and say , it is good to be here . even there evils will finde us out . in nemore habit at lupus , saith bernard , in the wood dwels the wolf : weariness and sorrow dwell every where . the rich man wallows amongst his heaps , and when he is in his counting-house , beset with piles of bags , he can say , bonum est esse hîc : he worships these molten images ; his gold is his god , his heaven is his chest : not thinking of that which tertullian notes , aurum ipsum quibusdam gentibus ad vincla servire , that some countries make their very fetters of gold : yea so doth he , whilest he admires it , making himself the slave to his servant , damnatus ad metalla , as the old roman punishment was . coacta servitus miserabilior , affectata miserior , forced bondage is more worthy of pity , affected bondage is more miserable . and if god's hand touch him never so little , can his gold bribe a disease , can his bags keep his head from aking , or the gout from his joynts ? or doth his loathing stomack make a difference betwixt an earthen and silver dish ? o vain desires , and impotent contentments of men , who place happiness in that which doth not onely not save them from evils , but help to make them miserable ! behold their wealth feeds them with famine , recreates them with toil , chears them with cares , blesses them with torments ; and yet they say , bonum est esse hîc . how are their sleeps broken with cares ? how are their hearts broken with losses ? either riches have wings , which in the clipping or pulling flye away , and take them to heaven : or else their souls have wings ( stulte , hac nocte , thou fool , this night ) and fly from their riches to hell. non dominus , sed colonus , saith seneca , not the lord , but the farmer . so that here are both perishing riches , and a perishing soul. uncertainty of riches ( as s. paul to his timothy ) and certainty of misery . and yet these vain men say , bonum est esse hîc . the man of honour , ( that i may use bernard's phrase ) that hath assuerus his proclamation made before him , which knows he is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a certain great man , as simon affected , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the man , which demosthenes was proud of , that sees all heads bare , and all knees bent to him , that findes himself out of the reach of envy , on the pitch of admiration , saies , bonum est esse hîc . alas ! how little thinks he of that which that good man said to his eugenius , non est quòd blandiatur celsitudo , ubi solicitudo major ; what care we for the fawning of that greatness , which is attended with more care ? king henry the seventh's embleme in all his buildings , ( in the windows ) was still a crown in a bush of thorns : i know not with what historical allusion ; but sure , i think , to imply that great places are not free from great cares . saul knew what he did , when he hid himself among the stuff . no man knoweth the weight of a scepter , but he that swaieth it . as for subordinate greatness , it hath so much less worth as it hath more dependance . how many sleepless nights , and restless days , and busie shifts doth their ambition cost them that affect eminence ? certainly , no men are so worthy of pity as they whose height thinks all other worthy of contempt . high places are slippery ; and as it is easie to fall , so the ruine is deep , and the recovery difficult . altiorem locum sortitus es , non tutiorem ; sublimiorem , sed non sccuriorem , saith bernard ; thou hast got an higher place , but not a safer ; a loftier , but not more secure . aulae culmen lubricum , the slippery ridge of the court , was the old title of honour . david's curse was , fiat via eorum tenebrae & lubricum , let their way be made dark and slippery . what difference is there betwixt his curse and the happiness of the ambitious , but this , that the way of the one is dark and slippery , the way of the other lightsome and slippery ; that dark , that they may fall , this light , that they may see and be seen to fall ? please your selves then , ye great ones , and let others please you in the admiration of your height . but if your goodness do not answer your greatness , sera querela est , quoniam elevans allisisti me , it is a late complaint , thou hast lift me up to cast me down . your ambition hath but set you up a scaffold , that your misery might be more notorious . and yet these clients of honour say , bonum est esse hîc . the pampered glutton , when he seeth his table spread with full bowls , with costly dishes and curious sawces , the dainties of all three elements , says , bonum est esse hîc . and yet eating hath a satiety , and satiety a weariness : his heart is never more empty of contentment , then when his stomack is fullest of delicates . when he is empty , he is not well till he be filled ; when he is full , he is not well till he have got a stomack : et momentanea blandimenta gulae stercoris fine condemnat , saith hierome , and condemns all the momentany pleasures of his maw to the dunghill . and when he sits at his feasts of marrow and fat things , ( as the prophet speaks ) his table , according to the psalmists imprecation , is made his snare ; a true snare every way . his soul is caught in it with excess ; his estate with penury ; his body with diseases . neither doth he more plainly tear his meat in pieces with his teeth , then he doth himself : and yet this vain man saies , bonum est esse hîc . the petulant wanton thinks it the onely happiness that he may have his full scope to filthy dalliance . little would he so doe , if he could see his strumpet as she is , her eyes the eyes of a cockatrice , her hairs snakes , her painted face the visor of a fury , her heart snares , her hands bands , and her end wormwood , consumption of the flesh , destruction of the soul , and the flames of lust ending in the flames of hell. since therefore neither pleasures , nor honour , not wealth , can yield any true contentment to their best favourites , let us not be so unwise as to speak of this vale of misery , as peter did of the hill of tabor , bonum est esse hîc . and if the best of earth cannot doe it , why will ye seek it in the worst ? how dare any of you great one seek to purchase contentment with oppression , sacriledge , bribery , out-facing innocence and truth with power , damning your own souls for but the humoring of a few miserable days ? filii hominum , usquequo gravi corde ? ad quid diligitis vanitatem , & quaeritis mendacium ? o ye sons of men , how long , &c. but that which moved peter's desire ( though with imperfection ) shews what will perfect our desire and felicity : for if a glimpse of this heavenly glory did so ravish this worthy disciple , that he thought it happiness enough to stand by and gaze upon it ; how shall we be affected with the contemplation , yea fruition of the divine presence ? here was but tabor , there is heaven ; here were but two saints , there many millions of saints and angels ; here was christ transfigured , there he sits at the right hand of majesty ; here was a representation , there a gift and possession of blessedness . oh that we could now forget the world , and fixing our eyes upon this better tabor , say , bonum est esse hîc . alas ! this life of ours , if it were not short , yet it is miserable ; and if it were not miserable , yet it is short . tell me , ye that have the greatest command on earth , whether this vile world have ever afforded you any sincere contentation . the world is your servant : if it were your parasite , yet could it make you heartily merry ? ye delicatest courtiers , tell me , if pleasure it self have not an unpleasant tediousness hanging upon it , and more sting then honey . and whereas all happiness ( even here below ) is in the vision of god ; how is our spiritual eye hindered , as the body is from his object , by darkness , by false light , by aversion ? darkness ; he that doth sin , is in darkness : false light ; whilst we measure eternal things by temporary : aversion ; while , as weak eyes hate the light , we turn our eyes from the true and immutable good , to the fickle and uncertain . we are not on the hill , but the valley ; where we have tabernacles , not of our own making , but of clay ; and such as wherein we are witnesses of christ , not transfigured in glory , but blemished with dishonour , dishonoured with oaths and blasphemies , recrucified with our sins ; witnesses of god's saints , not shining in tabor , but mourning in darkness , and in stead of that heavenly brightness , cloathed with sackcloth and ashes . then and there we shall have tabernacles not made with hands , eternal in the heavens , where we shall see how sweet the lord is : we shall see the triumphs of christ ; we shall hear and sing the hallelujahs of saints . quae nunc nos angit vesania , vitiorum sitire absinthium , &c. saith that devour father . oh how hath our corruption bewitched us , to thirst for this wormwood , to affect the shipwracks of this world , to dote upon the misery of this fading life ; and not rather to fly up to the felicity of saints , to the society of angels , to that blessed contemplation wherein we shall see god in himself , god in us , our selves in him ! there shall be no sorrow , no pain , no complaint , no fear , no death . there is no malice to rise against us , no misery to afflict us , no hunger , thirst , weariness , tentation to disquiet us . there , o there , one day is better then a thousand : there is rest from our labours , peace from our enemies , freedome from our sins . how many clouds of discontentment darken the sunshine of our joy while we are here below ? vae nobis qui vivimus plangere quae pertulimus , dolere quae sentimus , timere quae exspectamus ! complaint of evils past , sense of present , fear of future , have shared our lives amongst them . then shall we be semper laeti , semper satiati , alwaies joyfull , alwaies satisfied with the vision of that god in whose presence there is fulness of joy , and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore . shall we see that heathen cleombrotus abandoning his life , and casting himself down from the rock , upon an uncertain noise of immortality ; and shall not we christians abandon the wicked superfluities of life , the pleasures of sin , for that life which we know more certainly then this ? what stick we at , my beloved ? is there a heaven , or is there none ? have we a saviour there , or have we none ? we know there is a heaven , as sure as that there is an earth below us ; we know we have a saviour there , as sure as there are men that we converse with upon earth ; we know there is happiness , as sure as we know there is misery and mutability upon earth . oh our miserable sottishness and infidelity , if we do not contemn the best offers of the world , and lifting up our eyes and hearts to heaven , say , bonum est esse hîc ! even so , lord jesus , come quickly . to him that hath purchased and prepared this glory for us , together with the father and blessed spirit , one incomprehensible god , be all praise for ever . amen . the prosecution of the transfiguration . before , the disciples eyes were dazled with glory ; now the brightness of that glory is shaded with a cloud . frail and feeble eyes of mortality cannot look upon an heavenly lustre . that cloud imports both majesty and obscuration . majesty ; for it was the testimony of god's presence of old : the cloud covered the mountain , the tabernacle , the oracle . he that makes the clouds his chariot , was in a cloud carried up into heaven . where have we mention of any divine representation , but a cloud is one part of it ? what comes nearer to heaven , either in place or resemblance ? obscuration ; for as it shew'd there was a majesty , and that divine ; so it shew'd them that the view of that majesty was not for bodily eyes . like as when some great prince walks under a canopy , that veile shews there is a great person under it , but withall restrains the eye from a free sight of his person . and if the cloud were clear , yet it shaded them . why then was this cloud interposed betwixt that glorious vision and them , but for a check of their bold eyes ? had they too long gazed upon this resplendent spectacle , as their eyes had been blinded , so their hearts had perhaps grown to an over-bold familiarity with that heavenly object . how seasonably doth the cloud intercept it ? the wise god knows our need of these vicissitudes and allayes . if we have a light , we must have a cloud ; if a light to chear us , we must have a cloud to humble us . it was so in sinai , it was so in sion , it was so in olivet ; it shall never be but so . the natural day and night do not more duely interchange , then this light and cloud . above we shall have the light without the cloud , a clear vision and fruition of god without all dim and sad interpositions : below we cannot be free from these mists and clouds of sorrow and misapprehension . but this was a bright cloud . there is difference betwixt the cloud in tabor , and that in sinai : this was clear , that darksome . there is darkness in the law , there is light in the grace of the gospel . moses was there spoken to in darkness ; here he was spoken with in light . in that dark cloud there was terrour ; in this there was comfort . though it were a cloud then , yet it was bright ; and though it were bright , yet it was a cloud . with much light there was some shade . god would not speak to them concerning christ out of darkness : neither yet would he manifest himself to them in an absolute brightness . all his appearances have this mixture . what need i other instance then in these two saints ? moses spake oft to god mouth to mouth : yet not so immediately , but that there was ever somewhat drawn as a curtain betwixt god and him ; either fire in horeb , or smoak in sinai : so as his face was not more veiled from the people , then god's from him . elias shall be spoken to by god , but in the rock , and under a mantle . in vain shall we hope for any revelation from god , but in a cloud . worldly hearts are in utter darkness , they see not so much as the least glimpse of these divine beams , not a beam of that inaccessible light : the best of his saints see him here but in a cloud , or in a glass . happy are we , if god have honoured us with these divine representations of himself . once , in his light we shall see light . i can easily think with what amazedness these three disciples stood compassed in that bright cloud , exspecting some miraculous event of so heavenly a vision ; when suddenly they might hear a voice sounding out of that cloud , saying , this is my beloved son , in whom i am well pleased , hear him . they need not be told whose that voice was ; the place , the matter evinced it . no angel in heaven could , or durst have said so . how gladly doth peter afterwards recount it ? for he received from god the father honour and glory , when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory , this is my beloved son , &c. it was onely the eare that was here taught , not the eye . as of horeb , so of sinai , so of tabor might god say , ye saw no shape nor image in that day that the lord spake unto you . he that knows our proneness to idolatry , avoids those occasions which we might take to abuse our own fansies . twice hath god spoken these words to his own son from heaven ; once in his baptisme , and now again in his transfiguration . here not without some oppositive comparison ; not moses , not elias , but this. moses and elias were servants , this a son : moses and elias were sons , but of grace and choice ; this is that son , the son by nature . other sons are beloved as of favour , and free election ; this is the beloved , as in the unitie of his essence . others are so beloved , that he is pleased with themselves ; this so beloved , that in and for him he is pleased with mankinde . as the relation betwixt the father and the son is infinite , so is the love. we measure the intention of love by the extention : the love that rests in the person affected alone , is but streight : true love descends ( like aaron's ointment ) from the head to the skirts ; to children , friends allyes . o incomprehensible large love of god the father to the son , that for his sake he is pleased with the world ! o perfect and happy complacence ! out of christ there is nothing but enmity betwixt god and the soul ; in him there can be nothing but peace . when the beams are met in one center , they do not only heat , but burn . our weak love is diffused to many ; god hath some , the world more ; and therein wives , children , friends : but this infinite love of god hath all the beams of it united in one onely object , the son of his love. neither doth he love any thing but in the participation of his love , in the derivation from it . o god , let me be found in christ , and how canst thou but be pleased with me ? this one voice proclaimes christ at once the son of god , the reconciler of the world , the doctor and law-giver of his church . as the son of god , he is essentially interessed in his love : as he is the reconciler of the world in whom god is well pleased , he doth most justly challenge our love and adherence : as he is the doctor and law-giver , he doth justly challenge our audience , our obedience . even so , lord , teach us to hear and obey thee as our teacher ; to love thee and believe in thee as our reconciler ; and as the eternal son of thy father to adore thee . the light caused wonder in the disciples ; but the voice astonishment : they are all falne down upon their faces . who can blame a mortal man to be thus affected with the voice of his maker ? yet this word was but plausible and hortatory . o god , how shall flesh and blood be other then swallowed up with the horror of thy dreadful sentence of death ? the lion shall roar , who shall not be afraid ? how shall those that have slighted the sweet voice of thine invitations , call to the rocks to hide them from the terror of thy judgments ? the god of mercies pities our infirmities . i do not hear our saviour say , ye lay sleeping one while upon the earth , now ye lye astonished : ye could neither wake to see , nor stand to hear ; now lye still and tremble . but he graciously touches and comforts them , arise , fear not . that voice which shall once raise them up out of the earth , might well raise them up from it . that hand which by the least touch restored sight , lims , life , might well restore the spirits of the dismaied . o saviour , let that soveraign hand of thine touch us when we lye in the trances of our griefs , in the bed of our securities , in the grave of our sins , and we shall arise . they looking up , saw no man save jesus alone : and that doubtless in his wonted form . all was now gone , moses , elias , the cloud , the voice , the glory : tabor it self cannot be long blessed with that divine light and those shining guests . heaven will not allow to earth any long continuance of glory . only above is constant happiness to be look'd for and injoyed , where we shall ever see our saviour in his unchangeable brightness ; where the light shall never be either clouded or varied . moses and elias are gone , only christ is left . the glory of the law and the prophets was but temporary , yea momentany ; that onely christ may remain to us intire and conspicuous . they came but to give testimony to christ ; when that is done , they are vanished . neither could these raised disciples finde any miss of moses and elias , when they had christ still with them . had jesus been gone , and left either moses or elias , or both , in the mount with his disciples , that presence ( though glorious ) could not have comforted them . now that they are gone , and he is left , they cannot be capable of discomfort . o saviour , it matters not who is away , whiles thou art with us . thou art god all-sufficient ; what can we want when we want not thee ? thy presence shall make tabor it self an heaven ; yea , hell it self cannot make us miserable with the fruition of thee . the woman taken in adultery . what a busie life was this of christs ? he spent the night in the mount of olives , the day in the temple : whereas the night is for a retired repose , the day for company ; his retiredness was for prayer , his companiableness was for preaching . all night he watches in the mount ; all the morning he preaches in the temple . it was not for pleasure that he was here upon earth ; his whole time was penal and toilsome . how do we resemble him , if his life were all pain and labour , ours all pastime ? he found no such fair success the day before . the multitude was divided in their opinion of him ; messengers were sent and suborned to apprehend him : yet he returns to the temple . it is for the sluggard or the coward to plead a lion in the way : upon the calling of god , we must overlook and contemn all the spight and opposition of men . even after an ill harvest we must sow ; and after denials we must woe for god. this sun of righteousness prevents that other , and shines early with wholesome doctrines upon the soules of his hearers . the auditory is both thronged , and attentive . yet not all with the same intentions : if the people came to learn , the scribes and pharisees came to cavil and carp at his teaching . with what a pretence of zeal and justice yet do they put themselves into christs presence ? as lovers of chastity and sanctimony , and haters of uncleanness , they bring to him a woman taken in the flagrance of her adultery . and why the woman rather ? since the mans offence was equal , if not more ; because he should have had more strength of resistance , more grace not to tempt . was it out of necessity ? perhaps , the man knowing his danger , made use of his strength to shift away , and violently brake from his apprehenders . or was it out of cunning ? in that they hoped for more likely matter to accuse christ in the case of the woman , then of the man : for that they supposed his merciful disposition might more probably incline to compassionate her weakness , rather then the stronger vessel . or was it rather out of partiality ? was it not then , as now , that the weakest soonest suffers ; and impotency layes us open to the malice of an enemy ? small flies hang in the webs , whiles wasps break through without control . the wand and the sheet are for poor offenders ; the great either out-face or out-buy their shame . a beggarly drunkard is haled to the stocks , whiles the rich is chambered up to sleep out his surfeit . out of these grounds is the woman brought to christ : not to the mount of olives , not to the way , not to his private lodging ; but to the temple : and that not to some obscure angle ; but into the face of the assembly . they pleaded for her death ; the punishment which they would onwards inflict was her shame : which must needs be so much more , as there were more eyes to be witnesses of her guiltiness . all the brood of sin affects darkness and secrecy , but this more properly ; the twilight , the night is for the adulterer . it cannot be better fitted then to be dragged out into the light of the sun , and to be proclamed with hootings and basons . oh the impudence of those men who can make merry professions of their own beastliness , and boast of the shameful trophees of their lust ! methinks i see this miserable adulteress how she stands confounded amidst that gazing and disdainful multitude ; how she hides her head , how she wipes her blubbered face and weeping eyes . in the mean time it is no dumb show that is here acted by these scribes and pharisees ; they step forth boldly to her accusation ; master , this woman was taken in adultery in the very act . how plausibly do they begin ? had i stood by and heard them , should i not have said , what holy , honest , conscionable men are these ? what devout clients of christ ? with what reverence they come to him ? with what zeal of justice ? when he that made and ransacks their bosome tells me , all this is done but to tempt him . even the falsest hearts will have the plausiblest mouths : like to solomon's curtezan , their lips drop as an hony-comb , and their mouth is smoother then oyl ; but their end is bitter as wormwood . false and hollow pharisees ! he is your master whom ye serve , not he whom ye tempt : only in this shall he be approved your master , that he shall pay your wages , and give you your portion with hypocrites . the act of adultery was her crime : to be taken in the very act , was no part of her sin , but the proof of her just conviction : yet her deprehension is made an aggravation of her shame . such is the corrupt judgement of the world . to doe ill troubles not men , but to be taken in doing it : unknown filthiness passes away with ease ; it is the notice that perplexes them , not the guilt . but , o foolish sinners , all your packing and secrecy cannot so contrive it , but that ye shall be taken in the manner ; your conscience takes you so ; the god of heaven takes you so : and ye shall once finde that your conscience is more then a thousand witnesses , and god more then a thousand consciences . they that complain of the act , urge the punishment ; now moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned . where did moses bid so ? surely the particularity of this execution was without the book : tradition and custome enacted it , not the law. indeed moses commanded death to both the offenders , not the manner of death to either . by analogie it holds thus : it is flatly commanded in the case of a damsel betrothed to an husband , and found not to be a virgin ; in the case of a damsel betrothed , who being defiled in the city , cryed not : tradition and custome made up the rest ; obtaining out of this ground , that all adulterers should be executed by lapidation . the antienter punishment was burning ; death alwaies , though in divers forms . i shame to think that christians should slight that sin which both jewes and pagans held ever deadly . what a mis-citation is this ? moses commanded . the law was god's , not moses's . if moses were imployed to mediate betwixt god and israel , the law is never the more his : he was the hand of god to reach the law to israel , the hand of israel to take it from god. we do not name the water from the pipes , but from the spring . it is not for a true israelite to rest in the second meanes , but to mount up to the supreme original of justice . how reverent soever an opinion was had of moses , he cannot be thus named without a shameful undervaluing of the royal law of his maker . there is no mortal man whose autority may not grow into contempt : that of the ever-living god cannot but be ever sacred and inviolable . it is now with the gospel , as it was then with the law : the word is no other then christs , though delivered by our weakness ; whosoever be the cryer , the proclamation is the king 's of heaven . whiles it goes for ours , it is no marvel if it lye open to despight . how captious a word is this , moses said thus , what saiest thou ? if they be not sure that moses said so , why do they affirm it ? and if they be sure , why do they question that which they know decided ? they would not have desired a better advantage , then a contradiction to that received law-giver . it is their profession , moses's disciples ; and , we know that god spake to moses . it had been quarrel enough to oppose so known a prophet . still i finde it the drift of the enemies of truth to set christ and moses together by the eares ; in the matter of the sabbath , of circumcision , of marriage and divorce , of the use of the law , of justification by the law , of the sense and extent of the law , and where not ? but they shall never be able to effect it : they two are fast and indissoluble friends on both parts for ever ; each speaks for other , each establishes other ; they are subordinate , they cannot be opposite ; moses faithful as a servant , christ as a son. a faithful servant cannot be but officious to the son. the true use we make of moses is , to be our schoolmaster to teach us , to whip us unto christ ; the true use we make of christ is , to supply moses . by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of moses . thus must we hold in with both , if we will have our part in either : so shall moses bring us to christ , and christ to glory . had these pharisees out of simplicity and desire of resolution in a case of doubt , moved this question to our saviour , it had been no less commendable then now it is blame-worthy . o saviour , whither should we have recourse but to thine oracle ? thou art the word of the father , the doctor of the church . whiles we hear from others , what say fathers ? what say councils ? let them hear from us , what saiest thou ? but here it was far otherwise : they came not to learn , but to tempt ; and to tempt that they might accuse . like their father the devil , who solicits to sin that he may plead against us for yieldance . fain would these colloguing adversaries draw christ to contradict moses , that they might take advantage of his contradiction . on the one side they saw his readiness to tax the false glosses which their presumptuous doctors had put upon the law , with an , i say unto you : on the other , they saw his inclination to mercy and commiseration in all his courses , so far as to neglect even some circumstances of the law , as to touch the leper , to heal on the sabbath , to eat with known sinners , to dismiss an infamous ( but penitent ) offender , to select and countenance two noted publicans : and hereupon they might perhaps think that his compassion might draw him to cross this mosaical institution . what a crafty bait is here laid for our saviour ? such as he cannot bite at , and not be taken . it seems to them impossible he should avoid a deep prejudice either to his justice or mercy . for thus they imagine ; either christ will second moses in sentencing this woman to death , or else he will cross moses in dismissing her unpunished . if he command her to be stoned , he loses the honour of his clemency and mercy ; if he appoint her dismission , he loses the honour of his justice . indeed strip him of either of these , and he can be no saviour . o the cunning folly of vain men , that hope to beguile wisdome it self ! silence and neglect shall first confound those men , whom after his answer will send away convicted . in stead of opening his mouth , our saviour bowes his body ; and in stead of returning words from his lips , writes characters on the ground with his finger . o saviour , i had rather silently wonder at thy gesture , then inquire curiously into the words thou wrotest , or the mysteries of thus writing : only herein i see thou meantest to shew a disregard to these malicious and busy cavillers . sometimes taciturnity and contempt are the best answers . thou that hast bidden us be wise as serpents , givest us this noble example of thy prudence . it was most safe that these tempters should be thus kept fasting with a silent disrespect , that their eagerness might justly draw upon them an insuing shame . the more unwillingness they saw in christ to give his answer , the more pressive and importunate they were to draw it from him . now , as forced by their so zealous irritation , our saviour rouzeth up himself , and gives it them home , with a reprehensory and stinging satisfaction ; he that is without sin among you , let him first cast a stone at her . as if his very action had said , i was loath to have shamed you ; and therefore could have been willing not to have heard your ill-meant motion : but since you will needs have it , and by your vehemence force my justice , i must tell you , there is not one of you but is as faulty as she whom ye accuse ; there is no difference , but that your sin is smothered in secrecy , hers is brought forth into the light . ye had more need to make your own peace by an humble repentance , then to urge severity against another . i deny not but moses hath justly from god imposed the penalty of death upon such hainous offences , but what then would become of you ? if death be her due , yet not by those your unclean hands : your hearts know you are not honest enough to accuse . lo , not the bird , but the fouler is taken . he saies not , let her be stoned ; this had been against the course of his mercy : he saies not , let her not be stoned ; this had been against the law of moses . now he so answers , that both his justice and mercy are entire ; she dismissed , they shamed . it was the manner of the jewes , in those hainous crimes that were punished with lapidation , that the witnesses and accusers should be the first that should lay hands upon the guilty : well doth our saviour therefore choak these accusers with the conscience of their so foul incompetency . with what face , with what heart could they stone their own sin in another person ? honesty is too mean a term . these scribes and pharisees were noted for extraordinary and admired holiness : the outside of their lives was not only inoffensive , but saint-like and exemplary . yet that all-seeing eye of the son of god , which found folly in the angels , hath much more found wickedness in these glorious professors . it is not for nothing that his eyes are like a flame of fire . what secret is there which he searches not ? retire your selves , o ye foolish sinners , into your inmost closets , yea ( if you can ) into the center of the earth ; his eye follows you , and observes all your carriages : no bolt , no barre , no darkness can keep him out . no thief was ever so impudent as to steal in the very face of the judge . o god , let me see my self seen by thee , and i shall not dare to offend . besides notice , here is exprobration . these mens sins , as they had been secret , so they were forgotten . it is long since they were done ; neither did they think to have heard any more news of them . and now when time and security had quite worn them out of thought , he that shall once be their judge , calls them to a back-reckoning . one time or other shall that just god lay our sins in our dish , and make us possess the sins of our youth . these things thou didst , and i kept silence ; and thou thoughtest i was like unto thy self : but i will reprove thee , and set them in order before thee . the penitent mans sin lies before him for his humiliation ; the impenitents , for his shame and confusion . the act of sin is transient , not so the guilt ; that will stick by us , and return upon us , either in the height of our security , or the depth of our misery , when we shall be least able to bear it . how just may it be with god to take us at advantages , and then to lay his arrest upon us when we are laid up upon a former suit ? it is but just there should be a requisition of innocence in them that prosecute the vices of others . the offender is worthy of stoning , but who shall cast them ? how ill would they become hands as guilty as her own ? what doe they but smite themselves , who punish their own offences in other men ? nothing is more unjust or absurd , then for the beam to censure the moat , the oven to upbraid the kiln . it is a false and vagrant zeal that begins not first at home . well did our saviour know how bitter and strong a pill he had given to these false justiciaries ; and now he will take leisure to see how it wrought . whiles therefore he gives time to them to swallow it , and put it over , he returns to his old gesture of a seeming inadvertencie . how sped the receit ? i do no see any one of them stand out with christ , and plead his own innocency ; and yet these men ( which is very remarkable ) placed the fulfilling or violation of the law only in the outward act . their hearts misgave them , that if they should have stood out in contestation with christ , he would have utterly shamed them , by displaying their old and secret sins ; and have so convinced them by undeniable circumstances , that they should never have clawed of the reproach : and therefore when they heard it , being convicted by their own conscience , they went out one by one , beginning at the eldest , even unto the last . there might seem to be some kinde of mannerly order in this guilty departure : not all at once ; lest they should seem violently chased away by this charge of christ ; now their slinking away one by one may seem to carry a shew of a deliberate and voluntary discession . the eldest first : the ancienter is fitter to give then take example ; and the yonger could think it no shame to follow the steps of a grave fore-man . o wonderful power of conscience ! man can no more stand out against it , then it can stand out against god. the almighty , whose substitute is set in our bosome , sets it on work to accuse . it is no denying when that sayes we are guilty ; when that condemns us , in vain are we acquitted by the world . with what bravery did these hypocrites come to set upon christ ? with what triumph did they insult upon that guilty soul ? now they are thunder-struck with their own conscience , and drop away confounded ; and well is he that can run away furthest from his own shame . no wicked man needs to seek out of himself for a judge , accuser , witness , tormentor . no sooner do these hypocrites hear of their sins from the mouth of christ , then they are gone . had they been sincerely touched with a true remorse , they would have rather come to him upon their knees , and have said , lord , we know and finde that thou knowest our secret sins ; this argues thy divine omniscience . thou that art able to know our sins , art able to remit them . o pardon the iniquities of thy servants . thou that accusest us , do thou also acquit us . but now instead hereof , they turn their back upon their saviour , and haste away . an impenitent man cares not how little he hath either of the presence of god , or of the mention of his sins . o fools ! if ye could run away from god , it were somewhat ; but whiles ye move in him ; what doe ye ? whither goe ye ? ye may run from his mercy , ye cannot but run upon his judgment . christ is left alone . alone in respect of these complainants ; not alone in respect of the multitude : there yet stands the mournfull adulteresse . she might have gone forth with them ; no body constrained her to stay : but that which sent them away , stayed her , conscience . she knew her guiltinesse was publickly accused , and durst not be by her self denied : as one that was therefore fastened there by her own guilty heart , she stirs not till she may receive a dismission . our saviour was not so busie in writing , but that he read the while the guilt and absence of those accusers ; he that knew what they had done , knew no less what they did , what they would doe . yet , as if the matter had been strange to him , he lifts up himself , and saies , woman , where are thy accusers ? how well was this sinner to be left there ? could she be in a safer place then before the tribunal of a saviour ? might she have chosen her refuge , whither should she rather have fled ? o happy we , if when we are convinced in our selves of our sins , we can set our selves before that judge who is our surety , our advocate , our redeemer , our ransome , our peace . doubtlesse , she stood doubtfull betwixt hope and fear ; hope , in that she saw her accusers gone ; fear , in that she knew what she had deserved : and now whiles she trembles in exspectation of a sentence , she hears , woman , where are thy accusers ? wherein our saviour intends the satisfaction of all the hearers , of all the beholders : that they might apprehend the guiltiness , and therefore the unfitness , of the accusers ; and might well see there was no warrantable ground of his further proceeding against her . two things are necessary for the execution of a malefactor , evidence , sentence ; the one from witnesses , the other from the judge . our saviour asks for both . the accusation and proof must draw on the sentence ; the sentence must proceed upon the evidence of the proof ; where are thy accusers ? hath no man condemned thee ? had sentence passed legally upon the adulteresse , doubtlesse our saviour would not have acquitted her : for as he would not intrude upon others offices , so he would not crosse or violate the justice done by others . but now , finding the coast clear , he saies , neither do i condemn thee . what , lord ? dost thou then shew favour to foul offenders ? art thou rather pleased that grosse sins should be blanched , and sent away with a gentle connivency ? far , far be this from the perfection of thy justice . he that hence argues adulteries not punishable by death , let him argue the unlawfulness of dividing of inheritances , because in the case of the two wrangling brethren thou saidst , who made me a divider of inheritances ? thou declinedst the office , thou didst not dislike the act , either of parting lands , or punishing offenders . neither was here any absolution of the woman from a sentence of death , but a dismission of her from thy sentence ; which thou knewest not proper for thee to pronounce . herein hadst thou respect to thy calling , and to the main purpose of thy coming into the world ; which was neither to be an arbiter of civil causes , nor a judge of criminal , but a saviour of mankinde ; not to destroy the body , but to save the soul. and this was thy care in this miserable offender ; goe , and sin no more . how much more doth it concern us to keep within the bounds of our vocation , and not to dare to trench upon the functions of others ? how can we ever enough magnifie thy mercy , who takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner ? who so camest to save , that thou challengest us of unkindness for being miserable , why will ye die , o house of israel ? but , o son of god , though thou wouldst not then be a judge , yet thou wilt once be : thou wouldst not in thy first coming judge the sins of men , thou wilt come to judge them in thy second . the time shall come when upon that just and glorious tribunal thou shalt judge every man according to his works . that we may not one day hear thee say , goe ye cursed , let us now hear thee say , goe , sin no more . the thankfull penitent . one while i finde christ invited by a publican , now by a pharisee . whereever he went , he made better chear then he found , in an happy exchange of spiritual repast for bodily . who knows not the pharisees to have been the proud enemies of christ ; men over-conceited of themselves , contemptuous of others ; severe in show , hypocrites in deed ; strict sectaries , insolent justiciaries ? yet here one of them invites christ ; and that in good earnest . the man was not ( like his fellows ) captious , not ceremonious : had he been of their stamp , the omission of washing the feet had been mortall . no profession hath not yielded some good : nicodemus and gamaliel were of the same strain . neither is it for nothing , that the evangelist having branded this sect for despising the counsell of god against themselves , presently subjoyns this history of simon the pharisee , as an exempt man. o saviour , thou canst finde out good pharisees , good publicans , yea a good thief upon the crosse ; and that thou maiest finde , thou canst make them so . at the best , yet he was a pharisee , whose table thou here refusedst not . so didst thou in wisdome and mercy attemper thy self , as to become all things to all men , that thou mightest win some . thy harbenger was rough , as in cloaths , so in disposition ; professedly harsh and austere : thy self wert milde and sociable . so it was fit for both . he was a preacher of penance ; thou the author of comfort and salvation : he made way for grace ; thou gavest it . thou hast bidden us to follow thy self , not thy fore-runner . that then which politicks and time-servers doe for earthly advantages , we will doe for spiritual ; frame our selves to all companies , not in evil , but in good , yea in indifferent things . what wonder is it that thou , who cam'st down from heaven to frame thy self to our nature , shouldst , whiles thou wert on earth , frame thy self to the several dispositions of men ? catch not at this ▪ o ye licentious hypocrites , men of all hours , that can eat with gluttons , drink with drunkards , sing with ribalds , scoffe with profane scorners , and yet talk holily with the religious , as if ye had hence any colour of your changeable conformity to all fashions . our saviour never sinn'd for any man's sake , though for our sakes he was sociable , that he might keep us from sinning . can ye so converse with leud good fellows , as that ye represse their sins , redresse their exorbitances , win them to god ? now ye walk in the steps of him that stuck not to sit down in the pharisees house . there sate the saviour , and , behold , a woman in the city that was a sinner . i marvell not that she is led in with a note of wonder ; wonder , both on her part , and on christs . that any sinner , that a sensual sinner obdured in a notorious trade of evil , should voluntarily , out of a true remorse for her leudness , seek to a saviour , it is worthy of an accent of admiration . the noise of the gospel is common ; but where is the power of it ? it hath store of hearers , but few converts . yet were there no wonder in her , if it were not with reference to the power and mercy of christ ; his power that thus drew the sinner ; his mercy that received her . o saviour , i wonder at her , but i blesse thee for her ; by whose only grace she was both moved , and accepted . a sinner ? alas , who was not ? who is not so ? not only in many things we sin all ; but in all things we all let fall many sins . had there been a woman not a sinner , it had been beyond wonder . one man there was that was not a sinner ; even he that was more then man , that god and man , who was the refuge of this sinner : but never woman that sinned not . yet he said not , a woman that had sinned , but , that was a sinner . an action doth not give denomination , but a trade . even the wise charity of christians ( much more the mercy of god ) can distinguish between sins of infirmity , and practice of sin ; and esteem us not by a transient act , but by a permanent condition . the woman was noted for a luxurious and incontinent life . what a deal of variety there is of sins ? that which faileth cannot be numbred . every sin continued deserves to brand the soul with this style . here one is pickt out from the rest : she is not noted for murder , for theft , for idolatry : only her lust makes her a woman that was a sinner . other vices use not to give the owner this title , although they should be more hainous then it . wantons may flatter themselves in the indifferency or slightness of this offence ; their souls shall need no other conveiance to hell then this : which cannot be so pleasing to nature as it is hatefull to god , who so speaks of it as if there were no sins but it , a woman that was a sinner . she was a sinner , now she is not ; her very presence argues her change . had she been still in her old trade , she would no more have indured the sight of christ , then that devil did which cried out , art thou come to torment me ? her eyes had been lamps and fires of lust , not fountains of tears ; her hairs had been nets to catch foolish lovers , not a towell for her saviour's feet : yet still she carries the name of what she was : a scar still remains after the wound healed . simon will be ever the leper , and matthew the publican . how carefully should we avoid those actions which may ever stain us ? what a difference there is betwixt the carriage and proceedings of god and men ? the mercy of god , as it calleth those things that are not as if they were , so it calleth those things that were as if they were not ; i will remember your iniquities no more . as some skilfull chirurgion so sets the bone , or heals the sore , that it cannot be seen where the complaint was . man's word is , that which is done cannot be undone : but the omnipotent goodness of god doth ( as it were ) undoe our once-committed sins . take away my iniquity , and thou shalt finde none . what we were in our selves , we are not to him ; since he hath changed us from our selves . o god , why should we be niggardly , where thou art liberal ? why should we be reading those lines which thou hast not onely crossed , but quite blotted , yea wiped out ? it is a good word , she was a sinner . to be wicked is odious to god , angels , saints , men ; to have been so , is blessed and glorious . i rejoice to look back , and see my egyptians lying dead upon the shore , that i may praise the author of my deliverance and victory . else , it matters not what they were , what i was . o god , thou whose title is , i am , regardest the present . he befriends and honours us that saies , such ye were , but ye are washed . the place addes to the hainousness of the sin ; in the city . the more publick the fact is , the greater is the scandall . sin is sin , though in a desart . others eyes do not make the act more vile in it self ; but the offence is multiplied by the number of beholders . i hear no name of either the city or the woman ; she was too well known in her time . how much better is it to be obscure , then infamous ? herein , i doubt not , god meant to spare the reputation of a penitent convert . he who hates not the person , but the sin , cares only to mention the sin , not the person . it is justice to prosecute the vice , it is mercy to spare the offender . how injurious a presumption is it for any man to name her whom god would have concealed ? and to cast this aspersion on those whom god hath noted for holiness ? the worst of this woman is past , she was a sinner ; the best is to come , she sought out jesus : where ? in the house of a pharisee . it was the most inconvenient place in the world for a noted sinner to seek christ in . no men stood so much upon the terms of their own righteousness ; no men so scornfully disdained an infamous person . the touch of an ordinary ( though honest ) jew was their pollution ; how much more the presence of a strumpet ? what a sight was a known sinner to him , to whom his holiest neighbour was a sinner ? how doth he ( though a better pharisee ) look awrie to see such a piece in his house , whiles he dares think , if this man were a prophet , he would surely know what manner of woman this is ? neither could she fore-imagine lesse , when she ventured to presse over the threshold of a pharisee . yet not the known austerity of the man , and her mis-welcome to the place , could affright her from seeking her saviour even there . no disadvantage can defer the penitent soul from a speedy recourse to christ . she saies not , if jesus were in the street , or in the field , or in the house of some humble publican , or any where save with a pharisee , i would come to him ; now i will rather defer my accesse , then seek him where i shall finde scorn and censure : but , as not fearing the frowns of that overlie host , she thrusts her self into simon 's house to finde jesus . it is not for the distressed to be bashfull ; it is not for a believer to be timorous . o saviour , if thy spouse misse thee , she will seek thee through the streets ; the blows of the watch shall not daunt her . if thou be on the other side of the water , a peter will leap into the sea , and swim to thee : if on the other side of the fire , thy blessed martyrs will run through those flames to thee . we are not worthy of the comfort of thy presence , if wheresoever we know thou art , whether in prison , or in exile , or at the stake , we do not hasten thither to injoy thee . the place was not more unfit then the time : a pharisees house was not more unproper for a sinner , then a feast was for humiliation . tears at a banquet are as jigs at a funeral . there is a season for all things . musick had been more apt for a feast then mourning . the heart that hath once felt the sting of sin and the sweetness of remission , hath no power to delay the expressions of what it feels , and cannot be confined to terms of circumstance . whence then was this zeal of her accesse ? doubtlesse she had heard from the mouth of christ , in those heavenly sermons of his , many gracious invitations of all troubled and labouring souls ; she had observed how he vouchsafed to come under the roofs of despised publicans , of professed enemies ; she had noted all the passages of his power and mercy ; and now deep remorse wrought upon her heart for her former viciousness . the pool of her conscience was troubled by the descending angel , and now she steps in for a cure . the arrow stuck fast in her soul , which she could not shake out ; and now she comes to this soveraign dittanie , to expell it . had not the spirit of god wrought upon her ere she came , and wrought her to come , she had never either sought or found christ . now she comes in , and findes that saviour whom she sought : she comes in , but not empty-handed : though debauched , she was a jewesse . she could not but have heard that she ought not to appear before the lord empty . what then brings she ? it was not possible she could bring to christ a better present then her own penitent soul ; yet , to testifie that , she brings another , delicate both for the vessel and the contents , a box of alabaster ; a solid , hard , pure , clear marble , fit for the receit of so precious an ointment : the ointment pleasant and costly ; a composition of many fragrant odors , not for medicine but delight . the soul that is truly touched with the sense of its own sin , can think nothing too good , too dear for christ . the remorsed sinner begins first with the tender of burnt-offerings , and calves of a year old ; thence he ascends to hecatombs , thousands of rams ; and above that yet , to ten thousand rivers of oyle ; and , yet higher , could be content to give the first-fruit of his body to expiate the sin of his soul. any thing , every thing is too small a price for peace . o saviour , since we have tasted how sweet thou art , lo , we bring thee the daintiest and costliest perfumes of our humble obediences : yea , if so much of our blood , as this woman brought ointment , may be usefull or pleasing to thy name , we do most chearfully consecrate it unto thee . if we would not have thee think heaven too good for us , why should we stick at any earthly retribution to thee in lieu of thy great mercies ? yet here i see more then the price . this odoriferous persume was that wherewith she had wont to make her self pleasing to her wanton lovers ; and now she comes purposely to offer it up to her saviour . as her love was turned another way from sensual to divine , so shall her ointment also be altered in the use : that which was abused to luxury , shall now be consecrated to devotion . there is no other effect in whatsoever true conversion ; as we have given our members servants to iniquity to commit iniquity , so shall we now give our members servants unto righteousnesse in holinesse . if the dames of israel , that thought nothing more worth looking on then their own faces , have spent too much time in their glasses ; now they shall cast in those metalls to make a laver for the washing off their uncleannesses . if i have spent the prime of my strength , the strength of my wit , upon my self and vanity ; i have bestowed my alabaster-box amisse : oh now teach me , my god and saviour , to improve all my time , all my abilities to thy glory . this is all the poor recompence can be made thee for those shamefull dishonors thou hast received from me . the woman is come in ; and now she doth not boldly face christ , but , as unworthy of his presence , she stands behinde . how could she in that site wash his feet with her tears ? was it that our saviour did not sit at the feast ( after our fashion ) but , according to the then-jewish and roman fashion , lay on the one side ? or was it that this phrase doth not so much import posture as presence ? doubtlesse , it was bashfulnesse and shame arising from the conscience of her own former wickedness that placed her thus . how well is the case altered ? she had wont to look boldly in the face of her lovers : now she dares not behold the awfull countenance of her saviour . she had wont to send her alluring beams forth into the eyes of her wanton paramours : now she casts her dejected eyes to the earth , and dares not so much as raise them up to see those eyes from which she desired commiseration . it was a true inference of the prophet , thou hast an whores forehead , thou canst not blush : there cannot be a greater sign of whorishness then impudence . this woman can now blush ; she hath put off the harlot , and is turned true penitent . bashfulness is both a sign , and effect of grace . o god , could we but bethink how wretched we are in nature , how vile through our sins , how glorious , holy and powerfull a god thou art , ( before whom the brightest angels hide their faces ) we could not come but with a trembling awfulness into thy presence . together with shame , here is sorrow : a sorrow testified by tears ; and tears in such abundance , that she washes the feet of our saviour with those streams of penitence ; she began to wash his feet with tears . we hear when she began , we hear not when she ended . when the grapes are pressed , the juice runs forth : so when the minde is pressed , tears distill ; the true juice of penitence and sorrow . these eyes were not used to such clouds , or to such showrs ; there was nothing in them formerly but sun-shine of pleasure , beams of lust : now they are resolved into the drops of grief and contrition . whence was this change , but from the secret working of god's spirit ? he caused his winde to blow , and the waters flowed ; he smote the rock , and the waters gushed out . o god , smite thou this rocky heart of mine , and the waters of repentance shall burst forth in abundance . never were thy feet , o saviour , bedewed with more precious liquor then this of remorsefull tears . these cannot be so spent , but that thou keepest them in thy bottle ; yea thou returnest them back with interest of true comfort : they that sow in tears , shall reap in joy . blessed are they that mourn . lo this wet seed-time shall be followed with an harvest of happinesse and glory . that this service might be complete , as her eyes were the ewre , so her hair was the towell for the feet of christ . doubtlesse at a feast there was no want of the most curious linen for this purpose . all this was nothing to her : to approve her sincere humility , and hearty devotion to christ , her hair shall be put to this glorious office . the hair is the chief ornament of womanhood : the feet , as they are the lowest part of the body , so the meanest for account , and homeliest for imployment : and lo , this penitent bestows the chief ornament of her head , on the meanest office to the feet of her saviour . that hair which she was wont to spred as a net to catch her amorous companions , is honoured with the imployment of wiping the beautifull feet of him that brought the glad tidings of peace and salvation : and , might it have been any service to him to have licked the dust under those feet of his , how gladly would she have done it ? nothing can be mean that is done to the honour of a saviour . never was any hair so preferred as this . how i envy those locks that were graced with the touch of those sacred feet ; but much more those lips that kissed them ? those lips that had been formerly inured to the wanton touches of her lascivious lovers , now sanctifie themselves with the testimony of her humble homage and dear respects to the son of god. thus her oyntment , hands , eyes , hair , lips are now consecrated to the service of christ her saviour , whom she had offended . if our satisfaction be not in some kinde proportionable to our offence , we are no true penitents . all this while i hear not one word fall from the mouth of this woman . what need her tongue speak , when her eyes spake , her hands spake , her gesture , her countenance , her whole carriage was vocall ? i like this silent speaking well , when our actions talk , and our tongues hold their peace . the common practice is contrary ; mens tongues are busie , but their hands are still . all their religion lies in their tongue ; their hands either doe nothing , or ill : so as their profession is but winde , as their words . wherefore are words but for expression of the minde ? if that could be known by the eye or by the hand , the language of both were alike . there are no words amongst spirits ; yet they perfectly understand each other . the heavens declare the glory of god. all tongues cannot speak so loud as they that have none . give me the christian that is seen , and not heard . the noise that our tongue makes in a formality of profession , shall ( in the silence of our hands ) condemn us for hypocrites . the pharisee saw all this , but with an evil eye . had he not had some grace , he had never invited such a guest as jesus ; and if he had had grace enough , he had never entertained such a thought as this of the guest he invited : if this man were a prophet , he would have known what manner of woman it is that toucheth him ; for she is a sinner . how many errors in one breath ? justly ( o simon ) hath this one thought lost thee the thank of thy feast . belike , at the highest , thou judgedst thy guest but a prophet ; and now thou doubtest whether he were so much . besides this undervaluation , how unjust is the ground of this doubt ? every prophet knew not every thing ; yea no prophet ever knew all things . elisha knew the very secrets of the assyrian privy-chamber : yet he knew not the calamity of his worthy hostesse . the finite knowledge of the ablest seer reaches but so far as it will please god to extend it . well might he therefore have been a prophet , and in the knowledge of greater matters not have known this . unto this , how weakly didst thou , because of christ's silent admission of the woman , suppose him ignorant of her quality ? as if knowledge should be measured alwaies by the noise of expression . stay but a while , and thou shalt finde that he well knew both her life and thy heart . besides , how injuriously dost thou take this woman for what she was ? not conceiving ( as well thou mightest ) were not this woman a convert , she would never have offered her self into this presence . her modesty and her tears bewray her change : and if she be changed , why is the censured for what she is not ? lastly , how strong did it savour of the leven of thy profession , that thou supposest ( were she what she was ) that it could not stand with the knowledge and holinesse of a prophet to admit of her least touch , yea of her presence ? whereas on the one side , outward conversation in it self makes no man unclean or holy , but according to the disposition of the patient ; on the other , such was the purity and perfection of this thy glorious guest , that it was not possibly infectible , nor any way obnoxious to the danger of others sin . he that said once , who touched me ? in regard of virtue issuing from him , never said , whom have i touched ? in regard of any contagion incident to him . we sinfull creatures , in whom the prince of this world findes too much , may easily be tainted with other mens sins . he , who came to take away the sins of the world , was uncapable of pollution by sin . had the woman then been still a sinner , thy censure of christ was proud and unjust . the pharisee spake ; but it was within himself : and now , behold , jesus answering , said . what we think , we speak to our hearts , and we speak to god ; and he equally hears , as if it came out of our mouths . thoughts are not free . could men know and convince them , they would be no lesse liable to censure then if they came forth clothed with words . god , who hears them , judges of them accordingly . so here , the heart of simon speaks , jesus answers . jesus answers him , but with a parable . he answers many a thought with judgment ; the blasphemy of the heart , the murder of the heart , the adultery of the heart are answered by him with reall vengeance . for simon , our saviour saw his errour was either out of simple ignorance or weak mistaking : where he saw no malice then , it is enough to answer with a gentle conviction . the convictive answer of christ is by way of parable . the wisdome of god knows how to circumvent us for our gain ; and can speak that pleasingly by a prudent circumlocution , which right-down would not be digested . had our saviour said in plain terms , simon , whether dost thou or this sinner love me more ? the pharisee could not for shame but have stood upon his reputation , and in a scorn of the comparison have protested his exceeding respects to christ . now , ere he is aware , he is fetcht in to give sentence against himself for her whom he condemned . o saviour , thou hast made us fishers of men ; how should we learn of thee , so to bait our hooks , that they may be most likely to take ? thou the great housholder of thy church hast provided victuals for thy family , thou hast appointed us to dresse them : if we do not so cook them as that they may fit the palats to which they are intended , we do both lose our labour and thy cost . the parable is of two debtors to one creditor ; the one owed a lesser sum , the other a greater ; both are forgiven . it was not the purpose of him that propounded it , that we should stick in the bark . god is our creditor , our sins our debts ; we are all debtors , but one more deep then another . no man can pay this debt alone ; satisfaction is not possible : only remission can discharge us . god doth in mercy forgive as well the greatest as the least sins . our love to god is proportionable to the sense of our remission . so then the pharisee cannot chuse but confesse , that the more and greater the sin is , the greater mercy in the forgivenesse ; and the more mercy in the forgiver , the greater obligation and more love in the forgiven . truth , from whose mouth soever it falls , is worth taking up . our saviour praises the true judgment of a pharisee . it is an injurious indiscretion in those who are so prejudiced against the persons , that they reject the truth . he that would not quench the smoaking flax , incourages even the least good . as the carefull chirurgion strokes the arme ere he strikes the vein ; so did christ here , ere he convinces the pharisee of his want of love , he graceth him with a fair approbation of his judgment . yet the while turning both his face and his speech to the poor penitent ; as one that cared more for a true humiliation for sin , then for a false pretence of respect and innocence . with what a dejected and abashed countenance , with what earth-fixed eyes , do we imagine the poor woman stood , when she saw her saviour direct his face and words to her ? she that durst but stand behinde him , and steal the falling of some teares upon his feet , with what a blushing astonishment doth she behold his sidereall countenance cast upon her ? whiles his eye was turned towards this penitent , his speech was turned to the pharisee concerning that penitent , by him mistaken : seest thou this woman ? he who before had said , if this man were a prophet , he would have known what manner of woman this is ; now heares , seest thou this woman ? simon saw but her outside : jesus lets him see that he saw her heart ; and will thus convince the pharisee that he is more then a prophet , who knew not her conversation only , but her soul. the pharisee that went all by appearance , shall by her deportment see the proof of her good disposition : it shall happily shame him to hear the comparison of the wants of his own entertainments with the abundance of hers . it is strange that any of this formall sect should be defective in their lotions . simon had not given water to so great a guest ; she washes his feet with her teares . by how much the water of the eye was more precious then the water of the earth , so much was the respect and courtesie of this penitent above the neglected office of the pharisee . what use was there of a towell , where was no water ? she that made a fountain of her eyes , made precious napary of her hair : that better flax shamed the linen in the pharisees chest . a kisse of the cheek had wont to be pledge of the welcome of their guests . simon neglects to make himself thus happy : she redoubles the kisses of her humble thankfulnesse upon the blessed feet of her saviour . the pharisee omits ordinary oyle for the head : she supplies the most precious and fragrant oyle to his feet . now the pharisee reades his own taxation in her praise ; and begins to envy where he had scorned . it is our fault , o saviour , if we mistake thee . we are ready to think , so thou have the substance of good usage , thou regardest not the complements and ceremonies ; whereas now we see thee to have both meat and welcome in the pharisees house , and yet hear thee glance at his neglect of washing , kissing , anointing . doubtlesse , omission of due circumstances in thy entertainment may deserve to lose our thanks . do we pray to thee ? do we hear thee preach to us ? now we make thee good chear in our house : but if we perform not these things with the fit decency of our outward carriages , we give thee not thy water , thy kisses , thy oyle . even meet rituall observances are requisite for thy full welcome . yet how little had these things been regarded , if they had not argued the womans thankfull love to thee , and the ground of that love , sense of her remission , and the pharisees default in both ? love and action do necessarily evince each other . true love cannot lurk long unexpressed : it will be looking out at the eyes , creeping out of the mouth , breaking out at the fingers ends , in some actions of dearnesse ; especially those wherein there is pain and difficulty to the agent , profit or pleasure to the affected . o lord , in vain shall we professe to love thee , if we doe nothing for thee . since our goodnesse cannot reach up unto thee , who art our glorious head ; o let us bestow upon thy feet ( thy poor members here below ) our teares , our hands , our oyntment , and whatever our gifts or endevours may testifie our thankfulnesse and love to thee in them . o happy word ! her sins , which are many , are forgiven her . methinks i see how this poor penitent revived with this breath ; how new life comes into her eyes , new blood into her cheeks , new spirits into her countenance : like unto our mother earth ; when in that first confusion , god said , let the earth bring forthgrasse , the herb that beareth seed , and the fruit-tree yielding fruit ; all runs out into flowers , and blossomes , and leaves , and fruit . her former teares said , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? now her chearfull smiles say , i thank god through jesus christ my lord. seldomeever do we meet with so perfect a penitent ; seldome do we finde so gracious a dismission . what can be wished of any mortall creature but remission , safety , faith , peace ? all these are here met to make a contrite soul happy . remission , the ground of her safety ; faith , the ground of her peace ; safety and salvation , the issue of her remission ; peace , the blessed fruit of her faith. o woman , the persume that thou broughtest is poor and base in comparison of those sweet savours of rest and happinesse that are returned to thee . well was that ointment bestowed , wherewith thy soul is sweetned to all eternity . martha and mary . we may read long enough ere we find christ in an house of his own . the foxes have holes , and the birds have nests : he that had all , possessed nothing . one while i see him in a publican's house , then in a pharisee's ; now i finde him at martha's . his last entertainment was with some neglect , this with too much solicitude . our saviour was now in his way ; the sun might as soon stand stil as he . the more we move , the liker we are to heaven , and to this god that made it . his progresse was to hierusalem , for some holy feast . he whose devotion neglected not any of those sacred solemnities , will not neglect the due opportunities of his bodily refreshing : as not thinking it meet to travell and preach harbourlesse , he diverts ( where he knew his welcome ) to the village of bethanie . there dwelt the two devout sisters , with their brother his friend lazarus ; their roof receives him . o happy house into which the son of god vouchsafed to set his foot ! o blessed women , that had the grace to be the hostesses to the god of heaven ! how should i envy your felicity herein , if i did not see the same favour ( if i be not wanting to my self ) lying open to me ? i have two waies to entertain my saviour , in his members , and in himself . in his members , by charity and hospitablenesse ; what i doe to one of those his little ones , i doe to him : in himself , by faith ; if any man open , he will come in and sup with him . o saviour , thou standst at the door of our hearts , and knockst by the solicitations of thy messengers , by the sense of thy chastisements , by the motions of thy spirit : if we open to thee by a willing admission and faithfull welcome , thou wilt be sure to take up our souls with thy gracious presence ; and not to sit with us for a momentany meal , but to dwell with us for ever . lo , thou didst but call in at bethany ; but here shall be thy rest for everlasting . martha ( it seems ) as being the elder sister , bore the name of the house-keeper ; mary was her assistant in the charge . a blessed pair ; sisters not more in nature then grace , in spirit no lesse then in flesh . how happy a thing is it when all the parties in a family are joyntly agreed to entertain christ ? no sooner is jesus entred into the house then he falls to preaching : that no time may be lost , he staies not so much as till his meat be made ready ; but whiles his bodily repast was in hand , provides spiritual food for his hosts . it was his meat and drink to doe the will of his father : he fed more upon his own diet then he could possibly upon theirs ; his best chear was to see them spiritually fed . how should we , whom he hath called to this sacred function , be instant in season and out of season ? we are , by his sacred ordination , the lights of the world . no sooner is the candle lighted , then it gives that light which it hath , and never intermits till it be wasted to the snuff . both the sisters for a time sate attentively listening to the words of christ . houshold occasions call martha away : mary sits still at his feet , and hears . whether shall we more praise her humility , or her docility ? i do not see her take a stool and sit by him , or a chair and sit above him ; but , as desiring to shew her heart was as low as her knees , she sits at his feet . she was lowly set , richly warmed with those heavenly beams . the greater submission , the more grace . if there be one hollow in the valley lower then another , thither the waters gather . martha's house is become a divinity-school : jesus , as the doctor , sits in the chair ; martha , mary , and the rest , sit as disciples at his feet . standing implies a readinesse of motion ; sitting , a setled composednesse to this holy attendance . had these two sisters provided our saviour never such delicates , and waited on his trencher never so officiously , yet had they not listened to his instruction , they had not bidden him welcome ; neither had he so well liked his entertainment . this was the way to feast him ; to feed their ears by his heavenly doctrine : his best chear is our proficiency ; our best chear is his word . o saviour , let my soul be thus feasted by thee , do thou thus feast thy self by feeding me ; this mutual diet shall be thy praise and my happinesse . though martha was for the time an attentive hearer , yet now her care of christ's entertainment carries her into the kitchin ; mary sits still . neither was mary more devout then martha busie : martha cares to feast jesus , mary , to be feasted of him . there was more solicitude in martha's active part ; more piety in mary's sedentary attendance : i know not in whether more zeal . good martha was desirous to expresse her joy and thankfulnesse for the presence of so blessed a guest , by the actions of her carefull and plenteous entertainment . i know not how to censure the holy woman for her excesse of care to welcome her saviour . sure she her self thought she did well ; and out of that confidence fears not to complain to christ of her sister . i do not see her come to her sister , and whisper in her eare the gread need of her aide ; but she comes to jesus , and in a kinde of unkinde expostulation of her neglect , makes her moan to him , lord , dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone ? why did she not rather make her first addresse to her sister ? was it for that she knew mary was so tied by the ears with those adamantine chains that came from the mouth of christ , that untill his silence and dismission she had no power to stir ? or was it out of an honour and respect to christ , that in his presence she would not presume to call off her sister without his leave . howsoever , i cannot excuse the holy woman from some weaknesses . it was a fault to measure her sister by her self , and apprehending her own act to be good , to think her sister could not doe well if she did not so too . whereas goodnesse hath much latitude . ill is opposed to good , not good to good. neither in things lawfull or indifferent are others bound to our examples . mary might hear , martha might serve , and both doe well . mary did not censure martha for her rising from the feet of christ , to prepare his meal : neither should martha have censured mary for sitting at christs feet , to feed her soul. it was a fault , that she thought an excessive care of a liberal outward entertainment of christ was to be preferred to a diligent attention to christ spirituall entertainment of them . it was a fault , that she durst presume to question our saviour of some kinde of unrespect to her toile , lord , dost thou not care ? what saiest thou , martha ? dost thou challenge the lord of heaven and earth of incogitancy and neglect ? dost thou take upon thee to prescribe unto that infinite wisdome , in stead of receiving directions from him ? it is well thou mettest with a saviour , whose gracious mildnesse knows how to pardon and pity the errours of our zeal . yet i must needs say here wanted not fair pretences for the ground of this thy expostulation . thou , the elder sister , workest ; mary , the yonger , sits still . and what work was thine but the hospital receit of thy saviour and his train ? had it been for thine own paunch , or for some carnal friends , it had been lesse excusable ; now it was for christ himself , to whom thou couldst never be too obsequious . but all this cannot deliver thee from the just blame of this bold subincusation ; lord , dost thou not care ? how ready is our weaknesse upon every slight discontentment to quarrell with our best friend , yea with our good god ; and the more we are put to it , to think our selves the more neglected , and to challenge god for our neglect ? do we groan on the bed of our sicknesse , and languishing in pain complain of long hours and weary sides ? straight we think , lord , dost thou not care that we suffer ? doth god's poor church goe to wrack , whiles the ploughers ploughing on her back , make long furrows ? lord , dost thou not care ? but know thou , o thou feeble and distrustfull soul , the more thou doest , the more thou sufferest , the more thou art cared for : neither is god ever so tender over his church as when it is most exercised . every pang and stitch and gird is first felt of him that sends it . o god , thou knowest our works , and our labour , and our patience : we may be ignorant and diffident ; thou canst not but be gracious . it could not but trouble devout mary to hear her sisters impatient complaint ; a complaint of her self to christ , with such vehemence of passion , as if there had been such strangenesse betwixt the two sisters , that the one would doe nothing for the other without an external compulsion from a superior . how can she chuse but think , if i have offended , why was i not secretly taxed for it in a sisterly familiarity ? what if there have been some little omission ? must the whole house ring of it before my lord and all his disciples ? is this carriage beseeming a sister ? is my devotion worthy of a quarrell ? lord , dost thou not care that i am injuriously censured ? yet i hear not a word of reply from that modest mouth . o holy mary , i admire thy patient silence : thy sister blames thee for thy piety ; the disciples ( afterwards ) blame thee for thy bounty and cost : not a word falls from thee in a just vindication of thine honour and innocence , but in an humble taciturnity thou leavest thine answer to thy saviour . how should we learn of thee , when we are complained of for well-doing to seal up our lips , and to expect our righting from above ? and how sure , how ready art thou , o saviour , to speak in the cause of the dumb ? martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things ; but one thing is needfull , and mary hath chosen the better part . what needed mary to speak for her self , when she had such an advocate ? doubtlesse martha was , as it were , divided from her self with the multiplicity of her carefull thoughts : our saviour therefore doubles her name in his compellation ; that in such distraction he may both finde and fix her heart . the good woman made full account that christ would have sent away her sister with a check , and her self with thanks : but now her hopes fail her ; and though she be not directly reproved , yet she hears her sister more approved then she ; martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things . our saviour received courtesie from her in her diligent and costly entertainment ; yet he would not blanch her errour , and smooth her up in her weak misprision . no obligations may so enthrall us , as that our tongues should not be free to reprove faults where we finde them . they are base and servile spirits that will have their tongue tied to their teeth . this glance towards a reproof implies an opposition of the condition of the two sisters . themselves were not more near in nature , then their present humour and estate differed . one is opposed to many , necessary to superfluous , solicitude to quietnesse : thou art carefull and troubled about many things , one thing is necessary . how far then may our care reach to these earthly things ? on the one side , o saviour , thou hast charged us to take no thought what to eat , drink , put on ; on the other , thy chosen vessel hath told us , that he that provides not for his family hath denied the faith , and is worse then an infidel . we may , we must care for many things ; so that our care be for good , and well . for good , both in kinde and measure ; well , so as our care be free from distraction , from distrust . from distraction , that it hinder us not from the necessary duties of our general calling ; from distrust , that we misdoubt not gods providence whiles we imploy our own . we cannot care for thee , unlesse we thus care for our selves , for ours . alas ! how much care do i see every where , but how few martha's ? her care was for her saviours entertainment , ours for our selves . one findes perplexities in his estate , which he desires to extricate ; another beats his brains for the raising of his house : one busies his thoughts about the doubtfull condition ( as he thinks ) of the times , and casts in his anxious head the imaginary events of all things , opposing his hopes to his fears ; another studies how to avoid the cross blows of an adversary . martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things . foolish men ! why do we set our hearts upon the rack , and need not ? why will we indure to bend under that burden , which more able shoulders have offered to undertake for our ease ? thou hast bidden us , o god , to cast our cares upon thee , with promise to care for us . we do gladly unload our selves upon thee : o let our care be to depend on thee , as thine is to provide for us . whether martha be pitied or taxed for her sedulity , i am sure mary is praised for her devotion : one thing is necessary . not by way of negation , as if nothing were necessary but this : but by way of comparison , as that nothing is so necessary as this . earthly occasions must vaile to spiritual . of those three main grounds of all our actions , necessity , convenience , pleasure , each transcends other : convenience carries it away from pleasure , necessity from convenience , and one degree of necessity from another . the degrees are according to the conditions of the things necessary . the condition of these earthly necessaries is , that without them we cannot live temporally ; the condition of the spiritual , that without them we cannot live eternally . so much difference then as there is betwixt temporary and eternal , so much there must needs be betwixt the necessity of these bodily actions and those spiritual : both are necessary in their kindes ; neither must here be an opposition , but a subordination . the body and soul must be friends , not rivals : we may not so ply the christian , that we neglect the man. oh the vanity of those men who neglecting that one thing necessary , affect many things superfluous ! nothing is needlesse with worldly mindes but this one which is onely necessary , the care of their souls . how justly do they lose that they cared not for , whiles they over-care for that which is neither worthy nor possible to be kept ? neither is marie's businesse more allowed then her self : she hath chosen the good part . it was not forced upon her , but taken up by her election . martha might have sate still as well as she : she might have stir'd about as well as marie's will made this choice , not without the inclination of him who both gave this will and commends it . that will was before renewed ; no marvell if it chose the good : though this were not in a case of good and evil , but of good and better . we have still this holy freedome , through the inoperation of him that hath freed us . happy are we if we can improve this liberty to the best advantage of our souls . the stability or perpetuity of good addes much to the praise of it . martha's part was soon gone ; the thank and use of a little outward hospitality cannot long last : but mary's shall not be taken away from her . the act of her hearing was transient , the fruit permanent ; she now hears that which shall stick by her for ever . what couldst thou hear , o holy mary , from those sacred lips , which we hear not still ? that heavenly doctrine is never but the same , not more subject to change then the author of it . it is not impossible that the exercise of the gospel should be taken from us ; but the benefit and virtue of it is as inseparable from our souls as their being . in the hardest times that shall stick closest to us ; and till death , in death , after death shall make us happy . the begger that was born blinde , cured . the man was born blinde . this cure requires not art , but power ; a power no lesse then infinite and divine . nature presupposeth a matter , though formlesse ; art looks for matter formed to our hands : god stands not upon either . where there was not an eye to be healed , what could an oculist doe ? it is only a god that can create . such are we , o god , to all spiritual things : we want not sight , but eyes : it must be thou only that canst make us capable of illumination . the blinde man sate begging . those that have eyes and hands and feet of their own may be able to help themselves ; those that want these helps must be beholden to the eyes , hands , feet of others . the impotent are cast upon our mercy : happy are we , if we can lend lims and senses to the needy . affected beggery is odious : that which is of god's making justly challengeth relief . where should this blinde man sit begging , but near the temple ? at one gate sits a cripple , a blinde man at another . well might these miserable souls suppose that piety and charity dwelt close together : the two tables were both of one quarry . then are we best disposed to mercy towards our brethren , when we have either craved or acknowledged god's mercy towards our selves . if we goe thither to beg of god ; how can we deny mites , when we hope for talents ? never did jesus move one foot but to purpose . he passed by ; but so as that his virtue stayed : so did he passe by , that his eye was fixed . the blinde man could not see him ; he sees the blinde man. his goodness prevents us , and yields better supplies to our wants . he saw compassionately ; not shutting his eyes , not turning them aside , but bending them upon that dark and disconsolate object . that which was said of the sun , is much more true of him that made it , nothing is hid from his light : but of all other things miseries ( especially of his own ) are most intentively eyed of him . could we be miserable unseen , we had reason to be heartlesse . o saviour , why should we not imitate thee in this mercifull improvement of our senses ? wo be to those eyes that care onely to gaze upon their own beauty , bravery , wealth ; not abiding to glance upon the sores of lazarus , the sorrows of joseph , the dungeon of jeremy , the blinde begger at the gate of the temple . the disciples see the blinde man too , but with different eyes : our saviour for pity and cure , they for expostulation ; master , who did sin ? this man or his parents , that he is born blinde ? i like well that whatsoever doubt troubled them , they straight vent it into the eare of their master . o saviour , whiles thou art in heaven , thy school is upon earth . wherefore serve thy priests lips but to preserve knowledge ? what use is there of the tongue of the learned , but to speak a word in season ? thou teachest us still ; and still we doubt , and ask , and learn. in one short question i finde two truths and two falshoods ; the truths implied , the falshoods expressed . it is true , that commonly man's suffering is for sin ; that we may justly , and do often , suffer even for the sins of our parents . it is false , that there is no other reason of our suffering but sin ; that a man could sin actually before he was , or was before his being ; or could before-hand suffer for his after-sins . in all likelihood that absurd conceit of the transmigration of souls possessed the very disciples . how easily and how far may the best be miscarried with a common errour ? we are not thankfull for our own illumination , if we do not look with charity and pity upon the grosse mis-opinions of our brethren . our saviour sees , and yet will wink at so foul a misprision of his disciples . i hear neither chiding nor conviction . he that could have inlightned their mindes ( as he did the world ) at once , will doe it by due leisure ; and only contents himself here with a milde solution ; neither this man , nor his parents . we learn nothing of thee , o saviour , if not meekness . what a sweet temper should be in our carriage towards the weaknesses of others judgment ? how should we instruct them without bitterness , and without violence of passion exspect the meet seasons of their better information ? the tender mother or nurse doth not rate her little one for that he goes not well ; but gives him her hand , that he may goe better . it is the spirit of lenity that must restore and confirm the lapsed . the answer is direct and punctual ; neither the sin of the man nor of his parents bereaved him of his eyes : there was an higher cause of this privation ; the glory that god meant to win unto himself by redressing it . the parents had sinned in themselves ; the man had sinned in his first parents : it is not the guilt of either that is guilty of this blindness . all god's afflictive acts are not punishments ; some are for the benefit of the creature , whether for probation , or prevention , or reformation ; all are for the praise , whether of his divine power , or justice , or mercy . it was fit so great a work should be usher'd in with a preface . a suddain and abrupt appearance would not have beseemed so glorious a demonstration of omnipotence . the way is made ; our saviour addresses himself to the miracle : a miracle not more in the thing done , then in the form of doing it . the matter used was clay . could there be a meaner ? could there be ought more unfit ? o saviour , how oft hadst thou cured blindnesses by thy word alone ? how oft by thy touch ? how easily couldst thou have done so here ? was this to shew thy liberty , or thy power ? liberty , in that thou canst at pleasure use variety of means , not being tied to any ; power , in that thou couldst make use of contraries ? hadst thou pull'd out a box and applied some medicinal ointment to the eyes , something had been ascribed to thy skill , more to the natural power of thy receit : now thou madest use of clay , which had been enough to stop up the eyes of the seeing , the virtue must be all in thee , none in the means . the utter disproportion of this help to the cure addes glory to the worker . how clearly didst thou hence evince to the world , that thou who of clay couldst make eyes , wert the same who of clay hadst made man ? since there is no part of the body that hath so little analogie to clay as the eye ; this clearness is contrary to that opacity . had not the jews been more blinde then the man whom thou curedst , and more hard and stiffe then the clay which thou mollifiedst , they had , in this one work , both seen and acknowledged thy deity . what could the clay have done without thy tempering ? it was thy spittle that made the clay effectual ; it was that sacred mouth of thine that made the spittle medicinal : the water of siloe shall but wash off that clay which this inward moisture made powerfull . the clay thus tempered , must be applied by the hand that made it , else it avails nothing . what must the blinde man needs think , when he felt the cold clay upon the holes of his eyes ? or ( since he could not conceive what an eye was ) what must the beholders needs think , to see that hollowness thus filled up ? is this the way to give either eyes or sight ? why did not the earth see with this clay as well as the man ? what is there to hinder the sight , if this make it ? yet with these contrarieties must the faith be exercised , where god intends the blessing of a cure. it was never meant that this clay should dwell upon those pits of the eyes : it is onely put on to be washed off ; and that not by every water ; none shall doe it but that of siloam , which signifies sent ; and if the man had not been sent to siloam , he had been still blinde . all things receive their virtue from divine institution . how else should a piece of wheaten bread nourish the soul ? how should spring-water wash off spiritual filthiness ? how should the foolishness of preaching save souls ? how should the absolution of god's minister be more effectual then the breath of an ordinary christian ? thou , o god , hast set apart these ordinances ; thy blessing is annexed to them ; hence is the ground of all our use , and their efficacy . hadst thou so instituted , jordan would as well have healed blindness , and siloam leprosie . that the man might be capable of such a miracle , his faith is set on work ; he must be led with his eyes daubed up to the pool of siloam . he washes and sees . lord , what did this man think when his eyes were now first given him ? what a new world did he finde himself now come into ? how did he wonder at heaven and earth , and the faces and shapes of all creatures , the goodly varieties of colours , the chearfulness of the light , the lively beams of the sun , the vast expansion of the aire , the pleasant transparence of the water ; at the glorious piles of the temple , and stately palaces of jerusalem ? every thing did not more please then astonish him . lo , thus shall we be affected , and more , when the scales of our mortality being done away , we shall see as we are seen ; when we shall behold the blessedness of that other world , the glory of the saints and angels , the infinite majesty of the son of god , the incomprehensible brightness of the all-glorious deity . o my soul , that thou couldst be taken up before-hand with the admiration of that which thou canst not as yet be capable of foreseeing . it could not be but that many eyes had been witnesses of this man's want of eyes . he sate begging at one of the temple gates : not only all the city , but all the country must needs know him ; thrice a year did they come up to jerusalem ; neither could they come to the temple and not see him . his very blindness made him noted . deformities and infirmities of body do more easily both draw and fix the eye then an ordinary symmetry of parts . besides his blindness , his trade made him remarkable ; the importunity of his begging drew the eyes of the passengers . but of all other , the place most notified him . had he sate in some obscure village of judaea , or in some blinde lane of jerusalem , perhaps he had not been heeded of many ; but now that he took up his seat in the heart , in the head of the chief city , whither all resorted from all parts , what jew can there be that knows not the blinde begger at the temple gate ? purposely did our saviour make choice of such a subject for his miracle ; a man so poor , so publick : the glory of the work could not have reach'd so far , if it had been done to the wealthiest citizen of jerusalem . neither was it for nothing that the act and the man is doubted of and inquired into by the beholders ; is not this he that sat begging ? some said , it is he ; others said , it is like him . no truths have received so full proofs as those that have been questioned . the want or the suddain presence of an eye ( much more of both ) must needs make a great change in the face ; those little balls of light ( which no doubt were more clear then nature could have made them ) could not but give a new life to the countenance . i marvell not it the neighbours , which had wont to see this dark visage led by a guide , and guided by a staffe , seeing him now walking confidently alone out of his own inward light , and looking them chearfully in the face , doubted whether this were he . the miraculous cures of god work a sensible alteration in men , not more in their own apprehension , then in the judgment of others . thus in the redresse of the spiritual blindnesse , the whole habit of the man is changed . where before his face looked dull and earthly ; now there is a sprightful chearfulness in it , through the comfortable knowledge of god and heavenly things : whereas before his heart was set upon worldly things ; now he uses them , but injoyes them not : and that use is because he must , not because he would : where before his fears and griefs were only for pains of body , or losse of estate or reputation ; now they are only spent upon the displeasure of his god , and the peril of his soul. so as now the neighbours can say , is this the man ? others , it is like him , it is not he . the late-blinde man hears , and now sees himself questioned ; and soon resolves the doubt , i am he . he that now saw the light of the sun , would not hide the light of truth from others . it is an unthankfull silence , to smother the works of god in an affected secrecy . to make god a loser by his bounty to us , were a shamefull injustice . we our selves abide not those sponges that suck up good turns unknown . o god , we are not worthy of our spiritual eye-sight , if we do not publish thy mercies on the house top , and praise thee in the great congregation . man is naturally inquisitive : we search studiously into the secret works of nature ; we pry into the reasons of the witty inventions of art ; but if there be any thing that transcends art and nature , the more high and abstruse it is , the more busie we are to seek into it . this thirst after hidden , yea forbidden , knowledge did once cost us dear : but where it is good and lawful to know , inquiry is commendable ; as here in these jews , how were thine eyes opened ? the first improvement of humane reason is inquisition , the next is information and resolution : and if the meanest events passe us not without a question , how much lesse those that carry in them wonder and advantage ? he that was so ready to professe himself the subject of the cure , is no niggard of proclaiming the author of it ; a man that is called jesus made clay , and anointed mine eyes , and sent me to siloam to wash , and now i see . the blinde man knew no more then he said , and he said what he apprehended , a man. he heard jesus speak , he felt his hand ; as yet he could look no further : upon his next meeting he saw god in this man. in matter of knowledge , we must be content to creep ere we can goe . as that other recovered blinde man saw first men walk like trees , after like men ; so no marvel if this man saw first this god only as man , after this man as god also . onwards he thinks him a wonderfull man , a mighty prophet . in vain shall we either exspect a suddain perfection in the understanding of divine matters , or censure those that want it . how did this man know what jesus did ? he was then stone-blinde ; what distinction could he yet make of persons , of actions ? true , but yet the blinde man never wanted the assistance of others eyes ; their relation hath assured him of the manner of his cure : besides the contribution of his other senses , his eare might perceive the spittle to fall , and hear the injoined command ; his feeling perceived the cold & moist clay upon his lids . all these conjoined gave sufficient warrant thus to believe , thus to report . our eare is our best guide to a full apprehension of the works of christ . the works of god the father , his creation and government , are best known by the eye : the works of god the son , his redemption and mediation , are best known by the eare. o saviour , we cannot personally see what thou hast done here . what are the monuments of thine apostles and evangelists , but the relations of the blinde man's guide , what and how thou hast wrought for us ? on these we strongly relie , these we do no lesse confidently believe then if our very eyes had been witnesses of what thou didst and sufferedst upon earth . there were no place for faith , if the eare were not worthy of as much credit as the eye . how could the neighbours doe lesse then ask where he was that had done so strange a cure ? i doubt yet with what minde ; i fear , not out of favour . had they been but indifferent , they could not but have been full of silent wonder , and inclined to believe in so omnipotent an agent . now , as prejudiced to christ , and partial to the pharisees , they bring the late-blinde man before those professed enemies unto christ . it is the preposterous religion of the vulgar sort to claw and adore those which have tyrannically usurped upon their souls , though with neglect , yea with contempt , of god in his word , in his works . even unjust authority will never want soothing up in whatsoever courses , though with disgrace and opposition to the truth . base mindes where they finde possession , never look after right . our saviour had pick'd out the sabbath for this cure. it is hard to finde out any time wherein charity is unseasonable . as mercy is an excellent grace , so the works of it are fittest for the best day . we are all born blinde : the font is our siloam : no day can come amisse , but yet god's day is the properest for our washing and recovery . this alone is quarrel enough to these scrupulous wranglers , that an act of mercy was done on that day wherein their envie was but seasonable . i do not see the man beg any more when he once had his eyes ; no burger in jerusalem was richer then he . i hear him stoutly defending that gracious author of his cure against the cavils of the malicious pharisees : i see him as a resolute confessour suffering excommunication for the name of christ , and maintaining the innocence and honour of so blessed a benefactor : i hear him read a divinity lecture to them that sate in moses his chair , and convincing them of blindness , who punish'd him for seeing . how can i but envie thee , o happy man , who of a patient , provest an advocate for thy saviour ; whose gain of bodily sight made way for thy spiritual eyes ; who hast lost a synagogue , and hast found heaven ; who being abandoned of sinners , art received of the lord of glory ? the stubborn devil ejected . how different , how contrary are our conditions here upon earth ? whiles our saviour is transfigured on the mount , his disciples are perplexed in the valley . three of his choice followers were with him above , ravished with the miraculous proofs of his godhead : nine other were troubled with the business of a stubborn devil below . much people was met to attend christ , and there they will stay till he come down from tabor . their zeal and devotion brought them thither ; their patient perseverance held them there . we are not worthy the name of his clients , if we cannot painfully seek him , and submissely wait his leisure . he that was now awhile retired into the mount , to confer with his father , and to receive the attendance of moses and elias , returns into the valley to the multitude . he was singled out awhile for prayer and contemplation ; now he was joyned with the multitude for their miraculous cure and heavenly instruction . we that are his spiritual agents must be either preparing in the mount , or exercising in the valley ; one while in the mount of meditation , in the valley of action another ; alone to study , in the assembly to preach : here is much variety , but all is work . moses when he came down from the hill , heard musick in the valley ; christ when he came down from the hill , heard discord . the scribes ( it seems ) were setting hard upon the disciples : they saw christ absent , nine of his train left in the valley , those they flie upon . as the devil , so his imps , watch close for all advantages . no subtile enemy but will be sure to attempt that part where is likelihood of least defence , most weakness . when the spouse misses him whom her soul loveth , every watchman hath a buffet for her . o saviour , if thou be never so little stept aside , we are sure to be assaulted with powerful temptations . they that durst say nothing to the master , so soon as his back is turned fall foul upon his weakest disciples . even at the first hatching the serpent was thus crafty , to begin at the weaker vessell : experience and time hath not abated his wit. if he still work upon silly women laden with divers lusts , upon rude and ungrounded ignorants , it is no other then his old wont . our saviour upon the skirts of the hill knew well what was done in the plain ; and therefore hasts down to the rescue of his disciples . the clouds and vapors do not sooner scatter upon the sun's breaking forth , then these cavils vanish at the presence of christ : in stead of opposition they are straigth upon their knees ; here are now no quarrells , but humble salutations ; and if christ's question did not force theirs , the scribes had found no tongue . doubtlesse there were many eager patients in this throng ; none made so much noise as the father of the demoniack . belike upon his occasion it was that the scribes held contestation with the disciples . if they wrangled , he fues , and that from his knees . whom wil not need make both humble and eloquent ? the case was wofull , and accordingly expressed . a son is a dear name ; but this was his only son . were his grief ordinary yet , the sorrow were the lesse ; but he is a fearfull spectacle of judgment , for he is lunatick . were this lunacy yet merely from a natural distemper , it were more tolerable ; but this is aggravated by the possession of a cruell spirit , that handles him in a most grievous manner . yet were he but in the rank of other demoniacks , the discomfort were more easie ; but lo , this spirit is worse then all other his fellows ; others are usually dispossessed by the disciples , this is beyond their power . i be sought thy disciples to cast him out , but they could not : therefore , lord , have thou mercy on my son. the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the god of power . here was his refuge ; the strong man had gotten possession , it was only the stronger then he that can eject him . o god , spiritual wickednesses have naturally seized upon our souls : all humane helps are too weak ; only thy mercy shall improve thy power to our deliverance . what bowels could chuse but yearn at the distresse of this poor young man ? phrensy had taken his brain : that disease was but health in comparison of the tyrannical possession of that evil spirit , wherewith it was seconded . out of hell there could not be a greater misery : his senses are either berest , or else left to torment him ; he is torn and racked , so as he foams and gnashes , he pines and languishes ; he is cast sometimes into the fire , sometimes into the water . how that malitious tyrant rejoices in the mischief done to the creature of god ? had earth had any thing more pernicious then fire and water , thither had he been thrown ; though rather for torture , then dispatch . it was too much favour to die at once . o god , with how deadly enemies hast thou matched us ? abate thou their power , since their malice will not be abated . how many think of this case with pity and horror , and in the mean time are insensible of their own fearfuller condition ? it is but oftentimes that the devil would cast this young man into a temporary fire ; he would cast the sinner into an eternal fire , whose everlasting burnings have no intermissions . no fire comes amisse to him ; the fire of affliction , the fire of lust , the fire of hell. o god , make us apprehensive of the danger of our sin , and secure from the fearfull issue of sin . all these very same effects follow his spiritual possession . how doth he tear and rack them whom he vexes and distracts with inordinate cares and sorrows ? how do they foam and gnash whom he hath drawn to an impatient repining at god's afflictive hand ? how do they pine away who hourly decay and languish in grace ? oh the lamentable condition of sinfull souls , so much more dangerous , by how much lesse felt ! but all this while what part hath the moon in this mans misery ? how comes the name of that goodly planet in question ? certainly these diseases of the brain follow much the course of this queen of moisture . that power which she hath in humors is drawn to the advantage of the malicious spirit ; her predominancy is abused to his despight : whether it were for the better opportunity of his vexation , or whether for the drawing of envy and discredit upon so noble a creature . it is no news with that subtle enemie to fasten his effects upon those secondary causes which he usurps to his own purposes . whatever be the means , he is the tormentor . much wisdome needs to disstinguish betwixt the evil spirit abusing the good creature , and the good creature abused by the evil spirit . he that knew all things , asks questions ; how long hath he been so ? not to inform himself ; ( that devil could have done nothing without the knowledge , without the leave of the god of spirits ) but that by the confession of the parent he might lay forth the wofull condition of the childe ; that the thank and glory of the cure might be so much greater , as the complaint was more grievous . he answered , from a childe . o god , how i adore the depth of thy wise and just and powerfull dispensation ? thou that couldst say , i have loved jacob , and esau have i hated , ere the children had done good or evil , thoughtest also good , ere this childe could be capable of good or evil , to yield him over to the power of that evil one . what need i ask for any other reason then that which is the rule of all justice , thy will ? yet even these weak eyes can see the just grounds of thine actions . that childe , though an israelite , was conceived and born in that sin which both could and did give satan an interest in him . besides , the actual sins of the parents deserved this revenge upon that piece of themselves . rather , o god , let me magnific this mercy , that we and our s escape this judgment , then question thy justice , that some escape not . how just might it have been with thee , that we , who have given way to satan in our sins , should have way and scope given to satan over us in our punishments ? it is thy praise that any of us are free ; it is no quarrell that some suffer . do i wonder to see satans bodily possession of this yong man from a childe , when i see his spiritual possession of every son of adam from a longer date ; not from a childe , but from the womb , yea in it ? why should not satan possesse his own ? we are all by nature the sons of wrath . it is time for us to renounce him in baptism , whose we are till we be regenerate . he hath right to us in our first birth ; our new birth acquits us from him , and cuts off all his claim . how miserable are they that have nothing but nature ? better had it been to have been unborn , then not to be born again . and if this poor soul from an infant were thus miserably handled , having done none actual evil ; how just cause have we to fear the like judgments , who by many foul offences have deserved to draw this executioner upon us ? o my soul , thou hast not room enough for thankfulnesse to that good god , who hath not delivered thee up to that malignant spirit . the distressed father sits not still , neglects not means ; i brought him to thy disciples . doubtlesse the man came first to seek for christ himself ; finding him absent , he makes suit to the disciples . to whom should we have recourse in all our spirituall complaints but to the agents and messengers of god ? the noise of the like cures had surely brought this man with much confidence to crave their succour ; and now how cold was he at the heart , when he found that his hopes were frustrate ? they could not cast him out . no doubt the disciples tried their best , they laid their wonted charge upon this dumb spirit ; but all in vain . they that could come with joy and triumph to their master , and say , the devils are subject to us , finde now themselves matched with a stubborn and refractory spirit . their way was hitherto smooth and fair ; they met with no rub till now . and now surely the father of the demoniack was not more troubled at this event then themselves . how could they chuse but fear lest their master had with himself withdrawn that spiritual power which they had formerly exercised ? needs must their heart fail them with their successe . the man complained not of their impotence : it were fondly injurious to accuse them for that which they could not doe : had the want been in their will , they had well deserved a querulous language ; it was no fault to want power . only he complains of the stubbornnesse , and laments the invinciblenesse of that evil spirit . i should wrong you , o ye blessed followers of christ , if i should say that , as israel , when moses was gone up into the mount , lost their belief with their guide ; so that ye , missing your master ( who was now ascended up to his tabor ) were to seek for your faith. rather the wisdome of god saw reason to check your over-assured forwardnesse ; and both to pull down your hearts by a just humiliation in the sense of your own weaknesse , and to raise up your hearts to new acts of dependance upon that soveraign power from which your limited virtue was derived . what was more familiar to the disciples then ejecting of devils ? in this only it is denied them . our good god sometimes findes it requisite to hold us short in those abilities whereof we make least doubt , that we may feel whence we had them . god will be no lesse glorified in what we cannot doe , then in what we can doe . if his graces were alwaies at our command , and ever alike , they would seem natural , and soon run into contempt : now we are justly held in an awfull dependance upon that gracious hand , which so gives as not to cloy us , and so denies as not to discourage us . who could now but expect that our saviour should have pitied and bemoned the condition of this sad father and miserable son , and have let fall some words of comfort upon them ? in stead whereof i hear him chiding and complaining , o faithlesse and perverse generation , how long shall i be with you ? how long shall i suffer you ? complaining , not of that wofull father and more wofull son ; it was not his fashion to adde affliction to the distressed , to break such bruised reeds ; but of those scribes , who upon the failing of the successe of this suit , had insulted upon the disability of the followers of christ , and depraved his power : although perhaps this impatient father , seduced by their suggestion , might slip into some thoughts of distrust . there could not be a greater crimination then faithlesse and perverse : faithlesse , in not believing ; perverse , in being obstinately set in their unbelief . doubtlesse these men were not free from other notorious crimes : all were drowned in their infidelity . morall uncleannesses or violences may seem more hainous to men ; none are so odious to god as these intellectual wickednesses . what an happy change is here in one breath of christ ? how long shall i suffer you ? bring him hither to me . the one is a word of anger , the other of favour . his just indignation doth not exceed or impeach his goodnesse . what a sweet mixture there is in the perfect simplicity of the divine nature ? in the midst of judgement he remembers mercy , yea he acts it . his sun shines in the midst of this storm . whether he frown or whether he smile , it is all to one purpose , that he may win the incredulous and disobedient . whither should the rigour of all our censures tend but to edification , and not to destruction ? we are physicians , we are not executioners ; we give purges to cure , and not poisons to kill . it is for the just judge to say one day to reprobate souls , depart from me ; in the mean time it is for us to invite all that are spiritually possessed to the participation of mercy , bring him hither to me . o saviour , distance was no hindrance to thy work : why should the demoniack be brought to thee ? was it that this deliverance might be the better evicted , and that the beholders might see it was not for nothing that the disciples were opposed with so refractory a spirit ? or was it that the scribes might be witnesses of that strong hostility that was betwixt thee and that foul spirit , and be ashamed of their blasphemous slander ? or was it that the father of the demoniack might be quickened in that faith which now , through the suggestion of the scribes , begun to droup ; when he should hear and see christ so chearfully to undertake and perform that whereof they had bidden him despair ? the possessed is brought ; the devil is rebuked and ejected . that stiff spirit which stood out boldly against the commands of the disciples , cannot but stoop to the voice of the master : that power which did at first cast him out of heaven , easily dispossesses him of an house of clay . the lord rebuke thee , satan , and then thou canst not but flee . the disciples , who were not used to these affronts , cannot but be troubled at their mis-successe : master , why could not we cast him out ? had they been conscious of any defect in themselves , they had never ask'd the question . little did they think to hear of their unbelief . had they not had great faith , they could not have cast out any devils ; had they not had some want of faith , they had cast out this . it is possible for us to be defective in some graces , and not to feel it . although not so much their weaknesse is guilty of this unprevailing , as the strength of that evil spirit ; this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting . weaker spirits were wont to be ejected by a command ; this devil was more sturdy and boisterous . as there are degrees of statures in men , so there are degrees of strength and rebellion in spirituall wickednesses . here bidding will not serve , they must pray ; and praying will not serve without fasting . they must pray to god that they may prevail ; they must fast to make their prayer more servent , more effectuall . we cannot now command , we can fast and pray . how good is our god to us , that whiles he hath not thought fit to continue to us those means which are lesse powerfull for the dispossessing of the powers of darknesse , yet hath he given us the greater ? whiles we can fast and pray , god will command for us ; satan cannot prevail against us . the widow's mites . the sacred wealth of the temple was either in stuffe , or in coin . for the one the jews had an house , for the other a chest . at the concourse of all the males to the temple thrice a year upon occasion of the solemn feasts , the oblations of both kinds were liberall . our saviour , as taking pleasure in the prospect , sets himself to view those offerings , whether for holy uses or charitable . those things we delight in , we love to behold : the eye and the heart will go together . and can we think , o saviour , that thy glory hath diminished ought of thy gracious respects to our beneficence ? or that thine acceptance of our charity was confined to the earth ? even now that thou ●ittest at the right hand of thy fathers glory , thou ●eest every hand that is stretched out to the relief of thy poor saints here below . and if vanity have power to stir up our liberality out of a conceit to be seen of men , how shall faith incourage our bounty in knowing that we are seen of thee , and accepted by thee ? alas , what are we the better for the notice of those perishing and impotent eyes , which can onely view the outside of our actions ; or for that wast winde of applause which vanisheth in the lips of the speaker ? thine eye , o lord , is piercing and retributive . as to see thee is perfect happinesse , so to be seen of thee is true contentment and glory . and dost thou , o god , see what we give thee , and not see what we take away from thee ? are our offerings more noted then our sacriledges ? surely thy mercy is not more quick-sighted then thy justice . in both kindes our actions are viewed , our account is kept ; and we are sure to receive rewards for what we have given , and vengeance for what we have defalked . with thine eye of knowledge thou seest all we doe ; but what we doe well , thou seest with thine eye of approbation . so didst thou now behold these pious and charitable oblations . how well wert thou pleased with this variety ? thou sawest many rich men give much ; and one poor widow give more then they in lesser room . the jews were now under the romane pressure ; they were all tributaries , yet many of them rich ; and those rich men were liberal to the common chest . hadst thou seen those many rich give little , we had heard of thy censure : thou expectest a proportion betwixt the giver and the gift , betwixt the gift and the receit : where that fails , the blame is just . that nation ( though otherwise faulty enough ) was in this commendable . how bounteously open were their hands to the house of god ? time was , when their liberality was fain to be restrained by proclamation ; and now it needed no incitement : the rich gave much , the poorest gave more . he saw a poor widow casting in two mites . it was misery enough that she was a widow . the married woman is under the carefull provision of an husband ; if she spend , he earns : in that estate four hands work for her ; in her viduity but two . poverty added to the sorrow of her widowhood . the losse of some husbands is supplied by a rich joynture ; it is some allay to the grief that the hand is left full , though the bed be empty . this woman was not more desolate then needy . yet this poor widow gives . and what gives she ? an offering like her self , two mites ; or , in our language , two half-farthing-tokens . alas , good woman , who was poorer then thy self ? wherefore was that corban , but for the relief of such as thou ? who should receive , if such give ? thy mites were something to thee , nothing to the treasury . how ill is that gift bestowed , which dis-furnisheth thee , and addes nothing to the common stock ? some thrifty neighbour might perhaps have suggested this probable discouragement . jesus publishes and applauds her bounty : he called his disciples , and said unto them , verily i say unto you , this woman hath cast in more then they all . whiles the rich put in their offering , i see no disciples called ; it was enough that christ noted their gifts alone : but when the widow comes with her two mites , now the domesticks of christ are summoned to assemble , and taught to admire this munificence ; a solemn preface makes way to her praise , and her mites are made more precious then the others talents . she gave more then they all . more , not only in respect of the minde of the giver , but of the proportion of the gift , as hers . a mite to her was more then pounds to them : pounds were little to them , two mites were all to her : they gave out of their abundance , she out of her necessity . that which they gave , left the heap lesse , yet an heap still ; she gives all at once , and leaves her self nothing . so as she gave , not more then any , but more then they all . god doth not so much regard what is taken out , as what is left ▪ o father of mercies , thou lookest at once into the bottome of her heart and the bottome of her purse ; and esteemest her gift according to both . as thou seest not as man , so thou valuest not as man : man judgeth by the worth of the gift , thou judgest by the minde of the giver and the proportion of the remainder . it were wide with us if thou shouldst goe by quantities . alas , what have we but mites , and those of thine own lending ? it is the comfort of our meannesse , that our affections are valued and not our presents : neither hast thou said , god loves a liberal giver , but a chearfull . if i had more , o god , thou shouldst have it ; had i lesse , thou wouldst not despise it , who acceptest the gift according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . yea , lord , what have i but two mites , a soul , and a body ? mere mites , yea , not so much , to thine infiniteness , oh that i could perfectly offer them up unto thee , according to thine own right in them , and not according to mine . how graciously wouldst thou be sure to accept them ? how happy shall i be in thine acceptation ? the ambition of the two sons of zebedee . he who had his own time and ours in his hand , foreknew and foretold the approach of his dissolution . when men are near their end , and ready to make their will , then is it seasonable to sue for legacies . thus did the mother of the two zebedees ; therein well approving both her wisedome and her faith : wisedome , in the fit choice of her opportunity ; faith , in taking such an opportunity . the suit is half obtained that is seasonably made . to have made this motion at the entry into their attendance , had been absurd , and had justly seemed to challenge a denial . it was at the parting of the angel , that jacob would be blessed . the double spirit of elijah is not sued for till his ascending . but , oh the admirable faith of this good woman ! when she heard the discourse of christs sufferings and death , she talks of his glory ; when she hears of his crosse , she speaks of his crown . if she had seen herod come and tender his scepter unto christ , or the elders of the jews come upon their knees with a submissive profer of their allegeance , she might have had some reason to entertain the thoughts of a kingdome : but now whiles the sound of betraying , suffering , dying , was in her eare , to make account of and suit for a room in his kingdome , it argues a belief able to triumph over all discouragements . it was nothing for the disciples , when they saw him after his conquest of death and rising from the grave , to ask him , master , wilt thou now restore the kingdome unto israel ? but for a silly woman to look through his future death and passion , at his resurrection and glory , it is no lesse worthy of wonder then praise . to hear a man in his best health and vigor to talk of his confidence in god , and assurance of divine favour , cannot be much worth : but if in extremities we can believe above hope , against hope , our faith is so much more noble as our difficulties are greater . never sweeter persume arose from any altar , then that which ascended from job's dung-hill , i know that my redeemer liveth . what a strange style is this that is given to this woman ? it had been as easie to have said , the wife of zebedee , or the sister of mary or of joseph , or ( as her name was ) plain salome : but now , by an unusuall description , she is styled the mother of zebedee's children . zebedee was an obscure man ; she , as his wife , was no better ; the greatest honour she ever had or could have , was to have two such sons as james and john ; these give a title to both their parents . honour ascends as well as descends . holy children dignifie the loyns and womb from whence they proceed , no lesse then their parents traduce honour unto them . salome might be a good wife , a good huswife , a good woman , a good neighbour : all these cannot ennoble her so much as the mother of zebedee's children . what a world of pain , toyl , care , cost , there is in the birth and education of children ? their good proof requites all with advantage . next to happiness in our selves , is to be happy in a gracious issue . the suit was the sons , but by the mouth of their mother : it was their best policy to speak by her lips . even these fishermen had already learned craftily to fish for promotion . ambition was not so bold in them as to shew her own face : the envy of the suit shall thus be avoided , which could not but follow upon their personall request . if it were granted , they had what they would ; if not , it was but the repulse of a womans motion : which must needs be so much more pardonable , because it was of a mother for her sons . it is not discommendable in parents to seek the preferment of their children . why may not abraham sue for an ismael ? so it be by lawfull means , in a moderate measure , in due order , this endeavour cannot be amisse . it is the neglect of circumstances that makes these desires sinfull . oh the madnesse of those parents that care not which way they raise an house ; that desire rather to leave their children great , then good ; that are more ambitious to have their sons lords on earth , then kings in heaven ! yet i commend thee , salome , that thy first plot was to have thy sons disciples of christ , then after to prefer them to the best places of that attendance . it is the true method of divine prudence , o god , first to make our children happy with the honour of thy service , and then to endeavour their meet advancement upon earth . the mother is but put upon this suit by her sons ; their heart was in her lips . they were not so mortified by their continual conversation with christ , hearing his heavenly doctrine , seeing his divine carriage , but that their mindes were yet roving after temporal honours . pride is the inmost coat , which we put off last , and which we put on first . who can wonder to see some sparks of weak and worldly desires in their holiest teachers , when the blessed apostles were not free from some ambitious thoughts whiles they sate at the feet , yea in the bosome of their saviour ? the near kindred this woman could challenge of christ might seem to give her just colour of more familiarity ; yet now that she comes upon a suit , she submits her self to the lowest gesture of suppliants . we need not be taught that it is fit for petitioners to the great , to present their humble supplications upon their knees . o saviour , if this woman so nearly allied to thee according to the flesh , coming but upon a temporal occasion to thee , being as then compassed about with humane infirmities , adored thee ere she durst sue to thee ; what reverence is enough for us that come to thee upon spiritual suits , sitting now in the height of heavenly glory and majesty ? say then , thou wife of zebedee , what is it that thou cravest of thine omnipotent kinsman ? a certain thing . speak out , woman ; what is this certain thing that thou cravest ? how poor and weak is this supplicatory anticipation to him that knew thy thoughts ere thou utteredst them , ere thou entertainedst them ? we are all in this tune ; every one would have something ; such perhaps as we are ashamed to utter . the proud man would have a certain thing ; honour in the world : the covetous would have a certain thing too ; wealth and abundance : the malicious would have a certain thing ; revenge on his enemies : the epicure would have pleasure and long life ; the barren , children ; the wanton , beauty . each one would be humored in his own desire ; though in variety , yea contradiction to other ; though in opposition not more to god's will , then our own good . how this suit sticks in her teeth , and dare not freely come forth , because it is guilty of its own faultinesse ? what a difference there is betwixt the prayers of faith , and the motions of self-love and infidelity ? those come forth with boldnesse , as knowing their own welcome , and being well assured , both of their warrant and acceptation ; these stand blushing at the door , not daring to appear ; like to some baffled suit , conscious to its own unworthinesse and just repulse . our inordinate desires are worthy of a check : when we know that our requests are holy , we cannot come with too much confidence to the throne of grace . he that knew all their thoughts afar off , yet , as if he had been a stranger to their purposes , asks , what wouldest thou ? our infirmities do then best shame us , when they are fetcht out of our own mouths : like as our prayers also serve not to acquaint god with our wants , but to make us the more capable of his mercies . the suit is drawn from her ; now she must speak . grant that these my two sons may sit , one on thy right hand , the other on thy left , in thy kingdome . it is hard to say , whether out of more pride or ignorance . it was as received as erroneous a conceit among the very disciples of christ , that he should raise up a temporal kingdom over the now-tributary and beslaved people of israel . the romans were now their masters ; their fancy was , that their messias should shake off this yoke , and reduce them to their former liberty . so grounded was this opinion , that the two disciples in their walk to emmaus could say , we trusted it had been he that should have delivered israel ; and when , after his resurrection , he was walking up mount olivet towards heaven , his very apostles could ask him , if he would now restore that long-exspected kingdome . how should we mitigate our censures of our christian brethren , if either they mistake , or know not some secondary truths of religion , when the domestick attendants of christ , who heard him every day till the very point of his ascension , misapprehended the chief cause of his coming into the world , and the state of his kingdome ? if our charity may not bear with small faults , what doe we under his name that conniv'd at greater ? truth is as the sun ; bright in it self , yet there are many close corners into which it never shined . o god , if thou open our hearts , we shall take in those beams : till thou doe so , teach us to attend patiently for our selves , charitably for others . these fishermen had so much courtship to know , that the right hand and the left of any prince were the chief places of honour . our saviour had said that his twelve followers should sit upon twelve thrones , and judge the twelve tribes of israel . this good woman would have her two sons next to his person ; the prime peers of his kingdome . every one is apt to wish the best to his own . worldly honour is neither worth our suit , nor unworthy our acceptance . yea , salome , had thy mind been in heaven , hadst thou intended this desired preeminence of that celestial state of glory , yet i know not how to justifie thine ambition . wouldst thou have thy sons preferred to the father of the faithfull , to the blessed mother of thy saviour ? that very wish were presumptuous . for me , o god , my ambition shall goe so high as to be a saint in heaven , and to live as holily on earth as the best ; but for precedency of heavenly honour , i do not , i dare not affect it . it is enough for me , if i may lift up my head amongst the heels of thy blessed ones . the mother asks , the sons have the answer . she was but their tongue , they shall be her eares . god ever imputes the acts to the first mover , rather then to the instrument . it was a sore check , ye know not what ye ask . in our ordinary communication to speak idly , is sin ; but in our suits to christ to be so inconsiderate , as not to understand our own petitions , must needs be a foul offence . as faith is the ground of our prayers , so knowledge is the ground of our faith. if we come with indigested requests , we prophane that name we invoke . to convince their unfitness for glory , they are sent to their impotency in suffering ; are ye able to drink of the cup whereof i shall drink , and to be baptized with the baptisme wherewith i am baptized ? o saviour , even thou who wert one with thy father , hast a cup of thine own : never potion was so bitter as that which was mixed for thee . yea , even thy draught is stinted ; it is not enough for thee to sip of this cup , thou must drink it up to the very dregs . when the vinegar and gall were tendred to thee by men , thou didst but kiss the cup ; but when thy father gave into thine hands a potion infinitely more distastful , thou ( for our health ) didst drink deep of it even to the bottome , and saidst , it is finished . and can we repine at those unpleasing draughts of affliction that are tempered for us sinful men , when we see thee , the son of thy fathers love , thus dieted ? we pledge thee , o blessed saviour , we pledge thee , according to our weakness , who hast begun to us in thy powerful suffereings . onely do thou enable us ( after some four faces made in our reluctation ) yet at last willingly to pledge thee in our constant sufferings for thee . as thou must be drenched within , so must thou be baptized without . thy baptisme is not of water , but of blood ; both these came from thee in thy passion : we cannot be thine , if we partake not of both . if thou hast not grudged thy precious blood to us , well maiest thou challenge some worthless drops from us . when they talk of thy kingdome , thou speakest of thy bitter cup , of thy bloody baptisme . suffering is the way to reigning . through many tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heaven . there was never wedge of gold that did not first pass the fire ; there was never pure grain that did not undergoe the flail . in vain shall we dream of our immediate passage from the pleasures and jollity of earth to the glory of heaven . let who will hope to walk upon roses and violets to the throne of heaven ; o saviour , let me trace thee by the track of thy blood , and by thy red steps follow thee to thine eternal rest and happiness . i know this is no easie task ; else thou hadst never said , are ye able ? who should be able if not they that had been so long blessed with thy presence , informed by thy doctrine , and ( as it were ) beforehand possessed of their heaven in thee ? thou hadst never made them judges of their power , if thou couldst not have convinced them of their weakness : alas , how full of feebleness is our body , and our minde of impatience ? if but a bee sting our flesh , it swels ; and if but a tooth ake , the head and heart complain . how small trifles make us weary of our selves ? what can we doe without thee ? without thee what can we suffer ? if thou be not , o lord , strong in my weakness , i cannot be so much as weak ; i cannot so much as be . oh , do thou prepare me for my day , and enable me to my trials : i can doe all things through thee that strengthenest me . the motion of the two disciples was not more full of infirmity then their answer , we are able . out of an eager desire of the honour , they are apt to undertake the condition . the best men may be mistaken in their own powers . alas , poor men ! when it came to the issue , they ran away , and i know not whether one without his coat . it is one thing to suffer in speculation , another in practice . there cannot be a worse signe then for a man in a carnal presumption to vaunt of his own abilities . how justly doth god suffer that man to be foiled purposely , that he may be ashamed of his own vain self-confidence ? o god , let me ever be humbly dejected in the sense of mine own insufficiency ; let me give all the glory to thee , and take nothing to my self but my infirmities . oh the wonderful mildness of the son of god! he doth not rate the two disciples , either for their ambition in suing , or presumption in undertaking : but leaving the worst , he takes the best of their answer ; and omitting their errors , incourages their good intentions ; ye shall drink indeed of my cup , and be baptized with my baptisme : but to sit on my right hand and my left , is not mine to give , but to them for whom it is prepared of my father . i know not whether there be more mercy in the concession , or satisfaction in the denial . were it not an high honour to drink of thy cup , o saviour , thou hadst not fore-promised it as a favour . i am deceived if what thou grantest were much less then that which thou deniest . to pledge thee in thine own cup , is not much less dignity and familiarity then to sit by thee . if we suffer with thee , we shall also reign together with thee . what greater promotion can flesh and blood be capable of , then a conformity to the lord of glory ? enable thou me to drink of thy cup , and then set me where thou wilt . but , o saviour , whiles thou dignifiest them in thy grant , dost thou disparage thy self in thy denial ? not mine to give ? whose is it , if not thine ? if it be thy fathers , it is thine . thou , who art truth , hast said , i and my father are one . yea , because thou art one with the father , it is not thine to give to any save those for whom it is prepared of the father . the father's preparation was thine , his gift is thine ; the decree of both is one . that eternal counsel is not alterable upon our vain desires . the father gives these heavenly honours to none but by thee ; thou givest them to none but according to the decree of thy father . many degrees there are of celestial happiness . those supernal mansions are not all of an height . that providence which hath varied our stations upon earth , hath pre-ordered our seats above . o god , admit me within the wals of thy new jerusalem , and place me wheresoever thou pleasest . the tribute money pai'd . all these other histories report the power of christ ; this shews both his power and obedience : his power over the creature ; his obedience to civil powers . capernaum was one of his own cities ; there he made his chief abode , in peter's house : to that host of his therefore do the toll-gatherers repair for the tribute . when that great disciple said , we have left all , he did not say , we have abandoned all , or sold , or given away all : but we have left , in respect of managing , not of possession ; not in respect of right , but of use and present fruition ; so left , that upon just occasion we may resume ; so left , that it is our due , though not our business . doubtless he was too wise to give away his own , that he might borrow of a stranger . his own roof gave him shelter for the time , and his master with him . of him , as the housholder , is the tribute required ; and by and for him is it also paid . i inquire not either into the occasion , or the summe . what need we make this exaction sacrilegious ? as if that half-shekel which was appointed by god to be paid by every israelite to the use of the tabernacle and temple , were now diverted to the roman exchequer . there was no necessity that the roman lords should be tied to the jewish reckonings ; it was free for them to impose what payments they pleased upon a subdued people : when great augustus commanded the world to be taxed , this rate was set . the mannerly collectors demand it first of him with whom they might be more bold ; doth not your master pay tribute ? all capernaum knew christ for a great prophet ; his doctrine had ravish'd them , his miracles had astonish'd them : yet when it comes to a money-matter , his share is as deep as the rest . questions of profit admit no difference . still the sacred tribe challengeth reverence : who cares how little they receive , how much they pay ? yet no man knows with what minde this demand was made ; whether in a churlish grudging at christ's immunity , or in an awful compellation of the servant rather then the master . peter had it ready what to answer . i hear him not require their stay till he should goe in and know his masters resolution ; but , as one well acquainted with the minde and practice of his master , he answers , yes . there was no truer pay-master of the kings dues then he that was king of kings . well did peter know that he did not onely 〈◊〉 , but preach tribute . when the herodians laid twigs for him , as supposing that so great a prophet would be all for the liberty and exemption of god's chosen people , he choaks them with their own coin , and told them the stamp argued the right ; give unto caesar the things that are caesars . o saviour , how can thy servants challenge that freedome which thy self had not ? who that pretends from thee can claim homage from those to whom thou gavest it ? if thou by whom kings reign forbarest not to pay tribute to an heathen prince , what power under thee can deny it to those that rule for thee ? that demand was made without doors . no sooner is peter come in , then he is prevented by his master's question , what thinkest thou , simon , of whom do the kings of the earth receive tribute ? of their own children , or of strangers ? this very interrogation was answer enough to that which peter meant to move : he that could thus know the heart , was not in true right liable to humane exactions . but , o saviour , may i presume to ask what this is to thee ? thou hast said , my kingdome is not of this world ; how doth it concern thee what is done by the kings of the earth , or imposed upon the sons of earthly kings ? thou wouldst be the son of an humble virgin ; and chosest not a royal state , but a servile . i dispute not thy natural right to the throne , by thy lineal descent from the loyns of juda and david : what should i plead that which thou wavest ? it is thy divine royalty and sonship which thou here justly urgest ; the argument is irrefragable and convictive . if the kings of the earth do so priviledge their children that they are free from all tributes and impositions ; how much more shall the king of heaven give this immunity to his onely and natural son ? so as in true reason i might challenge an exemption for me and my train . thou mightest , o saviour , and no less challenge a tribute of all the kings of the earth to thee , by whom all powers are ordained : reason cannot mutter against this claim ; the creature owes it self and whatsoever it hath to the ma●er , he owes nothing to it . then are the children free . he that hath right to all , needs not pay any thing ; else there should be a subjection in soveraignty , and men should be debters to themselves . but this right was thine own peculiar , and admits no partners ; why dost thou speak of children , as of more , and extending this priviledge to peter , sayest , lest we scandalize them ? was it for that thy disciples , being of thy robe , might justly seem interessed in the liberties of their master ? surely no otherwise were they children , no otherwise free . away with that fanatical conceit , which challenges an immunity from secular commands and taxes , to a spiritual and adoptative sonship : no earthly saintship can exempt us from tribute to whom tribute belongeth . there is a freedom , o saviour , which our christianity cals us to affect ; a freedom from the yoke of sin and satan , from the servitude of our corrupt affections : we cannot be sons if we be not thus free . o free thou us by thy free spirit from the miserable bondage of our nature , so shall the children be free : but as to these secular duties , no man is less free then the children . o saviour , thou wert free , and wouldst not be so ; thou wert free by natural right , wouldst not be free by voluntary dispensation , lest an offence might be taken . surely had there followed an offence , it had been taken onely , and not given , woe be to the man by whom the offence cometh : it cometh by him that gives it ; it cometh by him that takes it when it is not given : no part of this blame could have cleaved unto thee either way . yet such was thy goodness , that thou wouldst not suffer an offence unjustly taken at that which thou mightest justly have denied . how jealous should we be even of others perils ? how careful so to moderate out power in the use of lawful things , that our charity may prevent others scandals ? to temit of our own right for anothers safety ? oh the deplorable condition of those wilful m●● , who care not what blocks they lay in the way to heaven , not forbearing by a known lewdness to draw others into their own damnation ! to avoid the unjust offence even of very publicans , jesus will work a miracle . peter is sent to the sea ; and that not with a net , but with an hook . the disciple was now in his own trade . he knew a net might inclose many fishes , an hook could take but one : with that hook must he goe angle for the tribute-money . a fish shall bring him a stater in her mouth ; and that fish that bites first . what an unusual bearer is here ? what an unlikely element to yield a piece of ready coin ? oh that omnipotent power which could command the fish to be both his treasurer to keep his silver , and his purveyour to bring it ! now whether , o saviour , thou causedst this fish to take up that shekel out of the bottome of the sea , or whether by thine almighty word thou mad'st it in an instant in the mouth of that fish , it is neither possible to determine , nor necessary to inquire . i rather adore thine infinite knowledge and power , that couldst make use of unlikeliest means ; that couldst serve thy self of the very fishes of the sea , in a business of earthly and civil imployment . it was not out of need that thou didst this : ( though i do not finde that thou ever affectedst a full purse . ) what veins of gold or mines of silver did not lye open to thy command ? but out of a desire to teach peter , that whiles he would be tributary to caesar , the very fish of the sea was tributary to him . how should this incourage our dependance upon that omnipotent hand of thine , which hath heaven , earth , sea at thy disposing ? still thou art the same for thy members which thou wert for thy self the head. rather then offence shall be given to the world by a seeming neglect of thy dear children , thou wilt cause the very fowls of heaven to bring them meat , and the fish of the sea to bring them money . o let us look up ever to thee by the eye of our faith ; and not be wanting in our dependance upon thee , who canst not be wanting in thy providence over us . lazarus dead . oh the wisdome of god in penning his own story ! the disciple whom jesus loved comes after his fellow-evangelists , that he might glean up those rich ears of history which the rest had passed over . that eagle soars high , and towrs up by degrees . it was much to turn water into wine ; but it was more to seed five thousand with five loaves . it was much to restore the rulers son ; it was more to cure him that had been thirty eight years a cripple . it was much to cure him that was born blind ; it was more to raise up lazarus that had been so long dead . as a stream runs still the stronger and wider , the nearer it comes to the ocean whence it was derived ; so didst thou , o saviour , work the more powerfully , the nearer thou drewest to thy glory . this was , as one of thy last , so of thy greatest miracles ; when thou wert ready to die thy self , thou raisedst him to life who smelt strong of the grave . none of all the sacred histories is so full and punctual as this , in the report of all circumstances . other miracles do not more transcend nature , then this transcends other miracles . this alone was a sufficient eviction of thy godhead , o blessed saviour : none but an infinite power could so farre go beyond nature , as to recal a man four daies dead from , not a mere privation , but a setled corruption . earth must needs be thine , from which thou raisest his body ; heaven must needs be thine , from whence thou fetchest his spirit . none but he that created man , could thus make him new . sickness is the common preface to death ; no mortal nature is exempted from this complains ; even lazarus , whom jesus loved , is sick . what can strength of grace or dearness of respect prevail against disease , against dissolution ? it was a stirring message that mary sent to jesus , he whom thou lovest is sick : as if she would imply , that his part was no-less deep in lazarus then hers . neither doth she say , he that loves thee is sick ; but , he whom thou lovest : not pleading the merit of lazarus his affection to christ , but the mercy and favour of christ to him . even that other reflexion of love had been no weak motive ; for , o lord , thou hast said , because he hath set his love upon me , therefore will i deliver him . thy goodness will not be behinde us for love , who professest to love them that love thee . but yet the argument is more forcible from thy love to us ; since thou hast just reason to respect every thing of thine own , more then ought that can proceed from us . even we weak men , what can we stick at where we love ? thou , o infinite god , art love it self . whatever thou hast done for us is out of thy love : the ground and motive of all thy mercies is within thy self , not in us ; and if there be ought in us worthy of thy love , it is thine own , not ours ; thou givest what thou acceptest . jesus well heard the first groan of his dear lazarus ; every short breath that he drew , every sigh that he gave was upon account : yet this lord of life lets his lazarus sicken , and languish , and die ; not out of neglect or impotence , but out of power and resolution . this sickness is not to death . he to whom the issues of death belong , knows the way both into it and out of it . he meant that sickness should be to death in respect of the present condition , not to death in respect of the event ; to death in the process of nature , not to death in the success of his divine power , that the son of god might be glorified thereby . o saviour , thy usual style is , the son of man ; thou that wouldst take up our infirmities , wert willing thus to hide thy godhead under the course weeds of our humanity : but here thou saist , that the son of god might be glorified . though thou wouldst hide thy divine glory , yet thou wouldst not smother it . sometimes thou wouldst have thy sun break forth in bright gleams , to shew that it hath no less light even whiles it seems kept in by the clouds . thou wert now near thy passion ; it was most seasonable for thee at this time to set forth thy just title . neither w●s this an act that thy humanity could challenge to it self ; but farre transcending all finite powers . to die , was an act of the son of man ; to raise from death , was an act of the son of god. neither didst thou say merely , that god , but , that the son of god might be glorified . god cannot be glorified unless the son be so . in very natural relations , the wrong or disrespect offered to the child reflects upon the father , as contrarily the parents upon the child ; how much more where the love and respect is infinite ? where the whole effence is communicated with the intireness of relation ? o god , in vain shall we tender our devotions to thee indefinitely , as to a glorious and incomprehensible majesty , if we kiss not the son , who hath most justly said , ye believe in the father , believe also in me . what an happy family was this ? i finde none upon earth so much honoured ; jesus loved martha , and her sister , and lazarus . it is no standing upon terms of precedency : the spirit of god is not curious in marshalling of places . time was , when mary was confessed to have chosen the better part ; here martha is named first , as most interessed in christs love : for ought appears all of them were equally dear . christ had familiarly lodged under their roof . how fit was that to receive him , whose in-dwellers were hospital , pious , unanimous ▪ hospital , in the glad entertainment of jesus and his train ; pious , in their devotions ; unanimous , in their mutual concord . as contrarily he bal●s and hates that house which is taken up with uncharitableness , profaneness , contention . but , o saviour , how doth this agree ? thou lovedst this family : yet hearing of their distress , thou heldest off two daies more from them ? canst thou love those thou regardest not ? canst thou regard them from whom thou willingly absentest thy self in their necessity ? behold , thy love as it is above ours , so it is oft against ours . even out of very affection art thou not seldome absent . none of thine but have sometimes cryed , how long , lord ? what need we instance , when thine eternal father did purposely estrange his face from thee , so as thou cryedst out of forsaking ? here thou wouldst knowingly delay , whether for the greatning of the miracle , or for the strengthning of thy disciples faith. hadst thou gone sooner , and prevented the death , who had known whether strength of nature , and not thy miraculous power , had done it ? hadst thou overtaken his death by this quickning visitation , who had known whether this had been only some ●ualm or extasy , and not a perfect dissolution ? now this large gap of time makes thy work both certain and glorious . and what a clear proof was this beforehand to thy disciples , that thou wert able to accomplish thine own resurrection on the third day , who wert able to raise up lazarus on the fourth ? the more difficult the work should be , the more need it had of an omnipotent confirmation . he that was lord of our times and his own , can now , when he found it seasonable , say , let us goe into judaea again . why left he it before ? was it not upon the heady violence of his enemies ? lo , the stones of the jews drove him thence : the love of lazarus and the care of his divine glory drew him back thither . we may , we must be wise as serpents , for our own preservation ; we must be careless of danger when god cals us to the hazard . it is far from god's purpose to give us leave so farre to respect our selves , as that we should neglect him . let judaea be all snares , all crosses ; o saviour , when thou callest us , we must put our lives into our hands , and follow thee thither . this journey thou hast purposed and contrived ; but what needest thou to acquaint thy disciples with thine intent ? where didst thou ever ( besides here ) make them of counsel with thy voyages ? neither didst thou say , how think you if i goe ? but , let us goe . was it for that thou , who knewest thine own strength , knewest also their weakness ? thou wert resolute , they were timorous : they were sensible enough of their late peril , and fearful of more ; there was need to fore-arm them with an exspectation of the worst , and preparation for it . surprisal with evils may indanger the best constancy . the heart is apt to fail , when it findes it self intrapped in a suddain mischief . the disciples were dearly affected to lazarus ; they had learned to love where their master loved : yet now when our saviour speaks of returning to that region of peril , they pull him by the sleeve , and put him in minde of the violence offered unto him ; master , the jews of late sought to stone thee , and goest thou thither again ? no less then thrice in the fore going chapter did the jews lift up their hands to murder him by a cruel lapidation . whence was this rage and bloody attempt of theirs ? onely for that he taught them the truth concerning his divine nature , and gave himself the just style of the son of god. how subject carnal hearts are to be impatient of heavenly verityes ? nothing can so much fret that malignant spirit which rules in those breasts , as that christ should have his own . if we be persecuted for his truth , we do but suffer with him with whom we shall once reign . however the disciples pleaded for their masters safety , yet they aimed at their own ; they well knew their danger was inwrapped in his . it is but a cleanly colour that they put upon their own fear . this is held but a weak and base passion ; each one would be glad to put off the opinion of it from himself , and to set the best face upon his own impotency . thus white-livered men that shrink and shift from the cross , will not want fair pretences to evade it . one pleads the peril of many dependants ; another the disfurnishing the church of succeeding abettors : each will have some plausible excuse for his sound skin . what errour did not our saviour rectifie in his followers ? even that fear which they would have dissembled , is graciously dispelled by the just consideration of a sure and inevitable providence . are there not twelve hours in the day , which are duely set and proceed regularly for the direction of all the motions and actions of men ? so in this course of mine which i must run on earth , there is a set and determined time wherein i must work , and doe my fathers will. the sun that guides these houres is the determinate counsel of my father , and his calling to the execution of my charge : whiles i follow that , i cannot miscarry , no more then a man can miss his known way at high noon : this while , in vain are either your disswasions or the attempts of enemies ; they cannot hurt , ye cannot divert me . the journey then holds to judaea ; his attendants shall be made acquainted with the occasion . he that had formerly denied the deadliness of lazarus his sickness , would not suddenly confess his death ; neither yet would he altogether conceal it : so will he therefore confess it , as that he will shadow it out in a borrowed expression ; lazarus our friend sleepeth . what a sweet title is here both of death , and of lazarus ? death is a sleep ; lazarus is our friend . lo , he saies not , my friend , but ours ; to draw them first into a gracious familiarity and communion of friendship with himself : for what doth this import but , ye are my friends , and lazarus is both my friend and yours ? our friend . oh meek and merciful saviour , that disdainest not to stoop so low , as that whiles thou thoughtest it no robbery to be equall unto god , thou thoughtest it no disparagement to match thy self with weak and wretched men ! our friend lazarus . there is a kinde of parity in friendship . there may be love where is the most inequality ; but friendship supposes pairs : yet the son of god saies of the sons of men , our friend lazarus . oh what an high and happy condition is this for mortal men to aspire unto , that the god of heaven should not be ashamed to own them for friends ! neither saith he now abruptly , lazarus our friend is dead ; but , lazarus our friend sleepeth . o saviour , none can know the estate of life or death so well as thou that art the lord of both . it is enough that thou tellest us death is no other then sleep : that which was wont to pass for the cozen of death , is now it self . all this while we have mistaken the case of our dissolution : we took it for an enemy , it proves a friend ; there is pleasure in that wherein we supposed horror . who is affraid after the weary toiles of the day , to take his rest by night ? or what is more refreshing to the spent traveller then a sweet sleep ? it is our infidelity , our impreparation that makes death any other then advantage . even so , lord , when thou seest i have toiled enough , let me sleep in peace : and when thou seest i have slept enough , awake me , as thou didst thy lazarus ; but i goe to awake him . thou saidst not , let us goe to awake him : those whom thou wilt allow companions of thy way , thou wilt not allow partners of thy work ; they may be witnesses , they cannot be actors . none can awake lazarus out of this sleep but he that made lazarus . every mouse or gnat can raise us up from that other sleep ; none but an omnipotent power from this . this sleep is not without a dissolution . who can command the soul to come down and meet the body , or command the body to piece with it self and rise up to the soul , but the god that created both ? it is our comfort and assurance ( o lord ) against the terrors of death and tenacity of the grave , that our resurrection depends upon none but thine omnipotence . who can blame the disciples if they were loath to return to judaea ? their last entertainment was such as might justly dishearten them . were this ( as literally taken ) all the reason of our saviours purpose of so perilous a voyage , they argued not amiss , if he sleep , he shall doe well . sleep in sickness is a good sign of recovery . for extremity of pain barres our rest : when nature therefore finds so much respiration , she justly hopes for better terms . yet it doth not alwaies follow , if he sleep , he shall doe well : how many have dyed in lethargies ? how many have lost in sleep what they would not have forgone waking ? adam slept and lost his rib ; sampson slept and lost 〈◊〉 strength ; saul slept and lost his weapon ; ishbosheth and holofe●●● slept and lost their heads . in ordinary course it holds well ; here they mistook and erred . the misconstruction of the words of christ led them into an unseasonable and erroneous suggestion . nothing can be more dangerous then to take the speeches of christ according to the sound of the letter : one errour will be sure to draw on more ; and if the first be never so slight the last may be important . wherefore are words but to express meanings ? why do we speak but to be understood ? since then our saviour saw himself not rightly construed , he delivers himself planly , lazarus is dead . such is thy manner , o thou eternal word of thy father , in all thy sacred expressions . thine own mouth is thy best commentary : what thou hast more obscurely said in one passage , thou interpretest more clearly in another . thou art the sun , which givest us that light whereby we see thy self . but how modestly dost thou discover thy deity to thy disciples ? not upon the first mention of lazarus his death , instantly professing thy power and will of his resuscitation ; but contenting thy self only to intimate thy omniscience , in that thou couldst in that absence and distance know and report his departure , they shall gather the rest , and cannot chuse but think , we serve a master that knows all things , and he that knows all things can doe all things . the absence of our saviour from the death-bed of lazarus was not casual , but voluntary ; yea , he is not only willing with it , but glad of it ; i am glad for your sakes that i was not there . how contrary may the affections of christ and ours be , and yet be both good ? the two worthy sisters were much grieved at our saviours absence , as doubting it might savour of some neglect ; christ was glad of it , for the advantage of his disciples faith. i cannot blame them that they were thus sorry ; i cannot but bless him that he was thus glad . the gain of their faith in so divine a miracle was more then could be countervailed by their momentany sorrow . god and we are not alike affected with the same events ; he laughs where we mourn , he is angry where we are pleased . the difference of the affections arises from the difference of the objects , which christ and they apprehend in the same occurrence . why are the sisters sorrowful ? because upon christ absence lazarus died . why was jesus glad he was not there ? for the benefit which he saw would accrew to their faith. there is much variety of prospect in every act , according to the several intentions and issues thereof , yea even in the very same eyes . the father sees his son combating in a duel for his country ; he sees blows and wounds on the one side , he sees renown and victory on the other : he grieves at the wounds , he rejoyces in the honour . thus doth god in all our afflictions : he sees our teares , and hears our groans , and pities us ; but withall he looks upon our patience , our faith , our crown , and is glad that we are afflicted . o god , why should not we conform our diet unto thine ? when we ly in pain and extremity , we cannot but droop under it ; but do we finde our selves increased in true mortification , in patience , in hope , in a constant relyance on thy mercies ? why are we not more joyed in this then dejected with the other ? since the least grain of the increase of grace is more worth then can be equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation . o strange consequence ! lazarus is dead ; nevertheless , let us goe unto him . must they not needs think , what should we doe with a dead man ? what should separate , if death cannot ? even those whom we loved dearliest , we avoid once dead ; now we lay them aside under the board , and thence send them out of our houses to their grave . neither hath death more horrour in it then noisomeness ; and if we could intreat our eyes to endure the horrid aspect of death in the face we loved , yet can we perswade our sent to like that smell 〈◊〉 arises up from their corruption ? oh love stronger then death ! behold here a friend whom the very grave cannot sever . even those that write the longest and most passionate dates of their amity , subscribe but , your friend till death ; and if the ordinary strain of humane friendship will stretch yet a little further , it is but to the brim of the grave : thither a friend may follow us , and see us bestowed in this house of our age ; but there he leaves us to our worms and dust . but for thee , o saviour , the grave-stone , the earth , the coffin are no bounders of thy dear respects ; even after death , and burial , and corruption thou art graciously affected to those thou lovest . besides the soul ( whereof thou saiest not , let us goe to it , but , let it come to us ) there is still a gracious regard to that dust which was and shall be a part of an undoubted member of that mystical body whereof thou art the head. heaven and earth yields no such friend but thy self . o make me ever ambitious of this love of thine ; and ever unquiet till i feel my self possessed of thee . in the mouth of a mere man this word had been incongruous , lazarus is dead , yet let us goe to him ; in thine , o almighty saviour , it was not more loving then seasonable ; since i may justly say of thee , thou hast more to doe with the dead then with the living : for , both they are infinitely more , and have more inward communion with thee , and thou with them . death cannot hinder either our passage to thee , or thy return to us . i joy to think the time is coming , when thou shalt come to every of our graves , and call us up out of our dust , and we shall hear thy voice , and live . lazarus raised . great was the opinion that these devout sisters had of the power of christ : as if death durst not shew her face to him , they suppose his presence had prevented their brothers dissolution . and now the news of his approach begins to quicken some late hopes in them . martha was ever the more active : she that was before so busily stirring in her house to entertain jesus , was now as nimble to goe forth of her house to meet him ; she in whose face joy had wont to smile upon so blessed a guest , now salutes him with the sighs and teares and blubbers and wrings of a disconsolate mourner . i know not whether the speeches of her greeting had in them more sorrow or religion . she had been well catechized before ; even she also had sat at jesus his feet ; and can now give good account of her faith in the power and godhead of christ , in the certainty of a future resurrection . this conference hath yet taught her more , and raised her heart to an expectation of some wonderful effect . and now she stands not still , but hastes back into the village to her sister ; carried thither by the two wings of her own hopes and her saviours commands . the time was , when she would have called off her sister from the feet of that divine master , to attend the houshold occasions ; now she runs to fetch her out of the house to the feet of christ . doubtless martha was much affected with the presence of christ ; and as she was overjoyed with it her self , so she knew how equally welcome it would be to her sister : yet she doth not ring it out aloud in the open hall , but secretly whispers this pleasing tidings in her sisters eare , the master is come and calleth for thee . whether out of modesty , or discretion . it is not fit for a woman to be loud and clamorous : nothing beseems that sex better then silence and bashfulness ; as not to be too much seen , so not to be heard too farre . neither did modesty more charm her tongue then discretion ; whether in respect to the guests , or to christ himself . had those guests heard of christs being there , they had either out of fear or prejudice withdrawn themselves from him ; neither durst they have been witnesses of that wonderful miracle , as being over-awed with that jewish edict which was out against him : or perhaps they had withheld the sisters from going to him , against whom they knew how highly their governors were incensed . neither was she ignorant of the danger of his own person , so lately before assaulted violently by his enemies at jerusalem : she knew they were within the smoak of that bloody city , the nest of his enemies ; she holds it not therefore fit to make open proclamation of christs presence , but rounds her sister secretly in the eare . christianity doth not bid us abate any thing of our wariness and honest policies ; yea it requires us to have no less of the serpent then of the dove . there is a time when we must preach christ on the house-top ; there is a time when we must speak him in the eare , and ( as it were ) with our lips shut . secrecy hath no less use then divulgation . she said enough , the master is come , and calleth for thee . what an happy word was this which was here spoken ? what an high favour is this that is done ; that the lord of life should personally come and call for mary ? yet such as is not appropriated to her . thou comest to us still , o saviour , if not in thy bodily presence , yet in thy spiritual ; thou callest us still , if not in thy personall voice , yet in thine ordinances . it is our fault , if we doe not as this good woman , arise quickly , and come to thee . her friends were there about her , who came purposely to condole with her ; her heart was full of heaviness : yet so soon as she hears mention of christ , she forgets friends , brother , grief , cares , thoughts , and hasts to his presence . still was jesus standing in the place where martha left him . whether it be noted to express marie's speed , or his own wise and gratious resolutions ; his presence in the village had perhaps invited danger , and set off the intended witnesses of the work : or it may be to set forth his zealous desire to dispatch the errand he came for ; that as abraham's faithful servant would not receive any curtesie from the house of bethuel , till he had done his masters business concerning rebeccah , so thou , o saviour , wouldst not so much as enter into the house of these two sisters in bethany , till thou hadst effected this glorious work which occasioned thee thither . it was thy meat and drink to doe the will of thy father ; thy best entertainment was within thy self . how do we follow thee , if we suffer either pleasures or profits to take the wall of thy services ? so good women were well worthy of kinde friends . no doubt bethany , being not two miles distant from jerusalem , could not but be furnished with good acquaintance from the city : these knowing the dearness , and hearing of the death of lazarus , came over to comfort the sad sisters . charity together with the common practice of that nation calls them to this duty . all our distresses exspect these good offices from those that love us ; but of all others death , as that which is the extremest of evils , and makes the most fearful havock in families , cities , kingdomes , worlds . the complaint was grievous , i look'd for some to comfort me , but there was none . it is some kinde of ease to sorrow , to have partners ; as a burden is lightned by many shoulders ; or as clouds scattered into many drops , easily vent their moisture into aire . yea the very presence of friends abates grief . the peril that arises to the heart from passion is the fixedness of it , when , like a corrosiving plaister , it eates in into the sore . some kinde of remedy it is , that it may breathe out in good society . these friendly neighbours seeing mary hasten forth , make haste to follow her . martha went forth before ; i saw none goe after her : mary stirs ; they are at her heels . was it for that martha being the elder sister , and the huswife of the family , might stirre about with less observation ? or was it that mary was the more passionate , and needed the more heedy attendance ? however their care and intentiveness is truely commendable ; they came to comfort her , they doe what they came for . it contents them not to sit still and chat within doores , but they wait on her at all turns . perturbations of minde are diseases : good keepers do not only tend the patient in bed , but when he sits up , when he tries to walk ; all his motions have their careful assistance . we are no true friends , if our endeavours of the redress of distempers in them we love be not assiduous and unweariable . it was but a loving suspicion , she is gone to the grave to weep there . they well knew how apt passionate mindes are to take all occasions to renew their sorrow ; every object affects them . when she saw but the chamber of her dead brother , straight she thinks , there lazarus was wont to lye , and then she wept afresh ; when the table , there lazarus was wont to sit , and then new teares arise ; when the garden , there lazarus had wont to walk , and now again she weeps . how much more do these friends suppose the passions would be stirred with the sight of the grave , when she must needs think , there is lazarus ? o saviour , if the place of the very dead corps of our friend have power to draw our hearts thither , and to affect us more deeply ; how should our hearts be drawn to and affected with heaven , where thou sittest at the right hand of thy father ? there ( o thou which wert dead and art alive ) is thy body and thy soul present , and united to thy glorious deity . thither , o thither let our access be ; not to mourn there , ( where is no place for sorrow ) but to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious , and more and more to long for that thy beatifical presence . their indulgent love mistook marie's errand ; their thoughts ( how kind soever ) were much too low : whiles they supposed she went to a dead brother , she went to a living saviour . the world hath other conceits of the actions and carriage of the regenerate then are truely intended , setting such constructions upon them as their own carnal reason suggests : they think them dying , when behold they live ; sorrowful , when they are alwaies rejoycing ; poor , whiles they make many rich . how justly do we appeal from them as incompetent judges , and pity those misinterpretations which we cannot avoid ? both the sisters met christ ; not both in one posture : mary is still noted as for more passion , so for more devotion ; she that before sate at the feet of jesus , now falls at his feet . that presence had wont to be familiar to her , and not without some outward homeliness ; now it fetches her upon her knees , in an awful veneration : whether out of a reverend acknowledgment of the secret excellency and power of christ ; or out of a dumb intimation of that suit concerning her dead brother , which she was afraid to utter . the very gesture it self was supplicatory . what position of body can be so fit for us , when we make our address to our saviour ? it is an irreligious unmannerliness for us to goe less . where the heart is affected with an awful acknowledgement of majesty , the body cannot but bow . even before all her neighbours of jerusalem doth mary thus fall down at the feet of jesus ; so many witnesses as she had , so many spies she had of that forbidden observance . it was no less then excommunication for any body to confess him : yet good mary , not fearing the informations that might be given by those jewish gossips , adores him ; and in her silent gesture saies , as much as her sister had spoken before , thou art the christ , the son of god. those that would give christ his right , must not stand upon scrupulous fears . are we naturally timorous ? why do we not fear the denial , the exclusion of the almighty ? without shall be the fearfull . her humble prostration is seconded by a lamentable complaint ; lord , if thou hadst been here , my brother had not died . the sisters are both in one mind , both in one speech ; and both of them in one speech bewray both strength and infirmity : strength of faith , in ascribing so much power to christ , that his presence could preserve from death ; infirmity , in supposing the necessity of a presence for this purpose . why , mary , could not thine omnipotent saviour as well in absence have commanded lazarus to live ? is his hand so short , that he can doe nothing but by contaction ? if his power were finite , how could he have forbidden the seizure of death ? if infinite , how could it be limited to place , or hindered by distance ? it is a weakness of faith to measure success by means , and means by presence , and to tye effects to both , when we deal with an almighty agent . finite causes work within their own sphere ; all places are equally near , and all effects equally easie to the infinite . o saviour , whiles thou now sittest gloriously in heaven , thou dost no less impart thy self unto us then if thou stoodst visibly by us , then if we stood locally by thee : no place can make difference of thy virtue and aid . this was mary's moan ; no motion , no request sounded from her to her saviour . her silent suit is returned with a mute answer ; no notice is taken of her error . oh that marvellous mercy that connives at our faulty infirmities ! all the reply that i hear of is , a compassionate groan within himself . o blessed jesu , thou that wert free from all sin , wouldst not be free from strong affections . wisdome and holiness should want much work , if even vehement passions might not be quitted from offence . mary wept ; her tears drew on tears from her friends ; all their tears united drew groans from thee . even in thine heaven thou dost no less pity our sorrows : thy glory is free from groans , but abounds with compassion and mercy : if we be not sparing of our tears , thou canst not be insensible of our sorrows . how shall we imitate thee , if , like our looking-glass , we do not answer tears , and weep on them that weep upon us ? lord , thou knewest ( in absence ) that lazarus was dead , and dost thou not know where he was buried ? surely thou wert further off when thou sawst and reportedst his death , then thou wert from the grave thou inquiredst of ; thou that knewest all things , yet askest what thou knowest , where have ye laid him ? not out of need , but out of will : that as in thy sorrow , so in thy question thou mightest depress thy self in the opinion of the beholders for the time , that the glory of thine instant miracle might be the greater , the less it was exspected . it had been all one to thy omnipotence to have made a new lazarus out of nothing ; or in that remoteness to have commanded lazarus , wheresoever he was , to come forth : but thou wert neither willing to work more miracle then was requisite , nor yet unwilling to fix the minds of the people upon the exspectation of some marvellous thing that thou meantest to work ; and therefore askest , where have you laid him ? they are not more glad of the question , then ready for the answer ; come and see . it was the manner of the jews , as likewise of those egyptians among whom they had sojourned , to lay up the dead bodies of their friends with great respect ; more cost was wont to be bestowed on some of their graves then on their houses : as neither ashamed then , nor unwilling to shew the decency of their sepulture , they say , come and see . more was hoped for from christ then a mere view ; they meant and exspected that his eye should draw him on to some further action . o saviour , whiles we desire our spiritual resuscitation , how should we labour to bring thee to our grave ? how should we lay open our deadness before thee , and bewray to thee our impotence and senselesness ? come , lord , and see what a miserable carkass i am ; and by the power of thy mercy raise me from the state of my corruption . never was our saviour more submisly dejected then now immediately before he would approve and exalt the majesty of his godhead . to his groans and inward grief he adds his tears . anone they shall confess him a god ; these expressions of passions shall onwards evince him to be a man. the jews construe this well , see how he loved him . never did any thing but love fetch tears from christ . but they do foully misconstrue christ in the other ; could not he that opened the eyes of him that was born blinde , have caused that even this man should not have died ? yes , know ye , o vain and importune questionists , that he could have done it with ease . to open the eyes of a man born blind was more then to keep a sick man from dying : this were but to uphold and maintain nature from decaying ; that were to create a new sense , and to restore a deficiency in nature . to make an eye was no whit less difficult then to make a man : he that could doe the greater might well have done the less . ye shall soon see this was not for want of power . had ye said , why would he not ? why did he not ? the question had been fairer , and the answer no less easie ; for his own greater glory . little do ye know the drift whether of god's acts , or delaies ; and ye know as much as you are worthy . let it be sufficient for you to understand that he who can doe all things , will doe that which shall be most for his own honour . it is not improbable that jesus , who before groaned in himself for compassion of their tears , now groaned for their incredulity . nothing could so much afflict the saviour of men as the sins of men . could their external wrongs to his body have been separated from offence against his divine person , their scornful indignities had not so much affected him . no injury goes so deep as our spiritual provocations of our god. wretched men ! why should we grieve the good spirit of god in us ? why should we make him groan for us that died to redeem us ? with these groans , o saviour , thou camest to the grave of lazarus . the door of that house of death was strong and impenetrable . thy first word was , take away the stone . oh weak beginning of a mighty miracle ! if thou meantest to raise the dead , how much more easie had it been for thee to remove the grave-stone ? one grain of faith in thy very disciples was enough to remove mountains ; and dost thou say , take away the stone ? i wis , there was a greater weight that lay upon the body of lazarus then the stone of his tomb ; the weight of death and corruption : a thousand rocks and hils were not so heavy a load as this alone : why then dost thou stick at this shovel-full ? yea , how easie had it been for thee to have brought up the body of lazarus through the stone , by causing that marble to give way by a sudden rarefaction ? but thou thoughtest best to make use of their hands rather : whether for their own more full conviction ; for had the stone been taken away by thy followers , and lazarus thereupon walked forth , this might have appeared to thy malignant enemies to have been a set match betwixt thee , the disciples and lazarus : or whether for the exercise of our faith , that thou mightest teach us to trust thee under contrary appearances . thy command to remove the stone seemed to argue an impotence ; straight that seeming weakness breaks forth into an act of omnipotent power . the homeliest shows of thine humane infirmity are ever seconded with some mighty proofs of thy godhead ; and thy miracle is so much more wondred at , by how much it was less exspected . it was ever thy just will that we should doe what we may . to remove the stone or to untie the napkin was in their power ; this they must doe : to raise the dead was out of their power ; this therefore thou wilt doe alone . our hands must doe their utmost , ere thou wilt put to thine . o saviour , we are all dead and buried in the grave of our sinfull nature . the stone of obstination must be taken away from our hearts , ere we can hear thy reviving voice : we can no more remove this stone then dead lazarus could remove his ; we can adde more weight to our graves . o let thy faithful agents by the power of thy law , and the grace of thy gospel take off the stone , that thy voice may enter into the grave of miserable corruption . was it a modest kinde of mannerliness in martha , that she would not have christ annoyed with the ill sent of that stale carcass ? or was it out of distrust of reparation , since her brother had passed all the degrees of corruption , that she saies , lord , by this time he stinketh , for he hath been dead four daies ? he that understood hearts , found somewhat amiss in that intimation ; his answer had not endeavored to rectifie that which was utterly faultless . i fear the good woman meant to object this as a likely obstacle to any further purposes or proceedings of christ . weak faith is still apt to lay blocks of difficulties in the way of the great works of god. four days were enough to make any corps noisome . death it self is not unsavory ; immediately upon dissolution the body retains the wonted sweetness : it is the continuance under death that is thus offensive . neither is it otherwise in our spiritual condition : the longer we lie under our sin , the more rotten and corrupt we are . he who upon the fresh commission of his sin recovers himself by a speedy repentance , yields no ill sent to the nostrils of the almighty . the candle that is presently blown in again offends not ; it is the snuffe which continues choaked with its own moisture that sends up unwholsome and odious fumes . o saviour , thou wouldst yield to death , thou wouldst not yield to corruption : ere the fourth day thou wert risen again . i cannot but receive many deadly foils ; but oh , do thou raise me up again ere i shall pass the degrees of rottenness in my sins and trespasses . they that laid their hands to the stone doubtless held now still awhile , and looked one while on christ , another while upon martha , to hear what issue of resolution would follow upon so important an objection : when they finde a light touch of taxation to martha , said not i to thee , that if thou wouldst believe , thou shouldst see the glory of god ? that holy woman had before professed her belief , as christ had professed his great intentions ; both were now forgotten : and now our saviour is fain to revive both her memory and faith ; said not i to thee ? the best of all saints are subject to fits of unbelief and oblivion ; the onely remedy whereof must be the inculcation of gods merciful promises of their relief and supportation . o god , if thou hast said it , i dare believe ; i dare cast my soul upon the belief of every word of thine . faithfull art thou which hast promised , who wilt also doe it . in spight of all the unjust discouragements of nature we must obey christ's command . whatever martha suggests , they remove the stone , and may now see and smell him dead , whom they shall soon see revived . the sent of the corps is not so unpleasing to them , as the perfume of their obedience is sweet to christ . and now when all impediments are removed , and all hearts ready for the work , our saviour addresses to the miracle . his eyes begin ; they are lift up to heaven . it was the malicious mis-suggestion of his enemies , that he lookt down to beelzebub : the beholders shall now see whence he exspects and derives his power ; and shall by him learn whence to exspect and hope for all success . the heart and the eye must goe together : he that would have ought to doe with god , must be sequestred and lifted up from earth . his tongue seconds his eye ; father . nothing more stuck in the stomack of the jews , then that christ called himself the son of god ; this was imputed to him for a blasphemy , worthy of stones . how seasonably is this word spoken in the hearing of these jews , in whose sight he will be presently approved so ? how can ye now , o ye cavillers , except at that title which ye shall see irrefragably justified ? well may he call god father , that can raise the dead out of the grave . in vain shall ye snarle at the style , when ye are convinced of the effect . i hear of no prayer , but a thanks for hearing . whiles thou saidst nothing , o saviour , how doth thy father hear thee ? was it not with thy father and thee , as it was with thee and moses ? thou saidst , let me alone moses , when he spake not . thy will was thy prayer . words express our hearts to men , thoughts to god. well didst thou know , out of the self-fameness of thy will with thy fathers , that if thou didst but think in thine heart that lazarus should rise , he was now raised . it was not for thee to pray vocally and audibly , lest those captious hearers should say , thou didst all by intreaty , nothing by power . thy thanks overtake thy desires ; ours require time and distance : our thanks arise from the echo of our prayers resounding from heaven to our hearts ; thou , because thou art at once in earth and heaven , and knowst the grant to be of equal paces with the request , most justly thankest in praying . now ye cavilling jews are thinking straight , is there such distance betwixt the father and the son ? is it so rare a thing for the son to be heard , that he pours out his thanks for it as a blessing unusual ? do ye not now see that he who made your heart , knows it , and anticipates your fond thoughts with the same breath ? i knew that thou hearest me alwaies ; but i said this for their sakes , that they might believe . merciful saviour , how can we enough admire thy goodness , who makest our belief the scope and drift of thy doctrine and actions ! alas , what wert thou the better if they believed thee sent from god ? what wert thou the worse if they believed it not ? thy perfection and glory stands not upon the slippery terms of our approbation or dislike ; but is real in thy self , and that infinite , without possibility of our increase or diminution . we , we onely are they that have either the gain or loss in thy receit or rejection : yet so dost thou affect our belief , as if it were more thine advantage then ours . o saviour , whiles thou spak'st to thy father , thou liftedst up thine eyes ; now thou art to speak unto dead lazarus , thou liftedst up thy voice , and criedst aloud , lazarus , come forth . was it that the strength of the voice might answer to the strength of the affection ? since we faintly require what we care not to obtain , and vehemently utter what we earnestly desire . was it that the greatness of the voice might answer to the greatness of the work ? was it that the hearers might be witnesses of what words were used in so miraculous an act ; no magical incantations , but authoritative and divine commands ? was it to signifie that lazarus his soule was called from farre ? the speech must be loud that shall be heard in another world . was it in relation to the estate of the body of lazarus , whom thou hadst reported to sleep ; since those that are in a deep and dead sleep cannot be awaked without a loud call ? or was it in a representation of that loud voice of the last trumpet , which shall sound into all graves , and raise all flesh from their dust ? even so still , lord , when thou wouldst raise a soul from the death of sin and grave of corruption , no easie voice will serve . thy strongest commands , thy loudest denunciations of judgements , the shrillest and sweetest promulgations of thy mercies , are but enough . how familiar a word is this , lazarus , come forth ? no other then he was wont to use whiles they lived together . neither doth he say , lazarus , revive ; but , as if he supposed him already living , lazarus , come forth : to let them know , that those who are dead to us , are to and with him alive ; yea in a more entire and feeling society , then whiles they carried their clay about them . why do i fear that separation which shall more unite me to my saviour ? neither was the word more familiar then commanding , lazarus , come forth , here is no suit to his father , no adjuration to the deceased , but a flat and absolute injunction , come forth . o saviour , that is the voice that i shall once hear sounding into the bottome of my grave , and raising me up out of my dust ; that is the voice that shall pierce the rocks , and divide the mountains , and fetch up the dead out of the lowest deeps . thy word made all ; thy word shall repair all . hence , all ye diffident fears ; he whom i trust is omnipotent . it was the jewish fashion to enwrap the corps in linen , to tye the hands and feet , and to cover the face of the dead . the fall of man ( besides weakness ) brought shame upon him ; ever since , even whiles he lives , the whole body is covered ; but the face , because some sparks of that extinct majesty remain there , is wont to be left open . in death ( all those poor remainders being gone , and leaving deformity and gastliness in the room of them ) the face is covered also . there lies lazarus bound in double fetters : one almighty word hath loosed both ; and now he that was bound came forth . he whose power could not be hindred by the chains of death , cannot be hindred by linen bonds : he that gave life , gave motion , gave direction : he that guided the soul of lazarus into the body , guided the body of lazarus without his eyes , moved the feet without the full liberty of his regular paces : no doubt the same power slackned those swathing-bands of death , that the feet might have some little scope to move , though not with that freedome that followed after . thou didst not onely , o saviour , raise the body of lazarus , but the faith of the beholders . they cannot deny him dead , whom they saw rising ; they see the signes of death , with the proofs of life . those very swathes convinced him to be the man that was raised . thy less miracle confirms the greater ; both confirm the faith of the beholders . o clear and irrefragable example of our resuscitation ! say now , ye shameless sadducees , with what face can ye deny the resurrection of the body , when ye see lazarus after four-days death rising up out of his grave ? and if lazarus did thus start up at the bleating of this lamb of god , that was now every day preparing for the slaughter-house ; how shall the dead be rouzed up out of their graves by the roaring of that glorious and immortal lion , whose voice shall shake the powers of heaven , and move the very foundations of the earth ? with what strange amazedness do we think that martha and mary , the jews and the disciples lookt to see lazarus come forth in his winding-sheet , shackled with his linen fetters , and walk towards them ? doubtless fear and horrour strove in them , whether should be for the time more predominant . we love our friends dearly ; but to see them again after their known death , and that in the very robes of the grave , must needs set up the hair in a kinde of uncouth rigour . and now , though it had been most easie for him that brake the adamantine fetters of death , to have broke in pieces those linen ligaments wherewith his raised lazarus was encumbred ; yet he will not doe it but by their hands . he that said , remove the stone , said , loose lazarus . he will not have us exspect his immediate help in that we can doe for our selves . it is both a laziness , and a presumptuous tempting of god , to look for and extraordinary and supernatural help from god , where he hath inabled us with common aid . what strange salutations do we think there were betwixt lazarus and christ that had raised him ; betwixt lazarus and his sisters and neighbors and friends ? what amazed looks ? what unusual complements ? for lazarus was himself at once : here was no leisure of degrees to reduce him to his wonted perfection ; neither did he stay to rub his eyes , and stretch his benummed lims , nor take time to put off that dead sleep wherewith he had been seized ; but instantly he is both alive , and fresh , and vigorous : if they do but let him goe , he walks so as if he had ailed nothing , and receives and gives mutual gratulations . i leave them entertaining each other with glad embraces , with discourses of reciprocal admiration , with praises and adorations of that god and saviour that had fetched him into life . christ's procession to the temple . never did our saviour take so much state upon him as now that he was going towards his passion : other journies he measured on foot , without noise or train ; this with a princely equipage and loud acclamation . wherein yet , o saviour , whether shall i more wonder at thy majesty , or thine humility ; that divine majesty which lay hid under so humble appearance , or that sincere humility which veiled so great a glory ? thou , o lord , whose chariots are twenty thousand , even thousands of angels , wouldst make choice of the silliest of beasts to carry thee in thy last and royal progress . how well is thy birth suited with thy triumph ? even that very ass whereon thou rodest was prophesied of ; neither couldst thou have made up those vaticall predictions without this conveyance . o glorious , and yet homely pomp ! thou wouldst not lose ought of thy right ; thou that wast a king , wouldst be proclaimed so : but that it might appear thy kingdome was not of this world , thou that couldst have commanded all worldly magnificence , thoughtest fit to abandon it . in stead of the kings of the earth , who reigning by thee might have been imployed in thine attendance , the people are thine heralds ; their homely garments are thy foot-cloth and carpets ; their green boughs the strewings of thy way ; those palms which were wont to be born in the hands of them that triumph , are strewed under the feet of thy beast . it was thy greatness and honour to contemn those glories which worldly hearts were wont to admire . justly did thy followers hold the best ornaments of the earth worthy of no better then thy treading upon ; neither could they ever account their garments so rich , as when they had been trampled upon by thy carriage . how happily did they think their backs disrobed for thy way ? how gladly did they spend their breath in acclaming thee ? hosanna to the son of david : blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord. where now are the great masters of the synagogue , that had enacted the ejection of whosoever should confess jesus to be the christ ? lo here bold and undaunted clients of the messiah , that dare proclaim him in the publick road , in the open streets . in vain shall the impotent enemies of christ hope to suppress his glory : as soon shall they with their hand hide the face of the sun from shining to the world , as withhold the beams of his divine truth from the eyes of men by their envious opposition . in spight of all jewish malignity , his kingdome is confessed , applauded , blessed . o thou fairer then the children of men , in thy majesty ride on prosperously , because of truth and meekness and righteousness : and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things . in this princely ( and yet poor and despicable ) pomp doth our saviour enter into the famous city of jerusalem ; jerusalem noted of old for the seat of kings , priests , prophets : of kings , for there was the throne of david ; of priests , for there was the temple ; of prophets , for there they delivered their errands , and left their blood . neither know i whether it were more wonder for a prophet to perish out of jerusalem , or to be safe there . thither would jesus come as a king , as a priest , as a prophet : acclamed as a king ; teaching the people , and foretelling the wofull vastation of it , as a prophet ; and as a priest taking possession of his temple , and vindicating it from the foul profanations of jewish sacriledge . oft before had he come to jerusalem without any remarkable change , because without any semblance of state ; now that he gives some little glimpse of his royalty , the whole city was moved . when the sages of the east brought the first news of the king of the jewes , herod was troubled and all jerusalem with him ; and now that the king of the jews comes himself ( though in so mean a port ) there is a new commotion . the silence and obscurity of christ never troubles the world ; he may be an underling without any stir : but if he do but put forth himself never so little to bear the least sway amongst men , now their blood is up ; the whole city is moved . neither is it otherwise in the private oeconomy of the soul. o saviour , whiles thou dost , as it were , hide thy self , and lye still in the heart , and takest all termes contentedly from us , we entertain thee with no other then a friendly welcome ; but when thou once beginnest to ruffle with our corruptions , and to exercise thy spiritual power in the subjugation of our vile affections , now all is in a secret uprore , all the angles of the heart are moved . although , doubtless , this commotion was not so much of tumult , as of wonder . as when some uncouth sight presents it self in a populous street , men run , and gaze , and throng , and inquire ; the feet , the tongue , the eyes walk ; one spectator draws on another , one asks and presses another ; the noise increases with the concourse , each helps to stir up others exspectation : such was this of jerusalem . what meanes this strangeness ? was not jerusalem the spouse of christ ? had he not chosen her out of all the earth ? had he not begotten many children of her , as the pledges of their love ? how justly maiest thou now , o saviour , complain with that mirrour of patience , my breath was grown strange to my own wife , though i intreated her for the childrens sake of my own body ? even of thee is that fulfilled , which thy chosen vessel said of thy ministers , thou art made a gazing-stock to the world , to angels , and to men . as all the world was bound to thee for thy incarnation and residence upon the face of the earth , so especially judaea , to whose limits thou confinedst thy self ; and therein , above all the rest , three cities , nazaret , capernaum , jerusalem , on whom thou bestowedst the most time , and cost of preaching , and miraculous works . yet in all three thou receivedst not strange entertainment only , but hostile . in nazaret they would have cast thee down headlong from the mount : in capernaum they would have bound thee : in jerusalem they crucified thee at last , and now are amazed at thy presence . those places and persons that have the greatest helps and priviledges afforded to them , are not alwaies the most answerable in the return of their thankfulness . christs being amongst us doth not make us happy , but his welcome . every day may we hear him in our streets , and yet be as new to seek as these citizens of jerusalem ; who is this ? was it a question of applause , or of contempt , or of ignorance ? applause of his abettors , contempt of the scribes and pharisees , ignorance of the multitude ? surely his abettors had not been moved at this sight ; the scribes and pharisees had rather envied then contemned : the multitude doubtless inquired seriously , out of a desire of information . not that the citizens of jerusalem knew not christ , who was so ordinary a guest , so noted a prophet amongst them . questionless this question was asked of that part of the train which went before this triumph , whiles our saviour was not yet in sight , which ere long his presence had resolved . it had been their duty to have known to have attended christ , yea to have published him to others : since this is not done , it is well yet that they spend their breath in an inquiry . no doubt there were many that would not so much as leave their shop-board , and step to their doors or their windows , to say , who is this ? as not thinking it could concern them who passed by , whiles they might sit still . those greeks were in some way to good , that could say to philip , we would see jesus . o saviour , thou hast been so long amongst us , that it is our just shame if we know thee not . if we have been slack hitherto , let our zealous inquiry make amends for our neglect . let outward pomp and worldly glory draw the hearts and tongues of carnal men after them ; oh let it be my care and happiness to ask after nothing but thee . the attending disciples could not be to seek for an answer ; which of the prophets have not put it into their mouths ? who is this ? ask moses , and he shall tell you , the seed of the woman that shall break the serpents head . ask our father jacob , and he shall tell you , the shiloh of the tribe of judah . ask david , and he shall tell you , the king of glory . ask esay , he shall tell you , immanuel , wonderful , counsellor , the mighty god , the everlasting father , the prince of peace . ask jeremy , and he shall tell you , the righteous branch . ask daniel , he shall tell you , the messiah . ask john the baptist , he shall tell you , the lamb of god. if ye ask the god of the prophets , he hath told you , this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased . yea , if all these be too good for you to consult with , the devils themselves have been forced to say , i know who thou art , even that holy one of god. on no side hath christ left himself without a testimony ; and accordingly the multitude here have their answer ready , this is jesus , the prophet of nazaret in galilee . ye undervalue your master , o ye well-meaning followers of christ : a prophet ? yea , more then a prophet ? john baptist was so , yet was but the harbinger of this messiah . this was that god by whom the prophets were both sent and inspired . of nazaret , say you ? ye mistake him : bethleem was the place of his birth , the proof of his tribe , the evidence of his messiahship . if nazareth were honored by his preaching , there was no reason he should be dishonoured by nazareth . no doubt , he whom you confessed , pardoned the errour of your confession . ye spake but according to the common style : the two disciples in their walk to emmaus , after the death and resurrection of christ , give him no other title . this belief passed current with the people ; and thus high even the vulgar thoughts could then rise : and , no doubt , even thus much was for that time very acceptable to the father of mercies . if we make profession of the truth according to our knowledg , though there be much imperfection in our apprehension and delivery , the mercy of our good god takes it well ; not judging us for what we have not , but accepting us in what we have . shouldst thou , o god , stand strictly upon the punctuall degrees of knowledg , how wide would it goe with millions of souls ? for besides much errour in many , there is more ignorance . but herein do we justly magnifie and adore thy goodness , that where thou findest diligent endeavour of better information matched with an honest simplicity of heart , thou passest by our unwilling defects , and crownest our well-meant confessions . but oh the wonderful hand of god in the carriage of this whole business ! the people proclaimed christ first a king ; and now they proclaim him a prophet . why did not the roman bands run into armes upon the one ? why did not the scribes and pharisees and the envious priesthood mutiny upon the other ? they had made decrees against him , they had laid wait for him ; yet now he passes in state through their streets , acclamed both a king and prophet , without their reluctation . what can we impute this unto , but to the powerful and over-ruling arme of his godhead ? he that restrained the rage of herod and his courtiers upon the first news of a king born , now restrains all the opposite powers of jerusalem from lifting up a finger against this last and publick avouchment of the regal and prophetical office of christ . when flesh and blood have done their worst , they can be but such as he will make them : if the legions of hell combine with the potentates of the earth , they cannot goe beyond the reach of their tether : whether they rise or sit still , they shall by an insensible ordination perform that will of the almighty which they least think of , and most oppose . with this humble pomp and just acclamation , o saviour , dost thou pass through the streets of jerusalem to the temple . thy first walk was not to herod's palace , or to the market-places or burses of that populous city , but to the temple ; whether it were out of duty , or out of need : as a good son when he comes from farr , his first alighting is at his fathers house ; neither would he think it other then preposterous , to visit strangers before his friends , or friends before his father . besides that the temple had more use of thy presence : both there was the most disorder , and from thence , as from a corrupt spring , it issued forth into all the chanels of jerusalem . a wise physician inquires first into the state of the head , heart , liver , stomach , the vital and chief parts , ere he asks after the petty symptoms of the meaner and less-concerning members . surely all good or evil begins at the temple . if god have there his own , if men find there nothing but wholesome instruction , holy example , the commonwealth cannot want some happy tincture of piety , devotion , sanctimony ; as that fragrant perfume from aaron's head sweetens his utmost skirts . contrarily , the distempers of the temple cannot but affect the secular state . as therefore the good husbandman , when he sees the leaves grow yellow , and the branches unthriving , looks presently to the root ; so didst thou , o holy saviour , upon sight of the disorders spread over jerusalem and judaea , address thy self to the rectifying of the temple . no sooner is christ alighted at the gate of the outer court of his fathers house , then he falls to work : reformation was his errand ; that he roundly attempts . that holy ground was profaned by sacrilegious barterings : within the third court of that sacred place was a publick mart held ; here was a throng of buyers and sellers , though not of all commodities , ( the jewes were not so irreligious ) onely of those things which were for the use of sacrifice . the israelites came many of them from far ; it was no less from dan to beersheba then the space of an hundred and threescore miles ; neither could it be without much inconvenience for them to bring their bullocks , sheep , goats , lambs , meal , oyle , and such other holy provision with them up to jerusalem : order was taken by the priests , that these might for money be had close by the altar ; to the ease of the offerer , and the benefit of the seller , and perhaps no disprofit to themselves . the pretence was fair , the practice unsufferable . the great owner of the temple comes to vindicate the reputation and rights of his own house ; and in an indignation at that so foul abuse , layes fiercely about him , and with his three-stringed scourge whips out those sacrilegious chapmen , casts down their tables , throws away their baskets , scatters their heaps , and sends away their customers with smart and horror . with what fear and astonishment did the repining offenders look upon so unexpected a justicer , whiles their conscience lashed them more then those cords , and the terrour of that meek chastiser more affrighted them then his blows ? is this that milde and gentle saviour that came to take upon him our stripes , and to undergoe the chastisements of our peace ? is this that quiet lamb , which before his shearers openeth not his mouth ? see now how his eyes sparkle with holy anger , and dart forth beams of indignation in the faces of these guilty collybists : see how his hands deal strokes and ruine . yea , thus , thus it became thee , o thou gracious redeemer of men , to let the world see , thou hast not lost thy justice in thy mercy ; that there is not more lenity in thy forbearances , then rigour in thy just severity ; that thou canst thunder , as well as shine . this was not thy first act of this kinde ; at the entrance of thy publick work thou beganst so as thou now shuttest up , with purging thine house . once before had these offenders been whipt out of that holy place ▪ which now they dare again defile . shame and smart is not enough to rec●●●m obdur'd offenders . gainful sins are not easily checked , but less easily mastered . these bold flies , where they are beaten off , will alight again . he that is filthy will be filthy still . oft yet had our saviour been ( besides this ) in the temple , and often had seen the same disorder ; he doth not think fit to be alwaies whipping . it was enough thus twice to admonish and chastise them before their ruine . that god who hates sin alwaies , will not chide alwaies , and strikes more seldome ; but he would have those few strokes perpetual monitors ; and if those prevail not , he smites but once . it is his uniform course , first the whip , and if that speed not , then the sword. there is a reverence due to god's house for the owners sake , for the services sake . secular and profane actions are not for that sacred roof , much less uncivil and beastly . what but holiness can become that place which is the beauty of holiness ? the fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with god. never could there be more plausible colours cast upon any act ; the convenience , the necessity of provisions for the sacrifice : yet through all these do the fiery eyes of our saviour see the foul covetousness of the priests , the fraud of the money-changers , the intolerable abuse of the temple . common eyes may be cheated with easie pretexts ; but he that looks through the heart at the face , justly answers our apologies with scourges . none but the hand of publick authority must reform the abuses of the temple . if all be out of course there , no man is barred from sorrow ; the grief may reach to all , the power of reformation onely to those whom it concerneth . it was but a just question , though ill propounded to moses , who made thee a judge or a ruler ? we must all imitate the zeal of our saviour ; we may not imitate his correction . if we strike uncalled , we are justly stricken for our arrogation , for our presumption . a tumultuary remedy may prove a medicine worse then the disease . but what shall i say of so sharp and imperious an act from so meek an agent ? why did not the priests and levites ( whose this gain partly was ) abett these money-changers , and make head against christ ? why did not those multitudes of men stand upon their defence , and wrest that whip out of the hand of a seemingly-weak and unarmed prophet ; but in stead thereof run away like sheep from before him , not daring to abide his presence , though his hand had been still ? surely , had these men been so many armies , yea , so many legions of devils , when god will astonish and chase them , they cannot have the power to stand and resist . how easie is it for him that made the heart , to put either terrour or courage into it at pleasure ? o saviour , it was none of thy least miracles , that thou didst thus drive out a world of able offenders in spight of their gain and stomackful resolutions ; their very profit had no power to stay them against thy frowns . who hath resisted thy will ? mens hearts are not their own : they are , they must be such as their maker wil have them . the figge-tree cursed . when in this state our saviour had rid through the streets of jerusalem , that evening he lodged not there . whether he would not , that after so publick an acclamation of the people he might avoid all suspicion of plots or popularity ( even unjust jealousies must be shunned ; neither is there less wisdome in the prevention , then in the remedy of evils : ) or whether he could not , for want of an invitation ; hosanna was better ●heap then an entertainment ; and perhaps the envie of so stomached a reformation discouraged his hosts . however he goes that evening supperless out of jerusalem . o unthankful citizens ! do ye thus part with your no less meek then glorious king ? his title was not more proclaimed in your streets then your own ingratitude . if he have purged the temple , yet your hearts are foul . there is no wonder in mens unworthiness ; there is more then wonder in thy mercy , o thou saviour of men , that wouldst yet return thither where thou wert so palpably disregarded . if they gave thee not thy supper , thou givest them their breakfast : if thou maist not spend the night with them , thou wilt with them spend the day . o love of unthankful souls , not discourageable by the most hateful indignities , by the basest repulses ! what burden canst thou shrink under , who canst bear the weight of ingratitude ? thou that givest food to all things living , art thy self hungry . martha , mary and lazarus kept not so poor an house , but that thou mightest have eaten something at bethany . whether thine hast out-ran thine appetite ; or whether on purpose thou forbarest repast , to give opportunity to thine insuing miracle , i neither ask , nor resolve . this was not the first time that thou wast hungry . as thou wouldst be a man , so thou wouldst suffer those infirmities that belong to humanity . thou camest to be our high priest ; it was thy act and intention , not only to intercede for thy people , but to transfer unto thy self as their sins , so their weaknesses and complaints . thou knowest to pity what thou hast felt . are we pinched with want ? we indure but what thou didst , we have reason to be patient ; thou induredst what we do , we have reason to be thankful . but what shall we say to this thine early hunger ? the morning , as it is priviledged from excess , so from need ; the stomach is not wont to rise with the body . surely , as thy occasions were , no season was exempted from thy want : thou hadst spent the day before in the holy labour of thy reformation ; after a supperless departure thou spentest the night in prayer ; no meal refreshed thy toile . what do we think much to forbear a morsel , or to break a sleep for thee , who didst thus neglect thy self for us ? as if meat were no part of thy care , as if any thing would serve to stop the mouth of hunger , thy breakfast is expected from the next tree . a fig-tree grew by the way side , ful grown , well spread , thick leaved , and such as might promise enough to a remote eye : thither thou camest to seek that which thou foundst not ; and not findig what thou soughtest , as displeased with thy disappointment , cursedst that plant which deluded thy hopes . thy breath instantly blasted that deceitful tree ; it did ( no otherwise then the whole world must needs doe ) wither and dye with thy curse . o saviour , i had rather wonder at thine actions then discuss them . if i should say that as man , thou either knewest not or consideredst not of this fruitlesness , it could no way prejudice thy divine omniscience ; this infirmity were no worse then thy weariness or hunger : it was no more disparagement to thee to grow in knowledge , then in stature ; neither was it any more disgrace to thy perfect humanity , that thou ( as man ) knewst not all things at once , then that thou wert not in thy childhood at thy full growth . but herein i doubt not to say , it is more likely thou camest purposely to this tree , knowing the barrenness of it answerable to the season , and fore-resolving the event ; that thou mightest hence ground the occasion of so instructive a miracle : like as thou knewest lazarus was dying , was dead , yet wouldst not seem to take notice of his dissolution , that thou mightest the more glorifie thy power in his resuscitation . it was thy willing and determined disappointment for a greater purpose . but why didst thou curse a poor tree for the want of that fruit which the season yielded not ? if it pleased thee to call for that which it could not give , the plant was innocent ; and if innocent , why cursed ? o saviour , it is fitter for us to adore then to examine . we may be sawcy in inqui●●g after thee , and fond in answering for thee . if that season were not for a ripe fruit , yet for some fruit it was . who knows not the nature of the fig-tree to be alwaies bearing ? that plant ( if not altogether barren ) yields a continual succession of increase ; whiles one fig is ripe , another is green ; the same bough can content both our taste and our hope . this tree was defective in both , yielding nothing but an empty shade to the mis-hoping traveller . besides that , i have learn'd that thou , o saviour , wert wont not to speak only , but to work parables . and what was this other then a real parable of thine ? all this while hadst thou been in the world ; thou hadst given many proofs of thy mercy ( the earth was full of thy goodness ) none of thy judgments : now , immediately before thy passion , thou thoughtest fit to give this double demonstration of thy just austerity . how else should the world have seen thou canst be severe as well as meek and merciful ? and why mightest not thou , who madest all things , take liberty to destroy a plant for thine own glory ? wherefore serve thy best creatures but for the praise of thy mercy and justice ? what great matter was it if thou , who once saidst , let the earth bring forth the herb yielding seed , and the tree yielding the fruit of its own kind , shouldst now say , let this fruitless tree wither ? all this yet was done in figure : in this act of thine i see both an embleme , and a prophesie . how didst thou herein mean to teach thy disciples how much thou hatest an unfruitful profession , and what judgements thou meantest to bring upon that barren generation ? once before hadst thou compared the jewish nation to a fig-tree in the midst of thy vineyard , which after three yeares exspectation and culture yielding no fruit , was by thee , the owner , doomed to a speedy excision ; now thou actest what thou then saidst . no tree abounds more with leaf and shade ; no nation abounded more with ceremonial observations and semblances of piety . outward profession , where there is want of inward truth and real practice , doth but help to draw on and aggravate judgment . had this fig-tree been utterly bear and leafless , it had perhaps escaped the curse . hear this , ye vain hypocrites , that care only to shew well ; never caring for the sincere truth of a conscionable obedience : your fair outside shall be sure to help you to a curse . that which was the fault of this tree , is the punishment of it , fruitlesness : let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever . had the boughs been appointed to be torn down , and the body split in pieces , the doom had been more easy ; and that juicy plant might yet have recovered , and have lived to recompence this deficiency : now it shall be what it was , fruitless . woe be to that church or soul that is punished with her own sin. outward plagues are but favour in comparison of spiritual judgements . that curse might well have stood with a long continuance ; the tree might have lived long , though fruitless : but no sooner is the word passed , then the leaves flagg and turn yellow , the branches wrinkle and shrink , the bark discolours , the root dries , the plant withers . o god , what creature is able to abide the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure ? even the most great and glorious angels of heaven could not stand one moment before thine anger , but perish'd under thy wrath everlastingly . how irresistible is thy power ? how dreadful are thy judgements ? lord , chastise my fruitlesness , but punish it not ; at least , punish it , but curse it not , lest i wither and be consumed . christ betraied . such an eye-sore was christ that raised lazarus , and lazarus whom christ raised , to the envious priests , scribes , elders of the jews , that they consult to murder both : whiles either of them lives , neither can the glory of that miracle die , nor the shame of the oppugners . those malicious heads are laid together in the parlour of caiaphas . happy had it been for them , if they had spent but half those thoughts upon their own salvation , which they misimployed upon the destruction of the innocent . at last this results , that force is not their way ; subtilty and treachery must doe that which should be vainly attempted by power . who is so fit to work this feat against christ as one of his own ? there can be no treason where is not some trust . who so fit among the domesticks as he that bare the bag , and over-lov'd that which he bare ? that heart which hath once enslaved it self to red and white earth , made be may any thing . who can trust to the power of good means , when judas , who heard christ daily , whom others heard to preach christ daily , who daily saw christ's miracles , and daily wrought miracles in christ's name , is ( at his best ) a thief , and ere long a traitor ? that crafty and malignant spirit which presided in that bloody counsel , hath easily found out a fit instrument for this hellish plot . as god knows , so satan guesses , who are his , and will be sure to make use of his own . if judas were christ's domestick , yet he was mammon's servant : he could not but hate that master whom he formally professed to serve , whiles he really served that master which christ professed to hate . he is but in his trade , whiles he is bartering even for his master ; what will ye give me , and i will deliver him unto you ? saidst thou not well , o saviour , i have chosen you twelve , and one of you is a devil ? thou that knewest to distinguish betwixt men and spirits , callest judas by his right name . loe , he is become a tempter to the worst of evils . wretched judas ! whether shall i more abhor thy treachery , or wonder at thy folly ? what will they , what can they give thee valuable to that head which thou proferest to sale ? were they able to pay , or thou capable to receive all those precious metalls that are laid up in the secret cabins of the whole earth , how were this price equivalent to the worth of him that made them ? had they been able to have fetch'd down those rich and glittering spangles of heaven , and to have put them into thy fist , what had this been to weigh with a god ? how basely therefore dost thou speak of chaffering for him whose the world was ? what will ye give me ? alas , what were they ? what had they , miserable men , to pay for such a purchase ? the time was , when he that set thee on work could say , all the kingdomes of the earth , and the glory of them are mine ; and i give them to whom i please : all these will i give thee . had he now made that offer to thee in this wofull bargain , it might have carried some colour of a temptation : and even thus it had been a match ill made . but for thee to tender a trade of so invaluable a commodity to these pelting petty chapmen for thirty poor silverlings , it was no lesse base then wicked . how unequal is this rate ? thou that valuedst mary's ointment which she bestowed upon the feet of christ at three hundred pieces of silver , sellest thy master , on whom that precious odour was spent , at thirty . worldly hearts are penny-wise , and pound-foolish : they know how to set high prizes upon the worthlesse trash of this world ; but for heavenly things , or the god that owns them , these they shamefully undervalue . and i will deliver him unto you . false and presumptuous judas ! it was more then thou couldst doe ; thy price was not more too low then thy undertaking was too high . had all the powers of hell combined with thee , they could not have delivered thy master into the hands of men . the act was none but his own ; all that he did , all that he suffered was perfectly voluntary . had he pleased to resist , how easily had he with one breath blown thee and thy complices down into their hell ? it is no thank to thee that he would be delivered . o saviour , all our safety , all our comfort depends not so much upon thine act as upon thy will : in vain should we have hoped for the benefit of a forced redemption . the bargain is driven , the price pai'd . judas returns , and looks no lesse smoothly upon his master and his fellows then as if he had done no differvice . what cares he ? his heart tells him he is rich , though it tell him he is false . he was not now first an hypocrite . the passeover is at hand ; no man is so busie to prepare for it , or more devoutly forward to receive it , then judas . oh the sottishnesse and obdurenesse of this son of perdition ! how many proofs had he formerly of his master's omniscience ? there was no day wherein he saw not that thoughts and things absent came familiar under his cognisance : yet this miscreant dares plot a secret villany against his person , and face it : if he cannot be honest , yet he will be close . that he may be notoriously impudent , he shall know he is descried : whiles he thinks fit to conceal his treachery , our saviour thinks not fit to conceal the knowledge of that treacherous conspiracy ; verily , i say unto you that one of you shall betray me . who would not think but that discovered wickednesse should be ashamed of it self ? did not judas ( think we ) blush , and grow pale again , and cast down his guilty eyes , and turn away his troubled countenance at so galling an intimation ? custome of sin steels the brow , and makes it uncapable of any relenting impressions . could the other disciples have discerned any change in any one of their faces , they had not been so sorrowfully affected with the charge . methinks i see how intentively they bent their eyes upon each other , as if they would have look'd through those windows down into the bosome ; with what self-confidence , with what mutual jealousie they perused each others foreheads : and now , as rather thinking fit to distrust their own innocence then their masters assertion , each trembles to say , lord , is it i ? it is possible there may lurk secret wickednesse in some blinde corner of the heart , which we know not of : it is possible that time and temptation working upon our corruption , may at last draw us into some such sin as we could not fore-believe . whither may we not fall , if we be left to our own strength ? it is both wise and holy to misdoubt the worst : lord , is it i ? in the mean time , how fair hath judas ( all this while ) carried with his fellows ? had his former life bewrayed any falshood or misdemeanor , they had soon found where to pitch their just suspicion : now judas goes for so honest a man , that every disciple is rather ready to suspect himself then him . it is true , he was a thief ; but who knows that besides his maker ? the outsides of men are no lesse deceitfull then their hearts . it is not more unsafe to judge by outward appearances , then it is uncharitable not to judge so . oh the head-strong resolutions of wickednesse , not to be checked by any opposition ! who would not but have thought , if the notice of an intended evil could not have prevented it , yet that the threats of judgment should have affrighted the boldest offender ? judas can sit by , and hear his master say , wo be to the man by whom the son of man is betraied ; it had been better for that man never to have been born , and is no more blank'd then very innocence ; but thinks , what care i ? i have the money ; i shall escape the shame : the fact shall be close , the match gainfull : it will be long ere i get so much by my service ; if i fare well for the present , i shall shift well enough for the future . thus secretly he claps up another bargain ; he makes a covenant with death , and with hell an agreement . o judas , didst thou ever hear ought but truth fall from the mouth of that thy divine master ? canst thou distrust the certainty of that dreadfull menace of vengeance ? how then durst thou persist in the purpose of so flagitious and damnable a villany ? resolved sinners run on desperately in their wicked courses ; and have so bent their eyes upon the profit or pleasure of their mischievous projects , that they will not see hell lie open before them in the way . as if that shameless man meant to outbrave all accusations , and to outface his own heart , he dares ask too , master , is it i ? no disciple shall more zealously abominate that crime then he that fosters it in his bosome . whatever the searcher of hearts knows by him , is lock'd up in his own breast : to be perfidious is nothing , so he may be secret : his master knows him for a traitor , it is not long that he shall live to complain ; his fellows think him honest : all is well , whiles he is well esteemed . reputation is the onely care of false hearts , not truth of being , not conscience of merit ; so they may seem fair to men , they care not how foul they are to god. had our saviour onely had this knowledge at the second hand , this boldnesse had been enough to make him suspect the credit of the best intelligence : who could imagine that a guilty man dared thus brow-beat a just accusation ? now he whose piercing and unfailing eyes see things as they are , not as they seem , can peremptorily convince the impudence of this hollow questionist with a direct affirmation ; thou hast said . foolish traitor ! couldst thou think that those blear eyes of thine would indure the beams of the sun , or that counterfeit slip , the fire ? was it not sufficient for thee to be secretly vicious , but thou must presume to contest with an omniscient accuser ? hast thou yet enough ? thou supposedst thy crime unknown . to men it was so ; had thy master been no more , it had been so to him : now his knowledge argues him divine . how durst thou yet resolve to lift up thy hand against him , who knows thine offence , and can either prevent or revenge it ? as yet the charge was private , either not heard , or not observed by thy fellows : it shall be at first whispered to one , and at last known to all . bashfull and penitent sinners are fit to be concealed ; shame is meet for those that have none . curiosity of knowledge is an old disease of humane nature : besides , peter's zeal would not let him dwell under the danger of so doubtfull a crimination ; he cannot but sit on thorns , till he know the man. his signs ask what his voice dare not . what law requires all followers to be equally beloved ? why may not our favours be freely dispensed where we like best , without envie , without prejudice ? none of christ's train could complain of neglect ; john is highest in grace . blood , affection , zeal , diligence have indeared him above his fellows . he that is dearest in respect , is next in place : in that form of side-sitting at the table , he leaned on the bosome of jesus . where is more love , there may be more boldnesse . this secrecy and intirenesse priviledges john to ask that safely , which peter might not without much inconvenience and peril of a check . the beloved disciple well understands this silent language , and dares put peter's thought into words . love shutteth out fear . o saviour , the confidence of thy goodnesse emboldens us not to shrink at any suit . thy love shed abroad in our hearts bids us ask that which in a stranger were no better then presumption . once , when peter askt thee a question concerning john , what shall this man doe ? he received a short answer , what is that to thee ? now , when john asks thee a question ( no lesse seemingly curious ) at peter's instance , who is it that betraies thee ? however thou mightest have returned him the same answer , ( since neither of their persons was any more concerned ) yet thou condescendest to a milde and full ( though secret ) satisfaction . there was not so much difference in the men , as in the matter of the demand . no occasion was given to peter of moving that question concerning john ; the indefinite assertion of treason amongst the disciples was a most just occasion of moving john's question for peter and himself . that which therefore was timorously demanded , is answered graciously ; he it is to whom i shall give a sop , when i have dipped it . and he gave the sop to judas . how loath was our saviour to name him whom he was not unwilling to design ? all is here expressed by dumb signs ; the hand speaks what the tongue would not . in the same language wherein peter asked the question of john , doth our saviour shape an answer to john : what a beck demanded , is answered by a sop . o saviour , i do not hear thee say , look on whomsoever i frown , or to whomsoever i doe a publick affront , that is the man ; but , to whomsoever i shall give a sop . surely a by-stander would have thought this man deep in thy books , and would have construed this act as they did thy tears for lazarus , see how he loves him . to carve a man out of thine own dish , what could it seem to argue but a singularity of respect ? yet , lo , there is but one whom thou hatest , one onely traitor at thy board ; and thou givest him a sop . the outward gifts of god are not alwaies the proofs of his love ; yea , sometimes are bestowed in displeasure . had not he been a wise disciple that should have envied the great favour done to judas , and have stomached his own preterition ? so foolish are they , who measuring god's affection by temporal benefits , are ready to applaud prospering wickedness , and to grudge outward blessings to them which are uncapable of any better . after the sop , satan entred into judas . better had it been for that treacherous disciple to have wanted that morsell : not that there was any malignity in the bread , or that the sop had any power to convey satan into the receiver , or that by a necessary concomitance that evil spirit was in or with it . favours ill used make the heart more capable of further evil . that wicked spirit commonly takes occasion by any of god's gifts , to assault us the more eagerly . after our sacramental morsell , if we be not the better , we are sure the worse . i dare not say , yet i dare think that judas , comparing his master's words and john's whisperings with the tender of this sop , and finding himself thus denoted , was now so much the more irritated to perform what he had wickedly purposed . thus satan took advantage by the sop of a further possession . twice before had that evil spirit made a palpable entry into that lewd heart . first , in his covetousnesse and theft ; those sinfull habits could not be without that author of ill : then in his damnable resolution , and plot of so hainous a conspiracy against christ . yet now ( as if it were new to begin ) after the sop satan entred . as in every grosse sin which we entertain , we give harbour to that evil spirit ; so in every degree of growth in wickednesse , new hold is taken by him of the heart . no sooner is the foot over the threshold , then we enter into the house : when we passe thence into the inner rooms , we make still but a perfect entrance . at first satan entred , to make the house of judas's heart his own ; now he enters into it as his own . the first purpose of sin opens the gates to satan ; consent admits him into the entry ; full resolution of sin gives up the keys to his hands , and puts him into absolute possession . what a plain difference there is betwixt the regenerate and evil heart ? satan laies siege to the best by his tentations ; and sometimes upon battery and breach made enters : the other admits him by willing composition . when he is entred upon the regenerate , he is entertained with perpetual skirmishes , and by an holy violence at last repulsed : in the other he is plausibly received , and freely commandeth . oh the admirable meekness of this lamb of god! i see not a frown , i hear not a check ; but , what thou doest , doe quickly . why do we startle at our petty wrongs , and swell with anger , and break into furious revenges upon every occasion , when the pattern of our patience lets not fall one harsh word upon so soul & bloody a traitor ? yea , so fairly is this carried , that the disciples as yet can apprehend no change ; they innocently think of commodities to be bought : when christ speaks of their master sold , and , as one that longs to be out of pain , hastens the pace of his irreclamable conspirator , that thou doest , doe quickly . it is one thing to say , doe what thou intendest , and another to say , doe quickly what thou doest . there was villany in the deed ; the speed had no sin , the time was harmlesse , whiles the man and the act was wicked . o judas , how happy had it been for thee , if thou hadst never done what thou perfidiously intendedst ? but since thou wilt needs doe it , delay is but a torment . that steely heart yet relents not ; the obfirmed traitor knows his way to the high priest's hall and to the garden ; the watchword is already given , hail master , and a kisse . yet more hypocrisie ? yet more presumption upon so overstrained a lenity ? how knewest thou , o thou false traitor , whether that sacred cheek would suffer it self to be defiled with thine impure touch ? thou well foundst thy treachery was unmasked ; thine heart could not be so false to thee as not to tell thee how hatefull thou wert . goe , kisse and adore those silverlings which thou art too sure of ; the master whom thou hast sold is not thine . but oh the impudence of a deplored sinner ! that tongue which hath agreed to sell his master , dares say , hail ; and those lips that have passed the compact of his death , dare offer to kisse him whom they had covenanted to kill . it was god's charge of old , kisse the son , lest he be angry . o saviour , thou hadst reason to be angry with this kisse ; the scourges , the thorns , the nails , the spear of thy murderers were not so painfull , so piercing , as this touch of judas : all these were in this one alone . the stabs of an enemy cannot be so grievous as the skin-deep wounds of a disciple . the agonie . what a preface do i finde to my saviour's passion ? an hymn , and an agonie : a chearfull hymn , and an agonie no lesse sorrowfull . an hymn begins , both to raise and testifie the courageous resolutions of his suffering ; an agonie follows , to shew that he was truly sensible of those extremities wherewith he was resolved to grapple . all the disciples bore their part in that hymn ; it was fit they should all see his comfortable & divine magnanimity wherewith he entred into those sad lists : only three of them shall be allowed to be the witnesses of his agonie ; only those three that had been the witnesses of his glorious transfiguration . that sight had well fore-arm'd and prepared them for this : how could they be dismai'd to see his trouble , who there saw his majesty ? how could they be dismai'd to see his body now sweat , which they had then seen to shine ? how could they be daunted to see him now accosted with judas and his train , whom they then saw attended with moses and elias ? how could they be discouraged to hear the reproaches of base men , when they had heard the voice of god to him from that excellent glory , this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased ? now before these eyes this sun begins to be over-cast with clouds ; he began to be sorrowfull and very heavy . many sad thoughts for mankinde had he secretly hatched , and yet smothered in his own breast ; now his grief is too great to keep in : my soul is exceeding sorrowfull , even unto death . o saviour , what must thou needs feel when thou saidst so ? feeble mindes are apt to bemone themselves upon light occasions ; the grief must needs be violent that causeth a strong heart to break forth into a passionate complaint . woe is me , what a word is this for the son of god ? where is that comforter which thou promisedst to send to others ? where is that thy father of all mercies and god of all comfort , in whose presence is the fulnesse of joy , and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore ? where are those constant and chearfull resolutions of a fearlesse walking through the valley of the shadow of death ? alas ! if that face were not hid from thee whose essence could not be disunited , these pangs could not have been . the sun was withdrawn awhile , that there might be a cool , though not a dark night , as in the world , so in thy breast ; withdrawn in respect of sight , not of being . it was the hardest piece of thy sufferings , that thou must be disconsolate . but to whom dost thou make this moan , o thou saviour of men ? hard is that man driven that is fain to complain to his inferiours . had peter , or james , or john thus bewailed himself to thee , there had been ease to their soul in venting it self ; thou hadst been both apt to pity them , and able to relieve them : but now in that thou lamentest thy case to them , alas ! what issue couldst thou exspect ? they might be astonish'd with thy grief ; but there is neither power in their hands to free thee from those sorrows , nor power in their compassion to mitigate them . nay , in this condition what could all the angels of heaven ( as of themselves ) doe to succour thee ? what strength could they have but from thee ? what creature can help when thou complainest ? it must be only the stronger that can aid the weak . old and holy simeon could fore-say to thy blessed mother , that a sword should pierce through her soul ; but , alas ! how many swords at once pierce thine ? every one of these words is both sharp and edged ; my soul is exceeding sorrowfull , even unto death . what humane soul is capable of the conceit of the least of those sorrows that oppressed thine ? it was not thy body that suffered now : the pain of body is but as the body of pain ; the anguish of the soul is as the soul of anguish . that , and in that thou sufferedst : where are they that dare so far disparage thy sorrow , as to say thy soul suffered only in sympathy with thy body ; not immediately , but by participation ; not in its self , but in its partner ? thou best knewest what thou feltest , and thou that feltest thine own pain canst crie out of thy soul. neither didst thou say , my soul is troubled ; so it often was , even to tears : but , my soul is sorrowfull ; as if it had been before assaulted , now possessed with grief . nor yet this in any tolerable moderation ; changes of passion are incident to every humane soul : but , exceeding sorrowfull . yet there are degrees in the very extremities of evils : those that are most vehement , may yet be capable of a remedy , at least a relaxation ; thine was past these hopes , exceeding sorrowfull unto death . what was it , what could it be , o saviour , that lay thus heavy upon thy divine soul ? was it the fear of death ? was it the fore-felt pain , shame , torment of thine ensuing crucifixion ? oh poor and base thoughts of the narrow hearts of cowardly and impotent mortality ! how many thousands of thy blessed martyrs have welcomed no lesse tortures with smiles and gratulations , and have made a sport of those exquisite cruelties which their very tyrants thought unsufferable ? whence had they this strength but from thee ? if their weakness were thus undaunted and prevalent , what was thy power ? no , no : it was the sad weight of the sin of mankinde ; it was the heavy burden of thy fathers wrath for our sin that thus pressed thy soul , and wrung from thee these bitter expressions . what can it avail thee , o saviour , to tell thy grief to men ? who can ease thee , but he of whom thou saidst , my father is greater then i ? lo , to him thou turnest ; o father , if it be possible , let this cup passe from me . was not this that prayer ( o dear christ ) which in the daies of thy flesh thou offeredst up with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save thee from death ? surely this was it . never was crie so strong ; never was god thus solicited . how could heaven chuse but shake at such a prayer from the power that made it ? how can my heart but tremble to hear this suit from the captain of our salvation ? o thou that saidst , i and my father are one , dost thou suffer ought from thy father but what thou wouldst , what thou determinedst ? was this cup of thine either casual or forced ? wouldst thou wish for what thou knewest thou wouldst not have possible ? far , far be these mis-raised thoughts of our ignorance and frailty . thou camest to suffer , and thou wouldst doe what thou camest for : yet since thou wouldst be a man , thou wouldst take all of man , save sin : it is but humane ( and not sinfull ) to be loath to suffer what we may avoid . in this velleity of thine , thou wouldst shew what that nature of ours which thou hadst assumed could incline to wish ; but in thy resolution , thou wouldst shew us what thy victorious thoughts raised and assisted by thy divine power had determinately pitched upon ; neverthelesse not as i will , but as thou wilt . as man thou hadst a will of thine own : no humane soul can be perfect without that main faculty . that will , which naturally could be content to incline towards an exemption from miseries , gladly vails to that divine will whereby thou art designed to the chastisements of our peace . those pains which in themselves were grievous , thou embracest as decreed : so as thy fear hath given place to thy love and obedience . how should we have known these evils so formidable , if thou hadst not in half a thought inclined to deprecate them ? how could we have avoided so formidable and deadly evils , if thou hadst not willingly undergone them ? we acknowledge thine holy fear , we adore thy divine fortitude . whiles thy minde was in this fearfull agitation , it is no marvell if thy feet were not fixed . thy place is more changed then thy thoughts . one while thou walkest to thy drouzy attendants , and stirrest up their needfull vigilancy ; then thou returnest to thy passionate devotions , thou fallest again upon thy face . if thy body be humbled down to the earth , thy soul is yet lower ; thy prayers are so much more vehement as thy pangs are ; and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly , and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground . o my saviour , what an agonie am i in , whiles i think of thine ? what pain , what fear , what strife , what horrour was in thy sacred breast ? how didst thou struggle under the weight of our sins , that thou thus sweatest , that thou thus bleedest ? all was peace with thee : thou wert one with thy coeternal and coessential father ; all the angels worshipped thee ; all the powers of heaven and earth awfully acknowledged thine infiniteness . it was our person that feoffed thee in this misery and torment ; in that thou sustainedst thy father's wrath and our curse . if eternal death be unsufferable , if every sin deserve eternal death , what , o what was it for thy soul in this short time of thy bitter passion to answer those millions of eternal deaths which all the sins of all mankinde had deserved from the just hand of thy godhead ? i marvell not if thou bleedest a sweat , if thou sweatest blood : if the moisture of that sweat be from the body , the tincture of it is from the soul. as there never was such another sweat , so neither can there be ever such a suffering . it is no wonder if the sweat were more then natural , when the suffering was more then humane . o saviour , so willing was that precious blood of thine to be let forth for us , that it was ready to prevent thy persecutors ; and issued forth in those pores , before thy wounds were opened by thy tormentors . o that my heart could bleed unto thee with true inward compunction for those sins of mine which are guilty of this thine agonie , and have drawn blood of thee both in the garden and on the cross . woe is me : i had been in hell , if thou hadst not been in thine agonie ; i had scorched , if thou hadst not sweat . oh let me abhor my own wickednesse , and admire and blesse thy mercy . but , o ye blessed spirits which came to comfort my conflicted saviour , how did ye look upon the son of god , when ye saw him labouring for life under these violent temptations ? with what astonishment did ye behold him bleeding whom ye adored ? in the wilderness , after his duell with satan , ye came and ministred unto him ; and now in the garden , whiles he is in an harder combat , ye appear to strengthen him . o the wise and marvellous dispensation of the almighty ! whom god will afflict , an angel shall relieve ; the son shall suffer , the servant shall comfort him ; the god of angels droupeth , the angel of god strengthens him . blessed jesu , if as man thou wouldst be made a little lower then the angels ; how can it disparage thee to be attended and cheared up by an angel ? thine humiliation would not disdain comfort from meaner hands . how free was it for thy father to convey seasonable consolations to thine humbled soul , by whatsoever means ? behold , though thy cup shall not passe , yet it shall be sweetned . what if thou see not ( for the time ) thy fathers face ? yet thou shalt feel his hand . what could that spirit have done without the god of spirits ? o father of mercies , thou maiest bring thine into agonies , but thou wilt never leave them there . in the midst of the sorrows of my heart thy comforts shall refresh my soul. whatsoever be the means of my supportation , i know and adore the author . peter and malchus : or , christ apprehended . wherefore , o saviour , didst thou take those three choice disciples with thee from their fellows , but that thou expectedst some comfort from their presence ? a seasonable word may sometimes fall from the meanest attendant ; and the very society of those we trust carries in it some kinde of contentment . alas ! what broken reeds are men ? whiles thou art sweating in thine agonie , they are snorting securely . admonitions , threats , intreaties cannot keep their eyes open . thou tellest them of danger , they will needs dream of ease ; and though twice rouzed ( as if they had purposed this neglect ) they carelesly sleep out thy sorrow and their own peril . what help hast thou of such followers ? in the mount of thy transfiguration they slept , and besides fell on their faces , when they should behold thy glory , and were not themselves for fear ; in the garden of thine agonie , they fell upon the ground for drouzinesse , when they should compassionate thy sorrow , and lost themselves in a stupid sleepinesse . doubtlesse even this disregard made thy prayers so much more fervent . the lesse comfort we finde on earth , the more we seek above . neither soughtst thou more then thou foundest : lo , thou wert heard in that which thou fearedst . an angel supplies men ; that spirit was vigilant whiles thy disciples were heavy . the exchange was happy . no sooner is this good angel vanished , then that domestick devil appears : judas comes up , and shews himself in the head of those miscreant troups . he whose too much honour it had been to be a follower of so blessed a master , affects now to be the leader of this wicked rabble . the sheeps fleece is now cast off ; the wolf appears in his own likenesse . he that would be false to his master , would be true to his chapmen : even evil spirits keep touch with themselves . the bold traitor dare yet still mix hypocrisie with villany ; his very salutations and kisses murder . o saviour , this is no news to thee . all those who under a shew of godlinesse practise impiety , do still betray thee thus . thou who hadst said , one of you is a devil , didst not now say , avoid satan ; but , friend , wherefore art thou come ? as yet , judas , it was not too late . had there been any the least spark of grace yet remaining in that perfidious bosome , this word had fetcht thee upon thy knees . all this sunshine cannot thaw an obdurate heart . the sign is given , jesus is taken . wretched traitor ! why wouldst thou for this purpose be thus attended ? and ye foolish priests and elders ! why sent you such a band , and so armed for this apprehension ? one messenger had been enough for a voluntary prisoner . had my saviour been unwilling to be taken , all your forces ( with all the legions of hell to help them ) had been too little : since he was willing to be attached , two were too many . when he did but say , i am he , that easie breath alone routed all your troups , and cast them to the earth , whom it might as easily have cast down into hell. what if he had said , i will not be taken ? where had ye been ? or what could your swords and staves have done against omnipotence ? those disciples that failed of their vigilance , failed not of their courage : they had heard their master speak of providing swords , and now they thought it was time to use them : shall we smite ? they were willing to fight for him with whom they were not carefull to watch : but of all other peter was most forward ; in stead of opening his lips , he unsheaths his sword ; and in stead of shall i ? smites . he had noted malchus , a busie servant of the high priest , too ready to second judas , and to lay his rude hands upon the lord of life : against this man his heart rises , and his hand is lift up . that eare which had too-officiously listened to the unjust and cruell charge of his wicked master , is now severed from that worse head which it had mis-served . i love and honour thy zeal , o blessed disciple : thou couldst not brook wrong done to thy divine master . had thy life been dearer to thee then his safety , thou hadst not drawn thy sword upon a whole troup . it was in earnest that thou saidst , though all men , yet not i ; and , though i should die with thee , yet i will not deny thee . lo , thou art ready to die upon him that should touch that sacred person ; what would thy life now have been in comparison of renouncing him ? since thou wert so fervent , why didst thou not rather fall upon that treachour that betrai'd him , then that sergeant that arrested him ? surely the sin was so much greater , as the plot of mischief is more then the execution ; as a domestick is nearer then a stranger ; as the treason of a friend is worse then the forced enmity of an hireling . was it that the guilty wretch upon the fact done subduced himself , and shrouded his false head under the wings of darknesse ? was it that thou couldst not so suddenly apprehend the odious depth of that villany , and instantly hate him that had been thy old companion ? was it that thy amazednesse as yet conceived not the purposed issue of this seizure , and astonishedly waited for the successe ? was it that though judas were more faulty , yet malchus was more imperiously cruell ? howsoever , thy courage was awaked with thy self ; and thy heart was no lesse sincere then thine hand was rash . put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword . good intentions are no warrant for our actions . o saviour , thou canst at once accept of our meanings , and censure our deeds . could there be an affection more worth incouragement then the love to such a master ? could there be a more just cause wherein to draw his sword then in thy quarrell ? yet this love , this quarrell cannot shield peter from thy check : thy meek tongue smites him gently , who had furiously smote thine enemy ; put up thy sword . it was peter's sword ; but to put up , not to use : there is a sword which peter may use ; but it is of another metall . our weapons are , as our warfare , spiritual : if he smite not with this , he incurs no lesse blame then for smiting with the other ; as for this material sword , what should he doe with it that is not allowed to strike ? when the prince of peace bade his followers sell their coat and buy a sword , he meant to insinuate the need of these arms , not their improvement ; and to teach them the danger of the time , not the manner of the repulse of danger . when they therefore said , behold , here are two swords ; he answered , it is enough : he said not , go buy more . more had not been enow , if a bodily defence had been intended : david's tower had been too streight to yield sufficient furniture of this kinde . when it comes to use , peter's one sword is too much : put up thy sword . indeed there is a temporal sword ; and that sword must be drawn , else wherefore is it ? but drawn by him that bears it ; and he bears it that is ordained to be an avenger , to execute wrath upon him that doth evil ; for he bears not the sword in vain . if another man draw it , it cuts his fingers ; and draws so much blood of him that unwarrantably wields it , as that he who takes the sword shall perish with the sword . can i chuse but wonder how peter could thus strike unwounded ? how he , whose first blow made the fray , could escape hewing in pieces from that band of ruffians ? this could not have been , if thy power , o saviour , had not restrained their rage ; if thy seasonable and sharp reproof had not prevented their revenge . now , for ought i see , peter smarts no lesse then malchus : neither is peter's eare lesse smitten by the milde tongue of his master , then malchus his eare by the hand of peter . weak disciple ! thou hast zeal , but not according to knowledge : there is not more danger in this act of thine , then inconsideration and ignorance . the cup which my father hath given me , shall i not drink it ? thou drawest thy sword to rescue me from suffering . alas ! if i suffer not , what would become of thee ? what would become of mankinde ? where were that eternal and just decree of my father , wherein i am a lamb slain from the beginning of the world ? dost thou go about to hinder thine own and the whole worlds redemption ? did i not once before call thee satan for suggesting to me this immunity from my passion ? and dost thou now think to favour me with a reall opposition to this great and necessary work ? canst thou be so weak as to imagine that this suffering of mine is not free and voluntary ? canst thou be so injurious to me as to think i yield , because i want aid to resist ? have i not given to thee and to the world many undeniable proofs of my omnipotence ? didst thou not see how easie it had been for me to have blown away these poor forces of my adversaries ? dost thou not know that if i would require it , all the glorious troups of the angels of heaven ( any one whereof is more then worlds of men ) would presently shew themselves ready to attend and rescue me ? might this have stood with the justice of my decree , with the glory of my mercy , with the benefit of mans redemption , it had been done ; my power should have triumphed over the impotent malice of my enemies : but now , since that eternal decree must be accomplished , my mercy must be approved , mankinde must be ransomed ; and this cannot be done without my suffering . thy wel-meant valour is no better then a wrong to thy self , to the world , to me , to my father . o gracious saviour , whiles thou thus smitest thy disciple , thou healest him whom thy disciple smote . many greater miracles hadst thou done ; none that bewraied more mercy and meeknesse then this last cure : of all other this eare of malchus hath the loudest tongue to blazon the praise of thy clemency and goodnesse to thy very enemies . wherefore came that man but in an hostile manner to attach thee ? besides his own , what favour was he worthy of for his masters sake ? and if he had not been more forward then his fellows , why had not his skin been as whole as theirs ? yet , even amidst the throng of thine apprehenders , in the heat of their violence , in the height of their malice , and thine own instant peril of death , thou healest that unnecessary eare , which had been guilty of hearing blasphemies against thee , and receiving cruell and unjust charges concerning thee . o malchus , could thy eare be whole , and not thy heart broken and contrite with remorse for rising up against so mercifull and so powerfull an hand ? could thou chuse but say , o blessed jesu , i see it was thy providence that preserved my head , when my eare was smitten ; it is thine almighty power that hath miraculously restored that eare of mine which i had justly forfeited : this head of mine shall never be guilty of plotting any further mischief against thee ; this eare shall never entertain any more reproaches of thy name ; this heart of mine shall ever acknowledge and magnifie thy tender mercies thy divine omnipotence ? could thy fellows see such a demonstration of power and goodnesse with unrelenting hearts ? unthankfull malchus , and cruell souldiers ! ye were worse wounded , and felt it not . god had struck your breasts with a fearfull obduration , that ye still persist in your bloody enterprise . and they that had laid hold on jesus , led him away , &c. christ before caiaphas . that traitor whom his own cord made ( soon after ) too fast , gave this charge concerning jesus , hold him fast . fear makes his guard cruell : they binde his hands , and think no twist can be strong enough for this sampson . fond jews , and souldiers ! if his own will had not tied him faster then your cords , though those manicles had been the stiffest cables or the strongest iron , they had been but threds of tow . what eyes can but run over to see those hands that made heaven and earth , wrung together and bruised with those mercilesse cords ; to see him bound , who came to restore us to the liberty of the sons of god ; to see the lord of life contemptuously dragged through the streets , first to the house of annas , then from thence to the house of caiaphas , from him to pilate , from pilate to herod , from herod back again to pilate , from pilate to his calvarie : whiles in the mean time the base rabble and scum of the incensed multitude runs after him with shouts and scorns ? the act of death hath not in it so much misery and horrour , as the pomp of death . and what needed all this pageant of cruelty ? wherefore was this state and lingring of an unjust execution ? was it for that their malice held a quick dispatch too much mercy ? was it for that , whiles they meant to be bloody , they would fain seem just ? a suddain violence had been palpably murderous : now the colour of a legal processe guilds over all their deadly spight ; and would seem to render them honest , and the accused guilty . this attachment , this convention of the innocent was a true night-work ; a deed of so much darknesse was not for the light . old annas and that wicked bench of gray-headed scribes and elders can be content to break their sleep to doe mischief : envie and malice can make noon of midnight . it is resolved he shall die ; and now pretences must be sought that he may be cleanly murdered . all evil begins at the sanctuarie : the priests and scribes and elders are the first in this bloody scene ; they have pai'd for this head , and now long to see what they shall have for their thirty silverlings . the bench is set in the hall of caiaphas : false witnesses are sought for , and hired : they agree not , but shame their suborners . woe is me , what safety can there be for innocence , when the evidence is wilfully corrupted ? what state was ever so pure , as not to yield some miscreants , that will either sell or lend an oath ? what a brand hath the wisdome of god set upon falshood , even dissonance and distraction ? whereas truth ever holds together , and jars not whiles it is it self . o saviour , what a perfect innocence was in thy life , what an exact purity in thy doctrine , that malice it self cannot so much as devise what to slander ? it were hard if hell should not finde some factors upon earth . at last two witnesses are brought in , that have learned to agree with themselves , whiles they differed from truth ; they say the same , though false ; this fellow said , i am able to destroy the temple of god , and build it again in three daies . perjured wretches ! were these the terms that you heard from that sacred mouth ? said he formally thus as ye have deposed ? it is true , he spake of a temple , of destroying , of building , of three daies ; but did he speak of that temple , of his own destroying , of a material building in that space ? he said , destroy ye : ye say , i am able to destroy . he said , this temple of his body : ye say , the temple of god. he said , i will make up this temple of my body in three daies : ye say , i am able in three daies to build this material temple of god. the words were his , the sentence yours : the words were true , the evidence false . so whiles you report the words and misreport the sense , ye swear a true falshood , aud are truly forsworn . where the resolutions are fixed , any colour will serve . had those words been spoken , they contained no crime ; had he been such as they supposed him , a mere man , the speech had carried a semblance of ostentation , no semblance of blasphemy : yet how vehement is caiaphas for an answer ? as if those words had already battered that sacred pile , or the protestation of his ability had been the highest treason against the god of the temple . that infinite wisdome knew well how little satisfaction there could be in answers , where the sentence was determined ; jesus held his peace . where the asker is unworthy , the question captious , words bootlesse , the best answer is silence . erewhile his just and moderate speech to annas was returned with a buffet on the cheek , now his silence is no lesse displeasing . caiaphas was not more malicious then crafty : what was in vain attempted by witnesses , shall be drawn out of christs own mouth ; what an accusation could not effect , an adjuration shall ; i adjure thee by the living god , that thou tell us whether thou be the christ , the son of god. yea , this was the way to screw out a killing answer . caiaphas , thy mouth was impure , but thy charge is dreadfull . now if jesus hold his peace , he is cried down for a prophane disregarder of that awfull name ; if he answer , he is ensnared : an affirmation is death ; a denial worse then death . no , caiaphas , thou shalt well know it was not fear that all this while stopped that gracious mouth : thou speakest to him that cannot fear those faces he hath made : he that hath charged us to confesse him , cannot but confesse himself ; jesus saith unto him , thou hast said . there is a time to speak , and a time to keep silence . he that is the wisdome of his father , hath here given us a pattern of both . we may not so speak as to give advantage to cavils ; we may not be so silent as to betray the truth . thou shalt have no more cause , proud and insulting caiaphas , to complain of a speechlesse prisoner : now thou shalt hear more then thou demandedst ; hereafter shall ye see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power , and coming in the clouds of heaven . there spake my saviour ; the voice of god , and not of man. hear now , insolent high priest , and be confounded . that son of man whom thou seest , is the son of god whom thou canst not see : that son of man , that son of god , that god and man whom thou now seest standing despicably before thy consistorial seat in a base dejectednesse , him shalt thou once with horrour and trembling see majestically sitting on the throne of heaven , attended with thousand thousands of angels , and coming in the clouds to that dreadfull judgment , wherein thy self amongst other damned malefactors shalt be presented before that glorious tribunal of his , and adjudged to thy just torments . goe now , wretched hypocrite , and rend thy garments ; whiles in the mean time thou art worthy to have thy soul rent from thy body , for thy spightfull blasphemy against the son of god. onwards thy pretence is fair , and such as cannot but receive applause from thy compacted crue ; what need have we of witnesses ? behold , now ye have heard his blasphemy . what think ye ? and they answered and said , he is guilty of death . what heed is to be taken of mens judgment ? so light are they upon the balance , that one dram of prejudice or forestalment turns the scales . who were these but the grave benchers of jerusalem , the synod of the choice rabbies of israel ? yet these passe sentence against the lord of life ; sentence of that death of his , whereby ( if ever ) they shall be redeemed from the murder of their sentence . o saviour , this is not the last time wherein thou hast received cruel dooms from them that professe learning and holiness . what wonder is it if thy weak members suffer that which was indured by so perfect an head ? what care we to be judged by man's day , when thou , who art the righteous judge of the world , wert thus misjudged by men ? now is the fury of thy malignant enemies let loose upon thee : what measure can be too hard for him that is denounced worthy of death ? now those foul mouths defile thy blessed face with their impure spittle , the venemous froth of their malice ; now those cruell hands are lifted up to buffet thy sacred cheeks ; now scorn and insultation triumphs over thine humble patience , prophesie unto us , thou christ , who it is that smote thee . o dear jesu , what a beginning is here of a passion ? there thou standst bound , condemned , spat upon , buffetted , derided by malicious sinners . thou art bound , who camest to loose the bands of death ; thou art condemned , whose sentence must acquit the world ; thou art spat upon , that art fairer then the sons of men ; thou art buffeted , in whose mouth was no guile ; thou art derided , who art clothed with glory and majesty . in the mean while , how can i enough wonder at thy infinite mercy , who in the midst of all these wofull indignities couldst finde a time to cast thine eyes back upon thy frail and ingratefull disciple ; and in whose gracious eare peter's cock sounded louder then all these reproaches ? o saviour , thou who in thine apprehension couldst forget all thy danger , to correct and heal his over-lashing , now in the heat of thy arraignment and condemnation canst forget thy own misery , to reclaim his errour ; and by that seasonable glance of thine eye , to strike his heart with a needfull remorse . he that was lately so valiant to fight for thee , now the next morning is so cowardly as to deny thee : he shrinks at the voice of a maid , who was not daunted with the sight of a band. o peter , had thy slip been sudden , thy fall had been more easie : premonition aggravates thy offence ; that stone was foreshewed thee whereat thou stumbledst : neither did thy warning more adde to thy guilt , then thine own fore-resolution . how didst thou vow , though thou shouldst die with thy master , not to deny him ? hadst thou said nothing , but answered with a trembling silence , thy shame had been the lesse . good purposes , when they are not held , do so far turn enemies to the entertainer of them , as that they help to double both his sin and punishment . yet a single denial had been but easie ; thine ( i fear to speak it ) was lined with swearing and execration . whence then , oh whence was this so vehement and peremptory disclamation of so gracious a master ? what such danger had attended thy profession of his attendance ? one of thy fellows was known to the high-priest for a follower of jesus ; yet he not onely came himself into that open hall , in view of the bench , but treated with the maid that kept the door to let thee in also . she knew him what he was ; and could therefore speak to thee , as brought in by his mediation , art not thou also one of this mans disciples ? thou also supposes the first acknowledged such ; yet what crime , what danger was urged upon that noted disciple ? what could have been more to thee ? was it that thy heart misgave thee thou mightest be called to account for malchus ? it was no thank to thee that that eare was healed ; neither did there want those that would think how near that eare was to the head . doubtlesse , that busie fellow himself was not far off , and his fellows and kinsmen would have been apt enough to follow thee ( besides thy discipleship ) upon a bloodshed , a riot , a rescue . thy conscience hath made thee thus unduly timorous : and now , to be sure to avoid the imputation of that affray , thou renouncest all knowledge of him in whose cause thou foughtest . howsoever the sin was hainous . i tremble at such a fall of so great an apostle . it was thou , o peter , that buffetedst thy master more then those jews ; it was to thee that he turned the cheek from them , as to view him by whom he most smarted : he felt thee afar off , and answered thee with a look ; such a look as was able to kill and revive at once . thou hast wounded me ( maiest thou now say ) o my saviour , thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes : that one eye of thy mercy hath wounded my heart with a deep remorse for my grievous sin , with an indignation at my unthankfulnesse ; that one glance of thine hath resolved me into the tears of sorrow and contrition . oh that mine eyes were fountains , and my cheeks channels that shall never be dryed ! and peter went out , and wept bitterly . christ before pilate . well worthy were these jews to be tributary ; they had cast off the yoke of their god , and had justly earned this roman servitude . tiberius had befriended them too well with so favourable a governour as pilate . had they had the power of life and death in their hands , they had not been beholden to an heathen for a legal murder . i know not whether they more repine at this slavery , or please themselves to think how cleanly they can shift off this blood into anothers hand . these great masters of israel flock from their own consistory to pilate's judgment-hall . the sentence had been theirs , the execution must be his ; and now they hope to bear down jesus with the stream of that frequent confluence . but what ailes you , o ye rulers of israel , that ye stand thus thronging at the door ? why do ye not go in to that publick room of judicature , to call for that justice ye came for ? was it for that ye would not defile your selves with the contagion of an heathen roof ? holy men ! your consciences would not suffer you to yield to so impure an act ; your passeover must be kept , your persons must be clean : whiles ye exspect justice from the man , ye abhor the pollution of the place . woe to you priests , scribes , elders , hypocrites ; can there be any roof so unclean as that of your own breasts ? not pilate's walls , but your hearts are impure . is murder your errand , and do you stick at a local infection ? god shall smite you , ye whited walls . do ye long to be stained with blood , with the blood of god ? and do ye fear to be defiled with the touch of pilate's pavement ? doth so small a gnat stick in your throats , whiles ye swallow such a camel of flagitious wickednesse ? goe out of your selves , ye false dissemblers , if ye would not be unclean . pilate , onwards , hath more cause to fear lest his walls should be defiled with the presence of so prodigious monsters of impiety . that plausible governour condescends to humour their superstition : they dare not come in to him ; he yields to goe forth to them . even pilate begins justly , what accusation bring you against this man ? it is no judging of religion by the outward demeanour of men ; there is more justice amongst romans then amongst jews . these malicious rabbies thought it enough that they had sentenced jesus ; no more was now exspected but a speedy execution . if he were not a malefactor , we would not have delivered him up unto thee . civil justice must be their hangman . it is enough conviction that he is delivered up to the secular powers . themselves have judged , these other must kill . pilate and caiaphas have changed places : this pagan speaks that law and justice which that high priest should have done ; and that high priest speaks those murdering incongruities which would better have beseemed the mouth of a pagan . what needs any new triall ? dost thou know , pilate , who we are ? is this the honour that thou givest to our sacred priesthood ? is this thy valuation of our sanctity ? had the basest of the vulgar complained to thee , thou couldst but have put them to a review . our place and holinesse lookt not to be distrusted . if our scrupulous consciences suspect thy very walls , thou maiest well think there is small reason to suspect our consciences . upon a full hearing , ripe deliberation , and exquisitely-judicial proceeding , we have sentenced this malefactor to death : there needs no more from thee but thy command of execution . oh monster , whether of malice or unjustice ! must he then be a malefactor whom ye will condemn ? is your bare word ground enough to shed blood ? whom did ye ever kill but the righteous ? by whose hands perished the prophets ? the word was but mistaken ; ye should have said , if we had not been malefactors , we had never delivered up this innocent man unto thee . it must needs be notoriously unjust which very nature hath taught pagans to abhor . pilate sees and hates this bloody suggestion and practice . do ye pretend holiness , and urge so injurious a violence ? if he be such as ye accuse him , where is his conviction ? if he cannot be legally convicted , why should he die ? do you think i may take your complaint for a crime ? if i must judge for you , why have you judged for your selves ? could ye suppose that i would condemn any man unheard ? if your jewish laws yield you this liberty , the roman laws yield it not to me . it is not for me to judge after your laws , but after our own . your prejudgment may not sway me . since ye have gone so far , be ye your own carvers of justice ; take ye him and judge him according to your law . o pilate , how happy had it been for thee , if thou hadst held thee there ? thus thou hadst wash'd thy hands more clean then in all thy basons . might law have been the rule of this judgment , and not malice , this blood had not been shed . how palpably doth their tongue bewray their heart ? it is not lawfull for us to put any man to death . pilate talks of judgment , they talk of death . this was their only aime : law was but a colour , judgment was but a ceremony ; death was their drift , and without this nothing . blood-thirsty priests and elders ! it is well that this power of yours is restrained : no innocence could have been safe , if your lawlesse will had had no limits . it were pity this sword should be in any but just and sober hands . your fury did not alwaies consult with law : what law allowed your violence to stephen , to paul and barnabas , and your deadly attempts against this blessed jesus whom ye now persecute ? how lawfull was it for you to procure that death which ye could not inflict ? it is all the care of hypocrites to seek umbrages and pretences for their hatefull purposes ; and to make no other use of laws ( whether divine or humane ) but to serve turns . where death is fore-resolved , there cannot want accusations . malice is not so barren as not to yield crimes enough . and they began to accuse him , saying , we found this fellow perverting the nation ; and forbidding to give tribute unto casear , saying that he himself is christ and king. what accusations saidst thou , o pilate ? hainous & capital . thou mightest have believed our confident intimation : but since thou wilt needs urge us to particulars , know that we come furnished with such an inditement as shall make thine ears glow to hear it . besides that blasphemy whereof he hath been condemned by us , this man is a seducer of the people , a raiser of sedition , an usurper of soveraignty . o impudent suggestion ! what marvel is it , o saviour , if thine honest servants beloaded with slanders , when thy most innocent person escaped not so shamefull criminations ? thou a perverter of the nation , who taughtest the way of god truly ? thou a forbidder of tribute , who payedst it , who prescribedst it , who provedst it to be caesar's due ? thou a challenger of temporal soveraignty , who avoidedst it , renouncedst it , professedst to come to serve ? oh the forehead of malice ! goe , ye shamelesse traducers , and swear that truth is guilty of all falshood , justice of all wrong ; and that the sun is the only cause of darknesse , fire of cold. now pilate startles at the charge . the name of tribute , the name of caesar is in mention : these potent spells can fetch him back to the common hall , and call jesus to the bar. there , o saviour , standst thou meekly to be judged , who shalt once come to judge the quick and the dead . then shall he before whom thou stoodst guiltlesse and dejected , stand before thy dreadfull majesty guilty and trembling . the name of a king , of caesar , is justly tender and awfull ; the least whisper of an usurpation or disturbance is entertained with a jealous care . pilate takes this intimation at the first bound ; art thou then the king of the jews ? he felt his own free-hold now touched , it was time for him to stir . daniel's weeks were now famously known to be near expiring . many arrogant and busie spirits ( as judas of galilee , theudas , and that egyptian seducer ) taking that advantage , had raised several conspiracies , set up new titles to the crown , gathered forces to maintain their false claims . perhaps pilate supposed some such businesse now on foot , and therefore asks so curiously , art thou the king of the jewes ? he that was no lesse wisdome then truth , thought it not best either to affirm or deny at once . sometimes it may be extremely prejudicial to speak all truths . to disclaim that title suddenly which had been of old given him by the prophets , at his birth by the eastern sages , and now lately at his procession by the acclaming multitude , had been injurious to himself ; to professe and challenge it absolutely , had been unsafe , and needlesly provoking . by wise and just degrees therefore doth he so affirm this truth , that he both satisfies the inquirer , and takes off all perill and prejudice from his assertion . pilate shall know him a king ; but such a king as no king needs to fear , as all kings ought to acknowledge and adore : my kingdome is not of this world . it is your mistaking , o ye earthly potentates , that is guilty of your fears . herod hears of a king born , and is troubled ; pilate hears of a king of the jews , and is incensed . were ye not ignorant , ye could not be jealous : had ye learned to distinguish of kingdomes , these suspicions would vanish . there are secular kingdomes , there are spirituall ; neither of these trenches upon other : your kingdome is secular , christs is spirituall ; both may , both must stand together . his laws are divine , yours civil : his reign is eternall , yours temporall : the glory of his rule is inward , and stands in the graces of sanctification , love , peace , righteousness , joy in the holy ghost ; yours in outward pomp , riches , magnificence : his enemies are the devil , the world , the flesh ; yours are bodily usurpers , and externall peace-breakers : his sword is the power of the word and spirit , yours materiall : his rule is over the conscience , yours over bodies and lives : he punishes with hell , ye with temporal death or torture . yea so far is he from opposing your government , that by him ye kings reign : your scepters are his ; but to maintain , not to wield , not to resist . o the unjust fears of vain men ! he takes not away your earthly kingdomes , who gives you heavenly ; he discrowns not the body , who crowns the soul ; his intention is not to make you lesse great , but more happy , the charge is so fully answered , that pilate acquits the prisoner . the jewish masters stand still without ; their very malice dares not venture their pollution in going in to prosecute their accusation . pilate hath examined him within ; and now comes forth to these eager complainants , with a cold answer to their over-hot expectation ; i finde in him no fault at all . o noble testimony of christ's innocence from that mouth which afterwards doomed him to death ! what a difference there is betwixt a man as he is himself , and as he is the servant of others wills ? it is pilate's tongue that saies , i finde in him no fault at all : it is the jews tongue in pilate's mouth that saies , let him be crucified . that cruell sentence cannot blot him whom this attestation cleareth . neither doth he say , i finde him not guilty in that whereof he is accused ; but gives an universal acquittance of the whole carriage of christ , i finde in him no fault at all . in spight of malice , innocence shall finde abettors . rather then christ shall want witnesses , the mouth of pilate shall be opened to his justification . how did these jewish blood-suckers stand thunder-stricken with so unexspected a word ? his absolution was their death ; his acquital their conviction . no fault , when we have found crimes ? no fault at all , when we have condemned him for capital offences ? how palpably doth pilate give us the lie ? how shamefully doth he affront our authority and disparage our justice ? so ingenuous a testimony doubtlesse exasperated the fury of these jews : the fire of their indignation was seven-fold more intended with the sense of their repulse . i tremble to think how just pilate as yet was , and how soon after depraved ; yea how mercifull together with that justice . how sain would he have freed jesus , whom he found faultlesse ? corrupt custome , in memory of their deliverance from egyptian bondage , allowed to gratifie the jews with the free delivery of some one prisoner . ( tradition would be incroaching : the paschal lamb was monument enough of that happy rescue : men affect to have something of their own . ) pilate was willing to take this advantage of dismissing jesus . that he might be the more likely to prevail , he proposeth him with the choice and nomination of so notorious a malefactor as he might justly think uncapable of all mercy ; barabbas , a thief , a murderer , a seditionary ; infamous for all , odious to all . had he propounded some other innocent prisoner , he might have feared the election would be doubtfull ; he cannot misdoubt the competition of so prodigious a malefactor . then they all cried again , not him , but barabbas . o malice beyond all example shamelesse and bloody ! who can but blush to think that an heathen should see jews so impetuously unjust , so savagely cruell ? he knew there was no fault to be found in jesus ; he knew there was no crime that was not to be found in barabbas : yet he hears ( and blushes to hear ) them say , not him , but barabbas . was not this ( think we ) out of similitude of condition ? every thing affects the like to it self ; every thing affects the preservation of that it liketh . what wonder is it then if ye jews , who prosesse your selves the murderers of that just one , favour a barabbas ? o saviour , what a killing indignity was this for thee to hear from thine own nation ? hast thou refused all glory , to put on shame and misery for their sakes ? hast thou disregarded thy blessed self , to save them ? and do they refuse thee for barabbas ? hast thou said , not heaven , but earth ; not soveraignty , but service ; not the gentile , but the jew ? and do they say , not him , but barabbas ? do ye thus requite the lord , o ye foolish people and unjust ? thus were thine ears and thine eyes first crucified ; and through them was thy soul wounded even to death , before thy death ; whiles thou sawest their rage , and heardst their noise of crucifie , crucifie . pilate would have chastised thee . even that had been a cruell mercy from him ; for what evil hadst thou done ? but that cruelty had been true mercy to this of the jews , whom no blood would satisfie but that of thy heart . he calls for thy fault , they call for thy punishment ; as proclaiming thy crucifixion is not intended to satisfie justice , but malice , they cried the more , crucifie him , crucifie him . as their clamour grew , so the presidents justice declined . those graces that lie loose and ungrounded , are easily washt away with the first tide of popularity . thrice had that man proclaimed the innocence of him whom he now inclines to condemn , willing to content the people . oh the foolish aimes of ambition ! not god , not his conscience come into any regard ; but the people . what a base idol doth the proud man adore ? even the vulgar , which a base man despiseth . what is their applause but an idle winde ? what is their anger but a painted fire ? o pilate , where now is thy self and thy people ? whereas a good conscience would have stuck by thee for ever , and have given thee boldness before the face of that god which thou and thy people shall never have the happiness to behold . the jews have plaid their first part ; the gentiles must now act theirs . cruell pilate , who knew jesus was delivered for envie , accused falsly , maliciously pursued , hath turned his profered chastisement into scourging ; then pilate took jesus and scourged him . woe is me , dear saviour ; i feel thy lashes ; i shrink under thy painfull whippings ; thy nakedness covers me with shame and confusion . that tender and precious body of thine is galled and torn with cords . thou that didst of late water the garden of gethsemani with the drops of thy bloody sweat , dost now bedew the pavement of pilate's hall with the showrs of thy blood . how fully hast thou made good thy word , i gave my back to the smiters , and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair ; i hid not my face from shame and spitting ? how can i be enough sensible of my own stripes ? these blows are mine ; both my sins have given them , and they give remedies to my sins . he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was upon him , and with his stripes are we healed . o blessed jesu , why should i think strange to be scourged with tongue or hand , when i see thee bleeding ? what lashes can i fear either from heaven or earth , since thy scourges have been born for me , and have sanctified them to me ? now , dear jesu , what a world of insolent reproaches , indignities , tortures , art thou entring into ? to an ingenuous and tender disposition scorns are torment enough ; but here pain helps to perfect thy misery , their despight . who should be actors in this whole bloody execution , but grim and barbarous souldiers , men inured to cruelty , in whose faces were written the characters of murder , whose very trade was killing , and whose looks were enough to prevent their hands ? these , for the greater terrour of their concourse , are called together ; and whether by the connivence or the command of their wicked governour , or by the instigation of the malicious jews , conspire to anticipate his death with scorns , which they will after inflict with violence . o my blessed saviour , was it not enough that thy sacred body was stripped of thy garments , and waled with bloody stripes , but that thy person must be made the mocking-stock of thine insulting enemies , thy back disguised with purple robes , thy temples wounded with a thornie crown , thy face spate upon , thy cheeks buffeted , thy head smitten , thy hand sceptred with a reed , thy self derided with wrie mouths , bended knees , scoffing acclamations ? insolent souldiers ! whence is all this jeering and sport , but to flout majesty ? all these are the ornaments and ceremonies of a royal inauguration , which now in scorn ye cast upon my despised saviour . goe on , make your selves merry with this jolly pastime . alas ! long agoe ye now feel whom ye scorned . is he a king , think you , whom ye thus plai'd upon ? look upon him with gnashing and horrour , whom ye look'd at with mockage and insultation . was not that head fit for your thorns , which you now see crowned with glory and majesty ? was not that hand fit for a reed , whose iron scepter crushes you to death ? was not that face fit to be spate upon , from the dreadfull aspect whereof ye are ready to desire the mountains to cover you ? in the mean time , whither , o whither dost thou stoop , o thou coeternal son of thine eternal father ? whither dost thou abase thy self for me ? i have sinned , and thou art punished ; i have exalted my self , and thou art dejected ; i have clad my self with shame , and thou art stripped ; i have made my self naked , and thou art clothed with robes of dishonour ; my head hath devised evil , and thine is pierced with thorns ; i have smitten thee , and thou art smitten for me ; i have dishonoured thee , and thou for my sake art scorned ; thou art made the sport of men for me , that have deserved to be insulted on by devils . thus disguised , thus bleeding , thus mangled , thus deformed art thou brought forth , whether for compassion , or for a more universal derision , to the furious multitude , with an ecce homo , behold the man : look upon him , o ye mercilesse jews ; see him in his shame , in his wounds and blood , and now see whether ye think him miserable enough . ye see his face blew and black with buffeting , his eyes swoln , his cheeks beslabbered with spittle , his skin torn with scourges , his whole body bathed in blood ; and would ye yet have more ? behold the man ; the man whom ye envied for his greatnesse , whom ye feared for his usurpation : doth he not look like a king ? is he not royally dressed ? see whether his magnificence do not command reverence from you . would ye wish a finer king ? are ye not afraid he will wrest the scepter out of caesar's hand ? behold the man. yea , and behold him well , o thou proud pilate , o ye cruel souldiers , o ye insatiable jews . ye see him base , whom ye shall see glorious : the time shall surely come wherein ye shall see him in another dresse : he shall shine whom ye now see to bleed ; his crown cannot be now so ignominious and painfull , as it shall be once majestical and precious ; ye who now bend your knees to him in scorn , shall see all knees both in heaven and in earth and under the earth to bow before him in an awfull adoration ; ye that now see him with contempt , shall behold him with horrour . what an inward war do i yet finde in the breast of pilate ? his conscience bids him spare , his popularity bids him kill . his wife warned by a dream , warns him to have no hand in the blood of that just man ; the importunate multitude presses him for a sentence of death . all shifts have been tried to free the man whom he hath pronounced innocent : all violent motives are urged to condemn that man whom malice pretends guilty . in the height of this strife , when conscience and moral justice were ready to sway pilate's distracted heart to a just dismission , i hear the jews cry out , if thou let this man goe , thou art not caesar's friend . there is the word that strikes it dead : it is now no time to demur any more . in vain shall we hope that a carnal heart can prefer the care of his soul to the care of his safety and honour , god to caesar . now jesus must die : pilate hasts into the judgment hall ; the sentence sticks no longer in his teeth , let him be crucified . yet how foul so ever his soul shall be with this fact , his hands shall be clean ; he took water and washt his hands before the multitude , saying , i am innocent of the blood of this just person : see ye to it . now all is safe i wis : this is expiation enough ; water can wash off blood , the hands can cleanse the heart : protest thou art innocent , and thou canst not be guilty . vain hypocrite ! canst thou think to escape so ? is murder of no deeper dye ? canst thou dream waking thus to avoid the charge of thy wives dream ? is the guilt of the blood of the son of god to be wip'd off with such ease ? what poor shifts do foolish sinners make to beguile themselves ? any thing will serve to charm the conscience , when it lists to sleep . but , o saviour , whiles pilate thinks to wash off the guilt of thy blood with water , i know there is nothing that can wash off the guilt of this his sin but thy blood . oh do thou wash my soul in that precious bathe , and i shall be clean , oh pilate , if that very blood which thou sheddest do not wash off the guilt of thy bloodshed , thy water doth but more defile thy soul , and intend that fire wherewith thou burnest . little did the desperate jews know the weight of that blood , which they were so forward to wish upon themselves and their children . had they deprecated their interest in that horrible murder , they could not so easily have avoided the vengeance : but now that they fetch it upon themselves by a willing execration , what should i say , but that they long for a curse ? it is pity they should not be miserable . and have ye not now felt , o nation worthy of plagues , have ye not now felt what blood it was whose guilt ye affected ? sixteen hundred years are now passed since you wished your selves thus wretched : have ye not been ever since the hate and scorn of the world ? did ye not live ( many of you ) to see your city buried in ashes , and drowned in blood ? to see your selves no nation ? was there ever people under heaven that was made so famous a spectacle of miserie and desolation ? have ye yet enough of that blood which ye called for upon your selves and your children ? your former cruelties , uncleannesses , idolatries cost you but some short captivities ; god cannot but be just : this sin under which you now lie groaning and forlorn , must needs be so much greater then these , as your vastation is more ; and what can that be other then the murder of the lord of life ? ye have what ye wisht : be miserable till ye be penitent . the crucifixion . the sentence of death is past , and now who can with dry eyes behold the sad pomp of my saviours bloody execution ? all the streets are full of gazing spectators , waiting for this ruefull sight . at last , o saviour , there thou comest out of pilate's gate , bearing that which shall soon bear thee . to expect thy crosse was not torment enough ; thou must carry it . all this while thou shalt not only see , but feel thy death before it come ; and must help to be an agent in thine owne passion . it was not out of favour , that those scornfull robes being stripped off , thou art led to death in thine own cloaths . so was thy face besmeared with blood , so swoln and discoloured with buffetings , that thou couldst not have been known , but by thy wonted habit . now thine insulting enemies are so much more imperiously cruell , as they are more sure of their successe . their mercilesse tormentings have made thee half dead already : yet now , as if they had done nothing , they begin afresh ; and will force thy weakned and fainting nature to new tasks of pain . the transverse of thy crosse ( at least ) is upon thy shoulder : when thou canst scarce goe , thou must carry . one kicks thee with his foot , another strikes thee with his staffe , another drags thee hastily by thy cord , and more then one spur on thine unpitied wearinesse with angry commands of hast . oh true form and state of a servant ! all thy former actions , o saviour , were ( though painfull , yet ) free ; this , as it is in itself servile , so it is tyrannously inforced : inforced yet more upon thee by thy own love to mankind , then by their power and despight . it was thy father that laid upon thee the iniquity of us all : it was thine own mercy that caused thee to bear our sins upon the crosse , and to bear the crosse ( with the curse annexed to it ) for our sins . how much more voluntary must that needs be in thee , which thou requirest to be voluntarily undertaken by us ? it was thy charge , if any man will come after me , let him deny himself , and take up his crosse and follow me . thou didst not say , let him bear his crosse as forceably imposed by another ; but , let him take up his crosse , as his free burden : free in respect of his heart , not in respect of his hand : so free , that he shall willingly undergoe it , when it is laid upon him ; not so free as that he shall lay it upon himself unrequired . o saviour , thou didst not snatch the crosse out of the souldiers hands , and cast it upon thy shoulder ; but when they laid it on thy neck , thou underwentest it . the constraint was theirs , the will was thine . it was not so heavy to them , or to simon , as it was to thee ; they felt nothing but the wood , thou feltest it clogged with the load of the sins of the whole world . no marvell if thou faintedst under that sad burden ; thou that bearest up the whole earth by thy word , didst sweat , and pant , and groan under this unsupportable carriage . o blessed jesu , how could i be confounded in my self to see thee , after so much losse of blood and over-toilednesse of pain , languishing under that fatal tree ? and yet why should it more trouble me to see thee sinking under thy crosse now , then to see thee anone hanging upon thy crosse ? in both thou wouldst render thy self weak and miserable , that thou mightest so much the more glorifie thy infinite mercy in suffering . it is not out of any compassion of thy misery , or care of thine ease , that simon of cyrene is forced to be the porter of thy crosse ; it was out of their own eagernesse of thy dispatch : thy feeble paces were too slow for their purpose ; their thirst after thy blood made them impatient of delay . if thou have wearily strugled with the burden of thy shame all along the streets of jerusalem , when thou com'st once past the gates , an helper shall be deputed to thee : the expedition of thy death was more sweet to them , then the pain of a lingring passage . what thou saidst to judas , they say to the executioner , what thou doest , doe quickly . whiles thou yet livest , they cannot be quiet , they cannot be safe : to hasten thine end , they lighten thy carriage . hadst thou done this out of choice which thou didst out of constraint , how i should have envied thee , o simon of cyrene , as too happy in the honour to be the first man that bore that crosse of thy saviour , wherein millions of blessed martyrs have ( since that time ) been ambitious to succeed thee ? thus to bear thy crosse for thee , o saviour , was more then to bear a crown from thee . could i be worthy to be thus graced by thee , i should pity all other glories . whiles thou thus passest , o dear jesu , the streets and waies resound not all with one note . if the malicious jews and cruell souldiers insulted upon thee , and either haled or railed thee on with a bitter violence , thy faithfull followers were no lesse loud in their moans and ejulations ; neither would they indure that the noise of their cries and lamentations should be drowned with the clamour of those reproches : but especially thy blessed mother , and those other zealous associates of her own sex , were most passionate in their wailings . and why should i think that all that devout multitude which so lately cried hosanna in the streets , did not also bear their part in these publick condolings ? though it had not concerned thy self , o saviour , thine ears had been still more open to the voice of grief then of malice : and so thy lips also are open to the one , shut to the other ; daughters of jerusalem , weep not for me , but weep for your selves and for your children . who would not have thought , o saviour , that thou shouldst have been wholly taken up with thine own sorrows ? the expectation of so bitter a death had been enough to have overwhelmed any soul but thine : yet even now can thy gracious eye finde time to look beyond thine own miseries , at theirs ; and to pity them , who , insensible of their own insuing condition , mourned for thine now present . they see thine extremity , thou foreseest theirs ; they powre out their sorrow upon thee , thou divertest it upon themselves . we silly creatures walk blindefolded in this vale of tears , and little know what evil is towards us : only what we feel we know ; and whiles we feel nothing , can finde leisure to bestow our commiseration on those who need it perhaps lesse then our selves . even now , o saviour , when thou wert within the view of thy calvary , thou canst foresee and pity the vastation of thy jerusalem ; and givest a sad prophecy of the imminent destruction of that city which lately had cost thee tears , and now shall cost thee blood . it is not all the indign cruelty of men that can rob thee of thy mercy . jerusalem could not want malefactors , though barabbas was dismissed . that all this execution might seem to be done out of the zeal of justice , two capital offenders , adjudged to their gibbet , shall accompany thee , o saviour , both to thy death and in it . they are led manicled after thee , as lesse criminous : no stripes had disabled them from bearing their own crosses . long agoe was this unmeet society foretold by thine evangelical seer , he was taken from prison and from judgment ; he was cut out of the land of the living ; he made his grave with the wicked . o blessed jesu , it had been disparagement enough to thee to be forted with the best of men ( since there is much sin in the perfectest , and there could be no sin in thee ; ) but to be matched with the scum of mankinde , whom vengeance would not let to live , is such an indignity as confounds my thoughts . surely there is no angel in heaven but would have been proud to attend thee ; and what could the earth afford worthy of thy train ? yet malice hath suited thee with company next to hell ; that their viciousnesse might reflect upon thee , and their sin might stain thine innocence . ye are deceived , o ye fond judges : this is the way to grace your dying malefactors ; this is not the way to disgrace him whose guiltlesnesse and perfection triumph'd over your injustice : his presence was able to make your thieves happy ; their presence could no more blemish him then your own . thus guarded , thus attended , thus accompanied art thou , blessed jesu , led to that loathsome and infamous hill , which now thy last blood shall make sacred : now thou settest thy foot upon that rising ground which shalt prevent thine olivet , whence thy soul shall first ascend into thy glory . there whiles thou art addressing thy self for thy last act , thou art presented with that bitter and farewell-potion wherewith dying malefactors were wont to have their senses stupified , that they might not feel the torments of their execution . it was but the common mercy of men to alleviate the death of offenders ; since the intent of their last doom is not so much pain , as dissolution . that draught , o saviour , was not more welcome to the guilty then hatefull unto thee . in the vigor of all thine inward and outward senses , thou wouldst incounter the most violent assaults of death , and scornedst to abate the least touch of thy quickest apprehension . thou well knewest that the work thou wentest about would require the use of all thy powers ; it was not thine ease that thou soughtest , but our redemption ; neither meantest thou to yield to thy last enemy , but to resist and to overcome him : which that thou mightest doe the more gloriously , thou challengedst him to doe his worst ; and in the mean time wouldst not disfurnish thy self of any of thy powerfull faculties . this greatest combat that ever was shall be fought on even hand : neither wouldst thou steal that victory which thou now atchievedst over death and hell. thou didst but touch at this cup ; it is a far bitterer then this that thou art now drinking up to the dregs : thou refusedst that which was offered thee by men , but that which was mixed by thine eternal father ( though mere gall and wormwood ) thou didst drink up to the last drop . and therein , o blessed jesu , lies all our health and salvation . i know not whether i do more suffer in thy pain , or joy in the issue of thy suffering . now , even now , o saviour , art thou entring into those dreadfull lists , and now art thou grapling with thy last enemy ; as if thou hadst not suffered till now , now thy bloody passion begins : a cruell expoliation begins that violence . again do these grim and mercilesse souldiers lay their rude hands upon thee , and strip thee naked ; again are those bleeding wales laid open to all eyes ; again must thy sacred body undergoe the shame of an abhorred nakednesse . lo , thou that clothest man with raiment , beasts with hides , fishes with scales and shells , earth with flowers , heaven with stars , art despoiled of cloaths , and standest exposed to the scorn of all beholders . as the first adam entred into his paradise , so dost thou ( the second adam ) into thine , naked ; and as the first adam was clothed with innocence when he had no cloaths , so wert thou ( the second ) too : and more then so ; thy nakednesse , o saviour , cloaths our souls not with innocence only , but with beauty . hadst not thou been naked , we had been cloathed with confusion . o happy nakednesse , whereby we are covered from shame ! o happy shame , whereby we are invested with glory ! all the beholders stand wrapped with warm garments ; thou only art stripped to tread the wine-presse alone . how did thy blessed mother now wish her veile upon thy shoulders ? and that disciple who lately ran from thee naked , wish'd in vain that his loving pity might doe that for thee , which fear forced him to for himself . shame is succeeded with pain . oh the torment of the crosse ! methinks i see and feel , how having fastned the transverse to the body of that fatal tree , and lai'd it upon the ground , they racked and strained thy tender and sacred lims , to fit the extent of their fore-appointed measure ; and having tentered out thine arms beyond their natural reach , how they fastned them with cords , till those strong iron nails ( which were driven up to the head through the palms of thy blessed hands ) had not more firmly then painfully fixed thee to the gibbet . the tree is raised up , and now not without a vehement concussion setled in the mortise . woe is me , how are thy joynts and sinews torn , and stretched till they crack again , by this torturing distension ? how doth thine own weight torment thee , whiles thy whole body rests upon this forced and dolorous hold , till thy nailed feet bear their part in a no lesse afflictive supportation ? how did the rough iron pierce thy soul , whiles passing through those tender and sensible parts it carried thy flesh before it , and as it were rivetted it to that shamefull tree ? there now , o dear jesu , there thou hangest between heaven and earth , naked , bleeding , forlorn , despicable , the spectacle of miseries , the scorn of men . be abashed , o ye heavens and earth , and all ye creatures wrap up your selves in horrour and confusion , to see the shame and pain and curse of your most pure and omnipotent creator . how could ye subsist , whiles he thus suffers in whom ye are ? o saviour , didst thou take flesh for our redemption to be thus indignely used , thus mangled , thus tortured ? was this measure fit to be offered to that sacred body that was conceived by the holy ghost of the pure substance of an immaculate virgin ? woe is me ; that which was unspotted with sin , is all blemished with humane crueltie , and so wofully disfigured , that the blessed mother that bore thee could not now have known thee ; so bloody were thy temples , so swolne and discoloured was thy face , so was the skin of thy whole body streaked with red and blew stripes , so did thy thornie diadem shade thine heavenly countenance , so did the streams of thy blood cover and deform all thy parts . the eye of sense could not distinguish thee , o dear saviour , in the nearest proximity to thy crosse : the eye of faith sees thee in all this distance ; and by how much more ignominy , deformity , pain it finds in thee , so much more it admires the glory of thy mercy . alas ! is this the head that is decked by thine eternall father with a crown of pure gold , of immortall and incomprehensible majesty , which is now bushed with thorns ? is this the eye that saw the heavens opened , and the holy ghost descending upon that head , that saw such resplendence of heavenly brightnesse on mount tabor , which now begins to be overclouded with death ? are these the eares that heard the voice of thy father owning thee out of heaven , which now tingle with buffettings , and glow with reproaches , and bleed with thorns ? are these the lips that spake as never mans spake , full of grace and power , that called out dead lazarus , that ejected the stubbornest devils , that commanded the cure of all diseases , which now are swoln with blows , and discoloured with blewnesse and blood ? is this the face that should be fairer then the sons of men , which the angels of heaven so desired to see , and can never be satisfied with seeing , that is thus foul with the nasty mixtures of sweat , and blood , and spittings on ? are these the hands that stretched out the heavens as a curtain , that by their touch healed the lame , the deaf , the blind , which are now bleeding with the nailes ? are these the feet which walked lately upon the liquid pavement of the sea , before whose footstool all the nations of the earth are bidden to worship , that are now so painfully fixed to the crosse ? o cruell and unthankfull mankind , that offered such measure to the lord of life ! o infinitely mercifull saviour , that wouldst suffer all this for unthankfull mankind ! that fiends should doe these things to guilty souls , it is ( though terrible , yet ) just ; but that men should doe thus to the blessed son of god , it is beyond the capacity of our horrour . even the most hostile dispositions have been only content to kill ; death hath sated the most eager malice : thine enemies , o saviour , held not themselves satisfied , unlesse they might injoy thy torment . two thieves are appointed to be thy companions in death ; thou art designed to the midst , as the chief malefactor : on whether hand soever thou lookest , thine eye meets with an hatefull partner . but , o blessed jesu , how shall i enough admire and celebrate thy infinite mercy , who madest so happy an use of this jewish despight , as to improve it to the occasion of the salvation of one , and the comfort of millions ? is not this , as the last , so the greatest specialty of thy wonderfull compassion , to convert that dying thief ? with those nailed hands to snatch a soul out of the mouth of hell ? lord , how i blesse thee for this work ? how doe i stand amazed at this , above all other the demonstrations of thy goodnesse and power ? the offender came to die : nothing was in his thoughts but his guilt and torment : whiles he was yet in his blood , thou saidst , this soul shall live . ere yet the intoxicating potion could have time to work upon his brain , thy spirit infuses faith into his heart . he that before had nothing in his eye but present death and torture , is now lifted up above his crosse in a blessed ambition ; lord , remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome . is this the voice of a thief , or of a disciple ? give me leave , o saviour , to borrow thine own words ; verily i have not found so great faith , no not in all israel . he saw thee hanging miserably by him , and yet styles thee lord ; he saw thee dying , yet talks of thy kingdome ; he felt himself dying , yet talks of a future remembrance . o faith stronger then death , that can look beyond the crosse at a crown ; beyond dissolution at a remembrance of life and glory ! which of thine eleven were heard to speak so gracious a word to thee in these thy last pangs ? after thy resurrection and knowledge of thine impassible condition it was not strange for them to talk of thy kingdome ; but in the midst of thy shamefull death , for a dying malefactor to speak of thy reigning , and to implore thy remembrance of himself in thy kingdome , it is such an improvement of faith as ravisheth my soul with admiration . o blessed thief , that hast thus happily stolne heaven ! how worthy hath thy saviour made thee to be a partner of his sufferings , a pattern of undauntable belief , a spectacle of unspeakable mercy ? this day shalt thou be with me in paradise . before i wondred at thy faith ; now i envy at thy felicity . thou cravedst a remembrance ; thy saviour speaks of a present possession , this day : thou suedst for remembrance as a favour to the absent ; thy saviour speaks of thy presence with him : thou spakest of a kingdome ; thy saviour of paradise . as no disciple could be more faithfull , so no saint could be happier . o saviour , what a precedent is this of thy free and powerfull grace ? where thou wilt give , what unworthinesse can barre us from mercy ? when thou wilt give , what time can prejudice our vocation ? who can despair of thy goodnesse , when he that in the morning was posting towards hell , is in the evening with thee in paradise ? lord , he could not have spoken this to thee , but by thee , and from thee . what possibility was there for a thief to think of thy kingdome , without thy spirit ? that good spirit of thine breathed upon this man , breathed not upon his fellow ; their trade was alike , their sin was alike , their state alike , their crosse alike , only thy mercy makes them unlike : one is taken , the other is refused . blessed be thy mercy in taking one ; blessed be thy justice in leaving the other . who can despair of that mercy ? who cannot but tremble at that justice ? now , o ye cruell priests and elders of the jews , ye have full leisure to feed your eyes with the sight ye so much longed for ; there is the blood ye purchased : and is not your malice yet glutted ? is not all this enough , without your taunts and scoffs and sports at so exquisite a misery ? the people , the passengers are taught to insult , where they should pity . every man hath a scorn ready to cast at a dying innocent . a generous nature is more wounded with the tongue , then with the hand . o saviour , thine eare was more painfully pierced then thy brows , or hands , or feet . it could not but goe deep into thy soul , to hear these bitter and girding reproaches from them thou camest to save . but , alas ! what sleabitings were these in comparison of those inward torments which thy soul felt in the sense and apprehension of thy fathers wrath for the sins of the whole world , which now lay heavy upon thee for satisfaction ? this , oh this was it that pressed thy soul as it were to the nethermost hell . whiles thine eternall father lookt lovingly upon thee , what didst thou , what neededst thou to care for the frowns of men or devils ? but when he once turn'd his face from thee , or bent his brows upon thee , this , this was worse then death . it is no marvel now , if darkness were upon the face of the whole earth , when thy fathers face was eclipsed from thee by the interposition of our sins . how should there be light in the world without , when the god of the world , the father of lights , complains of the want of light within ? that word of thine , o saviour , was enough to fetch the sun down out of heaven , and to dissolve the whole frame of nature , when thou criedst , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? oh what pangs were these , dear jesu , that drew from thee this complaint ? thou well knewest nothing could be more cordial to thine enemies , then to hear this sad language from thee : they could see but the outside of thy sufferings ; never could they have conceived so deep an anguish of thy soul , if thy own lips had not expressed it . yet as not regarding their triumph , thou thus powrest out thy sorrow : and when so much is uttered , who can conceive what is felt ? how is it then with thee , o saviour , that thou thus astonishest men and angels with so woful a quiritation ? had thy god left thee ? thou not long since saidst , i and my father are one : are ye now severed ? let this thought be as farre from my soul , as my soul from hell. no more can thy blessed father be separated from thee , then from his own essence . his union with thee is eternal ; his vision was intercepted : he could not withdraw his presence , he would withdraw the influence of his comfort . thou , the second adam , stoodst for mankind upon this tree of the cross , as the first adam stood and fell for mankind under the tree of offence . thou barest our sins ; thy father saw us in thee , and would punish us in thee , thee for us : how could he but withhold comfort where he intended chastisement ? herein therefore he seems to forsake thee for the present , in that he would not deliver thee from that bitter passion which thou wouldst undergoe for us . o saviour , hadst thou not been thus forsaken , we had perished ; thy dereliction is our safety : and however our narrow souls are not capable of the conceit of thy pain and horror ; yet we know there can be no danger in the forsaking , whiles thou canst say , my god. he is so thy god as he cannot be ours : all our right is by adoption , thine by nature ; thou art one with him in eternal essence , we come in by grace and merciful election : yet whiles thou shalt inable me to say , my god , i shall hope never to sink under thy desertions . but whiles i am transported with the sense of thy sufferings , o saviour , let me not forget to admire those sweet mercies of thine which thou powredst out upon thy persecutors . they rejoyce in thy death , and triumph in thy misery , and scoff at thee in both : in stead of calling down fire from heaven upon them , thou heapest coals of fire upon their heads ; father , forgive them , for they know not what they doe . they blaspheme thee , thou prayest for them ; they scorn , thou pitiest ; they sin aganst thee , thou prayest for their forgiveness ; they profess their malice , thou pleadest their ignorance . o compassion without example , without measure , fit for the son of god , the saviour of men ! wicked and foolish jewes ! ye would be miserable , he will not let you : ye would fain pull upon your selves the guilt of his blood , he deprecates it : ye kill , he sues for your remission and life . his tongue cries louder then his blood , father , forgive them . o saviour , thou couldst not but be heard . those who out of ignorance and simplicity thus persecuted thee , find the happy issue of thine intercession . now i see whence it was that three thousand souls were converted soon after at one sermon . it was not peter's speech , it was thy prayer , that was thus effectual . now they have grace to know and confess whence they have both forgiveness and salvation , and can recompence their blasphemies with thanksgiving . what sin is there , lord , whereof i can despair of the remission , or what offence can i be unwilling to remit , when thou prayest for the forgiveness of thy murderers and blasphemers ? there is no day so long but hath his evening . at last , o blessed saviour , thou art drawing to an end of these painful sufferings , when spent with toil and torment thou criest out , i thirst . how shouldst thou do other ? o dear jesu , how shouldst thou do other then thirst ? the night thou hadst spent in watching , in prayer , in agony , in thy conveyance from the garden to jerusalem , from annas to caiaphas , from caiaphas to pilate , in thy restless answers , in buffetings and stripes ; the day in arraignments , in haling from place to place , in scourgings , in stripping , in robing and disrobing , in bleeding , in tugging under thy cross , in woundings and distension , in pain and passion : no marvel if thou thirstedst . although there was more in this drought then thy need : it was no less requisite thou shouldst thirst , then that thou shouldst dye : both were upon the same predetermination , both upon the same prediction . how else should that word be verified , psal . . , . all my bones are out of joynt ; my heart is like waxe , it is melted in the midst of my bowels : my strength is dried up like a potsherd , and my tongue cleaveth to my jawes ; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death ? had it not been to make up that word whereof one jot cannot pass , though thou hadst felt this thirst , yet thou hadst not bewrayed it . alas ! what could it avail to bemoan thy wants to insulting enemies , whose sport was thy misery ? how should they pity thy thirst , that pitied not thy bloodshed ? it was not their favour that thou expectedst herein , but their conviction . o saviour , how can we , thy sinful servants , think much to be exercised with hunger and thirst , when we hear thee thus complain ? thou that not long since proclaimedst in the temple , if any man thirst , let him come to me and drink : he that believeth in me , out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters , now thy self thirstest : thou in whom we believe , complainest to want some drops ; thou hadst the command of all the waters both above the firmament and below it , yet thou wouldst thirst . even so , lord , thou that wouldst dye for us , wouldst thirst for us . o give me to thirst after those waters which thou promisest , whatever become of those waters which thou wouldst want . the time was , when craving water of the samaritan , thou gavest better then that thou askedst . oh give me to thirst after that more precious water ; and so do thou give me of that water of life , that i may never thirst again . blessed god , how marvelously dost thou contrive thine own affaires ? thine enemies whiles they would despight thee , shall unwittingly justifie thee and convince themselves . as thou fore saidst , in thy thirst , they gave thee vineger to drink . had they given thee wine , thou hadst not taken it ; the night before thou hadst taken leave of that comfortable liquor , resolving to drink no more of that sweet juice till thou shouldst drink it new with them in thy fathers kingdome . had they given thee water , they had not fulfilled that prediction , whereby they were self-condemned . i know not now , o dear jesu , whether this last draught of thine were more pleasing to thee or more distastful : distastful in it self ( for what liquor could be equally harsh ? ) pleasing , in that it made up those sufferings thou wert to indure , and those prophesies thou wert to fulfil . now there is no more to doe , thy full consummation of all predictions , of all types and ceremonies , of all sufferings , of all satisfactions is happily both effected and proclaimed ; nothing now remains but a voluntary , sweet and heavenly resignation of thy blessed soul into the hands of thine eternal father , and a bowing of thine head for the change of a better crown , and a peaceable obdormition in thy bed of ease and honour , and an instant entrance into rest , triumph , glory . and now , o blessed jesu , how easily have carnal eyes all this while mistaken the passages and intentions of this thy last and most glorious work ? our weakness could hitherto see nothing here but pain and ignominy ; now my better-inlightned eyes see in this elevation of thine both honour and happiness . lo , thou that art the mediator betwixt god and man , the reconciler of heaven and earth , art lift up betwixt earth and heaven , that thou mightest accord both . thou that art the great captain of our salvation , the conquerour of all the adverse powers of death and hell , art exalted upon this triumphal chariot of the cross , that thou mightest trample upon death , and drag all those infernal principalities manicled after thee . those arms which thine enemies meant violently to extend , are stretched forth for the imbracing of all mankind that shall come in for the benefit of thine all-sufficient redemption . even whiles thou sufferest , thou reignest . oh the impotent madness of silly men ! they think to disgrace thee with wrie faces , with tongues put out , with bitter scoffs , with poor wretched indignities ; when in the mean time the heavens declare thy righteousness , o lord , and the earth shews forth thy power . the sun pulls in his light , as not abiding to see the sufferings of his creator ; the earth trembles under the sense of the wrong done to her maker ; the rocks ren● , the veile of the temple teares from the top to the bottome ; shortly , all the frame of the world acknowledges the dominion of that son of god whom man despised . earth and hell have done their worst . o saviour , thou art in thy paradise , and triumphest over the malice of men and devils : the remainders of thy sacred person are not yet free . the souldiers have parted thy garments , and cast lots upon thy seamless coat ( those poor spoils cannot so much inrich them as glorifie thee , whose scriptures are fulfilled by their barbarous sortitions . ) the jews sue to have thy bones divided ; but they sue in vain . no more could thy garments be whole then thy body could be broken . one inviolable decree over-rules both . foolish executioners ! ye look up at that crucified body , as if it were altogether in your power and mercy ; nothing appears to you but impotence and death : little do ye know what an irresistible guard there is upon that sacred corps ; such as if all the powers of darkness shall band against , they shall finde themselves confounded . in spight of all the gates of hell that word shall stand , not a bone of him shall be broken . still the infallible decree of the almighty leads you on to his own ends , through your own waies . ye saw him already dead , whom ye came to dispatch : those bones therefore shall be whole , which ye had had no power to break . but yet , that no piece either of your cruelty or of divine prediction may remain unsatisfied , he whose bones may not be impaired , shall be wounded in his flesh ; he whose ghost was yielded up , must yield his last blood ; one of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side , and forthwith there came out blood and water . malice is wont to end with life ; here it overlives it . cruel man ! what means this so late wound ? what commission hadst thou for this bloody act ? pilate had given leave to break the bones of the living , he gave no leave to gore the side of the dead : what wicked supererogation is this ? what a superfluity of maliciousness ? to what purpose did thy spear pierce so many hearts in that one ? why wouldst thou kill a dead man ? methinks the blessed virgin , and those other passionate associates of hers , and the disciple whom jesus loved , together with the other of his fellows , the friends and followers of christ , and especially he that was so ready to draw his sword upon the troup of his masters apprehenders , should have work enough to contain themselves within the bounds of patience at so savage a stroke : their sorrow could not chuse but turn to indignation , and their hearts could not but rise ( as even mine doth now ) at so impertinent a villany . how easily could i rave at that rude hand ? but , o god , when i look up to theee , and consider how thy holy and wise providence so overrules the most barbarous actions of men , that ( besides their will ) they turn beneficial , i can at once hate them , and bless thee . this very wound hath a mouth to speak the messiahship of my saviour , and the truth of thy scripture , they shall look at him whom they have pierced . behold now the second adam sleeping , and out of his side formed the mother of the living , the evangelical church . behold the rock which was smitten , and the waters of life gushed forth . behold the fountain that is set open to the house of david , for sin and for uncleanness ; a fountain not of water only , but of blood too . o saviour , by thy water we are washed , by thy blood we are redeemed . those two sacraments which thou didst institute alive , flow also from thee dead , as the last memorials of thy love to thy church : the water of baptisme , which is the laver of regeneration ; the blood of the new testament shed for remission of sins : and these , together with the spirit that gives life to them both , are the three witnesses on earth , whose attestation cannot fail us . oh precious and soveraign wound , by which our souls are healed ! into this cleft of the rock let my dove fly and enter , and there safely hide her self from the talons of all the birds of prey . it could not be but that the death of christ , contrived and acted at jerusalem in so solemn a festival , must needs draw a world of beholders : the romans , the centurion and his band , were there as actors , as supervisors of the execution . those strangers were no otherwise ingaged , then as they that would hold fair correspondence with the citizens where they were engarisoned : their freedome from prejudice rendred them more capable of an ingenuous construction of all events . now when the centurion and they that were with him that watched jesus saw the earthquake , and the things that were done , they feared greatly , and glorified god , and said , truely this was the son god. what a marvelous concurrence is here of strong and irrefragable convictions ? meekness in suffering , prayer for his murderers , a faithful resignation of his soul into the hands of his heavenly father , the sun eclipsed , the heavens darkned , the earth trembling , the graves open , the rocks rent , the veile of the temple torn ; who could goe less then this , truly this was the son of god ? he suffers patiently ; this is through the power of grace ; many good men have done so through his enabling . the frame of nature suffers with him ; this is proper to the god of nature , the son of god. i wonder not that these men confessed thus ; i wonder that any spectator confessed it not : these proofs were enough to fetch all the world upon their knees , and to have made all mankind a convert . but all hearts are not alike ; no means can work upon the wilfully-obdured . even after this the souldier pierced that blessed side ; and whiles pagans relented , jews continued impenitent . yet even of that nation , those beholders whom envie and partiality had not interessed in this slaughter , were stricken with just astonishment , and smote their breasts , and shook their heads , and by passionate gesture spake what their tongues durst not . how many must there needs be , in this universal concourse , of them whom he had healed of diseases , or freed from devils , or miraculously fed , or some way obliged in their persons or friends ? these , as they were deeply affected with the mortal indignities which were offered to their acknowledged messiah ; so they could not but be ravished with wonder at those powerful demonstrations of the deity of him in whom they believed ; and strangely distracted in their thoughts , whiles they compared those sufferings with that omnipotence . as yet their faith and knowledge was but in the bud or in the blade . how could they chuse but think , were he not the son of god , how could these things be ? and if he were the son of god , how could he die ? his resurrection , his ascension , should soon after perfect their belief ; but in the mean time their hearts could not but be conflicted with thoughts hard to be reconciled . howsoever they glorifie god , and stand amazed at the expectation of the issue . but above all other , o thou blessed virgin , the holy mother of our lord , how many swords pierced thy soul , whiles standing close by his cross thou sawest thy dear son and saviour thus indignely used , thus stripped , thus stretched , thus nailed , thus bleeding , thus dying , thus pierced ? how did thy troubled heart now recount what the angel gabriel had reported to thee from god in the message of thy blessed conception of that son of god ? how didst thou think of the miraculous formation of that thy divine burden by the power of the holy ghost ? how didst thou recal those prophecies of anna and simeon concerning him , and all those supernatural works of his , the irrefragable proofs of his godhead ? and laying all these together , with the miserable infirmities of his passion , how wert thou crucified with him ? the care that he took for thee in the extremity of his torments , could not chuse but melt thy heart into sorrow : but oh , when in the height of his pain and misery thou heardst him cry out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? what a cold horrour possessed thy soul ? i cannot now wonder at thy qualms and swoonings ; i could rather wonder that thou survivedst so sad an hour . but when recollecting thy self , thou sawest the heavens to bear a part with thee in thy mourning , and feltest the earth to tremble no less then thy self , and foundst that the dreadful concussion of the whole frame of nature proclaimed the deity of him that would thus suffer and dye , and remembredst his frequent predictions of drinking this bitter cup , and of being baptized thus in blood ; thou beganst to take heart , and to comfort thy self with the assured exspectation of the glorious issue . more then once had he foretold thee his victorious resurrection . he who had openly professed jonas for his type , and had fore-promised in three daies to raise up the ruined temple of his body , had doubtless given more full intimation unto thee , who hadst so great a share in that sacred body of his . the just shall live by faith. lo , that faith of thine in his ensuing resurrection , and in his triumph over death , gives thee life , and chears up thy drouping soul , and bids it in an holy confidence to triumph over all thy fears and sorrows ; and him whom thou now seest dead and despised , represents unto thee living , immortal , glorious . the resurrection . grace doth not ever make show where it is . there is much secret riches both in the earth and sea , which never eye saw . i never heard any news till now of joseph of arimathea : yet was he eminently both rich , and wise , and good ; a worthy , though close disciple of our saviour . true faith may be wisely reserved , but will not be cowardly . now he puts forth himself and dares beg the body of jesus . death is wont to end all quarrels . pilate's heart tells him he hath done too much already , in sentencing an innocent to death : no doubt that centurion had related unto him the miraculous symptoms of that passion . he that so unwillingly condemned innocence , could rather have wished that just man alive , then have denied him dead . the body is yielded , and taken down ; and now , that which hung naked upon the cross , is wrapped in fine linen ; that which was soiled with sweat and blood , is curiously washed and embalmed . now even nicodemus comes in for a part , and fears not the envie of a good profession . death hath let that man loose , whom the law formerly over-awed with restraint . he hates to be a night-bird any longer ; but boldly flies forth , and looks upon the face of the sun , and will be now as liberal in his odors , as he was before niggardly in his confession . o saviour , the earth was thine and the fulness of it ; yet as thou hadst not an house of thine own whiles thou livedst , so thou hadst not a grave when thou wert dead . joseph that rich councellor lent thee his : lent it so , as it should never be restored : thou took'st it but for a while ; but that little touch of that sacred corps of thine made it too good for the owner . o happy joseph , that hadst the honour to be landlord of the lord of life ! how well is thy house-room repai'd with a mansion not made with hands , eternall in the heavens ? thy garden and thy tombe were hard by calvary , where thou couldst not fail of many monitions of thy frailty . how oft hadst thou seasoned that new tombe with sad and savory meditations ? and hadst oft said within thy self , here i shall once lye down to my last rest , and wait for my resurrection ? little didst thou then think to have been disappointed by so blessed a guest ; or that thy grave should be again so soon empty , and in that emptiness uncapable of any mortal in-dweller . how gladly dost thou now resign thy grave to him in whom thou livest , and who liveth for ever , whose soul is in paradise , whose godhead every where ? hadst thou not been rich before , this gift had enriched thee alone , and more ennobled thee then all thine earthly honour . now great princes envie thy bounty , and have thought themselves happy to kiss the stones of that rock which thou thus hewedst , thus bestowedst . thus purely wrapped and sweetly embalmed lyes the precious body of our saviour in joseph's new vault . are ye now also at rest , o ye jewish rulers ? is your malice dead and buried with him ? hath pilate enough served your envie and revenge ? surely it is but a common hostility that can die ; yours surviveth death , and puts you upon a further project . the chief priests and pharisees came together unto pilate , saying , sir , we remember that this deceiver said whiles he was yet alive , after three daies i will rise again : command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure till the third day ; lest his disciples come by night , and steal him away , and say to the people , he is risen . how full of terrors and inevitable perplexities is guiltiness ? these men were not more troubled with envie at christ alive , then now with fear of his resurrection . and what can now secure them ? pilate had helpt to kill him ; but who shall keep him from rising ? wicked and foolish jewes ! how fain would ye fight against god , and your own hearts ? how gladly would ye deceive your selves , in believing him to be a deceiver whom your consciences knew to be no less true then powerful ? lazarus was still in your ey : that man was no phantasme ; his death , his reviving was undeniable ; the so fresh resuscitation of that dead body after four daies dissolution was a manifest conviction of omnipotence . how do ye vainly wish that he could deceive you in the fore-reporting of his own resurrection ? without a divine power he could have raised neither lazarus nor himself : with and by it , he could as well raise himself as lazarus . what need we other witnesses then your own mouths ? that which he would doe , ye confess he foretold ; that the truth of his word might answer the power of this deed , and both of them might argue him the god of truth and power , and your selves enemies to both . and now what must be done ? the sepulcher must be secured , and you with it : an huge stone , a strong guard must doe the deed : and that stone must be sealed , that guard of your own designing . methinks i hear the souldiers and busy officers , when they were rolling that other weighty stone ( for such we probably conceive ) to the mouth of the vault with much toile and sweat and breathlesness , how they brag'd of the sureness of the place and unremovableness of that load ; and when that so choice a watch was set , how they boasted of their valour and vigilance , and said , they would make him safe from either rising or stealing . oh the madness of impotent men , that think by either wile or force to frustrate the will and designs of the almighty ! how justly doth that wise and powerful arbiter of the world laugh them to scorn in heaven , and befool them in their own vain devices ? o saviour , how much evidence had thy resurrection wanted , if these enemies had not been thus maliciously provident ? how irrefragable is thy rising made by these bootless endeavours of their prevention ? all this while the devout maries keep close , and silently spend their sabbath in a mixture of grief and hope . how did they wear out those sad hours in bemoaning themselves each to other ; in mutual relations of the patient sufferings , of the happy expiration of their saviour , of the wonderfull events both in the heavens and earth that accompanied his crucifixion , of his frequent and clear predictions of his resurrection ? and now they have gladly agreed ( so soon as the time will give them leave ) in the dawning of the sunday morning to visit that dear sepulcher . neither will they goe empty-handed ? she that had bestowed that costly alabaster-box of ointment upon their saviour alive , hath prepared no less precious odors for him dead . love is restless and fearless . in the dark of night these good women goe to buy their spices , and ere the day-break are gone out of their houses towards the tomb of christ to bestow them . this sex is commonly fearful ; it was much for them to walk alone in that unsafe season : yet , as despising all fears and dangers , they thus spend the night after their sabbath . might they have been allowed to buy their perfumes on the sabbath , or to have visited that holy tomb sooner , can we think they would have staid so long ? can we suppose they would have cared more for the sabbath then for the lord of the sabbath , who now kept his sabbath in the grave ? sooner they might not come , later they would not , to present their last homage to their dead saviour . had these holy women known their jesus to be alive , how had they hasted , who made such speed to doe their last offices to his sacred corps ? for us , we know that our redeemer liveth ; we know where he is . o saviour , how cold and heartless is our love to thee , if we do not hast to finde thee in thy word and sacraments ; if our souls do not fly up to thee in all holy affections into thy heaven ? of all the women mary magdalen is first named , and in some evangelists alone : she is noted above her fellows . none of them were so much obliged , none so zealously thankful : seven devils were cast out of her by the command of christ . that heart which was freed from satan by that powerful dispossession , was now possessed with a free and gracious bounty to her deliverer . twice at the least hath she powred out her fragrant and costly odors upon him . where there is a true sense of favour and beneficence , there cannot but be a fervent desire of retribution . o blessed saviour , could we feel the danger of every sin , and the malignity of those spiritual possessions from which thou hast freed us , how should we pour out our selves into thankfulness unto thee ? every thing here had horrour . the place , both solitary and a sepulcher : nature abhors , as the visage , so the region of death and corruption . the time , night ; onely the moon gave them some faint glimmering , ( for this being the seventeenth day of her age , afforded some light to the later part of the night . ) the business , the visitation of a dead corps . their zealous love hath easily overcome all these . they had followed him in his sufferings when the disciples-left him ; they attended him to his cross weeping ; they followed him to his grave , and saw how joseph laid him : even there they leave him not , but , ere it be day-light , return to pay him the last tribute of their duty . how much stronger is love then death ? o blessed jesu , why should not we imitate thy love to us ? those whom thou lovest , thou lovest to the end , yea in it , yea after it : even when we are dead , not our souls onely , but our very dust is dearly respected of thee . what condition of thine should remove our affections from thy person in heaven , from thy lims on earth ? well did these worthy women know what joseph of arimathea and nicodemus had done to thee ; they saw how curiously they had wrapped thee , how preciously they had embalmed thee : yet , as not thinking others beneficence could be any just excuse of theirs , they bring their own odors to thy sepulture to be perfumed by the touch of thy sacred body . what thank is it to us that others are obsequious to thee , whiles we are slack or niggardly ? we may rejoyce in others forwardness ; but if we rest in it , how small joy shall it be to us , to see them goe to heaven without us ? when on the friday-evening they attended joseph to the intombing of jesus , they mark'd the place , they mark'd the passage , they mark'd that inner grave-stone which the owner had fitted to the mouth of that tomb ; which all their care is now to remove ; who shall roll away the stone ? that other more weighty load wherewith the vault was barred , the seal , the guard set upon both , came not perhaps into their knowledge ; this was the private plot of pilate and the priests , beyond the reach of their thoughts . i do not hear them say , how shall we recover the charges of our odors ? or , how shall we avoid the envy and censure of our angry elders , for honouring him whom the governours of our nation have thought worthy of condemnation ? the onely thought they now take is , who shall roll away the stone ? neither do they stay at home and move this doubt , but when they are well forward on their way , resolving to try the issue . good hearts cannot be so solicitous for any thing under heaven , as for removing those impediments which lie between them and their saviour . o blessed jesu , thou who art clearly revealed in heaven , art yet still both hid and sealed up from too many here on earth : neither is it some thin veil that is spred between thee and them , but an huge stone ; even a true stone of offence lies rolled upon the mouth of their hearts . yea , if a second weight were superadded to thy grave here , no less then three spiritual bars are interposed betwixt them and thee above ; idleness , ignorance , unbelief . who shall roll away these stones , but the same power that removed thine ? o lord , remove that our ignorance , that we may know thee ; our idleness , that we may seek thee ; our unbelief , that we may find and enjoy thee . how well it succeeds when we go faithfully and conscionably about our work , and leave the issue to god ? lo , now god hath removed the cares of these holy women , together with the grave-stone . to the wicked that falls out which they feared , to the godly that which they wished and cared for , yea more . holy cares ever prove well ; the worldly dry the bones , and disappoint the hopes . could these good visitants have known of a greater stone sealed , of a strong watch set , their doubts had been doubled : now god goes beyond their thoughts , and at once removes that which both they did and might have feared : the stone is removed , the seal broken , the watch fled . what a scorn doth the almighty god make of the impotent designes of men ? they thought , the stone shall make the grave sure , the seal shall make the stone sure , the guard shall make both sure : now when they think all safe , god sends an angel from heaven above , the earth quakes beneath , the stone rolls away , the souldiers stand like carkasses , and when they have got heart enough to run away , think themselves valiant ; the tomb is opened , christ is risen , they confounded . oh the vain projects of silly men ! as if with one shovel-full of mire they would dam up the sea ; or with a clout hang'd forth they would keep the sun from shining . oh these spiders-webs , or houses of cards which fond children have ( as they think ) skilfully framed , which the least breath breaks and ruines ! who are we , sorry worms , that we should look in any business to prevail against our creator ? what creature is so base that he cannot arm against us to our confusion ? the lice and frogs shall be too strong for pharaoh , the worms for herod . there is no wisdome nor counsel against the lord. oh the marvellous pomp and magnificence of our saviours resurrection ! the earth quakes , the angel appears ; that it may be plainly seen that this divine person now rising had the command both of earth and heaven . at the dissolution of thine humane nature , o saviour , was an earthquake ; at the re-uniting of it is an earthquake ; to tell the world that the god of nature then suffered , and had now conquered . whiles thou laiest still in the earth , the earth was still ; when thou camest to fetch thine own , the earth trembled at the presence of the lord , at the presence of the god of jacob. when thou our true sampson awakedst , and foundst thy self tied with these philistian cords , and rousedst up , and brakest those hard and strong twists with a sudden power , no marvel if the room shook under thee . good cause had the earth to quake , when the god that made it powerfully calls for his own flesh from the usurpation of her bowels . good cause had she to open her graves and yield up her dead in attendance to the lord of life , whom she had presumed to detain in that cell of her darkness . what a seeming impotence was here , that thou , who art the true rock of thy church , shouldst lye obscurely shrouded in joseph's rock ? thou that art the true corner-stone of thy church , shouldst be shut up with a double stone , the one of thy grave , the other of thy vault ? thou , by whom we are sealed to the day of our redemption , shouldst be sealed up in a blind cavern of earth ? but now what a demonstration of power doth both the world and i see in thy glorious resurrection ? the rocks tear , the graves open , the stones roll away , the dead rise and appear , the souldiers flee and tremble , saints and angels attend thy rising . o saviour , thou laiest down in weakness , thou risest in power and glory ; thou laiest down like a man , thou risest like a god. what a lively image hast thou herein given me of the dreadful majesty of the general resurrection and thy second appearance ? then not the earth onely , but the powers of heaven shall be shaken : not some few graves shall be open , and some saints appear ; but all the bars of death shall be broken , and all that sleep in their graves shall awake , and stand up from the dead before thee : not some one angel shall descend ; but thou , the great angel of the covenant , attended with thousand thousands of those mighty spirits . and if these stout souldiers were so filled with terrour at the feeling of an earthquake and the sight of an angel , that they had scarce breath left in them for the time to witness them alive ; where shall thine enemies appear , o lord , in the day of thy terrible appearance , when the earth shall reel and vanish , and the elements shall be on a flame about their ears , and the heavens shall wrap up as a scroll ? o god , thou mightest have removed this stone by the force of thine earthquake , as well as rive other rocks ; yet thou wouldst rather use the ministery of an angel : or , thou that gavest thy self life , and gavest being both to the stone and to the earth , couldst more easily have removed the stone then moved the earth ; but it was thy pleasure to make use of an angels hand . and now he that would ask why thou wouldst doe it rather by an angel then by thy self , may as well ask why thou didst not rather give thy law by thine own immediate hand then by the ministration of angels ; why by an angel thou struckest the israelites with plagues , the assyrians with the sword ; why an angel appeared to comfort thee after thy temptation and agony , when thou wert able to comfort thy self ; why thou usest the influences of heaven to fruiten the earth ; why thou imployest second causes in all events , when thou couldst doe all things alone . it is good reason thou shouldst serve thy self of thine own ; neither is there any ground to be required whether of their motion or rest , besides thy will. thou didst raise thy self , the angels removed the stone . they that could have no hand in thy resurrection , yet shall have an hand in removing outward impediments ; not because thou needst , but because thou wouldst : like as thou alone didst raise lazarus , thou badst others let him loose . works of omnipotency thou reservest to thine own immediate performance ; ordinary actions thou doest by subordinate means . although this act of the angels was not merely with respect to thee ; but partly to those devout women , to ease them of their care , to manifest unto them thy resurrection . so officious are those glorious spirits , not onely to thee their maker , but even to the meanest of thy servants , especially in the furtherance of all their spiritual designes . let us bring our odours , they will be sure to roll away the stone . why do not we imitate them in our forwardness to promote each others salvation ? we pray to doe thy will here as they doe in heaven : if we do not act our wishes , we do but mock thee in our devotions . how glorious did this angel of thine appear ? the terrified souldiers saw his face like lightning , both they and the women saw his garments shining , bright , and white as snow : such a presence became his errand . it was fit that , as in thy passion the sun was darkned , and all creatures were clad with heaviness , so in thy resurrection the best of thy creatures should testifie their joy and exsultation in the brightness of their habit ; that as we on festival-dayes put on our best cloaths , so thine angels should celebrate this blessed festivity with a meet representation of glory . they could not but injoy our joy , to see the work of mans redemption thus fully finished : and if there be mirth in heaven at the conversion of one sinner , how much more when a world of sinners is perfectly ransomed from death , and restored to salvation ? certainly , if but one or two appeared , all rejoyced , all triumphed . neither could they but be herein sensible of their own happy advantage , who by thy mediation are confirmed in their glorious estate ; since thou by the blood of thy cross and power of thy resurrection hast reconciled things not in earth onely , but in heaven . but , above all other , the love of thee their god and saviour must needs heighten their joy , and make thy glory theirs . it is their perpetual work to praise thee : how much more now when such an occasion was offered as never had been since the world began , never could be after ? when thou the god of spirits hadst vanquished all the spiritual powers of darkness , when thou the lord of life hadst conquered death for thee and all thine , so as they may now boldly insult over their last enemy , o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? certainly , if heaven can be capable of an increase of joy and felicity , never had those blessed spirits so great a cause of triumph and gratulation as in this day of thy glorious resurrection . how much more , o dear jesu , should we men , whose flesh thou didst assume , unite , revive , for whose sake and in whose stead thou didst vouchsafe to suffer and die , whose arrerages thou payedst in death , and acquittedst in thy resurrection , whose souls are discharged , whose bodies shall be raised by the power of thy rising ; how much more should we think we have cause to be over-joyed with the happy memory of this great work of thy divine power and unconceiveable mercy ? lo now , how weak soever i am in my self , yet in the confidence of this victorious resurrection of my saviour i dare boldly challenge and defie you , o all ye adverse powers . doe the worst ye can to my soul ; in despight of you it shall be safe . is it sin that threats me ? behold , this resurrection of my redeemer publishes my discharge . my surety was arrested and cast into the prison of his grave : had not the utmost farthing of mine arrerages been paid , he could not have come forth . he is come forth : the summe is fully satisfied . what danger can there be of a discharged debt ? is it the wrath of god ? wherefore is that but for sin ? if my sin be defraied , that quarrel is at an end : and if my saviour suffered it for me , how can i fear to suffer it in my self ? that infinite justice hates to be twice paid . he is risen , therefore he hath satisfied . who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died ; yea rather , that is risen . is it death it self ? lo , my saviour that overcame death by dying , hath triumph'd over him in his resurrection . how can i now fear a conquered enemy ? what harm is there in the serpent , but for his sting ? the sting of death is sin : that is pulled out by my powerful redeemer , it cannot now hurt me ; it may refresh me to carry this cool snake in my bosome . o then , my dear saviour , i bless thee for thy death ; but i bless thee more for thy resurrection . that was a work of wonderful humility , of infinite mercy ; this was a work of infinite power : in that was humane weakness ; in this divine omnipotence : in that thou didst die for our sins ; in this thou didst rise again for our justification . and now how am i conformable to thee , if when thou art risen i lie still in the grave of my corruptions ? how am i a lim of thy body , if whiles thou hast that perfect dominion over death , death hath dominion over me ; if whiles thou art alive and glorious , i lie rotting in the dust of death ? i know the locomotive faculty is in the head : by the power of the resurrection of thee our head , all we thy members cannot but be raised . as the earth cannot hold my body from thee in the day of the second resurrection , so cannot sin withhold my soul from thee in the first . how am i thine , if i be not risen ? and if i be risen with thee , why do i not seek the things above , where thou sittest at the right hand of god ? the vault or cave which joseph had hewn out of the rock was large , capable of no less then ten persons : upon the mouth of it eastward was that great stone rolled ; within it , at the right hand , in the north part of the cave , was hewn out a receptacle for the body , three handfuls high from the pavement ; and a stone was accordingly fitted for the cover of that grave . into this cave the good women ( finding the stone rolled away ) descended to seek the body of christ ; and in it saw the angels . this was the goal to which peter and john ran , finding the spoils of death , the grave cloaths wrapped up , and the napkin that was about the head folded up together and laid in a place by it self : and as they came in haste , so they return'd with wonder . i marvel not at your speed , o ye blessed disciples , if upon the report of the women ye ran , yea flew upon the wings of zeal , to see what was become of your master . ye had wont to walk familiarly together in the attendance of your lord : now society is forgotten ; and , as for a wager , each tries the speed of his legs , and with neglect of other , vies who shall be first at the tomb. who would not but have tried masteries with you in this case , and have made light touches of the earth to have held paces with you ? your desire was equal ; but john is the yonger , his lims are more nimble , his breath more free : he first looks into the sepulcher , but peter goes down first . o happy competition who shall be more zealous in the enquiry after christ ! ye saw enough to amaze you , not enough to settle your faith. how well might you have thought , our master is not subduced , but risen . had he been taken away by others hands , this fine linen had not been left behinde : had he not himself risen from this bed of earth , he had not thus wrapped up his night-cloaths , and laid them sorted by themselves . what can we doubt , when he foretold us he would rise ? o blessed jesu , how wilt thou pardon our errours ? how should we pardon and pity the errours of each other in lesser occasions , whenas yet thy prime and dearest disciples , after so much divine instruction , knew not the scriptures , that thou must rise again from the dead ? they went away more astonished then confident ; more full of wonder as yet then of belief . there is more strength of zeal ( where it takes ) in the weaker sex. those holy women , as they came first , so they staid last : especially devout mary magdalene stands still at the mouth of the cave weeping . well might those tears have been spared , if her knowledge had been answerable to her affection , her faith to her fervour . withall , ( as our eye will be where we love ) she stoops , and looks down into that dear sepulcher . holy desires never but speed well . there she sees two glorious angels , the one sitting at the head , the other at the feet where the body of jesus had lain . their shining brightness shew'd them to be no mortal creatures : besides that peter and john had but newly come out of the sepulcher , and both found and left it empty in her sight , which was now suddenly filled with those celestial guests . that white linen wherewith joseph had shrouded the sacred body of jesus , was now shamed with a brighter whiteness . yet do i not find the good woman ought appalled with that inexspected glory . so was her heart taken up with the thought for her saviour , that she seemed not sensible of whatsoever other objects . those tears which she did let drop into the sepulcher , send up back to her the voice of those angels , woman , why weepest thou ? god and his angels take notice of every tear of our devotion . the sudden wonder hath not dried her eyes , nor charmed her tongue : she freely confesseth the cause of her grief to be the missing of her saviour ; they have taken away my lord , and i know not where they have laid him . alas , good mary , how dost thou lose thy tears ? of whom dost thou complain , but of thy best friend ? who hath removed thy lord but himself ? who but his own deity hath taken away that humane body out of that region of death ? neither is he now laid any more , he stands by thee whose removal thou complainest of . thus many a tender and humbled soul afflicts it self with the want of that saviour whom it hath , and feeleth not . sense may be no judge of the bewailed absence of christ . do but turn back thine eye , o thou religious soul , and see jesus standing by thee , though thou knewst not that it was jesus . his habit was not his own . sometimes it pleases our saviour to appear unto his not like himself : his holy disguises are our trials . sometimes he will seem a stranger , sometimes an enemie ; sometimes he offers himself to us in the shape of a poor man , sometimes of a distressed captive . happy is he that can discern his saviour in all forms . mary took him for a gardener . devout magdalene , thou art not much mistaken . as it was the trade of the first adam to dress the garden of eden , so was it the trade of the second to tend the garden of his church . he diggs up the soil by seasonable afflictions , he sows in it the seeds of grace , he plants it with gracious motions , he waters it with his word , yea with his own blood , he weeds it by wholsome censures . o blessed saviour , what is it that thou neglectest to doe for this selected inclosure of thy church ? as in some respect thou art the true vine , and thy father the husbandman ; so also in some other we are the vine , and thou art the husbandman . oh be thou such to me as thou appearedst unto magdalene : break up the fallows of my nature , implant me with grace , prune me with meet corrections , bedew me with the former and latter rain ; doe what thou wilt to make me fruitful . still the good woman weeps , and still complains , and passionately inquires of thee , o saviour , for thy self . how apt are we , if thou dost never so little vary from our apprehensions , to mis-know thee , and to wrong our selves by our mis-opinions ? all this while hast thou concealed thy self from thine affectionate client ; thou sawest her teares , and heardest her importunities and inquiries : at last ( as it was with joseph , that he could no longer contain himself from the notice of his brethren ) thy compassion causes thee to break forth into a clear expression of thy self by expressing her name unto her self ; mary . she was used as to the name , so to the sound , to the accent . thou spakest to her before , but in the tone of a stranger ; now of a friend , of a master . like a good shepheard , thou callest thy sheep by their name , and they know thy voice . what was thy call of her , but a clear pattern of our vocation ? as her , so thou callest us ; first , familiarly , effectually . she could not begin with thee otherwise then in the compellation of a stranger ; it was thy mercy to begin with her . that correction of thy spirit is sweet and useful , now after ye have known god , or rather are known of him . we do know thee , o god , but our active knowledge is after our passive ; first we are known of thee , then we know thee that knewest us . and as our knowledge , so is our calling , so is our election ; thou beginnest to us in all , and most justly sayest , you have not chosen me , but i have chosen you . when thou wouldst speak to this devout client as a stranger , thou spakest aloof ; woman , whom seekest thou ? now when thou wouldst be known to her , thou callest her by her name , mary . general invitations and common mercies are for us as men ; but where thou givest grace as to thine elect , thou comest close to the soul , and winnest us with dear and particular intimations . that very name did as much as say , know him of whom thou art known and beloved , and turns her about to thy view and acknowledgment ; she turned her self , and saith unto him , rabboni , which is to say , master . before , her face was towards the angels : this word fetches her about , and turns her face to thee , from whom her misprision had averted it . we do not rightly apprehend thee , o saviour , if any creature in heaven or earth can keep our eyes and our hearts from thee . the angels were bright and glorious ; thy appearance was homely , thy habit mean : yet when she heard thy voice , she turns her back upon the angels , and salutes thee with a rabboni , and falls down before thee , in a desire of an humble amplexation of those sacred feet which she now rejoyces to see past the use of her odours . where there was such familiarity in the mutual compellation , what means such strangeness in the charge ; touch me not , for i am not yet ascended to my father ? thou wert not wont , o saviour , to make so dainty of being touched : it is not long since these very same hands touched thee in thine anointing ; the bloody-fluxed woman touched thee ; the thankful penitent in simon 's house touched thee . what speak i of these ? the multitude touch'd thee , the executioners touch'd thee ; and even after thy resurrection thou didst not stick to say to thy disciples , touch me , and see , and to invite thomas to put his fingers into thy side : neither is it long after this before thou sufferest the three maries to touch and hold thy feet . how then saist thou , touch me not ? was it in a mild taxation of her mistaking ? as if thou hadst said , thou knowest not that i have now an immortal body , but so demeanest thy self towards me as if i were still in my wonted condition ; know now that the case is altered : howsoever indeed i have not yet ascended to my father , yet this body of mine which thou seest to be real and sensible , is now impassible , and qualified with immortality , and therefore worthy of a more awful veneration then heretofore . or was it a gentle reproof of her dwelling too long in this dear hold of thee , and fixing her thoughts upon thy bodily presence ; together with an implied direction of reserving the height of her affection for thy perfect glorification in heaven ? or lastly , was it a light touch of her too much hast and eagerness in touching thee , as if she must use this speed in preventing thine ascension , or else be indangered to be disappointed of her hopes ? as if thou hadst said , be not so passionately forward and suddain in laying hold on me , as if i were instantly ascending ; but know that i shall stay some time with you upon earth , before my going up to my father . o saviour , even our well-meant zeal in seeking and injoying thee may be faulty ; if we seek thee where we should not , on earth ; how we should not , unwarrantably . there may be a kind of carnality in spiritual actions . if we have heretofore known thee after the flesh , henceforth know we thee so no more . that thou livedst here in this shape , that colour , this stature , that habit , i should be glad to know ; nothing that concerns thee can be unuseful . could i say , here thou satest , here thou layest , here and thus thou wert crucified , here buried , here settest thy last foot ; i should with much contentment see and recount these memorials of thy presence : but if i shall so fasten my thoughts upon these , as not to look higher to the spiritual part of thine atchievements , to the power and issue of thy resurrection , i am never the better . no sooner art thou risen then thou speakest of ascending ; as thou didst lie down to rise , so didst thou rise to ascend : that is the consummation of thy ▪ glory , and ours in thee . thou that forbadst her touch , injoynedst her errand ; goe to my brethren , and say , i ascend unto my father and your father , to my god and your god. the annunciation of thy resurrection and ascension is more then a private fruition ; this is for the comfort of one , that for the benefit of many . to sit still and injoy is more sweet for the present ; but to goe and tell is more gainful in the sequel . that great angel thought himself ( as he well might ) highly honoured , in that he was appointed to carry the happy news unto the blessed virgin ( thy holy mother ) of her conception of thee her saviour : how honourable must it needs be to mary magdalen , that she must be the messenger of thy second birth , thy resurrection , and instant ascension ? how beautiful do the f●et of those deserve to be , who bring the glad tidings of peace and salvation ? what matter is it , o lord , if men despise where thou wilt honour ? to whom then dost thou send her ? goe tell my brethren . blessed jesu , who are those ? were they not thy followers ? yea , were they not thy forsakers ? yet still thou stilest them thy brethren . o admirable humility ! o infinite mercy ! how dost thou raise their titles with thy self ? at first they were thy servants , then disciples , a little before thy death they were thy friends ; now after thy resurrection they were thy brethren . thou that wert exalted infinitely higher from mortal to immortal , descendest so much lower to call them brethren , who were before friends , disciples , servants . what do we stand upon terms of our poor inequality , when the son of god stoops so low as to call us brethren ? but , oh mercy without measure ! why wilt thou , how canst thou , o saviour , call them brethren , whom in their last parting thou foundst fugitives ? did they not run from thee ? did not one of them rather leave his inmost coat behind him , then not be quit of thee ? did not another of them deny thee , yea abjure thee ? and yet thou saist , goe tell my brethren . it is not in the power of the sins of our infirmity to unbrother us : when we look at the acts themselves , they are hainous ; when at the persons , they are so much more faulty as more obliged ; but when we look at the mercy of thee who hast called us , now , who shall separate us ? when we have sinned , thy dearness hath reason to aggravate our sorrows ; but when we have sorrowed , our faith hath no less reason to uphold us from despairing : even yet we are brethren . brethren in thee , o saviour , who art ascending for us ; in thee , who hast made thy father ours , thy god our god. he is thy father by eternal generation , our father by his gracious adoption ; thy god by unity of essence , our god by his grace and election . it is this propriety wherein our life and happiness consisteth : they are weak comforts that can be raised from the apprehension of thy general mecies . what were i the better , o saviour , that god were thy father , if he be not mine ? oh do thou give me a particular sense of my interest in thee , and thy goodness to me . bring thou thy self home to me , and let me finde that i have a god and saviour of my own . it is fit i should mark thy order ; first , my father , then yours . even so , lord , he is first thine , and in thine onely right ours . it is in thee that we are adopted , it is in thee that we are elected ; without thee , god is not onely a stranger , but an enemie to us . thou onely canst make us free , thou onely canst make us sons . let me be found in thee , and i cannot fail of a father in heaven . with what joy did mary receive this errand ? with what joy did the disciples welcome it from her ? here was good news from a far country , even as far as the utmost regions of death . those disciples whose flight scattered them upon their masters apprehension , are now , at night , like a dispersed covie met together by their mutual call : their assembly is secret ; when the light was shut in , when the doors were shut up . still were they fearful , still were the jews malicious . the assured tidings of their masters resurrection and life hath filled their hearts with joy and wonder . whiles their thoughts and speech are taken up with so happy a subject , his miraculous and suddain presence bids their senses be witnesses of his reviving and their happiness . when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled , for fear of the jews , came jesus , and stood in the midst , and said , peace be unto you . o saviour , how thou camest in thither i wonder , i inquire not : i know not what a glorified body can doe ; i know there is nothing that thou canst not doe . had not thine entrance been recorded for strange and supernatural , why was thy standing in the midst noted before thy passage into the room ? why were the doors said to be shut whiles thou camest in ? why were thy disciples amazed to see thee ere they heard thee ? doubtless , they that once before took thee for a spirit when thou didst walk upon the waters , could not but be astonished to see thee whiles the doors were barred , ( without any noise of thine entrance ) to stand in the midst : well might they think thou couldst not thus be there , if thou wert not the god of spirits . there might seem more scruple of thy realty then of thy power : and therefore after thy wonted greeting , thou shewest them thy hands and thy feet stamped with the impressions of thy late sufferings . thy respiration shall argue the truth of thy life . thou breathest on them as a man , thou givest them thy spirit as a god ; and as god and man thou sendest them on the great errand of thy gospel . all the mists of their doubts are now dispelled , the sun breaks out clear . they were glad when they had seen the lord. had they known thee for no other then a mere man , this re-appearance could not but have affrighted them ; since till now by thine almighty power this was never done , that the long-since dead rose out of their graves , and appeared unto many : but when they recounted the miraculous works that thou hadst done , and thought of lazarus so lately raised , thine approved deity gave them confidence , and thy presence joy . we cannot but be losers by our absence from holy assemblies . where wert thou , o thomas , when the rest of that sacred family were met together ? had thy fear put thee to so long a flight , that as yet thou wert not returned to thy fellows ? or didst thou suffer other occasions to detain thee from this happiness ? now for the time thou missedst that divine breath which so comfortably inspired the rest ; now thou art suffered to fall into that weak distrust which thy presence had prevented . they told thee , we have seen the lord ; was not this enough ? would no eyes serve thee but thine own ? were thy eares to no use for thy faith ? except i see in his hands the print of the nails , and put my finger into the print of the nails , and thrust my hand into his side , i will not believe . suspicious man , who is the worse for that ? whose is the loss if thou believe not ? is there no certainty but in thine own senses ? why were not so many and so holy eyes and tongues as credible as thine own hands and eyes ? how little wert thou yet acquainted with the waies of faith ? faith comes by hearing , these are the tongues that must win the whole world to an assent ; and dost thou the first man detrect to yield ? why was that word so hard to pass ? had not that thy divine master foretold thee with the rest that he must be crucified , and the third day rise again ? is any thing related to be done but that which was fore-promised ? any thing beyond the sphere of divine omnipotence ? go then , and please thy self in thine over-wise incredulity , whiles thy fellows are happy in believing . it is a whole week that thomas rests in this sullen unbelief ; in all which time doubtless his eares were beaten with the many constant assertions of the holy women ( the first witnesses of the resurrection ) as also of the two disciples walking to emmaus , ( whose hearts burning within them , had set their tongues on fire in a zealous relation of those happy occurrences ) with the assured reports of the rising and re-appearance of many saints in attendance of the lord and giver of life : yet still he struggles with his own distrust , and stiffely suspends his belief to that truth whereof he cannot deny himself enough convinced . as all bodies are not equally apt to be wrought upon by the same medicine , so are not all souls by the same means of faith ; one is refractory , whiles others are pliable . o saviour , how justly mightest thou have left this man to his own pertinacie ? whom could he have thank'd if he had perished in his unbelief ? but , o thou good shepherd of israel , that couldst be content to leave the ninety and nine to go fetch one stray in the wilderness , how careful wert thou to reduce this stragler to his fellows ? right so were thy disciples re-assembled , such was the season , the place the same , so were the doors shut up , when ( that unbelieving disciple being now present with the rest , ) thou so camest in , so stoodst in the midst , so shewedst thy hands and feet ; and singling out thy incredulous client , invitest his eyes to see , and his fingers to handle thine hands , and his hand to be thrust into thy side , that he might not be faithless , but faithful . blessed jesu , how thou pittiest the errors and infirmities of thy servants ? even when we are froward in our misconceits and worthy of nothing but desertion , how thou followest us , and overtakest us with mercy ; and in thine abundant compassion wilt reclaim and save us , when either we meant not or would not ? by how much more unworthy those eyes and hands were to see and touch that immortal and glorious body , by so much more wonderful was thy goodness in condescending to satisfie that curious infidelity . neither do i hear thee so much as to chide that weak obstinacy . it was not long since thou didst sharply take up the two disciples that walk'd to emmaus , o fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! but this was under the disguise of an unknown traveller , upon the way , when they were alone : now thou speakest with thine own tongue , before all thy disciples , in stead of rebuking , thou only exhortest ; be not faithless , but faithfull . behold , thy mercy no less then thy power hath melted the congealed heart of thy unbelieving follower ; then thomas answered and said unto him , my lord , and my god. i do not hear that when it came to the issue , thomas imployed his hands in this tryal : his eyes were now sufficient assurance ; the sense of his masters omniscience in this particular challenge of him spared ( perhaps ) the labour of a further disquisition . and now how happily was that doubt bestowed , which brought forth so faithful a confession , my lord , my god ? i hear not such a word from those that believed . it was well for us , it was well for thee , o thomas , that thou distrustedst : else , neither had the world received so perfect an evidence of that resurrection whereon all our salvation dependeth ; neither hadst thou yielded so pregnant and divine an astipulation to thy blessed saviour . now thou dost not only profess his resurrection , but his godhead too , and thy happy interest in both . and now , if they be blessed that have not seen and yet believed ; blessed art thou also that having seen , hast thus believed : and blessed be thou , o god , who knowest how to make advantage of the infirmities of thy chosen , for the promoting of their salvation , the confirmation of thy church , the glory of thine own name . amen . the ascension . it stood not with thy purpose , o saviour , to ascend immediately from thy grave into heaven ; thou meantest to take the earth in thy way ; not for a suddain passage , but for a leisurely conversation . upon thine easter-day thou spakest of thine ascension ; but thou wouldst have forty daies interposed . hadst thou merely respected thine own glory , thou hadst instantly changed thy grave for thy paradise ; for so much the sooner hadst thou been possessed of thy fathers joy ; we would not continue in a dungeon , when we might be in a palace : but thou , who for our sakes vouchsafedst to descend from heaven to earth , wouldst now in the upshot have a gracious regard to us in thy return . thy death had troubled the hearts of many disciples , who thought that condition too mean to be compatible with the glory of the messiah ; and thoughts of diffidence were apt to seize upon the holiest breasts . so long therefore wouldst thou hold footing upon earth , till the world were fully convinced of the infallible evidences of thy resurrection ; of all which time thou only canst give an account : it was not for flesh and blood to trace the waies of immortality ; neither was our frail , corruptible , sinful nature a meet companion for thy now-glorified humanity ; the glorious angels of heaven were now thy fittest attendants . but yet how oft did it please thee graciously to impart thy self this while unto men ; and not only to appear unto thy disciples , but to renew unto them the familiar forms of thy wonted conversation , in conferring , walking , eating with them ? and now when thou drewest near to thy last parting , thou , who hadst many times shew'd thy self before to thy several disciples , thoughtest meet to assemble them all together , for an universal valediction . who can be too rigorous in censuring the ignorances of well-meaning christians , when he sees the domestick followers of christ , even after his resurrection , mistake the main end of his coming in the flesh ? lord , wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdome to israel ? they saw their master now out of the reach of all jewish envie ; they saw his power illimited and irresistible ; they saw him stay so long upon earth , that they might imagine he meant to fix his abode there ; and what should he doe there , but reign ? and wherefore should they be now assembled , but for the choice and distribution of offices , and for the ordering of the affairs of that state which was now to be vindicated ? o weak thoughts of well-instructed disciples ! what should an heavenly body doe in an earthly throne ? how should a spiritual life be imployed in secular cares ? how poor a business is the temporal kingdome of israel for the king of heaven ? and even yet , o blessed saviour , i do not hear thee sharply controll this erroneous conceit of thy mistaken followers ; thy mild correction insists rather upon the time , then the misconceived substance of that restauration . it was thy gracious purpose that thy spirit should by degrees rectifie their judgements , and illuminate them with thy divine truths ; in the mean time it was sufficient to raise up their hearts to an expectation of that holy ghost , which should shortly lead them into all needful and requisite verities . and now , with a gracious promise of that spirit of thine , with a careful charge renewed unto thy disciples for the promulgation of thy gospel , with an heavenly benediction of all thine acclaming attendance , thou tak'st leave of earth ; when he had spoken these things , whiles they beheld , he was taken up , and a cloud received him out of their sight . oh happy parting , fit for the saviour of mankind , answerable to that divine conversation , to that succeeding glory ! o blessed jesu , let me so farre imitate thee , as to depart hence with a blessing in my mouth ; let my soul , when it is stepping over the threshold of heaven , leave behind it a legacy of peace and happiness . it was from the mount of olives that thou tookst thy rise into heaven . thou mightest have ascended from the valley ; all the globe of earth was alike to thee : but since thou wert to mount upward , thou wouldst take so much advantage as that staire of ground would afford thee ; thou wouldst not use the help of a miracle in that wherein nature offered her ordinary service . what difficulty had it been for thee to have styed up from the very center of earth ? but since thou hadst made hills so much nearer unto heaven , thou wouldst not neglect the benefit of thy own creation . where we have common helps , we may not depend upon supernatural provisions ; we may not strain the divine providence to the supply of our negligence , or the humoring of our presumption . thou that couldst alwaies have walked on the sea , wouldst walk so but once , when thou wantedst shipping : thou , to whom the highest mountains were but valleys , wouldst walk up to an hill to ascend thence into heaven . o god , teach me to bless thee for means , when i have them ; and to trust thee for means , when i have them not ; yea to trust to thee without means , when i have no hope of them . what hill was this thou chosest but the mount of olives ? thy pulpit shall i call it , or thine oratory ? the place from whence thou hadst wont to showre down thine heavenly doctrine upon the hearers ; the place whence thou hadst wont to sent up thy prayers unto thy heavenly father ; the place that shared with the temple for both : in the day-time thou wert preaching in the temple , in the night praying in the mount of olives . on this very hill was the bloody sweat of thine agonie ; now is it the mount of thy triumph . from this mount of olives did flow that oyle of gladness wherewith thy church is everlastingly refreshed . that god that uses to punish us in the same kind wherein we have offended , retributes also to us in the same kind and circumstances wherein we have been afflicted . to us also , o saviour , even to us thy unworthy members dost thou seasonably vouchsafe to give a proportionable joy to our heaviness , laughter to our mourning , glory to contempt and shame . our agonies shall be answered with exaltation . whither then , o blessed jesu , whither didst thou ascend ? whither but home into thine heaven ? from the mountain wert thou taken up ; and what but heaven is above the hills ? lo , these are those mountains of spices which thy spouse , the church , long since desired thee to climbe . thou hast now climbed up that infinite steepness , and hast left all sublimity below thee . already hadst thou approved thy self the lord and commander of earth , of sea , of hell. the earth confest thee her lord , when at thy voice she rendered thee thy lazarus ; when she shook at thy passion , and gave up her dead saints : the sea acknowledged thee , in that it became a pavement to thy feet and ( at thy command ) to the feet of thy disciple ; in that it became thy treasury for thy tribute-money : hell found and acknowledged thee , in that thou conqueredst all the powers of darkness ; even him that had the power of death , the devil . it now onely remained that , as the lord of the aire , thou shouldst pass through all the regions of that yielding element ; and , as lord of heaven , thou shouldst pass through all the glorious contignations thereof ; that so every knee might bow to thee both in heaven , and in earth , and under the earth . thou hadst an everlasting right to that heaven that should be , an undoubted possession of it ever since it was ; yea even whiles thou didst cry and spraul in the cratch , whiles thou didst hang upon the cross , whiles thou wert sealed up in thy grave : but thine humane nature had not taken actual possession of it till now . like as it was in thy true type , david , he had right to the kingdome of israel immediately upon his anointing ; but yet many an hard brunt did he pass ere he had the full possession of it in his ascent to hebron . i see now , o blessed jesu , i see where thou art ; even farre above all heavens , at the right hand of thy father's glory . this is the farre countrey into which the nobleman went to receive for himself a kingdom ; farre off to us , to thee near , yea intrinsecal . oh do thou raise up my heart thither to thee ; place thou my affections upon thee above , and teach me therefore to love heaven because thou art there . how then , o blessed saviour , how didst thou ascend ? whiles they beheld , he was taken up , and a cloud received him out of their sight . so wast thou taken up , as that the act was thine own , the power of the act none but thine . thou that descendedst wast the same that ascendedst : as in thy descent there was no use of any power or will but thine own , no more was there in thine ascent . still and ever wert thou the master of thine own acts . thou laidst down thy own life , no man took it from thee ; thou raisedst up thy self from death , no hand did or could help thee ; thou carriedst up thine own glorified flesh , and placedst it in heaven . the angels did attend thee , they did not aid thee : whence had they their strength but from thee ? elias ascended to heaven , but he was fetcht up in a chariot of fire ; that it might appear hence , that man had need of other helps , who else could not of himself so much as lift up himself to the aiery heaven , much less to the empyreal . but thou , our redeemer , neededst no chariot , no carriage of angels : thou art the author of life and motion ; they move in and from thee . as thou therefore didst move thy self upward , so , by the same divine power , thou wilt raise us up to the participation of thy glory . these vile bodies shall be made like to thy glorious body , according to the working whereby thou art able to subdue all things unto thy self . elias had but one witness of his rapture into heaven : s. paul had none , no not himself ; for whether in the body or out of the body he knew not . thou , o blessed jesu , wouldst neither have all eyes witnesses of thine ascension , nor yet too few . as after thy resurrection thou didst not set thy self upon the pinnacle of the temple , nor yet publickly shew thy self within it , as making thy presence too cheap ; but madest choice of those eyes whom thou wouldst bless with the sight of thee ; thou wert seen indeed of five hundred at once , but they were brethren : so in thine ascension , thou didst not carry all jerusalem promiscuously forth with thee to see thy glorious departure , but onely that selected company of thy disciples which had attended thee in thy life . those who immediately upon thine ascending returned to jerusalem , were an hundred and twenty persons : a competent number of witnesses , to verifie that thy miraculous and triumphant passage into thy glory . lo , those onely were thought worthy to behold thy majestical ascent , which had been partners with thee in thy humiliation . still thou wilt have it thus with us , o saviour , and we embrace the condition : if we will converse with thee in thy lowly estate here upon earth , wading with thee through contempt and manifold afflictions , we shall be made happy with the sight and communion of thy glory above . o my soul , be thou now ( if ever ) ravished with the contemplation of this comfortable and blessed farewel of thy saviour . what a sight was this , how full of joyful assurance , of spiritual consolation ? methinks i see it still with their eyes , how thou my glorious saviour didst leisurely and insensibly rise up from thine olivet , taking leave of thine acclaming disciples now left below thee , with gracious eyes , with heavenly benedictions . methinks i see how they followed thee with eager and longing eyes , with arms lifted up , as if they had wished them winged to have soared up after thee . and if eliah gave assurance to his servant elisha , that if he should behold him in that rapture , his masters spirit should be doubled upon him ; what an accession of the spirit of joy and confidence must needs be to thy happy disciples in seeing thee thus gradually rising up to thy heaven ? oh how unwillingly did their intentive eyes let goe so blessed an object ! how unwelcome was that cloud that interposed it self betwixt thee and them , and closing up it self , left only a glorious splendour behind it , as the bright track of thine ascension ? of old here below the glory of the lord appeared in the cloud ; now afarre off in the sky the cloud intercepted this heavenly glory ; if distance did not rather doe it then that bright meteor . their eyes attended thee on thy way so farre as their beams would reach ; when they could goe no further , the cloud received thee . lo , yet even that very screen , whereby thou wert taken off from all earthly view , was no other then glorious : how much rather do all the beholders fix their sight upon that cloud , then upon the best piece of the firmament ? never was the sun it self gazed on with so much intention . with what long looks , with what astonished acclamations did these transported beholders follow thee their ascending saviour ? as if they would have lookt through that cloud and that heaven that hid thee from them . but oh , what tongue of the highest archangel of heaven can express the welcome of thee the king of glory into those blessed regions of immortality ? surely the empyreal heaven never resounded with so much joy : god ascended with jubilation , and the lord with the sound of the trumpet . it is not for us weak and finite creatures , to wish to conceive those incomprehensible , spiritual , divine gratulations that the glorious trinity gave to the victorious and now-glorified humane nature . certainly , if when he brought his onely-begotten son into the world , he said , let all the angels worship him ; much more now that he ascends on high , and hath led captivity captive , hath he given him a name above all names , that at the name of jesus all knees should bow . and if the holy angels did so caroll at his birth , in the very entrance into that estate of humiliation and in firmity ; with what triumph did they receive him now returning from the perfect atchievement of man's redemption ? and if when his type had vanquished goliah , and carried the head into jerusalem , the damsels came forth to meet him with dances and timbrels ; how shall we think those angelical spirits triumphed in meeting of the great conqueror of hell and death ? how did they sing , lift up your heads , ye gates , and be ye lift up , ye everlasting doors , and the king of glory shall come in ? surely , as he shall come , so he went : and behold he shall come with thousands of his holy ones ; thousand thousands ministred unto him , and ten thousand thousands stood before him : from all whom methinks i hear that blessed applause , worthy is the lamb that was killed , to receive power , and riches , and wisdome , and strength , and honour , and glory , and praise : praise , and honour , and glory , and power , be to him that sitteth upon the throne , and to the lamb for evermore . and why dost not thou , o my soul , help to bear thy part with that happy quire of heaven ? why art not thou rapt out of my bosome with an extasie of joy , to see this humane nature of ours exalted above all the powers of heaven , adored of angels , archangels , cherubin , seraphim , and all those mighty and glorious spirits , and sitting there crowned with infinite glory and majesty ? although little would it avail thee that our nature is thus honoured , if the benefit of this ascension did not reflect upon thee . how many are miserable enough in themselves , notwithstanding the glory of their humane nature in christ ? none but those that are found in him are the happier by him : who but the members are the better for the glory of the head ? o saviour , how should our weakness have ever hoped to climb into heaven , if thou hadst not gone before and made way for us ? it is for us that thou the fore-runner art entred in : now thy church hath her wish , draw me , and i shall run after thee . even so , o blessed jesu , how ambitiously should we follow thee with the paces of love and faith , and aspire towards thy glory ? thou that art the way , hast made the way to thy self and us ; thou didst humble thy self , and becamest obedient to the death , even to the death of the cross . therefore hath god also highly exalted thee ; and upon the same terms will not fail to advance us : we see thy track before us , of humility and obedience . oh teach me to follow thee in the roughest waies of obedience , in the bloody paths of death , that i may at last overtake thee in those high steps of immortality . amongst those millions of angels that attended this triumphant ascension of thine , o saviour , some are appointed to this lower station , to comfort thine astonished disciples , in the certain assurance of thy no-less glorious return ; two men stood by them in white apparel . they stood by them , they were not of them ; they seemed men , they were angels : men for their familiarity ; two , for more certainty of testimony ; in white , for the joy of thine ascension . the angels formerly celebrated thy nativity with songs : but we do not finde they then appeared in white : thou wert then to undergoe much sorrow , many conflicts ; it was the vale of tears into which thou wert come down . so soon as thou wert risen , the women saw an angel in the form of a young man , cloathed in white ; and now , so soon as thou art ascended , two men cloathed in white stand by thy disciples : thy task was now done , thy victory atchieved , and nothing remained but a crown , which was now set upon thy head . justly therefore were those blessed angels suited with the robes of light and joy . and why should our garments be of any other colour ? why should oile be wanting to our heads , when the eyes of our faith see thee thus ascended ? it is for us , o saviour , that thou art gone to prepare a place in those celestial mansions ; it is for us that thou sittest at the right hand of majesty . it is a piece of thy divine prayer to thy father , that those whom he hath given thee , may be with thee . to every bleeding soul thou saiest still as thou didst to peter , whither i goe thou canst not follow me now , but thou shalt follow me hereafter . in assured hope of this glory , why do i not rejoyce , and beforehand walk in white with thine angels , that at the last i may walk with thee in white ? little would the presence of these angels have availed , if they had not been heard as well as seen . they stand not silent therefore , but directing their speech to the amazed beholders , say , ye men of galilee , why stand ye gazing into heaven ? what a question was this ? could any of those two hundred and forty eyes have power to turn themselves off to any other object then that cloud , and that point of heaven where they left their ascended saviour ? surely every one of them were so fixed , that had not the speech of these angels called them off , there they had set up their rest till the darkness of night had interposed . pardon me , o ye blessed angels ; had i been there with them , i should also have been unwilling to have had mine eyes pull'd off from that dear prospect , and diverted unto you . never could they have gazed so happily as now . if but some great man be advanced to honour over our heads , how apt we are to stand at a gaze , and to eye him as some strange meteor ? let the sun but shine a little upon these dials , how are they look'd at by all passengers ? yet , alas , what can earthly advancement make us other then we are , dust and ashes ; which the higher it is blown , the more it is scattered ? oh how worthy is the king of glory to command our eyes now in the highest pitch of his heavenly exaltation ? lord , i can never look enough at the place where thou art ; but what eye could be satisfied with seeing the way that thou wentest ? it was not the purpose of these angels to check the long looks of these faithfull disciples after their ascended master ; it was onely a change of eyes that they intended , of carnal for spiritual , of the eye of sense for the eye of faith. this same jesus which is taken up from you into heaven , shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into heaven . look not after him , o ye weak disciples , as so departed that ye shall see him no more ; if he be gone , yet he is not lost ; those heavens that received him , shall restore him ; neither can those blessed mansions decrease his glory . ye have seen him ascend upon the chariot of a bright cloud ; and in the clouds of heaven ye shall see him descend again to his last judgement . he is gone : can it trouble you to know you have an advocate in heaven ? strive not now so much to exercise your bodily eyes in looking after him , as the eyes of your souls in looking for him . ye cannot , o ye blessed spirits , wish other then well to mankind . how happy a diversion of eyes and thoughts is this that you advise ? if it be our sorrow to part with our saviour , yet to part with him into heaven it is our comfort and felicity : if his absence could be grievous , his return shall be happy and glorious . even so , lord jesus , come quickly . in the mean while it is not heaven that can keep thee from me , it is not earth that can keep me from thee . raise thou up my soul to a life of faith with thee : let me ever injoy thy conversation , whiles i exspect thy return . a sermon of publick thanksgiving for the wonderful mitigation of the late mortalitie . preached before his majestie , upon his gracious command , at his court of whitehall , jan. . . and upon the same command published , by jos. hall dean of worcester . psal . . vers . , . blessed be the lord , who loadeth us daily with benefits , even the god of our salvation . selah . he that is our god is the god of salvation ; and unto god the lord belong the issues from death . yea , blessed be the lord , who hath added this unto the load of his other mercies to his unworthy servant , that the same tongue which was called not long since to chatter out our publick mournings , in the solemn fast of this place , is now imployed in a song of praise ; and the same hand which was here lifted up for supplication , is now lift up in thanksgiving . ye that then accompanied me with your tears and sighs , accompany me now , i beseech you , ( in this happy change of note and time ) with your joyful smiles and acclamations to the god that hath wrought it . it is not more natural for the sun , when it looks upon a moist and wellfermented earth , to cause vapors to ascend thence , then it is for greatness and goodness , when they both meet together upon an honest heart , to draw up holy desires of gratulation . the worth of the agent doth it not alone , without a ●it disposition in the subject . let the sun cast his strongest beams upon a flint , a pumice , he fetches out no stream : even so the greatness and goodness of the almighty beating upon a dry and hard heart , prevailes nothing . here all three are happily met : in god , infinite greatness , infinite goodness ; such greatness , that he is attended with thousand thousands of angels ; ( a guard fit for the king of heaven ) such goodness , that he receives gifts even for the rebellious : in david , a gracious heart , that in a sweet sense of the great goodness of his god breaths out this divine epiphonema , blessed be the lord , who loadeth us daily with benefits , even the god of our salvation , &c. wherein , methinks , the sweet singer of israel seems to raise his note to the emulation of the quire of heaven in the melody of their allelujahs : yea , let me say , now that he sings above in that blessed consort of glorious spirits , his ditty cannot be better then this that he sung here upon earth , and wherein we are about to bear our parts at this time . prepare , i beseech you , both your eares for david's song , and your hearts and tongues for your own . and first , in this angelical strain your thoughts cannot but observe , without me , the descant , and the ground . the descant of gratulation , blessed be the lord : wherein is both applause , and excitation ; an applause given to god's goodness , and an excitation of others to give that applause . the ground is a threefold respect . of what god is in himself , god and lord : of what god is and doth to us , which loadeth us daily with benefits : of what he is both in himself and to us , the god of our salvation ; which last , ( like to some rich stone ) is set off with a dark foyl , to god the lord belong the issues from death . so in the first , for his own sake , in the second , for our sakes , in the third , for his own and ours ; as god , as lord , as a benefactor , as a saviour and deliverer , blessed be the lord. it is not hard to observe that david's allelujahs are more then his hosannas ; his thanks more then his suits . oft-times doth he praise god when be begs nothing : seldome ever doth he beg that favour for which he doth not raise up his soul to an anticipation of thanks : neither is this any other then the universal under-song of all his heavenly ditties , blessed be the lord. praised ( as our former translation hath it ) is too low ; honour is more then praise ; blessing is more then honour . neither is it for nothing that from this word barac to bless , is derived berec the knee , which is bowed in blessing ; and the cryer before joseph proclaimed abrech , calling for the honour of the knee from all beholders , gen. . . every slight trivial acknowledgement of worth is a praise : blessing is in a higher strain of gratitude , that carries the whole sway of the heart with it in a kinde of divine rapture . praise is in matter of complement ; blessing of devotion . the apostle's rule is , that the less is blessed of the greater , abraham of the king of salem ; the prophets charge is , that the greater should be blessed of the less , yea the greatest of the least , god of man. this agrees well : blessing is an act that will bear reciprocation ; god blesseth man , and man blesseth god. god blesseth man imperatively ; man blesseth god optatively : god blesseth man in the acts of mercy ; man blesseth god in the notions , in the expressions of thanks : god blesses man when he makes him good and happy ; man blesseth god when he confesseth how good , how gracious , how glorious he is ; so as the blessing is wholly taken up in agnition , in celebration : in the one we acknowledge the bounty of god to us ; in the other we magnifie him vocally , really , for that bounty . oh see then what high account god makes of the affections and actions of his poor , silly , earth-creeping creatures ; that he gives us in them power to bless himself , and takes it as an honour to be blessed of us . david wonders that god should so vouchsafe to bless man : how much more must we needs wonder at the mercy of god , that will vouchsafe to be blessed by man , a worm , an atome , a nothing ? yet both s. james tels us that with the tongue we bless god ; and the psalmist calls for it here as a service of dear acceptation , blessed be the lord. even we men live not ( cameleon-like ) with the aire of thanks , nor feed ere the fatter with praises ; how much less our maker ? o god , we know well that whatsoever men or angels doe or doe not , thou canst not but be infinitely blessed in thy self ; before ever any creature was , thou didst equally injoy thy blessed self from all eternity : what can this worthless loose filme of flesh either adde to or detract from thine infiniteness ? yet thou that humblest thy self to behold the things that are done in heaven and earth , humblest thy self also to accept the weak breath of our praises , that are sent up to thee from earth to heaven . how should this incourage the vows , the endeavours of our hearty thankfulness , to see them graciously taken ? would men take up with good words , with good desires , and quit our bonds for thanks , who would be a debter ? with the god of mercy this cheap payment is current . if he then will honour us so far as to be blessed of us , oh let us honour him so far as to blesse him . quare verbis parcam ? gratuita sunt , why do we spare thanks that cost us nothing ? as that wise heathen . o give unto the lord , ye mighty , give unto the lord the praises due to his name ; offer to god the sacrifice of thanksgiving : and still let the foot of our song be , blessed be the lord. this for the descant of gratulation ; the ground follows . his own sake hath reason to be first : god will be blessed both as jah , and adonai ; the one the style of his essence , the other of his soveraignty . even the most accursed deist would confesse , that as a pure , simple , infinite , absolute being , god is to be blessed : for if being be good , and these two be convertible , nature must needs teach him , that an absolute and infinite being must needs be absolutely and infinitely good . but what do i blur the glory of this day with mention of those monsters , whose idol is nature , whose religion is secondary atheism , whose true region is the lowest hell ? those damned ethnicks cannot , will not conceive of god as he is , because they impiously sever his essence from his inward relations . we christians can never be so heavenly affected to god as we ought , till we can rise to this pitch of piety , to blesse god for what he is in himself , without the external beneficial relations to the creature : else our respects reflect too much homeward , and we do but look through god at our selves . neither is it for us only to blesse him as an absolute god , but as a soveraign lord too , whose power hath no more limit then his essence ; the great moderator of heaven and earth , giving laws to his creature , overruling all things , marshalling all events , crushing his enemies , maintaining his church , adored by angels , trembled at by devils . behold here a lord worthy to be blessed . we honour , as we ought , your conspicuous greatness , o ye eminent potentates of the earth : but , alas ! what is this to the great lord of heaven ? when we look up thither , we must crave leave to pity the breath of your nostrils , the rust of your coronets , the dust of your graves , the sting of your felicities , and ( if ye take not good heed ) the blots of your memories . as ye hold all in ●ee from this great lord , so let it be no disparagement to you to doe your lowliest homage to his footstool : homage , i mean , in action ; give me the reall benediction ; i am sure that is the best . they blesse god that praise him ; they blesse him more and praise him best that obey him . there are that crouch to you great ones , who yet hate you : oh let us take heed of offering these hollow observances to the searcher of hearts , if we love not our own confusion . they that proclaimed christ at jerusalem , had not only hosanna in their mouths , but palms in their hands too ; so must we have . let me say then , if the hand bless not the lord , the tongue is an hypocrite . away with the wast complements of our vain formalities : let our loud actions drown the language of our words , in blessing the name of the lord. neither must we bless god as a soveraign lord only , but ( which is yet a more feeling relation ) as a munificent benefactor , who loadeth us daily with benefits . such is man's self-love , that no inward worth can so attract his praises as outward beneficence . whiles thou makest much of thy self , every one shall speak well of thee ; how much more whiles thou makest much of them ? here god hath met with us also . not to perplex you with scanning the variety of senses wherewith i have observed this psalm , above all other of david's , to abound ; see here , i beseech you , a four-fold gradation of divine bounty . first , here are benefits . the word is not expressed in the original , but necessarily implied in the sense : for there are but three loads whereof man is capable from god , favours , precepts , punishments ; the other two are out of the road of gratulation . when we might therefore have exspected judgments , behold hold benefits . and those , secondly , not sparingly handfulled out to us , but dealt to us by the whole load ; loadeth with benefits . whom , thirdly , doth he load , but us ? not worthy and well-deserving subjects , but us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebels . and lastly this he doth , not at one doal and no more , ( as even churls rare feasts use to be plentifull , ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , successively , unweariedly , perpetually . one favour were too much , here are benefits ; a sprinkling were too much , here is a load ; once were too oft , here is daily largition . cast your eyes therefore a little upon this threefold exaggeration of beneficence : the measure , a load of benefits ; the subject , unworthy us ; the time , daily . who daily loadeth us with benefits . where shall we begin to survey this vast load of mercies ? were it no more but that he hath given us a world to live in , a life to injoy , aire to breath in , earth to tread on , fire to warm us , water to cool and cleanse us , cloaths to cover us , food to nourish us , sleep to refresh us , houses to shelter us , variety of creatures to serve and delight us ; here were a just load . but now , if we yet adde to these civility of breeding , dearnesse of friends , competency of estate , degrees of honour , honesty or dignity of vocation , favour of princes , successe in imployments , domestick comforts , outward peace , good reputation , preservation from dangers , rescue from evils ; the load is well mended . if yet ye shall come closer , and adde due proportion of body , integrity of parts , perfection of senses , strength of nature , mediocrity of health , sufficiency of appetite , vigour of digestion , wholsome temper of seasons , freedome from cares ; this course must needs heighten it yet more . if still ye shall adde to these the order and power and exercise of our inward faculties , inriched with wisdome , art , learning , experience , expressed by a not-unhandsome elocution ; and shall now lay all these together that concern estate , body , minde ; how can the axel-tree of the soul but crack under the load of these favours ? but if from what god hath done for us as men , we look to what he hath done for us as christians ; that he hath imbraced us with an everlasting love , that he hath molded us anew , enlivened us by his spirit , fed us by his word & sacraments , clothed us with his merits , bought us with his blood , becoming vile to make us glorious , a curse , to invest us with blessedness , in a word , that he hath given himself to us , his son for us ; oh the height , and depth , and breadth of the rich mercies of our god! oh the boundlesse , toplesse , bottomlesse load of divine benefits , whose immensity reaches from the center of this earth to the unlimited extent of the very empyreal heavens ! oh that men would praise the lord for his goodnesse , and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men . these mercies are great in themselves , our unworthiness doth greaten them more . to doe good to the well-deserving were but retribution ; he ladeth us , who are no lesse rebellious to him then he is beneficial to us . our streight and shallow bounty picks out the worthiest and most capable subject ; the greatest gift that ever god gave , he gives us whiles we are enemies . it was our saviour's charge to his disciples , interrogate quis dignus , ask who is worthy , that is , ( as hierom interprets it ) of the honour to receive such guests . should god stand upon those terms with us , what should become of us ? see , and wonder , and be ashamed , o ye christian hearers . god loads us , and we load him ; god loads us with benefits , we load him with our sins . behold , i am pressed under you , saith god , as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves , amos . . he should goe away laden with our thanks , with the presents of our duty ; and we shamefully clog him with our continual provocations . can there be here any danger of self-sacrificing with sejanus , and not rather the just danger of our shame and confusion in our selves ? how can we but hate this unkinde and unjust unanswerablenesse ? yet herein shall we make an advantage of our foulest sins , that they give so much more lustre to the glorious mercies of our god , who overcomes our evil with good , and loads even us . the over-long interruption of favours loseth their thanks , and the best benefits languish in too much disuse . our god takes order for that , by a perpetuation of beneficence ; he ladeth us daily : every day , every minute renews his favours upon us ; semper largitor , semper donator , as hierome . to speak strictly , there is no time present ; nothing is present but an instant , and that can no more be called time then a prick can be called a line : yet how swift soever the wings of time are , they cannot cut one instant , but they must carry with them a successive renovation of god's gracious kindness to us . this sun of his doth not rise once in an age , or once in a year , but every minute since it was created riseth to some parts of the earth , and every day to us . neither doth he once hurl down upon our heads some violent drops in a storm , but he plies us with the sweet showrs of the former and the latter rain : wherein the mercy of god condescends to our impotency , who are ready to perish under uncomfortable intermissions . non mihi sufficit , saith that father , it is not enough that he hath given me once , if he give me not alwaies . to daies ague makes us forget yesterstaies health : former meals do not relieve our present hunger . this cottage of ours ruines straight , if it be not new daubed every day , new repaired . the liberal care of our god therefore tiles over one benefit with another , that it may not rain through . and if he be so unwearied in his favours , why are we weary of our thanks ? our bonds are renewed every day to our god ; why not our payments ? not once in a year , or moon , or week , but every day once ( without fail ) were the legal sacrifices reiterated ; and that of all those creatures which were necessary for sustentation , a lamb , flowre , wine , oyle , that is , meat , bread , drink , sauce : why ? but that in all these we should still daily re-acknowledge our new obligations to the giver ? yea , ex plenitudine & lacrymis , as it is in the original , exod. . . of our plenty and tears , that is , ( as cajetan ) of a dear or cheap year must we return : more or lesse may not misse our thanks . we need daily , we beg daily , ( give us this day ) we receive daily ; why do we not daily retribute to our god , and act as some read it , blessed be the lord daily , who loadeth us with his benefits . it is time now to turn your eyes to that mixt respect , that reacheth both to god and us . ye have seen him a benefactor , see him a saviour and deliverer ; the god of our salvation . the vulgar's salutaria , following the septuagint , differs from our salvation but as the means from the end. with the hebrews salvation is a wide word , comprising all the favours of god that may tend to preservation ; and therefore the psalmist elsewhere extends this act both to man and beast ; and , as if he would comment upon himself , expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosper , psal . . . it is so dear a title of god , that the prophet cannot have enough of it ; the interposition of a selah cannot bar the redoubling of it in my text. every deliverance , every preservation fathers it self upon god : yet as the soul is the most precious thing in the world , and life is the most precious thing that belongs to the soul , and eternal life is the best of lives , and the danger and losse of this life is the fearfullest and most horrible ; chiefly is this greatest salvation here meant , wherein god intends most to blesse and be blessed . of this salvation is he the god by preordination , by purchace , by gift . by preordination , in that he hath decreed it to us from eternity , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . by purchace , in that he hath bought it for us , and us to it , by the price of his blood , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . by gift , in that he hath feoft us in it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the gift of god is eternal life , rom. . . since therefore he decreed it , he bought it , he bestows it , justly is he the god of our salvation . who can , who dates arrogate to himself any partnership in this great work ? what power can dispose of the souls final condition , but the same that made it ? who can give eternity , but he that onely hath it ? what but an infinite merit can purchase an infinite glory ? cursed be that spirit that will offer to share with his maker . down with your crowns , o ye glorious elders , at the foot of him that sits on the throne , with a non nobis , domine , not unto us , o lord , not unto us , but to thy name give the praise . away with the proud incroachment of the merits of the best saints , of papal largesses . only our god is the god of our salvation . how happy are we the while ? all actions are according to the force of the agent : weak causes produce feeble effects , contingent casual , necessary certain . our salvation therefore being the work of an infinitely-powerfull cause , cannot be disappointed . loe the beauty of solomon's al-chum ; who hath resisted his will ? when we look to our own fleshie hands , here is nothing but discouragement ; when we look to our spiritual enemies , here is nothing but terrour : but when we cast up our eyes to the mighty god , here is nothing but confidence , nothing but comfort . comfort ye , comfort ye therefore , o ye feeble souls , and send your bold defiances to the prince of darknesse . heaven is high and hard to reach , hell is steep and slipperie , our flesh is earthy and impotent , satan strong & rancorous , sin subtle , the world alluring , all these ; yet , god is the god of our salvation . let those infernal lions roar and ramp upon us ; let the gates of hell doe their worst ; let the world be a cheater , our flesh a traitor , the devil a tyrant ; faithfull is he that hath promised , who will also doe it . god is the god of our salvation . how much more then in these outward temporal occasions , when we have to doe with an arm of flesh ? do the enemies of the church rage and snuffe , and breath nothing but threats and death ? make sure of our god , he shall be sure to make them lick our dust . great benhadad of the syrians shall come with his hempen collar to the king of israel : the very windes and waves shall undertake those mahumetan or marian powers that shall rise up against the inheritance of the god of salvation . salvation is rateable according to the danger from which we are delivered : since death therefore is the utmost of all terribles , needs must it be the highest improvement of salvation , that to our god belong the issues from death . death hath here a double latitude , of kinde , of extent : the kinde is either temporal , or eternal ; the extent reaches not only to the last compleat act of dissolution , but to all the passages that lead towards it . thus the issues from ▪ death belong to our god , whether by way of preservation , or by way of rescue . how gladly do i meet in my text with the dear and sweet name of our jesus , who conquered death by dying , and triumphed over hell by suffering , and carries the keyes both of death and hell , revel . . ? he is the god , the author and finisher of our salvation , to whom belong the issues from death . look first at the temporary : he keeps it from us , he fetches us from it . it is true , there is a statutum est upon it , die we must ; death knocks equally at the hatch of a cottage and gate of a palace : but our times are in god's hand ; the lord of life hath set us our period , whose omnipotence so contrives all events , that neither enemy , nor casualty , nor disease can prevent his hour . were death suffered to run loose and wild , what boot were it to live ? now it is tether'd up short by that almighty hand , what can we fear ? if envy repine , and villany plot against sacred soveraignty , god hath well proved upon all the poisons , and pistols , and poniards , and gun-powders of the two late memorable successions , that to him alone belong the issues from death . goe on then , blessed soveraign , goe on couragiously in the waies of your god : the invisible guard of heaven shall secure your royal head ; the god of our salvation shall make you a third glorious instance to all posterities , that unto him belong the issues from death . thus god keeps death from us : it is more comfort yet that he fetches us from it . even the best head must at last lie down in the dust , and sleep in death . oh vain cracks of valour ! thou bragst thy self able to kill a man ; a worm hath done it , a flie hath done it . every thing can finde the way down unto death ; none but the omnipotent can finde the way up out of it : he findes , he makes these issues for all his . as it was with our head , so it is with the members . death might seize , it cannot hold : gustavit , non deglutivit : it may nibble at us , it shall not devour us . behold the only soveraign antidote against the sorrows , the frights of death . who can fear to lay himself down and take a nap in the bed of death , when his heart is assured that he shall awake glorious in the morning of his resurrection ? certainly it is only our infidelity that makes death fearfull . rejoice not over me , o my last enemy ; though i fall , i shall rise again . o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? cast ye one glance of your eyes upon the second and eternal death ; the issues wherefrom belong to our god , not by way of rescue , as in the former , but of preservation . ex inferno nulla redemptio is as true as if it were canonical . father abraham tells the damned glutton in the parable , there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great gulf , that bars all return . those black gates of hell are barred without by the irreversible decree of the almighty . those bold fabulists therefore , whose impious legends have devised trajan fetcht thence by the prayers of gregory , and falconella by tecla's , suspending the finall sentence upon a secundum praesentem injustitiam , take a course to cast themselves into that pit whence they have presumptuously feigned the deliverance of others . the rescue is not more hopelesse then the prevention is comfortable . there is none of us but is naturally walking down to these chambers of death ; every sin is a pace thitherwards : only the gracious hand of our god staies us . in our selves , in our sins we are already no better then brands of that hell. blessed be the god of our salvation , that hath found happy issues from this death . what issues ? even those bloody issues that were made in the hands and feet and side of our blessed saviour , that invaluably-precious blood of the son of god is that whereby we are redeemed , whereby we are justified , whereby we are saved . oh that our souls might have had leisure to dwell a while upon the meditation of those dreadfull torments we are freed from , of that infinite goodnesse that hath freed us , of that happy exchange of a glorious condition to which we are freed ! but the publick occasion of this day calls off my speech , and invites me to the celebration of the sensible mercy of god in our late temporal deliverance . wherein let me first blesse the god of our salvation , that hath put it into the heart of his chosen servant to set up an altar in this sacred threshing-floor , and to offer up this daies sacrifice to his name , for the stay of our late mortal contagion . how well it becomes our gideon to be personally exemplary , as in the beating of this earthen pitcher in the first publick act of humiliation , so in the lighting of this torch of publick joy , and sounding the trumpet of a thankfull jubilation ? and how well will it become us to follow so pious , so gracious an example ? come therefore , all ye that fear the lord , and let us recount what he hath done for our souls . come , let us blesse the lord , the god of our salvation , that loadeth us daily with benefits ; the god to whom belong the issues of death . let us blesse him in his infinite essence and power ; blesse him in his unbounded and just soveraignty ; blesse him in his marvellous beneficence , large , continual , undeserved ; blesse him in his preservations ; blesse him in his deliverances . we may but touch at the two last . how is our earth ready to sink under the load of his mercies ? what nation under heaven hath not envied and wondred at our blessings ? i do not carry back your eyes to the ancient favours of our god , to the memorable frustrations of ●●●ein invasions , to the miraculous discoveries of treasons , to the successfull maintenance of oppressed neighbourhood . that one mercy i may not forget , that in the shutting up of blessed queen elizabeth , the pope and the then-king of spain were casting lots for the crown , and palpably plotting for their severally-designed successors , as appears in the publick posthume letters of cardinal d' ossat , a witnesse beyond exception . three several briefs were addressed hither by that inclement shaveling of rome for the defeating of the title and succession of our late soveraign of dear and blessed memory , and his royal issue . yet in spight of rome and hell , god brought him in , and set him peaceably upon this just throne of his fore-fathers ; and may he perpetuate it to the fruit of those loyns till world and time shall be no more . amen . if i must follow the times , let me rather balk that hellish sulphur-mine then not search it ; and yet who can look at that any otherwise then the jews do at the rain-bow , with horror and astonishment ? what do i tell you of our long peace , our full plenty , our wholsome laws , our easefull government , with a world of these common favours ? it is for poor men to reckon . those two late blessings ( if no more ) were worthy of immortal memory ; the prince out of spain , religion out of the dust . for the one , what a winter was there in all good hearts when our sun was gone so far southward ? how chearfull a spring in his return ? for the other , who saw not how religion began ( during those purposely-protracted treaties ) to droop and languish , her friends to sigh , her enemies to insult , daring to brave us with challenges , to threaten our ruine ? the lord looked down from heaven , and visited this poor vine of his , and hath shaken off these caterpillars from her then-wasting leaves ; now we live , and it flourisheth . these would have been great favours of god even to the best nation , but more to us , who have answered mercies with rebellions . o god , if proud disguises , if gluttonous pamperings , if drunken healths , if wanton dalliances , if bloody oaths , if mercilesse oppressions may earn blessings from thee , too many of us have supererogated . woe is me , these are the measures thou hast had from too many hands . that thou shouldst therefore inlarge thy bounty to an unworthy , unkinde , disobedient generation , it is more then we can wonder at ; and we could almost be ready to say with peter , lord , depart from us , for we are sinfull men . yet the wise justice of the almighty meant not to cocker us up with mere dainties , with a loose indulgence , but hath thought fit to temper our sweets with tartnesse , and to strike our backs whiles he strokes our heads . ecce in pace amaritudo amarissima ; the comfort of our peace was allayed with the bitternesse of death . he saw that in this common plethorie it was fit for us to bleed ; he saw us eeles that would not be caught , but when the waters were troubled : he therefore sent his destroying angel abroad , who laid about him on all sides . what slaughter , what lamentation , what horror was there in the streets of our mother city ? more then twenty thousand families run from their houses , as if those had been on fire over their heads , and seek shelter in zoar and the mountains . some of them are overtaken by the pursuer , and drop down in the way , and lie there as wofull spectacles of mortality , till necessity , and not charity , could finde them a grave . others passe on , and for friends finde strangers : danger made men wisely and unwillingly unhospital : the cozen , the brother forgets his own blood , and the father looks shily upon his own childe , and welcomes him with frowns , if not with repulses . there were that repai'd their grudged harbour with infection . and those that sped best , what with care for their abandoned houses and estate , what with grief for the misery of their forsaken neighbours , what with the rage of those epidemical diseases which they found abroad , ( as it is well observed by one , that in a contagious time all sicknesses have some tincture of pestilence ) wore out their daies in the deepest sorrow and heavinesse . there leave we them , and return to the miserable metropolis of this kingdome which they left . who can expresse the dolefull condition of that time and place ? the arms of london are the red cross and the sword ; what house almost wanted these ? here was the red cross upon the door , the sword of god's judgment within doors , and the motto was , lord , have mercy upon us . what could we hear but alarms of death ? what could we see but trophees of death ? here was nothing but groaning and crying , and dying and burying : carts were the biers , wide pits were the graves , mens cloaths were their coffins , and the very exequies of friends were murderous . the carkasses of the dead might say , with the sons of the prophets , behold the place where we lie is too streight for us . new dormitories are bought for the dead , and furnished ; neither might the corpses be allowed to lie single in their earthen beds , but are piled up like fagots in a stack , for the society of their future resurrection . no man survived , but he might say with the psalmist , that thousands fell at his side , and ten thousands at his right hand . and if we take all together , ( the mother and the daughters ) surely the number was not much short of david's , though his time were shorter . it is not without reason that from the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the plague , is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a desart : certainly the plague turns the most populous city into a desart . oh the wofull desolation of this place ! it was almost come to herba tegit trojam . and if some infrequent passenger crossed our streets , it was not without his medicated posie at his nose , and his zedoary or angelica in his mouth . every room seemed a pest-house , every sent mortal . here should he meet one pale ghost muffled up under the throat , another dragging his legs after him for the tumor of his groin , another bespotted with the tokens of instant death : here might he hear one shreeking out in a frantick distraction , there another breathing out his soul in his last groans . what should i say more ? this glorious chamber of the kingdome seemed no other then a dreadfull dungeon to her own , a very golgotha to all beholders ; and this proud queen of our british cities sate in the dust of her compassion , howling in the rags of her sackcloth , not mourning more then mourned for , pitied no lesse then forsaken ; when the god of our salvation looked down upon her deep afflictions , and miraculously proved unto us , that unto him belong the issues from death . it was he that put it into the heart of his gracious servant to command a ninive-like humiliation . what pithie , what passionate prayers were injoined to his disconsolate church ? with what holy eagernesse did we devour those fasts ? how well were we pleased with the austerity of that pious penitence ? what loud cries did beat on all sides at the gates of heaven ? and with what inexspectable , unconceivable mercy were they answered ? how suddenly were those many thousands brought down to one poor unity , not a number ? other evils were wont to come on horseback , to goe away on foot ; this mortality did not post but flie away . methought , like unto the great ice , it sunk at once . only so many are stricken as may hold us awfull , and so few as may leave us thankfull . oh how soon is our fasting and mourning turned into laughter and joy ? how boldly do we now throng into this house of god , and fearlesly mix our breaths in a common devotion ? this is the lord 's doing , and it is marvailous in our eyes . o thou that hearest the prayer , to thee shall all flesh come . and let all flesh come to thee with the voice of praise and thanksgiving . it might have been just with thee , o god , to have swept us away in the common destruction : what are we better then our brethren ? thou hast let us live that we may praise thee . it might have been just with thee to have inlarged the commission of thy killing angel , and to have rooted out this sinfull people from under heaven : but in the midst of judgment thou hast remembred mercy : our sins have not made thee forget to be gracious , nor have shut up thy loving kindnesse in displeasure . thou hast wounded us , and thou hast healed us again ; thou hast delivered us , and been mercifull to our sins for thy names sake . oh that we could duly praise thy name in the great congregation ! oh that our tongues , our hearts , our lives might blesse and glorifie thee ! that so thou mayest take pleasure to perfect this great work of our full deliverance , and to make this nation a dear example of thy mercy , of peace , victory , prosperity to all the world . in the mean time let us call all our fellow-creatures to help us bear a part in the praise of our god : let the heavens , the stars , the winds , the waters , the dews , the frosts , the nights , the dayes ; let the earth and sea , the mountains , wells , trees , fishes , fouls , beasts ; let men , let saints , let angels blesse the lord , praise him , and magnifie him for ever . blessed , blessed for ever be the lord , who loadeth us daily with benefits ; even the god of our salvation , to whom belong the issues from death . oh blessed be the lord god of israel , who only doth wondrous things ; and blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever : and let all the earth be filled with his glory . amen . amen . one of the sermons preached at westminster on the day of the publick fast april . . to the lords of the high court of parliament , and by their appointment published , by the b. of excester . esay . vers . , . what could have been done more to my vineyard that i have not done in it ? wherefore when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes ? and now goe to , i will tell you what i will doe to my vineyard ; i will take away the hedge thereof . it is a piece of a song ( for so it is called vers . . ) alas ! what should songs doe to an heavy heart , prov. . . or musick in a day of mourning ? howling and lamentation is fitter for this occasion . surely , as we do sometimes weep for joy ; so do we sing also for sorrow . thus also doth the prophet here . if it be a song , it is a dump ; esay's lacrymae ; fit for that sheminith , gravis symphonia , as tremelius turns it , which some sad psalms were set unto . both the ditty and the tune are dolefull . there are in it three passionate strains ; favours , wrongs , revenge ; blessings , sins , judgements . favours and blessings from god to israel ; sins ( which are the highest wrongs ) from israel to god ; judgments , by way of revenge from god to israel . and each of those follow upon other . god begins with favours to his people , they answer him with their sins , he replies upon them with judgments : and all of these are in their height . the favours of god are such , as he asks , what could be more ? the sins are aggravated by those favours : what worse then wilde grapes and disappointment ? and the judgments must be aggravated to the proportion of their sins : what worse then the hedge taken away , the wall broken , the vineyard trodden down , and eaten up ? let us follow the steps of god and his prophet in all these ; and when we have passed these in israel , let us seek to them at home . what should i need to crave attention ? the businesse is both gods and our own . god and we begin with favours ; favours not mean and ordinary , not expressed in a right-down affirmation , but in an expostulatory and self-convincing question , what could have been done more to my vineyard that i have not done to it ? every word is a new obligation . that israel is a vineyard is no small favour of god ; that it is god's vineyard , is yet more ; that it is god's vineyard so exquisitely cultivated , as nothing more could be either added or desired , is most of all . israel is no vast desart , no wilde forest , no moorish fen , no barren heath , no thornie thicket , but a vineyard ; a soile of use and fruit . look where you will in god's book , ye shall never finde any lively member of gods church compared to any but a fruitfull tree : not to a tall cypresse , the embleme of unprofitable honour ; nor to a smooth ash , the embleme of unprofitable prelacie , that doth nothing but bear keyes ; nor to a double-coloured poplar , the embleme of dissimulation ; nor to a well-shaded plane , that hath nothing but form ; nor to a hollow maple , nor to a trembling aspe , nor to a prickly thorn ; shortly , not to any plant whatsoever whose fruit is not usefull and beneficial . hear this then , ye goodly cedars , strong elmes , fast-growing willows , sappy sycomores , and all the rest of the fruitlesse trees of the earth , i mean all fashionable and barren professors whatsoever : ye may shoot up in height , ye may spread far , shade well , shew fair ; but what are ye good for ? ye may be fit for the forest , ditches , hedg-rows of the world ; ye are not for the true saving soil of god's israel : that is a vineyard ; there is place for none but vines ; and true vines are fruitfull . he that abideth in me bringeth forth much fruit , saith our saviour , john . . and of all fruits , what is comparable to that of the vine ? let the vine it self speak in jonathan's parable , jud. . . should i leave my wine which cheareth god and man ? how is this ? god cheared with wine ? it is an high hyperbole ; yet seconded by the god of truth : i will drink no more of the fruit of this vine , till i drink it new with you in my father's kingdom , mat. . . it must needs be an excellent liquor which is used to resemble the joyes of heaven . yea , the blood of the son of god , that celestial nectar , which tomorrow shall chear our souls , is it otherwise resembled then by the blood of the grape ? he is vitis vera , the true vine ; this is his juice . alas ! would god we had not too much cause to complain of the pleasure of this fruit : religion , reason , humanity savour not to the palate of many in comparison of it . wine is a mocker , saith solomon . how many thousands doth it daily cheat of their substance , of their patrimony , of their health , of their wit , of their sense , of their life , of their soul ? oh that we had the grace to be sensible of our owne scorn and danger . but this is the honour of the fruit , and the shame of the man : the excesse is not more our sin , then the delicacy is the praise of the grape . for sweetnesse of verdure then all plants will yield to the vine : so tastfull , so pleasing , so delightfull unto god are the persons , the graces , the endeavours of his israel . their persons are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . their love is better then wine , cant. . . their alms are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sweet-smelling savour , philip. . . their prayers as evening incense , of a most fragrant composition : and for the rest of their words , the roof of their mouth is like the best wine , cant. . . acceptation hath wont to be the incouragement of forwardnesse . honourable and beloved , how should this hearten us in our holy stations , in our conscionable actions ? whiles we continue vines , it is not in the power of our imperfections to lose our thanks . the delicatest grape cannot be so relishsome to the palate of man , as our poor weak obediences are to the god of mercies . thou hast ravished my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast ravished my heart , saith christ of his church , cant. . . the vine is a noble plant , but a feeble and tender one . other trees grow up alone out of the strength of their own sap ; this grovels on the ground , and rots if it have not an elm to prop it : like as man , the best creature , is in his birth most helplesse , and would presently die without outward succours . such is the israel of god ; the worthiest piece of gods creation , yet of it self impotent to good : here is no growth , no life but from that divine hand . without me ye can doe nothing . they are no vines that can stand alone : those proud spirits , as they have no need of god , so god hath no interest in them . his israel is a vineyard ; and the vine must be propped . as a vineyard , so god's vineyard . the church shall be sure not to be masterlesse . there is much wast ground that hath no owner ; our globe can tell us of a great part of the world that hath no name but incognita , not known whether it have any inhabitant : but a vineyard was never without a possessor ; till noah the true janus planted one , there was no news of any . come into some wilde indian forest all furnished with goodly trees , you know not whether ever man were there ; god's hand we are sure hath been there , perhaps not mans : but if you come into a well-dressed vineyard , where you see the hillocks equally swelling , the stakes pitcht in a just height and distance , and the vines handsomely pruned , now it is easie to say ( as the philosopher did when he found figures ) here hath been a man , yea a good husband . there is an universall providence of god over the world ; but there is a special eye and hand of god over his church . in this god challengeth a peculiar interest : that is his ( as we heard worthily this day ) in a double right , of confederation , of redemption . israel is my son , yea my first-born , saith god to pharaoh . thou hast brought a vine out of aegypt , thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it , saith the psalmist , . . oh the blasphemous diffidence of foolish men ! can we , dare we impute ill husbandry to the god of heaven ? hath god a vineyard , and shall he not tend it ? shall he not mightily protect it ? goe on , ye foxes , ye little foxes , to spoil the tender grapes ; goe on , ye boars of the wood , to waste this vineyard , and ye wilde beasts of the field to devour it : our sins , our sins have given this scope to your violence and our calamity : but ye shall once know that this vineyard hath an owner , even the mighty god of jacob ; every cluster that you have spoiled shall be fetcht back again from the bloody wine-presse of his wrath ; and in spight of all the gates of hell this vine shall flourish . even so , return , we beseech thee , o god of hosts : look down from heaven , and visit this vine , and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted , and the branch that thou madest strong for thy self . ye have seen israel a vineyard , and god's vineyard : now cast your eyes upon the favours that god hath done to his vineyard israel ; such as that god appeals to their own hearts for judges , what could have been done more to my vineyard that i have not done ? mark , i beseech you : he doth not say , what could have been done more then hath been done ? but , more , that i have not done ? challenging all the acts done to his vineyard for his own . as the soil is his , so is all the culture . he that elsewhere makes himself the vine , and his father the husbandman , here makes israel the vine , and himself the husbandman . nothing is , nothing can be done to his church that passeth not his hands . my father still worketh , saith he , and i work . this work , this care knows no end , no limits . many a good husband over-tasks himself , and undertakes more then his eye can overlook , or his hand sway ; and therefore is fain to trust to the management of others ; and it speeds thereafter . but the owner of this vineyard is every where , and works whereever he is : nothing can passe his eye , every thing must passe his hand . this is the difference betwixt solomon's vineyard and his that is greater then solomon : solomon lets out his vineyard to keepers , cant. . . christ keeps his in his own hand . he useth indeed the help of men , but as tools rather then as agents ; he works by them , they cannot work but by him . are any of you great ones benefactors to his church ? ( a rare style i confesse in these not dative but ablative times ) ye are but as the hands of the sub-almoners of heaven : god gives by you . are any great potentates of the earth secret or open persecutors of his church ? ashur is the rod of my wrath , saith god : they are but as god's pruning● knives , to make his vine bleed out her superfluous juice : god cuts by them . he is the author of both , men are the instruments . to him must we return the praise of his mercy in the one , and in the other the awe of his judgments . whatever is done to his church , god doth it himself . neither doth he say , what could i have done more that i have not done ? as our former translation reads it , with a reference to his absolute power ; according whereto we know that he can doe more then he doth , more then he will doe : but , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quid faciendum ? what could have been done more , in respect of the exigence of the occasion ? would god set his omnipotent power upon it , we know he could make all the world israel , he could make all israel saints , he could have made devils men , men angels . but god uses not to proceed according to the rule of an absolute omnipotency , but according to the oeconomie of his most holy , most wise , most just decrees ; whereby he hath chalked out unto men those waies and helps of salvation , which he sees fit for the attainment of that end● these are they wherein he hath not been failing to his israel . of these he sayes , what could have been done more that i have not done ? see what notice god takes and what reckonings he keeps of all the good that he doth to any church or people ; he files up all his blessings : he is bountifull , not profuse ; open-handed , but not so as that his largesse makes him respectlesse or forgetfull of his beneficences : he gives not , like the picture of fortune , blindfolded ; or , like an almoner in a throng , he knows not to whom ; he notes both the man and the favour . in our gifts , our left hand may not know what our right hand doth ; because our weaknesse is subject to a proud self-conceit , and a mis-opinion of too much obligation in the receiver : but he whose infinite goodnesse is not liable to any danger of those infirmities which follow our sinfull nature , sets all his mercies on the score , and will not balk one of the least . he that could say to israel , i took thee from among the pots , and to david , i took thee from following the ewes great with lamb : do ye not think he still saies to his anointed , i brought you from weak in the cradle , to strong in the throne ; i kept you from treacherous hands ; i return'd you safe from the danger of your southern voiage ; i have given you not the hands and knees , but the hearts of your subjects ? do i not think he saith to me , i brought thee from the ferula to a pastoral staffe ; to another , i brought thee from the bench of justice to the seat of honour ; to another , i delivered thee from the sword of thine enemy , from the bed of thy sicknesse , from the walls of thy restraint , from the powder-mine ; i made thee noble , thee rich , thee potent ; i made this country populous , that city wealthy , this kingdome strong ? be sure , if we be forgetfull , god will not misreckon his own mercies . our favours are ( like our selves ) poor and impotent , worthy to be scribled upon the sand , that they may be wash'd off with the next wave : his are full of goodness and infinite compassion , fit for the marble of an eternal remembrance . honourable and beloved , why do not we keep one part of the tally as he keeps the other , that so we may hold even reckonings with our munificent god ? how should we meditate continually of the gracious and wonderfull works of his bounty , knowing that god hath so done his great works , that they ought to be had in perpetual memory ? how should we gratefully recount his favours , and call the world about us with the sweet singer of israel , come hither , and hear , all ye that fear god , and i will tell you what he hath done for my soul , psal . . ? o god , it is a just quarrel that thou hast against us for our unthankfulnesse ; the familiarity of thy blessings hath drawn them into neglect . alas ! thy mercies have not been sown , but buried in us : we have been gulphs to swallow them , not repositories to keep them . how worthily do we smart , because we forget ? how justly are thy judgments seen upon us , because thy mercies are not ? away with this wretched ingratitude . oh love the lord , all ye his saints ; for the lord preserveth the faithfull , and plentifully rewardeth the proud-doer . what then is it , o lord , what is it that thou hast done , then which more could not be done for thy vineyard ? thou best knowest thine own mercies , and canst best expresse them : thou that wouldst not have us search into thy counsels , wouldst not have us ignorant of thy favours . those are particularized in the fore-going words ; in thy choice , in thy fence , in picking , in planting , in oversight , in pressing . first , there is the advantage of the place chosen : where hath he setled his vineyard but upon a very fruitfull hill ? a double advantage , an hill , and very fruitfull . hills are held best for vines , the declivity whereof gives much strength to the reflexion ; so as the most generous vines are noted to grow upon the hills . yet there are barren hills ; nothing but heaps of unprofitable sands : this is a fruitfull hill , yea superlatively fruitfull , the horn of the son of oyle , as it is in the original ; that is , by an hebraisme , an hill eminently fat and fertile . but what would it avail the ground to be fruitfull , if it be unfenced , that the wilde boar or the foxes may spoil it ? as good no fruit as to no purpose . loe then here , secondly , both an hedge , and , lest that should not be sufficient , a wall. but to what purpose should it be fenced with stones without , if it be choked with stones within ? as therefore , thirdly , the stones were laid together in the wall for defence ; so they were gathered off from the soil to avoid offence . but to what purpose is the fruitfulnesse , fencing , stoning , if the ground yield a plentifull crop of briers , thistles , weeds ? injussa virescunt gramina , ill weeds grow fast . here is therefore , fourthly , the main favour to this vineyard , that the owner hath planted it with choicest vines . it is the praise of the earth , to foster any plant that is put into the bosome of it ; it is the chief care of the husbandman , to store it with plants of worth . now all this provision of soile , fencing , stoning , planting , were nothing without a continual oversight : the wise owner therefore , fifthly , builds , not a bowre , not a banquetting-house for pleasure , but a tower for survay ; and that not in some obscure angle , but in the midst of the vineyard , that he may view the carriage of his labourers , and descrie the first danger of the annoiances . lastly , to what purpose were all this choice , fencing , stoning , planting , oversight ; if when the grapes are grown to their due ripenesse , they should not be improved to any usefull vintage ? this must be done by the wine-press : that is set up . and now what can remain , but the setting under of vessels to receive the comfortable juice that shall flow from these so-well-husbanded clusters ? all this hath god done for his vineyard ; what could have been done more ? not to dwell in the mists of allegories ; god himself hath read this riddle . the vineyard of the lord of hoasts is the house of israel : and the house of israel is his church . the church is god's hill , conspicuous for his wonderfull favours ( though not ever ) even to the eye of the world ; not an hidden unheeded valley . a fruitfull hill , not by nature , but by grace . nature was like it self in it , in the world : god hath taken it in from the barren downs , and gooded it ; his choice did not finde , but make it thus . thus chosen he hath fenced it about with the hedge of discipline , with the wall of his almighty protection . thus fenced he hath ordained , by just censures to pick out of it those stones of offence which might hinder their holy proceedings , and keep down the growth of the vines ; whether scandalous men , false opinions , or evill occurrences . thus cleared , he hath planted it with the choicest vines of gracious motions , of wholsome doctrines . thus planted , he hath overlook'd it from the watch-tower of heaven , in a carefull inspection upon their waies , in a provident care of their preservation . thus overlooked , he hath endeavoured to improve it by his seasonable wine-presse , in reducing all those powers and favours to act , to use , whether by fatherly corrections , or by suggesting meet opportunities of practice . and now having thus chosen , fenced , cleared , planted , watched , and ordered to strain his vines , he saies most justly , what could have been done more that i have not done ? certainly it is not in the power of any humane apprehension to conceive what act could be added to perfect his culture , what blessing could be added to the indearing of a church . if he have made choice of a people for his own ; if he have blessed them with good government , with safe protection ; if he have removed all hinderances of their proficiencie ; if he have given them wholesome instructions , and plied them with solicitations to good ; if his provident eye have been ever over them for their deliverances ; if , lastly , he have used both fair and foul means to wring from them the good juice of their obedience ; say men or angels , what could have been done more ? what church soever in the world can make good to it self these specialties of mercy , let it know that god hath abated nothing to it of the height of his favour . these are the favours wherewith god hath begun to israel ; now turn your ears to the answer that israel returns to god : see the mercies of a good god requited with the rebellions of a wicked people . wherefore , when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes ? a wofull issue of such blessings ; wilde grapes , & that with the disappointment of god's exspectation . two usuall faults doth god finde with any vicious tree ; no fruit , ill fruit : the one in omission of good , the other in commission of sin . the fig-tree in the way is cursed for the one , israel here taxed for the other . what then are these wilde , or , as pagnine renders it , uvae putidae , rotten grapes ? god hath not left it to our guesse , but hath plainly told us v. . in an elegant paronomasie ; i looked for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment , and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wound or scab , that is , oppression : i look'd for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice , and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clamour . generally , whatever disposition or act uncultured nature doth or would produce of it self , that is a wilde grape : particularly , the holy ghost hath here instanced in several sins so styled ; a self-greatning oppression , vers . . a setled drunkennesse and wilfull debauchednesse , vers . . a determined resolution of wicked courses , vers . . a nicknaming of good and evil , vers . . a self-conceitednesse in their own waies , vers . . bribery in their judges , v. . pride in their women , ch . . v. . obdured infidelity in all , ch . . v. . wilde grapes indeed , such as corrupted nature yields without a correction , without an alteration : she her self is wilde ; she can yield but what she hath , what she is . please your selves who list in the opinion of your fair and sweet and plausible dispositions ; ye shall finde nature at best but a wilde vine . in me , that is , in my flesh , there dwelleth no good , faith the chosen vessel . wilde grapes for the harshnesse and sowrnesse of the tast , for the odiousnesse of their verdure to the palate of the almighty . the best fruits of nature are but glorious sins , the worst are horrible abominations . such are the wilde grapes of israel : which yet could not have been so ill , if god had not been put into an exspectation of better , and if this exspectation had not been crossed with disappointment : wherefore , when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes ? had onely maples or thorns or willows grown there , god would not have look'd for grapes ; had onely wilde vines grown there , god would not have look'd for pleasing clusters : but now that god furnished the soil with noble and generous plants , with what scorn and indignation doth he look upon wilde grapes ? favours bestowed raise exspectation , and exspectation frustrated doubles the judgment . the very leaves and the high-way drew a curse upon the fig-tree . woe be to thee chorazin , woe be to thee bethsaida . son of man , what shall be done to the vine of all trees ? woe be to thee , o vineyard of israel : i will take away the hedge thereof , and it shall be eaten up ; i will break down the wall , and it shall be trodden down . my speech should now descend to the wofull vengeance that god threats to and inflicts upon his israel : a fit theme for so heavy a day . the hedge of good government and wholsome laws shall be trodden down ; the wall of divine protection shall be broken : the beasts of the field and forest shall be let in , the grapes devoured , the trees bruised and trampled upon , the roots extirpate ; to the full and final vastation of israel , to the scorn and hissing of all nations , to the just terrour of the world ; whiles that dearling people which was once the example of god's mercy , is now become the fearfull spectacle of his fury and revenge , surviving only in some few abhorred and despised vagabonds , to shew that there was once such a nation . but the time and occasion call my thoughts homeward , and invite me rather to spend the rest of my hour in paralleling israel's blessings , sins , threats of judgment with our own : wherein our interest shall be a sufficient motive of our attention . gather you together therefore , gather you , o nation not worthy to be loved , and cast back your eyes upon those incomparable favours wherewith god hath provoked and indeared this island ; in which i dare boldly say we are at the least his second israel . how hath he chosen us out of all the earth , and divided us from the rest of the world , that we might be a singular pattern and strange wonder of his bounty ? what should i speak of the wholsome temper of our clime ; the rich provision of all usefull commodities ? so as we cannot say only as sanchez did , i have moisture enough within my own shell ; but as david did , poculum exuberans , my cup runs over , to the supply of our neighbour nations . what speak i of the populousnesse of our cities , defencednesse of our shoars ? these are nothing to that heavenly treasure of the gospel which makes us the vineyard of god , and that sweet peace which gives us the happy fruition of that saving gospel . albion do we call it ? nay ( as he rightly ) polyolbion , richly blessed . o god , what , where is the nation that can emulate us in these favours ? how hath he fenced us about with the hedge of good discipline , of wholesome laws , of gracious government ; with the brazen wall of his almighty and miraculous protection ? never land had more exquisite rules of justice , whether mute or speaking . he hath not left us to the mercy of a rude anarchie , or a tyrannical violence , but hath regulated us by laws of our own asking , and swai'd us by the just scepters of moderate princes . never land had more convincing proofs of an omnipotent tuition whether against forein powers or secret conspiracies . forget , if ye can , the year of our invasion , the day of our purim . besides the many particularities of our deliverances filed up by the pen of one of our worthy prelates . how hath he given us means to remove the rubs of our growth , and to gather away the stones of false doctrine , of heretical pravitie , of mischievous machinations that might hold down his truth ? and , which is the head of all , how hath he brought our vine out of the egypt of popish superstition , and planted it ? in plain terms , how hath he made us a truely-orthodox church , eminent for purity of doctrine , for the grave and reverend solemnity of true sacraments , for the due form of government , for the pious and religious form of our publick liturgie ? with what plenty hath he showred upon us the first and later rain of his heavenly gospel ? with what rare gifts hath he graced our teachers ? with what pregnant spirits hath he furnish'd our academies ? with what competencie of maintenance hath he heartned all learned professions ? so as in these regards we may say of the church of england , many daughters have done vertuously , but thou excellest them all . how hath the vigilant eye of his providence out of his tower of heaven watch'd over this island for good ? not an hellish pionier could mine under ground , but he espied him ; not a dark lantern could offer to deceive midnight , but he descries it ; not a plot , not a purpose of evil could look out , but he hath discovered it , and shamed the agents , and glorified his mercy in our deliverance . lastly , how infinitely hath his loving care laboured to bring us to good ? what sweet opportunities and incouragements hath he given us of a fruitfull obedience ? and when his fatherly counsels would not work with us , how hath he scruzed us in the wine-presse of his afflictions ; one while with a raging pestilence , another while with the insolence and prevalence of enemies ; one while with unkindly seasons , another while with stormy and wracking tempests : if by any means he might fetch from us the precious juice of true penitence and faithfull obedience , that we might turn and live ? if the presse were weighty , yet the wine is sweet . lay now all these together , and what could have been done more for our vineyard , o god , that thou hast not done ? look about you , honourable and christian hearers , and see whether god hath done thus with any nation . oh never , never was any people so bound to a god. other neighbouring regions would think themselves happy in one drop of those blessings which have poured down thick upon us . alas ! they are in a vaporous and marish vale , whiles we are seated on the fruitfull hill : they lie open to the massacring knife of an enemy , whiles we are fenced : they are clogged with miserable incumbrances , whiles we are free : briers and brambles overspread them , whiles we are choicely planted : their tower is of offence , their winepresse is of blood . oh the lamentable condition of more likely vineyards then our own ! who can but weep and bleed to see those wofull calamities that are faln upon the late-famous and flourishing churches of reformed christendome ? oh for that palatine vine , late inoculated with a precious bud of our royal stem ; that vine not long since rich in goodly clusters , now the insultation of boars and prey of foxes ! oh for those poor distressed christians in france , bohemia , silesia , moravia , germany , austria , the valteline , that groan now under the tyrannous yoak of antichristian oppression ! how glad would they be of the crums of our feasts ? how rich would they esteem themselves with the very gleanings of our plentifull crop of prosperity ? how do they look up at us as even now militantly-triumphant , whiles they are miserably wallowing in dust and blood ; and wonder to see the sun-shine upon our hill , whiles they are drenched with storm and tempest in the valley ? what are we , o god , what are we , that thou shouldst be thus rich in thy mercies to us , whiles thou art so severe in thy judgments unto them ? it is too much , lord , it is too much that thou hast done for so sinfull and rebellious a people . cast now your eyes aside a little , and after the view of god's favours , see some little glimpse of our requital . say then , say , o nation not worthy to be beloved , what fruit have ye returned to your beneficent god ? sin is impudent ; but let me challenge the impudent forehead of sin it self . are they not sour and wilde grapes that we have yielded ? are we lesse deep in the sins of israel then in israel's blessings ? complaints , i know , are unpleasing , however just ; but now not more unpleasing then necessary . woe is me , my mother , that thou hast born me a man of contention . i must cry out in this sad day of the sins of my people . the searchers of canaan , when they came to the brook of eshcol , they cut down a branch with a cluster of grapes , and carried it on a staffe between two , to shew israel the fruit of the land , numb . . . give me leave , in the search of our israel , to present your eyes with some of the wilde grapes that grow there on every hedge : and what if they be the very same that grew in this degenerated vineyard of israel ? where we meet first with oppression ; a lordly sin , and that challengeth precedencie , as being commonly incident to none but the great , ( though a poor oppressor ( as he is unkindly , so he ) is a monster of mercilesness . ) oh the loud shrieks and clamours of this crying sin ! what grinding of faces , what racking of rents , what detention of wages , what inclosing of commons , what ingrossing of commodities , what griping exactions , what straining the advantages of greatness , what unequal levies of legal payments , what spightfull sutes , what depopulations , what usuries , what violences abound every where ? the sighs , the tears , the blood of the poor pierce the heavens , and call for a fearfull retribution . this is a sour grape indeed , and that makes god to wring his face in an angry detestation . drunkennesse is the next ; not so odious in the weaknesse of it , as in the strength . oh wofull glory ! strong to drink . woe is me , how is the world turned beast ? what bouzing and quaffing and whiffing and healthing is there on every bench ? and what reeling and staggering in our streets ? what drinking by the yard , the die , the douzen ? what forcing of pledges ? what quarrels for measure and form ? how is that become an excuse of villany , which any villany might rather excuse , i was drunk ? how hath this torrent , yea this deluge of excesse in meats and drinks drowned the face of the earth , and risen many cubits above the highest mountains of religion and good laws ? yea would god i might not say that which i fear and shame and grieve to say , that even some of them which square the ark for others , have been inwardly drowned , and discovered their nakednesse . that other inundation scoured the world , this impures it : and what but a deluge of fire can wash it from so abominable silthinesse ? let no popish eaves-dropper now smile to think what advantage i give by so deep a censure of our own profession . alas ! these sins know no difference of religions . would god they themselves were not rather more deep in these foul enormities . we extenuate not our guilt ; whatever we sin , we condemn it as mortal : they palliate wickednesse with the fair pretence of veniality . shortly , they accuse us , we them , god both . but where am i ? how easie is it for a man to lose himself in the sins of the time ? it is not for me to have my habitation in these black tents ; let me passe through them running . where can a man cast his eye not to see that which may vex his soul ? here bribery and corruption in the seats of judicature , there perjuries at the bar ; here partiality and unjust connivency in magistrates , there disorder in those that should be teachers ; here sacriledge in patrons , there simoniacal contracts in unconscionable levites ; here bloody oaths and execrations , there scurril prophanenesse ; here cozening in bargains , there breaking of promises ; here perfidious underminings , there flattering supparasitations ; here pride in both sexes , but especially the weaker , there luxury and wantonnesse ; here contempt of gods messengers , there neglect of his ordinances and violation of his daies . the time and my breath would sooner fail me then this wofull bed-roll of wickednesse . yet alas ! were these the sins of ignorance , of infirmity , they might be more worthy of pity then hatred . but oh the high hand of our presumptuous offences ! we draw iniquity with the strings of vanity up to the head , up to the eare , and shoot up these hatefull shafts against heaven . did we sit in darknesse and the shadow of death , as too many pagan and popish regions do , these works of darknesse would be lesse intolerable : but now that the beams of the glorious gospel have shined thus long , thus bright in our faces , oh me , what can we plead against our own confusion ? o lord , where shall we appear , when thy very mercies aggravate our sins and thy judgments ? how shouldst thou expect fruit from a vineyard so chosen , so husbanded ? and woe worth our wretchednesse that have thus repai'd thee . be confounded in thy self , o my soul , be confounded , to see these deplored retributions . are these grapes for a god ? do ye thus requite the lord , o foolish people and unjust ? hath he for this made us the mirrour of his mercies to all the world , that we should so shamefully turn his graces into wantonnesse ? are these the fruits of his choice , his fencing , his reforming , his planting , his watch-tower , his winepresse ? o lord , the great and dreadfull god , keeping the covenants and mercies to them that love thee ; we have sinned and committed iniquity , and have rebelled by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments . o lord , righteousnesse belongeth to thee , but unto us confusion of faces , as at this day . we know , we acknowledge how just it may be with thee to pull up our hedges , to break down our wall , to root up our vine , to destroy and depopulate our nation , to make us the scorn and proverb of all generations . but , o our god , let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy jerusalem , thy holy mountain . o lord hear , o lord forgive , o lord hearken and doe . defer not for thine own sake , o our god : for thy city and thy people are called by thy name . but , alas ! what speak i of not deferring to a god of mercy , who is more forward to give then we to crave , and more loath to strike then we to smart , and when he must strike complains , why will ye die , o house of israel ? let me rather turn this speech to our selves ; the delay is ours . yet it is not too late either for our return or his mercies . the decree is not ( to us ) gone forth , till it be executed : as yet our hedge stands , our wall is firm , our vine grows . these sharp monitions , these touches of judgment have been for our warning , not for our ruine . who knows if he will not return , and yet leave a blessing behinde him ? oh that we could turn unto him with all our heart , with fasting and with weeping and with mourning . oh that we could truly and effectually abandon all those abominable sins that have stirred up the anger of our god against us ; and in this our day , this day of our solemn humiliation , renew the vows of our holy and conscionable obedience . lord god , it must be thou onely that must doe it . oh strike thou our flinty hearts with a sound remorse , and melt them into tears of penitence for all our sins . convert us unto thee , and we shall be converted . lord , hear our prayers , and regard our tears , and reform our lives , and remove thy plagues , and renew thy loving countenance , and continue and adde to thine old mercies . lord , affect us with thy favours , humble us for our sins , terrifie us with thy judgments ; that so thou maist hold on thy favours , and forgive our sins , and remove thy judgments ; even for the son of thy love jesus christ the righteous . to whom , &c. postscript . since it seemed good to that great court to call this poor sermon ( amongst others of greater worth ) into the publick light ; i have thus submitted to their pleasure . and now , for that they pleased to bid so high a rate as their command for that mean piece ; i do willingly give this my other statue into the bargain . this work preceded ( some little ) in time that which it now follows in place ; not without good reason . authority sends forth that ; this will : and my will hath learned ever to give place to authoritie . besides my desire to save the labour of transcriptions , i found it not unfit the world should see what preparative was given for so stirring a potion : neither can there be so much need in these languishing times of any discourse , as that which serves to quicken our mortification ; wherein i so much rejoyce to have so happily met with those reverend bishops , who led the way , and followed me , in this holy service . the god of heaven make all our endeavours effectuall to the saving of the souls of his people . amen . a sermon preached to his majestie , on the sunday before the fast , ( being march . ) at white-hall ; in way of preparation for that holy exercise . by the b. of excester . galat. . . i am crucified with christ . neverthelesse i live , &c. he that was once tossed in the confluence of two seas , acts . . was once no lesse streightned in his resolutions betwixt life and death , phil. . . neither doth my text argue him in any other case here . as there he knew not whether he should chuse , so here he knew not whether he had . i am crucified , there he is dead ; yet i live , there he is alive again ; yet not i , there he lives not ; but christ in me , there he more then lives . this holy correction makes my text full of wonders , full of sacred riddles . . the living god is dead upon the crosse , christ crucified , . s. paul , who died by the sword , dies on the cross . . s. paul , who was not paul till after christ's death , is yet crucified with christ . . s. paul thus crucified yet lives . . s. paul lives not himself whiles he lives . . christ , who is crucified , lives in paul , who was crucified with him . see then here both a lent and an easter : a lent of mortification , i am crucified with christ ; an easter of resurrection and life , i live , yet not i , but christ lives in me . the lent of my text will be sufficient ( as proper ) for this season ; wherein my speech shall passe through three long stages of discourse : christ crucified , s. paul crucified , s. paul crucified with christ . in all which your honourable and christian patience shall as much shorten my way , as my care shall shorten the way to your patience . christ's cross is the first lesson of our infancy , worthy to be our last , and all . the great doctor of the gentiles affected not to flie any higher pitch . grande crucis sacramentum , as ambrose . this is the greatest wonder that ever earth or heaven yielded . god incarnate was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but god suffering and dying was so much more , as death is more penal then birth . the god-head of man and the blood of god are two such miracles , as the angels of heaven can never enough look into , never admire enough . ruffin tells us , that among the sacred characters of the egyptians the cross was antiently one , which was said to signifie eternal life ; hence their learneder sort were converted to and confirmed in the faith. surely we know that in god's hieroglyphicks eternal life is both represented and exhibited to us by the crosse . that the crosse of christ was made of the tree of life , a slip whereof the angels gave to adam's son out of paradise , is but a jewish legend ; galatine may believe it , not we : but that it is made the tree of life to all believers , we are sure . this is the only scale of heaven ; never man ascended thither but by it . by this christ himself climb'd up to his own glory . dominus regnavit à ligno , as tertullian translates that of the psalm . father , glorifie thy name ; that is , saith he , duc me ad crucem , lift me up to the tree , not of my shame , but of my triumph . behold , we preach christ crucified ( saith saint paul ) to the jews a stumbling-block , to the greeks foolishnesse ; but to them which are called , christ the power of god , and the wisdome of god , cor. . . foolish men ! that stumble at power , and deride wisdome . upbraid us now , ye fond jews and pagans , with a crucified saviour : it is our glory , it is our happinesse , which ye make our reproach . had not our saviour died , he could have been no saviour for us ; had not our saviour died , we could not have lived . see now the flag of our dear redeemer , this cross , shining eminently in loco pudoris , in our foreheads ; and if we had any place more high , more conspicuous , more honourable , there we would advance it . o blessed jesu , when thou art thus lifted up on thy cross , thou drawest all hearts unto thee : there thou leadest captivity captive , and givest gifts unto men . ye are deceived , o ye blinde jews and painims , ye are deceived ; it is not a gibbet , it is a throne of honour to which our saviour is raised ; a throne of such honour , as to which heaven and earth and hell do , and must vail . the sun hides his awfull head , the earth trembles , the rocks rend , the graves open , and all the frame of nature doth homage to their lord in this secret , but divine , pomp of crucifixion . and whiles ye think his feet and hands despicably fixed , behold he is powerfully trampling upon hell and death , and setting up trophees of his most glorious victory , and scattering everlasting crowns and scepters unto all believers . o saviour , i do rather more adore thee on the calvary of thy passion , then on the tabor of thy transsiguration , or the olivet of thine ascension : and cannot so effectuously blesse thee for pater , clarifica , father , glorifie me , as for , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? sith it is no news for god to be great and glorious ; but for the eternal and ever-living god to be abased , to be abased unto death , to the death of the cross , is that which could not but amaze the angels and confound devils ; and so much more magnifies thine infinite mercy , by how much an infinite person would become more ignominious . all hosannas of men , all allellujahs of saints and angels come short of this majestick humiliation . blessing , honour , glory and power be unto him that sits upon the throne , and to the lamb for ever and ever , revel . . . and ye ( honourable and beloved ) as ever ye hope to make musick in heaven , learn to tune your harps to the note and ditty of these heavenly elders . rejoice in this , and rejoice in nothing but this cross : not in your transitory honours , titles , treasures , which will at the last leave you inconsolately sorrowfull ; but in this cross of christ , whereby the world is crucified to you , and you to the world . oh clip and embrace this pretious cross with both your arms , and say with that blessed martyr , amor meus crucifixus est , my love is crucified . those that have searched into the monuments of jerusalem , write that our saviour was crucified with his face to the west : which howsoever spightfully meant of the jews , ( as not allowing him worthy to look on the holy city and temple ) yet was not without a mysterie . oculi ejus super gentes respiciunt , his eyes look to the gentiles , &c. saith the psalmist . as christ therefore on his cross looked towards us sinners of the gentiles ; so let us look up to him . let our eyes be lift up to this brazen serpent , for the cure of the deadly stings of that old serpent . see him , o all ye beholders , see him hanging upon the tree of shame , of curse , to rescue you from curse and confusion , and to feo●●e you in everlasting blessednesse : see him stretching out his arms to receive and embrace you , hanging down his head to take view of your misery , opening his precious side to receive you into his bosome , opening his very heart to take you in thither , pouring out thence water to wash you , and blood to redeem you . o all ye nazarites that passe by , out of this dead lion seek and finde the true honey of unspeakable and endlesse comfort . and ye great masters of israel , whose lips professe to preserve knowledge , leave all curious and needlesie disquisitions , and with that divine and extatical doctor of the gentiles , care only to know , to preach , christ and him crucified . but this , though the sum of the gospel , is not the main drift of my text : i may not dwell in it , though i am loth to part with so sweet a meditation . from christ crucified turn your eyes to paul crucified : you have read him dying by the sword ; hear him dying by the cross , and see his moral , spiritual , living crucifixion . our apostle is two men , saul and paul ; the old man and the new : in respect of the old man he is crucified , and dead to the law of sin , so as that sin is dead in him ; neither is it otherwise with every regenerate . sin hath a body , as well as the man hath ; who shall deliver me from this body of death ? rom. . . a body that hath lims and parts ; mortifie your earthly members , saith our apostle , colos . . . not the lims of our humane body , which are made of earth , ( so should we be hosles naturae , as bernard ) but the sinfull lims that are made of corruption , fornication , uncleanness , inordinate affection , &c. the 〈◊〉 of sin is wicked devices ; the heart of sin , wicked desires ; the hands and 〈◊〉 , wicked executions ; the tongue of sin , wicked words ; the eyes of sin , 〈◊〉 apprehensions ; the forehead of sin , impudent profession of evil ; the back of sin , a strong supportation and maintenance of evil : all this body of sin is not only put to death , but to shame too , so as it is dead with disgrace , i am crucified . s. paul speaks not this singularly of himself , but in the person of the renewed : sin doth not , cannot live a vital and vigorous life in the regenerate . wherefore then ( say you ) was the apostles complaint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? mark , i beseech you ; it was the body of sin , not the life of sin ; a body of death , not the life of that body : or if this body had yet some life , it was such a life as is left in the lims when the head is struck off ; some dying quiverings , rather as the remainders of a life that was , then any act of a life that is ; or if a further life , such a one as in swowns and fits of epilepsie , which yields breath , but not sense ; or if some kinde of sense , yet no motion ; or if it have some kinde of motion in us , yet no manner of dominion over us . what power , motion , sense , relicks of life are in a fully-crucified man ? such a one may waft up and down with the winde , but cannot move out of any internal principle . sin and grace cannot more stand together in their strength , then life and death . in remisse degrees all contraries may be lodged together under one roof . s. paul swears that he dies daily , yet he lives : so the best man sins hourly , even whiles he obeys ; but the powerfull and over-ruling sway of sin is incompatible with the truth of regeneration . every esau would be carrying away a blessing : no man is willing to sit out . ye shall have strong drinkers , as esay calls them , esay . . neighing stallions of lust , as jeremy calls them , jer. . . mighty hunters in oppression , as nimrod , gen. . . rotten talkers , ephes . . . which yet will be challenging as deep a share in grace as the conscionablest . alas ! how many millions do miserably delude themselves with a mere pretence of christianity ? aliter vivunt , aliter loquuntur , as he said of the philosophers . vain hypocrites ! they must know that every christian is a crucified man. how are they dead to their fins , that walk in their sins ? how are their sins dead in them , in whom they stir , reign , flourish ? who doth not smile to hear of a dead man that walks ? who derides not the solecism of that actor , which exprest himself fully dead by saying so ? what a mockery is this ? eyes full of lust , itching ears , scurrilous tongues , bloody hands , hearts full of wickedness , and yet dead ? deceive not your souls , dear christians , if ye love them . this false death is the way to the true , eternal , incomprehensibly-wofull death of body and soul. if ye will needs doe so , walk on , ye falsly-dead , in the waies of your old sins : be sure these paths shall lead you down to the chambers of everlasting death . if this be the hanging up of your corruptions , fear to hang in hell . away with this hateful simulation ; god is not mocked : ye must either kill , or die . kill your sins , or else they will be sure to kill your souls : apprehend , arraign , condemn them , fasten them to the tree of shame , and , if they be not dead already , break their legs and arms , disable them to all offensive actions as was done to the thieves in the gospel ; so shall you say with our blessed apostle , i am crucified . neither is it thus onely in matter of notorious crime and grosse wickednesse , but thus it must be in the universal carriage of our lives , and the whole habitual frame of our dispositions : in both these we are , we must be crucified . be not deceived , my brethren , it is a sad and austere thing to be a christian . this work is not frolick , jovial , plausible : there is a certain thing call'd true mortification required to this businesse ; and whoever heard but there was pain in death ? but among all deaths in crucifying ? what a torture must there needs be in this act of violence ? what a distention of the body , ( whose weight is rack enough to it self ? ) what straining of the joynts ? what nailing of hands and feet ? never make account to be christians without the hard tasks of penitence . it will cost you tears , sighs , watchings , self-restraints , self-struglings , self-denials . this word is not more harsh then true . ye delicate hypocrites , what do you talk of christian profession , when ye will not abate a dish from your belly , nor spare an hours sleep from your eyes , nor cast off an offensive rag from your backs for your god ? in vain shall the vassals of appetite challenge to be the servants of god. were it that the kingdome of god did consist in eating and drinking , in pampering and surfeits , in chambering and wantonnesse , in pranking and vanity , in talk and ostentation ; o god , how rich shouldst thou be of subjects , of saints ? but if it require abstinence , humiliation , contrition of heart , subjugation of our flesh , renunciation of our wills , serious impositions of laboursome devotions ; o lord , what is become of true christianity ? where shall we seek for a crucified man ? look to our tables , there ye shall finde excesse and riot ; look to our backs , there ye shall finde proud disguises ; look to our conversations , there ye shall finde scurril and obscene jollity . this liberty , yea this licentiousnesse , is that which opens the mouths of our adversaries to the censure of our reall impiety . that slander which julian could cast upon constantine , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 led him to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delicacie to intemperance , the very same do they cast upon us . they tell us of their strict lents , frequent fastings , canonical hours , sharp penances , their bashfull shrists , their painfull scourgings , their solitary cells , their woolward and barefoot walks , their hard and tedious pilgrimages ; whiles we ( they say ) deny nothing to back or belly , fare full , lie soft , sit warm , and make a wanton of the flesh , whiles we professe to tend the spirit . brethren , hear a little the words of exhortation : the brags of their penal will-worship shall no whit move us : all this is blown away with a baal's priests did more then they , yet were never the holier . but for our selves , in the fear of god see that we do not justifie their crimination . whiles they are in one extreme , placing all religion in the out-side , in touch not , taste not , handle not : let us not be in the other , not regarding the external acts of due humiliation . it is true that it is more ease to afflict the body then to humble the soul ; a dram of remorse is more then an ounce of pain . o god , if whippings and hair-cloaths and watchings would satisfie thy displeasure , who would not sacrifice the blood of this vassall ( his body ) to expiate the sin of his soul ? who would not scrub his skin to ease his conscience ? who would not freez upon an hurdle that he might not frie in hell ? who would not hold his eyes open to avoid an eternall unrest and torment ? but such sacrifices and oblations , o god , thou desirest not . the sacrifice of god is a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart , o god , thou wilt not despise . yet it is as true , that it is more easie to counterfeit mortification of spirit then humiliation of body ; there is pain in the one , none in the other . he that cares not therefore to pull down his body , will much lesse care to humble his soul ; and he that spares not to act meet and due penalties upon the flesh , gives more colour of the souls humiliation . dear christians , it is not for us to stand upon niggardly terms with our maker : he will have both ; he that made both , will have us crucified in both . the old man doth not lie in a lim or faculty ; but is diffused through the whole extent of body and soul , and must be crucified in all that it is . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith the chosen vessel , i beat down my body ; my body as well as my spirit . give me leave , ye courtiers and citizens . lent is wont to be a penitential time : if ye have soundly and effectually thriven your selves to your god , let me enjoyn you an wholsome and saving penance for the whole year , for your whole life . ye must curb your appetites , ye must fast , ye must stint your selves to your painfull devotions , ye must give peremptory denials to your own wills , ye must put your knife to your throat in solomon's sense . think not that ye can climb up to heaven with full panches , reaking ever of indian smoak and the surfeits of your gluttonous crammings and quaffings . oh easie and pleasant way to glory ! from our bed to our glasse , from our glasse to our boord , from our dinner to our pipe , from our pipe to a visit , from a visit to a supper , from a supper to a play , from a play to a banquet , from a banquet to our bed . oh remember the quarrel against damned dives : he fared sumptuously every day ; he made neither lents nor embers ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as he said , every day was gaudie and festival , in rich sutes , in dainty morsels , and full draughts ; intus mulso , foris oleo , wine within , oyle without , as he said : now all the world for a drop , and it is too little . vae saturis , woc to the full , saith our saviour : but even nature it self could abominate bis de die saturum , one that is full twice a day . one of the sins of our sodom is fulnesse of bread . what is the remedy ? it is an old word , that hunger cures the diseases of gluttony . oh that my words could prevail so far with you , honourable and beloved christians , as to bring austere abstinence and sober moderation into fashion . the court and city have led the way to excesse ; your example shall prescribe , yea administer , the remedy . the heathen man could say , he is not worthy of the name of a man that would be a whole day in pleasure : what and we alwaies ? in fasting often , saith s. paul : what and we never ? i fast twice a week , saith the pharisee : and we christians when ? i speak not of popish mock-fasts , in change , not in forbearance ; in change of courser cates of the land for the curious dainties of the water , of the flesh of beasts for the flesh of fish , of untoothsome morsels for sorbitiunculoe delicatoe , as hierome calls them . let me never feast , if this be fasting . i speak of a true and serious maceration of our bodies , by an absolute and totall refraining from sustenance : which howsoever in it self it be not an act pleasing unto god , ( for well may i invert saint paul , neither if we eat not are we the better , neither if we eat are we the worse , cor. . . ) yet in the effect it is ; singulare sanctitatis aratrum , as that father terms it . the plow bears no corn , but it makes way for it ; it opens the soil , it tears up the briers , and turns up the furrows : thus doth holy abstinence , it chastises the flesh , it lightens the spirit , it disheartens our vitious dispositions , it quickens our devotion . away with all factious combinations . every man is master of his own maw : fast at home and spare not ; leave publick exercises of this kinde to the command of soveraign powers . blow the trumpet in zion , sanctifie a fast , saith joel , . . surely this trumpet is for none but royal breath . and now ( that what i meant for a suit , may be turned to a just gratulation ) how do we blesse the god of heaven , that hath put it into the heart of his anointed to set this sacred trumpet to his lips ? never was it , never can it be more seasonable then now : now that we are fallen into a war of religion , now that our friends and allies grone either under miscarriage or danger , now that our distressed neighbours implore our help in tears and blood , now that our god hath humbled us with manifold losses , now that we are threatned with so potent enemies , now that all christendome is embroiled with so miserable and perilous distempers ; oh now it hath seasonably pleased your majesty to blow the trumpet in zion , to sanctifie a fast , to call a solemn assembly . the miraculous successe that god gave to your majesty and your kingdome in this holy exercise , may well incourage an happy iteration . how did the publick breath of our fasting-prayers cleanse the aire before them ? how did that noisome pestilence vanish suddenly away , as that which could not stand before our powerfull humiliations ? if we be not streightned in our own bowels , the hand of our god is not shortned . o daughter of zion , gird thee with sackcloth , and wallow thy self in ashes , make thee mourning and most bitter lamentation . fast and pray , and prosper . and in the mean time , for us , let us not think it enough to forbear a meal , or to hang down our heads like a bulrush for a day ; but let us break the bands of wickedness , and in a true contrition of soul vow and perform better obedience . oh then , as we care to avert the heavy judgments of god from our selves and our land , as we desire to traduce the gospel with peace to our posterity , let each man humble one ; let each man rend his heart with sorrow for his own sins and the sins of his people : shortly , let every man ransack his own soul and life , and offer an holy violence to all those sinfull corruptions which have stirred up the god of heaven against us ; and never leave , till in truth of heart he can say with our blessed apostle , i am crucified . ye have seen christ crucified , s. paul crucified ; see now both crucified together , i am crucified with christ . it is but a cold word this , i am crucified ; it is the company that quickens it . he that is the life , gives it life , and makes both the word and act glorious ; i am crucified with christ . alas ! there is many a one crucified , but not with christ . the covetous , the ambitious man is self-crucified ; he plaits a crown of thorny cares for his own head ; he pierces his hands and feet with toilsome and painfull undertakings ; he drencheth himself with the vineger and gall of discontentments ; he gores his side and wounds his heart with inward vexations . thus the man is crucified ; but with the world , not with christ . the envious man is crucified by his own thoughts ; he needs no other gibbet then another man's prosperity ; because anothers person or counsel is preferred to his , he leaps to hell in his own halter . this man is crucified ; but it is achitophel's crosse , not christ's . the desperate man is crucified with his own distrust ; he pierceth his own heart with a deep , irremediable , unmitigable , killing sorrow ; he paies his wrong to god's justice with a greater wrong to his mercy , and leaps out of an inward hell of remorse to the bottomlesse pit of damnation . this man is crucified ; but this is judas's crosse , not christ's . the superstitious man is professedly mortifi●d . the answer of that eremite in the story is famous , why dost thou destroy thy body ? because it would destroy me . he useth his body therefore not as a servant , but a slave , not as a slave , but an enemy . he lies upon thorns , with the pharisee ; little ease is his lodging , with simeon the anachoret ; the stone is his pillow , with jacob ; the tears his food , with exiled david ; he lanceth his flesh , with the baalites ; he digs his grave with his nails ; his meals are hunger , his breathings sighs , his linen hair-cloath , lined and laced with cords and wires ; lastly , he is his own willing tormentor , and hopes to merit heaven by self-murder . this man is crucified , but not with christ . the felon , the traitor is justly crucified , the vengeance of the law will not let him live . the jesuitical incendiary , that cares only to warm himself by the fires of states and kingdomes , cries out of his suffering . the world is too little for the noise of our cruelty , their patience ; whiles it judgeth of our proceedings by our laws , not by our executions . but if they did suffer what they f●lsly pretend , ( as they now complain of ease ) they might be crucified , but not with christ ; they should bleed for sedition , not conscience : they may steal the name of jesus , they shall not have his society . this is not christs cross , it is the cross of barabbas , or the two malefactors , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mark . . all these and many more are crucified , but not , as s. paul was here , with christ . how with christ ? in partnership , in person . in partnership of the suffering ; every particularity of christs crucifixion is re-acted in us . christ is the model , we the metal ; the metal takes such form as the model gives it : so are we spred upon the cross of christ in an unanswerable extension of all parts , to die with him , as the prophet was upon the dead child , to revive him . superstitious men talk of the impression of our saviours wounds in their idol s. francis : this is no news ; s. paul and every believing christian hath both the lathes and wounds and transfixions of his jesus wrought upon him . the crown of thorns pierces his head , when his sinful conceits are mortified ; his lips are drencht with gall and vineger , when tharp and severe restraints are given to his tongue ; his hands and feet are nailed , when he is by the power of god's spirit disabled to the wonted courses of sin ; his body is stripped , when all colour and pretences are taken away from him ; shortly , his heart is pierced , when the life-blood of his formerly-reigning corruptions is let out . he is no true christian that is not thus crucified with christ . woe is me , how many fashionable ones are not so much as pained with their sins ? it is no trouble to them to blaspheme , oppress , debauch : yea rather it is a death to them to think of parting with their dear corruptions : the world hath bewitched their love . that which erasmus saith of paris , that after a man hath acquainted himself with the odious sent of it ( hospitibus magìs ac magìs adlubescit ) it grows into his liking more and more ; is too true of the world and sensual minds . alas ! they rather crucifie christ again , then are crucified with christ . woe to them that ever they were : for being not dead with christ , they are not dead in christ ; and being not dead in christ , they cannot but die eternally in themselves ; for the wages of sin is death ; death in their person , if not in their surety . honourable and beloved , let us not think it safe for us to rest in this miserable and deadly condition . as ye love your souls , give no sleep to your eyes nor peace to your hearts , till ye find the sensible effects of the death and passion of christ your saviour within you , mortifying all your corrupt affections and sinful actions , that ye may truly say with s. paul , i am crucified with christ . six several times do we find that christ shed blood ; in his circumcision , in his agonie , in his crowning , in his scourging , in his affixion , in his transfixion . the instrument of the first was the knife ; of the second , vehemence of passion ; of the third , the thorns ; of the fourth , the whips ; of the fifth , the nails ; of the last , the spear . in all these we are , we must be partners with our saviour . in his circumcision , when we draw blood of our selves by cutting off the foreskin of our filthy ( if pleasing ) corruptions , col. . . in his agony , when we are deeply affected with the sense of god's displeasure for sin , and terrified with the frowns of an angry father . in his crowning with thorns , when we smart and bleed with reproches for the name of christ ; when that which the world counts honour , is a pain to us for his sake ; when our guilty thoughts punish us , and wound our restless heads with the sad remembrance of our sins . in his scourging , when we tame our wanton and rebellious flesh with wise rigor and holy severity . in his affixion , when all the powers of our souls and parts of our body are strictly hampered and unremovably fastened upon the royal commandements of our maker and redeemer . in his transfixion , when our hearts are wounded with divine love ( with the spouse in the canticles ) or our consciences with deep sorrow . in all these we bleed with christ , and all these ( save the first onely ) belong to his crucifying . surely , as it was in the old law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without bloodshed there was no remission , heb. . . so it is still and ever in the new. if christ had not thus bled for us , no remission ; if we do not thus bleed with christ , no remission . there is no benefit where is no partnership . if christ therefore bled with his agony , with his thorns , with his whips , with his nails , with his spear , in so many thousand passages as tradition is bold to define ; and we never bleed , either with the agony of our sorrow for sin , or the thorns of holy cares for displeasure , or the scourges of severe christian rigour , or the nails of holy constraint , or the spear of deep remorse ; how do we , how can we for shame say , we are crucified with christ ? divine s. austin , in his epistle or book rather to honoratus , gives us all the dimensions of the cross of christ . the latitude he makes in the transverse ; this ( saith he ) pertains to good works , because on this his hands were stretched . the length was from the ground to the transverse ; this is attributed to his longanimity and persistance , for on that his body was stayed and fixed . the height was in the head of the cross above the transverse ; signifying the exspectation of supernal things . the depth of it was in that part which was pitcht below within the earth ; importing the profoundness of his free grace , which is the ground of all his beneficence . in all these must we have our part with christ . in the transverse of his cross , by the ready extension of our hands to all good works of piety , justice , charity : in the arrectary or beam of his cross , by continuance and uninterrupted perseverance in good : in the head of his cross , by an high elevated hope , and looking for of glory : in the foot of his cross , by a lively and firm faith , fastening our souls upon the affiance of his free grace and mercy . and thus shall we be crucified with christ upon his own cross . yet lastly we must goe further then this , from his cross to his person . so did s. paul , and every believer , die with christ , that he died in christ : for as in the first adam we all lived , and sinned ; so in the second all believers died , that they might live . the first adam brought in death to all mankind , but at last actually died for none but himself ; the second adam died for mankind , and brought life to all believers . seest thou thy saviour therefore hanging upon the cross ? all mankind hangs there with him ; as a knight or burgess of parliament voices his whole burrough or country . what speak i of this ? the arms and legs take the same lot with the head : every believer is a lim of that body ; how can he therefore but die with him , and in him ? that real union then which is betwixt christ and us , makes the cross and passion of christ ours ; so as the thorns pierced our heads , the scourages blooded our backs , the nails wounded our hands and feet , and the spear gored our sides and hearts : by virtue whereof we receive justification from our sins , and true mortification of our corruptions . every believer therefore is dead already for his sins in his saviour ; he needs not fear that he shall die again . god is too just to punish twice for one fault ; to recover the summe both of the surety & principal . all the score of our arrerages is fully struck off by the infinite satisfaction of our blessed redeemer . comfort thy self therefore , thou penitent and faithful soul , in the confidence of thy safety ; thou shalt not die , but live , since thou art already crucified with thy saviour ; he died for thee , thou diedst in him . who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifies ? who shall condemn ? it is christ that died ; yea rather that is risen again , and lives gloriously at the right hand of god , making intercession for us . to thee , o blessed jesu , together with thy coeternal father and holy spirit , three persons in one infinite and incomprehensible deity , be all praise , honour and glory now and for ever . amen . one of the sermons preached to the lords of the high court of parliament , in their solemn fast held on ashwednesday , feb. . and , by their appointment , published , by the b. of excester . acts . , , . . now when they heard this , they were pricked in their hearts , and said to peter and the rest of the apostles , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? . then said peter unto them , repent and be baptized , &c. . and with many other words did he testifie , and exhort them , saying , save your selves from this untoward generation . who knows not that simon peter was a fisher ? that was his trade both by sea and land : if we may not rather say , that as simon he was a fisher-man , but as peter he was a fisher of men : he that call'd him so , made him so . and surely his first draught of fishes which , as simon , he made at our saviours command , might well be a trade type of the first draught of men which , as peter , he made in this place : for as then the nets were ready to crack , and the ship to sink with store ; so here , when he threw forth his first drag-net of heavenly doctrine and reproof , three thousand souls were drawn up at once . this text was as the sacred cord that drew the net together , and pull'd up this wondrous shoal of converts to god. it is the summe of saint peter's sermon , if not at a fast , yet at a general humiliation , which is more and better ; for wherefore fast we but to be humbled ? and if we could be duely humbled without fasting , it would please god a thousand times better then to fast formally without true humiliation . indeed for the time , this was a feast , the feast of pentecost ; but for the estate of these jews it was dies cinerum , a day of contrition , a day of deep hunger and thirst after righteousness ; men and brethren , what shall we doe ? neither doubt i to say that the festivity of the season added not a little to their humiliation : like as we are never so apt to take cold as upon a sweat ; and that winde is ever the keenest , which blows cold out of a warm coast . no day could be more afflictive then an ashwednesday that should light upon a solemn pentecost : so it was here ; every thing answered well . the spirit came down upon them in a mighty wind ; and behold , it hath ratled their hearts together : the house shoo● in the descent ; and behold here the foundations of the soul were moved : fiery tongues appeared ; and here their breasts were inflamed : cloven tongues ; and here their hearts were cut in sunder . the words were miraculous , because in a supernatural and sudden variety of language ; the matter divine , laying before them both the truth of the messiah , and their bloody measure offered to that lord of life : and now compuncti cordibus , they were pricked in their hearts . wise solomon says , the words of the wise are like goads and nails : here they were so . goads , for they were compuncti pricked : yea , but the goad could not goe so deep , that passeth but the skin ; they were nails , driven into the very heart of the auditors , up to the head ; the great master of the assembly , the divine apostle had set them home , they were pricked in their hearts . never were words better bestowed . it is an happy blood-letting that saves the life ; this did so here . we look to the figne commonly in phlebotomy : it is a signe of our idle and ignorant superstition . s. peter here saw the signe to be in the heart , and he strikes happily ; compuncti cordibus , they were pricked in their hearts , and said , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? oh what sweet musick was this to the apostles ear ? i dare say none but heaven could afford better . what a pleasing spectacle was this anguish of their wounded souls ? to see men come in their zealous devotions , and lay down their moneys ( the price of their alienated possessions ) at those apostolick feet , was nothing to this , that they came in a bleeding contrition , and prostrated their penitent and humbled souls at the beautiful feet of the messengers of peace , with men and brethren , what shall we doe ? oh when , when shall our eyes be blessed with so happy a prospect ? how long shall we thunder out god's fearful judgements against wilful sinners ? how long shall we threaten the flames of hell to those impious wretches , who crucifie again to themselves the lord of life , ere we can wring a sigh or a tear from the rocks of their hearts or eyes ? woe is me that we may say too truely , as this peter did of his other fishing , master , we have travailed all the night , and have caught nothing . surely it may well goe for night with us , whiles we labour and prevail not . nothing ? not a soul caught ? lord , what is become of the success of thy gospel ? who hath believed our report , or to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? o god , thou art ever thy self , thy truth is eternal , hell is where it was ; if we be less worthy then thy first messengers , yet what excuse is this to the besotted world , that through obduredness and infidelity it will needs perish ? no man will so much as say with the jews , what have i done ? or with saint peter's auditors , what shall i doe ? oh foolish sinners ! shall ye live here always ? care ye not for your souls ? is there not an hell that gapes for your stubborn impenitence ? goe on , if there be no remedy , goe on , and die for ever : we are guiltless , god is righteous , your damnation is just . but if your life be fickle , death unavoidable , if an everlasting vengeance be the necessary reward of your momentany wickedness ; oh turn , turn from your evil waies , and in an holy distraction of your remorsed souls say , with these jews , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? this from the general view of the occasion ; we descend to a little more particularity . luke , the beloved physician , describes saint peter's proceeding here much after his own trade , as of a true spiritual physician ; who finding his country men the jews in a desperate and deadly condition , gasping for life , struggling with death , enters into a speedy and zealous course of their cure . and first he begins with the chirurgical part ; and finding them ranck of blood , and that foul and putrified , he lets it out , compuncti cordibus . where we might shew you the incision , the vein , the lancet , the orifice , the anguish of the stroke . the incision , compuncti , they were pricked . the vein , in their hearts . smile not now , ye physicians , if any hear me this day , as if i had passed a solecisme , in telling you these men were pricked in the vein of the heart ; talk you of your cephalica and the rest , and tell us of another cistern from whence these tubuli sanguinis are derived : i tell you again ( with an addition of more incongruities still ) that god and his divine physician do still let blood in the median vein of the heart . the lancet is the keen and cutting reproof of their late barbarous crucifixion of their holy and most innocent and benigne saviour . the orifice is the ear , when they heard this . whatever the local distance be of these parts , spiritually the ear is the very surface of the heart ; and whosoever would give a medicinal stroke to the heart , must pass it through the ear , the sense of discipline and correction . the anguish bewrays it self in their passionate exclamation , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? there is none of these which my speech might not well take up , if not as an house to dwell in , yet as an inne to rest and lodge in : but i will not so much as bait here ; onely we make this a through-fare to those other sacred prescriptions of saving remedies , which are three in number . the first is , evacuation of sins by a speedy repentance , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the second , the soveraign bath or laver of regeneration , baptisme . the third , dietetical and prophylactical receipts of wholesome caution ; which i mean ( with a determinate preterition of the rest ) to spend my hour upon : save your selves from this untoward generation . but ere i pitch upon this most useful and seasonable particularity , let me offer to your thoughts the speedy application of these gracious remedies . the blessed apostle doth not let his patients languish under his hand in the heats and colds of hopes and feares ; but so soon as ever the word is out of their mouths , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? he presently administreth these soveraign receipts , repent , be baptized , save your selves . in acute diseases wise physicians will lose no time ; onely delay makes some distempers deadly . it is not for us to let good motions freeze under our fingers . how many gleeds have died in their ashes , which if they had been speedily blown , had risen into comfortable flames ? the care of our zeal for god must be sure to take all opportunities of good . this is the apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , serving the time ; that is , observing it : not for conformity to it when it is naught , ( fie on that baseness : no , let the declining time come to us upon true and constant grounds , let not us stoop to it in the terms of the servile yieldance of optatus his donatists , omnia pro tempore , nihil pro veritate ) not , i say , for conformity to it , but for advantage of it . the embleme teaches us to take occasion by the fore-lock , else we catch too late . the israelites must goe forth and gather their manna so soon as it is falne ; if they stay but till the sun have raught his noon-point , in vain shall they seek for that food of angels . saint peter had learnt this of his master ; when the shoal was ready , christ sayes , laxate retia , luk. . . what should the net doe now in the ship ? when the fish was caught , christ sayes , draw up again ; what should the net doe now in the sea ? what should i advise you , reverend fathers and brethren , ( the princes of our israel , as the doctors are called , judges . . ) to speak a word in season ? what should i presume to put into your hands these apples of gold with pictures of silver ? what should i perswade you ( to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to wing your words with speed , when the necessity of endangered souls cals for them ? oh let us row hard whiles the tide of grace serves ; when we see a large door and effectual opened unto us , let us throng in , with a peaceable and zealous importunity to be sure . oh let us preach the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season , out of season ; and carefully watch for the best advantages of prevailing : and when the iron of mens hearts is softned by the fire of god's spirit , and made flexible by a meet humiliation , delay not to strike , and make a gracious impression , as s. peter did here , repent , be baptized ; save your selves from this untoward generation . now to the main and all-sufficient recipe for these feeling distempers ; save your selves . this is the very extracted quintessence of saint peter's long sermon , in which alone is included and united the soveraign virtue of repentance , of baptisme , of whatsoever help to a converting soul : so as i shall not need to speak explicitely of them , whiles i enlarge my self to the treating of this universal remedy , save your selves from this untoward generation . would you think that saint luke hath given me the division of this , whether text , or sermon of saint peter ? ye shall not finde the like otherwhere ; here it is clearly so : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he testifies , he exhorts . he testifies , what he thinks of the times ; he exhorts , or beseeches , ( as the syriack turns it ) to avoid their danger : both of them , as s. austin well , referre to this one divine sentence . the parts whereof then are , in s. luke's division , peter's reprehensory attestation , and his obtestation . his reprehensory attestation to the common wickedness , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his obtestation of their freedome and indemnity , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , save your selves . to begin with the former . what is a generation ? what is an untoward generation ? either word hath some little mist about it . the very word generation hath begot multiplicity of senses : without all perplexedness of search , we will single out the properly-intended for this place . as times , so we in them , are in continual passage ; every thing is in motion : the heavens do not more move above our heads in a circular revolution , then we here on earth do by a perpetual alteration . now all that are contained in one lift of time , whether fixed or uncertain , are a generation of men . fixed ; so suidas under-reckons it by seven years ; but the ordinary rate is an hundred . it is a clear text , gen. . . but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again : when is that ? ( to the shame of galatinus , who clouds it with the fancy of the four kinds or manners of mans existence ) moses himself interprets it of four hundred years , vers . . uncertain ; so solomon , one generation passeth , another cometh . the very term implies transitoriness . it is with men as with rasps , one stalk is growing , another grown up , a third withered , and all upon one root : or as with flowers , ( and some kinds of flies ) they grow up , and seed , and die . ye see your condition , o ye great men of the earth ; it is no staying here : orimur , morimur . after the acting of a short part upon this stage , ye must withdraw for ever . make no other account but , with abraham , to serve your generation , and away . ye can never more fitly hear of your mortality then now that ye are under that roof which covers the monuments of your dead and forgotten progenitors . what is an untoward generation ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; it is promiscuously turned froward , perverse , crooked . the opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all is as one , what ever swerves from the right is crooked . the law is a right line ; and what crookedness is in nature , frowardness and untowardness is in morality . shortly , there is a double crookedness and untowardness ; one negative , another positive . the first is a failing of that right we should either have or be ; the second , a contrary habit of vicious qualities : and both these are either in credendis , or agendis , in matter of faith , or matter of fact. the first , when we do not believe or doe what we ought ; the second , when we misbelieve or mis-live . the first is an untowardness of omission , the second of commission . the omissive untowardness shall lead the way ; and that first , in matter of belief . this is it whereof our saviour spake to the two disciples in their warm walk to emmaus , o fools and slow of heart to believe ! whereof the proto-martyr stephen to his auditors , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the stiff neck , the uncircumcised ear , the fat heart , the blinded eye , the obdurate soul ( quae nec movetur precibus , nec cedit minis , as bernard ) are wont to be the expressions of this untowardness . if these jews then , after so clear predictions of the prophets , after so miraculous demonstrations of the divine power of christ , after so many graves ransack'd , dead raised , devils ejected , lims and eyes new-created ; after such testimonies of the starre , sages , angels , god himself ; after such triumphs over death and hell , do yet detrect to believe in him , and to receive him for their messias , most justly are they in this first kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a froward generation . and so is any nation under heaven that follows them in the steps of their peevish incredulity , more or less shutting their eyes upon the glorious light of saving truth ; like that sullen tree in the indies , which , they say , closes it self against the beams of the rising sun , and opens onely to the dampish shades of the night . where we must take this rule with us , a rule of most just proportion , that the means of light to any nation aggravate the hainousness and damnableness of their unbelief . the time of that ignorance god regarded not , but now , saith saint paul to the athenians , act. . . if i had not come and spoken to them , they should have had no sin , saith our saviour , joh. . . those that walk in cimmerian , in aegyptian darkness , it is neither shame nor wonder if they either erre or stumble ; but for a man to stumble the sun in the face , or to grope by the walls at noon in the midst of goshen , is so much more hateful as the occaecation is more willing . the latter , which is the negative untowardness in action , is , when any nation fails palpably in those holy duties of piety , justice , charity , which the royal law of their god requireth . of this kinde are those usual complaints ; the fear of god is not before their eyes . god looked to see if there were any that looked after god , and behold there was none . the righteous is perished from the children of men . behold the teares of the oppressed , and none comforted them . the prophets are full of these querulous notes , there is not a page of them free ; yea hardly shall ye meet with one line of theirs , which doth not brand their israel with this defect of holiness . from the negative , cast your eyes upon the positive crookedness or untowardness . that is , in matter of faith , the maintenance or impiety , misbelief , heresie , superstition , atheisme , and whatever other intellectual wickedness . in matter of fact , idolatries , profane carriage , violation of gods daies and ordinances , disobediences , murders , adulteries , thests , drunkenness , lyes , detractions , or any other actual rebellion against god. behold , i have drawn forth before you an hellish rabble of sins , enough to marre a world : whatever nation now or succession of men abounds either in these sinful omissions or these hainous commissions , whether in matter of judgment or manners , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an untoward generation . that which makes a man crooked or untoward makes a generation so ; for what is a generation but a resultance of men ? their number doth not vary their condition . but let not our zeal ( as it oft doth ) make us uncharitable ; when a whole generation is taxed for untowardness , think not that none are free . no , not one , saith the psalmist , by way of servent aggravation : all seek their own , saith the apostle ; all , in comparison . but never times were so overgrown with iniquity , as that god hath not left himself some gracious remainders : when the thievish chaldaeans and sabaeans have done their worst , there shall be a messenger , to say , i am escaped . never was harvest or vintage so curiously inned , that some gleanings were not left in the field ; some clusters among the leaves . but these few if they may give a blessing to the times , yet they cannot give a style ; the denomination still follows the greater ( though the worse ) part ; let these be never so good , the generation is , and is noted for evil . let me therefore here commend to your better thoughts these three emergent considerations . . the irreparable wrong and reproach that lewd men bring upon the very ages and nations where they live . . the difference of times and ages in respect of the degrees of evil . . the warrant of the free censure of ill-deserving times or nations . it were happy if the injury of a wicked man could be confined to his own bosome , that he only should fare the worse for his sins ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. as the greek rule runs ; if it were but self-doe , self-have , as the old word is . but as his lewdness is ( like some odious sent ) diffused through the whole room where he is ; so it reacheth to earth and heaven , yea to the very times and generations upon which he is unhappily faln . doubtless there were many worthy saints in these very times of st. peter ; there was the blessed mother of christ , the paragon of sanctity ; there was a beavy of those devout and holy dames that attended the doctrine , bewailed the death , and would have embalmed the corps of our blessed saviour ; there were the twelve apostles , the seventy disciples , the hundred and twenty names that were met in one room at jerusalem , acts . . the five hundred brethren that saw christ after his glorious and victorious resurrection ; besides those many thousands that believed through their word in all the parts of judaea and galilee : yet for all that , the apostle brands this with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an untoward generation . it is not in the vertue of a few to drown the wickedness of the more . if we come into a field that hath some good plenty of corn , and some store of weeds , though it be red with poppy , or yellow with carlock , or blew with wild-bottles or scabious , we still call it a corn-field ; but if we come into a barn-floor , and see some few graines scattered amongst an heap of chaffe , we do not call it a corn-heap , the quantity of the offal devours the mention of those insensible grains . thus it is with times and nations : a little good is not seen amongst much ill ; a righteous lot cannot make his city to be no sodom . wickedness as it helps to corrupt , so to shame a very age. the orator tertullus , when he would plead against paul , sayes , we have found this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pestilence , act. . . foolish tertullus ! that mistook the antidote for the poison , the remedy for the disease . but had s. paul been such as thy misprision supposed him , he had been such as thy unjust crimination now makes thy self , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the plague of thy people . a wicked man is a perfect contagion ; he infects the world with sin , the very age with infamy . malus vir , malum publicum , is not a more old then true word . are there then in any nation under heaven lewd miscreants , whose hearts are atheists , whose tongues are ●lasphemers , whose bodies are a stews , whose lips are nothing but a factory of close villany ? let them please themselves , and let others ( if ye will ) applaud them for their beneficial contributions to the publick affairs , in the style of bonus civis , a good patriot , as men whose parts may be useful to the weal-publick ; yet , i say , such men are no better then the bane of their country , the stain of their age. turpis est pars , quae suo toti non convenit , as gerson well ; it is an ill member for which all the body fares the worse . hear this then , ye glorious sinners , that brag of your good affections and faithful services to your dear country : your hearts , your heads , your purses , your hands ( ye say ) are prest for the publick good ; yea , but are your hearts godless ? are your lives filthy ? let me tell you , your sins doe more disservice to your nation then your selves are worth : all your valour , wisdome , subsidiary helps cannot counterpoise one dram of your wickedness . talk what ye will : sin is a shame to any people , saith wise solomon ; ye bring both a curse and a dishonour upon your nation . it may thank you for the hateful style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a froward generation . this for our first observation . never generation was so straight , as not to be distorted with some powerful sins ; but there are differences and degrees in this distortion . even in the very first world were giants , as moses tells us , gen. . . which as our mythologists adde , did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bid battel to heaven . in the next there were mighty hunters , proud babel-builders : after them followed beastly sodomites . it were easie to draw down the pedigree of evils through all times , till we come to these last , which the holy ghost marks out for perillous . yet some generation is more eminently sinful then other : as the sea is in perpetual agitation , yet the spring-tides rise higher then their fellows . hence saint peter notes this his generation with an emphasis of mischief , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is a transcendencie of evil . what age may compare with that which hath embrued their cruel hands in the blood of the son of god ? that roaring lion is never still , but there are times wherein he rageth more ; as he did and doth , in the first , in the last dayes of the gospel . the first , that he might block up the way of saving truth ; the last , for that he knows his time is short . there are times that are poisoned with more contagious heresies , with more remarkable villanies . it is not my meaning to spend time in abridging the sacred chronologies of the church , and to deduce along the cursed successions of damnable errours from their hellish original ; only let me touch at the notable difference betwixt the fir●t and the last world . in the first ( as epiphanius observes ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there was neither diversity of opinion , nor mention of heresie , nor act of idolatry ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , only piety and impiety divided the world : whereas now in the last ( which is the wrangling and techy dotage of the decrepit world ) here is nothing but unquiet clashings of opinion , nothing but foul heresie , either maintained by the guilty , or imputed to the innocent ; nothing but gross idolatry in paganisme , in mis-believing christianity ; and ( woe is me that i must say it ) a coloured impiety shares too much of the rest . my speech is glided , ere i was aware , into the third head of our discourse ; and is suddenly faln upon the practice of that which s. peter's example here warrants , the censure of ill-deserving times : which i must crave leave of your honorable and christian patience with an holy and just freedome to prosecute . it is the peevish humour of a factious eloquence to aggravate the evils of the times ; which were they better then they are , would be therefore cried down in the ordinary language of male contented spirits , because present . but it is the warrantable and necessary duty of s. peter and all his true evangelical successors , when they meet with a froward generation , to call it so . how commonly do we cry out of those querulous michaiahs that are still prophesying evil to us , and not good ? no theme but sins , no sawce but vineger . might not one of these galled jewes of s. peter's auditory have started up , and have thus challenged him for this tartness , what means this hard censure ? why do you slander the time ? solomon was a wise man , and he sayes , say not thou , what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these ? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this : this is but a needless rigour , this is but an envious calumny . the generation were not untoward , if your tongue were not uncharitable . the apostle feares none of these currish oblatrations ; but contemning all impotent misacceptions , calls them what he finds them , a froward generation . and well might he doe so ; his great master did it before him , an evil and adulterous generation ; and the harbinger of that great master fore-ran him in that censure , o generation of vipers , mat. . . and the prophets led the same way to him in every page . and why do not we follow peter in the same steps wherein peter followed christ , and christ his fore-runner , and his fore-runner the prophets ? who should tell the times of their sins , if we be silent ? pardon me , i beseech you , most noble , reverend , and beloved hearers ; necessity is laid upon me : in this day of our publick mourning , i may not be as a man in whose mouth are no reproofs . oh let us be thankful for our blessings , wherein , through the mercy of god , we outstrip all the nations under heaven ; but withall let us bewail our sins , which are so much more grievous , because ours . would to god it were no less unjust then unpleasing to complain of this as an untoward generation . there be four things that are wont both to make up and evince the pravity of any generation ; ( woe is me that they are too apparently met in this ) multitude of sins , magnitude of sins , boldness of sin , impunity of sinning . take a short view of them all . you shall see that the multitude is such , as that it hath covered the earth ; the magnitude such as hath reach'd to heaven ; the boldness such as out-faceth the gospel ; the impunity such as frustrates the wholesome laws under which we live . for the multitude , where is the man that makes true conscience of any the laws of his god ? and if every man violate all the laws of god , what do all put together ? our forefathers sins were but as drops , ours are as torrents . instance in some few . cannot we our selves remember since a debauch'd drunkard was an owle among birds , a beast of men , a monster of beasts , abhorred of men , shouted at by children ? is this sight now any news to us ? is not every tavern a stye of such swine ? is not every street indented with their shameful staggerings ? is there not now as much spent in wanton smoak as our hon●st ●orefathers spent in substantial hospitality ? cannot we remember since oathes were so geason and uncouth , that their sound startled the hearer , as amazed at the strange language of treason against the god of heaven ? now they fill every mouth , and beat every eare in a neglected familiarity . what should i tell you of the overgrown frequence of oppressions , extortions , injurious and fraudulent transactions , malicious suits ? the neighbour walls of this famous adjoyning palace can too amply witness this truth , whose roof if ( as they say ) it will admit of no spi●ers , i am sure the floor of it yields venome enough to poison a kingdome . what should i tell you of the sensible declination to our onceloathed superstitions , of the common trade of contemptuous disobediences to lawful authority , the scornful undervaluing of gods messengers , the ordinary neglect of his sacred ordinances ? what speak i of these and thousands more ? there are arithmeticians that have taken upon them to count how many corns of sand would make up the bulk of heaven and earth ; but no art can reckon up the multitude of our provoking sins . neither do they more exceed in number then magnitude . can there be a greater sin then idolatry ? is not this ( besides all the rest ) the sin of the present romish generation ? one of their own confesses ( as he well may ) that were not the bread transubstantiate , their idolatry were more gross then the heathenish . lo , nothing excuses them but an impossible figment . know , o ye poor ignorant seduced souls , that the bread can be no more turned into god , then god can be turned into bread , into nothing : the very omnipotent power of god barrs these impious contradictions . my heart trembles therefore and bleeds to think of your highest , your holiest devotions . can there be a greater sin then robbing of god ? this is done by our sacrilegious patrons . can there be a greater sin then tearing god out of heaven with our bloody and blasphemous oathes , then the famishing of souls by a wilful or lazie silence , then rending in pieces the bowels of our dear mother the church by our headstrong and frivolous dissentions , then furious murders , then affronts of authority ? these , these are those huge mountains which our giantlike presumption rolls upon each other , to warre against heaven . neither are the sins of men more great then audacious : yea it is their impudency that makes them hainous ; bashful offences rise not to extremity of evil . the sins of excess as they are opera tenebrarum , so they had wont to be night-works ; they that are drunken , are drunk in the night , saith the apostle : now they dare , with absolom's beastliness , call the sun to record . saint bernard tells us of a daemon meridianus , a noon-devil , out of the vulgar mis●translation of the psalme . surely , that ill spirit walks about busily , and haunts the licentious conversation of inordinate men . unjust exactions of griping officers had wont to creep in under the modest cloak of voluntary courtesie , or faire considerations of a befriended expedition : now they come like elie's sons , nay but thou shalt give it me now , and if not , i will take it by force , sam. . . the legal thefts of professed usurers and the crafty compacts of slie oppressors dare throw down the gantlet to justice ; and insolent disobediences doe so to authority . and when we denounce the fearful judgments of god against all these abominable wickednesses , the obdured sinner dares jeare us in the face , and , in a worse sense , ask the disciples question , domine , quando fient haec ? master , when shall these things be ? yea their self-flattering incredulity dares say to their soul , as peter did to his master , favour thy self , for these things shall not happen to thee . neither , lastly , would sin dare to be so impudent , if it were not for impunity ; it cannot be but cowardly where it sees cause of fear . every hand is not to be laid upon evil . if an errour should arise in the church , it is not for every unlearned tradesman to cast away his yard-wand , and take up his pen. wherefore serve universities , if every blew apron may at his pleasure turn licenciate of divinity , and talk of theological questions which he understands not , as if they were to be measured by the ell ? o times ! lord , whether will this presumption grow ? deus omen , &c. if folly , if villany be committed in our israel , it is not for every man to be an officer . who made thee a judge ? was a good question , though ill asked . but i would to god we had more cause to complain of the presumption of them who meddle with what they should not , then the neglect of them who meddle not with what they should . woe is me , the flood-gates of evil are ( as it were ) lift open , and the full stream gusheth upon us . not that i would cast any aspersion upon sacred soveraignty : no , blessed be god for his dear anointed , of whom we may truly and joyfully say , that in imitation of him whom he represents , he loves justice , and hates iniquity . it is the partiality or flackness of the subordinate inferiour executions that is guilty of this prevalence of sin . what can the head doe where the hands are wanting ? to what use is the water derived from the cistern into the pipes , if the cock be not turned ? what availes it if children are brought to the birth , if they want a midwifty to deliver them ? can there possibly be better laws then have in our times been enacted against drunkenness ? where or when are they executed ? can there be a better law made for the restraint of too-too common oathes ? who urges , who payes that just mulct ? can there be better laws against wilful recusancy , against simony , against sacriledge ? how are they eluded by fraudulent evasions ? against neglect of divine service ? yet how are they slighted ? against the lawless wandring of lazie vagabonds ? yet how full are our streets , how empty our correction-houses ? lastly , ( for it were easie to be endless ) can there be better laws then are made for the punishment of fornications , adulteries , and all other fleshly inordinatenesses ? how doth bribery and corruption smother these offences , as if the sins of men served only to inrich covetous officers ? now put all these together , the multitude , the magnitude , the boldness , the impunity of sin , and tell me whether all these do not make this of ours generationem pravam , a froward generation . so as we may too well take up esay's complaint , ab sinful nation , a people laden with iniquity , a seed of evil doers , children that are corrupters , esa . . . honorable and beloved , how should we be humbled under the hand of our god , in the sense of our many , great , bold and lawless sins ? what sackcloth , what ashes can be enough for us ? oh that our faces could be covered with confusion ; that we could rend our hearts , and not our garments . be afflicted , and mourn , and weep , and thus save your selves from this froward generation . and so from st. peter's attestation to their wickedness , we descend to his obtestation of their redress , save your selves . we must be so much shorter in the remedy , as we have been longer in the disease . the remedy is but of a short sound , but of a long extent , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i urge not the passiveness of this advice , that it is not , save your selves , but , be ye saved . god is jealous of ascribing to us any power unto good : we have ability , we have will enough to undo our selves , scope enough to hell-ward ; neither motion nor will to doe good ; that must be put into us by him that gives both posse , & velle , & posse velle , power to will , and will to do . this saving comprises in it three great duties ; repentance for our sin , avoidance of sinners , reluctation to sin and sinners . repentance . perhaps , as st. chrysostome and cyrill think , some of these were the personal executioners of christ . if so , they were the worst of this generation ; and yet they may , they must save themselves from this generation by their unfeigned repentance : howsoever they made up no small piece of the evil times , and had need to be saved from themselves by their hearty contrition . surely those sins are not ours whereof we have truly repented . the skin that is once washed , is as clean from soile as if it had never been foul . those legal washings and rinsings shewed them what they must doe to their souls , to their lives . this remedy as it is universal , so it is perpetual : the warm waters of our teares are the streams of jordan to cure our leprosie , the siloam to cure our blindness , the pool of bethesda to cure all our lameness and defects of obedience . alas ! there is none of us but have our share in the common sins ; the best of us hath help'd to make up the frowardness of our generation . oh that we could un-sin our selves by our seasonable repentance . cleanse your hands , ye sinners , and purge your hearts , ye double-minded . avoidance is the next ; avoidance of all unlawful participation . there is a participation natural , as to live in the same aire , to dwell in the same earth , to eat of the same meat : this we cannot avoid , unless we would go out of the world , as st. paul tells his corinthians . there is a civil participation , in matter of commerce and humane necessary conversation : this we need not avoid with jews , turks , infidels , hereticks . there is a spiritual participation in moral things , whether good or evil : in these lyes this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and yet not universally neither ; we are not tied to avoid the services of god and holy duties for the commixture of leud men , as the foolish separatists have fancied : it is participation in evil that we are here charged to avoid . although also intireness even in civil conversation is not allowed us with notoriously wicked and infectious persons . the israelites must hye them from the tents of corah ; and , come out of her my people . chiefly , they are the sins from which we must save our selves , not the men ; if not rather from the men for the sins . have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness , saith st. paul , ephes . . . commenting upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of st. peter . there is nothing more ordinary with our casuists , then the nine waies of participation ; which aquinas , and the schools following him , have shut up in two homely verses , jussio , consilium , &c. the summe is , that we do not save our selves from evil if either we command it , or counsel it , or consent to it , or sooth it , or further it , or share in it , or disswade it not , or resist it not , or reveal it not . here would be work enough ( you see ) to hold our preaching unto st. paul's hour , midnight : but i spare you , and would be loath to have any eutychus . shortly , if we would save our selves from the sin of the time , we may not command it , as jezabel did to the elders of jezreel ; we may not advise it , as jonadab did to amnon ; we may not consent to it , as bathsheba did to david ; we may not sooth it , as zidkijah did to ahab ; we may not further it , as joab did to david ; we may not forbear to disswade it , as hirah the adullamite to judah ; to resist it , as partial magistrates ; to reveal it , as treacherous confessaries . but of all these , ( that we may single out our last and utmost remedy ) here must be a zealous reluctation to evil . all those other negative carriages of not commanding , not counselling , not consenting , not soothing , not abetting , not sharing , are nothing without a real oppugnation of sin . would we then throughly quit our selves of our froward generation ? we must set our faces against it to discountenance it ; we must set our tongues against it to controll it ; we must set our hands against it to oppose it . it goes farre that of the apostle , ye have not yet resisted unto blood , striving against sin , heb. . . lo here is a truly heroical exercise for you great ones ; to strive against sin , not ad sudorem onely , as physicians prescribe , but ad sanguinem . ye cannot better bestow your selves then ( in a loyal assistance of sacred authority ) upon the debellation of the outragious wickedness of the times . these are the dragons , and giants , and monsters , the vanquishing whereof hath moralized the histories of your famous progenitors . oh do ye consecrate your hands and your hearts to god in beating down the headstrong powers of evil ; and as by repentance and avoidance , so by reluctation , save your souls from this untoward generation . now what need i waste the time in dehorting your noble and christian ingenuity from participation of the epidemical sins of a froward generation ? it is enough motive to you , that sin is a base , sordid , dishonourable thing . but withall let me adde onely one disswasive from the danger , implyed in the very word save , for how are we saved but from a danger ? the danger both of corruption , and confusion . corruption . ye see before your eyes that one yawing mouth makes many : this pitch will defile us : one rotten kernell of the pomegranate infects the fellows . saint paul made that verse of the heathen poet canonical , evil conversation corrupts good manners . what woful experience have we every day of those , who by this means from a vigorous heat of zeal have declined to a temper of lukewarm indifferencie , and then from a careless mediocrity to all extremity of debauchedness ; and of hopeful beginners , have ended in incarnate devils ? oh the dangerous and insensible insinuations of sin ! if that crafty tempter can hereby work us but to one dram of less detestation to a familiarly-inured evil , he promiseth himself the victory . it is well noted by saint ambrose , of that chaste patriarch joseph , that so soon as ever his wanton mistress had laid her impure hand upon his cloak , he leaves it behind him , that he might be sure to avoid the danger of her contagious touch . if the spouse of christ be a lily among thorns , ( by the mighty protection of her omnipotent husband ) yet take thou heed how thou walkest amongst those thorns for that lily . shortly , wouldst thou not be tainted with wickedness ? abhorre the pestilent society of leud men ; and by a seasonable subduction , thus save thy self from a froward generation . the last and utmost of all dangers is confusion . that charge of god by moses is but just , numb . . . depart , i pray you , from the tents of these men , and touch nothing of theirs , lest ye perish in all their sins . lo , the very station , the very touch is mortal . indeed what reason is there to hope or to plead for an immunity ? if we share in the work , why should we not take part of the wages ? the wages of sin is death . if the stork be taken damage faisant with the cranes , she is enwrapped in the same net , and cannot complain to be surprized . qui cum lupis est , cum lupis ululet , as he said , he that is with wolves , let him howl with wolves . if we be fratres in malo , brethren in evil , we must look to be involved in the same curse . be not deceived , honourable and beloved , here is no exemption of greatness : nay , contrarily , eminence of place aggravates both the sin and the judgement . when ezra heard that the hand of the princes and rulers had been chief in that great offence , then he rent his cloaths and tore his hair , ezra . . certainly this case is dangerous and fearful , wheresoever it lights . hardly are those sins redressed that are taken up by the great : easily are those sins diffused that are warranted by great examples . the great lights of heaven , the most conspicuous planets , if they be eclipsed , all the almanacks of all nations write of it ; whereas the small stars of the galaxy are not heeded . all the country runs to a beacon on fire ; no body regards to see a shrub flaming in a valley . know then that your sins are so much greater as your selves are : and all the comfort that i can give you without your true repentance , is , that mighty men shall be mightily tormented . of all other men therefore be ye most careful to keep your selves untainted with the common sins , and to renew your covenant with god. no man cares for a spot upon a plain russet riding-suit ; but we are curious of a rich robe , every mote there is an eye-sore . oh , be ye careful to preserve your honour from all the foul blemishes of corruption ; as those that know vertue hath a greater share in nobility then blood. imitate in this the great frame of the creation , which still , the more it is removed from the dregs of this earth , the purer it is . oh save ye your selves from this untoward generation ; so shall ye help to save your nation from the imminent judgements of our just god ; so shall ye save your souls in the day of the appearance of our lord jesus christ : to whom , with the father and the holy ghost , one infinite god , be all honour and glory ascribed now and for ever . amen . the hypocrite . set forth in a sermon at the court , february . . being the third sunday in lent . by jos. exon. to my ever most worthily honour'd lord , the earl of norwich . my most honoured lord , i might not but tell the world , that this sermon which was mine in the pulpit , is yours in the press : your lordship's will ( which shall never be other then a command to me ) fetches it forth into the light before the fellows . let me be branded with the title of it , if i can think it worthy of the publick view , in comparison of many accurate pieces of others , which i see content themselves daily to die in the ear . howsoever , if it may doe good , i shall bless your lordship for helping to advance my gain . your noble and sincere true-heartedness to your god , your king , your countrey , your friend , is so well known , that it can be no disparagement to your lordship to patronize this hypocrite ; whose very inscription might cast a blur upon some guilty reputation . goe on still ( most noble lord ) to be a great example of vertue and fidelity to an hollow and untrusty age. you shall not want either the acclamations or prayers of your lordships ever devoted in all true duty and observance , jos. exon. the hypocrite . tim. . . having a form of godliness , but denying the power thereof . it is an unperfect clause , you see , but a perfect description of an hypocrite ; and that an hypocrite of our own times , the last : which are so much the worse , by how much they partake more of the craft and diseases of age . the prophets were the seers of the old testament , the apostles were the seers of the new ; those saw christ's day and rejoyced , these foresaw the reign of antichrist and complained . these very times were as present to s. paul as to us : our sense doth not see them so clearly as his revelation . i am with you in the spirit , ( saith he to his absent colossians ) rejoycing and beholding your order : he doth as good as say to them , i am with you in the spirit lamenting , and beholding your misdemeanours . by these divine opticks he sees our formal piety , real wickedness : both which make up the complete hypocrisie in my text ; having a form of godliness , but denying the power thereof . i doubt not but some will be ready to set this sacred prognostication to another meridian . and indeed we know a generation that loves themselves too well , much more then peace and truth ; so covetous , that they would catch all the world in s. peter's net ; proud boasters of their own merits , perfections , supererogations : it would be long ( though easie ) to follow all . we know where too many treasons are hatched ; we know who in the height of minde exalts himself above all that is called god ; we know where pleasure hath the most delicate and debauch'd clients ; we know where devotion is professedly formal , and lives impure : and surely , were we clearly innocent of these crimes , i should be the first that would cast this stone at rome . but now that we share with them in these sins , there is no reason we should be sejoyned in the censure . take it among ye therefore , ye hypocrites of all professions , for it is your own , ye have a form of godliness , denying the power thereof . what is an hypocrite but a player , the zani of religion ( as ye heard lately ? ) a player acts that he is not ; so do ye , act good and are wicked . here is a semblance of good , a form of godliness ; here is a real evil , a denial of the power of godliness . there is nothing so good as godliness , yea there is nothing good but it ; nothing makes godliness to be good , or to be godliness , but the power of it : for it is not , if it work not , and it works not , if not powerfully . now the denial of good must needs be evil ; and so much more evil , as the good which is denied is more good : and therefore the denial of the power of godliness must needs be as ill as the form or shew of godliness would seem good , and as the power of godliness is good . this is therefore the perfect hypocrisie of fashionable christians ; they have the form , they deny the power . here is then a direct and professed opposition betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the form and the power ; and no less between the actions employed about them both , the one having , the other denying ; having the form , denying the power . as all sin is originally from the devil , so especially hypocrisie : he is the father of lies ; and what is hypocrisie but a real lie ? that is his darling : and these two are well put together , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tim. . . in hypocrisie speaking lies . now as all things are more eminent in their causes and originals then in the effects derived from them ; so it must needs be said that the greatest hypocrite in the world is the devil . i know he hears what i say , but we must speak truth and shame him . for satan is transformed into an angel of light , saith the apostle ; not he was , but he is ; so transformed , that he never did , never will put off that counterfeit . and as all his imps are partakers of the satanical nature ; so in every hypocrite there is both the angel and the devil : the seeming angel is the form of godliness , the real devil is the denial of the power of godliness . it must be in another sense that that father said , innocentis tempore posterior est quàm malitia . i am sure the angel of light was before the satan ; and now because he is satan , he puts on the angel of light . such shall be our method in this hypocrite we treat of ; first we will begin with the angel of hypocrisie , and then shew you the devil in his true shape . first then , here is a form , and but a form of godliness . a form does well ; but if it be but a form , it is an immaterial shadow of piety . such was this of these men ; for they were unnatural , traitors , heady , high-minded , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . surely if they were unnatural , they must needs be unchristian ; if they were traitors to their king , they could be no subjects to god ; if heady and high-minded , they had nothing to doe with him whose first lesson was , learn of me , for i am meek ; nulla creatura humilior deo , as laurentius well : if they had pleasure for their idol , they could not have the lord for their god. so as even without god , they had yet a form of godliness . godliness is a thing much talk'd of , little understood . whiles the ancient school had wont to say , that it is not practical , not speculative , but affective , their meaning was , that it is in all these , in the heart , in the brain , in the hand ; but most in the heart . it is speculative in the knowledge of god ; practical in the service to god ; affective in our fear of him , love to him , joy in him . shortly then , to apprehend god as he hath revealed , to serve him as he hath required , to be affected to him as we ought , is godliness ; and the outward expression and counterfaisance of all these is the form of godliness . to this outside of godliness then belongs all that glorious pageant of fashionable profession which we see made in the world , whether in words , gesture , carriage . first here is a world of good words , whether to god , or of him . here are words of sacred complement with god : for the hypocrite courts god in his prayers ; no man speaks fairer , no man louder then he . here is saul's benedictus ; here is the pharisees lord , i thank thee ; here is the colloguing jews domine , domine , lord , lord. and as to him , so of him . here are words of religious protestation for god , like to the jews templum domini , or herod's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mat. . . i will worship the babe . the mans secret fire of zeal smoaks forth into the holy breath of a good confession . here are words of fervent excitation to the frozen hearts of others ; yea , if need be , words of deep censure of the cold moderation which he apprehends in his wiser brethren : so as he is comptus in verbo , if turpis in facto , as bernard . yet more , here is a perfect scene of pious gestures ; knees bowed , hands erected , turn'd up eyes , the breast beaten , the head shaken , the countenance dejected , sighs ascending , tears dropping , the bible hugged and kissed , the ear nailed to the pulpit : what formality of devout godliness is here unacted ? if the man were within as he is without , there were no saint but he . yet this is not all to make up a perfect form of godliness , here is a smooth face of holy carriage in actions . devout saul will be saving the fattest of the amalekitish flocks and herds for sacrifice to the lord his god. good man ! he will not have god take up with the worst . every man is not of this diet ; too many think any offall good enough for their maker : but here is one that holds the best fittest for those sacred altars ; when in the mean time the hypocrite had already sacrificed them to his own mammon , and god must take up with the reversion . shall i tell you of another as good , as devout as he ? do ye not remember that absolom would go to pay his vow in hebron ? the fair prince of israel was courteous before , now he will be godly too . it was pietie that he would make a vow to god. our gallants have somewhat else to doe then to make holy vows : at every word they protest and vow , and perhaps swear ; but all like themselves , vainly and idly : but absolom makes a solemn and religious vow . it was more piety that he would perform it . this is not every mans care : too many care not how much they run upon god's score ; this man will pitch and pay . unnatural parricide ! first he had stoln the subjects hearts , and now he would steal his fathers crown ; and all this villany must stalk under a beasts hide , a sacrifice at hebron : blood was in his thoughts whiles the sacrifice was in his mouth . the old word is , full of courtesie , full of craft : when ye see too glittering pretences in unapproved persons , suspect the inside . had you but seen a jews fast , you would say so ; esa . . . here was nothing but drooping and ash-strawed heads , torn garments , bare feet , starved cheeks , scrubbed skins , pined maws , afflictive devotions ; yet a jew still . but had you seen herod's formality , you would have said it yet more : mark a little , and see herod turn'd disciple to john baptist . what , saul among the prophets ? herod among the disciples ? surely so ; for he hears him . tush , hears him ? what 's that ? there are those that hear and would not , forced to hear by compulsion of laws ; who may say to authority , as the psalmist says to god , aurem perforasti mihi , mine ear hast thou boared : their ear is a protestant , while their heart is a recusant . there are those that hear and hear not ; that come fashionably , and hear perfunctorily , whose ears are like the psalmists idols , for form onely , not for use . there are those that hear and care not : who is so deaf as the wilful ? there is auris aggravata , esai . . . there is auris surda , mic. . . but herod hears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gladly , with pleasure : he heard because he loved to hear . yea so doth many a hollow heart still : ye shall have such an one listen as if he were totus auris , all ear , as if he would latch every word from the preachers mouth ere it could get out : perhaps it is new , perhaps witty , perhaps elegant , or some way pleasing . yea there are some not onely willing , but greedy hearers , they have aures bibulas , they hear hungrily and thirstily ; but it is but to catch advantages ; somewhat they hope may fall to pay the preacher . herod is better then so , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he observed , he respected , he countenanced this rough hewn chaplain . yea , so doth many a lewd patron for his own turn ; either the easie passage of his simoniacal subductions , or for a favourable connivency at his guilty debauchedness . good looks are good cheap . perhaps a meals meat may come in for a further obligation too ; but here is no good action the while . herod is better then so , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he did too , and did many things . lo here , he doth not hear , but doe : and not some things , but many . it may be this camel-hair'd monitor told him of some outragious disorders in his court ; those he was willing to amend : perhaps he told him of some bribery of his officers , unjust or hard measures offered by oppressive ministers to his poor subjects ; those he was ready to reform : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things . one would think bernard should not need to brand his abailardus with intus herodes , forìs johannes ; his very out-side was generally good , else he had not done many things . here was a form of godliness , but let me tell you , an higher form then many of us ( for ought i see ) care to climb up unto . there is hearing , and talking , and professing enough in the world ; but where is the doing ? or if there be doing , yet it is small doing ( god wot . ) some things we may be drawn to doe , not many ; one good deed in a life is well ; one fault amended meriteth : to doe many is not incident to many . so as too many of us are upon a form of godliness ; but it is a lower form then herod's , who heard , and heard gladly , and observ'd his teacher , and did , and did many things ; yet a gross hypocrite still , because he did but many . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is gods rule . what should i weary you with instances ? do you see an ananias and sapphira making god their heir of their half-shared patrimony ? do you see a griping usurer build schools and hospitals with ten in the hundred ? do you see a man whose stomack insatiably craves new superadditions upon the indigested morsels of his last hours lecture , and yet nauseates at the publick prayers of the church ? do you see a superstitious votary looking rusully from his knees upon his adored crucifix , and , as isaac the syrian prescribes , living like a dead man in a solitary sepulcher , yet making no bones of killing kings ? nay , to ascend unto an higher key of pretended holiness , do ye see some of the elect manichees lying upon hard mats , which s. austin says were therefore called mattarii ? do ye see the penances of the three super-mortified orders of the mahumetan saints ? do ye see an illuminate elder of the anabaptists rapt in divine extasies ? do ye see a stigmatical frier lashing himself to blood , wallowing in the snow naked , returning the lice into his bosome ? do ye see a nice humorist , that will not dress a dish , nor lay a cloth , nor walk abroad on a sunday , and yet make no conscience of couzening his neighbour on the work-day ? all these and many others of the same kind are swans , which under white feathers have a black skin . these have a form of godliness , and are the worse for it . for as it is the most dangerous and killing flattery that is brought in under a pretence of liberty ; so it is the most odious and perilous impiety that is hid under a form of godliness . these men , i say , have a form , and nothing else save a form of godliness . but withall let me adde , that whosoever makes a good profession hath this form ; and is so farre commendable , as he professes well . if there be not matter to this form , the fault is in what is not , and not in what there is . certainly religion is not chaos like without form . as not civility , so godliness cannot be without due form : ye cannot think gods service to be all lining , no out-side ; a form there must be . it was a law written in greek and latin letters over the gate of the first peculiar partition of the temple , which was atrium judaeorum , every stranger that passes into the holy place must dy . if he had not the mark of a jew upon his flesh , it was capital to tread in those holy courts . the temple was the type of the church : if we have not so much as a form of godliness , procul , ô procul : without shall be dogs ; and , if a beast touch the mount , it shall dye . what shall we say to those gallants that hate to have so much as a form of godliness ? there cannot be a greater disparagement cast upon them , then the very semblance of devotion . to say grace at meales , to bow a knee in prayer , to name god other then in an oath , to once mention religion , is a base , mortifi'd , pusillanimous tenderness . what talk ye of a sermon ? a play if you will : what speak you of weeping for sins ? talk of drinking healths , singing of rounds , courting of dames , revels , matches , games , any thing save goodness . what should we say of these men ? even this , he that hath but a form is an hypocrite ; but he that hath not a form is an atheist . i know not whether i should sever these two ; both are humane devills well met : an hypocrite is a masked devil ; an atheist is a devil unmasked . whether of them shall without their repentance be deeper in hell , they shall once feel , i determine not . onely let me assure them , that if the infernal tophet be not for them , it can challenge no guests . thus much for the form of godliness , which is the angel of hypocrisie : our speech descends to the devil in hypocrisie , which is the deniall of the power of godliness . but whiles i am about to represent unto you the ugly face of that wicked one , god meets us in the way , and stays my thoughts and speech upon the power of godliness , ere we fall upon the deniall of that power . what power then is this of godliness ? what doth it ? what can it doe ? the weakness of it is too apparent . if we look to the author of it christ jesus , alas ! he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a but or mark for opposition to shoot at ; whereas true power is an al-chum , that bars resistance , prov. . if to the means of godliness , here is the foolishness of preaching , cor. . . if to the effects of godliness , here is weak grace , strong corruption , rom. . if to the opposites of godliness , here is a law fighting . fighting ? perhaps so it may be , and be foiled : nay , but here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a conquering and captivating law , rom. . . whereby i am not onely made a slave , but sold for a slave , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . so then here is an opposed saviour , a foolish preaching , a feeble grace , a dominearing corruption ; and where then is the power of godliness all this while ? know , o thou foolish man , that god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the strong god ; and yet there is a devil . he could call in the being of that malignant spirit , but he will not ; he knows how to magnifie his power by an opposite . christ will be spoken against , not for impotence to resist , but for the glory of his prevailing : so we have seen a well-tempered target shot at to shew the impenetrableness of it . preaching is foolishness , but it is stultitia dei ; and the foolishness of god is wiser then the wisedome of men . grace is weak where corruption is strong ; but where grace prevails , sin dares not shew his head . sin sights and subdues his own vassals ; but the power of godliness foils it in the renewed ; so as if it live , yet it reigns not . great then is the power of godliness : great every way ; great in respect of our enemies , great in respect of our selves ; of our enemies , the devil , the world , the flesh . so great first , that it can resist the devil ; and it is no small matter to resist the powers and principalities of hell : whom resist , stedfast in the faith. resist ? alas , what is this ? the weak may perhaps resist the strong , the whelp the lion : we may resist the spirit of god himself : semper restitistis , saith saint stephen of the jews . loe here is resistance to god ; and not for a brunt , but perpetual , ye have alwaies resisted . so the ship resists the rock against which it is shattered ; so the crushed worm turns towards the foot that treads it . yea , but here is a prevalent resistance ; resist the devil , and he shall flee from you , james . . loe , godliness can make a coward of the great prince of darkness . he shall flee . but if , parthian-like , he shall shoot fleeing , as he doth ; loe , this shall quench all the fiery darts of satan , ephes . . . if he betake himself to his hold , this can batter and beat down the strong holds of sin about his eares ; this can enter , and bind the strong man. shortly , it can conquer hell , yea make us more then conquerors . lo , to conquer is not so much as to make another a conqueror ; but more then a conqueror is yet more . is there any of you now that would be truely great and victorious ? it is the power of godliness that must doe it . pyrrhus his word concerning his souldiers was , tu grandes , ego fortes . surely if our profession make us great , our faith must make us valiant and successful . i tell you , the conquest of an evil spirit is more then the conquest of a world of men . o then , what is it to conquer legions ? and as it foils satan , so the world : no marvel , for if the greater , much more the less . the world is a subject , satan a prince , the prince of this world . the world is a bi●got , satan is a god , the god of this world. if the prince , if the god be vanquish'd , how can the subject or suppliant stand out ? what do we talk of an alexander or a caesar conquering the world ? alas ! what spots of earth were they which they bragged to subdue ? insomuch that rome , which in two hundred forty three yeares had gained but some fifteen miles about , in seneca's time , when her dition was at the largest , had the neighbouring germanie for the bounds of it . loe here a full conquest of the whole world . mundus totus in maligno . to conquer the whole material world is not so happy , so glorious a work , as to conquer the malignant : and this the power of godliness only can doe ; this is the victory that overcomes the world , even your faith. and now , what can the flesh doe without the world , without the devil ? surely were it not for the devil , the world and the flesh were both good ; and if it were not for the devil and the world , the flesh were our best friend : now they have debauch'd it , and turn'd it traitor to god and the soul ; now this proud flesh dares warre against heaven . godliness doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , beat it black and blew ; yea , kill it dead ( mortifie your earthly members , colos . . . ) so as it hath not a lim to stir , not a breath to draw . anacharsis his charge was too hard for another , but performable by a christian , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he can rule his tongue , his gut , his lust . sampson was a strong man , yet two of them he could not rule : the power of godliness can rule all . oh then the great power of godliness that can trample upon the flesh , the world , the devil ; super aspidem , upon the aspe , the dragon , the lion ; or , as the psalmist , psal . . . upon that roaring lion of hell , upon that sinuous dragon the world , upon that close-biting aspe the flesh ! and as great in respect of our enemies , so no less great in respect of our selves ; great , and beneficial . what wonders are done by godliness ? is it not a great wonder to make a fool wise , to make the blind see ? this godliness can doe , psal . . , . let me be bold to say , we are naturally like solomon's child , folly is bound to our heart , prov. . . in things pertaining to god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we were foolish , saith saint paul , titus . . would any of us that are thus born naturals ( to god ) be wise to salvation ? that is the true wisdome indeed ; all other is but folly , yea madness , to that . the schools cannot teach us this ; philosophy , whether natural or moral or politick , can doe nothing to it : if ye trust to it , it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain deceit , as saint paul , colos . . . triobolaris & vilis , as chrysostome . it is onely godliness must doe it . please your selves how you list without this , ye great politicians of the world , the wise god hath put the py'd coat upon your backs , and past upon you his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . if ye were oracles to men , ye are idiots to god. malitia occaecat intellectum , as he said : ye quick-sighted eagles of the world , without this ye are as blinde as beetles to heaven . if ye would have eyes to see him that is invisible , the hand of your omnipotent saviour must touch you , and at his bidding you must wash off your worldly clay with the siloam of godliness . is it not a wonder to raise the dead ? we are all naturally not sick , not qualming , not dying , but dead in sin , colos . . . yea , with lazarus , quatriduani , and ill-senting ; yea ( if that will adde any thing ) as st. jude's trees , or ( as they say of acute scotus ) twice dead . would ye arise ? it is only godliness that can doe it . ye are risen up through the faith in the operation of god , col. . . this only can call us out of the grave of our sins . arise thou that sleepest , and stand up from the dead , and christ shall give thee life . christ is the author , godliness is the means . all ye that hear me this day , either ye are alive , or would be : life is sweet ; every one challenges it . do ye live willingly in your sins ? let me tell you , ye are dead in your sins : this life is a death . if you wish to live comfortably here and gloriously hereafter , it is godliness that must mortifie this life in sin , that must quicken you from this death in sin . flatter your selves how you please , ye great gallants of both sexes : ye think your selves goodly pieces ; without godliness ye are the worst kinde of carkasses : for as death or not-being is the worst condition that can befall a creature ; so death in sin is so much the worst kind of death , by how much grace is better then nature . a living dog or toad is better then a thus-dead sinner . would ye rise out of this loathsome and woful plight ? it is godliness that must breath grace into your dead lims , and that must give you the motions of holy obedience . is it not a wonder to cast out devils ? i tell you , the corporal possession of ill spirits is not so rare , as the spiritual is rise . no natural man is free . one hath the spirit of errour , tim. . . another the spirit of fornications , ose . . another the spirit of fear , tim. . . another the spirit of slumber , another the spirit of giddiness , another the spirit of pride : all have spiritum mundi , the spirit of the world , cor. . . our story in guliel . neubrigensis tells us of a countryman of ours , one kettle of farnham , in king henry the second's time , that had the faculty to see spirits ; by the same token that he saw the devils spitting over the drunkards shoulders into their pots : the same faculty is recorded of antony the eremite , and sulpitius reports the same of saint martin . surely there need none of these eyes to discern every natural mans soul haunted with these evil angels . let me assure you , all ye that have not yet felt the power of godliness , ye are as truely ( though spiritually ) carried by evil spirits into the deeps of your known wickedness , as ever the gadarene hogs were carried by them down the precipice into the sea. would you be free from this hellish tyranny ? only the power of godliness can doe it . tim. . , . is peradventure god will give them repentance , that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil : and repentance is , you know , a main part of godliness . if ever therefore ye be dispossessed of that evil one , it is the power of godliness that must doe it . what speak i of power ? i had like to have ascribed to it the acts of omnipotencie : and if i had done so , it had not been much amiss ; for what is godliness but one of those rayes that beams forth from that almighty deity ? what but that same dextra excelsi , whereby he works mightily upon the soul ? now , when i say the man is strong , is it any derogation to say his arme is strong ? faith and prayer are no small pieces of godliness ; and what is it that god can doe , which prayer and faith cannot doe ? will ye see some instances of the further acts of godliness ? is it not an act of omnipotence to change nature ? jannes and jambres , the aegyptian sorcerers , may juggle away the staffe , and bring a serpent into the room of it ; none but a divine power ( which moses wrought by ) could change the rod into a serpent , or the serpent into a rod. nothing is above nature but the god of nature ; nothing can change nature but that which is above it : for nature is regular in her proceedings , and will not be crost by a finite power , since all finite agents are within her command . is it not a manifest change of the nature of the wolf to dwell quietly with the lamb , of the leopard to dwell with the kid ; of the lion to eat straw with the oxe , of the aspe to play with the child ? how shall this be ? it is an idle conceit of the hebrews , that savage beasts shall forgo their hurtful natures under the messias . no , but rational beasts shall alter their dispositions . the ravenous oppressor is the wolf , the tyrannical persecutor is the leopard , the venemous heretick is the aspe ; these shall turn innocent and useful by the power of godliness : for then the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord , esay . , &c. is it not a manifest change of nature for the ethiopian to turn white , for the leopard to turn spotless ? this is done when those doe good which are accustomed to evil , jer. . . and this godliness can doe . is it not a manifest change of nature for the camel to pass through a needles eye ? this is done when through the power of godliness ye great and rich men get to heaven . lastly , it is an easie thing to turn men into beasts ( a cup too much can doe it ; ) but to turn beasts into men , men into saints , devils into angels , it is no less then a work of omnipotencie . and this godliness can doe . but to rise higher then a change : is it not an act of omnipotencie to create ? nature can go on in her track whether of continuing what she actually finds to be , or of producing what she finds to be potentially in pre-existing causes ; but to make new matter transcends her power . this godliness can doe : here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creature , cor. . . there is in nature no predisposition to grace ; the man must be no less new then when he was made first of the dust of the earth , and that earth of nothing : novus homo , eph. . . how is this done ? by creation : and how is he created ? in righteousness and holiness ; holiness to god , righteousness to men ; both make up godliness . a regeneration is here a creation . progenuit is expressed by creavit , jam. . . and this by the word of truth . old things are passed , saith the apostle , all must be new . if we will have ought to doe with god , our bodies must be renewed by a glorious resurrection ere they can enjoy heaven ; our souls must be renewed by grace ere we can enjoy god on earth . are there any of us pained with our heart of stone ? we may be well enough : the stone of the reines or bladder is a woful pain , but the stone of the heart is more deadly . he can by this power take it out , and give us an heart of flesh , ezec. . . are there any of us weary of carrying our old adam about us ? a grievous burden i confess , and that which is able to weigh us down to hell : do we groan under the load , and long to be eased ? none but the almighty hand can doe it , by the power of godliness creating us anew to the likeness of that second adam which is from heaven , heavenly ; without which there is no possibility of salvation : for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of god. in a word , would we have this earth of ours translated to heaven ? it is only the power of godliness can doe it . and as this power of godliness is great , so no less beneficial : beneficial every way , both here and hereafter . here it frees us from evil , it feoffes us in good . godliness is an antidote against all mischief and misery : yea such is the power of it , that it not onely keeps us from evil , but turns that evil to good ; all things work together to the best to them that love and fear god , saith the apostle . lo , all things ; crosses , sins ; crosses are blessings , sins are advantages . saint paul's viper befriended him ; saint martin's ellebore nourished him ; saluti fuere pestifera , as seneca speaks . and what can hurt him that is blessed by crosses , and is bettered by sins ? it feoffes us in good , wealth , honour , contentment . the apostle puts two of them together , godliness is great gain with contentment , tim. . . here are no ifs or ands ; but gain , great gain , and gain with self-sufficiencie or contentment . wickedness may yield a gain , such as it is , for a time ; but it will be gravel in the throat , gain farre from contentment . length of dayes are in the right hand of true wisedome , and in her left hand riches and honour , prov. . . lo , honour and wealth are but gifts of the left hand ; common and mean favours : length , yea eternity , of dayes is for the right , that is the height of bounty . godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come , saith the apostle : the promise , that is enough ; gods promises are his performances ; with men to promise and to pay are two things , they are one with god. to them that by patient continuing in well-doing seek glory and honour and immortality , eternal life , rom. . . briefly ( for i could dwell here alwaies ) it is godliness that onely can give us the beatifical sight of god. the sight ? yea the fruition of him , yea the union with him ; not by apposition , not by adhesion , but by a blessed participation of the divine nature , pet. . . i can goe no higher ; no , the angels and arch-angels cannot look higher then this . to summe up all then ; godliness can give wisedome to the fool , eyes to the blind , life to the dead ; it can eject devils , change the course of nature , create us anew , free us from evil , feoffe us in good , honour , wealth , contentment , everlasting happiness . o the wonderful , o the beneficial power of godliness ! and now what is the desire of my soul , but that all this could make you in love with godliness ; that in stead of the ambitions of honour , the tradings for wealth , the pursuit of pleasure , your hearts could be set on fire with the zealous affectation of true godliness ? alas ! the least overture of any of these makes us mad of the world ; if but the shadow of a little honour , wealth , promotion , pleasure be cast before us , how eagerly do we prosecute it to the eternal hazard of our souls ? behold , the substance of them all put together offers it self in godliness . how zealously should we embrace them , and never give rest to our souls , till we have laid up those true grounds of happiness , which shall continue with us when all our riches and earthly glory shall lye down with us in the dust ? alas , noble and christian hearers , ye may be outwardly great , and inwardly miserable : it was a great caesar that said , i have been all things , and am never the better . it is not your bags , ye wealthy citizens , that can keep the gout from your joints , or care from your hearts : it is not a coronet , ye great peers , that can keep your heads from aching ; all this earthly pomp and magnificence cannot keep out either death or conscience . our prosperity presents us as goodly lilies , which whiles they are whole look fair and smell sweet , but if once bruised a little as nasty both in sight and sent . it is only godliness that can hold up our heads in the evil day , that can bid us make a mock at all the blustering storms of the world , that can protect us from all miseries , ( which if they kill , yet they cannot hurt us ) that can improve our sufferings , and invest us with true and eternal glory . o then be covetous , be ambitious of this blessed estate of the soul : and as simon macchabaeus with three yeares labour took down the top of mount acra in jerusalem , that no hill might stand in competition of height with the temple of god ; so let us humble and prostrate all other desires to this one , that true godliness may have the sway in us . neither is this consideration more fit to be a whetstone to our zeal , then a touchstone to our condition . godliness ? why , it is an herb that grows in every soil . as platina observes that for yeares and upwards , none of those popes to whom sanctity is ascribed in the abstract , were yet held saints after their death , except celestine the , which gave up the pontifical chair after six moneths weary sitting in it : so on the contrary , we may live ages ere we heare a man profess himself god-less , whiles he is abominably such . he is too bad that will not be thought godly ; as it is a brazen-fac'd curtezan that would not be held honest . that which lactantius said of the heathen philosophers , that they had many scholars , few followers , i cannot say of the divine ; we have enough to learn , enough to imitate , but few to act . be not deceived , godliness is not impotent ; whereever godliness is there is power . hath it then prevailed to open our eyes , to see the great things of our peace ? hath it raised us up from the grave of our sins , ejected our hellish corruptions , changed our wicked natures , new created our hearts ? well may we applaud our selves in the confidence of our godliness . but if we be still old , still corrupt , still blind , still dead , still devilish ; away , vain hypocrites , ye have nothing to doe with godliness , because godliness hath had no power on you . are ye godly , that care to know any thing rather then god and spiritual things ? are ye godly , that have neither ability nor will to serve that god whom ye fashionably pretend to know ? are ye godly , which have no inward awe of that god whom ye pretend to serve , no government of your passions , no conscience of your actions , no care of your lives ? false hypocrites ! ye do but abuse and profane that name which ye unjustly arrogate . no , no ; godliness can no more be without power then the god that works it . shew me your godliness in the true fervor of your devotions , in the effectual sanctification of your hearts and tongues , in the conscionable carriage of your lives ; else to the wicked saith god , what hast thou to doe to take my covenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest to be reformed ? psal . . . ye have heard the power of godliness ; hear now the denial of this power . how then is it denied ? surely there is a verbal , there is a real denial ; & rebus & verbis , as hilary . it is a mistaking of logicians , that negation is the affection of a proposition onely : no ; god and divinity find it more in practice . this very power is as stoutly challenged by some men in words , as truely denyed in actions . as one sayes of the pharisees answer concerning john's calling , verum dicebant , & mentiebantur ; so may i of these men . it is not in the power of words to deny so strongly as deeds can : both the hand and the tongue interpret the heart , but the hand so much more lively , as there is more substance in acts then sounds . as he said , spectamur agendo ; we are both seen and heard in our actions . he that sayes there is no god , is a vocal atheist ; he that lives as if there were no god , is a vital atheist : he that should say godliness hath no power , is a verbal atheist ; he that shall live as if godliness had no power , is a real atheist : they are atheists both . we would fly upon a man that should deny a god with diagoras , though ( as anselm well ) no man can do this interius , from within ; we would burn a man that should deny the deity of christ with arrius ; we would rend our cloths at the blasphemy of that man who , with the epicures and apelleians , should exempt the cares and operations of god from the things below ; we would spit at a man that durst say , there is no power in godliness . these monsters ( if there be such ) hide their ugly heads , and find it not safe to look on the light . faggots are the best language to such miscreants . but these reall denials are so much more rife and bold , as they can take the advantage of their outward safety and unconvincibleness . their words are honey , their life poison , as bernard said of his arnoldus . and these actions make too much noise in the world . that which s. chrysostome saies of the last day , that mens works shall speak , their tongues shall be silent ; is partly true in the mean time ; their works crie out , whiles their tongues whisper . there is then really a double deniall of the power of godliness ; the one in not doing the good it requires , the other in doing the evil it forbids : the one a privative , the other a positive deniall . in the former , what power hath godliness if it have not made us good ? a feeble godliness it is that is ineffectual : if it have not wrought us to be devout to god , just to men , sober and temperate in the use of god's creatures , humble in our selves , charitable to others , where is the godliness ? where is the power ? if these were not apparently done , there were no form of godliness ; if these be not soundly and heartily done , there is a palpable deniall of the power of godliness . hear this then , ye ignorant and seduced souls , that measure your devotions by number , not by weight ; or that leaning upon your idle elbow , yawningly patter out those prayers whose sound or sense ye understand not ; ye that bring listlesse ears severed from your wandring hearts to the messages sent from heaven ; ye that come to god's boord as a surfeited stomack to an hony-comb , or a sick stomack to a potion ; shortly , ye that pray without feeling , hear without care , receive without appetite : ye have a form of godliness , but deny the power of it . hear this , ye that wear out the floor of god's house with your frequent attendance ; ye that have your ears open to god's messengers , and yet shut to the cries of the poor , of the orphan , of the labourer , of the distressed debtor ; ye that can lift up those hands to heaven in your fashionable prayers , which ye have not reached out to the relief of the needy members of your saviour ; ( whiles i must tell you by the way that hard rule of laurentius , magis delinquit dives non largiendo superflua , quàm pauper rapiendo necessaria , the rich man offends more in not giving his superfluities , then the poor man in stealing necessaries ) ye that have a fluent tongue to talk unto god , but have no tongue to speak for god , or to speak in the cause of the dumb : ye have a form of godliness , but deny the power thereof . shortly , ye that have no fear of god before your eyes , no love to goodness , no care of obedience , no conscience of your actions , no diligence in your callings ; ye have denied the power of godliness . this very privative deniall shall , without your repentance , damn your souls . remember , oh remember that there needs no other ground of your last and heaviest doom then , ye have not given , ye have not visited : but the positive denial is yet more irrefragable . if very privations and silence speak , much more are actions vocal . hear this then , ye vizors of christianity , who notwithstanding all your civil smoothnesse , when ye are once moved , can tear heaven with your blasphemies , and bandy the dreadfull name of god in your impure mouths by your bloody oaths and execrations ; ye that dare to exercise your sawcie wits in profane scoffs at religion ; ye that presume to whet your lawlesse tongues , and lift up your rebellious hands against lawfull authority whether in church or state ; ye that grinde faces like edge-tools , and spill blood like water ; ye that can neigh after strange flesh , and upon your voluptuous beds act the filthiness of sodomitical aretinismes ; ye that can quaff your drunken carouses till you have drowned your reason in a deluge of deadly healths ; ye whose foul hands are belimed with briberie , and besineared with the price of blood ; ye whose sacrilegious throats have swallowed down whole churches and hospitals , whose maws have put over whole parishes of sold and affamished souls ; ye whose faction and turbulency in novel opinions rends the seamlesse coat , not considering that of melanchthon , that schism is no lesse sin then idolatry , and there cannot easily be a worse then idolatry ; either of them both are enough to ruine any church under heaven ( now the god of heaven ever keep this church of ours from the mischief of them both ) ye whose tongues trade in lies , whose very profession is fraud and cozenage ; ye cruell usurers , false flatterers , lying and envious detractors ; in a word , ye , whoever ye are , that goe resolutely forward in a course of any known sins , and will not be reclaimed : ye , ye are the men that spit god in the face , and deny flatly the power of godlinesse . woe is me , we have enough of these birds every where at home . i appeal your eyes , your ears ; would to god they would convince me of a slander . but what of all this now ? the power of godlinesse is denied by wicked men : how then ? what is their case ? surely inexplicably , unconceivably fearfull . the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse , saith the apostle . how revealed ? say you ; wherein differ they from their neighbours , unlesse it be perhaps in better fare ? no gripes in their conscience , no afflictions in their life , no bands in their death : impunitas ausum , ausus excessum parit , as bernard , their impunity makes them bold , their boldness outragious . alas , wretched souls ! the world hath nothing more wofull then a sinners welfare . it is for slaughter that this ox is fatned : ease slayeth the simple , and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them , prov. . . this bracteata felicitas which they injoy here , is but as carpets spread over the mouth of hell : for if they deny the power of godliness , the god of power shall be sure to deny them ; depart from me ye workers of iniquity , i know you not . there cannot be a worse doom then depart from me ; that is , depart from peace , from blessedness , from life , from hope , from possibility of being any other then eternally , exquisitely miserable . qui te non habet , domine deus , totum perdidit , he who hath not thee , o lord god , hath lost all , as bernard truly . dying is but departing ; but this departing is the worst dying ; dying in soul , ever dying : so as if there be an ite , depart , there must needs be a maledicti , depart ye cursed ; cursed that ever they were born , who live to die everlastingly : for this departure , this curse ends in that fire which can never , never end . oh the deplorable condition of those damned souls that have slighted the power of godliness ! what tears can be enough to bewail their everlasting burnings ? what heart can bleed enough at the thought of those tortures which they can neither suffer , nor avoid ? hold but your finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing candle , can flesh and blood indure it ? with what horror then must we needs think of body and soul frying endlesly in that infernal tophet ? oh think of this ye that forget god , and contemn godlinesse ; with what confusion shall ye look upon the frowns of an angry god rejecting you , the ugly and mercilesse fiends snatching you to your torments , the flames of hell flashing up to meet you ? with what horror shall ye feel the gnawing of your guilty consciences , and hear that hellish shreeking , and weeping , and wailing , and gnashing ? it is a pain to mention these woes , it is more then death to feel them : perhorrescite minas , formidate supplicia , as chrysostome . certainly , my beloved , if wicked sinners did truly apprehend an hell , there would be more danger of their despair and distraction then of their security . it is the devil's policy , like a raven , first to pull out the eyes of those that are dead in their sins , that they may not see their imminent damnation . but for us ; tell me , ye that hear me this day , are ye christians in earnest , or are ye not ? if ye be not , what doe ye here ? if ye be , there is an hell in your creed . ye do not lesse believe there is an hell for the godlesse , then an earth for men , a firmament for stars , an heaven for saints , a god in heaven : and if ye do thus firmly believe it , cast but your eyes aside upon that fiery gulf , and sin if ye dare . ye love your selves well enough to avoid a known pain ; we know there are stocks , and bride-wells , and gaols , and dungeons , and racks , and gibbets for malefactors , and our very feare keeps us innocent : were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments , ye could not , ye durst not continue in those sins for which they are prepared . but what an unpleasing and unseasonable subject am i fallen upon , to speak of hell in a christian court , the embleme of heaven ? let me answer for my self with devout bernard , sic mihi contingat semper be are amicos terrendo salubriter , non adulando fallaciter , let me thus ever blesse my friends with wholesome frights , rather then with plausible soothings . sumenda sunt amara salubria , saith saint austin : bitter wholsome is a safe receipt for a christian : and what is more bitter or more wholsome then this thought ? the way not to feel an hell , is to see it , to fear it . i fear we are all generally defective this way ; we do not retire our selves enough into the chamber of meditation , and think sadly of the things of another world . our self-love puts off this torment ( notwithstanding our willing sins ) with david's plague , non appropinquabit , it shall not come nigh thee . if we do not make a league with hell and death , yet with our selves against them . fallit peccatum falsâ dulcedine , as saint austin , sin deceives us with a false pleasure . the pleasure of the world is like rhat colchian honey , whereof xenophon's souldiers no sooner tasted , then they were miserably distempered ; those that took little were drunk , those that took more were mad , those that took most were dead : thus are we either intoxicated , or infatuated , or kil'd out-right with this deceitfull world , that we are not sensible of our just fears ; at the best we are besotted with our stupid security , that we are not affected with our danger . woe is me , the impenitent resolved sinner is already faln into the mouth of hell , and hangs there but by a slender twig of his momentany life ; when that hold fails , he falls down headlong into that pit of horrour and desolation . oh ye my dear brethren , so many as love your souls , have mercy upon your selves : call aloud out of the deeps of your sins to that compassionate saviour , that he will give you the hand of faith , to lay hold upon the hand of his mercy and plenteous redemption , and pull you out of that otherwise-irrecoverable destruction ; else ye are gone , ye are gone for ever . two things , as bernard borrows of saint gregory , make a man both good and safe , to repent of evil , to abstain from evil . would ye escape the wrath of god , the fire of hell ? oh wash you clean , and keep you so . there is no laver for you but your own teares , and the blood of your saviour : bathe your souls in both of these , and be secure . consider how many are dying now which would give a world for one hour to repent in . oh be ye carefull then to improve your free and quiet hours in a serious and hearty contrition for your sins : say to god with the psalmist , deliver me from the evilman , that is , from my self , as that father construes it . and for the sequel , in stead of the denying the power of godlinesse , resolve to deny your selves , to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts , and to live soberly , righteously and godly in this present world ; that having felt and approved the power of godlinesse in the illuminating our eyes , in raising us from our sins , in ejecting our corruptions , in changing our lives , and creating our hearts anew , we may at the last feel the happy consummation of this power , in the full possessing of us in that eternall blessednesse and glory which he hath prepared for all that love him . to the perfect fruition whereof he bring us that hath dearly bought us , jesus christ the righteous : to whom , &c. the beauty and unity of the church ; in a sermon preached at white-hall by j. h. cant. . . my dove , my undefiled is one. our last daies discourse was ( as you heard ) of war and dissipation ; this shall be of love and unity . away with all profane thoughts : every syllable in this bridal-song is divine . who doubts that the bride-groom is christ , the bride his church ? the church , whether at large in all the faithfull , or abridged in every faithfull soul. christ the bride-groom praises the bride his church for her beauty , for her entirenesse . for her beauty , she is columba , a dove ; she is perfecta , undefiled . her entireness is praised by her propriety in respect of him , columba mea , my dove ; by her unity in respect of her self , una , one alone . my dove , my undefiled is but one . so as the beautifull sincerity , the dear propriety , the indivisible unity of the whole church in common , and of the epitome thereof every regenerate soul , is the matter of my text , of my speech . let your holy attention follow me , and finde your selves in every particular . the two first titles , columba and perfecta , are in effect but one . this creature hath a pleasing beauty , and an innocent simplicity : columba imports the one , and perfecta the other ; yea , each both : for what is the perfection which can be attained here , but sincerity ? and what other is our honest sincerity , then those gracefull proportions and colours which make us appear lovely in the eyes of god ? the undefiled then interprets the dove , and convertibly : for therefore is the church undefiled , because she is a dove ; she is , as christ bade her , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innocent , mat. . . and therefore is she christ's dove , because she is undefiled with the gall of spiritual bitterness . had ye rather see these graces apart ? look then first at the loveliness , then at the harmlesness of the church , of the soul. every thing in the dove is amiable ; her eyes , cant. . . her feathers , psal . . . and what not ? so is the church in the eyes of christ : and therefore the vulgar translation puts both these together , columba mea , formosa mea , cant. . . which lucas brugensis confesses not to be in the hebrew , yet addes , nè facile omittas . thy dove , o god ? yea , why not thy raven rather ? i am sure she can say of her self , i am black : and if our own hearts condemn us , thou art greater . alas ! what canst thou see in us but the pustles of corruption , the morphews of deformity , the hereditary leprosie of sin , the pestilential spots of death ? and dost thou say , my dove , my undefiled ? let malice speak her worst . the church saies she is black , but she shies she is comely : and that is fair that pleaseth . neither doth god look upon us with our eyes , but with his own ; he sees not as man seeth . the kings daughter is all glorious within : finite eyes reach not thither . the skin-deep beauty of earthly faces is a fit object for our shallow sense , that can see nothing but colour . have ye not seen some pictures which being look'd on one way shew some ugly beast or bird , another way shew an exquisite face ? even so doth god see our best side with favour , whiles we see our worst with rigour . not that his justice sees any thing as it is not ; but that his mercy will not see some things as they are . blessed is the man whose sin is covered , psal . . . if we be foul , yet thou , o saviour , art glorious : thy righteousnesse beautifies us , who are blemished by our own corruptions . but what ? shall our borrowed beauty blemish the whiles thine infinite justice ? shall we taint thee to clear our selves ? dost thou justifie the wicked ? dost thou feather the raven with the wings of the dove ? whiles the cloth is fair , is the skin nastie ? is it no more but to deck a blackmore with white ? even with the long white robes which are the justifications of saints ? god forbid . cursed be he ( o lord ) that makes thy mercies unjust . no ; whom thou accountest holy , thou makest so : whom thou justifiest , him thou sanctifiest . no man can be perfectly just in thee , who is not truly , though unperfectly , holy in himself . whether therefore as fully just by thy gracious imputation , or as inchoately just by thy gracious inoperation , we are in both thy dove , thy undefiled . in spight of all the blemishes of her outward administrations , gods church is beautifull ; in spight of her inward weakenesses , the faithfull soul is comely ; in spight of both , each of them is a dove , each of them undefiled . it is with both , as he said long since of physicians , the sun sees their successes , the earth hides their errours . none of their unwilling infirmities can hinder the god of mercies from a gracious allowance of their integrity . behold thou art all fair . but let no idle donatist of amsterdam dream hence of an utopical perfection . even here is the dove still ; but columba seducta , or fatua ( as tremelius reads it ) ephraim , ephraim is a silly seduced dove , ose . . the rifeness of their familiar excommunications may have taught them to seek for a spotlesness above : and if their furious censures had left but one man in their church , yet that one man would have need to excommunicate the greater half of himself , the old man in his own bosome . our church may too truly speak of them in the voice of god , woe to them , for they have fled from me , ose . . it is not in the power of their uncharity to make the rest of god's church , and ours , any other then what it is , the dove of christ , the undefiled . the harmlesness follows . a quality so eminent in the dove , that our saviour hath hereupon singled it out for an hieroglyphick of simplicity . whence it was , questionlesse , that god of all fowls chose out this for his sacrifice ; sin ex aliqua volucri , levit. . . and before the law , abraham was appointed no other ( gen. . . ) then a turtle and a pigeon : neither did the holy virgin offer any other at her purifying then this embleme of her self and her blessed babe . shortly , hence it was that a dove was imployed for the messenger of the exsiccation of the deluge ; no fowl so fit to carry an olive of peace to the church , which she represented . and lastly , in a dove the holy ghost descended upon the meek saviour of the world ; whence ( as illyricus and some ancients have guessed ) the sellers of doves were whipt out of the temple , as simoniacal chafferers of the holy ghost . the church then is a dove . not an envious partridge , not a carelesse ostridge , not a stridulous jay , not a petulant sparrow , not a deluding lapwing , not an unclean-sed duck , not a noisome crow , not an unthankfull swallow , not a death-boding schrich-owl ; but an harmlesse dove , that fowl in which alone envy it self can finde nothing to tax . hear this then , ye violent spirits , that think there can be no piety that is not cruell ; the church is a dove : not a glead , not a vultur , not a falcon , not an eagle , not any bird of prey or rapine . who ever saw the rough foot of the dove armed with griping talons ? who ever saw the beak of the dove bloody ? who ever saw that innocent bird pluming of her spoil , and tiring upon bones ? indeed we have seen the church crimson-suited , like her celestial husband , of whom the prophet , who is this that cometh from edom , with died garments from bozrah ? and straight , wherefore art thou red in thine apparel , and thy garment like him that treadeth in the wine-press ? esay . , . but it hath been with her own blood shed by others , not with others blood shed by her hand . she hath learned to suffer what she hateth to inflict . do ye see any faction with knives in their hands , stained with massacres ; with firebrands in their hands , ready to kindle the unjust stakes , yea woods of martyrdome ; with pistols and poniards in their hands , ambitiously affecting a canonization by the death of god's anointed ; with matches in their hands , ready to give fire unto that powder which shall blow up king , prince , state , church ; with thunderbolts of censures , ready to strike down into hell whosoever refuses to receive novell opinions into the articles of faith ? if ye finde these dispositions and actions dove-like , applaud them , as beseeming the true spouse of christ , who is ever like her self , columba perfecta , yea , perfecta columba , a true dove for her quiet innocence . for us , let our dove-ship approve it self in meekness of suffering , not in actions of cruelty . we may , we must delight in blood ; but the blood shed for us , not shed by us . thus let us be columba in foraminibus petrae , cant. . . a dove in the clifts of the rock ; that is , in vulneribus christi , ( as the glosse ) in the gashes of him that is the true rock of the church . this is the way to be innocent , to be beautifull , a dove , and undefiled . the propriety follows ; my dove . the kite , or the crow , or the sparrow , and such like are challenged by no owner ; but the dove still hath a master . the world runs wilde , it is ferae naturae : but the church is christs , domestically , intirely his ; my dove , not the worlds , not her own . not the worlds ; for , if ye were of the world , saith our saviour , the world would love his own : but because ye are not of the world , but i have chosen you out of the world , therefore the world hateth you , joh. . . not her own ; so s. paul cor. . , . ye are not your own , for ye are bought with a price . justly then may he say , my dove . mine , for i made her ; there is the right of creation : mine , for i made her again ; there is the right of regeneration : mine , for i bought her ; there is the right of redemption : mine , for i made her mine ; there is the right of spiritual and inseparable union . o god , be we thine , since we are thine : we are thine by thy merit ; let us be thine in our affections , in our obedience . it is our honour , it is our happiness that we may be thine . have thou all thine own . what should any piece of us be cast away upon the vain glory and trash of this transitory world ? why should the powers of darkness run away with any of our services in the momentany pleasures of sin ? the great king of heaven hath cast his love upon us , and hath espoused us to himself in truth and righteousness ; oh then , why will we cast roving and lustfull eyes upon adulterous rivals , base drudges ? yea why will we run on madding after ugly devils ? how justly shall he loath us , if we be thus shamefully prostituted ? away then with all our unchast glances of desires , all unclean ribaldry of conversation : let us say mutually with the blessed spouse , my beloved is mine , and i am his , cant. . . my dove ; mine , as to love , so to defend . that inference is natural , i am thine , save me : interest challenges protection . the hand saies , it is my head , therefore i will guard it ; the head saies , it is my hand , therefore i will devise to arm it , to withdraw it from violence : the soul saies , it is my body , therefore i will cast to cherish it ; the body saies , it is my soul , therefore i would not part with it . the husband saies , bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh , and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes much of her , ephes . . . and as she is desiderium oculorum , the delight of his eyes to him , ezec. . . so is he operimentum oculorum , the shelter of her eyes to her , gen. . . in all cases it is thus . so as if god say of the church columba mea , my dove , she cannot but say of him , adjutor meus , my helper . neither can it be otherwise save where is lack either of love or power . here can be no lack of either : not of love ; he saith , whoso toucheth israel toucheth the apple of mine eye : not of power ; our god doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and earth . band you your selves therefore , ye bloody tyrants of the world , against the poor despised church of god ; threaten to trample it to dust , and when you have done , to carry away that dust upon the soles of your shoes : he that sits in heaven laughs you to scorn , the lord hath you in derision . o virgin daughter of sion , they have despised thee : o daughter of jerusalem they have shaken their heads at thee . but whom have ye reproched and blasphemed ? and against whom have ye exalted your voice , and lift up your eyes on high ? even against the holy one of israel , who hath said , columba mea , my dove . yea , let all the spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places , all the legions of hell troup together , they shall as soon be able to pluck god out of his throne of heaven , as to pull one feather from the wing of this dove . this propriety secures her : she is columba mea , my dove . from the propriety , turn your eyes to the best of her properties , unity . let me leave arithmeticians disputing whether unity be a number . i am sure , it is both the beginning of all numbring numbers , and the beginning and end of all numbers numbred . all perfection rises hence , and runs hither ; and every thing the nearer it comes to perfection , gathers up it self the more towards unity ; as all the virtue of the loadstone is recollected into one point . jehovah our god is one ; from him there is but one world , one heaven in that world , one sun in that heaven , one uniform face of all that glorious vault : the nature of the holy angels is one and simple as creatures can be : the head of angels and saints , one saviour ; whose blessed humanity if it carry some semblance of composition , yet it is answered by a threefold union of one and the same subject , a double union of the deity with the humanity , a third union of the humanity in it self . so that as in the deity there is one essence and three persons ; in christ is one person , and three essences united into that one . if from heaven we look to earth , from god to men ; we have but one earth , one church in that earth , one king in that church , and ( for us ) one deputy of that king , one scepter , one law of both ; one baptism one faith ; cor unum , viam unam : and all these make up columbam unam , one dove . it would perhaps be no unnecessary excursion to take hereupon occasion to discourse of the perfectest form of church-government , and to dispute the case of that long and busie competition betwixt monarchy and aristocracy . ingenuous richier , the late eye-sore of the sorbon , hath made ( methinks ) an equal arbitration , that the state is monarchical , the regiment aristocratical . the state absolutely monarchical in christ , dispensatively monarchical in respect of particular churches ; forasmuch as that power which is inherent in the church , is dispensed and executed by some prime ministers , like as the faculty of seeing given to the man , is exercised by the eye , which is given for this use to man. and if , for the aristocratical regiment , there be in the native senate of the church ( which is a general council ) a power to enact canons for the wielding of this great body , ( as more eyes see more then one ) yet how can this consist without unity ? concilium is not so much a concalando , as calepine hath mistaken , as a conciliando , or , as isidore , à ciliis oculorum , which ever move together . in this aristocracy there is an unity ; for , as that old word was long since , episcopatus unus est , cujus à singulis in solidum pars tcnetur . in a word , no regiment , no state can have any form , but deformity , without unity . neither is there more perfection then strength in unity . large bodies , if of a stronger composition , yet because the spirits are diffused , have not that vigor and activity which a well-knit body hath in a more slender frame . the praise of the invincible strength of jerusalem was not so much in the natural walls , the hills round about it , as in the mutual compactednesse within it self . and solomon tells us , it is the twisted cord that is not easily broken . the rule of vegetius that he gives for his best stratagem is , ( that which our jesuites know too well ) to set strife where we desire ruine . our saviour saies that of every city which one said anciently of carthage , that division was the best engine to batter it . a city divided cannot stand . on the contrary , of every happy church , of every firm state is that verified which god speaks in the whirlewinde of leviathan's scales , una uni conjungitur ; one is joyned to another , that the winde cannot passe between them : they stick together that they cannot be sundred , job . , . that there is perfection and strength in unity cannot be doubted ; but how agrees this unity to christ's dove , his church ? it shall be thus absolutely in patria , at home ; but how is it in via , in the passage ? even here it is one too : not divided , not multiplied . to begin with the former . it hath been a stale quarrel that hath been raised from the divisions of the christian world , worn thredbare even by the pens and tongues of porphyrie , libanius , celsus , julian : and after them valens the emperour was puzzled with it , till themistius , that memorable christian philosopher , in a notable oration of his convinced this idle cavil , telling the emperour , he should not wonder at the dissensions of christians ; that these were nothing in comparison of the differences of the gentile philosophers , which had above three hundred severall opinions in agitation at once ; and that god meant by this variety of judgments to illustrate his own glory , that every man might learn so much more to adore his majesty , by how much harder it is rightly to apprehend him . the justice of this exception hath been confessed and bewailed of old by the antient fathers : st. chrysostome shall speak for all ; deridiculo facti sumus & gentibus & judaeis , dum ecclesia in mille partes scinditur , we are made a scorn to jews and gentiles ( saith he ) whiles the church is torn into a thousand pieces . little do these fools , that stumble at these contentions , know the weight of s. paul's oportet , there must be heresies : little are they acquainted with gods fashions in all his works . hath he not set contrary motions in the very heavens ? are not the elements ( the main stuffe of the world ) contrary to each other in their forms and qualities ? hath he not made the natural day to consist of light and darknesse ? the year of seasons contrarily tempered ? yea all things ( according to the guesse of that old philosopher ) ex lite & amicitia ? and shall we need to teach god how to frame his church ? will these wise censurers accuse the heavens of misplacing , the elements of mistemper , or check the day with the deformity of his darknesse , or upbraid the fair beauty of the year with ice-icles and wrinkles ? or condemn that reall friendship that arises from debate ? if the wise and holy moderator of all things did not know how by these fires of contradiction to trie men , and to purifie his truth , and to glorifie himself , how easie were it for him to quench them , and confound their authors ? can they commend it in a wise scipio , that he would not have carthage ( though their greatest enemy ) destroied , ut timore libido premeretur , libido pressa non luxuriaretur , that riot might be curbed with fear , as s. austin expresses it ; and shall not the most wise god have leave to permit an exercise to keep his children in breath , that they be not stuft up with the foggy unsound humors of the world ? when these presuming fools have stumbled , and faln into the bottome of hell , the spouse of christ shall be still his dove , in the clests or scissures of the rocks ; and she shall call him her roe , or yong hart ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) upon the hills of division , cant. . . but yet when all is done , in spight of all dissentions , the church is columba una , one dove . the word is not more common then equivocal : whether ye consider it as the aggregation of the outward , visible , particular churches of christian professors , or as the inward , secret , universal company of the elect , it is still one. to begin with the former . what is it here below that makes the church one ? one lord , one faith , one baptism . one lord , so it is one in the head ; one faith , so it is one in the heart ; one baptism , so it is one in the face . where these are truly professed to be , though there may be differences of administrations and ceremonies , though there may be differences in opinions , yet there is columba una : all those are but diversly-coloured feathers of the same dove . what church therefore hath one lord , jesus christ the righteous , one faith in that lord , one baptism into that faith , it is the one dove of christ . to speak more short , one faith abridges all . but what is that one faith ? what but the main fundamental doctrine of religion necessary to be known , to be believed unto salvation ? it is a golden and usefull distinction that we must take with us , betwixt christian articles and theological conclusions . christian articles are the principles of religion necessary to a believer ; theological conclusions are school-points , fit for the discourse of a divine . those articles are few and essential ; these conclusions are many , and unimporting ( upon necessity ) to salvation either way . that church then which holds those christian articles both in terms and necessary consequences ( as every visible church of christ doth ) however it vary in these theological conclusions , is columba una . were there not much latitude in this faith , how should we fetch in the antient jewish church to the unity of the christian ? theirs and ours is but one dove , though the feathers , according to the colour of that fowl , be changeable . it is a fearfull account then that shall once be given before the dreadfull tribunal of the son of god , the only husband of this one church , by those men who , not like the children of faithfull abraham , divide the dove , multiplying articles of faith according to their own fancies , and casting out of the bosome of the church those christians that differ from their either false or unnecessary conclusions . thus have our great lords of the seven hills dared to doe , whose faction hath both devoured their charity and scorned ours , to the great prejudice of the christian world , to the irreparable damage of the glorious gospel of our lord jesus . the god of heaven judge in this great case betwixt them and us ; us , who firmly holding the foundation of christian religion in all things according to the antient , catholick , apostolick faith , are rejected , censured , condemned , accursed , killed , for refusing their gainfull novelties . in the mean time we can but lament their fury no lesse then their errours , and send out our hopelesse wishes that the seamlesse coat might be darn'd up by their hands that tore it . from them , to speak to our selves , who have happily reformed those errours of theirs , which either their ambition or profit would not suffer them to part with ; since we are one , why are we sundred ? one saies , i am luther's for consubstantiation ; another , i am calvin's for discipline ; another , i am arminius's for predestination ; another , i am barrow's or brown's for separation . what frenzy possesses the brains of christians thus to squander themselves into factions ? it is indeed an envious cavil of our common adversaries , to make these so many religions . no ; every branch of different opinion doth not constitute a several religion : were this true , i durst boldly say , old rome had not more deities then the modern rome hath religions . these things , though they do not vary religions and churches , yet they trouble the quiet unity of the church . brethren , since our religion is one , why are not our tongues one ? why do we not bite in our singular conceits , and binde our tongues to the common peace ? but if from particular visible churches ( which perhaps you may construe to be the threescore queens here spoken of ) you shall turn your eyes to the true , inward , universal company of gods elect and secret ones , there shall you more perfectly finde columbam unam , one dove : for what the other is in profession , this is in truth ; that one baptism is here the true laver of regeneration ; that one faith is a saving reposal upon christ ; that one lord is the saviour of his body . no natural body is more one then this mystical : one head rules it , one spirit animates it , one set of joynts moves it , one food nourishes it , one robe covers it . so it is one in it self , so one with christ , as christ is one with the father ; that they may be one , even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me , john . . oh blessed unity of the saints of god , which none of the makebates of hell can ever be able to dissolve ! and now , since we are thus and every other way one , why are we not united in love ? why do we in our ordinary conversation suffer slight weaknesses to set off our charity ? mephibosheth was a cripple ; yet the perfect love of jonathan either cures or covers his impotency . we can no more want infirmities , then not be men ; we cannot stick at infirmities if we be christians . it is but a poor love that cannot passe over small faults ; even quotidianae incursionis , as that father speaks . it is an injurious niceness to condemn a good face in each other for a little mole . brethren , let us not aggravate , but pity each others weaknesses ; and since we are but one body , let us have but one heart , one way : and if we be the dove of christ , and his dove is one , oh let us be so one with each other as he is one with us . and as the church and commonwealth are twins , so should this be no lesse one with it self and with her temporal head . divisum est cor eorum , their heart is divided , was the judgment upon israel , ose . . oh how is every good heart divided in sunder with the grief for the late divisions of our reuben ? we do not mourn , we bleed inwardly for this distraction . but i do willingly smother these thoughts ; yea my just sorrow choaks them in my bosome , that they cannot come forth but in sighs and groans . o thou that art the god of peace , unite all hearts in love to each other , in loyal subjection to their soveraign head. amen . as the church is one in not being divided ; so she is but one in not being multiplied . here is unus , uni , unam , as the old word is . he , the true husband of the church , who made and gave but one eve to the first adam , will take but one wife to himself , the second adam . there are many particular churches ; all these make up but one universal : as many distinct lims make up but one intire body , many grains one bach , many drops and streams one ocean . so many regions as there are under heaven that do truly professe the christian name , so many national churches there are ; in all those nations there are many provincial , in all those provinces many diocesan , in all those dioceses many parochial churches , in all those parishes many christian families , in all those families many christian souls : now all those souls , families , parishes , dioceses , provinces , nations make up but one catholick church of christ upon earth . the god of the church cannot abide either conventicles of separation , or pluralities of professions , or appropriations of catholicism . catholick romane is an absurd donatian solecism : this is to seek orbem in urbe , as that council said well . happy were it for that church ; if it were a sound lim ( though but the little toe ) of that mighty and precious body , wherein no believing jew or indian may not challenge to be jointed . neither difference of time , nor distance of place , nor rigor of unjust censure , nor any unessential errour can barre our interest in this blessed unity . as this flourishing church of great britain ( after all the spightfull calumniations of malicious men ) is one of the most conspicuous members of the catholick upon earth ; so we in her communion do make up one body with the holy patriarchs , prophets , apostles , martyrs , confessors and faithfull christians of all ages and times . we succeed in their faith , we glory in their succession , we triumph in this glory . whither go ye then , ye weak , ignorant , seduced souls , that run to seek this dove in a forein cote ? she is here , if she have any nest under heaven . let me never have part in her or in heaven , if any church in the world have more part in the universal . why do we wrong our selves with the contradistinction of protestant and catholick ? we do only protest this , that we are perfect catholicks . let the pretensed look to themselves ; we are sure we are as catholick as true faith can make us ; as much one as the same catholick faith can make us : and in this undoubted right we claim and injoy the sweet and inseparable communion with all the blessed members of that mystical body , both in earth and heaven ; and by virtue thereof , with the glorious head of that dear and happy body , jesus christ the righteous , the husband to this one wife , the mate to this one dove : to whom , with the father and the holy spirit , three persons and one god , be given all praise , honour and glory , now and for ever . amen . the fashions of the world ; laid forth in a sermon at grayes-inne on candlemas day . by j. h. rom. . . fashion not your selves like to this world ; but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde , &c. that which was wont to be upbraided as a scorn to the english , may be here conceived the embleme of a man ; whom ye may imagine standing naked before you with a paire of sheers in his hand ready to cut out his own fashion . in this deliberation , the world offers it self to him with many a gay , misshapen , fantasticall dresse : god offers himself to him with one onely fashion , but a new one , but a good one . the apostle ( like a friendly monitor ) adviseth him where to pitch his choice ; fashion not your selves like to this world ; but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde . how much christianity crosses nature , we need no other proof then my text. there is nothing that nature affects so much as the fashion , and no fashion so much as the worlds ; for our usuall word is , doe as the most . and behold that is it which is here forbidden us , fashion not your selves like to this world . all fashions are either in device , or imitation . there are vain heads that think it an honour to be the founders of fashions : there are servile fools that seek onely to follow the fashion once devised . in the first rank is the world , which is nothing but a mint of fashions ; yet ( which is strange ) all as old as mis-beseeming . we are forbidden to be in the second : if the world will be so vain as to mis-shape it self , we may not be so foolish as to follow it . let us look a little ( if you please ) at the pattern here damn'd in my text , the world . as in extent , so in expression the world hath a large scope ; yea there are more worlds then one . there is a world of creatures , and within that there is a world of men , and yet within that a world of believers , and yet within all these a world of corruptions . more plainly , there is a good world , an evil world , an indifferent . a good world , as of the creatures in regard of their first birth , so of men in regard of their second , a world of renewed souls ; in the first act of their renovation believing , joh. . . upon their belief reconciled , cor. . . upon their reconcilement saved , joh. . . an evil world , yea set in evil , joh. . . a world of corrupt unregeneration , that hates christ and his , joh. . . that is hated of christ , jam. . . an indifferent world , that is good or evil as it is used ; whereof st. paul , let those that use the world be as not abusing it , cor. . . this indifferent world is a world of commodities , affections , improvement of the creature ; which ( if we will be wise christians ) we must fashion to us , framing it to our own bent , whether in want or abundance . the good world is a world of saints , whose souls are purified in obeying the truth through the spirit , pet. . . to this world we may be fashioned . the evil world is a world of mere men and their vicious conditions . god hath made us the lords of the indifferent world ; himself is the lord of the good ; satan is lord of the evil , princeps hujus seculi . and that is most properly the world , because it contains the most , as it is but a chaffe-heap wherein some grains of wheat are scattered . to this evil world then we may not fashion our selves in those things which are proper to it as such : in natural , in civil actions we may , we must follow the world ; singularity in these things is justly odious ; herein the world is the true master of ceremonies , whom not to follow is no better then a cynicall irregularity : in things positively or morally evil we may not . there is no material thing that hath not his form ; the outward form is the fashion ; the fashion of outward things is variable with the times ; so as every external thing , cloaths , building , plate , stuffe , gesture is now in , now out of fashion : but the fashions of morality , whether in good or evil , are fixed and perpetual . the world passeth and the fashion of it ; but the evil of the fashions of the world is too constant and permanent , and must be ever the matter of our detestation , fashion not your selves like to this world . but because evils are infinite , as wise solomon hath observed ; it will be requisite to call them to their heads , and to reduce these forbidden fashions to the several parts whereto they belong . i cannot dream with tertullian , that the soul hath a body ; but i may well say that the soul follows the body ; and as it hath parts ascribed to it according to the outward proportion , so are these parts suited with severall fashions . let your patient attention follow me through them all . begin with the head , a part not more eminent in place then in power . what is the head-tire of the world ? surely , as outwardly we see in this castle of the body the flag of vanity hang'd out most conspicuously in feathers , perukes , wires , locks , frizzles , powders , and such other trash ; so the inward disguise of this part is no lesse certain , no lesse obvious to wise and holy eyes . and what is that but fancies , mis-opinions , mis-judgment ? all , whether vain thoughts , psal . . . or evil thoughts , esa . . . to this head refer novelties of device , heresies , capricious , superstitious conceits , whereof the instances would have no end . and these errors of the minde are either in false principles or false conclusions : and both whether in matter of speculation or practice . it is a world to see what false maximes the world laies down to it self ; all which are as so many grounds of disguises of this great and gracelesse head . i do not tell you that the fool hath said , there is no god ; or , hath pent up that god in the circle of the heavens ; or whatever other imagination the very impudence of the world is ashamed to justifie , ( as even in outward pride there are certain pudenda mysteria , which vain dames use , but hide : ) i speak of received and current axioms , which the world takes for granted , and fears not to aver ; such as these , we must doe according to custome ; if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an ill weed wel rooted , we may not pull it up ; wrongs may not be offered , they may be returned ; there can be no better justice then retaliation ; the lye must be answered with a blow , the challenge with a combat ; our honour must be tendred , whatever becomes of our soul ; reason must be done in drinking , though without reason ; we may lye for an advantage ; we may swear upon provocation ; we may make the best of our own ; each man for himself ; youth must have a swindge ; it is good sleeping in a whole skin ; religion must be tuned to reasons of state ; and a thousand of this kind . and from these false premisses are raised pernicious conclusions of resolution to the soul. what should i speak of profane and wilde thoughts , of sensuall and beastly thoughts , of cruell and bloody thoughts ? these are the fashions of the world whereto we may not fashion our selves , remembring that of wise solomon , the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the lord , prov. . . these dresses , perhaps , seem not uncomely to carnall eyes ; but god tells us how he likes them : they are as naught as old ; he spits at them in a just detestation , and will spit at us for them . say not now therefore , thought is free : no ; it is so farre from that , as that it may be unpardonable , as simon peter intimates to simon magus , acts . . away then with all the false positions and misconclusions , all the fantasticall or wicked thoughts of the world : it is filthy , let it be filthy still . let not us fashion our heads like unto the world . now not onely the whole head in common , but every part , every power of sense in this head , hath a fashion of its own , that we must not follow in the world . look first at the eyes . the eyes of the world have a four-fold evil cast that we may not imitate ; the adulterous , the covetous , the proud , the envious . the adulterous roves and looks round about , the covetous looks downward , the proud looks a oft , the envious looks asquint . the first are eyes full of adulteries , pet. . . every glance whereof is an act of beastlinesse : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our saviour , mat. . . the very sight is a kind of constupration . the same word in the greek ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) signifies both the apple of the eye and a virgin : i may not now discusse the reason . sure i am , many an eye proves a bawd to the soul ; and i may safely say , virginity is first lost in the eye . the ancient philosophers before aristotle , that held the sight to be by sending out of beams , imagined the eye to be of a fiery nature ; wherein they were the rather confirmed , for that they found , that if the eye take a blow , fire seems to sparkle out of it . but certainly how waterish soever better experience hath found the substance of the eye , it is spiritually fiery ; fiery both actively and passively . passively , so as that it is inflamed by every wanton beame ; actively , so as that it sets the whole heart on fire with the inordinate flames of concupiscence . what should a christian doe with a burning-glasse in his head , that unites pernicious beams for the firing of the heart ? i mean , a beastly and fornicating eye ( ezec. . . ) out with it , if it thus offend thee , as thou lookst to escape the fire of hell . for this flame , like that unnaturall one of sodome , shall burn downward , and never leave till it come to the bottome of that infernall tophet . make covenants with your eyes , o ye christians , as job did ; and when ye have done , hold them close to your covenants once made : and if they will needs wilfully break , take the forfeit to the utmost . how much better were it for a man to be blind , then to see his own damnation ? thus fashion not your eye to the uncleannesse of the world . the covetous follows . even this is a lust of the eye too , joh. . . libido aeris , as ambrose calls it . as the eye in its own nature is covetous , in that it is not satisfied with seeing , eccles . . . so the eye of the covetous hath a more particular insatiablenesse . non satiatur oculus divitiis , the eye is not satisfied with riches , eccles . . . and yet these riches can goe no further then his eye ; the owner hath nothing but their sight , . . hence wise solomon parallels hell and destruction with the eye ; neither are satisfiable , prov. . . he that is a true glutton of the world , may fill his belly , his eye never . for it is in these desires as in drunkennesse , his drought increaseth with his draughts , and the more he hath the lesse he thinks he hath , and the more he would have . this disease is popular and , as the prophet tells us , à minimo ad maximum , jer. . . the world could not be so wicked , if it had not this cast of the eye ; for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of money , is the root of all evil , tim. . . from hence come simonies in the spiritualty , sacriledge in the laity , immoderate fees in lawyers , unreasonable prices in merchants , exactions in officers , oppressions in landlords , incroachments in neighbourhood , falshood in servants , and lastly cozenages in all sorts . but , woe to him that increaseth that which is not his , and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay , saith abacuc . . was there ever a more perfect conviction of a vice ? this desired metall is not his , first ; and then if it were his , it is but densissimum lutum , thick clay ; it may load him , it cannot ease him . away therefore with those two greedy daughters of the horseleach , that cry still , give , give , prov. . . give is for christians ; but give , give , is for worldlings ; as it was the doubling of the stroke upon the rock that offended . if we be christians , we are richer then the world can make us . having therefore food and raiment , let us be therewith content , tim. . . but if thou wilt needs inlarge thy boundlesse desires , take this with thee , there is somewhat as unsatiable as thine eye ; the grave and hell never say , it is enough , prov. . . thus fashion not your eye to the covetousnesse of the world . the next is the proud looks . there is a generation , o how lofty are their eyes ! and their eye-lids are lifted up , prov. . . there is ? nay , where is there any other ? the world is all such ? admiring it self , scorning all others . and if ever , now is that of the prophet verified , the childe shall behave himself proudly against the ancient , and the base against the honourable , esa . . . one prides himself in his bags , another in his gay coat ; one in his titles , another in his fame ; one in agility , another in skill ; one in strength , another in beauty : every one hath something to look big upon . oh fools , either ignorant , or forgetfull of what ye are , of what ye shall be ! goe on to wonder at your poor miserable glory and greatness : ye are but lift up for a fall : your height is not so sure as your ruine ; ruine to the dust , yea to hell . him that hath a proud heart will i not suffer , faith god , psal . . . fashion not your eye therefore to the pride of the world . the last is the envious eye ; by an eminence called oculus nequam , an evil eye . is thine eye evil , because i am good ? saith the housholder , mat. . . as if envy had ingrossed all malignity . into her own hands . this cast of the eye the world learned of the devil , who , when himself was fallen , could not abide that man should stand . far be it from us to learn it of the world. as happy is , this vice is executioner enough to it self : putredo ossium invidentia , envy is the rotting of the bones , prov. . . and where other earthly torments die with men , this follows them into hell , and shall there torture them eternally . the wicked shall see it , and shall be grieved , ( & frendens contabescet , ) and shall gnash and pine , psal . . . fashion not your eye therefore to the envy of the world . we have done with the eye in the uncleanness , covetousness , pride , envy of it : we might have taken the forehead in our way ; that is the seat of impudency ; it is frons aerea , a brow of brasse , esa . . . yea meretricia , an whores forehead , that refuses to be ashamed , jer. . . yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , giant-like , confronting heaven , which ecclesiasticus prayes to be delivered from , ecclus. . . . that can boldly bear out a sin committed , either out-facing the fact , as gehezi , or the fault , as saul . this is the fashion of the world , by lyes , imprecations , perjuries to outbrave the most just reproof ; a wicked man hardneth his face , prov. . . this fashion is not for us christians . if we cannot be guiltlesse , we cannot be shamelesse : at least we can blush at our sins . the dye of our repentance strives with the crimson of our offence ; and we can out of the true remorse of our souls say with the prophet , we lie down in our shame ; and our confusion covereth us ; for we have sinned against the lord our god , jer. . . thus , fashion not your forehead to the impudence of the world . we passe to the eare ; wherein there is a double fashion to be avoided . first , there is a deaf eare , shut up against all instruction , like the adder's against the charm , psal . . . how shut up ? a filme or fore-skin is grown over it , which hinders the way of the voice : jer. . . behold , their eare is uncircumcised , and they cannot hearken . hence it is that we preach in vain , we labour in vain : to what purpose do we tear our throats , and spend our lungs , and force our sides , in suing to a deaf world : who hath believed our report , or to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? if ever we will hear the voice of the son of god and live , we must therefore have our eares opened , this our fore-skin must be pierced . aurem perforasti mihi , thou hast digged my eare , as the word originally sounds , psal . . . the finger of our omnipotent saviour must doe it , and his ephphatha , mar. . . let the deaf world perish in their infidelity and disobedience ; but for us , let us say with samuel , speak , lord , for thy servant heareth . secondly , there is an itching eare , tim. . . that out of a wanton curiosity affects change of doctrine . how commonly do we see a kinde of epicurisme in the eare ? which when it hath fed well of many good dishes , longs to surfeit of a strange composition . yea there is an appetitus caninus , that passing by wholsome viands , falls upon unmeet and foul-feeding morsels . we have heard sermons enough ; oh now for a masse : we have heard our owne divines ; oh for a jesuite at a vespers . oh foolish israelites ! who hath bewitched you , that loathing the manna of angels , your mouth should hang towards the egyptian garlick ? god hath a medicine in store for this itch , if we prevent him not : tinnient aures , saith he , jer. . . if our eares itch after strange doctrine , others ears shall tingle at our strange judgements . the god of mercy prevent it : and since we accurse our selves if we speak any other words then our masters , say you to christ speaking by us , master , whither shall we goe from thee ? thou hast the words of eternall life . thus fashion not your eare to the deafnesse , to the inconstancy of the world . the ill fashions of the tongue call me to them ; whereof the variety is no lesse infinite then of words forbidden and offensive . the eye and the eare are receivers , but the tongue is a spender ; and it layes out according to the store of the heart : for , out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , saith our saviour . no words can expresse the choice of ill words . i will limit my speech to three ill fashions of the tongue , falshood , maliciousnesse , obscenity . . the world hath a false tongue in his head : false every way ; in broaching of errours , in sophistry of their maintenance , in deceits and cozenages of contracts , in lies , ( whether assertory , which breed misreports , or promissory , which cause disappointments ) in perjuries , in equivocations , in flatteries , and humouring of men or times . what a world of untruth offers it self here to us ? lord , whom can a man speak with that he dares believe ? whom dares he believe that deceives him not ? how is that of the psalm verified , diminutae sunt veritates , truth is minished from the children of men ? yea , let it be from the children of men , it is a shame it should be thus with christians ; let us speak truth every man to his neighbour . farre , farre be it from any of you to have a mercenary tongue , either sold or let out to speak for injury , for oppression . where the justice of the cause seems to hang in an even poise , there exercise the power of your wit and eloquence in pleadings : but where the case is foul , abhor the patrocination ; discourage an unjust , though wealthy , client , and say rather , thy gold and thy silver perish with thee ; resolving that the richest fee is a good conscience ; and therefore , with the apostle , that ye can doe nothing against the truth , but for the truth . thus fashion not your tongue to the falshood of the world . . the world hath a tongue as malicious as false ; he carries poisons , arrows , swords , razors in his mouth , whether in reviling the present , or backbiting the absent . what have our tongues to walk in but this round of detraction ? barre this practice , there would be silence at our bords , silence at our fires-side , silence in the tavern , silence in the way , silence in the barbers-shop , in the mill , in the market , every where ; yea very gossips would have nothing to whisper . lord , what a wilde licentiousnesse are we grown to in this kinde ? every mans mouth is open to the censures , to the curses of their betters ; neither is it cared how true the word be , but how sharp . every fidler sings libels openly ; and each man is ready to challenge the freedome of david's ruffians , our tongues are our own , who shall controll us ? this is not a fashion for christians , whose tongues must be ranged within the compasse , as of truth , so of charity and silent obedience : we know our charge , diis non detrahes , thou shalt not revile the gods , nor curse the ruler of thy people , exod. . . no , not in thy bed-chamber , no , not in thy thoughts , eccles . . . and for our equalls , god hath said it , whoso privily slandereth his neighbour , him will i cut off , psal . . . the spightfull tongue as it is a fire , and is kindled by the fire of hell , jam. . . so shall it be sure once to torment the soul that moves it with flames unquenchable . thus , fashion not your tongue to the maliciousnesse of the world . . as the world hath a spightfull tongue in his anger , so a beastly tongue in his mirth . no word sounds well that is not unsavoury : the onely minstrell to the world is ribaldry . modesty and sober merriment is dulnesse . there is no life but in those cantiones cinaedicae , which are too bad even for the worst of red lattices : yea even those mouths which would hate to be palpably foul , stick not to affect the witty jests of ambiguous obscenity . fye upon these impure brothelries . oh that ever those tongues which dare call god father , should suffer themselves thus to be possessed by that unclean spirit : that ever those mouths which have received the sacred body and blood of the lord of life , should indure these dainty morsels of the devil ! for us , let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth , but that which is edifying and gracious , ephes . . . and such as may become those tongues which shall once sing allelujahs in the heavens . fashion not your tongues to the obscenity of the world . from the tongue we passe to the palate , which ( together with the gulf , whereto it serves , the throat and the paunch ) is taken up with the beastly fashion of gluttony and excesse , whether wet or dry , of meats or liquors ; surfeits in the one , drunkennesse in the other : insomuch as that the vice hath taken the name of the part , gula ; as if this piece were for no other service . the psalmist describes some wicked ones in his time by , sepulcrum patens guttur eorum , their throat is an open sepulchre , psal . . . how many have buried all their grace in this tomb ? how many their reputation ? how many their wit ? how many their humanity ? how many their houses , lands , livings , wives , children , posterity , health , life , body and soul ? saint paul tels his philippians , that their false teachers made their belly their god. oh god , what a deity is here ? what a nasty idol ? and yet how adored every where ? the kitchins and taverns are his temples ; the tables his altars . what fat sacrifices are here of all the beasts , fouls , fishes , of all three elements ? what pouring out , yea what pouring in of drink-offerings ? what incense of indian smoak ? what curiously-perfumed cates , wherewith the nose is first feasted , then the maw ? more then one of the ancients , as they have made nebuzaradan principem coquorum , jer. . . the chief cook of nebuchadnezzar , so they have found a mysticall allusion in the story ; that the chief cook should burn the temple and palace , both gods house and the kings , and should destroy the walls of jerusalem . surely gluttonous excesse destroies that which should be the temple of the holy ghost ; and is enough to bring a fearfull vastation both upon church and state. i could even sink down with shame to see christianity every where so discountenanced with beastly epicurisme : what street shall a man walk in , and not meet with a drunkard ? what rode shall he passe , and not meet some or other hanging upon the stirrup , waving over the pummel ? saint peter's argument from the third hour of the day , and saint paul's from the night , would be now a non sequitur ; day is night , night is day , no hour is priviledged . i cannot speak a more fearfull word then that of saint paul , whose belly is their god , whose end is damnation . oh wofull , wofull condition of that damned glutton in the gospel ! oh the flames of that delicious tongue , which beg'd for a drop , but should in vain have been quenched with rivers , with oceans ! as ye desire to be freed from those everlasting burnings , awake ye drunkards , and howl ye drinkers of wine , joel . . return your superfluous liquors into tears of repentance , which onely can quench that fire ; and for the sequel , put your knife to your throats : take heed lest at any time your hearts be overtaken with surfeiting and drunkennesse , luk. . . thus fashion not your selves to the excesse of the world . from the pampered belly we passe to the proud back of the world : whereon he is blind that sees not a world of fashions ; in all which , the price of the stuffe strives with the vanity of the form . there is a luxury in very cloaths , which it is hard to look besides . o god , how is the world changed with us since our breeches of fig-leaves and coats of skin ? the earth yields gold , silver , rich stones , the sea pearls , the aire feathers , the field his stalks , the sheep her fleece , the worm her web ; and all too little for one back . after necessity , cloaths were once for distinction , as of sexes , so of degrees . how curious was god in these differences ? the violation whereof was no lesse then deadly , deut. . . what shall we say to the dames , yea to the hermaphrodites of our time , whom it troubles that they may not be all man ? but if sexes be known by cloaths , what is become of degrees ? every base terrivague wears artaxerxes his coat : soft raiments are not for courts , peasants degenerate into gallants , and every midianitish camel must shine with gold , judg. . . but oh the mad disguises of the world , especially in that weaker sex , which in too much variety is constant still to a prodigious deformity of attire , to the scorn of other nations , to the dishonour of their husbands , to the shame of the gospel , to the forfeit of their modesty , to the misshaping of their bodies , to the prostitution of their souls , to the just damnation of both . it is not for me to urge this here in a masculine assembly ; wherein i fear there cannot be want of faults enough in this kind . away with this absurd and apish vanity of the world . they that glister in scarlet , shall once embrace danghils , lam. . . yea it were well if no worse . let us that are christians affect that true bravery which may become the blessed spouse of christ ; the kings daughter is all glorious within ; and say , with the prophet , my soul shall be joyfull in my god , for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation ; he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse , esay . . thus fashion not your back to the disguise of the world . we had like to have forgotten the neck and shoulders of the world , which have an ill fashion of stiffnesse and inflexible obstinatenesse , stubbornly refusing to stoop to the yoke of the law , of the gospel . this is every where the complaint of god ; they have hardened their necks , exod. . . amongst all fashions of the world this is the worst ; and that which gives an height to all other wickednesses . let all the other parts be never so faulty , yet if there be a readinesse to relent at the judgements of god , and a meek pliablenesse to his corrections , there is life in our hopes . but if our iron sinews will not bowe at all , bearing up themselves with an obdured resolution of sinning , the case is desperate : what can we think other , then that such a soul is branded for hell ? he that being often reproved hardneth his neck , shall suddenly be destroyed , and that without remedy , prov. . . fashion not your neck therefore to the stiffnesse of the world . but the cyclopean furnace of all wicked fashions , the heart , calls my speech to it ; which i could not have forborn thus long , were it not that besides the importunity of these other parts , i have heretofore at large out of this place displaied to you and the world the wicked fashions thereof . shortly yet , ( for we may not utterly balk them ) all the corrupt desires and affections of the soul are so many ill fashions of the heart to be avoided . these affections are well known : inordinate love , uncharitable hate , immoderate grief , intemperate joy , unjust fears , unsound hopes , and whatsoever either distemper or misplacing of these passions . if we love the world more then god , if we hate any enemy more then sin , if we grieve at any losse more then of the favour of god , if we joy in any thing more then the writing of our names in heaven , if we fear any thing more then offence , if we hope for any thing more then salvation ; and much more if we change objects , loving what we should hate , joying in what we should grieve at , hoping for what we should feare , and the contrary ; in one word , if our desires and affections be earthly , groveling , sensuall , not spirituall , sublimed , heavenly ; we fall into the damnable fashion of the world . away therefore with all evil concupiscence , all ambitious affectations , all spightfull emulations , all worldly sorrows , all cowardly fears , all carnall heats of false joy . let the world dote upon vanity , and follow after lyes ; let our affections and conversation be above , where christ jesus sitteth at the right hand of god. let the base earthworms of this world be taken up with the best of this vain trash ; the desires of us christians must soar aloft , and fix themselves upon those objects which may make us perfectly and unchangeably blessed . thus fashion not your hearts to the carnall desires and affections of the world . affections easily break forth into actions ; and actions perfect our desires . let us from the heart look to the hands and feet , the instruments of motion and execution of the world . fashion not your selves lastly therefore to the practice and carriage of the world . the world makes a god of it self , and would be serving any god but the true one . hate ye this cursed idolatry , and say with joshua , i and my house will serve the lord. the world would be framing religion to policy , and serving god in his own forms . hate ye this will-worship , superstition , temporizing , and say with david , i esteem all thy precepts to be right , and all false waies i utterly abhorre , psal . . . the world cares not how it rends and tears the sacred name of their maker with oaths and curses and blasphemies . oh hate ye this audacious profanesse , yea this profane devilisme , and tremble at the dreadfull majesty of the name of the lord our god. the world cares not how it slights the ordinances of god , violates his daies , neglects his assemblies . hate ye this common impiety ; say with the psalmist , oh how sweet is thy law , how amiable thy tabernacles ! the word is set to spurn at authority , to despise gods messengers , to scorn the nakednesse of their spirituall fathers . hate ye this lawlesse insolency , and say , quàm speciosi pedes ! how beautifull are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace ! esa . . . rom. . . the world is set upon cruelty , oppression , violence , rapine , revenge , sieging , sacking , cutting of throats . hate ye this bloody savagenesse : put on ( as the elect of god , holy and beloved ) bowels of mercies , kindnesse , meeknesse , long suffering , colos . . . the world is a very brothel , given over to the prosecutions of noisome and abominable lusts . hate ye this impurity , and possesse your vessels in hoinesse and honour . the world is a cheater , yea ( to speak plain ) a thief ; every where abounding with the tricks of legall fraud and cozenage , yea with sly stealths , yea with open exortions . hate ye this injustice , and with quietnesse work , and eate your own bread , thes . . . thus , fashion not your selves to the actuall wickednesses of the world . all these are the unfruitfull works of darknesse ; they are not for our fellowship , they are for our abomination and reproof . and now i have laid before you some patterns , if not models , of the ill fashions of the world , in the thoughts , dispositions , affections , actions thereof like them if ye can , o ye christian hearers , and follow them . i am sure , from our outward fashions of attire we need no other disswasive then their uglinesse and misbecoming . and what shall i need to tell you how loathsomely deformed these fashions of the world make us to appear in the sight of god ? the toad or the serpent are lovely objects to us , in comparison of these disguises to the pure eyes of the almighty : yea so perfectly doth god hate them , that he professes those hate him that like them . whosoever will be a friend to the world , is an enemy to god , jam. . . oh then , if we love our souls , let us hate those fashions that may draw us into the detestation of the almighty ; for our god is a consuming fire . besides misbeseeming , it is a just plea against any fashion that it is painfull ▪ for though there be some pain allowed in all pride , yet too much we indure not : and behold these fashions shall pinch and torture us to death ; to an everlasting death of body and soul. the ill guest in the parable was thus clad , mat. . . the king abhorres his suit , and after expostulation gives the sentence , binde him hand and foot , and take him away , and cast him into utter darkness , where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . oh , fear and tremble at the exspectation of this dreadfull doom , all ye that will needs be in the fashion of the world . if ye be so foolish as to flatter your selves here in the conceit of your liberty , there shall be binding ; in the conceit of a lightsome and resplendent magnificence , there shall be darknesse ; in the conceit of pleasure and contentment , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . lastly , commonnesse and age are the usuall disparagements of fashions . the best may not goe like every body : where a fashion is taken up of the basest , it is disdained of the eminent . behold , these are the fashions , if not of all , i am sure of the worst ; the very scum of the world is thus habited . let us that are christians , in an holy pride , scorn to be suited like them . as common , so old fashions are in disgrace . that man would be shouted at that should come forth in his great-grandfires suit , though not rent , not discoloured . behold , these are the overworn and misshapen rags of the old man : away with them to the frippery of darknesse , yea to the brokery of hell : let us be for a change . old things are passed , all things are become new . as we look to have these bodies once changed from vile to glorious , so let us now change the fashions of our bodies and souls from corrupt and worldly , to spirituall and heavenly ; and loathing all these misbelieving , painfull , common , old fashions of the world , let us put on the lord jesus christ ; that being clad with the robes of his righteousnesse here , we may be cloathed upon with the robes of his glory in the highest heavens . amen . the estate of a christian , laid forth in a sermon preached at grayes-inne on candlemas day . by jos. hall . rom. . . but be ye changed ( or transformed by the renewing of your minds , &c. the true method of christian practice is first destructive , then astructive ; according to the prophet , cease to doe evil , learn to doe good . this our apostle observes ; who first unteacheth us ill fashions , and then teacheth good . we have done with the negative duty of a christian , what he must not doe ; hear now the affirmative , what he must doe : wherein our speech , treading in the steps of the blessed apostle , shall passe through these four heads ; first , that here must be a change ; secondly , that this change must be by transformation ; thirdly , that this transformation must be by renewing ; fourthly , that this renewing must be of the minde : but be ye changed , or transformed , by the renewing of your minds . all of them points of high and singular importance ; and such as do therefore call for your best and carefullest attention . nothing is more changing then the fashion of the world : mundus transit , the world passeth away , saith s. john. yet here , that we may not fashion our selves to the world , we must be changed ; we must be changed from these changeable fashions of the world to a constant estate of regeneration . as there must be once a perfect change of this mortall to immortality , so must there be onwards , of this sinfull to gracious : and as holy job resolves to wait all the daies of his appointed time , for that changing ; so this change contrarily waits for us , and may not be put off one day . what creature is there wherein god will not have a change ? they needed not as he made them ; nothing could fall from him but good : we marr'd them ; and therefore they both are changed , and must be . even of the very heavens themselves it is said , as a vesture shalt thou change them , and they shall be changed : how much more these sublunary bodies that are never themselves ? we know the elements are in a perpetual transmutation ; so are those bodies that are compounded of them : as he said of the river , we cannot step down twice into the same stream . and every seven years ( as philosophy hath observed ) our bodies are quite changed from what they were . and as there is a natural change in our favours , colour , complexion , temper ; so there is no lesse voluntary change in our diets , in our dispositions , in our delights . with what scorn do we now look upon the top which our childhood was fond on ? how do we either smile or blush in our mature age , to think of the humours and actions of our youth ? how much more must the depravedness of our spiritual condition call for a change ? it is a rule in policy , not to alter a well-setled evil . i am sure it holds not in the oeconomy of the soul , wherein length of prescription pleads rather for a speedy removal : no time can prejudice the king of heaven . in some cases indeed change is a sign of a weak unsetledness : it is not for a wise man , like shel-fish , to rise or fall with the moon ; rather , like unto the heaven , he must learn to move , and be constant . it was a good word of basil to the governour , utinam sempiterna sit hoec mea desipientia , let me dote thus alw aies . it was not for nothing that socrates had the reputation of wisdome : that famous shrew of his , xantippe , could say , she never but saw him return with the countenance that he went out with . give me a man that in the changes of all conditions can frame himself to be like an auditors counter , and can stand either for a thousand , or an hundred , or ( if need be ) for one : this man comes nearest to him in whom there is no shadow of turning . but in case of present ill , there can be no safety but in change . i cannot blame the angels and saints in heaven , that they would not change ; i blesse them that they cannot , because they are not capable of better , and every motion is out of a kind of need . i cannot wonder at the damned spirits , that they would be any thing but what they are . we that are naturally in the way to that damnation , have reason to desire a change ; worse we cannot be upon earth then in a state of sin . be changed therefore , if ye wish well to your own souls ; that it may be said of you , in s. paul's words , such ye were . what an enemy would upbraid by way of reproch , is the greatest praise that can be , faults that were . oh happy men that can hear , ye were profane , unclean , idolatrous , oppressive , riotous ! their very sins honour them ; as the very devils that mary magdalen had , are mentioned for her glory ; since we do not hear of them , but when they were cast out . as there are some carelesse nasty creatures , that can abide to weare none but their old , patched , sordid rags ( such as that miscreant cistercian , spanish deist , whom we saw walk in and pollute our streets ) men that out of sullennesse or affection are habited as the gibeonites were out of craft ; so there are spiritually such , natural men , yea natural fools , that please themselves in a false constancy , and brag they are no changelings , whose glory is their shame , whose end ( if they go on so ) is damnation . let the great bridegroom come in , and finde one of these crept into his feast , he shall be sure to send him out with a mischief ; how camest thou in hither ? binde him hand and foot , and cast him into utter darkness , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth , mat. . . away with this frippery of our nature . old things are passed : if ever we look to have any party in god , in heaven , we must be changed . but secondly , every change will not serve the turn . the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alteration , nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but metamorphosis ; a word whose sound we are better acquainted with then the sense : the meaning is , there must be a change in our very form . there is no motion , no action we passe through without a change ; as there is no step wherein we change not our meridian , so there is no act which works not some mutation in us . but there are slight changes , wherein the places , habits , actions vary , without any change of the form ; as caelum , non animum , was an old word ; and we know the body is the same , whiles the sutes are divers . and again , there are changes that reach to the very forms , whence all actions arise ; as when of evil we are made good , of carnal spiritual : this is the metamorphosis that is here called for . indeed it hath been a not more antient then true observation , that the change of some things makes all things seem changed : as when a man comes into an house wherein the partitions are pulled down , the roof raised up , the floor paved , bay-windows set out , the out-side rough-cast , he shall think all the frame new , and yet the old foundation , beams , studs , roof stand still ; so it is here , the very substance of the soul holds still , but the dispositions and qualities and the very cast of it are altered , as when a round piece of past is formed into a square ; or , which is the highest of all patterns , as our blessed saviour was transformed in the mount tabor . his deity was the same , his humanity the same , the same soul , the same body ; yet he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( it is the very word that the holy ghost uses both there and here ) in that the deity did put a glorious splendor upon his humane body which before it had not . thus it must be in our transformation , onwards ; the spirit of god doth thus alter us through grace , whiles we are yet for essence the same . can a leopard change his spots , or a blackmore his skin ? saith the prophet . see , i beseech you , how this change is not easie , though not substantial . the spots are not of the essence of that beast ; the blackness is not of the essence of an aethiopian : yet how hard these are to put off , we know . our mythologists tell us of many strange metamorphoses , of men turn'd into beasts , birds , trees ; wherein doubtlesse they had morall allusions : let me tell you of a metamorphosis as strange as theirs , and as true as theirs fabulous . they tell us of men turn'd into swine by circe ; i tell you of swine turn'd into men , when drunkards and obscene persons turn sober and well-governed . they tell you of men turn'd into stones , and of stones turn'd into men , immediately upon their deluge ; i tell you that of very stones sons are raised up to abraham . they tell us of a lycaon turn'd into a wolf ; i tell you of a wolf turn'd into a man , when a ravenous oppressor turns mercifull . they tell us of men turn'd into oaks and rocks ; i tell you of the oaky , rocky , flinty hearts of men turn'd into flesh , as ezekiel speaks . they tell us of an actaeon turn'd into the beast which he loved to hunt , and devoured of those beasts wherewith he was wont to hunt ; i tell you of a voluptuous beast abandoning those pleasures which had wont to spend him . they tell us of a self-loving man turn'd to a flower ; i tell you of a fading transitory creature changed into the image of the son of god. they tell us of a proteus turn'd into all forms ; i tell you of a man of all hours , all companies , all religions , turn'd into a constant confessour and martyr for the name of christ . they tell us , lastly , of their jupiter and other deities turn'd into the shape of beasts , for the advantage of their lust ; i tell of men naturally of a bestial disposition made the sons of god , partakers of the divine nature , as the apostle speaketh . these changes are not imaginary , as in the case of lycanthropie and delusions of jugling sorcerers , but reall and unfeigned ; truly wrought by god , truly felt by us , truly seen by others . not that we can alwaies judge of these things by the mere outsides : for even satan himself is transformed into an angel of light ; neither do any faces look fairer then the painted : but ex fructibus is the rule of our saviour , that will trie out the truth of all our transformations . let us not flatter our selves , ( honourable & beloved ) we are all born wolves , bears , tigers , swine , one beast or other : it must needs be a notable change if of beasts we become men , of men saints . thus it must be , else we are not transformed . neither is this transformation reall only , but totall , not resting in the parts , but enlarged to the whole person : and therefore the charge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be ye transformed ; not some pieces of you , but the whole . there are those which are changed in the face ( that look civil at least , if not saint-like ; ) but their mouths are full of cursing , and bitterness , and blasphemies . there are those whose tongues are smooth-filed , abounding not only with plausible words , but holy and seemingly gracious too ; when their right hand is a right hand of wickedness . if they have the faces and tongues of men , they have the talons of grisons , full of rapine , cruelty , oppression . there are those whose one half ( the upper part ) is man , the lower is still , centaur-like , no other , no better then beast ; as if , according to that old foolish heresie , god had not made both . there are those whose hands are white , and clean from bribes , from extortion ; but their feet are yet swift to shed blood upon their own private revenge . let not these men say they are transformed . let the first say their face is changed ; let the next say their tongue is changed ; let the other say their breasts or hands are changed : but unlesse face , and tongue , and breast , and hand , and foot , and all be changed , the man is not changed . god be mercifull to us ; the world is full of such monsters of hypocrisie , who care onely for an appearing change of some eminent and noted part , neglecting the whole : as some sorry tap-house white-limes and glazes the front towards the street , and sets out a painted sign , when there is nothing in the inward parts but sticks , and clay , and ruines , and cold earthen floors , and fluttery . this is to no purpose . if any piece of us be unchanged , we are still our old selves , odious to god , obnoxious to death . but ( as all motions have their termes ) what is that into which we must be transformed ? i see transformations enough every where ; god knows , too many . i see zealous professors transformed to key-cold worldlings , reformed catholicks turn'd to romish factionists : i see men transformed into women , in their effeminate dispositions and demeanours ; women transform'd to men , in their affectation of masculine boldness and fashions : i see men and women transform'd into beasts of all kindes ; some into drunken swine , others into cruell tigers , others into ranck goats , others into mimick apes ; yea i see those beasts transform'd again into devils , in the delight they take in sin , in their mischievous tempting of others to sin . all these are transformed so as it is , from good to ill , from bad to worse ; so transformed that , as cypran said of painted faces , it is no marvell if god know them not , for they have made themselves quite other from what he made them . that whereinto we must be transformed , is the image of god , cor. . . consisting in holinesse and righteousness , ephes . . . that image we once had and lost ; and now must recover by our transformation . oh blessed change , that of the sons of men , we become the children of the ever-living god ; of the firebrands of hell ( such we are naturally ) we become the heirs of heaven ! that as the eternal son of god , having the form of god , did yet graciously change this glorious habit for the form of a servant ; so we that are the sons of men , should change the servile form of our wretched nature into the divine form of the son of god! this is a change not more happy then needfull . it was another change that job said he would wait for : but of this change we must say , i will not suffer mine eyes to sleep nor mine eye-lids to slumber , untill an happy change have wrought this heart of mine ( which by nature is no better then a stie of unclean devils ) to be an habitation for the god of jacob. wo be to the man whose last change overtakes him ere this change be wrought in him . there is nothing more wretched then a mere man. we may brag what we will , how noble a creature man is above all the rest ; how he is the lord of the world , a world within himself , the mirrour of majesty , the visible model of his maker : but let me tell you , if we be but men , it had been a thousand times better for us to have been the worst of beasts . let it not seem to savour of any misanthropie to say , that as all those things which are perfections in creatures are eminently in god , so all the vicious dispositions of the creature are eminently in man : in that debauch'd and abused reason is the quintessence of all bestialitie . what speak i of these silly brutes ? in this streight triangle of man's heart there is a full conclave of cardinal wickednesses , an incorporation of cheaters , a goal of malefactors , yea a legion of devils . seest thou then the most loathsome toad that crawls upon the earth , or the most despised dog that creeps under thy feet ? thou shalt once envy their condition , if thou be not more then a man. thou seest the worst of them , thou canst not conceive the worst of thine own . for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of god ; and fores canes , without shall be dogs , revel . . . when they shall be vanished into their first nothing , thou shalt be ever dying in those unquenchable flames , which shall torment thee so much the more , as thou hadst more wit and reason without grace . but oh , what a wofull thing it is to consider , and how may we bemone our selves to heaven and earth , that yet men will not be transformed ? all the menaces , all the terrors of god cannot move men from what they are ; but he that is filthy will be filthy still . in spight of both law and gospel , men have obdured their selves against the counsel of god : they have an iron neck , esa . . . an uncircumcised care , jer. . . a brawny heart , mark . . say god and man what they will , these enchanted creatures will rather be beasts still , then return to men . if we will not change , be sure god will not ; he hath said it , and he will perform it , after thine hardness and heart that cannot repent , thou treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of god , rom. . . far , far be this obstinacy from us ( honorable and beloved . ) for god's sake , for your souls sake yield your selves willingly into the hands of god , and say , convert me , o lord , and i shall be converted . as we love our selves , and fear hell , let us not content our selves with the shape , with the faculties of men , but let us be transformed ; and think that we were only made men , that we might passe through the estate of humanity to regeneration . this for the transformation : see now that this transformation must be by renewing . the same spirit that by solomon said , there is nothing new under the sun , saith by s. paul , all things are become new . nothing is so new that it hath not been : all things must be so new as they were . this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renovation , implies that which once was , and therefore was new before . that god who is the antient of daies , doth not dislike any thing for mere age ; for time is his : and continuance of time is so much more excellent as it comes nearer to the duration of eternity . old age is a crown of glory . neither is ought old in relation to god , but to us ; neither is age faulty in respect of nature , but of corruption : for as that word of tertullian is true , primum verum , the first is true ; so may i as truly say , primum bonum , the first is good . only now , as our nature stands depraved , our old man is the body of corruptions , which we brought with us , and carry about us ; and there can be no safety , unlesse we be transformed by renovation . behold , god saies , i make all things new , a new heaven and a new earth , esay . . the year renews ; and to morrow ( we say ) is a new day : we renew our clothes when they are worn , our leases when they grow towards expiring ; only our hearts we care not to renew . if all the rest were old , so that our heart were new , it were nothing . nothing but the main of all is neglected . what should i need any other motives to you then the view of the estate of both these ? look first at the old ; put off , concerning the former conversation , the old man , which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts , ephes . . . lo , the old man is corrupt ; this is enough to cashier him : what man can abide to carry rotten flesh about him ? if but a wound fester and gather dead flesh , we draw it , we corrode it , till it be clear at the bottome . those that make much of their old man , do , like that monstrous twin , willingly carry about a dead half of themselves , whose noisomnesse doth torment and kill the living . look at the new ; being freed from sin , and made servants to god , ye have your fruit in holiness , and the end everlasting life , rom. . . holiness is a lovely thing of it self : there is a beauty of holiness , gloria sanctitatis , as the vulgar turns it , psal . . and goodness doth amply reward it self : yet this holiness hath besides infinite recompence attending it . holiness is life begun ; eternal life is the consummation of holiness : holiness is but the way ; the end whereto it leads is everlasting life . as therefore we would avoid the annoiance and danger of our sinful corruptions , as we would ever aspire to true and endless blessedness , oh let us be transformed by renewing . but how is this renewing wrought , and wherein doth it consist ? surely as there are three ways whereby we receive a new being , by creation , by generation , by resuscitation : so according to all these is our spiritual renewing ; it is by creation , whosoever is in christ is a new creature , cor. . . it is by regeneration , except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdome of god , joh. . . it is by resuscitation , even when we were dead in sins , hath he quickened us together with christ , ephes . . . from whence arises this double corollary . . that we can give ( of our selves ) no active power to the first act of our conversion ; no more then adam did to his first creation , no more then the child doth to his own conception , no more then the dead man to his raising from the grave . . that there must be a privation of our old corrupt forms , and a reducing us from our either nothing , or worse , to an estate of holiness and new obedience . this is that which is every where set forth unto us by the mortification of our earthly members , and putting off the old man , on the one part ; and by the first resurrection , and putting on the new , on the other . nothing is more familiar then these resemblances . but of all similes , none doth so fitly ( methinks ) express the manner of this renewing as that of the snake , which by leaving his old slough in the streights of the rock , glides forth glib and nimble . i remember holcot urges the similitude thus ; to turn off the snakes skin ( saith he ) two things are requisite . the first is , foraminis angustia , the streightness of the passage ; else he must needs draw the old skin through with him : the latter is stabilitas saxi , the firmness of the stone ; else in stead of leaving the skin he shall draw the stone away with him . so must it be in the business of our renovation : first , we must pass through the streight way of due penitence ; secondly , we must hold the firm and stable purpose of our perseverance in good . true sorrow and contrition of heart must begin the work , and then an unmoved constancy of endeavour must finish it . whosoever thou art therefore , if thy heart have not been toucht , yea torn and rent in pieces , with a sound humiliation for thy sins , the old slough is still upon thy back ; thou art not yet come within the ken of true renovation . or if thou be gone so farre , as that the skin begins to reave up a little in a serious grief for thy sins , yet if thy resolutions be not steadily setled and thine endeavours bent to go through with that holy work , thou comest short of thy renewing ; thine old loose filme of corruption shall so cumber thee , that thou shalt never be able to pass on smoothly in the ways of god. but because now we have a conceit that man ( as we say of fish ) unless he be new , is naught ; every man is ready to challenge this honour of being renewed : and certainly there may be much deceit this way . we have seen plate or other vessels that have look'd like new , when they have been but new guilded or burnish'd ; we have seen old faces that have counterfeited a youthly smoothness and vigorous complexion ; we have seen hypocrites act every part of renovation , as if they had falne from heaven . let us therefore take a trial by those proofs of examination that cannot fail us : and they shall be fetcht from those three ways of our renewing which we have formerly specified . if we be renewed by creation , here must be a clean heart . cor mundum crea , saith the psalmist , psal . . . for as at the first god look'd on all his works , and found them very good ; so still , no work of his can be other then like himself , holy and perfect . if thy heart therefore be still full of unclean thoughts , wanton desires , covetousness , ambition , profaneness , it is thine old heart of satans marring : it is no new heart of god's making ; for nothing but clean can come from under his hands . but if we plead the closeness of the heart , which may therefore seem impervious even to our own eyes , see what the apostle saith , ephes . . . we are his workmanship created unto good works . the cleanness of the heart will shew it self in the goodness of the hands . but if our hands may deceive us , as nothing is more easily counterfeited then a good action , yet our feet will not , i mean the trade of our wayes . that therefore from our creation we may look to our regeneration ; if we be the sons of god , we are renewed : and how shall it appear whether we be the sons of god ? it is a golden rule , whosoever are led by the spirit of god , they are the sons of god , rom. . . yet if in both of these life could be counterfeited , death cannot . that therefore from our creation and regeneration we may look to our resuscitation , and from thence back to our grave ; mortifie your members which are on earth , col. . . there is a death of this body of sin , and what manner of death ? those that are christ's , have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts , gal. . . lo , as impossible as it is for a dead man to come down from his gibbet , or up from his coffin , and to doe the works of his former life ; so impossible it is that a renewed man should doe the old works of his unregeneration . if therefore you find your hearts unclean , your hands idle and unprofitable , your ways crooked and unholy , your corruptions alive and lively , never pretend any renewing ; you are the old men still ; and however ye may go for christains , yet ye have denied the power of christianity in your lives : and if ye so continue , the fire of hell shall have so much more power over you , for that it finds the baptismal water upon your faces . our last head is the subject of this renewing , the minde . there are that would have this renovation proper to the inferiour ( which is the affective ) part of the soul ; as if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it , the supreme powers of that divine part needed it no● . these are met with here by out-apostle , who placeth this renewing upon the mind . there are contrarily that so appropriate this renewing to the mind , which is the highest lost of the soul , as that they diffuse it not to the lower rooms , nor to the our houses of the body ; as if onely the soul were capable as of sin , so of regeneration . both these shoot too short , and must know that as the mind , so not the mind only , must be renewed . that part is mentioned not by way of exclusion , but of principality . it is the man that must be renewed ; not one piece of him . except ye please to say according to that old philosophical adage , the mind is the man ; and the body , as the wisest ethnick had wont to say , nothing but the case of that rich jewel . to say as it is , the most saint-like philosophy was somewhat injurious in disparaging the outward man. whatever they thought , this body is not the hung-by , but the partner of the soul ; no less interessed in the man then that spirit that animates it , no less open to the inhabitation of god's spirit , no less free of heaven . man therefore that is made of two parts , must be renewed in both : but as in the first birth whole man is born , onely the body is seen ; so in the second , whole man is renewed , onely the soul is instanced in . our apostle puts both together , thes . . . the god of peace sanctifie you wholly , that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless to the coming of our lord jesus . why then is the mind thus specified ? because it is the best part , because as it enlivens and moves , so it leads the rest . if the mind therefore be renewed , it boots not to urge the renovation of the body . for as in nature we are wont to say , that the soul follows the temperature of the body ; so in spiritual things we say rather more truly , that the body follows the temper and guidance of the soul. these two companions , as they shall be once inseparable in their final condition , so they are now in their present dispositions . be renewed therefore in your minds , and , if you can , hold off your earthly parts . no more can the body live without the soul , then the soul can be renewed without the body . first then the mind , then the body . all defilement is by an extramission ( as our saviour tels us . ) that which goeth into the body defileth not the man ; so as the spring of corruption is within . that must be first cleansed , else in vain do we scour the channels . ye shall have some hypocrites that pretend to begin their renewing from without . on foul hands they will wear white gloves ; on foul hearts , clean hands , and then all is well . away with these pharisaical dishes , filthy within , clean without , fit onely for the service of unclean devils . to what purpose is it to lick over the skin with precious oyle , if the liver be corrupted , the lungs rotten ? to what purpose is it to crop the top of the weeds , when the root and stalk remains in the earth ? pretend what you will , all is old , all is naught , till the mind be renewed . neither is the body more renewed without the mind , then the renewing of the mind can keep it self from appearing in the renewing of the body . the soul lies close , and takes advantage of the secrecy of that cabinet whereof none but god keeps the key ; and therefore may pretend anything : we see the man , the soul we cannot see ; but by that we see we can judge of that we see not . he is no christian that is not renewed ; and he is worse then a beast that is no christian . every man therefore lays claim to that renovation whereof he cannot be convinced ; yea there want not those , who though they have a ribaldish tongue and a bloody hand , yet will challenge as good a soul as the best . hypocrite , when the conduit-head is walled in , how shall we judge of the spring , but by the water that comes out of the pipes ? corrupt nature hath taught us so much craft as to set the best side outward . if therefore thou have obscene lips , if bribing and oppressing hands , if a gluttonous tooth , a drunken gullet , a lewd conversation , certainly the soul can be no other then abominably filthy : it may be worse then it appears , better it cannot lightly be . the mind then leads the body , the body descries the mind ; both of them at once are old , or both at once new . for us , as we bear the face of christians , and profess to have received both souls and bodies from the same hand , and look that both bodies and souls shall once meet in the same glory , let it be the top of all our care , that we may be transformed in the renewing of our minds ; and let the renewing of our minds bewray it self in the renewing of our bodies . wherefore have we had the powerful gospel of our lord jesus christ so long amongst us , if we be still our selves ? what hath it wrought upon us , if we be not changed ? never tell me of a popish transubstantiation of men ; of an invisible , insensible , unfeisible change of the person , whiles the species of his outward life and carriage are still the same . these are but false hypocritical juglings to mock fools withall . if we be transformed and renewed , let it be so done , that not onely our own eyes and hands may see and feel it , but others too ; that the by-standers may say , how is this man changed from himself ? he was a blasphemous swearer , a profane scoffer at goodness ; now he speaks with an awful reverence of god and holy things : he was a luxurious wanton ; now he possesseth his vessel in holiness and honour : he was an unconscionable briber , and abettor of unjust causes ; now the world cannot see him to speak for wrong : he was a wild roaring swaggerer ; now he is a sober student : he was a devil ; now he is a saint . oh let this day ( if we have so long deferr'd it ) be the day of the renovation , of the purification of our souls . and let us begin with a sound humiliation , and true sorrow for our former and present wickednesses . it hath been an old ( i say not how true ) note that hath been went to be set on this day , that if it be clear and sun-shinie , it portends an bard weather to come ; if cloudy and louring , a milde and gentle season insuing . let me apply this to a spiritual use , and assure every hearer , that if we overcast this day with the clouds of our sorrow and the rain of our penitent tears , we shall find a sweet and hopeful season all our life after . oh let us renew our covenants with god , that we will now be renewed in our minds . the comfort and gain of this change shall be our own , whiles the honour of it is gods and the gospels ; for this gracious change shall be followed with a glorious . onwards , this onely shall give us true peace of conscience ; onely upon this shall the prince of this world find nothing in us : how should he , when we are changed from our selves ? and when we shall come to the last change of all things , even when the heavens and elements shall be on a flame , and shall melt about our ears , the conscience of this change shall lift up our heads with joy , and shall give our renewed souls an happy entry into that new heaven : or , when we shall come to our own last change , in the dissolution of these earthly tabernacles , it shall bless our souls with the assurance of unchangeable happiness , and shall bid our renewed bodies lie down in peace , and in a sweet exspectation of being changed to the likeness of the glorious body of our lord jesus christ , and of an eternal participation of his infinite glory . whereto he who ordained us graciously bring us , even for the merits of his son , our saviour jesus christ , the just : to whom , with the father and the holy ghost , be all praise , honour and glory , now and for ever . amen . the fall of pride ; out of proverbs . vers . . by jos. hall . prov . . vers . . a mans pride shall bring him low ; but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit . that which was the ordinary apophthegm of a greater then solomon , ( he that exalteth himself shall be brought low , but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted , which our saviour used thrice in terminis , oft in sense ) is here the aphorism of wise solomon . neither is it ill guessed by learned mercerus , that our saviour in that speech of his alludes hither . i need not tell you how great , how wise solomon was . the great are wont to be most haunted with pride ; the wise can best see the danger of that pride which haunts the great : great and wise solomon therefore makes it one of his chief common-places , the crying down of pride : a vice not more general then dangerous ; as that which his witty imitator can tell us is initium omnis peccati , the beginning of all sin . now pride can never be so much spighted as by honouring her contemned rival , humility . nothing could so much vex that insolent agagite , as to be made a lacky to a despised jew . besides her own portion therefore , which is ruine , solomon torments her with the advancement of her abased opposite . my text then is like unto shushan , in the streets whereof honour is proclaimed to an humble mordecai ; in the palace whereof is erected an engine of death to a proud haman ; a mans pride shall bring him low ; but honour shall uphold the humble . the propositions are antithetical ; wherein pride is opposed to humility , honour to ruine . hear , i beseech you , how wise solomon hath learn'd of his father david to sing of mercy and judgement : judgement to the proud , mercy to the humble ; both together with one breath . the judgement to the proud is their humbling ; the mercy to the humble is their raising to honour . it is the noted course of god to work still by contraries : as indeed this is the just praise of omnipotence , to fetch light out of darkness , life out of death , order out of confusion , heaven out of hell , honour out of humility , humiliation out of pride ; according to that of the sacred way-maker of christ , every hill shall be cast down , every valley raised . but in this particular above all other ; he delights to cross and abase the proud , to advance the humble , as blessed mary in her magnificat , to pull down the mighty from their seat , and to exalt the humble and meek . for god hath a special quarrel to the proud as those that do more nearly contest with his majesty , and scramble with him for his glory . he knows the proud afarre off , and hath a special favour in store for the humble , as those that are vessels most capable of his mercy , because they are empty . this in common : we descend to the several parts . the judgement begins first , as that which is fit to make way for mercy . therein there are two strains ; one is the sin , the other is the punishment . the sin is a mans pride . a mans , not for the distinction of one sex from another , but first , for the comprehension of both sexes under one . the woman was first proud , and it sticks by her ever since : she is none of the daughters of eve that inherits not her childs-part in this sin . neither is this feminine pride less odious , less dangerous . rather the weakness of the sex gives power and advantage to the vice ; as the fagot-stick will sooner take fire then the log . secondly , for the intimation of the reflex action of pride . a mans pride therefore is the pride of himself . indeed the whole endeavour , study , care of the proud man , is the hoising of himself ; yea , this himself is the adequate subject of all sinful desires . what doth the covetous labour but to inrich himself ? the voluptuous but to delight himself ? the proud but to exalt himself ? whether in contempt of others , or in competition with god himself . for pride hath a double cast of her eye ; downwards to other men in scorn , upwards to god in a rivalty . to men first , as the proud pharisee , i am not as others , nor as this publican . he thinks he is made of better clay then the common lump ; it is others happiness to serve him . he magnifies every act that fals from him , as that proud nebuchadnezzar , is not this great babel that i have built ? yea his own very excretions are sweet and fragrant , whiles the perfumes of others are ranck and ill-sented . to god , secondly . for whereas piety makes god our alpha and omega , the beginning and the end ; the beginning to which we ascribe all , the end whereto we referre all : the proud man makes himself his own alpha , thanks himself for all ; makes himself his own omega , seeks himself in all ; begins at himself , ends at himself . which must needs be so much more odious to god , as it conforms us more to the enemy of god , of whom we say commonly , as proud as the devil . for that once-glorious angel looking upon his own excellency wherewith he was invested in his creation , began to be lift up in himself , made himself his own alpha and omega , acknowledging no essential dependance upon god as his beginning , no necessary reference to god as his end ; and therefore was tumbled down into that bottomless dungeon , and reserved in everlasting chains of darkness unto the judgement of the great day . this is it which some think saint paul alludes to , when he charges that a bishop should not be a novice , left he should be puffed up , and fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into the condemnation of the devil , tim. . . now there are so many kinds of pride as there are imaginary causes of self-exaltation ; and there are so many causes imagined hereof , as there are things reputed more precious and excellent in the eyes of the world . i might send you to hugo's chariot of pride , drawn with four horses , ( that age knew no more ) and the four wheels of it , if i listed to mount pride curiously : but i will shew you her on foot . to speak plainly therefore , these five things are wont commonly to be the matter of our pride , honour , riches , beauty , strength , knowledge . every of them shall have a word . those that are tainted with the first , are state-proud ; bladders puft up with the wind of honour . thus ninive , behold i sit as a queen ; i am , and there is none else : thus the insolent officer of sennacherib , who art thou , that thou despisest the least of my masters servants ? vicina potentibus superbia , as that father said , pride is an usual neighbour to greatness . how hard is it for eminent persons , when they see all heads bare , all knees bowed to them , not to be raised up in their conceits , not to applaud their own glory , and to look overly upon the ignoble multitude , as those which are terrae filii , mushroms , worthy of nothing but contempt ? hence it is that proud ones are incompatible with each other . look upon other vices , ye shall see one drunkard hug another , one debauch'd wanton love another , one swearer , one profane beast delight in another : but one proud man cannot abide another ; as one twig cannot bear two red-breasts . both would be best : caesar will not indure an equal , nor pompey a superiour . the second are purse-proud . vermis divitiarum superbia , as st. austin wittily , pride is in the purse , as the worm in the apple . thus nabal , because he hath money in his bags and stock on his ground , sends a scornful message to poor david , though a better man then himself ; many servants run away from their masters now adaies . how many examples meet us every where of this kind ; of them which having scrap'd together a little money more then their neighbours , look big upon it , and scorn the need of the better deserving , and bluster like a tempest , and think to bear down even good causes before them ? secundas fortunas decent superbiae , as the comedian , pride becomes the wealthy . thus solomon notes in his time that the rich speaks with commands ; the words weigh according to the purse . the third are the skin-proud ; for beauty goes no deeper : such as with jezebel lick themselves , and with narcissus dote upon their own faces ; thinking it a wrong in any that sees them , and admires them not ; spending all their thoughts and their time in fashions and complexion , as if their soul lay in their hide ; despising the ordinary forms of vulgar persons , yea of the most beneficial nature . elatus erat animus tuus propter pulcritudinem , thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty , saith ezekiel . . the fourth are the sinew-proud , which presume upon their own strength and vigor . elatum cor robore , saies the same ezekiel . . as goliah , who dares in the confidence of his own arm challenge the whole hoast of god , and scorns the dwarfs and shrimps of israel . the fifth is the skill-proud , puffed up with the conceit of knowledge ; as knowledge is indeed of a swelling nature . there is much affinity betwixt knowledge and pride : both came out of one country ; for pride is also natione coelestis , as hierom well : and since she cannot climbe up thither again , she will be mounting as high as she can towards it . every smatterer thinks all the circle of arts confined to the closet of his breast ; and , as job speaks of his haughty friends , that all wisdome lives in him , and dyes with him . hence is that curiosity of knowing vain querks of speculation ; hence singularity of opinion hating to go in the common track ; hence impatience of contradiction ; hence contempt of the mediocrity of others . out of this impatience zidkijah could smite michaiah on the eare , and , as buffeting him double , say , which way went the spirit of god from me to thee ? out of this contempt the scribes and pharisees could say , turba haec , this laity , that knows not the law , is accursed . but besides these five a man may be proud of any thing , yea of nothing , yea of worse then nothing , evil. there may be as much pride in rags as in tissues . diogenes tramples upon plato's pride , but with another pride . and we commonly observe , that none are so proud as the foulest . in what kind soever it be , the more a man reflects upon himself , by seeking , loving , admiring , the more proud he is , the more damnable is his pride . but as in all other cases pride is odious to god ; so most of all in point of religion , and in those matters wherein we have to doe with god. a proud face , or a proud back , or a proud arm , or a proud purse are hateful things : but a proud religion is so much worse as the subject should be better . let this then be the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or test of true or false religion ; that which teacheth us to exalt god most , and most to depress our selves , is the true : that which doth most pranck up our selves and detract from god , is the false . it was the rule of bonaventure , whom the romanists honour for a saint , hoc piarum mentium est , &c. this is the part of pious souls , to ascribe nothing to themselves , all to the grace of god. so as how much soever a man attributes to the grace of god , he shall not swerve from piety in detracting from nature ; but if he substract never so little from the grace of god , and give it to nature , he indangers himself , and offends . in the safety of this proof our doctrine triumphs over the romish in all those points wherein it opposeth ours . ours stands ever on gods side , exalting his free grace and mere mercy as the causes of our salvation ; theirs dividing this great work betwixt god and themselves , gods grace and mans free-will , and ascribing that to merit which we to mercy . herein popery is pure pharisaisme , and comes within the verge of spiritual pride , solomon's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . insolent men , that will be climbing to heaven by ladders of their own making , with acesius in jerome ! what other issue can they exspect from the jealous god but a fearful precipitation ? neither doubt i but this is one main ground of the angels proclamation in the apocalyps , cecidit , cecidit babylon , it is fallen , it is fallen , babylon the great city . thus from the sin , which is pride , we descend to the punishment , which is ruine ; a mans pride shall bring him low . how can a bladder sink ? yet pride , though it be light in respect of the inflation , is heavie in respect of the offence : the guiltiness is as a milstone to which it is tied , that will bear it down to the bottome of the deep . as therefore there is a reflex action in the sin , so is there in the punishment ; it shall ruine it self . no other hands shall need to be used in the judgement besides her own . as the lightning hath ever a spight at the high spires and tall pines , striking them down or firing them , when the shrubs and cotages stand untouched : so hath the god that made it , at a self-advanced greatness ; whether out of a scorn of rivality , or a just punishment of theft ; for the proud man both in a cursed emulation makes himself his own deity , and steales glory from god to set out himself . for both these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our saviour ; he shall be brought down saith solomon . down , whither ? to the dust , to hell ; by others , by god himself , temporally here , eternally hereafter . insomuch as aesop himself ( we have it in stobaeus ) when he was ask'd what god did , answers , excelsa deprimit , extollit humilia . besides the odionsness of a proud man amongst men , commonly god is even with him here . how many have we known that have been fastidious of their diet , which have come to leap at a crust , to beg their bread , yea to rob the hogs with the prodigal ? how many that have been proud of their beauty have been made ( ere they died ) the loathsome spectacles of deformity ? that of esay strikes home , because the daughters of sion are haughty , and walk with stretched-out necks and wanton eyes , &c. therefore the lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughter of zion , esay . . how many , that from the height of their over-weening have been brought to benhadad's halter , or have been turn'd to graze with nebuchadnezzar ? the lord roots up the house of the proud , prov. . . but if they escape here ( as sometimes they do ) hereafter they shall not : for the proud man is an abomination to the lord , prov. . . god cannot indure him , ps . . . and what of that ? tu perdes superbos , thou shalt destroy the proud , ps . . . the very heathens devised the proud giants struck with thunder from heaven . and if god spared not the angels whom he placed in the highest heavens , but for their pride threw them down headlong to the nethermost hell ; how much less shall he spare the proud dust and ashes of the sons of men , and shall cast them from the height of their earthly altitude to the bottome of that infernall dungeon ? humility makes men angels , pride made angels devils , as that father said ; i may well adde , makes devils of men . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saies the heathen poet menander , never soul escaped the revenge of pride , never shall escape it . so sure as god is just , pride shall not go unpunished . i know now we are all ready to call for a bason , with pilate , and to wash our hands from this foul sin . honourable and beloved , this vice is a close one , it will cleave fast to you ; yea so close , that ye can hardly discern it from a piece of your selves : this is it that aggravates the danger of it . for , as aquinas notes well , some sins are more dangerous propter vehementiam impugnationis , for the fury of their assault , as the sin of anger ; others for their correspondence to nature , as the sins of lust ; others propter latentiam sui , for their close sculking in our bosome , as this sin of pride . oh let us look seriously into the corners of our false hearts , even with the lantern of gods law , and find out this subtile devil ; and never give peace to our souls till we have dispossessed him . down with your proud plumes , o ye glorious peacocks of the world ; look upon your black legs and your snake-like head ; be ashamed of your miserable infirmities : else god will down with them and your selves in a fearful vengeance . there is not the holiest of us but is this way faulty : oh let us be humbled by our repentance , that we may not be brought down to everlasting confusion ; let us be cast down upon our knees , that we may not be cast down upon our faces . for god will make good his own word one way , a mans pride shall bring him low . the sweeter part of this ditty follows , which is of mercy ; mercy which hath two strains also , the grace , the reward . the gratious disposition , ( for a vertue properly it is not ) is humility , expressed here in the subject , the humble in spirit . not he that is forcibly humbled by others , whether god or man ; ( so a wicked ahab may walk softly and droop for the time , and be never the better : what thank is it if we bow when god sets his foot upon us ? ) but he that is voluntarily humble in spirit . and yet there are also vicious kinds of this self-humility . as first , when man having only god supra se , and therefore owing religious worship to him alone , worships angels or saints that are but juxta se . it is the charge that s. paul gives to his colossians , let no man deceive you in a voluntary humility , and worshipping of angels : much less then of stocks and stones . these very walls , if they had eyes and tongues , could testifie full many of these impious and idolatrous cringes and prostrations . so as if wood or stone could be capable of pollution , here was enough ; till this abused frame was happily washed by the clear streams of the gospel , and re-sanctified by the word and prayer . this is a superstitious humility . . when a man basely subjects himself to serve the humors of the great by gross supparasitation , by either unjust or unfit actions and offices ; yielding himself a slave to the times , a pander to vice. this is a servile humility . . when a man affects a courteous affability and lowly carriage for ostentation , for advantage ; or when a man buries himself alive in an homely cowle , in a pretence of mortification ; as if he went out of the world , when the world is within him . to be proud of humility , as a father said well , is worse then to be superciliously and openly proud . this is an hypocritical humility . . when out of pusillanimity or inordinateness a man prostitutes himself to those unworthy conditions and actions of sinful pleasure that mis-beseem a man , a christian . this is a brutish humility . all these self-humiliations are thankless and faulty . it will be long enough ere the superstitious , servile , hypocritical , brutish humility shall advance us other then to the scaffold of our execution . the true humility is , when a man is modestly lowly in his own eyes , and sincerely abased in his heart and carriage before god. and this self-humiliation is either in respect of temporal or spiritual things . of temporal , when a man thinks any condition good enough for him ; and therefore doth not unduly intrude himself into the preferments of the world , whether in church or commonwealth . when he thinks meanly of his own parts and actions , highly and reverently of others ; and therefore in giving honour goes before others , in taking it behind them . of spiritual , when he is vile in himself , especially in respect of his sins , and therefore abhors himself in sackcloth and ashes : when the grace that he hath he can acknowledge , but not over-rate ; yea he takes it so low as he may do without wrong to the giver : when for all blessings he can awfully look up to his creator and redeemer , ascribing all to him , referring all to him , depending for all upon him ; so much more magnifying the mercy of god , as he is more sensible of his own unworthiness . this is the true , though short , character of humility . a plain grace , ye see , but lovely . from which let it please you to turn your eyes to the blessing allotted to it : which is so expressed in the original , that it may either run , the humble in spirit shall enjoy honour , as in the former translation ; or , honour shall uphold the humble in spirit , as in the latter . in both , honour is the portion of the humble ; for the raising of him in the one , for the preserving of him in the other . honour , from whom ? from god , from men . even the good man of the house will say , friend , sit up higher . for though with vain men he is most set by that can most set our himself : yet with the wiser , the more a man dejects himself , the more he is honoured . it cannot stand with the justice of the truly-vertuous to suffer a man to be a loser by his humility : much less will god abide it . a broken heart , o god , thou wilt not despise , saith the psalmist ; and , pullati extolluntur salute , the mourners are exalted with safety , saith eliphaz in job . . the lord lifteth up the meek , saith david , out of good proof ; and needs must he rise whom god lifteth . what should we need any other precedent of this vertue , or other example of this reward , then our blessed saviour himself ? all other are worthy of forgetfulness in comparison : who being in the form of god , thought it not robbery to be equall with god ; but made himself of no reputation , and took upon him the form of a servant , &c. and being found in fashion as a man , he humbled himself , and became obedient unto death , even the death of the cross . o god , what an incomprehensible dejection was here ! that the living god should descend from the highest glory of heaven , and put upon him the rags of our humanity ; and take on him not the man onely , but the servant , yea the malefactor ; abasing himself to our infirmities , to our indignities , to be reviled , spat upon , scourged , wounded , crucified : yea all these are easie tasks to that which follows ; to be made a mark of his fathers wrath in our stead , so as in the bitterness of his soul he is forced to cry out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? what heart of man , yea what apprehension of angels can be capable of fadoming the depth of this humiliation ? answerable to thy dejection , o saviour , was thine exaltation ; as the conduit-water rises at least as high as it falls . now is thy name above every name ; that at the name of jesus every knee should how , of things in heaven , in earth , under the earth . neither meanest thou to be our saviour onely , but our pattern too . i do not hear thee say , learn of me for i am almighty , i am omniscient ; but , learn of me that i am meek . if we can go down the steps of thine humiliation , we shall rise up the stairs of thy glory . why do we not then say , i will be yet more vile for the lord ? oh cast down your crowns with the twenty four elders ( apoc. . . ) before the throne of god : humble your seves in the sight of the lord , and he shall lift you up , jam. . . indeed there is none of us but hath just cause to be humbled , whether we consider the wretchedness of our nature or of our estate . what is the best flesh and blood but a pack of dust made up together into a stirring heap , which in the dissolution molders to dust again ? when i consider the heavens , and see the sun , the moon and the stars as they stand in their order ; lord , what is man , that thou regardest him ? what a worm ? what an ant ? what a nothing ? who besides his homeliness is still falling asunder ; for even of the greatest and best-composed is that of the psalm verified , universa vanitas omnis homo , every man is all vanity . alas then , what is it we should be proud of ? is it wealth ? what is the richest metal but red and white earth ? and that whereof too we may say , as the sons of the prophets of their hatchet , alas , master , it was but lent . what speak i of this , when our very breath is not our own ? the best praise of coin is , that it is current , it runs from us ; yea it is volatile , as wise solomon , riches have wings : and if they leave not us , we must them . we brought nothing hither , and ( according to the proclamation of that great king ) we must carry nothing with us but our winding-sheet ; yea rather that must carry us . is it our land ? how long is that ours ? that shall be fixed when we are gone , and shall change , as it hath done , many masters . but withall , where is it ? i remember what is reported of socrates and alcibiades , ( aelian tells the story . ) socrates saw alcibiades proud of his spacious fields and wide inheritance , he calls for a map , looks for greece , and finding it , asks alcibiades where his lands lay . when he answered they were not laid forth in the map. why ( said socrates ) art thou proud of that which is no part of the earth ? what a poor spot is the dominion of the greatest king ? but what a nothing is the possession of a subject ? a small parcel of a shire , not worthy the name of a chorographer . and had we , with licinius , as much as a kite could fly over , yea if all the whole globe were ours , six or seven foot will serve us at the last . is it our honour ? alas , that is none of ours ; for honour is in him that gives it , not in him that receives it . and if the plebeians will be stubborn or uncivil and respectless , where is honour ? and when we have it , what a poor puffe is this ? how windy , how unsatisfying ? insomuch as the great emperour could say , i have been all things , and am never the better . have ye great ones all the incurvations of the knee , the kisses of the hand , the styles of honour , yea the flatteries of heralds ? let gods hand touch you but a little with a spotted fever , or girds of the colick , or belking pains of the gout , or stoppings of the bladder , alas ! what ease is it to you that you are laid in a silken bed , that a potion is brought you on the knee in a golden cup , that the chirurgion can say , he hath taken from you noble blood ? as esau said of his birth-right , ye shall say ( mutat is mutandis ) of all these ceremonies of honour , what are these to me , when i am ready to dye for pain ? is it beauty ? what is that ? or wherein consists it ? wherein , but in mere opinion ? the aethiopians think it consists in perfect blackness ; we europeans , in white and red : and the wisest say , that is fair that pleaseth . and what face is it that pleaseth all ? even in the worst some eyes see features that please ; in the best some others see lines they like not . and if any beauty could have all voices , what were this but a wast and worthless approbation ? grant it to be in the greatest exquisiteness , what is it but a blossome in may , or a flower in august , or an apple in autumn , soon faln , soon withered ? should any of you , glorious dames , be seized upon with the nasty pustles of the small pox , alas ! what pits do those leave behind them to bury your beauties in ? or if but some languishing quartan should arrest you , how is the delicate skin turn'd tawnie ? how doth an unwelcome dropsie ( wherein that disease too often ends ) bag up the eyes , and mis-shape the face and body , with unpleasing and unkindly tumors ? in short , when all is done , after all our cost and care , what is the best hide but saccus stercorum , as bernard speaks , which if we do not finde noisome , others shall ? well may i therefore ask , with ecclesiasticus , quid superbit terra & cinis ? why is this earth and ashes proud ? though it were as free from sin as it is from perfection . but now when wickedness is added to vanity , and we are more abominable by sin then weak by nature , how should we be utterly ashamed to look up to heaven , to look upon our own faces ? surely therefore , whensoever you see a proud man , say there is a fool ; ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. ) the heathen menander could say so : for if he were not a mere stranger in himself , he could be no other then confounded in himself . we see our own outward filthiness in those loathsome excretions which the purest nature puts forth : but if we could as well see our inward spiritual beastliness , we could not but be swallowed up of our confusion . it falls out with men in this case as with some old foul and wrinkled dames , that are soothed up by their parasites in an admiration of their beauty , to whom no glass is allowed but the picturers , that flatters them with a smooth , fair and young image . let such a one come casually to the view of a glass , she falls out first with that mirrour , and cries out of the false representation : but after , when upon stricter examination she finds the fault in her self , she becomes as much out of love with her self as ever her flatterers seemed to be enamour'd of her . it is no otherwise with us . we easily run away with the conceit of our spiritual beauty , of our innocent integrity ; every thing feeds us in our over-weening opinion . let the glass of the law be brought once and set before us , we shall then see the shameful wrinkles and foul morphews of our souls , and shall say with the prophet , we lye down in our shame , and our confusion covereth us , for we have sinned against the lord our god , jer. . . thus if we be humbled in spirit● we shall be raised unto true honour ; even such honour as have all his saints . to the participation whereof , that god who hath ordained , graciously bring us , for the sake of jesus christ the righteous : to whom , with the father and the holy ghost , one infinite god , be all honour and glory now and for ever . amen . christ and caesar . a sermon preached at hampton-court , by jos. hall . joh. . . the chief priests answered , we have no king but caesar . there cannot be a more loyal speech as it may be used ; one sun is enough for heaven , one king for earth : but as it is used , there cannot be a worse . for in so few words , these jews flatter caesar , reject christ , oppose christ to caesar . first , pretending they were caesar's subjects ; secondly , professing they were not christs subjects ; thirdly , arguing , that they could not be christ's subjects because they were caesar's . the first by way of affirmation , caesar is our king : the second by way of negation , no king but caesar : the third by way of implication , christ is not our king , because caesar is . the first was a truth ; caesar was indeed now their king , but against their wils . conquest had made his name unwelcome . they say true then , and yet they flatter . wonder not at this ; a man may flatter , yea lye , in speaking truth , when his heart believes not the title that his tongue gives . so it was with these jews ; they call'd him king , whom they malign'd as an usurper . for they feeding themselves with the conceit of being god's free people , wherein judas gaulonites and sadducus the pharisee had soothed them , hated him as an enemy , whom they were forced to fear as their king , holding it no better then a sinful vassalage to stoop unto an heathen scepter . ye know the question moved upon the tribute-money , matth. . . is it lawful to pay tribute to caesar ? lo , they say not , is it needful ? but , is it lawful ? the herodians were a faction that had never moved this question , unless the pharisees and their scrupulous clients had denied it . they make it a difficulty not of purse , but of conscience , licetne ? is it lawful ? yet here , regem habemus caesarem , caesar is our king. they liked well enough to have a king ; yea hereupon they were so ready to swagger with god and his samuel : they had learn'd of nature and experience the best form of government ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but they would have had him of their own . as god said of the great prophet , so they are glad to hear him say of their king , de numero fratrum tuorum , from among thy brethren . propriety is in nothing more pleasing then in matter of government . it is a joy to think we have a king of our own ; our own blood , our own religion ; according to the motto of our princes , ich dicn : otherwise next to anarchy is heterarchy ; neither do we find much difference betwixt having no head at all , and having another mans head on our shoulders . the bees love to have a king , but one that is of their own hive : if an hornet come in and offer to rule amongst them , ( though stronger ) they abide not the colour . it was edomitish blood that made herod so hateful , though otherwise of no small merit . now caesar , though he were their king actually in regard of power , yet they held him no better then an intruder in regard of right . for at first here was no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a partnership and league of love betwixt the romans and jews , as maccab. . . but after , when pompey had vanquish'd hyrcanus and aristobulus , now judaea was glad to turn tributary , and of a friend became a vassal , as ye see in the taxation of augustus , luk. . . and so continued with no small regret . caesar therefore was to them a pagan for religion , a tyrant for usurpation ; at the best , an alien from the commonwealth of israel ; and therefore ( as they imagined ) not capable of being the head of israel . this of the romans is taken for that regnum gentium , the kingdome of the gentiles , hagg. . . by an antonomasie ; which was therefore so much more hated , as it was more prevalent and imperious . and ye know their fearful suggestion , venient romani , the romans will come , joh. . . it was observed of old by hierome , and since by galatinus and others , indeed who could look beside it ? that the thalmud and the ancient rabbins , wheresoever they find the name of edom or idumaea in the old testament , there they think straight rome understood ; and this was with them that onus duma , in the prophet esay . a misprision that arises ( as jerome guesses aright ) by occasion of the letters of duma and roma ; for the hebrew r and d are so like that they can hardly be distinguished , and the same letter in the hebrew forms both o and u. hence they gave out caesar for an idumaean , and branded all that nation with the curses of edom. absurdly , as we well know ; for edom , or esau , was isaac's son , whereas we europeans came of japhet . but this shews their good will both to caesar and his country ; no nation under heaven was more odious to them , against whom they heartily praied in their sense , remember , o lord , the children of edom , psal . . . yet here , regem habemus caesarem , caesar is our king. neither was this the note of the chief priests onely , which had learn'd to flatter by art ; but of the hollow multitude , who had said ( vers . . ) caesar's friend . as if all were now grown fond of that soveraignty which they hated . this is enough to let our caesar see that fair tongues are not alwaies true . in the psalm which our late augustus of ever-blessed memory chose for the anniversaries of his deliverance both from the cowries and the powder , ( psal . . ) ye find this clause ( vers . . ) strange children shall dissemble with me ; which in our last translation runs , strangers shall submit themselves to me . marvel not at the difference ; the hebrews take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for both , either mentientur or humiliabuntur , to signifie either curtefie or craft : wherefore ? but to shew us that estranged hearts , whiles they submit , do but dissemble ; and none more submiss then the falsest ; some whereof , whiles with deep protestations of fidelity they were writing quodlibetical invectives against the perfidiousness of some busiospirits of their own faction , we have seen fall foul upon a convicted treason . it was not for nothing that under the picture of that lame souldier which at last hath shouldred into the calender , was written , cavete vobis , principes , look to your selves , ye great ones . believe actions , believe not words . if those that refuse to profess allegeance must needs be unsound , would to god they were all sound that swear it . even judas could say , hail , master ; and these colloguing jews , regem habemus caesarem , we have caesar for our king. do ye not mark how this note is changed ? the chief priests said here , non habemus regem nisi caesarem , we have no king but caesar : now there is an high-priest that says , non habemus regem caesarem ; yea caesar is his esculer , or his lacky . the exemption of the spiritualty from caesar , the subjection of caesar to the head of the spiritualty , are points that would have been as strange to the chief priests of those times as they are familiar to ours . but , o souls not unworthy of a proud insultation , that thus willingly abase their crowns to a tyrannous mitre ! it was too good a word this for jews , regem habemus , we have a king : that which they held their misery , was more happiness then they could deserve , to be subjects . the very name of a king carries protection , order , peace : for rex judicio , &c. the king by judgement establisheth the land , saith solomon , prov. . . who knows not that , judg. . . in those days there was no king in israel : and what of that ? every one did that which was right in his own eyes . anarchy is lawless , dissolute , confused . what other is the king then the head of the body , the eye in the head , the ball in that eye ? lucernam aptavi uncto meo , i have prepared a light for mine anointed , psal . . . without which the whole state must needs , like a blinded polyphemus , reel , and stagger , and grovel . if solomon note it as a wonder in the locusts , that they have no king , and yet go forth by bands ; s. john notes it in the infernal locusts , that they have a king , and his name is abaddon , revel . . . not to speak of heaven or earth then , even hell it self stands not without a government ; the very region of confusion consists not without so much order : take this away , earth would be hell , and what would hell be ? there are nations , i doubt not , that may say , dedisti regem in ira , thou hast given us a king in thine anger , hos . . . but for us , we may say , ut ros super herbam , his favour is as the dew upon the grass , prov. . . and shall justly shut up with old david , blessed be the lord god of israel , who hath thus replenished our throne , as our eyes see it this day , kings . . and if we do in the joy of our hearts say , habemus regem ; why should not he with equal reflection of joyful heart say , habemus subditos . tribute , honour , fear , prayers , love , life is not too dear for our caesar . this is enough for the affirmation , caesar is our king : the negation follows , we have no king but caesar . the negative as it is universal , excluding all ; so it specially singles out christ , whom pilate had lately nam'd for their king. none , therefore not this jesus . a rebellious protestation , and no better then blasphemie in the mouth of jews , of priests : for could they be ignorant of the kingdome of the messiah ? yea of this messiah ? was not this king of the jews fore-figured by melchisedec king of salem ? sedec , we know , is justice , salem is peace ; the fruit of his justice is peace . fore-prophesied to be the prince of peace ? esay . . the government is upon his shoulder , saith that evangelical seer : yea , which of the prophets is silent of this style ? constituted ? behold , i have set my king upon sion , psal . . . acknowledged by the sages ? where is be that is born king of the jews ? we have seen his star , mat. . . usher'd in by the angel gabriel ? the lord shall give him the throne of his father david , luke . . anointed ? he is christus domini , and christus dominus ; anointed with the oyle of gladness above his fellows . proclaimed ? behold , thy king cometh to thee , saith zachary : hosanna , blessed be the kingdome that comes in the name of the lord , said the children in the streets . enthronized ? thy throne , o god , is for ever , and the scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter . honoured with due homage ? the kings of the earth shall bring presents to thee , saith the psalmist . and yet this king , thus presigured , fore-prophesied , constituted , acknowledged , usher'd in , anointed , proclaimed , enthronized , adored , is cast off with a nolumus hunc , no king but caesar . and were they not well served , think we ? did or could ever any eye pity them ? because they say , christ is not our king , but caesar , therefore christ shall plague them by caesar ; that very roman government which they honoured in a corrivality and opposition to christ , shall revenge the quarrel of christ in the utter subversion of these unthankful rebels . oh foolish people and unjust ! do ye thus requite the lord ? did he empty himself of his celestial glory , and put on weak manhood and all the symptoms of wretched mortality ; and do ye despise him for this mercy ? is he so vile to you , because he was so vile for you ? did his love make him humble , that his humility should make him contemptible ? did he chuse you out of all the kingdomes of the earth , and do ye wilfully reject him ? hear therefore , ye despisers , and tremble ; hear the just doom of him who will be your judge , if he shall not be your saviour : those mine enemies that would not i should reign over them , bring them hither , and slay them before me , luk. . . lord , it is done as thou hast commanded , and yet there is room . do we think that christ hath no rebels but jews ? would to god we sinners of the gentiles had not said , disrumpamus vincula , let us break his bonds , and cast his cords from us . what are his bonds but his laws ; his cords but religious institutions ? these flie about mens ears like rotten tow , binding none but the impotent . the bounds of his kingdome are the ends of the earth . it is an hard word ( yet i must say it ; ) oh that there were not more traitors in the world then subjects ! tell not me what mens tongues say ; their lives say loud enough , nolumus hunc , christ is no king for us . obedience is the true touch-stone of loyalty ; not protestations , not outward cringes , not disbursement of tribute . we have all solemnly sworn allegeance to the god of heaven ; we are ready to bow at the dear name of jesus ; we stick not , perhaps , to give obedientiam bursalem , as gerson cals it , to god : but when it comes once to the deniall of our selves , to the mortifying of our corruptions , to the strangling of the children of our own accursed wombs , to the offering up our bodies and souls as a reasonable and lively sacrifice ; hîc rhodus , hîc saltus . kings rule by their laws . be not deceived ; if slips of weakness marre not our fealty , certainly continuance in wilful sins cannot stand with our subjection . quomodo legis ? how readest thou then ? as our saviour asks . what saies thy law-giver in sinai ? thou shalt have no other gods but me . if now thou rear up in thy bosome altars to the astaroth of honour , to the tammuz of lust , to the mammon of wealth , thou hast defied christ for thy king. god saies , thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain . if now thine unhallowed tongue will not be beaten out of the hellish track of oaths , blasphemies , prophane scoffs , thou hast defied christ . god sayes , thou shalt keep holy the sabbath day . if now thou shalt spend it altogether upon thy self , or else thinkest , with that wise heathen , thou dost septimam oetatis partem perdere , thou defiest christ . god saies , thou shalt not commit adultery . if now , like an enraged stallion , thou neighest after every object of impure lust , thou hast defied christ . god saies , non in comessationibus & ebrietate , not in surfeiting and drunkenness . if now we shall pour our health and our reason down our throats , and shall sacrifice our souls to our bellies , what do we say but , nolumus hunc ? but , o foolish rebels that we are ! do we think thus to shake off the yoak of christ ? in spight of men and devils , he will be their king who do most grin and gnash at his soveraignty . feel , o ye wilful sinners , if ye will not learn , that as he hath a golden scepter , virgam directionis , psal . . . so he hath also an iron scepter , psal . . . virgam furoris , esay . . beauty and bands , zach. . , . if ye will not bow under the first , yea must break under the second . he shall break you in pieces like a potters vessel , to mammocks , to dust . ye shall find that the prince of darkness can no more avoid his own torment , then he can cease from yours ; and every knee , not onely in heaven and in earth , but under the earth too , shall mal-grè bow to the name of that jesus whom they have scornfully rejected with nolumus hunc , christ is no king to us . but i perswade my self better things of you all that hear me this day : there is none of you ( i hope ) but would be glad to strew his garments , his olive-boughs , yea his myrtles and lawrels , yea crown and scepter under the feet of christ , and cry , hosanna altissimo . oh then if you be in earnest , take the psalmists counsel , osculamini filium : give him the kiss of homage , of obedience . let me have leave to say that this charge is there given to the great princes and rulers of the earth ; they who honour others with a kiss of their hand , must honour themselves with the humble kiss of his : no power can exempt from this sweet subjection . ecce servus tuns , behold , i am thy servant , faith david ; yea and , vilior ero , i will be yet more vile for the lord. tremble before his footstool , o ye great ones , that bindeth kings with chains and nobles with fetters of iron , psal . . . your very height inforces your obedience ; the detrectation where of hath no other , but , potentes potenter punientur , mighty ones shall be mightily tormented . as an angel of god so is my lord the king , as that wise tekoan said . do ye not see how awful , how submiss the angels of heaven are ? before his throne they hide their faces with their wings ; and from his throne , at his command , they wait upon base and sinful flesh . it was a great praise that was given to placilla the wife of theodosius in theodoret's history , neque enim imperii principatu extollebatur , &c. her throne had not over-carried her thoughts , but inflamed her holy desires the more ; for the largeness of gods blessing so much more intended her love to the giver . let me be bold to say , we have seen , we have seen the incomparable favours of god to your sacred majesty ; we that were witnesses both of the weakness of your cradle and the strength of your throne : and what loyal heart did not feel the danger of your late southern voiage , and the safety of your return ? go on happily to fear and honour that god who hath so blessed you , and us in you . yield still unto the son of god the faithful kisses of your reverence , loyalty , observance : he shall return unto you the happy kisses of his divine love and favour , and after a long and safe protection , the dear imbracements of an eternal welcome to glory . thus much of the negation , christ is not our king. the implication follows , christ is not our king , because caesar is . the anabaptist and the jew are so cross , that i wonder how one amsterdam can hold them both : the anabaptist saies , caesar is not our king , because christ is ; the jew saies , christ is not our king , because caesar is : both of them equally absurd . could there be a more ignorant paralogisme then this wherewith the foolish jews beguiled themselves ? as if these two , christ and caesar , had been utterly incompatible . this senseless misprision was guilty of all the plots against christ . herod no sooner hears of a king of the jews , then he startles up , and is straight jealous of his crown : the jews hear of a king , and they are jealous of caesar's crown : the caesars following hear of a king , and they are jealous of the jews ; for , as suetonius tels us in the life of vespasian , percrebuerat in oriente toto vetus & constans opinio , esse in fatis at judaei hoc tempore rerum potirentur , it was an old and constant conceit all the east over , that the jews were about this time destin'd to rule . this was on all hands an ignorant , an injurious scrupulosity . o vain men ! could they but have known that this was he that truly said , per me reges regnant , by me kings reign , they had concluded , caesar could be no king but from him : earthly jurisdiction is derived from this heavenly . it is he that makes this a monarch , that a prince , that other a peer ; omnis potestas , all power is given to him both in heaven and earth , and from him to men . caesar hath his crown from christ ; so farre is christ from pulling the crown from caesar . there were two points of state , which if they had known , would have secured them from these idle fears ; the subordination , the diversity of christs kingdome and caesar's . subordination , for christ is the founder of all just soveraignty , he can be no enemy to it . plainly , christ is caesar's lord , caesar is christs deputy : the deputed power is not against the original , but as by it , so for it . as caesar was christs lord in forma servi ; ( ye know his charge , give to caesar the things that are caesar's ; and the liquid cofer of the sea shall rather yield the didrachma then he will not pay it , matth. . . ) so christ is caesar's lord in the soveraignty of his deity ; solus supra caesarem deus , qui fecit caesarem , none above caesar , but the god that made caesar , as that father said . there can be no contrariety in subordination . so is caesar to christ , as earth is to heaven ; under , not against it . all the life and motion of any earthly creature is from the influences of heaven ; without which this whole globe were nothing but a dull and drossie clod . and as here is subordination one way , so diversity another . pilate question'd our saviour punctually of his kingdome , art thou a king ? he denies not , but distinguishes ; my kingdome is not of this world , joh. . . lo , christs kingdome was not of this world ; caesar's was not of the other : here can be no danger of opposition . audite judaei , audite gentes , as s. austin wittily , hear , o jews , hear , o gentiles , i hinder not your dominion in this world , for mine is of another . fear not herod 's vain fear , who killed the infants to rid christ ( timendo magìs quam irascendo crudelior ) more cruel in his fear then in his rage . my kingdome , he saies , is not of this world . oh come then to that kingdome which is not of this world ; come in believing , and do not tyrannize in fearing . thus he . this king came not into the world to subdue kings by fighting , but to win them by dying , as fulgentius well . neither doth he take away mortal kingdomes who gives heavenly , as the christian poet said aright . upon both these grounds therefore , it is a blasphemous inconsequence , caesar is our king , therefore not christ : yea , therefore caesar , because christ . religion doth not cross policy , but perfects it rather . give me leave , i beseech you , to press this point a little . it is religion that teacheth us that god hath ordained kingly soveraignty , rom. . . ordained it immediately . that position was worthy of a red hat , potestas principis dimanavit à populo , pontificis à deo , in the recognition of the book de laicis ; purposely raised to depress the dignity of kings , to advance the priesthood . i am sure , samuel ( when it was ) said , ecce , prafecit vobis jehova regem , behold , god hath set a kiog over you , sam. . . and kings are wont to have no less title then unctus jehove , the anointed of the lord ; not unctus populi , the anointed of the people , sam. . . sam. . . daniel could say of god , he removes kings , and setteth up kings , dan. . . what need i perswade christian kings and princes , that they hold their crowns and scepters as in fee from the god of heaven ? cyrus himself had so much divinity , ezra . . it is religion that teaches us that the same power which ordained caesar , injoyns all faithful subjection to caesar ; not for fear , but for conscience , rom. . . tribute to whom tribute , honour to whom honour ; yea all devout prayers for a nero himself , tim. . . curbing both the tongue and the heart , thou shalt not curse the king in thy thoughts , nor the rich in thy bed-chamber , eccles . . . it is religion that teaches us that vengeance shall be sure to follow rebellion , nuntius crudelis , prov. . . yea , no less then hell and damnation , rom. . . cursed be they that say religion is onely to keep men in awe ; and cursed be he that says there is any so sure way to keep men in awe as religion . go ye crafty politicks , and rake hell for reasons of state ; ye shall once find that there is no wisdome , nor understanding , nor counsel against the lord. it was a true and well-grounded resolution of constantius , that they cannot be faithful to their king , who are perfidious to their god. let the great caesars of the world then know , that the more subject they are to christ , the more sure they are of the loyalty of their subjects to them . neither is there in all the world any so firm and streight bond to tye the hearts of their people to them , as true religion to god. to conclude therefore , christ is not caesar's rival , but caesar's lord and patron . caesar rules by his laws , christ by religion . if execution be the life of laws , i am sure religion is the life of execution . in short , religion is the strongest pillar of policy , the base of the palace , the feet and armes of the chair of state , the frame of the councel-bord . as ye love your peace , ye great ones , make much of it ; plant it where it is not , enlarge it where it is , maintain it at home , incourage it abroad . and if distressed religion shall come with her face blubber'd and her garments rent , wringing her hands and tearing her hair , and shall prostrate her self at the feet of earthly greatness for lawful succour , with veni opitulari , come and help , as macedonia in the acts ; wo be to the power that fails it ; and blessed , thrice blessed from heaven be that hand that shall raise her on her feet , and wipe off her teares , and stretch out it self mightily for her safe-guard . let me never prosper if that hand make not that head immortally glorious . for us , blessed be god , we live here in the warm zone , where the hot beams of the sun of righteousness beat right down upon our heads . but what need i tell your sacred majesty that in the north-west part of your dominions , there are some that live in the frozen and dark climate of ignorance and superstition , whose eyes have seldome ( if ever ) been blest with so much as an oblique irradiation of the gospel ? i know the bowels of your princely compassion cannot but be stirred with the misery of these poor cimmerian souls , that have not so much light as to wish more . oh may it please your gracious majesty to shine into those darksome corners , by improving your soveraign authority to the commanding of a learned and powerful ministry amongst them . let true religion be letled in them , and true religion shall settle their hearts to your majesty more then all conquests , lawes , violences , oaths , indearments whatsoever . and for these happy regions which are comfortably illuminated with the saving doctrine of jesus christ , may it please you to forbid their impuration by the noisome fogs and mists of those mis-opinions , whose very principles are professedly rebellious ; as being well assured that the more your majesty shall advance the spiritual kingdome of christ , the more he shall advance the strength and glory of your temporal : the more perfectly he is your christ , the more unmoveably shall you be his caesar . and may he still and ever be yours , and you his , till earth and time be no more ; till he shall have delivered up his mediatory kingdome into the hands of his father . to whom , &c. the defeat of cruelty praied for , and laid forth in a sermon preach'd at a solemn fast at white-hall , by jos. hall , dean of worcester , &c. psal . . . rebuke the company of spear men , the multitude of the bulls , with the calves of the people , till every one submit himself with pieces of silver : scatter thou the people that delight in warre . the same psalme that lately yielded us a song of thanksgiving , now affords us a prayer for victory : such variety of spiritual flowers grows in every bed of this divine garden . our occasions cannot change so oft , as god can fit us with change of notes . the last verse before my text , was a prediction of kings bringing presents to god ; this is a prayer for dissipation of enemies . it is not for nothing that the psalmist interrupts his prophecy with a petition . hostility blocks up the way to devotion . even the laws of god are silent in the clashing of armes ; that kings may bring presents to god , god must give an happy cessation of armes to them . it is not long since we saw the lords anointed approach to this altar of god with presents of thanksgiving , for our late deliverance from the raging pestilence : now we come to sue , and expect that god would crown his royal head with garlands of victory ; and rebuke the company of spear-men , the multitude of bulls , with the calves of the people ; and scatter the people that delight in war. may it please you , first , to see the enemies , then the defeat . the enemy is described by a threefold title . . fera arundinis , the company of the spear-men , or , beasts of the reeds . . the multitude of bulls , with the calves of the people . . the people that delight in warre . the defeat is double , increpa , and dissipa , rebuke , and scatter . rebuke is for the two first ; yet not absolutely , but with limitation , ( till they submit themselves with pieces of silver . ) dissipation is for the last ; scatter the people that delight in warre . those that will be unjustly warring are worthy of rebuke ; but those that delight in warre are fit for nothing but confusion . to begin with the first . why doth the same hebrew word signifie a beast , and a company ? is it because the multitude is bellua multorum capitum , a beast of many heads ? or is it because of the sociable nature even of brute creatures , which still affect to herd and flock together ? for , lest any man stumble at the word , that which is here translated fera , is by the same hand turned pecus , ver . . both the senses doe well , a beast , or a company : the one implyes the qualities of the churches enemies , that they are of a fierce and bestial disposition ; the other , their number and combination . for the former , who can express the savage cruelty of the enemies of the gospell ? look into the ancient story of the infancy of christianity , ye shall see how men set their wits on the rack to devise torments . to shew you that in a painted table which poor christians felt , would be a spectacle of too much horror . what should i lay before you their gibbets , wheels , stakes , caldrons , furnaces , and all their fearful pomps of death ? what should i tell you of men dressed every way that meats were for the palate ? here was slaying , frying , boiling , broiling , roasting , baking , haching , and all possible kinds of hideous forms of murder . to forget all old immanities , what should i shew you the flames of our late marian times ? what should i bring you into the holy inquisition , and shew you there all the bloody engines of torture , an hell upon earth ? what should i present you with the whips , halters and knives of eighty eight ? or raise up your hair with the report of those spanish cruelties which were exercised upon our men in the indies during the late warre ? death was but a sport in respect of the torments in dying . lo here , a beast ; yea , not bestia , but fera , a savage beast ; yea worse then either . did ever man doe thus to beast ? if a baptista porta have devised a way to roast a foul quick ; or some italian executioner of gluttony have beaten a swine dead with gentle blows , to make a cardinals morsel ; every ingenuous man is ready to cry out of this barbarous tyranny , yea the very turks would punish it with no less then death : yea if a syracusan boy shall but pick out a crows eyes , those pagans could mulct him with banishment . nay , what beast did ever thus to man ? nay , did ever one beast doe thus to another ? if they gore and grasp one another in their fury , or feed on each other in the rage of their hunger , that is all ; they do not take pleasure in saucing each others death with varieties or delaies of pain . none but man doth thus to man ; and in none lightly but the quarrel of religion . false zeal takes pleasure in surfeits of blood , and can injoy others torment . hence are bloody massacres , treacherous assassinations , hellish powder-plots , and whatever stratagem of mischief can be devised by that ancient man-slayer ; from whose malicious and secret machinations good lord deliver us . as the enemies of the church are fera , a beast , so they are coetus , a compaany , yea , a multitude . well may they say with the devil in the possessed man , my name is legion , for we are many ; a legion of many thousands : yea , gad , for an hoast cometh ; an hoast of many legions : yea , a combination of many hoasts : gebal , and ammon , and amalek , the philistins with them that dwell at tyre , ashur also is joyned to them . here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the church of the malignant : a church ? yea a world ; mundus in maligne . divide the world ( with our learned breerwood ) into thirty parts , nineteen of them are pagans ; and they are enemies . of those eleven that remain six are mahumetans ; and they are enemies . of those other five that remain , there is an antichristian faction that challenges universality ; and they are enemies . stand now with me upon the hill , and take a survay of the enemies ; see them lye scattered like grashoppers in the valley , and tell me whether the church have not reason to say , lord , how many are they that rise up against me ? yet when all is done , ( that no man may be discouraged ) if we have but our eyes opened with elisha's servant , to see the hoast of heaven glittering about us , we shall boldly say , there are more with us then against us . yet if these that are against us were many , and not united , it were nothing . a large showr loseth it self , whiles the drops are scattered in the sands ; but many drops met make a torrent , yea an ocean . here is coetus ; their heads , their hearts , their hands are laid together . and why do not we learn wit and will of those that hate us ? why are we several , whiles they are conjoyned ? why should partial factions and private fancies distract us , when the main cause of god is on foot ? beleague your selves , ye christian princes and potentates ; combine your selves , ye true-hearted christians , and be gathered by the voice of gods angel to a blessed and victorious armageddon . but why fera arundinis , the beast of the reeds ? i do not tell you of s. jerome's descant upon bestia calami , the beast of the quill , that is , writers for falshood ; though these , these are the great incendiaries of the world , and well worthy of the deepest increpation . here doubtless , either the beasts of the reeds are the beasts that lye among the reeds ; ( as cassiodorus hath given us an hint , leones domestica canneta reliquerunt , the lions have lest the reedy thickets ) or else the reed is here the spear , or dart . we know some regions yield groves of reeds ; ye would think them so many saplings or samplars at the least ; arborescere solent calami , as calvin . these were of use in warre for darts or spears . the vant-gard therefore of david's enemies are spear-men or darters ; for they were wont to dart their spears ( as you see in saul , sam. . . ) and why this ? in a sword-fight we come to close hand-blows ; such as a quick eye and nimble hand may perhaps avoid : but the spear and dart strikes afarre off , pierces where it strikes , smites unseen , unevitably . for the remoteness , violence , irresistableness of the blow , are the enemies of the church described by the spear and dart ; where they cannot come , they send dangerous emissaries , headed on purpose to wound the best state to death ; felt ere they can be seen , and so soon as they are felt , killing . what doe these but follow their general , whose spiritual weapons are fiery darts ? ephes . . . much and lamentable experience hath this state ( if ever any ) had of these mischievous engines of commotion , that have been hurled hither from beyond the alpes and pyrenees . what is the remedy , but the same which is against the devil , the shield of prevention ? stir up your vigilant care , o ye great leaders of israel , by the strict execution of wholesome laws , to avoid the dint of these murderous subornations . and when ye have done your best , it must be the lord of hoasts , the great protectour of israel , that must break the bow , and knap the spear in sunder , psal . . . their second title is bulls , for their ferocity , for their strength . the lion is a more lordly beast , but the bull is stronger ; and , when he is enraged , more impetuous . such are the enemies of the church . how furiously do they bellow out threats , and scrape up the earth , and advance their crest , and brandish their horns , and send out sparkles from their eyes , and snuffe out flames from their nostrils , and think to bear down all before them ? what should i tell you of the fierce assalts of the braving enemies of the church , whose pride hath scorned all opposition , and thinks to push down all contrary powers , not of men only , but of god himself ? let us break their bonds , and cast their cords from us . who is the lord , that i should let israel goe ? where is the god of hamath , and of arpad ? where are the gods of sepharvaim , hena and ivah ? have they delivered samaria out of my hand ? who are they among the gods of the countries , that have delivered their country out of my hand , that the lord should deliver jerusalem out of my hand ? saith proud rabshakeh , kings . . heark how this assyrian bull roars out blasphemie against the lord of hoasts ; and all the rest of that wild herd have no less grass on their hornes : stay but a while , and ye shall see him with'd , and halter'd , and stak'd , and baited to death . here only is the comfort of the poor menaced church , that the mighty god of israel , who sayes to the raging sea , here shalt thou stay thy proud waves , can tame at pleasure these violent beasts , or break their necks with their own fury . so let thine enemies perish , o lord. these bulls are seconded with their own brood , the calves of the people . who are they , but those which follow , and make up the herd ? the credulous seduced multitude , which not out of choice , but example , join in opposition to god. silly calves , they go whither their dams lead them , to the field or to the slaughter-house . blinde obedience is their best guide . are they bidden to adore a god which they know the baker made ? they fall down upon their knees , and thump their breasts , as beating the heart that will not enough believe in that pastry-deity . are they bidden to goe on pilgrimage to a chappel that is a greater pilgrim then themselves , that hath four several times removed it self , and changed stations , ( as turselline considently ? ) they must goe , and adore those wandring walls . are they bidden to forswear their allegiance , and to take armes against their lawful and native soveraign ? they rush into the battel without either fear or wit ; though for the aide of a sure enemy , which would make them all ( as he threatned in eighty eight ) alike good protestants . very calves of the people , whose simplicity were a fitter subject for pity , then their fury can be of malice ; were it not that their power is wont to be imployed to the no small prejudice of the cause of god. and would it boot ought to spend time in perswading these calves that they are such ? to lay before them the shame of their ignorance and stupidity ? hear now this , o foolish people and without understanding , which have eyes and see not , which have eares and hear not , jer. . . how long will ye suffer your selves to be befooled and beslaved with the tyranny of superstition ? god hath made you men , why will ye abide men to make you vitulos populorum , the calves of the people ? we must leave you as ye are , but we will not leave praying for your happy change ; that god would consecrate you to himself , as the calves of his altar , that ye may be offered up to him an holy , lively , reasonable , acceptable sacrifice in your blessed conversion . amen . the last and worst title of these enemies is , the people that delight in warre . warre is to the state as ignis and ferrum , the knife and the searing-iron , to the body ; the last and most desperate remedy : alwaies evill , if sometimes necessary ; it is not for pleasure , it is for need . it must needs be a cruel heart that delights in warre . he that well considers the fearful effects of warre , the direption of goods , the vastation of countries , the sacking and burning of cities , the murdering of men , ravishing of women , weltring of the horse and rider in their mingled blood , the shrieks and horror of the dying , the ghastly rage of the killing , the hellish and tumultuous confusion of all things ; and shall see the streets and fields strewed with carkasses , the chanels running with streams of blood , the houses and churches flaming , and , in a word , all the woful tyrannies of death ; will think the heathen poets had reason to devise warre sent up from hell , ushered and heralded by the most pestilent of all the furies , every of whose haires were so many snakes and adders to affright and sting the world withall . little pleasure can there be in such a spectacle . it is a true observation of st. chrysostome , that warre to any nation is as a tempest to the sea , tossing and clashing of the waves together . and fain would i hear of that mariner that takes delight in a storm . the executioners of peaceable justice are wont to be hateful ; no man abides to consort with a publick headsman : and what metal then shall we think those men made of who delight in cutting of throats , and joy to be the furious executioners of a martial vengeance ? where , besides the horror of the act , the event is doubtful . the dice of warre run still upon hazard . david could send this message to joab , the sword devoures at randome , so , and such , sam. . . victory is not more sweet then uncertain . and what man can love to perish ? it is true that warre is a thing that should not , but must be ; neither is it other then an unavoidable act of vindicative justice ; an useful enemy , an harsh friend ; such an enemy as we cannot want , such a friend as we entertain upon force , not upon choice ; because we must , not because we would : it challenges admittance if it be just , and it is never just but where it is necessary ; if it must , it ought to be . where those three things which aquinas requires to a lawful warre are met , supreme authority , a warrantable cause , a just intention ; a supreme authority in commanding it , a warrantable cause in undertaking it , a just intention in executing it ; it is no other then bellum domini , gods warre ; god made it , god owns it , god blesses it . what talk i of the good centurion ? the very angels of god are thus , heavenly souldiers . the wise lacedamonians had no other statues of their deities but armed . yea , what speak i of these puppets ? the true god rejoyces in no title more then of the lord of hoasts . in these cases say now , blessed be the lord who teaches my hands to warre and my fingers to fight . but if ambition of enlarging the bounds of dominion , covetousness of rich booties , emulation of a rival greatness , shall unsheath our swords ; now every blow is murder . wo to those hands that are thus imbrued in blood : wo to those tyrants that are the authors of this lavish effusion ; every drop whereof shall once be required of their guilty souls . god thinks he cannot give a worse epithet to those whom he would brand for death then , wicked and blood-thirsty men . david might not be allowed to build god an house , because he had a bloody hand ; the cause was holy , yet the colour offends . how hateful must those needs be to the god of mercies that delight in blood ? the true brood of him that is the man-slayer from the beginning . there are strange diets of men , as of other creatures ; whereof there are some that naturally feed on poison and fatten with it ; and it may be there are cannibals that finde mans blood sweet : yet i think it would be hard to finde a man that will profess to place his felicity in a cruel hazard . so doth he that delights in warre : and if no man ( for shame ) will be known to doe simply and directly so , yet in effect men bewray this disposition , if they be , first , osores pacis , haters of peace , as the psalmist calls them , ps . . . stubbornly repelling the fair motions and meet conditions thereof : if , secondly , they take up slight and unjust causes of warre , as it is noted by suetonius of julius caesar ( which this iland had experience of ) that he would refrain from no occasion of warre if never so unjust ; contrary to the better temper and resolution of wiser romans then himself , who would rather save one subject then kill a thousand enemies : if , thirdly , they give wilful provocations of this publick revenge by gross , open , intolerable injuries ; as hanun did to david ; such are incroachments upon their neighbour-territories , violating the just covenants of league and commerce by main violences : if , fourthly , they refuse to give just satisfaction where they have unjustly provoked ; as the benjamites in case of the sodomitical villany of their gibeah . where all , where any of these are found , well may we brand that people with delight in warre . and since they will needs delight in warre , god shall fit them accordingly . with the froward thou shalt shew thy self froward , ps . . . he shall delight in warring against them . he shall rouze up himself as a giant refreshed with new wine . therefore thus saith the lord of hoasts , the mighty one of israel , ah , i will ease me of my adversaries , and revenge me of mine enemies , es . . . these are the enemies . the defeat follows , rebuke and scatter . the two first , though bad enough , must be rebuked ; the last must be scattered . all gods enemies may not be to us alike , neither aequè nor aqualiter . some are calves , simple , though violent ; some others are bulls , fierce and furious ; some other lions from among the reeds , ravenous and devouring : all these , though cruel , yet perhaps are not malicious ; an increpa is enough for them . saul was one of these wild buls , breathing out threatnings against the church , and tossing upon his horn many worthy christians ; had it not been pity he had been destroyed in that height of his rage ? an increpation brought him home : god had never such a champion . now , certamen bonum certavi , i have fought a good fight , saith he justly of himself , tim. . . this increpa then is , discountenance them , dishearten them , discomfit them , disband them . put them down , o lord , and let them know they are but men : humble them to the very dust , but not to the dust of death ; to correction , as habacuc speaketh , not to a full destruction ; onely till they humbly bring pieces of silver , till they come in with the tributes of peacefull submission , of just satisfaction . the end of all just was is peace . as we are first bidden to inquire of abel ere we inferre it , ( offeres ei pacem , deut. . . ) so when we hear of abel we must stint it . warre to the state is physick to the body . this is no other then a civil evacuation , whether by potion or phlebotomy . what is the end of physick but health ? when that is once recovered , we have done with the apothecary . he wantons away his life foolishly that , when he is well , will take physick to make him sick . it is far from us to wish the confusion of the ignorant and seduced enemies of god's church , those that follow absalom with an upright heart : no , we pity them , we pray for them . oh that they would come in with their pieces of silver , and tender their humble obediences to the apparent truth of god , and yield to the laws of both divine and humane justice ! oh that god would perswade jap●●t to dwell in the tents of sem ! father , forgive them , for they know not what they doe . o thou sword of the lord , how long will it be ere thou be quiet ? put up thy self into thy scabbard , rest and be still , jer. . . but for those other that delight in war , dissipa , domine , scatter them , o lord. confusion is but too good for them ; bring them to worse then nothing . the perfection and suddenness of this dissipation is expressed emphatically in the beginning of this psalm by a double metaphor ; as smoak before the wind , as wax before the fire , so scatter them . of all light bodies nothing is more volatile then smoak , of all solid none more flitting then wax : as wind is to the smoak , and fire to the wax , so are the judgements of god to his enemies ; the wax melteth , the smoak vanisheth before them . the conceit is too curious of those that make the gentiles to be smoak , who mount up in the opinion of their wisdome and power ; the jews wax , dropp'd from the honey-comb of their many divine priviledges . no , all are both , smoak and wax . even so do thou scatter them , o lord ; and be not merciful to them that offend on malicious wickedness . two thoughts onely remain now for us . the first , that it must be god onely who must rebuke and scatter . the second , that it is our prayer onely that must obtain from god this rebuke , this dissipation . both which when i have touched a little , i shall put an end to this exercise of your patient devotion . it is god onely that must doe it ; for vain is the help of man. and how easie is it for the almighty to still the enemy and avenger ? they are as a potters vessel to his iron scepter ; as the thorns or wax to his fire ; as chaff or smoak to his wind . to our weakness the opposite powers seem strong and unconquerable ; the canaanitish was reach up to heaven ; and who can stand before the sons of anak ? when we see their bulwarks , we would think they roll pelion upon ossa with the old giants ; when we see their towers , we would think they would scale heaven with the builders of babel ; when we see their mines , we would think they would blow up the earth . let the wind of gods power but breath upon them , they vanish as smoak ; let the fire of his wrath but look upon them , they melt as wax . tyrannous aegypt had long made slaves of god's people , and now will make slaughter of them ; following them armed at the heels into the chanel of the sea. stand still , and see the salvation of the lord ; for the aegyptians which you have seen to day , ye shall see no more for ever , exod. . . the great hoast of proud benhadad will carry away all samaria in their pockets for pin-dust : ere long ye shall see their haughtie king come in haltred and prostrate . vaunting sennacherib comes crowing over poor jerusalem , and he will lend them two thousand horses , if they can set riders on them ; and scorns their king , and defies their god : stay but till morning , all his hundred fourscore and five thousand shall be dead corpses . vain fools ! what is a finite power in the hands of an infinite ? where there is an equality of force , there may be hard tugging ; but where brass meets with clay , how can that brittle stuff escape unshattered ? let this cool your courages , and pull down your plumes , o ye insolent enemies of god. when ye look to your own sword , there is no rule with you ; mihi perfacile est , &c. it is easie for me ( saith uldes in the story ) to destroy all the earth that the sun looks upon : but when god takes you to task , what toyes , what nothings ye are ? behold , we come against you in the name of the lord of hoasts : it is he that shall rebuke and scatter you . he will doe it ; but he will doe it upon our prayers . not that our poor petitions can put mercy into god , who is infinitely careful for the good of his church above all possible reaches of our desires ; but that we may be raised up to a meet capacity of mercy . god cannot hate his enemies or love his own ever the more upon our intreaties ; yet he will be sued to for the particular effects of both , if ever we look to tast of his mercy in either . if we have not a heart to pray , god hath not an hand to help . so did god hate amalek , that he commanded it to be rooted out of the earth ; so did he love israel as the apple of his eye : yet unless moses hold up his hand , amalek shall prevail against israel . these are our best , our surest weapons , even our prayers ; and blessed be god that hath put it into the heart of his anointed to seek his face in these powerful humiliations . we sought him against the pestilence , and prevailed almost miraculously against that destroying angel ; why should we not hope to find him against unseasonable clouds , against the opposite powers of flesh and blood ? here is your safety , here is your assurance of victory , o ye great princes and potentates of the earth : if ye trust to the arm of flesh it will fail you . let your navies be never so well rigg'd and mann'd ; let your forces be never so strong and numberless ; let them have not onely hands and feet ( that is , horsemen and footmen ) but a bulk of body too , that is , full substance of wealthy provision , ( as the word of flaminius was ; ) let your counsel be vigilant , your munition ready , your troops trained and valiant ; yet if there be not devotion enough in our bosome to make god ours , in vain shall we hope to stand before our enemies . this onely ( whatsoever the profane heart of atheous men may imagine ) this is the great ordnance which can batter down the wals of our enemies , yea the very black gates of hell it self ; in comparison whereof all humane powers are but paper-shot . yea this is that petar which onely can blow open the gates of heaven , and fetch down victory upon our heads , and make us another thundring legion . what is it that made us so happily successful in eighty eight beyond all hope , beyond all conceit , but the fervency of our humble devotions ? that invincible navie came on dreadfully floating like a moving wood in the sight of our coast ; those vast vessels were as so many lofty castles raised on those liquid foundations : then straight , as if those huge bottoms had been stuft with tempests , there was nothing but thunder and lightning and smoak , and all the terrible apparitions of death . we , what did we ? we fought upon our knees , both prince and people . straight god fought for us from heaven . our prayers were the gale , yea the gust that tore those mis-consecrated flags and sails , and scattered and drencht those presumptuous piles , and sent them into the bottom of the deep , to be a parlour for whales and sea-monsters . there lay the pride of spain , the terrour of england . and is the hand of our god shortned ? is he other then what he was ? we may be ( as we are ) weakned and effeminated by a long , luxurious peace : our god is yesterday , and to day , and the same for ever . if we be not wanting to him in our prayers , he cannot be wanting to our protection . look up to him ( o dear christians ) that is the god of our salvation . behold , the lions out of their reeds , the buls out of their forests , and these in banded multitudes conspire against us ; and the mis-led calves of the people are apt enough to back their attempts . neither is this a fair hostility ; our enemies are those that hate peace , and delight in war , offering insolent provocations to our state , in dis-inheriting part of the royal issue , violating their faiths , maintaining their unjust affronts , ambitiously aspiring to undue soveraignty . what shall we then doe ? o put not your trust in princes , nor in the sons of men , whose breath is in their nostrils . o put not your trust , ye princes and peers , in your sword , in your bow ; in your powers and confederacies . trust onely to the great god of hoasts , who alone can but blow upon all the proudest preparations of your enemies , and scatter them to the lowest hell. come to him in your humble devotions , with an increpa and dissipa ; he shall soon make your enemies to lick the dust . but what shall i say ( honorable and beloved ? ) we have pray'd , and have not been heard ; and thou , o lord , hast not of late gone forth with our hoasts : yea thou hast rebuked us , in stead of our enemies . alas ! we can more grieve then wonder at this issue . israel in the hot chace of all their victory , is foiled more then once by a canaanite . whence was this ? there was a pad in the straw , an achan in the camp . theft and sacriledge fought against israel more then the men of ai : the wedge of gold wounded them more then the enemies steel ; the babylonish garment disarmed and stripped them : israel had sinned , and must flee . alas , my brethren , what do we pray for victory over our enemies , when our sins ( which are our deadliest enemies ) conquer us ? to what purpose are our prayers loud , when our sins are louder ? to what purpose are our bodies this day empty , if our souls be full of wickedness ? whiles we provoke god to his face with our abominable licentiousness , with our fearful profanations , with our outragious lives , how do we think to glaver with him in our formal devotions ? what care he for our smooth tongues , when our hearts are filthy ? what cares he for an elevated eye , when our souls are depressed to vile lusts ? what cares he for the calves of our lips , when the iniquity of our heels compasses us about ? the very sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the lord ; his very prayer is turned into sin , even that whereby he hopes to expiate it . oh that my people had hearkned to me , and israel had walked in my waies ( faith god ; ) i should soon have subdued their enemies , and turned my hand against their adversaries : the haters of the lord should have submitted themselves to him ; but their time should have endured for ever , psal . . , , . oh then cleanse your hands , ye sinners , and purge your hearts , ye double-minded ; wash your hands in innocence , and then compass the altar of god. then shall the god of our righteousness hear in his holy heavens , and rise up mightily for our defence ; then shall he be a wall of brass about our iland ; then shall he wound the head of our enemies , and make the tongues of our dogs red with their bloud ; then shall he cover our heads in the day of battel , and make this nation of ours victoriously glorious to the ends of the world , even to all ages and times ; then shall he be known to be our god , and we shall be known to be his people for ever : which he of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to grant us for the sake of the son of his love , jesus christ the righteous ; to whom , &c. st. pauls combat . in two sermons preached at the court to his majestie , in ordinary attendance . by j. h. cor. . . if after the manner of men i have fought with beasts at ephesus , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . our saviour foretold us that these last days should be quarrelsome ; all the world doth either act or talk of fighting : give me leave therefore to fall upon the common theme of the times , and to tell you of an holy combat . saint peter tels us there are many knots in s. paul's epistles : this may well go for one of them , which is the relation of his conflict at ephesus . there are that have held it literal , and those not mean nor onely modern authors . nicephorus tels us a sound tale of s. paul's commitment to prison by hieronymus the governour of ephesus , his miraculous deliverance for the christening of eubula and artemilla , his voluntary return to his gaole , his casting to the lion , of the beast couching at the feet of the saint , of the hail-storm sending away the beholders with broken heads and the governour with one ear shorn off , of the lions escape to the mountains . it is a wonder in what mint he had it . there was indeed a theatre at ephesus for such purposes ; and , christianos ad leonem , was a common word , as we find in tertullian . ignatius , tecla , prisca , and many other blessed martyrs were corn allotted to this mill . but what is this to s. paul's combat ? it is one thing to be cast to the beasts as an offender , another thing to fight with beasts as a champion ; a difference which i wonder the sharp eyes of erasmus saw not . those were forced by the sentence of condemnation , these voluntaries as in the jogo de toros ; those were brought to suffer , these came to kill ; those naked , these armed . can any man be so senseless as to think that s. paul ( tricubitalis ille , as chrysostome cals him ) would put himself into the theatre with his sword and target to maintain a duel with the lion ? thus he must doe , else he did not according to the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but if it be pleaded that some bloody sentence might cast him into the theatre to be devoured , and his will and natural care of self-preservation incited him to his own defence ; is it possible that so faithful an historian as s. luke should in his acts omit this passage more memorable then all the rest that he hath recorded ? indeed s. paul , who had reason to keep the best register of his own life , hath reported some things of himself which s. luke hath not particularized : he tels us of five scourgings , three whippings , three shipwracks ; whereas s. luke tels us but of one shipwrack act. . of one scourging , act. . . but so eminent an occurrence as this could not have passed in silence ; at least amongst that catalogue of less dangers his own pen would not have smothered it . yea let me be bold to say that this not onely was not done , but could not be . paul was a citizen of rome ; if that priviledge saved him from lashes , act. . . much more from the beasts ; their contemptible jaws were no death for a roman . i am with those fathers , ( tertullian , chrysostome , jerome , theophylact , others ) who take this metaphorically of men in shape , beasts in condition , paralleling it with tim. . . i was delivered out of the mouth of the lion , that is , nero : and with that of the psalmist , ne tradas bestiis animas confitentes tibi , give not unto the beasts the souls that confess thee , as the vulgar reads , psal . . . who then were these beasts at ephesus ? many and great authors take it of demetrius his faction and their busie tumult , acts . neither will i strictly examine with s. chrysostome , whether s. paul sent away this former epistle from ephesus before those broils of their diana and her silver-smiths , as may seem to be gathered by conferring of s. luke's journal with s. paul's epistle . others take it of those ephesian conjurers , acts . tertullian hits it home , whiles in a generality he construes it of those beasts of the asiatick pressure , whereof s. paul speaks cor. . . that text glosses upon this at large ; turn your eyes to that commentary of s. paul : for we would not have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in asia , that we were pressed out of measare above strength ; insomuch as that we despaired of life . but we had the sentence of death in our selves . lo here the beasts ; lo here the combat . ephesus was the mother-city of asia ; there s. paul spent three years with such perpetual and hot bickerings , that his very life was hopeless . as some great conquerour therefore desires to have his prime and most famous victory ingraven in his last monument , so doth our apostle single out this ephesian ; i fought with beasts at ephesus . my text then shall be this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but as this word is a compound , so it compounds my text and discourse of two parts : the first comprehends the beasts wherewith s. paul conslicts ; the latter the conflicts that he had with those beasts . both of them worthy of your most careful attention . my first subjects is harsh , and therefore will need a fair construction . the world is a wide wilderness , wherein we converse with wild and savage creatures ; we think them men , they are beasts . it is contrary to the delusions of lycanthropy : there , he that is a man thinks himself a beast ; here , he that is a beast thinks himself a man , and draws others eyes into the same errour . let no man misconstrue me , as if , in a timon-like or cynick humour , i were fallen out with our creation . i know what the psalmist saies , thou hast made man little lower then the angels ( psal . . . ) there is but paulò minùs ; i know some of whom it is said sicut angeli , as the angels of god ; yea yet more , there are those of whom it is said , dii estis , ye are gods ; besides these , every renewed man is a saint , his regeneration advances him above the sphere of mere humanity : but let him be but a very man , that is , a man corrupted , i dare say , though he be set in honour , he is more then compared to the beast that perisheth . far be it from us then to cast mire into the face of our creator : god never made man such as he is ; it is our sin that made our soul to grovel ; and if the mercy of our maker have not condemned our hands to fore-legs , how can that excuse us from bestiality ? neither let us be thought to strike grace through the sides of nature : when it pleaseth god to breath upon us again in our renovation , we cease to be what we made our selves ; then do we uncase the beast , and put on an angel. it is with depraved man in his impure naturals , that we must maintain this quarrel : we cannot challenge a worse enemy then what we were , and what in part we are , and what without gods mercy we should be . let degenerated nature then fee her best advocate at this barre ; he can but plead shape , speech , ratiocination to make himself no beast : and if these prove but some jugling mists to make him seem other then he is , he shall be forced to grant himself other then he seems , a beast . to begin with the first . the true essence of humanity lies not in the outside : god hath hid the form of every creature deeper , much more of him that should be reasonable . let us give leave to holy austin's credulity , that a man was by a piece of an inchanted cheese turned into an ass : tell me now , ye philosophers , what creature ye will call this . his soul is the same , the shape is altered : reason is where she was , but otherwise attended . if ye dare say , it might be a beast with reason , your best fort is lost . the hide was now rough , the ears long , the hooves round and hard , and the whole habit bestial ; but if reason had not more power to make him no beast then these outward parts had to make him no man , i have what i would . you must of force therefore say it was a man clothed with a beast , and so shall fall upon that of cleanthes , which epiphanius mentions , that the soul is the man. what is the body then but the habit of this spirit , which it may change or put off without change , as under divers sutes we still wear the same skin ? if we had been on the scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the disguise of a bears-hide , would we have said , now two beasts are fighting ? the shape therefore may well belie the substance . our english navigations report that on some indian shores men have been seen with the faces of beasts ; and ye know the old verse , simia quàm similis ? yea both our stories and the netherlandish tell us of sea-monsters that have been taken up in the full form of men : if the outside seemed humane , whiles the inside was mute and reasonless , who would honour that creature with the style of man ? what should i tell you that evil spirits have not seldome appeared in the shipes of men , as that devil of endor in samuel's likeness ? if the outward figure could have made the man , the prophet had survived his death . to these let me adde , that the shape is changed with disease or casualty or age , whiles the man is the same : the face that was fair , is now distorted and morphew'd ; the hair that was yellow or black , turn'd white or vanished ; the body that was erect , bowed double ; the skin that was white and smooth , turn'd tawnie and writhel'd ; and the whole frame so altered , as if it had been molded anew , that whiles all others mis-know it , he that dwels in that tenement can scarce know it to be his own : and yet the owner will not say with that mortified spirit , ego non sum ego . what shall we say of the proud monarch of babylon , nebuchadnezzar , during the seven years of his transformation ? his outward shape was not changed , his heart was ; it was the word of his vision , let his heart be changed from mans , and let a beasts heart be given unto him , dan. . . what was he now for the time but a beast even in his own sense ? his diet was with the oxen , his hair like eagles fethers , his nails like birds claws ; all was , obbrutescebat animus , his heart was bestial in a case of humane flesh . it is not therefore the shape that can forbid man to be a beast . and it was not for nothing that the cynick sought in the full streets for a man , and would not allow that acclamation to doxippus in the olympian games , doxippus viros vicit . let us see what speech and reason can doe , ratio & oratio . every living creature hath a peculiar sound whereby to express it self ; and that not without some variety of signification and change of note . if man onely speak articulately words of voluntary formation and arbitrary imposition , yet even brutes have such natural language as whereby each of the same kind do mutually understand other ; and what can our words obtain more ? if an apollonius tyaneus could construe them in their sense , it is all one as if he listened to his gossips . but besides the natural tone , have we not heard birds taught so to imitate the voice of men , that they have received replies , as not distinguished ? do not our books tell us of the hyaena , that learns the shepherds name , and calls him forth to his cost , so cunningly counterfeiting the voice that the man paies his blood for his credulity ? a dumb man is no less a man then a pratler . balaam's ass was a beast still , and yet not only spake , but spake in a mans voice , pet. . . besides that , man when he comes to his best , shall have no use of speech ; ( although there want not some , as gerson , salmeron and others , that hold a vocal quire in heaven . ) the angels praise god and understand each other , without use of a tongue ; once we shall be like them . it is not speech therefore that makes the man , since man shall be most himself when he shall not speak . it is reason that mainly differenceth man from beast , and the improvement of it in a free deduction of consequences and conclusions : that divine power dwells onely in the immortal soul of man , and is not communicable to the lower forme of creatures . let me have leave still to put you in mind that i speak not of man created in innocence ; i speak not of man as renewed by grace , and by that initiated in glory : i speak of man as depraved by sin . now he hath indeed the light of reason , but so dim and duskie , that we may well say he looks through horn , not through crystal : he that was an eagle , is now an owle to this sun. as his best graces are lost , so his second powers are marr'd : he is therefore now become like the beast that perisheth , not in frailty only , but in ignorance ; for it follows , this their way is their folly , psal . . . besides , we see the outside of those creatures we call brute , we see not what is within them . not to speak of the excellency of their common sense and strength of memory ; surely their phantasie yields such inferences as would seem to evince an inferiour and mungrel kind of ratiocination . who that should see plutarch's crow coming to the pail to drink , and finding it not full enough for her reach , carrying stones to raise up the water ; who that should see the beavers framing their den , or some birds building their nests ; who that should see the lion plaining the impression of his paws with his sterne ; who that should see the cranes ballasting themselves when they are to fly over the mountains ; who that shall see the wily tricks of the fox , or the witty feats of the monkey or baboon ; who that shall read of the elephant learning letters and numbers , and plotting his cunning revenges , would not say that these , and a thousand the like , must needs argue a baser kinde of sensitive discourse , such as wherein imagination doth notably counterfeit reason , and in some weak subjects so transcend it , as that lactantius dares say , ( i dare not ) ista non facerent , nisi inesset illis intelligentia & cogitatio ? it is true , our reasonable soul is furnished with higher powers ; but it is not more honour to have had them , then shame to have impair'd them . if god doth not breath upon our dim glasses and wipe them clear , they shew us nothing . to speak plainly ; indeed it is our illumination that perfects reason ; and that illumination is from the father of lights , without whose divine light natural reason is but as a dial without the sun , eyes without light : for the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned , cor. . . and in that person it is that agar the son of jakeh speaks , i am more brutish then man , i have not the understanding of a man , prov. . . why this ? i have not the knowledge of the holy , vers . . the word is remarkable ; no other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jumentum , a beast ; the same that ezekiel uses , when he sayes , i will give thee over into the hands of brutish men , ezec. . . and the psalmist , when he saies , oh ye foolish , or brutish , among the people , when will ye understand ? so as , notwithstanding this muddy and imperfect reason , god sees a kinde of brutality in the natural man. whereto it may please you to adde , that in a man debauch'd reason is so much worse then brutishness , by how much wickedness is worse hainous then simplicity ; and if want of reason make a beast , abuse of reason makes a devil . it is a miserable advantage that make us onely apt to evil , and capable of an hell : small cause have we to brag of those powers which so distinguish us from beasts , that they make us worse then beasts . in short therefore , notwithstanding shape , speech , reason , a natural ( and thereby a vicious ) man may well pass for a beast . and now that we see it apparent that he is so , let us a little inquire how he became so . certainly , god made man upright , as in shape , so in disposition : what wrought this miserable metamorphosis ? what could do it but sorcery ? and what witch could this be but the old circe of the world , sensuality ? man is led and informed by reason , beasts by sense : now when man abandons reason , and gives himself up to sense , he casts off the man , and puts on the beast . neither is this sensuality in the affection only , but it goes through the whole soul : there is a sensual understanding as well as a sensual appetite : the one makes a beast in opinion , the other in practice . gross errour doth the one , vice the other . whosoever therefore is transported with either , is turn'd beast . give me a man that is given up to his filthy lusts , give me a man whose reason is drawn through his maw or his spleen ; let him be otherwise what he will , i dare say he is no other then a beast . and now what variety think you is there of several kinds ? no wilderness affords so many . nero is a lion , tim. . . herod a fox , luke . . the jewish false-teachers dogs , phil. . . david's persecutors bulls of basan , and unicorns , ps . . , . the aegyptian enemies dragons , ps . . . the scribes and pharisees serpents , vipers , mat. . . the babylonian monarch an eagle-winged lion , the persian a bear , the macedonian a leopard , dan. . , , . the enemies of the church wild boares , ps . . . greedy judges evening wolves , zeph. . . schismaticks foxes cubs , cant. . . the time and my breath would fail me if i should reckon up all the several kinds of beasts in the skins of men . surely as there is thought to be no beast upon earth which hath not his fellow in the sea , and which hath not his semblance in plants ; so i may truly say , there is no beast in the vast desart of the world which is not parallel'd in man. yea , as effects and qualities are in an higher degree found in causes and subjects equivocal then in their own , ( as heat is more excellently in the sun then in the fire ; ) so certainly is brutishness more eminent and notorious in man then in beast . look into all heards and droves , and see if you can find so very a beast as the drunkard . it was s. austin's reason of old , those beasts will drink no more then they think enough ; and if the panther ( which they say is the drunkennest beast ) or the swine be overtaken with unaccustomed liquor , it is upon ignorance of the power of it ; ( so a noah himself may be at first mistaken . ) but mans reason foretells him that those intoxicating draughts will bereave him of reason , yet he swills them down wilfully ; as if it were a pleasure to forgoe that whereby he is a man. the beast when he hath his load , may frisk a little , and move inordinately , and then lye down in an ordinary posture of harmless rest : but for the drunkard , his tongue reel● straight either into railing or ribaldry , his hands into swaggering and bloomed ; all his motions are made of disorder and mischief , and his rest is no less odious then his moving . see how he lies wallowing in his own filthy excretions , in so loathsome a fashion as were enough to make the beholder hate to be a man. and now , when we have all done , after all the shame and scorn , here is sus ad volutabrum . all the world cannot reclaim an habituated drunkard ; that which the beasts know not how to doe , his wit projects when he is sober how he may be drunk ; and , which st. chrysostome well observes , as more transcending all humors of beasts , how he may force others to his own shameful excess . far , far be this abominable vice from any of you , courtiers . that which the lacedaemonians scorned in their very slaves , that which our former times had wont to disdain in beggers , let not that stain the honour of a christian court. or if any such should hear me this day , awake ye drunkards and weep , and howle ye drinkers of wine , joel . . return back your superfluous liquor into teares : or if ye will not weep , ye shall howl , if ye will not weep with penitents , ye shall howl with hell-hounds ; and ye that now pour down vessels more to make then quench thirst , shall one day in vain wish to give all the world for but one drop of water to cool that flaming tongue which a whole ocean cannot so much as moisten . look if in all the mountains or falls there be any such goat or stallion as the voluptuous man. those silly beasts are carried with the sway of their natural desires into those actions of lust which are uncapable both of shame and sin ; but in their own seasons , and within their own line : these high-fed steeds are ever neighing after strange flesh , and , as was said of beastly messalina , may be wearied , cannot be satisfied . those beasts affect not to go in any other then the ordinary road of nature : but these prodigies of sodomitical lewdness , as st. paul speaks to his romans ( even then infamous , for this not-to-be-named villany ) burn in lust one towards another , and man with man work that which is unseemly . in that impure city beasts might have been saints to the men ; even out of that reason which the wanton roman dame gave of old for their filly innocence , because they are beasts . look into all the cribbs and troughs of brutish diet , and see whether you can finde such a beast as a glutton . those irrational creatures take that simple provision which nature yields them but to a sufficiency ; not affecting curiosity of dressings , varieties of mixtures , surcharges of measures : whereas the liquorous palate of the glutton ranges through seas and lands for uncouth delicacies , kills thousands of creatures for but their tongues or giblets , makes but one dish of the quintessence of an hundred fouls or fishes , praises that for the best flesh that is no flesh , cares only to solicit that which others would be glad to satisfie , appetite . what shall i say more ? this gourmand sacrifices whole hecatombs to his paunch , and whiffs himself away in necotian incense to the idol of his vain intemperance , and teares his own bowels , yea his soul , with his teeth . look into all the caves and dens of the wildest desart , see if there be any such tiger or wolf as an enemy , as an usuring oppressor . even the savagest beasts agree with themselves , else the wilderness would soon be unpeopled of her four-footed inhabitants . cruel man falls upon his own kinde , and spills that blood which , when both are shed , he cannot distinguish from his own . the fiercest beast , if he seize upon a weaker prey , is incited by a necessity of hunger , and led by a natural law of self-preservation , which once satisfind , puts an end to his cruelty : man is carried with a furious desire of revenge , which is as unsatiable as hell it self . hence are murders of men , rapes of virgins , braining and broaching of infants , mangling of carkasses , carousing of blood , refossion of graves , torturing of the surviving , worse then many deaths ; firing of cities , demolishing of temples , whole countries buried in rubbish and ashes , and even the christian world turn'd to a shambles or slaughter-house . it were too easie for me to prosecute the rest , and in every vicious man to find more beasts then hides , or horns , or hoofs , or paws can discover . brag of thy self therefore , o man , that thou art anoble creature , and vaunt of thine own perfections , look big and speak high ; but if thou be no other then thou hast made ( yea marr'd ) thy self , the very brute beasts , if they could speak as thou dost , would in pity call thee , as the philosopher did in laertius , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thrice man , in stead of thrice miserable , god and his angels and good men look upon thee with no less scorn then thou look'st upon that which thou art and think'st not , a beast ; yea it were well if no worse . let me say , there is not the most loathly and despicable creature that crawls upon the earth , which thou shalt not once envy , and wish to have been rather then what thou art . raise up thy self therefore from this woful condition of depraved humanity ( naturam vincat institutio , as ambrose ) and let it be thine holy ambition to be advanced to the blessed participation of the divine nature , and thereby to be more above thy self then the beast is below thee . fight with thy self till thou hast beaten away the beast ; and wrestle with god till his blessing have sent the angel away with thee . but from the common view of these beasts may it please you to cast down your eyes to the specials . there are beasts of game , there are beasts of service : neither of these are for this place . they are harmful beasts with which this fight is maintained , and yet not every harmful beast neither . ye know the philosopher , when he was ask'd which was the harmfullest of all beasts , answered , of tame , the flatterer ; of wild , the detractor . we have nothing to doe with the former ; and never may that pestilent beast have ought to doe with this presence : those serpents that swell up the soul with a plausible poison , that kill a man laughing and sleeping , those dogs that worry their masters , those vultures that feed on the eyes , on the hearts of the great ; hell is a fitter place for them then christian courts . the detractor is a spightful beast ; his teeth are spears and arrows , his tongue a sharp sword , ps . . . ( it was a great vaunt that the witty captain made of his sword , that it was sharper then slander ) and , which is most dangerous , this beast is a close one , mordet in silentio , bites without noise , eccles . . . he carries the poison of aspes under his tongue , as david speaks ; and in lingua diabolum , as bernard . deliver my soul , o god , from lying lips , and from a deceitful tongue . st. paul was vexed with two kinds of them ; the sophisters , the idolaters : the wrangling adversaries of the gospel , the superstitious abettors of diana , act. . both of them had foenum in cornu . the first , after three months confutation , not onely remained refractary , but blasphemous , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , railing on christianity , and that openly before the multitude . what beasts were these every way ? beasts , in that they would not be convinced by the clear and irrefragable demonstrations of truth , by the undeniable miracles of the apostles ; in that as they had no reason , so they would hear none . beasts , in that they bellow'd out blasphemies against the sacred name of christ . in analogy whereto let me safely and not uncharitably say , that whosoever he is that wilfully stands out against a plain evidence of truth , and sharpens his tongue against the way of god , is no other then a beast . there is a faction of men , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( tit. . . ) that do not onely turn their backs upon that bright-shining truth whose clear beams have these hundred years glared upon their faces ; but also spend their clamorous mouths in barking against this glorious light . what marts of invectives , what bulls of censure , what thunderbolts of anathemas do we still receive from these spightful enemies of peace ? what doth this argue but the litter of the beast ? revel . . the latter were the superstitious demetrians , the doting idolaters of diana : beasts indeed , as for their sottishness , so for their violence and impetuosity . their sottishness is notable even in their ring-leader demetrius . do you hear his exception against st. paul ? vers . . no other then this ; he sayes that they are not gods that are made with hands . did ever any ephesian beast bray out such another challenge ? is it possible that humane reason should be so brutified as to think a man may make his own god , as to seek a deity in liveless metals , as to bow his knees to what hath faln from his fingers ? o idolatry , the true sorceress of the world ! what beasts do thine inchantments make of men ! even the fine athenian ( not the gross theban ) wits were fain to be taught that the godhead is not like to gold , or silver , or stone . and would to god the modern superstition were less foppish . hear this , ye seduced souls that are taught to worship a pastry-god . ergo adeo stolidi opifices ab se fabrefieri deos credunt ? saith our jesuite lorinus of these ephesians , these so foolish workmen think they can make their gods. and why not of gold as well as of grain ? why not the smith as well as the baker ? change but the name , the absurdity is but one . to hold that a man can make his own fingers , or that those fingers can make that wheat whereof the wafer is made , were a strange folly : but that a man can make the god that made him , and eat the god that he hath made , is such a monster of paradoxes as puts down all the fancies of paganisme , and were enough to make a wavering soul say with averroes , sit anima mea cum philosophis . i remember their learned montanus upon luke . . construes that hoc est corpus meum , thus , verum corpus meum in hoc sacramento panis continetur sacramentaliter , & etiam corpus meum mysticum , my true body is sacramentally contained in this sacrament of bread , as also my body mystical ; and withall , as willing to say something if he durst speak out , addes , cujus arcanam & mysteriis refertissimam rationem , ut explicatiorem habeant homines christiani , dabit aliquando dominus , whose secret and most deeply-mystical meaning , god will one day more clearly unfold to his christian people . now the god of heaven make good this honest prophesie , and open the eyes of poor mis-led souls , that they may see to distinguish betwixt a slight corruptible wafer , and an incomprehensible immortal god. and if from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread-worship , i should lead you to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cross-worship , and from thence to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 image-worship , you would finde reason enough why that man of sin , the author of these superstitions , should be called the beast . the violence and impetuosity of these ephesians was answerable : for here was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble , verse . then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concourse , verse . then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion , and that in the whole city , verse , and more then that , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a furious rushing into the theatre , and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a boisterous snatching of those that were conceived opposites , besides all their shouting , and out-cries , and savage uproar . what should i need to tell you , that this furious prosecution is no other then an ordinary symptom of idolatry ? and to make it good , what should i need to lay before your eyes all those turbulent effects that in our daies have followed malicious superstition , those instigations of publick invasions , those conspiracies against maligned soveraignty , those suffossions of walls , those powder-trains , those shameless libels , those patrocinations of treasons ; and , to make up all , those late bulls that bellow out prohibitions of justly-sworn allegeance , those bold absolutions from sacred oaths ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as he said of the lacedaemonians ? ) in all these we too well feel that we have to doe with the beast ; with s. john's beast , no whit short of s. paul's . god knows how little pleasure i take in displaying the enormities of our fellow-christians . although , to say as it is , not the church , but the faction , is it that by their practice thus merits the title of savageness . of that faction let me say with sorrow of heart , that their wilful opposition to truth , their uncharitable and bloody courses , their palpable idolatry hath powred shame and dishonour , and hath brought infinite loss and disadvantage to the blessed name of christ . and now ye see by this time that in the generality natural and vicious men are no other then beasts ; that specially all contentious adversaries to the truth and impetuous idolaters are beasts of s. paul's theatre . wherefore then serves all this , but to stir us up to a threefold use ; of holy thankfulness , of pity , of indignation ? the two first are those duo ubera sponsa , the two breasts of christs spouse , as bernard calls them , congratulation and compassion . the former , of thankfulness to our good god that hath delivered us , as from the wretchedness of our corrupt nature , so from blinde and gross misdevotion , yea from the tyranny of superstition . alas ! what are we better , what other then our neighbours , that our goshen should be shined upon , whiles their aegypt is covered with darkness ? what are we that we should be renewed in the spirit of our mindes , and be created according to the image of god , whiles they continue in the woful deformation of their bestial corruptions ? that our understanding should be inlightned with the beams of divine truth , whereas those poor souls are left in the natural dungeon of their ignorance , or groveling to base earthly unreasonable traditions ? o god of mercies , had it pleased thee to give them our illumination and attraction , and to have left us in their miserable darkness and indocility , we had been as they are , and they perhaps had been as we should be . non nobis , domine , not unto us , lord , not unto us , but to thy name let the praise be given of this thy gracious sequestration ; and thou that onely hast done it , take to thy self the glory and improvement of thine own work . of pity and yearning of bowels ; whether to those careless unregenerates that cannot so much as complain of their too-pleasing corruptions , but applaud themselves in the free scope of their own brutish sensuality , as if they had made a covenant with death , an agreement with hell ; or whether to our poor seduced brethren , that are nursed up in an invincible ignorance of truth , and are held down with the imperious sway of antichristian usurpation . alas ! it is too true which our learned spalatensis ( why should i not call him ours , who sealed up that truth of ours , which his pen had so stoutly maintained , with his last blood ? ) hath observed and published , nam & plebem rudiorem , &c. that the ruder multitude under the papacy are carried commonly with more inward religious affection toward the blessed virgin , or some other saint , then towards christ himself . whose heart would not bleed at the thought of this deplorable irreligion ? and yet these poor souls think they doe so well , as that they cry out of our damnation for not accompanying them . at tu , domine , usque quò ? how long , lord , how long wilt thou suffer the world to be deluded with these foul and pernicious impostures ? how long shall thy church groan under the heavie yoke of their sinful impositions ? o thou that art the great shepherd , look down and visit thy wandring flock ; and at last let loose those silly sheep of thine that are fast intangled in the briars of antichristian exaction . and we , why do not we as heartily labour to reclaim them , as they to withdraw us ? why should they burn with zeal , whiles we freeze with indifferency ? oh let us spend our selves in prayers , in tears , in perswasions , in unweariable endevours for the happy conversion of those ignorant mis-guided souls , who having not our knowledge , yet shame our affections . of indignation lastly , as on the one side , at those practical revolters , that having begun in the spirit will needs end in the flesh ; that having made a shew of godliness , deny the power of it in their lives , returning with that impure beast to their own vomit ; so on the other , at those speculative relapsers , that have out of policy or guiltiness abandoned a known and received truth . pity is for those silly creatures that could never be blessed with divine reason and upright formes ; but for a gryllus , that was once a man , to quit his humanity , and to be in love with four feet , what stomack can but rise at so affected a transformation ? the cameleon is for a time beautiful with all pleasing varieties of colours , in the end no skin is more nasty . wo is me , the swept house is repossessed with seven devils : this recidivation is desperate : although indeed there would not be a revolt , without an inward unsoundness . do ye see an apple fall untimely from the tree ? view it , ye shall finde it worm-eaten , else it had held . avolent , quantum volent , paleoe istae levis fidei , as that father said , let this light chaffe flie whither it will ; it shews it to be but chaffe . god's heap shall be so much the purer : and , in the mean time , what do they make themselves fit for , but the fire ? what shall we say to these absurd changes ? our fore-fathers thought themselves in heaven when first the bright beams of the gospel brake forth in their eyes ; and shall we , like those fond subterraneous people that rubruquis speaks of , curse those glorious beams of the sun now risen up to us , and lay our eares close to the ground , that we may not hear the harmony of that motion ? our fathers blessed themselves in this angelical manna ; and shall our mouths hang towards the onions and garlick of aegypt ? revertimini filii aversantes , return ye backsliding children , return to the fountains of living waters which ye have exchanged for your broken cisternes . recordamini priorum , as esay speaks . . but if their will do lie still in their way , it were happy for them if authority would deal with them as confident riders do with a startling horse , spur them up , and bring them back to the block they leap'd from . but if still their obstinacy will needs , in spight of contrary endeavours , feoffe them in the style of filii desertores , it is a fearfull word that god speaks to them , vae eis quoniam vagantur à me , wo to them , for they have wandered from me , ose . . now the god of heaven reclaim them , confirm us , save both them and us in the day of the lord jesus : to whom , with the father and the holy ghost , one infinite god , be given all praise , honour and glory , now and for ever . amen . st. paul's combat . the second part . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i have carried you into s. paul's theatre at ephesus , i have shew'd you his beasts ; you must now see his fight . it was his charge to timothy that he should be an example ; know then that what he bids , he practises . it is an exemplary combat which s. paul fought , and that wherein we must follow him as teachers , as christians . here he saies , i have fought ; afterwards , in imitation of him that saw his own works and approved them , he saies , i have fought a good fight ; doubtless , as with principalities and powers elsewhere , so even with these beasts at ephesus . let it please you to see , first , the person of the combatant ; then , secondly , the manner of the fight . in the former ye may not look at s. paul as a common souldier , but as a selected champion of god ; not merely as paul , but as an apostle , as a publick person , as the spiritual leader of god's people : so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i have fought with beasts . there is no trained man in the whole troup of god but must have his bout with the beasts of the time. vita hominis militia super terram ; we are here in a militant church . as we have all received our press-money in baptisme , so we must every one according to our ingagement maintain this fight against the world . but if a man be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as s. paul , singled out to a publick calling , now he must think himself made for combats , because for victories : for bellum durius contra victores , as gregory speaketh . it was the charge of the apostle , that a bishop should be no striker , and clericus percussor is an old brand of irregularity : but if in this kind he strike not , i must say of him as s. paul to ananias , god shall smite thee , thou whited wall . all his whole life must be spent in these blows : he must be , as jeremy speaks of himself , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a man of strife and contention ; there is no beast comes in his way but he must have a fling at him . when gregory nazianzen speaks of basil designed to the bishoprick of caesarea , if any man , saith he , pretend his weakness , non athletem , sed doctorem creabitis . but in this spiritual sense , if he be a doctor in the chair , he must be a champion in the theatre . no s. martin may plead here , i am christs souldier , i may not fight ; yea therefore must he fight , because he is christs souldier . whosoever then would be a fit combatant for god , to enter into these lists against the beasts of the world , must be a s. paul in proportion ; so must he be a follower of him , as he is of christ . will it please you to see him first qualified , then armed . qualified first , with holiness , skill , courage . holiness : for he must be a man of god , and , as the apostle charges , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . irreprehensible ; otherwise he is a beast himself , and had need of some body to bait him . wo be to those champions of god that take upon them to wield the sword of the spirit with unclean hands . that divine weapon is not so fit to wound any as their own souls . ex ore tuo , serve nequam . let me say truly , it were an happy and hopeful thing , that even our external and secular wars should be managed with pure and innocent hands . i shall tell you that which perhaps few of you have either known or considered , that of old a souldier was a sacred thing ; and it is worth your notice what in former times was the manner of our ancestors in consecrating a souldier or a knight to the wars . some six hundred years agoe and upward , as i find in the history of ingulphus , the manner was this ; anglorum erat consuetudo , quod qui militiae legitimae consecrandus esset , &c. he that should be devoted to the trade of war , the evening before his consecration came to the bishop or priest of the place , and in much contrition and compunction of heart made a confession of all his sins ; and , after his absolution , spent that night in the church , in watching , in prayers , in afflictive devotions : on the morrow being to hear divine service , he was to offer up his sword upon the altar , and after the gospel , the priest was with a solemn benediction to put it about his neck ; and then after his communicating of those sacred mysteries , he was to remain miles legitimus . thus he ; who tels us how that valiant and successful knight heward came thus to his uncle , one brandus , the devout abbot of peterborough , for his consecration ; and that this custome continued here in england till the irreligious normans by their scorns put it out of countenance , accounting such a one non legitimum militem , sed equitem socordem , & quiritem degenerem . this was their ancient and laudable manner ( some shadow whereof we retain , whiles we hold some orders of knighthood religious . ) and can we wonder to hear of noble victories atchieved by them , of giants and monsters slain by those hands that had so pious an initiation ? these men professed to come to their combats as david did to goliah , in the name of the lord ; no marvel if they prospered . alas ! now , nulla fides pietásque , &c. ye know the rest : the name of a souldier is misconstrued by our gallants as a sufficient warrant of debauchedness ; as if a buff-jerkin were a lawful cover for a profane heart . wo is me for this sinful degeneration . how can we hope that bloody hands of lawless ruffians should be blessed with palms of triumph ; that adulterous eyes should be shaded with garlands of victory ; that profane and atheous instruments , if any such be imployed in our wars , should return home loaded with success and honour ? how should they prosper whose sins fight against them more then all the swords of enemies ; whose main adversary is in their own bosome and in heaven ? if the god of heaven be the lord of hosts , do we think him so lavish that he will grace impiety ? can we think him so in love with our persons , that he will overlook or digest our crimes ? be innocent , o ye warriours , if ye would be speedful ; be devout , if ye would be victorious . even upon the bridles of the horses in zachary must be written , holiness to the lord : how much more upon the fore-heads of his priests , the leaders of his spiritual war ? with what face , with what heart can he fight against beasts that is a beast himself ? it is not holiness yet that can secure us from blows : job's behemoth , as he is construed , durst set upon the holy son of god himself . to our holiness therefore must be added skill ; skill to guard , and skill to hit ; skill in choice of weapons , places , times , ways of assault or defence : else we cannot but be wounded and tossed at pleasure . hence the psalmist , thou teachest my hands to war and my fingers to fight . the title that is given to david's champions was not dispositi ad clypeum , as montanus hath it ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but disponentes , such as could handle the shield and the buckler , chron. . . alas , what is to be look'd for of raw , untaught , untrained men , ( if such should be called forth of their shops on the sudden ) that know not so much as their files or motions or postures , but either slight or filling of ditches ? he that will be a petus in jovius his history , or a servilius in plutarch , to come off an untouch'd victor from frequent challenges , had need to pass many a guard and veny in the fence-school . so skilful must the man of god be , that he must know ( as s. paul ) even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the very plots and devices of that great challenger of hell . we live in a knowing age ; and yet how many teachers are very novices in the practick part of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and therefore are either born down , or tossed up with the vices of the time ? whose miscarriages would god it were as easie to remedy as to lament . lastly , what is skill in our weapon without an heart and hand to use it ? rabshakeh could say , counsel and strength are for the warre , kings . . strength without counsel is like a blind giant , and counsel without strength is like a quick-sighted criple . if heart and eyes and lims meet not , there can be no fight , but tu pulsas , ego vapulo . what are men in this case but lepores galeati , or as sword-fishes , that have a weapon , but no heart ? hear the spirit of a right champion of heaven ; i am ready not to be bound onely , but to die for the name of the lord jesus . here was a man fit to grapple with beasts . it is the word of the sluggish coward , there is a lion or a bear in the way . what if there be ? if thou wilt be a sampson , a david , incounter them . there is no great glory to be look'd for but with hazard and difficulty . when the souldier said , the enemy is strong , it was bravely answered of the captain , the victory shall be so much more glorious . i have shew'd you the man qualified ; i should stay to shew you him armed ; armed with authority without , with resolution within : but i long to shew you the fight . a fight it must be ; which i beseech you observe in the first place . neither doth he say , i plai'd with beasts , except you would have it in joab's phrase ; as neither did the beasts play with him , except , as erasmus speaks , ludus exiit in rabiem : he saies not , i humor'd their bestiality ; i struck up a league or a truce with the vices of men : no , s. paul was far from this ; he was at a perpetual defiance with the wickedness of the times , and , as that valiant commander said , would die fighting . the world wanted not of old plausible spirits , that , if an ahab had a mind to go up against ramoth , would say , go up and prosper , and would have horns of iron to push him forward . s. paul was none of them , neither may we . he hath indeed bidden us ( if it be possible ) to have peace with all men ; not with beasts . if wickedness shall go about to glaver with us , is it peace , jehu ? we must return a short answer , and speak blows . far , far be it from us to fawn upon vicious greatness , to favour even court-sins . if here we meet with bloody oaths , with scornful profaneness , with pride , with drunkenness , we must fly in the face of it with so much more fierceness as the eminence of the sin may make it more dangerously-exemplary : quò grandius nomen , eò grandius scandalum , as bernard . let the clearest water mix with the best earth , it makes but mire . if we be the true sons of thunder , even the tallest cedar-sins must be blasted with our lightning , and riven with our bolts . cato would not ( they say ) have a dumb souldier ; i am sure christ will not . wo be to us if we preach not the gospel : yea , wo be to us if we preach not the law too ; if we do not lash the guilt of the great with the scorpions of judgement . what stand we upon bulk ? if the sin be an elephant , harnessed , and carrying castles upon his back , we must with eleazar creep under his belly , and wound that vast enemy with the hazard of our own crushing . it is the charge of god , cry aloud , spare not , lift up thy voice like a trumpet , and shew my people their transgressions , and the house of jacob their sins , es . . . the words are emphatical , whereof the first signifies a straining of the throat with crying ; and the next ( the trumpet ) implies a sound of war. this same bellū cum vitiis , war with sins , must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , uncapable of so much as a truce , yea as a respiratió . as that undaunted souldier therefore held first with his right hand , and when that was cut off , with his left , and when both were cut off , with his teeth ; so must we resolve to doe . that which is the praise of the mastives of our nation , must be ours , to leave our life with our hold . profectò stabimus , & pugnabimus usque ad mortem , we will stand , and fight it out to the very death , as bernard speaks . the manner of the fight follows , and that must needs vary according to the divers fashions of the onset . for all beasts assail not alike : one fights with his tusks , another with his paws , another with his horn , another with his heel , another with his sting ; one rampeth upon us , another leaps in to us , a third either rusheth us down , or casts us upward , a fourth galls us afarre , a fifth wounds us unseen ; one kils by biting , another by striking , another by piercing , another by envenoming . according to these manifold changes of assaults must the expert champion dispose of himself . to speak morally ; as these men-beasts are either beasts of opinion , or beasts of practice , and both of them maintain the fight either by close subtilty or by open violence ; so did s. paul's opposition suit them , so must ours , whether for defence or for offence . the beasts of opinion were either idolatrous ethnicks , or refractary jews ; the one worshipping diana for their goddess , the other refusing the true messias for their saviour . the one he beats with the down-right blows of right reason ; the other he hews with the two-edged sword of the spirit , the word of god. the beasts of practice he smites through with the darts of the law , whereof exod. . . if a beast touch the mount he shall be shot through . their subtilty he declined by a wise evasion , their violence he repelled with an irresistible force . the particularities would be infinite ; neither do any of you exspect that i should turn the pulpit into a fence-school or a paris-garden . onely let me reduce s. paul's practice herein to some few useful rules , as to express his beast-combat , so to direct our own . whereof the first ( to begin with the beasts of opinion ) was and shall be , to fight still at the head . when he comes to the theatre of ephesus , he deals not with collateral matters of a secondary nature , but flies upon the main heads of the highest contradiction , whether one true god onely should be worshipped , whether christ should be acknowledged for the messiah . no doubt , ephesus was full of curious and nice scruples : the wise apostle waves all these ; and , as some magnanimous mastive , that scorns to set upon every curre that barks at him in the way , he reserves himself for these lions and tigers of errour . oh how happy were it for christendome , if we that profess to sit at s. paul's feet ( as he at gamaliel's ) could learn this wit of him ! it is true which chromatius hath , non sunt parva quae dei sunt , none of gods matters are slight : but yet there is a difference , and that would be observed . the working brains of subtile man have been apt to mince divinity into infinite atomes of speculation ; and every one of those speculations breeds many questions , and every question breeds troubles in the church ; like as every corn of powder flies off and fires his fellow . hence are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. foolish and unlearned disquisitions , tim. . . that have set the whole christian world together by the ears . ex utraque parte sunt qui pugnare cupiunt , as tully said of his time , there are enough on both sides that would fight . the main fort of religion is worth not our sweat , but our blood : thus must we strive pro aris : so even heresie shall be found ( as chrysostome observes ) not more dangerous then profitable . but if it be onely matter of rite , or of unimporting consequence , ( de venis capillaribus , as he said ) oh what ●adness is it in us to draw the world into sides , and to pour out the souls of gods people like water ? what is this , but as if some generous bandog should leave the bear or lion ( primae formae feram ) which he comes to bait , and run after a mouse ? melanchthon cites and approves that saying of dionysius of corinth in eusebius , that schisme is no less sin then idolatry . and if the fish be the better where the seas are most unquiet , i am sure the souls are worse where the church is tumultuous . i cannot skill of these swans eggs that are never hatcht without thunder , nor of that unnatural brood that eats through the dam to make passage into the light of reputation . oh for the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . justly did agesilaus lament the state of greece , that had lost as many souldiers in domestick wars as might have made them masters of the world . let me say , had all our swords and pens been happily bent against the common enemy of christendome , long agoe had that mahumetan moon waned to nothing , and given way to the glorious sun of the gospel . our second rule must be , when we do smite , to strike home : it is s. paul's , i so fight , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as not beating the aire , cor. . . here is not a blow lost , non verberat ictibus auras . how doth he cut the throat of the ephesian beast , idolatry , whiles he argues , they are not gods that are made with hands ? all the silver-smiths of diana cannot hammer out a reply to this charge . it is no flourishing when we come to this combat . weak proofs betray good causes . demonstrations must have place here , not probabilities . how powerfully doth he convince the unbelieving jews of ephesus and rome , out of moses and the prophets , act. . . this , this is the weapon whereby our grand captain vanquished the great challenger of the bottomless pit , scriptum est . all other blades are but lead to this steel . councils , fathers , histories are good helps ; but ad pompam rather then ad pugnam . these scriptures are they whereof s. augustin justly , hac fundamenta , haec firmamenta . what do we multiply volumes , and endlesly go about the bush ? that of tertullian is most certain , aufer ab haereticis quaecunque ethnici sapiunt , ut de scripturis solis questiones suas sistant , & stare non poterunt , take from hereticks what they borrow of pagans , and hold them close to the trial by the scriptures alone , they cannot stand . bring but this fire to the wildest beast , his eye will not indure it ; he must run away from it : for these kind of creatures are all ( as that father ) lucifugae scripturarum . what worlds of volumes had been spared , how infinite distractions of weak and wavering souls had been prevented , if we had confined our selves to s. paul's fence ? our third rule must be , to redouble our strokes uncessantly , unweariably , not giving breath to the beast , not fainting for want of our own . s. paul laid on three months together in the synagogue of ephesus ; two years more in the school of tyrannus , act. . , . and accordingly gives us our charge , state ergo , stand close to it , eph. . . if when we have dealt some few unsuccessful blows , we throw up the bucklers , or lean upon our pummels , we lose our life with the day . i could , as the case might stand , easily be of the minde of that souldier , who when he heard xenophantus by his musick stirring up alexander to the fight , wisht rather to hear a musician that could take him off : but since we have to doe with an enemy which nec victor nec victus novit quiescere , as annibal said of marcellus , there is no way but to fight it out . ye have not yet resisted unto blood , faith the apostle : if need be , we must do so . serpens , sit is , ardor arena , dulcia virtuti , as he said . oh be constant to your own holy resolutions , if ever ye look for an happy victory . well did the dying prophet chide the king of israel , that he struck but thrice ; thou shouldst have smitten often , then thou shouldst have smitten syria till thou hadst consumed it , kings . . let neither buggs of fear , nor suppalpations of favour weaken your hands from laying load upon the beast of errour : fight zealously , fight indefatigably , and prevail . in the battails of christ , as s. chrysostome observes , the issue is so assured that the crown goes before the victory ; but when ye once have it , hold fast that you have , that no man take your crown , revel . . . our last rule is , to know our distance ; and where we find invincible resistance , to come off fairly . so did s. paul in the theatre of the ephesian synagogue , when after three months disputation some were hardened , and in stead of believing blasphemed the way of god , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he departed , and separated , act. . . those beasts we cannot master , we must give up : if babylon will not be cur'd , she must be left to her self . to apply this to the theatre of the times . there is no challenge either more frequent or more heavy then that we have left that church which they miscal our mother . had we gone from her that is gone from her self , we had but followed her in leaving her ; had we left her that hath blasphemed her forsaken truth , we had but followed s. paul : but now let the world know , we have not left her , she hath abandon'd us ; non fugimus , sed fugamur , as casaubon cites from our late learned soveraign . it is her violence , not our choice , that hath excluded us : because we could not but leave her errors , she hath ejected our persons . this schism shall one day before that great tribunal of heaven fall heavily upon those perverse spirits , that had rather rend the church then want their will , and can be content to sacrifice both truth and peace , together with millions of souls , to their own ambition . let this suffice for the beasts of opinion , which are errours . turn your eyes now ( if you please ) to s. paul's fight with the beast of practice , vices . and in the first place , see how the ephesian beasts fought with s. paul , act. . , . ye find them as so many enraged bulls , scraping the earth with their feet , and digging it with their horns , snuffing up the aire with their raised nostrils , rushing furiously into the theatre , tossing up gaius and paul's companions , into the aire , and with an impetuous violence carrying all before them . this hath been ever the manner of wickedness , to be headstrong in the pursuit of it's own courses , impatient of opposition , cruel in revenge of the opposers . doth eliah cry out against the murders and idolatries of ahab ? the beast hath him in chace for his life , and earths him in his cave . doth michaiah cross the designes of the false prophets in the expedition of ramoth ? the beast with the iron-horns pusheth him in the face , and beats him down into the dungeon . doth john baptist bend his non licet against herodias's incest ? the beast flies in his throat , and with one grasp tears his head from his shoulders . so it ever was , so it ever will be . am i become your enemy because i tell you the truth ? saith s. paul. stetisse lego judicandos apostolos , saith bernard . if still therefore heart-burnings and malicious censures attend the faithful delivery of gods sacred errand , the beast is like it self . sagittant in obscura luna rectos corde , as st. chrysostome reads that in the psalm . in the mean time what doth s. paul ? doth he give in ? doth he give out ? no , here was still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ephes . . . he traverses his ground indeed for his advantage , from ephesus to macedonia ; but still he galls the beast where-ever he is : as idolaters , so all sorts of flagitious sinners , felt the weight of his hand , the dint of his stroke ; all which , wheresoever he finds them , he impartially pierces through with the darts of denounced judgement , that is the verbum asperum and sagitta volans in psal . . the curse of the law , gal. . . see how he wouuds those other beasts of ephesus ; no whoremonger , nor unclean person , nor covetous man , which is an idolater , hath any inheritance in the kingdome of god , ephes . . . and , for these things cometh the wrath of god upon the children of disobedience , verse . tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil : in flaming fire rendring vengeance to those that know not god and obey him not . and why do not we , in imitation of this noble champion of god , strike through the loyns of wickedness whereever we finde it , that , if it be possible , it may rise up no more ? why do not we spend the whole quiver of gods threatned vengeance upon wilful sinners ? and thus must we bait the beast . is it a drunken beast we are committed with ? wo to them that rise up early to follow strong drink , esa . . . wo to him that giveth his neighbour drink to make him drunk , abac. . . the cup of the lords right hand shall be turned to that man , & vomitus ignominiosus ad gloriam , verse . oh it is a bitter cup , this of the lords right hand , whereof he shall wring out the dregs unto that soul ; so as in stead of quaffing the excessive healths of others , he shall drink up his own death and eternal confusion . is it a gluttonous beast ? wo to him , his god is his belly , his glory shall be in his shame , and his end damnation , phil. . . whiles the flesh is yet between his teeth , ere it be chewed , the wrath of the lord is kindled against him , numb . . . yea , but it goes down sweetly . oh fool , the meat in thy belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within thee , job . . vae saturis , wo be to the full , for they shall hunger ; they shall famish to death , and dye famishing , and live dying , and have enough of nothing but fire and brimstone . is it a ravenous beast , a covetous oppressour ? his tooth , like a mad dogs , envenomes and emphrensies ; so saith solomon , that knew the nature of all beasts , oppression makes a wise man mad , eccles. . . tabifici sunt , ps . . . wo be to you that joyn house to house , es . . . wo be to the mighty sins of them whose treadings are upon the poor , that afflict the just , that take bribes , and turn away the poor in the gates , amos . , . therefore the lord , the god of hoasts saith thus , wailing shall be in all their streets , and they shall say in all high-waies , alas , alas ! verse . they have robbed their poor tenants , and oppressed the afflicted in the gate , therefore the lord will plead their cause , and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them . is it an unclean beast ? whoso committeth adultery with a woman destroyeth his own soul , prov. . . a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease till he have kindled a fire , ecclus. . . his fire of lust flames up into a fire of disease , and burns down into the fire of hell. is it a foul-mouth'd beast that bellows out blasphemies and bloody oaths ? there is a word that is cloathed about with death ; god grant it be not found in the heritage of jacob , ecclus. . . a man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity , and the plague shall never depart from his house , verse . . thus must we lay about us , spiritu or is , yea gladio spiritûs , and let drive at the beast of what kind soever . but if we shall still find that which blind homer saw , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the worse hath the better , and that this spiritual edge shall either turn again , or ( through our weak wieldance ) not enter the stubborn and thick hide of obdured hearts ; give me leave , most gracious soveraign , and ye honorable peers , to whom is committed the sword of either supreme or subordinate justice , to say , that both god and the world expects that this beast of sin should be baited by you in another fashion . it is not for nothing that god hath set you so conspicuously in this great amphitheatre , where the eyes of angels and men are bent upon you , and that he hath given into your hands the powerful instruments of death . if this pernicious beast dare contest with our weakness , and oft-times leave us gasping and bleeding on this pavement , yet we know that it cannot but fall under the power of your mercy , yea your vengeance . oh let it please you to rouze up your brave and princely spirits , and to give the fatal blow to presumptuous wickedness . if that monster of impious sacriledge , of atheous profaneness , of outragious inordinateness dares lift up his hated head in the sight of this sun , let him be straight crushed with the weight of that royal scepter , let him be hewn in pieces with the sharp sword of your sacred authority . as we abound with wholesome laws for the repressing of vice , so let it please you in an holy zeal to revive their hearty and effectual execution ; that the precious gospel of our lord jesus , which we profess , may not be either shamed or braved by insolent wickedness ; that justice and peace may flourish in our land , and that your crown may long and happily flourish upon that royal head , until it shall receive a late and blessed exchange for a crown of glory and immortality in the highest heavens . amen . the old religion . a treatise , wherein is laid down the true state of the difference betwixt the reformed and romane church , and the blame of this schism is cast upon the true authors . serving for the vindication of our innocence , for the setling of wavering mindes , for a preservative against popish insinuations . with an advertisement for such readers as formerly stumbled at some passages in the book . by jos. hall , b. of exon. london , printed by james flesher , in the year m dc lxi . to my new and dearly-affected charge , the diocese of excester , all grace and benediction . the truth of my heart gives me boldness to profess before him who onely knows it , that the same god who hath called me to the over-sight of your souls , hath wrought in me a zealous desire of your salvation . this desire cannot but incite me to a careful prevention of those dangers which might threaten the disappointment of so happy an end . those dangers are either sins of practice , or errours of doctrine . against both these i have faithfully vowed my utmost endeavours . i shall labour against the first by preaching , example , censures ; wherein it shall be your choice to expect either the rod , or the spirit of meekness . against the latter my pen hath risen up in this early assault . it hath been assured me that in this time of late vacancie , false teachers , catching the fore-lock of occasion , have been busie in scattering the tares of errours amongst you . i easily believe it , since i know it is not in the power of the greatest vigilancie to hinder their attempts of evil . even a full see is no sufficient barre to crafty seducers ; their suggestions we cannot prevent , their success we may . this i have here assay'd to doe , bending my style against popish doctrine with such christian moderation as may argue zeal without malice , desire to win souls , no will to gall them . and since the commonest of all the grounds of romish deceit is the pretence of their age and our novelty , and nothing doth more dazle the eyes of the simple then the name of our fore-fathers , and the challenge of a particular recital of our professours before luther's revolt ; i have ( i hope ) fully cleared this coast , so as out of the right apprehension of these differences my reader shall evidently see the vanity of this cavill , and finde cause to bless god fox the safety of his station in so pregnant and undeceivable a truth . for me , i shame not to profess , that i have passed my most and best hours in quiet meditations ; wherein i needed not bend mine edge against any adversary but satan and mine own corruptions . these controversary points i have rather crost in my way , then taken along with me . neither am i ignorant what incomparably-clear beams ( in this kind ) some of the worthy lights of our church have cast abroad into all eyes , to the admiration of present and future times ; no corner of truth hath lyen unsearch'd , no plea unargued : the wit of man cannot make any essential additions either to our proofs or answers . but as in the most perfect discovery , where lands and rivers are specially described , there may be some small obscure inlets reserved for the notice of following experience ; so is it in the business of these sacred quarrels : that brain is very unhappy which meets not with some traverse of discourse more then it hath borrowed from anothers pen. besides which , having faln upon a method and manner of tractation which might be of use to plain understandings , the familiarity whereof promised to contribute not a little to the information and setling of weaker souls , i might not hide it from you , to whose common good i have gladly resolved to sacrifice my self . let it be taken with the same construction of love wherewith it is tendred . and that you may improve this and all other my following labours to a sensible advantage , give me leave to impart my self to you a little in this short and free preamble . it is a large body , i know , and full of ordinate variety , to which i how direct my words : let me a while in these lines sever them , whom i would never abide really disjoined . ye , my dear fellow-labourers ( as my immediate charge ) may well challenge the first place . it is no small joy to me to expect so able hands , upon whom i may comfortably unload the weight of this my spiritual care . if fame do not over-speak you , there are not many soils that yield either so frequent flocks or better fed . goe on happily in these high steps of true blessedness , and save your selves and others . to which purpose let me commend to you ( according to the sweet experience of a greater shepherd ) two main helps of our sacred trade ; first , the tender pastures , and secondly , the still waters : by the one i mean an inuring of our people to the principles of wholesome doctrine ; by the other , an immunitie from all faction and disturbance of the publick peace . it was the observation of the learnedst king that ever sate hitherto on the english throne , that the cause of the miscarriage of our people into popery and other errours was , their ungroundedness in the points of catechism . how should those souls be but carried about with every winde of doctrine , that are not well ballasted with solid informations ? whence it was that his said late majestie ( of happy memory ) gave publick order for bestowing the latter part of gods day in familiar catechising ; then which nothing could be devised more necessary and behoveful to the souls of men . it was the ignorance and ill-disposedness of some cavillers that taxed this course , as prejudicial to preachings ; since , in truth , the most useful of all preaching is catechetical . this layes the grounds , the other raiseth the walls and roof ; this informs the judgment , that stirs up the affections . what good use is there of those affections that run before the judgment , or of those walls that want a foundation ? for my part , i have spent the greater half of my life in this station of our holy service ; i thank god , not unpainfully , not unprofitably . but there is no one thing whereof i repent so much , as not to have bestowed more hours in this publick exercise of catechism ; in regard whereof i could quarrel with my very sermons , and wish that a great part of them had been exchanged for this preaching conference . those other divine discourses enrich the brain and the tongue , this settles the heart ; those other are but the descants to this plain-song . contemn it not , my brethren , for the easie and noted homeliness : the most excellent and beneficial things are most familiar . what can be more obvious then light , aire , fire , water ? let him that can live without these , despise their commonness . rather , as we make so much more use of the divine bounty in these ordinary benefits , so let as the more gladly improve these ready and facile helps to the salvation of many souls ; the neglect whereof breeds instability of judgment , misprision of necessary truths , fashionableness of profession , frothiness of discourse , obnoxiousness to all errour and seduction . and if any of our people loath this manna because they may gather it from under their feet , let not their palates be humour'd in this wanton nauseation . they are worthy to fast , that are weary of the bread of angels . and if herein we be curious to satisfie their roving appetite , our favour shall be no better then injurious . so we have seen an undiscreet school-master , whiles he affects the thanks of an over-weening parent , marre the progress of a forward child , by raising him to an higher form and authour , ere he have well learned his first rules ; whence follows an empty ostentation , and a late disappointment . our fidelity and care of profit must teach us to drive at the most sure and universal good , which shall undoubtedly be best attained by these safe and needful ground-works . from these tender pastures let me leade you ( and you others ) to the still waters . zeal in the soul is as natural heat in the body ; there is no life of religion without it : but as the kindliest heat , if it be not tempered with a due equality of moisture , wastes it self and the body ; so doth zeal , if it be not moderated with discretion and charitable care of the common good . it is hard to be too vehement in contending for main and evident truths ; but litigious and immaterial verities may soon be over-striven for : in the prosecution whereof , i have oft lamented to see how heedless too many have been of the publick welfare ; whiles in seeking for one scruple of truth , they have not cared to spend a whole pound-weight of precious peace . the church of england , in whose motherhood we have all just cause to pride our selves , hath in much wisdom and piety delivered her judgement concerning all necessary points of religion , in so compleat a body of divinity as all hearts may rest in : these we reade , these we write under , as professing not their truth onely , but their sufficiency also . the voice of god our father in his scriptures , and ( out of these ) the voice of the church our mother in her articles , is that which must both guide and settle our resolutions : whatsoever is besides these , is but either private , or unnecessary and uncertain . oh that whiles we sweat and bleed for the maintenance of these oracular truths , we could be perswaded to remit of our heat in the pursuit of opinions ! these , these are they that distract the church , violate our peace , scandalize the weak , advantage our enemies . fire upon the hearth warms the body , but if it be misplaced , burns the house . my brethren , let us be zealous for our god ; every hearty christian will pour oyle and not water upon this holy flame : but let us take heed lest a blind self-love , stiffe prejudice and factious partiality impose upon us , in stead of the causes of god. let us be suspicious of all new verities , and careless of all unprofitable ; and let us hate to think our selves either wiser then the church , or better then our superiours . and if any man think that he sees further then his fellows in these theological prospects , let his tongue keep the counsel of his eyes ; left whiles he affects the fame of deeper learning , he embroile the church , and raise his glory upon the publick ruines . and ye worthy christans , whose souls god hath entrusted with our spiritual guardianship , be ye alike minded with your teachers . the motion of their tongues lies much in your eares : your modest desires of receiving needful and wholesome truths shall avoid their labour after frivolous and quarrelsome curiosities . god hath blessed you with the reputation of a wise and knowing people : in these divine matters let a meek sobriety set bounds to your inquiries . take up your time and hearts with christ and him crucified , with those essential truths which are necessary to salvation : leave all curious disquisitions to the schools , and say of those problems as the philosopher did of the athenian shops , how many things are here that we have no need of ? take the nearest cut you can , ye shall find it a side-way to heaven ; ye need not lengthen it with undue circuitions . i am deceived if ( as the times are ) ye shall not find work enough to bear up against the oppositions of professed hostility . it is not for us to squander our thoughts and hours upon useless janglings ; wherewith if we suffer our selves to be still taken up , satan shall deal with us like some crafty cheater , who whiles he holds us at gaze with tricks of jugling , picks our pockets . dear brethren , whatever become of these worthless driblets , be sure to look well to the free-hold of your salvation . errour is not more busie then subtile ; superstition never wanted sweet insinuations : make sure work against these plausible dangers . suffer not your selves to be drawn into the net by the common stale of the church . know that outward visibility may too well stand with an utter exclusion from salvation . salvation consists not in a formalitie of profession , but in a soundness of belief . a true body may be full of mortall diseases : so is the roman church of this day ; whom we have long pitied , and labored to cure in vain . if she will not be healed by us , let us not be infected by her . let us be no less jealous of her contagion , then she is of our remedies . hold fast that precious truth which hath been long taught you by faithful pastors , confirmed by clear evidences of scriptures , evinced by sound reasons , sealed up by the blood of our blessed martyrs : so whiles no man takes away the crown of your constancie , ye shall be our crown and rejoycing in the day of our lord jesus ; to whose all-sufficient grace i commend you all , and vow my self your common servant in him whom we all rejoice to serve , jos. exon . the contents . chap. i. the extent of the differences betwixt the churches . pag. chap. ii. the original of the differences . chap. iii. the reformed unjustly charged with noveltie , heresie , schisme . chap. iv. the romane church guilty of this schisme . chap. v. the newness of the article of justification by inherent righteousness . sect. . this doctrine proved to be against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. vi. the newness of the doctrine of merit . sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . ibid. chap. vii . the newness of the doctine of transubstantiation . sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. viii . the newness of the half-communion . sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . ibid. chap. ix . the newness of missal sacrifice . sect. . against scripture . ibid. sect. . against reason . chap. x. the newness of image-worship . ibid. sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. xi . the newness of indulgences and purgatory . ibid. sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. xii . the newness of divine service in an unknown tongue . ibid. sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . ibid. chap. xiii . the newness of a full , forced sacramental confession . sect. . not warranted by scripture . sect. . against reason . ibid. sect. . the novelty of absolution before satisfaction . chap. xiv . the newness of the romish invocation of saints . ibid. sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. xv. the newness of seven sacraments . sect. . besides scripture . sect. . against reason . ibid. chap. xvi . the newness of the romish doctrine of traditions . ibid. sect. . against scripture . sect. . against reason . chap. xvii . the newness of the universal headship of the bishop of rome . ibid. sect. . the newness of challenged infallibility . sect. . the newness of the popes superiorities to councils . sect. . the new presumption of papal dispensation . ibid. sect. . the new challenge of popes domineering over kings and emperours . chap. xviii . the epilogue both of exhortation and apologie . the old religion . chap. i. the extent of the differences betwixt the churches . the first blessing that i daily beg of my god for his church is , our saviours legacy , peace ; that sweet peace which in the very name of it comprehends all happiness both of estate and disposition . as that mountain whereon christ ascended , though it abounded with palms and pines and myrtles , yet it carried onely the name of olives , which have been an ancient embleme of peace . other graces are for the beauty of the church ; this for the health and life of it . for howsoever a even wasps have their combes , and hereticks their assemblies , ( as tertullian ) so as all are not of the church that have peace ; yet so essential is it to the church in s. b chrysostome's opinion , that the very name of the church implies a consent and concord . no marvel then if the church labouring here below , make it her daily suit to her glorious bridegroom in heaven , da pacem , give peace in our time , o lord. the means of which happiness are soon seen , not so soon attained ; even that which c hierome hath to his ruffinus , una fides : let our belief-be but one , and our hearts will be but one . but since , as d erasmus hath too truly observed , there is nothing so happy in these humane things wherein there are not some intermixtures of distemper , and saint e paul hath told us there must be heresies , and the spouse in solomon's song compares her blessed husband to a yong hart upon the mountain of bether , that is , division ; yea rather , as under f gensericus and his vandals the christian temples flamed higher then the towns , so for the space of these last hundred years there hath been more combustion in the church then in the civil state : my next wish is , that if differences in religion cannot be avoided , yet that they might be rightly judged of , and be but taken as they are . neither can i but mourn and bleed to see how miserably the world is abused on all hands with prejudice in this kind . whiles the adverse part brands us with unjust censures , and with loud clamours cries us down for hereticks : on the other side some of ours do so slight the errours of the romane church , as if they were not worth our contention , as if our martyrs had been rash and our quarrels trifling ; others again do so aggravate them , as if we could never be at enough defiance with their opinions , nor at enough distance from their communion . all these three are dangerous extremities ; the two former whereof shall ( if my hopes fail me not ) in this whole discourse be sufficiently convinced : wherein as we shall fully clear our selves from that hateful slander of heresie or schisme ; so we shall leave upon the church of rome an unavoidable imputation of many no less foul and enormous then novel errours , to the stopping of the mouths of those adiaphorists , whereof melanchthon seems to have long agoe prophesied , metuendum est , &c. it is to be feared ( saith he ) that in the last age of the world this errour will reign amongst men , that either religions are nothing , or differ onely in words . the third comes now in our way . that 〈◊〉 laertius speaks of menedemus , that in disputing his very ears would spark●●● , is true of many of ours , whose zeal transports them to such a detestation of the romane church , as if it were all errour , no church ; affecting nothing more then an utter opposition to their doctrine and ceremony , because theirs ; like as a maldonat professeth to mislike and avoid many fair interpretations , not as false , but as calvin's . these men have not learned this in s. augustine's school , b who tels us that it was the rule of the fathers , as well before cyprian and agrippinus as since , that whatsoever they found in any schism or heresie warrantable and holy , that they allowed for its own worth , and did not refuse it for the abettors . neither for the chaff do we leave the floor of god , neither for the bad fishes do we break his nets . rather , as the priests of mercurie had wont to say , when they eat their figs and honey , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. all truth is sweet : it is indeed gods , not ours , wheresoever it is found ; the kings coin is current , though it be found in any impure chanel . for this particular , they have not well heeded that charitable profession of zealous luther , c nos fatemur , &c. we profess ( saith he ) that under the papacy there is much christian good , yea all , &c. i say moreover that under the papacy is true christianity , yea the very kernel of christianity , &c. no man i trust will fear that fervent spirits too much excess of indulgence ; under the papacy may be as much good as it self is evil . neither do we censure that church for what it hath not , but for what it hath . fundamental truth is like that maronaean wine , which if it be mixed with twenty times so much water , holds his strength . d the sepulchre of christ was overwhelmed by the pagans with earth and rubbish , and more then so , over it they built a temple to their impure venus ; yet still in spight of malice there was the sepulchre of christ . and it is a ruled case of e papinian , that a sacred place loseth not the holiness with the demolished wals : no more doth the romane lose the claim of a true visible church , by her manifold and deplorable corruptions ; her unsoundness is not less apparent then her being . if she were once the spouse of christ , and her adulteries are known , yet the divorce is not sued out . chap. ii. the original of the differences . it is too true , that those two main elements of evil , ( as timon called them ) ambition and covetousness , which bernard professes were the great masters of that clergie in his times , having palpably corrupted the christian world both in doctrine and manners , gave just cause of scandal and complaint to godly mindes ; which ( though long smothered ) at last brake forth into publick contestation , augmented by the fury of those guilty defendants which loved their reputation more then peace : but yet so as the complainants ever professed a joynt allowance of those fundamental truths , which descried themselves by their bright lustre in the worst of that confusion ; as not willing that god should lose any thing by the wrongs of men , or that men should lose any thing by the envy of that f evil spirit , which had taken the advantage of the publick sleep for his tares . shortly then , according to the prayers and predictions of many holy christians , god would have his church reformed . how shall it be done ? licentious courses ( as a seneca wisely ) have sometimes been amended by correction and fear , never of themselves . as therefore their own president was stirred up in the b council of trent to cry out of their corruption of discipline ; so was the spirit of luther , somewhat before that , stirred up to tax their corruption of doctrine . but , as c all beginnings are timorous , how d calmly did he enter ? and with what submiss supplications did he sue for redress ? e i come to you , ( saith he ) most holy father , and humbly prostrate before you , beseech you that , if it be possible , you would be pleased to set your helping hand to the work . intreaties prevail nothing ; the whiles the importune insolence of eckius , and the undiscreet carriage of cajetan ( as f luther there professes ) forced him to a publick opposition . at last , ( as g sometimes even poisons turn medicinal ) the furious prosecution of abused authority increased the zeal of truth ; like as the repercussion of the flame intends it more : and as zeal grew in the plaintif , h so did rage in the defendant ; so as now that was verified of i tertullian , a primordio , &c. from the beginning righteousness suffers violence ; and no sooner did god begin to be worshipped , but religion was attended with envie . the masters of the pythonisse are angry to part with a gainful ( though evil ) guest . am i become your enemy , because i told you the truth ? saith saint paul : yet that truth is not more unwelcome , then successful . for as the breath of a man that hath chewed saffron discolours a painted face ; so this blunt sincerity shamed the glorious falshood of superstition . the proud offenders , impatient of reproof , k try what fire and faggot can doe for them : and now , according to the old word , l suppressed spirits gather more authority ; as the egyptian violence rather addeth to god's israel . insomuch as erasmus could tell the rector of lovan , that by burning luther's books , they might rid him from the libraries of men , not from their hearts . the ventilation of these points diffused them to the knowledge of the world ; and now , upon serious scanning , it came to this ( as that honour of rotterdam professeth ) * non defuisse , that there wanted not great divines which durst confidently affirm , that there was nothing in luther which might not be defended by good and allowed authours . nothing doth so whet the edge of wit as contradiction . now he who at first , like the blind man in the gospel ( it is m beza's comparison ) saw men like trees , upon more clear light , sees and wonders at those gross superstitions and tyrannies wherewith the church of god had been long abused . and now , as the first hue and cry raiseth a whole countrie , the world was awakened with the noise , and startling up , saw , and stood amazed to see , it s own slavery and besottedness . mean while , that god who cannot be wanting to himself , raiseth up n abettors to his truth . the contention grows , books flie abroad on both parts . straight o buls bellow from rome , nothing but death and damnation to the opposites ; excommunications are thundred out from their capitoline powers against all the partakers of this ( so called ) heresie ; the flashes of publick anathemas strike them down to hell. the condemned reprovers stand upon their own integrity , call heaven and earth to record , how justly they have complained , how unjustly they are censured ; in large volumes defending their innocence , and challenging an undeniable part in the true visible church of god , from which they are pretended to be ejected ; appeal ( next to the tribunal of heaven ) to the sentence of a free general council for their right . a profer is made at last of a synod at trent ; but neither free , nor general , nor such as would afford ( after all semblances ) either b safety of access , or possibility of indifferency . that partial meeting ( as it was c prompted to speak ) condemns us unheard : right so as d ruffinus reports it in that case of athanasius , judicandi potestas , &c. the power of judging was in the accusers ; contrary to the rule of their e own law , non debet , &c. the same party may not be the judge , accuser , witness ; contrary to that just rule of theodericus , reported by f cassiodore , sententia , &c. the sentence that is given in the absence of the parties is of no moment . we are still where we were , opposing , suffering : in these terms we stand . what shall we say then ? if men would either not have deserved , or have patiently indured reproof , this breach had never been . wo be to the men by whom this offence cometh . for us , that rule of saint bernard shall clearly acquit us before god and his angels , g cam carpuntur vitia , &c. when faults are taxed , and scandal grows , he is the cause of the scandal who did that which was worthy to be reproved , not he that reproved the ill-doer . chap. iii. the reformed unjustly charged with novelty , heresie , schisme . be it therefore known to all the world , that our church is onely reformed or h repaired , not made new : there is not one stone of a new foundation laid by us ; yea the old wals stand still ; onely the overcasting of those ancient stones with the untempered morter of new inventions displeaseth us . plainly , set aside the corruptions , and the church is the same : and what are these corruptions , but unsound adjections to the ancient structure of religion ? these we cannot but oppose ; and are therefore unjustly and imperiously ejected . hence it is that ours is by the opposite styled an i ablative or negative religion ; forsomuch as we joyn with all true christians in all affirmative positions of ancient faith , onely standing upon the denial of some late and undue additaments to the christian belief . or if those additions be reckoned for ruines ; it is a sure rule which k durandus gives concerning material churches , appliable to the spiritual , that if the wall be decayed , not at once , but successively , it is judged still the same church , and ( upon reparation ) not to be re-consecrated , but onely reconciled . well therefore may l those mouths stop themselves , which loudly call for the names of the professors of our faith in all succession of times till luther look'd forth into the world. had we gone about to broach any new positive truths , unseen , unheard of former times , well and justly might they challenge us for a deduction of this line of doctrine from a pedigree of predecessours : now that we onely disclaim their superfluous and novel opinions and practices , which have been by degrees thrust upon the church of god , retaining inviolably all former articles of christian faith , how idle is this plea , how worthy of hissing out ? who sees not now that all we need to doe is , but to shew that all those points which we cry down in the romane church , are such as carry in them a manifest brand of newness and absurdity . this proof will clearly justifie our refusal . let them see how they shall once , before the awful tribunal of our last judge , justifie their m uncharitableness , who cease not upon this our refusal to eject and condemn us . the church of rome is sick ; ingenuous a cassander confesseth so , nec inficior , &c. i deny not ( saith he ) that the romane church is not a little changed from her ancient beauty and brightness , and that she is deformed with many diseases and vicious distempers . b bernard tells us how it must be dieted ; profitable , though unpleasing , medicines must be poured into the mouth of it . luther and his associates did this office , as erasmus acknowledgeth ; c lutherus porrexit , luther , saith he , gave the world a potion violent and bitter : whatever it were , i wish it may breed some good health in the body of christian people so miserably foul with all kinds of evils . never did luther mean to take away the life of that church , but the sickness ; wherein ( as socrates answered to his judges ) surely , he deserved recompence in stead of rage . for ( as s. d ambrose worthily ) dulcior est , sweeter is a religious chastisement then a smoothing remission . this that was meant to the churches health , proves the physicians disease ; so did the bitterness of our wholsome draughts offend , that we are beaten out of doors : neither e did we run from that church , but are driven away , as our late soveraign professeth by casaubon's hand . we know that of f cyrill is a true word , those which sever themselves from the church and communion , are the enemies of god , and friends of devils ; and that which g dionysius said to novatus , any thing must rather be born , then that we should rend the church of god. far , far was it from our thoughts to teare the seamless coat ; or with this precious oile of truth to break the churches head . we found just faults , else h let us be guilty of this disturbance . if now choler , unjustly , exasperated with an wholesome reprehension , have broken forth into a furious persecution of the gainsayers , the sin is not ours : if we have defended our innocence with blows , the sin is not ours . let us never prosper in our good cause , if all the water of tyber can wash off the blood of many thousand christian souls that hath been shed in this quarrel from the hands of the romish prelacie . surely , as it was observed of olde , that none of the tribe of levi were the professed followers of our saviour ; so it is too easy to observe , that of late times this tribe hath exercised the bitterest enmity upon the followers of christ . suppose we had offended in the undiscreet managing of a just reproof : it is a true rule of i erasmus , that generous spirits would be reclaimed by teaching , not by compulsion ; and , as k alipius wisely to his augustine , heed must be taken , lest whiles we labour to redress a doubtful complaint , we make greater wounds then we find . oh how happy had it been for gods church , if this care had found any place in the hearts of her governours ; who regarding more the entire preservation of their own honour , then truth and peace , were all in the harsh language of warre , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , smite , kill , burn , persecute ! had they been but half so charitable to their modern reprovers as they profess they are to the fore-going , how had the church florished in an uninterrupted unity ? l in the old catholick writers ( say they ) we bear with many errours , we extenuate and excuse them , we finde shifts to put them off , and devise some commodious senses for them . guiltiness , which is the ground of this favour , works the quite contrary courses against us . alas ! how are our writings racked and wrested to envious senses , how misconstrued , how perverted , and made to speak odiously on purpose to work distast , to enlarge quarrel , to draw on the deepest censures ! wo is me , this cruel uncharitableness is it that hath brought this miserable calamity upon distracted christendome . surely as the ashes of the burning * mountain vesuvius being dispersed far and wide bred a grievous pestilence in the regions round about ; so the ashes that flie from these unkindly flames of discord have bred a woful infection and death of souls through the whole christian world . chap. iv. the church of rome guilty of this schisme . it is confessed by the a president of the tridentine council , that the depravation of the discipline and manners of the romane church was the chief cause and original of these dissentions . let us cast our eyes upon the doctrine , and we shall no less finde the guilt of this fearful schism to fall heavily upon the same heads . for first , ( to lay a sure ground ) nothing can be more plain , then that the b romane is a particular church , as the fathers of basil well distinguish it , not the universal ; though we take in the churches of her subordination or correspondence . this truth we might make good by authority , if our very senses did not save us the labour . secondly , c no particular church ( to say nothing of the universal since the apostolick times ) can have power to make a fundamental point of faith : it may explain or declare , it cannot create articles . thirdly , onely an errour against a point of faith is heresie . fourthly , those points wherein we differ from the romanists are they which onely the church of rome hath made fundamental , and of faith. fifthly , the reformed therefore , being by that church illegally condemned for those points , are not hereticks . d he is is properly an heretick ( saith hosius ) who being convicted in his own judgment , doth of his own accord cast himself out of the church . for us , we are neither convicted in our own judgment , nor in the lawful judgment of others : we have not willingly cast our selves out of the church , but however we are said to be violently ejected by the undue sentence of malice , hold our selves close to the bosome of the true spouse of christ , never to be removed ; as far therefore from heresie as charity is from our censurers . only we stand convicted by the doom of good pope e boniface ; or f sylvester prierius , quicunque non , &c. whosoever doth not rely himself upon the doctrine of the romane church and of the bishop of rome as the infallible rule of faith , from which even the scripture it self receives her force , he is an heretick . whence follows , that the church of rome condemning and ejecting those for hereticks which are not , is the authour of this woful breach in the church of god. i shall therefore , i hope , abundantly satisfie all wise and indifferent readers , if i shall shew that those points which we refuse and oppose , are no other then such as by the confessions of ingenuous g authors of the roman part have been ( besides their inward falsities ) manifest upstarts , lately obtruded upon the church ; such as our ancient progenitours in many hundreds of successions either knew not , or received not into their belief , and yet both lived and dyed worthy christians . surely it was but a just speech of s. h bernard , and that which might become the mouth of any pope or council , ego si peregrinum , &c. if i shall offer to bring in any strange opinion , it is my sin . it was the wise ordinance of the thurians , as i diodorus siculus reports , that he who would bring in any new law amongst them to the prejudice of the old , should come with an halter about his neck into the assembly , and there either make good his project , or dy . for however in humane constitutions , k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. the later orders are stronger then the former : yet in divinity , primum verum , the first is true , as tertullian's rule is ; the old way is the good way , according to the prophet . here we hold us : and because we dare not make more articles then our creeds , nor more sins then our ten commandements , we are indignely cast out . let us therefore address our selves roundly to our promised task , and make good the novelty and unreasonableness of those points we have rejected . out of too many controversies disputed betwixt us , we select only some principal ; and out of infinite varieties of evidence , some few irrefragable testimonies . chap. v. the newness of the article of justification by inherent righteousness . to begin with justification . the tridentine fathers in a their seven moneths debating of this point have so cunningly set their words , that the errour which they would establish might seem to be either hid or shifted ; yet at the last they so far declare themselves , as to determine that the b onely formal cause of our justification is god's justice , not by which he himself is just , but by which he makes us just ; wherewith being endowed by him , we are renewed in the spirit of our mindes , and are not onely reputed , but are made truely just , receiving every man his own measure of justice , which the holy ghost divides to him c according to each mans predisposition of himself and cooperation . and withall they denounce a flat d anathema to all those who dare to say , that we are formally justified by christs righteousness , or by the sole imputation of that righteousness , or by the sole remission of our sins , and not by our inherent grace diffused in our hearts by the holy ghost . which terms they have so craftily laid together , as if they would cast an aspersion upon their adversaries of separating the necessity of sanctification from the pretended justification by faith ; wherein all our words and writings will abundantly clear us before god and men . that there is an inherent justice in us , is no less certain , then that it is wrought in us by the holy ghost . for god doth not justifie the wicked man as such ; but of wicked makes him good , not by mere acceptation , but by a real change , whiles he justifies him whom he sanctifies . e these two acts of mercie are inseparable . but this justice being wrought in us by the holy spirit according to the modell of our weak receit , and not according to the full power of the infinite agent , is not so perfect as that it can bear us out before the tribunal of god. it must be onely under the garment of our elder brother that we dare come in for a blessing ; his righteousness made ours by faith , is that whereby we are justified in the sight of god. this doctrine is that which is blasted with a tridentine curse . heat now the history of this doctrine of justification , related by their andrew vega ( de justif . lib. . cap. . ) magnafuit , &c. some ages since ( saith he ) there was a great concertation amongst divines what should be the formal cause of our justification . some thought it to be no created justice infused into man , but onely the favour and merciful acceptation of god. in which opinion the master of sentences is thought by some to have been . others , whose opinion is more common and probable , held it to be some created quality informing the souls of the just . this opinion was allowed in the council of vienna : and the school-doctors , after the master of sentences , delivered this not as probable onely , but as certain . afterwards , when some defended the opposite part to be more probable , it seemed good to the holy synod of trent thus to determine it . so as till the late council of trent ( by the confession of vega himself ) this opinion was maintained as probable onely , not as of faith : yea , i adde , ( by his leave ) the contrary was till then most current . it is not the logick of this point we strive for , it is not the * grammar ; it is the divinity . what is that whereby we stand acquitted before the righteous judge , whether our inherent justice , or christs imputed justice apprehended by faith ? the divines of trent are for the former , all antiquity with us for the latter . a just volume would scarce contain the pregnant testimonies of the fathers to this purpose . saint a chrysostome tels us it is the wonder of gods mercy , that he who hath sinned confesseth , is pardoned , secured , and suddenly appears just . just ? but how ? the cross took away the curse , ( saith he most sweetly , ) faith brought in righteousness , and righteousness drew on the grace of the spirit . saint b ambrose tels us that our carnal infirmity blemisheth our works ; but that uprightness of our faith covers our errours , and obtains our pardon : and professeth that he will glory , not for that he is righteous , but for that he is redeemed ; nor for that he is void of sins , but for that his sins are forgiven him . saint c jerome tells us , then we are just when we confess our selves sinners ; and that our righteousness stands not in any merit of ours , but in the mere mercy of god ; and that the acknowledgement of our imperfection is the imperfect perfection of the just . saint d gregory tells us that our just advocate shall defend us righteous in his judgement , because we know and accuse our selves unrighteous ; and that our confidence must not be in our acts , but in our advocate . but the sweet and passionate speeches of saint austin and s. bernard would fill a book alone ; neither can any reformed divine either more disparage our inherent righteousness , or more magnifie and challenge the imputed . it shall suffice us to give a taste of both . e we have all therefore , brethren , received of his fulness ; of the fulness of his mercy , of the abundance of his goodness have we received : what ? remission of sins , that we might be justified by faith ; and what more ? grace for grace , that is , for this grace wherein we live by faith , we shall receive another , saith that divinest of the fathers . and soon after , f all that are from sinful adam , are sinners ; all that are justified by christ , are just , not in themselves , but in him : for in themselves , if ye ask after them , they are adam ; in him , they are christs . and elsewhere , g rejoice in the lord and be glad , o ye righteous . o wicked , o proud men that rejoice in your selves ! now believing in him who justifieth the wicked , your faith is imputed to you for righteousness . rejoice in the lord , why ? because now ye are just . and whence are ye just ? not by your own merits , but by his grace . whence are ye just ? because ye are justified . h who shall lay anything to the charge of gods elect ? it sufficeth me for all righteousness , that i have that god propitious to me against whom onely i have sinned . all that he hath decreed not to impute unto me , is as if it had not been . not to sin is gods justice ; mans justice is gods indulgence , saith devout bernard . how pregnant is that famous profession of his ! i and if the mercies of the lord be from everlasting and to everlasting , i will also sing the mercies of the lord everlastingly . what shall i sing of mine own righteousness ? no , lord i will remember thy righteousness alone , for that is mine too : thou art made unto me of god righteousness ; should i fear that it will not serve us both ? a it is no short cloak , that it should not cover twain . thy righteousness is righteousness for ever ; and what is longer then eternity ? behold , thy large and everlasting mercy will largely b cover both thee and me at once : in me it covers a multitude of sins ; in thee , lord , what can it cover but the treasures of pitie , the riches of bountie ? thus he . what should i need to draw down this truth through the times of anselme , lombard , bonaventure , gerson ? the manual of christian religion set forth in the provincial council of colen shall serve for all . c bellarmine himself grants them herein ours ; and they are worth our entertaining . that book is commended by d cassander , as marvellously approved by all the learned divines of italy and france , as that which notably sets forth the sum of the judgment of the ancients concerning this and other points of christian religion . e nos dicimus , &c. we say that a man doth then receive the gift of justification by faith , when being terrified and humbled by repentance , he is again raised up by faith , believing that his sins are forgiven him for the merits of christ , who hath promised remision of sins to those that believe in him ; and when he feels in himself new desires , so as detesting evil , and resisting the infirmity of his flesh , he is inwardly inkindled to an endeavour of good , although this desire of his be not yet perfect . thus they in the voice of all antiquity , and the then present church . onely the late council of trent hath created this opinion of justification a point of faith. sect. . the errour hereof against scripture . yet if age were all the quarrel , it were but light : for though newness in divine truths is a just cause of suspicion ; yet we do not so shut the hand of our munificent god , that he cannot bestow upon his church new illuminations in some parcels of formerly-hidden verities . it is the charge both of their canus and cajetan , that no man should detest a new sense of scripture for this , that it differs from the ancient doctors ; for god hath not ( say they ) tied exposition of scripture to their senses . yea , if we may believe f salmeron , the latter divines are so much more quick-sighted ; they , like the dwarf sitting on the giants shoulder , overlook him that is far taller then themselves . this position of the romane church is not more new then faulty . g not so much novelty as truth convinceth heresies , as tertullian . we had been silent , if we had not found this point ( besides the lateness ) erroneous : erroneous both against scripture and reason . against scripture , which every where teacheth , as , on the one side , the imperfection of our inherent righteousness , so , on the other , our perfect justification by the imputed righteousness of our saviour , brought home to us by faith. the former job saw from his dunghil ; how should a man be justified before god ? if he will contend with him , he cannot answer one of a thousand . whence it is that wise solomon asks , who can say , my heart is clean ; i am pure from sin ? and himself answers , there is not a just man upon earth , which doth good , and sinneth not . a truth which ( besides his experience ) he had learned of his father david , who could say , enter not into judgement with thy servant , ( though a man after god's own heart ) for in thy sight shall no man living be justified : and , if thou , lord , shouldst mark iniquities , o lord , who shall stand ? for we are all as an unclean thing ( we , saith the prophet esay , including even himself ) and all our righteousness are as filthy rags . and was it any better with the best saints under the gospel ? i see ( saith the chosen vessel ) in my members another law warring against the law of my minde , and leading me captive to the law of sin , which is in my members . so as in many things we sin all . and , if we say that we have no sin , we do but deceive our selves , and there is no truth in us . the latter is the summe of saint paul's sermon at antioch ; be it known unto you , men and brethren , that through this man is preached to you forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that believe are justified . they are justified , but how ? freely , by his grace . what grace ? inherent in us , and working by us ? no : by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of your selves , it is the gift of god. not of works , lest any man should boast . works are ours ; but this is righteousness of god , which is by the faith of jesus christ , to all them that believe . and how doth this become ours ? by his gracious imputation : not to him that worketh , but believeth in him who justifieth the wicked , is his faith imputed for righteousness . lo , it is not the act , not the habit of faith that justifieth ; it is he that justifies the wicked , whom our faith makes ours , and our sin his : he was made sin for us , that we might be made the righteousness of god in him . lo , so were we made his righteousness , as he was made our sin . imputation doth both ; it is that which enfeoffes our sins upon christ , and us in his righteousness ; which both covers and redresses the imperfection of ours . that distinction is clear and full ; that i may be found in him , not having mine own righteousness , which is of the law , but that which is through the faith of christ , the righteousness which is of god by faith. s. paul was a great saint ; he had a righteousness of his own , ( not as a pharisee onely , but as an apostle ) but that which he dares not trust to , but forsakes , and cleaves to god : not that essential righteousness which is in god without all relation to us , nor that habit of justice which was remaining in him ; but that righteousness which is of god , by faith made ours . thus being justified by faith , we have peace with god through our lord jesus christ . for what can break that peace but our sins ? and those are remitted : for god's elect ? it is god that justifies . and in that remission is grounded our reconciliation : for a god was in christ reconciling the world to himself , not imputing their sins unto them : but contrarily , imputing to them his own righteousness , and their faith for righteousness . b we conclude then , that a man is justified by faith . and , blessed is he to whom the lord imputes righteousness without works : blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven , and whose sins covered . let the vain sophistry of carnal mindes deceive it self with idle subtilties , and seek to elude the plain truth of god with shifts of wit ; we bless god for so clear a light , and dare cast our souls upon this sure evidence of god , attended with the perpetual attestation of his ancient church . sect. . against reason . lastly , reason it self fights against them . nothing can formally make us just but that which is perfect in it self : how should it give what it hath not ? now our inherent righteousness at the best is , in this life , defective . nostra , siqua est , humilis , &c. our poor justice ( saith c bernard ) if we have any , it is true , but it is not pure : for how should it be pure , where we cannot but be faulty ? thus he . the challenge is unanswerable . to those that say they can keep god's law , let me give s. d hierome's answer to his ctesiphon ; profer quis impleverit , shew me the man that hath done it . for , as that e father elsewhere , in thy sight shall none living be justified : he said not , no man , but , none living , not evangelists , not angels , not thrones , not dominions . f if thou shalt mark the iniquities even of thine elect , saith s. bernard , who shall abide it ? to say now that g our actual justice , which is imperfect through the admixtion of venial sins , ceaseth not to be both true , and ( in a sort ) perfect justice , is to say , there may be an unjust justice , or a just injustice ; that even muddie water is clear , or a leprous face beautiful . besides , all experience evinceth our wants . for , as it is s. austin's true observation , he that is renewed from day to day , is not all renewed , so much he must needs be in his old corruption . * and , as he speaks to his hierome of the degrees of charity , there is in some more , in some less , in some none at all ; but the fullest measure which can receive no encrease is not to be found in any man while he lives here : and so long as it may be encreased , surely that which is less then it ought , is faulty ; from which faultiness it must needs follow , that there is no just man upon earth which doeth good , and sinneth not ; and thence in gods sight shall none living be justified . thus he . to the very last hour our prayer must be , forgive us our trespasses . our very daily endeavour therefore of increasing our renovation convinceth us sufficiently of imperfection ; and the imperfection of our regeneration convinceth the impossibility of justification by such inherent righteousness . in short therefore , since this doctrine of the roman church is both new and erroneous , against scripture and reason , we have justly refused to receive it into our belief ; and for such refusal are unjustly ejected . chap. vi. the newness of the doctrine of merit . merit is next ; wherein the council of trent is no less peremptory : if any man shall say that the good works of a man justified do not truely merit eternal life , let him be anathema . it is easie for errour to shroud it self under the ambiguitie of words . the word merit hath been of large use with the ancients , who would have abhorred the present sense : with them it sounded no other then a obtaining or impetration ; not , as now , earning in the way of condign wages , as if there were an equalitie of due proportion betwixt our works and heaven , without all respects of pact , promise , favour ; according to the bold comment of scotus , tolet , pererius , costerus , weston , and the rest of that strain . far , far was the gracious humility of the ancient saints from this so high a presumption . let s. b basil speak for his fellows ; eternal rest remains for those who in this life have lawfully striven ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. not for the merits of their deeds , but of the grace of that most munificent god in which they have trusted . why did i name one , when they all with full consent ( as c cassander witnesseth ) profess to repose themselves wholy upon the mere mercie of god and merit of christ , with an humble renunciation of all worthiness in their own works ? yea that unpartial author derives this doctrine even through the lower ages of the schoolmen , and later writers , thomas of aquine , durand , adrian de trajecto , ( afterwards pope ) clictoveus ; and delivers it for the voice of the then present church . and before him d thomas waldensis , the great champion of pope martine against the miscalled hereticks of his own name , professes him the sounder divine and truer catholick which simply denies any such merit , and ascribes all to the mere grace of god , and the will of the giver . what should i need to darken the aire with a cloud of witnesses , their gregory ariminensis , their brugensis , marsilius , pighius , eckius , ferus , stella , faber stapulensis ? let their famous preacher e royard shut up all , quid igitur is qui merita praetendit , &c. whosoever he be that pretends his merits , what doth he else but deserve hell by his works ? let bellarmine's tutissimum est , &c. ground it self upon s. bernard's experimental resolution , periculosa habitatio est , perilous is their dwelling-place who trust in their own merits ; perilous , because ruinous . all these and many more teach this , not as their own doctrine , but as the churches . either they and the church , whose voice they are , are hereticks with us ; or we orthodox with them , and they and we with the ancients . the noveltie of this romane doctrine is accompanied with errour , against scripture , against reason . sect. . against scripture . that god doth graciously accept and munificently recompence our good works , even with an incomprehensible glory , we doubt not , we deny not ; but this either out of the riches of his mercy , or the justice of his promise : but that we can earn this at his hands out of the intrinsecal worthiness of our acts , is a challenge too high for flesh and blood , yea for the angels of heaven . how direct is our saviours instance of the servant come out of the field , and commanded by his master to attendance ? doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him ? i trow not : so likewise ye , when ye shall have done all things which are commanded you , say , we are unprofitable servants . unprofitable perhaps ( you will say ) in respect of meriting thanks ; not unprofitable in respect of meriting wages : for to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace , but of debt . true , therefore herein our case differeth from servants , that we may not look for god's reward as of debt , but as of grace ; by grace are ye saved through faith : neither is it our earning , but god's gift . both it cannot be . for if by grace , then it is no more of works ( even of the most renewed ; ) otherwise grace is no more grace : but if it be of works , then it is no more grace ; otherwise work should be no more work. now , not by works of righteousness which we have done ( at our best ) but according to his mercy he saveth us . were our salvation of works , then should eternal life be our wages ; but now , the wages of sin is death , but the gift of god is eternal life through jesus christ our lord. sect. . against reason . in very reason , where all is of mere duty , there can be no merit ; for how can we deserve reward by doing that , which if we did not we should offend ? it is enough for him that is obliged to his task , that his work is well taken . now all that we can possibly doe , and more , is most justly due unto god by the bond of our creation , of our redemption , by the charge of his royal law , and that sweet law of his gospel : nay , alas ! we are far from being able to compass so much as our duty ; in many things we sin all . it is enough that in our glory we cannot sin : though their faber stapulensis would not yield so much , and taxeth thomas for saying so : with the same presumption that origen held the very good angels might offend . then is our grace consummate : till then our best abilities are full of imperfection . therefore that conceit of merit is not more arrogant then absurd . we cannot merit of him whom we gratifie not : we cannot gratifie a man with his own . all our good is god's already , his gift , his propriety : what have we that we have not received ? not our talent onely , but the improvement also is his mere bounty . there can be therefore no place for merit . in all just merit there must needs be a due proportion betwixt the act and the recompence . it is our favour if the gift exceed the worth of the service . now what proportion can be betwixt a finite , weak , imperfect obedience , ( such is ours at the best ) and an infinite , full and most perfect glory ? the old schools dare say , that the natural and entitative value of the works of christ himself was finite , though the moral value was infinite . what then shall be said of our works , which are like our selves , mere imperfection ? we are not so proud that we should scorn ( with a ruard . tapperus ) to exspect heaven as a poor man doth an alms : rather , according to s. austin's charge , non sit caput turgidum , &c. let not the head be proud , that it may receive a crown . we do with all humility and self-dejection look up to the bountiful hands of that god who crowneth us in mercy and compassion . this doctrine then of merit being both new and erroneous , hath justly merited our reproof and detestation ; and we are unjustly censured for our censure thereof . chap. vii . the newness of the doctrine of transubstantiation . the point of transubstantiation is justly ranked amongst our highest differences . upon this quarrel , * in the very last age , how many souls were sent up to heaven in the midst of their flames ; as if the sacrament of the altar had been sufficient ground of the bloody sacrifices ? the definition of the tridentine council is herein ( beyond the wont ) clear and express . a if any man shall say that in the sacrament of the sacred eucharist there remains still the substance of bread and wine , together with the body and blood of our lord jesus christ , and shall deny that marvellous and singular conversion of the whole substance of bread into the body , and the whole substance of wine into blood , the ( species ) semblances or shews onely of bread and wine remaining ; ( which said conversion the catholick church doth most fitly call transubstantiation ) let him be accursed . thus they . now let us inquire how old this piece of faith is . in synaxi sero , &c. it was late ere the church defined transubstantiation ( saith erasmus : ) for of so long it was ( saith he ) held sufficient to believe that the true body of christ was there , whether under the consecrated bread , or howsoever . and how late was this ? scotus shall tell us ; ante concil . lateranense , before the council of lateran , transubstantiation was no point of faith ; as cardinal b bellarmine himself confesses his opinion , with a minimè probandum . and this council was in the year of our lord . let who list believe that this subtil doctour had never heard of the romane council under gregory the seventh , which was in the year one thousand seventy nine ; or that other under nicolas the second , which was in the year one thousand and threescore ; or that he had not read those fathers which the cardinal had good hap to meet with . certainly his acuteness easily found out other senses of those conversions which antiquity mentions ; and therefore dares confidently say ( wherein gabriel biel seconds him ) non admodum antiquam , that this doctrine of transubstantiation is not very ancient . surely , if we yield the utmost time wherein bellarmine can plead the determination of this point , we shall arise but to ( saltem ab annis quingentis , &c. ) five hundred years agoe : so long , ( saith he ) at least , was this opinion of transubstantiation upon pain of a curse established in the church . the church , but what church ? the romane , i wis , not the greek . that word of peter martyr is true , that the greeks ever abhorred from this opinion of transubstantiation : insomuch as at the shutting up of the florentine council , which was but in the year . when there was a kinde of agreement betwixt the greeks and latines about the procession of the holy ghost , the pope earnestly moved the grecians , that amongst other differences they would also accord de divina panis transmutatione , concerning the divine transmutation of the bread ; wherein notwithstanding they departed , as formerly , dissenting . how palpably doth the cardinal shuffle in this business , whiles he would perswade us , that the greeks did not at all differ from the romans in the main head of transubstantiation ; but onely concerning the particularity of those words whereby that unspeakable change is wrought ? whenas it is most clear by the acts of that council , related even by their binius himself , that after the greeks had given in their answer , * that they do firmly believe that in those words of christ the sacrament is made up , ( which had been sufficient satisfaction , if that onely had been the question ) the pope urges them earnestly still , ut de divina panis transmutatione , &c. that in the synod there might be treaty had of the divine transmutation of the bread ; and when they yet stifly denied , he could have been content to have had the other three questions , of unleavened bread , purgatory , and the popes power , discussed , waving that other of transubstantiation , which he found would not abide agitation . since which time their patriarch jeremias of constantinople hath expressed the judgement of the greek church ; ** etenim verè , for the body and blood of christ are truely mysteries ; not that these are turned into mans body , but that ( the better prevailing ) we are turned into them : yielding a change , but mystical , not substantial . as for the ancients of either the greek or latine church , they are so far from countenancing this opinion , that our learned a whitaker durst challenge his duraeus , si vel unum , &c. if you can bring me but one testimony of sincere antiquity , whereby it may appear that the bread is transubstantiate into the flesh of christ , i will yield my cause . it is true that there are fair flourishes made of a b large jury of fathers giving their verdict this way , whose very names can hardly finde room in a margin : scarce any of that sacred rank are missing . but it is as true , that their witnesses are grossly abused to a sense that was never intended ; they onely desiring in an holy excess of speech to express the c sacramental change that is made of the elements in respect of use , not in respect of substance ; and passionately to describe unto us the benefit of that sacrament in our blessed communion with christ , and our lively incorporation into him . insomuch as cardinal d bellarmine himself is fain to confess a very high hyperbole in their speeches . non est novum , it is no unusual thing ( saith he ) with the ancients , and especially irenaeus , hilary , nyssen , cyril , and others , to say that our bodies are nourished by the holy eucharist . neither do they use less height of speech ( as our learned e bishop hath particularly observed ) in expressing our participation of christ in baptisme , wherein yet never any man pleaded a transubstantiation . neither have there been wanting some of the classical leaders of their schools , which have confessed more probability of ancient evidence for consubstantiation then for this change . certainly , neither of them both entred ever into the thoughts of those holy men , however the sound of their words have undergone a prejudicial mistaking . whereas the sentences of those ancients against this mis-opinion are direct , punctual , absolute , convictive , and uncapable of any other reasonable sense . what can be more choaking then that of their pope f gelasius above a thousand years since , et tamen , &c. yet there ceaseth not to be the very substance of bread and wine ? what can be more plain then that of s. g augustine , it is not this body which you see , that you shall eat , neither is it this blood which my crucifiers shall spill , that you shall drink : it is a sacrament that i commend unto you ; which being spiritually understood , shall quicken you ? or that other , h where a flagitious act seems to be commanded , there the speech is figurative ; as , when he saith , except ye eat the flesh of the son of man , &c. it were an horrible wickedness to eat the very flesh of christ : therefore here must needs be a figure understood ? what should i urge that of i tertullian ( whose speech rhenanus confesseth to have been condemned after in berengarius ) my body , that is , the figure of my body ? that of k theodoret , the mystical signes after consecration lose not their own nature ? that of s. a chrysostome , it is a carnal thing to doubt how christ can give us his flesh to eate ; whenas this is mystically and spiritually to be understood ? and soon after inquiring what it is to understand carnally , he thus explicates it ; b it is to take things simply as they are spoken , and not to conceive of any other thing meant by them . this wherein we are is a beaten path , trod with the feet of our holy martyrs , and traced with their blood . what should i need to produce their familiar and ancient advocates , who have often wearied and worn this bare , athanasius , c justine , d origen , e cyprian , f nazianzen , g basil , h hierome , i hilary , k cyril , l macarius , m bertram , besides those whom i formerly cited ? of all others ( which i have not found pressed by former authors ) that of our n albinus , or beda's learned scholar ( who lived in the time of charles the great ) seems to me most full and pregnant : hoc est ergo , this is therefore to eate that flesh , and to drink that blood , to remain in christ , and to have christ remaining in us : so as he that remains not in christ , and in whom christ remaineth not , without doubt doth not spiritually eat his flesh , although carnally and visibly he o chew the sacrament of his body and blood with his teeth ; but rather he eates and drinks the sacrament of so great a thing unto his own judgement , because he presumed to come unclean unto those sacraments of christ , which none can take worthily but the clean . thus he . neither is this his single testimony , but such as he openly professeth the p common voice of all his predecessours . and a little after , upon those words , the flesh profiteth nothing , he addeth , the flesh profiteth nothing , if ye understand the flesh so to be eaten as other meat , as that flesh which is bought in the shambles . this is the ordinary language of antiquity , whereof we may truely say as the disciples did of christ , q behold , now thou speakest plainly , and speakest no parable . at last ignorance and misunderstanding brought forth this monster of opinion , which superstition nursed up , but fearfully and obscurely , and not without much scope of contrary judgements ; till after pope nicolas had made way for it in his proceedings against berengarius ( by so gross an expression as the gloss is fain to put a caveat upon ) anno . the laterane council authorised it for a matter of faith , anno . thus yong is transubstantiation . let scripture and reason shew how erroneous . sect. . transubstantiation against scripture . were it not that men do wilfully hood-wink themselves with their own prejudice , the scripture is plain enough . for the mouth that said of bread , this is my body , said also of the same body , my flesh is meat indeed , long before there can be any plea of transubstantiation ; and , i am the bread that came down from heaven : so was he manna to the jews as he is bread to us . and s. paul says of his corinths , ye are the body of christ ; yet not meaning any transmutation of substance . and in those words wherein this powerful conversion is placed , he says onely , this is , not , this is transubstantiate : and if whiles he says , this is , he should have meant a transubstantiation , then it must needs follow that his body was transubstantiate before he spake ; for , this is , implies it already done . he adds , this is my body . his true natural humane body was there with them , took the bread , brake it , gave it , ate it ; if the bread were now the body of christ , either he must have two bodies there , or else the same body is by the same body taken , broken , eaten , and is ( the while ) neither taken , nor broken , nor eaten . yet he adds , which is given for you . this was the body which was given for them , betrayed , crucified , humbled to the death ; not the glorious body of christ , which should be capable of ten thousand places at once , both in heaven and earth , invisible , incircumscriptible . lastly , he addes , doe this in remembrance of me . remembrance implies an absence ; neither can we more be said to remember that which is in our present sense , then to see that which is absent . besides , that the great doctor of the gentiles tels us that after consecration , it is bread which is broken and eaten ; neither is it less then five times so called after the pretended change . shortly , christ as man was in all things like to us except sin ; and our humane body shall be once like to his glorious body . the glory which is put upon it shall not strip it of the true essence of a body ; and if it retain the true nature of a body , it cannot be at the same instant both above the heavens , and below on earth , in a thousand distant places . he is locally above ; for the heavens must receive him till the times of the restitution of all things . he is not at once in many distant places of the earth ; for the angel even after his resurrection says , he is not here , for he is risen . sect. . transubstantiation against reason . never did or can reason triumph so much over any prodigious paradox as it doth over this . insomuch as the patrons of it are fain to disclaim the sophistry of reason , and to stand upon the suffrages of faith , and the plea of miracles . we are not they who , with the manichees , refuse to believe christ unless he bring reason ; we are not they who think to lade the sea with an egge-shell , to fadome the deep mysteries of religion with the short reach of natural apprehension . we know there are wonders in divinity fit for our adoration , not fit for our comprehending : but withall we know , that if some theological truths be above right reason , yet never any against it ; for all verity complies with it self , as springing from one and the same fountain . this opinion therefore we receive not , not because it transcends our conceit , but because we know it crosseth both true reason and faith. it implies manifest contradiction , in that it referres the same thing to it self in opposite relations ; so as it may be at once present and absent , near and far off , below and above . it destroies the truth of christ's humane body , in that it ascribes quantity to it without extension , without * locality ; turning the flesh into spirit , and bereaving it of all the properties of a true body ; those properties which ( as a nicetas truely ) cannot so much as in thought be separated from the essence of the body : insomuch as b cyril can say , if the deitie it self were capable of partition , it must be a body ; and if it were a body , it must needs be in a place , and have quantity and magnitude , and thereupon should not avoid circumscription . it gives a false body to the son of god , making that every day of bread by the power of words , which was made once of the substance of the virgin by the holy ghost . it so separates accidents from their subjects , that they not onely can subsist without them , but can produce the full effects of substances ; so as bare accidents are capable of accidents ; so as of them substances may be either made or nourished . it utterly overthrows ( which learned c cameron makes the strongest of all reasons ) the nature of a sacrament ; in that it takes away at once the signe , and the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified : the signe , in that it is no more bread , but accidents ; the analogie , in that it makes the signe to be the thing signified . lastly , it puts into the hands of every priest , power to doe every day a greater miracle then god did in the creation of the world : for in that the creator made the creature ; but in this the creature daily makes the creator . since then this opinion is both new , and convinced to be grossly erroneous by scripture and reason , justly have we professed our deterstation of it ; and for that are unjustly ejected . chap. viii . the newness of the half-communion . the novelty of the half-sacrament , or dry communion , delivered to the laity , is so palpable , as that the patrons of it , in the presumptuous council of constance , profess no less . licet christus , &c. although christ , ( say they ) after his supper , instituted and administred this venerable sacrament under both kinds of bread and wine , &c. licet in primitiva , &c. although in the primitive church this sacrament were received by the faithful under both kinds ; non obstance , &c. yet this custome , for the avoiding of a some dangers and scandals , was upon just reason brought in , that laicks should receive onely under one kinde : and those that stubbornly oppose themselves against it , shall be ejected , and punished as hereticks . now this council was but in the year of our lord god . yea but these fathers of constance , however they are bold to controll christ's law by custome , yet they say it was consuetudo diutissimè observata , a custome very long observed . true , but the full age of this diutissimè is openly and freely calculated by cassander : satis constat , it is apparent enough , that the western or romane church , for a thousand years after christ , in the solemn and ordinary dispensation of this sacrament , gave both kinds of bread and wine to all the members of the church . a point which is manifest by innumerable ancient testimonies both of greeks and latines . and this they were induced to doe by the example of christs institution . quare non temerè , &c. it is not therefore ( saith he ) without cause , that most of the best catholicks , and most conversant in the reading of ecclesiastical writers , are inflamed with an earnest desire of obtaining the cup of the lord ; that the sacrament may be reduced to that ancient custome and use , which hath been for many ages perpetuated in the universal church . thus he . we need no other advocate . yea , their vasquez draws it yet lower , negare non , &c. we cannot deny that in the latin church there was the use of both kinds , and that it so continued until the dayes of saint thomas , which was about the year of god , . thus it was in the romane church : but as for the greek , the world knows it did never but communicate under both kinds . these open confessions spare us the labour of quoting the several testimonies of all ages : else it had been easie to shew how in the liturgie of saint basil and chrysostome , the priest was wont to pray , vouchsafe , o lord , to give us thy body and thy blood , and by us to thy people ; how in the order of rome , the archdeacon taking the chalice from the bishops hand , confirmeth all the receivers with the blood of our lord : and from b ignatius's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one cup distributed to all , to have descended along through the clear records of s. cyprian , hierome , ambrose , augustine , leo , gelafius , paschasius and others , to the very time of hugo and lombard , and our halensis ; and to shew how s. cyprian would not deny the blood of christ to those that should shed their blood for christ ; how saint austin ( with him ) makes a comparison betwixt the blood of the legal sacrifices , which might not be eaten , and this blood of our saviours sacrifice , which all must drink . but what need allegations to prove a yielded truth ? so as this halfing of the sacrament is a mere novelty of rome , and such a one as their own pope * gelasius sticks not to accuse of no less then sacriledge . sect. . half-communion against scripture . neither shall we need to urge scripture , when it is plainly confessed by the last councils of lateran and trent , that this practice varies from christs institution . yet the tridentine fathers have left themselves this evasion , that however our saviour ordained it in both kinds , and so delivered it to his apostles , notwithstanding he hath not by any command enjoyned it to be so received of the laity : not considering that the charge of our saviour is equally universal in both ; to whom he said , take and eate , to the same also he said , drink ye all of this ; so as by the same reason our saviour hath given no command at all unto the laity to eat or drink ; and so this blessed sacrament should be to all gods people ( the priests onely excepted ) arbitrary and unnecessary . but the great doctor of the gentiles is the best commenter upon his master , who writing to the church of god at corinth , * to them that are sanctified in christ jesus , with all that in every place call upon the name of jesus christ , so delivers the institution of christ , as that in the use of the cup he makes no difference ; six times conjoining the mention of drinking with eating ; and fetching it in with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , equality of the manner , and necessity of both , charges all christians indifferently , probet seipsum , let every man examine himself , &c. and so let him eate of that bread , and drink of that cup. sect. . half-communion against reason . in this practice reason is no less their enemy . though it be but a mans testament , yet if it be confirmed , no man disannulleth it ( saith saint paul. ) how much less shall flesh and blood presume to alter the last will of the son of god ; and that in so material a point as utterly destroyes the institution ? for , as our learned bishop of carlisle argues truely , half a man is no man , half a sacrament is no sacrament . and as well might they take away the bread as the cup ; both depend upon the same ordination : it is only the command of christ that makes the bread necessary ; the same command of christ equally enjoynes the cup ; both do either stand or fall upon the same ground . the pretence of concomitancie is so poor a shift , that it hurts them rather ; for if by virtue thereof the body of christ is no less in the wine then the blood is in the bread , it will necessarily follow , that they might ' as well hold back the bread and give the cup , as hold back the cup and give the bread. and could this mystery be hid from the eyes of the blessed authours of this sacrament ? will these men be wiser then the wisedome of his father ? if he knew this , and saw the wine yet useful , who dares abrogate it ? and if he had not seen it useful , why did he not then spare the labour and cost of so needless an element ? lastly , the blood that is here offered unto us , is that which was shed for us : that which was shed from the body , is not in the body : in vain therefore is concomitancie pleaded for a separated blood . shortly then , this mutilation of the sacrament being both confessedly late , and extremely injurious to god and his people , and contrary to scripture and reason , is justly abandoned by us ; and we for abandoning it unjustly censured . chap. ix . the newness of the missal sacrifice . it sounds not more prodigiously that a priest should every day make his god , then that he should sacrifice him . antiquity would have as much abhorred the sense as it hath allowed the word . nothing is more ordinary with the fathers , then to call * gods table an altar , the holy elements an oblation , the act of celebration an immolation , the actour a priest . saint a chrysostome reckons ten kinds of sacrifice , and at last ( as having forgotten it ) addes the eleventh . all which we well allow ; and indeed many sacrifices are offered to god in this one : but a b true , proper , propitiatory sacrifice for quick and dead , ( which the tridentine fathers would force upon our belief ) would have seemed no less strange a soloecisme to the eares of the ancients then it doth to ours . * saint augustine calls it a designation of christs offering upon the cross ; saint chrysostome ( and theophylact after him ) a remembrance of his sacrifice ; emissenus , a daily celebration in mystery of that which was once offered in payment ; and c lombard himself , a memorial and representation of the true sacrifice upon the cross . that which d cassander cites from saint ambrose or chrysostome , may be in stead of all : in christ is the sacrifice once offered able to give salvation . what do we therefore ? do we not offer every day ? surely , if we offer daily , it is done for a recordation of his death . this is the language and meaning of antiquity , the very same which the tridentine synod condemneth in us . e if any man shall say that the sacrifice of the mass is onely a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving , or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice offered upon the cross , let him be accursed . sect. . sacrifice of the mass against scripture . how plain is the scripture , whiles it tels us , that our high priest needeth not daily , as those high priests ( under the law ) to offer up sacrifice , first for his own sins , then for the peoples ; for this he did once , when he offered up himself ? the contradiction of the trent-fathers is here very remarkable . christ ( say they ) who on the altar of the cross offered himself in a bloody sacrifice , is now this true propitiatory sacrifice in the mass made by himself : he is one and the same sacrifice , and one and the same offerer of that sacrifice , by the ministery of his priests , who then offered himself on the cross . so then , they say , that christ offered up that sacrifice then , and this now : saint paul says , he offered up that sacrifice and no more . saint paul sayes , our high priest needs not to offer daily sacrifice : they say , these daily sacrifices must be offered by him . saint paul sayes that he offered himself but once for the sins of the people : they say , he offers himself daily for the sins of quick and dead . and if the apostle in the spirit of prophesie foresaw this errour , and would purposely forestal it , he could not speak more directly then when he saith , we are sanctified through the offering of the body of jesus christ once for all . and every high priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins : but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins , for ever sate down on the right hand of god ; from henceforth exspecting till his enemies be made his footstool : for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified . now let the vain heads of men seek subtil evasions in the different manner of this offering , bloody then , unbloody now . the holy ghost speaks punctually of the very substance of the act , and tells us absolutely , there is but one sacrifice once offered by him in any kind : else the opposition that is there made betwixt the legal priesthood and his should not hold , if , as they , so he had often properly and truely sacrificed . that i may not say they build herein what they destroy ; for an unbloody sacrifice , in this sense , can be no other then figurative and commemorative . is it really propitiatory ? without shedding of blood there is no remission . if therefore sins be remitted by this sacrifice , it must be in relation to that blood which was shed in his true personal sacrifice upon the cross ; and what relation can be betwixt this and that but of representation and remembrance ? in which their moderate cassander fully resteth . sect. . missal sacrifice against reason . in reason there must be in every sacrifice ( as cardinal bellarmine grants ) a destruction of the thing offered ; and shall we say that they make their saviour to crucifie him again ? no , but to eat him ; for , consumptio seu manducatio quae fit à sacerdote , the consumption or manducation which is done of the priest is an essential part of this sacrifice , saith the same authour : for in the whole action of the masse there is ( saith he ) no other real destruction but this . suppose we then the true humane flesh , blood and bone of christ , god and man , really and corporally made such by this transubstantiation , whether is more horrible , to crucisie , or to eat it ? by this rule it is the priests teeth , and not his tongue , that makes christs body a sacrifice . by this rule it shall be hostia an host , when it is not a sacrifice ; and a reserved host is no sacrifice , howsoever consecrated . and what if a mouse or other vermin should eat the host ? ( it is a case put by themselves ) who then sacrificeth ? to stop all mouths ; laicks eat as well as the priest , there is no difference in their manducation , but laicks sacrifice not ; and ( as salmeron urges ) the scripture distinguisheth betwixt the sacrifice , and the participation of it : a are not they which eat of the sacrifices , partakers of the altar ? and in the very canon of the mass , ut quotquot , &c. the prayer is , that all we which in the participation of the altar have taken the sacred body and blood of thy son , &c. wherein it is plain , saith he , that there is a distinction betwixt the host , and the eating of the host . lastly , sacrificing is an act done to god : if then eating be sacrificing , the priest eates his god to his god ; quorum deus venter . whiles they in vain studie to reconcile this new-made sacrifice of christ already in heaven with jube haec praferri , command these to be carried by the hands of thine holy angels to thine high altar in heaven , in the sight of thy divine majesty ; we conclude , that this proper and propitiatory sacrifice of the masse , as a new , unholy , unreasonable sacrifice , is justly abhorred by us , and we for abhorring it unjustly ejected . chap. x. the newness of image-worship . as for the setting up and worshipping of images , we shall not need to climbe so high as arnobius , or origen , or the council of eliberis , anno . or to that fact and history of epiphanius , ( whose famous epistle is honored by the translation of hierome ) of the picture found by him in the church of the village of anablatha , though out of his own diocese ; how he tore it in an holy zeal ; and wrote to the bishop of the place , beseeching him that no such pictures may be hanged up , contrary to our religion : though ( by the way ) who can but blush at master fisher's evasion , that it was sure the picture of some prophane pagan ? when as epiphanius himself there sayes , it had imaginem quasi christi , vel sancti cujusdam , the image as it were of christ , or some saint . surely therefore the image went for christs , or for some noted saints ; neither doth he finde fault with the irresemblance , but with the image , as such . that of agobardus is sufficient for us ; nullus antiquorum catholicorum , none of the ancient catholicks ever thought that images were to be worshipped or adored : they had them indeed , but for history sake ; to remember the saints by , not to worship them . the decision of gregory the great ( some yeares after christ ) which he gave to serenus bishop of massilia , is famous in every mans mouth and pen ; el quidem quia eas ador ari vetuisses , &c. we commend you ( saith he ) that you forbade those images to be worshipped ; but we reprove your breaking of them : adding the reason of both , for that they were only retained for history and instruction , not for adoration . which ingenuous cassander so comments upon , as that he shews this to be a sufficient declaration of the judgement of the romane church in those times , videlicet ideo haberi picturas , &c. that images are kept not to be adored and worshipped , but that the ignorant by beholding those pictures might , as by written records , be put in minde of what hath been formerly done , and be thereupon stirred up to piety . and the same authour tells us that sanioribns scholiasticis displicet , &c. the sounder schoolmen disliked that opinion of thomas aquine , who held , that the image is to be worshipped with the same adoration which is due to the thing represented by it ; reckoning up durand , holcot , biel. not to spend many words in a clear case : what the judgement and practice of our ancestours in this iland was concerning this point , appears sufficiently by the relation of roger hoveden our historian , who tells us that in the year . charls the king of france sent into this isle a synodal book directed unto him from constantinople , wherein there were divers offensive passages ; but especially this one , that by the unanimous consent of all the doctours of the east , and no fewer then : bishops , it was decreed that images should be worshipped , quod ecclesia dei execratur , saith he , which the church of god abhorres . against which errour albinus ( saith he ) wrote an epistle marvellously confirmed by authority of divine scriptures ; and in the person of our bishops and princes exhibited it , together with the said book , unto the french king. this was the setled resolution of our predecessours : and if since that time prevailing superstition have incroached upon the ensuing succession of the church , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let the old rules stand , as those fathers determined ; away with novelties . but , good lord , how apt men are to raise or believe lies for their own advantage ? urspergensis and other friends of idolatry tell us of a council held at london in the days of pope constantine , anno . wherein the worship of images was publickly decreed ; the occasion whereof was this : egwin the monk ( after made bishop ) had a vision from god , wherein he was admonished to set up the image of the mother of god in his church . the matter was debated , and brought before the pope in his see apostolick : there egwin was sworn to the truth of his vision . thereupon pope constantinus sent his legate boniface into england , who called a council at london ; wherein , after proof made of egwin's vision , there was an act made for image-worship . a figment so gross , that even their baronius and binnius fall foul upon it , with a facilè inducimur , &c. we are easily induced to believe it to be a lie . their ground is , that it is destitute of all testimony of antiquity ; and besides , that it doth directly cross the report of beda , who tels us that our english , together with the gospel , received that use of images from their apostle augustine : and therefore needed not any new vision for the entertainment thereof . let us enquire then a little into the words of beda ; at illi , but they , ( augustine and his fellows ) non daemoniaca , &c. came armed not with the power of devils , but of god , bearing a silver cross for their standard , and the image of our lord and saviour painted in a table , and singing letanies both for the salvation of themselves , and of them whom they came to convert . thus he . this shews indeed , that augustine and his fellows brought images into england , unknown here before ; ( a point worthy of good observation : ) but how little this proves the allowed worship of them , will easily appear to any reader , if he consider that gregory the first and great was he that sent this augustine into england ; whose judgement concerning images is clearly published by himself to all the world in his fore-cited epistle , absolutely condemning their adoration ( augustine should have been an ill apostle , if he had herein gone contrary to the will of him that sent him ; ) if withal he shall consider , that within the very same century of years the clergy of england , by bede's scholar , sent this publick declaration of their earnest disavowing both of the doctrine and practice of image-worship . sect. . image-worship against scripture . as for scripture , we need not to goe further then the very second commandement ; the charge whereof is so inevitable , that it is very ordinarily ( doubtless in the guiltiness of an apparent check ) left out in the devotional books to the people . a others , since they cannot raze it out , would fain limit it to the jews , pretending that this precept against the worship of images was onely temporal and ceremonial , and such as ought not to be in force under the times of the gospel . wherein they recal to my thoughts that which epiphanius the son of carpocrates answered , when his lust was checked with the command of non concupisces ; true , said he , that is to be understood of the heathen , whose wives and sisters we may not indeed lust after . some more modest spirit are ashamed of that shift , and fly to the distinction of idols and images : * a distinction without a difference ; of their making , not of gods ; of whom we never learned other , then that as every idol is an image of something , so every image worshipped turns idol : the language differs , not the thing it self . to be sure , god takes order for both , ye shall make you no idol nor graven image , neither rear you up any standing image , neither shall you sct up any image of stone in your land to bow down to it . yea , as their own vulgar turns it , b non facies tibi , &c. statuam , thou shalt not set thee up a statue which god hateth . the book of god is * full of his indignation against this practice . we may well shut up all with that curse in mount geresim , c cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image , an abomination unto the lord ; the work of the hands of the craftsman , and putteth it in a secret place . and all the people shall say amen . surely their * durandus , after he hath cited divers scriptures against idols , as exod. . levit. . deut. . numb , , &c. at last concludes , ex his & similibus , &c. by these and the like authorities is condemned the too much use of images . now because many eyes are bleared with a pretence of worshipping these not as gods , but as resemblances of god's friends , let any indifferent man but read the epistle of jeremy , baruch . ( canonical to them , though not to us ) and compare the estate and usage of those ancient idols with the present images of the romane church ; and if he do not find them fully parallel'd , let him condemn our quarrel of injustice . but we must needs think them hard driven for scripture , when they run for shelter under that text which professedly taxeth them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. in illicitis idolorum cultibus , saith s. peter , in unlawfull idolatries ; speaking of the gentiles : therefore , saith valentia , there is a lawfull worship of idols . as if that were an epithet of favour , which is intended to aggravation . so he that should call satan an unclean devil , should imply that some devil is not unclean ; or , deceivable lusts , some lusts deceitlesse ; or , hatefull wickedness , some wickedness not hatefull . the man had forgot that the apostle spake of the heathenish idolatrie ; wherein himself cannot plead any colour of lawfulnesse . may this therefore befriend them , to call idolatrie abominable , the scripture is theirs ; neither can they look for any other countenance from those sacred monuments . sect. . against reason . what need we seek any other reason of god's prohibition then his will ? and yet god himself hath given abundant reason of his prohibition of images erected to himself . a to whom will ye liken god ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? b ye saw no manner of similitude in the day that the lord spake to you in horcb . it is an high injury to the infinite and spiritual nature of god to be resembled by bodily shapes . and for the worship of images erected to himself or his creature , c i am the lord , that is my name , and my glory will i not give to another , nor my praise to molten images . the holy jealousie of the almighty will not abide any of his honour divided with his creature ; and d whatever worship more then mere humane is imparted to the creature , sets it in rivaltie with our maker . the man is better then his picture ; and if religious worship will not be allowed to the person of man or angel , how much lesse to his image ? not to man ; e saint peter forbids it : not to angel ; f himself forbids it . what a madnesse then is it for a living man to stoop unto a dead stock ; unlesse ( as that g cynick had wont to speak unto statues ) to use himself to repulses ? this curtesie was too shamefull in the pagans of old , how much more intolerable in christians ? and as for that last shift of this unlawfull devotion , that they worship not the image , but by it the * person represented ; haec à paganis afferri solebat , this ( saith h cassander , out of the evidence of arnobius & lactantius , to whom he might have added saint augustine ) was the very evasion of the old heathen ; nec valebat tunc illa ratio , neither would this colour then serve : how can it hope now to passe and finde allowance ? the doctrine therefore and practice of image-worship , as late as erroneous , is justly rejected by us , who , according to i s. hierome's profession , worship not the relicks of martyrs , nor sun , nor moon , nor angels , nor archangels , nor cherubim , nor seraphin , nor any name that is named in this world or in the world to come : and unjustly are we hereupon ejected . chap. xi . the newness of indulgences and purgatorie . nothing is more palpable then the noveltie of indulgences or pardons , as they are now of use in the roman church ; the intolerable abuse whereof gave the first hint to luther's inquirie . pope le● had gratified his fister magdalen with a large monopoly of germane pardons ; aremboldus her factour was too covetous , and held the market too high : the height of these over-rated wares caused the chapmen to inquire their worth . they were found , as they are , both for age and dignity . for age so new , as that a cornelius agrippa , and b polydore virgil , and machiavel ( and who not ? ) tell us , boniface the eighth , who lived anno . was the first that extended indulgences to purgatory , the first that devised a jubilee for the full utterance of them . the indulgences of former times were no other then relaxations of canonical penances , which were enjoined to hainous sinners ; whereof burchard the bishop of wormes sets down many particulars , about the year . for example , if a man had committed wilfull murther , he was to fast forty daies together in bread and water , ( which the common people calls a lent ) and to observe a course of penance for seven years after . now these years of penance and these lents were they which the pardons of former times were used to strike off or abate , according as they found reason in the disposition of the penitent : which may give light to those terms of so many lents and years remitted in former indulgences . but that there should be a sacred treasure of the church , wherein are heaped up piles of satisfaction of saints , whereof only the pope keeps the keyes , and hath power to dispense them where he lists , is so late a device , that gregorie of valence is forced to confesse , that not so much as gratian or peter lombard ( which wrote about years before him ) ever made mention of the name of indulgence . well therefore might durand and antonine grant it not to be found either in the scriptures or in the writings of the antient doctors : and our b. fisher goes so far in the acknowledgement of the newness thereof , that he hath run into the censure of late jesuites . just and warrantable is that challenge of learned chemnitius , that no testimony can be produced of any father or of any antient church , that either such doctrine or practice of such indulgences was ever in use untill towards years after christ . talium indulgentiarum : some there were in the time immediatly fore-going ; but such as now they were not . besides eugenius his time which was too near the verge ; for the words of chemnitius are , * per annos ferme mille ducentos . bellarmine instances in the third council of lateran , about the year . wherein pope paschal the second gave indulgences of forty daies to those which visited the threshold of the apostles . but it must be considered , that we must take this upon the bare word of conrad . urspergensis . secondly , that this indulgence of his is no other but a relaxation of canonical penance . for he addes , ( which bellarmine purposely concealeth ) iis qui de capitalibus , &c. to those that should doe penance for capital sins , he released forty daies penance . so as this instance helps nothing ; neither are the rest , which he hath raked together within the compasse of a few preceding years , of any other alloy . neither hath that cardinal offered to cite one father for the proof of this practice , the birth whereof was many hundred years after their expiration ; but cunningly shifts it off with a cleanly excuse , neque mirum , &c. neither may it seem strange if we have not many antient authours that make mention of these things in the church , which are preserved only by use , not by writing . so he . he saies , not many authours ; he shews not one . and if many matters of rite have been traduced to the church without notice of pen or presse ; yet let it be shewn what one doctrine or practice of such importance as this is pretended to be hath escaped the report and maintenance of some ecclesiastick writer or other , and we shall willingly yield it in this . till then , we shall take this but for a mere colour , and resolve that our honest rossensis deals plainly with us , who tells us , quamdiu nulla fuer at de purgatorio cura , &c. so long as there was no care of purgatorie , no man sought after indulgences ; for upon that depends all the opinion of pardon : if you take away purgatory , wherefore should we need pardons ? since therefore purgatory was so lately known and received of the whole church , who can marvel concerning indulgences , that there was no use of them in the beginning of the church ? indulgences then began after men had trembled some while at the torments of a purgatory . thus their martyr , not partially for us , but ingenuously out of the power of truth , professes the novelty of two great articles of the romane creed , purgatorie and indulgences . indeed , both these now hang on one string : although there was a kinde of purgatory dreamed of before their pardons came into play . that device peep'd out fearfully from origen , and pull'd in the head again , as in a s. austin's time doubting to shew it ; tale aliquod , &c. that there is some such thing ( saith he ) after this life , it is not utterly incredible , and may be made a question . and elsewhere , i reprove it not , for it may perhaps be true . and yet again , as retracting what he had yielded , he resolves , let no man deceive himself , my brethren ; there are but two places , and a third there is none . before whom b s. cyprian is peremptory , quando isthinc excessum fuerit , when we are once departed hence , there is now no more place of repentance , no effect of satisfaction ; here is life either lost or kept . and c nazianzen's verse sounds to the same sense . and d s. ambrose can say of his theodosius , that being freed from this earthly warfare , fruitur nunc luce perpetuâ , &c. he now enjoies everlasting light , during tranquillity , and triumphs in the troops of the saints . but what strive we in this ? we may well take the word of their martyr , our roffensis , for both : and true e erasmus for the ground of this defence ; mirum in modum , &c. they do marvellously affect the fire of purgatory , because it is most profitable for their kitchins . sect. . indulgences and purgatory against scripture . these two then are so late come strangers , that they cannot challenge any notice taken of them by scripture ; neither were their names ever heard of in the language of canaan : yet the wisdome of that all-seeing spirit hath not left us without preventions of future errours , in blowing up the very grounds of these humane devices . the first and main ground of both is , the remainders of some temporal punishments to be pay'd after the guilt and eternal punishment remitted ; the driblets of venial sins to be reckon'd for when the mortal are defraied . hear what god saith ; i , even i , am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake , and will not remember thy sins . loe , can the letter be read that is blotted out ? can there be a back-reckoning for that which shall not be remembred i have done away thy transgressions as a cloud . what sins can be lesse then transgressions ? what can be more clearly dispersed then a cloud ? wash me , and i shall be whiter then snow . who can tell where the spot was , when the skin is rinsed ? if we confesse our sins , he is faithfull to forgive our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse . loe , he cleanseth us from the guilt , and forgives the punishment . what are our sins but debts ? what is the infliction of punishment , but an exaction of payment ? what is our remission , but a striking off that score ? and when the score is struck off , what remains to pay ? remitte debita , forgive our debts , is our daily prayer . our saviour tells the paralitick , thy sins are forgiven thee ; in the same words implying the removing of his disease . if the sin be gone , the punishment cannot stay behinde . we may smart by way of chastisement after the freest remission , not by way of revenge ; for our amendment , not for god's satisfaction . the second ground is , a middle condition betwixt the state of eternal life and death , of no lesse torment for the time then hell it self , whose flames may burn off the rust of our remaining sins ; the issues wherefrom are in the power of the great pastor of the church . how did this escape the notice of our saviour ? verily , verily i say unto you , he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me , hath everlasting life , and comes not into judgment ( as the vulgar it self terms it ) but is passed from death unto life . behold , a present possession , and immediate passage , no judgement intervening , no torment . how was this hid from the great doctor of the gentiles , who putting himself into the common case of the believing corinthians , professes , we know that if once our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved , we have a building of god , not made with hands , eternall in the heavens ? the dissolution of the one is the possession of the other ; here is no interposition of time , of estate . the wise man of old could say , the souls of the righteous are in the hand of god ; and there shall no torment touch them . upon their very going from us they are in peace . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as s. john heard from the heavenly voice , from their very dying in the lord is their blessedness . sect. . indulgences against reason . it is absurd in reason , to think that god should forgive our talents , and arrest us for the odde farthings . neither is it lesse absurd to think that any living soul can have superfluities of satisfaction ; whenas all that man is capable to suffer cannot be sufficient for one ( and that the least ) sin of his own , the wages whereof is eternall death : or that those superfluities of humane satisfaction should piece up the infinite and perfectly-meritorious superabundance of the son of god : or that this supposed treasure of divine and humane satisfactions should be kept under the key of some one sinfull man : or that this one man , who cannot deliver his own soul from purgatory , no not from hell it self , should have power to free what others he pleaseth from those fearfull flames , to the full gaol-delivery of that direfull prison ; which though his great power can doe , yet his no lesse charity will not , doth not : or that the same pardon which cannot acquit a man from one hours tooth-ach , should be of force to give his soul ease from the temporary pains of another world . lastly , guilt and punishment are relatives , and can no more be severed then a perfect forgivenesse and a remaining compensation can stand together . this doctrine therefore of papal indulgences , as it led the way to the further discovery of the corruptions of the degenerated church of rome , so it still continues justly branded with noveltie and errour , and may not be admitted into our belief ; and we for rejecting it are unjustly refused . chap. xii . the newness of divine service in an unknown tongue . that prayers and other divine offices should be done in a known tongue , understood of the people , is not more available to edification ( as their a cajetan liberally confesseth ) then consonant to the practice of all antiquity ; insomuch as b lyranus freely , in the primitive church , blessings and all other services were done in the vulgar tongue . what need we look back so far , when even the c lateran council , which was but in the year . under innocent the third , makes this decree , quoniam in plerisque , because in many parts within the same city and diocese , people are mixed of divers languages , having under one faith divers rites and fashions , we strictly command that the bishops of the said cities or dioceses provide fit and able men , who , according to the diversities of their rites and languages , may celebrate divine services , and administer the sacraments of the church to them , instructing them both in word and example . cardinall bellarmine's evasion is very grosse , that in that place innocentius and the council speak only of the greek and latine tongue : for then ( saith he ) constantinople was newly taken by the romanes , by reason whereof there was in greece a mixture of greeks and latines ; insomuch as they desired that in such places of frequence two bishops might be allowed for the ordering of those several nations . whereupon it was concluded , that since it were no other then monstrous to appoint two bishops unto one see , it should be the charge of that one bishop to provide such under him as should administer all holy things to the grecians in greek , and in latine to the latines . for who sees not that the constitution is general , plerisque partibus , for very many parts of the christian world , and populi diversarum linguarum , people of sundry languages ; not , as bellarmine cunningly , diversae linguae , of a diverse language ? and if these two only languages had been meant , why had it not been as easie to specifie them , as to intimate them by so large a circumlocution ? the synod is said to be universal , comprehending all the patriarchs , seventy seven metropolitans , and the most eminent divines of both east and west churches , to the number of at least persons , or , as some others , . besides the embassadors of all christian princes , of several languages . now shall we think that there were in all their territories and jurisdictions no mixtures of inhabitants , but only of grecians and romans ; or , that all these fathers were carelesse of the rest ? especially , since the end which they professe to propose unto themselves herein is , the instruction of the people , of what nation or language soever ; which end as it was never meant to be limited to two sorts of people , so could it never be attained without this liberty of language fitted to their understanding . to which may be added , that the greeks and latines , of all other , had the least need of this provision , since it was famously known that they had their several services already of received and current use , before this constitution was hatched . neither is it of any moment which he addeth , that in italy it self this decree was not extended to the use of vulgar tongues : for that it is evident that s. thomas ( who lived soon after ) composed in latine the office of the feast of corpus christi , not in the italian ; although the same aquinas confesses that the vulgar tongue of italy at that time was not latine . for what childe cannot easily see , that if their great doctor would write an office for the publick use ( as is intended ) of the whole church , he would make choice to write it in such a language as might improve it to the most common benefit of all the christian world ? not confining it to the bounds of a particular nation . besides , what was the italian ( in those times especially ) but a broken and corrupt latine , differing more in idiome and termination then in the substance of speech ? that which radevicus about the year . records for the voice of the people , in the election of pope victor , papa vittore s. pietro l'elege , makes good no lesse ; for what such difference is betwixt this , and papam victorem sanctus petrus elegit ? so as this instance doth nothing at all infringe that just decree of the roman fathers . howsoever , that observation of erasmus is true , and pregnant to this purpose , nec lingua vulgaris , &c. neither was the vulgar tongue ( i. the latine ) withdrawn from the people , but the people went off from it . and as for our ancestors in this island , our venerable * beda witnesses that in england the scriptures were read by them in five languages , according to the number of the books wherein the law of god was written , namely english , scotish , british , pictish , and latine ; which , saith he , in meditation of the scriptures is made common to all the rest . a point which the said author specifies for a commendation of the well-instructednesse of those people : not as purposing to intimate that the use of the latine did thrust out the other four , for he there tels us that in all four they did not only search , but confesse and utter the knowledge of the highest truth . this restraint then is not more new then envious , and prejudicial to the honour of god and the souls of men . sect. . against scripture . as for scriptures ; were this practice so old as it is pretended , the rule is , longaevae consuetudinis , &c. the authority of an ancient custome is not to be slighted , so long as it is not against the canons . nothing can be more against the canons of the blessed apostle then this ; who , did he live in these our daies , and would bend his speech against the use of a language not understood in gods service , could not speak more directly , more punctually , then he doth to his corinths . how doth he tell us , that the speaking in a strange tongue edifies not the church , profits not the hearers , produces a necessary ignorance of the thing spoken ; makes me a barbarian to him that speaketh , and him that speaketh a barbarian to me ? how doth he require him that speaketh in an unknown tongue to pray that he may interpret ? and if he must pray that he may doe it , how much more must he practice it when he can doe it ? how doth he tell us that in a strange-languaged prayer the understanding is unfruitfull ? that it is better to speak five words with understanding , that we may teach others , then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue ? that those which speak with strange tongues are but as mad men to the unlearned , or unbelievers . sect. . against reason . in which scriptures ( besides authority ) the apostle hath comprized unanswerable and convincing reasons against this romish abuse : amongst the rest is intimated that utter frustration of the use of the tongue in gods service . for it is a true rule which salmeron cites out of lactantius , nihil valet ex se , &c. that thing is to no purpose which avails not unto the end whereto it serves . silence doth as much expresse the thought , as a language not understood . in this sense is that of laurentius too well verified , sacerdos imperitus mulier sterilis , a priest unable to expresse himself is a barren woman ; uncapable of bringing forth children to god. as good no tongue as no understanding . what good doth a well sealed up ? as ptolomy said of the hebrew text. wherefore do we speak , if we would not be understood ? it was an holy resolution of s. augustine , that he would rather say ossum in false latin , to be understood of the people , then os in true , not to be understood . this practice , however it may seem in it self slight & unworthy of too much contention , yet in regard of that miserable blindness and mis-devotion which it must needs draw in after it , is so hainous , as it may well deserve our utmost opposition . the unavoidablenesse of which effects hath carried some of their casuists into an opinion of the unnecessarinesse of devotion in these holy businesses ; so as one sayes , he that wants devotion sins not ; another , though it be convenient that the communicant should have actuall devotion , yet is it not necessary . alas ! what service is this which poor souls are taught to take up with , which god must be content to take from hood-wink'd suppliants ? this doctrine , this practice , thus new , thus prejudicial to christians , we blesse god that we have so happily discarded ; and for our just refusall are unjustly ejected . chap. xiii . the newnesse of forced sacramentall confession . the necessity of a particular , secret , full sacramental confession of all our sins to a priest , upon pain of non-remission , is an act or institution of the romane church : for as for the greek church , it owns not either the doctrine or practice . so the glosse of the canon law directly , confessio apud graecos , &c. confession is not necessary amongst the grecians , unto whom no such tradition hath been derived . that glosse would tell us more , & so would gratian himself , if their tongues were not clipt by a guilty expurgation . but in the mean time the glosse of that canon ( hitherto allowed ) plainly controlls the decree of that late council : for if the necessity of confession be only a tradition , and such a one as hath not been deduced to the greek church , then it stands not by the law of god , which is universal , not making differences of places or times ; like an high-elevated star which hath no particular aspect upon one region . that there is a lawfull , commendable , beneficial use of confession was never denied by us ; but to set men upon the rack , and to strain their souls up to a double pin , of absolute necessity ( both praecepti and medii ) and of a strict particularity , and that by a screw of jus divinum , gods law , is so mere a romane novelty , that many ingenuous authours of their own have willingly confessed it . amongst whom cardinall bellarmine himself yields us a erasmus and b beatus rhenanus , two noble witnesses ; whose joynt tenet he confesses to be , confessionem secretam , &c. that the secret confession of all our sins is not onely not instituted or commanded jure divino , by gods law ; but that it was not so much as received into use in the ancient church of god. to whom he might have added , out of maldonat's account , omnes decretorum , &c. all the interpreters of the decrees ; and , amongst the school-men , scotus . we know well those sad and austere exomologeses which were publickly used in the severe times of the primitive church : whiles these took place , what use was there of private ? these obtained even in the western or latine church till the dayes of leo , about . years : in which time they had a grave publick penitentiary for this purpose . afterwards ( whether the noted inconveniences of that practice , or whether the cooling of the former fervour occasioned it ) this open confession began to give way to secret ; which continued in the church , but with freedome , and without that forced and scrupulous strictnesse which the latter times have put upon it . it is very remarkable which learned rhenanus hath , caeterum th. ab aquino , &c. but ( saith he ) thomas of aquine and scotus ( men too acute ) have made confession at this day such , as that joh. geilerius a grave and holy divine , which was for many years preacher at strasburgh , had wont to say to his friends , that according to their rules it is an impossible thing to confesse : adding , that the same geilerius being familiarly conversant with some religious votaries , both carthusians and franciscans , learned of them with what torments the godly minds of some men were afflicted , by the rigour of that confession which they were not able to answer ; and thereupon he published a book in dutch , intituled the sicknesse of confession . the same therefore which rhenanus writes of his geilerius , he may well apply unto us , itaque geilerio non displicebat , &c. geilerius therefore did not dislike confession , but the serupulous anxiety which is taught in the summes of some late divines , more fit indeed for some other place then for libraries . thus he . what would that ingenuous author have said , if he had lived to see those volumes of cases which have been since published , able to perplex a world ; and those peremptory decisions of the fathers of the society , whose strokes have been with scorpions in comparison of the rods of their predecessors ? to conclude , this bird was hatched in the council of lateran , ( anno . ) fully plumed in the council of trent , and now lately hath her feathers imped by the modern casuists . sect. . romish confession not warranted by scripture . since our quarrell is not with confession it self , which may be of singular use and behoof , but with some tyrannous strains in the practice of it , which are the violent forcing and perfect fulnesse thereof : it shall be sufficient for us herein to stand upon our negative , that there is no scripture in the whole book of god wherein either such necessity , or such intirenesse of confession is commanded . a truth so clear , that it is generally confessed by their own canonists . did we question the lawfulness of confession , we should be justly accountable for our grounds from the scriptures of god : now that we crie down only some injurious circumstances therein , well may we require from the fautors thereof their warrants from god ; which if they cannot shew , they are sufficiently convinced of a presumptuous obtrusion . indeed , our saviour said to his apostles and their successors , whose sins ye remit , they are remitted ; and whose sins ye retain , they are retained . but did he say , no sin shall be remitted but what ye remit ? or , no sin shall be remitted by you but what is particularly numbred unto you ? s. james bids , confesse your sins one to another . but would they have the priest shrieve himself to the penitent , as well as the penitent to the priest ? this act must be mutual , not single . many believing ephesians came and confessed , and shewed their deeds . many ; but not all , not omnes utriusque sexus . they confessed their deeds ; some that were notorious , not all their sins . contrarily rather , so did christ send his apostles , as the father sent him ; he was both their warrant and their pattern . but that gracious saviour of ours many a time gave absolution where was no particular confession of sins : only the sight of the paralyticks faith setcht from him , son be of good chear , thy sins be forgiven thee ; the noted sinner in simon 's house , approving the truth of her repentance by the humble and costly testimonies of her love , without any enumeration of her sins heard , thy sins are forgiven thee . sect. . against reason . in true divine reason this supposed duty is needlesse , dangerous , impossible . needlesse , in respect of all sins , not in respect of some : for however in the cases of a burdened conscience nothing can be more usefull , more soveraign ; yet in all our peace doth not depend upon our lips . being justified by faith , me have peace with god through jesus christ our lord. dangerous , in respect both of exprobration , as saint chrysostome worthily , and of infection ; for delectabile carnis ( as a casuist confesseth , ) fleshly pleasures , the more they are called into particular mention , the more they move the appetite . i do willingly conceal from chast eyes and ears what effects have followed this pretended act of devotion in wanton and unstaied confessors . impossible ; for who can tell how oft he offendeth ? he is poor in sin that can count his stock ; and he sins alwayes that so presumes upon his innocence , as to think he can number his sins ; and if he say of any sin , as lot of zoar , is it not a little one ? as if therefore it may safely escape the reckoning . it is a true word of isaac the syrian , qui delicta , &c. he that thinks any of his offences small , even in so thinking falls into greater . this doctrine and practice therefore , both as new and unwarrantable , full of usurpation , danger , impossibility , is justly rejected by us ; and we for so doing unjustly ejected . sect. . the noveltie of absolution before satisfaction . lest any thing in the romane church should retain the old form , how absurd is that innovation which they have made in the order of their penance and absolution ? the antient course , as cassander and lindanus truly witness , was , that absolution and reconciliation and right to the communion of the church was not given by imposition of hands unto the penitent , till he had given due satisfaction by performing of such penal acts as were enjoined by the discreet penitentiarie ; yea , those works of penance ( saith he ) when they were done out of faith , and an heart truly sorrowfull , and by the motion of the holy spirit , preventing the minde of man with the help of his divine grace , were thought not a little available to obtain remission of the sin , and to pacifie the displeasure of god for sin : not that they could merit it by any dignity of theirs , but that thereby the minde of man is in a sort fitted to the receit of god's grace . but now , immediatly upon the confession made , the hand is laid upon the penitent , and he is received to his right of communion , and after his absolution , certain works of piety are enjoined him , for the chastisement of the flesh , and expurgation of the remainders of sin . thus cassander . in common apprehension this new order can be no other then preposterous ; and ( as our learned bishop of carlisle ) like easter before lent. but for this , ipsi viderint ; it shall not trouble us how they nurture their own childe . chap. xiv . the newness of the romish invocation of saints . of all those errours which we reject in the church of rome , there is none that can plead so much shew of antiquity as this of invocation of saints : which yet , as it hath been practised and defended in the later times , should in vain seek either example or patronage amongst the antient. however there might be some grounds of this devotion secretly muttered , and at last expressed in panegyrick forms ; yet untill almost years after christ it was not in any sort admitted into the publick service . it will be easily granted that the blessed virgin is the prime of all saints ; neither could it be other then injurious that any other of that heavenly society should have the precedency of her : now the first that brought her name into the publick devotions of the greek church is noted by nicephorus to be petrus gnapheus , or fullo , a presbyter of bithynia , afterwards the usurper of the see of antioch , much about years after christ ; who ( though a branded heretick ) found out four things ( saith he ) very usefull and beneficial to the catholick church ; whereof the last was , ut in omni precatione , &c. that in every prayer the mother of god should be named , and her divine name called upon . the phrase is very remarkable wherein this rising superstition is expressed . and as for the latine church , we hear no news of this invocation in the publick letanies till gregorie's time , about some years after the former . and in the mean time some fathers speak of it fearfully and doubtfully . how could it be otherwise , when the common opinion of the antients , even below saint austin's age , did put up all the souls of the faithfull , except martyrs , in some blinde receptacles , whether in the center of the earth or elsewhere , where they might in candida exspectare diem judicii , as tertullian hath it four severall times ? and a stapleton himself sticks not to name divers of them thus fouly mistaken . others of the fathers have let fall speeches directly bent against this invocation . a non opus est patronis , &c. there is no need of any advocates to god , saith s. chrysostome : and most plainly * elsewhere , homines si quando , &c. if we have any suit to men ( saith he ) we must fee the porters , and treat with jesters and parasites , and goe many times a long way about . in god there is no such matter ; he is exorable without any of our mediators , without money , without cost , he grants our petitions : it is enough for thee to crie with thine heart alone , to powre out thy tears , and presently thou hast won him to mercy . thus he . and those of the antients that seem to speak for it , lay grounds that overthrow it . howsoever it be , all holy antiquity would have both blushed and spit at those forms of invocation which the late clients of rome have broached to the world . if perhaps they speak to the saints tanquam deprecatores , ( vel potius comprecatores ) as b spalatensis yields , moving them to be competitioners with us to the throne of grace , not properly , but improperly , as c altissiodore construes it : how would they have digested that blasphemous psalter of our lady imputed to bonaventure , and those d styles of mere deification which are given to her , and the division of all offices of piety to mankinde betwixt the mother and the son ? how had their eares glowed to hear , christus oravit , franciscus exoravit , christ prayed , francis prevailed ? how would they have brooked that which e ludovicus vives freely confesses , multi christiani , &c. many christians worship div●s divasque the saints of both sexes , no otherwise then god himself ? or that which f spalatensis professes to have observed , that the ignorant multitude are tarried with more entire religious affection to the blessed virgin , or some other saint , then to christ their saviour ? these foul superstitions are not more hainous then new , and such as wherein we have justly abhorred to take part with the practicers of them . sect. . invocation of saints against scripture . as for the better side of this mis-opinion , even thus much colour of antiquity were cause enough to suspend our censures ( according to that wise & moderate resolution of learned g zanchius ; ) were it not that the scriptures are so flatly opposite unto it , as that we may justly wonder at that wisdome which hath provided antidotes for a disease that of many hundred years after should have no being in the world. the ground of this invocation of saints is their notice of our earthly condition , and speciall devotions . h and behold , thou prevailest ever against man , and he passeth : thou changest his countenance , and sendest him away . his sons come to honour , and he knows it not ; and they are brought low , and he perceiveth it not , saith job . i the dead know nothing at all , saith wise solomon : also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished ; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. no portion in any thing , therefore not in our miseries , nor in our allocutions . if we have a portion in them , for their love and prayers in common for the church , they have no portion in our particularities , whether of want or complaint . abraham our father is ignorant of us ( saith esay ) and israel acknowledges us not . loe , the father of the faithfull above knows not his own children , till they come into his bosome ; and he that gives them their names , is to them as a stranger . wherefore should good josiah be gathered to his fathers , as hulda tels him , but that his eyes might not see all the evil which should come upon jerusalem ? we cannot have a better commenter then s. augustine ; if ( saith he ) the souls of the dead could be present at the affairs of the living , &c. surely my good mother would no night forsake me , whom , whiles she lived , she followed both by land and sea . far be it from me to think that an happier life hath made her cruel , &c. but certainly that which the holy psalmist tels us is true ; my father and my mother have forsaken me , but the lord took me up . if therefore our parents have left us , how are they present or do interesse themselves in our cares or businesses ? and if our parents do not , who else among the dead know what we doe , or what we suffer ? esay the prophet saith , thou art our father , for abraham is ignorant of us , and israel knows us not . if so great patriarchs were ignorant what became of that people which came from their loyns , and which upon their belief was promised to descend from their stock , how shall the dead have ought to doe either in the knowledge or aide of the affaires or actions of their dearest survivers ? how do we say that god provides mercifully for them who die before the evils come , if even after their death they are sensible of the calamities of humane life ? &c. how is it then that god promised to good king josiah for a great blessing , that he should die beforehand , that he might not see the evils which he threatned to that place and people ? thus that divine father . with whom agrees saint hierome , nec enim possumus , &c. neither can we , ( saith he ) when this life shall once be dissolved , either enjoy our own labours , or know what shall be done in the world afterwards . but could the saints of heaven know our actions , yet our hearts they cannot : this is the peculiar skill of their maker . thou art the searcher of the hearts and reines , o righteous god : god only knows abscondita animi , the hidden secrets of the soul . now the heart is the seat of our prayers : the lips do but vent them to the eares of men : moses said nothing , when god said , let me alone , moses . solomon's argument is irrefragable ; * hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place , and doe , and give to every man according to his wayes , whose heart thou knowest : for thou , even thou only , knowest the hearts of all the children of men . he onely should be implored that can hear ; he onely can hear the prayer that knows the heart . yet could they know our secretest desires , it is an honour that god challengeth as proper to himself , to be invoked in our prayers ; call upon me in the day of thy trouble , and i will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . there is one god , and one mediator betwixt god and man , the man jesus christ . one and no more ; not only of redemption , but of intercession also : for through him ( onely ) we have accesse by one spirit unto the father : and he hath invited us to himself , come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden . sect. . against reason . how absurd therefore is it in reason , when the king of heaven cals us to him , to run with our petitions to the guard or pages of the court ? had we to doe with a finite prince , whose eares must be his best informers , or whose will to help us were justly questionable , we might have reason to present our suits by second hands : but since it is an omnipresent and omniscious god with whom we deal , from whom the saints and angels receive all their light and love to his church , how extreme folly is it to sue to those courtiers of heaven , and not to come immediatly to the throne of grace ? that one mediator is able ( and willing also ) to save them to the utmost that come unto god by him , seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them . besides , how uncertain must our devotions needs be , when we can have no possible assurance of their audience ? for who can know that a saint hears him ? that god ever hears us , we are as sure , as we are unsure to be heard of saints : nay , we are sure we cannot be all heard of them ; for what finite nature can divide it self betwixt ten thousand suppliants at one instant in severall regions of the world , much lesse impart it self whole to each ? either therefore we must turn the saints into so many deities , or we must yield that some of our prayers are unheard ; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin . as for that heavenly glasse of saint gregorie's , wherein the saints see us and our suits ( confuted long since by hugo de s. victore ) it is as pleasing a fiction , as if we imagined therefore to see all the corners of the earth , because we see that sun which sees them . and the same eyes that see in god the particular necessities of his saints below , see in the same god such infinite grace and mercy for their relief , as may save the labour of their reflecting upon that divine mirrour in their speciall intercessions . the doctrine therefore and practice of the romish invocation of saints , both as new and erroneous , against scripture and reason , we have justly rejected ; and are thereupon ejected as unjustly . chap. xv. the newnesse of seven sacraments . the late councill of florence indeed insinuates this number of seven sacraments , as suarez contends : but the later council of trent determines it , si quis dixerit aut plura , &c. if any man shall say , that there are either more or fewer sacraments then seven , viz. baptisme , confirmation , &c. or that any of these is not truly and properly a sacrament , let him be anathema . it is not more plain that in scripture there is no mention of sacraments , then that in the fathers there is no mention of seven . cardinall bellarmine's evasion , that the scripture and fathers wrote no catechisme , is poor and ridiculous : no more did the councils of florence and trent , and yet there the number is reckoned and defined . so as the word sacrament may be taken , ( for any holy , significant rite ) there may be as well seventy as seven ; so strictly as it may be , and is taken by us , there can no more be seven then seventy . this determination of the number is so late , that a cassander is forced to confesse , nec temerè , &c. you shall not easily find any man before peter lombard , which hath set down any certain and definite number of sacraments . and this observation is so just , that upon the challenges of our writers , no one author hath been produced by the roman doctors for the disproof of it elder then hugo , and the said master of sentences . but , numbers are ceremonies . both b luther and c philip melanchthon professe they stand not much upon them . it is the number numbred ( which is the thing it self mis-related into that sacred order ) that we stick at . there we finde that none but christ can make a sacrament ; for none but he who can give grace , can ordain a signe and seal of grace . now it is evident enough that these adscititious sacraments were never of christs institution . so was not confirmation , as our alexander of hales and holcot ; so was not matrimony , as durand ; so was not extreme unction , as hugo , lombard , bonaventure , halensis , altissiodore , by the confession of their suarez . these were ancient rites , but they are new sacraments : all of them have their allowed and profitable use in gods church , though not in so high a nature ; except that of extreme unction , which as it is an apish mis-imitation of that extraordinary course which the apostolick times used in their cures of the sick , so it is grosly mis-applied to other purposes then were intended in the first institution . then it was ungebant & sanabant ; the oyle miraculously conferring bodily recovery : but now , non nisi in mortis articulo adhibetur , it is not used but upon the very point of death , as cajetan and cassander confesse , and all experience manifests ; and by felix the fourth drawn to a necessity of addresse to eternall life . sect . seven sacraments beside scripture . not to scan particulars , which all yield ample exceptions , but to wind them all up in one bottome . whosoever shall look into the scripture , shall finde it apparent , that as in the time of mans innocency there were but two sacraments , the tree of life ; and the tree of knowledge : so before and under the law , however they had infinite rites , yet in the proper sense they had but two sacraments , the same in effect with those under the gospel ; the one , the sacrament of initiation , which was their circumcision , parallel'd by that baptisme which succeeded it ; the other the sacrament of our holy confirmation , that spirituall meat and drink , which was their paschall lambe and manna , and water from the rock , prefiguring the true lambe of god , and bread of life , and blood of our redemption . the great apostle of the gentiles , that well knew the analogy , hath compared both ; moreover , brethren , i would not have you ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud , and all passed through the sea ; and all were baptized in the cloud , and in the sea ; and all did eat the same spirituall meat , and all did drink the same spirituall drink : for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them , and that rock was christ . what is this in any just construction , but that the same two sacraments of baptisme and the lords supper , which we celebrate under the gospel , were the very same with those which were celebrated by gods ancient people under the law ; they two , and no more ? hoc facite , doe this , is our warrant for the one ; and ite baptizate , &c. goe teach and baptize , for the other . there is deep silence in the rest . sect. . against reason . in reason it must be yielded , that no man hath power to set to a seal but he whose the writing is . sacraments then being the seals of gods gracious evidences , whereby he hath conveyed to us eternall life , can be instituted by no other then the same power that can assure and perform life to his creature . in every sacrament therefore must be a divine institution and command of an element that signifies , of a grace that is signified , of a word adjoyned to that element , of an holy act adjoyned to that word . where these concur not , there can be no true sacrament ; and they are palpably missing in these five adjections of the church of rome . lastly , the sacraments of the new law ( as saint austin often ) flowed out of the side of christ : none flowed thence but the sacrament of water , which is baptisme , and the sacrament of blood in the supper ; whereof the author saith , this cup is the new testament in my blood , which is shed for you . the rest never flowing either from the side or from the lips of christ , are as new and mis-named sacraments justly rejected by us , and we thereupon as unjustly censured . chap. xvi . the newnesse of the doctrine of tradition . the chief ground of these and all other errours in the church of rome is the over-valuing of traditions , which the tridentine synod professes to receive and reverence with no lesse pious affection then the books of the old and new testament ; and that not in matter of rite and history onely , but of faith and manners also : wherein as they are not unwilling to cast a kinde of imputation of imperfection upon the written word , so they make up the defects of it by the supply of unwritten traditions ; to which indeed they are more beholden for the warrant of the greater part of their superadded articles , then to the scriptures of god. both which are points so dangerously envious , as that antiquity would have abhorred their mention . neither is any thing more common with the holy fathers of the church , then the magnifying the compleat perfection of scripture , in all things needfull either to be believed or done . what can be more full and clear then that of saint austine ? in his quae apertè , &c. in these things which are openly laid forth in scripture , are found all matters that contain either faith or manners . cardinall * bellarmine's elusion is not a little prejudicial to his own cause . he tells us that saint austin speaks of those points which are simply necessary to salvation for all men ; all which he acknowledges to be written by the apostles : but besides these , there are many other things ( saith he ) which we have only by tradition . will it not therefore hence follow , that the common sort of christians need not look at his traditions ? that commonly men may be saved without them ? that heaven may be attained though there were no traditions ? who will not now say , let me come to heaven by scripture , goe you whither you will by traditions ? to which adde , that agreat , yea the greater part ( if we may believe some of their own ) of that which they call religion is grounded upon onely tradition . if then tradition be onely of such things as are not simply necessary to salvation , then the greater part of their mis-named religion must needs be yielded for simply unnecessary to all men : and if we may be saved without them , and be made citizens of heaven , how much more may we without them be members of the true church on earth ? as for this place , s. augustine's words are full and comprehensive , expressing all those things which contain either faith or manners , whether concerning governours or people . if now they can finde out any thing that belongs not either to belief or action , we do willingly give it up to their traditions : but all things which pertain to either of those are openly comprized in scripture . what can be more direct then that of holy athanasius ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. the holy scriptures inspired by god are in themselves all-sufficient to the instruction of truth ; and , if chemnitius construe it , all truth ? this needs not raise a cavil ; the word signifies no lesse : for if they be all-sufficient to instruction , they must needs be sufficient to all instruction in the truth intended . * tertullian professes openly , adoro scripturae plenitudinem , &c. i adore the fulnesse of scripture . let the skill of hermogenes shew where it is written ; if it be not written , let him fear that woe which is propounced against those that adde or detract . thus he . who can but fear that the cardinal shifts this evidence against his own heart ? for ( saith he ) tertull. speaks of that one point , that god created all things of nothing , and not of a pre-existent matter , as hermogenes dreamed : now because this truth is clearly expressed in scripture , therefore the fulness of scripture as concerning this point is adored by tertullian ; and for that hermogenes held an opinion contrary to scripture , he is said to adde unto scripture , and to incur that malediction . now let any reader of common sense judge , whether the words of tertullian be not general , without any limitation ; and if the first clause could be restrained , the second cannot , scriptum esse doceat , &c. whatsoever therefore is not written , by this rule may not be obtruded to our belief . neither doth he say , if it be written against ; but , if it be not written ; and his challenge is , nusquam legi , that the words are no where read , as if this were quarrell enough , without a flat contradiction to what is read . so as the cardinals glosse merely corrupts the text. how easie were it for me to tire my reader with the full suffrages of origen , cyprian , chrysostome , basil , cyril , epiphanius , hierome , ambrose , theodoret , hilarie , vincentius lirinensis , and , in a word , with the whole stream of antiquity , which though they give a meet place to traditions of ceremony , of history , of interpretation , of some immaterial verities , yet reserve the due honour to the sacred monuments of divine scriptures ? our learned chemnitius hath freely yielded seven sorts of traditions , such as have a correspondence with or an attestation from the written word ; the rest we do justly ( together with him ) disclaim , as unworthy to appear upon that awfull bench amongst the inspired pen-men of god. sect. . traditions against scripture . it is not to be imagined that the same word of god , which speaks for all other truths , should not speak for it self : how fully doth it display its own sufficiencie and perfection ? all scripture ( saith the chosen vessel ) is given by inspiration of god ; and is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction in righteousness . profitable , saith the cardinal , but not sufficient . many things may avail to that end whereto they suffice not ; so meat is profitable to nourish , but without natural heat it nourisheth not . thus he . hear yet what followeth ; that the man of god may be perfected , and throughly furnished unto all good works . loe , it is so profitable to all these services , that thereby it perfects a divine ; much more an ordinary christian . that which is so profitable as to cause perfection , is abundantly sufficient , and must needs have full perfection in it self : that which can perfect the teacher , is sufficient for the learner . the scriptures can perfect the man of god , both for his calling in the instruction of others , and for his own glory . thou hast known the scriptures from a childe ( saith s. paul to his timothy ) which are able ( not profitable only to make thee wise unto salvation , through faith which is in christ jesus . it is the charge therefore of the apostle , not to be wise above that which is written . the same with wise solomon's , the whole word of god is pure : adde thou not unto his words , lest he reprove thee , and thou be found a lier . loe , he saith not , oppose not his words , but , adde not to them : even addition detracts from the majestie of that word . for the law of the lord is perfect , converting the soul ; the testimony of the lord is sure , making wise the simple : the statutes of the lord are right , rejoicing the heart ; the commandement of the lord is pure , enlightning the eyes . as for those traditions which they do thus lift up to an unjust competition with the written word , our saviour hath beforehand humbled them into the dust ; in vain do they worship me , teaching for doctrines the commandements of men : making this a sufficient cause of abhorring both the persons and the services of those jews , that they thrust humane traditions into gods chair , and respected them equally with the institutions of god. cardinal bellarmine would shift it off with a distinction of traditions ; these were such , saith he , quas acceperunt à recentioribus , &c. as they had received from some later hands , whereof some were vain , some other pernicious ; not such as they received from moses and the prophets . and the authors of these rejected traditions he cites from epiphanius to be r. akiba , r. juda , and the asamoneans ; from hierome , to be sammai , hillel , akiba . but this is to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple : for who sees not that our saviours challenge is generall , to traditions thus advanced , not to these or those traditions ? and where he speaks of some later hands , he had forgotten that our saviour upon the mount tells him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that these faulted traditions were of old . and that he may not cast these upon his sammai and hillel , let him remember that our saviour cites this out of esay though with some more clearness of expression ) who far overlooked the time of those pretended fathers of mis-traditions . that i may not say , how much it would trouble him to shew any dogmatical traditions that were derived from moses and the prophets ; in parallel whereof let them be able to deduce any evangelical tradition from the apostles , and we are ready to imbrace it with all observance . shortly , it is clear that our saviour never meant to compare one tradition with another , as approving some , rejecting others ; but with indignation complains that traditions were obtruded to god's people in a corrivalty with the written word : which is the very point now questioned . sect. . traditions against reason . even the very light of reason shews us that as there is a god , so that he is a most wise and most just god : needs therefore must it follow , that if this most just and wise god will give a word whereby to reveal himself and his will to mankinde , it must be a perfect word : for as his wisdome knows what is fit for his creature to know of himself , so his justice will require nothing of the creature but what he hath enabled him to know and doe . now then , since he requires us to know him , to obey him , it must needs follow that he hath left us so exquisite a rule of this knowledge and obedience , as cannot admit of any defect or any supplement . this rule can be no other then his written word ; therefore written , that it might be preserved entire , for this purpose , to the last date of time . as for orall traditions , what certainty can there be in them ? what foundation of truth can be lai'd upon the breath of man ? how do we see the reports vary of those things which our eyes have seen done ? how do they multiply in their passage , and either grow or die upon hazards ? lastly , we think him not an honest man , whose tongue goes against his owne hand . how hainous an imputation then do they cast upon the god of truth , which plead traditions derived from him contrary to his written word ? such apparently are the worship of images , the mutilation of the sacrament , purgatory , indulgences , and the rest which have passed our agitation . since therefore the authority of romish traditions is ( besides novelty ) erroneous , against scripture and reason , we have justly abandoned it , and are thereupon unjustly condemned . as for those other dangerous and important innovations , concerning scriptures , their canon inlarged , their faulty version made authentical , their fountains pretended to be corrupted , their mis-pleaded obscurity , their restraint from the laity , we have already largely displai'd them in another place . chap. xvii . the newnesse of the universall headship of the bishop of rome . those transcendent titles of headship and universality , which are challenged to the bishop and see of rome , are known to be the upstart brood of noted ambition . simple and holy antiquity was too modest either to require , or tolerate them . who knows not the profession of that holy martyr in the councill of carthage , a neque enim , &c. there is none of us that makes himself a bishop of bishops , or by a tyrannous fear compels his underlings to a necessitie of obedience ? but perhaps , at rome it was otherwise . heare then with what zeal their own pope b gregory the great inveighs against the arrogance of john bishop of constantinople , for giving way to this proud style . his epistles are extant in all hands , so clear and convictive as no art of sophistry can elude them ; wherein he calls this title ( affected by the said john , and cyriacus after him ) a new name , a wicked , profane , insolent name , the generall plague of the church , a corruption of the faith , against canons , against the apostle peter , against god himself : as if he could never have branded it enough . and lest any man should cavil that this style is onely cried down in the bishops of constantinople , which yet might be justly claimed by the bishops of rome ; gregorie himself meets with this thought , and answers beforehand , nunquam pium virum , &c. that never any godly man , never any of his predecessors used those titles ; and more then so , that whosoever shall use this proud style , he is the very fore-runner of antichrist . if in a foresight of this usurpation gregory should have been hired to have spoken for us against the pride of his following successors , he could not have set a keener edge upon his style . consonant whereto it is yet extant in the very canon law , ( as quoted by gratian out of the epistle of pope pelagius the second ) universalis autem nec etiam romanus pontifex appelletur , not the bishop of rome himself may be called universall . yet how famously is it known to all the world , that the same gregorie's next successor save one , boniface the third , obtained this title of universall bishop from the emperour phocas ? which the said emperour gave him in a spleen against cyriacus patriarch of constantinople , for delivering constantina the wife of mauritius and her children ; or ( as some others relate it ) upon a worse occasion . and accordingly was this haughty title communicated by the same power to the see of rome , and by strong hand ever since maintained . this qualification their register platina confesses was procured not without great contention . and otho frisingensis fully and ingenuously writeth thus ; gregory departed hence to the lord : after whom ( the next save one ) boniface obtained of phocas , that by his authority the romane church might be called the head of all churches ; for at that time the see of constantinople ( i suppose , because of the seat of the empire translated thither ) wrote her self the first . thus their bishop otho . now if any man shall think that hence it will yet follow , that the see of rome had formerly enjoyed this honour , however the constantinopolitan for the present shouldred with her for it ; let him know the ground of both their challenges , which ( as it was supposed by otho , so ) is fully for the satisfaction of any indifferent judgement ) laid forth in the generall council of chalcedon . the same ( say those fathers ) we determine of the priviledges of the most holy church of constantinople , called new rome : for the fathers have justly heretofore given priviledge to the throne of old rome , because that city was then the governesse of the world ; and upon the same consideration were the hundred and fifty bishops ( men beloved of god ) moved to yield equall priviledges to the throne of new rome , rightly judging that this city , which is honoured with the empire and senate , and is equally priviledged with old rome the then queen of the world , should also in ecclesiasticall matters be no lesse extolled and magnified . thus they . and this act is subscribed , bonifacius presbyter ecclesiae romanae statui & subscripsi , i boniface , presbyter of the church of rome , have so determined and subscribed ; et coeteri , &c. and the rest of the bishops of divers provinces and cities subscribed . what can be more plain ? this headship of the bishop was in regard of the see ; and this headship of the see was in regard of the preeminence of the city ; which was variable , according to the changes of times , or choice of emperours . but binius wrangleth here . can we blame him , when the free-hold of their great mistresse is so nearly touched ? this act ( saith he ) was not synodicall , as that which was closely and cunningly done in the absence of the popes legates and other orthodox bishops , at the instance of anatolius patriarch of constantinople , an ambitious man , by the eastern bishops onely . how can this plea stand with his own confessed subscription ? besides that their caranza , in his abridgement , shews , that this point was long and vehemently canvassed in that council , between lucentius and boniface , legates of the romane church , and the rest of the bishops ; and at last so concluded as we have related ; not indeed without the protestation of the said legates , nobis proesentibus , &c. the apostolick see must not in our presence be abased . notwithstanding this act then carried : and after this , pope simplicius , succeeding to hilarius , made a decree to the same purpose , not without allusion to this contention for precedency , that a rome should take place of constantinople . yea so utterly unthought of was this absolute primacy and headship of old , as that when the roman dition was brought down to a dukedome , and subjected to the exarchate of ravenna , the archbishop of ravenna , upon the very same grounds , stuck not ( as blondus tels us ) to strive with the bishop of rome for priority of place . so necessarily was the rising or fall of the episcopall chair annexed to the condition of that city wherein it was fixed . but in all this , we well see what it is that was stood upon , an arbitrable precedency of these churches in a priority of order ; and according thereunto b the bishop of rome is determined to be primae sedis episcopus , the bishop of the first see. a style which our late learned soveraign professed with justinian not to grudge unto the modern bishops of that see. but as for a primacy of soveraignty over all churches , and such an headship as should inform and inliven the body , and govern it with * infallible influences , it is so new and hatefull , as that the church in all ages hath opposed it to the utmost ; neither will it be indured at this day by the greek church , notwithstanding the colourable pretence of subscription hereunto by their dying patriarch joseph of constantinople in the late florentine council , and the letters of union subscribed by them anno . yea , so far is it from that , as that their emperour michael palaeologus , for yielding a kinde of subjection of the eastern bishops to the roman , would not be allowed the honour of christian burial , as aemilius hath recorded . and in our time , basilius the emperour of russia ( which challengeth no small part in the greek church ) threatned to the pope's legate ( as i have been informed ) an infamous death and burial , if he offered to set foot in his dominions , out of a jealous hate of this usurpation . sect. . the newnesse of challenged infallibility . the particularities of this new arrogation of rome are so many , that they cannot be pent up in any streight room . i will only instance in some few . the pope's infallibility of judgment is such a paradox , as the very histories of all times and proceedings of the church doth sufficiently convince . for , to what purpose had all councils been called even of the remotest bishops , to what purpose were the agitations of all controversal causes in those assemblies , ( as erasmus justly observes ) if this opinion had then obtained ? or how came it about that the sentences of some bishops of rome were opposed by other sees , by the successors of their own , by christian academies , if this conceit had formerly passed for current with the world ? how came it to passe that whole councils have censured and condemned some bishops of rome for manifest heresies , if they were perswaded beforehand of the impossibility of those errours ? not to speak of honorius , of liberius , and others ; the council of basil shall be the voice of common observation ; multi pontifices , &c. many popes ( say they ) are recorded to have faln into errours and heresies . either all stories mock us , or else this parasitical dream of impeccancy in judgment is a mere stranger . and his disguise is so foul , that it is no marvel if errare non possum , i cannot erre , seemed to eberhardus , bishop of saltzburgh , no other then the suit of an antichrist . sect. . the newness of the popes superiority to general councils . how bold and dangerous a novelty is that which cardinal bellarmine , and with him the whole society , and all the late fautors of that see ( after the florentine synod ) stick not to avouch , summus pontifex , &c. the pope is absolutely above the whole church , and above a general council , so as he acknowledges no judges on earth over himself ? how would this have relished with those well-near a thousand fathers in the council of constance , who punctually determined thus , ipsa synodus , &c. the synod lawfully assembled in the holy ghost , making a generall council , representing the catholick church militant upon earth , hath immediately power from christ ; whereunto every man , whosoever he be , of what state or dignity soever , although he be the pope himself , is bound to obey in those things which pertain to faith , or to the extirpation of schism ? and fifteen years after that , the general council of basil , wherein was president julianus cardinall of saint angelo , the popes legate , defined the same matter in the same words . it is no marvell if cardinal bellarmine , and some others of that strain , reject these as unlawfull councils : but they cannot deny , first , that this decree was made by both of them ; secondly , that the divines there assembled were ( in their allowance ) catholick doctors , and such as in other points adhered to the romane church , insomuch as they were the men by whose sentence john husse and hierome suffered no lesse then death : and yet even so lately did these numerous divines in the voice of the church define the superiority of a council above the pope . what speak we of this , when we finde that the bishops of the east excommunicated in their assembly julius the bishop of rome himself , amongst others , without scruple , as solzomen reporteth ? how ill would this doctrine or practice now be endured ? insomuch as gregory of valence dares confidently say , that whosoever he be that makes a council superior to the pope , fights directly ( though unawares ) against that most certain point of faith concerning saint peter's and the roman bishops primacie in the church . sect. . the new presumption of papall dispensations . from the opinion of this supereminent power hath flowed that common course of dispensations with the canons and decrees of councils , which hath been of late a great eye-sore to moderate beholders . franciscus à victoria makes a wofull complaint of it , professing to doubt whether in the end of the year , there be more that have leave by this means to break the laws then those that are tied to keep them . thereupon wishing ( for remedy ) that there were a restraint made of those now boundlesse dispensations ; and , at last , objecting to himself that such a decree of restriction would be new , and not heard of in any former council , he answers , tempore conciliorum antiquorum , &c. in the time of the antient councils , popes were like to the other fathers of those councils , so as there was no need of any act for holding them back from this immoderate licence of dispensing ; yea , if we do well turn over the laws and histories of the antient , we shall finde that popes did not presume so easily and commonly to dispense with decrees of councils , but observed them as the oracles of god himself ; yea , not onely did they forbear to doe it ordinarily , but perhaps not once did they ever dispense at all , against the decrees of councils : but now ( saith he ) by little and little are we grown to this intemperance of dispensations , and to such an estate , as that we can neither abide our mischiefs , nor our remedies . thus that learned spaniard , in an honest confession of the degenerate courses of the late popes from the simple integrity of their predecessors . what should i adde unto these the presumptuous dispensations with vows and oaths , with the laws of god himself , with the law of nature ? a priviledge ordinarily both yielded and defended by flattering canonists , and that which meets with us at every turn in hostiensis , archidiaconus , felinus , capistranus , triumphus , angelus de clavasio , petrus de ancorano , panormitan , as is largely particularized by our learned bishop of derry . sect. v. the new challenge of popes domineering over kings and emperours . i may well shut up the scene with that notorious innovation of the popes subducing himself from the due obedience of his once-acknowledged lord and soveraign , and endeavouring to reduce all those imperiall powers to his homage and obedience . the time was , when pope gregory could say to mauritius , vobis obedientiam praebere desidero , i desire to give you due obedience ; and when pope leo came with cap and knee to theodosius for a synod to be called , with clementia vestra concedat , as cardinall cusanus cites it from the history . the time was , when nemo apostolicae , &c. no man did offer to take upon him the steering of the apostolick bark , till the authority of the emperour had designed him ; as their a balbus out of their own law . that of pope b gregory is plain enough , ecce serenissimus , &c. behold ( saith he , speaking of his own advancement to the bishoprick of rome ) our gracious lord the emperor hath commanded an ape to be made a lion ; and surely at his command it may be called a lion , but it cannot be one : so as he must needs lay all my faults and negligences not upon me , but upon his own piety , which hath committed this ministery of power to so weak an agent . the time was , when the popes of rome dated their apostolick letters with the style of c the reign of their lords the emperours : now , ever since pope paschal , they care only to note the d year of their own apostleship or papacy . the time was , when the holy bishops of that see professed to succeed saint peter in homely simplicity , in humble obedience , in piety , in zeale , in preaching , in tears , in sufferings : now since , the case is altered ; the world sees and blushes at the change ; for now , e quanta inter solem & lunam , &c. look how much the sun is bigger then the moon , so much is the papall power greater then the imperiall ; now papa est dominus imperatoris , the pope is the emperours lord ( saith their f capistranus ; ) and the emperour is subject to the pope as his minister or servant , saith g triumphus : and lest this should seem the fashionable word of some clawing canonist only , hear what pope h adrian himself saith , unde habet , &c. whence hath the emperour his empire but from us ? all that he hath , he hath wholly from us . behold , it is in our power to give it to whom we list . and to the same purpose is that of pope i innocent the fourth , imperator est advocatus , &c. the emperour is the popes advocate , and swears to him , and holds his empire of him . but perhaps this place is yet too high for an emperour ; a lower will serve : k fit canonicus , &c. the emperor is ( of course ) made a canon , and brother of the church of lateran . yet lower , he shall be the sewer of his holiness table , and set on the l first dish , and hold the bason for his hands . yet lower , he shall be the train-bearer to the pope in his walking m processions ; he shall be the quirie of his stable , and hold his n stirrup in getting upon his horse ; he shall be , lastly , his very o porter to carry his holinesse on his shoulder . and all this not out of will , but out of duty . where now is augustus ab augendo , as a almain derives him , when he suffers himself thus to be diminished ? although there is more wonder in the others exaltation . papae ! men are too base to enter into comparison with him . his authority is more then of the saints in heaven , saith b one ; yet more , he excelleth the angels in his jurisdiction , saith another ; yet more once , the pope seems to make one and the same consistory with god himself ; and , which comprehends all the rest , tu es omnia , & super omnia , thou art all , and above all , as the council of lateran under julius . oh strange alteration , that the great commanders of the world should be made the drudges of their subjects ; that order and soveraignty should lose themselves in a pretence of piety ; that the professed successour of him that said , gold and silver have i none , should thus trample upon crowns ; that a poor silly worm of the earth should raise up it self above all that is called god , and offer to crawle into the glorious throne of heaven ! chap. xviii . the epilogue both of exhortation and apologie . not to wearie my reader with more particularities of innovation ; let now all christians know and be assured , that such change as they sensibly finde in the head , they may as truly ( though not so visibly ) note in the body of the roman church , yea rather in that soul of religion which informeth both . and if thereupon all our endeavour ( as we protest before god and his holy angels ) hath been and is only to reduce rome to it self , that is , to recall it to that original truth , piety , sincerity , which made it long famous through the world and happy , how unjustly are we ejected , persecuted , condemned ? but if that antient mistress of the world shall stand upon the terms of her honour , and will needs plead the disparagement of her retractions , and the age and authority of these her impositions , let me have leave to shut up all with that worthy and religious contestation of saint ambrose with his symmachus . that eloquent patron of idolatry had pleaded hard for the old rites of heathenism , and brings in antient rome speaking thus for her self ; optimi principes , &c. excellent princes , the fathers of your country , reverence ye my years , into which my pious rites have brought me . i will use the ceremonies of my ancestors , neither can i repent me . i will live after mine own fashion , because i am free . this religion hath brought the world under the subjection of the laws ; these sacred devotions have driven hannibal from our walls , from our capitol . have i been preserved for this , that in mine old age i should be reproved ? say that i did see what were to be altered , yet late and shamefull is the amendment of age . to which that holy father no lesse wittily and elegantly answers by way of retortion , bringing in rome to speak thus rather ; i am not ashamed in mine old age to be a convert with all the rest of the world. it is surely true that in no age it is too late to learn. let that old age blush that cannot mend it self . it is not the gravity of years , but of manners , that deserves praise . it is no shame to goe to the better . and when symmachus urges , majorum servandus est ritus , we must observe the rites of our forefathers : dicant igitur , ( saith saint ambrose ) let them as well say , that all things should remain in their own imperfect principles ; that the world once overcovered with darknesse , offends in being shined upon by the glorious brightnesse of the sun. and how much more happy is it , to have dispelled the darknesse of the soul then of the body ; to be shined upon by the beams of faith then of the sun ? thus he , most aptly to the present occasion ; whereto , did that blessed father now live , he would doubtlesse no lesse readily apply it . nec erubescas mutare sententiam , never blush to change , ruffinus , never blush to change your minde ; you are not of such authority as that you should be ashamed to confesse you have erred . oh that this meek ingenuity could have found place in that once-famous and orthodox church of christ ; how had the whole christian world been as a city at unity in it self , and triumphed over all the proud hostilities of paganism ? but since we may not be so happy , we must sit down and mourn for our desolations , for our divisions . in the mean time we wash our hands in innocence . there are none of all these instanced particulars ( besides many more ) wherein the church of rome hath not sensibly erred in corrupt additions to the faith ; so as herein we may justly ( before heaven and earth ) warrant our disagreement of judgment from her . the rest is their act , and not ours : we are mere patients in this schism ; and therefore goe , because we are driven . that we hold not communion with that church , the fault is theirs , who both have deserved this strangenesse by their errours , and made it by their violence . contrary to that rule which cato in tully gives of unpleasing friendship , they have not ript it in the seam , but torn it in the whole cloth . perhaps i shall seem unto some to have spoken too mildly of the estate of that debauched church : there are that stand upon a mere nullity of her being , not resting in a bare depravation . for me , i dare not goe so far : if she be foul , if deadly diseased , ( as she is ) these qualities cannot utterly take off her essence , or our relations . our divines indeed call us out of babylon , and we run ; so as here is an actuall separation on our parts . true , but from the corruptions , ( wherein there is a true confusion ) not from the church . their very charge implies their limitation : as it is babylon , we must come out of it ; as it is an outward visible church , we neither did nor would . this dropsie , that hath so swoln up the body , doth not make it cease to be a true body , but a sound one . the true principles of christianity which it maintains , maintain life in that church ; the errours which it holds together with those principles , struggle with that life , and threaten an extinction . as it is a visible church then , we have not detracted to hold communion with it ( though the contemptuous repulse of so many admonitions have deserved our alienation ; ) as babylon , we can have nothing to doe with it . like as in the course of our life , we freely converse with those men in civil affairs with whom we hate to partake in wickednesse . but will not this seem to savour of too much indifferency ? what need we so vehemently labour to draw from either part , and triumph in winning proselytes , and give them for lost on either side , and brand them for apostates that are won away , if ( which way soever we fall ) we cannot light out of a true visible church of christ ? what such necessity was there of martyrdome , what such danger of relapses , if the church be with both ? let these sophisters know , that true charity needs not abate any thing of zeal . if they be acquainted with the just value of truth , they shall not enquire so much into the persons as into the cause . whatever the church be , if the errours be damnable , our blood is happily spent in their impugnation ; and we must rather chuse to undergoe a thousand deaths , then offend the majesty of god , in yielding to a known falshood in religion : neither doth the outward visibility of the church abate ought of the hainousnesse of mis-opinions , or the vehemence of our oppositions . were it saint peter himself , if he halt in judaizing , saint paul must resist him to his face : neither is his fault lesse , because an apostles ; yea , let me say more . were the church of rome and ours lay'd upon severall foundations , these errours should not be altogether so detestable , since the symbolizing in many truths makes grosse errours more intolerable , as the samaritan idolatry was more odious to the jewes then merely paganish . if the dearest daughter of god upon earth should commit spirituall whoredome , her uncleannesse is so much more to be hated as her obligations were greater . oh the glorious crowns therefore of those blessed martyrs of ours , who rather gave their bodies to be burnt to ashes , then they would betray any parce●l of divine truth ! oh the wofull and dangerous condition of those souls , which shutting their eyes against so clear a light , either willingly sit down in palpable darkness , or fall back from the sincerity of the gospel into these miserable enormities both of practice and doctrine ! it is not for me to judge them ; that i leave unto that high and awfull tribunal , before which i shall once appear with them . but this i dare say , that if that righteous judge shall punish either their obstinacy or relapses with eternal damnation , he cannot but be justified in his judgements , whiles in the midst of their torments they shall be forced to say , thou , o god , art just in all that is befaln us ; for thou hast done right , but we have done wickedly . for us , as we would save our souls , let us carefully preserve them from the contagion of romish superstition ; let us never fear that our discretion can hate errour too much ; let us awaken our holy zeal to a serious and servent opposition , joyned with a charitable endeavour of reclamation ; shortly , let us hate their opinions , strive against their practice , pity their mis-guiding , neglect their censures , labour their recovery , pray for their salvation . an apologetical advertisement to the reader . reader , nothing can be so well said or done , but may be ill taken . whiles i thus sincerely plead for truth , the well-meaning ignorance of some mistakers hath passed as deep , as unjust censures upon me , as if preferment had changed my note , and taught me to speak more plausible language concerning the roman church then i either did or ought . wherein as i pity their uncharitablenesse , so i earnestly desire to rectifie their judgement ; lest their prejudice may turn more to their sin then to my wrong . the main ground of the exception is , that i yield the church of rome a true visible church ; wherein the harsh noise of a mis-construed phrase offends their eare , and breeds their quarrell . for this ( belike ) in their apprehension seems to sound no lesse then as if i had said , the church of rome is a true-believing church , or a true part of the mysticall body of christ : a sense which is as far wide from my words or thoughts , as from truth it self . wherefore serves this book but to evince the manifold corruptions of that foul church ? that she is truely visible , abates nothing of her abominations : for who sees not that visible refers to outward profession , true to some essentiall principles of christianity , neither of them to soundnesse of belief ? so as these two may too well stand together , a true visible church , in respect of outward profession of christianity ; and an hereticall , apostaticall , antichristian synagogue , in respect of doctrine and practice . grant the romanists to be but christians , how corrupt soever , and we cannot deny them the name of a church . outward visibility gives them no claim either to truth or salvation . shortly then , in two things i must crave leave to vindicate my self : one , that i do no whit differ from my self ; the other , that i differ not from the judgement of our best , orthodox , and approvedly-classicall divines . both which cleared , what have i done ? it is a grievous challenge , this of inconstancy : for though , whiles we are here in this region of mutability , our whole man is subject to change , yet we do all herein affect a likenesse to the god of truth , in whom there is no shadow by turning ; especially in religion , so much more as that doth more assimilate and unite us to that unchangeable deity . lo , ( say they ) the man that once wrote , no peace with rome , now cries nothing but peace with rome , whiles he proclaims it a true visible church , and allows some communion with it . alas , brethren , why will ye suffer a rash and ignorant zeal thus to lye palpably in your way to truth ? be but pleased to cast your eyes upon the first chapter of that book of mine ( which is thus objected to me in a causelesse exprobration ) that which long since i wrote , of the irreconcilablenesse of rome , and see if that section be not a full expression of the same truth ( and that in the same words ) which i have here published . there shall you finde taught , that there is no other difference betwixt us and rome , then betwixt a church miserably corrupted , and happily purged ; betwixt a sickly , languishing , dying church , and one that is healthfull , strong , and flourishing : that valdus , wiclef , luther , did never goe about to frame a new church , which was not , but to cleanse , restore , reform that church which was : that they meant onely to be physicians to heal , not parents to beget a church . there you shall finde , that we are all the same church by virtue of our outward vocation , whosoever all the world over worship jesus christ the only son of god , the saviour of the world , and professe the same common creed ; that some of us doe this more purely , others more corruptly ; that in the mean time we are all christians , but sound christians we are not . there ye shall finde this very objection so fully answered , as if it had been either formerly moved , or so long since prevented : the words are these ; but how harshly doth this sound to a weak reader , and more then seems to need reconciliation with it self , that the church should be one , and yet cannot be reconciled ? certainly yet so it is . the dignity of the outward forme ( which comprehends this unity in it self ) avails nothing to salvation , nothing to grace , nothing to the soundnesse of doctrine . the net doth not straight make all to be fish that it hath dragg'd together ; ye shall finde in it vile weeds , and whatsoever else that devouring element hath disgorged . the church is at once one in respect of the common principles of faith ; and yet in respect of consequences and that rabble of opinions which they have raked together , so opposed , that it cannot ( as things now stand ) by any glew of concord ( as cyprian speaketh ) nor bond of unity , be conjoined . that which rome holds with us , makes it a church ; that which it obtrudes upon us , makes it hereticall : the truth of principles makes it one ; the error and impiety of additions makes it irreconcilable , &c. look on the face therefore of the roman church , she is ours , she is gods : look on her back , she is quite contrary , antichristian . more plainly , rome doth both hold the foundation , and destroy it ; she holds it directly , destories it by consequent : in that she holds it , she is a true church , howsoever impured ; in that she destroies it , ( what semblance soever she makes ) she is a church of malignants . if she did altogether hold it , she should be sound and orthbox ; if altogether she destroied it , she should be either no church , or devilish : but now that she professes to hold those things directly which by inferences she closely overthrows , she is a truely visible church , but an unsound one . thus i wrote well-near twenty years agone , without clamor , without censure . and since that , in my latine sermon to the convocation , did i very ought from this hold ? did i not there call heaven & earth to record of our innocence in separating from the romane church ? did i not cast the fault upon their violence , not our will ? did i not professe , lubentes quidem discessimus , &c. we willingly indeed departed from the communion of their errors , but from the communion of the church we have not departed . let them abandon their errours , and we embrace the church : let them cast away their soul-killing traditions , and false appendances of their new faith , we shall gladly communicate with them in the right of the same church , and hold with them for ever ? this i freely both taught and published , with the allowance , with the applause of that most reverend synod ; and now , doth the addition of a dignity bring envy upon the same truth ? might that passe commendably from the pen or tongue of a doctor , which will not be endured from the hand of a bishop ? my brethren , i am where i was ; the change is yours . ever since i learned to distinguish betwixt the right hand of veritie , and the left of errour , thus i held , and shall ( i hope ) at last send forth my soul in no other resolution . and if any of you be otherwise minded , i dare boldly say , he shall doe more wrong to his cause then to his adversary . that i differ not from my self , you have seen ; see now that i differ not from our learned , judicious , approved divines . that the latine or western church subject to the romish tyranny ( unto the very times of luther ) was a true church , in which a saving profession of the truth of christ was found , and wherein luther himself received his christianity , ordination , and power of ministery , our learned doctor field hath saved me the labour to prove , by the suffrages of our best and most renowned divines ; amongst whom he sites the testimony of calvin , bucer , melanchthon , beza , mornay , deering . and if since that time it be foully corrupted , so as now that acute author is driven to the distinction of verè ecclesia , and vera ecclesia ; yet at last he thus concludes , but will some man say , is the roman church at this day no part of the church of god ? surely a● austine noteth that the societies of hereticks , in that they retain the profession of many parts of heavenly truth , and the ministration of the sacrament of baptisme , are so far still conjoined with the catholick church , and the catholick church in and by them bringeth forth children unto god : so the present roman church is stil in some sort a part of the visible church of god ; but no otherwise then other societies of hereticks are , in that it retaineth the profession of some parts of heavenly truth , and ministreth the true sacrament of baptisme to the salvation of the souls of many thousand infants , &c. thus he . junius , distinguishing betwixt the church and papacie , determines the church of rome to be a truely-living ( though sick ) church , whereof the papacie is the disease , marring the health , threatning her life ; and punctually resolves , ecclesia papalis qua id habet , &c. the popish church in that it hath in it that which pertaines to the definition of a church , is a church . doctor raynolds makes it his position , that the church of rome is neither the catholick church , nor a sound member of the catholick ; yielding it a member , whiles he disproves it sound . paraeus , accusant nos , &c. they accuse us ( saith he ) that we have made a division in departing from the church ; nos verò , &c. but we have not departed from the church , but from the papacie . master hooker is most pregnant for this point : apparent it is ( saith he ) that all men are of necessitie either christians , or not christians . if by external profession they be christians , they are of the visible church of christ : and christians by external profession they are all , whose mark of recognisance hath in it those things which we have mentioned ; yea although they be impious idolaters , wicked hereticks , persons excommunicable , yea and cast out for notorious improbitie . thus he ; and going on , he shews how it is possible for the self-same men to belong to the synagogue of satan , and to the church of jesus christ . the passages are too long to transcribe , and the books are obvious . doctor crakenthorp , in his learned answer to spalatensis , defends heretical churches to be truely members of the catholick church , though unsound ones ; subscribing herein to the determination of alphonsus ; and descending to this particular , concludes , haec tamen ipsa tua romana , &c. this your romane church must be accounted both to be in the church , and to be a church : not simply , not according to the integrity of faith , not according to any inward virtue , not so effectually that it should avail to salvation for a man to be in it ; but yet a church it is in some respects , according to the external profession of faith and of the word of god , according to the administration of the sacraments , according to some doctrines of true belief , by which , as by so many outward ligaments , she is yet knit to the orthodox and catholick church . thus he fully to my words and meaning . i might swell up the bulk with many more , a catalogue whereof brierley hath for his own purpose fetcht up together . i will onely shut up this scene with out late most learned soveraign , king james ; who in the conference at hampton court , with the acclamation of all his judicious hearers , avowed , that no church ought further to separate it self from the church of rome in doctrine or ceremony , then she hath departed from her self when she was in her flourishing and best estate , and from christ her lord and head. well therefore doth my reader see that i have gone along with good company in this assertion . although i am not ignorant that * some worthy divines of ours speak otherwise , in the height of zeal denying the church of rome to be a true church , to be a church at all ; whose contradiction gives colour to this offence . but let my reader know , that however their words are opposite , yet not their judgement ; a mutuall understanding shall well accord us in the matter , however the terms sound contrary . our old word is , things are as they are taken : the difference is in the acception of true and church ; both which have much latitude , and variety of sense . whiles by true , they mean right believing , and by church , a company of faithfull which have the word of god rightly understood and sincerely preached , and the sacraments duly administred , it is no marvell if they say the church of rome is neither true nor church ; who would , who can say otherwise ? but whiles we mean by a true church , a multitude of christians professing to agree in the main principles of religion , how can they but subscribe to us , and in this sense yield the church of rome both a church , and truely visible ? so as shortly , in a large sense of true church , these divines cannot but descend to us ; in a strict sense of both , we cannot but ascend to them : in fine , both agree in the substance , whiles the words cross . certainly in effect master perkins saith no other , whiles he defines his reformed catholick to be one that holds the same necessary heads of religion with the romane church , yet so as he pares off and rejects all errours in doctrine whereby the same religion is corrupted : wherein that well-allowed author speaks home to my meaning , though in other terms . that the roman church holds the necessary heads of religion , gives it a right , in my sense , to a true visibilitie ; that it holds foul errours , whereby the doctrine is corrupted , makes it false in belief , whiles it hath a true being . this then may give sufficient light to that passage in my sixth page , whereat some have heedlesly stumbled . that which i cited from luther out of cromerus , i finde also alledged by doctor field out of luther himself ; the words are , that under the papacy is the very kernel of christianity , much good , yea all . know , reader , the words are luther's , not mine : neither doth he say , in the papacy , but , under it ; under it , indeed , to trample upon , not to possess ; or if to possess , yet not to injoy . their fault is not in defect of necessary truths , but in excess of superfluous additions . luther explicates himself ; for his kernel is the several articles of christian belief ; his all good , is scriptures , sacraments , creeds , councils , fathers ; all these they have , but ( god knows ) miserably corrupted . that they thus have them , is no whit worse for us , and little better for themselves : would to god they were theirs as well in true use as in possession . it was an ill descant that a nimble papist made upon those words of luther , which yield them the kernel of christianity , if we have the kernel ( saith he ) let them take the shell . soft , friend , you are too witty : luther did not give you the kernell , and reserve us the shell : he yielded you both kernell and shell , such as it is , but the shell rotten , the kernell worm-eaten . make much of your kernell , but ( as you have used it ) it is but a bitter morsel ; swallow that if you please , and save the shell in your pocket . neither think to goe away with an idle misprision , we are a true visible church , what need we more ? why should we wish to be other then we are ? alas , poor souls ! a true visibility may and doth stand with a false belief . ye may be of a true visible church , and yet never the nearer to heaven . it is your interest in the true mysticall body of christ that must save your souls , not in the outwardly visible : your errours may be , and are , no less damnable , for that ye are by outward profession christians , yea so much the more , woe is me , your danger is more visible then your church . if ye persist wilfully in these gross corruptions , which do by consequent raze that foundation which ye profess to lay , ye shall be no less visible spectacles of the wrath of that just god , whose truth and spirit ye have so stubbornly resisted . the god of heaven open your eyes to see the glorious light of his truth , and draw your hearts to the love of it ; and make your church as truely sound , as it is truly visible . thus , in a desire to stand but so right as i am in all honest judgements , i have made this speedy and true apologie ; beseeching all readers in the fear of god ( before whose bar we shall once give an account of all our overlashings ) to judge wisely and uprightly of what i have written ; in a word , to doe me but justice in their opinions , and , when i beg it , favour . farewell , reader ; and god make us wise and charitable . the reconciler . an epistle pacificatory of the seeming differences of opinion , concerning the trueness and visibility of the roman church . by jos. exon . to the right honourable and truly religious , my singular good lord , edward earl of norwich . my ever honoured lord ; i confess my charity led me into an errour . your lordship well knows how apt i am to be overtaken with these better deceits of an over-kinde credulity . i had thought that any dash of my pen , in a sudden and easie advertisement , might have served to have quitted that ignorant scandal which was cast upon my mistaken assertion of the true visibility of the romane church . the issue proves all otherwise : i finde , to my grief , that the misunderstanding tenacity of some zealous spirits hath made it a quarrel . it cannot but trouble me to see that the position which is so familiarly current with the best reformed divines , and which hath been so oft and long since published by me without contradiction , yea not without the approbation and applause of the whole representative body of the clergy of this kingdom , should now be quarrelled , and drawn into the detestation of those that know it not . as one therefore that should think it corrosive enough , that any occasion should be taken by ought of mine to ravell but one thred of that seamless coat , i do earnestly desire by a more full explication to give clear satisfaction to all readers ; and by this seasonable reconcilement to stop the flood-gates of contention . i know it will not be unpleasing to your lordship , that through your honourable and pious hands these welcome papers should be transmitted to many . wherein i shall first beseech , yea adjure , all christians under whose eyes they shall fall , by the dreadful name of that god who shall judge both the quick and the dead , to lay aside all unjust prejudices , and to allow the words of truth and peace . i dare confidently say , let us be understood , and we are agreed . the searcher of all hearts knows how far it was from my thoughts to speak ought in favour of the romane synagogue : if i have not sufficiently branded that strumpet , i justly suffer . luther's broad word is by me already both safely construed , and sufficiently vindicated . but do you not say , it is a true visible church ? do you not yield some kinde of communion with these clients of antichrist ? what is , if this be not , favour ? mark well , christian reader , and the lord give thee understanding in all things . to begin with the latter : no man can say but the church of rome holds some truths ; those truths are god's , and in his right ours ; why should not we challenge our own wheresoever we find it ? if a very devil shall say of christ , thou art the son of the living god , we will snatch this truth out of his mouth as usurped , and in spight of him , proclaim it for our own . indeed , there is no communion betwixt light and darkness ; but there is communion betwixt light and light : now all truth is light , and therefore symbolizeth with it self . with that light therefore whose glimmering yet remains in their darkness , our clearer light will and must hold communion . if they profess three persons in one godhead , two natures in one person of christ ; shall we detrect to joyn with them in this christian verity ? we abhor to have any communion with them in their errours , in their idolatrous or superstitious practices ; these are their own , not ours . if we durst have taken their part in these , this breach had not been . now , who can but say that we must hate their evil , and allow their good ? it is no countenance to their errours that we imbrace our own truths ; it is no disparagement to our truths that they have blended them with their errours . here can be no difference then , if this communion be not mistaken : no man will say that we may sever from their common truths ; no man will say that we may joyn with them in their hateful errours . for the former , he that saith a thief is truly a man , doth he therein favour that thief ? he that saith a diseased , dropsied , dying body is a true ( though corrupt ) body , doth he favour that disease , or that living carkass ? it is no other , no more that i say of the church of rome . trueness of being and outward visibility are no praise to her ; yea these are aggravations to her falshood . the advantage that is both sought and found in this assertion is onely ours , as we shall see in the sequel , without any danger of their gain . i say then , that she is a true church ; but i say withall , she is a false church : true in existence , but false in belief . let not the homonymie of a word breed jarres , where the sense is accorded . if we do not yield her the true being of a church , why do we call her the church of rome ? what speak we of ? or where is the subject of our question ? who sees not that there is a moral trueness , and a natural ? he that is morally the falsest man , is in nature as truly a man as the honestest ; and therefore in this regard as true a man. in the same sense therefore that we say the devil is a true ( though false ) spirit , that a cheater is a true ( though false ) man , we may and must say , that the church of rome is a true ( though false ) church . certainly , there hath been a true errour and mistaking of the sense that is guilty of this quarrel . as for the visibility there can be no question . would god that church did not too much fill our eye , yea the world . there is nothing wherein it doth more pride it self then in a glorious conspicuity , scorning in this regard the obscure paucity of their opposers . but you say , what is this but to play with ambiguities ? that the church of rome is it self , that is , a church , that it is visible , that it is truly existent , there can be no doubt : but is it still a part of the truly existent visible church of christ ? surely , no otherwise then an heretical and apostatical church is and may be . reader , whosoever thou art , for god's sake , for thy souls sake , mark where thou treadest ; else thou shalt be sure to fall either into an open gulf of uncharitableness , or into a dangerous precipice of errour . there is no fear nor favour to say , that the church of rome , under a christian face , hath an antichristian heart ; overturning that foundation by necessary inferences , which by open profession it avoweth . that face , that profession , those avowed principles are enough to give it claim to a true outward visibilitie of a christian church ; whiles those damnable inferences are enough to feoffe it in the true style of heresie and antichristianisme . now this heresie , this antichristianisme makes rome justly odious and execrable to god , to angels and men ; but cannot utterly dis-church it , whiles those main principles maintain a weak life in that crazie and corrupted body . but is not this language different from that whereto our eares and eyes have been inured , from the mouths and pens of some reverend divines and professors of our church ? know , reader , that the stream of the famous doctors , both at home and abroad , hath run strongly my way : i should have feared and hated to go alone : what reason is there then to single out one man in a throng ? some few worthy authors have spoken otherwise in the warmth of their zealous contention ; yet so , as that even to them durst i appeal for my judges : for if their sound differ from me , their sense agrees with me : that , which as i touched in my advertisement , so i am now ready to make clear by the instance of learned zanchius , whose pregnant testimonies compared together , shall plainly teach us how easie a reconcilement may be made betwixt these two seemingly-contrary opinions . that worthy author , in his profession of christian religion , which he wrote and published in the seventieth year of his age , having defined the church of christ in general , and passed through the properties of it , at last , descending to the sub-division of the church militant , comes to enquire , how particular churches may be known to be the true churches of christ ; whereof he determins thus , illas igitur , &c. those churches therefore do we acknowledge for the true churches of christ , in which , first of all , the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached , heard , admitted ; and so onely admitted , that there is neither place nor ear given to the contrary . for both these are the just property of the flock or sheep of christ ; namely , both to hear the voice of their own pastor , and to reject the voice of strangers , john . . in which , secondly , the sacraments instituted by christ are lawfully , and ( as much as may be ) according to christs institution , administred and received ; and therefore , in which the sacraments devised by men are not admitted and allowed . in which , lastly , the discipline of christ hath the due place ; that is , where both publickly and privately charitable care is had , both by admonitions , corrections , and at last ( if need be ) by excommunications , that the commandements of god be duely kept , and that all persons live soberly , justly , and piously , to the glory of god , and edification of their neighbour . thus he : wherein who sees not how directly he aims both at the justifying of our churches , and the cashiering of the roman , which is palpably guilty of the violation of these wholesome rules ? and indeed it must needs be said , if we bring the romane church to this touch , she is cast for a mere counterfeit ; she is as far from truth , as truth is from falshood . now by this time you goe away with an opinion that learned zanchy is my professed adversary , and hath directly condemned my position , of the trueness and visibility of the roman church . have but patience , i beseech you , to read what the same excellent author writes in his golden preface to that noble work , de natura dei , where this question is clearly and punctually decided . there you shall finde , that having passed through the woful and gloomy offuscations of the church of god in all former ages , he descending to the darkness of the present babylon , concludes thus , to have no less ceased to be the church of christ , then those eastern deinde non potuit satan , &c. moreover , satan could not in the very roman church doe what he listed , as he had done in the eastern ; to bring all things to such pass as that it should no more have the form of a christian church : for , in spight of satan , that church retained still the chief foundations of the faith , although weakned with the doctrines of men ; it retained the publick preaching of the word of god , though in many places mis-understood , and mis-construed ; the invocation of the name of christ , though joyned also with the invocation of dead men ; the administration of baptisme , instituted by christ himself , howsoever defiled with the addition of many superstitions . so as , together with the symbol of the covenant , the covenant it self remained still in her , i mean in all the churches of the west ; no otherwise then it did in the church of israel , even after that all things were in part prophaned by jeroboam and other impious and idolatrous kings , upon the defection made by them from the church and tribe of juda. for neither do i assent to them which would have the church of rome churches which afterwards turned mahumetan . what church was ever more corrupt then the church of the ten tribes ? yet we learn from the scriptures that it was still the church of god. and how doth saint paul call that church wherein antichrist ( he saith ) shall sit , the temple of god ? neither is it any baptisme at all , that is administred out of the church of christ . the wife that is an adulteress doth not cease to be a wife , unless being despoiled of her marriage-ring , she be manifestly divorced . the church of rome therefore is yet the church of christ ; but what manner of church ? surely so corrupted and depraved , and with so great tyrannie oppressed , that you can neither with a good conscience partake with them in their holy things , nor safely dwell amongst them . thus he again : wherein you see he speaks as home for me as i could devise to speak for my self , and as appositely professeth to oppose the contrary . look now how this learned author may be reconciled to his own pen ; and by the very same way shall my pen be reconciled with others . either he agrees not with himself , or else in his sense i agree with my gainsayers . nothing is more plain , then that he in that former speech , and all other classick authors that speak in that key , mean by a true church , a sound , pure , right-believing church ; so as their vera is rather verax . zanchie explicates the terme , whiles he joines veram & puram together ; so as in this construction it is no true church that is an unsound one ; as if truth of existence were all one with truth of doctrine . in this sense whosoever shall say the church of rome is a true church , i say he calls evil good , and is no better then a teacher of lyes . but if we measure the true being of a visible church by the direct maintenance of fundamental principles , though by consequences indirectly overturned , and by the possession of the word of god and his sacraments , though not without foul adulteration ; what judicious christian can but with me subscribe to learned zanchius ; that the church of rome hath yet the true visibility of a church of christ ? what should i need to press the latitude and multiplicity of sense of the word church ? there is no one term that i know in all use of speech so various . if in a large sense it be taken to comprehend the society of all that profess christian religion through the whole world , howsoever impured , who can deny this title to the roman ? if in a strict sense it be taken ( as it is by zanchius here , and all those divines who refuse to give this style to the synagogue of rome ) for the company of elect faithful men gathered into one mystical body under one head christ , washed by his blood , justified by his merits , sanctified by his spirit , conscionably waiting upon the true ordinances of god in his pure word and holy sacraments , who can be so shameless as to give this title to the roman church ? both these sentences then are equally true , the church of rome is yet a true church in the first sense ; the church of rome long since ceased to be a true church in the second . as those friendly souldiers therefore of old said to their fellows , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; why fight we ? stay , stay , dear brethren , for gods sake , for his churches sake , for your souls sake , stay these busie and unprofitable litigations ; put up on both sides your angry pens ; turn your swords into siths , to cut down the rank corruptions of the roman church , and your spears into mattocks , to beat down the walls of this mystical babylon . there are enemies enough abroad , let us be friends at home . but if our sense be the same , you will ask why our terms varie , and why we have chosen to fall upon that manner of expression which gives advantage to the adversary , offence to our own . christian reader , let me beseech thee in the bowels of christ to weigh well this matter , and then tell me why such offence , such advantage should be rather given by my words , then by the same words in the mouth of luther , of calvin , of zanchie , junius , plessee , hooker , andrews , field , crakenthorp , bedell , and that whole cloud of learned and pious authors who have without exception used the same language ; and why more by my words now , then twentie years agoe , at which time i published the same truth in a more full and liberal expression . wise and charitable christians may not be apt to take offence where none is given . as for any advantage that is hereby given to the adversaries , they may put it in their eye , and see never the worse . loe , say they , we are of the true visible church ; this is enough for us ; why are we forsaken , why are we persecuted , why are we sollicited to a change ? alas , poor souls ! do they not know that hypocrites , leud persons , reprobates , are no less members of the true visible church ? what gain they by this but a deeper damnation ? to what purpose did the jews cry , the temple of the lord , whiles they despited the lord of that temple ? is the sea-weed ever the less vile , because it is drag'd up together with good fish ? they are of the visible church , such as it is : what is this but to say , they are neither jews , nor turks , nor pagans ; but misbelievers , damnably heretical in opinion , shamefully idolatrous in practice ? let them make their best of this just eulogie , and triumph in this style ; may we never prosper if we envie them this glorie . our care shall be , that besides the church sensible , ( as zuinglius distinguisheth ) we may be of the church spiritual ; and not resting in a fruitless visibility , we may finde our selves lively lims of the mystical body of christ : which onely condition shall give us a true right to heaven ; whiles fashionable profession in vain cries , lord , lord , and is barred out of those blessed gates with an i know you not . neither may the reader think that i affect to goe by-waies of speech : no , i had not taken this path , unless i had found it both more beaten and fairer . i am not so unwise , to teach the adversary what disadvantage i conceive to be given to our most just cause by the other manner of explication . let it suffice to say , that this form of defence more fully stops the adversaries mouth in those two main and envious scandals which he casts upon our holy religion , defection from the church and innovation ; then which no suggestion hath wont to be more prevalent with weak and ungrounded hearts . what we further win by this not more charitable then safe tenet , i had rather it should be silently conceived by the judicious , then blazoned by my free pen. shortly , in this state of the question , our gain is as clear as the adversaries loss ; our ancient truth triumphs over their upstart errours , our charity over their merciless presumptions . fear not therefore , dear brethren , where there is no room for danger ; suspect not fraud where there is nothing but plain , honest simplicity of intentions ; censure not where there is the same truth , clad in a different , but more easie , habit of words . but if any mans fervent zeal shall rather draw him to the liking of that other rougher and harder way , so as in the mean time he keep within the bounds of christian charity , i tax him not : let every man abound in his own sense ; onely let our hearts and tongues and hands conspire together in peace with our selves , in warre with our common enemies . thus far have i ( right honourable ) in a desire of peace , poured out my self into a plain explication and easie accordance . those whom i strive to satisfie , are onely mistakers ; whose censures if some man would have either laught out or despised , yet i have condescended to take off by a serious deprecation and just defence . it is an unreasonable motion to request minds prepossessed with prejudice to hear reason . whole volumes are nothing to such as have contented themselves onely to take up opinions upon trust , and will hold them because they know where they had them . in vain should i spend my self in beating upon such anviles ; but for those ingenuous christians which will hold an eare open for justice and truth , i have said enough , if ought at all needed . alas , my lord , i see , and grieve to see it ; it is my rochet that hath offended , and not i ; in another habit i long since published this and more without dislike ; it is this colour of innocence that hath bleared some over-tender eyes . wherein i know not whether i should more pity their errour , or applaud my own sufferings . although i may not say with the psalmist , what hath the righteous done ? let me ( i beseech your lordship ) upon this occasion have leave to give a little vent to my just grief in this point . the other day i fell upon a latine pamphlet , homely for style , tedious for length , zealously uncharitable for stuff , wherein the author ( onely wise in this , that he would be unknown ) in a grave fierceness flies in the face of our english prelacie ; not so much inveighing against their persons , ( which he could be content to reverence ) as their very places . i blest my self to see the case so altered . heretofore the person had wont to bear off many blows from the function ; now the very function wounds the person . in what case are we , when that which should command respect brands us ? what black art hath raised up this spirit of aerius from his pit ? wo is me , that zeal should breed such monsters of conceit . it is the honour , the pomp , the wealth , the pleasure ( he saith ) of the episcopal chair that is guilty of the depravation of our calling ; and if himself were so overlay'd with greatness , he should suspect his own fidelity . alas , poor man ! at what distance doth he see us ? foggie air useth to represent every object far bigger then it is . our saviour in his temptation upon the mount had only the glory of those kingdomes shewed to him by that subtile spirit , not the cares and vexations : right so are our dignities exhibited to these envious beholders ; little do these men see the toiles and anxieties that attend this supposedly-pleasing eminence . all the revenge that i would wish to this uncharitable censurer should be this , that he might be but for a while adjudged to this so glorious seat of mine ; that so his experience might taste the bewitching pleasures of this envied greatness : he should well finde more danger of being over-spent with work , then of languishing with ease and delicacy . for me , i need not appeal to heaven , eyes enough can witness how few free hours i have enjoyed since i put on these robes of sacred honour . insomuch as i could finde in my heart , with holy gregory , to complain of my change ; were it not that i see these publick troubles are so many acceptable services to my god , whose glory is the end of my being . certainly , my lord , if none but earthly respects should sway me , i should heartily wish to change this palace ( which the providence of god and the bounty of my gracious soveraign hath put me into ) for my quiet cell at waltham , where i had so sweet leisure to enjoy god , your lordship , and my self . but i have followed the calling of my god , to whose service i am willingly sacrificed ; and must now , in an holy obedience to his divine majesty , with what chearfulness i may , ride out all the storms of envie , which unavoidably will alight upon the least appearance of a conceived greatness . in the mean time , whatever i may seem to others , i was never less in my own apprehensions ; and , were it not for this attendance of envie , could not yield my self any whit greater then i was . whatever i am , that good god of mine make me faithfull to him , and compose the unquiet spirits of men to a conscionable care of the publick peace : with which prayer , together with the apprecation of all happiness to your lordship and all yours , i take leave , and am your lordships truly devoted in all hearty observance and duty , jos. exon . to the right reverend father in god , thomas lord bishop of coventry and litchfield . my lord , may your leisure serve you to read over this poor sheet of paper , and to censure it . your name is left out in the catalogue of some other famous divines mentioned in the body of it , that you might not be forestalled . i suffer for that wherein your self , amongst many renowned orthodox doctors of the church , are my partner . as if you had not already said it enough , i beseech your lordship , say once more what you think of the true being and visibility of the roman church . your excellent and zealous writings have justly wone you a constant reputation of great learning and no less sincerity , and have placed you out of the reach of suspicion : no man can , no man dare misdoubt your decision . if you finde any one word amiss in this explication , spare me not ; i shall gladly kiss your rod , and hold your utmost severity a favour . but if you here meet with no other then the words of a commonly-professed truth , acquit me so far as to say , there is no reason i should suffer alone . and let the wilfull or ignorant mistakers know that they wound innocencie , and through my sides strike their best friends . i should not herein desire you to tender my fame , if the injury done to my name did not reflect upon my holy station , upon my well-meant labours , upon almost all the famous and well-deserving authors that have stood for the truth of god ; and lastly , if i did not see this mistaken quarrell to threaten much prejudice to the church of god , whose peace is no less dear to us both then our lives . in earnest desire and hope of some few satisfactory lines from your reverend hand , in answer to this my bold , yet just , suit , i take leave , and am your much devoted and loving brother jos. exon . to the right reverend father in god , my very good lord and brother , joseph lord bishop of exon , these . right reverend , and as dearly beloved , brother , i have ( i confess ) been too long in your lordships debt for these letters , which are now to apologize for me , that although i had my payment ready and in numeratis at the first reading of your reconciler , yet i reserved my answer untill i had perused the two other books and seconds , that so i might return my payment cum foenore . in that your lordships tractate i could not but observe the lively image of your self ; that is ( according to the generall interpretation of all sound professours of the gospel of christ ) of a most orthodox divine . and now remembring the accordance your lordship hath with others touching the argument of your book , i must needs reflect upon my self , who have long since defended the same point in the defence of many others . i do therefore much blame the petulcity of whatsoever author that should dare to impute a popish affection to him whom ( besides his excellent writings and sermons ) god's visible , eminent and resplendent graces of illumination , zeal , piety and eloquence have made truely honourable and glorious in the church of christ . let me say no more ; i suffer in your suffering , not more in consonancy of judgement then in the sympathy of my affection . goe on , dear brother , with your deserved honour in god's church with holy courage , knowing that the dirty feet of an adversary , the more they tread and rub , the more lustre they give the figure graven in gold. our lord jesus preserve us to the glory of his saving grace . your lordships unanimous friend and brother , tho. covent . and litchfield . to the right reverend father in god , john lord bishop of salisbury . my lord , i send you this little pamphlet for your censure . it is not credible how strangely i have been traduced every where for that which i conceive to be the common opinion of reformed divines , yea of reasonable men ; that is , for affirming the true being and visibility of the roman church . you see how clearly i have endeavoured to explicate this harmless position ; yet i perceive some tough misunderstandings will not be satisfied . your lordship hath with great reputation spent many years in the divinity-chair of the famous university of cambridge . let me therefore beseech you , whose learning and sincerity is so throughly approved in god's church , that you would freely ( how shortly soever ) express your self in this point : and if you finde that i have deviated but one hairs breadth from the truth , correct me : if not , free me by your just sentence . what need i to intreat you to pity those , whose desires of faithful offices to the church of god are unthankfully repaied with suspicion and slander ? whose may not this case be ? i had thought i had sufficiently in all my writings , and in this very last book of mine ( whence this quarrell is picked ) shewed my fervent zeal for god's truth against that antichristian faction of rome ; and yet i doubt not but your own ears can witness what i have suffered . yea as if this calumny were not enough , there want not those whose secret whisperings cast upon me the foul aspersions of another sect , whose name is as much hated as little understood . my lord , you know i had a place with you ( though unworthy ) in that famous synod of dort , where ( howsoever sickness bereaved me of the houres of a conclusive subscription ) yet your lordship heard me with equall vehemency to the rest crying down the unreasonableness of that way . god so love me as i do the tranquillity and happiness of his church ; yet can i not so overaffect it , that i would sacrifice one dram of truth to it . to that good god do i appeal as the witness of my sincere heart to his whole truth , and no-less-then-ever-zealous detestation of all popery and pelagianisme . your lordship will be pleased to pardon this importunity , and to vouchsafe your speedy answer to your much devoted and faithfull brother jos. exon . to the right reverend father in god , joseph lord bishop of exon , these . my lord ; you desire my opinion concerning an assertion of yours , whereat some have taken offence . the proposition was this [ that the roman church remains yet a true visible church . ] the occasion which makes this an ill-sounding proposition in the ears of protestants ( especially such as are not throughly acquainted with school distinctions ) is the usuall acception of the word true in our english tongue . for though men skilled in metaphysicks hold it for a maxime , ens , verum , bonum convertuntur : yet with us , he which shall affirm such a one is a true christian , a true gentleman , a true scholar , or the like , he is conceived not onely to adscribe trueness of being unto all these , but those due qualities or requisite actions whereby they are made commendable or praise-worthy in their severall kinds . in this sense the roman church is no more a true church in respect of christ , or those due qualities and proper actions which christ requires , then an arrant whore is a true and loyall wife unto her husband . i durst upon mine oath be one of your compurgators , that you never intended to adorn that strumpet with the title of a true church in this meaning . but your own writings have so fully cleared you herein , that suspicion it self cannot reasonably suspect you in this point . i therefore can say no more concerning your mistaken proposition then this , if in that treatise wherein it was delivered , the antecedents or consequents were such as served fitly to lead the reader into that sense , which under the word true comprehendeth onely truth of being or existencie , and not the due qualities of the thing or subject , you have been causelesly traduced . but on the other side , if that proposition comes in ex abrupto , or stands solitarie in your discourse , you cannot marvell though , by taking the word true according to the more ordinarie acception , your true meaning was mistaken . in brief , your proposition admits a true sense ; and in that sense is by the best learned in our reformed church not disallowed . for the being of a church does principally stand upon the gracious action of god , calling men out of darkness and death unto the participation of light and life in christ jesus . so long as god continues this calling unto any people , though they ( as much as in them lies ) darken this light , and corrupt the means which should bring them to life and salvation in christ ; yet where god calls men unto the participation of life in christ by the word and by the sacraments , there is the true being of a christian church , let men be never so false in their expositions of god's word , or never so untrustie in mingling their own traditions with god's ordinances . thus the church of the jews lost not her being of a church when she became an idolatrous church . and thus under the government of the scribes and pharisees , who voided the commandements of god by their own traditions , there was yet standing a true church , in which zacharias , elizabeth , the virgin mary , and our saviour himself was born , who were members of that church , and yet participated not in the corruptions thereof . thus to grant that the romane was and is a true visible christian church , ( though in doctrine a false , and in practice an idolatrous church ) is a true assertion , and of greater use and necessity in our controversie with papists about the perpetuity of the christian church , then is understood by those who gainsay it . this in your reconciler is so well explicated , as if any shall continue in traducing you in regard of that proposition so explained , i think it will be onely those who are better acquainted with wrangling then reasoning , and deeper in love with strife then truth . and therefore be no more troubled with other mens groundless suspicions , then you would be in like case with their idle dreams . thus i have inlarged my self beyond my first intent . but my love to your self , and the assurance of your constant love unto the truth , inforced me thereunto . i rest alwayes your loving brother , jo. sarum . jan. . . to the reverend and learned master doctor prideavx , professor of divinity in oxford , and rector of exeter colledge . worthy master doctor prideaux , all our little world here takes notice of your worth and eminencie , who have long furnished the divinity chair in that famous university with mutuall grace and honour . let me intreat you upon the perusall of this sorry sheet of paper , to impart your self freely to me in your censure ; and to express to me your clear judgement concerning the true being and visibility of the romane church . you see in what sense i profess to hold it , neither was any other ever in my thoughts : say , i beseech you , whether you think any learned orthodox divine can , with any colour of reason , maintain a contradiction hereunto . and if you finde ( as i doubt not ) much necessity and use of this true and safe tenet , help me to adde ( if you please ) a further supply of antidotes to those popish spiders that would fain suck poison out of this herb. it was my earnest desire that this satisfactory reconcilement might have stilled all tongues and pens concerning this ill-raised brabble : but i see to my grief how much men care for themselves more then peace . i suffer , and the church is disquieted ; your learning and gravity will be ready to contribute to a seasonable pacification . in desire and exspectation of your speedy answer , i take my leave , and am your very loving friend and fellow-labourer , jos. exon . to the right reverend father in god , and my very good lord , joseph bishop of excester . right reverend father in god ; upon the receit of your reconciler , which it pleased you to send me , i took occasion ( as my manifold distractions would permit ) to peruse what had been said on both sides concerning the now-being of the roman church . wherein i must profess that i could not but wonder at the needless exceptions against your tenet , you affirming no new thing in that passage misliked in your old religion . and this your advertisement ( afterward ) so fully and punctually cleareth , and your reconciler so acquitteth it , with such satisfying ingenuitie , that i cannot imagine they have considered it well , or mean well , that shall persist to oppose it . for who perceives not , that your lordship leaves no more to rome then our best divines ever since the reformation have granted ? if their speeches have been sometimes seemingly different , their meaning hath been alwayes the same , that in respect of the common truths yet professed among the papists , they may and ought to be termed a true visible church , in opposition to jews , turks and pagans , who directly denie the foundation ; howsoever their antichristian additions make them no better then the synagogue of satan . this being agreed upon by those whose judgement we have good reason to follow ( cited in your advertisement , and by others , ) they doe an ill office to our church ( in my opinion ) who set them at oddes in this point that are so excellently reconciled ; and give more advantage to the adversary by quarrelling with our worthies , then the adversary is like to get by our acknowledgement , that they are such a miserable church as we discover them to be . what i have thought long since in this behalf , it appeareth in my lecture de visibilitate ecclesiae ; and as often as this hath come in question in our publick disputes , we determine here no otherwise then your lordship hath stated it . and yet we trust to give as little advantage to popery as those that doe detest it ; and are as circumspect to maintain our received doctrine and discipline , without the least scandall to the weakest , as those that would seem most forward . that distinction of rome's case before and since the council of trent , holds not to dis-church it , but shews it rather to be more incurable now then heretofore . neither finde i any particulars objected , which those worthy men have not sufficiently cleared that have justified your assertion . not to trouble therefore your weightier affairs with my needless interposition : as that controversie about the altar ( josuah . ) had presently a fair end upon the full understanding of the good meaning on both sides ; so i trust in god this shall have : in which i am so perswaded , that if it were to be discussed there after our scholastical manner , it might well be defended either pro or con , without prejudice to the truth , according to the full stating which your advertisement and reconciler have afforded . and thus , with tender of my due observance and prayers for your happiness , i rest your lordships in christ to be commanded , jo. prideaux . from exon coll. martii . no. to my reverend and learned friend , master doctor primerose , preacher to the french church in london . worthy master doctor primerose , you have been long acknowledged a great light in the reformed churches of france , having for many years shined in your orbe , the famous church of burdeaux , with notable effects and singular approbation both for judgement and sincerity ; both which also your learned writings have well approved ; so as your sentence cannot be liable to the danger of any suspicion : let me intreat you to declare freely what you hold concerning the trueness and visibility of the roman church as it is by me explicated ; and withall to impart your knowledge of the common tenet of those forein divines with whom you have so long conversed concerning this point , which ( if i mistake not ) onely a stubborn ignorant will needs make litigious . it grieves my soul to see the peace of the church troubled with so absurd a misprision . in expectation of your answer i take leave , and commend you and your holy labours to the blessing of our god. farewell . from your loving brother and fellow-labourer , jos. exon . to the right reverend father in god , and my very good lord , joseph bishop of excester . right reverend father in god , i have been so busied about my necessary studies for preaching on sunday , tuesday , and this thursday , that i could not give sooner a full answer to your lordships letter which i received on friday last at night , whereby i am desired to declare freely what i think concerning the trueness and visibility of the present romane church as it is by your lordship explicated , and what is the common tenet of the forein divines with whom i have so long conversed beyond the seas concerning that point . i might answer in two lines , that i have read your reconciler , and judge your opinion concerning that point to be learned , sound and true . though that if i durst favour an officious lie , i would willingly give my suffrage to those divines , which out of a most fervent zeal to god and perfect hatred to idolatry , hold that the roman church is in all things ba●el , in nothing bethel . and as they which seek to set right a crooked tree , bow it the clean contrary way to make it straight ; so to recover and pull out of the fire of eternal damnation the romane christians , i would gladly pourtray them with sable colours , and make their religion more black in their own eyes then they are in ours , the hellish-coloured faces of the flat-nosed ethiopians , or to the spaniard the monstrous sambenit of the inquisition . but fearing the true reproach cast by job in his friends teeth , will ye speak wickedly for god , and talk deceitfully for him ? and knowing that we must not speak a lie , no not against the devil which is the father of lies ; i say that the roman church is both babel and bethel ; and as god's temple was in christs daies at once the house of prayer , and a den of thieves , so she is in our daies god's temple and the habitation of devils , the hold of every foul spirit , and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird . which i prove thus : the church is to be considered three manner of waies . first , according to gods right which he keepeth over her , and maintaineth in her by the common and external calling of his word and sacraments . secondly , according to the pure preaching of the word , and external obedience in hearing , receiving , and keeping the word sincerely preached . thirdly , according to the election of grace , and the personal calling , which hath perpetually the inward working of the holy ghost joyned with the outward preaching of the word , as in lydia . thence cometh the answer of a good conscience toward god , by the resurrection of jesus christ . to begin with the last consideration : these onely are gods church which are jews inwardly in the spirit , as well as outwardly in the letter , whose praise is not of men , but of god ; who are nathanaels , and true israelites , in whom there is no guile ; invisible to all men , visible to god alone , who knoweth them that are his ; and each of them to themselves , because they have received the spirit which is of god , that they might know the things which are freely given them of god , and the white stone and new name , which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it . of this church , called by the apostle the people which god foreknew , rom. . . there is no controversie amongst our divines . in the second consideration these onely are the true visible church of god , amongst whom the word of god is truly preached without the mixture of humane traditions , the holy sacraments are celebrated according to their first institution , and the people consenteth to be led and ruled by the word of god. as when moses laid before the faces of the people , all the words which the lord commanded him ; and all the people answered together , all that the lord hath spoken we will doe . the lord said unto moses , write thou these words : for after the tenor of these words i have made a covenant with thee and with israel . and moses said to the people ; thou hast avouched this day the lord to be thy god , and to walk in his waies , and to keep his statures and his commandments and his judgements , and to hearken unto his voice : and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people , as he hath promised thee , and that thou shouldest keep all his commandements . this condition of the commandement god did often inculcate into their ears by his prophets : as when he said to them by jeremiah , this thing commanded i them , saying , obey my voice , and i will be your god , and ye shall be my people ; and walk ye in all the waies that i have commanded you , that it may be well unto you . so in the gospel christ saith , my sheep hear my voice , and i know them , and they follow me : but a stranger will they not follow , but will flie from him ; for they know not the voice of strangers : where he giveth the first mark of the visible true and pure church , to wit , the pure preaching and hearing of christs voice . as likewise st. john saith , he that knoweth god , heareth us : hereby know we the spirit of truth , and the spirit of errour . again , the lord saith , by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye love one another , pointing out the concord and holy agreement which is among the brethren , as another mark of the orthodox church . as likewise when he saith , let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works , and glorifie your father which is in heaven , he sheweth that good works are the visible mark of the true orthodox church . the true preaching and reverend hearing of the gospel is a visible mark of our faith and hope ; our concord in the lord is a mark of our charitie ; our good works are real and sensible testimonies of our inward faith , hope and charitie . where we finde these three signes , we know certainly that there is christs true church ; and judge charitably , that is probably , that every one in whom we see these outward tokens of christs true and orthodox church , is a true member of the mystical body of the lord jesus . i say charitably , because outward marks may be outwardly counterfeited by hypocrites ; as it is said of israel , they did flatter with their mouth , and they lyed unto him with their tongues ; for their heart was not right with him , neither were they stedfast in his covenant : and of many of those that followed our saviour , many believed in his name , when they saw the miracles which he did : but jesus did not commit himself unto them , because he knew all men . therefore when the people of israel departed from the covenant , and by their idolatry brake , as much as in them lay , the contract of marriage between them and god , they ceased in that behalf to be gods true spouse and people , though still they called him their husband and their god. when they made a molten calf in the wilderness , and worshipped the works of their own fingers , god said to moses , thy people which thou broughtest out of the land of egypt have corrupted themselves , and not my people . and moses , to shew that on their part they had broken the covenant , broke the tables of the covenant . when under achaz they did worse , isaiah called them children that are corrupted , their prince and governours , rulers of sodome , themselves people of gomorrah , their holy city an harlot . and god about the same time cryed unto them by micah , thou that art named the house of jacob , thou that wast of late my people : and to the ten tribes by hosea , ye are not my people , and i will not be your god. after the same manner christ said to the jews , which gloried and made their boast that god was their father , if god were your father , ye would love me : ye are of your father the devil , and the lusts of your father ye will doe . if we speak of the romish church according to this distinction , defining the church by the keeping of the covenant in pureness of doctrine and holiness of life , god himself hath stript her of that glorious name , calling her spiritually sodome , egypt , and babylon : sodome , in the pollution of her most filthy life ; egypt , in the abominable multitude of her filthy idols ; babylon , in the cruell and bloodie oppression and persecution of the saints . and because she was to call her self as falsly as arrogantly , the mother-church , the angel calleth her the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth : because also she was to bring and magnifie her self in the multitude of her saints , he saith that she is drunk with the blood of the saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of jesus . and taking from her the name of the church , which she challengeth privatively to all other christian congregations , he nameth her , as i have already said , the habitation of devils , the hold of every foul spirit , and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. in the first sense moses said to god , why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people ? because although they had broken the covenant on their part by the works of their hands , god had not as yet broken it on his part . jeremiah in the greatest heat of their monstrous idolatries praied after the same manner , do not abhor us , for thy names sake , do not disgrace the throne of thy glory : remember , break not thy covenant with us : and esaiah , thou art our father , we are all thy people . for so long as god calls a people to him by his word and sacraments , and honours them with his name , so long as they consent to be called by his name , professing it outwardly , they remain his people , although they answer not his calling , neither in soundness of faith , nor in holiness of life : even as rebellious subjects are still true subjects on the kings behalf , who loseth not his right by their rebellion : nay , on their own also in some manner , because they still keep and profess his name , and give not themselves to any forein prince . did david lose his right by the rebellion of the people under his son absalom ? and therefore when the king subdueth these traitors , he carrieth himself towards them , both in forgiving and in punishing , as their lawfull and natural prince , and not as a conquerour of new subjects . so as a strumpet is a true wife , so long as her husband consents to dwell with her , and she is named by his name ; and as agar , when she fled from her mistress sarai , was still sarai's maid , as she confessed , saying , i flee from the face of my mistress sarai : in like manner a rebellious , fugitive and whoring church , is still a true church , so long as god keeping the right of a king , of a master , of a husband over her , giveth her not the bill of divorcement , but consents that his name be called upon her , and she still calleth her self his kingdome , his maid , his wife . thus god calleth the jews his people , even then when he said they were not his people , because he had not broken the band of marriage with them , and put them away by divorcement . therefore he said unto them , where are the letters of your mothers divorcement , whom i have put away ? meaning , he had not given unto them a writing of divorcement , but did still acknowledge them to be his spouse , notwithstanding their manifold and most filthy whoredomes with false gods , which he charged them with , saying unto them by jeremiah , thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredomes and with thy wickedness : thou hast a whores forehead , and refusest to be ashamed . wilt thou not for this time cry unto me , my father , thou art the guide of my youth ? turn , o backsliding children , saith the lord , for i am married unto you ; or , according to the french translation , i have the right of an husband over you . so after he had called the ten tribes lo-ruhama and lo-hammi , saying he would no more have mercy upon them , and that they were not his people , he calleth them his people ; my people , saith he , asketh counsel at their stocks , and their stuffe answereth them . but after that god had scattered them among the medes and other nations of assyria , and broken his covenant with them , they became not onely in the second , but also in the first sense , jesrehel , and no more israel , loruhama , and no more ruhama , lohammi , and no more hammi . then was fulfilled the prophesie , plead with your mother , plead : for she is not my wife , neither am i her husband . so the jewes , which were gods people in the midst of their idolatrie , since they have denied christ to be the messias , the mediator between god and them , and have crucified the lord of glory , are no more gods people , although they beg still that name . they are , saith christ , the synagogue of satan : they say they are jewes , and are not , but do ly . for seeing god hath broken them off , and grafted the gentiles in their room , they qualifie themselves gods people as falsely and injuriously , as a whore lawfully divorced by her husband calleth her self his wife . to apply this to the roman church , which hath adulterated and corrupted the whole service of god , and is more adulterous then was at any time juda or ephraim , and therefore is not a true visible church in the second sense ; i say she is one in some sort in the first . in her god doth still keep his true word in the old and new testament , as the contract of his marriage with her . in her is the true creed , the true decalogue , the true lords prayer , which luther calleth the kernal of christianity . in her christ is preached , though corruptly . in her the trinity and incarnation of christ are believed . in her the father , the son and the holy ghost are prayed unto , though in an unknown tongue to the most part . in her the little children are baptized in the name of the father , of the son and of the holy ghost . and no divine will deny that their baptisme is a true sacrament , whereby their children are born to god , seeing we do not rebaptise them , where leaving her , they adjoin themselves to us . who then can deny that she is a true church ? for out of the church there is no baptisme , and the church alone beareth children to god. in her sitteth the man of sin , the son of perdition , who sitteth in the temple of god , which is the church . it s granted that she is babylon in the second sense : and god's people is commanded to come out of babylon . what is gods people but gods church , which forsaketh her successively ; as of old the typical people came out of the typical babylon , not at once , but at many several times ? if then we apply unto her gods commandment , exhorting her to come out of babylon , either we understand not what we say , or we acknowledge her to be gods people , that is , gods church , though idolatrous , rebellious and disobedient . neither shall she cease to be gods people in this sense till the coming of that blessed day , when the aire shall rebound with the shouting of the saints , babylon is fallen , she is fallen , that great citie , because she made all nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication . i say then , that as jerusalem was at the same time the holy citie , and a harlot ; the temple was bethel and bethaven , gods house and a house of iniquity ; the jews were gods people and no people , gods children and the devils ; ephraim was hammi and lo-hammi , in divers respects : even so the romish church is both bethel and babel ; bethel from god , calling her to the communion of his grace in christ by his word and sacrament of baptisme ; babel from her self , because she hath made a gallimaufrey of the christian religion , confounding pell-mell her own traditions with gods word , her own merits with christs , the blood of martyrs with the blood of the lamb of god which taketh away the sins of the world , purgatory with the same blood which purgeth us from all sin , justification by works with justification by faith onely , praying to the creatures with praying to the creator , idols of men , women , beasts , angels , with gods worship , the mediation of saints with the mediation of him who is the surety of the new testament , and is able to save to the uttermost all those that come unto god by him , seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them . nay , as calvin said truely , in the romish church christ is scarcely known among the saints , of whom some are in heaven , as the apostles , &c. some on earth , as the pope ; some in hell , as saint dominick , the firebrand of the war against the albigeois , saint garnet , whom tyborn sent to his own place , to be rewarded of the gun-powder treason ; some did never die , because they had never the honour to live , as saint christopher , saint katharine , saint ur●ule , saint longin , who was a spear , saint eloi , who was two couple of sharp nailes , and many more of the same stuffe . in a word , the roaring of the gamards of bahal is so loud in that church , that christ's voice is scant heard in her ; and yet heard both in the mouth of these babylonian builders , which understand not one another , and in the mouths of the people halting between christ and the pope their bahal . and therefore in that behalf not the true , but a true christian church . this testimony is the praise of the most wonderful patience of god , who suffereth so long that common hackney to bear his name . it is her shame : as it is the shame of a quean married to a good husband , to be convicted of running up and down after strangers . it s a vantage to us in our imployment for her conversion . for as when agar had confessed truly , that she was sarah 's maid , the angel took her at her word , saying , return to thy mistress , and submit thy self to her , and perswaded her : even so we take the roman church by the neck , when she confesseth that she is christs church , as she is indeed , exhorting her to return unto christ , to obey his word , to submit her self unto him , and to follow the true faith of the antient catholick and apostolick church . neither is it any vantage to her against us , to inforce us to return to her , or to upbraid us for forsaking her . for as moses , when the people had committed idolatry , took his tabernacle , and pitched it without the camp , afarre off from the camp , breaking off all communication with those which had broken the covenant of the lord their god , till they repented ; as god said to jeremiah of the jews , which had opened their legs to every one that passed by , and multiplied their whoredomes , cast them out of my sight , and let them goe forth : let them return unto thee , but return not thou unto them ; as hosea said of ephraim , ephraim is joyned to idols , let him alone : so christ saith unto us , come out of babylon my people , that ye be not partakers of her sins , and that ye receive not of her plagues . her sins are a spiritual leprosie : and we run away from leprous men , though true men , and our nearest and dearest friends , crying what they are loath to cry , unclean , unclean , lest their breath should infect us . her sins are infidelity , not negative , but privative , not in whole , but in part ; as s. paul , a believing jew , was in unbelief when he persecuted the church : and s. paul saith unto us , be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers , &c. come out from among them , and be ye separate , saith the lord , and touch not the unclean thing , and i will receive you , and will be a father unto you , and ye shall be my sons and daughters , faith the lord almighty . a faithful subject will not take a traitour , though a subject , by the hand , nor i a papist in matter of his religion : neither will honest women goe unto the stews with the greatest lady , though she be a great ones wife . this i have ever taught privately , preached publickly , published in printed books against papists during these thirty three yeares of my ministry in the french churches , without any advantage to our adversaries , without any contradiction of our divines , without any exception taken against it by our churches , or any particular among the brethren , which all in their name preach and publish that they are of the same mind , calling themselves the reformed churches , and our religion the reformed religion . for as the good kings of juda did not build a new temple , call to god a new people , set up a new religion , but repurge and cleanse the old temple , restore the ancient religion , exhorted gods people to shake off the new inventions of the new-patched religion , and to return to the lord their god by the old way which their fathers had beaten , and moses had traced unto them in the law ; and as zorobabel , esdras , nehemiah , jeshuah , builded the wals of jerusalem upon the ancient foundation , every man building next himself : even so the protestant divines have every one next himself , not builded a new church upon a new foundation , but repurged the ancient church of idolatry , superstition , false interpretations of the scriptures and traditions of men , whereof she was fuller then ever augeas his stable was full of muck ; but beaten down , and burned with the fire of gods word the walls of wood , hay , stubble , which the babylonian builders had raised upon the old foundation , which is christ jesus , and edified upon it a fair palace of silver , gold , precious stones . this same is the opinion also of my collegues of the french church of this city of london . if any self-conceited christian thinketh this an advantage rather then a disparagement and disgrace to that punk the roman church , and taketh thereby occasion to persevere to be her bawd or stallion , and to run a whoring with her , i say with the psalmist , the wicked hath left off to be wise , and to doe good ; and with the angel , he that is unjust , let him be unjust still : and he which is filthy , let him be filthy still . for neither must an honest heart speak a lie for the good that may come of it ; nor conceal in time and place a necessary truth for any evil that may insue of it . if it harden more and more the flinty hearts of some unto death , it will soften and melt the iron hearts of others unto life ; that seeing among us the mud and dirt of humane traditions , wherewith the pope and his clergy had furred and soiled the bright-shining glasse of the gospel , wiped away from this heavenly mirror of god's favour , they may come unto us , and beholding with open face , as in a glasse , the glory of the lord , may be changed with us into the same image , from glory to glory , even as by the spirit of the lord. which last effect i pray with my heart your reconciler may have with those that are children of peace . and so recommending your lordship , with all your learned , eloquent , sound and usefull labours to gods most powerfull blessing , and my self to the continuance of your godly prayers and old friendship , i remain for ever your lordships most humble and affectionate servant , gilbert primrose . from london the . of february , . to my worthy and much respected friend , mr. h. cholmley . master cholmley , i have perused your learned and full reply to master burton's answer : wherein you have in a judicious eye abundantly righted your self , and cleared a just cause , so as the reader would wonder where an adversary might finde ground to raise an opposition . but let me tell you , were i● a book written by the pen of an angel from heaven in this subject , i should doubt whether to wish it publick . how true , how just soever the plea be , i finde ( such is the self-love and partiality of our corrupt nature ) the quarrell is inlarged by multiplying of words . when i see a fire quenched with oyle , i will expect to see a controversie of this nature stinted by publick altercation . new matter still rises in the agitation , & gives hint to a fore-resolved opposite of a fresh disquisition : so as we may sooner see an end of the common peace , then of an unkindly jarre in the church ; especially such a one as is fomented with a mistaken zeal on the one side , and with a confidence of knowledge on the other . silence hath sometimes quieted such like mis-raised brabbles , never interchange of words . this very question was on foot some forty years agoe in the hote chace of great authors ; but whether through the ingenuity of the parties , or some over-ruling act of divine providence , it soon died without noise : so i wish it may now doe . rather let the weaker title goe away with the last word , then the church shall be distracted . for that position of mine which occasioned your vindication , you see it sufficiently abetted and determined by so reverend authority as admits no exception : i dare say , no learned divine of our own church or the forain can but subscribe ( in this our sense ) to the judgement of these worthies . to draw forth therefore this cord of contention to any further length , were no lesse needlesse then prejudiciall to the publick peace . he is not worthy to be satisfied that will yet wrangle . as for those personall aspersions that are cast upon you by malice , be perswaded to despise them . these western parts , where your reputation is deservedly pretious , know your zeal for gods truth no lesse fervent ( though better governed ) then the most fiery of your censurers . no man more hateth popish superstition ; onely your fault is , that you do not more hate errour then injustice , and cannot abide wrong measure offered to the worst enemy . neither be you troubled with that idle exprobration of a prebendary retribution ; who would care for a contumely so void of truth ? god knows that worthlesse gift was conferred upon you ere this task came into either of our thoughts ; and whoso knows the entire respects betwixt us from our very cradles till this day , may well think that a prebend of three pounds by the year need not goe for a fee , where there is so much and so ancient cause of dearness . i am sorry to see such rancour under the coat of zeal . surely nothing but mere malice can be guilty of this charge ; no lesse then of that other envious challenge of your decay of graces , of falling from your first love , from industry to ease , from a weekly to a monethly preaching : when those that know the state of your tiverton , the four-parted division of that charge , and your forced confinement to your own day by publick authority , both spirituall and temporall , must needs acquit you , and cry down the wrong of an accuser . as for the vigour of gods good graces in you , both common and sanctifying , all the country are your ample witnesses . i that have interknown you from our childhood , cannot but professe to finde the entrance of your age no lesse above the best of your youth in abilities then in time ; and still no lesse fruitfull in promises of increase , then in eminent performances . what need i urge this ? your adversaries do enough feel your worth . so as ( to speak seriously ) i cannot sufficiently wonder at the liberty of those men , who professing a strict conscience of their wayes , dare let their pens or tongues loose to so injurious and uncharitable a detraction , whereof they know the just avenger is in heaven . it should not be thus betwixt brethren , no not with enemies . for the main business , there wants not confidence on either side : i am appealed to by both , an unmeet judge , considering my so deep ingagements . but if my umpierage may stand , i award an eternall silence to both parts . sit down in peace then , you and your worthy second , whose young ripeness and modest and learned discourse is worthy of better entertainment then contempt : and let your zealous opponents say , that you have overcome your selves in a resolved cessation of pens , and them in a love of peace . farewell from your loving friend and ancient collegue , jos. exon . occasionall meditations by jos. exon . set forth by r. h. to the right honorable , my very good lord , james lord viscount doncaster , right honourable , finding these papers amongst others lying aside in my fathers study , where of i conceived good use might be made , in regard of that spirituall advantage which they promised , i obtained of him good leave to send them abroad ; whereto he professed himself the more easily induced , for that his continuall and weighty employments in this large and busie diocese will not yet afford him leisure to dispatch those his other fixed meditations on the history of the new testament . in the mean time , the expressions of these voluntary and sudden thoughts of his shall testifie how fruitfully he is wont to improve those short ends of time which are stolne from his more important avocations ; and ( unlesse my hopes fail me ) the pattern of them may prove not a little beneficial to others . holy mindes have been ever wont to look through these bodily objects , at spiritual and heavenly . so sulpitius reports of s. martin , that seeing a sheep newly shorn , he could say , loe here is one that hath performed that command in the gospel ; having two coats , she hath given away one : and seeing an hogherd freezing in a thin suit of skins , loe ( said he ) there is adam cast out of paradise : and seeing a medow part rooted up , part whole , but eaten down , and part flourishing , he said , the first was the state of fornication , the second of marriage , the third of virginity . but what do i seek any other author then the lord of life himself ? who upon the drawing of water from the well of shilo on the day of the great hosanna , took occasion to speak of those living waters which should flow from every true believer , john . . and upon occasion of a bodily feast , luke . entred into that divine discourse of god's gracious invitation of us to those spiritual viands of grace and glory . thus , methinks , we should still be climbing up in our thoughts from earth to heaven , and suffer no object to crosse us in our way without some spiritual use and application . thus it pleased my reverend father sometimes to recreate himself , whose manner hath been , when any of these meditations have unsought offer'd themselves unto him , presently to set them down : a course which i wish had been also taken in many more , which might no doubt have been very profitable . these , as they are , i send forth under your honourable name , out of those many respects which are in an hereditary right due to your lordship , as being apparent heir to those two singular patrons of my justly-reverenced father ; the eminent vertue of which your noble parents in a gracious succession yields to your lordship an happy example , which to follow is the onely way to true honour . for the daily increase whereof here , and the everlasting crown of it hereafter , his prayers to god shall not be wanting , who desires to be accounted your lordships devoted in all humble observance , ro. hall . occasionall meditations . the proeme . i have heedlesly lost ( i confesse ) many good thoughts ; these few my paper hath preserved from vanishing ; the example whereof may perhaps be more usefull then the matter . our active soul can no more forbear to think , then the eye can chuse but see when it is open . would we but keep our wholesome notions together , mankinde would be too rich . to doe well , no object should passe us without use ; every thing that we see , reads us new lectures of wisdome and piety . it is a shame for a man to be ignorant or godlesse under so many tutors . for me , i would not wish to live longer then i shall be better for my eyes ; and have thought it thank-worthy , thus to teach weak mindes how to improve their thoughts upon all like occasions . and if ever these lines shall come to the publick view , i desire and charge my reader , whosoever he be , to make me and himself so happy , as to take out my lesson , and to learn how to read gods great book by mine . the table of these meditations following . med . i. upon the sight of the heavens moving . pag. med . ii. upon the sight of a diall . ib. med . iii. upon the sight of an eclipse of the sun. ib. med . iv. upon the sight of a gliding star. med . v. upon a fair prospect . ib. med . vi. upon the frame of a globe casually broken . med . vii . upon a cloud . ib. med . viii . upon the sight of a grave digged up . ib. med . ix . upon the sight of gold melted . med . x. upon the sight of a pitcher carried . ib. med . xi . upon the sight of a tree full blossomed . ib. med . xii . upon the report of a man suddenly struck dead in his sin. ib. med . xiii . upon the view of the heaven and the earth . med . xiv . upon occasion of a red-breast coming into his chamber . ib. med . xv. upon occasion of a spider in his window . ib. med . xvi . upon the sight of a rain in the sun-shine . med . xvii . upon the length of the way . ib. med . xviii . upon the rain and waters . ib. med . xix . upon the same subject . med . xx. upon occasion of the lights brought in . ib. med . xxi . upon the same occasion . med . xxii . upon the blowing of the fire . ib. med . xxiii . upon the barking of a dog. ib. med . xxiv . upon sight of a cock-fight . ib. med . xxv . upon his lying down to rest . med . xxvi . upon the kindling of a charcole fire . ib. med . xxvii . upon the sight of an humble and patient begger . med . xxviii . upon the sight of a crow pulling off wool from the back of a sheep . ib. med . xxix . upon the sight of two snails . ib. med . xxx . upon the hearing of the street-cries in london . med . xxxi . upon the flies gathering to a galled horse . ib. med . xxxii . upon the sight of a dark lantern . ib. med . xxxiii . upon the hearing of a swallow in the chimney . ib. med . xxxiv . upon the sight of a flie burning it self in the candle . med . xxxv . upon the sight of a lark flying up . ib. med . xxxvi . upon the singing of the birds in a spring morning . ib. med . xxxvii . upon a coal covered with ashes . med . xxxviii . upon the sight of a blackmore . ib. med . xxxix . upon the small stars in the galaxie or milkie circle in the firmament . ib. med . xl. upon the sight of boyes playing . med . xli . upon the sight of a spider and her web. ib. med . xlii . upon the sight of a naturall . ib. med . xliii . upon the loadstone and the jett . med . xliv . upon hearing of musick by night . ibid. med . xlv . upon the fanning of corn. ib. med . xlvi . upon herbs dried . med . xlvii . upon the quenching of iron in water . ib. med . xlviii . upon a fair-coloured flie. ib. med . xlix . upon a glow-worm . ib. med . l. upon the shutting of one eye . med . li. upon a spring-water . ib. med . lii . upon gnats in the sun. ib. med . liii . upon the sight of grapes . ib. med . liv. upon a corn-field over-grown with weeds . med . lv. upon the sight of tulips and marigolds , &c. in his garden . ib. med . lvi . upon the sound of a crackt bell. ib. med . lvii . upon the sight of a blinde man. ib. med . lviii . upon a beech-tree full of nuts . med . lix . upon the sight of a piece of money under the water . ib. med . lx. upon the first rumour of the earthquake at lime , wherein a wood was swallowed up with the fall of two hills . ib. med . lxi . upon the sight of a dormouse . med . lxii . upon bees fighting . ib. med . lxiii . upon wasps falling into a glass . ib. med . lxiv . upon a spring in the wilde forest . med . lxv . upon the sight of an owle in the twilight . ibid. med . lxvi . upon an arm benummed . med . lxvii . upon the sparks flying upward . ib. med . lxviii . upon the sight of a raven . ib. med . lxix . upon a worm . med . lxx . upon the putting on of his cloaths . ibid. med . lxxi . upon the sight of a great library . ibid. med . lxxii . upon the red cross on a door . med . lxxiii . upon the change of weather . ib. med . lxxiv . upon the sight of a marriage . ib. med . lxxv . upon the sight of a snake . med . lxxvi . upon the ruines of an abby . ib. med . lxxvii . upon the discharging of a peece . med . lxxviii . upon the tolling of a passing-bell . ib. med . lxxix . upon a defamation dispersed . med . lxxx . upon a ring of bells . ib. med . lxxxi . upon the sight of a full table at a feast . ib. med . lxxxii . upon the hearing of a lute well played on . med . lxxxiii . upon the sight and noise of a peacock . ib. med . lxxxiv . upon a penitent malefactor . ibid. med . lxxxv . upon the sight of a lilly. med . lxxxvi . upon the sight of a coffin stuck with flowers . ib. med . lxxxvii . upon the view of the world. ib. med . lxxxviii . upon the stinging of a wasp . med . lxxxix . upon the arraignment of a felon . ib. med . xc . upon the crowing of a cock. med . xci . upon the variety of thoughts . ib. med . xcii . upon the sight of an harlot carted . ibid. med . xciii . upon the smell of a rose . med . xciv . upon a cancelled bond. ib. med . xcv . upon the report of a great losse by sea. ib. med . xcvi . upon sight of a bright skie full of stars . med . xcvii . upon the rumours of wars . ib. med . xcviii . upon a childe crying . med . xcix . upon the beginning of a sicknesse . ibid. med . c. upon the challenge of a promise . med . ci. upon the sight of flies . ib. med . cii . upon the sight of a fantasticall zelot . ib. med . ciii . upon the sight of a scavenger working in the canell . med . civ . upon a pair of spectacles . ib. med . cv . upon moats in the sun. ib. med . cvi. upon the sight of a bladder . ib. med . cvii . upon a man sleeping . med . cviii . upon the sight of a deaths-head . ib. med . cix . upon the sight of a left-handed man. ib. med . cx . upon the sight of an old unthatched cottage . . med . cxi . upon the sight of a fair pearl . ib. med . cxii . upon a screen . ib. med . cxiii . upon a bur-leaf . ib. med . cxiv . upon the singing of a bird. ib. med . cxv . upon the sight of a man yawning . med . cxvi . upon the sight of a tree lopped . ib. med . cxvii . upon a scholar that offered violence to himself . ib. med . cxviii . upon the coming in of the judge . med . cxix . upon the sight of an heap of stones . ibid. med . cxx . upon sight of a bat and owle . ib. med . cxxi . upon the sight of a well-fleeced sheep . med . cxxii . upon the hearing of thunder . ib. med . cxxiii . upon the sight of an hedg-hog . ib. med . cxxiv . upon the sight of a goat . med . cxxv . upon the sight of the blinde and the lame . ib. med . cxxvi . upon the sight of a map of the world. ib. med . cxxvii . upon the sight of hemlock . med . cxxviii . upon a flower-de-luce . ib. med . cxxix . upon the sight of two trees , one high , the other broad . ib. med . cxxx . upon the sight of a drunken man. ibid. med . cxxxi . upon the whetting of a sithe . med . cxxxii . upon the sight of a looking-glass . ibid. med . cxxxiii . upon the shining of a piece of rotten wood . ib. med . cxxxiv . upon an ivie tree . med . cxxxv . upon a quartan ague . ib. med . cxxxvi . upon the sight of a loaded cart. ibid. med . cxxxvii . upon the sight of a dwarf . med . cxxxviii . upon an importunate begger . ibid. med . cxxxix . upon a medicinal potion . ib. med . cxl . upon the sight of a wheel . occasionall meditations . i. upon the sight of the heavens moving . i can see nothing stand still but the earth ; all other things are in motion . even the water which makes up one globe with the earth is ever stirring in ebbes and flowings , the clouds over my head , the heavens above the clouds : these , as they are most conspicuous , so are they the greatest patterns of perpetuall action . what should we rather imitate then this glorious frame ? o god , when we pray that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven , though we mean chiefly the inhabitants of that place , yet we do not exclude the very place of those blessed inhabitants from being an example of our obedience . the motion of this thy heaven is perpetuall ; so let me ever be acting somewhat of thy will : the motion of thy heaven is regular , never swerving from the due points ; so let me ever walk steddily in the wayes of thy will , without all diversions or variations from the line of thy law. in the motion of thine heaven , though some stars have their own peculiar and contrary courses , yet all yield themselves to the sway of the main circumvolution of that first mover ; so though i have a will of mine own , yet let me give my self over to be ruled and ordered by thy spirit in all my waies . man is a little world ; my soul is heaven , my body is earth : if this earth be dull and fixed , yet , o god , let my heaven ( like unto thine ) move perpetually , regularly , and in a constant subjection to thine holy ghost . ii. upon the sight of a diall . if the sun did not shine upon this diall , no body would look at it : in a cloudy day it stands like an uselesse post , unheeded , unregarded ; but when once those beams break forth , every passenger runs to it , and gazes on it . o god , whiles thou hidest thy countenance from me , methinks all thy creatures passe by me with a willing neglect : indeed , what am i without thee ? and if thou have drawn in me some lines and notes of able endowments ; yet , if i be not actuated by thy grace , all is in respect of use no bettter then nothing . but when thou renewest the light of thy loving countenance upon me , i finde a sensible and happy change of condition ; methinks all things look upon me with such chear and observance , as if they meant to make good that word of thine , those that honour me , i will honour : now every line and figure which it hath pleased thee to work in me , serve for usefull and profitable direction . o lord , all the glory is thine : give thou me light , i shall give others information ; both of us shall give thee praise . iii. upon the sight of an eclipse of the sun. light is an ordinary and familiar blessing ; yet so dear to us , that one hours interception of it sets all the world in a wonder . the two great luminaries of heaven , as they impart light to us , so they withdraw light from each other . the sun darkens the full moon , in casting the shadow of the earth upon her opposed face ; the new moon repays this blemish to the sun , in the interposing of her dark body betwixt our eyes and his glorious beams ; the earth is troubled at both . o god , if we be so afflicted with the obscuring of some piece of one of thy created lights for an hour or two , what a confusion shall it be that thou , who art the god of these lights , ( in comparison of whom they are mere darknesse ) shalt hide thy face from thy creature for ever ? o thou that art the sun of righteousnesse , if every of my sins cloud thy face , yet let not my grievous sins eclipse thy light . thou shinest alwayes , though i do not see thee : but , oh , never suffer my sins so to darken thy visage that i cannot see thee . iv. upon the sight of a gliding star. how easily is our sight deceived ? how easily doth our sight deceive us ? we saw no difference betwixt this star and the rest ; the light seemed alike , both whiles it stood , and whiles it fell : now we know it was no other then a base slimy meteor guilded with the sun-beams ; and now our foot can tread upon that which ere while our eye admired . had it been a star , it had still and ever shined ; now the very fall argues it a false and elementary apparition . thus our charity doth and must mis-lead us in our spirituall judgements . if we see men exalted in their christian profession , fixed in the upper region of the church , shining with appearances of grace , we may not think them other then●stars in this lower firmament ; but if they fall from their holy station , and imbrace the present world , whether in judgement or practice renouncing the truth and power of godliness , now we may boldly say , they had never any true light in them , and were no other then a glittering composition of pride and hypocrisie . o god , if my charity make me apt to be deceived by others , let me be sure not to deceive my self . perhaps some of these apostating stars have thought themselves true : let their mis-carriage make me heedfull ; let the inward light of thy grace more convince my truth to my self , then my outward profession can represent me glorious to others . v. upon a fair prospect . what a pleasing variety is here of towns , rivers , hills , dales , woods , medows , each of them striving to set forth the other , and all of them to delight the eye ? so as this is no other then a naturall and reall landscap drawn by that almighty & skilfull hand in this table of the earth for the pleasure of our view : no other creature besides man is capable to apprehend this beauty . i shall doe wrong to him that brought me hither , if i do not feed my eyes , and praise my maker . it is the intermixture and change of these objects that yields this contentment both to the sense and minde . but there is a sight , o my soul , that without all variety offers thee a truer and fuller delight , even this heaven above thee : all thy other prospects end in this . this glorious circumference bounds , and circles , and inlightens all that thine eye can see : whether thou look upward , or forward , or about thee , there thine eye alights , there let thy thoughts be fixed . one inch of this lightsome firmament hath more beauty in it then the whole face of the earth : and yet this is but the floor of that goodly fabrick , the outward curtain of that glorious tabernacle . couldst thou but ( oh that thou couldst ) look within that veile , how shouldst thou be ravisht with that blissefull sight ? there , in that incomprehensible light , thou shouldst see him whom none can see and not be blessed ; thou shouldst see millions of pure and majesticall angels , of holy and glorified souls : there , amongst thy fathers many mansions , thou shouldst take happy notice of thine owne . oh the best of earth now vile and contemptible ! come down no more , o my soul , after thou hast once pitched upon this heavenly glory : or if this flesh force thy descent , be unquiet till thou art let loose to immortality . vi. upon the frame of a globe casually broken . it is hard to say whether is the greater , mans art , or impotence . he that cannot make one spire of grasse , or corn of sand , will yet be framing of worlds ; he can imitate all things , who can make nothing . here is a great world in a little room , by the skill of the workman , but in lesse room by mis-accident . had he seen this , who upon the view of plato's book of common-wealth eaten with mice , presaged the fatall miscarriage of the publick state , he would sure have construed this casualty as ominous . whatever become of the materiall world , ( whose decay might seem no lesse to stand with divine providence then this microcosme of individuall man ) sure i am , the frame of the morall world is and must be dis-joynted in the last times : men do and will fall from evil to worse . he that hath made all times hath told us that the last shall be perilous . happy is he that can stand upright when the world declines , and can endeavour to repair the common ruine with a constancy in goodnesse . vii . upon a cloud . whether it were a naturall cloud wherewith our ascending saviour was intercepted from the eyes of his disciples upon mount olivet , i inquire not : this i am sure of , that the time now was when a cloud surpassed the sun in glory . how did the intentive eyes of those ravished beholders envy that happy meteor ; and since they could no more see that glorious body , fixed themselves upon that celestiall chariot wherewith it was carried up ? the angels could tell the gazing disciples ( to fetch them off from that astonishing prospect ) that this jesus should so come again as they had seen him depart . he went up in a cloud , and he shall come again in the clouds of heaven to his last judgement . o saviour , i cannot look upward , but i must see the sensible monuments both of thine ascension and return . let no cloud of worldlinesse or infidelity hinder me from following thee in thine ascension , or from expecting thee in thy return . viii . upon the sight of a grave digged up . the earth , as it is a great devourer , so also it is a great preserver too : liquors and fleshes are therein long kept from putrifying , and are rather heightened in their spirits by being buried in it ; but above all , how safely doth it keep our bodies for the resurrection ? we are here but lay'd up for custody ; balmes and sere-cloths and leads cannot doe so much as this lap of our common mother ; when all these are dissolved into her dust ( as being unable to keep themselves from corruption ) she receives and restores her charge . i can no more withhold my body from the earth , then the earth can withhold it from my maker . o god , this is thy cabinet or shrine , wherein thou pleasest to lay up the precious relicks of thy dear saints untill the jubilee of glory . with what confidence should i commit my self to this sure reposition , whiles i know thy word just , thy power infinite ? ix . upon the sight of gold melted . this gold is both the fairest and most solid of all metals ; yet is the soonest melted with the fire : others , as they are courser , so more churlish , and hard to be wrought upon by a dissolution . thus a sound and good heart is most easily melted into sorrow and fear by the sense of gods judgments ; whereas the carnal minde is stubborn and remorslesse . all metals are but earth , yet some are of finer temper then others ; all hearts are of flesh , yet some are , through the power of grace , more capable of spirituall apprehensions . o god , we are such as thou wilt be pleased to make us . give me a heart that may be sound for the truth of grace , and melting at the terrors of thy law ; i can be for no other then thy sanctuary on earth , or thy treasury of heaven . x. upon the sight of a pitcher carried . thus those that are great and weak are carried by the eares up and down of flatterers and parasites : thus ignorant and simple hearers are carried by false and mis-zealous teachers . yet to be carried by both eares is more safe then to be carried by one . it argues an empty pitcher to be carried by one a●one . such are they that upon the hearing of one part , rashly passe their sentence , whether of acquitall , or censure . in all disquisitions of hidden truths , a wise man will be led by the eares , not carried ; that implies a violence of passion over-swaying judgement : but in matter of civill occurrence and unconcerning rumor , it is good to use the eare , not to trust to it . xi . upon the sight of a tree full blossomed . here is a tree over-laid with blossomes , it is not possible that all these should prosper ; one of them must needs rob the other of moisture and growth . i do not love to see an infancy over-hopefull : in these pregnant beginnings one faculty starves another , and at last leaves the minde saplesse and barren . as therefore we are wont to pull off some of the too-frequent blossomes , that the rest may thrive ; so it is good wisdome to moderate the early excesse of the parts , or progresse of over-forward childhood . neither is it otherwise in our christian profession ; a sudden and lavish ostentation of grace may fill the eye with wonder , and the mouth with talk , but will not at the last fill the lap with fruit . let me not promise too much , nor raise too high expectations of my undertakings . i had rather men should complain of my small hopes , then of my short performances . xii . upon the report of a man suddenly struck dead in his sin. i cannot but magnifie the justice of god , but withall i must praise his mercy . it were woe with any of us all , if god should take us at advantages . alas ! which of us hath not committed sins worthy of a present revenge ? had we been also surprized in those acts , where had we been ? o god , it is more then thou owest us , that thou hast waited for our repentance ; it is no more then thou owest us , that thou plaguest our offences . the wages of sin is death , and it is but justice to pay due wages . blessed be thy justice , that hast made others examples to me : blessed be thy mercy , that hast not made me an example unto others . xiii . upon the view of the heaven and the earth . what a strange contrariety is here ? the heaven is in continuall motion , and yet there is the onely place of rest ; the earth ever stands still , and yet here is nothing but unrest and unquietnesse . surely , the end of that heavenly motion is for the benefit of the earth ; and the end of all these earthly turmoils is our reposall in heaven . those that have imagined the earth to turn about , and the heavens to stand still , have yet supposed that we may stand or sit still on that whirling globe of earth : how much more may we be perswased of our perfect rest above those moving sphears ? it matters , not , o god , how i am vexed here below a while , if ere long i may repose with thee above for ever . xiv . upon occasion of a red-brest coming into his chamber . pretty bird , how chearfully dost thou sit and sing , and yet knowest not where thou art , nor where thou shalt make thy next meal , and at night must shrowd thy self in a bush for lodging ? what a shame is it for me , that see before me so liberal provisions of my god , and finde my self set warm under my own roof , yet am ready to droop under a distrustfull and unthankfull dulnesse ? had i so little certainty of my harbour and purveyance , how heartlesse should i be , how carefull ? how little list should i have to ●●ke musick to thee or my self ? surely thou camest not hither without a providence : god sent thee , not so much to delight , as to shame me ; but all in a conviction of my s●llen unbelief , who under more apparent means am lesse chearfull and confident . reason and faith have not done so much in me , as in thee mere instinct of nature . want of fore-sight makes thee more merry , if not more happy , here , then the foresight of better things maketh me . o god , thy providence is not impaired by those powers thou hast given me above these brute things : let not my greater helps hinder me from an holy security and comfortable reliance upon thee . xv. upon occasion of a spider in his window . there is no vice in man whereof there is not some analogie in the brute creatures . as amongst us men , there are thieves by land , and pirats by sea , that live by spoil and blood ; so is there in every kinde amongst them variety of natural sharkers , the hawk in the aire , the pike in the river , the whale in the sea , the lion and tiger and wolf in the desart , the wasp in the hive , the spider in our window . amongst the rest , see how cunningly this little arabian hath spred out his tent for a prey ; how heedfully he watches for a passenger . so soon as ever he hears the noise of a flie afar off , how he hastens to his door ? and if that silly heedlesse traveller do but touch upon the verge of that unsuspected walk , how suddenly doth he seize upon the miserable booty ; and after some strife , binding him fast with those subtile cords , drags the helplesse captive after him into his cave ? what is this but an embleme of those spiritual free-booters that lie in wait for our souls ? they are the spiders , we the flies : they have spred their nets of sin ; if we be once caught , they binde us fast , and hale us into hell. o lord , deliver thou my soul from their crafty ambushes ; their poison is greater , their webs both more strong and more insensibly woven . either teach me to avoid tentation , or make me to break through it by repentance . oh let me not be a prey to those fiends that lie in wait for my destruction . xvi . upon the sight of a rain in the sun-shine . such is my best condition in this life ; if the sun of gods countenance shine upon me , i may well be content to be wet with some rain of affliction . how oft have i seen the heaven overcast with clouds and tempest , no sun appearing to comfort me ? yet even those gloomy and stormy seasons have i rid out patiently , only with the help of the common light of the day ; at last those beams have broken forth happily , and cheared my soul. it is well for my ordinary state , if through the mists of mine own dulness and satans tentations , i can descry some glimpse of heavenly comfort : let me never hope , while i am in this veile , to see the clear face of that sun without a showre : such happiness is reserved for above ; that upper region of glory is free from these doubtfull and miserable vicissitudes . there , o god , we shall see as we are seen . light is sown for the righteous , and joy for the upright in heart . xvii . upon the length of the way . how far off is yonder great mountain ? my very eye is weary with the foresight of so great a distance ; yet time and patience shall overcome it ; this night we shall hope to lodge beyond it . some things are more tedious in their exspectation then in their performance . the comfort is , that every step i take sets me nearer to my end . when i once come there , i shall both forget how long it now seems , and please my self to look back upon the way that i have measured . it is thus in our passage to heaven . my weak nature is ready to faint under the very conceit of the length and difficulty of this journey ; my eye doth not more guide then discourage me : many steps of grace and true obedience shall bring me insensibly thither . only let me move , and hope ; and god's good leisure shall perfect my salvation . o lord , give me to possesse my soul with patience , and not so much to regard speed , as certainty . when i come to the top of thine holy hill , all these weary paces and deep sloughs shall either be forgotten , or contribute to my happinesse in their remembrance . xviii . upon the rain and waters . what a sensible interchange there is in nature betwixt union and division ? many vapours rising from the sea meet together in one cloud ; that cloud falls down divided into several drops ; those drops run together , and in many rills of water meet in the same chanels ; those chanels run into the brook , those brooks into the rivers , those rivers into the sea ; one receptacle is for all , though a large one , and all make back to their first and main originall . so it either is , or should be , with spiritual gifts . o god , thou distillest thy graces upon us , not for our reservation , but conveyance : those manifold faculties thou lettest fall upon several men , thou wouldst not have drenched up where they light ; but wouldst have derived , through the chanels of their special vocations , into the common streams of publick use , for church or common-wealth . take back , o lord , those few drops thou hast rained upon my soul , and return them into that great ocean of the glory of thine own bounty , from whence they had their beginning . xix . upon the same subject . many drops fill the chanels , and many chanels swell up the brooks , and many brooks raise the rivers over the banks : the brooks are not out till the chanels be empty , the rivers rise not whiles the small brooks are full ; but when the little rivulets have once voided themselves into the main streams , then all is overflown . great matters arise from small beginnings : many littles make up a large bulk . yea what is the world but a composition of atomes ? we have seen it thus in civil estates : the empairing of the commons hath oft been the raising of the great ; their streams have run low , till they have been heightned by the confluence of many private inlets : many a mean chanell hath been emptied to make up their inundation . neither is it otherwise in my whether outward or spiritual condition . o god , thou hast multiplied my drops into streams . as out of many minutes thou hast made up my age , so out of many lessons thou hast made up my competency of knowledge : thou hast drained many beneficient friends to make me competently rich ; by many holy motions thou hast wrought me to some measure of grace . oh , teach me wisely and moderately to injoy thy bounty , and to reduce thy streams into thy drops , and thy drops into thy clouds , humbly and thankfully acknowledging whence and how i have all that i have , all that i am . xx. upon occasion of the lights brought in . what a change there is in the room since the light came in ? yea in our selves ? all things seem to have a new form , a new life ; yea , we are not the same we were . how goodly a creature is light , how pleasing , how agreeable to the spirits of man ? no visible thing comes so near to the resembling of the nature of the soul , yea of the god that made it . as contrarily , what an uncomfortable thing is darknesse ? insomuch as we punish the greatest malefactors with obscurity of dungeons ; as thinking they could not be miserable enough , if they might have the priviledge of beholding the light. yea , hell it self can be no more horribly described then by outward darkness . what is darkness but absence of light ? the pleasure or the horror of light or darkness , is according to the quality and degree of the cause whence it ariseth . and if the light of a poor candle be so comfortable , which is nothing but a little inflamed aire gathered about a moistened snuffe , what is the light of the glorious sun , the great lamp of heaven ? but much more what is the light of that infinitely-resplendent sun of righteousnesse , who gave that light to the sun , that sun to the world ? and if this partial and imperfect darkness be so dolefull , ( which is the privation of a natural or artificial light ) how unconceivable dolorous and miserable shall that be which is caused through the utter absence of the all-glorious god , who is the father of lights ? o lord , how justly do we pity those wretched souls that sit in darkness and the shadow of death , shut up from the light of the saving knowledge of thee the only true god ? but how am i swallowed up with horror , to think of the fearfull condition of those damned souls that are for ever shut out from the presence of god , and adjudged to exquisite & everlasting darkness ? the egyptians were weary of themselves in their three daies darkness ; yet we do not finde any pain that accompanied their continuing night . what shall we say to those wofull souls , in whom the sensible presence of infinite torment shall meet with the torment of the perpetual absence of god ? o thou who art the true light , shine ever through all the blinde corners of my soul ; and from these weak glimmerings of grace , bring me to the perfect brightness of thy glory . xxi . upon the same occasion . as well as we love the light , we are wont to salute it at the first coming in with winking or closed eyes : as not abiding to see that without which we cannot see . all sudden changes ( though to the better ) have a kinde of trouble attending them . by how much more excellent any object is , by so much more is our weak sense mis-affected in the first apprehending of it . o lord , if thou shouldest manifest thy glorious presence to us here , we should be confounded in the sight of it . how wisely , how mercifully hast thou reserved that for our glorified estate ; where no infirmity shall dazle our eyes , where perfect righteousness shall give us perfect boldness both of sight and fruition ? xxii . upon the blowing of the fire . we beat back the flame , not with a purpose to suppresse it , but to raise it higher , and to diffuse it more . those afflictions and repulses which seem to be discouragements , are indeed the mercifull incitements of grace . if god did mean judgment to my soul , he would either withdraw the fuell , or powr water upon the fire , or suffer it to languish for want of new motions ; but now that he continues to me the means and opportunities and desires of good , i shall misconstrue the intentions of my god , if i shall think his crosses sent rather to damp then to quicken his spirit in me . o god , if thy bellows did not sometimes thus breath upon me in spiritual repercussions , i should have just cause to suspect my estate : those few weak gleeds of grace that are in me , might soon goe out , if they were not thus refreshed . still blow upon them , till they kindle ; still kindle them , till they flame up to thee . xxiii . upon the barking of a dog. what have i done to this dog that he follows me with this angry clamour ? had i rated him , or shaken my staffe , or stooped down for a stone , i had justly drawn on this noise , this snarling importunity . but why do i wonder to finde this unquiet disposition in a brute creature , when it is no news with the reasonable ? have i not seen innocence and merit bayed at by the quarrelsome and envious vulgar , without any provocation save of good offices ? have i not felt ( more then their tongue ) their teeth upon my heels , when i know i have deserved nothing but fawning on ? where is my grace or spirits , if i have not learned to contemn both ? o god , let me rather die then willingly incur thy displeasure ; yea , then justly offend thy godly-wise , judicious , conscionable servants : but if humor or faction or causelesse prejudice fall upon me for my faithfull service to thee , let these bawling cuts tire themselves , and tear their throats with loud and false censures , i goe on in a silent constancy ; and if my ear be beaten , yet my heart shall be free . xxiv . upon sight of a cock-fight . how fell these creatures out ? whence grew this so bloody combate ? here was neither old grudge , nor present injurie . what then is the quarrell ? surely nothing but that which should rather unite and reconcile them ; one common nature , they are both of one feather . i do not see either of them flie upon creatures of different kindes ; but whiles they have peace with all others , they are at war with themselves ; the very sight of each other was sufficient provocation . if this be the offence , why doth not each of them fall out with himself , since he hates and revenges in another the being of that same which himself is ? since man's sin brought debate into the world , nature is become a great quarreller . the seeds of discord were scattered in every furrow of the creation , and came up in a numberlesse variety of antipathies ; whereof yet none is mote odious and deplorable then those which are betwixt creatures of the same kinde . what is this but an image of that wofull hostility which is exercised betwixt us reasonables , who are conjoyned in one common humanity , if not religion ? we fight with and destroy each other more then those creatrures that want reason to temper their passions . no beast is so cruell to man as himself ; where one man is slain by a beast , ten thousand are slain by man. what is that war which we study and practise , but the art of killing ? whatever turks and pagans may doe , o lord , how long shall this brutish fury arm christians against each other ? whiles even devils are not at enmity with themselves , but accord in wickedness , why do we men so mortally oppose each other in good ? o thou that art the god of peace , compose the unquiet hearts of men to an happy and universal concord , and at last refresh our souls with the multitude of peace . xxv . upon his lying down to rest . what a circle there is of humane actions and events ? we are never without some change , and yet that change is without any great variety : we sleep , and wake , and wake , and sleep ; and eat , and evacuate , labour in a continual interchange : yet hath the infinite wisedome of god so ordered it , that we are not weary of these perpetual iterations , but with no lesse appetite enter into our daily courses , then if we should passe them but once in our life . when i am weary of my daies labour , how willingly do i undresse my self , and betake my self to my bed ? and ere morning , when i have wearied my restlesse bed , how glad am i to rise and renew my labour ? why am i not more desirous to be unclothed of this body , that i may be clothed upon with immortality ? what is this but my closest garment , which when it is once put off , my soul is at liberty and ease ? many a time have i lyen down here in desire of rest , and after some tedious changing of sides have risen sleeplesse , disappointed , languishing . in my last uncasing , my body shall not fail of repose nor my soul of joy ; and in my rising up , neither of them shall fail of glory . what hinders me , o god , but my infidelity , from longing for this happy dissolution ? the world hath misery and toil enough , and heaven hath more then enough blessedness to perfect my desires of that my last and glorious change . i believe , lord , help my unbelief . xxvi . upon the kindling of a charcole fire . there are not many creatures but do naturally affect to diffuse and inlarge themselves : fire and water will neither of them rest contented with their own bounds : those little sparks that i see in those coals , how they spread and enkindle their next brands ? it is thus morally both in good and evil ; either of them dilates it self to their neighbourhood : but especially this is so much more apparent in evil , by how much we are more apt to take it . let but some spark of heretical opinion be let fall upon some unstable , proud , busie spirit , it catcheth instantly , and fires the next capable subject ; they two have easily inflamed a third ; and now the more society , the more speed , and advantage of a publick combustion . when we see the church on a flame , it is too late to complain of the flint and steel . it is the holy wisdome of superiors to prevent the dangerous attritions of stubborn and wrangling spirits , or to quench their first sparks in the tinder . but why should not grace and truth be as successfull in dilating it self to the gaining of many hearts ? certainly these are in themselves more winning , if our corruption had not made us indisposed to good . o god , out of an holy envy and emulation at the speed of evill , i shall labour to enkindle others with these heavenly flames , it shall not be my fault if they spread not . xxvii . upon the sight of an humble and patient begger . see what need can doe . this man , who in so lowly a fashion croucheth to that passenger , hath in all likelihood as good a stomack as he to whom he thus abaseth himself ; and if their conditions were but altered , would look as high , and speak as big to him , whom he now answers with a plausible and dejected reverence . it is thus betwixt god and us . he sees the way to tame us , is to hold us short of these earthly contentments . even the savagest beasts are made quiet and docible with want of food and rest . o god , thou onely knowest what i would doe if i had health , ease , abundance : do thou in thy wisdome and mercy so proportion thy gifts and restraints , as thou knowest best for my soul. if i be not humbled enough , let me want ; and so order all my estate , that i may want any thing save thy self . xxviii . upon the sight of a crow pulling off wool from the back of a sheep . how well these creatures know whom they may be bold with ? that crow durst not doe this to a wolf or a mastive . the known simplicity of this innocent beast gives advantage to this presumption . meeknesse of spirit commonly draws on injuries . the cruelty of ill natures usually seeks out those , not who deserve worst , but who will bear most . patience and mildnesse of spirit is ill bestowed where it exposes a man to wrong and insultation . sheepish dispositions are best to others , worst to themselves . i could be willing to take injuries ; but i will not be guilty of provoking them by lenity . for harmlesness let me goe for a sheep ; but whosoever will be tearing my fleece , let him look to himself . xxix . upon the sight of two snails . there is much variety even in creatures of the same kinde . see there two snails : one hath an house , the other wants it ; yet both are snailes , and it is a question whether case is the better . that which hath an house hath more shelter , but that which wants it hath more freedome . the priviledge of that cover is but a burthen : you see if it have but a stone to climb over , with what stresse it draws up that beneficiall load ; and if the passage prove streight , findes no entrance : whereas the empty snail makes no difference of way . surely it is alwaies an ease , and sometimes an happinesse , to have nothing . no man is so worthy of envy as he that can be chearfull in want . xxx . upon the hearing of the street-cries in london . what a noise do these poor souls make in proclaiming their commodities ? each tells what he hath , and would have all hearers take notice of it ; and yet ( god wot ) it is but poor stuffe that they set out with so much ostentation . i do not hear any of the rich merchants talk of what bags he hath in his chests , or what treasures of rich wares in his store-house ; every man rather desires to hide his wealth , and when he is urged , is ready to dissemble his ability . no otherwise is it in the true spirituall riches : he that is full of grace and good works , affects not to make shew of it to the world , but rests sweetly in the secret testimony of a good conscience , & the silent applause of gods spirit witnessing with his own ; whiles contrarily the venditation of our own worth , or parts , or merits , argues a miserable indigence in them all . o god , if the confessing of thine own gifts may glorifie thee , my modesty shall not be guilty of a niggardly unthankfulnesse ; but for ought that concerns my self , i cannot be too secret . let me so hide my self , that i may not wrong thee ; and wisely distinguish betwixt thy praise and my own . xxxi . upon the flies gathering to a galled horse . how these flies swarm to the galled part of this poor beast ; and there sit feeding upon that worst piece of his flesh , not medling with the other sound parts of his skin . even thus do malicious tongues of detractors : if a man have any infirmity in his person or actions , that they will be sure to gather unto and dwell upon ; whereas his commendable parts and well-deservings are passed by without mention , without regard . it is an envious self-love and base cruelty that causeth this ill disposition in men . in the mean time this only they have gained ; it must needs be a filthy creature that feeds upon nothing but corruption . xxxii . upon the sight of a dark lantern . there is light indeed , but so shut up as if it were not ; and when the side is most open , there is light enough to give direction to him that bears it , none to others : he can discern another man by that light which is cast before him , but another man cannot discern him . right such is reserved knowledge ; no man is the better for it but the owner . there is no outward difference betwixt concealed skill and ignorance : and when such hidden knowledge will look forth , it casts so sparing a light , as may only argue it to have an unprofitable being ; to have ability , without will to good ; power to censure , none to benefit . the suppression or ingrossing of those helps which god would have us to impart , is but a thieves lantern in a true mans hand . o god , as all our light is from thee , the father of lights , so make me no niggard of that poor rush-candle thou hast lighted in my soul : make me more happy in giving light to others , then in receiving it into my self . xxxiii . upon the hearing of a swallow in the chimney . here is musick , such as it is ; but how long will it hold ? when but a cold morning comes in , my guest is gone , without either warning or thanks . this pleasant season hath the least need of chearfull notes ; the dead of winter shall want , and wish them in vain . thus doth an ungratefull parasite : no man is more ready to applaud and injoy our prosperity ; but when with the times our condition begins to alter , he is a stranger at least . give me that bird which will sing in winter , and seek to my window in the hardest frost . there is no triall of friendship but adversity . he that is not ashamed of my bonds , not daunted with my checks , not aliened with my disgrace , is a friend for me . one dram of that mans love is worth a world of false and inconstant formality . xxxiv . upon the sight of a flie burning it self in the candle . wise solomon sayes the light is a pleasant thing ; and so certainly it is : but there is no true outward light which proceeds not from fire . the light of that fire then is not more pleasing then the fire of that light is dangerous ; and that pleasure doth not more draw on our sight then that danger forbids our approach . how foolish is this flie , that in a love and admiration of this light will know no distance , but puts it self heedlesly into that flame wherein it perishes ? how many bouts it fetcht , every one nearer then other , ere it made this last venture ? and now that mercilesse fire taking no notice of the affection of an over-fond client , hath suddenly consumed it . thus doe those bold & busie spirits who will needs draw too near unto that inaccessible light , and look into things too wonderfull for them : so long do they hover about the secret counsels of the almighty , till the wings of their presumptuous conceits be scorched , and their daring curiosity hath paid them with everlasting destruction . o lord , let me be blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast revealed , let me content my self to adore thy divine wisdome in what thou hast not revealed ; so let me enjoy thy light , that i may avoid thy fire . xxxv . upon the ●ight of a lark flying up . how nimbly doth that little lark mount up singing towards heaven in a right line ; whereas the hawk , which is stronger of body & swifter of wing , towres up by many graduall compasses to his highest pitch ? that bulk of body and length of wing hinders a direct ascent , and requires the help both of aire , and scope to advance his flight ; whiles that small bird cuts the aire without resistance , and needs no outward furtherance of her motion . it is no otherwise with the souls of men in flying up to their heaven : some are hindred by those powers which would seem helps to their soaring up thither : great wit , deep judgement , quick apprehension , send men about with no small labour for the recovery of their own incumbrance ; whiles the good affections of plain and simple souls raise them up immediatly to the fruition of god. why should we be proud of that which may slacken our way to glory ? why should we be disheartned with the small measure of that , the very want whereof may ( as the heart may be affected ) facilitate our way to happiness ? xxxvi . upon the singing of the birds in a spring morning . how chearfully do these little birds chirp and sing out of the naturall joy they conceive at the approach of the sun and entrance of the spring ; as if their life had departed , and returned with those glorious and comfortable beams ? no otherwise is the penitent and faithfull soul affected to the true sun of righteousnesse , the father of lights . when he hides his face , it is troubled , and silently mourns away that sad winter of affliction : when he returns , in his presence is the fulnesse of joy ; no song is chearfull enough to welcome him . o thou who art the god of all consolation , make my heart sensible of the sweet comforts of thy gracious presence ; and let my mouth ever shew forth thy praise . xxxvii . upon a coal covered with ashes . nothing appears in this heap but dead ashes : here is neither light , nor smoak , nor heat ; and yet , when i stir up these embers to the bottome , there are found some living gleeds , which do but contain fire , and are apt to propagate it . many a christians breast is like this hearth ; no life of grace appears there for the time , either to his owne sense , or to the apprehension of others ; whiles the season of temptation lasteth , all seems cold and dead : yet still at the worst , there is a secret coal from the altar of heaven rak'd up in their bosome , which , upon the gracious motions of the almighty , doth both bewray some remainders of that divine fire , and is easily raised to a perfect flame . nothing is more dangerous then to judge by appearances . why should i deject my self , or censure others , for the utter extinction of that spirit , which doth but hide it self in the soul for a glorious advantage ? xxxviii . upon the sight of a blackmore . loe , there is a man whose hue shews him to be far from home , his very skin bewrays his climate ; it is night in his face , whiles it is day in ours . what a difference there is in men , both in their fashion and colour ; and yet all children of one father ? neither is there lesse variety in their insides ; their dispositions , judgements , opinions differ as much as their shapes and complexions . that which is beauty to one , is deformity to another . we should be look'd upon in this mans country with no lesse wonder and strange coynesse then he is here ; our whitenesse would passe there for an unpleasing indigestion of form . outward beauty is more in the eye of the beholder , then in the face that is seen : in every colour that is fair which pleaseth . the very spouse of christ can say , i am black , but comely . this is our colour spiritually ; yet the eye of our gracious god and saviour can see that beauty in us wherewith he is delighted . the true moses marries a black-more , christ his church . it is not for us to regard the skin , but the soul. if that be innocent , pure , holy , the blots of an out-side cannot set us off from the love of him who hath said , behold , thou art fair , my sister , my spouse ; if that be foul and black , it is not in the power of an angelicall brightnesse of our hide to make us other then a loathsome eye-sore to the almighty . o god , make my inside lovely to thee : i know that beauty will hold ; whiles weather , casualty , age , disease may deforme the outer man , and marre both colour and feature . xxxix . upon the small stars in the galaxie or milkie circle in the firmament . what a clear lightsomnesse there is in yonder circle of the heaven above the rest ? what can we suppose the reason of it , but that the light of many smaller stars is united there , and causes that constant brightness ? and yet those small stars are not discerned , whiles the splendor which ariseth from them is so notably remarkable . in this lower heaven of ours , many a man is made conspicuous by his good qualities and deserts ; but i most admire the humility and grace of those whose vertues and merits are usefully visible , whiles their persons are obscure . it is secretly glorious for a man to shine unseen . doubtlesse it is the height that makes those stars so small and invisible ; were they lower , they would be seen more . there is no true greatnesse without a self-humiliation . we shall have made an ill use of our advancement , if by how much higher we are we do not appear lesse : if our light be seen , it matters not for our hiding . xl. upon the sight of boyes playing . every age hath some peculiar contentment . thus we did , when we were of these years . methinks i still remember the old fervor of my yong pastimes . with what eagernesse and passion do they pursue these childish sports ? now that there is a handfull of cherry-stones at the stake , how near is that boys heart to his mouth , for fear of his play-fellows next cast ? and how exalted with desire and hope of his own speed ? those great unthrifts , who hazard whole mannors upon the dice , cannot expect their chance with more earnestness , or entertain it with more joy or grief . we cannot but now smile to think of these poor and foolish pleasures of our childhood : there is no lesse disdain that the regenerate man conceives of the dearest delights of his naturall condition . he was once jolly and jocund in the fruition of the world ; feasts and revels and games and dalliance were his life ; and no man could be happy without these ; and scarce any man but himself : but when once grace hath made him both good and wise , how scornfully doth he look back at these fond felicities of his carnal estate ? now he findes more manly , more divine contentments ; and wonders he could be so transported with his former vanity . pleasures are much according as they are esteemed ; one mans delight is another mans pain : only spiritual and heavenly things can settle and satiate the heart with a full and firm contentation . o god , thou art not capable either of bettering , or of change : let me injoy thee , and i shall pity the miserable ficklenesse of those that want thee , and shall be sure to be constantly happy . xli . upon the sight of a spider and her web. how justly do we admire the curious work of this creature ? what a thred doth it spin forth ? what a web doth it weave ? yet it is full of deadly poison . there may be much venome , where is much art. just like to this is a learned and witty heretick ; fine conceits and elegant expressions fall from him , but his opinions and secretly-couched doctrines are dangerous and mortall . were not that man strangely foolish , who because he likes the artificiall drawing out of that web , would therefore desire to handle or eat the spider that made it ? such should be our madnesse , if our wonder at the skill of a false teacher should cast us into love with his person , or ●amiliarity with his writings . there can be no safety in our judgment or affection , without a wise distinction ; in the want whereof we must needs wrong god or our selves : god , if we acknowledge not what excellent parts he gives to any creature ; our selves , if upon the allowance of those excellencies we swallow their most dangerous enormities . xlii . upon the sight of a naturall . o god , why am not i thus ? what hath this man done , that thou hast denied wit to him ? or what have i done , that thou shouldest give a competency of it to me ? what difference is there betwixt us but thy bounty , which hath bestowed upon me what i could not merit , and hath withheld from him what he could not challenge ? all is , o god , in thy good pleasure , whether to give or deny . neither is it otherwise in matter of grace . the unregenerate man is a spiritual fool : no man is truly wise but the renewed . how is it that whiles i see another man besotted with the vanity and corruption of his nature , i have attained to know god and the great mystery of salvation , to abhor those sins which are pleasing to a wicked appetite ? who hath discerned me ? nothing but thy free mercy , o my god. why else was i a man , not a brute beast ? why right shaped , not a monster ? why perfectly limmed , not a cripple ? why well-sensed , not a fool ? why well-affected , not gracelesse ? why a vessell of honour , not of wrath ? if ought be not ill in me , o lord , it is thine . oh let thine be the praise , and mine the thankfulnesse . xliii . upon the loadstone and the jett . as there is a civil commerce amongst men for the preservation of humane society , so there is a naturall commerce which god hath set amongst the other creatures for the maintenance of their common being . there is scarce any thing therefore in nature which hath not a power of attracting some other . the fire draws vapors to it , the sun drawes the fire ; plants draw moysture ; the moon draws the sea ; all purgative things draw their proper humors . a naturall instinct draws all sensitive creatures to affect their own kinde ; and even in those things which are of imperfect mixtion we see this experimented . so as the senselesse stones and metals are not void of this active virtue : the loadstone draws iron ; and the jett , rather then nothing , draws up straws and dust . with what a force do both these stones work upon their severall subjects ? is there any thing more heavy and unapt for motion then iron , or steel ? yet these do so run to their beloved loadstone , as if they had the sense of a desire and delight ; and do so cling to the point of it , as if they had forgotten their weight for this adherence . is there any thing more apt for dispersion then small straws and dust ? yet these gather to the jett , and so sensibly leap up to it , as if they had a kinde of ambition to be so preferred . methinks i see in these two a mere embleme of the hearts of men and their spirituall attractives . the grace of gods spirit , like the true loadstone or adamant , draws up the iron heart of man to it , and holds it in a constant fixednesse of holy purposes and good actions : the world , like the jett , draws up the sensuall hearts of light and vain men , and holds them fast in the pleasures of sin . i am thine iron , o lord ; be thou my loadstone . draw thou me , and i shall run after thee : knit my heart unto thee , that i may fear thy name . xliv . upon hearing of musick by night . how sweetly doth this musick sound in this dead season ? in the day-time it would not , it could not so much affect the eare . all harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darknesse . thus it is with the glad tidings of salvation . the gospel never sounds so sweet as in the night of per●ecution or of our owne private affliction . it is ever the same , the difference is in our disposition to receive it . o god , whose praise it is to give songs in the night , make my prosperity conscionable , and my crosses chearfull . xlv . upon the fanning of corn. see how in the fanning of this wheat , the fullest and greatest grains lye ever the lowest ; and the lightest take up the highest place . it is no otherwise in morality : those which are most humble , are fullest of grace ; and oft-times those have most conspicuity , which have the least substance . to affect obscurity or submission , is base and suspicious : but that liv. upon a corn-field over-grown with weeds . here were a goodly field of corn , if it were not over-laid with weeds : i do not like these reds and blews and yellows amongst these plain stalks and ears : this beauty would do well elswhere . i had rather to see a plot lesse fair and more yielding . in this field i see a true picture of the world , wherein there is more glory then true substance ; wherein the greater part carries it from the better ; wherein the native sons of the earth out-strip the adventitious brood of grace ; wherein parasites and unprofitable hang-byes do both rob and overtop their masters . both field and world grow alike , look alike , and shall end alike ; both are for the fire : whiles the homely and solid ears of despised vertue shall be for the garners of immortality . lv. upon the sight of tulips and marigolds , &c. in his garden . these flowers are true clients of the sun : how observant they are of his motion and influence ? at even they shut up , as mourning for his departure without whom they neither can nor would flourish ; in the morning they welcome his rising with a chearfull openness , and at noon are fully displayed in a free acknowledgment of his bounty . thus doth the good heart unto god. when thou turnedst away thy face i was troubled , saith the man after gods own heart . in thy presence is life , yea the fulnesse of joy . thus doth the carnall heart to the world ; when that withdraws his favour he is dejected , and revives with a smile . all is in our choice ; whatsoever is our sun will thus carry us . o god , be thou to me such as thou art in thy self : thou shalt be mercifull in drawing me ; i shall be happy in following thee . lvi . upon the sound of a crackt bell. what an harsh sound doth this bell make in every ea●e ? the metall is good enough ; it is the rift that makes it so unpleasingly jarring . how too like is this bell to a scandalous and ill-lived teacher ? his calling is honourable , his noise is heard far enough ; but the flaw which is noted in his life marres his doctrine , and offends those ears which else would take pleasure in his teaching . it is possible that such a one , even by that discordous noise , may ring in others into the triumphant church of heaven ; but there is no remedy for himself but the fire , whether for his reforming , or judgment . lvii . upon the sight of a blinde man. how much am i bound to god that hath given me eyes to see this mans want of eyes ? with what suspicion and fear he walks ? how doth his hand and staffe examine his way ? with what jealousie doth he receive every morsell , every draught ; and yet meets with many a post , and stumbles at many a stone , and swallows many a flie ? to him the world is as if it were not , or as if it were all rubs and snares and downfalls ; and if any man will lend him an hand , he must trust to his ( however faithlesse ) guide without all comfort save this , that he cannot see himself miscarry . many a one is thus spiritually blinde ; and because he is so , discerns it not ; and not discerning , complains not of so wofull a condition . the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of the children of disobedience ; they walk on in the waies of death , and yield themselves over to the guidance of him who seeks for nothing but their precipitation into hell. it is an addition to the misery of this inward occaecation , that it is ever joyned with a secure confidence in them whose trade and ambition is to betray their souls . whatever become of these outward senses , which are common to me with the meanest and most despicable creatures , o lord , give me not over to that spiritual darkness , which is incident to none but those that live without thee , and must perish eternally , because they want thee . lviii . upon a beech-tree full of nuts . how is this tree overladen with mast this year ? it was not so the last ; neither will it ( i warrant you ) be so the next . it is the nature of these free trees so to powr out themselves into fruit at once , that they seem after either sterile or niggardly . so have i seen pregnant wits ( not discreetly governed ) overspend themselves in some one master-piece so lavishly , that they have proved either barren , or poor and flat in all other subjects . true wisdome as it serves to gather due sap both for nourishment and fructification , so it guides the seasonable and moderate bestowing of it in such manner , as that one season may not be a glutton whiles others famish . i would be glad to attain to that measure and temper , that upon all occasions i might alwaies have enough , never too much . lix . upon the sight of a piece of money under the water . i should not wish ill to a covetous man , if i should wish all his coin in the bottome of the river . no pavement could so well become that stream ; no sight could better fit his greedy desires : for there every piece would seem double , every teston would appear a shilling , every crown an angel. it is the nature of that element to greaten appearing quantities : whiles we look through the aire upon that solid body , it can make no other representations . neither is it otherwise in spiritual eyes and objects . if we look with carnal eyes through the interposed mean of sensuality , every base and worthlesse pleasure will seem a large contentment ; if with weak eyes we shall look at small and immaterial truths aloof off , in another element of apprehension , every parcell thereof shall seem main and essential : hence every knack of heraldry in the sacred genealogies , and every scholastical querk in disquisitions of divinity , are made matters of no lesse then life and death to the soul. it is a great improvement of true wisdome to be able to see things as they are , and to value them as they are seen . let me labour for that power and staiedness of judgment , that neither my senses may deceive my minde , nor the object may delude my sense . lx. upon the first rumour of the earthquake at lime , wherein a wood was swallowed up with the fall of two hills . good lord , how do we know when we are sure ? if there were man or beast in that wood , they seemed as safe as we now are ; they had nothing but heaven above them , nothing but firm earth below them : and yet in what a dreadfull pitfall were they instantly taken ? there is no fence for gods hand . a man would as soon have feared that heaven would fall upon him , as those hills . it is no pleasing our selves with the unlikelihood of divine judgments . we have oft heard of hills covered with woods , but of woods covered with hills i think never till now . those that planted or sowed those woods , intended they should be spent with fire ; but loe , god meant they should be devoured with earth . we are wont to describe impossibilities by the meeting of mountains , and behold here two mountains and met to swallow up a valley . what a good god it is whose providence over-rules and disposes of all these events ? towns or cities might as well have been thus buried as a solitary dale , or a shrubby wood. certainly the god that did this , would have the use of it reach further then the noise : this he did , to shew us what he could , what he might doe . if our hearts do not quake and rend at the acknowledgment of his infinite power , and fear of his terrible judgments , as well as that earth did , we must exspect to be made warnings , that would take none . lxi . upon the sight of a dormouse . at how easie a rate do these creatures live that are fed with rest ? so the bear & the hedge-hog ( they say ) spend their whole winter in sleep , and rise up fatter then they lay down . how oft have i envied the thriving drowsiness of these beasts , when the toil of thoughts hath bereaved me of but one hours sleep , and left me languishing to a new task ? and yet , when i have well digested the comparison of both these conditions , i must needs say , i had rather wast with work then batten with ease ; and would rather chuse a life profitably painfull , then uselesly dull and delicate . i cannot tell whether i should say those creatures live which doe nothing , since we are wont ever to notifie life by motion : sure i am , their life is not vitall . for me , let me rather complain of a minde that will not let me be idle , then of a body that will not let me work . lxii . upon bees fighting . what a pity it is to see these profitable , industrious creatures fall so furiously upon each other , and thus ●●ing and kill each other in the very mouth of the hive ? i could like well to see the bees doe this execution upon wasps and droans , enemies to their common stock ; this savours but of justice : but to see them fall foul upon those of their own wing , it cannot but trouble their owner , who must needs be an equall loser by the victory of either . there is no more perfect resemblance of a commonwealth , whether civil or sacred , then in an hive . the bees are painfull and honest compatriots , labouring to bring wax & honey to the maintenance of the publick state ; the wasps and droans are unprofitable and harmfull hangbyes , which live upon the spoil of others labours ; whether as common barretors , or strong thieves , or bold parasites , they doe nothing but rob their neighbours . it is an happy sight when these feel the dint of justice , and are cut off from doing further mischief . but to see well-affected and beneficial subjects undoe themselves with duels , whether of law or sword ; to see good christians of the same profession shedding each others blood upon quarrels of religion , is no other then a sad and hatefull spectacle ; and so much the more , by how much we have more means of reason and grace to compose our differences , and correct our offensive contentiousness . o god , who art at once the lord of hosts and prince of peace , give us war with spiritual wickedness , and peace with our brethren . lxiii . upon wasps falling into a glasse . see you that narrow-mouthed glass which is set near to the hive ? mark how busily the wasps resort to it , being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is baited ; see how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it , and fall down suddenly from that slippery steepness into that watery trap , from which they can never rise ; there , after some vain labour and wearinesse , they drown and die . you do not see any of the bees look that way ; they passe directly to their hive , without any notice taken of such a pleasing bait. idle and ill-disposed persons are drawn away with every temptation , they have both leisure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin , and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts till they fall into irrecoverable damnation : whereas the diligent and laborious christian , that follows hard and conscionably the works of an honest calling , is free from the danger of these deadly inticements , and laies up hony of comfort against the winter of evil . happy is that man who can see and enjoy the successe of his labour : but however this we are sure of , if our labour cannot purchase the good we would have , it shall prevent the evil we would avoid . lxiv . upon a spring in the wilde forrest . loe here the true pattern of bounty . what clear crystall streams are here , and how liberally do they gush forth and hasten down with a pleasing murmur into the valley ? yet you see neither man nor beast that takes part of that wholesome and pure water . it is enough that those may dip who will ; the refusall of others doth no whit abate of this profered plenty . thus bountifull house-keepers hold on their set ordinary provision , whether they have guests or no : thus conscionable preachers powre out the living waters of wholsome doctrine , whether their hearers partake of those blessed means of salvation , or neglect their holy endeavours . let it be our comfort , that we have been no niggards of these celestial streams ; let the world give an account of the improvement . lxv . upon the sight of an owle in the twilight . what a strange melancholick life doth this creature lead ; to hide her head all the day long in an ivy-bush , and at night , when all other birds are at rest , to flie abroad and vent her harsh notes ? i know not why the ancients have sacred this bird to wisdome , except it be for her safe closenesse and singular perspicacity ; that when other domesticall and airy creatures are blinde , she only hath inward light to discern the least objects for her own advantage . surely thus much wit they have taught us in her , that he is the wisest man that would have least to doe with the multitude ; that no life is so safe as the obscure ; that retirednesse , if it have lesse comfort , yet lesse danger and vexation ; lastly , that he is truly wise who sees by a light of his own , when the rest of the world sit in an ignorant and confused darknesse , unable to apprehend any truth , save by the helps of an outward illumination . had this fowl come forth in the day-time , how had all the little birds flock'd wondring about her , to see her uncouth visage , to hear her untuned notes ? she likes her estate never the worse , but pleaseth her self in her own quiet reservednesse . it is not for a wise man to be much affected with the censures of the rude and unskilfull vulgar ; but to hold fast unto his own well-chosen and well-fixed resolutions . every fool knows what is wont to be done ; but what is best to be done , is known only to the wise . lxvi . upon an arm benummed . how benummed and ( for the time ) senslesse is this arm of mine become , only with too long leaning upon it ? whiles i used it to other services , it failed me not ; now that i have rested upon it , i finde cause to complain . it is no trusting to an arm of flesh ; on whatsoever occasion we put our confidence therein , this reliance will be sure to end in pain and disappointment . o god , thine arm is strong and mighty ; all thy creatures rest themselves upon that , and are comfortably sustained . oh that we were not more capable of distrust , then thine omnipotent hand is of weariness and subduction . lxvii . upon the sparks flying upward . it is a feeling comparison ( that of job ) of man born to labour , as the sparks to flie upward . that motion of theirs is no other then natural : neither is it otherwise for man to labour ; his minde is created active , and apt to some or other ratiocination , his joynts all stirring , his nerves made for helps of moving , and his occasions of living call him forth to action . so as an idle man doth not more want grace , then degenerate from nature . indeed , at the first kindling of the fire , some sparks are wont , by the impulsion of the bellows , to flie forward or sideward : and even so in our first age youthly vanity may move us to irregular courses ; but when those first violences are overcome , and we have attained to a setledness of disposition , our sparks flie up , our life is labour . and why should we not doe that which we are made for ? why should not god rather grudge us our being , then we grudge him our work ? it is no thank to us that we labour out of necessity . out of my obedience to thee , o god , i desire ever to be imployed . i shall never have comfort in my toil , if it be rather a purveyance for my self , then a sacrifice to thee . lxviii . upon the sight of a raven . i cannot see that bird but i must needs think of eliah , and wonder no lesse at the miracle of his faith then of his provision . it was a strong belief that carried him into a desolate retiredness to exspect food from ravens . this fowl , we know , is ravenous ; all is too little that he can forage for himself ; and the prophets reason must needs suggest to him , that in a drie barren desart bread & flesh must be great dainties : yet he goes aside to exspect victuals from that purveyance . he knew this fowl to be no lesse greedy then unclean ; unclean as in law , so in the nature of his feed ; what is his ordinary prey but loathsome carrion ? yet since god had appointed him this caterer , he stands not upon the nice points of a fastidious squeamishness , but confidently depends upon that uncouth provision . and accordingly , those unlikely purveyors bring him bread and flesh in the morning , and bread and flesh in the evening . not one of those hungry ravens could swallow one morsell of those viands which were sent by them to a better mouth . the river of cherith sooner failed him , then the tender of their service . no doubt , eliah's stomack was often up before that his incurious diet came : when exspecting from the mouth of his cave , out of what coast of heaven these his servitors might be descried , upon the sight of them he magnified with a thankfull heart the wonderfull goodness and truth of his god ; and was nourished more with his faith then with his food . o god , how infinite is thy providence , wisdome , power ? we creatures are not what we are , but what thou wilt have us ; when thy turn is to be served , we have none of our own . give me but faith , and doe what thou wilt . lxix . upon a worm . it was an homely expression which god makes of the state of his church , fear not , thou worm jacob. every foot is ready to tread on this despised creature . whiles it kept it self in that cold obscure cell of the earth ( wherein it was hidden ) it lay safe , because it was secret ; but now that it hath put it self forth of that close cave , and hath presented it self to the light of the sun , to the eye of passengers , how is it vexed with the scorching beams , and wrings up and down in an helplesse perplexity , not finding where to shrowd it self ? how obnoxious is it to the fowls of the aire , to the feet of men and beasts ? he that made this creature such , and calls his church so , well knew the answerableness of their condition . how doth the world overlook and contemn that little flock whose best guard hath ever been secrecy ? and if ever that despicable number have dared to shew it self , how hath it been scorched , and trampled upon , and entertained with all variety of persecution ? o saviour , thy spouse fares no otherwise then thy self : to match her fully , thou hast said of thy self , i am a worm , and no man. such thou wert in thine humbled estate here on earth ; such thou wouldest be . but as it is a true word , that he who made the angels in heaven made also the worms on earth ; so it is no lesse true , that he who made himself and his church worms upon earth , hath raised our nature in his person above the angels , and our person in his church to little lesse then angels . it matters not how we fare in this valley of tears , whiles we are sure of that infinite amends of glory above . lxx . upon the putting on of his cloaths . what a poor thing were man if he were not beholden to other creatures ? the earth affords him flax for his linen , bread for his belly , the beasts his ordinary cloaths , the silk-worm his bravery , the back and bowels of the earth his metalls and fewell , the fishes , fowls , beasts his nourishment . his wit indeed works upon all these , to improve them to his own advantage ; but they must yield him materials , else he subsists not . and yet we fools are proud of our selves , yea proud of the cast suits of the very basest creatures . there is not one of them that have so much need of us . they would enjoy themselves the more , if man were not . o god , the more we are sensible of our own indigence , the more let us wonder at thine all-sufficiency in thy self ; and long for that happy condition wherein thou ( which art all perfection ) shalt be all in all to us . lxxi . upon the sight of a great library . what a world of wit is here pack'd up together ? i know not whether this sight doth more dismay or comfort me . it dismaies me , to think that here is so much that i cannot know ; it comforts me , to think that this variety yields so good helps to know what i should . there is no truer word then that of solomon , there is no end of making many books : this sight verifies it ; there is no end ; indeed , it were pity there should . god hath given to man a busie soul ; the agitation whereof cannot but through time and experience work out many hidden truths : to suppresse these would be no other then injurious to mankinde , whose mindes , like unto so many candles , should be kindled by each other . the thoughts of our deliberation are most accurate , these we vent into our papers . what an happiness is it that , without all offence of necromancy , i may here call up any of the antient worthies of learning , whether humane or divine , and confer with them of all my doubts ▪ that i can at pleasure summon whole synods of reverend fathers and acute doctors from all the coasts of the earth , to give their well-studied judgments in all points of question which i propose ? neither can i cast my eye casually upon any of these silent masters , but i must learn somewhat . it is a wantonness to complain of choice . no law bindes us to read all ; but the more we can take in and digest , the better-liking must the mindes needs be . blessed be god that hath set up so many clear lamps in his church : now none but the wilfully blinde can plead darkness . and blessed be the memory of those his faithfull servants that have left their blood , their spirits , their lives in these precious papers ; and have willingly wasted themselves into these during monuments , to give light unto others . lxxii . upon the red crosse on a door . oh sign fearfully significant ! this sicknesse is a crosse indeed , and that a bloody one ; both the form and colour import death . the israelites doors whose lintels were besprinkled with blood were passed over by the destroying angel ; here the destroying angel hath smitten , and hath left this mark of his deadly blow . we are wont to fight chearfully under this ensign abroad , and be victorious ; why should we tremble at it at home ? o god , there thou fightest for us , here against us ; under that we have fought for thee , but under this ( because our sins have fought against thee ) we are fought against by thy judgments . yet , lord , it is thy crosse , though an heavy one : it is ours by merit , thine by imposition . o lord , sanctifie thine affliction , and remove thy vengeance . lxxiii . upon the change of weather . i know not whether it be worse that the heavens look upon us alwaies with one face , or ever varying : for as continual change of weather causes uncertainty of health , so a permanent setledness of one season causeth a certainty of distemper ; perpetual moisture dissolves us , perpetual heat evaporates or inflames us , cold stupifies us , drought obstructs and withers us . neither is it otherwise in the state of the minde : if our thoughts should be alwaies volatile , changing , inconstant , we should never attain to any good habit of the soul , whether in matter of judgment or disposition ; but if they should be alwaies fixed , we should run into the danger of some desperate extremity . to be ever thinking , would make us mad ; to be ever thinking of our crosses or sins , would make us heartlesly dejected ; to be ever thinking of pleasures and contentments , would melt us into a loose wantonness ; to be ever doubting and fearing , were an hellish servitude ; to be ever bold and confident , were a dangerous presumption : but the interchanges of these in a due moderation , keep the soul in health . o god , howsoever these variations be necessary for my spiritual condition , let me have no weather but sun-shine from thee . do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon me , and stablish me ever with thy free spirit . lxxiv . upon the sight of a marriage . what a comfortable and feeling resemblance is here of christ and his church ? i regard not the persons , i regard the institution . neither the husband nor the wife are now any more their own ; they have either of them given over themselves to other : not onely the wife , which is the weaker vessel , hath yielded over her self to the stronger protection and participation of an abler head ; but the husband hath resigned his right in himself over to his feebler consort ; so as now her weaknesse is his , his strength is hers . yea their very flesh hath altered property ; hers is his , his is hers . yea their very soul and spirit may no more be severed in respect of mutuall affection , then from their own severall bodies . it is thus , o saviour , with thee and thy church : we are not our own , but thine , who hast married us to thy self in truth and righteousnesse . what powers , what indowments have we but from and in thee ? and as our holy boldness dares interesse our selves in thy graces , so thy wonderfully-compassionate mercy vouchsafes to interesse thy self in our infirmities : thy poor church suffers on earth , thou feelest in heaven ; and , as complaining of our stripes , canst say , why persecutest thou me ? thou again art not so thine own , as that thou art not also ours ; thy sufferings , thy merits , thy obedience , thy life , death , resurrection , ascension , intercession , glory , yea thy blessed humanity , yea thy glorious deity , by virtue of our right , of our union , are so ours , as that we would not give our part in thee for ten thousand worlds . o gracious saviour , as thou canst not but love and cherish this poor and unworthy soul of mine which thou hast mercifully espoused to thy self ; so give me grace to honour and obey thee , and forsaking all the base and sinfull rivalty of the world , to hold me only unto thee whiles i live here , that i may perfectly enjoy thee hereafter . lxxv . upon the sight of a snake . i know not what horrour we finde in our selves at the fight of a serpent . other creatures are more loathsome , and some no lesse deadly then it ; yet there is none at which our blood riseth so much as at this . whence should this be , but out of an instinct of our old enmity ? we were stung in paradise , and cannot but feel it . but here is our weaknesse ; it was not the body of the serpent that could have hurt us without the suggestion of sin , and yet we love the sin whiles we hate the serpent . every day are we wounded with the sting of that old serpent , and complain not ; and so much more deadly is that sting , by how much it is lesse felt . there is a sting of guilt , and there is a sting of remorse : there is mortall venome in the first , whereof we are the least sensible ; there is lesse danger in the second . the israelites found themselves stung by those fiery serpents in the desart ; and the sense of their pain sent them to seek for cure. the world is our desart ; and as the sting of death is sin , so the sting of sin is death . i do not more wish to finde ease then pain ; if i complain enough , i cannot fail of cure . o thou which art the true brazen serpent , lifted up in this wildernesse , raise up mine eyes to thee , and fasten them upon thee ; thy mercy shall make my soul whole , my wound soveraign . lxxvi . upon the ruines of an abby . it is not so easie to say what it was that built up these walls , as what it was that pulled them down ; even the wickednesse of the possessours . every stone hath a tongue to accuse the superstition , hypocrisie , idlenesse , luxury of the late owners . methinks i see it written all along in capitall letters upon these heaps , a fruitfull land maketh he barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein . perhaps there wanted not some sacriledge in the demolishers . in all the carriage of these businesses , there was a just hand , that knew how to make an wholsome and profitable use of mutuall sins . full little did the builders or the in-dwellers think that this costly and warm fabrick should so soon end violently in a desolate rubbish . it is not for us to be high-minded , but to fear . no roof is so high , no wall so strong , as that sin cannot level it with the dust . were any pile so close that it could keep out aire , yet it could not keep out judgement where sin hath been fore-admitted . in vain shall we promise stability to those houses which we have made witnesses of and accessaries to our shamefull uncleannesses . the firmnesse of any building is not so much in the matter , as in the owner . happy is that cottage that hath an honest master ; and wo be to that palace that is viciously inhabited . lxxvii . upon the discharging of a peece . good lord , how witty men are to kill one another ? what fine devices they have found out to murder afar off , to slay many at once , and so to fetch off lives , that whiles a whole lane is made of carkasses with one blow , no body knows who hurt him ? and what honour do we place in slaughter ? those armes wherein we pride our selves are such , as which we or our ancestors have purchased with blood : the monuments of our glory are the spoils of a subdu'd and slain enemy . where contrarily all the titles of god sound of mercy and gracious respects to man : god the father is the maker and preserver of men ; god the son is the saviour of mankind ; god the holy ghost styles himself the comforter . alas , whose image do we bear in this disposition , but his whose true title is the destroier ? it is easie to take away the life , it is not easie to give it . give me the man that can devise how to save troups of men from killing ; his name shall have room in my calender . there is more true honour in a civick garland , for the preserving of one subject , then in a lawrell , for the victory of many enemies . o god , there are enough that bend their thoughts to undoe what thou hast made ; enable thou me to bestow my endeavours in reprieving or rescuing that which might otherwise perish . o thou who art our common saviour , make thou me both ambitious and able to help to save some other besides my self . lxxviii . upon the tolling of a passing-bell . how dolefull and heavy is this summons of death ? this sound is not for our eares , but for our hearts ; it calls us not onely to our prayers , but to our preparation : to our prayers for the departing soul ; to our preparation for our own departing . we have never so much need of prayers as in our last combat ; then is our great adversary most eager , then are we the weakest , then nature is so over-laboured that it gives us not leisure to make use of gracious motions . there is no preparation so necessary ●s for this conf●ict : all our life is little enough to make ready for our last hour . what am i better then my neighbours ? how oft hath this bell reported to me the farewell of many more strong and vigorous bodies then my own , of many more chearfull and lively spirits ? and now what doth it but call me to the thought of my parting ? here is no abiding for me : i must away too . o thou that art the god of comfort , help thy poor servant that is now struggling with his last enemy . his sad friends stand gazing upon him , and weeping over him , but they cannot succour him ; needs must they leave him to doe this great work alone : none but thou , to whom belong the issues of death , canst relieve his distressed and over-matched soul. and for me , let no man die without me ; as i die daily , so teach me to die once ; acquaint me beforehand with that messenger which i must trust to . oh teach me so to number my dayes , that i may apply my heart to true wisdome . lxxix . upon a defamation dispersed . were i the first or the best that ever was slandered , perhaps it would be somewhat difficult to command my self patience . grief is wont to be abated either by partners or precedents ; the want whereof dejects us beyond measure , as men singled out for patterns of misery . now whiles i finde this the common condition of all that ever have been reputed vertuous , why am i troubled with the whisperings of false tongues ? o god , * the devil slandered thee in paradise ; o saviour , men slandered thee on earth more then men or devils can reproach me . thou art the best , as thou art the best that ever was smitten by a lying and venomous tongue . it is too much favour that is done me by malicious lips , that they conform me to thy sufferings . i could not be so happy , if they were not so spightfull . o thou glorious pattern of reproached innocence , if i may not die for thee , yet let me thus bleed with thee . lxxx . upon a ring of bels. whiles every bell keeps due time and order , what a sweet and harmonious sound they make ? all the neighbour villages are cheared with that common musick . but when once they jarre and check each other , either jangling together , or striking preposterously , how harsh and unpleasing is that noise ? so that as we testifie our publick rejoycing by an orderly and wel-tuned peal ; so when we would signifie that the town is on fire we ring confusedly . it is thus in church and commonwealth : when every one knows and keeps their due ranks , there is a melodious consort of peace and contentment ; but when distances and proportions of respects are not mutually observed , when either states or persons will be clashing with each other , the discord is grievous and extremely prejudiciall : such confusion either notifieth a fire already kindled , or portendeth it . popular states may ring the changes with safety ; but the monarchicall government requires a constant and regular course of the set degrees of rule and inferiority , which cannot be violated without a sensible discontentment and danger . for me , i do so love the peace of the church and state , that i cannot but with the charitable apostle say , would to god they were cut off that trouble them ; and shall ever wish either no jarres , or no clappers . lxxxi . upon the sight of a full table at a feast . what great variety is here of flesh , of fish , of both , of either ; as if both nature and art did strive to pamper us ? yet methinks enough is better then all this : excesse is but a burden , as to the provider , so to the guest . it pities and grieves me to think what toile , what charge hath gone to the gathering of all these dainties together ; what pain so many poor creatures have been put to in dying for a needlesse sacrifice to the belly ; what a penance must be done by every accumbent , in sitting out the passage through all these dishes ; what a task the stomack must be put to in the concoction of so many mixtures . i am not so austerely scrupulous as to deny the lawfulnesse of these abundant provisions upon just occasions : i finde my saviour himself more then once at a feast ; this is recorded as well as his one long fast . doubtlesse our bountifull god hath given us his creatures not for necessity only , but for pleasure : but these exceedings would be both rare and moderate ; and when they must be , require no lesse patience then temperance . might i have my option , o god , give me rather a little with peace and love . he whose provision for every day was thirty measures of fine flower and threescore measures of meal , thirty oxen , an hundred sheep , besides venison and fowl , yet can pray , give me the bread of sufficiency . let me have no perpetuall feast but a good conscience ; and from these great preparations ( for the health both of soul and body ) let me rise rather hungry then surcharged . lxxxii . upon the hearing of a lute well played on . there may be ( for ought we know ) infinite inventions of art , the possibility whereof we should hardly ever believe , if they were fore-reported to us . had we lived in some rude and remote part of the world , and should have been told that it is possible only by an hollow piece of wood , and the guts of beasts stirred by the fingers of men , to make so sweet and melodious a noise , we should have thought it utterly incredible : yet now that we see and hear it ordinarily done , we make it no wonder . it is no marvell if we cannot fore-imagine what kinde and means of harmony god will have used by his saints and angels in heaven , when these poor matters seem so strange to our conceits , which yet our very senses are convinced of . o god , thou knowest infinite wayes to glorifie thy self by thy creatures , which do far transcend our weak and finite capacities . let me wonder at thy wisdome and power , and be more awfull in my adorations then curious in my inquiries . lxxxiii . upon the sight and noise of a peacock . i see there are many kinds of hypocrites : of all birds this makes the fairest shew , and the worst noise ; so as this is an hypocrite to the eye . there are others , as the black-bird , that looks foul and sooty , but sings well : this is an hypocrite to the eare. there are others that please us well both in their shew and voice , but are crosse in their carriage and condition , as the popingay , whose colours are beautifull , and noise delightfull ; yet is it apt to doe mischief in scratching and biting any hand that comes neare it : these are hypocrites both to the eye and eare. yet there is a degree further ( beyond the example of all brute creatures ) of them whose shew , whose words , whose actions are fair , but their hearts are foul and abominable . no outward beauty can make the hypocrite other then odious . for me , let my profession agree with my words , my words with my actions , my actions with my heart ; and let all of them be approved of the god of truth . lxxxiiii . upon a penitent malefactor . i know not whether i should more admire the wisdome or the mercy of god in his proceedings with men. had not this man sinned thus notoriously , he h●d never been thus happy : whiles his courses were fair and civil , yet he was gracelesse ; now his miscarriage hath drawn him into a just affliction , his affliction hath humbled him . god hath taken this advantage of his humiliation for his conversion . had not one foot slipt into the mouth of hell , he had never been in this forwardnesse to heaven . there is no man so weak or foolish , as that he hath not strength or wit enough to sin , or to make ill use of his sin : it is only the goodness of an infinite god that can make our sin good to us , though evil in it self . o god , it is no thank to our selves or to our sins that we are bettered with evill ; the work is thine , let thine be the glory . lxxxv . upon the sight of a lilly. this must needs be a goodly flower that our saviour hath singled out to compare with solomon ; and that not in his ordinary dresse , but in all his royalty . surely the earth had never so glorious a king as he , nature yielded nothing that might set forth royall magnificence that he wanted ; yet he that made both solomon and this flower sayes , that solomon in all his royalty was not clad like it . what a poor thing is this earthly bravery that is so easily overmatched ? how ill judges are we of outward beauties , that contemn these goodly plants which their creator thus magnifies , and admire those base metals which he ( in comparison hereof ) contemns ? if it be their transitorinesse that embaseth them , what are we ? all flesh is grasse , and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse . as we cannot be so brave , so we cannot be more permanent . o god , let it be my ambition to walk with thee hereafter in white . could i put on a robe of stars here , with proud herod , that glittering garment could not keep me from lice or worms . might i sit on a throne of gold within an house of ivory , i see i should not compare with this flower ; i might be as transitory , i should not be so beautifull . what matters it whether i goe for a flower or a weed here ? whethersoever , i must wither . oh thou which art greater then solomon , do thou cloath me with thy perfect righteousnesse , so shall i flourish for ever in the courts of the house of my god. lxxxvi . upon the sight of a coffin stuck with flowers . too fair appearance is never free from just suspicion . whiles here was nothing but mere wood , no flower was to be seen here ; now that this wood is lined with an unsavoury corps , it is adorned with this sweet variety . the firre whereof that coffin is made , yields a naturall redolence alone ; now that it is stuffed thus noisomely , all helps are too little to countervail that sent of corruption . neither is it otherwise in the living . perpetual use of strong perfumes argues a guiltiness of some unpleasing savour . the case is the same spiritually ; an over-glorious outside of profession implies some inward filthinesse that would fain escape notice . our uncomely parts have more comelinesse put on . too much ornament imports extreme deformity . for me , let my shew be moderate , so shall i neither deceive applause , nor merit too deep censure . lxxxvii . upon the view of the world. it is a good thing to see this materiall world ; but it is a better thing to think of the intelligible world. this thought is the sight of the soul , whereby it discerneth things like it self , spirituall and immortall ; which are so much beyond the worth of these sensible objects , as a spirit is beyond a body , a pure substance beyond a corruptible , an infinite god above a finite creature . o god , how great a word is that which the psalmist sayes of thee , that thou abasest thy self to behold the things both in heaven and earth ? it is our glory to look up even to the meanest piece of heaven ; it is an abasement to thine incomprehensible majesty to look down upon the best of heaven . oh what a transcendent glory must that needs be , that is abased to behold the things of heaven ! what an happinesse shall it be to me , that mine eyes shall be exalted to see thee , who art humbled to see the place and state of my blessednesse ? yea those very angels that see thy face are so resplendently glorious , that we could not overlive the sight of one of their faces , who are fain to hide their faces from the sight of thine . how many millions attend thy throne above , and thy footstool below , in the ministration to thy saints ? it is that thine invisible world , the communion wherewith can make me truely blessed . o god , if my body have fellowship here amongst beasts , of whose earthly substance it participates , let my soul be united to thee the god of spirits , and be raised up to enjoy the insensible society of thy blessed angels . acquaint me before-hand with those citizens and affairs of thine heaven ; and make me no stranger to my future glory . lxxxviii . upon the stinging of a wasp . how small things may annoy the greatest ? even a mouse troubles an elephant , a gnat a lion , a very flea may disquiet a giant . what weapon can be nearer to nothing then the sting of this wasp ? yet what a painfull wound hath it given me ? that scarce-visible point how it envenomes , and ranckles , and swells up the flesh ? the tenderness of the part addes much to the grief . and if i be thus vexed with the touch of an angry file , lord , how shall i be able to indure the sting of a tormenting conscience ? as that part is both most active and most sensible ; so that wound which it receives from it self is most intolerably grievous : there were more ease in a nest of hornets , then under this one torture . o god , howsoever i speed abroad , give me peace at home ; and whatever my flesh suffer , keep my soul free . thus pained , wherein do i finde ease but in laying honey to the part infected ? that medicine only abates the anguish . how near hath nature placed the remedy to the offence ? whensoever my heart is stung with the remorse for sin , only thy sweet and precious merits , o blessed saviour , can mitigate and heal the wound : they have virtue to cure me , give me grace to apply them ; that soveraign receipt shall make my pain happy . i shall thus applaud my grief ; it is good for me that i was thus afflicted . lxxxix . upon the arraignment of a felon . with what terrour doth this malefactor stand at that bar ? his hand trembles , whiles it is lift up for his triall ; his very lips quake , whiles he saith , not guilty ; his countenance condemns him before the judge ; and his fear is ready to execute him before his hangman . yet this judge is but a weak man , that must soon after die himself ; that sentence of death which he can pronounce is already passed by nature upon the most innocent ; that act of death which the law inflicteth by him is but momentany ; who knows whether himself shall not die more painfully ? o god , with what horror shall the guilty soul stand before thy dreadfull tribunall in the day of the great assizes of the world ? whiles there is the presence of an infinite majesty to daunt him , a fierce and clamorous conscience to give in evidence against him , legions of ugly and terrible devils waiting to seize upon him , a gulf of unquenchable fire ready to receive him ; whiles the glory of the judge is no lesse confounding then the cruelty of the tormenters ; where the sentence is unavoidable , and the execution everlasting . why do not these terrors of thee , my god , make me wise to hold a privy sessions upon my soul & actions , that being acquitted by my own heart , i may not be condemned by thee ; and being judged by my self , i may not be condemned with the world ? xc . upon the crowing of a cock. how harshly did this note sound in the eare of peter , yea pierced his very heart ? many a time had he heard this bird , and was no whit moved with the noise ; now there was a bird in his bosome that crowed lowder then this , whose shrill accent conjoined with this astonished the guilty disciple . the wearie labourer when he is awakened from his sweet sleep by this natural clock of the houshold , is not so angry at this troublesome bird , nor so vexed at the hearing of that unseasonable sound , as peter was when this fowl awakened his sleeping conscience , and called him to a timely repentance . this cock did but crow like others , neither made or knew any difference of this tone and the rest ; there was a divine hand that ordered this mornings note to be a summons of penitence . he that fore-told it had fore-appointed it : that bird could not but crow then , and all the noise in the high priests hall could not keep that sound from peter's eare . but , o saviour , couldst thou finde leisure , when thou stoodst at the bar of that unjust and cruell judgment , amidst all that bloody rabble of enemies , in the sense of all their fury , and the exspectation of thine own death , to listen unto this monitor of peter's repentance ; and upon the hearing of it , to cast back thine eyes upon thy denying , cursing , abjuring disciple ? o mercy without measure , and beyond all the possibility of our admiration , to neglect thy self for a sinner , to attend the repentance of one , when thou wert about to lay down thy life for all ! o god , thou art still equally mercifull . every elect soul is no lesse dear unto thee . let the sound of thy faithfull monitors smite my ears , and let the beams of thy mercifull eyes wound my heart , so as i may go forth and weep bitterly . xci . upon the variety of thoughts . when i bethink my self how eternity depends upon this moment of life , i wonder how i can think of any thing but heaven : but when i see the distractions of my thoughts and the aberrations of my life , i wonder how i can be so bewitched as ( whiles i believe an heaven ) so to forget it . all that i can doe , is to be angry at mine own vanity . my thoughts would not be so many if they were all right ; there are ten thousand by-waies for one direct . as there is but one heaven , so there is but one way to it ; that living way wherein i walk by faith , by obedience . all things the more perfect they are , the more do they reduce themselves towards that unity which is the center of all perfection . o thou who art one and infinite , draw in my heart from all these stragling and unprofitable cogitations , and confine it to thine heaven and to thy self , who art the heaven of that heaven . let me have no life but in thee , no care but to injoy thee , no ambition but thy glory . oh make me thus imperfectly happy before my time ; that when my time shall be no more , i may be perfectly happy with thee in all eternity . xcii . upon the sight of an harlot carted . with what noise and tumult and zeal of solemn justice is this sin punished ? the streets are not more full of beholders then clamors : every one strives to expresse his detestation of the fact by some token of revenge ; one casts mire , another water , another rotten egges upon the miserable offender ; neither indeed is she worthy of lesse : but in the mean time no man looks home to himself . it is no uncharity to say , that too many insult in this just punishment who have deserved more . alas , we men value sins by the outward scandall , but the wise and holy god ( against whom onely our sins are done ) esteems them according to the intrinsecal iniquity of them , and according to the secret violation of his will and justice : thus those sins which are slight to us , are to him hainous . we ignorants would have rung david's adultery with basons , but as for his numbring of the people we should have past it over as venial ; the wise justice of the almighty found more wickedness in this which we should scarce have accused . doubtlesse there is more mischief in a secret infidelity , which the world either cannot know or cares not to censure , then in the foulest adultery . publick sins have more shame , private may have more guilt . if the world cannot charge me of those , it is enough that i can charge my soul of worse . let others rejoice in these publick executions ; let me pity the sins of others , and be humbled under the sense of my own . xciii . upon the smell of a rose . smelling is one of the meanest and least usefull of the senses ; yet there is none of the five that receives or gives so exquisite a contentment as it . methinks there is no earthly thing that yields so perfect a pleasure to any sense , as the odour of the first rose doth to the sent. it is the wisdome and bounty of the creator so to order it , that those senses which have more affinity with the body , and with that earth whereof it is made , should receive their delight and contentation by those things which are bred of the earth ; but those which are more sprightfull , and have more affinity with the soul , should be reserved for the perfection of their pleasure to another world . there and then only shall my sight make my soul eternally blessed . xciv . upon a cancelled bond. whiles this obligation was in force , i was in servitude to my parchment ; my bond was double , to a payment , to a penalty : now that is discharged , what is it better then a wast scroll ; regarded for nothing but the witness of its own voidance and nullity ? no otherwise is it with the severe law of my creator : out of christ it stands in full force , and bindes me over either to perfect obedience , which i cannot possibly perform , or to exquisite torment and eternall death , which i am never able to indure ; but now that my saviour hath fastened it cancelled to his cross ( in respect of the rigour and malediction of it ) i look upon it as the monument of my past danger and bondage ; i know by it how much was owed by me , how much was payed for me . the direction of it is everlasting , the obligation by it unto death is frustrate . i am free from curse , who never can be free from obedience . o saviour , take thou glory , and give me peace . xcv . upon the report of a great losse by sea. the earth and the water are both of them great givers , and both great takers : as they give matter and sustentation to all sublunary creatures , so they take all back again , insatiably devouring at last the fruits of their own wombs . yet of the two the earth is both more beneficial and lesse cruell : for as that yields us the most generall maintenance and wealth and supportation ; so it doth not lightly take ought from us but that which we resign over to it , and which naturally falls back unto it . whereas the water , as it affords but a small part of our livelihood , and some few knacks of ornament , so it is apt violently to snatch away both us and ours , and to bereave that which it never gave : it yields us no precious metalls , and yet in an instant fetches away millions . and yet , notwithstanding all the hard measure we receive from it , how many do we daily see that might have firm ground under them , who yet will be trusting to the mercy of the sea ? yea how many that have hardly crawled out from a desperate shipwrack , will yet be trying the fidelity of that unsure and untrusty element ? o god , how venturous we are where we have reason to distrust , how incredulously fearfull where we have cause to be confident ? who ever relied upon thy gracious providence and sure promises , o lord , and hath miscarried ? yet here we pull in our faith , and make excuses for our diffidence . and if peter have tried those waves to be no other then solid pavement under his feet , whiles his soul trod confidently ; yet when a billow and a winde agree to threaten him , his faith flags , and he begins to sink . o lord , teach me to doubt , where i am sure to finde nothing but uncertainty ; and to be assuredly confident , where there can be no possibility of any cause of doubting . xcvi . upon sight of a bright skie full of stars . i cannot blame empedocles if he professed a desire to live upon earth only that he might behold the face of the heavens ; surely ( if there were no other ) this were a sufficient errand for a mans being here below , to see and observe these goodly spangles of light above our heads , their places , their quantities , their motions . but the employment of a christian is far more noble and excellent ; heaven is open to him , and he can look beyond the veil , and see further above those stars then it is thither , and there discern those glories that may answer so rich a pavement . upon the clear sight whereof , i cannot but wonder if the chosen vessel desired to leave the earth in so happy an exchange . o god , i blesse thine infiniteness for what i see with these bodily eyes : but if thou shalt but draw the curtain , and let me by the eye of faith see the inside of that thy glorious frame , i shall need no other happiness here . my soul cannot be capable of more favour then sight here , and fruition hereafter . xcvii . upon the rumours of wars . good lord , what a shambles is christendome become of late ? how are men killed like flies , and blood poured out like water ? surely the cruelty and ambition of the great have an heavy reckoning to make for so many thousand souls . i condemn not just arms ; those are as necessary as the unjust are hatefull ; even michael and his angels fight , and the style of god is the lord of hoasts . but wo be to the man by whom the offence cometh . usurpation of others rights , violation of oaths and contracts , and lastly erroneous zeal , are guilty of all these publick murders . private mens injuries are washt off with tears , but wrongs done to princes and publick states are hardly wip'd off but with blood . doubtlesse that fearfull comet did not more certainly portend these wars , then these wars presage the approach of the end of the world. the earth was never without some broils since it was peopled but with three men ; but so universal a combustion was never in the christian world since it was . o saviour , what can i think of this , but that as thou wouldst have a generall peace upon thy first coming into the world , so upon thy second coming thou meanest there shall be a no lesse generall war upon earth ? that peace made way for thy meek appearance ; this war for thy dreadfull and terrible . xcviii . upon a childe crying . it was upon great reason that the apostle charges us not to be children in understanding . what fools we all once are ? even at first we crie and smile we know not wherefore ; we have not wit enough to make signs what hurts us , or where we complain ; we can wry the mouth , but not seek the breast ; and if we want help , we can only lament , and sprawl , and die . after , when some months have taught us to distinguish a little betwixt things and persons , we crie for every toy , even that which may most hurt us ; and when there is no other cause , we crie only to hear our own noise , and are straight stilled with a greater ; and if it be but upon the breeding of a tooth , we are so wayward that nothing will please us ; and if some formerly-liked knack be given to quiet us , we cast away that which we have , if we have not what we would seem to like . we fear neither fire nor water ; nothing scares us but either a rod or a feigned bug-bear : we mis-know our parents ; not acknowledging any friend but the taylor that brings us a fine coat , or the nurse that dresses us gay . the more that our riper years resemble these dispositions , the more childish we are , and more worthy both of our own and others censure . but again , it was upon no lesse reason that the apostle charges us to be children in maliciousness . those little innocents bear no grudge , they are sooner pleased then angry ; and if any man have wronged them , let them but have given a stroke unto the nurse to beat the offender , it is enough ; at the same instant they put forth their hand for reconcilement , and offer themselves unto those arms that trespassed . and when they are most froward , they are stilled with a pleasant song . the old word is , that an old man is twice a childe : but i say , happy is he that is thus a childe alwaies . it is a great imperfection to want knowledge ; but , of the two , it is better to be a childe in understanding then a man in maliciousness . xcix . upon the beginning of a sickness . it was my own fault , if i look'd not for this : all things must undergoe their changes . i have enjoyed many fair daies ; there was no reason i should not at last make account of clouds and storms . could i have done well , without any mixtures of sin , i might have hoped for entire health : but since i have interspersed my obedience with many sinfull failings and enormities , why do i think much to interchange health with sickness ? what i now feel i know ; i am not worthy to know what i must feel . as my times , so my measures are in the hands of a wise and good god. my comfort is , he that sends these evils , proportions them . if they be sharp , i am sure they are just ; the most that i am capable to endure , is the least part of what i have deserved to suffer . nature would fain be at ease : but , lord , whatever become of this carkasse , thou hast reason to have respect to thine own glory . i have sinned , and must smart : it is the glory of thy mercy to beat my body for the safety of my soul. the worst of sickness is pain , and the worst of pain is but death . as for pain , if it be extreme , it cannot be long ; and if it be long , ( such is the difference of earthly and hellish torments ) it cannot be extreme : as for death , it is both unavoidable and beneficial ; there ends my misery , and begins my glory : a few groans are well bestowed for a preface to an immortal joy . howsoever , o god , thy messenger is worthy to be welcome . it is the lord , let him doe whatsoever he will. c. upon the challenge of a promise . it is true , an honest mans word must be his master ; when i have promised , i am indebted , and debts may be claimed , must be payed : but yet there is a great deal of difference in our ingagements ; some things we promise because they are due , some things are onely due because they are promised . these latter , which are but the mere ingagements of curtesie , cannot so absolutely binde us , that notwithstanding any intervention of unworthiness or misbehaviour in the person exspectant , we are tied to make our word good , though to the cutting of our own throats . all favourable promises presuppose a capacity in the receiver ; where that palpably faileth , common equity sets us free . i promised to send a fair sword to my friend ; he is since that time turn'd frantick : must i send it , or be charged with unfaithfulness if i send it not ? o god , thy title is the god of truth , thou canst no more cease to be faithfull then to be . how oft hast thou promised , that no good thing shall be wanting to thine ? and yet we know thy dearest children have complained of want . is thy word therefore challengeable ? far , far be this wicked presumption from our thoughts . no : these thy promises of outward favours are never but with a subintelligence of a condition of our capableness , of our expedience . thou seest that plenty or ease would be our bane ; thy love forbears to satisfie us with an harmfull blessing . we are worthy to be plagued with prejudicial kindnesses , if we do not acknowledge thy wisdome and care in our want . it is enough for us that thy best mercies are our dues , because thy promises : we cannot too much claim that which thou hast absolutely ingaged thy self to give , and in giving shalt make us eternally happy . ci. upon the sight of flies . when i look upon these flies and gnats and worms , i have reason to think , what am i to my infinite creator more then these ? and if these had my reason , why might they not expostulate with their maker , why they are but such , why they live to so little purpose , and die without either notice or use ? and if i had no more reason then they , i should be ( as they ) content with any condition . that reason which i have is not of my owne giving ; he that hath given me reason might as well have given it to them , or have made me as reason-lesse as they : there is no cause why his greater gift should make me mutinous and malecontent . i will thank my god for what i am , for what i have ; and never quarrell with him for what i want . cii . upon the sight of a fantasticall zelot . it is not the intent of grace to mould our bodies anew , but to make use of them as it findes us . the disposition of men much follows the temper of their bodily humors . this mixture of humors wrought upon by grace , causeth that strange variety which we see in professions pretendedly religious . when grace lights upon a sad melancholick spirit , nothing is affected but sullennesse and extreme mortification , and dislike even of lawfull freedome ; nothing but positions and practices of severe austerity : when contrarily upon the chearefull and lively , all draws towards liberty and joy ; those thoughts do now please best which enlarge the heart to mirth and contentation . it is the greatest improvement of christian wisdome to distinguish ( in all professions ) betwixt grace and humour ; to give god his own glory , and men their own infirmities . ciii . upon the sight of a scavenger working in the canell . the wise providence of god hath fitted men with spirits answerable to their condition . if mean men should bear the minds of great lords , no servile works would be done ; all would be commanders , and none could live : if contrarily great persons had the low spirits of drudges , there could be no order , no obedience ; because there should be none to command . now out of this discord of dispositions god hath contrived an excellent harmony of government and peace : since the use which each sort must needs have of other bindes them to maintain the quality of their own ranks , and to doe those offices which are requisite for the preservation of themselves and the publick . as inferiours then must blesse god for the graces and authority of their betters ; so must superiours no lesse blesse him for the humility and serviceablenesse of the meaner ; and those which are of the mid rank must blesse him for both . civ . upon a pair of spectacles . i look upon these , not as objects , but as helps ; as not meaning that my sight should rest in them , but passe through them , and by their aide discern some other things which i desire to see . many such glasses my soul hath and useth . i look through the glasse of the creatures at the power and wisdome of their maker : i look through the glasse of the scriptures at the great mystery of redemption , and the glory of an heavenly inheritance : i look through gods favours at his infinite mercy , through his judgements at his incomprehensible justice . but as these spectacles of mine presuppose a faculty in the eye , and cannot give me sight when i want it , but only clear that sight which i have ; no more can these glasses of the creatures , of scriptures , of favours and judgements inable me to apprehend those blessed objects , except i have an eye of faith whereto they may be presented . these helps to an unbelieving man are but as spectacles to the blinde . as the natural eyes , so the spirituall , have their degrees of dimnesse . but i have ill improved my age , if as my naturall eyes decay , my spirituall eye be not cleared and confirmed : but at my best i shall never but need spectacles , till i come to see as i am seen . cv . upon moats in the sun. how these little moats move up and down in the sun , and never rest ; whereas the great mountains stand ever still , and move not , but with an earthquake ? even so light and busie spirits are in continuall agitation to little purpose , whiles great deep wits sit still , and stir not but upon extreme occasions . were the motion of these little atomes as usefull as it is restlesse , i had rather be a moat then a mountain . cvi. upon the sight of a bladder . every thing must be taken in his meet time : let this bladder alone till it be dry , and all the winde in the world cannot raise it up ; whereas now it is new and moist the least breath fills and enlarges it . it is no otherwise in ages and dispositions : inform the childe in precepts of learning and vertue whiles years make him capable , how pliably he yieldeth , how happily is he replenished with knowledge and goodnesse ? let him alone till time and ill example have hardned him , till he be setled in an habit of evil , and contracted and clung together with sensuall delights , now he becomes utterly indocible . sooner may that bladder be broken then distended . cvii . upon a man sleeping . i do not more wonder at any mans art then at his who professes to think of nothing , to doe nothing . and i do not a little marvell at that man who sayes he can sleep without a dream : for the mind of man is a restlesse thing : and though it give the body leave to repose it self , as knowing it is a mortal and earthly piece ; yet it self being a spirit , and therefore active and indefatigable , is ever in motion . give me a sea that moves not , a sun that shines not , an open eye that sees not ; and i shall yield there may be a reasonable soul that works not . it is possible that through a naturall or accidentall stupidity a man may not perceive his owne thoughts ; ( as sometimes the eye or eare may be distracted not to discern his own objects ) but in the mean time he thinks that whereof he cannot give an account , like as we many times dream when we cannot report our fancy . i should more easily put my self to school unto that man who undertakes the profession of thinking many things at once . instantany motions are more proper for a spirit then a dull rest . since my minde will needs be ever working , it shall be my care that it may alwaies be well imploy'd . cviii . upon the sight of a deaths-head . i wonder at the practice of the ancient both greeks and romans , whose use was to bring up a deaths-head in the mids of their feasts , on purpose to stir up their guests to drink harder and to frolick more : the sight whereof , one would think , should have rather abated their courage , and have tempered their jollity . but however it was with them who believed there was nothing after death , that the consideration of the short time of their pleasures and being spurred them on to a free and full fruition of that mirth and excesse which they should not long live to enjoy ; yet to us that are christians , and therefore know that this short life doth but make way for an eternity of joy or torment afterwards , and that after the feast we must account of a reckoning , there cannot be a greater cooler for the heat of our intemperate desires and rage of our appetites , then the meditation of the shortness of life and the certainty of death . who would over-pamper a body for the worms ? who would be so mad as to let himself loose to that momentany pleasure of sin , which ere long must cost him everlasting pain and misery ? for me , methinks this head speaks no other language then this , lose no time ; thou art dying : doe thy best ; thou maiest doe good but a while , and shalt fare well for ever . cix . upon the sight of a left-handed man. it is both an old and easie observation , that however the senses are alike strong and active on the right side and on the left , yet that the lims on the right side are stronger then those of the left , because they are more exercised then the other : upon which self-same reason it must follow , that a left-handed man hath more strength in his left arme then in his right . neither is it otherwise in the soul : our intellectuall parts grow vigorous with imployment , and languish with disuse . i have known excellent preachers and pregnant disputants that have lost these faculties with lack of action ; and others but meanly qualified with naturall gifts , that have attained to a laudable measure of abilities by improvement of their little . i had rather lack good parts , then that good parts should lack me . not to have great gifts is no fault of mine ; it is my fault not to use them . cx . upon the sight of an old unthatched cottage . there cannot be a truer embleme of crazie old age : moldred and clay walls , a thin , uncovered roof , bending studds , dark and broken windows ; in short , an house ready to fall on the head of the indweller . the best body is but a cottage : if newer and better timbered , yet such as age will equally impair and make thus ragged and ruinous ; or , before that , perhaps casualty of fire or tempest , or violence of an enemy . one of the chief cares of men is to dwell well . some build for themselves , fair , but not strong ; others build for posterity , strong , but not fair , not high : but happy is that man that builds for eternity , as strong , as fair , as high as the glorious contignations of heaven . cxi . upon the sight of a faire pearl . what a pure and precious creature is this , which yet is taken out of the med of the sea ? who can complain of a base originall , when he sees such excellencies so descended ? these shel-fishes that have no sexes , and therefore are made out of corruption , what glorious things they yield to adorn and make proud the greatest princesses ? gods great works goe not by likelihoods : how easily can he fetch glory out of obscurity , who brought all out of nothing ? cxii . upon a screen . methinks this screen that stands betwixt me & the fire is like some good friend at the court , which keeps from me the heat of the unjust displeasure of the great , wherewith i might perhaps otherwise be causlesly scorched . but how happy am i , if the interposition of my saviour , my best friend in heaven , may screen me from the deserved wrath of that great god who is a consuming fire ? cxiii . upon a burre-leaf . neither the vine , nor the oak , nor the cedar , nor any tree that i know within our climate , yields so great a leaf as this weed ; which yet , after all expectation , brings forth nothing but a burre , unprofitable , troublesome . so have i seen none make greater profession of religion then an ignorant man ; whose indiscreet forwardnesse yields no fruit , but a factious disturbance to the church wherein he lives . too much shew is not so much better then none at all , as an ill fruit is worse then none at all . cxiv . upon the singing of a bird. it is probable that none of those creatures that want reason delight so much in pleasant sounds as a bird ; whence it is that both it spends so much time in singing , and is more apt to imitate those modulations which it hears from men . frequent practice ( if it be voluntary ) argues a delight in that which we doe ; and delight makes us more apt to practise , and more capable of perfection in that we practise . o god , if i take pleasure in thy law , i shall meditate of it with comfort , speak of it with boldnesse , and practise it with chearfulnesse . cxv . upon the sight of a man yawning . it is a marvellous thing to see the reall effects and strong operation of consent or sympathy even where there is no bodily touch : so one sad man puts the whole company into dumps ; so one mans yawning affects and stretches the jaws of many beholders ; so the looking upon blear eyes taints the eye with blearenesse . from hence it is easie to see the ground of our saviours expostulation with his persecutor , saul , saul , why persecutest thou me ? the church is persecuted below , he feels it above and complains . so much as the person is more apprehensive , must he needs be more affected . o saviour , thou canst not but be deeply sensible of all our miseries and necessities . if we do not feel thy wrongs and the wants of our brethren , we have no part in thee . cxvi . upon the sight of a tree lopped . in the lopping of these trees , experience and good husbandry hath taught men to leave one bough still growing in the top , the better to draw up the sap from the root . the like wisdome is fit to be observed in censures ; which are intended altogether for reformation , not for destruction . so must they be inflicted , that the patient be not utterly discouraged , and stript of hope and comfort ; but that , whiles he suffereth , he may feel his good tendered , and his amendment both aimed at and expected . o god , if thou shouldest deal with me as i deserve , thou shouldest not only shred my boughs , but cut down my stock , and stock up my root ; and yet thou dost but prune my superfluous branches , and cherishest the rest . how unworthy am i of this mercy , if whiles thou art thus indulgent unto me , i be severe and cruell to others , perhaps lesse ill-deserving then my self ? cxvii . upon a scholar that offered violence to himself . had this man lyen long under some eminent discontentment , it had been easie to finde out the motive of his miscarriage . weak nature is easily over-laid with impatience ; it must be only the power of grace that can grapple with vehement evils , and master them . but here the world cannot say what could be guilty of occasioning this violence : this mans hand was full , his fame untainted , his body no burden , his disposition ( for ought we saw ) fair , his life guiltlesse ; yet something did the tempter finde to aggravate unto his feeble thoughts , and to represent worthy of a dispatch . what a poor thing is life , whereof so slight occasions can make us weary ? what impotent wretches are we when we are not sustained ? one would think this the most impossible of all motions : naturally every man loves himself ; and life is sweet , death abhorred . what is it that satan can despair to perswade men unto , if he can draw them to an unnaturall abandoning of life , and pursuit of death ? why should i doubt of prevailing with my own heart , by the powerfull over-ruling of gods spirit , to contemn life and to affect death for the sake of my saviour ( in exchange of a few miserable moments for eternity of joy ) when i see men , upon an unreasonable suggestion of that evil spirit , cast away their lives for nothing , and so hastening their temporall death that they hazard an eternall ? cxviii . upon the coming in of the judge . the construction of men and their actions is altogether according to the disposition of the lookers on . the same face of the judge without any inward alteration is seen with terror by the guilty , with joy and confidence by the oppressed innocent : like as the same lips of the bride-groom drop both myrrhe and hony at once ; hony to the well-disposed heart , myrrhe to the rebellious : and the same cup relishes well to the healthfull , and distasts the feverous : the same word is , though a sweet , yet a contrary , favour to the different receivers ; and the same sun comforts the strong sight , dazles the weak . for a man to affect either to doe or speak that which may be pleasing to all men , is but a weak and idle ambition , when we see him that is infinitely good , appear terrible to more then he appears lovely . goodnesse is it self with whatever eyes it is look'd upon . there can be no safety for that man that regards more the censure of men , then the truth of being . he that seeks to win all hearts , hath lost his owne . cxix . upon the sight of an heap of stones . under such a pile it was that the first martyr was buried : none of all the antient kings had so glorious a tomb ; here were many stones , and every one pretious . jacob leaned his head upon a stone , and saw that heavenly vision of angels ascending and descending : many stones light upon steven's head in the instant of his seeing the heavens opened , and jesus standing at the right hand of god. lo , jacob resting upon that one stone , saw but the angels : steven being to rest for once under those many stones , saw the lord of the angels . jacob saw the angels moving ; steven saw jesus standing . as jacob therefore afterwards , according to his vow , made there an altar to god ; so steven now in the present gathers these stones together , of which he erected an holy altar , whereon he offered up himself a blessed sacrifice unto god. and if there be a time of gathering stones , and a time of casting them away ; this was the time wherein the jews cast , and steven gathered up these stones for a monument of eternall glory . o blessed saint , thou didst not so clearly see heaven opened , as heaven saw thee covered ; thou didst not so perfectly see thy jesus standing , as he saw thee lying patiently , courageously under that fatall heap . do i mistake it , or are those stones , not flints and pebbles , but diamonds & rubies and carbuncles to set upon thy crown of glory ? cxx . upon sight of a bat and owle . these night-birds are glad to hide their heads all ; and if by some violence they be unseasonably forced our of their secrecy , how are they followed and beaten by the birds of the day ? with us men it is contrary , the sons of darknesse do with all eagernesse of ma●ice pursue the children of the light , and drive them into corners , and make a prey of them : the opposition is alike , but the advantage lies on the worse side . is it for that the spirituall light is no lesse hatefull to those children of darknesse , then the naturall night is to those chearfull birds of the day ? or is it for that the sons of darknesse , challenging no lesse propriety in the world then the foul do in the lightsome aire , abhorre and wonder at the conscionanable as strange and uncouth ? howsoever , as these bats and owls were made for the night , being accordingly shaped , foul and ill-favoured ; so we know these vicious men ( however they may please themselves ) have in them a true deformity , fit to be shrowded in darknesse ; and as they delight in the works of darknesse , so they are justly reserved to a state of darknesse . cxxi . upon the sight of a well-fleeced sheep . what a warm winter-coat hath god provided for this quiet innocent creature ? as , indeed , how wonderfull is his wisdome and goodness in all his purveiances ? those creatures which are apter for motion , and withall most fearfull by nature , hath he clad somewhat thinner , and hath allotted them safe and warm boroughs within the earth ; those that are fit for labour and use hath he furnished with a strong hide : and for man , whom he hath thought good to bring forth naked , tender , helplesse , he hath indued his parents and himself with that noble faculty of reason , whereby he may provide all manner of helps for himself . yet again so bountifull is god in his provisions , that he is not lavish ; so distributing his gifts , that there is no more superfluity then want . those creatures that have beaks , have no teeth ; and those that have shells without , have no bones within . all have enough , nothing hath all . neither is it otherwise in that one kinde of man , whom he meant for the lord of all : variety of gifts is here mixed with a frugall dispensation : none hath cause to boast , none to complain : every man is as free from an absolute defect , as from perfection . i desire not to comprehend ; o lord , teach me to doe nothing but wonder . cxxii . upon the hearing of thunder . there is no grace whereof i finde so generall a want in my self and others as an awfull fear of the infinite majesty of god. men are ready to affect and professe a kinde of familiarity with god , out of a pretence of love ; whereas if they knew him aright , they could not think of him without dread , nor name him without trembling : their narrow hearts strive to conceive of him according to the scantling of their own streight and ignorant apprehension ; whereas they should only desire to have their thoughts swallowed up with an adoring wonder of his divine incomprehensiblenesse . though he thunder not alwaies , he is alwayes equally dreadfull ; there is none of his works which doth not bewray omnipotency . i blush at the sawcinesse of vain men , that will be circumscribing the powerfull acts of the almighty within the compasse of naturall causes ; forbearing to wonder at what they professe to know . nothing but ignorance can be guilty of this boldnesse . there is no divinity but in an humble fear , no philosophy but a silent admiration . cxxiii . upon the sight of an hedge-hog . i marvelled at the first reading , what the greeks meant by that proverb of theirs , the fox knows many pretty wiles , but the hedg-hog knows one great one . but when i considered the nature and practice of this creature , i easily found the reason of that speech , grounded upon the care and shift that it makes for its own preservation . whiles it is under covert , it knows how to bar the fore-dore against the cold northern and eastern blasts , and to open the back-dore for quieter and calmer aire : when it is pursued , it knows how to roll up it self round within those thorns with which nature hath environed it , so as the dog , in stead of a beast , findes now nothing but a ball of pricks to wound his jaws ; and goes away crying from so untoothsome a prey . he that sent the sluggard to school to the pismire , sends also in effect the carelesse and imprudent man to the hedg-hog , whiles he saith , if thou be wise , thou shalt be wise for thy self . the main care of any creature is self-preservation ; whatsoever doth that best , is the wisest . these creatures that are all body , have well improved the instincts of nature , if they can provide for their bodily safety ; man , that is a reasonable soul , shall have done nothing , if he make not sure work for the better part . o god , make me soule-wise ; i shall never envy their craft that pity my simplicity . cxxiv . upon the sight of a goat . this creature is in an ill name : it is not for any good qualities , that god hath made choice of the goat to resemble the wicked and reprobate soul. it is unruly , and salacious , and noisome . i cannot see one of them , but i presently recall to my thoughts the wofull condition of those on the left hand , whom god hath set aside to so fearfull a damnation . they are here mixed with the flock , their colour differs nothing from the sheep ; or if we do discern them by their rougher coat and odious sent , we sever our selves from them : but the time shall come when he shall sever them from us , who hath appointed our innocency to the fold , and their harmfulnesse to an everlasting slaughter . onwards , if they climbe higher then we , and feed upon those craggy clifts which we dare scarce reach to with our eyes ; their boldnesse is not greater then their danger , neither is their ascent more perilous then their ruine deadly . cxxv . upon the sight of the blinde and the lame . here is a true naturall commerce of senses . the blinde man hath legs , the lame man hath eyes : the lame man lends his eyes to the blinde , the blinde man lends his legs to the lame ; and now both of them move , where otherwise both must sit still and perish . it is hard to say whether is more beholden to other ; the one gives strength , the other direction ; both of them equally necessary to motion . though it be not in other cases so sensible , yet surely this very traffick of faculties is that whereby we live , neither could the world subsist without it : one man lends a brain , another an arme ; one a tongue , another an hand . he that knows wherefore he made all , hath taken order to improve every part to the benefit of the whole . what do i wish ought that is not usefull ? and if there be any thing in me that may serve to the good of others , it is not mine , but the churches . i cannot live but by others : it were injurious if others should not likewise share with me . cxxvi . upon the sight of a map of the world. what a poor little spot is a countrey ? a man may hide with his thumb the great territories of those that would be accounted monarchs . in vain should the great cham or the great mogul or prester john seek here for his court ; it is well if he can finde his kingdome amongst these parcels . and if we take all together , these shreds of islands and these patches of continent , what a mere indivisible point they are in comparison of that vast circle of heaven wherewith they are incompassed ? it is not easie for a man to be known to that whole land wherein he lives : but if he could be so famous , the next countrey perhaps never hears of his name : and if he can attain to be talked of there , yet the remoter parts cannot take notice that there is such a thing : and if they did , all speak of nothing else , what were he the better ? oh the narrow bounds of earthly glory ! oh the vain affectation of humane applause ! only that man is happily famous , who is known and recorded in heaven . cxxvii . upon the sight of hemlock . there is no creature of it self evil ; misapplication may make the best so : and there is a good use to be made of the worst . this weed which is too well proved to be poisonous , yet to the goat is medicinall , as serving by the coldnesse of it to temper the feverous heat of that beast : so we see the marmoset eating of spiders , both for pleasure and cure . our ignorance may not bring a scandall upon gods workmanship ; or if it do , his wisdome knows how to make a good use even of our injury . i cannot say but the very venome of the creatures is to excellent purpose ; how much more their beneficiall qualities ? if ought hurt us , the fault is ours , in mistaking the evil for good : in the mean time we owe praise to the maker , and to the creature a just and thankfull allowance . cxxviii . upon a flower-de-luce . this flower is but unpleasingly fulsome for sent , but the root of it is so fragrant , that the delicatest ladies are glad to put it into their sweet bags : contrarily , the rose-tree hath a sweet flower , but a savourlesse root ; and the saffron yields an odoriferous and cordiall spire , whiles both the flower and the root are unpleasing . it is with vegetables as with metalls . god never meant to have his best alwayes in view ; neither meant he to have all eminences concealed . he would have us to know him to be both secretly rich , and openly bountifull . if we do not use every grace in its own kinde , god loses the thanks , and we the benefit . cxxix . upon the sight of two trees , one high , the other broad . those trees that shoot up in height are seldome broad ; as contrarily , those trees that are spreading are seldome tall : it were too much ambition in that plant which would be both wayes eminent . thus it is with men . the covetous man , that effects to spread in wealth , seldome cares to aspire unto height of honour ; the proud man , whose heart is set upon preferment , regards not ( in comparison thereof ) the growth of his wealth : there is a poor shrub in a valley , that is neither tall nor broad , nor cares to be either , which speeds better then they both . the tall tree is cut down for timber , the broad tree is lopped for fire-wood ; besides that the tempest hath power on them both : whereas the low shrub is neither envied by the winde , nor threatned by the axe , but fostered rather , for that little shelter which it affords the shepheard . if there be glory in greatnesse , meannesse hath security . let me never envy their diet that had rather be unsafe then inglorious . cxxx . upon the sight of a drunken man. reason is an excellent faculty , and indeed that which alone differenceth us from brute creatures ; without which what is man but a two-legged beast ? and as all precious things are tender and subject to miscarriage , so is this above others ; the want of some little sleep , the violence of a fever or one cup too much puts it into utter distemper . what can we make of this thing ? ( man i cannot call him ) he hath shape ; so hath a dead corps as well as he : he hath life , so hath a beast as well as he . reason either for the time he hath not , or if he have it , he hath it so depraved and marred for the exercise of it , that brutishnesse is much lesse ill-beseeming . surely , the naturall bestiality is so much lesse odious then the morall , as there is difference in the causes of both : that is of gods making , this of our own . it is no shame to the beast that god hath made him so ; it is a just shame to a man that he hath made himself a beast . cxxxi . upon the whetting of a sithe . recreation is intended to the minde as whetting is to the sithe , to sharpen the edge of it , which otherwise would grow dull and blunt . he therefore that spends his whole time in recreation , is ever whetting , never mowing ; his grasse may grow , and his steed starve : as contrarily , he that alwayes toiles and never recreates , is ever mowing , never whetting ; labouring much to little purpose . as good no sithe , as no edge . then only doth the work goe forward , when the sithe is so seasonably and moderately whetted , that it may cut , and so cuts , that it may have the help of sharpning . i would so interchange , that i neither be dull with work , nor idle and wanton with recreation . cxxxii . upon the sight of a looking-glasse . when i look in another mans face , i see that man ▪ and that man sees me as i do him : but when i look in my glasse , i do not see my self ; i see only an image or representation of my self : howsoever it is like me , yet it is not i. it is for an ignorant childe to look behinde the glasse , to finde out the babe that he seeth : i know it is not there ; and that the resemblance varies according to the dimnesse or different fashion of the glasse . at our best , we do but thus see god here below : one sees him more clearly , another more obscurely ; but all in a glasse . hereafter we shall see him , not as he appears , but as he is : so shall we see him in the face , as he sees us : the face of our glorified spirits shall see the glorious face of him who is the god of spirits . in the mean time , the proudest dame shall not more plie her glasse , to look upon that face of hers which she thinks beautifull , then i shall gaze upon the clearest glasse of my thoughts , to see that face of god which i know to be infinitely fair and glorious . cxxxiii . upon the shining of a piece of rotten wood . how bright doth this wood shine ? when it is in the fire it will not so beam forth as it doth in this cold darknesse . what an embleme is here of our future estate ? this piece , whiles it grew in the tree , shone not at all ; now that it is putrified , it casts forth this pleasing lustre . thus it is with us : whiles we live here , we neither are nor seem other then miserable ; when we are dead once , then begins our glory , then doth the soul shine in the brightnesse of heavenly glory ; then doth our good name shine upon earth in those beams which before envy had either held in or over-cast . why are we so over-desirous of our growth , when we may be thus advantaged by our rottennesse ? cxxxiv . upon an ivie-tree . behold a true embleme of false love : here are kinde embracements , but deadly : how close doth this weed cling unto that oak , and seems to hug and shade it ? but in the mean time draws away the sap , and at last kils it . such is an harlots love , such is a parasites . give me that love and friendship which is between the vine and the elme , whereby the elme is no whit worse , and the vine much the better . that wholesome and noble plant doth not so close winde it self about the tree that upholds it , as to gall the bark , or to suck away the moisture : and again the elme yields a beneficiall supportation to that weak ( though generous ) plant. as god , so wise men , know to measure love , not by profession and complement , ( which is commonly most high and vehement in the falsest ) but by reality of performance . he is no enemy that hurts me not : i am not his friend whom i desire not to benefit . cxxxv . upon a quartan ague . i have known when those things which have made an healthfull man sick , have been the means of making a sick man whole . the quartan hath of old been justly styled the shame of physicians ; yet i have more then once observed it to be cured by a surfeit : one devil is sometime used for the ejection of another . thus have i also seen it in the sickness of the soul : the same god whose justice is wont to punish sin with sin , even his mercy doth so use the matter , that he cures one sin by another . so have we known a proud man healed by the shame of his uncleanness ; a furious man healed by a rash bloodshed . it matters not greatly what the medicine be , whiles the physician is infinitely powerfull , infinitely skilfull . what danger can there be of my safety , when god shall heal me as well by evil as by good ? cxxxvi . upon the sight of a loaded cart. it is a passionate expression wherein god bemoans himself of the sins of israel , ye have pressed me as a cart is pressed with sheaves . an empty cart runs lightly away ; but if it be soundly loaden , it goes sadly , sets hard , groans under the weight , and makes deep impressions , the wheels creak and the axel-tree bends , and all the frame of it is put unto the utmost stresse . he that is omnipotent can bear any thing but too much sin ; his justice will not let his mercy be overstrained . no marvell if a guilty soul say , mine iniquity is greater then i can bear ; when the infinite god complains of the weight of mens sins . but let not vain men think that god complains out of the want of power , but out of the abundance of mercy : he cannot be the worse for our sins , we are . it grieves him to be over-provoked to our punishment . then doth he account the cart to crack , yea to break , when he is urged to break forth into just vengeance . o saviour , the sins of the whole world lay upon thee , thou sweatedst blood under the load : what would become of me if i should bear but one sheaf of that load , every eare ▪ whereof , yea every grain of that eare , were enough to presse down my soul to the nethermost hell ? cxxxvii . upon the sight of a dwarf . amongst all the bounteous gifts of god , what is it that he hath equally bestowed upon all ? except it be our very being , whiles we are . he hath not given to all men the same stature of body , not the same strength of wit , not the same capacity of memory , not the same beauty of parts , not the same measure of wealth or honour . thus hath he done also in matter of grace : there are spiritual dwarfs , there are giants ; there are perfect men , children , babes , embryos . this inequality doth so much more praise the mercy and wisdome of the giver , and exercise the charity and thankfulness of the receiver . the essence of our humanity doth not consist in stature ; he that is little of growth , is as much man as he that is taller . even so also spiritually , the quantity of grace doth not make the christian , but the truth of it . i shall be glad and ambitious to adde cubits to my height ; but withall it shall comfort me to know , that i cannot be so low of stature as not to reach unto heaven . cxxxviii . upon an importunate begger . it was a good rule of him that bade us learn to pray of beggers : with what zeal doth this man sue , with what feeling expressions , with how forceable importunity ? when i meant to passe by him with silence , yet his clamour draws words from me ; when i speak to him , though with excuses , rebukes , denials , repulses , his obsecrations , his adjurations draw from me that alms which i meant not to give . how he uncovers his sores ▪ and shews his impotence , that my eyes may help his tongue to plead ? with what oratory doth he force my comp●ssion ? so as it is scarce any thank to me that he prevails . why doe i not thus to my god ? i am sure i want no lesse then the neediest ; the danger of my want is greater ; the alms that i crave is better , the store and mercy of the giver infinitely more . why shouldst thou give me , o god , that which i care not to ask ? oh give me a true sense of my wants ; and then i cannot be cool in asking , thou canst not be difficult in condescending . cxxxix . upon a medicinall potion . how loathsome a draught is this ? how offensive , both to the eye , and to the scent , and to the tast ? yea the very thought of it is a kinde of sickness : and when it is once down , my very disease is not so painfull for the time as my remedy . how doth it turn the stomach , and wring the entrails , and works a worse distemper then that whereof i formerly complained ? and yet it must be taken for health : neither could it be so wholsome if it were lesse unpleasing ; neither could it make me whole if it did not first make me sick . such are the chastisements of god and the reproofs of a friend ; harsh , troublesome , grievous : but in the end they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse . why do i turn away my head , and make faces , and shut mine eyes , and stop my nostrils , and nauseate and abhor to take this harmlesse potion for health , when we have seen mountebanks to swallow dismembred toads , and drink the poisonous broath after them , only for a little ostentation and gain ? it is only weaknesse , and want of resolution that is guilty of this queasinesse . why do not i chearfully take and quaffe up that bitter cup of affliction , which my wife and good god hath mixed for the health of my soul ? cxl . upon the sight of a wheel . the prophet meant it for no other then a fearfull imprecation against gods enemies , o my god , make them like unto a wheel ; whereby what could he intend to signifie , but instability of condition and suddain violence of judgement ? those spoaks of the wheel that are now up , are sooner then sight or thought whirled down , and are straight raised up again on purpose to be depressed : neither can there be any motion so rapid and swift as the circular . it is a great favour of god that he takes leisure in his affliction , so punishing us that we have respites of repentance . there is life and hope in these degrees of suffering ; but those hurrying and whirling judgments of god have nothing in them but wrath and confusion . o lord , rebuke me not in thine anger . i cannot deprecate thy rebuke ; my sins call for correction : but i deprecate thine anger ; thou rebukest even where thou lovest . so rebuke me , that whiles i smart with thy rod , i may rejoyce in thy mercy . certain catholick propositions which a devout son of the church humbly offers to the serious consideration of all ingenuous christians wheresoever dispersed all the world over . to all them who through the whole israel of god follow absolom with a simple heart . be not deceived any longer , dear christian souls : be ye free , that ye may be safe . there is a certain sacred tyranny that miserably abuses you , and so cunningly beguiles you , that you chuse rather to erre and perish . god hath given you reason , and above that faith ; do not so far wrong your selves as to be made the mere slaves of anothers will , and to think it the safest way to be willingly blinde . lay aside for a while all prejudice and superstitious side-taking ; and consider seriously these few words , which my sincere love to your souls and hearty ambition of your salvation hath commanded me ( as before the awfull tribunall of almighty god ) to tender unto you . if what i say be not so clear and manifest to every ingenuous judgment that it shall not need to borrow further light from abroad , condemn this worthlesse scroll , and in your severe doom punish the author with the losse of an hours labour . but if it shall carry sufficient evidence in it self , and shall be found so reasonable , as that to any free minde it shall not perswade but command assent ; give way ( for gods sake , and for your souls sake ) to that powerfull truth of god which breaks forth from heaven upon you ; and at last acknowledge ( besides a world of foul errours ) the miserable insolence and cruelty of that once-famous and renowned church , which ( to use gerson's word ) will needs make faith of opinion , and too impotently favouring her own passions , hath not ceased to persecute with fire and sword the dear and holy servants of god ; and at last ( notwithstanding all the vain thunderbolts of a proud and lawlesse fury ) make much of those your truly-christian and religious brethren , who according to the just liberty of faithfull men , refuse and detest those false and upstart points of a new-devised faith. but if any of you ( which god forbid ) had still rather to be deceived , and dote upon his received errors , and ( as angry curres are wont ) shall bark and bay at so clear a light of truth ; my soule shall in silence and sorrow pity that man in vain . i wis , we have had disputing enough , if not too much . away from henceforth with all these paper-brablings : god from heaven shall stint these strifes . wonder , o catholicks ; and ye whom it concerns , repent . certain catholick propositions which a devout son of the church humbly offers to the serious consideration of all ingenuous christians wheresoever dispersed all the world over . i. every true christian is in that very regard properly capable of salvation , and ( for matter of faith ) goes on in the ready way to heaven . ii. whosoever being duely admitted into the church of god by lawfull baptism , believeth and maintaineth all the main and essential points of christian faith , is for matter of belief a true christian . iii. the summe of the christian faith are those principles of christian religion and fundamental grounds and points of faith , which are undoubtedly contained and laid down in the canonicall scriptures , whether in expresse termes or by necessary consequence , and in the ancient creeds universally received , and allowed by the whole church of god. iv. there cannot be now-a-dayes any new rule of faith. v. as there cannot be any new rule of faith , so there cannot now be any new faith. it is not therefore in the power of any creature under heaven to make any point to be of faith which before was not so , or to cause any point not to be of faith which formerly was so . vi. he cannot be an heretick who doth not obstinately deny something which is truly a point of faith ; or hold some point contrary to the foresaid articles of christian faith. vii . there are and may be many theologicall points , which are wont to be believed and maintained , and so many lawfully be , of this or that particular church , or the doctors thereof , or their followers , as godly doctrines and probable truths ; besides those other essential and main matters of faith , without any prejudice at all of the common peace of the church . viii . howsoever it may be lawfull for learned men & particular churches to believe and maintain those probable , or ( as they may think ) certain points of theologicall verities ; yet it is not lawfull for them to impose and obtrude the said doctrines upon any church or person , to be believed and held as upon the necessity of salvation , or to anathematize or eject out of the church any person or company of men that thinks otherwise . ix . notwithstanding any such unjust anathema denounced against any such person or church , whosoever holds those principles and essential points of christian faith , however he be in place far remote from all the visible churches of christ , and neither know not or receive not those other positions of theological determination , is throughly capable ( in such condition ) of christian communion ; and if many such be met together under a lawfull pastor , there cannot be denied unto them both the truth and title of a true visible church of christ . x. the church of rome is onely , and at the best , a particular church . xi . all christian churches are no other then sisters , and daughters of that great and universall mother , which furnisheth both heaven and earth ; of equall priviledge in respect of god and his faith , save onely that each one is so much more honourable as it is more pure and holy . it is not therefore lawfull for any one of them , in regard of the businesses of faith , to take upon her self the power and command over any other ; or to prescribe unto any of them what they must necessarily believe upon pain of damnation . xii . those issues of controversie in regard whereof the reformed catholicks are wont to be condemned and anathematized by the romane church , are far from principles of christian faith ; neither are any other than their own theologicall positions , and the institutions and devises of that particular church . xiii . the reformed catholicks have not offered to bring in any new opinion or doctrine into the church , but only labour and endeavour to procure some late & superfluous additions to the faith to be cashiered & rejected . xiv . vainly therefore and unjustly is it required of them , that they should shew the succession of their religion and church ( as raised upon a quite other foundation ) to be derived from the apostolick times to the present ; since all that they professe is a desire to purge the very same church of god from certain new errors and superstitious rites wherewith it is miserably defiled . xv. out of all which premisses it necessarily followeth , that the romane church , which upon these grounds sticketh not to exclude true christians ( differing from them in matter of such doctrines ) from the church of god and eternall salvation , is justly guilty of great insolency , and horrible breach both of charity and peace ; and that the reformed , notwithstanding this rash and unjust censure of theirs , ( forasmuch as they do inviolably hold all the points of the truly ancient and christian faith , ) do justly claim unto themselves a most true and perfect interest in the communion of all christian churches , and eternall salvation . xvi . there is no lesse danger in adding to the articles of christian faith , then in diminishing them or detracting from them . xvii . those points which the romane church is wont to adde , and forcibly to put upon all catholicks ( as well the reformed as those whom they term their own ) are such as are grounded on her own mere authority . xviii . the reformed catholicks do justly complain , and prove that those points which the romane church imposeth and urgeth as the meet additions both of faith and divine worship , are neither safe , nor agreeable to the holy word of god ; and plead it to be utterly unjust , that those accessory points , of their devising or determining , wherein every church should be left free and at her due liberty , should be imperiously thrust upon them , notwithstanding their vehement and just resistance . xix . it argues a palpable self-love in the romane church , and must needs at the last draw down a grievous judgement from god upon her , that this particular church will needs make her self uncapable of any better condition ; in that she vainly brags that she cannot erre , and fearfully accurseth and sends down to hell all those that profer her the least endeavour of the means of her remedy and redresse . xx. upon all these grounds , it is plain that the reformed catholicks are in a safe estate , and that contrarily the romane are in a miserable errour and fearfull danger ; and lastly , that it is only through their default , that the church of god is not reduced to an happy purity and peace . tim. . . consider what i say , and the lord give you understanding in all things . an answer to pope urban's inurbanitie : expressed in a breeve sent to lewis the french king , exasperating him against the protestants in france . written in latine by the right reverend father in god , joseph lord bishop of excester . translated into english by his son , robert hall , master of arts in excester colledge in oxford . london , printed by james flesher , . a breeve of pope urban the eighth , sent to lewis the french king , upon the taking of rochel . our most dear son in christ , we send you greeting and apostolical benediction . the voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous ; let the wicked see this and fret , and let the synagogue of satan consume away . the most christian king fighteth for religion , the lord of hosts fighteth for the king. we verily in this mother-city of the world triumph with holy joy , we congratulate this your majesties victory , the trophees whereof are erected in heaven , the glory whereof the generation that is to come shall never cease to speak of . now at the length this age hath seen the tower of rochel , no lesse impregnable by the obstinacie of treacherie then strength of nature , surrendred to the king and saint peter . neither is any so foolish as to ascribe this glorious victory rather to happiness then to vertue . by your long siege of many moneths you have taught us , that europe oweth your french legions no lesse commendation for their constancy , then for their expedition ; your army going clear away with the victory over your enemies , by slighting all dangers and enduring all hardness , devoteth their life unto you , and promiseth you an absolute trimph of conquered heresie . the waters of the ocean made a noise and were troubled , fighting for the besieged rebels ; they made choice of death rather then a surrender , undermining treacherie approaching even to your majesties tents ; hell all opened her mouth , vomiting out troops of mischiess and dangers , to the end so rich a fort might not be taken away from their impietie . the lord stood on thy right hand ; thou hast not onely overcome the forces of thine enemies , but thou wert able also to put a bridle upon the ocean aiding them . let us all give thanks to almighty god , who hath delivered thee from the contradictions of the unbelieving people . howbeit sith you are not ignorant with what care the fruits of victories ought to be preserved , lest they perish , there is no doubt but that in a short time all the remainder of the hereticks that have got stable-room in the french vineyard shall by you be utterly discomfited . the church desireth that this diademe of perfect renown be put upon that helmet of salvation , wherewith the lord mighty in battell seemeth to cover the head of your majestie : for we believe shortly that all tumults being appeased in france , the glistering ensign of lewis the conqueror shall shine to the captive daughter of sion , rehearsing the french trophees , and beholding the brightness of your lightning lance . god , who performeth the desire of them that fear him , prosper our desires , and the prayers of the catholick church . our nuntio , who was an eye-witness of your princely glory in your tents , will be a faithfull interpreter of our pontificall gratulation to your majestie , on whom we most lovingly bestow our apostolicall benediction . given at rome , at s. mary the greater , under the seal of the fisher , the eight and twentieth day of november , in the year of our lord . and the sixth year of our pontificate . to my much respected friend mr doctor primrose , pastor of the french church in london , and chaplain to his most excellent majestie . sir , our friend mr. tourvall , a frenchman , shewed me erewhile a latine printed epistle of pope urbane , written ( as their manner is ) in a swelling and bloody style , and lately sent to lewis the french king : wherein after the good pope had loudly chaunted forth a song of triumph for his majesties victory over rochel , abundantly congratulating both the king and nation ; he thence proceeds in most barbarous manner to that bloody word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , smite , cast down , earnestly urging and inforcing the utter extirpation of all the hereticks ( as he calls them ) stabling in france . when i had read it , i could not contain my self , but must suddenly vent mine indignation in these few lines . i take up pen in hand therefore , and do not meditate , but pour forth this answer . such as it is , receive it , reverend sir , and peruse it , and at your discretion give it either light or fire . farewell . from your friend jos. exon . to pope urban the eighth , joseph bishop of excester wisheth right wits and charity . why may not the meanest bishop be bold to expostulate with a pope ? i crave no leave , neither need i ; i take our antient liberty . i wis , there was no such distance of old betwixt rome and eugubium , or between my ex and the chanell of tiber. hear now therefore ( pope urbane ) that which ere long thou shalt hear with horror and confusion of face before that dreadfull tribunall of christ . these bloody blots of thine little beseem the shepherd of a christian flock . what , is it for thee like a grim herald to give the summons to war ? is it for thee to excite christian princes ( already too much gorged with blood ) to the profligation and fearfull slaughter of their own subjects ? were the keyes for this cause committed to thy charge , that thou shouldest open the iron gates of war , and the pale gates of death ? tell me , thou shadow of s. peter , didst thou take these french protestants for malchus , whose ears while thou wouldst have cut off , thy sword by a light mistake glanc'd upon their throats ? or was it lately voiced to thee from heaven concerning these wretched animals stabling in france , arise , pope urbane , kill and eate ? art thou the pilot of the churches peace , and talkest of nothing but glittering helmets , swords and spears , instruments of war & bloodshed ? what noise could the howling of the she-wolf of thy romulus have made , if this direfull note of thine become the bell-weather of s. peter's fold ? well , since thou wilt bespaul , bedribble the ashes of unhappy rochel , and scatter with thy disdainfull breath the despised dust of that forlorn city ; yet withall call to minde a little , how not many ages are past since the time was , that the hereditary sceptre of this thy now lewis broke open the gates of rome , demolished the walls , dispersed and slew the inhabitants , and shut up thy great predecessour laden with bitter scoffes and execrations in his blinde dungeon . neither shall many years run on again , ( unlesse my presaging thoughts too much deceive me , ) before the angel shall shout forth , and the amazed world shall congratulate the fall of thy rochel's case shall ere long be thine own , ( o thou most accursed city . ) blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast rewarded us ; yea happy he that shall take thy little ones , and dash out their brains against the stones . in the mean time , sport thy self at our miseries , laugh at our tears , make merry at our sighs , sing at our groans , and applaud our torments : but know for all this , there is a just avenger that looks down from his heaven upon us , whose rod we at once kisse , and exspect his vengeance . plead thou our cause ( o god ) yea thine own , only thine : why should not our confident innocence appeal to thy judgment ? if there be any thing in the whole composure of our most sacred religion hitherto professed by us that hath issued out of the impure fountain of mans brain , let it even perish with the authors , yea let it utterly perish ( o lord ) and be banished into that hell whence it came : but if we never dared to obtrude any doctrine upon the christian world but that alone wherewith thou didst of old inspire thy prophets and apostles , and by those thine infallible pen-men didst faithfully deliver over to thine own people ; surely then , either it must be our happiness to erre with thee ( the god of truth ) or thou dost and wilt still ever maintain with us this thine only true and evangelicall religion . but alas , poor souls ! we are mistaken all this while : it is nothing else but pure piety ( forsooth ) which we ignorantly condemn for cruelty ; 't is the zeal of gods house wherewith ( good prelate ) thou art so inflamed , that thou hast hereupon both wished and importuned the utter extirpation of all those hereticks stabling in the french territories . o forehead ! o bowels ! for us , we call god , angels , saints to witness of this foul calumniation . i wis , those whom thou falsly brandest for hereticks , thou shalt one day hear when the church shall imbrace them for her children , christ for the spiritual members of his mystical body . for what ( i beseech you ) do we hold which the scriptures , councils , fathers , churches and christian professors have not in all ages taught and published ? to say the truth , all that which we professe , your own most approved authors have still maintained : whence then is this quarrell ? shall i tell you ? there are indeed certain new patches of opinion which you would needs adde to the ancient faith : these we most justly reject , and do still constantly refuse . they are humane , they are your own ; briefly , they are either doubtfull , or impious . and must we now be cast out of the bosome of the church , and be presently delivered up to fire and sword ? must we for this be thunder-strucken to hell by your anathemas , there to frie in perpetuall torments ? is it for this , that a stall and shambles are thought good enough for such brutish animals ? good god! see the justice and charity of these popelings ! this is nothing but a mere injury of the times ; it was not wont to be heresie heretofore that is so now-a-daies . if it had been our happinesse to have lived in the primitive times of the churches simplicity , before ever that romish transcendency , image-worship , transubstantiation , sacrifice of the masse , purgatory , single or half-communion , nundination of pardons , and the rest of this rabble were known to the christian world ; surely , heaven had been as open to us as to other devout souls of that purer age , that took their happy flight from hence in the orthodox faith of christ jesus . but now that we are reserved to that dotage of the world , wherein a certain new brood of articles are sprung up , it is death to us ( forsooth ) and to be expiated by no lesse punishment then the perpetuall torments of hell-fire . consider this , o ye christians wheresoever dispersed upon the face of the whole earth ; consider , i say , how far it is from all justice and charity , that a new faith should come dropping forth at mens pleasure , which must adjudge posterity to eternal death for mis-believers , whom the ancient truth had willingly admitted into heaven . these new points of a politick religion are they indeed that have so much disturbed the peace of christendome ; these are they that set at variance the mighty potentates of the earth , who otherwise perhaps would sit down in an happy peace ; these are they that rend whole kingdomes , distract people , dissolve societies , nourish faction and sedition , lay wast the most flourishing kingdomes , and turn the richest cities to dust and rubbish . but should these things be so ? do we think this will one day be allowed for a just warrant of so much war and bloodshed , before the tribunall of that supreme judge of heaven and earth ? awake therefore now , o ye christian princes , and you especially ( king lewis ) in whose eares these wicked counsels are so spightfully and bloodily whispered ; rouse up your self and see how cruell tyranny seeks to impose upon your majesty in a most mischievous manner , under a fair pretence of piety and devotion . they are your own native subjects whom these malicious foreigners require to the slaughter ; yea they are christs : and will you imbrue your hand and sword in the blood of those for whom christ hath shed his ; yea who have willingly lavished their own in the behalf of you and your great father ? hear i beseech thee , ( o king ) who art wont ( amongst thine own ) to be instiled lewis the just ; if we did adore any other god , any other christ but thine , if we aspired to any other heaven , embraced any other creed , any other baptisme , lastly , if we made profession of a new church built upon other foundations , there were some cause indeed why thou shouldest condemn such hereticks stabling in france to the revenging sury of thy flames . if this thy people have wilfully violated any thing established by our common god , or lawfully commanded by thee , we crave no pardon for them , let them smart that have deserved ; it is but just they should . but do not in the mean time fall fiercely upon the fellow-servants of thy god , upon thine own best subjects , whose very religion must make them loyall ; suffer not those poor wretches to perish for some late upstart superfluous additions of humane invention , and mere will-worship , who were alwaies most forward to redeem thine & thy great fathers safety and honour , with the continuall hazzard of their owne most precious lives . let them but live then by thy gracious sufferance , by whose valour and fidelity thou now reignest . but suppose they were not yours , yet remember that they are christians ( a title wherewith your style is wont most to be honored ) washed in the same laver of baptisme , bought with the same price , renewed by the same spirit , and ( whatsoever impotent malice bawle to the contrary ) the beloved sons of the celestiall spouse , yea the brethren of that spirituall bride-groom christ jesus . but they erre ( you will say ) from the faith. from what faith ? ( i beseech you . ) not the christian surely , but the romish . what a strange thing is this ? christ doth not condemn them , the pope doth . if that great chancellour of paris were now alive , he would freely teach his sorbon , ( as he once did ) that it is not in the popes power ( that i may use his owne word ) to hereticate any proposition . yea , but an oecumenicall council besides hath done it . what council ? that of trent . i am deceived if that were hitherto received in the churches of france , or deserved to be so hereafter . consult with your own late authors of most undoubted credit ; they will tell you plainly how unjust that council was , yea how no council at all : it was only the popes act , whatsoever was decreed or established by that pack'd conclave , envassalled to the seven hills . consider lastly , ( i beseech you ) how the reformed christians stand in no other terms to the papists , then the papists do to the reformed ; heresie is with equall vehemency upbraided on both sides . but do we deale thus roughly with the followers of the roman religion ? did we ever rage against the popish faith with fire and sword ? was ever the crime of a poor misled conscience capitall to any soul ? you may finde perhaps ( but very seldome ) some audacious masse-priest , some firebrand of sedition and contemner of our publick laws to have suffered condign punishment : but no papist ( i dare boldly say ) ever suffered losse either of life or lim merely for his religion . why dost not thou then ( the son of that gracious and mercifull henry ) carry thy self alike toward thy faithfull subjects , who most innocently professe the reformed religion ? why should it prejudice any of them with thee to have served their god according to the holy scriptures , and the practice of the ancient church ? to conclude then , let it be but lawfull for thy people to be truly religious . and thou , pope urban , return at last to thy self , and consider how well this bloody advice of thine sutes with those thy purple robes . a sword rather then a sheep-hook would become that hand that should write thus . neither is this a net for the holy fisher-man of rome , but rather for the bloody prizes of the theatre . beautiful are the feet of them that preach peace , ( saith the prophet : ) but we may say far otherwise of thee , cursed are the hands of them that denounce war. the least noise of an hammer must not be heard in gods temple : but you ( good man ) would fill the holy church of god with loud alarms , clashing of bloody weapons and fearfull groans of dying men . give eare therefore now at last , thou who proudly scornest the sentence of any mortall judge . that which once our famous robert , the holy and learned bishop of lincoln , is said to have done to thy predecessour , the same doe i now unto thee . let me summon thee to that dreadfull tribunall of almighty god , before which thy wretched soul shall one day appear , to give an account of this thy bloody advice . in the mean time , if thou hadst rather to flee from the wrath to come , and to fare well hereafter , repent . vrbani viii . pontificis romani breve , ad ludovicum xiii . galliarum regem , super rupella capta . charissime in christo fili noster , salutem & apostolicam benedictionem . vox exultationis & salutis in tabernaculis justorum : videat peccator & irascatur , & synagoga satanae contabescat . militat rex christianissimus pro religione , militat deus exercituum pro rege . nos certè in hac orbis patria sacro gaudio triumphamus , gratulamur majestati tuae victoriam , cujus trophaea constituuntur in coelo , cujus gloriam generatio ventura nunquam conticescet . rupellam arcem non minus obstinatione perfidiae quam naturae munimentis inexpugnabilem , vidit tandem haec aetas regi & b. petro subditam . neque sanè quisquam adeò desipit , ut tàm gloriosam palmam acceptam referat felicitati potiùs quàm virtuti . diuturna tot mensium obsidione docuisti europam gallicis legionibus te regnante debere non minorem constantiae laudem quàm celeritatis . tibi autem periculorum contemptu & incommodorum patientia clare victor exercitus vitam devovet , & perfectum profligatae haeresis triumphum auguratur . sonuerunt & turbatae sunt aquae oceani militantis obsessis perduellibus ; mors deditione potior videbatur , ad ipsa majestat is tuae castra cuniculos egit perfidia . omnino dilatavit os suum infernus , evomens scelerum & periculorum turmas , ne tam opulentum propugnaculum impietati eriperetur . stetit dominus à dextris tuis ; non modo devicisti hostium copias , sed ipsi etiam auxiliari oceano potuisti fraenum injicere . gratias agamus omnes omnipotenti , qui eripuit te de contradictionibus populi non credentis . caeterum cum scias qua cura custodiendi sint victoriarum fructus ne marcescant , nemo est qui ambigat à te reliquias omnes haereticorum in gallica vinea stabulantium propediem profligatum iri . diadema hoc perfecti decoris imponi cupit ecclesia illi galeae salut is , qua armatum majestatis tuae caput ipse protegere videtur dominus potens in praelio . speramus enim fore ut gallia omni pacata , illucescant coruscationes ludovici triumphatoris captivae filiae sion francica trophaea commemoranti , & intuenti splendorem fulgurantis hastae tuae . vota nostra atque catholicae ecclesiae secundet deus , qui voluntatem timentium se faciet . interea nuncius noster , qui regalis gloriae spectator in castris adfuit , luculentus erit pontificiae gratulationis interpres majestati tuae , cui apostolicam benedictionem amantissime impertimur . datum romae apud s. mariam majorem , sub annulo piscatoris , die vigesimo octavo novembris , anno , pontificatus sexto . inurbanitati pontificiae responsio jos. exoniensis . amico mihi plurimum colendo , domo. gilberto primerosio , s. theol. professori , ecclesiae gallicae londinensis pastori , regiae majestati à sacris . monstrabat mihi modo tourvalus noster , gente gallus , epistolam , latino idiomate typis editam , urbani papae , pro more , tumidam & sanguinolentam , ludovico galliarum regi pridem datam ; in qua , ubi bonus pontifex io paean canorè cecinisset rupellensi victoriae , regi simul ac genti abunde gratulatus , descendit illico , satis inclementer , ad saevum illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & haereticorum in gallia stabulantium profligationem acriter urget & impellit . continere manum non potui , quin me subito in chartas darem ; arripio calamum ; responsionem non meditor , sed effundo . quicquid est , habe , vir venerande , & lege ; & vel igni trade , vel luci . vale. a tuo jos. exon . urbano viii . pontifici romano , josephus exoniensis sanam mentem & charitatem . quidni verò pontificem maximum compellare ausit minimus episcoporum ? non peto veniam , nec opus est ; prisâ utor licentiâ . non ità nimium distabat olim ab eugubio roma , aut isca meus à tiberi . audi modo , pontifex urbane , quod brevi pro tremendo christi tribunali pallidus exaudies . pastorem christiani gregis parùm decent hae sanguinea liturae . tune ut ad arma , tristis praco , conclames ? tune ut christianos principes , nimio quàm plenos cruoris , ad profligationem suorum cladémque horrendam acriter instiges ? ideone tibi creditae claves , ut ferratas belli portas eburneásque ditis inferni aperires ? euge , petri umbra , numquid hi tibi malchi videntur , quibus dum aures praecidere voluisti , levi errore in guttura incidisti ? aut nunquid de quadrupedibus hisce in gallia stabulantibus dictum tibi pridem coelitus , occide & manduca ? tune pacifice rector ecclesiae , ut coruscantes galeas , hastas , gladios loquaris ? qualem verò sonum edere potuisset lupa tui romuli , si ista petri caulam non dedeceat truculenta vox ? conspue quantum lubet , & comminge cineres infelicis rupellae , & diffla superbo spiritu conculcatissimum miserrimae urbis pulverem : recognosce interim paululùm , quam non multa transierunt secula ex quo heareditarium ludovici , jam tui , sceptrum romae portas confregerit , comminuerit moenia , cives dissiparit , praecessorémque tuum , sannis dirisque onustum , caeco carcere mulctârit . sed neque tot deinceps excurrent anni ( nisi me praesaga futuri mens nimiùm fefellerit ) antequam cecidisse babylonem , & clamabit angelus , & gratulabundus orbis obstupescet . tuae erunt aliquando hae vices , urbium perditissima . felicem sane illum , qui paria tibi quaeque retulerit , quique parvulorum tuorum capita saxis identidem illiserit . fruere tu interea miseriis hisce nostris , arride lacrymis , exhilarare suspiri is , ejulatibus accine , applaude cruciatibus : est qui de coelo suo prospicit justus ultor , cujus nos unà & exosculamur virgam , & inhiamus vindictae . causam tu nostram age , ô deus , imò tuam , tuam solius : quidni te provocet arbitrum audax innocentia ? si quid uspiam est in toto hoc sacrosanctae quam profitemur hactenus religionis negotio quod ex humani cerebri impurissimo fonte prodierit , pereat sane nobiscum , pereat penitissimè , & ad inferos suos merito relegetur : quod si nos nihil unquam christiano orbi propinari ausi , nisi quod tu prophet is tuis apostolisque inspiraveris , perque illos ( fallere nescios ) amanuenses populo tuo fidelissimè traditum volueris ; scilicet quin aut nos tecum felicissimè erramus , ô deus veritatis , aut tu nobiscum aeternam hanc & unice evangelicam religionem tueris ? fallimur verò miselli , pietas est , ilicet , quam nos crudelitatis insimulamus ; zelus est domus dei quo , bonus pontifex , ità totus accenderis , ut haereticorum ad unum omnium in gallia stabulantium extirpationem & optaveris & suaseris importunius . o frontem ! o viscera ! deum , angelos , sanctos , testes appellamus hujus tam atrocis contumeliae . nempc , quos tu haereseos stigmate falsò inuris , audies demum ubi ecclesia filios , christus membra salutaverit . ecquid enim ( per deum immortalem ) docemus nos , quod non scriptura , non concilia , non patres , non ecclesiae catbedraeque christianoe unanimiter semper tenuerunt ? nimirum , quae nos profitemur , vestri ipsorum probatissimi authores tenent universa . quid ergorei est ? sunt revera quaedam nupera opinionum assumenta , quae vos avitae fidei superadjecta voluistis : ista nos piissime rejicimus , & constanter usque recusamus : humana sunt , vestra sunt ; denique aut dubia sunt , aut iniqua . ideone verò ut christianae animae ex ecclesiae gremio ejiceremur ? ut ferro flammisque absumendi traderemur illico ? ut in barathrum diaboli fulmine anathematis devoluti , arderemus aeternum ? ideone belluis & stabulum paratur & laniena ? justitiam , deus bone , & misericordiam pontificiam ! mera haec temporis injuria est : non fuit ea olim haeresis quae nunc est . si priscis ecclesiae temporibus nasci nobis contigisset , antcquam primatus iste romanus , iconolatria , transubstantiatio , sacrificium missaticum , purgatorium , communio sive singularis , sive dimidiata , indulgentiarum nundinatio , & hujus farinae reliqua orbi christiano innotuissent , patuisset profectò nobis coelum , non minus quam cateris piis simplicioris illius aevi animabus , quoe in vera christi fide feliciter evolârunt . jam verò in eam nos servatos fuisse mundi senectam , in qua nova quaedam suboriretur articulorum soboles , laetale nobis erit , neque minore poenâ quam perpetuis gehenna cruciatibus luendum . cogitate hoc , quotquot uspiam terrarum agitis christiani , quam sit ab omni justitia & charitate alienum , ut nova subinde humano arbitrio creetur fides priscis seculis inaudita , quae morti aeternae devoveat incredulos nepotes , quos antiqua veritas coelo adscivisset . recentes hi scilicet politicae religionis apices illi sunt qui orbem universum ( quaqua patet christi nomen ) immane quantum conturbârunt : hi sunt qui committunt inter se pacatissimos ( absque hoc foret ) terrae dominos , scindunt regna , populos distrahunt , dirimunt societates , seditiones fovent , florentissimas regiones vastant , urbes denique opulentissimas in cineres redigunt . siccine verò fieri oportuit ? putamusne hanc justam funestissimi belli internecionisque causam , pro summi judicis tribunali aliquando probatam iri ? evigilate , christiani principes , tuque in primis , ludovice rex , cui ista tam inurbanè crudeliterque insusurrata sunt ; evigila demum , & vide quàm tibi , sub praetextu pietatis , dira feritas pessimis modis imponere studuerit . tui sunt isti quos ad caedem deposcunt alienigenae ; christi sunt . tune vero ut manum gladiumve imbueres illorum sanguine pro quibus christus profudit suum ? qui suum pro te ac magno parente tuo lubentissime prodegerunt ? auditu , quaeso , qui justus audire soles apud tuos monarcha : sinos alium à tuo deum , christum alium coleremus , si aliud ambiremus coelum , si symbolum aliud , aliud baptisma , si novam denique aliis innixam fundamentis ecclesiam profiteremur , esset profectò cur haereticos in gallia stabulantes flammis ultricibus destinares : si quid populus tuus vel à communi deo sancitum , vel à te legitime institutum violarit , non deprecamur herclè vindictam ; vapulent qui meruerunt , aequum est . noli interim saevire in dei tui servos , in cives tuos , quos ipsa religio praestat fideles : noli sinere ut propter hesterna quaedam planeque superflna humani ingenii adjectamenta , meramque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pereant ii qui tuam patrisque tui salutem ac gloriam summo vitae suae discrimine redimere voluerunt : sine per te vivant illi , per quos tu modò regnas . quod si tui non essent , memento tamen ( quo te titulo maximè insignire solent tui ) christianos esse , eodem & fonte lotos , & emptos sanguine , & spiritu renatos , coelestis denique ( quicquid vanus intonct furor ) sponsae filios , sponsi fratres . at errant hi scilicet à fide. quâ tandem ? non christianâ certè , sed pontificiâ . quid vero hoc monstri est ? non damnat hos christus , damnat pontifex . sisuperesset modò magnus ille tuus cancellarius parisiensis , doceret is liberè sorbonam ( quod olim fecit ) suam , quàm non sit penes pontificem , propositionem aliquam ( verbo utar suo ) heereticare . atqui concilium fecit insuper hoc oecumenicum . quodnam vero ? tridentinum . fallor si hoc in galliis obtinere potuerit hactenus , meruitve . consule tuos integerrimae pridem fidei authores , dicent illi tibi . quàm iniquum , quàm nullum fuerit : unius erat pontificis quicquid à coetu illo ( multicipiti romae mancipio ) factum sancitumve . cogita denique , obsecro , quam non alio in loco ●●nt reformati pontificiis , quàm pontificii reformat● : atque acriter exprobrari solet haresis utrinque . siccine verò agitur apud nos romanae religionis asseclis ? unquamve gladio aut incendio saevitum istic in fidem pontificiam ? eccui unquam capitale fuit hoc miserè hallucinantis conscientiae crimen ? est ubi comperies ( rarò tamen admodum ) audacem forte aliquem sacrificum , legum publicarum contemptorem , seditionis flabellum , poenam luisse meritissimam : sed meroe religionis causam ( fidenter dico ) nemo unquam pontificiorum aut capite luit aut membro . quin tu , clementissimi henrici fili , pariter te geris ergatuos , qui reformatam religionem innocentissimè profitentur . quin faxis , nemini ut fraudi siet secundum scripturam sacram , veterisque ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deum coluisse : liceat tuis esse verè pios . tu verò redi ad te demum , urbane pontifex , & recole quàm haec purpuram tuam probè deceat atrox sententia . non pedum profectò , sed ensem gestârit oportet , qui istud exaraverit ; neque piscatorium est hoc rete , sed the atricum & myrmillonicum . speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem , inquit propheta ; nos hîc de te paulò aliter , odiosae manus praeconizantium bella . si qua tibi sors in evangelio jesu christi obtigisset , fasilè sentires pacem istic sonare omnia , lenitatem , mansuetudinem , concordiam : non nisi ex inferno missa est dira erinnys . ne levissimus quidem mallei sonus exauditur in templo dei. tu vero , ô bone , ecclesiam dei sanctam impleri vis clangore tubarum , ictibus caedentium , morientium ejulatibus . audi ergò demum , tu qui mortalium omnium judicia superbè refugis ; quod olim robertus noster sanctus pariter & doctus lincolniensis episcopus praecessori tuo fecisse dicitur , id ego tibi nunc facio : fas mihi sit indicere tibi verendum omnipotentis dei tribunal , pro quo tremens horrensque tibi anima brevi sistetur , sanguinolenti istius consilii rationem redditura . interim , si valere mavelis , resipisce . reverendissimo in christo patri , viro incomparabili josepho hall , episcopo exoniensi , gilbertus primerosius s. p. d. heu quantum potuit terrae pelagíque parari hoc quem civiles fuderunt sanguine dextrae gallorum ? sed paci intercedit inurbanae frontis homo urbanus viii . pontifex romanus ; qui exhalans foedos foedo de pectore ructus , bullante diro cruore bulla , ferocibus minaciis venosâ , & saevâ adulatione tumente , optimo regi , sed praepropero ac fervido in martem ingenio , in fidissimos cives , qui nisi fuissent non esset ipse , funesta inflat classica ; brevi que grandiloquo & cruento sub annulo piscatoris asperrimam studiis belli gentem iterum in brevia & syrtes civilis , hoc est , creperi & periculosissimi belli , cerebrosus & imperitus nauclerus adigit & impingit : nullâ regis , nullâ regionum omnium facile reginae , quas sol exoriens curru fugiente vaporat , nullâ religionis majore curâ sed magis ut regi & regno anxias & inexplicabiles sollicitudines conficiat ; ut humanissimos cives , non in piscatoria petri navicula — lentos incurvans gurgite remos , evangelici hami felici piscatu ex undoso turbarum civilium salo piscator hominum humaniter ducat ad salutem , sed in antichristi praetoria navi gubernacula tenens , bullarum & brevium enormi harpagone pirata nefarius christianos inhumaniter praedetur ad caedem . ut solenni pontificum romanorum more , quod in urbium densis vicis à grassatoribus nocturnis fieri amat , belli facem accensam in vicina regna conjiciat , ut bonis civibus ad eum restinguendum undique discurrentibus , ille impunè trahat , rapiat , populetur , foedet , conculcet omnia ; & ardente christi ecclesiâ , immanissimi neronis decessoris sui instar , laetificum cum spintriis suis trojae pereuntis excidium canat : — sic sua quemque inscribit facies . — verum — ut multos mensésque diésque , non tamen aetatem tempestate hac scelerosi laetabuntur . nam ecce quàm opportunè tu , praesul amplissime , coelestis & infracti pectoris fervente robore , romanum illum miserandae sortis onagrum in arce tarpeiâ stabulantem , & sono intempestivo rudentem , styli tui acumine , veluti clavis & fustibus , compescis : tu bestiae bipedis è limo & è fimo erepentis lunata cornua elegantis libelli malleo retundis : tu rufo draconi aere ciere viros , martémque accendere cantu nimis quàm bono , incestum & clamosum os suggillas : tu papam superbientem , & sublime caput coelo audaci nisu inferentem , cujus ad nutum intereunt , labuntur , eunt rursum omnia vorsum , modestissimo scripto humilitatem & modestiam doces : tu marculum , qui duri robora ferri in orthodoxorum perniciem multorum magnis tuditantium ignibu● tundit , cyclopum polyphemo extorques , & pausam tuditandi facere jubes : tutrepidantia jampridem balylonis moenia à coenosis magni illius exitialium mendaciorum architecti congesta caementariis , — qui nihil amplius unquam quàm commune lutum è paleis , coenúmque aceratum rugosi passique senes eadem omnia quaerunt , variorum librorum multis vigiliis feliciter elucubratorum , velut oscillo penduli impetus hactenus arietasti , vexasti , dissipasti : tandem , optimae notae libello , non ad ostentationem sed ad utilitatem composito , & mitissima responsione , sulphareas omnium calamitatum fornaces , quas nebuchadnetsar romanus adversus christi confessores immitissimo edicto accendi jubet , pro virili tua parte à christi ecclesia prohibes & depellis : tu leonum famelicorum dentes , quos indomitae illius belluae consiliarii atque administri in danielis nostros exacuunt , verbi divini forfice comprehendis , concutis , & confringis ; — quos ille indocilis pacísque boníque , omnium malorum fecialis & pater patratus , principes rerum potentes in arma feralia exequiali & tragico carmine movet & protrudit : tu pacis aeternae praeco ab armis discordibus revocas , & ad piam christi pacem , christianaeque charitatis tranquillum portum fortiter occupandum , suavissimae scriptionis dulci & docto celeusmate fidus celeustes provocas . frustra omnia , illum si spectes qui , nequam & magnus homo , laniorum immane ' canes ut , distento & fulmineo rictu christianorum sanguini inhiat , cuique cibus cadavera , potus cruor est : quibus dum se ingurgitat , toto orbe christiano tristibus ululante plangoribus , ille laetis ululat triumphis , io paean , io triumphe nobis obganniens , velut gallinaceu ' cum victor se gallus honestè sustulit in digitos , primorésque erigit ungues , coquelico canorâ voce in fimeto occinit . ut illa meretrix purpurata , martyrum sanguine ebria , quae reges quos philtris suis intoxicavit , bullarum aculeatarum majoribus stimulis in cruda adversum christum praelia suscitat ; ut ille desperatae salutis homo , peccati & per ditionis filius , tuum illud resipisce discat , spes nulla superest . nam si tu hos fluctus undásque è gurgite salso tollere decrêris , ventum prius haematicum tu , ventum , inquam , tollas . illi enim neque est cor quo paveat , neque jecur quo amet , neque fel quo sibi irascatur , neque frons quâ erubescat : illi ganeae , illis ingluviosis quibus cingitur raso capite ministris , — solis vivere fas est occipite caeco , — & edictis vetare , — ne quisquam hic faxit oletum , & sacra capita reprehendat . nam vos romulidae vobis ignoscitis , & quae turpia cerdoni , papam sacrósque decebunt presbyteros . at tu , antistes dignissime , eos liberâ ad urbanum responsione liberas doces audire voces , & ingratiis discere , in anglia & mutire fas esse , & sine scrobe altâ voce exclamare , auriculas asini papam & cardinales habere . quantum autem ego fideli erga me amicitiae tuae debeam , reverende pater , quod mihi homini privato tantus eruditione , pietate , dignitate praesul , responsionem illam inscribere voluisti , nec rudi calamo exprimere , nec linguâ inexplanatâ expromere , nec impari mente consequi possum : scilicet , ut episcopum decet , tui semper similis es , id est optimus ; honores novos adeptus veterem amicitiam non deponis , & magnus licet sis , omniumque bonorum votis minor , ad minima te demittis . quod verò electissimum scriptum meo arbitrio stare aut cadere , prodire aut latere , malignâ ignis flammâ extingui , aut praeclarâ doctorum luce frui , publici juris , aut in mei solius bonis esse jubes ; id verò modestiae est tuae , quae inter multas & claras virtutes quae in te maximae sunt & clarissimae , in scriptis , in voce , in vultu , in oculis , in composito mentis habitu , in tota vita tua fulgentibus micat radiis , velut inter ignes luna minores . macte istâ morum suavitate , quâ operto vivens ostio , facta tua omnia ad pietatis & rectae rationis obrussam exigis : macte isto viri boni charactere , qui index ipse sui totum se explorat ad unguem , quid proceres , vanique ferat quid opinio vulgi securus . teque ipsum semper verens , omnium quotquot te novere , quique tuos in scriptis & nitida oratione pellucentes mores vidêre , amorem tibi conciliasti . macte iterum atque iterum praeclarae eruditionis gloriâ , altissimâ rerum divinarum & humanarum scientiâ , literatissimis variarum disciplinarum monumentis , quibus tibi jure merito jucundi & nervosi oratoris , christiani senecae , clarissimi & doctissimi theologi nomen comparasti ; quod vivet seclis innumerabilibus . sed age , eat qui dono meus est bonus libellus , qui auro est carior aureus libellus : eat pedibus celer per alpium aeternis horrentium nivibus invias rupes , per apennini ardua & praerupta juga viam sibi faciat , arcem sanctangeli velox conscendat ; angelo satanae , urbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 securè procul extra teli jactum incubanti in faciem narret , esse in anglia episcopos haud paucos , qui inhumanae & infestae pecori lupae , sub ovina pelle regibus & populo christiano romae horrendae lac ferinum immulgenti , personam alienam detrahere , bestiam ovium sanguinis sitientem à christi caulis arcere ; ecclesiae laeta & pura pascua à turpi spumantium aprorum dente , & foedo lutulentarum suum rostro pura & intemerata conservare ; aesopicam corniculam petri & pauli plumis insolescentem furtivis coloribus nudare ; cuculi romani , qui christianos omnes pro currucis habet , ova in ipso dei templo posita pertundere ; meretricem babylonicam christiani nominis cerussâ & minio fucatam traducere , & possint , quia doctissimi , & velint , quia integerrimi , & faciant , quia vigilantissimi . atque ut odor illa morte in mortem sit quia resipiscere dedidicit , denuncietut tota men te atque omnibus artubus contremiscat , appetente jam die illo decretorio quo ardebit babylon , meretricis magnae negotiatores & adulteri omnes lugebunt , diabolus mundi seductor , bestia & pseudoprophe●a in stagnum ignis & sulphuris praecipites abibunt , aeternas justè irato numini poenas daturi ; filiumque perditionis dignus principio exitus exodiumque sequetur . interea temporis , veni , domine jesu , veni : antichristum se truci in unctos tuos rabie efferentem comprime : hostibus tuis , qui asperum paternae castigationis tuae vinum nobis plenis cyathis educendum dedêre , acinosas & pannosas indignationis tuae faeces plenis doliis exhauriendas invitis & reluctantibus porrige : captivam sionis filiam ferreo aagyptiacae servitutis jugo oppressam liberali causa manu assere : ludovici regis fulgentes hastas , coruscantes enses , arma mortali fulgore crispantia , tormentorum bellicorum horrisona fulmina in ipsum pseudoprophetam & lutosos babylonis muros converte , ut fatidicum vatem veri , nescium , sua sibi mala laevâ mente verè profatum esse pudeat & poeniteat : ecclesiis transmarinis solidam pacem subdolis ereptamartibus restitue : damna nos voti , & hanc quâ major britannia tuo solius beneficio fruitur pacem & tranquillitatem nobis fidam , posteris verò nostris perpetuam praesta : huic autem aureo libello da ut vivat vigeatque antichristo principum invidiam conflaturus , ecclesiae tuae almam pacem coagmentaturus : ejusque autori largire beneficus , ut vitâ honestissimè & sanctissimè in terris actà , coelo potiatur , ubi tecum immortali aevo summa cum pace fruatur . amen . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e rom. . . matth. . . compared with mar. . . luc. . . compared with . vide chap. . ver . , . for the full explicatiō whereof , i referre my reader to my passion sermō , wherein the particularities are largely discussed . gal. . . notes for div a -e chron. ● psal . . . psal . . . psal . ● . . vers . . prov. . . jer. . . dan. . , . notes for div a -e . tim. . . jer. . . epist . . ad honoratum . notes for div a -e no creature is more humble then god. the temple of the lord. neat in words , if foul in fact . heavy ear . deaf ear . herod within , john without . either all , or none at all . the whole world is set in evil . wickedness blinds the understanding . the right hand of the most high. they told truth , and yet lyed . notes for div a -e my dove , my fair one . in the wounds of christ . notes for div a -e joh. . . in librum sapientia . notes for div a -e ecclus . . . notes for div a -e esay . . bellarm. recogn . notes for div a -e nic. l. . ● . . act. . . cor. . . de ira dei , l. . c. . jer. . . epist . . notes for div a -e john . . adrichom . desc . hiero. foi . fig. . a faciunt favos & vespae , faciūt ecclesias & marcionita . tertull. advers . marcion . lib. . cap. . b ecclefiae nomē consensus concordiaeque est . chrylost . com . in ep. ad gai. c sit inter nos una fides , & illico pax scquetur . hier. advers . ruff. d erasm . epist . lib. . pau●o decimario . e cor. . . f victor . pe●sar . atric . lib. . spalat . de histor . eccles . to●n . ult . lib. . melancht . postil . de baptismo christ : diog. laert. hooker eccles . pol. lib. . ● . . a commentar . in euang. b sape patres nostri & salubcrrimam consuc●udinem 〈◊〉 , ut quiequid divin●ra ac i●gi●imum , &c. aug. neque pr●p●●r palcā relinquimus aream domini , neque prop●er pisces malos rumpimus r●tia domini . aug. epi. . sic anabaptistae accusant paedobaptismum papismi . clifton . contr . smith . si● n●ariani trinitatem arg●●nt ut articulum papae . prolaeus fa●cic . cap. . c no● fatemur s●b papatu plurimum esse boni christiani , im● omne bonum christianum ; dico insuper & imo vero , verum nucle●m christianitatis . luther . in ep. ad . pleb . de anabap . cit . à cromero de fals . relig . lutheran . aliud est credere quod papa credit , aliud credere quod est papae . prolaeus ibid. ubi supr . d euseb . de vita constant . lib. . cap. . e justin . tit. . §. . annot. in leg . . tab. magistris utentes ambitione & avaritia . ber. ad henric. senonens . quae fuerant vitia , mores fiunt . gers . de negligentia praelatorum , ex senec. gravam . germ. f matth. . . a per disciplinam & metum , nunquam spont● sen. b corrigenda & refer manda est ecclesiastica disciplina , quae ja●diu depravata atque corrupt &c. orat. praesid conc. trid ses . c primordia ●uncta pavida sunt . cass . d luther offered . conclus . to be disputed at wittenb . jo. tecclius offers the contrary propos . at francf . vid hist . conc. tr● . . luther . &c. e ita venio , beatissime pa●cr , &c. & adhuc prostratus rogo , &c. ep. ad leon . f ib. luth. jo. eckius , & sylv. prierius cont . luth. vid. hist . concil . trid. g saepe saluti fuerc pestifera . senec. h james hogostrot a dominican inquisitor stirs up pope leo to capital punishments of luth. and his followers . ibid. hist conc. i a primordio justitia vim patitur ; statim ut coli deus coepit , invidiam religio sortita est . tert. scorpiac . advers . gnostic . cap. . k bapt , porta , leonis bulla , anno . l punitis ingeniis gliscit author it as . erasm . godesch . rosemund . * non defuisse magnos theologos qui non verebantur affirmar● , nihil osse in luthero quin per probatos authores defendi possit . erasmus lib. epist . . godeschalco rosemund . &c. m theod. beza contra andraeam , &c. vid. histor . concil trid. l . n hul. zuingl . in eccl. zurich . opponit se tratii samps . mediola . francis . hugo constantien . epis . opponit se zuinglio ibid. o bulla secunda leonis papae , anno . a anno . vid. hist . conc. trid. lib. . b tres salvi conductus concessi protestantibus ; sed quam frustra vid. junii animadversiones in bellar. c vid. ep. epi. quinque eccles . in hist . concil . trid. d judicandi potestas apud accusatores erat . ruffin . hist . l. . cap. . e . q. multo , &c. . q. . nullus debet . f sententia non praesentibus partibus dicta , nullius momenti est . cassiod . de amic . cap. . nullus ante rectam cognitionem causae debet privari suo jure . rodrigu●z cas . cons . cap. . g cum carpuntur vitia , & inde scandalum oritur , ipse sibi scandali causa est qui fecis quod argui debet , non ille qui arguit . bern. ad hugo . de s. vict. epist . . h nos vetera instauramus , nova non prodimus . erasm . godeschalco , &c. vide fregevillii pontíque reform . an. . i haeresia non tā docet credere nova , quam vetera non credere : magis enim haereses in non credendo . joan. lensaeus bellidavus de christ . libert . l. . c. . k durand . ration . lib. . l fisher . contra d. white , & d. featly . m accusatio non debet admitti quae non procedit ex charitate . q. . a nec inficior rom. ecclesiam à prisco suo decore & splendore non parū diversam , multisque morbis & vitiis deformatā . cass . de offi. boni viti , &c. b utilia vero et nolëti ingerēda . ber. de vit . solit . c luther , porrexit orbi pharmacum violentū & amarum : id quale quale sit , optarim ut aliquid b●nae sanitatis , &c. ●rasm . georgio sax. duci , l. . novis morbis novis obviandū medicamentis . bern ep. . d dulcior est religiosa castigatio , quā blanda romissio . ambr. in obit . theod. ser . . e non sugimus , sed fugamur . casaub . ad peron . f qui ab eccl. & communicne , &c. cytil . orat . de exitu animae . g oportebat quidem nibil non ferre , ne ecclesiam dei scinderes . dion . ad novat . euseb . lib. . c. , &c. h qui statum conturbat ecclesiae , ab ejus liminib . arceatur . epi. alexand. pap. i ingenia generosa doceri cupiunt , cogi non ferunt ; cogere tyrannorum est , cogi tantum asinorum . erasm . rosemund . ubi supra . k cavendum est ne cum rem dubiam emendare volumus , majora vulnera faciamus . alip . august . epist . . l index expuigat . bel. jussu phil. . antuerp . offic. plant. in catholicis veteribus alios plurimos , &c. * magdeb. 〈◊〉 ē . a quae jamdiu depravata atque corrupta , harum ipsarum haresiū magna exparte caus● origóque exstitit . orat , praes . cont. trid. sess . . petrus oxon. sum . conc. sub sixto . b si authorit as quaratur , orbis major est urbc , ubicunque fucrit episcopus , five rom. five evgabii . hieron . evagrio , walden . doctr . fid . tom. . lib. . pighius hierar . eccl. lib. . . turrecremat . & alii , v. mort. appel . lib. . cap. . §. . answer of the bishop of st. david's chapl. to fisher . c nec papa nec episcopus proprie potest propositionem , &c. gers . an liceat in causis fidei , &c. nil . thessal . orat. de dissens . d is propri● haereticus dicitur , qui suo ipsius judicio condemnatus , sua sponte scipsum ●yicit ab ecclesia . hosius de legitim . judic . rerú eccle. l. . e subesse romano , &c. ext. de major . et obed , unam , &c. f sylv. prior. epit. resp . ad luth. l. . cap. . g nilus imputat divisiones orbis christiani prasumptioni romanoe eccl. quae susceperit in se absque gracis definire de rebus fidei , & contra sentientes anathemate ferire . orat. de diffens . eccles . h ego si percgrinum dogma induxero , ipse peccavi , bern. in cant● ser. . i cir. de modest . annot. in leg . tab. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . modest . annot. ibid. a card. de monte praes . conc. orat. sua ses . . professes what they meant to have dispatch'd in dayes , cost seven moneths worke . b unica formalis causa est justitia dei , non qua ipse justus est , sed qua nos justos facit , &c. conc. trid. sess . . c secundum propriam cujusque dispositionem & cooperationom . ibid. d si quis dixerit , &c. per eam ipsam formaliter justos esse , vel solae imputatione justitiae christi , vel sola remissione peccatorum , &c. anathema sit . can. , . e nunquam remittetur culpa , quin suni●● in●undatur justitia . bellar. l. . de justif . c. . perfecta sunt opera dei , ex deuter. . bellar. lib. . de justific . cap. . justitiam in nobis recipientes , unusquisque suam secundùm mensuram quam spiritus sanctus partitur singulis prout vult , & secundùm propriam cujusque dispositionem . cone . trid. ubi supra . * ●orense vocab . justif verbum 〈…〉 in alia significatione usurpant patres . chemn . exam . de justis . causa formalis propter qud homo dicitur justus cord deo , bell. l. de just . c. . yet in the next chapter he corrects this propter in chemnitius , and expresses it otherwise , l. . c. . a chrysoft . in con. hom . . o miscricor diae magnitudinem , &c. repentéque justus apparet . chrysoft . in galat. c. . crux sustulit execrationem , ●ides invexit justitiam , justitia vero gratiā spiritus allexit . b amb. de jacob . & vita beata . non operibus justificamur , sed side , quoniā carnalis infirmitas , &c. ib. cap. . non g'oriabor quia men● , &c. similiter de cain & ab. l. . c. . de fuga §. c. . & . c hieron . adv . pelag. lib. . tunc justi sumus cum imperfectos nos , &c. d gregor . in ezech. hom . . ad finem , justus igitur advocatus noster , &c. e ergo , fratres , omnes de plenitudine ejus accepimus , de plenitudine misericordiae , &c. quid ? remissionem peccatorum , ut justificaremur exside . august . tract . . in joan. f omnes qui ex adam cum peccato , peccatores ; omnes qui per christum justificati , justi , non in se , sed in illo . nam in se , si interroges , adam sunt ; &c. ib. aug. g laetaminí , &c. o qui laetamini in vob●● o impii , o superbi , qui laetamini in vobis ! jam credentes in eum qui justificas impium , &c. aug. . enar. in ps . . h quis accusavit , &c. sufficit mihi ad omnem justitiam solum habere propitium cui soli peccavi . omne quod . &c. non peccare dei justitia ; hominis justitia est indulgentia dei , bern. in cant. ser. . i et si miscricordia domini , &c. nunquid justitias meas , domine ? memorabo justitiae tuae solius , &c. a non est pallium breve , &c. b et te pariter & me operiet largiter larga & aterna justitia , &c. ber. sup . cant. serm . c bellar. de justif . l. . c. . & l. . c. . d quiliber abomnib . cruditioribus theologis etiam per italiam & galliam summopere commendatus ●uit , &c. cass . consult . art . e nos dicimus hominem per fidem donum justificationis tum demum accipere , &c. enchir. colon. can. loc . com . lib . cap. . ●es . haec de cajet . f quo juniores , eo perspicaciores . salmer . in rom. . disput . . g hareses non tam novitas quā veritas revincit . tertul. de veland . virgin. job . , . prov. . . eccles . . . psal . . . & . . esay . . rom. . . jam. . joh. . . acts , . rom. . eph ▪ . rom. . & . . cor. . . philip. . . rom. . . & . . a cor. . , ▪ b rom. . . & , . ad hac vide gen. . . esa . . & . . & . . rō . . , , . & . , , , . & . ▪ , & . . & . , . cor. . . gal. . . & . , , , . non majue est creare coelum & terrā quam peccatores justificare . gers . trac . sup . magnif . . c bern. deverbis esai . serm . . d hierad ctes . e hieron , de filio prodigo . f ber. in cant. ser . . g justitia actualis imperfecta , &c. non desinit tamen esse vera justitia , & suo quodam modo perfecta . bellar. de justif . lib. . cap. . * august . ad hier. ep. . conc. tri ses . . c. . c. . si quis , &c. augmentum gratiae , vitam aeternā , & ipsius vitae aeternae cons●●utionem , anathema sit . a o felix culpa quae talem meruis habere salvatorē ecclesia canit in benedictione ceroi . sal. in . tim. . apostoli à sui● civibus occids merucrūt . aug in psalm . . major est mea iniquitas qud ut veniam merear , gen. . vulg. tral . vide mort. appell . b manct sempiterna requies , &c. basil . in ps . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. c veteres omnes summo consensu tradunt , &c. cassan . consul . de bonies quaest . neque ab hac , &c. scholastici scrip●ores & recentiores ecclesiastici , &c. d thom. wald. to . . facr . tit. . cap. . t. wald. praeclarus wiclifistarum impugnator . and. veg. . . de ●a●sis justif . cap. e royard . to . . dominic . . post pent●cost . luke . , . rom. . . ephes . . . rom. . . tit. . . rom. . . alex. pesaut . in . ae . qu. . artic . disp . . gloria est gratia consummata . p. ferius specim . schol. ort. c. . cor. . . pesaut in . tho. q. . a●t . . valor physicus & entitativus operum christi , &c. a absit ut justi vitam aeternam exspe●tent sicut pauper elcemosynam . ruard . tap. ●x a●t . colon. aug. de verb. apo. se● . . fons idol●maniarū transub . melancht . ad amicum , boxhorn . isag . ad concord . l. . * fox acts and mon. passim . a si quis dixerit in sacrosanctae , &c. conc. tri. de transub . c . can. . in synaxi s●ro transubstantiationem definivit ecclesia . diu satis erat credere , sive sub panc consecrato , sive quccunque modo , adesse verum corpus christi . erasm . annot. in cor. . b bellar. de euc. lib. . cap. . ibid. bellar. confitente etiā●uarez . saltem ab annis quingentis d●gma transub . sub anathemat● stabilitum . bel. de euch. lib. . cap. . concil . floren●ess ult . * se firmiter credere verbis illis dominicis sacramentū fieri . ibid. sess . ult . ** act. theol. wittemberg . anno . a whitak . cont . dur. lib. . fol. . b ignat. ad smyrn . iren. lib. . contr . haeres . tertul. de resur . orig. hom . . in diver . loc cypr. de coen . do. bas . in reg . br . q. . greg. nyss . in cat●ch . cyril . hierosol . cat. myst . . hilar. l. . de trin. ambr. de sacr . libr. . cap. & . greg. naz. in epit. gorgon . epiph. in anc. chrysost . hom . in cor. cyril . alex. epist . ad coelesyrium , aug. in psal . . hier. ad hedib . theol . dial . . leo serm . . de jejun . damase . l. . de fide orthod . theophylact. in luc. . c et quidem mutatur ; est enim alia elementi natura , sacramentialia . eliens . contr . bellarm. d bell. de euch. lib. . c. . e bish . morton's appell . f gelas . pap. de duabus christ . natur . biblioth . patr. tom . . g aug. in ps . . non hoc ipsum corpus quod videtis , &c. neque hunc ipsum sanguinem , &c. sacramentum vobis aliquod com . &c. h ubi fiagitium , &c. august . de doct . christ . l. . c. . i tertul. contra marcion . lib. . k theod. dial. & . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c a carnale est dubitare quo modo de coelo descendit , &c. & quo modo possit carnem suā dare ad mand●candum ; haec , inquam , omnia carnalia , quae mystice & spiritualiter intelligenda sunt , chrysostom ▪ in cap. joan. hom . . b similiter ut res dicuntur , neque aliud quippiam excogitare , &c. ibid. in illud , siquis dixerit contra filium hominis . c contr. tryphon . d homil. . in levit. e de coen . domini . f in epitaph . caesarii , & ad cives nazianz. g libr. de baptismo . h in esai . . i libr. de trinitar . k in joan. lib. . cap. . l homil. . m lib. de corp. & sanguin . &c. n albin . in jo. cap. . o dentibus premat , &c. p sicut etiam ante nos intellexerunt homines dei. ib. q john . . joh. . , . cor. . . matth. . . mark. . . luke . . cor. , , : . heb. . . acts . . matth. . . august . de util . cred . cap. . 〈◊〉 . quod cum affirmatur negatur , impossibile est , & implicat contradictionē , cassan in impl . contradict . * spatia locorum tolle corporibus . aug. epist . . a nicetas in naz. orat. de pentec . quidem ne cogitatione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. sic & aug. tollc ipsa corpo●● qualitatibus , &c. b nam si verè sectionem & partitionem divinanatura reciperet &c. cyrill . alex. c resp . ad epist . viri docti . tom. . dialog . de trin. lib. . const . synod . sess . . a inter alia , propter periculum effusionis . jo. de burgo , partis cap. . ibid. cassan . consult . de uttraque spec . sacr . &c. liturg. basil . & chrylost . vide cassand . consult . ubi sup . b in epist . ad phil. lib. . ep. . lib. de coen . dom. quaest in levi● . . * great . decret . de consecrat . dict . c. . comperimus , divisio unius ejusdemque mysterii non ●inc grandi sacrilegio potest pervenire . etsi christus dominus , &c. non tamen illa institutio & traditio eo tendunt ut omnes christi fideles statuto domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam astringātur , &c. concil . trid. sess . . sub pio. an. . c. . * cor. . . nihil differt sacerdos à subdito quandofruendum est mysteriis . chrys . cor. . . gal. . . doct. white cont . fisherum . * macarium in altare insultasse , mensam domini evertisse . socrat . lib. . c. . a chrysost . in psal . . b conc. tri. ses . . c. . can. . verum , proprium , propitiatorium , &c. * in li. sen . prof. hom . . ad heb. c prece mystica consecratur nobis in memoria dominica passionis . lom . sent . lib. . d. . d cassand , consult . de sacrificio . et ibid. hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius . chrys ubi supr . e si quis dixerit missa sacrificium tantum esse laudis & gratiarum actionis , &c. sess . . cap. . hebr. . . conc. trid. ses . . cap. . heb. . , , , , . sola offerendi rations diversa . ibid. conc. tr. hebr. . . cassan . consul . de sacrif . bellar. lib. de missa , cap. . jo. de burg. partis cap. . de ministratione euch. salmer . tom. . tract . . an euchar. sit proprie sacrificium . a cor. . . epist . epiphan . inter opera hieron . quae 〈◊〉 religionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. biblio . patr. tom . . greg. epist . l. . epi. . indict . ▪ cassan . consul . . 〈◊〉 cultu imag. rog. hoveden . part. annal. . ann. . fol . vide binnium in vita constant . p. beda eccl. hist . ang. lib. . cap. , &c. a azorius iast . lib ▪ . c● . cites for this opinion , alex. p. . q. . memb . . art . . alber. . d. . art . . bonav . . d. . . q. richard. . d. . art . . q. . palud . . d q. . marsil . . q. . henric. quodl . . q. . cent. . cap. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe simula●rum ver . act. . . & . . cor. . . john . . levit. . . b deut. . . * esay . . & . . mic. . . abac. . , . zach. . . esa . . . & . . & . , , , . . & esay . . jer. ● . & . & . ezec. . , . & . , . & . . ose . , . mich. . . c deut. . . * durand . rat● . . c. . ex his & similibus authoritatibus reprobatur nimius imaginum usus . pet . we turn ●t well abominable ideluries greg vol. l. . apol. de idol . c . neque absurde prosecto putave● is b. petrum insinuavisse cultum ai●quē simulacroruam rectum ●sse , &c. cont . hebrandum . a esay . b deut. . c esay . . d siquis puram creaturam prepter quameumque excellentia● colit cultu & honore majori quam puro humano , cultus hic jam accdit ad cultum religiosum , & per conseq . ad divinū . spalat . de rep. eccl. . . c. . sed neque elias adorandus est , etiamfi in vivis sit , neque johannes ad●andus , &c. epiph. cont . collyrid . bae● . . e acts . . f revel . . . g diog. laert. * per illa colitur deus . less . de jure &c. de relig. l. . . dub . h cassand . co●s . a●t . . i nos non dice martyrum relaquias , &c. hier. ad ripariam . histor : concil . trid. lib. . a de vanit . scient . c. . b de invent . rer . l. . c. . dies indulgent . referuntur ad paenitentias pro vita injunctas . gers . reg . moral . greg. de val. & bellarm. l. . de indulgent . chemn . exam. de indulgent . c. . ibidem . * for well-near a thousand two hundred years . bellaum . l. . de indul. cap. . a aug. ●nc● . c. . de civi● dei , l. . c. . quicquid s● quod illo signis●catur ; 〈◊〉 braha . confess . l. . c. . ser , de temp. . qui cum christo reg●are non meruerit , cum diabelo absque dubitatione peribit , &c. ib , and the like , de civit . dei , lib. . c. . b cypr. con● . demetriam , ad finem . c — hîc etiam nobis est prompta modela ; post autem clausa est omnis medicina salai● . naz. car. de rebus suis , carm. . fig. d ambr. de obitu theodos . ad medium , &c. e eras . epist . l. . hier. agathio . esay . . esay . . psal . . . john . . mat. . ma● . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. john . . cor. . . wisd . . , . revel . . . collegia clericorum & conventus religiosorum aspergunt & incensant corpus papae , & absolvunt . sacr. cerem . a cajet . in cor. . ex has pauli doctrina habetur , quod melius ad aedificationem ecclesiae est ora●iones publicas , quae audiente populo dicuntur , dici lingua communi clcricis & populo , quàm dici latine . b lyr. ibid. c concil . later . anno . nec lingua vulgaris popalo subjiracta est , sed popalus ab ca rec●ssit . eras. decl . ad censur . purif . 〈◊〉 . . sect . . * e●●a histor 〈◊〉 . longaevae consuetudinis non est vilis authoritas , dummo●o canonibus non sit contraria . . dist . consu●● . &c. cor. . . . verse . . . . . . salmeron in illa , ves estis sal terrae● ex lactant. laurent . presb. pisan . paradox . euangelic . quid prodest ●ons siga●us ? jac. graph. decis . aur . sylv. quaest . . art . . conc●● . trident . s● quis dix●rit in sa●ram . poeni●●●●iae ad 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 &c. se●● . . gless . grat. de poenitentia , dist . . c. in poenitentia . 〈…〉 in noti● ibid. a in annor , hi●ro . ad ocean . b in not . tertul . de poeni●●n . &c. bellar. de poeni● . l. . c. de presby● poenitentiari●s , vide socrat. l. . c. . beatus rhenanus argum. in 〈◊〉 de poenit . 〈◊〉 &c. john . . james . . acts . . john . . matt. . . rom. . . chrysost . in psal . . sayr . summa cas . navar. isaac . syr. presb. antiochen . de contemp●mundi , &c. cassand . consult . art. de confess . lindan . panop . lib. . cassand . ibid. resp . ad f●herum . spalat . de resp . eccl. l. . c. . §. . rex jacob. praemonit . ad principes , &c. niceph. lib. . cap. . ecclesiae catholicae commodissima , ibid. jos . sca●ig . notis in novum test . a stapl. lib. de author . scr . a chrys . hom . de poenitent . hom . . which place the margine of the latine edition of venice , set forth by the authority of the inquisition , tells us , ( and we must believe it ) makes nothing against invocation of saints . * vide ibid. b spalat . lib. . c. . §. . c gul. altis . in . sent . &c. d dea , primas coeli , &c. praecipe angelis ut nos custodiant . in rosar . canon . reg. anonym . dividunt coram patre inter se mater & filius pietatis ●fficia , & condunt inter se reconciliationis nostrae inviolabile testamentum . arnold . carnot . de laudibus . virg. e lud. vives in aug. de civitar . d●i lib. . c. ult . f nam & plebem rudiorem religiose , &c. et magis plurimos interne religioso affectu crga b. virgin. &c. quam 〈◊〉 christum . spalat . de re eccl. lib. . cap. . §. . g ego certe ab antiquitate non recedo nisi coactus . zanch. in coloss . h job . , . i eccles . . , . esay . . king. . . august . de cura pro mort . gerend . cap. . hiero. in eccl. . ad fin . psal . . psal . . . & . . , &c. prov. . . & . . & . . jer. . . & . & . . * kings . psal . . . tim. . . ephes . . . heb : . hug de sancto vict de sacr . l . s●mma caranzae , &c. concil . trident . sess . . can. . a cassand . consult . art. . de num . sacram. clem. recognit . l. . justin . apol . . tertull. de coron . milit . & ad scap●lam . b luther , de captivit . babylon . c in loc . com . cassand ibid. thus all antiquity runs upon two . cypr. l. . ep. . cyril . hierosol●● catech. ambros . august . &c. suar. tom. . disp . . s . . vide mort. appell . l. . cap. . §. . mark . . james . . fran. jun. animad . in bellar. l. de verb. dei . cor. . , , , . concil . trident . sess . . in his rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit scriptura divina , mos populi dei vel instituta a majerum pro lege tenenda sun● . aug. ep. . aug. l. . de doctrina christ . c. . in his quae apertè posita sunt in scriptura , inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem morésque vivendi . * bellarm. l. . de verb. dei , c. . athanas . lib. . cot . get. initio , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. * tertul. lib. adv . hermogen . sufficiunt per se vertit nannius . tim. . . bellar. deverb dei , lib. . c. . tim. . . tim . . prov . , . psal . . , . matth. . . epiph. in haeres . ptolom . hieron . in c. . isa . & in epist . ad algas . ● . . matth. . , , . serious disswasive , &c. hareseos mater est principatus cupiditas , chrys . in gal. . a neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum episcoporum se constituit , aut tyrannico terrore ad obscquendi necessitatem suos adigit . orat. cyp in syn. b greg. epist . lib. epist . , & . et lib. . ep. . n●vum , scelestum , profanum , &c. et lib. . epist . , &c. nunquam 〈◊〉 virum 〈…〉 esse , &c. nullum 〈…〉 , &c. pelag. . omnibus epi●copis , flicitè à joan. & decret . p. . dist . . c. . null●● , &c. ba●on an. . plat. in 〈◊〉 b●nif . . gregoriu● 〈◊〉 ad deminum , &c. aquo , &c. ut ipsius authoritate , &c. otho frising . lib. . cap. . concil . gen. act . sever. bin. in notis concil . chal●e● . caranz epitom . concil . sedes apostolica nobis praesentibus humiliari non deber . ibid. a constantinop●litano episcopo damnato , ecclesiarum omnium primam esse romanam , caranz . epit. concil . carthag . . can. . b decr. p. . d. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privilegiū concessum à justiniano . sanc●mus senioris romae papam primum esse omnium sacerdotum . praerog . ante alios residendi . cod. de sacros . eccl. decernimus . * influentia vitae . capistran . influentia regiminis . august . triumph . bin. in concil . florent . p. aemil. hist . gall. multi pontifices in errores & hareses lapsi esse leguntur . conc. basil . in ep. synod . aventin . l. . bella rm . ● . de conc. cap. . concil . const . sess . & . caranz . anno . anno . sozom. lib. . c. . f. vict. relect. de potest . papae & concil . pag. . pontificalis authoritas à juramento fidelitatis absolvit . decr. p. . . q. . alius . almain , de po●est . eccles . & laica cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the rule of old . diatrib . papa antichrist . lib. . cap. . greg. lib. . ep. . & serenissimis jussionibus obedientiam praebco . ibid. a hier. balb. de cor. b ecce serenissimus dominus imperator fieri simiam leonem jussit , &c. gregor . ep. . qui virtutis ministerium infirmo commisit , ibid. c guicciard . l. . hist . imperante carolo d. nos●ro . d paschalis anno euangelii . primus , omissis imperatoris annis , sui pontificatus annos subscripsit . in da● . apostolatus nostri anno . dein pontificatus . lib. sacr. cerem . e greg. l. . de major . & obed . cx innoc. f capist . . g aug. triumph . qu. . . h vide diatr. derens . ep. l. . c. . §. . unde habet imperator imperii● nisi à nobis ? imperator quod habet , totum habet à nobis . ecce in potes●ate nostra est ut demus illud cui volumus . hadrian . ep. apud avent . l. . i innoc. . in cap. licet de ●o●o compet . k lib. sacr . cerem . l etiam imperator aut rex aquam ad lavandas ejus manus ferre debet ; primum item fer●●lum , &c. ibid. m in processionibus , &c. ibid. n stapham equi papalis tenet , &c. ibid. o sellam ipsam cum pontifice hum●ris suis aliquantuium portare debet , ibid. a alm. de pe test . eccl. b cassand . . patte , consi . c. de libellis . dist . aug. triumph . de pot . eccl. q. . vid. derens . ubi supra . cassand . glor. mundi . part . cons . . i●●oc . & host . in cap. de trans● . inter epistclas ambros●i l. . epist . . sera tamen & contumeltos● est em●n 〈◊〉 senectutis . ibid. ambros . epist . lib. . ep. ● . nullus pudor est ad meli●ra trans●re , ibid. non es tantae authoritatis ut errasse te pudeat , &c. hier. apol. adver . ruffin . fr. jun. de ecclesia . capitis autem male sani & deli●● contagia vitanda sunt , ne & ipsi artus pes●ilenti humore labesecrent . fr. pic. mirandula , theor. . maldon . in . joan. nehem. . . no peace with rome ; et , roma irreconci●iabilis , sect. . columba noae , &c. append. to the book of the church , part . chap. . aug. de baptis . contr . donatist . lib. . c. , & . jun. de eccl. lib. sing . c. . thes . rain . . par. in rom. . hook. book of eccles . pol. c. . one lord , one faith , one baptisme . crak . desen . eccles . angel. c. . pet. baro conc. ad clerum . bunnie treat . of purif . d. some against penrie . peter mart. epistle . answer to machiavel , p. . d. covel fregevil . polit . ●ef . b. of s. davids chap. d. williams of the church . confer pag. . * zanc. miscell . de eccles . whitak . c●uaes . . c. . pag , . in qu●r . perk. in . ad galat. camerō . zanch. ubi supra . in quo purum dei verbum orthodoxe intellectium & sincere pradica●um , sacramenta sol● & legitimè juxta institutū christi administrata , &c. m. perk. ref. cath. append. ubi supra . notes for div a -e obj. resp . obj. resp . ibid. praefat. de nat . dei. epist . l. . resp . ad catabaptist . notes for div a -e job . . matth. . . thes . . . rev. . , . acts . . pet. . . rom. . , . john . . tim. . . cor. . . rev. . . exod. . , . . , . exod. . . deut. . ▪ . jer. . ● . . . john . , . john . . john . . matt. . . ps . . . . john . , . exod. . . . . esay ● , , . mi●h . . . . ho●●●● . . john ● , . rev. . . . . . . . . . exod. . . jer. . ● . esay . , . gen. . . esay . . . . jer. . , , , . hos . ● . , . . . hos . . . rev. . . rom. . . thess . . rev. . . rev. . . john , . john . . gal. . . heb. . , . gen. . . exod. . . ezec . . jer. . , . hos . . . rev. . . lev. . . co● . , ● , , . neh. . & . cor. . . psal . . . rev. . . cor. . . notes for div a -e * si christus judam passus est , cur non ego patior birrhichioncm ? dial. de s. martino , sever. sulp● notes for div a -e i perceive some readers have unheedily & unjustly stumbled at this proposition , as if i had herein slighted the differences betwixt us and the romane church ; from which i am so far , as that i have ever professed to hold them to be , on their parts , no lesse then damnable errors , and such as by consequence do raze the foundation . if these words have seemed to sound otherwise , it is nothing but the readers inconsiderate mistaking ; who , if he please to bend his second and more serious thoughts upon the place , will easily see that my intention is herein only to shew how unjustly the church of rome doth charge us with heresie in denying their doctrine , forasmuch as those positions of theirs which we are condemned for refusing , are far from being principles of faith , but are things of their own devising & imposing . for example , they condemn us for rejecting the doctrine of transubstantiation , and refusing to hold that the substance of the bread is ( by the force of the words ) truly and really turned into the very flesh , blood and bone of christ . now , i say , this their doctrine of transubstantiation is far from being any principle of faith , but only a point of their own divinity , devised and maintained by themselves . they condemn us for refusing to pray to saints , or to worship images : i say , that this doctrine , that saints ought to be invoked or images worshipped , is far from being a principle of faith ; but onely one of their own theologicall positions , devised and imposed by themselves . the like may be and must be said of all their other points obtruded on the church ; wherein i hope no wise reformed catholick will think he hath reason to dissent from me , or to misdoubt my proposition . the invisible world discovered to spirituall eyes and reduced to usefull meditation : in three books : also, the great mystery of godliness laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : with the apostolicall institution of imposition of hands for confirmation of children, setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institution, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the invisible world discovered to spirituall eyes and reduced to usefull meditation : in three books : also, the great mystery of godliness laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : with the apostolicall institution of imposition of hands for confirmation of children, setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institution, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by e. cotes for john place, london : . reproduction of original in the bodleian library. eng spiritual life -- modern period, - sanctification. theology, doctrinal. a r (wing h ). civilwar no the invisible world, discovered to spirituall eyes, and reduced to usefull meditation. in three books. also, the great mystery of godliness, hall, joseph d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the invisible world , discovered to spirituall eyes , and reduced to usefull meditation . in three books . also , the great mystery of godliness , laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : with the apostolicall institution of imposition of hands , for confirmation of children ; setting forth the divine ground , end , and use of that , too much neglected , institution , and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace . by jos. hall , d.d.b. norwich . london , printed by e. cotes , for john place at furnivals inne-gate , to all them that love our lord jesus christ in sincerity , grace and peace . dear brethren , if i have , in a sort , taken my leave of the world already ; yet , not of you , whom god hath chosen out of the world , and endeared to me by a closer interest : so as ye may justly expect from me a more speciall valediction ; which i do now in all christian affection tender unto you : and , as dear friends upon a long parting are wont to leave behind them some tokens of remembrance , where they most affect ; so have i thought good , before my setting forth on my last journey , to recomend unto you these my two finall meditations ; then which , i suppose , nothing could be more proper for me to give ; or more likely to merit your acceptation : for , if we were half way in heaven already , what can be a more seasonable imployment of our thoughts , then the great mysterie of godlinesse , which the angels desire to look into ▪ and , now when our b●dily eyes are glutted with the view of the things that are seen ( a prospect , which can afford us nothing but vanity and vexation ) what can be more meet , then to feed our spirituall eyes , with the light of invisible glories ? make your use of them , both , to the edifying of your selves in your most holy faith ; and aspire with me , towards that happiness which is laid up above for all those that love the appearance of our lord jesus . withall , as the last words of friends are wont to bear the greatest weight , and to make the deepest impression ; so let these lines of holy advise , wherewith ( after many well-meant discourses ) i shall close up the mouth of the presse , find the like respect from you . oh that i might in the first place , effectually recommend to you the full recovery of that precious legacy of our blessed saviour , peace : peace with god , peace with men ; next to grace the best of all blessings : yet , wo is me , too too long banished from the christian world , with such animosity , as if it were the worst of enemies , and meet to be adjudged to a perpetuall mitrnatition . oh for a fountain of tears to bewaile the stain of gods people in all the coasts of the earth : how is christendome become an universall aceldama ? how is the earth every where drenched with humane bloud ? poured out , not by the hands of cruell infidels , but of brethren : men need not go so farre as euphrates for the execution of turks and pagans , christians can make up an armageddon with their own mutuall slaughter . enough , my dear brethren , enough ; yea more then too much hath been the effusion of that bloud , for which our saviour hath shed his : let us now , at the last , dry up these deadly issues , which we have made ; and with soveraigne balms bind up the wounds we have given : let us now be , not more sparing of our tears , to wash off the memory of these our unbrotherly dimications , and to ppease the anger of that god , whose offended justice hath raised war out of our own bowels : as our enmity , so our peace begins at heaven : had we not provoked our long-suffering god , we had not thus bled ; and we cannot but know and beleeve him that said . when a mans wayes please the lord , he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him ; oh that we could throughly reconcile our selves to that great and holy god , whom we have irritated by our crying sins , how soon would he , who is the commander of all hearts , make up our breaches , and calme and compose our spirits to an happy peace and concord ! in the next place give me leave earnestly to exhort you , that , as we have been heretofore palpably faulty in abusing the mercies of our god for which we have soundly smarted ) so that now , we should be so much the more carefull to improve the judgments of god , to our effectuall reformation : we have felt the heavie hand of the almighty upon us to purpose ; oh that our amendment could be no lesse sensible then our sufferings ; but , alas , my brethren , are our wayes any whit holyer ? our obedience , more exact , our sins less and fewer then before we were thus heavily afflicted ? may not our god too justly take up that complaint , which he made once by his prophet jeremiah , ye have transgressed against me , saith the lord , in vain have i smitten your children , they received no correction : far be it from us , that after so many sad and solemne mournings of our land , any accuser should be able to charge us , as the prophet hosea did his israel , by swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adulterie , they break out , and blood toucheth bloud : wo be to us , if after so many veins opened , the blood remaining should not be the purer . let me have leave , in the third place , to excite you to the practise of christian charity , in the mutuall constructions of each others persons , and actions ; which ( i must tell you ) we have heedlesly violated in the heat of our holy intentions ; whiles those which have varied from us in matter of opinion , concerning some appendances of religion , and outward forms of administration , we have been apt to look upon with such disregard , as if they had herein forfeit 〈◊〉 their christian profession , and were utter aliens from the common-wealth of israel ; though in the mean time , sound at the heart ; and endeavouring to walk close with god in all their wayes : whereas the father of all mercies allows a gracious latitude to his children , in all not-forbidden paths : and in every nation and condition of men , he that feareth god , and worketh righteousness , is accepted with him : beware we ( my dear brethren ) lest whiles we follow the chase of zeal , we out-run charity , without which , piety it self would be but unwelcome : as for matter of opinion in the differences of religion , wherewith the whole known world , not of christians only , but of men , is wofully distracted , to the great prejudice of millions of souls , let this be our sure rule . whosoever he be that holds the faith which was once delivered to the saints , agreeing therefore with us in all fundamentall truths , let him be received as a broth●r ▪ for th●re is but one lord , one faith , one baptism : and , other foundation can no man lay , then that which is laid , which is jesus christ : let those which will be a devising a new creed , look for a new saviour , and hope for another heaven ; for us we know whom we have beleeved : if any man be faulty in the doctrines of superstructure , let us pity and rectifie his errour , but not abandon his person . the communion of saints is not so sleight that it should be violated by weak mistakings : if any man through ignorance or simplicity , shall strike at the foundation of faith , let us labour by all gentle means , and brotherly conviction , in the spirit of meeknesse to reclaim him : if after all powerfull indeavours he will needs remain , obstinate in his evill way ; let us disclaim his fellowship , and not think him worthy of a god-speed . but if he shall not only wilfully undermine the ground-work of christian faith , by his own damnable opinions , but diffuse his her●ticall blasphemies to the infection of others ; let him be cut off by spirituall censures ; and so dealt with by publick authority that the mischief of his contagion may be seasonably prevented , and himselfe be made sensible of his hainous crime . in all which proceedings , just distinction must be made betwixt the seduced soul , and the pestilent seducer , the one calls for compassion , the other , for severity : so then my brethren let us pity and pray for all that have erred and are deceived ; let us instruct the ignorant , convince the gainsaying , avoid the obstinate , restrain the infectious , and punish the self-convicted heresiarch . in the fourth place , let us , i beseech you , take heed of beeing swayed with self-interests in all our designs : these have ever been the bane of the best undertakings , as being not more plausibly insinnuative , then pernicious : for that partiall self-love , that naturally ledges in every mans brest , is ready to put us upon those projects , which , under fair pretences , may be extreamly prejudiciall to the publique weal ; suggesting not how lawfull or expedient they may be for the common , but how beneficiall to our selves ; drawing us by insensible degrees to sacrifice the publique welfare to our own advantage , and to underwork , and cross the better counsails of more faithfull patriots : whereupon , many flourishing churches , kingdomes , states , have been brought to miserable ruine : oh that we could remember , that as all things are ours , so we are not our own ; that we have the least interest in our selves , being infinitely more considerable as parts of a community , theras single persons ; that the main end of our beeing , ( next to the glory of our maker ) is an universall serviceablenesse to others : in the attaining whereof , we shall far more eminently advance our own happiness , then by the best of our private self-seeking indeavors . but withall , it will be meet for us to consider , that , as we are made to serve all , so only in our own station : there can be no hope of a continued wel being without order : there can be no order without a due subordination of degrees , and diversity of vocations ; and in vain shall divers vocations be ordained , if all professions shall enterfere with each other . it is the prudent and holy charge of the apostle , let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called . we are all members of the same body , every one whereof hath his proper employment : the head is to direct and govern , the feet to walk , the eyes to see , the ears to hear : how mad would we think that man , that should affect to walk on his head , to hear with his eye , to see with his ear ? neither surely is it lesse incongruous for men in d●vine and civill administrations , to offer to undertake , and manage each others function ; in their nature and quality no lesse d●sperate : so then , let us indeavour to advance the common good , as that a pious zeal may not draw in confusion ; and that we may not mistakeingly rear up the walls of babel , whiles we intend jerusalem : not religion only , but policie cals us to encouragement of all usefull professions ; and of the sacred so much more , as the soul is more precious then all the world beside . heed therefore must be taken to avoid all means , whereby the study of learning and knowledge may be any way disheartned ; as without which the world would soon be over-run with ignorance , & barbarism : all arts therefore , as being in their kind excellent , may justly challenge their own rights , and if they shall want those respects , which are due to them , will suddenly languish : but above all , as divinity is the queen of sciences , so should it be our just shame that whiles her handmaids are mounted on horsback , she should wait on them on foot . fifthly , as it is our greatest honour that the name of christ is called upon us ; so let it , i beseech you , be our care , that our profession be not formal , empty , and barren like the jewish fig-tree , abounding with leaves , void of fruit ▪ but reall , active , fruitfull of all good workes , and exemplary in an universal obedien●e to the whole will of god : for it is a scandall never to be enough lamented , that any of those who are saints by calling ( such we all are , or should be ) should hug some dearling sin in their bosome , which at last breaks forth to the shame of the gospell , and to the insultation of gath and ascalon : wo be to us if we shall thus cause the name of our god to be ●ill spoken of : there are two many of those , whom i am loath , and sorry to style heathen-christians ; christians in name , heathens in conversation : these , as they come not within the compasse of my dedication , ( for , alas , how should they love the lord jesus , when they know him not ? ) so i can heartily bewail their condition , who , like gideons fleece , continue altogether dry , under so many sweet shewres of grace ; wishing unto their souls , even thus late , a sense of the efficacy of that water which was once poured on their faces : these , if they run into all excesse of riot , what can be other expected from them ? but for us , that have learned to know the great mysterie of godlinesse , and have given up our name , to a strict covenant of obed●ence , if we shall suffer our selves to be miscarried into any enormious wickedness , we shall cause heaven to blush , and hell to triumph . oh therefore , let us be so much the more watchfull over our ways , as our engagements to the name of our god , are greater , and the danger of our miscariages more deadly . lastly , let me beseech , and adjure you , in the name of the lord jesu , to be carefull in matter of religion , to keep within the due bounds of gods revealed will . a charge which i would to god were not too needfull in these last dayes ; wherein , who sees not what spirits of errour are gone forth into the world , for the seducing of simple , and ungrounded souls ? wo is me , what throngs are carried to hell by these devillish impostures ? one pretends visions , and revelations of new verities , which the world was not hitherto worthy to know ; another boasts of newlights of uncouth interpretations , hidden from all former eyes : one despises the dead letter of the scriptures ? another distorts it to his own erroneous sense . o the prodiges of damnable , hereticall , atheous fancies , which have hereupon infested the christian church ; ( for which , what good soul doth not mourn in secret ? ) the danger whereof ye shall happily avoid , if ye shall keep close to the written word of our god which is only able to make you wise to salvation : as our saviour repelled the devill , so do ye the fanatick spirits of these brain-sick men , with , it is written ; let those who would be wiser then god , justly perish in their presumption ; my soul for yours , if ye keep you to s. pauls guard , not to be wise above that which is written . i could easily out of the exuberance of my christian love overcharg you with multiplicity of holy coun●ses , but i would not take a tedious farewell ▪ may the god of heaven bless these , and all other wholesom admonitions to the furtherance of your souls in grace ; and may his good spirit , ever lead & guide us in all such wayes , as may be pleasing to him , till we happily meet in the participation of that incomprehensible glory , which he hath prepared for all his saints ; till when , farewel from your fellow-pilgrim in this vale of tears , jos. hall . higham neer norwich , nov. . . the invisible world , discovered to spiritual eyes , and reduced to usefull meditation . in three books . by jos. hall , d.d.b.n. london , printed by e. cotes , for john place at furnivals inne-gate , the preface . as those that flit from their old home , and betake themselves to dwell in another countrey , where they are sure to settle ; are wont to forget the faces , and fashions whereto they were formerly inured , and to apply themselves to the knowledge and acquaintance of those , with whom they shall afterwards converse ; so it is here with me , being to remove from my earthly tabernacle , wherein i have worn out the few and evil dayes of my pilgrimage , to an abiding city above , i have desired to acquaint my self with that invisible world , to which i am going : to enter-know my good god , and his blessed angels and saints , with whom i hope to passe an happy eternity . and if by often and serious meditation i have attained ( through gods mercy ) to any measure of lightsome apprehension of them , and their blisseful condition ; i thought it could be no other then profitable to my fellow-pilgrims , to have it imparted unto them : and , as knowing we can never be sensible enough of our happinesse , unlesse we know our own dangers , and the woful mis-carriages of others ; nor so fully blesse our eyes with the sight of heaven , if we cast not some glances upon hell ; i have held it requisite to bestow some thoughts upon that dreadfull region of darknesse , and confusion , that by the former of these , our desires may be whetted to the fruition of their blessednesse ; and by the other , we may be stirred up to a care of avoiding those paths that lead down to that second death ; and to a continual thankfulnesse unto that mercifull god , whose infinite goodnesse hath delivered us from that pit of horrour , and perdition . the invisible world . the first book . sect. i. that there is an invisible world . who can think other , but that the great god of heaven loseth much glory by our ignorance ? for , how can we give him the honour due to his name , whiles we conceive too narrowly of him , and his works ? to know him as he is , is past the capacity of our finite understanding , we must have other eyes to discern that incomprehensible essence ; but to see him in his divine emanations , and marvailous works , ( which are the back parts of that glorious majesty ) is that , whereof we may be capable , and should be ambitious ; neither is there any thing in this world , that can so much import us : for wherefore serves the eye of sense , but to view the goodly frame and furniture of the creation ? wherefore serves the eye of reason and faith , but to see that lively and invisible power , which governs and comprehends it ? even this sensible , and materiall world , if we could conceive aright of it , is enough to amaze the most inlightned reason ; for if this globe of earth , in regard of the immense greatnesse of it , is wont ( not unjustly ) to be accounted a world , what shall we say of so many thousand stars , that are ( for the most part ) bigger then it ? how can we but admire so many thousand worlds of light , rolling continually over our heads ; all made by the omnipotent power ; all regularly guided by the infinite providence of the great god ? how poorly must that man needs think of the workmanship of the almighty , that looks upon all these , but as so many torches , set up in the firmament every evening , only so big as they seem ? and with what awfull respects must he needs be carried to his creator , that knowes the vastnesse , and perpetually-constant movings of those lightsom bodies , ruled and upheld only by the mighty word that made them ? there is store of wonders in the visible , but the spirituall , and intelligible world is that , which is more worthy to take up our hearts ; both as we are men , indued with reason , and as regenerate , inlightned by faith ; being so much more excellent then the other , by how much more it is removed from all earthly means of apprehension . brute creatures may behold these visible things , perhaps with sharper eyes then we , but spirituall objects are so utterly out of their reach , as if they had no being : nearest therefore to beasts are those men , who suffer themselves to be so altogether led by their senses , as to believe nothing but what is suggested by that purblind and unfaithfull informer ; let such men doubt whether they have a soul in their body , because their eye never met with it ; or that there are any stars in the firmament at noon-day , because they appear not ; or that there is any air wherein they breath , because nothing appears to them but an insensible vacuity . of all other the sadduces had been the most dull and sottish hereticks that ever were , if ( as some have construed them ) they had utterly denyed the very being of any spirits ; sure ( as learned cameron pleads for them ) they could not be so senselesse ; for beleeving the books of moses , and being conscious of their own animation , their bosomes must needs convince them of their spiritual inmate ; and what but a spirit could inable them to argue against spirits ? and how could they hold a god , and no spirit ? it was bad enough that they denyed the immortality , and constant subsistence of those angelical , immaterial substances ; an opinion long since hissed out , not of the school of christianity only , but of the very stalls and styes of the most brutish paganisme ; although not very long since ( as is reported by hosius , and prateolus ) that cursed glazier of gaunt , david george , durst wickedly rake it out of the dust , and of late some scepticks of our own have let fall some suspicious glances this way : surely , all that know they have souls , must needs beleeve a world of spirits , which they see not ; if from no other grounds , yet out of that analogy , which they cannot but finde betwixt this lesser , and that greater world ; for as this little world , man , consists of an outward visible body , and an inward spiritual soul , which gives life , and motion to that organicall frame ; so possessing all parts that it is wholly in all , and in each part wholly ; so must it also be in this great universe , the sensible and materiall part whereof , hath being , and moving from those spiritual powers , both supreme and subordinate , which dwell in it , and fill and actuate it . every illuminated soul therefore looks about him with no other then s. pauls eyes ; whose profession it is , we look not at the things which are seen , but at the things which are not seen , for the things which are seen are temporall , but the things which are not seen are eternall . sect. ii. the distribution of the invisible world . i cannot quite mislike the conceit of reuchlin , and his ●abala , seconded by galatinus , that as in an egge , the yelk lies in the middest encompassed round with the white , and that again by a film and shell ; so the sensible world is enclosed within the intelligible ; but withall i must adde , that here is not a meer involution only , but a spirituall permeation and inexistence ; yet without all mixture , without all confusion ; for those pure and simple natures are not capable of mingling with grosse , materiall substances ; and the god of order hath given them their own separate essences ▪ offices , operations ; as for the managing of their own spiritual common-wealth , within themselves , so for the disposing , governing , and moving of this sensible world : as therefore we shall foully misconceive of a man , if we shall think him to be nothing but a body , because our eyes see no more ; so we shall no lesse grossely erre , if beholding this outward fabrick , we shall conceive of nothing to be in this vast universe , but the meer lifelesse substance of the heavens , and elements , which runs into our sight ; those lively and active powers that dwell in them could not be such , if they were not purely spirituall . here then , above and beyond all worlds , and in this materiall , and intelligible world , our illuminated eyes meet first with the god of spirits ; the deitie incomprehensible , the fountain of all life and being ; the infinite and self-existing essence , one most pure , simple , eternal act ; the absolute , omnipotent , omnipresent spirit , who in himself is more then a world of worlds , filling & comprehending both the spiritual & sensible world ; in comparison of whom , this all is nothing ; and but from him had been , and were nothing : upon this blessed object , o my soul , may thy thoughts ever dwell ; where the more they are fixed , the more shall they finde themselves ravished from the regard of all sensible things , and swallowed up with an admiration of that , which they are still further off from comprehending . next to this all-glorious and infinite spirit , they meet with those immateriall and invisible powers , who receive their originall and continuance , their natures and offices from that king of glory ; each one whereof is so mighty , as to make up a world of power alone ; each one so knowing , as to contain a world of wisdom , and all of them so innumerably many , that their number is next to infinite ; and all this numberlesse number so perfectly united in one celestial politie , that their entire communion ( under the laws and government of their soverain creator ) makes them a compleat world of spirits , invisibly living and moving both within and above this visible globe of the materiall world . after these , meet we with the glorified souls of the just , who now let loose from this prison of clay , enjoy the full liberty of heaven ; and being at last , reunited to their then immortall bodies , and to their most glorious head , both are , and possesse a world of everlasting blisse . last of all , may thy thoughts fall upon those infernall powers of darknesse , the spirituall wickednesses in heavenly places ; whose number , might , combination , makes up a dreadfull world of evil angels , conflicting where they prevail not , and tormenting where they overcome ; these , together with the reprobate souls , whom they have captived , are the most horrible and wofull prospects of mischief and misery , which either world is subject unto ; now all and every of these , however in respect of largenesse , they may well passe for so many severall worlds ; yet as we are wont to account the whole globe of heaven and earth , and the other inclosed elements ( though vast in their severall extents ) to make up but one sensible world ; so shall we ( in a desire to reduce all to unity ) consider all the intire specifications of spirits , but as ranked in so many regions of one immateriall , and intelligible world . wherefore let us first silently adore ( that mundum archetypum ) that one transcendent , self-being , and infinite essence , in three most glorious persons , the blessed deity , which filleth heaven and earth with the majesty of his glory , as vailed with the beams of infinitenesse , and hid in an inaccessible light ; and let us turn our eyes to the spiritual guard , the invisible attendants of that divine majesty , without the knowledge and right apprehension whereof , we shall never attain to conceive of their god , and ours , as we ought . but , o ye blessed , immortal glorious spirits , who can know you , but he that is of you ? alas this soul of mine knows not it self , how shall it know you ? surely , no more can our minds conceive of you , then our eyes can see you : only , since he that made you hath given us some little glimpse of your subdivine natures , properties , operations , let us weakly as we may , recount them to his glory in yours . sect. iii. the angels of heaven . their numbers . the good lord forgive me for that ( amongst my other offences ) i have suffered my self so much to forget ( as his divine presence , so ) the presence of his holy angels ; it is i confesse my great sin , that i have filled mine eyes with other objects , and have been slack in returning praises to my god , for the continual assistance of those blessed and beneficent spirits , which have ever graciously attended me , without intermission , from the first hour of my conception to this present moment ; neither shall ever ( i hope ) absent themselves from my tutelage , and protection , till they shall have presented my poor soul to her final glory : oh that the dust and clay were so washed out of my eyes , that i might behold , together with the presence , the numbers , the beauties and excellencies of those my ever-present guardians . when we are convinced of the wonderfull magnitude of those goodly stars , which we see moving in the firmament , we cannot but acknowledge , that if god had made but one of them , he could never have been enough magnified in his power ; but , when our sense joyns with our reason , to force upon us withall an acknowledgement of the infinite numbers of those great luminaries ; now we are so far to seek of due admiration , that we are utterly lost in the amazement at this stupendious proof of omnipotence . neither is it otherwise with the invisible , hoast of heaven : if the power of one angel be such , that he were able at his makers appointment , to redact the world to nothing , and the nature of any one so eminent , that it far surmounts any part of the visible creation , what shal we say to those next-to-infinite numbers of mighty , and majestical spirits , wherewith the great god of heaven hath furnished his throne and footstool ? i know not upon what grounds that ( by some , magnified ) prophetesse , could so precisely compute , that if all men should be reckoned up from the first adam to the last man that shal stand upon the earth , there might be to each man assigned more then ten angels ; ambroses account is yet fuller ; who makes all mankind to be that one lost sheep in the parable , and the angels ( whose chore the great shepheard left for a time , to come down to this earthly wildernesse ) to be the ninety and nine : lo here , wel-near an hundred for one ; yet even that number is poor , in comparison of the reckoning of him , who pretends to fetch it from the chosen vessel rapt into paradise ; who presumes to tell us there are greater numbers of angels in every several rank , then there is of the particulars of whatsoever material things in this world ; the bishop of herbipolis instanceth boldly in stars , in leaves , in spires of grasse . but , sure i am , had that dennis of areopagus been in s. pauls room , and supplyed his rapture , he could no more have computed the number of angels , then the best arithmetician , standing upon an hill , & seeing a huge xerxes-like army swarming in the valley , can give a just reckoning of the number of those heads : surely , when our saviour speaks of more then twelve legions of angels , he doth not say , how many ●ore : if those twelve according to hieroms ( though too short ) computation , amount to seventy-two thousand , the more then twelve were doubtlesse more then many millions ; he that made them can tell us ; the beloved disciple in pathmos , as by inspiration from that god , sayes , i beheld , and i heard the voice of many angels round about the throne , and the beasts , and the elders , and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand , and thousands of thousands ; now the elders were but . and the beasts were but four ; all those other thousands were angels ; and if so many were about his throne , how many do we think were about his missions ? before him , the prophet daniel ( betwixt whom and the evangelist there is so perfect correspondence , that we may well say , daniel was the john of the old testament , and john the daniel of the new ) hath made the like reckoning ; thousand thousands ministred unto him , and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him : but bildad the shuhite , in one word sayes more then all , is there any number of his armies ? lo , his armies are past all number , how much more his several souldiers ? so as it may not perhaps seem hard to beleeve dionysius , that the angels of but one rank , are more then can be comprehended by any arithmetical number ; or gregory , who determines them numerable only to god that made them , to men innumerable . o great god of heaven , how doth this set forth the infinite majesty of thine omnipotent deity , to be thus attended ! we judge of the magnificence of princes according to the number and quality of their retinue and guard , and other their military powers ; and yet each one of these hath an equally absolute life , and being of his own , receiving only a pay from his soveraign ; what shall we then think of thee the great king of eternal glory , that hast before thy throne , innumerable hosts of powerfull and glorious spirits of thine own making , and upholding ? and how safe are we under so many , and so mighty protectors ? it might be perhaps well meant , and is confessed to be seconded with much reverend antiquity , the conceit , that each man hath a special angel designed for his custody ; and if but so , we are secure enough from all the danger of whatsoever hostile machinations ; however this may seem some scanting of the bountiful provision of the almighty , who hath pleased to expresse his gracious respects to one man in the allotment of many guardians ; for if jacob speak of one angel , david speaks of more ; he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes : and even those which have thought good to abet this piece of platonick divinity concerning the single guardianship of angels , have yet yielded that according to several relations , each one hath many spiritual keepers : insomuch as the forecited * fornerus , late b●shop of wirtzburg , durst assure his auditors , that each of them had ten angels at least assigned to his custody ; according to the respects of their subordinate interests , besides their own person , of their family , parish , fraternity , city , diocese , countrey , office , church , world ; yet even this computation is niggardly and * pinching , since the abundant store and bounty of the almighty can as well afford centuries , as decades of guardians ; howsoever , why should it not be all one to us , since there is no lesse safety in the hands of one then many ; no lesse care of us from many , then from one ? should but one angel guard millions of men , his power could secure them no lesse then a single charge ; but now that we are guarded with millions of angels , what can the gates of hell do ? but what number soever be imployed about us ; sure i am that ( together with them ) those that attend the throne of their maker , make up no lesse ( as nazianzen justly accounts them ) then a world of spirits : a world so much more excellent then this visible , by how much it is more abstracted from our weak senses : o ye blessed spirits , ye are ever by me , ever with me , ever about me ; i do as good as see you for i know you to be here ; i reverence your glorious persons , i blesse god for you ; i walk awfully because i am ever in your eyes , i walk confidently because i am ever in your hands . how should i be ashamed that in this piece of theology , i should be out-bid by very turks , whose priests shut up their devotions with an precatory mention of your presence , as if this were the upshot of all blessings ; i am sure it is that , wherein , next to my god and saviour , i shall ever place my greatest comfort and confidence , neither hath earth or heaven any other besides , that looks like it . sect. iv. the power of angels . multitudes even of the smallest and weakest creatures have been able to produce great effects : the swarms of but flies and lice could amate the great and mighty king of egypt : all his forces could not free him , and his peers from so impotent adversaries : but when multitude is seconded with strength , how must it needs be irresistible ? so it is in these blessed spirits , even their omnipotent maker ( who best knows what is derived from him ) styles them by his apostle , powers , and by his psalmist , mighty ones in strength : a small force seems great to the weak , but that power which is commended by the almighty , must needs be transcendently great : we best judge of powerfulnesse by the effects ; how suddainly had one angel dispatched every first-born in egypt , and after them , the hundred fourscore and five thousand of the proud assyrian army : and if each man had been a legion , with what ease had it been done by that potent spirit ? neither are they lesse able to preserve then to destroy ; that of aquinas is a great word , one angel is of such power , that be were able to govern all the corporeall creatures of the world : justly was it exploded , as the wild heresie of simon magus and his clients , the meand●ians , that the angels made the world ; no , this was the sole work of him that made them ; but , if we say that it pleases god by their ministration to sway and order the marvailous affairs of this great universe , we shall not , i suppose , vary from truth ; if we look to the highest part thereof , philosophers have gone so far as to teach us , ( that which is seconded by the allowance of some great divines ) that these blessed intelligences are they by whose agency under their almighty creator , the heavens and the glorious luminaries thereof continue their ever-constant and regular motions ; and , if there fall out any preternaturall immutations in the elements , any strange concussations of the earth , any direfull prodigies in the skie , whither should they be imputed but to these mighty angels , whom it pleaseth the most high god to imploy in these extraordinary services ? that dreadfull magnificence which was in the delivering of the law on mount sinai , in fire , smoak , thundrings , lightnings , voices , earthquakes , whence was it but by the operation of angels ? and indeed as they are the nearest both in nature and place , to the majesty of the highest , so it is most proper for them to participate most of his power , and to exercise it in obedience to his soveraignty ; as therefore he is that infinite spirit , who doth all things , and can do no more then all , so they ( as his immediate subordinates ) are the means whereby he executeth his illimited power in and upon this whole created world . whence it is , that in their glorious appearances , they have been taken for jehovah himself , by hagar , by manoah and his wife , yea , by the better eyes of the father of the faithfull . now , lord , what a protection hast thou provided for thy poor worms , and not men , creeping here on thine earth ; and what can we fear in so mighty , and sure hands ? he that passeth with a strong convoy through a wild and perilous desert , scorns the danger of wild beasts or robbers , no lesse then if he were in a strong tower at home ; so do we the onsets of the powers of darknesse , whiles we are thus invincibly guarded . when god promised moses that an angel should goe before israel , and yet withall threatned the subduction of his own presence , i marvel not if the holy man were no lesse troubled , then if they had been left destitute and guardless , and that he ceased not his importunity , till he had won the gracious ingagement of the almighty for his presence in that whole expedition : for what is the greatest angel in heaven without his maker ? but let thy favour , o god , order and accompany the deputation of the lowest of thine angels ; what can all the troops of hell hurt us ? assoon may the walls of heaven be scaled , and thy throne deturbed , as he can be foiled that is defenced with thy power : were it possible to conceive that the almighty should be but a looker on in the conflict of spirits , we know that the good angels have so so much advantage of their strength as they have of their station ; neither could those subdued spirits stand in the incounter ; but now , he that is strong in our weaknesse , is strong in their strength for us : blessed be god for them , as the author of them , and their protection ; blessed be they under god as the means used by him for our protection , and blessings . sect. v. the knowledge of angels . if sampson could have had his full strength in his mill , when he wanted his eyes , it would have little availed him ; such is power without knowledge ; but where both of these concur in one , how can they fail of effect ? whether of these is more eminent in the blessed spirits , it is not easie to determine ; so perfectly knowing are they , as that the very heathen philosophers have styled them by the name of intelligences , as if their very being were made up of understanding ; indeed what is there in this whole compass of the large universe that is hid from their eyes ? only the closet of mans heart is lockt up from them , as reserved solely to their maker ; yet so , as that ●hey can by some insensible chinks of those secret notifications which fall from us , look into them also ; all other things , whether secrets of nature , or closest counsels or events , are as open to their sight as the most visible objects are to ours : they do not ( as we mortals are wont ) look through the dim and horny spectacle o● senses , or understand by the mediation of phantasms : but rather , as clear mirrours , they receive at once the full representations of all intelligible things ; having besides that connaturall light , which is universally in them all , certain speciall illuminations from the father of lights . even we men think we know something , neither may our good ▪ god lose the thank of his bounty this way : but alas , he that is reputed to have known most of all the heathen , whom * some have styled the genius of nature could confesse that the clearest understanding is to those things which are most manifest , but as a bats eyes to the sun : do we see but a worm crawling under our feet , we know not what that is , which in it self gives it a being ; do we hear but a bee humming about our ears , the greatest naturalist cannot know whether that noise come from within the body , or from the mouth , or from the wings of that flie : how can we then hope , or pretend to know those things which are abstruse , and remote ? but these heavenly spirits do not only know things as they are in themselves , and in their inward and immediate causes , but do clearly see the first and universal cause of all things ; and that in his glorious essence ; how much more do they know our shallow dispositions , affections , inclinations , ( which peer out of the windows of our hearts ) together with all perils , and events that are incident unto us ? we walk therefore amids not more able then watchfull overseers ; and so are we lookt thorough in all our wayes , as if heaven were all eyes ; under this blessed vigilancy , if the powers of hell can either surprize us with suddainnesse , or circumvent us with subtlety , let them not spare to use their advantage . but oh ye tutelar spirits , ye well know our weaknesse and their strength , our sillinesse and their craft , their deadly machinations and our miserable obnoxiousnesse ; neither is your love to markinde , and fidelity to your maker , any whit lesse then your knowledge , so as your charge can no more miscarry under your hands and eyes , then your selves . as you do alwayes enjoy the beatifical vision of your maker , so your eye is never off from his little ones your blessednesse is no more separable from our safety , then you from your blessednesse . sect. vi . the imployments and operations of angels . even while we see you not , o ye blessed spirits , we know what ye do : he that made you hath told us your task : as there are many millions of you attending the all-glorious throne of your creator , and singing perpetual hallelujahs to him in the highest heavens ; so there are innumerable numbers of you imployed in governing and ordering the creature ; in guarding the elect , in executing the commands which ye receive from the almighty ; what variety is here of your assistance ? one while ye lead us in our way , as ye did israel : another while ye instruct us , as ye did daniel : one while ye fight for us , as ye did for joshua , and judas maccabaeus : another while ye purvey for us , as for elias : one while ye fit us to our holy vocation , as ye did to esay : another while ye dispose of the opportunities of our calling for good , as ye did of philips to the eunuch : one while ye foretell our danger , as to lot , to joseph and mary : another while ye comfort our affliction , as to hagar : one while ye oppose evil projects against us , as to balaam : another while ye will be striven with for a blessing , as with jacob : one while ye resist our offensive courses , as to moses ; another while ye incourage us in our devotions , as ye did paul , and silas , and cornelius : one while ye deliver from durance , as peter : another while ye preserve us from danger and death , as the three children : one while ye are ready to restrain our presumption , as the cherub before the gate of paradise : another while to excite our courage , as to elias and theodosius : one while to refresh and chear us in our sufferings , as to the apostles ; another while to prevent our sufferings , as to jacob , in the pursuit of laban and esau , to the sages in the pursuit of herod : one while ye cure our bodies , as at the pool of bethesda ; another while ye carry up our souls to glory , as ye did to lazarus : it were endlesse to instance in all the gracious offices which ye perform ; certainly there are many thousand events , wherein common eyes see nothing but nature , which yet are effected by the ministration of angels : when abraham sent his servant to procure a wife for his son , from amongst his own cognation ; the messenger saw nothing but men like himself ; but abraham saw an angel fore-contriving the work ; god ( saith he ) shal send his angel before thee , that thou mayest take a wife thence ; when the israelites forcibly by dint of sword expelled the canaanites , and amorites , and the other branded nations , nothing appeared but their own arms ; but the lord of hosts could say , i will send mine angel before thee , by whom i shall drive them thence : balaam saw his asse disorderly starting in the path ; he that formerly had seen visions , now sees nothing but a wall , and a way , but in the mean time , his asse , ( who for the present had more of the prophet then his master ) could see an angel and a sword . the sodomites went groping in the street for lots door , and misse it ; they thought of nothing but some suddain dizzinesse of brain , that disappointed them , we know it was an angel that stroke them with blindenesse : nothing appeared when the egyptian first-born were struck dead in one night ; the astrologers would perhaps say they were planet-struck , we know it was done by the hand of an angel : nothing was seen at the pool of bethesda , but a moved water , when the suddain cures were wrought , which perhaps might be attributed to some beneficiall constellation ; we know that an angel descended , and made the water thus sanative : g●hezi saw his master strangely preserved from the aramite troops , but had not his eyes been opened by the prophets prayers , he had not seen whence that aid came : neither is it otherwise in the frequent experiments of our life ; have we been raised up from deadly sicknesses , when all naturall helps have given us up ? gods angels have been our secret physitians ; have we had instinctive intimations of the death of some absent friends , which no humane intelligence hath bidden us to suspect , who but our angels hath wrought it ? have we been preserved from mortall dangers which we could not tell how by our providence to have evaded ? our invisible guardians have done it . i see no reason to dislike that observation of gerson ; whence is it ( saith he ) that little children are conserved from so many perils of their infancy ; fire , water , falls , suffocations , but by the agency of angels ? surely , where we find a probability of second causes in nature , we are apt to confine our thoughts from looking higher ; yet even there many times are unseen hands : had we seen the house fall upon the heads of jobs children , we should perhaps have attributed it to the natural force of a vehement blast , when now we know it was the work of a spirit : had we seen those thousands of israel falling dead of the plague , we should have complain'd of some strange infection in the air , when david saw the angel of god acting in that mortality : humane reason is apt to be injuriously saucie , in ascribing those things to an ordinary course of natural causes , which the god of nature doth by supernatural agents . a master of philosophy travelling with others on the way ▪ when a fearfull thunder-storm arose , checked the fear of his fellows , and discoursed to them of the naturall reasons of that uprore in the clouds , and those suddain flashes wherewith they seemed ( out of the ignorances of causes ) to be too much affrighted ; in the midst of his philosophicall discourse , he was strucken dead with that dreadfull eruption which he sleighted ; what could this be but the finger of that god , who will have his works rather entertained with wonder , and trembling , then with curious scanning ; neither is it otherwise in those violent huracans , devouring earthquakes , and more then ordinary tempests , and fiery apparitions which we have seen and heard of ; for however there be natural causes given of the usual events of this kinde , yet nothing hinders , but that the almighty for the manifestation of his power and justice , may set spirits whether good or evil , on work to do the same things sometimes with more state and magnificence of horrour : like as we see frogs bred ordinarily , both out of putrefaction , and generation , and yet ( when it was ) for a plague to egypt , they were supernaturally produced ; hail ; an ordinary meteore ; murrain of cattel an ordinary disease , yet for a plague to obdured pharaoh miraculously wrought . neither need there be any great difficulty in discerning when such like events run in a natural course , and when spirits are actors in them ; the manner of their operation , the occasions and effects of them shall soon discry them to a judicious eye ; for when we shall finde that they do manifestly deviate from the road of nature , and work above the power of secondary causes , it is easie to determine them to be of an higher efficiency . i could instance irrefragrably in severall tempests and thunderstorms ( which to the unspeakable terrour of the inhabitants ) were , in my time , seen heard , felt , in the western parts ; wherein the translocation , and transportation of huge massy stones , and irons of the churches above the possibility of naturall distance , together with the strange preservation of the persons assembled , with other accidents sensibly accompanying those astonishing works of god , ( still fresh in the minds of many ) shewed them plainly to be wrought by a stronger hand then natures . * and whither else should we ascribe many events which ignorance teacheth us to wonder at in silence : if murders be descryed by the fresh bleeding of cold , and almost putrefied carcasses : if a man by some strong instinct be warned to change that lodging , which he constantly held for some years , and findes his wonted sleeping place that night crushed with the unexpected fall of an unsuspected contignation : if a man distressed with care for the missing of an important evidence ( † such a one i have known ) shal be informed in his dream , in what hole of his dove-cote he shall find it hid : if a man without all observation of physical criticisms , shall receive and give intelligence many dayes before , what hour shal be his last , to what cause can we attribute these , but to our attending angels ? if a man shall in his dream ( as marcus aurelius antoninus professes ) receive the prescript of the remedy of his disease , which the physitians it seems could not cure ; whence can this be but by the suggestion of spirits ? and surely , since i am convinced that their unfelt hands are in many occurrences of my life ; i have learned so much wit and grace , as rather to yeeld them too much then too little stroke in ordering all my concernments : o ye blessed spirits , many things i know ye do for me , which i discern not , whiles ye do them ; but after they are done : and many things ye may do more which i know not ; i blesse my god and yours , as the author of all ye doe ; i blesse you as the means of all that is done by you for me . sect. vii . the degrees and orders of angels . heaven hath nothing in it but perfection ; but even perfection it self hath degrees as the glorified souls , so the blessed angels have their heights of excellency and glory : he will be known for the god of order , observeth no doubt a most exact order in his court of heaven , nearest to the residence of his majesty . equality hath no place , either in earth or in hell ; we have no reason to seek it in heaven . he that was rapt into the third heaven can tell us of thrones , dominions , principalities , angels and arch-angels in that region of blessednesse . we cannot be so simple , as to think these to be but one classe of spirits ; doubtlesse they are distinctions of divers orders : but what their severall ranks , offices , employments are , he were not more wise that could tell , then he is bold that dare speak : what modest indignation can forbear stamping at the presumption of those men , who , as if upon domingo gonsales his engine , they had been mounted by his gansaes from the moon to the empyreall heaven , and admitted to be the heralds , or masters of ceremonies in that higher world , have taken upon them to marshall these angelicall spirits into their severall rooms ; proportioning their stations , dignities , services , according to the model of earthly courts ; disposing them into ternions of three generall hierarchies , the first relating to the immediate attendance of the almighty ; the other two to the government of the creature , both generall , and particular . in the first , of assistents , placing the seraphim as lords of the chamber ; cherubim , as lords of the cabinet-counsel ; thrones as entire favourites , in whom the almighty placeth his rest . in the second of universall regency ; finding dominions to be the great officers of state , who , as chancellours , marshals , treasurers , govern the affairs of the world , mights , to be the generals of the heavenly militia : powers , as the judges itinerant , that serve for generall retributions of good and evil . in the third of speciall government , placing principalities as rulers of severall kingdoms and provinces ; archangels , as guardians to severall cities and countreys ; and lastly , angels as guardians of several persons : and withall presuming to define the differences of degrees , in each order above other , in respect of the goodlinesse , and excellency of their nature ; making the arch-angels no lesse then ten times to surpasse the beauty of angels ; principalities , twenty times above the arch-angels ; powers , forty times more then principalities : mights , fifty more then powers : domininions , sixty above mights : thrones , seventy above dominions : cherubim , eighty above thrones : seraphim , ninety times exceeding the cherubim . for me , i must crave leave to wonder at this boldnesse : and professe my self as far to seek whence this learning should come , as how to beleeve it : i do verily beleeve there are divers orders of celestial spirits : i beleeve they are not to be beleeved that dare to determine them : especially when i see him that was rapt into the third heaven , varying the order of their places in his severall mentions of them : neither can i trust to the revelation of that sainted prophetesse who hath ranged the degrees of the beatitude of glorified souls , into the several chores of these heavenly hierarchies , according to their dispositions , and demeanures here on earth ; admitting those who have been charitably helpfull to the poor , sick , strangers , into the orb of angels : those who have given themselves to meditation and prayer , to the rank of archangels ; those who have vanquished all offensive lusts in themselves , to the order of principalities ; to the height of powers , those , whose care and vigilance hath restrained from evil , and induced to good such as have been committed to their oversight and governance . to the place of mights , those who for the honour of god , have undauntedly and valiantly suffered ; and whose patience hath triumphed over evils : to the company of dominions those who prefer poverty to riches , and devoutly conform their wills in all things to their makers : to the society of thrones , those , who do so inure themselves to the continuall contemplation of heavenly things , as that they have disposed their hearts to be a fit resting place for the almighty ; to the honour of cherubim , those who convey the benefit of their heavenly meditations unto the souls of others : lastly , to the highest eminence of seraphim , those who love god with their whole heart , and their neighbour for god , and their enemies in god ; and feel no wrongs but those which are done to their maker . i know not whether this soaring conceit be more seemingly pious , then really presumptuous ; since it is evident enough , that these graces do incur into each other , and are not possible to be severed : he that loves god cannot choose but be earnestly desirous to communicate his graces unto others , cannot but have his heart taken up with divine contemplation ; the same man cannot but overlook earthly things , and courageously suffer for the honour of his god : shortly , he cannot but be vigilant over his own wayes , and helpfull unto others : why should i presume to divide those vertues , or rewards which god will have inseparably conjoyned ? and what a strange confusion were this , in stead of an heavenly order of remuneration ? sure i am , that the least degree both of saints and angels is blessednesse : but for those stairs of glory , it were too ambitious in me to desire either to climb , or know them : it is enough for me to rest in the hope that i shall once see them ; in the mean time , let me be learnedly ignorant , and incuriously devout , silently blessing the power and wisdom of my infinite creator , who knows how to honour himself by all these glorious , and unrevealed subordinations . sect. viii . the apparitions of angels . were these celestiall spirits , though never so many , never so powerfull , never so knowing , never so excellently glorious , meer strangers to us , what were their number , power , knowledge , glory unto us ? i hear of the great riches , state and magnificence of some remote eastern monarchs , what am i the better , whiles in this distance their port and affairs are not capable of any relation to me ? to me it is all one not to be , and not to be concerned : let us therefore diligently inquire , what mutual communion there is , or may be betwixt these blessed spirits and us . and first , nothing is more plain , then that the angels of god have not alwayes been kept from mortall eyes under an invisible concealment , but sometimes have condescended so low , as to manifest their presence to men in visible forms , not naturall but assumed . i confesse i have not faith enough to beleeve many of those apparitions that are pretended . i could never yet know what other to think of * socrates his genius ; which ( as himself reports ) was wont to check him , when he went about any unmee● enterprise , and to forward him in good : for the modern times , it is too hard to credit the report of doway letters concerning our busie neighbour p●re cotton , that he had ordinary conference and conversation with angels , both his own tutelar , and those generall of provinces : if so , what need was there for him to have propounded fifty questions , partly of divinity , partly of policy , to the resolution of a demoniack ? who can be so fondly credulous , as to believe that jo. carrera a young father of the society , had a daily companion of his angell in so familiar a fashion , as to propound his doubts to that secret friend , to receive his answers , to take his advise upon all occasions ; to be raised by him every morning from his bed , to his early devotions ; till once delaying caused , for a time , an intermission ; or that the aged cappuchin franciscus de bergamo ( noted for the eleven pretious stones which were found in his gall ) had for eight years together before his death , the assistance of an angel in humane shape for the performing of his canonicall hours ; or , that the angels helped their s. gudwal , and s. oswald bishop of worcester to say his masse ; or ▪ that isidore the late spanish peasant ( newly sainted amongst good company by greg. the . ) serving an hard master , had an angell to make up his daily task at his plough , whiles the good soul was at his publique devotions ; like as another angel supplyed felix , the lay cappuchin , in tending his cattle : or that francisca romana ( lately canonized ) had two celestial spirits , visibly attending her , the one of the order of archangels , which never left her : the other of the fourth order of angels , who frequently presented himself to her view : their attire , sometimes white , sometimes blew , purple more rarely ; their tresses of hair , long , and golden , as the over-credulous bishop of wirtzburge reports from gulielmus baldesanus , not without many improbable circumstances ; these and a thousand more of the s●me branne , finde no more belief with me , then that story , which franciscus albertinus relates out of baronius , as done here at home ; that in the year . in england , there was an angel seen upon one of our altars , ( and therefore more likely to be known in our own island , then beyond the alps ) in a visible form , with a naked sword in his hand , which he glitteringly brandished up and down , foyning sometimes , and sometimes striking ; thereby threatning so long ago an instant destruction to this kingdome . and indeed , why should we yeeld more credit to these pretenders of apparitions , then to adelbertus the german heres●arch , condemned in a councel of rome , by pope zacharie , who gave no lesse confidently out , that his angel-guardian appeared daily to him , and imparted to him many divine revelations , and directions ? or if there be a difference pleaded in the relations , where or how shal we finde it ? this we know , that so sure as we see men , so sure we are that holy men have seen angels ; abraham saw angels in his tent dore : lot saw angels in the gate of sodome : hagar in the wildernesse of beersheba : jacob in the way : moses in the bush of horeb : manoah and his wife in the field : gideon in his threshing flore : david by the threshing flore of araunah : what should i mention the prophets , elijah , elisha , esay , daniel , zachary , ezekiel , and the rest ? in the new testament , joseph , mary , zachariah the father of john baptist , the shepheards , mary magdalen , the gazing disciples at the mount of olives , peter , philip , cornelius , paul , john the evangelist , were all blessed with the sight of angels . in the succeeding times of the church primitive , i dare beleeve that good angels were no whit more sparing of their presence for the comfort of holy martyrs and confessors under the pressure of tyranny for the dear name of their saviour : i doubt not but constant theodorus saw and felt the refreshing hand of the angel , no lesse then he reported to julian his persecutor : i doubt not but the holy virgins , theophila , agnes , lucia , cecilia , and others , saw the good angels protectors of their chastity . as one that hath learned in these cases to take the mid-way betwixt distrust , and credulity ; i can easily yield that those retired saints of the prime ages of the church had sometimes such heavenly companions , for the consolation of their forced solitude ; but withall , i must have leave to hold that the el●er the ●ch grew , the more rare was the use of these apparitions , as of other miraculous actions , and events : not that the arm of our god is shortned , or his care and love to his beloved ones , any whit abated : but for that his church is now in this long processe of time setled , through his gracious providence , in an ordinary way . like as it was with his israelites , who whiles they were in their longsome passage , were miraculously preserved , and protected , but when they came once to be fixed in the land of promise , their angelical sustenance ceased ; they then must purvey for their own food , and either till , or famish . now then in these later ages of the church , to have the visible apparition of a good angell , it is a thing so geason and uncouth , that it is enough for all the world to wonder at : some few instances our times have been known to yield : amongst others , that is memorable which philip melanchton as an eye-witnesse reports . simon grynaeus a learned and holy man , coming from heidelburg to spire ; was desirous to hear a certain preacher in that city , who in his sermon ( it seems ) did then let fall-some erroneous propositions of popish doctrine , much derogatory from the majesty and truth of the son of god ; wherewith grynaeus being not a little offended , craved speedy conference with the preacher , and laying before him the falshood and danger of his doctrines , exhorted him to an abandoning , and retractation of those mis-opinions ; the preacher gave good words and fair semblance to grynaeus , desiring further and more particular conference with him , each imparted to other their names and lodgings ; yet inwardly , as being stung with that just reproof , he resolved a revenge by procuring the imprisonment , and ( if he ●ight ) the death of so sharp a censurer : grynaeus misdoubting nothing , upon his return to his lodging , reports the passages of the late conference to those who sate at the table with him ; amongst whom melancthon being one , was called out of the room to speak with a stranger , newly come into the house ; going forth accordingly , he finds a grave old man of a goodly countenance ; seemly , and richly attired ; who in a friendly and grave manner tells him , that within one hour , there would come to their inne , certain officers , as from the king of the romans to attach grynaeus , and to carry him to prison ; willing him to charge grynaeus , with all possible speed to flee out of spires ; and requiring melancthon to see that this advantage were not neglected ; which said , the old man vanished out of his sight : instantly melancthon returning to his companions , recounted unto them the words of this strange monitor ; and hastned the departure of grynaeus accordingly ; who had no sooner boated himself on the rhine , then he was eagerly searcht for at his said lodging ; that worthy divine in his commentary upon daniel , both relates the story , and acknowledges gods fatherly providence in sending this angell of his , for the rescue of his faithfull servant : others , though not many of this kinde , are reported by simon goulartius in his collection of admirable and memorable histories of our time ; whither for brevity sake i refer my reader . but more often hath it faln out , that evill spirits have visibly presented themselves in the glorious forms of good angels ; as to simeon stylites , to pachomius , to valens the monk , to rathodus duke of freezland , to macarius , to gertrude in westphalia , with many others ; as we finde in the reports of ruffinus vincentius , caesarius palladius : and the like delusions may still be set on foot , whiles satan , who loves to transform himself into an angell of light , laboureth by these means to noursle silly souls in superstition : too many whereof have swallowed the bait , though others have descried the book : amongst the rest , i like well the humility of that hermite , into whose cell , when the divel presented himself , in a goodly and glittering form , and told him that he was an angell sent to him from god ; the hermite turned him off with this plain answer , see thou whence thou comest ; for me , i am not worthy to be visited with such a guest as an angel . but the trade that we have with good spirits is not now driven by the eye , but is like to themselves , spiritual : yet not so , but that even in bodily occasions , we have many times insensible helps from them in such manner , as that by the effects , we can boldly say , here hath been an angel though we saw him not . of this kind was that ( no less then miraculous ) cure , which at s. madernes in cornwall , was wrought upon a poor cripple * whereof ( besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours ) i took a strict and personall examination , in that * last visitation which i either did , or ever shall hold : this man , that for sixteen years together was fain to walk upon his hands , by reason of the close contraction of the sinews of his legs , was , ( upon three monitions in his dream to wash in that well ) suddainly so restored to his limbs , that i saw him able both to walk , and to get his own maintenance ; i found here was neither art nor collusion , the thing done , the author invisible . the like may we say of john spangenberge pastour of northeuse ; no sooner was that man stept out of his house , with his family to go to the bayns , then the house fell right down in the place : our own experience at home is able to furnish us with divers such instances : how many have we known that have faln from very high towers , and into deep pits , past the naturall possibility of hope , who yet have been preserved not from death only , but from hurt : whence could these things be , but by the secret aid of those invisible helpers ? it were easie to fill volumes with particulars of these kinds ; but the main care , and most officious endeavours of these blessed spirits are employed about the better part , the soul ; in the instilling of good motions ; enlightning the understanding , repelling of temptations , furthering our opportunities of good , preventing occasions of sin , comforting our sorrows , quickning our dulnesse , incouraging our weaknesse ; and lastly , after all carefull attendance here below , conveying the souls of their charge , to their glory , and presenting them to the hands of their faithfull creator . it is somewhat too hard to beleeve , that there have been ocular witnesses of these happy convoys ; who lists may credit that which hierom tells us , that antony the hermit saw the soul of his partner in that solitude ( paul ) carried up by them to heaven ; that severinus bishop of colein saw the soul of s. martin thus transported , as gregory reports in his dialogues ; that benedict saw the soul of germanus in the form of a fiery globe thus conveyed ; what should i speak of the souls of the holy martyrs , tiburtius , valerian , maximus , marcellinus , justus , quintinus , severus , and others : we may if we please ( we need not unlesse we list ) give way to these reports , to which our faith obliges us not : in these cases we go not by eye-sight : but we are well assured the soul of lazarus was by these glorious spirits carried up into the bosome of abraham , neither was this any priviledge of his above all other the saints of god ; all which as they land in one common harbour of blessednesse , so they all participate of one happy means of portage . sect. ix . the respects which we owe to the angels . such are the respects of good angels to us ; now what is ours to them ? it was not amisse said of one , that the life of angels is politicall , full of intercourse with themselves and with us : what they return to each other in the course of their theophanies , is not for us to determine ; but since their good offices are thus assiduous unto us , it is meet we do inquire what duties are requirable from us to them . devout bernard is but too liberall in his decision , that we owe to these beneficient spirits reverence for their presence , devotion for their love ; and trust for their custody . doubtlesse , we ought to be willing to give unto them so much as they will be willing to take from us : if we go beyond these bounds , we offend , and alienate them : to derogate from them is not so hainous in their account , as to overho●our them . s. john proffers an humble geniculation to the angell , and is put off , with a see thou do it not , i am thy fellow servant : the excesses of respects to them , have turned to abominable impiety ; which howsoever hierome sems to impute to the jews , eve● since the prophets time , yet simon magus was the first that we finde guilty of this impious flattery of the angels ; who fondly holding that the world was made by them , could not ●hink fit to present them with lesse then divine honour : h● cursed cholar , menander , ( whose errour prateolus wrongfully fathers upon aristotle ) succeeding him in that wicked heresie , as eusebius tels us , left behind him saturnius , not inferiour to him in this frenzie ; who ( as tertullian and philastrius report him ) fancied together with his mad fellows , that seven angels made the world , not acquainting god with their work : what should i name blasphemous cerinthus , who durst disparage christ in comparison with angels ? not altogether so bad were those hereticks ( though bad enough ) which took their ancient denomination from the angels ; who professing true christianity and detestation of idolatry , ( as having learned that god only is to be worshipped properly ) yet reserved a certain kind of adoration to the blessed angels ; against this opinion and practice , the great doctour of the gentiles seems to bend his style , in his epistle to the colossians , forbidding a voluntary humility in worshipping of angels ; whether grounded upon the superstition of ancient jews , as hierom and anselm ; or upon the ethnick philosophie of some platonick , as estius and cornel●us à lapide imagine ; or upon the damnable conceits of the simonians and cerinthians , as tertullian , we need not much to inquire ; nothing is more clear then the apostles inhibition ▪ afterward seconded by the synod of laodicea ; whereto yet theodorets noted commentary would seem to give more light ▪ who tels us that upon the ill use made of the giving of the ●aw by the hands of angels , there was an errour of old maintained , of angel-worship , which still continued in phrygia and pisidia , so that a sinod was hereupon assembled at laodicea , the chief city of phrygia ; which by a direct canon forbad praying to angels ; a practice ( saith he ) so setled amongst them that even to this day there are to be seen amongst them , and their neighbours the oratories of s. mi●hael . here then was this mishumility , that they thought it too much boldnesse to come ●mmediately to god , but that we must first make way to his favour by the mediation of angels ; a testimony so pregnant , that i wonder not if caranza flee into corners ; and all the fautors of angel-worship be driven to hard shifts to avoid it : but what do i with controversies ? this devotion we do gladly professe to owe to good angels , that though we do not pray unto them , yet we do pray to god for the favour of their assistance , and protection ; and praise god for the protection that we have from them : that faithfull patriarch , of whom the whole church of god receives denomination , knew well , what he said , when he gave this blessing to his grand-children : the angell that redeemed me from all evill , blesse the children : whether this were an interpretative kind of imploration , as becanus and lorichius contend ; or whether ( as is no lesse probable ) this angel were not any created power , but the great angell of the covenant ; the same which jacob wrestled with before , for a blessing upon himself , as athanasius and cyril well conceive it , i will not here dispute ; sure i am , that if it were an implicit prayer , and the angell mentioned , a creature ; yet the intention was no other then to terminate that prayer in god , who blesseth us by his angel . yet further , we come short of our dutie to these blessed spirits , if we entertain not in our hearts an high and venerable conceit of their wonderfull majesty , glory , and greatnesse : and an awfull acknowledgment and reverentiall awe of their presence ▪ an holy joy , and confident assurance of their care and protection ; and lastly , a fear to doe ought that might cause them to turn away their faces , in dislike , from us : all these dispositions are copulative : for certainly , if we have conceived so high an opinion of their excellency , and goodnesse as we ought ; we cannot but be bold upon their mutuall interest , and be afraid to displease them : nothing in the world but our sins can distaste them : they look upon our natural infirmities , deformities , loathsomnesses , without any offence , or nauseation : but our spirituall indispositions are odious to them ▪ as those which are opposite to their pure natures . the story is famous of the angell and the hermite , walking together ; in the way there lay an il-sented and poisonous carrion , the hermite stopt his nose , and turned away his head , hasting out of that offensive air , the angell held on his pace , without any shew of dislik : straightway they met with a proud man , gaily dressed , strongly perfumed , looking high , walking stately , the angell turned away his head , and stopt his nosthrils , whiles the hermite passed on not without reverence to so great a person : and gave this reason ; that the stench of pride was more loathsome to god and his angels , then that of the carcass , could be to him . i blush to think , o ye glorious spirits , how often i have done that whereof ye have been ashamed for me ; i abhor my self to recount your just dislikes ; and do willingly professe , how unworthy i shall be of such friends , if i be not hereafter jealous of your just offence . neither can i without much regret , thinke of those many and horrible nuisances , which you find every moment from sinfull mankind : wo is me , what odious sents arise to you perpetually from those bloody murders , beastly uncleannesses , cruell oppressions , noisome disgorgings of surfeits , and drunkennesses , abominable idolatries , and all manner of detestable wickednesses , presumptuously committed every where ; enough to make you abhorre the presence and protection of debauched and deplored mortality . but for us that are better principled , and know what it is to be over-lookt by holy and glorious spirits , we desire and care to be more tender of your offence then of a world of visible spectatours : and if the apostle found it requisite to give such charge , for but the observation of an outward decencie ; not much beyond the lists of indifferencie , because of the angels ; what should our care be in relation to those blessed spirits , of our deportment in matter of morality , and religion ? surely , o ye invisible guardians , it is not my sense that shall make the difference , it shall be my desire to be no lesse carefull of displeasing you , then if i saw you present by me , cloathed in flesh : neither shall i rest lesse assured of your gracious presence and tuition , and the expectation of all spirituall offices from you , which may tend towards my blessednesse , then i am now sensible of the ●nimation of my own soul . the invisible world . the second book . sect. i. of the souls of men . of their separation and immortality . next to these angelicall essences , the souls of men , whether in the body , or severed ●rom it , are those spirits which people the invisible world ●ex● to them , i say ▪ not the s●me with them , not bett●r those of the ancient which have thought that the ruine of angels is to be supplyed by ●lessed souls , spake doubtless without the book ; for he that is the truth it self hath said , they be ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) like , not the same : and justly are those ●xploded , whether pythago●eans , or stoicks , or gnost●cks , or manichees , or alma●icus ▪ or ( if lactantius himself were in that errour , as ludovicus vives construes him ) who falsly dreamed that the souls of ●en were of the substance of that god , which inspired them ; these errours are more ●it for ellebore , then for theologicall conviction : spirituall substances doubtlesse they ●re , and such as have no lesse distant originall from the body , then heaven is from earth : galen was not a better physi●●an then an ill divine , whiles ●e determines the soul to be the complexion and temperament of the prime qualities ; no other then that harmony which the elder naturalists dreamed of , an opinion no lesse brutish ; then such a soul : for how can temperamet be the cause of any progressive motion ; much lesse of a rationall discourse ? here is no materiality , no physicall composition in this inmate of ours ; nothing but a substantiall act , an active spirit , a spirituall form of the king of all visible creatures : but as for the essence , originall derivation , powers , faculties , operations of this humane soul as it is lodged in this clay , i leave them to the disquisition of the great secretaries of nature ; my way lyes higher , leading me from the common consideration of this spirit , as it is clogged with flesh , unto the meditation of it , as it is devested of this earthly case , and clothed with an eternity whether of joy or torment : we will begin with happinesse , ( our fruition whereof ( i hope ) shall never end , ) if first we shall have spent some thoughts upon the generall condition of this separation . that the soul after separation from the body , hath an independent life of its owne ; is so clear a truth , that the very heathen philosophers , by the dimme light of nature have determined it for irrefragable : in so much as aristotle himself ( who is wont to hear ill for his opinion of the soules mortality ) is confidently reported to have written a book of the soul separate , which thomas aquinas in his ( so late ) age professes to have seen : sure i am , that his master plato , and that heathen martyr , socrates ( related by him ) are full of divine discourses of this kind . in so much as this latter , when crito was asking him how he would be buried : i perceive ( said he ) i have lost much labour , for i have not yet perswaded my crito , that i shall flye clear away , and leave nothing behind me ; meaning that the soul is the man , and would be ever it self , when his body should have no being : and in xenophon ( as cicero cites him ) cyprus is brought in saying thus , nolite arbitrari , &c. think not my dear sons ▪ that when i shall depart from you , i shall then cease to have any being ; for even whiles i was with you ye saw not that soul which i had , but yet ye well saw by those things which i did , that there was a soul within this body : beleeve ye therefore , that though ye shall see no soul of mine , yet that it still shall have a being . shortly , all but an hatefull epicurus , have astipulated to this truth : and if some have fa●cied a transmigration of souls into other bodies , others , a passage to the stars which formerly governed them ; others , to i know not what elysian fields ; all have pitched upon a separate condition . and indeed not divinity only , but true natural reason will necessarily evince it : for the intellective soul being a more spirituall substance , and therefore having in it no composition at all , and by consequence , nothing that may tend towards a not-being , can be no other ( supposing the will and concurrence of the infinite creator ) then immortall : besides , ( as our best way of judgging ought is wont to be by the effects ) certainly all operations are from the forms of things , and all things do so work as they are : now the body can do nothing at all without the help of the soul , but the soul hath actions of its own ; as the acts of understanding , thinking , judging , remembring , ratiocination ; wherof , if ( whiles it is within us ) it receives the first occasions by our senses , and phantasms ; yet it doth perfect and accomplish the said operations , by the inward powers of its own faculties ; much more , and also more exactly can it do all these things , when it is meerly it self ; since the clog that the body brings with it , cannot but pregravate , and trouble the soul in all her performances : in the mean time , they do justly passe for mentall actions ; neither do so much as receive a denomination from the body : we walk , move , speak , see , feel , and do other humane acts ; the power that doth them is from the soul ; the means or instrument , whereby they are done , is the body ; no man will say the soul walks , or sees , but the body by it : but we can no more say that the soul understands or thinks by the aid of the body , then we can say the body thinks , or understands , by means of the soule : these therefore being distinct and proper actions , do necessarily evince an independing , and self-subsisting agent . o my soul , thou couldst not be thy self , unless thou knew'st thine originall , heavenly ; thine essence , separable ; thy continuance eviternall . but what do we call in reason , and nature to this parle , where faith ( by which christianity teacheth us to be regulated ) finds so full , and pregnant demonstrations : no lesse then halfe our creed sounds this way , either by expression , or inference ; where in whiles we professe to believe that christ our saviour rose from the dead and ascended we implie that his body was ●ot more dead , then his soul living and active ; that was whereof he said , father into thy hands i commend my spirit : now , we cannot imagine one life of the head , and another of the body : his state therefore is ours ; every way are we conform to him : as our bodies then shall be once like to his , glorious ; so our souls cannot be but , as his , severed by death , crowned with immortality : and if he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead ; those dead whom he shall judge , must be living ; for ( as our saviour said in the like case ) god is not the judge of the dead , as dead , but the judge of the living that were dead , and therefore living in death , and after death : and whereof doth the church catholick consist , but of some members , warfaring on earth , others triumphant in heaven ? and what doth that triumph suppose , but both a beeing , and a beeing glorious ? what communion were there of saints , if the departed souls were not ▪ and the soul , when it begins to be perfect , should cease to be ? to what purpose were the resurrection of the body , but to meet with his old partner , the soul ? and that meeting only implies both a separation , and existence . lastly , what life can there be properly but of the soul ? and how can that life be everlasting , which is not continued ? or that continued , that is not ? if then he may be a man ; certainly , a christian he cannot be , who is more assured that he hath a soul in his body , then that his soul shall once have a being without his body : death may tyrannize over our earthly parts , the worst he can do to the spirituall , is to free it from a friendly bondage . chear up thy self therefore , o my soul , against all the fears of thy dissolution ; thy departure is not more certain then thy advantage ; thy being shall not be lesse sure but more free , and absolute : is it such a trouble to thee to be rid of a clog ? or art thou so loath to take leave of a miserable companion for a while , on condition that he shall ere long meet thee happy ? sect. ii. of the instant vision of god upon the egression of the soul : and the present condition till then . but if , in the mean while , we shall let fall our eyes upon the present condition of the soul , it will appear how apt we are to misknow our selves , and that which gives us the being of men ; the most men , how ever they conceive they have a soul within them , by which they receive their animation , yet they entertain but dull and gloomy thoughts concerning it ; as if it were no lesse void of light and activity , then it is of materiality , and shape : not apprehending the spirituall agility , and clearly-lightsome nature of that whereby they are enlived : wherein it will not a little availe us to have our judgements thoroughly rectified ; and to know that as god is light , so the soul of man which comes immediately from him , and bears his image , is justly , even here , dignified with that glorious title ; i spe●k not only of the regenerate soul illuminated by divine inspirations , and supernaturall knowledge ; but also even of that rationall soul , which every man bears in his bosome . the spirit of man ( saith wise solomon ) is the candle of the lord , ( prov. . . ) searching all the inward parts of the belly . and the dear apostle : in him was life , and the life was the light of men , joh. . . and more fully , soon after : that light was the true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world . v. . no man can be so fondly charitable , as to think every man that comes into the world , illightned by the spirit of regeneration : it is then that intellectuall light of common nature , which the great illuminator of the world beams forth into every soul , in such proportion as he finds agreeable to the capacity of every subject : know thy self therefore . o man , and know thy maker : god hath not put into thee a dark soul : or shut up thy inward powers in a dungeon of comfortlesse obscuritie ; but he hath set up a bright shining lamp in thy breast : whereby thou maiest sufficiently discern naturall and morall truths , the principles and conclusions whether of nature or art , herein advancing thee above all other visible creatures , whom he hath confined ( at the best ) to a mere opacity of outward and common sense ; but if our naturall light shall , through the blessing of god , be so happily improved , as freely to give place to the spirituall , reason to faith , so that the soul can now attain to see him that is invisible , and in his light to see light , now , even whiles it is over-shaded with the interposition of this earth , it is already entered within the verge of glorie : but , so soon as this va●● o● wretched mortality is done away ; now it enjoyes a clear heaven for ever , and sees as it is seen . amongst many heavenly thoughts , wherewith my everdear and most honoured , and now blessed friend , the late edward earl of norwich , had wont to animate himself against the encounter with our last enemy death ; this was one not of the meanest , that in the very instant of his souls departing out of his body , it should immediately enjoy the v●sion of god : and certainly so it is , the spirits of just men , need not stand upon d●stances of place , or space of time , for this beatificall sight ; but so soon as ever they are out of their clay lodging , they are in their spiritu●ll heaven even whiles they are happily conveying to the locall ; for since nothing hindred them from that happy sight , but the interposition of this earth , which we carry about us , the spirit being once free from that impediment , sees as it is seen , being instantly passed into a condition like unto the angels ; wel therefore are these coupled together by the blessed apostle , who in his divine rapture had seen them both ; ye are come ( saith he ) unto mount sion , and unto the city of the living god , the heavenly jerusalem ; and to an innumerable company of angels , and to the spirits of just men made perfect . as then the angels of god , wheresoever they are ( though imployed about the affairs of this lower world ) yet do still see and enjoy the vision of god ; so do the souls of the righteous , when they are once eased of this earthly load : doubtlesse , as they passed through degrees of grace , whiles they took up with these homely lodgings of clay ; so they may passe through degrees of blisse , when they are once severed . and if ( as some great divines have supposed ) the angels themselves shall receive an augmentation of happinesse at the day of the last judgement , when they shall be freed from all their charge and imployments , ( since the perfection of blessedness consists in rest , which is the end of all motion ) how much more shal the saints of god then receive an enlargment of their felicity ; but in the mean time , they are entered into the lists of their essential beatitude , over the threshold of their heaven . how full and comfortable is that profession of the great apostle , who when he had sweetly diverted the thoughts of himself and his corinthians from their light afflictions to an eternall weight of excelling glory , from things temporall , which are seen , to those everlasting , which are not seen : addes ; for we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved , we have a building not made with hands eternall in the heavens ; more then implying , that our eye is no sooner off from the temporall things , then it is taken up with eternall objects ; and that the instant of the dis●olution of these clay cottages , is the livery and seisin of a glorious and everlasting mansion ●n heaven . canst thou believe this o my soul , and yet recoil ●t the thought of thy departure ? wert thou appointed af●er a dolorous dissolution to spend some hundreds of years at the fore-gates of glory ( though in a painless expectation of a late happinesse ) even this hope were a pain alone ; but if sense of pain were also added to the delay , this were more then enough to make the condition justly dreadfull : but now that one minute shuts our eyes , and opens them to a clear sight of god , determines our misery , and begins our blessednesse ; oh the cowardise of our unbeleefe , if we shrinke at so momentany a purchase of eternity ! how many have we known that for a false reputation of honour have rushed into the jawes of death , when we are sure they could not come back to enjoy it ; and do i tremble at a minutes pain , that shall feoffe me in that glory , which i cannot but for ever enjoy ? how am i ashamed to hear an heathen socrates , encouraging himselfe against the feares of death from his resolution of meeting with some fmous persons in that other world , and to feel my self shrugging at a short brunt of pain , that shall put me into the blisse-making presence of the all-glorious god , into the sight of the glorified humanity of my dear redeemer , into the society of all the angels and saints of heaven ? sect. iii. of the souls perpetual vigilancy , and fruition of god . it is no other then a frantick dream of those erroneous spirits that have fancied the sleep of the soul , and that so long and deep a sleep , as from the evening of the dissolution , till the morning of the resurrection ; so as all that while , the soul hath no vision of god , no touch of joy or pain . an errour wickedly rak't up out of the ashes of those arabick hereticks , whom origen is said to have reclaimed : and since that time , taken up ( if they be not slandered ) by the armenians , and fratricelli ; and once countenanced , and abetted by pope john the . ( as pope adrian witnesseth , ) yea so inforced by him , upon the university of paris , as that all accesse to degrees was barred to any whosoever refused to subscribe , and swear to that damnable position : the minorites began to finde relish in that poison , which no doubt had proceeded to further mischief , had not the interposition of philip the-then-french king happily quelled that uncomfortable and pernicious doctrine , so as we might have hoped it should never have dared more to look into the light . but , wo is me , these prodigious times amongst a world of other uncouth heresies , have not stuck to fetch even this also ( wel-worsed ) back from that region of darknesse , whither it was sent : indeed who can but wonder that any christian can possibly give entertainment to so absurd a thought ; whiles he hears his saviour say , father i will that they also whom thou hast given me , be with me , where i am ; and that ( not in a safe sleep ) they may behold my glory , which thou hast given me : behold it ? yea , but when ? at last perhaps when the body shall be resumed ? nay , ( to choak this cavill ) the blisse is present , even already possessed ; the glory which thou gavest me i have given to them : it was accordingly his gracious word to the penitent theef , this day shalt thou be with me in paradise : how clear is that of the chosen vessell , opposing our present condition to the succeeding : for now we see through a glasse darkly ; but then ( that is , upon our dissolution ) face to face , the face of the soul to the face of god : the infinit amiableness whereof was that which inflamed the longing desire of the blessed apostle to depart and to be with christ ; as knowing these two inseparable , the instant of his departure , and his presence with christ : else the departure were no lesse worthy of fear , as the utmost of evils , then now it is of wishing for , as our entrance into blessednesse : away then with that impious frenzie of the souls , whether mortality , or sleep in death : no , my soul , thou doest then begin to live , thou doest not awake till then : now whiles thou art in the bed of this living clay , thine eyes are shut , thy spirituall senses are tyed up , thou art apt to s●ort in a sinfull security ; thou dreamest of earthly vanities ; then , only then are thine eyes opened , thy spirituall faculties freed ; all thy powers quickned , and thou art perpetually presented with objects of eternall glory . and if at any time during this pilgrimage , thine eye-lids have been some little raised by divine meditations , yet how narrowly , how dimly art thou wont to see ? now thine eies shall be so broadly and fully opened , that thou shalt see whole heaven at once ; yea , which is more , the face of that god , whose presence makes it heaven : oh glorious sight ! o most blessed condition ! wise solomon could truly observe that the eye is not satisfied with seeing ; neither indeed can it be here below ; nothing is so great a glutton as the eye ; for when we have seen all that we can , we shall still wish to see more ; and that more is nothing if it be lesse their all ; but this infinite object ( which is more then all ) shall so fill and satisfie our eyes , that we cannot desire the sight of any other ; nor ever be glutted with the sight of this ; old simeon when once he had lived to see the lord of life cloathed in flesh , could say , ●ord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation : if he were so full of the sight of his saviour in the weaknesse of humane flesh , and in the form of a servant ; how is he more then fated with the perfection of joy , and heavenly detestation , to see that saviour clothed with majesty ; to see his all glorious godhead ; and so to see , as to enjoy them ; and so enjoy them , as that he shall never intermit their sight and fruition to all eternity . sect. iv. of the knowledge of the glorified . as concerning all other matters , what the knowledge is of our souls , separated , and glorified , we shall then know when ours come to be such : in the mean time , we can much less know their thougths , then they can know ours : sure we are , they do not know in such manner as they did , when they were in our bosomes ; by the help of senses and phantasms , by the discursive inferences of ratiocination ; but as they are elevated to a condition suitable to the blessed angels ; so they know like them : though not by the meanes of a naturall knowledge , as they , yet by that supernaturall light of intimation , which they receive by their glorified estate : whether by vertue of this divine illumination they know the particular occurrences which we meet with here below , he were bold that would determine . only this we may confidently affirme , that they do clearly know al those things which do any way appertain to their estate of blessednesse . amongst which , whether the knowledge of each other in that region of happinesse may justly be ranked , is not unworthy of our disquisition . doubtlesse , as in god there is all perfection eminently , and transcendently , so in the sight and fruition of god , there cannot be but full and absolute felicity ; yet this is so farre from excluding the knowledge of those things which derive their goodnesse and excellency from him , as that it compriseth , and supposeth it : like as it is also in our affections ; we love god only as the chief good ; yet so as that we love other things in order to god ; charity is no more subject to losse , then knowledge , both these shall accompany our souls to and in that other world . as then , we shall perfectly love god , and his saints in him ; so shall we know both : and though it be a sufficient motive of our love in heaven , th●t we know them ▪ to be saints ; yet it seems to be no small addition to our happinesse , to know that those saints were once ours : and if it be a just joy to a parent here on earth to see his child gracious , how much more acession shall it be to his joy above , to see the fruits of his loines glorious , when both his love is more pure , and their improvement absolute ? can we make any doubt that the blessed angels know each other ? how senselesse were it to grant that no knowledge is hid from them , but of themselves ? or can we imagine that those angelicall spirits do not take speciall notice of those souls which they have guarded here , and conducted to their glory ? if they do so , and if the knowledge of our beatified souls shall be like to theirs , why should we abridg our selves more then them , of the comfort of our interknowing ? surely ▪ our dissolution shall abate nothing of our naturall faculties ; our glory shal advance them ; so as what we once knew we shall know better : and if our souls can then perfectly know themselves , why should they be denied the knowledge of others ? doubt not then , o my soul , but thou shalt once see ( besides the face of thy god , whose glory fils heaven and earth ) the blessed spirits of the ancient patriarchs , and prophets , the holy apostles and evangelists , the glorious martyrs and confessors ; those eminent saints , whose holiness thou wert wont to magnifie ; and amongst them , those in whom nature and grace have especially interessed thee , thou shalt see them , and enjoy their joy and they thine : how oft have i measured a long and foul journey to see some good friend , and digested the tediousnesse of the way with the expectation of a kind entertainment , and the thought of that complacency which i should take in so dear ? presence ? and yet perhaps , when i have arrived , i have found the house disordered , one sick , another disquieted , my selfe indisposed ; with what cheerfull resolution should i undertake this my last voyage , where i shal meet with my best friends , and find them perfectly happy , and my selfe with them ? sect. v. of the glory of heaven injoyed by blessed souls . how often have i begged of my god , that it would please him to shew me some little glimpse of the glory of his saints ? it is not for me to wish the sight ( as yet ) of the face of that divine majesty ; this was two much for a moses to sue for ; my ambition only is , that i might , if but as it were through some cranie , or key-hole of the gate of heaven , see the happy condition of his glorious servants . i know what hinders me , my miserable unworthinesse , my spiritual blindnesse . o god , if thou please to wash off my clay with the waters of thy siloam , i shall have eyes ; and if thou anoint them with thy precious eye-salve , those eyes shall be clear , and enabled to behold those glories which shall ravish my soul . and now , lord , what pure and resplendent light is this , wherein thy blessed ones dwel ? how justly did thine ecstatical apostle call it the inheritance of the saints in light ? light unexpressible , light unconceivable , light inaccessible ? lo , thou that hast prepared such a light to this inferiour world for the use and comfort of us mortall creatures , as the glorious sun , which can both inlighten and dazle the eyes of all beholders ▪ hast proportionally ordained a light to that higher world , so much more excellent then the sun , as heaven is above earth , immortality above corruption . and if wise solomon could say truly , the light is sweet , and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun ; how infinitely delectable is it in thy light to see such light as may make the sun in comparison thereof , darknesse ? in thy presence is the fulness of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . what can be wished more , where there is fulness of joy ? and behold thy presence , o lord , yeelds it . could i neither see saint nor angell in that whole empyreall heaven , none but thine infinite self , thy self alone were happiness for me more then enough ; but as thou , in whom here below we live , and move , and have our beeing , detractest nothing from thine all-sufficiency , but addest rather to the praise of thy bounty , in that thou furnishest us with variety of means of our life and subsistence ; so here it is the praise of thy wonderfull mercies which thou allowest us ( besides thine immediate presence ) the society of thy blessed angels , and saints , wherein we may also enjoy thee . and if the view of any of those single glories be enough to fil my soul with wonder , and contentment : how must it needs run over at the sight of those worlds of beauty and excellency , which are here met and united ? lo here the blessed h●erarchy of innumerable angels , there the glorious company of the apostles here the goodly fellowship of the patriarchs and prophets there the noble army of m●rtyrs ▪ here the troops of laborious pastors and teachers , there the numberlesse multitudes of holy and conscionable professors . lord , what exquisite order is here , what perfection of glory ! and if even in thine eyes thy poor despised church upon earth , be so beautifull and amiable , fair as the moon clear as the sun , ( which yet in the eyes of flesh seems but homely and hard-favoured ) how infinite graces and perfections shall our spirituall eies see in thy glorified spouse above ? what pure sanctity ? what sincere charity ? what clear knowledge ? what absolute joy ? what entire union ? what wonderfull majesty ? what compleat felicity ? all shine alike in their essentiall glory but not without difference of degrees ; all are adorned with crowns , some also with coronets , some glister with a skie-like , others with a star-like clearnesse ; the least hath so much as to make him so happy that he would not wish to have more ; the greatest hath so much , that he cannot receive more ; o divine distribution of bounty , where is no possibility of either want , or envy ! oh transcendent royalty of the saints ! one heaven is more then a thousand kingdoms ; and every saint hath right to all : so as every subject is here a soveraign , and every soveraign is absolute under the free homage of an infinite creatour . lo here , crowns without cares , scepters without burden , rule without trouble , raigning without change : oh the transitory vanity of all earthly greatness ▪ gold is the most during metall , yet even that yeelds to age : solomons rich diadem of the pure gold of ophir , is long since dust : these crowns of glory are immarcescible , incorruptible ; beyond all the compasse of time , without all possibility of alteration . oh the perishing and unsatisfying contentments of earth ! how many-poor great ones below have that which they call honour and riches , and enjoy them not , and if they have enjoyed them , complain of satiety , and worthlesness ! lo here , a free scope of perfect joy , of constant blessednesse , without mixture , without intermission ; each one feels his own joy , feels each others ; all rejoyce in god with a joy unspeakeable , and full of glory ; and most sweetly bathe themselves in a pure and compleat blisfulnesse . this very sight of blessed souls is happinesse , but oh , for the fruition ! go now , my soul , and after this prospect , doat upon those silly profits and pleasures which have formerly bewitched thee ; and ( if thou canst ) forbear to long after the possession of this blessed immortality ; and repine at the message of this so advantagious a translation ; and pity and lament the remove of those dear pieces of thy self , which have gone before thee to this unspeakable felicity . sect. vi . wherein the glory of the saints above consisteth , and how they are imployed . such is the place , such is the condition of the blessed ; what is their implement ? how do they spend , not their time , but their eternity ? how ? but in the exercise of the perpetual acts of their blessedness , vision , adhesion , fruition ? who knows not that there is a contract passed betwixt god and the regenerate soul here below ; out of the engagement of his mercy and love , he endows her with the precious graces of faith , of hope , of charity . faith , whereby she knowingly apprehends her interest in him : hope , whereby she cheerfully expects the ful accomplishment of his gracious promises : charity , whereby she is feelingly and comfortably possessed of him , and clings close unto him . in the instant of our dissolution , we enter into the consummation of this blessed mariage : wherein it pleaseth our bountifull god , to endow his glorified spouse with these three priviledges and improvements of her beatitude , answerable to these three divine graces : vision answers to faith , for what our faith sees , and apprehends here on earth ? and afar off as travellers ; our estate of glorification exhibits to us clearly , and at hand , as comprehensors : the object is the same , the degrees of manifestation differ . adhesion answers to our hope ; for what our hope comfortably expected , and longed for , we do now lay hold on as present and are brought home to it indissolubly : fruition , lastly , answers to charity ; for what is fruition , but a taking pleasure in the thing possessed , as truly delectable , and as our owne ; and what is this but the perfection of love ? shortly , what is the end of our faith but sight ? what the end of our hope but possession ? what the end of our love but enjoying ? lo then the inseparable and perpetual sight , possession , enjoyment , of the infinitely amiable , and glorious deity , is not more the imployment then the felicity of saints : and what can the soul conceive matchable to this happinesse ? the man after gods own heart had one boon to ask of his m●ker ; it must be sure some great suite wherein a favourite will set up his rest : one thing have i desired of the lord , which i will require , even that i may dwell in the house of the lord , all the dayes of my life ; to behold the fair beauty of the lord , and to visit his holy temple . was it so contenting an happinesse to thee ( o david ) to behold for a moment of time , the fair beauty of the lord in his earthen temple , where he meant not to reveal the height of his glory ; how blessed art thou now , when thy soul lives for ever in the continuall prospect of the infinite beauty and majesty of god , in the most glorious and eternall sanctuary of heaven ? it was but in a cloud and smoke , wherein god shewed himselfe in his materiall house ; above , thou seest him cloathed in an heavenly , and incomprehensible light ; and if a little glimpse of celestiall glory in a momentary transfiguration so transported the prime apostle , that he wisht to dwel still in tabor : how shall we be ravished with the full view of that all-glorious deity , whose very sight gives blessedness ? what a life doth the presence of the sun put into all creatures here below ? yet the body of it is afar off , the power of it created and finite : oh then how perfect and happy a life must we needs receive from the maker of it , when the beams of his heavenly glory shall shine in our face ? here below our weak senses are marred with too excellent objects ; our pure spirits above cannot complain of excesse , but by how much more of that divine light they take in , are so much the more blessed . there is no other thing wherein our sight can make us happy ; we may see all other objects , and yet be miserable ; here , our eyes conveigh into us influences of blisse ; yet not our eyes alone : but as the soul hath other spirituall senses also , they are wholly possessed of god : our ●dhesion is as it were an heavenly touch , our fruition as an heavenly taste of the everblessed deity ; so the glorified soul in seeing god , feelingly apprehends him as its own ; in apprehending sweetly enjoyes him , to all eternity , finding in him more absolute contentment then it can be capable of , and finding it selfe capable of so much as make it everlastingly happy . away with those brutish paradises of jews , and turks and some judaizing chiliasts , who have placed happinesse in the full feed of their sensual appetite , inverting the words of the epicurean in the gospell : he could say , let us eat and drink , for to morrow we shall dye : they , let us dye , for we shall eat and drinke ; men , whose belly is their god ; their kitchen their heaven : the soul that hath had the least smack , how sweet the lord is in the weak apprehension of grace here below , easily contemns these dunghil-felicities , & cannot but long after those true and satisfying delights above , in comparison whereof all the pleasures of the paunch and palate , are but either savorless or noisome . feast thou thy self , onwards o my soul , with the joyful hope of this blessed vision , adhesion , fruition : alas , here thy dim eyes see thy god through clouds and vapours , and not without manifold diversions , here thou cleavest imperfectly to that absolute goodnesse , but with many frail interceptions , every prevalent temptation looseth thy hold , and makes thy god and thee strangers ; here thou enjoyest him sometimes in his favours , seldome in himselfe ; and when thou doest so , how easily art thou robb'd of him by the interpositions of a crafty , and bewitching world ? there thou shalt so see him , as that thou shalt never look off ; so adhere to him , as never to be severed ; so enjoy him , that he shall ever be all in all to thee , even the soul of thy soul ; thy happiness is then essentiall ; thy joy as inseparable , as thy being . sect. vii . in what terms the departed saints stand to us ; and what respects they bear to us . such is the felicity wherein the separate soules of gods elect ones are feoffed , for ever : but , in the mean time , what terms do they stand in to their once-partners , these humane bodies ? to these the forlorn companions of their pilgrimage and warfare ? do they despise these houses of clay , wherein they once dwelt ? or have they with pharaohs courtier , forgotten their fellow-prisoner ? far be it from us to entertain so injurious thoughts of those spirits , whose charity is no less exalted then their knowledge : some graces they do necessarily leave behinde them ; there is no room for faith , where there is present vision ; no room for hope , where is full fruition ; no room for patience , where is no possibility of suffering : but charity can never be out of date , charity both to god and man : as the head and body mystical are undivided , so is our love to both ; we cannot love the head , and not the body ; we cannot love some limbs of the body , and not others : the triumphant part of the church then , which is above , doth not more truly love each other glorified , then they love the warfaring part beneath : neither can their love be idle , and fruitlesse ; they cannot but wish well therefore to those they love : that the glorified saints , then , above in a generality wish for the good estate , and happy consummation of their conflicting brethren here on earth , is a truth , not more void of scruple , then full of comfort . it was not so much revenge , which the souls under the alter pray for upon their murderers ; as the accomplishment of that happy resurrection , in which that revenge shall be perfectly acted . the prayer in zachary ( and saints are herein parallel ) is , o lord of hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on jerusalem , and on the cities of judah , against which thou hast had indignation ? we do not use to joy , but in that which we wish for : there is joy in heaven , in the presence of the angels for sinners repenting : in the presence of the angels , therefore , on the part of the saints , none but they dwell together . oh ye blessed saints , we praise god for you for your happy departure , for your crown of immortalitie : ye do in common , sue to god for us , as your poore fellow-members , for our happy eluctation out of those miseries and tentations , wherewith we are continually conflicted here below , and for our societie with you in your blessedness . other terms of communion , we know none : as for any local presence , or particular correspondence , that ye may have with any of us , as we cannot come to know it ; so , if we would , we should have no reason to disclaim it . johannes á jesu-maria , a modern carmelite , writing the life of theresia ( sainted lately by gregory . ) tels us , that as she was a vigilant overseer of her votaries in her life ; so in , and after death she would not be drawn away from her care , and attendance ; for ( saith he ) if any of her sisters did but talk in the set hours of their silence , she was wont by three knocks at the doore of the cell , to put them in mind of their enjoyned taciturnity ; and on a time appearing ( as she did often ) in a lightsome brightnesse , to a certain carmelite , is said thus to bespeak him ; nos coe●estes , &c. we citizens of heaven , and ye exiled pilgrims on earth , ought to be linked in a league of love , and purity , &c. me thinks the reporter should fear this to be too much good fellowship for a saint ; i am sure neither divine nor ancient story had wont to afford such familiarity ; and many have mis-doubted the agency of worse , where have appeared lesse causes of suspition ▪ that this was ( if any thing ) an ill spirit under that face , i am justly confident ; neither can any man doubt , that looking further into the relation , finds him to come with a lye in his mou●h : for thus he goes on , [ we celestiall ones behold the deity , ye banished ones worship the eucharist ; which ye ought to worship with the same affection , wherewith we adore the deity ; ] such perfume doth this holy devill leave behind him : the like might be instanced in a thousand apparitions of this kind , al worthy of the same entertainment . as for the state of the souls of lazarus , of the widows son , of jairus his daughter , and of tabitha , whether there were , by divine appointment , a suspension of their finall condition for a time ( their souls awaiting not farre off from their bodies , for a further disposition ) or , whether they were for the manifestation of the miraculous power of the son of god , called off from their setled rest , some great divines may dispute , none can determine : where god is silent , let us be willingly ignorant : wi●h more safety and assurance may we inquire into those respects , wherein the separated soul stands to that body , which it left behind it for a prey to the worms , a captive to death , and corruption : for certainly , though the parts be severed , the relations cannot be so : god made it intrinsecally naturall to that spirituall part to be the form of man , and therefore to animate the body . it was in the very infusion of it created , and in the creating , infused into this coessentiall receptacle ; wherein it holds it self so interessed , as that it knows there can be no full consummation of its glory without the other half . it was not therefore more loath to leave this old partner in the dissolution , then it is now desirous to meet him again ; as well knowing in how much happier condition they shall meet , then they formerly parted : before this drossie piece was cumbersome , and hindred the free operations of this active spirit ; now , that by a blessed glorification it is spiritualized , it is every way become pliable to his renued partner , the soul , and both of them to their infinitely glorious creatour . sect. viii the reunion of the body to the soul both glorified . lo then so happy a reunion , as this materiall world is not capable of ( till the last fire have refined it ) of a blessed soul , met with a glorified body , for the peopling of the new heaven ; who can but rejoyce in spirit to foresee such a glorious communion of perfected saints ? to see their bodies with a clear brightness , without all earthly opacity ; with agility , without all dulnesse ; with subtility , without grosness ; with impassibility , without the reach of annoyance or corruption ? there and then shalt thou , o my soul , looking through clarified eyes , see and rejoyce to see that glorious body of thy dear god and savior , which he assumed here below ; and wherein he wrought out the great work of thy redemption ; there shalt thou see the radiant bodies of all those eminent saints , whose graces thou hadst wont to wonder at , and weakly wish to imitate ; there shall i meet with the visible partners of the same unspeakeable glory , my once dear parents , children , friends , and ( if there can be roome for any more joy in the soul , that is taken up with god ) shall both communicate , and appropriate our mutuall joyes : there shall we indissolubly with all the chore of heaven passe our eviternity of blisse in lauding and praising the incomprehensibly-glorious majesty of our creatour , redeemer , sanctifier ; in perpetuall hallelujahs to him that sits upon the throne : and canst thou , o my soul , in the expectation of this happinesse , be unwilling to take leave of this flesh for a minute of separation ? how well art thou contented to give way to this body , to shut up the windows of thy senses , and to retire it self after the toil of the day , to a nightly rest , whence yet thou knowest it is not sure to rise ; or if it do , yet it shall rise but such as it lay down ; some little fresher , no whit better ; and art thou so loath to bid a cheerfull good-night to this piece of my selfe , which shall more surely rise then lye down , and not more surely rise , then rise glorious ? away with this weak and wretched infidelity : without which , the hope of my change would be my present happinesse , and the issue of it mine eternull glory : even so , lord jesus , come quickly . the invisible world . the third book . sect. i. of the evill angels . of their first sin and fall . hitherto our thoughts have walked through the lightsome and glorious regions of the spirituall world ; now it is no lesse requisite to cast some glances towards those dreadful and darksome parts of it ; where nothing dwels but horror and torment : of the former , it concerns us to take notice for our comfort ; of these latter for terrour , caution , resistance . i read it reported by an ancient travailer , haytonus , of the order of the premonstratensis , and cousin ( as he saith ) to the then-king of armenia , that he saw a country in the kingdome of georgia ( which he would not have believed , except his eyes had seen it ) caldel hamsen , of three dayes journey about , covered over with palpable darknesse , wherein some desolate people dwell ; for those which inhabit upon the borders of it , might hear the neighing of horses , and crowing of cocks , and howling of dogs , and other noises , but no man could go in to them , without losse of himselfe : surely this may seem some sleight representation of the condition of apostate angels , and reprobate souls : their region is the kingdom of darkness , they have onely light enough to see themselves eternally miserable ; neither are capable of the least glimpse of comfort , or mitigation . but , as it fals out with those , which in a dark night bear their own light , that they are easily discerned by an enemy that waits for them , and good aim may be taken at them , even whiles that enemy lurks unseen of them : so it is with us in these spirituall ambushes of the infernall powers , their darknesse and our light gives them no smal advantage against us ; the same power that clears and strengthens the eyes of our soul to see those over-excelling glories of the good angels , can also enable us to pierce thorough that hellish obscurity , and to descrie so much of the natures and condition of those evill spirits as may render us both wary , and thankful . in their first creation there were no angels but of light , that any of them should bring evill with him from the moment of his first beeing , is the exploded heresie of a manes , a man fit for his name ; and if prateolus may be beleeved , of the trinit●●ians ; yea , blasphemy rather , casting mire in the face of the most pure and holy deity : for , from an absolute goodnesse , what can proceed but good ? and if any then of those spirits could have been originally evil , whence could he pretend to fetch it ? either three must be a predominant principle of evill ; or a derivation of it from the fountain of infinite goodness , either of which were very monsters of impiety : all were once glorious spirits ; sin changed their hue , and made many of them ugly devils : now straight i am apt to think , lord ! how should sin come into the world ? how into angels ? god made all things good ; sin could be no work of his : how should the good that he made , produce the evill which he hates ? even this curiosity must receive an answer . the great god when he would make his noblest creature , found it fit to produce him in the nearest likenesse to himself ; and therefore to indue him with perfection of understanding , and freedome of will , either of which being wanting there could have been no excellency in that which was intended for the best : such therefore did he make his angels : their will being made free had power of their own inclinations ; those free inclinations of some of them , swayed them awry from that highest end which they should have solely aimed at , to a faulty respect , unto oblique ends of their own . hence was the beginning of sin ; for as it fals out in causes efficient , that when the secondary agent swarves from the order and direction of the principal , straight waies a fault thereupon ensues ( as when the leg by reason of crookednesse , fails of the performance of that motion , which the appetitive power injoined , an halting immediately follows ) so it is in finall causes also , ( as aquinas acutely ) when the secondary end is not kept in , under the order of the principall and highest end , there grows a sin of the will , whose object is ever good : but if a supposed , & self respective good be suffer'd to take the wall of the best , & absolute good , the will instantly proves vicious . as therefore there can be no possible fault incident into the will of him who propounds to himself as his only good , the utmost end of all things , which is god himself ; so , in whatsoever willer , whose own particular good is contained under the order of another higher good , there may ( without gods speciall confirmation ) happen a sin in the will : thus it was with these revolting angels , they did not order their own particular ( supposed ) good to the supream and utmost end ; but suffered their will to dwell in an end of their own ; and by this means did put themselves into the place of god ; not regulating their wils by another superior , but making their will , the rule of their own desires ; which was in effect , to affect an equality with the highest not that their ambition went so high as to aspire to an height of goodness , or greatnesse , equall to their infini●e creatour ; this ( as the greater leader of the school hath determined it ) could not fall into any intelligent nature , since it were no other , then to affect his own not being ; for as much as there can be no beeing at all , without a distinction of degrees , and subordinations of beeings : this was ( i suppose ) the threshold of leaving their first estate : now it was with angelicall spirits as it is with heavy bodies , when they begin to fail they went down at once , speedily passing through many degrees of wickednesse . let learned gerson see upon what grounds he conceives , that in the beginning their sin might be veniall , afterwards arising to the height of maliciousness ; whom salmeron seconds by seven reasons , alledged to that purpose ; labouring to prove that before their precipitation , they had large time , and place of repentance ; the point is too high for any humane determination : this we know too well by our selves , that even the will of man , when it is once let loose to sin , finds no stay ; how much more of those active spirits , which by reason of their simple and spirituall nature , convert themselves wholly to what they do incline ? what were the particular grounds of their defection and ruine , what was their first sin , it is neither needfull , nor possible to know ; i see the wracks of this curiosity in some of the ancient , who misguiding themselves by a false compasse of mis-applyed texts , have split upon those shelves which their miscarriage shall teach me to avoid ; if they have made lucifer ▪ ( that is , the morning star ) a devill , and mistake the king of babylon for the prince of darknesse , as they have palpably done , i dare not follow them . rather let me spend my thoughts in wondring at the dreadfull justice , and the incomprehensible mercy of our great and holy god , who having cast these apostate angels into hell , and reserved them in everlasting chains under darknesse , unto the judgement of the great day , hath yet graciously found out a way to redeem miserable mankinde from that horible pit of destruction : it is not for me to busie my self in finding out reasons of difference for the aggravation of the sin of angel● and abatement of mans ; as that sin began in them , they were their own tempters : that they sinned irreparably , since their fall was to them as death is to us : how ever it were , cursed be the man who shall say that the sin of any creature exceeds the power of thy mercy , o god , which is no other then thy selfe , infinite ; whiles therefore i lay one hand upon my mouth , i lift up the other in a silent wonder , with the blessed apostle , and say , how unsearchable are thy judgements , and thy wayes past finding out . sect. iv. of the number of apostate spirits . who can but tremble to thinke of the dreadfull precipice of these d●●ned angels , which from the highest pitch of heaven , were suddainly thrown down into the dungeon of the nethermost hell ? who can but tremble to think of their number , power , malice , cunning and deadly machinations ? had this defection been single , yet it had been fearfull : should but one star fall down from heaven , with what horrour do we think of the wrack that would ensue to the whole world ? how much more when the great dragon draws down the third part of the stars with his tail ? and lo , these angels were as so many spirituall stars in the firmament of glory . it was here as in the rebellion of great peers , the common sort are apt to take part in any insurrection : there are orders and degrees even in the region of confusion ; we have learned of our saviour to know , there is a devill and his angels ; and jewish tradition hath told us of a prince of devils . it was in all likelyhood some prime angell of heaven , that first started aside from his station , and led the ring of this highest and first revolt ; millions sided with him , and had their part both in his sin and punishment : now how formidable is the number of these evill and hostile spirits ? had we the eyes of that holy hermit ( for such the first were ) we might see the air full of these malignant sp●rits , laying snares for miserable mankinde : and if the possessors of one poor demoniack , could style themselves legion , ( a name that in the truest account , contains no lesse then ten cohorts , & every cohort fifty companies , and every company souldiers , to the number of ) what an army of these hellish fiends do we suppose is that , wherewith whole mankinde is beleaguered al the world over ? certainly no man living , ( as tertullian and nissen have too truly observed ) can , from the very hour of his nativity , to the last minute of his dissolution , be free from one of these spirituall assailants , if not many at once . the ejected spirit returns to his former assault with seven worse then himself . even where there is equality of power , inequality of number must needs be a great advantage . an hercules himself is no match for two antagonists ; yea , were their strength much lesse then ours , if we be but as a flock of goats feeding upon the hils ; when the evil spirits ( as the midianites & amalekites were against israel ) are like grashoppers in the valley , what hope , what possibility were there , ( if we were left in our own hands ) for saefty or prevalence ? but now alas , their number is great , but their power is more : even these evil angels are styled by him that knew them , no less then principalities and powers , and rulers of the darknesse of this world , and spirituall wickednesses in heavenly places . they lost not their strength when they left their station . it is the rule of dionysius ( too true i fear ) that in the reprobate angels their naturall abilities stil hold ; no other then desperate therefore were the condition of whole mankinde , if we were turned loose into the lists to grapple with these mighty spirits . courage , o my soul , and together with it , victory : let thine eys be but open ( as gehezies ) & thou shalt see more with us then against us ; one good angell is able to chase whole troops of these malignant : for though their naturall powers in regard of the substance of them be still retained ; yet in regard of the exercise and execution of them , they are abated , and restrained by the over-ruling order of divine justice , and mercy ; from which , far be that infinite incongruity , that evill should prevail above god ; the same god therefore , who so disposeth the issue of these humane contentions , that the race is not to the swift , nor the battell to the strong , cowardizeth and daunteth these mighty and insolent spirits , so as they cannot stand before one of these glorious angels ; nor prevail any further then his most wise providence hath contrived to permit for his own most holy purposes . how ever yet we be upon these grounds safe in the good hands of the almighty , and of those his blessed guardians , to whom he hath committed our charge : yet it well befits us , to take notice of those powerfull executions of the evill angels which it pleaseth the great arbiter of the world to give way unto , that we may know what cause we have both of vigilance and gratitude . sect. iii. of the power of devils . no dwarfe will offer to wrestle with a giant ; it is an argument of no smal power , as well as boldnesse of that proud spirit , that he durst strive with michael the archangell : and though he were as then foiled in the conflict , yet he ceaseth not still to oppose his hierarchy to the celestiall , and not there prevailing ▪ he poures out his tyranny , where he is suffered , on this inferior world ; one while fetching down fire from heaven ( which the messenger called the fire of god ) upon the flocks and shepherds of job : another while , blustring in the air , with hurrying winds , and furious tempests , breaking downe the strongest towers , and turning up the stoutest oaks , tearing asunder the hardest rocks , and rending of the tops of the firmest mountains : one while swelling up the raging sea to suddain inundations ; another while causing the earth to totter and tremble under our feet : would we descend to the particular demonstrations of the powerfull operations of evill spirits , this discourse would have no end . if we do but cast our eyes upon jannes and jambres , the egyptian sorcerers , ( in whom we have formerly instanced in another treatise , to this purpose ) we shall see enough to wonder at : how close did they for a time follow moses at the heels , imitating those miraculous works , which god had appointed , and inabled him to do for pharaohs conviction ? had not the faith of that worthy servant of god been invincible , how blank must he needs have looked , to see his great works patterned by those presumptuous rivals ? doth moses turn his rod into a serpent ? every of their rods crawleth and hisseth as well as his ? doth he smite the waters into bloud ? their waters are instantly as bloudy as his : doth he fetch frogs out of nilus into pharaohs bed-chamber , and bosome , and into the ovens and kneading troughs of his people ? they can store egypt with loathsome cattle as well as he : all this while , pharaoh knows no difference of a god , and hardly yeelds whether jannes or moses be the better man ; although he might easily have decided it , out of the very acts done ; he saw moses his serpent devoured theirs ; so as now there was neither serpent , nor rod ; and whiles they would be turning their rod into aserpent , both rod and serpent were lost in that serpent , which returned into a rod : he saw that those sorcerers , who had brought the frogs could not remove them ; and soon after sees that those juglers , who pretended to make serpents , bloud , frogs , cannot ( when god pleaseth to restrain them ) make so much as a louse : but supposing the sufferance of the almighty , who knows what limits to prescribe , to these infernall powers ? they can beguile the senses , mock the fantasie , work strongly by philtres upon the affections , assume the shapes of man or beast , inflict grievous torment on the body , conveigh strange things insensibly into it , transport it from place to place in quick motions , cause no lesse suddain disparitions of it ; heal diseases by charmes , and spels ; frame hideous apparitions , and , in short , by applying active powers to passive subjects they can produce wonderful effects : each of all which were easie to be instanced in whole volumes , if it were needfull , out of history and experience . who then , o god , who is able to stand before these sons of anak ? what are we in such hands ? oh match desperately unequal , of weaknesse with power , flesh with spirit , man with devils ! away with this cowardly diffidence : chear up thy self , o my soul , against these heartlesse fears ; and know the advantage is on thy side . could samson have been firmly bound hand and foot by the philistine cords , so as he could not have stirred those mighty limbs of his , what boy or girl of gath or ascalon would have fear'd to draw near , and spurn that awed champion : no other is the condition of our dreadfull enemies , they are fast bound up with the adamantine chains of gods most mercifull and inviolable decree , and forcibly restrained from their desired mischief : who can be afraid of a muzzled and tyed up mastive ? what woman or childe cannot make faces at a fierce lion , or a bloudy bajazet lockt up fast in an iron grate ? were it not for this strong , and straight curb of divine providence , what good man could breath one minute upon earth ? the demo●iack in the gospel could break his iron fetters i● pieces , through the help of his ●egion ; those devils that possessed him , could not break theirs ; they are fain to sue for leave to enter into swine , neither had obtained it ( in all likelyhood ) but for a just punishment to those gadarene owners ; how sure may we then be , that this just hand of omnipotence will not suffer these evill ones to tyrannize over his chosen vessels for their hurt ? how safe are we , since their power is limited , our protection infinite ? sect. iv. of the knowledge and malice of wicked spirits . who can know how much he is bound to god for safe-guard , if he doe not apprehend the quality of those enemies , wherewith he is incompassed ? whose knowledge and skil is no whit inferiour to their power : they have not the name of daemones for nothing ; their natural knowledge was not forfeited by their fall , the wisdom of the infinite giver of it knows how rather to turn it to the use of his own glory : however therefore , they are kept of● from those divine illuminations , which the good angels receive from god , yet they must needs be granted to have such a measure of knowledge , as cannot but yeeld them a formidable advantage . for , as spirits , being not stripped of their original knowledge , together with their glory , they cannot but know the natures and constitutions of the creatures , and thereby their tempers , dispositions , inclinations , conditions , faculties ; and therewith their wants , their weaknesse and obnoxiousnesse , and thereupon strongly conjecture at their very thoughts , and intentions , and the likelyhood of their repulses or prevailings : out of the knowledge of the causes of things they can foresee such future events as have a dependance thereon . to which , if we shal adde the improvement , which so many thousand years experience can yeild to active and intelligent spirits , together with the velocity of their motitions , and the concurrent intelligence which those powers of darkness hold with each other we shall see cause enough to disparage our own simplicity , to tremble at our own danger , and to blesse god for our indemnity . but if unto all these , we shall take notice of their malice , no whit inferiour to their power , and knowledge , we cannot but be transported with the wonder at our infinite obligations to the blessed majesty of heaven , who preserves us from the rage of so spightfull , cunning , mighty enemies . satan carries hostility in his very name , and answerably in his wicked nature : hostility to the god that made him , as the avenger of his sin ; hostility for his sake to the creature , which that god made good : his enmity did , as himself , descend from the highest , for it began at the almighty , and remains as implacable , as impotent . it is a bold and uncouth story , and scarce safe to relate , which i finde in the book of conformity reported , as cited by a demoniack woman , from the mouth of a certain frier , named jacobus de pozali , in his sermon ; that s. macarius once went about to make peace betwixt god and satan ; that it pleased god to say , if the devill will acknowledge his fault i will pardon him : to which the evill spirit returned answer , i will never acknowledge any fault of mine ; yea , that crucified saviour should rather cry me mercy for keeping me thus long in hell : to whom macarius , ( as he well might ) avoid satan . i know not whether more to blame their saint ( if they report him right ) for too much charity , or for too little grace and wit , in so presumptuous an indeavour : the very treaty was in him blasphemous ; the answer no other then could be expected from a spirit obdured in malice , and desperate in that obdurednesse ; the truth is , he hates us because he hated god first ; and like the enraged panther , tears the picture , because he cannot reach the person whom it represents . he that made him an angell tels us what he is , since he made himselfe a devill , even a man-slayer from the beginning : his very trade is murther and destruction , and his executions unweariable : he goes abous continually like a roaring lion , seeking whom he may devour . it is no other then a marvailous mystery of divine state , too deep for the shallownesse of humane souls to reach into , that god could with one word of his powerfull command destroy and dissolve all the powers of hell ; yet he knows it best not to do it : only we know he hath a justice to glorifie , as well as a mercy ; and that he knows how to fetch more honour to himself , by drawing good out of evill , then by the amotion , and prevention of evill . glory be to that infinite power , justice , mercy , providence , that contrives all things both in heaven and earth , and hell , to the highest advantage of his own blessed name , and to the greatest benefit of his elect . sect. v. the variety of the spiritual assaults of evil spirits . out of this hellish mixture of power , skill , malice , do proceed all the deadly machinations of these infernal spirits , which have enlarged their kingdome , and furnished the pit of destruction . it was a great word of the chosen vessel , we are not ignorant of satans devises : o blessed apostle , thy illuminated soul which saw the height of heaven , might also see the depth of hell : our weak eyes are not able to pierce so low . that satan is full o● crafty devises we know too well ; but what those devises are , is beyond our reach : alas , we know not the secret projects of silly men like our selves : yea , who knowes the crooked windings of his own heart ? much lesse can we hope to attain unto the understanding of these infernall plots and stratagems : such knowledge is too wonderfull for us , our clew hath not line enough to fadom these depths of satan : but though we be not able possibly to descrie those infinite and hidden particularities of diabolicall art and cunning ; yet our wofull experience and observation hath taught us some generall heads of these mischievous practices : divers whereof i am not unwilling to learn , and borrow of that great master of meditation , gerson , the learned chancellour of paris , a man singularly acquainted with tentations . one while therefore that evill one layes before us the incommodities , dangers , wants , difficulties of our callings ; to dishearten us , and draw us to impatience and listlesseness ; and rather then fail , will make piety a colour of lazinesse ; another while he spurs up our diligence in our worldly vocation , to withdraw us from holy duties : one while , he hides his head , and refrains from tempting , that we may think our selves secure , and slacken our care of defence ; another while , he seems to yield , that he may leave us proud of the victory : one while , he tills us on to our over-hard tasks of austere mortification , that he may tire our piety , and so stupefie us with an heartlesse melancholy : another while , he takes us off from any higher exercises of vertue , as superfluous : one while , he turns and fixes our eyes upon other mens sins , that we may not take view of our own ; another while , he amplifies the worth and actions of others , to breed in us either envy or dejection : one while , he humours our zeal in all other vertuous proceedings , for but the colour of one secret vice ; another while , he lets us loose to all uncontrolled viciousness , so as we be content to make love to some one vertue : one while , under the pretence of discretion , he discourages us from good ( if any way dangerous ) enterprises ; another while , he is apt to put us upon bold hazards , with the contempt of fear or wit , that we may be guilty of our own miscarriage : one while , he works suspicion in love , and suggests mis-constructions of well-meant words or actions , to cause heart-burning between deare friends ; another while , under a pretence of favour , he kills the soul with flattery : one while he stirs up our charity to the publique performance of some beneficiall works , only to win us to vain-glory ; another while , he moves us for avoiding the suspicion or censure of si●gularity , to fashion our selves to the vicious guises of our sociable neighbours : one while he perswades us to rest in the outward act done , as meritoriously acceptable ; another while , under a colour of humility , he disswades us from those good duties , whereby we might be exemplary to others : one while , he heartens us in evil gettings , under pretence of the opportunity of liberall alms-giving ; another while , he closes our hands in a rigorous forbearance of needfull mercy , under a fair colour of justice : one while , he incites us under a pretence of zeal , to violate charity , in unjust censures and violent executions ; another while , under pretence of mercy to bear with grosse sins : one while , he stirs us up , under a colour o● charitable caution , to wound our neighbour with a secret detraction ; another while , out of of carnall affections he would make us the pandars of others vices : one while , he sets on the tongue to an inordinate motion , that many words may let fall some sinne ; another while he restrains it in a sullen silence , out of an affectation of a commendable modesty : one while , out of a pretended honest desire to know some secret and usefull truth , he hooks a man into a busie curiosity , and unawares intangles the heart in unclean affections ; another while , he broaks many a sin with only the bashfulnesse of inquiry : one while , he injects such pleasing thoughts of fleshly delights , as may at the first seem safe and inoffensive ; which by a delayed entertai●ment prove dangerous , and inflaming ; another while , he over-layes the heart with such swarms of obscene suggestions , that when it should be taken up with holy devotion , it hath work enough to repell and answer those sinfull importunit●es : one while , he moves us to an ungrounded confidence in god for a condescent , or deliverance ; that upon our disappointment he may work u●to impatience ; or , upon our prevailing to a pride , and over-weening opinion of our mistaken faith ; another while , he casts into us glances of distrust , where we have sure ground of belief : one while , he throws many needlesse scruples into the conscience , for a causelesse perplexing of it ; affrighting it even from lawfull actions ; another while he labours so to widen the conscience , that even grosse sins may passe down unfelt : one while he will seem friendly in suggesting advise to listen unto good counsell ( which yet he more strongly keeps us off from taking ) for a further obduration ; another while , he moves us to sleight all the good advise of others , out of a perswasion of our own self-sufficiency ; that we may be sure to fall into evill : one while he smooths us up in the good opinion of our own gracious disposition , that we may rest in our measure ; another while he beats us down with a disparagement of our true graces , that we may be heartlesse and unthankfull : one while , he feeds us with a sweet contentment in a colourable devotion , that we may not care to work our hearts to a solid piety ; another while , he endeavours to freeze up our hearts with a dulnesse and sadnesse of spirit in our holy services , that they may prove irksome , and we negligent : one while he injects lawfull but unseasonable motions of requisite imployments , to cast off our mindes from due intention in prayers , hearing , meditation ; another while he is content we should over-weary our selves with holy tasks , that they may grow tediously distastefull : one while , he woes a man to glut himselfe with some pleasurable sin , upon pretence that this satiety may breed a loathing of that , whereof he surfeits ; another while he makes this spiritual drunkenness but an occasion of further thirst : one while , he suggests to a man the duty he owes to the maintenance of his honour , and reputation , though unto bloud ; another while , he bids him be tongue-proof , that he may render the party shamelesly desperate in evil doing : one while , he allows us to pray long , that we may love to heare our selves speak , and may languish in our devotion ; another while , he tells us there is no need of vocall prayers , since god hears our thoughts : one while , he urgeth us to a busie search , and strong conclusion of the unfailable assurance of our election to glory , upon slippery and unsure grounds ; another while to a carelesse indifferency , and stupid neglect of our future estate , that we may perish through security : one while , sleighting the measure of contrition as unsufficient ; another while , working the heart to take up with the least velleity of penitent sorrow , without straining it to any further afflictive degrees of true penance : one while , suggesting such dangerous points of our self-examination , that the resolution is every way unsafe ; so as , we must presume upon our strength , if we determine affirmatively ; if negatively , decline towards despair ; another while encouraging a man by the prosperous event of his sin , to re-act it ; and by the hard successes of good actions , to forbear them : one while , under pretence of giving glory to god for his graces , stirring up the heart to a proud over valuing our own vertues , and abilities ; another while stripping god of the honour of his gifts by a causelesse pusillanimity : one while aggravating our unworthinesse to be sons , servants , subjects , guests , almsmen of the holy and great god ; another while , upon some poor works of piety , or charity , raising our conceits to a secret gloriation of our worthinesse , both of acceptance and reward , and gods beholdingnesse to us . shortly , ( for it were easie to exceed in instances ) one while casting undue fears into the tender hearts of weak regenerates , of gods just desertions , and of their own sinfull deficiencies ; another while , puffing them up with ungrounded presumptions of present safety , and future glory . these and a thousand more such arts of deceit do the evil spirits practise upon the poor soul of wretched man to betray it to everlasting destruction : and if at any time , they shall pretend fair respects , it is a true observation of a strict votary , that the devils of consolation , are worse then the afflictive . o my soul , what vigilance can be sufficient for thee , whiles thou art so beset with variety of contrary temptations . sect. vi . of the apparitions and assumed shapes of evil spirits . besides these mental and ordinary onsets , we find when these malignant spirits have not stuck , for a further advantage , to cloath themselves with the appearances of visible shapes , not of meaner creatures only , but of men , both living and dead ; yea , even of the good angels themselves . it were easie to write volumes of their dreadful and illusive apparitions ; others have done it before me , my pen is for other use : the times are not past the ken of our memory , since the frequent ( and in some part , true ) reports of those familiar devils , fayires , and goblins , wherewith many places were commonly haunted ; the rarity whereof in these latters times , is sufficient to descry the difference betwixt the state of ignorant superstition , and the clear light of the gospell : i doubt not but there were many frauds intermixed both in the acting , and relating divers of these oecurrences ; but he that shall detrect from the truth of all , may as well deny there were men living in those ages before us : neither can i make question of the authentique records of the examinations , and confessions of witches and sorcerers , in severall regions of the world , * agreeing in the truth of their horrible pacts with satan , of their set meetings with evill spirits , their beastly homages , and conversations ; i should hate to be guilty of so much incredulity , as to charge so many grave judges , and credible historians with lyes . amongst such fastidious choice of whole dry-fats of voluminous relations , i cannot forbear to single out that one famous story of magdalene de la groix , in the year of our lord christ , . * who being borne at cordova in spain , whether for the indigence or devotion of her parents , was at five yeares age , put into a covent of nuns : at that age an evill spirit presented himselfe to her in the form of a blackmore , soul and hideous ; she startled at the sight , not without much horror : but with faire speeches and promises of all those gay ●oyes , wherewith children are wont to be delighted , she was won to hold society with him ; not without strong charges of silence and secrecy : in the mean time giving proof of a notable quick wit , and more then the ordinary ability incident into her age ; so as she was highly esteemed , both of the young novices , and of the aged nuns . no sooner was she come to the age of or years , then the devill solicits her to marry with him , and for her dowry , promises her that for the space of years , she shall live in such fame and honour for the opinion of her sanctity , as that she shall be for that time , the wonder of all spain . whiles this wicked spirit held his unclean conversation with her in her chamber , he delegates another of his hellish complices , to supply the place and form of his magdalene in the church , in the cloister , in all their meetings ; not without marvailous appearance of gravity , and devotion ; disclosing unto her also , the affairs of the world abroad , and furnishing her with such advertisements , as made her wondred at ; and won her the reputation , not of an holy virgin only , but of a prophetesse . out of which height of estimation , although she was not for years capable of that dignity , she was by the general votes of the sister-hood chosen unanimously , to be the abbesse of that covent : wonderfull were the feats which she then did . the priest cries out in his celebration , that he missed one of the holy hosts , which he had consecrated : and lo , tha● was by her wonted angell , invisibly conveighed to holy magdalene ; the wall that was betwixt her lodging and the quire , at the elevation of the host , clave asunder , that holy magdalene might see that sacred act : and ( which was yet more notorious ) on solemn festivals , when the nuns made their procession , magdalene was in the sight of all the beholders , lift up from the earth , the height of three cubits , as if she should have been rapt up to heaven : and sometimes , while she bore in her arm● little image of the child jesus , new born , and naked , weeping ( like a true magdalene ) abundantly over the babe ; her hair seemed by miracle , suddainly lengthened so low as to reach unto her ankles , for the covering of the naked child ; which so soon as she had laid aside that dear burden , returned suddenly to the wonted length : these and many other the like miracles , made her so famous , that popes , emperour ▪ the grandees of spain wrote to her , beseeching her in their letters to recommend their affairs to god in her powerful devotions ; and in requiring her advise & advertisements in matters of high importance ; as appeared afterwards , by the letters found in her cabinet . and the great ladies of spain , and other parts would not wrap their new-born infants in any clouts or swathing-bands , but such as the sacred hands of abbess magdalene had first touched & blessed : all , the nuns of spain were proud of so great an honour of their order , and such miraculous proofs of their sanctity . at last it pleased god to lay open this notable fraud of the divell ; for magdalene after thirty years acquaintance with this her paramour , having been abbess now twelve years , began to conceive some remorse for her former practises ; and growing to a detestation of her horrible society with that evill spirit , found means freely to discover to the visitors of her order , all the whole carriage of this abominable and prodigious wickedness . although some credible , wise , and learned persons have reported , that she , perceiving the nuns to have taken secret notice of her foul pranks , lest she should run into a deserved condemnation , did ( under the favour of those laws which give pardon to self-accusing offenders ) voluntarily confesse her monstrous villany and impiety . this confession blankt many of her favourers and admirers ; and seemed so strange , that it was held fit not to beleeve it , without strict and legall examinations , and proceedings : magdalene was close imprisoned in her covent ; and being called to question , confessed all this mysterie of iniquity : yet still her moore continued his illusions ; for , while she was fast lockt up in her cell , with a strong guard upon her dores ; the nuns were no sooner come into the quire , towards morning , to say their mattins ; then this deputy-apparition of magdalene , took up her wonted stall , and was seen devoutly tossing her beads amongst her sisters ; so as they thought the visitors had surely freed her of the crimes objected , upon her vehement penitence : but hearing that magdalene was still fast caged in her prison , they acquainted the visitors with what they had seen the morning before : who upon full examination found , that she had never lookt out of the dores of her gaole . the processe was at last sent up to rome ; whence , since the confession was voluntary , she had her absolution . a story of great note and use for many occasions , and too well known to the world , to admit of either deniall , or doubt , and ratified , as by the known consent of the time , so by the faithfull records of zuingerus , bodin , reney , goulartius . lord god! what cunning conveyances are here of the foul spirit ? what subtile hypocrisie ? what powerfull illusions ? enough to make sanctity it self suspected ; enough to shame the pretence of miracles : he can for an advantage be an holy nun , as well as an ugly moore , he can be as devout at mattins , sacraments , processions , as the best : what wonder ? when he can at pleasure counterfeit an angell of light ? in that glorious form did he appear to simeon stylites of old , to girtrude of westphalia , not without the entertainment of her joy and devotion ; till hermanus of arnsburgh descryed the fraud , and taught her to avoid it by a means no lesse advantagious to that ill spirit , then her former devotion : yea , yet higher , to pachomius , and to valens the monk , as palladius reports , he durst appear and call for adoration , and had it , under the form of the lord of life , blessed for ever . how vain is the observation of those authors , who make this the difference betwixt the apparitions of good angels , and evill ; that the good make choice of the shapes , either of beautifull persons , or of those creatures which are clean , and hurtlesse ; as of the shape of a lamb to clement , or an hart to eustace , or a dove to gummarus ; whereas the evill put themselves into the forms of deformed men , or of harmfull , and filthy beasts : as of a goat , to the assembly of witches ; of hogs , in the churches of agatha prophaned by the arrians ; of serpents , dragons , toads , and other loathsome and terrible creatures , to st. hilary and anthony , as athanasius and hierom ( in their supposititious relations ) have reported . and that if at any time he take upon him the shape of a man , yet it is with some notable defect , and incongruity of limbs ; as with a right foot cloven , or with a whole hoof ; never intirely humane : when we see that the very glory of angels escapes not their counterfaisance . we know how easie it is for the almighty to ordain some such mark to be set upon the false shapes of evill spirits , for their better discovery : but why should we rather suppose this to be done in the case of humane bodies , then of heavenly angels ? why more in the resemblance of men , then of all other creatures since their deceit may be no lesse dangerous in either ? but as for these visible devils , they are in these dayes very rare ; and where they have appeared , have wont to work more affright then spirituall prejudice . evil spirits are commonly most pernicious to the soul , when they are least seen ; as not caring so much for our terrour , as our seduction . o god , they are crafty , but thou art wisdome it selfe ; they are malicious , but thou art goodnesse : let thy goodnesse and wisdome ever protect and safe-guard us ; so shall we be , not more wretched , and unsafe in our selves , then we shall be in thee , secure and happy . sect. vii . the vehemence of satans last conflicts . these spirits ( because such ) are neither capable of sleep nor wearinesse : as they are therefore ever busie , and restlesse in their assaults , so their last conflicts use to be most vehement ; whether it be for that , now , the soul is passing out of their reach , as we finde they did most tear and torture the demoniack , when they saw themselves upon the point of their ejection : or whether it be for that the painfull agonies of death yield them more hopes of advantage ; since the soul , whiles it is strugling with those last pangs , must needs have her powers distracted in her resistances . cruelty where it would prevail , will be sure to lay most load upon the weakest : hereupon it is , that holy men have been most carefull to arm themselves stronglyest against those last onsets ; and to bend all the forces of their souls upon their safe dissolution : the holy sister of s. basil , and melania , whom s. jerome magnifies for their sanctity ; beseech god with great fervency , that those envious spirits may not hinder them in their last passage : and devout bernard to the same purpose , when he drew near his end , sues to his friend for his earnest prayers , that the heel of his life might be kept safe from the serpent , so as he might not find where to fix his sting . hence it is that in former times , good souls have been so provident to hearten themselves against the faint pulls of their death beds , with that [ viaticum sacrum ] the strongest spiritual cordiall of the blessed eucharist , which hath yielded them such vigour of heavenly consolation , that they have boldly defied all the powers of darknesse , and in spight of all those assaults , have laid themselves down in peace . o god , i know satan can want no malice , nor will to hurt ; i should be his , if i lookt for favour from him ; he must and will do so much of his worst to me , as thou wilt permit : whether thou wilt be pleased to restrain him , or strengthen me , thy will be done : o lead me not into temptation : and when thou doest so , shew thy self strong in my weaknesse ; arm me for my last brunt , stand by me in my last combat , make me faithfull to the death , that thou mayest give me a crown of life . sect. viii . of our carriage towards wicked spirits , and the wayes of our prevalence against them . we have seen what the carriage of the evil spirits is to us ; it were fit we should ask in what terms we must stand towards them : that we must maintain a perpetuall hostility against them , cannot be doubted ; and what ever acts may tend towards the securing of our selves and the abating of the kingdome and power of darknesse those must be exercised by us , to the utmost justly do we scorn to be beholden to that deadly enemy , in receiving courtesies from him . favours from such hands , are both sins and curses . he that can so easily transform himself , will seem to doe good ; what cures doth he often work ? what discoveries of thefts ? what remedies of diabolicall operations and possessions by the agency of witches , wisards , magicians ? what an ordinary traffique doth he hold of charms , spels , amulets ? ignorance and superstition are willing enough to be befriended by such pernicious helps , whereby that subtile spirit both wins and kills the soul , whiles he cures the body . it is not easie for a man , where he receives a benefit to suspect an enmity : but withall , it is no lesse then stupidity , when we finde a good turn done us , not to enquire whence it came ; and if we finde it to proceed from a mischievous intent of further hurt , not to refuse it . that there have been diseases remedied , wounds healed bloud stanched , thorns pluckt out , serpents stupefied , winds procured by charms , is so notorious , that whoso would doubt of it , should make himself a wonder of incredulity ; now then , by what power doe we think these things done ? naturall it cannot be , for there is no such efficacy in words or characters , ( being but of meer devise and arbitrary imposition ) as may produce reall effects . preter-naturall then it must be ; and if so , then either divine , or diabolicall : of god , it cannot be ; where hath he given warrant to any such practise ? where any promise to concurre with it ? nay , how oft hath he testified his prohibitions , and detestation of these courses ? needs must it therefore be by devilish operation ; whose agents , witches and sorcerers are ; and whose means of working , are these superstitious inventions ; which by a secret compact , receive their force and successe from those infernall powers . let those , then , that have given to satan their souls , take favours from him for their bodies : let us that defie the author , abhor the courtesie . mine enemy offers me a rich garment , i know it is poysoned , else he would not give it me ; shall i take it because it is rich , or refuse it because it is infectious ? let me be sick rather then receive help from such hands ; let my goods be lost , rather then my soul hazarded : let me die rather then owe my life to my makers enemy . sect. ix . how we are to proceed against evil spirits . we may not yeeld to that evill one ; our next thought must be how to oppose him : our skilfull leade● hath prescribed a spirituall panoply , both for defence and victory : the helmet of salvation , the brest-plate of righteousnesse , the girdle of verity , the sword of the spirit ; and above all , the shield of faith , wherewith we may be able both to quench and beat back the fiery darts of that wicked one . these well put on , and well managed , shall both secure us , and foil our adversary . but the art of repelling severall ●emptations is a long work ▪ and wor●hy of a just volume how we ought to deal with evill spirits in their bodily apparitions and possessions , may be seasonable for our present enquiry . whereas , then , there is pretended to be only a double way of proceeding for their ejection ; the one , by pact , the other by command : as the former is disclaymed by all faithfull christians ; so the other is wont to be challenged and practised by some who lay no small claim to holiness : this we call exorcism , or conjuration ; a course so well approved of the churches of the roman correspondence , as that they make this office one of the seven stairs , whereby they ascend to their highest order : but so dis-relished by us , that we ordinarily place conjurers in the same rank with sorcerers and professors of the black and damned arts ; although indeed , upon a strict inquisition we shall finde them far different ; for conjuration or exorcism implyes a kinde of force and violence ; whereas those that are in league with satan , go on , as upon a set match in a way cursedly amicable : this latter is hainously sinfull , as being directly against the divine law , and a professed affront to the majesty of god ; the former unjustifiable , as being without divine warrant . it is most true , that the disciples of christ , and their primitive successors ejected devils by command ; and could rejoyce to see those evil spirits subjected to their over-ruling charge : but withall , the same persons healed all diseases , were perfect poyson-proof , spake divers languages : why should any in these latter times challenge a right of succession i● one of these , and not claim i● in the other ? all these wer● given with one , and the sam● breath , continued by the same power ; called in and stinted by the same providence , with their fellow-miracles : and if still this priviledge were ordinarily left in the church , it were not a work for puisnes , and novices , but for the greatest masters , and the most learned , and eminently-holy doctors , which the times can possibly yield : and if this were really done , as is commonly vaunted by them ; yet with how much difference from the apostolick practise and issue ? with them of old , there was no more but a word of command , and an instant ejection : here , what a world of business ? what sprinkling ? what censing ? what blessing of herbs , and other ingredients of suffumigation ? what variety of direfull ceremonies ? and when all is done , the successe shuts up no otherwise then in just suspicion or censure . not that free scope is given in these last times , without any check to the tyranny of evill spirits : the good providence of the highest hath not left us unfurnished with means of our freedome and deliverance ; whiles we can pray , we cannot be remedilesse : when the disciples power stuck at the dispossession of a demoniack , they heard from our saviour , this kinde goes not out but by fasting and prayer . whence it is plain , that as there are severall kinds of devils , one worse and more powerfull then another , so the worst of them are to be vanquished by prayer , sharpened with abstinence . what a difference then there is of times , and means ? at the first it was a greater work to disposs●sse devils by prayer and fasting , then by command : now , it were far greater to do it by a meer command , then by prayer and fasting : that which was then ordinarily done , were now strangely miraculous ; and that which is the ordinary course now , was then rare and unusuall : the power of an adjuring command we see ceased , the power of fervent prayer can never be out of date . this , and this only is the remedy of both bodily and mentall possession : thus , if we resist the devill , he shall flee away from us : upon the ground of this scripture it was ( as my self was witnesse ) that in our age , mr. dayrel , a godly , and zealous preacher , undertook , and accordingly ( through the blessing of god upon his faithfull devotions ) performed , those famous ejectments of evill spirits both at nottingham and lanoashire , which exercised the press , and raised no small envy from the gain-sayers : shortly , all that we have to do concerning malignant spirits , is , to repay them with hatred , to perswade our hearts of their continuall dogging of us for mischief , to arm our selves with constant resolutions of resistance , diligently to watch the wayes of their tentations , to keep the strongest guard upon our weakest parts , to fortifie our selves by our faithfull prayers , and by the vertue of our faith to make him ours , who is able to strengthen us , and to make us more then conquerors . sect. x. of the wofull estate of the souls of the damned . it is not for our discourse to sever those whom the divine justice will have put together : devils , and damned souls . there is none of those evill spirits which doth not ( wheresoever he is ) carry his hell about him : yet doubtlesse there are degrees of their torture : art thou come to torment us before our time , said those devils to our blessed saviour ; and how do they beg not to be commanded to the deep ? reprobate souls are no lesse partners of their pain , then objects of their fury . no sooner is this living spirit of ours dislodged from the body , then it is presented as in a privy sessions , to her judge ; from whom she receives a speedy doom of life , or death : the sentence is instantly seconded with an answerable execution . the good angels are glad actors in the happy instalment of the just , in their glory : the evill angels seize upon the guilty soul , and drag it to their hell : as for any third place , or condition ; let them take thought that beleive it ; for me , i must professe , i never saw any colour of ground for it in the sacred oracles of god , and shal not easily beleeve that a truth mainly importing us , would have been concealed from our eyes . wo is me , what a dolefull , what a dreadful spectacle is this which is now presented to my soul ? the burning tophet , the bottomlesse pit , the lake of fire & brimstone , the region of horrour and death : wherein there is the perfection of all more then conceiveable anguish , the full consummation of the divine vengeance to sinners ; exquisitenesse , eternity of torment ; despair and impossibility of release , or intermission ; perpetuall dying , perpetuall living in a death that can never end . how are my thoughts at a losse in this place of confusion ? whether shall i more tremble , o god , at the consideration of thy terrible justice , or be swallowed up with astonishment of these infinite and intolerable sufferings ? i should not know thee , if i did not with holy chrysostome beleeve , ●hat the utter l●sse of thy presence alone , is as a thousand hels : to be for ever banished from thy sight , in which is the fulnesse of joy , what can it be lesse then fulnesse of torment ? but alas , this is farre from a meer absence . the very sin of the damned is no small part of their hell ; for as all their powers , parts , faculties , are as so many subjects of their insupportable pain and torture ; so out of that insufferable extremity , they conceive a desperate indignation , and hatred against god ; not as he is in himself infinitely good , ( for goodness can be no object of hate ) but as he is to them , a severe ( though most just ) avenger of sin ; to which is ever added a will obstinately fixed in evill ; whiles they were in their way , they were in a possibility of reclamation , now , that they are ( in termino ) they can be no other then they are ; as therefore the glorified souls are in a condition like to the angels of heaven ; so the damned , are in the state of devils ; not more capable of avoiding torment , then sin ; equally reserved in everlasting chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day . when ( wo is me ) that which seemed little lesse then infinite , shall yet receive a further aggravation of pain and misery : when the addition of the body shall give a further extent to this wofull cru●lation , without all possibility of release for ever . alas , what anguish do i feel in my self to see the body of a malefactour flaming at a stake ? and yet this is but the act of a few minutes ; for the air so vehemently incended , instantly stops the passage of that free breath , which should maintain life , and the flesh , by apposition of that combustible matter , which encompasses it , is soon turned into dead cinders : but , i could conceive of a body frying a whole day in a continued flame : lord how should i be affected with the sad compassion of that intolerable torment & burn inwardly with the sense of anothers pain ? but to think of a whole years broyling in such a fire , how can it but turn our bowels within us ? what then , oh , what is it to conceive of lying in a fire more intense then nature can kindle , for hundreds , thousands , millions , yea millions of millions of years , yea further beyond these then these are beyond a minute of time to all eternity ? where ( besides the indurance ) every thing that makes towards the mitigation of other pains , addes to these . here is society of tortures , but such as tortureth more : those perpetuall howlings , and shriekings , and wailings of so many millions of the damned , were enough to make the place an hell , even to him that should be exempted from those sufferings : here is some glimpse of knowledge of the blessed estate of glorified souls ; enough to heighten their envie , enough to perfect their torment ; even as meat is set before that man which is doomed to famish : shortly , here is exquisite disconsolateness , gloomy darknesse , extreme horror , pain insufferable , hideous ejulations , utter hopelesness , vexing indignation , furious blasphemies , infinite dolour and anguish , without relaxation , without pity , without possibility of remedy , or ease , or end . how can it be otherwise ? o god , if thy mercy have prepared such an heaven for thy poor servants , whose very best works , for their great imperfection , deserve nothing but punishment , what an hell hath thy justice provided for those enemies of thine , that wilfully despight thee , and offend of malicious wickedness ! how infinitely art thou more just then sinners can be miserable ! but it is enough , o my soul , to have lookt into the pit ; enough to make thee lament the wofull condition of those that are there shut up : enough to warne thee to avoid those sinfull wayes , that lead downe to these chambers of death : enough to make thee think no tears can be sufficient to bewail the desperate carelesnesse of wretched sinners , that run on in a known course of wickednesse , without any regard of an insuing damnation : alas , ( so as they are bewitched ) they have not the grace to pity themselves ; and to foresee the danger of their own utter perdition ; which if they could but look into , they would be ready to run mad with horrour : poor souls , could they but recover their reason , they would then think , if a thousand daies pleasure cannot weigh with one hours torment , what do i buy one hours pleasure with the torment of more then ten thousand ages ? how do i dare to dance for a few minutes upon the mouth of hell with the peril of an everlasting burning ? surely , if infidelity had not rob'd men of their wits , they could not resolve to purchase the momentany pleasures of sin with so dreadfull and eternall damnation . sect. xi . a recapitulation of the whole discourse . and now , what is to be done ? surely , as some traveller , that hath with many weary steps passed through divers kingdoms and countries being now returned to his quiet home , is wont to solace his leasure by recalling to his thoughts , a short mentall landskip of those regions , through which he hath journyed ; here conceiving a large plain , there a lake ; here a track of mountains , there a wood ; here a fen , there a city ; here a sea , there a desert : so do thou , o my soul , upon this voyage of thine through the great invisible world ; bethink thy self of what thou hast seen , and so abridge this large prospect to thy self , as that it may never be out of thine eye . think first , that whatsoever thou seest , thou canst not look besides the invisible majesty of thy god ; all this materiall world is his , he is in all , rather all is in him ; who so comprehends this universe , that he is infinitely without it ; think of him as with thee , as in thee , as every where . do thou , therefore , ever acknowledge him , ever adore him , ever enjoy him , ever be approved of him : see him from whom thou canst not be hid ; relye on him without whom thon canst not subsist ; glorifie him without whom thou canst not be happy . next , as those that have their celestial life and being by from , and in him , wonder at the glorious hierarchy of the heavenly angels , blesse him in their pure , and spirituall nature , in their innumerable numbers , in their mighty power , in their excellent knowledge blesse him in their comely orders , in their divine offices , in their beneficiall imployments , in their gracious care , and love of mankind : and ( so far as weak flesh and bloud may with pure and majestical spirits ) converse with them daily , entertaine them ( so thou knowest they are present ) with awfull observances , with spirituall allocutions ; ask of thy self how pleasing thine actions are to them ; receive from them their holy injections ; return to them ( under thy god ) thy thankful acknowledgments ; expect from them a gracious tuition here , and an happy transportation to thy glory . after these represent to thy self the blessed society of the late charge , and now partners of those heavenly angels , the glorified spirits of the just : see the certainty of their immortall being in the state of their separation ; see them in the very instant of their parting blessed with the vision , with the fruition of their god ; see how they now bathe themselves in that celestiall blisse , as being so fully sated with joy and happiness , that they cannot so much as desire more : see them in a mutuall interknowledge , enjoying each others blessednesse : see the happy communion which they hold with their warfaring brother-hood here upon earth , whose victory and consummation they do in a generality sue for to the throne of grace : foresee them , lastly , after a longing desire of meeting with their old , and never forgotten partner , joyfully reunited to their now-glorified bodies , and imploying their eternity of life in continuall hallelujahs to him that sits upon the throne . take up thy rest here , o my soul , for ever , but do not as yet thus end thy prospect ; it is good for thee to know worse things . if in paradise the tree of the knowledge of good and evill were forbidden to our first parents , the act of the knowledge of both is not forbidden to us ; even to know evill in speculation , may avoid the knowledge of it in a wofull experience . see then , o my soul , the best creature falling from good into evill ; in choosing it , see him , by misinclining his own will , apostatizing from his infinite creatour , and hurled down headlong from the height of heavenly glory , to the bottome of the nethermost hell : see the irrecoverable condition , and dreadfull numbers of those precipitated angels ; see their formidable power , their implacable malice , their marvailous knowledge , craft , skill , to do m●schief , their perpetuall machinations of our destruction , especially in their last assaults ; see their counterfaisance in their glorious , and seemingly-holy apparitions , for a spirituall advantage ; and when thou hast recollected thy self to a resolution of defiance , and unweariable resistance , c●st thine eye upon the deplorable condition of those damned souls , whom they have either betrayed by their fraud , or by their violence mastered : and whiles thou doest blesse and magnifie the divine justice in their deserved torment ; spend thy tears upon those , who would needs spend their eternity of beeing , in weeping , wailing , and gnashing ; and lastly , rouz up thy self in this moment of thy remaining life , unto all carefull and fervent indeavours to save thy self , and to rescue others from this fearfull damnation . sect. xii . the comparison of both worlds : & how our thoughts and affections should be taken up with the invisible world . now then , having taken a view of both worlds ; of the materiall world , by the eys of sense and reason ; of the invisible by the eyes of reason and faith ; i cannot but admire god in both , and both of them in god ; but the invisible so much more , as it is infinitely beyond the other ; for god himself is the world of this world : whom , whiles in the materiall world we admire in his creatures , in this immaterial we admire in himself . now , himself must needs be infinitely more wonderfull then many worlds ( if such there were ) of those creations that should proceed from him . as for the parts of the created , but invisible world , it must neods be said , that the lightsome part of it hath more glory , then any piece of the materiall world can be capable of : on the contrary , the dark , and privative region of the invisible world , hath infinitely more horror then the other : for what is the worst and most disconsolate darknesse of this visible world , but a privation of the light of the sun ; which yet can never be so absolute as to exclude all imperfect diffusion of those in sensible glimmerings ; whereas the darknesse of this spirituall world , is an utter privation of the sight of god ; joined with an unconceiveable anguish even in nature , spirituall essences must needs be more excellent then bodily , and earthly ; and of onely spirits it is , that the invisible world consisteth : besides , what vanity and inconstancy do we find every where , in this materiall and elementary world ? what creature is there which doth not exchange life for death ? being for dissolution ? sanity for corruption ? what uproars do we find in the air ? what ●ommotions , and turbulencies upon earth ? the best state of things is an uncertain vicissitude ; the worst , certain desolation , and destruction : whereas , the invisible world is setlted in a firm and steady immutability : the blessed angels and souls of the saints being so fixed in their glory , that they are now no more capable of alteration . shortly , he that saw both worlds , shuts up all in one word , the things that are seen are temporal , the things that are not seen eternal . as then , i can never open my bodily eyes , but i shall see the material world , and i hope , i shall never see it , but i shall praise the power , and wisdome , and goodnesse of the infinite creatour of it ; so shall it be one of the main cares of my life , to blesse the eyes of my soul , with the perpetuall view of the spirituall and invisible world : every action , every occurrent shall mind me of those hidden and better things : and i shall so admit of all materiall objects , as if they were so altogether transparent , that through them i might see the wonderful prospects of another world . and certainly , if we shall be able so to withdraw our selves from our senses , that we shall see , not what we see , but what we thinke , ( as it uses to be in the strong intentions of the mind ) and shall make earthly things , not as lunets , to shut up our sight , but spectacles to transmit it to spirituall objects : we shall lead a life as far rem●ved from those beasts which we see , as near approaching to those angels whom we converse with , and see not . neither shall it be enough for us to know an invisible world , as to consider that all we see , is the least part of what we see not ; unlesse we bee so affected to the unseen world , as we ought ; it is our knowledg that must shew us how to be christians , but it is our affection that must make us so : in the acknowledgment therefore of an invisible glory , and infinitenesse , our hearts must be ever taken up with a continuall awe and reverence if some great prince shall vouchsafe to let me be seen of him , although he please to keep himself unseen of me ; and shall only ( according to the state of some great eastern monarchs ) speak to me behind a vail , or traverse ; or ( as the great prete of the south had wont to grace ambassadours ) shew me only some part of his leg , so as that i may understand him to be present ; i should thinke it concerned me to carry my self in no lesse seemly fashion towards him , then if i saw his face ; for his sight of me , cals for a due regard from me , not my sight of him : since therefore we have so certain demonstrations of the undoubted presence of god and his holy angels ever with us , ( though not discernible by our bodily eyes ) with what fear and trembling , with what reverence and devotion should wee alwayes stand , or walk before them ? making it our main care to be approved of them , to whom we lye no lesse open then they are hid to us . as for the glorified saints of god , who are gone before us to our home ; with what spirituall joy should we be ravished at the consideration of their blessed condition ? who now have attained to the end of their hopes , glory and bliss without end ; ever seeing , ever enjoying him , at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore ; how should we blesse god for their blessedness , and long for our own ? lastly , how should our joy be seasoned with a cautious fear , when we cast our eyes upon those objects of dread , and horrour , the principalities and powers of darkness , not so confined to their hell , as to leave us untempted , and increasing their sin and torment by our temptation ? how should our hearts bleed with sorrow , and commiseration of those wretched souls , which we see daily intangled in the snares of the devill , and captived by him at his will here on earth , and frying under his everlasting torments in the pit of hell ? - how should our hearts be pre-possessed with a most earnest and vigilant care to resist all the dangerous assaults of those wicked spirits , and to prevent the perill of our own like-wofull destruction ? if we i shall make this use of our beeing in this visible world , happy are we that ever we came into it , more happy in our going out of it : for having thus used it , as if we used it not , we shall so enjoy the other , as those that shall ever enjoy it , and , in it , all glory , honour , immortality . lo then , o my soul , the glorious world which thou art now aspiring unto ; yea , whereinto thou art now entring ; there , there fix thy self never to be removed : look down upon these inferiour things with an overly contempt ; forget what is past , as if it had never been . bid a willing farewel to this visible world ▪ wherein as thy creatour hath a just interest of glory , for that the substance of it is the wondrous workmanship of his hands ; so satan ( styled he prince of it ) claimeth no small share , in regard of its sinfull depravation . farewell then ye frivolous and windy honours , whose management is ever wont to be in others hands , not in our own ▪ which have ever been no lesse fickle then the breath ye have depended upon ; whose chief use hath been for temptation , to puffe up the heart with a proud conceit of eminence above others ; not requiting in the mean while the danger with any solid contentment . farewell ye deceitfull ▪ riches , which when we have , we cannot hold ; and even while we hold , we cannot enjoy : and if we offer and affect to enjoy , is it not with our spirituall losse ? for what love we yeeld to cast away upon you we abate to him that is the true and all-sufficient good ; more then for necessary use , we are never the better for you , often times the worse , your load is more uneasie , then your worth is precious . farewell pleasures ( if i ever knew what ye were ) which have alwayes wont to afford more sting then honey : whose onely scope hath professedly been , under a pretence of delectation , to debauch and emasculate the mind , and to dis-relish all spirituall comforts , where your expectation hath been somewhat delightfull , your fruition hath been unsatisfiing● , your loose displeasing , your remembrance irksome . farewell friends , some of whose unsteadinesse and unfaithfulnesse hath helpt to adde to my load , which the fidelity of others had not power to ease , whose love might be apt to condole my shipwrack , but could not spare me a plank to swim to the shore : shortly , whose common misery may be more ready to receive , then give comfort . the honour that i now reach at , is no lesse then a crown , and that no fading and corruptible ( as all these earthly diadems are ) but immarcescibly eternall , a crown of righteousnesse , a crown of glory . the riches that i am now for are not such as are digged out of the base entrails of the earth , obnoxious to spoil and plunder , but treasures ▪ laid up in heaven . the pleasures that i now affect ▪ are the fulnesse of joy at the right hand of the almighty for eve more . the friends that i ambitiously sue for , are those that shall receive me into everlasting habitation . lastly farewell vanishing life , and welcome blessed eaernity : even so lord jesu , come quickly . finis . the contents . the first book of god and his angels . the preface . § . that there is an invisible world . § . the distribution of the invisible world . § . of the angels of heaven their numbers . § . the power of angels . § . the knowledg of angels § . the imployment , and operations of angels . § . the degrees and orders of angels § . the apparitions of angels . § . the respects which we owe to the angels . the second book . of the souls of blessed men § of their separation and immortality . § . of the present vision of god upon the egression of the soul . § . of the perpetuall vigilance of the soul and its fruition of god . § . of the knowledge of the glorified . § . of the glory of heaven enjoyed by blessed souls . § . wherein the glory of the saints above consisteth , and how they are imployed . § . in what terms the departed saints stand to us , and what respects they bear us . § . the re-union of the body to the soul , and both glorified . the third book . of the devils and damned souls . § . of the evill angels . of their first sin and fall . § . of the number of apostate spirits . § . of the power of devils . § . of the knowledge and malice of wicked spirits . § . of the variety of the spirituall assaults of evill spirits . § . of the apparitions and shapes assumed of the evill spirits . § . the vehemence of satans last conflicts . § . of our carriage towards wicked spirits . § . how we are to proceed against evill spirits . § . of the wofull estate of the damned souls . § : a recapitulation of the whole discourse . § . the comparison of both worlds . and how our thoughts and affections should be taken up with the invisible world . finis . courteous reader , these books following are printed for john place , and are to be sold at his shop at furnivalls-inn gate in holborn . books in folio . . the history of the world , by sir vvalter raleigh knight . . things new and old , or a store-house of similies , sentence , allegories , addages , apologies divine , morall and politicall , by john spencer of sion colledge . . observations on caesars commentaries , by sir clement edmunds kt. . shepparts epitomy of the law . . the reports of the learned judge popham , sometime lord chief justice of england . . the reports of the learned judge owen , chief justice of the common pleas . . londinopolis , or a history of the cities of london and westminster , by james howell . . the history of swedes , gothes , and vandals , by olaus magnus bishop of vpsall . . the reports of the learned serjeant bridgman . . cowells interpreter of hard words in the law , &c. . maximes of reason , or the reason of the common law , by edward vvingat ▪ esq late one of the benchers of grays-inn . . the history of edward the fourth , of the wars between the houses of york and lancaster , by vv.h. esquire . . the minister of state , wherein is shewed the true use of policy , by monsieur de siton secretary to cardinal richlew , englished by sir henry herbert kt. books in quarto . . the compleat clerk , or scriveners guide , containing the draughts of all manner of presidents , of assurances , and instruments now in use , as they were penned by the most learned and eminent lawyers . . commentaries on the originall writs , in natura brevium , by vvilliam hughes of grays-inn esq. . an exact abridgment of the common law , with the cases thereof drawn out of the old and new books of the law , &c. by vvilliam hughes of grays-inn esquire . . an exact abridgment of the acts and ordinances of parliament , beginning at the fourth year of king charles , to the year , . . declarations and pleadings , &c. in the upper-bench , by vvilliam small of furnivals-inn , late one of the clerks in the upper-bench court . . declarations , counts and pleadings in the common pleas , by richard brownlow esquire , late prothonotary ; the second part . . a collection of learned speeches and passages in parliament , beginning in the yeare , . and ending in the yeare , . the faithfull counsellor , or the marrow of the law in english , by vvilliam sheppard esquire , now serjeant at law . . the dead speaking , or the living man revived , in a sermon preached at the funeral of mr. sam. oliver , by mr chitwind m. a. with two exhortations of mr. thom m. a. . the floating island , by dr. strowd , acted at oxford . . the tragedy of the fair irene the greek , by gilbert sumhoe esquire . . witchcraft condemned , or dr. lamb revived in the unheard of practice of anne bodenham , arraigned at sarum ass●●es . . bethell , or the form for families , by matthew grifith . . the jurisdictions of courts , by john k●tch●n of barnards inn . books of entries of all manner of judgments in the upper-bench and common pleas . . the grounds and maximes of the law , by michael haulke of the middle temple . . a perfect guide for a studious young lawyer , by thomas fidell of furnivals inn , gent. . the arraignment of the anabaptists , in a dispute at aberg●veny in mo●mouthshire , by john cragge m.a. . a cabinet of jewells , wherein gods mercy , mans misery , &c. is set forth in eight sermons , with an appendix of the nature of tithes , and expedience of marriage , by a lawfull minister , by john cragge , m.a. . the abridgment of the lord dyers reports , by sir thomas ireland . observations on the office of a lord chancellor , by the lord elsmore , late lord chancellor . . the laymans lawyer , or the second part of the practick part of the law , by tho. foster gent. . the county-court renewed , or all manner of proceedings there , by william greenwood , studient of furnivals inn. . transactions of the high court of chancery , collected by vv. tochell . . brookes cases in english , by j. marsh of grays inn barester . . poems , by matthew stevenson ▪ . perkins of the laws of england . . an exact abridgment of dctoor and student . . invisible world , and the mystery of godliness , by joseph hall , bishop of norwich . . imposition of hands , by jos. hall , bishop of norwich . . treatise of phlebotomy , demonstrating the necessity of it in diseases of terms of election , with the use of the cupping-glass , with a treatise of the crisis written in french by da. de. plumis campi chirurgion , now translated into engl●sh , by e. vv. a well-wisher to physick and chyrurgery . . the peace-maker , by vvilliam page doctor in divinity . . a sermon preached at the funerall of sir james penyman , by allen smalwood . . clara stella . by r. heath esq . doctor prestons saints infirmities . . a comment on the times , or a character of the enemies of the church , by thomas vvall , mr. in arts . . a catechisme containg the principles of christian religion , written by moses . vvall . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- prov. . . jer. . hos. ▪ . act● . . jude . . ephes. ● . cor. . cor. . ● notes for div a e- nulla visibil●a nisi per invisibilia v●dentur : telle mentem quae non videtur , & incassum patebit oculus . greg. camer. in act. . . cor. . omne tempus quo de deo non cogitat , perdidisse se computat bern. de spec . mon. brigit . l. revelat. . dionys . areopag . fo●ner . de cust. ange. serm. . mat. . . rev. . . dan. . . job . . cuique electo ordinarie certum propriumque angelum qui perpetuus sit ejus custos & comes . zanch de operibus create. . l. . c. . psal. . . * ex quo fa●ile colligitur , ex vobis unumquemque habere plus quam decem angelos . forner . de cust●d . ang. serm. . p. . * how scant then is the account of the great & voluminous abulensis , who upon mat. . v. . determines that the blessed virgin had two angel-keepers ; one , the most noble of the angeli●●ll order , which guarded her all her life , the other gabriel an arch-angell of the second order , who attended her from the time of christs conception , untill his passion . barrad . l . c. . as also that of degrassalius : that the french king hath two angel-guardians , one in regard of his private person , another in respect to his royall dignity . degrassal . l. . jure . regal . franciae . m. blunts voyage to the levant . ephes. . . colos. . . ps. . . king. . . joel . . gen. . . judg. . . gen. . . arist. me●aph●s . l. . * b●navent . vulcan . pra●f●t . in lib. de mundo . l. bacon in his naturall hist. exod. . gen. . . qualiter pueri inter tot infantiae discrimina , &c. gers. serm. de angel . in the churches of foye totnesse , & withicomb . of the same kinde were those prodigious tempests at millain anno . and at mechlin aug. . anno . * nestoires prodigieuses de p. boaistuan . cap. . of the same kinde was that fearfull tempest which in the year of k. will. rufus , blew down houses in london , and reaving bow church carried away six beams of foot long , and struck them into the earth ( the streets being then unpaved ) so deep , tha● o●ly four foot remained above ground . chron. of s. rob. baker of the reign of will . . † m. will. cook , sen . of waltham holy crosse . marc. aurel. antoninus his meditat , concerning himself , l. . c. . the like he reports of chryses , ibid. vt commensales deo , forner . ser. . de cust. a●g. or as cassaneus , cubicularii & servi●utes , throni glor. mund part . forner . de custod . ang. serm. . compare ephes. . . with colos. . . s. matild . l. revel. c. . citat . etiam a forter . * ad nutum & arbitrium fibi assistentis daemonis vel declinabat negotia , vel petebat . minut. foelicis octav. duac . . febr. . ex literis pet. rav. forn . ser. . ignat. loiol . xavi●r . ●her●si● . isidore . po●ippus ●●r●us . 〈◊〉 ma 〈◊〉 anno ●● . theodor . l. . c. . goulart . histoir mem'r . ex melanct. in dan. c. . bromiard . sum. praedicant . v. humilitas . s. maternus . * one john trelille . * at whitsontide . sim. goular . ex j. manlio . bern. in psal. qui habi●at . rev. . . hieron. quest ●o●d al●g●s●m . angelici . prateolus ●l●nch . v. angelici . rejecta expositio a pontificiis , ut non modo periculosa sed & falsa . vid. binium in notis in pium pap●n tom. . pag. . reading it angulos instead of angelos . gen. . jo. bromiar . sum. pradic . v. superbia . cor . notes for div a e- ●icero de senectu●e . quicquid est illud quod sentit , qud sapit , quod vult , quòd viget , coeleste & divinum est , ob eamque rem aeternum sit necesse est . tull tusc. quaest. l. . lumen aliquod substantiale anim●s habere haud improbe videmur advertere , quando in evangelio legitu● , quod illuminat omnem hominem venientem in mundum : deinde quod in cogitatione p●siti nescio quid tenue , volubile , clarum in nob●s inesse sen●imus , quod respicit sine sole , quod videt sine extraneo tumine : nain si ipsum inse lucidum non esser , ●erum tantam c●●spicientiam non haberet : tenebrosis ista non sicut data ; omnia caeca torpescunt . cassiodor . de anima . cap. . calvin in loc. psal. . . cor. . . heb. . . b. andrews in his answer to bellarmine . cor. . . job . . . v. . cor. . . c●los . . . eccles. . . cant . . psal. . . revel. . zach. . . luk. . . . job . a jesu . mar l. . de vit. there 's . c. nos coelestes ac vos exules amore ac puritati sae derate esse debemus , &c. nos coelites intuentes divinitatem ; vos exules euceharistiam venerantes ; quam eo affectu quo nos divinitatem suspicimus , colere debetis . ibid. notes for div a e- fr. haytonus in passagio terrae sanctae . anno . editus a nicol ▪ salcone . isa. . . naturalia in damnatis angelis manent splendidissima . job . . . obscientiam nominati . aug. l. de civ● . cor . gerson de variis diaboli tentationibus . diabolus gloriosa forma , diademate g●mmeo & aureo redimitus , veste regia indutus , apparuit martin . precanti , se christum dicit , cui postsilentium aliquod sanctus : ego christum nisi in illo babitu , formaque qua passus est , nisi crucis stigmata proferentem , venisse non credam ; hînc evanuît . hoc narravit sulpitio martinus ipse , ut refert idem sever sulp. in vita martini . * bodin daemonomania , ubique . * sim. goul. hist. admirables . casstod . reney en ses relation● , zuinger . theatre de vie human . bodin . daemonomania , l. . est haec res mirabilis ; nunquam visos esse daemones utroque pede hamano ullibi apparuisse . forner . de ang. ser. . j●. leo africk d●scr . ●●t . occasionall meditations by ios. exon ; set forth by r.h. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng meditations. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion occasionall meditations . by ios : exon . setforth by r. h. the second edition . london . printed by w. s. for nath. butter . . to the right honorable , my very good lord , iames lord viscount doncaster . right hon : finding these papers amongst others lying aside in my fathers study , whereof i conceiued good vse might bee made , in regard of that spirituall aduantage which they promised ; i obtayned of him good leaue to send them abroad , whereto he professed himselfe the more easily induced , for that his continuall and weighty imployments in this large and busie diocesse will not yet afford him leasure to dispatch those his other fixed meditations on the historie of the new testament ; in the meane time , the expressions of these voluntary and sudden thoughts of his , shall testifie how fruitfully he is wont to improoue those short ends of time , which are stolne from his more important auocations ; and ( vnlesse my hopes faile mee ) the patterne of them may prooue not a little beneficiall to others . holy mindes haue been euer wont to looke through these bodily obiects , at spirituall , and heauenly ; so svlpitivs reports of s. martin , that seeing a sheepe newly shorne , he could say ; loe here 's one that hath performed that command in the gospell ; hauing two coats shee hath giuen away one , & seeing an hogheard freezing in a thinne suite of skinnes ; loe ( said hee ) there is adam cast out of paradise , and seing a meadow , part rooted vp , part whole ; but eaten downe ; and part flourishing , hee said , the first was the state of fornication , the second of marriage , the third of virginity : but what doe i seeke any other authour , then the lord of life himselfe ? who vpon the drawing of water from the well of shilo , on the day of the great hosanna , tooke occasion to speak of those liuing waters , which should flow frō euery true beleeuer , iohn . ; and vpon occasion of a bodily feast ▪ luke . entred into that diuine discourse of gods gracious inuitation of vs to those spirituall viands of grace and glory . thus , mee thinkes , we should still bee climing vp in our thoughts , from earth to heauen ; and suffer no obiect to crosse vs in our way without some spirituall vse , and application ; thus it pleased my reuerend father sometimes to recreate himselfe , whose manner hath beene , when any of these meditations haue vnsought offerd themselues vnto him , presently to se● them downe ; a course which i wish had beene also taken in many more , which might no doubt haue beene very profitable . these , as they are , i send forth vnder your honourable name , out of those many respects , which are , in an hereditary right , due to your lordship , as being apparent heire to those two singular patrons of my iustly reuerenced father , the eminent vertue of which your noble parents in a gracious succession yeelds to your lordship an happy example ; which to follow is the onely way to true honour ; for the dayly increase whereof here ; and the euerlasting crowne of it hereafter , his prayers to god shal not be wanting , who desires to bee accounted . your lordship deuoted in all homble obseruance , ro : hall . occasionall meditations . the proeme . i haue heedlesly lost ( i confesse ) many good thoughts , these few my paper hath perserued from vanishing ; the example whereof may prehaps bee more vsefull then the matter ; our actiue soule can no more forbeare to thinke , then the eye can choose but see , when it is open ; would we but keepe our wholsome notions together , mankind would bee too rich ; to doe well , no obiect should passe vs without vse , euery thing that wee see , reades vs new lectures of wisedome , and pietie ; it is a shame for a man to be ignorant , or godlesse , vnder so many tutors . for me , i would not wish to liue longer , then i shall be better for my eyes ; and haue thought it thanke-worthy ; thus to teach weake mindes , how to improoue their thoughts , vpon all like occasions . and if euer these lines shall come to the publique view , i desire , and charge my reader , whosoeuer he be , to make mee , and himselfe so happie , as to take out my lesson ; and to learne how to read gods great booke , by mine . occasionall meditations . i. vpon the sight of the heauens mouing . i can see nothing stand still but the earth ; all other things are in motion ; euen that water which makes vp one globe with the earth , is euer stirring in ebbes and flowings ; the clouds ouer my head , the heauens aboue the clouds ; these , as they are most conspicuous , so are they the greatest patternes of perpetuall action ; what should wee rather imitate then this glorious frame ? o god when we pray that thy will may bee done in earth , as it is in heauen , though we meane chiefly the inhabitants of that place , yet wee doe not exclude the very place of those blessed inhabitants , from being an example of our obedience . the motion of this thy heauen is perpetuall , so let mee euer be acting so mewhat of thy will ; the motion of thine heauen is regular , neuer swaruing from the due points ; so let me euer walke steddily in the wayes of thy will ; without all diuersions , or variations from the line of thy law ; in the motion of thine heauen , though some starres haue the●● owne peculiar , and contrary courses , yet a● yeeld themselues to the sway of the mayne circumuolution of that first mouer ; so , though i haue a will of mine owne , yet let mee giue my selfe ouer to bee ruled , and ordered by thy spirit in all my wayes ; man is a little world ; my soule is heauen , my body is earth ; if this earth bee dull and fixed , yet o god , let my heauen ( like vnto thine ) moue perpetually , regularly , and in a constant subiection to thine holy ghost . ii. vpon the sight of a diall . if the sunne did not shine vpon this diall , no body would looke at it ; in a cloudy day it stands like an vselesse post , vnheeded , vnregarded ; but when once those beames breake forth , euery passenger runnes to it , and gazes on it ; o god , whiles thou hidest thy countenance from mee , mee thinkes all thy creatures passe by mee , with a willing neglect ; indeed , what am i , without thee ? and if thou haue drawne in me some lines , & notes of able indowments , yet , if i be not actuated by thy grace , all is , in respect of vse ; no better then nothing : but , when thou renuest the light of thy louing countenance vpon mee , i finde a sensible , and happy change of condition ; me thinkes , all things looke vpon mee with such cheere , and obseruance , as if they meant to make good that word of thine ; those that honour mee , i will honour ; now , euery line and figure , which it hath pleased thee to work in mee , serue for vsefull , and profitable direction ; o lord , all the glory is thine ; giue thou me light , i shall giue others information ; both of vs shal giue thee praise . iii. vpon the sight of an eclipse of the sunne . light is an ordinary and familiar blessing ; yet so deare to vs , that one houres interception of it sets all the world in a wonder . the two great luminaries of heauen , as they impart light to vs , so they withdraw light from each other . the sunne darkens the full moone , in casting the shadow of the earth vpon her opposed-face ; the new moone repayes this blemish to the sunne , in the interposing of her darke body betwixt our eyes , and his glorious beames ; the earth is troubled at both : o god , if wee bee so afflicted with the obscuring of some peece of one of thy created lights , for an houre , or two ; what a confusion shall it be , that thou , who art the god of these lights , ( in comparison of whom they are meere darknesse ) shalt hide thy face from thy creature for euer ? oh thou that art the sunne of righteousnesse ; if euery of my sinnes cloud thy face ; ye● let not my grieuous sinnes eclipse thy light ; thou shinest alwayes , though i doe not see thee , but , oh , neuer suffer my sinnes so to darken thy visage that i cannot see thee . iiii. vpon the sight of a gliding starre . how easily is our sight deceiued ? how easily doth our sight deceiue vs ? wee saw no difference betwixt this starre and the rest ; the light seemed alike , both whiles it stood , and whiles it fell ; now , wee know it was no other , then a base ●limie meteor , guilded with the sun-beames ; and now , our foot can tread vpon that , which ere while our eye admired ; had it been a starre , it had still , and euer shined ; now , the very fall argues it a false and elementary apparition ; thus our charity doth , and must mis-lead vs in our spirituall iudgements ; if wee see men exalted in their christian profession , fixed in the vpper region of the church , shining with appearances of grace ; wee may not thinke them other them starres , in this lower firmament ; but , if they fall from their holy station , and imbrace the present world ; whether in iudgement or practise , renouncing the truth , and power of godlinesse ; now we may boldly say , they had neuer any true light in them ; and were no other then a glittering composition of pride , and hypocrisie ; o god , if my charity make mee apt to bee deceiued by others , ●et mee be sure not to de●eiue my selfe ; perhaps , some of these apostating starres haue thought ●hemselues true : let their mis-carriage make mee ●eedfull ; let the inward ●●ght of thy grace more ●onuince my truth to my ●elfe , then my outward profession can represent mee glorious to others . v. vpon a faire prospect . vvhat a pleasing variety is heere o● townes , riuers , hills dales , woods , medowes each of them striuing t● set forth other ; and al● of them to delight th● eye ? so as this is no other then a naturall ; an● reall landskip drawne b● that almightie , and ski●●full hand , in this table o● the earth , for the pleasure of our view ; no other creature besides man is capable to apprehend this beautie ; i shall doe wrong to him that brought mee hither , if i doe not feed my eyes , and praise my maker ; it is the inter mixture , and change of these obiects that yeelds this contentment both to the sense , and minde ; but , there is a sight , o my soule , that without all varietie , offerres thee a truer and fuller delight ; euen this heauen aboue thee : all thy other prospect ends in this ; this glorious circumference ●ounds , and circles , and inlightens all that thine eye can see ; whether thou looke vpward , or forward , or about thee , there thine eye alights , there let thy thoughts bee fixed . one inch of this lightsome firmament hath more beauty in it , then the whole face of the earth ; and yet , this is but the floore of that goodly fabricke , the outward curtaine of that glorious tabernacle : couldst thou but ( oh that thou couldst ) looke within that vayle , how shouldst thou bee rauished with that blissefull sight ? there , in that incomprehensible light , thou shouldst see him whom none can see , and not bee blessed ; thou shouldst see millions of pure and maiesticall angels , of holy and glorified soules : there , amongst thy fathers many mansions thou shouldst take happie notice of thine owne : oh the best of earth , now vile and contemptible ; come downe no more , o my soule , after thou hast once pitched vpon this heauenly glory ; or if this flesh force thy descent , be vnquiet till thou art let loose to immortality . vi. vpon the frame of a globe casually broken . it is hard to say whether is the greater , mans art , or impotence ; he that cannot make one spire of grasse , or corne of sand , will yet bee framing of worlds ; he can imitate all things , who can make nothing ; heere is a great world in a little roome , by the skill of the workeman , but in lesse roome , by mis-accident ; had hee seene this , who vpon the view of platoes booke of common-wealth eaten with mice , presaged the fatall mis-carriage of the publike state ; hee would sure haue construed this casualty as ominous : what euer become of the materiall world , ( whose decay might seeme no lesse to stand with diuine prouidence , then this microcosme of indiuidual man ) sure i am , the frame of the morall world is , and must be dis-ioynted in the last times : men doe and will fall from euill to worse ; he that hath made all times hath told vs that the last shall bee perilous ; happie is hee that can stand vpright , when the world declines ; and can indeauour to repaire the common ruine with a constancy in goodnesse . vii . vpon a cloud . vvhether it were a naturall cloud , wherewith our ascending sauiour was intercepted from the eyes of his disciples , vpon mount olivet , i inquire not ; this i am sure of ; that the time now was , when a cloud surpassed the sunne in glory ; how did the intentiue eyes of those rauished beholders enuie that happie meteor ; and since they could no more see that glorious body , fixed themselues vpon that coelestiall chariot , wherewith it was carried vp . the angels could tell the gazing disciples ( to fetch them off from that astonishing prospect ) that this iesvs should so come againe , as they had seene him depart ; he went vp in a clōud ; and hee shall come againe in the clouds of heauen , to his last iudgement ; o sauiour , i cannot looke vpward , but i must see the sensible monuments ; both of thine ascension , and returne ; let no cloud of worldlinesse , or infidelitie hinder mee from following thee in thine ascension , or from expecting thee in thy returne . viii . vpon the sight of a graue digged vp . the earth , as it is a great deuourer , so also it is a great preseruer too : liquors and fleshes are therein long kept from putrifying ; and are rather heightened in their spirits by being buried in it ; but aboue all , how safely doth it keepe our bodyes for the resurrection ; wee are here but layd vp for custody ; balmes , and sere-clothes , and leads , cannot doe so much as this lappe of our common mother ; when all these are dissolued into her dust ( as being vnable to keepe themselues from corruption ) shee receiues and restores her charge : i can no more with-hold my body from the earth ; then the earth can withhold it from my maker . o god , this is thy cabinet or shrine , wherein ●hou pleasest to lay vp ●he precious reliques of ●hy deare saints , vntill ●he iubilee of glorie ; with what confidence should i commit my selfe to this sure reposition , whiles i know thy word iust , thy power infinite ? ix . vpon the sight of gold melted . this gold is both th● fairest , and most solide of all mettals ; yet 〈◊〉 the soonest melted wit● the fire ; others , as the● are courser , so more chu●lish , and hard to b● wrought vpon by a dissolution ; thus , a sound an● good heart is most easi●● melted into sorrow and feare , by the sence of gods iudgements ; whereas the carnall minde is stubburne , and remorselesse ; all mettals are but earth , yet some are of finer temper then others ; all hearts are of flesh , yet some are , through the power of grace , more capable of spirituall apprehensions : o god , wee are such as thou wilt bee pleased to make vs : giue mee an heart that may bee sound for the truth of grace , and melting at the terrors of thy law ; i can bee for no other , then thy sanctuarie on earth , or thy treasurie of heauen . x. vpon the sight of a pitcher carried . thus those that are great , and weake , are carried by the eares vp and downe of flatterers , and parasites ; thus ignorant and simple hearers are carried by false and mis-zealous teachers , yet , to bee carryed by both eares is more safe , then bee carryed by one ; it argues an empty pitcher to be carryed by one alone ; such are they that vpon the hearing of one-part , rashly passe their sentence , whether of acquiall , or censure . in all disquisitions of ●idden truthes , a wise man will bee led by the ●ares , not carried ; that ●●plies a violence of pas●●on ouer-swaying iudge●ent ; but in matter of ●uill and occurrence , and vnconcerning rumour , it is good to vse the eare , not to trust to it : xi . vpon the sight of tree f●●● blossomed . heere is a tree ouer layd with blossomes it is not possible that a● these should prospe● one of them must need● rob the other of mo●sture , and growth ; i do not loue to see an infa●cie ouer-hopefull ; 〈◊〉 these pregnant beginnings one facultie staru● another , and , at last , leau● the minde sap-lesse , an● barren ; as therefore w● are wont to pull off som● of the too-frequent blossomes , that the rest ma● thriue , so , it is good wisedome to moderate the earely excesse of the parts , or progresse of ouer-forward child-hood . neither is it otherwise in our christian profession ; a sudden and lauish ostentation of grace may fill the eye with wonder , and the mouth with talke , but will not , at the last , fill the lappe with fruit . let mee not promise too much , nor raise too high expectations of my vndertakings ; i had rather men should complaine of my small hopes , then of my short performances . xii . vpon the report of a man suddenly strucke dead in his sin. i cannot but magnifie the iustice of god , but withall i must praise his mercy ; it were woe with any of vs all , if god should take vs at aduantages ; alas , which of vs hath not committed sinnes worthy of a present reuenge ; had wee beene also surprized in those acts , where had wee beene ? oh god , it is more then thou owest vs , that thou hast wayted for our repentance ; it is no more then thou owest vs , that thou plaguest our offences ; the wages of sinne is death ; and it is but iustice to pay due wages : blessed bee thy iustice that hast made others examples to mee : blessed be : thy mercy , that hast not made me an example vnto others . * ⁎ * xiii . vpon the view of the heauen and the earth . vvhat a strange contrarietie is heere ? the heauen is in continuall motion , and yet there is the onely place of rest ; the earth euer stands still , and yet heere is nothing but vnrest and vnquietnesse ; surely , the end of that heauenly motion is for the benefit of the earth ; and the end of all these earthly turmoyles is our reposall in heauen ; those that haue imagined the earth to turne about , and the heauens to stand still ; haue yet supposed that wee may stand , or sit still , on that whirling globe of earth : how much more may wee bee perswaded of our perfect rest aboue those mouing spheares ? it matters not , o god , how i am vexed heere below a while ; if , ere long , i may repose with thee aboue , for euer . xiiii . vpon occasion of a redbre●● comming into his chamber . pretty bird , how chea●fully do'st thou sit an● sing , and yet knowest n●● where thou art , nor whe●● thou shalt make thy ne●● meale ; and , at nigh● must shrowd thy selfe in 〈◊〉 bush , for lodging ; wh●● a shame is it for mee , th●● see before mee so libera● prouisions of my god and finde my selfe s● warme vnder my ow● roofe , yet am ready 〈◊〉 droupe vnder a distru●●full , and vnthankfull du●●nesse . had i so little certainty of my harbour and purueyance , how hartlesse should i bee , how carefull ; how little list should i haue to make musicke to thee or my selfe ; surely , thou , camest not hither without a prouidence , god sent thee not so much to delight , as to shame mee , but all in a conuiction of my sullen vnbeliefe ; who vnder more apparent meanes , ●m lesse cheerefull , and ●onfident , reason and ●aith haue not done so much in mee , as in thee , heere instinct of nature ; want of fore-sight makes hee more merry , if not more happie heere , then the fore-sight of better things maketh mee . o god , thy prouidence is not impayred by those powers thou hast giuen mee aboue these brute things ; let not my greater helps hinder mee from an holy security , and comfortable relyance vpon thee . xv. vpon occasion of a spider i● his window . there is no vice i● man , whereof ther● is not some analogie i● the brute creatures : 〈◊〉 amongst vs men , there are theeues by land , and pirates by sea , that liue by spoyle and blood ; so is there in euery kind amongst them variety of naturall sharkers ; the hauke in the ayre , the pike in the riuer , the whale in the sea , the lyon , and tyger , and wolfe in the desert , the waspe in the hiue , the spider in our window . amongst the rest , see how cunningly this little arabian hath spred out his tent , for a prey ; how heedfully hee watches for a passenger ; so soone as euer he heares the noyse of a fly a farre off , how hee hastens to his doore , and if that silly heedlesse . traueller doe but touch vpon the verge of that vnsuspected walke , how suddenly doth hee seize vpon the miserable bootie ; and after some strife , binding him fast with those subtile cords , drags the helplesse captiue after him into his caue . what is this but an embleme of those spirituall free-booters , that lie in waite for our soules : they are the spiders , wee the flies ; they haue spred their nets of sinne , if wee bee once caught , they bind vs fast , and hale vs into hell. oh lord , deliuer thou my soule from their crafty ambushes ; their poyson is greater , their webs both more strong , and more insensibly wouen ; either teach mee to auoyd tentation , or make mee to breake thorough it by repentance ; oh let mee not bee a prey to those fiends that lye in waite for my destruction . xvi . vpon the sight of a raine in the sunshine . svch is my best condition in this life , if the sunne of gods countenance shine vpon mee , i may well bee content to bee wet with some raine of affliction ; how oft haue i seene the heauen ouer-cast with clouds and tempest ; no sunne appearing to comfort me ; yet euen those gloomy and stormy seasons haue i rid out patiently , onely with the helpe of the common-light of the day , at last , those beames haue broken forth happily , and cheared my soule ; it is well for my ordinary state , if through the mists of my owne dulnesse , and satans tentations , i can descry some glimpse of heauenly comfort ; let mee neuer hope , whiles i am in this vaile , to see the cleare face of that sunne without a showre : such happinesse is reserued for aboue ; that vpper region of glory is free from these doubtfull and miserable vicissitudes . there , o god wee shall see as wee are seene . light is sowne for the righeous , and ioy for the vpright in heart . xvii . vpon the length of the way . how farre off is yonder great mountaine ? my very eye is weary with the fore-sight of so great a distance ; yet time and patience shall overcome it ; this night wee shall hope to lodge beyond it ; some things are more tedious in their expectation , then in their performance . the comfort is , that euery step i take , sets mee nearer to my end ; when i once come there , i shall both forget how long it now seemes , and please my selfe to looke backe vpon the way that i haue measured . it is thus in our passage to heauen ; my weake nature is ready to faint vnder the very conceit of the length , and difficulty of this iourney ; my eye doth not more guide , then discourage mee ; many steps of grace , and true obedience , shall bring me insensibly thither ; only , let mee moue , and hope ; and gods good leisure shall perfect my saluation . o lord , giue mee to possesse my soule with patience , and not so much to regard speed , as certainty ; when i come to the top of thine holy hill , all these weary paces , and deepe sloughes shall either bee forgotten , or contribute to my happinesse in their remembrance . xviii . vpon the raine and waters . vvhat a sensible interchange there is , in nature , betwixt vnion , and diuision ; many vapours rising from the sea , meete together in one cloud ; that cloud falls downe diuided , into seuerall drops ; those drops runne together , and in many rills of water , meete in the same channels ; those channels run into the brooke , those brookes into the riuers , those riuers into the sea ; one receptacle is for all , though a large one ; and all make backe to their first , and maine originall : so it either is , or should be with spirituall guifts ; o god , thou distillest thy graces vpon vs , not for our reseruation , but conueyance ; those many-fold faculties thou lettest fall vpon seuerall men thou wouldst not haue drenched vp , where they light ; but wouldst haue deriued , through the channels of their speciall vocations , into the common streames of publique vse , for church , or common-wealth ; take backe , o lord , those few drops thou hast rayned vpon my soule , and returne them into that great ocean of the glory of thine owne bounty , from whence they had their beginning . * ⁎ * xix . vpon the same subiect . many drops fill the channels , and many channels swell vp the brookes , and many brookes raise the riuers , ouer the bankes ; the brookes are not out , till the channels bee empty ; the riuers rise not , whiles the small brookes are full ; but when the little rivulets haue once voyded themselues into the mayne streames , then all is ouerflowne . great matters arise from small beginnings ; many littles make vp a large bulke ; yea what is the world but a composition of atomes . wee haue seene i● thus in ciuill estates ; th●● empayring of the commons hath oft beene th● raising of the great ; their streames haue runne low● till they haue beene heightened by the confluenc● of many priuate inlets ▪ many a meane channel hath beene emptyed , to make vp their inundation ; neither is it otherwise in my , whether outward , or spirituall condition : o god , tho● hast multiplyed my drop● into streames , as out o● many minuts thou ha●● made vp my age , so out o● many lessons thou hast made vp my competencie of knowledge ; thou hast drayned many benificent friends to make mee competently rich . by many holy motions , thou hast wrought me to some measure of grace : oh , teach mee , wisely and moderately to inioy thy bounty ; and to reduce thy streames into thy drops , and thy drops into thy clouds , humbly , and thankefully acknowledging whence , and how , i haue all that i haue , all that i am : xx. vpon occasion of the lights brought in . vvhat a change there is in the roome , since the light came in ▪ yea in our selues ? all things seeme to haue a new forme , a new life ; yea , wee are not the same we were : how goodly a creature is light , how pleasing , how agreeable to the spirits of man ? no visible thing comes so neere to the resembling of the nature of the soule , yea of the god that made it ; as contrarily , what an vncomfortable thing is darknesse ; in so much as wee punish the greatest malefactors with obscuritie of dungeons ; as thinking they could not be miserable enough , if they might haue the priuiledge of beholding the light ; yea , hell it selfe can bee no more horribly described then by outward darknesse : what is darknesse but absence of light ? the pleasure , or the horror of light , or darknesse is according to the quality and degree of the cause , whence it ariseth ; and if the light of a poore candle be so comfortable , which is nothing but a little inflamed ayre , gathered about a moystened snuffe , what is the light of the glorious sunne , the great lampe of heauen ? but much more , what is the light of that infinitely-resplendent sun of righteousnesse , who gaue that light to the sunne , that sunne to the world ; and , if this partiall , and imperfect darkenesse bee so dolefull , ( which is th● priuation of a naturall o● artificiall light ) how vnconceiuable , dolorou● and miserable , shall tha● bee , which is caused through the vtter absence of the all-glorious god ▪ who is the father o● lights ? o lord , how iustly doe wee pitty those wretched soules , that sit in darkenesse and the shadow of death , shut vp from the light of the sauing knowledge of thee , the onely true god ; but , how am i swallowed vp with horror , to thinke of the fearefull condition of those damned soules , that are for euer shut out from the presence of god , and adiudged to exquisite and euerlasting darknesse . the egyptians were weary of themselues , in their three dayes darkenesse , yet we doe not find any paine that accompanyed their continuing night ; what shall wee say to those wofull soules ; in whom the sensible presence of infinite torment shall meet with the torment of the perpetuall absence of god ? o thou , who art the true light , shine euer ▪ through all the blinde corners of my soule ; and from these weake glimmerings of grace , bring me to the perfect brightnesse of thy glory . * ⁎ * xxi . vpon the same occasion . as well as wee loue the light , wee are wont to salute it , at the first comming in , with winking , or closed eyes ; as not abiding to see that ; without which wee cannot see . all suddaine changes ( though to the better ) haue a kinde of trouble attending them ; by how much more excellent any obiect is , by so much more is our weake sence mis-affected in the first apprehending of it : o lord , if thou shouldst manifest thy glorious presence to vs heere , wee should bee confounded in the sight of it ; how wisely , how mercifully hast thou reserued that for our glorified estate ; where no infirmity shall dazle our eyes ; where perfect righteousnesse , shall giue as perfect bouldnesse , both of sight , and fruition . xxii . vpon the blowing of the fire . vvee beat backe the flame , not with a purpose to suppresse it but to raise it higher , and to diffuse it more ; those afflictions , and repulses which seeme to bee discouragements , are indeed the mercifull incitements of grace . if god did meane iudgement to my soule , hee would either withdraw the fuell , or powre water vpon the fire , or suffer it to languish for want of new motions ; but now , that he continues to me the meanes , and opportunities , and desires of good , i shall misconstrue the intentions of my god , if i shall thinke his crosses sent rather to dampe , then to quicken his spirit in me . o god , if thy bellowes did not sometimes thus breath vpon mee , in spirituall repercussions , i should haue iust cause to suspect my estate ; those few weake gleeds of grace that are in mee , might soone goe out , if they were not thus refreshed ; still blow vpon them , till they kindle ; still kindle them , till they flame vp to thee . xxiii . vpon the barking of a dog. vvhat haue i done to this dog , that hee followes mee with this angry clamour ? had i rated him , or shaken my staffe , or stooped downe for a stone , i had iustly drawne on this noyse ; this snarling importunity . but , why , doe i wonder to finde this vnquiet disposition in a bruit creature , when it is no newes with the reasonable . haue i not seene innocence , and merit bayed at by the quarrelsome , and enuious vulgar , without any prouocation saue of good offices ? haue i not felt ( more then their tongue , ) their teeth , vpon my heeles , when i know , i haue deserued nothing , but fawning on ? where is my grace , or spirits , if i haue not learned to contemne both ? o god , let mee rather dye then willingly incurre thy displeasure ; yea , then iustly offend thy godly-wise , iudicious , conscionable servants ; but if humor or faction , or causelesse preiudice fall vpon mee ; for my faithfull seruice to thee ; let these bawling currestyre themselues , and teare their throates , with loud , and false censures , i goe on in a silent constancy , and if my eare bee beaten , yet my heart shall be free . xxiiii . vpon sight of a cocke fight . how fell these creatures out ? whence grew this so bloudy combate ? heere was neyther old grudge , nor present iniurie . what then is the quarrell ? surely nothing but that which should rather vnite , and reconcile them ; one common nature ; the are both of one feather . i doe not see eyther of them flye vpon creatures of different kinds ; but whiles they haue peace with all others , they are at warre with themselues ; the very sight of each other was sufficient prouocation . if this bee the offence , why doth not each of them fall out with himselfe , since hee hates , and reuenges in another , the being of that same which himselfe is ? since mans sin brought debate into the world , nature is become a great quarreller . the seeds of discord were scattered in euery furrow of the creation , and came vp in a numberlesse variety of antipathies , whereof yet none is more odious , and deplorable , then those which are betwixt creatures of the same kinde . what is this but an image of that woefull hostility which is exercised betwixt vs resonables , who are conioyned in one common humanity , if not , religion ? wee fight with , and destroy each other , more then those creatures that want reason to temper their passions : no beast is so cruell to man , as himself ; where one man is slaine by a beast , ten thousand are slaine by man. what is that warre which wee study and practise , but the art of killing ? what euer turkes and pagans may doe , o lord how long shall , this brutish fury arme christians against each other ? whiles euen diuels are not at enmity with themselues , but accord in wickednesse , why doe we men so mortally oppose each other in good ? oh thou , that art the god of peace , compose the vnquiet hearts of men , to an happie and vniuersall concord , and at last refresh out soules with the multitude of peace . xxv . vpon his lying downe to rest . what a circle there is of humane actions , and euents ? wee are neuer without some change , and yet that change is without any great varietie ; wee sleepe , and wake , and wake and sleepe ; and eate and euacuate and recreate , and labour in a continuall interchange , yet hath the infinite wisedome of god , so ordered it , that wee are not wearie of these perpetuall iterations , but with no lesse appetite enter into our dayly courses , then if wee should passe them but once in our life . when i am wearie of my dayes labor , how willingly doe i vndresse my selfe , and betake my selfe to my bed ; and ere morning , when i haue wearied my restlesse bed , how glad am i to ryse and renew my labour ? why am i not more desirous to be vncloathed of this body , that i may be cloathed vpon with immortality ? what is this but my closest garment , which when it is once put off , my soule is at liberty and ease . many a time haue i lyen downe heere in desire of rest , and after some tedious changing of sides , haue risen sleepelesse , disappointed , languishing in my last vncasing , my body shall not faile of repose , nor my soule of ioy ; and in my rising vp , neither of them shall faile of glory ; what hinders mee , o god , but my infidelity from longing for this happy dissolution ? the world hath misery and toyle enough , and heauen hath more then enough blessednesse to perfect my desires of that my last and glorious change . i beleeue , lord , helpe my vnbeleefe ? xxvi . vpon the kindling of a charcole fire . there are not many creatures but doe naturally affect to diffuse and inlarge themselues ; fire and water will neyther of them rest contented with their owne bounds ; those little sparkes that i see in those coales , how they spread , and enkindle their next brands ; it is thus morally both in good , and euill ; eyther of them dilates it selfe , to their neighbourhood ; but especially this is so much more apparent in euill , by how much wee are more apt to take it . let but some sparke of hereticall opinion bee let fall vpon some vnstable , proud , busie spirit , it catcheth instantly ; and fires the next capable subiect ; they two haue easily inflamed a third ; and now the more society , the more s●eed ▪ and aduantage of a publike combustion . when we see the church on a flame , it is too late to complaine of the flint and steele ; it is the holy wisedome of superiours to preuent the dangerous attritions of stubborne , and wrangling spirits ; or to quench their first sparkes in the tinder . but , why should not grace and truth bee as successefull in dilating it selfe to the gaining of many hearts ? certainly these are in themselues more winning , if our corruption had not made vs indisposed to good : o god , out of a● holy enuy and emulation at the speed of euil , i shall labour to enkindle others with these heauenly flames , it shal not be my fault if they spread not . xxvii . vpon the sight of an humble and patient begger . see what need can doe ; this man , who in so lowly a fashion croucheth to that passenger , hath in all likelyhood as good a stomacke as hee , to whom hee thus abaseth himselfe ; and if their conditions were but altered , would looke as high , and speake as bigge to him , whom hee now answeres with a plausible and deiected reuerence . it is thus betwixt god ; and vs : hee sees the way to tame vs , is to hold vs short of these earthly contentments : euen the sauagest beasts are made quiet and docible , with want of food , and rest ; oh god , thou onely knowest what i would doe , if i had health , ease , abundance ; doe thou in thy wisedome and mercy so proportion thy guifts , and restraints , as thou knowest best for my soule . if i bee not humbled enough , let mee want ; and so order all my estate ; that i may want any thing saue thy selfe . xxviii . vpon the sight of a crow pulling off wooll from the backe of a sheepe . how well these creatures know whom they may bee bold with ? that crow durst not doe this to a wolfe , or mastiue ; the knowne simplicity of this innocent beast giues aduantage to this presumption . meekenesse of spirit commonly drawes on iniuries . the cruelty of ill natures vsually seekes out those , not who deserue worst , but who will beare most . patience and mildnesse of spirit is ill bestowed where it exposes a man to wrong and insultation ; sheepish dispositions are best to others ; worst to themselues . i could be willing to take iniuries ; but i will not be guilty of prouoking them by lenity ; for harmlesnesse let me goe for a sheepe , but whosoeuer will bee tearing my fleece ; let him looke to himselfe . xxix . vpon the sight of two snayles . there is much variety euen in creatures of the same kinde . see there , two snayles ; one hath an house , the other wants it ; yet both are snayles ; and it is a question whether case is the better ; that which hath an house hath more shelter , but that which wants it , hath more freedome ; the priuiledge of that couer is but a burthen ; you see if it haue but a stone to clime ouer , with what stresse it drawes vp that beneficiall lode ; and if the passage proue strait , finds no entrance : whereas the empty snaile makes no difference of way ; surely , it is alwayes an ease , and sometimes an happinesse to haue nothing ; no man is so worthy of enuy as he that can be cheerful in want : xxx . vpon the hearing of the street cries in london . vvhat a noyse doe these poore soules make in proclaiming their commodities ? each tels what hee hath , and would haue all hearers take notice of it ; and yet ( god wot ) it is but poore stuffe that they set out , with so much ostentation ; i doe not heare any of the rich merchants talke of what bags hee hath in his chests , or what treasures of rich wares in his store-house ; euery man rather desires to hide his wealth ; and when he is vrged , is ready to dissemble his ability . no otherwise is it in the true spirituall riches ; hee that is full of grace , and good workes , affects not to make shew of it to the world , but rests sweetly in the secret testimony of a good conscience ; and the silent applause of gods spirit witnessing with his owne ; whiles contrarily the venditation of our owne worth , or parts , or merits , argues a miserable indigence in them all ; o god , if the confessing of thine owne guifts may glorifie thee , my modesty shall not bee guilty of a niggardly vnthankfulnesse ; but for ought that concernes my selfe , i cannot bee too secret ; let mee so hide my selfe that i may not wrong thee ; and wisely distinguish betwixt thy praise , and my owne . * ⁎ * xxxi . vpon the flies gathering to a galled horse . how these flyes swarme to the galled part of this poore beast ; and there sit feeding vpon that worst peece of his flesh ; not medling with the other sound parts of his skin ; euen thus doe malicious tongues of detractors ; if a man haue any infirmity in his person or actions , that they will bee sure 〈◊〉 gather vnto , and dwell vpon : whereas his commendable parts , and well-deseruings are passed by , without mention , without regard ; it is an enuious selfe-loue , and base cruelty that causeth this ill disposition in men ; in the meane time this onely they haue gained , it must needs bee a filthy creature , that feeds vpon nothing but corruption . * ⁎ * xxxii . vpon the sight of a darke lantborne . there is light indeed , but so shut vp , as if it were not ; and when the side is most open , there is light enough to giue direction to him that beares it , none to others : he can discerne another man by that light , which is cast before him , but another man cannot discerne him ; right such is reserued knowledge ; no man is the better for it , but the owner ; there is no outward difference betwixt concealed skill ; and ignorance ; and when such hidden knowledge will looke forth , it casts so sparing a light , as may only argue it to haue an vnprofitable being ; to haue ability without vvill to good ; power to censure , none to benefit : the suppression or ingrossing of those helpes vvhich god vvould haue vs to impart , is but a theeues lanthorne in a true mans hand ; oh god , as all our light is from thee , the father of lights , so make mee no niggard of that poore rush-candle thou hast lighted in my soule ; make mee more happy in giuing light to others , then in receiuing it into my selfe . xxxiii . vpon the hearing of a swallow in the chimney . here is musicke , such as it is ; but how long will it hold ! when but a cold morning comes in , my guest is gone , without eyther warning , or thanks ; this pleasant season hath the least neede of cheerefull notes ; the dead of winter shall want , and wish them in vaine : thus doth an vngratefull parasite : no man is more ready to applaud , and inioy our prosperity , but when with the times our condition bigins to alter , hee is a stranger at least ; giue mee that bird which will sing in winter , and seeke to my window in the hardest frost ; there is no tryall or friendship but aduersity ; hee that is not ashamed of my bonds , not daunted with my checkes , not aliend with my disgrace , is a friend for me ; one dram of that mans loue , is worth a world of false and inconstant formality . xxxiiii . vpon the sight of a flie burning it selfe in the candle . vvise salomon sayes , the light is a pleasant thing ; and so certainly it is ; but there is no true outward light vvhich proceeds not from fire : the light of that fire then is not more pleasing , then the fire of that light is dangerous ; and that pleasure doth not more draw on our sight , then that danger forbids our approach : how foolish is this flye , that in a loue and admiration of this light , will know no distance , but puts it selfe heedlesly into that flame , vvherein it perishes ; how many boutes it fetcht , euery one nearer then other , ere it made this last venture ; and now that mercilesse fire taking no notice of the affection of an ouer-fond client , hath suddenly consumed it ; thus doe those bold and busie spirits , vvho vvill needs draw too neare vnto that inacessible light ; and looke into things too vvonderfull for them , so long doe they houer about the secret counsailes of the almighty , till the vvings of their presumptuous conceits bee scorched , and their daring curiositie hath paid them with euerlasting destruction ; oh lord , let mee bee blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast reuealed , let mee content my selfe to adore thy diuine wisedome in what thou hast not reuealed ; so let mee inioy thy light , that i may auoyd thy fire . * ⁎ * xxxv . vpon the sight of a larke flying vp . how nimbly doth that little larke mount vp singing towards heauen , in a right line ; whereas the hauke , which is stronger of body , and swifter of wing , towr●● vp by many graduall compasses to his highest pitch ? that bulke of body , and length of wing hinders a direct ascent , and requires the helpe both of ayre , and scope to aduance his flight ; whiles that small bird cuts the ayre without resistance , and needs no outward furtherance of her motion ; it is no otherwise with the soules of men in flying vp to their heauen ; some are hindered by those powers which would seeme helps to their saring vp thither ; great wit , deepe iudgement , quicke apprehension , sends men about with no small labour for the recouery of their owne incombrance ; whiles the good affections of plaine simple soules raises them vp immediately , to the fruition of god ; vvhy should vve be proud of that vvhich may slacken our vvay to glory ; vvhy should vvee bee dishartened vvith the small measure of that , the very vvant whereof may ( as the heart may be affected ) facilitate our vvay to happinesse ? xxxvi . vpon the singing of the birds in a spring morning . how cheerefully doe these little birds chirpe and sing out of the naturall ioy they conceiue at the approach of the sun , and entrance of the spring ; as if their life had departed , and returned with those glorious and comfortable beames ; no otherwise is the penitent and faithfull soule affected to the true sunne of righteousnes , the father of lights ? when he hides his face , it is troubled , and silently mournes away that sad winter of affliction ; when hee returnes , in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy ; no song is cheerefull enough to welcome him ; oh thou , who art the god of all consolation , make my heart sensible of the sweet comforts of thy gracious presence , and let my mouth euer show forth thy praise . xxxvii . vpon a coale couered with ashes . nothing appeares in this heape , but dead ashes ; heere is neyther light , nor smoake , nor heate , and yet , when i stirre vp these embers to the bottome , there are found some liuing gleeds ▪ which doe both containe fire , and are apt to propagate it ; many a christians breast is like this hearth ; no life of grace appeares there , for the time , eyther to his owne sence , or to the apprehension of others , whiles the season of temptation lasteth , all seemes cold and dead ; yet still at the vvorst , there is a secret coale from the altar of heauen rak't vp in their bosome ; vvhich vpon the gracious motions of the almighty , doth both bewray some remainders of that diuine fire , and is easily raised to a perfect flame ; nothing is more dangerous then to iudge by appearances : why should i deiect my selfe , or censure others for the vtter extinction of that spirit , which doth but hide it selfe in the soule for a glorious aduantage ? xxxviii . vpon the sight of a blackemore . loe , there is a man vvhose hew showes him to bee farre from home , his very skin bewayes his climate ; it is night in his face , whiles it is day in ours ; what a difference there is in men , both in their fashion , and colour ; and yet all children of one father ? neither is there lesse variety in their insides ; their dispositions , iudgements , opinions differ as much as their shapes , and complexions , that which is beauty to one , is deformity to another ; wee should bee lookt vpon in this mans country , with no lesse wonder , and strange coynesse , then hee is heere ; our whitenesse would passe there for an vnpleasing indigestion of forme ; outward beauty is more in the eye of the beholder , then in the face that is seene ; in euery colour that is faire which pleaseth : the very spouse of christ can say , i am blacke but comely ; this is our colour spiritually , yet the eye of our gracious god and sauiour can see that beautie in vs , wherwith he is delighted ; the true moses marries a blackemore , christ his church : it is not for vs to regard the skin , but the soule : if that bee innocent , pure , holy , the blots of an out-side cannot set vs off from the loue of him who hath said ; behold , thou art faire my sister , my spouse ; if that be foule and blacke , it is not in the power of an angelicall brightnesse of our hide , to make vs other then a loathsome eye sore to the almighty ; o god. , make my inside louely to thee ; i know that beauty will hold ; whiles weather , casualty , age , disease may deforme the outer-man , and marre both colour and features . xxxix . vpon the small starres in the galaxie or milkie circle in the firmament . vvhat a cleere lightsomnesse there is in yonder circle of the heauen aboue the rest ? what can wee suppose the reason of it , but that the light of many smaler starres is vnited there , and causes that constant brightnesse ? and yet those small starres are not discerned whiles the splendor which ariseth from them is so notably remarkable : in this lower heauen of ours , many a man is made conspicuous by his good qualities , and deserts , but i most admire the humility and grace of those , whose vertues and merits are vsefully visible , whiles their persons are obscure ; it is secretly glorious for a man to shine vnseene ; doubtlesse it is the height that makes those stars so small , and insensible ; were they lower , they would bee seene more ; there is no true greatnesse without a selfe-humiliation ; we shall haue made an ill vse of our aduancement , if by how much higher we are , wee doe not appeare lesse ; if our light be seene , it matters not for our hiding . xl. vpon the sight of boyes playing . every age hath some peculiar contentment ; thus wee did , when wee were of these yeares ; me thinkes i still remember the old feruour of my young pastimes . with what eagernesse and passion doe they pursue these childish sports ; now , that there is a whole handfull of cherry-stones at the stake , how neare is that boyes heart to his mouth , for feare of his play fellowes next cast ? and how exalted with desire and hope of his owne speed ; those great vnthrifts who hazard whole mannors vpon the dice , cannot expect their chance with more earnestnesse , or entertaine it with more ioy , or griefe : we cannot but now smile to thinke of these poore and foolish pleasures of our childhood ; there is no lesse disdaine that the regenerate man conceiues of the dearest delights of his naturall condition ; he was once iolly , and iocond , in the fruition of the world : feasts and reuels , and games , and dalliance were his life ; and no man could bee happy without these ; and scarce any man but himselfe ; but when once grace hath made him both good and wise , how scornfully doth hee looke backe at these fond felicities of his carnall estate ; now he findes more manly , more diuine contentments ; and wonders hee could bee so transported with his former vanity . pleasures are much according as they are esteemed ; one mans delight is another mans paine ; onely spirituall and heauenly things can settle and satiate the heart with a full and firme contentation ; oh god , thou art not capable eyther of bettering , or of change ; let me enioy thee ; and i shall pitty the miserable ficklenesse of those that want thee ; and shall bee sure to bee constantly happy . * ⁎ * xli . vpon the sight of a spider and her web. how iustly doe wee admire the curious worke of this creature ? what a thred doth it spin forth ? what a web doth it weaue ? yet it is full of deadly poyson ; there may bee much venome , where is much art ; iust like to this is a learned , & witty heretick ; fine conceits , and elegant expressions fall from him , but his opinions & secretly-couched doctrines are dangerous , & mortall ; were not that man strangely foolish , who because he likes the artificiall drawing out of that web , would therefore desire to handle , or eate the spider that made it ? such should bee our madnes , if our wonder at the skill of a false teacher should cast vs into loue with his person , or familiarity with his writings ; there can bee no safety in our iudgement or affection , without a wise distinction ; in the want whereof wee must needs wrong god , or our selues : god , if wee acknowledge not what excellent parts hee giues to any creature ; our selues , if vpon the allowance of those excellencies , wee swallow their most dangerous enormities . xlii . vpon the sight of a naturall . oh god , why am not i thus ? what hath this man done , that thou hast denyed wit to him ? or what haue i done that thou shouldst giue a competency of it to mee ? what difference is there betwixt vs but thy bounty , which hath bestowed vpon mee what i could not merit , and hath withheld from him what hee could not challenge . all is , o god , in thy good pleasure , whether to giue , or deny ; neither is it otherwise in matter of grace . the vnregenerate man is a spirituall foole ; no man is truly wise but the renewed ; how is it , that whiles i see another man besotted with the vanity and corruption of his nature ; i haue attained to know god , and the great mystery of saluation , to abhorre those sins which are pleasing to a wicked appetite ? who hath discerned me ? nothing but thy free mercy , o my god ; why else was i a man not a brute beast ? why right shaped , not a monster ? why perfectly limmed , not a cripple ? why well-fensed , not a foole ? why well affected , not graceles ? why a vessell of honour , not of wrath ? if ought be not ill in mee , o lord , it is thine ; oh let thine bee the praise , and mine the thankfulnesse . xliii . vpon the loadstone and the iett . as there is a ciuil commerce amongst men for the preseruation of humane society , so there is a naturall commerce which god hath set amongst the other creatures for the maintenance of their common being ; there is scarce any thing therefore in nature , which hath not a power of attracting some other ; the fire drawes vapors to it , the sunne drawes the fire-plants drawes moysture , the moone drawes the sea , all purgatiue things draw their proper humors , a naturall instinct drawes all sensitiue creatures to affect their owne kinde ; and euen in those things which are of imperfect mixtion , wee see this experimented , so as the senselesse stones and mettals are not voyd of this actiue vertue ; the loadstone drawes iron , and the iett , rather then nothing , drawes vp strawes , and dust ; with what a force do both these stones worke vpon their seuerall subiects ; is there any thing more heauy and vnapt for motion then iron , or steele ? yet these doe so run to their beloued loadstone , as if they had the sence of a desire and delight ; and doe so cling to the point of it , as if they had forgotten their weight for this adherence . is their any thing more apt for dispersion then small strawes , and dust ? yet these gather to the iett , and so sensibly leape vp to it , as if they had a kind of ambition to be so perferred ; me thinks , i see in these two a meere embleme of the hearts of men , & their spirituall attractiues ; the grace of gods spirit , like the true loadstone , or adamant , drawes vp the yron heart of man to it , and holds it in a constant fixednesse of holy purposes , and good actions ; the world like the iett drawes vp the sensuall hearts of light and vaine men , and holds them fast in the pleasures of sin . i am thine yron , o lord , be thou my loadstone . draw thou mee and i shall run after thee : knit my heart vnto thee that i may feare thy name . * ⁎ * xliiii . vpon hearing of musicke by night . how sweetly doth this musicke sound in this dead season ? in the day time it would not , it could not so much affect the eare ? all harmonious sounds are aduanced by a silent darkenesse ; thus it is with the glad tidings of saluation ; the gospell neuer sounds so sweet , as in the night of persecution , or of our owne priuate affliction ; it is euer the same , the difference is in our disposition to receiue it . o god , whose praise it is to giue songs in the night , make my prosperity conscionable , and my crosses cheerfull . xlv . vpon the fanning of corne. see how in the fanning of this wheat , the fullest and greatest graines lye euer the lowest ; and the lightest take vp the highest place ; it is no otherwise in mortalitie ; those which are most humble , are fullest of grace ; and oft times those haue most conspicuity , which haue the least substance ; to affect obscurity or submission , is base and suspicious ; but that man whose modesty presents him meane to his owne eyes , and lowly to others , is commonly secretly rich in vertue ; giue me rather a low fulnesse then an empty aduancement ; xlvi . vpon herbs dryed . they say those herbes will keepe best , and will longer retaine both their hewe and verdure , which are dryed thus in the shade , then those which are suddainly scorched with fire , or sunne ; those wits are like to bee most durable , which are closely tutored with a leisurely education ; time and gentle constancy ripens better then a suddaine violence ; neyther is it otherwise in our spirituall condition ; a wilfull slacknesse is not more dangerous , then an ouer-hastening of our perfection ; if i may be euery moment drawing nearer to the end of my hope , i shall not wish to precipitate . xlvii . vpon the quenching of iron in water . harke how that iron quenched in the water hisseth , and makes that noyse , which whiles it was cold , or dry , it would neuer make ; wee cannot quench hot and vnruly desires in youth without some mutiny , and rebellious opposition . corruptions cannot be subdu'd without some relucation , and that reluctation cannot bee without some tumult : after some short noyse , and smoake , and bubbling , the mettall is quiet and holds to the forme , whereinto it is beaten , o god , why should it trouble mee to finde my good indeauours resisted , for the little brunt of a change , whiles i am sure this insurrection shall end in an happie peace ? xlviii . vpon a faire coloured fly. what a pleasant mixture of colors there is in this flye ; and yet they say , no flye is so venemous as this ; which by the outward touch of the hand corrodes the inmost passages of the body ; it is no trusting to colours , and shapes ; wee may wonder at their excellency ; without dotage vpon their beautie . homelinesse makes lesse shew , and hath lesse danger ; giue mee inward vertue and vsefulnesse ; let others care for outward glory . xlix . vpon a glow-worme . what a cold candle is lighted vp in the body of this sorry worme ? there needs no other disproofe of those that say there is no light at all without some heate ; yet sure an outward heate helps on this coole light ; neuer did i see any of these bright wormes but in the hote moneths of summer ; in cold seasons , eyther they are not , or appeare not , when the nights are both darkest , and longest , and most vncomfortable . thus doe false-hearted christians in the warme and lightsome times of free and incouraged profession , none shine more then they ; in hard & gloomy seasons of restraint , and persecution all their formal light is eyther lost , or hid ; whereas true professors eyther like the sun shine euer alike , or , like the starres , shine fairest in the frostiest nights : the light of this worme is for some shew , but for no vse ; any light that is attended with heate can impart it selfe to others , though with the expence of that subiect wherein it is ; this doth neither wast it selfe , nor helpe others ; i had rather neuer to haue light , then not to haue it alwayes ; i had rather not to haue light ; then not to communicate it . l. vpon the shutting of one eye . when wee would take ayme , or see most exquisitely , wee shut one eye : thus must wee doe with the eyes of our soule ; when wee would looke most accurately with the eye of faith , wee must shut the eye of reason ; else the visuall beames of these two apprehensions , will bee crossing each other , and hinder our cleare discerning ; yea rather , let mee pull out this right eye of reason , then it shall offend mee in the interruptions of mine happy visions of god. li. vpon a spring-water . how this spring smoketh , whiles other greater channels are frozen vp ; this water is liuing , whiles they are dead ; all experience teacheth vs that well-waters arising from deepe springs , are hotter in winter , then in summer ; the outward cold doth keepe in , and double their inward heat . such is a true christian in the euill day ; his life of grace gets more vigor by opposition ; hee had not beene so gracious , if the times had beene better ; i will not say hee may thanke his enemies , but i must say hee may thanke god for his enemies ; o god , what can put out that heate , which is increased with cold ? how happy shall i be , if i may grow so much more in grace , as the world in malice ? * ⁎ * lii . vpon gnats in the sunne . vvhat a cloud of gnats is heere ? marke their motion ; they doe nothing but play vp and downe in the warme sunne , and sing ; and when they haue done , sit downe and sting the next hand , or face they can seize vpon ; see heere a perfect embleme of idlenesse and detraction ; how many do thus miserably mispend their good houres ? who after they haue wasted the succeeding dayes in vaine , and meerely-vnprofitable pastime , sit downe , and backe-bite their neighbours . the bee sings too sometimes , but shee workes also : and her worke is not more admirable , then vsefull ; but these foolish flyes , doe nothing but play , and sing to no purpose ; euen the busiest , and most actiue spirits most recreate , but to make a trade of sport , is for none but lazie wantons . the bee stings too ; but it is when shee is prouoked ; these draw blood , vnoffended , and sting for their owne pleasure : i would bee glad of some recreation but to enable , and sweeten my worke ; i would not but sting sometimes where is iust cause of offence . but god blesse mee from those men , which will euer bee eyther doing nothing , or ill . liii . vpon the sight of grapes . marke the difference of these grapes ; there you see a cluster , whose grapes touch one another , well ripened ; heere you see some straglers , which grow almost solitarily , greene and hard . it is thus with vs , christian societie helpeth our progresse ; and , woe to him that is alone ; hee is well , that is the better for others ; but he is happy by whom others are better . liiii . vpon a corne field ouergrowne with weeds . heere were a goodly field of corne , if it were not ouer-laid with weeds ; i doe not like these reds , and blewes , and yellowes , amongst these plaine stalkes and eares : this beauty would doe well else-where ; i had rather to see a plot lesse faire , and more yeilding ; in this field i see a true picture of the world ; wherein there is more glory , then true substance ; wherein the greater part carries it from the better ; wherein the natiue sonnes of the earth out-strip the aduentitious brood of grace ; wherein parasites and vnprofitable hang-byes doe both rob , and over-top their masters ; both field and world grow alike , looke alike ; and shall end alike ; both are for the fire ; whiles the homely and solide eares of despised vertue shall be for the garners of immortality . lv. vpon the sight of tulipaes and marygolds , &c. in his garden . these flowers are true clients of the sunne ; how obseruant they are of his motion , and influence ? at euen , they shut vp , as mourning for his departure , without whom they neyther can nor would flourish , in the morning , they welcome his rising with a cheereful opennesse , and at noone , are fully display'd in a free acknowledgment of his bounty : thus doth the good heart vnto god ; when thou turnedst away thy face i was troubled , saith the man after gods owne heart ; in thy presence is life , yea the fulnesse of ioy : thus doth the carnall heart to the world ; when that withdrawes his fauour , hee is deiected ; and reuiues with a smile : all is in our choyse ; whatsoeuer is our sun will thus carry vs ; o god , bee thou to mee , such as thou art in thy selfe ; thou shalt bee mercifull in drawing mee ; i shall bee happy in following thee . lvi . vpon the sound of a crack't bell. what an harsh sound doth this bell make in euery eare ? the mettall is good enough ; it is the rifte that makes it so vnpleasingly iarring ; how too like is this bell to a scandalous and ill-liued teacher ? his calling is honourable ; his noyse is heard farre enough ; but the flawe ( which is noted in his life ) marres his doctrine ; and offends those eares which else would take pleasure in his teaching ; it is possible that such a one , euen by that discordous noyse may ring in others into the tryumphant church of heauen ; but there is no remedy for himselfe but the fire ; whether for his reforming , or iudgment . * ⁎ * lvii . vpon the sight of a blinde man. how much am i bound to god that hath giuen mee eyes to see this mans want of eyes ? with what suspition and feare he walkes ? how doth his hand and staffe examine his way ? with what iealousie doth he receiue euery morsell , euery draught , and yet meets with many a post , and stumbles at many a stone , and swallowes many a flye . to him the world is as if it were not , or as if it were all rubbes , and snares , and downfalls ; and if any man will lend him an hand , he must trust to his ( how euer faithlesse ) guide without all comfort saue this , that hee cannot see himselfe mis-carry . many a one is thus spiritually blind , and because hee is so , discernes it not ; and not discerning complaines not of so wofull a condition . the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of the children of disobedience ; they walke on in the wayes of death ; and yield themselues ouer to the guidance of him who seekes for nothing but their precipitation into hell. it is an addition to the misery of this inward occaecation , that it is euer ioyned with a secure confidence in them whose trade and ambition is to betray their soules . what euer become of these outward sences which are common to mee with the meanest , and most despicable creatures ; o lord , giue mee not ouer to that spirituall darknesse , which is incident to none but those that liue without thee , and must perish eternally , because they want thee . lviii . vpon a beech-tree full of nuts . how is this tree ouerladen with mast , this yeare ? it was not so the last ; neither will it ( i warrant you ) bee so the next ; it is the nature of these free trees , so to powre out themselues into fruit , at once , that they seeme afterwards eyther sterile , or niggardly : so haue i seene pregnant wits ( not discreetly gouerned ) ouerspend themselues in some one maister-peece so lauishly , that they haue prooued eyther barren , or poore and flatt in all other subiects . true-wisedome as it serues to gather due sap both for nourishment , and fructification , so it guides the seasonable and moderate bestowing of it in such manner , as that one season may not be a glutton , vvhiles others famish : i vvould be glad to attaine to that measure and temper that vpon all occasions i might alwayes haue enough , neuer too much . lix . vpon the sight of a peece of mony vnder the water . i should not vvish ill to a couetous man , if i should wish all his coine in the bottome of the riuer ; no pauement could so well become that streame ; no sight could better fit his greedy desires ; for there euery peece , vvould seeme double , euery teston would appeare a shilling , euery crowne an angell . it is the nature of that element to greaten appearing quantities ; vvhiles wee looke through the ayre vpon that solide body , it can make no other representations : neither is it otherwise in spirituall eyes , and obiects ; if wee looke with carnall eyes through the interposed meane of sensuality , euery base and worthlesse pleasure will seeme a large contentment ; if with weake eyes wee shall looke at small and immateriall truthes aloofe off , in another element of apprehension , euery parcell thereof shall seeme maine , and essentiall ; hence euery knack of heraldry in the sacred genealogies , & euery scholasticall quirke in disquisitions of diuinity , are made matters of no lesse then life , and death to the soule . it is a great improuement of true wisedome to be able to see things as they are , and to value them as they are seene . let mee labour for that power and stayednesse of iudgment , that neither my senses may deceiue my mind , nor the obiect may delude my sense . * ⁎ * lx. vpon the first rumour of the earth-quake at lime , wherein a wood was swallowed vp with the fall of two hills . good lord ; how doe wee know when wee are sure ? if there were man or beast in that-wood , they seemed as safe as wee now are ; they had nothing but heauen aboue them , nothing but firme earth below them ; and yet in what a dreadfull pit-fall were they instantly taken ; there is no fence for gods hand ; a man would as soone haue feared that heauen would fall vpon him , as those hills ? it is no pleasing our selues with the vnlikelyhood of diuine iudgemens . we haue oft heard of hills couered with woods , but of woods couered with hills i thinke neuer till now ; those that planted or sowed those woods , intended they should bee spent with fire , but , loe , god meant they should bee deuoured with earth ; wee are wont to describe impossibilities by the meeting of mountaines , and behold heere two mountaines are met , to swallow vp a valley ; what a good god it is whose prouidence ouer-rules , and disposes of all these euents ? townes or cities might as well haue beene thus buried , as a solitary dale , or a shrubby wood : certainly the god that did this , would haue the vse of it reach further then the noyse ; this hee did , to show vs what hee could , what hee might doe ; if our hearts doe not quake , and rend at the acknowledgement of his infinite power , and feare of his terrible iudgements as well as that earth did , we must expect to bee made warnings , that would take none . lxi . vpon the sight of a dormouse . at how easie a rate doe these creatures liue that are fed with rest ; so the beare and the hedge-hog ( they say ) spend their whole winter in sleepe , and rise vp fatter then they lay downe ; how oft haue i enuyed the thriuing drowsinesse of these beasts ; when the toyle of thoughts hath bereaued mee of but one houres sleepe ; and left mee languishing to a new taske ; and yet , when i haue vvell digested the comparison of both these conditions , i must needs say , i had rather vvaste vvith vvorke , then batten vvith ease ; & would rather choose a life profitably painfull , then vselessely dull and delicate . i cannot tell vvhether i should say those creatures liue , vvhich doth nothing ; since vve are vvont euer to notifie life by motion ; sure i am their life is not vitall ; for mee , let me rather complaine of a mind that vvill not let mee bee idle , then of a body that vvill not let mee vvorke . lxii . vpon bees fighting . vvhat a pitty it is to see these profitable , industrious creatures fall so furiously vpon each other , and thus sting and kill each other , in the very mouth of the hiue ; i could like vvell to see the bees doe this execution vpon waspes , and droanes , enemies to their common stocke , this sauours but of iustice ; but to see them fall foule vpon those of their owne wing , it cannot but trouble their owner , vvho must needs bee an equall leeser by the victory of eyther ; there is no more perfect reesemblance of a common-vvealth , vvhether ciuill , or sacred , then in an hiue : the bees are painfull and honest compatriots , labouring to bring waxe and hony to the maintenance of the publike state ; the waspes and droanes are vnprofitable and harmefull hangbyes , which liue vpon the spoyle of others labours ; whether as common barattors , or strong theeues , or bold parasites , they doe nothing but robbe their neighbours . it is an happie sight vvhen these feele the dint of iustice , and are cut off from doing further mischiefe ; but to see well-affected and beneficiall subiects vndoe themselues vvith duells , vvhether of law , or sword ; to see good christians of the same profession , shedding each others blood , vpon quarrels of religion , is no other then a sad and hateful spectacle ; and so much the more , by hovv much wee haue more meanes of reason and grace to compose our differences , and correct our offensiue contentiousnesse ; oh god , who art at once the lord of host , and prince of peace , giue vs warre with spirituall wickednes , and peace with our brethen . * ⁎ * lxiii . vpon waspes falling into a glasse . see you that narrow-mouthed glasse , vvhich is set neare to the hiue , marke how busily the waspes resort to it ; being drawne thither by the smell of that sweet liquor vvherewith it is bayted ; see how eagerly they creepe into the mouth of it ; and fall downe suddainely from that slippery steepnesse , into that watery trap , from which they can neuer rise ; there , after some vaine labour , and wearinesse , they drowne , and dye ; you doe not see any of the bees looke that way ; they passe directly to their hiue , without any notice taken of such a pleasing bayt ; idle and ill disposed persons are drawne away with euery temptation ; they haue both leisure and will to intertaine euery sweet allurement to sin , and wantonly prosecute their owne wicked lusts till they fall into irrecouerable damnation ; whereas the diligent and laborious christian , that followes hard and conscionably the workes of an honest calling , is free from the danger of these deadly intisements , and layes vp hony of comfort against the winter of euill ; happy is that man who can see and inioy the successe of his labour ; but , how euer , this wee are sure of ; if our labour cannot purchase the good wee would haue , it shall preuent the euill wee would auoyd . * ⁎ * lxiiii. vpon a spring in a wilde forrest . loe heere the true patterne of bounty ; what cleare chrystall streames are heere , and how liberally doe they gush forth and hasten downe , vvith a pleasing murmur , into the valley ; yet you see neyther man nor beast , that takes part of that vvholsome and pure vvater ; it is enough , that those may dip vvho vvill ; the refusall of others doth no whit abate of this proffered plenty ; thus bountifull house-keepers keepers hold on their set ordinary prouision , whether they haue guests , or no ; thus conscionable preachers powre out the liuing waters of wholsome doctrine , whether their hearers partake of those blessed meanes of saluation , or neglect their holy indeauours ; let it bee our comfort that wee haue beene no niggards of thes coelestiall streames , let the world giue an account of the improuement . lxv . vpon the sight of an owle in the twilight . what a strange melancholicke life doth this creature lead ; to hide her head , all the day long , in an yuie-bush , and at night , when all other birds are at rest , to flye abroad , and vent her harsh notes ; i know not why the ancients haue sacred this bird to wisedome , except it be for her safe closenesse , and singular perepicacity ; that when other domesticall and ayrie creatures are blind , shee onely hath inward light to discerne the least obiects for her owne aduantage ; surely thus much wit they haue taught vs in her ; that hee is the wisest man , that would haue least to doe with the multitude ; that no life is so safe as the obscure ; that retirednesse , if it haue lesse comfort , yet lesse danger and vexation ; lastly , that hee is truly wise who sees by a light of his owne , when the rest of the world sit in an ignorant and confused darknesse , vnable to apprehend any truth , saue by the helpes of an outward illumination . had this fowle comne forth in the day time , how had all the little birds flock't wondring about her , to see her vncouth visage , to heare her vntuned notes ; shee likes her estate neuer the worse , but pleaseth her selfe in her owne quiet reseruednesse ; it is not for a wise man to bee much affected with the censures of the rude and vnskilfull vulgar , but to hold fast vnto his owne well-chosen and well-fixed resolutions ; euery foole knowes what is wont to be done ; but what is best to bee done , is knowne onely to the wise . lxvi . vpon an arme benummed . how benummed and ( for the time ) senselesse is this arme of mine becomne , onely with too long leaning vpon it ? whiles i vsed it to other seruices , it fayled mee not , now that i haue rested vpon it , i finde cause to complaine ; it is no trusting to an arme of flesh ; on whatsoeuer occasion we put our confidence therein , this relyance will bee sure to end in paine , and disappointment ; o god , thine arme is strong and mighty ; all thy creatures rest themselues vpon that , and are comfortably sustained ; oh that wee were not more capable of distrust , then thine omnipotent hand is of wearinesse and subduction . * ⁎ * lxvii . vpon the sparkes flying vpward . it is a feeling comparison ( that of iob ) of man borne to labour , as the sparkes to flye vpward ; that motion of theirs is no other then naturall ; neyther is it otherwise for man to labour ; his minde is created actiue , and apt to some or other ratiocination ; his ioynts all stirring ; his nerues made for helps of mouing ; and his occasions of liuing call him forth to action : so as an idle man doth not more want grace , then degenerate from nature . indeed , at the first kindling of the fire , some sparkes are wont , by the impulsion of the bellowes , to flie forward , or sideward ; and euen so , in our first age , youthly vanity may moue vs to irregular courses ; but when those first violences are ouercome ; and wee haue attained to a setlednesse of disposition , our sparkes flye vp , our life is labour ; and why should wee not doe that , which we are made for ? why should not god rather grudge vs our being , then wee grudge him our worke ? it is no thanke to vs that wee labour out of necessity ; out of my obedience to thee , o god i desire euer to bee imployed ; i shall neuer haue comfort in my toyle , if it be rather a purueyance for my selfe , then a sacrifice to thee . * ⁎ * lxviii . vpon the sight of a rauen . i cannot see that bird but i must needs thinke of eliah ; and wonder no lesse at the miracle of his faith then of his prouision ; it was a strong beleefe that carryed him into a desolate retirednesse to expect food from rauens ; this fowle , wee know , is rauenous ; all is too little that hee can forage for himselfe ; and the prophets reason must needs suggest to him , that in a dry barren desart bread and flesh must be great dainties ; yet he goes aside to expect victuals from that purueyance ; hee knew this fowle to bee no lesse greedy , then vncleane ; vncleane , as in law , so in the nature of his seed ; what is his ordinary prey but loathsome carrion ? yet since god had appointed him this cator , he stands nor vpon the nice points of a fastidious squeamishnesse , but confidently depends vpon that vncouth prouision ; and accordingly , these vnlikely purueyours bring him bread and flesh in the morning , and bread and flesh in the euening . not one of those hungry rauens could swallow one morsell of those viandes , which were sent , by them , to a better mouth ; the riuer of cherith sooner fayled him , then the tender of their seruice no doubt , eliahs stomacke was often vp before that his incurious dyet came ; when expecting from the mouth of his caue , out of what coast of heauen these his seruitors might bee descryed , vpon the sight of them , hee magnified , with a thankefull heart , the wonderfull goodnesse and truth of his god ; and was nourished more with his faith , then with his food : o god , how infinite is thy prouidence , wisedome , power ? we creatures are not what wee are , but what thou wilt haue vs ; when thy turne is to be serued , wee haue none of our owne ; giue mee but faith , and doe what thou wilt . lxix . vpon a worme . it was an homely expression which god makes of the state of his church , feare not , thou worme iacob ; euery foot is ready to tread on this despised creature ; whiles it keepes it selfe in that cold obscure cell of the earth ( wherein it was hidden ) it lay safe , because it was secret , but now that it hath put it selfe forth ; of that close ca●e , and hath presented it selfe to the light of the sunne , to the eye of passengers ; how is it vexed with the scorching beames , and wrings vp and downe , in an helplesse perplexity ; not finding where to shrowd it selfe ; how obnoxious is it to the foules of the ayre , to the feet of men , and beasts ? he that made this creature such , and calls his church so , well knew the answerablenesse of their condition : how doth the world ouer-looke , and contemne that little slocke , whose best-gard hath euer bin secrecy ? and if euer that despicable number haue dared to shew it selfe , how hath it 〈◊〉 scorched , and tramp●ed vpon , and intertained with all variety of persecution ? o sauiour , thy spouse fares no otherwise then thy selfe ; to match her fully , thou hast said of thy selfe , i am a worme and no man ; such thou wert in thine humbled estate , here on earth ; such thou wouldst bee ; but , as it is a true word that hee who made the angels in heauē , made also the wormes on earth , so it is no lesse true , that hee who made himselfe and his church wormes vpon earth , hath raised our nature in his person aboue the angels , and our person in his church to little lesse then angels ; it matters not how wee fare in this valley of tears , whiles wee are sure ; of that infinite amends of glory aboue . lxx . vpon the putting on of his cloathes . vvhat a poore thing were man , if hee were not beholden to other creatures ? the earth affords him flaxe for his linnen , bread for his belly , the beasts his ordinary cloathes , the silke-worme his brauery ; the backe and bowels of the earth his mettals and fuell ; the fishes , fowles , beasts his nourishment ; his wit indeed workes vpon all these , to improue them to his owne aduantage ; but they must yield him materials , else hee subsists not . and yet wee fooles are proud of our selues , yea proud of the cast suites of the very basest creatures : there is not one of them that haue so much need of vs ; they would inioy themselues the more , if man were not ; oh god , the more wee are sensible of our owne indigence , the more let vs wonder at thine alsufficiency in thy selfe ; and long for that happie condition , wherein thou ( which art all perfection ) shalt bee all in all to vs. lxxi . vpon the sight of a great library . vvhat a world of wit is here pack't vp together ? i know not whether this sight doth more dismay , or comfort me ; it dismayes me to thinke , that heere is so much that i cannot know ; it comforts mee , to thinke that this variety yeelds so good helps to know what i should ; there is no truer word then that of salomon , there is no end of making many bookes ; this sight verifies it ; there is no end ; indeed , it were pitty there should . god hath giuen to man a busie soule ; the agitation whereof , cannot but through time and experience , worke out many hidden truthes ; to suppresse these would bee no other then iniurious to mankind ; whose minds like vnto so many candles , should bee kindled by each other : the thoughts of our deliberation are most accurate ; these wee vent into our papers ; what an happinesse is it , that , without all offence of necromancy , i may here call vp any of the ancient worthies of learning , whether humane , or diuine , and conferre with them of all my doubts ? that i can at pleasure summon whole synodes of reuerend fathers , and acute doctors from all the coasts of the earth ; to giue their well-studyed iudgements in all points of question which i propose ? neyther can i cast my eye casually vpon any of these silent maisters , but i must learne somewhat : it is a wantonnesse to complaine of choyse ; no law bindes vs to read all ; but the more we can take in , and digest , the better-liking must the minds needs bee ; blessed bee god that hath set vp so many cleare lamps in his church . now , none but the wilfully blind can plead darknesse ; and blessed bee the memory of those his faithfull seruants , that haue left their bloud , their spirits , their liu●● in these precious papers ▪ and haue willingly wasted themselues into these during monuments , to giue light vnto others . lxxii . vpon the red crosse on a doore . oh signe fearefully significant ; this sicknesse is a crosse indeed , and that a bloudy one ; both the forme and the colour import death ; the israelites doores whose lintells were besprinkled with blood , were passed ouer by the destroying angell ; here , the destroying angell hath smitten , and hath left this marke of his deadly blow ; wee are wont to fight cheerefully vnder this ensigne abroad , and be victorious ; why should we tremble at it at home ? oh god , there thou fightest for vs , heere against vs ; vnder that wee haue fought for thee , but vnder this ( because our sinnes haue fought against thee ) wee are fought against by thy iudgements . yet lord , it is thy crosse , though an heauy one ; it is ours by merit , thine by imposition ; o lord , sanctifie thine affliction , and remoue thy vengeance . lxxiii . vpon the change of weather . i know not whether it be worse , that the heauen looke vpon vs alwayes with one face , or euer varying ; for as continuall change of weather causes vncertainty of health , so a permanent setlednesse of one season , causeth a certainty of distemper ; perpetuall moysture disolues vs , perpetuall heate euaporates or inflames vs ; cold stupefies vs , drought obstructs and withers vs ; neither is it otherwise in the state of the minde ; if our thoughts should bee alwayes volatile , changing , inconstant , wee should neuer attaine to any good habite of the soule , whether in matter of iudgement , or disposition ; but if they should bee alwayes fixed , wee should run into the danger of some disperate extremity ; to bee euer thinking , would make vs mad ; to bee euer thinking of our crosses , or sinnes , would make vs hartlesly deiected ; to bee euer thinking of pleasures and contentments , would melt vs into a loose wantonnesse ; to bee euer doubting , and fearing , were an hellish seruitude ; to bee euer bold , and confident , were a dangerous presumption ; but the interchanges of these in a due moderation , keepe the soule in health ; o god , howsoeuer these variations bee necessarie for my spirituall condition ; let mee haue no weather but sunne-shine from thee ; doe thou lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon mee ; and stablish mee euer with thy free spirit . lxxiiii . vpon the sight of a marriage . what a comfortable and feeling resemblance is heere of christ , and his church : i regard not the persons , i regard the institution ; neyther the husband , nor the wife are now any more their owne ; they haue eyther of them giuen ouer themselues , to other ; not onely the wife , which is the weaker vessell , hath yeilded ouer her selfe to the stronger protection , and participation of an abler head ; but the husband hath resigned his right in himselfe ouer to his feebler consort ; so as now , her weaknesse is his ; his strength is hers ; yea their very flesh hath altered property ; hers is his , his is hers ; yea their very soule and spirit may no more bee seuered in respect of mutuall affection , then from their owne seuerall bodyes : it is thus , o sauiour , with thee and thy church ; wee are not our owne , but thine ; who hast married vs to thy selfe in truth and righteousnesse ; what powers , what indowments haue wee but from , and in thee ? and as our holy boldnesse dares interesse our selues in thy graces , so thy wonderfully-compassionate mercy vouchsaues to interesse thy selfe in our infirmities ; thy poore church suffers on earth , thou feelest in heauen ; & as complaining of our stripes , canst say , why persecutest thou mee ? thou againe art not so thine owne , as that thou art not also ours ; thy sufferings , thy merits , thy obedience , thy life , death , resurrection , asscension , intercession , glory ; yea thy blessed humanity , yea thy glorious deity , by vertue of our right , of our vnion , are so ours , as that wee would not giue our part in thee for ten thousand worlds . oh gracious sauiour , as thou canst not but loue and cherish this poore and vnworthie soule of mine , which thou hast mercifully espoused to thy selfe ; so giue mee grace to honour and obey thee , and forsaking all the base and sinfull riuality of the world , to hold mee onely vnto thee whiles i liue here , that i may perfectly inioy thee heereafter . lxxv . vpon the sight of a snake . i know not what horror wee finde in our selues at the sight of a serpent ? other creatures are more loathsome , and some no lesse deadly then it ; yet , there is none , at which our bloud riseth so much , as at this ; whence should this bee , but out of an instinct of our old enmitie ? wee were stung in paradise , and cannot but feele it : but here is our weaknesse ; it was not the body of the serpent that could haue hurt vs , without the suggestion of sinne ; and yet wee loue the sinne whiles wee hate the serpent ; euery day are wee wounded with the sting of that old serpent , and complaine not ; and so much more deadly is that sting , by how much it is lesse felt : there is a sting of guilt , and there is a sting of remorse ; there is mortall venome in the first , whereof wee are the least sensible ; there is lesse danger in the second ; the israelites found thēselues stung by those fiery serpents in the desart ; and the sense of their paine sent them to seeke for cure ; the world is our desart ; and as the sting of death is sinne ; so the sting of sinne is death ; i doe not more with to finde ease then paine ; if i complaine enough , i cannot faile of cure ; o thou , which art the true brazen serpent , lifted vp in this wildernesse , raise vp mine eyes to thee , and fasten them vpon thee ; thy mercy shall make my soule whole , my wound soueraigne . lxxvi . vpon the ruines of an abby . it is not so easie to say what it was that built vp these walles , as what it was , that pull'd them downe ; euen the wickednesse of the possessours ; euery stone hath a tongue to accuse the superstition , hypocrisie , idlenesse , luxury of the late owners . me thinkes i see it written all along , in capitall letters vpon these heapes ; a fruitfull land maketh hee barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein ; perhaps there wanted not some sacriledge in the demolishers ; in all the carriage of these businesses , there was a iust hand , that knew hovv to make an vvholsome and profitable vse of mutuall sins ; full little did the builders , or the in-dwellers thinke that this costly and warme fabricke should so soone end violently in a desolate rubbish : it is not for vs to be high-minded , but to feare ; no roofe is so hye , no wall so strong , as that sinne cannot leuell it with the dust ; were any pile so close that it could keepe out ayre , yet it could not keepe out iudgement where sinne hath beene fore-admitted ; in vaine shall wee promise stability to those houses which wee haue made witnesses of , and accessaries to our shamefull vncleannesses , the firmnesse of any building is not so much in the matter , as in the owner , happy is that cottage that hath an honest maister , and woe bee to that palace that is viciously inhabited . lxxvii . vpon the discharging of a peece . good lord ; how witty men are to kill one another ? what fine deuises they haue found out to murder a farre off ? to slay many at once ; and so to fetch off liues ; that whiles a whole lane is made of carcasses with one blow , no body knowes who hurt him ? and what honour doe wee place in slaughter ? those armes , wherein wee pride our selues , are such , as which , wee , or our ancestors haue purchased with blood ? the monuments of our glory , are the spoyles of a subdu'd and slaine enemy ; where contrarily , all the titles of god sound of mercy , and gracious respects to man : god the father is the maker and preseruer of men ; god the sonne is the sauiour of mankind ; god the holy ghost styles himselfe the comforter : alas , whose image doe we beare in this disposition , but his , whose true title is the destroyer ? it is easie to take away the life , it is not easie to giue it ; giue mee the man that can deuise how to saue troupes of men from killing , his name shall haue roome in my calender ; there is more true honour in a ciuick garland , for the preseruing of one subiect , then in a lawrell , for the victory of many enemies ; oh god ; there are enow that bend their thoughts to vndoe what thou hast made , enable thou mee to bestow my indeauors in repriuing , or rescuing that which might otherwise perish ; oh thou who art our common sauiour , make thou mee both ambitious , and able to helpe to saue some other besides my selfe . lxxviii . vpon the tolling of a passing-bell . how dolefull and heauy is this summons of death ; this sound is not for our eares , but for our hearts ; it calls vs not onely to our prayers , but to our preparation ; to our prayers for the departing soule ; to our preparation for our owne departing ; wee haue neuer so much need of prayers , as in our last combat ; then is our great aduersary most eager ; then are wee the weakest , then nature is so ouer-laboured , that it giues vs not leisure to make vse of gracious motions ; there is no preparation so necessary as for this conflict ; all our life is little enough to make ready for our last houre ; what am i better then my neighbours ? how oft hath this bell reported to me the farewell of many more strong and vigorous bodies then my owne ; of many more cheerfull and liuely spirits ? and now what doth it , but call mee to the thought of my parting ? heere is no abiding for me ; i must away too ; oh thou that art the god of comfort , helpe thy poore seruant that is now strugling with his last enemie ; his sad friends stand gazing vpon him , and weeping ouer him , but they cannot succour him ; needs must they leaue him to do this great worke alone ; none but thou , to whom belong the issues of death , canst relieue his distressed and ouer-matched soule ; and for mee , let no man dye without mee ; as i dye dayly , so teach mee to dye once ; acquaint mee before hand with that messenger , which i must trust too ; oh teach mee so to number my dayes , that i may apply my heart to true wisedome . lxxix . vpon a defamation dispersed . were i the first ▪ or the best that euer was slandered , perhaps it would bee somewhat difficult to command my selfe patience , griefe is wont to bee abated eyther by partners , or precedents ; the want , whereof deiects vs beyond measure , as men singled out for patternes of misery : now , whiles i finde this the common condition of all that euer haue beene reputed vertuous , why am i troubled with the whisperings of false tongues ? o god , * the diuell slandered thee in paradise ; o sauiour , men slandered thee on earth more then men or diuels can reproach mee ; thou art the best , as thou art the best , that euer was smitten by a lying and venemous tongue : it is too much fauour that is done mee by malicious lippes , that they conforme mee to thy sufferings ; i could not bee so happie if they were not so spightfull ; oh thou glorious patterne of reproached innocence , if i may not dye for thee , yet let mee thus bleed with thee . lxxx . vpon a ring of bels. whiles euery bell keepes due time , and order , what a sweet & harmonious sound they make ? all the nieghbour villages are cheared with that common musicke ; but when once they iarre , and checke each other ; eyther iangling together , or striking preposterously , how harsh and vnpleasing is that noyse ; so that as wee testifie our publike reioycing by an orderly and well-tuned peale ; so when wee would signifie that the towne is on fire wee ring confusedly . it is thus in church and common-wealth ; when euery one knowes and keepes their due rancks , there is a melodious consort of peace and contentment ; but when distances , and proportions of respects are not mutually obserued ; when eyther states or persons will bee clashing with each other , the discord is grieuous , and extreamely preiudiciall ; such confusion eyther notifieth a fire already kindled , or portendeth it ; popular states may ring the changes with safety ; but the monarchicall gouernment requires a constant and regular course of the set degrees of rule and inferiority , which cannot bee violated without a sensible discontentment , and danger ; for mee , i doe so loue the peace of the church and state , that i cannot but , with the charitable apostle , say , would to god they were cut off that trouble them ; and shall euer wish eyther no iarres , or no clappers . lxxxi . vpon the sight of a full table at a feast . what great variety is here , of flesh , of fish , of both , of neither ; as if both nature and art did striue to pamper vs ; yet mee thinkes , enough is better then all this , excesse is but a burden , as to the prouider , so to the guest ; it pitties and greeues mee to thinke what toyle , what charge hath gone to the gathering of all these daintyes together , what paine so many poore creatures haue beene put to , in dying for a needlesse sacrifice to the belly ; what a penance must bee done by euery accumbent ; in sitting out the passage through all these dishes ; what a taske the stomacke must bee put to in the concoxion of so many mixtures ; i am not so austerely scrupulous as to deny the lawfulnesse of these abundant prouisions , vpon iust occasions ; i find my sauior himselfe more then once at a feast ; this is recorded as well as his one long fast : doubtlesse our bountifull god hath giuen vs his creature , not for necessity onely , but for pleasure : but these exceedings would bee both rare , and moderate ; and when they must bee , require no lesse patience then temperance ; might i haue my option , oh god , giue mee rather a little with peace and loue ; hee whose prouision for euery day , was thirty measures of fine flower , and threescore measures of meale , thirty oxen , an hundred sheep , besides venison , and fowle , yet can pray , giue mee the bread of sufficiency ; let mee haue no perpetuall feast but a good conscience ; & from these great preparations ( for the health both of soule and body ) let mee rise rather hungry , then surcharged . lxxxii . vpon the hearing of a lute well play'd on . there may bee ( for ought wee know ) infinite inuentions of art , the possibility whereof wee should hardly euer beleeue , if they were fore-reported to vs ; had wee liued in some rude , and remote part of the world , and should haue beene told , that it is possible onely by an hollow peece of wood , and the guts of beasts , stirred by the fingers of men , to make so sweet and melodious a noyse , wee should haue thought it vtterly incredible ; yet now that wee see and heare it ordinarily done , wee make it no wonder ; it is no maruell , if wee cannot fore-imagine , what kinde , and meanes of harmony god will haue vsed by his saints , and angels in heauen ; when these poore matters seeme so strange to our conceits , which yet our very senses are conuinced of ; oh god , thou knowest infinite wayes to glorifie thy selfe by thy creatures , which doe farre transcend our weake , and finite capacities ; let mee wonder at thy wisdome and power , and bee more awfull in my adoratious , then curious in my inquiries . lxxxiii . vpon the sight and noyse of a peacocke . i see there are many kindes of hypocrites ; of all birds this makes the fayrest show , and the worst noyse ; so as this is an hypocrite to the eye ; there are others , as the black-bird , that lookes foule and sooty , but sings well ; this is an hypocrite to the eare ; there are others that please vs well , both in their shew , and voice , but are crosse in theyr carriage and condition , as the popingay , whose colours are beautifull , and noyse delightfull ; yet is apt to doe mischeife in scratching and byting any hand that comes neare it ; these are hypocrites both to the eye ▪ and eare ; yet there is a degree further ( beyond the example of all brute creatures ) of them , whose show , whose words , whose actions are faire , but their hearts are foule , and abhominable ; no outward beautie can make the hypocrite other then odious : for mee , let my profession agree with my words , my words with my actions , my actions with my heart ; and let all of them be approoued of the god of truth . lxxxiiii . vpon a penitent malefactor . i know not whether i should more admire the wisdome or the mercy of god in his proceedings with men ; had not this man sinned thus notoriously , hee had neuer beene thus happy ; whiles his courses were faire , and ciuill , yet hee was gracelesse ; now his miscarriage hath drawne him into a iust affliction ; his affliction hath humbled him ; god hath taken this aduantage of his humiliation , for his conuersion : had not one foot slip't into the mouth of hell , hee had neuer beene in this forwardnesse to heauen ; there is no man so weake , or foolish , as that hee hath not strength or wit enough to sinne ; or to make ill vse of his sinne . it is onely the goodnesse of an infinite god , that can make our sinne good to vs , though euill in it selfe ; oh god , it is no thanke to our selues , or to our sinnes , that wee are bettered with euill ; the worke is thine , let thine bee the glory . lxxxv . vpon the sight of a lilly. this must needs bee a goodly flower that our sauiour hath singled out to compare with salomon , and that not in his ordinary dresse , but in all his royalty ▪ surely the earth had neuer so glorious a king as hee , nature yeilded nothing that might set forth royall magnificence , that hee wanted ; yet hee that made both salomon and this flower , sayes that salomon in all his royaltie was not clad like it ; what a poore thing is this earthly brauery that is so easily ouermatched ? how ill iudges are wee of outward beauties that contemne these goodly plants , which their creator thus magnifies ; and admire those base mettals , which he ( in comparison hereof ) cōtemnes : if it be their transitoriness that embaseth them ; what are we ? all flesh is grasse , and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse : as we cannot be so braue , so wee cannot bee more permanent ; oh god , let it bee my ambition to walke with thee hereafter in white ; could i put on a robe of starres here , with proud herod , that glittering garment could not keepe mee from lice , or wormes ; might i sit on a throne of gold ; within an house of iuory , i see i should not compare with this flower ; i might bee as transitory , i should not bee so beautifull ; what matters it whether i go for a flower , or a weed , heere ; whethersoeuer , i must wither : oh thou which art greater then salomon doe thou cloath mee with thy perfect righteousnesse , so shall i flourish for euer in the courts of the house of my god. lxxxvi . vpon the sight of a coffin stucke with flowers . too faire appearance is neuer free from iust suspicion ; whiles heere was nothing but meere wood , no flower was to be seene here , now that this wood is lined with an vnsauory corps , it is adorned with this sweet variety ; the firre whereof that coffin is made , yeilds a naturall redolence alone ; now that it is stuffed thus noysomely , all helpes are too little to counteruaile that sent of corruption ; neyther is it otherwise in the liuing ; perpetuall vse of strong perfumes argues a guiltines of some vnpleasing sauour . the case is the same spiritually ; an ouer-glorious outside of profession implyes some inward filthinesse that would faine escape notice ; our vncomely parts haue more comelinesse put on ; too much ornament imports extreame deformity ; for mee , let my show bee moderate , so shall i neyther deceiue applause , nor merit too deepe censure . lxxxvii . vpon the view of the world. it is a good thing to see this materiall world ; but it is a better thing to thinke of the intelligible world ; this thought is the sight of the soule , whereby it discerneth things , like it selfe , spirituall , and immortall ; which are so much beyond the worth of these sensible obiects , as a spirit is beyond a body , a pure substance beyond a corruptible , an infinite god aboue a finite creature ; o god , how great a word is that which the psalmist sayes of thee , that thou abasest thy selfe to behold the things both in heauen , and earth ? it is our glory to looke vp euen to the meanest peece of heauen ; it is an abasement to thine incomprehensible maiesty to looke downe vpon the best of heauen ; oh , what a transcendent glory must that needs bee , that is abased to behold the things of heauen ? what an happinesse shall it bee to mee , that mine eyes shall bee exalted to see thee ; who art humbled to see the place , and state of my blessednesse : yea , those very angels that see thy face , are so resplendantly glorious , that wee could not ouer-liue the sight of one of their faces , who are faine to hide their faces from the sight of thine ; how many millions of them attend thy throne aboue , and thy footstoole below , in the ministration to thy saints ? it is that thine inuisible world , the communion wherewith can make mee truly blessed ; oh god , if my body haue fellowship here amongst beasts , of whose earthly substance it participates ; let my soule bee vnited to thee , the god of spirits ; and bee raised vp to inioy the insensible society of thy blessed angels ; acquaint mee before-hand with those citizens and affaires of thine heauen ; and make me no stranger to my future glory . lxxxviii . vpon the stinging of a waspe . how small things may annoy the greatest ? euen a mouse troubles an elephant , a gnat a lion ; a very flea may disquiet a gyant ; what weapon can bee nearer to nothing then the sting of this waspe ? yet what a painfull wound hath it giuen mee ; that scarce-visible point how it enuenomes , and rankles , and swels vp the flesh ? the tendernesse of the part addes much to the griefe ; and if i bee thus vexed with the touch of an angry flye , lord , how shall i bee able to indure the sting of a tormenting conscience ? as that part is both most actiue , and most sensible , so that wound which it receiues from it selfe , is most intollerably greeuous ; there were more ease in a nest of harnets , then vnder this one torture : o god , howsouer i speed abroad , giue mee peace at home ; and what euer my flesh suffer , keepe my soule free . thus pained , wherein doe i find ease but in laying hony to the part infected ? that medicine onely abates the auguish ; how neare hath nature placed the remedy to the offence ? whensoeuer my heart is stung with the remorse for sinne , onely thy sweet and precious merits , o blessed sauiour , can mitigate , and heale the wound ; they haue vertue to cure mee , giue mee grace to apply them ; that soueraigne receit shall make my paine happy ; i shall thus applaud my griefe , it is good for me that i was thus afflicted . * ⁎ * lxxxix . vpon the araignment of a felon . vvith what terrour doth this malefactor stand at that barre ? his hand trembles , whiles it is lift vp for his tryall ; his very lips quake , whiles hee saith , not guilty ; his countenance condemnes him before the iudge ; and his feare is ready to execute him before his hang-man : yet this iudge is but a weake man , that must , soone after , dye himselfe ; that sentence of death , which he can pronounce , is already passed by nature vpon the most innocent ; that act of death , which the law inflicteth by him , is but momentany ; who knowes whether himselfe shall not dye more painfully ? o god , with what horror shall the guilty soule stand before thy dreadfull tribunall in the day of the great assizes of the world ? whiles there is the presence of an infinite maiesty to daunt him ; a fierce and clamorous conscience to giue in euidence against him ; legions of vgly , and terrible diuels wayting to seize vpon him ; a gulfe of vnquenchable fire ready to receiue him ; whiles the glory of the iudge is no lesse confounding , then the crueltie of the tormenters ; where the sentence is vnauoydable , and the execution euerlasting , why doe not these terrors of thee , my god , make me wise to hold a priuy sessions vpon my soule , and actions ; that being acquited by my owne heart , i may not bee condemned by thee ; and being iudged by my selfe i may not bee condemned with the world ? xc . vpon the crowing of a cocke . how harshly did this note sound in the eare of peter ; yea pearced his very hart ? many a time had hee heard this bird , and was no whit moued with the noyse ; now , there was a bird in his bosome that crow'd lowder then this ; whose shrill accent conioyned with this , astonished the guilty disciple : the weary labourer when hee is awakened from his sweet sleepe by this naturall clocke of the houshold , is not so angry at this troublesome bird , nor so vexed at the hearing of that vnseasonable sound , as peter was , when this fowle awakened his sleeping conscience , and call'd him to a timely repentance ; this cocke did but crow like others ; neither made , or knew any difference of this tone , and the rest ; there was a diuine hand that ordered this mornings note to be a summons of penitence ; hee that fore-told it , had fore-appointed it : that bird could not but crow then ; and all the noyse in the high-priests hall could not keepe that sound from peters eare , but , o saviovr , couldst thou finde leasure , when thou stoodst at the barre of that vniust , and cruell iudgement , amidst all that bloudy rabble of enemies , in the sense of all their furie , and the expectation of thine owne death , to listen vnto this monitor of peters repentance ; and vpon the hearing of it , to cast backe thine eyes vpon thy denying , cursing , abiuring disciple ? o mercie without measure ; and beyond all the possibility of our admiration ; to neglect thy selfe for a sinner , to attend the repentance of one , when thou wert about to lay downe thy life for all . oh god , thou art still equally mercifull . euery elect soule is no lesse deare vnto thee : let the sound of thy faithfull monitors smite my eares : and let the beames of thy mercifull eyes wound my heart , so as i may goe forth and weepe bitterly . * ⁎ * xci . vpon the variety of thoughts by way of conclusion . vvhen i bethinke my selfe how eternity depends vpon this moment of life , i wonder how i can thinke of any thing but heauen : but , when i see the distractions of my thoughts , and the aberrations of my life , i wonder how i can bee so bewitched , ( as whiles i beleeue an heauen ) so to forget it . all that i can doe , is to bee angry at my owne vanity . my thoughts would not bee so many , if they were all right ; there are tenne thousand by-wayes for one direct ? as there is but one heauen , so there is but one way to it ; that liuing way , wherein i walke by faith , by obedience . all things , the more perfect they are , the more doe they reduce themselues towards that vnitie , which is the center of all perfection : oh thou who art one , and infinite , draw in my heart from all these stragling , and vnprofitable cogitations ; and confine it to thine heauen , and to thy selfe , who art the heauen of that heauen . let mee haue no life but in thee , no care but to inioy thee , no ambition but thy glorie ; oh make mee thus imperfectly happy before my time ; that when my time shall bee no more , i may bee perfectly happie with thee to all eternitie . finis . the table . med . fol . vpon sight of the heavens moving . . vpon the sight of a diall . . vpon sight of an eclipse . . vpon sight of a gliding starre . . vpon a faire prospect . vpon the frame of a globe casually broken . . vpon a cloud . . vpon the sight of a graue digged vp . vpon the sight of gold melted . . vpon the sight of a pitcher carried . . vpon sight of a tree full blossomed . . . vpon the report of a man suddenly strucke dead in his sinne . . vpon the view of the heaven and the earth . . vpon occasion of a redbrest comming into his chamber . vpon occasion of a spider in his window . . . vpon the sight of a raine in the sunne shine . . . vpon the length of the way . . vpon the raine and waters . . . vpon the same subiect . . vpon occasion of the lights brought in . . vpon the same occasion . . vpon the blowing of fire . ▪ vpon the barking of a dog. . vpon sight of a cockfight . . . vpon his lying downe to rest . . vpon the kindling of a charcole fire . . vpon the sight of an humble and patient begger . . vpon the sight of a pulling pulling off wooll from the backe of a crow sheepe . . vpon the sight of two snayles . . vpon the hearing of the street-cryes in london . . vpon the flyes gathering to a galled horse . . vpon the sight of a darke lanthorne . . vpon the hearing of a swallow in the chimmey . . vpon the sight of a flye burning it selfe in the candle . . vpon the sight of a larke flying vp . . . vpon the singing of the birds in a spring-morning . . . vpon a coale couered with ashes . . . vpon the sight of a blackmore . . vpon the small starres in the galaxie , or milky circle in the firmament . . vpon the sight of boyes playing . . vpon the sight of a spider and her webbe . . vpon the sight of a naturall . . . vpon the loadstone and the iett . . vpon the hearing of musicke by night . . . vpon the fanning of corn. . vpon herbes dried . . . vpon the quenching of iron in water . . vpon a faire coloured flye . . . vpon a glow worme . . vpon the shutting of one eye . . vpon a spring water . . vpon gnats in the sun. . vpon the sight of grapes . vpon a corne field ouer-growne with weeds . . vpon the sight of tulipaes and marygolds in his garden . . vpon the sound of a crak't bell. . vpon the sight of a blind man. . vpon a beech-tree full of nuts . . vpon the sight of a peece of money vnder the water . . . vpon the first rumour of the earthquacke at lime , wherein a wood was swallowed vp with the fall of two hills . . vpon the sight of a dormouse . . vpon bees fighting . vpon waspes falling into a glasse . . vpon a spring in a wild forrest . . vpon the sight of an owle in the twy-light . . vpon an arme benum med . . vpon the sparkes flying vpward . vpon the sight of a rauen . vpon a worme . . . vpon the putting on of his clothes . . vpon the sight of a great library . . vpon the red-crosse on a doore . . vpon the change of weather . vpon the sight of a marriage . . vpon the sight of a snake . . vpon the ruines of an abby . . vpon the discharging of a peece . . vpon the telling of a passing bell. . vpon a defamation dispersed . vpon a ring of bels. . vpon the sight of full table at a feast . vpon the hearing of a lute well plaide on . vpon the fight and noyse of a peacocke . . . vpon a penitent malefactor . . . vpon the sight of a lilly. . vpon the sight of a coffin stucke with flowers . . vpon the view of the world. . vpon the stinging of a waspe . . vpon the araignment of a felon . . . vpon the crowing of a cocke . . vpon the varietie of thoughts by way of conclusion . . finis . occasionall meditations , not before set forth . xcii . vpon the sight of an harlot carted . vvith what noyse and tumult , and zeale of solemne justice is this sin punished ; the streets are not more full of beholders , then clamours ; every one strives to expresse his detestation of the fact , by some token of revenge ; one casts myre , another water , another rotten egges upon the miserable offender ; neither indeed is shee worthy of lesse : but , in the meane time , no man lookes home to himselfe ; it is no uncharity to say , that too many insult in this just punishment , who have deserved more ; alas , wee men value sinnes by the outward scandall , but the wise and holy god ( against whom onely our sinnes are done ) esteemes them according to the intrinsecall iniquity of them : and according to the secret violation of his will and justice ; thus , those sinnes which are sleight to us , are to him haynous . wee ignorants would have rung davids adultery with basins , but , as for his numbring of the people , we should have past it over as veniall ; the wise justice of the almighty found more wickedness in this , which wee should scarce have accused ; doubtlesse there is more mischiefe in a secret infidelity , which the world either cannot know , or cares not to censure , then in the foulest adultery ; publique sins have more shame , private may have more guilt ; if the world cannot charge me of those ; it is enough that i can charge my soule of worse : let others rejoyce in these publique executions ; let me pitty the sinnes of others , and be humbled under the sense of my owne . xciii . vpon the smell of a rose . smelling is one of the meanest , and least useful of the senses ; yet there is none of the five , that receives or gives so exquisite a contentment as it ; mee thinkes there is no earthly thing that yeelds so perfect a pleasure to any sense , as the odour of the first rose doth , to the sent : it is the wisedome and bounty of the creator so to order it , that those senses which have more affinity with the body , & with that earth whereof it is made , should receive their delight and contentation by these things which are bred of the earth ; but those which are more spiritfull , and have more affinity with the soule , should bee reserved for the perfection of their pleasure , to another world ; there , and then onely , shall my sight make my soule eternally blessed . xciiii . vpon a cancelled bond. whiles this obligation was in force , i was in servitude to my parchment ; my bond was double , to a payment , to a penalty ; now , that is discharged , what is it better then a waste scrole ; regarded for nothing but the witnesse of its owne voydance , and nullity . no otherwise is it with the severe law of my creator ; out of christ it stands in full force , and bindes me over either to perfect obedience , which i cannot possibly performe , or to exquisite torment , and eternall death , which i am never able to indure ; but now , that my saviour hath fastened it cancelled to his crosse ( in respect of the rigour & malediction of it ) i looke upon it as the monument of my past danger and bondage : i know by it , how much was owed by mee , how much is payed for mee ; the direction of it , is everlasting , the obligation ( by it ) unto death is frustrate : i am free from curse , who never can be free from obedience . o saviour , take thou glory and give mee peace . xcv . vpō the report of a great losse by sea. the earth and the water are both of them great givers , and both great takers : as they give matter and sustentatiō to all sublunary creatures , so they take al back againe , insatiably deuouring , at last , the fruits of their owne wombs . yet , of the two , the earth is both more beneficiall , and lesse cruell ; for , as that yeilds us the most generall maintenance & wealth and supportatiō ; so it doth not lightly take ought from us , but that which we resigne over to it , and which naturally falls backe unto it ; whereas the water , as it affords but a small part of our live-lode , & some few knacks of ornament so it is apt violently to snatch away both us and ours : and to bereave that which it never gave : it yeilds us no precious mettals , and yet in an instant fetches away millions ; and yet , notwithstanding all the hard measure we receive from it , how many doe wee dayly see that might have firme ground under them , who yet will be trusting to the mercy of the sea ; yea how many that have hardly crawled out from a desperate ship wracke , will yet be trying the fidelity of that unsure , and untrusty element : o god , how venturous we are , where we have reason to distrust , how incredulously fearefull , where we have cause to be confident ? who ever relyed upon thy gracious providence , and sure promises , o lord , and hath mis-carryed ? yet here we pull-in our faith , and make excuses for our diffidence ; and if peter have tryed those waves to be no other then solid pavement under his feet , whiles his soule trod confidently ; yet when a billow and a winde agree to threaten him , his faith flagges , and he begins to sinke : o lord , teach me to doubt where i am sure to find nothing but uncertainty ; and to be assuredly confident , where there can be no possibility of any cause of doubting . xcvi . vpon sight of a bright skie full of starres . i cannot blame empedocles if he professed a desire to live upon earth , onely that he might behold the face of the heavens ; surely ( if there were no other ) this were a sufficient errand for a mans being here below , to see & obserue these goodly spangles of light above our heads , their places , their quantities , their motions : but the employment of a christian is farre more noble , and excellent ; heauen is open to him ; and he can looke beyond the vayle , and see further above those starrs , then it is thither ; and there discerne those glories , that may answer so rich a pavement ; vpon the cleare sight whereof , i cannot wonder if the chosen vessell desired to leave the earth , in so happy an exchange . o god , i blesse thine infinitenesse , for what i see with these bodily eyes ; but , if thou shalt but draw the curtaine and let me by the eye of faith see the in-side of that thy glorious frame , i shall need no other happiness here ; my soule cannot be capable of more fauour then sight here , and fruition hereafter . cvii . vpon the rumors of warres . good lord , what a shambles is christēdome becomne of late ? how are men killed like flyes , and blood poured out like water ? surely the cruelty & ambitiō of the great have an heavie reckoning to make for so many thousand soules ; i condemne not just armes ; those are as necessary , as the unjust are hatefull ; even michael and his angels fight ; and the style of god is the lord of hostes . but wo be to the man by whom the offence commeth ; usurpation of others rights , violation of oathes and contracts , & lastly erroneous zeale are guilty of all these publique murders . private mens injuries are washt off with teares , but wrongs done to princes and publique states are hardly wipt off but with blood . doubtlesse that fearefull comet did not more certainly portend these warres , then these warres presage the approach of the end of the world ; the earth was never without some broyles , since it was peopled but with three men ; but so vniversall a combustion was never in the christian world since it was : o saviour , what can i thinke of this , but that , as thou wouldst have a generall peace upon thy first comming into the world , so upon thy second comming thou meanest there shall be a no lesse generall warre upon earth : that peace made way for thy meeke appearance ; this warre for thy dreadfull and terrible . xcviii . vpon a child crying . it was upon great reason , that the apostle charges us not to be children in understanding . what fooles wee all once are ? even at first , we cry , and smile wee know not wherefore ; we have not wit enough to make signes what hurts us , or where wee complayne ; we can wrye the mouth , but not seeke the brest , and if we want helpe , we can onely lament , and sprawle , and dye . after , when some months have taught us to distinguish a little betwixt things , and persons , wee cry for every toye ; even that , which may most hurt us ; and , when there is no other cause , we cry onely to heare our own noyse , and are straight stilled with a greater ; & if it be but upon the breeding of a tooth , we are so wayward , that nothing will please us ; and if some formerly-liked knack be given to quiet us , wee cast away that which we have , if wee have not what wee would seeme to like . we feare neither fire , nor water , nothing scarres us but either a rod or a fayned bug-beare ; we mis-know our parents ; not acknowledging any friend but the taylor , that brings us a fine coate , or the nurse that dresses us gay ; the more that our riper yeares resemble these dispositions , the more childish wee are , and more worthy both of our owne and others censure . but againe , it was upon no lesse reason that the apostle charges us , to be children in maliciousnesse : those little innocents beare no grudg ; they are sooner pleased , then angry ; and if any man have wronged them , let them but have given a stroke unto the nurse , to beat the offender , it is enough ; at the same instant they put forth their hand for reconcilement , and offer themselves unto those armes that trespassed . and when they are most froward , they are stilled with a pleasant song : the old word is , that an old man is twice a child ; but i say , happy is he that is thus a child alwayes . it is a great imperfection to want knowledge , but of the two , it is better to be a child in understanding , then a man in maliciousnesse . xcix . vpon the beginning of a sicknesse . it was my owne fault , if i look't not for this ; all things must undergoe their changes ; i have injoyed many fayre dayes ; there was no reason i should not at last make account of clouds , and stormes ; could i have done well , without any mixtures of sin ; i might have hoped for entire health ; but , since i have interspersed my obedience with many sinfull faylings , and enormities , why doe i thinke much , to interchange health with sickenesse ? what i now feele i know ; i am not worthy to know what i must feele ; as my times , so my measures are in the hands of a wise and good god ; my comfort is , he that sends these evils , proportions them ; if they be sharpe , i am sure they are just ; the most that i am capable to indure , is the least part of what i have deserved to suffer : nature would sayne be at ease ; but , lord what ever become of this carcasse , thou hast reason to have respect to thine owne glory ; i have sinned and must smart ; it is the glory of thy mercy to beat my body for the safety of my soule . the worst of sicknesse is payne , and the worst of payne is but death : as for payne , if it be extreme , it cannot be long ; and if it be long ' ( such is the difference of earthly , and hellish torments ) it cannot be extreme ; as for death , it is both unavoydable , and beneficiall ; there ends my misery , and begins my glory ; a few groanes are well bestowed for a preface to an immortall joy . howsoever , o god , thy messenger is worthy to be welcome ; it is the lord , let him do whatsoever he will. c. vpon the challenge of a promise . it is true ; an honest mans word must be his maister ; when i have promised i am indebted , and debts may be claymed ; must be payed ; but yet , there is a great deale of difference in our ingagements ; some things wee promise because they are due ; some things are onely due , because they are promised . these latter , which are but the mere ingagements of curtesie , cannot so absolutely binde us , that notwithstāding any intervention of unworthinesse , or misbehaviour in the person expectant , wee are tyed to make our word good ; though to the cutting of our owne throates . all favourable promises presuppose a capacity in the receiver ; where that palpably fayleth , common equity sets us free ; i promised to send a faire sword to my frend ; he is , since that time turn'd frantick ; must i send it , or be charged with unfaithfulnesse , if i send it not ? o god , thy title is the god of truth , thou canst no more cease to be faithfull , then to be ; how oft hast thou promised , that no good thing shall be wanting to thine , and yet wee know thy dearest children have complayned of want ? is thy word therefore challengable ? farre , farre , be this wicked presumption from our thoughts . no : these thy promises of outward favours are never but with a subintelligence of a condition : of our capablenesse , of our expedience . thou seest that plenty , or ●ase would be our bane ; thy love forbeares to satisfie us with an harmfull blessing : we are worthy to be plagued with prejudiciall kindnesses , if we do not acknowledge thy wisedome , and care in our want . it is enough for us that thy best mercies are our dues , because thy promises ; we cannot too much clayme that which thou hast absolutely ingaged thy selfe to give , and in giving shalt make us eternally happy . ci. vpon the sight of flies . when i looke upon these flyes ; and gnats , and wormes , i have reason to thinke ; what am i to my infinite creator more then these ? and if these had my reason , why might they not expostulate with their maker , why they are but such ; why they live to so little purpose , and dye without either notice or use ; and if i had no more reason then they , i should bee ( as they ) content with any condition ; that reason which i have , is not of my owne giving ; he that hath given mee reason , might as well have given it to them ; or , have made me as reason-lesse as they ; there is no cause why his greater gift should make me mutinous , and malecontent ; i will thanke my god for what i am , for what i have ; and never quarrel with him , for what i want . cii . vpon the sight of a fantasticall zelote . it is not the intent of grace to mold our bodies anew , but to make use of them , as it findes us ; the disposition of men much followes the temper of their bodily humors . this mixture of humors , wrought upon by grace , causeth that strange variety , which we see in professions pretendedly religious ; when grace lights upon a sad melancholike spirit , nothing is affected but sullennesse , and extreme mortification ; and dislike even of lawfull freedome ; nothing but positions , and practises of severe austerity ; when contrarily , upon the cheerefull and lively ; all drawes towards liberty and joy , those thoughts doe now please best , which enlarge the heart to mirth , and contentation ; it is the greatest improvement of christian wisdome to distinguish ( in all professions ) betwixt grace and humor ; to give god his own glory , and men their owne infirmityes . ciii . vpon the sight of a scavenger working in the channel . the wise providence of god hath fitted men with spirits answerable to their condition ; if meane men should beare the minds of great lords , no servile workes would be done ; al would be commaunders , and none could live ; if contrarily , great persons had the low spirits of drudges , there could be no order , no obedience ; because there should be none to command ; now , out of this discord of dispositions , god hath contrived an excellent harmony of government , and peace : since the use which each sort must needs have of other , bindes them to maintain the quality of their own rankes ; and to do those offices which are requisite for the preservation of themselves , and the publique . as inferiours then must blesse god for the graces and authority of their betters ; so must superiours no lesse blesse him for the humilitie and serviceablenesse of the meaner ; and those which are of the midrank , must blesse him for both . ciiii. vpon a payre of spectacles . i looke upon these , not as objects , but as helps ; as not meaning that my sight should rest in them ; but passe through them ; and by their aid , discerne some other things which i desire to see ; many such glasses my soule hath and useth : i looke through the glasse of the creatures , at the power and wisedome of their maker : i looke through the glasse of the scriptures at the great mystery of redemption and the glory of an heavenly inheritance ; i looke through gods favours , at his infinite mercy ; through his judgements , at his incomprehensible justice ; but as these spectacles of mine presuppose a faculty in the eye , and cannot give me sight when i want it , but only cleares that sight which i have ; no more can these glasses of the creatures , of scriptures , of favours and judgements inable mee to apprehend those blessed objects , except i have an eye of faith whereto they may bee presented ; these helps to an unbeleeving man , are but as spectacles to the blinde . as the naturall eyes , so the spirituall have their degrees of dimnesse ; but i have ill improved my age , if , as my naturall eyes decay , my spirituall eye bee not cleared and confirmed ; but at my best i shall never but need spectacles , till i come to see as i am seene . cv . vpon moates in the sun. how these little moats move up and downe in the sunne , and never rest , whereas the great mountaines stand ever still , and move not , but with an earthquake ; even so light and busie spirits are in continuall agitation , to little purpose ; whiles great deepe wits sit still , and stirre not , but upon extreme occasions : were the motion of these little atomes as usefull , as it is restlesse , i had rather bee a moat then ▪ a mountaine . cvi. vpon the sight of a bladder . every thing must bee taken in his meete time ; let this bladder alone till it be dry , and all the winde in the world cannot raise it up , whereas , now it is new , and moist , the least breath fills , and enlarges it ; it is no otherwise in ages , and dispositions ; informe the child in precepts of learning & vertue , whiles years make him capable , how plyably hee yeeldeth , how happily is hee replenished with knowledge and goodnesse ; let him alone , till time and ill example have hardened him ; till hee be setled in an habit of evill , and contracted , and clung together with sensuall delights , now hee becomes utterly indocible ; sooner may that bladder bee broken then distended . cvii . vpon a man sleeping . i do not more wonder at any mans art , then at his , who professes to thinke of nothing , to do nothing : and i do not a little marvell at that man who sayes hee can sleepe without a dreame ; for the minde of man is a restlesse thing : & though it give the body leave to repose it self , as knowing it is a mortall & earthly peece , yet it selfe being a spirit , and therefore active , and indefatigable , is ever in motion : give me a sea that moves not , a sunne that shines not , an open eye that sees not ; and i shall yeeld there may bee a reasonable soule that workes not : it is possible that through a naturall , or accidentall stupidity , a man may not perceive his owne thoughts ; ( as sometimes the eye or eare may bee distracted , not to discerne his owne objects ) but in the meane time , he thinkes that , whereof he cannot give an account ; like as wee many times dreame when we cannot report our fancy . i should more easily put my selfe to schoole unto that man , who undertakes the profession of thinking many things at once : instantany motions are more proper for a spirit , then a dull rest . since my mind wil needs be ever working , it shall bee my care that it may alwaies be wel imploy'd . cviii . vpon the sight of a deaths-head . i wonder at the practise of the ancient both greeks , and romans , whose use was to bring up a deaths-head in the midst of their feasts , on purpose to stir up their guests , to drinke harder , and to frolicke more ; the sight whereof , one would think should have rather abated their courage , and have tempered their jollity ; but however it was with them , who beleeved there was nothing after death ; that the consideration of the short time of their pleasures , and beeing , spurred them on to a free and full fruition of that mirth and excesse , which they should not long live to enjoy ; yet to us that are christians , and therefore know that this short life doth but make way for an eternity of joy , or torment afterwards , and that after the feast , wee must account of a reckoning ; there cannot be a greater cooler for the heat of our intemperate desires , and rage of our appetites , then the meditation of the shortnesse of life , and the certainty of death : who would over-pamper a body for the wormes ? who would be so mad as to let himselfe loose to that momentany pleasure of sin , which , ere long , must cost him everlasting pain , and miserie . for mee , mee thinkes this head speakes no other language then this ; leese no time , thou art dying , do thy best , thou maist do good but a while , and shalt fare well for ever . cix . vpon the sight of a left-handed man. it is both an old and easie observation , that however the senses are alike strong , and active on the right side , and on the left ; yet that the limbes on the right side are stronger then those of the left ; because they are more exercised then the other ; upon which selfe same reason it must follow , that a left-handed man hath more strength in his left arme , then in his right ; neither is it otherwise in the soule : our intellectuall parts grow vigorous with imployment , and languish with dis-use : i have knowne excellent preachers , and pregnant disputants that have lost these faculties with lacke of action ; and others , but meanly qualified with naturall gifts , that have attained to a laudable measure of abilities , by improvement of their little . i had rather lacke good parts , then that good parts should lacke mee ; not to have great gifts is no fault of mine , it is my fault not to use them . cx . vpon the sight of an old unthached cottage . there cannot bee a truer embleme of crazie old age ; moldred and clay walls ; a thinne , uncovered roofe ; bending studds ; darke and broken windowes ; in short , an house ready to fall on the head of the indweller : the best body is but a cottage ; if newer , and better timbred , yet such as age will equally impaire , and make thus ragged , & ruinous ; or , before that , perhaps casualty of fire or tēpest ; or violence of an enemy ; one of the chief cares of men is to dwel wel ; some build for themselues , faire , but not strong ; others build for posterity , strong but not faire , not high ; but happie is that man that builds for eternity , as strong , as faire , as high as the glorious contignations of heaven . cxi . vpon the sight of a faire pearle . vvhat a pure and precious creature is this , which yet is taken out of the mudde of the sea ; who can complaine of a base original , when hee sees such excellencies so descended ? these shel-fishes that have no sexes , and therefore are made out of corruption , what glorious things they yeeld , to adorne and make proud the greatest princesses ? gods great workes goe not by likely-hoods ; how easily can he fetch glory out of obscurity , who brought all out of nothing ? cxii . vpon a screene . mee thinkes this screene , that stands betwixt me and the fire , is like some good friend at the court , which keepes from mee the heate of the unjust displeasure of the great ; wherewith i might perhaps otherwise be causelesly scorched ; but how happy am i , if the interposition of my saviour , my best friend in heaven , may screene mee from the deserved wrath of that great god , who is a consuming fire ? cxiii . vpon a burre-leafe . neither the vine , nor the oake , nor the cedar , nor any tree , that i know , within our climate , yeelds so great a leafe as this weed , which yet , after all expectation , brings forth nothing but a burre , unprofitable , troublesome ; so haue i seene none make greater profession of religion , then an ignorant man ; whose indiscreet forwardnesse yeelds no fruit but a factious disturbance to the church , wherein hee liues ; too much shew is not so much better then none at all , as an ill fruit is worse then none at all . cxiv . vpon the singing of a bird. it is probable that none of those creatures that want reason , delight so much in pleasant sounds , as a bird ; whence it is , that both it spends so much time in singing ; and is more apt to imitate those modulations which it heares from men ; frequent practise ( if it be voluntary ) argues a delight in that which wee doe ; and delight makes us more apt to practise ; and more capable of perfection in that wee practise ; oh god , if i take pleasure in thy law , i shall meditate of it with comfort , speake of it with boldnesse , and practise it with cheerefulnesse . cxv . vpon the sight of a man yawning . it is a marvellous thing to see the reall effects and strong operation of consent , or sympathye , even where there is no bodily touch ; so one sad man puts the whole cōpany into dumps ; so one mans yawning affects , and stretches the jawes of many beholders ; so , the looking upon bleare eyes taints the eye with blearenesse ; from hence it is easie to see the ground of our saviours expostulation with his persecutor ; saul , saul , why persecutest thou mee ? the church is persecuted below , hee feeles it above , and complaines ; so much as the person is more apprehensive , must hee needs bee more affected . o saviour , thou canst not but bee deeply sensible of all our miseries and necessities . if wee doe not feele thy wrongs , and the wants of our brethren , wee have no part in thee . cxvi . vpon the sight of a tree lopped . in the lopping of these trees , experience , and good husbandry hath taught men to leave one bough still growing in the top ; the better to draw up the sappe from the root ; the like wisedome is fit to bee observed in censures ; which are intended altogether for reformation , not for destruction ; so must they be inflicted , that the patient be not utterly discouraged , and stript of hope , and comfort ; but that , whiles he suffereth , he may feele his good tendered , and his amendment both aymed at , and expected . o god if thou shouldest deale with me as i deserue , thou shouldst not only shred my boughs , but cut downe my stocke , and stocke up my roote ; and yet thou dost but prune my superfluous branches , and cherishest the rest ; how unworthy am i of this mercy , if whiles thou art thus indulgent unto mee , i bee severe and cruell to others , perhaps lesse-ill-deserving then my selfe ? cxvii . vpon a scholler that offered violence to himselfe . had this man lyen lōg under some eminent discontentment , it had been easie to find out the motive of his mis-carriage ; weake nature is easily over-laid with impatience ; it must bee onely the power of grace , that can graple with vehement evils , and maister them : but here the world cannot say what could be guilty of occasioning this violence ; this mans hand was full ; his fame untainted ; his body no burden ; his disposition ( for ought wee saw ) faire ; his life guiltlesse ; yet something did the tempter finde to aggravate unto his feeble thoughts , and to represent worthy of a dispatch ; what a poore thing is life , whereof so sleight occasions can make us weary ? what impotent wretches are wee when wee are not sustained ? one would thinke this the most impossible of all motions ; naturally , every man loves himselfe ; and life is sweet , death abhorred ; what is it that sathan can despaire to preswade men unto , if hee can draw them to an unnaturall abandoning of life , and pursuit of death : why should i doubt of prevailing with my own heart , by the powerfull over-ruling of gods spirit , to contemne life , and to affect death , for the sake of my saviour ( in exchange of a few miserable moments , for eternity of joy ) when i see men , upon an unreasonable suggestion of that evill spirit , cast away their lives for nothing , and so hastening their temporall death , that they hazard an eternall ? cxviii . vpon the comming in of the iudge . the construction of men and their actions is altogether according to the disposition of the lookers on . the same face of the judge without any inward alteration , is seene with terror by the guilty , with joy and confidence , by the oppressed innocent ; like as the same lips of the bride-groome drop both myrrhe and hony at once ; hony to the well disposed heart ; myrrhe to the rebellious : and the same cup relishes well to the healthfull , and distasts the feverous ; the same word is , though a sweet , yet a contrary savour to the different receivers : and the same sunne comforts the strong sight , dazles the weake ; for a man to affect either to do , or speake that which may bee pleasing to all men , is but a weake and idle ambition , when wee see him that is infinitely good , appeare terrible to more , then he appears lovely . goodnesse is it selfe with what ever eyes it is lookt upon : there can be no safety for that man that regards more the censure of men , then the truth of beeing ; hee that seekes to win all hearts , hath lost his own . cxix . vpon the sight af a heap of stones . vnder such a pile it was , that the first martyr was buried ; none of all the ancient kings had so glorious a tombe ; here were many stones , and every one pretious ; iacob leaned his head upon a stone , and saw that heavenly vision of angels ascending , and descending : many stones light upon stevens head , in the instant of his seeing the heavens opened ; and jesus standing at the right hand of god : lo , iacob , resting upon that one stone , saw but the angells ; steven being to rest for once under those many stones , saw the lord of the angels , iacob saw the angels moving ; steven saw jesus standing ; as iacob therefore afterwards , according to his vow , made there an altar to god ; so steven now in the present , gathers these stones together , of which hee erected an holy altar , whereon hee offered up himself a blessed sacrifice unto god ; and if there bee a time of gathering stones , and a time of casting them away ; this was the time wherein the jewes cast , and steven gathered up these stones for a monument of eternall glory : o blessed saint , thou didst not so clearly see heaven opened , as heaven saw thee covered ; thou didst not so perfectly see thy jesus standing , as hee saw thee lying , patiently , courageously under that fatall heap : do i mistake it , or are those stones , not flints and pebles , but diamonds and rubies , & carbuncles to set upon thy crowne of glory ? cxx . vpon sight of a bat and owle . these night-birds are glad to hide their heads all day , and if by some violence they bee unseasonably forced out of their secrecy , how are they followed , and beaten by the birds of the day ? with us men it is contrary , the sonnes of darknesse do with all eagernesse of malice pursue the children of the light : and drive them into corners , and make a prey of them : the opposition is alike , but the advantage lyes on the worse side ; is it for that the spirituall light is no lesse hatefull to those children of darknesse , then the naturall night is to those cheerfull birds of the day ? or is it for that the sonnes of darkenesse , challenging no lesse propriety in the world , then the foules do in the lightsome aire , abhorre and wonder at the conscionable , as strange and uncouth : howsoever , as these bats and owles were made for the night , being accordingly shaped , foule , and ill-favoured ; so we know these vicious men , ( how ever they may please themselves ) have in them a true deformity ; fit to bee shrouded in darknesse ; and as they delight in the workes of darknesse , so they are justly reserved to a state of darknesse . cxxi . vpon the sight of a well-fleeced sheepe . vvhat a warm winter coat hath god provided for this quiet innocent creature ? as indeed , how wonderfull is his wisedome and goodnes in all his purveiances ; those creatures which are apter for motion , and withall most fearfull by nature , hath hee clad somewhat thinner , and hath allotted them safe and warme boroughs within the earth ; those that are fit for labour and use , hath hee furnished with a strong hide : & for man whom he hath thought good to bring forth naked , tender , helplesse ; he hath indued his parents , and himselfe with that noble faculty of reason , whereby hee may provide all manner of helps for himselfe ; yet againe so bountifull is god in his provisions , that hee is not lavish ; so distributing his gifts , that there is no more superfluity , then want ; those creatures that have beakes , have no teeth ; and those that have shells without , have no bones within ; all have enough , nothing hath all : neither is it otherwise in that one kinde of man , whom hee meant for the lord of all ; variety of gifts is here mixed with a frugall dispensation ; none hath cause to boast , none to complain ; every man is as free from an absolute defect , as from perfection ; i desire not to comprehend , o lord , teach mee to doe nothing but wonder . cxxii . vpon the hearing of thunder . there is no grace whereof i finde so generall a want in my selfe , and others , as an awfull feare of the infinite majesty of god ; men are ready to affect , and professe a kinde of familiarity with god , out of a pretence of love , whereas if they knew him aright , they could not thinke of him without dread , nor name him without trembling ; their narrow hearts strive to conceive of him , according to the scantling of their owne strait , and ignorant apprehension ; whereas they should only desire to have their thoughts swallowed up with an adoring wonder of his divine incomprehensiblenesse ; though he thunder not alwaies , he is alwaies equally dreadfull ; there is none of his works which doth not bewray omnipotency : i blush at the sawcinesse of vaine men , that will bee circumscribing the powerfull acts of the almighty within the compasse of naturall causes ; forbearing to wonder at what they professe to know ; nothing but ignorance can be guilty of this boldnesse ; there is no divinity but in an humble feare , no philosophie but in a silent admiration . cxxiii . vpon the sight of an hedg-hogge . i marvelled at the first reading , what the greekes meant by that proverbe of theirs ; the foxe knowes many pretty wiles , but the hedg-hogge knowes one great one : but when i considered the nature , and practise of this creature , i easily found the reason of that speech , grounded upon the care , and shift that it makes for its owne preservation ; whiles it is under covert it knowes how to barre the fore-dore against the cold northerne , and easterne blasts ; and to open the back-doore for quieter and calmer aire ; when it is pursued , it knowes how to roll up it selfe round , within those thornes with which nature hath environd it , so as the dogge , in stead of a beast , findes now nothing but a ball of prickes , to wound his jawes ; and goes away crying from so untoothsome a prey : hee that sent the sluggard to schoole to the pismire , sends also in effect the carelesse and imprudent man to the hedg-hogge ; whiles hee saith , if thou bee wise thou shalt bee wise for thy selfe : the maine care of any creature is self-preservation ; whatsoever doth that best , is the wisest . these creatures that are all body , have well improved the instincts of nature , if they can provide for their bodily safety ; man , that is a reasōable soule , shall have done nothing , if he make not sure work for the better part . o god , make mee soule-wise , i shall never envy their craft , that pitty my simplicity . cxxiv . vpon the sight of a goate . this creature is in an ill name ; it is not for any good qualities , that god hath made choice of the goate , to resemble the wicked and reprobate soule ; it is unruly , and salacious , and noysome ; i cannot see one of them , but i presently recall to my thoughts the wofull condition of those on the left hand ; whom god hath set aside to so fearefull a damnation . they are here mixed with the flock , their colour differs nothing from the sheepe ; or if wee doe discerne them , by their rougher coate , and odious sent , wee sever our selves from them ; but the time shal come , when he shall sever them from us , who hath appointed our innocencie to the fold , and their harmefulnesse to an everlasting slaughter . onwards , if they climbe higher then wee , and feede upon those craggy clifts which wee dare scarce reach to with our eyes ; their boldnesse is not greater then their danger , neither is their ascent more perilous , then their ruine deadly . cxxv . vpon the sight of the blinde and the lame . here is a true naturall commerce of senses ; the blinde man hath legges ; the lame man hath eyes ; the lame man lendes his eyes to the blinde , the blinde man lendes , his legges to the lame ; and now both of them move ; where otherwise , both must sit still , and perish ; it is hard to say whether is more beholden to other ; the one gives strength , the other direction ; both of them equally necessary to motion ; though it bee not in other cases so sensible , yet surely this very trafique of faculties is that , whereby we live , neither could the world subsist without it ; one man lends a braine , another an arme ; one a tongue , another an hand ; he that knowes wherefore hee made all , hath taken order to improve every part to the benefit of the whole ; what doe i wish ought that is not usefull ? and if there bee any thing in me that may serve to the good of others , it is not mine , but the churche : i cannot live but by others , it were injurious if others should not likewise share with mee . cxxvi . vpon the sight of a mappe of the world. what a poore little spot is a coūtry ? a man may hide with his thumbe , the great territories of those , that would bee accounted monarchs . in vain should the great cham , or the great mogull , or prester john seeke here for his court ; it is well , if hee can finde his kingdome , amongst these parcels : and , if wee take all together these shreds of ilands , and these patches of continent , what a mere indivisible point they are in comparison of that vast circle of heaven wherewith they are incompassed ? it is not easie for a man to bee knowne to that whole land wherein hee lives : but if he could be so famous , the next country perhaps never heares of his name : and if he can attain to be talked of there , yet the remoter parts cānot take notice that there is such a thing : and if they did all speake of nothing else , what were hee the better ? oh the narrow bounds of earthly glory : oh the vaine affectation of humane applause : only that man is happily famous , who is known , & recorded in heaven . cxxvii . vpon the sight of hemlocke . there is no creature of it selfe , evill : mis-application may make the best , so : and there is a good use to be made of the worst : this weed which is too well proved to be poysonous , yet to the goat is medicinall : as serving by the coldnesse of it , to temper the feverons heat of that beast : so wee see the marmoset eating of spiders , both for pleasure , and cure : our ignorance may not bring a scandall upon gods workmanship , or if it do , his wisedome knowes how to make a good use even of our injury : i cannot say but the very venome of the creatures is to excellent purpose , how much more their beneficiall qualities ? if ought hurt us , the fault is ours , in mis-taking the evill for good : in the meane time wee owe praise to the maker and to the creature a just and thankfull allowance . cxxviii . vpon a flowre-de-luce . this flowre is but unpleasingly fulsome for sent , but the root of it is so fragrant , that the delicatest ladies are glad to put it into their sweet bagges : contrarily the rose-tree hath a sweet flowre , but a savour-lesse root , and the saffron yeelds an odoriferous and cordiall spire , whiles both the flowre , and the root are unpleasing : it is with vegitables , as with mettals , god never meant to have his best alwayes in view ; neither meant hee to have all eminences concealed . hee would have us to know him to be both secretly rich , and openly bountifull . if we do not use every grace in its owne kinde , god leeses the thankes , and wee the benefit . cxxix . vpon the sight of two trees , one high , the other broad . those trees that shoot up in height are seldome broad ; as contrarily , those trees that are spreading , are seldome tall : it were too much ambition in that plant , which would bee both wayes eminent : thus it is with men ; the covetous man that affects to spread in wealth , seldome cares to aspire unto height of honour : the proud man , whose heart it set upon preferment , regards not ( in comparison thereof ) the growth of his wealth : there is a poore shrubbe in a valley ; that is neither tall nor broad , nor cares to be either , which speeds better then they both : the tall tree is cut downe , for timber , the broad tree is lopped for firewood : besides that the tempest hath power on them both , whereas the low shrubbe is neither envied by the winde , nor threatned by the axe , but fostered rather , for that little shelter , which it affords the shepheard : if there bee glory in greatnes , meannesse hath security : let me never envy their diet , that had rather bee unsafe , then inglorious . cxxx . vpon the sight of a drunken-man . reason is an excellent facultie ; and indeed , that which alone differenceth us from brute creatures ; without which what is man but a two-legged beast ? and , as all precious things are tender , and subject to miscarriage , so is this above others ; the want of some little sleepe , the violence of a fever , or one cup too much puts it into utter distemper ; what can we make of this thing ( man i cannot call him ? ) hee hath shape ; so hath a dead corps , as well as he ; hee hath life , so hath a beast as well as hee ; reason , either for the time hee hath not , or , if hee have it , he hath it so depraved , and marred for the exercise of it , that brutishnesse is much lesse ill-beseeming ; surely , the naturall bestiality is so much lesse odious then the morall , as there is difference in the causes of both ; that is of gods making , this of our own it is no shame to the beast , that god hath made him so , it is a just shame to a man , that he hath made himselfe a beast . cxxxi . vpon the whetting of a sithe . recreation is intended to the minde , as whetting is to the sithe ; to sharpen the edge of it ; which otherwise would grow dull , and blunt ; hee therefore that spends his whole time in recreation , is ever whetting , never mowing ; his grasse may grow , and his steed starve ; as contrarily he that alwaies toyles , and never recreates , is ever mowing , never whetting ; labouring much to little purpose : as good no sithe , as no edge : then onely doth the work goe forward , when the sithe is so seasonably , and moderately whetted , that it may cut , and so cuts that it may have the helpe of sharpening : i would so interchange , that i neither be dull with worke , nor idle and wanton with recreation . cxxxii . vpon the sight of a looking-glasse . vvhen i looke in another mans face , i see that man , and that man sees mee , as i doe him : but when i looke in my glasse , i doe not see my selfe : i see onely an image or representation of my selfe : howsoever it is like mee , yet it is not i : it is for an ignorant child to looke behinde the glasse , to finde out the babe that he seeeth : i know it is not there : and that the resemblance varies according to the dimnesse , or different fashion of the glasse . at our best , wee doe but thus see god here below : one sees him more clearely , another more obscurely : but all in a glasse : hereafter , wee shall see him , not as he appeares , but as hee is : so shall wee see him in the face , as hee sees us : the face of our glorified spirits shall see the glorious face of him who is the god of spirits : in the meane time , the proudest dame shall not more plie her glasse , to looke upon that face of hers , which shee thinkes beautifull , then i shall gaze upon the clearest glasse of my thoughts , to see that face of god , which i know to bee infinitely faire , and glorious . cxxxiii . vpon the shining of a peece of rotten wood . how bright doth this wood shine ? when it is in the fire , it will not so beame forth , as it doth in this cold darknesse : what an embleme is here of our future estate ? this peece , whiles it grew in the tree , shone not at all , now that it is putrified , it casts forth this pleasing lustre : thus it is with us : whiles wee live here , we neither are , nor seeme other then miserable : when we are dead once , then begins our glory , then doth the soule shine in the brightnesse of heavenly glory , then doth our good name shine upon earth in those beames which before envie had either held in , or over-cast . why are wee so over-desirous of our growth , when wee may bee thus advantaged by our rottennesse ? cxxxiv . vpon an yvie tree . behold a true embleme of false love : here are kinde embracements , but deadly : how close doth this weed cling unto that oake , and seemes to hugge , and shade it ? but in the mean time drawes away the sappe , and at last kils it : such is an harlots love , such is a parafites : give mee that love , and friendship , which is betweene the vine , and the elme , whereby the elme is no whit worse , and the vine much the better : that wholesome and noble plant doth not so close winde it selfe about the tree , that upholds it , as to gall the barke , or to sucke away the moisture : and againe the elme yeelds a beneficiall supportation to that weake ( though generous ) plant . as god , so wise men know to measure love , not by profession , and complement , ( which is commonly most high , and vehement in the falsest ) but by reality of performance : hee is no enemie that hurts mee not : i am not his friend whom i desire not to benefit . cxxxv . vpon a quartan ague . i have known whē those things , which have made an healthfull man sick , have been the means of making a sick man , whole . the quartan hath of old been justly stiled the shame of physicians : yet , i have more then once observed it to bee cured by a surfet : one divel is sōetime used for the ejection of another ; thus have i also seene it in the sicknesse of the soule : the same god whose justice is wont to punish sinne with sinne ; even his mercy doth so use the matter , that he cures one sinne by another ; so have we knowne a proud man healed by the shame of his uncleannesse : a furious man healed by a rash bloodshed . it matters not greatly what the medicine bee , whiles the physician is infinitely powerfull , infinitely skilfull ; what danger can there be of my safty , whē god shall heale me , as well by evill , as by good ? cxxxvi . vpon the sight of a loaded cart . it is a passionate expression , wherein god bemoanes himselfe of the sinnes of israel , ye have pressed mee as a cart is pressed with sheaves ; an empty cart runs lightly away , but if it be soundly laden , it goes sadly , sets hard , groanes under the weight , and makes deepe impressions ; the wheeles creak , and the axeltree bends , and all the frame of it is put unto the utmost stresse , he that is ōnipotēt can bear any thing but too much sin ; his justice wil not let his mercy be over-strained ; no marvel if a guilty soul say , mine iniquity is greater then i can beare ; when the infinite god complaines of the weight of mens sins ; but , let not vaine men thinke that god complaines , out of the want of power , but , out of the abundance of mercy : he cannot be the worse for our sinnes ; wee are . it grieves him to bee over-provoked to our punishment ; then doth hee accoūt the cart to crack , yea to breake , when hee is urged to breake forth into just vengeance ; o saviour , the sins of the whole world lay upon thee , thou sweatedst blood under the loade : what would become of mee , if i should beare but one sheafe of that loade ; every eare whereof , yea every graine of that eare were enough to presse downe my soule to the nethermost hell ? cxxxvii . vpon the sight of a dwarfe . amongst all the bounteous gifts of god , what is it that he hath equally bestowed upon all ? except it be our very being , whiles we are ; he hath not given to all men the same stature of body , not the same strength of wit , not the same capacity of memory , not the same beauty of parts , not the same measure of wealth , or honor ; thus hath hee done also in matter of grace : there are spirituall dwarfes , there are giants ; there are perfect men , children , babes , embryons ; this inequality doth so much more praise the mercy , and wisedome of the giver , and exercise the charity , and thankefulnesse of the receiver ; the essence of our humanity doth not consist in stature ; he that is little of growth , is as much man , as hee that is taller ; even so also spiritually , the quantity of grace doth not make the christian , but the truth of it . i shall be glad , and ambitious to adde cubits to my height ; but withall it shall comfort mee to know , that i cannot bee so low of stature , as not to reach unto heaven . cxxxviii . vpon an importunate begger . it was a good rule of him that bad us learne to pray of beggers ; with what zeale doth this man sue , with what feeling expressions , with how forceable importunity ? when i meant to passe by him with silēce , yet his clamour drawes words from mee ; when i speake to him , though with excuses , rebukes , denialls , repulses , his obsecrations , his adjurations draw from me that almes which i meant not to give ; how hee uncovers his sores , & shewes his impotence , that my eyes may help his tongue to plead ; with what oratory doth he force my compassion ? so as it is scarce any thanke to mee that hee prevailes . why doe i not thus to my god ? i am sure i want no lesse then the neediest ; the danger of my want is greater ; the almes that i crave , is better , the store and mercy of the giver infinitely more , why shouldst thou give mee , o god , that which i care not to aske ? oh give me a true sense of my wants , and then i cannot bee coole in asking , thou canst not bee difficult in condescending . cxxxix . vpon a medicinal potion . how loathsome a draught is this ? how offensive , both to the eye and to the sent , and to the tast ? yea , the very thought of it , is a kind of sicknesse ; & , when it is once down , my very disease is not so painefull , for the time , as my remedy ; how doth it turne the stomach , and wring the entrayles , and workes a worse distemper , then that whereof i formerly complained ; and yet , it must bee taken for health ; neither could it bee so wholesome , if it were lesse unpleasing ; neither could it make mee whole , if it did not first make mee sick . such are the chastisements of god , and the reproofes of a friend ; harsh , troublesome , grievous ; but in the end they yeeld the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse . why doe i turne away my head , and make faces , and shut mine eyes ; and stop my nostrils , and nauseate , and abhorre to take this harmelesse potion for health , when we have seene mountebanks to swallow dismembred toades , and drinke the poysonous broath after them , only for a little ostentation , and gaine ? it is onely weaknesse , and want of resolution that is guilty of this queasinesse ; why doe not i cheerefully take , and quaffe up that bitter cup of affliction , which my wise and good god hath mixed for the health of my soule ? cxl . vpō the sight of a wheel . the prophet meant it for no other then a fearefull imprecation against gods enemies , o my god , make them like unto a wheele ; whereby what could he intend to signifie , but instability of condition , and suddaine violence of judgement ; those spoakes of the wheele that are now up , are , sooner then sight or thought whirled downe ; and are straight raised up againe , on purpose to bee depressed ; neither can there bee any motion so rapid , and swift , as the circular . it is a great favour of god that hee takes leasure in his affliction , so punishing us that wee have respites of repentance : there is life and hope in these degrees of suffering ; but , those hurrying and whirling judgemēts of god , have nothing in them but wrath , and confusion . o lord , rebuke me not in thine anger ; i cannot deprecate thy rebuke ; my sinnes call for correction ; but i deprecate thine anger ; thou rebukest even where thou lovest ; so rebuke me , that whiles i smart with thy rod , i may rejoyce in thy mercy . * ⁎ * finis . the table . med . fol . vpon the sight of an harlot carted . vpon the smel of a rose . vpon a cancell'd bond . vpon the report of a great losse by sea. vpon sight of a bright skie full of starres . vpon the rumors of warres . vpon a child crying . vpon the beginning of a sicknesse . vpon the challenge of a promise . vpon the sight of flies . vpon the sight of a fantasticall zelote . vpon the sight of a scavenger working in the channell . vpon a paire of spectacles . vpon motes in the sun . vpon the sight of a bladder . vpon a man sleeping . vpon the sight of a deaths-head . vpon the sight of a left-handed man. vpō the sight of an old unthached cottage . vpon the sight of a faire pearle . vpon a screene . vpon a bur-leafe . vpon the singing of a bird. vpon the sight of a man yawning . vpon the sight of a tree lopped . vpon a scholler that offered violence to himselfe . vpon the comming in of the iudge . vpon the sight of an heape of stones vpon the sight of a bat and owle . vpon the sight of a well-fleeced sheepe . vpon the hearing of thunder . vpon the sight of an hedge hogge . vpon the sight of a goat . vpon the sight of the blinde and the lame . vpon the sight of a mappe of the world. vpon the sight of hemlocke . vpon a floure-de luce . vpon the sight of two trees , one high , the other broad . vpon the sight of a drunken-man . vpon the whetting of a sithe . vpon the sight of a looking-glasse . vpon the shining of a peece of rotten wood . vpon an yvy tree . vpon a quartan ague . vpon the sight of a loaded cart . vpon the sight of a dwarfe . vpon an importunate begger . vpon a medicinall potion . vpon the sight of a wheele . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * si christus iudam passus est , cur non ego patiar birrhichionem ? dial. de s. martine seuer . sulpit. the great impostor laid open in a sermon at grayes inne, febr. . . by ios. hall d.d. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the great impostor laid open in a sermon at grayes inne, febr. . . by ios. hall d.d. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j. haviland for nath. butter, london : . several pages stained. reproduction of the original in the yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the great impostor , laid open in a sermon at grayes inne , febr. . . by ios . hall d. d. london , printed by j. havilano for nath. butter . . to the most noble , and worthily honoured societie of grayes inne : at whose barre this impostor was openly arraigned : j. h. hvmbly dedicates this pvblike life of his weake and vnworthy labovr . the great impostor , laid open , out of ier . . . the heart is deceitfull aboue all things . i know where i am ; in one of the famous phrontisteries of law , and iustice : wherfore serues law and iustice , but for the preuention or punishment of fraud and wickednesse ? giue me leaue therefore to bring before you , students , masters , fathers , oracles of law and iustice , the greatest cheator and malefactor in the world , our owne heart . it is a great word that i haue said , in promising to bring him before you ; for this is one of the greatest aduantages of his fraud , that he cannot be seene : that as that old iugler apollonius thyanaeus , when he was brought before the iudge , vanished out of sight ; so this great impostor , in his very presenting before you , dispeareth and is gone ; yea so cunningly , that he doth it with our owne consent , and we would be loth that he could be seene : therefore as an epiphonema to this iust complaint of deceitfulnesse , is added who can know it ? it is easie to know that it is deceitfull , and in what it deceiues , though the deceits themselues cannot bee knowne , till too late ; as wee may see the ship , and the sea , and the ship going on the sea , yet the way of a ship in the sea ( as salomon obserues ) wee know not : god askes , and god shall answer ; what he askes by ieremie , he shall answer by s. paul , who knowes the heart of man ? euen the spirit of man that is in him . if then the heart haue but eyes enow to see it selfe by the reflection of thoughts , it is enough : ye shall easily see and heare enough ( out of the analogie and resemblance of hearts ) to make you both astonished and ashamed . the heart of man lies in a narrow roome , yet all the world cannot fill it ; but that which may be said of the heart , would more than fill a world : here is a double stile giuen it ; of deceitfulnesse ; of wickednesse ; either of which knowes no end , whether of being , or of discourse . i spend my houre , and might doe my life , in treating of the first . see then , i beseech you , the impostor , and the imposture ; the impostor himselfe , the heart of man ; the imposture , deceitfull aboue all things . as deceitfull persons are wont euer to goe vnder many names , and ambiguous , and must be exprest with an [ aliàs ] so doth the heart of man ; neither man himselfe , nor any part of man hath so many names , as the heart alone ; for euery facultie that it hath , and euery action it doth , it hath a seuerall name : neither is there more multiplicitie , than doubt in this name ; not so many termes are vsed to signifie the heart , as the heart signifies many things . when ye heare of the heart , ye thinke straight of that fleshie part in the center of the body which liues first , and dies last ; and whose beatings you finde to keepe time all the body ouer ; that is not it which is so cunning ; alas , that is a poore harmelesse peece ; meerely passiue ; and if it doe any thing , as the subministration of vitall spirits , to the maintenance of the whole frame , it is but good ; no , it is the spirituall part that lurkes in this flesh , which is guilty of such deceit . we must learne of witty idolatry to distinguish betwixt the stocke and the inuisible powers that dwell in it . it is not for me to be a sticklor betwixt the hebrewes , and the greeke philosophers , and physitians , in a question of naturall learning , concerning the 〈◊〉 of the soule ; nor to insist vpon the reasons why the spirit of god rather places all the spirituall powers in the heart , than in the braine ; doubtlesse in respect of the affections there resident , whereby all those speculatiue abilities are drawne to practise ; it shall suffice vs to take things as we finde them , and to hold it for granted , that this monosyllable ( for so it is in many languages ) comprises all that intellectiue and affectiue world which concerneth man ; and in plaine termes to say , that when god saies the heart is deceitfull , he meanes , the vnderstanding , will , affections are deceitfull . the vnderstanding is doubly deceitfull ; it makes vs beleeue it knowes those things which it doth not ; and that it knowes not those things which it doth : as some foolish mountebanke , that holds it a great glory to seeme to know all things ; or some presuming physitian , that thinkes it a shame not to professe skill in any state of the body , or disease ; so doth our vaine vnderstanding ; therein framing it selfe according to the spirits it meets withall ; if they be proud and curious , it perswades them , they know euery thing ; if carelesse , that they know enough . in the first kinde ; what hath not the fond heart of man dared to arrogate to it selfe ? it knowes all the starres by their names ; tush , that is nothing ; it knowes what the stars meane by their verie lookes , what the birds meane by their chirping , as apollonius did ; what the heart meanes , by the features of the face ; it knowes the euents of life by the lines of the hand : the secrets of art , the secrets of nature , the secrets of state , the secrets of others hearts , yea the secrets of god in the closet of heauen ; yea , not only what god hath done , but what he will doe : this is ( sapiens stultitia ) a wise folly , as irenaeus said of his valentinians ; all figure-casters , palmesters , physiognomers , fortune-tellers , alchymists , fantasticke proiectors , and all the rabble of professors of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not so much curious as idle arts , haue their word giuen them by the apostle , deceiuing and deceiued ; neither can these men make any worse fooles , than their hearts haue made themselues ; and well may that alexandrian taxe bee set vpon them in both names , whether of actiue , or passiue folly : and ( as it commonly fals out , that superfluous things rob the heart of necessary ) in the meane while , those things which the heart may and should know , it lightly mis-knowes : as our senses are deceiued by distance , or interpositions , to thinke the stars beamie and sparkling , the moone horned , the planets equally remote , the sunne sometimes red , pale other some : so doth also our vnderstanding erre , in mis-opinion of diuine things ; it thinkes it knowes god , when it is but an idoll of fancy , as sauls messengers , when they came into the roome , thought they had the true dauid , when it was but a wispe ; it knowes the will of god , when it is nothing but grosse mis-construction : so as the common knowledge of men , though they thinke it a torch , is but an ignis fatuus to leade them to a ditch : how many thousand assyrians thinke they are in the way to the prophet , when they are in the midst of samaria ? how many millions thinke they walke fairely on to heauen , when indeed they are in the broad way that leads to destruction ? oh poore blind pagans , halfe-sighted turkes , bleare-eied iewes , blind-folded papists , squint-eied schismaticks , purblind ignorants , how well doe they finde themselues pleased with their deuotion , and thinke god should bee so too ; when it is nothing but a mixture of mesprison , superstition , conceitednesse ; and ( according to the seldome-reuerently-vsed prouerb ) whiles they thinke they haue god by the finger , they hold a deuill by the toe ; and all this , because their heart deceiues them . if carelesse , and loth to bee at the paines of knowing more , it perswades them they know enough ; that they cry out of more , as he did on the ointment , ( vt quid perditio haec ? ) what needs all this waste ? and makes them as conscionable for knowledge , as esau was for cattle , i haue enough , my brother , keepe that thou hast to thy selfe ; or as contentedly-resolute , as the epicure in the gospell : soule take thy ease , thou hast knowledge enough laid vp for many yeeres . from whence it is , that too many rest simply ( yea wilfully ) in their owne measure , not so much as wishing more skill in soule-matters ; applauding their owne safe mediocritie ; like the credulous blinde man that thought he now saw a shimmering of the sunne-beames , when indeed his backe was towards it : hence it is that they scoffe at the foolishnesse of preaching , scorne the forward bookishnesse of others , fearing nothing but a surfet of manna , and hating to know more than their neighbours , than their fore-fathers ; & thus are led on muffled vp in an vnfelt ignorance , to their graue , yea , ( without the mercy of god ) to their hell . and as in these things there is a presumption of knowing what we doe not ; so contrarily , a dissimulation and concealement of the knowledge of what we doe vnderstand ; the heart of man is a great lier to it selfe this way ; saint paul saies that of pagans , which i may boldly say of christians , they haue the effect of the law written in their hearts ; yet many of them will not bee acknowne of one letter ingrauen there by the finger of god : certaine common principles there are ( together with this law ) interlinearily written in the tables of the heart , as that we must doe as we would be done to ; that there is a god ; that this god is infinite in iustice and truth , and must be serued like himselfe ; these they either blot out , or lay their finger on , that they may not bee seene , purposely , that they may sinne freely ; and faine would perswade themselues they neuer had any such euidence from god : so putting off the checks of conscience with bold denyalls ; like the harlot of iericho , ( but worse than she ) that hath hid the spies , and now out-faces their entertainment : wherein the heart doth to it selfe , that which nahash the ammonite , would haue done to israel , put out his owne right eie , that it may not see that law whereby it might be conuinced , and finde it selfe miserable . thus the vnderstanding of man is euery way deceitfull in ouerknowing , mis-knowing , dissembling ; in all which it is like an euill and vnfaithfull eye , that either will be seeing by a false glasse , or a false light , or with distortion ; or else wilfully closes the lids that it may not see at all ; and in all this deceiues vs. the will is no lesse cunning ; which though it make faire pretences of a generall inclination to good , yet ( hîc & nunc ) in particulars , hangs towards a pleasing euill ; yea though the vnderstanding haue sufficiently informed it of the worthinesse of good , and the turpitude of euill , yet being ouercome with the false delectablenesse of sinne , it yeelds to a misse-assent ; reason being ( as aquinas speakes ) either swallowed vp by some passion , or held downe by some vicious habit : it is true , still the will followes the reason , neither can doe otherwise ; but therefore , if reason mis-led be contrary to reason , and a schisme arise in the soule , it must follow that the will must needs be contrary to will and reason ; wherein it is like a planet , which though it be carried about perpetually by the first mouer , yet slily creepes on his owne way , contrary to that strong circumuolution : and though the minde be sufficiently conuinced of the necessitie , or profit of a good act , yet for the tediousnesse annexed to it , in a dangerous spirituall acedie , it insensibly slips away from it , and is content to let it fall ; as some idle , or fearfull merchant , that could be glad to haue gold , if it would come with ease , but will not either take the paines , or hazard the aduenture to fetch it : thus commonly the will ( in both respects ) water-man-like lookes forward , and rowes backward ; and vnder good pretences doth nothing but deceiue . the affections are as deceitfull as either ; whether in misse-placing , measure , or manner . mis-placing : they are fiery where they should be coole ; and where they should burne , freeze ; our heart makes vs beleeue it loues god , and giues him pledges of affection ; whiles it secretly doats vpon the world ; like some false strumpet , that entertaines her husband with her eyes , and in the meane time treads vpon the toe of an adulterer vnder the board : that it loues iustice , when it is but reuenge ; that it grieues for the missing of christ , when indeed it is but for the loaues and fishes ; that it feares god , when indeed it is but afraid of our owne torment ; that it hates the sinne , when it is the person ; that it hates the world , when it thrusts god out of doores to lodge it . measure : that we loue god enough , and the world but enough , when as indeed the one loue is but as the cold fit of an ague , the other an hot ; we chill in the one , no lesse than we glow in the other ; when wee make god only a stale to draw on the world ; that wee doe enough hate our corruptions , when ( at our sharpest ) we doe but gently sneape them , as hely did his sons ; or as some indulgent parent doth an vnthriftie darling , whom he chides , and yet feeds with the fewell of his excesse ; that we haue grieued enough for our sinnes , when they haue not cost vs so much as one teare , nothing but a little fashionable winde , that neuer came further than the roots of our tongue ; that we doe enough compassionate the afflictions of ioseph , when we drinke wine in bowles ; that wee feare god more than men , when wee are ashamed to doe that in presence of a childe , which wee care not to doe in the face of god. manner : that our heart loues , and hates , and feares , and ioyes , and grieues truly , when it is an hypocrite in all ; that it delights constantly in god , and holy things , when it is but an ephraims morning dew ; that our anger is zealous , when it is but a flash of personall malice , or a superstitious furie ; that we feare as sonnes , when it is as cowards , or slaues ; that we grieue as gods patients , when we fret , and repine , and struggle like franticks against the hand of our maker . thus ( to summe vp all ) the heart of man is wholly set vpon cozenage ; the vnderstanding ouer-knowing , mis-knowing , dissembling ; the will pretending , and inclining contrarily ; the affections mocking vs in the obiect , measure , manner ; and in all of them the heart of man is deceitfull . ye haue seene the face of this cheater ; looke now at his hand ; and now ye see who this deceiuer is , see also the sleights of his deceit ; and therein , the fashion , the subiect , the sequell of it ; from whence we will descend to our demeanure towards so dangerous an impostor . the fashion of his deceit is the same with our ordinary iuglers ; either cunning conueyance , or false semblance . cunning conueyance , whether into vs , in vs , from vs. the heart admits sinne , as paradise did the serpent ; there it is , but by what chinkes or cranies it entered , we know not ; so as we may say of sinne as the master of the feast in the gospell said to his slouenly guest , quomodo intrasti ? how camest thou in hither ? corruption doth not eat into the heart as our first parents did into the apple , so as the print of their teeth might bee seene , but as the worme eats into the core , insensibly ; neither is there lesse closenesse when it is entered ; i would it were as vntrue a word , as it is an harsh one , that many a professedly-christian heart , lodges a deuill in the blinde roomes of it , and either knowes it not , or will not be acknowne of it ; euery one that harbours a willing sinne in his brest , doth so : the malicious man hath a furious deuill ; the wanton an vncleane deuill , a beelphegor , or a tammuz ; the proud man a lucifer , the couetous a mammon ; certainly , these foule spirits are not more truly in hell , than in a wicked heart ; there they are , but so closely , that i know not if the heart it selfe know it ; it being verified of this citadell of the heart , which was said of that vast niniue , that the enemie had taken some parts of it , long ere the other knew it : what should i speake of the most common , and yet most dangerous guest , that lodges in this inne of the heart , infidelity ? call at the doore , and aske if such a one host not there ; they within make strange of it , deny it , forsweare it ; call the officers , make priuy search , you shall hardly finde him : like some iesuite in a popish dames chamber , he is so closely contriued into false floores , and double walls , that his presence is not more easily knowne , than hardly conuinced , confessed . how easie is it to say , that if infidelity did not lurke in the hearts of men , they durst not doe as they doe ; they could not but doe , what they doe not ? durst they sin if they were perswaded of an hell ? durst they buy a minute of pleasure with euerlasting torments ? could they so sleight heauen if they beleeued it ? could they be so loth to possesse it ? could they thinke much of a little painfull goodnesse to purchase an eternity of happinesse ? no , no , men , fathers , and brethren ; if the heart were not infidell , whiles the face is christian , this could not bee . neither doth the heart of man more cunningly conuey sinne into , and in it selfe , than from it ; the sin that ye saw euen now openly in the hands , is so swiftly past vnder the board , that it is now vanished ; looke for it in his forehead , there it is not ; looke for it vnder his tongue , there is none ; looke for it in his conscience , ye finde nothing ; and all this by the legier-de-maine of the heart : thus achan hath hid his wedge , and now he dares stand out to a lot ; thus salomons harlot hath wip't her mouth , and it was not she : thus saul will lie-out his sacriledge , vntill the very beasts out-bleat , and out-bellow him ; thus the swearer sweares , and when he hath done , sweares that hee swore not ; thus the vncleane fornicator bribes off his sinne , and his shame , and now makes challenges to the world of his honesty . it cannot be spoken how peeuishly witty the heart of man is this way ; neither doubt i but this wilinesse is some of the poyson that the subtile serpent infected vs with in that fatall morsell : they were three cunning shifts which the scripture recordeth of three women ( as that sex hath beene euer noted for more sudden pregnancie of wit ) rachel , rahab , and the good wife of bahurim ; the first hiding the teraphim with a modest seat , the second , the spics with flaxe-stalkes , and the third dauids scouts with corne spred ouer the well ; but these are nothing to the deuices that nature hath wont to vse for the cloaking of sinne ; god made man vpright , saith salomon , but he sought many inuentions : is adam challenged for sinne ? behold all on the sudden it is passed from his hand , to gods ; the woman that thou gauest me : is saul challenged for a couetous and disobedient remissenesse ? the sinne is straight passed from the field to the altar ; i saued the fattest for a sacrifice to the lord thy god ; so the one begins his sinne in god , and the other ends it in him : is dauid bewitched with lust to abuse the wife ? the husband must bee sent home drunke , to hide it , or if not that , to his long home , in a pretended fauour of his valour : is a griping vsurer disposed to put his money together to breed a monster ? hee hath a thousand quirks to cozen both law and conscience : is a simoniacall patron disposed to make a good match of his peoples soules ? it shall be no bargaine , but a gift : hee hath a liuing to giue , but an horse to sell . and sure i thinke in this wise age of the world , vsurers and simonists striue who shall finde the wittiest way to hell : what should i speake of the secret frauds in contracts , booties in matches , subornation of instruments , hiring of oathes , feeing of officers , equiuocations of answers , and ten thousand other tricks that the heart of man hath deuised for the conueiances of sinne ; in all which it too well approues it selfe incomparably deceitfull . the false semblance of the heart is yet worse ; for the former is most-what for the smothering of euill ; this is for the iustifying of euill , or the disgrace of good ; in these two doth this act of falshood chiefly consist ; in making euill good , or good euill . for the first ; the naturall man knowes well how filthy all his brood is , and therefore will not let them come forth , but disguised with the colours and dresses of good ; so as now euery one of natures birds is a swan ; pride is handsomnesse , desperate fury , valour ; lauishnesse is noble munificence , drunkennesse ciuility , flattery complement , murderous reuenge , iustice ; the curtizan is bona foemina , the sorcerer a wise man , the oppressor a good husband ; absolom will goe pay his vowes ; herod will worship the babe . for the second ; such is the enuy of nature , that where shee sees a better face than her owne , she is ready to scratch it , or cast dirt in it ; and therefore knowing that all vertue hath a natiue beauty in it , she labours to deforme it by the foulest imputations . would the israelites be deuout ? they are idle ; doth dauid daunce for ioy before the arke ? he is a foole in a morris : doth saint paul discourse of his heauenly vision ? too much learning hath made him mad . doe the disciples miraculously speake all the tongues of babel ? they are full of new wine : doe they preach christs kingdome ? they are seditious ; the resurrection ? they are bablers . is a man conscionable ? he is an hypocrite : is he conformable ? he is vnconscionable : is he plaine dealing ? he is rudely vnciuill : is he wisely insinuatiue ? he is a flatterer : in short , such is the wicked craft of the heart , that it would let vs see nothing in it owne forme ; but faine would shew vs euill faire , that we might be inamored of it , and vertue vgly , that we might abhorre it ; and as it doth for the way , so doth it for the end ; hiding from vs the glory of heauen , that is laid vp for ouer-commers , and shewing vs nothing but the pleasant closure of wickednesse ; making vs beleeue that hell is a palace , and heauen a dungeon , that so we might be in loue with death ; and thus both in cunning conueyance , and false semblance , the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things . ye haue seene the fashion of this deceit ; cast now your eies vpon the subiect : and whom doth it then deceiue ? it doth deceiue others , it can deceiue it selfe , it would deceiue sathan , yea god himselfe . others , first : how many doe we take for honest and sound christians , who yet are but errant hypocrites ? these apes of sathan haue learned to transforme themselues into angels of light ; the heart bids the eies looke vpward to heauen , when they are full of adultery ; it bids the hands to raise vp themselues towards their maker , when they are full of bloud ; it bids the tongue wagge holily , when there is nothing in the bosome but atheous profanenesse ; it bids the knee to bow like a camel , when the heart is stiffe as an elephant ; yea if need bee it can bid a teare fall from the eie , or an almes or iust action fall from the hand , and all to gull the world with a good opinion ; in all which , false chapmen and horse-coursers doe not more ordinarily deceiue their buyers in shops and faires , than wee doe one another in our conuersation : yea , so crafty is the heart that it can deceiue it selfe ; by ouer-weening his own powers , as the proud man ; by vnder-valuing his graces , as the modest ; by mis-taking his estate , as the ignorant ; how many hearts doe thus grossely beguile themselues ? the first thinkes hee is rich , and fine , when hee is beggerly and naked ; so did the angell of laodicea : the second is poore in his owne spirit , when he is rich of gods spirit : the third thinkes that he is a great fauorite of heauen , when he is rather branded for an out-cast ; that he is truly noble , when he is a slaue to that , which is baser than the worst of gods creatures , sinne : let the proud and ignorant worldling therefore know , that though others may mocke him with applauses , yet that all the world cannot make him so much a foole as his owne heart . yea , so cunning is the heart , that it thinkes to goe beyond the deuill himselfe : i can ( thinks it ) swallow his bait , and yet auoid his hooke ; i can sinne , and liue ; i can repent of sinning , and defeat my punishment by repenting ; i can runne vpon the score , and take vp the sweet and rich commodities of sinfull pleasure ; and when i haue done , i can put my selfe vnder the protection of a sauiour , and escape the arrest : oh the world of soules that perish by this fraud , fondly beguiling themselues , whiles they would beguile the tempter . yet higher : lastly , as satan went about to deceiue the son of god ; so this foolish consort and client of his goes about to deceiue god himselfe : the first paire of hearts that euer was , were thus credulous , to thinke they should now meet with a meanes of knowledge and deifying , which god either knew not of , or grudged them , and therefore they would be stealing it out of the side of the apple , without god , yea against him : tush , none eye shall see vs ; is there knowledge in the most high , saith the sottish atheist ? lord , haue not we heard thee preach in out streets ? haue not we cast out deuils in thy name ? sayes the smoothing hypocrite ; as if he could fetch god ouer for an admission into heauen . thou hast not lied to man , but to god , saith s. peter to ananias . and pettish ionas , after hee had beene cooled in the belly of the whale , and the sea , yet will be bearing god downe in an argument to the iustifying of his idle choler , i doe well to be angry to the death . but as the greatest politicians are oft ouertaken with the grossest follies ( god owes proud wits a shame ) the heart of man could not possibly deuise how so much to be foole it selfe , as by this wicked presumption : oh yee fooles , when will ye vnderstand ? he that formed the eye , shall he not see ? hee that teacheth man knowledge , shall not he vnderstand ? the lord knoweth the thoughts of man , that they are vanitie . a rod for the backe of fooles , yea a rod of iron for such presumptuous fooles , to crush them in peeces like a potters vessell . ye haue seene the fashion and the subiect of this deceit : the sequell , or effect followes ; euery way lamentable ; for hence it comes to passe that many a one hath had his heart in keeping fortie , fiftie , threescore yeeres , and more , and yet is not acquainted with it ; and all because this craft hath kept it at the priscillianists locke , tu omnes , te nemo ; it affects to be a searcher of all men , no man is allowed to come aboard of it ; and if a man whether out of curiositie , or conscience , bee desirous to inquire into it ( as it is a shame for a man to be a stranger at home ; know ye not your owne hearts , saith the apostle ; ) it casts it selfe , proteus-like , into so many formes , that it is very hard to apprehend it . one while the man hath no heart , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) saith salomon ; then hee hath ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) an heart , and an heart , saith dauid ; and one of his hearts contradicts another ; and then how knowes he whether to beleeue ? and what certainty , what safety can it be for a man to liue vnacquainted with himselfe ? o● this vnacquaintance , secondly , arises a dangerous mes-prison of a mans selfe , in the nature and quantity of his sinne , in the quality of his repentance , in his peace and intirenesse with god , in his right to heauen , and ( in a word ) in his whole spirituall estate . of this mes-prison , thirdly , arises a fearefull disappointment of all his hopes , and a plunging into vnauoidable torments : wherein it is miserable to see , how cunningly the traiterous hearts of many men beare them in hand all their liues long ; soothing them in all their courses , promising them successe in all their waies , securing them from feare of euills , assuring them of the fauour of god , and possession of heauen ( as some fond bigot would bragge of his bull , or medall , or agnus dei ; or , as those priests that gerson * taxes , who made the people beleeue that the masse was good for the eye-sight , for the mawe , for bodily health , and preseruation ) till they come to their death-beds ; but then when they come to call forth the comforts they must trust to , they finde them like to some vnfaithfull captaine , that hath all the while in garrison filled his purse with dead paies , and made vp the number of his companies with borrowed men ; and in time of ease shewd faire ; but when hee is called forth by a sudden alarum , bewraies his shame and weaknesse , and failes his generall when he hath most need of him ; right thus doe the perfidious hearts of many , after all the glorious bragges of their security , on the bed of their last reckoning , finde nothing but a cold despaire , and a wofull horror of conscience ; and therefore too iustly may their hearts say to them , as the heart of apollodorus the tyran seemed to say vnto him ; who dreamed one night that hee was fleaed by the scythians , and boyled in a caldron ; and that his heart spake to him out of the kettle ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) it is i that haue drawne thee to all this . certainly neuer man was , or shall bee frying in hell , but cries out of his owne heart , and accuses that deceitfull peece as guilty of all his torment : for let satan be neuer so malicious , and the world neuer so parasiticall , yet if his owne heart had beene true to him , none of these could haue hurt him . let the rest of our enemies doe their worst , only from the euill of our owne hearts , good lord deliuer vs. it were now time for our thoughts to dwell a little vpon the meditation , and deploration of our owne danger and misery , who are euery way so inuironed with subtlety . if wee looke at satan , his old title is , that old serpent ; who must needs therefore now , by so long time and experience , bee both more old and more serpent . if we looke at sinne , it is as crafty as he ; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne : if at our owne hearts , we heare ( that which we may feele ) that the heart is deceitfull aboue all things . oh wretched men that we are , how are we beset with impostors on all hands ; if it were more seasonable for vs to bewaile our estate , than to seeke the redresse of it ; but since it is not so much worth our labour to know how deepe the pit is , into which wee are fallen , as how to come out of it , heare rather ( i beseech you ) for a conclusion , how wee may auoid the danger of the deceit of our false heart ; euen iust so as we would preuent the nimble feates of some cheating iugler , search him , watch him , trust him not . looke well into his hands , pockets , boxes , sleeues , yea , vnder his very tongue it selfe ; there is no fraud so secret , but may be descried ; were our hearts as crafty as the deuill himselfe , they may be found out ; we are not ignorant ( saith saint paul ) of satans deuices ; much more then may we know our owne ; were the hearts of men ( as salomon speakes of kings ) like vnto deepe waters , they haue a bottome , and may be fathomed ; were they as darke as hell it selfe , and neuer so full of windings , and blind waies , and obscure turnings , doe but take the lanthorne of gods law in your hand , and you shall easily finde all the false and foule corners of them ; as dauid saith of the sun , nothing is hid from the light thereof ; proue your selues , saith the apostle ; it is hard if falshood be so constant to it selfe that by many questions it bee not tripped : where this duty is slackened , it is no wonder if the heart bee ouer-run with spirituall fraud ; often priuy searches scarre away vagrant , and disorderly persons , where no inquiry is made , is a fit harbour for them ; if yee would not haue your hearts , therefore , become the lawlesse ordinaries of vncleane spirits , search them oft ; leaue not a straw vnshaken to finde out these labanish teraphim that are stolne , and hid within vs ; and , when wee haue searched our best , if we feare there are yet some vnknowne euills lurking within vs ( as the man after gods owne heart prayes against secret sinnes ) let vs call him in that cannot be deceiued ; and say to god with the psalmist , search thou me ô lord , and trie me ; oh let vs yeeld our selues ouer to bee ransackt by that all-seeing eye , and effectuall hand of the almighty . all our daubing , and cogging , and packing , and shuffling lies open before him , and he only can make the heart ashamed of it selfe . and when our hearts are once stript naked , & carefully searcht , let our eyes be euer fixedly bent vpon their conueyances , and inclinations ; if we search and watch not , wee may be safe for the present , long wee cannot ; for our eye is no sooner off , than the heart is busie in some practise of falshood ; it is well if it forbeare whiles wee looke on , for the thoughts of mans heart are only euill continually ; and many a heart is like some bold and cunning theefe , that lookes a man in the face , and cuts his purse : but surely , if there be any guardian of the soule , it is the eye ; the wise mans eye ( saith solomon ) is in his head ; doubtlesse , on purpose to looke into his heart : my sonne , aboue all keepings keepe thy heart , saith he ; if we doe not dogge our hearts then in all our wayes , but suffer our selues to lose the sight of them , they run wilde , and we shall not recouer them till after many slippery tricks on their parts , and much repentance on ours . alas , how little is this regarded in the world ? wherein the most take no keepe of their soules , but suffer themselues to run after the wayes of their owne hearts , without obseruation , without controlement ; what should i say of these men , but that they would faine be deceiued , and perish ? for after this loose licentiousnesse ( without the great mercy of god ) they neuer set eye more vpon their hearts , till they see them either fearfully intoyled in the present iudgements of god , or fast chained in the pit of hell , in the torments of finall condemnation . thirdly , if our searches and watches should faile vs , wee are sure our distrust cannot ; it is not possible our heart should deceiue vs , if we trust it not ; wee carry a remedy within vs of others fraud ; and why not of our owne ? the italians not vnwisely pray god ( in their knowne prouerbe ) to deliuer them from whom they trust ; for wee are obnoxious to those we relie vpon , but nothing can leese that which it had not ; distrust therefore can neuer be disappointed : if our hearts then shall promise vs ought ( as it hath learned to profer largely , of him that said , all these will i giue thee ) although with vowes & oathes , aske for his assurances ; if he cannot fetch them from the euidences of god , trust him not : if he shall report ought to vs , aske for his witnesses ; if he cannot produce them from the records of god , trust him not : if he shall aduise vs ought , aske for his warrant ; if he cannot fetch it from the oracles of god , trust him not ; and in all things so beare our selues to our heart , as those that thinke they liue amongst theeues and cozeners ; euer iealously and suspiciously ; taking nothing of their word , scarce daring to trust our owne senses ; making sure worke in all matters of their transactions . i know i speake to wise men , whose counsell is wont to be asked , and followed , in matter of the assurances of estates ; whose wisdome is frequently imployed in the triall , euiction , dooming of malefactors : alas , what shall it auaile you that you can aduise for the preuention of others fraud , if in the meane time you suffer your selues to be coz●●●d at home ? what comfort can you finde in publike seruice to the state against offenders , if you should carry a fraudulent and wicked heart in your owne bosomes ? there is one aboue whom wee may trust , whose word is more firme than heauen ; when heauen shall passe , that shall stand ; it is no trusting ought besides , any further than he giues his word for it . mans epithet is , homo mendax , and his best part , the hearts , deceitfull . alas , what shall wee thinke , or say of the condition of those men , which neuer follow any other aduice than what they take of their owne heart ? such are the most ; that make not gods law of their counsell ; as esay said of israel , abijt vagtis in viacordis sui : surely they are not more sure they haue an heart , than that they shall be deceiued with it , and betraied vnto death ; of them may i say , as salomon doth of the wanton foole , that followes an harlot ; thus with her great craft she caused him to yeeld , and with her flattering lips she intised him : and he followed her straightwayes , as an oxe that goes to the slaughter , or as a foole to the stocks for correction . oh then , deare christians , as euer yee desire to auoid that direfull slaughter-house of hell , those wailings , and gnashings , and gnawings , and euerlasting burnings , ●●●ke carefully to your owne he●rts ; and what euer suggestions they shall make vnto you , trust them not , till you haue tried them by that vnfaileable rule of righteousnesse , the royall law of your maker , which can no more deceiue you , than your hearts can free you from deceit . lastly , that wee may auoid not onely the euents , but the very enterprises of this deceit , let vs countermine the subtill workings of the heart . our sauiour hath bidden vs be wise as serpents ; what should bee wise but the heart ? and can the heart be wiser than it selfe ? 〈…〉 wisdome of the heart remedie the craft of the heart ? certainly it may . there are two men in euery regenerate brest , the old and the new ; and of these ( as they are euer plotting against each other ) wee must take the better side , and labour that the new man , by being more wise in god , may out-strip the old : and how shall that be done ? if we would dispossesse the strong man that keepes the house , our sauiour bids vs bring in a stronger than hee ; and if wee would ouer-reach the subtiltie of the old man , yea , the old serpent , bring in a wiser than hee , euen the spirit of god , the god of wisdome ; 〈◊〉 would haue achitophels wicked counsels crossed , set vp an hushai within vs : the foolishnesse of god is wiser than the wisdome of men . could wee but settle god within vs , our craftie hearts would bee out of countenance , and durst not offer to play any of their deluding tricks before him from whom nothing is hid ; and if they could bee so impudently presumptuous , yet they should be so soone controlled in their first motions , that there would bee more danger of their confusion , than of our deceit . as yee loue your selues therefore , and your owne safetie , and wo●ld bee free from the perill of this secret broaker of satan , your owne hearts , render them obediently into the hands of god ; giue him the keyes of these closets of his owne making ; beseech him that hee will vouchsafe to dwell and reigne in them ; so shall wee be sure that neither satan shall deceiue them , nor they deceiue vs ; but both wee and they shall be kept safe and inuiolable , and presented glorious to the appearance of our lord iesvs christ : to whom with the father , and the holy ghost ●e all honour and glor●● for euer and euer amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cor. . . acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal . . , . psal . . * qui publicè volunt dogmatizarescupraedicare popu●o , quod si quis audit missam in illo die non 〈◊〉 coe●us , nec moriet●r morte subitanea , nec carebit sufficienti sustetatione , &c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . esa . . . pro. . . pharisaisme and christianity compared and set forth in a sermon at pauls crosse, may . . by i.h. vpon matth. . . hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : a) pharisaisme and christianity compared and set forth in a sermon at pauls crosse, may . . by i.h. vpon matth. . . hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by melchisedech bradwood for samuel macham, and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bul-head, london : anno . i.h. = joseph hall. bound and filmed with stc . 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let not his nice sullennesse preiudice that delight and profit which may arise to others from this number . for mee , i dare not bee so enuious , as not to blesse god for this plentie , and seriously to reioice that gods people may thus liberally feast themselues by both their senses : neither know i for whether more ; the sound of the word spoken pierceth more , the letter written endureth longer ; the eare is taught more suddenly , more stirringly : the eie with leasure and continuance . according to my poore ability i haue desired to doe good both waies , not so much fearing censures , as caring to edifie . this little labour submisselie offers it selfe to your lordship , as iustlie yours : being both preached at your call , and ( as it were ) in your charge , and by one vnder the charge of your fatherly iurisdiction , who vnfainedlie desires by all meanes to shew his true heart to gods church , together with his humble thankefulnesse to your lordship ; and professeth still to continue your lordships in all humble duty and obseruance ios . hall . matth . chap. . vers . . except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the scribes and phariseis , yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen . the curious doctors of the iews had reduced all gods statute-law to sixe hundred and thirteene precepts ; so many as there are daies in the yeere , and members in the body . it was an honest & ( which were strange ) a christian conceit of one of their rabbins , that dauid abridges all these to eleuen in his psal . . esay to sixe , in his . . micha● yet lower to three , in his . . esay yet againe to two , in his . habacue to one , the iust man shal liue by faith . so yee see , the law ends in the gospell ; and that father said not a misse , the law is the gospell foretold ▪ and the gospell is the law fulfilled . these two are the free-hold of a christian ; and what but they ? the iewes of these times peruerted the law , reiected the gospell . our sauior therfore that great prophet of the world ( as it was high time ) cleares the law , deliuers and settles the gospell : well approuing in both these , that hee came not to consume , but to consummate the law. wherein ( as paul to his corinths ) he had a great dore , but many aduersaries : amongst these were the great masters of israel ( so our sauior termes the phariseis ) and their fellowes , and yet their riuals , the scribes : both so much harder to oppose , by how much their authority was greater . truth hath no roome till falshood bee remooued ; our sauior therefore ( as behoued ) first shewes the falshood of their glosses , and the hollownesse of their profession ; and if both their life and doctrine be naught ; what free part is there in them ? and loe both of these so faulty , that except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the scribes and phariseis , yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen . what were the men ? what was their righteousnes ? what wanted it ? follow mee , i beseech you , in these three , and if my discourse shall seeme for a while , more thornie and perplexed , remedie it with your attention . those things which are out of the ken of sense or memory , must bee fetch 't from story . the sect ( or order whether ) of the phariseis ceassed with the temple ; since that , no man reads of a pharisie ; and now is growne so farre out of knowledge , that the moderne iewes are more ready to learne of vs who they were : there is no point , wherein it is more difficult , to auoid variety , yea ostentation of reading ; without any curious trauersing of opinions , i study for simple truth , as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to shew you the turnings . scribes were ancient ; esra is called ( sopher mahir ) a prompt scribe . as long before him , soeuer since they continued till christs time ; but in two rankes ; some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : some popular , others legall : some the peoples , others , gods : the one secretaries , recorders , notaries , as . chron. . . ( sopher hamelec ) the kings scribe : the other doctours of the law of god : the law of the lord is with vs , in vaine made hee it , the pen of the scribe is in vaine . as the phariseis were ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) law-masters : so these are the same which luc. . . are called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) interpreters of the law. tho to some not meane critickes , it seems these should be a third sort ; which consider not , that our sauiour on purpose addressing his speech to the phariseis , fell by the way vpon the scribes , and being admonished by one of them , as of an ouer-sight , now auerres right downe of the scribes , what before he had but indifferently glanced at . what they were , is plaine by ezraes pulpit ; and moses his chaire . these and phariseis differed not much ; they agreed in some good , but in more euill . but the profession of phariseis , because it is more obscure , you shall giue mee leaue to fetch somewhat further . there were , saith old egesippus ( as eusebius cites him ) diuers opinions in the circumcision ; which all crossed the tribe of iuda : essens , galileans , emerobaptists , masbutheans , samaritans , phariseis , sadduces . it were easie to helpe him with more , sebuaeans , cannaeans , sampsaeans ; and if need were , yet more . where are those wauerers , that stagger in their trust to the church , because of different opinions , receiuing that rotten argument of profane celsus against the christians ? sayes the papists , one saith i am caluins , another , i am luthers . we disclaime , we defie these titles , these diuisions : we are one in truth : would god we were yet more one : it is the lace and fringe of christs garment , that is questioned amongst vs , the cloth is sound . but what ? was the iewish church before christ , gods true church , or not ? if it were not , which was it ? if it were : lo that heere rent in more than eight parts , and one of them differing from it selfe in eighteene opinions ; and yet as irenaeus well obserues , before christ , there were neither so many heresies , nor so blasphemous . shew me a church on earth without these wrinkles of diuision , and i will neuer seeke for it in heauen : although to some pharisaisme seemes rather a seuerall order , than a sect : but s. luke that knew it better , hath ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the sect of the phariseis . when the profession began , no history recordeth . some would faine fetch them from esay . . touch mee not , for i am holier than thou . but these straine too farre ; for in the verse before , the same men eat swines-flesh ; which to the phariseis is more then piacular . heare briefly , their name , their originall , their office . their name ( tho it might admit of other probable deriuations , yet ) by consent of all hebrew doctors ( i haue a great author for it ) is fetch 't from separation ; tho vpon what grounds , all agree not ; doubtlesse for the perfection of their doctrin , and austeritie of life . their originall is more intricate ; which after some scanning , i haue thus learned of some great masters of iewish antiquities . before there was any open breach in the old iewish church ; there were two generall , and diuers conceits about gods seruice : one , that tooke vp only with the law of god ; and if they could keepe that , thought they needed no more ; neither would they sapere supra scriptum ; be wiser then their maker ; these were called ( karraim ) of which sort there are diuers at this day in constantinople , and other where , at deadly feode with the other iewes , which they now call rabbinistes . the other , that thought it small thanks to doe only what they were bidden ; gods law was too strait for their holinesse : it was nothing , vnlesse they did more then content god , earne him ( for these were popish iewes ) and supererogate of him . these were therefore called ( chasidim ) holy : aboue the law : they plied god with vnbidden oblations , gaue more then needed , did more then was commanded : yet so , as both parts pleased themselues , resisted not the other : the more franke sort vpbraided not the other , with too much niggardlinesse ; neither did the straiter-handed enuie the other for too much lauishnesse . would god we could doe thus ; they agreed tho they differ'd : but now , when these voluntary seruices began to be drawne into canons , ( as scaliger speaketh ) and that which was before but arbitrary , was imposed as necessarie , ( necessary for beleefe , necessary for action ) questions arose , and the rent began in the iews : those dogmaticall doctors which stond for supererogation , and traditions aboue law , were called ( peruschim ) phariseis ; separate from the other in strict iudgement , in superfluous holinesse : these as they were the broode of those ( chasidim ) whom we finde first mentioned in the machabees by the corrupt name of asideans ; so from them againe , in a second succession proceeded ( as their more refined issue ) the essens , both collegiate and eremiticall : these phariseis then , were a fraternitie or colledge of extraordinarie deuotion ; whose rule was tradition , whose practise voluntarie austerenesse : to them the scribes ioyned themselues , as the purer iewes , for paul cals them [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] the most exquisite sect ; yea , and ( as iosephus ) the best expositors ; willingly expounding the law according to their traditions : and countenancing their traditions by the forced senses of the law. both which professions were greatly inlarged and graced , by two famous doctours sammai and hillel ( whom some , though falslie , would haue the founders of them ) not long before christs time ; for old hillel of . yeares , protracted his daies by likely computation , to ten yeares after christs birth . how hierome fetcheth their names with more wittinesse , than probabilitie , from dissipating & profaning the law ; and what bickerings and deadly quarrels were euen amongst themselues in those two famous houses ; & what were the foure expositions of the law which they followed , i list not now to discourse . their imploiment was expounding the law and vrging traditions ; therefore their auditors had wont to say , when they called one another to church ( as s. hierome tels vs ) [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] the wise , that is , the phariseis , expound to day . whence perhaps , that may bee interpreted of s. paul to the corinths , where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? so did the scribes too ; but the difference was , that the scribes were more textuall ; the phariseis more traditionall : therefore obserue , that the scribe findes fault with the suspicion of blasphemie ; the pharise with vnwashen hands : the scribes ( their doctours ) exceld for learning , the phariseis for piety . their attire was the same , and their fashions , but the phariseis had [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] more sway ; and were more strict & cappucine-like ; professed more yeeres continencie ; and in a word , tooke more pains to go to hell . these did so carie away the hearts of the iewes , that there was no holy man , which was not termed a pharise ; and therefore among the seuen kinds of phariseis in their talmud , they make abraham a pharisei of loue ; iob a pharise of feare . and if from the men you cast your eies vpon their righteousnesse , you cannot but wonder at the curiosity of their zeale . wherein looke ( i beseech you ) first at their deuotion , then their holy carriage , lastly their strict obseruation of the law. such was their deuotion that they praied [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] as a father saith : oft and long , thrice a day was ordinarie : at nine , twelue , and three a clocke : yea their progenitors ( whom they would scorne not to match ) diuided the day into three parts : whereof one was bestowed on praier , the next on the law , the third on their worke : see heere : god had . parts of . thēselus but one : besides at their meals what strictnes ? their verie disciples were taught ( to shame vs christians ) if they had forgotten to giue thanks , to return from the field to the boord to say grace . for diuine seruice ; the decalogue must bee read once a day of euery mā ; the scribes say the first watch , the phariseis , any houre of the night : others , twice ; without mouing eie , hand , foot ; in a cleane place , free from any excrement , & foure cubits distant from any sepulcher . for-fasting , they did it twice a weeke ; not popishlie ( which wickleffe iustlie calles foole-fasting ) but in earnest ; on munday & thursday . besides ( to omit their alms , which were euery way proportionable to the rest ) what miserable penance did they wilfullie ? they beat their heads against the wals , as they went , till blood came : whence one of their seuen phariseis is called ( kizai ) a pharise drawblood : they put thornes in their skirts , to sting themselues ; they lay on planks , on stones , on thornes : and banus that heremiticall pharise drencht himselfe oft , night and day in cold water [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] for chastity ; or ( if you read it without an aspiration ) it signifies for follie rather : what could that apish and stigmaticall friar haue done either more or worse ● . this was their deuotion . the holinesse of their carriage was such , that they auoided euery thing that might carrie any doubt of pollution ; they would not therefore conuerse with any different religion ; and this law went currant amongst them : he that eats a samaritans bread , be as hee that eats swines-flesh : an hebrew midwife might not help a gentile ; not books , not wax , not incense might bee sold to them . yea no familiaritie might bee suffered with their owne vulgar . for whereas there were three rankes among the iewes ; the wise , ( those were the phariseis ) their disciples , and the ( populus terrae ) as they called them , this was one of the six reproches to a nouice of the phariseis , to eat with the vulgar sort : and lest ( when they had beene abroad ) they should haue been toucht by any , contrarie to the warning of their phylacteries , they scoure themselues at their return ; and eat not vnlesse they haue washt [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] that is , accurately , as the syriac ; oft , as erasmus ; or with the grip't fist , as beza following hierome . and not with euery water ( marke the nicenesse ) but with that onely which they had drawen vp with their owne labour : and to make vp the measure of their pretended sanctimonie , they vowed continencie , not perpetuall ( as our romanists vrge ) but for eight or ten yeers . thus they did vnbidden ; how strictly did they perform what was enioined ? no men so exact in their tithes . i pay tithes of all , saith the boasting pharise : of all ( as a great doctour noteth ) it was more than hee needed : god would haue a sabbath kept ; they ouer-keep it . they would not on that day stop a running vessell , not lay an apple to the fire , not quench a burning , not knocke on a table to still a child ; what should i note more ? not rub or scratch in publike . god commands them to weare ( totaphoth ) phylacteries : they doe ( which our sauiour reprooues ) [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] enlarge them : and these must bee written with right lines in a whole parchment of the hide of a cleane beast ▪ god commands to celebrate and rost the passeouer , they will haue it done ( in an excesse of care ) not with an iron but a woodden spit , and curiouslie choose the woode of pomegranate : god commanded to auoid idolatrie ; they taught their disciples , if an image were in the way , to fetch about some other ; if they must needs go that way to runne : and if a thorne should light in their foot ( neer the place ) not to kneele , but sit downe to pull it out , lest they should seeme to giue it reuerence . i weary you with these iewish niceties . consider then how deuout , how liberal , how continent , how true-dealing , how zealous , how scrupulous , how austere these men were , and see if it be not a woonder , that our sauior thus brandeth them ; except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnes of the scribes and phariseis , ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen : that is , if your doctrine bee not more righteous , you shall not be entred of the church : if your holinesse be not more perfect , you shal not enter into heauen : behold , gods kingdome below and aboue is shut vpon them . the poore iews were so besotted with the admiration of these two , that they would haue thought if but two men must goe to heauen , the one should be a scribe , the other a pharise . what strange news was this from hm that kept the keies of dauid , that neither of them should come there ? it was not the person of these men , not their learning , not wit , not eloquence , not honour they admired so much , but their righteousnesse : and lo nothing but their righteousnesse is censured ▪ heerein they seemed to exceed all men : heerein al that would be saued must exceed them . doe but thinke how the amazed multitude stared vpon our sauiour , when they heard this paradox . exceed the phariseis in righteousnesse ? it were much for an angell from heauen . what shal the poor sons of the earth doe if these woorthies be turned away with a repulse ? yea perhaps , your selues al that heare me this day , receiue this not without astonishment and feare , whiles your consciences secretly comparing your holines with theirs , find it to come as much short of theirs , as theirs of perfection . and would to god you could feare more , & bee more amazed with this comparison ; for ( to set you forward ) must we exceed them or else not bee saued ? if wee let them exceed vs , what hope , what possibility is there of our saluation ? ere wee therefore shew how farre wee must goe before them , looke backe with me ( i beseech you ) a little , and see how farre wee are behind them . they taught diligently , and kept moses his chaire warme : how many are there of vs , whom the great master of the vineyard may finde loytering in this publike market-place , and shake vs by the shoulder with a quid statis otiosi ? vvhy stand you heere idle ? they compast sea and land ( satans walke ) to make a proselyte : vve sit still and freeze in our zeale , and lose proselytes vvith our dul and vvilfull neglect . they spent one quarter of the day in praier : how many are there of vs that would not think this an vnreasonable seruice of god : we are so farre from this extreme deuotion of the old euchitae , that we are rather worthy of a censure with those spanish priests for our negligence : how many of you citizens can get leaue of mammon to bestow one houre of the day in a set course vpon god ? how many of you lawyers , are first clients to god , ere you admit others , clients to you : how many of you haue your thoughts fixed in heauen , ere they bee in westminster ? alas , what dulnesse is this ? what iniustice ; all thy houres are his , and thou wilt not lend him one of his owne for thine owne good . they read , they recited the law , ( some ) twice a day ; neuer went without some parts of it about them ; but to what effect ? there is not one of our people ( saith iosephus ) but answers to any question of the law as readily as his own name ; how shall their diligence vpbraid yea condemne vs 〈◊〉 alas how doe our bibles gather dust for want of vse , while our chronicle , or our statute-booke , yea perhaps our idle and s●●rrilous play-bookes are worne with turning . oh how happy were our fore-fathers , ( whose memory is blessed for euer ) if they could with much cost and more danger get but one of pauls epistles in their bosomes ; how did they hugge it in their armes , hide it in their chest , yea in their heart ! how did they eat , walke , sleepe , with that sweet companion , & in spight of all persecutiō neuer thought themselues wel , but when they conuersed with it in secret ! lo now these shops are all open we buie them not ; these books are open wee read them not , and wee will bee ignorant because we will. the sun shines and we shut our windowes . it is enough for the miserable popish laity to be thus darke , that liue in the perpetual night of inquisition ; shall this be the onely difference betwixt them and vs ; that they would read these holy leaues , and may not , we may and will not ? there is no ignorance to the wilfull . i stand not vpon a formall and verball knowledge , that was neuer more frequent , more flourishing . but if the maine grounds of christianitie were thorowly setled in the hearts of the multitude , wee should not haue so much cause of shame and sorrow , nor our aduersaries of triumph and insultation : shew lesse therfore for gods sake , and learne more ; & ballace your wauering harts with the sound truth of godlinesse , that you may flie steddilie thorow all the tempests of errors : make gods law of your learned counsell with dauid , and be happie . else if you will needs loue darknesse , you shall haue enough of it : you haue heere inward darkenesse , there outward ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) this is your owne darknesse , that his of whom the psalmist ; he sent darknesse and it was darke : darke indeed : a thicke and terrible darknesse , ioined with weeping and gnashing . i vrge not their awfull reuerence in their deuotion , our sleepie or wilde carelesnesse ; their austere and rough discipline of the body , our wanton pampering of the flesh ; tho who can abide to thinke of a chaste pharise and a filithy christian : a temperate pharise , and a drunken christian ? how shamefully is this latter vice ( especiallie ) growne vpon vs with time ? we knew it once in our ordinarie speech appropriated to beggars , now gallants fight for it . this beastlinesse had wont be bashfull , now it is impudent ; once children were wont to shout at a drunkard ( as some soule wonder ) now not to bee drunke is quarrell enough among men , among friends : those knees that wee were woont to bow to the god of heauen , are now bent to bacchus in a paganish , bestiall , diuellish deuotion . to leaue the title of christians , for shame let vs be either men or beasts . my speech hastens to their holy and wise strictnesse of carriage ; wherin i can neuer complaine enough of our inequalitie : they hated the presence , the fire , the fashion , the bookes of a gentile , of a samaritane ; neither was there any hatred lost on the samaritans part ; for if he had but toucht a iew , hee would haue throwne himselfe into the water clothes and all : both of them equally sicke of a noli me tangere : touch me not , for i am holier . esay . our romish samaritanes haunt our tables , our closets , our eares ; we frowne not , wee dislike not : we match , conuerse , conferre , consult with them carelesly , as if it were come to the old stay of that indifferent appelles in eusebius ; sat est credere in crucifixum : but that which i most lament , and yee , fathers and brethren , if my voice may reach to any whom it concerneth , in the bowels of christ let me boldly ( tho most vnworthy ) mooue your wisdomes , your care to redresse it . our yong students ( the hope of posteritie ) newly crept out of the shell of philosophie , spend their first houres in the great doctours of popish controuersies ; bellarmine is next to aristotle : yea our very vngrounded artizans , yong gentlemen , fraile women , buie , read , trauerse promiscuously the dāgerous writings of our subtilest iesuites . what is the issue ? many of them haue taken poison , ere they know what milke is ▪ & when they haue once tasted this bane , they must drink and die . oh what pity , what vexation is it to a true heart , to see us thus ●ob'd of our hopes ; them of their soules ! i haue heard , yea i haue seene and enuied the cautelous seuerity of our aduersaries , vvhich vpon tho deepest paines forbid the sale , yea the sight of those authours , which they terme infectious ; vvhere vvas euer caluin publikely bought in one of their church-yards ? where euer read vvithout licence , vvithout securitie ? i censure not this as the peculiar fault of this place ; vvould god this open remisnesse vvere not a common euill , and had not spred it selfe vvide thorow all those churches that are gone out of babylon . let no man tel me of the distinction of that old canonist : something 's ( saith he ) we read , lest they should bee neglected , as the bible ; some lest they should bee vnknowen , as arts and philosophie ; some that they may bee reiected , as hereticall bookes . t●ue ▪ but let them read that can 〈◊〉 , that can confute ; wee distrust not our cause , but their weake iudgements . a good apothecarie 〈◊〉 make a good medicine of a strong poison ; must children therefore bee allowed that box ? i knovv hovv vnvvorthie i am to aduise ; only i throvv dovvne my selfe at your feet and beseech you ; that our losses and their examples may make vs no lesse vvise in our generation . i follovv the comparison ; they paid tithes of all they had , not a potherbe , but they tithed it . heare this ye sacrilegious patrons , the merchants of soules , the pyrats of the church , the enemies of religion ; they tithed all , you nothing ; they paid to their leuites , your leuites must pay to you : your cures must bee purchased , your tithes abated or compounded for : o the shame of religion ! how too iustlie may i vsurpe of you that of seneca : pettie sacriledges are punished , while great ones ride in triumph ? neuer excuse it with pretence of ceremonie ; moses neuer gaue so strict a charge for this as paul ; [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] communicate all thy goods with thy teacher ; all , with an emphasis . welfare yet the honest phariseis , whose rule was : ( decima vt diues fias ) tithe and be rich : if euer thou be the fatter for this grauell , or the richer with that thou stealest from god , let me come to begge at thy doore . woe to you spirituall robbers . our blinde forefathers clothed the church , you despoile it : their ignorant deuotion shall rise in iudgement against your rauening couetousnesse . if robberie , simony , periury will not carrie you to hell : hope stil that you may be saued . they gaue plentifull alms to the poore we in stead of filling their bellies , grinde their faces . what excellent lawes had wee lately enacted that there should bee no begger in israel ? let our streets , waies , hedges witnesse the execution . thy liberality relieues some poore . it is well . but hath not thy oppression made more ? thy vsurie , extorting , racking , inclosing , hath wounded whole villages , and now thou befriendest two or three with the plaisters of thy bountie . the mercies of the wicked are cruell . they were precise in their sabbath , we so loose in ours , as if god had no day : see whether our tauernes , streetes , hy-waies descry anie great difference . these things i vowed in my selfe to reproue ; if too bitterly , ( as you thinke ) pardon ( i beseech you ) this holie impatience : and blame the foulenesse of these vices , not my iust vehemencie . and you ( christian hearers ) than which no name can be dearer be perswaded to ransack your secure hearts ; and if there bee any of you whose awaked conscience strikes him for these sins , and places him below these iews in this vnrighteousnesse , if you wish or care to bee saued , thinke it hie time , as you would euer hope for entrance into gods kingdome , to strike your selues on the thigh , and with amazement and indignation to say , what haue i done ? to abandon your wicked courses ; to resolue , to vow , to striue vnto a christian and conscionable reformation . paul a pharise was according to the righteousnesse of the law vnreprooueable yet if paul had not gone from gamaliels feet , to christs , he had neuer been saued : vnreprooueable and yet reiected ▪ alas , my brethren , what shall become of our gluttony , drunkennesse , pride , oppression , bribing , cosenages , adulteries , blasphemies , and our selues for them ? god and men reprooue vs for these : what shall become of vs ? if the ciuillie righteous shall not bee saued , where shall the notorious sinner appeare ? a christian below a iew ? for shame , where are we ? where is our emulation ? heauen is our gole , we all run ▪ loe the scribes and phariseis are before thee ; what safety cā it be to come short of those that come short of heauen ? except your righteousnes , &c. you haue seene these scribes and phariseis ; their righteousnesse and our vnrighteousnesse . see now with like patience , their vnrighteousnesse that was , and our righteousnesse that must bee , wherein they failed , and wee must exceed . they failed then in their traditions and practise . may i say they failed , when they exceeded ? their traditions exceeded in number and prosecution , faultie in matter . to run well , but out of the way ( according to the greeke prouerbe ) is not better than to stand still . fire is an excellent thing , but if it be in the top of the chimney , it doth mischiefe rather . it is good to be zealous in spight of all scoffes , but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in a good thing . if they had beene as hot for god , as they were for themselues , it had beene happie : but now in vaine they worship mee ( saith our sauiour ) teaching for doctrines the traditions of men . hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongst their iewish followers : there is more in the words of the wise , than in the wordes of the law : more ; that is , more matter , more authority : and from this principally arises and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their ( karraim ) and ( minim ) vnto this day . a great iesuite ( at lest that thinks himselfe so ) writes thus in great earnest : the phariseis ( saith he ) may not vnfitly bee compared to our catholikes . some mē speak truth ignorantly , some vnwillinglie ; caiphas neuer spake truer , when hee meant it not : one egge is not liker to another , than the tridentine fathers to these phariseis in this point , besides that of free-will , merit , full performance of the law , which they absolutely receiued from them : for marke ; vvith the same reuerence & deuotion do we receiue and respect traditions , that we do the bookes of the old and new testament , say those fathers in their fourth session : heare both of these speake and see neither , if thou canst discerne whether is the pharise , refuse me in a greater truth . not that we did euer say with that arrian in hilary : vve debar all words that are not written ▪ or would thinke fit with those phanatical anabaptists of munster , that all bookes should be burnt besides the bible : some traditions must haue place in euery church ; but their place : they may not take wall of scripture : substance may not in our valuation giue way to circumstance . god forbid . if any man expect that my speech on this opportunitie should descend to the discourse of our contradicted ceremonies , let him know that i had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it . god knowes how willingly i would spend my selfe into perswasions if those would auaile any thing : but i well see that teares are fitter for this theme than words . the name of our mother is sacred and her peace pretious . as it was a true speech cited from that father by bellarmine : the warre of heretikes is the peace of the church : so would god our experience did not inuert it vpon vs ▪ the warre of the church is the peace of heretikes . our discord is their musicke ; our ruine their glory : oh what a fight is this , brethren striue while the enemie stands still , and laughs and triumphs . if wee desired the griefe of our common mother , the languishing of the gospell , the extirpation of religion , the losse of posterity , the aduantage of our aduersaries , which way could these bee better effected than by our dissensions . that spanish prophet in our age ( for so i finde him stiled ) when king philip asked him how he might become master of the low-countries , answered ; if he could diuide them from themselues . according to that old machiauellian principle of our iesuites , diuide and rule . and indeed it is concord only ( as the posie or mot of the vnited states runnes ) which hath vpheld them in a rich and flourishing estate against so great and potent enemies . our aduersaries already bragge of their victories ; and what good heart can but bleed to see what they haue gained since wee dissented , to foresee what they will gaine ? they are our mutuall spoiles that haue made them proud and rich . if you euer therfore look to see the good daies of the gospell , the vnhorsing and confusion of that strumpet of rome , for gods sake , for the churches sake , for our owne soules sake , let vs all compose our selues to peace and loue : oh pray for the peace of ierusalem ; that peace may be within her walles , and prosperitie within her palaces . for the matter of their traditions our sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars ; about washings , oaths , offerings , retribution : whereof he hath said enough whē he hath termed their doctrine , the leauen of the phariseis , that is , sowre and swelling . s. hierome reduces them to two heads : they were turpia , anilia ; some so shamefull that they might not be spoken ; others idle & dotish ; both so numerous that they cannot be reckned . take a taste for all ; and to omit their reall traditions , heare some of their interpretatiue . the law was , that no leper might come into the temple ; their tradition was , that if he were let downe thorow the roofe , this were no irregularity . the law was , a man might not carry a burden on the sabbath ; their traditional glosse ; if he carried ought on one shoulder it was a burden ; if on both , none . if shooes alone , no burden ; if with nails , not tolerable . their stint of a sabbaths iourney was a thousand cubites ; their glosse was , that this is to bee vnderstood without the wals , but if a man should walke all day thorow a city as bigge as nineuie , he offends not . the church of rome shall vie strange glossems and ceremonious obseruations with them , whether for number or for ridiculousnesse . the day would faile mee if i should either epitomize the volume of their holy rites , or gather vp those which it hath omitted . the new elected pope in his solemne lateran procession must take copper money out of his chamberlaines lap , and scatter it among the people , and say ; gold and siluer haue i none . seuen yeares penance is inioined to a deadly sin ; because miriam was separated seuen daies for her leprosie ; and god saies to ezekiel , i haue giuen thee a day for a yeere . christ said to peter , lanch foorth into the deepe : therefore hee meant that peters successour should catch the great fish of constantines donation . but i fauour your eares . that one i may not omit , how s. hierome , whom they fondly terme their cardinall , compares some popish fashions of his time with the pharisaicall ; who when hee had spoken of their purple fringes in the foure corners of their ( tallin ) and the thornes which these rabbins tie in their skirts , for penance , and admonition of their duty : hoc apud nos ( saith hee ) superstitiosae mulierculae in paruulis euangelijs , in crucis ligno & istiusmodi rebus factitant : that is , thus superstitious old wiues doe amongst vs with little gospels of iohn , with the wood of the crosse , and the like . thus that father directly taxeth this romish vse , who if he were now aliue , and should heare their church groning vnder the number of ceremonies more then the iewish , would ( besides holy austens complaint ) redouble that censure of our sauiour , wo to you scribes , phariseis , hypocrites , for ye binde heauy burthens , and greeuous to bee borne , and lay them on mens shoulders . i forbeare to speake of the erroneous opinions of these iewish masters concerning that pythagorean transanimatiō or passage of the soule from one body to another ( a point which the iewes had learned from them : mat. . . ) concerning the not-rising vp of the wicked astronomicall destiny , free-will , merit of works , perfection of obedience ; in euery of which it were easie to lose my selfe and my speech . i haste to their maine vnrighteousnesse ; which was not so much the planting of these stocks , which god neuer set , as the graffing of all holinesse and gods seruice vpon them ; a fashionable obseruation of the outward letter , with neglect of the true substance of the law ; a vaine-glorious ostentation of piety and perfection ; and more care to be thought thā to be good ; a greater desire to be great , thā good ; cruelty and oppression coloured with deuotion . my speech now towards the closure shal draw it selfe vp within these two lists ; of their hypocrisie , their vvorldlines : hypocrisie in fashionablenesse and ostentation ; worldlinesse in couetousnesse , ambition . onely stirre vp your selues a while and suffer not your christian attention to faile in this last act . some of their rabbins say well , that god requires two things concerning his law , custody and worke. custody in the heart ; worke in the execution ; these vnsound and ouerly phariseis did neither . it was enough if they kept the law in their hands ; so they had a formall shew of godlinesse it was enough : if the outside of the platter were cleane they cared for no more . god had charged them to bind the law to their hand , and before their eies , deut. . wherein , as ierome and theophylact well interpret it , he meant the meditation and practise of his law : they , like vnto the foolish patient , which when the physitian bids him take that prescript , eats vp the paper ; if they could get but a list of parchment vpon their left arme next their heart , and another scroll to tie vpon their fore-head , and foure corners of fringe , or ( if these bee denied ) ●●●ved threed in their hand , thought they might ▪ say with saul , blessed be thou of the lord , i haue done the commandement of the lord. that opus operatum of the papists ( for i still parallele them ) is not more false latin than false diuinity ▪ it is not the out-side of thy obedience that god cares for , it neuer so holy , neuer so glorious ; it is enough that men are cosened with these flourishes : the heart and the reines are those that god lookes after what cares a good market-man how good the fleece be , when the liuer is rotten . god doth not regard fashion so much as stuffe . thou deceiuest thy selfe if thou think those shewes that blear'd the eies of the world , can deceiue him . god shal smite thee thou whited wall , god shall smite thee . doest thou thinke hee sees not how smoothly thou hast daubed on thine whorish complexion ? hee sees thee a farre off , and hates thee while thy parasites applaud thy beauty . i speake not of this carrion-flesh which thou wantonlie infectest with the false colours of thy pride , which god shall once wash off with riuers of brimstone . i speake of thy painted soule , and thy counterfet obedience . giue me leaue , ( yea let mee take it ) to complaine that wee are fallen into a cold and hollow age wherein the religion of manie is but fashion , and their pietie gilded superstition ; men care onely to seeme christians ; if they can get gods liuery on their backes , and his name in their mouthes , they out-face all reproofes . how many are there which if they can keepe their church , giue an almes , bow their knee , say their praiers , pay their tithes , and once a yeere receiue the sacrament ( it matters not how corrupt hearts , how filthie tongues , how false hands they beare ) can say in their hearts with esau , i haue enough my brother ? as if god cared for this thy vaine formalitie ; as if hee hated thee not so much more than a pagan , by how much thou wouldest seeme more good . bee not deceiued ; if long deuotions , sad lookes , hard penances , bountifull almes would haue carried it ( without the solid substance of godlinesse ) these scribes and phariseis had neuer beene shut out of heauen . consider this therefore ( deare brethren ) none but your owne eies can looke into your hearts : we see your faces , the world sees your liues , your selues see your soules : if your liues be not holie , your hearts sound , tho your faces were like angels , you shall haue your portion with diuels . tell not me thou hearest , praiest , talkest , beleeuest : how liuest thou ? what doest thou ? shew mee thy faith by thy workes , saith iames. it was an excellent answer that good moses gaue to lucius in the church-story : the faith that is seene is better than the faith that is heard ; and that of luther not inferiour , that faith doth pinguescere operibus ? grow fat and well liking with good workes : it is a leane starued carkase of faith thou pretendest without these . if profession be all , the scribes and phariseis are before thee ; ransacke thy heart , and finde sound affection to god , firme resolutions to goodnesse , true hatred of sin ; ransacke thy life , and finde the truth of workes , the life of obedience ; then alone thy righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the scribes and phariseis , and thou shalt enter into heauen . their ostentation followes ; wherein it is strange to consider , how those that cared not to be good should desire yet to seeme good : so did these phariseis : they would not fast without a smeared face ; not giue an alms without a trumpet ; not pray without witnesses , scribes , phariseis , hypocrites , they did act a religious part , but play deuotion . they were nothing beside the stage : all for sight , nothing for substance . would god this vice of hypocrisy had either died with them , or had only hereditarily descended to their successours : satan will not let vs be thus happie . i see no mans heart , but i dare boldly say the world is full of hypocrisie . by their fruits you shall know them ( saith our sauiour : ) by their fruits ; not by the blossomes of good purposes , nor the leaues of good profession , but by the fruits of their actions . not to speake , how our mint and ●ummin hath incroched vpon iudgement and iustice . search your selues ( ye citizens : ) now , you draw neere to god with your lips , with your eares , where is your heart ? heere your deuour attention seemes to crie , the lord is god : how many are there of you , that haue any god at home ? how many that haue a false god ? god at church : mammon in your shops ? i speake not of all ; god forbid . this famous city hath in the darkest , in the wantonest times , affoorded ( and so doth ) many , that haue done god honour , honesty to the gospell : but how many are there of you that vnder smooth faces haue foule consciences ? faire words , false measures , forsworne valuations , adulterate wares , griping vsuries haue fild many of your coffers , and festered your soules : you know this , & yet like salomons curtizan you wipe your mouths , and it was not you : your alms are written in church-windowes , your defraudings in the sand ; all is good saue that which appeares not ; how many are there euery where , that shame religion by professing it ? whose beastly life makes gods truth suspected ; for as , howsoeuer the samaritan , not the iew , releeued the distressed traueller , yet the iews religion was true , not the samaritans ; so in others , truth of causes must not bee iudged by acts of persons ; yet , as hee said , it must needes bee good that nero persecutes ; so who is not ready to say ; it cannot bee good that such a mis-creant professes ? woe to thee hypocrite ; thou canst not touch , not name goodnesse , but thou defilest it ; god will plague thee for acting so hie a part : see what thou art , and hate thy selfe ; or ( if not that ) yet see how god hates thee ; hee that made the heart , saies thou art no better than an handsome tombe ; the house of death . behold heere a green turfe or smooth marble , or ingrauen brasse , and a commending epitaph ; all sightly : but what is within ? an vnsauorie , rotten carcase . tho thou wert wrapt in gold and perfumed with neuer so loud praiers , holy semblances , honest protestations ; yet thou art but noisome carrion to god : of all earthly things god cannot abide thee ; and if thou wouldest see how much lower yet his detestation reacheth , know that when hee would describe the torments of hell , hee cals them ( as their worst title ) but the portion of hypocrites . wherfore clense your hands yee sinners , and purge your hearts yee double-minded : for vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the hypocriticall righteousnes of the scribes and phariseis , ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen . my speech must end in their couetousnesse and ambition : a paire of hainous vices i ioine them together : for they are not only brethren , but twins ; yet so as the elder heere also serues the yonger . it is ambition that blowes the fire of couetousnesse . oppression gets wealth ; that wealth may procure honour . why doe men labour to be rich , but that they may be great ? their couetousnesse was such , that their throte ( an open sepulchre ) swallowed vp whole houses of widowes . whence their goods are called by our sauiour ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : as if they were already in their bowels : and which was worst of all , while their lips seemed to pray , they were but chewing of that morsell . their ambition such , that they womanishly brawled and shouldred for the best seat ; the highest piew : a title , a wall , a chaire , a cap , a knee , these were goodly cares for them that professed grauitie , humilitie , mortification . let me boldly say , ierusalem neuer yeelded so verie phariseis as rome . these old disciples of sammai and hillel were not phariseis in comparison of our iesuits . from iudgement ( you see ) i am descended to practise , wherein it no lesse easily made good that these are more kindely phariseis , than the ancient . a poore widowes cottage fild the panch of an old pharise ; how many faire patrimonies of deuout yong gentlemen * druryed by them ( pardon the word , it is their own ; the thing i know and can witnesse ) haue gone down the throte of these loyolists , let their owne quodlibet & catechisme report . what speak i of secular inheritances ? these eies haue seene no meane houses of deuotion and charity swallowed vp by them . as for their ambitious insinuations , not only all their own religious enuiously crie downe , but the whole world sees and rings of . what oare of state can stir without their rowing ? what kingdome either stands or fals without their intermedling ? what noble family complains not of their proling and stealth ? and all this with a face of sad piety and sterne mortification . yea what other is their great master but the king of phariseis ? who vnder a pretence of simple piety , challenges without shame to haue deuoured the whole christian world , the naturall inheritances of secular princes , by the foisted name of peters patrimonie , and now in most infamous and shamelesse ambition calles great emperours to his stirrup , yea to his foot-stoole . but what wander wee so farre from home ? vae nobis miseris ( saith s. hierome ) ad quos pharisaeorum vitia tranfierunt ; ( vvo to vs wretched men to whom the phariseis vices are deriued . ) the great doctor of the gentiles long ago said , all seeke their owne , and not the things of god ; and is the world mended with age ? would god wee did not find it a sure rule ; that ( as it is in this little world ) the older it growes , the more diseased , the more couetous : we are all too much the true sons of our great grandmother ; and haue each of vs an eues sweet tooth in our heads , we would be more than we are ; and euery man would be either ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ) either the man , or some-body . if a number of your consciences were rip 't , o ye that would be christian gentlemen , lawyers , citizens , what doe wee thinke would be found in your maws ? heere the deuoured patrimonie of poore orphans ; there the cōmons of whole townships : heere the impropriate goods of the church ; there piles of vsurie : heere bribes , and vnlawfull fees ; there the raw and indigested gobbets of simonie : yea would god i might not say , but i must say it with feare , with sorrow , euen of our sacred and diuine profession , that which our sauior of his twelue , yee are cleane , but not all . the multitude of our vnregarded charges , and souls dying and starued , for want of spiritual prouision , ( while they giue vs bodily ) would condemne my silence for too partiall . in all conditions of men ( for particulars are subiect to enuie & exception ) the daughters of the horse-leech had neuer such a fruitfull generation : they crie still , giue , giue : not giue alone , that is , the bread of sufficiencie , but giue , giue ; that is , more than enough . but what is more than enough ? what is but enough ? what is not too little for the insatiable gulfe of humane desires ? euery man wold ingrosse the whole world to himselfe , and with that ambitious conqueror feares it will be too little : and how few agurs are there , that pray against too much ? from hence it is , that yee courtiers grate vpon poore trades with hard monopolies . hence ye merchants lode them with deep and vnreasonable prices , and make thē pay deare for daies . hence ye great men wring the poore sponges of the commonaltie into your priuate purses ; for the maintenance of pride and excesse . hence ye cormorant corne-mongers hatch vp a dearth in the time of plenty . god sends graine , but many times the diuell sends garners . the earth hath beene no niggard in yeelding : but you haue beene lauish in transporting , and close in concealing . neuer talke of our extreame frosts : we see gods hand , and kisse the rod ; but if your hearts , your charity were not more frozen than euer the earth was , meane house-keepers should not need to beg , nor the meanest to starue for wāt of bread . hence lastly , our loud oppressions of all sorts cry to heauen , and are answered with threats , yea with variety of vengeances . take this with thee yet , o thou worldling , which hast the greedy-worm vnder thy tong with esaies dogs , and neuer hast enough . thou shalt meet with two things as vnsatiable as thy selfe ; the graue and hell ; and thou , whom all the world could not satisfie , there be two things wherof thou shalt haue enough : enough mold in the graue , enough fire in hell . i loue not to end with a iudgement ; and as it were to let my sun set in a cloud . we are all christians , wee should know the world , what it is , how vaine , how transitory , how worthlesse . wee know where there are better things , which wee professe our selues made for , and aspiring to : let vs vse the world like it selfe , and leaue this importunate wooing of it to heathens and infidels , that knew no other heauen , no other god ; or if you like that counsell better ; bee couetous : be ambitious . couet spirituall gifts . . cor. . . neuer thinke you haue grace enough ; desire more , seeke for more : this alone is worth your affections , worth your cares : be still poore in this , that you may bee rich ; be rich that you may be ful ; be ful that you may be glorious . be ambitious , of fauour , of honour , of a kingdome ; of gods fauour , of the honour of saints , of the kingdome of glory . whither , hee that hath bought it for vs , and redeemed vs to it , in his good time , safely and happily bring vs. to that blessed sauiour of ours , together with the father , and his good spirit : the god of all the world , our father , redeemer , and comforter , be giuen all praise , honour and glorie now and for euer . amen . the passion-sermon , preached at pavles-crosse , on good-friday . apr. . . by i. h. at london printed by h. i. for eleanor edgar , and samuell macham : and are to bee solde at the shops in paules-churchyard . anno . errata . page . li : . christian read christians page . li : . life read light page . li : . in agonie read in agone . latine . page . li : . suffer , so long read suffer : so long p : . l : . forbeareth to be short read forbeareth : to be sho●● page li : my men . read by men . to the only honovr and glory of god my dear and blessed saviovr ( which hath done and svffered all these things for my sovle ) his weake and vnworthy servant hvmblie desires to consecrate himselfe and his poor labovrs : beseeching him to accept and blesse them to the pvbliqve good ; and to the praise of his owne glorious name . to the reader . i desire not to make any apologie for the edition of this my sermon : it is motiue enough , that herein i affect a more publike , and more induring good , spirituall niceness is the next degree to vnfaithfullness : this point cannot be too much vrged , either by the tongue , or presse . religion and our soules depend vpon it ; yet are our thoughts too much beside it . the church of rome so fixes her-selfe ( in her adoration ) vpon the crosse of christ , as if shee forgat his glorie : many of vs so conceiue of 〈◊〉 glorious , that wee neglect the meditation of his crosse , the way to his glory , and ours . if wee would proceede aright , we must passe frō his golgotha , to the mount of oliues , and from thence to heauen ; and there seeke and settle our rest . according to my weake abilitie , i haue led this way in my speech ; beseeching my readers to follow mee with their hearts , that wee may ouer-take him which is entred into the true sanctuarie , euen the highest heauens , to appeare now in the sight of god for vs. iohn . . verse . when iesus therefore had receiued the vineger , he said ; it is finished : and bowing the head , hee gaue vp the ghost . the bitter and yet victorious passion of the sonne of god ( right honourable and beloued christians ) as it was the strangest thing that euer befell the earth : so , is both of most soueraigne vse , & looks for the most frequent & careful meditation . it is one of those thinges which was once done , that it might be thought of for euer . euery day therfore must be the good-friday of a christian : who , with that great doctor of the gentiles , must desire to know nothing but iesus christ , and him crucified . there is no branch or circūstance in this wonderfull businesse , which yieldes not infinite matter of discourse . acc●●ding to the solemnity of this 〈◊〉 & place , i haue chosen to commend vnto your christian attention , our sauiours farevvell to nature ( for his reuiuing was aboue it ) in his last word , in his last act . his last word , jt is finished ; his last act , hee gaue vp the ghost : that which hee said , hee did . if there be any theme that may challenge and commaund our eares & harts , this is it : for , behold ; the sweetest word that euer christ spake , and the most ●●●●●ious act that euer hee 〈◊〉 met together in this his last breath . in the one , yee shall see him triumphing ; yielding in the other , yet so as hee ouerco●●● imagine therefore , that 〈◊〉 christ iesus , in this day of his passion ( who is euery day heere crucified before your eyes ) aduaunced vpon the chariot of his crosse ; and now , after a weary conflict , cheerefully ouer-looking the despight and shame of men , the wrath of his father , the law , sin , death , hell ; which all lie gasping at his foot : & then you shall conceiue with what spirit hee faith consummatumest ; it is finished . what is finished ? shortly ; all the prophecies that were of 〈…〉 legall obseruations , that pre●●●gured him ; his owne sufferings ; our saluation . the prophecies are accomplisht ; the ceremonies abolisht ; his sufferings ended ; our sal●●tion wrought . these foure heads shall limit this first part of my speech : onely let them find & leaue you attentiue . euen this very word is prophecied of : all things that are written of me , haue an end , saith christ . what end ? this , jt is finished : this very end hath his end heere . what therefore is finished ? not this prediction onely of his last draught ; as augustine : that were too particular . let our sauiour himselfe say ; all things that are written of me by the prophets . it is a sure and conuertible rule ; nothing was done by christ which vvas not foretold ; nothing was euer fore-told by the prophets of christ , which was not done . it wold take vp a life , to compare the prophets and euangelists ; the predictions and the history ; & largely to discourse , how the one fore-tells , and the other answers : let it suffice to looke at them , running . of all the euangelists , s. mathew hath bin most studious , in making these references and correspondences : with whom , the burden or vndersong of euerie euent , is still ( vt impleretur . ) that it might be fulfilled . thus hath he noted ( if i haue reckoned thē aright ) two and thirty seueral prophecies cōcerning christ ; fulfilled in his birth , life , death : ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ esay . . mat. . . zach. . . mat. ibid. mic. . . mat. . . iere. . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . psalm . . . mat. . . ier. . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . iudg. . . mat. . vlt. psa . . . mat. . . esa . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . esay . . mat. . . leu. . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . esa . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . zach. . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . lam. . . mat. . . iona . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . zac. . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . psal . . . mat. . . es . . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . es . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . to which , s. iohn adds many more . our speech must bee directed to his passion : omitting the rest , let vs insist in those . he must be apprehended : it vvas fore-prophecied ; the anointed of the lord was taken in their nets , saith ieremy : but how ? he must be sold ; for what ? thirtie siluer peeces : and what must those do ? buy a field : all foretold ; and they tooke thirty siluer peeces , the price of him that was valued , & gaue them for the potters field , saith zachary ( miswritten ieremy ; by one letter mistaken in the abbreuiation ) . by whom ? that child of perdition , that the scripture might bee fulfilled . which was hee ? it is fore-told ; he that eateth bread with me , saith the psalmist . and what shall his disciples do ? run away ; so saith the prophecie : j will smite the shepheard , and the sheepe shall be scattered , saith zachary . what shall bee done to him ? he must be scourged and spit vpon : behold , not those filthy excremēts could haue light vpon his sacred face without a prophecie ; j hid not my face frō shame and spitting , saith esay . what shal be the issue ? in short ; he shall be led to death : it is the prophecie ; the messias shal be slaine , saith daniel . what death ? he must be lift vp ; like as moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse : so shall the sonne of man bee lift vp . chrysostome saith well , that some actions are parables ; so may i say , some actions are prophecies : such are all types of christ : & this with the formost . lift vp ? whither ? to the crosse : it is the prophecie ; hanging vpon a tree , saith moses . how lift vp ? nayled to it : so is the prophecie ; foderunt manus , they haue pierced my hāds and my feet , saith the psalmist . with what cōpany ? two thieues ; with the wicked was hee nūbred , saith esay : where ? without the gates , saith the prophecie . what becomes of his garments ? they cannot so much as cast the dice for his coate , but it is prophecied ; they diuided my garments , and on my vestures cast lots , saith the psalmist . he must die then on the crosse : but how ? voluntarilie . not a bone of him shall be brokē . what hinders it ? lo , there he hangs , as it were neglected , & at mercy ; yet all the raging iewes , no , all the deuils in hell , cannot stirre one bone in his blessed body : it was prophecied in the easter-lambe , and it must be fulfilled in him that is the true passeouer , in spight of fiends and men . how then ? hee must bee thrust in the side : behold , not the very speare could touch his precious side beeing dead , but it must be guided by a prophecie ; they shall see him whom they haue thrust-thorough , saith zacharie . what shal he say the while ? not his very words but are forespoken : his complaint , eli eli lamma sabactani , as the chalde ; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the hebrew , psalme , . his resignation ; in manus tuas , juto thy hands j commend my spirit ; psalm , . his request ; father , forgiue them : hee prayed for the transgressours , saith esay . and now , when he saw all these prophecies were fulfilled ; knowing that one remained , hee said , j thirst . domine , quid satis ? faith one ; o lord , vvhat thirstest thou for ? a strange hearing ; that a man , yea , that god and man , dying , should complaine of thirst . could hee indure the scorching flames of the wrath of his father , the curse of our sinnes , those tortures of body , those horrours of soule ; and doth he shrinke at his thirst ? no , no : he could haue borne his drought ; hee could not beare the scripture not fulfilled . it was not necessity of nature , but the necessity of his fathers decree , that drew foorth this word , i thirst . they offered it before : hee refused it . whether it were an ordinary potion for the cōdemned , to hasten death ( as in the story of m. antony ) which is the most receiued construction : or whether it were that iewish potion , wherof the rabbines speake ; whose tradition was , that the malefactor to be executed , should after some good counsell frō two of their teachers , be taught to say ; let my death be to the remission of all my sinnes ; and then , that hee should haue giuen him a boule of mixt wine , with a graine of frankincense , to bereaue him both of reason and paine . i durst bee confident in this later ; the rather , for that saint marke calls this draught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : myrrhe-wine ; mingled ( as is like ) with other ingredients . and montanus agrees with me in the end , ad stuporem & mentis alienationem ▪ a fashiō which galatine obserues out of the sanhedrim , to bee grounded vpon prouerbs , . giue strong drinke to him that is readie to perish . i leaue it modestly in the midst ; let the learneder iudge . what-soeuer it were , hee would not die till he had complained of thirst , and in his thirst tasted it : neither wold he haue thirsted for , or tasted any but this bitter draught ; that the scripture might bee fulfilled ; they gaue mee vineger to drinke : and loe , novv , consummatum est ; all is finished . if there be any iew amongst you , that like one of iohns vnseasonable disciples , shal aske , art thou he , or shall we looke for another ? hee hath his answere ; yee men of israell , why stand you gazing and gaping for another messias ? in this alone , all the prophecies are finished ; & of him alone , all was prophecied that was finished . paul's old rule holds still , to the jewes a stumbling blocke ; and that more anciēt curse of dauid , let their table be made a snare ; and steuens two brands sticke still in the fleshe of these vvretched men : one in their neck ; stiffe-necked : the other in their hart ; vncircumcised : the one , obstinacie ; the other , vnbeliefe : stiffenecks indeede , that vvill not stoop and relent with the yoke of sixteen hundred yeers iudgement and seruilitie : vncircumcised harts , the filme of whose vnbeliefe , would not be cut off with so infinite cōuictions . oh mad & miserable nation ! let them shew vs one prophecie that is not fulfilled ; let thē shew vs one other , in whom all the prophecies can be fulfilled , & we wil mix pitty with our hate : if they cannot , and yet resist ; their doome is past ; those mine enemies , that would not haue me to raigne ouer them , bring them hither , and slay them before mee . so let thine enemies perish , o lord. but what goe i so farre ? euen amongst vs ( to our shame ) this riotous age hath bred a monstrous generation ; ( i pray god i bee not now in some of your bosomes that heare mee this day ) compounded , much like to the turkish religion ; of one part , christian ; another , iew ; a third , worldling ; a fourth , atheist : a christian face , a iewes hart , a worldlings life , & therefore atheous in the whole ; that acknowledge a god , & knowe him not ; that professe a christ , but doubt of him ; yea , belieue him not : the foole hath said in his hart there is no christ . what shall i say of the semen ? they are worse then deuils ▪ that yielding euill spirit , could say , iesus i know ; and these miscreants are stil in the old tune of that tempting deuill ; si tu es filius dei , if thou be the christ. oh god , that after so cleer a gospell , so many miraculous confirmations , so many thousand martyrdōs , so many glorious victories of truth , so many open confessions of angels , men , diuells , friends ; enemies ; such conspirations of heauen & earth , such vniuersall contestations of all ages and people ; there should be left any sparke of this damnable infidelitie in the false harts of men ! behold then , yee despisers , and wonder , and vanish away : whom haue all the prophets fore-told ? or vvhat haue the prophecies of so many hundreds , yea , thousands of yeers fore-said , that is not with this word finished ? who could fore-tell these things , but the spirit of god ? who could accomplish them , but the sonne of god ? hee spake by the mouth of his holy prophets , saith zacharie : he hath spoken , & hee hath done ; one true god in both . no other spirit could fore-say these things should bee done ; none other power could doe these things , thus fore-shewed : this word therfore , can fit none but the mouth of god our sauiour , it is finished . wee knowe whom we haue belieued ; thou art the christ , the sonne of the liuing god. let him that loues not the lord iesus , be accursed to the death . thus the prophecies are finished : of the legall obseruations , with more breuity ▪ christ is the end of the law : what law ? ceremoniall ; morall . of the morall ; it was kept perfectly by himselfe , satisfied fully for vs : of the ceremoniall ; it was referred to him , obserued of him , fulfilled in him , abolisht by him . there were nothing more easie then to shew you how all those iewish ceremonies lookt at christ : how circumcision , passouer , the tabernacle , both outer and inner , the temple , the lauer , both the altars , the tables of shew-breade , the candlesticks , the vaile , the holy of holies , the arke , the propitiatory , the pot of manna , aarons rodde , the high priest , his order and line , his habites , his inaugurations , his washings , annointings , sprinklings , offerings , the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and what euer iewish rite ; had their vertue from christ , relation to him , and their end in him . this was then their last gaspe ; for , now straight they died with christ : now the vaile of the temple rent : as austen well notes , out of mathew's order ; it tore then , when christs last breath passed . that conceit of theophylact is witty ; that as the iewes were wont to rend their garments whē they heard blasphemy : so the temple , not induring these execrable blasphemies against the sonne of god , tore his vaile in peeces . but that is not all : the vaile rent , is the obligation of the rituall lawe cancelled ; the way into the heauenly sanctuarie opened ; the shadow giuing roome to the substance : in a word , it dooth that which christ saith ; consummatū est . euen now then the law of ceremonies died : it had a long and solemne buriall , as augustine saith wel ; perhaps figured in moses , who died not lingringly , but was thirty daies mourned for . what meanes the church of rome , to dig them vp , now rotten in their graues ? and that , not as if they had been buried , but sowen , with a plentifull increase : yea , vvith the inuerted vsury of too many of you cittizens ; ten for one . it is a graue and deepe censure of that resolute hierome ; ego è contrario loquar , &c. j say , saith he , and in spight of all the vvorld dare maintain , that now the iewish ceremonies are pernicious , and deadly : & whosoeuer shal obserue them , whether he be jew or gentile , in barathrū diaboli deuolutum ; shall fry in hell for it . still altars ? still priests ? sacrifices still ? still washings ? still vnctions ? sprinkling , shauing , purifying ? still all , and more then all ? let them heare but augustines censure ; quisquis nunc , &c. whosoeuer shall now vse thē , as it were raking them vp out of their dust ; he shall not be pius deductor corporis , sed impius sepulturae violator : an impious & sacrilegious wretch , that ransacks the quiet tombes of the dead . i say not that all ceremonies are dead ; but the law of ceremonies , and of iewish . it is a sound distinction of them , that profound peter martyr hath in his epistle , to that worthy martyr , father , bishoppe , hooper : some are typicall , fore-signifying christ to come : some , of order and decencie . those are abrogated , not these . the iewes had a fashion of prophecying in the churches ; so the christians from them , as ambrose : the iewes had an eminent pulpit of wood ; so wee : they gaue names at their circumcision ; so we at baptisme : they sung psalmes melodiously in churches ; so do we : they paid & receiued tithes ; so do we : they wrapt their dead in linnen , with odors ; so wee : the iewes had sureties at their admissiō into the church ; so we . these instances might be infinite , the spouse of christ cannot be without her laces , & chaines , and borders . christ came not to dissolue order . but thou lorde , how long ? how long shall thy poore church find her ornamēts , her sorowes ? and see the deare sonnes of her wombe , bleeding about these apples of strife ? let me so name them , not for their value ( euen smal things , whē they are commaunded , looke for no smal respect ) but for their euent : the enemy is at the gates of our syracuse ; how long will we suffer our selues , taken vp with angles and circles in the dust ▪ yemen , brethren , fathers , helpe ; for gods sake put to your hands , to the quenching of this common flame : the one side by humilitie , and obedience ; the other , by compassion ; both by prayers and teares . who am i , that i should reuiue to you the sweet spirit of that diuine augustine ? who , when hee heard & saw the bitter contentions betwixt two graue and famous diuines , ierome , and ruffine ; heu mihi , saith he , qui vos alicubi simul inuenire non possum ! alas , that j shall neuer find you two together ! how j would fall at your feet , how j would imbrace them , and weepe vpon them , and beseech you ; either of you for other , and each for himself ; both of you for the church of god ; but especially , for the weake , for whō christ died : who , not without their own great danger , see you two fighting in this theater of the world . yet let me doe , what he said he would do ; begge for peace , as for life : by your filiall pietie to the church of god , whose ruines follow vpon our diuisions ; by your loue of gods truth ; by the graces of that one blessed spirit , whereby we are all informed & quickened ▪ by the precious blood of that sonne of god , which this day , and this howre , was shed for our redemption , be inclined to peace and loue : & tho our braines be different , yet let our harts be one . it was , as i heard , the dying speech of our late reuerend , worthy , and gracious diocesan , modò me moriēte viuat ac floreat ecclesia ; oh! yet if , when j am dead , the church may liue and flourish . what a spirit was heere ? what a speech ? how worthy neuer to die ? how worthy of a soule so neere to his heauen ? how worthy of so happy a succession ? ye whom god hath made inheritors of this blessed care , which do no lesse long for the prosperitie of sion , liue you to effect , what he did but liue to wish ▪ all peace with our selues , and war with none but rome and hell. and if there bee any weyward separatist , whose soule professeth to hate peace ; i feare to tell him paules message , yet i must : would to god those were out off that trouble you . how cut off ? as good theodosius said to demophilus , a contentious prelate ; situ pacem fugis , &c. of thou flie peace , i wil make thee flie the church . alas ! they doe flie it : that which should bee their punishment , they make their cōtentment : how are they worthy of pitty ? as optatus , of his donatists , they are brethren , might be companions , and will not . oh wilfull men ! vvhither doe they run ? from one christ to another ? is christ diuided ? we haue him ; thanks be to our good god : and wee heare him daily ; and whither shall we goe from thee ? thou hast the words of eternall life . thus the ceremonies are finished : now heare the end of his sufferings , vvith like patience and deuotion . his death is heere included ; it was so neere , that hee spake of it as done ; and when it was done , all was done . how easie is it to lose our selues in this discourse ▪ how hard , not to be ouer-whelmed vvith matter of wonder ; and to find either beginning , or end ! his sufferings found an end ; our thoughts cannot . lo ; with this word , he is happilie waded out of those deepes of sorowes , wherof our conceits can find no bottome : yet let vs , with peter , gird our coa●e , and cast our selues a little into this sea . all his life was but a perpetuall passion : in that he becam man , he suffered more then we can doe , either while wee are men , or when wee cease to be men : he humbled , yea , he emptied himselfe . wee , when vvee cease to be heere , are clothed vpon . . cor. ▪ wee both win by our beeing , & gaine by our lesse ; hee lost , by taking our more or lesse to himselfe , that is , manhood . for , tho euer as god , i and my father are one ; yet as man , my father is greater then j. that man should be turned into a beast , into a worme , into dust , into nothing ; is not so great a disparagemēt , as that god should become man ▪ and yet it is not finished ; it is but begun . but what man ? if , as the absolute monarch of the world , he had commanded the vassalage of all emperours and princes , & had trod on nothing but crownes and scepters , and the necks of kings , and bidden all the potentates of the earth to attend his train ; this had caried some port with it , sutable to the heroicall maiestie of gods sonne . no such matter : heere is neither forme nor beautie ; vnlesse perhaps ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the forme of a seruaunt : you haue made mee to serue , with your sinnes . behold ▪ he is a man to god ; a seruaunt to man ; and , be it spoken with holy reuerence , a drudge to his seruants . he is despised and reiected of men ; yea ( as himself , of himselfe ) a worme , and no man , the shame of men , & contempt of the people . who is the king of glory ? the lord of hostes hee is the king of glory . set these two together ; the king of glory ; the shame of men : the more honour , the more abasement . looke back to his cradle ; there you find him reiected of the bethlemites ; borne & laid alas how homely , how vnworthily : sought for by herod , exiled to egypt , obscurely brought vp in the cottage of a poore foster-father , transported & tempted by satan , derided of his kindred , blasphemously traduced by the iewes , pinched with hunger , restlesse , harbourlesse , sorrowfull , persecuted , by the elders and pharisees , sold by his owne seruant , apprehended , arraigned , scourged , condemned ; & yet it is not finished . let vs , with that disciple , follow him a farre off ; & passing ouer all his contemptuous vsage in the way , see him brought to his crosse . still the further wee looke , the more wonder ; euery thing ads to this ignominy of suffering , and triumph of ouercomming . where was it ? not in a corner , as paule saith to festus : but in ierusalem ; the eye , the hart of the world . obscuritie abateth shame ; publique notice heightens it : before all israell , & before this sun , saith god to dauid , when he would throughlie shame him : in ierusalem , which hee had honoured with his presence , taught with his preachings , astonisht with his miracles , bewailed with his teares ; o jerusalem , jerusalem , how oft would j , and thou wouldest not ! o yet if in this thy daie ! crueltie and vnkindnesse , after good desert , afflict so much more , as our merit hath beene greater . vvhere-abouts ? vvithout the gates : in caluary ; among the stinking bones of execrable malefactors . before , the glory of the place bred shame ; novv , the vileness of it . when ? but in the passeouer ; a time of greatest frequence , and concourse of all iewes and proselites : an holy time : whē they should receiue the figure , they reiect the substance : when they should kil & eate the sacramental lambe , in faith , in thankfulnes , they kill the lambe of god , our true passeouer , in crueltie and contempt . with whom ? the qualitie of our company , either increases or lessens shame . in the midst of thieues ( saith one ) as the prince of thieues . there vvas no guile in his mouth , much lesse in his hands : yet behold , he that thought it no robberie to bee equall with go● , is made equall to robbers and murderers ; yea , superiour in euill . what suffered hee ? as all liues are not alike pleasant : so al deathes are not equally fearfull : there is not more differēce betwixt some life & death , then betwixt one death & another . see the apostles gradation : he was made obedient to the death , euē the death of the crosse . the crosse , a lingering , tormenting , ignominious death . the iewes had foure kindes of death for malefactors ; the towell , the sword , fire , stones ; each of these aboue other in extreamitie . strangling with the towell , they accounted easiest : the sword worse then the towel : the fire worse then the sword : stoning worse then the fire : but this romaine death was worst of all . cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree . yet ( as ierome well ) he is not therefore accursed , because hee hangeth ; but therfore he hangeth , because he is accursed . he was made ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a curse for vs. the curse was more then the shame : yet the shame is vnspeakeable ; and yet not more then the paine . yet all that die the same death , are not equally miserable : the very thieues fared better in their death , then he . i heare of no irrision , no inscription , no taunts , no insultation on thē : they had nothing but paine to incounter ; hee , paine and scorne . an ingenuous & noble nature , can worse brooke this thē the other ; any thing rather then disdainefulnesse , and derision : especially , from a base enemy . i remēber , that learned father begins israels affliction , with ismaels persecuting laughter . the iews , the souldiours , yea , the very thieues flouted him , and triumpht ouer his miserie : his blood cannot satisfie thē , without his reproach . which of his senses now was not a window to let in sorrow ? his eyes saw the teares of his mother and friends , the vnthankful demeanure of mankind , the cruell despight of his enemies : his eares heard the reuilings & blasphemies of the multitude : & ( whether the place were noisome to his sent ) his touch felt the nailes ; his taste , the gall . looke vp , o all yee beholders , looke vpon this precious body , & see what part ye can find free ? that head which is adored , and trembled at by the angelicall spirits , is all raked , & harrowed with thorns : that face , of whom is said , thou art fa●rer then the children of men , is all besmeared with the filthy spettle of the iewes , and furrowed with his teares : those eyes , clearer then the sun , are darkened with the shadow of death : those eares , that hear the heauenly consorts of angels , now are filled with the cursed speakings and scoffes of wretched men : those lips that spake as neuer man spake , that commaund the spirits both of life & darknesse , are scornfully wet with vineger & gall : those feet that trample on all the powers of hell ( his enemies are made his footstoole ) are now nailed to the footstoole of the crosse : those hands that freely sway the scepter of the heauens , now carrie the reed of reproach , and are nailed to the tree of reproach : that whole body , which was cōceiued by the holy ghost , was all scourged , wounded , mangled : this is the out-side of his sufferings . was his heart free ? oh no : the inner part , or soule of this pain , which was vnseen , is as far beyond these outward and sensible , as the soule is beyond the body ; gods vvrath beyond the malice of mē : these were but lo●e ●ticks to what his soule indured ! o all ye that passe by the way , behold and see , if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow : alas ! lord , what can we see of thy sorrowes ? we cannot conceiue so much as the ●ainousnesse and desert of one of those sinnes which thou barest : wee can no more see thy paine , then wee could vnder-goe it , onely this wee see , that what the infinite sins of almost infinite men , committed against an infinite maiestie , deserued in infinite continuance ; all this thou in the short time of thy passion hast sustained . we may behold and see ; but all the glorious spirits in heauen cannot looke into the depth of this suffering . do but looke yet a little into the passions of this his passion : for , by the manner of his sufferings , we shall best see what hee suffered . wise and resolute men , do not complaine of a little : holy martyrs haue bin racked , & would not be loosed ; what shall we say if the author of their strength , god and man , be wray passions ? what wold haue ouerwhelmed men , wold not haue made him shrinke ; and what made him complaine , could neuer haue been sustained by men . what shal we then think , if he were affrighted with terrors , perplexed with sorrowes , and distracted with both these ? and lo , he was all these : for , first , heere was an amazed feare ; for millions of men to despaire , was not so much as for him to feare : and yet it was no slight feare ; hee began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be astonished with terrour● which in the daies of his flesh , offered vp prayers , & supplications , with strong cries and teares , to him that was able to helpe him ; and was heard in that hee feared . neuer man was so afraid of the torments of hell , as christ ( standing in our roome ) of his fathers vvrath . feare is still sutable to apprehension : neuer man could so perfectlie apprehende this cause of feare . he felt the chastisements of our peace : yea , the curse of our sinnes ; & therfore might well say with dauid ; j suffer thy terrors with a troubled mind : yea , with iob , the arrowes of god are in me ; & the terrors of god fight against mee . with feare ; there was a deiecting sorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ my soule is on all sides heauy to the death . his strong cries , his many tears , are witnesses of this passion . he had formerly shed teares of pitie , and teares of loue ; but now of anguish : he had before sent forth cries of mercie ; neuer of complaint till now . when the sonne of god weeps and cries , what shall we say or thinke ? yet further , betwixt both these and his loue , what a conflict vvas there ? it is not amisse distinguished , that hee was alwaies in agonie ; but now in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a struggling passion of mixed griefe . behold : this field was not without sweat and blood ; yea , a sweat of blood ▪ o what man or angell , can conceiue the taking of that heart , that without all outward violence , meerely , out of the extreamity of his owne passion , bled ( thorough the flesh and skinne ) not som faint deaw , but solid drops of blood ? no thornes , no nailes fetcht blood from him , with so much pain as his own thoughts . hee saw the fierce wrath of his father , and therfore feared ▪ he sawe the heauie burden of our sinnes to bee vndertaken ; and therevpon , besides feare , iustlie grieued : he saw the necessity of our eternall damnation , if hee suffered not ; if he did suffer , of our redemption : and therfore his loue incountred both griefe and feare . in it selfe , he would not drinke of that cuppe : in respect of our good , and his decree , hee would and did ; and while he thus striueth , he sweats and bleedes . there was neuer such a combatte , neuer such a bloodshed ; and yet it is not finished . i dare not say with some schoolemen ▪ that the sorrow of his passion , was not so great as the sorow of his compassion : yet that vvas surely exceeding great . to see the vngracious carelesnesse of mankind , the slender fruite of his sufferings , the sorrowes of his mother , disciples , friends ; to fore-see frō this watch-towre of his crosse , the future temptations of his children , desolations of his church ; all these must needs strike deepe into a tender hart . these he still sees & pitties , but without passion ; then , he suffered , in seeing them . can wee yet say any more ? lo , all these sufferings are aggrauated by his fulnes of knowledge , & want of comfort : for , he did not shut his eyes , as one saith , when hee drunk this cup he saw how dreggish , and knew how bitter it was . sodaine euils afflict , if not lesse , shorter . he fore-saw and fore-said euerie particular he should suffer , so long as he fore-saw he suffered : the expectation of euill , is not lesse then the sense ▪ to looke long for good , is a punishment ; but for euill , is a torment . no passion works vpō an vnknown obiect : as no loue , so no fear is of what we know not ▪ hence men fear not hell , because they fore-see it not : if we could see that pit open before wee come at it , it would make vs tremble at our sinnes , and our knees to knock together , as baltasars ; & perhaps , without faith , to run mad at the horror of iudgemēt . he saw the burdē of all particular sins to be laid vpon him : euery dram of his fathers wrath , was measured out to him , ere he touch● this potion : this cup was full ; & he knew that it must be wringd , not a drop left : it must be finished . o yet , if as he fore-saw all his sorrowes , so he could haue seene some mixture of refreshing ! but j found none to comfort me ; no , none to pitie me . and yet , it is a poore cōfort that arises from pittie . euen so , o lord , thou treadest this wine-presse alone ; none to accompany , none to assist thee . i remember , ruffinus in his ecclesiasticall storie reports , that one theodorus , a martyr , told him , that when he was hanging ten houres vpō the rack , for religion , vnder iulians persecution , his ioynts distended and distorted , his body exquisitelie tortured vvith change of executioners ; so as neuer age , saith he , could remember the like : he felt no paine at all , but continued indeed all the while in the sight of all men , singing & smiling . for , there stood a comlie young man by him on his iibbet ( an angell rather , in forme of a man ) which with a cleane towel , still wip't off his sweat , & poured coole vvater vpon his racked limbs : wherwith he was so refreshed , that it grieued him to be let downe . euen the greatest torments are easie , whē they ●●ue aunswerable cōforts : but a wounded & comfortlesse spirit , who can beare ? if yet but the same messenger of god , might haue attended his cross , that appeared in his agonie ; & might haue giuen ease to their lord , as he did to his seruant ! and yet , what can the angels help , where god will smite ? against the violence of men , against the furie of satan , they haue preuailed in the cause of god , for men : they dare not , they cannot cōfort where god will afflict . when our sauiour had been wrestling with satan , in the end of his lent , then they appeared to him , and serued ▪ but now , while about the same time , hee is wrestling with the wrath of his father for vs , not an angell dare bee seene , to looke out of the windowes of heauē to relieue him : for men ; much lesse could they if they would ; but what did they ? miserable comforters are yee all ; the souldiours ; they stript him , scorned him with his purple , crown , reed ; spat on him , smote him : the passengers ; they reuiled him ; and insulting , wagg'd their heads and hands at him ; hey , thou that destroiest the temple , come downe , &c. the elders and scribes alas ! they haue bought his blood , suborned witnesses , incensed pilate , preferred barabbas , vndertook the guilt of his death , cri'd out , crucifie , crucifie ; ho! thou that sauedst others . his disciples ; alas ! they forsooke him : one of them forsweares him ; another runs away naked , rather then he will stay and confesse him . his mother , and other friends : they looke on indeede , and sorrovv with him ; but , to his discomfort . where the griefe is extreame , and respects neere , partnership doth but increase sorrovv . paul chides this loue : what doe you weeping , and breaking my heart ? the teares of those we loue , do either slacken our hearts , or wound them . who then shall comfort him ? himselfe ? somtimes our own thoughts find a way to succour vs , vnknown to others : no , not himself . doubtlesse ( as aquinas ) the influence of the higher part of the soule , was restrained from the aide of the inferiour ; my soule is filled with euills . psalm . , . vvho then ? his father ? heere , heere was his hope : jf the lord had not holpen me , my soule had almost dwelt in silence ▪ j and my father are one . but now ( alas ! ) he , euen he , deliuers him into the hands of his enemies ; when hee hath done , turnes his back vpon him as a stranger ; yea , he woundeth him as an enemy . the lord wold breake him . esay , , . yet any thing is light to the soule , whiles the comforts of god sustaine it : who can dismay , where god will relieue ? but here , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken mee ? vvhat a word was heere , to come from the mouth of the sonne of god ? my disciples are men , weak & fearefull ; no maruell if they forsake me . the iewes are themselues , cruell and obstinate . men are men , gracelesse , and vnthankfull . diuels are , according to their nature , spightful and malicious . all these doe but their kind , and let them doe it : but thou , o father , thou that hast said ; this is my wel-beloued son , in whom j am well pleased : thou of whō i haue said , jt is my father that glorifies me : what ? forsaken mee ? not onely brought me to this shame , smitten mee , vnregarded me ; but , as it were , forgotten , yea , forsaken mee ? what , euen mee , my father ? how many of thy constant seruaunts haue suffered heauie things ! yet in the multitudes of the sorrowes of their harts , thy presence and comforts haue refreshed their soule . hast thou relieued them , and doost thou forsake mee ▪ mee , thine onelie , deere , naturall , eternall sonne ! o yee heauens & earth , how could you stand , whiles the maker of you thus cōplained ! yee stood ; but , partaking after a sort of his passion : the earth trembled & shooke , her rocks tore , her graues opened , the heauens withdrew their light ; as not daring to behold this sad and fearefull spectacle . oh deere christians ! how should these earthen and rocky harts of ours shake , and re●d in peeces at this meditation ? how should our faces bee couered with darknesse , and our ioy be turned into heauiness ? al these voices , and teares , and sweats , and pangs , are for vs ; yea , frō vs. shall the sonne of god thus smart for our sinnes , yea , with our sinnes ; and shall not wee grieue for our owne ? shall ●ee weepe to vs in this market-place , and shal not we mourne ? nay , shall hee sweat and bleed for vs , and shall not wee weepe for our selues ? shall he thus lamentably shrieke-out , vnder his fathers wrath , and shall not we tremble ? shall the heauens and earth suffer with him , & we suffer nothing ? i call you not to a weake & idle pitty of our glorious sauior : to what purpose ? his iniury , was our glory . no , no ; ye daughters of jerusalem , weepe not for mee : but weepe for your selues : for our sinnes , that haue done this ; not for his sorrow that suffered it : not for his pangs , that were ; but for our owne that should haue been , & ( if we repent not ) shall be . oh how grieuous , how deadly are our sinnes , that cost the sonne of god ( besides blood ) so much tormēt ? how far are our soules gone , that could not be ransomed with any easier price ? that that tooke so much of this infinite redeemer of men , god & man , how can it chuse but swallow vp & confound thy soule , which is but finite and sinfull ? if thy soule had been in his soules stead , what had become of it : it shal be , if his were not in stead of thine . this weight , that lies thus heauy on the son of god , & wrung from him these teares , sweat , blood , and these vnconceiueable grones of his afflicted spirit , how shall it chuse but presse downe thy soule to the bottom of hell ? & so it will do : if hee haue not suffered it for thee , thou must and shalt suffer it for thy selfe . goe now thou leud man , and make thy selfe merry with thy sinnes ; laugh at the vncleanenesses , or bloodinesse of thy youth : thou little knowest the price of a sin : thy soule shall do ; thy sauiour did , whē he cried out , to the amazement of angels , and horror of men ; my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken mee . but now no more of this ; it is finished : the greater conflict , the more happy victory . well doth hee find and feele of his father , what his type said before , hee will not chide alwaies , nor keepe his anger for euer . it is fearefull ; but in him , short : eternall to sinners ; short to his sonne , in whom the god-head dwelt bodily . behold : this storme , where-with al the powers of the world were shaken , is now ouer . the elders , pharisees , iudas , the souldiers , priests , witnesses , iudges , thieues , executioners , diuells , haue al tired thēselues in vaine , with their owne malice ; and he triumphs ouer them all , vpon this throne of his crosse : his enemies are vanquisht , his father satisfied , his soule with this word , at rest and glory ; jt is finished . now there is no more betraying , agonies , arraignmēts , scourgings , scoffing , crucifying , conflicts , terrors , all is finished . alas beloued , and will we not yet let the son of god be at rest ? doe wee now againe goe about to fetch him out of his glorie , to scorne and crucifie him ? i feare to say it : gods spirit dare , and doth ; they crucifie againe to themselues the son of god , and make a mock of him . to themselues ; not in himself : that they cannot , it is no thanke to them ; they would doe it . see and consider : the notoriously-sinfull conuersations of those that should be christians , offer violence vnto our glorified sauiour : they stretch their hands to heauen , and pull him downe from his throne , to his crosse : they teare him vvith thornes , pearce him with nailes , loade him with reproaches . thou hatest the iewes , spettest at the name of iudas , railest on pilate , condemnest the cruel butchers of christ : yet , thou canst blaspheme , & sweare him quite ouer ; curse , swagger , lie , oppresse , boile with lust , scoffe , riot , and liuest like a debauched man ; yea , like an humane beast ; yea , like an vncleane diuel . cry hosanna as long as thou vvilt ; thou art a pilate , a iew , a iudas , an executioner of the lord of life : and so much greater shall thy iudgemēt be , by how much thy light , & his glory , is more . oh , beloued , is it not enough that he died once for vs ? were those paines so light , that vve should euery day redouble thē ? is this the entertainement , that so gracious a sauiour hath deserued of vs by dying ? is this the recompence of that infinite loue of his , that thou shouldest thus cruelly vexe and vvound him with thy sinnes ? euerie of our sins is a thorne , and naile , and speare to him . while thou pourest down thy drunken carowses , thou giuest thy sauiour a potion of gall : while thou despisest his poore seruants , thou spett'st in his face : while thou puttest on thy proud dresses , & liftest vp thy vaine heart vvith high conceits , thou settest a crowne of thornes on his head : while thou wringest and oppressest his poore children , thou whippest him , & drawest blood of his hands and feet . thou hypocrite , how darest thou offer to receiue the sacrament of god , with that hand , which is thus imbrued with the bloud of him whō thou receiuest ? in euery ordinary , thy profane tong walkes , in the disgrace of the religious & cōscionable . thou makest no scruple of thine own sinnes , and scornest those that doe : not to be wicked , is crime enough . heare him that saith , saul , saul , why persecutest thou mee ? saul strikes , at damascus : christ suffers in heauen . thou strikest : christ iesus smarteth , & will reuenge . these are the ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) af●erings of christs sufferings : in himselfe it is finished ; in his members it is not , till the world be finished . we must toile , and grone , and bleed ; that wee may raigne : if he had not done so , it had not been finished . this is our warfare : this is the region of our sorrow and death . now are we set vpō the sandy pauement of our theater , and are matched with all sorts of euills ; euill men , euill spirits , euill accidēts ; & ( which are worst ) our owne euill hearts : tentations , crosses , persecutions , sicknesses , wants , infamies ; death ; all these must , in our courses , be incoūtred by the law of our profession . what should we do but striue and suffer , as our generall hath done , that wee may raigne as he doth , and once triumph in our consummatū est ? god & his angels sit vpon the scaffolds of heauen , & behold vs : our crowne is ready ; our day of deliuerance shall come ; yea , our redemption is neere ▪ vvhen all teares shall bee wip't from our eyes ; & wee that haue sowen in teares , shall reape in ioy . in the meane time , let vs possesse our soules , not in patience onely , but in comfort : let vs adore and magnifie our sauiour in his sufferings , and imitate him in our owne ▪ our sorrowes shall haue an end ; our ioyes shall not : our paines shall soone be finished ; our glory shal be finished , but neuer ended . thus his sufferings are finished ; now together with them , mans saluation . who knowes not , that man had made himself a deepe debter , a bankrupt , an out-law to god ? our sins are our debts ; and by sins , death . now , in this word and act , our sinnes are discharged , death indured , and therefore wee cleared . the debt is paid , the score is crossed , the creditor satisfied , the debters acquitted ; and , since there was no other quarrell , saued . we are all sick , and that mortally : sin is the disease of the soule . quot vitia , tot febres , faith chrysostome ; so many sinnes , so many feauers , & those pestilent . what wonder is it that we haue so much plague , while we haue so much sin ? our sauiour is the physician ; the vvhole neede not the physician , but the sicke . wherein ? he healeth all our infirmities : hee healeth thē after a miraculous maner ; not by giuing vs receits , but by taking our receits for vs. a wonderfull physician ; a wonderful course of cure . one while he would cure vs by abstinence ; our superfluity , by his forty daies emptinesse : according to that old rule ▪ hunger cures the diseases of gluttony . another while , by exercise : he went vp and downe from citty to cittie ; and in the day was preaching in the temple ; in the night , praying in the mount. then , by diet ; take , eate , this is my body : and , let this cup passe . after that yet , by sweat : such a sweat as neuer was a bloudy one : yet more by incision ; they pearced his hands , feet , side : and yet againe by potion ; a bitter potion , of vineger and gall . and lastly , which is both the strangest and strongest receit of all , by dying ; which died for vs ; that whether we wake or sleep , we should liue together with him . we need no more , wee can goe no further ; there can bee no more physick of this kind : there are cordialls after these , of his resurrection and ascension ; no more penall receits . by this bloud wee haue redemption , ephes . , . iustification , rom. , . reconciliation , colos . , . sanctification , . pet. , . entrance into glory , hebr. , . is it not now finished● wo were vs , if he had left but one mite of satisfaction vpon our score , to bee discharged by our soules : and wo bee to them that derogate from christ , that they may charge themselues ; that botch vp these alsufficiently meritorious sufferings of christ , as imperfect , with the superfluities of flesh and bloud . maledictus homo , qui spem ponit in homine ▪ we may not with patiēce see christ wrongd by his false friends : as that heroicall luther said in the like ▪ cursed bee the silence that heer forbeareth to be free & short . heere be two iniuries intolerable ; both giue christ the lye vpon his crosse : jt is finished . no ; somewhat remaines : the fault is discharged , not the punishment . of punishments , the eternall is quit , not the temporall ▪ it is finished by christ : no , there wants yet much ; the satisfactions of saints applied by his vicar : adde mens sufferings to christs , thē the treasure is ful ; till then it is not finished . two qualities striue for the first place in these two opinions ; impietie , and absurditie : i know not whether to prefer . for impietie ; heere is god taxed of iniustice , vnmercifulnesse , insufficiencie , falshood . of iniustice ; that he forgiues a sin , and yet punishes for that which he hath forgiuen : vnmercifulnesse ; that he forgiues not while hee forgiues , but doth it by halues : insufficiencie ; that his raunsome must be supplied by men : falshood ; in that hee saith , jt is finished , when it is not . for absurdity ; how grosse & monstrous are these positions ? that at once the same sin should bee remitted & retained ; that there should be a punishment , where there is no fault ; that vvhat could strike off our eternall punishment , did not wipe off the temporall ; that hee which paid our pounds , sticks at our far things ; that god will retaine what man may discharge ; that it is , and is not finished . if there bee anie opinions whose mention confutes them , these are they . none can bee more vaine ; none had more neede of soliditie : for , this proppe beares-vp alone , the vveight of all those millions of indulgences which rome creates and sells to the vvorld . that strumpet would well-neere goe naked , if this vvere not . these spirituall treasures , fetch in the temporall : vvhich yet our reuerend and learned fulke , iustlie calls a most blasphemous and beggerly principle : it brings in vvhole chests , yea mines of golde ( like the popes indies ) ; and hath not so much as a ragge of proofe to couer it ; whether of antiquitie , of reason , of scripture . not of antiquitie ; for , these iubilie proclamations beganne but about three hundred yeers agoe . not of reason : hovv should one meere man pay for another , dispēse with another , to another , by another ? not of scripture : which hath flatly said ; the bloud of jesus christ , his son , purgeth vs from all sin : and yet i remember , that acute sadeel hath taught mee , that this practice is according to scripture : what scripture ? he cast the money-changers out of the temple , and said ; ye haue made my house a denne of thieues . which also ioachim , their propheticall abbot , well applies to this purpose . some modest doctors of louan , wold faine haue minced this antichristian blasphemie : who began to teach , that the passions of the saints are not so by indulgences applied , that they become true satisfactions ; but that they onely serue to moue god , by the sight of them , to apply vnto vs christs satisfaction . but these meal-mouthed diuines , were soone charmed ; foure seuerall popes ( as their cardinall confesseth ) fell vpon the neck of them , and their opinion ; leo the tenth , pius the fift , gregory the thirteenth , and clemens the sixt : & with their furious bulles , bellow out threats against them , and tosse them in the ayre for hereticks ; and teach them , vpon paine of a curse , to speake home with bellarmine ; passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta : and straight , applicari nobis sanctorum passiones ad redimendas poenas , quas pro peccatis deo debemus : that by the sufferings of saints , our sinnes are expiate ; and that , by them applied , wee are redeemed from those punishments which we yet owe to god. blasphemy , vvorthie the tearing of garments : how is it finished by christ , if men must supply ? oh blessed sauiour ! was euery droppe of thy bloud enough to redeeme a world , and doe we yet need the help of men ? how art thou a perfect sauiour , if our brethren also must bee our redeemers ? oh ye blessed saints , how wold you abhorre this sacrilegious glory ! and with those holie apostles , yea , that glorious angell , say ; vide ne seceris ; and with those wise virgins ; least there will not be enough for vs & you got to them that sell , and buy for your selues . for vs , w● enu●e not their multitude ; let them h●ue as many sauiors as saints , and as many saints us men● we kno●e with ambrose ; christ● press●●●tore non eguit ; christs passion needs no helper : & therefore , with that worthy martyr , dare say ; none but christ ; ●one but christ● let our toules die , if hee cannot saue them ; let them not fear their 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 , if he haue finished ▪ he● 〈…〉 , thou languishing and afflicted so●●e to there is 〈◊〉 one of thy sinne● but it is paid for ; not one o●● thy debt● in the 〈◊〉 of god but it had ●ffect ; not one farthing of all thine infinite ra●some is vnpaid● alas ! thy sinnes ( thou sai'st ) are euer before thee , and gods indignation goes still ouer thee ; & thou goest mourning all the day long ▪ and with that patterne of distresse , criest out in the bitternesse of thy soule , i haue sinned , what shall j doe to thee● o ▪ thou preseruer of men ? what should'st thou doe ? turne , and belieue . now thou art stung in thy conscience with this fierie serpent , looke vp with the eyes of 〈◊〉 to this b●azen serpent , christ iesus , & behealed . behold , his head is hūbly bowed downe in a gracious respect to thee , his a●ms are stretched out louingly to imbrace thee ▪ yea , o● precious side is opē to receiue● thee , and his tongue interpre●● all these to thee for thine endlesse cōfort ; jt is finished . there is no more accusation , iudgement , death , hell for thee : all these are no more to thee , then if they were not . who shall condemne ? it is christ which is de●d . i knowe , how ready euery man is to reach foorth his hand to this d●le of grace , and how angry to ●e beaten frō this doo● of mercy . we are all easily persu●ded to hope well , because we loue our selues well ▪ which of all vs in this gr●●t congregation take● exceptions to himselfe , and think● ▪ i knowe there 〈◊〉 want in my sauiour , there is want in me ▪ he hath finished ; but i belieue not , i repent not . euery presumptuous and hard 〈◊〉 , so 〈◊〉 at christ , as if he had finish for 〈◊〉 , as if hee had broken downe the gates of hel , and loosed the bands of death , and had made forgiuenesse as 〈◊〉 as life ; prosper●●● 〈…〉 saith wise salomon , east 〈◊〉 the foolish , and the prosperitie , of fooles 〈◊〉 them , you , 〈…〉 prosperitie . thou sa●'st , god 〈◊〉 mercifull , thy 〈…〉 b●ous , 〈◊〉 passion absolute ▪ all these , & ye● thou maist be condemned . mercifull , not ●ni●s● ; bountifull , not lauish , absolutely sufficiēt for all , not effe●●●all to all . whatsoeuer god is , what are 〈◊〉 i hee 〈◊〉 i● the doubts 〈◊〉 fa●st-well ; christ is 〈◊〉 good shepheard ; wherein ▪ h●● giues his l●fe ; but fo● whom ? 〈◊〉 his sheepe . what is this to 〈…〉 while thou ar● secure , profane , impe●itent ▪ th● a● 〈…〉 a 〈◊〉 my sheep he●re my voice ; what is his voice but his p●ecep●●● where is thine obediēce to his cōmaundements ▪ if t● wilt not heard his law , n● not ●arken ●o his gospell 〈…〉 no more mercy for thee , ●he● i● there were no sauior . he ha●● finished ; for those in 〈…〉 hath begun . if thou haue to beginnings of gra●● as yet , hope not for euer finishing of saluation ; come to me , all yee that are he●uie lade●● , saith christ ●hou shalt get nothing , if thou come when he calls thee not . thou art not called , and canst not bee refreshed , vnlesse thou bee laden : not with sinne ( this alone keepes thee away from god ) but with conscience of sinnes ▪ a broken and a co●●rite hear● , o god , thou wilt not despise . is thy heart wounded with thy sinne ▪ doth griefe and hatred striue within thee , whether shall bee more ? are the desires of thy soule with god ? dost thou long for holinesse , complaine of thy imperfections , struggle against thy corruptions ▪ thou art the man , feare not . jt is finished . that law which thou wouldest haue kept , & couldest not ; thy sauiour could , and did keepe for thee : that saluation vvhich thou couldest neuer work-out alone ( alas poore impotent creatures ▪ what can we doe towards heauen vvithout him , which cannot mooue on earth but in him ? ) hee alone for thee hath finished . looke vp therefore boldly to the throne of god ; and , vpon the truth of thy repentance & faith , knows , that there is no quarrel against thee in heauen ▪ nothing but peace and ioy ; all is finished . he would be spetted on , that he might wash thee ; hee would be couered with scornfull robes , that thy sinnes might be couered ; he would be whipped , that thy soule might not bee scourged eternally ; he would thirst , that thy soule might be satisfied ; hee would beare all his fathers wrath , that thou might'st beate none ; he would yield to death , that thou might'st neuer taste of it ; he would be in sense for a time as forsaken of his father , that thou might'st bee receiued for euer . now bid thy soule returne to her rest ; and inioyne it ▪ dauids taske ; praise the lord , o my soule● , and , what shall j render to the lord for all his benefites ? j will take the cup of saluation , and call vpon the name of the lord. and , as rauishe from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy , cal al the other creatures to the fellowship of this ioy , with that diuine esay ; reioyce , o ye● heauens , for the lord hath done it ; shout yea lower 〈◊〉 of the ea●th , 〈…〉 into praises ye● mountaines , for the lord hath 〈…〉 jacob , and will be glorified in jsraell . and , euen now beginne that heauenly song , which shall neuer e●d , with those glorified saints ; praise , and 〈◊〉 , and glory , and power , bee to him that s●●eth vpon the throne , 〈◊〉 the lambe for euermore . thus , our speech of christs last words , is finished . his last act accōpanied his words ; our speech must follow it : let it not want your deuout and carefull attention ; hee bowed , and gaue vp the ghost . the crosse was a slowe death , and had more paine thē speed ; whence , a second violēce must dispatch the crucified ; their bones must be brokē , that their hearts might break . our sauiour staies not deaths leisure , but willingly and couragiouslie meets him in the way : and like a champion that scornes to be ouercome , yea , knowes he cannot be , yieldeth in the midst of his strength , that hee might by dying vāquish death . he bowed , and gaue vp ▪ not bowing , because hee had giuen vp , but because he would . he cried with a loud voice , saith matthew . nature was strong , he might haue liued ; but he gaue vp the ghost , and would die , to shew himselfe . lord of life and death . oh wondrous example ! hee that gaue life to his enemies , gaue vp his owne : he giues them to liue , that persecute and hate him ; and himselfe will die the whiles , for those that hate him . he bowed , & gaue vp : not they . they might crowne his head ; they could not bow it : they might vex his spirit ; not take it away : they could not doe that without leaue ; this they could not doe , because they had no lea●e . he alone would bow his head , and giue vp his ghost ; 〈◊〉 haue power to lay downe my life : man gaue him not his life , man could not bereaue it : no man takes it frō me . alas who could ? the high-priests forces , when they came against him armed ; he said but i am he● ; they st● ▪ fall backward ▪ how easie 〈◊〉 breath disperst his enemies ! whom he might as easily haue bidden the earth , yea , hell to swallow , or fire from heauen to deuoure . who cōmanded the diuels , & they obei'd ; could not haue bin attached my men . he must giue not onely leaue , but power to apprehend himselfe ; else they had not liu'd to take him . hee is laid hold of ; peter ●ight st pu●●● ; saith christ , thinkest thou that j cannot pray to my father , and hee will giue mee more then legions of angels ? what an army were heer ? more thē three-score & twelue thousand angels ; and euery angel able to subdue a world of men . hee could , but would not bee rescued , hee is ledde by his owne power , not by his enemies : and stands now before pilate , like the scorne of men , crowned , robbed , scourged , vvith an ec●e homo : yet thou couldest haue no power against mee , 〈◊〉 i● vvere giuen thee from aboue . behold ; he himselfe must giue pilate power against himselfe ; else hee could not be condemned . hee will be condemned , lifted vp , nailed ; yet no death without himselfe . hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne● esay ▪ , . no action , that fauours of constraint , can be meritorious : hee would deserue , therefore he would suffer and die . he bowed his head , and gaue vp the ghost , o gracious and bountifull sauiour ! hee might haue kept his soule within his ●eeth , in spight of all the world ; the weakeness of god , is stronger then men : and if he had but spoken the word , the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him ; but , he wold not . behold ; when he saw , that impotent man could not take away his soule , he gaue it vp , 〈◊〉 would die , that wee might liue . see heere a sauiour , that can contemne his ovvne life for ours , and cares not to bee dissolued in himself ▪ that we might be vnited to his father . ski●●e for ski●●e , saith the diuell , 〈◊〉 all that he hath , a man will giue for his life . lo , heere , to proue satan a lyer , skin , and life ▪ and all , hath christ iesus giuen for vs. we are besotted with the earth . & make base shifts to liue ; one with a mai●ed bodie , another vvith a perfu●●d soule , a third with a rotten name : and how many had 〈…〉 neglect their soul● then their life and 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 ▪ then die● ▪ it is a shame it● tells many of vs christians 〈◊〉 op●n life , and ●●●●●ble and ●a●h ▪ and she 〈◊〉 solue so 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 excesse of loue , ●o●ard● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 as peter denies christ ●i● , & forsweares him 〈…〉 graines of incense ●nto the idols ●ire e●ius , 〈…〉 thrice ; spir● 〈…〉 , a● despa●●es ; ●de● me liue ●aith the 〈…〉 whith●● d●st thou 〈◊〉 ●hy selfe 〈…〉 and ●do● us 〈…〉 w●ld'st thou 〈◊〉 with thy selfe 〈◊〉 ▪ thou hast not thus learned christ● 〈…〉 voluntarilie for thee , thou wilt not bee forced to die for him : hee gaue vp the ghost for thee ; thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him : thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe . when i looke back to the first christians , and compare their zealous cōtempt of death , with our backwardness ; i am at once amazed & ashamed : i see there euen women ( the feebler sex ) running with their little ones in their armes , for the preferment of martyrdome ; and ambitiouslie striuing for the next blowe . i see holy & tender virgins , chusing rather a sore and shamefull death , then honourable espousalls . i hear the blessed martyrs , intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying : ignatius , amongst the rest , fearing least the beasts wil not deuoure him , and vowing the first violence to them , that he might be dispatched . and , what lesse courage was there , in our memorable & glorious fore-fathers of the last , of this age ? and doe vvee , their cold and feeble ofspring , looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death ; abhor the violent , tho for christ ? alas ! how haue we gathered rust with our long peace ? our vnwillingnesse , is from inconsideration , from distrust . looke but vp to christ iesus vpon his crosse , and see him bowing his head , and breathing out his soule ; and these feares shall vanish . he died , & wouldest thou liue ? he gaue vp the ghost , and wouldest thou keep it ? whom vvouldest thou follow , if not thy redeemer ▪ if thou die not , if not vvillingly , thou goest contrarie to him , and shalt neuer meet him . tho thou shouldest euery day die a death for him , thou couldest neuer requite his one death : and doost thou sticke at one ? euery word hath his force , both to him and thee . he died , which is lord of life , and cōmaunder of death ; thou art but a tenant of life , a subiect of death . and yet it was not a dying , but a giuing vp ; not of a vanishing and aery breath , but of a spirituall soule , which after separation , hath an entire life in it selfe . he gaue vp the ghost . hee died , that hath both ouercome and sanctified , and sweetned death . what fearest thou ? he hath puld out the sting and malignity of death 〈◊〉 thou bee a christian , cary it in thy bosome , it hurts thee not dar'st thou not trust thy redeemer ? if hee had not died , death had been a tyrant ; now he is a slaue . o death , where is thy sting ? o graue , where is thy victorie ? yet the spirit of god saith not hee died , but gaue vp the ghost . the very heathen poet saith ; he durst not say that a good man dies . it is worth the noting ( me thinks ) that vvhen s. luke would describe to vs the death of ananias and sapphira , he saith ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) hee expired : but when s. iohn vvould describe christs death , he saith ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) he gaue vp the ghost . how gaue he it vp and whither ? how ? so as after a sort he retained it : his soule parted from his body ; his godhead was neuer distracted , either frō soule or body . this vnion is not in nature ; but in person . if the natures of christ could be diuided each would haue his subsistence ; so there should bee more persons . god forbid : one of the natures therefore , may haue a separation in it selfe ; the soule from the body : one nature cannot bee separate from other , or either nature from the person . if you cannot conceiue , wonder : the sonne of god hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanitie , without all possibilitie of diuorce ; the body hangs on the crosse , the soule is yielded ; the godhead is euiternally vnited to them both ; acknowledges , sustaines them both . the soule in his agony feeles not the presence of the godhead ▪ the body , vpon the crosse , feeles not the presence of the soule . yet , as the fathers of chalcedon say truly ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) indiuisibly , inseparably is the godhead , with both of these , still and euer , one and the same person . the passion of christ ( as augustine ) was the sleep of his diuinitie : so , i may say ; the death of christ , was the sleep of his humanitie . jf hee sleepe , hee shall doe well ; said that disciple , of lazarus . death vvas too weake to dissolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction . let not vs christians goe too much by sense ; we may be firmely knit to god , & not feele it . thou canst not hope to be so neer to thy god as christ was , vnited personally : thou canst not fear , that god should seeme more absent from thee , then he did from his own son ; yet was hee still one with both body & soule , when they were diuided from thēselues . when he was absent to sense , hee was present to faith ▪ when absent in vision , yet in vnion one and the same : so will he be to thy soule when it is at worst . hee is thine , and thou art his : if thy hold seeme loosened , his is not ▪ whē temptations will not let thee see him , hee sees thee , and possesses thee ; onely belieue thou against sense , aboue hope : and tho he kil thee , yet trust in him . whither gaue hee it vp ? himselfe expresses ; father , into thy hands : and , this day thou shalt be with mee in paradise . it is iustice to restore whence wee receiue ; jnto thy hands . he knew where it should be both safe & happie : true ; he might be bold ( thou saist ) as the son with the father . the seruants haue done so ; dauid before him , steuen after him . and least we should not think it our common right , father , saith hee , j vvill that those thou hast giuen mee , may be with me , euen where i am : hee willes it ; therefore it must be . it is not presumption , but faith to charge god with thy spirit , neither can there euer be any belieuing soule so meane , that he should refuse it : all the feare is in thy self ; how canst thou trust thy iewell with a stranger ? what suddaine familiaritie is this ? god hath been with thee , and gone by thee ; thou hast not saluted him : and now in all the hast thou bequeathest thy soule to him . on what acquaintance ? how desperate is this carelesnesse ▪ if thou haue but a little money , whether thou keepe it , thou lay'st it vp in the temple of trust ; or whether thou let it ; thou art sure of good assurance , sound bonds . if but a little land , how carefully doost thou make firme conueyances to thy desired heires ? if goods , thy wil hath taken secure order vvho shall enioy them ; we need not teach you cittizens to make sure worke for your estates ▪ if children , thou disposest of them in trades , with portions : onelie of thy soule ( which is thy selfe ) thou knowest not what shal become . the world must haue it no more ; thy self would'st keep it , but thou know'st thou canst not : satan would haue it ; and thou know'st not whether hee shall : thou wouldest haue god haue it ; and thou knowest not whether hee will : yea , thy hart is now ready with pharaoh , to say ; who is the lorde ? o the fearefull and miserable estate of that man , that must part with his soule , hee knowes not whither ! which , if thou wouldest auoide ( as this very vvarning shall iudge thee if thou do not ) bee acquainted vvith god in thy life , that thou maist make him the gardian of thy soule , in thy death . giuen vp it must needs be ; but to him that hath gouern'd it if thou haue giuen it to satan in thy life ; hovv canst thou hope god will in thy death entertaine it ? did you not hate me , and expell mee out of my fathers house ; how then come ye to me now in this time of your tribulation ; said ieptha , to the men of gilead . no , no : either giue vp thy soule to god while he calls for it in his word , in the prouocations of his loue , in his afflictions , in the holy motions of his spirit to thine : or else whē thou wouldest giue it , hee vvill none of it , but as a iudge , to deliuer it to the tormentor . what should god do , with an vncleane , drunken , profane , proud , couetous soule ? without holinesse , it is no seeing of god : depart from me , yee wicked ; j know yee not ; goe to the gods you haue serued . see how god is euen with men : they had in the time of the gospell , said to the holy one of israell ; depart from vs : now in the time of iudgement , he saith to them ; depart from me . they would not knowe god when they might ; now god will not knowe them when they would . novv therefore ( beloued ) if thou would'st not haue god scorne the offer of thy death-bed , fit thy soule for him in thy health ; furnish it with grace ; inure it to a sweet conuersation with the god of heauen : then maist thou boldly giue it vp ; & he shall as graciously receiue it , yea , fetch it by his angels to his glory . hee gaue vp the ghost . wee must doe as hee did ; not all with the same successe . giuing vp , supposes a receiuing , a returning . this in-mate that vve haue in our bosome , is sent to lodge heer for a time ; may not dwell heere alwaies . the right of this tenure , is the lords , not ours . as hee said of the hatchet ; it is but lent , it must be restored : it is ours to keepe ; his to dispose and require . see and consider both our priuiledge and charge ; it is not with vs as vvith brute creatures : vvee haue a liuing ghost to informe vs , vvhich yet is not ours , ( and , alas , what is ours , if our soules be not ? ) but must bee giuen vp ; to him that gaue it . vvhy doe wee liue , as those that tooke no keepe of so glorious a guest ? as those that should neuer part vvith it ; as those that thinke it giuen them to spend ; not to returne with a reckoning ? if thou hadst no soule , if a mortall one , if thine owne , if neuer to bee required , hovv couldest thou liue but sensuallie ? oh remember but vvho thou art , what thou hast , and whither thou must ; and thou shalt liue like thy selfe vvhile thou art , and giue vp thy ghost confidently vvhen thou shalt cease to bee ▪ neither is there heere more certaintie of our departure then comfort . carie this with thee to thy death-bed ; and see if it can refresh thee , when all the world cannot giue thee one dramme of comfort . our spirit is our deerest riches : if wee should lose it , here were iust cause of griefe . howle and lament , if thou thinkest thy soule perisheth : it is not forfeited , but surrendred . how safely doth our soule passe through the gates of death , without any impeachment , while it is in the hands of the almightie ? woe were vs , if he did not keep it while we haue it ; much more when we restore it . wee giue it vp to the same hands that created , infused , redeemed , renewed , that doe protect , preserue , establish , and will crowne it : j knowe vvhom j haue belieued ; and j am persvvaded , that he is able to keepe that vvhich j haue committed to him against that day . o secure and happy estate of the godly ! o blessed exchange of our condition : while our soule dwells in our breast , how is it subiect to infinite miseries ? distempred vvith passions , charged with sinnes , vexed with tentations ; aboue , none of these : how should it bee otherwise ? this is our pilgrimage , that our home : this our wildernesse , that our land of promise : this our bondage , that our kingdom . our impotency causeth this our sorrow . vvhen our soule is once giuen vppe , vvhat euill shall reach vnto heauen , and wrestle with the almightie ? our loathnesse to giue vp , comes from our ignorance and infidelitie . no man goes vnwillinglie to a certaine preferment ; j defute to be dissolued , saith paule : j haue serued thee , j haue beleeued thee , and now : j come to thee , saith luther : the voices of saints , not of men . if thine heart can say thus , thou shalt not need to intreat with old hilarion , egredere me● anima , egredere ; quid ●i●as ? go thy waies forth my soule , goe forth : what fearest thou ▪ but it shall flie vp alone cheerefully from thee ; and giue vp it selfe , into the armes of god , as a faithfull creator and redeemer . this earth is not the element of thy soule ; it is not where it should be : it shal be no lesse thine , when it is more the owners . thinke now seriouslie of this point ; gods angell is abroad , and strikes on all sides , wee knowe not which of ●urtur●●es shall be the next : we are sure wee carie deathes en●v● ▪ within vs. if wee be readie , our day cannot come too soone . stir vp thy soule to an heauenlie cheerfulnesse , like thy sauiour : know but whither thou art going ; and thou canst not but with diuine paule , say from our sauiours mouth , euen in this sense ; jt is a more blessed thing to giue , then to receiue . god cannot abide an vnwilling guest . giue vp that spirit to him , which hee hath giuen thee ; and hee will both receiue what thou giuest , and giue it thee againe , with that glorie and happinesse vvhich can neuer bee conceiued , and shall neuer bee ended . euen so , lord iesvs , come quicklie . gloria in excelsis deo. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e petr. galatin . de arcan . fidei cath. ad finem . ex glos . rab. sh●lom●h . lex est euāgelium praedictum : euangelium lex completa . . cor. . ioh. . art thou a master in israel ? esr . . . ier. . . neh. . . matt. . . cleric : iudaeorum : saith ierome . euseb . eccl . hist . l. c. erāt in circūcisione diuersae sentētiae qua maximè tribui iudae aduersabantur , &c. vid ios . scalig resp . ad serarium . orig. lib. . aduers . cels . christian●s non habere veram religionem , quòd in varias sectas diuisi essent . domus sāmai & hillel . ar. mont. in euang. ante aduētum christi , non tot & tam blasphemae hareses ▪ irem . lib. . act. . . jn eam consentiunt omnes hebraei , teste bahal haruch , pagnin . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ar. montanus . ios . seal . i. drus●● , &c. . mac. . act. . . eruditius caeteris legem 〈◊〉 pher. ios●● . ● de bello iud. c. . an old saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . descipuli sammai occidebant descipulos hillel . epiphan . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . jn nomen mosi● , aciba , anna , filiorum assamonai . hier algasiae de . quaestionib . . cor. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . scriba lectionarij quasi scripturarij vel textuarij ; pharisaei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drus . matth. . eodem habitis cum scribis muliebri passio , latis crepidis , & calceamentorum ligulis procedentes . epiphan . meahauah . epiph. chasidim . prac. mosaica cum ex pos . rabbinorum à munster . ed ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epiphā . hier. in mat. . acutissimas in eis spinas ligabant , vt amb●lantes & sedentes pungerentur & admonerentur officij . josephus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. qui comedit panem samariticū a●st ●omederet sui●●am . p●aecept . mos . cum expos . rab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : in the new testament , the common people . vnum ex sex opprobrijs vitandis à discipulis sa●ientum , comessatio cum populo terrae . ar. mont. in euang. epiphan . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mar. . . prae. mos . cum expos . rab. epiphan . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 epiph. montan. in locum . prae. mos . cum expos . vox egypti●ca . versus quidam ex lege mosis in pergameno scripti . scz . . priores . exod. . . . . . . . deut. pag● . quòd ferrū vim assandi habet . prat. mos . cum expos . ibid. mat. . . correcti à concilio toletan . bellar quilibet nostrûm de lege interr●gatus facilius quàm nomen suum respondet . ios . contr . app. l. . mat. . . choshec aphelah : tenebra cal●ginis . in aquam se cum vestibus ●●mergunt ●hi contigerint auquem ●xa●ia gen●e : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. epiph. barthol . ●fixiensis . mat. . . gal. . . phil. . . gal. . . pl●● est in verbis sapiētum quam in verbis legis . galatin . serarius . non mali comparari pharisaeos catholicis . pari pietatis affectu & reuerentia traditiones vnà cum libris veteris & noui testamenti sustipimus & veneramur : decr. . sess . . nolo verba qu● scripta non sunt legi bellum haeresicorum pax est ecclesiae ex hilario bellar esconedo . concordiâ res parua crescunt , &c. nostrâ miseriâ tu es magnus . de pomp. mi●●● jn mar. . prae. mos . cum expos . rab. ibid. ibid. sacrarū c●remoniarum lib. . accipit de gremi● camerarij pecuniam , vbi nihil tamē est argenti ; spargensque in populo d●cit : aurum & argentū non est mihi , quod antem habeo hoc tibido . can●n . p●nitential . pag. . num. ezec. . luc. . otho fristugensis in praf●● . in mat. . mat. . . vide drufinus de tribus sectis jud. alia doctrina pharisa●rum qua est nisi legis secundum carnem obseruatio ? hier. in gal. . . tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . si haec prohibea●tur , fil●● 〈◊〉 p●nent in man● . praec . mos . cum expos . socrates eccl . hist . iam. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luc. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat. . . * * a word which the seminaries report ( in their quodlibet ) vsuall amongst thē , to signifie beguiled & wip't of their inheritance ; from the example of m. henry drury of law shall in suffolke so defeated by the iesuites . as at winno●-berg in flāders neer dunkerk , where a rich legacie giuen by a charitable lady for the building of an hospital , was cunningly turned to the maintenance of iesuites . sacr. cerem l. . de conse benedict . & coron pontif. postea imperator s● praesaeus est stapha● equi papalis tenet , & dein ducit equum per fraenum aliquantuiū . and afterward : dum imperator haec officia prastat , debet papa modesté recusare , tandem cum aliquibus bonis verbis recipiendo permittit , aliquantul●●● progredi , &c. that is , while the emperour doth these seruices to the pope of holding his stirrup , and leading his horse by the bridle the pope ought modestly to refuse , but at last with some good words , hee suffers him to goe on a while ; and then at last staies himselfe , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . giue me not pouerty nor riches . prou. . . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sit mors mea in remissionem omnium iniquitatum mearum . vt vs●● rationis tollatur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aug. ad hier dū volunt & iudaei esse & christiani , nec iudaei sunt , ne● christiani . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ex quo apparet , tunc scissū esse cùm christus emisit spiritum . ceremoniae sicut defuncta corpora a necessariorū officijs deducenda erant ad sepulturā , non simulatè , sed religiosè , nec deserenda continuò . augustin . ego è cōtrario loquar , & reclamāte mūdo liberâ voce pro nūciē , ceremonias iudaeorū perniciosas esse , et mortiferas , & quicunque eas obseruauerit siue ex iudaeis , siue ex gētibus , in barathrū diaboli deuolutū . hier. quisquis nunc ea celebrare voluerit , tanquā sopitos cineres eruens , nō erit pius &c. si tu pacē fugis , ego te ab ecclesia fuger●mando . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal . , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . acts. . . & in medio latronū tanquā latronū imma●issimus . luther . caput angelicis spiritibus tremebūdū spinis coronatur . &c. bernard . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vt nulla vnquam aetas similem memi●erit . psalm . . . thes . . . maledictū silentium , quod hîc conniuet . negotiatores terrae sunt ipsi sacerdotes , qui vendunt orationes & missas pro denarijs : ●acientes domū orationis , apothecam negotiationis . in reuel . l. . p. . bellar. l. . d● indulgent . reuel . . quod emitti●ur voluntariū est : quod amit●itur necessarium . ambro. quod si venire noluerint , ego vim faciam vt deuorer . si per singulos dies pro eo moreremur qui nos dilexit , non sic debitum exolueremus . chrysost . acts. . . quantūcūqute deieceris , humilior non eris christ . hieron . vt contra : nullam animā recipio , quae 〈◊〉 nolente separatur à corpore . hieron . an ansvver to pope vrban his inurbanity, expressed in a breue sent to lowis the french king, exasperating him against the protestants in france. / vvritten in latine by the right reverend father in god, ioseph lord bishop of exeter. ; translated into english by b.s. inurbanitati pontificiae responsio jos. exoniensis. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) an ansvver to pope vrban his inurbanity, expressed in a breue sent to lowis the french king, exasperating him against the protestants in france. / vvritten in latine by the right reverend father in god, ioseph lord bishop of exeter. ; translated into english by b.s. inurbanitati pontificiae responsio jos. exoniensis. hall, joseph, - . urban viii, pope, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ], , [ ], , , [ ] p. by william iones for nicolas bourne, at the south entrance of the royall exchange, printed at london : . the first leaf is blank except for large catchword "an"; the last leaf is blank. "a breeue of our holy father the pope to the king. vpon the taking of rochell" and "bref de n.s. pere le pape au roy· sur la prise de la rochelle" each have separate dated title page with imprint "printed at paris .. by edmond martin .." and "a paris, chez edme martin .." respectively; "inurbanitati pontificiae responsio ios. exoniensis" has separate divisional title; "reuerendo in christo patri, viro incomparabili, iosepho hal episcopo exoniensi, gilbertus primirosius s.p.d." has caption title; each has separate pagination; register is continuous throughout. e -f identified as stc on reel . reproductions of the originals in the henry e. huntington library (reel : ) and art gallery and the folger shakespeare library (reel : e -f only). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into 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then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng urban -- viii, -- pope, - . -- bref de n.s. pere le pape au roy· sur la prise de la rochelle. protestants -- france -- early works to . la rochelle (france) -- history -- siege, - -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an answer to pope vrban his invrbanity , expressed in a breve sent to lowis the french king , exasperating him against the protestants in france . vvritten in latine by the right reverend father in god , ioseph lord bishop of exeter . translated into english by b. s. pardon the faults this english stile affords , a child interpreted the fathers words . printed at london by william jones for nicolas bourne , at the south entrance of the royall exchange . . to my mvch respected friend mr. dr. primrose , pastor of the french chvrch in london , and chaplaine to his most excellent majestie . mr. tourvall a french man shewed me but a while since an epistle of pope vrban , delivered of late to lewis the french king , written in a swelling and bloody stile after their manner . in which when the good bishop had cleerely carroled a song of triumph for the victory over rochell , and had more then sufficiently gratulated both the king and nation : he then most barbarously proceedeth to that harsh and cruell language , ( smite and cast downe ) and eagerly vrgeth , yea inforceth the destruction of all the hereticks stabling in france . which when i had read , i could not forbeare , but presently taking pen and paper , i did not vtter vpon premeditation , but poured out on the sodaine this answere . such as it is , receiue , ( reverend brother ) and peruse it , and either send it abroad into the light of the world , or set on a light fire . farewell . from your friend , ios . exon . to pope vrbane the eight , bishop of rome , joseph , bishop of exeter , wisheth sober witts , and christian charity . why may not the least prelate make bolde to reprooue the high priest ? i ask no leaue , nor is there any need ; i take the ancient liberty . there was not in olde time so much difference betweene eugubium and rome , nor betweene exeters ishe and tyber . hearken therefore now pope vrbane to that which ere long thou shalt heare of with heartlesse feare and trembling , at the dreadfull tribunall of christ. those blotts of blood are nothing well suiting a pastor of the christian flocke . what , maist thou like a dreadfull king of heralds proclaime warre ? what meanest thou that so eagerly thou provokest christian princes , too too full of blood , to the extirpating and horrid massacring their owne subjects ? was it for this , that the keyes were delivered to thy trust , that thou mightest open the barrd vp from gates of warre , and the yvory dores of infernall pluto ? alas the shadow of peter tooke these protestants of france for malchus , whose eares while he went about to cut off , he committed but a light errour , and hit them on the throates : or perchance it hath beene said to him from heaven of late , concerning these animals stabling in france , kill and eate ? what ? art thou pilot of the churches peace , and talkest of shining helmets , speares and swords ? what other houling could the she wolfe , the damme of thy romulus haue yelled out , if this fierce roaring become the folde of peter ? disgorge thy selfe as much as thou wilt , and stale vpon the ashes of vnhappy rochell , and scatter with thy blustering breath the most despised dust of that most miserable city ; yet withall call to minde a little , how not many ages past the predecessor of this lowis , though thine owne lowis now , broke open the gates of rome , mouldred the walls , dispersed the citizens , and condemned thy predecessour to a dark dungeon , lading him with bitter scoffes and curses . neither shall many years passe againe , ( vnlesse my divining spirit be much mistaken ) before babylon fall , and the angell shout , and the world congratulate with amazement : rochells case shall be thine owne case ere long , thou most forlorne of all cities . happy he who shall render thee like for like ; who also shall dash out the braines of thy children against the stones . in the meane time fraight thy selfe with our miseries , laugh at our teares , make merry at our last gaspes , sing to our sighes , and applaud our vexations . there is a iust avenger who lookes downe from heaven , whose rod we kisse , and gaspe after his revenge on thee at once . pleade thou our cause , nay thy cause ô god , j say thine alone . why may not confident innocency appeal to thee her judge ? if in the whole structure and fabrick of our most holy religion by vs hitherto professed , there be any one thing which hath proceeded from the most impure fountain of mans invention , let it even perish , yea let it vtterly perish and bee banished to their purgatory . but if wee haue not dared to profter any thing to the christian world , except what thou hast inspired to thy prophets and apostles , and by these thy pen-men , which could not deceiue , wouldest haue delivered most faithfully to thy people : surely then either most happily wee erre with thee , ô god of trueth ; or thou wilt defend with vs this eternall and onely evangelicall religion . but thou wilt say that wee poore wretches are deceived , that it is piety ( no doubt ) which we accuse of cruelty ; that it is the zeale of the house of god , whereby good bishop thou art so set on fire , that thou hast so importunely wished and counselled the rooting out all at once of the heretickes abiding in france . o brazen brow , ô adamantine heart : we call god , the angels , and saints as witnesses of this so hainous reproach . for those whom thou falsely brandest with the markes of heresie , thou shalt heare at length , when the church shall acknowledge them for her sonnes , and christ for his members . for what ( i call god to record ) doe wee teach , which the holy scriptures , the councils , the fathers , the churches , the christian chayres haue not with one consent alwayes held ? for all those points which wee professe , the most approoved authors among you doe maintaine them all . there are indeede certaine late superstructions and patches of opinions which you would haue superadded to the ancient faith. those we most religiously reject , and do constantly ever refuse them : they are humane , they are yours . lastly , they are either doubtfull , or impious . and must we therefore being christian soules , needes bee cast out of the lap of the church ? must we forthwith be delivered vp to bee devoured by fire and sword ? must we being throwne downe to hell by the thunderbolt of a curse , there burne for ever ? is this all the matter why the stall and shambles , are all the provision your holinesse makes for such animals as vs ? god! see the papall iustice and mercy . this is the meer iniury of time . that was not heresie of olde , which is so now ; if we had beene borne in the ancient times of the church , before that romane primacy , image-worship , transubstantiation , the sacrifice of the masse , purgatory , the private or halfe communion , the selling of pardons , and other like brood of this hatch was knowne to the christian world , heaven lay open truly to vs , no lesse then to other godly soules of that more simple age , who happily tooke flight from hence in the true falth of christ. but now that wee haue beene reserved vnto the doting age of the world , in which a certaine new off-spring of articles haue begun to spring ; it is capitall to vs , and to bee corrected with no lesse punishment then the continuall torments of hell . consider this all ye christians that liue in any place of the earth , how farre is it from all justice and piety , that a new faith can be created in after time by humane judgement vnheard of in antient ages , which may adjudge posterity to hell , for not beleeving that which the first , christians never heard of , and yet went to heaven ? these greene fresh witts of a politicke religion , are in truth the men which most outragiously perplex the world , wherever the name of christ is heard of . these are they who set at variance among themselues the kings of the earth , who otherwise it is like would bee peaceable . these rent kingdomes , distract people , dissolue societies , nourish seditions , lay waste the most flourishing countries , and lastly doe bring the richest cities to ashes and confusion . but ought these things thus to be done ? doe wee thinke that this will bee found a just cause of deadly warre , or of a massacre at the tribunall of the great iudge ? awake oh ye christian princes , and thou especially king lowis , into whose eares those mischiefs are so vncivilly & cruelly whispered : awake at length and see how cursed fiercenesse deviseth to put it selfe vpon your maiestie after the most mischievous manner vnder a pretence of piety . they are your natiue subiects whom these forreiners require for the slaughter , yea they are christs , and what ? would you bath your hand , or sword , in the blood of those for whom christ shed his , who lavished most freely for you and your great parent their owne ? heare sir , i beseech you , whose stile is among your subjects , levvis the ivst . if we did worship any other god , any other christ then yours , if we aspired to any other heaven , if we held any other creed , or baptisme , if in a word wee did make profession of a new church , leaning vpon other foundations : there would be cause verily why you shold destinate such hereticks remaining in france to revengefull flames . if your people haue violated any thing established by the god of vs all , or lawfully appointed by your selfe , we verily craue no pardon ; let them smart who haue deserved stripes , it is just ; but make not havocke of the servants of your owne god , and of your owne subiects , whom religion it selfe makes faithfull vnto you . suffer not for a few yesterdayes and superfluous patches of humane invention , and will-worship , added to the christian religion , that they perish who haue beene willing to redeeme your and your fathers safety and renowne , vvith the greatest hazard of their owne liues ; suffer them to liue by you , by whom you now raigne . but if they were not yours , yet remember that they are christians , ( vvith vvhich title your subiects are vvont superlatiuely to honour you as most christian ) and that you are washed in the same font , bought with the same blood , and renued by the same spirit ; and in a vvord ( vvhatsoever vaine furie thundereth out to the contrarie ) they are the sonnes of the spouse , and the brothers of the heavenly bridgegroome . but these doe erre from the faith . from vvhich faith i pray ? not from the christian , but the romish . novv vvhat a prodigious thing is this ? christ condemnes not these , yet the pope doth . if your great chancellor of paris vvere novv aliue , hee vvould freely teach his sorbôna , ( vvhich of olde he did ) hovv that the pope hath not power ( that i may vse his ovvne vvord ) to hereticate any proposition . yea , but an vniversall councel hath condemned thē ? which councell vvas that ? the trent . i am deceived if that councell as yet hath beene received and approved in your dominions . consult vvith your antient authors of best credit , they vvill tell you hovv vniust a councell it vvas , yea hovv it vvas no councell at all ; that vvhatsoever vvas done or established by that company being enthralled to seven-headed rome , vvas but the act of one bishop . lastly , consider i beseech your maiestie , hovv the reformed are not in some kinde to the papists , as the papists are to the reformed . heresie is alike sharplie vpbraided on both sides . but doe vve deale so roughlie vvith the professours of the romish religion ? did vve ever rage vvith fire and sword against the papall faith ? see , vvas ever the crime of a conscience miserablie misled accounted capitall ? it may be you may finde , ( yet verie seldome ) perchance some impudent masse-priest , a despiser of publick lawes , a sower of sedition , to haue received his condigne punishment . but no papist , ( i speake confidentlie ) vvas ever put to death meerelie for the cause of religion , or losse either of head or limbe . why doest not thou then : oh sonne of most milde and clement henry , carrie thy selfe alike tovvard thy faithfull subiects vvho innocentlie professe the reformed religion ? why doth not your maiesty , take order that it may be a trap for no man to haue worshipped god according to the scriptures , and the practise of the antient church , and that it may be lawfull for your subjects to be trulie pious . and thou pope vrba● , at last come to thy selfe , and consider how well this cruell sentence becomes thy purple robes . it becomes not him to carrie a sheepe-crooke , but a sword , that will furrow vp that field . nor is this net belonging to fishing , but rather to the fencing schooles of the ancient romish gladiators . beautifull are the fee●e of them that preach peace , saith the prophet , we may say now of thee farr otherwise , hatefull are the hands of them that preach warre . if thou hadst anie portion in the gospell of christ , thou mightest easilie judge that all things there sound peace , gentlenesse , meekenesse , concord . this revenging spirit was not sent but from hell . not the least sound of an hammer is heard in gods temple ; but you good man will haue the holie church of god filled with the clangor of trumpetts , and the clashing of semiters , and the groanes of men ready to dye . therefore open thy eare at length ô thou who proudlie scornest the judgements of all mortall men . that which heretofore our holie and learned robert bishop of lincolne is reported to haue done to thy predecessour , that doe i now to thee . let it be lawfull for me now to summon thee to the fearefull tribunall of almightie god , to which thy trembling and fearefull ghost shall shortlie be brought to render accompt of that thy bloody advice . in the meane while , if thou hast anie care or thought to flie from the vvrath to come , and escape eternall vengeance , repent . a breeve of ovr holy father the pope to the king . vpon the taking of rochell . printed at paris in st. james street by edmond martin , lying at the golden sunne . . with allowance from authority . pope vrban the eight . ovr most deare sonne in christ vve send you greeting and apostolicall benediction ; the voice of reioycing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous , let the vvicked see this and fret , and let the synagogue of satan consume avvay . the most christian king fighteth for religion , the lord of hosts fighteth for the king. we verilie in this mother cittie of the vvorld triumph vvith holie ioy , vve congratulate this your maiesties victorie , the trophies vvhereof are erected in heauen , the glorie vvhereof the generation that is to come shall neuer cease to speak of . novv at the length this age hath seene the tovvre of rochell no losse impregnable by the obstinacie of treacherie then strength of nature surrendered to the king and st. peter . neither is any so foolish as to ascribe this glorious victorie rather to happinesse then to vertue . by your long siege of many months you haue taught vs that europe oweth your french legions no lesse commendation for their constancy , then for their expedition ; your armie going cleere away with the victorie over your enemies , by slighting all dangers , & induring all hardnesse devoteth their life vnto you , & promise you an absolute triumph of conquered heresy . the waters of the ocean made a noise and were troubled , fighting for the besieged rebels , they made choise of death rather then a surrender , vndermining treacherie approached even to your maiesties tents , hell all opened her mouth vomiting out troupes of mischiefes and dangers , to the end so rich a fort might not be taken away from their impietie . the lord stood on thy right hand , thou hast not onelie ouercome the forces of thine enemies , but thou wart able also to put a bridle vpon the ocean aiding them . let vs all giue thanks to almightie god who hath deliuered thee from the contradictions of the vnbeleeving people . how beie sith you are not ignorant with vvhat care the fruits of victories ought to be preserued left they perish , there is none can doubt but that in a short time all the remainder of the hereticks that haue got stable roome in the french vineyard shall by you be vtterlie discomfited . the church desireth that this diademe of perfect renowne be put vpon that helmet of salvation wherewith the lord mightie in battell seemeth to cover the head of your majestie : for we belieue shortly that all tumults being appeased in france the glistering ensigne of lewis the conquerour shall shine to the captiue daughter of sion , rehearsing the french trophies , and beholding the brightnesse of your lightning lance : god who performeth the desire of them that feare him prosper our desires and the prayers of the catholick church . our nuntio vvho was an eye-witnesse of your princelie glorie in your tents , will be a faithfull interpreter of our pontificall gratulation to your majestie , on whom we most lovingly bestow our apostolicall benediction . given at rome at s. mary the greater vnder the seale of the fisher , the eight and twentieth day of november , in the yeare of our lord . and the sixt year of our pontificate . invrbanitati pontificiae responsio ios . exoniensis . amico mihi plvrimvm colendo do. gilberto primerosio , s. theo l. professori ; ecclesiae gallicae londinensis pa stori : regiae mati . a sacris . monstrabat mihi modò tourvalus noster , gente gallus , epistolam , latino idiomate typis editam , vrbani papa , pro more , tumidam , & sanguinolentam , ludovico galliarum regi , pridem datam ; in quâ , vbi bonus pontifex jo paean canorè cecmisset rupellensi victoriae , regi simul ac genti abundè gratulatus , descendit illicò , fatis inclementer , ad saevum illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , et , haereticorum in gallia stabulantium prostigationem acriter vrg●t , & impellit ; continere manum non potui , quin me subitò in chartas darem ; arripio calamum : responsionem non meditor , sed effundo ; quicquid est , habe , vir venerande , et lege , & vel igni trade , vel luci . vale. a tuo ios . exon . vrbano viii . pontifici romano , josephvs exoniensis sanam mentem , et charitatem . qvid ni vero pontificem maximum compellare ausit minimus episcorum ? non peto veniam , nec opus est ; priscâ vtor licentiâ : non ita nimium distabat olim ab eugubio roma , aut isca meus à tiberi . audi modò pontifex vrbane , quod brevi pro tremendo christi lribunali pallidus exaudies ; pastorem christiani gregis parum decent hae sanguineae liturae : tune vt ad arma , tristis praeco , conclames ? tune vt christianos principes , nimio-quàm plenos cruoris , ad profligationem suorum , clademq , horrendam acriter instiges ? ideone tibi creditae claves , vt ferratas belli portas , eburneasque ditis inferni aperires ? euge , petri vmbra , numquid hi tibi malchi videntur , quibus dum aures praecidere voluisti , levi errore in guttura incidisti ? aut nunquid de quadrupedibus hisce in gallia stabulantibus dictum tibi pridem caelitus , occide et manduca ? tune pacifice rector ecclesiae , vt coruscantes galeas , hastas , gladios loquaris ? qualem verò sonum edere potuisset lupa tui romuli , si ista petri caulam non dedeceat truculenta vox ? conspue , quantum lubet , et comminge cineres infaelicis rupellae , et diffla superbo spiritu , conculcatissimum miserrimae vrbis pulverem : recognosce interim paululùum , quàm non multa transierunt saecula , ex quo haereditarium ludovici , íam tui , sceptrum , romae portas confregerit , comminueritmaenia , cives dissiparit , praecessoremque tuum sannis , dirisque onustum , caeco carcere mulctârit . sed neque tot deinceps excurrent anni ( nisi me praesaga futurimens nimiùm fefellerit ) antequam cecidisse babylonem , et clamabit angelus , et gratulabundus orbis obstupescet : tuae erunt aliquando hae vices , vrbium perditissima : faelicem sanè illum , qui paria tibi quaeque retulerit , quique parvulorum tuorum cap ta saxis identidem illiserit . fruere tu intereà miseriis bisce nostris , arride lachrymis , exhilararè suspiriis , eiulatibus accine , applaude cruelatibus , est qui de caelo suo profpicit iustus vltor , cuius nos , vnà et exosculamur virgam , et inbismus vindictae : causam tu nostrant age , ô deus , imo tuam , tuam solius : quid ni te provocet arbitrum audax innocentia ? si quid vspiam est in toto hoc sacrosanctae , quam profitemur hactenus , religionis negotio , quod ex humani cerebri impurissimo fonte prodierit , pereat sane nobiscum , pereat penitissimè , et ad inferos suos meritò relegetur . quòd si nos nihil vnquam christiano orbi propinare ausi , nisi quod tu prophetis tuis , apostolisque inspiraveris , perque illos ( fallere nescios ) amanuenses populo tuo fidelissimé traditum volueris , scilicet , quin aut nos tecum fielicissimé erramus , ô deus veritatis , aut tu nobiscum aeternam hanc et vnicè evangelicam religionem tueris ? fallimur verò miselli , pietas est , ilicet , quam nos crudelitatis insimulamus : zelus est dómus dei , quo , bonus pontifex , ita totus accenderis , vt haereticorum ad vnum omnium in gallia stabulantium extirpationem et optaveris , et suaseris importuniùs . o frontem ! o viscera ! deum , angelos , sanctos , testes appellamus huius tam atrocis contumeliae : nempe , quos tu hereseos stigmate selsò inuris , audies demùm vbi ecclesia filios , christus membra salutaverit : ecquid enim ( per deum immortalem ) docemus nos , quod non scriptura , non concilia , non patres , non ecclesia , cathedraeque christianae vnanimiter semper temuerunt ? nimirum , quae nos profitemur , vestri ipsorum probatissimi authores tenent vniversa : quid ergo rei est ? sunt revera quaedam nupera opiniorum assumenta , quae vos avitae fidei superadiecta voluistis , ista nos piissimè reiicimus , et constanter vsque recusamus : humana sunt , vestra sunt : denique aut dubia sunt , aut iniqua : ideone vero vt christianae animae ex ecclesiae gremio eiiceremur ? vt ferro flammisque absumendi traderemur illico ? vt in baratbrum diabols , fulmine anathematis devoluti , arderemus aeteruùm ? ideone belluis et stabulum paratur et laniera ? justiciam , deus bone , et misericordiam pontificiam ! mera haec temporis iniuriae est : non fuit ea olin haeresis , quae nunc est : si priscis eaclesiae temporibus nasci nobis contigisset , ante quam primatus iste romanus , iconolatria , transubstantiatio , sacrificium missaticum , purgatorium , communio sive singularis , sive dividiata , indulgentiarum nundinatio , et huius farinae reliqua orbi christiano innotuissent , patuisset profecto nobis caelum , non minùs quam caeteris , piis simplicioris illius aevi animabus , quae in vera christi fide faeliciter evolârunt : jam verò in eam nos servatos fuisse mundi senectam , in quâ , nova quaedam suboriretur articulorum soboles , laetale nobis erit , neque minore paenâ quam perpetuis gehennae cruciatibus luendum . cogitate hoc , quotquot vspiam terrarum agitis , christiani , quàm sit ab omni iustitiâ et charitate alienum , vt nova subinde humano arbitrio creeter fides , priscis seculis inaudita , quae morti aeternae devoveat incredulos nepotes , quos antiqua veritas caelo adscivisset . recentes hi , scilicet , politicae religionis apices , illi sunt , qui orbem vniversum ( qua qua patet christi nomen ) immane quantum conturbârunt : hi sunt qui committunt inter se pacatissimos ( absque hoc foret ) terrae dominos , scindunt regna , populos distrahunt , dirimunt societates , seditiones fovent , florentissimas regiones vastant , vrbes denique opulentissimas in cineres rediguunt . siccine verò fieri oportuit ? putamusne hanc iustam funestissimi belli , internecionisque causam , pro summi judicis tribunali aliquando probatum iri ? evigilate christiani principes , tuque inprimis , ludovice rex , cui ista tam inurbanè , crudeliterque insufurrata sunt , evigila demùm , et vide quàm tibi sub pretextu pietatis , dira feritas pessimis modis imponere studuerit . tui sunt isti quos ad caedem deposcunt alienigenae ; christi sunt ? tune vero vt manum gladium ve imbueres illorum sauguine , pro quibus christus profudit suum ? qui suum pro te , ac magno parente tuo lubentissimè prodegerunt ? audi tu , quaeso , qui justus audire soles apud tuos , monarcha : si nos , alium a tuo deum , christum alium coleremus , si aliud ambiremus caelum , si symbolum aliud , aliud baptisma ; si novam denique aliis mixam fundamentis , ecclesiā profiteremurtesset profectò , cur haereticos in gallia stabulante , flammis vltricibus destinares : si quid populus tuus vel a cōmuni deo sancitum , vela te legitimè institutum violarit , non deprecamur herelè vindictam ; vapulent qui merucrunt , aequum est . noli interim saevire in dei tui servos , in cives tuos , quos ipsa religio praestat fideles : noli sinere vt propter hesterna quaedam , planèque superflua , humani ingenit adiectamenta , meramque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pereant ij , qui tuam patrisque tui salutem ac gloriam , sunimo vitae suae discrimine redimere voluerunt ; sine per te vivant illi , per quos tu modo regnas : quòd si tui non essent , memento tamen ( quo te titulo maximè insignire solent tui ) christianos esse , eodem et fonte lotos , et emptos sanguine , et spiritu renatos : caelestis denique ( quicquid vanus intonet furor ) sponsae filios , sponsi fratres . at , errant hi scilicet a fide . quâ tandem ? non christianâ certè sed pontificiâ . quid vero hoc monstriest ? non damnat hos christus , damnat pontifex . si superesset modò magnus ille tuus cancellarius parisiensis doceret is liberè sorbonam ( quod olim fecit ) suam , quàm non sit penes pontificem , propositionem aliquam ( verbo vtar suo ) haereticare . atqui , concilium fecit hoc insuper oecumenicum quodnam vero ? tridentinum . fallor , si hoc in galltis obtinere potuerit hactenus , merueritve : consul● tuos integer rimaepridē fidei authores , dicent illi tibi quā iniquū , quàm nullum fuerit : vnius erat pontificis quicquid a caetu illo ( multicipiti romae mancipto ) factum sancitumve . cogita denique obsecro , quàm non alio in loco sint reformati pontificijs , quàm pontificij reformatis : atque acriter exprobari solet haeresis vtrinque . siccine verò agitur apud nos romanae religionis asseclis ? vnquamue gladio , aut incendio saevitum istîc in fidem pontificiam ? eccui vnquam capitale fuit hoc miseré hallucinantis conscientiae crimen ? est vbi comperies ( rarò tamen admodum ) audacem forte aliquem sacrificum , legum publicarum contemptorem , seditionis flabellum , paenam luisse meritissimam , sed merae religionis causam ( fidenter dico ) nemo vnquam pontificiorum aut capite luit , aut membro . quintu , clementissimi henrici fili , pariter te geris erga tuos , qui reformatam religionem innocentissimè profitentur : quin faxis , nemini vt fraudi siet secundum scripturam sacram , veterisque ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deum coluisse , liccat tuis esse veré pios . tu verò redi ad te demùm , vrbane pontifex , et recole quàm haec purpuram tuam probé deceat atrox sententia : non pedum profectò , sed ensem gestârit oportet , qui istud exaraverit ; neque piscatorium est hoc rete sed theatricum , et myrmillonicum . spetiosi pedes evangelizantium pacem , inquit propheta ; nos hîc de te paulò aliter : odiosae manus praeconizantium b●lla : si qua tibi sors in evangelio jesu christi obtigisset , facilé sentires pacem istîc sonare omnia , leuitatem , mansuetudinem , concordiam : non nisi ex inferno missa est dira erinnys . ne levissimus quidem mallei sonus exauditur in templo dei. tu vero , ô bone , ecclesiam dei sanctam impleri vis clangore tubarum , ictibus caedentium , morientium eiulatibus . audi , ergo , demùm , tu , qui mortalium omnium iudicia superbe refugis , quod , olim , robertus noster sanctus pariter et doctus lincolniensis episcopus praecessorituo fecisse dicitur , id ego tibi nunc facio : fas mihi sit indicere tibi verendum omnipotentis dei tribunal , pro quo tremens horrensque tibi anima brevi sistetur , sanguinolenti istius consilii rationem redditura . interim , si valere mavelis , resipisce . bref de n. s. pere le pape av roy sur la prise de la rochelle . avec la traduction en francois . a paris , chez edme martin , ruë s. jaques , au soleil d'or . m. dc . xxix . avec permission . vrbanvs pp . viii : charissime in christo fili noster salutem & apostolicam benedictionem . vox exultationis & salutis in tabernaculis iustorum , videat peccator & irascatur , & synagoga satanae contabescat . militat rex christianissimus pro religione , militat deus exercituum pro rege . nos certé in hac orbis patria sacro gaudio triumphamus , gratulamur maiestati tuae victoriam , cuius trophaea constituuntur in caelo , cuius gloriam generatiō ventura nunquam conticescet . rupellam arcem non minus obstinatione pevfidiae , quàm naturae munimentis inexpugnabilem , vidit tandem haec aetas regi & b petro subditam . neque sanè quisquam adeò desipit , vt tàm gloriosam palmam acceptam referat selicitats potiùs quam virtuti . diuturnâ tot mensium obsidione docuisti europam gallicis legionibus te regnante debere non minorem constantiae laudem quàm celeritatis . tibi autem periculorum contemptu & incommoderum patientia clarè victor exercitus vitam devovet , & perfectum prostligatae haeresis triumphum auguratur . sonuerunt & turbitae sunt aquae oceani militantis obsessis perduellibus , mors deditione potior videbatur , ad ipsa maiestatis tuae castra cuniculos egit perfidia . omnino dilatavit os suum infernus e vomens scelerum & periculorum turmas , ne tam opulentum propugnaculum impietati eriperetur . stetit dominus à dextri tuis , non modò devicisti hostium copias , sed ipsi etiam etiam auxiliari oceano potuisti fraenum iniicere . gratias agamus omnes omnipotenti , qui eripuit te de contra dictionibus populi non credentis . ceterùm cùm scias qua cura custodiendi sint victoriarum fructus ne marcescant , nemo est qui ambigat à te reliquias omnes haereticorum in gallica vinea stabulantiū propediem prostligatum iri diadema hoc perfecti decoris imponi cupit ecclesia illi galeae salutis , qua armatum maiestatis tuae caput ipse protegere videtur dominus potens in praelio . speramus enim fore vt gallia omni pacata illucescant coruscationes lvdovici triumphatoris captivae filiae sion francica trophaea commemoranti & intuenti splendorem fulgurantis hastae tuae . vota nostra atque catholicae ecclesiae secundet deus , qui voluntatem timentium se faciet . interea nuntius noster qui regalis gloriae spectator incastris adfuit , luculentus erit pontificiae gratulationis interpres maiestati tuae , cui apostolicam benedictionem amantissimè impertimur . datum romae apud s. mariam maiorem , sub annulo piscatoris , die vigesimo octauo novembris , anno . pontificatus sexto . reverendo in christo patri , viro jncomparabilj , iosepho hal episcopo exoniensi , gilbertvs primirosivs s.p.d. hev quantum potuit terrae pelagique parari hoc quim ciuitea fuderunt sangutue dextra gallorum ? sed paci intercedit inurbanae frontis homo vrbanvs iix . pontifex romanus , qui exhalaus foedos soedo de pectore ructus , bullante diro cruore bvila , forocibus minacijs venosa , &c saeva adulatione tumente , optimo regi , sed praepopero ac servido in martem ingenio , in fidissimos cives , qui nisi fuissent non esset ipse , funesta inflat classica ; brevique grandiloquo & cruento sub annulo piscatoris asperrimam studijs belli gentem iterum in brevia & syrtes civilis , hoc est creperi & periculosissimi belli cerebrosus & imperitus nauclerus impingit : nulla regis , nulla regionum omnium facile reginâ . quas solexoriens curru fugiente vaporat . nulla religionis maiore curâ : sed magis vt regi & regno anxias & inexplicabiles sollicitudines conficiat ; vt humanissimos cives , non in piscatoriâ petri naviculâ lentos incurvans gurgiter mos evangelici hami felici piscatu ex vndosa turbarū civiliū salo piscator hominum humaniter ducat ad salutem , sed in antichristi praetoria navi gubernacula tenens , bvilarvm & brevivm enormi harpagone pyrata nefarius christianos inhumaniter praedetur ad caedem . vt solenni pontificum romanorum more , quod in vrbium densis vicis à grassatoribus nocturnis neri amat , belli facem accensam in vicina regna conijciat , vt bonis civibus ad eum restinguendum undique discurrentibus , ille impune trahar , rapiat , populetur , foedet , conculcet omnia ; et ardente christi ecclesiâ , immaníssimí neronis decessoris sui instar , laetificum cum spintrijs suis trojae percuntis excidium canat : sic sua quemque in , cribit facies . verum — vt multos mensesque diesquè , non tamen aetatem tempestate hac scelerosi laetabuntur . nam ecce quàm opportunè , tv praesvl amplissime , coelestis & infracti pectoris fervente robore romanum illum miserandae sortis on igrum in arce tarpeiâ stabulantem , & sono intempestivo rudentem , stili tui acumine , veluti clavis & fustibus , compescis : tu bestiae bipedis è limo & è fimo erepentis lunata cornua elegantis libelli malleo retundis : tv rufo draconi aere ciere vitos , martemque accendere campo , nimis quam bono , incestum & clamosum os suggillas : tv papam superbientem , & sublime caput coelo audaci nisu inferentem , cuius ad nutum intereunt , labuntur , enni rursum omnia versum , modestissimo scripto humilitatem & modestiam doces : tv marculum qui dura robora ferri in orthodoxorum perniciem multorum magnis tuditantium igniba ' tundit , cyclopum polyphemo extorques , & pausam tuditandi facere jubes : tv trepidantia jampridem babylonis moenia à coenosis magni illius exitialium mendaciorum architecti congesta coementarijs . qui nihil amplim vnquam quam commune lutum è paleis , coenumque aceratum rugosi passique senes eadem omnia quaerunt , variorum librorum multis vigiliis feliciter elucubratorum , velut oscillo penduli impetus hactenus arietasti , vexasti , dissipasti : tandem optimae notae libello , non ad ostentationem , sed ad vtilitarem composito , & mitissima responsione , sulphureas omnium calamitatum fornaces , quas nebvchadnetsar romanus adversus christi confessores immitissimo edicto accendi jubet , pro virili tuâ parte à christi ecclesiâ prohibes & depellis . tv quos indomitae illius belluae consiliarij atque administri in danieles nostros leonum famelicorum dentes exacuunt , verbi divini forfice comprehendis , concutis , & confringis : quos ille indocilis pacisque bonique , omnium malorum fecalis & pater patratus , principes rerum potentes in arma feralia exequiali & tragico carmine movet et protrudit , tv pacis aeternae praeco ab armis discordibus revocas , et ad piam christi pacem , christianaeque charitatis tranquillum portum fortiter occupandum suasissimae scriptionis dulci et docto celeusmate fidus celeustes provocas . frvstra omnia , illum si spectes qui nequam & magnus homo , laniorum immane ' canes vt distento & fulmineo rictu christianorum sanguini inhiat , cuique cibus cadavera , potus cruor est : quibus dum se ingurgitat , toto orbe christiano tristibus vlulante plangoribus , ille laetis vlulat triumphis , io paean , io trivmphe nobis obganniens , velut gallinaceu ' cum victor se gallus honestè sustulit in digitos , primoresque erigit vngues , coquelico canorâ voce in fimeto occinit . vt illa meretrix purpurata , martyrum sanguine ebria , quae reges quos philtris suis intoxicavit , bvllarvm aculeatarum majoribus stimulis in cruda adversum christum praelia suscitat ; vt ille desperatae salutis homo , peccati & perditionis filius tuum illud resipiscu discat , spes nulla superest . nam si tv hos fluctus vndasque è gurgite salso tollere decrerit , ventum prius haematicum tv ventum , inquam , t●ll●● . illi enim neque est cor quo paveat , neque seeur quo amet , neque fel quo sibi irascatur , neque frons quâ erubescat : illi gamiae , illis ingluviosis quibus cingitur raso capite ministris solis vovere fui est occ●piti ●ae●● , & edictis vetare ne quisquam hic faxit ●l●tu 〈…〉 , & sacra capita reprehendat . nam vos romulida vobis ignoscitis , & quae turpia cerdeni , papam sacrosque decibune presbyteros . at tv , antistes dignissime , eos liberâ ad vrbanvm responsione liberas doces audire voces , & ingratijs discere , in anglia & mutire fas esse , & fine scrobe alta voce exclamare , auriculas asini papam & cardinales habere . qvantvm autem ego fideli erga me amicitiae tuae debeam , reverende pater , quod mihi homini privato tantus eruditione , pietate , dignitate praesvl , responsionem illam inscribere voluisti , nec rudi calamo exprimere , nec linguâ inexplanata expromere , nec impari mente consequi possim : scilicer , vt episcopum decet , tui semper similis es , id est optimus : honores novos adeptus veterem amicitiam non deponis , & magnus licet sis , omniumque bonorum votis minor , ad minima te demittis . qvod vero electissimum scriptum meó arbitrio stare aut cadere , prodire aut latere , malignâ ignis flammâ extingui , aut praeclarâ doctorum luce frui , publici iuris , aut in mei solius bonis esse iubes , id vero modestiae est tuae quae inter maltas & claras virtutes quae in te maximae sunt & clarissimae , in scriptis in voce , in vultu , in óculis , in composito mentis habitu , in totâ viâ tuâ fulgentibus gentibus micat radijs , velut inter ignes lunae minoret : macte ista morum suavitate , quâ aperto vivens ostio , & facta tua omnia ad pietatis & rectae rationis obrussam exigens , quod vir bonus solet , qui iudex ipse sui iotum se explorat ad vnguem , quid proceres , vanique ferat quid opinio vulgi securut : teque ipsum semper verens , omnium quotquot te novere , quique tuos in scriptis & nitida oratione pellucentés moras vidêre , amorem tibi conciliasti . ma●te iterum atque iterum praeclarae eruditionis gloriâ , ultissimâ rerum divinarum & humanarum scientiâ , literatissimis variarum disciplinarum monumentis quibus tibi jure merito iucundi & nervosi oratoris , christiani senecae , clarissimi & doctissimi theologi nomen comparasti , quod vivet seclis innumer abilibus . sed age eat qui donomeus est bonus libellus , qui aaro est nobilier novus libellus . eat pedibus celer , per alpium aeternis horrentium nivibus juvias rupes , per appennini ardua & praerupta iuga viam sibi faciat arcem sanctangeli velox conscendat conscendat , angelo satanae vrbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 securè procul extra teli ja●tum incubanti in faciem narret , esse in anglia episcopos haud paucos qui inhumanae & infestae pccori lupae , sub ovina pelle regibus & populo christiano rumae horrende lac ferinum immulgenti , personam alienam detrahere , bestiam ovium sanguinis sitientem à christo caulis arcere , ecclesiae laeta & pura pascua à turpi spumantium oprorum dente & foedo lutu●entarum suum rostro pura & intemerata conservare : aesopicam corniculam petri & pavli plumis insolescentem furtivis coloribus nudare , cvcvli romani , qui christianos omnes pro gvrrvcis habet ; ova in ipso dei templo pos●●● apertur●dere ; meretricem babylonicam christiani nominis cerussa & minio fucatam traducere : & possint quia doctissimi , & velint quia integerrimi . atque vt odor illa morte in mortem sit , quia resipiscere dedidicit , denuntiet vt tota mente atque omnibus artubus contremiscat , appetente jam die illo decretorio , quo ardebit babylon , meretricis magnae negotiatores & adulteri omnes lugebunt , diabolus mundi seductor , bestia & pseudopropheta in stagnum ignis & sulphuris praecipites abibunt , aeternas justè irato numini paenas daturi ; filiumque perditionis . dignus principio exitus , exodiumque sequetur . interea temporis veni domine iesu , veni ; antichristum se truci efferentem rabie in vnctos tuos comprime : hostibus tuis , qui asperum paternae castigationis tuae viuum nobis plenis cyathis educendum dedere , acinosas & pannosas indignationis tuae faeces plenis dolijs exhauriendas invitis & reluctantibus porrige . captivam sionis filiam ferreo aegyptiacae servitutis jugo oppressam liberali causâ manu assere : lvdovici regis fulgentes hastas , coruscantes enses , arma mortali fulgore crispantia , tormentorum bellicorum horrisona fulmina in ipsum pseudoprophetam , & lutosos babylonis muros converte , vt fatidicum vatem veri nescium sua sibi mala laeva mente verè profatum esse pudeat & poeniteat : ecclefijs transmarinis solidam pacem subdolis ereptam artibus , restitue : damna nos voti , & hanc qua major britannia tuo solius benificio fruitur pacem & tranquillitatem nobis fidam , posteris vero nostris perpetuam praesta . huic autem aureo libello da vt vivat vigeatque , antichristo principum invidiam conflaturus , ecclesiae tuae almam pacem coagmentaturus : eiusque autori largere benificus , vt vitâ honestissimè & sanctissimè in terris acta , coelo potiatur , vbi tecum immortali ave summâ cum pace fruatur . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e obiection . answere . obiection . answere . the hypocrite set forth in a sermon at the court; february, . . being the third sunday in lent. by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the hypocrite set forth in a sermon at the court; february, . . being the third sunday in lent. by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by william stansby, for nathaniel butter, london : an. . jos: exon. = joseph hall. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. hypocrisy -- sermons. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to my ever most worthily honour'd lord , the earle of norvvich . my most honoured lord : i might not but tell the world , that this sermon which was mine in the pulpit , is yours in the presse ; your lordships will ( which shall neuer bee other then a command to mee ) fetches it forth into the light before the fellowes . let mee bee branded with the title of it , if i can thinke it worthy of the publike view , in comparison of many acurate peeces of others , which i see content themselues dayly to dye in the eare . howsoeuer , if it may doe good , i shall blesse your lordship for helping to aduance my gaine . your noble and sincere true-heartednesse to your god , your king , your countrey , your friend , is so well knowne , that it can be no disparagement to your lordship to patronize this hypocrite ; whose very inscription might cast a blurr vpon some guilty reputation . goe on still ( most noble lord ) to be a great example of vertue and fidelity to an hollow and vntrusty age : you shall not want either the acclamations or prayers of your lordships euer deuoted in all true duty , and obseruance . ios . exon. the hypocrite . . tim . . . hauing a forme of godlines , but denying the power thereof . it is an vnperfect clause , you see , but a perfect description of an hypocrite ; and that an hypocrite of our own times , the last ; which are so much the worse , by how much they partake more of the craft and diseases of age . the prophets were the seers of the old testament , the apostles were the seers of the new ; those saw christs day and reioyced ; these foresaw the reigne of antichrist and complained . these very times were as present to s. paul , as to vs ; our sense doth not see them so clearely , as his reuelation ; i am with you in the spirit , ( saith he to his absent colossians ) reioycing and beholding your order , he doth as good as say to vs , i am with you in the spirit lamenting , and beholding your mis-demeanours : by these diuine opticks , hee sees our formall piety , reall wickednes ; both which make vp the compleate hypocrisie in my text ; hauing a forme of godlinesse , but denying the power thereof . i doubt not but some will bee ready to set this sacred prognostication to another meridian ; and indeed wee know a generation that loues themselues too well , much more then peace and truth ; so couetous that they would catch all the world in s. peters net ; proud boasters of their owne merits , perfections , supererogations ; it would bee long ( though easie ) to follow all : we know where too many treasons are hatched ; wee know who in the height of minde exalts himselfe aboue all that is called god ; wee know where pleasure hath the most delicate and debauch'd clients ; we know where deuotion is professedly formall , and liues impure ; and surely , were wee clearely innocent of these crimes , i should be the first that would cast this stone at rome : but now , that wee share with them in these sins , there is no reason wee should bee seioyned in the censure . take it among yee therefore , yee hypocrites of all professions , for it is your owne ; yee haue a forme of godlinesse , denying the power thereof . what is an hypocrite but a player , the zani of religion ? ( as ye heard lately : ) a player acts that he is not ; so doe ye , act good , and are wicked ; here is a semblance of good , a forme of godlinesse ; here is a reall euill , a deniall of the power of godlinesse . there is nothing so good as godlinesse , yea , there is nothing good but it ; nothing makes godlinesse to be good , or to be godlinesse , but the power of it ; for it is not , if it worke not , and it workes not if not powerfully ; now the denyall of good must needs bee euill ; and so much more euill , as the good which is denyed is more good ; and therefore the denyall of the power of godlinesse must needs bee as ill , as the forme or shew of godlinesse would seeme good ; and as the power of godlinesse is good : this is therefore the perfect hypocrisie of fashionable christians ; they haue the forme , they deny the power ; here is then a direct and professed opposition betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the forme , and the power , and no lesse , betweene the actions employed about them both ; the one hauing , the other denying ; hauing the forme , denying the power . as all sinne is originally from the diuell , so especially hypocrisie ; hee is the father of lyes , and what is hypocrisie but a reall lye ? that is his darling : and these two are well put together , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , . tim . . . in hypocrisie speaking lyes . now as all things are more eminent in their causes and originals , then in the effects deriued from them ; so it must needs be said , that the greatest hypocrite in the world is the diuell : i know hee heares what i say , but wee must speake truth and shame him : for satan is trasformed into an angel of light , saith the apostle ; not he was , but he is ; so transformed that he neuer did , neuer will put off that counterfeit : and as all his impes are partakers of the satanicall nature ; so in euery hypocrite there is both the angel and the diuell ; the seeming angel , is the forme of godlinesse , the reall diuell is the denyall of the power of godlinesse . it must be in another sense that that father said , innocentia tempore posterior est quam malitia , i am sure the angel of light was before the satan ; and now because hee is satan , hee puts on the angel of light ; such shall be our method in this hypocrite wee treat of : first wee will begin with the angell of hypocrisie ; and then shew you the diuell in his true shape . first then , here is a forme , and but a forme of godlinesse ; a forme do's well , but if it be but a forme , it is an immateriall shadow of pietie : such was this of these men ; for they were vnnaturall , traytors , headye , high-minded , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , surely , if they were vnnaturall , they must needs bee vnchristian ; if they were traytors to their king , they could bee no subiects to god ; if heady and high-minded , they had nothing to doe with him whose first lesson was , learne of me for i am meeke ; nulla creatura humilior deo , as laurentius well ; if they had pleasure for their idoll , they could not haue the lord for their god , so as euen without god , they had yet a forme of godlinesse ; godlinesse is a thing much talkt of , little vnderstood ; whiles the ancient schoole had wont to say , that it is not practicall , not speculatiue , but affectiue ; their meaning was that it is in all these ; in the heart , in the braine , in the hand , but most in the heart ; it is speculatiue , in the knowledge of god , practicall in the seruice to god , affectiue in our feare of him , loue to him , ioy in him : shortly then , to apprehend god as he hath reuealed , to serue him as hee hath required , to bee affected to him as wee ought , is godlinesse ; and the outward expression and counterfaisance of all these is the forme of godlinesse . to this out-side of godlinesse then , belongs all that glorious pageant of fashionable profession , which wee see made in the world , whether in wordes , gesture , carriage . first , here is a world of good words , whether to god ▪ or of him ; here are words o● sacred complement with god for the hypocrite courts god in his prayers ; no man speak● fairer , no man louder then he ▪ here is sauls benedictus ; here is the pharisees , lord i thanke thee ; here is the colloguing iewes , domine , domine , lord , lord. and as to him , so of him ; here are words of religious protestation for god , like to the iewes templum domini , or herods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mat. . . i will worship the babe . the mans secret fire of zeale smokes forth into the holy breath of a good confession ; here are words of feruent excitation to the frozen hearts of others ; yea , if need bee words of deepe censure of the cold moderation which hee apprehends in his wiser brethren ; so as he is comptus in verbo , if turpis in facto , as bernard . yet more , here is a perfect scoene of pious gestures ; knees bowed , hands erected , turn'd vp eyes , the brest beaten , the head shaken , the countenance deiected , sighs ascending , teares dropping , the bible hugged and kissed , the eare nayled to the pulpit ; what formality of deuout godlinesse is here vnacted ? if the man were within , as hee is without , there were no saint but he . yet this is not all to make vp a perfect forme of godlinesse , here is a smooth face of holy carriage in actions : deuout saul wil be sauing the fattest of the amalekitish flocks and heards for sacrifice to the lord his god ; good man , he wil not haue god take vp vvith the worst ; euery man is not of this diet ; too many think any off all good enough for their maker ; but here is one that holds the best to be fittest for those sacred altars ; when in the meane time the hypocrite had already sacrificed them to his owne mammon , and god must take vp with the reuersion : shall i tell you of another as good , as deuout as he ? doe ye not remember that absalom would goe to pay his vow in hebron ? the faire prince of israel was courteour before , now he wi●l bee godly too . it was pietie that he would make a vow to god ; our gallants haue somewhat else to doe , then to make holy vowes ; at euery word they protest and vow , and perhaps sweare , but all like themselues , vainly , and idly ; but absalom makes a sollemne and religious vow ; it was more pietie that he would performe it ; this is not euery mans care ; too many care not how much they runne vpon gods score ; this man will pitch and pay . vnnaturall parricide ! first hee had stolne the subiects hearts , and now hee would steale his fathers crowne , and all this villany must stalk vnder a beasts hide , a sacrifice at hebron ; blood was in his thoughts , whiles the sacrifice was in his mouth : the old word is , full of curtesie , full of craft ; when yee see too glittering pretences in vnapproued persons , suspect the inside ; had you but seene a iewes fast you would say so ; esa . . . here was nothing but drooping and ash-strawed heads , torne garments , bare feete , starued cheekes , skrubbed skinnes , pined mawes , afflictiue deuotions ; yet a iew still : but had you seene herods formality you would haue said it yet more ; marke a little and see herod turn'd disciple to iohn baptist ; what saul among the prophets , herod among the disciples ? surely so ; for hee heares him ; tush , heares him , what 's that ? there are those that heare and would not , forced to heare by compulsion of lawes ; who may say to authority , as the psal mist sayes to god ; aurem perforasti mihi : mine eare hast thou boared ; their eare is a protestant , whiles their heart is a recusant . there are those that heare and heare not ; that come fashionably , and heare perfunctorily , whose eares are like the psalmists idols ; for forme only , not for vse ; there are those that heare and care not ; who is so deafe as the wilfull ? there is auris aggrauata , es . . . there is auris surda , mic. . but herod heares , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gladly ; with pleasure ; he heard because he loued to heare ; yea , so doth many a hollow heart still ; ye shall haue such a one listen as if he were totus auris , all eare , as if he would latch euery word from the preachers mouth ere it could get out : perhaps it is new , perhaps witty , perhaps elegant , or some way pleasing ; yea there are some not onely willing but greedy hearers , they haue aures bibulas , they heare hungrily and thirstily , but it is but to catch aduantages ; somewhat they hope may fall to pay the preacher ; herod is better then so , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee obserued , hee respected , hee countenanced this rough hewne chaplaine ; yea , so doth many a lewd patron for his owne turne ; either the easie passage of his simonaicall subductions , or for a fauorable conniuencie at his guilty debauchednesse ; good lookes are good cheape ; perhaps a meales meat may come in for a further obligation too ; but here is no good action the while ; herod is better then so , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he did too , and did many things ; lo he are he doth not heare but doe ; and not some things but many ; it may bee this camel-hayr'd monitor told him of some outragious disorders in his court , those hee was willing to amend ; perhaps hee told him of some , bribery of his officers , vniust or hard measures offered by oppressiue ministers to his poore subiects , those he was ready to reforme , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things ; one would thinke bernard should not need to brand his hailardus , with intus herodes , foris iohannes , his very out-side was generally good , else hee had not done many things : here was a forme of godlinesse , but let me tell you , and higher forme then many of vs ( for ought i see ) care to climbe vp vnto ; there is is hearing , and talking , and professing enough in the world , but where is the doing ? or if there bee doing , yet it is small doing ( god wot . ) some things we may be drawne to doe , not many ; one good deed in a life is well ; one fault amen ded meriteth : to doe many is not incident to many ; so as too many of vs are vpon a forme of godlinesse , but it is a lower forme then herods ; who heard , and heard gladly , & obseru'd his teacher , and did , & did ma - things ; yet a grosse hypocrite still because he did but many ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is god rule . what should i weary you with instances ? doe yee see an ananias and saphira making god their heyre of their halfe-shared patrimony ? doe you see a griping vsurer build schooles and hospitals with ten in the hundred ? doe you see a man whose stomacke insatiably craues new superadditions , vpon the indigested morsels of his last houres lecture , and yet nauseates at the publike praiers of the church ? doe you see a superstitious votary looking rufully from his knees vpon his adored crucifixe ; and as isaac the syryan prescribes , liuing like a dead man in a solitary sepulcher , yet making no bones of killing kings ? nay , to ascend vnto an higher key of pretended holinesse ▪ doe yee see some of the elect manichees lying vpon hard mats , which s. austin sayes were therfore called ma●tarij ? doe ye see the penances of the three super-mortified orders of the mahumetan saints ? doe ye see an illuminate elder of the anabaptists rapt in diuine extasies ? doe yee see a stigmaticall fryer lashing himselfe to blood , wallowing in the snow naked , returning the lice into his bosome ? doe ye see a nice humorist , that will not dresse a dish , nor lay a cloth , nor walke abroad on a sunday , and yet make no conscience of coozening his neighbour on the worke-day . all these and many others of the same kinde are swans , which vnder white feathers haue a blacke skin ; these haue a forme of godlinesse , and are the worse for it ; for as it is the most dangerous and killing flattery that is brought in vnder a pretence of liberty , so it is the most odious and perilous impiety that is hid vnder a forme of godlinesse . these men , i say , haue a forme ; and nothing else saue a forme of godlinesse , but withall , let me adde , that whoso euer makes a good profession hath this forme ; and is so farre commendable , as he professes well : if there bee not matter to this forme , the fault is in what is not , and not in what there is . certainly religion is not chaos-like without forme ; as not ciuility , so godlinesse cannot be without due forme ; ye cannot thinke gods seruice to be all lining , no out-side ; a forme there must be . it was a law written in greeke and latine letters ouer the gate of the first peculiar partition of the temple , which was atrium iudaeorum ; euery stranger that passes into the holy place must die ; if hee had not the marke of a iew vpon his flesh , it was capitall to tread in those holy courts : the temple was the type of the church ; if wee haue not so much as a forme of godlines ; procul , ô procul ; without shall be dogs ; and if a beast touch the mount , it shall dye . what shall we say to those gallants that hate to haue so much as a forme of godlinesse ? there cannot be a greater disparagement cast vpon them , then the very semblance of deuotion ; to say grace at meals , to bow a knee in prayer , to name god other then in an oath , to once mention religion , is a base , mortify'd pusillanimous tendernesse . what talke ye of a sermon ? a play if you will ; what speake you of weeping for sinns ? talke of drinking healths , singing of rounds , courting of dames , reuels , matches , games , any thing saue goodnesse ; what should we say of these men ? euen this ; he that hath but a forme , is an hypocrite ; but hee that hath not a forme is an atheist ; i know not whether i should seuer these two ; both are humane diuels well met ; an hypocrite is a masked diuell ; an atheist is a diuell vnmasked : whether of them shal without their repentance be deeper in hell , they shall once feele , i determine not ; onely let me assure them , that if the infernall topheth bee not for them , it can challenge no guests . thus such for the forme of godlinesse , which is the angel of hypocrisie ; our speech descends to the diuell in hypo - which is the denial of the power of godlines : but whiles i am about to represent vnto you the vgly face of that wicked one ; god meets vs in the way , and stayes my thoughts and speech vpon the power of godlines , ere we fall vpon the deniall of that power . what power then is this of godlines ? what doth it ? what can it doe ? the weakenes of it is too apparent : if we look to the author of it christ iesus ; alas , he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a butt or mark for opposition to shoot at ; whereas true power is an al-chum , that bars resistance , prou. . if to the means of godlines , here is the foolishnesse of preaching , . cor. . . if to the effects of godlines , here is weak grace , strong corruption , ro. . if to the opposites of godlines , here is a law fighting ; fighting ? perhaps so it may be , & be foyled ; nay , but here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; a conquering and captiuing law , ro. . . wherby i am not only made a slaue , but sold for a slaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . so then here is an opposed sauiour , a foolish preaching , a feeble grace , a domineering corruption ; and where then is the power of godlinesse all this while . know o thou foolish man that god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the strong god ; and yet there is a diuell ; hee could call in the being of that malignant spirit ; but he will not ; he knowes how to magnifie his power by an opposite . christ will be spoken against , not for impotence to resist , but for the glory of his preuailing ; so wee haue seene a well tempered target shot at to show the impenetrablenesse of it . preaching is foolishnesse , but it is stultitia doi ; and the foolishnesse of god is wiser then then the wisedome of men . grace is weake , where corruption is strong , but where grace preuailes , sin dares not shew his head ; sin fights and subdues his owne vassals , but the power of godlines foyles it in the renewed ; so as if it liue , yet it raignes not great then is the power of godlinesse ; great euery way ; great in respect of our enemies , great in respect of our selues ; of our enemies , the diuell , the world , the flesh . so great first , that it can resist the diuel ; and this no small matter to resist the powers and principalities of hell ; whom resist , stedfast in the faith . resist ? alas , what is this ? the weake may perhaps resist the strong ; the whelpe the lyon ; we may resist the spirit of god himselfe , semper restitistis , saith saint stephen of the iewes ; lo here is resistance to god ; and not for a brunt , but perpetuall ; ye haue alwaies resisted , so the ship resists the rocke against which it is shattered ; so the crushed worme turns towards the foot that treads it ; yea , but here is a preualent resistance , resist the diuill and he shall flee from you , iam. . . lo , godlinesse can make a coward of the great prince of darkenesse . hee shall flee ; but , if parthian-like hee shall shoot fleeing , as hee doth ; lo , this shall quench all the fiery darts of satan . ephes . . if hee betake himselfe to his hold ; this can bater , and beat downe the strong holds of sin about his cares ; this can enter , and bind the strong man : shortly , it can conquer hell , yea make vs more then conquerors ; lo , to conquer is not so much as to make another a conqueror ; but more then a conqueror is yet more ; is there any of you now that would be truely great and victorious ? it is the power of godlinesse that must doe it : pyrrhus his word concerning his soldiers , was tu grandes , ego fortes ; surely , if our profession make vs great , our faith must make vs valiant and successfull : i tell you the conquest of an euill spirit is more then the conquest of a world of men : oh then , what is it to conquer legions ? and as it foiles sathan , so the world : no maruell , for if the greater , much more the lesse . the world is a subiect , sathan a prince , the prince of this world : the world is a bigot , satan is a god : the god of this world : if the prince , if the god be vanquisht , how can the subiect or suppliant stand out ? what doe we talke of an alexander , or a cesar conquering the world : alas what spots of earth were they which they bragged to subdue : in so much that rome which in two hundred fortie three yeares had gained but some fifteene miles about , in seneca's time , when her dition was at the largest , had the neighbouring germanie for the bounds of it : loe here a full conquest of the whole world , mundns totus in maligno : to conquer the whole materiall world is not so happie , so glorious a worke , as to conquer the malignant , and this the power of godlinesse onlie can doe , this is the victorie that ouercomes the world ; euen your faith . and now what can the flesh doe , without the world , without the deuill ? surelie , were is not for the deuill : the world and the flesh were both good ; and if it were nor for the deuill and the world , the flesh were our best friend : now they haue debauch't it , and turn'd it traitor to god , and the soule : now this proud flesh dares warre against heauen godlinesse doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beat it blacke and blew : yea , kill it dead , martifie your earthly members , colos . . so as it hath not a limbe to stir , not a breath to draw . anacharsis his charge was too hard for another , but performable by a christian , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee can rule his tongue , his gut , his lust : sampson was a strong man , yet two of them he could not rule : the power of godlinesse can rule all : oh then the great power of godlines that can trample vpon the flesh , the world , the deuill : super aspidem , vpon the aspe , the dragon , the lion : or as the psalmist , psal . . vpon that roaring lion of hell , vpon that sinuous dragon the world , vpon that close biting aspe the flesh . and as great in respect of our enemies , so no lesse great in respect of our selues , great , and beneficiall : what wonders are done by godlinesse ? is it not a great wonder to make a foole wise , to make the blind see ? this godlinesse can doe : psal . . , . let mee be bold to say ; we are naturally like salomons childe ; folly is bound to our heart , prou. . . in things pertaining to god ; ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) we were foolish , saith saint paul , titus . would any of vs that are thus borne naturals ( to god ) bee wise to saluation ? that is the true wisdome indeed , all other is but folly , yea , madnesse to that : the schooles cannot teach vs this ; philosophie , whether , natural , or morall , or politicke can do nothing to it ; if yee trust to to it , it is but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) vaine deceit , as saint paul , coloss . . . triobularis & vilis , as chrysostome ; it is only godlinesse must doe it : please your selues , how you list , without this , yee great politicians of the world , the wise god hath put the pide coate vpon your backs , & past vpon you his ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) rom. . . if ye were oracles to men , ye are ideots to god : malitia occaecat intellectum , as he said , ye quick-sighted eagles of the world , without this ye are as blinde as beetles to heauen : if ye would haue eies to see him that is inuisible ; the hand of your omnipotent sauiour must touch you , and at his bidding you must wash off your worldly clay with the siloam of godlinesse . is it not a wonder to raise the dead ? wee are all naturally not sicke , not qualming , not dying , but dead in sinne , colos . . . yea ▪ with lazarus quatriduam , and ill senting ; yea ( if that will adde any thing ) as s. iudes trees , or as ( they say of ) acute scotus , twice dead ; would ye arise ? it is only godlinesse that can doe it : yee are risen vp through the faith in the operation of god , colos . . . this only can call vs out of the graue of our sinnes : arise thou that sleepest , and stand vp from the dead , and christ shall giue thee life : christ is the author , godlinesse is the meanes . all yee that heare mee this day , either ye are aliue , or would be : life is sweet : euerie one challenges it ; doe yee liue willingly in your sinnes ; let me tell you , ye are dead in your sins : this life is a death : if you wish to liue comfortably here , and gloriously hereafter , it is godlines that must mortifie this life in sinne ; that must quicken you from this death in sinne : flatter your selues how you please ye great gallants of both sexes , yee thinke your selues goodlie peeces ; without godlinesse ye are the worst kind of carcasses : for as death or not being is the worst condition that can befall a creature : so death in sinne is so much the worst kinde of death , by how much grace is better then nature : a liuing dog , or toad is better then a thus-dead sinner : would yee rise out of this loathsome and wofull plight , it is godlinesse , that must breathe grace into your dead limbes , and that must giue you the motions of holy obedience . is it not a wonder to cast out deuils ? i tell you the corporall possession of ill spirits is not so rare , as the spirituall is rife : no naturall man is free : one hath the spirit of errour , . tim. . another the spirit of fornications , ose . another the spirit of feare , . tim. . another the spirit of slumber , another the spirit of giddinesse , another the spirit of pride : all haue spiritum mundi , the spirit of the world , . cor. . . our storie in guliel . neubrigensis , tels vs of a countriman of ours , one kettell of farnham , in king henry the seconds time , that had the facultie to see spirits : by the same token , that hee saw the deuils spitting ouer the drunkards shoulders , into their pots : the same facultie is recorded of anthony the heremite , and sulpitius reports the same of saint martin , surely there need none of these eies to discerne euerie naturall mans soule haunted with these euill angels , let me assure you , all ye that haue not yet felt the power of godlinesse , ye are as truely ( though spiritually ) carried , by euill spirits into the deeps of your knowne wickednesse , as euer the gaderen hogges were carried by them downe the precipice , into the sea ; would ye be free from this hellish tyranny ? only the power of godlinesse can do it . . tim. . . if peraduenture god will giue them repentance , that they may recouer themselues out of the snares of the diuell ; and repentance is you know a maine part of godlinesse ; if euer therefore ye be dispossessed of that euill one , it is the power of godlinesse that must do it . what speake i of power ? i had like to haue ascribed to it the acts of omnipotencie ; and if i had done so ; it had not bin much amisse ; for what is godlinesse but one of those rayes that beames forth from that almightie deitie ? what but that same , dextra excelsi , wherby hee workes mightily vpon the soule ? now , when i say the man is strong , is it any derogation to say his arme is strong ? faith and praier are no small peeces of godlines , and what is it that god can doe , which praier and faith can not doe ? will yee see some instances of the further acts of godlinesse ? is it not an act of omnipotence to change nature ? iannes and iambres , the egyptian . sorcerers may iuggle away the staffe , & bring a serpent into the roome of it ; none but a diuine power ( which moses wrought by ) could change the rod into a serpent , or the serpent into a rod : nothing is aboue nature , but the god of nature ; nothing can change nature , but that which is aboue it : for nature is regular , in her proceedings ; & will not bee crost by a finite power ; since all finite agents are within her command . is it not a manifest change of the nature of the wolfe , to dwell quietly with the lambe , of the leopard to dwell with the kid , of the lion to eat straw like the oxe , of the aspe to play with the child ? how shall this be ? it is an idle conceit of the hebrewes , that sauage beasts shall forgo their hurtfull natures vnder the m●ssias ; no , but rat●onall beasts shall alter their dispositions : the rauenous oppressor is the wolfe , the tyrannicall persecutor is the leopard ; the venemous hereticke is the aspe ; these shall turne innocent , and vsefull by the power of godlinesse , for then the earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the lord , esay . , . is it not a manifest change of nature for the ethiopian to turn white , for the leopard to turne spotlesse , this is done when those doe good which are accustomed to euill ier. . . and this godlinesse can doe : is it not a manifest change of nature for the camel , to passe through a needles eye ; this is done , when through the power of godlinesse ye great and rich men get to heauen . lastly , it is an easie thing to turne men into beasts ( a cup too much can doe it ) but to turne beasts into men ; men into saints ; deuils into angels ; it is no lesse then a worke of omnipotencie , and this godlinesse can doe . but to rise higher then a change ; is it not an act of omnipotencie to create ? nature can goe on in her tracke whether of continuing what shee actually finds to be ; or of producing what she forbids to be potentially in pre-existing causes ; but to make new matter , transcends her power ; this god linesse can do ; here is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a new creatre , . cor. . there is in nature no predisposition to grace ; the man must bee no lesse new , then when hee was made first of the dust of the earth , & that earth of nothing ; nouus homo , eph. . . how is this done by creation , and how is he created ? in righteousnesse and holinesse ; holinesse to god , righteousnesse to men ; both make vp godlinesse , a regeneration is here a creation , progenuit is expressed by creauit , iam. . . and this by the word of truth . old things are passed , saith the apostle , all must be new , if wee will haue ought to doe with god ; our bodies must bee renued by a glorious resurrection ere they can inioy heauen ; our soules must bee renued by grace ere wee can inioy god on earth : are there any of vs pained with our heart of stone ? wee may b●e well enough , the stone of the reines or bladder is a woful paine , but the stone of the heart is more deadly ; hee can by this power take it out , and giue vs a heart of flesh , ezec. . are there any of vs wearie of carrying our old adam about vs ? a grieuous burthen i confesse , & that which is able to weigh vs downe to hell ; doe wee groane vnder the load , and long to be eased ? none but that almightie hand can doe it ; by the power of godlinesse creating vs anew , to the likenesse of that second adam , which is from heauen , heauenly ; without which there is no possibilitie of saluation : for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of god : in a word , would wee haue this earth of ours translated to heauen , it is only the power of godlinesse can doe it : and as this power of godlines is great , so no lesse beneficiall ; beneficiall euery way , both here , and hereafter ; here , it frees vs from euill , it feoffs vs in good ; godlinesse is an antidote against all mischiefe , and miserie ; yea , such is the power of it that it not only keepes vs from euill , but turnes that euill to good : all things worke together to the best to them that loue & feare god , saith the apostle ; lo , all things ; crosses , sinnes ; crosses are blessings , sinnes are aduantages ; saint pauls viper befriended him , saint martins ellebore nourisht him ; saluti fuere pestifera , as seneca speakes ; and what can hurt him that is blessed by crosses , & is bettered by sins ? it feoffes vs in good ; wealth , honour , contentment ; the apostle puts two of them together , godlinesse is great gaine with contentment , . tim. . . here are no iffs , or ands ; but gaine , great gaine , and gaine with self-sufficiencie or contentment ; wickednesse may yeeld a gaine , such as it is for a time ; but it will bee grauell in the throat ; gaine farre from contentment . length of dayes are in the right hand of true wisdome , and in her left hand riches and honour , prou. . . lo , honour & wealth are but gifts of the left hand ; common and meane fauours ; length , yea , eternitie of daies is for the right , that is the height of bountie ; godlinesse hath the promises of this life , and of that which is to come , saith the apostle ; the promise , that is enough ; gods promises are his performances ; with men to promise , and to pay are two things ; they are one with god ; to them that by patient continuing in wel-doing , seeke glory and honour and immortalitie , eternall life , rom. . . briefly ( for i could dwell here alwayes ) it is godlinesse that only can giue vs , the beatificall sight of god ; the sight ? yea , the fruition of him , yea , the vnion with him ; not by apposition , not by ad haesion , but by a blessed participation of the diuine nature , . pet. . . i can go no higher ; no the angels and arch-angels cannot looke higher then this . to summe vp all then ; godlines can giue wisedome to the foole , eyes to the blind , life to the dead ; it can eiect diuels , change the course of nature , create vs anew , free vs from euill feoffe vs in good , honour , wealth , contentment , euerlasting happinesse . oh the wonderfull , oh the beneficiall power of godlinesse ! and now , what is the desire of my soule , but that all this could make you in loue with godlinesse ; that in stead o● the ambitions of honour , the tradings for wealth , the pursuit of pleasure , your hearts could be set on fire with the zealous affectation of true godlinesse ; alas , the least ouerture of any of these makes vs mad of the world ; if but the shadow of a little honour , wealth , promotion , pleasure bee cast before vs , how eagerly doe we prosecute it , to the eternall hazard of our soules ? behold , the substance of them all put to together offers ▪ it selfe in godlines ; how zealously should we embrace them : and neuer giue rest to our soules , till we haue laid those true grounds of hapnesse , which shall continue with vs , when all our riches , and earthly glorie shall lie downe with vs in the dust : alas , noble and christian hearers , yee may bee outwardly great , and inwardly miserable ; it was a great caesar that said , i haue beene all things , and am neuer the better ; it is not your bags ye wealthy citizens that can keepe the gout from your ioynts , or care from your hearts ; it is not a coronet , ye great peeres that can keepe your heads from aching ; all this earthly pompe and magnificence cannot keepe out either death , or conscience ; our prosperity presents vs as goodly lillies , which whiles they are whole , look faire and smell sweet , but if once bruised a little , are nastie both in sight and sent ; it is only godlinesse that can hold vp our heads in the euill day , that can bid vs make a mocke at all the blustering stormes of the world , that can protect vs from all miseries ( which if they kil ▪ yet they cannot hurt vs ) that can improue our sufferings , and inuest vs with true & eternall glory ; oh then be couetous , be ambitious of this blessed estate of the soule ; and as simon macchabeus with three yeeres labour tooke downe the top of mount acra in hierusalem , that no hill might stand in competition of height with the temple of god , so let vs humble and prostrate all other desires to this one , that true godlines may haue the sway in vs. neither is this consideration more fit to bee a whetstone to our zeale , then a touch stone to our condition ; godlinesse ? why it is an herb that growes in euery soyle ; as platina obserues , that for . yeares and vpwards , none of those popes of whom sanctity is ascribed in the abstract , were yet held saints after their death , except celestine the . which gaue vp the pontificall chayre , after sixe moneths weary sitting in it ; so on the contrary , wee may liue ages ere wee heare a man professe himselfe god-lesse , whiles hee is abominably such : he is too bad , that will not bee thought godly ; as it is a brazen-fac'd curtezan , that would not bee held honest . that which lactantius said of the heathen philosophers , that they had many schollers , few followers , i cannot say of the diuiue ; wee haue enow to learne , enow to imitate , but few to act ; be not deceiued , godlinesse is not impotent ; where euer godlines is , there is power : hath it then preuayled to open our eyes , to see the great things of our peace ? hath it raysed vs , vp from the graue of our sinnes ? eiected our hellish corruptions , changed our wicked natures , new created our hearts ? well may we applaud our selues is the confidence of our godlinesse ; but if we be still old , still corrupt , still blind , still dead , still diuelish ; away vaine hypocrites , yee haue nothing to doe with godlinesse , because godlinesse hath had no power on you : are yee godly , that care to know any thing rather then god and spirituall things : are yee godly , that haue neither ability nor will to serue that god whom yee fashionably pretend to know ? are ye godly , which haue no inward awe of that god whom yee pretend to serue ? no gouernment of your passions , no conscience of your actions , no care of your liues ? false hypocrites , yee doe but abuse and prophane that name which yee vniustly arrogate ; no , no ; godlinesse can no more be without power , then the god that works it ; shew mee your godlinesse in the true feruor of your deuotions , in the effectuall sanctification of your hearts and tongues ; in the conscionable carriage of your liues . else lo the wicked , saith god , what hast thou to doe to take my couenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest to bee reformed , psal. . . yee haue heard the power of godlinesse ; heare now the denyall of this power : how then is it denyed ; surely , there is a verball ; there is a reall denyall ; & rebus & verbis , as hilary , it is a mistaking of logicians , that negation is the affection of a proposition onely ; no ; god and diuiuitie finde it more in practice ; this very power is as stoutly challenged by some men in words , as truely denied in actions ; as one sayes of the pharisees answer concerning iohns calling , verum dicebant & mentiebantur ; so may i of these men ; it is not in the power of words to deny so strongly as deeds can ; both the hand , and the tongue interpret the heart , but the hand so much more liuely , as there is more substance in acts , then sounds ; as he said spectamur agendo ; we are both seene and heard in our actions . hee that sayes there is no god is a vocall atheist ; hee that liues as if there were no god is a vitall atheist ; he that should say godlinesse hath no power is a verball atheist ; hee that shall liue as if godlinesse had no power , is a reall atheist : they are atheists both . we would flye vpon a man that should denye a god with diagoras , though ( as anselme well ) no man can doe this interius , from within ; wee would burne a man that should deny the deitie of christ with arrius ; wee would rend our clothes at the blasphemie of that man , who with the epicures and apelleians should exempt the cares and operations of god from the things below ; wee would spit at a man that durst say , there is no power in godlinesse : these monsters ( if there bee such ) hide their vgly heads , and finde ▪ it not safe to looke on the light ; fagots are the best language to such miscreants : but these reall denyals are so much more rife , and bold , as they can take the aduantage of their outward safety , and vnconuinciblenesse . their wordes are honey , their life poyson , as bernard said of his arnoldus : and these actions make too much noyse in the world ; that which saint chrysostome saies of the last day , that mens works shall speake , their tongues shal be silent ; is partly true in the meane time ; their workes cry out , whiles their tongues whisper : there is then really a double denial of the power of godlines ; the one in not doing the good it requires , the other in doing the euill it forbids : the one a priuatiue , the other a positine denyall . in the former , what power hath godlinesse if it haue not made vs good ? a feeble godlines it is that is ineffectuall ; if it haue not wrought vs to bee deuout to god , iust to men , sober and temperate in the vse of gods creatures , humble in our selues , charitable to others ; where is the godliness ? where is the power ? if these were not aparantly done , there were no forme of godline , if these be not soundly & heartily done , there is a palpable deniall of the power of godlines . heare this then ye ignorant and seduced soules that measure your deuotions by number not by weight ; or that leaning vpon your idle elbow yawningly patter out those prayers , whose sound or sense yee vnderstand not ; yee that bring list-lesse eares seuered from your wandring hearts , to the messages sent from heauen ; yee that come to gods board , as a surfeited stomacke to an hony-combe , or a sicke stomacke to a potion : shortly , ye that pray without feeling , hear without care , receiue without appetite ; ye haue a forme of godlines , but deny the power of it . heare this , yee that weare out the floore of gods house with your frequent attendance ; yee that haue your eares open to gods messengers , and yet shut to the cries of the poore , of the orphan , of the labourer , of the distressed debtor ; ye that can lift vp those hands to heauen in your fashionable prayers , which yee haue not reached out to the reliefe of the needy members of your sauiour ; ( whiles i must tell you by the way that hard rule of laurentius , magis delinquit diues non largiendo superflua , quam pauper rapiendo necessaria ; the rich man offends more in not giuing his superfluities , then the poore man in stealing necessaries ) yee that haue a fluent tongue to talke vnto god , but haue no tongue to speake for god , or to speake in the cause of the dumbe : ye haue a forme of godlinesse , but deny the power thereof . shortly , yee that haue no feare of god before your eyes , no loue to goodnesse , no care of obedience , no conscience of your actions , no diligence in your callings , yee haue denied the power of godlinesse ; this very priuatiue denial , shall without your repentance damne your soules : remember , oh , remember that there needes no other ground of your last and heauiest doome , then yee haue not giuen , yee haue not visited ; but the positiue denyall is yet more irrefragable ; if very priuations and silence speake , much more are actions vocall : heare this then yee visors of christianitie , who notwithstanding all your ciuill smoothnesse , when yee are once moued , can teare heauen with your blasphemies , and bandy the dreadful name , of god in your impure mouthes , by your bloody oathes , and execrations ; ye that dare to exercise your saucie wits in prophane scoffes at religion ; yee that presume to whet your law-lesse tongues , and lift vp your rebellious hands against lawfull authority whether in church or state ; yee that grinde faces like edge-tooles , and spill blood like water ; yee that can neigh after strange flesh , and vpon your voluptuous beds act the filthinesse of sodomiticall aretinismes ; yee that can quaffe your drunken carouses till you haue drowned your reason in a deluge of deadly healthes ; yee whose foule hands are belimed with bribery , and besmeared with the price of blood ; yee whose sacrilegious throats haue swallowed downe whole churches , and hospitals ; whose mawes haue put ouer whole parishes of sold , and affamished soules ; yee whose faction and turbulencie in nouell opinions rends the seame-lesse coat , not considering that of melancthon , that schisme is no lesse sinne then idolatry ; and there cannot easily be a worse then idolatry ; either of them both are enough to ruine any church vnder heauen : now the god of heauen euer keep this church of ours from the mischiefe of them both ; yee whose tongues trade in lyes , whose very profession is fraud and cozenage ; yee cruell vsurers , false flatterers , lying and enuious detractors . in a word , yee , who euer yee are , that goe resolutely forward in a course of any knowne sinnes , and will not bee reclaimed , yee , yee are the men that spit god in the face , and deny flatly the power of godlinesse : woe is mee , we haue enow of these birds euery where , at home . i appeale your eyes , your eares , would to god they would conuince me of a slander . but what of all this now , the power of godlinesse is denyed by wicked men ; how then ? what is their case ? surely inexplicably , vnconceiuably fearefull ; the wrath of god is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse ▪ saith the apostle ; how reuealed , say you ? wherein differ they from their neighbours vnlesse it be perhaps in better fare ? no gripes in their conscience , no afflictions in their life , no bands in their death , impunitas ausum , ausus excessum parit , as bernard , their impunitie makes them bold , their boldnesse outragious : alas , wretched soules ! the world hath nothing more wofull then a sinners welfare : it is for slaughter that this oxe is fattened ; ease slayeth the simple , and the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them , pro. . . this brasteata foelicitas , which they inioy here , is but as carpets spread ouer the mouth of hell ; for if they denie the power of godlinesse , the god of power shall be sure to denie them : depart from me yee workers of iniquitie , i know you not ; there cannot bee a worse doom , then depart from me ; that is depart from peace , from blessednesse , from life , from hope , from possibility of being any other then eternally , exquisitely miserable ; qui te non habet domine deus , totum per didit ; hee who haith not thee , o lord god , hath lost all , as bernard truely ; dying is but departing , but this departing is the worst dying ; dying in soule , euer dying ; so as if there be an ite , depart , there must needs be a maledicti , depart ye cursed ; cursed that euer they were borne , who liue to dye euerlastingly : for this departure , this curse ends in that fire which can neuer , neuer end . oh the deplorable condition of those damned soules that haue sleighted the power of godlinesse ? what teares can bee enough to bewayle their euerlasting burnings ? what heart can bleed enough at the thought of those tortures , which they can neither suffer , nor auoyd ; hold but your finger for one minute in the weake flame of a farthing candle , can flesh and blood indure it ? with what horror then must we needes thinke of body and soule frying endlesly in that infernall topheth : oh thinke of this ye that forget got , and contemne godlinesse ; with what confusion shall yee looke vpon the frownes of an angry god reiecting you ; the vgly and mercilesse fiends snatching you to your torments , the flames of hell flashing vp to meet you ? with what horror shall ye feele the gnawing of your guilty consciences , and heare that hellish shrieking , and weeping , and wailing , and gnashing ? it is a paine to mention these woes , it is more then death to feele them , perhorreseite minas , formidate supplicia , as chrysostome . certainly , my beloued , if wicked sinners did truely apprehend an hell , there would be more danger of their despaire , and distraction , then of their securitie : it is the diuels policie , like a rauen , first to pull out the eyes of those that are dead in their sinnes , that they may not see their imminent damnation . but for vs ; tell me , yee that heare me this day ; are ye christians in earnest , or are yee not ? it yee be not , what doe yee here ? if ye be , there i● an hell in your creed . ye do not lesse beleeue there is an hell for the godlesse , then an earth for men , a firmament for starres , an heauen for saints , a god in heauen ▪ and if ye doe thus firmely beleeue , it cast but your eyes aside vpon that fierie gulfe , and sinne if yee dare ▪ yee loue your selues well enough to auoid a knowne paine ; we know there are stockes , and bride-wells , and iayles , and dungeons , and rackes , and gibbers , for malefactors , and our verie feare keeps vs innocent ; were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments , yee could not , ye durst not continue in those sins , for which they are prepared . but what an vnpleasing , and vnseasonable subiect am i fallen vpon , to speake of hell in a chrstian court , the emblem of heauen : let me answer for my selfe with deuout bernard sic mihi contingat semper beare amicos terrendo salubriter , non adulando falaciter ; let me thus euer blesse my friends with wholsome frights , rather then with plausible soothings . sumenda sunt amara salubria , saith saint austin ; bitter wholsome is a safe receipt for a christian ; and what is more bitter , or more wholsome , then this thought . the way not to feele an hell , is to see it , to feare it ▪ i feare we are all generally defectiue this way ; we doe not retire our selues enough into the chamber of meditation : and thinke sadly of the things of another world : our selfe-loue puts off this torment , ( notwithstanding our willing sinnes ) with dauids pla●ue , non oppropinquabit , it shall not come nigh thee ; if wee doe not make a league with hell and death , yet with our selues against them ; fallit peccatum falsa dulcedine , as saint austin , sinne deceiues vs with a false pleasure , the pleasure of the world is like that colchian hony , wherof xenophons soldiers no sooner tasted , then they were miserably distemperd ; those that tooke little were drunke , those that tooke more were mad ; those that tooke most were dead : thus are we either intoxicated , or infatuated , or kild right out with this deceitfull world , that wee are sensible of our iust feares ; at the best we are besotted with our stupid securitie , that wee are not affected with our danger ; woe , is mee the impenitent , resolued sinner is alreadie falne into the mouth of hell , and hangs there but by a slender twigge of his momentanie life , when that hold failes , he fals down head-long into that pit of horror and desolation ; oh yee my deare brethren , so many as loue your soules , haue mercie vpon your selues ; call aloud out of the deeps of your sins , to that compassionate sauiour , that he will giue you the hand of faith , to lay hold vpon the hand of his mercie , and plenteous redemption , and pull you out of that otherwise irrecouerable destruction ; else yee are gone , yee are gone for euer : two things , as bernard borrowes of saint gregorie , make a man both good , and safe . to repent of euill , to abstaine from euill ; would yee escape the wrath of god , the fire of hell ? oh wash you cleane , and keepe you so ; there is no lauer for you , but your owne teares , and the blood of your sauiour ; bathe your soules in both of these , and bee secure ; consider how many are dying now , which would giue a world for one houre to repent in ; oh be yee carefull then to improue your free , and quiet houres , in a serious and heartie contrition for your sinnes ; say to god with the psalmist , deliuer me from the euill man ▪ that is , from my selfe ; as that father construes it ; and for the sequell , in steed of the denying the power of godlinesse , resolue to denie your selues , to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts , and to liue soberly , righteously , godly in this present world ; that hauing felt and approued the power of godlinesse in the illuminating our eyes , in raysing vs from our sinnes , in eiecting our corruptions , in changing our liues , and creating our hearts anew , we may at the last , feele the happie consummation of this power , in the full possessing of vs , in that eternall blessednesse and glory which he hath prepared for all that loue him to the perfect fruition whereof hee bring vs that hath dearly bought vs iesus christ the righteous , to whom , &c. finis . errata . for scaene read scene , pag. . l. . haillardu● . r. a●●●lardus p. . l penult . none 〈…〉 marg p. such . r much p. . l. for aids r finds pa. ● . p. . l . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p . . or as in steed read as . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e no creature is more humble then god. the temple of the lord. neat in words if foule in fact . heauy eare . deafe eare . herod within iohn without . either all , or none all . the whole world is set in euill . wickednesse blinds the vnderstanding . the right hand of the most high . they told truth and yet lyed . contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holy story. the second volume; in foure books. by i. hall, dr. of diuinity contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holy story. the second volume; in foure books. by i. hall, dr. of diuinity contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . [ ], [i.e. ], [ ] p. printed by h. l[ownes] for s. macha[m], & are to be sold in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bul-head, at london : . printer's name from stc. the first two leaves are blank except for signature-mark "a" or "a " with marginal rules; the last two leaves are blank except for marginal rules. books - ; books - each have separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. p. misnumbered . reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t -- meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holy story . the second volvme ; in foure books . by i. hall , dr. of diuinity . at london printed by h. l. for s. machā , & are to be sold in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bul-head . . to the high and mightie prince charles , prince of great britaine . most excellent prince ; according to the true dutie of a seruant , i intended all my contemplations to your now-glorious brother , of sweet and sorrowfull memory . the first part whereof , as it was the last booke that euer vvas dedicated to that deare , and immortall name of his : so it was the last , that was turned ouer by his gratious hand . now , since it pleased the god of spirits to call him from these poore contemplations of ours , to the blessed contemplation of himselfe , to see him as he is , to see , as he is seene ; to whom is this sequel of my labours due , but to your highnes , the heire of his honour , and vertues ? euery yeere of my short pilgrimage , is like to adde somthing to this worke ; which in regard of the subiect , is scarce finite : the whole dooth not onely craue your highnesses patronage , but promises to requite your princely acceptation , with many sa●red examples ▪ and rules , both for piety , and wisedome ; towards the decking vp of this flourishing spring of your age ; in the hopes whereof , not onely vvee liue , but hee that is dead , liues still in you : and if any peece of these indeuours come short of my desires , i shall supplie the rest vvith my prayers : vvhich shall neuer bee vvanting to the god of princes , that your ▪ happy proceedings may make glad the church of god , and your selfe in either world , glorious . your highnesses in all humble deuotion , and faithful obseruance , j. hall . contemplations . the fift booke . the waters of marah . the quayles and manna . the rock of rephidim . the foyle of amalek , or , the hand of moses lift vp . the law. the golden calfe . to the right honovrable , henry , earle of hvntingdon ; lord hastings , botreaux , molines , and moiles ; his maiesties lieutenant in the county of leicester , a bountiful fauourer of all good learning , a noble precedent of vertue ; the first patrone of my poore studies ; i. h. dedicates this first peece of his labours , and wisheth all honour and happines . contemplations . the fift booke . the waters of marah . israel was not more loath to come to the red sea , then to part from it . how soon can god turne the horror of any euill into pleasure ? one shore resounded with shrieks of feare ; the other with timbrels , and dances , and songs of deliuerance . euery maine affliction is our red sea , which whiles it threats to swallow , preserues vs : at last our songs shall be lowder then our cries . the israelitish dames , when they saw their danger , thought they might haue left their timbrels behinde them ; how vnprofitable a burden seemed those instruments of musicke ? yet now they liue to renue that forgotten minstralsie , and dancing , which their bondage had so long discontinued : and well might those feet dance vpon the shore , which had walked through the sea. the land of goshen was not so bountifull to them , as these waters . that affoorded them a seruile life : this gaue them at once freedome , victory , riches ; bestowing vpon them the remainder of that wealth , which the egyptians had but lent . it was a pleasure to see the floating carcasses of their aduersaries ; and euery day offers them new booties ; it is no maruell then if their hearts were tied to these banks . if wee finde but a little pleasure in our life , we are ready to dote vpon it . euery small contentment glewes our affections to that we like : and if heere our imperfect delights hold vs so fast , that we would not be loosed ; how forceable shall those infinite ioyes bee aboue , when our soules are once possessed of them ? yet if the place had pleas'd them more , it is no maruell they were willing to follow moses ; that they durst followe him in the wildernesse , whom they followed through the sea : it is a great confirmation to any people , when they haue seene the hand of god with their guide ▪ o sauior which hast vndertaken to carry me from the spirituall egypt , to the land of promise ; how faithfull , how powerfull , haue i found thee ? how fearlesly should i trust thee ? how cheerefully should i follow thee through contempt , pouertie , death it selfe ? maister , if it be thou , bidde vs come vnto thee . immediately before , they had complained of too much water : now they goe three dayes without . thus god meant to punish their infidelitie , with the defect of that whose abundance made them to distrust . before , they saw all water , no land ; now all dry , and dusty land , and no water . extreamities are the best tryals of men : as in bodies , those that can beare sudden changes of heats and cold without complaint , are the strongest . so much as an euil touches vpon the mean , so much help it yeelds towards patience ; euery degree of sorrow is a preparation to the next : but when wee passe to extreames without the meane , we want the benefit of recollection ; and must trust to our present strength . to come from all things to nothing , is not a descent but a downfall ; and it is a rare strength and constancy , not to be maimed at least . these headlong euils , as they are the sorest , so they must be most prouided for ; as on the contrary a sudden aduancement frō a low condition to the height of honour , is most hard to menage . no man can maruell how that tyrant blinded his captiues , when he heares that hee brought them immediatlie , out of a darke dungeon , into rooms that were made bright , and glorious . we are not worthy to knowe , fot what wee are reserued ; no euill can amate vs , if we can ouercom sudden extremities . the long differring of a good ( though tedious ) yet makes it the better , when it comes . well did the israelites hope that the waters which were so long in finding , would be precious when they were found : yet behold they are crossed , not only in their desires , but in their hopes ; for after three dayes trauell , the first fountaines they finde are bitter waters . if these wells had not run pure gall , they could not haue so much complained . long thirst wil make bitter waters sweete ; yet such were these springs , that the israelites did not so mnch like their moisture , as abhor their relish . i see the first handsell that god giues them in their voyage to the land of promise ; thirst , and bitternesse . satan giues vs pleasant entrances into his waies , and reserues the bitternes for the end● ▪ god ●nures vs to our worst at first ; and sweetens our conclusion with pleasure . the same god , that would not lead israel through the philistines land , least they should shrinke at the sight of warre , now leads them through the wildernesse , and feares not to trie their patience with bitter potions . if hee had not loued them , the egyptian fornace or sword had preuented their thirst , or that sea wherof their enimies drunk dead ; and yet see how hee diets them . neuer any haue had so bitter draughts vpon earth as those hee loues best : the palate is an ill iudge of the fauours of god. o my sauiour , thou didst drinke a more bitter cup from the hands of thy father , then that which thou refusedst of the iewes , or then that which i can drinke from thee . before , they could not drinke if they would ; now they might and would not . god can giue vs blessings with such a tang , that the fruition shall not much differ from the want : so , many a one hath riches , not grace to vse them ; many haue children , but such , as they preferre barrennes . they had said before , oh that we had any water ; now , oh that wee had good water . it is good so to desire blessings from god , that wee may be the better for inioying them ; so to craue water , that it may not be sauced w th bitternes . now these fond israelites in steed of praying , murmur ; in steed of praying to god , murmur against moses . what hath the righteous done ? he made not either the wildernesse dry , or the waters bitter ; yea ( if his conduct were the matter ) what one foot went hee before them without god ? the piller led them , and not hee ; yet moses is murmur'd at . it is the hard condition of authoritie , that when the multitude fare well , they applaud themselues ; when ill , they repine against their gouernours . who can hope to be free , if moses escape not ? neuer any prince so merited of a people . he thrust himselfe vpon the pikes of pharaohs tyranny . he brought them from a bondage worse then death . his rod diuided the sea , and shared life to them , death to their pursuers . vvho vvould not haue thought these men , so obliged to moses , that no death could haue opened their mouthes , or raised their hands against him ? yet now , the first occasion of want makes them rebell : no benefit can stop the mouth of impatience . if our turne be not serued for the present , former fauours are either forgotten , or contemned . no maruell if we deale so with men , when god receiues this measure from vs. one yeare of famine , one summer of pestilence , one moone of vnseasonable weather , makes vs ouer-look all the blessings of god ; & more to mutine at the sense of our euill , then to praise him for our varieties of good : whereas , fauours well bestowed leaue vs both mindfull and confident ; and will not suffer vs either to forget or distrust . o god , i haue made an ill vse of thy mercies , if i haue not learned to be content with thy corrections . moses was in the same want of water with them , in the same dis●aste of bitternes , and yet they say to moses , what shal we drink ? if they had seene him furnished with full vessels of sweete water , and themselues put ouer to this vnsauory liquor ; enuy might haue giuen some colour to this mutinie : but now their leaders common misery , might haue freed him from their murmurs . they helde it one peece of the late egyptian tyranny , that a task was required of them , which the imposers knew they could not performe ; to make brick when they had no straw● ; yet they say to moses , what shall wee drink ? themselues are grown exactors , and are ready to menace more then stripes , if they haue not their ends , without means : moses took not vpon him their prouision , but their deliuerance : and yet , as if he had been the common victualer of the camp , they aske , what shall we drink ? when want meets with impatient mindes , it transports them to fury ; euery thing disquiets , and nothing satisfies them . what course doth moses now take ? that which they should haue done , and did not ; they cryed not more feruently to him , then he to god : if he were their leader , god was his . that which they vniustly required of him , he iustly requires of god , that could doe it ; he knew whence to look for redresse of all complaints ; this was not his charge , but his makers , which was able to maintaine his owne act . i see and acknowledge the harbour , that we must put into , in all our ill weather . it is to thee , o god , that we must poure out our hearts , which onely canst make our bitter waters sweet . might not that rod which took away the liquid nature from the waters , and made them solid ; haue also taken away the bitter quality from these waters , and made them sweet ? since to flowe is naturall vnto the water ; to be bitter is but accidentall . moses durst not imploy his rod without a precept ; hee knew the power came from the commandement . wee may not presume on likelyhoods , but depend vpon warrants ; therefore moses doth not lift vp his rodde to the waters , but his hand and voyce to god. the hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine : no sooner hath moses shewd his grieuance , then god shews him the remedie : yet an vnlikely one , that it might be miraculous . he that made the waters , could haue giuen them any sauor : how easie is it for him that made the matter , to alter the quality ? it is not more hard to take away , then to giue . who doubts but the same hand that created them , might haue immediatly changed them ? yet that almighty power will doe it by meanes . a peece of wood must sweeten the waters : what relation hath wood to water ; or that which hath no sauour ; to the redresse of bitternes ? yet here is no more possibility of failing , then proportion to the successe : all things are subiect to the commaund of their maker ; he that made all of nothing , can make euery thing of any thing : there is so much power in euery creature , as he wil please to giue . it is the praise of omnipotencie to work by improbabilities ; elisha with salt , moses with wood , shall sweeten the bitter waters ; let no man despise the meanes , when he knowes the author . god taught his people by actions , as well as words . this entrance shewd them their whole iourney ; wherein they should taste of much bitternesse : but at last through the mercy of god , sweetned with comfort . or did it not represent themselues rather , in the iourney ? in the fountaines of whose hearts , were the bitter waters of manifold corruptions , yet their vnsauory soules are sweetned by the graces of his spirite . o blessed sauiour : the wood of thy crosse , that is , the application of thy sufferings , is enough to sweeten a whole sea of bitternesse . i care not how vnpleasant a potion i finde in this wildernesse , if the power and benefit of thy precious death may season it to my soule . the quayles , and manna . the thirst of israel is wel quenched : for besides the change of the wate●s of marah , their station is changed to elim ; where were twelue fountaines , for their twelue tribes ; and now they complaine , as fast , of hunger . contentation is a rare blessing ; because it arises either frō a fruition of all comforts , or a not desiring of some which wee haue not . now , we are neuer so bare , as not to haue some benefits ; neuer so full as not to want something , yea as not to be full of wants . god hath much adoe with vs : either wee lack health , or quietnes , or children , or wealth , or company , or our selues in all these . it is a woonder these men found not fault vvith the vvant of 〈…〉 their quayles , or vvith their olde clothes , or their solitarie way nature is moderate in 〈◊〉 desires : but conceit is vnsatiable . yet vvho can deny 〈…〉 be a sore vexation ? before 〈◊〉 they vvere forbidden sowre bread ; but now vvhat ●eauen is so ●●wr as want ? when meane● hold out , it is easie to be 〈◊〉 . whiles their dough , and other c●●es lasted , vvhiles they vvere gathering of the dates of elim , vvee heare no newes of them . who cannot pray for his daily bread , vvhen he hath it in his cup-bord ? but vvhen our owne prouision failes vs , then not to distrust the prouision of god , is a noble tryall of faith . they should haue said ; he that stopt the mouth of the sea , that it could not deuoure vs , can as easily stop the mouth of our stomacks ; it was no easier matter to kill the first borne of egypt , by his immediate hand , then to preserue vs : hee that commanded the sea to stand still and gard vs , can as easily commaund the earth to nourish vs : he that made the rod a serpent , can as well make these stones , bread : hee that brought armies of frogs and caterpillers to egypt , can as well bring whole drifts of birds and beasts , to the desert : he that sweetned the waters with wood , can aswell refresh our bodies , with the fruits of the earth . why doe we not wait on him whom wee haue found so powerful ? now they set the mercy and loue of god vpon a wrong last ; whiles they measure it onely by their present sense . nature is iocond and cheereful , whiles it prospereth : let god withdraw his hand ; no sight , no trust . those can praise him with timbrels for a present fauor , that cannot depend vpon him , in the want of meanes for a future . wee all are neuer weary of receiuing , soone weary of attending . the other mutiny , was of some few male-contents , perhaps those strangers , which sought their owne protection vnder the wing of israel ; this , of the whole troup . not that none were free : caleb , ioshua , moses , aaron , miriam were not yet tainted : vsually god measures the state of any church , or country by the most ; the greater part carries both the name and censure . sinnes are so much greater , as they are more vniuersall : so farre is euill from being extenuated by the multitude of the guilty , that nothing can more aggrauate it . with men , commonness may plead for fauour ; with god it pleads for iudgement . many hands drawe the cable with more violence , then fewe : the leprosie of the whole body is more loathsome then that of a part . but what doe these mutiners say ? oh that we had died by the hand of the lord. and whose hand was this , o yee fond israelites , if ye must perish by famine ? god carried you forth ; god restrain'd his creatures from you : and while you are ready to die thus ; ye say , oh that we had dyed by the hand of the lord. it is the folly of men , that in immediate iudgement they can see gods hand : not in those , whose second causes are sensible ; whereas god holds himselfe equally interessed in all : challenging that there is no euill in the citie , but from him . it is but one hand , and many instruments , that god strikes vs with : the water may not lose the name , though it come by chanels and pipes from the spring . it is our faithlesnesse , that in visible meanes , wee see not him that is invisible . and vvhen would they haue wisht to die ? when we sate by the flesh-pots of egypt : alas , what good would their flesh-pots haue done them , in their death ? if they might sustaine their life , yet what could they auaile them in dying ? for if they were vnpleasant , what comfort was it , to see them ? if pleasant , what comfort to part from them ? our greatest pleasures are but paines in their losse . euery minde affects that which is like it selfe . carnall minds are for the flesh-pots of egypt , though bought with seruitude ; spirituall are for the presence of god , though redeemed with famine : and vvould rather die in gods presence , then liue without him , in the sight of delicate or full dishes . they loued their liues well enough : i heard how they shrieked , when they were in danger of the egyptians ; yet now they say , oh that we had died : not , oh that wee might liue by the flesh-pots ; but oh that wee had dyed . although life be naturally sweete , yet a little discontentment makes vs weary . it is a base cowardlinesse , so soone as euer wee are called from the garrison to the field , to thinke of running away . then is our fortitude worthy of praise , when we can indure to be miserable . but vvhat ? can no flesh-pots serue but those of egypt ? i am deceiued , if that land affoorded them any flesh-pots saue their owne : their landlords of egypt held it abhomination to eate of of their dishes , or to kill that vvhich they did eate . in those times then they did eate of their owne ; and why not now ? they had droues of cattell in the wildernes ; why did they not take of them ? surely if they would haue been as good husbands of their cattell , as they vvere of their dough , they might haue had enough to eate without need of murmuring : for if their back-burden of dough lasted for a moneth ; their heards might haue serued them many yeares . all grudging is odious ; but most ▪ when our handes are full . to whine in the midst of abundance , is a shamefull vnthankfulnesse . when a man would haue looked that the anger of god should haue appeared in fire ; now beholde his glory appears in a cloud . oh the exceeding long suffering of god , that hears their murmurings ; and as if hee had been bound to content them , in steed of punishing , pleases them ; as a kinde mother would deale with a rabid childe , who rather stils him vvith the brest , then cals for the ●odde . one would haue thought that the sight of the cloud of god should haue dif●pell'd the cloud of their distrust ; and this glory of god should haue made them asham'd of themselues , and afraide of him : yet i doe not heare them once say , what a mighty and gracious god haue wee distrusted ? nothing will content an impotent mind , but fruition . when an heart is hardned with any passion , it will indure much , ere it will yeeld to relent . vp for them that loue him ! as on the contrary , if the righteous scarce be saued , where will the sinners appeare ? oh god thou canst , thou wilt make this disterence . howsoeuer with vs men the most crabbed and stubborne oftentimes fare the best ; the righteous iudge of the vvorld frames his remunerations as hee findes vs ▪ and if his mercy sometimes prouoke the worst to repentance by his temporall fauours , yet hee euer reserues so much greater rewarde for the righteous , as eternity is beyond time , and heauen aboue earth . it was not of any naturall instinct , but from the ouer-ruling power of their creator , that these quayles came to the desert . needs must they come vvhom god brings . his hand is in all the motions of his meanest creatures . not onely wee , but they mooue in him . as not many quayles , so not one sparrow fals without him : how much more are the actions of his best creature , man , directed by his prouidence ? hovv ashamed might these israelites haue been , to see these creatures so obedient to their creator , as to come and offer themselues to their slaughter ; whiles they went so repiningly to his seruice , and their owne preferment ? who can distrust the prouision of the great house-keeper of the world , when he sees how hee can furnish his tables at pleasure . is he growne now carelesse , or we faithless rather ? why doe we not repose vpon his mercy ? rather then wee shall vvant , when vvee trust him , hee vvill fetch quayles from all the coasts of heauen to our boord . oh lord thy hand is not shortned to giue : let not ours be shortened , or shut in receiuing . eliahs seruitors the rauens brought him his full seruice of bread , and flesh at once ; each morning & euening . but these israelites haue their flesh at eeuen , and their bread in the morning : good reason there should bee a difference . eliahs table was vpon gods direct appointment ; the israelites vpon their mutiny : although god will relieue them with prouision , yet he will punish their impatience with delay ; so shall they knowe themselues his people , that they shall finde they were murmurers . not onely in the matter , but in the order , god answers their grudging ; first they complaine of the want of flesh-pots , then of bread . in the first place therefore they haue flesh , bread after . when they haue flesh , yet they must stay a time , ere they can haue a full meale ; vnles they would eat their meat breadlesse , and their bread dry . god will be wayted on ; and will giue the consummation of his blessings at his owne leasure . in the euening of our life , we haue the first pledges of his fauour : but in the morning of our resurrection , must wee looke for our perfect satiety of the true manna , the bread of life . now the israelites sped well with their quayles ; they did eat , and digest , and prosper : not long after they haue quayles vvith a vengeance ; the meat was pleasant , but the sauce was fearefull . they let downe the quayles at their mouth , but they came out at their nostrils . how much better had it been to haue dyed of hunger , through the chastisement of god , then of the plague of god , with the flesh betwixt their teeth ? behold they perish of the same disease then , whereof they now recouer . the same sinne repeated is death , whose first act found remission : relapses are desperat , where the sicknesse it selfe is not . with vs men , once , goes away with a warning , the second act is but whipping , the third is death . it is a mortall thing to abuse the lenity of god ; we should be presumptuously mad , to hope that god will stand vs for a sinning-stock to prouoke him how wee wil. it is more mercy then he owes vs , if he forbear vs once ; it is his iustice to plague vs the second time : we may thanke our selues , if we will not be warned . their meat was strange , but nothing so much as their bread . to find quayles in a wilderness was vnusual ; but for bread to com downe from heauen vvas yet more . they had seene quayles before ( though not in such number ) : manna was neuer seene till now . from this day till their setling in canaan , god wrought a perpetuall miracle in this food . a miracle in the place : other bread rises vp from belowe , this fell downe from aboue ; neither did it euer raine bread till now ; yet so did this heauenly shower fall , that it is confined to the camp of israell . a miracle in the quantitie ; that euery morning should fall enough to fill so many hundred thousand mouthes and mawes . a miracle in the composition ; that it was sweet like hony-cakes , round like corianders , transparent as deaw . a miracle in the qualitie ; that it melted by one heat , by another hardened . a miracle in the difference of the fall ; that ( as if it knew times , & would teach them , as well as feed them ) it fell double in the eeuen of the sabaoth , and on the sabaoth fell not . a miracle in the putrefaction and preseruation ; that it was full of wormes when it was kept beyond the due hour for distrust : full of sweetnes when it was kept a day longer for religion ; yea many ages , in the ark , for a monument of the power and mercy of the giuer . a miracle in the continuance and ceasing ; that this showre of bread follow'd their camp in all their remoualls , till they came to taste of the bread of canaan ; and then withdrew it selfe , as if it should haue said : yee need no miracles , now ye haue meanes . they had the types ; wee haue the substance . in this wildernes of the world , the true manna is rained vpon the tents of our hearts . hee that sent the manna , was the manna , which he sent : hee hath said , i am the manna that came downe from heauen . beholde their whole meales were sacramentall : euery morsell they did eat , was spirituall . we eat still of their manna : still he coms down from heauen . hee hath substance enough for worlds of soules ; yet onely is to be found in the lists of the true church : he hath more sweetnes then the hony , and the hony-combe . happie are vvee if wee can finde him , so sweete as hee is . the same hand that rayned manna vppon their tents , could haue rayned it into their mouthes , or laps . god loues we should take paines for our spirituall food . little would it haue auayled them , that the manna lay about their tents , if they had not gone forth and gathered it , beaten it , bak't it : let saluation be neuer so plentifull , if we bring it not home , and make it ours by faith , wee are no whit the better . if the worke done , and meanes vsed , had beene enough to giue life , no israelite had dyed : their bellies vvere full of that bread , whereof one crum giues life : yet they dyed many of them in displeasure . as in naturall , so in spirituall things , we may not trust to meanes : the carcasse of the sacrament cannot giue life , but the soule of it ; which is the thing represented . i see each man gather , & take his iust measure out of the common heap ; wee must be industrious , and helpfull each to other : but when wee haue done , christ is not partial . if our sanctification differ , yet our iustification is equall in all . hee that gaue a gomer to each , could haue giuen an ephah : as easily could hee haue rayned downe enough for a moneth , or a yeare at once , as for a day . god delights to haue vs liue in a continuall dependance vpon his prouidence , and each day renew the acts of our faith and thankfulnesse . but what a couetous israelite was that , which in a foolish distrust would be sparing the charges of god ; and reseruing that for morning which hee should haue spent vpon his supper ? hee shall knowe , that euen the bread that came downe from heauen , can corrupt : the manna was from aboue , the wormes and stink from his diffidence . nothing is so soueraine , which being peruerted , may not annoy in stead of benefiting vs. yet i see some difference betwixt the true and typicall manna ; god neuer meant that the shadow and the body should agree in all things . the outward manna reserued was poyson : the spirituall manna is to vs , as it was to the arke ; not good , vnlesse it be kept perpetually . if wee keep it , it shall keep vs from putrefaction . the outward manna fell not at all , on the sabaoth : the spirituall manna ( though it balks no day ) yet it falls double on gods day : and if we gather it not then , we famish . in that true sabaoth of our glorious rest , we shal for euer feed of that manna , which wee haue gathered in this eeuen of our life . the ro●k of rephidim . before , israel thirsted and was satisfied ; after that , they hungred and were filled ; novv they thirst againe . they haue bread and meat , but want drink : it is a maruell if god doe not euermore hold vs short of something , because he would keep vs still in exercise . wee should forget at whose cost wee liue , if wee wanted nothing . still god obserues a vicissitude of euill , and good ; and the same euils that we haue passed , returne vpon vs in their courses . crosses are not of the nature of those diseases , which they say a man can haue but once . their first seisure doth but make way for their reentry . none but our last enemy comes once for all ; and i knowe not , if that : for euen in liuing , wee die daily . so must we take our leaues of all afflictions , that wee reserue a lodging for them , and expect their returne . all israel murmured vvhen they wanted bread , meat , water ; and yet all israel departed from the wildernesse of sin to rephidin at gods command . the very worst men will obey god in something ; none but the good in all : hee is rarely desperate that makes an vniuersal opposition to god. it is an vnsound praise that is giuen a man , for one good action : it may be safely said of the very diuels themselues , that they doe something well : they know , & beleeue , and tremble . if we follow god and murmur , it is all one , as if wee had staid behinde . those distrust his prouidence in their necessitie , that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare . it is an harder matter to indure an extreame want , then to obey an hard commaundement . suffrings are greater tryals , then actions : how many haue we seen ieopard their liues , with cheerefull resolution , which cannot indure in cold blood to lose a lim with patience . because god wil haue his throughly tryed , he puts them to both : and if wee cannot indure both to follow him from sin , and to thirst in rephidim , we are not sound israelites . god led them , on purpose , to this dry rephidim : hee could as well haue conducted them to another elim , to conuenient waterings : or he that giues the waters of all their chanels , could as well haue deriued them to meet israel : but god doth purposely carry them to thirst . it is not for necessitie , that we fare ill , but out of choyse : it were all one vvith god to giue vs health , as sicknes ; abundance as pouerty . the treasury of his riches hath more store then his creature can be capable of ; we could not complaine , if it vvere not good for vs to want . this should haue been a contentment able to quench anie thirst : god hath led vs hither ; if moses out of ignorance had misguided vs , or we chanceably falne vppon these drie deserts , though this were no remedy of our griefe , yet it might be some ground of our complaint . but now the counsell of so wise and merciful a god , hath drawne vs into this want ; and shal not he as easily finde the way out ? it is the lord , let him doe what hee will. there can be no more forceable motiue to patience then the acknowledgement of a diuine hand that strikes vs. it is fearefull to be in the hand of an aduersary ; but who would not be confident of a father ? yet in our fraile humanitie , choler may transport a man from remembrance of nature ; but when wee feele our selues vnder the discipline of a wise god , that can temper our afflictions to our strength , to our benefit ; vvho vvoulde not rather murmur at himselfe , that hee should swerue towards impatience ? yet these sturdy israelites wilfully murmur : & will not haue their thirst quenched with faith , but with water . giue vs water . i looked to heare when they would haue intreated moses to pray for them ; but in stead of intreating they contend , and in stead of prayers i find commands . giue vs water . if they had gone to god without moses , i should haue praysed their faith : but now they goe to moses . vvithout god , i hate their stubborne faithlesnes . to seeke to the second meanes vvith neglect of the first , is the fruit of a false faith . the answere of moses is like himselfe , milde , and sweet ; why contend ye with me ? why tempt ye the lord ? in the first expostulation , condemning them of iniustice ; since not he , but the lord had afflicted them . in the second , of presumption ; that since it was god ▪ that tempted them , by want , they should tempt him by murmuring . in the one , he would haue them see their wrong ; in the other , their danger . as the act came not from him , but from god ; so hee puts it off to god , from himselfe . vvhy tempt yee the lord ? the opposition which is made to the instruments of god , redounds euer to his person . hee holds himselfe smitten through the sides of his ministers : so hath god incorporated these respects , that our subtlety cannot diuide them . but what temptation is this ? is the lord among vs , or no ? infidelity is crafty , and yet foolish ; crafty in her insinuations , foolish in her conceits . they imply , if wee were sure the lord were with vs wee would not distrust ; they conceiue doubts of his presence , after such confirmations . what could god doe more , to make them knowe him present , vnless euery moment should haue renued miracles ? the plagues of egypt , and the diuision of the sea were so famous , that the very innes of iericho rang of them . their waters were lately sweetned ; the quayles were yet in their teeth ; the manna was yet in their eye ; yea they saw god , in the piller of the cloud , and yet they say , is the lord amongst vs ? no argument is enough to an incredulous heart ; not reason , not sense , not experience . how much better was that faith of thomas , that would belieue his eyes and hands , though his eares he would not ? oh the deep infidelitie of these israelites , that saw , and belieued not ! and how will they knowe if god be amongst them ? as if he could not be with them , and they be athirst : either god must humour carnall minds , or be distrusted : if they prosper ( though it be with wickednes ) god is with them ; if they be thwarted in their owne designes , straight , is god with vs ? it was the way to put god from them , to distrust , and murmure . if he had not been with them , they had not liued ; if hee had been in them , they had not mutined . they can thinke him absent in their want , and cannot see him absent in their sin : and yet wickednesse , not affliction , argues him gone ; yet then is hee most present , vvhen hee most chastises . who would not haue looked , that this answere of moses should haue appeased their fury : as vvhat can still him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath god for his aduersary ? but , as if they would wilfully warre against heauen , they proceed ; yet with no lesse craft , then violence ; bending their exception to one part of the answere : and smoothly omitting , what they could not except against . they will not heare of tempting god ; they maintain their strife with moses , both with words , and stones : how malitious , how heady is impatience ? the act was gods , they cast it vpon moses : wherefore hast thou brought vs ? the act of god was mercifull , they make it cruell ; to kill vs and our children : as if god and moses meant nothing but their ruine ; vvho intended nothing , but their life and liberty . foolish men ! what needed this iourney to death ? were they not as obnoxious to god , in egypt ? could not god by moses as easily haue killed them in egypt , or in the sea , as their enemies ? impatience is full of misconstruction ; if it be possible to find out any glosse to corrupt the text of gods actions , they shall be sure not to scape vntainted . it was no expostulating with an vnreasonable multitude ; moses runnes straight to him , that was able at once to quench their thirst , and their fury : what shall i doe to this people ? it is the best way , to trust god with his owne causes : when men will be intermedling with his affaires , they vndoe themselues in vaine . we shal find difficulties in all great enterprises ; if we be sure , we haue begun them from god , we may securely cast all euents vppon his prouidence , which knowes how to dispose , and how to end them . moses perceiued rage , not in the tongues onely , but in the hands of the israelites . yet a while longer and they will stone mee . euen the leader of gods people , feared death ; and sinned not in fearing . life is worthy to be deare to all : especially to him , vvhome publique charge hath made necessary : meere feare is not sinfull ; it is impotence and distrust that accompany it , which make it euill . how well is that feare bestowed , that sends vs the more importunately to god ! some man would haue thought of flight ; moses flyes to his prayers ; and that not for reuenge , but for help . who but moses would not haue saide ; this twise they haue mutined , and beene pardoned ; and now againe , thou seest , o lord , how madly they rebell ; and how bloodily they intend against me ; preserue me , i beseech thee , and plague them . i heare none of this : but imitating the long suffering of his god , hee seeks to god , for them , which sought to kill him , for the quarrell of god. neither is god sooner sought , then found : all israel might see moses goe towardes the rocke : none but the elders might see him strike it : their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this priuiledge . it is no small fauour of god , to make vs witnesses of his great works ; that he crucifies his son before vs ; that hee serches the water of life , out of the true rock , in our sight , is an hie prerogatiue ; if his rigour vvould haue taken it , our infidelitie had equally excluded vs , whom now his mercy hath receiued . moses must take his rod ; god could haue done it by his vvill , without a word ; or by his word ▪ without the rod ; but hee will doe by meanes , that which hee can as easily doe without . there vvas no vertue in the rod ; none in the stroke , but all in the command of god. meanes must be vsed , and yet their efficacie must bee expected , out of themselues . it doth not suffice god to name the rod , without a description ; ( whereby thou smotest the riuer : ) wherfore ? but to strengthen the faith of moses , that hee might well expect this wonder from that , which he had tryed to be miraculous . how could hee but firmly beleeue , that the same meanes which turned the waters into blood , and turned the sea into a wall , could as vvell turne the stone into vvater ? nothing more rayses vp the heart in present affiance , then the recognition of fauours , or vvoonders passed . behold the same rodde that brought plagues to the egyptians , brings deliuerances to 〈◊〉 . by the same meanes can god saue and condemne : like as the same sword defends and kil●s . that power , which turned the wings of the quayles to the wildernes , turned the course of the water through the rocke : hee might ( if he had pleased ) haue caused a spring to well out of the plaine earth ; but hee will now fetch it out of the stone , to conuince and shame their infidelitie . what is more hard and dry then the rock ? what more moist , and supple then vvater ? that they might be ashamed to thinke , they distrusted least god could bring them water out of the cloudes , or springs , the very rock shall yeeld it . and now , vnlesse their hearts had beene more rockie , then this stone , they could not but haue resolued into teares , for this diffidence . i wonder to see these israelites fed with sacraments : their bread was sacramentall , whereof they communicated euery day : least any man should complaine of frequence , the israelites receiued daily ; and now their drinke was sacramentall , that the ancient church may giue no warrant of a dry communion . twise therefore hath the rock yeelded them water of refreshing ; to signifie , that the true spirituall rock yeelds it alwayes . the rocke that followed them was christ : out of thy side , o sauiour , issued that bloody stream , wherby the thirst of all beleeuers is comfortably quenched : let vs but thirst ; not with repining , but with faith ; this rocke of thine shall abundantly flow forth to our soules , and follow vs , till this water be changed into that new wine , vvhich wee shall drinke vvith thee in thy fathers kingdome . the foyle of amalek : or the hand of moses , lift vp . no sooner is israels thirst slaked , then god hath an amalekite ready to assault them . the almighty hath choise of rods , to whip vs with ; and will not be content with one tryall . they would needs be quarrelling with moses , without a cause ; and now , god sends the amalekites to quarrell with them . it is iust with god , that they , which would bee contending vvith their best friends shold haue work enough , of contending with enemies . in their passage out of egypt , god vvould not lead them the nearest vvay , by the philistims land , least they should repent at the sight of warre ; now they both see , and feele it . he knowes how to make the fittest choise of the times of euill : and withholds that one while , which hee sends another , not vvithout a iust reason , why he sends , and withholds it : and though to vs , they come euer ( as we thinke ) vnseasonably , and at sometimes more vnfitly , then others ; yet hee that sends them , knowes their opportunities . vvho vvould not haue thought , a worse time could neuer haue beene pickt for israels warre , then now ; in the feeblenesse of their troupes , when they were wearied , thirsty , vnweaponed ; yet now , must the amalekites doe that , which before the philistims might not doe : we are not worthy , not able to choose for our selues . to be sicke , and dy in the strength of youth , in the minoritie of children : to bee pinched with pouerty , or miscarriage of children in our age , how harshly vnseasonable it seemes ? but the infinite wisedom , that orders our euents , knowes how to order our times . vnlesse wee will bee shamelesse vnbeleeuers , o lord , we must trust thee with our selues and our seasons , and know , that not that which we desire , but that , which thou hast appointed , is the fittest time for our sufferings . amalek was esaues grandchild ; and these israelites , the sons of iacob . the abode of amalek was not so farre from egypt , but they might well heare what became of their cozens of israel ; and now , doubtlesse , out of enuie watcht their opportunitie of reuenge for their old grudge . malice is commonly hereditary , and runnes in the blood ; and ( as we vse to say of runnet ) the older it is , the stronger . hence is that foolish hostilitie , which some men vniustly nourish vppon no other grounds , then the quarrels of their forefathers . to wreak ou● malice vpon posteritie , is at the best but the humour of an amalekite . how cowardly , and how crafty was this skirmish of amalek ? they doe not bid them battel in faire tearms of warre , but without all noise of warning , come stealing vpon the hindmost ; and fall vpon the weake , and scattered remnants of israel . there is no looking for fauour at the hands of malice : the worst that either force or fraud can doe , must be expected of an aduersary ; but much more of our spirituall enemie ; by how much his hatred is deeper . behold , this amalek lie● in ambush to hinder our passage vnto our land of promise and subtilly takes all aduantages of our weaknesses . wee cannot be wise , or safe , if we stay behinde our colours ; and strengthen not those parts , where is most perill of opposition . i doe not heare moses say to his ioshua : amalek is come vp against vs ; it matters not whether thou goe against him , or not ; or if thou go , whether alone or with companie ; or if accompanied , vvhether vvith manie or few , strong or weake ; or if strong men , vvhether they fight or no : i vvill pray on the hill ; but , choose vs out men , and goe fight : then onely can vvee pray with hope , vvhen wee haue done our best . and though the meanes cannot effect that , which wee desire ; yet god will haue and vse the likeliest meanes on our part , to effect it . where it comes immediately from the charge of god , any meanes are effectuall ; one stick of wood shall fetch vvater out of the rock , another shall fetch bitternesse out of the water : but in those proiects , which vve make for our owne purposes , vve must choose those helps , vvhich promise most efficacy . in vaine shall moses be vpon the hill , if ioshua be not in the vally . prayer without meanes , is a mockerie of god. here are two shadowes of one substance ; the same christ in ioshua fights against our spirituall amalek , and in moses spreads out his armes vpon the hill ; and in both , conquers . and why doth he climbe vp the hill rather , then pray in the valley ? perhaps that he might haue the more freedom to his thoughts ; which , following the sense , are so much more heauenly , as the eye sees more of heauen ? though vertue lies not in the place , yet choise must be made of those places , which may be most helpe to our deuotion : perhaps , that hee might be in the eye of israel . the presence and sight of the leader giues heart to the people : neither dooth any thing more moue the multitude , then example . a publique person cannot hide himselfe in the valley : but yet it becomes him best to shew himselfe vppon the hill . the hand of moses must be raised , but not emptie ; neither is it his owne rod that he holds , but gods. in the first meeting of god with moses , the rod was moseses ; it is like , for the vse of his trade : now the propriety is altered ; god hath so wrought by it , that now he challenges it ; and moses dare not call it his owne . those things which it pleases god to vse for his owne seruice , are now changed in their condition . the bread of the sacrament was once the bakers , now it is gods : the water was once euery mans , now it is the laver of regeneration . it is both vniust , and vnsafe to hold those things common vvherein god hath a peculiarity . at other times , vpon occasion of the plagues , and of the quayles , and of the rock , he was commanded to take the rodde in his hand ; now hee doth it vnbidden : he doth it not now for miraculous operation , but for incouragement . for when the israelites should cast vp their eyes to the hill , and see moses , and his rod ( the man , and the meanes that had wrought so powerfully for them ) they could not but take heart to themselues , and thinke , there is the man that deliuered vs from the egyptian , why not now from the amalekite ? there is the rod , which turned waters to blood , and brought varieties of plagues on egypt , why not now on amaleck ? nothing can more hearten our faith , then the view of the monuments of gods fauour : if euer wee haue found any word , or act of god cordial to vs , it is good to fetch it forth oft to the eye . the renuing of our sense , and remembrance , makes euery gift of god perpetually beneficiall . if moses had receiued a command , that rod which fetcht water from the rock , could as well haue fetcht the blood of the amalekites out of their bodies : god will not worke miracles alwayes ; neither must wee expect them vnbidden . not as a standerd-bearer so much , as a suppliant dooth moses lift vp his hand : the gesture of the body should both expresse , & further the piety of the soul. this flesh of ours , is not a good seruant , vnlesse it help vs in the best offices : the god of spirits dooth most respect the soule of our deuotion ; yet , it is both vnmannerly , and irreligious , to be misgestured in our prayers . the carelesse and vncomely carriage of the body helps both to signifie , and make a profane soule . the hand , & the rod of moses neuer moued in vaine ; though the rod did not strike amalek , as it had done the rock : yet it smote heauen , and fetcht downe victory . and that the israelites might see , the hand of moses had a greater stroke in the fight , then all theirs , the successe must rise and fall with it : amalek rose , and israel fell , with his hand falling : amalek fell , & israel rises , with his hand raysed ; oh the wondrous power of the prayers of faith ! all heauenly fauours are deriued to vs from this chanell of grace : to these are wee beholden for our peace , preseruations , and all the rich mercies of god , vvhich vve enioie . vve could not vvant , if wee could aske . euery mans hand would not haue done this ; but the hand of a moses . a faithlesse man may as well holde his hand , and tongue still ; hee may babble , but prayes not ; he prayes ineffectually , and receiues not : onely the prayer of the righteous auaileth much ; and onely the beleeuer , is righteous . there can be no merit , no recompence answerable to a good mans prayer ; for heauen , and the eare of god is open to him : but the formall deuotions of an ignorant , and faithlesse man , are not worth that crust of bread which hee askes : yea , it is presumption in himselfe ; how should it be beneficiall to others ? it profanes the name of god , in stead of adorning it . but how iustly is the feruency of the prayer added to the righteousnes of the person ? when moses hand slackned , amalek preuayled . no moses can haue his hand euer vp ; it is a title proper to god , that his hands are stretched out still : whether to mercy , or vengeance . our infirmity will not suffer any long intention , either of body , or mind . long prayers can hardly maintaine their vigour ; as in tall bodies the spirits are diffused . the strongest hand will languish , with long extending : and when our deuotion tyres , it is seene in the successe ; then straight our amalek pruayles . spirituall vvickednesses are maistered by vehement prayer ; and by heartlesnes in prayer , ouercome vs. moses had two helps , a stone to sit on , and an hand to raise his : and his sitting , and holpen hand is no whit lesse effectuall . euen in our prayers will god allow vs to respect our owne infirmities . in cases of our necessity , he regards not the posture of body , but the affections of the soule . doubtlesse aaron and hur , did not onely raise their hands , but their minds , with his : the more cords , the easier draught . aaron was brother to moses : there cannot be a more brotherly office , then to help one another in our praiers ; and to excite our mutuall deuotions . no christian may thinke it enough to pray alone ; hee is no true israelite , that will not be ready to lift vp the weary hands of gods saints . all israel saw this : or if they were so intent vpon the slaughter , and spoyle , that they obserued it not , they might heare it after , from aaron , and hur : yet this contents not god ; it must bee written . many other miracles had god done before ; not one , directly commanded to be recorded : the other were onely for the wonder ; this for the imitation of gods people . in things that must liue by report , euery tongue addes or detracts something ; the word once written is both inalterable , & permanent . as god is carefull to maintaine the glory of his miraculous victory : so is moses desirous to second him ; god by a book , and moses by an altar , and a name . god commaunds to enroll it in parchment ; moses registers it in the stones of his altar ; which hee raises not onely for future memory , but for present vse . that hand which was weary of lifting vp , straight offers a sacrifice of praise to god : how well it becomes the iust to be thankfull ! euen very nature teacheth vs men to abhor ingratitude in small fauours . how much lesse can that fountaine of goodnes abide to be laded at with vnthankfull hands ? o god we cānot but confess our deliuerances : where are our atars ? where are our sacrifices ? where is our iehouah-nissi ? i doe not more wonder at thy power in preseruing vs , then at thy mercy , which is not weary of casting away fauours vpon the ingratefull . the law. it is but about seuen weekes , since israell came out of egypt : in which space god had cherished their faith by fiue seuerall woonders ; yet now hee thinkes it time to giue them statutes from heauen , as well as bread . the manna and water from the rock ( which was christ in the gospell ) were giuen before the law. the sacraments of grace before the legall couenant . the grace of god preuenteth our obedience ; therfore should we keep the law of god , because wee haue a sauiour . oh the mercy of our god! which before wee see , what wee are bound to doe , showes vs our remedy , if we doe it not : how can our faith disannul the law , when it was before it ? it may helpe to fulfill that , which shall be : it cannot frustrate that which was not . the letters , which god had written in our fleshy tables , were now ( as those which are carued in some barks ) almost growne out ; hee saw it time to write them in dead tables , whose hardnes should not be capable of alteration : hee knew , that the stone would bee more faithfull then our hearts . oh maruellous accordance betwixt the two testaments ; in the very time of their deliuery , there is the same agreement , which is in the substance . the ancient iewes kept our feasts ; and we still keep theirs . the feast of the passe-ouer is the time of christs resurrection ; then did hee passe from vnder the bondage of death . christ is our passe-ouer ; the spotlesse lambe , whereof not a bone must be broken . the very day , wherein god came down in fire and thunder to deliuer the law , euen the same day came also the holy-ghost downe vpon the disciples in fiery tongues , for the propagation of the gospell . that other was in fire & smoke , obscuritie was mingled with terrour ; this was in fire without smoke , befitting the light and clearnesse of the gospell : fire , not in flashes , but in tongues ; not to terrifie , but to instruct . the promulgation of the law makes way for the law of the gospell ; no man receiues the holy-ghost , but he which hath felt the terrours of sinai . god might haue imposed vpon them a law perforce ; they were his creatures , and he could require nothing but iustice . it had been but equall that they should be compelled to obey their maker ; yet that god which loues to doe all things sweetly , giues the law of iustice in mercy ; and will not imperiously command , but craues our assent for that , which it were rebellion not to doe . how gentle should bee the proceeding of fellow-creatures who haue an equality of being , with an inequality of condition ; when their infinite maker requests , where he might constrain . god will make no couenant with the vnwilling ; how much less the couenant of grace , which stands all vpon loue ? if wee stay til god offer violence to our wil , or to vs , against our will , wee shall dy strangers from him . the church is the spouse of christ ; hee will inioy her loue by a willing contract , not by a rauishment : the obstinate haue nothing to doe with god ; the title of all conuerts , is , a willing people . that israel inclined to god , it was from god ; hee inquires after his owne gifts in vs , for our capacity of more . they had not receiued the law , vnlesse they had first receiued a disposition fit to be commanded . as there was an inclination to heare , so there must be a preparation for hearing . gods iustice had before prepared his israelites , by hunger , thirst , feare of enemies ; his mercy had prepared them by deliuerances , by prouisions of water , meat , bread : and yet besides all the sight of god in his miracles , they must be three dayes prepared to hear him . when our soules are at the best , our approch to god requires particular addresses : and if three dayes were little enough to prepare them to receiue the law ; how is all our life short enough , to prepare for the reckoning of our obseruing it ? and if the vvord of a commaund expected such readines , what shall the word of promise , the promise of christ and saluation ? the moraine of egypt was not so infectious as their vices ; the contagion of these stuck still by israell : all the water of the red sea , and of marah , and that which gushed out of the rocke , had not washed it off . from these , they must now be sanctified . as sinne is alwayes dangerous ; so most , when we bring it into gods sight : it enuenometh both our persons and seruices , and turnes our good into euill . as therfore we must be alwaies holy : so most , when wee present our selues to the holy eyes of our creator . wee wash our hands euery day : but when wee are to sit with some great person , wee scoure them with balles . and if wee must be so sanctified , onely to receiue the law , how holy must we be to receiue the grace promised in the gospell ? neither must themselues only bee cleansed , but their very clothes : their garments smelt of egypt , euen they must be washed : neither can clothes be capable of sinne , nor can water cleanse from sinne : the danger was neither in their garments , nor their skin ; yet they must be washed , that they might learne by their clothes , with what soules to appear before their god. those garments must be washed , which should neuer waxe old , that now they might begin their age in purity ; as those which were in more danger of being foule , then bare . it is fit that our reuerence to gods presence should appeare in our very garments ; that both without and within wee may be cleanly : but little would neatnesse of vestures auaile vs with a filthy soule . the god of spirits looks to the inner man , and challenges the purity of that part which resembles himselfe : cleanse your hands yee sinners , and purge your hearts ye double minded . yet euen whē they were washed , and sanctified , they may not touch the mount ; not onely with their feet , but , not with their eies : the smoke keeps it from their eyes ; the marks from their feet . not only men that had some impurity at their best , are restrained , but euen beasts which are not capable of any vnholines . those beasts which must touch his altars , yet might not touch his hill : and if a beast touch it , he must die : yet so , as no hands may touch that , which hath touched the hill . vnreasonablenes might seem to be an excuse in these creatures : that therfore which is death to a beast , must needs be capitall to them , whose reason should guide them to auoid presumption . those israelites which saw god euery day in the piller of fire , and the cloud , must not come neere him in the mount . god loues at once familiarity and feare : familiarity in our conuersation , and feare in his commands . hee loues to be acquainted with men , in the walks of their obedience : yet hee takes state vpon him in his ordinances ; and will be trembled at , in his word and iudgements . i see the difference of gods carriage to men in the law , and in the gospell : there , the very hill where he appeared , may not be touched of the purest israelite ; here , the hemme of his garment is touched by the woman , that had the fluxe of blood ; yea , his very face was touched with the lippes of iudas . there the very earth was prohibited them , on which hee descended : here , his very body and blood is profered to our touch and taste . oh the maruellous kindnes of our god! how vnthankfull are wee , if wee doe not acknowledge this mercy aboue his ancient people ! they were his owne ; yet strangers in comparison of our libertie . it is our shame and sinne , if in these meanes of intirenesse we bee no better acquainted vvith god , then they , vvhich in their greatest familiarity , were commanded aloof . god was euer wonderfull in his workes , and fearefull in his iudgements : but he was neuer so terrible in the execution of his will , as now in the promulgation of it . here was nothing , but a maiesticall terrour in the eyes , in the ears of the israelites ; as if god meant to shew them by this , how fearful he could be . here was the lightning darted in their eyes , the thunders roaring in their eares , the trumpet of god drowning the thunder-claps , the voyce of god out-speaking the trumpet of the angel : the cloud enwrapping , the smoke ascending , the fire flaming , the mount trembling , moses climbing and quaking , palenesse and death in the face of israel , vprore in the elements , and all the glory of heauen turned into terrour . in the destruction of the first world , there were clouds , without fire : in the destruction of sodome , there was fire raining without clouds ; but here was fire , smoke , clouds , thunder , earthquakes , and whatsoeuer might worke more astonishment , then euer was in any vengeance inflicted . and if the law were thus giuen , how shall it be required ? if such vvere the proclamation of gods statutes , what shall the sessions be ? i see and tremble at the resemblance . the trumpet of the angell call'd vnto the one : the voyce of an archangell , the trumpet of god shall summon vs to the other . to the one , moses ( that climbd vp that hill , and alone saw it ) saies , god came with tenne thousands of his saints ; in the other , thousand thousands shall minister to him , and tenne thousand thousands shall stand before him . in the one , mount sinai only was on a flame ; all the world shall be so , in the other . in the one there was fire , smoke , thunder and lightning : in the other , a fiery stream shall issue from him , wherewith the heauens shall be dissolued , and the elements shall melt away with a noise . oh god , how powerfull art thou to inflict vengeance vpon sinners , who didst thus forbid sinne ? and if thou wert so terrible a law-giuer , what a iudge shalt thou appeare ? what shall become of the breakers of so fiery a law ? oh where shall those appeare , that are guiltie of the transgressing that law , whose very deliuery was little lesse then death ? if our god should exact his law , but in the same rigour wherein hee gaue it , sinne could not quite the cost : but now the fire wherein it was deliuered was but terrifying ; the fire wherein it shall be required , is consuming . happy are those that are from vnder the terrours of that law , which was giuen in fire , and in fire shall be required . god would haue israel see , that they had not to doe vvith some impotent commander , that is faine to publish his lawes without noise , in dead paper ; which can more easily inioyne , then punish ; or descry , then execute ; and therefore , before he giues them a law , he showes them that hee can command heauen , earth , fire , aire , in reuenge of the breach of the law ; that they could not but think it deadly to displease such a lawgiuer , or violate such dreadfull statutes ; that they might see all the elements , examples of that obedience , which they shold yeeld vnto their maker . this fire , wherein the law was giuen , is still in it ; and will neuer out : hence are those terrours vvhich it flashes in euery conscience , that hath felt remorse of sinne . euery mans heart is a sinai , and resembles to him both heauen and hell . the sting of death is sinne : and the strength of sinne , is the law. that they might see , hee could finde out their closest sinnes , hee deliuers his law in the light of fire , from out of the smoke : that they might see , vvhat is due to their sinnes , they see fire aboue , to represent the fire that should be belowe them : that they might knowe he could waken their security , the thunder , and louder voyce of god speaks to their hearts . that they might see what their hearts should doe , the earth quakes vnder them . that they might see they could not shift their appearance , the angels call them together . oh royall law , & mighty lawgiuer ! how could they thinke of hauing any other god , that had such proofes of this ? how could they think of making any resenblance of him , vvhom they saw could not be seene , and vvhom they saw , in not being seene , infinite ? how could they thinke of daring to profane his name , vvhom they heard to name himself , with that voyce , iehouah ? how could they thinke of standing vvith him for a day , vvhom they saw to command that heauen , vvhich makes and measures day ? how could they thinke of disobeying his deputies , vvhom they saw so able to reuenge ? how could they think of killing , when they vvere halfe dead vvith the feare of him , that could kill both body and soule ? how could they thinke of the flames of lust , that saw such fires of vengeance ? how could they think of stealing from others , that saw vvhose the heauen and earth vvas to dispose of at his pleasure ? how could they thinke of speaking falsly , that heard god speak in so fearefull a tone ? how could they thinke of coueting others goods , that saw how weake and vncertaine right they had to their owne ? yea to vs , was this law so deliuered ; to vs in them : neither had there bin such state in the promulgation of it , if god had not intended it for eternity . we men , that so feare the breach of humane lawes for some small mulcts of forfaiture ; how should we fear thee ( o lord ) that canst cast body and soule into hell ! the golden calfe . it was not much aboue a moneth , since israel made their couenāt w th god ; since they trembled to heare him say , thou shalt haue no other gods , but mee ; since they saw moses part from them , and climbe vppe the hill to god : and now they say , make vs gods ; we knowe not what is becom of this moses . oh , ye mad israelites , haue yee so soon forgotten that fire , and thunder which you heard and saw ? is that smoke vanished out of your minde , as soon as out of your sight ? could your hearts cease to tremble with the earth ? can yee in the very sight of sinai , cal for other gods ? and , for moses ; was it not for your sakes , that he thrust himselfe into the midst of that smoke and fire , which yee feared to see afar off ? was hee not now gone , after so many sudden embassages , to be your lieger with god ? if yee had seene him take his heeles , and run away from you into the wildernesse , what could ye haue said , or done more ? behold , our better moses vvas with vs awhile vpon earth : hee is now ascended into the mount of heauen , to mediate for vs ; shall we now thinke of another sauiour ? shall vve not hold it our happines that hee is for our sakes aboue ? and what if your moses had beene gone for euer ? must yee therefore haue gods made ? if yee had said , choose vs another gouernour , it had been a wicked and vnthankfull motion ; ye were too vnwoorthy of a moses , that could so soon forget him : but to say , make vs gods , was absurdly impious ▪ moses vvas not your god , but your gouernour : neither was the presence of god tyed to moses : you saw god still , when hee was gone , in his pillar , and in his manna ; and yet ye say , make vs gods : euery word is full of senselesse wickednesse . how many gods vvould you haue ? or what gods are those that can be made ? or ( what euer the idolatrous egyptians did ) with vvhat face can yee , after so many miraculous obligations , speak of another god ? had the voyce of god scarce done thundering in your eares ? did ye so lately heare & see him to be an infinite god ? did ye quake to hear him say out of the midst of the flames , i am iehovah , the god : thou shalt haue no goddes but mee ? did yee acknowledge god your maker , and doe yee now speake of making of gods ? if ye had said , make vs another man to goe before vs , it had been an impossible suite . aaron might help to marre you , and himselfe ; he could not make one hayre of a man : and do ye say , make vs gods ? and what should those gods doe ? go before you . how could they go before you , that cannot stand alone ? your help makes them to stand , & yet they must conduct you . oh the impatient ingratitude of carnall minds ! oh the sottishnes of idolatry ! who would not haue said : moses is not with vs ; but he is with god for vs : hee staies long : he that called him , withholds him : his delay is for our sakes , as well as his ascent . though we see him not , we will hope for him ▪ his fauours to vs haue deserued , not to be reiected : or , if god will keep him frō vs ; he that withholds him , can supply him : he that sent him , can lead vs without him ; his fire & cloud is alsufficient ; god hath said and done enough for vs , to make vs trust him : we will , wee can haue no other god ; wee care not for any other guide . but behold , heere none of this : moses stayes but some fiue and thirty dayes , and now hee is forgotten , and is become but , this moses : yea god is forgotten with him ; and : as if god and moses had been lost at once , they say , make vs gods. naturall men must haue god at their bent : and if he come not at a call , hee is cast off ; and they take themselues to their owne shifts : like as the chinois whip their god● when they answere them not ; whereas , his holy ones wait long , and seek him ; and not only in their sinking , but from the bottom of the deeps , call vpon him ; and though hee kill them , will trust in him . superstition besots the minds of men , and blinds the eye of reason ; and first makes them not men , ere it makes them idolaters . how else could he , that is the image of god , fall downe to the images of creatures ? how could our forefathers haue so doted vpon stocks and stones , if they had been themselues ? as the syrians were first blinded , and then led into the midst of samaria : so are idolaters first bereaued of their wits and common sense , and afterwards are carryed brutishly into all palpable impietie . who would not haue beene ashamed to heare this answer from the brother of moses ; pluck off your earings ? hee should haue said , pluck this idolatrous thought out of your hearts : and now in stead of chiding , he soothes them . and , as if hee had been no kin to moses , he helps to lead them back againe from god , to egypt . the people importun'd him , perhaps with threats . he that had waded through all the menaces of pharaoh , doth hee now shrinke at the threats of his owne ? moses is not afraide of the terrors of god : his faith that carryed him throgh the water , led him vp to the fire of gods presence ; whiles his brother aaron feares the faces of those men , which hee lately saw pale with the feare of their glorious law-giuer . as if hee that forbad other gods , could not haue maintained his owne act , and agent , against men . sudden feares when they haue possessed weak minds , lead them to shamefull errors . importunitie or violence may lessen , but they cannot excuse a fault . wherfore was hee a gouernour , but to represse their disordered motions ? facility of yeelding to a sinne , or wooing it with our voluntary suit , is an hyer stayre of euill : but , euen at last to be wonne to sin , is damnable . it is good to resist any onset of sinne ; but one condescent loses all the thanks of our opposition . what will it auaile a man , that others are plagued for soliciting him , whiles hee smarteth for yeelding ; if both be in hell , what ease is it to him , that another is deeper in the pit ? what now did aaron ? behold , he that alone was allow'd to climb vp the trembling and fiery hill of sinai , with moses , and heard god say , thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image , for i am a iealous god ( as if hee meant particularly to preuent this act ) within one moneth , calls for their earings , makes the grauen image of a calfe ; erects an altar , consecrates a day to it , calls it their god , and weeps not , to see them daunce before it . it is a miserable thing , vvhen gouernours humour the people in their sins , and in stead of making vp the breach , enlarge it . sinne will take heart by the approbation of the meanest looker on ; but if authority once second it , it growes impudent : as contrarily , where the publique gouernment opposes euill , ( though it be vnder hand practised , not without feare ) there is life in that state . aaron might haue learned better counsel of his brothers example : when they came to him with stones in their hands , and said , giue vs water , hee ran as roundly to god , with praiers in his mouth ; so should aaron haue done , when they said , giue vs gods : but hee weakly runnes to their earings , that , which should be made their god ; not to the true god , which they had and forsook . who can promise to himselfe freedome from grosse infirmities , when hee that went vppe into the mount , comes downe , and doth that in the valley , which he heard forbidden in the hill ? i see yet , and wonder at the mercy of that god , which had iustly called himselfe iealous . this verie aaron , whose infirmity had yeelded to so foule an idolatry ; is after chosen by god , to be a priest to himselfe : hee that had set vp an altar to the calfe , must serue at the altar of god : hee that had melted , and carued out the calfe for a god , must sacrifice calues and rams , and bullocks vnto the true god : he that consecrated a day to the idoll , is himselfe consecrated to him which vvas dishonoured by the idoll . the grossest of all sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of god ; yea , as the light is best seene in darknesse , the mercy of god is most magnified in our vnwoorthinesse . what a difference god puts between persons , and sins ! while so many thousand israelites were slaine , that had stomachfully desired the idoll ; aaron that in weaknesse condescended , is both pardoned the fact , and afterwards laden with honour from god. let no man take heart to sin from mercy : hee that can purpose to sin vpon the knowledge of gods mercy in the remission of infirmities , presumes , and makes himselfe a wilfull offender . it is no comfort to the wilfull , that there is remission to the weake and penitent . the earings are pluckt off : egyptian iewells are fit for an idolatrous vse . this very gold was contagious . it had been better the israelites had neuer borrowed these ornaments , then that they should pay them back to the idolatry of their first owners . what cost the superstitious israelites are content to be at for this lewd deuotion ? the riches , and pride of their outward habite are they willing to part with , to their molten god ; as glad to haue their eares bare , that they might fill their eyes . no gold is too deare for their idoll ; each man is content to spoyle his wiues and children of that whereof they spoiled the egyptians . where are those worldlings , that cannot abide to be at any cost for their religion ; which could be content to doe god chargelesse seruice ? these very israelites that were ready to giue gold , not out of their purses , but from their very eares , to mis-deuotion , shall once condemne them . o sacriledge succeeding to superstition ! of old they were ready to giue gold to the false seruice of god ; we to take away gold from the true : how doe we see men prodigal to their lusts and ambitions , and we hate not to be niggards to god ? this gold is now growne to a calfe ; let no man thinke that forme came forth casually , out of the melted earings . this shape was intended by the israelites , and perfected by aaron : they brought this god in their hearts with them out of egypt , and now they set it vp in their eyes . still doth egypt hurt them : seruitude was the least euill , that israel receiues from egypt ; for that sent them stil to the true god , but this idolatrous example led them to a false . the very sight of euill is dangerous : and it is hard for the heart not to runne into those sins to which the eye and eare is inured : not out of loue , but custom , we fall into some offences . the israelites wrought so long in the furnaces of the egyptians brick , that they haue brought foorth a molten calfe . the black calfe with the white spots , which they saw worshipped in egypt , hath stolne their hearts : and they , which before vvould haue beene at the egyptian flesh-pots , would now be at their deuotions . how many haue falne into a fashion of swearing , scoffing , drinking , out of the vsuall practise of others ; as those that liue in an ill aire are infected with diseases ! a man may passe through aethiopia vnchaunged : but hee cannot dwell there , and not be discoloured . their sinne was bad enough , let not our vncharitablenes make it worse : no man may think they haue so put off humanity , and sense , with their religion , as to thinke that calfe , a god ; or that this idoll which they saw yesterday made , did bring them out of egypt , three moneths agoe . this were to make them more beasts then that calfe , which this image represented : or if they should haue been so insensate , can wee thinke that aaron could be thus desperately mad ? the image , and the holy-day were both , to one deity : tomorrow is the holy-day of the lord your god. it was the true god they meant to worship in the calfe : and yet at best , this idolatry is shamefull . it is no maruell if this foule sinne seeke pretences ; yet no excuse can hide the shame of such a face . gods iealousie is not stirred onely by the riuality of a false god , but of a false worship : nothing is more dangerous then to mint gods seruices in our owne braine . god sends downe moses to remedy this sinne . he could as easily haue preuented , as redressed it . he knew , ere moses came vp , what israel would doe , ere hee came downe : like as he knew , the two tables would be broken , ere he gaue them . god most wisely permits , and ordinates sinne to his owne ends , without our excuse : and though he could easily by his owne hands remedy euills ; yet he will doe it , by means , both ordinary , and subordinate . it is not for vs to looke for an immediate redresse from god , when we haue a moses , by whom it may be wrought : since god himselfe expects this from man , why should man expect it from god ? now might moses haue found a time to haue been eeuen with israell , for all their vnthankfulnes , and mutinous insurrections . let me alone : i will consume them , and make thee a mighty nation . moses should not need to solicite god for reuenge ; god solicites him , in a sort , for leaue to reuenge : who would look for such a word frō god to man , let me alone ? as yet moses had said nothing ; before he opens his mouth , god preuents his importunity ; as foreseeing that holy violence , which the requests of moses would offer to him . moses stood trembling before the maiesty of his maker ; & yet heares him say , let me alones the mercy of our god , hath 〈◊〉 were obliged his power , to the faith of men : the feruent prayers of the faithfull , hold the hands of the almightie . as i finde it said afterwardes of christ , that hee could doe no miracles there , because of their vnbeliefe : so now i heare god ( as if hee could not doe execution vppon israel because of moseses faith ) say , let mee alone that i may consume them . wee all naturally affect proprietie ; and like our owne so much better , as it is freer from partners . euery one would be glad to say , with that proud one , i am , and there is none beside me : so much the more sweetly would this message haue sounded to nature , i will consume them , and make of thee a mighty nation . how many indeuour that ( not without danger of curses and vprore ) which vvas voluntarily tendred vnto moses ! whence are our depopulations , and inclosures , but for that men cannot abide either fellowes , or neighbours ? but how gratiously doth moses striue with god against his owne preferment ? if god had threatned , i will consume thee , and make of them a mighty nation , i doubt whether he could haue beene more moued . the more a man can leaue himselfe behinde him , and aspire to a care of community , the more spirituall he is . nothing makes a man so good a patriot , as religion . oh the sweet disposition of moses ; fit for him that should bee familiar with god! hee saw they could be content to be merry , and happy without him ; he would not bee happy vvithout them . they had professed to haue forgotten him : hee slacks not to sue for them . he that will euer hope for good himselfe , must returne good for euill vnto others . yet was it not israel so much that moses respected , as god in israell . he was thrifty and iealous for his maker ; and would not haue him lose the glory of his mighty deliuerances ; nor would abide a pretence for any egyptian dogge , to barke against the powerfull worke of god ; wherefore shall the egyptians say ? if israell could haue perished without dishonour to god , perhaps his hatred to their idolatry would haue ouercome his naturall loue , and he had let god alone : now so tender is hee ouer the name of god , that hee would rather haue israel scape with a sin , then gods glory should be blemished in the opinions of men , by a iust iudgement . he saw that the eyes and tongues of all the world were intent vppon israel ; a people so miraculously fetcht from egypt , vvhome the sea gaue vvay too ; whom heauen fedde ; whom the rock watred ; whom the fire and cloud garded , which heard the audible voyce of god : he knew vvithall , how ready the vvorld would bee to misconstrue , and how the heathens would be readie to cast imputations of leuity , or impotence vpon god , and therefore saies , what will the egyptians say ? happy is that man , which can make gods glory the scope of all his actions , and desires ; neither cares for his owne welfare , nor fears the miseries of others , but with respect to god , in both . if god had not giuen moses this care of his glory , hee could not haue had it : and now his goodnes takes it so kindly , as if himselfe had receiued a fauour from his creature ; and for a rewarde of the grace hee hadde wrought , promises not to doe that , which he threatned . but what needs god to care for the speech of the egyptians ; men , infidels ? and if they had beene good , yet their censure should haue beene vniust . shall god care for the tongues of men ; the holy god , for the tongues of infidels ? the very israelites now they were from vnder the hands of egypt , car'd not for their words ; and shall the god of heauen regard that which is not worth the regard of men ? their tongues could not walke against god , but from himselfe ; and if it could haue beene the worse for him , would he haue permitted it ? but , o god , how dainty art thou of thine honour ! that thou canst not indure the vvorst of men should haue any colour to taint it . what doe we men stand vpon our iustice , and innocence , with neglect of all vniust censures ; when that infinite god , whom no censures can reach , wil not abide , that the very egyptians should falsly taxe his power and mercy ? wise men must care not onely to deserue well , but to heare well : and to wipe off , not onely crimes , but censures . there was neuer so pretious a monument , as the tables written with gods owne hand . if we see but the stone vvhich iacobs head rested on ; or , on which the foot of christ did once tread ; we looke vpon it with more then ordinary respect : with what eye should wee haue beheld this stone , which was hewed , and written with the very finger of god ? any manuscript scroll written by the hand of a famous man is laid vp amongst our iewels ; what place then should we haue giuen to the hand-writing of the almighty ? that which hee hath dictated to his seruants the prophets , challenges iust honour from vs ; how dooth that deserue veneration , which his owne hand wrote immediately ? prophecies and euangelicall discourses hee hath written by others ; neuer did hee write any thing himselfe , but these tables of the law : neither did hee euer speak any thing audibly to whole mankinde , but it ; the hand , the stone , the law were all his . by how much more precious this record was , by so much vvas the fault greater , of defacing it . what king holds it lesse then rebellion to teare his writing , and blemish his seale ? at the first , hee ingraued his image in the table of mans hart ; adam blurr'd the image , but ( through gods mercy ) sav'd the tablet . now he writes his will in the tables of stone , moses breakes the tables , and defac't the writing . if they had beene giuen him for himselfe , the author , the matter , had deserv'd , that as they were written in stone , for permanency ; so they should be kept for euer : and as they were euerlasting in vse , so they should bee in preseruation . had they been written in clay , they could but haue been broken : but now they were giuen for all israell , for all mankind . he was but the messenger , not the owner . howsoeuer therefore israell had deserued by breaking this couenant with god , to haue this monument of gods couenant vvith them , broken by the same hand that wrote it : yet how durst moses thus carelesly cast away the treasure of all the world ; and by his hands vndoe that , which was with such cost and care , done by his creator ? how durst he faile the trust of that god , whose pledge he receiued with awe , and reuerence ? hee that expostulated with god , to haue israel liue and prosper , why would hee deface the rule of their life , in the keeping wherof they should prosper ? i see that forty dayes talk with god cannot bereaue a man of passionate infirmity : hee that was the meekest vpon earth , in a sudden indignation abandons that , which in colde blood hee would haue held faster , then his life : he forgets the law written , when he saw it broken ; his zeale for god hath transported him from himselfe , and his duty to the charge of god : hee more hates the golden calfe , wherein hee saw ingrauen the idolatry of israell , then hee honor'd the tables of stone , wherein god had ingrauen his commandements : and more longed to deface the idol , then hee cared to preserue the tables . yet that god , which so sharply reuenged the breach of one law , vpon the israelites , checks not moses for breaking both the tables of the law. the law of god is spirituall ; the internall breach of one law is so haynous , that in comparison of it god scarce counts the breaking of the outward tables , a breach of the law. the goodnes of god winks at the errours of honest zeale ; and so loues the strength of good affections , that it passeth ouer their infirmities : how highly god doth esteeme a well gouerned zeale ; vvhen his mercy crownes it with all the faults ? the tables had not offended : the calfe had , and israel in it . moses takes reuenge on both : hee burnes and stamps the calfe to powder , and giues it israel to drinke ; that they might haue it in their guts , in stead of their eies : how he hasteth to destroy the idoll wherein they sinned ? that , as an idoll is nothing , so it might be brought to nothing ; and atomes and dust is nearest to nothing : that in stead of going before israel , it might passe through them ; so as the next day they might finde their god in their excrements ; to the iust shame of israel , when they should see their new god cannot defend himselfe , from being either nothing , or worse . who can but wonder to see a multitude of so many hundred thousands ( whē moses came running down the ●ill ) to turne their eies frō their god , to him ; and on a sudden , in stead of worshipping their idol , to batter it in pieces , in the very height of the nouelty ? in stead of building altars , & kindling fires to it , to kindle an hoter fire , then that , wherewith it was melted , to consume it ; in stead of dancing before it , to abhorre and deface it ; in stead of singing , to weep before it ? there was neuer a more stiffe-necked people : yet i doe not heare any one man of them say ; hee is but one man ; we are many ; how easily may we destroy him , rather then he our god ? if his brother durst not resist our motion in making it : why will wee suffer him to dare resist the keeping of it ? it is our act ; and we will maintaine it . here was none of this ; but an humble obeysance to the basest and bloodiest reuenge that moses shall impose . god hath set such an impression of maiestie in the face of lawfull authoritie , that wickednesse is confounded in it selfe to behold it . if from hence visible powers were not more feared then the inuisible god , the world would be ouerrunne vvith outrage . sinne hath such a guiltinesse in it selfe , that vvhen it is seasonably checked , it puls in his head , and seekes rather an hiding place , then a fort . the idoll is not capable of a further reuenge : it is not enough , vnlesse the idolaters smart : the gold was good , if the israelites had not beene euill : so great a sinne cannot be expiated vvithout blood . behold , that meeke spirite , vvhich in his plea vvith god vvould rather perish himself , then israel should perish , armes the leuites against their brethren , and reioyces to see thousands of the israelites bleed , and blesses their executioners . it was the mercy of moses that made him cruell : hee had beene cruell to all , if some had not found him cruell . they are mercilesse hands which are not sometimes embrued in blood : there is no lesse charitie then iustice in punishing sinners vvith death ; god delights no lesse in a killing mercy , then in a pittifull iustice : some tender hearts would bee ready to censure the rigor of moses . might not israell haue repented & liued ? or , if they must die , must their brethrens hand be vpon them ? or if their throates must bee cut by their brethren , shall it be done in the very heat of their sinne ? but they must learne a difference betwixt pitty , and fondnesse ; mercy , and vniustice . moses , had an hart as soft as theirs , but more hote ; as pittiful , but wiser . hee was a good physician , and saw that israel could not liue , vnlesse he bled : he therefore le ts out this corrupt bloud , to saue the whole body . there cannot be a better sacrifice to god , then the bloud of malefactors : and this first sacrifice so pleased god in the hands of the leuites , that hee would haue none but them , sacrifice to him for euer . the blood of the idolatrous israelites cleared that tribe from the blood of the innocent sichemites . the end of the fist book . contemplations . the sixt booke . the vayle of moses . nadab and abihu . aaron and miriam . the searchers of canaan . corah's conspiracy . at london , printed by h. l. for samuel macham : & are to be sold at his shop in paules church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to the right honovrable , thomas lord viscovnt fenton , captaine of the royall gard ; one of his maiesties most honorable priuy counsellors ; one of the happy rescuers of the deare life of our gratious soueraigne lord ; a worthy patterne of all true honor : i. h. dedicates this part of his meditations , and vvisheth all increase of grace and happinesse . ( ⸪ ) contemplations . the sixt booke . the vayle of moses . it is a woonder , that neither moses nor any israelite gathered vp the shiuers of the former tables : euery sheard of that stone , and euery letter of that writing had beene a relique woorth laying vppe : but hee well saw how headlong the people vvere to superstition ; and how vnsafe it were , to feede that disposition in them . the same zeale that burnt the calfe to ashes , concealed the ruines of this monument : holy things besides their vse , challenge no further respect . the breaking of the tables did as good as blot out all the writing : and the vvriting defaced , left no vertue in the stone , no reuerence to it . if god had not been friends with israell , hee had not renued his law. as the israelites were wilfullie blinde if they did not see gods anger in the tables broken : so could they not but holde it a good signe of grace that god gaue them his testimonies . there was nothing wherein israel out-stripped all the rest of the world more , then in this priuiledge ; the pledge of his couenant , the law written with gods owne hand . oh what a fauour then is it , vvhere god bestowes his gospell vpon any nation ? that was but a killing letter : this is the power of god to saluation . neuer is god throughlie displeased vvith any people , where that continues . for , like as those vvhich purposed loue , vvhen they fall off , call for their tokens backe againe : so vvhen god beginnes once perfectlie to mislike , the first thing hee withdrawes , is his gospell . israel recouers this fauor , but with an abatement ; heaw thee two tables . god made the first tables : the matter , the forme , was his ; now , moses must heaw the next : as god created the first man after his owne image ; but that once defaced , adam begat cain after his owne : or as the first temple razed , a second was built ; yet so farre short , that the israelites wept at the sight of it , the first workes of god , are still the purest : those that hee secondarily vvorkes by vs , decline in their perfection . it was reason , that though god had forgiuen israel , they should still finde , they had sinned . they might see the foot-steps of displeasure , in the differences of the agent . when god had tolde moses before , i will not go before israel , but my angel shall lead them ; moses so noted the difference , that hee rested not , till god himselfe vndertooke their conduct : so might the israelites haue noted some remainders of offence , whiles in stead of that which his owne hand did formerly make , he saith now , heaw thee ; and yet these second tables are kept reuerently in the arke , when the other lay mouldred in shiuers vpon sinai ; like as the repayred image of god in our regeneration is preserued , perfited , and laid vp at last , safe in heauen ; whereas the first image of our created innocence , is quite defaced : so the second temple had the glory of christs exhibition , tho meaner in frame . the merciful respects of god are not tyed to glorious out-sides ; or the inward woorthinesse of things , or persons : hee hath chosen the weake and simple to confound the wise , and mighty . yet god did this vvorke by moses ; moses heawed , and god wrote : our true moses repayres that law of god which wee in our nature had broken ; hee reuiues it for vs , and it is accepted of god no lesse then if the first characters of his lavv had beene still entire . wee can giue nothing but the table : it is god that must write in it . our hearts are but a bare-board , till god by his finger ingraue his law in them ; yea , lord , we are a rough quarrie ; heaw thou vs out , and square vs fit for thee , to write vpon . well may wee maruell , to see moses , after this ouersight , admitted to this charge again : who of vs would not haue said , your care indeede deserues trust ; you did so carefully keepe the first tables , that it would doe well to trust you with such another burden . it was good for moses , that hee had to doe with god , not with men : the god of mercy will not impute the slippes of our infirmity , to the preiudice of our faithfulnes . hee that after the misse-answere of the one talent , would not trust the euill seruant with a second , because hee saw a wilfull neglect ; will trust moses with his second law , because hee saw fidelitie in the worst errour of his zeale . our charity must learne , as to forgiue , so to beleeue vvhere vvee haue beene deceiued : not that wee should wilfully beguile our selues in an vniust credulity , but that wee should search diligentlie into the disposition of persons , and grounds of their actions ; perhaps none maie bee so sure , as they that haue once disappointed vs. yea moses brake the first ; therefore hee must heaw the second : if god had broken them , hee would haue repayred them ; the amends must bee where the fault was . both god , and his church looke for a satisfaction , in that wherein wee haue offended . it was not long since moses his former fast of fortie dayes : when he then came down from the hill , his first question vvas not for meate : and now going vppe againe to sinai , hee takes not any repast with him : that god which sent the quayles to the host of israel , and manna from heauen , coulde haue fedde him with dainties : hee goes vppe confidently in a secure trust of gods prouision . there is no life to that of faith ; man liues not by bread onely : the vision of god did not onely sate , but feast him . vvhat a blessed satiety shall there bee , when wee shall see him as hee is ; and hee shall bee all in all to vs ; since this verie frayle mortalitie of moses ▪ vvas sustained , and comforted , but with representations of his presence . i see moses the receiuer of the lavv , elias the restorer of the lavv , christ the fulfiller of the olde law , and authour of the nevv , all fasting fortie dayes : and these three great fasters i finde together glorious in mount tabor . abstinence merits not ; for religion consists not in the bellie , either full or emptie : what are meates , or drinkes to the kingdome of god , vvhich is like himselfe , spirituall ? but it prepares best for good dutyes . full bellies are fitter for rest : not the body , so much as the soule , is more actiue with emptines ; hence solemne prayer takes euer fasting to attend it , and so much the rather speeds in heauen , when it is so accompanied . it is good so to diet the body , that the soule may be fatned . when moses came downe before , his eyes sparkled with anger ; and his face was beth interchangeably pale , and red with indignation : now it is bright with glorie . before , there were the flames of fury in it ; now the beames of maiestie . moses had before spoken with god ; why did not his face shine before ? i cannot lay the cause vpon the inward trouble of his passions , for this brightnes was externall . whither shall we impute it but to his more intirenesse with god ? the more familiar acquaintance wee haue with god , the more doe wee partake of him . hee that passes by the fire , may haue some gleames of heat : but hee that stands by it hath his colour chaunged . it is not possible a man should haue any long conference with god , and bee no whit affected . wee are strangers from god , it is no woonder if our faces bee earthlie ; but hee that settes himselfe apart to god , shall finde a kinde of maiestie , and awfull respect put vpon him , in the minds of others . how did the heart of moses shine with illumination when his face was thus lightsome ? and if the flesh of moses in this base composition , so shined by conuersing with god fortie dayes in sinai ; what shall our glory bee , when clothed with incorruptible bodies we shall conuerse with him for euer , in the highest heauen ? now his face onely shone : afterwardes the three disciples saw all his bodie shining . the nature of a glorified body , the clearer vision , the immediate presence of that fountaine of glory , challenge a farre greater resplendence to our faces , then his . o god , wee are content that our faces bee blemished awhile vvith contempt , and blubbred vvith teares ; how can wee but shine vvith moses , vvhen wee shall see thee more then moses ? the brightnesse of moseses face reflected not vpon his owne eyes : hee shone bright and knew not of it : hee saw gods face glorious , hee did not thinke others had so seene his . how manie haue excellent graces , and perceiue them not ? our owne sense is an ill iudge of gods fauours to vs ; those that stand by , can conuince vs in that which vvee denie to our selues . heere belowe , it is enough , if wee can shine in the eyes of others ; aboue , wee shall shine , and knowe it . at this instant , moses sees himselfe shine : then , hee needed not . god meant not that hee should more esteeme himselfe , but that hee should be more honoured of the israelites : that other glorie shall be for our owne happinesse , and therefore requires our knowledge . they that did but stand still , to see anger in his face ; ranne away to see glory in it : before , they had desired that god would not speake to them any more but by moses ; and now that god doth but looke vpon them in moses , they are afraide ; and yet there was not more difference betwixt the voyces , then the faces of god and moses . this should haue drawen israel to moses so much the more , to haue seene this impression of diuinity in his face . that which should haue comforted , affrights them : yea aaron himselfe , that before went vppe into the mount to see and speake with god , now is afraide to see him that had seene god : such a feare there is in guiltinesse , such confidence in innocencie . when the soule is once cleared from sinne , it shall runne to that glorie , with ioy , the least glimpse whereof now appalles it , and sends it awaie in terrour . howe could the israelites now choose but thinke ; how shall vvee abide to looke god in the face , since our eyes are dazeled with the face of moses ? and well may wee still argue , if the image of god , which hee hath sette in the fleshy forehead of authoritie daunt vs ; how shall wee stand before the dreadful tribunall of heauen ? moses maruels to see israell runne away from their guide , as from their enemy ; and lookes backe to see if hee could discerne anie new cause of feare ; & not conceiuing how his milde face could affray them , calls them to stay , and retire . oh my people , vvhome doo you flee ? it is for your sakes , that i ascended , stayd , came downe : behold , here are no armed leuites to strike you , no amalekites , no egyptians to pursue you , no fires and thunders to dismay you . i haue not that rodde of god in my hand , which you haue seen to command the elements : or if i had ; so farre am i from purposing any rigour against you , that i now lately haue appeased god towards you ; and lo , heere the pledges of his reconciliation . god sends me to you for good ; & doe you runne from your best friend ? whither will ye goe from me ; or without mee ? stay , and hear the charge of that god , from whom ye cannot flee . they perceiue his voyce the same , though his face were changed , and are perswaded to stay , and returne and heare him , vvhome they dare not see ; and now after manie doubtfull pases approching nearer , dare tell him hee was growne too glorious . good moses , finding that they durst not looke vpon the sunne of his face , cloudes it vvith a vayle : choosing rather to hide the worke of god in him , then to want opportunitie of reuealing gods will , to his people : i doe not heare him stand vppon tearmes of reputation ; if there be glorie in my face , god put it there ; hee would not haue placed it so conspicuously , if hee had meant it should be hid : hide yee your faces rather , which are blemished with your sin ; and look not that i should wrong god and my selfe , to seeme lesse happy , in fauour of your weakenesse . but without all selfe-respects , he modestly hides his glorified face ; and cares not their eyes should pierce so farre , as to his skin , on condition , that his wordes may pierce into their eares . it is good for a man sometimes to hide his graces ; some talents are best improued by being laid vp : moses had more glory by his vayle , then by his face . christian modesty teaches a wise man , not to expose himselfe to the fayrest show , and to liue at the vtmost pitch of his strength . there is many a rich stone laide vp in the bowels of earth ; many a faire pearle laide vp in the bosome of the sea , that neuer was seene , nor neuer shal be . there is many a goodly starre , which because of height comes not within our account : how did out true moses with the vayle of his flesh , hide the glorie of his deity , and put on vilenesse , besides the laying aside of maiesty ; and shut vp his great and diuine miracles , with , see you tell no man. how farre are those spirits from this , which care onely to be seene ; and wish onely to dazle others eyes with admiration , not caring for vnknowne riches ? but those yet more , vvhich desire to seeme aboue themselues , whether in parts , or graces ; vvhose vayle is fayrer then their skinne . modest faces shall shine through their vayles , when the vain-glorious shall bewray their shame , through their couering . that god , which gaue his law in smoke , deliuered it againe , through the vayle of moses . israel coulde not looke to the ende of that , which should be abolished ; for the same cause had god a vayle vppon his owne face , which hidde his presence in the holy of holies . now as the vayle of god did rend , when hee said , it is finished ; so the vayle of moses was then pulled off : wee clearely see christ , the ende of the law ; our ioshua that succeeded moses , speakes to vs bare-faced : what a shame is it there should be a vayle vpon our hearts , when there is none on his face ? when moses went to speake with god , hee pull'd off his vayle ; it was good reason hee should present to god , that face which hee had made : there had beene more neede of his vayle , to hide the glorious face of god from him , then to hide his from god : but his faith and thankfulnesse , serue for both these vses . hypocrites are contrary to moses ; hee show'd his worst to men , his best to god ; they show their best to men , their worst to god : but god sees both their vayle , and their face ; & i knowe not , whether he more hates their vayle of dissimulation , or their face of wickednesse . nadab and abihu . that god , vvhich show'd himself to men in fire , when he deliuered his law ; would haue men present their sacrifices to him in fire ; and this fire hee would haue his owne : that there might be a iust circulation in this creature ; as the water sends vp those vapours , which it receiues , downe againe in raine . herevpon it was , that fire came downe from god , vnto the altar : that as the charge of the sacrifice was deliuered in fire and smoke ; so god might signifie the acceptation of it , in the like fashion wherin it was commanded . the baalites might lay ready their bullock vpon the wood , and water in their trench : but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their bodyes , and destroy themselues , then one flash out of heauen to consume the sacrifice . that diuell , which can fetch downe fire from heauen , either maliciously , or to no purpose ; ( altho hee abound with fire ; and did as feruently desire this fire in emulation to god , as euer hee desired mitigation of his owne ) yet now , hee could no more kindle a fire for the idolatrous sacrifice , then quench the flames of his owne torment . herein god approoues himselfe onely woorthy to be sacrificed vnto , that he creates the fire for his owne seruice ; whereas the impotent idols of the heathen , must fetch fire from their neighbours kitchen ; and themselues are fit matter for their borrowed fire . the israelits ( that were led too much with sense ) if they had seen the bullock consumed with a fire fetcht from a common hearth , could neuer haue acknowledged what relation the sacrifice had to god ; had neuer perceiued that god took notice of the sacrifice : but now they see the fire cōming out , from the presence of god , they are conuinced both of the power and acceptation of the almighty ; they are at once amazed , and satisfied to see the same god answer by fire , which before had spoken by fire : god doth no lesse approue our euangelical sacrifices , then theirs vnder the law ; but as our sacrifices are spirituall , so are the signes of his acceptation ; faith is our guide , as sense was theirs . yea euen still , doth god testify his approbation by sensible euidences : when by a liuely faith , and feruent zeale , our harts are consecrated to god , then doth his heauenly fire come downe vpon our sacrifices ; then are they holy , liuing , acceptable . this flame , that god kindled , was not as som momentany bonfire , for a suddaine , and short triumph , nor as a domesticall fyre , to goe out with the day ; but is giuen for a perpetuitie , & neither must die , nor be quenched . god , as he is himself , eternal ; so he loues permanency , & constancie of grace in vs : if we be but a flash and away , god regards vs not ; all promises are to perseuerance . sure , it is but an elementary fyre , that goes out ; that which is celestiall , continues : it was but some presumptuous heat in vs , that decayes vpon euery occasion . but hee that miraculously sent down this fyre , at first , will not renue the miracle euery day , by a like supply ; it began immediatly from god , it must bee nourished by meanes . fuell must maintaine that fyre , which came from heauen ; god wil not worke miracles euery day : if he haue kindled his spirit in vs , we may not expect he shall euery day begin again ; wee haue the fuell of the word and sacraments , praiers , & meditations , which must keep it in for euer . it is frō god that these helps can nourish his graces in vs ; like as euery flame of our materiall fyre , hath a concourse of prouidence ; but we may not expect new infusions : rather know , that god expects of vs an improuement of those habituall graces we haue receiued . whiles the people with fear and ioy see god lighting his own fire , fire from heauen , the two sons of aaron , in a careless presumption , will be seruing him with a cōmon flame ; as if hee might not haue leaue to choose the formes of his own worship . if this had bin done some ages after , when the memory of the originall of this heauenly fire had bin worne out , it might haue bin excused with ignorance : but now , when god had newlie sent his fire from aboue , newly commaunded the continuance of it ; either to let it go out , or whiles it still flamed , to fetch profane coales to gods altar , could sauor of no lesse then presumption , and sacriledge : when wee bring zeale without knowledge , misconceits of faith , carnall affections , the deuises of our will-worship , superstitious deuotions into gods seruice ; wee bring common fire to his altar ; these flames were neuer of his kindling ; he hates both altar , fire , priest & sacrifice . and now behold ; the same fire vvhich consumed the sacrifice before , consumes the sacrificers . it vvas the signe of his acceptation in consuming the beast ; but whiles it destroyed men , the fearfull signe of his displeasure . by the same meanes can god bewray both loue , & hatred . we would haue pleaded for nadab and abthu ; they are but yong men , the sons of aaron , not yet warme in their function ; let both age , & bloud , and inexperience excuse them , as yet . no pretences , no priuiledges can beare off a sin with god : men think either to patronize , or mitigate euils , by their fained reasons . that no man may hope the plea either of birth , or of youth , or of the first commission of euil , may challenge pardon . i see heer young men , sonnes of the ruler of israel , for the first offence strooke dead . yea , this made god the more to stomach , and the rather to reuenge this impietie , because the sons of aaron did it . god had both pardoned & graced their father , he had honored thē ; of the thousands of israel , culling them out for his altar : and now , as their father set vp a false god , so they bring false fire vnto the true god. if the sonnes of infidels liue godlesly , they doe their kinde ; their punishment shall be ( though iust ) yet lesse : but if the children of religious parents , after all christian nourture , shall shame their education , god takes it more haynously , and reuenges it more sharply . the more bonds of duty , the more plagues of neglect . if from the agents , we looke to the act it selfe ; set aside the originall descent , & vvhat difference vvas there betwixt these fyres ? both lookt alike , heated alike , ascended alike , consumed alike : both were fedde with the same materiall wood , both vanished into smoake ; there was no difference , but in the commandement of god. if god had inioyned ordinary fyre , they had sinned to look for celestiall ; now he commaunded onely the fire which hee sent : they sinned in sending vp incense , in that fire , which he commaunded not . it is a dangerous thing in the seruice of god to decline from his owne institutions ; vvee haue to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship , iust to require what he hath prescribed , powerfull to reuenge that which he hath not required . if god had strooke them with some leprosie in their forehead , as he did their aunt miriam , soon after , or with some palsy , or lingering consumption , the punishment had been grieuous : but he , whose iudgments are euer iust , sometimes secret , saw fire the fittest reuenge , for a sin of fire ; his owne fire , fittest to punish strange fire ; a suddaine iudgement , fitte for a present , and exemplary sin ; hee saw , that if hee had winkt at this , his seruice had been exposed to profanation . it is wisedome in gouernours to take sinne at the first bound ; and so to reuenge it , that their punishments may bee preuentions . speed of death , is not alwaies a iudgement ; suddennes , as it is euer iustly suspicable , so then certainely argues anger , when it findes vs in an act of sin . leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour : when god giues a man lawe , it implyes that hee would not haue iudgement surprise him . doubtlesse aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle ; it could not but appall him , to see his two sonnes dead before him , dead in displeasure , dead suddenly , dead by the immediat hand of god. and now hee could repent him of his new honor , to see it succeed so ill , with the sonnes of his loines ; neither could he chuse , but see himself striken in them . but his brother moses , that had learned not to knowe either nephews , or brother , when they stood in his way to god , wisely turned his eies from the dead carcasses of his sonnes , to his respect of the liuing god ; my brother , this euent is fearefull , but iust ; these vvere thy sonnes , but they sinned ; it vvas not for god , it is not for thee , to looke so much who they were , as what they did . it was their honor and thine , that they were chosen to minister before the lord : hee that called them , iustly required their sanctification , and obedience . if they haue profaned god , and themselues ; can thy naturall affection so miscary thee , that thou couldest wish their impunity , with the blemish of thy maker ? our sons are not ours , if they disobey our father : to pitty their misery , is to partake of their sinne ; if thou grudge at their iudgement , take heed least the same fyre of god come forth vpon this strange fyre of nature . showe now whether thou more louest god , or thy sonnes ; show whether thou be a better father , or a sonne . aaron , weighing these things , holds his peace , not out of an amazement , or fullennesse , but out of patient and humble submission ; and seeing gods pleasure , & their desert , is content to forget , that he had sons . he might haue had a silent tongue , and a clamorous hart ; there is no voice lowder in the eares of god , then a a speechless repining of the soule . heat is more intended with keeping in ; but aarons silence was no lesse inward : hee knew how little hee should get by brauling with god. if hee breathed out discontentment , hee saw god could speake fire to him againe ; and therefore he quietly submits to the will of god ; and held his peace , because the lord had done it . there is no greater proofe of grace , then to smart patiently ; & humbly and contentedly to rest the hart in the iustice , & wisdome of gods proceeding ; and to be so far from chiding , that we dispute not . nature is froward ; and tho she well knowes wee meddle not with our match , when wee striue with our maker , yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell ; and bids vs with iobs wife , curse and die . if god either chide , or smite , ( as seruants are charged to their maisters ) we may not answere againe ; when gods hand is on our backe , our hand must bee on our mouth : else , as mothers do their children , god shall whippe vs so much the more for crying . it is hard for a stander by , in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-hartednes , and pietie . there aaron sees his sons ly ; hee may neither put his hand to them , to bury them , nor shed a teare for theyr death . neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning , then to see his sons dead in their sinne ; if prepared , and penitent , yet vvho can but sorrow for their end : but to part with children , to the danger of a second death , is woorthy of more then teares . yet aaron must learne so farre to denie nature , that hee must more magnify the iustice of god , then lament the iudgement . those vvhom god hath called to his immediat seruice , must knowe that hee will not allow them the common passions , and cares of others . nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne : if euer griefe bee seasonable , it becoms a funerall . and if nadab & abihu had died in their beds , this fauour had been allowed them , the sorow of their father and brethren : for when god forbids solemne mourning to his priests , ouer the dead , he excepts the cases of this neerenesse of bloud . now all israel may mourne for these two ; onely the father and brethren may not . god is iealous , least their sorow should seeme to countenance the sinne , which he had punished : euen the fearfullest acts of god must bee applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull . that which the father & brother may not doe , the cozens are commanded : dead carcasses are not for the presence of god ; his iustice was showne sufficiently in killing them : they are now fit for the graue , not the sanctuarie : neither are they carried out naked , but in their coats . it was an vnusuall sight for israell to see a linnen ephod vpon the beere ; the iudgement vvas so much more remarkable , because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs . nothing is either more pleasing vnto god , or more cōmodious to men , then that whē hee hath executed iudgement , it should be seene and wondred at ; for therefore he strikes some , that he may warne all . aaron and miriam . the israelites are staied seuen daies in the station of hazzeroth , for the punishment of miriam . the sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people ; all of them smart in one ; all must stay the leasure of miriams recouery . whosoeuer seeks the land of promise , shall finde many lets ; amalek , og , sehon , & the kings of canaan meet with israel : these resisted , but hindred not their passage ; their sinnes only staie them from remoouing . afflictions are not crosses to vs , in the way to heauen , in comparison to our sinnes . what is this i see ? is not this aaron , that was brother in nature , and by office ioynt-commissioner with moses ? is not this aaron , that made his brother an intercessor for him , to god , in the case of his idolatry ? is not this aaron , that climbd vp the hill of sinai , with moses ? is not this aaron , whom the mouth and hand of moses consecrated an high priest vnto god ? is not this miriam , the elder sister of moses ? is not this miriam , that ledde the triumph of the vvomen , & sung gloriously to the lord ? is not this miriam , which laid her brother moses in the reedes , and fetcht her mother to bee his nurse ? both , prophets of god ; both , the flesh and bloud of moses : and dooth this aaron repine at the honour of him , which gaue himselfe that honour , and saued his life ? dooth this miriam repine at the prosperitie of him vvhose life shee saued ? who vvould not haue thought , this should haue beene their glorie , to haue seene the glorie of their owne brother ? what could haue bin a greater comfort to miriam , then to think ; how happily ▪ doth hee now sit at the steine of israel , vvhom i saued from perishing in aboat of bulrushes ! it is to mee , that israel owes this commander ; but now enuy hath so blinded their eyes , that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature , nor the honour of gods choice . miriam and aaron , are in mutiny against moses . who is so holy that sinnes not ? what sinne is so vnnaturall , that the best can avoide without god ? but what weaknes soeuer may pleade for miriam , who can but grieue to see aaron at the end of so many sinnes ? of late , i saw him caruing the molten image , and consecrating an altar to a false god : now i see him seconding an vnkinde mutinie against his brother : both sinnes finde him accessarie , neither principall . it was not in the power of the legall priesthood to perform , or promise innocencie to her ministers : it was necessary we shold haue another high priest , vvhich could not be tainted . that king of righteousnes , was of another order ; hee being without sinne , hath fully satisfied for the sins of men . whom can it now offend , to see the blemishes of the euangelical priesthood , when gods fyrst high priest is thus miscaried ? who can looke for loue & prosperity at once , when holy , and meeke moses finds enmity in his own flesh & bloud ? rather then we shall want , a mans enemies shal be those of his own house . authoritie cannot faile of opposition , if it be neuer so mildly swayed : that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome ; to doe well , and heare ill , is princely . the midianitish wife of moses , cost him deare . before , shee hazarded his life ; now , the fauour of his people : vnequall matches are sildom prosperous . although now , this scandall was only taken : enuy was not wife enough to chuse a ground of the quarrell . whether some secret & emulatorie brawles passed between zipporah and miriam , ( as many times these sparks of priuate brawles , grow into a perilous & common flame ) or whether now that iethro & his family was ioyned with israel , there vvere surmises of transporting the gouernment to strangers ; or whether this vnfit choice of moses , is now raised vp to disparage gods gifts in him ; euen in sight , the exceptions were friuolous : emulation is curious ; and out of the best person , or act , will raise something to cauil at . seditions do not euer look the same way they mooue ; wise men can easily distinguish betwixt the visor of actions , and the face . the wife of moses is mentioned , his superiority is shot at . pride is lightly the ground of all sedition . which of their faces shined like moses ? yea , let him but haue drawen his vaile , which of them durst look on his face ? which of them had fasted twise . dayes ? which of them ascended vp to the roppe of sinai , and vvas hid with smoake , and fire ? which of them receiued the law twise in two seuerall tables , from gods own hand ? and yet they dare say , hath god spoken onely by moses ? they do not deny moses his honour , but they challenge a part with him : and as they were the elder in nature , so they would be equall in dignity , equall in administration . according to her name , miriam would bee exalted . and yet how vnfit were they ? one , a woman , whom her sex debarred from rule ; the other a priest , whom his office sequestred from earthly gouernment . selfe-loue makes men vnreasonable , and teaches them to turne the glasse , to see themselues bigger , others lesse then they are . it is an hard thing for a man , willingly and gladly to see his equalls lifted ouer his head , in worth and opinion . nothing wil more try a mans grace , then questions of emulation . that man hath true light , which can be content to be a candle before the sun of others . as no wrong can escape god ; so least of all those which are offred to princes : he that made the eare , needs no intelligence of our tongues . wee haue to doe with a god , that is light of hearing ; wee cannot whisper any euill so secretly , that hee should not cry out of noyse ; and what need wee any further euidence , vvhen our iudge is our witnesse ? without any delation of moses , god heares , and challenges them . because he was meek , therfore he complained not : because he was meek , & complained not , therefore the lord struck in for him , the more . the lesse a man striues for himselfe , the more is god his champion . it is the honour of great persons , to vndertake the patronage of their clients : how much more vvill god reuenge his elect , which cry to him , day and night ? hee that said , i seeke not mine owne glorie , addes , but there is one that seekes it , and iudges . god takes his part euer , that fights not for himselfe . no man could haue giuen more proofes of his courage , then moses . hee slew the egyptian ; hee confronted pharaoh in his ovvne court ; hee beat the midianite shepheards ; hee feared not the troopes of egypt ; hee durst looke god in the face , amiddst all the terrours of sinai : and yet that spirit , vvhich made , and knevv his heart ▪ sayes , hee vvas the mildest man vpon earth . mildnesse and fortitude may vvell lodge together in one breast ; to correct the misconceits of those men , that thinke none valiant , but those that are fierce , and cruell . no sooner is the word out of miriams mouth , then the word of gods reproofe meets it ; how he bestirres him , and will be at once seene and heard , when the name of moses is in question ! moses was zealously careful for gods glory , & now god is zealous for his . the remuneratiōs of the almighty , are infinitely gracious ; hee cannot want honour , and patronage , that seekes the honour of his maker . the ready way to true glorie , is goodnesse . god might haue spoken so loud , that heauen & earth should haue heard it ; so as they should not haue needed to come foorth for audience : but now , he calls them out to the barre , that they may be seene to heare . it did not content him , to chide them within doores ; the shame of their fault had beene lesse in a priuate rebuke : but the scandall of their repining was publique . where the sinne is not afraid of the light , god loues not the reproofe shold be smothered . they had depressed moses , god aduaunces him ; they had equalled themselues to moses , god preferres him to them . their plea was , that god had spoken by them , as well as moses : gods reply is , that hee hath in a more entire fashion spoken to moses , then them . god spake to the best of them , but either in their dreame , sleeping ; or in vision , waking . but to moses , hee spake with more inward illumination ; with more liuely representation : to others , as a stranger ; to moses , as a friend . god had neuer so much magnified moses to them , but for their enuie . wee cannot deuise to pleasure gods seruants , so much as by despighting them . god was angry when he chode them , but more angry when hee departed . the withdrawing of his presence , is the presence of his wrath . whiles he staies to reproue , there is fauour in his displeasure ; but when he leaues eyther man , or church , there is no hope , but of vengeance . the finall absence of god , is hell it selfe . when hee forsakes vs ( tho for a time ) it is an introduction to his vtmost iudgement . it was time to looke for a iudgement , when god departed : so soone as hee is gone frō the eies of miriam , the leprosy appears in her face : her foul tong is punished with a foul face . since she would acknowledge no difference betwixt her selfe , and her brother moses , euery israelite now sees his face glorious , hers leprous . deformity is a fit cure of pride . because the venom of her tongue , wold haue eaten into the reputation of her brother , therefore a poysonous infection eates into her flesh . now both moses , and miriam , neede to vveare a vayle : the one to hide his glory ; the other , her deformity . that midianite , zipporah , vvhom shee scorned , was beautifull in respect of her . miriam was striken , aaron escaped : both sinned ; his priesthood could not rescue him ; the greatnesse of his dignitie , did but adde to the haynousnes of his sinne : his repentance freed him ; alas , my lord , i beseech thee , lay not this sin vpon vs , which we haue foolishly committed . i wonder not to see aaron free , while i see him penitent ; this very confession saued him before , from bleeding for idolatry , which now preserues him from leprosie , for his enuious repining . the vniuersall antidote for all the iudgements of god , is our humble repentance . yea , his sad deprecation preuayled , both to to cleare himselfe and recouer miriam ; the brother sues for himselfe and his sister , to that brother , whom they both emulated , for pardon from himselfe , and that god which was offended in him . where now is that equalitie which was pretended ? beholde hee that so lately made his brother his fellow , now makes him , his god : lay not this sinne vpon vs ; let her not be as one dead : as if moses had imposed this plague , and could remoue it . neuer any opposed the seruants of god , but one time or other they haue been constrained to confesse a superiority . miriam would haue wounded moses with her tongue ; moses would heale her , with his o lord heale her now : the wrong is the greater , because his sister did it . he doth not say , i sought not her shame , she sought mine ; if god haue reuenged it , i haue no reason to looke on her , as a sister , who lookt at mee , as an aduersarie : but , as if her leprosie were his ; hee cryes out for her cure . o admirable meeknesse of moses ! his people the iewes rebelled against him ; god profers reuenge ; hee would rather die , then they should perish : his sister rebells against him ; god workes his reuenge : hee will not giue god peace , till she bee recured . beholde a woorthy and noble patterne for vs to followe . how farre are they from this disposition , who are not onely content god should reuenge ; but are ready to preuent gods reuenge with their own ? gods loue to moses suffers him not to obtaine presently his sute for miriam ; his good nature to his sister , made him pray against himselfe . if the iudgement had beene at once inflicted , and remoued , there had beene no example of terrour for others : god either denies or differs the graunt of our requests , for our good ; it were wide for vs , if our suites should be euer heard . it was fit for all parts , miriam should continue some-while leprous . there is no policy in a sudden remouall of iust punishment : vnlesse the raine so fall that it lie , and soke into the earth , it profits nothing . if the iudgements of god should be onely as passengers , and not soiourners at least , they would be no whit regarded . the searchers of canaan . i can but woonder at the counsell of god ; if the israelites hadde gone on to canaan , without inquiry , their confidence had possessed it : now they send to espy the land , sixe hundred thousand of them neuer liued to see it : and yet i see god inioyning them to send ; but inioyning it , vppon their instance . some things god allowes , in iudgement ; their importunitie , and distrust extorted from god this occasion of their ouerthrow . that which the lord mooues vnto , prospers ; but that which we mooue him to , first , seldome succeedeth . vvhat needed they doubt of the goodnesse of that land , which god tolde them did flowe with milke and hony ? what needed they to doubt of obtaining that , which god promised to giue ? when we will send forth our senses to be our scouts in the matters of faith , and rather dare trust men , then god , we are worthy to be deceiued . the basest sort of men are commonlie held fit enough for intelligencers ; but moses , to make sure work , chooseth forth the best of israel , such as were like to be most iudicious in their inquirie ; and most credible in their report . those that ruled israel at home , could best descry for thē abroad ; what should direct the body but the head ? men can iudge but by appearance ; it is for him onely that sees the euent , ere hee appoint the meanes , not to be deceiued . it had beene better for israel to haue sent the offal of the multitude : by how lesse the credit of their persons is , by so much lesse is the danger of seducement . the errour of the mighty is armed with authority , and in a sort commaunds assent ; whether in good or euill , greatnes hath euer a traine to followe it at the heeles . forty dayes they spent in this search ; and this cowardly vnbeleefe in the search , shall cost them forty yeeres delay of the fruition . who can abide to see the rulers of israel so basely timorous ? they commend the land , the fruit commends it selfe , and yet they plead difficulty : wee be not able to goe vp . their shoulders are laden with the grapes ; and yet their hearts are ouerlaid with vnbeliefe : it is an vnwoorthy thing to plead hardnes of atchieuing , where the benefit will more then requite the indeuour . our land of promise is aboue ; we knowe the fruit therof is sweet and glorious ; the passage difficult . the giantly sonnes of anak ( the powers of darknesse ) stand in our way : if wee sit downe and complaine , we shall once knowe , that without shall be the fearefull . see the idle pleas of distrust ; we are not able : they are stronger . could not god inable them ? was he not stronger then their giants ? had he not promised to displace the canaanites , to settle them in their stead ? how much more easie is it for vs to spy their weaknes , then for them to espy the strength of their aduersaries : when wee measure our spirituall successe by our owne power , we are vanquished , before we fight : hee that would ouercome , must neither look vpon his owne arme , nor the arme of his enemy , but the mouth , and hand of him , that hath promised , and can performe . who are we flesh and blood , with our breath in our nostrills , that we should fight with principalities , powers , spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places ? the match is too vnequall ; wee are not like grashoppers , to these giants ; when we compare our selues with them , how can we but despaire ? when wee compare them with god , how can we be discouraged ? hee that hath brought vs into this fielde , hath promised vs victory . god knew their strength , ere hee offered to commit vs. well might they haue thought , were not the amalekites stronger then we ? were not they armed , we naked ? did not the only hand of moses , by lifting vp , beat them downe ? were not the egyptians no lesse our maisters ? did not death come running after vs in their chariots ? did wee not leaue these buryed in the sea , the other vnburied in the wildernesse ? whence had the anakims their strength , but from him , that bids vs goe vp against them ? why haue the bodies of our forefathers taken possession of their hebron , but for vs ? but now , their feare hath not left them so much reason as to compare their aduersaries with others , but onely with themselues : doubtlesse these giants were mighty , but their feare hath stretched them out some cubits , beyond their stature . distrust makes our dangers greater , and our helps lesse then they are , and forecasts euer woorse , then shall be ; and if euills be possible , it makes them certaine . amongst those twelue messengers , whom our second moses sent through the land of promise , there was but one iudas ; but amongst those twelue , which the former moses addressed through the same land , there is but one caleb : and yet those were chosen out of the meanest ; these , out of the heads of israel . as there is no societie free from some corruption : so it is hard , if in a community of men , there be not some faithfulnesse . we shall wrong god , if we feare least good causes shall bee quite forsaken ; he knowes how to serue himselfe of the best , if the fewest ; and could as easily be attended with a multitude , if he did not seeke his owne glory , in vnlikelihoods . ioshua was silent , and wisely spared his tongue for a further aduantage ; onely caleb spake : i doe not heare him say , who am i to striue with a multitude ? what can ioshua and i doe against ten rulers ? it is better to sit stil , then to rise & fal : but he resolues to swim against this streame , and will either drawe friends to the truth , or enemies vpon himselfe . true christian fortitude teaches vs not to regard the number , or quality of the opponents , but the equitie of the cause ; and cares not to stand alone , & challenge all commers : and if it could be opposed by as many worlds , as men , it may be ouerborne , but it cannot be daunted : whereas popularitie carryes weak minds , and teaches them the safety of erring with a multitude . caleb saw the giantly anakims , and the walled citties , as well as the rest ; and yet he saies , let vs go vp and possesse it : as if it were no more , but to go , and see , and conquer . faith is couragious , and makes nothing of those dangers , wherewith others are quayled . it is very materiall with what eyes we looke vpon all obiects . feare doth not more multiply euills , then faith diminisheth them ; which is therefore bold , because either it sees not , or contemnes that terrour , which feare represents to the weake . there is none so valiant , as the beleeuer . it had beene happy for israel , if calebs counsell had beene as effectuall , as good : but how easily haue these rulers discouraged a faint-hearted people ? in stead of lifting vp their ensignes , and marching towards canaan ; they sit them down , & lift vp their voice , and cry ; the roddes of their egyptian task-maisters had neuer beene so fit for them , as now , for crying . they had cause indeed to weep for the sinne of their infidelity : but now they weep forfeare of those enemies they saw not . i feare if there had beene ten calebs to perswade , and but two faint spies to discourage them ; those two cowards would haue preuailed against those tenne solicitors : how much more , now ten oppose , & but two incourage ? an easie rhetorick drawes vs to the worse part ; yea it is hard not to runne downe the hill . the faction of euill is so much stronger in our nature , then that of good , that euery least motion preuailes for the one ; scarce any suite for the other . now is moses in danger of losing all the cost ; and care , that euer he bestowed vpon israel : his people are already gone backe to egypt , in their hearts ; and their bodies are returning . oh yee rebellious hebrewes , where shall god haue you at last ? did euer moses promise to bring you to a fruitfull land , without inhabitants ? to giue you a rich country , without resistance ? are not the graues of canaan as good , as those of egypt ? what can ye but die at the hands of the anakims ? can yee hope for lesse from the egyptians ? what madnes is this , to wish to die for feare of death : is there lesse hope from your enemies , that shall be , when ye goe vnder strong , and expert leaders , then from the enemies that were , when yee shall returne maisterlesse ? can those cruell egyptians so soone haue forgotten the blood of their fathers , children , brothers , husbands , which perished in pursuing you ? had ye rather trust the mercy of knowne enemies , then the promise of a faithfull god ? which way will yee returne ? who shall diuide the sea for you ? who shall fetch you water out of the rocke ? or can ye hope that the manna of of god will follow you , while yee runne from him ? feeble mindes , vvhen they meete vvith crosses they lookt not for , repent of their good beginnings , and wish any difficulty rather then that they finde : how many haue pulld backe their foote from the narrowe vvaie , for the troubles of a good profession ? it had beene time for the israelites to haue fallen downe on their faces , before moses and aaron , and to haue saide ; yee ledde vs through the sea ; make way for vs into canaan ; those giants are strong , but not so strong , as the rocke of rephidim ; yee stroke that , and it yeelded ; if they bee tall , the piller of god is hyer then they : when wee looke on our selues , wee see cause of feare ; but when wee consider the miraculous power of you our leaders , wee cannot but contemne those men of measures . leaue vs not therefore , but goe before vs in your directions , goe to god for vs in your prayers . but now contrarily , moses and aaron fall on their faces to them ; and sue to them , that they vvould bee content to be conducted . had they beene suffered to depart , they had perished ; moses and his few had beene victorious : and yet , as if hee could not bee happy without them , hee falles on his face to them , that they would stay . we haue neuer so much neede to be importun'd , as in those things , whose benefit should make vs most importunate . the sweetnesse of gods law , and our promised glory is such , as should draw all hearts after it ; and yet if wee did not sue to men ( as for life ) that they vvould bee reconciled to god , and be saued , i doubt vvhether they vvould obtaine ; yea , it vvere vvell , if our suite were sufficient to preuaile . though moses and aaron intreat vpon their faces , and ioshua and caleb perswade , and rend their garments , yet they mooue nothing : the obstinate multitude , growne more violent with opposing , is readie to returne them stones , for their prayers . such hath been euer the thanks of fidelity , and truth ; crossed wickednesse prooues desperate ; and in stead of yeelding , seekes for reuenge . nothing is so hatefull to a resolute sinner , as good counsell : wee are become enemies to the vvorld , because wee tell them truth . that god which was inuisibly present , whiles they sinned ; when they haue sinned , showes himselfe glorious . they might haue seene him before , that they should not sinne ; now they cannot choose but see him , in the height of their sinne . they saw before , the piller of his ordinarie presence : now they see him vnusually terrible ; that they may with shame and horror , confesse him able to defend , able to reuenge . the helpe of god ▪ vses to show it selfe in extremity . hee that can preuent euills , conceales his aid , till danger be ripe ; and then , hee is as fearefull as before he seemed conniuent . corah's conspiracy . the tears of israel were scarce drie , since the smart of their last mutinie , and now they beginne another . the multitude is like a raging sea ; full of vnquiet billows of discontentment ; wherof one rises , in the fall of another . they saw god did but threaten , and therefore are they bolde to sinne : it was now hie time , they should knowe what it is , for god to bee angry . there was neuer such a reuenge taken of israel ; neuer any , better deserued . when lesser warnings will not serue , god lookes into his quiuer for deadly arrowes . in the meane time what a weary life did moses lead , in these continuall successions of conspiracies ? what did he gaine by this troublesome gouernment , but daunger and despight ? who but he would not haue wisht himself rather with the sheepe of iethro , then with these wolues of israel ? but , as he durst not quit his hooke , without the calling of god , so now hee dare not his scepter ; except he be dismissed by him that call'd him , no troubles , no oppositions can driue him from his place : wee are too weake , if wee suffer men to chase vs frō that station , where god hath set vs. i see the leuites , not long since , drawing their swords for god and moses , against the rest of israel ; and that fact winnes them , both praise and blessing : now , they are the forwardest in the rebellion against moses and aaron , men of their owne tribe . there is no assurance of a man , for one act : whom one sinne cannot fasten vpon , another may . yea the same sinne may finde a repulse one while , from the same hand , which another time giues it entertainment : and that yeeldance loses the thank of all the former resistance . it is no praise to haue done once well , vnlesse we continue . outward priuiledges of blood can auaile nothing , against a particular calling of god : these reubenites had the right of the naturall primogeniture ; yet doe they vainely challenge preeminence , where god hath subiected them . if all ciuill honour flowe from the king , how much more from the god of kings ? his hand exalts the poore , and casts down the mighty from their throne . the man that will be lifting vp himselfe , in the pride of his heart , from vnder the foot of god , is iustly troden in the dust . moses is the prince of israell ; aaron the priest : moses was milde ; aaron popular , yet both are conspired against : their places are no lesse brothers , then their persons . both are opposed at once ; hee that is a traytor to the church , is a traytor to the king. any superiority is a marke of enuy. had moses , and aaron beene but fellowes with the israelites , none had been better beloued ; their dispositions were such , as must needs haue forced fauor , from the indifferent : now they were aduanced , their malice is not inferior to their honor . high towers must looke for lightnings ; we offer not to vndermine but those wals , which we cannot scale . nature in euery man is both enuious , and disdainful ; & neuer loues to honor another , but where it may be an honor to it selfe . there cannot be conceiued an honor lesse worth emulation , then this principality of israel ; a people that could giue nothing ; a people that had nothing , but in hope ; a people whom their leader was faine to feed with bread , and water ; which paid him no tribute , but of ill wordes ; whose command was nothing but a burden : and yet this dignity was an eye-sore to these leuites and these rubenites ; ye take too much vpon you , yee sons of leui. and this challenge ( though thus vnseasonable ) hath drawen in , two hundred and fifty captaines of israel . what wonder is it , that the tenne rulers preuayled so much with the multitude to disswade them from canaan ; when three traytors preuayled thus with . rulers , famous in the congregation ▪ and men of renowne ? one man may kindle such a fire , as all the vvorld cannot quench : one plague-sore may infect a whole kingdome : the infection of euill is much worse then the act . it is not like , these leaders of israell could erre without followers : he is a mean man that drawes not some clients , after him . it hath bin euer a dangerous policy of satan , to assault the best : hee knowes that the multitude ( as we say of bees ) wil follow their maister . nothing can bee more pleasing to the vulgar sort , then to heare their gouernours taxed , and themselues flattered . all the congregation is holy ; euery one of them ; wherefore lift yee vp your selues ? euery word is a falshood . for moses deiected himself ( who am i ? ) god lifted him vp , ouer israel : and so was israel holy , as moses was ambitious . what holinesse was there in so much infidelity , feare , idolatry , mutinie , disobedience ? what could make them vncleane , if this were holinesse ? they had scarce wip't their mouthes , or washt their hands , since their last obstinacy : and yet these pick-thanks , say , all israell is holy . i would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher , then flattery : true meaning neede not vphold it selfe by soothing . there is nothing easier , then to perswade men well of themselues ; when a mans self-loue meets with anothers flattery , it is an hy praise that will not be belieued . it was more out of opposition , then beliefe , that these men plead the holines of israel . violent aduersaries , to vphold a side , will mainetaine those things , they belieue not . moses argues not for himselfe , but appeales to god ; neither speakes for his owne right , but his brother aarons : he knew , that gods immediate seruice vvas woorthy to bee more precious , then his gouernment : that , his princedome serued but to the glory of his maister . good magistrates are more tender , ouer gods honour , then their owne ; and are more sensible of the wrongs offred to religion , then to themselues . it is safest to trust god with his owne causes . if aaron had beene chosen , by israel , moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authoritie : now that god did immediatly appoint him , his patronage is sought , whose the election was . we may easily fault in the menaging of diuine affaires ; and so our want of successe , cannot want sin ; he knowes how to vse , how to blesse his own meanes . as there was a difference betwixt the people , and leuites , so betwixt the leuites , and priests . the god of order , loues to haue our degrees kept . whiles the leuites would be looking vp to the priests , moses sends downe their eyes , to the people . the way not to repine at those aboue vs , is to looke at those below vs. there is no better remedy for ambition , then to cast vp our former receyts , and to compare them with our deseruings , and to conferre our owne estate with inferiours : so shall wee finde cause to be thankfull , that wee are aboue any , rather then of enuie , that any is aboue vs. moses hath chid the sonnes of leui , for mutining against aaron ; and so much the more , because they were of his own tribe : now , hee sends for the reubenites , vvhich rose against himselfe . they come not , and their message is worse , then their absence . moses is accused of iniustice , crueltie , falshood , treacherie , vsurpation ; and egypt it selfe must bee commended , rather then moses shall vvant reproche . innocencie is no shelter from ill tongues ; malice neuer regards hovv true any accusation is , but hovv spightfull . now it was time for moses to be angry . they durst not haue been thus bold , if they had not seen his mildnesse . lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubburne natures : it is an iniurious senselesnesse , not to feel the wounds of our reputation . it well appeares he is angry , when he prayes against them . he was displeased before ; but when he was most bitter against them , hee still pray'd for them : but now , hee bends his very prayers against them . looke not to their offering . there can be no greater reuenge , then the imprecation of the righteous ; there can bee no greater iudgement , then gods reiection of our seruices . with vs men , what more argues dislike of the person , then the turning back of his present ? what will god accept from vs , if not prayers ? the innocence of moses calls for reuenge on his aduersaries . if hee had wronged them in his gouernment , in vaine should hee haue looked to gods hand , for right . our sinnes exclude vs from gods protection ; whereas vprightnesse challenges , and findes his patronage . an asse taken , had made him vncapable of fauour . corrupt gouernours , lose the comfort of their owne brest , and the tuition of god. the same tongue that prayed against the conspirators , prayes for the people . as lewd men thinke to carry it with number ; corah had so farre preuailed , that hee had drawne the multitude to his side . god , the auenger of treasons , would haue consumed them all , at once : moses and aaron , pray for their rebels . although they were vvoorthy of death , and nothing but death could stoppe their mouthes ; yet their mercifull leaders vvill not buy their owne peace , with the losse of such enemies . oh rare and imitable mercy ! the people rise vp against their gouernors ; their gouernours fall on their faces to god , for the people : so far are they from plotting reuenge , that they will not indure god should reuenge for them . moses knew wel enough , that all those israelites must perish in the wildernesse ; god had vow'd it , for their former insurrection : yet how earnestly doth hee sue to god , not to consume them at once ! the very respite of euills , is a fauour next to the remoueall . corah kindled the fire ; the two hundred and fiftie captaines brought sticks to it ; all israel warm'd thēselues by it ; onely the incendiaries perish . now doe the israelites owe their life to them , whose death they intended . god , & moses knowe to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction , & the train : though neither be faultless , yet the one is plagued , the other forgiuen . gods vengeance when it is at the hotest , makes differēces of men . get you away from about the tabernacles of corah . euer before common iudgements , there is a separation . in the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth , the iudge himselfe will separate : in these particular executions , wee must separate our selues . the societie of wicked men , especially in their sinnes , is mortally dangerous : whiles wee will not be parted , how can we complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation ? our very company sins with them ; why should wee not smart with them also ? moses had well hoped , that when these rebels should see all the israelites runne from them , as from monsters , and looking affrightedly vpon their tents , and should heare that fearfull proclaclamation of vengeance , against them , ( howsoeuer they did before , set a face on their conspiracie ; yet now ) their hearts would haue misgiuen . but loe , these bold traytors stand impudently staring in the doore of their tents , as if they would out-face the reuenge of god ; as if moses had neuer wrought miracle before them ; as if no one israelite had euer bledde for rebelling . those that shall perish , are blinded . pride and infidelity obdures the hart , and makes euen cowards fearelesse . so soone as the innocent are seuered , the guilty perish : the earth cleaues , and swallowes vp the rebels . this element was not vsed to such morsels : it deuoures the carcasses of men ; but bodies informed with liuing soules , neuer before . to haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth , had been fearfull : but to see the earth at once their executioner , and graue , was more horrible . neyther the sea , nor the earth , are fit to giue passage ; the sea is moist and flowing , and will not be diuided , for the continuitie of it ; the earth is dry and massie , and will neither yeeld naturally , nor meet againe , when it hath yeelded ; yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto israel , for their preseruation ; the earth did cleaue , to giue vvay to the conspirators , in iudgement : both sea , and earth , did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of god. there vvas more vvonder in this latter . it was a maruell that the vvaters opened : it vvas no wonder that they shutte againe ; for , the retyring and flowing , was naturall . it was no lesse maruell , that the earth opened ; but more maruell that it did shutte againe , because it had no naturall disposition to meet , when it vvas diuided . now might israel see , they had to doe with a god , that could reuenge with ease . there were two sorts of traytors : the earth swallowed vp the one the fire , the other . all the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their maker . nadab and abihu , brought fit persons , but vnfit fire to god ; these leuites bring the right fire , but vnwarranted persons , before him : fire from god consumes both . it is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions . the ministery will not grace the man ; the man may disgrace the ministery . the common people were not so fast gathered to corahs flattering perswasion before , as now they ran from the sight , and feare of his iudgment . i maruell not , if they could not trust that earth , whereon they stood , whiles they knew their harts had bin false . it is a madnesse to runne away from punishment , and not from sin . the end of the sixt booke . contemplations . the seventh booke . aarons censer , and rod. the brasen serpent . balaa● phinehas . the death of moses . at london , printed by h. l. for samuel macham : & are to be sold at his shop in paules church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to my right honovrable , religiovs and bovntifvl patron , edvvard , lord denny , baron of waltham , the chiefe comfort of my labours , i. h. wisheth all true happines , and dedicates this part of his meditations . contemplations . the seventh booke . aarons censer and rod. when shall we see an end of these murmurings , & these iudgmēts ? because these men rose vp against moses and aaron , therefore god consumed them ; and because god consumed them , therfore the people rise vp against moses and aaron : and now because the people thus murmur , god hath againe begun to consume them . what a circle is here of sinnes , and iudgements ? wrath is gone out from god : moses is quick-sighted , and spies it at the setting out . by how much more faithfull , and familiar we are with god , so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements ; as those which are well acquainted with men , knowe by their lookes and gestures that , which strangers vnderstand but by their actions ; as finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather . hence the seers of god haue euer from their watch-tower descryed the iudgements of god afarre off . if another man had seene from carmel a cloud of a hand breadth he could not haue tolde ahab , he should be wet . it is enough for gods messengers , out of their acquaintance with their maisters proceedings , to foresee punishment : no maruell if those see it not , which are wilfully sinfull : wee men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers ; all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espie it . moses though hee were great with god , yet he takes not vpon him this reconciliation ; he may aduise aaron what to doe , himselfe vndertakes not to act it : it is the worke of the priesthood , to make an atonement for the people : aaron was first his brothers tongue to pharaoh ; now he is the peoples tongue to god : he only must offer vp the incense of the publique prayers to god. who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a censer in his hand ? yet if any other had done it , hee had fallen with the dead , and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead ; in stead of the smoke ascending , the fire had descended vppon him : and shall there be lesse vse , or lesse regard of the euangelicall ministery , then the legall ? when the world hath powred out all his contempt , we are they , that must reconcile men to god ; and without vs , they perish . i knowe not whether more to maruell at the courage , or mercy of aaron : his mercy , that hee vvould yet saue so rebellious a people ; his courage , that hee would saue them , with so great a danger of himselfe . for , as one that would part a fray , he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of god ; and puts it to the choise of the reuenger , whether hee will smite him , or forbeare the rest ; he stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead , as one that wil eyther die vvith them , or haue them liue vvith him ; the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayd him not ; hee that before feared the threats of the people , novv feares not the strokes of god : it is not for gods ministers , to stand vpon their owne perils , in the common causes of the church : their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the almighty ; when the fire of gods anger is kindled , their censers must smoke with fire frō the altar . euery christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance : how much more they , whom god hath appointed to mediate for his people . euerie mans mouth is his owne : but they are the mouthes of all . had aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands , i doubt whether he hadde preuailed ; now his censer was his protection ; when wee come vvith supplications in our handes , vvee neede not feare the strokes of god. we haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers , with fauour and successe : so soone as the incense of aaron ascended vp vnto god , he smelt a sauour of rest ; hee will rather spare the offenders , then strike their intercessor . how hardly can any people miscarry , that haue faithfull ministers to sue for their safetie ? nothing but the smoke of heartie prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of god. if aarons sacrifice were thus accepted ; how much more shall the hy-priest of the new testament , by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his father , deliuer the offenders from death ? the plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men : o sauiour , thou stood'st betwixt the liuing , and the dead , that all which beleeue in thee , should not perish . aaron offered and was not striken ; but thou , o redeemer , wouldst offer and be strooke , that by thy stripes wee might be healed : so stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing , that thou wert both aliue and dead ; and all this , that wee , when wee were dead , might liue for euer . nothing more troubled israell , then a feare least the two brethren should cunningly ingrosse the gouernment to themselues . if they hadde done so , what wise men would haue enuied them an office so little worth , so dearely purchased ? but because this conceit was euer apt to stirre them to rebellion , and to hinder the benefit of this holy soueraintie ; therefore god hath indeuor'd nothing more , then to let them see that these officers , whom they so much enuied , were of his owne proper institution : they hadde scarce shut their eyes since they saw the confusion of those two hundred and fifty vsurping sacrificers ; and aarons effectuall intercession for staying the plague of israell . in the one , the execution of gods vengeance vpon the competitors of aaron , for his sake . in the other , the forbearance of vengeance vpon the people for aarons mediation , might haue challenged their voluntary acknowledgement of his iust calling from god ; if there had been in them either awe , or thankfulnes , they could not haue doubted of his lawfull supremacy . how could they choose but argue thus . why would god so fearefully haue destroyed the riualls that durst contest with aaron , if hee would haue allowed him any equall ? wherefore serue those plates of the altar , which wee see made of those vsurped censers , but to warne all posteritie of such presumption ? why should god cease striking , whiles aaron interposed betwixt the liuing and the dead , if he were but as one of vs ? which of vs if wee had stood in the plague , had not added to the heap ? incredulous mindes will not bee perswaded with any euidence . these two brothers had liued asunder forty yeers ; god makes them both meet in one office of deliuering israel . one halfe of the miracles were wrought by aaron ; he stroke with the rodde , whiles it brought those plagues on egypt . the israelites heard god call him vppe by name , to mount sinai ; they saw him anointed from god : and ( least they should thinke this a set match betwixt the brethren ) they saw the earth opening , the fire issuing from god vpon their emulous opposites : they saw his smoke a sufficient antidote for the plague of god ; and yet still aarons calling is questioned . nothing is more naturall to euery man , then vnbeleefe ; but the earth neuer yeelded a people so strongly incredulous , as these ; and after so many thousand generations their children doe inherit their obstinacy ; still doe they oppose the true high-priest , the anointed of god : sixteene hundred yeers desolation hath not drawen from them to confesse him whom god hath chosen . how desirous was god to giue satisfaction euen to the obstinate ! there is nothing more materiall , then that men should be assured their spirituall guides haue their commission and calling from god : the vvant whereof is a preiudice to our successe . it should not be so : but the corruption of men will not not receiue good , but from due messengers . before , god wrought miracles in the rod of moses ; now , in the rodde of aaron . as pharaoh might see himselfe in moseses rod ; who of a rodde of defence and protection was turned into a venomous serpent : so israel might see themselues , in the rod of aaron . euery tribe and euery israelite was , of himselfe , as a sere stick , without life , without sap ; and if any one of them had power to liue , and flourish , he must acknowledge it from the immediate power , and gift of god. before gods calling all men are alike : euery name is alike written in their rod ; there is no difference in the letters , in the wood ; neither the characters of aaron are fayrer , nor the staffe more precious ; it is the choise of god that makes the distinction : so it is in our calling of christianity ; all are equally deuoid of the possibility of grace , all equally liuelesse ; by nature we all are sonnes of wrath : if we be now better then others , who separated vs ? we are all crab-stocks in this orchard of god , hee may graffe what fruit he pleases , vpon vs ; onely the grace and effectuall calling of god makes the difference . these twelue heads of israel , would neuer haue written their names in their rods , but in hope they might be chosen to this dignitie . what an honour was this priesthood , whereof all the princes of israel are ambitious ? if they had not thought it an high preferment , they had neuer so much enuyed the office of aaron . what shall wee thinke of this change ? is the euangelicall ministration of lesse worth then the leuiticall ? whiles the testament is better , is the seruice worse ? how is it that the great thinke themselues too good for this imployment ? how is it , that vnder the gospell , men are disparaged with that , which honoured them vnder the law ; that their ambition , and our scorne , meete in one subiect . these twelue rods are not laid vp in the seuerall cabinets of their owners , but are brought forth , & layd before the lord. it is fitte god should make choyce of his owne attendants . euen wee men hold it iniurious , to haue seruants obtruded vpon vs , by others : neuer shall that man haue comfort in his ministery , whom god hath not chosen . the great commander of the world , hath set euerie man in his station ; to one hee hath said , stand thou in this tower and watch ; to another ▪ make thou good these trenches ; to a third , digge thou in this mine . hee that giues , and knowes our abilities , can best sette vs on worke . this rod was the pastorall staffe of aaron , the great shepheard of israel . god testifies his approbation of his charge , by the fruit . that a rod cut off from the tree , should blossome , it was strange ; but that in one night , it should beare buds , blossoms , fruit , & that both ripe and hard , it was highlie miraculous . the same power that reuiues the dead plants of winter , in the spring , doth it heere without earth , without time , without sunne ; that israel might see and grant , it was no reason , his choyce should be limited , whose power is vnlimited . fruitfulnesse is the best argument of the calling of god : not only all the plants of his setting , but the very boughes cut off from the body of them , will flourish . and that there may not want a succession of increase , heere are fruite , blossoms , buds ; both proofe and hope , inseparably mixed . it could not but bee a great comfort vnto aaron , to see his rodde thus miraculously flourishing , to see this wonderfull testimony of gods fauour , and election : sure hee could not but thinke ; who am i , o god , that thou shouldest thus choose mee out of all the tribes of israel ? my weakenesse hath been more worthy of thy rodde of correction , then my rod hath beene worthy of these blossoms . how hast thou magnified mee , in the sight of all thy people ? how able art thou to vphold my imbecillitie with the rodde of thy support ? how able to defend me with the rodde of thy power , who hast thus brought fruite out of the saplesse rod of my profession ? that seruant of god is worthy to faint , that holds it not a sufficient encouragement , to see the euident proofes of his maisters fauour . commonly , those fruites which are soone ripe , soone wither ; but these almonds of aarons rod , are not more early , then lasting : the same hand which brought them out before their time , preserued them , beyond their time ; and for perpetuall memory , both rod and fruit must be kept in the arke of god. the tables of moses , the rod of aaron , the manna of god , are monumēts fit for so holy a shrine . the doctrine , sacraments , & gouernmēt of gods people , are precious to him , & must be so to mē . all times shall see & wonder , how his anciēt church was fed , taught , ruled . moses his rod did great miracles , yet i find it not in the ark. the rod of aaron hath this priuiledge , because it caried the miracle stil in it selfe ; whereas the wonders of that other rod were passed . those monuments wold god haue continued in his church , which cary in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import . the same god , which by many transient demonstrations had approued the calling of aaron to israel , will now haue a permanent memoriall of their conviction ; that whensoeuer they should see this relique , they should be ashamed of their presumption , & infidelity . the name of aaron vvas not more plainly written in that rod , then the sinne of israel was in the fruit of it ; and how much israel findes their rebellion beaten with this rod , appears in their present relenting , & complaint ; behold , we are dead , wee perish . god knowes how to pull downe the biggest stomach , and can extort glory to his own name , from the most obstinate gainsayers . the brasen serpent . seauen times alreadie hath israel mutin'd against moses , and seauen times hath eyther been threatned , or punished ; yet now they fal to it afresh . as a teastie man findes occasion to chafe at euery trifle : so this discontented people , either finde or make all things troublesome . one while they haue no water ; then bitter ; one while no god ; then one too many ; one while no bread ; then bread enough , but too light ; one while , they will not abide their gouernours ; then they cannot abide their losse . aaron and miriam were neuer so grudged aliue , as they are bewailed dead . before , they wanted onions , garlike , flesh-pots ; now they vvant figges , vines , pomgranats , corne . and as rabid children , that cry for euery thing they can think of , are whipped by their wise mother : so god iustly serues these fond israelites . it was first their way that makes them repine ; they were faine to goe round about idumea ; the iourney was long and troublesome . they had sent intreaties to edom for licence of passage the next way , reasonably , submislie : it was churlishly deny'd them . esau liues still in his posteritie ; iacob in israel : the combat which they began in rebeccaes bellie , is not yet ended . amalek , vvhich was one limme of esau , followes them at the heels ; the edomite , which was another , meets them in the face ; so long as there is a world , there will bee opposition to the chosen of god. they may come at their perill ; the way had beene neerer , but bloodie ; they dare not goe it , and yet complaine of length . if they were afrayde to purchase their resting place vvith warre , how much lesse would they their passage ? what should god doe with impatient men ? they will not goe the nearest way , and yet complaine to goe about . he that will passe to the promised land , must neither stande vppon length of way , nor difficultie . euery way hath his inconueniences : the nearest hath more danger , the farthest hath more paine ; either , or both must be ouercome , if euer wee will enter the rest of god. aaron and miriam , were now past the danger of their mu●inyes ; for want of another match , they ioyne god vvith moses , in their murmurings : tho they had not mentioned him , they could not seuer him in their insurrection ; for , in the causes of his own seruants , he challenges , euen when he is not challenged . what will become of thee , o israel , when thou makest thy maker thine enemy ? impatience is the cozen to frensie : this causes men not to care vpon whom they runne , so they may breathe out some reuenge . how oft haue we heard men that haue bin displeased by others , teare the name of their maker in peeces ? hee that will iudge , and can confound , is fetcht into the quarrell vvithout cause . but if to striue with a mighty man be vnwise , & vnsafe , what shall it be to striue with the mightie god ? as an angry childe casts away that which is giuen him , because he hath not that he would : so do these foolish israelites ; their bread is light , and their water vnsatisfying , because their way displeased them . was euer people fed with such bread , or water ? twise hath the very rock yielded them water , and euery day the heauen affords them bread . did any one soule amongst them miscary , either for hunger , or thirst ? but no bread will downe with them , saue that which the earth yeelds ; no water but from the naturall wells , or riuers . vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer , shee is neuer contented . manna had no fault , but that it was too good , and too frequent : the pulse of egypt had been fitter for these course mouthes : this heauenly bread was vnspeakably delicious ; it tasted like wafers of hony , and yet euen this angels foode is contemned . hee that is full , despiseth an hony-comb . how sweet , and delicate is the gospel ! not only the fathers of the old testament , but the angels desired to looke into the glorious mysteries of it , and yet wee are cloyed . this supernaturall foode is too light : the bread-corne of our humane reason , and profound discourse , would better content vs. moses will not reuenge this wrong ; god will : yet will he not deale with them himselfe , but hee sends the fiery serpents to answer for him ; how fitly ? they had caried themselues like serpents to their gouernors : how oft had they stung moses , and aaron , neare to death ? if the serpent bite when he is not charmed , no better is a slaunderer . now these venomous adders reuenge it ; vvhich are therefore called fiery , because their poyson scalded to death ; god hath an hand in the annoyance , and hurt of the basest creature ; how much less can the sting of an ill tongue , or the malice of an ill spirit , strike vs without him ? whiles they were in goshen , the frogs , lice , caterpillers spared thē , and plagued the egyptians ; now they are rebellious in the desert , the serpents finde thē out , & sting thē to death . he that brought the quailes thither to feed thē , fetches these serpents thither to punish them . while we are at warres with god , we can looke for no peace with his creatures : euery thing reioyces to execute the vengeance of his maker . the stones of the field wil not be in league with vs , while we are not in league with god. these men , when the spies had tolde them newes of the giants of canaan , a little before had wished , would god we were dead in this wildernesse : now god hath heard their praiers ; what with the plague , what with the serpents , many thousands of them dyed . the ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard ; as those good things are not granted vs , which we pray for , without care ; so those euils which we pray for , and would not haue , are oft granted . the eares of god are not onely open to the prayers of faith , but to the imprecations of infidelity . it is daungerous wishing euill to our selues , or ours ; it is iust with god to take vs at our word , and to effect that , which our lippes speake against our heart . before , god hath euer consulted with moses ; and threatned , ere he punisht : now hee strikes , and sayes nothing . the anger is so much more , by how much lesse notifyed . when god is not heard before he is felt , ( as in hewing of wood , the blowe is not heard , till the axe be seen to haue strooke ) it is a fearefull signe of displeasure : it is with god , as with vs men , that still reuenges are euer most dangerous . till now , all was well enough with israel , and yet they grudged ; those that will complaine without a cause , shall haue cause to complain for somthing . discontented humors seldome scape vnpunished ; but receiue that most iustly wherat they repined vniustly . now the people are glad to seeke to moses vnbidden . euer heeretofore , they haue beene wont to be sued too , and intreated for without their owne intreaty ; now , their misery makes them importunate : there neede no solicitor , vvhere there is sense of smart . it were pittie , men should want affliction ; since it sends them to their prayers , and confessions . all the perswasiōs of moses could not doe that which the serpents haue done for him . o god ; thou seest how necessary it is wee should be stung sometimes : else we should runne vvilde , and neuer come to a sound humiliation ; vvee should neuer seeke thee , if thy hand did not finde vs out . they had spoken against god , and moses ; and now they humbly speake to moses , that hee would pray to god for them . he that so oft prayd for them vnbidden , cannot but much more doe it requested ; and now obtaines the meanes of their cure . it was equally in the power of god , to remoue the serpents ; and to heale their stinging ; to haue cured the israelites by his word , and by his signe : but he findes it best for his people ( to exercise their faith ) that the serpents may bite , and their bitings may inuenome , and that this venome may indanger the israelites ; and that they , thus affected , may seeke to him for remedy ; and seeking may find it , from such means , as should haue no power , but in signification ; that while their bodies were cured by the signe , their soules might be confirmed , by the matter signified . a serpent of brasse could no more heale , then sting them . what remedy could their eyes giue to their legs ? or what could a serpent of cold brasse preuaile against a liuing and fiery serpent ? in this troublesome desert , we are all stung by that fiery and old serpent ; o sauiour , it is to thee , we must looke , and be cured ; it is thou that wert their paschall lamb , their manna , their rock , their serpent . to all purposes dost thou vary thy selfe to thy church , that wee may finde thee euery-where : thou art for our nourishment , refreshing , cure ; as hereafter , so euen now , all in all . this serpent which was appointed for cure to israell , at last stings them to death , by idolatrous abuse : what poyson there is in idolatry , that makes euen antitidotes deadly ! as moses therefore raised this serpent , so ezekias pulld it down : god commanded the raysing of it , god approv'd the demolishing of it . superstitious vse can marre the very institutions of god : how much more the most wise and wel-grounded deuises of men ? balaam . moab and midian hadde bin all this while standers by , & lookers on ; if they had not seene the patterne of their owne ruine , in these neighbours ; it had neuer troubled them , to see the kings of the amorites , and bashan to fall before israell . had not the israelites camped in the plaines of moab , their victories had beene no eye-sore to balac . wicked men neuer care to obserue gods iudgements , till themselues bee touched ; the fire of a neighbours house would not so affect vs , if it were not with the danger of our owne ; secure minds neuer startle , till god come home to their very senses . balac and his moabites had wit enough to feare , not witte enough to preuent iudgement : they see an enemy in their borders , and yet take no right course for their safety . who would not haue looked , that they should haue come to israel , vvith conditions of peace ? or , why did they not thinke ; either israels god is stronger , then ours , or hee is not . if he be not , why are wee afraide of him ? if hee be , why doe we not serue him ? the same hand which giues them victory , can giue vs protection . carnal men , that are secure of the vengeance of god , ere it doe come , are mastered with it , when it dooth come ; and not knowing which way to turn them , run forth at the wrong doore . the midianites ioyne with the moabites , in consultation , in action against israel . one would haue thought , they should haue looked for fauour from moses , for iethroes sake ; which was both a prince of their country , and father in law to moses ; and either now , or not long before , was with israel in the wildernesse . neither is it like , but that moses hauing found fortie yeeres harbour amongst them , would haue beene ( what hee might ) inclinable to fauourable treaties , with them : but now , they are so fast linked to moab , that they will either sinke , or swimme together ; intirenesse vvith vvicked consorts is one of the strongest chaynes of hell , and bindes vs to a participation both of sin , and punishment : an easie occasion wil knit wicked hearts together , in conspiracy against the church of god. their errand is diuelish ( come , curse israel : ) that which satan could not doe by the swords of og , and sehon , he will now try to effect , by the tongue of balaam . if either strength , or policy would preuaile against gods church , it could not stand . and why should not we be as industrious to promote the glory of god , and bend both our hands & heads to the causes of the almighty ? when all helps faile moab , the magician is sought too . it is a signe of a desperate cause , to make satan either our counsellor , or our refuge . why did they not send to balaam to blesse themselues rather , then to curse israel ? it had beene more easie to be defended from the hurt of their enemies , then to haue their enemies laid open to be hurt by them . pride and malice did not care so much for safetie , as for conquest : it would not content them to escape israel , if israel may escape them ; it was not thank-worthy , to saue their owne blood , if they did not spill the blood of others ; as if their owne prosperitie had beene nothing , if israell also prospered . if there bee one proiect worse then another , a wicked heart will finde it out . nothing but destruction wil content the malicious . i knowe not whether balaam were more famous , or balac more confident . if the king had not beene perswaded of the strength of his charme , hee had not sent so farre , and payd so deare , for it ; now hee trusts more to his inchauntment , then to the forces of moab , and midian : and ( as if heauen , and earth vvere in the power of a charmers tongue ) hee saith , hee that thou blessest , is blessed ; and hee whom thou cursest , is cursed : magick , through the permission of god , is powerfull ; for , whatsoeuer the diuell can doe , the magician may doe : but , it is madnes to thinke eyther of them omnipotent . if eyther the curses of men , or the indeuours of the powers of darknesse , should bee effectuall , all would be hell. no , balac : so short is the power of thy balaam , that neither thou , nor thy prophet himselfe , can auoide that curse , which thou would'st haue brought vpon israel . had balaam been a true prophet of god , this bold assurance had been but iust ; both those ancient seers , and the prophets of the gospell haue the ratification of god in heauen , to their sentences on earth . why haue we less care of the blessings , and lesse feare of the curses and censures of gods ministers ? who would not rather haue elishaes guard , then both the kings of israel , and assyria ? hee himselfe as hee hadde the angelicall chariots and horsemen about him , so was hee the chariots and horsemen of israel : why should our faith bee lesse strong , then superstition ? or why should gods agents haue lesse vertue then satans ? i should wonder to heare god speake with a false prophet , if i did not knowe it hath beene no rare thing with him ( as with men ) to bestowe wordes , euen where he will not bestowe fauour . pharaoh , abimelech , nebuchadnezzar , receiue visions from god : neither can i think this strange , when i heare god speaking to satan , in a question no lesse familiar , then this of balaam ; whence comst thou satan . not the sound of the voice of god , but the matter which hee speakes , argues loue : he may speake to an enemy ; hee speakes peace to none , but his owne . it is a vaine brag , god hath spoken to mee ? so may he do to reprobates , or diuels : but what said he ? did he say to my soule , i am thy saluation ; hath he indented with me that he will be my god , & i shall be his ? i cannot heare this voyce and not liue . god heard all the consultation , and message of these moabites ; these messengers could not haue mooued their foote , or their tongue , but in him : and yet he which asked adam , where he was , asks balaam , what men are these ? i haue euer seene , that god loues to take occasion of proceeding with vs , from our selues , rather then from his owne immediate prescience . hence it is , that we lay open our wants , and confesse our sins , to him , that knowes both , better then our owne harts , because he wil deale with vs from our owne mouthes . the preuention of god , forbids both his iourney , and his curse . and what if he had beene suffred to goe and curse ? what corne had this winde shaken when god meant to blesse them ? how many bulls haue bellowed out execrations against this church of god ? what are we the worse ? yea , i doubt if wee had beene so much blessed , had not those balaamitish curses been spent vpon vs. hee that knowes what waste winde the causeless curses of wicked men are , yet will not haue balaam curse israel ; because hee will not allow balac so much incouragement , in his opposition , as the conceit of this helpe . or perhaps , if balac thought this sorcerer a true prophet , god would not haue his name , so much , as in the opinion of the heathen , scandalized , in vsurping it to a purpose , which he meant not should succeed . the hand of god is in the restraint of many euills , vvhich we neuer knew to be towards vs. the israelites sate still in their tents , they little thought what mischiefe was brewing against them : without euer making them of counsel , god crosses the designes of their enemies . he that keepeth israel , is both a sure , and a secret friend . the reward of the diuination , had easily commaunded the iourney , and curse of the couetous prophet , if god had not stayed him . how oft are wicked men curbed by a diuine hand , euen in those sinnes , which their heart stands to ? it is no thanke to lewd men that their wickednesse is not prosperous . vvhence is it that the vvorld is not ouer-runne vvith euill , but from this ; that men cannot bee so ill as they would ? the first entertainment of this message , vvould make a stranger thinke balaam wise , and honest : hee will not giue a suddaine answere , but craues leasure to consult with god ; and promises to returne the answere hee shall receiue . who would not say , this man is free from rashnesse , from partialitie ? dissimulation is crafty , & able to deceiue thousands : the words are good : when hee comes to action , the fraude bewrayes it selfe : for , both hee insinuates his own forwardnes , and casts the blame of the prohibition , vpon god , & ( which is worse ) deliuers but halfe his answere : he saies indeed , god refuses to giue me leaue to goe : he saies not , as it was , hee charges mee not to curse them , for they are blessed . so did balaam deny , as one that wisht to bee sent for againe . perhaps a peremptory refusall had hindered his further solicitation . concealement of some truths , is somtimes as faulty , as a deniall . true fidelitie is not niggardly in her relations . where wickednes meets with power , it thinks to commaund all the world , and takes great scorne of any repulse . so little is . balac discouraged with one refusal , that hee sends so much the stronger message ; mo princes , and more honourable . oh that we could be so importunate for our good , as wicked men are for the compassing of their own designes ! a deniall doth but whet the desires of vehement sutors . why are wee faint in spirituall things , when we are not denyed , but delayed ? those which are themselues transported with vanity , and ambition , thinke that no heart hath power to resist these offers . balacs princes thought they had strook it dead , when they had once mentioned promotion to great honour . selfe-loue makes them think they cannot be slaues , whiles others may be free ; & that all the world would be gladde to runne on madding after their bait . nature thinks it impossible to contemne honour and vvealth ; and because too many soules are thus taken , cannot belieue that any would escape . but let carnall harts knowe there are those , that can spitte the world in the face , and say , thy gold and siluer perish with thee : and that in comparison of a good cōscience , can tread vnder foot his best profers , like shadowes , as they are ; & that can do , as balaam said . how near , truth , and falshood can lodge together ? heere was pietie in the lips , and couetousnes in the hart . who can any more regard good words , that heares balaam speak so like a saint ? an house-full of gold and siluer may not peruert his tongue ; his hart is won with lesse : for if he had not already swallowed the reward , & found it sweet , why did he againe solicit god , in that which was peremptorilie denyed him ? if his minde had not been bribed alreadie , vvhy did hee stay the messengers ? vvhy did hee expect a change in god ? why was hee vvilling to feede them vvith hope of successe , which had fedde him vvith hope of recompence ? one prohibition is enough for a good man. whiles the delay of god doth but hold vs in suspense , importunity is holy and seasonable : but when once he giues a resolute deniall , it is profane saucinesse to solicit him . when we aske what wee are bidden , our suites are not more vehement , then welcome : but when wee beg prohibited sauours , our presumption is troublesome , and abhominable : no good hart will indure to be twise forbidden . yet this importunitie hath obtained a permission ; but , a permission , worse then a denyall . i heard god say before , goe not , nor curse them ; now he saies , go , but curse not . anone , hee is angry that he did goe . why did he permit that , which hee forbad , if hee be angry for doing that which he permitted ? some things god permits with an indignation ; not for that he giues leaue to the act , but that he giues a man ouer to his sin in the act : this sufferance implies not fauor , but iudgement : so did god bid balaam to go , as salomon bids the young man follow the waies of his owne heart . it is one thing to like , another thing to suffer ; moses neuer approou'd those legall diuorces , yet he tolerated them : god neuer liked balaams iourney , yet hee displeasedly giues way to it : as if he said ; well , since thou art so hote , set on this iourney , be gone . and thus balaam tooke it : else , when god after professed his displeasure for the iourney , it had been a readie answer , thou commaundedst mee : but heerin his confession argues his guilt . balaams suit , and israels quayles , had both one fashion of grant , in anger . how much better is it , to haue gracious denyals , then angry yieldings ? a small perswasion hartens the willing : it booted not to bid the couetous prophet hasten to his way . now hee makes himselfe sure of successe : his corrupt hart tells him , that as god had relented in his licence to goe , so hee might perhaps , in his licence to curse ; and he saw how this curse might blesse him with abundance of wealth : he rose vp early therefore & sadled his asse . the night seemed long to his forwardnesse . couetous men neede neither clock nor bell to awaken them : their desires make them restlesse . oh that we could , with as much eagernesse seeke the true riches , which only can make vs happy ! we that see onely the out-side of balaam , may maruell , why hee that permitted him to goe ; afterward opposes his going : but god that savv his heart , perceiued vvhat corrupt affections carryed him : hee saw , that his couetous desires , and vvicked hopes , grew the stronger , the nearer hee came to his end : an angell is therefore sent to withhold the hastie sorcerer . our inward disposition , is the life of our actions ; according to that , doth the god of spirits iudge vs , whiles men censure according to our externall motions . to goe at all , when god had commaunded to stay , was presumptuous : but to goe with desire to curse , made the act doubly sinful , and fetcht an angel to resist it . it is one of the woorthy imployments of good angels , to make secret opposition to euill designs : many a wicked act haue they hindered , without the knowledge of the agent . it is all one with the almighty , to worke by spirits , and men ; it is therefore our glorie to be thus set on worke : to stop the course of euill , either by disswasion , or violence , is an angelicall seruice . in what danger are wicked men , that haue gods angels their opposites ? the diuell mooued him to go ; a good angel resists him . if an heauenly spirit stand in the way of a sorcerers sinne , how much more ready are all those spirituall powers , to stop the miscariages of gods deare children ? how oft had wee fallen yet more , if these gardians had not vpheld vs , whether by remouing occasions , or by casting in good instincts ? as our good indeuors are oft hindred by satan ; so are our euill , by good angels : else , were not our protection equall to our danger ; & we could neither stand , nor rise . it had beene as easie for the angell to strike balaam , as to stand in his way ; and to haue follow'd him in his starting aside , as to stoppe him in a narrow path : but euen the good angels haue their stints , in their executions . god had some-what more to doe with the tongue of balaam , and therefore hee will not haue him slaine , but withstood : and so withstood , that he shall passe . it is not so much glory to god to take away wicked men , as to vse their euill to his owne holie purposes . how soone could the commaunder of heauen , and earth , ridde the world of badde members ? but so should he lose the prayse of working good by euill instruments . it sufficeth that the angels of god resist their actions , while their persons continue . that no man may maruell to see balaam haue visions from god , and vtter prophecies from him ; his very asse hath his eyes opened , to see the angel , which his maister could not ; and his mouth opened to speake more reasonably thē his maister . there is no beast deserues so much wonder , as this of balaam , whose common sense is aduanced aboue the reason of his rider ; so as for the time , the prophet is brutish , & the beast propheticall . who can but stand amazed at the eye , at the tongue of this silly creature ? for so dull a sight it was much to see a bodilie obiect , that were not too apparant ; but to see that spirit , which his rider discerned not , was farre beyond nature . to heare a voice come from that mouth , which was vsed onely to bragge , it was strange , and vncouth : but to heare a beast , whose nature is noted for incapacity , to out-reason his maister , a professed prophet , is in the very height of miracles : yet , can no heart stick at these , that considers the dispensation of the almighty , in both . our eye could no more see a beast , then a beast can see an angel , if he had not giuen this power to it . how easie is it for him that made the eye of man & beast , to dim , or inlighten it at his pleasure ? and if his power can make the very stones to speake , how much more a creature of sense ? that euill spirit spake in the serpent to our first parents ; why is it more that a spirit should speak in the mouth of a beast ? how ordinarily did the heathen receiue their oracles out of stones , and trees ? doe not wee our selues teach birds to speake those sentences they vnderstand not ? we may wonder , we cannot distrust , when we compare the act with the author ; which can as easily create a voyce ▪ without a body , as a body without a voyce . who now can heerafter plead his simplicity , and dulnes of apprehending spiritual things , when he sees how god exalts the eyes of a beast , to see a spirit ? who can be proud of seeing visions , since an angel appeared to a beast ; neither was his skin better after it , then others of his kinde ? who can complaine of his owne rudenesse , and inability to reply in a good cause , when the very beast is inabled by god , to conuince his maister ? there is no mouth , into which god cannot put words : and how oft dooth he choose the weake , and vnwise , to confound the learned , and mighty ? what had it beene better for the asse to see the angell ; if hee had rushed still vpon his sword ? euills were as good not seene , as not auoyded ; but now hee declines the way , and saues his burden . it were happy for peruerse sinners , if they could learne of this beast , to run away from foreseene iudgements . the reuenging angel stands before vs ; and though we knowe we shall as sure die , as sinne : yet we haue not the witte , or grace to giue backe ; though it bee with the hurt of a foot , to saue the body ; with the paine of the body , to saue the soule . i see , what fury and stripes the impotent prophet bestowes vpon this poore beast , because hee will not goe on ; yet , if he had gone on , himselfe had perished . how oft doe we wish those things , the not obtaining whereof is mercy ? we grudge to be staid in the way to death , & fly vpon those which oppose our perdition . i doe not ( as who would not expect ) see balaams haire stand vpright , nor himselfe alighting , and appalled at this monster of miracles : but , as if no new thing had happened , he returnes words to the beast , full of anger , voyde of admiration ; whether his trade of sorcering had so inured him to receiue voyces from his familiars , in shape of beasts , that this euent seemed not strange to him ; or , whether his rage , and couetousnes had so transported him , that hee had no leasure to obserue the vnnaturall vnusualnes of the euent . some men make nothing of those things , which ouercome others with horror , and astonishment . i heare the angel of god taking notice of the cruelty of balaam to his beast : his first vvordes to the vnmercifull prophet , are in expostulating of this wrong . wee little thinke it ; but god shal call vs to an account , for the vnkinde and cruell vsages of his poor mute creatures : he hath made vs lords , not tyrants ; owners , not tormentors : hee that hath giuen vs leaue to kill them , for our vse , hath not giuen vs leaue to abuse them , at our pleasure ; they are so our drudges , that they are our fellowes by creation . it was a signe the magician would easily wish to strike israell vvith a curse , vvhen hee vvished a sworde to strike his harmelesse beast . it is ill falling into those hands , whome beasts finde vnmercifull . notwithstanding these rubs , balaam goes on , and is not afraide to ride on that beast , whose voyce he hath heard : and now , postes are sped to balac , with the newes of so welcome a guest : hee that sent princes , to fetch him , comes himselfe on the way , to meet him ; although hee can say ( am not i able to promote thee ) yet hee giues this high respect to him as his better , from whome hee expected the promotion of himselfe , and his people . oh the honour that hath beene formerlie done by heathens , to them that haue borne but the face of prophets : i shame , and grieue to compare the times and men : onely , o god , bee thou mercifull to the contempt of thy seruants . as if nothing needed but the presence of balaam , the superstitious king ( out of the ioy of his hope ) feasts his gods , his prophet , his princes ; and on the morrowe , carryes him vppe to the high-places of his idol . who can doubt whether balaam were a false prophet , that sees him sacrificing in the mount of baal ? had he bin from the true god , he would rather haue said , pull me downe these altars of baal , then , builde me heere seuen others : the very place conuinces him of falshood , and idolatry : and why seuen altars ? what needs all this pompe ? when the true god neuer required but one at once , as himselfe is one ; why doth the false prophet call for no lesse then seuen ? as if god stood vpon numbers ? as if the almighty would haue his power either diuided , or limited ? here is nothing but a glorious , and magnificent pretence of deuotion . it hath beene euer seene , that the false worshippers of god haue made more pompous showes , and fairer flourishes of their piety , and religion , then the true . now when balaam sees his seuen bulloks , and seuen rams smoking vpon his seuen altars , he goes vp higher into the mount ( as som counterfair moses ) to receiue the answere of god : but will god meet with a sorcerer ? wil he make a prophet of a magician ? o man , who shall prescribe god what instruments to vse ? he knowes how to imploy , not onely saints , and angels , but wicked men , beasts , diuels , to his owne glory : hee that put words into the mouth of the asse , puts wordes into the mouth of balaam : the words doe but passe from him ; they are not polluted , because they are not his ; as the trunk , through which a man speakes , is not the more eloquent for the speech , that is vttred through it . what a notable proclamation had the infidels wanted of gods fauor , to his people , if balaams tongue had not beene vsed . how many shall once say , lord we haue prophecied in thy name , that shall heare verely i knowe you not ? what madnes is this in balaam ? he that found himselfe constant in soliciting , thinks to finde god not constant in denying ; and , as if that infinite deity were not the same euery where , hopes to change successe , with places . neither is that bolde forehead ashamed , to importune god againe in that , wherein his owne mouth had testified an assurance of deniall . the reward was in one of his eyes ; the reuenging angel in the other : i know not whether ( for the time ) hee more loued the bribe , or feared the angel . and whiles hee is in this distraction , his tongue blesses against his heart , and his heart curses against his tongue . it angers him that he dare not speake what he would ; and now at last rather then lose his hopes , he resolues to speake vvorse then curses . the feare of gods iudgement in a worldly heart , is at length ouer come vvith the loue of gain . phineas . balaam pretended an hast homeward : but he lingred so long , that he left his bones in midiam . how iustly did he perish with the sword of israel , whose tongue had insensibly slain so many thousands of them ? as it is vsually said of the diuell , that he goes away in a stench ; so may it truely be saide of this prophet of his : according to the fashion of all hypocrites , his words were good , his actions abhominable : hee would not curse , but hee would aduise ; and his counsell is worse , then a curse : for his curse had hurt none but himselfe ; his counsell cost the blood of . israelites . hee that hath heard god speake by balaam , would not looke for the diuell , in the same mouth . and , if god himselfe hadde not witnessed against him , who could beleeue that the same tongue which vttered so diuine prophecies , should vtter so villanous and cursed aduise ? hypocrisie gaines this of men , that it may doe euill , vnsuspected : but now , he that heard what he spake in balacs eare , hath bewrayd , and condemned his counsell , and himselfe . this policie was fetcht from the bottome of hell ; it is not for lack of desire , that i curse not israel ; thou doest not more wish their destruction , then i doe thy wealth , and honour : but so long as they holde firme with god , there is no sorcery against iacob ; withdrawe god from them , and they shall fall alone , & curse themselues ; drawe them into sinne , and thou shalt withdrawe god from them . there is no sinne more plausible , then wantonness ; one fornication shal drawe in another , and both shall fetch the anger of god after them ; send your fairest women into their tents , their sight shall drawe them to lust ; their lust to folly ; their folly to idolatry ; and now god shal curse them for thee , vnasked . where balaam did speak well , there was neuer any prophet spake more diuinely ; where he spake ill , there was neuer any diuell spake more desperately : ill counsell seldome succeedeth not ; good seed falls often out of the way , and roots not ; but the tares neuer light amisse : this proiect of the wicked magician , was too prosperous . the daughters of moab come into the tents of israel ; and haue captiued those , whō the amorites & amalekites could not resist . our first mother eue bequeathed this dowry to her daughters , that they should be our helpers to sin ; the weaker sex is the strōger , in this cōquest : had the moabites sent their subtilest counsellors , to perswade the israelites , to their idol-sacrifices : they had beene repelled with scorne ; but now the beauty of their women is ouer-eloquent , and succesfull . that which in the first world betrayd the sonnes of god ; hath now ensnared gods people ; it had beene happy for israel if balaam had vsed any charmes , but these . as it is the vse of god to fetch glory to himselfe out of the worst actions of satan ; so it is the guise of that euill one ( through the iust permission of the almighty ) to raise aduantage to himself , from the fayrest peeces of the work-manship of god : no one means hath so much inriched hel , as beautifull faces . all idols are abominable : but this of baal-peor , was , besides the superstition of it , beastlie ; neither did baal euer put on a forme , of so much shame , as this ; yet very israelites are drawne to adore it . when lust hath blinded the eyes , it carries a man whither it lists ; euen beyond all differences of sinne . a man besotted with filthy desires , is fitte for any villany . sin is no lesse crafty , then satan himselfe ; giue him but roome in the eye , and he will soone be possessed of body and soule . these israelites , first saw the faces of these moabites , and midianites : then they grew to like their presence ; from thence , to take pleasure in their feasts : from their bords , they are drawne to their beddes ; from their beds , to their idols ; and now they are ioyned to baal-peor , and separated from god. bodily fornication is the way to spirituall : if we haue made idols of flesh , it is iust to be giuen vp to idols of wood , and stones . if wee haue not grace to resist the beginnings of sin , where shall wee stay ? if our foot slippe into the mouth of hell , it is a miracle to stop ere wee come to the bottom . well might god be angry , to see his people goe a whoring in this double fornication ; neither doth hee smother his wrath , but himselfe strikes with his plague , and biddes moses strike with the sword . hee strikes the body , and bids moses strike the head . it had beene as easie for him to plague the rulers , as the vulgar : & one would thinke , these should bee more properly reserued , for his immediate hand ; but these , hee leaues to the sword of humane authority , that he might win awe to his owne ordinances . as the sinnes of great men are exemplary , so are their punishments . nothing procures so much credit to gouernment , as strict & impartial executions of great and noble offendors . those whom their sins haue embased , deserue no fauor in the punishment : as god knows no honor , no royalty in matter of sinne , no more may his deputyes . contrarily , conniuence at the outrages of the mighty , cuts the sinewes of any state ; neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible , then the making difference of offenders ; that small sacriledges should bee punished , when great ones ride in triumph . if good ordinations turne once to spyders webs , which are broken through , by the bigger flyes , no hand will feare to sweepe them downe . god was angry ; moses and all good israelites grieued ; the heads hanged vppe ; the people plagued : yet behold , one of the princes of israel feares not to braue god , and his ministers , in that sinne , which hee sees so grieuously reuenged in others . i can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this israelite . heere is fornication , an odious crime , and that , of an israelite , whose name challenges holinesse ; yea , of a prince of israel , whose practice is a rule to inferiors ; and that , with a woman of midian , with whom , euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull ; and that , with contempt of all gouernment ; & that , in the face of moses , and all israel ; and that in a time of mourning , & iudgement , for that same offence . those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty , soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes . whiles sin hides it selfe in corners , there is yet hope ; for , where there is shame , there is a possibilitie of grace : but when once it dare look vpon the sunne , and send challenges to authority , the case is desperate , and ripe for iudgement . this great simeonite , thought hee might sinne by priuiledge ; he goes , as if he said , who dares controll mee ? his nobility hath raysed him aboue the reach of correction . commonly , the sins of the mightie are not without presumption : and therfore their vengeance is no lesse , then their securitie ; and their punishment is so much greater , as their conceit of impunity is greater . all israel saw this bold lewdnesse of zimri : but their harts , & eyes were so full of griefe , that they had not roome enough for indignation . phineas lookt on with the rest , but with other affections . when hee saw this defiance bidden to god ; and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people , that whiles they were wringing their hands , a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation , with his wicked dalliance ; his heart boyles with a desire of an holy reuenge : and now that hand , which was vsed to acenser , & sacrificing knife , takes vp his iaueline , and with one stroke ioynes these two bodyes in their death , vvhich were ioyned in their sinne ; and in the very flagrance of their lust , makes a new way for their soules , to their own place . o noble & heroicall courage of phineas ! which as it was rewarded of god , so is woorthy to bee admired of men . hee doth not stand casting of scruples : who am i to do this ? the sonne of the high priest ; my place is all for peace , and mercie ; it is for mee to sacrifice , and pray for the sin of the people , not to sacrifice any of the people , for their sin . my duty calls mee to appease the anger of god , what i may , not to reuenge the sins of men ; to pray for their conuersion , not to work the confusion of any sinner : and who are these ? is not the one a great prince in israel , the other a princesse of midian ? can the death of two so famous persons goe vnreuenged ? or if it be safe , and fit , why doth my vncle moses rather shed his owne tears , then their bloud ? i will mourne with the rest , let them reuenge whom it concerneth . but the zeale of god hath barred out all weake deliberations ; and hee holds it now both his duty , and his glory , to be an executioner of so shamelesse a payre of offenders . god loues this heate of zeale , in all the carriages of his seruants : and if it transport vs too far , hee pardoneth the errours of our feruencie , rather then the indifferencies of luke warmnesse . as these two were more beasts , then any that euer he sacrificed ; so the shedding of their bloud , was the acceptablest sacrifice , that euer hee offied vnto god : for both all israel is freed from the plague , & all his posterity haue the priesthood , entayled to them , so long as the iewes were a people . next to our prayers , there is no better sacrifice , then the bloud of malefactors ; not as it is theirs , but as it is shed by authority . gouernors are faulty of those sinnes they punish not . there can be no better sight in any state , then to see a malefactor at the gallowes . it is not enough for vs , to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times , ( yea altho with teares ) vnlesse wee endeuour to redresse it : especially publique persons carry not their iauelin in their hand for nought . euery one is ready to aske phineas for his commission : and those that are willing to salue vp the act , plead extraordinary instinct from god ; who ( no doubt ) would not haue accepted , that which himselfe wrought not . but what need i runne so farre for this warrant , when i heare god say to moses , hang vp all the heads of israel ; and moses say to the vnder-rulers , euery one slay his men , that are ioyned to baal-peor . euery israelite is now made a magistrate , for this execution ; and why not phineas , amongst the rest ? dooth his priesthood exempt him from the bloud of sinners ? how then doth samuel heaw agag in peeces ? euen those may make a carcasse , which may not touch it . and if leui got the priesthood , by shedding the blood of idolaters ; why may it not stand with that priesthood , to spill the bloud of a fornicator , and idolater ? ordinary iustice will beare out phineas in this act ; it is not for euery man to challenge this office , which this double proclamation allowed to phineas . all that priuate persons can doe , is either to lift vppe their hands to heauen , for redresse of sin ; or to lift vp their hands against the sin , not against the person . who made thee a iudge , is a lawful question , if it meet with a person vnwarranted . now the sinne is punished , the plague ceaseth . the reuenge of god , sets out euer after the sinne ; but if the reuenge of men ( which commonly comes later ) can ouertake it , god giues ouer the chase . how oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment , auoyded a greater . there are none so good friends to the state , as courageous and impartiall ministers of iustice . these are the reconcilers of god , and the people , more , then the prayers of them that sit still , and do nothing . the death of moses . after many painfull , and perilous enterprises , now is moses drawing to his rest . hee hath brought his israelites from egypt , through the sea , and wildernesse , within the sight of their promised land ; & now himselfe must take possession of that land , whereof canaan was but a type . when wee haue done that wee came for , it is time for vs to be gone ; this earth is onely made for action , not for fruition ; the seruices of gods children should be ill rewarded , if they must stay heere alwaies . let no man thinke much , that those are fetcht away which are faithfull to god ; they should not change , if it were not to their preferment . it is our folly that we would haue good men liue for euer , and account it an hard measure that they vvere . hee that lends them to the vvorld , owes them a better turne , then this earth can pay them . it vvere iniurious to wish , that goodnesse should hinder any man from glorie . so is the death of gods saints precious , that it is certaine . moses must go vp to mount nebo , and die . the time , the place , and euery circumstance of his dissolution , is determined . that one dies in the field , another in his bed , another in the water ; one in a forraine nation , another in his owne , is fore-decreed in heauen . and , tho we heare it not vocally , yet god hath call'd euerie man , by his name , and saith ; die thou there . one man seemes to die casually ; another , by an inexpected violence : both fall by a destiny ; and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree . hee that brought vs into the world , wil cary vs out , according to his owne purposes . moses must ascend vp to the hil , to die . hee receiued his charge for israel , vpon the hill of sinai ; and now hee deliuers vppe his charge , on the hill of nebo : his brother aaron dyed on one hill ; hee , on another . as christ was transfigur'd on an hill : so , was this excellent type of his ; neither doubt i , but that these hills were types to them , of that heauen , whither they were aspiring . it is the goodnes of our god , that hee will not haue his children die any where , but where they may see the land of promise before them ; neither can they depart vvithout much comfort , to haue seene it : contrarily , a vvicked man that looks downe , and sees hell before him , how can he choose but finde more horror in the ende of death , then in the way ? how familiarly doth moses hear of his end ! it is no more betwixt god , and moses , but goe vp , and die ; if hee had inuited him to a meale , it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation : no otherwise then he said to his other prophet , vp and eate : it is neither harsh , nor newes to gods children , to hear , or think of their departure ; to them death hath lost his horror , through acquaintance : those faces which at first sight seemed ill fauoured , by oft viewing , growe out of dislike : they haue so oft thought , and resolued of the necessity , & of the issue of their dissolution , that they cannot holde it either strange , or vnwelcome : hee that hath hadde such entire conuersation vvith god , cannot feare to goe to him . those that knowe him not , or knowe that hee will not knowe them , no maruell if they tremble . this is no small fauour ; that god warnes moses of his end : he that hadde so oft made moses of counsell , what hee meant to doe with israel , would not now doe ought with himselfe , without his knowledge . expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart ; if the fiery chariot had fetcht away elias , vnlookt for , we shold haue doubted of the fauor of his transportation : it is a tokē of iudgemēt , to come as a theef in the night . god forewarns one by sicknes , another by age , another by his secret instincts , to prepare for their end : if our hearts be not now in a readinesse , we are worthy to be surprized . but what is this i heare ? displeasure mixed with loue ? & that to so faithfull a seruant as moses ? he must but see the land of promise , he shall not tread vpon it ; because he once , long agoe , sinned in distrusting . death , tho it were to him an entrance into glory , yet shal be also a chastisement of his infidelity : how many noble proofes had moses giuen of his courage & strength of faith ? how many gracious seruices had hee done to his maister ? yet for one act of distrust , he must be gathered to his fathers . all our obediences cannot beare out one sin against god ; how vainely shall we hope to make amends to god for our former trespasses , by our better behauior , when moses hath this one sin laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity ? when wee haue forgotten our sinnes , yet god remembers them , and ( altho not in anger , yet ) he calls for our arerages . alas , what shall become of them , with whom god hath tenne thousand greater quarrels ; that amongst many millions of sinnes , haue scattered some fewe acts of formal seruices ? if moses must die ●he first death , for one fault ; how ●hall they escape the second for ●inning alwayes ? euen where god loues , hee will not winke at sinne ; and if he do not punish , yet he wil chastice : how much lesse can it stand with that eternall iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement ? it might haue beene iust vvith god , to haue reserued the cause to himselfe ; and in a generality , to haue tolde moses , that his sin must shorten his iourney : but it is more of mercy , then iustice , that his children shall knowe why they smart ; that god may at once both iustifie himselfe , and humble them , for their particular offences : those to whom hee meanes vengeance , haue not the sight of their sinnes , till they be past repentance . complaine not that god vpbraides thee with thy old sins , whosoeuer thou art : but knowe , it is an argument of loue ; whereas concealement is a fearful signe of a secret dislike frō god. but what was that noted sinne vvhich deserues this late exprobration , and shall carry so sharpe a chastisement ? israel murmur'd for water ; god bids moses take the rod in his hand , and speake to the rock to giue water ; moses in stead of speaking , and striking the rock with his voyce , strikes it with the rod ; heere was his sinne ; an ouer-reaching of his commission ; a fearefulnes and distrust of the effect ; the rod , hee knew , was approued for miracles ; hee knew not how powerful his voice might be ; therfore he did not speak , but strike , and he stroke twise for failing ; and now , after these many yeeres , he is striken for it , of god ; it is a dangerous thing in diuine matters , to goe beyond our warrant : those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men , are hainous in the account of god ; any thing that sauors of infidelity displeases him more , then some other crimes of morality . yet the mouing of the rod was but a diuerse thing from the moouing of the tongue , it was not contrary ; he did not forbid the one , but hee commanded the other : this was but acrosse the streame , not against it ; where shal they appeare whose whole courses are quite contrary to the commandements of god ? vpon the act done , god passed the sentence of restrayning moses with the rest , from the promised land ; now he performes it : since that time , moses had many fauors from god : all which could not reuerse this decreed castigation ; that euerlasting rule is grounded vpon the very essence of god ; i am iehouah , i change not . our purposes are as our selues , fickle , & incertaine ; his are certain , and immutable : some things which he reueales , he alters ; nothing that he hath decreed . besides the soule of moses ( to the glory whereof god principally intended this change ) i finde him carefull of two things : his successor , and his body : moses moues for the one ; the other god doth , vnasked : hee was so tender ouer the welfare of israel , in his life ; would not slaken his care , in death : hee takes no thought for himself ( for he knew how gainfull an exchange he must make . ) all his care is for his charge . some enuious natures desire to be missed , when they must goe ; and wish that the weaknes , or want of a successour , may be the foyle of their memory , & honor : moses is in a contrary disposition , it sufficeth him not to finde contentment in his owne happinesse , vnlesse he may haue an assurance , that israel shall prosper after him . carnall mindes are all for themselues , and make vse of gouernment , only for their owne aduantages ; but good hearts look euer to the future good of the church aboue their own , against their own . moses did well to show his good affection to his people ; but in his silence god wold haue prouided for his owne : hee that call'd him from the sheep of iethro , will not want a gouernour for his chosen , to succeed him ; god hath fitted him , whom he will choose . who can be more meet , then he whose name , whose experience , whose graces might supply , yea reuiue moses to the people ? he that searched the land before , was fittest to guide israel into it ; hee that vvas indued vvith the spirite of god , was the fittest deputie for god : he that abode still in the tabernacle of ohel-moed , as gods attendant , was fittest to be sent forth from him , as his lieutenant : but , oh the vnsearchable counsell of the almighty ! aged caleb , and all the princes of israel are past ouer ; and ioshua the seruant of moses , is chosen to succeed his maister ; the eye of god is not blinded either with gifts , or with blood , or with beauty , or with strength : but as in his eternall elections , so in his temporary , hee will haue mercie , on vvhom hee will. and well doth ioshua succeed moses ; the very acts of god of olde were allegories : where the law ends , there the sauiour begins ; we may see the land of p●omise in the law ; onely iesus the mediatour of the new testament can bring vs into it . so was he a seruant of the law , that hee supplies all the defects of the law , to vs : hee hath taken possession of the promised land for vs ; he shall carry vs from this wildernes , to our rest . it is no small happinesse to any state , when their gouernors are chosen by worthiness ; and such elections are euer from god ; whereas the intrusions of bribery , and vniust fauour , or violence , as they make the common-wealth miserable , so they come from him , which is the author of confusion : woe be to that state that suffers it ; woe be to that person that workes it ; for both of them haue sold themselues ; the one to seruitude , the other to sin . i doe not heare moses repine at gods choise ; and grudge that this scepter of his is not hereditary ; but he willingly layes hands vpon his seruant , to consecrate him for his successour . ioshua was a good man , yet hee had some sparks of enuy ; for when eldad and medad prophecied , he stomacht it ; ( my lord moses forbid them . ) he that would not abide two of the elders of israel to prophecie ; how would he haue allow'd his seruant to sit in his throne ? what an example of meeknesse ( besides all the rest ) doth hee here see in this last act of his maister , who without all murmuring resignes his chaire of state to his page ? it is all one to a gratious heart , whom god will please to aduance : emulation , and discontentment are the affections of carnal minds . humilitie goes euer with regeneration ; vvhich teaches a man to thinke ( vvhat euer honour bee put vpon others ) i haue more then i am worthy of . the same god that by the hands of his angels carryed vp the soule of moses , to his glory ; doth also by the hand of his angels , carry his body downe into the vally of moab , to his sepulture ; those hands which had taken the law from him , those eyes that had seene his presence , those lips that had conferred so oft with him , that face that did so shine with the beames of his glory , may not be neglected , when the soule is gone : he that tooke charge of his birth , and preseruation in the reeds ; takes charge of his carriage out of the world : the care of god ceaseth not ouer his owne , either in death or after it . how iustly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends ; when god himselfe giues vs this example ? if the ministery of man hadde beene vsed in this graue of moses ; the place might haue bin knowne to the israelites ; but god purposely cōceales this treasure both from men , and diuels ; that so he might both crosse their curiosity , and preuent their superstition . if god had loued the adoration of his seruants reliques ; hee could neuer haue had a fitter oportunitie , for this deuotion , then in the bodie of moses . it is folly to place religion in those things , vvhich god hides on purpose , from vs ; it is not the property of the almighty to restraine vs from good . yet , that diuine hand which lockt vp this treasure , and kept the key of it , brought it foorth afterwards , glorious . in the transfiguration , this body which was hid in the valley of moab , appeared in the hill of tabor ; that wee may knowe , these bodies of ours , are not lost , but layd vp ; and shal as sure be raised in glory , as they are layd downe in corruption . wee knowe , that when hee shall appeare , wee shall also appeare with him in glory . the end of the seuenth booke . contemplations . the eight booke . rahab . iordan diuided . the siege of iericho . achan . the gibeonites . at london , printed by h. l. for samuel macham : & are to be sold at his shop in paules church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to the trvly noble , and worthily honored gentleman , maister robert hay , one of the attendants of his maiesties bed-chamber , a sincere friend of vertue , and louer of learning ; i.h. with apprecation of all happinesse , dedicates this part of his meditations . ( ⸫ ) contemplations . the eight booke . rahab . ioshua was one of those twelue searchers which were sent to viewe the land of canaan ; yet now hee addresses two spyes , for a more particular suruey : those twelue were onely to inquire of the generall condition of the people , and land ; these two , to finde out the best entrance into the next part of the countrey , and into their greatest city . ioshua himselfe was full of gods spirit , and had the oracle of god ready for his direction : yet now hee goes not to the propitiatorie for consultation , but to the spyes . except where ordinary meanes faile vs , it is no appealing the immediat help of god ; we may not seeke to the posterne , but where the common gate is shutte . it was promised ioshua , that hee should lead israel into the promised land ; yet he knew it vvas vnsafe to presume . the condition of his prouident care was included in that assurance of successe . heauen is promised to vs ; but not to our carelesnesse , infidelity , disobedience . hee that hath set this blessed inheritance before vs , presupposes our wisedome , faith , holinesse . either force , or policy , are fit to be vsed vnto canaanites . he that would be happy in this spirituall warfare , must knowe where the strength of his enemy lyeth ; and must frame his gard , according to the others assault . it is a great aduantage to a christian , to know the fashion of satans onsets , that he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist . many a soule hath miscaried , through the ignorance of his enemie , which had not perished , if it had well known that the weaknes of satan stands in our faith . the spyes can finde no other lodging , but rahabs house . shee was a victualer by profession , and ( as those persons and trades , by reason of the commonnesse of entertainement were amongst the iewes , infamous , by name , and note ) she was rahab the harlot ; i will not thinke shee professed filthinesse : onely her publique trade ( through the corruption of those times ) hath cast vpon her this name of reproach ; yea , rather will i admire her fayth , then make excuses for her calling . how many women in israel ( now miriam was dead ) haue giuen such proofes of their knowledge , and faith ? how noble is that confession , which shee makes of the power and truth of god ? yea , i see heere , not onely a disciple of god , but a prophetesse . or , if shee had once been publique , as her house was ; now she is a chaste and worthy conuert ; and so approued her selfe for honest , and wise behauior , that she is thought worthy to be the great grand mother of dauids father : and the holy line of the messias , is not ashamed to admitte her into that happie pede-gree . the mercy of our god dooth not measure vs , by what wee were ; it would bee wide with the best of vs , if the eye of god should looke backward to our former estate ; there hee should see abraham an idolater ; paul a persecutor ; manasses a necromancer ; mary magdalen a curtizan ; and the best , vile enough to be ashamed of himselfe . who can despaire of mercy , that sees euen rahab fetcht into the bloud of israel , and line of christ ? if rahab had receiued these spyes , but as vnknown passengers , with respect to their mony , and not to their errand , it had been no prayse : for in such cases , the thanke is rather to the guest , then to the host : but now , shee knew their purpose ; shee knew that the harbor of them , was the danger of her owne life : and yet , shee hazards this entertainement . either faith or friendship , are neuer tryed , but in extremities . to show countenance to the messengers of god , whiles the publique face of the state smiles vpō them , is but a curtesie of course ; but to hide our own liues , in theirs , when they are persecuted , is an act , that lookes for a reward . these times need not our fauour ; we knowe not what may come : alas ! how likely is it they wold shelter them in danger , which respect them not in prosperity ? all intelligences of state come first to the court ; it most concernes princes to harken after the affayres of each other . if this poore in-holder knew of the sea dryed vp before israel , and of the discomfiture of og & sebon . surely this rumor was stale with the king of iericho ; he had heard it , and feared : and yet , in stead of sending ambassadors for peace ▪ he sends pursuiuants , for the spies ▪ the spirit of rahab melted with that same report , where-with the king of iericho was hardened ▪ all make not one vse of the messages , of the proceedings of god. the king sends to tell her , what shee knew ; shee had not hidde them , if shee had not known their errand . i knowe not whether first to wonder at the gracious prouision of god , for the spyes ; or at the strong faith , which he hath wrought in the hart of a weak woman : two strangers , israelites , spyes ; and noted for all these , in a forraine , ●n an hostile land , haue a safe har●our prouided thē , euen amongst their enemies ; in iericho , at the very court-gate , against the proclamation of a king , against the ●ndeuours of the people . where cannot the god of heauen either finde , or rayse vp friends to his owne causes , and seruants ? who could haue hoped for such faith in rahab ? which contemned her life for the present , that shee might saue it for the future ; neglected her own king and countrey for strangers , vvhich shee neuer saw ; and more feared the destruction of that citie , before it knevv that it had an aduersary , then the displeasure of her king , in the mortall reuenge of that , which he wold haue accounted trechery . shee brings them vp to the roofe of her house , and hides them with stalks of flax : that plant which vvas made to hide the body , from nakednesse and shame , now , is vsed to hide the spyes from death . neuer could these stalks haue beene improued so well with all her huswifry , after they were bruised , as now before they were fitted to her wheele : of these she hath wouen an euerlasting web , both of life and propagation . and now her tongue hides them no lesse , then her hand : her charitie was good , her excuse was not good . euill may not bee done , that good may come of it ; wee may doe any thing but sinne , for promoting a good cause : and if not in so main occasions ; how shall god take it , that wee are not dainty of falsehoods in tryfles ? no man will looke that these spies could take any sound sleep , in these beds of stalks ; it is enough for them that they liue , though they rest not . and now , vvhen they heare rahab comming vp the stayres , doubtlesse they looked for an executioner : but behold , shee comes vp with a message better then their sleepe ; adding to their protection , aduise for their future safety ; whereto shee makes way by a faithful report of gods former wonders , and the present disposition of her people ; and by wise capitulations for the life , & security of her familie . the newes of gods miraculous proceedings for israel , haue made her resolue of their successe , and the ruines of iericho . then onely doe we make a right vse of the works of god , whē by his iudgements vpon others , wee are warned to auoyde our owne . hee intends his acts for precedents of iustice . the parents , and brethren of rahab take their rest ; they are not troubled with the feare and care of the succese of israel ; but securely goe with the current of the present condition : shee watches for them all , and breakes her midnight sleepe , to preuent their last . one wise and faithfull person does well in an house ; where all are careless , there is no comfort , but in perishing together . it had bin an ill nature in rahab , if shee had been content to be saued alone : that her loue might bee a match to her faith , she couenants for all her family ; and so returnes life to those , of whom shee receiued it . both the bond of nature , and of grace , will dravv all ours , to the participation of the same good , with our selues . it had bin neuer the better for the spies , if after this nights lodging , they had beene turned out of doores to the hazard of the way : for so the pursuers had light vpon thē , & preuented their returne with their death . rahabs counsel therefore was better then her harbor ; which sent them ( no doubt , with victualls in their hands ) to seek safety in the mountaines , till the heat of that search were past . he that hath giuen vs charge of our liues , will not suffer vs to cast them vpon wilful aduentures : had not these spyes hid themselues in those desert hills , israel had wanted directors for their enterprises . there is nothing more expedient for the church , then that some of gods faithfull messengers should withdraw themselues , and giue way to persecutions . courage in those that must die , is not a greater aduantage to the gospell , then a prudent retyring of those , which may suruiue , to maintaine & propagate it . it was a iust & resonable transaction betwixt them ; that her life should be saued by them , which had saued theirs ; they owe no lesse to her , to whom they were not so much guests , as prisoners : and now they passe , not their promise onely , but their oath . they were strangers to rahab , and for ought shee knew , might haue been godlesse : yet she dares trust her life , vpon their oath . so sacred and inviolable hath this bond euer beene , that an heathen vvoman thought her selfe secure , vpon the oath of an israelite . neither is shee more confident of their oath taken , then they are carefull both of taking , and performing it . so farre are they from desiring to salue vp any breach of promise , by equiuocation , that they explaine all conditions ; and would preuent all possibilities of violation . all rahabs familie , must be gathered into her house ; and that redde cord , which was an instrument of their deliuerie , must be a signe of hers . behold , this is the sauing colour : the destroying angel sees the doore cheekes of the israelites sprinkled with redde , and passes them ouer . the warriours of israel see the window of rahab dyed with redde , and saue her familie , from the common destruction . if our soules haue this tincture of the precious blood of our sauiour , vpon our doores , or windowes , wee are safe . but if any one of the brethren of rahab , shall flye from this redde flagge , and roue about the citie , and not containe himselfe vnder that roofe , which hid the spyes , it is in vaine for him to tell the auengers , that he is rahabs brother : that title will not saue him , in the street ; within doores it will. if wee will vvander out of the limits , that god hath sette vs , wee cast our selues out of his protection ; wee cannot challenge the benefit of his gracious preseruation , & our most precious redemption , when we fly out , into the by-waies of our owne hearts ; not for innocence , but for safety and harbour , the church is that house of rahab , which is saued , vvhen all iericho shall perish . whiles wee keepe vs in the lists-thereof , wee cannot miscary , through mis-opinion : but when once we run out of it , let vs looke for iudgement from god , and error in our owne iudgement . iordan diuided . the two spyes returned , with newes of the victory that should be . i do not hear them say , the land is vnpeopled ; or the people are vnfurnished vvith armes ; vnskilfull of the discipline of warre ; but , ( they faint because of vs , therefore their land is ours . ) either successe , or discomfiture , begins euer at the hart . a mans inward disposition dooth more then presage the euent . as a man rayses vp his owne heart , before his fall ; and depresses it , before his glory : so god rayses it vp , before his exaltation ; and casts it downe , before his ruine . it is no otherwise , in our spirituall conflicts : if satan see vs once faint , he giues himselfe the day . there is no way to safety , but that our harts be the last that shall yield . that vvhich the heathens attributed to fortune , we may iustlie to the hand of god ; that he speedeth those that are forward . all the ground that we lose , is giuen to our aduersaries . this newes is brought but ouer night ; ioshua is on his way by morning , and preuents the sunne for hast . delayes , whether in the businesse of god , or our owne , are hatefull and preiudiciall . many a one loses the land of promise , by lingring : if wee neglect gods time , it is iust with him , to crosse vs in ours . ioshua hastens till hee haue brought israel to the verge of the promised land : nothing parts thē now , but the riuer of iordan . there hee stayes a time ; that the israelites might feed themselues a while , with the sight of that , which they shold afterwards inioy . that which they had bin fortie yeers in seeking , may not be seized vpon , too suddenly : god loues to giue vs cooles , & heats in our desires ; and will so allay our ioyes , that their fruition hurt vs not . hee knowes , that as it is in meates , the long forbearance wherof causes a surfet , when we come to fullfeed : so it fares in the contemners of the mind ; therefore hee feeds vs , not with the dish , but with the spoone ; and will haue vs , neither cloyed , nor famished . if the mercie of god haue brought vs within sight of heauen , let vs be content to pause a-while , and and vpon the banks of iordan , fit our selues for our entrance . now that israel is brought to the brimme of canaan , the clowd is vanished , which ledde them all the way : and as soone as they haue but crossed lordan , the manna ceaseth , which nourisht them all the way . the clowd & manna were for their passage , not for their rest ; for the wildernesse , not for canaan . it were as easie for god to worke miracles alwayes ; but hee knowes , that custome were the way to make them no miracles . he goes by-waies , but till he haue brought vs into the rode ; and then , hee referres vs to his ordinarie proceedings . that israelite should haue been very foolish , that would still haue said ; i will not stirre , till i see the clowd ; i will not eat , vnlesse i may haue that food of angels . wherefore serues the ark , but for their direction ? wherefore serues the wheat of canaan , but for bread ? so fond is that christian , that will still depend vpon expectation of miracles , after the fulnesse of gods kingdome . if god beare vs in his armes , when we are children , yet when we are well grown , he looks we should go on our owne feet . it is enough , that hee vpholds vs , tho hee cary vs not . he that hitherto had gone before them in the clowd , doth now goe before them , in the ark ; the same guide , in two diuerse signes of his presence . the clowd was for moses , the arke for ioshuas time : the clowd was fit for moses ; the law offred vs christ , but enwrapped in many obscurities . if he were seene in the clowd , hee was heard from the couer of the arke . why was it the ark of the testimonie , but because it witnessed both his presence , & loue ? and within it , were his word , the law ; and his sacrament , the manna . who can wish a better guide , then the god of heauen , in his word , and sacraments ? who can know the way into the land of promise , so well , as hee that owes it ? and what meanes can better direct vs thither , then those of his institution ? that arke which before was as the heart , is now as the head : it was in the midst of israel , whiles they camped in the desert ; now when the clowd is remooued , it is in the front of the army ; that as before they depended vpon it for life , so now , they should for direction . it must go before them , on the shoulders of the sonnes of leui ; they must follow it , but within sight , not within breathing . the leuites may not touch the ark , but onely the barres : the israelites may not approach neerer then a thousand pases to it . what awfull respects doth god require to bee giuen vnto the testimonies of his presence ? vzzah payd deere for touching it ; the men of bethshemesh , for looking into it . it is a dangerous thing to bee too bold with the ordinances of god. tho the israelites were sanctified , yet they might not come neere either the mount of sinai , when the law was deliuered ; or the ark of the couenant , wherein the law was written . how fearfull shall their estate be , that come with vnhallowed hearts and hands to the word of the gospell , and the true manna of the euangelicall sacrament ? as we vse to say of the court and of fire ; so may we of these diuine institutions , we freeze if wee be farre off from them ; and if we be more neere then befits vs , wee burne . vnder the law , we might looke at christ aloof ; now vnder the gospell , we may come neare him : he calls vs to him ; yea hee enters into vs. neither was it onely for reuerence , that the arke must be not stumbled at , but wayted on , a far ; but also for conuenience , both of sight , and passage : those things that are neare vs , tho they be lesse , fill our eye ; neither could so many thousand eyes see the same obiect , vpon a leuell , but by distance : it would not content god , that one israelite should tell another , now the arke goes , now it turnes , now it stands ; but hee would haue euery one his owne witnesse . what can bee so comfortable to a good heart , as to see the pledges of gods presence , and fauour ? to heare of the louing kindnesses of god , is pleasant ; but to behold , and feele the euidences of his mercy , is vnspeakably delectable : hence the saints of god , not contenting themselues with faith , haue still prayd for sight , and fruition , and mourned when they haue wanted it . what an happy prospect hath god set before vs of christ iesus crucified before vs , and offred vnto vs ? ere god will worke a miracle before israel , they haue charge to be sanctified . there is an holines required , to make vs either patients , or beholders of the great works of god : how much more when wee should be actors in his sacred seruices ? there is more vse of sanctification , when we must present something to god , then when he must doe ought to vs. the same power that diuided the red sea before moses , diuides iordan before ioshua ; that they might see the arke no lesse effectuall , then the cloud ; and the hand of god , as present with ioshua , to bring them into canaan , as it was with moses , to bring them out of egypt : the bearers of the arke hadde neede bee faithfull ; they must first set their foote into the streames of iorden , and beleeue that it will giue waie ; the same faith that ledde peter vppon the vvater , must carrie them into it . there can be no christian without beleefe in god ; but those that are neare to god , in his immediate seruices , must goe before others no lesse in beleeuing , then they doe in example . the vvaters knowe their maker : that iordan , vvhich flowed vvith full streams , when christ went into it , to bee baptized ; now giues way , vvhen the same god must passe through it in state : then there was vse of his water , now of his sand . i hear of no newes of any rodde to strike the vvaters ; the presence of the arke of the lord god , the lord of all the world , is signe enough to these vvaues ; vvhich now , as , if a sinew were broken , runs backe to both issues , and dare not so much , as wet the feet of the priests , that bore it ; what ayleth thee o sea , that thou fledst , and thou iordan that thou wert driuen back ? ye mountaines that yee leaped like rams , and ye little hills like lambs ? the earth trembled at the presence of the lord , at the presence of the god of iacob . how obseruant are all the creatures to the god that made them ? how glorious a god doe we serue ; whom all the powers of the heauens and elements are willinglie subiect vnto ; and gladlie take that nature which hee pleases to giue them ? hee could haue made iordan like some solide pauement of crystall , for the israelites feet to haue trode vppon ; but this worke had not beene so magnificent . euery strong frost congeales the water , in a naturall course : but for the riuer to stand still , and runne on heapes , and to be made a liquid wall for the passage of gods people , is , for nature to run out of it selfe , to do homage to her creator : now must the israelites needs thinke ; how can the canaanites stand out against vs , when the seas and riuers giue vs way ? with what ioy did they now trample vpon the drie channell of iordan , whiles they might see the drie deserts ouercome , the promised land before them , the very vvaters so glad of them , that they ranne backe to welcome them into canaan ? the passages into our promised land are troublesome and perilous ; and , euen at last , offer themselues to vs the maine hinderances of our saluation ; which , after all our hopes , threaten to defeat vs : for what will it auayle vs to haue passed a wildernesse , if the waues of iordan should swallow vs vppe ; but the same hand that hath made the waie hard , hath made it sure : hee that made the wildernesse comfortable , will make iordan dry ; hee will maister all difficulties for vs : and those things , vvhich vvee most feared , will he make most soueraine , and beneficiall to vs. o god , as wee haue trusted thee with the beginning , so vvill vvee vvith the finishing of our glorie . faithfull art thou that hast promised , vvhich wilt also doe it . hee that ledde them about , in fortie yeers iourney , through the wildernesse , yet now leades them the nearest cut to iericho ; hee will not so much , as seeke for a ford for their passage ; but diuides the waters . what a sight was this to their heathen aduersaries , to see the waters make both a lane , and a wall for israell ? their heartes could not choose , but bee broken , to see the streames broken off for a waie to their enemies . i doe not see ioshua hasting through this channell , as if hee feared , least the tide of iordan should returne ; but as knowing that watery wall stronger , then the walls of iericho , hee pases slowlie : and least this miracle should passe away with themselues , hee commaunds twelue stones to be taken out of the channell of iordan , by twelue selected men , from euery tribe ; which shall be pitched in gilgal ; and twelue other stones , to be set in the midst of iordan , where the feet of the priests had stood , with the arke ; that so both land & water might testifie the miraculous way of israel , whiles it should be saide of the one ; these stones were fetcht out of the pauement of iordan ; of the other , there did the arke rest whiles wee walked dry-shod , through the deepes of iordan : of the one , iordan was once as dry as this gilgal ; of the other , those waues which drowne these stones , had so drowned vs , if the power of the almighty had not restrained them . many a great worke had god done for israel , which was now forgotten : ioshua therfore will haue monuments of gods mercy , that future ages might be both witnesses , and applauders of the great works of their god. the siege of iericho . ioshua begins his wars with the circumcision and passeouer ; he knew that the way to keep the blood of his people from shedding ; was to let out that paganish blood of their vncircumcisiō . the person must be in fauour , ere the worke can hope to prosper : his predecessor moses had like to haue beene slaine for neglect of this sacrament , when hee went to call the people out of egypt : he iustly feares his owne safety , if now hee omit it , when they are brought into canaan : wee haue no right of inheritance in the spirituall canaan , the church of god , till wee haue receiued the sacrament of our matriculation : so soone as our couenants are renued with our creator , wee may well looke for the vision of god , for the assurance of victory . what sure worke did the king of iericho thinke hee had made ! he blocked vp the passages , barred vppe the gates , defended the walls , and did enough to keepe out a common enemy : if wee could doe but this to our spirituall aduersaries , it were as impossible for vs to be surprised , as for iericho to be safe . me thinkes i see how they called their councell of warre ; debated of all meanes of defence ; gathered their forces , trained their soldiours , set strong gards to the gates , and walls ; and now would perswade one another , that vnlesse israel could fly into their city , the siege was vaine . vaine worldlings think their rampires and barricadoes can keepe out the vengeance of god ; their blindnesse suffers them to looke no further then the meanes : the supreme hand of the almighty comes not within the compasse of their feares . euery carnall heart is a iericho shut vp ; god sets downe before it , and displayes mercy and iudgement , in sight of the walls thereof ; it hardens it selfe in a wilfull securitie ; and saith , tush , i shall neuer bee mooued . yet their courage & fear fight together within their walls , within their bosoms : their courage tells them of their owne strength ; their feare suggests the miraculous successe of this ( as they could not but thinke ) inchanted generation ; and now whiles they haue shut out their enemy , they haue shut in their owne terrour . the most secure hart in the world hath some flashes of feare ; for it cannot but sometimes looke out of it selfe , and see vvhat it would not . rahab had notified that their hearts fainted : and yet now , their faces bewray nothing but resolution . i knowe not vvhether the heart , or the face of an hypocrite be more false ; and as each of them seeks to beguile the other , so both of them agree to deceiue the beholders : in the midst of laughter , their heart is heauy ; who would not thinke him merry that laughs ? yet their reioycing is but in the face : vvho vvould not thinke a blasphemer , or profane man resolutely carelesse ? if thou hadst a vvindowe into his heart , thou shouldst see him tormented with horrors of conscience . now the israelites see those walled cities , & towers whose height was reported to reach to heauen ; the same wherof had so affrighted them , ere they saw them , and were ready doubtlesse to say , in their distrust , which way shall wee scale these inuincible fortifications ? what ladders , what engines shall wee vse to so great a worke ? god preuents their infidelity ; beholde i haue giuen iericho into thine hand . if their walls had their foundations laid in the center of the earth ; if the battlements had beene so high built , that an egle could not soare ouer them ; this is enough , i haue giuen it thee : for , on whose earth haue they raised these castles ? out of whose treasure did they digge those piles of stone ? whence had they their strength , and time to build ? can not he that gaue , recall his owne ? o yee fooles of iericho ; what if your walls bee strong , your men valiant , your leaders skilfull , your king wise ; when god hath said , i haue giuen thee the city : what can swords or speares doe against the lord of hostes ? without him meanes can doe nothing : how much lesse against him ? how vain and idle is that reckoning , wherein god is left out ? had the captaine of the lords host drawne his sword for iericho , the gates might haue beene opened ; israel could no more haue entred , then they can now bee kept from entring , when the walls were falne . what courses soeuer wee take for our safety , it is good making god of our side : neither men , nor diuels can hurt vs against him ; neither men nor angels can secure vs from him . there was neuer so strange a siege as this of iericho : heere vvas no mount raised , no sword drawen , no engine planted , no pioners vndermining ; here were trumpets sounded , but no enemy seene ; heere were armed men , but no stroke giuen : they must walke and not fight ; seuen seuerall dayes must they pase about the walles , which they may not once looke ouer , to see what was within . doubtlesse these inhabitants of iericho made themselues merry with this sight : when they had stood sixe dayes vppon their walles , and beheld none but a walking enemy ; vvhat ( saie they ) could israel find no walk to breath them with , but about our walls ? haue they not traueled enough in their forty yeeres pilgrimage , but they must stretch their limmes in this circle ? surely if their eies were engines , our walls could not stand : wee see they are good foot-men ; but when shall we trie their hands ? what , doo these vaine men thinke iericho will be wonne with looking at ? or , doe they onely come to count how many pases it is about our city ? if this bee their manner of siege , wee shall haue no great cause to feare the sword of israel . wicked men thinke god in iest , when hee is preparing for their iudgement . the almighty hath waies and counsells of his owne ; vtterlie vnlike to ours : which because our reason cannot reach , we are ready to condemne of foolishnesse and impossibilitie . with vs , there is no way to victorie but fighting ; and the strongest carryes the spoile : god can giue victory to the feet , as well as to the hands ; and , when hee will , makes weaknesse no disaduantage . what should we doe but follow god through by-wayes , and knowe , that he will in spight of nature lead vs to our ende ? all the men of war must compasse the city ; yet it was not the presence of the great warriours of israel that threw downe the walls of iericho . those foundations were not so slightly laide ; as that they could not indure eyther a looke , or a march , or a batterie : it was the ark of god vvhose presence demolished the walles of that wicked citie . the same power that droue backe the waters of iordan before , and afterwardes laide dagon on the floore , cast downe all those forts . the priests beare on their shoulders that mighty engine of god , before which those walles , if they had been of molten brasse , could not stand . those spirituall wickednesses , yea those gates of hell , vvhich to nature are vtterlie inuincible , by the power of the worde of god ( which hee hath committed to the carriage of his weake seruants ) are ouerthrowne , and triumphed ouer . thy arke , o god , hath beene long amongst vs ; howe is it that the walles of our corruptions stand still vnruined . it hath gone before vs ; his priests haue carryed it , wee haue not followed it , our hearts haue not attended vppon it ; and therefore , how mighty soeuer it is in it selfe ; yet to vs , it hath not beene so powerfull , as it vvould . seuen dayes together they walkt this round ; they made this therfore their sabaoth-daies iourny ; and who knowes whether the last , and longest walke , which brought victory to israel , were not on this day ? not long before an israelit is stoned to death , for but gathering a few sticks , that daie : nowe all the host of israel must walke about the walls of a large and populous city , and yet doe not violate the day . gods precept is the rule of the iustice , and holines of all our actions : or was it , for that reuenge vpon gods enemies is an holy worke , and such , as god vouchsafes to priueledge with his owne day ? or , because when wee haue vndertaken the exploits of god , hee vvill abide no intermission , till wee haue fulfilled them ; hee allowes vs to breathe , not to breake off , till wee haue finished . it had beene as easie for god , to haue giuen this successe to their first daies walke , yea to their first pase , or their first sight of iericho ; yet hee will not giue it , vntill the end of their seuen daies toyle : it is the pleasure of god to holde vs both in worke , and in exeectation ; and though hee require our continuall indeuours for the subduing of our corruptions , during the sixe dayes of our life , yet wee shall neuer find it perfectly effected , till the verie euening of our last day : in the meane time , it must content vs , that wee are in our vvalke , and that these walles cannot stand , vvhen wee come to the measure , and number of our perfection . a good heart grones vnder the sense of his infirmities , faine vvould bee rid of them , and striues and prayes ; but when hee hath all done ; vntill the ende of the seuenth day , it cannot be : if a stone or two moulder off from these walles , in the meane time , that is all ; but the foundations will not bee remooued , till then . when wee heare of so great a designe as the miraculous winning of a mightie cittie , who vvould not looke for some glorious meanes to worke it ? when vvee heare that the arke of god must besiege iericho , vvho would not looke for some royall equipage ? but beholde heere , seuen priests must goe before it , with seuen trumpets of rammes hornes . the israelites had trumpets of siluer , vvhich god had appointed for the vse of assembling , and dissoluing the congregation , for warre , and for peace . now i doe not heare them called for ; but in steade thereof , trumpets of rams hornes ; base for the matter , and not loud for sound ; the shortnesse and equall measure of those instruments could not afford , either shrilnes of noyse , or variety . how meane and homely are those meanes vvhich god commonly vses in the most glorious workes ? no doubt , the citizens of iericho , answered this dull alarum of theirs , from their walles , vvith other instruments of lowder report , and more martiall ostentation ; and the vulgar israelites thought ; vvee haue as clear , and as costly trumpets as theirs ; yet no man dares offer to sound the better , when the worse are commaunded : if wee finde the ordinances of god poore and weake ; let it content vs that they are of his owne choosing , and such as whereby he will so much more honour himselfe , as they in themselues are more inglorious : not the outside , but the efficacy is it , that god cares for . no ramme of iron could haue beene so forceable for battery , as these rams-hornes : for when they sounded long , and were seconded vvith the shout of the israelites , all the walles of iericho fell downe at once : they made the heauen ring vvith their shout : but the ruine of those walles drowned their voice , and gaue a pleasant kinde of horrour to the israelites : the earth shooke vnder them , with the fall ; but the hearts of the inhabitants shooke yet more : many of them doubtlesse were slaine with those walles , wherein they had trusted : a man might see death in the faces of all the rest , that remayned ; who now being halfe dead vvith astonishment , expected the other halfe from the sword of their enemies ; they had now , neither meanes , nor will to resist ; for if onely one breach hadde beene made ( as it vses in other sieges ) for the entrance of the enemie ; perhaps new supplies of defendants might haue made it vp with their carcasses : but now , that at once , iericho is turned to a plaine fielde , euerie israelite vvithout resistance might runne to the next bootie ; and the throats of their enemies seemed to inuite their swordes , to a dispatch . if but one israelite had knockt at the gates of iericho , it might haue beene thought their hand had helped to the victory : now , that god may haue all the glorie , without the show of any riuall , yea of any meanes , they doe but walke and shout , and the walles giue way . hee cannot abide to part vvith any honour , from himselfe : as hee dooth all things , so hee would be acknowledged . they shout all at once . it is the presence of gods arke and our conioyned prayers , that are effectuall to the beating downe of wickednesse . they may not shout till they be bidden . if wee will be vnseasonable in our good actions , wee may hurt , and not benefit our selues . euerie liuing thing in iericho , man , woman , childe , cattel , must dy : our follie would thinke this mercilesse ; but there can bee no mercy in iniustice ; and nothing but iniustice , in not fulfilling the charge of god : the death of malefactors , the condemnation of wicked men , seeme harsh to vs ; but wee must learne of god , that there is a punishing mercy . cursed be that mercy , that opposes the god of mercy . yet was not ioshua so intent vpon the slaughter , as not to be mindfull of gods part , and rahabs : first , he giues charge ( vnder a curse ) of reseruing all the treasure for god ; then of preseruing the family of rahab . those two spyes , that receiued life from her , now returne it to her , and hers : they call at the window with the red cord ; and send vp newes of life to her , the same way which they receiued theirs . her house is no part of iericho ; neither may fire be sette to any building of that citie , till rahab & her family be set safe without the host . the actions of our faith and charitie will be sure to pay vs , if late , yet surely . now rahab findes what it is to belieue god ; whiles out of an impure idolatrous citie , she is transplanted into the church of god , and made a mother of a royall , and holy posteritie . achan . when the walls of iericho were fallen , ioshua charged the israelites but with two precepts ; of sparing . rahabs house ; and of abstaining frō that treasure , which was anathematized to god ; & one of them is broken : as in the entrance to paradise , but one tree was forbidden , and that was eaten of . god hath prouided for our weaknesse in the paucitie of commaunds : but our innocencie● stands not so much in hauing few● precepts , as in keeping those wee haue . so much more guiltie are we in the breach of one , as we are more fauoured in the number . they needed no commaund to spare no liuing thing in iericho : but to spare the treasure , no commaund was enough . impartialitie of execution is easier to performe , then contempt of these worldly things ; because wee are more prone to couet for our selues , then to pitty others . had ioshua bidden to saue the men , & diuide the treasure , his charge had been more plausible , then now to kill the men , and saue the treasure : or , if they must kill , earthly mindes would more gladly shed their enemies bloud , for a booty , then out of obedience , for the glory of their maker . but now , it is good reason , since god threw downe those walls , and not they ; that both the bloud of that wicked citie should be spilt to him , not to their owne reuenge ; and that the treasure should bee reserued for his vse , not for theirs . vvho but a miscreant can grudge , that god should serue himselfe of his owne ? i cannot blame the rest of israel , if they were well pleased with these conditions ; onely one achan , troubles the peace , and his sinne is imputed to israel : the innocence of so many thousand israelites , is not so forceable to excuse his one sinne , as his one sinne is to taint all israel . a lewd man is a pernicious creature : that hee damnes his ovvne soule , is the least part of his mischiefe ; hee commonlie drawes vengeance vpon a thousand , either by the desert of his sinne , or by the infection . vvho vvould not haue hoped , that the same god , vvhich for tenne righteous men would haue spared fiue vvicked citties , should not haue been content to drovvne one sinne , in the obedience of so many righteous ? but so venomous is sinne , ( especiallie , vvhen it lights among gods people ) that one ●ramme of it is able to infect the ●hole mass of israel . oh righteous people of israel , that had but one achan ! how had their late circumcision cut away the vncleane foreskin of their disobedience ? how had the blood of their paschall lambe scoured their soules from couetous desires ? the world was well mended with them , since their stubburne murmurings , in the desert . since the death of moses , and the gouernment of ioshua , i doe not finde them in any disorder . after that the law hath brought vs vnder the conduct of the true iesus ▪ our sinnes are more rare , and our liues more conscionable . whiles we are vnder the law , wee do no● so keepe it , as when wee are deliuered from it : our christian freedome , is more holy then our seruitude . then haue the sacraments of god their due effect , when their receit purgeth vs from our old sinnes , and makes our conuersation cleane , and spirituall . little did iosua know that there was any sacriledge committed by israel : that sinne is not halfe cunning enough , that hath not learned secrecy . ioshua was a vigilant leader , yet some sins will escape him : onely that eye which is euery where , findes vs out in our close wickednesse . it is no blame to authority , that some sinnes are secretly committed : the holiest congregation , or family , may be blemisht with some malefactors : it is iust blame , that open sinnes are not punished ; we shall wrong gouernment , if wee shall expect the reach of it should be infinite . hee therefore , which if hee had knowne the offence , would haue sent vp prayers , and teares to god , now sends spyes for a further discouery of ai ; they returne , with newes of the weaknesse of their aduersaries : and ( as contemning their paucitie ) perswade ioshua , that a vving of israel is enough to ouershadow this citie of ai. the israelites were so fleshed vvith their former victorie , that now they think no walls , or men can stand before them . good successe lifts vppe the heart vvith too much confidence ; and vvhiles it disswades men from dooing their best , oft-times disappoynts them . with god , the meanes can neuer be too weake ; without him , neuer strong enough . it is not good to contemne an impotent enemy . in this second battell the israelites are beaten : it was not the fewness of their assaylants that ouerthrew them , but the sin that lay lurking at home . if all the host of israel , had sette vpon this poore village of ai , ●hey had beene all equally discomfited : the wedge of achan did more fight against them , then ●ll the swords of the canaanites . the victories of god go not by strength , but by innocence . doubtlesse these men of ai , insulted in this foyle of israel , and said ; loe these are the men , from whose presence the waters of iordan ran back , now they run as fast away from ours : these are they , before whom the walls of iericho fell downe ; now they are fallen as fast before vs ; & all their neighbours tooke heart from this victory . wherein i doubt not , but besides the punishment of israels sin , god intended the further obduration of the canaanites : like as some skilfull player loses on purpose , at the beginning of the game , to draw on the more abetments . the newes of their ouerthrow spred as far as the fame of their speed ; and euery cittie of canaan could say , why not wee , as well as ai ? but good ioshua , that succeeded moses , no lesse in the care of gods glory , then in his gouernment , is much deiected with this euent . hee rends his clothes , falls on his face , casts dust vpon his head , and ( as if he had learned of his maister , how to expostulate with god ) sayes , what wilt thou doe to thy mighty name ? that ioshua might see , god tooke no pleasure to let the israelites lie dead vpon the earth , before their enemies ; himselfe is taxed , for but lying all day , vpon his face , before the arke . all his expostulations are answered in one word , get thee vp , israel hath sinned . i doe not heare god say , ly still , and moure for the sinne of israel . it is to no purpose to pray against punishment , while the sin continues . and though god loues to be sued to ; yet hee holds our requests vnseasonable , till there be care had of satisfaction . when we haue risen , and redressed sinne , then may we fall down for pardon . victorie is in the free hand of god , to dispose where hee will ; and no man can maruell that the dice of warre run euer with hazard , on both sides : so as god needed not to haue giuen any other reason of this discomfiture of israel , but his owne pleasure : yet ioshua must now know , that israel , which before preuailed for their faith , is beaten for their sin . when we are crossed in iust , and holie quarrells , we may well think there is some secret euil vnrepented of , which god would punish in vs ; which , tho we see not , yet hee so hates , that he will rather be wanting to his owne cause , then not reuenge it . when we goe about any enterprise of god , it is good to see that our hearts bee cleare from any pollution of sinne ; and when wee are thwarted in our hopes , it is our best course to ransack our selues , and to search for some sinne hid from vs in our bosome , but open to the view of god. the oracle of god , which told him a great offence was committed , yet reueales not the person : it had beene as easie for him , to haue named the man , as the crime . neither dooth ioshua request it ; but referres that discouery to such a meanes ; as whereby the offender ( finding himselfe singled out by the lot ) might bee most conuinced . achan thought he might haue lyen as close in all that throng of israel , as the wedge of gold lay in his tent. the same hope of secrecie which mooued him to sinne , mooued him to confidence in his sin : but now , when he saw the lot fall vpon his tribe , hee began to start a little ; when vpon his family , hee beganne to change countenance ; when vpon his houshold , to tremble and fear ; when vpon his person , to be vtterly confounded in himselfe . foolish men thinke to run away with their priuie sinnes ; and say , tush , no eye shall see me : but whē they think themselues safest , god pulls them out with shame . the man that hath escaped iustice , and now is lying downe in death , vvould thinke ; my shame shall neuer be disclosed : but , before men and angels shall hee bee brought on the scaffold , and finde confusion , as sure , as late . what needed any other euidence , when god had accused achan ? yet ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth , in whose hart it was hatched ; my sonne , i beseech thee , giue glory to god. whom god had conuinced as a malefactor , ioshua beseeches as a son . some hote spirit would haue said ; thou wretched traytor , how hast thou pilfred from thy god , and shedde the bloud of so many israelites , and caused the host of israel to show their backs , with dishonour , to the heathens : now shall wee fetch this sin out : of thee with tortures ; and plague thee with a condigne death . but like the disciple of him ▪ whose seruant he was , he meekly intreates that , which hee might haue extorted by violence , ( my son , i beseech thee ) . sweetnes of compellation , is a great help towards the good entertainment of an admonition : roughnes and rigor , many times hardens those harts , which meeknesse would haue melted to repentance : whether wee sue , o● conuince , or reproue , little good is gotten by bitternesse . detestation of the sinne , may well stand with fauour to the person : and these two , not distinguished , cause great wrong , either in our charity , or iustice ; for , either wee vncharitably hate the creature of god , or vniustly affect the euil of men . subiects are , as they are called , sonnes to the magistrate : all israel was not onely of the family , but , as of the loynes of ioshua ; such must be the corrections , such the prouisions of gouernours , as for their children ; as againe , the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall . god had glorified himselfe sufficiently , in finding out the wickednesse of achan ; neither need he honor from men , much lesse from sinners ; they can dishonor him by their iniquities : but what recompence can they giue him , for their wrongs ? yet ioshua sayes , my sonne , giue glory to god ; israel should now see , that the tongue of achan did iustifie god in his lot . the confession of our sinnes doth no lesse honour god , then his glory is blemished by their commission . who would not be glad to redeem the honor of his redeemer , with his owne shame ? the lot of god , and the milde words of ioshua , won achan to accuse himself , ingenuously , impartially : a storm perhaps would not haue done that , which a sunshine hath done . if achan had come in vncalled , and before any question made , out of an honest remorse , had brought in this sacrilegious booty , & cast himselfe and it , at the foot of ioshua ; doubtless , israel had prospered , & his sin had caried away pardon : now , he hath gotten thus much thanke , that he is not a desperat sinner . god will once wring frō the conscience of wicked men their owne inditements ; they haue not more carefullie hid their sin , then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame . achans confession , tho it were ●ate , yet was it free , and full : for hee doth not onely acknowledge the act , but the ground 〈◊〉 his sin ; i saw , and coueted , and too●● the eye betrayed the heart ; an● that , the hand ; and now all conspire in the offence . if we list n●● to flatter our selues , this hath b● the order of our crimes : euill 〈◊〉 vniforme ; and beginning at th● senses , takes the inmost fort 〈◊〉 the soule , and then armes o● owne outward forces , against v● this shall once be the lasciuio● mans song , i saw , and coueted , tooke : this the thieues ; this th● idolaters ; this the gluttons an● drunkards : all these receiue the death by their eye . but , oh fo●●lish achan ! with what eyes did thou look vpon that spoile , whi●● thy fellowes saw , and contemned why couldest thou not before , well as now , see shame hid vnder ●hat gay babylonish garment ? and ●n heape of stones couered with ●hose shekels of siluer ? the ouer●rizing , & ouer-desiring of these ●arthly things , caries vs into all mischiefe ; and hides vs from the ●●ght of gods iudgements : whosoeuer admires the glory of me●alls , or of gay clothes , or honor , ●annot be innocent . well might ioshua haue pro●eeded to the execution of him , whom god , and his own mouth ●ccused : but , as one that thought ●o euidence could be too strong 〈◊〉 a case , that was capitall ; hee ●ends to see , whether there was ●s much truth in the confession , as ●ere was falshood in the stealth . magistrates and iudges , must pase slowly , & sure , in the punishment of offenders . presumptions are not ground enough for the sentence of death ; no , not in some cases , the confessions of the guiltie : it is no warrant for the law to wrong a man , that hee hath before wronged himselfe . there is lesse ill in sparing an offender , then in punishing the innocent . who wold not haue expected , since the confession of achan was ingenuous , and his pillage still found entyre , that his life should haue beene pardoned ? but heere was , confesse , and dye : he had been too long sick of this disease , to bee recouered . had his confession beene speedy , and free , it had saued him . how dangerous it is , to suffer sin to lye fretting into the soule ! vvhich if it vvere washt off betimes with our repentance , could not kill vs. in mortall offences , the course of humane iustice is not stayd by our penitence : it is wel for our soules that we haue repented ; but the lawes of men take not notice of our sorrow . i knowe not whether the death , or the teares of a malefactor , be a better sight : the censures of the church are wip't off with vveeping , not the penalties of lawes . neither is achan alone cald foorth to death , but all his familie , all his substance . the actor alone doth not smart with sacriledge ; all that concerns him is enwrapped , in the iudgement . those that defile their hands with holy goods , are enemies to their owne flesh , & blood . gods first reuenges are so much the more fearefull , because they must be exemplary . the gibeonites . the newes of israels victory had flowne ouer all the mountains , and vallyes of canaan ; & yet those heathenish kings , and people , are mustered together against them . they might haue seene themselues in iericho , and ai ; and haue wel perceiued , it was not an arme of flesh , that they must resist ; yet they gather their forces , and say , tush , wee shall speed better . it is madnesse in a man , not to be warned ; but to runne vpon the poynt of those iudgements , wherewith hee sees others miscary ; and not to belieue , till he cannot recouer . our assent is purchased too late , when we haue ouer-stayd preuention ; & trust to that experience , which we cannot liue to redeeme . only the hiuites are wiser then their fellowes , & will rather yield and liue . their intelligence was not diuerse from the rest ; all had equally heard of the miraculous conduct , and successe of israel : but their resolution was diuerse . as rahab saued her family , in the midst of iericho : so these foure citties preserued themselues , in the midst of canaan ; and both of them , by belieuing vvhat god vvould doo . the efficacie of gods maruailous works , is not in the acts themselues , but in our apprehension ; some are ouer-come with those motiues , which others haue contemned for weake . had these gibeonites ioyned with the forces of all their neighbours , they had perished in their common slaughter ; if they had not gone a way by themselues , death had mette them ; it may haue more pleasure , it cannot haue so much safety , to follow the multitude . if examples may lead vs , the greatest part shuts out god , vpon earth , and is excluded from god elswhere . some fevv poore hiuites yeeld to the church of god , and escape the condemnation of the world . it is very like , their neighbours flouted at this base submission of the gibeonites ; & out of their tearms of honor , scorned to beg life of an enemy , whiles they were out of the compasse of mercy : but when the bodies of these proud iebusites and perizzites lay strawed vpon the earth , and the gibeonites suruiued , whether was more woorthy of scorne , and insultation ? if the gibeonites had stayed till israel had besieged their citties , their yieldance had beene fruitlesse ; now they make an early peace , and are preserued . there is no wisedome in staying till a iudgement come home to vs ; the onely way to auoid it , is to meet it halfe way . there is the same remedy of warre , and of danger : to prouoke an enemy in his own borders , is the best stay of inuasion ; and to solicite god betimes in a manifest danger , is the best antidote for death . i commend their wisedom in seeking peace ; i doe not commend their falshood , in the manner of seeking it : who can looke for any better of pagans ? but as the faith of rahab is so rewarded , that her lye is not punished : so the fraude of these gibeonites , is not an equall match to their beliefe ; since the name of the lord god of israel , brought them to this suit of peace . nothing is found fitter to deceiue gods people , then a counterfeit copy of age . heer are old sacks , old bottles , old shooes , old garments , old bread . the israelites that had worne one suit fortie yeeres , seemed new-clad in comparison of them . it is no new policie , that satan would beguile vs with a vaine colour of antiquitie , clothing falshood in ragges . errours are neuer the elder , for their patching : corruption can doe the same that time vvould doe ; vvee may make age , as well as suffer it . these gibeonites did teare their bottles , and shooes , and clothes , and made them naught , that they might seeme old : so doe the false patrons of new errours . if wee be caught with this gibeonitish stratagem , it is a signe wee haue not consulted with god. the sentence of death vvas gone out against all the inhabitants of canaan . these hiuites acknowledge the truth , and iudgements of god , and yet seeke to escape by a league with israel . the generall denunciations of the vengeance of god , enwrappe all sinners ; yet may vvee not despayre of mercie . if the secret counsell of the almightie had not designed these men to life , ioshua could not haue beene deceiued , vvith their league . in the generalitie there is no hope : let vs come in the old ragges of our vilenesse , to the true ioshua , & make our truce with him ; we may liue , yea , wee shall liue . some of the israelites suspect the fraude ; and notwithstanding all their old garments , and prouisions , can say , it may be thou dwellest among vs. if ioshua had continued this doubt , the gibeonites had torne their bottles in vaine . in cases and persons vnknowne , it is safe not to be too credulous : charitie it selfe will allow suspicion , where wee haue seene no cause to trust . if these hiuites had not put on new faces , with their old clothes , they had surely changed countenaunce , when they heard this argument of the israelites , ( it may ●e thou dwellest amongst vs ; how ●●en can i make a league with thee ? ) they had perhaps hoped , their ●●bmission would not haue been ●●fused , where-soeuer they had ●●welt : but , lest their neighbour●ood might be a preiudice , they ●ome disguised ; and now heare , ●●at their nearnesse of abode was 〈◊〉 vnremoueable barre of peace . 〈◊〉 was quarrell enough , that they ●●re canaanites ; god had for●●dden both the league , and the 〈◊〉 of the natiue inhabitants . hee ●●at calls himselfe the god of ●●ace , proclaimes himselfe the ●●d of hostes : and not to fight ●here he hath commaunded , is to ●●ak the peace with god , whiles 〈◊〉 nourish it with men . contention with brethren , is not mo●● hatefull to him , then leagues wi●● idolaters . the condition that h● hath set to our peace , is our possi●bilitie , and our power . that fall not within the possibility of ou● power , which wee cannot do●● lawfully . what a smooth tale did the● gibeonites tell for themselues ? 〈◊〉 the remoteness of their country the motiues of their iourney ; 〈◊〉 consultation of their elders ; th● ageing of their prouisions in th● way : that it might seem not on●●lie safe , but deserued on the parts , that they should bee a●●mitted to a peace , so far sough● & purchased with so much toy●● and importunitie . their cloth● and their tongues agreed together ; and both disagree from the truth : deceit is euer lightlie wrapped vp in plausibilitie of vvords ; as faire faces oft times hide much vnchastitie . but this guile spedde the better , because it vvas cladde vvith much plainnesse : for vvho vvould haue suspected , that clouted shooes , and ragged coates could haue couered so much subtiltie ? the case seemed so cleare , that the israelites thought it needlesse to consult vvith the mouth of the lord. their ovvne eyes and eares vvere called onelie to counsell ; and now their credulitie hath drawne them into inconuenience . there is no way to conuince these gibeonitish pretences of antiquitie , but to haue recourse to the oracle of god. had this been aduised with , none of these false ragges had shamed the church of god : whether in our practise , or iudgement , this direction cannot faile vs ; whereas , what we take vp on the words of men , proues euer either light , or false wares . the facilitie of israel had ledde them into a league , to an oath , for the safety of the gibeonites : and now within three dayes they finde both their neighborhood and deceit . those old shooes of theirs , would easily hold to cary them back to their home . the march of a great army , is easy : yet within three dayes the israelites were before their cities . ioshua might now haue taken aduantage of their owne words , to dissolue his league ; and haue said ; yee are come from a farre country , these citties are neare ; these are not therfore the people , to whom we are ingaged by our promise , and oath : and if these citties bee yours , yet ye are not your selues . ere-while , yee were strangers ; now ye are hiuites , borne and dwelling in the midst of canaan : wee will therefore destroy these citties neare hand , and doe you saue your people a farre off . it would seeme very questionable , whether ioshua needed to hold himselfe bound to this oath ; for fraudulent conuentions oblige not ; and israel had put in a direct caueat of their vicinity : yet dare not ioshua , and the princes trust to shifts , for the eluding their oath ; but must faithfully performe , what they haue rashly promised . ioshuas heart was cleare from any intention of a league with a canaanite , when hee gaue his oath to these disguised strangers : yet hee durst neither repeale it himselfe , neither doe i hear him sue to eleazar the high priest , to dispense vvith it ; but takes himselfe tyed , to the very strict words of his oath ; not to his own purposes . his tongue had bound his heart and hands : so as neither might stirre ; lest while hee vvas curious of fulfilling the will of god , hee should violate the oath of god. and if these gibeonites hadde not knowne these holie bonds indissoluble , they neither had beene so importunate to obtaine their vow , nor durst haue trusted it beeing obtayned . if either dispensation with oathes , or equiuocation in oathes , had beene known in the world , or at least approoued , these gibeonites had not liued , and israel had slaine them without sin : either israel wanted skill ; or our reseruers , honestie . the multitude of israel , when they came to the walls of these foure exempted cities , itched to be at the spoile : not out of a desire to fulfill gods commaundement , but to enrich themselues , would they haue falne vpon these hiuites ; they thought all lost that fell besides their fingers . the wealthy cittie of iericho , was first altogether interdicted them ; the walls & houses either fell , or must be burnt ; the men and cattell killed ; the goods and treasure confiscate to god. achans bootie showes that cittie was both rich , and proud : yet israel might be no whit the better for them , carying away nothing but empty victory ; and now foure other cities must be exempted from their pillage . many an enuious looke did israel therefore cast vpon these walls ; & many bitter words did they cast out against their princes , the enemies of their gaine ; whether for swearing , or for that they would not forsweare : but how-soeuer , the princes might haue said in a returne to their fraud ; we swore indeed to you , but not the people : yet , if any israelite had but pulled downe one stone from their walls , or shed one droope of gibeonitish blood ; hee had no lesse plagued all israel for periury , then achan had before plagued them , for sacriledge . the sequel showes how god would haue taken it : for , when three hundred yeeres after , saul ( perhaps forgetting the vow of his fore-fathers ) slew some of these gibeonites , althogh out of a wel-meant zeale ; all israel smarted for the fact , with a three yeares famine , and that in dauids raigne : who receiued this oracle from god , it is for saul , and for his bloudie house , because he slew the gibeonites . neither could this wrong be expiated , but by the blood of sauls seuen sonnes , hanged vp at the very court-gates of their father . ioshua and the princes had promised them life ; they promised them not libertie : no couenaunt was past against their seruitude . it was iust therefore with the rulers of israel , to make slauery the price both of their liues , and their deceit . the israelites had themselues been drudges , if the gibeonites had not beguiled them , and liued . the old ragges therefore wherewith they came disguised , must now be their best suites , and their life must bee toylesomlie spent in heawing of wood , and drawing of water , for all israel . how deare is life to our nature , that men can be content to purchase it with seruitude ? it is the wisdom of gods children to make good vse of their ouer-sights . the rash oath of israel , prooues their aduantage : euen wicked men gaine by the out-side of good actions : good men make a benefit of their sinnes . finis . faults of the presse thus to be corrected . read yea for yet . page . line . adoring for adorning . pa. . l. vlt. contentments for contemners . p. . l. . one of the sermons preacht at westminster, on the day of the publike fast (april . ) to the lords of the high court of parliament and by their appointment published. by the b. of exceter. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) one of the sermons preacht at westminster, on the day of the publike fast (april . ) to the lords of the high court of parliament and by their appointment published. by the b. of exceter. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed [by william stansby and miles flesher] for nath. butter, london : . b. of exceter = joseph hall. "stansby pr[inted]. b-e, flesher the rest"--stc. "a sermon preach't to his maiestie, on the sunday before the fast, (being march. .) at white-hall" has separate dated title page with "printed by m.f." in the imprint; pagination and register are continuous. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion one of the sermons preacht at westminster , on the day of the publike fast ( april . ) to the lords of the high court of parliament and by their appointment published . by the b. of exceter . london , printed for nath butter . . esay . the . and . verses . what could haue heene done more to my vineyard that i haue not done in it ? wherefore when i looked that it should bring foorth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes , and now goe to , i will tell you , what i will doe to my vineyard ; i will take away the hedge thereof . it is a peece of a song ( for so it is called vers . . alas , what should songs doe to an heauie heart , pro. . . or musicke in a day of mourning , howling and lamentation is fitter for this occasion ? surely , as wee doe sometimes weepe for ioy ; so doe wee sing also for sorrow , thus also doth the prophet here ; if it bee a song , it is a dump ; esayes lachrymae ; fit for that ( sheminith ) grauis symphonia , as tremelius turnes it , which some sad psalmes were set vnto : both the dittie , and the tune are dolefull : there are in it three passionate straines ; fauours , wrongs , reuenge : blessings , sinnes , iudgement ; fauours and blessings from god to israel ; sinnes ( which are the highest wrongs ) from israel to god ; iudgements , by way of reuenge , from god to israel ; and each of those follow vpon other ; god begins with fauours to his people ; they answere him with their sinnes , hee replies vpon them with iudgements ; and all of these are in their height ; the fauours of god are such as hee askes . what could be more ; the sins are aggrauated by those fauours ; what worse then wilde grapes and disappointment ? and the iudgements must be aggrauated to the proportion of their sinnes , what worse then the hedge taken away , the wall broken , the vinyard troden downe , and eaten vp : let vs follow the stepps of god , and his prophet , in all these ; and when we haue passed these in israel , let vs seeke to them at home : what should i need to craue attention ; the busines is both gods , and our owne . god and wee beginne with fauours ; fauours not meane and ordinary ; not expressed in a right-downe affirmation , but in an expostulatorie , and selfe-conuincing question ; what could haue beene done more to my vineyard that i haue not done to it ? euery word is a new obligation . that israel is a vineyard is no small fauour of god , that it is gods vineyard , is yet more ; that it is gods vineyard so exquisitely cultiuated , as nothing more could bee either added , or desired , is most of all : israel is no vast desert , no wilde forrest , no moorish fenne , no barren heath , no thornie thicket but a vineyard ; a soyle of vse and fruit . looke where you will in gods booke yee shall neuer finde any liuely member of gods church compared to any but a fruitfull tree ; not to a tall cypresse the embleme of vnprofitable honor , nor to a smooth ash the embleme of vnprofitable prelacie , that doth nothing but beare keyes : nor to a double-coloured poplar , the embleme of dissimulation ; nor to a wel shaded plane , that hath nothing but forme ; nor to a hollow maple , nor to a trembling aspe ; nor to a prickly thorne ; shortly , not to any plant whatsoeuer whose fruit is not vsefull and beneficiall ; heare this then yee goodly cedars , strong elmes , fast-growing willowes , sappie sycomores , and all the rest of the fruitlesse trees of the earth , i meane all fashionable and barren professors whatsoeuer , yee may shoote vp in height , yee may spread farre , shade well , show faire , but what are yee good for ? yee may bee fit for the forrest , ditches , hedgrowes of the world ; yee are not for the true sauing soyle of gods israel ; that is a vineyard ; there is place for none but vines ; & true vines are fruitfull : he that abideth in me bringeth foorth much fruit , saith our sauiour , iohn . . and of all fruits , what is comparable to that of the vine ? let the vine it selfe speake in iothams parable , iud. . . should i leaue my wine which cheareth god and man ? how is this ? god cheared with wine ? it is an high hyperbole ; yet seconded by the god of truth ; i will drinke no more of the fruit of this vine , till i drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom , mat. . . it must needes be an excellent liquor which is vsed to resemble the ioyes of heauen : yea , the bloud of the sonne of god , that celestial nectar , which to morrow shall cheere our soules , is it otherwise resembled then by the bloud of the grape ? he is vitis vera , the true vine this is his iuice . alas ; would god we had not too much cause to complaine of the pleasure of this fruit ; religion , reason , humanitie sauour not to the palate of many in comparison of it ? wine is a mocker , saith salomon : how many thousands doth it daily cheate of their substance , of their patrimony , of their health , of their wit , of their sense , of their life , of their soule ? oh that we had the grace to bee sensible of our owne scorne , and danger ; but this is the honour of the fruit , and the shame of the man : the excesse is not more our sinne , then the delicacie is the prayse of the grape ; for sweetnesse of verdure , then all plants will yeild to the vine ; so tastfull , so pleasing , so delightfull vnto god are the persons , the graces , the endeauours of his israel . their persons are , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rom. . . their loue is better then wine cant. . . their almes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sweete smelling sauour , philip. . . their prayers as euening incense ; of a most fragrant composition ; and , for the rest of their wordes ; the roofe of their mouth is like the best wine , cant. . . acceptation hath woont to bee the incouragement of forwardnesse ; honorable and beloued , how should this harten vs in our holy stations , in our conscionable actions ; whiles wee continue vines it is not in the power of our imperfections , to lose our thankes ; the delicatest grape cannot bee so rellish-some to the palate of man , as our poore weake obediences are to the god of mercies . thou hast rauished my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast rauished my heart ; saith christ of his church , cant. . . the vine is a noble plant , but a feeble and tender one ; other trees grow vp alone out of the strength of their owne sap ; this grouels on the ground , and rots if it haue not an elme to prop it ; like as man , the best creature , is in his birth most helplesse ; and would presently die without outward succours ; such is the israel of god ; the worthiest peece of gods creation ; yet of it selfe impotent to good ; here is no growth , no life but from that diuine hand ; without me can yee do nothing : they are no vines that can stand alone ; those proud spirits , as they haue no need of god , so god hath no interest in them ; his israel is a vineyard ; and the vine must be propped . as a vineyard , so gods vineyard . the church shall be sure not to be masterlesse : there is much waste ground that hath no owner ; our globe can tell vs of a great part of the world , that hath no name but incognita , not knowne , whether it haue any inhabitant ; but a vineyard was neuer without a possessor ; till noah the true ianus planted one , there was no newes of any ; come into some wilde indian forrest all furnished with goodly trees , you know not whether euer man were there ; gods hand we are sure hath beene there ; perhaps not mans ; but if you come into a well dressed vineyard , where you see the hillockes equally swelling , the stakes pitcht in a iust height & distance , and the vines , handsomly pruned , now it is easie to say ( as the philosopher did when he found figures ) here hath bin a man , yea a good husband . there is an vniuersall prouidence of god ouer the world ; but there is a speciall eye , and hand of god ouer his church : in this god challengeth a peculiar interest that is his ( as wee heard worthily this day ) in a double right , of confederation , of redemption ; israel is my sonne , yea my first borne , saith god to pharaoh : thou hast brought a vine out of egypt , thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it , saith the psalmist , . . oh the blasphemous diffidence of foolish men ! can we , dare we impute ill husbandry to the god of heauen ? hath god a vineyard , and shall he not tend it ? shall hee not mightily protect it ? goe on , yee foxes , yee little foxes , to spoile the tender grapes ; goe on yee boares of the wood to waste this vineyard , and ye wild beasts of the field to deuoure it ; our sinnes , our sinnes haue giuen this scope to your violence , and our calamitie : but yee shall once know that this vineyard hath an owner ; euen the mightie god of iacob ; euery cluster that you haue spoiled shall be fetcht backe againe from the bloudie wine-presse of his wrath : and in spight of all the gates of hell , this vine shall flourish . euen so , returne we beseech thee , o god of hosts ; looke downe from heauen and visit this vine : and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted : and the branch that thou madest strong for thy selfe . yee haue seene israel a vineyard , and gods vineyard ▪ now cast your eyes vpon the fauours that god hath done to his vineyard israel ; such , as that god appeales their owne hearts for iudges ; what could haue beene done more to my vineyard that i haue not done ? marke , i beseech you ; hee doth not say , what could haue beene done more then hath beene done , but , more , that i haue not done ; challenging all the acts done to his vineyard for his owne ; as the soyle is his , so is all the culture ; hee that else where makes himselfe the vine , and his father the husbandman , here , makes israel the vine , and himselfe the husbandman ; nothing is , nothing can bee done to his church that passeth not his hands : my father still worketh , saith hee , and i worke . this worke , this care knowes no end , no limits . many a good husband ouer-taskes himselfe , and vndertakes more , then his eye can ouerlooke , or his hand sway ; and therefore is faine to trust to the menagement of others ; and it speedes thereafter . but the owner of this vineyard is euery where ; and workes where euer he is ; nothing can passe his eye , euery thing must passe his hand ; this is the difference betwixt salomons vineyard , and his that is greater then salomon ; salomon lets out his vineyard to keepers , cant. . . christ keepes his in his owne hand ; hee vseth indeed the helpe of men , but as tooles , rather then as agents , he workes by them , they cannot worke but by him ; are any of you great ones , benefactours to his church ( a rare stile i confesse in these not datiue but ablatiue times ) yee are but as the hands of the subalmoners of heauen : god giues by you : are any great potentates of the earth secret or open persecutours of his church : ashur is the rod of my wrath , saith god ; they are but as gods pruning kniues , to make his vine bleede out her superfluous iuice : god cuts by them : he is the author of both , men are the instruments . to him must we returne the prayse of his mercie in the one , and in the other , the awe of his iudgements , what euer is done to his church , god doth it himselfe . neither doth hee say , what could i haue done more that i haue not done , as our former translation reads it , with a reference to his absolute power ; according whereto , we know that he can do more then hee doth , more then hee will doe , but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) quid faciendum ; what could haue beene done more in respect of the exigence of the occasion ; would god set his omnipotent power vpon it , we know hee could make all the world israel ; he could make all israel saints , hee could haue made deuils men , men angels . but god vses not to proceed according to the rule of an absolute omnipotencie , but according to the oeconomie of his most holy , most wise , most iust decrees : whereby hee hath chalked out vnto men those wayes , and helpes of saluation , which hee sees fit for the attainment of that end ; these are they wherein he hath not beene fayling to his israel . of these hee sayes , what could haue beene done more that i haue not done ? see what notice god takes , and what reckonings hee keepes of all the good that hee doth to any church or people ; he files vp all his blessings ; hee is bountifull not profuse ; open-handed , but not so as that his largesse makes him respectlesse or forgetfull of his beneficences ; hee giues not like the picture of fortune , blindfolded ; or , like an almoner in a throng , hee knowes not to whom ; he notes both the man and the fauour ; in our gifts , our left hand may not know what our right hand doth , because our weaknesse is subiect to a proud-selfe-conceit , and a mis-opinion of too much obligation in the receiuer ; but he , whose infinite goodnesse is not liable to any danger of those infirmities which follow our sinfull nature , sets all his mercies on the score , and will not balke one of the least . hee that could say to israel i tooke thee from among the pots , and to dauid , i tooke thee from following the ewes great with lambe ; doe yee not thinke he still sayes to his anointed , i brought you from weake in the cradle to strong in the throne ; i kept you from treacherous hands ; i returnd you safe from the dangers of your southerne voyage i haue giuen you not the hands and knees , but the harts of your subiects . doe i not thinke hee saith to mee , i brought thee from the ferule to a pastorall staffe ; to another , i brought thee from the bench of iustice to the seate of honour ; to an other i deliuered thee from the sword of thine enemie , from the bed of thy sicknesse , from the walls of thy restraint , from the powder myne ; i made thee noble , thee rich , thee potent ; i made this country populous , that citie wealthy , this kingdome strong , bee sure , if we be forgetfull , god will not mis-reckon his owne mercies : our fauours are ( like our selues ) poore and impotent , worthy to bee scribled vpon the sand , that they may bee washt off with the next waue , his , are full of goodnesse , and infinite compassion , fit for the marble of an eternall remembrance . honourable and beloued , why doe not we keepe one part of the tally , as hee keepes the other , that so wee may hold eeuen reckonings with our munificent god ? how should wee meditate continually of the gracious and wonderfull works of his bountie , knowing that god hath so done his great works , that they ought to bee had in perpetuall memory ; how should wee gratefully recount his fauours , and call the world about vs , with the sweete singer of israel ; come hither , and heare all yee that feare god , and i will tell you what hee hath done for my soule , psal . . . o god it is a iust quarrell that thou hast against vs for our vnthankfulnesse ; the familiaritie of thy blessings haue drawne them into neglect . alas , thy mercies haue not beene sowne , but buried in vs ; we haue beene gulfes to swallow them , not repositories to keepe them ; how worthily do we smart , because wee forget . how iustly are thy iudgements seene vpon vs , because thy mercies are not . away with this wretched ingratitude ; oh loue the lord , all yee his saints , for the lord preserueth the faithfull , and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer . what then is it , o lord , what is it that thou hast done , then which more could not bee done for thy vineyard ? thou best knowest thine own mercies , and canst best expresse them : thou that wouldst not haue vs search into thy counsels , wouldst not haue vs ignorant of thy fauours : those are particularized in the foregoing words : in thy choice . in thy fence , in picking , in planting , in ouersight , in pressing ; first , there is the aduantage of the place chosen ; where hath hee setled his vineyard but vpon a very fruitfull hill ? a double aduantage , an hill , and very fruitfull : hils are held best for vines ; the decliuitie whereof giues much strength to the reflexion ; so as the most generous vines are noted to grow vpon the hils . yet , there are barren hils ; nothing but heapes of vnprofitable sands ; this is a fruitfull hill , yea superlatiuely fruitfull , the home of the son of oyle , as it is in the originall ; that is , by an hebraisme ; an hill eminently fat and fertile . but what would it auaile the ground to bee fruitfull , if it bee vnfenced , that the wild bore , or the foxes may spoyle it : as good no fruit as to no purpose . loe then here , secondly , both an hedge , and , least that should not bee sufficient , a wall. but to what purpose should it be fenced with stones without , if it bee choaked with stones within ; as therefore thirdly the stones were laide together in the wall , for defence ; so they were gathered off from the soyle to auoide offence . but to what purpose is the fruitfulnesse , fencing , stoning , if the ground yeeld a plentifull crop of bryers , thistles , weedes ? iniussa virescunt gramina ; ill weedes grow fast ; here is therefore , fourthly , the maine fauour to this vineyard , that the owner hath planted it with choisest vines ; it is the praise of the earth , to softer any plant that is put into the bosome of it ; it is the chief care of the husbandman to store it with mants of worth : now all this prouision of soyle , fencing , stoning , planting , were nothing without a continual ouer-sight ; the wise owner therfore . fiftly , builds , not a bowre , not a banqueting house , for pleasure , but a towre for suruay ; and that not in some obscure angle , but in the midst of the vineyard , that hee may view the carriage of his labourers , and descrie the first danger of the annoyances . lastly , to what purpose were all this choyce , fencing , stoning , planting , ouer-sight , if when the grapes are grown to their due ripenesse , they should not bee improued to an vsefull vintage , this must be done by the wine-presse ; that is set vp : and now , what can remaine , but the setting vnder of vessels to receiue the comfortable iuice , that shall flow from these , so well husbanded clusters . all this hath god done for his vinyard , what could haue beene done more ? not to dwell in the mysts of allegories ; god himselfe hath reade this riddle . the vineyard of the lord of hoasts is the house of israel : and the house of israel is his church . the church is gods hill , conspicuous for his wonderfull fauours ( though not euer ) euen to the eye of the world ; not an hidden vnheeded valley . a fruitfull hill , not by nature , but by grace ; nature was like it selfe , in it , in the world ; god hath taken it in from the barren downes , and gooded it : his choice did not find but make it thus . thus chosen hee hath fenced it about with the hedge of discipline , with the wall of his almightie protection . thus fenced hee hath ordained , by iust censures to picke out of it those stones of offence , which might hinder their holy proceedings , and keepe downe the grouth of the vines ; whether scandalous men , false opinions , or euill occurrences . thus cleared , he hath planted it with the choysest vines of gracious motions , of wholsome doctrines , thus planted , hee hath ouerlookt it from the watch-towre of heauen , in a carefull inspection vpon their wayes , in a prouident care of their preseruation . thus ouer-looked , he hath indeuoured to improue it by his seasonable wine-presse in reducing all these powers and fauours , to act , to vse ; whether by fatherly corrections , or by suggesting meet opportunities of practice ; and now hauing thus chosen , fenced , cleared , planted , watched , and ordered to straine his vines , hee sayes most iustly what could haue beene done more that i haue not done ? certainely it is not in the power of any humane apprehension to conceiue what act could be added to perfect his culture , what blessing could bee added to the indearing of a church . if hee haue made choyce of a people for his owne ; if he haue blessed them with good gouernement , with safe protection , if he haue remoued all hinderances of their proficiencie ; if hee haue giuen them wholesome instructions , and plide them with solicitations to good ; if his prouident eye haue beene euer ouer them for their deliuerances ; if lastly , he haue vsed both faire & foule meanes to wring from them the good iuice of their obedience ; say men are angels . what could haue beene done more ? what church so euer in the world can make good to it selfe these specialities of mercie , let it know that god hath abated nothing to it of the height of his fauour . these are the fauours wherewith god hath begun to israel , now turne your eares to the answere that israel returnes to god , see the mercies of a good god requited with the rebellions of a wicked people ; wherefore when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes ? a wofull issue of such blessings : wild grapes , and that with the disappointment of gods expectation . two vsual faults doth god find with any vicious tree ; no fruit , ill fruit , the one in omission of good , the other , in commission of sinne : the fig-tree in the way is cursed for the one ; israel here taxed for the other . what then are these wilde , or as pagnine renders it vuae putidae , rotten grapes ? god hath not left it to our ghesse , but hath plainly told vs v. . in an elegant parenomasie i looked for ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) iudgement and behold ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a wound or scab : that is oppression ) i lookt for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustice , and behold ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) clamour . generally what euer disposition or act , vncultured nature doth , or would produce of it selfe , that is a wild grape : particularly , the holy ghost hath here instanced in seuerall sinnes , so stiled : a self-greatning oppression , vers . . a setled drunkennesse and wilfull debauchednesse , vers . . a determined resolution of wicked courses , verse . a nicknaming of good and euill , verse . a selfe conceitednesse in their owne wayes , verse . briberie in their iudges , . . pride in their women . . obdured infidelitie in all . . wilde grapes indeed , such as corrupted nature yeelds without a correction , without an alteration : shee her selfe is wilde ; shee can yeeld but what shee hath , what she is ; please your selues who list in the opinion of your faire , and sweet , and plausible disposition ; yee shall find nature at her best but a wild vine ; in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good ; saith the chosen vessell : wild grapes , for the harshnesse and fowrenesse of the taste ; for the odiousnesse of their verdure to the palate of the almightie , the best fruits of nature are but glorious sinnes , the worst are horrible abhominations : such are the wild grapes of israel ; which yet could not haue beene so ill if god had not beene put into an expectation of better , and if this expectation had not bin crossed with disappointment : wherefore , when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wilde grapes ? had only maples , or thornes , or willowes growne there , god would not haue lookt for grapes ; had only wilde vines growne there ; god would not haue lookt for pleasing clusters , but now that god furnished the soyle with noble and generous plants , with what scorne , and indignation doth hee looke vpon wilde grapes ? fauours bestowed raise expectation , and expectation frustated doubles the iudgement : the very leaues and the high way drew a curse vpon the fig-tree ; woe be to thee chorazin , woe be to thee bethsaida . sonne of man what shall be done to the vine of all trees ? woe bee to thee o vineyard of israel : i will take away the hedge thereof , and it shall bee eaten vp ; i will breake downe the wall , and it shall bee trodden downe . my speech should now descend to the wofull vengeance , that god threats to and inflicts vpon his israel ; a fit theame for so heauie a day ; the hedge of good gouernment and wholsome lawes shall bee trodden downe ; the wall of diuine protection shall be broken ; the beasts of the field and forrest shall be let in ; the grapes deuoured , the trees brouzed and trampled vpon , the roots extirpate ; to the full and finall vastation of israel ; to the scorne and hissing of all nations , to the iust terror of all the world , whiles that dearling people which was once the example of gods mercy , is now becomne the fearefull spectacle of his furie , and reuenge ; suruiuing only in some few abhorred , and despised vagabonds , to shew that there was once such a nation : but the time and occasion call my thoughts homeward , and inuite me rather , to spend the rest of my houre , in paralleling israels blessings , sinnes , threats of iudgement with our owne : wherein our interest shall bee a sufficient motiue of our attention ; gather you together therefore , gather you , o nation , not worthy to be loued ; and cast backe your eyes vpon those incomparable fauours , wherewith god hath prouoked , and indeared this iland ; in which , i dare boldly say we are , at the least , his second israel . how hath hee chosen vs out of all the earth , and diuided vs from the rest of the world , that wee might bee a singular patterne , and strange wonder of his bountie ; what should i speake of the wholesome temper of our clime ; the rich prouision of all vsefull commodities ; so as wee cannot say only as sanchez did , i haue moysture enough within my owne shell , but as dauid did , poculum exuberans , my cup runnes ouer to the supply of our neighbour nations ; what speake i of the populousnesse of our cities , the defencednesse of our shoares ; these are nothing to that heauenly treasure of the gospel , which makes vs the vineyard of god and that sweet peace , which giues vs the happie fruition of that sauing gospel : albion doe we call it ? nay ( as he rightly ) polyolbion ; richly blessed ; o god , what , where is the nation , that can emulate vs in these fauours ? how hath hee fenced vs about , with the hedge of good discipline , of wholesome lawes , of gracious gouernment ; with the brazen wall of his almightie , and miraculous protection ; neuer land had more exquisite rules of iustice , whether mute , or speaking : hee hath not left vs to the mercie of a rude anarchie , or a tyrannicall violence , but hath regulated vs by lawes of our owne asking , and swayd vs by the iust scepters of moderate princes ▪ neuer land had more conuincing proofes of an omnipotent tuition ; whether against forraine powers , or secret conspiracies ; forget if yee can the yeare of our inuasion , the day of our purim ; besides the many particularities of our deliuerances filed vp by the pen of one of our worthy prelates . how hath hee giuen vs meanes to remoue the rubs of our growth ; and to gather away the stones of false doctrine , of hereticall prauitie , of mischieuous machinations that might hold downe his truth : and , which is the head of all , how hath he brought our vine out of the egypt of popish superstition , and planted it ; in plaine termes ; how hath hee made vs a truly-orthodoxe church ; eminent for puritie of doctrine , for the graue and reuerend solemnitie of true sacraments , for the due forme of gouernment , for the pious and religious forme of our publike lyturgie ; with what plentie hath hee showred vpon vs the first and latter raine of his heauenly gospel ? with what rare gifts hath hee graced our teachers ? with what pregnant spirits hath hee furnisht our academies ? with what competencie of maintenance hath he heartned all learned professions ? so as in these regards ; we may say of the church of england , many daughters haue done vertuously , but thou excellest them all . how hath the vigilant eye of his prouidence out of his doore of heauen watcht ouer this iland for good ? not an hellish pioner could mine vnder ground , but hee espied him ; not a darke lanterne could offer to deceiue midnight , but he descryes it ; not a plot , not a purpose of euill could looke out , but he hath discouered it ; and shamed the agents , and glorified his mercie in our deliuerance . lastly , how infinitely hath his louing care laboured to bring vs to good ? what sweet opportunities , and incouragements hath hee giuen vs of a fruitfull obedience ? and when his fatherly counsels would not worke with vs , how hath he scruzed vs in the winepresse of his heauie afflictions ; one while , with a raging pestilence , another while , with the insolence and preualence of enemies , one while with vnkindly seasons , another while , with stormie and wracking tempests , if by any meanes hee might fetc ht from vs the precious iuice of true penitence , and faithfull obedience ; that we might turne and liue ; if the presse bee weightie , yet the wine were sweet . lay now all these together , and what could haue beene done more for our vineyard , o god , that thou hast not done ? looke about you , honourable and christian hearers , and see whether god haue done thus with any nation ; oh neuer , neuer was any people so bound to a god : other neighbouring regions would think themselues happie in one drop of those blessings which haue powred downe thicke vpon vs : alas , they are in a vaporous and marish vale , whiles wee are seated on the fruitfull hill ; they lie open to the massacring knife of an enemie , whiles we are fenced : they are clogged with miserable incumbrances , whiles we are free ; briers , and brambles ouerspread them , whiles we are choicely planted ; their tower is of offence , their wine-presse is of bloud . oh the lamentable condition of more likely vineyards then our owne ; who can but weepe and bleed to see these wofull calamities that are falne vpon the late famous and flourishing churches of reformed christendome ? oh , for that palatine vine , late inoculated with a precious bud of our royall stemme ; that vine not long since rich in goodly clusters ; now the insultation of boares , and prey of foxes ; oh for those poore distressed christians in france , boheme , silesia , morauia , germanie , austria , valtoline , that groane vnder the tyrannous yoake of antichristian oppression ; how glad would they bee of the crummes of our feasts ; how rich would they esteeme themselues with the very gleanings of our plentifull crop of prosperitie ; how do they looke vp at vs , as euen now militantly triumphant , whiles they are miserably wallowing in dust and bloud ; and wonder to see the sun-shine vpon our hill , whiles they are drenched with storme and tempest in the valley ? what are we , o god , what are we , that thou shouldst bee thus rich in thy mercies to vs , whiles thou art so seuere in thy iudgements vnto them ? it is too much , lord , it is too much , that thou hast done for so sinfull and rebellious a people . cast now your eyes aside a little , and , after the view of gods fauours , see some little glimpse of our requitall ; say , then , say , o nation not worthy to be beloued ; what fruit haue ye returnd to your beneficent god ? sin is impudent ; but let me challenge the impudent forehead of sinne it selfe ; are they not sowre and wilde grapes that we haue yeelded ? are we lesse deep in the sins of israel , then in israels blessings ? complaints , i know , are vnpleasing , how euer iust ; but now , not more vnpleasing thē necessarie , wo is me , my mother , that thou hast horne me a man of contention . i must cry out in this sad day of the sins of my people . the searchers of canaan , when they came to the brook of esheol , they cut down a branch , with a cluster of grapes , and carried it on a staffe betweene two , to shew israel the fruit of the land , numb . . . giue me leaue , in the search of our israel , to present your eyes with some of the wilde grapes that grow there , on euery hedge : and what if they bee the very same that grew in this degenerated vineyard of israel ? where we meet first with oppression ; a lordly sinne , and that challengeth precedencie ( as which is commonly incident to none but the great ( though a poore oppressor ( as he is vnkindly ) so he is a monster of mercilesnesse . ) oh the loud shrieks and clamours of this crying sinne ! what grinding of faces , what racking of rents , what detention of wages , what inclosing of commons , what ingrossing of commodities , what griping exactions , what strayning the aduantages of greatnesse , what vnequall leuies of legal payments , what spightfull sutes , what depopulations , what vsuries , what violences aboūd euery where ? the sighes , the teares , the bloud of the poore pierce the heauens , and call for a fearefull retribution ; this is a sowre grape indeed , and that makes god to wring his face in an angry detestation . drunkennesse is the next ; not so odious in the weaknes of it as in the strength : oh wofull glory ; strong to drinke : woe is me , how is the world tum'd beast ? what bouzing , and quaffing , and whiffing , and healthing is there on euery bench ; and what reeling and staggering in our streets ? what drinking by the yard , the die , the dozen ? what forcing of pledges . vvhat quarrels for measure ; and forme ? how is that becomme an excuse of villany , which any villany might rather excuse . i was drunke , how hath this torrent , yea this deluge of excesse in meates and drinks drowned the face of the earth , and risen many cubits aboue the highest mountaines of religion and good lawes ? yea would god i might not say that which i feare ; and shame , and grieue to say , that euen some of them which square the arke for others , haue beene inwardly drowned , and discouered their nakednesse . that other inundation , scoured the world , this impures it , and what but a deluge of fire can wash it from so abominable filthines . let no popish eaues-dropper now smile to thinke what aduantage i giue by so deepe a censure of our owne profession ; alas , these sinnes know no difference of religions ; would god they themselues were not rather more deepe in these foule enormities ; we extenuate not our guilt ; what euer wee sinne , wee condemne it as mortall ; they palliate wickednesse with the faire pretence of venialitie ; shortly ; they accuse vs , we them , god both : but where am i ? how easie is it for a man to loose himselfe in the sinnes of the time ? it is not for mee to haue mine habitation in these blacke tents ; let me passe through them running : vvhere can a man cast his eye not to see that which may vexe his soule ? here briberie and corruption in the seats of iudicature : their periuries at the barre ; here partialitie and vniust conniuencie in magistrates , there disorder in those that should be teachers ; here sacriledge in patrons , there simoniacall contracts in vnconscionable leuits ; here bloodie oathes and execrations , there scurrile prophanenesse . here cozening in bargaines , there breaking of promises ; here persfidious vnderminings , there flattering supparasitations : here pride in both sexes , but especially the weaker , there luxurie and vvantonnesse . here contempt of gods messengers , there neglect of his ordinances , and violations of his dayes : the time and my breath would sooner faile me then this wofull bedroll of wickednesse : yet alas , were these the sinnes of ignorance , of infirmitie , they might bee more worthy of pittie then hatred ; but oh , the high hand of our presumptuous offences , wee draw iniquitie with the strings of vanitie , vp to the head , vp to the eare , and shoot vp these hatefull shafts against heauen ▪ did wee sit in darknesse and the shadow of death , as too many pagan and popish regions doe , these workes of darknesse would be lesse intolerable : but now , that the beames of the glorious gospell haue shined thus long , thus bright in our faces ; oh me , what can we plead against our owne confusion ? oh lord , where shall we appeare , when thy very mercies aggrauate our sinnes , and thy iudgements . why shouldst thou not expect fruit from a vineyard so chosen , so husbāded , & wo worth our wretchednesse that haue thus repayd thee ; be confounded in thy selfe , o my soule , bee confounded to see these deplored retributions ; are these grapes for a god ? doe yee thus requite the lord , o foolish people and vniust ; hath hee for this made vs the mirrour of his mercies to all the world , that we should so shamefully turn his graces into wantonnesse ? are these the fruites of his choyce , his fencing , his reforming , his planting , his watch towre , his winepresse ? o lord ; the great and dreadfull god , keeping the couenants , and mercies to them that loue thee , we haue sinned , and committed iniquitie , and haue rebelled , by departing from thy precepts , and from thy iudgements ; oh lord , righteousnesse belongeth to thee , but vnto vs confusion of faces , as at this day ; wee know , we acknowledge how iust it may bee with thee to pull vp our hedges , to breake downe our wall , to root vp our vines ; to destroy and depopulate our nation , to make vs the scorne and prouerbe of all generations ; but o our god , let thine anger and thy fury bee turned away from thy ierusalem , thy holy mountaine . o lord heare , o lord forgiue , o lord harken , and doe : deferre not for thine owne sake , o our god , for thy citie , and thy people are called by thy name : but alas , what speake i of not deferring , to a god of mercie , who is more forward to giue , then we to craue ; and more loath to strike then wee to smart , and when hee must strike , complaines , why will ye dye o house of israel ? let mee rather turne this speech to our selues ; the delay is ours ; yet it is not too late , either for our returne , or his mercies ; the decree is not ( to vs ) gone forth , till it bee executed ; as yet our hedge stands , our wall is firme , our vine growes ; these sharpe monitions , these touches of iudgement haue beene for our warning , not for our ruine ; who knowes if he will not returne , and yet leaue a blessing behind him : oh that we could turne vnto him with all our heart , with fasting , and with weeping , and with mourning ; oh that wee could truely and effectually abandon all those abhominable sinnes , that haue stirred vp the anger of our god against vs ; and in this our day , this day of our solemne humiliation , renue the vowes of our holy and conscionable obedience : lord god , it must bee thou onely that must doe it ; oh strike thou our flintie hearts with a sound remorse , and melt them into teares of penitence for al our sins ; conuert vs vnto thee , and we shal be conuerted ; lord heare our prayers , and regard our teares , and reforme our liues , and remoue thy plagues , and renue thy louing countenance , and continue & adde to thine old mercies , lord affect vs with thy fauours , humble vs for our sinnes ; terrifie vs with thy iudgements ; that so thou maist hold on thy fauours , and forgiue our sinnes , and remoue thy iudgements ; euen for the sake of the sonne of thy loue iesus christ the righteous , to whom , &c. finis . post-script . since it seemed good to that great court , to call this poore sermon ( amongst others , of greater worth ) into the publike light ; i haue thus submitted to their pleasure : and now , for that they pleased to bid so high a rate , as their command , for that meane peece ; i do willingly giue them this my other statue into the bargaine . this worke preceded ( some little ) in time , that which it now followes in place , not without good reason : authoritie sends forth that , this , will : and my will hath learned euer to giue place to authoritie . besides my desire to saue the labour of transcriptions , i found it not vnfit , the world should see , what preparatiue was giuen for so stirring a potion ; neither can there be so much need , in these languishing times , of any discourse , as that which serues to quicken our mortification ; wherein i so much reioyce to haue so happily met with those reuerend bishops , who led the way and followed me , in this holy seruice . the god of heauen make all our endeauours effectuall to the sauing of the soules of his people . amen . a sermon preach't to his maiestie , on the sunday before the fast , ( being march. . ) at white-hall . in way of preparation for that holy exercise . by the b. of exceter . london , printed by m. f. for nath. butter , and are to be sold at his shop at st. austins gate . . galat. . . i am crucified with christ . neuerthelesse i liue , &c. hee that was once tossed in the confluēce of two seas , acts . . was once no lesse straited in his resolutions betwixt life and death , philip. . . neither doth my text argue him in any other case here ; as there he knew not whether hee should choose , so here hee knew not whether hee had . i am crucified , there hee is dead : yet i liue , there he is aliue againe ; yet not i , there he liues not ; but christ in mee , there hee more then liues . this holy correction makes my text full of wonders , full of sacred riddles . . the liuing god is dead vpon the crosse , christ crucified ; . st. paul who dyed by the sword , dyes on the crosse . . st. paul who was not paul till after christs death , is yet crucified with christ . . st. paul thus crucified yet liues . . st. paul liues not himselfe , whiles he liues ; . christ who is crucified , liues in paul ; who was crucified with him . see then here both a lent , and an easter ; a lent of mortification , i am crucified with christ . an easter of resurrection , and life , i liue , yet not i , but christ liues in mee : the lent of my text will bee sufficient ( as proper ) for this season ; wherein my speech shall passe through three long stages of discourse : christ crucified , st. paul crucified , st. paul crucified with christ . in all which , your honorable and christian patience , shall as much shorten my way , as my care shall shorten the way to your patience . christs crosse is the first lesson of our infancy , worthy to bee our last , and all : the great doctor of the gentiles affected not to fly any higher pitch . grande crucis sacramentū , as ambrose . this is the greatest wonder that euer earth , or heauen yeelded . god in carnate was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but god suffering , and dying was so much more , as death is more penall then birth : the godhead of man , and the blood of god are two such miracles , as the angels of heauen can neuer enough looke into , neuer admire enough . ruffine tells vs that among the sacred characters of the egyptians , the crosse was anciently one , which was said to signifie eternall life ; hence their learneder sort were conuerted to , & confirmed in the faith . surely , we know that in gods hieroglyphicks , eternall life is both represented , and exhibited to vs by the crosse . that the crosse of christ was made of the tree of life , a slip the angels gaue to adams sonne , out of paradise , is but a iewish legend ; galatine may beleeue it , not wee ; but ; that it is made the tree of life to all beleeuers , we are sure ; this is the onely scale of heauen ; neuer man ascended thither , but by it . by this , christ himselfe climbd vp to his owne glory . dominus regnauit a ligno , as tertullian translates that of the psalme ; father glorifie thy name , that is saith he , duc me ad crucem , lift me vp to the tree , not of my shame , but of my triumph . behold , we preach christ crucified ( saith st. paul ) to the iewes a stumbling blocke , to the greekes , foolishnesse ; but to them which are called , christ the power of god , and the wisdome of god cor. . . foolish men , that stumble at power , and deride wisedome . vpbraid vs now ye fond iewes and pagans , with a a crucified sauiour ; it is our glorie , it is our happinesse ; which ye make our reproch : had not our sauiour dyed , he could haue bin no sauiour for vs ; had not our sauiour dyed , we could not haue liued ; see now the flagge of our deare redeemer , this crosse , shining eminently , in loco pudoris , in our forheads : and if we had any place more high , more conspicuous , more honourable , there we would aduance it . o blessed iesu , when thou art thus lifted vpon thy crosse , thou drawest all hearts vnto thee : there thou leadest captiuity captiue , and giuest giuest gifts vnto men . yee are deceiued o yee blind iewes and paynimes , ye are deceiued ; it is not a gibbet , it is a throne of honour , to which our sauiour is raised . a throne of such honour , as to which heauen and earth , and hell , doe and must veile . the sun hides his awfull head , the earth trembles , the rockes rend , the graues open , and all the frame of nature doth homage to their lord in this secret , but diuine pompe of his crucifixion ▪ and whiles yee thinke his feet and hands despicably fixed , behold , he is powerfully trampling vpon hell and death , and setting vp trophees of his most glorious victory ; and scattering euerlasting crownes , and scepters vnto all beleeuers : o sauiour , i doe rather more adore thee , on the caluary of thy passion , then on the tabor of thy transfiguration , or the oliuet of thine ascension : and cannot so affectuously blesse thee for pater clarifica , father glorifie me , as , for , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ; sith it is no newes for god to bee great , and glorious ; but , for the eternall and euer-liuing god , to be abased ; to be abased vnto death , to the death of the crosse , is that which could not but amaze the angels , and confound deuills , and so much more magnifies thine infinit mercie , by how much an infinite person would become more ignominious . all hosannaes of men , all alleluiahs of saints and angels come short of this maiesticke humiliation : blessing , honour , glory , and power be vnto him that sits vpon the throne , and to the lambe for euer , and euer , reuel . . . and yee ( honorable and beloued ) as euer ye hope to make musicke in heauen , learne to tune your harpes to the note and ditty of these heauenly elders ; reioyce in this , & reioyce in nothing but this crosse ; not in your transitory honors , titles , treasures , which will at the last leaue you inconsolately sorrowfull ; but in this crosse of christ ; whereby the world is crucified to you , and you to the world . oh clip and embrace this precious crosse with both your armes , and say with that blessed martyr , amor meus crucifixus est , my loue is crucified . those that haue searched into the monuments of ierusalem , write that our sauiour was crucified with his face to the west ; which howsoeuer spightfully meant of the iewes , ( as not allowing him worthy to looke on the holy citie and temple ) yet , was not without a mystery ; oculi eius super gentes respiciunt saith the psalmist ; as christ therefore on his crosse look't towards vs sinners of the gentiles ; so let vs look vp to him ; let our eyes be lift vp to this brazen serpent , for the cure of the deadly stings ( of that old serpent : see him , o all ye beholders ; see him hanging vpon the tree of shame , of curse , to rescue you from curse , and confusion , and to feoffe you in euerlasting blessednesse : see him stretching out his armes to receiue , and embrace you ; hanging downe his head to take view of your misery , opening his precious side to receiue you into his bosome , opening his very heart to take you in thither , pouring out thence water to wash you , and blood to redeeme you : o all ye nazarites that passe by , out of this dead lyon , seeke and find the true honey of vnspeakable , and endlesse comfort . and ye great masters of israel , whose lips professe to preserue knowledge , leaue all curious and needlesse disquisitions , and with that diuine and extaticall doctor of the gentiles , care onely to know , to preach , christ and him crucified . but this , though the summe of the gospell , is not the maine drift of my text : i may not dwell in it , though i am loath to part with so sweet a meditation : from christ crucified turne your eyes to paul crucified ; you haue read him dying by the sword ; heare him dying by the crosse ; and see his morall , spirituall , liuing crucifixion . our apostle is two men , saul and paul ; the old man , and the new ; in respect of the old man he is crucified and dead to the law of sinne ; so as that sinne is dead in him ; neither is it otherwise with euery regenerate . sin hath a body , as well as the man hath , ( who shall deliuer mee from this body of death ? rom. . . a body that hath limmes , and parts ; mortifie your earthly members , saith our apostle , colos . . . not the limmes of our humane body , which are made of earth , ( so should wee bee hostes naturae , as bernard ) but the sinfull limmes , that are made of corruption , fornication , vncleannesse , inordinate affection , &c. the head of sinne is wicked deuices ; the heart of sinne , wicked desires ; the hands and feet of sinne , wicked executions ; the tongue of sin , wicked words ; the eyes of sinne , lustfull apprehensions ; the forehead of sinne , impudent profession of euill ; the backe of sinne , a strong supportation and maintenance of euill ; all this body of sinne is not onely put to death , but to shame too ; so as it is dead with disgrace ; i am crucified . st. paul speaks not this singularly of himselfe , but in the person of the renued ; sinne , doth not , cannot liue a vitall , and vigorous life in the regenerate . wherefore then ( say you ) was the apostles complaint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. wretched man that i am , who shall deliuer me from this body of death ? marke , i beseech you ; it was the body of sin ; not the life of sinne ; a body of death , not the life of that body ; or if this body had yet some life , it was such a life , as is left in the limmes when the head is struck off ; some dying quiuerings , rather as the remainders of a life that was , then any act of a life that is : or , if a further life , such a one as in swounds , and fits of epilepsie , which yeelds breath , but not sense ; or if some kind of sense , yet no motion , or if it haue some kinde of motion in vs , yet no manner of dominion ouer vs. what power , motion , sense , reliques of life are in a fully crucifyed man ? such a one may waft vp and downe with the winde , but cannot mooue out of any internall principle . sinne and grace cannot more stand together in their strength , then life and death : in remisse degrees all contraries may bee lodged together vnder one roofe ; saint paul sweares that he dies daily , yet he liues ; so the best man sinnes hourely , euen whiles hee obeyes ; but the powerfull and ouer-ruling sway of sinne is incompatible with the truth of regeneration . euery esau would be carying away a blessing ; no man is willing to sit out . ye shall haue strong drinkers , as esay calls them , esay . . neighing stallions of lust , as ieremy calls them , ier. . . mighty hunters in oppression , as nimrod , gen. . . rotten talkers , ephesians . . which yet will be challenging as deepe a share in grace , as the conscionablest : alas how many millions doe miserably delude themselues with a meere pretēce of christianity ; aliter vivunt , aliter loquuntur , as he said of the philosophers . vaine hypocrites , they must know that euery christian is a crucified man : how are they dead to their sinnes , that walke in their sins ? how are their sinnes dead in them , in whom they stir , raigne , flourish ? who doth not smile to heare of a dead man that walkes ? who derides not the solecisme of that actor , which exprest himselfe fully dead by saying so ? what a mockery is this ? eyes full of lust , itching eares , scurrilous tongues , bloody hands , hearts full of wickednesse , and yet dead ? deceiue not your solues deare christians , if ye loue them ; this false death is the way to the true eternall , incomprehensibly-wofull death of body and soule : if yee will needs doe so , walke on ye falsly dead , in the wayes of your old sinnes , be sure , these pathes shall lead you downe to the chambers of euerlasting death ; if this be the hanging vp of your corruptions , feare to hang in hell . away with this hatefull simulation ; god is not mocked ; yee must either kill , or dye . kill your sinnes ; or else they will bee sure to kill your soules , apprehend , arraigne , condemne them ; fasten them to the tree of shame ; and , if they be not dead already , breake their legs & armes , disable them to all offensiue actions ; as was done to the theeues in the gospell ; so shal you say w th our blessed apostle , i am crucified . neither is it thus onely in matter of notorious crime , and grosse wickednesse , but thus it must be in the vniuersall cariage of our liues , and the whole habituall frame of our dispositions ; in both these , we are , we must bee crucified . bee not deceiued my brethren , it is a sad and austere thing to bee a christian ; this worke is not frolicke , iouiall , plausible ; there is a certaine thing call'd true mortification , required to this businesse ; and who euer heard but there was paine in death ? but , among all deaths , in crucifying ? what a torture must there needs be in this act of violence ? what a distention of the body , ( whose weight is racke enough to it selfe ? ) what strayning of the ioynts ? what nayling of hands and feet ? neuer make account to bee christians without the hard taskes of penitence . it will cost you teares , sighes , watchings , selfe-restraints , selfe-struglings , selfe-denyalls : this word is not more harsh then true ; yee delicate hypocrites , what doe yee talke of christian profession , when ye will not abate a dish from your belly , nor spare an houres sleepe from your eyes , nor cast off an offensiue rag from your backes for your god ? in vaine shall the vassals of appetite challenge to be the seruants of god : were it that the kingdome of god did consist in eating , and drinking , in pampering and surfets , in chambering and wantonnesse , in prancking and vanity , in talke and ostentation : oh god how rich shouldest thou bee of subiects , of saints ? but if it require abstinence , humiliation , contrition of heart , subiugation of our flesh , renunciation of our wills , serious impositions of laborsome deuotions ; o lord , what is becomne of true christianity ? where shall we seeke for a crucified man ? looke to our tables , there yee shall finde excesse and riot ; looke to our backs , there yee shall finde proud disguises , looke to our conuersation , there ye shall finde scurrile and obscene iollity : this liberty , yea this licentiousness is that , which opens the mouthes of our aduersaries , to the censure of our real impiety ; that slander which iulian could cast vpon constantine , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 led him to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delicacie , to intemperance , the very same doe they cast vpon vs : they tell vs of their strict lents , frequent fastings , canonicall houres , sharpe penances , their bashfull shrifts , their painefull scourgings , their solitatie cells , their woolward and barefoot walkes , their hard and tedious pilgrimages , whiles wee ( they say ) deny nothing to backe or belly ; fare full , lie soft , sit warme , and make a wantō of the flesh , whiles we professe to tend the spirit . brethren , heare a little the words of exhortation : the bragges of their penall will-worship shall no whit moue vs ; all this is blowne away with a quis requisiuit ? baals priests did more then they , yet were neuer the holyer : but for our selues , in the feare of god see that we do not iustifie their crimination ; whiles they are in one extreame , placing all religion in the outside , in touch not , taste not , handle not ; let not vs be in the other , not regarding the externall acts of due humiliation : it is true that it is more easie to afflict the body , then to humble the soule ; a dramme of remorse is more then an ounce of paine : o god , if whippings , and haire-clothes , and watchings would satisfie thy displeasure , who would not sacrifice the blood of this vassall ( his body ) to expiate the sinne of his soule ? who would not scrub his skin , to ease his conscience ? who would not freeze vpon an hardle , that hee might not fry in hell ? who would not hold his eies open , to auoid an eternall vnrest and torment ? but such sacrifices and oblations , o god , thou desirest not ; the sacrifice of god is a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart o god , thou wilt not despise ; yet it is as true , that it is more easie to counterfeit mortification of spirit , then humiliation of body ; there is paine in the one , none in the other : he that cares not therfore to pull downe his body , wil much lesse care to humble his soule ; and hee that spares not to act meet and due penalties vpon the flesh , giues more colour of the soules humiliation . deare christians , it is not for vs to stand vpon niggardly termes with our maker , he will haue both ; he that made both , will haue vs crucifyed in both ; the old man doth not lie in a limme , or facultie , but is diffused through the whole extent of body and soule , and must bee crucified in all that it is . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the chosen vessell , i beat downe my body ; my body , as well as my spirit ; giue me leaue yee courtiers and citizens ; lent is wont to be a penitentiall time ; if ye haue soundly and effectually shriuen your selues to your god , let mee enioyne you an wholsome and sauing penance for the whole yeare , for your whole life . yee must curbe your appetites , yee must fast , yee must stint your selues to your painful deuotions ; ye must giue peremptorie denyalls to your owne wills ; ye must put your knife to your throat in salomons sense . thinke not that ye can climbe vp to heauen with full panches , reaking euer of indian smoake , and the surfets of your gluttonous crammings and quaffings ; oh easie and pleasant way to glory ; from our bed to our glasse , from our glasse to our boord ; from our dinner to our pipe , from our pipe to a visit , frō a visit , to a supper , from a supper to a play , from a play to a banquer , from a banquet to our bed : oh remeber the quarrell against damned diues ; hee fared sumptuously euery day ; hee made neither lents , nor embers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said , euery day was gaudie and festiuall , in rich sutes , in daintie morsels , and full draughts , intus mulso , foris oleo , as he said ; now all the world for a drop , and it is too little . vae saturis , woe to the full , saith our sauiour ; but euen nature it selfe could abhominate , bis de die saturum , one that is full twise a day . one of the sinnes of our sodom is fulnesse of bread : what is the remedy ? it is an old word , that hunger cures the diseases of gluttony . oh that my words could preuaile so farre with you , honourable and beloued christians , as to bring austere abstinence and sober moderation into fashion ; the court and citie haue led the way to excesse , your example shall prescribe , yea administer the remedie ; the heathen man could say , hee is not worthy of the name of a man that would bee a whole day in pleasure ; what , and we alwaies ? in fasting often , saith st. paul ; what , and wee neuer ? i fast twise a weeke , saith the pharisee , and wee christians , when ? i speake not of popish mock-fasts , in change , not in forbearance ; in change of courser cates of the land , for curious dainties of the water , of the flesh of beasts , for the flesh of fish ; of vntoothsome morsells for soruitiunculae delicatae , as hierome cals them ; let me neuer feast , if this bee fasting ; i speake of a true , and serious maceration of our bodies , by an absolute and totall refraining from sustenance ; which howsoeuer in it selfe it bee not an act pleasing vnto god , ( for well may i inuert st. paul , neither if we eat not , are we the better , neither if we eate , are we the worse , cor. . . ) yet , in the effect it is ; singulare sanctitatis aratrum , as that father termes it ; the plow beares no corne , but it makes way for it ; it opens the soile , it teares vp the briers , and turnes vp the furrowes ; thus doth holy abstinence ; it chastises the flesh , it lightens the spirit , it disheartens our vicious dispositions , it quickens our deuotion . away with all factious combinations ; euerie man is master of his owne maw ; fast at home , and spare not , leaue publike exercises of this kinde to the command of soueraigne powers ; blow the trumphet in zion , sanctifie a fast , saith ioel . . surely this trumpet is for none but royall breath ; and now ( that , what i meant for a suit , may be turned to a iust gratulation ) how doe wee blesse the god of heauen , that hath put it into the heart of his anointed to set this sacred trumpet to his lips : neuer was it , neuer can it bee more seasonable then now . now that wee are falne into a warre of religion ; now that our friends and allies grone either vnder mis-cariage , or danger ; now that our distressed neighbours implore our help in teares , and bood ; now that our god hath humbled vs with manifold losses ; now , that we are threatned with so potent enemies ; now that all christendome is embroyled with so miserable and perillous distempers ; oh now it hath seasonably pleased your majestie to blow the trumpet in zion , to sanctifie a fast , to call a solemne assembly ; the miraculous successe that god gaue to your maiestie and your kingdome , in this holy exercise , may well incourage an happy iteration ; how did the publike breath of our fasting prayers cleanse the aire before them ? how did that noysome pestilence vanish suddenly away , as that which could not stand before our powerfull humiliations ? if we bee not strained in our owne bowels , the hand of our god is not shortned ; o daughter of zion , gird thee with sackcloth , and wallow thy selfe in ashes , make thee mourning and most bitter lamentation ; fast and pray and prosper : and in the meane time , for vs , let vs not thinke it enough to forbeare a meale ; or to hang downe our heads like a bulrush for a day ; but let vs breake the bands of wickedness , and in a true contrition of soule vow & performe better obedience . oh then , as wee care to auert the heauie iudgements of god , from our selues , and our land , as we desire to traduce the gospell with peace , to our posteritie ; let each man humble one ; let each man rend his heart , with sorrow for his owne sins , and the sinnes of his people ; shortly , let euery man ●ansacke his owne soule , and life , and offer and holy violence to all those sinfull corruptions which haue stirred vp the god of heauen against vs ; and neuer leaue til in truth of heart , he can say with our blessed apostle , i am crucified . ye haue seene christ crucified , st. paul crucified , see now both crucified together , i am crucified with christ ; it is but a cold word , this , i am crucified ; it is the company that quickens it : he that is the life , giues it life , and makes both the word , and act glorious , i am crucified with christ . alas ! there is many a one crucified , but not with christ ; the couetous , the ambitious man is selfe-crucified ; hee plots a crowne of thorny cares for his owne head ; he peirces his hands and feet with toylesome , and painful vndertakings , he drencheth himselfe with the vineger , & gall of discontentmēts , he gores his side , and wounds his heart with inward vexations : thus the man is crucified , but with the world , not with christ . the enuious man is crucified by his owne thoughts ; he needes no other gibbet , then another mans prosperitie ; because anothers person , or counsell is preferred to his , he leapes to hell in his owne haltar ; this man is crucified , but it is achitophels crosse , not christs . the desperate man is crucified with his owne distrust , hee pierceth his owne heart with a deepe , irremediable , vnmittigable , killing sorrow ; hee payes his wrong to gods iustice with a greater wrong to his mercy , and leapes out of an inward hell of remorse , to the bottomlesse pit of damnation . this man is crucified ; but this is iudases crosse , not christs . the superstitious man is professedly mortifyde ; the answer of that hermite in the storie is famous , why dost thou destroy thy body ? because it would destroy mee ; hee vseth his body , therefore , not as a seruant , but a slaue ; not as a slaue , but an enemie : he lies vpon thornes , with the pharisee ; little ease is his lodging , with simeon the anachoret ; the stone is his pillow , with iacob , the teares his food , with exiled dauid ; hee lanceth his flesh with the baalites , hee digges his graue with his nayles ; his meales are hunger , his breathings sighes , his linnen haire-cloth , lined and laced with cords , and wires ; lastly , hee is his owne willing tormentor , and hopes to merit heauen by selfe-murder . this man is crucified , but not with christ . the felon , the traitor is iustly crucified , the vengeance of the law will not let him liue ; the iesuiticall incendiary , that cares onely to warme himselfe by the fires of states , and kingdomes , cryes out of his suffering ; the world is too little for the noyse of our crueltie , their patience ; whiles it iudgeth of our proceedings , by our lawes , not by our executions ; but if they did suffer what they falsly pretend , ( as they now complaine of ease ) they might be crucified , but not with christ , they should bleed for sedition , not conscience : they may steale the name of iesus , they shall not haue his society ; this is not christs crosse , it is the cross of barabbas , or the two malefactors ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) marke . . all these and many more are crucified , but , not as st. paul was here , with christ . how with christ ? in partnership , in person : in partnership of the suffering ; euery particularity of christs crucifixion is reacted in vs. christ is the modell , wee the mettall ; the mettall takes such forme as the modell giues it : so are we spread vpon the crosse of christ , in an vnanswerable extension of all parts , to dye with him , as the prophet was vpon the dead childe , to reuiue him . superstitious men talke of the impression of our sauiours wounds in their idol st. francis : this is no newes ; st. paul ; and euery beleeuing christian hath both the lash●● , and wounds , and transfixions of his iesus wrought vpon him ; the crowne of thornes pierces his head , when his sinfull conceits are mortified ; his lippes are drencht with gall , & vineger , when sharpe & feuere restraints are giuen to his tongue : his hands and feet are nayled ; when hee is by the power of gods spirit disabled to the wonted courses of sinne ; his body is stripped , when all colour and pretences are taken away from him ; shortly , his heart is pierced , when the life blood of his formerly-raigning corruptions is let out . hee is not true christian that is not thus crucifyed with christ . woe is me , how many fashionable ones are not so much as pained with their sinnes ; it is no trouble to them to blaspheeme , oppresse , debauch . yea , rather it is a death to them to thinke of parting with their deare corruptions ; the world hath bewitched their loue ; that which erasmus saith of paris , that after a man hath acquainted himselfe with the odious sent of it ( hospitibus magis ac magis adlubescit ) it grows into his liking more and more ; is too true of the world , and sensuall mindes : alas , they rather crucifie christ againe , then are crucified with christ . woe to them that euer they were ; for being not dead with christ , they are not dead in christ ; and being not dead in christ , they cannot but dye eternally in themselues ; for the wages of sinne is death : death in their person , if not in their surety . honorable and beloued , let vs not thinke it safe for vs to rest in this miserable and deadly condition ; as yee loue your soules , giue no sleepe to your eyes , nor peace to your hearts , till ye finde the sensible effects of the death , & passion of christ your sauiour , within you , mortifying all your corrupt affections , and sinfull actions , that yee may truly say with st. paul , i am crucified with christ . sixe seuerall times doe wee finde that christ shed blood ; in his circumcision , in his agonie , in his crowning , in his scourging , in his affixion , in his transfixion . the instrument of the first was the knife ; of the second , vehemence of passion ; of the third , the thornes ; of the fourth , the whips ; of the fift , the nailes ; of the last , the speare : in all these we are , we must bee partners with our sauiour . in his circumcision ; when we draw blood of ourselues by cutting off the foreskinne of our filthy ( if pleasing ) corruptions . colos . . . in his agony , when we are deeply affected with the sense of gods displeasure for sinne , and terrified with the frownes of an angry father . in his crowning with thornes , when we smart , and bleed with reproches for the name of christ ; when that which the world counts honor , is a paine to vs , for his sake ; when our guilty thoughts punish vs , and wound our restlesse heads , with the sad remembrance of our sins . in his scourging , when we tame our wanton , and rebellious flesh , with wise rigor , and holy seuerity . in his affixion , when all the powers of our soules , and parts of our body , are strictly hampered , and vnremoueably fastened vpon the royall commandements of our maker , and redeemer . in his transfixion , when our hearts are wounded with diuine loue ( with the spouse in the canticles ) or our consciences , with deepe sorrow . in all these , wee bleed with christ ; and all these ( saue the first onely ) belong to his crucifying . surely , as it was in the old law ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) without blood shed there was no remission ( heb. . . ) so it is still , and euer , in the new . if christ had not thus bled for vs , no remission ; if wee doe not thus bleed with christ , no remission . there is no benefit , where is no partnership . if christ therefore bled with his agony , with his thornes , with his whips , with his nayles , with his speare , in so many thousand passages , as tradition is bold to define , & we neuer bleed , either with the agony of our sorrow , for sinne ; or the thornes of holy cares for displeasure ; or the scourges of seuere christian rigour , or the nayles of holy constraint , or the speare of deepe remorse ; how doe wee , how can we , for shame , say , we are crucified with christ ? diuine st. austin , in his epistle , or booke rather to honoratus , giues vs all the dimensions of the crosse of christ ; the latitude he makes in the transuerse ; this ( saith hee ) pertaines to good workes ; because on this his hands were stretched . the length was from the ground to the transuerse , this is attributed to his longanimitie , and persistance , for on that , his body was stayed , and fixed . the height was in the head of the crosse , aboue the transuerse ; signifying the expectation of supernall things . the depth of it , was in that part , which was pitcht below within the earth , importing the profoundnesse of his free grace , which is the ground of all his beneficence . in all these must we haue our part with christ ; in the transuerse of his cross , by the ready extension of our hands to all good works of piety , iustice , charity . in the arrectary , or beame of his crosse , by continuance , and vninterrupted perseuerance in good ; in the head of his crosse , by an high-eleuated hope , and looking for of glory ; in the foot of his crosse , by a liuely and firme faith , fastening our soules vpon the affiance of his free grace , and mercy ; and thus shall we be crucifyed with christ , vpon his owne crosse . yet lastly , wee must goe further then this , from his crosse to his person . so did st. paul , and euery beleeuer , dye with christ , that hee died in christ : for , as in the first adam we all liued , and sinned ; so in the second all beleeuers dyed , that they might liue . the first adam brought in death to all mankinde , but , at last , actually dyed for none but himselfe ; the second adam dyed for mankind , and brought life to all beleeuers . seest thou thy sauiour therefore hanging vpon the crosse , all mankinde hangs there with him ; as a knight or burgess of parliament voyces his whole burrough , or countrey : what speake i of this ? the armes and legges take the same lot with the head ; euery beleeuer is a limme of that body ; how can he therefore , but dye with him , and in him ? that reall vnion , then , which is betwixt christ and vs , makes the crosse and passion of christ , ours . so as the thornes pierced our heads , the scourges blooded our backs , the nayles wounded our hands & feet , and the speare gored our sides , and hearts : by vertue whereof , we receiue iustification from our sinnes , and true mortification of our corruptiōs . euery beleeuer , therefore , is dead already for his sins , in his sauiour ; he needs not feare that he shal dy againe . god is too iust to punish twise for one fault ; to recouer the sum both of the surety , and principall : all the score of our arerages is fully strucke off , by the infinite satisfaction of our blessed redeemer ; comfort thy selfe , therfore thou penitent , and faithful soule , in the confidence of thy safety ; thou shalt not dy but liue , since thou art already crucifyed with thy sauiour ; he dyed for thee , thou dyedst in him ; who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that iustifies ? who shall condemne ? it is christ that dyed ; yea rather , that is risen againe , and liues gloriously at the right hand of god , making intercession for vs : to thee ô blessed iesu , together with thy coeternall father , and holy spirit , three persons in one infinite , and incomprehensible deitie ; be all praise , honour , and glory , now , and for euer . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e . chron. . psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . verse . prou. . . ier. . . dan . . dan. . , . notes for div a -e tim. . . his eyes looke to the gentiles &c. wine within , oyle without . cic. de fin. ier. . . epist . . ad honoratum . the character of man laid forth in a sermon preach't at the court, march, ⁰. . by the l. bishop of exceter. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the character of man laid forth in a sermon preach't at the court, march, ⁰. . by the l. bishop of exceter. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p., port. printed by m. flesher, for nat: butter, london : m. dc. xxxv. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the character of man : laid forth in a sermon preach't at the court , march , . . by the l. bishop of exceter . london , printed by m. flesher , for nat : butter . m.dc.xxxv . vera effigies reverendi do ni ●osephi hall norwici episcopi . this picture represents the forme , where dwells 〈◊〉 mind , which nothing but that mind excells ▪ there 's wisdome , learning , witt ; there grace & love rule over all the rest : enough to prove , against the froward conscience of this time , the reverend name of bishop is no crime . 〈…〉 to the right honourable and my ever most worthily honoured lord ; edward , lord denny , baron of waltham , earle of norwich . right honourable , as one that hath no power to stand out against the importunity of him , whose least motion is justly wont to passe with me , for a command , i have here sent your lo : the copie of my sermon , lately preacht at the court ; which partly the distance , and partly the inconvenience of the place , and season would not suffer you to heare ; that now your eare may be supplyed by your eye ; though not without some disadvantage on my part : let it lie by you , as a private and faithfull monitor instead of your lo ps . truly and sincerely devoted in all observance , jos. exon . the character of man. psal. . . lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him ; or the sonne of man that thou makest account of him ? man is like unto vanity , &c. my text , and so my sermon too , is the just character of man ; a common , and stale theme , you will say ; but a needfull one : we are all apt to misknow or to forget what we are ; no blacks , nor soule-bells , nor deaths heads on our rings , nor funerall sermons , nor tombes , nor epitaphes can fixe our hearts enough upon our fraile , and miserable condition ; and if any man have condescended to see his face in the true looking glasse of his wretched frailty , so soon as his back is turned hee forgets his shape straight ; especially at a court where outward glory would seem to shoulder out the thoughts of poore despicable mortality ; give mee leave therefore , ( honourable and beloved ) to ring my owne knell in your eares this day , and to call home your eyes a little , and to shew you that which i feare you too seldome see , your selves . lent and funeralls are wont still to go both in one livery : there is no book so well worthy reading as this living one ; even now david spake as a king of men , of people subdued under him ; now hee speakes as an humble vassall to god : lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him ? in one breath is both soveraignty and subjection ; an absolute soveraignty over his people ; my people are subdued under me ; an humble subjection to the god of kings ; lord , what is man ? yea , in the very same word wherein is the profession of that soveraignty , there is an acknowledgement of subjection ; thou hast subdued my people ; in that he had people , he was a king ; that they might be his people , a subjugation was requisite ; and that subjugation was gods , and not his own ; thou hast subdued ; lo david had not subdued his people , if god had not subdued them for him ; hee was a great king , but they were a stiffe people ; the god that made them swayed them to a due subjection ; the great conquerors of worlds , could not conquer hearts , if hee that molded hearts did not temper them : by me kings raigne saith the eternall wisdome ; and he that had courage enough to encoūter a beare , a lion , goliah , yet can say : thou hast subdued my people . contrarily , in that lowliest subjection of himselfe , there is an acknowledgement of greatnesse ; though he abaseth himselfe with a what is man , yet withall , he addes , thou takest knowledge of him , thou makest account of him ; and this knowledge , this account of god , doth more exalt man , then his own vanity can depresse him . my text then , yee see , is davids rapture , expressed in an extaticall question of sudden wonder ; a wonder at god , and at man ; mans vilenesse : what is man ? gods mercy and favour , in his knowledge , in his estimation of man : lo , there are but two lessons that we need to take out here , in the world , god , and man ; and here they are both : man in the notion of his wretchednesse ; god , in the notion of his bounty : let us ( if you please ) take a short view of both , and in the one see cause of our humiliation , of our joy and thankfulnesse in the other , & if in the former , there be a sad lent of mortification , there is in the latter , a chearfull easter of our raising and exaltation . many a one besides david , wonders at himselfe , one wonders at his own honor , and though hee will not say so , yet thinkes what a great man am i ? is not this great babel which i have built ? this is nebuchadnezars wonder : another wonders at his person , and findes either a good face , or a faire eye , or an exquisite hand , or a well shap't leg , or some gay fleece to admire in himselfe : this was absalous wonder : another wonders at his wit , and learning : how came i by all this ? turba haec . this vulgar that knowes not the law , is accursed . this was the pharisees wonder . another wonders at his wealth , soule , take thine ease , as the epicure in the gospell . davids wonder is as much above , as against all these ; hee wonders at his vilenesse : like as the chosen vessell would boast of nothing , but his infirmities : lord what is man ? how well this hangs together ? no sooner had hee said , thou hast subdued my people under me , then he adds , lord what is man ? some vaine heart would have beene lifted up with a conceit of his own eminence ; who i ? i am not as other men ; i have people under me ; and people of my owne ; and people subdued to mee ; this is to bee more then a man ; i know who hath said , i said ye are gods. besides alexander the great , how many of the roman cesars have been transported with this self-admiration , and have challenged temples , altars , sacrifices . how have they shared the moneths of the yeare among them ; april must be neronius , may claudius , iune germanicus , september antoninus , domitian will have october , november is for tiberius , by the same token , that when it was tendered to him , he askt the senat wittily ( as xiphiline reports it ) what they would doe when they should have more then twelve cesars ; but if there were not moneths enow for them , in the yeare ; there were starres enow in the skie , there was elbow-room enough in their imaginary heaven for their deification . what tell i you of these ▪ a sory clearchus of pontus , as suidas tells us , would be worshipped , and have his son called lightning ; menecrates the physitian ( though not worthy to bee esculapius his apothecaries boy ) yet would be iupiter : empedocles the philosopher , if it had not been for his shoo would have gone for immortall . sejanus will be sacrificing to himself . i could tyre you with these prodigies of pride . i could tell you of a xerxes that will be correcting the hellespont , and writing letters of threat to the mountain athos : of one of his proud sultan successors sapores that writ himselfe brother to the sun , and moone : of his great neighbour of china that styles himself heire apparent to the living sun : and the wise cham of tartary , son of the highest god ; caligula would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as dio , counter-thunder to god ; and will bee no lesse then iupiter latialis ; and the scythian roylus can say ; it is easie for him to destroy all that the sun lookes upon ; lord god! how can the vaine pride of man befoole him , and carry him away to ridiculous affectations ? the man after gods own heart is in another vain ; when he lookes downward , he sees the people crouching under him , and confesses his own just predominancy , but when hee lookes either upward to god , or inward to himselfe , he sayes , lord what is man ? it should not be , it is not in the power of earthly greatnesse to raise the regenerate heart above it selfe , or to make it forget the true groūds of his own humiliation . avolet , quantum volet palea , as he said : let the light chaffe bee hoised into the ayre , with every winde ( as psal. . ) the solid grain lyes close , and falls so much the lower , by how much it is more weighty . it is but the smoke that mounts up in the furnace , it is but the drosse that swells up in the lump , the pure metall sinkes to the bottome , if there be any part of the crucible lower then other , there you shall finde it . the proud mountaines shelve off the rain , and are barren ; the humble vallies soak it up , and are fruitfull . set this pattern before you ye great ones whom god hath raised to the height of worldly honor : oh be ye as humble as ye are great : the more high you are in others eyes , be so much more lowly in your owne , as knowing that hee was no lesse then a king that said , lord what is man ? the time was when david made this wonder upon another occasion . psal. . , . when i see the heavens , the moon and the stars that thou hast ordained , lord what is man ? when looking over that great night-piece , and turning over the vast volume of the world ( as gerson termes it ) hee saw in that large folio , amongst those huge capitall letters , what a little insēsible daghespoint man is , he breaks forth into an amazed exclamation lord what is man ? indeed , how could he doe other ? to compare such a mite , a mote , a nothing with that goodly and glorious vault of heaven , and with those worlds of light , so much bigger then so many globes of earth , hanging , and moving regularly in that bright and spacious contignation of the firmament , it must needs astonish humane reason , and make it ashamed of its own poorenesse : certainly , if there could bee any man that when hee knowes the frame of the world could wonder at any thing in himselfe , save his owne nothingnesse , i should as much wonder at him , as at the world it selfe . there david wondred to cōpare man with the world ; here he wonders too to compare man , with a world of men , and to see that god had done so much for him above others in his advancement , deliverances , victories . but if any man had rather to take this psalme as a sacred rhapsody , gathered out of the . and . and . psalmes ; and this sentence as universall ; i oppose not ; let this wonder be generall , not so much of david , a man selected , as of david , a man. these two are well joyned , lord , what ? for however man when hee is considered in himselfe , or compared with his fellow-creatures , may be something ; yet when he comes into mention with his maker , he is lesse then nothing . match him with the beast of the field , yea of the desert ; even there , however , as chrysostom , every beast hath some one ill quality , but man hath all ; yet , in regard of rule , what a jolly lord he is ; here is omnia subjecisti , thou hast put all things in subjection to him ; not the fiercest lyon , not the hugest elephant , or the wildest tyger , but , either by force , or wile man becomes his master ; and though they have left that originall awe , which they bare to him so soon as ever he forsook his loyalty to his king ; yet still they doe , ( not without regret ) acknowledge the impressions of majesty in that upright face of his ; wherfore are they but for man ? some for his labor as the oxe ; some for his service as the horse : some for his pleasure as the dog , or the ape : some for his exercise , as the beasts of the forest , all for man : but when we look up at his infinite creator , lord what is man ? o god , thou art an intelligible sphere , whose center is every where , whose circumference is no where but in thy selfe : man is a mere center without a circumference . thou , o god , in una essentia omnia praehabes , in one essence forecomprisest all things , as aquinas out of dionysiw ; man , in a poore imperfect composition holds nothing . thou art light , hast light , dwellest in light inaccessible ; man of himselfe is as darke as earth , yea as hell . thou art god alsufficient , the very heathen could say , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ; it is for none but god to want nothing : man wants all but evill ; shortly , thou art all holinesse , power , justice , wisdome , mercy , truth , perfection : man is nothing but defect , error , ignorance , injustice , impotence , corruption ; lord then , what is man to thee but a fit subject for thy wrath , yet let it bee rather a meet object of thy commiseration ; behold we are vile , thou art glorious ; let us adore thine infinitenesse , doe thou pitty our wretchednesse . lord what is man ? leave wee comparisons ; let us take man as he is himselfe ; it is a rule of our olde country man of hales , the acute master of bonaventure , that a man should bee rigidus sibi , pius aliis , rigorous to himselfe , kinde to others : surely , as nazianzen observes , in one kinde , that nothing is more pleasing to talk of then other mens businesses , so , there is nothing more easie , then for a man to be wittily bitter in invectives against his own condition ; who hath not braine , and gall enough to be a timon , depreciari carnem hanc ( as tertullian speakes , ) to disparage humanity ; and like an angry lion to beat himselfe to blood with his owne sterne ; neither is it more rife for dogs to bark at men , then men at themselves . alas , to what purpose is this currish clamour ? wee are miserable enough though wee would flatter our selves ; to whose insultation can we be thus exposed but to our owne ? i come not hither to sponge you with this vineger , & gall , but give mee leave a little , though not to aggravate , yet to deplore our wretchednes ; there can bee no ill blood in this : amaritudo sermonum medicina animarū , this bitternesse is medicinall , saith s. ambrose ; i doe not feare wee shall live so long as to know our selves too well . lord then what is man ? what in his being ? what in his depravation ? how miserable in both ? what should i fetch the poore wretched infant out of the blinde cavernes of nature , to shame us with our conceptions , and to make us blush at the substance , nourishment , posture of that which shall be a man ; there he lyes , senselesse for some moneths ( as the heathen oratour truly observes , ) as if hee had no soule . when hee comes forth into the large womb of the world , his first greeting of his mother is with cryes and lamentations , ( and more hee would cry if hee could know into what a world he comes ) recompencing her painefull throwes with continuall unquietnes ; what sprawling , what wringing , what impotēce is here ? there lyes the poore little lording of the world , not able to helpe himselfe ; whiles the new yeaned lambe rises up on the knees , and seeks for the teates of her damme , knowing where and how to finde reliefe , so soone as it begins to bee . alas , what can man doe , if hee bee let alone , but make faces , and noyses , and dye ? lord what is man ? this is his ingresse into the world ; his progresse , in it , is no better . from an impotent birth , hee goes on to a silly childhood ; if no body should teach him to speake what would hee doe ? historians may talk of , bec , that the untaught infant said ; i dare say he learn't it of the goates , not of nature ; i shall as soone beleeve that adam spake dutch in paradise according to goropius becanus his idle fancy , as that the childe meant to speak an articulate word unbidden : and if a mother or nurse did not tend him , how soone would he be both noysome , & nothing ; where other creatures stand upon their owne feet and are wrapt in their owne naturall mantles , and tend upon their dams for their sustenance , and finde them out amongst ten thousand . yea the very spider weaves so soon as ever it comes out of the egge : assoone as age and nurture can feoffe him in any wit , hee falls to shifts ; all his ambition is to please himselfe in those crude humours of his yong vanity : if hee can but elude the eyes of a nurse or tutor , how safe hee is ? neither is he yet capable of any other care , but how to decline his own good , and to be a safe truant ; it is a large time that our casuists give him , that , at seven yeares , hee begins to lye ; vpon time and tutorage , what devises hee hath to feed his appetite ? what fetches to live ? and if , now , many successions of experiments have furnisht him with a thousand helps , yet , as it is in the text ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) what is adam , and the son of enosh ? how was it with the first man ? how with the next ? could we look so far back as to see adam and eve , when they were new turned out of paradise ; in dignam exilio terram ( as nazianzen speakes of his pontick habitation ) oh that hard-driven , and miserable paire ! the perfection of their invention and judgement was lost in their sinne ; their soule was left no lesse naked then the body . how wofully doe we thinke they did scramble to live ? they had water and earth before them , but fire , an active and usefull element , was yet unknowne ; plants they had , but metalls whereby they might make use of those plants , and redact them to any forme , for instruments of work , were yet ( till tubal-cain ) to seek . here was adam delving with a jawbone , and harrowing with sticks tyed uncouthly together , and paring his nailes with his teeth : there eve making a comb of her fingers ; & tying her raw-skin'd breeches together with rindes of trees , or pinning them up with thornes . here was adam tearing off some arme of a tree , to drive in those stakes which he hath pointed with some sharp flint ; there eve fetching in her water in a shell ; here adam the first mid ▪ wife to his miserable consort , and eve wrapping her little one in a skin , lately borrowed from some beast ; and laying it on a pillow of leaves , or grasse ; their fist was their hammer , their hand their dish , their armes and legges their ladder , heaven their canopy , and earth their fetherbed ; & now ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) what is adam ? in time art beganne to improve nature ; every dayes experiments brought forth something ; and now , man durst affect to dwell , not safe , but faire ; to be clad , not warme but fine ; and the palate waxt by degrees , wanton , & wilde ; the back and the belly strove whether should be more luxurious ; and the eye affected to be more prodigal then they both ; and ever since , the ambition of these three hath spent , & wearyed the world ; so as in the other extreme we may well cry out , lord what is man ? for , to rise up with his age and the worlds now , when man is grown ripe in all professions , an exquisite artist , a learned philosopher , a stout champion , a deep politician , whither doth he bend all his powers , but to attain his own ends , to crosse anothers ? to greaten himselfe , to supplant a rivall , to kill an enemy , to embroile a world ; mans heart ( as bernard well ) is a mill , ever grinding some grist , or other , of his own devise ; and i may adde , if there bee no graine to work upon , sets it self on fire . lord what is man ? ( even after the accession of a professed christianity ) but a butcher of his owne kinde ? seneca told his lucilius ( the same that iob hath ) that vivere militare est ; it is true now not morally but literally : what a wofull shambles is christendome it selfe ever since the last comet becomne . fryer dominick was according to his mothers dream a dog with a fire brand in his mouth , sure ever since , religion hath been fiery and bloody . homicida cucurbitarum , was the style that s. austin gave to manicheus ; now every man abroad strives to be bomicida christianorum : as if men were growne to the resolution of the old tartars , of whō haytonus ; they thought it no sin to kill a man , but not to pull off their horses bridle when hee should feed , this they held mortall . what hils of carcasses are here ? what rivers of blood ; at tu domine usquequo ? how long lord , how long shall men play the men in killing ? and seek glory in these ambitious murders . oh stay , stay thou preserver of men , these impetuous rages of inhumane mankinde , and scatter the people that delight in warre : and blessings be upon the anointed head of the king of our peace , under whose happy scepter we enjoy these calme & comfortable times , whiles all the rest of the world is weltring in blood , and scorching in their mutuall flames ; may all the blessings of our peace returne upon him , who is ( under god ) the author of these blessings , and upon his seed for ever , and ever . how willingly would i now forget ( as an old man easily might ) to turne back to the dispositions , studies , courses of man , commonly bent upon the prosecution whether of his lust , or malice : wo ▪ is me , how is his time spent ? in hollow visits , in idle courtings , in epicurean pamperings , in fantastick dressings , in lawlesse disports , in deepe plots , crafty conveyances , quarrelous law-suits , spightfull underminings , corrading of riches , cozēing in cōtracts , revenging of wrongs , suppressing the emulous , oppressing inferiours , mutining against authority , eluding of lawes , and what shall i say ? in doing all but what hee should , so as in this , man approves polybius his word too true , that he is both the craftiest of all creatures , & most vicious ; and in the best and all his wayes makes good the word in my text ( even in this sense ) man is like unto vanity ; yea like is not the same ; man is altogether vanity . psal. . . indeed so more then vanity that we may rather say vanity is like to man ; what a deale of variety of vanity here is ; ones is a starved vanity , anothers a pamperd one ; ones a loviall vanity , anothers a sullen one ; ones a silken vanity , anothers a ragged one ; ones a carelesse vanity , anothers a carking ; and all these rivulets runne into one common ocean of vanity , at last , universa vanitas omnis homo ; in this busie variety doth he weare out the time and himselfe , till age or sicknesse summon him to his dissolution ; but the whiles , in the few minutes of our life , how are our drams of pleasure lost in our pounds of gal ; anguish of soule , troubles of minde , distempers of body , losses of estate , blemishes of reputation , miscariages of children , mis-casualties , unquietnesse , paines , griefes , feares take up our hearts , and forbid us to enjoy , not happinesse , but our very selves ; so as our whole life sits like augustus , inter suspiria & lachrymas betwixt sighes and teares ; and all these hasten us on to our end ; and wo is me , how soon is that upon us ? i remember gerson brings in an englishman asking a frenchman quot annos habes ? ( how many yeares are you ? ) a usuall latin phrase when we aske after a mans age ; his answer is annos non habeo ; i am of no yeares at al , but death hath forborn me these fifty ; surely we cannot make account of one minute : besides the vanity of unprofitablenesse , here is the vanity of transitorinesse . how doth the momentaninesse of this misery adde to the misery ; what a flowre , a vapour , a smoke , a bubble , a shadow , a dreame of a shadow our life is ? we are going , and then a carelesse life is shut up in a disconsolate end , and god thinkes it enough to threat , ye shall die like men : alas , this wormeaten apple soon falls ; vitreum hoc corpusculum ( as erasmus termes it ) is soone crackt , and broken . it is not for every one to have his soule suckt out of his mouth with a kisse as the iewes say of moses . he that came into the world with cryes , goes out with groanes ; the pangs of death , the anguish of conscience , the shrieking of friends , the frights of hell meet now together to render him perfectly miserable , and now , lord , what is man ? well , he dyes , saith the psalmist , and then all his thoughts perish ; lo what a word here is ? all his thoughts perish . what is man but for his thoughts ? those are the only improvement of reason , and that in an infinite variety : one bends his thoughts upon some busie controversies , perhaps nec gemino ab ovo ; another , upon some deep plot of state to be molded up ( like to china clay ) some hundred yeares after , another , hath cast models in his brain of some curious fabrick wherewith he will enrich the surface of the earth ; another hath in his active imagination hookt in his neighbours inheritance , and takes care to convey it ; one studies art , another fraud , another the art of fraud ; one is laying a foundation for future greatnesse , as low as hell ; another , is laying on a gilded roof where is no firme foundation , each one is taken up with severall thoughts , when hee dies all those thoughts perish ; all those castles in the ayre ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aristophanes his word is ) vanish to nothing ; onely his ill thoughts stick by him , and wait on his soule to his hell : but i have not yet done with the body : rameses which signifieth wormes , is our last station in this wildernesse ; yet one step lower e corpore vermes , e vermibus faetor , as bernard well : hee that was rotted with disorder , would be sweetned with odors ; but it is more then all arabia can doe , neither is there more horror in the face of death , then in his breath , noysomenesse . lord what is man ? but alas , it is well for this part that it is for the time senselesse ; the living spirit payes the while for all , which if it bee but a mere mans , is hurried by divels immediatly , into the dreadfull regions of horror , and death , and there lyes for ever , and ever , and ever in unsufferable , unutterable , unconceivable torments , without all possibility of intermission , of mitigation . oh wo wo wo to those miserable soules that ever they were created . and now , lord what is man ? ye have seen man divided by his times , in his ingresse , progresse , egresse ; or , in lactantius his termes , in his originall , state , dissolution : see him now , at one glance , divided in his parts , bernards two mites , a body and a soule ; what is man then ? a goodly creature he is : when i looke upon this stirring pile , i can say , i am fearefully , and wonderfully made . lord , i can admire thee in me , and yet abase my selfe : thou art so much more wonderfull in thy workes , by how much i am viler : what is this body of mine but a piece of that i tread upon , a sack of dust ( if not saccus stercorum as bernard ) a sewer of ill humours , a magazine of diseases , a feast of wormes ; and as for that better part , the inmate of this ragged cottage , though as it proceeds from thee , it is a pure immortall spirit , a sparke of thine heavenly fire , a glimpse of thy divine light , yet as it is mine , how can i pity it ? alas , how darke it is with ignorance ? for what have i here but that cognitionem nocturnam , which aquinas yeelds to worse creatures , how foule and muddy with error , nec quis error turpitudine caret , there is no errour that is not nasty as austin truly ; how earthly and grosse with mis-affections ; praecedit carnem in crimine , it ushers the flesh in sinfull courses , as bernard ; how as unlike thee , as like him that marred it ? and , if both parts in their kind were good , yet put together they are naught ; earth is good , and water is good , yet put together they make mudd and mire . lord then what is man ? such is nature now in her best dresse , but if ye look upon her in the worst of her depravation , ye shall not more wonder at her misery , then her ugly deformity ; ( materia vilis , operatio turpis as bernard ) and in a detestation ( more then pity ) of her loathlinesse , shall cry out , lord what is man ? i doe not tell you of bloody turkes , man-eating canniballs , mungrell troglodites feeding upon buried carcasses , patavian pandarisme of their own daughters , or of miserable indians idolatrously adoring their divellish pagodes , i meddle not with these remote prodigies of lost humanity ; yet these goe for men too , i speak of more civill wickednesse , incident to the ordinary courses of men . it is sweetly said of s. chrysostome ; alas , what is sicknesse , what is blindnesse , nihil sunt ista ô homo ; these are nothing , unum duntaxat malum est peccare , there is no evill to sin : if then man be such , as man , what is he as a sinner ? when his eyes are the burning glasses of concupiscence , his tongue a razor of detraction , his throat an open sepulcher of good names or patrimonies , his heart a mint of treasons , and villanies , his hands the engines of fraud and violence ; shortly , when he is debaucht with lust , with riot , with intemperance ; transported with pride , insolence , fury ; pardon mee , now , man is a beast , psal. . that is yet too easie , a monster ; yet once more pardon mee , a divell ; if the word seeme too harsh , it is my saviours unus vestrum diabolus , one of you is a divel ; in this case , his best is vanity , his next wickednesse , his worst is despaire and damnation . is there any of you now that heares me this day , that findes cause to be in love with , or proud of himselfe as a man ? let me see him , and blesse my selfe : surely , if there be glory in shame , power in impotence , pleasure in misery , safety in danger , beauty in deformity , he hath reason . i remember the learned chancellor of paris , when in his tract upon the magnificat , hee describes beauty , to be conformitas exemplaris ; hee instances that if we see a toad well and lively pictured , we say ecce pulchrè pictum bufonem ; oh the loathly beauty of our conformity , to the naturall condition of man , yea of satan in him . the philosopher did well to thanke god that hee was a man , but , if i had beene by him , i should have bidden him to bewaile himselfe that he was but a man ; and , i say to every of you , whom i now see , and speak unto ; that if ye be but men , it had beene better ye had never been ; if men , ye are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cor. . . so the vulgar turnes it , men are but flesh , & flesh is a title given to the egyptian horses , by way of disparagement too ; their horses are but flesh esa. . . and flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of god , it can , it doth , it must inherite misery , sorrow , corruption , torment ; it cannot claime , it cannot hope , for more , for other patrimony . oh then , as you tender your owne eternall safety , be not quiet till yee bee more then men ; till yee have passed a new birth ; it was wise zenoes word , difficile est hominem exuere ; it is hard to put off the man ; hard , but necessary , off hee must , nisi me mutassem was socrates his word ; till then , your condition , ( what ever it may bee in civill and secular regards ) is unexpressibly wofull . that same interior cordis homo , the inner man of the heart ( the phrase whereof s. ambrose doth so much wonder at in s. peter ) is that , which ye must both finde , and look to ; otherwise , let your outside bee never so beautifull , never so glorious , ye are no better then misery it selfe . downe then , dust and ashes , downe with those proud plumes of the vainmiscōceits of thine own goodlinesse , beauty , glory : thinke thy selfe but so vile as thou art , there will bee more danger of thy selfe contempt : would our vaine dames bestow so much curious cost on this woful piece , if they could see themselves , as well as their glasses ? who is so foolish to cast away gilding upon a clay wall , or a crackt pitcher ; yea to enamell a bubble ? would our gallants so over-pamper this wormes meat , if they could be sensible of their owne vilenesse ? the chancellor of paris tells us of king lewes the saint , that he regarded not , quam delicato cibo stercus conficeretur , nec coquus vermium esse volebat ; hee would be no cook for the wormes ; such would bee our resolution , if wee knew our selves . oh seasonable and just prayer of david ! let them know they are but men ! could they know this , how many insolencies , and proud out-rages would be spared ? how many good houres , how many useful creatures would escape their luxurious wast ? it is out of mere ignorance that man is so over-glad of himselfe , so puffed up above his brethren ; there are but two things , as one notes well , that the naturall man is most proud of , knowledge , and power ; surely if he had one of these to purpose , hee could be proud of neither , know thy self , o man , and be proud if thou canst . why then doth the rich landlord grate upon his poore scraping tenant ? why doth the silken courtier brow-beat his russet countriman ? why do potent lords ( decepti floridate purpurae as ambrose speakes ) trample upon that peasantly mold , which nature hath , not in kinde , differenced from their owne ; since , if great ones could bee more men , they would bee more miserable . why do we , how dare we insult on each other since wee are all under one common doome of miserable mortality ? why doe we fixe our thoughts upon these cottages of clay , which are every houre going into dust , and not make sure work for those glorious and eternall mansions wherein dwells our interminable , and incomprehensible blessednesse , longing that this mortall may put on immortality , this corruptible incorruption , come lord jesus , come quickly . doe not thinke now that i have all this while done , as i have seen some in a throng , or as hood-winkt boyes in their sport struck my friends . the regenerate man is an angelical creature ; and man , what ever he bee in other regards , yet , as he comes out of gods mold , is the great master-piece of his creator , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) thou hast taken knowledge of him : and ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) reputasti eum ; thou makest account of him : turne your eyes then from mans vilenesse , to the more pleasing object of gods mercy ; & , as you have seen man in the dust of his abasement , so now , see him in the throne of his exaltation : this grain after a little frost-biting will sprout up the more ; if elsewhere , the psalmist say , elevans allisisti ; here it is allisum elevasti . it is a great word ; thou takest knowledge of him ; alas , what knowledge do we take of the gnats , that play in the sun , or the ants , or wormes , that are crawling in our grounds ? yet the disproportion betwixt us and them is but finite ; infinite betwixt god and us . thou the great god of heavē to take knowledge of such a thing as man ? if a mighty prince shall vouchsafe to spye and single out a plain homely swain in a throng ( as the great sultan did lately a tankerd-bearer ) & take speciall notice of him , & call him but to a kisse of his hand , & nearenesse to his person , hee boasts of it , as a great favour ; for thee , then , o god , who abasest thy selfe to behold the things in heaven it selfe , to cast thine eye , upon so poore a worme , as man , it must needs bee a wonderfull mercy : exigua pauperibus magna , as nazianzene to his amphilochius . but god takes knowledge of many that he regards not ; hee knowes the proud afarre off , but hee hates him ; that of s. austins is right , wee are sometimes said not to know that which we approve not , it is therefore added , reputastieum , thou makest account of him ; an high account indeed ; david learned this of iob ; whose word is , thou magnifiest him , and settest thy heart upon him . iob . . now this knowledge , this account is by david here , either appropriated to himselfe as a king , or diffused , and communicated to him as a man. the fore-text appropriates it ; the subtext communicates it . in the immediate words before , had david reported what god did for him as a king , that hee was his tower for safety , his deliverer from danger , his shield for protection , his subduer of his enemies , for rule ; and now he addes , lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him ; and the son of man that thou makest account of him ; intimating , that this knowledge , this account is of david , as a man of men ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a king of men ; as the grecians title had wont to be . it is gods truth , it can be neither paradoxe , nor parasitisme , to say that god takes speciall knowledge , and makes speciall account of kings ; especially the kings of his israel . i have found david my servant ; with my holy oyle have i anointed him . psal. . . see what a peculiarity here is : my servant , first , by a propriety , by a supereminence . my servant found out or singled from the rest of mankind , for publique administration ; my anointed , when other heads are dry ; anointed with holy oyle , yea gods holy oyle , whiles other heads with common . what should i tell you of their speciall ordination , rom. . . immediate deputation , psal. . communication of titles , exod. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specially of charge and protection ; sam. . . thus then being chosen , thus anointed , thus ordained , thus deputed , thus entitled , thus protected , well may they acknowledge more then common knowledge and account . what will follow hence , but that they owe more to god then other men ; since more respect calls for more duty ; and , that we owe unto them , those respects , and observances , which gods estimation calls for from us . homage , obedience , tribute , prayers , lives , are due from us to gods vicegerents ; there are nations of whom god may say dedi eis regem in ira : even such yet must have all these duties ; but when the influences of soveraignty are sweet and gentle , sicut ros super herbam , we cannot too much poure out our selves , into gratitude to god for them , to them under god. even so , o thou god of kings , still , and ever double this knowledge and deare account of thine , upon that thy servant , whom thou hast chosen , anointed , ordained , protected , to be the great instrument of our peace , and thy glory . let us now see the favour diffused , to david , not as a king , but as a man : a subject not more large , then pleasing ; what can be more pleasing then to heare our owne praises ? what more ample then gods mercies to man ? we must but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ; and like skilfull limmers , draw up this large face , in a penny-breadth ; or like good market men , cary but an handfull to sell the whole sack . o god , what a goodly creature hast thou made man ? even this very outside wants not his glory : the matter cannot disparage it . if thou mad'st this body of earth , thou madest the heavens of nothing ; what a perfect symmetry is here in this frame ? what an admirable variety ( as zeno noted of old ) even of faces , all like , all unlike each other ? what a majesty in that erected countenance ? what a correspondence to heaven ? how doth the head of this microcosme resemble that round celestial globe , and the eyes the glittering stars in that firmament , and the intellectuall powers in it those angelicall , and spirituall natures which dwell there ? what should i stand courting of man in all the rest . there is not one limme , or parcell in this glorious fabrick , wherein there is not both use , and beauty , and wonder . the superior members give influence , and motion to the lower , the lower , supportation to the superiour , the middle contribute nourishment to both : was it heresie ; or frenzy , or blasphemy , or all these , in the paternians of old ; revived of late times , by postellus at paris , that mans lower parts were of a worse author ? away with that mad misanthropy : there is no inch of this living pile , which doth not bewray steps of an all-wise and holy omnipotence . but oh the inside of this exquisite piece . as socrates , cleanthes , and anaxarchus , though heathens , truly said ; that is the man , this is but the case . surely this reasonable soule is so divine a substance , and the faculties of it invention , memory , judgement so excellent ; that it selfe hath not power enough to admire its owne worth , what corner of earth , what creek of sea , what span of heaven is unsearcht by it ? how hath it surrounded this globe , and calculated the stars , and motions of the other ? what simple , or what metall , or minerall can bee hid from it ? what eclipse or conjunction , or other postures of those celestiall bodies can escape its certaine prediction ? yea , o lord , it can aspire , and attaine to know thee the god of spirits , the wonderfull mysteries of thy salvation ; to apprehend i meane , never ( oh never ) to comprehend the wonderfull relations of thy blessed , and incomprehensible essence ; divinae particula aurae . lord what is man that thou thus makest account of him ? i feare i shall make this topaze but so much the darker by polishing ; but , as wee may , shortly ; next to that the tongue hath not skill enough to tell the wonders of it selfe . that little filme the interpreter of the soule how sweete notes , how infinite varieties of expressions can it forme ; and wel-neare utter what ever the mind can conceive ; where other creatures cā but bleat , or bellow , or bray , or grunt , not exceeding the rude uniformity of their own naturall soūd : by this , we can both understād our selves , & blesse our maker ; whence it is that david justly styles his tongue , his glory . besides his person , how hast thou , ô god , ennobled him with priviledges of his condition ? how hast thou made him the sole survayor of heaven , the lord of the creatures , the commander of the earth , the charge of angels ? lord , what is man that thou makest this high account of him ? but , what is all this , yet , in comparison of what thou hast done for our soules ? i am now swallowed up , o god , with the wōder , and astonishment of thy unconceiveable mercies . what shall i say , that ere the world was , thou lovedst man that should be ; with an everlasting love hast thou embraced him , whō thou madst happy , and foresawest forlorn , and miserable . the angels fel , thou lettedst them goe ; man fell ; and , oh thou blessed son of the eternall father , thou wouldst rather divest thy self of the robes of heavenly glory , and come down , and put on these rags of our flesh , & therein indure the miseries of a servile life , the scorns of wretched men , the pains of a bitter , and accursed death , the wrath of thy blessed , and coessentiall father , then men should not be recovered ; by thy stripes are we healed , by thy blood we are redeemed , by thy death we are quickened , by thy spirit wee are renewed , by thy merits we are saved ; and now lord , what an account is this thou hast made of man ? what a wonderfull honor is this to which thou hast advanced us ? by thee , o saviour , we are not only reconciled to god , but of strangers are become servāts of the high god. acts . . servants ? yea friends . iames . . yea sons ; the sons of the highest . luc. . . sons ? yea heires , haeredes cum re as s. ambrose ; coheires with christ , rom. . coinheritors of immortall glory . pet. . . yea , that , which all the angels of heaven stand stil amazed at , and can never bee satisfied with admiring , thou hast caryed up this humane nature of ours into the inseparable union with the ever glorious , and blessed godhead , to be adored of all principalities , & powers , and thrones , and dominions of heaven . lo i , that even now could have beene sory that i was a man , begin now to be holily proud of my cōdition ; and know not whether i may change the man for the angel . pardon me , ye glorious spirits ; i durst not speake thus big of my selfe , but in the right of my saviour , i dare , and must ; non assumpsit angelum sed hominem ; howsoever man is lower then you ; ( alas what should dust & ashes talk of comparing with spirituall & heavenly powers ? ) yet i am sure the son of man is above you ; in him will i glory : in it selfe your nature is so much above ours , as it is more spirituall , and nearer to your infinite creator : but if the sonne of god hath advanced our nature above yours in uniting it to the deity , we cannot so much praise his mercy as you do for us . yea o ye blessed angels ( whose greatnesse though we must not adore , yet we cannot but awfully acknowledge with due veneration ) i may boldly say , ye hold it in no scorn to be ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) serviceable spirits to the behoof of us weak and sinfull men . heb. . ult . ye behold the face of our heavenly father for us . mat. . ye beare us in your armes that we dash not our feet against the stones of offence . ps. . yee pitch your tents about us for our defence : ye rejoyce in heaven at our conversion ; ye cary up our parting soules into the bosome of abraham . as this is a wonderfull joy and honor to us ; so can it be no derogation from your celestiall glory and magnificence , since he whom yee professe to serve with us professes that he the son of man came not to be served ; but to serve . oh now what can we want whē we have such purveiors ? what can we feare whiles wee have such gardians ? whiles we have such conveyance what can let us from ascending into our heaven ? how justly doe we now exult in the glory of man-hood , thus attended , thus united ? but , soft , that our rejoycing be not vain , whiles our nature is thus glorious , our person may be miserable enough . except we bee in christ , united to the son of god , wee are never the better for the uniting of this man-hood to god : where should ambition dwel but at a court ? oh , be ye ambitious of this honor , which will make you everlastingly happy . what ever become of your earthly greatnes , strive to be found in christ , to be partakers of the divine nature , to be favourites of heaven . it is a great word that zozomen speakes of apollonius , that hee never askt any thing in all his life , of god , that he obtained not ; if we follow his rule , we shall bee sure to bee no lesse happy . and now being thus dignified by the knowledge , by the accoūt of god , how should wee strive to walke worthy of so high favours , both in the duty of selfe-estimation , and of gratitude . selfe-estimation . for if god make such account of us , why do not we make high account of our selves ? i know i doe now spurre a free horse , when i wish every man to think wel of one ; but there is an holy pride , that i must commend unto you , with s. ierom ; a pride as good , as the other is sinfull ; that , since god hath so advanced you , you should hold your selves too good to be the drudges of sin , the pack-horses of the world , the vassals of satan ; and thinke these sublunary vanities too base to cary away your hearts ; it was a brave word of the old iewish courtier nehemiah , should such a man as i flee ? say yee so , yee regenerate soules . should such a man as i debauch and sin ? should such a man as i play the beast ? is it for my upright face to grovell ? is it for my affections to walk on all foure ? no , let beasts be sensuall , let divels be wicked , let my heart bee as upright as my face . i will hate to shame my pedigree ; and scorn all the base and misbecomming pleasures of sin , & will beare my self worthy of the favourite of heaven . gratitude . in retribution of praise , and obedience . o god , thou mightest have made made mee a beast , yea the ugliest of crawling vermin , that i run away from ; i could not have challēged thee ; thy will and thy workes are free , thy power absolute ; and lo , thou hast made me thy darling , the quintessence of thy creation , man. i will praise thee for i am fearefully and wonderfully made . thou mightest have past by me as an out-cast reprobate soule ; and so , it had bin a thousand times better for me never to have been ; but thou hast bought me with a price . i will praise thee , for i am no lesse wonderfully redeemed ; o god , nothing but man , & man regenerate , of all the visible works of thy hands , is capable to give thee the glory of thy mighty creation , of thy gracious redemption . the lowest rank of creatures have not life , the next have not sense , the third have not reason ; none but the last hath grace to returne thee the praise of thy blessed power , & mercy : oh let not us be wanting unto thee , who hast thus superabounded unto us . but this is not all . thankes is a poore windy payment . our returnes to god must be reall ; quid retribuam ? what should we render to our god lesse then all ? yea , all is too little for one mercy . we owe our selves to thee , o god , as our creator . what have we to give to thee as our bounteous redeemer , as our gracious sanctifier ? thou that owest all , take all . oh that our bodies , soules , lives , actions could bee wholly consecrated to thee ; oh that we could really , and constantly begin here those alleluiahs , which we shall ever continue above , amids the quire of saints and angels giving all praise and honor , and glory , and immortality to thee o blessed father our creator , to thee o blessed and coeternall son our redeemer , to thee o blessed and coessentiall spirit our sanctifier , one infinite god , in three most glorious and incomprehensible persons now and evermore , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy raptures, or, patheticall meditations of the love of christ together with a treatise of christ mysticall, or, the blessed union of christ and his members : also, the christian laid forth in his whole disposition & carriage / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) holy raptures, or, patheticall meditations of the love of christ together with a treatise of christ mysticall, or, the blessed union of christ and his members : also, the christian laid forth in his whole disposition & carriage / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], p., [ ] leaf of plates : port. printed by e. c. for john sweeting ..., london : . "an holy rapture, or, a patheticall meditation of the love of christ" and "the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage" each has separate t.p. engraved frontispiece portrait of author opposite t.p. imperfect: tightly bound, with print show-through and some loss of print. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- meditations. mystical union. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vera effigies reverendi do ni . iosephi hall norwici nuper episcopi holy raptures : or , patheticall meditations of the love of christ . together , with a treatise of christ mysticall , or , the blessed union of christ and his members . also , the christian laid forth in his whole disposition & carriage . by jos. hall , d. d. b. n. london , printed by e. c. for john sweeting at the angel in popeshead-alley , . to the onely honour and glory of his blessed saviour and redeemer : and to the comfort and benefit of all those members of his mysticall body , which are still labouring and warfaring upon earth ; jos . hall their unworthiest servant , humbly dedicates this fruit of his old age . i have with much comfort and contentment perused these divine and holy meditations , entituled christ mysticall , an holy rapture , and the christian , laid forth , or characterized in his whole disposition and carriage ; and relishing in them much profitable sweetnesse and heavenly raptures of spirituall devotion , i do license them to be printed and published . john dovvname . the contents of the first part . § . how to be happy in the apprehending of christ . § . the honour and happinesse of being united to christ . § . the kind & manner of our union with christ. § . the resemblance of this union by the head and members of the body . § . this union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife . § . this union resembled by the nourishment and the body . § . the resemblance of this union by the branch , and the st●ck ; the foundation , & the building . § . the certainty and indissolublenesse of this union . § . the priviledges and benefits of this union : the first of them life . § . a complaint of our insensiblenesse of this mercy , and an excitation to a chearfull recognition of it . ● . an incitement to a joy and thankfulnesse for christ our life . § . the duties we owe to god for his mercy to us in this life , which we have from christ . § . the improvement of this life ; in that christ is made our wisdome . § . christ made our righteousnesse . § . christ made our sanctification . § . christ made our redemption . § . the externall priviledges of this union , 〈◊〉 right to the blessings of earth and of heaven . § . the means by which this union is wrought § . the union of christs members with themselves . first those in heaven . § . the union of christs members upon earth first , in matter of judgement . § . the union of christians in matter o● affection . § . a complaint of divisions , and notwithstanding them , an assertion of unity . § . the necessary effects and fruits of th● union of christian hearts . § . the union of the saints on earth wi●● those in heaven . § . a recapitulation and sum of the wh●●● treatise . christ mysticall ; or , the blessed union of christ and his members . sect . . how to be happy in the apprehending of christ . there is not so much need of learning , as of grace , to apprehend those things which concern our everlasting peace ; neither is it our brain that must be set on work here , but our heart ; for true happinesse doth not consist in a meer speculation , but a fruition of good : however therefore there is excellent use of scholar-ship in all the sacred imployments of divinity , yet in the main act which imports salvation , skill must give place to affection . happy is the soul that is possessed of christ , how poor so ever in all inferiour endowments : ye are wide , oye great wits , whiles you spend your selves in curious questions , and learned extravagancies ; ye shal finde one touch of christ more worth to your souls , then all your deep , and laboursome disquisitions ; one dram of faith more precious then a pound of knowledge : in vain shall ye seek for this in your books , if you misse it in your bosoms : if you know all things , and cannot truly say , i know whom i have beleeved , ( tim. . . ) you have but knowledge enough to know you● selves truly miserable . wouldst tho● therefore , my son , finde true and sol●d comfort in the hour of temptation , in the agony of death ? make sure work for thy soul , in the daies of thy peace ; finde christ thine ; and in despight of hell , thou art both safe , and blessed ; look not so much to an absolute deity , infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious : alas , that majesty ( because perfectly , and essentially good ) is , out of christ , no other then an enemy to thee ; thy sinne hath offended his justice , which is himself ; what hast thou to do with that dreadfull power , which thou hast provoked ? look to that mercifull , and all-sufficient mediator betwixt god and man , who is both god and man , jesus christ the righteous : ( tim. . . joh. . . ) it is his charge , and our duty , ye beleeve in god , beleeve also in me . ( joh. . . ) yet look not meerly to the lord jesus , as considered in the notion of his own eternall being , as the son of god , co-equall and co-essentiall to god the father , but look upon him , as he stands in reference to the sons of men : and herein also look not to him so much , as a law-giver and a judge , ( there is terror in such apprehension ) but look upon him , as a gracious saviour and advocate ; and lastly , look not upon him , as in the generality of his mercy , the common saviour of mankinde , ( what comfort were it to thee , that all the world except thy self were saved ? ) but look upon him , as the dear redeemer of thy soul , as thine advocate at the right hand of majesty ; as one , with whom thou art through his wonderfull mercy , inseparably united : thus , look upon him firmly and fixedly ; so as he may never be out of thine eies ; and what ever secular objects interpose themselves betwixt thee and him , look through them , as some slight mists , and terminate thy sight still in this blessed prospect : let neither earth , nor heaven hide them from thee in whatsoever condition . sect . . the honour and happinesse of being united in christ . and whiles thou art thus taken up ; see if thou canst without wonder and a kinde of ecstatica●l amazement , behold the infinite goodnesse of thy god , that hath exalted thy wretchednesse to no lesse then a blessed and indivisible union with the lord of glory , so as thou , who in the sense of thy miserable mortality , maist say to corruption , thou art my father , and to the worm , thou art my mother and my sister , ( job . . ) canst now through the priviledge of thy faith , bear the son of god say unto thee , thou art bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh ( gen. . . eph. . . ) surely , as we are too much subject to pride our selves in these earthly glories , so we are too apt , through ignorance , or pusillanimity , to undervalue our selves in respect of our spirituall condition ; we are far more noble and excellent then we account our selves . it is our faith that must raise our thoughts to a due estimation of our greatnesse ; and must shew us how highly we are descended , how royally we are allied , how gloriously estated : that only is it , that must advance us to heaven , and bring heaven down to us : through the want of the exercise whereof , it comes to passe , that , to the great prejudice of our souls , we are ready to think of christ jesus as a stranger to us : as one aloof off in another world ; apprehended only by fits , in a kinde of ineffectuall speculation , without any lively feeling of our own interesse in him ; whereas we ought by the powerfull operation of this grace in our hearts , to fidne so heavenly an appropriation of christ to our souls , as that every beleever may truly say , i am one with christ , christ is one with me . had we not good warrant for so high a challenge , it could be no lesse then a blasphemous arrogance to lay claim to the royall bloud of heaven ; but since it hath pleased the god of heaven so far to dignifie our unworthinesse , as in the multitudes of his mercies to admit and allow us to be partakers of the d●vine nature , ( pet. . . ) it were no other then an unthankfull stupidity not to lay hold on so glorious a priviledge , and to go for lesse then god hath made us . sect . . the kinde and manner of this union with christ . know now , my son , that thou art upon the ground of all consolation to thy soul , which consists in this beatificall union with thy god and saviour , think not therefore to passe over this important mystery with some transient , and perfunctory glances ; but , let thy heart dwell upon it , as that which must stick by thee in all extremities , and chear thee up , when thou art forsaken of all worldly comforts : do not then conceive of this union , as some imaginary thing , that hath no other being but in the brain ; whose faculties have power to apprehend , and bring home to it self , far remote substances ; possessing it self in a sort of whatsoever it conceives : do not think it an union meerly virtuall , by the participation of those spirituall gifts and graces which god worketh in the soul ; as the comfortable effects of our happy conjunction with christ ; doe not think it an accidentall union in respect of some circumstances and qualities wherein we communicate with him who is god and man ; nor yet a metaphoricall union by way of figurative resemblance ; but know that this is a true , reall , essentiall , substantiall union , whereby the person of the beleever is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the son of god ; know , that this union is not more mysticall then certain ; that in naturall unions there may be more evidence , there cannot be more truth ; neither is there so firm and close an union betwixt the soul and body , as there is betwixt christ and the beleeving soul : for as much as that may be severed by death , but this , never away yet with all gross carnality of conceit ; this union is true , and really existent , but yet spirituall , & if some of the ancients have tearm'd it naturall and bodily , it hath been in respect of the subject united , our humanity , to the two blessed natures of the son of god met in one most glorious person ; not in respect of the manner of the uniting : neither is it the lesse reall , because spirituall . spirituall agents neither have , nor put forth any whit lesse vertue , because sense cannot discern their manner of working ; even the loadstone though an earthen substance , yet , when it is out of sight , whether under the table , or behinde a solid partition , stirreth the needle as effectually , as if it were within view : shall not he contradict his senses , that will say , it cannot work because i see it not ? oh saviour , thou art more mine , then my body is mine , my sense feels that present , but so as that i must lose it ; my faith sees and feels thee so present with me , that i shall never be parted from thee . sect . . the resemblance of this union by the head and body . there is no resemblance , whereby the spirit of god more delights to set forth the heavenly union betwixt christ and the beleever , then that of the head and the body : the head gives sense and motion to all the members of the body ; and the body is one ; not only by the continuity of all the parts held together with the same naturall ligaments , and covered with one and the same skin ; but much more by the animation of the same soul quickning that whole frame ; in the acting whereof , it is not the large extent of the stature , and distance of the lims from each other , that can make any difference ; the body of a childe that is but a span long cannot be said to be more united , then the vast body of a giantly son of anak , whose height is as the cedars ; and if we could suppose such a body as high as heaven it self , that one soul which dwels in it , and is diffused through all the parts of it , would make it but one intire body : right so , it is with christ and his church ; that one spirit of his which dwels in , and enlives every beleever , unites all those far-distant members , both to each other , and to their head ; and makes them up into one true mystical body : so as now every true beleever may , without presumption , but with all holy reverence , and all humble thankfulnesse , say to his god and saviour ; behold , lord , i am ( how unworthy soever ) one of the lims of thy body ; and therefore have a right to all that thou hast , to all that thou doest ; thine eye sees for me ; thine ear hears for me ; thine hand acts for me ; thy life , thy grace , thy happinesse is mine : oh the wonder of the two blessed unions ! in the personall union , it pleased god to assume and unite our humane nature to the deity ; in the spiritual and mysticall , it pleases god to unite the person of every beleever to the person of the son of god : our souls are too narrow to blesse god enough for these incomprehensible mercies : mercies wherein he hath preferred us ( be it spoken with all godly lowliness ) to the blessed angels of heaven ; forverily he took not upon him the nature of angels , but he took on him the seed of abraham ; ( heb. . . ) neither hath he made those glorious spirits members of his mystical body , but his saints ; whom he hath ( as it were ) so incorporated , that they are become his body , and he theirs ; according to that of the divine apostle ; for as the body is one and hath many members , and all the members of that one body being many , are one body , so also is christ . ( cor. . . ) sect . . this union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife . next hereunto , there is no resemblance of this mystery either more frequent , or more full of lively expression , then that of the conjugall union betwixt the husband and wife ; christ is , as the head , so the husband of the church ; the church and every beleeving soul is the spouse of this heavenly bridegroom ; whom he marrieth unto himself for ever in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies ; ( esai . . . hos . . . ) and this match thus made up , fulfils that decretive word of the almighty , they twain shall be one flesh : ( eph. . . gen. . . ) o happy conjunction of the second adam , with her which was taken out of his most precious side ; oh heavenly and compleat marriage , wherein god the father brings , and gives the bride ; ( gen. . . ) ( all that the father giveth me shal come to me , saith christ ( joh. . . ) wherein god the son receives the bride , as mutually partaking of the same nature ; and can say , this now is bone of my bones , and flesh of my flesh ; ( joh. . . gen. . . ) wherein god the holy ghost knits our wils in a full and glad consent , to the full consummation of this blessed wedlock : and those whom god hath thus joyned together , let no man ( no devill can ) put asunder : what is there then , which an affectionate husband can withhold from a dear wife ? he that hath given himself to her ; what can he deny to impart ? he that hath made himself one with her , how can he be divided from his other-self ? some wilde fancies there are that have framed the links of marriage of so brittle stuffe , as that they may be knapt in sunder upon every sleight occasion , but he that ordained it in paradise , for an earthly representation of this heavenly union betwixt christ and his church , hath made that , and his own indissoluble . here is no contract in the future , which upon some intervenient accidents may be remitted ; but , i am my welbeloveds , and my welbeloved is mine , ( cant. . . cant. . . ) and therefore each is so others , that neither of them is their own ; oh the comfortable mystery of our uniting to the son of god! the wife hath not the power of her own body , but the husband . ( cor. . . ) we are at thy disposing , o saviour , we are not our own ; neither art thou so absolutely thine , as that we may not ( through thine infinite mercy ) claim an interesse in thee . thou hast given us such a right in thy self , as that we are bold to lay challenge to all that is thine ; to thy love , to thy merits , to thy blessings , to thy glory : it was wont of old , to be the plea of the roman wives to their husbands , where thou art caius , i am caia ; and now , in our present marriages , we have not stuck to say , with all my worldly goods i thee endow ; and if it be thus in our imperfect conjunctions here upon earth , how much more in that exquisite onenesse which is betwixt thee , o blessed saviour , and thy dearest spouse , the church ? what is it then that can hinder us from a sweet and heavenly fruition of thee ? is it the loathsome condition of our nature ? thou sawst this before , and yet couldst say , when when we were yet in our bloud , live : ( ezek. . . ) had we not been so vile , thy mercy had not been so glorious : thy free grace did all for us ; thou washedst us with water , and anointedst us with oyle , and cloathedst us with broidered work , and girdedst us about with fine linnen , and coveredst us with silk , and deckedst us with ornaments ; and didst put bracelets upon our hands , and a chain on our neck and jewels on our fore-heads , and ear-rings on our ears , a beautifull crown on our own heads ; ( ezek. . , , , . ) what we had not , thou gavest ; what thou didst not find , thou madest ; that we might be a not-unmeet match for the lord of life : is it want of beauty ? behold , i am black but comely : ( cant. . . ) what ever our hiew be in our own , or others eyes ; it is enough that we are lovely in thine . ( cant. . . ) behold thou art fair , my beloved ; behold , thou art fair , yea pleasant ; ( cant. . . ) thou art beautifull , o my love , as tirzah , comely as jerusalem . how fair and how pleasant art thou , o love , for delights ! ( cant. . & . . ) but , oh saviour , if thou take contentment in this poor unperfect beauty of thy spouse the church , how infinite pleasure should thy spouse take in that absolute perfection that is in thee , who art all loveliness and glory ! and if she have ravished thy heart with one of her eyes , ( cant. . . & . . ) how much more reason hath her heart to be wholly ravished with both thine , which are so full of grace and amiablenesse ? and in this mutuall fruition , what can there be other then perfect blessedness ? sect . . the resemblance of this union by the nourishment and the body . the spirit of god , well knowing how much it imports us both to know and feel this blessed union whereof himself is the only worker , labours to set it forth to us by the representations of many of our familiar concernments which we daily finde in our meats and drinks , in our houses , in our gardens and orchards ; that which is nearest to us is our nourishment ; what can be more evident , then that the bread , the meat , the drink that we receive , is incorporated into us , and becomes part of the substance whereof we consist ? so as , after perfect digestion , there can be no distinction betwixt what we are , and what we took : whiles that bread was in the bing , and that meat in the shambles , and that drink in the vessell , it had no relatian to us , nor we to it ; yea , whiles all these were on the table , yea , in our mouthes ; yea , newly let down into our stomachs , they are not fully ours ; for upon some nauseating dislike of nature , they may yet go the same way they came ; but if the concoction be once fully finished ; now they are so turned into our bloud , and flesh , that they can be no more distinguished from our former substance , then that could be divided from it self ; now they are dispersed into the veins , and concorporated to the flesh ; and no part of our flesh and bloud is more ours , then that which was lately the bloud of the grapes , and the flesh of this fowl , or that beast : oh saviour , thou who art truth it self hast said , ( joh. . . ) i am the living bread , that came down from heaven . ( v. . ) my flesh is meat indeed , and my bloud is drink indeed ; and thereupon hast most justly inferred ; ( v. . ) he that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my bloud , dwelleth in me , and i in him : and , as a necessary consequent of this spirituall manducation , ( v. . ) whoso eateth my flesh , and drinketh my bloud , hath eternal life : lo , thou art bread indeed ; not the cōmon bread , but manna ; not the israelitish manna ; alas , that fell from no higher then the region of clouds ; and they that are it died with it in their mouthes ; but thou art the living bread that came down from the heaven of heavens , of whom whosoever eats lives for ever : thy flesh is meat , not for our stomachs , but for our souls ; our faith receives and digests thee , and makes thee ours , and us thine : our materiall food in these corruptible bodies runs into corruption ; thy spirituall food nourisheth purely , and strengthens us to a blessed immortality ; as for this materiall food , many a one longs for it that cannot get it ; many a one hath it , that cannot eat it ; many eat it , that cannot digest it ; many digest it into noxious and corrupt humours ; all that receive it , do but maintain a perishing life , if not a languishing death : but this flesh of thine , as it was never withheld from any true apperite , so it never yeelds but wholesome and comfortable sustenance to the soul , never hath any other issue then an everlasting life and happinesse . o saviour , whensoever i sit at mine own table , let me think of thine ; whensoever i feed on the bread and meat that is set before me , and feel my self nourished by that repast , let me minde that better sustenance , which my soul receives from thee , and finde thee more one with me , then that bodily food . sect . . this union resembled by the branch and the stock ; the foundation and the building . look but into thy garden , or orchard ; and see the vine , or any other fruit-bearing tree how it growes , and fructifies ; the branches are loaden with increase ; whence is this , but that they are one with the stock ; and the stock one with the root ? were either of these severed , the plant were barren and dead : the branch hath not sap enough to maintain life in it self , unlesse it receive it from the body of the tree ; nor that , unlesse it derived it from the root ; nor that , unlesse it were cherished by the earth : lo ; ( joh. . , . ) i am the vine , ( saith our saviour ) ye are the branches ; he that abideth in me , and i in him ; the same bringeth forth much fruit ; if a man abide not in me , he is cast forth as a branch , and is withered ; were the branch and the body of the tree , of different substances , and only closed together in some artificiall contiguity , no fruit could be expected from it ; it is only the abiding in the tree as a living lim of that plant , which yeelds it the benefit and issue of vegetation . no otherwise is it betwixt christ and his church ; the bow and the tree are not more of one piece , then we are of one substance with our saviour ; and branching out from him , and receiving the sap of heavenly vertue from his precious root , we cannot but be acceptably fruitfull : but if the analogie seem not to be so full , for that the branch issues naturally from the tree , and the fruit from the branch , whereas we by nature have no part in the son of god ; take that clearer resemblance , which the apostle fetches from the stock and the griffe , or cion : the branches of the wilde olive ( rom. . ) are cut off ; and are graffed with choice cions of the good olive ; those imps grow , and are now , by this insition , no lesse embodyed in that stock then if they had sprouted out by a naturall propagation : neither can be any more separated from it then the strongest bough that nature puts forth : in the mean time that cion alters the nature of that stock ; and whiles the root gives fatnesse to the stock , and the stock yeelds juice to the cion , the cion gives goodnesse to the plant , and a specification to the fruit : so as whiles the impe is now the same thing with the stock , the tree is different from what it was ; so it is betwixt christ and the beleeving soul : old adam is our wilde stock , what could that have yeelded but either none , or sowre fruit ? we are imped with the new man , christ ; that is now incorporated into us , we are become one with him ; our nature is not more ours , then he is ours by grace ; now we bear his fruit , and not our own ; our old stock is forgotten , all things are become new ; our naturall life we receive from adam ; our spirituall life and growth from christ , from whom after the improvement of this blessed incision we can be no more severed , then he can be severed from himself . look but upon thy house ( that from vegetative creatures , thou maist turn thine eyes to those things which have no life ) if that be uniform , the foundation is not of a different matter from the wals ; both those are but one piece ; the superstructure is so raised upon the foundation , as if all were but one stone ; behold christ is the chief corner stone , ( pet. . . ) elect and precious ; neither can there be any other foundation laid then that which is laid on him ; ( cor. . . pet. . . ) we are lively stones built up to a spiritual house , on that sure and firm foundation ; some loose stones perhaps that lye unmortered upon the battlements , may be easily shaken down , but whoever saw a squared marble laid by line and levell in a strong wall upon a well-grounded base , flye out of his place by whatsoever violence ; since both the strength of the foundation below , and the weight of the fabrick above , have setled it in a posture utterly unmovable ? such is our spirituall condition , o saviour ; thou art our foundation , we are laid upon thee , and are therein one with thee ; we can no more be disjoyned from thy foundation , then the stones of thy foundation can be disunited from themselves : so then , to sum up all ; as the head and members are but one body , as the husband and wife are but one flesh , as our meat and drink becomes part of our selves , as the tree and branches are but one plant , as the foundation and wals are but one fabrick ; so christ and the beleeving soul are indivisibly one with each other . sect . . the certainty and indissolublenesse of this union . where are those then that goe about to divide christ from himself ; christ reall from christ mysticall ; yeelding christ one with himself , but not one with his church : making the true beleever no lesse separable from his saviour , then from the entirenesse of his own obedience ; dreaming of the uncomfortable , and self-contradicting paradoxes of the totall and finall apostasie of saints : certainly , these men have never thorowly digested the meditation of this blessed union whereof we treat : can they hold the beleeving soul a lim of that body whereof christ is the head ; and yet imagine a possibility of dissolution ? can they affain to the son of god a body that is unperfect ? can they think that body perfect that hath lost his lims ? even in this mysticall body the best joynts may be subject to strains , yea , perhaps to some painfull and perillous luxation ; but , as it was in the naturall body of christ , when it was in death , most exposed to the cruelty of all enemies , that ( upon an over-ruling providence ) not a bone of it , could be broken ; so it is still and ever with the spirituall ; some scourgings and blowes it may suffer , yea , perhaps some bruises , and gashes , but no bone can be shattered in pieces , much lesse dissevered from the rest of the body : were we left to our selves , or could we be so much as in conceit , sundred from the body whereof we are , alas we are but as other men , subject to the same sinfull infirmities , to the same dangerous and deadly miscarriages : but since it hath pleased the god of heaven to unite us to himself , now it concerns him to maintain the honour of his own body by preserving us entire . can they acknowledge the faithfull soul marryed in truth and righteousnesse to that celestiall husband ; and made up into one flesh withthe lord of glory ; and can they think of any bils of divorce written in heaven ? can they suppose that which by way of type was done in the earthly paradise , to be really undone in the heavenly ? what an infinite power hath put together , can they imagine that a limited power can disjoyn ? can they think sin can be of more prevalence then mercy ? can they think the unchangeable god subject to after thoughts ? even the jewish repudiations never found favour in heaven : they were permitted , as a lesser evill to avoid a greater , never allowed as good ; neither had so much as that toleration ever been , if the hard-heartednesse , and cruelty of that people had not enforced it upon moses , in a prevention of further mischief : what place can this finde with a god , in whom there is an infinite tendernesse of love and mercy ? no time can be any check to his gracious choice ; the inconstant minds of us men may alter upon sleight dislikes ; our god is ever himself ; jesus christ the same yesterday , & to day , and for ever ; ( heb. . . ) with him there is no variablenesse , nor shadow of turning ; ( jam. . . ) divorces were ever grounded upon hatred ; ( mal. . . ) no man ( saith the apostle eph. . . ) ever yet hated his own flesh : much lesse shal god do so , who is love it self : ( joh. . . ) his love and our union , is like himself , everlasting : having loved his own ( saith the disciple of love , joh. . . ) which were in the world , he loved them to the end . he that hates putting away , ( mal. . . ) can never act it ; so as in this relation we are indissoluble . can they have received that bread which came down from heaven , and flesh which is meat indeed , and that bloud which is drink indeed , can their souls have digested it by a lively faith , and converted themselves into it , and it into themselves , and can they now think it can be severed from their own substance ? can they finde themselves truly ingraffed in the tree of life , and grown into one body with that heavenly plant , and as a living branch of that tree , bearing pleasant , and wholesome fruit , acceptable to god , ( rev. . . ) and beneficiall to men ; and can they look upon themselves , as some withered bough fit only for the fire ? can they finde themselves living stones surely laid upon the foundation jesus christ , to the making up of an heavenly temple for the eternall inhabitation of god , and can they think they can be shaken out with every storm of temptation ? have these men ever taken into their serious thoughts that divine prayer and meditation which our blessed redeemer now at the point of his death left for an happy farewell to his church , in every word whereof , there is an heaven of comfort , ( joh. . , , . ) neither pray i for these alone ; but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their word ▪ that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may be one with us ; and the glory that thou gavest me , i have given them , that they may be one , even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me . oh heavenly consolation ! oh indefeasible assurance ! what room can there be now here for onr diffidence ? can the son of god pray and not be heard ? for himself he needs not pray , as being eternally one with the father , god blessed for ever ; he prayes for his ; and his prayer is , that they may be one with the father and him ; even as they are one . they cannot therefore but be partakers of this blessed union ; and being partakers of it they cannot be dissevered : and to make sure work , that glory which the father gave to the son of his love , they are already ( through his gracious participation ) prepossessed of ; here they have begun to enter upon that heaven , from which none of the powers of hell can possibly eject them : oh the unspeakably happy condition of beleevers ! oh that all the saints of god , in a comfortable sense of their inchoate blessednesse , could sing for joy , and here beforehand begin to take up those hallelujahs , which they shall ere long continue ( and never end ) in the chore of the highest heaven . sect . . the priviledges and benefits of this union : the first of them life . having now taken a view of this blessed union , in the nature and resemblances of it ; it will be time to bend thine eyes upon those most advantageous consequents , and high priviledges , which do necessarily follow upon , and attend this heavenly conjunction . whereof the first is that , which we are wont to account sweetest , life : not this naturall life , which is maintained by the breath of our nostrils ; alas , what is that but a bubble , a vapour ; a shadow , a dream , nothing ? as it is the gift of a good god , worthy to be esteemed precious ; but as it is considered in its own transitorynesse , and appendent miseries , and in comparison of a better life , not worthy to take up our hearts . this life of nature is that which ariseth from the union of the body with the soul , many times enjoyed upon hard termes ; the spirituall life which we now speak of , arising from the union betwixt god and the soul , is that wherein there can be nothing but perfect contentment , and joy unspeakable and full of glory . yea , this is that life which christ not only gives , but is : he that gave himself for us , gives himself to us , and is that life that he gives us ; when christ , which is our life , shall appear ; saith the apostle ( col. . . ) and christ is to me , to live : ( phil. . . ) and most emphatically , ( gal. . . ) i am crucified with christ ; neverthelesse i live ; yet not i , but christ liveth in me ; lo , it is a common favour , that in him we live , but it is an especiall favour to his own , that he lives in us : know you your own selves , ( saith the apostle cor. . . ) how that jesus christ is in you , except ye be reprobates ? and wheresoever he is , there he lives ; we have not a dead saviour , but a living , and where he lives , he animates : it is not therefore saint pauls case alone ; it is every beleevers ; who may truly say , i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in me : now , how these lives , and the authors of them are distinguished , is worth thy carefullest consideration . know then , my son , that every faithfull mans bosome is a rebeceaes womb , ( gen . . ) wherein there are twins : a rough esau , and the seed of promise ; the old man , and the new ; the flesh , and the spirit ; and these have their lives distinct from each other ; the new man lives not the life of the old , neither can the old man live the life of the new ; it is not one life that could maintain the opposite struglings of both these : corrupt nature is it that gives and continues the life of the old man , it is christ that gives life to the new ; we cannot say but the old man , or flesh is the man too : for i know ( saith the chosen vessell rom. . . ) that in me , that is , in my flesh , dwelleth no good thing : but the spiritual part may yet better challenge the title . for i delight in the law of god after the inward man : ( rom. . . ) that old man of ours is derived from the first adam : as we sinned in him , so he liveth in us ; the second adam both gives , and is the life of our regeneration , like as he is also the life of our glory ; the life that followes our second resurrection : i am ( saith he ) the resurrection and the life . what is it then whereby the new creature lives ? surely no other then the spirit of christ , that alone is it , that gives beeing and life to the renued soul . life is no stranger to us , there is nothing wherewith we are so well acquainted ; yea , we feel continually what it is , and what it produceth ; it is that , from whence all sense , action ; motion floweth , it is that , which gives us to be what we are : all this is christ to the regenerate man : it is one thing what he is , or doth as a man ; another thing what he is , or doth as a christian : as a man , he hath eyes , ears , motions , affections , understanding , naturally as his own : as a christian he hath all these from him with whom he is spiritually one , the lord jesus ; and the objects of all these vary accordingly : his naturall eyes behold bodily and materiall things ; his spirituall eyes see things invisible ; his outward ears hear the sound of the voice ; his inward ears hear the voice of gods spirit , speaking to his soul ; his bodily feet move in his own secular wayes ; his spirituall walk with god in all the wayes of his commandements . his naturall affections are set upon those things which are agreeable thereunto ; he loves beauty , fears pain and losse , rejoyces in outward prosperity , hates an enemy ; his renued affections are otherwise , and more happily bestowed ; now he loves goodnesse for its own sake ; hates nothing but sin , fears only the displeasure of a good god , rejoyces in gods favour , which is better then life : his former thoughts were altogether taken up with vanity , and earthed in the world ; now he seeks the things above , where christ sitteth at the right hand of god ; ( col. . . ) finally , he is such , as that a beholder sees nothing but man in him , but god and his soul finde christ in him , both in his renued person and actions ; in all the degrees both of his life , and growth of his sufferings , and glory : my little children ( saith saint paul , gal. . . ) of whom i travell in birth again untill christ be formed in you . lo , here christ both conceived and born in the faithfull heart ; formation followes conception , and travell implies a birth : now the beleever is a new-born babe in christ , ( cor. . . pet. . . ) and so mutually christ in him ; from thence he grows up to ( joh. . . ) strength of youth ; & at last to perfection , even towards the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ ; ( ephes . . . cor. . . heb. . . ) and in this condition he is dead with christ ; ( rom. . . ) he is buryed with christ ; ( rom. . . ) he is alive again unto god through christ ; ( col. . . ) he is risen with christ , ( rom. . . ) and with christ he is glorified ; yea , yet more then so , his ( col. . . ) sufferings are christs , christs sufferings are his ; ( rom. . . ) he is in christ an heir of glory , ( col. . . ) and christ is in him , the hope of glory . sect . . a complaint of our insensiblenesse of this mercy , and an excitation to a chearfull recognition of it . dost thou not now finde cause ( my son ) to complain of thy self ( as , i confesse , i daily do ) that thou art so miserably apt to forget these intimate respects between thy christ and thee ? art thou not ashamed to think , how little sense thou hast had of thy great happinesse ? lo , christ is in thy bosome , and thou feelest him not ; it is not thy soul that animates thee in thy renued estate , it is thy god and saviour , and thou hast not hitherto perceived it ; it is no otherwise with thee in this case ; then with the members of thine own body ; there is the same life in thy fingers and toes , that there is in the head , or heart , yea , in the whole man , and yet those lims know not that they have such a life . had those members reason as well as sense , they would perceive that , wherewith they are enlived , thou hast more then reason , faith ; and therefore mayest well know whence thou hast this spirituall life , and thereupon art much wanting to thy self , if thou dost not enjoy so usefull and comfortable an apprehension : resolve therefore with thy self that no secular occasion shall ever set off thy heart from this blessed object ; and that thou wilt as soon forget thy naturall life , as this spirituall : and raise up thy thoughts from this dust , to the heaven of heavens : shake off this naturall pusillanimity , and mean conceit of thy self as if thou wert all earth , and know thy self advanced to a celestiall condition , that thou art united to the son of god , and animated by the holy spirit of god ; so is the life which thou now livest in the flesh , thou livest by the faith of the son of god , who loved thee and gave himself for thee ( gal. . . ) see then and confesse how just cause we have to condemn the dead-heartednesse wherewith we are subject to be possessed : and how many worthy christians are there in the world who bear a part with us in this just blame ; who have yeelded over themselves to a disconsolate heartlesnesse , and a sad dejection of spirit ; partly through a naturall disposition inclining to dumpishnesse , and partly through the prevalence of temptation : for satan well knowing how much it makes for our happinesse chearfully to reflect upon our interest in christ , and to live in the joyfull sense of it , labours by all means to withdraw our hearts from this so comfortable object , and to clog us with a pensive kinde of spirituall sullennesse : accounting it no small mastery if he can prevail with us so far as to bereave us of this habituall joy in the holy ghost , arising from the inanimation of christ living , and breathing within us : so much the more therefore must we bend all the powers of our souls against this dangerous and deadly machination of our spirituall enemy ; labour , as for life , to maintain this fort of our joy against all the powers of darkness ; and , if at any time we finde our selves beaten off , through the violence of temptation ; we must chide our selves into our renued valour : and expostulate the matter with our shrinking courage , ( with the man after gods own heart ) why art thou cast down o my soul , and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope thou in god ; for i shall yet praise him , who is the health of my countenance and my god. ( psal . . . . . ) sect . . an incitement to joy and thankfulnesse for christ our life . neither is here more place for an heavenly joy , then for height of spirit , and raptures of admiration at that infinite goodnes & mercy of our god , who hath vouchsafed so far to grace his elect , as to honour them with a speciall inhabitation of his ever-blessed deity : yea , to live in them , and to make them live mutually in , and to himself ; what capacity is there in the narrow heart of man to conceive of this incomprehensible favour to his poor creature ? oh saviour , this is no small part of that great mystery wherinto the angels desire to look , ( pet. . . ) & can never look to the bottome of it ! how shall the weak eyes of sinfull flesh ever be able to reach unto it ? when thou in the estate of thine humane infirmity offeredst to go down to the centurions house , that humble commander could say ; lord , i am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof : what shall we then say , that thou in the state of thine heavenly glory , shouldst vouchsafe to come down and dwell with us in these houses of clay ; and to make our breasts the temples of thy holy ghost ? ( cor. . . ) when thine holy mother came to visit the partner of her joy , thy fore-runner then in the womb of his mother , sprang for the joy of thy presence , ( luk. . . ) though distermined by a second womb ; how should we be affected with a ravishment of spirit , whom thou hast pleased to visit in so much mercy , as to come down into us , and to be spiritually conceived in the womb of our hearts , and thereby to give a new and spirituall life to our poor souls ; a life of thine own , yet made ours ; a life begun in grace , and ending in eternall glory ? sect . . the duties we owe to god for his mercy to us , in this life which we have from christ . never did the holy god give a priviledge where he did not expect a duty : he hath more respect to his glory , then to throw away his favours ; the life that ariseth from this blessed union of our souls with christ , as it is the height of all his mercies , so it cals for our most zealous affections , and most effectuall improvement . art thou then thus happily united to christ , and thus enlived by christ ? how entire must thou needs be with him , how dear must thy valuations be of him , how heartily must thou be devoted to him ? the spirit of man ( saith wise solomon , prov. . . ) is the candle of the lord searching all the inward parts of the belly ; and therefore cannot but be acquainted with his own inmates ; and finding so heavenly a guest as the spirit of christ in the secret lodgings of his soul , applies it self to him in all things : so as these two spirits agree in all their spirituall concernments ; the spirit it self ( saith the holy apostle , rom. . . ) beareth witnesse with our spirit , that we are the children of god ; and not in this case only , but upon whatsoever occasion the faithfull man hath this urim in his breast , and may consult with this inward oracle of his god for direction , and resolution in all his doubts : neither can he , according to the counsell of the psalmist , ( psal . . . ) commune with his own heart , but that christ who lives there , is ready to give him an answer . shortly , our souls and we are one ; and the soul and life are so near one , that the one is commonly taken for the other ; christ therefore , who is the life and soul of our souls , is and needs must be so intrinsecall to us , that we cannot so much as conceive of our spirituall being without him . thou needest not be told , my son , how much thou valuest life ; besides thi●e own sense , satan himself can tell thee , ( and in this case thou maist beleeve him ) skin for skin , and all that a man hath will he give for his life ; ( job . . ) what ransome can be set upon it , that a man would stick to give ? though mountains of gold ; ( psal . . . ) though thousands of rams , or ten thousand rivers of oyle ? ( micah . . ) yea , how readily do we expose our dear lims , not to hazard only , but to losse for the preservation of it ? now alas , what is our life ? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time , and then vanisheth away : ( jam. . . ) and if we do thus value a perishing life , that is going out every moment , what p●ice shall we set upon eternity ? if christ be our life , how precious is that life , which neither inward distempers , nor outward violences can bereave us of ; which neither can be decayed by time , nor altered with crosse events ▪ hear the chosen vessell ; ( phil. . , . ) what things were gain to me , those i counted losse for christ ; yea doubtlesse i count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus my lord ; for whom i have suffered the losse of all things , and do count them but dung that i may win christ ; and , as one that did not esteem his own life dear to him , in respect of that better ; alwayes ( saith he act. . ) bearing about in the body , the dying of the lord jesus , that the life also of jesus , might be made manifest in our body : ( cor. . . ) how chearfully have the noble and conquering armies of holy martyrs given away these momentany lives , that they might hold fast their jesus , the life of their souls ? and who can be otherwise affected that knowes and feels the infinite happinesse that offers it self to be enjoyed by him in the lord jesus ? lastly , if christ be thy life , then thou art so devoted to him that thou livest , as in him , and by him , so to him also ; aiming only at his service and glory , and framing thy self wholly to his will and directions : thou canst not so much as eat or drink but with respect to him ; ( . cor. . . ) oh the gracious resolution of him that was rapt into the third heaven , worthy to be the pattern of all faithfull hearts ; according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing i shal be ashamed , but that with all boldnesse , as alwayes , so new also christ shall be magnified in my body , whether it be by life or by death : for to me to live is christ , and to dye is gain . ( phil. . , . ) our naturall life is not worthy to be its own scope ; we do not live meerly that we may live : our spirituall life , christ , is the utmost and most perfect end of all our living ; without the intuition whereof , we would not live , or if we should , our naturall life were no other then a spirituall death : oh saviour , let me not live longer then i shall be enlived by thee , or then thou shalt be glorified by me : and what rule should i follow in all the carriage of my life but thine ? thy precepts , thine examples , that so i may live thee , as well as preach thee ? and in both may finde thee , as thou hast truly laid forth thy self , the way , the truth , and the life ; ( joh. . . ) the way wherein i shall walk , the truth which i shall beleeve and professe , and the life which i shall enjoy : in all my morall actions therefore teach me to square my self by thee ; what ever i am about to doe , or speak , or affect ; let me think : if my saviour were now upon earth , would he do this that i am now putting my hand unto ? would he speak these words that i am now uttering ? would he be thus disposed as i now feel my self ? let me not yeeld my self to any thought , word , or action which my saviour would be ashamed to own : let him be pleased so to manage his own life in me , that all the interesse he hath given me in my self may be wholly surrendred to him ; that i may be as it were dead in my self , whiles he lives and moves in me . sect . . the improvement of this life ; in that christ is made our wisdome . by vertue , of this blessed union , as christ is become our life ; so ( that which is the highest improvement not only of the ra●ionall , but the supernaturall and spirituall life ) is thereby also made unto us of god , wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption . ( cor. . . ) not that he only works these great things in and for us , ( this were too cold a construction of the divine bounty ) but that he really become ; all these to us , who are true partakers of him . even of the wisest men that ever nature could boast of , is verified that character which-the divine apostle gave of them long agoe , ( rom. . , . ) their foolish heart was darkned ; professing themselves to be wise , they became fools ; and still the best of us ( if we be but our selves ) may take up that complaint of asaph : ( psal . . . ) so foolish was i and ignorant ; i was as a beast before thee ; and of agur the son of jake ; ( prov. . , . ) surely i am more brutish then man ; and have not the understanding of a man ; i neither learned wisdome , nor have the knowledge of the holy : and if any man will be challenging more to himself , he must at last take up , with solomon ; ( eccl. . . ) i said i will be wise , but it was far from me ; but how defective soever we are in our selves , there is wisdome enough in our head , christ , to supply all our wants : he that is the wisdome of the father , is by the father made our wisdome : in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge , saith the apostle : ( col. . . ) so hid , that they are both revealed , and communicated to his own : for god who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse , hath shined in our hearts , to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ : ( cor. . . ) in and by him hath it pleased the father to impart himselfe unto us ; he is the image of the invisible god , ( col. . . ) even the brightnesse of his glory , and the expresse image of his person . ( heb. . . ) it was a just check that he gave to philip in the gospell ; ( joh. . ) have i been so long time with you , and yet hast thou not known me , philip ? he that hath seen me , hath seen the father : and this point of wisdome is so high and excellent , that all humane skill , and all the so much admired depths of philosophy are but meer ignorance and foolishnesse , in comparison of it ; alas , what can these profound wits reach unto , but the very outside of these visible and transitory things ? as for the inward forms of the meanest creatures , they are so altogether hid from them , as if they had no beeing ; and as for spirituall and divine things , the most knowing naturalists are either stone-blinde , that they cannot see them , or grope after them in an egyptian darknesse : for the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of god ; neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned ; ( cor. . . ) how much lesse can they know the god of spirits , who ( besides his invisibility ) is infinite , and incomprehensible ? only he , who is made our wisdome enlightneth our eyes with this divine knowledge ; no man knoweth the father but the son , and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him . ( mat. . . ) neither is christ made our wisdome only in respect of heavenly wisdome imparted to us ; but in respect of his perfect wisdome imputed unto us : alas , our ignorances and sinfull misprisions are many and great , where should we appear , if our faith did not fetch succour from our all-wise , and all-sufficient mediator ? oh saviour , we are wise in thee our head , how weak soever we are of our selves : thine infinite wisdome and goodnesse both covers and makes up all our defects ; the wife cannot be poor , whiles the husband is rich ; thou hast vouchsafed to give us a right to thy store ; we have no reason to be disheartned with our owne spirituall wants , whiles thou art made our wisdome . sect . . christ made our righteousnesse . it is not meer wisdome that can make us acceptable to god ; if the serpents were not in their kinde wiser then we , we should not have been advised to be wise as serpents : that god , who is essentiall justice , as well as wisdome , requires all his to be not more wise , then exquisitely righteous : such , in themselves they cannot be ; for in many things we sin all ; such therefore they are , and must be in christ , their head , who is made unto us of god , together with wisdome , righteousnesse ; oh , incomprehensible mercy ! he hath made him to be sin for us , who knew no sin , that we might be made the righteousnesse of god in him ; ( cor. . . ) what a marvellous and happy exchange is here ? we are nothing but sin ; christ is perfect righteousnesse ; he is made our sin , that we might be made his righteousnesse ; he that knew no sin , is made sin for us ; that we who are all sin , might be made gods righteousnesse in him ; in our selves we are not only sinfull , but sin ; in him we are not righteous only , but righteousnesse it self ; of our selves , we are not righteous , we are made so ; in our selves , we are not righteous , but in him ; we made not our selves so , but the same god in his infinite mercy who made him sin for us , hath made us his righteousnesse : no otherwise are we made his righteousnesse , then he is made our sin : our sin is made his by gods imputation ; so is his righteousnesse made ours ; how fully doth the second adam answer , and transcend the first ; by the offence of the first , judgement came upon all men to condemnation ; by the righteousnesse of the second , the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life . ( rom. . . ) as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners , so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous ; ( rom. . . ) righteous not in themselves , ( so death passed upon all , for that all have sinned , rom. . . ) but in him that made them so , by whom we have received the atonement : ( rom. . . ) how free then , and how perfect is our justification ? what quarrell may the pure and holy god have against righteousnesse ? against his own righteousnesse ? and such are we made in , and by him : what can now stand between us and blessednesse ? not our sins ; for this is the praise of his mercy , that he justifies the ungodly ; ( rom. . . ) yea were we not sinfull , how were we capable of his justification ? sinfull , as in the term from whence this act of his mercy moveth , not , as in the term wherein it resteth ; his grace findes us sinfull , it doth not leave us so : far be it from the righteous , judge of the world to absolve a wicked soul continuing such : he that justifieth the wicked , and he that condemneth the just , even they both are an abomination to the lord : ( prov. . . ) no but he kils sin in us whiles he remits it ; and , at once cleanseth , and accepts our persons : repentance and remission do not lag one after another ; both of them meet at once in the penitent soul : at once doth the hand of our faith lay hold on christ , and the hand of christ lay hold on the soul to justification : so as the sins that are done away , can be no bar to our happinesse : and what but sins can pretend to an hindrance ? all our other weaknesses are no eye-sore to god , no rub in our way to heaven ; what matters it then how unworthy we are of our selves ? it is christs obedience that is our righteousnesse : and that obedience cannot but be exquisitely perfect , cannot but be both justly accepted as his , and mercifully accepted as for us . there is a great deal of difference betwixt being righteous , and being made righteousnesse ; every regenerate soul hath an inherent justice , or righteousnesse in it self ; he that is righteous , let him be righteous still , saith the angell : ( rev. . . ) but at the best this righteousnesse of ours , is like our selves , full of imperfection ; if thou , lord , shouldst mark iniquities , o lord , who shall stand ? ( psal . . . ) behold we are before thee in our trespasses , for we cannot stand before thee , because of this ; ( ezra . . ) how should a man be just with god ? if he will contend with him , he cannot answer him one of a thousand . ( job . , . ) so then , he that doth righteousnesse is righteous , ( joh. . . ) but by pardon and indulgence , because the righteousnesse he doth is weak and imperfect ; he that is made righteousnesse , is perfectly righteous by a gracious acceptation , by a free imputation of absolute obedience . wo were us , if we were put over to our own accomplishments ; for , cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them ; ( gal. . . deut. . . ) and , if we say that we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us ; ( joh. . . ) lo , if there be truth in us , we must confesse own have sin in us ; and if we have sin , we violate the law ; and if we violate the law , we lye open to a curse . but here is our comfort , that our surety hath paid our debt : it is true , we say forfeited to death ; justice had said , the soul that sinneth shall die : ( ezek. . . ) mercy interposeth , and satisfies ; the son of god ( whose every drop of bloud was worth a world ) payes this death for us : and now , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth , who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that dyed , yea , rather that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of god , who also maketh intercession for us . ( rom. . . . ) our sin , our death is laid upon him , and undertaken by him ; he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisements of our peace were upon him , and with his stripes we are healed ; ( esa . . . ) his death , his obedience is made over to us ; so then , the sin that we have committed , and the death that we have deserved is not ours ; but the death which he hath endured , and the obedience that he hath performed , is so ours , as he is ours , who is thereupon made of god our righteousnesse . where now are those enemies of grace that scoffe at imputation ; making it a ridiculous paradox , that a man should become just by another mans righteousnesse ? how dare they stand out against the word of truth , which tels us expresly that christ is made our righteousnesse ? what strangers are they to that grace they oppugn ? how little do they consider that christ is ours ? his righteousnesse therefore by which we are justified , is in him our own ; he that hath borne the iniquity of us all ( esa . . . ) hath taught us to call our sins our debts ; ( mat. . . ) those debts can be but once paid ; if the bounty of our redeemer hath staked down the sums required , and cancelled the bonds ; and this payment is ( through mercy ) fully accepted as from our own hands , what danger , what scruple can remain ? what doe we then , weak souls tremble to think of appearing before the dreadfull tribunall of the almighty ? we know him indeed to be infinitely , and inflexibly just ; we know his most pure eyes cannot abide to behold sin ; we know we have nothing else bnt sinne for him to behold in us : certainly , were we to appear before him in the meer shape of our own sinfull selves , we had reason to shake and shiver at the apprehension of that terrible appearance ; but now that our faith assures us , we shall no otherwise be presented to that awfull judge then as cloathed with the robes of christs righteousnesse , how confident should we be , thus decked with the garments of our elder brother , to carry away a blessing ? whiles therefore we are dejected with the conscience of our own vilenesse , we have reason to lift up our heads in the confidence of that perfect righteousnesse which christ is made unto us , and we are made in him . sect . . christ made our sanctification . at the bar of men many a one is pronounced just who remains inwardly foul and guilty ; for the best of men can but judge of things as they appear , not as they are ; but the righteous arbiter of the world declares none just whom he makes not holy . the same mercy therefore that makes christ our righteousnesse , makes him also our sanctification ; of our selves , wretched men , what are we other at our best , then unholy creatures , full of pollution and spirituall uncleannesse ? it is his most holy spirit that must cleanse us from all the filthinesse of our flesh and spirit , ( . cor. . . ) and work us daily to further degrees of sanctification , ( he that is holy , let him be holy still ▪ rev. . . ) neither can there be any thing more abhorring from his infinite justice and holinesse , then to justifie those souls which lie still in the loathsome ordure of their corruptions . certainly , they never truly learnt christ , who would draw over christs righteousnesse , as a case of their close wickednesses ; that sever holinesse from justice , and give no place to sanctification , in the evidence of their justifying : never man was justified without faith ; and wheresoever faith is , there it purifieth and cleanseth ; ( act. . . ) but besides that the spirit of christ works thus powerfully ( though gradually ) within us , that he may sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water , by the word , his holinesse is mercifully imputed to us , that he may present us to himself a glorious church , not having spot , or wrinkle , or any such thing , but that we should be holy and without blemish : ( eph. . , . ) so as that inchoate holinesse , which by his gracious inoperation grows up daily in us towards a full perfection , as abundantly supplyed by his absolute holinesse , made no lesse by imputation , ours , then it is personally his : when therefore we look into our bosoms , we finde just cause to be ashamed of our impurity , and to loath those dregs of corruption , that yet remain in our sinfull nature ; but when we cast up our eyes to heaven , and behold the infinite holinesse of that christ , to whom we are united , which by faith is made ours , we have reason to bear up against all the discouragements that may arise from the conscience of our own vilenesse , and to look god in the face with an awfull boldnesse , as those whom he is pleased to present holy , and unblameable , and unreprovable in his sight : ( col. . . ) as knowing that he that sanctifieth , and they than are sanctified are all of one . ( heb. . . ) sect . . christ made our redemption . redemption was the great errand for which the son of god came down into the world ; and the work which he did whiles he was in the world ; and that , which ( in way of application of it ) he shall be ever accomplishing , till he shall deliver up his mediatory kingdome into the hands of his father ; in this he begins , in this he finishes the great businesse of our salvation : for those who in this life are enlightned by his wisdome , justified by his merits , sanctified by his grace , are yet conflicting with manifold temptations , and strugling with varieties of miseries and dangers , till upon their happy death , and glorious resurrection , they shall be fully freed , by their ever-blessed and victorious redeemer : he therefore , who by vertue of that heavenly union , is made unto us of god , wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification ; is also upon the same ground made unto us our full redemption . redemption implies a captivity ; we are naturally under the wofull bondage of the law , of sinne , of miseries , of death : the law is a cruell exactor ; for it requires of us what we cannot now do ; and whips us for not doing it ; for the law worketh wrath ; ( rom. . . ) and , as many as are of the works of the law , are under the curse . ( gal. . . ) sinne is a worse tyrant then he , and takes advantage to exercise his cruelty by the law ; for when we were in the flesh , the motions of sins , which were by the law , did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death ; ( rom. . . ) upon sin necessarily followes misery , the forerunner of death ; and death the upshot of all miseries ; by one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men , for that all have sinned . ( rom. . . ) from all these is christ our redemption ; from the law ; for christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us : ( gal. . . ) from sin ; for we are dead to sin , but alive unto god through jesus christ our lord ; ( rom. . . ) sin shall not have dominion over you , for ye are not under the law , but under grace . ( rom. . . ) from death , and therein from all miseries : o death where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? the sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law : but thanks be to god which giveth us victory through our lord jesus christ . ( . cor. . , , . ) now then let the law do his worst , we are not under the law , but under grace . ( rom. . . ) the case therefore is altered betwixt the law and us . it is not now a cruell task-master , to beat us to , and for our work ; it is our schoolemaster , to direct , and to whip us unto christ : it is not a severe judge , to condemn us , it is a friendly guide to set us the way towards heaven . let sinne joyne his forces together with the law , they cannot prevail to our hurt ; for what the law could not do , in that it was weak through the flesh , god sending his own son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh , condemned sin , in the flesh , that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit . ( rom. . , . ) let death joyn his forces with them both , we are yet safe ; for the law of the spirit of life , hath freed us from the law of sin , and of death ; ( rom. . . ) what can we therefore fear , what can we suffer , while christ is made our redemption ? finally , as thus christ is made unto us wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption ; so whatsoever else he either is , or hath or doth , by vertue of this blessed union , becomes ours ; he is our riches , ( eph. . . ) our strength , ( psal . . . . . ) our glory , ( eph. . . ) our salvation , ( thes . . . esa . . . ) our all : ( col. . . ) he is all to us ; and all is ours in him . sect . . the externall priviledges of this union , a right to the blessings of earth and heaven . from these primary and intrinsecal priviledges therefore , flow all those secondary and externall , wherewith we are blessed ; and therein a right to all the blessings of god , both of the right hand and of the left ; an interesse in all the good things both of earth and heaven : hereupon it is that the glorious angels of heaven become our guardians , keeping us in all our wayes , and working secretly for our good upon all occasions ; that all gods creatures are at our service ; that we have a true spirituall title to them ; all things are yours ( saith the apostle , cor. . , ) and ye are christs , and christ gods. but take heed , my son , of mislaying thy claim to what , and in what manner thou ought'st not . there is a civill right , that must regulate our propriety to these earthly things ; our spirituall right neither gives us possession of them , nor takes away the right and propriety of others ; every man hath and must have what by the just lawes of purchase , gift , or inheritance is derived to him ; otherwise there would follow an infinite confusion in the world ; we could neither enjoy nor give our own ; and only will , and might must be the arbiters of all mens estates ; which how unequall it would be , both reason and experience can sufficiently evince . this right is not for the direption or usurpation of that which civill titles have legally put over to others ; there were no theft , no robbery , no oppression in the world , if any mans goods might be every mans : but for the warrantable and comfortable injoying of those earthly commodities in regard of god their originall owner , which are by humane conveyances justly become ours ; the earth is the lords , and the fulnesse of it ; in his right what ever parcels do lawfully descend unto us , we may justly possesse , as we have them legally made over to us from the secondary and immediate owners . there is a generation of men who have vainly fansied the founding of temporall dominion in grace ; and have upon this mistaking outed the true heirs as intruders , and feoffed the just and godly in the possession of wicked inheritors ; which whether they be worse common-wealths-men , or christians is to me utterly uncertain ; sure i am they are enemies to both ; whiles on the one side , they destroy all civill propriety , and commerce ; and on the other , reach the extent of the power of christianity so far , as to render it injurious , and destructive both to reason and to the lawes of all well-ordered humanity . nothing is ours by injury and injustice , all things are so ours , that we may with a good conscience enjoy them as from the hand of a munificent god , when they are rightfully estated upon us by the lawfull convention or bequest of men . in this regard it is that a christian man is the lord of the whole universe ; and hath a right to the whole creation of god : how can he challenge lesse ? he is a son ; and in that an heir ; and ( according to the high expression of the holy ghost ) a co-heir with christ ; as therefore we may not be high-minded , but fear ; so we may not be too low-hearted in the under-valuing of our condition ; in god we are great , how mean soever in our selves : in his right the world is ours , what ever pittance we enjoy in our own ; how can we go less when we are one with him who is the possessour of heaven and earth ? it were but a poor comfort to us , if by vertue of this union we could only lay claim to all earthly things : alas , how vain and transitory are the best of these ? perishing under our hand in the very use of them , and in the mean while how unsatisfying in the fruition ? all this were nothing , if we had not hereby an interesse in the best of all gods favours , in the heaven of heavens and the eternity of that glory which is there laid up for his saints ; far above the reach of all humane expressions , or conceits ; it was the word of him who is the eternall word of his father ; father , i will that they also whom thou hast given me , be with me where i am , that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me ; ( joh. . . ) and not only to be meer spectators , but even partners of all this celestiall blisse together with himself ; the glory which thou gavest me , i have given them , that they may be one , even as we are one . ( joh. . . ) oh the transcendent and incomprehensible blessedness of the beleevers , which even when they enjoy they cannot be able to utter , for measure infinite , for duration eternall ! oh the inexplicable joy of the fun and everlasting accomplishment of the happy union of christ and the beleeving soul , more fit for thankfull wonder and ravishment of spirit , then for any finite apprehension ▪ sect . . the means by which this union is wrought . now that we may look a little further into the means by which this union is wrought ; know , my son , that as there are two persons betwixt whom this union is made , christ and the beleever ; so each of them concurs to the happy effecting of it ; christ , by his spirit diffused through the hearts of all the regenerate , giving life and activity to them : the beleever , laying hold by faith upon christ so working in him ; and these do so re-act upon each other , that from their mutuall operation results this gracious union whereof we treat . here is a spirituall marriage betwixt christ and the soul : the liking of one part doth not make up the match , but the consent of both . to this purpose christ gives his spirit ; the soul plights her faith : what interesse have we in christ but by his spirit ? what interesse hath christ in us but by our faith ? on the one part ; he hath-given us his holy spirit , saith the apostle ; ( thes . . . ) and ( in a way of correlation ) we have received not the spirit of the world , but the spirit which is of god ; ( cor. . . ) and this spirit we have so received , as that he dwels in us ; ( rom. . . cor. . . gal. . . ) and so dwels in us , as that we are joyned to the lord ; and he that is joyned to the lord is one spirit . on the other part , we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand , and rejoyce in hope of the glory of god , so as now the life that we live in the flesh , we live by the faith of the son of god ; who dwels in our hearts by faith . ( ephes . . . ) o the grace of faith ( according to saint peters style , pet. . . ) truly precious ; justly recommended to us by saint paul ( ephes . . . ) above all other graces incident into the soul ; as that , which if not alone yet chiefly transacts all the main affairs tending to salvation : for faith is the quickning grace , ( gal. . . rom. . . ) the directing grace , ( cor. . . ) the protecting grace , ( ephes . . . ) the establishing grace , ( rom. . . cor. . . ) the justifying grace , ( rom. . . ) the sanctifying and purifying grace ; ( act. . . ) faith is the grace that assents to , apprehends , applies , appropriates christ , ( heb. . . ) and here upon the uniting grace , and ( which comprehends all ) the saving grace . if ever therefore we look for any consolation in christ , or to have any part in this beatificall union , it must be the main care of our hearts to make sure of a lively faith in the lord jesus , to lay fast hold upon him , to clasp him close to us , yea to receive him inwardly into our bosomes ; and so to make him ours , and our selves his , that we may be joyned to him as our head , espoused to him as our husband , incorporated into him as our nourishment , engraffed in him as our stock , and laid upon him as a sure foundation . sect . . the union of christs members with themselves ; first , those in heaven . hitherto we have treated of this blessed union as in relation to christ the head ; it remains that we now consider of it , as it stands in relation to the members of his mysticall body , one towards another ; for as the body is united to the head , so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly compleat : thus the holy ghost by his apostle : ( cor. . . ) as the body is one and hath many members , and all the members of that one body being many , are one body , so is christ . from this entire conjunction of the members with each other , arises that happy communion of saints , which we professe both to beleeve and to partake of ; this mysticall body of christ is a large one , extending it self both to heaven and earth ; there is a reall union betwixt all those farre-spred lims : between the saints in heaven ; between the saints on earth ; between the saints in heaven and earth . we have reason to begin at heaven , thence is the originall of our union and blessednesse ; there was never place for discord in that region of glory , since the rebellious angels were cast out thence ; the spirits of just men made perfect ( heb. . ) must needs agree in a perfect unity ; neither can it be otherwise , for there is but one will in heaven ; one scope of the desires of blessed souls , which is the glory of their god ; all the whole chore sing one song , and in that one harmonious tune of allelujah . we poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth professe to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end , the honour of our maker and redeemer , but , alas , at our best , we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit , or pleasure ; we professe to sing loud praises unto god , but it is with many harsh and jarring notes ; above , there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever ; oh , how ye love the lord , all ye his saints , ( psal . . . ) oh how joyfull ye are in glory ! ( psal . . . ) the heavens shall praise thy wonders , o lord ; thy faithfulnesse also in the congregation of the saints : ( psal . . . ) o what a blessed common-wealth is that above ! the city of the living god , the heavenly jerusalem ( ever at unity within it self , psal . . . ) and therein the innumerable company of angels , and the generall assembly and church of the first-born , which are written in heaven ; the spirits of just men made perfect , and ( whom they all adore ) god the judge of all ; and jesus the mediator of the new testament : ( heb. . . ) all these as one , as holy : those twenty thousand chariots of heaven ( psal . . . ) move all one way ; when those four beasts full of eyes , round about the throne give glory , and honour , and thanks to him that sits upon the throne , saying , holy , holy , holy , lord god almighty , which was , and is , and is to come ; then the four and twenty elders fall down before him , and cast their crowns before the throne ; ( rev. . , , , , . ) no one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs , all accord in one act of giving glory to the highest . after the sealing of the tribes , a great multitude , which no man could number , of all nations , and kindreds , and people , and tongues stood before the throne , and before the lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands , and cryed with a loud voice , salvation to our god , which sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lamb ; and all the angels stood about the throne , and about the elders , and the four beasts , and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped god , saying , amen ; blessing , and glory , and wisdome , and thanksgiving , and honour , and power , and might be unto god for ever and ever . ( revel . . , , , , . ) lo , those spirits which here below were habited with severall bodies , different in shapes , statures , ages , complexions , are now above as one spirit rather distinguished , then divided ; all united in one perpetuall adoration and fruition of the god o● spirits ; and mutually happy in god in themselves , in each other . sect . . the union of christs members upon earth : first , in matter of judgement . our copy is set us above ; we labour to take it out here on earth ; what do we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls , which is eminent in that empyreall heaven , may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality ? for , having through christ an accesse by one spirit unto god the father , being no more strangers and forainers , but fellow-citizens with the saints , and of the houshold of god , ( eph. . , . ) we cease not to pray , thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven : ( mat. . . ) yea , o saviour , ●hou , who canst not but be heard , hast prayed to thy father for the accomplishment of this union ; that they ●●●y be one even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me ; that they may be perfect in one . ( joh. . , , ) what then is this union of the members of christ here on earth , but a spirituall onenesse arising from an happy conspiration of their thoughts and affections ? for whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions , the brain & the heart , the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union ; from the one our thoughts take their rise ; our affections from the other ; in both , the soul puts it self forth upon all matter of accord , or difference . the union of thoughts is , when we minde the same things , when we agree in the same truths : this is the charge which the apostle of the gentiles layes upon his corinthians , ( cor. . . ) and in their persons , upon 〈◊〉 christians ; now i beseech you , brethre● by the name of our lord jesus christ that ye all speak the same thing ; a●● that there be no divisions among yo● but that ye be perfectly joyned togeth●● in the same minde and in the sa●● judgement : and this is no other th●● that one faith , ( eph. . . ) which make up the one church of christ upo● earth ; one , both in respect of tim● and places . of times : so as the fathers of the first world , and the patriarchs of the next , and all gods people in their ages , that lookt ( togeth●● with them ) for the redemption of isra●● are united with us christians of the la●● dayes in the same beleef , and make 〈◊〉 one entire body of christs catholi● church : ( luk. . . ) of places ▪ 〈◊〉 as all those that truly professe th● name of christ ( though scattered into the farthest remote regions of th● earth ) even those that walk with the●● feet opposite to ours , yet meet with us in the same center of christian faith , and make up one houshold of god. not that we can hope it possible that all christians should agree in all truths ; whiles we are here , our minds cannot but be more unlike to each others , then our faces : yea , it is a rare thing for a man to hold constant to his own apprehensions . lord god! what a world do we meet with of those , who mis-call themselves severall religions , indeed severall professions of one and the same christianity ? melchites , georgians , maronites , jacobites , armenians , abysines , cophti , nestorians , russians , mengrellians ; and the rest that fill up the large map of christianography ; all which , as whiles they hold the head christ , they cannot be denyed the priviledge of his members ; so being such , they are , or should be indissolubly joyned together in the unity of spirit , and maintenance of the faith which was once delivered unto the saints . ( jude . ) it is not the variety of by-opinions that should or can exclude them from having their part in that one catholick church ; and their just claim to the communion of saints : whiles they hold the solid and precious foundation , it is not the hay , or stubble , ( cor. . . ) which they lay upon it , that can set them off from god , or his church : but in the mean time , it must be granted , that they have much to answer for to the god of peace and unity , who are so much addicted to their own conceits , and so indulgent to their own interesse , as to raise and maintain new doctrines , and to set up new sects in the church of christ , varying from the common and received truths ; labouring to draw disciples after them , to the great distraction of souls , and scandall of christianity : with which sort of disturbers , i must needs say , this age into which we are fallen , hath been , and is above all that have gone before us , most miserably pestered . what good soul can be other then confounded to hear of , and see more then an hundred and fourscore new , ( and some of them dangerous and blasphemous ) opinions broached , and defended in one ( once famous and unanimous ) church of christ ? who can say other , upon the view of these wilde thoughts , then gerson said long since , that the world now grown old , is full of doting fancies ; if not rather that the world now near his end , raves , and talks nothing but fancies , and frenzies ? how arbitrary soever these self-willed fanaticks may think it , to take to themselves this liberty of thinking what they list ; and venting what they think , the blessed apostle hath long since branded them with an heavy sentence ; ( rom. . . ) now i beseech you , brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which you have learned , and avoid them ; for they that are such serve not our lord jesus christ , but their own belly ; and by good words , and by fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple . but notwithstanding all this hideous variety of vain and heterodoxall conceptions ; he who is the truth of god , and the bridegroom of his spouse the church , hath said , ( cant. . . ) my dove , my undefiled is one . one , in the main , essentiall fundamentall verities necessary to salvation ; though differing in divers mis-raised corollaries , inconsequent inferences , unnecessary additions , feigned traditions , unwarrantahle practises : the body is one , though the garments differ ; yea , rather ( for most of these ) the garment is one , but differs in the dressing ; handsomely and comly set out by one , disguised by another ; neither is it , nor ever shall be in the power of all the fiends of hell , the professed make-bates of the world , to make gods church other then one ; which were indeed utterly to extinguish , and reduce it to nothing : for the unity , and entity of the church , can no more be divided then it self . it were no lesse then blasphemy to fasten upon the chaste and most holy husband of the church any other then one spouse ; in the institution of marriage did he not make one ? yet had he the residue of the spirit ; and wherefore one ▪ that he might seek a goodly seed : ( mal. . . ) that which he ordained for us , shall not the holy god much more observe in his own heavenly match with his church ? here is then one lord , one faith , one baptisme ; one baptisme , by which we enter into the church , one faith , which we professe in the church , and one lord whom we serve , and who is the head , and husband of the church . sect . . the union of christians in matter of affection . how much therefore doth it concern us , that we who are united in one common beleef , should be much more united in affection ; that where there is one way , there should be much more one heart ? ( jer. . . ) this is so justly supposed , that the prophet ( amos . . ) questions , can two walk together , except they be agreed ? if we walk together in our judgments , we cannot but accord in our wils : this was the praise of the primitive christians , and the pattern of their successors ; the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart , and of the soul ; ( acts . . ) yea , this is the livery which our lord and saviour made choice of , whereby his meniall servants should be known and distinguished ; by this shall all men know that ye be my disciples , if ye have love to one another : ( joh. . . ) in vain shall any man pretend to a discipleship , if he do not make it good by his love to all the family of christ . the whole church is the spiritull temple of god ; every beleever is a living stone laid in those sacred wals ; what is our christian love but the morter or cement whereby these stones are fast joyned together to make up this heavenly building ? without which that precious fabrick could not hold long together , but would be subject to dis-joynting by those violent tempests of opposition , wherewith it is commonly beaten upon : there is no place for any loose stone in gods edifice ; the whole church is one entire body , all the lims must be held together by the ligaments of christian love ; if any one will be severed , and affect to subsist of it self , it hath lost his place in the body ; thus the apostle , ( eph. . , . ) that we being sincere in love may grow up into him in all things , which is the head , even christ ; from whom the whole body fitly joyned together , and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth ; according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part , maketh increase of the body , unto the edifying of it self in love . but in case there happen to be differences in opinion , concerning points not essentiall , not necessary to salvation , this diversity may not breed an alienation of affection . that charity which can cover a multitude of sins , may much more cover many small dissensions of judgement : we cannot hope to be all , and at all times equally enlightned ; at how many and great weaknesses of judgment did it please our mercifull saviour to connive , in his domestick disciples ? they that had so long sate at the sacred feet of him that spake as never man spake , were yet to seek of those scriptures , which had so clearly foretold his resurrection ; ( joh. . . ) and after that were at a fault for the manner of his kingdome ; ( acts . . ) yet he that breaks not the bruised reed , nor quenches the smoaking flaxe , fals not harshly upon them for so foul an error , and ignorance , but entertains them with all loving respect , not as followers only , but as friends : ( joh. . . ) and his great apostle , after he had spent himself in his unweariable endeavours upon gods church ; and had sown the seeds of wholesome , and saving doctrine every where , what rank and noisome weeds of erroneous opinions rose up under his hand , in the churches of corinth , galatia , ephesus , colosse , philippi , and thessalonica ? these he labours to root out , with much zeal , with no bitternesse ; so opposing the errors , as not alienating his affection from the churches ; these , these must be our precedents , pursuing that charge of the prime apostle , ( pet. . . ) finally , be ye all of one minde ; having compassion one of another , love as brethren , be pitifull , be courteous : and that passionate and adjuring obtestation of the apostle ( phil. . , . ) of the gentiles ; if there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowels and mercies ; fulfill ye my joy , that ye be like minded , having the same love , being of one accord , of one minde . this is it that gives beauty , strength , glory to the church of god upon earth ; and brings it nearest to the resemblance of that triumphant part above , where there is all perfection of love and concord ; in imitation whereof , the psalmist sweetly ; behold , how good and joyfull a thing it is brethren to dwel together in unity ! ( psal . . . ) sect . . a complaint of divisions , and , notwithstanding them , an assertion of unity . so much the more justly lamentable it is to see the manifold and grievous distractions of the church of christ , both in judgement and affection . woe is me , into how many thousand pieces is the seamlesse coat of our saviour rent ? yea , into what numberlesse atomes is the precious body of christ torn and minced ? there are more religions , then nations upon earth ; and in each religion as many different conceits , as men . if saint paul , when his corinthians did but say , i am of paul , i am of apollo , i am of cephas , could ask , is christ divided ? ( cor. . , . ) when there was only an emulatory magnifying of their own teachers , ( though agreeing and orthodox ) what ( think we ) would he now say , if he saw hundred of sect-masters and heresiarchs ( some of them opposite to other , all to the truth ) applauded by their credulous and divided followers ? all of them claiming christ for theirs , and denying him to their gain-sayers ; would he not ask , is christ multiplied ? is christ sub-divided ? is christ shred into infinites ? o god! what is become of christianity ? how do evill spirits and men labour to destroy that creed which we have alwayes constantly professed ? for , if we set up more christs , where is that one ? and if we give way to these infinite distractions , where is the communion of saints ? but be not too much dismaid , my son ; notwithstanding all these cold disheartnings , take courage to thy self : he that is truth it self hath said , the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church : ( mat. . . ) in spight of all devils , there shall be saints , and those are , and shall be as the scales of the leviathan , whose strong pieces of shields are his pride , shut up together as with a close seal ; one is so near to another , that no air can come betwixt them ; they are joyned one to another , they stick together , that they cannot be sundred : ( job . , , . ) in all the main principles of religion , there is an universal and unanimous consent of all christians , and these are they that constitute a church : those that agree in these , christ is pleased to admit ( for matter of doctrine ) as members of that body whereof he is the head : and if they admit not of each other as such , the fault is in the uncharitablenesse of the refusers , no lesse then in the error of the refused : and if any vain and loose straglers will needs sever themselves , and wilfully choose to go wayes of their own ; let them know that the union of christs church shall consist entire without them ; this great ocean will be one collection of waters , when these drops are lost in the dust : in the mean time it highly concerns all that wish wel to the sacred name of christ , to labour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ; ( eph. . . ) and to renue and continue the prayer of the apostle for all the professors of christianity ; now the god of patience and consolation , grant you to be like-minded one towards another , according to christ jesus ; that ye may with one minde , and one mouth glorifie god , even the father of our lord iesus christ . ( rom. . , . ) sect . . the necessary effects and fruits of this union of christian hearts . far be it from us to think this union of the hearts of gods saints upon earth can be idle and ineffectuall ; but where ever it is , it puts forth it self in a like-affectednesse of disposition , into an improvement of gifts , into a communication of outward blessings , to the benefit of that happy consociation . we cannot be single in our affections , if we be lims of a christian community ; what member of the body can complain , so as the rest shall not feel it ? even the head and heart are in pain , when a joynt of the least toe suffers ; no christian can be afflicted alone ; it is not saint pauls case only ; who is weak , and i am not weak ? who is offended , and i burn not ? ( cor. . . ) our shoulders are not our own , we must bear one anothers burdens : ( gal. . . ) there is a better kinde of spirituall good fellowship in all the saints of god : they hate a propriety of passions , rejoyce with them that rejoyce , and weep with them that weep . ( rom. . . ) their affections are not more communicative then their gifts and graces ; those , as they are bestowed with an intuition of the common good , so they are improved ; wherefore hath this man quicknesse of wit , that man depth of judgement ; this , heat of zeal , that , power of elocution ; this , skill , that , experience ; this , authority , that strength ; but that all should be laid together for the raising of the common stock ? how rich therefore is every christian soul ; that is not only furnished with its own graces , but hath a speciall interest in all the excellent gifts of all the most eminent servants of god through the the whole world ? surely he cannot be poor , whiles there is any spirituall wealth in the church of god upon earth . neither are or can these gifts be in the danger of concealment ; they are still put forth for the publick advantage : as therefore no true christian is his own man ; so he freely layes out himself , by example , by admonition , by exhortation , by consolation , by prayer , for the universall benefit of all his fellow members ; by example , which is not a a little winning and prevalent ; let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works , and glorifie your father which is in heaven ; saith our saviour in his sermon upon the mount ; ( mat. . . ) and his great apostle seconds his charge to his philippians ; ( phil. . , . ) that ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse , the sons of god without rebuke in the midst of a crooked , and perverse nation , among whom ye shine as lights in the world , holding forth the word of life ; lo , the world sits in darknesse , and either stirs not , or moves with danger ; good example is a light to their feet , which directs them to walk in the wayes of god , without erring , without stumbling : so as the good mans actions are so many copies for novices to take out ; no lesse instructive then the wisest mens precepts . by admonition ; the sinner is in danger of drowning ; seasonable admonition is an hand reacht out , that layes hold on him now sinking , and drawes him up to the shore . the sinner is already in the fire , seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burnings , ( jude v. . ) the charitable christian may not forbear this ( oft times thanklesse , but ) alwayes necessary and profitable duty : thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him . ( lev. . . by exhortation ; the fire of gods spirit within us , is subject to many damps , and dangers of quenching ; seasonable exhortation blowes it up , and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame ; even the best of us lies open to a certain deadnesse and obdurednesse of heart , seasonable exhortation shakes off this perill , and keeps the heart in an holy tendernesse ; and whether awfull , or chearfull disposition ; exhort one another daily , whiles it is called , to day ; lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin . ( heb. . . ) by consolation ; we are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions ; seasonable comforts lift , and stay us up : it is a sad complaint that the church makes in the lamentations ; ( lament . . . ) they have heard that i sigh ; there is none to comfort me ; and david , ( psal . . . ) sets the same mournfull ditty upon his shoshannim ; reproach hath broken my heart , and i am full of heavinesse ; and i looked for some to take pity , and there was none , and for comforters , but i found none . wherefore hath god given to men the tongue of the learned , but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary ? ( esa . . . ) that they may strengthen the weak hands , and confirm the feeble knees ; and say to them that are of a fearfull heart , be strong , fear not . ( esa . . . ) the charge that our saviour gives to peter , ( luk. . . ) holds universally ; thou when thou art converted , strengthen thy brethren . by prayer : so as each member of christs church sues for all ; neither can any one be shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all gods saints upon earth : there is a certain spirituall traffique of piety betwixt all gods children , wherein they exchange prayers with each other ; not regarding number , so much as weight : am i weak in spirit , and faint in my supplications ? i have no lesse share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants , then in my own ; all the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects ; whiles there is life in their faithfull devotions , i cannot go away unblessed . lastly , where there is a communion of inward graces , and spirituall services , there must needs be much more be a communication of outward , and temporall good things as just occasion requireth ; away with those dotages of platonicall , or anabaptisticall communities ; let proprieties be , as they ought , constantly fixed where the lawes , and civill right have placed them ; but let the use of these outward blessings be managed , and commanded by the necessities of our brethren ; withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof , when it is in the power of thy hand to do it : say not unto thy neighbour , go , and come again tomorrow , and i will give it , when thou hast it by thee , ( prov. . , . ) these temporall things were given us not to engrosse , and hoard up superfluously , but to distribute and dispense ; as we have therefore opportunity , let us do good untoall men , especially them who are of the houshold of faith . ( gal. . . ) such then is the union of gods children here on earth , both in matter of judgement , and affection ; and the beneficiall improvement of that affection , whether in spirituall gifts , or good offices , or communicating of our earthly substance ; where the heart is one , none of these can be wanting , and where they all are , there is an happy communion of saints . sect . . the union of the saints on earth with those in heaven . as there is a perfect union ( betwixt the glorious saints in heaven ; and a union ( though imperfect ) betwixt the saints on earth : so there is an union partly perfect , and partly imperfect , between the saints in heaven , and the saints below upon earth : perfect , in respect of those glorified saints above ; imperfect , in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again . let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight far distant in another world , and we are here toyling in a vale of tears , we have therefore lost all mutuall regard to each other : no , there is still , and ever will be a secret , but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth . the present happinesse of those heavenly citizens cannot have abated ought of their knowledge , and charity , but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both : they therefore , who are now glorious comprehensors , cannot but in a generality , retain the notice of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below , panting towards our rest together with them , and in common , wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage , in the fruition of their glory ; that they have any perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants , is that which we finde no ground to beleeve : it is enough that they have an universall apprehension of the estate of christs warfaring church upon the face of the earth ; ( rev. . . ) and as fellow-members of the same mysticall body , long for a perfect glorification of the whole . as for us wretched pilgrims , that are yet left here below to tug with many difficulties , we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory ; o ye blessed saints above , we honour your memories so far as we ought ; we do with praise recount your vertues , we magnifie your victories , we blesse god for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world , and for your estating in that blessed immortality ; we imitate your holy examples , we long and pray for an happy consociation with you ; we dare not raise temples , dedicate altars , direct prayers to you ; we dare not finally , offer any thing to you which you are unwilling to receive , nor put any thing upon you , which you would disclaim as prejudiciall to your creator , and redeemer . it is abundant comfort to us , that some part of us is in the fruition of that glory ; whereto we ( the other poor labouring part ) desire , and strive to aspire : that our head and shoulders are above water , whiles the other lims are yet wading through the stream . sect . . a recapitulation and sum of the whole treatise . to winde up all ; my sonne if ever thou look for sound comfort on earth , and salvation in heaven ; unglue thy self from the world and the vanities of it ; put thy self upon thy lord and saviour jesus christ ; leave not till thou findest thy self firmly united to him , so as thou art become a limb of that body whereof he is head , a spouse of that husband , a branch of that stem , a stone laid upon that foundation ; look not therefore for any blessing out of him ; and in , and by , and from him look for all blessings ; let him be thy life , and wish not to live longer then thou art quickned by him ; finde him thy wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , redemption ; thy riches , thy strength , thy glory : apply unto thy self all that thy saviour is , or hath done ; wouldst thou have the graces of gods spirit ? fetch them from his anointing ; wouldst thou have power against spirituall enemies ? fetch it from his soveraignty ; wouldst thou have redemption ? fetch it from his passion ; wouldst thou have absolution ? fetch it from his perfect innocence ? freedome from the curse ? fetch it from his crosse ? satisfaction ? fetch it from his sacrifice ; cleansing from sin ? fetch it from his bloud ; mortification ? fetch it from his grave ; newnesse of life ? fetch it from his resurrection ; right to heaven ? fetch it from his purchase ; audience in all thy suits ? fetch it from his intercession ; wouldst thou have salvation ? fetch it from his session at the right hand of majesty : wouldst thou have all ? fetch it from him who is one lord , one god and father of all , who is above all , through all , and in all : ( eph. . , . ) and as thy faith shall thus interesse thee in christ thy head : so let thy charity unite thee to his body the church , both in earth , and heaven ; hold ever an inviolable communion with that holy and blessed fraternity . sever not thy self from it either in judgement , or affection ; make account there is not one of gods saints upon earth , but hath a propriety in thee : and thou mayst challenge the same in each of them : so as thou canst not but be sensible of their passions : and be freely communicative of all thy graces , and all serviceable offices , by example , admonition , exhortation , consolation , prayer , beneficence , for the good of that sacred community . and when thou raisest up thine eyes to heaven , think of that glorious society of blessed saints , who are gone before thee , and are now there triumphing , and reigning in eternall and incomprehensible glory ; bless god for them , and wish thy self with them , tread in their holy steps , and be ambitious of that crown of glory and immortality which thou seest shining upon their heads . an holy rapture : or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ . by j. h. b. n. the contents . § . . the love of christ , how passing knowledge ; how free ; of us , before we were . § . . how free ; of us that had made our selves vile and miserable . § . how yet free ; of us that were professed enemies . § . the wonderfull effects of the love of christ ; . his incarnation . § . . his love in his sufferings . § . . his love in what he hath done for us ; and . in preparing heaven for us from eternity . § . his love in our redemption from death , and hell . § . his love in giving us the guard of his angels . § . his love in giving us his holy spirit . § . our sense and improvement of christs love in all the former particulars ; and first in respect of the inequality of our persons . § . a further improvement of our love to christ in respect of our unworthinesse , and of his sufferings and glory prepared for us . § . the improvement of our love to christ for the mercy of his deliverance , of the tuition of his angels , of the powerfull working of his good spirit for the accomplishment of our salvation . an holyrapture : or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ . sect . . the love of christ how passing knowledge ; how free ; of us before we were . what is it , o blessed apostle , what is it , for which thou dost so earnestly bow thy knees ( in the behalf of thine ephesians ) unto the father of our lord jesus christ ? even this , that they may know the love of christ , which passeth knowledge . ( eph. . . . ) give me leave first to wonder at thy suit ; and then , much more , at what thou suest for : were thine affections raised so high to thine ephesians , that thou shouldst crave for them impossible favours ? did thy love so far over-shoot thy reason , as to pray they might attain to the knowledge of that which cannot be known ? it is the love of christ which thou wishest they may know , and it is that love which thou sayest is past all knowledge ; what shall we say to this ? is it for that there may be holy ambitions of those heights of grace , which we can never hope actually to attain ? or is it , rather , that thou supposest , and prayest they may reach to the knowledge of that love , the measure whereof they could never aspire to know : surely , so it is , o blessed jesu ; that thou hast loved us , we know ; but , how much thou hast loved us , is past the comprehension of angels : those glorious spirits , as they desire to look into the deep mystery of our redemption , so they wonder to behold that divine love whereby it is wrought , but they can no more reach to the bottome of it , then they can affect to be infinite . for surely , no less then an endless line can serve to fadome a bottomelesse depth : such , o saviour , is the abysse of thylove to miserable man : alas , what dowe poor , wrethed dust of the earth go about to measure it by the spans , and inches of our shallow thoughts ? far , far , be such presumption from us ; onely admit us , o blessed lord , to look at , to admire , and ad ore that which we give up for incomprehensible ; what shall we then say to this love , oh dear jesu , both as thine , and as cast upon us ; all earthly love supposeth some kinde of equality , ( or proportion at least ) betwixt the person that loves , and is loved ; here is none at all ; so as ( which is past wonder ) extreams meet without a mean : for , lo , thou , who art the eternall and absolute being , god blessed for ever , lovedst me that had no being at all ; thou lovedst me both when i was not , and could never have been , but by thee : it was from thy love that i had any being at all : much more that when thou hadst given me a beeing , thou shouldst follow me with succeeding mercies ? who but thou ( who art infinite in goodnesse ) would love that which is not ? our poor sensuall love is drawn from us by the sight of a face , or a picture ; neither is ever raised but upon some pleasing motive : thou wouldst make that which thou wouldst love , and wouldst love that which thou hadst made ; o god ▪ was there ever love so free , so gracious , as this of thine ? who can be capable to love us but men or angels ? men love us because they see something in us which they think amiable ; angels love us because thou dost so : but why dost thou ( o blessed lord ) love us , but because thou wouldst ? there can be no cause of thy will , which is the cause of all things ; even , so lord , since this love did rise only from thee ; let the praise and glory of it rest only in thee . sect . . how free ; of us that had made our selves vile and miserable . yet more , lord ; we had lost our selves before we were , and having forfeited what we should be , had made our selves perfectly miserable ; even when we were worse then nothing , thou wouldst love us ; was there ever any eye enamoured of deformity ? can there by any bodily deformity comparable to that of sin ? yet , lord , when sin had made us abominably loathsome , didst thou cast thy love upon us : a little scurf of leprosie , or some few nasty spots of morphew , or , but , some unsavory sent sets us off , and turns our love into detestation . but for thee , ( o god ) when we were become as foul , and ugly as sin could make us , even then was thy love inflamed towards us ; even when we were weltring in our bloud , thou saidst , live , and washedst us , and anointedst us , and cloathedst us with a broidered work , and deckedst us with ornaments , and graciously espousedst us to thy self , and receivedst us into thine own bosome : lord , what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him , and the son of man that thou thus visitest him ? oh what are we in comparison of thine once glorious angels ? they sinned and fell , never to b●●●covered never to be loosed from those everlasting chains , wherein they are reserved to the judgement of the great day : whence is it then , o saviour , whence is it that thou hast shut up thy mercy from those thy more excellent creatures , and hast extended it to us , vile sinfull dust ? whence ? but that thou wouldst love man , because thou wouldst ? alas , it is discouragement enough to our feeble friendship , that he to whom we wisht well , is miserable : our love doth gladly attend upon , and enjoy his prosperity ; but when his estate is utterly sunk , and his person exposed to contempt and ignominy , yea , to torture and death ; who is there that will then put forth himself to own a forlorn , and perishing friend ? but for thee , o blessed jesu , so ardent was thy love to us , that it was not in the power of our extream misery to abate it ; yea so , as that the deplorednesse of our condition did but heighten that holy flame ; what speak i of shame or sufferings ? hell it self could not keep thee off from us ; even from that pit of eternall perdition didst thou fetch our condemned souls , and hast contrarily vouchsafed to put us into a state of everlasting blessednesse . sect . . how yet free ; of us that were professed enemies . the common disposition of men pretends to a kinde of justice in giving men their own ; so as they will repay love for love ; and think they may for hatred return enmity ; nature it self then teacheth us to love our friends , it is only grace that can love an enemy : but , as of injuries , so of enmities thereupon grounded , there are certain degrees ; some are sleight and triviall , some main and capitall ; if a man do but scratch my face , or give some light dash to my fame , it is no great mastery upon submission to receive such an offender to favour ; but if he have endeavoured to ruine my estate , to wound my reputation , to cut my throat , not only to pardon this man , but to hug him in my arms , to lodge him in my bosome as my entire friend , this would be no other then an high improvement of my charity . o lord jesu , what was i but the worst of enemies , when thou vouchsafedst to embrace me with thy loving mercy ; how had i shamefully rebelled against thee , and yeelded up all my members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin ? how had i crucified thee the lord of life ? how had i done little other then trod under foot thee the blessed son of god , and counted the bloud of the covenant an unholy thing ; how had i in some sort done despight unto the spirit of grace ? yet even then , in despight of all my most odious unworthynesse ; didst thou spread abroad thine arms to receive me , yea , thou openedst thine heart to let me in : o love passing not knowledge only , but wonder also ! o mercy , not incident into any thing lesse then infinite ; nor , by any thing lesse , comprehensible ! sect . . the wonderfull effects of the love of christ : his incarnation . but , oh dear lord , when from the object of thy mercy , i cast mine eyes upon the effects and improvement of thy divine favours ; and see what thy love hath drawn from thee towards the sons of men , how am i lost in a just amazement ? it is that which fetcht thee down from the glory of the highest heavens , from the bosome of thine eternall father to this lower world , the region of sorrow and death : it is that which ( to the wonder of angels ) cloathed thee with this flesh of ours , and brought thee ( who thoughtst it no robbery to be equall with god ) to an estate lower then thine own creatures . oh mercy transcending the admiration of all the glorious spirits of heaven , that god would be incarnate ! surely , that all those celestiall powers should be redacted to either worms , or nothing ; that all this goodly frame of creation should run back into its first confusion , or be reduced to one single atome ; it is not so high a wonder as for god to become man those changes ( though the highest that nature is capable of ) are yet but of things finite ; this is of an infinite subject , with which the most excellent of finite things can hold no proportion : oh the great mystery of godlinesse ; god manifested in the flesh , and seen of angels ! those heavenly spirits had ever since they were made , seen his most glorious deity , and adored him as their omnipotent creator ; but to see that god of spirits invested with flesh , was such a wonder , as had been enough ( if their nature could have been capable of it ) to have astonished even glory it self ; and whether to see him that was their god so humbled below themselves , or to see humanity thus advanced above themselves , were the greater wonder to them , they only know : it was your foolish misprision , o ye ignorant lystrians , that you took the servants for the master ; here only is it verified which you supposed ) that god is come down to us in the likenesse of man ; and as man conversed with men : what a disparagement do we think it was for the great monarch of babylon , for seven years together , as a beast to converse with the beasts of the field ? yet alas , beasts and men are fellow-creatures ; made of one earth , drawing in the same ayre , returning ( for their bodily part to the same dust ; symbolizing in many qualities ; and in some , mutually transcending each others : so as here may seem to be some terms of a tolerable proportion ; sith many men are in disposition too like un to beasts , and some beasts are in outward shape somewhat like unto men : but for him that was , and is , god , blessed for ever , eternall , infinite , incomprehensible , to put on flesh , and become a man amongst men , was to stoop below all possible disparities that heaven and earth can afford ; oh saviour , the lower thine abasement was for us , the higher was the pitch of thy divine love to us . sect . . his love in his sufferings . yet in this our humane condition there are degrees ; one rules and glitters in all earthly glory ; another sits despised in the dust ; one passes the time of his life in much jollity and pleasure ; another wears out his dayes in sorrow and discontentment ; blessed jesu , since thou wouldst be a man , why wouldst thou not be the king of men ? since thou wouldst come down to our earth , why wouldst thou not enjoy the best entertainment that the earth could yeeld thee ? yea , since thou who art the eternall son of god , wouldst be the son of man , why didst thou not appear in a state like to the king of heaven , attended with the glorious retinue of blessed angels ? o yet greater wonder of mercies ; the same infinite love that brought thee down to the form of man , would al so bring thee down , being man , to the form of a servant . so didst thou love man that thou wouldst take part with him of his misery , that he might take partwith thee of thy blessednesse : thou wouldst be poor to enrich us , thou wouldst be burdened for our ease , tempted for our victory , despised for our glory . with what lesse then ravishment of spirit can i behold thee , who wert from everlasting cloathed with glory and majesty , wrapped in rags : thee , who fillest heaven and earth with the majesty of thy glory , cradled in a manger ; thee , who art the god of power , fleeing in thy mothers arms from the rage of a weak man ; thee , who art the god of israel , driven to be nursed out of the bosome of thy church ; thee , who madest the heaven of heavens , busily working in the homely trade of a foster-father ; thee , who commandest the devils to their chains , transported and tempted by that foul spirit ; thee , who art god all-sufficient , exposed to hunger , thirst , wearinesse , danger , contempt , poverty , revilings , scourgings , persecution ; thee , who art the just judge of all the world , accused and condemned ; thee , who art the lord of life , dying upon the tree of shame and curse ; thee , who art the eternall son of god , strugling with thy fathers wrath ; thee , who hadst said , i and my father are one , sweating drops of bloud in thine agony , and crying out on the crosse , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? thee , who hast the keyes of hell , and of death , lying sealed up in another mans grave : oh saviour , whither hath thy love to mankinde carryed thee ? what sighs , and groans , and tears and bloud , hast thou spent upon us wretched men ? how dear a price hast thou paid for our ransome ? what raptures of spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of thy so infinite mercy ? be thou swallowed up , o my soul , in this depth of divine love ; and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world , when thou hast such a saviour to take them up . sect . . his love in preparing heaven for us . but o blessed jesu , if from what thou hast suffered for me , i shall cast mine eyes upon what thou hast done for my soul , how is my heart divided betwixt the wonders of both ; and may as soon tell how great either of them is , as whether of them is the greatest . it is in thee that i was elected from all eternity ; and ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a world : we are wont ( o god ) to marvell at , and blesse thy provident beneficence to the first man , that before thou wouldst bring him forth into the world , thou wert pleased to furnish such a world for him , so goodly an house over his head , so pleasant a paradise under his feet , such variety of creatures round about him for his subjection , and attendance ; but how should i magnifie thy mercy , who before that man , or that world had any beeing , hast so far loved me as to pre-ordain me to a place of blessednesse in that heaven which should be , and to make me a co-heir with my christ of thy glory : and oh , what an heaven is this that thou hast laid out for me : how resplendent , how transcendently glorious ? even that lower paradise which thou providedst for the harbour of innocence and holinesse , was full of admirable beauty , pleasure , magnificence , but if it be compared with this paradise above , which thou hast prepared for the everlasting entertainment of restored souls , how mean and beggerly it was ? oh match too unequall , of the best peece of earth , with the highest state of the heaven of heavens . in the earthly paradise i finde thine angels , the cherubim ; but it was to keep man off from that garden of delight , and from the tree of life in the midst of it ; but in this heavenly one i finde millions of thy cherubim , and seraphim rejoycing at mans blessednesse , and welcomming the glorified souls to their heaven : there i finde but the shadow of that , whereof the substance is here ; there we were so possessed of life that yet we might forfeit it ; here is life without all possibility of death : temptation could finde accesse thither , here is nothing but a free and compleat fruition of blessednesse : there were delights fit for earthly bodies ; here is glory more then can be enjoyed of blessed souls : that was watered with four streams , muddy , and impetuous ; in this is the pure river of the water of life , clear as crystall , proceeding out of the throne of god , and of the lamb : there i finde thee onely walking in in the cool of the day ; here manifesting thy majesty continually : there i see only a most pleasant orchard , set with all manner of varieties of flourishing and fruitfull plants ; here i finde also the city of god infinitely rich , and magnificent ; the building of the wall of it , of jasper ; and the city it self pure gold , like unto clear glasse ; and the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of precious stones : all that i can here attain to see , is the pavement of thy celestiall habitation : and , lord , how glorious it is ; how be spangled with glittering starres ; for number , for magnitude equally admirable ? what is the least of them , but a world of light ? and what are all of them , but a confluence of so many thousand worlds of beauty and brightnesse met in one firmament ? and if this floor of thine heavenly palace be thus richly set forth , oh , how infinite glory and magnificence must there needs be within ? thy chosen vessell , that had the priviledge to be caught up thither , and to see that divine state , ( whether with bodily , or mentall eyes ) can expresse it no otherwise , then that it cannot possibly be expressed : no , lord , it were not infinite if it could be uttered ; thoughts go beyond words ; yet even these come far short also ; he that saw it , sayes ; eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , the things which god hath prepared for them that love him . sect . . his love in our redemption from death and hell . yet is thy love , o saviour , so much more to be magnified of me , in this purchased glory ; when i cast down mine eyes , and look into that horrible gulf of torment , and eternall death , whence thou hast rescued my poor soul : even out of the greatest contentment which this world is capable to afford unto mankinde , to be preferred to the joyes of heaven , is an unconceivable advantage ; but from the depth of misery to be raised up unto the highest pitch of felicity , addes so much more to the blessing , as the evill from which we are delivered is more intolerable : oh blessed jesu , what an hell is this out of which thou hast freed me ? what dreadfull horror is here ? what darknesse ? what confusion ? what anguish of souls that would , and cannot die ? what howling , and yelling , and shrieking , and gnashing ? what everlasting burnings ? what never slaking tortures ? what mercilesse fury of unweariable tormentors ? what utter despair of any possibility of release ? what exquisitenesse , what infinitenesse of pains that cannot , yet must be endured ? oh god , if the impotent displeasure of weak men have devised so subtle engins of revenge upon their fellow-mortals , for but petty offences ; how can we but think thine infinite justice and wisdome must have ordained such forms and wayes of punishment for hainous sins done against thee , as may be answerable to the violation of thy divine majesty ? oh therefore the most fearfull and deplored condition of damned spirits , never to be ended , never to be abated ; oh those unquenchable flames ▪ oh that burning tophet , deep and large ; and those streams of brimstone wherewith it is kindled ; oh that worm ever gnawing and tearing the heart , never dying , never sated : oh ever-living death , oh ever renuing torments ; oh never pitied , never intermitted damnation ; from hence o saviour , from hence it is that thou hast fetcht up my condemned soul ; this is the place , this is the state out of which thou hast snatcht me up into thy heaven : oh love and mercy more deep then those depths from which thou hast saved me ; more high then that heaven to which thou hast advanced me ! sect . . christs love in giving us the guard of his angels . now whereas in my passage from this state of death towards the fruition of immortall glory , i am way-laid by a world of dangers ; partly , through my own sinfull aptnesse to miscarriages , and partly , through the assaults of my spirituall enemies , how hath thy tender love and compassion , o blessed jesu , undertaken to secure my soul , from all these deadly perils ; both without out , and within : without , by the guardance of thy blessed angels : within , by the powerfull inoperation of thy good spirit which thou hast given me ? oh that mine eyes could be opened with elishaes servant , that i might see those troops of heavenly souldiers , those horses and chariots of fire , wherewith thou hast encompassed me ! every one of which is able to chase away a whole host of the powers of darknesse : who am i , lord , who am i , that , upon thy gracious appointment , these glorious spirits should still watch over me in mine uprising , and down lying ; in my going out , and coming in ? that they should bear me in their arms , that they should shield me with their protection ? behold , such is their majesty and glory , that some of thy holiest servants have hardly been restrained from worshipping them ; yet so great is thy love to man , as that thou hast ordained them to be ministring spirits , sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation . surely they are in nature far more excellent then man ; as being spirituall substances , pure intelligences , meet to stand before the throne of thee the king of glory ; what a mercy then is this , that thou , who wouldst humble thy self to be lower then they , in the susception of our nature ; art pleased to humble them in their offices to the guardianship of man , so far , as to call them the angels of thy little ones upon earth ? how hast thou blessed us , and how should we blesse thee in so mighty , and glorious attendants ? sect . . his love in giving us his holy spirit . neither hast thou , o god , meerly turn'd us over to the protection of those tutelary spirits ; but hast held us still in thine own hand ; having not so strongly defenced us without ; as thou hast done within ; since that , is wrought by thine angels , this , by thy spirit ; oh the soveraign and powerfull influences of thy holy ghost ; whereby we are furnished with all saving graces , strengthned against all temptations , heartned against all our doubts and fears ; enabled both to resist , and overcome ; and upon our victories , crowned . oh divine bounty , far beyond the reach of wonder ! so god ( the father ) loved the world , that he gave his only begotten son , that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life : so god the son loved the world of his elect , that he gave unto them the holy spirit of promise , whereby they are sealed unto the day of redemption , whereby according to the riches of his glory they are strengthened with might in the inner man ; by the vertue whereof shed abroad in their hearts , they are enabled to cry , abba , father . oh gifts ; either of which are more worth then many worlds ; yet through thy goodnesse , o lord , both of them mine ▪ how rich is my soul through thy divine munificence , how over-laid with mercies ? how safe in thine almighty tuition ? how happy in thy blessed possession ? now therefore i dare in the might of my god , bid defiance to all the gates of hell ; do your worst , o all ye principalities and powers , and rulers of the darknesse of this world , and spirituall wickednesses in high places ; doe your worst ; god is mine , and i am his ; i am above your malice in the right of him whose i am ; it is true , i am weak , but he is omnipotent ; i am sinfull , but he is infinite holinesse ; that power , that holinesse in his gracious application is mine ; it is my saviours love that ●ath made this happy exchange of his righteousnesse for my sin ; of his power for my infirmity ; who then shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth : who shall separate us from the love of christ ? shall tribulation , or distresse , or persecution , or famine , or nakednesse , or perill , or sword ? nay , in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us : so as , neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come ; nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of god which is in christ jesus our lord. lo , where this love is placed ; were it our love of god , how easily might the power of a prevalent temptation separate us from it , or it from us ; for , alas , what hold is to be taken of our affections , which , like unto water , are so much more apt to freez because they have been heated ; but it is the love of god to us in christ jesus , which is ever as himself constant and eternall : he can no more cease to love us , then to be himself ; he cannot but be unchangeable , we cannot but be happy . sect . . our sense and improvement of christs love in all the former particulars : and first , in respect of the inequality of the persons . all this , o dear jesu , hast thou done , all this hast thou suffered for men ; and oh now for an heart that might be some wayes answerable to thy mercies ! surely , even good natures hate to be in debt for love ; and are ready to repay favours with interest ; oh for a soul sick of love , yea sick unto death ! why should i , how can i be any otherwise , any whit lesse affected , o saviour ? this only sicknesse is my health , this death is my life , and not to be thus sick , is to be dead in sins and trespasses . i am rock and not flesh , if i be not wounded with these heavenly darts : ardent affection is apt to attract love even where is little or no beauty ; and excellent beauty is no lesse apt to enflame the heart where there is no answer of affection ; but when these two meet together , what breast can hold against them ? and here they are both in an eminent degree . thou canst say even of thy poor church ( though labouring under many imperfections ) thou hast ravished my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes , with one chain of thy neck ; how fair is thy love , my sister , my spouse ? and canst thou , o blessed saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of thy faithfull ones ; and shall not we much more bee altogether enamoured of thine absolute and divine beauty ? of whom every beleeving soul can say ; my beloved is white and ruddy , the chiefest among ten thousand ; his head is as the most fine gold ; his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters , his cheeks are as a bed of spices , as sweet flowers ; his lips like lillies , dropping sweet smelling myrrhe , &c. it hath pleased thee , o lord , out of the sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love , to say to thy poor church , turn away thine eyes from me , for they have overcome me ; but oh let me say unto thee ; turn thine eyes to me , that they may overcome me ; i would be thus ravished , thus overcome ; i would be thus ravish , thus overcome , i would be thus out of my self , that i might be all in thee . thou lovedst me before i had beeing ; let me now that i have a beeing be wholly taken up with thy love ; let me set all my soul upon thee that gavest me beeing ; upon thee who art the eternall , and absolute self-being ; who hast said , and only could say , i am that i am ; alas , lord , we are nothing but what thou wilt have us ; and cease to be when thou callest in that breath of life which thou hast lent us ; thou art that incomprehensibly glorious , and infinite self-existing spirit , from eternity , in eternity , to eternity , in , and from whom all things are : it is thy wonderfull mercy that thou wouldst condescend so low , as to vouchsafe to be loved of my wretchednesse , of whom thou mightest justly require and expect nothing but terrour and trembling . it is my happinesse that i may be allowed to love a majesty so infinitely glorious : oh let me not be so far wanting to my own felicity , as to be lesse then ravished with thy love . sect . . a further inforcement of our love to christ in respect of our unworthiness and his sufferings , and prepared glory . thou lovedst me when i was deformed , loathly , forlorn , and miserable ; shall i not now love thee when thou hast freed me , and deckt me with the ornaments of thy graces ? lord jesu , who should enjoy the fruit of thine own favours but thy self ? how shamefully injurious were it , that when thou hast trimm'd up my soul , it should prostitute it self to the love of the world ? oh take my heart to thee alone ; possesse thy self of that which none can claim but thy self . thou lovedst me when i was a professed rebell against thee , and receivedst me not to mercy only , but to the indearment of a subject , a servant , a son ; where should i place the improvement of the thankfull affections of my loyalty and duty but upon thee ? thou , o god , hast so loved us , that thou wouldst become the son of man for our sakes , that we who are the sons of men might become the sons of god ; oh that we could put off the man , to put on christ ; that we could neglect and hate our selves for thee that hast so dearly loved us as to lay aside thine heavenly glory for us ! how shall i be vile enough , o saviour , for thee , who for my sake ( being the lord of life and glory ) wouldst take upon thee the shape of a servant : how should i welcome that poverty which thy choice hath sanctified ? how resolutely shall i grapple with the temptations of that enemy , whom thou hast foiled for me ? how ●hearfully should i passe through ●hose miseries and that death , which ●hou hast sweetned ? with what comfortable assurance shall i look upon the face of that mercifull justice which thou hast satisfied ? but oh what a blessed inheritance hast thou in ●ine infinite love provided for me ? 〈◊〉 inheritance incorruptible , and un●●filed , and that fadeth not away , re●erved in heaven for me ; so as when ●●y earthly house of this tabernacle ●hall be dissolved , i have a building of god , an house not made with ●ands , eternall in the heavens : an ●ouse ? yea , a palace of heavenly ●●ate and magnificence ; neither is it ●esse then a kingdome that abides there ●or me : a kingdome so much more ●bove these worldly monarchies , as ●eaven is above this clod of earth : now , lord , what conceits , what affections of mine can be in the least sort answerable to so transcendent mercy ? if some friend shall have been pleased to bestow some mean legacy upon me ; or shall have feoffed me in some few acres of his land ; how deeply do i finde my self obliged to the love and memory of so kinde a benefactor ? o then , lord , how can my soul be capable of those thoughts and dispositions , which may reach to the least proportion of thine infinite bounty , who of a poor worm on earth , hast made me an heir of the kingdome of heaven ? wo is me , how subject are these earthly principalities to hazard , and mutability , whether through death , or insurrection ; but this crown which thou hast laid up for me is immarcescible ; and shall sit immovably fast upon my head , not for years , not for millions of ages , but for all eternity ; oh let it be my heaven here below , in the mean while , to live in a perpetuall fruition of thee , and to begin those alelujahs to thee here , which shall be as endlesse as thy mercy , and my blessednesse . sect . . the improvement of our love to christ for the mercy of his deliverance , of the tuition of his angels , of the powerfull working of his good spirit . hadst thou been pleased to have translated me from thy former paradise , the most delightfull seat of mans originall integrity and happinesse , to the glory of the highest heaven , the preferment had been infinitely gracious ; but to bring my soul from the nether most hell and to place it among the chore of angels , doubles the thank of thy mercy , and the measure of my obligation : how thankfull was thy prophet but to an ebedmelech , that by a cord and rags let down into that dark dungeon , helpt him out of that uncomfortable pit wherein he was lodged ; yet , what was there but a little cold , hunger , stench , closenesse , obscurity ? lord , how should i blesse thee , that hast fetcht my soul from that pit of eternall horrour , from that lake of fire and brimstone , from the everlasting torments of the damned , wherein i had deserved to perish for ever ? i will sing of thy power ; unto thee , o my strength , will i sing ; for god is my deliverer , and the god of my mercie . but , o lord , if yet thou shouldst leave me in my own hands , where were i ? how easily should i be rob'd of thee with every temptation ? how should i be made the scorn and insultation of men and devils ? it is thy wonderfull mercy that thou hast given thine angels charge over me ; those angels great in power , and glorious in majesty are my sure ( though invisible ) guard : o blessed jesu , what an honour , what a safety is this , that those heavenly spirits which attend thy throne should be my champions ; those that ministred to thee after thy temptation , are ready to assist and relieve me in mine ; they can neither neglect their charge , because they are perfectly holy , nor fail of their victory , because they are ( under thee ) the most powerfull . i see you , o ye blessed guardians , i see you by the eye of my faith , no lesse truly , then the eye of my sense sees my bodily attendants ; i do truly ( though spiritually ) feel your presence by you gratious operations , in , upon , and for me ; and i do heartily blesse my god and yours , for you , and for those saving offices that ( through his mercifull appointment ) you ever do for my soul . but as it was with thine israelies of old , that it would not content them that thou promisedst , and wouldst send thine angell before them , to bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey , unlesse thy presence , o lord , should also go along with them ; so is it still with me and all thine , wert not thou with , and in us , what could thine angels do for us ? in thee it is that they move and are ; the same infinite spirit which works in , and by them , works also in me : from thee it is , o thou blessed and eternall spirit , that i have any stirrings of holy motions , any breathings of good desires , any life of grace , any will to resist , any power to overcome evill ; it is thou , o god , that girdest me with strength unto battell ; thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation ; thy right hand hath holden me up ; thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies . glory and praise be to thee , o lord , which alwaies causest us to triumph in christ ; who crownest us with loving kindnesse , and tender mercies ; and hast not held us short of the best of thy favours . truly , lord , hadst thou given us but a meer beeing , as thou hast done to the lowest rank of thy creatures , it had been more then thou owest us : more then ever we could be able to requite to thy divine bounty ; for every beeing is good , and the least degree of good is farre above our worthiness ; but , that to our beeing thou hast added life , it is yet an higher measure of thy mercy ; for certainly , of thy common favours , life is the most precious ; yet this is such a benefit as may be had and not perceived ; for even the plants of the earth live and feel it not ; that to our life therefore thou hast made a further accession of sense , it is yet a larger improvement of thy beneficence : for this faculty hath some power to manage life ; and makes it capable to affect those means which may tend to the preservation of it , and to decline the contrary ; but this is no other then the brute creatures enjoy equally with us , and some of them beyond us : that therefore to our sense thou hast blessed us with a further addition of reason , it is yet an higher pitch of munificence ; for hereby we are men ; and , as such , are able to attain some knowledge of thee our creator , to observe the motions of the heavens , to search into the natures of our fellow-creatures , to passe judgement upon actions , and events , and to transact these earthly affairs to our own best advantage . but when all this is done , wo were to us if we were but men ; for our corrupted reason renders us of all creatures the most miserable : that therefore to our reason thou hast superadded faith ; to our nature grace ; and of men hast made us christians ; and to us , as such , hast given thy christ , thy spirit ; and thereby made us of enemies , sons , and heirs ; co-heirs with christ of thine eternall and most glorious kingdome of heaven ; yea , hast incorporated us into thy self , and made us one spirit with thee our god ; lord , what room can there be possibly in these strait and narrow hearts of ours for a due admiration of thy transcendent love and mercy ? i am swallowed up , o god , i am willingly swallowed up in this bottomelesse abysse of thine infinite love ; and there let me dwell in a perpetuall ravishment of spirit , till being freed from this clog of earth , and filled with the fulness of christ , i shall be admitted to enjoy that , which i cannot now reach to wonder at , thine incomprehensible blisse , and glory which thou laid up in the highest heavens for them that love thee , in the blessed communion of all thy saints , and angels , thy cherubim , and seraphim , thrones , dominions , and principalities , and powers ; in the beatificall presence of thee the ever-living god , the eternall father of spirits , father , son , holy ghost , one infinite deity , in three , co-essentially , co-eternally , co-equally glorious persons ; to whom be blessing , honour , glory , and power for ever and ever . amen , allelujah . the christian , laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage . by j. h. d. d. b. n. london , printed by e. cotes , for john sweeting , at the angell in popes-head alley , . the contents . the exhortatory preface . § . . the christians disposition . § . . his expence of the day . § . . his recreations . § . . his meals . § . . his nights rest . § . . his carriage . § . . his resolution in matter of religion . § . . his discourse . § . . his devotion . § . . his sufferings . § . . his conflicts . § . . his death . an exhortary preface to the christian reader . ovt of infallible rules and long experience have i gathered up this true character of a christian : a labour ( some will think ) might have been well spared : every man professes both to know and act this part ; who is there that would not be angry , if but a question should be made either of his skill , or interest ? surely , since the first name given at antioch , all the beleeving world hath been ambitious of the honour of it ; how happy were it , if all that are willing to wear the livery , were as ready to do the service . but it fals out here , as in the case of all things that are at once honourable , and difficult , every one affects the title , few labour for the truth of the atchievement . having therefore leisure enough to look about me , and finding the world too prone to this worst kinde of hypocrisie , i have made this true draught , not more for direction , then for tryall . let no man view these lines as a stranger , but when he looks in this glasse , let him ask his heart whether this be his own face ; yea , rather when he sees this , face , let him examine his heart whether both of them agree with their pattern . and where he findes his failings , ( as who shall not ? ) let him strive to amend them ; and never give over , whiles he is any way lesse fair then his copy . in the mean time , i would it were lesse easie , by these rules , to judg even of others besides our selves ; or , that it were uncharitable to say , there are many professors , few christians ; if words and forms might carry it , christ would have clients enow : but if holinesse of disposition , and uprightnesse of carriage must be the proof , woe is me , in the midst of the land , among the people , there is as the shaking of an olive tree , and as the gleaning grapes where the vintage is done . ( esai . . . ) for where is the man hath obtained the mastery of his corrupt affections , and to be the lord of his unruly appetite ? that hath his heart in heaven , whiles his living carkasse is stirring here upon earth ? that can see the invisible , and secretly enjoy that saviour , to whom he is spiritually united ? that hath subdued his will and reason to his beleefe ; that fears nothing but god ; loves nothing but goodnesse ; hates nothing but sin ; rejoyceth in none but true blessings ? whose faith triumphs over the world ; whose hope is anchored in heaven : whose charity knows no lesse bounds then god , and men : whose humility represents him as vile to himself , as he is honorable in the reputation of god ; who is wise heaven ward ; however he passes with the world ; who dares be no other then just whether he win or l●se ; who is frugally liberall , discreetly couragous , holily temperate a● who is even a thrifty manager of his houres , so dividing the day betwixt his god , and his vocation , that neither shall finde fault with a just neglect , or an unjust partiality : whose recreations are harmlesse , honest , warrantable , such as may refresh nature , not debauch it : whose diet is regulated by health , not by pleasure , as one whose table shall be no altar to his belly , nor snare to his soul : who in his seasonable repose lies down , and awakes with god , caring only to relieve his spirits ; not to cherish sloth . whose carriage is meek , gentle , compliant , beneficiall in whatsoever station ; in magistracy unpartially just ; in the ministery conscionably faithful ; in the rule of his family wisely provident , and religiously exemplary ; shortly , who is a discreet and loving yoke-fellow , a tender and pious parent , a dutious and awfull sonne : an humble and obsequious servant , an obedient and loyall subject . whose heart is constantly setled in the main truthes of christian religion , so as he cannot be removed ; in litigious points , neither too credulous , nor too peremptory : whose discourse is such as may be meet for the expressions of a tongue that belongs to a sound , godly , and charitable heart ; whose breast continually burnes with the heavenly fire of an holy devotion ; whose painfull sufferings are overcome with patience , and chearfull resolutions ; whose conflicts are attended with undaunted courage , and crowned with an happy victory : lastly , whose death is not so full of fear and anguish , as of strong consolations in that saviour , who hath overcome and sweetned it ; nor of so much dreadfulnesse in it selfe , as of joy in the present expectation of that blessed issue of a glorious immortality , which instantly succeeds it . such is the christian whom we doe here characterize , and commend to the world both for tryall , and imitation ; neither know i which of these many qualifications can be missing in that soul , who layes a just claim to christ , his redeemer . take your hearts to task , therefore my dear brethren , into whose hands soever these lines shall come : and , as you desire to have peace at the last , ransack them thoroughly ; not contenting your selves with a perfunctory , and fashionable over-sight ( which wil one day leave you irremediably miserable ) but so search , as those that resolve not to give over till you finde these gracious dispositions in your bosoms , which i have here described to you : so shall we be , and make each other happy in the successe of our holy labours ; which the god of heaven blesse in both our hands , to his owne glory ; and our mutual comfort in the day of the appearing of our lord jesus christ , amen . the christian . sect . . his disposition . the christian is a man and more ; an earthly saint , an angell cloathed in flesh ; the only lawfull image of his maker , and redeemer ; the abstract of gods church on earth : a modell of heaven made up in clay ; the living temple of the holy ghost . for his disposition , it hath in it as much of heaven , as his earth may make room for ; he were not a man , if he were quite free from corrupt affections ; but these he masters , and keeps in with a strait hand ; and if at any time they grow test●y and headstrong , he breaks them with a severe discipline , and will rather punish himself , then not tame them ; he checks his appetite with discreet , but strong denials , and forbears to pamper nature , lest it grow wanton , and impetuous ; he walks on earth , but converses in heaven ; having his eyes fixed on the invisible , and enjoying a sweet communion with h●s god , and saviour ; whiles all the rest of the world sits in darknesse , he lives in a perpetuall light ; the heaven of heavens is open to none but him ; thither his eye pierceth , and beholds those beams of inaccessible glory , which shine in no face but his : the deep mysteries of godlinesse which to the great clerks of the world are as a book clasped and sealed up , lye open before him fair and legible ; and whiles those book-men know whom they have heard of , he knowes whom he hath beleeved : he will not suffer his saviour to be ever out of his eye ; and if through some worldly interceptions , he lose the fight of that blessed object for a time , he zealously retrives him , not without an angry theck of his own mis-carriage ; and is now so much the more fixed by his former flackning ; so as he will hence forth sooner part with his soul , then his redeemer . the termes of entirenesse wherein he stands with the lord of life , are such as he can feel ; but cannot expresse , though hee should borrow the language of angels : it is enough that they two are one spirit : his reason is willingly captivated to his faith ; his will to his reason ; and his affections to both : he fears nothing that he sees in comparison of that which he sees not ; and displeasure is more dreadfull to him then smart : good is the adequate object of his love ; which he duly proportions according to the degrees of its eminence ; affecting the chief good , not without a certain ravishment of spirit ; the lesser with a wise and holy moderation . whether he do more hate sin , or the evill spirit that suggests it , is a question ; earthly contents are too mean grounds whereon to raise his joy ; these , as he baulks not when they meet him in his way , so he doth not too eagerly pursue ; he may taste of them , but so , as he had rather fast then surfet . he is not insensible of those losses which casualty , or enmity may inflict ; but that which lies most heavily upon his heart , is his sin : this makes his sleep short and troublesome , his meals stomachlesse , his recreations listlesse ; his every thing , tedious ; till he finde his soul acquitted by his great surety in heaven : which done , he feels more peace and pleasure in his calm , then he found horrour in the tempest . his heart is the store-house of most precious graces : that faith whereby his soul is established , triumphs over the world , whether it allure , or threaten ; and bids defiance to all the powers of darknesse ; not fearing to be foiled by any opposition : his hope cannot be discouraged with the greatest difficulties ; but bears up against naturall impossiblities ; and knows how to reconcile contradictions ; his charity is both extensive , and servent ; barring out no one that bears the face of a man ; but pouring out it self upon the houshold of faith ; that studies good constructions of men , and actions ; and keeps it self free both from suspicion , and censure : grace doth not more exalt him , then his humility depresses him : were it not for that christ who dwels in him , he could think himself the meanest of all creatures ; now , he knows he may not disparage the deity of him , by whom he is so gloriously inhabited ; in whose only right he can be as great in his own thoughts , as he is despicable in the eyes of the world . he is wise to god-ward , however it be with him for the world ; and well knowing he cannot serve two masters , he cleaves to the better ; making choice of that good part which can never be taken from him ; not so much regarding to get that which he cannot keep , as to possesse himself of that good which he cannot lose . he is just in all his dealings with men ; hating to thrive by injury , and oppression ; and will rather leave behind something of his own , then filch from anothers heap . he is not close fisted , where there is just occasion of his distribution ; willingly parting with those metals which he regards only for use ; not caring for either their colour , or substance ; earth is to him no other then it self , in what ●hiew so ever it appeareth . in every good cause he is bold as a lion ; and can neither fear faces , nor shrink at dangers : and is rather heartned with opposition , pressing so much the more where he finds a large door open , and many adversaries ; and when he must suffer , doth as resolutely stoop , as he did before valiantly resist . he is holily temperate in the use of all gods blessings , as knowing by whom they are given , and to what end ; neither dares either to mis-lay them , or to mis-spend them lavishly : as duly weighing upon what tearmes he receives them ; and fore-expecting an account . such an hand doth he carry upon his pleasures and delights , that they run not away with him ; he knows how to slacken the reins without a debauched kind of dissolutenesse , and how to straiten them without a sullen rigour . sect . . his expence of the day . he lives as a man that hath borrowed his time , and challenges not to be an owner of it ; caring to spend the day in a gracious and well-governed thrift ; his first mornings task , after he hath lifted up his heart to that god who gives his beloved sleep , shall be to put himself into a due posture , wherein to entertain himself , and the whole day : which shall be done , if he shall effectually work his thoughts to a right apprehension of his god , of himself , of all that may concern him . the true posture of a christian then , is this ; he sees still heaven open to him , and beholds and admires the light inaccessible ; he sees the all-glorious god ever before him ; the angels of god about him ; the evill spirits aloof off enviously groyning , and repining at him ; the world under his feet , willing to rebell , but forced to be subject ; the good creatures ready to tender their service to him ; and is accordingly affected to all these ; he sees heaven open with joy and desire of fruition ; he sees god with an adoring awfulnesse ; he sees the angels with a thankfull acknowledgement , and care not to offend them ; he sees the evill spirits with hatred and watchfull indignation ; he sees the world with an holy imperiousnesse , commanding it for use , and scorning to stoop to it for observance ; lastly , he sees the good creatures , with gratulation , and care to improve them to the advantage of him that lent them . having thus gathered up his thoughts , and found where he is , he may now be fit for his constant devotion ; which he fals upon , not without a trembling veneration of that infinite and incomprehensible majesty , before whom he is prostrate ; now he climes up into that heaven , which he before did but behold ; and solemnly pours out his soul in hearty thanksgivings , and humble supplications into the bosome of the almighty ; wherein his awe is so tempered with his faith , that whiles he labours under the sense of his own vilenesse , he is raised up in the confidence of an infinite mercy ; now he renues his feeling interest in the lord jesus christ his blessed redeemer ; and labours to get in every breath new pledges of his gracious entirenesse ; so seasoning his heart with these earely thoughts of piety , as that they stick by him all the day after . having thus begun with his god , and begg'd his blessing : he now finds time to addresse himself to the works of his calling ; to live without any vocation , to live in an unwarrantable vocation , not to labour in the vocation wherein he lives , are things which his soul hateth : these businesses of his calling therefore , he followes with a willing and contented industry ; not as forced to it by the necessity of humane laws , or as urged by the law of necessity , out of the sense or fear of want : nor yet contrarily , out of an eager desire of enriching himself in his estate , but in a conscionable obedience to that god who hath made man to labour as the sparks to flye upward ; and hath laid it upon him both as a punishment , and charge : in the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread . in an humble alacrity he walks on in the way , wherein his god hath set him ; yet not , the while , so intent upon his hands , as not to tend his heart ; which he lifts up in frequent ejaculations to that god , to whom he desires to be approved in all his endevours ; ascribing all the thanks both of his ability , and successe to that omnipotent hand : if he meet with any rubs of difficulty in his way , hee knows who sent them , and who can remove them ; not leglecting any prudentiall means of remedy , he is not to seek for an higher redresse . if he have occasion of trading with others ; his will may not be the rule of his gain , but his conscience ; neither dares he strive for what he can get , but what he ought : equity is here the clerk of the market ; and the measure which he would have others mete out to himself , is the standard whereby he desires to be tryed in his mensurations to all other . he hates to hoise prices upon occasion of his neighbours need ; and to take the advantage of forfaits by the clock . he is not such a slave to his trade , as not to spare an hour to his soul ; neither dares he so lavish as utterly to neglect his charge upon whatever pretence of pleasure , or devotion . shortly , he takes his work at the hand of god , and leaves it with him : humbly offering up his services to his great master in heaven ; and after al his labour fits comfortably down in the conscience of having faithfully done his task , though not without the intervention of many infirmities . sect . . his recreations . his recreations ( for even these humane frailty will sometimes call for ) are such , as may be meet relaxatiōs to a mind over-bent , and a body tired with honest and holy employments ; safe , inoffensive , and for time and measure fitly proportioned to the occasion ; like unto soft musick betwixt two long and stirring acts ; like unto some quick and savory sauce to a listlesse , and cloyed stomach ; like unto a sweet nap after an over-watching . he is far from those delights that may effeminate , or corrupt the mind ; abhorring to sit by those pleasures , from which he shall not rise better : he hates to turn pastime into trade ; not abiding to spend more time in whetting , thèn till his edge be sharp ; in the height of his delectations he knows to enjoy god ; from whom as he fetches his allowance , so he craves and expects a gracious acceptation , even whē he lets himself most loose . and if at any time he have gone beyond his measure , he chides himself for the excesse , and is so much the more carefull ever after to keep within compasse . he can onely make a kind of use of those contentments , wherewith light minds are transported : and can manage his disports without passion ; and leave a loser without regret . a smile to him is as much as a loud laughter to the worldling ; neither doth he entertain mirth as his ordinary attendant , but as his retainer to wait upon his serious occasions : and finally , so rejoyceth , as if he rejoyced not . sect . . his meals . his meals are such as nature requires , and grace moderates ; not pinching himself with a penurious niggardlinesse , nor pampering himself with a wanton excesse : his palate is the least part of his care ; so as his fare may be wholesome , he stands not upon delicacy . he dares not put his hand to the dish till he have lookt up to the owner ; and hates to put one morsell into his mouth , unblessed ; and knows it his duty to give thanks for what he hath paid for ; as well considering , that neither the meat that he eats , nor the hand and mouth that receives it , nor the mawe that digests it , nor the metall that buies it , is of his own making : and now having fed his belly , not his eye , he rises from his board , satisfied , not glutted ; and so be stirs himself upon his calling , as a man not more unwieldy by his repast , but more chearfull ; and as one that would be loth his gut should be any hindrance to his brain , or to his hand . if he shall have occasion to entertain himself and his friends more liberally , he dares not lose himself in his feast ; he can be soberly merry , and wisely free ; only in this he is willing not to be his own man , in that he gives himself for the time to his guests . his cator is friendly thrift ; and temperance keeps the boards end , and carves to every one the best measure of enough : as for his own diet , when he is invited to a tempting variety , he puts his knife to his throat ; neither dares he feed without feare , as knowing who overlooks him : obscenity , detraction , scurrility ; are barred from his table ; neither do any words sound there that are lesse savoury then the dishes . lastly , he so feeds , as if he sought for health in those viands , and not pleasure ; as if he did eat to live ; and rises not more replenished with food , then with thankfulnesse . sect . . his nights rest . in a due season he betakes himself to his rest , he presumes not to alter the ordinance of day , and night , nor dares confound , where distinction is made by his maker ; it is not with him as with the brute creatures , that have nothing to look after but the meer o-obedience of nature ; he doth not therefore lay himself down as the swine in the stye , or a dog in the kennell , without any further preface to his desired sleep , but improves those faculties which he is now closing up , to a meet preparation for an holy repose ; for which purpose , he first casts back his eye to the now-expired day ; and seriously considers how he hath spent it ; and will be sure to make his reckonings even with his god , before he part . then he lifts up his eyes and his heart to that god , who hath made the night for man to rest in ; and recommends himselfe earnestly to his blessed protection : and then closeth his eyes in peace , not without a serious meditation of his last rest ; his bed represents to him , his grave ; his linnen , his winding sheet ; his sleep , death ; the night , the many days of darknesse : and shortly , he so composeth his soul , as if he lookt not to wake till the morning of the resurrection : after which if he sleep , he is thankfully chearefull ; if he sleep not , his reins chasten , and instruct him in the night season : and if sleep be out of his eyes , yet god and his angels are not : whensoever he awakes , in those hands he finds himself , and therefore rests sweetly , even when he sleeps not . his very dreams however vain , or troublesome , are not to him altogether unprofitable , for they serve to bewray not only his bodily temper , but his spirituall weaknesses , which his waking resolutions shall endevour to correct . he so applies himselfe to his pillow , as a man that meant not to be drowned in sleep , but refreshed ; not limiting his rest by the insatiable lust of a sluggish and drowzie stupidnesse , but by the exigence of his health , and abilitation to his calling ; and rises from it ( not too late ) with more appetite to his work , then to a second slumber ; chearfully devoting the strength renued by his late rest , to the honour and service of the giver . sect . . his carriage . his carriage is not strange , insolent , surly , and overly contemptuous , but familiarly meek , humble , courteous : as knowing what mold he is made of ; and not knowing any worse man then himself ; he hath an hand ready upon every occasion to be helpfull to his neighbour ; as if he thought himself made to do good ; he hates to sell his breath to his friend , where his advice may be usefull ; neither is more ambitious of any thing under heaven , then of doing good offices ; it is his happinesse if he can reconcile quarrels , and make peace between dissenting friends . when he is chosen an umpire , he will be sure to cut even betwixt both parties ; and commonly displeaseth both , that he may wrong neither ; if he be called forth to magistracy , he puts off all private interests , and commands friendship to give place to justice ; now he knows no cousens , no enemies ; neither cousens for favour , nor enemies for revenge ; but looks right forward to the cause , without squinting aside to the persons . no flattery can keep him from brow-beating of vice ; no fear can work him to discourage vertue : where severity is requisite , he hates to enjoy anothers punishment ; and where mercy may be more prevalent , he hates to use severity : power doth not render him imperious and oppressive , but rather humbles him in the awfull expectation of his account . if he be called to the honour of gods embassie to his people , he dares not but be faithfull in delivering that sacred message , he cannot now either fear faces , or respect persons ; it is equally odious to him to hide and smother any of gods counsell , and to foist in any of his own to suppresse truth and to adulterate it ; he speaks not himself , but christ , and labours not to tickle the ear , but to save soules : so doth he goe before his flock as one that means to feed them no lesse by his example , then by his doctrine ; and would condemn himself , if he did not live the gospel , as well as preach it ; he is neither too austere in his retirednesse , nor too good-cheap in his sociablenesse ; but carries so eaven an hand that his discreet affablenesse may be free from contempt , and that he may win his people with a loving conversation ; if any of his charge be miscarried into an errour of opinion , he labours to reclaim him by the spirit of meeknesse ; so as the mis-guided may reade nothing but love in his zealous conviction ; if any be drawn into a vicious course of life , he fetches him back with a gentle , yet powerfull hand ; by an holy importunity , working the offender to a sense of his owne danger , and to a saving penitence . is he the master of a family ? he dares not be a lion in his own house ; cruelly tyrannizing over his meanest drudge : but so moderately exercises his power , as knowing himself to be his apprentices fellow-servant ; he is the mouth of his meiny to god , in his dayly devotions ; offering up for them the calves of his lips , in his morning and evening sacrifice and the mouth of god unto them in his wholesome instructions , and al godly admonitions : he goes before them in good examples of piety , and holy conversation , and so governs , as one that hathmore then meer bodies committed to his charge . is he the husband of a wife ? he carries his yoak even ; not laying too much weight upon the weaker neck , his helper argues him the principall ; and he so knows it ; that he makes a wise use of his just inequality : so remembring himself to be the superiour , as that he can be no other then one flesh : he maintains therefore his moderate authority with a conjugall love , so holding up the right of his sexe , that in the mean time he doth not violently clash with the britler vessel : as his choice was not made by weight , or by the voice , or by the hiew of the hide , but for pure affection grounded upon vertue ; so the same regards hold him close to a constant continuance of his chast love ; which can never yeeld either to change or intermission . is he a father of children ? he looks upon them as more gods then his own ; and governs them accordingly : he knows it is only their worse part which they have received from his loins , their diviner half is from the father of lights , and is now become the main part of his charge . as god gave them to him , and to the world by him : so his chief care is , that they may be begotten again to god ; that they may put off that corrupt nature which they took from him , and be made partakers of that divine nature which is given them in their regeneration . for this cause he trains them up in all vertuous and religious education : he sets them in their way , corrects their exorbitances , restraines their wilde desires and labours to frame them to all holy dispositions ; and so bestows his fatherly care upon , and for them , as one that had rather they should be good then rich , and would wish them rather dead , then debaucht : he neglects not al honest means of their provision , but the highest point he aims at , is to leave god their patrimony . in the choice of their calling , or match , he propounds , but forces not , as knowing they have also wils of their own , which it is fitter for him to bow , then to break . is he a son ? he is such as may be fit to proceed from such loins . is he a servant ? he cannot but be officious : for he must please two masters , though one under , not against the other ; when his visible master sees him not , he knowes he cannot be out of the eye of the invisible ; and therefore dares not be either negligent , or unfaithfull . the work that he undertakes , he goes through , not out of fear , but out of conscience , and would doe his businesse no otherwise then well , though he served a blind master ; he is no blab of the defects at home , and where he cannot defend , is ready to excuse : he yeelds patiently to a just reproof , and answers with an humble silence : and is more carefull not to deserve , then to avoid stripes . is he a subject ? he is awfully affected to soveraignty , as knowing by whom the powers are ordained ; he dares not curse the king , no not in his thought ; nor revile the ruler of his people , though justly faulty : much lesse dare be sclander the footsteps of gods anointed . he submits not only for wrath , but also for conscience sake , to every ordinance of god , yea , to every ordinance of man for the lords sake ; not daring to disobey in regard of the oath of god ; if he have reacht forth his hand to cut off but the skirt of the royall robe , his heart smites him : he is a true paymaster , and willingly renders tribute to whom tribute , custome to whom custome , honour to whom honour is due ; and justly divides his duties betwixt god and caesar . finally , in what ever relation he stands , he is diligent , faithfull , conscionable , observant of his rule , and carefull to be approved such , both to god and men . sect . . his resolution in matter of religion . he hath fully informed himself of all the necessary points of religigion ; and is so firmly grounded in those fundamentall and saving truths , that he cannot be carried about with every wind of doctrine ; as for collaterall and unmateriall verities , he neither despiseth , nor yet doth too eagerly pursue them ; he lists not to take opinions upon trust ; neither dares absolutely follow any guide , but those who he knows could not erre ; he is ever suspicious of new faces of theologicall truths ; and cannot think it safe to walk in untroden paths : matters of speculation are not unwelcome to him ; but his chief care is to reduce his knowledge to practise , and therefore he holds nothing his own , but what his heart hath appropriated , and his life acted : he dares not be too much wedded to his own conceit ; and hath so much humility , as to think the whole church of christ upon earth wiser then himself ; however he be a great lover of constancy , yet upon better reason he can change his mind in some litigious , and un-importing truths , and can be silent where he must dissent . sect . . his discourse . his discourse is grave , discreet , pertinent , free from vanity , free from offence ; in secular occasions nothing fals from him but seasonable and well-advised truths ; in spirituall , his speech is such , as both argues grace , and works it : no foul and unsavoury breath proceeds out of his lips ; which he abides not to be tainted with any rotten communication , with any slanderous detraction : if in a friendly merriment he let his tongue loose to an harmlesse urbanity , that is the furthest he dares goe ; scorning to come within the verge of a base scurrility . he is not apt to spend himself in censures , but as for revilings , and cursed speakings against god , or men , those his soul abhorreth . he knowes to reserve his thoughts by locking them up in his bosome under a safe silence , and when he must speak , dares not be too free of his tongue , as well knowing that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sinne . his speeches are no other then seasonable , and well fitted both to the person , and occasion ; jigges at a funerall , lamentations at a feast , holy counsell to scorners , discouragements to the dejected , and applauses to the prophane , are hatefull to him ; he meddles not with other mens matters , much lesse with affairs of state but keeps himself wisely within his own compasse : not thinking his breath well spent , where he doth not either teach , or learn. sect . . his devotion . he is so perpetually resident in heaven , that he is often in every day before the throne of grace ; and he never comes there without supplicatiō in his hand ; wherein also he loves to be importunate ; and he speeds accordingly , for he never departs empty ; whiles other cold suiters that come thither but in some good fits of devotion , obtain nothing but denials ; he dares not presse to gods foot-stool in his own name , ( he is conscious enough of his own unworthinesse ) but he comes in the gracious and powerfull name of his righteous mediatour , in whom he knows he cannot but be accepted ; and in an humble boldnesse for his only sake craves mercy ; no man is either more awfull , or more confident ; when he hath put up his petition to the king of heaven , he presumes not to stint the time , or manner of gods condescent ; but patiently and faithfully waits for the good hour , and ●eaves himself upon that infinite wisdome and goodnesse . he doth not affect length so much as fervour ; neither so much minds his tongue as his heart . his prayers are suited according to the degrees of the benefits sued for ; he therefore begs grace absolutely ; temporall blessings with limitation ; and is accordingly affected in the grant : neither is he more earnest in craving mercies , then he is zealously desirous to be retributory to god , whē he hath received them : not more heartily suing to be rich in grace , then to improve his graces to the honour and advantage of the bestower : with an awfull and broken heart doth he make his addresses to that infinite majesty , from whose presence he returns with comfort and joy : his soule is constantly fixed there whither he powres it out ; distraction and distrust are shut out from his closet ; and he is so taken up with his devotiō , as one that makes it his work to pray : and when he hath offered up his sacrifices unto god , his faith listens and looks in at the door of heaven to know how they are taken . sect . . his sufferings . every man shows fair in prosperity ; but the main triall of the christian is in suffering ; any man may steer in a good gale , and clear sea , but the mariners skill will be seen in a tempest : herein the christian goes beyond the pagans , not practise only , but admiration ; we rejoyce in tribulation , saith the chosen vessell ; lo here a point transcending all the affectation of heathenism . perhaps some resolute spirit , whether out of a natural fortitude , or out of an ambition of fame or earthly glory , may set a face upon a patient enduring of losse , or pain , but never any of those heroick gentiles durst pretend to a joy in suffering ; hither can christian courage reach ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience , and patience , experience , and experience , hope , and hope maketh not ashamed . is he bereaved of his goods and worldly estate ? he comforts himself in the conscience of a better treasure that can never be lost ; is he afflicted with sicknesse ? his comfort is that the inward man is so much more renued daily , as the outward perisheth : is he slandered and unjustly disgraced ? his comfort is that there is a blessing , which will more then make him amends ; is he banished ? he knows he is on his way home-ward ; is he imprisoned ? his spirit cannot be lockt in ; god and his angels cannot be lockt out ; is he dying ? to him to live is christ , and to dye is gain ; is he dead ? he rests from his labours , and is crowned with glory : shortly , he is perfect gold that comes more pure out of the fire then it went in ; neither had ever been so great a saint in heaven , if he had not passed through the flames of his tryall here upon earth . sect . . his conflicts . he knows himself never out of danger ; and therefore stands ever upon his guard ; neither of his hands are empty ; the one holds out the shield of faith ; the other manageth the sword of the spirit ; both of them are employed in his perpetual conflict . he cannot be weary of resisting , but resolves to dye fighting : he hath a ward for every blow ; and as his eye is quick to discern temptations , so is his hand and foot nimble to avoid them : he cannot be discouraged with either the number or power of his enemies , knowing that his strength is out of himself , in him in whom he can do all things ; and that there can be no match to the almighty ; he is carefull not to give advantage to his vigilant adversary ; and therefore warily avoids the occasions of sinne : and if at any time he be overtaken with the suddainnesse , or subtilty of a temptation , he speedily recovers himself by a serious repentance ; and fights so much the harder because of his foil . he hates to take quarter of the spirituall powers ; nothing lesse then death can put an and to to this quarrell ; nor nothing below victory . sect . . his death . he is not so careful to keep his soul within his teeth , as to send it forth well addressed for happinesse : as knowing therefore the last brunt to be most violent , he rouzeth up his holy fortitude to encounter that king of fear , his last enemy , death ; and now after a painfull sicknesse , and a resolute expectation of the fiercest assault , it fals out with him as in the meeting of the two hostile brothers , jacob and esau , in stead of grapling he finds a courteous salutation , for stabs , kisses ; for height of enmity , offices of love ; life could never befriend him so much , as death offers to do : that tenders him ( perhaps a rough , but ) a sure hand to lead him to glory ; and receives a welcome accordingly : neither is there any cause to marvell at the change ; the lord of life hath wrought it ; he having by dying subdued death , hath reconciled it to his own ; and hath ( as it were ) beaten it into these fair tearms with all the members of his mysticall body : so as whiles unto the enemies of god , death is still no other then a terrible executioner of divine vengeance , he is to all that are in christ , a plausible and sure convoy unto blessednesse ; the christian therefore now laid upon his last bed , when this grim messenger comes to fetch him to heaven , looks not so much at his dreadfull visage , as at his happy errand : and is willing not to remember what death is in it self , but what it is to us in christ ; by whom it is made so usefull and beneficiall , that we could not be happy without it ; here then comes in the last act , and employment of faith ; ( for after this brunt passed , there is no more use of faith , but of vision ) that heartens the soul in a lively apprehension of that blessed saviour , who both led him the way of suffering , and is making way for him to everlasting glory : that shews him jesus the authour and finisher of our faith , who for the joy that was set before him , endured the crosse , despising the shame , and is set down at the right hand of the throne of god ; that clings close unto him , and lays unremoveable hold upon his person , his merits , his blessednesse ; upon the wings of this faith is the soul ready to mount up toward that heaven , which is open to receive it ; and in that act of evolation puts it self into the hands of those blessed angels who are ready to carry it up to the throne of glory . sic , o , sic juvat vivere , sic perire . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e luther in gal. hier. zanch. loc . com . . de symbolo apost . resolvtions and decisions of divers practicall cases of conscience in continuall use amongst men very necessary for their information and direction in these evil times, in four decades / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) resolvtions and decisions of divers practicall cases of conscience in continuall use amongst men very necessary for their information and direction in these evil times, in four decades / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . the second edition, with some additionalls. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for n.b. : and are to be sold by r. royston ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. table of contents: p. [ ]-[ ] "an advertisement to the reader": p. [ ]-[ ] at end. attributed to joseph hall. cf. bm. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vera effigies reverendi do ni iosephi hall norwici episcopi this picture represents the forme , where dwells a mind , which nothing but that mind excells there 's wisdome , learning , witt ; there grace & love 〈…〉 all the rest : enough to prove 〈◊〉 the froward conscience of this time the reverend name of bishop is no crime resolvtions and decisions 〈…〉 of conscience in continuall use amongst men , very necessary for their information and direction in these evill times . in foure decades . the second edition , with some additionalls . by jos : hall , b. norwich . london , printed for n. b. and are to be sold by r. royston at the angel in ivie-lane . . to the reader . of all divinity that part is most usefull , which determines cases of conscience ; and of all cases of conscience the practicall are most necessary ; as action is of more concernment than speculation : and of all practicall cases those which are of most cōmon use are of so much greater necessity & benefit to be resolved , as the errors therof are more universall ; and therefore more prejudiciall to the society of mankind : these i have selected out of many ; and having turned over divers casuists have pitch't upon those decisions , which i hold most conformable to enlightened reason , and religion : sometimes i follow them , & sometimes i leave them for a better guide . in the handling of all which , would i have affected that course which seneca blames in his albutius , to say all that might be spoken , i could easily have been more voluminous , though perhaps not more satisfactory . if these lines meet with different judgments ; i cannot blame either my selfe , or them . it is the opinion of some schoolmen ( which seems to be made good by that instance in the prophet daniel * ) that even the good angels themselves may holily vary in the way , though they perfectly meet in the end : it is farre from my thoughts to obtrude these my resolutions as peremptory , and magisteriall upon my readers , i onely tender them submissely , as probable advises to the simpler sort of christians ; & as matter of grave censure to the learned . may that infinite goodnesse to whose only glory i humbly desire to devote my selfe and all my poore indeavours , make them as beneficial , as they are wel-meant to the good of his church , by the unworthiest of his servants higham near norwich , march . . i. h. b. n. the contents of the first decade . cases of profit and traffique . i. whether it be lawfull for me to raise any profit by the loane of mony. p. ii. whether may i not sell my wares as deare as i can , and get what i may of every buyer ? iii. whether is the seller bound to make known to the buyer the faults of that which he is about to sell ? iv. whether may i sell my commodities the dearer for giving dayes of payment ? v. whether and how farre monopolies are , or may be lawfull ? vi. whether and how far doth a fraudulent bargaine binde me to performance ? vii . how farre and when am i bound to make restitution of another mans goods remaining in my hands ? viii . whether and how farre doth a promise extorted by feare , though seconded by an oath , binde my conscience to performance ? ix . whether those monies , or goods which i have found may be safely taken , and kept by me to my owne use ? x. whether i may lawfully buy those goods , which i shall strongly suspect , or know to be stollen , or plundred ; or if i have ignorantly bought such goods , whether i may lawfully ( after knowledge of their owner ) keep them as mine ? the contents of the second decade . cases of life and liberty . i. whether and in what cases it may be lawfull for a man to take away the life of another . p. ii. whether may i lawfully make use of a duel for the deciding of my right ; or the vindication of my honour ? iii. whether may it be lawfull in case of extremity to procure the abortion of the child for the preservation of the mother ? iv. whether a man adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment , or death , may in conscience indeavour , and practice an escape ? v. whether and how farre a man may be urged to an oath . vi. whether a judge may upon allegations , proofs and evidences of others , condemn a man to death , whom he himselfe certainly knowes to be innocent ? vii . whether and in what cases am i bound to be an accuser of another ? viii . whether a prisoner indicted of a felonious act which he hath committed ; and interrogated by the judge concerning the same , may stand upon the denial , and plead not guilty ? ix . whether and how farre a man may take up armes in the publique quarrell of a warre ? x. whether and how far a man may act towards his owne death ? the contents of the third decade . cases of piety and religion . i. whether upon the appearance of evil spirits , we may hold discourse with them , and how we may demeane our selves concerning them . ii. how farre a secret pact with evill spirits doth extend ; and what actions and events must be referred thereunto . iii. whether reserving my conscience to my selfe , i may be present at an idolatrous devotion ; or whether in the lawful service of god i may communicate with wicked persons ? iv. whether vowes be not out of fashion now under the gospel ; of what things they may be made ; how farre they oblige us : and whether and how farre they may be capable of a release . v. whom may we justly hold an heretique ; and what is to be done in case of heresie . vi. whether the lawes of men doe bind the conscience ; and how farre we are tyed to their obedience . vii . whether tithes be lawfull maintenance for ministers under the gospel ; and whether men be bound to pay them accordingly . viii . whether it be lawfull for christians , where they find a countrey possessed by savage pagans and infidels , to drive out the native inhabitants , and to seize upon and enjoy their lands upon any pretence whatsoever ; and upon what grounds it may be lawfull so to doe . ix . whether i need in case of some foule sinne committed by me to have recourse to gods minister for absolution ; and what effect i may expect there-from . x. whether it be lawfull for a man that is not a professed divine , that is ( as we for distinction are wont to call him ) for a meer laick person , to take upon him to interpret scripture . the contents of the fourth decade . cases matrimoniall . i. whether the marriage of a son or daughter , without or against the consent of parents , may be accounted lawfull . ii. whether marriage lawfully made may admit of any cause of divorce , save onely for the violation of the marriage-bed by fornication , or adultery . iii. whether after a lawfull divorce for adultery , the innocent party may marry againe . iv. whether the authority of a father may reach so farre as to command or compell the child to dispose of himself in marrage where he shall appoint . v. whether the marriage of cousensgerman , that is , of brothers and sisters children , be lawfull . vi. whether it be necessary or requisite there should be a witnessed contract , or espousalls of the parties to be married , before the solemnization of the marriage . vii . whether there ought to be a prohibition , and forbearance of marriages , and marriage-duties for some times appointed . viii . whether it be necessary that marriages should be celebrated by a minister ; and whether they may be valid , and lawfull without him . ix . whether there be any necessity or use of thrice publishing the contract of marriage in the congregation before the celebration of it ; and whether it be fit , that any dispensation should be granted for the forbearance of it . x. whether marriages once made , may be annulled , and utterly voided ; and in what cases this may be done ? additionals to the fourth decade . i. whether a marriage consummate betwixt the unkle and neece be so utterly unlawfull , as to merit a sentence of present separation . ii. whether it be lawfull for a man to marry his wives brothers widow . iii. whether an incestuous marriage contracted in simplicity of heart betwixt two persons ignorant of such a defilement , and so farre consummate as that children are borne in that wedlocke , ought to be made knowne and prosecuted to a dissolution . . i have perused these foure decades of practicall cases of conscience with much satisfaction and delight , and finde them to be in respect of their subject matter so profitable , necessary and daily usefull ; and so piously , learnedly and judiciously discussed and resolved , that they seem unto me best though they come last , ( like the wine in the marriage feast made sacred by christs divine presence and miracle ) and therefore doe well deserve ( amongst many other the divine dishes and delicacies wherewith this right reverend , pious and learned authour , hath plentuously furnished a feast for the spirituall nourishment and comfortable refreshing of gods guests ) both the approbation and commendation of all , and my selfe amongst the rest , though unworthy to passe my censure on such a subject . john downame . resolutions . the first decade . cases of profit and trafick . case i. whether is it lawfull for me to raise any profit by the loane of money ? you may not expect a positive answer either way : many circumstances are considerable ere any thing can be determined . first , who is it that borrows ? a poore neighbour that is constrained out of need ? or a merchant that takes up money for a freer trade ? or a rich man that layes it out upon superfluous occasions ? if a poore man borrow out of necessity , you may not expect any profit for the loane : ( deuteronomy . , , . ) to the poorest of all we must give , and not lend : to the next ranke of poore we must lend freely : but if a man will borrow that money ( which you could improve ) for the enriching of himselfe ; or out of a wanton expence will be laying out that which might be otherwise usefull to you , for his meere pleasure , the case is different ; for god hath not commanded you to love any man more then your selfe ; and there can be no reason why you should vail your owne just advantage to another mans excesse . secondly , upon what termes doe you lend ? whether upon an absolute compact for a set increment , ( what ever become of the principall ) or upon a friendly trust to a voluntary satisfaction according to the good improvement of the summe lent ? the former is not safe , and where there hath beene an honest indevour of a just benefit disappointed either by unavoidable casualty , or force , may not be rigorously urged , without manifest oppression . the latter can be no other then lawfull : and with those that are truly faithfull and conscionable , the bond of gratitude is no lesse strong then that of law and justice . thirdly , if upon an absolute compact ; is it upon a certainty , or an adventure ? for where you are willing to hazard the principall , there can be no reason but you should expect to take part of the advantage . fourthly , where the trade is ordinarily certaine , there are yet farther considerations to be had : to which shall make way by these undenyable grounds . that the value of moneys or other commodities is arbitrable according to the soveraigne authority and use of severall kingdomes and countries . that whatsoever commodity is saleable , is capable of a profit in the loane of it ; as an horse , or an oxe , being that it may be sold , may be let out for profit . money it selfe is not onely the price of all commodities in all civill nations , but it is also , in some cases , a trafiqueable commodity : the price whereof rises , and fals in severall countries upon occasion ; and yeeldeth either profit or losse in the exchange . there can be no doubt therefore but that money thus considered , and as it were turned merchandise , may be bought and sold , and improved to a just profit . but the maine doubt is , whether money meerely cousidered as the price of all other commodities , may be let forth for profit ; and be capable of a warrantable increase . for the resolving whereof be it determined , that all usury , which is an absolute contract for the mere loane of money , is unlawfull both by law naturall , and positive , both divine and humane . nature teacheth us that metals are not a thing capable of a superfoetation ; that no man ought to set a price on that which is not his owne time : that the use of the stock once received , is not the lenders , but the borrowers ; for the power , and right of disposing the principall , is by contract transferred for the time to the hands of him that receives it ; so as hee that takes the interest by vertue of such transaction , doth but in a mannerly and legall fashion rob the borrower . how frequent the * scripture is in the prohibition of this practice , no christian can be ignorant : and as for humane lawes raised even from the mere light of nature amongst heathen nations , how odious , and severely interdicted usurary contracts , have been in all times , it appeares sufficiently by the records which we have of the decrees of a egypt , of athens , of rome ; and not onely by the restraint of the twelve tables , and of claudius and vespasian ; but by the absolute forbiddance of many popular statutes condemning this usage : tiberius himselfe , though otherwise wicked enough , yet would rather furnish the bankes with his owne stock , to be freely let out for three yeeres to the citizens , upon onely security of the summe doubled in the forfaiture , then he would endure this griping & oppressive transaction : and how wise cato drove out all usurers out of sicilie , and lucullus freed all asia from this pressure of interest , history hath sufficiently recorded . as for lawes ecclesiasticall , let it be enough that a * councel hath defined , that to say usury is not a sinne , is no better then heresie : and in succeeding times how liable the usurer hath ever been to the highest censures of the church ; and how excluded from the favour of christian buriall , is more manifest then to need any proofe . secondly , however it is unlawfull to convenant for a certaine profit for the mere loane of money , yet there may be , and are circumstances appending to the loane , which may admit of some benefit to be lawfully made by the lender for the use of his money ; and especially these two ; the losse that he sustaines , and the gaine that he misses , by the want of the summe lent : for what reason can there be , that to pleasure another man , i should hurt my selfe , that i should enrich another by my owne losse ? if then i shall incur a reall losse or forfaiture by the delayed payment of the summe lent , i may justly look for a satisfaction from the borrower ; yea if there be a true danger of losse to me imminent , when the transaction is made , nothing hinders but that i may by compact make sure such a summe as may be sufficient for my indemnity ; and if i see an opportunity of an apparent profit that i could make fairly by the disbursing of such a summe bonafide , and another that hath a more gainfull bargaine in chace shall sue to me to borrow my money out of my hand for his own greater advantage , there can be no reason why in such a case i should have more respect to his profit , then my owne ; and why should i not even upon pact , secure unto my selfe such a moderate summe as may be somewhat answerable to the gaine which i doe willingly forgoe , for his greater profit ? since it is a true ground which lessius ( with other casuists ) maintains against sotus and durand , that even our hopes of an evident commodity are valuable ; and that no lesse then the feares of our losse . shortly , for the guidance of our either caution , or liberty in matter of borrowing , and lending , the onely cynosure is our charity ; for in all humane and civill acts of commerce , it is a sure rule , that whatsoever is not a violation of charity cannot be unlawfull , and whatsoever is not agreeable to charity can be no other then sinfull : and as charity must be your rule , so your selfe must be the rule of your charity ; look what you could wish to be done to you by others , doe but the same to others , you cannot be guilty of the breach of charity : the maximes of trafique are almost infinite ; onely charity ( but ever inseparable from justice ) must make the application of them ; that will teach you that every increase by loane of money is not usurarie ; and that those which are absolutely such , are damnable : that will teach you to distinguish betwixt the one improvement of loane , and the other ; and will tell you that if you can find out a way , whether by loane , or sale , to advance your stock , that may be free from all oppression , and extortion ; and beneficiall as well to others , as to your selfe , you need not feare to walke in it with all honest security : but in the meane time take good heed that your heart beguile you not in mis-applications ; for we are naturally too apt out of our self-love to flatter our selves with faire glozes of bad intentions ; and rather to draw the rule to us , then our selves to the rule . but whiles i give you this short solution , i must professe to lament the common ignorance , or mistaking of too many christians , whose zeal justly cryes downe usury as a most hatefull and abominable practice , but in the meane time makes no bones of actions no lesse biting , and oppressive : they care not how high they sell any of their commodities , at how unreasonable rates they set their grounds , how they circumvent the buyer in their bargaines , and think any price just , any gain lawfull that they can make in their markets : not considering that there is neither lesse , nor lesse odious usury in selling and letting , then there is in lending : it is the extortion in both that makes the sinne ; without which the kind or termes of the transaction could not be guilty . surely it must needs be a great weaknesse to think that the same god who requires mercy and favour in lending , will allow us to be cruell in selling ; rigour and excesse in both equally violates the law of commutative justice , equally crosses the law of charity : let those therefore that make scruple of an usurious lending , learn to make no lesse conscience of a racking bargain ; otherwise their partiall obedience will argue a grosse hypocrisie ; and they shal prove themselves the worst kind of what they hate , usurers : for in the ordinary loan-usury , the borrower hath yet time to boot for his money ; but here the buyer payes downe an excessive interest , without any consideration at all , but the sellers crueltie . for the fuller clearing of which point ; whereas you aske case ii. whether may i not sell my wares as deare as i can , and get what i may of every buyer ? i answer , there is a due price to be set upon every saleable commodity ; else there were no commerce to be used among men : for if every man might set what rate he pleases upon his lands or goods , where should he find a buyer ? surely nothing could follow but confusion , and want ; for mere extremity must both make the market and regulate it . the due price is that which cuts equally and indifferently betwixt the buyer and seller ; so as the seller may receive a moderate gaine , and the buyer a just penny-worth . in those countries wherein there is a price set by publique authority upon all marketable commodities , the way of commerce is well expedited , and it is soone and easily determined , that it is meet men should be held close to the rule . but where all things are left to an arbitrary transaction , there were no living if some limits were not set to the sellers demands . these limits must be the ordinary received proportion of price current in the severall countries wherein they are sold ; and the judgement of discreet , wise , experienced and unconcerned persons ; and the well stated conscience of the seller . if men shall wilfully run beyond these bounds , taking advantage of the rarenesse of the commodity , the paucity or the necessity of the buyers to enhance the price to an unreasonable height , they shall be guilty of the breach of charity , and in making a sinfull bargaine purchase a curse . not that a man is so strictly tyed to any others valuation , as that he may not upon any occasion aske or receive more then the common price ; or that if the market rise he is bound to sit still : there may be just reason upon a generall mortality of cattle to set those beasts that remaine at an higher rate , or upon a dearth of graine , or other commodities , to heighten the price ; but in such cases we must be so affected as that we grudge to our selves our owne gaine , that we be not in the first file of enhancers , that we strive to be the lowest in our valuation , and labour what we may to bring downe the market ; alwayes putting our selves in our conceits into the buyers roome ; and bethinking how we would wish to be dealt with , if we were in his cloathes . it is lawfull for the seller in his price to have regard not to his rents and disbursements onely , but to his labour , and cost , to his delay of benefit , to his losse in managing , to his hazard or difficulty in conveyance ; but all these in such moderation , as that he may be a just gainer by the bargaine : not setting the dice upon the buyer ; not making too much haste to be rich , by the secret spoiles of an oppressed neighbour . those things whose end is onely pleasure or ornament , as a jewell , an hauke , or an hound , can admit of no certaine value ; the owners affection must estimate it , and the buyers desire must make up an illimited bargaine ; but even in these , and all other commodities that carry the face of unnecessary , conscience must be the clarke of the market ; and tell us that we must so sell , as we could be willing to buy . from all which it followes , that the common maxime current * in the shops of trade , that things are so much worth as they can be sold for ; and those ordinary rules of chapmen , that men who are masters of their wares may heighten their prices at pleasure , and get what they can out of all commers ; that what ever they can get out of the simplicity , or necessity of the buyers , is lawfull prize , are damnably uncharitable , and unjust . it were an happy thing , if as it is in some other well ordered nations , there were a certaine regulation of the prices of all commodities by publique authority , the wisedome whereof knowes how to rise and fall according to the necessity of the occasion ; so as the buyer might be secured from injury , and the seller restrained from a lawlesse oppression . but where that cannot be had , it is fit that justice and charity should so far over-rule mens actions , that every man may not be carried in matter of contract by the sway of his owne unreasonable will , and be free to carve for himselfe as he lists of the buyers purse : every man hath a bird in his bosome that sings to him another note . a good conscience therefore will tell you that if ( taking advantage of the ignorance or unskilfulnesse of the buyer ) you have made a prey of him by drawing from him double the worth of the commodity sold , you are bound to make restitution to him accordingly ; and in a proportion so , in all the considerable summes which you shall have by your false protestations , and oathes , and plausible intimations wrought out from an abused buyer ; above that due price which would make you a just and rightly moderated gainer : for assure your selfe , all that you willingly doe this way is but a better-coloured picking of purses ; and what you thus get is but stolne goods varnisht over with the pretence of a calling , and will prove at the last no other then gravell in your throat . case iii. whether is the seller bound to make knowne to the buyer the faults of that which he is about to sell ? it is a question that was long since disputed betwixt the heathen sages , antipater and diogenes , as cicero * informes us : with whom cato so decides it as that his judgement may justly shame and condemne the practice of too many christians : for a full answer , due consideration must be had of divers circumstances . first , what the nature and quality of the fault is ; whether it be fleight and unimporting ; or whether such as may vitiate the thing sold , and render it either unusefull or dangerous to the buyer : or againe , whether the fault be apparent , or secret : both these doe justly vary the case : sleight and harmles faults may be concealed without injustice ; maine and importing must be signified : if apparent defects be not discerned by the buyer , he may thanke himselfe ; secret faults knowne onely to the seller , ( such as may be prejudiciall to the buyer ) ought not to be concealed : or if they be concealed so , as that the buyer payes for it as sound , and perfect , binde the seller in conscience , either to void the bargaine , or to give just satisfaction . secondly , it would be considered , whether the buyer before the bargaine be stricken , hath required of the seller to signifie the faults of the commodity to be sold , and out of a reliance upon the sellers fidelity and warrant , hath made up the match : or whether in the confidence of his owne skill , without moving any question , he enter resolutely , ( de bene essc ) upon the bargained commodity : if the former , a double bond lyes upon the seller to deale faithfully with the buyer , and therefore to let him know the true condition of the thing exposed to sale , that so either he may take off his hand ; or if he shall see that notwithstanding that defect it may serve his turne , he may proportion the price accordingly : otherwise he shall be guilty ( besides falshood and oppression ) of perfidiousnesse . but if the buyer will peremptorily rely upon his owne judgement , and as presuming to make a gaine of that bargaine ( which the seller out of concience of the imperfection , sets ( as he ought ) so much lower as the defect may be more disadvantageous to the buyer ) will goe through with the contract , and stand to all hazards , i see no reason why the seller may not receive the price stipulated ; but withall if the match may carry danger in it to the buyer , ( as if the horse sold be subject to a perilous starting , or stumbling ; the house sold have a secret crack that may threaten ruine ; or the land sold be liable to a litigious claime which may be timely avoyded ) the seller is bound in conscience ( at least after the bargaine ) to intimate unto the buyer these faulty qualities , that he may accordingly provide for the prevention of the mischiefe that may ensue . but if the seller shall use art to cover the defects of his commodity , that so he may deceive the buyer in his judgement of the thing bargained for , or shall mix faulty wares with sound , that they may passe undiscovered , he is more faulty then his wares , and makes an ill bargaine for his soule . in this , shortly , and in all other cases that concerne trade , these universall rules must take place . that it is not lawfull for a christian chapman to thrive by fraud . that he may sell upon no other termes then he could wish to buy . that his profit must be regulated by his conscience , not his conscience by his profit . that he is bound either to prevent the buyers wrong ; or if heedlesly done , to satisfy it . that he ought rather to affect to be honest , then rich : and lastly , that as he is a member of a community both civill and christian , he ought to be tender of another mans indemnity no lesse then of his owne . case iv. whether may i sell my commodities the dearer for giving dayes of payment ? there is no great difference betwixt this case , and that of loane , which is formerly answered ; save that there money is let , here commodities money-worth ; here is a sale , there a lending ; in the one a transferring of the right and command for the time ; in the other perpetually : but the substance both of the matter and question is the same ; for in both there seems to be a valuation of time : which whether in case of mutuation , or sale , may justly be suspected for unlawfull . for answer ; there are three stages of prices acknowledged by all casuists ; the highest , which they are wont to call rigorous ; the meane , and the lowest ; if these keep within due bounds , though the highest be hard , yet it is not unjust , and if the lowest be favorable , yet it is not alwayes necessary . if then you shall proportion but a just price to the time , and worth of your bargaine , so as the present shall passe for the easiest price , some short time for the meane , and the longer delay for the highest , i see not wherein , all things considered , you doe offend . and certainly to debarre the contract of a moderate gaine for the delay of payment upon moneths prefixed , were to destroy all trade of merchandise : for not many buyers are furnished with ready money to buy their wares , at the port ; nor could the sellers make off their commodities so seasonably , as to be ready for further trafique , if they must necessarily be tyed to wait upon the hopes of a pecuniary sale ; and not left to the common liberty of putting them over to whole-sale men upon trust ; who upon a second trust distribute them to those , that vent them by retaile , both for days agreed upon : by which meanes the trade holds up , and the common-wealth enjoyes the benefit of a convenient and necessary commerce . a practice that is now so habituated amongst all nations into the course of trade , that it cannot well consist without it : so as nothing is more ordinary in experience then that those who are able to pay downe ready money for their wares , know to expect a better pennyworth , then those that runne upon trust : and there may be just reason for this difference ; for the present money received enables the seller to a further improvement of his stock , which lyes for the time dead in the hands that take day for their payment . so then , it is not mere time that is here set to sale , which were odious in any christian to bargain for ; but there are two incidents into this practice which may render it not unwarrantable . the one is the hazard of the summe agreed upon : which too often comes short in the payment : whiles those subordinate chapmen into whose hands the grosse summe is scattered , turne bankrupts , and forfait their trust ; so as no small losse is this way commonly sustained by the confident seller ; in which regard we are wont to say justly , that one bird in the hand is worth two in the wood . the other is the cessation of that gaine which the merchant might in the meane time have made of the sum differred ; which might in likelihood have beene greater then the proportion of the raised price can amount unto ; to which may be added the foreseene probability of the raising of the market in the intervall of payment : the profit whereof is precluded by this meanes to the seller ; whose full ingagement takes him off perhaps from a resolution to have reserved those commodities in his own hands in expectation of an opportunity of a more profitable utterance , had not the forwardnesse of the buyer importuned a prevention . upon these considerations , if they be serious , and unfained ; i see not why you may not in a due and moderate proportion , difference your prices according to the delayes of payment , without any oppression to the buyer : howbeit , if any man pleaseth to be so free , as to take no notice of time , but to make future dayes in his account , present , i shall commend his charity , though i dare not presse his example as necessary . the case is equally just on the behalfe of the seller : who if he be either driven by some emergent necessity ; or drawne by the opportunity of a more gainfull bargaine , to call for his money before his day , may justly be required by the late buyer , to abate of the returnable summe , in regard of the prevention of the time covenanted ; by reason of the inconvenience or losse whereunto he is put upon the suddaine revocation of that money , which is not by agreement payable till the expiration of the time prefixed . but what quantity is to be allowed on the one part , or defalked on the other , is onely to be moderated by christian charity , and that universall rule of doing what we would be willing to suffer . case v. whether , and how farre , monopolies are , or may be lawfull . the most famous monopolie that we finde in history is that of egypt , gen. . , . wherein the provident patriarch joseph , out of the fore-sight of a following dearth , bought up the seven yeares graine for pharaoh , and layd it up in publique store-houses ; and in the generall scarcity sold it out to the inhabitants , and strangers , with no small advantage ; which was so farre from unlawfull , as that he thereby merited the name of the saviour of aegypt : * and if any worthy patriot out of a like providence , shall before-hand gather up the commodities of his country into a publique magazine for the common benefit and reliefe of the people , upon the pinch of an ensuing necessity , he is so farre out of the reach of censure , as that he well deserves a statue with the inscription of publique benefactor ; so as it is not the mere act of monopolizing that makes the thing unlawfull , but the ground and intention , and the manner of carriage . all monopolies , as they are usually practised , are either such as are allowed by soveraigne authority , or privately contrived by secret plot and convention for a peculiar gaine to some speciall persons . if the first , it must be considered upon what reason that priviledge is granted , and upon what termes ; if both these be just , the grant can be no other . for first , it may not be denyed , that supreme authority , whether of princes or states , hath power to grant such priviledges where they shall find just cause ; and secondly , that there may be very just motives of granting them to some capable and worthy persons ; i should be a shamed to imagine that either of these should need any probation . doubtlesse then , there is manifest equity that where there hath beene some great merit , or charge , or danger in the compassing of some notable worke for a common good , the undertaker should be rewarded with a patent of a secured profit to himselfe . as put case some wel-minded printer ( as one of the stephens ) is willing to be at an excessive charge in the faire publication of a learned and usefull worke for the benefit of the present and following ages ; it is most just that he should from the hands of princes or states receive a priviledge for the sole impression ; that he may recover , with advantage , the deep expence he hath beene at ; otherwise some interloper may perhaps underhand fall upon the work at a lower rate , and undoe the first editor ; whose industry , care and cost shall thus be recompenced with the ruine of himselfe and his posterity ; as were too easie to instance . if a man have by notable dexterity of wit , and art ; and much labour and charge after many experiments , atained to the skill of making some rare engine of excellent use for the service of his prince and countrey , as some singular water worke ; or some beneficiall instrument for the freeing of navigable rivers from their sandy obstructions , it is all the reason in the world , that by the just bounty of princes he should be so farre remunerated as that he alone may receive a patent of enjoying a due profit of his owne invention . but how farre it may be lawfull for a prince not onely to gratifie a well-deserving subject , with the see of his owne devise , but with a profit arising from the sole sale of marketable commodities through his kingdome ; or whether , and how farre in the want of monies for the necessary service of his state , he may for the publique use , raise , set , or sell monopolies of that kind , is diversly agitated by casuists ; and must receive answer according to the absolutenesse or limitation of those governments , under which they are practised : but with this , that where this is done , there may be great care had of a just price to be set upon the commodities so restrained , that they be not left to the lawlesse will of a priviledged engrosser , nor heightned to an undue rate by reason of a particular indulgence . this may be enough for authoritative monopolies . the common sort of offensive practices this way are private and single , or conventionall , and plotted by combination ; the former , as when some covetous extortioner out of the strength of his purse buyes up the whole lading of the ship , that he may have the sole power of the wares to sell them at pleasure , which , there is no feare but he will doe with rigour enough : the true judgment of which action , & the degrees of the malignity of it , must be fetcht , as from the mind , so from the management of the buyer ; as being so much more sinfull , as it partakes more of oppression . the latter , when some brethren in evill conspire to prevent the harvest , to buy up , or hoord up the graine ; with a purpose to starve the market , and to hatch up a dearth : a damnable practice in both kinds ; and that which hath of old beene branded with a curse ; neither lesse full of injustice then uncharitablenesse ; and that which cryes aloud , for a just punishment , and satisfactory restitution . i cannot therefore but marvaile at the opinion of learned lessius ( which he fathers also upon molina ) that too favourably minces the hainousnesse of this sin ; bearing us in hand that it is indeed an offence against charity , and common profit , but not against particular justice . his reason : to buy that corne ( saith he ) could not be against justice , for he bought it at the current price : nor yet to sell it , could be against justice , because he was not tyed out of justice at that time to bring it forth to sale : when he might easily have considered , that it is not the mere act of buying , or of not selling , that in it selfe is accused for unjust ; but to buy , or not to sell , with an intention , and issue of oppressing others , and undue enriching themselves by a dearth . for what can be more unjust then for a man to indevor to raise himselfe by the affamishing of others ? neither can it serve his turne to say , by way of excuse , that the multitude of buyers may be the cause of a dearth , and yet without sin ; since they doe rather occasion , then cause a scarcity ; and are so farre from intending a dearth in making their market , that they deprecate it , as their great affliction . and if , by his owne confession , those who either by force , or fraud hinder the importation of corne , that a dearth may continue , are guilty of injustice , and are bound to make restitution both to the commonwealth in giving cause to raise the price ; as also to the merchant , whom they have hindered , of his meet gaine ; how can those be liable to a lesse sin , or punishment , that either buy up , or wilfully keep in , their graine with a purpose to begin , and hold on a dearth ? and what lesse can it be then force or fraud , that by their crafty and cruel prevention the poor are necessitated to want that sustenance , whereby their life should be maintained ? wise solomon shall shut up this scene for me . he that with-holds corne , the people shall curse him , but blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth it . prov. . . case vi. whether , and how farre doth a fraudulent bargaine bind me to performance ? how far in matter of law , you must advise with other counsaile , but for matter of conscience , take this : is the fraud actively yours , done by you to another ? or else passively put by another upon you ? if the former , you are bound to repent and satisfie ; either by recinding the match , or by making amends for the injury : if the latter ; wherein did the fraud lye ? if in the maine substance of the thing sold , the bargaine is both by the very law of nature , and in conscience , void ; yea indeed , none at all : as if a man have sold you copper lace for gold ; or alchymie-plate for silver ; the reason is well given by * casuists : there is no bargaine without a consent ; and here is no consent at all , whiles both parties pitch not upon the same subject ; the buyer propounds to himselfe gold and silver , the seller obtrudes copper , and alchymie ; the one therefore not buying what the other pretended to sell , here is no bargaine made , but a mere act of cozenage , justly liable to punishment by all lawes of god and man. but if the fraud were onely in some circumstances ; as in some faulty condition of the thing sold not before discerned ; or in the overprizing of the commoditie bought ; the old rule is , caveat emptor ; you must ( for ought i know ) hold you to your bargain ; but if that faulty condition be of so high a nature that it marres the commoditie , and makes it uselesse to the buyer , the seller ( being conscious of the fault ) is injurious in the transaction , and is bound in conscience to make satisfaction ; and if he have willingly over-reacht you in the price , in a considerable proportion is guilty of oppression . it is very memorable in this kinde that cicero relates to us of a fraudulent bargaine betwixt * canius , a roman knight and orator , and one pythius a banker of syracuse . canius comming upon occasion of pleading to the city of syracuse , tooke a great liking to the place ; and setling there , gave out that he had a great desire to buy some one of those pleasant gardens , wherewith , it seems , that city abounded ; that he might there recreate himselfe when he pleased , with his friends . pythius a crafty merchant hearing of it , sends word to canius , that he had a fair garden which he had no minde to sell ; but if he pleased to make use of it for his solace , he might command it as his owne ; and withall courteously invites canius to sup with him there the day following : in the meane time being a man by reason of his trade of exchange , very gracious in the city , he calls the fishermen together , and desires them that the next evening they would fish in the stream before his garden , and bring him , what they shall have caught ; canius in due time comes according to the invitation , to supper ; where there was delicate provision made for him by pythius ; and store of boats bringing in their plentifull draughts of fish , and casting them downe at the feet of pythius : canius askes the meaning of this concourse of fishermen , and store of profered provision ? pythius tells him this is the commodity and priviledge of the place , if syracuse yeeld any fish , here it is caught , and here tendered ; canius beleeving the report , importunes his host to sell him the ground : the owner after some seeming loathnesse , and squeamish reluctation , at last yeelds to gratifie him with the bargaine : the deare price is payd downe with much eagernesse . the new master of the place , in much pride of his purchase , the next day repaires early to his garden , invites his friends to a friday feast ; and finding no boat there , asks the neighbour whether it were holiday with the fishermen , that he saw none of them there ; no , said the good man , none that i know ; but none of the trade use to fish here ; and i much marvailed at the strange confluence of their boats here yesterday : the roman orator was downe in the mouth ; finding himselfe thus cheated by the money-changer : but , for ought i see , had his amends in his hands ; he meant , and desired to buy the place , though without any such accommodation ; but over-bought it upon the false pretence of an appendent commodity ; the injury was the sellers , the losse must be the buyers . but if such be the case , that you are meerly drawne in by the fraud , and would not have bought the commodity at all , if you had not beene induced by the deceit , and false oathes and warrants of the seller , you have just reason , either , if you may , to fall off from the bargaine ; or , if the matter be valuable , to require a just satisfaction from the seller ; who is bound in conscience either by annulling the bargaine , or abatement of price to make good your indemnity . in these matters of contract there is great reason to distinguish betwixt a willing deceit , and an involuntary wrong ; if a man shall fraudulently sell an horse which he knowes secretly and incurably diseased , to another for sound ; and that other , beleeving the sellers deep protestation , shall upon the same price , bonâ fide , put him off to me ; i feel my self injured , but whither shall i go for an amends ? i cannot challenge the immediate seller , for he deceived me not ; i cannot challenge the deceiver , for he dealt not with me ; in humane lawes , i am left remedilesse ; but in the law of conscience , the first seller , who ought to have born his own burthen of an inevitable losse , is bound to transferre by the hands that sold me that injurious bargaine , a due satisfaction . neither is it other of fraudulent conveyances in the houses or land , how ever the matter may be intricated by passing through many perhaps unknowing hands , yet the sinne and obligation to satisfaction , will necessarily lie at the first door ; whence if just restitution doe not follow , the seller may purchase hell to boot . think not now on this discourse that the onely fraud is in selling ; there may be no lesse ( though not so frequent ) fraud in buying also ; whether in unjust payment , by false coyne ; or by injustice of quantities , as in buying by weights , or measures above allowance ; or by wrong valuation of the substance & quality of the commodity , misknown by the seller ; as for instance , a simple man , as i have known it done in the westerne parts , findes a parcell of ambergris cast upon the sands ; he perceiving it to be some unctuous matter , puts it to the base use of his shooes , or his cart wheel ; a merchant that smels the worth of the stuffe buyes it of him for a small summe ; giving him a shilling or two , for that which himselfe knowes to be worth twenty pounds : the bargaine is fraudulent ; and requires a proportionable compensation to the ignorant seller , into whose hands providence hath cast so rich a booty . shortly , in all these intercourses of trade , that old and just rule which had wont to sway the trafique of heathens , must much more take place amongst christians , ( cum bonis benè agier ) that honest men must be honestly dealt with : and therefore that all fraud must be banished out of their markets ; or , if it dares to intrude , soundly punished ; and mulcted with a due satisfaction . case vii . how far , and when am i bound to make restitution of another mans goods remaining in my hands ? restitution is a duty no lesse necessary , then rarely practised amongst christians . the arch-publican zacheus knew that with this he must begin his conversion ; and that known rule of saint austen * is in every mans mouth , no remission without restitution . for this act is no small piece of commutative justice ; which requires that every man should have his owne : most just therefore it is , that what you have taken , or detained from the true owner should be restored ; neither can it be sufficient , that you have conceived a drye and bootlesse sorrow for your wrongfull detention , unlesse you also make amends to him by a reall compensation . but you are disabled to make restitution by reason of want , your will is good , but the necessity into which you are fallen , makes you uncapable of performance : see first , that it be a true , and not fained necessity ; many a one , like to leud criples that pretend false soares , counterfeit a need that is not , and shelter themselves in a willing jaile , there living merrily upon their defrauded creditor , whom they might honestly satisfie by a well improved libertie : this case is damnably unjust ; but if it be a true necessity of gods making , it must excuse you for the time ; till the same hand that did cast you downe , shall be pleased to raise you up againe ; then , you are bound to satifie ; and in the meane time , lay the case truly before your creditor , who if he be not mercilesse , where he sees a reall desire , and indevour of satisfaction , will imitate his god in accepting the will for the deed : and wait patiently for the recovery of your estate . you ask now , to whom you should tender restitution ? to whom , but the owner ? but he , you say , is dead ; that will not excuse you ; he lives still in his heires ; it is memorable ( though in a small matter ) which seneca reports of a pythagorean philosopher at athens , who having run upon the score for his shoos at a shop there ; hearing that the shoomaker was dead , at first was glad to think the debt was now paid ; but straight recollecting himselfe , he sayes within himself ; yet , howsoever , the shoomaker lives still to thee , though dead to others ; and thereupon puts his money into the shop , as supposing that both of them would find an owner . it is a rare case that a man dies , and leaves no body in whom his right survives : but if there be neither heire , nor executor , nor administrator , nor assigne ; the poor ( saith our saviour ) ye shall have alwayes with you ; make thou them his heire : turne your debt into almes . obj. but alas you say ; i am poor my self , what need i then look forth for any other ? why may not i employ my restitution to the reliefe of my owne necessity ? sol. it is dangerous , and cannot be just for a man to be his owne carver altogether in a business of this nature ; you must look upon this money , as no more yours then a strangers ; and howsoever it be most true that every man is nearest to himselfe , and hath reason to wish to be a sharer , where the need is equall ; yet it is fit this should be done with the knowledge and approbation of others : your pastor , and those other that are by authority interessed in these publique cares , are fit to be acquainted with the case ; ( if it be in a matter meet to be notified ) as a businesse of debt or pecuniary ingagement let their wisdome proportion the distribution ; but if it be in the case of some secret crime , as of theft , or cozenage , which you would keep as close as your own heart , the restitution must be charged upon your conscience to be made with so much more impartiality , as you desire it more to be concealed ; herein have a care of your soul , what ever becomes of your estate . as for the time of restitution it is easily determined , that it cannot well be too soone for the discharge of your conscience , it may be too late for the occasions of him to whom it is due ; although it may fall out that it may prove more fit to deferre for the good of both : wherein charity and justice must be called in as arbitrators ; the owner calls for his money in a riotous humour to mis-spend it upon his unlawfull pleasure ; if your delay may prevent the mischiefe , the forbearance is an act of mercy : the owner calls for a sword deposited with you , which you have cause to suspect he meanes to make use of , for some ill purpose ; your forbearing to restore it is so both charitable and just , that your act of delivery of it may make you accessary to a murther . whereto i may adde , that in the choice of the time , you may lawfully have some respect to your selfe ; for if the present restitution should be to your utter undoing , which may be avoided by some reasonable delay , you have no reason to shun anothers inconvenience by your own inevitable ruine ; in such case let the creditor be acquainted with the necessity , his offence deprecated ; and rather put your selfe upon the mercy of a chancery , then be guilty of your owne overthrow . but when the power is in your hand , and the coast every way clear , let not anothers mans goods or money stick to your fingers ; and think not that your head can long lye easily upon anothers mans pillow . yea , but you say the money or goods mis-carried , either by robbery or false trust , ere you could employ them to any profit at all ; this will not excuse you ; after they came into your power , you are responsible for them ; what compassion this may work in the good nature of the owner for the favour of an abatement , must be left to his own brest ; your tye to restitution is not the lesse ; for it is supposed , had they remained in the owners hands they had been safe ; if it were not your fault , yet it was your crosse , that they miscarried ; and who should bear your crosse but your self ? shortly then , after all pretences of excuse ; the charge of wise solomon must be obeyed : vvith-hold not good from the owners thereof , when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it , prov. . . case viii . whether , and how farre doth a promise extorted by fear , though seconded by an oath , bind my conscience to performance ? a mere promise is an honest mans strong obligation ; but if it be withal backed with an oath , the bond is sacred , and inviolable . but let me ask you what promise it is that you thus made , and bound ; if it be of a thing unlawfull to be done , your promise and oath is so farre from binding you to performance , that it binds you onely to repentance that ever you made it ; in this case your performancee would double and heighten your sin : it was ill to promise , but it would be worse to performe : herod is by oath ingaged for an indefinite favour to salome ; she pitches upon john baptist's head ; he was sory for such a choice , yet for his oaths sake he thinkes he must make it good : surely , herod was ill-principled , that he could think a rash oath must bind him to murder an innocent ; he might have truly said , this was more then he could doe ; for that we can doe , which we can lawfully doe . but if it be a lawfull thing that you have thus promised , and sworne ; though the promise were unlawfully drawn from you by feare , i dare not perswade you to violate it . it is true that divers learned casuists hold , that a promise drawne from a man by feare is void , or at least revocable at pleasure ; and so also the oath annexed , which followes the nature of the act whereto it appends ; chiefly upon this ground ; that both these are done without consent , mere involuntary acts , since nothing can be so contrary to consent as force and feare : but i dare not goe along with them ; for that i apprehend there is not an absolute involuntarinesse in this ingagement , but a mixt one ; such as the * philosopher determines in the mariner , that casts his goods over board to save his life ; in it selfe , he hath no will to doe it ; but here and now upon this danger imminent , he hath an halfe-will to performe it . secondly , i build upon their owne ground ; there is the same reason , they say , of force , and of fraud ; now that a promise and oath drawne from us by fraud bindes strongly , we need no other instance then that of joshua made to the gibeonites ; there could not be a greater fraud then lay hid in the old shooes , thred-bare garments , rent bottles , and mouldy provisions of those borderers ; who under the pretence of a remote nation put themselves under the interest and protection of israel : josh . . , . &c. the guile soone proved apparent , yet durst not joshua , though he found himselfe cheated into this covenant , fall off from the league made with them ; which when , after many ages , saul out of politique ends went about to have broken , we see how fearfully it was avenged with a grievous plague of famine upon israel , even in davids dayes , sam. . . who was no way accessary to the oppression ; neither could be otherwise expiated then by the bleeding of saul's bloody house . when once we have interessed god in the businesse , it is dangerous not to be punctuall in the performance . if therefore a bold theefe taking you at an advantage have set his dagger to your brest , and with big oathes threatned to stab you unlesse you promise and sweare to give him an hundred pounds to be left on such a day in such a place for him , i see not how ( if you be able ) you can dispence with the performance ; the onely help is , ( which is well suggested by * lessius ) that nothing hinders why you may not , when you have done , call for it back againe , as unjustly extorted . and truly , we are beholden to the jesuite for so much of a reall equivocation : why should you not thus right your selfe , since you have onely tyed your selfe to a mere payment of the summe ? upon staking it downe for him , you are free . but if he have forc'd you to promise , and swear not to make him knowne , you are bound to be silent in this act , concerning your selfe ; but withall , if you find that your silence may be prejudiciall to the publique good , for that you perceive the licentiousnesse of the offender proceeds ( and is like so to doe ) to the like mischiefe unto others , you ought , though not to accuse him for the fact done unto you ; yet to give warning to some in authority to have a vigilant eye upon so leud a person , for the prevention of any further villany . but if it be in a businesse , whose perill rests onely in your selfe , the matter being lawfull to be done ; your promise and oath ( though forced from you ) must hold you close to performance , notwithstanding the inconveniences that attend . if therefore you are dismissed upon your parole , for a certaine time , to returne home , and dispose of your affaires , and then to yeeld your selfe againe prisoner to an enemy ; the obligation is so strict and firme , that no private respects may take it off : and it should be a just shame to you that a * pagan should out of common honesty hold himselfe bound to his word , ( not without the danger of torment and death ) when you that are a christian slip away from your oath . case iv. vvhether those moneys or goods which i have found , may be safely taken and kept by me to my owne use . it is well distinguished by sotus out of aquinas * , that those things which may be found , are either such as call no man master , as some pearl , or precious stone , or ambergris lying upon the shore ; or such as have an owner , but unknown to us , or ( as we may adde , to make up the number compleat ) such as whose owner we know . where the true owner is knowne , speedy restitution must follow ; otherwise the detention is in the next door to theft ; where the commodity found hath no owner , it justly falls to the right of the first finder ; for both the place and the thing are masterlesse , ( adespota ) and common ; offering themselves to the next commer : the onely difficulty is in those things which have an unknown owner : and certainly common justice and honesty suggests to us , that we may not seize on commodities of this kinde , as absolutely our own ; the casualty of their mis-laying doth not alter their propriety ; they are still his that lost them ; though out of his sight , yet not out of his right ; and even naturall justice , would give every man his owne . the lawes both civill and canon , and municipall doe sufficiently guide our practise in many particular cases . of this nature , and our conscience must lead us to follow them : if they be quick commodities , as horses , sheep , kine , and the like , ( which we call waives and strayes ) every one knowes they are to be publiquely impounded , that upon search the owner may be the surer to find them ; and if he come not in , the sooner , to be openly cryed in severall markets , that the noise of his own neglected goods may come to his care : and if , upon a continuing silence , they be put into the custody of the lord of the manour , ( who is most likely to be responsible ) and he shall make use of them , before his year and day be expired , he shall not doe it without some mark of distinction , that yet the true owner may know , they are not challenged by the present possessour , as his owne , but lye open to the just claime of their true master . but if they be dead commodities , as a jewell , a purse , or some ring of price , or the like , the finder may not presently smother up the propriety of it in his owne coser ; his heart tells him that the meer accident of his finding it , cannot alienate the just right of it from the true owner ; he is therefore bound in conscience , in an honest sincerity to use all good means for the finding out of the right proprietary , whether by secret inquiry , or open publication : and if after due inquisition , no claime shall be made to it for the present , he shall reserve it in his hand in expectation of a just challenge : upon the assurance whereof ( how late soever ) he is bound to restore it to the proper owner : who , on the other side , shall faile in his duty of gratitude , if he returne not some meet acknowledgment of that good office , and fidelity : in all which mutuall carriages , we ought to be guided by those respects which we could wish tendered to our selves in the like occasions . mean while , in all the time of our custody , we are to looke upon those commodities as strangers ; making account of such a potentiall right onely in them , as we are ready and desirous to resigne to the hands that purchased and lost them . on the contrary , no words can expresse the horrible cruelty and injustice that is wont to be done in this kinde , not onely on our shores , but in other nations also , upon the ship-wracked goods both of strangers , and our own compatriots ; whiles in stead of compassioning and relieving the losse , and miseries of our distressed brethren , every man is ready to run upon the spoile , and , as if it were from some plundered enemy , is eagerly busie in carrying away what riches soever come to hand , which they falsly , and injuriously term gods grace , when as indeed it is no other then the devils booty . this practice can passe for no other then a meere robbery , so much more haynous , as the condition of the mis-carried owner is more miserable : what a foul inhumanity is this , to persecute him whom god hath smitten ; and upon no other quarrell to be cruell to our brother , then because the sea hath been mercilesse ? deare countrymen , ye especially of the west , leave these abominable pillages to savage nations , that know not god ; and , putting on the bowells of tender compassion , lend your best succour rather for the rescue of poore wracked soules , and safely preserving that small residue of their drowned fraight , which you cannot imagine that the sea hath therefore forborne to swallow , that you might . case x. whether i may lawfully buy those goods which i shall strongly suspect , or know to be stolen or plundered ; or , if i have ignorantly bought such goods , whether i may lawfully ( after knowledge of their owner ) keep them as mine . to buy those goods which you know , or have just cause to suspect to be stoln or plundered , is no better then to make your selfe accessary to the theft ; if you doe it with an intention to possesse them as your owne ; for what doe you else herein , but ex-post-facto partake with that theefe , who stole them ; and incourage him in his leud practices ? since according to the old word ; if there were no receivers , there would be no theeves . neither will it serve the turn , that in the case of plunder , there may seeme a pretence of justice , in that this is pleaded perhaps to be done by some colour of authority ; for certainly where there is not law , there can be no justice , whereof law is the onely rule : whatever then is against an established law , in matter of right and possession , can be no other then unjust ; take heed therefore lest that heavy challenge of the almighty be ( upon this bargaine ) charged upon you ; psal . . . when thou sawest a theefe , thou consentedst with him : these stoln waters may be sweet in the mouth , but they will be poyson in the maw , and like the water of a just jealousie , rottennesse to the belly : but if ( as these ill-gotten goods are lightly cheap penny-worths ) you buy them onely with an intention to gratifie the true owner , with an easie purchase of his owne , ( which would perhaps else be unrecoverable ) ( whiles your profession it doe it for no other end takes off the scandall ) i cannot but allow your act , and commend your charity . but if , making use of that rule which saint paul gives for meat , in bargaining for any other commodities , you shall extend your liberty to whatsoever is sold in the market , and shall in the exercise of that freedome upon a just and valuable consideration ignorantly buy those goods which you afterward heare , and know , to be anothers , the contract is on your part valid , and faultlesse , since your invincible want of knowledge acquits you from any guilt of consent ; but withall , there is an after-game to be plaid by you : you are bound ( upon just notice ) to acquaint the true owner with the matter , and to profer your selfe ready to joine with him in the prosecution of law , or justice upon the offender , and upon a meet satisfaction to tender him his owne . but if the theft be onely upon probability ; and it be doubtfull whether the goods belong to the owner notified to you , your duty is to make diligent inquiry into the businesse ; and if upon due inquisition , you find too much likelihood of the theft , i dare not advise you ( with some casuists ) to reverse the bargaine , and to returne the commodity to those false hands that purloyned it ; but rather to call the probable owner , and with him to appeale unto just authority , for a more full examination of the right , and an award answerable to justice : but if there appeare no good grounds for an impeachment , you may peaceably sit downe in the possession , till further evidence may convince your judgment in the contrary . resolutions . the second decade . cases of life and liberty . case i. whether , and in what cases it may be lawfull for a man to take away the life of another . how light a matter soever it may seem to the world now long soaked in blood , a mans life is most precious ; and may not ( but upon the waightiest of all causes ) be either taken , or given away . the great god hath reserved to himselfe this prerogative , to be the onely absolute lord of it ; neither can any creature have power to command it , but those onely to whom he hath committed it by speciall deputation ; nor they neither , by any independent or illimited authority ; but according as it is regulated by just lawes : to call for a mans life merely out of will , is no other then a turkish tyranny . now the same god that hath ordained soveraigne powers to judge of , and protect the life of others , hath given weighty charge to every man to tender and manage his owne : which binds him to use all just means for his owne preservation ; although it should be the necessitated destruction of another . let us see therefore how far and in what cases , man , that is alwayes appointed to be master of his owne life , may be also master of another mans . that publique justice may take away the life of hainous malefactors , is sufficiently knowne , to be not lawfull only , but required ; and indeed so necessary , that without it there were no living at all amongst men . that in a just warre the life of an open enemy may be taken away , is no lesse evident ; the onely question is of private men in their owne cases . and here we need not doubt to say that even a private man , being mortally assaulted , may in his owne defence lawfully kill another ; i suppose the assault mortall , when both the weapon is deadly , and the fury of the assailant threatens death ; as for some sleight and suddaine passages of a swich , or a cane , they come not under this consideration , although those small affronts offered to eminent persons prove oftentimes to be quarrells no lesse then mortall . but even in these assaults , ( except the violence be so too impetuous , that it will admit of neither parle nor pause ) there ought to be ( so much as may consist with our necessary safety ) a tender regard and indevor to avoid the spilling of blood ; but if neither perswasion , nor the shifting ( what we may ) our station , can abate any thing of the rage of the assailer , death must ; yea , if not my brother onely , but my father , or my sonne should in this forcible manner set upon mee , howsoever i should hazard the award of some blowes ; and with teares beg a for bearance , yet , if there would be no remedy , nature must pardon me ; no man can be so neare me as my selfe . i cannot therefore , subscribe to the counsell of * leonardus lessius ( abetting some ancient casuists , and pretended to be countenanced by some fathers ) that it were meet for clericall and religious persons rather to suffer death then to kill a murtherer : since no reason can be shewed , why their life should not be as deare to them as others ; or why they should be exempted from the common law of nature ; or why their sacred hands should be more stained with the foule blood of a wicked man-slayer , justly shed , then any others . i am sure phineas thought not so ; nor samuel after him ; and ( which is most of all ) that the honor and priviledges of the sonnes of levi were both procured , and feoffed on them upon an injoyned blood shed . * onely here is the favour and mercy of that learned casuist , that clerks and votaries are not alwayes bound rather to dye , then kil : for , saith he , if such religious person should bethink himselfe , that he is in a deadly sin , and should thereupon feare that he should be damned , if he were killed in that wofull and desperate estate ; he were then bound by all meanes to defend himselfe , and to preferre the safety of his owne soule , before the life of another : as if nothing but the feare of damnation could warrant a man for his owne safeguard ; as if nothing but the danger of hell could authorize an holy person to be his owne guardian ; as if the best of lives were so cheape and worthlesse , that they might be given away for nothing : whereas contrarily precious in the sight of the lord is the death of all his saints . psal . . but in such a case ( according to the opinion of this great * casuist ) charity to our selves doth not more arme and enforce our hand , then charity to our neighbour holds it , and binds it up : we may not kill lest the man slayer dying in the attempt of this murther , should everlastingly perish : surely , i cannot but admire this unreasonable mercy in a father of the society ; where was this consideration when so many thousands of innocent persons were doomed to be blowne up in a state of impenitence ; whose unrepented heresie must needs have sent them up instantly to their hell ? by this reason , a malefactor if he be obdured in his sin , and professeth to be remorslesse , may not feel the stroke of justice . shortly then , if a man will needs be wicked to my destruction , the evill is his owne ; let him beare his owne guilt , let me looke to my owne indemnity . the case is yet more difficult where the attempt is not upon my person , but my goods ; if a man will be offering to robbe my house , or to take my purse , what may i doe doe in this case ? surely , neither charity , nor justice can disswade me from resisting ; the lawes of god and man will allow me to defend my owne ; and if in this resistance the theefe , or burglayer miscarry , his blood will be upon his owne head : although in the meane time , charity forbids that this slaughter should be first in my intention ; which is primarily bent upon my owne safety , and the vindication of my owne just propriety : the blood that followes is but the unwilling attendant of my defence : of the shedding whereof , god is so tender , that he ordained it onely to be inoffensively done in a nightly robbery ; exod. . . where the purpose of the theefe is likely to be more murtherous , and the act more uncapable of restitution . what then if the theefe , after his robbery done , ceasing any further danger of violence , shall betake himselfe to his heeles , and run away with my money ? in such a case , if the summe be so considerable , as that it much imports my estate , how ever our municipall lawes may censure it ( with which , of old , even as killing ( * se defendendo ) was no lesse then felony of death ) my conscience should not strike me if i pursue him with all might , and in hot chase so strike him , as that by this meanes i disable him from a further escape , for the recovery of my owne ; and if hereupon his death shall follow , however i should passe with men , god and my owne heart would acquit me . neither doubt i to say the like may be done upon a forcible attempt of the violation of the chastity of either sexe : a case long agoe adjudged by the doome of nature it selfe in marius the generall of the roman army ( as * cicero tells us ) clearly acquiting a young man for killing a colonel that would have forced him in this kind . but i may not assent to † djominicus bannez , retrus navarrus , and cajetan , ( though grave authors ) who hold , that if a man goe about upon false and deadly criminations to suborne witnesses against mee , to accuse me to a corrupted judge , with a purpose to take away my life , in a colour of justice , if i have no other way to avoid the malice , i may lawfully kill him : it were a wofull and dangerous case , if every man might be allowed to crave himselfe of justice ; mere accusations are no convictions ; how know i what god may worke for me on the bench , or at the barre to what evidence he may raise to cleer mee ? what confusion , or contradiction he may cause in the mouthes of the hired witnesses ? what change he may worke in the judge ; what interposition of higher powers ? there is a providence in this case to be relyed upon ; which can and will bring about his owne holy purposes , without our presumptuous , and unwarrantable undertakings . case ii. whether may i lawfully make use of a duell for the deciding of my right , or the vindication of my honour ? i have long agoe spent my opinion upon this point , in a large epistolar discourse , which i find no reason to alter : thither i might refer you to spare my labour ; but lest perhaps that should not be at hand ; shortly thus : the sword in a private hand was never ordained to be a decider of any controversies , save this one , whether of the two is the better fencer ; nor yet that alwayes , since eccles . . . the race is not to the swift , nor the battaile to the strong ; as solomon hath observed : it can be no better therefore , then a more tempting of god , as * rodriguez justly censures it , to put our selves , or our cause upon so unwarranted a triall : i find but two practices of it in the records of scripture ; the one , that famous challenge of goliah , which that proud philistim had not made , if he had not presumed of his giantly strength , and stature , so utterly unmatchable by all israel , . sam. . . that the whole host was ready to give back upon his appearance ; he knew the advantage so palpable , that none would dare to undertake the quarrell ; and had still gone on to triumph over that trembling army , had not gods inexpected champion , by divine instinct taken up the monster , and vanquisht him , leaving all but his head , to bedung that earth , which had lately shaken at his terrour . the other was in that mortall quarrell betwixt joab and abner , on the behalf of their two masters , david and ishbosheth ; sam. . . wherein abner invites his rivall in honor , to a tragical play , ( as he termes it ) a monomachie of twelve single combatants on either part ; which was so acted , that no man went victor away from that bloody theater ; only it is observable , that in both these conflicts still the challengers had the worst . in imitation of which latter , i cannot allow that which i find frequently done in the managing of publique hostility ; that some confident cavalier out of mere bravery of spirit craves leave to put himself forth before both armies , and ( as in way of preface to an ensuing battaile ) bids defiance to any antagonist ; an act of more valor then judgment ; whereof the undertaking is void of warrant ; and the issue ( lightly ) of successe : whiles it pleaseth god commonly to punish prefumption with a foyle ; and the ominous miscarriage of one , proves a sad discouragement to many . and if single fortitude be not triable this way , much lesse justice in causes litigious ; to make the sword arbiter of such differences , were no better then to revive the old ordalian triall used by our heathen ancestors : sith god hath no more ordained , nor promised to bless the one then the other ; and reason it selfe tels us , in how ill a condition that righteous cause is , which must be carried by the sharpor weapon , the stronger arme , the skilfuller fencer . now whereas there are two acts , as introductions into the field , a challenge , and an acceptation ; both of them have their guilt , but the former so much more , as it hath in it more provocation to evill . i cannot therefore but wonder at , and cry downe the opinion of bannez , and cajetan , that a man sclandered by an unjust accuser , may justly challenge him the field , and vindicate himselfe by the sword ; a doctrine , which if it were allowed , and accordingly practiced , besides that it would destroy the course of justice , and wrest revenge out of the hands of the almighty , were enough to make the world an accldama ; for who would not be his owne judge for the accusation ; and his owne executioner for the revenge ? there may yyt seem more innocence in the acceptation ; which makes shew of a mere passive nature , and appeares to be extorted by the insolence of a provoking adversary , whose pressures are wont to receive such construction , as that the challenged party refusing , upon what ground soever , is in the vulgar opinion proclaimed for base and recreant ; and i must needs confesse , the irritation diminisheth the offence ; but withall , how ever the spanish and italian casuists ( whose nations are wont to stand a little too highly upon the points of a mis-called honor ) are wont to passe faire interpretations of the matter , i cannot but find it deeply guilty also : for what is this other , then a consent to sin by engaging in blood ; which by a man wise and conscionable might be turned off with a just contempt , without imputation of cowardise : since the plea of conscience is able to beare downe the vaine fancies of idle sword-men : or , if that will not be taken , the false blurres that are cast upon a worthy mans reputation by vulgar breath , deserve no entertainment but scorne ; or lastly , other means lie open to both parts for the proofe of a questioned valour , which in a lawfull way the challenged is ready to embrace ; he walks not unprovided about the businesse of his calling , if he be fairly set upon , on equall terms , he shall make no doubt to defend himselfe : but to make a formall businesse of a quarrell , on either part , and to agree upon a bargaine of blood-shedding , is wicked and damnable ; and though both should come fairly off , yet the very intention to kill , is murther . this case is so cleare , that the councell of * trent hath thought fit to denounce heavy sentences , and inflict sharp censures upon emperours , kings , states , and potentates that shall give allownce to duels within their dominions ; pronouncing them ipso jure excommunicate ; and depriving them of those townes , cities , lands , ( if held of the church ) where such unlawfull acts are made : and that those who either act , or patronize , and by their presence assist , countenance , or abett such combats , shall incurre the sentence of excommunication , the losse of all their goods , and perpetuall infamie ; and if they dye in such quarrell , shall , as selfe-murtherers , be debarred the priviledge of christian buriall . briefly therefore , neither your justice , nor your honor may depend upon the point of private swords ; and if there can be no other remedy , you must rather suffer in either , then hazard your soule . case iii. whether may it be lawfull , in case of extremity , to procure the abortion of the child , for the preservation of the mother ? i fear want of true judgement renders too many of the weaker sexe grossely culpable in matter of willing abortion ; whiles , being not well principled either in nature , or grace , they thinke it not unlawfull , or at least , venially so , whether out of the fear of painfull child-birth , or for the avoidance of too great a charge , to prevent the fulnesse of their conceptions ; and therefore , either by over-vehement motion , or unwholsome medicine , are not unwilling to forest all nature , and to free themselves early of that which might in time prove their burden : wherein they little know how highly they offend the majesty of god in destroying his potentiall creature , and how heavy weight of guilt they lay upon their soules , whiles they indeavour to give an undue ease to their bodies . your question supposes an extremity ; and surely such it had need to be , that may warrant the intention of such an event . for the deciding whereof , our casuists are wont to distinguish double ; both of the state of the conception ; and of the nature of the receit : in the former ; they consider of the conception , either as it is before it receive life , or after that it is animated : before it receive life , they are wont to determine , that howsoever it were no lesse then mortall sin , in a physitian , to prescribe a medicinall receit to cause abortion , for the hiding of a sinne , or any outward secular occasion ; yet for the preservation of the life of the mother , in an extreme danger , ( i say , before animation ) it might be lawfull : but after life once received , it were an hainous sinne to administer any such mortall remedy . the latter casuists are better advised ; and justly hold that to give any such expelling or destructive medicine , with a direct intention to work an aborsement , ( whether before , or after animation ) is utterly unlawfull , and highly sinfull : and with them i cannot but concur in opinion ; for , after conception we know that naturally followes animation , there is only the time that makes the difference ; which in this case is not so considerable , as to take off a sinne : that of * tertullian comes home to the point which both covarruvias and † lessius urge to this purpose : homicidii festinatio est prohibere nasci ; it is but an hastening of murder to hinder that which would be borne ; homo est qui futurus est ; it is a man that would be so , &c. upon this ground we know that in a further degree of remotenesse , a voluntary selfe-pollution hath ever been held to have so much guilt in it , as that angelus politianus reports it as the high praise of * michael verrinus , that he would rather die , then yeeld to it : how much more , when there is a further progresse made towards the perfection of humane life ? and if you tell me that the life of the mother might thus be preserved , whereas otherwise both she and all the possibilities of further conceptions are utterly lost ; i must answer you with that sure and universall rule of the apostle , that we may not doe evill that good may come thereon , rom. . . the second consideration is of the nature of the receit , and the intention of the prescriber ; there are prescripts that may , in , and of themselves tend towards cure , and may have ordinarily such an effect ; but yet being used and applyed for the mothers remedy , may prove the losse of the conception , being yet inanimate ; these if they be given with no other intention then the preservation of the mothers life , may be capable of excuse ; for that the inconvenience ( or mischief rather ) which followed upon the receits was accidentall , and utterly against the mind , and hopes of him that advised them . but if the conception be once formed , and animated , the question will be so much more difficult , as the proceedings of nature are more forward : whereupon it is , that the septuagint in their translation ( as lessius well observes ) have rendred that mosaicall law ( in exod. . ) concerning abortions , in these termes . if a man strike a woman that is with child , and she make an abortion , if the child were formed , he shall give his life for the life of the child ; if it were not formed , he shall be punished with a pecuniary mulct to her husband * : applying that to the issue , which the vulgar latin understands of the mother ; and making the supposition to be of a formation and life ; which the latine more agreeably to the originall , makes to be death ; and our english , with † castalion expresses by mischiefe : but whether the mischief be meant of the death of the mother , or of the late-living issue , the scripture hath not declared : * cornelius à lapide taking it expresly of the mothers death , yet draws the judgment out , in an equall length to the death of the child , once animated ; making no difference of the guilt ; since the infants soule is of no lesse worth , then hers that beares him . in this case of the conception animated , i find the casuists much divided ; whiles some more tender then their fellowes , will not allow in the utmost extremity of a dying mother , a medicine that may be directly curative to be given her , if it should be with any apparent danger of the child ; in case that the child may be probably drawne forth alive ; which they doe upon this false and bloodily uncharitable ground , * that the child dying without baptisme , is liable to eternall damnation ; which wofull danger therefore the mother ought to prevent , though with the certaine hazard of her own life : but the foundation of this judgement being unsound , ( since to doome the children of beleeving parents inevitably to hell for the want of that which they are not possibly capable to receive , is too cruell and horrible ) the structure must needs totter . these men whiles they professe themselves too carefull of the soule of the child ( which yet may perhaps be safer then their owne ) seeme to be some what too hard hearted to the body of the mother . * others more probably hold , that if the case be utterly desperate , and it be certaine that both mother and child must undoubtedly perish if some speedy remedy be not had ; it may then be lawfull to make use of such receits as may possibly give some hopes to save the mother though not without some perill of the child . but all this while , the intentions , and indeavours must be no other then preservatory ; however it pleaseth god to order the events : shortly , no man that purposely procureth an abortion , as such , can wash his hands from blood ; no woman that wilfully acts , or suffers it , ( how ever the secrecy may exempt her from the danger of humane lawes ) can thinke to avoid those judgments of the righteous god , which he hath charged upon murderers . i cannot here therefore forbeare to give the world notice of the impious indulgence of a late pope in this kind ; sixtus quintus , who in our time sat in the see of rome , finding the horrible effects of that liberty , which too many both secular and religious persons tooke to themselves in this matter of abortion ; in a just detestation of that damnable practice , thought meet in much fervour of spirit to set forth his bulla cruciatae ; then which there was never a more zealous piece , published to the world ; wherein that pope pronounces all those which have any hand in the acting or procuring of this wicked fact , of the ejecting of conceptions , whether animate or inanimate , formed , or informed , by potions , or medicaments , or any other meanes whatsoever , to have incurred both the crime and punishment of man-slaughter : charging due execution to be done upon such persons accordingly : and withall in a direfull manner excommunicates them , and sends them to hell , ( without repentance ) reserving the absolution solely to himselfe and his successors . now comes a late * successor of his , gregory ; who finding the sentence too unreasonably hard for his petulant , and thriftie italians , and , indeed , for all loose persons of both sexes ; mitigates the matter ; and , as a spanish casuist expresses it truly , in the very first yeare of his pontificate in a certaine constitution of his , dated at rome , the last day of may , . delevit censuras , quas sixtus v. imposuerat contra facientes , procurantes , &c. abolisht and took off those heavy censures , which * sixtus had imposed ; and reduced the terrible punishments by him ordained to be inflicted unto a poore bare irregularity ; and determines , that any confessor allowed by the ordinary , may obsolve from this sin of procured abortion : by the sleightnesse of the censure , in effect , animating the sin : an act well becomming the mother of fornications : after all which pandarisme , let all good christians know , and resolve the crime to be no lesse then damnable . but withall , let me advise you , ( with * martinus vivaldus ) that what i have herein written against the procurers of abortions , may not be extended to the practice of those discreet physitians , and chirurgeans , who being called to for their aide in difficult and hopelesse child-births , prescribe to the woman in travaile , such receits , as may be like to hasten her delivery , ( whether the child be alive or dead : ) forasmuch as the conception is now at the full maturity ; and the indeavour of these artists is not to force an aborsement , but to bring forward a naturall birth , to the preservation of the mother , or the child , or both . case iv. whether a man adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment , or death , may in conscience indeavour , and practice an escape . what the civill or common lawes have in this case determined for the publique good , comes not within the compasse of our disquisition : let the gaurdians , and ministers of those lawes looke carefully to the just execution of them accordingly : the question is onely of the law of private conscience ; how far that will allow a man to goe in case of a sentence passed upon him , whether of death or bonds . and first of all ; if such sentence be unjustly passed upon an innocent , no man can doubt , but that he may most lawfully by all just meanes worke his owne freedome : but if an offender , what may he doe ? the common opinion of casuists is peremptory ; * that he that is kept in prison for any offence wherupon may follow death , or losse of limb , whether the crime be publique or private , may lawfully flee from his imprisonment , and may for that purpose use those helps of filing , or mining , which conduce to this purpose : their ground is , that universall rule , and instinct of selfe-preservation , which is naturall to every creature ; much more eminent in man , who is furnished with better faculties then the rest , for the working of his own indēnity : whereto is added that main consideration of aquinas ; that no man is bound to kill himselfe , but onely doomed to suffer death ; not therefore bound to doe that upon which death will inevitably follow , which is to wait in prison for the stroak , if he may avoid it ; it is enough that he patiently submits to what the law forces upon him , though he doe not cooperate to his owne destruction : his sentence abridges him of power , not of will to depart : whereupon they have gone so far , as to hold it in point of conscience not unlawfull for the friends of the imprisoned , to conveigh unto him files , and cords , or other instruments usefull for their escape : but herein some better-advised doctors have justiy dissented from them ; as those , whose judgment hath not beene more favourable to malefactors , then dangerous and prejudiciall to the commonwealth : for how safe soever this might seeme in lighter trespasses , yet if this might be allowed as in conscience lawfull to be done to the rescue of murtherers , traytors , or such other flagitious villains , what infinite mischiefe might it produce ? and what were this other then to invite men to be accessary to those crimes , which the law in a due way intends to puuish ? certainly , by how much a more laudable act of justice it is , to free the society of men from such wicked miscreants , by so much more sinfull and odious an office it were , to use these sinister means for their exemption from the due course of justice ; but howsoever for another man to yeeld such unlawfull aid , is no better then a foule affront of publique justice , and enwrappes the agent in a partnership of crime ; yet the law of nature puts this liberty upon the restrained party himselfe , both to wish and indeavour his owne deliverance : although not so ; but that if the prisoner have ingaged himselfe by solemne promise , and oath to his keeper , not to depart out of his custody ; honesty must prevaile above nature ; and he ought rather to die , then violate that bond which is stronger then his irons : very heathens have by their example taught us this lesson ; to regard our fidelity , more then our life : thus it should be , and is , with those that are truly christian and ingenuous , under what ever captivity ; but in the case of gracelesse and felonious persons , gaolers have reason to looke to their bolts and lockes ; knowing ( according to the old rule of wise thales ) that he who hath not stuck at one villanie , will easily swallow another ; perjury will easily downe with him , that hath made no bones of murther . but where the case is entire , no man can blame a captive if he would be free ; and if he may untie the knot of a cord , wherewith he was bound ; why may he not unrivet , or grate an iron wherewith he is fettered ? for so much as he is not bound , to yeeld , or continue a consent to his owne durance : this charge lies upon the keeper , not the prisoner . a man that is condemned to perish by famine , yet if he can come by sustenance may receive , and eat it : that athenian malefactor , in * valerius maximus , sentenced to dye by hunger , was never found fault with , that he maintained himselfe in his dungeon by the brests of his good-natur'd daughter . and if a man be condemned to be devoured by a lion , there can be no reason why he should not ( what he may ) resist that furious beast , and save his owne life . but when i see our romish casuists so zealously tender in the case of religious persons , as that they will not allow them upon a just imprisonment to stirre out of those grates whereto they are confined by the doome of their prelates ; and when i see the brave resolutions of holy martyrs , that even when the doores were set open , would not flee from a threatned death , i cannot but conclude , that whatsoever nature suggests to a man , to worke for his owne life or liberty , when it is forfaited to justice , yet that it is meet and commendable in a true penitent , when he finds the doome of death or perpetuall durance justly passed upon him , humbly to submit to the sentence ; and not intertaine the motions and means of a projected evasion : but meekly to stoop unto lawfull authority , and to wait upon the issue whether of justice , or mercy : and at the worst , to say with him in the poet , merui , nec deprecor . case v. whether , and how farre a man may be urged to an oath . an oath , as it is a sacred thing , so it must be no otherwise then holily used ; whether on the part of the giver , or taker ; & therefore may neither rashly be uttered , nor unduly tendered upon sleight , or unwarrantable occasions : we have not to doe here with a promissory oath , the obligation whereof is for another inquisition ; it is the assertory oath that is now under our hand ; which the great god by whom we sweare , hath ordained to be an end of controversies ; at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established , deuter. . . & . . as for secular titles of mine , or thine , the propriety of goods , or lands , next after written evidences , testimonies upon oath must needs be held most fitly decisive ; the onely scruples are wont to be made in causes criminall . . wherein surely we may lay this undoubted ground , that no man is to be proceeded against without an accuser , and that accusation must be made good by lawfull witnesses : a judge may not cast any man upon the plea of his owne eye-sight : should this liberty be granted , innocence might suffer , and malice triumph : neither may any man be condemned upon heare-say ; which how commonly false it is , daily experience sufficiently evinceth . on the other side , men are apt enough to connive at each others wickednesse ; and every man is loath to be an informer , whether out of the envy of the office , or out of the conscience of his owne obnoxiousnesse . and yet thirdly , it is requisite that care should be taken , and all due meanes used by authority , that the world may not be over-run with wickednesse ; but that vice may be found out , repressed , punished . there cannot , fourthly , be devised a fairer , and more probable course for the effecting hereof , then by the discovery upon oaths of the officers and jurors in assises , and sessions ; and of churchwardens , and side-men in visitations . the ground of all presentments to , or by these men must be either their owne knowledge , or publique fame , or an avowed information . any of these gives a lawful hint to the judge , whether ecclesiasticall or civill , to take full triall of the cause and person . knowledge is alwayes certaine , but fame is often a lyar ; and therefore every idle rumour must not be straight taken upon trust ; the inconvenience and injury whereof i have often seene ; when some malicious person desiring to doe a despight to an innocent neighbour , raises a causelesse slander against him , whispers it to some dis-affected gossips , this flyes to the care of an apparitor ; hee straight runs to the office , and suggests a publique fame ; the honest man is called into the court ; his reputation is blurred in being but summoned ; and after all his trouble and disgrace hath his amends in his owne hands . the rule of some casuists , that ten tongues make a fame , is groundlesse and insufficient ; neither is the number so much to be regarded as the quality of the persons . if a whole pack of debauched companions shall conspire to staine the good name of an innocent ( as we have the often knowne ) it were a shamefull injustice to allow them the authors of a fame : the more judicious doctors have defined a publique fame by the voyce of the greater part of that community , wherein it is spread , whether towne , parish , city : and therein of those that are discreet , honest , well behaved . we are wont to say , where there is much smoke , there is likely some fire : an universall report from such mouthes , therefore , may well give occasion to a further inquiry . if any mans zeale against vice will make it a matter of instance , the case is cleare , and the proceeding unquestionable ; but if it be matter of mere office , the carriage of the processe may be liable to doubt ; herein it is meet such course be taken , as that neither a notorious evill may be smothered , nor yet innocence injured : to which purpose the most confident reporter may be called upon ( because fame hath too many tongues to speak at once ) to lay forth the grounds of that his whispered crimination ; and if the circumstances appeare pregnant , and the suspicions strong , i see not why the ecclesiasticall judge ( for with him onely in this case i professe to meddle ) may not convent the person accused , lay before him the crime which is secretly charged upon him ; and either upon his ingenuous confession , enjoyne him such satisfaction to the scandalized congregation as may be most fit , or upon his denyall urge him to cleare himselfe by lawfull witnesses , of the crime objected ; or why he may not , if he see further cause , appoint a discreet and able prosecutor to follow the businesse in a legall way ; upon whom the accused , if he be found guiltlesse , may right himselfe . but all this while , i finde no just place for an oath to be administred to a man for his owne accusation ; which certainly , is altogether both illegall , and unreasonable ; if a man will voluntarily offer to cleare himselfe by an oath , out of the assurednesse of his owne innocence , he may be allowed to be heard , but this may neither be pressed to be done , nor yet conclusive , when it is done ; for both every man is apt to be partiall in his owne case , and he that durst act a foule sin will dare to face it . it was ever therefore lawfull ( even when ecclesiastical inquisitions were at the highest ) for a man to refuse answer to such questions upon oath , or otherwise , which tended to his owne impeachment ; as unjustly , and unwarrantably proposed : and it was but a young determination of * aquina , when he was onely a bachelour , in the generall chapter at paris , contradicted by all the ancient graduates there , that when the crime is notorious , and the author unknowne , the secret offender is bound upon his ordinaries charge and command , to reveale himselfe . even the spanish casuists , the great favourers and abettors of the inquisition , teach that the judge may not of himselfe begin an inquiry , but must be led by something which may open a way to his search , and as it were force him to his proceeding , ex officio , as publique notice , infamie , common suspicion , complaint ; otherwise , the whole processe is void in law ; although herein some of them goe too far in favour of their great diana , that where the crime is known , and the author unknowne , the judge may in a generality inquire of him that did it , and if he have any private information ( though without any publique fame foregoing ) he may in fome cases , raise a particular inquisition upon the party , and call him to defend himselfe ; which course certainly , gives too much advantage to private malice ; and opens too much way to the wronging of innocence . the faire way of proceedings in all christian judicatures , should be , by accuser , witnesse , and judge ; in distinct persons , openly knowne ; the accuser complains , the witnesse evinceth , the judge sentences : the one may not be the other ; much lesse all three : were that to be allowed , who could be innocent . ? when a witnesse then is called before a competent judge , to give evidence upon oath concerning a third person , in a matter cognoscible by that jurisdiction , he is bound to swear in truth , in judgement , and in righteousnesse ; jer. . . as for his own concernments , he must referre himself to the testimonies and oathes of others . case vi. whether a judge may upon allegations , proofes , and evidences of others , condemne a man to death , whom he himselfe certainly knows to be innocent . the question hath undergone much agitation ; the streame of all ancient divines , and casuists runs upon the affirmative ; their ground is , that the judge as he is a publique person , so in the seat of judicature he must exercise a publique authority ; and therefore waving his private knowledge and interest , must sentence according to the allegations and proofes brought before him ; since he is a judge of the cause , not of the law ; whereof he is to be the servant , not the master : there he sits not to speake his owne judgement , but to be the mouth of the law , and the law commands him to judge according to the evidence ; the evidence therefore being cleare and convictive , the doome can be no other then condemnatory . for my part , i can more marvell at their judgement herein , then approve it ; professing for the negative , with some fewer and latter authors , upon these sure grounds . it is an evident and undeniable law of god which must be the rule of all judges ; the innocent and the righteous slay thou not , exod. . . this is a law neither to be avoided , nor , dispensed with : accusations and false witnesses cannot make a man other then innocent ; they may make him to seeme so ; in so much as those that know not the cause exactly , may perhaps be mis-led to condemne him , in their judgments : but to the judge , whose eyes were witnesses of the parties innocence , all the evidence in the world cannot make him other then guiltlesse ; so as that judge shall be guilty of blood , in slaying the innocent , and righteous . secondly , the law of judging according to allegations and proofs is a good generall direction in the common course of proceedings ; but there are cases wherein this law must vaile to an higher , which is the law of conscience : woe be to that man who shall tye himselfe so close to the letter of the law , as to make shipwrack of conscience ; and that bird in his bosome will tell him , that if upon what ever pretences , he shall willingly condemne an innocent , he is no better then a murtherer . thirdly , it is not the bare letter of the law that wise men should stand upon , but the drift and intention of the law ; of that , we may in some sense say as the apostle did of an higher law , the letter killeth . now every reasonable man knowes that the intention of the law , is to save and protect the innocent ; to punish onely the guilty : the judge therefore shall be a perverter of law , if , contrary to his knowledge , he shall follow the letter against the intention , in condemning an innocent . let no man now tell me , that it is the law that condemnes the man , and not the judge ; this excuse will not serve before the tribunal of heaven ; the law hath no tongue ; it is the judge that is lex loquens ; if he then shall pronounce that sentence which his owne heart tells him is unjust and cruell , what is he but an officious minister of injustice ? but , indeed , what law ever said , thou shalt kill that man whom thou knowest innocent , if false witnesse will swear him guilty ? this is but a false glosse set upon a true text , to countenance a man in being an instrument of evill . what then is in this case to be done ? surely , as i durst not acquit that judge , who under what ever colour of law should cast away a known innocent , so i durst not advise against plaine evidences and flat dispositions , upon private knowledge , that man to be openly pronounced guiltlesse ; and thereby discharged ; for as the one is a grosse violation of justice ; so were the other a publique affront to the law ; and of dangerous consequence to the weale-publique : certainly , it could not but be extreamly unsafe , that such a gappe should be opened to the liberty of judgement , that a private brest should be opposed ( with an apparent prevalence ) against publique convictions : our casuists have beaten their brains to find out some such evasions , as might save the innocent from death , & the judge from blood-guiltinesse : herein therefore they advise the judge to use some secret meanes to stop the accusation or indictment ; ( a course that might be as prejudiciall to justice , as a false sentence ) to sift the witnesses apart , as in susannaes case , and by many subtile interogations of the circumstances to find their variance or contradiction . if that prevaile not , cajetan goes so farre , as to determine it meet ( which how it might stand with their law , he knowes , with ours it would not ) that the judge should before all the people give his oath , that he knows the party guiltlesse ; as whom he himselfe saw at that very hour in a place far distant from that , wherein the fact is pretended to be done : yea * dominicus à soto could be content ( if it might be done without scandall ) that the prisoner might secretly be suffered to slip out of the gaole , and save himself by flight . others think it the best way , that the judge should put off the cause to a superiour bench ; and that himselfe should ( laying aside his scarlet ) come to the bar , and as a witnesse avow upon oath the innocence of the party , and the falsity of the accusation : or lastly , if he should out of malice , or some other sinister ends ( as of the forfaiture of some rich estate ) be pressed by higher powers to passe the sentence on his owne bench , that he ought to lay downe his commission , and to abdicate that power he hath , rather then to suffer it forced to a willing injustice . and truly were the case mine , after all faire and lawfull indevours to justify the innocent , and to avoid the sentence , i should most willingly yeeld to this last resolution : yea rather my selfe to undergoe the sentence of death , then to pronounce it on the knowne-guiltlesse ; hating the poore pusillanimity of dominicus à soto * , that passes a nimis creditu rigidum , upon so just a determination ; and is so weakly tender of the judges indemnity , that he will by no meanes heare of his wilfull deserting of his office on so capitall an occasion . in the maine cause of life & death , i cannot but allow and commend the judgment of leonardus lessius ; but when the question is of matters civil , or lesse criminall , † i cannot but wonder at his flying off ; in these wherein the businesse is but pecuniary , or banishment , or losse of an office , he holds it lawfull for the judge , ( after he hath used all meanes to discover the falsenesse of the proofes , and to hinder the proceedings , if thus he prevailes not ) to passe sentence upon those allegations and probations , which himselfe knowes to be unjust . the reasons pretended are as poor as the opinion ; * for , saith he , the commonwealth hath authority to dispose of the estates of the subjects , and to translate them from one man to another , as may be found most availing to the publique good ; and here there appears just cause so to doe , lest the forme of publique judgements should be perverted , not without great scandall to the people ; neither is there any way possible to help this particular mans inconvenience and losse ; therefore the common-wealth may ordaine that in such a case the judge should follow the publique forme of judicature , though hereby it falleth out that a guiltlesse man is undone in his fortunes ; and yet his cause knowne to be good by him that condemnes it . thus he . but what a loose point is this ? why hath not a man , as true propiety in his estate as his life ? or what authority hath the common-wealth , causelesly to take away a mans substance or inheritance ( being that he is the rightfull owner ) more then a piece of himselfe ? when his patrimony is setled upon him and his in a due course of law and undoubted right of possession , what just power can claim any such interest in it as without any ground of offence to dispossesse him ? or what necessity is there that the form of publique judgements should be perverted , unlesse an honest defendent must be undone by false sentence ? or rather is not the forme of publique judgement perverted , when innocence suffers for the maintenance of a formality ? or how is the judge other then a partner in the injury , if for want of his seasonable interposition a good cause is lost , and a false plea prevailes ? that therefore , which in the second place he alledgeth , that the subject can have no reason to complaine of the judge , for as much as it is out of his power to remedy the case , and to passe other sentence then is chalked forth by the rule of law ; might as well be alledged against him in the plea of life and death , wherein he will by no meanes allow the judge this liberty of an undue condemnation ; neither is there any just pretence why an honest and well-minded judge should be so sparing in a case of life , and so too prodigall in matter of livelyhood . as for his third reason , that the mis-judgment in case of a pecuniary damage or banishment , may be afterwards capable of being reversed , and upon a new traverse the cause may be fetcht about at further leasure ; whereas death once inflicted is past all power of revocation ; it may well inferre that therefore there should be so much more deliberation , and care had in passing sentence upon capitall matters , then civill , by how much life is more precious , and irrevocable , then our worldly substance ; but it can never inferre that injustice should be tolerable in the one , not in the other . justice had wont to be painted blindfold , with a paire of scales in her hand ; wherefore else , but to imply that he who would judge aright , must not look upon the issue or event , but must weigh impartially the true state of the cause in all the grounds , and circumstances thereof , and sentence accordingly ? to say then that a judge may passe a doome formally legall , but materially unjust , because the case upon a new suit may be righted , were no other then to say , i may lawfully wound a man , because i know how to heale him againe . shortly therefore , whether it be in causes crimiall , or civill , whether concerning life , or estate , let those who sit in the seat of judicature , as they will answer it before the great judge of the world , resolve ( what event soever follow ) to judge righteous judgement , not justifying the wicked , not condemning the innocent ; both which are equally abominable in the sight of the almighty . case vii . whether , and in what cases am i bound to be an accuser of another . to be an accuser of others , is a matter of much envy , and detestation ; in so much as it is the style of the devill himselfe to be accusator fratrum , an accuser of the brethren : yet not of his owne brethren in evill ; it was never heard that one evill spirit accused another ; but of our brethren ; revel . . . it was a voice from heaven which called him so : saints on earth are the brethren of the glorious spirits in heaven ; it is the wickednes of that malicious spirit to accuse saints : but though the act be grown into hatred , in respect both of the agent and of the object ; yet certainly there are cases wherein it will become the saints to take upon them the person , and office of accusers . accusation therefore is either voluntary , or urged upon you by the charge of a superiour . voluntary is either such as you are moved unto by the conscience of some hainous and notorious crime committed , or to be committed by another , to the great dishonor of god , or danger of the common peace , whereto you are privy : or such as whereunto you are tyed by some former engagement of vow , or oath : in the former kinde ; a worthy divine in our time travailing on the way , sees a leud man committing abominable filthinesse with a beast ; the sin was so foule and hatefull , that his heart would not suffer him to conceale it ; hee therefore hastens to the next justice , accuses the offender of that so unnaturall villany ; the party is committed , endicted , and upon so reverend ( though single ) testimony found guilty . or , if in the case of a crime intended , you have secret , but sure intelligence , that a bloudy villaine hath plotted a treason against the sacred person of your soveraigne , or a murther of your honest neighbour ; which he resolves to execute ; should you keepe this fire in your bosome , it might justly burne you . whether it be therefore for the discovery of some horrible crime done , or for the prevention of some great mischiefe to be done , you must either be an accuser , or an accessary . the obligation to accuse is yet stronger where your former vow or oath hath fore-ingaged you to a just discovery ; you have sworn to maintaine and defend his majesties royall person , state , dignity ; and to make knowne those that wilfully impugne it ; if now , you shall keepe the secret counsels of such wicked designments , as you shall know to be against any of these , how can you escape to be involved in a treason , lined with perjury ? these are accusations which your conscience will fetch from you , unasked ; but if being called before lawfull authority , you shall be required upon oath , to testifie your knowledge even concerning offenders , of an inferiour nature ; you may not detract your witnesse , though it amount to no lesse then an accusation . yet there are cases , wherein a testimony thus required , tending to an accusation , may be refused ; as in case of duty , and nearenesse of naturall , or civill relation ; it were unreasonably unjust for a man to be pressed with interrogations , or required to give accusatory testimonies in the case of parents , or children , or the partner of his bed : or if a man out of remorse of conscience shall disclose a secret sin to you formerly done , in a desire to receive counsaile , and comfort from you ; you ought rather to endure your soule to be fetcht out of your body , then that secret to be drawne out of your lips : or if the question be illegall , as those that tend directly to your owne prejudice ; or those which are moved concerning hidden offences , not before notified by publique fame , or any lawfull ground of injury , which therefore the judge hath no power to aske ; in these cases , if no more , the refusall of an accusation , though required , is no other then justifiable . but where neither the conscience of the horridnesse of a crime done ; nor prevention of a crime intended , nor duty of obedience to lawfull authority ; nor the bond of an inviolable pre-ingagement , call you to the bar ; it is not a more uncharitable , then thanklesse office to be an accuser : hence it is that delators , and informers , have in all happy and well-governed states , been ever held an infamous and odious kind of cattell . a tiborius , and a domitian , might give both countenance and rewards to them , as being meet factors for their tyranny , but a vespasian , and titus , and antoninus pius , and macrinus , or what ever other princes carryed a tender care to the peace and welfare of their subjects , whipt them in the publique amphitheater , and abandoned them out of their dominions , as pernicious , and intolerable . and as these mercenary flies , whether of state , or of religion , are justly hatefull , next to the publique executioners ; so certainly , those busie spirited men , which out of the itching humour of medling , run from house to house , with tales of private detraction , may well challenge the next roome in our detestation . this together with the other , is that which god so strictly forbids in his law , levit. . . thou shalt not goe up and downe as a tale-bearer amongst thy people , neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neighbour : i am the lord. a practice which wise solomon , though a great king ; and ( as one would think ) out of the reach of tongues , cryes downe with much feeling bitternesse ; prov. . . the words of a tale bearer are as wounds , and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly : no lesse then five severall times in his divine * proverbs , inveighing sharply ( as if himselfe had been stung in this kind ) against these close , back-biting calumniations . shortly then , accuse when you are forced , either by the foulenesse of the fact , or the necessity of your duty : otherwise reserve your tongue for better offices . case viii . whether a prisoner indicted of a felonious act , which hee hath committed , and interogated by the judge concerning the same , may stand upon the deniall , and plead not guilty . the casuists vary ; and out of respect to their owne lawes , are much perplexed in their resolutions : making the great scruple to be in the juridicall interrogations , ( which if the judge have not proceeded in the due formes of law required in such cases ) may warrant the offenders deniall ; and secondly , making difference of the quality of the offence , and danger of the punishment ; which if no lesse then capitall , may ( say they * ) give just ground to the accused party , either to conceale the truth , or to answer with such amphibolies , and equivocations , as may serve to his owne preservation ; in which course , naturall equity will beare him out , which allowes every man to stand upon his owne defence : and the case i perceive is aggravated in forraine parts , as by the rack , so by an oath administred to the person accused , ( which they call † juramentum calumniae ) which lessius justly calls a spirituall torture , by the vertue whereof , he is solemnly urged , not to deny what he knowes , or beleeves to be true , concerning the businesse questioned ; a practise , which i cannot blame * lessius , if he professe to wish that the pope , and all secular princes , would joine together to abrogate ; as being an evident occasion of much perjurie . to lay downe and determine the case as it stands with us in our ordinary proceedings of justice ; it must be premised : . to deny a known truth , and to averre a wilfull lye , cannot be other then a sin . . there is a vast difference betwixt concealing a truth and denying it . . it may be sometimes lawfull to conceale some truths , though never lawfull to deny , or contradict them . . no man can be bound directly to accuse himselfe . . it is consonant to naturall equity , that a man for the saving of his life should use the help of all evasions that are not sinfull . . it cannot be sinfull to put himselfe upon a legall triall in a case importing his life . . there is no place for a legall triall , where there is an absolute confession of guiltinesse . these positions being pre-required ; i say , that it is lawfull for the prisoner , though convinced in his conscience of the fact , yet to plead not guilty to the indictment at the barre : for as much as he doth therein , according to the sense both of the judge , and jury , onely hide and keep back that truth ; the finding out , and eviction whereof , lyes upon their further search and proofe ; so as he doth , in pleading not guilty , in effect as good as say , what ever i find in my selfe , i have no reason to confesse my guiltinesse ; i stand upon my lawfull defence , and cast my selfe upon my just tryall ; yeelding my selfe onely so far guilty , as your evidence and proofes can make me : let justice passe upon me , i have no reason to draw on my owne condemnation : the plea thus construed is lawfull , and just ; wherein not the shuffling equivocations of the offendor , but the upright verdict of a legall jury must carry the cause : to which purpose , that which sounds as a deniall in the accused , is nothing else but a professed referring himselfe to a juridicall tryal of that fact which he is not bound to confesse . but when the hand of god hath once found out the man in his sinne ; and he finds himselfe legally convinced of his crime ; it greatly behoves him ( as joshua charged achan after the lot had discovered his sin ) to give glory to god , in a free and full confession of his wickednesse , and to be more open and ingenuous in his acknowledgment , then he was close , and reserved in his plea : wherein as he shall discharge his conscience to that great and holy god , whom he hath offended , so he shall thus tender some kind of poore satisfaction to that society of men , whom he hath scandalized by his crime . in which regard i cannot but marvell at the strange determination of learned * azpilcueta , the oracle of confessaries , who teaches , that the prisoner , who being rightly interrogated by the judge , stood stiffly in deniall of the fact , and is upon his condemnation , carried to his execution , is not bound at his death to confesse the crime to the world , if he have before secretly whispered it in the eare of his ghostly father , and by him received absolution . a sentence that allowes the smothering of truthes , and the strangling of just satisfaction to those who are concerned , as patience , in the offence ; and lastly , highly injurious to publique justice ; whose righteous sentence is by this meanes left questionable , and obnoxious to unjust censure . how much more requisite were it that a publique confession should , in this case , save the labour of a private , whereby certainly , the soule of the offender would be more sensibly unloaded , justice better vindicated , more glory would accrew to god ; and to men , more satisfaction . but however it be lawfull for the accused to stand upon these points of legality in the proceedings against him : yet for my owne part ; should i be so farre given over , as to have my hand in blood ; and thereupon be arraigned at the barre of publique justice ; i should out of just remorse be the first man that should rise up against my selfe ; and ( which in other mens cases were utterly unlawfull ) be my owne accuser , witnesse , and judge : and this disposition i should rather commend in those , whose conscience hath inwardly convicted them for haynously criminous : that since they had not the grace to resist so flagitious a wickedness ; they may yet endevour to expiate it , before men , with an ingenuous confession : as before god , with a deepe and serious repentance . case ix . whether , and how farre a man may take up armes in the publique quarrell of a war. warre is no other then a necessary evill , necessary in relation to peace : onely , as that without which so great a blessing cannot be had : as the wise woman said to joab , sam. . . they should first treat with the men of abel , ere they smite : & upon the charge of the lord of hosts , deut. . . conditions must first be tendered even to heathen enemies , before any acts of hostility shall be exercised ; where this which is the worst of all remedies , proves needfull , if you aske how farre it is lawfull to ingage ; i must aske you , ( ere i can returne answer ) first of the justice of the quarrell : for surely , where the warre is knowne to be unjust , the willing abettors of it cannot wash their hands from blood : to make a warre just ( as our casuists rightly ) there must be a lawfull authority to raise it ; a just ground whereon to raise it ; due formes and conditions in the raising , managing , and cessation of it : that no authority lesse then supreame can wage a warre , it is cleare in nature ; for that none other besides it can have power of life and death ; which both must lye at the publique stake in warre . that none but a just and weighty cause can be the ground of a warre , every mans reason apprehends ; for how precious a blessing had that need to bee , that is held worth the purchasing with the price of so much bloud ; and how heavy a curse must that needs be , which can onely be remedied , or prevented by so grievous a judgment as warre ? that due termes and conditions are requisite to be offered ere warre be undertaken ; and observed in the managing , and ceasing of it , humanity it selfe teacheth us ; without which men should run upon one another with no lesse fury and disorder then beasts ; not staying for any capitulation but the first advantage ; nor terminating their discord in any thing but utter destruction . where all or any of these are wanting , the warre cannot be just : and where it is known not to be such , woe be to those hands that are willingly active in prosecuting it . now the care of all these three maine requisites must lie chiefly upon that power which is entrusted by the almighty with the over-ruling of publique affaires : for the subject , as he is bound to an implicite reliance upon the command of the supreme power ; so ( unlesse it be in a case notoriously apparent to be unjust ) must yeeld a blindfold obedience to authority ; going whither he is led , and doing what he is bidden ; but if the case be such , as that his heart is fully convinced of the injustice of the enterprise , and that he clearly finds that he is charged to smite innocence and to fight against god ; i cannot blame him , if with sauls footmen ( when they were commanded to fall upon the priests of the lord ) he withhold his hand , and craving pardon , show lesse readinesse to act , then to suffer . in the second place , i must aske you with what intentions you addresse your selfe to the field ; if it be out of the conscience of maintaining a just cause , if out of a loyall obedience to lawfull authority : i shall bid you go on , and prosper : but if either malice to the parties opposed , and therein desire of revenge , or a base covetousnesse of pay , or hope and desire of pluuder have put you into armes : repent and withdraw : for what can be more sordid , or cruell , then to be hired for dayes-wages to shed innocent blood ? or what can be more horribly mischievous for a man , then to kill , that hee may steale ? upon your answer to these questions it will be easie for me to returne mine ; in a just quarrell , being thereto lawfully called , you may fight ; warrantable authority hath put the sword into your hand ; you may use it . but take heed that you use it with that moderation , and with those affections that are meet : even an authorized hand may offend in striking ; magistrates themselves , if there be revenge in their executions , doe no other then murder : far be it from you to take pleasure in blood ; and to enjoy another mans destruction : if ( especially in those wars that are intestine ) you shall mingle your teares with the blood which you are forced to spill , it may well become christian fortitude . shortly ; doe you enter into your armes , imprest , or voluntary ? if the former , you have nothing but your owne heart to looke unto for a fit disposition ; that power , whom you justly obey , must answer for the cause ; if the latter , you have reason diligently to examine all the necessary points , of the power , of the cause , of your intentions : as well considering that in a warre it is no lesse impossible that both sides should be in the right , then that in a contradiction both parts should be true : here therefore your will makes it selfe the judge of all three ; and ( if any of them faile ) leaves you answerable for all miscarriages ; so as you had need to be carefully inquisitive , in this case , upon what grounds you goe ; that so ( whatsoever may befall ) a good conscience may beare you out in the greatest difficulties , and saddest events that are wont to attend upon warre . case x. whether and how farre a man may act towards bis owne death . directly to intend or indeavour that which may worke his owne death , is abominably wicked , and no lesse then the worst murder . for if a man may not kill another , much lesse himselfe ; by how much he is nearer to himselfe then to another : and certainly if we must regulate our love to another by that to our selves , it must follow that love to our selves must take up the first roome in our hearts : and that love cannot but be accompanied with a detestation of any thing that may be harmfull to our selves . doubtlesse , many that can be cruell to another are favourable enough to themselves ; but never man that could bee cruell to himselfe would be sparing of anothers blood . to will or attempt this is highly injurious to that god , whose we onely are ; who hath committed our life as a most precious thing to our trust , for his use , more then our owne ; and will require from us an account of our managing of it , and our parting from it . it is a foule misprision in those men , that make account of themselves as their owne , and therefore that they are the absolute lords of their life : did they give themselves their owne being ; had they nothing but meere nature in them ; can they but acknowledge an higher hand in their formation , and animating ? what a wrong were it therefore to the great lord and giver of life , to steale out of the world , without his leave that placed us there ? but much more if christians , they know themselves , besides , dearly paid for ; and therefore not in their own disposing , but in his that bought them . secondly , most desperately injurious to our selves , as incurring thereby a certaine damnation ( for ought appears to lookers on ) for ever , of those soules which have wilfully broken gods more easie , and temporary prison , to put themselves upon the direfull prison of satan to all eternity . nature it selfe , though not enlightened with the knowledge of the estate of another world , found cause to abhor this practice : however the stoicall philosophers , and some high roman spirits following their doctrine , have been liberall of their lives ; the thebans of old professed detestation of this worst of prodigalities : and the athenians enacted that the hand which should be guilty of such an act , should be cut off , and kept unburied ; and it was wisely ordained by that grecian common-wealth , when their virgins ( out of a peevish discontentment ) were grown into a selfe-killing humour , that the bodies of such offenders should be dragged naked through the streets of the city ; the shame whereof stopped the course of that mad resolution . it is not the heaviest of crosses , or the sharpest bodily anguish that can warrant so foule an act . well was it turned off by antisthenes of old , when in the extremity of his paine he cried out ; oh who will free me from this torment ! and diogenes reach't him a poynard , wherewith to dispatch himselfe : nay , said he , i said , from my torment , not from my life : as well knowing it neither safe , nor easie , to part with our selves upon such termes . farre , farre be it from us to put into this ranke and file those worthy martyrs , which in the fervor of their holy zeale have put themselves forward to martyrdome ; and have courageously prevented the lust and fury of tyrans , to keep their chastity , and faith inviolable . i looke upon these as more fit objects of wonder , then either of censure , or imitation . for these ( whom we may well match with sampson , and eleazar ) what gods spirit wrought in them , he knowes that gave it ; rules are they by which we live , not examples . secondly , however we may not by any meanes directly act to the cutting off the thred of life ; yet i cannot but yeeld with learned * lessius , that there may fall out cases , wherein a man may ( upon just cause ) doe , or forbeare something whereupon death may indirectly ensue : indirectly , i say , not with an intention of such issue . for it is not an universall charge of god , that no man should upon any occasion expose his life to a probable danger ; if so , there would be no warre , no trafique ; but onely that he should not causelesly hazard himselfe ; nor with a resolution of wilfull mis-carriage . to those instances he gives of a souldier that must keep his station , though it cost him life : of a prisoner that may forbeare to flee out of prison , though the doors be open : of a man condemn'd to dye by hunger , in whose power it is to refuse a sustenance offered : of a man that latches the weapon in his own body to save his prince : or of a friend , who when but one loafe is left to preserve the life of two , refraines from his part and dyes first : or that suffers another to take that planke in a shipwrack which himselfe might have prepossessed , as trusting to the oares of his armes ; or that puts himselfe into an infected house out of mere charity to tend the sick , though he know the contagion deadly ; or in a sea-fight blowes up the deck with gunpowder , not without his owne danger ; or when the house is on fire casts himselfe out at the window with an extreame hazard : to these , i say , may be added many more ; as the cutting off a limb to stop the course of a gangrene ; to make an adventure of a dangerous incision in the body , to draw forth the stone in the bladder ; the taking of a large dose of opiate pills , to ease a mortall extremity ; or lastly , when a man is already seized on by death , the receiving of some such powerfull medicine , as may facilitate his passage ( the defect of which care and art , the eminently-learned lord * verulam justly complaines of in physitians : ) in these , and the like cases , a man may lawfully doe those things which may tend , in the event , to his own death , though without an intention of procuring it . and unto this head must be referred those infinite examples of deadly sufferings for good causes , willingly embraced for conscience sake . the seven brethren in the maccabees , ( alluded to by s. paul to his hebrews , heb. . . ) will and must rather endure the butchering of their owne flesh , then the eating of swines-flesh , in a willing affront of their law ; daniel will rather die then not pray . shadrach , meshach , and abednego will rather fall downe bound into the fiery fornace sevenfold heated , then fall downe before the golden image . and every right-disposed christian will rather welcome death then yeeld to a willing act of idolatry , rebellion , witchcraft : if hereupon death follow by the infliction of others , they are sinfull agents , he is an innocent sufferer . as for that scruple among our casuists , whether a man condemned to dye by poyson , may take the deadly draught that is brought him ; it is such , as wise socrates never made of old , when the athenians tendred him his hemlock ; and indeed it may as well be disputed , whether a man condemned to dye by the axe , may quietly lay downe his head upon the block ; and not , but upon force , yeeld to that fatall stroke . a juster scruple is , whether a man condemned to a certaine and painfull death , which he cannot possibly eschew , may make choice rather of a more easie passage out of the world ; wherein i marvell at the indulgence of some doctors that would either excuse , or mince the matter . for although i cannot blame that naturall disposition in any creature , to shrinke from paine , and to affect ( what it may ) the shifting from extremity of miserie : yet for a christian so to doe it , as to draw a greater mischief to himselfe , and an apparent danger to his soule , it cannot justly beare any other then a hard construction . for thus to carve himselfe of justice , is manifestly to violate lawfull authority ; and whiles he would avoid a short paine , to incurre the shame and sin of a selfe-executioner . but if in that way , wherein the doome of death is passed , a man can give himself ease , or speed of dissolution ( as when a martyr being adjudg'd to the fire , uses the help of a bag of gun-powder , to expedite his passage ) it cannot bee any way judged unlawfull : the sentence is obeyed , the execution is accordingly done ; and , if the patient have found a shorter way to that end which is appointed him , what offence can this be either to the law , or to the judge ? resolutions . the third decade . cases of piety and religion . case i. whether upon the appearance of evill spirits we may hold discourse with them ; and how we may demeane our selves concerning them . that there are evill spirits , is no lesse certaine then that there are men : none but a sadduce , or an atheist can make question of it . that evill spirits have given certaine proofes of their presence with men , both in visible apparitions , and in the possessions of places , and bodies , is no lesse manifest , then that we have soules , whereby they are discerned . their appearances are not wont to be without grievous inconveniences ; whether in respect of their dreadfulnesse ; or their dangerous insinuations . it is the great mercy of the god of spirits that he hath bound up the evill angels in the chaines of darkenesse , restraining them from those frequent , and horrible appearances which they would otherwise make to the terrour , and consternation of his weake creatures . whensoever it pleaseth the almighty , for his owne holy purposes , so farre to loosen , or lengthen the chaines of wicked spirits , as to suffer them to exhibit themselves in some assumed shapes unto men , it cannot but mainly import us to know , what our deportment should be concerning them . doubtlesse to hold any faire termes of commerce , or peace ( much more of amitie or familiarity ) with them , were no better then to professe our selves enemies to god ; for such an irreconcileable hostility there is betwixt the holy god , and these malignant spirits , that there can be no place for a neutrality in our relation to them : so as he is an absolute enemy to the one , that bids not open defiance to the other . as therefore we are wont by our silence to signifie our heart-burning against any person ( in that we abide not to speake unto those whom we hate , ) so must we carry our selves towards evill spirits : and if they beginne with us as that devill did in the serpent with eve ; how unsafe and deadly it may be to hold chat with them , appears in that first example of their onset ; the issue whereof brought misery , and mortality upon all mankinde ; yet then , were our first parents in their innocency , and all earthly perfection : we now so tainted with sin , that satan hath a kinde of party in us , even before his actuall temptations . as therefore we are wont to say that the fort that yeelds to parle is halfe won ; so may it prove with us , if we shall give way to hold discourse with wicked spirits ; who are farre too crafty for us to deale withall : having so evident an advantage of us , both in nature ( we being flesh and blood , they spirituall wickednesses ) and in duration , and experience , we being but of yesterday , they coetaneous with the world and time it selfe . if you tell me that our saviour himselfe interchanged some speeches with the spirits whom he ejected ; it is easily answered , that this act of his was never intended for our imitation ; sith his omnipotence was no way obnoxious to their malice , our weaknesse is . i cannot therefore but marvell at the boldnesse of those men who professing no small degree of holinesse , have dared to hold familiar talk with evill spirits , and could be content to make use of them for intelligence ; as the famous jesuite , in our time , pere cotton ; who having provided . questions to be propounded to a demoniack ( some concerning matters of learning , some other matters of state , concerning the then french king and the king of england ) and having them written downe under his owne hand to that purpose ; being questioned concerning it , answered , that he had licence from rome to tender those demands : as i received it upon certaine relation from the learned dr. tilenus with many pregnant and undeniable circumstances , which i need not here expresse . although this need not seeme strange to me , when i find that * navarre determines plainly , that when evill spirits are present ( not by our invocation ) as in possessed bodies , it is lawfull to move questions to them , ( so it be without our prayers to them , or pact with them ) for the profit of others ; yea thus to confer with them , even out of vanity , or curiosity , is but venial at the most : thus he : with whom † lessius goes so far as to say ; licitum est petere verbo à diabolo ut nocere destnat &c. it is lawfull to move the devill in words to cease from hurting , so that it be not done by way of deprecation , or in a friendly compliance , but by way of indignation : a distinction which i confesse past the capacity of my apprehension ; who have not the wit to conceive how a man can move without implying a kinde of suite ; and how any suit can consist with an indignation . it savours yet of a more heroicall spirit which the church of rome professeth to teach and practice , the ejection of evill spirits by an imperious way of command ; having committed to her exorcists a power of adjuration , to which the worst of devils must be subject ; a power more easily arrogated then really exercised : indeed this over-ruling authority was eminently conspicuous , not onely in the selected twelve , and the seventy disciples of christ , who returned from their embassie with joy , ( luk. . . ) that the devils were subject to them through his name , but even in their holy successors of the primitive church , whiles the miraculous gifts of the holy ghost were sensibly powred out upon men ; but if they will be stil challenging the fame power ; why doe they not as wel lay claime to the speaking of strange tongues ? ( mar. . . . ) to the super-naturall cure of all diseases ? to the treading on serpents and scorpions ? to the drinking of poysons without an antidote ? and if they must needs acknowledge these faculties above their reach , why doe they presume to divide the spirit from it selfe ; arrogating to themselves the power of the greatest workes , whiles they are professedly defective in the least ? wherein surely , as they are the true successors of the sonnes of sceva , act. . , , , . who would be adjuring of devils by the name of jesus , whom paul preached , so they can looke for no other intertainment then they found from those demoniacks , which was to be baffled , and beaten , and wounded . especially , if we consider the foule superstition , and grosse magick which they make use of in their conjurations ; by their owne vainly-devised exorcismes , feoffing a supernaturall vertue upon drugges , and herbes , for the dispelling , and staving off all evill spirits ; because the bookes are not perhaps obvious , take but a taste in one , or two : * in the treasure of exorcismes , there is this following benediction of rue , to be put into an hallowed paper , and to be carried about you and smelled at for the repelling of the invasion of devills † . i conjure thee ô thou creature of rue , by the holy lord , the father , the almighty and eternall god , which bringeth forth grasse in the mountaines , and herbs for the use of man : and which by the apostle of thy sonne our lord jesus christ , hast taught , that the weake should eat herbes : i conjure thee that thou be blessed , and sanctified to retaine this invisible power and vertue , that whosoever shall carry thee about him , or shall smell to thee , may be free from all the uncleannesse of diabolicall infatuation ; and that all devils , and all witchcrafts may speedily fall from him , as herbes or grasse of the earth : through the same our lord jesus christ , which shall come to judge the quick and the dead , and the world by fire . the like is prescribed to be done to the seeds of hypericon or s. johns wort . * adde to this , the horrible fumigation to this purpose as it followes . i conjure thee ô thou creature of galbanum , sulphur , assa faetida , aristolochium , hypericon and rue , by the † living god ; by the † true god &c. by jesus christ &c. that thou be for our defence ; and that thou be made a perpetuall fumigation , exorcised , † blessed , and consecrated to the safety of us , and of all faithfull christians ; and that thou be a perpetuall punishment to all malignant spirits , and a most vehement , and infinite fire unto them , more then the fire and brimstone of hell is to the infernall spirits there , &c. but what doe i trouble you with these dreadfull incantations , whereof their allowed bookes of conjuration are full ? to these i may adde their application of holy water , ( wherein they place not a little confidence ) which ( saith * lessius ) receives the force from the prayers of the church , by the meanes whereof it comes to passe , that it is assisted with divine power ; which ( as it were ) rests upon it , and joynes with it , to the averting of all the infestations of the devill : but faine would i learne where the church hath any warrant from god to make any such suit ; where any overture of promise to have it granted ? what is their prayer without faith ? and what is their faith , without a word ? but i leave these men ( together with their crosses , and ceremonies , and holy reliques , wherein they put great trust in these cases ) to their better informed thoughts . god open their eyes that they may see their errors . for us , what our demeanure should be in case of the appearance , or molestation of evill spirits , we cannot desire a better patterne then s. paul ; his example is our all-sufficient instruction ; cor. . , . who when the messenger of satan was sent to buffet him , fell presently to his prayers ; and instantly besought god thrice , that it might depart from him . lo he that could command evill spirits out of the bodily possession of others ; when it comes to his owne turne to be buffeted by them , betakes himselfe to his prayers to that god whose grace was sufficient for him : verse . . to them must we still have our recourse ; if we thus resist the devil he shall flee from us : jam. . . in the primitive times , those that could cōmand , needed not to sue : and therefore fasting and prayers was an higher ( as a more laborious ) work ( to this purpose ) in the disciples , then their imperative course of ejection ; but for us , we that have no power to bid , must pray ; pray ; not to those ill guests that they would depart ; not to the blessed virgin , or our angel keeper that they would gard us from them , but to the great god of heaven , who commands them to their chains : this is a sure and everlasting remedy , this is the onely certaine way to their foile , and our deliverance , and victory . case ii. how farre a secret pact with evill spirits doth extend , and what actions and events must be referred thereunto . it is a question of exceeding great use , and necessity ; for certainly many thousands of honest , and well-minded-christians are in this kinde drawne into the snares of satan , unwarily , and unwittingly : for the determining of it , these two grounds must be laid ; first , that there is a double compact with satan ; one direct and open ; wherein magicians and witches , upon wofull conditions , and direfull ceremonies , enter into a mutuall covenant with evill spirits : the other , secret and indirect ; wherein nothing is seen , or heard , or known to be agreed upon ; onely by a close implication , that is suggested and yeelded to be done , which is invisibly seconded by diabolicall operation . the second ground is ; that whatsoever hath not a cause in nature according to gods ordinary way , must be wrought either by good , or evill spirits : that it cannot be supposed that good angels should be at the command of ignorant , or vicious persons , of either sexe , to concurre with them in superstitious acts , done by meanes altogether in themselves ineffectuall and unwarrantable : and therefore that the devill hath an unseene hand in these effects , which he marvailously brings about , for the winning of credit with the world , and for the obliging and engaging of his owne clients : of this kinde there is too lamentably-much variety in common experience : take an handfull , if you please , out of a full sack : let the first be , that authentique charme of the gospell of s. john allowed in the parts of the romish correspondence ; wherein the first verses of that divine gospell are singled out , printed , in a small roundell , and sold to the credulous ignorants , with this fond warrant , that whosoever carries it about him shall be free from the dangers of the dayes mis-happes : the booke and the key ; the sive and the sheeres , for the discovery of the theefe ; the noching of a stick with the number of the warts which we would have removed ; the rubbing of them with raw flesh , to be buried in a dunghill that they may rot away insensibly therewith , or washing the part in moone-shine for that purpose : words , and characters , of no signification , or ordinary forme , for the curing of diseases in man , or beast ; more then too many whereof we find in cornelius agrippa , and paracelsus . formes of words and figures for the stanching of blood ; for the pulling out of thornes , for easing paine , for remedying the biting of a mad dog . amulets made up of reliques , with certaine letters and crosses , to make him that weares them , invulnerable . whistling for a winde wherewith to winnow ; as it is done in some ignorant parts of the west . the use of an holed flint , hanged up on the rack , or beds head , for the prevention of the night-mare in man , or beast . the judging by the letters of the names of men or women , of their fortunes , as they call them ; according to the serious fopperies of arcandam . the seventh sonnes laying on of hands for the healing of diseases ; the putting of a verse , out of the psalmes , into the vessell , to keep the wine from sowring ; the repeating of a verse out of virgil to preserve a man from drunkennesse all that day following ; images astronomically framed under certaine constellations to preserve from severall inconveniences ; as under the signe of the lion the figure of a lion made in gold , against melancholick fancies , dropsie , plague , fevers : which lessius might well marvell how cajetan could offer to defend ; when all the world knowes how little proportion and correspondence there is betwixt those imaginary signes in heaven , and these reall creatures on earth . judiciary astrology , as it is commonly practised , whether for the casting of nativities , or prediction of voluntary , or civill events , or the discovery of things stolen or lost : for , as the naturall astrology when it keepes it selfe within its due bounds is lawfull , and commendable , ( although not without much uncertainty of issue ; ) so that other calculatory , or figure-casting astrology is presumptuous and unwarrantable ; cryed ever downe by councells and fathers , as unlawfull ; as that which lies in the mid-way betwixt magick , and imposture , and partakes not a little of both . the anointing of the weapon for the healing of the wound , though many miles distant ; wherein ( how confident soever some intelligent men have beene ) doubtlesse there can be nothing of nature ; sith in all naturall agencies , there must necessarily be a contaction either reall , or virtuall ; here in such an intervall , none can be : neither can the efficacy be ascribed to the salve ; since some others have undertaken and done the cure , by a more homely and familiar ointment ; it is the ill-bestowed faith of the agent that drawes on the successe from the hand of an invisible physitian . calming of tempests , and driving away devills by ringing of belles , hallowed for that purpose . remedy of witcheries , by heating of irons , or applying of crosses . i could cloy you with instances of this kinde ; wherewith satan beguiles the simple upon these two mis-grounded principles ; . that in all experience they have found such effects following upon the use and practise of such meanes ; which indeed cannot be denied : charmes and spells commonly are no lesse unfailing in their working , then the best naturall remedies ; doubtlesse , the devill is a most skilfull artist : and can doe feates beyond all mortall powers ; but god blesse us from imploying him : king. . . is it not because there is not a god in israel that we goe to enquire of baalzebub the god of ekron ? . that there may be hidden causes in nature for the producing of such effects which they know not ; neither can give any reason of their operations ; whereof yet we doe commonly make use , without any scruple ; and why may not these be ranged under the same head ? which they have used with no other but good meaning ; without the least intention of reference to any malignant powers ; in answer whereto , i must tell them , that their best plea is ignorance ; which may abate the sin , but not excuse it : there are indeed , deep secrets in nature , whose bottome we cannot dive into ; as those wonders of the load-stone ; a peece outwardly contemptible , yet of such force as approacheth neare to a miracle : and many other strange sympathies and antipathies in severall creatures ; in which ranke may be set the bleeding of the dead at the presence of the murtherer : and some acts done for the discovery of witchcraft both in this , and our neighbor kingdom ; but withall , though there be secrets in nature which we know not how she workes ; yet we know there are works which are well knowne , that she cannot do : how far her power can extend is not hard to determine : and those effects which are beyond this , ( as in the fore-mentioned particulars ) wee know whither to ascribe : let it be therefore the care and wisedome of christians to looke upon what grounds they goe : whiles they have god , and nature for their warrant , they may walke safely ; but where these leave them , the way leads downe to the chambers of death . case iii. whether reserving my conscience to my selfe i may be present at an idolatrous devotion ; or whether in the lawfull service of god i may communicate with wicked persons . the question is double : both of them of great importance ; the former i must answer negatively ; your presence is unlawfull upon a double ground ; of sin , and of scandall : of sin , if you partake in the idolatry ; of scandall , if you doe but seeme to partake : the scandall is threefold ; you confirme the offenders in their sin ; you draw others by your example into sin ; you grieve the spirits of those wiser christians , that are the sad witnesses of your offence . the great apostle of the gentiles ( cor. . , , , , , , . ) hath fully determined the question in a more favourable case : the heathen sacrifices were wont to be accompanied ( in imitation of the jewish , prescribed by god himselfe ) with feasts ; the owners of the feast civilly invite the neighbours ( though christians ) to their banquets ; the tables are spread in their temples ; the christian guests out of a neighbourly society , goe , sit , eate with them : s. paul cries downe the practice , as utterly unlawfull : yet this was but in matter of meat ; which sure was gods , though sacrificed to an idoll ; how much more must it hold in rites and devices , meerly , either humane , or devilish ? i need not tell you of the christian souldiers in the primitive persecution , who when they found themselves by an ignorant mistaking drawne , under a pretence of loyalty , into so much ceremony as might carry some semblance of an idolatrous thurification , ran about the city in an holy remorse , and proclaimed themselves to be christians : nor how little it excused marcellinus bishop of rome , from an heavy censure , that he could say he did but for company cast a few graines of incense into the fire . the charge of the apostle ( thes . . . ) is full , and peremptory , that we should abstaine from every appearance of evill . it is a poore plea that you mention of the example of naaman . alas , an ignorant pagan : whose body if it were washed from his leprosie , yet his soule must needs be still foule : kings . , , . yet even this man will thenceforth offer neither burnt offering , nor sacrifice unto any other god , but unto the lord ; nor upon any ground but the lords peculiar ; and will therefore lade two mules with israelitish earth ; and is now a professed convert : yea , but he will still bow in the temple of rimmom : but how will he bow ? civilly onely , not religiously ; in the house of rimmon , not to the idol ; not in relation to that false deity , but to the king his master : you shall not take him going alone under that idolatrous roofe , but according to his office , in attendance of his soveraign : nor bowing there , but to support the arme that lean'd upon him : and if upon his returne home from his journey he made that solemne protestation to his syrians , which he before made to the prophet : take notice ô all ye courtiers , and men of damascus , that naaman is now become a proselyte of israel ; that he will serve and adore none but the true god ; and if you see him at any time kneeling in the temple of your idol rimmon , know that it is not done in any devotion to that false god , but in the performance of his duty and service to his royall master ; i see not but the prophet might well bid him , goe in peace . how ever that ordinary and formall valediction to a syrian , can be no warrant for a christians willing dissimulation . it is fit for every honest man to seeme as he is ; what do you howling amongst wolves , if you be not one ? or what do you amongst the cranes , if you be a storke ? it was the charge of jehu , when he pretended that great sacrifice to baal ; search , and looke that there be here with you none of the servants of the lord , ( king. . . ) but the worshippers of baal onely : surely had any of gods clients secretly shrouded himselfe amongst those idolaters , his blood had beene upon his owne head : briefly then , if you have a minde to keep your selfe in a safe condition for your soule , let me lay upon you the charge which moses enforced upon the congregation of israel in the case of corahs insurrection , depart i pray you from the tents of these wicked men , and touch nothing of theirs , lest ye be consumed in all their sinnes . num. . . the latter i must answer affirmatively : if the ordinances be holy , why should not you take your part of them ? it is an unjust nicenesse to abridge your selfe of a blessing , for another mans unworthiness : doubtlesse , there ought to be a seperation of the precious from the vile ; the neglect whereof is the great sinne of those , whom in duty it concerns to performe it ; but where this is not accordingly done , shall i suffer for anothers offence ? my owne sinnes may justly keepe me off from gods table ; if another mans may doe so too , i appropriate the guilt of his sin to my own wrong : surely it argues but small appetite to these heavenly viandes , if you can be put off with a pretence of others faults : judge of the spirituall repast by this earthly ; were you throughly hungry , would you refraine from your meat because one of the guests hath a paire of foule hands ? that may be a just eye-sore to you , but no reason why you should forbeare wholesome dishes : carve you for your felfe , and looke to your owne trencher ; he feeds for himsefe , not for you ; sin is the uncleannesse of the soule ; that cleaves closer to it , then any outward nastinesse can to the skin ; to feed thus foule then is doubtlesse unwholsome , to himselfe , it can be no hurt to you . but you are ready to straine the comparison higher to your owne advantage : say , that one of the guests hath a plague-sore running upon him , shall i then thinke it safe to sit at the table with him ? now sin is of a pestilent nature , spreading its infection to others besides its owne subject ; therefore it is meet we keep aloofe from the danger of his contagion : true , there are sinnes of a contagious nature , apt to diffuse their venome to others , ( as there are othersome whose evill is intrinse call to the owner ) but these infect by way of evill counsails , or examples , or familiar conversation , not by way of a meere extemporary presence of the person , by spreading of their corruption to those that are taken with them ; not by scattering abroad any guilt to those that abhorre them . well did our saviour know how deadly an infection had seised on the soule of judas , yet he drives him not from his board , lest his sinne should taint the disciples . the spirit that writes to the seven asian churches ( rev. . , , . ) saw and professed to see the horrible infection spread amongst the thyatirians by the doctrine and wicked practises of their jesebel , yet all that he enjoynes the godly party is to hold their owne . have no fellowship , saith the apostle , with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse : ( ephes . . . ) loe he would not have us partake in evill : he doth not forbid us to partake with an evill man in good workes . however therefore we are to wish and indeavour ( in our places ) that all the congregation may be holy ; and it is a comfortable thing to joine with those , that are truly conscionable , and carefully observant of their wayes , in the immediate services of our god : yet where there is neglect in the overseers , and boldnesse in the intruders , and thereupon , gods sacred table is pestred with some unworthy guests ; it is not for you , upon this ground , to deprive your selfe of the benefit of gods blessed ordinances ; notwithstanding all this unpleasing encombrance you are welcome , and may be happy . case iv. whether vowes be not out of season now under the gospell ; of what things they may be made ; how farre they oblige us ; and whether and how far they may be capable of release . it is a wrongfull imputation that is cast upon us by the roman doctors , that we abandone all vowes under the gospell : they well see that we allow and professe that common vow ( as lessius termes it ) in baptisme ; which yet both bellarmine , and he , with other of their consorts , deny to be properly such : it is true , that as infants make it by their proxies , there may seeme some impropriety of the ingagement as to their persons ; but if the party christened be of mature age , the expresse vow is made absolutely by , and for himselfe . besides this we allow of the renovation of all those holy vowes , ( relating to the first ) which may binde us to a more strict obedience to our god ; yet more , though we doe not now allow the vowes of things in their nature indifferent , to be parts of gods worship , ( as they were formerly under the law ) yet we doe willingly approve of them , as good helps and furtherances to us , for the avoiding of such sinnes as we are obnoxious unto ; and for the better forwarding of our holy obedience . thus , the charge is of eternall use , psal . . . vow unto god and performe it : not that we are bound to vow ; that act is free and voluntary : but that when we have vowed , we are straightly bound to performance : it is with us for our vowes as it was with ananias and saphira for their substance , whiles it remained ( saith s. peter ) was it not thine own ? ( act. . . ) he needed not to sell it , he needed not to give it ; but if he will give , he may not reserve : if he professe to give all , it is death to save some ; he lyes to the holy ghost , that defalkes from that which he engaged himselfe to bestow . it mainly concernes us therefore to looke carefully in the first place , to what we vow ; and to our intentions in vowing ; and to see that our vow be not rash and unadvised ; of things either triviall , or unlawfull , or impossible , or out of our power to performe ; for every vow is a promise made to god ; and to promise unto that great and holy god , that which either we cannot , or ought not to doe , what is it other then to mock and abuse that sacred majesty ; which will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine ? it is the charge to this purpose of wise solomon ; be not rash with thy mouth ; and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before god ; for god is in heaven , and thou upon earth , therefore let thy words be few . eccles . . . your vow therefore must be either of things morally good ; for the quickening you in that duty which you are bound to doe : or of things indifferent in themselves , the refraining , or doing whereof may tend either to the restraint from sin , or the furtherance of your holy obedience : as a man that finds his brains weake , and his inclination too strong to pleasing liquor , bindes himselfe by a vow to drinke no wine save onely at gods table : or a man that findes himselfe apt to be mis-carried by his appetite , confines himselfe by his vow to one dish ; or to one meale for the day : or a man that finds himselfe given to the pleasure of gaming , to the losse of his time , and the weakning of his estate , curbes himselfe by his vow never to play for money : or a man that findes his prayers weake , and his flesh rebellious , vowes to tame his unruly desires , and to stir up his duller devotions , by fasting . and as the matter of your vow must be carefully regarded ; so also your intentions in vowing ; for if you vow to doe good to an ill end , your thanke is lost , and danger of judgement incurred : as if you vow to give almes for vaine glory , or ostentation : or , if god shall prosper your usurious , or monopolizing project , you will build an hospitall ; your vow is like to be so accepted , as the story tells us , the prayers were , of that bold curtizan , who comming to the shrine of s. thomas of * canterbury ( as that traitour was stiled ) devoutly begd , that through the intercession of that saint , she might be graced with so winning a beauty , that might allure her paramours , to a gainfull courting of so pleasing a mistresse ; when suddainly ( as my author tells me ) she was stricken blinde : and certainly , so it might well be ; for if a supposed saint were invoked , it was god that was highly provoked by the sinfull petition of a shamelesse harlot : and it was most just for him to revenge it ; and so we may well expect it shall be with whosoever shall dare to make use of his sacred name to their owne wicked or unwarrantable purposes . since therefore our vowes must be for their matter ( as casuists well determine ) de meliore bono , and for intentions , holy and directed onely to good ; it plainly appeares that many idle purposes , promises , resolutions are wont to passe with men for vows , which have no just claime to that holy title : one saies he vowes never to be friends with such a one that hath highly abused him ; another , that he will never come under the roofe of such an unkinde neighbour : one that he will drinke so many healths to his honoured friend ; another that he will not give the wall or the way to any passenger : one that he will never weare suit but of such a colour ; another that he will never cut his haire till such an event ; these , and such like may be foolish , unjust , ridiculous selfe-ingagements ; but vowes they are not ; neither therefore doe binde the conscience otherwise then as sampsons cords , and withes , which he may breake as a thred of towe . judg. . . . but as for true vowes ; certainly they are so binding , that you shall sin hainously in not performing them : it is no better then dishonesty to faile in what we have promised to men ; but to disappoint god in our vowes , is no lesse then sacriledge : that of solomons is weighty ; eccles . . , , . when thou vowest a vow unto god , deferre not to pay it , for he hath no pleasure in fooles ; pay that which thou hast vowed : better it is that thou shouldst not vow ; then that thou shouldst vow and not pay it : suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin ; neither say before the angel that it was an errour ; wherefore should god be angry at thy vows and destroy the work of thine hands ? if therefore a lawfull and just vow have passed your lips , you may not be false to god , and your selfe in not keeping it . but if it shall so fall out , that there proves to be some maine inconvenience or impossibility in the fulfilling of this your solemne promise unto god , whether through the extreme prejudice of your health , and life , or the overswaying difficulty of the times what is to be done ; surely as under the law ( num. . , , . ) it was left in the power of the parent to over-rule the vow of the childe , so i doubt not but under the gospell , it is left in the power of your spirituall fathers , to order , or dispense with the performance of those vowes , which you would , but cannot well fulfill : neither was it spoken in vaine , nor in matter of sins onely , which our saviour in way of authorization , said to his apostles and their successours , whatsoever yee shall bind on earth , shall be bound in heaven , and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven . mat. . . in this case therefore , i should advise you to make your addresse to your spirituall pastor , and freely to lay open your condition before him , and humbly to submit your selfe to his fatherly directions in that course which shall be found best and safest for your soule : thinke it not safe in a businesse of so high nature to relye upon your owne judgment , and to carve out your own satisfaction ; but regard carefully what god hath said of old , the priests lippes should keep knowledge : and they should seeke the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . mala. . . case v. whom may we justly hold an heretick ; and what is to be done in the case of heresie ? there is no one point wherein the church of god hath suffered more then in the mis-understanding of this question ; how many thousand innocents have in these latter ages of the church perished in this unhappy quarrell ? yea how many famous churches have beene most unjustly thunderstruck with direfull censures of excommunication , down to the pit of hell , upon pretence of this crime , which have beene lesse guilty then their anathematizers ? and even amongst our selves , how apt we are to brand one another with this hatefull marke where there is no true merit of such a reproach ? it much imports us therefore to know who may be deservedly thus stigmatized by us : i have elsewhere somewhat largely insisted on this theme ; whither i might spare some lines to referre you ; but , in short , thus : to let passe the originall sense , and divers acceptions of the word ; an heresie is no other then an obstinate errour against the foundation ; all truthes are precious , but some withall necessary ; all errours are faulty , but some damnable ; the haynousnesse of the error is according to the worth of the truth impugned ; there are theologicall verities fit for us to know and beleeve ; there are articles of christian faith needfull to be known and beleeved ; there are truths of meet and decent superstructure , without which the fabrick may stand ; there are truths of the foundation so essentiall , as that without them it cannot stand : it is a maime to the house if but a tile be pull'd off from the roofe , but if the foundation be razed , the building is overthrown : this is the endevour and act of heresie . but now the next question will be , what doctrines they are which must be accounted to be of the foundation ; our countreyman fisher the jesuite , and his associates will tell you roundly , that all those things which are defined by the church to be beleeved , are * fundamentall : a large groundworke of faith : doubtlesse the church hath defined all things contained in the scripture , to be beleeved ; and theirs ( which they call catholick ) hath defined all those traditionall points which they have added to the creed , upon the same necessity of salvation to be beleeved ; now if all these be the foundation , which is the building ? what an imperfect fabrick doe they make of christian religion ; all foundation , no walls , no roofe ? surely it cannot , without too much absurdity , be denied , that there is great difference of truthes , some more important then others ; which could not be , if all were alike fundamentall : if there were not some speciall truthes , the beleefe whereof makes , and distinguisheth a christian , the authors of the creed apostolick ( besides the other symboles received anciently by the church ) were much deceived in their aime : he therefore that beleeves the holy scriptures ( which must be a principle presupposed ) to be inspired by god ; and as an abstract of the chiefe particulars thereof , professeth to beleeve and embrace the articles of the christian faith , to regulate his life by the law of gods commandements , and his devotion by the rule of christ prescribed ; and lastly to acknowledge and receive the sacraments expresly instituted by christ ; doubtlesse this man is by profession a christian , and cannot be denyed to hold the foundation ; and whosoever shall wilfully impugne any of these , comes within the verge of heresie : wilfully , i say ; for meere error makes not an heretick ; if out of simplicity , or grosse ignorance , a man shall take upon him to maintaine a contradiction to a point of faith , being ready to relent upon better light , he may not be thus branded : eviction and contumacy must improve his error to be hereticall . the church of rome therefore hath beene too cruelly-liberall of her censures this way ; having bestow'd this livery upon many thousand christians whom god hath owned for his saints : and upon some churches more orthodoxe then her selfe ; presuming upon a power ( which was never granted her from heaven , ) to state new articles of faith ; and to excommunicate and barre all that shall dare to gainsay her oracles : whereas the great doctor of the gentiles hath told us from the spirit of god , that there is but one lord , one faith , one baptisme ; ( ephes . . . ) and what faith is that ? s. jude tells us : jude . the faith that was once delivered the salnts ; so that as well may they make more reiterations of baptisme , and multipliclties of lords , as more faiths then one : some explications there may be of that one faith , made by the church , upon occasion of new-sprung errors , but such , as must have their grounds from fore-written truths ; and such , as may not extend to the condemnation of them whom god hath left free : new articles of faith they may not be : nor bind further then god hath reach't them . hereticks then they are and onely they , that pertinaciously raze the foundation of the christian faith ; what now must be done with them ? surely , first , if they cannot be reclaimed , they must be avoided : it is the charge of the beloved disciple to the elect lady , john v. . if any man come unto you and bring not ( that is , by an ordinary hebraisme , opposes ) this doctrine , receive him not into your houses , neither bid him god-speed ; but the apostle of the gentiles goes yet higher ; for writing to titus the great super-intendent of crete , his charge is , tit. . . a man that is an heretick , after the first and second admonition reject . now , when we compare the charge with the person , we cannot but finde that this rejection , is not a meer negative act , of refraining company ; but a positive act of censure , so as he who had power to admonish , had also power to reject in an authoritative , or judicatory way : he sayes then , devita , reject or avoid , not ( as erasmus too truly , but bitterly scoffes the romish practise ) de vita tolle : this of killing the heretick , as it was out of the power of a spirituall supervisor , so was it no lesse farre from the thoughts of him that desired to come in the spirit of meekness : fagots were never ordained by the apostle for arguments to confute hereticks ; this bloudy logick and divinity was of a much later brood ; and is for a dominick , not a paul to owne : for certainly faith is of the same nature with love , it cannot be compelled ; perswasions may move it , not force : these intellectuall sinnes must look for remedies of their own kind ; but if either they be ( as it is often ) accompanied with damnable blasphemies , against god , whether in his essence , or attributes , or the three incomprehensible persons in the all-glorious deity , or the blessed mediator betwixt god and man jesus christ , in either of his natures ; or else , shall be attended with the publique disturbances and dangerous distempers of the kingdome , or state wherein they are broached , the apostles wish is but seasonable , in both a spirituall and a bodily sense ; gal. . . would to god those were cut off that trouble you : in the mean time , for what concernes your self , if you know any such , as you love god , and your soules , keepe aloof from them , as from the pestilence . * epiphanius well compares heresie to the biting of a mad dog , which as it is deadly , ( if not speedily remedied ) so is it withall dangerously infectious ; not the tooth onely , but the very foame of that envenomed beast carries death in it ; you cannot be safe , if you avoid it not . case vi. whether the laws of men doe bind the conscience ; and how far we are tyed to their obedience . both these extreames of opinion concerning this point must needs bring much mischief upon church and kingdome : those that absolutely hold such a power in humane laws make themselves slaves to men : those that deny any binding power in them , run loose into all licentiousnesse : know then that there is a vast difference betwixt these two ; to bind the conscience in any act ; and to bind a man in conscience to do or omit an act : humane laws cannot do the first of them ; the latter they may , and must doe : to bind the conscience is to make it guilty of a sin in doing an act fobidden , or omitting an act injoyned as in it selfe such : or making that act in it selfe an acceptable service to god which is commanded by men : thus humane lawes cannot bind the conscience : it is god only , john . . who , as he is greater then the conscience , so hath power to bind or loose it : esay . . it is he that is the onely law-giver to the conscience : jam. . . princes and churches may make lawes for the outward man ; but they can no more bind the heart , then they can make it ; in vaine is that power which is not inabled with coertion ; now what coertion can any humane power claime of the heart , which it can never attain to know ? the spirit of man therefore is subject onely to the father of spirits , who onely sees and searches the secrets of it , and can both convince , and punish it . besides , well did penitent david know what he said , when he cry'd out : against thee onely have i sinned : psal . . he knew that sin is a transgression of the law ; and that none but gods law can make a fin : men may be concerned , and injured in our actions , but it is god who hath forbidden these wrongs to men , that is sinned against , in our acts of injustice and uncharitablenesse : and who only can inflict the spirituall ( which is the highest ) revenge upon offenders . the charge of the great doctor of the gentiles to his galatians , was , gal. . . stand fast in the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free ; and be not intangled againe in the yoak of bondage . what yoak of bondage was this but the law of ceremonies ? what liberty was this but a freedome from the bondage of that law ? and certainly if those ordinances , which had god for their author , have so little power to bind the conscience , as that the yoak of their bondage must be shaken off , as inconsistent with christian liberty ; how much lesse is it to be indured , that we should be the servants of men , in being tyed up to sin by their presumptuous impositions ? the lawes of men therefore doe not , ought not , cannot bind your conscience , as of themselves ; but , if they be just , they bind you in conscience to obedience : they are the words of the apostle to his romans ; rom. . . wherefore ye must needs be subject ; not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake . however then their particular constitution in themselves put no speciall obligation upon us , under paine of sin , and damnation ; yet in a generall relation to that god , who hath commanded us to obey authority , their neglect or contempt involves us in a guilt of sin : all power is of god ; that which the supreme authority therefore enjoynes you , god enjoynes you by it ; the charge is mediately his ; though passing through the hands of men . how little is this regarded , in these loose times , by those lawlesse persons , whose practises acknowledge no soverainty but titular , no obedience but arbitrary ; to whom the strongest lawes , are as weapons to the leviathan , who esteemes iron as straw , and brasse as rotten wood ? job . . surely had they not first cast off their obedience to him that is higher then the highest , they could not without trembling heare that weighty charge of the great god of heaven , rom. . . let every soule be subject to the higher powers : for there is no power but of god ; and the powers that be , are ordained of god : pet. . . submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake ; and therefore should be convinced in themselves , of that awe , and duty , which they owe to soveraignty , and know and resolve to obey god in men ; and men for god. you see then how requisite it is , that you walke in a middle way betwixt that excessive power which flattering casuists have beene wont to give to popes , emperours , kings , and princes in their severall jurisdictions ; and a lawlesse neglect of lawfull authority : for the orthodox , wise , and just moderation whereof , these last ages are much indebted to the learned and judicious chancellour of paris * , john gerson ; who first so checked that over-flowing errour of the power of humane usurpation ( which carried the world before it ) as gave a just hint to succeeding times , to draw that stream into the right channell ; in so much as † dominicus à soto complaines greatly of him , as , in this , little differing from the lutheran heresie : but in the way which they call heresie , we worship the god of our fathers ; rendring unto cesar the things that are cesars , and unto god those things that are gods ; yeelding our bodies to cesar , act. . . reserving our souls for god : tendring to just lawes , our active obedience , to unjust , passive . but in the mean time , farre be it from us to draw this knot of our obligation harder , and closer then authority it selfe intends it : what ever popes may doe for their decrees , certainly good princes never meant to lay such weight upon all their lawes as to make every breach of them ( even in relation to the authority given them by god ) to be sinfull . their lawes are commonly shut up with a sanction of the penalty imposed upon the violation : there is an obedientia bursalis , ( as , i remember , gerson , calls it , ) an obedience , if not of the person , yet of the purse ; which princes are content to take up withall : we have a world of sinnes ( god knowes ) upon us in our hourely transgressions of the royall lawes of our maker ; but woe were us , if we should have so many sinnes more , as we breake statutes : in penall lawes , where scandall or contempt finde no place , humane authority is wont to rest satisfied with the mulct paid , when the duty is not performed . not that we may wilfully incurre the breach of a good law , because our hands are upon our purse-strings ready to stake the forfeiture ; this were utterly to frustrate the end of good lawes , which doe therefore impose a mulct that they may not be broken ; and were highly injurious to soveraigne authority , as if it sought for our money , not our obedience , and cared more for gaine , then good order ; then which there cannot be a more base imputation cast upon government : as then we are wont to say in relation of our actions to the lawes of god ; that some things are forbidden because they are sinfull , and some things are sinfull because they are forbidden , so it holds also in the lawes of men ; some things are forbidden because they are justly offensive ; and some other things are onely therefore offensive because they are forbidden ; in the former of these , we must yeeld our carefull obedience , out of respect even to the duty it selfe ; in the latter , out of respect to the will of the law-giver ; yet so , as that if our own important occasions shall enforce us to transgresse a penall law , without any affront of authority or scandall to others , our submission to the penalty frees us from a sinfull disobedience . case vii . whether tithes be a lawfull maintenance for ministers under the gospel ; and whether men be bound to pay them accordingly . as the question of mine and thine hath ever embroyled the world ; so this particular concerning tithes hath raised no little dust in the church of god : whiles some plead them in the precise ( quota parta ) due and necessary to be paid , both by the law of god , and nature it self ; others decry them as a judaicall law , partly ceremoniall , partly judiciall ; and therefore either now unlawfull , or at least neither obligatory , nor convenient . what is fit to be determined in a businesse so overagitated ; i shall shut up in these ten propositions . . the maintenance of the legall ministery allowed and appointed by god was exceeding large and liberall . besides all the tithes of corne , wine , oyle , herbes , herds , flocks ; they had forty eight cities set forth for them , with the fields round about them , to the extent of two thousand cubits every way : they had the first fruits of wine , oyle , wool , &c. in a large proportion ; he was held to be a man of an evill eye that gave lesse then the sixtieth part : they had the first born of cattle , sheep , beeves , goates ; and the price of the rest , upon redemption : even the first-born of men must ransome themselves at five shekels a man ; they had the oblations and vowes of things dedicated to god : they had the ample loaves ( or * cakes rather ) of shew-bread ; and no small share in meat offerings , sin-offerings , trespasse offerings , heave-offerings , shake-offerings ; of sacrifices eucharisticall they had the brest and shoulder ; of other , the shoulder , and the two cheeks ; yea the very burnt-offerings afforded them an hide : besides all these ; all the males were to appear before the lord thrice a year ; none were exempted ( as their doctors tell us ) but servants , deaf , dumb , idiots , blind , lame , defiled , uncircumcised , old , sick , tender , and weak , not able to travell , and no one of these which came up might appear empty-handed . what doe i offer to particularize ? there were no lesse then twenty-four gifts alotted to the priests , expresly in the law ; the severalls whereof who so desires to see , may finde in the learned and profitable annotations of master ainsworth * out of maimonides . . we can have no reason to imagine , that the same god who was so bountifull in his provisions for the legall ministery , should bear lesse respect to the evangelicall ; which is farre more worthy and excellent then the other : justly therefore doth saint paul argue from the maintenance of the one , a meet proportion for the fit sustentation of the other , i cor. . . . it is not fit for gods ministers to be too intent to matter of profit ; their main care must be the spirituall proficiency of the soules of their people ; the secular thoughts of outward provisions must come in onely on the by ; but howsoever they may not be intangled in worldly affaires , yet they ought in duty to cast so much eye upon these earthly things as may free them from neglect ; it is to timothy that s. paul writes , that if any man provide not for his own , and especially for those of his own house , he hath denied the faith , and is worse then an infidell . tim. . . . under the law the tenth part was precisely allotted by the owner of all things , for the maintenance of the sacred tribe ; and if the wise and holy god had not found that a meet proportion for those that served at his altar ; he had either pitched upon some other , or left it arbitrary : yea even before the law , gen. . . abraham ( and in his loynes levi himself ) paid tithes to melchisedec ( heb. . . ) the priest of the most high god ; and whether it were by his example , or by some naturall instinct , we finde the very heathen nations , after some great victory atchieved , were wont to devote still the tithe of their spoiles to their deities : so camillus , when he had after a long siege taken the rich city vejos , ( a place of such importance , that upon the taking of it , he wished some great crosse might befall rome for the tempering of so high a felicity ) he presently offereth the tithe to his * gods : yea it was their custome who were most devout , to consecrate the tithe of all their increase to those gods they were most addicted unto ; in so much as the romans noted it in their lucullus , that he therefore grew up to so vast an estate , because he still devoted the tithe of his fruits to hercules : and * pliny tells us that when they gathered their frankincense , none of it might be uttered till the priest had the tithe of it set forth for him . . there can be no good reason given , why we may not observe the very same rate of proportion in laying out the maintenance of the ministery under the gospell ; and if these rules and examples be not binding , ( since religion consisteth not now in numbers at all ) yet there is no cause why christian kingdomes , or common-wealths may not settle their choice upon the same number , and quantity with both jewes , and gentiles . . the nationall lawes of this kingdome have set out the same pro-kingdome have set out the same proportion of tenthes for this purpose ; if therefore there were no other obligation from the law of god or of the church , nor any precedents from the practise of the rest of the world , yet in obedience to our municipall lawes , we are bound to lay forth the tenth part of our increase to the maintenance of gods service ; and that tenth is as truly due to the minister , as the nine parts to the owner . . since the tenth part is in the intention of the law both civill and ecclesiasticall , dedicated to the service of god ; and in the meer intuition thereof , is allotted to gods ministers , there can be no reason why it can be claimed , or warrantably received by lay persons , for their proper use and behoof ; so as this practise of impropriation , which was first set on foot by unjust and sacrilegious bulls from rome , is justly offensive both to god , and good men ; as mis-deriving the well-meant devotions of charitable , and pious soules into a wrong channell . nothing is more plaine then that tithes were given to the church ; and in it , to god : how therefore that which is bequeathed to god may be alienated to secular hands , let the possessors look . . let men be tied to make good the apostles charge ( since the legall rate displeases ) and it shall well satisfie those that wait upon gods services under the gospel ; the charge of the apostle of the gentiles , is : let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth , in all good things , gal. . . whereto he addes , ver . be not deceived , god is not mocked : the charge is serious , and binding : and the required communication is universall ; and that with a grave item of gods strict observation of performance : we may not thinke to put it off , with ambroses , mis-pointed reading , of referring the all goods things to the teaching ( a conceit sensibly weak , and mis-constructive : ) nothing is more evident then that it hath relation to the communicating ; wherein ( for ought i see ) god intends a larger bounty to the evangelicall ministery then to the legall ; where all is to be cōmunicated , what is excepted ? all , not exclusive of the owner ; but imparted by the owner ; let this be really done , there will be no reason to stand upon the tenths . . but that this may be accordingly done , there is no law that requires a meere arbitrarinesse in the communicators : the duty of the teacher is punctually set downe , and so well knowne that the meanest of the people can check him with his neglect : and why should we thinke the reciprocall duty of the hearer fit to be left loose , and voluntary : yet such an apprehension hath taken up the hearts of too many christians as if the conttibutions to their ministers were a matter of meere almes ; which as they need not to give , so they are apt , upon easie displeasures ; to upbraid : but these men must be put in minde of the just word of our saviour ; the labourer is worthy of his wages : the ministery signifies a service ; a publique service at gods altar ; whereto the wages is no lesse due , then the meat is to the mouth of him that payes it ; no man may more freely speake of tithes then my selfe , who receive none , nor ever shall doe : know then ye proud ignorants , that call your ministers your almes-men , and your selves their benefactors , that the same right you have to the whole they have to a part : god and the same lawes that have feoffed you in your estates , have allotted them their due shares in them ; which without wrong ye cannot detract : it is not your charity but your justice which they presse for their owne : neither thinke to check them with the scornfull title of your servants ; servants they are indeed , to gods church , not to you : and if they doe stoope to particular services for the good of your soules , this is no more disparagement to them , then it is to the blessed angels of god , to be ministring spirits , heb. . . sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation . shortly , it is the apostles charge ratified in heaven , that they which labour in the word and doctrine should be remunerated with a double honour ; that is not formall of words and complements , but reall of maintenance ; which he laies weight upon his timothy to enjoyne , tim. . . . and surely how necessary it is that we should be at some certainty in this case , and not left to the meere arbitrary will of the givers , it too well appeares in common experience ; which tells us how ordinary it is , where ministers depend upon voluntary benevolences , if they doe but upon some just reproofe gall the conscience of a guilty hearer ; or preach some truth which dis-relishes the palate of a prepossessed auditor , how he straight flies out ; and not onely with-holds his owne pay , but also withdrawes the contributions of others : so as the free-tongued teacher must either live by ayre , or be forced to change his pasture : it were easie to instance , but charity bids me forbeare . hereupon it is , that these sportulary preachers are faine to sooth up their many maisters , and are so gagged with the fear of a starving displeasure , that they dare not be free in the reprehension of the daring sins of their uncertaine benefactors ; as being charmed to speake either placientia or nothing . and if there were no such danger in a faithfull and just freedome , yet how easie is it to apprehend , that if even when the lawes enforce men to pay their dues to their ministers , they yet continue so backward in their discharge of them : how much lesse hope can there be that being left to their free choice , they would prove either liberall or just in their voluntary contributions ? howsoever therefore in that innocent infancy of the church , wherein zealous christians out of a liberall ingenuity were ready to lay downe all their substance at the apostles feet , and in the primitive times immediately subsequent , the willing forwardnesse of devout people tooke away all need of raising set maintenances for gods ministers ; yet now , in these depraved and hard-hearted times of the church , it is more then requisite , that fixed competencies of allowance should by good lawes be established upon them ; which being done by way of tithes in those countries wherein they obtaine , there is just cause of thankfulnesse to god for so meet a provision , none for a just oppugnation . case viii . whether it be lawfull for christians where they find a country possessed by savage pagans and infidels , to drive out the native inhabitants ; and to seize , and enjoy their lands upon any pretence ; and upon what grounds it may be lawfull so to doe . what unjust and cruell measure hath been heretofore offered by the spaniard to miserable indians , in this kind , i had rather you should receive from the relation of their own bishop , bartolomaus casa , then from my pen. he can tell you a sad story of millions of those poor savages made away , to make roome for those their imperious successours ; the discovery of whose unjust usurpation , procured but little thanks to their learned professors of complutum and salamanca : your question relates to our owne case ; since many thousands of our nation have transplanted themselves into those regions , which were prepossessed by barbarous owners : as for those countries which were not inhabited by any reasonable creatures , ( as the bermudas , or summer-islands ; which were onely peopled with hogges , and deer , and such like brute cattle ) there can be no reason why they should not fall to the first occupant ; but where the land hath a known maister the case must vary : for the decision whereof some grounds are fit to be laid . no nation under heaven but hath some religion or other , and worships a god such as it is , although a creature much inferiour in very nature to themselves ; although the worst of creatures , evill spirits : and that religion wherein they were bred , ( through an invincible ignorance of better ) they esteeme good at least . dominion and propriety is not founded in religion , but in a naturall , and civill right ; it is true that the saints have in christ , the lord of all things , a spirituall right in all creatures ; all things are yours , ( saith the apostle ) and you are christs , and christ is gods : but the spirituall right gives a man no title at all to any naturall or civill possession here on earth ; yea christ himself , though both as god , and as mediator , the whole world were his , yet he tells pilate , my kingdom is not of this world ; neither did he ( though the lord paramount of this whole earth ) by vertue of that transcendent soveraignty put any man out of the possession of one foot of ground which fell to him , either by birth , or purchase : neither doth the want of that spirituall interest bebarre any man from a rightfull claime and fruition of these earthly inheritances . the barbarous people were lords of their owne ; and have their sagamores ; and orders , and formes of government under which they peaceably live without the intermedling with other nations . infidelity cannot forfeit their inheritance to others ; no more then enmity professed by jewes to christian religion , can escheat their goods to the crownes under which they live ; yea much lesse : for those jewes , living amongst christian people , have , or might have had meanes sufficient to reclaime them from their stubborne unbeliefe , but these savages have never had the least overture of any saving helps towards their conversion : they therefore being as true owners of their native inheritances , as christians are of theirs , they can no more be forced from their possessions by christians , then christians may be so forced by them : certainly , in the same tearms wherein they stand to christians , do also in their judgement , christians stand to them ; and if it would seeme hard to us , that an inundation of pagans should ( as heretofore it hath done ) break in upon us , and drive us out of our native possessions , how could it seeme lesse unjust in us to them ? their idolatries , and sins against nature are haynous and abominable ; and such as for which god of old condemned the seven nations to an utter extirpation ; but what commission have we for their punishment ? could we show such a patent in this case as the israelites had for their warres against amalek , and those neighbouring heathens , all were sure : but you know who said , what have i to doe to judge them that are without ? cor. . . and if he may not be a judge , who may be an executioner ? refusall of christianity can be no sufficient ground of either invasion , or expulsion : sith violence is not the appointed way for plantation of the faith : which must be perswaded , and not compelled ; that sentence therefore of pope * gregory ; justum sanctumque esse bellum &c. ( that it is a just and holy warre which is by christians made against infidels , that they being brought under subjection , the gospell of christ might be preached unto them ; lest that if they should not be subjected , they might be an hindrance to preaching , and to the conversion of those that would beleeve ; ) is surely either not out of the chayre , or beside the cushion ; and better beseems a successor of romulus , then of peter : i may not omit to acquaint you how hotly this maine question was disputed by spanish and italian divines upon the very first entrance of this litigious usurpation : at which time pope alexander . ( anno. . ) gave his large decretory bull to ferdinand king and isabella queen of castile and aragon for his expedition against the barbarous indians of the then newly discovered world : genesius sepulveda a learned spaniard writ then , in defence and incouragement of this holy invasion , a dialogue , which he called democrates secundus , which was published at rome , by the procurement of antonius augustinus , auditor of the palace ; which no sooner came abroad , then it was eagerly set upon , by the divines both of italy and spaine ; amongst these latter , the doctors of salamanca , adde the completenses ; and above them antonius ramirus bishop of segovia fall foul upon that offensive discourse , which genesius would faine have vindicated by an apology , set forth to that purpose ; but how insufficiently , it were easie to show , if it were as needfull : but to make the matter good , he thinkes to back himselfe by the authority of great , and famous persons , both counsellors , and doctors , by him cited ; and above all by that loud bull of * franciscus à victoria , the famous professor of divinity at salamanca , concerning this so weighty affaire ; which he hath published with such wisdome and moderation , as so great a businesse required ; stating the question aright on both sides ; both shewing the insufficiency of the received grounds of that indian expedition , and directing to those just motives , and rules of proceedings herein , as might be , in such a case , justifiable : to which grave and solid discourse of his , you may , if you please , be referred for further satisfaction . onwards , i shall draw forth some few of such considerations from him as may serve for my present purpose . first therefore it is lawfull for christians to travell into any country under heaven ; and as strangers to stay there , without any wrong done to the natives ; a thing allowed by the law of nations derived from the law nature ; by which law it is every where held an inhumane thing to offer ill measure to a stranger . it is the argument that righteous lot used to the worst of pagans , the sodomites ; onely unto these men doe nothing ; for therefore are they come under the shadow of my roof , gen. . . and if before the division of nations , the earth lay freely open to all passengers without scruple , to travell whither they pleased , surely , that partition was never intended to warrant a restraint : and if nature have made the sea and all the in-lets of it common , it were very injurious to abridge any nation of the free use of so liberall an element . secondly , it is lawfull for us to use trafique with those infidels , and to interchange commodities with them , and to abide upon their coasts for negotiation ; and to fish in their sea , and to take part of those profits which nature hath made common to all commers : and if those pagans shall oppose us in so warrantable courses , it will be meet for us to tender them all faire satisfaction ; perswading them that we intend no harme or prejudice to them in their persons , or estate ; but much good to both ; labouring to win them by all courteous demeanure ; but if they shall fly out , notwithstanding all our kind indevours , into a violent opposition of us ; setting upon us in a hostile manner , offering to cut our throats in so unjust a quarrell , it is lawfull for us to stand upon our defence , and to repell one force with another ; and to use all convenient meanes for our security ; and if we cannot otherwise be safe , to raise bulwarks or fortifications for our own indemnity ; and if we finde our selves over-powred by implacable savages , to call for the aid and assistance of our friends , and ( if the enmity continue and proceed ) of our princes : since the just cause of warre is the propulsation of publique injuries ; and such injury is as great , as barbarous . but if not so much cruelty of disposition as feare and suspition of a strange nation shal arme them against us ; our care must be so to manage our own defence , as may be least offensive to them ; and therefore we may not take this occasion of killing their persons , or sacking their townes , or depopulating their countries ; for that in this case they are no other then innocent . if after all gentle intreaties , courteous usages , and harmlesse selfe-defence , they shall persist in a malicious hostility , and can by no means be reclaimed from their impetuous onsets ; there is now just cause not to deale with them as innocents , but as enemies : and therefore to proceed against them accordingly . but an higher and more warrantable title , that we may have to deale with these barbarous infidels , is , for the propagation of christian religion ; and the promulgation of the gospel of jesus christ amongst these miserable savages : for which we have good ground from the charge of our saviour : goe preach the gospell to every creature ; mar. ult . and he that was in bonds for the name of the lord jesus , tels us , the word of god is not bound ; tim. . . not bound , either in fetters , or within limits : oh that we could approve to god , and our consciences , that this is our maine motive and principall drift in our westerne plantations ; but how little appearance there is of this holy care and indevour , the plaine dealer upon knowledge hath sufficiently informed us ; although i now heare of one industrious spirit that hath both learned the language of our new-islanders , and printed some part of the scripture in it ; and trained up some of their children in the principles of christianity : a service highly acceptable to god , and no lesse meritorious of men : the gospell then may be , must be preached to those heathens , ( otherwise they shall perpetually remaine out of the estate of salvation ) and all possible meanes must be used for their conversion ; but herein i must have leave to depart from victoria , that he holds it lawfull if the savages doe not freely permit ( but goe about to hinder ) the preaching of the gospell , to raise warre against them ; as if he would have them cudgelled into christianity : surely this is not the way : it is for mahumetans to professe planting religion by the sword ; it is not for christians ; it is a just clause therefore , that he puts in , that the slaughters hereupon raised may rather prove an hinderance to the conversion of the savages , as indeed it fell out ; the poore indians being by these bloody courses brought into such a detestation of their masters , the castilians , that they profest they would not goe to heaven if any spaniards were there . the way then to plant the gospell of christ successefully among those barbarous soules , must be onely gentle , and plausible : first , by insinuating our selves into them by a discreet familiarity , and winning deportment , by an holy and inoffensive living with them ; by working upon them with the notable examples of impartiall justice , strict piety , tender mercy , compassion , chastity , temperance and all other christian vertues ; and when they are thus won to a likeing of our persons , and carriage , they will be then well capable of our holy counsels ; then will the christian faith begin to relish with them ; and they shall now grow ambitious of that happy condition , which they admire in us : then shall they be glad to take us into their bosomes : and thinke themselves blessed in our society , and cohabitation : loe this is the true way of christian conquests . ; wherein i know not whether shall be the greater gainer , the victor , or the conquered ; each of them shall blesse other , and both shall be blessed by the almighty . case ix . whether i need in case of some foul sin committed by me , to have recourse to gods minister for absolution ; and what effect i may expect there-from . a meane would doe well betwixt two extremes ; the carelesse neglect of our spirituall fathers on the one side , and too confident reliance upon their power , on the other : some there are that doe so over-trust their leaders eyes , that they care not to see with their own ; others dare so trust their own judgement , that they think they may sleight their spirituall guides : there can be no safety for the soul , but in a mid-way betwixt both these . at whose girdle the keyes of the kingdome of heaven doe hang , me thinkes we should not need dispute , when we hear our saviour so expresly deliver them to peter , in the name of the rest of his fellowes ; and afterwards to all his apostles , and their lawfull successors in the dispensation of the doctrine and discipline of his church : in the dispensation of doctrine to all his faithfull ministers under the gospell ; in the dispensation of discipline to those that are entrusted with the mannaging of church-government ; with these latter we meddle not ; neither need we , if we had occasion ; after the so learned and elaborate discourse of the power of the keyes , set forth by judicious doctor hammond ; to which i suppose nothing can be added . the former is that which lies before us : doubtlesse , every true minister of christ , hath by vertue of his first and everlasting commission , two keyes delivered in his hand ; they key of knowledge , and the key of spirituall power : the one , whereby he is enabled to enter and search into , not only the revealed mysteries of salvation , but also , in some sort , into the heart of the penitent ; there discovering ( upon an ingenuous revelation of the offender ) both the nature , quality , and degree of the sinne ; and the truth , validity , and measure of his repentance : the other whereby he may in some sort either lock up the soul under sinne , or free it from sin : these keyes were never given him , but with an intention that he should make use of them upon just occasion . the use that he may and must make of them , is both generall , and speciall : generall ; in publishing the will and pleasure of god signified in his word , concerning sinners ; pronouncing forgivenesse of sinnes to the humble penitent , and denouncing judgement to the unbeleeving , and obdured sinner : in which regard , he is as the herald of the almighty , proclaiming war and just indignation to the obstinate ; and tendring tearmes of pardon and peace to the relenting and contrite soul : or rather , as the apostle stiles him , cor. . . gods ambassadour offering and suing for the reconciliation of men to god ; and if that be refused , menacing just vengeance to sinners . speciall , in a particular application of this knowledge and power to the soul of that sinner which makes his addresse unto him : wherein must be inquired both what necessity there is of this recourse , and what aide and comfort it may bring unto the soul . two cases there are wherein certainly there is a necessity of applying our selves to the judgement of our spirituall guides ; the first is in our doubt of the nature and quality of the fact ; whether it be a sinne , or no sinne ; for both many sinnes are so guilded over with faire pretences and colourable circumstances , that they are not to be descryed but by judicious eyes ; and some actions which are of themselves indifferent may by a scrupulous conscience be mistaken for hainous offences : whither should we goe in these doubts but to our counsaile learned in the lawes of god ; of whom god himselfe hath said by his prophet , the priests lips should keep knowledge ; and they should seek the law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts , mal. . . the second is in the irresoluble condition of our souls , after a known sin committed ; wherein the burdened conscience not being able to give case unto it selfe seekes for aid to the sacred hand of gods penitentiary here on earth : and there may finde it ; this is that which elihu , as upon experience , suggesteth unto job ; on his dunghill : job . . the soul of the remorsed draweth near to the grave ; and his life to the destroyers : ver . . but if there be a messenger ( of god ) with him , an interpreter , one of a thousand , to shew unto man his uprightnesse , ( and the soundnesse of his repentance ) ver . . then is ( god ) gratious unto him , and saith , deliver him from going down into the pit ; i have found a ransome , &c. ver . . he shall pray unto god ; and he will be favourable unto him ; and he shall see his face with joy . in case of some dangerous sicknesse of the body we trust not our own skill , nor some ignorant quack salvers , but seek to a learned and experienced physitian for the prescription of some sure remedies ; whereas , if it be but for a sore finger , or a tooth-ach , we care onely to make use of our own receits : and so in civil quarrels ; if it be only some sleight brabble , we thinke to compose it alone ; but if it be some maine question importing our freehold , we are glad to waite on the staires of some judicious lawyer , and to fee him for advice : how much more is it thus in the perilous condition of our soules ; which as it is a part farre more precious then its earthly tabernacle , so the diseases whereto it is subject , are infinitely more dangerous , and deadly . is your heart therefore embroyled within you , with the guilt of some hainous sin ? labour what you may to make your peace with heaven ; humble your selfe unto the dust before the majesty whom you have offended ; beat your guilty brest , water your cheeks with your teares ; and cry mightily to the father of mercies for a gracions remission ; but if after all these penitent indevours you finde your soule still unquiet , and not sufficiently apprehensive of a free and full forgivenesse , betake your selfe to gods faithfull agent for peace ; run to your ghostly physitian , lay your bosome open before him ; flatter not your owne condition ; let neither feare nor shame stay his hand from probing and searching the wound to the bottome ; and that being done , make carefull use of such spirituall applications as shall be by him administred to you : this , this is the way to a perfect recovery , and fulnesse of comfort . but you easily grant that there may be very wholsome use of the ghostly counsell of your minister in the case of a troubled soule ; but you doubt of the validity and power of his absolution : concerning which it was a just question of the scribes in the gospell ; who can forgive sinnes but god onely ? mar. . . our saviour therefore to prove that he had this power , argues it from his divine omnipotence ; he onely hath authority to forgive sinnes , ( ver . . ) that can say to the decrepit paralytick ; arise , take up thy bed and walke ; ( ver . . ) none but a god can by his command effect this ; he is therefore the true god that may absolutely say , thy sinnes be forgiven thee : ( ver . . ) indeed , how can it be otherwise ? against god onely is our sin committed ; against man onely in the relation that man hath to god ; he onely can know the depth of the malignity of sin , who onely knowes the soule wherein it is forged ; he onely who is lord of the soule , the god of spirits , can punish the soule for sinning ; he onely that is infinite can doome the sinfull soule to infinite torments ; he onely therefore it must be , that can release the guilty soule from sin , and punishment . if therefore man , or angell shall challenge to himselfe this absolute power to forgive sinne let him be accursed . yet withall it must be yeelded , that the blessed son of god spake not those words of his last commission in vaine ; whos 's soever sinnes ye remit , they are remitted unto them , and whose soever sinnes ye retaine , they are retained ; john . . neither were they spoken to the then present apostles onely , but in them to all their faithfull successors to the end of the world . it cannot therefore but be granted , that there is some kind of power left in the hand of christs ministers , both to remit and retaine sinne : neither is this power given onely to the governours of the church , in respect of the censures to be inflicted , or relaxed by them ; but to all gods faithfull ministers , in relation to the sins of men : a power not soveraigne and absolute , but limitted and ministeriall , for either quieting the conscience of the penitent , or further aggravating the conscience of sin and terror of judgement to the obstinate and rebellious ; neither is this onely by way of a bare verball declaration , ( which might proceed from any other lips ) but in the way of an operative and effectuall application , by vertue of that delegate , or commissionary authority , which is by christ entrusted with them : for certainly , our saviour meant in these words to conferre somewhat upon his ministers , more then the rest of the world should be capable to receive , or performe , the absolution therefore of an authorized person must needs be of greater force and efficacy , then of any private man , how learned or holy soever , since it is grounded upon the institution and commission of the sonne of god , from which all power and vertue is derived to all his ordinances : and we may well say , that whatsoever is in this case , done by gods minister ( the key not erring ) is ratified in heaven : it cannot therefore but be a great comfort , and cordiall assurance to the penitent soule , to heare the messenger of god ( after a carefull inquisition into his spiritual estate and true sight of his repentance ) in the name of the lord jesus pronouncing to him the full remission of all his sinnes . and if either the blessing , or curse of a father goe deeper with us , then of any other whosoever ; although but proceeding from his own private affection without any warrant from above ; how forcible shall we esteeme the ( not so much apprecatory , as declaratory ) benedictions , of our spirituall fathers , sent to us , out of heaven ? although therefore you may perhaps , through gods goodnesse , attaine to such a measure of knowledge and resolution , as to be able to give your selfe satisfaction concerning the state of your soul ; yet it cannot be amisse , out of an abundant caution to take gods minister along with you , and making him of your spirituall counsaile , to unbosome your selfe to him freely , for his fatherly advice and concurrence : the neglect whereof , through a kinde of either strangenesse , or mis-conceit , is certainly not a little disadvantageous to the soules of many good christians . the romish laity makes either oracles , or idols of their ghostly fathers ; if we make ciphers of ours , i know not whether we be more injurious to them , or our selves . we goe not about to rack your consciences to a forced , and exquisite confession , under the pain of a no remission ; but we perswade you for your own good , to be more intimate with , and lesse reserved from , those whom god hath set over you for your direction , comfort , salvation . case x. whether it be lawfull for a man that is not a professed divine , that is , ( as we for distinction are wont to call him ) for a laick person , to take upon him to interpret the scripture . many distinct considerations had need to make way to the answer . first , it is one thing for a man to interpret scripture , another thing to take upon him the function of preaching the gospell , which was perhaps in your intention ; this is farre more large then the other ; every man that preacheth , interpreteth the scripture ; but every one that interprets scripture , doth not preach : to interpret scripture is onely to give the sense of a text ; but to preach is to divide the word aright ; to apply it to the conscience of the hearer ; and in an authoritative way to reprove sinne , and denounce judgment against sinners ; to lay forth the sweet promises of the gospell to the faithfull and penitent ; for the performing whereof there must be a commission to gods minister from him that sends him ; upon which the apostle hath pronounced a ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) who is sufficient for these things ? secondly , it must be considered in what nature , and within what compasse the interpretation is ; for doubtlesse the just degrees of callings must be herein duely observed ; whether in a publique way , as pastors of congregations ; or in a private way , as masters of families ; whether in the schooles , in a meere grammaticall way ; or in the church , in a predicatory . thirdly , it must be considered , as what the calling , so what the gifts are of the interpreter : for surely , meere interpretation doth not depend upon the profession , but upon the faculty of the undertaker ; whether he be learned , or ignorant ; whether skilfull in languages and arts ( which certainly must be required in whosoever would put forth his hand to so holy and great a worke ) or whether inexpert in both : where these gifts of interpretation , and eminent endowments of learning are found , there can be no reason of restraining them from an exercise so beneficially edificatory to the church of god : without which the truth of christian religion had wanted much both of her vigour , and lustre in all generations . how famously is it known that origen before his entring into holy orders , even at eighteene yeares of his age entred into that great worke of his catechisings ? act. . , . apollos the alexandrian was an eloquent man , and mighty in scriptures , and taught diligently the things of the lord ; yet knew nothing but the baptisme of john : till aquila and priscilla took him to task , and more perfectly expounded to him the way of god ; and what happy use it pleased god to make of laick hands , for both the defence and propogation of the gospell , we need no other witnesse then s. jerome ; who hath memoriz'd amongst the primitive christians , aristides , agrippa , hegesippus , justin , musunus , modestinus , both the apollonii , heraclius , maximus , and many others , whom god raised up amongst the learned laity of those times , to apologize for christianity ; and in the last foregoing age , how scarce removed out of our sight , are laurentius valla , both the earles of mirandula , capnio , fagius , erasmus , faber , and the rest of those famous way-makers to the succeeding restitution of the evangelicall truth ; and what a treasure in this kind had the church of god lost , if it should have missed the learned annotations upon the scripture , derived to us from the hands of mercerus , joseph scaliger , drusius , both casaubons , tilenus , grotius , heinsius , selden , and such other expert philogists , never initiated into sacred orders ? fourthly , due and serious consideration must be had of the interpretation it selfe ; that it be genuine , and orthodox : for there can be nothing in the world more dangerous then to mis-construe god speaking to us in his word ; and to affixe upon his divine oracles a sense of our owne , quite dissonant from the intention of that spirit of truth : care therefore must be taken that the interpretation given be every way conforme to the analogy of faith , and fully accordant to other scripture ; the neglect whereof , through either ignorance or mesprision hath bred many foul and perilous soloecismes in divinity ; to give you a taste of too full a dish : in the . of ecclesiasticus * , where the vulgar reades , he that lives for ever created all things at once : some , and those no mean ones , of the ancient , followed also by latter interpreters , have been misled into an ungrounded conceit of an instantany and entire creation of the world , and all the parts thereof , in the first moment of time ; whereas the scripture , hath expresly and punctually set down the severall six dayes , wherein each part of it was distinctly formed : which those misconstruers are fain to understand of the distinct notifications given to the angels concerning this almighty work : and what curious subtilties have been hereupon raised by our school divines * , is more fit to be past over with an unpleasing smile , then to be seriously recounted ; whereas the intention of the place , is onely to signifie that god made all things in the universall world that have any being ; intimating not the time of creation , but ( as our † version hath it ) the generality of things created . what advantage the blasphemous arrians have formerly taken from the mis-interpretation of proverbs . . where wisdome is brought in ( by the mistaking of some ancients ) to say , * the lord created me ( in stead of possessed me ) in the beginning of his may , before his workes of old , is more worthy of indignation , then any further prosecution . but most pregnant and notable is the grosse mes-prison of a late famous school-man , franciscus d'arriba , confessor to the late queen mother of france , who to maintaine that new way of reconciling that scholasticall difference among the roman doctors , concerning the effectual aide of divine grace , depending or not depending upon free will , ( about which he had sixty dayes disputation with cardinall ascoly and cardinall bellarmine ; shewing how it might well be maintained without the devises of physicall predeterminations , or that scientia media of our late jesuites ) relies chiefly for his opinion upon that text of † esay . . haec dicit dominus sanctus israelis qui fecit ventura , thus saith the lord the holy one of israel who hath made things to come : following a mis-edition of the vulgar which perverts the sense , by making a wrong stop in the sentence , whereas their owne montanus , and any other that hath but seen the hebrew text , would read it ; haec dicit dominus sanctus israelis qui fecit eum ; ventura interrogate me : thus saith the lord the holy one of israel ; and his maker : ask me of things to come concerning my sonnes , &c. referring the ventura , ( things to come ) to the following interrogate . so poza the late extravagant doctor of spaine , in the maintenance of his novel opinions against fathers and councels , pressed against him , stands upon his defence , out of the synod of constantinople , act. . grounded upon the * words of mis-called , solomon ; beatus qui praedicat verbum inauditum ; corrupting both the text and the councell ; whereas it should be read , verbum inauditum obedientis : and the councell hath it aright , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ) as ours turnes it likewise , well is he that speaketh in the eares of them that will hear : it were easie to fill a just volume with instances of this kind . to this purpose it will be requisite to make use of all those helps that may enable an interpreter to understand the scriptures ; whether those that are internall in it selfe ; or externall from other supplies : of the former kind are a diligent sifting of the context and inference ; and a carefull comparing and conferring of one scripture with another ; for all truths agree with themselves ; and this word of god is the sun that gives us light to see it selfe externall ; where it will be needfull to call both for the aid of arts and tongues ; and for the testimonies and judgements of reverend antiquity , and the not-to-be-neglected authority of moderne doctors ; and thirdly , a due regard of those golden rules of interpreting ; which are recommended to posterity by the learned pennes of clemens of alexandria , hierome , augustine , gerson , hyperius , illyricus , jacobus matthias , and others ; which , as meet for a volume apart , may not expect to find a roome in so concise a tractate . the want and neglect of all which requisites what strange work it must needs make with the simple and unlettered , we may well conceive , when great clerkes have hereupon bewrayed so foul and palpable miscarriage . albinus , the learned master of charles the great , writing upon john , finding it said of judas that having received the sop , he went immediately out ; * et erat nox ; and it was night ; puts both together as spoken of judas ; he ( faith he ) was the night that went out ; as christ is the day that gives knowledge to his disciples , that were day too ; so judas the night gives knowledge to the jewes that were night , of a traitorous wickednesse , &c. what worke † bernard , ( who shewed in this , that he saw not all things ) makes of the domonium meridianum , the noone-day-devill , in one of his sermons , is evident to be seene ; yet had he beene as well seene in language as he was fervent in his devotion ; he had spared that discourse as raised from a meere ungrounded interpretation ; there being no devill in the text ; but a phantasme of his deluded imagination : and if i should set forth the descants that our postillers run upon the names of jobs three daughters , i should seeme to you as apt to sport in so serious a subject ; and if i could thinke it worth the labour of gathering up the wild senses , far-fetcht allegories , absurd inferences , that ignorant friers have fastned upon scripture , it is not a small skin that would containe that tome . surely that man , whosoever he be , that would be hoising saile in these deeps of scripture , had need to be well ballast , and well tackled , and skilfull in the compasse , else he will have much adoe to escape a wrack : he that will walk in pathes of danger had need to have his eyes about him ; an hoodwinkt man may easily be carried against a post : and he that hath not light enough to see his owne way , had need to take heed whom he trusts : he that would blind-fold follow those very interpretations which the church of rome hath commended for authenticall , would run into foule and dangerous absur dities : let me single out some few confessed by their owne estius , and lucas brugensis ; such as are plainly contradictions to scripture , and doe , as it were , give the lye to gods spirit . such is that sam. . . filii autem david sacerdotes erant ; the sonnes of david were priests : whereas every child knowes that the scripture frequently tells us none could be priests but of aarons order and tribe ; out of levies loines ; and that david was of the house of judah : the septuagint rightly turnes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * . againe who that shall finde it in the vulgar interpretation : david desperabat &c. david despaired that he could escape from the face of saul : would not inferre that he utterly distrusted gods assurance by the prophet of his future kingdome ; whereas the originall is by estius his owne confession , festinabat , as we also turne it , david made hast to get away &c. sam. . . he that should finde it reported of one of the sonnes of er , qui stare fecit solem , ( he that made the sun to stand still ) would justly wonder what kinde of man this was , that had been so long obscured from the world , and yet should have done so strange a miracle as never was done but by joshua ; ( chron. . . ) whereas he that lookes into the text , shall finde no mention at all of the sunne ; but onely of the meere proper name of jochim the sonne of er. he that shall read in job , where god speakes of the leviathan ; cum sublatus fuerit ( i. leviathan ) timebunt angeli et territi purgabuntur ; when he raiseth up himselfe the angels shall feare , and being terrified shall be purged ; job . . would sure thinke this whale were the devill , ( as some ancients have mistaken him ) and may well wonder how the good angels ( being celestiall spirits ) could be capable of feare ; or how the evill angels could be capable of purging : when the text hath no men●ion , nor thought of * angels ; but onely signifying the strength and terriblenesse of the whale expresses it in these words ; when he raiseth up himselfe the mighty are afraid ; by reason of breakings they purifie themselves . solomon was faulty enough in his idolatry , but he that shall read kings . . ( in the vulgar interpretation ) that he went after chamosh the god of the moabites , shall adde one idol more to him then we finde him guilty of . solomon was in his holy and regular times , king. . . full of heavenly meditations , and divine ditties : but he that should follow the vulgar interpretation , would fasten upon him almost * four thousand more then ever he owned . after that merab sauls eldest daughter was given away to adriel the meholathite , sam. . . contrary to engagement , he that will follow the vulgar , must say that david straight fell in love with michal , the other sister ; whereas the text tells us that michal fell in love with him . he that should finde in the vulgar construction , that saul sung all the day naked before samuel in naioth ; would think his new prophesying had put him into a merry vein ; sam. . . whereas the text onely tells us that he fell downe stripped of his wonted clothes . he that should find in the vulgar , psal . . . david reporting of himself [ non novi literaturam ] i know no learning , would wonder at the prophets disparagement of his skill , who had elsewhere professed himself wiser then his teachers ; whereas all that he sayes , is , * that the mercies and blessings of god upon him have been so many , that he knows not the numbers thereof . he that should find the seven angels in the revelation vestitos lapide ; clothed with stone † , rev. . . would sure think them buried ; whereas the text is , clothed in pure white linnen . and what doe you imagine would a plaine reader think of that charge of the wise man ; noli velle mentiri omne mendacium ; be not willing to lie all manner of lies , ecclus. . would he not straight say : some belike i am allowed to lye ? whereas the words are peremptory even in estius his reading , according to ours ; use not to make any manner of lies . yea that very correction of the vulgar interpretation which brugensis allowes and magnifies , cor. . . with what safety can it passe the judicious ; whiles hs reades ; omnes quidem resurgemus , sed non omnes immutabimur ; we shall all rise again , but we shall not all be changed : for how can those rise again , that never died ? how are those capable of a resurrection , which are onely changed ? whereas the just sense runnes according to our * version , we shall not all sleep , but we shall all be changed . for those that are found alive at our saviours second comming shall not sleep in death ; yet both they and the formerly dead must undergo a change . i could utterly weary you with instances ; how must he that reades the apoeryphall ecclesiasticus , needs say that this man ( how obscure soever in his authority ) saw more and clearer then all the acknowledged prophets of the old testament ; for he hath foretold us expresly the very name of our lord jesus which none of them ever before hand published : for he ( ecclus. . . ) speaking of the deep sea , is read in the vulgar to say , plantavit illum dominus jesus : the lord jesus planted it : i shame to think what sport a jew will make of such a grosse mistaking ; wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jesus is mis-read , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : islands : so as the right sense is onely this ; god by his counsell appeaseth the deep , and planteth islands therein ; but i forbear , onely if you have too much leasure , you may be pleased to cast your eye upon the margine . in these and many more ( for i meant to give you but an assay ) the mistakes are important , and such as make no small change in the text ; which i have therefore produced that i might let you see how easie it is for a man that takes all things upon trust to be abused by his credulity ; and how unsafe it is much more for an unexpert and injudicious person to meddle with the holy oracles of the almighty . the conclusion then must be , that however it may be lawfull for the eminently learned , either in schooles or families , ( according as their calling may warrant them ) to interpret even difficult scriptures , and to untie the knots of a text ; yet since not many are thus qualified , and those that are so qualified , if they neglect to follow the prescribed rules , may easily miscarry , to the great perill both of their owne souls , and others ; i should therefore advise that this may be the act of but some few choice persons , and of them , with all possible caution : and that ordinary christians , if they have a desire , ( besides all fundamentall truths ( which are laid down openly and clearly in the sacred word of god ) to informe themselves in those darker verities , which lie hidden in more obscure scriptures ) to have recourse to their learned and faithfull pastors ; and rather to rest in that light which they shall receive from their well-digested instructions , then to relie upon their own ( perhaps confident , but much weaker ) judgement . resolutions . the fourth decade . cases matrimoniall . case i. whether the marriage of a sonne or daughter without or against the parents consent may be accounted lawfull . matrimony , though not a saorament , yet a sacred institution of god for the comfort and propagation of mankind , is so fruitfull of questions as that * sanchez the jesuite hath stuffed and in the * law civil there is the like permission , although under certaine conditions ; and particularly in an utter exigency , victus causa ; to the latter whereof , some † expositors hold so strictly , as that they will not admit this to be done for the redemption of the parent from death , or perpetuall bondage ; but onely to preserve him from affamishing : wherein certainly they are over-strait laced , and too much wedded to syllables ; it being questionlesse the intention of the law to comprehend all equally-pressing necessities ; to which they adde that this must be onely in the fathers power , and that to a child not emancipated , and left to his owne disposing : it is not in my way to dispute the case with them , take it at the easiest , it sufficiently shewes the great power that nature it self yeelds to the parent over the child ; by how much stronger then the parents interest is in the child , so much more wrongfull it must needs be in the child to neglect his parents in finally bestowing himselfe ; and if we look into the positive law of † god , we shal find the child so wholly left to the parents will and disposition , as that he may , at his pleasure , dispense with , or frustrate the vow of his childe made to god himselfe . neither doe the * roman doctors generally hold otherwise this day in case of an under-age ; and some of them extend this power yet further ; yet not without a distinction : holding , that after the age of puberty , those vowes onely are in the mercy of the father , which may be prejudiciall to the government of the family , and paternall power ; which is sufficient for my purpose in the question in hand . and although those casuists doe sufficiently dote upon their * monkery , and the vowes thereunto appertaining ; yet they ascribe so much to the bond of filiall duty , as that they teach , that a sonne which ( his parents being in extreme need , and wanting his help ) enters into a religious order ; or comes not out of it ( though professed ) when he might be likely by his coming forth to be aidfull to his said parents , is guilty of a sin against the fifth commandement : so as even with them , the respect to a parent ought to over-weigh a vow of religion ; although consummate by a solemne profession . but , that you may not object to me the age of the law as therefore abrogated because mosaicall ; heare what the chosen vessell saies under the new law of the gospell . if any man thinke that he behaveth himselfe uncomely towards his virgin if she passe the floure of her age , and need so require , let him doe what he will ; he sinneth not ; let her marry : ( cor. . . ) neverthelesse he that standeth stedfast in his heart , having no necessity ; but hath power over his owne will , and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin , doth well &c. ( ver . . ) loe , the apostle supposeth it in the parents power either to keep his daughter a virgin , or to dispose of her in marriage : she is not her owne , either to hold , or give ; but must be altogether ordered by the superiour will of a parent : not , that any force is allowed either way , to be used towards the daughter ; whether to continue her in a constrained virginity , or to cast her against her minde upon a dis-affected match ; no , that god who disposeth all things sweetly , would have us doe so too ; he allowes parents to be rulers of their children , but not tyrannes : what they doe therefore in this kinde , must be more by counsaile , then command : and with more sway of love , then authority : thus , consulting wisely with the state of times , and the childs disposition , and abilities of containing , must the parent either keep his virgin , or labour for the provision of a meet consortship : thus did the two great patriarchs of gods ancient church , abraham and isaac , provide fit matches for their holy seed ; whiles the unholy provided unfit matches for themselves : thus did their godly issue in all generations take their parents along with them in the choice of meet yoke follows , whiles the godless , whether out of impetuous lust , or stubborn disobedience , affect with esau , gen. . , , . to be their own purveyours , to the great regret , and heart-breaking of their parents . lastly , the latitude that s. paul gives of the liberty of marriage to all christians is , tantum in domino ; onely in the lord ; . cor. . . now how can that marriage be in the lord , which is against him ? and how can that be other then against the lord ; which is against the lords commandement ? and what commandment can be more express then , honor thy father and thy mother , gal. . . and , children obey your parents ? ver . . and what can be more contrary to the honour and obedience due to parents , then to neglect them in the maine businesse that concernes our lives ? and what businesse can concerne our life so much , as the choice of a meet partner , with whom we may comfortably wear out all the dayes of our pilgrimage on earth ? doubtlesse then , we may in a generality safely conclude , that it is altogether unlawfull for a child to sleight his parents consent in the choice of his marriage ; there may be some particular cases incident , wherein perhaps this may without sinne or blame be forborne ; as when the child either by generall permission , or former elocation shall be out of the parents disposing , or where the parent is defective in his intellectualls , or where the child lives in remotis , out of the compasse of intelligence ; or where the parent being averse from the true religion denies his consent to match with any but those of his own strain ; or shall upon other by-occasions wilfully stand upon so unreasonable termes , that neither friends nor authority can over-rule him ; but where these or the like preponderating exceptions do not intervene , the child cannot without sin balk the parents consent to his choice in marriage . but though such marriages without , or against consent , be not lawfully made ; yet being once made ; they are valid . * the civill law , out of the grounds of policy , goes herein too farre , which sentenceth those marriages void , which are made without the consent of parents , or guardians ; but as matrimony hath something in it of nature , something of civility , something of divinity , as instituted by god , and by him to be regulated ; so sure this last interest ought to over-sway the other two ; the marriage therefore thus made , being though faulty yet true , is doubtlesse after consummation indissoluble . the parties repentance , and the parents sorrow may have leasure to afflict them , no power to relieve them . case ii. whether marriage lawfully made may admit of any cause of divorce , save onely for the violation of the marriage bed by fornication or adultery . our saviour hath so punctually decided the case in his divine sermon upon the mount , that i cannot but wonder at the boldnesse of any man , who calls himself a christian , that dares raise a question after so clear and full a determination from the mouth of truth it self . whosoever ( saith he ) shall put away his wife , saving for the cause of fornication , causeth her to commit adultery ; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced , committeth adultery , mat. . . yet i finde this so evident an assertion checked by two sorts of adversaries ; the one , certain wild novellists , who admit of very sleight causes of separation ; the other , romish doctors , who plead for some other main and important additions to this liberty of divorce . i have heard too much of , and once saw , a licentious pamphlet thrown abroad in these lawlesse times , in the defence , and incouragement of divorces ( not to be sued out , that solemnity needed not , but ) to be arbitrarily given by the distiking husband , to his displeasing and unquiet wife ; upon this ground principally , that marriage was instituted for the help and comfort of man ; where therefore the match proves such , as that the wife doth but pull down a side , and by her innate peevishnesse , and either sullen , or pettish and froward disposition brings rather discomfort to her husband , the end of marriage being hereby frustrate , why should it not , saith he , be in the husbands power ( after some unprevailing meanes of reclamation attempted ) to procure his own peace , by casting off this clogge , and to provide for his own peace and contentment in a fitter match ? woe is me : to what a passe is the world come that a christian pretending to reformation , should dare to tender so loose a project to the publique ? i must seriously professe when i first did cast my eye upon the front of the book , i supposed some great wit meant to try his skill in the maintenance of this so wild , and improbable a paradox ; but ere i could have run over some of those too wel-penned pages , i found the author was in earnest , and meant seriously to contribute this peece of good counsail in way of reformation to the wise and seasonable care of superiours : i cannot but blush for our age , wherein so bold a motion hath been , amongst others , addmitted to the light : what will all the christian churches through the world , to whose notice those lines shall come , think of our wofull degeneration in these deplored times , that so uncouth a designe should be set on foot amongst us ? or how can they construe it other , then a direct contradict on to our saviours sentence , in maintaining that practise , which he expresly professeth to oppose ? for , what was the jewish guise here checked by our saviour , but a voluntary repudiation of a lawfull wife upon the termes of dislike , other then fornication ? their mis-interpretation of the law alluded unto , argues no lesse ; the law alluded unto is , that of deuteronomy ; where god sayes , when a man hath taken a wife , and hath been her husband , and it shall be , that she finde not grace in his eyes , because he hath found in * her matter of nakednesse , he shall write her a bill of divorcement , and send her away , deut. . . whereupon he infers with an , ego dico , i say unto you , whosoever shall put away his wife saving for fornication , causeth her to commit adultery : the matter of nakednesse therefore , for which the jewes were then wont to divorce their wives , ( and offended in so divorcing them ) was any other displeasing quality , besides the breach of wedlock through bodily uncleannesse ; for which onely had they dismissed their wives , our saviour had neither faulted their glosse , nor their practise ; so as herein christ the giver of the law , decides one of those great controversies , which were agitated between the emulous schooles of sammai , and hillel : determining on sammai's side , that for no other nakednesse but that of adultery it was lawfull to divorce a wife : and flatly condemning by the like answer that [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ( mat. . . ) every cause of repudiation then ordinarily received ; as it was by the pharisee purposely propounded unto him . answerable whereunto is that of the prophet malachi , who ( in our just reading ) hath so fully decided the cause , as if it had been expresly referred to his umperage : the lord ( saith he ) hath been witnesse between thee , and the wife of thy youth ; against whom thou hast dealt treacherously : yet is she thy companion , and the wife of thy covenant , mal. . , , . ( loe , the wife of thy covenant ; therefore too sure setled to be turn'd off upon every sleight occasion ; what ? was thy covenant to take her for thy wife till thou shouldst dislike her ? what were this but to mock god , and the world ? thy covenant implies no lesse then firmitude , and perpetuity . ) therefore take heed to your spirit ; and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth : for the lord the god of israel saith that he hatoth putting away ; for one covereth violence with his garment , saith the lord of hosts : therefore take heed to your spirit that you deal not treacherously . what is this treachery , which the prophet cryes out against , thus vehemently thrice over , with a breath ; but pretended and unjust suggestions against a lawfull wife for her undue divorce ? and what is that violence , but the injurious execution of those suggestions ? upon which unsufficient grounds the lord professes to hate putting away . yea how apparently contrary is this practise to the very originall institution of marriage it selfe ? he that made it in paradise ordained thus : therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife ; and they two shall be one flesh : gen. . . loe before ever there was father , or mother , or son in the world , god hath appointed that the bond betwixt husband and wife shall be more strait and indissoluble then betwixt the parent , and child ; and can any man be so unreasonable as to desend it lawfull , upon some unkinde usages , or thwartnesse of disposition , for a parent to abandon and forsake his child ; or the sonne to cast off his parent ? much lesse therefore may it be thus betwixt an husband and wife : they two are one flesh : behold here an union of gods making : a mans body is not more his owne , then his wives body is his : and will a man be content to part easily with a peece of himselfe ? or can we thinke that god will indure an union made by himselfe to be so sleightly dissolved ? or how is this bodily matrimony a lively image of the spirituall marriage betwixt christ and his church ( who hath said , i will betroth thee unto me for ever ; yea i will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies , hos . . . ) if upon small occasions it may be subject to utter dissolution ? yea , what speake i of divinity ? even modest heathens would hisse this libertinisme off the stage : amongst the rest , what a fool was socrates ? the oracle , belike , called him the wisest man of his time ; but what a foole was he to indure the unquiet clack of his xantippe with such coole patience , if he might have quit himselfe of the trouble with a sodaine act of her dismission ? or what use was there of those delegates of athens and the harmosyni of lacedaemon for the peecing up of these domestique breaches betwixt husband and wife , if the imperious husband had power to right himselfe by turning the scold out of doores ? lastly , what silly counsaile was that which the jewish rabbi gave to his client , matcht with a shrew ; the bone that is falne to thy lot , that doe thou gnaw upon ; if it were altogether free for him to leave that bone , and take another ? but i have dwelt too long on so grosse a subject : there may yet seeme some better colour for the plea of the romish doctors which admit infidelity and heresie into the ranke of those causes which may warrant a divorce : but herein the ambiguity of the word ( if heed be not taken ) may deceive you ; the * hebrew text , to which our saviour alludes , uses a word which signifies excision , or cutting off ; the greek , a departing away , or putting off ; the latine , divortium , in his true sense is not so hainous as either of the other ; signifying rather a turning aside , but in our ordinary acception amounts to no lesse then both . but what unjust difference they make betwixt finall separation and dissolution , we shall finde in our next discourse : onwards , that such separation may not be made of man and wife ( lawfully joined together ) for heresie , or misbeleefe ; we need no other conviction then that peremptory and cleare determination of our saviour which we have formerly infisted on : for though his words on the mount were in a way of doctrinall assertion , yet afterwards , the same words were used by him , in way of a satisfactory answer to the pharises question concerning causes of divorce ; professedly resolving that there could be no allowable ground of such separation except fornication . what words can be more plaine ? it is but a shift to say ( as the cardinall doth ) that our saviour here meant only to expresse the proper cause of the separation of married persons ; which is the breach of marriage faith : as having no occasion to speak of those generall grounds which reach to the just sundring of all humane societies ; such as heresie and infidelity ; which are enough to unglew all naturall and civill relations betwixt father and son , master and servant , husband and wife : for it is clear that neither question nor answer were bounded with any particularities ; the pharisee asks , whether for every cause ; our saviour answers ; for no cause but fornication ; and it is spoken beside the book , that child or servant should or may forsake parent or master in case of heresie , or infidelity : s. paul teacheth other doctrine : let as many servants as are under the yoke ( of bondage ) count their ( infidell ) masters worthy of all honor ; tim. . . not worthy therefore of desertion , and disclamation : and if the servants may not shake off the bonds of duty ; much lesse may the sonne break or file off the bonds of nature ; and as for the matrimoniall knot , how too sure it is to be loosed by infidelity it selfe , let the apostle speak ; if any brother hath a wife that beleeveth not , and shee be pleased to dwell with him , let him not put her away , cor. . . and the woman which hath an husband that beleeveth not ; and if he be pleased to dwel with her , let her not leave him , ver . . and if even infidelity have not power to dis-oblige the wife or husband , much lesse , heresie : in this pretended c●se therefore to separate from board and bed , is no better then a presumptuous insolence ; it is the peremptory charge of christ , what god hath joyned together , let not man put asunder , mat. . . in all lawfull marriages , it is god that joynes the hands and hearts of the married . how dare man then undoe the work of god upon devises of his own ? had the lord ever said , if thy wife be a wilfull mis-beleever , rid thy hands of her ; this separation were just ; but now that his charge is clean contrary , what an impious saucinesse is it to disjoyne those whom god hath united ? as therefore , it is not in the power of any third person , upon any whatsoever pretence , violently to break the sacred bond of marriage ; so neither may the husband , or wife , enthrall each other by a willfull desertion ; whether upon pretext of religion , or any secular occasion ; in which case what is to be done must come under a further disquisition ; certainly it was never the intention of the holy and wise god , by vertue of that which was ordained for mans comfort , and remedy of sin , to bind him to a remedilesse misery ; which must necessarily fall out , if upon the departure of an unbeleeving , or hereticall yoke-fellow , the relict party must be tyed up to a perpetualll necessity of either containing , ( if he can ) or , if he can not , of burning ; the wise doctor of the gentiles well fore-saw the dangerous inconvenience that must needs hereupon ensue , and hath given order for prevention , accordingly . but if the unbeleeving depart , let him depart ; a brother , or a sister is not under bondage in such cases ; but god hath called us to peace , cor. . . not , that it is free for a man or woman so forsaken , to carve him , or her-selfe of redresse ( what an infinite confusion would follow upon such licentiousness ? ) but that after long and patient expectation , and all probable means used for the reduction of the party deserting ; recourse be had ( as to the last refuge ) to publique ecclesiasticall authority ( which is the fittest to manage these matrimoniall affaires , in whose power it may be , either by grave admonitions , and just censures to bring back the offender to his duty ; or upon his continuing contempt , to set a day for the publication of the just freedome of the forsaken : wherein they shall doe no other then execute that apostolike sentence for exemption from an unjust bondage , and providing for a just peace . case iii. whether after a lawfull divorce for adultery , the innocent party may marry againe . although matrimony be not , according to the romish tenet , one of those sacraments which imprint an indeleble character in the receiver ; yet it hath , as they hold , such a secret influence upon the soule , as that it leaves a perpetuall bond behind it , never to be dissolved till death ; so as those offenders , which by just censure are separated from the board and the bed , cannot yet be freed from the bond of marriage : upon this ground it is that they barre the innocent party from the benefit of a second marriage , as supposing the obligation of the former , still in force . in the ordinary bills of the jewish divorce , the repudiated wife had full scope given her of a second choice ; as the words ran : * she was to be free , and to have power over her owne soule ; to goe away ; to be married to any man whom she would : they were not more liberall , then our romish divorcers are niggardly : the jewish divorce being upon unwarrantable cause , made their liberality so much more finfull , as their divorce was more unjust : for the divorced woman was still in right the lawfull wife of that unrighteous husband that dismissed her ; the romish doctrine makes their strait-handednesse so much more injurious , as the cause of separation is more just . even this question also is expresly determined by our saviour in his answer to the pharisee : whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication , and marrieth another , committeth adultery : mat. . lo then , he that for so just a cause as fornication putteth away his wife and marrieth another , committeth not adultery : the exception manifestly implies so much , both in reason and common use : neither indeed , are the words capable of any other probable sense : that which bellarmine would fasten upon it , referring the exception to the former clause , of dismission onely , so as it might be lawfull to divorce onely for fornication , but not to marry after divorce ; cannot stand without a supply of words of his owne , which god never allow'd him to intersert ; and besides utterly destroies the sense ; casting such a doctrine upon our saviour , as he would hate to owne ; for except that restraint be referred to the marrying againe , the sense would run thus , whosoever puts away his wife commits adultery ; which stands not with truth or reason : sith it is not the dismission , that is adulterous , but the marriage of another : it is therefore the plaine drift of our saviour , to teach the pharisee , that the marriage of a second wife ( after dismission of a former , upon any other cause except for fornication ) is no lesse then adultery : thereby enforcing , that upon a just dismission for fornication , a second marriage cannot be branded with adultery . neither will it serve his turne , which he would borrow from s. augustine , that upon this negative of our saviours , we may not look to build an affirmative of our own ; for though it be granted , that he , who putting away his wife not for fornication , and marrieth another , sinneth ; yet it followes not that he who having dismissed his wife for fornication , marrieth another , sinneth not at all : a sinne it may be , though not an adultery : for surely if it be a sinne , it must be against a commandement ; and if against any commandement , it must be against the seventh ; and what is the seventh commandement , but thou shalt not commit adultery ? besides , the pharisees question [ is it lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause ? ] was not without a plaine implication of liberty to marry another ; which our saviour well knowing , gives a full answer as well to what he meant , as what he said ; which had not been perfectly satisfactory , if he had onely determined that one part concerning dismission , and not the other concerning marriage ; which clause if two other evangelists expresse not , yet it must be fetcht necessarily , from the third ; since it is a sure and irrefragable rule ; that all four evangelists make up one perfect gospell . it is therefore a very tottering and unsure ground which our rhemists build upon ; as if the apostle meant to crosse his lord , and master , when he saith , the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband , so long as he liveth , rom. . . therefore only death can dissolve the bond of marriage ; not divorce , not adultery , not divorce for adultery : for how plainly doe the words carry their answer in themselves : * the woman ( saith the apostle ) that hath an husband : but the woman legally divorced for fornication , hath no husband : s. paul speakes of a true wife , not a divorced harlot : he had no occasion here to look aside at matter of divorce , but takes marriage as in its entire right ; rather desiring to urge ( for clearing the case of our obligation to the law ) that the husband being once dead , the wife is free to marry againe , then to intimate the case of her incapacity to marry till he be dead . as for that bond therefore , which is so much stood upon , if it be taken without all relations to the duties of bed , and board ; it is meerly chimericall ; nothing but fantasie . there are , or should be bonds of affectation ; bonds of mutuall respects , and reciprocall duties betwixt man and wife ; and these must hold firme notwithstanding any locall separation ; neither time , nor place may so much as flacken , much lesse loose them : but , where a just divorce intervenes , these bonds are chopt in peeces , and no more are , then if they had never been : and if all relations cease in death , ( as they doe , in whatsoever kind ) surely divorce , being ( as it is ) no other then a legall death , doth utterly cut off ( as the hebrew terme imports ) all former obligations and respects betwixt the parties so finally separated . the adulterous wife therefore duly divorced being thus dead in law as to her husband , the husband stands now as free as if he had never married : so as i know not why the apostle should not as well speak to him as to any other ; when he saith : neverthelesse to avoid fornication , let every man have his own wife , cor. . . neither is it otherwise in the case of a chaste wife after her separation from an adulterous husband , mar. . . in these rights god makes no difference of sexes ; both may lawfully claime the same immunities : which certainly should they be denied to either , must needs draw on very great inconveniences : for in how hard a condition should the innocent party be hereupon left ? either the husband , or wife must be forced to live with an adulterous consort ; or be tyed to a perperuall necessity of either doing that ( which perhaps they cannot doe ) containing ; or of suffering that which they ought not to indure , burning . what remedy now can be expected of so great a mischiefe ? our romish doctors propose two ; reconciliation , or continence : both good , where they may be had ; reconciliation , in case of a seasonable and submisse repentance ; that which is the apostles charge in case of desertion , holds here also , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] let her be reconciled ; the more hainous the wrong is , the more commendable is the remission . continence , after such separation , in case of ability so granted : for surely this holy disposition is a gift ; and therefore is not had , where it is not bestowed ; those that place it in our power , derogate from the thanks of the giver : yea , he that gives it tells us all cannot receive it : mar. . . he must not only give it , but give us power to take it . but where the offending party is obstinately vicious ; and the innocent ( after all indeavours ) unable to containe , without a supply of marriage , the case is remedilesse ; and we know gods mercy such , as that he leaves no man for matter of resolution utterly perplexed . shortly then , i doubt not but i may ( notwithstanding great authorities to the contrary ) safely resolve , that in the case of divorce it is lawfull for the innocent person to marry ; but for that i find the * church of england hitherto somewhat tender in the point ; and this practice , where it rarely falls , generally held , though not sinfull , yet of ill report , and obnoxious to various censures : i should therefore earnestly advise , and exhort those whom it may concerne , carefully , and effectually to apply themselves to the fore-mentioned remedies : reconciliation , if it be possible , to prevent a divorce ; holy indeavours of a continued continence , ( if it may be obtained ) to prevent a second marriage after divorce : but if these prevaile not , i dare not lay a load upon any mans conscience which god hath not burdened ; i dare not ensnare those whom god will have free . case iv. whether the authority of a father may reach so farre as to command or compell the child to dispose of himselfe in marriage where he shall appoint . the extent of a paternall power , as we have partly showed already , hath been wont to be very large ; reaching in some cases by the civill law to the life of the child ; and by the jewish law , to his liberty : so as it might seeme much more over ruling in case of marriage ; which also seemes to be intimated by the apostle in that he supposes , and gives a power to the parent either to give or keep his virgin : and how apt parents are to make use of this awfull authority in matching their children for their owne worldly advantage , contrary to their affections and disposition , we have too lamentable experience every day ; neither is it easie to set forth the mischievous effects that have followed upon those compelled marriages : for hence ensue perpetuall discontentments to the parties so forcedly conjoyned ; an utter frustration of the end of marriage , which should be mutuall comfort : and not seldome , dangerous machinations against the life of the dis-affected consort ; as it were too easie to instance every where ; but especially , if the affections of the young couple have been before ( as it oft falls out ) placed elsewhere ; what secret heart-burnings ; what loathing of conjugall society ; what adulterous plottings doe straight follow ; what unkind defiances passe between them ? how doe they wear out their dayes in a melancholick pining , and wish each other , and themselves dead too soon ? yea herein an imperious or covetous parent may be most injurious to himselfe , in robbing himselfe of that comfort which he might receive from a dutifull child in her person , in her posterity : for the avoiding of which mischiefs it were meet and happy , that both parent and child could both know their limits , which god , and nature hath set , and keep them . let the child then know that he is his parents ; that as he was once a part of them , in respect of his naturall being , so he should be still in his affections , and obsequiousnesse , and therefore that he ought to labour by all meanes to bring his heart unto a conformity to his parents wil and desire , according to that universall rule of of the apostle , children obey your parents in all things ; for this is well pleasing unto the lord : colos . . . the word is comprehensive , in all things . things unlawfull passe for unpossible ; we only can doe , what we ought ; in all those things then which are honest , lawfull , just , parents must be obeyed : and the motions for marriage being such , impose upon the child so farre a duty of obedience as that he is bound to worke his affections what he may , to a compliance with his parents will : the wilfull neglect whereof is no better then a kind of domestique rebellion . let the parent againe consider , that the child however derived from his loines , is now an entire person in himselfe ; that though the body came from him , yet the soule was from above ; that the soule of his child is endowed with powers , and faculties of its own ; that as he is not animated by his parents spirits , so he is not inwardly swayed by his parents will or affections ; that when his reason comes to be improved , there may be differences of judgement betwixt his parent and him ; and from thence may arise a diversity or contrariety of affections and desires ; and these affections and passions may grow to such strength as that he himselfe shall not be able to master them ; and if the parent foole himselfe subject to such infirmities , well may he be induced to pity those whom a vigorous heat of youth hath rendered more head-strong and unruly ; withall , let him consider that though the child should be advised by the parent , yet it is fit that he should like for himselfe ; that the will is to be led , not driven ; that no marriage can be happy , but that which is grounded in love ; that love is so altogether voluntary , that it cannot consist with constraint . lastly , let him know that the power of the father though great , yet is not unlimited ; it is the charge which the father of mercies hath laid upon all earthly fathers , in their carriage towards their children ; fathers , prevoke not your children to wrath , ( or ( as the * vulgar reads it ) to indignation , ) lest they be discouraged : and surely , if there be any thing , wherein the passion of the child may be like to be inordinately stirred , it is in the crossing of an once-well-setled affection ; and diverting the streame of love into another channell ; for the avoiding whereof the imperiall lawes have been so indulgent to the child ; as that ( according to their best glosses ) they permit not the father to disinherit the daughter for choosing an husband , not unworthy of her selfe , though against her fathers minde ; yea some of them have gone a step further : but i forbeare : how far it may be lawfull , and fit for the parent to punish the dis-respect of a child , in so important a case , is not for me to determine ; doubtlesse where the provision is arbitrary , the parent will be apt so to manage it , as to make the child sensible of a disobedience ; so as both parts herein suffer , and are put into a way of late repentance . briefly therefore , on the one side the sonne or daughter doe justly offend , if without cause , or wilfully they refuse the parents choice ; and are in duty bound to work their hearts to an obedient subjection to those , unto whom they owe themselves ; and for this cause must be wary in suffering their affections , to over-runne their owne reason , and their parents guidance ; either suppressing the first motions of unruly passions , or if they grow impetuous , venting them betimes into the tender cares of their indulgent parents , or discreet and faithful friends ; that so they may seasonably prevent their owne misery , and their parents grief : on the other side the parent shall offend , if holding too hard an hand over the fruit of his own body , he shall resolve violently to force the childs affections to his own bent ; and where he finds them setled will rather break then bow them ; not caring so much to perswade as to compel love : these harshnesses have too much of the tyran in thē , to be incident into a christian parent ; who must transact all these matrimonial affaires in a smooth and plausible way of consent , and indulgence : a noble and ancient pattern whereof we finde in the contract betwixt isaac and his rebecca , gen. . , , , , &c. the match was treated on betwixt abrahams proxie , and the maids father bethuel , and her brother laban : the circumstances drew their full consent ; all is agreed upon betwixt parents ; but when all this is done , nothing is done , till rebecca have given her assent ; they said , we will call the damsell , and enquire at her mouth , ver . . and they called rebecca , and said unto her , wilt thou goe with this man ? and she said , i will goe , ver . . now the contract is made up ; till then , all the engagements of bethuel and laban were but complements ; till then , all the rich jewells of gold and silver given to the intended bride ; and all the precious things given to her mother , and brother , were but at the mercy of the receivers ; neither ought it to be other in all christian espousalls ; the free and cheerfull consent of parents and parties makes the match both full , and happy ; let not the child dare to crosse his parents ; let not the parent think to force the child ; and when an undue bargain is , through the heat of passion , made up past reclamation , let love and pity so far intercede for the offenders , that they may smart for their rashness and neglect , without their utter undoing . case v. whether the marriage of consens-germans , that is , of brothers or sisters children , be lawfull . the displeasure of the canon law against such marriages is so high flowne , that no lesse can take it off then an utter diremption of them even though they be not ratified only , but consummate by carnall knowledge : and the grave authority of some ancient and holy fathers , and eminent doctors of the church , ( besides five severall councells ) have passed an hard sentence upon them . the maine ground of the supposed unlawfulnesse , is , that clause of gods law which was more then judiciall : no man shall approach unto any neare of kin to his flesh to uncover their nakednesse , i am the lord , levit. . . which though cornelius à lapide * ( following his radulphus ) would seeme to restraine to the ensuing particularities onely ; yet they may not thinke that god will suffer so universall a charge to be so straitly pent ; especially , when we know that there are divers other no lesse unlawfull copulations omitted in this black roll of uncleannesses , then those which are expresly mentioned ; the rest being intended to come in by way of analogy onely : for it is easie for any reader to observe , that all the severalities of the degrees prohibited run still upon the male ; under which , if the like exorbitances of the other sexe were not meant to be comprehended , females should be lawlesse , and the law imperfect ; to marry then with a cousen-german is apprehended by these canonists to be an approach to one near kinne to our flesh ; and therefore intimated in that inhibition : doctor * willet ( a man much deserving of gods church ) conceives these marriages to be analogically forbidden , in this catalogue of moses : for , saith he , if the degrees of affinity be limited to the third or fourth degree ; as it is not lawfull for a man to marry his wives daughters daughter ( levit . . ) why should not the line of consanguinity hold to the fourth degree likewise ; and so neither the sonne to marry his fathers brothers daughter ; or the daughter the sonne ? but that worthy divine did not heedfully observe the great difference betwixt these instanced degrees ; for the one of these is an equall line , the other in an unequall ; the one is a collaterall consanguinity , the other is in a directly descending affinity ; so as the husband should be grandfather in law to the wife , which in all reason were very unlawfull , and absurd ; since in all those descending degrees there is a kinde of reverentiall inequality betwixt the lower and superiour , which abhorres from all proportion of a match ; whereas the collaterall equidistance of cousensgerman from the stock whence both descend , hath in it no such appearance of inequality . certainly then , no analogy can draw these marriages within the prohibition ; whether the nearenesse of approach to our flesh be a just barre unto them , must be further considered . gregory * , ( whom some would faine interesse in our english apostleship ) writing to his augustine , in way of answer to his interrogations , puts these marriages in the same rank with the marriages of brothers and sisters ; which he brands with this note , that they seldome ever prove fruitful ; as for those of brothers and sisters , ( which were usuall , as diodorus siculus tells us ) amongst the egyptians , and are this day in use in barbarous nations ) nature it selfe abominates the mention of them ; in the first plantation of the world there was a necessity of them ; as without which there could have been no humane generation ; but afterwards , as the earth grew more peopled , so these matches grew still more odious : like as it was also in the first plantation of the church ; the holy seed being confined to a narrow compasse , were forced , unlesse they would joyne with infidels , to match sometimes over-near to themselves ; as even abraham himself , the father of the faithfull , marrried his brothers daughter : but when the bounds of men and beleevers came to be enlarged , the greater elbow-room opened a wider liberty of choice ; and now gods select people found it meet to observe a due distance in the elections of their wives ; so regarding the entirenesse of their tribes , as that they fell not within the lines of prohibition ; wherein no mention being made of brothers and sisters children , in all ages and nations , some have thought fit to make use of their freedome in this kind . what need i to urge the case of zelophehads five daughters , num. . . who by gods own approbation , were married to their fathers brothers sonnes ; to mince the matter , and to make these sonnes , nephewes , according to the hebrew phrase ( as doctor willet indevours to doe ) is without either need , or warrant ; since these scruples were not since that time stood upon by the jewish people : yea this practise was no lesse current among the civiller heathens of old ; i could tell you of * cluentia ( by ciceroes relation ) married to her cousen marc. aurins ; of marcus antonius the wise and vertuous philosopher , marrying his cousen faustina ; and a world of others ; were not this labour saved me by the learned lawyer hotoman , who tells us how universall this liberty was of old , as being enacted by the lawes of the roman empire ; and descending to the lawes of † justitian ; confidently affirmes that for five hundred yeares , all christian people ( magno consensu ) allowed and followed these imperiall constitutions concerning matrimony : although i might here put him in minde of theodosius enacting the contrary in his time ; as it is like , by s. * ambroses instigation ; who then sharply inveighed against these matches in a vehement epistle to paternus , being then in hand with a marriage betwixt his sonne and his sisters daughter ; but excepting that good emperour , the coast was cleare perhaps , for the cesarean constitutions ; not so for the judgement of divines ; amongst whom , it were enough that s. ambrose , and s. augustine ( the flower of the latine fathers ) if no other , doe bitterly oppose it : this judgement being found not probable onely , but exceeding profitable to the roman see , it is no wonder if it obtained both credit and vigour from thence . decrees and decretalls make this inhibition good , not without damning the contrary practise ; and now the civill and canon lawes clashing with one another , how can it be but the prevalence must be according to the power of the abettor ? what liberty the court of rome hath taken to it selfe in the restraint of marriages , and upon what ground ; all christendome both sees , and feeles : one while their prohibition reaches to the seventh degree in naturall kindred ; then to the fourth : one while the impediment of spirituall cognation , is stretched so far , without any colour of divine authority , as that ( what by * baptisme , what by confirmation ) twenty severall persons are excluded from the capacity of inter-marriage ; another while the market is falne to fourteene : and wherefore this ? but for the sweet and scarce valuable gaine of dispensations , upon these occasions flowing into the lateran treasure ? for which considerations we have learned not to attribute too much to the judgement or practise of the roman courtiers in this point . upon the summing up then of this discourse , will you be pleased to see the vast latitude of different opinions concerning these marriages ? the canon law decryes them with such rigour , as to ordaine them ( though after a conjugall conversation ) separated ; some moderate divines ( as doctor willet ) finding this sentence too hard , goe not so far ; but hold this nearenesse of blood a sufficient barre to hinder a marriage contracted , though not consummate : some others ( as m. perkins in my conference with him ) hold it , though not unlawfull , yet inconvenient : some others , ( as learned and acute m. wootton , and m. attersoll , who hath written a very large discourse in way of vindication of them ) hold them both lawfull , and not inexpedient ; * hotoman yet higher , pium & christianum esse , quod duarum sororum liberi matrimonio copulentur ; that such a marriage is pious and christian : in all this variety if you desire my opinion , i shall neither censure such marriages where they are made ; nor yet incourage them to be made , where they are not : to those that are free i should be apt to suggest counsailes of forbearance ; the world is wide , the choice abundant ; let it be never so lawfull , yet how unwise and unsafe were it to put the conscience upon the nicety of a dangerous scruple , when it may keep aloof off , with a cleare freedome , and resolute contentment ? that these marriages are disallowed by so great authority , should be reason enough to divert the free thoughts to a safer election : and againe , that these marriages are allowed both by civill lawes , and by the judgement of eminent divines ; and not any where forbidden either ( jure caesareo or apostolico ) by gods law or caesars ; should be reason enough to beare up the hearts of those who are so matched , from a scrupulous dejection . let the persons therefore so married enjoy themselves with mutuall complacencie and comfort , not disquieting themselves with needlesse anxieties ; let those single persons who have the world before them looke further off ; and fasten their affections at a more unquestionable distance : as it was wont to be worthy m. perkins his expression to this purpose ; let those who must walk close to the brim of a steep precipice , look well to their feet , and tread sure , and so they may come off perhaps as fafely as those that are further off ; but if a man be to choose his way , let him so cast it , as that he may not approach neare to the brink of danger . case vi. whether is it necessary or requisite there should be a witnessed contract , or espousals of the parties to be married , before the solemnization of the marriage . it is necessary we should distinguish betwixt those things which are essentiall to the very being of marriage , and those which are requisite to the orderly , and well-being of it : it may not be denyed that the marriage is true and valid , which with full consent of parties is made without the intervention of a previous contract in a due and lawfull forme prescribed by the church : but it is no lesse true that such a marriage is very unmeet , and liable to just exceptions : that god * , who is the author and institutor of marriage made a difference in his law , betwixt a bethrothing , and a matrimony ; he that ordained the one , ordained the other also ; and ordained the one in order to the other : and this was constantly observed in the practise of gods ancient people accordingly : so we find the * blessed virgin espoused to joseph before his taking her to wife ; neither did the christian church think fit to vary from so holy a pattern ; whereto s. paul alludes , when writing to , and of the church of corinth , ( which he had happily planted , and forwarded in grace ) he saith , i have espoused you to one husband , that i may present you as a chaste virgin to christ . loe he hath betrothed them to christ in that he had entred them into a covenant of grace , and prepared their soules for a full consummation of their blessed union with christ in glory ; intimating ( as matrimony is a lively resemblance of our spirituall conjunction with the lord of glory ) that our bodily espousalls here below , are they which must make way for a complete marriage ensuing : it were not difficult , if it were needfull , to deduce this holy practise downe from the primitive times to the present : before the nicene councell we finde the synod of * ancyra enjoyning a severe penance to the man that should defile his body by an incestuous copulation , after espousalls contracted : and the councell of eliveris or granado , about the time of the nicene covention , takes such notice of these betrothings , as that it decreed † , that if any parents should break the faith mutually engaged in these espousalls , they should be held off during the space of three yeeres from the communion . what should i trouble you with the decree of * syricius concerning these contracts ; or with the pregnant testimonies of s. chrysostom and ambrose to this purpose ; which were but to waste time and paper upon so clear a truth ? as there was no christian church which did not carefully observe this sacred rite : so above all other the roman hath been at least curious enough in calling for a strict and severe account of their espousalls : what voluminous discourses , what a world of nice questions have fallen from the pens of their canonists , and casuists concerning this subject ? certainly this is a point of so much use and agitation amongst them , that were it not for the quarrels arising here-from , it is to be feared their consistories would want work , and their advocates imployment : but to speak ingenuously , those of the roman clientele are not more carefull and punctuall in scanning , and observing the rules and practise of their espousalls , then ours here , are incurious of both : how many have we heard to say , they will make no promise of themselves till they come to the church-dore ? and of those that do contract themselves , how weakly and insufficiently is it performed on many hands ? so as their act , if questioned , is no way obliging ; nor such as upon the least discontent , will indure a contestation . now whereas there is a double contract , or espousall , the one of the future ; the other of the present : that of the present , if it be expressed in full termes , differs nothing from marriage it selfe , save onely in the publique solemnization ; which doubtlesse is a ceremony so requisite , as that without it an horrible confusion must needs follow both in church and state. that of the future , is a mutuall engagement of both parties that they will marry each other ; which is most properly an espousall-contract ; giving both assurance to each other of a mutuall consent to a matrimony that shall be ; and yet withall some meet respiration of a more full triall , and inquiry into each other condition : for which purpose the wisdome of the church hath ordained that there should be a solemn publication of that more private contract three severall sabbaths , to the whole congregation ; not without the earnest charge of a discovery of whatsoever impediment might justly hinder the intended matrimony . the frequent , but unfit , use of these espousall contracts in the roman church , betwixt their children in minority ( allowing * seven yeares in either party for a meet age to this purpose ) must needs breed both much question , and incovenience ; but in those which are of a mature age , and therefore able to judge of what may be most expedient for themselves , this institution cannot be but singularly usefull and beneficiall : for neither is it meet that so great a worke , and so highly importing us as matrimony , should be rashly and suddainly undertaken ; neither doth it a little conduce to our safety , that since marriage once passed , is irreversible , we may have some breathing-time betwixt our promise and accomplishment to informe our selves throughly before it be too late , what we must trust to for ever . for we may take notice , that though marriage is indissoluble , yet these espousalls , or contracts of a future marriage , are not so : many things may intervene betwixt this engagement by promise ; and that full and complete , solemnization , which may breake off the match . the casuists determine of seventeen severall cases , at the least , which may sort to this effect ; some whereof have a proper relation to the romish religion ; others are common to what ever contracts of this kind ; i shall not grudge you the mention of them all . an espousall-contract therefore may ( according to their judgement ) be broken off . by the willing remission of both parts , although it had been seconded by an oath : by the entrance of the one party into some order of religion : by a contract with some other in words of the present : by the travaile of one of the parties into remote countries , and not returning upon a lawfull summons at a time prefixed by the judge : by an affinity supervening upon the sinfull copulation of one of the parties with the neare kinswoman of the other : by the absolution of the judge upon suit of one of the parties repenting and pleading minority : by lapse of the time set for the accomplishment of the marriage by the disease of one of the parties being fallen into palsie , leprosie , the neapolitan sicknesse , or any other contagious distemper , or notable deformity : by the fornication of one of the parties committed since the contract : by a vow of chastity preceding the contract : by some capitall enmity intervening betwixt the families and persons of the contracted by the omission of performing the promised conditions ; as when the dowry agreed upon , is retracted , or held off : by the fame of a canonicall impediment ; by susception of orders after contract ; by the supervention of a legall kindred , inexpected ; by the harshnesse and asperity of disposition in either party : and ( which may comprise many other particularities ) by the falling out and discovery of any such accident , or event , as if it had beene sooner knowne would have prevented the making of such a contract ; all these , say they , may barre a marriage after espousalls : but yet so , as that the parties may not be their own arbiters , to break off their contracts at pleasure , but must have recourse to the judge ecclesiasticall ; and submit themselves to the over-ruling sentence of the church . if you balk those which are proper to the romish superstition , yet you shall finde many just and allowable causes which may ( after a contract of espousall ) interrupt a purposed matrimony : so as , if there were neither rule , nor example of any such preceding engagement , yet surely , it were very fit for our owne security , and our confident and comfortable entrance into that estate which we shall never put off , to observe carefully this previous betrothing of our selves , ere we knit the knot that can never be loosed . case vii . whether there ought to be a prohibition and forbearance of marriages , and marriage duties for some appointed times . it is one thing what is lawfull , another thing what is fit and expedient ; as s. paul hath taught us to distinguish : marriage being of gods owne institution , and that in the perfection of paradise , there can be no time wherein it may be unlawfull to celebrate it ; yet there may be times wherein it is unfit : there is the like reason of times and places ; both of them are circumstances alike ; the debt of the marriage-bed not onely may , but must be paid by them whom god hath called to that estate ; yet there are places , wherein it were barbarous and piacular to defray it : even , besides those places which are destin'd to an holy use , the jewes of old held this act done in the field or under a tree , worthy of scourging : * doubtlesse , there are times so wholly consecrated to devotion , as that therein it would be utterly unseasonable to let our thoughts loose to the most lawfull pleasures : hence is that charge of the apostle , defraud not one the other , except it be with consent for the time , that ye may give your selves to fasting & prayer : cor. . . so then as solomon himselfe can say , there is a time to embrace , and a time to refraine from embraceing : ecclus. . . but what the limitation of this time may be , no small question hath been raised in the church of god : neither doe there want extremities on both sides : the church of rome hath heretofore been excessively large in her prohibitions ; forbidding the solemnization of marriage upon pretence of the holinesse of the great feasts to be observed ; for the whole third part of the yeare ; neither doth the account fall lesse , if we reckon from the advent to the epiphany ; from septuagesima sunday to the octaves of easter ; and from three dayes before the ascension to the octaves of pentecost ; all which had wont to be strictly kept ; besides the feast of s. john baptist added by some ; and the foure ember weekes by others ; but now of late upon second thoughts , their councell of * trent have found it meet to shorten the restraint , and somewhat to enlarge the liberty of the seasons for marriage , having exempted the two onely solemne feasts of easter and the nativity ; and abridged some previous weekes of the former : and for us how observant our consistories had wont to be of those inhibitions for their own gain , every almanack can witnesse . some worthy divines in our church did not stick to professe their great dislike of our conforming herein to the church of rome , to the scandall of the reformed : concerning both which , i must say : that if either we , or they doe put any holinesse in the time exempted , or any unholinesse in the act inhibited , we cannot be excused from superstition ; can any time be more holy then gods owne day ? yet on that day we doe commonly both publish marriages , and celebrate them . but if , as in some solemne fasts , indicted by the church for some publique humiliation , we both doe , and injoyne to abstaine from all conjugall society ; so in a desire the more devoutly to celebrate the memory of gods infinite mercy to mankind in sending a saviour into the world for our redemption ; and of the glorious resurrection of that son of god for our justification , we shall take off our selves from all worldly cares or delights , i see not why it should not be both lawfull , and commendable . but , to say as it is , as the romanists are guilty of too much scruple in this kind , so too many of our own are no lesse faulty in a carelesse dis-regard of the holiest occasions of restraint ; which i would to god it did not too palpably appear in the scandalous carnality of many ( otherwise inoffensive ) professors . it is a common practice ( which i have long wisht an opportunity to censure ) that husbands and wives forget one another too soone : scarce are their consorts fully cold , ere they are laying for a second match ; and too few moneths are enow for the consummation of it . let me be bold to say , this hast hath in it too much not immodesty onely , but inhumanity : if we look abroad into the world , we shall finde not among gods peculiar people onely , but even amongst the very heathens , a meet ( and not niggardly ) intermission betwixt the decease of the one husband , or wife , and the marriage of another : a whole year was found little enough for the wife to mourne for her husband departed : and so is still amongst the very chineses , though atheous pagans * ; and by the civill lawes , a woman marrying within a yeare after her husbands death is counted infamous . it was no short time that * abraham ( though now very old ) breathed upon the death of sara , ( the first of wives mentioned as mourned for ) before he tooke keturah ; and yet the hebrew † doctors observe that there is a short letter in the midst of that word which signifies his mourning ; to imply ( say they ) that his mourning was but moderate : i am sure his sonne isaac ( gen. . . ) was not comforted concerning the death of that his good mother , till three years after her decease : at which time he brought his rebecca into that tent which even still retained the name of sarahs : whereas with us , after the profession of the greatest dearenesse , the old posie of the deaths-ring tells what we may trust to ; dead and forgotten : who can but blush to read that some heathens were faine to make lawes that the wife might not be allowed to continue her solemne mourning for her husband above ten moneths ; and to see that our women had need of a law to inforce them so to mourne for the space of one ? in other reformed churches there is a determinate time of moneths set , untill the expiration whereof widowes , ( especially the younger ) are not suffered to marry ; it were more then requisite that these loose times were , here with us , curbed with so seasonable a constitution ; but it were yet more happy , if a due regard of publique honesty and christian modesty could set bounds to our inordinate desires ; and so moderate our affections , that the world may see we are led by a better guide then appetite . case viii . whether it be necessary that marriages should be celebrated by a minister ; and whether they may be valid , and lawfull without him . it is no marvell if the church of rome ( which holds matrimony a sacrament , conferring grace by the very worke wrought ) require an absolute necessity of the priests hand in so holy an act ; but for us , who ( though reverently esteeming that sacred institution , yet ) set it in a key lower , it admits of too much question whether we need to stand upon the terms of a ministers agency in the performance of that solemne action : there are those in these wild times that have held it sufficiently lawfull for the parties having agreed upon the bargaine before friends and witnesses , to betake themselves to bed : others have thought this act of conjoining the married persons in wedlock a fitter act for the magistrate to undertake . and certainly if there were nothing in marriage but meere nature , it could not be amisse that men and women should upon their mutuall agreement couple themselves together after the manner of brute creatures ; and if there were nothing in marriage but meere civility , the magistrate might be meet to be imployed in this service : but now that we christians know matrimony to be an holy institution of god himselfe ; which he not onely ordained , but actually celebrated betwixt the first innocent paire ; and which being for the propagation of an holy seed , requires a speciall benediction ; how can we in reason thinke any man meet for this office , but the man of god , set over us in the lord ; to derive the blessings of heaven upon our heads ? from hence therefore have our wholsome lawes taken a just hint to appropriate this service to a lawfull minister onely : so as what ever private contract may be transacted in corners betwixt the parties affected to each other , yet the marriage-knot cannot be publiquely knit by any other hand , then gods ministers . and herein certainly we have just cause to blesse the wisdome both of the church and state , which hath so regulated these matrimoniall affaires ; as that they are not onely orderly but safely managed : for doubtlesse were not this provision carefully made , the world would be quite over-run with beastlinesse , and horrible confusion : and in this point we may well give the church of rome her due , and acknowledge the wise care of her lateran and tridentine councells , which have enacted so strict decrees against clandestine marriages , and have taken so severe a course for the reforming of many foul disorders in these matrimoniall proceedings ; as may be of good use for the christian world : had they done the like in other cases , their light had not gone out in a snuffe : as therefore it is generally both decreed and observed ( not without excellent reason ) in all christian churches , that marriages should be solemnized in the publique congregation of gods people ; so it cannot but be requisite that it should be done by him , who is ordained to be the mouth of the congregation to god ; and the mouth of god to the congregation ; and , as under the law , the preist was the man , who must conveigh blessings from god to his people ; so under the gospell who can be so apt for this divine office , as he that serves at the evangelicall altar ? and if all our marriages must be ( according to the apostles charge ) made in the lord , who is so meet to pronounce gods ratification of our marriages , as he who is the profest herald of the almighty ? as it is therefore requisite ( even according to the roman constitutions ) that he who is betrusted with the cure of our soules , should besides other witnesses be both present and active in , and at our domestique contracts of matrimony : so by the lawes both of our church and kingdome , it is necessary he should have his hand in the publique celebration of them . there may then be firme contracts , there cannot be lawfull marriages without gods ministers . case ix . wheeher there be any necessity or use of thrice publishing the contract of marriage in the congregation , before the celebration of it ; and whether it be fit that any dispensation should be granted for the forbearance of it . there were amongst the jewes certaine ceremoniall observations ( besides the precepts ) which they called the hedge of the law ; and such there cannot want amongst christians ; whose prudence must direct them both to the ordaining , and keeping of some such expedient rules , as may best preserve gods lawes from violation : of that kinde is this which we now have in hand ; this publique and reiterated denunciation of * bannes before matrimony , is an institution required and kept both by all the churches of the roman-correspondence , and by all the reformed ; amongst which , as ours , is most eminent , so it hath still expressed the most zeal and care of the due observing of so wholsome a rite : six severall * canons were made in our provinciall synod under the authority of king james of blessed memory , in the year . to this purpose ; with as strict charges , restrictions , and cautions , as the wit of man could in this case devise ; and the late directory hath found cause to second so usefull and laudable a constitution ; for the convenience , if not necessity , whereof , we need no other argument then the grievous mischiefes that have followed upon the neglect of this ordinance ; that one were enough , which is instanced by the tridentine * synod it self ; that some leud persons having secretly married themselves to one , take liberty to leave that match , and publiquely joyne themselves to another , with whom they live wickedly in a perpetuall adultery ; the frequent practice whereof in those hotter climates we may easily beleeve ; when we see that in our owne more temperate region , the fear of hanging cannot hold some off from so foul a sinne . let me adde hereunto the late experiments of some odiously incestuous marriages , which ( even by the relation of our diurnalists ) have by this meanes found a damnable passage , to the great dishonour of god , and shame of this church ; and hereupon the sad issues of stolne marriages , wherein parents have been most feloniously robbed of their children , are too feelingly known , and irrecoverably lamented : but as for unfitnesse and inequality of matches , both for age , and condition , ( to the too late repentance and utter undoing of both parties ) they are so ordinary , that they are every dayes occurrences : and all these evills have sensibly growne from the want of these publique denuntiations of bannes ; partly upon the unhappy throwing open of the fence of discipline , and partly upon the surreption of secretly-mis-gotten dispensations ; and though that forementioned synod of ours seconded by royall authority * , tooke the most probable course that could be conceived ( the liberty of those faculties being continued ) for the preventing of these abuses ; as the restraint of the grant of them by any other , save those who have episcopall authority ; and security to be given upon good bonds that the coast is cleare from all pre-contracts , suits of law , and prohibited degrees ; that the full consent of parents or guardians is had ; that the marriage shall be celebrated in the parish church where one of the parties dwelleth ; and lastly the oathes required of two sufficient witnesses ( one whereof knowne to the judge ) that the expresse consent of parents or guardians goes along with the match intended ; and that there is no impediment from any pre-contract , kindred , or alliance : yet notwithstanding all this prudent caution we have by wofull experience found our offices cheated , faculties corruptly procured , and matches illegally struck up contrary to the pretended conditions : whereas all this mischiefe might have been avoided , if as no marriage may be allowed but publique ; so those publique marriages might not be celebrated but after thrice publication of the contract in both the parish churches where the persons contracted are knowne to inhabite : for so both the parents of either side cannot but be acquainted with the ingagements of their children ; and if there be any just hindrance , either by precontract , or by proximity of blood , or affinity , it cannot be concealed ; that so the snare of either an unlawfull or prejudiciall matrimony may be seasonably eschewed : to this good purpose therefore it is no lesse then necessary ( as i humbly conceive ) to be both enacted and observed , that no marriage should be allowed of any person whatsoever ( except perhaps the peers of the realme , who are supposed to be famously known through the kingdome ) without a solemne publication of their contracts at three severall meetings to the congregation assembled ; and that there may no dispensation at all be granted to the contrary upon any whatsoever conditions : and if some pretend bashfulnesse , others feare of malicious prevention ( as the tridentine doctors suggest ) yet it is fit that both should vaile to the inevitable danger of those mischievous inconveniences , which follow upon these clandestine matches , and silent dispensations . case x. whether marriages once made may be annulled , and utterly voided ; and in what cases this may be done . in what onely case a divorce may be made after a lawfull marriage , you have seen before ; now you inquire of the annulling or voiding of marriages made unlawfully : which doubtlesse may be done by just authority upon divers well-grounded occasions : for as it is an indispensable charge , those whom god hath joined together let no man put asunder ; so it no lesse truly holds on the contrary ; those whom god hath forbidden to be joined , let no man keep together . our casuists are wont to be very copious in this subject , distinguishing betwixt those impediments which may hinder a marriage from being made ; and those which may undoe and void the marriage once made . they insist upon many particularities of both kindes ; and some perhaps too many : i shall instance onely in those of the latter sort which are unquestionable ; whereof the first shall be a mis-prison of the match ; when one party is mistaken for another ; as when he who by a full contract consented to marry with anne , is by a fraudulent substitution put upon a marriage with mary ; whether upon the likenesse of the woman , or the want of a discerning sense in the man ; or by some cunning conveyance of the perfidious contrivers ; for certainly , it is the consent that makes the marriage ; and if the hearts be not joined together by mutuall agreement and affection , the coupling of the hands is but a ceremony utterly ineffectuall : i doubt not but it was in jacobs power to have dis-avowed the match with leah , whom his father in law had deceitfully obtruded upon him , being more injurious in changing his wise , then in ten-times changing his wages ; since his heart was not accessary to that match , which the darknesse of the night , and the suttlety of a laban had drawne him into . the like case is in the marrying a bond-woman in stead of a free ; a base plebeian in stead of a person of honour : as then we use to say that mis-reckoning is no payment , so we may well affirme that a mis-marriage is no true wedlock ; and therefore justly to be branded with a nullity . a second may be the foedity and unnaturalnesse of the match ; when the parties incestuously marry within the first collaterall degree , of brothers and sisters ; the very mention whereof , even nature it selfe , not depraved , abhorres : so as i cannot but wonder that the roman schoole should be so much divided in this point , whiles * bonaventure , richardus , and durand hold such a marriage even by divine law , a nullity ; contrarily aquinas , cajetan , thomas de argentina and others ( whom covarruvias recites ) defend this to be onely an impediment by the canon law , and therefore that it may be in the popes power to dispense with so foule a matrimony ; against whom upon better reason , * scotus , and dominicus à soto prove such marriages by the law of nature to be utterly void and null ; with whom all ingenuous christians cannot but willingly concurre in their judgements . a third may be the horriblenesse of a crime committed in the way to a wicked match ; and that of two sorts : the one of murther , the other of adultery : the former , when the wife hath conspired with the adulterer to murder her husband , with an intent to marry the murtherer ; or in the like case the husband to murther the wife . the latter when a man living in a knowne adultery with another mans wife , contracts matrimony with the adulteresse in the life time of her husband . a fourth is the indissoluble knot of marriage with a former still surviving husband or wife ; the force whereof is such , as that it frustrates and voideth any supervening matrimony , ( except in the case specified in the foregoing discourse of divorce ) during the naturall life of the consorts . many unhappy , and perplexed cases have we met withall in this kinde ; neither doth it seldome fall out , that the husband being confidently reported for dead in the warres , or in travell abroad ; the wife after some yeares stay , and diligent inquisition , finding the rumour strongly verified by credible testimonies , and tendered oathes , begins to listen to some earnest suitor ; and bestowes her selfe in a second marriage ; not long after which , her onely true , revived husband returnes , and challengeth his right in that his lawfull wife ; pretending the mis-carriage of letters and messages sent by him in that forced absence . in this case what is to be done ? the woman hath cast her selfe upon the danger of a capitall law , except she have expected the time limited by statute ; or if she escape one of the husbands is to seeke for a wife , whom both may not enjoy : doubtlesse the second marriage , is by ecclesiasticall authority to be pronounced , as it is , null ; which indeed never had any true right to be : and the first must be content to swallow its owne inconveniences . a fifth may be a violent enforcement of the match : when a woman is upon feare of paine , or death compelled to yeeld her selfe in marriage , and is not perswaded , but affrighted into the bonds of wedlock : surely this is rather a rape then a matrimony , and therefore , upon utter want of consent , a nullity . a sixt may be a preceding , irremediable impotency , or incapacity of marriage duties ; whether naturall , or advantageous ; whether by way of petpetuall maleficiation , or casualty : i say , preceding ; for if any such disability be subsequent to the marriage , the nullity is avoided ; but if the persons finde in themselves before hand such remedilesse incapability of a marriage estate , they shall be highly injurious to each other , and shall foulely abuse the ordinance of god in their entring into such a condition : for it is apparent , that the maine ends of marriage are herein utterly frustrate ; which were by gods appointment , the propagation of mankinde , and the remedy of incontinency ; neither of which being attaineable in such a defective estate of body , justly is such a match pronounced a nullity . but here i cannot but take occasion to commend the modesty of the women of our nation ; amongst whom , there are so rare examples of suits in this kinde , prosecuted in our ecclesiasticall consistories ; it is not to be doubted but there are many defects of this nature to be found every where , yet scarce one in an age offers to complaine , and call for redresse : so as it seemes they are willing to smother all secret deficiencies , in a bashfull silence ; whereas those of other warmer regions impatient of the wrongs of their conjugall disappointments , fly out into open contestations , and fearelesly seeke for those remedies , which the lawes provided in such cases will allow them . certainly the merit of this modest temper is so much the greater , by how much more it is concealed from the world ; and those of either sexe that are content to bite in their hidden grievances of this kinde , are worthy of double honour from those consorts , whose injurious infirmities they both have not disclosed , and suffer in suppressing . additionals . certaine cases of doubt , besides the formerly published , having been proposed to me , and received a private solution ; i have thought fit , upon the addresse of a second edition , to adjoyne them to their fellowes , for the satisfaction of any others , whom the same cases may concerne . case i. whether a marriage consummate betwixt the uncle and neece be so utterly unlawfull , as to merit a sentence of present separation . resolution . what prodigious matches have been of late made , and are still continued , upon advantage taken of the unsetlednesse of the times , i had rather silently lament , then openly proclaime to the world : such as are not capable of any apology , call for our blushing and teares ; but there are some others which dare stand upon the termes of defence : such is this which you have here propounded on the behalf of your friend , whom it seemes a mis-learned advocate would faine bear up in a course altogether unjustifiable ; that cause must needs be desperately ill , that can find no mercenary abettors : his offensive marriage with his necce is hartned by a sophisticall pleader ; whose wit and skil is so ill bestowed in this case , that i wish his fee might be perpetuall silence : but when he hath made use of his best art to so bad a purpose , those colours of defence , wherewith he thinks to daub over so foul a cause will prove but water-colours , which shall easily be wash'd off by this present confutation . it was lawfull , he saith , before the leviticall law , thus to match : so were worse marriages then this : let him tell me that cain , and enoch , and seth married their owne sisters ; as saturne also did , by the report of diodorus siculús ; necessity made it then not unlawfull : it is a just rule of * law , those things may not be drawne into precedent , which have been yeelded upon mere necessity ; as we use to say that necessity hath no law , so it can make none . afterwards , as mankinde grew , nature it selfe taught men to keep further aloofe from their owne flesh ; and still remotenesse of distance enlarged it selfe with time . abraham ( saith he ) married his neece sarah , gen. . . ( if at least sarah were iscah ) nahor his neece milcha , amram his aunt jochebed ; and these not without a large blessing upon the bed . let him tell me also , that jacob married two sisters , and conversed conjugally with both ( which were now shamefully incestuous ) yet was herein blessed with the issue of sixe of those patriarohs , who were the root of those glorious stemmes of israel . if we should speak most flavourably of these conjunctions , to ranke them under malum quia prohibitum , it must needs follow , that till the prohibition came , they could not be censured as evill : though good authors make it justly questionable , whether these fore-alledged marriages should deservedly be charged with a sin , or excused by gods extraordinary dispensation ; in the meane time the blessing was to the person , not to the act : even lots incestuous copulation with his daughters sped well ; two famous nations sprang thence , and of one of them , the gracious progenitrice of the saviour of the world ; yet this is no plea for the allowance of that monstrous conjunction . after the law , one justifiable example were worth a thousand before it . lo , good caleb ( saith he ) married his daughter achsah to his brother othoniel . joshua . . , . indeed , this case comes as home to the businesse as it is farre off from the text . see whether mes-prison of scripture may mislead us : a man that understands nothing but the english , or vulgar latin , may easily run into so foul an error ; weigh but the place well , and you will soone finde the fault without me ; othniel the son of kenaz , calebs brother , tooke kerath-sepher , and caleb gave him achsah his daughter to wife ; the english wanting cases expresses it doubtfully , it will be cleare in the latin ; as montanus , and pagnine , two great masters of the hebrew in their interlinear , read it , othniel filius kenaz , fratris calebi ; othniel the sonne of kenaz , which kenaz was caleb's brother , both the hebrew and chaldee cleare that sense : so the septuagint , as emanuel sa also urges upon that place , judg. . . expressly say that kenaz was the brother of caleb , and not othoniel ; wherein yet i cannot much blame an unballanced judgement , whiles i find the septuagint contrary to themselves : for in josh . . . they say , othniel was caleb's younger brother ; in judg. . . they say , kenaz the father of othniel was so ; for which there is no excuse , but the large sense of a brother in the hebrew , we are brethren , saith abraham to lot , yet he was lot's uncle : so was kenaz a progenitor to othniel , for caleb is styled the sonne of jephunneh the kenezite , josh , . . & numb . . . the case was onely this , kenaz was the ancestor of caleb ; and one of the same name was his brother , the father of othniel : what can be more plain then chron. . . and the sons of kenaz , othniel and seraiah ; so as if we take this most strictly to the letter , it implies nothing but the marriage of two cozens german , othniel the sonne of kenaz , and achsah the daughter of galeb , brothers children , as bucer upon the place , melanehton in his tract de conjugio , junius ; and indeed , who otherwise ? and now by this time you see what a poore ground this is to build upon ; rather , you see a castle , not built on the sand , but in the ayre ; meer mis-conceit . but , saith the advocate , this marriage is no where directly forbidden in the law ; i must tell him it is but a meer shuffle to stand upon the termes of a direct prohibition , when there is one no lesse forceable , and convictive : two wayes may ought be effectually forbidden in the law ; either in plain expression of termes , or in clear implication of sense ; surely , that is rather more in the law which it means irrefragably , than what it verbally expresseth : now , however this be not in the letter of the law , yet in the sense it is : the same law that forbids the nephew to marry the aunt , doth eadem opera , forbid the uncle to marry the neece ; in regard as of nearnesse , yea identity of blood , the case is the same ; however , some inequality may be conceived in respect of government , and subjection : and if upon some oeconomicall termes , it be more unfit for a nephew to marry his aunt , than for an uncle to marry his neece , yet in regard of blood , and that bodily conjunction , which god principally aymes at in this prohibition , what difference can possibly be conceived ? nature hath made no other distance betwixt the nephew , & the aunt , than betwixt the neece and uncle : or if there be any , they must be sharper eyes than mine that can discerne it : god himselfe ( methinks ) hath put this out of doubt ; the reason wherewith he backs his cōmand is irresistible ; the nephew shall not marry the fathers sister ; why so ? for she is thy fathers neare kinswoman , ver . . lo , it is the nearnesse of blood that makes this match unlawfull , not respect of civill inequality ; where the blood then is equally neare , the marriage must be equally unlawfull . that rule of law which is pretended , in prohibitoriis , quicquid non prohibetur , permittitur ; what is not forbidden , is permitted , had need of a faire construction ; indeed , that which is not forbidden either in words , or in necessary analogie and implication of sense , is supposed to be left at large ; but what place hath this axiome in a case not lesse really forbidden , than the expressed ? and if wee should strictly follow the letter of this maxime , it would lead us into sodome ; since there are mariages not specified , which would be monstrously incestuous , and such as honesty would blush to mention , as shall appeare in the sequele . neither is there any more force in that other , in poenalibus non fit extensio , that penall lawes should not be stretcht further , then their words import . certainly , in some sense i know no law that is not penall ; but why this law , thou shalt not marry thy aunt or neece should be rather penall , than , thou shalt not commit adultery , i know not ; i am sure learned zanchius accounts these of the . of leviticus , equally morall : and bucanus holds them to be against the law of nature . and if in humane laws this axiome may challenge a place , yet in the royall lawes of our maker , where , under one sin mentioned , all the species and appendances , and the whole claime of that wickednesse is wont to be comprised , doubtlesse it is utterly unsufferable ; neither is here any extension of this prohibition beyond those limits which god hath fixed in the undoubted sense of his law ; in the seventh cōmandement , nothing is expressed but adultery , shall wee therefore say neither fornication , nor pollution , nor sodomie is there forbidden ? were not this to destroy that law , which god makes to be spirituall ; and to open the flood-gates to a torrent of licentiousnesse ? surely , it is easie to observe that gods spirit no lesse meanes that which he pleaseth to suppresse . the psalmist sayes , promotion comes neither from the east , nor from the west , nor from the south , psal . . . shall we therefore say , it is from the north ? is not that coast equally excluded , though not expressed ? it is too much boldness to hold god too strictly to syllables , when it is easie to determine what he meant to imply : these rules then are uselesse : let me see now if the advocate can as easily shake off one or two rules of law , which i shall returne upon him in lieu of his . is committit in legem , &c. he wrongs the law who keeping close to the letter , strives against the intent and purpose of the law ; and that other not unlike , in fraudem legis facit qui salvis verbis legis sententiam ejus circumvenit , if this be not the case in hand , i shall professe to know nothing . from rules , let us look to authorities , it is directly maintained ( he saith ) by the canonists , and scholemen ; but what is it , that is so maintained ? not this match ( let no man thinke so ) but that proposition , viz. that this match is no where directly forbidden in gods law ; if we take it of express termes , no wise man ever denied it ; not canonists , and scholemen onely , or those few named authours , but all reasonable men concurre in this truth ; what needs a citation of some , where all agree ? but if we take it of the necessary & cleare sense of the law by just analogie and infallible implication , now , none of the forecited , or any other orthodox authours will deny the certaine and indubitable prohibition of this marriage . how well the rest will speed , judge by their fore-man , tho : aquinas ; who expressly determines it a false position , that those are joyned together by god , who match within the fourth degree ; whereas this is in the third ; not to say how stifly peter lombard urges the unlawfulnesse of marriages to the very seventh degree , vel quousque parentela possit agnosci , even as farre as the kinred may be discern'd , following herein pope gregory and nicholas : to shut up short , none of all his cited authors dare be any other then professed enemies to this match ; no lesse , then the most zealous commissioner of that nowabolished court , whose late sentence is upon record enough to this purpose . as for lyra , who is trayled in here , and cited strongly in othoniels case , what shall i say ? it grieves my soule to see any well-minded christian so abused by mis-information : this author hath thus , turpitudinom sororis , &c. thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy fathers sister , or thy mothers sister , ( & eodum modo ) and in the same manner is forbidden the marriage betwixt the brother , and the daughter of the aunt , for it is the same degree : so lyra : nothing can be more peremptory against this case , in favour of which he is alledged . this would be the issue of all the rest , if it were worth the while to examine them , in that , which yeelded , nothing advanceth the cause of the producer . they are all as professed enemies to this match as my selfe ; onely they deny an expresse mention of this cause , which was never either thought needfull , or intended to be pleaded . for the protestant divines which are cited to give testimony to the non-prohibition of this marriage , i must cry shame upon those false hands , which have so palpably abused both your friend , and the authors ; let me give but a taste of some , melancthon , zanchius , bucanus ; who are said to allow the match , by admitting onely the degrees mentioned to be prohibited ; no place is instanced , versatur in generalibus ; you know the word , but let your eyes be judges of their opinion ; melancthon , mentioning the marriage of abraham and sarah in the second degree : hoc gradu saith he ) in linea inaequali &c. in this degree , in an inequall line , marriages are forbidden by gods law , because god doth universally ordaine a greater reverence to be yeelded to a superiour degree , then to an equall ; it is the very case in hand , which melancthon thus sentenceth ; for zanchius ; he citing the text of levit. . . thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy mothers sister ; adds , ergo neque mater teram , &c. therefore no man , saith he , may marry his aunt ; and that charge , which he gives concerning the aunt , would god have to be understood also of the uncle , which is the fathers brother , or the mothers brother ; whiles he addes a reason of the prohibition , for she is the neare kinswoman of thy father , or mother ; thus zanchius in his booke de operibus dei. lib. . de sponsalibus ; who absolutely condemnes this marriage as incestuous , and indispensable . bucanus , moving the case of abrahams marriage with sarah , and amrams with jochebed &c. leaves it in doubt whether these men were ( as the times stood ) particularly dispensed with by god , or whether they sinned in thus marrying , even before the law , against the law of nature , by which he holds these matches utterly prohibited ; with what forhead then , could any schollar obtrude these false allegations upon an honest client , whether to draw his foot into a snare , or to keepe it there , under pretence of favouring what they professedly oppose . as for the moderne jewes , to whom he stretches out his hand for succour , it matters little what they now teach or doe ; they are not more without god , then without honesty , or credit ; their opinions are fabulous , their judgement frivolous , and their practice not worth our knowledge , or regard . i rather descend to the resolution of our owne church ; that our ever honored mother hath passed her condemnatorie sentence upon this marriage in her ratification of that orthodoxe and just table of forbidden degrees , set forth by authority under archb. parker , what doubt we now ? doe we acknowledge the oracular voice of our dear and holy mother the church of england , and yet question whether we should obey it ? certainly in a case of conscience , a dutifull sonne ( me thinks ) should rather hold fit to follow the sacred determination of the church , then the municipall acts of the civill state . it is an ill office of those that would set church , and state , canons and statutes , together by the eares even in these points wherein they are perfect friends . the statute of . of henry . c. . intending to marre the romish market of gainfull dispensations , and injurious prohibitions , professeth to allow all marriages that are not prohibited by gods law ; such is this in hand ; prohibited , though not in the letter , yet in necessary inference , and interpretation ; the canon , of . hath thus ; no person shall marry within the degrees prohibited by the lawes of god , and expressed in a table set forth by authority in the yeare . and all marriages so made and contracted shall be adjudged incestuous and unlawfull . what scruple can arise hence ? here is a perfect harmonie betwixt statute , and canon . it is a mere cavill ( no better ) to take and for or ; as if the meaning were , that all degrees whether prohibited by the law of god , or expressed in that table are forbidden ; this is a foule straine both to grammer , and to the sence and scope of the canon , which plainly intends to averre that all those degrees prohibited in that table are also forbidden by the lawes of god ; a truth so certaine , that if either selfe-love , or love of gaine did not betray the eye , it is a wonder how it should abide a contradiction . it is observable that neither statute , nor canon speake of an expresse prohibition in gods law ; and the canon purposely distinguisheth the termes prohibited by gods law , and expressed in the table , as justly supposing , there may be as strong a prohibition in a sense implyed , as verbally expressed : else , if our lawes ( as is pretended ) should give allowance ( which god forbid ) to any marriages not expresly interminis , forbidden ; we should have strange and uncouth mixtures . god by moses expresly forbad the uncovering the nakednesse of father and mother ; he expressed not the nakednesse of son , and daughter : he expresly names the nakednesse of the fathers wife , he expresseth not the nakednesse of the mothers husband ; he expresly names the nakednesse of thy sister ; he expresseth not the nakednesse of thy brother ; he expresseth the nakednesse of thy sons daughter , he expresseth not the nakednesse of thy daughters son : he expresseth the nakednesse of thy fathers wives daughter , he expresseth not the mothers husbands sonne ; he expresseth the fathers sister , not the mothers brother ; he expresses the daughter-in-law , not the son-in-law . so as by this rule , if it should be carried onely by meer verball expressions , a woman might marry her son-in-law ; the nephew might marry his great aunt , the neece her great unkle ; the daughter might marry her mothers husbands sonne ; the grand mother might marry her daughters son ; the daughter might marry with her mothers husband ; were these things to be allowed , the world would be all sodome : these things therefore are of necessity included in the law by a cleare analogie ; no lesse then if they had been expressed . but have there been ( as he saith ) precedents of this match ? i am sory to heare it ; surely , the more the worse ; and the more need to redresse it : the addition of this , if neglected , would help to strengthen an ill claime . cozens german , he saith , have been allowed to marry ; what is that to the present case ? the difference is as much as betwixt a nephew and an uncle ; the uncle hath too much of the parents both right , and blood , to challenge an equall claime with a cozen. in the shutting up , it pitties me to see your worthy friend driven to this plea ; and like a drowning man , to snatch at so small a twigge ; being done ( he saith ) it ought not to be undone . alas , the canon is peremptory ; it is incestuous and unlawfull ; what plea is there for continuance ? speak not therefore of either connivence or dispensation ; this match is onely capable of a late , but much wished repentance on the offenders part ; and a just diremption on the part of the judges . case ii. whether it be lawfull for a man to marry his wives brothers widow . amongst all the heads of case-divinity there is no one that yeildeth more seruples , then this of marriage , whether we regard the qualification of the persons , or the emergency of actions , and events . it is the lawfulnesse of this match that you inquire after , not the expedience , and i must shape my answer accordingly . it hath been the wisdome and care of our godly and prudent predecessours , to ordaine a table of all the prohibited degrees to be publiquely hang'd up in all the severall churches of this nation ; to which all commers might have recourse for satisfaction : this catalogue you have perused , and find no exception of the case specified ; i know no reason therefore why you may not conclude it not unlawfull . the question of the expedience would require another debate ; doubtlesse , in all cases of this nature , it must needs be yeilded that it were more meet , and safe ( since the world yeilds so large a latitude of choice ) to look further off ; a wise and good man will not willingly trespasse against the rules of just expedience : and will be as carefull to consider what is fit to be done , as what is lawfull ; but that comes not , at this time , within your inquiry . whiles therefore i give my opinion for the lawfulnesse of this marriage with the relict of the wives brother , i doe no whit clash ( as you suggest ) with the judgment of beza , and master perkins , who professe their dislike of such copulations : i shall as readily cry them downe for unmeet , and inconvenient , as those , that with too much boldnesse come over neare to the verge of a sinfull conjuction ; but for the not unlawfulnesse of this match , i did upon the first hearing , give my affirmative answer : and the more i consider of it , i am the more confirmed in that resolution . that universall rule mentioned by you , as layd down by those two worthy authors , must indure a limitation ; cujus non licet inire nuptias , ejus nec conjugis licet ; that there is the same degree and force of relation of a third person ( in the case of marriage ) to the husband , and to the wife ; so as proximity of blood in the one , should not be a greater barre , then the same proximity of alliance in the other ; otherwise , many more copulations will fall under censure , then common practice will condescend unto ; and that ground of , uxor pars quaedam viri , the wife is as a part of the husband , as it holds not in naturall relation , at all , so not in all conjugall ; as might be too easily instanced in divers particulars . and if there were not some difference in these relations , those second persons which are interessed in the husband , or wife , might not come neare to the next in affinity to them ; for example , my brother may not marry my sister , therefore by this rule , he might not marry my wives sister , and so it should be unlawfull for two brothers , to marry two sisters ; then which nothing is more ordinary , or lesse obnoxious to disallowance . that generall rule therefore , must be restrained necessarily , to the first rank of affinity ; if we descend lower , it holds not . for further explanation , our civilians and canonists are wont to make two kindes or degrees of affinity , the one primary , the other secondary ; in the first , is the affinity betwixt the husband , and the cozens of blood to his wife , or , è converso ; which indeed , is justly held no lesse for a barre of marriage , then his own naturall consanguinity ; for that is an affinity contracted upon interest of blood , by vertue of that entire union , betwixt man and wife , whereby they both become one flesh ; the secondary affinity is that , wherein there is another person added moreover to that first kinde , now mentioned ; the affinity arising onely from the interest of an affinity , formerly contracted , not from consanguinity ; and this is not so binding , as either to hinder a marriage to be contracted , or being contracted , to dissolve it . in this rank are the brothers wife , and sisters husband ; and therefore , upon the decease of the brother and sister , the husband of the sister deceased , and the wife of the deceased brother may marry together , as dr. nicholaus everhardus out of richardus de media villa , and panormitan , hath clearly determined * ; of this kind is the marriage now questioned , which therefore doth not fall within the compasse of the prohibition , secundum genus affinitatis , &c. the second kinde of affinity , which is by a person added unto the first kinde is no barre to matrimony ; and with this judgment i find no reason why i should not concurre ; but if any man thinke that he sees just ground to entertaine a contrary opinion , i prejudge him not , but modestly leave him to the freedome of his owne thoughts . case iii. whether an incestuous marriage contracted in simplicity of heart betwixt two persons ignorant of such a desilement , and so farre consummate as that children are borne in that wedlocke , ought to be made knowne and prosecuted to a dissolution . it is a question ( as it may be put ) full of doubt and intricacy , parallel whereunto , and eminent in this kinde , was that case , which i had long since , from the relation of m. perkins , and since that , have met with it in the report of two severall german authours . the case thus : a gentlewoman of great note in those parts , being left a widow , had her sonne trained up in her house ; who now having passed the age of his puberty , grew up , as in stature , so in wanton desires ; earnestly soliciting her chamber-maid to his lust ; she had the grace , not onely to repell his offers , but being wearied with his wicked importunity , to complaine to her mistresse , of his impetuous motions : the mother out of a purpose to represse this wild humour in her sonne , bids the maid , in a seeming yeildance to make appointment the night following with him , at which time she would change beds with the maid , and school the young man to purpose . this being accordingly done , the devil so farre prevailed with the mother , that in stead of chastising , she yeilded to the lust of her sonne , and by him conceived a daughter : and now finding her selfe to grow bigge , for the hiding of her shame , she retired secretly to a remote part of the countrey , where she unknowne left the burden of her wombe , and tooke order for all care & secrecy of education : after some yeares the mother thinks fit to call home her concealed issue , under the pretence of a kinswoman , and gives her such breeding in her house , as might become the child of a friend : the maid grew up to such comelinesse , both of person , and behaviour , that the sonne , now growne a man , fell into passionate love with her ; and in short , married her ; little thinking that he was now matched with his owne daughter , begotten by him of his own mother : they lived lovingly and comfortably together , and had divers children betwixt them . onely the mother , who was alone conscious of this monstrous copulation , began to finde an hell in her bosome ; and in a deep remorse , made the case , at last , knowne to some learned divines of that time , who bestowed many serious thoughts upon so uncouth a businesse ; and finally agreed upon this determination , that all circumstances throughly weighed ; the penitent mother should after a sould humiliation secretly make her peace with god , for so foule and prodigious a sin ; but that the knowledge of the horrible incestuousnesse of this match , should still , and ever be concealed from the yong couple , who thought of nothing , but a faire and honest legality in this their conjunction . the decision of this point comes somewhat home to yours ; to spend my opinion therefore in this case , i finde no reason , all things considered , to vary from their judgment . i say then , that the mothers sinne was not more haynous in yeilding to so abominable an act of incest with her son , then in smothering the seasonable notice of it for the preventing of a worse incest with her daughter ; for that first act of her incest was transient , but this incest which was occasioned by her silence was permanent , and derivable to her posterity : she ought therefore , though to her perpetuall shame , when she saw an inclination in her sonne to so foulelyunnaturall a match , to have forestalled it by a free confession , and to have made him sensible of so odious a procation : which not being done , it must needs be said , that , as the first act of the sonne was a voluntary fornication , but an involuntary incest ; so this incestuous copulation of the sonne with the daughter , was involuntary in them both ; and there cannot be an actuall sinne , wherein there is not a consent of the will. on the one side , it is shamefull to thinke that so grievous a sinne should passe without some exemplary censure , and that so foule blood should be propagated to succeeding ages , for want of the timely intervention of a vindicative authority ; but on the other side , it would be well considered what miserable inconveniences , yea mischeifes would follow upon so late a discoverie ; first all honest hearts are put into a just , but unprofitable horrour , to thinke that sueh a flagitious wickednesse could be committed ; then the mother who had rinced her soule , with a fountaine of teares , for so hatefull a mis-carriage , and reconciled her selfe to that god , who was the onely witnesse of her sin , should be so late exposed to the unseasonable shame of that world , which never was privie to her offence . as for the young couple thus prodigiously conjoyned , how could they choose , upon the too late notice of their so deplorable condition , but run mad for anguish of soule , and weare out the rest of their dayes in shame , and sorrow ; and for the children borne to them in so detestable a wedlock , whom they had formerly beheld with complacence , and comfort , as the sweet pledges of their conjugall love , how must they now needs looke upon them , as the living monuments of their ignominie ; and loath them as the most basely-begotten impes of a worse then bestiall copulation . and when riper age should bring that unhappy off-spring forth into the world , how should they be every where pointed at , and hooted after ; as some strange aberrations of nature ; all which are avoyded by this seorecy . but if on the other side you shall reply that this one evill is more , then equivalent to all these ; that in the meane time , these parties live in a continuall incest , and traduce it to following generations ; i must put you in minde , to distinguish , betwixt the state of incest , and the sin of incest ; it is true , they live in a state of incest , but , from the sin of incest they are excused by an ignorance , altogether invincible ; an ignorance both of the originall fact , and of their mutual relations ; for it is to be supposed , that had they had the least intimation of the naturall interest of father , and daughter , they would with much indignation have defied so foule a commixture , which even brute creatures ( if we may beleeve histories ) have by the instinct of nature abominated , and , upon after knowledge , revenged . and if any light of knowledge should have broken forth unto the parties , of that condition , wherein they stood , then to have continued under that state of incest , but an houre , had beene damnably sinfull ; now all those inevitable consequences of shame and horrour must have beene sleighted and forgotten , and must have shut up in a sodaine dissolution . but , as there are many degrees of incest ; and the sin is so much more , or lesse haynous , as the parties are nearer , or more remote ; i perceive the case intimated by you , concernes a lower ranke of incestuous copulation ; namely , an incest arising from a mans carnall knowledge of a person too neare in blood unto her , whom he afterwards marrieth ; the fact knowne onely by one , who now doubts whether he be not bound to reveale it : and why not sooner , when so faulty a match might have beene prevented ? why so late , when the remedy intended , would be as noxious as the disease ? why at all , when there is no necessity , or use of the revelation ? this question starts another more universall , how farre we may , or ought to make known the secret sin of another ? doubtlesse to prevent some enormious act , which may follow upon our silence ; or upon the urging of lawfull authority , when we are called to give evidence concerning a fact questioned ; or to antevert some great danger to the publique , to our selves , to our friend , we may , and must disclose our knowledge of a close wickednesse ; or if the act be so haynously flagitious , and redounding to so high dishonour of god , as that our conscience tels us we shall participate of this sinne in concealing it ; our holy zeale shall herein beare us out in a just accusation ; although in this case , heed must be taken , that our single crimination may be so carried and made good by circumstances , that it draw us not into the perill of a sclander ; but , without these , i cannot see , that the revealing of a secret sinne , can be construed any otherwise , than an act of detraction ; than which , nothing can be more odious and prejudiciall to humane society : we have learn'd from aquinas that there are eight wayes of this hatefull practice ; whereof foure are direct ; the raysing of a false crime , the amplifying of a true crime ; the disclosing of a crime secret , and the sinister construction of anothers fact . to these , i must adde , that even where the act is such as challengeth a revelation , the time may be unseasonable , and past the date ; you know that the notice of treason , if too long smothered , draws the concealer into danger : and in this case , though there be no perill in the silence , yet there may be injurie : shortly , this sin , if ever , should have been so early made known to the party concerned , as might have prevented the making up of a match secretly sinfull ; and have convinced the agent of a foule illegality , whereof he was ignorant . but now thus over-late , would break out to an unprofitable vexation ; since this crime which might justly have hindred the marriage from being contracted , ought not to have the force , after so long intermission , and successe of an intervenient wedlock , to dissolve it . the time was , when the minister in a solemne preconization , called you either then to speake , or for ever after to hold your peace : had you then spoken it might have beene construed as zeale , now , not to hold your peace , will be interpreted no better then malice . an advertisement to the reader . i have beene earnestly moved by some judicious friends , to goe on with this subject , and to make up a compleat body of case-divinity , both practicall , speculative , and mixt , whereof i confesse there is great defect in our language ; but i remember the talke which plutarch reports to have been betwixt * crassus , and king deiotarus , two old 〈◊〉 , but great undertakers . crassus jeeres deiotarus for laying the foundation of a new city in his decayed age ; deiotarus twits crassus for going about , in the like age to subdue the warlike parthians ; both justly supposing our decrepit age a just disswasive from venturing upon great enterprises ; although herein i should not want a worthy precedent , that honour of navarre , martinus azpilcueta , who at ninety years finished the fourth edition of that his elaborate manuall of cases of conscience . but as for me , i am sufficiently conscious of my owne inabilities for so long , and difficult a worke ; onely this , i shall willingly professe , that such scruples as i meet with in my way , i shall not allow my selfe to balk , and shall leave the answers upon the file . in the meane time , let me incite some of our many eminent divines , whose wits are fresh , and bodies vigorous , to goe through with so usefull a worke ; many yeares are passed since my ancient and learned colleague , dr. ralph cudworth told me that he had with much labour finished that taske , and devoted it to the presse , which yet sleeps in some private hands . it were happy if his worthy sonne , the just heyre of his fathers great abilities , would make strict inquiry after it , and procure it to the publique light , for the common benefit of gods church both in the present , and succeeding ages . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * dan. . . , . . . notes for div a -e * exod. . . levit. . , . deut. . , . nehem. . . psal . . . prov. . . ezek. . . a vid. alexand. ab alexand. gen. dierum l. . c. . * concil . viennens . * dom. sot. de justit . & jure l. . quaest . . artic. . tradit hoc ut axioma jurisconsultorum . * tull. de offic. l. . * so the vulgar renders zapnath-paaneah salvator mundi , gen. . . * lessius l. . c. . dub . . * cicer. de offic. l. . sect. . * aug. epist . . ad macedon . * arist . eth. l. . c. . * lessius de jure , &c. l. . c. . dub . . * attilius regulus . * dom. sot. de jure et justit . l. . q. . pag. . notes for div a -e * les . de . jur . &c. l. . c. . dubit . . ex antonio et sylvestr . &c. * ibid. paragr . ult . * less . ibid. * dalton p. . * orat. pro. mil. † bann . q. . a. . dub . . navar. l. . c. . lessius l. . de jure , &c. c. . dub . . * rodrig . sum. cas . tom. . cap. . * conc. tr. sess . . rodriguez . tom. . c. . de duello . * tertul. in apol. c. . † less . l. . c. . du . . * ne se pollueret , mavit ipse mori . ex politiano gerard . voss . de orig . & progres . idol . l. . c. . * exod. . . the septuagint seem to have taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( death ) for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a diminutive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man : as cornel. à lapid . probably guesses . † castal . si pernicies non fucrit : ours , if no mischief follow . * cornel. a lap. in exod. . * vel. ut alii , quorum animae certissimè in limbum descendunt sine baptismo . mart. alphons . viv. explan . bullae de abort . * rodr. sum. to. . ca. . de abort . * vid. rodrig . ubi supra . * constit . greg. . quae dicit quod quivis confessor approbatus ab ordinario potest absolvere à peccato abortus . ibid. * murt . alphons . vivald . expli . bull. cruc . * qui retinetur in carcere propter aliquod delictum , &c. rodrig . sum. cap. . * val. max. l. . dom. sot. de jure , &c. l. . g. . * silvestr . v. correct . dom. sot. l. . de jure , q. . less . de judice l. . c. . * dom. à sot. de jure , &c. l. . qu. . * etenim quod homo qui officio suo vivit debeat tantam jacturam facere , durum creditu est . dom. sot. ubi supra . † in causis civilibus et minus criminalibus . * less . de jure , &c. l. . de judice dub. . quia resp . habeat authoritatem disponendi , &c. * prov. . . . . . . . . * rodriguez . tract . ordinis judicialis . cap. . † sotus l. . q. . de justi . . rei , art. . * les . de jur . l. . cap. . dub . a. * mart. azpil . navar. enchirid . cap. . num . * less . de jure l. . c. . dub . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. verulam . advanc . of learning . notes for div a -e * navarr . enchir. cap. . n. . † less . l. . de māgia cap. . dub . . * thesaurus exorcismorum ; atque conjurationum terribilium , &c. tract . dispersio daemonum . fratris valcrii polydori patavini . ord. minorum conventualium . † tit. applicabile . . rutae in charta benedicta super seportaudae & olfaciendae , ad omnem invasionem diabolicam repellendam . * applicabile . . tit. profumigatio borriblis , ejusque vulgata benedictio . * less . ubi supra dubit . a. * bromiard . sum . praedict . * relat. of the third confer . p. . * epiphan . haeres . l. . * tract . de vit. spec . lect . . cit. dom. à soto ut infra . † gersonis positio parum distat ab haeresi lutherana . dominic . à soto de jure , &c. l. . qu. . * ten hand breadths long , five broad , seven fingers high . * h. ainsworth in lev. . . ex maimonide . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. clem. al. stro. . * plin. l. . bongus de num . myster . num . . * greg. cap. pervenerabilem : & cap. si non . . q. . justum sanctumque esse bellum quod infidelibus à christianis infertur , ut eis imperio subditis praedicari possit christi evangelium , ne si imperio subditi non sint , praedicationi & conversioni corum qui crediderint impedimento esse possint . * decret . & indultum alex. . super expeditione , &c. populos in ejusmodi insulis & terris degentes ad christianam religionem indulcere velitis & debeatis , &c. * eccles . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . communiler . montan. † estii annotas . in bocum . * prov. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † vulg. tra. esa . . . * ecclus. . . blessed is he that preaches a word unheard of . * erat autem ipse nox . † psal . . . bern. ser. . * the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which every man knowes to be used ordinarily to signifie either principes , or sacerdotes , as exod. . . * where doubtlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which title is sometimes given to the angels . king. . . * quinque milla , for mille & quinque , five thousand , for a thousand and five . † cecinit for cicidit . * the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numeros . † rev. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rev. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . neh. . . percutiamus soedus in vitulis , in campo uno : for , in viculis , in campo , ono. anni nostri sicut aranca meditabuntur , psal . . . for , as a tale that is told : concupiscentia spadonic devirgiuabit juvenculam , ecolus . . . super for subter . gen. . . vulnera for ulccra , exod. . . distinctum for bis tinctum , exod. . . sanctuarii for sancto atrii , levit. . . tonsis for tusis , levit. . neque for atque , levit. . . solis , for salis , deut. . . non fucrit , for fucrit . josh . . . occidentalem , for orientalem , jos . . . hamata for squamata , sam. . . vagi habitabunt for pagi habitabuntur , sam. . . judam for ludam sam. . . tumulum for tumultum , sam. . . i apides seculi , for sacculi ; prov. . . ad alia for ad alta , prov. . . sponsa for spcciosa , cant. . . adultera for adulta , ecclus. . . infidelem for fidelem , esa . . . imitantes for irritantes : terra for ●er , ecclus . , . obsurduit for obsorduit , esa . . . imprudentem for impudentem , esa . . . faunis sicariis for fatuis sicariis . esa . . . vinctas , for tinctas . ezec. . . ejiciat , for mittat . mat. . . angelus for angulus . zach. . . servivit for servavit , ose . . . confessus , for confusus , mar. . . sexta for tertia , mar. . . mytelem for melita , acts . . compellebantur , for complebantur . luk. . . placucrunt for latuerunt . heb. . . adduxistis for addixistis . jac. . . in carne for in carcere , pet. . . apppropiuquabit for appropinquavit , pet. . tubarum for turbarum , rev. . . de igne chaldaeorum for de ur chaldaeorum , nehem. . . notes for div a -e * thom. è sanchez . societ . jes . theol. dematrimonio . * l. . c. de patribus qui &c. † covarruv : l . var. c. . ex accursio & aliis . les . l. . c. . d●b . . † num. . , , , . * less . de jure l. . c. . dub . . * navar. enchir . . prae . c. . h. . filius qui parentibus in extrema necessitate constitu● is &c. * matrimonia esse irrita , &c. instit . de nuptiis et , ff . de jure nuptiarum . ita & evarist . in constit . edita . anno c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * maimon . treat . of divorce . * so also cor. . . * decrecing to take bonds of the persons divorced to remaine single . can. & constit . c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eph. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , colos . . . * cor. à lap. in locum . * will. syno . controver . . de . mart. q. . * greg. resp . ad interrog . augustini . q. . * cic. orat . pro cluentio . † hotoman de-grad . cognat . laurent . kirchovius profes . rostoch . in consil . matrimon . * ambr. ep . ad paternum . . * hodie cessat fraternitas & aliqua ex parte compaternitas per concilium trident. sess . . navar. c. . n. . * hotoman de-vita matrimon . p. . citante kirchovio , ut supra . * exod. . . levit. . . deut. . . deut. . . . . jer. . . * compare mat. . . with deut. . . † magdeburg . cent. . de conjugio . cor. . . * concil . anciran . can . . † concil . eliv . c. . * luitbrand in syric . * aetas legitimè contrahendi matrimonium , est in musculis annos , in foeminis ; spousalibus autom contrahendis , septem in utrisque . navar. c. . n. . * maimon . shicard . de reg. * concil trid. sess . . * alex. ab . alex. l. . gen. dier . c. . cod. l. . tit . . * as appeares by comparing of gen. . . with . . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen . . * concil . trident. sess . . decret . de reformat . matrimon . * constit . , , , , , . * concil . trid. ubi supra . * constit . and canons ut supra , can. , , . * martin alphons . vivald . candelab . aureum . de matrim . & partic . de consanguin . * scot. m. . d. . sot. ibid. q. un . art . . notes for div a -e * in argumentum trati nequeunt , quae propter necessitatem sunt concessa . * consil . matrimonial . germanor . consil . . notes for div a -e * plut in vita crassi . the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. published by authoritie. good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing o ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing o estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. published by authoritie. good counsells for the peace of reformed churches. t. i. davenant, john, ca. - . hall, joseph, - . morton, thomas, - . ussher, james, - . [ ], , , , [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed for ch. downes, [london and oxford] : . dedication signed: t.i. works by bishops john davenant, thomas morton, joseph hall and archbishop james ussher and french divines. imprint from wing o . a reissue, with different prelims., of: good counsells for the peace of reformed churches, . reproduction of the original in the lambeth palace library, london. eng reformation -- early works to . great britain -- church history -- th century -- early works to . a r (wing o ). civilwar no the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion, and the right gove [no entry] d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true protestant religion , and the right government of reformed churches . wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life . ephes. . . speake the truth in love . published by authoritie . printed for ch. downes . . to the godly and christian readers , grace and peace . as there is nothing more pleasing to god , than to be truly zealous for his glorie , so no way better to attaine that zeale , than to read and meditate upon gods commandements ; and strive to live in love and charitie with all men , which that you may the better performe , i beseech you peruse these ensuing discourses , and the lord give you understanding in all things . t. i. psal. . when i was in trouble , i called upon the lord , & he heard me . deliver my soule , o lord , from lying lips : & from a deceitfull tongue . what reward shall bee given or done unto thee , thou false tongue ? even mightie and sharp arrowes , with hot burning coles . wo is me , that i am constrained to dwell with mesech : and to have mine habitation among the tents of kedar . my soule hath long dwelt among them , that be enemies unto peace . i labour for peace , but when i speak unto them thereof , they make them ready to battell . the opinion of the right reverend father in god iohn dav●nant bishop of sarisbury . to his learned and worthy friend mr iohn dury . t is well worthy the consideration of all pious divines , which god speakes by his prophet zachary , love the truth and peace . with which that of the apostle also suite's well , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , speake the truth in love . wee may not so hotly pursue after trueth , as that in the mean time we wholly neglect peace ; nor may we desire such a peace as will not consist with the trueth . those divines therefore who quarrell and contend so much for the faith and religion , they may talke what they list , but hee that love's not both trueth and peace , love's indeed neither , nor hath he any true affection or desire to either of them , who desire 's them not both . for if it be true which philosophers tell us , that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unitie than it 's being , i see no reason why the spirituall and mysticall body , the church catholique , should not with as great a zeale study to preserve her unitie : seeing if that be once dissolved and lost , shee is so farre from being a church , that she cannot so much as be imagined one . let us then on god's name be as earnest and eager in desiring & defending the trueth as the best , but withall let us not forget that of saint paul , that if it be possible , and as much as in us lie's , we live peaceably with all men : j say , with all men , in an externall and civill ; but with all christian men , in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall peace . this is the earnest desire of our saviour christ , and 't is the joynt wish & prayer of his whol church , that all they who professe themselves beleivers in christ , might be united and knit together into one body ; that they might be all of one heart and of one soule . this being so , surely those pious and peacemaking divines are highly to bee commended , who of late have imployed themselves and their endeavours about the reeonciling of the reformed churches . for my owne part , i would to god i were able to contribute any thing that might further and promote so good and godly a worke . what i can , i shall willingly at your request ( sir ) doe it : and shall impart unto you what my thoughts were , when j lately meditated with my selfe hereupon . in the first place therefore , it would bee considered , whether or no it be possible to establish such an union amongst all the reformed churches , so as that they shall account of one another not as friends only , but as brethren ; and exhibit mutually each to other the signes , fruites , and effects not onely of an outward and generall freindship , but of a more intimate & spirituall amity and communion . for if this fraternall & spirituall union we so much desire , cannot be had , we may then desist ; things impossible doe not binde us to the having or seeking of them : but if it may possibly be procured , 't were a great pitty and a shame that so good a worke and so well-pleasing to god as this is , should be either opposed or delayed . now when i say , that it would first be considered whether or no this union we treate of , be possible ; my meaning is , whether or no such an union may stand with a diversity of opinions amongst private doctors in these severall churches , touching those much-controverted points which have of a long time ( to the great greife of all good men ) much troubled the germane churches . for although it were to be wished , that divines would fairely and fully agree amongst themselves about all those controversies ; yet for so many different mindes to concurre all in the same opinion , is ( as i conceave ) a thing scarce to be hoped for , much lesse to be effected in one age . but that these said churches , notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided , may neverthelesse entertaine amongst themselves a christian charitie and correspondence , is apparent from hence , that as often as divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work , they still prevailed in it as much as they desired ; and they might no doubt have prevailed further , if they themselves had not wilfully stood in their own way . witnesse luther himselfe and the helvetians : betwixt whom ( though they differed in their opinions about the presence of christs body ) a freindly agreement notwithstanding was made at marpurge : luther there professing , that he would not by any meanes permit the adverse party that honour , to outstrip him in their desires of amitie and peace . which peace , after that it had by i know not what mischeivous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished , was againe renewed & confirmed by them : whereat luther himselfe rejoyced , and upon a strict examination of the helveticke confession , held it very requisite that they should lovingly joyne hearts and hands together . but here if any one think , that this was no such entire and perfect union as that which now i affirm to be possible ; i will grant him this : but then i must adde withall , that it was not any impossibility in the thing it selfe , but rather the wilfull opposition of some amongst them , possest with some jealousies and suspitions , which was the cause why that godly and good worke was not brought to full perfection . for as for bucer and some other eminent divines of the same opinion with him , they did not only sue for an absolute and perfect agreement , but besides they offered to make it appeare that it was very fit such an union should be concluded ; neither did they omit any thing that might make for the furthering of it . moreover , that this union of the reformed churches we speake of , is not a thing impossible , is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the polonian churches , begun of late at sendomire , & ever since carefully by them kept and observed : it is true , they could not bury all controversies ; but they could banish all contentions ; and establish so perfect a peace , as that they refused not to admit of each other into their publike congregations , to the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments . which holy & brotherly concord of those churches , that most wise prince lodowick , electour and count palatine , did not only by his letters to them congratulate , but desired of almighty god in his prayers , that the germane churches also might be blessed with it . what therefore was long since said to that blessed peace-maker king solomon , concerning the building of the temple at jerusalem , the same say i to all moderate and peaceable divines concerning the uniting of the reformed churches ; arise , yee worthies , and be doing , and the lord will be with you . never despaire but that may be now effected , which all men will grant hath been done heretofore . but least this groundlesse bugbeare of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of princes , or divines , or any other pious and well affected christians , and deterre them from proceeding herein ; i will recount all those lets and hinderances , which render the peace and union of churches utterly impossible to be obtained : from whence it will easily appeare , that there 's no one of them here , to hinder why the germane churches ( notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them ) may not setle a firme peace amongst themselves , and being once setled preserve it inviolable . now the first and maine obstacle that hinders those churches which agree not in all points of religion , from entertaining a communion amongst themselves , is the usurping and exercising of a tyrannicall power and authority one over another . for if any one church will take upon her to domineer and lord it over the faith of other churches , so as not to acknowledge any for her brethren , nor admit of any into her fellowship and communion , but such onely as will be content to beleive and speak just as shee will have them , all hope is then taken away of ever obtaining or preserving any agreement in any differences or disputes whatsoever . for the sacred scriptures forbid us thus to enslave our selves to any humane authoritie , and our sole lord and master christ jesus forbid's us to acknowledge any upon earth for a lord over our faith and conscience : and that church which enter's into a communion with another upon these termes , doth not hereby purchase a peace , but rather resigne's up her selfe to a most unjust slavery . onely the church of rome is come to that height of pride & madnesse , that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of saints , & damne to the pit of hell all such churches as will not submit their necks to that antichristian yoake of absolute and blind obedience . god of his goodnes ever keep off this popish folly and fury from setting foot in the protestant churches : which if it should once take place , that union of our churches which we are all bound to pray for , would bee no longer either to be hoped or wisht for . but ( blessed be god for it ) it is well known , there 's not any of the reformed churches but doe from their soules detest and abhorre all such antichristian ambition and desire of soveraignety . and thus have i removed out of the way the maine obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetuall division & rent betwixt such churches as differ in some points , and thereby make's an union of those churches to become impossible . a second let or hinderance which may render the said union of different churches ( for example , the saxon and helvetian churches ) impossible , is the approbation and practice of jdolatry in the one , & the utter detestation of it in the other . that of the prophet hosea is well knowne , though israel play the harlot , yet let not judah offend : come yee not unto gilgal , neither goe yee up to beth-aven . likewise also that of the apostle , what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? and a number of places more to the same purpose . neither is that saying of tertullian touching this matter unworthy our observation , idolatry ( saith he ) is become the grand and generall sin of whole mankinde , the epidemicall disease of the whole world . since therefore god so severely chargeth us to keepe our selves from idols & all kinde of idolatry , though never so speciously colour'd over , wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some staine and tincture of idolatry , and without a high and hainous offence against the sacred majestie of god . here then we may behold that grand let , whereby the reformed churches ( to their great greife of heart ) are forced to shunne a communion with the church of rome . for so farre in love is shee with her idolls , and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children , that no man can be admitted into her communion , at least not continue in it , unlesse he will become a notorious and down-right idolater . if the case so stood , that the germane churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed unity and peace one with another , except they must be required and bound either to practise an idolatrous worship , or at the least to beleive and professe that such practice is not unlawfull , i would not stick to affirme that a communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions , is indeed impossible to bee had : since ( as lawyers use to speake ) wee can doe onely so much , as may lawfully be done by us . and here we have just cause to blesse god , that the reformed churches ( although they have not the happinesse to agree in all matters of lesser moment ) yet doe they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire & joyne together against idolatry ; so as not onely to condemne , but also to beat downe and abolish it : insomuch that if at this very houre they were all disposed and desirous to joyne hands and strike a league of amity and union , it might be done without any the least danger of idolatry . away then with that pretended impossibility of a reconciliation , grounded upon the perill of idolatry : nor let any such false surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious christian from going on with so good a worke . the third & last obstacle which doth block up the way to an union & render's it impossible , is the differing of severall churches about some fundamental point of faith , necessary to be knowne and beleived by every christian upon paine & perill of eternall damnation ; so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintaine it , the other heretically denie's and oppose's it . for to be at peace with heretickes who goe about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our christian faith , what is it else but to revolt from christ the rocke on which the church is founded & built ? of this last obstacle , because it is of speciall use and moment , i shall treate somewhat more at large . in the first place therefore , i conceive that to be a fundamentall point , which ( by the ordination of god revealing such a truth ) is of such necessity unto salvation to be knowne and assented unto , as that a bare ignorance , much more a wilfull opposition of it carries with it a certaine perill of exclusion from the kingdome of heaven . divines now-adaies have no commission to invent or coine any new articles of this nature , and obtrude them on gods church : that which was not fundamentall in the apostolicall and primitive times , all our assertions and altercations and anathema's will never bee able to make it such . these first and fundamentall trueths , collected out of the whole body of the scriptures & put together in the apostles creed , make up that rule of faith which s. austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem , a common rule for all men , both great & small : and which is by him accounted necessary to bee beleived constantly by all . concerning the which , that speech of hilary also is much to the same effect ; 't is our safest and best course to hold fast that first & onely-evangelicall faith , which we made confession of at our baptisme . and to these fundamentall trueths the apostle ( i beleive ) had an eye , when he stiled titus , his owne sonne [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] after the common faith . this common faith laid downe in the apostles creed , proposeth to all christians , to be beleived by them , the wonderfull production of all creatures out of nothing , the unsearchable mysterie of the glorious trinitie , the fruit & benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the incarnation , passion , resurrection , and glorification of christ ; & , what follow's thereupon , the redemption of mankind , the sanctification of the elect , the communion of saints , the remission of sins , the resurrection of mens bodies , and the glorifying of the faithfull . he that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short creed , and endeavour's to lead his life according to the commandements and precepts of our saviour christ , cannot justly be denied the title of a christian , nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any christian church whatsoever . on the other side , he that shall deny or oppose any one of the said articles , although he arrogate to himselfe the name of a christian , yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodoxe and sound christians . besides these , there are ( i confesse ) many other trueths contained in the scriptures , and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence , which are very profitable to be knowne , and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of divinity : but they are then only ( and not otherwise ) necessary to be beleived under paine of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the church , when 't is clearely evidenced unto us that they are contained in gods word , or may necessarily be inferred from it . in these points therefore , if any particular church cannot make the trueth which she her selfe beleive's , so cleare and manifest to other churches , as thereby to winne them over to the same beleife , shee must forsake them in their errours , but by no meanes may she ( because of such errours ) deny them her charity and communion . i adde further , that if it should happen that two churches should vary about some particular place of holy writ , the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamentall point of faith , and the other thinking that it doth not so : yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds , and separate one from another ; so long as they agree both of them in the point it selfe , and acknowledge it to have cleare & solid foundation in other places of god's word . and last of all this may be added yet further , that 't is not a thing impossible , nor any way contrary to the duety of good christians , to entertaine a communion with those churches which hold such a doctrine as seemes to us inconsistent with some fundamentall trueth , so that in the meane while they doe expresly beleive & professe that fundamentall trueth it selfe . for 't is utterly against all charity , yea and reason too , that a man should be thought ( meerely for some consequences , which he neither apprehend's nor grants ) to deny and reject a fundamentall point , which yet he strongly beleive's , expresly affirme's , yea and ( if need so required ) would not stick to seale the trueth of it with his dearest blood . how much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate divine ? we must not ( saith he ) so much consider what will follow in the thing it selfe from every assertion , as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintaine any such assertion as seeme's to us repugnant to some fundamentall point of faith . for as he who assent's to the trueth of some principle , cannot therefore be said properly to beleive and understand whatsoever and abler schollar can by consequences infer from that principle ; so neither can he who maintaine's a false opinion , justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous opinion of his . we may indeed urge and presse these consequences upon our brethren , to see if haply wee can by this meanes beat them off their errour ; but malitiously to fasten them upon them , as though they were their profest opinions , this we may not doe . how farre this extend's , and of what excellent use it is to the setling of a brotherly union amongst the reformed churches , all wise men and such as unfainedly desire the peace of gods church , will easily perceive . for if it once be granted , that a peace and union is not impossible ( that is , not unlawfull ) save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamentall point of faith , or maintaine some such heresy as strike's at the heart of religion , and cut's off the abettors of it from having any communiō with christ ; then will it follow , that betwixt a sound and a diseased church , betwixt two churches whereof one is more , the other lesse pure , there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the germane churches . let therefore the orthodoxe churches separate themselves from all such as have plaid the apostates & fallen away from fundamentall faith ; but let them not separate from those which erre onely in points of lesser moment and such as doe not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mysticall body of christ , the sole author and fountaine of our salvation . the apostle command's us to receive ( not , reject ) such as are weake in the faith : and the same apostle tel's us how that we which are strong , ought to beare the infirmities of the weake , & not to please our selves . that church therefore doe's but too much please & indulge her selfe , which despise's other churches , as unworthy of her fellowship and communion , not for any tyranny that they exercise , nor any idolatry which they approve or practise , nor any damnable heresie which they maintaine , but meerely for some mistakes or infirmity of their knowledge . this was not the practice of the fathers in the primitive church : whose care and diligence in procuring & preserving peace amongst particular churches disperst and scattered over the whole world , stand's upon record in ecclesiasticall storie and may be observed in each severall age of the church . but of all other , that of optatus milevita nus fit's best to our purpose ; that all the churches throughout the whole world were by the help and entercourse of those letters by them called [ formatae ] kept in one communion and fellowship . now those [ formatae ] or synodicall letters contained nothing at all save onely a bare confession of the catholike faith delivered in their generall creeds , and breifely explained afterwards in opposition to some heretickes , by the unanimous consent of the church universall met together in generall councells held at nice , chalcedon , and other places . as for those infinite other questions which might be raised and debated amongst private doctours of each side , no church ever required or expected from others an absolute & universall consent therein . for if such an universall agreement in all points had been deemed so necessary as that unity & peace could not possibly have been maintained betwixt particular churches without it , there would then have been more need of huge and high-swollne volumes of controversies , than of such breife confessions and synodicall letters as they made use of for that purpose . but if wee refuse to learne of the ancient fathers of the church , yet let us at length learne thus much from our very adversaries , that it is not a thing impossible for severall churches to live charitably and peaceably together , and use the same service and sacraments , although they differ one from another about some controversies , wherein 't is meerely in vaine ever to look for an universall agreement . to say nothing of the contentions betwixt the thomists and scotists , neither of those between the dominicans and jesuites ; there is one controversie hotly and violently disputed amongst popish churches , which , if taken single and by it selfe , is of greater moment than all ours put together ; i meane that concerning the infallible judge in all matters of faith : the churches of spaine and italy will have the pope to be this supreme judge , authorised by christ himselfe , and so farre illuminated and assisted with an infallible spirit , as that he cannot possibly erre in such decrees and determinations as hee give's out with an intention to binde the whole church : on the other side , the french churches deny the pope any such priviledge , throwing him downe from his chaire of infallibility , and making him liable to errour as well as other men ; so farre forth that should he refuse to submit to the authoritie and judgement of a generall councell , either in matters of faith or of practice , they will tell you he 's to be esteemed a schismaticke and a hereticke , and to be deposed thereupon . behold here a great difference amongst them about the very foundation and the maine pillar of the whole catholike faith ! and yet notwithstanding this so great a variety of opinions , they still hold together all of them in one and the same brotherly communion . o for sion's sake let it not be told in gath , nor published in the streets of ashkelon , that the philistines should be better affected and more desirous of peace and unity amongst themselves , than the israel of god is . ●ast of all , if an union may not consist with a diversity of opinions in some controversies of lesser moment , i would gladly that any man would show me but two churches in the whole christian world ( except they be such whereof one is subordinate to the other ) which must not necessarily hereupon be divided , and as it were by a wall of partition separated frō each other . unlesse therefore we will grant , that a separation from other churches is not to be made save onely upon a difference in fundamentalls , the communion of the church catholike ( aunciently so much famed and talked of ) will be found in the end to be nothing else but an aery and empty sound or name void of all trueth and reality . the donatists of old were wont to say , that the church was perished from off the whole earth save onely from the part of donatus , in whom alone ( they said ) it was preserved : and our adversaries of rome ( herein right donatists ) tell us that the church catholike is of no larger extent than the romane . as for our selves , it become's and behove's us to detest this schismaticall and factious humour , and to foster and cherish a brotherly communion with all such christian churches as neither heresie nor idolatry hath cut off from christ our head , and such as have not exercised any usurped tyranny over other churches . all that hath hitherto beene said touching the lets & hinderances which render a communion of severall churches impossible , as also touching diversity of opinions which may well consist with such a reconciliation , aymes at this , that if once it were agreed upon amongst divines that all those controversies whereabout the reformed churches have of a longtime busied and wearied themselves , are of that nature that a man may safely be of either opinion and still remaine in christ , holding the substance of saving faith without incurring any damnable heresy ; then must we needs grant , that an union and agreement amongst all protestant churches may be made and maintained notwithstanding all such controversies , as being indeed not so properly any differences of our churches as of our schooles . it is not my purpose to enter the lists of those controversies : onely i doe pray and earnestly intreat those learned & reverend divines of germany , that laying aside all passion & partialitie , they would in the spirit of meeknesse calmely and candidly discusse all those severall controversies which are agitated amongst them : for if once we let loose the raines to passion , judgement must needs give place . the maine controversie , and which indeed is the fountaine from whence all the rest in a manner are derived , is that which stands yet undecided concerning the manner how christ's body and blood are present in the eucharist . touching which point the learned a bucer , having well waighed the matter , give's in at last this verdict , that they agreed in the thing it selfe ; all the difference was meerely in words and manner of expression . 't was once the speech of b luther , if you beleive & teach that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare signes of bread and wine , and that such receiving thereof is true and reall , not imaginary onely , the strife betwixt us is ended . at that very same time c bucer & his adherents granted , that the very body and blood of our lord is offered , given , and received together with the visible signes of bread and wine . iacobus andreae saith , we neither hold with the capernaites , nor admit of popish transubstantiation , nor maintaine we any physicall or locall presence and inclusion of christs body and blood in the blessed sacrament ; nor doe we by those words [ substātially , corporally , orally ] understand any thing else but only a true & reall presence and participation of his body and blood in this sacrament . now let us heare the judgement of the helvetians herein ; although they deny that there 's any transubstantiation of the elements , or any locall inclusion of christ's body in the bread , or any conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the sacrament is ended ; yet they willingly grant that by vertue of a mysticall & sacramentall union the bread is christ's body , & that his body is truely present and received together with the bread . j doe not knowe what two things can possibly be more like than is this opinion of the helvetians with that of the lutherans . but if any man suspect that there may privily lurke a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions , yet are we still to urge , and enquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the peace and union of those churches utterly impossible , and to give just occasion for a perpetuall rent and division amongst them . i assure my selfe , learned & judicious divines when they are out of the heat of controversy , and look indifferently into the matter , will think farre otherwise of it . now as for those other controversies , concerning the ubiquity of christ's body , the communication of properties , & other such like , all springing from that former touching the sacrament , he that doth seriously ponder with himselfe what is granted and what denied of each side , will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question , much lesse oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamentall point of faith : since both sides hold and professe whatsoever the church catholike in her creeds and generall councells hath declared to be beleived in these points ; and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous , is equally rejected by both . but yet notwithstanding all this , that we see now and then some men catching at consequences , and taking advantage from thence to charge heresy one upon another , it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty : we all of us know , 't is the common custome of hot and eager disputants , especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choller and passion : and besides , i have already showne in breife , what we are to think of such heresies as are fastned upon men meerely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehend nor grant . for the present , this alone may suffice to show the possibility of a reconciliation , that there 's no one opinion expresly maintained by either side , which is directly contrary to the substance of faith , or destructive of salvation [ salutis devoratorium ] to make use of tertullian's expression : nay whatsoever is such , is plainly and expresly condemned by both . if of later times any new differences have been raised amongst those churches touching predestination , freewill , and the like ; these can no way be made a sufficient ground of schisme and separation betwixt them . for in all these there is nothing of fundamentall and necessary beleife save onely this , that the free grace & goodnesse of god , in the predestination of miserable men , in the conversion of sinfull men , in the freeing of their captivated wills ; in a word , in the finall perseverance and salvation of his elect , be so farre forth acknowledged and extoll'd , as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory , and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto , all must be ascribed to the speciall grace and mercy of almighty god : on the contrary , whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature , his obstinacie in sinne , the pravitie and servitude of his corrupt will ; in short , whatsoever praecipitate's & plunge's wretched men into hell and everlasting perdition , all this we must thank our selves & our sins for , & by no meanes impute any part of it to god . so long as these things stand firme and unshaken ( as without doubt they doe ) though in the meane time their manner of apprehensions and expressions , yea though their opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation ▪ yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetuall breach and division should be made and continued betwixt whole churches for such petty matters . if therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst divines , that their jarres and contentions are not , nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved , then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth , that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and communion may be established this dangerous schisme utterly rooted out , and a blessed peace setled and preserved amongst the german churches . and thus having proved that a reconciliation is possible , it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no princes , doctors and pastors of gods church , and in generall all christians bee not bound in duty by the law of god , every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the reformed churches . and that all men are so bound , seeme's to be intimated by that of s. paul which i alledged before ; if it be possible , & as much as in you lie's , live peaceably with all men . if so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men , then surely a spirituall & ecclesiasticall peace amongst christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved , where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an union may not be obtained , such men can in no wise be excused , who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the commandements of god herein . nor can any man justly here pretend that discords and diversities of opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled : for if it be possible that the schisme it selfe & the rent betwixt these churches may be taken away , ( as without all question it may ) i had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck , and that i were drowned in the depth of the sea , than that i should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work , so well-pleasing to god , and so necessary to the removall of scandall ; nay than that i should not with my whole minde and might promote and further it . to this may be further added , what must necessarily be confes't by all men , that a true and right order'd charity is of as great necessity for the attaining of salvation , to all churches and to every particular member in any church , as is the true and entire profession of sound and saving faith : our lord and saviour christ jesus make's this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discerne betwixt his true disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit ; by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples , if yee love one another . now i leave it to every man's conscience to judge , what manner of charity that is , which see's and suffer's christian churches ( without all just cause and necessity ) to stand still at distance and defiance one with another , and perpetually to shunne a reconciliation and union . is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble , i meane , from the errours of other churches , but must we by a voluntary separation forsake the churches themselves which as yet have not forsaken christ or his truth ? further yet , we see how that both zuinglians and lutherans ( as they are usually termed ) confesse that those churches which hold with either side , doe notwithstanding still remaine true christian churches , & true members of the church catholike , whereof christ is the head . the renowned princes in their preface prefixt to the forme of agreement plainly professe , that it was farre from their thoughts and intentions to condemne such persons as erred through the weaknesse of their judgement ; provided that they did not defame and blaspheme god's trueth ; much lesse to condemne whole churches , living either under the romane empire or elsewhere : nay they did not doubt but that there were many pious & religious men living in those churches , though they agreed not with them in all points of religion . moreover , when it was objected to lucas osiander , how that he had sometimes termed calvinists the divel's martyres , hee forthwith purged himselfe from that aspersion thus ; they that have heard my sermons , will say that they never heard from me any reproachfull termes against the blessed ▪ martyrs of christ : yea my owne writings publisht to the world will witnesse for me , that j termed those which were massacred in france on s. bartholomewe's day , holy martyres . this then would be seriously thought upon , whether or no it will stand with the policy , piety , and the duty of christian churches , for every petty errour to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love to those churches , who in the mean time ( notwithstanding such errours ) may continue christ's blessed martyrs and holy brethren . they who acknowledge christ for their elder brother , must of necessity whether they will or no have all christs brethren joyned to them in a most sure and fast knot of consanguinity and communion . besides , i am very confident that both the saxon , and helvetian , & all other churches which joyne with either of those two , will professe that they desire to have and to retaine a brotherly communion and peace with this our church of england , as also with the scottish , jrish , and all other forraigne churches of the reformation . and truely we for our parts , although we doe not assent to them in all points of controverted ▪ divinity , yet doe we account of them as our brethren in christ , and doe solemnely protest that we entertaine a holy and brotherly communion with them . and if they be like affected towards us , with what reason then and equitie doe the german churches deprive themselves of that brotherly communion one with another , which yet they are not afraid to entertaine with forraigne churches ? what therefore moses said long since to the two israelites that were striving together , the same may truly be said to the germane churches quarrelling and contending one with another , but cannot so truely be disproved ; sirs , yee are brethren , why doe yee wrong one to another . last of all , that which all good men are bound to beg of almighty god in their prayers to him , questionlesse they are bound likewise to imploy their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it . now who is there that doe's not daily solicite god for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his church ? who is there that make's it not a part of his daily prayers , that god would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturbe her peace , or any way let and hinder her spirituall growth and edification ? this was king david's wish ; & it should be the wish of all good princes , and divines , and generally of all christians . neither did david wish onely the happinesse and prosperity of gods church , but hee carefully sought to doe it good , and as much as in him lay he did procure and effect it . all this was but duty in him to doe , and can it be lesse then dutie in us ? and here i should but trifle away the time , should i goe about to play the oratour and expresse at large to the germane churches , the blessings that accompany peace & unitie , & the many miseries & calamities of a long-continued schisme and division . that speech of prudentius is a most certaine trueth , — scissura domestica turbat rem populi ; titubatque foris quod dissiditiktùs : civill and intestine broiles alwaies prove the undoing of a people ; nor doe things ever goe right abroad , when there is dissention at home . what may make most for the good and advantage of their churches , let it be their care to consider ; and resolve this with themselves , that what ever it be , it is not onely to be sought after with their prayers , but with the utmost diligence and endeavours of every one of them in particular . neither let any unexperienced men amongst them thinke or hope , that they shall ingratiate themselves with papists , and so live more peaceably by them and suffer lesse harme from them , by refusing to enter into freindship and fellowship with calvinists ( as they terme them . ) what is to be hoped for & expected from them , we may learne from osiander ; papists ( saith he ) spare neither lutherans nor zuinglians , but condemne both of them to fire and faggot , in all those places where the pope ( that raging and ravenous beast of rome ) beare's rule and sway : they that are most in favour with them , can at best but hope for that kindnesse from them which vlysses ( in homer ) obtained of polyphemus , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ] to be devoured last , after he had lookt on and seene all his freinds and companions devoured before him . they will perhaps destroy the calvinists first , but the lutherans must look to follow after them : none are like to escape in the end , if once the papists have them at their mercy . what hitherto hath been said , is to show that a communion and reconciliation of the germane churches is a thing , not only possible , but in obedience to gods commandement a necessary duty . it now remaine's that j proceed to set downe the way and meanes whereby such a reconciliation may be compassed , and the rents and distractions of the said churches may with most conveniencie and speed bee made up : which i shall doe , rather to testifie that vehement desire & zeale which i have to so good a work , than out of any opinion that those famous churches ( which alwaies have abounded with store of learned and pious divines ) can any way stand in need of advice herein from me or any other forraigne divine whatsoever . seeing therefore that the fore-mentioned controversies may be agitated either betwixt severall and distinct churches , whereof one is no way subordinate to the other ; or else betwixt such particular men as are members of the same church , and subjects to one & the same prince : j will speak first , of divers churches independent one upon another , and afterwards of particular men in one & the same church , and show how peace and unitie may be made and preserved amongst them . for the first , i conceive there 's no readier and better way for reducing of two different churches to the same communion , than is that usuall one of procuring a faire and peaceable conference amongst divines of both sides , authorised and appointed there unto by their princes . for if any one imagine , that a councell being once held of all the reformed churches , there will out of hand within the compasse of some few moneths , or yeares , yea or in one age , an end be put to all disputes whatsoever , which have of a long time troubled and busied the learned , so as that they shall all joyne and agree in the same opinion about all such points of controversie ; this ( with submission to better judgements ) seemes to me very unlikely . for so dull and dim-sighted is the eye of our understanding , that it can hardly peirce into the depth of such subtle and intricate questions , no not when it is alone , free and undisturbed in it's contemplations : but being distracted , by the stirs & tumults of disputation so far unable are we to penetrate into the quick of them , that many times we cannot so much as discerne and perceive them , no not when we look upon them with a fixt and steddy eye . and ( to speak plainly what i conceive in this matter ) the cheife use of councells , especially of generall councells , is to maintaine and defend those necessary and plaine points of faith against the oppositions of hereticks , rather than to discusse or determine nice controversies of lesser moment and use . to returne then to that faire & freindly conference , which but now i commended for the likeliest and fittest meanes of obtaining an union : if it could be undertaken with such an intention , & mannaged in such sort , as it ought to be , wee have good cause to hope that we shall in a short time see a blessed peace and union established amongst the germane churches . this therefore must carefully be remēbred by all such as shall be present & parties to such a meeting , that the end why they are called together , is not that like adversaries they should strive for the mastery , but rather that they should like brethren search out and make use of all lawfull and warrantable meanes for the setling of peace and unitie . for if once they fall a crossing and contending one with another , they will never be able to perswade , much lesse to procure any agreement betwixt such churches as are at ods and opposition . let them therefore carefully keep off and forbeare to enter the intricate labyrinths of ordinary disputes : & let their meeting aime at this one end , to make it appeare to their churches , how that there 's no just cause why they should any longer stand out and refuse to joyne hands and be united . to effect this , let it in the first place be set downe how farre the church catholike hath declared herselfe in each controversie , what hath been by her defined and required to be beleived generally by all sub anathemate . for about points fundamentall there may sometimes arise such doubts and disputes as are no way fundamentall : and such , as that the ancient fathers of the church , had they been raised in their times , would never have attempted a decision of them , to the hazard of breeding or fostering a schisme betwixt severall churches . for instance , that god is one in essence , and three in persons distinguished one from another ; that the sonne is begotten of the father ; that the holy ghost is the spirit of both father and sonne ; that these three persons are coeternall and coequall ; all these are fitly determined , and reckoned in the number of fundamentalls : but now if any man should peremptorily affirme and maintaine , that all those schoole-nicities touching the manner of the sonne 's generation , and the procession of the holy ghost , are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former , & ought to be determined one way ; that man should deserve but litle thanks from christ and his church , by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion . so likewise , that our lord jesus christ is both god and man ; that he hath both natures , divine and humane , inseparably united in one person ; and that we have salvation onely by this god incarnate ; all this is fundamentall , or rather 't is that firme & immoveable foundation whereon the whole catholike & saving faith is built : but yet notwithstanding we must not think , that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures , or the manner how his body is present in the blessed sacrament , as also concerning the communication of properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the divinity , or touching the actions and operations of his humanity depending upon the said union , wee must not ( i say ) imagine that all these belong to fundamentall faith , but rather to theologicall science , or perhaps not so neither , but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular divines . let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse , carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so ▪ and let them not think , that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point , must therefore forthwith be it selfe fundamentall . when this is once done ; their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner , and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the churches . certa semper sunt in paucis , saith tertullian ; certaine and undoubted trueths are not many , and they are such as may be delivered in a few words : whatsoever is necessary for a christian man's salvation to be knowne by him ; and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy , it is all of it plaine and obvious . here 's no use either of subtle & acute distinctions , or of any long and tedious explications , which are oftimes used not for the building up of christians in the fundamentall faith , but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private doctors . in a word , here 's no use of any metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions ; which serve only to perplex and confound the learned , and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the catholike faith ; but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of faith . after they have proceeded thus far , having drawn up a breife and plaine forme of all such points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all churches ; & having passed by & left undecided all such points as are not so generally received & agreed upon ; in the next place , moderate & peaceable divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest , that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation ; and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē , to the danger of the church , the losse of her peace , and the scandall of schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her . of what good use and necessity this advice is , may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the church of rome , and her clean contrary practice herein : who being not content with those articles delivered in the apostles creed , and nicene creed , will needs obtrude upon the christian world those other new-coin'd articles of the trent-conventicle , and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and schisme amongst the churches . how much more prudently did that blessed martyr and most learned father of his times , s. cyprian behave himselfe ? who professeth , that he would not , for difference in opinion , contend or strive with any man ; nor would he break the peace of our lord with his brethren , or cast off any man from his communion , because he was of a different minde from him . by which his christian charity and moderation , s. cyprian ( though in an errour ) deserved better of the church than stephen bishop of rome who was in the right , and did ( by his unquiet spirit ) as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the churches . thus warranted by the example of this blessed martyr , and likewise by the judgement of s. austin herein , i need not stick to affirme , that amongst the doctors and divines of germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly communion with the rest , are freer & further from schisme in gods sight , than they who are in the trueth & withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a communiō with other churches which seek and sue for it . if therefore they can but get an universall consent in all fundamentalls , though in other things there bee some difference amongst private doctors , yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to god , nulla salus bello , pacemte poscimus omnes ; no safety can be had or hoped for in warre , therefore give peace in our time ô lord . but if any here shall demand , what course is to be taken about such controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon , that they may not give any occasion whereby this peace and union of the churches should be hindered , or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost ; i will set down some few rules , which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of divines on both sides . first , that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from adversaries either by word or writing , amids the heat of disputation , they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good , and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion . and if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards be reprinted ; before they passe the presse , let them first be purged of all gall & bitternesse , which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife & contention amongst brethren . secondly , because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with heresie , heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of nestorian , eutychian , or any other condemned hereticke , so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd opinions of such hereticks : seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly communion and concord , who for every petty difference in opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another . and it were to be wished further , that those siding names of lutherans , zuinglians , calvinists , were all laid aside ; which are badges rather of faction than any fraternall union , anh such as the ancient fathers could never approve of . epiphanius would not allow christians to beare any {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , any other name added over & above to the name of christian , but rest content with that . non petrianos , non paulinos vocari nos oportet , sed christianos : who ought not to be called either petrians , or paulians , but christians , saith nazianzen . but of all others lactantius is the most severe and rigorous herein ; christiani esse desierunt , qui christi nomine omisso humana & externa vocabula induerunt ▪ they have left off to be christians , who take up forraigne titles and humane appellations instead of the name christian : though to say the trueth , such names are rather fasten'd and father'd on particular churches by others , than by themselves either desired or owned . thirdly , that all profound and controverted points be let alone and not medled with in sermons preached to the common people , or in any such books as are publisht in the vulgar tongue ; let them be accounted rather the exercise and busines of the schooles , than any fit food & nourishment for men's soules . such perplex'd disputes may very well be spared in the pulpit ; but charity , which usually is impaired by the handling and discussing of them , cannot be spared or wanting amongst christians , without the utmost danger and hazard of their soules . the common people doe but play and sport with such controversies , they are no whit profited by them ; and in the end , not well understanding them , they give over sporting , and fall a quarrelling and contending about them . last of all , if divines shall hereafter have a minde to disperse or publish and discourses about these points , let them doe it according to that grave advice of greg. nazianzen , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with reasons , not revilings : let their aimes & intentions be , not to non-plus and baffle , but rather fairely and freindly to informe and reduce their straying brother into the way of trueth . hee that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his errour , will not thinke himselfe vanquished , but instructed ; nor will he be abasht and asham'd , like one over matcht & overcome by his adversary , but rather rejoyce as one better'd and benefited by his brother . he that is a proficient is never ashamed . hitherto have i laid down the meanes and manner how an union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent churches . but because it may and often doth happen , that there are divers men , both learned and unlearned , living in the same church and within the dominions of the same prince , whose consciences ( whether rightly or misinformed ) will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received opinion in these controversies ; let us in the next place enquire , what course is best to be taken concerning such men . and here , the governours of each severall church if they have any regard & respect to the safety of their weak brethren , they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike confessions and articles of religion , which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their jurisdiction , any curious and unnecessary controversies , nor any decisions of nice and subtle questions ; but rather they must take care that such publike confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people , so as they may instruct & edify the ignorant , and promote the salvation of all . herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our fore-fathers ; whose ancient confessions ( unlesse we corrupt & stuffe them with new opinions of our own , on purpose to disturb the publike peace ) no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them . neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike confessions with any such additions of our own ; since god himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines , not through the rough & knotty paths of perplex'd & intricate disputes , but by the smooth and compendious way of faith & charity . why then such strifes and contentions about words ? what make schoole-nicities amongst church-confessions ? the salvation of christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving god , as that great athanasius sometimes gravely spake . adde to this , that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other churches , who cease not to persecute men and expell them their communion ( as if they were hereticks ) onely because they maintain that doctrine which those other churches hold and professe : for in so doing , what doe they else but tacitly charge heresy upon other churches ? whom though in word they acknowledge for their brethren , yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them . lastly , unlesse the publike confessions of churches be cnofined to such points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the reformed churches , this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon , that many learned , pious , and peaceable ministers shall be driven out & disenabled from exercising the ministery in those churches wherein they live . but if any man doubt , whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall communion one with another in the same church , who yet agree not amongst themselves in all points of divinity ; this ( as i conceive ) is a matter out of all doubt and question . for as touching that blessed communion which is betwixt christians at the receiving of the lord's supper , it consist's cheifly in these particulars , that by the common bond of the blessed spirit we are all united to that sole head of the church christ jesus ; that by the same spirit , and by faith and charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body ; that lastly , like men fed at the same table , we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food , to wit the body and blood of christ : in all these particulars doe they professe a communion , whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy table . but now as we doe not by this mutuall communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in divinity : so neither doe we hereby professe , that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all points of divinity , or that we are all of us in one and the same opinion about all disputes and controversies . if no communion could be had amongst christians , but upon such hard termes as these , i beleive it would hardly be found betwixt s. peter and s. paul ; certaine i am the church of corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices ; and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many divines of note and eminence , which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy sacrament and supper of our lord . it is therefore the duty of all church-governours ( as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men , both themselves & others ) to take heed least while they exact of their people a too strict and punctuall confession of more than what 's necessary , they thereby wound and weaken the sweet peace and unity of christendome , than which nothing more necessary . so much for church-governours . come we in the next place to such ministers and other christians of what state and condition soever , as desire to continue in the communion of those churches wherein they live , but yet their consciences will not permit them to allow & professe all the common and received opinions of the said churches . such men must see that they show themselves teachable and tractable , and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those opinions wherein they dissent from their church . now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable , who lends a willing and attentive eare to the instructions and information of the church ; who doe's not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour , but meerely out of the weaknesse of his judgement , being not able in such profound points to discerne that trueth which men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive . and because it is the peculiar prerogative of almighty god to search the hearts , it behoves us christians to encline alwaies to the more favourable and more charitable side ; and , where we have not cleare and evident reasons for the contrary , we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perversenesse . they who thus behave themselves , are not to be excluded and expelled the communion of those churches wherein they live , for petty mistakes and errours in their opinions : but yet with this caution and condition , that they take not upon them to oppose the received opinion of the church , or to publish & spread their own private opinion amongst the common people . nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill , whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the communion of the church : for admit that the private opinion of some divine or any other christian , be true ; and the publike judgement of the church , erroneous : yet neverthelesse , if the errour be such as doe's not prejudice a christian man's salvation , it is much better that the true opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lie hid in silence and obscurity , than that the publike authority of the church should be openly contemned and trampled on , or that the churche's peace , by this unnecessary conflict of jarring opinions , as by two contrary windes , should be shaken and torne in peices . but if any man be perswaded in his conscience , that his private opinion wherein hee differ's from the church , is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it ; such a one , if he cannot perswade and convince the rulers and governours of his church in this matter , must either turne aside into some other church , or else ( for the good of men's soules ) patiently submit to such censures as the church in which he live's shall inflict upon him . this is it ( most learned sir ) which at your request i thought good to write and send unto you . if it may stand you or any man else in any steed for the advancing of the churche's peace , i have all my wish & ayme for which i penned it . they who are better acquainted with the present state and affaires of the germane churches than i am , will be able ( no doubt ) to give you fuller and better advice herein . for my selfe , it remaine's onely that i humbly beseech almighty god , that he would move and encline the hearts of princes , earnestly to desire this blessed union of our churches ; that he would enlighten the understandings of divines to find out and follow after such meanes as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it ; that lastly he would enflame the hearts of all christians to embrace this peace , & bequeath it to all posterity . the god of peace grant this for the sake of his deare sonne , the sole author & procurer of our peace . to whom with the blessed spirit be all honour , glory , & thankesgiving world without end . amen . the opinion of the right reverend father in god thomas morton bishop of dvrham , concerning the peace of the church . worthy sir , i cannot easily expresse how much i was joyed with those few leaves which i lately receaved from you ; as soone as i understood how that there was now at length some hopes of setling a true and brotherly union betwixt us & those of germany who hold the augustane confession . for seeing that the very name of peace is sweet and delight some , much more the thing it selfe ; especially if it be a peace in religion , which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true peace and unity : i cannot chuse therefore but congratulate and joy you ( sir ) with that good and truly-apostolicall office which you now undergoe : an emploiment which hath ever this successe , that it never can prove in vaine , or be altogether lost ; for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it ( if it be embraced , ) or else ( if rejected ) returne back againe into his bosome who proffer's it . notwithstanding , i observe there are two maine controversies set downe by you , which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one church ; the former is touching the eucharist ; the other , touching that involv'd and mysterious point of praedestination . for the composing of which two controversies , that you should desire my opinion , seeme's truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order : rather wee should imitate ( as i conceive ) those expert physitions , who sometimes cure one contrary by another : so likewise we , seeing that discords in opinion have bred disaffection and hatred in men's minds , 't were necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men , that so we may the more easily allay their heat in disputation , and reconcile them in their much differing opinions . to the promoting of this good work i neither can nor may be wanting . all that i shall say touching both controversies , give me leave to glance at in three words ; to wit , that the way & meanes of establishing an union , to men of peaceable minds , is easie ; to such as are lesse moderate , t is possible ; to both , very necessary . the first thesis . that 't is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled . this appeare's plainely from that love and freindship which was in times past betwixt the professors of both sides , notwithstanding that their differences in opinion were then very rife . this is a point of speciall moment , and therefore for proofe of it we should not alledge the examples of any obscure men , but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides . let them then ( if they please ) consult their luther , melanchthon , jacobus andreae , brentius : wee 'l bring in our calvin , bucer , peter martyr , and zanchy : all which sometimes shined in the church of christ like starres of the first magnitude . first then , there are to be seene in calvin's workes many excellent elogies of luther , even then when luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the point of the sacrament , and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language . whose passions , thereby moved & enflamed , calvin with admirable prudence supprest & kept from breaking out ▪ but i desire ( saith he ) you would consider , first what a worthy man luther is , and with what excellent gifts qualified ; with what courage & constancy , with what dexterity , with what successe and efficacy of his doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the kingdome of antichrist , & maintaine the doctrine of our salvation : i have many times said , that should he call me divel , yet neverthelesse i would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of god . thus calvin : a saying so full of sweetnesse and moderation , as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it . not long after , he made use of the apostle's argument to containe & keep in our divines , least waxing too hot and passionate , they should break out into revilings : it become's us ( saith he ) so to reprove what we finde amisse in him , as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments : let not therefore that befall u● , which is denounced by s. paul , that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed . though he have provoked us , yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of god's church . but now how did luther carry himselfe ? was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion , as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men ? nay he refused not to enter into freindship with calvin himselfe , though he knew him to be a stout champion of our sacramentary cause . let calvin himselfe speake , if you please , notwithstanding luther ( saith he ) in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy , that though he well knew my opinion , ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by letters writ with his owne hand , ( for the dishonesty of westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly , so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used . ) afterwards , when the agreement was halfe finished at marpurge , and they were not yet departed from that meeting , he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of occolampadius and zuinglius as he formerly had done ▪ and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them hence forth as brethren . secondly , what an intimate freindship & familiarity there was betwixt melanchthon , jacobus andreae , brentius , and our divines , the mutuall salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes : melanchthon writing to calvin , begins his letter after this manner ; reverend and christian brother , i trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together . and afterwards concluding , i beseech the sonne of god , our lord jesus christ , the guardian and keeper of his church , that he would guide and protect thee and us all . farewell most deare brother . besides , what was observed concerning melanchthon & others by our sturmius , he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us ; as though ( saith he ) philip melanchthon did not impart his opinion ( touching the sacrament ) to peter martyr , afterwards , to divers others : with whom he still continued in love and freindship further , jacobus andreae and brentius did unanimously adhere to the opinion of luther concerning the eucharist , of whom notwithstanding calvin thus speaks ; your letters , worthy sir and my much honoured brother ( speaking to jacobus andreae ) were not a litle welcome to me ; for as much as i understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions , wherein i am most unwillingly engaged , you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been . againe , this your moderation of mind i embrace & highly applaud . farewell worthy sir , and my much respected brother . i wish all happinesse to brentius . god almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit , strengthen and sustaine you by his power , and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you . and againe , in another letter , brentius salute's you . thus were matters carried amongst thē : and why should not we , putting on bowells of meeknesse , tread the steps of these worthies ? shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse , and wee nought but rage and fury ? god forbid . i have done with the first thesis ; i now proceed to the second . the second thesis . that 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed . give mee leave to make use of that maxime of aristotle , so frequently used in the schooles ; but in a sense somewhat different — quae conveniunt in eodem tertio , inter se conveniunt : such two things as agree in any one third , agree likewise betwixt themselves . in like manner , i conceive that though we differ much in our opinions about the eucharist , yet there are still remaining amongst us some common principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion . one is , the authority of scripture , sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife : a second is , the cleare light of antiquity , as cleare as the sunne at mid-day . but this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these . three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over , seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts . i wil begin with the first of thē . the augustane confession is by the divines of saxony esteemed as an oracle , of undeniable and unquestionable authority ; now if our men allow and approve of that confession , ● doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a reconciliation . and for certaine calvin herein agrees with them : i desire ( saith hee ) as much as any man a sincere and true union , so it be such as god hath approved in his word : nor doe i reject the augustane confession ; whereunto i did once wittingly and willingly subscribe , according to that interpretation which the author thereof himselfe put upon it . againe , i affirme ( saith hee ) that in that confession , as it was printed at ratisbon , there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our doctrine : and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense , none is more ●it to be the interpreter of it than the author himselfe , whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men . so he. neither is he singular in this : but others there are , though of the same opinion with him concerning the eucharist , who will grant as much . a i am of the number of those ( saith john sturmius ) who concerning the receiving of the body & blood of christ approve of the augustane confession . hierome zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too , b i professe ( saith hee ) that as often as i had occasion to speake any thing about this point , i did alwaies containe my selfe within the compasse of these three heads ▪ the first whereof is , that in the lord's supper not onely bread and wine , but the very body and blood of our lord is truely offered us by christ , and likewise truely received , truely eaten and drunke by us . the second , but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body , but by a true and an actuall faith . the last , that therefore this is done by beleivers onely , and by none others . now these heads are taken out of god's word nor are they repugnant to the augustane confession . these things being so , those worthy men have the more reason to be entreated by us , that besides the said augustane confession ( which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of faith for all protestants , whereby they might be distinguished from papists ) they would not obtrude upon us any other private opinions of their own , to the hinderance of the publike peace . a second principle of the like nature , which even reason it selfe doth dictate , is this ; that no antecedent is to be urged and pressed , the necessary consequent and sequell whereof may not bee granted by us . but now it is well knowne , that luther , to remove out of the way the perill of idolatry , did abolish all a worshipping at the celebration of the eucharist , which had formerly been practised ; and for the same end he abolisht the elevation of the host also ; that b brentius likewise did with much earnestnesse oppose their breaden god , ( for so hee himselfe terme's it ; ) lastly , that c melanchthon did reject their bread-worship in the lord's supper . those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated , that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which they with so great applause cryed down and abhorred , be not for all that the genuine ofspring of that vbiquity which at this day is maintained by them . thirdly , least any man haply should pretend , that no whit is to bee abated of that bitternesse and rigour wherewith at first they exercised the patience of occolampadius , and zuinglius , they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference ananias , in the ninth of the acts , when first he was warned in a vision to put his hands upon saul , he was somewhat unwilling to doe it ; j have heard ( saith he ) by many of this man &c. but afterwards , having better understood the counsell and purpose of god , he gladly embrace's him , saying , brother saul the lord hath sent mee unto thee . the very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of luther himselfe towards zuinglius and oecolampadius ; whom at first hee fell upon roughly , when he heard that they held there was nothing in the eucharist save only bare signes and figures : but afterwards , having further examined their meaning , he kindly & courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them . after the very same manner did calvin likewise stand affected towards them , as he himselfe confesseth ; when at my first entrance ( saith hee ) into the cleare sun-shine of the gospell out of popish darknes , i read in luther how that oecolampadius and zuinglius would admit of nothing in the sacraments but bare and empty figures , this ( i confesse ) so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings , that i refrained a long time from reading them . thus spoke calvin at that time of those men , whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him . why may not then the saxon divines be pleased to show themselves luthers towards us , so long as they finde us not inferiour to oecolampadius and zuinglius in this point ? the third thesis . that this friendly vnion and reconcilement we wish for , is very necessary for all men , whether of a milde or turbulent disposition . it is not my purpose to lash out into common places , wherein much paines might be spent , and litle or no benefit got by it . it behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments , as may , not coldly beg and intreat , but command , and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves . neither are there any ( as you well know ) fitter for the setling and confirming of such a communion , than are those which are drawne from the common joy , or greife ; the common danger , or the common good & advantage of both sides . there 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of christ , than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another ; which is seene especially in two things : first , in rejoycing at the hopes of a reconciliation ; such as was the psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of brethren , ● how good and joyfull a thing it is ! secondly , a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention ; such as the jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of reuben . schisme growing and getting upon the church at corinth , the apostle exhort's them to bee [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement : the word is derived frō {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which amongst physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt . the same apostle , that he might compose and setle the mindes of the philippians , ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of ! if ( saith he ) there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of love , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any bowells of mercies , fulfill my joy . but how may they doe that ? he goes on ; that yee be like minded , having the same love , [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] being of one accord , of one mind . i verily beleive , that eloquence her selfe , if she had a tongue to speake , she could not have spoke more emphatically : where each word is a sharp dart , peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules . i will adde onely that long chaine of vnities in the same apostle to the ephesians ; one body , one spirit , one hope , one calling , one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god and father of all : all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at , to wit , that the ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace . as touching the danger , we all of us know that the tyranny of the romish antichrist hang's over our heads : who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall maxime [ divide & impera ] set them once at variance , and then you may quickly master them ; or rather , by setting them at variance , you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell : for the kingdome being once divided , hell it selfe cannot stand . let us learn to be wise from the examples of others : the guelphi and gibelli●i [ those two implacable and irreconcileable factions ] did agree together and joyne their forces , when the common enimie came against them ▪ and shall not we rowse our selves up to save & defend our selves ? as for the gaine and advantage i mentiond , can there be any greater gaine than salvation ? and yet even this too , the more common , the greater and better it is . let us then ( i beseech you for the love of god ) set before our eyes the greek church , which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement , as appeare's from that confession of faith lately set forth in the name of all the easterne churches by the right reverend father cyrill patriarch of constantinople : which agrees exactly with our protestant confessions in every article set forth and published by him . me thinks i see this most ample & farre spreading part of the christian world ready to fly into our armes & embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves : which hope of ours should christ be pleased to crowne with successe ▪ this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the emperours in the world . but i hasten to your other question . the other controversy . concerning that unfathom'd mystery of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes . this is that other question ( as i gather from your letter ) whereon as on a rock divers men ( otherwise desirous of peace ) have dasht and split themselves . that therefore men may knowe , i have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute , but rather am cast upon it against my will , my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation , but ( as the times rather require ) by way of exhortation & advice . i hope therefore the learned divines of saxony will take this my advice in good part , wherein i earnestly pray and beseech them , first , that they would be reconciled to their owne luther in this point , who ( as it did well become a child of grace ) did constantly hold and maintaine that the grace of god is every way free and gratuitous . next , that they would not , in the patronizing and vindicating of divine grace , suffer themselves to be outstript by papists , nay jesuites , and the prime doctors too of that sect , bellarmine , tolet , pererius , suarez , salmeron , maldonat : who have all of them exploded this doctrine of praedestination upon the foresight of faith and workes , as pure pelagianisme . last of all , it is some wisdome for a man to profit by his enimy : there came out a book two yeares agon , written by will : de gibieuffe , of the oratorian order , priest and doctor of the sorbon , dedicated to the present pope vrban : wherein are inserted the words of pope clement the eighth concerning the auxilia gratiae : the summe whereof is this ; that this whole doctrine ought to be squared and conformed to s. austin's judgement in the point of grace ; that the same s. austin ought be acknowledged and followed as a guide and leader , for asmuch as that good father seeme's to have omitted nothing which concernes the said controversies : and because ( saith he ) many of our praedecessours have stood up so stoutly for that doctrine of s. austin concerning grace as if they desired to have it continued in the church as her right of inheritance , it is not meet i should suffer her to be deprived of this her patrimony . thus farre that pope : unto whose judgement ( j will not say , for the authority , but the trueth of it ) i nothing doubt but calvin himselfe , were he now living , would subscribe : and he that shall read calvin's writings , will quickly grant , that in these controversies he had more than an ordinary share of s. austin's legacy . thus you see , sir , how that partly your importunity ( who are such an earnest factour for peace ) and partly my own zeale in so necessary a cause , have made me exceed the accustomed bounds of a letter ▪ wherein , if you finde not much judgement , yet may you behold my care & desires for christian peace . the author of all true peace , our lord jesus christ , strengthen and enable you by the power of his holy spirit cheerefully to goe thorough with this so waighty an employment for the publike peace of his church . farewell . thomas durham . postscript . that we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love & unity , is so farre from being any prejudice to our cause , as that it is rather to be counted an honour to us : in that we herein follow the precept and practice of god himselfe ; of whom the evangelist saith , . joh. . . he first loved us . the opinion of the right reverend father in god ioseph hall bishop of exceter . those articles of religion wherein the divines of both sides doe fully agree , are abundantly sufficient , both for a christian man's salvation , and likewise for the establishing of a firme & lasting peace in the churches of god . as for the rest , i would not have them reckoned amongst the apostle's [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] foolish questions : doubtlesse they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the divinity-schooles , there to bee throughly discussed : but by no meanes ought they to disquiet the peace either of any christian soule , or of god's holy church . what doe we professing christian charity and love , if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our brethren this litle liberty of dissenting from us in doubtfull & difficult schoole-questions ? seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and greivous errours in comparison of these ( if it be granted that these are errours , ) and that too even in such as were of his owne houshold and retinue . there are but three things about which the reverend divines of both sides professe themselves to differ . the first is , whether or no our lord and saviour jesus christ be truly omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent not only according to his divinity , but also according to his humane nature , by vertue of the personall union ? that the lord jesus ( to wit god and man ) is in both his natures omniscient , omnipotent , and omnipresent , is confest on each side : this being granted , the word [ according ] is a meere schoole-nicity . how farre the vertue of that hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , the holy ghost is silent , and a christian may safely be ignorant of it . let the doctors , if they list , dispute and busie their braines as much as they please about this matter : it will be enough for a christian , to knowe that he hath a saviour who is both god and man , to whom all these attributes truely belong and appertaine . nay even divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied , so long as this be granted on both sides , that even the humane nature considered personally is omniscient , omnipresent , & omnipotent : which wee all of us roundly and readily professe without any doubt or scruple . o what enimies are we to peace , if we will yet needs quarrell amongst our selves ● in all this , i wish we would carefully remember that usefull distinction of john gerson , esse quaedam de necessitate fidei , quadam verò de fidei devotione : that there are some things essentiall and necessary to faith , other some things which shee piously and devoutly beleives , but yet they are not of such necessity as the other : the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of , but these latter may admit of an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; we may safely either suspend our assent unto them , or positively dissent from them . the second article wherein they differ , is concerning the manner of receiving christ in the eucharist . both agree , that christ's body is truly and really given , taken , and eaten in this sacrament together with the outward elements : all the question is concerning vnworthy receivers . an unworthy question truly it is , that the publike peace should any way be disturbed about it . we willingly grant both of us , that even such as are vnworthy doe eat that which by a sacramentall union is christ's body ; and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of jesus christ : what doe wee now making any more adoe about the manner of their eating , whether it be orall or not ? let christians make this their care , that they thēselves may be found worthy communicants , and let them not trouble themselves to knowe how those which are unworthy are partakers of christ . how farre the vertue of that sacramental union extends it selfe , and whether the manner of this eating be orall or spirituall , let the schools dispute it : christians need not be too curious in enquiring after it ; nor is it fit wee should disquiet the churche's peace , by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of opinion in such nice points . the third article is that fatall point of praedestination : about which , divines of both sides expresse themselves variously , but yet modestly and discreetly . in many things , and such as are of most moment , their judgements on both sides are the same : as , that election is most free , & proceeding from the meere mercy of god , that god found not any cause or occasion in those whom hee elected , the sight whereof might move him to chuse them rather than others : but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternall damnation such as persevere and persist in their sinnes and infidelity ; not by any rigid and absolute decree , without having any respect or regard to sin , but out of his most just judgement : so as all the cause & the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves . in this they are at a stand ; that the foresight of faith and perseverance is by the reverend divines of saxony placed before the act of god's election : so as god did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time beleive , &c. certainly of all the questions about praedestination , this concerning the order of his decree is least materiall ▪ seeing we know assuredly that the infinite & all-wise disposer of things performes all this with one single & most simple act . there is nothing more certain than that god did foresee who would beleive , and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved : let but this then be granted ( which they of saxony willingly professe ) that faith is the sole gift of god , and that whatsoever good there is in the elect , all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace & meere mercy of god , which was bestowed on them in jesus christ from all eternity ; i say , let this be granted , and doubtlesse there can be no danger in that opinion of praevision or fore-sight : god from everlasting fore-saw that ▪ which he himselfe from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should beleive . all this is sound and safe , nor is there any cause why any further strife & contention should be made here ▪ about . in all this , i embrace and applaud this christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of peace : thus it becomes christians , thus it becomes divines . i am much deceived , if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds doe's not promise a firme and perpetuall peace to god's church . thou god of peace , in thy good time accomplish it : give eare to the prayers of thy people , and grant that all christians may be of one heart and one way , till at length we come , by thee who art the way , to thee who art the life . amen , amen . from the palace at exceter . febr. . . which is the humble , daily , and devout prayer of jos : exon : afterwards the same mr john dury sent unto the ld bishop of exceter a coppy of a certaine pious and peaceable decree , made & published by a generall vote at a publike meeting of the states in franckfort : requesting his opinion concerning the meanes and manner how this good worke might be advanced ▪ where unto he had returned him this answer . to his most faithfull , learned , and loving freind mr john dury , all happinesse . sir , ihave read over , with a great deale of delight , the transcript you sent me of that decree for peace , which was lately signed by all the protestant states and delegates assembled at franckfort : than which decree , nothing ( in my opinion ) could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion : nor doe i see ( as the case now stand's ) what more could be once hoped for ; or what could possibly have beene proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the publike peace , which all good men so much wish and desire . thus it was meet that the holy citizens of god's church , that pious princes and peeres should thus carefully provide for the peace and safety of christendome and blessed be god , the bestower of every good gift ▪ the author of peace , who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes : may the same good god be pleased , at length to finish this his owne work so hopefully begun , and crowne it with successe . and truely neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto ▪ neither know i well upon what hopes it is , but methinkes my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise . for indeed what a small and slender hedge is it , which now divide ▪ s and part 's us ? we doe all of us of the reformation , receive and approve the same scriptures , the same creeds ▪ the same augustane confession : onely in one article the sense is so doubtfully expressed , that the author himselfe did not thinke it safe to adhere to the letter of it . the foundation of the christian faith is , amongst us all , one and the same , entire and unshaken ; there 's not so much as one stone in it , or the least peice of coement , about which any question either is or can be made ▪ upon this foundation there are built certain points of schoole-divinity , about which alone we so hotly contend : but what are these to a christian ? what are these to salvation ? in what a safe and quiet state might the affaires of christendome have been , if such nice disputes of curious and over-busie heads had never been heard of ; if learned men could have contented thēselves with some generall formes of expressing the trueth , and not presently to have sifted divinity so over-nearly as they have done ? but seeing these strifes , which are not onely unprofitable , but very hurtfull and prejudiciall to both sides , are thus unfortunately raised ; what better advice can be thought upon for the setling and composing of these stirres , than that the faith be brought back againe to its primitive simplicitie and plainenesse , by the publike authority and joynt consent of the christian church ? and that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of beleife , the christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper articles of faith , and the lesse necessary additions of schoole-conclusions : which truely in this very businesse is a matter of no great difficulty to performe . this especially is fundamentall , christ is both god and man ; and so likewise this , christ , god and man , is truely omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent : now if any shall adde further , jesus christ , according to his humane nature , is omniscient , omnipotent , omnipresent ; truely that word [ according ] seemes to be farre off from the foundation ; 't is a scholasticall notion , and to be turned over to profest divines ; but it is not fit the salvation of plaine and illiterate christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice point as this is . can these knowe , or are they bound to know , how farre the vertue of the hypostaticall union extend's it selfe , or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures ? certainely if god had intended this for a necessary point to be knowne by all men , he would not so sparingly and obscurely have revealed unto his church a mystery so fundamentall and important . i dispute not the trueth of the point , ( nor is this pertinent to my purpose , ) onely i question whether it be of necessity to be beleived . let us view a comparison betwixt things humane & divine , although what similitude can there bee'twixt earth and heaven ? man consists of a soule and a body united one to the other : and yet notwithstanding , each part hath its severall properties and actions , which are usually attributed ( and that very rightly too ) to the whole ; the whole man hath the use of sense , doth understand , eat , walke , sleep , dye : thus much even sense & reason doth unanswerably evince : will any man hereupon say , that this also is of equall necessity to be knowne , man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason ; and according to his soule he doth eat , walke , sleep , and dye ? truly the same that reason is , in respect of intelligible matters ; the same is faith , in things spirituall and divine : i am not ignorant , how much they differ in their subjects ; yet neverthelesse the necessity of the things which are either to be known or beleived , is alike different in both . such trueths therefore as are certaine , such as are necessarily to be beleived , and apparently fundamentall , let us all unanimously embrace and professe them : as for the rest , let divines ( if they please ) busie their heads with them , but let not the plaine & common sort of christians trouble themselves about them more than needs . but if it may seeme to make any thing for the publike peace , that we come as neare as we can one to another in the formes and manner of expression ; let us but say ( as * hier : zanchy sometimes alledged out of innocent and the schoole-men ) that even christ's humane nature according to its personall essenc● is omni present , &c. and i see no reason why both sides may not , nay will not readily consent and agree to it . here let us fixe ; let neither side proceed any further beyond this , and wee are safe . in the point of the sacrament this is certaine and fundamentall , that the true and essentiall body and blood of christ is truely present , offered , and received in that holy supper● but whether or no it be corporally present in the bread & wine , whether or no ( by a supernaturall vertue of the conse●rated elements ) it be orally received and eaten , even by wicked and unworthy communicants , this is a matter of theologicall dispute , and such as ( in the judgement of luther , melanchthon , justus jonas , ofiander , brentius , stephanus agricola ▪ yea & of oecolampadius , zuinglius , bu●er , hedi● ) ought not to infri●ge christian love and charity . and upon this promising signe was begun that famous agreement at marpurge , in the yeare . that likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetuall memory , which is related concerning the meeting at witemberge , in the yeare , by ludovicus rabus pastor at vlme , in his history of martyrs : with whom agree's iohn swiccius , pastor at constance ( cited by hospinian ) who was there present at that time ; and 't is to be seen likewise in the english writings of bucer ▪ there were present at that meeting , of the one side , capito , bucer , musculus , and the rest of the more eminent divines out of the cheife imperiall cities in high germany ; of the other side , luther , philip , ionas , pomeranus , cruciger , with other doctors & preachers of witemberge : and after some expostulations , and divers speeches to and fro , wherein both sides freely & fairely delivered their opinions , at length luther ( stepping a litle aside with his associates , and conferring with them about it ) concluded with these words ; if yee beleive and teach , that in the holy supper the very body and the very blood of christ is offered , given , and received , and not the bare ●ignes bread and wine ; and that such giving and receiving is true and reall , not onely imaginary , the strife betwixt us is at an end , and we doe acknowledge & receive you as our deare brethren in the lord . all this , bucer , capito , and the rest , plainely and freely affirmed : whereupon they joyned hands , and so parted . indeed the waters were then calme and quiet , not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds ; and therefore they did clearely shew and represent the face of trueth . why doe not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise ? and having passed those tempestuous and troublesome times which afterwards followed , why doe we not sit downe and rest our selves in this old and safe harbour of peace and unity ? concerning the point of praedestination , how doth the church of christ groane under the burden of a number of huge & high-swolne volumes ? yet when wee have done all we can , and wearied our selves and the christian world with our wrangling pens , this will still remaine to be knowne and beleived by all men , ▪ that god from all eternity out of his meere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto salvation . . that none were elected by god , nor shall be saved , who doe not beleive in jesus christ , and persevere in this faith . . that none can beleive in christ , save onely they whom god is pleased to enable hereunto , and to worke it in them by the effectuall grace of his spirit ▪ . that god did not damne , no nor reprobate any man , but with an eye to sin : so that all the cause & the blame of men's damnation , lie's in themselves ; but the cause of election and salvation is in the meere grace and mercy of god . now all this is confeston both sides . ● know right well , there are infinite questions & controversie a raised about this point : let every man on god's name enjoy his owne opinion ; i will not prescribe to any man . for my selfe , if any man be desirous to know what my opinion herein is , i freely professe my selfe to adhere to the articles of the church of england , and to the judgement of our english divines who voted in the synod at dort ( wherein my selfe was presen 〈…〉 but what is there in this profound point , about which vulgar and illiterate christians need to trouble themselves , save onely that plaine & obvious trueth confest by all ? for the rest , let divines dispute them in the schooles ; but it were well if they would forbeare to medle with them in the pulpit . how are the very same controversies , and others of greater waight and moment , still on foot in the church of rome , and yet so warily and wisely doe they carry the matter , that the publike peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them . let vs learne wisedome from them who professe nought but enmity towards us . would but christian princes by their authority decree , & divines fairely and moderately containe and keep themselves within these bounds of disputation and controversie ( bounds indeed larg and spatious enough , ) wee should have a lasting & firme agreement , the church would flourish in peace and tranquillity , and lastly trueth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common enimy . that this may be brought to passe ( as we all wish and desire it should ) the honourable states and delegates did very wisely propose and advise that a publike meeting of peaceable divines should be summoned and sought for by invitatory letters , that the freindly & laudable conference , which was begun at li●swich , should be reassumed and prosecuted with like modesty as it had formerly been be gun ; that all such di●ines of note & eminence as cannot be present at that meeting should send over their opinions and advice ; that all the fundamentalls of religion , necessary for salvation , should be determined , and all other points laid aside , and turned over to the schooles ( if need should require ; ) that in the meane time men's tongues and pens should be enjoyned moderation or else silence ; that lastly publike prayers should be solemnly made in the churches of both sides for the successe of this good worke . let but these things be done with an upright heart , in the feare of god , and wee need not doubt of a happy issue : it is god's own cause , he will not be wanting to himselfe . for you , mr dury , who have hitherto with such zeale , such unwearied paines , so many dangers , so great charges , prosecuted this designe so well pleasing to god , his angells , and men ; truly you have deserved so well of the whole church , as that all good men must acknowledge themselves much indebted to you . goe on ( worthy sir ) with your great undertakeings , and put a period to this good worke : or rather , may the great god of heaven & earth doe this for you and us all ; and may he still preserve and prosper you in these travailes and labours of yours . farewell from your loving freind jos : exon : the opinion of the most reverend father in god iames usher lord arch-bishop of armagh and primate of ireland , with some other reverend bishops in ireland . reverend and much respected brother in christ ; wee had long since by common consent made ready an answer to your former letters which you writ unto us severally some moneths agon : but being desirous to have likewise a generall subscription to it according to that agreement which should be betwixt fellow-brethren of the clergy , we deferred the sending of it somewhat the longer in hopes of a meeting . you desire us now in your second letter dated from london march . that we would give you our opinion concerning the conference at lipswich ; the rather , because that conference is likely to have some effect and influence upon the busines you have in hand . thus therefore ; that meeting ( though it was called for other ends and reasons ) yet seeing it was holden with such good successe , and that the cheife divines of both sides had so faire & freindly a conference , heard one another with such patience , & parted with such love and brotherly affection , it is a very good signe that this matter is from the lord , and from this good beginning who can chuse but hope for a happy and successefull issue ? but yet notwithstanding , they parted differing about three points : it is well that they differd but in three ; & 't is better yet , that even in those three points they agreed in most things , and such as are of greatest moment ; nor was their difference so much about the thing it selfe , as about some formes of expression , which for the most part we cannot so easily forget and cast off after we have been long accustomed to them . for seeing it is confest on both sides , that christ hath two natures in one person , so inseparably united that neither can they be divided , nor are they confounded , but still remaine distinct and severall without all mixture or aequality ( so much as of their properties , ) to what end is it to quarrell about improper and figurative propositions ? so likewise in the eucharist , seeing they both agree that the faithfull doe eat not only the fruit and benefit , but the very essence ( or substance ) of christ's body ; and that on god's part the sacraments are exhibited entire & perfect , the thing signified together with the sign , what doe they contending about hypocrites and unbelievers ? 't is all one as if physi●ions should fall a disputing about a dead man , whether or no the potion he tooke hath any operation upon him . there remaines yet that other much controverted question touching praedestination : and yet even in this too it would be no hard matter for them to be reconciled , were but spleen and partiality laid aside , and in the roome thereof a reverent and modest feare how we pry too farre into god's secret counsells , placed and planted : seeing the best and ablest divines of both sides acknowledge , that in many questions about this mystery we must be faine to take up st paul's exclamation , o the depth ! and that 't is both lawfull & sufficient for them to rest and hold together in those cleare & undoubted trueths ; namely , that the election of such as shall be saved , was made in christ ; that the destruction of all such as perish , is from themselves ; that salvation is from god ; that faith ( yea even foreseen faith ) is not from our selves , it is the gift of god , that we may not boast of any thing , seeing we have nothing of our own ; all must be ascribed to god : as s. cyprian of old devoutly and pithily spake . thus you have , both what we hope & conceive of the conference at lipswich . but the most principall and speciall thing , which should be earnestly prest and inculcated , is this ; that in divine matters , espocially in such high and difficult mysteries as these are , which are rather to be adored than pried into , we ought to have a certaine and set rule to speake by ▪ as s. austin sometimes prudently and piously counselled : & therefore it would be a very safe and good course for us to refraine from all novell and new-fangled expressions , and to confine the liberty of prophecying to such formes and phrases as the holy scriptures doe furnish us withall . it remaines , that wee earnestly beseech the god of peace to bruise satan under our feet , & that shortly : unto which god we heartily recommend you ( reverend brother ) & rest may . anno . your most affectionate friends james armagh . william kilmore . john ardagh . the judgement of the same right reverend father , the lord arch-bishop of armagh , delivered in a sermon of his preached before k. iames at wansted , iune th . . if at this day wee should take a survay of the severall professions of christianity , that have any large spread in any part of the world ( as of the religion of the romane and the reformed churches in our quarters , of the aegyptians and aethiopians in the south , of the grecians & other christians in the easterne parts , ) and should put-by the points wherein they differ one from another , and gather into one body the rest of the articles wherein they doe all generally agree ; wee should finde , that in those propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole christian world , so much trueth is contained , as being joyned with holy obedience , may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation . neither have we cause to doubt , but that as many as doe walke accorto this rule ( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable here●ies thereupon , nor otherwise vitiating their holy faith with a lewd and wicked conversation ) peace shall be upon them , and mercy , and upon the israel of god . the opinion of some famous divines of the french church . that which hath been the constant and earnest wish of all good men for these hundred yeares past , and which by all wise men hath been esteemed worthy to be purchased at any rate and with any paines though never so great ; this ( we heare , to the exceeding great joy of our hearts ) is at this day endeavoured by some worthy servants of christ ▪ with singular zeale , and not without good hopes of a happy successe : to wit , that the protestant churches which differ one from another about some points of religion , laying aside or at least moderating on both sides their over-tenacious adhering to their own opinions , may now at length be united and made up into one body . we being much joyed with this welcome newes , first of all we render all possible praise and thankesgiving to almighty god the giver of all good things , that he hath been pleased to put such good thoughts and intentions into the hearts of his servants ; and wee most earnestly beseech him , that his blessing may goe along with this good designe , & crowne it with successe : next , we returne many thanks to those our reverend and worthy brethren and fellow-ministers , who have put their hands to this worke ; and we doe highly applaud and admire their faithfulnesse , zeale , charity , and singular magnanimity & courage herein . what a brave and noble spirit does it argue in them , that they could once hope for an unity and peace of our churches in these desperate and distracted times ? or that they durst venter upon a matter of such difficulty , which had so often been attempted heretofore by men of great abilities , but could never be brought to passe ? what the event of this so great and good a designe will be , is in the sole power & pleasure of almightie god : but surely the very endeavouring and intending of so good a worke deserve's no litle commendation : for , the bare purpose or having in one's heart and thoughts matters of great concernment , and such as may make for the good of christ's church , is a great and good worke , & never faile's of its reward from our bountifull god : although there be good cause to hope , that the paines which learned men take hereabout shall even with men too have its fruit & effect . for , now that they have spent their spirits and heat of contention , & wearied themselves with long strife and variance , it is more than probable that they will now at last entertaine those counsells of peace which they have hitherto out of spleene and passion rejected and set light by . besides , that most sharp plowshare of god's judgement wherewith for almost these foureteene yeares he hath furrowed and plowed up the french and german churches , hath so subdued & broken up men's minds on each side , that never was there a more fit and seasonable opportunity for sowing and casting in the seeds of unity and peace , than now . wee cannot chuse therefore but greatly approve , commend , and admire the purposes and endeavours of those worthy men who have imployed their paines in so necessary a worke : but since we understand how that they are desirous to knowe more particularly what our opinion is of this whole businesse , let us proceed to set downe ( as breifly and plainly as we can ) our judgement herein . indeed it were much to be wished , that they who professe themselves christ's disciples and followers , would all think and speake alike of matters spirituall and divine ; perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement , ( as s. paul exhorts his corinthians . ) but since there is so much weaknesse in man's understanding , and so great difficulty in points of divinity , that this perfect and absolute agreement betwixt pious men is a thing not to be had or hoped for in this world ; in the next place it were to be wished , that they would agree and be of the same beleife about the maine & principall heads of religion : and for other matters which are of lesse moment and use , and such as do not any way make either for holinesse of life , or comfort of men's consciences , & consequently doe not necessarily pertaine to christ's kingdome ( which consists in those two things ) that they would in such wise beleive them , as to beare with others who dissent frō them about such points . for as we see in civill & saecular matters , the best states-men are not alwaies of the same opinion concerning the affaires of the commonwealth ; so likewise in the church , so long as the summe and substance of religion is agreed upon & maintained , no matter though in some other points the judgements of the faithfull be various and different . that this is lawfull , both the thing it selfe loudly proclaimes it , and s. paul confirmes it ; who doe's not only permit but command us ( more than once ) to beare with such as differ from us in their opinions ▪ and 't is the common and generall opinion of all such divines as have been of any note and esteem in the church ever since our saviour christ's times downe to this present age . yet is not this so to be understood , as if all manner of differences in religion were to be tolerated : for even the same apostle denounceth an anathema against such as shall preach any other gospell than that which he had preached ; and the most moderate amongst the fathers of the christian church have alwaies constantly held , that we are to shunne and avoid the company of hereticks . for there bee some opinions of those men who differ about religion , which overthrow the very foundation of our salvation , & destroy either that piety or that charity which wee are commanded by god's word to practise towards god and men : such are the erroneous doctrines of romanists , who will have that religious worship given to creatures , which god hath reserved peculiar to himselfe ; who make our faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men ; who severall waies overthrow the preistly office of jesus christ ; in a word , who have with their own inventions so stained and deformed the whole christian religion , that they have left no one part in it sound and untainted . such likewise are the opinions of socinians , who ( to let passe their other positions ) deny our lord and saviour christ jesus to be truely god : and if once you take away his divinity , it will necessarily follow , that either wee worship a creature , or else that we doe not worship the sonne of god ; both of which are manifestly repugnant to those trueths which are delivered to us in holy writ as absolutely necessary to salvation . we conceive therefore that no peace in way of religion can be had with these men , nor with any others who maintaine any errours of this nature , till they shall renounce these their private doctrines . but for those who hold some erroneous opinion which yet may consist with piety , & charity , and all christian duties belonging thereunto , we think ( as s. paul seeme's to have determined ) a communion may be held with them . wee may mildly admonish such , and when opportunity is offered , discreetly reprove and instruct them ; but to cast them out of the church , and ( for no other cause ) to curse and excommunicate them as men in a desperate and damnable estate , this ( in our opinion ) is neither fitting nor lawfull to be done . now to apply this to the matter in hand ▪ we conceive that to this latter sort all those controversies doe belong which are agitated amongst protestant divines , touching christ's presence in the sacramentall ●ignes , touching divine praedestination , and some few other points . for they doe agree in all such points as conduce either to piety towards god , or charity towards men ; they maintain on both sides , that the scriptures are of divine inspiration , that they are perfect , perspicuous , and authenticall ; they detest with one heart & mouth the tyranny , and pernitious doctrines of the pope , and they equally keep off from entertaining a communion with him ; they have the same sacraments ; they worship the same christ ; they professe the same righteousnesse and holinesse in this life , and they expect the same glory in the life to come : in a word , so great and so wonderfull an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary doctrines , that ( did not the history of their affaires , and those bitter contentions which have hitherto ( more is the pitty ) been fomented amongst them , witnesse the contrary ) there 's no man but would thinke they had a meeting at the beginning , and by common counsell & consent agreed upon the same confession of faith . in such a multitude of mysteries , who can chuse but admire that there should not be above one or two points wherein they did not fully agree ? for even about the eucharist , which is the maine matter of this woefull division , they both of them grant that 't is a sacrament not a sacrifice ; that it is to be eaten , not worshipped ; both the two kindes instituted by our saviour christ ( to wit , bread and wine ) are neither transubstantiated nor divided one from the other by either side ; they both acknowledge the same use and end of this holy rite , to wit the commemorating of christ's death , & the partaking of his body which was crucified , and of his blood which was shed for us : there is onely one thing about which they disagree , namely the manner how christ's body is given to us and received by us in that sacrament ; the thing is the same on both sides , onely the manner of it is divers . this difference , though it be but small , yet is it not ( wee confesse ) altogether of no moment : but that it should be of so great moment , as that it ought to make a breach of charity and affection amongst brethren , a duty so useful and necessary to the christian world , and so miraculously wrought amongst them by the hand of heaven , this we utterly deny . neither doe we alone deny it : to say nothing of our brethren in poland , and almost all the germans which hold with us , who ( as it is well knowne to all men ) ever did , and at this day doe make the same reckoning and account of that controversy as we but now did ; to say nothing likewise of those famous divines of both sides in saxony and brandenburge , who ( as we have been informed ) were lately of the very same opinion concerning these points , when they had fairely discussed them at lipswich , whither they were come with their princes . but one thing there is which we cannot here omit to mention , a matter perhaps not so well knowne to forraine nations , yet such a matter it is as we confidently beleive will be most welcome and acceptable to all good & peaceable men , to wit that the reformed churches here in france ( whereof there are good store ) have alwaies been of that same opinion touching these controversies , & they have given testimony of this their opinion , both heretofore sundry waies , and likewise now very lately by an expresse decree made in a generall synod held here at charenton neare paris in the yeare . for when , upon occasion of a citizen of lions ( unto whose daughter a certaine young german of the augustane confession , as they call it , was a suiter ) it was questiond , how we are to account and esteeme of such as are commonly termed lutherans ; all the brethren which were there met , out of all the provinces of france , and sent thither from their several churches , did unanimously vote thus ; that seeing the churches of the augustane confession doe agree with the other reformed churches in all the principles and fundamentall points of true religion , and that in their discipline and forme of divine worship there is neither idolatry nor superstition : such of the faithfull of that confession as shall with the spirit of charity and in a truly peaceable way joyne themselves unto the publike assemblies of the churches in this kingdome , and desire to communicate with them , may , without the abjuration of their former opinions which they hold contrary to the beleife of these churches , be admitted to the holy table , contract marriages with the faithfull of our confession , and present themselves in the quality of godfathers to the children which shall be baptized ; upon their promise given to the consistory , that they will never solicite such children , directly or indirectly , against the doctrine beleived and professed in our churches , but shall content themselves with giving them instruction onely in those points wherein we all agree . we are not ignorant , how that many objections may be made against this decree by such as have a mind to contend & cavill : but such objections they are , most of them , as have but litle strength and validity in them , and such as can no way stand in comparison with those waighty reasons wherewith the christian faith and charity doe furnish us . it is not our purpose to insist on every particular ; onely in general , we think it not amisse to put men in minde of two things , which if they were observed with that care as it fitting , both sides perhaps would henceforth judge more mildly and charitably of each other than hitherto they have done . first then , speciall heed would be taken by us , that the assertions and opinions of private men , though doctors , though of never so great esteem and repute amongst their own men , be not father'd on that whole church wherein such men live , as the common and generally received doctrine of them all . for what can be imagined more unequall , than that one man's crime , or commendation , should be imputed to all ? and what by him hath been spoken well or ill , should be rewarded or punished in others ▪ who were so farre from deserving any such matter , as that many times such things are fastned on them as they never so much as once heard of from others , or once thought thereupon themselves . the generall doctrine of each severall church is laid downe and comprised in publike confessions , severall for each side ; their's ( namely the doctrine of the lutheran party ) in the augustane confession ( as they terme it ; ) that of the other side , in many severall confessions , diversly expressed according to the diversity of countries and kingdomes . from these are we to judge and esteeme what is held and maintained by both : seeing they doe all professe themselves to assent and adhere to these , and that they will live & dye in this faith . but ( for ought i know ) neither doe they so generally approve the writings of brentius or chemnitius , nor doe these so farre magni●ie piscator or beza , as if they would that whatsoever is affirmed by those men , should be admitted and acknowledged as the common and necessary faith of all christians . nay so farre are they both of them from this folly , that they themselves freely reprove and censure their own men , and mark out many passages in their writings , as different from the common and received doctrine of their church . whence it follow's , that the sayings of such men , whosoever they be , are unjustly , and ( to speake the most favourably of it ) preposterously fatherd on the whole church in which they lived . and yet notwithstanding , what else are all those tenents with which protestant divines cast one another in the teeth , with which they upbraid one another as if they were the publike and generall faults of the two adverse parts , and for which they so labour to draw one another into envy & contempt ? i say , what else are they but the private positions of some particular doctors on both sides , vented many times either in choler and passion , or out of a vehement zeale to maintaine their cause , when they were hard pressed & put to it either with the difficulty of the things themselves , or the subtilty of an acute adversary ; and so , spake rather out of necessity than judgement and premeditation . for truely so sound and untainted are the publike confessions of our churches on each side , that there is very litle and hardly any thing which either of them can finde wanting in the other's confession . our divines in germany doe commend the augustane confession ; and no doubt but our brethren the lutherans will in like manner approve of ours , for the farre greater part of it , would they but once be pleased to read it over impartially without passion and prejudice . certainly neither in that confession of theirs shall any man meet with that vbiquity of christ's body , which wee condemne in lutheranisme ; nor in this of ours , that stoicall fate so much objected against us . but a second fault there is , very frequent amongst men of both sides , and almost hereditary , which ought ( as we conceive ) with all care and diligence to bee shun'd and avoided in this businesse . namely , that they who maintaine any position , should not bee thought to hold whatsoever seemes to us to follow thereupon by the rules of disputation . for it often fall's out , that he who hold's a principle from which such a conclusion is inferred , may notwithstanding be utterly ignorant of that which is in ferred from his principle . for instance , he that first observed the loadstone to point towards the north pole , did not forth with perceive all the severall experiments that have been afterwards made from thence for the use and benefit of navigation : for conclusions lye hid and buried in their principles , nor are they deduced thence without some paines and study . he therefore who hold's some principle , and withall doth either not heed and regard it ; or else considers it , but with an intellect which is either dull or prepossessed with anger or affection or some other passion , this man , from that principle of his which hee understand's , doth not straightway understand whatsoever may be knowne and concluded from it . thus they who live in the papacy , having their mindes bewitched ( that i may so speake ) with the authority of their leaders , though they grant with us that the sinnes of men are most fully expiated by that sacrifice offered up by christ on the crosse , yet can they not hence conclude ( although it evidently follow hereupon ) that their sacrifice of the altar is vaine and superfluous . now as he who understand's some one trueth , is sometimes ignorant of other trueths which are consequent thereupon : so likewise he who hath some erroneous opinion , must not therefore be thought to hold and maintaine all the absurdities that may be inferred from it : for there 's the same account to bee made of consequences either way . thus tertullian of old , and many of the ancient fathers , taught that the humane soule is derived from the father to the sonne by way of propagation ; but that 't is mortall , which followes upon the former , this they were so farre from granting , that they did alwaies expressely deny it . as therefore wee doe not say that the papists doe therefore deny their sacrifice of the altar , because they grant ( as we doe ) the perfection and sufficiency of that sacrifice which was offered up by christ on the crosse , though in all good consequence this overthrowes that sacrifice of theirs : so neither doe we think that tertullian , & others of the same opinion touching the originall of man's soule , ought to be charged for holding the soule to be mortall , because this latter errour seeme's to be deducible from the former . now then how extreme faulty in this kinde divines of both sides have beene , who is there that see's not ? for we commonly charge our brethren ( the lutherans ) with eutychianisme , ( though they in the meane time deny and disclaime it , ) because this errour , as we think , follows upon their doctrine concerning the lord's supper ▪ they againe on the other side , stick not to charge us with i knowe not what monstrous opinions , as if we made god the author of all sin and wickednesse , ( assertions which we justly abhorre & tremble at , because they perswade themselves that this may be gathered from our doctrine about god's praedestination and providence . wee will not here dispute whether these things be rightly inferred yea or no from our severall tenents and opinions on both sides : it sufficeth , that whatsoever they be , whether justly or unjustly pin'd upon our opinions , they are denied by us both : nor can we ever be induced by any arguments whatsoever , to grant that they are agreeable and consonant to our faith . for so long as this is done ( as indeed it is , ) it is manifest from what hitherto hath been delivered , that neither can they without injustice and calumniation bee charged with eutychianisme , nor we with those monstrous and damnable opinions , although both these errours could by true & solid consequence be concluded from our severall positions , ( which yet neither side will ever confesse for their own part . ) seeing therefore that all or most of those doctrines which the one side taxeth in the other as pernicious and such as cannot consist with salvation , are but either the private opinions of some particular men or else but corollaries and conclusions violently wrested by force of argument out of their severall opinions , would but men ( as in reason they ought ) forbeare to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole churches expresly owne and professe for their received opinions , it would be very easie to maintaine that all the dispute and controversie which is in agitation betwixt them , is such as may be tolerated , and that there is not any thing contained in the faith and doctrine of either side which overthrowe's salvation . now were but this once agreed upon and beleived on both sides , there would remaine litle or no difficulty in this whole businesse wherein worthy men doe at this present employ themselves , namely of setling peace and unity amongst our churches . for seeing there are but two waies possible of being reconciled ; either , that one side shall renounce their private opinions , and come over to the other , or else , that both sides shall joyne together , retaining their severall opinions , and by a mutuall condescending shall each of them tolerate that which they dislike in the other's doctrine , especially if it be such as cannot be altered without perill and dammage to a whole church ; the former of these two waies ( as we conceive ) is not now to be stood upon , whereof triall hath been heretofore made not onely without successe but with much danger & harme , as appeares sufficiently from those many disputations & conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole age ; whereby hatred and & enmity hath been ingendred rather than extinguished , and the number of controversies rather increased than diminished . wee must therefore betake our selves to that other way of being reconciled , and in it must we employ all our paines and cares & studies , as being indeed both the onlyeasie and lawfull way , yea and necessary too in our judgement . and that wee may at length attaine unto this , it would not be amisse ( as we conceive ) to proceed after this manner and method ; first , wee must endeavour that a kinde of truce and cessation from our st●ifes & contentions may be agreed upon and enjoyned the divines of both sides , and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole businesse into consideration : this being obtained , in the next place speciall diligence must be used , that after a meeke , freindly , and most persuasive manner it be made appeare to all , that we are not at variance about any fundamentall point of christian religion , or such wherein men may not safely be of either opinion without hazarding their salvation : and here men must be very carefull that they refraine from all intricate questions , and trifling disputes , ( such wherein the schoolemen have spent so much paines , mincing and mangling every thing into i know not how many peices , & then handling every peice severally , ) which serve for no other end save onely to torture & torment mens mindes , but no way make for edification . would but god be pleased so farre to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to passe , wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired communion , which none ever shunn'd or refused but out of a kinde of religion and conscience , conceiving it unlawfull to entertaine a communion with any that are not of the same beleife and opinion with themselves : so soone as men on both sides shall be wrought off from this superstitious conceit , they will gladly run and rush ( as it were ) into one anothers armes and embraces . for it cannot be imagined that there is any man , either of the one side or the other , so stupid & void of all reason & & religion , but knows how foul & scandalous a thing , how hurtfull to both sides , how dangerous and pernitious to the whole christian world this schisme is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us ; on the other side , how sweet , how beneficiall , both to our selves & all others , unity and peace would be , so it might be had without losse of faith and salvation . and truely the way to setle this unity ( were we but once come to that ) is plaine and easie . for seeing we doe both of us ( by god's grace ) equally acknowledge and beleive the gospell of our lord jesus christ penned by his disciples ; and seeing we confesse , that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be beleived or done by us , it is all clearely and plainly laid downe in this gospell , what hinder's why we may not joyntly confirme and ratify those articles wherein we both agree ? & for those other points about which wee differ , wee may expresse them in such words and phrases as the sacred scriptures afford us , and not suffer our men to enquire any further , or contest about thē . for if it be true which we both confesse , that all those heavenly mysteries which must necessarily be knowne by us , are clearely revealed in god's word , doubtles then we may content our selves with so much as the scripture has delivered , and wee may safely forgoe all other points wherein the scripture is silent . let therefore all the heads of matters in dispute amongst us be laid downe and expressed in a certaine and set forme , such as may give satisfaction to both parties , made up wholly ( if it be possible ) of scripture-words : and let no man require from his brother any more besides it : if any man have attained to a further degree of knowledge , let him keep his knowledge to himselfe ; and let him not despise the weaknesse and simplicity of others who have not made so great a progresse in knowledge as himselfe . as for rites and ceremonies wherein the forme of divine worship and the churche's discipline are contained , we conceive it fit that every church should be left to her owne judgement and liberty herein , and that no innovation be made about such matters . hereafter , if it shall please god , when time shall have confirmed and strengthened this union , there may be compiled , by the joynt consent and advice of all , a common liturgy ; which would be both a token and bond of peace . for the present , we shall think our paines well bestowed , if at this first attempt we can prevaile with both sides to tolerate mutually out of christian charity such differences of opinion as are betwixt us either in doctrine or discipline ( which truely are but small , & altogether unworthy to occasion such a rupture and breach betwixt us , ) and so at length to acknowledge one another to be ( as indeed we are ) brethren in the lord . thus much we thought good to speak in breife touching this matter , that our reverend brethren , who are well affected to the publike peace , may understand how ready & willing wee are to concurre with them in this pious and christian worke . and though our meane abilities and the present state and condition of our affaires be such , as that wee cannot performe such service in it as is meet and requisite , yet shall our earnest prayers alwaies accompany the labours and endeavours of those reverend men who are or shall be employed therein : and we shall account that day most happy , wherein we shall behold brethren ( having buried all strifes and contentions ) joyne hands and hearts , and dwell together in the same jerusalem ; by this fast and firme communion , anticipating ( as it were ) & foreacting here upon earth that everlasting unity and concord which we shall hereafter enjoy in heaven . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- c. . v. . ephes. . . rom. . . joh. . . act. . . ho●p histor. sacr. ann. . idem ann. ▪ ibid. harm. confes. par . . & . in confess . polon. . chron. . . mat . c. . v. . . cor. . . 〈…〉 a● 〈…〉 . ad constant . august . tit. . . bucer . rom. . . rom. . . magdeburg . lib. . cap. . august . de unitate eccl. c. ● . a in epist. ad luther . b contra rober . atringen & alibi . hosp : in . hist. sacr. pag ad an. . c ibid. coiloq . momp. . pag . 〈…〉 . ann. ●● p. . math. . joh. . . cor. . . osiand . antist. pag. . in ant●st . pag ▪ . gal. . ▪ act. . psal. . in antist. pag. . o● . . tit. . . epist ad stephen & ad iuhaian praef. ad co●●il . carthag . v●l . august . de b●p● . lib. cap . epiph. har . & . n●zian orat. . ●●st . ●u●lib cap. . orat. . de pa. ● in orat. unum esse christ●m notes for div a e- calvi● . epist. . bulling . calvin . tract. . de●ens . de sacra●… c●n● . melanchthon calvino , inter epistola● calvini , . iob. sturmius ep. ●d prin● . fredet●i●ter calvini ep. . calvin . epist. . iacob . andreae . & epist. . farello . c●l●i● ▪ ●pi 〈…〉 mart●●●●●●al●●●●o 〈…〉 t●s . 〈…〉 ● . 〈…〉 . a ep. sturm●● ad ●r●d . prin●●●t●r epist. ●al●in . . b ●●●●h . 〈…〉 de c●●● domini con●●ss●● magistrat . a ●●●tur 〈…〉 xtat ●●ter 〈…〉 epist. ● . & epist. ●●●●●● su●tz●r . ib. b calvin . epist . ●ar●●●● . c melan●●● . epist. calvin . ●●●●●ter ep. . calv. opusc. defens . ▪ de sacram. c●…nae this is the title of that confession . g●i● de g● 〈…〉 li●●●t●●● d● 〈…〉 crea 〈…〉 ‑ 〈…〉 notes for div a e- * zanch. iudici● de di●●idio c●●● in fine miscella●●o●u●● quod idem pr●batur a ●uinglio i●i●e a citate . ●●d . ●tiam f●ild●um nostratem ▪ in lib. de eccles. & appendi●e . ●●d lib. ● de eccl●s●● . c. . & . & app●nd part . ● ▪ respons ▪ ad secundum capu● hi●gonii . ●●●●●●a● citantur p●● . m●●a● l. cai●tan 〈…〉 these heads 〈…〉 granted on bo●h sides in this conscienc● . notes for div a e- g●l ● . notes for div a e- 〈…〉 . . 〈…〉 . . the remedy of discontentment, or, a treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition fitted for sad and troubled times / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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[ ], p., leaf of plates : port. printed by g. larkin for obadiah blagrave ..., london : . contains frontispiece portrait of author. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng contentment -- religious aspects -- christianity. christian life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the remedy of discontentment : or , a treatise of contentation . in whatsoever condition . fitted for sad and troubled times . by jos. hall d. d. and b. n. the fourth edition . phil. . . i have learned in whatsoever estate i am , therewith to be content . . i know how to be abased , and i know how to abound ; every where , and in all things , i am instructed both to be full and to be hungry , both to abound and to want . london : printed by g. larkin for obadiah blagrave at the bear in st. pauls church-yard . . vera effigies reverendi do ni : josephi hall norwici nuper episco : to the christian reader . grace and peace . what can be more seasonable , then at this time , when all the world is sick of discontentment , to give counsels & receits of contentation : perhaps the patient will think it a time ill chosen for physick , in the midst of a fit : but in this case we must do as we may . i confess , i had rather have stayed till the paroxism were happily over ; that so the humors being somwhat setled , i might hope for the more kindly operation of this wholsom medicine . but , partly my age & weakness , despairing to out-live the publick distemper ; and partly my judgment ( crossing the vulgar opinion for the season of some kind of receipts ) have now put me upon this safe and useful prescription : god is my witness , that i wrote this in the depth of mine own afflictions , ( the particulars whereof , it were unseasonable to trouble the world withal ) as one that meant to make my self my own patient , by enjoyning my self that course of remedies , that i prescribe to others , and , as one , who by the powerful working of gods spirit within me , labour to find my heart framed to those holy dispositions which i wish and recommend to every christian soul , if there be no remedy but the worst of outward troubles must afflict us ; it shall be happy yet , if we may find inward peace in our bosoms : which shall be , if we can reconcile our selves to our offended god ; and calm our spirits to a meek undergoing of those sufferings , which the divine providence hath thought fit to measure forth unto us : this is the main drift of this ensuing labour . now the same god , who hath , in these blustring times , put into my heart these quiet thoughts of holy contentation , bless them in every hand that shall receive them and make them effectual to the good of every soul , that shall now , and hereafter entertain them : that so their gracious proficiency may , in the day of the appearance of our lord jesus , add to the joy of my account ; who am the unworthiest of the servants of god , and his church , j. n. the contents of the several sections following . sect. i. the excellency of contentation ; and how it is to be had . p. . § ii. the contrariety of estates wherein it is to be exercised . § iii. who they are that know not how to want , and be abased . § iv. who they are that know how to want . § v. considerations leading to contentation ; and first the consideration of the fickleness of life , and of all earthly commodities ; honor , beauty , strength , &c. p. § vi. considerations of the unsatisfying condition of these worldly things . § vii . the danger of the too much estimation of these earthly comforts . § viii . the consideration of the divine providence , ordering , and over-ruling all events . § ix . the consideration of the worse condition of others . § x. the consideration of the inconveniencies of great estates ; and therein first their cares . § xi . the danger of the distempers , both bodily , and spiritual , that follow great means ; and the torment in parting with them . p. § xii . consideration of the benefits of poverty . § xiii . consideration of how little will suffice nature . § xiv . consideration of the inconveniencies and miseries of discontentment . § xv. the gracious vicissitudes of gods favours and afflictions . § xvi . consid . of the great examples of contentation , both without and within the church of god. § xvii . contentment in death it self . § xviii . the miseries and inconveniencies of the continued conjunction of the soul and body . § xix . holy dispositions fer contentment ; the first whereof , humility . § xx. . self-resignation . § xxi . . the true inward riches . § xxii . holy resolutions : and . that the present estate is best for us . § xxiii . . resolution , to abate our desires . § xxiv . . resolution , to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments . § xxv . . resolution , to be frequent and fervent in prayer . § xxvi . the difficulty of knowing how to abound ; & the ill consequences of the not knowing it . the remedy of discontentment . sect . i the excellency of contentation ; and how it is to be had . if there be any happiness to be found upon earth , it is in that which we call contentation : this is a flower that grows not in every garden : the great doctor of the gentiles tells us that he had it ; i have learned ( saith he ) in what estate soever i am , therewith to be content ; i know how to be abased , & i know how to abound : lo , he could not have taken out this lesson if he had not learn'd it ; and he could not have learnt it of any other then his master in heaven : what face soever philosophy may set upon it , all morality can not reach it ; neither could his learned gamaliel , at whose feet he sate , have put this skill into him ; no , he learn'd it since he was a christian ; & now professeth it ; so as it appears , there is a divine art of contentation to be attained in the school of christ ; which whosoever hath learnt , hath taken a degree in heaven , and now knows how to be happy both in want , & abundance . sect . ii. the contrariety of estates wherein contentation is to be exercised . the nature of man is extreamly querulous ; we know not what we would have , and when we have it , we know not how to like it : we would be happy , yet we would not die ; we would live long , yet we would not be old ; we would be kept in order , yet we would not be chastised with affliction ; we are loth to work , yet are weary of doing nothing ; we have no list to stir , yet find long sitting painful ; we have no mind to leave our bed , yet find it a kind of sickness to lie long ; we would mary , but would not be trobled with houshold cares ; when once we are married , we wish we had kept single ; if therefore grace have so mastered nature in us , as to render us content with what ever condition , we have attained to no small measure of perfection . which way soever the wind blows , the skilful mariner knows how to turn his sails to meet it ; the contrariety of estates to which we lie open here , gives us different occasions for the exercise of contentation : i cannot blame their choice , who desire a middle estate betwixt want and abundance , and to be free from those inconveniencies which attend both extreams : wise solomon was of this diet ; give me neither poverty nor riches : feed me with the food of my meet allowance ; lo , he that had all , desired rather to have but enough : and if any estate can afford contentment in this life , surely this is it , in the judgment and experience of the wisest heathen ▪ but forasmuch as this equal poise is hardly attainable by any man , and is more proper for our wishes , and speculation , then for our hopes ; true wisdom must teach us so to compose our selves that we may be fit to entertain the discontentments and dangers of those excesses , and defects , which we cannot but meet with in the course of our mortal life : and surely we shall find that both extreams are enemies to this good temper of the soul : prosperity may discompose us , as well as an adverse condition . the sun-shine may be as troublesom to the traveller as the wind or rain ; neither know i whether is more hard to manage of the two , a dejected estate , or a prosperous ; whether we may be more incomodated with a resty horse , or with a tired one : let us begin with that which nature is wont to think most difficult ; that contrary to the practice of learners , we may try to take out the hardest lesson first . let us therefore learn in the first place how to want . sect . iii. how many do not know how to want . could we teach men how not to want , we should have disciples enow ; every man seeks to have , and hates to lack : could we give an antidote against poverty , it would be too precious : and why can we not teach men even this lesson too ? the lord is my shepherd , saith david therefore can i lack nothing & most sweetly elsewhere , o fear the lord ye that be his saints ; for they that fear him , lack nothing ; the lions do lack and suffer hunger ; but they which seek the lord shall want no manner of thing that is good ; let god be true , and every man a lyer , certainly , if we were not wanting to god in our fear of him , in our faithful reliance upon him , in our conscionable seeking of him , he whose the earth is , and the fulness of it would not suffer our careful endevors to go weeping away : but if it so fall out that his most wise providence finds it better for us to be held short in our worldly estate , ( as it may be the great physitian sees it most for our health to be kept fasting ) it is no less worth our learning to know how to want ; for there is many a one that wants , but knows not how to want , and therefore his need makes him both offensive and miserable . there are those that are poor and proud ; one of the wise mans abominations ; foolish laodiceans that bear themselves for rich , encreased with goods , and lacking nothing , when they are no other then wretched , and miserable , and poor , and blind , and naked ; these men know not how to want , their heart is too big for their purse ; & surely pride , though every where odious , yet doth no where so ill as in rags . there are those that are poor & envious ; looking with an evil eye on the better fare of others ; as surely this vice dwels more commonly in cottages then palaces . how displeasedly doth the beggar look upon the larger almes of his neighbour ; grudging to another what ever falls besides himself , and misliking his own dole , because the next hath more ; whose eye with the discontented labourers , is evil , because his master is good ; neither do these men know how to want . there are those that want distrustfully ; measuring the merciful provision of the almighty by the line of their own sense ; as the samaritan peer , when in the extremity of a present famine he heard the prophet foretel a suddain plenty ; behold , if the lord would make windows in heaven , might this thing be ? there are those that want impatiently ; repining at gods dealing with them , & making their own impotent anger guilty of a further addition to their misery ; as the distressed king of israel , in a desperate sense of that grievous dearth ; behold , this evil is of the lord , what should i wait on the lord any longer ? and those wretched ones , who when the fourth angel had poured out his vial upon the sun , being scorched with the extremity of the heat , blasphemed the god of heaven : in this kind was that sinful techiness of jonah : when i see a poor worm that hath put it self out of the cool cell of the earth wherein it was lodged , and now being beaten upon by the sun-beams , lies wrigling upon the bare path , turning it self every way in vain ; and not finding so much as the shade of a leaf to cover it ; i cannot but think of that fretting prophet ; when wanting the protection of his gourd he found himself scalded with that strong reflection ; and looking up wrathfully towards that sun from whom he smarted , could say to the god that made it , i do well to be angry , even to the death . lastly , there are those that are poor & dishonest even out of the very suggestion of their want ; it was the danger hereof that made agur the son of jakeh pray against penury ; lest i be poor , and steal : and ( by for swearing it ) take the name of god in vain . sect . iv. who they are that know how to want . these & perhaps others do and must want , but in the mean time they do that which they know not how to do ; there is a skill in wanting which they have not ; those only know how to want , that have learnt to frame their mind to their estate ; like to a skilful musitian , that can let down his strings a peg lower when the tune requires it ; or like to some cunning spagirick , that can intend or remit the heat of his furnace according to occasion . those , who when they must be abased , can stoop submissly ; like to a gentle reed , which when the wind blows stiff , yeilds every way ; those that in an humble obeysance can lay themselves low at the foot of the almighty , & put their mouth in the dust ; that can patiently put their necks under the yoak of the highest ; & can say with the prophet , truly this is my sorrow , and i must bear it ; those that can smile upon their afflictions , rejoicing in tribulation , singing in the jail with paul and silas at midnight ; lastly , those that can improve misery to an advantage , being the richer for their want , bettered with evils , strengthned with infirmities : and can truly say to the almighty i know that of very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me ; never could they have comne out so pure metal , if they had not passed under the hand of the refiner ; never had they proved so toward children , if they had not been beholden to the rod : these are they that know how to want , and to be abased ; and have effectually learned to be content with the meanest condition : to which happy temper that we may attain , there will be use of . certain considerations ; . certain dispositions : . certain resolutions : these three shall be as the grounds , and rules of this our divine art of contentation . sect . v. the consideration of the fickleness of life , and all earthly commodities . the first consideration shall be of the just valuation of all these earthly things ; which doubtless is such , as that the wise christian cannot but set a low price upon them , in respect first , of their transitoriness ; secondly , of their insufficiency of satisfaction : thirdly , the danger of their fruition . at the best , they are but glassy stuff , which the finer it is , is so much more britle ; yea , what other then those gay bubbles , which children are wont to raise from the mixed sope and spittle of their walnutshell , which seems to represent pleasing colours , but in their flying up instantly vanish ? there is no remedy ; either they must leave us , or we must leave them . well may we say that of the psalmist , which campian was reported to have often in his mouth ; my soul is continually in my hands ; and who knows whether it will not expire in our next breathing ? how many have shut their eies in an healthful sleep , who have waked in another world ? we give too large scope to our account , whilst we reckon seven years for a life ; a shorter time will serve ; whilst we find the revolution of less then half those years to have dispatched * five caesars , and five popes ; nay , who can assure himself of the next moment ? it is our great weakness , if we do not look upon every day , as our last ; why should we think our selves in a better condition , then the chosen vessel , * who deeply protested to dye daily ? what a poor complaint was that of the great conqueror of the jews , titus vespasian , who putting his head out of his sick litter , querulously accused heaven , that he must dye , and had not deserved it ; when he might have found it guilt enough that he was a man ; and therefore by the very sentence of nature condemned i know not whether to live or dye . indeed , what can we cast our eyes upon , that doth not put us in mind of our frailty ? all our fellow-creatures dye for us , and by us : the day dies into night ; the trees and all other plants of the earth suffer a kind of autumnal mortality ; the face of that common mother of us all , doth at the least in winter , resemble death ; but if the angel of death ( as the jews term him ) shall respite , and reprive us for the time ; alas ! how easily may we have over-lived our comforts ? if death do not snatch us away from them , how many thousand means of casualties , of enemies , may snatch them away from us ? he that was the greatest man of all the sons of the east , within a few days became a spectacle and proverb of penury , which still sticks by him , and so shall do to the worlds end , as poor as job , the rich plain of jordan , which over-night was as the garden of the lord , is in the morning covered over with brimston , & salt , and burning ; wilt thou cause thine eies to fly upon that which is not ? saith wise solomou : for riches certainly make themselves wings , they fly away as an eagle towards heaven : if we have wings of desire to fly after them , they are nimbler of flight to outstrip us and leave us no less miserable in their loss , then we were eager in their pursuit . as for honour , what a meer shadow it is ? upon the least cloud interposed , it is gone , and leaves no mention where it was : the same sun sees haman adored in the persian court , like some earthly deity ; and like some base vermine waving upon his gibbet : do we see the great , and glorious cleopatra , shining in the pompous majesty of egypt ? stay but a while , and ye shall see her in the dust , & her two children , whom she proudly stiled the sun , and the moon , driven like miserable captives , before the chariot of their conqueror : man being in honour abideth not , saith the psalmist , he perisheth , but his greatness ( as more frail then he ) is oftentimes dead and buryed before him , and leavs him the surviving executor of his own shame . it was easie for the captive prince , to observe in the chariot-wheel of his victor , that when one spoak rose up , another went down & both these in so quick a motion , that it was scarce distinguished by the eye . well therefore may we say of honour , as ludovicus vives said of scholastical divinity : cui fumas est pro fundamento : it is built upon smoak , how can it be kept from vanishing ? as for beauty , what is it but a dash of natures tincture laid upon the skin , which is soon washt off with a little sickness ? what but a fair blossom , that drops off , so soon as the fruit offers to succeed it ? what but a flower , which with one hot sun gleam weltreth & falls ? he that had the choice of a thousand faces , could say , favour is deceitful , and beauty is vanity lastly , for strength , and vigour of body , if it could be maintained till our old age , alas , how soon is that upon us , ere we be aware ! how doth it then shrivel our flesh and loosen our sinews , and cripple our joynts ! milo , when he lookt upon his late brawny armes , and saw them now grown lanck and writhled , le ts fall tears , and bewraies more weakness of minde , then he had before bodily strength : but how often doth sickness prevent the debilitations of age ; pulling his strongest man upon the knees , and making him fess , that youth , as well as child-hood , is vanity . as for pleasure , it dies in the birth , and is not therefore worthy to come into this bill of mortality . do we then upon sad consideration see and feel the manifest transitoriness of life , riches , honour , beauty , strength , pleasure , and whatever else can be dear and precious to us in this world , and can we dote upon them so , as to bee too much dejected with our parting from them ? our saviour bids us consider the lillies of the field ? and he that made both tells us , that solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these surely , full well are they worth our considering . but if those beauties could be as permanent , as they are glorious , how would they carry away our hearts with them ? now , their fading condition justly abates of their value ; would we not smile at the weakness of that man , that should weep and howl , for the falling of this tulip , or that rose , abandoning all comfort for the loss of that , which he knows must flourish but his month ? it is for children to cry for the falling of their house of cards , or the miscariage of that painted gewgaw , which the next showr would have defaced . wise christians know how to apprize good things according to their continuance , and can therefore set their hearts only upon the invisible comforts of a better life , as knowing that the things which are not seen , are eternal . sect vi. consideration of the unsatisfying condition of all worldly things . but were these earthly things exempted from that fickleness , which the god of nature hath condemned them unto , were they ( the very memory wherof perisheth with their satiety ) as lasting , as they are brittle , yet what comfort could they yield for the soul to rest in ? alas ! their efficacy is too short to reach unto a true contentation ; yea , if the best of them were perpetuated unto us , upon the fairest conditions , that this earth can allovv how intollerable tedious would it prove in the fruition ? say that god were pleased to protract my life to the length of the age of the first founders of mankind , and should ( in this state of body ) add hundreds of years to the dayes of my pilgrimage : woe is me , how weary should i be of my self , and of the world ? i that now complain of the load of seventy one years , how should i be tired out , ere i could arrive at the age of parre ? but before i could climb up to the third century of johannes de temporihus , how often should i call for death , not to take up , but to take off my burthen , & with it , my self ? but if any , or all these earthly blessings could bee freed from those grievances , wherewith they are commonly tempered , yet how little satisfaction could the soul find in them ; what are these outward things , but very luggage , which may load our backs , but can not lighten our hearts ? great , & wise solomon , that had the full command of them all , cries out , vanity of vanities , and a greater monarch then he shuts up the scene with , i have been all things , & am never the better : all these are of too narrow an extent , to fill the capacious soul of man ; the desires whereof are inlarg'd with injoying , so as the more it hath , the less it is satisfied , neither indeed can it be otherwise ; the eye , and the ear are but the purveyors for the heart , if therefore the eye be not satisfied with seeing , nor the ear with hearing , how shall the heart say , it is enough ? now , who would suffer himself to be too much disquieted with the losse of that , which may vex him , but cannot content him ? we do justly smile at the folly of that vain lord , of whom petrarch speaks , who when an horse which hee dearly loved , was sick , laid that steed of his , on a silken bed , with a wrought pillow under his head , and caused himself ( then afflicted with the gout ) to be carryed on his servants shoulders to visit that dear patient ; and upon his decease , mourned solemnly for him , as if it had been his son. we have laught at the fashion of the girles of holland , who having made to themselves gay and large babies , and laid them in a curious cradle , fain them to sicken and dye , and celebrate their funeral with much passion : so fond are we , if having med to our selves imaginary contentments here , in the world , we give way to immoderate grief in their miscarriage . sect . vii . the danger of the love of these earthly comforts . neither are these earthly comforts more defective in yeilding full satisfaction to the soul , then dangerous in their over-dear fruition : for too much delight in them , robs us of more solid contentments ; the world is a cheating gamester , suffering us to win at the first , that at last he may go away with all , our very table may be made our snare ; and those things which should have been for our wealth , may be unto us an occasion of falling : leo the fourth emperour of constantinople , delighted extreamly in pretious stones , with these he imbellishes his crown , which being worn close to his temples , strikes such a cold into his head , that causeth his bane yea , how many with the too much love of these outward things have lost , not their lives only , but their souls ? no man can be at once the favourite of god and the world ; as that father said truly : or as our saviour in fuller tearms , no man can serve two masters , god and mammon : shortly , the world may be a dangerous enemy , a sure friend it cannot be . if therefore we shall like wise men , value things at their due prizes , since we are convinced in our selves , that all these earthly comforts are so transitory in their nature , so unsatisfying in their use , and so dangerous in their enjoying , how little reason have we to be too much affected with foregoing them ? our blood is dear to us , as that wherein our life is , yet if we find that it is either infected , or distempered , we do willingly part with it in hope of better health ; how much more , with those things which are farther from us , and less concerning us ? sect . viii . consideration of the divine providence ordering all events . the second consideration is of that all-wise providence which ordereth all events both in heaven and earth , allotting to every creature his due proportion ▪ so over-ruling all things to the best , that we could not want , if he knew it better for us to abound : this station he hath set us in , this measure hee hath shared out to us whose will is the rule of good ; what we have therfore , cannot but be best for us . the world is a large chess-board , every man hath his place assigned him : one is a king , another a knight , another a pawn , and each hath his several motion , without this variety , there could be no game played ; a skilful player will not stir one of these chips , but with intention of an advantage ; neither should any of his men either stand , or move , if in any other part of that checker , it might be in more hope to win . there is no estate in this world which can be universally good for all , one mans meat may be another mans medicine , and a third mans poyson ; a turk finds health and temper in that opium , which wonld put one of us into our last sleep . should the plow-man bee set to the gentlemans fare , this chicken , that partridge or phesant , would ( as over-slight food ) bee too soon turned over , and leave his empty stomach to quarrel for stronger provision : beef is for his dyet ; and if any sauce needs besides his hunger , garlick : every man hath , as a body so a mind of his own ; what one loves is abhorred of another ; the great house-keeper of the world knows how to sit every palat with that which either is or should be agreeable to it , for salubrity , if not for pleasure : lay before a child a knife , and a rod , & bid him take his choyce , his hand will be straight upon that edge tool , especially , if it be a little guilded and glittering ; but the parent knows the rod to bee more safe sor him , & more beneficial ; we are ill carvers for our selves , he that made us , knows what is fit for us , either for time , or measure , without his providence not an hair can fall from our heads ; we would have bodily health , i cannot blame us ; what is the world to us without it ? he whose we are , knows sickness to be for the health of the soul ; whether should we in true judgment desire ? we wish to live , who can blame us ? life is sweet , but if our maker have ordained , that nothing but death can render us glorious , what madness is it to stick at the condition ? oh our gross infidelity , if we do not believe that great arbiter of the world , infinitely wise to know what is best for us , infinitely merciful to will what he knows best , infinitely powerful to do what he will ! and if we be thus perswaded , how can we , but in matter of good , say with blessed mary : behold thy servant , best unto me according to thy word : and in matter of evil , with good eli : it is the lord , let him do vvhat he vvill ? sect . ix . consideration of the worse condition of others . in the third place , it will be requisite for us to cast our eyes upon the vvorse condition of others , perhaps better deserving then our selves for if vve shall whine & complain of that weight , which others do run avvay chearfully withal , the fault will appear to be not in the heavinesse of the load , but in the vveakness of the bearer : if i be discontented with a mean dwelling , another man lives merrily in a thatched cottage ; if i dislike my plain fare , the four captive children feed fair and fat with pulse and water . if i be plundred of my rich suits , i see a more chearful heart under a russet coat , then great princes have under purple robes , if i do gently languish upon my sick bed , i see others patient under the torments of the cholick , or stone , or strangury : if i be clapt up within four walls , i hear petronous profess , he had rather be in prison with cato , then at liberty with caesar : i hear paul and silas sing like nightingales in their cages : am i sad , because i am childless ? i hear many a parent wish himself so : am i banished from my home ? i meet with many of whom the world was not worthy , wandring about in sheep-skins , in goat-skins , in deserts , and in mountains , and in dens , and caves of earth : what am i that i should speed better then the miserablest of thee patients ? what had they done , that they should fare worse then i ? if i have little , others have less ; if i feel pain , some others , torture : if their sufferings be just , my forbearances are merciful ; my provisions to theirs , liberal : it is no ill counsel therefore , and not a little conducing to a contented want , that great persons should sometimes step aside into the homely cottages of the poor , and see their mean stuffe , course fare , hard lodgings , worthlesse utensils , miserable shifts ; and to compare it with their own delicate and nauseating superfluities : our great and learned king alfred was the better all his life after , for his hidden retiredness in a poor neat-heards cabbin , where he was sheltred , and sometimes also chidden by that homely dame : neither was it an ill wish of that wise man , that all great princes might first have had some little taste , what it is to want , that so their own experience might render them more sensible of the complaints of others . man , though he be absolute in himself , and stand upon his own botom , yet is he not a little wrought upon by examples , and comparisons with others ; for in them he sees what he is , or may be , since no events are so confined to some special subjects , as that they may not be incident to other men . merit is a poor plea for any mans exemption , whilst our sinful infirmities lay us all open to the rod of divine justice : and if these dispensations be meerly out of favour , why do i rather grudge at a lesser misery , then bless god for my freedom from a greater judgement ? those therefore that suffer more then i , have cause of more humbling , and i that suffer lesse then they , have cause of more thankfulness ; even mitigations of punishment are new mercies , so as others torments doe no other then heighten my obligations , let me not therefore repine to be favourably miserable . sect . x. consideration of the inconveniences of great estates : and first of their cares , that they expose us to envy , and then macerate us with cares . the fourth consideration shall be of the inconniences which do oftentimes attend a fulnesse of estate ; such , and so many as may well make us sit down content with a little ; wherof , let the first be envy : a mischief not to be avoided of the great ; this shadow follows that body inseparably ; all the curs in the street are ready to fall upon that dogg that goes away with the bone ; and every man hath a cudgel to fling at a wel-loaded tree ; wheras a mean condition is no eye-sore to any beholder : low shrubs are not wont to be stricken with lightning , but tall oaks & cedars feel their flames ; whiles david kept his fathers sheep at home , hee might sing sweetly to his harp in the fields , without any disturbance : but when he once comes to the court , and finds applause and greatness creep upon him , now emulation , despight and malice , dog him close at the heels wheresoever he goes : let him leave the court , and flee into the wilderness , there these bloodhounds follow him in hot suit ; let him run into the land of the philistins , there they find him out , and chase him to ziklag ; and if at the last , he hath climbed up to his just throne , and there hopes to breathe him after his tedious pursuit , even there he meets with more unquietness then in his desert , and notwithstanding all his royalty , at last cries out , lord remember david , and all his troubles : how many have we known , whom their wealth hath betray'd , and made innocent malefactors ? who might have slept securely upon a hard bolster , and in a poor estate out-lived both their judges , and accusers . besides , on even ground a fall may be harmless ; but he that falls from on high , cannot escape bruising : he therefore that can think the benefits of eminence can countervail the dangers which haunt greatness , let him affect to overtop others ; for me , let me rather be safely low , then high with perill : after others envy , the next attendant upon greatness is our own cares ; how do these disquiet the beds , and sawce the tables of the wealthy ? breaking their sleeps , galling their sides , embittering their pleasure , shortning their days : how bitterly do we find the holiest men complaining of those distractions , which have attended their earthly promotions ? nazianzen cries out of them as no other then the bane of the soul ; and that other gregory , whom we are wont to call the last of the best bishops of rome , and the first of the bad , passionately bewails this clogge of his high preferment : i confess saith he , that whiles i am outwardly advanced , i am inwardly fallen lower : this burdensome honour depresses me , and innumerable cares disquiet me on all sides ; my mind ( grown almost stupid with those temporall cares which are ever barking in mine ears ) is forced upon earthly things ; thus he : there are indeed cares which as they may be used , may help us on towards heaven ; such as malancthon owns to his camerarius ; my cares , saith he , send me to my prayers , and my prayers dispel my cares ; but those anxieties which commonly wait upon greatness , distract the mind , and impare the body . it is an observation of the jewish doctors , that joseph the patriarch was of a shorter life then the rest of his brethren ; and they render this reason of it , for that his cares were as much greater , as his place was higher : it was not an unfit comparison of him , who resembled a coronet upon the temples , to a paile upon the head ; we have seen those who have carryed full and heavy vessels on the top of their heads , but then they have walked evenly , and erect under that load ; we never saw any that could dance under such a weight ; if either they bend , or move vehemently , all their cariage is spilled : earthly greatness is a nice thing , and requires so much chariness in the managing , as the contentment of it cannot requite ; he is worthy of honey , that desires to lick it off from thorns ; for my part , i am of the mind of him who professed , not to care for those favours , that compelled him to lie waking . sect . xi . danger of distemper , both bodily and spiritual , that commonly follows great means : and torment in parting with them . in the next place , i see greatness not more pale , and worn with cares , then swoln up , and sickly with excess ; too much oyl poured in , puts out the lamp ; superfluity is guilty of a world of diseases , which the spare diet of poverty is free from ; how have we seen great mens eyes surfeited at that full table , whereof their palate could not taste , and they have risen discontentedly glutted with the sight of that , which their stomach was uncapable to receive ; and when , not giving so much law to nature , as to put over their gluttonous meal , ( their wanton appetite charging them with a new variety of curious morsels , and lavish cups ) they find themselves overtaken vvith feaverous distempers , the physitian must succeed the cook ; and a second sickness must cure the first : but alas , these bodily indispositions are nothing to those spiritual evils , vvhich are incident unto secular greatness . it is a true word of s. ambrose , seconded by common experience , that an high pitch of honour is seldom held up without sin ; and s. jerome tells us , it was a common proverb in his time , that a rich man either is wicked , or a wicked mans heir : not , but that rich abraham may have a bosom for poor lazarus to rest in , and many great kings have bin great saints in heaven , and there is still room for many more ; but that commonly great temptations follow great estates , & oftentimes overtake them ; neither is it for nothing , that riches are by our blessed saviour styled the mammon of iniquity , and wealth is by the holy apostle branded with deceitfulness ; such as cheat many millions of their souls . add unto these ( if you please ) the torment of parting with that pelf , and honour , which hath so grosly bewitched us ; such as may well verifie that which lucius long since wrote to the bishops of france , and spain , that one houres mischief makes us forget the pleasure of the greatest excess . i marvel not at our english jew , of whom our story speaks , that would rather part with his teeth , then his bags : how many have we known that have poured out their life together with their gold , as men that would not outlive their earthen god ; yea ( woe is me ) how many souls have been lost in the sin of getting , and in the quarrel of losing this thick clay , as the prophet terms it ? but lastly , that which is yet the sorest of all the inconveniences , is the sadness of the reckoning , which must come in after these plentifull entertainments ; for there is none of all our cares here , but must be billed up ; and great accompts must have long audits : how hard a thing it is in this case , to have an omnia aequè ? in the failing whereof , how is the conscience affected ? i know not whether more tormented , or tormenting the miserable soul ; so as the great owner is but ( as witty bromiard compares him ) like a weary jade , which all the day long hath been labouring under the load of a great treasure ; and at night lies down with a galled back . by that time therefore we have summed up all , and find here envy , cares , sicknesses both of body & soul , torment in parting with , and more torment in reckoning for , these earthly greatnesses ; we shall be convinced of sufficient reason to be well apaid with their want . sect . xii . consideration of the benefits of poverty . let the fifth consideration be , the benefits of poverty ; such , and so great , as are enough to make us in love with having nothing . for first , what an advantage is it , to be free from those gnawing cares , which ( like tityus his vulture ) feed upon the heart of the great ? here is a man that sleeps ( aethiopian-like ) with his doors open ; no dangers threaten him , no feares break his rest ; he starts not out of his bed at midnight , and cries theeves , he feels no rack of ambitious thoughts , he frets not at the disappointment of his false hopes , he cracks not his brain with hazardous plots , he mis-doubts no undermining of emulous rivals , no traps of hollow friendship , but lives securely in his homely cottage , quietly enjoying such provision , as nature and honest industry furnish him withall ; for his drink , the neighbour spring saves him the charge of his excise ; and when his better earnings have fraught his trencher with a warm and pleasing morsel , and his cup with a stronger liquor , how chearfully is he affected with that happy variety ; and in the strength of it digests many of his thinner meals ? meales usually sawced with an healthfull hunger , wherein no incocted crudities oppress nature , and cherish disease : here are no gouts , no dropsies , no hypochondriack passions , no convulsive fits , no distempers of surfets , but a clear and wholsome vigor of body , and an easie putting over the light tasks of digestion , to the constant advantage of health . and as for outward dangers , what an happy immunity doth commonly bless the poor man ? how can he fear to fall , that lies flat upon the ground ? the great pope , boniface the seventh , when he saw many stately buildings ruined with earthquakes , is glad to raise him a little cabin of boards in the midst of a meadow , and there findes it safest to shelter his triple crown . when great men hoist their top-sail , and launch forth into the deep , having that large clew which they spread , expos'd to all windes , and weathers , the poor man sails close by the shore ; and when he foresees a storm to threaten him , puts into the next creek ; and wears out in a quiet security that tempest , wherein he sees prouder vessels miserably tost , and at last , fatally wrecked . this man is free from the peril of spightful machinations ; no man whets his axe to cut down a shrub , it is the large timber of the world that hath cause to fear hewing : neither is he less free inwardly from the galling stroaks of a self-accusing conscience ; here is no remurmuring of the heart for guilty subornations , no checks for the secret contrivances of publique villanies ; no heart-breaking for the failings of bloudy designes ; or late remorse for their success ; but quiet & harmless thoughts of seasonable frugality , of honest recreation , with an un interrupted freedom of recourse to heaven . and if at any time , by either hostile , or casual means , he be bereft of his little , he smiles in the face of a theef ; and is no whit astonished to see his thatch on a flame , as knowing how easie a supply will repair his loss . and when he shall come to his last close , his heart is not so glewed to the world , that he should be loth to part ; his soul is not tyed up in bags , but flies out freely to her everlasting rest . oh the secret vertue and happiness of poverty ! which none but the right disposed mind knows how to value ! it was not for nothing that so many great saints have embraced it , rather then the rich profers of the world ; that so many great princes have exchanged their thrones for quiet cells ; vvho so cannot be thankful for a little , upon these conditions , i wish he may be punished with abundance . sect . xiii . considering how little will suffice nature . neither will it a little avail to th' furtherance of our contentation , to consider how little will suffice nature , and that all the rest is but matter of opinion : it is the apostles charge , having food and raiment , let us be therewith content : indeed what use is there of more , then what may nourish us within , and cover us without ? if that be wholsome , and agreeable to our bodily disposition , whether it be fine , or course , nature passes not ; it is meerly vvill that is guilty of this wanton , and fastidious choice ; it is fit that civility should make difference of clothings ; and that weaknesse of body , or eminence of estate should make difference of diets ; else , why not russet as vvell as scarlet ? beef , as phesant ? the grashopper feeds on dew , the chameleon on air , what care they for other viands ? our books tell us , that those anachorets of old , that went aside into wildernesses , and sustained themselves with the most spare diet , such as those deserts could afford , out lived the date of other mens lives , in whom nature is commonly stifled with a gluttonous variety : how strong , and vigorous above their neighbour grecians , were the lacedemonians held of old ? who by the ordinance of their law-giver , held themselves to their black broth , which when dionysius would needs taste of , his cook truly told him , that if he would relish that fare , he must exercise strongly , as they did , and wash in eurotus : who knows not that our island doth not afford more able bodies , then they that eat , and drink oates ? and whom have we seen more healthful and active , then the children of poor men , trayned up hardly in their cottages with fare as little , as course ? do i see a poor indian husbanding one tree to all his houshold uses ; finding in that one plant ; timber , thatch , meat , medicine , wine , honey , oyl , sauce , drink , utensils , ships , cables , sayls ? and do i rove over all the latitude of nature for contentment ? our appetite is truely unreasonable , neither will know any bounds : we begin with necessaries , as pliny justly observes , and from thence we rise to excess , punishing our selves with our own wild desires ; whereas , if we were wise , we might find mediocrity an ease . either extream is a like deadly ; he that over afflicts his body , kills a subject ; he that pampers it , nourishes an enemy . too much abstinence turns vice , and too much ingurgitation is one of the seven , and at once destroyes both nature and grace . the best measure of having or desiring , is not what we would , but what we ought : neither is he rich that hath much ; but he that desires not much : a discreet frugality is fittest to moderate both our wishes , and expences ; which if we want , we prove dangerously prodigal in both ; if we have , we do happily improve our stock to the advantage of our selves , and others . sect . xiv . considering the inconveniences , and miseries of discontentment . the next inducement to contentation , shall be the serious consideration of the miserable inconveniences of the contrary disposition ; discontentment is a mixture of anger , and of grief ; both which are wont to raise up fearful tempests in the soul ; he teareth himself in his anger , saith bildad , concerning that mirrour of patience ; and the sorrow of the world worketh death , saith the chosen vessel : so as the male-content , whether he be angry or sad , mischieves himself both wayes ; there cannot be a truer word then that of wise solomon , anger resteth in the bosom of fooles ; what can be more foolish then for a man , because he thinks god hath made him miserable by crosses , to make himself more miserable by his own distempers ; if the clay had sense , what a mad thing were it for it to struggle with the potter ? and if a man will spurn against strong iron-pikes , what can he hope to carry away but wounds ? how witless a thing it is for a man to torment himself with the thoughts of those evils , that are past all remedy ? what wise beholder would not have smiled with pitty and scorn , to have seen great augustus , after the defeat of some choyce troopes , to knock his head against the wall , and to hear him passionately cry out ; o varus , restore me my lost legions ? who would not have been angry with that cholerick prophet to hear him so furiously contest with his maker for a withered gourd ? what an affliction was it to good jacob ( more then the sterility of a beloved wife ) to hear rachel say ; give me children , or else i dye ? yea , how ill did it sound in the mouth of the father of the faithful ; lord god , what wilt thou give me , seeing i go childless ? yet thus froward and techy is nature in the best ; if we may not have all we would have , all that we have is nothing ; if we be not perfectly humored , we are willfully unthankful ; all israel is nothing worth to ahab , if he may not have one poor vineyard : how must this needs irritate a munificent god to see his bounty contemned out of a childish pettishness ? how can he forbear to take away from us his sleighted mercies ? how can he hold his hand from plaguing so ingrateful disrespects of his favours ? as for that other passion of grief , what woful work doth it make in ungoverned minds ? how many have we known , that out of thought for unrecoverable losses , have lost themselves ? how many have run from their wits ? how many from their lives ? yea , how many , that out of an impatience to stay the leasure of vengeance , have made their own hands , their hasty executioners ? and even where this extremity prevails not , look about , and ye shall see men that are not able matches to their passions , wofully macerating themselves with their own thoughts , wearing out their tedious days upon the rack of their own hearts ; and making good that observation of the wise man ; by the sorrow of the heart , the spirit is broken . now all these mischiefs might have been hapily prevented by a meek yieldance of our selfs to the hands of an all-wise , and an all-merciful god , and by an humble composure of our affections to a quiet suffering ; it is the power of patience to calm the heart in the most blustering trials ; and when the vessel is most tossed , yet to secure the fraight : this , if it do not abate of our burden , yet it addes to our strength , and wins the father of mercies both to pitty , and retribution . whereas murmuring israelites can never be free from judgments ; and it is a dreadful word that god speaketh of that chosen nation ; mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest , it , still , yelleth against me , therefore have i hated it . a child that struggles under the rod , justly doubles his stripes , and an unruly malefactor draws on , besides death , tortures . sect . xv. consider the vicissitudes of favours and afflictions . furthermore , it is a main help towards contentation , to consider the gracious vicissitudes of gods dealing with us : how he intermixes favours with his crosses ; tempering our much hony , with some little gall ; the best of us are but shrewd children , yet he chides us not always , saith the psalmist : he smiles often , for one frown ; and why should we not take one with another ? it was the answer wherewith that admirable pattern of patience stopped the querulous mouth of his tempting wife ; what ? shall we receive good at the hand of god , and shall we not receive evil ? it was a memorable example which came lately to my knowledge of a worthy christian , who had lived to his middle age in much health , and prosperity , and was now for his two last years miserably afflicted with the strangury ; who in the midst of his torments could say , oh my lord god , how gracious hast thou been unto me ! thou hast given me eight and forty years of health , and now but two years of pain ; thou mightest have caused me to lie in this torture all the days of my life ; and now thou hast caried me comfortably through the rest , and hast mercifully taken up with this last parcel of my torment ; blessed be thy name for thy mercy in forbearing me , and for thy justice in afflicting me . to be thankful for present blessings is but ordinary , but to be so thankful for mercies past , that the memory of them should be able to put over the sense of present miseries , is an high improvement of grace . the very heathens by the light of nature and their own experience , could observe this interchange of gods proceedings ; and made some kind of use of them accordingly : camillus , after he had upon ten years siege , taken the rich city veios , pray'd that some mishap might befal himself and rome to temper so great an happiness ; when one would have thought the prize would not countervail the labour , and the loss of time and blood . and alexander the great , when report was made to him of many notable victories , atchieved by his armies , could say ; o jupiter , mix some mis-fortune with these happy news : lo , these men could tell that it is neither fit , nor safe for great blessings to walk alone , but that they must be attended with their pages , afflictions why should not we christians expect them with patience , and thanks ? they say , thunder and lightning hurts not , if it be mixed with rain . in those hot countries , which lie under the scalding zone . when the first showres fall after a long drought , it is held dangerous to walk suddenly abroad ; for that the earth so moistned sends up unwholsome steams ; but in those parts where the rain and sun-shine are usually interchanged , it is most pleasant to take the air of the earth newly refreshed with kindly showres ; neither is it otherwise in the course of our lives ; this medley of good and evil conduces not a little to the health of our souls : one of them must serve to temper the other ; and both of them to keep the heart in order . were our afflictions long , and our comforts rare and short , we had yet reason to be thankful ; the least is more then god owes us : but now , when if heaviness endure for a night , joy commeth in the morning , and dwells with us , so , that some fits of sorrow are recompensed with many months of joy ; how should our hearts overflow with thankfulness , and easily digest small grievances , out of the comfortable sense of larger blessings ? but if we shall cast up our eyes to heaven , and there behold the glorious remuneration of our sufferings , how shall we contemn the worst that earth can do unto us ? there , there is glory enough to make us a thousand times more then amends for all that we are capable to endure ; yea , if this earth were hell , and men devils , they could not inflict upon us those torments , which might hold any equality with the glory which shall be revealed ; and even of the worst of them we must say with the blessed apostle ; our light affliction which is but for a moment , worketh for us a far more exceeding , eternal weight of glory : when the blessed proto-martyr stephen had stedfastly fixed his eyes on heaven , and ( that curtain being drawn ) had seen the heavens opened , and therein the glory of god , and jesus standing on the right hand of god ; do we think he cared ought for the sparkling eyes , and gnashed teeth , and killing stones of the enraged multitude ? oh poor impotent jews , how far was that divine soul above the reach of your malice ? how did he triumph over your cruelty ? how did he by his happy evolation make all those stones precious ? sect . xvi . consider the examples of contentation , both without , and within the church of god. lastly , it cannot but be a powerful motive unto contentation , that we lay before us the notable examples of men , whether worse , or better then our selves , that have been eminent in the practice of this vertue ; men , that out of the meer strength of morality , have run away with losses , and poverty as a light burden ; that out of their free choice have fallen upon those conditions , which we are ready to fear , and shrink from : what a shame is it for christians to be out-stripped herein by very pagans ? if we look upon the ancient philosophers ; their low valuation of these outward things , and their willing abdication of those comforts , wherewith others were too much affected , made them admired of the multitude ; here do i see a cynick housed in his tub , scorning all wealth and state ; and making still even with his victuals and the day ; who , when he was invited to supper to one of alexanders great lords , could say ; i had rather lick salt at athens , then feast with craterus : here i meet with him , whom their oracle styled the wisest of men , walking barefoot in a patcht thred-bare cloak , contemning honours , and all earthly things ; and when that garment would hang no longer on his back , i can hear him say , i would have bought a cloak , if i had had money ; after which word , saith seneca , whosoever offered to give , came too late ; apollodorus , amongst the rest , sends him a rich mantle towards his end , and is refused ; with what patience doth this man bear the loud scoldings of his xantippe ? making no other of them , then the creaking of a cart-wheel : with what brave resolution doth he repel the proffers of archelaus , telling him how cheap the market afforded meal at athens , and the fountains water ? here i meet with a zeno , formerly rich in his traffique for purple , now impoverisht by an ill sea-voyage , and can hear him say , i sailed best when i ship-wrackt : here i see an aristippus drowning his gold in the sea , that it might not drown him : here i can hear a democritus , or cleanthes , when he was asked how a man should be rich ? answer , if he be poor in desires . what should i speak of those indian sophists , that took their name from their nakedness ; whom we hear to say , the sky is our house , and the earth our bed : we care not for gold , we contemn death : one of them can tell onesicritus : as the mother is to the child , so is the earth to me : the mother gives milk to her infant , so doth the earth yield all necessaries to me : and when gold was offered to him , by that great conquerour ; perswade ( said he ) if thou canst these birds to take thy silver and gold , that they may sing the sweeter ; and if thou canst not do that , wouldst thou have me worse then them ? adding moreover in a strong discourse ; natural hunger , when we have taken food , ceaseth ; and if the mind of man did also naturally desire gold , so soon as he hath received that which he wished , the desire and appetite of it would presently cease ; but so far is it from this satiety , that the more it hath , the more it doth , without any intermission , long for more ; because this desire proceeds not from any motion of nature , but only out of the wantonness of mans own will , to which no bounds can be set . blush , o christian soul , ( whosoever thou art , that readest these lines ) to hear such words falling from heathen lips , when thou seest those that profess godliness , doat upon these worthless metals , and transported with the affectation and cares of these earthly provisions . if from these patterns of men that should be below our selves , we look up to the more noble precedents of prophets and apostles ; lo , there we find elijah fed by ravens ; elisha boarding with his poor sareptan hostess ; and an hundred prophets fed by fifty in a cave , with bread and water ; the sons of the prophets for the enlarging of their over-strait lodgings , hard at work ; they are their own carpenters , but their tools are borrowed ; there we shall find a few barly loaves , and little fishes , the houshold provision of our saviours train : yea , there we find the most glorious apostle , the great doctor of the gentiles , employing his hands to feed his belly ; busily stitching of skins for his tent-work : yea , what do we look at any or all of these , when we see the son of god , the god of all the world , in the form of a servant ? not a cratch to cradle him in , not a grave to bury him in , was his own ; and he that could command heaven and earth , can say , the foxes have holes , the birds have nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head . who now can complain of want , when he hears his lord and saviour but thus provided for ? he could have brought down with him a celestial house , and have pitcht it here below , too glorious for earthen eyes to have lookt upon : he could have commanded all the precious things that lie shrouded in the bowels of the earth , to have made up a majestical palace for him , to the dazling of the eyes of all beholders : he could have taken up the stateliest court that any earthly monarch possessed , for his peculiar habitation : but his greatness was spiritual and heavenly : and he that owned all would have nothing , that he might sanctifie want unto us ; and that he might teach us by his blessed example , to sit down contented with any thing , with nothing . by that time therefore we have laid all these things together , and have seriously considered of the mean valuation of all these earthly things , for their transitoriness , unsatisfaction , danger ; of the over-ruling providence of the almighty , who most wisely , justly , mercifully disposeth of us and all events that befall us ; of the worse condition of many thousand others ; of the great inconveniences that attend great and full estates ; of the secret benefits of poverty ; of the smalness of that pittance that may suffice nature ; of the miseries that wait upon discontentment ; of the merciful vicissitudes of favours , wherewith god pleaseth to interchange our sufferings ; and lastly , the great examples of those , as well without ▪ as within the bosom of the church , that have gone before us , and led us the way to contentation : our judgment cannot chuse but be sufficiently convinced , that there is abundant reason to win our hearts to a quiet and contented entertainment of want , and all other outward afflictions . sect . xvii . of contentment in death it self . but all these intervenient miseries are slight in comparison of the last , and utmost of evils , death ; many a one grapples chearfully with these trivial afflictions , who yet looks pale , and trembles at the king of fear : his very name hath terrour in it , but his looks more : the courageous champion of christ , the blessed apostle : and with him , every faithful soul , makes his challenge universal , to whatsoever estate he is in ; to the estate of death , therefore no less then the afflictive incidence of life : when therefore this gastly giant shall stalk forth , and bid defiance to the whole host of israel ; and when the timorous unbeleevers shall run away at the fight of him , & endevour to hide their heads from his presence ; the good soul armed , not with the unmeet and cumbersome harness of flesh and blood , but with the sure ( though invisible ) armour of god , dares comes forth to meet him , and in the name of the lord of hosts , both bids him battle , and foils him in the combat ; and now having laid him on the ground , can triumphingly say , o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? five smooth pebles there are , which if we cary in our scrip , wee shall be able to quel , not only the power of death , but the terrour too . whereof the first is a sure apprehension of both the unavoidable necessity , and certain benefit of death : a necessity , grounded upon the just and eternal decree of heaven : it is appointed to all men once to die ; and what a madness were it , for a man to think of an exemption from the common condition of mankind ? mortality is , as it were , essential to our nature ; neither could we have had our souls but upon the terms of a re-delivery , when they shall be called for ; if the holiest saints , or the greatest monarchs sped otherwise , we might have some colour of repining : now , grieve if thou wilt , that thou art a man ; grieve not , that being man , thou must die . neither is the benefit inferiour to the necessity ; lo here the remedy of all our cares , the physick for all our maladies , the rescue from all our fears and dangers , earnestly sued for by the painful , dearly welcome to the distressed : yea , lo here the cherub that keeps the gate of paradise ; there is no entrance , but under his hand : in vain do we hope to pass to the glory of heaven , any other way then through the gates of death , the second is the conscience of a well-led life ; guiltinefs will make any man cowardly , unable to look danger in the face , much more death ; whereas the innocent is bold as a lion : what a difference therefore there is betwixt a martyr , and a malefactor ; this latter knows he hath done ill , and therefore if he can take his death but patiently , it is well ; the former knows he hath done well , and therfore takes his death not patiently onely , but chearfully . but because no mortal man can have so innocently led his life , but that he shall have passed many offences against his most holy and righteous god ; here must be , thirdly , a final peace firmly made betwixt god and the soul. two powerful agents must mediate in it ; a lively faith , and a serious repentance ; for those sins can never appear against us , that are washed off with our tears ; and being justified by faith , we have peace with god , through our lord jesus christ . now , if we have made the judge our friend , what can the sergeant do ? the fourth is the power , and efficacy of christs death applyed to the soul : wherefore dyed he , but that we might live ? wherefore would he , who is the lord of life , die , but to sanctifie , season , and sweeten death to us ? who would go any other way then his saviour went before him ? who can fear that enemy , whom his redeemer hath conquered for him ? who can run away from that serpent , whose sting is pulled out ? oh death ! my saviour hath been thy death , and therefore thou canst not be mine . the fifth , is the comfortable expectation , and assurance of a certain resurrection , and an immediate glory : i do but lay me down to my rest , i shall sleep quietly , and rise gloriously : my soul , in the mean time , no sooner leaves my body , then it enjoys god ; it did lately through my bodily eyes see my sad friends , that bad me farewel with their tears ; now it hath the blisse-making vision of god : i am no sooner lanched forth , then i am at the haven , where i would be ; here is that which were able to make amends for a thousand deaths ; a glory , infinite , eternal , incomprehensible . this spiritual ammunition shall sufficiently furnish the soul for her encounter with her last enemy ; so as she shall not only endure , but long for this combat ; and say with the chosen vessel , i desire to depart , & to be with christ . sect . xviii . the miseries and inconveniences of the continued conjunction of the soul & body . now for that long conversation causeth entireness , and the parting of old friends and partners ( such the soul and body are ) cannot but be grievous , although there were no actual pain in the dissolution : it will be requisite for us , seriously to consider the state of this conjunction ; & to enquire what good offices the one of them doth to the other , in their continued union ; for which they should be so loth to part : and here we shall find that those two , however united to make up one person , yet ( as it fals out in cross matches ) they are in continual domestique jars one with the other , and entertain a secret familiar kind of hostility betwixt themselves ; for the flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit against the flesh , and these are contrary the one to the other . one says well , that if the body should implead the soul , it might bring many foul impeachments against it ; and sue it for many great injuries done to that earthly part : and the soul again hath no fewer quarrels against the body : betwixt them both there are many brawles , no agreement . our schools have reckoned up therefore eight main incommodities , which the soul hath cause to complain of in her conjunction with the body : whereof the first is the defilement of original sin , wherewith the soul is not tainted as it proceeds , alone , from the pure hands of its creator , but as it makes up a part of a son of adam , who brought this guilt upon humane nature ; so as now this composition , which we call man , is corrupt : who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean ? saith job . the second is a proneness to sin , which , but by the meeting of these partners had never been ; the soul , if single , would have been innocent ; thus matched , what evil is it not apt to entertain ? an ill consort is enough to poyson the best disposition . the difficulty of doing well is the third ; for how averse are we by this conjunction from any thing that is good ; this clog hinders us from walking roundly in the ways of god : the good that i would do , i do not , saith the chosen vessel . the fourth is the dulness of our understanding , and the dimness of our mental eyes , especially in the things pertaining unto god ; which now we are forced to behold through the vail of flesh : if therefore we mis-know , the fault is in the mean , through which we do imperfectly discover them . the fifth is a perpetual impugnation , and self-conflict , either part labouring to oppose and vanquish the other . this field is fought in every mans bosom , without any possibility of peace , or truce , till the last moment of dissolution . the sixth is the racking solicitude of cares , which continually distract the soul , not suffering it to rest at ease , whiles it carries this flesh about it . the seventh is the multiplicity of passions which daily bluster within us , and raise up continual tempests in our lives , disquieting our peace , and threatning our ruine . the eight is the retardation of our glory ; for flesh , and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god ; we must lay down our load if we would enter into heaven : the seed cannot fructifie unless it die. i cannot blame nature if it could wish not to be unclothed , but to be clothed upon : but so hath the eternal wisdom ordered , that we should first lay down , ere we can take up ; and be devested of earth , ere we can partake of heaven . now then , sith so many & great discommodities do so unavoidably accompany this match of soul & body , and all of them cease instantly in the act of their dissolution ; what reason have we to be too deeply affected with their parting ? yea , how should we rather rejoyce that the hour is come , wherein we shall be quit both of the guilt , and temptations of sin ; wherein the clogg shall be taken away from our heels , and the vail from our eyes ; wherein no intestine wars shall threaten us , no cares shall disquiet us , no passions shall torment us ; and lastly , wherein we may take the free possession of that glory , which we have hitherto lookt at only a far off from the top of our pisgah ? sect . xix . holy dispositions for contentment : and first , humility . hitherto , we have dwelt in those powerful considerations which may work us to a quiet contentment with whatsoever adverse estate , whether of life or death ; after which , we address our selves to those meet dispositions , which shall render us fully capable of this blessed contentation ; and shall make all these considerations effectual to that happy purpose . whereof the first is true humility , under-valuing our selves , and setting an high rate upon every mercy that we receive ; for , if a man have attained unto this , that he thinks every thing too good for him , and himself less then the least blessing , and worthy of the heaviest judgment ; he can not but sit down thankful for small favours , & meekly content with mean afflictions : as contrarily , the proud man stands upon points with his maker , makes god his debter ; looks disdainfully at small blessings ; as if he said , what , no more ? and looks angerly at the least crosses ; as if he said , why thus much ? the father of the faithful hath practically taught us this lesson of humility , who comes to god with dust and ashes in his mouth : and the jewish doctors tell us truly , that in every disciple of abraham , there must be three things : a good eye , a meek spirit , and an humble soule ; his grandchild jacob , the father of every true israelite , had well taken it out ; whiles he can say to his god , i am not worthy of the least of all the mercies , and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant : and indeed , in whomsoeever it be , the best measure of grace is humility ; for the more grace still , the greater humility ; and no humility , no grace : solomon observed of old ; and saint james took it from him . that god resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble ; so as he that is not humble , is not so much as capable of grace ; and he that is truly humble , is a fit subject for all graces , and amongst the rest , for the grace of contentation : give me a man therefore , that is vile in his own eyes , that is sensible of his own wretchedness , that knows what it is to sin , and what belongs to that sin whereof he is guilty ; this man shall think it a mercy that he is any where out of hell ; shall account all the evils that he is free from , so many new favours ; shall reckon easie corrections amongst his blessings , & shall esteem any blessing infinitely obliging . whereas contrarily , the proud beggar is ready to throw gods almes at his head , and swels at every lash , that he receives from the divine hand . not without great cause therefore doth the royal preacher oppose the patient in spirit , to the proud in spirit ; for the proud man can no more be patient , then the patient can be discontent with whatsoever hand of his god. every toy puts the proud man beside his patience ; if but a flie be found in pharaohs cup , he is straight in rage , ( as the jewish tradition lays the quarrel ) and sends his butler into durance : and if the emperour do but mistake the stirrup of our countrey-man pope adrian , he shall dance attendance for his crown : if a mardochee do but fail of a courtesie to haman , all jews must bleed to death ; and how unquiet are our vain dames , if this curle be not set right , or that pin be mis-placed ? but the meek spirit is incurious ; and so throughly subacted , that he takes his load from god ( as the camel from his master ) upon his knees : and for men , if they compell him to goe one mile , he goes twain ; if they smite him on the right cheek , he turns the other , if they sue away his coat , he parts with his cloake also ▪ heraclius the emperour , when he was about to passe through the golden gate , & to ride in royal state through the streets of jerusalem , being put in mind by zacharias the bishop there , of the humble and dejected fashion wherein his saviour walked through those streets , towards his passion , strips off his rich robes , lays aside his crown , and with bare head , and bare feet , submissly paces the same way that his redeemer had carried his cross towards his golgotha . every true christian is ready to tread in the deep steps of his saviour , as well knowing that if he should descend to the gates of death , of the grave , of hell , he cannot be so humbled , as the son of god was for him : and indeed , this , and this alone , is the true way to glory ; he that is truth it self , hath told us , that he who humbles himself shall be exalted ; and wise solomon , before honour is humility . the fuller treads upon that cloth which he means to whiten : and he that would see the stars by day , must not climbe up into some high mountain , but must descend to the lower cells of the earth . shortly , whosoever would raise up a firm building of contentation , must be sure to lay the foundation in humility . sect . xx. of a faithful self-resignation . secondly , to make up a true contentment with the most adverse estate , there is required a faithfull self-resignation into the hands of that god , whose we are ; who , as he hath more right in us , then our selves , so he best knows what to do with us : how graciously hath his mercy invited us to our own ease ? be careful ( saith he ) for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer and supplication , with thanksgiving , let your requests be made known unto god : we are naturally apt in our necessities to have recourse to greater powers then our own ; even where we have no engagement of their help ; how much more should we cast our selves upon the almighty , when he not only allows , but solicits our reliance upon him ? it was a question that might have befitted the mouth of the best christian , which fell from socrates , since god himself is careful for thee , why art thou solicitous for thy self ? if evils were let loose upon us , so as it were possible for us to suffer any thing that god were not aware of , we might have just cause to sink under adversities ; but now , that we know every dram of our affliction is weighed out to us , by that all-wise , and all-merciful providence ; oh our infidelity , if we doe make scruple of taking in the most bitter dose ! here then is the right use of that main duty of christianity , to live by faith : brute creatures live by sense , meer men by reason , christians by faith . now faith is the substance of things hoped for ; the evidence of things not seen ; in our extremities we hope for gods gracious deliverance , faith gives a subsistence to that deliverance , before it be : the mercies that god hath reserved for us , do not yet show themselves ; faith is the evidence of them , though yet unseen : it was the motto of the learned and godly divine mr. perkins , fidei vita vera vita ; the true life , is the life of faith ; a word which that worthy servant of god did both write and live ; neither indeed is any other life truly vital , but this ; for hereby we enjoy god in all whatever occurrences : are we abridged of means ? we seed upon the cordial promises of our god : do we sigh and groan under varieties of grievous persecutions ? out of the worst of them we can pick out comforts ; whiles we can hear our saviour say , blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake ; for theirs is the kingdome of heaven ; are we deserted , and abandoned of friends ? we see him by us , who hath said , i will never leave thee , nor forsake thee : do we droop under spiritual desertions ? we hear the god of truth say , for a small moment have i forsaken thee , but with great mercy will i gather thee ; in a little wrath i hid my face from thee , but with everlasting kindness will i have mercy on thee , saith the lord , thy redeemer : are we driven from home ? if we take the wings of the morning , and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there also shall thine hand lead us , and thy right hand shall hold us : are we dungeoned up from the sight of the sun ? peradventure the darkness shall cover us ; but then shall our night be turned into day ; yea , the darkness is no darkness with thee : are we cast down upon the bed of sickness ? he that is our god , is the god of salvation ; and unto god the lord belong the issues from death . it cannot be spoken how injurious those men are to themselves , that will be managing their own cares , and plotting the prevention of their fears ; and projecting their own , both indemnity , and advantages ; for , as they lay an unnecessary load upon their own shoulders , so they draw upon themselves the miseries of an unremediable disappointment ; alas , how can their weakness make good those events which they vainly promise to themselves , or avert those judgments they would escape , or uphold them in those evils they must undergoe ? whereas if we put all this upon a gracious god , he contrives it with ease ; looking for nothing from us , but our trust , and thankfulness . sect . xxi . of true inward riches . in the third place , it will be most requisit to furnish the soul with true inward riches ; i mean not of meer moral vertues , ( which yet are truly precious when they are found in a good heart ) but of a wealth as much above them , as gold is above dross ; yea , as the thing which is most precious , is above nothing : and this shall be done , if we bring christ home to the soul ; if we can possess our selves of him , who is god al-sufficient ; for such infinite contentment there is in the son of god made ours , that whosoever hath tasted of the sweetness of this comfort is indiffererent to all earthly things ; and insensible of those extream differences of events , wherewith others are perplexed ; how can he be dejected with the want of any thing , who is possessed of him that possesseth all things ? how can he be over-affected with trivial profits , or pleasures , who is taken up with the god of all comfort ? is christ mine therefore ? how can i fail of all contentment ? how can he complain to want light , that dwels in the midst of the sun ? how can he complain of thirst , out of whose belly flow rivers of living water ? what can i wish , that my christ is not to me ? would i have meat and drink ? my flesh is meat indeed ; and my blood is drink indeed : would i have cloathing ? but , put ye on the lord jesus christ , saith the apostle : would i have medicine ? he is the tree of life , the leaves whereof are for the healing of the nations : would i have safety , and protection ? he truly is my strength , and my salvation ; he is my defence , so as i shall not fall ; in god is my health and my glory ; the rock of my might , and in god is my trust : would i have direction ? i am the way , and the truth : would i have life ? christ is to me to live ; i am the resurrection and the life : would i have all spiritual good things ? we are in christ jesus , who of god is made unto us wisdome , and righteousness , and sanctification , and redemption . oh the happy condition of the man that is in christ , and hath christ in him ! shall i account him rich , that hath store of oxen , and sheep , and horses , and camels ; that hath heaps of metals , and some spots of ground ? and shall i not account him infinitely more rich , that owns and enjoyes him whose the earth is , and the fulnesse of it ; whose heaven is , and the glory of it ? shall i justly account that man great , whom the king will honor , and place near to himself ; and shall i not esteem that man more honourable , whom the king of heaven is pleased to admit unto such partnership of glory , as to profess ; to him that overcommeth will i grant to sit with me in my throne , even as i also overcame , and am set down with my father in his throne ? it is a true word of saint augustine , that every soul is either christs spouse , or the devils harlot : now if we be matched to christ , the lord of glory ; what a blessed union is here ? what can he withhold from us , that hath given us himself ? i could envy the devotion of that man ( though otherwise mis-placed ) whom s. bernard heard to spend the night in no other words then , deus meus & omnia ; my god , and all things ; certainly , he who hath that god , hath more then all things ; he that wants him ( whatever else he seems to possess ) hath less then nothing . sect . xxii . holy resolutions : . that our present estate is best for us ▪ after these serious considerations , and meet dispositions , shall in the last follow certain firm resolutions for the full actuating our contentment : and first , we must resolve ( out of the infallible grounds of divine providence , formerly spoken of ) that the present estate wherein weare , is certainly the best for us ; and therefore we must herein absolutely captivate our understanding , and will , to that of the highest : how unmeet judges are flesh and blood of the best fitness of a condition for us ? as some palates ( which are none of the wholsomest ) like nothing but sweet meats , so our nature would be fed up with the only delicacies of pleasures ; and prosperity ; according to the false principle of arristippus , that he only is happy , which is delighted ; but the all-wise god knows another diet more fit for our health , and therefore graciously tempers our dishes with the tart sauces of affliction : the mother of the two sons of zebedee , and her ambitious children , are all for the chief peerage in the temporal kingdom of christ ; but he calls them to a bitter cup , and a bloody baptism rather ; and this was a far greater honour then that they sued for : there is no earthly estate absolutely good for all persons ; like as no gale can serve for all passengers . in africk , they say , the north wind brings clouds , and the south wind clears up : that plant which was starved in one soil , in another prospers ; yea , that which in some climate is poyson , proves wholsome in another : some one man if he had anothers blessings , would run wild ; and if he had some other mans crosses , would be desperate ; the infinite wisdom of the great governour of the world allots every one his due proportion ; the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument ; neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin ; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff , and the cummin with a rod , saith esay . and no otherwise in matter of prosperity ; josephs coat may be party-coloured , and benjamins mess may be five times so much as any of his brethren . it is marvel if they who did so much envy joseph for his dream of superiority , did not also envy benjamin for so large a service , and so rich gifts at his parting ; this it seems gave occasion for the good patriarchs fear , when he charged them , see that you fall not out by the way ; but there had been no reason for so impotent an envy ; whiles the gift is free , and each speeds above his desert , who can have cause to repine ? it is enough that joseph knew a just reason of so unequal a distribution , though it were hidden from themselves . the elder brother may grudge the fat calf , and the prime robe to the returned unthrift , but the father knows reason to make that difference . god is infinitely just , and infinitely merciful in dispensing both his favours and punishment . in both kinds every man hath that which is fittest for him , because it is that which gods will hath designed to him ; and that will is the most absolute rule of justice : now if we can so frame our will to his , as to think so too , how can we be other then contented ? do we suffer ? there is more intended to us then our smart : it was a good speech of seneca , though a heathen , ( what pity it is that he was so ? ) i give thanks to my infirmity , which forces me not to be able to do that , which i ought not will to do ; if we lose without , so as we gain within ; if in the perishing of the outward man , the inward man be renued , we have no cause to complain , much to rejoyce : do i live in a mean estate ? if it were better , i should be worse ; more proud , more careless ; and what a woful improvement were this ? what a strange creature would man be , if he were what he would wish himself ? surely , he would be wickedly pleasant , carelesly prophane , vainly proud , proudly oppressive , dissolutely wanton , impetuously self-willed ; and shortly , his own idol , and his own idolater ; his maker knows how to frame him better ; it is our ignorance and unthankfulness , if we submit not to his good pleasure : to conclude , we pray every day , thy will be done ; what hypocrites are we , if we pray one thing , and act another ? if we murmur at what we wish ? all is well between heaven and us , if we can think our selves happy to be what god will have us . sect . xxiii . two resolutions to abate of our desires . secondly , we must resolve to abate of our desires ; for it is the illimitedness of our ambitious , and covetous thoughts , that is guilty of our unquietness ; every man would be , and have more then he is ; and is therefore sick of what he is not . it was a true word of democritus , if we desire not much , we shall think a little much : and it is sutable to one of the rules of s. augustine ; it is better to need less , then to have more : paul , the richest poor man , ( as ambrose well ) could say , as having all things , yet possessing nothing : it is not for a christian to be of the dragons temper , which they say is so ever thirsty , that no water will quench his drought ; and therefore never hath his mouth shut ; nor , with the daughters of the horse-leach to cry always , give , give ; he must confine his desires ; and that , to no over large compass ; and must say to them , as god doth to the sea , hitherto shalt thou come , and no further ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed . what a cumber it is for a man to have too much ? to be in the case of surena the parthian lord ▪ that could never remove his family with less then a thousand camels ? what is this , but tortoise-like , to be clogg'd with a weighty shel , which we cannot drag after us , but with pain ? or like the ostrich , to be so held down with an heavy body , that we can have no use of our wings ? whereas the nimble lark rises , & mounts with ease , and sings chearfully in her flight . how many have we known , that have found too much flesh a burden ? and when they have found their blood too rank , have been glad to pay for the letting it out ? it was the word of that old and famous lord keeper bacon , the eminent head of a noble , and witty family , mediocria firma : there is neither safety , nor true pleasure in excess : it was a wise and just answer of zenò the philosopher , who reproving the superfluity of a feast , and hearing by way of defence that the maker of it was a great rich man , and might well spare it , said ; if thy cook shall over-salt thy broth , and when he is chid for it , shall say , i have store enough of salt lying by me , wouldst thou take this for a fair answer ? my son , eat thou honey , saith solomon ; because it is good : but , to be sure , for the preventing all immoderation , he adds soon after ; hast thou found hony ? eat so much as is sufficient for thee , lest thou be filled therewith : if our appetite cary us too far , we may easily surfet ; this ( which is the emblem of pleasure ) must be tasted ( as dionysius the sophist said of old ) on the tip of the finger ; not be sup't up in the hollow of the hand ; it is with our desires , as it is with weak stomachs , the quantity offends , even where the food is not unwholsome ; and if heed be not taken , one bit draws on another , till nature be overlaid ; both pleasures and profits ( if way be given to them ) have too much power to debauch the mind , and to work it to a kind of insatiableness ; there is a thirst that is caused with drunkenness ; and the wanton appetite , like as they said of messalina , may be wearied , but cannot be satisfied ; it is good therefore to give austere repulses to the first overtures of inordinate desires , and to give strong denials to the first unruly motions of our hearts ; for , s. chrysostome well ; pleasure is like a dog , which being coyed , and stroaked , follows us at the heels , but if rated , and beaten off , is driven away from us with ease . it is for the christian heart to be taken up with other desires such as wherein there can be no danger of immoderateness : these are the holy longings after grace and goodness ; this only covetousness , this ambition is pleasing to god , and infinitely beneficial to the soul. blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness , for they shall be filled : spiritual blessings are the true riches , whereof we can never have enough . s. ambrose said truly , no man is indeed wealthy , that cannot carry away what he hath with him : what is left behind , is not ours , but other mens ; contemn thou whiles thou art alive , that which thou canst not enjoy when thou art dead . as for this earthly trash , and the vain delights of the flesh , which we have so fondly doted on ; we cannot carry them indeed away with us , but the sting of the guilty mis-enjoying of them will be sure to stick by us ; and , to our sorrow , attend us both in death and judgment : in summ therefore , if we would be truly contented , & happy , our hearts can never be enough enlarged in our desires of spiritual and heavenly things , never too much contracted in our desires of earthly . sect . xxiv . . a resolution to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments . our third resolution must be to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments ; and by the exercise thereof , to enable our selves for greater : as those that drink medicinal waters , begin first with smaller quantities , & by degrees arise , at last , to the highest of their prescribed measure ; or as the wise lacedemonians , by early scourgings of their boys , inured them in their riper years to more painful sufferings : a strong milo takes up his calf at first , and by continual practice is now able to cary it when it is grown a bull. such is our self-love , that we affect ever to be served of the best ; and that we are apt to take great exceptions at small failings : we would walk always in smooth and even paths , and would have no hinderances in our passage ; but , there is no remedy , we must meet with rubs ; and perhaps cross shinnes , and take falls too in our way : every one is willing and desirous to enjoy ( as they say the city of rhodes doth ) a perpetual sun-shine ; but we cannot ( if we be wise ) but know , that we must meet with change of weather ; with rainy days , & sometimes storms and tempests ; it must be our wisdom to make provision accordingly : and some whiles to abide a wetting ; that , if need be , we may endure a drenching also . it was the policy of jacob , when he was to meet with his brother esau ( whom he feared an enemy , but found a friend ) to send the droves first , then his hand-maids , and their children ; then leah , with her children , and at last , came joseph and rachel ; as one that would adventure the less dear in the first place , and ( if it must be ) to prepare himself for his dearest loss . s. pauls companions in his perilous sea-voyage , first lighten the ship of less necessaries , then they cast out the tackling , then the wheat ; and in the last place , themselves . it is the use that wise socrates made of the sharp tongues of his cross and unquiet wives , to prepare his patience for publique sufferings . surely , he that cannot endure a frown , will hardly take a blow ; and he that doubles under a light cross , will sink under a heavier ; and contrarily , that good martyr prepares his whole body for the faggot , with burning his hand in the candle . i remember seneca , in one of his epistles , rejoyces much to tell with what patient temper he took it , that comming inexpectedly to his countrey-house , he found all things so discomposed , that no provision was ready for him ; finding more contentment in his own quiet apprehension of these wants , then trouble in that unreadiness : and thus , should we be affected upon all occasions ; those that promised me help , have disappointed me : that friend , on whom i relyed , hath failed my trust : the summ that i expected , comes not in at the day : my servant slackens the business injoyned him : the beast that i esteemed highly , is lost : the vessel in which i shipped some commodities , is wrackt : my diet and attendance must be abated ; i must be dislodged of my former habitation ; how do i put over these occurrences ? if i can make light work of these lesser crosses , i am in a good posture to entertain greater . to this purpose , it will be not a little expedient , to thwart our appetite in those things wherein we placed much delight ; and to torture our curiosity in the delay of those contentments , which we too eagerly affected : it was a noble and exemplary government of these passions , which we find in king david , who being extreamly thirsty , and longing for a speedy refreshment , could say ; oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of bethlehem ! but when he saw that water purchased with the hazard of the lives of three of his worthies , when it was brought to him , he would not drink it , but poured it out unto the lord. have i a mind to some one curious dish above the rest ? i will put my knife to my throat , and not humour my palate so far as to taste of it : do i receive a letter of news from a farr countrey , over-night ? it shall keep my pillow warm till the morning : do my importunate recreations call me away ? they shall , against the hair , be forcibly adjourned till a further leisure : out of this ground it was , that the ancient votaries observed such austerity , and rigor in their diet , clothes , lodging ; as those that knew how requisite it is that nature should be held short of her demands ; & continually exercised with denials ▪ lest shee grow too wanton , and impetuous in her desires : that which was of old given as a rule to monastick persons , is fit to be extended to all christians ; they may not have a will of their own , but must frame themselves to such a condition , and cariage , as seems best to their superiour ; if therefore it please my god to send me some little comfort , i shall take that as an earnest of more ; and if he exercise me with lesser crosses , i shall take them as preparatives to greater ; and endeavour to be thankful for the one , and patient in the other ; and contented with gods hand in both . sect . xxv . . a resolution to be frequent and fervent in prayer . our last resolution must be , to be frequent and fervent in our prayers to the father of all mercies , that he will be pleased to work our hearts by the power of his spirit , to this constant state of contentation ; without which we can neither consider the things that belong to our inward peace , nor dispose our selves towards it , nor resolve ought for the effecting it ; without which , all our considerations , all our dispositions , all our resolutions , are vain and fruitless . justly therefore doth the blessed apostle , after his charge of avoiding all carefulness for these earthly things , enforce the necessity of our prayers and supplications , and making our requests known unto god ; who both knows our need , and puts these requests into our mouths : when we have all done , they are the requests of our hearts , that must free them from cares , and frame them to a perfect contentment : there may be a kind of dull and stupid neglect , which possessing the soul may make it insensible of evil events , in some natural dispositions ; but a true temper of a quiet and peaceable estate of the soul upon good grounds can never be attained without the inoperation of that holy spirit , from whom every good gift , and every perfect giving proceedeth : it is here contrary to these earthly occasions : with men , he that is ever craving , is never contented ; but with god , he cannot want contentment that prays always . if we be not unacquainted with our selves , we are so conscious of our own weakness , that we know every puff of temptation is able to blow us over ; they are only our prayers that must stay us from being carried away with the violent assaults of discontentment ; under which , a praying soul can no more miscarry , then an indevout soul can enjoy safety . sect . xxvi . the difficulty of knowing how to abound ; and the ill consequences of not knowing it . let this be enough for the remedy of those distempers which arise from an adverse condition ; as for prosperity , every man thinks himself wise and able enough to know how to govern it , and himself in it ; an happy estate ( we imagine ) will easily manage it self without too much care ; give me but sea-room , faith the confident mariner , and let me alone , what ever tempest arise : surely , the great doctor of the gentiles had never made this holy boast of his divine skill , [ i know how to abound ] if it had been so easie a matter as the world conceives it : meer ignorance , and want of self-experience , is guilty of this errour . many a one abounds in wealth and honour , who a no less in miseries and vexation : many a one is caried away with an unruly greatness , to the destruction of body , soul , estate ; the world abounds every where with men that do abound , and yet do not know how to abound : and those especially in three ranks ; the proud , the covetous , the prodigal ; the proud is thereby transported to forget god ; the covetous , his neighbour ; the prodigal , himself . both wealth and honour are of a swelling nature ; raising a man up not above others , but above himself ; equalling him to the powers immortal ; yea , exalting him above all that is called god ; oh that vile dust and ashes should be raised to that height of insolence as to hold contestation with its maker ! who is the lord ? saith the king of egypt : i shall be like to the highest ; i am , and there is none besides me , saith the king of babylon ; the voice of god , and not of man , goes down with herod : and how will that spirit trample upon men , that dare vie with the almighty ? hence are all the heavy oppressions , bloody tyrannies , imperious domineerings , scornful insultations , merciless outrages , that are so rife amongst men , even from hence , that they know not how to abound . the covetous man abounds with bags , and no less with sorrows ; verifying the experience of wise solomon ; there is a fore evil which i have seen under the sun , riches kept for the owners thereof , to their hurt ; what he hath got with unjustice , he keeps with care , leaves with grief , and reckons for with torment ; i cannot better compare these money-mongers then to bees ; they are busie gatherers , but it is for themselves ; their masters can have no part of their honey till it be taken from them ; and they have a sting ready for every one that approaches their hive ; and their lot at the last is burning . what maceration is there here with feares and jealousies ▪ what cruel extortion and oppression exercised upon other ? and all from no other ground then this , that they know not how to abound ? the prodigal feasts and sports like an athenian , spends like an emperour ; and is ready to say as heliogabalus did of old , those cates are best , that cost dearest ; caring more for an empty reputation of a short gallantry , then for the comfortable subsistence of himself , his family , his posterity : like cleopes the vain egyptian king , which was fain to prostitute his daughter for the finishing of his pyramid : this man lavisheth out not his own meanes alone , but his poor neighbours ; running upon the score with all trades that concern back or belly ; undoing more with his debts , then he can pleasure with his entertainments ; none of all which should be done , if he knew how to abound . great skill therefore is required to the governing of a plentiful and prosperous estate , so as it may be safe and comfortable to the owner , and beneficial unto others ; every corporal may know how to order some few files , but to marshal many troops in a regiment , many regiments in a whole body of an army , quires the skill of an experienced general . but the rules and limits of christian moderation , in the use of our honours , pleasures , profits , i have at large laid forth in a former discourse ; thither i must crave leave to send the benevolent reader ; beseeching god to bless unto him these and all other labours , to the happy furtherance of his grace and salvation . amen . * ⁎ * finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e phil. . . notes for div a -e si sedeas requies est magna laboris ; si multum sedeas , labor est . tert. carm. pro. . senec. de tranquil . notes for div a -e psal . . . psalm . , . eccles . . . rev. . . mat. . . kings . . king. . . rev , . . . jonah . pro. . . notes for div a -e jer. . . notes for div a -e * galba otho vitellius ael , pertinax didius . anno d. . . gregor . innocent hadrian johan . vel nicolaus ▪ * cor. . . gen . deut. . . prov. . . psal . . . ludo. vives in . de civit censura notatus vellosillo . prov. ult . penult . ecc. . . mat. . . notes for div a -e psa . . notes for div a -e dan. , . . heb. . . notes for div a -e ps . . . g. naz. carm. de calam . suis . greg , l. . epi. . . in vita melanct. shicardus . notes for div a -e ambros . 〈…〉 . epist . . hieron . ep. ad hedibium . . tim. . ep. lucii ad episc . gall. & hisp . notes for div a -e tim. . . paulo primo eremitae in spelunca viventi palma & cibum & vestimentum praebebat ; quod cum impossible videatur , jesum testor & angelos vidisse me monachos , de quibus unus per . annos clausus , herdeaceo pane & lutulenta aqua vixit . hieron . de vita pauli . revelatur antonio nonagenario , de paulo agente jam . annum , esse alium se sanctiorem monachum , ibid. plin. l. . c. . hugo . instit . mona . reg. s. columb . senec. epist . . notes for div a -e job . . eccles . . . gen. . . gen. . . pro. . . ps . . . jam. . . jer. . . notes for div a -e ps . . . job . . . livius . cor. . . acts . notes for div a -e inter opera ambrosii d●moribus brachmannorum . kings . . kings . , , , , mat. . . notes for div a -e heb. . . rom. . . phil. . . notes for div a -e gal. . . job . . . rom. . . cor. . . notes for div a -e gen. . pirke av●oth . gen. . . pro. . . jam. . . mat. . . . pro. . . notes for div a -e phil . . heb. . . mat. . . heb. . . esa . . , . psal . . , . ver . , ps . . . notes for div a -e joh. . . joh. . . rom. . . rev. . . ps . . , . phil. . . joh. . . cor. . . rev. . . notes for div a -e rom. . . esa . . . gen. . . gen. . . cor. . . notes for div a -e ambros . de vitiorum & virtutum conflictu . pro. . . job . . . pro. . . pro. . . pro. . . mat. . . ambros . epist . . notes for div a -e gen. . . & . , . &c. act. . , . sam. . , , . notes for div a -e phil. . . jam. . . notes for div a -e exod. . . esa . . . act. . eccl. . . aelius lamprid. the arte of diuine meditation profitable for all christians to knowe and practise; exemplified with a large meditation of eternall life. by ioseph hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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[ ], , [ ] p. by humfrey lownes for samuel macham, and mathew cooke: and are to bee sold in pauls church-yard at the signe of the tigers head, imprinted at london : . a , title page (a cancel) is mounted; a and i probably blank, lacking. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - david karczynski sampled and proofread - david karczynski text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the arte of divine me ditation : profitable for all christians to knowe and practise ; exemplified with a large meditation of eternall life . by ioseph hall . ¶ imprinted at london by humfrey lownes , for samuel macham , and mathew cooke : and are to bee sold in pauls church-yard at the signe of the tigers head . . to the right worshipful , sir richard lea , knight , all increase of true honour with god and men . sir , euer since i began to bestow my selfe vpō the commō good , studying wherin my labours might bee most seruiceable ; i still found they could bee no way so well improued , as in that part which concerneth deuotion , and the practise of true piety : for on the one side i perceiued the number of polemicall bookes , rather to breede , than ende strifes ; and those which are doctrinall , by reason of their multitude , rather to oppresse than satisfie the reader ; wherein if we write the same things , we are iudged tedious ; if different , singular . on the other part respecting the reader , i sawe the braines of men neuer more stuffed , their tōgues neuer more stirring , their hearts neuer more emptie , nor their handes more idle . wherefore after those suddē meditatiōs which passed me without rule , i was easily induced by their successe ( as a small thing moues the willing ) to send foorth this rule of meditation ; and after my heauen vpon earth , to discourse ( although by way of example ) of heauen aboue . in this arte of mine , i confesse to haue receiued more light from one obscure namelesse monke which wrote some . yeeres agoe , then from the directions of all other writers : i would his humility had not made him niggardly of his name , that wee might haue knowen whome to haue thanked . it had been easie to haue framed it with more curiositie : but god and my soule knowe , that i made profit the scope of my labour , and not applause : and therefore ( to choose ) i wished rather to be rude than vnprofitable : if now the simplicitie of any reader , shall bereaue him of the benefite of my precepts , i knowe hee may make his vse of my example . why i haue honored it with your name , i need not giue account to the world ; which already knowes your worth and deserts , and shall see by this , that i acknowledge them : goe you on happily ( according to the heauenly aduise of your iunius ) in your worthy and glorious profession ; still bearing your selfe as one that knowes vertue the truest nobility , and religion the best vertue : the god whom you serue shal honor you with men , and crowne you in heauen . to his grace i humbly commend you : requesting you onely to accept the worke , and continue your fauour to the author . your worships humbly deuoted , ios . hall . the svmme of the chapters . the benefite & vses of meditation . cap. the description & kinds of medit. cap. concerning meditation extemporal . cap. cautions of extemporary medit. cap. of meditatiō deliberate : wherein first the qualitie of the person : of whom is required ; that he be pure from his sinnes . cap. that he be free from worldly thoughts . cap. constant in the time set . ca. in cōtinuance . ca. of other necessary circumstances : and , of the place fit for meditation . cap. of the time . cap. of the site and gesture of body . cap. of the matter and subiect of medit. ca. the order of handling the worke it selfe . cap. the entrance into the worke . common entrāce , which is prayer . ca. . the particular & proper entrāce into the matter , which is in our choice thereof . cap. the proceeding of our meditation , therein a method allowed by some authors , reiected . cap. premonitions cōcerning our proceeding in the first part of med. c. the practise of meditation : the first part wherof in the vnderstanding : therein , . we begin with some descriptiō of that which we meditate of . ca. an easie and voluntary diuision of the matter meditated . cap. a consideration of the causes therof in al the kinds of them . ca. the consid . of the fruits and effectes . cap. the consid . of the subiect wherin , or wherabout it is imployed . cap. consid . of the appendances and qualities of it . cap. . consid . of that which is contrary to it , or diuers from it . cap. of comparisons and similitudes wherby it may bee most fitly set forth to vs. cap. the titles and names of the matter considered . cap. consid . of fit testimonies of scripture cōcerning our theme . cap. of the second part of meditation , which is in the affections : wherein is , first required , a taste and rellish of what we thought vpon . ca. a complaint bewayling our want and vntowardnes . cap. a hearty wish of the soule for what it complaines to want . ca. an humble confession of our disability to effect what wee wish . cap. an earnest petitiō for that which we cōfesse to want . cap. a vehement enforcement of our petition . cap. a cheerefull confidēce of obtaining what we haue requested and enforced . cap. the conclusiō of our meditation , in what order . cap. first , with thanksgiuing for what we are confident to be granted . ibid. secondly , with a recommendatiō of our soules and wayes to god. cap. the epilogue ; reprouing the neglect , & exhorting to the vse of meditation . cap. the art of divine meditation . chap. i. it is not , i suppose , a more bolde than profitable labour , after the indeuours of so many cōtēplatiue men to teach the art of meditation : an heauenly businesse , as any belongs either to man or christian ; and such as wherby the soule doeth vnspeakeably benefit it selfe : for by this do we ransacke our deepe & false harts , find out our secret enemies , buckle with them , expell them , arme our selues against their re-entrance . by this wee make vse of all good means , fit our selues to all good dueties ; by this we descrie our weakenesse , obtaine redresse , preuēt tentatiōs , cheere vp our solitarines , temper our occasions of delight ; get more light to our knowledge , more heate to our affections , more life to our deuotion : by this we grow to be ( as wee are ) straungers vpon earth , and out of a right estimation of all earthly things , into a sweet fruitiō of inuisible comforts : by this , wee see our sauiour with steuen , we talke with god as moses ▪ and by this we are rauished with blessed paul into paradise ; and see that heauen which we are loath to leaue , which we cannot vtter . this alone is the remedie of security and worldlines , the pastime of saints , the ladder of heauen , and in short the best improuement of christianitie : learne it who can , and neglect it who list ; hee shall neuer find ioy , neither in god nor in himselfe , which doeth not both knowe and practise it . and how euer of olde some hidden cloysterers haue ingrossed it to themselues , and confined it within their celles : who indeede professing nothing but contemplation , throgh their immunitie from those cares which accompany an actiue life , might haue the best leasure to this busines ; yet seeing there is no man so taken vp with action , as not sometimes to haue a free minde ; and there is no reasonable minde so simple , as not to bee able both to discourse somewhat , and to better it selfe by her secret thoughts ; i deeme it an enuious wrong to conceale that from any , whose benefit may bee vniuersall : those that haue but a little stocke , had neede to knowe the best rules of thrift ; chap. . the rather for that whereas our diuine meditation is nothing else but a bending of the mind vpon some spirituall obiect , through diuers formes of discourse , vntill our thoughts come to an issue ; and this must needs be either extemporall , and occasioned by outward occurrences offred to the mind , or deliberate , and wrought out of our owne heart ; which againe is either in matter of knowledge for the finding out of some hidden trueth , and conuincing of an heresie by profound trauersing of reason , or in matter of affection , for the enkindling of our loue to god : the former of these two last wee sending to the scholes and masters of controuersies , search after the later ; which is both of larger vse , and such as no christian can reiect , as either vnnecessary , or ouer-difficult . for both euery christian had neede of fire put to his affections , and weaker iudgements are no lesse capable of this diuine heate , which proceedes not so much from reason as from faith . one sayes , ( and i beleeue him ) that gods schoole is more of affection , than vnderstanding : both lessons very needefull , very profitable ; but for this our age , especially the later : for if there bee some that haue much zeale , little knowledge , there are more that haue much knoweledge without zeale . and hee that hath much skill and no affection , may do good to others by information of iudgement , but shall neuer haue thanke either of his own heart , or of god ; who vseth not to cast away his loue on those , of whom hee is but knowen , not loued . chap. . of extemporal meditatiō there may be much vse , no rule : forasmuch as our conceits herein varie according to the infinite multitude of obiects , and their diuers manner of profering thēselues to the minde ; as also for the suddennesse of this acte . man is placed in this stage of the worlde to viewe the seuerall natures and actions of the creature ; to view them , not idly , without his vse , as they doe him : god made all these for man , and man for his owne sake ; both these purposes were lost , if man should let the creatures passe carelesly by him , onely seene , not thought vpon : he onely can make benefit of what he sees ; which if hee doe not , it is all one , as if hee were blind , or brute . whēce it is , that wise salomon puttes the sluggard to schoole vnto the ant ; and our sauiour sends the distrustfull to the lillie of the field . in this kinde was that meditation of the diuine psalmist , which vpon the viewe of the glorious frame of the heauens , was led to woonder at the mercifull respect god hath to so poore a creature as man. thus our sauiour tooke occasion of the water fetcht vp solemnely to the altar , from the well of shilo , on the day of the great hosannah , to meditate and discourse of the water of life . thus holy and sweete avgvstine , from occasion of the water-course neere to his lodging , running among the pebbles , sometimes more silently , sometimes in a baser murmure , and sometimes in a shriller note , entred into the thought and discourse of that excellent order which god hath settled in all these inferiour things ; thus that learned and heauenly soule of our late estye , when wee sate together , and heard a sweet consort of musicke , seemed vpon this occasion carried vp for the time before-hand to the place of his rest , saying , not without some passion , what musicke may we thinke there is in heauen ? thus lastly ( for who knowes not that examples of this kinde are infinite ? ) that faithfull and reuerend deering , when the sunne shined on his face , now lying on his death-bed , fell into a sweet meditation of the glory of god , and his approaching ioy . the thoughts of this nature are not onely lawfull , but so behooueful , that we cannot omit them , without neglect of god , his creatures , our selues . the creatures are halfe lost if wee only imploy them , not learne somthing of thē : god is wronged if his creatures bee vnregarded ; our selues most of all if wee reade this great volume of the creatures , and take out no lesson for our instruction . chap. . wherein yet cautiō is to be had that our meditatiōs be not either too farre-fetcht , or sauouring of superstition . farre-fetcht i cal those , which haue not a faire & easie resemblāce vnto the matter frō whēce they are raised : in which case our thoghts proue loose & heartles ; making no memorable impression in the mind . superstitious , when we make choice of those grounds of meditation , which are forbidden vs as teachers of vanity ; or imploy our owne deuices ( though well grounded ) to an vse aboue their reach ; making them vpon our owne pleasures , not only furtherances , but parts of gods worship ; in both which , our meditations degenerate , and growe rather perillous to the soule : whereto adde , that the minde bee not too much cloyed with too frequent iteratiō of the same thought ; which at last breedes a wearinesse in our selues , and an vnpleasantnesse of that conceit , which at the first entertainement promised much delight . our nature is too ready to abuse familiaritie in any kinde : and it is with meditations , as with medicines ; which with ouer-ordinary vse lose their soueraignety ; and fill , in stead of purging . god hath not straited vs for matter , hauing giuen vs the scope of the whole world ; so that there is no creature , euent , action , speach which may not afford vs new matter of meditation . and that which we are wont to say of fine wittes , we may as truely affirme of the christian hart ; that it can make vse of any thing . wherefore as trauellers in a forreine countrey make euery fight a lesson ; so ought wee in this our pilgrimage : thou seest the heauen rolling aboue thine head in a constāt and vnmoueable motion ; the starres so ouer-looking one another , that the greatest shewe little , the least greatest , all glorious ; the ayre full of the bottles of raine , or fleeces of snowe , or diuers formes of fiery exhalations : the sea vnder one vniforme face full of strange and monstrous shapes beneath ; the earth so adorned with variety of plants , that thou canst not but tread on many at once with euery foote ; besides the store of creatures that flie aboue it , walke vpō it , liue in it : thou idle truant ▪ doest thou learn nothing of so many masters ? hast thou so long read these capitall letters of gods great booke , and canst thou not yet spell one worde of them ? the brute creatures see the same things , with as cleare , perhaps better eyes : if thine inward eyes see not their vse , aswell as thy bodily eyes their shape , i knowe not whether is more reasonable , or lesse brutish . chap. . deliberate meditation is that wee chiefly inquire for ; which both may be wel guided , and shall be not a little furthered by precepts ; part whereof the labours of of others shall yeeld vs , and part the plainest mistresse , experience : wherin order requires of vs first the qualities of the person fit for meditatiō , thē the circumstances , maner & proceedings of the worke . the hill of meditation may not be climbed with a profane foote ; but as in the deliuery of the law , so here , no beast may touch gods hill , lest he die : only the pure of heart haue promise to see god : sinne dimmeth & dazeleth the eie that it cannot beholde spirituall things : the gard of heauenly souldiers was about elishaes seruant before , hee saw thē not before throgh the scales of his infidelity : the soule must therfore bee purged , ere it can profitably meditate . and as of old they were wont to search for , and thrust out malefactors frō the presēce , ere they wēt to sacrifice ; so must we our sins , ere we offer our thoughts to god. first , saith dauid , i will wash my hands in innocencie , then i wil compas thine altar . wherupō not vnfitly did that worthy chauncellour of paris , make the first staire of his ladder of contemplation , humble repentaunce . the cloth that is white ( which is wont to bee the colour of innocencie ) is capable of any dye ; the blacke , of none other : not that we require an absolute perfection ( which as it is incident vnto none , so if it were , would exclude all neede and vse of meditation ) but rather an honest sincerity of the heart , not willingly sinning , willingly repenting when we haue sinned ; which , whoso findes in himselfe , let him not thinke any weakenesse a lawfull barre to meditation . he that pleades this excuse is like some simple man , which being halfe starued with cold , refuses to come neere the fire , because hee finds not heate enough in himselfe . chap. . neither may the soule that hopeth to profite by meditation , suffer it selfe for the time intāgled with the world ; which is all one , as to come to gods flaming bush on the hill of visions , with our shooes on our feete . thou seest the birde , whose feathers are limed , vnable to take her former flight : so are wee when our thoughts are clingd together by the world , to soare vp to our heauen in meditation : the payre of brothers must leaue their nets if they wil folow christ : elisha his oxen , if hee will attend a prophet : it must bee a free and a light minde that can ascend this mount of contemplation , ouercomming this height , this steepenesse : cares are an heauie lode , and vneasie ; these must be laid downe at the bottome of this hill , if wee euer looke to attain the top . thou art loded with housholde-cares , perhaps publike ; i bid thee not cast them away : euen these haue their season , which thou canst not omitte without impietie : i bid thee lay them downe at thy closet doore , when thou attemptest this worke : let thē in with thee , thou shalt finde them troublesom companions , euer distracting thee from thy best errand thou wouldest thinke of heauen ; thy barne comes in thy way , or perhaps thy count-booke , or thy cofers , or it may bee thy minde is before hand trauailing vpon the morrowes iourney . so while thou thinkest of many things , thou thinkest of nothing ; while thou wouldest goe many wayes , thou standest still . and as in a crowde , while many presse forward at once through one doore , none proceedeth : so whē variety of thoughts tumultuously throng in vpon the minde , each prooueth a barre to the other , and all an hinderanceto him that entertaines them . chap. . and as our clyent of meditation must both be pure and free in vndertaking this taske , so also constant in continuing it ; constant both in time and in matter : both in a set course and houre reserued for this worke , and in an vnwearied prosecution of it once begun . those that meditate by snatches and vncertaine fittes , when onely all other imploiments forsake thē , or when good motions are thrust vpon them by necessity , let them neuer hope to reach to any perfection . for those feeble beginnings of luke-warm grace , which are wroght in them by one fit of serious meditatiō , are soone extinguished by intermission , and by mis-wonting perish : this dayes meale ( tho large & liberall ) strengthens thee not for to morrow ; the body languishes if there be not a daily supply of repast : thus feede thy soule by meditation ; set thine houres and keep them , and yeeld not to an easie distraction . there is no hardnesse in this practise , but in the beginning ; vse shall giue it , not ease onely , but delight . thy companion entertaines thee this while in louing discourses , or some inexpected businesse offers to interrupt thee . neuer any good worke shall want some hinderance : either breake through thy lettes , except it be with inciuility or losse ; or if they bee importunate , pay thy selfe the time that was vnseasonably borrowed ; and recompence thine omitted houres with the double labors of another day : for thou shalt find , that differring breedes ( beside the losse ) an indisposition to good ; so that what was before pleasant to thee , being omitted , to morrow growes harsh ; the next day vnnecessary ; afterwardes odious . to day thou canst , but wilt not ; to morrow thou couldst , but listest not ; the next day thou neither wilt nor cāst bend thy mind on these thoughts : so i haue seene friends that vpon neglect of duetie growe ouerly , vpon ouerlinesse , strange ; vpon strangenes , to vtter defiance . those whose very trade is diuinity ( me thinks ) should omit no day without his line of meditatiō : those which are secular men , not many ; remēbring that they haue a common calling of christianitie to attend , aswel as a speciall vocation in the worlde : and that other being more noble and important , may iustly challenge both often and diligent seruice . chap. . and as this cōstancy requires thee to keepe day with thy selfe , vnlesse thou wilt prooue bankrupt in good exercises ; so also that thy mind should dwell vpon the same thought without flitting , without wearinesse , vntill it haue attained to some issue of spirituall profit : otherwise it attempteth much , effecteth nothing . what auailes it to knock at the doore of the heart , if wee depart ere we haue an answere ? what are wee the warmer if we passe hastily along by the hearth , stay not at it ? those that doe onely trauell through africke become not blackemores , but those which are borne there , those that inhabit there : we account those damosels too light of their loue , which betroth themselues vpon the first sight , vpon the first motion : & those we deeme of much price , which require long and earnest soliciting : he deceiues himselfe that thinkes grace so easily wonne ; there must be much suit and importunitie ere it will yeeld to our desires . not that we call for a perpetuitie of this labour of meditation ; humane frailty could neuer beare so great a toyle . nothing vnder heauen is capable of a continuall motion without complaint : it is enough for the glorified spirits aboue , to be euer thinking , & neuer weary : the minde of man is of a strange mettall ; if it be not vsed , it rusteth ; if vsed hardly , it breaketh : briefly , is sooner dulled , than satisfied with a continuall meditation : whēce it came to passe , that those auncient monks who intermeddled bodily labor with their contēplatiōs , proued so excellent in this diuine businesse ; when those at this day , which hauing mewd & mured vp themselues from the world spēd themselues wholly vpō their beads and crucifixe , pretending no other work but meditation , haue colde hearts to god , & to the world shewe nothing but a dull shadowe of deuotion : for that ( if the thoughts of these later were as diuine as they are superstitious ) yet being without al interchangeablenes , bent vpon the same discourse , the mind must needes growe weary , the thoughts remisse and languishing , the obiects tedious : while the other refreshed thēselues with this wise varietie , imploying the hands , while they called of the mind , as good comedians so mixe their partes , that the pleasantnes of the one , may tēper the austerenes of the other ; whereupon they gained both enough to the body , & to the soule more than if it had beene all the while busied . besides , the excellencie of the obiect letteth this assiduity of meditation ; which is so glorious , that like vnto the sunne , it may abide to haue an eye cast vp to it for a while , will not be gazed vpon ▪ whosoeuer ventureth so farre , loseth both his hope and his wits . if we hold with that blessed monica , that such like cogitations are the foode of the minde , yet euen the minde also hath her satietie , and may surfet of too much . it shall be sufficient therefore , that wee perseuere in our meditation without any such affectation of perpetuity , and leaue without a light ficklenesse ; making alwayes not our houre-glasse , but some competent increase of our deuotion , the measure of our continuance ; knowing , that as for heauen , so for our pursuite of grace , it shall auaile vs little to haue begunne well , without perseuerance : and withall that the soule of man is not alwayes in the like disposition : but sometimes is lōger in settling through some vnquietnesse , or more obstinate distraction ; sometimes heauier , and sometimes more actiue , and nimble to dispatch . * gerson ( whose authoritie i rather vse , because our aduersaries disclaim him for theirs ) professeth , he hath been somtimes foure houres together working his heart , ere hee could frame it to purpose : a singular patterne of vnwearied constancie , of an vnconquerable spirit ; whom his present vnfitnesse did not so much discourage , as it wherted him to striue with himselfe till hee could ouercome . and surely other victories are hazzardous , this certaine , if we will persist to striue : other fights are vpon hope , this vpon assurance ; whiles our successe depends vpon the promise of god , which cannot disappoint vs : persist therfore , and preuaile ; persist till thou hast preuailed : so that which thou beganst with difficultie , shall ende in comfort . chap. . from the qualities of the person , we descēd towards the action it selfe : where first wee meete with those circumstances which are necessary for our predisposition to the work ; place , time , site of bodie . solitarinesse of place is fittest for meditation : retire thy selfe from others , if thou wouldst talke profitably with thy selfe . so iesvs meditates alone in the moūt , isaac in the fields , iohn baptist in the desert , dauid on his bed , chrysostome in the bath , each in seuerall places ; but all solitary . there is no place free frō god , none to which hee is more tied : one finds his closet most conueniēt , where his eies being limited by the knowen walles , call in the mind after a sort from wandering abroad ; another findes his soule more free whē it beholdeth his heauen aboue and about him ; it matters not so we be solitarie and silent ; it was a wittie and diuine speach of bernard , that the spouse of the foule , christ iesvs , is bashfull , neither willingly comes to his bride in the presence of a multitude ; and hence is that sweete inuitation which wee finde of her ; come my welbeloued , let vs goe foorth into the fields , let vs lodge in the villages : let vs go up early to the vines ; let vs see if the vine flourish , whether it hath disclosed the first grape , or whether the pomegranates blossome ; there will i giue thee my loue . abandon therefore all worldly societie , that thou mayest change it for the company of god and his angels ; the society , i say , of the worlde , not outward onely , but inward also . there bee many that sequester themselues from the visible company of men , which yet carie a world within them ; who being alone in bodie are haunted with a throng of fancies : as ierome , in his wildest desert , foūd himselfe too oft in his thoughts amongst the daunces of the roman dames ; this company is worse than the other : for it is more possible for some thoughtfull men to haue a solitary mind in the midst of a market , than for a man thus disposed to be alone in a wildernes ; both companies are enemies to meditation ; whither tendeth that anciēt coūsell of a great master in this arte , of three thingsrequisite to this busines , secrecy , silence , rest : whereof the first excludeth company , the second noise , the third motion . it cannot be spoken how subiect wee are in this worke , to distraction ; like salomons old man whome the noyse of euery bird wakeneth : sensuall delights we are not drawen from with the threefold cords of iudgmēt ; but our spiritual pleasures are easily hindered . make choice therefore of that place , which shall admit the fewest occasiōs of withdrawing thy soule from good thoughts : wherin also euen change of place is somewhat preiudiciall ; and i knowe not how it fals out , that we find god neerer vs in the place where wee haue been accustomed familiarlie to meete him : not for that his presence is confined to one place aboueothers , but that our thoughts are through custome more easily gathered to the place where wee haue ordinarily conuersed with him . chap. . one time cānot bee prescribed to al : for neither god bound to hours ; neither doeth the contrary dispositiō of men agree in one choice of opportunities : the golden houres of the morning some finde fittest for meditation , when the body newly raised , is well calmed with his late rest , and the soule hath not as yet had frō these outward things any motiues of alienation : others find it best to learne wisedome of their reines in the night ▪ hoping , with iob , that their bedde will bring them comfort in their meditation ; when both all other things are still ; and themselues wearied with these earthly cares , doe out of a contempt of them , growe into greater liking and loue of heauēly things : i haue euer found isaacs time fittest , who went out in the euening to meditate . no precept , no practise of others can prescribe to vs in this circumstance : it shall bee enough , that first we set our selues a time ; secondly , that we set apart that time , wherein wee are aprest for this seruice : and as no time is preiudiced with vnfitnesse , but euery day is without differēce seasonable for this worke , so especially gods day ; no day is barren of grace to the searcher of it , none alike fruitfull to this ; which being by god sanctified to himselfe , and to bee sanctified by vs to god , is priuiledged with blessings aboue others : for the plentifull instruction of that day stirtes thee vp to this action , and filles thee with matter ; and the zeale of thy publike seruice warms thy heart to this other businesse of deuotion . no manna fell to the israelites on their sabaoth ; our spiritual manna fals on ours , most frequent : if thou wouldest haue a full soule , gather as it fals ; gather it by hearing , reading , meditatiō : spiritual idlenesse is a fault this day , perhaps not lesse than bodily worke . chap. . neither is ther esse variety in the site and gesture of the body : the due composednes whereof is no little aduantage to this exercise ; euen in our speach to god , we obserue not alwaies one and the same position ; sometimes we fall groueling on our faces , somtimes we bow our knees , sometimes stand on our feete , somtimes we lift vp our handes , sometimes cast downe our eyes . god is a spirit , who therefore being a seuere obseruer of the disposition of the soule , is not scrupulous for the body ; requiring not so much , that the gesture thereof should be vniforme as reuerēt : no maruell therefore , though in this , all our teachers of meditation haue commended seueral positions of body , according to their disposition and practise ; * one sitting with the face turned vp to heauen-ward , according to the precept of the philosopher , who taught him , that by sitting and resting , the mind gathereth wisedome : ** another leaning to some rest towardes the left side , for the greater quieting of the heart : * a third standing with the eyes lift vp to heauen , but shut for feare of distractiōs ; but of all other ( mee thinkes ) isaacs choice the best , who meditated walking . in this let euery man be his owne master ; so bee wee vse that frame of body that may both testifie reuerence , and in some cases help to stirre vp further deuotion ; which also must needes be varied according to the matter of our meditation . if we thinke of our sins , ahabs soft pase , the publicans deiected eyes , and his hand beating his breast , are not vnseasonable : if of the ioies of heauen , steuens countenance fixed aboue , and dauids hands lift vp on hie , are most fitting ; in all which the body , as it is the instrument and vassall of the soule , so will easily follow the affections therof ; and in trueth then is our deuotion most kindly , whē the body is thus commaunded his seruice by the spirit , and not suffered to goe before it , and by his forwardnesse to prouoke his master to emulation . chap. . now time and order cal vs frō these circumstances to the matter and subiect of meditation : which must be diuine & spiritual ; not euill , nor worldly . o the carnal and vnprofitable thoughts of men ! we all meditate ; one how to do ill to others ; another how to doe some earthly good to himselfe ; another to hurt himselfe , vnder a colour of good ; as how to accomplish his lewd desires , the fulfilling whereof prooues the bane of the soule , how he may sinne vnseene , and goe to hell with least noise of the world : or perhaps some better mindes bend their thoughts vpō the search of naturall things ; the motions of euery heauen , and of euery starre ; the reason and course of the ebbing and flowing of the sea ; the manifold kinds of simples that growe out of the earth , & creatures that creepe vpon it ; with all their strange qualities , and operatiōs ; or perhaps the seueral formes of gouernement , and rules of state take vp their busie heads , so that while they would bee acquainted with the whole world , they are strangers at home ; and while they seeke to knowe all other things , they remain vnknowen of thēselues : the god that made them , the vilenesse of their nature , the danger of their sinnes , the multitude of their imperfections , the sauior that bought them , the heauen that he bought for them , are in the meane time as vnknowen , as vnregarded , as if they were not . thus do foolish children spend their time and labour in turning ouer leaues to looke for painted babes , not at all respecting the solide matter vnder their hāds . we fooles , when will we be wise , and turning our eyes from vanity with that sweete singer of israel , make gods statutes our song , and meditation in the house of our pilgrimage ? earthly things profer themselues with importunity ; heauenly things must with importunitie bee sued to . those , if they were not so little worth , would not be so forward ; and being so forward , need not any meditation to solicite them : these by how much more hard they are to intreate , by so much more precious they are being obtained ; and therfore worthier our indeuour : as then we cannot goe amisse , so long as wee keepe our selues in the tracke of diuinitie ; while the soule is taken vp with the thoughts , either of the deitie in his essence , and persons ( sparingly yet in this point , and more in faith and admiration then inquiry ) or of his attributes , his iustice , power , wisedome , mercie , trueth ; or of his works , in the creation , preseruation , gouernement of all things , according to the psalmist , i will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious maiestie , and thy wonderfull workes ; so most directly in our way , and best fitting our exercise of meditation are those matters in diuinity , which can most of all worke compunction in the hart , & most stirre vs vp to deuotiō : of which kind are the meditatiōs concerning christ iesvs , our mediatour , his incarnation , miracles , life , passion , burial , resurrection , ascension , intercessiō , the benefit of our redēption , the certaintie of our election , the graces and proceeding of our sanctification , our glorious estate in paradise lost in our first parents , our present vilenes , our inclination to sin , our seuerall actuall offences ; the tētations & sleights of euill angels , the vse of the sacraments , nature & practise of faith & repentance : the miseries of our-life , with the frailty of it , the certainty and vncertainty of our death , the glory of gods saints aboue , the awfulnes of iudgement , the terrors of hel , and the rest of this qualitie : wherein both it is fit to haue variety ( for that euen the strongest stomacke doeth not alwayes delight in one dish ) & yet so to chāge , that our choice may be free from wildnesse and inconstancie . chap. . now after that we haue thus orderly suited the person & his qualities , with the due circūstances of time , place , disposition of body , and substance of the matter discussed ; i knowe not what can remaine , besides the maine busines it selfe , and the maner and degrees of our prosecution thereof ; which aboue all other calles for an intentiue reader , and resolute practise ; wherein , that we may auoide all nicenesse and obscurity ( since wee striue to profit ) we will giue direction for the entrance , proceeding , conclusion of this diuine worke . chap. . a goodly building must shew some magnificence in the gate : and great personages haue seemely vshers to goe before them ; who by their vncouered heads commaund reuerence and way ; euen verie poets of old had wont , before their ballads , to implore the aid of their gods : and the heathen romans entred not vpō any publike ciuile busines , without a solemne apprecation of good successe : how much lesse should a christian dare to vndertake a spirituall worke of such importāce , not hauing craued the assistance of his god ? which ( me thinkes ) is no lesse , than to professe hee could doe well without gods leaue . when we thinke euill , it is frō our selues , when good from god. as prayer is our speach to god , so is each good meditation ( according to bernard ) gods speach to the heart ; the heart must speake to god , that god may speake to it . prayer therefore , and meditation are as those famous twinnes in the storie , or as two louing turtles , whereof separate one , the other languishes . prayer makes way for meditation ; meditation giues matter , strength , and life to our prayers . by which , as all other things are sanctified to vs , so we are sanctified to all holy things : this is as some royall eunuch to perfume and dresse our soules , that they may be fit to conuerse with the king of heauen . but the prayer that leades in meditation would not be long , requiring rather that the extension and length should be put into the vigor and feruencie of it ; for that it is not here intended to be the principall businesse , but an introductiō to another ; and no otherwise than as a portall to this building of meditation : the matter whereof shall be , that the course of our meditation may bee guided aright and blessed ; that all distractions may be auoided ; our iudgements inlightened , our inuentions quickned , our willes rectified , our affections whetted to heauenly things , our harts enlarged to god-ward , our deuotion enkindled ; so that we may finde our corruptiōs abated , our graces thriuē , oursoules & liues euery way bettered by this exercise . chap. . svch is the cōmon entrance into this work : there is another yet more particular & proper ; wherein the mind recollecting it self , maketh choice of that theme or matter wherupon it will bestowe it selfe for the present ; settling it selfe on that which it hath chosen : which is done by an inward inquisition made into our heart of what we both doe , & should thinke vpon : reiecting what is vnexpedient & vnprofitable : in both which , the soule , like vnto some noble hauk , le ts passe the crowes , and larkes , and such other worthlesse birdes that crosse her way , and stoopeth vpon a foule of price , worthy of her flight : after this manner , what wilt thou muze vpon , o my soule ? thou seest how little it auailes thee to wander and roue about in vncertainties : thou findest how little sauour there is in these earthly things , wherewith thou hast wearied thy selfe ; trouble not thy self any longer ( with martha ) about the many & needlesse thoughts of the world : none but heauenly things can afford thee comfort : vp then my soule , and mind those things that are aboue , whence thy selfe art : amongst all which , whereon shouldest thou rather meditate than of the life & glory of gods saints . a worthier employment thou canst neuer finde , than to thinke vpon that estate , thou shalt once possesse , and now desirest . chap. . hitherto the entrāce ; after which our meditation must proceed in due order , not troubledly , not preposterously : it begins in the vnderstāding , ends in the affections ; it begins in the braine , descends to the heart ; begins on earth , ascends to heauen ; not suddenly , but by certain staires & degrees , til we come to the highest . i haue found a subtill scale of meditation , admired by some professors of this arte , aboue all other humane deuises ; and farre preferred by them to the best directiōs of origen , austen , bernard , hugo , bonauenture , gerson , and whosoeuer hath been reputed of greatest perfection in this skil : the seueral staires whereof ( lest i should seeme to defraud my reader through enuie ) i would willingly describe , were it not that i feared to scarre him rather with the danger of obscurity , from venturing further vpon this so worthy a businesse : yet , lest any man perhaps might complaine of an vnknowen losse , my margent shall find roume for that , which i hold too knotty for my text. in all which , ( after the incredible commendations of some practicioners ) i doubt not but an ordinary reader will easily espie a double fault at the least , darkenesse and coincidence ; that they are both too obscurely deliuered , and that diuers of them fal into other , not without som vain superfluity . for this part therfore which cōcerneth the vnderstāding , i had rather to require only a deep and firme consideration of the thing propounded ; which shall be done , if we followe it in our discourse , through all , or the principall of those places which natural reasō doth afford vs : wherein let no man plead ignorāce , or feare difficulty : we are all thus farre borne logicians ; neither is there in this so much need of skil , as of industry . in which cours yet , we may not be too curious in a precise search of euery place , & argumēt without omissiō of any ( though to be fetcht in with racking the inuētiō ) . for as the mind , if it go loose and without rule , roues to no purpose ; so if it be too much fettred with the giues of strict regularity moueth nothing at all . chap. . ere i enter therfore into any particular tractatiō , there are three things whereof i would premonish my reader , concerning this first part which is in the vnderstanding . first , that i desire not to binde euery man to the same vniforme proceeding in this part . practise and custome may perhaps haue taught other courses more familiar , and not lesse direct : if then we can , by anie other method , worke in our hearts so deepe an apprehension of the matter meditated , as it may duely stirre the affections , it is that only wee require . secondly , that whosoeuer applieth himself to this direction , thinke him not necessarily tyed to the prosecution of all these logicall places , which hee findes in the sequell of our treatise , so as his meditation should be lame and imperfect without the whole number : for ther are some themes which wil not beare all these ; as when we meditate of god , there is no roume for causes or comparisons ; & others yeeld thē with such difficultie , that their search interrupteth the chiefe work intēded : it shal be sufficient if we take the most pregnant , & most voluntary . thirdly , that whē we sticke in the disquisitiō of any the places following , as if meditating of sin , i cannot readily meet with the material & formal causes , or the appendances of it , wee rack not our minds too much with the inquiry thereof ; which were to striue more for logique , than deuotion : but without too much disturbaunce of our thoughts , quietly passe ouer to the next . if we breake our teeth with the shell , we shall finde small pleasure in the kernell . now then , for that my onely feare is , lest this part of my discourse shall seeme ouer perplexed vnto the vnlearned reader ; i will in this whole processe , second my rule with his example ; that so what might seeme obscure in the one , may by the other be explaned ; and the same steps he sees me take in this , hee may accordingly treade in any other theme . chap. . first therfore it shal be expedient to consider seriously , what the thing is whereof wee meditate . what then , o my soule , is the life of the saints , whereof thou studiest ? who are the saints , but those which hauing been weakely holy vpon earth , are perfectly holy aboue ? which euen on earth were perfectly holy in their sauiour , now are so in themselues ? which , ouercomming on earth , are truely canonized in heauen ? what is their life , but that blessed estate aboue , wherein their glorified soule hath a full fruition of god ? chap. . the nature wherof after we haue thus shadowed out to our selues by a descriptiō , not curious alwaies , & exactly framed according to the rules of arte , but sufficient for our own conceit ; the next is ( if it shal seeme needfull , or if the matter will beare , or offer it ) some easie and voluntary diuision , whereby our thoughts shall haue more roume made for them , and our proceeding shall bee more distinct . there is a life of nature , whē thou , my soule , dwellest in this body , and informest thine earthly burden : there is a life of grace , when the spirit of god dwels in thee ; there is a life of glory , whē thy body being vnited to thee , both shall bee vnited to god ; or when , in the meane time , being separated from thy companiō , thou enioyest god alone : this life of thine therefore , as the other , hath his ages , hath his statures ; for it enters vpon his birth , whē thou passest out of thy body , and changest this earthly house for an heauenly : it enters into his full vigor , when at the day of the common resurrection , thou resumest this thy companion , vnlike to it selfe , like to thee , like to thy sauiour , immortall now , and glorious . in this life there may be degrees , there can be no imperfection : if some be like the skie , others like the starres , yet all shine ; if some sit at their sauiours right hand , others at his left , all are blessed ; if some vessels hold more , all are full ; none complaynes of want , none enuies at him that hath more . chap. . which done it shal be requisite for our perfiter vnderstanding , and for the laying grounds of matter for our affection , to carie it through those other principall places , and heads of reason , which nature hath taught euery man , both for knowledge & amplification : the first whereof are the causes of all sorts . whence is this eternal life , but from him which onely is eternall ; which onely is the fountaine of life , yea , life it selfe ? who but the same god that giues our temporall life , giues also that eternall ? the father bestowes it , the sonne merits it , the holy ghost seales and applies it : expect it onely from him , o my soule , whose frecelectiō gaue thee the first title to it , to bee purchased by the blood of thy sauiour . for thou shall not therefore be happie , because hee sawe thou wouldest bee good ; but therefore art thou good , because he hath ordained thou shalt be happie : he hath ordained thee to life ; he hath giuen thee a sauiour to giue this life vnto thee ; faith , whereby thou mightest attaine to this sauiour ; his word , by which thou might'st attaine to this faith ; what is there in this , not ●is ? and yet not so his ●●mply , as that it is without thee : without thy merit indeed , not without thine acte ; thou liuest here through his blessing , but by bread ; thou shalt liue aboue through his mercy , but by thy faith belowe , apprehending the authour of thy life : and yet as he wil not saue thee without thy faith , so thou canst neuer haue faith without his gift ; looke vp to him therefore , o my soule , as the beginner & finisher of thy saluation ; and while thou magnifiest the author , be rauished with the glorie of the worke : which farre passeth both the tongue of angels , and the heart of man : it can bee no good thing that is not there ; howe can they want water that haue the spring ? where god is enioyed in whom only all things are good , what good can bee wanting ? and what perfection of blisse is there where all goodnesse is mette and vnited ? in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore : o blessed reflection of glorie ! wee ●●e there , as wee are seene : in that wee are seene , it is our glorie ; in that wee see , it is gods glory ; therefore doth he glorifie vs , that our glory should bee to his . howe worthy art thou , ô lord , that through vs thou shouldest looke at thy selfe ! chap. . the next place place shal be the fruits & effectes following vpon their seuerall causes : which also affoords very feeling and copious matter to our meditation ; wherein it shall be euer best , not so much to seeke for all , as to chuse out the chiefest . no maruell then if from this glory proceede nonspeakeable ioy , and from this ioy the sweete songs of praise & thāksgiuing . the spirit bids vs , when wee are merrie , sing : how much more then , when wee are merrie without all mixture of sorrowe , beyond all measure of our earthly affections , shall wee sing ioyfull hallelu-iahs , and hosannahs to him that dwelleth in the highest heauens ? our hearts shal be so full that we cannot chuse but sing , and wee cannot but sing melodiously ; there is no iarre in this musicke , no end of this song . oblessed chāge of the saints ; they doe nothing but weepe belowe , and now nothing but sing aboue ; we sowed in teares , reape inioy ; there was some comfort in those teares , when they were at worst ; but there is no danger of cōplaint in this heauenly mirth ; if we cannot sing here with the angels , on earth peace , yet there wee shall sing with them , glory to god on hie ; and ioyning our voices to theirs , shall make vp that celestial consort , which none can either heare or beare part in , and not be happie . chap. . after which comes to be considered the subiect either wherein that is , or whereabout that is imployed , which wee meditate of : as , and indeede , what lesse happinesse doth the very place promise , wherein this glory is exhibited ? which is no other than the paradise of god : here belowe wee dwell , or rather we wander in a continued wildernesse ; there wee shall rest vs in the true eden ; i am come into my gardē , my sister , my spouse . kings vse not to dwell in cottages of clay ; but in royal courts sit for their estate : how much more shall the king of heauen , who hath prepared for men so faire mansions on earth , make himselfe an habitation sutable to his maiestie : euen earthly princes haue dwelt in cedar and yuory : but the great citie , holy ierusalem , the palace of the hiest hath her wall of iasper , her building of gold , her foundation of precious stones , her gates of pearle : how glorious things are spoken of thee , o thou citie of god ! wee see but the pauement , and yet how goodly it is ! the beleeuing centurion thought himselfe vnworthy that christ should come vnder his roofe ; yet then wert thou , o sauiour , in thine humbled estate , in the forme of a seruant : how then stall i thinke my selfe worthy to come vnder this roof of thine , so shining and glorious ? o if this clay of mine may come to this honour aboue , let it bee trampled vpon and despised on earth . chap. . sixtly , shall followe the appēdances , and qualities , which cleaue vnto the subiect , wherof we meditate : as , but were the place lesse noble and maiesticall , yet the company which it affords , hath enough to make the soule blessed : for not the place giues ornament to the guest , so much as the guest to the place . how loath are we to leaue this earth , onely for the societie of some few friends in whom we delight ? which yet are subiect euery day to mutuall dislikes : what pleasure shall wee then take in the enioying of the saints ? when there is nothing in them not amiable , nothing in vs that may coole the feruor of our loue . there shalt thou my soule , thy selfe glorified , meete with thy deare parēts and friends alike glorious , neuer to be seuered : there shalt thou see and conuerse with those ancient worthies of the former worlde ; the blessed patriarkes and prophets , with the crowned martyrs and cōfessors ; with the holy apostles , and the fathers of that primitiue , and this present church , shining each one according to the measure of his blessed labours . there shalt thou liue familiarly in sight of those angels , whom now thou receiuest good from , but seest not . there ( which is the head of all thy felicitie ) thine eyes shall see him whom now thine heart longeth for ( that sauiour of thine ) in the onely hope of whom now thou liuest . alas how dimmely , and a farre off doest thou now beholde him ? howe imperfectly doest thou enioy him ? while euery tēptation bereaues thee , for the time , of his presence . i sought him whom my soule loueth : i sought him , but i found him not ; his backe is now towards thee many times throgh thy sins , and therfore thou hardly discernest him : otherwhile and ofter thy back is turned to him through negligence , that when thou mightest obscurelie see him , thou doest not : now thou shalt see him , and thine eyes thus fixed shall not be remooued . yet neither could this glory make vs happy , if being thus absolute , it were not perpetuall . to be happie , is not so sweete a state , as it is miserable to haue beene happie . least ought therfore should bee wanting beholde , this felicitie knoweth no end , feareth no intermission , and is as eternall for the continuance , as hee that had no beginning . o blessednes , truly infinite ! our earthly ioyes doe scarce euer begin ; but when they begin , their ende borders vpon their beginning . one houre sees vs oft-times ioyful and miserable : here alone is nothing but eternitie . if then the diuine prophet thought one day in gods earthly house , better than a thousand other-where ; what shall i compare to thousands of millions of yeeres in gods heauenly temple ? yea , millions of yeeres are not so much as a minute to eternitie , and that other house not a cottage to this . chap. . seuenthly , our thoughts leauing a while the consideratiō of the thing as it is in it selfe , shal descēd vnto it as respectiuely with others ; and therefore first shall meditate of that which is diuers from it , or cōtrary vnto it . what doest thou here then , o my soule ? what doest thou here groueling vpon earth ? where the best things are vanity ; the rest no better than vexation . looke round about thee , and see whether thine eyes can meet with any thing but either sinnes or miseries . those few and short pleasures thou scest , end euer sorrowfully ; and in the mean time are intermingled with many grieuances . here thou hearest one crie out of a sicke bodie , whereof ther is no part which affords not choice of diseases ; this man layes his hande vpon his consuming lungs , and complayneth of shorte winde ; that other , vpon his rising spleene , a third shaketh his painefull head ; another roares out for the torment of his reines or bladder ; another for the racking of his goutie ioyntes ; one is distempered with a watery dropsie , another with a windy colicke , a third with a fiery ague , a fourth with an earthen melancholie ; one grouels and fometh with the falling sicknes , another lies bed ridde halfe senselesse with a dead palsey : ther are but few bodies that complaine not of some disease ; and that thou mayst not looke farre , it is a wonder if thy self feele not alwayes one of these euils within thee . there , thou hearest another lament his losses : either his estate is impayred by suretyship , or stealth , or shipwracke , or oppression ; or his childe is vnruly , or miscarried ; or his wife dead or disloyall ; another tormēted with passions ; each one is some way miserable : but that which is yet more irkesome ; thy one eare is beatē with cursings and blasphemies ; thy other with scornefull , or wanton , or murdering speaches ; thine eyes see nothing but pride filthines , profanenesse , blood , excesse ; and whatsoeuer else might vexe a righteous soule : and if all the world besides were innocent , thou findest enough within thy selfe , to make thy selfe weary , and thy life loathsom : thou needest not fetch cause of complaint from others ; thy corruptiōs yeeld thee too much at home ; euer sinning , euer presuming ; sinning euen when thou hast repented , yea , euen while thou repentest , sinning . goe to nowe , my soule , and solace thy selfe here belowe , and suffer thy selfe besotted with these goodly cōtentmēts ; worthy of no better while thou fixest thy selfe on these : see if thou cāst find any of these aboue ; and if thou canst meete with any distemper , any losse , any sinne , any complaint , frō thy selfe or any other aboue , despise thine heauen as much as now thou louest the earth . or if all this cannot enough commend vnto thee the state of heauenly glory , cast down thine eyes yet lower , into that deep & bottomles pit , ful of horror , full of torment , where there is nothing but flames , and teares , and shrikes , and gnashing of teeth ; nothing but fiends and tortures : where there is palpable darkenesse , and yet perpetuall fire ; where the damned are euer boyling , neuer consumed ; euer dying , neuer dead ; euer complaining , neuer pitied ; where the glutton , that once would not giue a crust of bread , now begs for one drop of water ; and yet alas , if whole riuers of water should fall into his mouth , howe should they quench those riuers of brimstone that feede this flame ? where there is no intermission of complaints , no breathing from paine , and after millions of yeeres , no possibility of comfort : and if the rod wherewith thou chastisest thy children , o lord , euen in this life be so smart and galling , that they haue been brought downe to the brim of despaire ; and in the bitternesse of their soule haue intreated death to release them : what shal i think of their plagues in whose righteous confusion thou insultest ; and sayest , aha , i wil auenge me of mine enemies ? euen that thou shalt not bee thus miserable , o my soule , is some kind of happines ; but that thou shalt bee as happie , as the reprobate are miserable , how worthy is it of more estimation , than thy selfe is capable of ? chap. . afterthis oppositiō the mind shall make cōparison of the matter meditated with what may neerest resemble it ; and shall illustrate it with fittest similitudes , which giue no small light to the vnderstanding nor lesse force to the affection . wonder then , o my soule , as much as thou canst , at this glory ; and in comparison thereof , contemne this earth , which now thou treadest vpon ; whose ioyes , if they were perfect , are but short ; and if they were long , are imperfect : one day when thou art aboue , looking downe from the height of thy glory , and seeing the sons of men creeping like so many ants on this mole-hill of earth , thou shalt thinke : alas how basely i once liued ! was yonder silly dungeon the place i so loued , and was so loath to leaue ! thinke so now before-hand ; and since of heauē thou canst not , yet account of the earth , as it is worthy : how hartlesse and irkesome are yee , o yee best earthly pleasures , if ye be matched with the least of those aboue ? howe vile are you , o ye sumptuous buildings of kings , euen if all the entrailes of the earth had agreed to enrich you , in compason of this frame not made with hands ? it is not so hie aboue the earth in distance of place , as in worth and maiestie : we may see the face of heauen from the heart of the earth ; but from the neerest part of the earth who can see the least glory of heauen ? the three disciples on mount tabor , sawe but a glimpse of this glory shining vpon the face of their sauiour ; and yet being rauished with the sight , cryed out , master , it is good being here ; and thinking of building of three tabernacles , for christ , moses , elias , could haue been content themselues to haue lien without shelter , so they might alwaies haue enioyed that sight : alas , how could earthly tabernacles haue fitted those heuēly bodies ? they knewe what they sawe , what they said they knew not : lo these . disciples were not trāsfigured ; yet how deeply they were affected , euē with the glory of others ? how happy shal wee be , when our selues shal be changed into glorious ? and shall haue tabernacles not of our own making , but prepared for vs by god ? and yet not tabernacles , but eternal mansions . moses sawe god but a while , and shined ; how shal we shine that shal behold his face for euer ? what greater honour is there than in souereignty ? what greater pleasure than in feasting ? this life is both a kingdome and a feast . a kingdome : he that ouercomes , shall rule the nations , and shall sit with me in my throne : o blessed promotion , oh large dominion , and royall seate ! to which salomons throne of yuory was not worthy to become a footestoole . a feast ; blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the lambe : feastes haue more than necessitie of prouision , more than ordinary diet ; but marriage-feasts yet more than common abundance ; but the marriage-feast of the sonne of god to his blessed spouse the church , must so farre exceed in all heauenly munificence and varietie , as the persons are of greater state and maiestie : there is new wine , pure manna , and all manner of spirituall dainties ; and with the continuall cheare , a sweete and aunswerable welcome ; while the bridegrome louingly cheares vs vp , eate , o friends , drinke & make you merrie , o welbeloued : yea , there shalt thou be my soule not a guest , but ( how vnworthy soeuer ) the bride her selfe ; whom hee hath euerlastingly espoused to himselfe in truth and righteousnesse ; the contract is passed here belowe , the mariage is cōsummate aboue , and solēnized with a perpetual feast : so that now thou mayest safely say , my welbeloued is mine , and i am his : wherefore hearken , o my soule , and consider , and incline thine eare , forget also thine owne people , and thy fathers house , ( thy supposed home of this world ) so shall the king haue pleasure in thy beauty ; for hee is thy lord , and worship thou him . chap. . the verie names , and titles of the matter cōsidered , yeeld no small store to our meditation which , being commonly so imposed that they secretly comprehend the nature of the thing which they represent , are not vnworthy of our discourse . what neede i seeke these resemblances , whē the very name of life implieth sweetnesse to men on earth ; euen to them which confesse to liue with some discontentment ? surely the light is a pleasant thing , and it is good to the eyes to see the sunne : yet when temporall is added to life , i know not how this additiō detracteth somthing , and doth greatly abate the pleasure of life ; for those which ioy to thinke of life grieue to thinke it but temporall : so vexing is the ende of that whose continuance was delightfull ; but nowe when there is an addition , aboue time , of eternitie , it makes life so much more sweete , as it is more lasting ; and lasting infinitelie , what can it giue lesse than an infinite contentment ? oh dying and false life , which wee enioy here , and scarce a shadowe and counterfeit of that other : what is more esteemed than glory ? which is so precious to men of spirit , that it makes them prodigall of their blood , proud of their wounds ▪ carelesse of themselues : and yet alas , how pent and how fading is this glory , affected with such dangers and deaths ? hardly after all trophees and monuments , either knowen to the next sea , or suruiuing him that dyes for it : it is true glorie to triumph in heauen ; where is neither enuie , nor forgetfulnesse . what is more deare to vs than our countrey ? which the worthy and faithfull patriotes of all times , haue respected aboue their parēts , their children , their liues ; counting it onely happie to liue in it , and to die for it : the banisht man pines for the want of it ; the trauailer digests all the tediousnesse of his way , all the sorrowes of an ill iourney , in the only hope of home ; forgetting all his forraine miseries , when hee feeles his owne smoake . where is our countrey but aboue ? thence thou camest , o my soule ; thither thou art going , in a short , but weary pilorimage : o miserable men , if wee account our selues at home in our pilgrimage , if in our iourney we long not for home ! doest thou see men so in loue with their natiue soyle , that euen when it is all deformed with the desolations of warre , and turned into rude heapes , or while it is euen now flaming with the fire of ciuill broiles , they couet yet stil to liue in it ; preferring it to all other places of more peace and pleasure ; and shalt thou seeing nothing but peace and blessednes at home , nothing but trouble abroad , content thy selfe with a faint wish of thy dissolution ? if heauen were thy iayle , thou couldest but thinke of it vncomfortably . oh what affection can be worthy of such an home ? chap. . lastly , if we can recall any pregnāt testimonies of scripture concerning our theme , those shall fitly conclude this part of our meditation : of scripture ; for that in these matters of god , none but diuine authoritie can cōmand assent , and settle the conscience : witnesses of holy men may serue for colours ; but the ground must bee onely from god. there it is ( saith the spirit of god , which cannot deceiue thee ) that all teares shall be wip't from our eyes ; there shall bee no more death , nor sorrow , nor crying , neither shall there be any more paine : yea , there shall not onely be an end of sorrowes , but an abundant recompence for the sorrowes of our life ; as hee that was rapt vp into the third heauen , and there saw what cannot hee spoken , speakes yet thus of what he saw : i count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed to vs : it was shewed to him what should hereafter be shewed to vs ; and hee sawe , that if all the world full of miseries were layed in one balance , and the least glory of heauen in another , those would bee incomparably light yea ( as that diuine father ) that one dayes felicitie aboue , were worth a thousand yeeres torment belowe ; what then can bee matched with the eternitie of such ioyes ? oh how great therefore is thy goodnes , o lord , which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee , and done to them that trust in thee , before the sonnes of men ! chap. . the most difficult and knotty part of meditation thus finished , there remayneth that which is both more liuely , and more easie to a good heart ; to bee wrought altogether by the affections ; which if our discourses reach not vnto , they prooue vain , and to no purpose ; that which followeth therefore , is the very soule of meditation , whereto all that is past serueth but as an instrument . a man is a man by his vnderstanding part : but he is a christian by his will and affections . seeing therefore , that all our former labour of the braine , is only to affect the heart ; after that the minde hath thus trauersed the point proposed throgh all the heads of reason , it shall indeuour to find in the first place some feeling touch , & sweete rellish in that which it hath thus chewed ; which fruit , through the blessing of god will voluntarily follow vpon a serious meditation . dauid sayes , oh taste and see how sweete the lord is : in meditation wee doe both see and taste ; but we see before we taste : sight is of the vnderstanding ; taste , of the affection ; neither can we see , but we must ●aste ; we can not knowe ●right , but wee must needes bee affected : let the heart therefore first conceiue and feele in it self the sweetnesse or bitternesse of the matter meditated ; which is neuer done without some passion ; nor expressed without some hearty exclamation . oh blessed estate of the saints : o glorie not to bee expressed , euen by those which are glorified ! o incomprchensible saluation ! what sauour hath this earth to thee ? who can regarde the worlde that beleeueth thee ? who can thinke of thee , and not bee rauished with woonder and desire ? who can hope for thee , and not reioyce ? who can knowe thee , and not bee swallowed vp with admiration at the mercie of him that bestowes thee ? o blessednesse worthy of christs blood to purchase thee ! worthie of the continuall songs of saints and angels to celebrate thee ! howe should i magnifie thee ! howe should i long for thee ! how should i hate all this world for thee ? chap. . after this taste shall followe a complaint , wherin the heart bewayleth to it selfe his owne pouerty , dulnesse , and imperfection ; chiding and abasing it selfe in respect of his wants and indisposition : wherein humiliation truly goes before glory . for the more we are cast downe in our conceit , the higher shall god lift vs vp at the ende of this exercise , in spirituall reioicing . but alas , where is my loue ? where is my longing ? where art thou , o my soule ? what heauinesse hath ouertaken thee ? howe hath the worlde bewitched and possessed thee , that thou art become so carelesse of thine home , so senselesse of spiritual delights , so fond vpon these vanities ? doest thou doubt whether there bee an heauen ? or whether thou haue a god , and a sauiour there ? o farre bee frō thee this atheisme ; farre bee from thee the least thought of such desperate impiety : wo were thee if thou beleeuedst not : but o thou of little faith ; doest thou beleeue there is happinesse , and happinesse for thee , and desirest it not , and delightest not in it ? alas , how weake and vnbeleeuing is thy beleefe ? how cold and faint are thy desires ? tel me , what such goodly entertainemēt hast thou met withall here on earth , that was worthy to withdraw thee frō these heauenly ioyes ? what pleasure in it euer gaue thee contentment ? or what cause of dislike findest thou aboue ? oh no , my soule , it is onely thy miserable drowzinesse , only thy securitie : the world , the world hath besotted thee , hath vndone thee with carelesnesse . alas if thy delight bee so colde , what difference is there in thee frō an ignorant heathē , that doubts of another life ; yea , frō an epicure that denies it ? artthou a christian , or art thou none ? if thou be what thou professest , away with this dul and senselesse worldlinesse ; away with this earthly vnchearfulnesse ; shake off at last this profane and godlesse securitie that hath thus long weighed thee downe frō mounting vp to thy ioies ; looke vp to thy god , and to thy crowne , and say with confidence , o lord i haue wayted for thy saluation . chap. . after this cōplaint , must succeede an harty & passionate wish of the soule , which ariseth clearely from the two former degrees ; for that which a man hath found sweete , and comfortable , & complaines that hee still wants ; hee cannot but wish to enioy . o lord that i could waite and long for thy saluation ; oh that i could minde the things aboue ; that as i am a stranger in deed , so i could be also in affectiō ; oh that mine eyes , like the eyes of thy first martyr , could by the light of faith see but a glimpse of heauen ; oh that my heart could bee rapt vp thither in desire ! how should i trample vpō these poore vanities of the earth ? how willingly should i indure all sorrowes , all torments ? how scornefully should i passe by all pleasures ? how should i be in trauel of my dissolution ? oh when shall that blessed day come , when all this wretched worldlines remoued i shall solace my selfe , in my god ; behold , as the hart brayeth for the riuers of water , so panteth my soule after thee , o god ; my soule thirsteth for god , euen for the liuing god ; oh when shal i come and appeare before the presence of god ? chap. . after this wishing , shall follow hūble confession , by iust order of nature : for hauing bemoned our want , and wished supplie , not finding this hope in our selues , we must needes acknowledge it to him , of whom only we may both seek & find ; wherin it is to bee duely obserued , how the mind is by turnes depressed and lifted vp : being lifted vp with our taste of ioy ; it is cast downe with complaint : lift vp with wishes , it is cast downe with confession ; which order doeth best hold it in vre , and iust temper ; and makes it more feeling of the cōfort which followes in the conclusion . this confession must derogate all from our selues , and ascribe all to god. thus i desire , o lord , to bee right affected towards thee and thy glory ; i desire to come to thee : but , alas , how weakly ? how heartlesly ? thou knowest that i can neither come to thee , nor desire to come but from thee . it is nature that holds me from thee ; this treacherous nature fauors it selfe , loues the world , hates to thinke of a dissolution , and chooses rather to dwell in this dungeon with continuall sorrow and complaint , than to endure a parting although to liberty and ioy : alas , lord , it is my misery that i loue my paine : how long shall these vanities thus besot me ? it is thou onely that canst turne away mine eyes frō regarding these follies , and my heart from affecting them : thou onely , who as thou shalt one day receiue my soule into heauen , so now before-hande canst fixe my soule vpon heauen and thee . chap. . after confession naturally followes petition , earnestly requesting that at his handes , which we acknowledge our selues vnable , and none but god able to performe . oh carie it vp therefore , thou that hast created , and redeemed it , carie it vp to thy glorie : oh let mee not alwayes bee thus dull and brutish ; let not these scales of earthly affection alwayes dimme and blind mine eyes : oh thou that layedst clay vpon the blind mans eyes , take away this clay from mine eyes , wherewith alas they are so dawbed vp , that they cannot see heauen : illuminate thē from aboue , and in thy light let me see light . oh thou that hast prepared a place for my soule ; prepare my soule for that place ; prepare it with holinesse , prepare it with desire : and euen while it soiourneth on earth , let it dwell in heauen with thee , beholding euer the beauty of thy face , the glory of thy saints and of it selfe . chap. . after petition , shall followe the enforcemēt of our request from argument and importunate obsecration ; wherin we must take heede of complementing in tearmes with god ; as knowing that hee will not be mocked by any fashionable forme of sute , but requires holy and feeling intreatie . how graciously hast thou proclaimed to the worlde , that who-euer wants wisedom shal aske it of thee , which neither deniest nor vpbraidest : o lord , i want heauenly wisedome , to conceiue aright of heauen ; i want it and aske it of thee ; giue me to aske it instantly , and giue me according to thy promise abundantly . thou seest it is no strange fauour that i begge of thee ; no other than that which thou hast richly bestowed vpon all thy valiant martyrs , confessors , seruants from the beginning : who neuer could haue so chearfully imbraced death and torment , if through the middest of their flames and paine they had not seene their crowne of glorie . the poore theefe of the crosse had no sooner craued thy remembrance when thou camest to thy kingdome than thou promisedst to to take him with thee into heauen : presence was better to him than remembrance . behold , now thou art in thy kingdome , i am on earth : remember thine vnworthy seruant , and let my soule in conceit , in affection , in conuersation be this day & for euer with thee in paradise . i see , man walketh in a vaine shadow , and disquieteth himself in vain ; they are pitifull pleasures hee enioyeth , while he forgets thee ; i am as vaine , make me more wise : oh let mee see heauen , and i knowe i shall neuer ennie , nor followe them : my times are in thine hande : i am no better than my fathers , a stranger on earth ; as i speake of them , so the next ; yea , this generation shall speake of mee as one that was ; my life is a bubble , a smoake , a shadowe , a thought : i knowe it is no abiding in this thorow-fare : oh suffer me not so madde , as while i passe on the waye , i should forgette the ende ; it is that other life that i must trust to . with thee it is that i shall continue ; oh let mee not bee so foolish as to settle my selfe on what i must leaue , and to neglect eternitie ; i haue seene enough of this earthe , and yet i loue it too much ; oh let mee see heauen another while , and loue it so much more than the earth , by howe much the things there are more worthy to be loued ; oh god , looke downe on thy wretched pilgrim ; and teach mee to looke vp to thee , and to see thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing . thou that boughtest heauen for me , guide mee thither ; and for the price that it cost thee , for thy loue and mercies sake , in spight of all tentations , enlighten thou my soule , direct it , crowne it . chap. . after this enforcement , doeth followe confidence ; wherin the soule after many doubtfull and vnquiet bickerings , gathers vp her forces , and cheerefully rouzeth vp it selfe ; and like one of dauids worthies , breaks through a whole armie of doubts , and fetches comfort from the well of life ; which , though in some later , yet in all is a sure reward from god of sincere meditation . yea , bee thou bolde , o my soule , and doe not meerely craue , but challenge this fauour of god , as that which hee owes thee : hee owes it thee because hee hath promised it , and by his mercie hath made his gift , his debt ; faithfull is hee that hath promised ▪ which will also doe it ▪ hath hee not giuen thee not onely his hand in the sweete hopes of the gospell , but his seale also in the sacraments ? yea , besides promise , hand , seale ; hath hee not giuen thee a sure earnest of thy saluation , in some weake , but true graces ? yet more : hath hee not giuen thee besides earnest , possession ? while he that is the trueth and life , saith , hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life , and hath passed from death to life : canst thou not then bee content to cast thy selfe vpon this blessed issue ; if god be faithfull , i am glorious ; i haue thee already , o my life ; god is faithfull , and i doe beleeue : who shall separate mee from the loue of christ ? from my glorie with christ , who shall pull mee out of my heauen ? goe to then , and returne to thy rest , o my soule ; make vse of that heauen wherin thou art , and be happie . thus we haue found , that our meditatiō like the winde , gathers strengthin proceeding ; and as naturall bodies , the neerer they come to their places , moue with more celerity , so doeth the soule in this course of meditation , to the vnspeakeable benefite of it selfe . chap. . the conclusion remaineth ; wherin we must aduise ( like as physicians doe in their sweats and exercise ) that wee cease not ouer-suddenly ; but leaue off by little and little . the mind may not bee suffered to fall headlong from this height , but must also descend by degrees . the first whereof , after our confidence , shall be an hearty gratulation , and thankesgiuing . for , as man naturally cannot bee miserable , but he must complaine , and craue remedie ; so the good heart cannot finde it selfe happie , and not be thankefull : and this thankefulnesse which it feeles and expresses , makes it yet more good , and affects it more . what shall i then doe to thee for this mercie , othou sauiour of men ? what should i render to my lord , for all his benefites ? alas , what can i giue thee which is not thine owne before ? oh that i could giue thee but all thine ! thou giuest mee to drinke of this cuppe of saluation ; i will therefore take the cuppe of saluation , and call vpon the name of the lord : praise thou the lorde , o my soule ; and all that is within mee , praise his holy name : and since here thou beginnest thine heauen , begin here also that ioyfull song of thankes-giuing , which there thou shalt sing more sweetly , and neuer ende . chap. . after this thankesgiuing , shall followe a faithful recommendation of our selues to god ; wherein the soule doth chearfully giue vp it selfe , and repose it selfe wholly vpon her maker , and redeemer ; committing her selfe to him in all her wayes , submitting her selfe to him in all his wayes , resoluing in all things to glorifie him ; and to walke worthy of her high & glorious calling . both which later shal bee done ( as i haue euer found ) with much life and comfort , if for the full conclusion , wee shall lift vp our heart and voyce to god , in singing some versicle of dauids diuine psalmes , answerable to our disposition , and matter ; whereby the heart closes vp it selfe with much sweetenesse and contentment . this course of meditation thus heartily obserued , let him that practises it , tell we whether he find not that his soule , which at the beginning of this exercise did but creepe and grouell vpon earth , doe not now in the conclusion soare aloft in heauen ; & being before aloofe off , doe not now find it selfe neere to god , yea with him , and in him . chap. . thus haue i endeuoured , ( right worshipfull sir ) according to my slender faculty , to prescribe a methode of meditation : not vpon so strict tearmes of necessitie , that whosoeuer goeth not my way , erreth . diuers paths leade oft-times to the same end ; and euery man aboundeth in his owne sense : if experience and custome hath made another forme familiar to any man , i forbid it not ; as that learned father sayde of his tralation , let him vse his owne , not contemne mine . if any man bee to chuse , and beginne , let him practise mine , till he meete with a better master : if an other course may be better , i am sure this is good . neither is it to be suffered , that like as fantasticall men , while they doubt what fashion'd sute they should we are , put on nothing ; so , that wee christians shuld neglect the matter of this worthy businesse , while we nicely stand vpon the forme thereof . wherein giue mee leaue to complain with iust sorrowe and shame , that if there bee any christian duetie , whose omission is notoriously shameful , and preiudicial to the soules of professors , it is this of meditation : this is the very end god hath giuen vs our soules ▪ we misse-spend them , if we vse them not thus . how lamentable is it , that wee so imploy them , as if our facultie of discourse serued for nothing , but our earthly prouision ? as if our reasonable and christian mindes were appointed for the slaues and drudges of this bodie ; onely to bee the caters and cookes of our appetite . the worlde filles vs , yea , cloyes vs : we finde our selues worke enough to thinke ; what haue i yet ? howe may i gette more ? what must i lay out ? what shall i leaue for posterity ? how may i preuent the wrong of mine aduersarie , how may i returne it ? what answeres shall i make to such allegations ? what entertainement shall i giue to such friends ? what courses shall i take in such suits ? in what pastimes shall i spend this day , in what the next ? what aduantage shall i reape by this practise ; what losse ? what was sayd , answered , replied , done , followed ? goodly thoughts , and fitte for spirituall mindes ! say , there were no other worlde ; how could wee spend our cares otherwise ? vnto this only neglect , let mee ascribe the commonnesse of that laodicean temper of men , or ( if that bee worse ) of the dead coldnesse which hath striken the hearts of many , hauing left them nothing but the bodies of men , and visors of christians ; to this onely , they haue not meditated . it is not more impossible to liue without an heart , than to bee deuout without meditation : woulde god therefore my words could be in this ( as the wise man sayes the wordes of the wise are ) like vnto goades in the sides of euery reader , to quicken him vp out of this dull and lazy security , to a chearfull practise of this diuine meditatiō . let him curse mee vpon his death-bed , if looking backe from thence to the bestowing of his former times , hee acknowledge not these houres placed the most happily in his whole life ? if he then wish not he had worne out more daies , in so profitable and heauenly a worke . deo soli gloria . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the benefit & vses of meditation . which are vniuersall to al christians and not to bee appropriated to some professions . the description and kinds of meditation . concerning meditation extemporall . cautions of extemporal meditation . of meditatiō deliberate : wherein first , the qualities of the person . of whom is required : first , that he be pure from his sinnes . secondly , that he be free from worldly thoughts . thirdly that he be constant : and that , first ▪ in his set tymes . secondly , that he be constant in the cōtinuance , * sauing our iust quarrel against him for the councel of constance . of the circumstances of meditation . and therin , first , of the place . secondly , of the time. of the site and gesture of the body . * gerson . ** guliel . paris . * dionys . carthus . of the matter & subiect of our meditation . the order of the worke it selfe . the entrāce into the worke . . the cōmon entrance , which is prayer . particular & proper entrance into the matter , which is in our choice thereof . the proceeding of our meditation . and therin a methode allowed by some authors , reiected by vs. the scale of meditation of an author , ancient , but namelesse . * degrees of preparation . . question . what i thinke . should think . . excussion . a repelling of what i should not thinke . . choice , or election . of what most necessary . expedient comely . * degrees of proceeding in the vnderstanding . . commemoration . an actual thinking vpon the matter elected . conseleration . a redoubled commemoration of the same , till it be fully knowen . . attention . a fixed and earnest cōsideratiō : wherby it is fastened in the mind . explanation . a cleering of the thing considered by similitudes . tractation . an extending the thing considered to other points : where all questions of doubt are discussed . . diindication . an estimation of the worth of the thing thus handled . . cons●tion a confirmation of the estimation thus made . rumination . a sad and serious meditation of all the former , till it may worke vpon the affections . from hence to the degrees of affection . premonitions concerning our proceeding in the first part of meditation . the practise of meditation ; wherin first , wee begin with some description of that we meditate of . secondly , followes an easie & voluntary diuision of the matter meditated . a consideration of the causes therof in al kinds of them . . the consid . of the fruits & effects . . consideratiō of the subiect , wherin , or wherabout it is . . consid ▪ of the appendances , and qualities of it . . of that which is diuers frō it , or contrary to it . . of cōparisons and similitudes whereby it may bee most fitly set forth . . the titles and names of the thing cōsidered . . cōsid . of fit testimonies of scripture , concerning our theme . of our second part of meditation : which is , in the affections . wherin is required a taste and rellish of what we haue thought vpon . secondly , a cōplaint ; bewailing our wants and vntowardnes . thirdly , an harty wish of the soule for what it cōplaineth to want . . an hūble confession of our disability to effect what we wish . . an earnest petitiō for that which wee confesse to want . . a vehement enforcement of our petiuon . . a chearfull confidence of obtaining what wee haue requested & enforced . the conclus . of our meditation , in what order it must be . first , with thankesgiuing . secondly , with recommendation of our soules and wayes to god. an epilogue . reproouing the neglect , exhorting to the vse of meditation . bishop hall's sayings concerning travellers to prevent popish and debauch'd principles. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) bishop hall's sayings concerning travellers to prevent popish and debauch'd principles. hall, joseph, - . broadside : ill. printed for william miller, london : . reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng travel -- religious aspects. travel -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion bishop halls sayings concerning travellers , to prevent popish and debauch'd principles . coyne and good counsell are the trav'lers eys hee does but stray abroad wants those supplies . i. solomon would never have sent his navy for apes and peacocks , but yet held gold and timber for the building of god's house , and his own , worthy of a whole three years voyage . ii. the travel of curiosity is that i quarrel at , and those inconveniences which the parents of young gentry run themselves into by the affectation of too early ripeness , that makes them prodigal of their childrens safety and hopes ; for , that they may be wise betimes , they send them forth into the world in their minority both of age and judgement , like as fond mothers use to send forth their daughters on frosting , early in cold mornings ( though into the midst of a vapourous and foggy air ) and whilst they strive for a colour lose their health . iii. whereas experience gives us , that a weak limb'd child if he be suffered to use his legs too soon , too much , lames himself for ever ; not considering that young twigs are bowed any way , or that any thing may be written upon a blank . iv. thus like careless ostriches , leave their eggs in the open sand for the sun to hatch , without the fear of any hoof that may crush them in pieces . v. know therefore that nothing is more prejudicial than speed . vi. perfection is the child of time. vii . these lap-wings that go from under the wing of their dam with their shell on their heads , run wild . viii . those blossoms which over-run the spring , and will be looking forth upon a february sun , are nipped soon after with an april frost , when they should come to the knitting . ix . the concourse of a populous city affords many brokers of villany , which live upon the spoyl of young hopes , whose very acquaintance is destruction . x. for so far hath satan's policy prevailed that those parts which are only thought worth our viewing , are most contagious with the most corrupted air of popery , not considering the danger of trusting young eyes with the view and censure of truth or falshood in religion . xi . that curtizan of rome , according to her profession setting out her self to sale in the most tempting fashion ; here wants no colours , no perfumes , no wanton dresses , rich shrines , garish altars , &c. xii . in a word , it hath been the old praise of early rising , that it makes a man healthful , holy , and rich ; whereof the first respects the body , the second the soul , the third the estate ; all these fall out contrary in an early travel . xiii . set an empty pitcher to the fire , it cracks presently , whereas the full will abide boyling . xiv . it was the younger son in the gospel , who therefore turns unthrift , because he had got his portion too soon into his hands . xv. what is young age fit to look after but butter-flies , or birds-nests ? xvi . we may as justly complain of the inconvenience of haste in marriages and professions , the one fills the world with beggery , and the other with ignorance and imperfection . xvii . but let us give our traveller maturity of age , and let him be as ripe as time can make him ; what is the best advantage his absence can promise ? lay the benefits of travel in one scale , the inconveniences in the other , whether soever outweighs , shall sway down the beam of our judgment . xviii . he that yields to run after his appetite and his eye , he shall never know where to rest , he may lay down weary , but never satisfied ; for give me the man that hath seen judas's lanthorn , the ephesian diana in the loure , the great vessel at heydelberg , the amphitheatre at nismes , the ruins and half-lettered of the seven hills , &c. xix . and what if fancy call him to the stables of the great mogol , or to the library of the mountain of the moon ? xx. and why should not the child thrive as well with the mothers milk as with a strangers ? xxi . i have known some that have travelled no farther than their one closet , which could both teach and correct the greatest traveller . xxii . a good book is at once the best companion , and guide , and way , and end of our journey . xxiii . necessity drove our fore-fatherrs out of doors , and now we may with the more ease and no less profit sit still and enjoy the labours of them and our elder brethren . xxiv . we have heard a bird in the cage sing more change of notes than others have done in the wild liberty of the wo●ds . xxv . our complete traveller must stake down for his goodly furniture of his gentry , a double danger ; of corruption of religion , and depravation of manners , both capital . xxvi . and will any man ( not desperate ) run into an infected house , to rifle for a rich suit ? xxvii . through many insensible declinations do we fall from vertue ; xxviii . and by degrees popery accounted no ill religion . xxix . how many like unto the brook cedron , run from hierusalem through the vale of jehosaphat , and end their course in the dead sea ? xxx . how many have we known struck with these asps , which have dyed sleeping ? xxxi . never any pharisee was so eager to make a proselyte , as our late factors of rome . xxxii . no man setteth foot upon their coast , which may not presently sing with the psalmist , they come about me like bees . xxxiii . oh that our god would enkindle our hearts with the fire of holy zeal , but so much as satan hath inflam'd theirs with the fire of fury and faction . xxxiv . we see the proof of their importunity at home : no bulwarks of laws , nor bars of justice ( though made of three trees ) can keep our rebanished fugitives from returning . xxxv . how have their actions said in the hearing of the world , that since heaven will not hear them , they will try what he● can do ? what state is not haunted with these ill spirits ? not a ladies chamber can be free from their shameless insinuations . xxxvi . what gentleman of any note can cross our seas , whose name is not landed in their books before-hand . in prevention of his person , whom now arrived , they labour first to temper with the plausible conversation of some smooth catholick of his own nation . xxxvii . but do you think this doctour will begin first with the infallibility of his great master , or tell him he may as easily buy off his sins as he may buy wares in the market ? xxxviii . or teach him that a man may and must both make and eate his god to his breakfast ? this hard meat is for stronger maws . xxxix . he knows how first to begin with the spoon , and to offer nothing to a weak stomach , but discourse of easie digestion , &c. xl. and that now we are but a ragg torn from their coat , &c. xli . it is impossible that any wise stranger should be in love with the face of their church , if he might see her in her own likeness ; and therefore they have cunningly maskt one part of it , and painted another ; so as those features of hers which are ugly and offensive , shall not appear to any but her own eyes . xlii . some countries yield more venomous vipers than others ; ours the worst . xliii . it is observable , that as our english papists are commonly more jesuitish ; so our english jesuits are more furious than their fellows . xliv . even those of the hottest climats cannot match them in fiery dispositions . xlv . and if this great curtizan of the world had not so cunning pandours , i should wonder how she should get any but foolish customers . xlvi . look into their churches ; there their poor ignorant laity hope to present their best services to god ; and yet alas they say they know not what , they hear they know not what , they do they know not what . xlvii . returning empty of all hearty edification , and only full of confused intentions , and are taught to think this sacrifice of fools meritorious . xlviii . what do they in all they do but lull piety asleep ? xlix . in all that belongs to god the work done sufficeth , yea meriteth . l. if they hear the beads knack upon each other , that 's enough . li. in their melancholick cells there you may perhaps find an hair-cloth , or an hurdle , but no true mortification . lii . what papist was ever heard to pray dayly in his family , or to sing but a psalm at home ? liii . who ever saw god's day duly kept in any city , village , or houshold under the jurisdiction of rome ? liv. every obscure holy-day takes the wall of it , and thrusts it into the channel . lv. thus satan like the raven first seizes upon the eye of understanding , and then preys freely upon the other carcase . lvi . we may be bad enough at home ; certainly we are the worse for such neighbours . finis . london , printed for william miller at the gilded acorn in s. paul's church-yard , near the little north door . . at which place you may be furnished with most sorts of bound or stitched books , as acts of parliament , proclamations , speeches , declarations , letters , orders , commissions , articles ; as also books of divinity , church government , sermons , and most sorts of histories , poetry , plays , and such like , &c. virgidemiarum sixe bookes. first three bookes. of tooth-lesse satyrs. . poeticall. . academicall. . morall. virgidemiarum. books - hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : a, : ) virgidemiarum sixe bookes. first three bookes. of tooth-lesse satyrs. . poeticall. . academicall. . morall. virgidemiarum. books - hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by iohn harison, for robert dexter, london : . by joseph hall. in verse. the numbered items are bracketed together on the title page. identified as part of stc on umi microfilm reel . reproductions of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery (same copy filmed twice). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng satire, english. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion virgidemiarvm sixe bookes . first three bookes , of tooth-lesse satyrs . . poeticall . . academicall . . morall . london printed by iohn harison , for robert dexter . . his defiance to enuie . nay : let the prouder pines of ida feare the sudden fires of heauen : and decline their yeelding tops , that dar'd the skies whilere : and shake your sturdie trunks ye prouder pines , vvhose swelling graines are like be gald alone , vvith the deepefurrowes of the thunder-stone . stand ye secure , ye safer shrubs below , in humble dales , whome heauns doe not despight : nor angrie clouds conspire your ouerthrow , enuying at your too-disdainfull hight . let high attempts dread enuy , and ill tongues , and cowardly shrinke for feare of causles wrongs so wont big okes feare winding yuy-weed : so soaring egles feare the neighbour sonne : ●o golden mazor wont suspicion breed , deadly hemlocks poysoned potion , so adders shroud themselues in fairest leaues : so fouler fate the fayrer thing bereaues . nor the low bush feares climbing yuy-twine : nor lowly bustard dreads the distant rayes . nor earthen pot wont secret death to shrine : nor suttle snake doth lurke in pathed wayes . nor baser deed dreads enuy and ill tongues , nor shrinks so soone for feare of causelesse wrongs . needs me then hope , or doth me need mis-dread : hope for that honor , dread that wrongfull spight : spight of the partie , honor of the deede , vvhich wont alone on loftie obiects light . that enuie should accoast my muse and me , for this so rude , and recklesse poesie . vvould she but shade her tender browes with bay , that now lye bare in carelesse wilfull rage : and trance her selfe in that sweete extasey , that rouzeth drouping thoughts of bashfull age . ( tho now those bays , and that aspired thought , in carelesser age , she sets at worse then nought . ) or would we loose her plumy pineon , manicled long with bonds of modest feare : soone might she haue those kestrels proud out gone , vvhose flightie wings are dew'd with weeter aire ; and hopen now to shoulder from aboue the eagle from the stayrs of friendly ioue or list she rather in late triumph reare eternall trophees to some conqueror , vvhose dead deserts slept in his sepulcher , and neuer saw , nor life , nor light before : to lead sad pluto captiue with my song , to grace the triumphs he obscur'd so long . or scoure the rusted swords of eluish knighes , bathed in pagan blood : or sheath them new in misty morall types ; or tell their fights , vvho mightie giants , or who monsters slew . and by some strange inchanted speare and shield ▪ vanquisht their foe , and wan the doubtfull field . may be she might in stately stanzaes frame stories of ladies , and aduenturous knights , to raise her silent and inglorious name , vnto areach-lesse pitch of prayses hight . and somewhat say , as more vnworthie done . vvorthie of brasse , and hoary marble stone . then might vaine enuy waste her duller wing , to trace the aerysteps , she spiting sees : and vainly faint in hoplesse following the clouded paths her natiue drosse denies . but now such lowly satyres here i sing , not worth our muse , not worth their enuying . to good ( if ill ) to be expos'd to blame : too good , if worse , to shadow shamlesse vice . ill , if too good , not answering their name : so good and ill infickle censure lies . since in our satyre lyes both good and ill , and they and it , inuarying readers will. vvitnesse ye muses how i wilfull song these heddy rimes , withoutē second care : and wish't them worse , my guiltie thoughts among : the ruder satyre should go rag'd and bare : and show his rougher and his hairy hide : tho mine be smooth , and deckt in carelesse pride . vvould we but breath within a wax-bound quill . pans seuenfold pipe , some plaintiue pastor all : to teach each hollow groue , and shrubby hill , ech murmuring brooke , each solit arie vale to sound our loue , and to our song accord , vvearying eccho with one changelesse word . or list vs make two striuing shephards sing , vvith costly wagers for the victorie , vnder menalcas iudge : whiles one doth bring a caruen bole well wrought of beechen tree : praysing it by the storie , or the frame , or want of vse , or skilfull makers name . another layeth a well-marked lambe , or spotted kid , or some more forward steere ; and from the payle doth praise their fertile dam : so doe they striue in doubt , in hope , in feare , a wayting for their trustie vmpires doome , faulted as false , by him that 's ouercome . vvhether so me list my louely thought to sing , come daunce ye nimble dryads by my side : ye gentlewood - nymphs come : and with you bring the willing faunes that mought your musick guide com nimphs and faunes , that haunt those shady groues vvhiles i report my fortunes or my loues . or whether list me sing so per sonate , my striuing selfe to conquer with my verse : speake ye attentiue swaynes that heard me late , needs me giue grasse vnto the conquerers . at colins feete i throw my yeelding reede : but let the rest win homage by their deed . but now ( ye muses ) sith your sacred hests profaned are by each presuming tongue : in scornfull rage i vow this silent rest , that neuer field nor groue shall heare my song . only these refuse rymes i here mispend , to chide the world , that did my thoughts offend . de suis satyris . dum satyrae dixi , videor dixisse satirae corripio ; aut istaec non satis est satyra . irafacit satyram , reliquum sat temperat iram ; pinge two satyram sanguine , tum satyra est . ecce nouam satyram : satyrum sine cornibus ! euge monstra noui monstri haec , & satyri & satyrae . virgidemiarvm . lib . i. prologue . i first aduenture , with foole-hardie might , to treade the steps of perilous despight : i first aduenture , follow me who list , and be the second english satyrist . enuy waits on my backe , truth on my side : enuy will be my page , and truth my guide . enuie the margent holds , and truth the line : truth doth approue , but enuie doth repine . for in this smoothing age who durst indite , hath made his pen an hyred parasite . to claw the back of him that beastly liues , and pranck base men in proud superlatiues . vvhence damned vice is shrouded quite from shame and crown'd with vertues meed , immortall name : infamy dispossest of natiue due , ordain'd of old on looser life to sue : the worlds eye bleared with those shamelesse lyes , mask'd in the shew of meal-mouth'd poesies . go daring muse , on with thy thanklesse taske , and do the vgly face of vice vnmaske : and if thou canst not thine high flight remit , so as it mought a lowly satyre fit , let lowly satyres rise a loft to thee : truth be thy speede , & truth thy patron bee . sat. i. nor ladies wanton loue , nor wandring knight , legend i out in rimes all richly dight . nor fright the reader with the pagan vaunt of mightie mahound , and greate termagaunt . nor list i sonnet of my mistresse face , to paint some blowesse with a borrowed grace , nor can i bide to pen some hungrie scene for thick-skin eares , and vndescerning eyne . nor euer could my scornfull muse abide with tragick shooes her ankles for to hide . nor can i crouch , and writhe my fauning tayle to some greate patron , for my best auayle . such hunger-staruen trencher poetrie , or let it neuer liue , or timely die : nor vnder euerie bank , and euerie tree , speake rymes vnto my oten minstralsie : nor caroll out so pleasing liuely laies , as mought the graces moue my mirth to praise . trumpet , and reeds , and socks , and buskins fine , i them bequeath : whose statues wandring twine of yuy , mixt with bayes , circlen around their liuing temples likewise laurell-bound . rather had i , albee in carelesse rymes , check the mis-ordered world , and lawlesse times . nor need i craue the muses mid-wifry , to bring to light so worth-lesse poetry : or if we list , what baser muse can bide , to sit and sing by grantaes naked side ? they hunt the tyded thames and salt medway , ere since the same of their late bridall day . nought haue we here but willow-shaded shore , to tell our grant his banks are left for lore . sat. ii. vvhilome the sisters nine were vestall maides , and held their temple in the secret shades . of faire parnassus that two-headed hill , whose auncient fame the southern world did fill . and in the stead of their eternall fame , was the coole streame , that tooke his endles name , from out the fertile hoofe of winged steed : there did they sit and do their holy deed , that pleas'd both heauen and earth : till that of late , whome should i fault ? or the most righteous fate ? or heauen , or men , or fiends , or ought beside , that euer made that foule mischance betide ? some of the sisters in securer shades . defloured were : and euer since disdaining sacred shame . done ought that might their heauenly stock defame . now is pernassus turned to a stewes : and on bay-stocks the wanton myrtle grewes . cythêron hill's become a brothel-bed , and pyrene sweete , turnd to a poysoned head of cole-blacke puddle : whose infectious staine corrupteth all the lowly fruitfull plaine . their modest stole , to garish looser weede , deck't with loue-fauors : their late whordoms meed . and where they wont sip of the simple flood , now tosse they bowles of bacchus boyling bloud , i maruelled much with doubtfull iealousie , whence came such litturs of new poetrie ; mee thought i fear'd , least the horse-hoofed well his natiue banks did proudly ouer-swell in some late discontent , thence to ensue such wondrous rablements of rime-sters new : but since , i saw it painted on fames wings , the muses to be woxen wantonings . each bush , each bank , and ech base apple-squire , can serue to sate their beastly lewd desire . ye bastard poets see your pedigree from common trulls and loathsome brothelry . sat. iii. vvith some pot-furie rauisht from their wit , they sit and muse on some no-vulgar writ : as frozen dung-hils in a winters morne , that voyd of vapours seemed all beforne , soone as the sun , sends out his piercing beames , exhale out filthie smoke and stinking steames : so doth the base , and the fore-barren braine , soone as the raging wine begins to raigne . one higher pitch'd doth set his soaring thought on crowned kings that fortune hath low brought : or some vpreared , high-aspiring swaine as it might be the turkish tamberlaine . then weeneth he his base drink-drowned spright , rapt to the threefold loft of heauen hight , when he conceiues vpon his fained stage the stalking steps of his greate personage , graced with huf-cap termes , and thundring threats , that his poore hearers hayre quite vpright sets . such soone , as some braue minded hungrie youth sees fitly frame to his wide-strained mouth , he vaunts his voyce vpon an hyred stage , with high-set steps , and princely carriage ; now soouping in side robes of royaltie , that earst did skrub in lowsie brokerie . there if he can with termes italianate , big-sounding sentences , and words of state , faire patch me vp his pure iambick verse , he rauishes the gazing scaffolders : then certes was the famous corduban neuer but halfe so high tragedian . now , least such frightfull showes of fortunes fall , and bloudy tyrants rage , should chance appall the dead stroke audience , midst the silent rout , comes leaping in a selfe-mis formed lout , and laughes , and grins , and frames his mimik face , and iustles straight into the princes place . then doth the theatre eccho all aloud , with gladsome noyse of that applauding croud . a goodly hoch-poch ; when vile russettings , are match with monarchs , and with mightie kings . a goodly grace to sober tragick muse , when each base clowne , his clumbsie fist doth bruise and show his teeth in double rotten-row , for laughter at his selfe-resembled show . meane while our poets in high parliament , sit watching euerie word , and gesturement , like curious censors of some doughtie geare , whispering their verdit in their fellowes eare . wo to the word whose margent in their scrole , is noted with a blacke condemning cole . but if each periode might the synode please , ho , bring the iuy boughs , and bands of bayes now when they part and leaue the naked stage , gins the bare hearer in a guiltie rage , to curse and ban , and blame his likerous eye , that thus hath lauisht his late halfe-penie . shame that the muses should be bought and sold , for euerie peasants brasse , on each scaffold . sat. iiii. too popular is tragicke poesie , strayning his tip-toes for a farthing fee , and doth besides on rimelesse numbers tread , vnbid iambicks flow from carelesse head . some brauer braine in high heroick rimes compileth worm-eate stories of olde times : and he like some imperious maronist , coniures the muses that they him assist . then striues he to bumbast his feeble lines with farre-fetcht phrase : and maketh vp his hard-betaken tale with strange enchantments , fetcht from darkesome vale of some melissa , that by magicke doome to tuscans soyle transporteth merlins toombe : painters and poets holde your auncient right : write what you will , and write not what you might : their limits be their list , their reason will. but if some painter in presuming skill , should paint the stars in center of the earth , could ye forbeare some smiles , and taunting mirth ? but let no rebell satyre dare traduce th' eternall legends of thy faerie muse , renowmed spencer : whom no earthly wight dares once to emulate , much lesse dares despight . salust of france , and tuscan ariost , yeeld vp the lawrell garland ye haue lost : and let all others willow weare with me , or let their vndeseruing temples bared be . sat. v. another , whose more heauie hearted saint delights in nought but notes of rufull plaint , vrgeth his melting muse with sollem teares rime of some drerie fates of lucklesse peeres . then brings he vp some branded whining ghost , to till how old misfortunes had him tost . then must he ban the guiltlesse fates aboue , or fortune fraile , or vnrewarded loue . and when he hath parbrak'd his grieued minde , he sends him downe where earst he did him find , without one penie to pay charons hire , that waiteth for the wandring ghosts retire . sat. another scorns the home-spun thred of rimes , match'd with the loftie feete of elder times : giue me the numbred verse that virgill sung , and virgill selfe shall speake the english toung : manhood and garboiles shall he chaunt with chaunged feete and head-strong dactils making musicke meete . the nimble dactils striuing to out-go the drawling spondees pacing it below . the lingring spondees , labouring to delay , the breath-lesse dactils with a sodaine stay . who euer saw a colte wanton and wilde , yoakt with a slow-foote oxe on fallow field ? can right areed how handsomely besets dull spondees with the english dactilets ? if ioue speake english in a thundring cloud , thwick thwack , and riffe raffe , rores he out aloud . fie on the forged mint that did create new coyne of words neuer articulate . sat. vii . great is the folly of a feeble braine , ore-rulde with loue , and tyrannous disdaine : for loue , how-euer in the basest brest , it breedes high thoughts that feed the fancie best . yet is he blinde , and leades poore fooles awrie , while they hang gazing on their mistresse eye . the loue-sicke poet , whose importune prayer repulsed is with resolute dispaire , hopeth to conquer his disdainfull dame , with publike plaints of his conceiued flame . then powres he foorth in patched sonettings , his loue , his lust , and loathsome flatterings : as tho the staring world hāgd on his sleeue , when once he smiles , to laugh : and when he sighs , to grieue . careth the world , thou loue , thou liue , or die ? careth the world how faire thy faire one be ? fond wit-wal that wouldst lode thy wit-lesse head with timely hornes , before thy bridall bed . then can he terme his durtie ill-fac'd bride ladie and queene , and virgin deified : be shee all sootie-blacke , or berie browne , shee 's white as morrows milk , or flakes new blowne . and tho she be some dunghill drudge at home , yet can he her resigne some refuse roome amids the well-knowne stars : or if not there , sure will he saint her in his calendere . sat. viii . hence ye prophane : mell not with holy things , that sion muse from palestina brings . parnassus is transform'd to sion-hill , and iury-palmes her steepe ascents done fill . now good s. peter weepes pure helicon , and both the maries make a musicke mone : yea and the prophet of the heauenly lire , great salomon , sings in the english quire , and is become a new found sonetist , singing his loue , the holy spouse of christ : like as she were some light-skirts of the rest , in mightiest ink-hornismes he can thither wrest . ye sion muses shall by my deare will , for this your zeale , and farre-admired skill , be straight transported from ierusalem , vnto the holy house of bethleem . sat. ix . enuie ye muses , at your thriuing mate , cupid hath crowned a new laureat : i saw his statue gayly tyr'd in greene , as if he had some second phoebus beene . his statue trimd with the venerean tree , and shrined faire within your sanctuarie . what , he , that ea●st to gaine the riming goale the worne recitall-post of capitol , rimed in rules of stewish ribaldrie , teaching experimentall bauderie ? whiles th'itching vulgar tickled with the song , hanged on their vnreadie poets tongue . take this ye patient muses : and foule shame shall waite vpon your once profaned name . take this , ye muses , this so high despight , and let all hatefull lucklesse birds of night : let scriching owles nest in your razed roofes , and let your sloore with horned satyres hoofes be dinted and defiled euerie morne : and let your walles be an eternall scorne . what if some shordich furie should incite some lust-stung letcher : must he needes indite the beastly rites of hyred venerie , the whole worlds vniuersall bawd to be ? did neuer yet no damned libertine , nor elder heathen , nor new florentine , tho they were famous for lewd libertie , venture vpon so shamefull villanie our epigrammatarians olde and late , were wont be blam'd for too licentiate . chast men , they did but glaunce at lesbias deed , and handsomely leaue off with cleanly speed . but arts of whoring : stories of the stewes , ye muses , will ye beare , and may refuse ? nay let the diuell , and saint valentine , be gossips to those ribald rimes of thine . finis . virgidemiarvm . lib . ii. prologue . or beene the manes of that cynick spright , cloth'd with some stubborn clay & led to light ? or doe the relique ashes of his graue reuiue and rise from their for saken caue ? that so with gall-weet words and speeches rude , controls the maners of the multitude . enuie belike incites his pining heart , and bids it sate it selfe with others smart . nay , no despight : but angrie nemesis , vvhose scourge doth follow all that done amisse : that scourge i beare , albe in rude fist , and wound , and strike , and pardon whom she list . sat. i. for shame write better labeo , or write none , or better write , or labeo write alone , nay call the cynick but a wittie foole , tnence to abiure his handsome drinking bole : because the thirstie swaine with hollow hand , conueied the streame to weet his drie weasand . write they that can , tho they that cannot , doe : but who knowes that , but they that do not know . lo what it is that makes white rags so deare , that men must giue a teston for a queare . lo what it is that makes goose-wings so scant , that the distressed semster did them want , so , lauish ope-tyde causeth fasting-lents , and starueling famine comes of large expence . might not ( so they where pleasd that beene aboue ) long paper-abstinence our death remoue ? then manie a lollerd would in forfaitment , beare paper-fagots ore the pauement . but now men wager who shall blot the most , and each man writes . ther 's so much lobour lost , that 's good , that 's great : nay much is sildome well , of what is bad , a littl 's a greate deale . better is more : but best is nought at all . lesse is the next , and lesser criminall . little and good , is greatest good saue one , then labeo , or write little or write none . tush but small paynes can be but little art , or lode full drie-fats fro the forren mart . with folio-volumes , two to an oxe hide , or else ye pamphleter go stand a side , reade in each schoole , in euerie margent coted , in euerie catalogue for an autour noted . there 's happinesse well giuen , and well got , lesse gifts , and lesser gaines i weigh them not . so may the giant rome and write on high , be he a dwarfe that writes not their as i. but well fare strabo , which as stories tell , contriu'd all troy within one walnut shell . his curious ghost now lately hither came . arriuing neere the mouth of luckie tame : i saw a pismire strugling with the lode , dragging all troy home towards her abode . now dare we hither , if we durst appeare , the subtile stithy-man that liu'd while eare : such one was once , or once i was mistaught , a smith at uulcans owne forge vp brought , that made an iron-chariot so light , the coach-horse was a flea in trappings dight . the tame-lesse steed could well his wagon wield , through downes and dales of the vneuen field . striue they laugh we : meane while the black storie passes new strabo , and new straboes troy. little for great : and great for good : all one : for shame or better write , or labeo write none . but who coniur'd this bawdie poggies ghost , from out the stewes of his lewde home-bred coast : or wicked rablais dronken reuellings , to grace the mis-rule of our tauernings ? or who put bayes into blind cupids fist , that he should crowne what laureats him list ? whose words are those , to remedie the deed , that cause men stop their noses when they read ? both good things ill , and ill things well : all one ? for shame write cleanly labeo , or write none . sat. ii. to what end did our lauish auncestours , erect of old these stately piles of ours ? for thred-bare clearks , and for the ragged muse whom better fit some cotes of sad secluse ? blush niggard age , and be asham'd to see , these monuments of wiser ancestrie . and ye faire heapes the muses sacred shrines , ( in spight of time and enuious repines ) stand still and flourish till the worlds last day , vpbrayding it with former loues decay . here may you muses , our deare soneraignes , scorne each base lordling euer you disdaines , and euerie peasant churle , whose smokie roofe denied harbour for your deare behoofe . scorne ye the world before it do complaine , and scorne the world that scorneth you againe . and scorne contempt it selfe that doth incite each single-sold squire to set you at so light . what needes me care for anie bookish skill , to blot white papers with my restlesse quill : or poare on painted leaues : or beat my braine with far-fetch thought , or to consume in vaine in latter euen , or midst of winter nights , ill sinelling oyles , or some still-watching lights . let them that meane by bookish buisinesse to earne their bread : or hopen to professe their hard got skill : let them alone for mee ; busie their braines with deeper bookerie . great gaines shall bide you sure , when ye haue spent a thousand lamps : and thousand reames haue rent of needlesse papers , and a thousand nights haue burned out with costly candle lights . ye palish ghosts of athens ; when at last , your patrimonie spent in witlesse wast , your friends all wearie , and your spirits spent , ye may your fortunes seeke : and be forwent sat. iii. vvho doubts ? the lawes fel down frō heauēs height , like to some gliding starre in winters night . themis the scribe of god did long agone , engraue them deepe in during marble-stone , and cast them downe on this vnruly clay , that men might know to rule and to obay . but now their characters depraued bin , by them that would make gain of others sin . and now hath wrong so maistered the right , that they liue best , that on wrongs off all light ; so loathly flye that liues on galled wound , and scabby festers inwardly vnsound , feedes fatter with that poysnous carrion , then they that haunt the healthy lims alone . wo to the weale where many lawiers bee , for there is sure much store of maladie . t' was truely said , and truely was foreseene the fat kine are deuoured of the leane . genus and species long since barefoote went , vpon their ten-toes in wilde wanderment : whiles father bartoll on his footcloth rode , vpon high pauement gayly siluer-strowd . each home-bred science percheth in the chaire , while sacred artes grouell on the groundsell bare . since pedling barbarismes gan be in request , nor classicke tongues , nor learning found no rest . the crowching client , with low-bended knee , and manie worships , and faire flatterie , tels on his tale as smoothly as him list , but still the lawyers eye squints on his fist : if that seeme lined with a larger fee , doubt not the suite , the law is plaine for thee . tho must he buy his vainer hope with price , disclout his crownes , and thanke him for aduice . so haue i seene in a tempestuous stowre , some bryer-bush shewing shelter from the showre , vnto the hopefull sheepe , that faine would hide his fleecie coate from that same angrie tide . the ruthlesse breere regardlesse of his plight , laies holde vpon the fleece he should acquite , and takes aduantage of the carelesse pray , that thought she in securer shelter lay . the day is faire , the sheepe would fare to feede : the tyrant brier holdes fast his shelters meed , and claimes it for the fee of his defence : so robs the sheepe , in fauours faire pretence . sat. iiii. vvorthie were galen to be weighed in gold , whose help doth sweetest life & helth vphold yet by s. escnlape he sollemne swore , that for diseases they were neuer more , fees neuer lesse , neuer so little gaine , men giue a groate and aske the rest againe . groats-worth of health , can anie leech allot ? yet should he haue no more that giues a groate : should i on each sicke plliow leane my brest . and grope the pulse of euerie mangie wrest : and spie out maruels in each vrinall : and rumble vp the filths that from them fall , and giue a dosse for euerie disease , in prescripts long and tedious recipes : all for so leane reward of art and me ? no horse-leach but will looke for larger fee. meane while if chaunce some desp'rate patient die , com'n to the period of his destinie : ( as who can crosse the fatall resolution , in the decreed day of dissolution : ) whether ill tendment , or recurelesse paine , procure his death ; the neighbours all complaine , th'unskilfull leech murdred his patient , by poyson of some foule ingredient . hereon the vulgar may as soone be brought to socrates-his poysoned hemlock-drought , as to the wholsome iulap , whose receat might his diseases lingring force defeat . if nor a dramme of triacle soueraigne , or aqua vitae , or sugar candian , nor kitchin-cordials can it remedie , certes his time is come , needs mought he die . were i a leech , as who knowes what may be , the liberall man should liue , and carle should die . the sickly ladie , and the gowtie peere still would i haunt , that loue their life so deare . where life is deare , who cares for coyned drosse ? that spent , is counted gaine , and spared , losse : or would coniure the chymick mercurie , rise from his hors-dung bed , and vpwards flie : and with glasse-stils , and sticks of iuniper , raise the black-spright that burnes not with the fire : and bring quintessence of elixir pale , out of sublimed spirits minerall . each powdred graine raunsometh captiue kings , purchaseth realmes , and life prolonged brings . sat. v. saw'st thou euer siquis patch'd on pauls church doore , to seeke some vacant vicarage before ? who wants a churchman , that can seruice sey , read fast , and faire , his monthly homiley ? and wed , and burie , and make christen-soules ? come to the left-side alley of saint poules . thou seruile foole , why could'st thou not repaire to buy a benefice at steeple-faire ? there moughtest thou for but a slender price , aduowson thee with some fat benefice : or if thee list not waite for dead mens shoon , nor pray ech morn th'incumbents daies were doon : a thousand patrons thither ready bring , their new-falne churches to the chaffering , stake three yeares stipend ; no man asketh more : go take possession of the church-porch-doore : and ring thy bels ; lucke stroken in thy fist : the parsonage is thine or ere thou wist . saint fooles of go●am , mought thy parish be , for this thy base and seruile symonie . sat. vi. a gentle squire would gladly intertaine into his house , some trencher-chaplaine : some willing man that might instruct his sons , and that would stand to good conditions . first that he lie vpon the truckle-bed , whiles his yong maister lieth ore his hed . second , that he do , on no default , euer presume to sit aboue the salt . third , that he neuer change his trencher twise . fourth , that he vse all common courtesies : sit bare at meales , and one halfe rise and wait . last , that he neuer his yong master beat , but he must aske his mother to define , how manie ierkes she would his breech should line . all these obseru'd , he could contented bee , to giue fiue markes and winter liuerie . sat. vii . in th' heauens vniuersall alphabet . all earthly thinges so surely are foreset , that who can read those figures , may foreshew what euer thing shall afterwards ensue faine would i know ( might it our artist please ) why can his tell-troth ephemerides teach him the weathers state so long beforne : and not fore-tell him , nor his fatall horne nor his deaths-day , nor no such sad euent which he mought wisely labour to preuent ? thou damned mock-art , and thou brainsick tale , of old astrologie : where didst thou vaile thy cursed head thus long : that so it mist the black bronds of some sharper satyrist . some doting gossip mongst the chaldee wiues , did to the credulous world thee first deriue : and superstition nurs'd thee euer sence , and publisht in profounder arts pretence : that now who pares his nailes , or libs his swine , but he must first take counsell of the signe . so that the vulgars count for faire or foule , for liuing or for dead , for sicke or whole : his feare or hope , for plentie or for lacke , hangs all vpon his new-yeares almanack . if chance once in the spring his head should ake : it was foretold : thus sayes mine almanack . in th' heauens high-streete are but dozen roomes , in which dwels all the world , past and to come : twelue goodly innes they are , with twelue fayre signes , euer well tended by our star-diuines . euerie mans head innes at the horned ramme , the whiles the necke the black-buls guest became : the'arms by good hap , meet at the wrastling twins , th' heart in the way at the blew-lion innes . the legs their lodging in aquarius got , that is the bride-streete of the heauen , i wot . the feete tooke vp the fish with teeth of gold : but who with scorpio lodg'd , may not be told . what office then doth the star-gazer beare ? or let him be the heauens ostelere : or tapsters some : or some be chamberlaines , to waite vpon the guests they entertaine . hence can they reade , by vertue of their trade , when anie thing is mist where it was laide . hence they diuine , and hence they can deuise : if their ayme faile , the stars to moralize . demon my friend once liuer-sicke of loue , thus learn'd i by the signes his griefe remoue . in the blinde archer first i saw the signe , when thou receiu'dst that wilfull wound of thine : and now in uirgo is that cruell mayd , which hath not yet with loue thy loue repaide . but marke when once it comes to gemini , straight way fish-whole shall thy sicke liuer be . but now ( as th' angrie heauens seeme to threat manie hard fortunes , and disastres great : if chance it come to wanton capricorne , and so into the rams disgracefull horne , then learne thou of the vgly scorpion , to hate her for her fowle abusion : thy refuge then the ballance be of right , which shall thee from thy broken bond acquite : so with the crab , go backe whence thou began , from thy first match : and liue a single man. finis . virgidemiarvm . lib . iii. prologue . some say my satyres ouer-loosely flowe , nor hide their gall inough from open showe : not riddle like , obscuring their intent ; but packe-staffe plaine , vttring what thing they ment : contrarie to the roman ancients , vvhose words were short , and darkesome was their sence . vvho reades one line of their harsh poesies , thrise must he take his winde , and breath him thrise . my muse would follow them that haue fore-gone , but cannot with an english pineon , for looke howfarre the ancient comedie past former satyres in her libertie : sofarre must mine yeeld vnto them of olde . 't is better be too bad , then be too bolde . sat. i. time was , and that was term'd the time of gold , when world and time were young , that now are old . ( when quiet saturne swaid the mace of lead , and pride was yet vnborne , and yet vnbred . ) time was , that whiles the autumne fall did last , our hungrie sires gapte for the falling mast of the dodonian oakes . could no vnhusked akorne leaue the tree , but there was challenge made whose it might be . and if some nice and licorous appetite , desir'd more daintie dish of rare delite , they scal'd the stored crab with clasped knee , till they had sated their delicious eye : or search'd the hopefull thicks of hedgy-rowes , for brierie berries , or hawes , or sowrer sloes : or when they meant to fare the fin'st of all , they lickt oake-leaues besprint with hony fall . as for the thrise three-angled beech nut-shell , or chesnuts armed huske , and hid kernell , no squire durst touch , the law would not afford , kept for the court , and for the kings owne bord . their royall plate was clay , or wood , or stone : the vulgar , saue his hand , else had he none . their onely seller was the neighbour brooke . none did for better care , for better looke . was then no playning of the brewers scape , nor greedie uintner mixt the strained grape . the kings pauilion , was the grassy green , vnder safe shelter of the shadie treen . vnder each banke men layd their lims along , not wishing anie ease , not fearing wrong : clad with their owne , as they were made of old , not fearing shame , not feeling anie cold , but when by ceres huswifrie and paine , men learn'd to burie the reuiuing graine : and father ianus taught the new found vine , rise on the elme , with many a friendly twine .. and base desire bad men to deluen low , for needlesse mettals : then gan mischiefe grow . then farwell fayrest age , the worlds best dayes : thriuing in ill as it in age decaies . then crept in pride , and peeuish couetise : and men grue greedie , discordous and nice . now man , that earst haile fellow was with beast , woxe on to weene himselfe a god at least . no aerie foule can take so high a flight , tho she her daring wings in clouds haue dight : nor fish can diue so deepe in yeelding sea. tho thetis-selfe should sweare her safetie : nor fearfull beast can dig his caue so lowe , all could he further then earths center go : as that the ayre , the earth , or ocean , sould shield them from the gorge of greedie man. hath vtmost inde ought better then his owne ? then vtmost inde is neare , and rife to gone . o nature : was the world ordain'd for nought , but fill mans maw , and feede mans idle thought ? thy grandsires words sauor'd of thriftie leekes , or manly garlicke , but thy furnace reekes , hote steams of wine : and can a loofe descrie the drunken draughts of sweete autumnitie . they naked went : or clad in ruder hide : or home-spun russet , void of forraine pride : but thou canst maske in garish gauderie , to suit a fooles far-fetched liuerie . a french head ioyn'd to necke italian : thy thighs from germanie , and brest fro spains : an englishman in none , a foole in all : many in one , and one in seuerall . then men were men , but now the greater part beasts are in life , and women are in heart . good saturne selfe , that homely emperour ? in proudest pompe was not so clad of yore , as is the vnder-groome of the ostlerie , husbanding it in work-day yeomanrie . lo the long date of those expired daies , which the inspired merlins word fore-saies : when dunghill pesants shall be dight as kings , then one confusion another brings : then farewell fairest age , the worlds best daies , thriuing in ill , as it in age decaies . sat. ii. great osmond knowes not how he shal be known when once great osmond shal be dead & gone : vnlesse he reare vp some rich monument , ten furlongs nearer to the firmament . some stately tombe he builds , egyptian wise , rex regum written on the pyramis : where as great arthur lies in ruder oke , that neuer felt none but the fellers stroke . small honour can be got with gaudie graue : nor it thy rotten name from death can saue . the fairer tombe , the fowler is thy name . the greater pompe procuring greater shame , thy monument make thou thy liuing deeds : no other tombe then that , true vertue needs , what ? had he nought whereby he might be knowne , but costly pilements of some curious stone ? the matter , natures , and the workmans frame , his purses cost ; where then is osmonds name ? deseru'dst thou ill ? well were thy name and thee . wert thou inditched in great secrecie , where as no passenger might curse thy dust , nor dogs sepulchrall sate their gawning lust . thine ill deserts cannot be graued with thee , so long as on thy graue they ingraued bee . sat. iii. the curteous citizen bad me to his feast , with hollow words , and ouerly request : come , will ye dine with me this holy day ? i yeelded , tho he hop'd i would say nay : for had i mayden'd it , as many vse : loath for to graunt , but loather to refuse . a lacke sir , i were loath , another day : i should but trouble you : pardon me , if you may . no pardon should i need ; for , to depart he giues me leaue : and thanks too , in his heart . two words for monie , darbishirian wise : ( that 's one too manie ) is a naughtie guise , who lookes for double biddings to a feast , may dine at home for an importune guest . i went , then saw , and found the greate expence : the fare and fashions of our citizens . oh : cl●lopatricall : what wanteth there for curious cost , and wondrous choise of cheare ? beefe , that earst hercules held for finest fare : porke , for the fat boeotian , or the hare for martiall : fish for the venetian , goose-liuer for the likorous romane , th' athenians goate , quaile , iolans cheere , the hen for esculape ; and the parthian deere , grapes for arcesilas , figs for platoes mouth , and chesnuts faire for amarillis tooth . had'st thou such cheere , wer 't thou euer there before neuer : i thought so : nor come there no more . come there no more ; for so ment all that cost : neuer hence take me for thy second host . for whome he meanes to make an often guest , one dish shall serue ; and welcome make the rest . sat. iiii. vvere yesterday polemons natals kept that so his threshold is all freshly steept with new-shed bloud ? could he not sacrifice some sorry morkin that vnbidden dies : or meager heifer , or some roten ewe : rut he must needs his posts with bloud embrew , and on his way-doore fixe the honned head , with slowers , and with ribbands garnished ? now shall the passenger deeme the man deuout . what boots it be so , but the world must know 't ? o the fond boasting of vaineglorious man : does he the best , that may the best be seene ? who euer giues a paire of veluet shooes to th' holy road : or liberally allowes : but a new rope , to ring the couure-feu bell , but he desires that his great deed may dwell , or grauen in the chancel-window-glasse , or in the lasting tombe of plated brasse . for he that doth so few deseruing deeds , t' were sure his best sue for such larger meeds . who would inglorious liue , inglorious die , and might eternize his names memorie ? and he that cannot brag of greater store , must make his somewhat much , and little more . nor can good myson weare on his left hond , a signet ring of bristol-diamond : but he must cut his gloue , to shew his pride , that his trim iewel might be better spide : and that men monght some burgesse him repute , with satten sleeues hath grac'd his sackeloth sure . sat. v. fie on all curtesie , and vnruly windes , two onely foes that faire disguisement findes . strange curse ! but fit for such a sickle age , when scalpes are subiect to such vassalage . late trauailing along in london way , mee met , as seem'd by his disguis'd aray , a lustie courtier , whose curled head , with abron locks was fairely furnished . i him saluted in our lauish wise : he answeres my vntimely courtesies . his bonnet vail'd , ere euer he could thinke , th' unruly winde blowes off his periwinke . he lights , and runs , and quickly hath him sped , to ouertake his ouerrunning head . the sportfull winde , to mocke the headlesse man , tosses apace his pitch'd rogerian : and straight it to a deeper ditch hath blowne : there must my yonker fetch his waxen crowne . i lookt , and laught , whiles in his raging minde , he curst all curtesie , and vnruly winde . i lookt , and laught , and much i meruailed , to see so large a caus-way in his head . and me bethought , that when it first begon , t' was some shroad autumne , that so bar'd the bone . is 't not sweete pride , when men their crownes must with that which ierks the hams of euery iade or floor-strowd locks from off the barbers sheares ? but waxen crownes well gree with borrowed haires . sat. vi. when gullion di'd ( who knowes not gullion ? ) and his drie soule arriu'd at acheron , he faire besought the feryman of hell , that he might drinke to dead pantagruel . charon was afraid least thirstie gullion , would haue drunke drie the riuer acheron . yet last consented for a little hyre , and downe he dips his chops deepe in the myre , and drinks , and drinks , and swallows in the streeme , vntill the shallow shores all naked seeme . yet still he drinkes , nor can the botemans cries , nor crabbed oares , nor prayers make him rise . so long he drinkes , till the blacke carauell , stands still fast grauel'd on the mud of hell . there stand they still , nor can go , nor retyre , tho greedie ghosts quicke passage did require . yet stand they still , as tho they lay at rode , till gullion his bladder would vnlode . they stand , and waite , and pray for that good houre : which when it came , they sailed to the shore . but neuer since dareth the feryman , once intertaine the ghost of gullian . drinke on drie soule , and pledge sir gullion : drinke to all healths , but drinke not to thine owne . desunt nonnulla . sat. vii . seest thou how gayly my yong maister goes , vaunting himselfe vpon his rising toes , and pranks his hand vpon his daggers side , and picks his glutted teeth since late noon-tide ? t is russio : trow'st thou where he din'd to day : in sooth i saw him sit with duke humfray . manie good welcoms , and much gratis cheere , keepes he for euerie stragling caualiere : an open house haunted with greate resort , long seruice mixt with musicall disport . manie faire yonker with a fether'd crest , chooses much rather be his shot free guest , to fare so freely with so little cost , then stake his twelue-pence to a meaner host . hadst thou not told me , i should surely say , he touch't no meat of all this liue-long day . for sure me thought , yet that was but a ghesse , his eyes seeme sunke for verie hollownesse , but could he haue ( as i did it mistake ) so little in his purse , so much vpon his backe : so nothing in his maw : yet seemeth by his belt , that his gaunt gut , no too much stuffing felt . seest thou how side it hangs beneath his hip ? hunger , and heauie iron makes girdles slip . yet for all that , how stifly strits he by , all trapped in the new-found brauerie . the nuns of new-woon cales his bonnet lent , in lieu of their so kind a conquerment . what needed he fetch that from farthest spaine , his grandame could haue lent with lesser paine ? tho he perhaps neuer past the english shore ; yet faine would counted be a conquerour . his haire french like ; stares on his frighted hed , one locke amazon-like disheueled : as if he ment to weare a natiue cord , if chaunce his fates should him that bane afford , all brittish bare vpon the bristled skin , close noched is his beard both lip and chin : his linnen collar labyrinthian-set , whose thousand double turnings neuer met : his sleeues halfe hid with elbow - pineonings , as if he ment to flie with linnen wings . but when i looke and cast mine eyes below , what monster meets mine eyes in humane show ? so lender wast with such an abbots loyne , did neuer sober nature sure conioyne . lik'st a strawne scar-crow in the new-sowne field , reard on some sticke , the tender corne to shield : or if that semblance suite not eueric deale , like a broad shak-forke with a slender steale . despised nature suit them once aright , their bodie to their cote : both now mis-dight : their bodie to their clothes might shapen bee , that nill their clothes shape to their bodie . meane while i wonder at so prowd a backe , whiles th' emptie guts lowd rumblen for long lacke , the bellie enuieth the backs bright glee , and murmurs at such inequalitie . the backe appeares vnto the partiall ●ine , the plaintiue belly pleads they bribed beene : and he for want of better aduocate , doth to the eare his iniurie relate . the backe insulting ore the bellies need , saies : thou thy selfe , i others eyes must feed . the maw , the guts , all inward parts complaine the backs great pride , and their owne secret paine . ye witlesse gallants , i beshrew your hearts , that sets such discord twixt agreeing parts , which neuer can be set at onement more , vntill the mawes wide mouth be stopt with store . the conclvsion of all . thus haue i writ in smoother cedar tree , so gentle satyrs , pend so easily . henceforth i write in crabbed oake-tree rindes search they that meane the secret meaning finde . holde out ye guiltie , and ye galled hides , and meete my far-fetch't stripes with waiting sides . finis . a letter sent to an honourable gentleman in way of satisfaction concerning some slanderous reports lately raised against the bishops and the rest of the clergie of this kingdome. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a letter sent to an honourable gentleman in way of satisfaction concerning some slanderous reports lately raised against the bishops and the rest of the clergie of this kingdome. hall, joseph, - . e. i. [ ], p. s.n.], [london? : . signed: e. i. by e. i., i.e. joseph hall. cf. bm. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng bishops -- england -- th century. clergy -- england -- th century. great britain -- history -- charles i, - . a r (wing h ). civilwar no a letter sent to an honourable gentleman, in way of satisfaction, concerning some slanderous reports lately raised against the bishops, and hall, joseph b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a letter sent to an honourable gentleman , in way of satisfaction , concerning some slanderous reports lately raised against the bishops , and the rest of the clergie of this kingdome . printed in the yeare , . to my noble friend sir vv. vv. knight . much honoured sir , so soon as ( to my great griefe and astonishment ) i received notice from you of the strange rumour generally scattered abroad , of a thousand horse or more , that should be provided by the clergy , and especially by the bishops of this kingdome , for some dangerous , but secret exploit ; i acquainted some eminent persons of that profession with the newes : who at the first seemed to entertaine it with a smiling kind of neglect , as the fained device of a thing impossible to finde beliefe : but when i told them , it was not onely seriously divulged , but also credited by many , who seemed not in-judicious , they began to be strucken with much horrour , and amazement ; and to lament the condition of themselves , and the times ; and to impute the first invention of this crime , to the malice of some ill affected persons , who meant , by this meanes , to stir up the envy , and unjust hatred of good people against their persons , and calling . good lord , said they , were wee not loaden enough before with the weight of more then our own enormities , but we must be crushed with the heavier pressures of imaginary mischiefes ? alas , what have we done thus to irritate , and enrage the world against us ? what can it bee that makes us guilty of this fury ? how many of us are there , that have not yet been taxed with any crime but our rochet ? yet wee suffer no lesse , then if it were an offence to be innocent . after they had a little breathed out their sorrow , they recollected themselves , and began to thinke what they might doe to give the world some kinde of satisfaction , in this odious aspersion that is cast upon them : at last they resolved that however they doubted not but time would fully manifest their integrity , yet , that in the mean while it was not fit that their silence should make them accessary to their owne causelesse infamy ; and therefore they earnestly desired me to take , and give notice to your worthy selfe , and all other ingenuous persons , of their serious and solemne protestation , before god and the world , of their cleare and perfect innocence in this behalfe . they doe therefore call the god of heaven to witnesse , that they are so far from having any hand in any businesse of this kinde , that they never heard or received the least intimation of any attempt , word , purpose , or thought tending this way ; neither can yet imagine what the meaning of any such combination , or enterprise might be : as those who have desired , in all their attendance on these publick services , to approve their fidelity , to god , their king , and country . in the conscience wherof , they bade me to challenge all those secret whisperers , who have thus gone about to poyson their good names in the opinion of all loyall and true-hearted subjects , to notifie and bring forth speedily the grounds of those accusations ; and to fix them upon such persons , as they dare charge for guilty ; that the truth of these criminations may so appeare to all the world , as that either themselves may receive shame , or the offenders , judgement . and withall they doe most humbly beseech the most honourable lords , and commons of this present parliament , that they will be pleased , with all possible speed , to search this matter to the bottom ; & to follow this foule slander home to the first rise ; that if any of them be found , in the least measure , guilty of this crime , pretended against king , or state , hee may forthwith suffer condigne punishment to the utmost ; wherein they profess that their hands shal be the first upon him , as the unworthy and perfidious violater of their sacred order : and , if this report shall bee found ( as they are confident ) utterly groundlesse , and meerly slanderous , they beseech that highest court of justice , for gods sake , and for the churches sake , that they will bee tenderly sensible of this abominable injury , that is herein done to their holy profession ; and take some speedy course for the publicke vindicating of their innocence to all the world . and , lastly , they doe earnestly beseech , and in the name of god , adjure , all christian people , to beware , how they give light credit to those slanderous suggestions , that are , in these deplored times , most untruly raised , and cast abroad by uncharitable , and malevolent men , against those , whom god hath set over them ; and who desire , in all good conscience , to bee approved to god , and men ; and that they will forbeare to hurt their owne soules in wronging the innocent . thu● noble sir , i have been bold to give you an account of the entertainment of your ill news ; not doubting of either your charitable beliefe of the truth of this unfained protestation , or of your just forwardnesse for the satisfying of others ; in which confidence , i take leave ; not without my humble and fervent prayers to the god of peace , that he would be pleased to temper all hearts , and to compose them so to an happy unity and concord , that we may at the last returne to our homes with joy , and with the comfortable expectation of no lesse blessed times then we have lived to see . your much devoted friend , e. i. cases of conscience practically resolved containing a decision of the principall cases of conscience of daily concernment and continual use amongst men : very necessary for their information and direction in these evil times / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) cases of conscience practically resolved containing a decision of the principall cases of conscience of daily concernment and continual use amongst men : very necessary for their information and direction in these evil times / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . the third edition much inlarged. [ ], p. : port. printed by r.h. and j.g. and are to be sold by fr. eglesfield ..., london : . "to the reader" reads: "higham near norwich, march , ." running title reads: divers practicall cases of conscience resolved. has engraved portrait frontispiece. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng casuistry. conscience. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vera effigies reverendi do●● iosephi hall norwiciepis copi . this picture represents the forme , where dwells ▪ a mind , which nothing but that mind excells . there 's wisdome , learning , witt ; there grace & lov● rule over all the rest : enough to prove , against the froward conscience of this time , the reverend name of bishop is no crime ▪ cases of conscience practically resolved : containing a decision of the principall cases of conscience , of daily concernment , and continual use amongst men. very necessary for their information and direction in these evil times . the third edition much inlarged . by jos : hall , b. norwich . london , printed by r. h. and j. g. and are to be sold by fr : eglesfield at the marigold in s. paul's church-yard . . to the reader . of all divinity that part is most usefull , which determines cases of conscience ; and of all cases of conscience the practicall are most necessary ; as action is of more concernment than speculation : and of all practicall cases those which are of most cōmon use are of so much greater necessity & benefit to be resolved , as the errors thereof are more universall ; and therefore more prejudiciall to the society of mankind : these i have selected out of many ; and having turned over divers casuists , have pitch't upon these decisions , which i hold most conformable to enlightened reason , and religion : sometimes i follow them , & sometimes i leave them for a better guide . in the handling of all which , would i have affected that course , which seneca blames in his albutius , to say all that might be spoken , i could easily have been more voluminous , though perhaps not more satisfactory . if these lines meet with different judgments , i cannot blame either my selfe , or them . it is the opinion of some schoolmen ( which seems to be made good by that instance in the prophet daniel * ) that even the good angels themselves may holily vary in the way , though they perfectly meet in the end : it is farre from my thoughts to obtrude these my resolutions as peremptory , and magisteriall upon my readers , i onely tender them submissely , as probable advises to the simpler sort of christians ; and as matter of grave censure to the learned . may that infinite goodnesse to whose only glory i humbly desire to devote my selfe and all my poore indeavours , make them as beneficial , as they are wel-meant to the good of his church , by the unworthiest of his servants higham near norwich , march . . j. h. b. n. the contents of the first decade . cases of profit and traffique . i. whether it be lawfull for me to raise any profit by the loane of mony ? p. ii. whether may i not sell my wares as deare as i can , and get what i may of every buyer ? iii. whether is the seller bound to make known to the buyer the faults of that which he is about to sell ? iv. whether may i sell my commodities the dearer for giving dayes of payment ? v. whether and how farre monopolies are , or may be lawfull ? vi. whether and how far doth a fraudulent bargaine binde me to performance ? vii . how farre and when am i bound to make restitution of another mans goods remaining in my hands ? viii . whether and how farre doth a promise extorted by feare , though seconded by an oath , binde my conscience to performance ? ix . whether those moneyes , or goods which i have found may be safely taken , and kept by me to my owne use ? x. whether i may lawfully buy those goods , which i shall strongly suspect , or know to be stollen , or plundred ; or if i have ignorantly bought such goods , whether i may lawfully ( after knowledge of their owner ) keep them as mine ? the contents of the second decade . cases of life and liberty . i. whether and in what cases it may be lawfull for a man to take away the life of another ? p. ii. whether may i lawfully make use of a duel for the deciding of my right ; or the vindication of my honour ? iii. whether may it be lawfull in case of extremity to procure the abortion of the child for the preservation of the mother ? iv. whether a man , adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment , or death , may in conscience indeavour , and practice an escape ? v. whether and how farre a man may be urged to an oath ? vi. whether a judge may upon allegations , proofes and evidences of others , condemn a man to death , whom he himselfe certainly knowes to be innocent ? vii . whether and in what cases am i bound to be an accuser of another ? viii . whether a prisoner indicted of a felonious act , which he hath committed ; and interrogated by the judge concerning the same , may stand upon the denial , and plead not guilty ? ix . whether and how farre a man may take up armes in the publique quarrell of a warre ? x. whether and how far a man may act towards his owne death ? the contents of the third decade . cases of piety and religion . i. whether upon the appearance of evill spirits , we may hold discourse with them , and how we may demean our selves concerning them ? ii. how farre a secret pact with evill spirits doth extend ; and what actions and events must be referred thereunto ? iii. whether reserving my conscience to my selfe , i may be present at an idolatrous devotion ; or whether in the lawfull service of god i may communicate with wicked persons ? iv. whether vowes be not out of fashion now under the gospell ; of what things they may be made ; how farre they oblige us : and whether and how farre they may be capable of a release . v. whom may we justly hold an heretique ; and what is to be done in case of heresie . vi. whether the lawes of men doe bind the conscience ; and how farre we are tyed to their obedience ? vii . whether tithes be lawfull maintenance for ministers under the gospel ? and whether men be bound to pay them accordingly ? viii . whether it be lawfull for christians , where they finde a countrey possessed by savage pagans and infidels , to drive out the native inhabitants , and to seize upon and enjoy their lands upon any pretence whatsoever ; and upon what grounds it may be lawfull so to doe ? ix . whether i need in case of some foule sinne committed by me to have recourse to gods minister for absolution ; and what effect i may expect there-from . x. whether it be lawfull for a man that is not a professed divine , that is ( as we for distinction are wont to call him ) for a meer laick person , to take upon him to interpret scripture ? the contents of the fourth decade . cases matrimoniall . i. whether the marriage of a son or daughter , without or against the consent of parents , may be accounted lawfull ? ii. whether marriage lawfully made may admit of any cause of divorce , save onely for the violation of the marriage-bed by fornication , or adultery ? iii. whether after a lawfull divorce for adultery , the innocent party may marry againe ? iv. whether the authority of a father may reach so farre as to command , or compell the child to dispose of himselfe in marriage where he shall appoint ? v. whether the marriage of cousensgerman , that is , of brothers and sisters children be lawfull ? vi. whether it be necessary , or requisite there should be a witnessed contract , or espousals of the parties to be married before the solemnization of the marriage ? vii . whether there ought to be a prohibition , and forbearance of marriages , and marriage-duties for some times appointed ? viii . whether it be necessary that marriages should be celebrated by a minister ; and whether they may be valid , and lawfull without him ? ix . whether there be any necessity or use of thrice publishing the contract of marriage in the congregation before the celebration of it ; and whether it be fit , that any dispensation should be granted for the forbearance of it ? x. whether marriages once made , may be annulled , and utterly voided ; and in what cases this may be done ? additionals to the fourth decade . i. whether a marriage consummate betwixt the unkle and neece be so utterly unlawful , as to merit a sentence of present separation ? ii. whether it be lawfull for a man to marry his wives brothers widow ? iii. whether an incestuous marriage contracted in simplicity of heart betwixt two persons ignorant of such a defilement , and so farre consummate as that children are borne in that wedlock , ought to be made knowne and prosecuted to a dissolution ? i have perused these foure decades of practicall cases of conscience with much satisfaction and delight , and finde them to be , in respect of their subject matter , so profitable , necessary and daily usefull ; and so piously , learnedly and judiciously discussed and resolved , that they seem unto me best , though they come last , ( like the wine in the marriage feast made sacred by christs divine presence and miracle ) and therefore doe well deserve ( amongst many other the divine dishes and delicacies , wherewith this right reverend , pious and learned authour hath plentiously furnished a feast for the spirituall nourishment and comfortable refreshing of gods guests ) both the approbation and commendation of all , and my selfe amongst the rest , though unworthy to passe my censure on such a subject . john downame . resolutions . the first decade . cases of profit and trafick . case i. whether is it lawfull for me to raise any profit by the loane of money ? you may not expect a positive answer either way : many circumstances are considerable ere any thing can be determined . first , who is it that borrowes ? a poore neighbour that is constrained out of neede ? or a merchant that takes up money for a freer trade ? or a rich man that layes it out upon superfluous occasions ? if a poore man borrow out of necessity , you may not expect any profit for the loane : ( deuteronomy . , , . ) to the poorest of all we must give , and not lend : to the next ranke of poore we must lend freely : but if a man will borrow that money ( which you could improve ) for the enriching of himselfe ; or out of a wanton expence will be laying out that which might be otherwise usefull to you , for his meere pleasure , the case is different ; for god hath not commanded you to love any man more then your selfe ; and there can be no reason why you should vail your owne just advantage to another mans excesse . secondly , upon what termes doe you lend ? whether upon an absolute compact for a set increment , ( what ever become of the principall or upon a friendly trust to a voluntary satisfaction according to the good improvement of the summe lent ? the former is not safe , and where there hath been an honest endeavour of a just benefit disappointed either by unavoidable casualty , or force , may not be rigorously urged , without manifest oppression . the latter can bee no other then lawfull : and with those that are truly faithfull and conscionable , the bond of gratitude is no lesse strong then that of law and justice . thirdly , if upon absolute compact ; is it upon a certainty , or an adventure ? for where you are willing to hazard the principall , there can be no reason but you should expect to take part of the advantage . fourthly , where the trade is ordinarily certaine , there are yet farther considerations to be had : to which shall make way by these undenyable grounds . that the value of moneys or other commodities is arbitrable according to the soveraigne authority and use of severall kingdomes and countries . that whatsoever commodity is saleable , is capable of a profit in the loane of it ; as an horse , or an oxe , being that it may be sold , may be let out for profit . money it selfe is not onely the price of all commodities in all civill nations , but it is also , in some cases , a trafiqueable commodity : the price whereof rises , and falls in severall countries upon occasion ; and yeeldeth either profit or losse in the exchange . there can be no doubt therefore but that money thus considered , and as it were turned merchandise , may be bought and sold , and improved to a just profit . but the maine doubt is , whether money meerely considered as the price of all other commodities , may be let forth for profit ; and be capable of a warrantable increase . for the resolving whereof be it determined , that all usury , which is an absolute contract for the meere loane of money , is unlawfull both by law naturall , and positive , both divine and humane . nature teacheth us that metals are not a thing capable of a superfoetation ; that no man ought to set a price on that which is not his owne time : that the use of the stock once received , is not the lenders , but the borrowers ; for the power , and right of disposing the principall , is by contract transferred for the time to the hands of him that receives it ; so as hee that takes the interest by vertue of such transaction , doth but in a mannerly and legall fashion rob the borrower . how frequent the * scripture is in the prohibition of this practice , no christian can bee ignorant : and as for humane lawes raised even from the meere light of nature amongst heathen nations , how odious , and severely interdicted usurary contracts , have been in all times , it appeares sufficiently by the records which wee have of the decrees of a egypt , of athens , of rome ; and not onely by the restraint of the twelve tables , and of claudius and vespasian ; but by the absolute forbiddance of many popular statutes condemning this usage : tiberius himselfe , though otherwise wicked enough , yet would rather furnish the bankes with his owne stock , to bee freely let out for three yeeres to the citizens , upon onely security of the summe doubled in the forfeiture , then he would endure this griping & oppressive transaction : and how wise cato drove out all usurers out of sicilie , and lucullus freed all asia from this pressure of interest , history hath sufficiently recorded . as for lawes ecclesiasticall , let it be enough that a * councel hath defined , that to say usury is not a sinne , is no better then heresie : and in succeeding times how liable the usurer hath ever been to the highest censures of the church ; and how excluded from the favour of christian buriall , is more manifest then to need any proofe . secondly , however it is unlawfull to covenant for a certaine profit for the mere loane of money , yet there may be , and are circumstances appending to the loane , which may admit of some benefit to be lawfully made by the lender for the use of his money ; and especially these two ; the losse that he sustaines , and the gaine that he misses , by the want of the summe lent : for what reason can there be , that to pleasure another man , i should hurt my selfe , that i should enrich another by my owne losse ? if then i shall incur a reall losse or forfeiture by the delayed payment of the summe lent ; i may justly look fot a satisfaction from the borrower ; yea if there be a true danger of losse to me imminent , when the transaction is made , nothing hinders but that i may by compact make sure such a summe as may be sufficient for my indemnity ; and if i see an opportunity of an apparent profit that i could make fairely by disbursing of such a summe bona fide , and another that hath a more gainefull bargaine in chace shall sue to me to borrow my money out of my hand for his owne greater advantage , there can be no reason why in such a case i should have more respect to his profit , then my owne ; and why should i not even upon pact , secure unto my selfe such a moderate summe as may be somewhat answerable to the gaine which i doe willingly forgoe , for his greater profit ? since it is a true ground which lessius ( with other casuists ) maintains against sotus and durand , that even our hopes of an evident commodity are valuable ; and that no lesse then the feares of our losse . shortly , for the guidance of our either caution , or liberty in matter of borrowing , and lending , the onely cynosure is our charity ; for in all humane and civill acts of commerce , it is a sure rule , that whatsoever is not a violation of charity cannot be unlawfull , and whatsoever is not agreeable to charity can be no other then sinfull : and as charity must be your rule , so your selfe must be the rule of your charity ; looke what you could wish to be done to you by others , doe but the same to others , you cannot be guilty of the breach of charity : the maximes of traffique are almost infinite ; onely charity ( but ever inseparable from justice ) must make the application of them ; that will teach you that every increase by loane of money is not usurary ; and that those which are absolutely such , are damnable : that will teach you to distinguish betwixt the one improvement of loane , and the other ; and will tell you that if you can finde out a way , whether by loane , or sale , to advance your stock , that may be free from all oppression , and extortion ; and beneficiall as well to others , as to your selfe , you need not feare to walke in it with all honest security : but in the meane time take good heed that your heart beguile you not in mis-applications ; for we are naturally too apt out of our self-love to flatter our selves with faire glozes of bad intentions ; and rather to draw the rule to us , then our selves to the rule . but whiles i give you this short solution , i must professe to lament the common ignorance , or mistaking of too many christians , whose zeal justly cryes downe usury as a most hatefull and abominable practice , but in the meane time makes no bones of actions no lesse biting , and oppressive : they care not how high they sell any of their commodities , at how unreasonable rates they ●et their grounds , how they circumvent the buyer in their bargaines , and thinke any price just , any gaine lawfull that they can make in their markets : not considering that there is neither lesse , nor lesse odious usury in selling and letting , then there is in lending : it is the extortion in both that makes the sinne ; without which the kind or termes of the transaction could not be guilty . surely it must needs be a great weaknesse to think that the same god who requires mercy and favour in lending , will allow us to be cruell in selling ; rigour and excesse in both equally violates the law of commutative justice , equally crosses the law of charity : let those therefore that make scruple of an usurious lending , learne to make no lesse conscience of a racking bargaine ; otherwise their partiall obedience will argue a grosse hypocrisie ; and they shall prove themselves the worst kinde of what they hate , usurers : for in the ordinary loan● usury , the borrower hath yet time to boot for his money ; but here the buyer payes downe an excessive interest , without any consideration at all , but the sellers cruelty . for the fuller clearing of which point ; whereas you aske case ii. whether may i not sell my wares as deare as i can , and get what i may of every buyer ? i answer , there is a due price to be set upon every saleable commodity ; else there were no commerce to be used among men : for if every man might set what rate he pleases upon his lands or goods , where should he finde a buyer ? surely nothing could follow but confusion , and want ; for mere extremity must both make the market and regulate it . the due price is that which cuts equally and indifferently betwixt the buyer and seller ; so as the seller may receive a moderate gaine , and the buyer a just penny-worth . in those countries wherein there is a price set by publique authority upon all marketable commodities , the way of commerce is well expedited , and it is soone and easily determined , that it is meete men should be held close to the rule . but where all things are left to an arbitrary transaction , there were no living , if some limits were not set to the sellers demands . these limits must be the ordinary received proportion of price current in the severall countries wherein they are sold ; and the judgement of discreet , wise , experienced and unconcerned persons ; and the well-stated conscience of the seller . if men shall wilfully run beyond these bounds , taking advantage of the rarenesse of the commodity , the paucity or the necessity of the buyers to enhance the price to an unreasonable height , they shall be guilty of the breach of charity , and in making a sinfull bargaine purchase a curse . not that a man is so strictly tyed to any others valuation , as that hee may not upon any occasion aske or receive more then the common price ; or that if the market rise he is bound to sit still : there may be just reason upon a generall mortality of cattle to set those beasts that remaine at an higher rate , or upon a dearth of graine , or other commodities , to heighten the price ; but in such cases wee must bee so affected as that wee grudge to our selves our owne gaine , that wee bee not in the first file of enhancers , that wee strive to be the lowest in our valuation , and labour what we may to bring downe the market ; alwaies putting our selves in our conceits into the buyers roome ; and bethinking how we would wish to be dealt with , if we were in his cloathes . it is lawfull for the seller in his price to have regard not to his rents and disbursements onely , but to his labour , and cost , to his delay of benefit , to his loss in managing , to his hazard or difficulty in conveyance ; but all these in such moderation , as that he may be a just gainer by the bargaine : not setting the dice upon the buyer ; not making too much haste to be rich , by the secret spoiles of an oppressed neighbour . those things whose end is onely pleasure or ornament , as a jewel , an hauke , or an hound , can admit of no certaine value ; the owners affection must estimate it , and the buyers desire must make up an illimited bargaine ; but even in these , and all other commodities that carry the face of unnecessary , conscience must be the clarke of the market ; and tell us that we must so sell , as we could be willing to buy . from all which it followes , that the common maxime current * in the shops of trade , that things are so much worth as they can be sold for ; and those ordinary rules of chapmen , that men who are masters of their wares may heighten their prices at pleasure , and get what they can out of all commers ; and what ever they can get out of the simplicity , or necessity of the buyers , is lawfull prize , are damnably uncharitable and unjust . it were an happy thing , if as it is in some other well ordered nations , there were a certaine regulation of the prices of all commodities by publique authority , the wisdome whereof knows how to rise and fall according to the necessity of the occasion ; so as the buyer might be secured from injury , and the seller restrained from a lawlesse oppression . but where that cannot be had , it is fit that justice and charity should so far over-rule mens actions , that every man may not be carryed in matter of contract , by the sway of his owne unreasonable will , and be free to carve for himselfe as he lists of the buyers purse : every man hath a bird in his bosome that sings to him another note . a good conscience therefore will tell you that if ( taking advantage of the ignorance or unskilfulnesse of the buyer ) you have made a prey of him by drawing from him double the worth of the commodity sold , you are bound to make restitution to him accordingly , and in a proportion so , in all the considerable summes which you shall have by your false protestations , and oathes , and plausible intimations wrought out from an abused buyer ; above that due price which would make you a just and rightly moderated gainer : for assure your selfe , all that you willingly doe this way is but a better-coloured picking of purses ; and what you thus get is but stolne goods varnisht over with the pretence of a calling , and will prove at the last no other then gravel in your throat . case iii. whether is the seller bound to make knowne to the buyer the faults of that which he is about to sell ? it is a question that was long since disputed betwixt the heathen sages , antipater and diogenes , as cicero * informes us : with whom cato so decides it as that his judgement may justly shame and condemne the practice of too many christians : for a full answer , due consideration must be had of divers circumstances . first , what the nature and quality of the fault is ; whether it be sleight and unimporting ; or whether such as may vitiate the thing sold , and render it either unusefull or dangerous to the buyer : or againe , whether the fault be apparent , or secret : both these doe justly vary the case : sleight and harmeless faults may bee concealed without injustice ; main and importing must be signified : if apparent defects bee not discerned by the buyer hee may thanke himselfe ; secret faults knowne onely to the seller , ( such as may be prejudiciall to the buyer ) ought not to be concealed , or if they be concealed so , as that the buyer payes for it as sound , and perfect , binde the seller in conscience , either to void the bargaine , or to give just satisfaction . secondly , it would be considered , whether the buyer before the bargaine be stricken , hath required of the seller to signifie the faults of the commodity to be sold , and out of a reliance upon the sellers fidelity and warrant , hath made up the match : or whether in the confidence of his owne skill , without moving any question , hee enter resolutely , ( de bene esse ) upon the bargained commodity : if the former , a double bond lyes upon the seller to deale faithfully with the buyer , and therefore to let him know the true condition of the thing exposed to sale , that so either he may take off his hand ; or if he shall see that notwith standing that defect it may serve his turne , he may proportion the price accordingly : otherwise he shall be guilty ( besides falshood and oppression ) of perfidiousnesse . but if the buyer will peremptorily rely upon his owne judgement , and as presuming to make a gaine of that bargaine ( which the seller out of conscience of the imperfection , sets ( as hee ought ) so much lower as the defect may bee more disadvantageous to the buyer ) will goe through with the contract , and stand to all hazards , i see no reason why the seller may not receive the price stipulated ; but withall if the match may carry danger in it to the buyer , ( as if the horse sold bee subject to a perilous starting , or stumbling ; the house sold have a secret crack that may threaten ruine ; or the land sold be lyable to a litigious claime which may be timely avoyded ) the seller is bound in conscience ( at least after the bargaine ) to intimate unto the buyer these faulty qualities , that hee may accordingly provide for the prevention of the mischiefe that may ensue . but if the seller shall use art to cover the defects of his commodity , that so he may deceive the buyer in his judgement of the thing bargained for , or shall mix faulty wares with sound , that they may passe undiscovered , he is more faulty then his wares , and makes an ill bargaine for his soule . in this , shortly , and in all other cases that concerne trade , these universall rules must take place . that it is not lawfull for a christian chapman to thrive by fraud . that hee may sell upon no other termes then he could wish to buy . that his profit must be regulated by his conscience , not his conscience by his profit . that he is bound either to prevent the buyers wrong ; or if heedlesly done , to satisfie it . that he ought rather to affect to be honest , then rich : and lastly , that as he is a member of a community both civill and christian , he ought to be tender of another mans indemnity no lesse then of his owne . case iv. whether may i sell my commodities the dearer for giving dayes of payment ? there is no great difference betwixt this case , and that of loane , which is formerly answered ; save that there money is let , here commodities money-worth ; here is a sale , there a lending ; in the one a transferring of the right and command for the time ; in the other perpetually ; but the substance both of the matter and question is the same ; for in both there seemes to be a valuation of time : which whether in case of mutuation , or sale , may justly be suspected for unlawfull . for answer ; there are three stages of prices acknowledged by all casuists ; the highest , which they are wont to call rigorous ; the meane , and the lowest ; if these keep within due bounds , though the highest be hard , yet it is not unjust , and if the lowest be favovorable , yet it is not alwayes necessary . if then you shall proportion but a just price to the time , and worth of your bargaine , so as the present shall passe for the easiest price , some short time for the meane , and the longer delay for the highest , i see not wherein , all things considered , you doe offend . and certainly to debarre the contract of a moderate gaine for the delay of payment upon moneths prefixed , were to destroy all trade of merchandise : for not many buyers are furnished with ready money to buy their wares , at the port ; nor could the sellers make off their commodities so seasonably , as to be ready for further traffique , if they must necessarily be tyed to wait upon the hopes of a pecuniary sale ; and not left to the common liberty of putting them over to whole-sale men upon trust ; who upon a second trust distribute them to those , that vent them by retaile , both for days agreed upon : by which meanes the trade holds up , and the common-wealth enjoyes the benefit of a convenient and necessary commerce . a practice that is now so habituated amongst all nations into the course of trade , that it cannot well consist without it : so as nothing is more ordinary in experience than that those , who are able to pay downe ready money for their wares , know to expect a better pennyworth , then those that runne upon trust : and there may be just reason for this difference ; for the present money received enables the seller to a further improvement of his stock , which lyes for the time dead in the hands that take day for their payment . so then , it is not mere time that is here set to sale , which were odious in any christian to bargaine for ; but there are two incidents into this practice which may render it not unwarrantable . the one is the hazard of the summe agreed upon : which too often comes short in the payment : whiles those subordinate chapmen , into whose hand the grosse summe is scattered , turne bankrupts , and forfeit their trust ; so as no small losse is this way commonly sustained by the confident seller ; in which regard we are wont to say justly , that one bird in the hand is worth two in the wood . the other is the cessation of that gaine which the merchant might in the meane time have made of the sum differred ; which might in likelihood have beene greater then the proportion of the raised price can amount unto ; to which may be added the foreseene probability of the raising of the market in the intervall of payment : the profit whereof is precluded by this meanes to the seller : whose full engagement takes him off perhaps from a resolution to have reserved those commodities in his own hands , in expectation of an opportunity of a more profitable utterance , had not the forwardnesse of the buyer importuned a prevention . upon these considerations , if they be serious , and unfained ; i see not why you may not in a due and moderate proportion , difference your prices according to the delayes of payment , without any oppression to the buyer : howbeit , if any man pleaseth to be so free , as to take no notice of time , but to make future dayes in his account present , i shall commend his charity , though i dare not presse his example as necessary . the case is equally just on the behalfe of the seller : who if he be either driven by some emergent necessity ; or drawne by the opportunity of a more gainfull bargaine , to call for his money before his day , may justly be required by the late buyer , to abate of the returnable summe , in regard of the prevention of the time covenanted ; by reason of the inconvenience or losse whereunto he is put upon the suddaine revocation of that money , which is not by agreement payable till the expiration of the time prefixed . but what quantity is to be allowed on the one part , or defalked on the other , is onely to be moderated by christian charity , and that universall rule of doing what we would be willing to suffer . case v. whether , and how farre , monopolies are , or may be lawfull . the most famous monopolie that we finde in history is that of egypt , gen. . , . wherein the provident patriarch joseph , out of the fore-sight of a following dearth , bought up the seven yeares graine for pharaoh , and layd it up in publique store-houses ; and in the generall scarcity sold it out to the inhabitants , and strangers , with no small advantage ; which was so farre from unlawfull , as that he thereby merited the name of the saviour of aegypt : * and if any worthy patriot out of a like providence , shall before-hand gather up the commodities of his country into a publique magazine for the common benefit and reliefe of the people ; upon the pinch of an ensuing necessity , he is so farre out of the reach of censure , as that he well deserves a statue with the inscription of publique benefactor ; so as it is not the meere act of monopolizing that makes the thing unlawfull , but the ground and intention , and the manner of carriage . all monopolies , as they are usually practised , are either such as are allowed by soveraigne authority , or privately contrived by secret plot and convention for a peculiar gaine to some speciall persons . if the first , it must be considered upon what reason that priviledge is granted , and upon what termes ; if both these be just , the grant can be no other . for first , it may not be denyed , that supreme authority , whether of princes or states , hath power to grant such priviledges where they shall finde just cause ; and secondly , that there may be very just motives of granting them to some capable and worthy persons ; i should be ashamed to imagine that either of these should need any probation . doubtlesse then , there is manifest equity , that where there hath beene some great merit , or charge , or danger in the compassing of some notable worke for a common good , the undertaker should be rewarded with a patent for a secured profit to himselfe . as put case some well minded printer ( as one of the stephens ) is willing to be at an excessive charge in the faire publication of a learned and usefull worke for the benefit of the present and following ages ; it is most just that he should from the hands of princes or states receive a priviledge for the sole impression ; that he may recover , with advantage , the deep expence he hath beene at ; otherwise some interloper may perhaps underhand fall upon the work at a lower rate , and undoe the first editor ; whose industry , care and cost shall thus be recompenced with the ruine of himselfe and his posterity ; as were too easie to instance . if a man have by notable dexterity of wit , and art ; and much labour and charge after many experiments , attained to the skill of making some rare engine of excellent use for the service of his prince and countrey , as some singular water worke ; or some beneficiall instrument for the freeing of navigable rivers from their sandy obstructions , it is all the reason in the world , that by the just bounty of princes he should be so far remunerated , as that he alone may receive a patent of enjoying a due profit of his owne invention . but how farre it may be lawfull for a prince , not onely to gratifie a well deserving subject , with the fee of his owne devise , but with a profit arising from the sole sale of marketable commodities through his kingdome ; or whether , and how farre in the want of monies , for the necessary service of his state , he may for the publique use , raise , set , or sell monopolies of that kind , is diversly agitated by casuists ; and must receive answer according to the absolutenesse or limitation of those governments , under which they are practised : but with this , that where this is done , there may be great care had of a just price to be set upon the commodities so restrained , that they be not left to the lawlesse will of a priviledged ingrosser , nor heightned to an undue rate by reason of a particular indulgence . this may be enough for authoritative monopolies . the common sort of offensive practices this way are private and single , or conventionall , and plotted by combination ; the former , as when some covetous extortioner , out of the strength of his purse , buyes up the whole lading of the ship , that he may have the sole power of the wares to sell them at pleasure , which , there is no feare but he w●ll doe with rigour enough : the true judgment of which action , & the degrees of the malignity of it , must be fetcht , as from the minde , so from the management of the buyer ; as being so much more sinfull , as it partakes more of oppression . the latter , when some brethren in evill conspire to prevent the harvest , to buy up , or hoord up the graine ; with a purpose to starve the market , and to hatch up a dearth : a damnable practice in both kindes ; and that which hath of old beene branded with a curse ; neither lesse full of justice than uncharitablenesse ; and that which cryes aloud , for a just punishment , and satisfactory restitution . i cannot therefore but marvaile at the opinion of learned lessius ( which he fathers also upon molina ) that too favourably minces the hainousnesse of this sin ; bearing us in hand , that it is indeed an offence against charity , and common profit , but not against particular justice , his reason : to buy that corne ( saith he ) could not be against justice , for he bought it at the current price : nor yet to sell it , could be against justice , because he was not tyed out of justice at that time to bring it forth to sale : when he might easily have considered , that it is not the mere act of buying , or of not selling , that in it selfe is accused for unjust , but to buy , or not to sell , with an intention , and issue of oppressing others , and undue enriching themselves by a dearth . for what can be more unjust then for a man to indevour to raise himself by the affamishing of others ? neither can it serve his turne to say by way of excuse , that the multitude of buyers may be the cause of a dearth , and yet without sin ; since they doe rather occasion , then cause a scarcity ; and are so farre from intending a dearth in making their market , that they deprecate it , as their great affliction . and if , by his owne confession , those , who either by force , or fraud hinder the importation of corne , that a dearth may continue , are guilty of injustice , and are bound to make restitution both to the commonwealth in giving cause to raise the price ; as also to the merchant , whom they have hindered of his meet gaine ; how can those be liable to a lesse sin , or punishment , that either buy up , or wilfully keep in , their graine with a purpose to begin , and hold on a dearth ? and what lesse can it be then force or fraud , that by their crafty and cruell prevention the poor are necessitated to want that sustenance , whereby their life should be maintained ? wise solomon shall shut up this scene for me . he that with holds corn , the people shall curse him , but blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth it . prov. . . case vi. whether , and how farre doth the fraudulent bargaine binde me to performance . how farre in matter of law , you must advise with other counsaile , but for matter of conscience , take this : is the fraud actively yours , done by you to another ? or else passively put by another upon you ? if the former , you are bound to repent and satisfie ; either by rescinding the match , or by making amends for the injury : if the latter ; wherein did the fraud lye ? if in the maine substance of the thing sold , the bargaine is both by the very law of nature , and in conscience , void ; yea indeed , not at all : as if a man have sold you copper lace for gold ; or alchymie-plate for silver ; the reason is well given by * casuists : there is no bargaine without a consent ; and here is no consent at all , whiles both parties pitch not upon the same subject ; the buyer propounds to himselfe gold and silver , the seller obtrudes copper , and alchymie ; the one therefore not buying what the other pretended to sell , here is no bargaine made , but a mere act of cozenage , justly liable to punishment by all lawes of god and man. but if the fraud were onely in some circumstances , as in some faulty condition of the thing sold not before discerned ; or in the over-prizing of the commoditie bought ; the old rule is , caveat emptor ; you must for ought i know ) hold you to your bargain ; but if that faulty condition be of so high a nature that it marres the commoditie , and makes it uselesse to the buyer , the seller being conscious of the fault ) is injurious in the transaction , and is bound in conscience to make satisfaction ; and if he have willingly over-reacht you in the price , in a considerable proportion is guilty of oppression . it is very memorable in this kinde that cicero relates to us of a fraudulent bargaine betwixt * canius , a roman knight and orator , and one pythius a banker of syracuse . canius comming upon occasion of pleading to the city of syracuse , tooke a great liking to the place ; and setling there , gave out that he had a great desire to buy some one of those pleasant gardens , wherewith , it seemes , that city abounded ; that he might there recreate himself when he pleased , with his friends . pythius , a crafty merchant , hearing of it , sends word to canius , that hee had a faire garden which he had no minde to sell ; but if he pleased to make use of it for his solace , he might command it as his owne ; and withall courteously invites canius to suppe with him there the day following : in the meane time being a man by reason of his trade of exchange , very gracious in the city , he calls the fishermen together , and desires them that the next evening they would fish in the streame before his garden , and bring him , what they shall have caught : canius in due time comes according to the invitation , to supper ; where there was delicate provision made for him by pythius ; and store of boates bringing in their plentifull draughts of fish , and casting them downe at the feet of pythius : canius askes the meaning of this concourse of fishermen , and store of profered provision ? pythius tells him this is the commodity and priviledge of the place , if syracuse yeeld any fish , here it is caught , and here tendered ; canius beleeving the report , importunes his host to sell him the ground : the owner after some seeming loathnesse , and squeamish reluctation , at last yeelds to gratifie him with the bargaine : the deare price is payd downe with much eagernesse . the new master of the place , in much pride of his purchase , the next day repaires early to his garden , invites his friends to a friday feast ; and finding no boat there , asks the neighbour whether it were holiday with the fishermen , that he saw none of them there ; no , said the good man , none that i know ; but none of the trade use to fish here ; and i much marvailed at the strange confluence of their boats here yesterday : the roman orator was downe in the mouth ; finding himselfe thus cheated by the money-changer : but , for ought i see , had his amends in his hands ; he meant , and desired to buy the place , though without any such accommodation ; but over-bought it upon the false pretence of an appendent commodity ; the injury was the sellers , the losse must be the buyers . but if such be the case , that you are meerely drawne in by the fraud , and would not have bought the commodity at all , if you had not beene induced by the deceit , and false oathes and warrants of the seller , you have just reason , either , if you may , to fall off from the bargaine ; or , if the matter be valuable , to require a just satisfaction from the seller ; who is bound in conscience , either by annulling the bargaine , or abatement of price to make good your indemnity . in these matters of contract there is great reason to distinguish betwixt a willing deceit , and an involuntary wrong ; if a man shall fraudulently sell an horse which he knowes secretly and incurably diseased , to another for sound ; and that other , beleeving the sellers deep protestation , shall upon the same price , bonâ fide , put him off to me ; i feel my selfe injured , but whither shall i go for an amends ? i cannot challenge the immediate seller , for he deceived me not ; i cannot challenge the deceiver , for he dealt not with me ; in humane lawes , i am left remedilesse ; but in the law of conscience , the first seller , who ought to have born his own burthen of an inevitable losse , is bound to transferre by the hands that sold me that injurious bargaine , a due satisfaction . neither is it other of fraudulent conveyances in the houses or land , how ever the matter may be intricated by passing through many perhaps unknowing hands , yet the sinne and obligation to satisfaction , will necessarily lie at the first door ; whence if just restitution doe not follow , the seller may purchase hell to boot . think not now on this discourse , that the onely fraud is in selling ; there may be no lesse ( though not so frequent ) fraud in buying also ; whether in unjust payment , by false coyne ; or by injustice of quantities , as in buying by weights , or measures above allowance ; or by wrong valuation of the substance & quality of the commodity , misknown by the seller ; as for instance , a simple man , as i have knowne it done in the western parts , findes a parcell of ambergris cast upon the sands ; he perceiving i● to be some unctious matter , puts it to the base use of his shooes , or his cart wheel ; a merchant that smels the worth of the stuffe buyes it of him for a small summe ; giving him a shilling or two , for that which himselfe knowes to be worth twenty pounds : the bargaine is fraudulent ; and requires a proportionable compensation to the ignorant seller into whose hands providence hath cast so rich a booty . shortly , in all these intercourses of trade , that old and just rule which had wont to sway the traffique of heathens , must much more take place amongst christians , ( cum bonis benè agier ) that honest men must be honestly dealt with : and therefore that all fraud must be banished out of their markets ; or , if it dares to intrude , soundly punished ; and mulcted with a due satisfaction . case vii . how far , and when am i bound to make restitution of another mans goods remaining in my hand ? restitution is a duty no lesse necessary , than rarely practised amongst christians . the arch publican zacheus knew that with this he must begin his conversion ; and that knowne rule of saint austen * is in every mans mouth , no remission without restitution . for this act is no small piece of commutative justice ; which requires that every man should have his owne : most just therefore it is , that what you have taken , or detained from the true owner should be restored ; neither can it be sufficient , that you have conceived a drye and bootlesse sorrow for your wrongfull detention , unlesse you also make amends to him by a reall compensation . but you are disabled to make restitution by reason of want , your will is good , but the necessity , into which you are fallen , makes you uncapable of performance : see first , that it be a true , and not fained necessity ; many a one , like to leud criples that pretend false soares , counterfeit a need that is not , and shelter themselves in a willing jaile , there living merrily upon there defrauded creditor , whom they might honestly satisfie by a well improved libertie : this case is damnably unjust ; but if it be a true necessity of gods making , it must excuse you for the time ; till the same hand that did cast you downe , shall be pleased to raise you up againe ; then , you are bound to satisfie ; and in the meane time , lay the case truly before your creditor , who if he be not mercilesse , where he sees a reall desire , and indeavour of satisfaction , will imitate his god in accepting the will for the deed : and wait patiently for the recovery of your estate . you ask now , to whom you should tender restitution ? to whom , but the owner ? but he , you say , is dead ; that will not excuse you ; he lives still in his heires ; it is memorable ( though in a small matter ) which seneca reports of a pythagorean philosopher at athens , who having run upon the score for his shooes at a shop there ; hearing that the shoomaker was dead , at first was glad to think the debt was now paid ; but straight recollecting himselfe , he sayes within himselfe ; yet , howsoever , ever , the shoomaker lives still to thee , though dead to others ; and thereupon puts his money into the shop , as supposing that both of them would finde an owner . it is a rare case that a man dyes , and leaves no body in whom his right survives : but if there be neither heire , nor executor , nor administrator , nor assigne ; the poore ( saith our saviour ) ye shall have alwayes with you ; make thou them his heire : turne your debt into almes . obj. but alas you say ; i am poore my selfe , what need i then look forth for any other ? why may not i employ my restitution to the reliefe of my owne necessity ? sol. it is dangerous , and cannot be just for a man to be his owne carver altogether in a business of this nature ; you must look upon this money , as no more yours than a strangers ; and howsoever it be most true that every man is nearest to himselfe , and hath reason to wish to bee a sharer , where the need is equall ; yet it is fit this should be done with the knowledge and approbation of others : your pastor , and those other that are by authority interessed in these publique cares , are fit to be acquainted with the case ; ( if it be in a matter meet to be notified ) as a businesse of debt or pecuniary ingagement , let their wisdome proportion the distribution ; but if it be in the case of some secret crime , as of theft , or cozenage , which you would keep as close as your owne heart , the restitution must be charged upon your conscience to be made with so much more impartiality , as you desire it more to be concealed ; herein have a care of your soule , what ever becomes of your estate . as for the time of restitution it is easily determined , that it cannot well be too soone for the discharge of your conscience , it may be too late for the occasions of him to whom it is due ; although it may fall out , that it may prove more fit to deferre for the good of both : wherein charity and justice must be called in as arbitrators ; the owner calls for his money in a riotous humour to mis-spend it upon his unlawfull pleasure ; if your delay may prevent the mischiefe , the forbearance is an act of mercy : the owner calls for a sword deposited with you , which you have cause to suspect he meanes to make use of , for some ill purpose ; your forbearing to restore it is so both charitable and just , that your act of delivery of it may make you accessary to a murther . whereto i may adde , that in the choice of the time , you may lawfully have some respect to your selfe ; for if the present restitution should be to your utter undoing , which may be avoided by some reasonable delay , you have no reason to shun anothers inconvenience by your own inevitable ruine ; in such case let the creditor be acquainted with the necessity , his offence deprecated ; and rather put your selfe upon the mercy of a chancery , then be guilty of your owne overthrow . but when the power is in your hand , and the coast every way cleare , let not another mans goods or mony stick to their fingers ; and thinke not that your head can long lye easily upon another mans pillow . yea , but you say the money or goods mis-carried , either by robbery or false trust , ere you could employ them to any profit at all ; this will not excuse you ; after they came into your power , you are responsible for them ; what compassion this may work in the good nature of the owner for the favour of an abatement , must be left to his own brest ; your tye to restitution is not the lesse ; for it is supposed , had they remained in the owners hands they had been safe ; if it were not your fault , yet it was your crosse , that they miscarried ; and who should bear your crosse but your self ? shortly then , after all pretences of excuse ; the charge of wise solomon must be obeyed : with-hold not good from the owners thereof , when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it , prov. , . case viii . whether , and how farre doth a promise extorted by fear , though seconded by an oath , bind my conscience to performance ? a mere promise is an honest mans strong obligation ; but if it be withall backed with an oath , the bond is sacred , and inviolable . but let me ask you what promise it is that you thus made , and bound ▪ if it be of a thing unlawfull to be done , your promise and oath is so farre from binding you to performance , that it bindes you onely to repentance that ever you made it ; in this case your performance would double and heighten your sinne : it was ill to promise , but it would be worse to performe : herod is by oath ingaged for an indefinite favour to salome ; she pitches upon baptist's head ; he was sory for such a choice , yet for his oaths sake hee thinkes hee must make it good : surely , herod was ill-principled , that he could thinke a rash oath must binde him to murder an innocent ; he might have truly said , this was more than he could doe ; for that we can do , which we can lawfully doe . but if it be a lawfull thing that you have thus promised , and sworne ; though the promise were unlawfully drawne from you by feare , i dare not perswade you to violate it . it is true that divers learned casuists hold , that a promise drawne from a man by feare is void , or at least revokable at pleasure ; and so also the oath annexed , which followes the nature of the act whereto it appends ; chiefly upon this ground ; that both these are done without consent , meere involuntary acts , since nothing can be so contrary to consent as force and feare : but i dare not goe along with them ; for that i apprehend there is not an absolute involuntarinesse in this engagement , but a mixt one , such as the * philosopher determines in the mariner , that casts his goods over board to save his life ; in it selfe , he hath no will to doe it ; but here and now upon this danger imminent , he hath an halfe-will to perform it . secondly , i build upon their owne ground ; there is the same reason , they say , of force , and of fraud ; now that a promise and oath drawne from us by fraud bindes strongly , we need no other instance then that of joshua made to the gibeonites ; there could not be a greater fraud than lay hid in the old shooes , thred-bare garments , rent bottels , and mouldy provisions of those borderers ; who under the pretence of a remote nation put themselves under the interest and protection of israel : josh. . , . &c. the guile soone proved apparent , yet durst not joshua , though he found himselfe cheated into this covenant , fall off from the league made with them ; which when , after many ages , saul out of politique ends went about to have broken , we see how fearfully it was avenged with a grievous plague of famine upon israel , even in davids dayes , sam. . . who was no way accessary to the oppression ; neither could be otherwise expiated than by the bleeding of saul's bloody house . when once we have interessed god in the businesse , it is dangerous not to be punctuall in the performance . if therefore a bold thiefe , taking you at an advantage , have set his dagger to your brest , and with big oathes threatned to stab you , unlesse you promise and sweare to give him an hundred pounds to be left on such a day in such a place for him , i see not how ( if you be able ) you can dispence with the performance ; the onely help is , ( which is well suggested by * lessius ) that nothing hinders why you may not , when you have done , call for it back againe , as unjustly extorted . and truly , we are beholding to the jesuite for so much of a reall equivocation ; why should you not thus right your selfe , since you have onely tyed your selfe to a mere payment of the summe ? upon staking it downe for him , you are free . but if he have forc'd you to promise , and swear not to make him knowne , you are bound to be silent in this act , concerning your selfe ; but withall , if you find that your silence may be prejudiciall to the publique good , for that you perceive the licentiousnesse of the offender proceeds ( and is like so to doe ) to the like mischiefe unto others , you ought , though not to accuse him for the fact done unto you ; yet to give warning to some in authority to have a vigilant eye upon so leud a person , for the prevention of any further villany . but if it be in a businesse , whose perill rests onely in your selfe , the matter being lawfull to be done ; your promise and oath ( though forced from you ) must hold you close to performance , notwitstanding the inconveniencies that attend . if therefore you are dismissed upon your parole , for a certaine time , to returne home , and dispose of your affaires , and then to yield your selfe againe prisoner to an enemy ; the obligation is so strict and firme , that no private respects may take it off : and it should be a just shame to you , that a * pagan should out of common honesty hold himself bound to his word , ( not without the danger of torment and death ) when you that are a christian slip away from your oath . case iv. whether those moneys or goods which i have found , may be safely taken and kept by me to my owne use . it is well distinguished by sotus out of aquinas * , that those things which may be found , are either such as call no man master , as some pearl , or precious stone , or ambergris lying upon the shore ; or such as have an owner , but unknowne to us , or ( as we may adde , to make up the number compleat ) such as whose owner we know . where the true owner is knowne , speedy restitution must follow ; otherwise the detention is in the next doore to theft ; where the commodity found hath no owner , it justly falls to the right of the first finder ; for both the place and the thing are masterlesse , ( adespota ) and common ; offering themselves to the next commer : the onely difficulty is in those things which have an unknown owner : and certainly common justice and honesty suggests to us , that we may not seize on commodities of this kinde , as absolutely our own ; the casualty of their mis-laying doth not alter their propriety ; they are still his that lost them ; though out of his sight , yet not out of his right ; and even naturall justice , would give every man his owne . the lawes both civill and canon , and municipall doe sufficiently guide our practise in many particular cases of this nature , and our conscience must lead us to follow them : if they be quick commodities , as horses , sheep , kine , and the like , ( which we call waifes and strayes ) every one knowes they are to be publiquely impounded , that upon search the owner may be the surer to find them ; and if he come not in , the sooner , to be openly cryed in severall markets , that the noise of his own neglected goods may come to his eare : and if , upon a continuing silence , they be put into the custody of the lord of the manour , ( who is most likely to be responsible ) and he shall make use of them , before his year and day be expired , he shall not doe it without some mark of distinction , that yet the true owner may know , they are not challenged by the present possessour , as his owne , but lye open to the just claime of their true master . but if they be dead commodities , as a jewell , a purse , or some ring of price , or the like , the finder may not presently smother up the propriety of it in his owne cofer ; his heart tells him that the meer accident of his finding it , cannot alienate the just right of it from the true owner ; he is therefore bound in conscience , in an honest sincerity to use all good means for the finding out of the right proprietary , whether by secret inquiry , or open publication : and if after due inquisition , no claime shall be made to it for the present , he shall reserve it in his hand in expectation of a just challenge : upon the assurance whereof ( how late soever ) he is bound to restore it to the proper owner : who , on the other side , shall faile in his duty of gratitude , if he returne not some meet acknowlegement of that good office , and fidelity : in all which mutuall carriages , we ought to be guided by those respects , which we could wish tendered to our selves in the like occasions . mean while , in all the time of our custody , we are to looke upon those commodities as strangers ; making account of such a potentiall right onely in them , as we are ready and desirous to resigne to the hands that purchased and lost them . on the contrary , no words can expresse the horrible cruelty and injustice that is wont to be done in this kinde , not onely on our shores , but in other nations also , upon the ship-wrecked goods both of strangers , and our own compatriots ; whiles in stead of compassioning and relieving the losse , and miseryes of our distressed bretheren , every man is ready to run upon the spoile , and , as if it were from some plundered enemy , is eagerly busie in carrying away what riches soever come to hand , which they falsly , and injuriously terme gods grace , when as indeed it is no other than the devils booty . this practise can passe for no other than a meere robbery , so much more haynous , as the condition of the mis-carried owner is more miserable : what a foule inhumanity is this , to persecute him whom god hath smitten ; and upon no other quarrell to be cruell to our brother , than because the sea hath been mercilesse ? deare countrymen , ye especially of the west , leave these abominable pillages to savage nations , that know not god ; and , putting on the bowels of tender compassion , lend your best succour rather for the rescue of poore wrecked soules , and safely preserving that small residue of their drowned fraight , which you cannot imagine that the sea hath therefore forborn to swallow , that you might . case x. whether i may lawfully buy those goods which i shall strongly suspect , or know to be stolen or plundered ; or , if i have ignorantly bought such goods , whether i may lawfully ( after knowledge of their owner ) keep them as miue . to buy those goods which you know , or have just cause to suspect to be stoln or plundered , is no better th●n to make your selfe accessary to the theft ; if you doe it with an intention to possesse them as your owne ; for what doe you else herein , but ex-post-facto partake with that thiefe , who stole them ; and incourage him in his leud practices ? since according to the old word ; if there were no receivers , there would be no thieves . neither will it serve the turn , that in the case of plunder , there may seeme a pretence of justice , in that this is pleaded perhaps to be done by some colour of authority ; for certainly where there is not law , there can be no justice , whereof law is the onely rule : whatever then is against an established law , in matter of right and possession , can be no other than unjust ; take heed therefore lest that heavy challenge of the almighty be ( upon this bargaine ) charged upon you ; psal. . . when thou sawest a thiefe , thou consentedst with him : these stoln waters may be sweet in the mouth , but they will be poyson in the maw , and like the water of a just jealousie , rottennesse to the belly : but if ( as these ill-gotten goods are lightly cheap penny-worths ) you buy them onely with an intention to gratifie the true owner , with an easie purchase of his owne , ( which would perhaps else be unrecoverable ) ( whiles your profession , it do it for no other end , takes off the scandall ) i cannot but allow your act , and commend your charity . but if , making use of that rule which saint paul gives for meat , in bargaining for any other commodityes , you shall extend your liberty to whatsoever is sold in the market , and shall in the exercise of that freedome upon a just and valuable consideration ignorantly buy those goods which you afterward heare , and know , to be anothers , the contract is on your part valid , and faultlesse , since your invincible want of knowledge acquits you from any guilt of consent ; but withall , there is an after-game to be plaid by you : you are bound ( upon just notice ) to acquaint the true owner with the matter , and to profer your selfe ready to joyne with him in the prosecution of law , or justice upon the offender , and upon a meet satisfaction to tender him his own . but if the theft be onely upon probability ; and it be doubtfull whether the goods belong to the owner notifyed to you , your duty is to make diligent inquiry into the businesse ; and if upon due inquisition , you finde too much likelihood of the theft , i dare not advise you ( with some casuists ) to reverse the bargaine , and to returne the commodity to those false hands that purloyned it ; but rather to call the probable owner , and with him to appeale unto just authority ; for a more full examination of the right , and an award answerable to justice : but if there appeare no good grounds for an impeachment , you may peaceably sit down in the possession , till further evidence may convince your judgement in the contrary . resolutions . the second decade . cases of life and liberty . case i. whether , and in what cases it may be lawfull for a man to take away the life of another . how light a matter soever it may seeme to the world now long soaked in blood , a mans life is most precious ; and may not ( but upon the waightiest of all causes ) be either taken , or given away . the great god hath reserved to himself this prerogative , to be the onely absolute lord of it ; neither can any creature have power to command it , but those onely to whom he hath committed it by speciall deputation ; nor they neither , by any independent or illimited authority ; but according as it is regulated by just lawes : to call for a mans life meerly out of will , is no other than a turkish tyranny . now the same god that hath ordained soveraign powers to judge of , and protect the life of others , hath given weighty charge to every man to tender and manage his owne : which bindes him to use all just meanes for his owne preservation ; although it should be the necessitated destruction of another . let us see therefore how far , and in what cases , man , that is alwayes appointed to be master of his owne life , may be also master of another mans . that publique justice may take away the life of hainous malefactors , is sufficiently knowne , to be not lawfull onely , but required ; and indeed so necessary , that without it there were no living at all amongst men . that in a just warre the life of an open enemy may be taken away , is no lesse evident ; the onely question is of private men in their owne cases . and here we need not doubt to say that even a private man , being mortally assaulted , may in his owne defence lawfully kill another ; i suppose the assault mortall , when both the weapon is deadly , and the fury of the assailant threatens death ; as for some sleight and suddaine passages of a switch , or a cane , they come not under this consideration , although those small affronts offered to eminent persons prove oftentimes to be quarrells no lesse than mortall . but even in these assaults , ( except the violence be so too impetuous , that it will admit of neither parle nor pause ) there ought to be ( so much as may consist with our necessary safety ) a tender regard and indeavour to avoid the spilling of bloud ; but if neither perswasion , nor the shifting ( what we may ) our station , can abate any thing of the rage of the assailer , death must : yea , if not my brother onely , but my father , or my sonne should in this forcible manner set upon mee , howsoever i should hazard the award of some blowes , and with teares beg a forbearance , yet , if there would bee no remedy , nature must pardon mee ; no man can bee so neare mee as my selfe . i cannot therefore subscribe to the counsell of * leonardus lessius ( abetting some ancieut casuists , and pretended to be countenanced by some fathers ) that it were meet for clericall and religious persons rather to suffer death , than to kill a murtherer : since no reason can be shewed , why their life should not bee as deare to them as others ; or why they should be exempted from the common law of nature ; or why their sacred hands should be more stained with the foule blood of a wicked man-slayer , justly shed , than any others . i am sure phineas thought not so ; nor samuel after him ; and ( which is most of all ) that the honor and priviledges of the sonnes of levi were both procured , and seoffed on them upon an injoyned blood-shed . * onely here is the favour and mercy of that learned casuist , that clerks and votaries are not alwayes bound rather to dye , than kill : for , saith he , if such religious persons should bethink himselfe , that he is in a deadly sinne , and should thereupon feare that he should be damned , if he were killed in that wofull and desperate estate ; hee were then bound by all meanes to defend himselfe , and to preferre the safety of his owne soule , before the life of another : as if nothing but the feare of damnation could warrant a man for his owne safeguard , as if nothing but the danger of hell could authorize an holy person to be his owne guardian ; as if the best of lives were so cheap and worthlesse , that they might be given away for nothing , whereas contrarily precious in the sight of the lord is the death of all his saints , psalm . . but in such a case ( according to the opinion of this great * casuist ) charity to our selves doth not more arme and enforce our hand , than charity to our neighbour holds it , and bindes it up : we may not kill , lest the man-slayer , dying in the attempt of this murther , should everlastingly perish : surely , i cannot but admire this unreasonable mercy in a father of the society ; where was this consideration when so many thousands of innocent persons were doomed to be blown up in a state of impenitence ; whose unrepented heresie must needs have sent them up instantly to their hell ? by this reason , a malefactor , if he be obdured in his sinne , and professeth to bee remorslesse , may not feele the stroke of justice . shortly then , if a man will needes be wicked to my destruction , the evill is his owne ; let him beare his owne guilt , let me looke to my owne indempnity . the case is yet more difficult where the attempt is not upon my person , but my goods ; if a man will be offering to robbe my house , or to take my purse , what may i doe in this case ? surely , neither charity , nor justice can disswade me from resisting ; the lawes of god and man will allow me to defend my owne ; and if in this resistance the thief , or burglayer miscarry , his blood will be upon his owne head : although in the meane time , charity forbids that this slaughter should be first in my intention ; which is primarily bent upon my owne safety , and the vindication of my owne just propriety : the blood that followes is but the unwilling attendant of my defence : of the shedding whereof , god is so tender , that he ordained it onely to be inoffensively done in a nightly robbery ; exodus . . where the purpose of the thiefe is likely to bee more murtherous , and the act more uncapable of restitution . what then if the thiefe , after his robbery done , ceasing any further danger of violence , shall betake himselfe to his heeles , and run away with my money ? in such a case , if the summe be so considerable , as that it much imports my estate , how ever our municipall lawes may censure it ( with which , of old , even as killing ( * se defendendo ) was no lesse than felony of death ) my conscience should not strike me if i pursue him with all might , and in hot chase so strike him , as that by this meanes i disable him from a further escape , for the recovery of my owne ; and if hereupon his death shall follow , however i should passe with men , god and my owne heart would acquit mee . neither doubt i to say● the like may be done upon a forcible attempt of the violation of the chastity of either sexe : a case long agoe adjudged by the doome of nature it selfe in marius the generall of the roman army ( as * cicero tells us ) clearely acquitting a young man for killing a colonel that would have forced him in this kind . but i may not assent to † dominicus bannez , petrus navarrus , and cajetan , ( though grave authors ) who hold , that if a man goe about upon false and deadly criminations to subborne witnesses against mee , to accuse me to a corrupted judge , with a purpose to take away my life , in a colour of justice , if i have no other way to avoid the malice , i may lawfully kill him : it were a wofull and dangerous case , if every man might be allowed to carve himselfe of justice ; meere accusations are no convictions ; how know i what god may work for me on the bench , or at the barre ? what evidence hee may raise to cleare mee ? what confusion , or contraction hee may cause in the mouthes of the hired witnesses ? what change he may work in the judge ; what interposition of higher powers ; there is a providence in this case to be relyed upon ; which can and will bring about his owne holy purposes , without our presumptuous , and unwarrantable undertakings . case ii. whether may i lawfully make use of a duell for the deciding of my right , or the vindication of my honour ? i have long agoe spent my opinion upon this point , in a large epistolar discourse , which i finde no reason to alter : thither i might referre you to spare my labour ; but lest perhaps that should not be at hand ; shortly thus : the sword in a private hand was never ordained to be a decider of any controversies , save this one , whether of the two is the better fencer ; nor yet that alwayes , since eccles. . . the race is not to the swift , nor the battaile to the strong ; as solomon hath observed : it can be no better therefore , than a meere tempting of god , as * rodriguez justly censures it , to put our selves , or our cause upon so unwarranted a tryall : i finde but two practises of it in the records of scripture ; the one , that famous challenge of goliah , which that proud philistim had not made , if he had not presumed of his giantly strength , and stature , so utterly unmatchable by all israel , sam. . . that the whole host was ready to give back upon his appearance ; he knew the advantage so palpable , that none would dare to undertake the quarrell ; and had still gone on to triumph over that trembling army , had not gods inexpected champion , by divine instinct taken up the monster , and vanquisht him , leaving all but his head , to bedung that earth , which had lately shaken at his terrour . the other was in that mortall quarrell betwixt joab and abner , on the behalfe of their two masters , david and ishbosheth ; sam. . . wherein abner invites his rivall in honor , to a tragicall play , ( as he termes it ) a monomachie of twelve single combatants on either part ; which was so acted , that no man went victor away from that bloudy theater ; only it is observable , that in both these conflicts still the challengers had the worst . in imitation of which latter , i cannot allow that which i find frequently done in the managing of publique hostility ; that some confident caval●er out of meere bravery of spirit craves leave to put himselfe forth before both armies , and ( as in way of preface to an ensuing battaile ) bids defiance to any antagonist ; an act of more valor than judgement ; whereof the undertaking is void of warrant ; and the issue ( lightly ) of successe ? whiles it pleaseth god commonly to punish presumption with a foyle ; and the ominous miscarriage of one , proves a sad discouragement to many . and if single fortitude be not triable this way , much lesse justice in causes litigious ; to make the sword arbiter of such differences , were no better than to revive the old ordalian triall used by our heathen ancestors : sith god hath no more ordained , nor promised to blesse the one than the other ; and reason it selfe tells us , in how ill a condition that righteous cause is , which must be carried by the sharper weapon , the stronger arme , the skilfuller fencer . now whereas there are two acts , as introductions into the field , a challenge , and an acceptation ; both of them have their guilt , but the former so much more , as it hath in it more provocation to evill . i cannot therefore but wonder at , and cry downe the opinion of bannez , and cajetan , that a man slandered by an unjust accuser , may justly challenge him the field , and vindicate himselfe by the sword ; a doctrine , which if it were allowed and accordingly practised , besides that it would destroy the course of justice , and wrest revenge out of the hands of the almighty , were enough to make the world an aceldama ; for who would not be his owne judge for the accusation ; and his owne executioner for the revenge ? there may yet seeme more innocence in the acceptation ; which makes shew of a meere passive nature , and appeares to be extorted by the insolence of a provoking adversary , whose pressures are wont to receive such construction , as that the challenged party refusing , upon what ground soever , is in the vulgar opinion proclaimed for base and recreant ; and i must needs confesse , the irritation diminisheth the offence ; but withall , however the spanish and italian casuists ( whose nations are wont to stand a little too highly upon the points of a mis called honour ) are wont to passe faire interpretations of the matter , i cannot but find it deeply guilty also : for what is this other , than a consent to sin by engaging in blood ; which by a man wise and conscionable might be turned off with a just contempt , without imputation of cowardise : since the plea of conscience is able to beare downe the vaine fancies of idle sword-men : or , if that will not be taken , the false blurres that are cast upon a worthy mans reputation by vulgar breath , deserve no entertainment but scorne ; or lastly , other means lie open to both parts for the proofe of a questioned valour , which in a lawfull way the challenged is ready to embrace ; he walks not unprovided about the businesse of his calling , if he be fairely set upon , on equall termes , he shall make no doubt to defend himselfe : but to make a formall businesse of a quarrell , on either part , and to agree upon a bargaine of blood-shedding , is wicked and damnable ; and though both should come fairely off , yet the very intention to kill , is murther . this case is so cleare , that the counsell of * trent hath thought fit to denounce heavy sentences , and inflict sharp censures upon emperours , kings , states , and potentates , that shall give allowance to duels within their dominions ; pronouncing them ipso jure excommunicate ; and depriving them of those towns , cities , lands , ( if held of the church ) where such unlawfull acts are made : and that those who either act , or patronize , and by their presence assist , countenance , or abett such combats , shall incurre the sentence of excommunication , the losse of all their goods , and perpetuall infamy ; and if they dye in such quarrell , shall , as selfe-murtherers , be debarred the priviledge of christian buriall . briefly therefore , neither your justice , nor your honour may depend upon the point of private swords , and if there can be no other remedy , you must rather suffer in either , than hazard your soule . case iii. whether may it be lawfull , in case of extremity , to procure the abortion of the child , for the preservation of the mother ? i feare want of true judgement renders too many of the weaker sexe grossely culpable in matter of willing abortion ; whiles being not well principled either in nature , or grace , they think it not unlawfull , or at least , venially so , whether out of the feare of painefull childe-birth , or for the avoidance of too great a charge , to prevent the fulnesse of their conceptions ; and therefore , either by over vehement motion , or unwholsome medicine , are not unwilling to fore-stall nature , and to free themselves early of that which might in time prove their burden : wherein they little know how highly they offend the majesty of god in destroying his potentiall creature , and how heavy weight of guilt they lay upon their soules , whiles they indeavour to give an undue ease to their bodies . your question supposes an extremity ; and surely such it had need to be , that may warrant the intention of such an event . for the deciding whereof , our casuists are wont to distinguish double ; both of the state of the conception , and of the nature of the receipt : in the former , they consider of the conception , either as it is before it receive life , or after that it is animated : before it receive life , they are wont to determine , that howsoever it were no lesse than mortall sin , in a physitian to prescribe a medicinall receit to cause abortion , for the hiding of a sinne , or any outward secular occasion ; yet for the preservation of the life of the mother , in an extreme danger , ( i say , before animation ) it might be lawfull : but after life once received , it were an hainous sin to administer any such mortall remedy . the latter casuists are better advised ; and justly hold that to give any such expelling or destructive medicine , with a direct intention to work an abortment , ( whether before or after animation ) is utterly unlawfull , and highly sinfull : and with them i cannot but concur in opinion ; for , after conception we know that naturally followes animation , there is only the time that makes the difference ; which in this case is not so considerable , as to take off a sinne : that of * tertullian comes home to the point which both covarruvias and † lessius urge to this purpose : homicidii festinatio est prohibere nasci ; it is but an hastening of murder to hinder that which would bee born ; homo est qui futurus est ; it is a man that would be so , &c. upon this ground we know that in a further degree of remotenesse , a voluntary selfe pollution hath ever beene held to have so much guilt in it , as that angelus politianus reports it as the high praise of * michael verrinus , that he would rather dye , than yeild to it : how much more when there is a further progresse made towards the perfection of humane life ? and if you tell me that the life of the mother might thus be preserved , whereas otherwise both she and all the possibilities of further conceptions are utterly lost ; i must answer you with that sure and universall rule of the apostle , that wee may not doe evill that good may come thereon , rom. . . the second consideration is of the nature of the receit , and the intention of the prescriber ; there are prescripts that may , in , and of themselves tend towards cure , and may have ordinarily such an effect ; but yet being used and applyed for the mothers remedy , may prove the losse of the conception , being yet inanimate ; these if they be given with no other intention than the preservation of the mothers life , may bee capable of excuse ; for that the inconvenience ( or mischief rather ) which followed upon the receits was accidentall , and utterly against the minde , and hopes of him that advised them . but if the conception bee once formed , and animated , the question will be so much more difficult , as the proceedings of nature are more forward : whereupon it is , that the septuagint in their translation ( as lessius well observes ) have rendered that mosaicall law ( in lxod. . ) concerning abortions , in these termes . if a man strike a woman that is with child , and shee make an abortion , if the child were formed , he shall give his life for the life of the child ; if it were not formed , he shall be punished with a pecuniary mulct to her husband * : applying that to the issue , which the vulgar latin understands of the mother ; and making the supposition to be of a formation and life ; which the latine more agreeably to the originall , makes to be death ; and our english , with † castalion expresses by mischief : but whether the mischief be meant of the death of the mother , or of the late-living issue , the scripture hath not declared : * cornelius à lapide taking it expresly of the mothers death , yet drawes the judgement out , in an equall length to the death of the childe , once animated ; making no difference of the guilt ; since the infants soule is of no lesse worth , than hers that beates him . in this case of the conception animated , i find the casuists much divided ; whiles some more tender than their fellowes , will not allow in the utmost extremity of a dying mother , a medicine that may be directly curative to be given her , if it should be with any apparent danger of the childe ; in case that the child may be probably drawne forth alive ; which they doe upon this false and bloudily uncharitable ground , * that the child dying without baptisme , is liable to eternall damnation , which wofull danger therefore the mother ought to prevent , though with the certaine hazard of her own life : but the foundation of this judgement being unsound , ( since to doome the children of believing parents inevitably to hell for the want of that , which they are not possibly capable to receive , is too cruell and horrible ) the structure must needes totter . these men whiles they professe themselves too carefull of the soule of the childe ( which yet may perhaps be safer than their owne ) seeme to bee somewhat too hard-hearted to the body of the mother . * others more probably hold , that if the case be utterly desperate ; and it bee certaine that both mother and childe must undoubtedly perish if some speedy remedy be not had ; it may then be lawfull to make use of such receits as may possibly give some hopes to save the mother , though not without some perill of the child . but all this while , the intentions , and indeavours must be no other than preservatory ; however it pleaseth god to order the events : shortly , no man that purposely procureth an abortion , as such , can wash his hands from blood ; no woman that wilfully acts , or suffers it , ( however the secrecy may exempt her from the danger of humane lawes ) can thinke to avoid those judgments of the righteous god , which he hath charged upon murderers . i cannot here therefore forbeare to give the world notice of the impious indulgence of a late pope in this kind ; sixtus quintus , who in our time sat in the see of rome , finding the horrible effects of that liberty , which too many both secular and religious persons tooke to themselves in this matter of abortion ; in a just detestation of that damnable practice , thought meet in much fervour of spirit to set forth his bulla cruciata ; than which there was never a more zealous piece published to the world ; wherein that pope pronounces all those , which have any hand in the acting or procuring of this wicked fact , of the ejecting of conceptions , whether animate or inanimate , formed , or informed , by potions , or medicaments , or any other meanes whatsoever , to have incurred both the crime and punishment of man slaughter : charging due execution to be done upon such persons accordingly : and withall in a direfull manner excommunicates them , and sends them to hell , ( without repentance ) reserving the absolution solely to himselfe and his successors . now comes a late * successor of his , gregory ; who finding the sentence too unreasonably hard for his petulant , and thriftie italians , and , indeed , for all loose persons of both sexes ; mitigates the matter ; and , as a spanish casuist expresses it truly , in the very first yeare of his pontificate in a certaine constitution of his , dated at rome , the last day of may , . delevit censuras , quas sixtus v. imposuerat contra facientes , procurantes , &c. abolisht and took off those heavy censures , which * sixtus had imposed and reduced the terrible punishments by him ordained to be inflicted unto a poore bare irregularity ; and determines , that any confessor , allowed by the ordinary , may absolve from this sin of procured abortion : by the sleightnesse of the censure , in effect , animating the sin : an act well becomming the mother of fornications : after all which pandarisme , let all good christians know , and resolve the crime to be no lesse than damnable . but withall , let me advise you , ( with * martinus vivaldus ) that what i have herein written against the procurers of abortions , may not be extended to the practise of those discreet physitians , and chirurgeans , who being called to for their aide in difficult and hopelesse child-births , prescribe to the woman in travaile such receits , as may be like to hasten her delivery , ( whether the childe be alive or dead : ) forasmuch as the conception is now at the full maturity ; and the indeavour of these artists is not to force an abortement , but to bring forward a naturall birth , to the preservation of the mother , or the childe , or both . case iv. whether a man adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment , or death , may in conscience indeavour , and practise an escape . what the civill or common lawes have in this case determined for the publique good , comes not within the compasse of our disquisition : let the guardians , and ministers of those lawes looke carefully to the just execution of them accordingly : the question is onely of the law of private conscience ; how farre that will allow a man to goe in case of a sentence passed upon him , whether of death or bonds . and first of all ; if such sentence be unjustly passed upon an innocent , no man can doubt , but that hee may most lawfully , by all just meanes , worke his owne freedome : but if an offender , what may he doe ? the common opinion of casuists is peremptory ; * that he that is kept in prison for any offence wherupon may follow death , or losse of limb , whether the crime be publique or private , may lawfully flee from his imprisonment , and may for that purpose use those helps of filing , or mining , which conduce to this purpose : their ground is , that universall rule , and instinct of selfe-preservation , which is naturall to every creature ; much more eminent in man , who is furnished with better faculties than the rest , for the working of his own indemnity : whereto is added that main consideration of aquinas ; that no man is bound to kill himselfe , but onely doomed to suffer death ; not therefore bound to doe that upon which death will inevitably follow , which is to wait in prison for the stroak , if he may avoid it ; it is enough that he patiently submits to what the law forces upon him , though he doe not cooperate to his owne destruction : his sentence abridges him of power , not of will to depart : whereupon they have gone so far , as to hold it in point of conscience not unlawfull for the friends of the imprisoned , to conveigh unto him files , and cords , or other instruments usefull for their escape : but herein some better-advised doctors have justly dissented from them ; as those , whose judgement hath not beene more favourable to malefactors , than dangerous and prejudiciall to the common-wealth : for how safe soever this might seeme in lighter trespasses , yet if this might be allowed , as in conscience lawfull to be done to the rescue of murtherers , traytors , or such other flagitious villains , what infinite mischiefe might it produce ? and what were this other than to invite men to be accessary to those crimes , which the law in a due way intends to punish ? certainly , by how much a more laudable act of justice it is , to free the society of men from such wicked miscreants , by so much more sinfull and odious an office it were , to use these sinister means for their exemption from the due course of justice ; but howsoever for another man to yield such unlawfull aide , is no better than a foule affront of publique justice , and enwrappes the agent in a partnership of crime ; yet the law of nature puts this liberty upon the restrained party himselfe , both to wish and indeavour his owne deliverance : although not so ; but that if the prisoner have ingaged himselfe by solemne promise , and oath to his keeper , not to depart out of his custody ; honesty must prevaile above nature ; and he ought rather to dye , than violate that bond which is stronger than his irons : very heathens have by their example taught us this lesson ; to regard our fidelity , more than our life : thus it should be , and is , with those that are truly christian and ingenuous , under what ever capacity ; but in the case of gracelesse and felonious persons , goalers have reason to looke to their bolts and locks ; knowing ( according to the old rule of wise thales ) that he who hath not stuck at one villany , will easily swallow another ; perjury will easily downe with him , that hath made no bones of murther . but where the case is entire , no man can blame a captive if he would bee free ; and if hee may untie the knot of a cord wherewith he was bound ; why may he not unriver , or grate an iron wherewith he is fettered ? for so much as hee is not bound to yeild , or continue a consent to his owne durance : this charge lies upon the keeper , not the prisoner . a man that is condemned to perish by famine , yet if he can come by sustenance may receive , and eat it : that athenian malefactor , in * valerius maximus , sentenced to die by hunger , was never found fault with , that he maintained himself in his dungeon by the brests of his good-natur'd daughter . and if a man be condemned to be devoured by a lion , there can be no reason why he should not ( what he may ) resist that furious beast , and save his owne life . but when i see our romish casuists so zealously tender in the case of religious persons , as that they will not allow them , upon a just imprisonment , to stirre out of those grates , whereto they are confined , by the doom of their prelates ; and when i see the brave resolutions of holy martyrs , that even when the doores were set open , would not flee from a threatned death , i cannot but conclude , that whatsoever nature suggests to a man , to work for his owne life or liberty , when it is forfeited to justice , yet that it is meet and commendable in a true penitent , when he findes the doome of death or perpetuall durance justly passed upon him , humbly to submit to the sentence ; and not entertaine the motions and meanes of a projected evasiō : but meekly to stoop unto lawfull authority , and to wait upon the issue whether of justice , or mercy : and at the vvorst , to say vvith the poet , merui , nec deprecor . case v. whether and how far a man may be urged to an oath . an oath , as it is a sacred thing , so it must bee no otherwise than holily used ; whether on the part of the giver , or taker ; and therefore may neither be rashly uttered , nor unduly tendered upon sleight , or unwarrantable occasions : we have not to doe here with a promissory oath , the obligation whereof is for another inquisition ; it is the assertory oath that is now under our hand ; which the great , god by whom we sweare , hath ordained to be an end of controversies ; at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established , deuter. . . and . . as for secular titles of mine , or thine ; the propriety of goods , or lands , next after written evidences , testimonies upon oath must needs be held most fitly decisive the only scruples are wont to be made in causes criminall . . wherein surely we may lay this undoubted ground , that no man is to be proceeded against without an accuser , and that accusation must be made good by lawfull witnesses : a judge may not cast any man upon the plea of his owne ey-sight : should this liberry be granted , innocence might suffer , and malice triumph : neither may any man be condemned upon hear-say ; which how commonly false it is , daily experience sufficiently evinceth . on the other side , men are apt enough to connive at each others wickednesse ; and every man is loath to be an informer , whether out of the envy of the office , or out of the conscience of his owne obnoxiousnesse . and yet thirdly , it is requisite that care should bee taken , and all due meanes used by authority , that the world may not be over-run with wickednesse ; but that vice may be found out , repressed , punished . there cannot , fourthly , be devised a fairer , and more probable course for the effecting hereof , than by the discovery upon oaths of the officers and jurors in assizes , and sessions ; and of churchwardens , and sidemen in visitations . the ground of all presentments to , or by these men must be either their owne knowledge , or publique fame , or an avowed information . any of these gives a lawful hint to the judge , whether ecclesiasticall or civill , to take sull triall of the cause and person . knowledge is alwayes certain , but fame is often a lyar ; and therefore every idle rumour must not be straight taken upon trust ; the inconvenience and injury whereof i have often seene ; when some malicious person , desiring to doe a despight to an innocent neighbour , raises a causelesse slander against him , whispers it to some dis-affected gossips , this flies to the eare of an apparitor ; hee straight runs to the office , and suggests a publique fame ; the honest man is called into the court ; his reputation is blurred in being but summoned ; and after all his trouble and disgrace hath his amends in his own hands . the rule of some casuists , that ten tongues make a fame , is groundlesse and insufficient ; neither is the number so much to be regarded as the quality of the persons . if a whole pack of debauched companions shall conspire to staine the good name of an innocent ( as we have too often knowne ) it were a shamefull injustice to allow them the authors of a fame : the more judicious doctors have defined a publique fame by the voice of the greater part of that community , wherein it is spread , whether towne , parish , city : and therein of those that are discreet , honest , well-behaved . we are wont to say , where there is much smoake , there is likely some fire : an universall report from such mouthes therefore , may well give occasion to a further inquiry . if any mans zeale against vice will make it a matter of instance , the case is cleare , and the proceeding unquestionable ; but if it be matter of meere office , the carriage of the processe may bee liable to doubt ; herein it is meet such course be taken , as that neither a notorious evill may be smothered , nor yet innocence injured : to which purpose the most confident reporter may be called upon ( because fame hath too many tongues to speak at once ) to lay forth the grounds of that his whispered crimination ; and if the circumstances appeare pregnant , and the suspicions strong , i see not why the ecclesiasticall judge ( for with him onely in this case i professe to meddle ) may not convent the person accused , lay before him the crime which is secretly charged upon him ; and either upon his ingenuous confession , enjoyn him such satisfction to the scandalized corgregation as may be most fit , or upon his denyall urge him to cleare himselfe by lawfull witnesses , of the crime objected ; or why he may not , if hee see further cause , appoint a discreet and able prosecutor to follow the business in a legall way ; upon whom the accused , if he be found guiltless , may right himselfe . but all this while , i finde no just place for an oath to be administred to a man for his owne accusation ; which certainly , is altogether both illegall and unreasonable ; if a man will voluntarily offer to cleare himselfe by an oath , out of the assurednesse of his owne innocence , he may be allowed to be heard , but this may neither be pressed to be done , nor yet conclusive , when it is done ; for both every man is apt to be partiall in his owne case , and he that durst act a foule sin will dare to face it . it was ever therefore lawfull ( even when ecclesiasticall inquisitions were at the highest ) for a man to refuse answer to such questions upon oath , or otherwise , which tended to his owne impeachment ; as unjustly , and unwarrantably proposed : and it was but a young determination of * aquinas , when he was onely a batchelour , in the generall chapter at paris , contradicted by all the ancient graduates there , that when the crime is notorious , and the authour unknowne , the secret offender is bound upon his ordinaries charge and command , to reveale himselfe . even the spanish casuists , the great favourers and abettors of the inquisition , teach that the judge may not of himselfe begin an inquiry , but must be led by something which may open a way to his search , and as it were force him to his proceeding , ex officio , as publique notice , infamie , common suspicion , complaint ; otherwise , the whole processe is void in law ; although herein some of them goe too far in favour of their great diana , that where the crime is known , and the author unknowne , the judge may in a generality inquire of him that did it , and if he have any private information ( though without any publique fame foregoing ) he may in some cases , raise a particular inquisition upon the party , and call him to defend himselfe ; which course cercertainly , gives too much advantage to private malice ; and opens too much way to the wronging of innocence . the faire way of proceedings in all christian judicatures , should be , by accuser , witnesse , and judge , in distinct persons openly knowne ; the accuser complaines , the witnesse evinceth , the judge sentences : the one may not be the other ; much lesse all three : were that to be allowed , who could be innocent ? when a witnesse then is called before a competent judge , to give evidence upon oath concerning a third person , in a matter cognoscible by that jurisdiction , he is bound to swear in truth , in judgement , and in righteousnesse , jer. . . as for his owne concernments , he must referre himself to the testimonies and oathes of others . case vi. whether a judge may upon allegations , proofes , and evidences of others , condemn a man to death , whom he himself certainly knows to be innocent . the question hath undergone much agitation ; the streame of all ancient divines , and casuists runs upon the affirmative ; their ground is , that the judge , as he is a publique person , so in the seat of judicature , he must exercise a publique authority ; and therefore waving his private knowledge and interest , must sentence according to the allegations and proofes brought before him ; since he is a judge of the cause , not of the law ; whereof he is to be the servant , not the master : there he sits not to speake his owne judgement , but to be the mouth of the law , and the law commands him to judge according to the evidence ; the evidence therefore being cleare and convictive , the doome can be no other than condemnatory . for my part , i can more marvell at their judgement herein , than approve it ; professing for the negative , with some fewer and latter authors , upon these sure grounds . it is an evident and undeniable law of god which must be the rule of all judges ; the innocent and the righteous slay thou not , exod. . . this is a law neither to be avoided , nor dispensed with : accusations and false witnesses cannot make a man other than innocent ; they may make him to seeme so ; in so much as those that know not the cause exactly , may perhaps be mis-led to condemne him in their judgments : but to the judge , whose eyes were witnesses of the parties innocence , all the evidence in the world cannot make him other than guiltlesse ; so as that judge shall be guilty of blood , in slaying the innocent , and righteous . secondly , the law of judging according to allegations and proofs is a good generall direction in the common course of proceedings ; but there are cases wherein this law must vaile to an higher , which is the law of conscience : woe be to that man who shall tye himselfe so close to the letter of the law , as to make shipwrack of conscience ; and that bird in his bosome will tell him , that if upon what ever pretences , he shall willingly condemne an innocent , he is no better than a murtherer . thirdly , it is not the bare letter of the law that wise men should stand upon , but the drift and intention of the law ; of that , we may in some sense say as the apostle did of an higher law , the letter killeth . now every reasonable man knowes that the intention of the law , is to save and protect the innocent ; to punish onely the guilty : the judge therefore shall be a perverter of law , if , contrary to his knowledge , he shall follow the letter against the intention , in condemning an innocent . let no man now tell me , that it is the law that condemnes the man , and not the judge ; this excuse will not serve before the tribunall of heaven ; the law hath no tongue ; it is the judge that is lex loquens ; if he then shall pronounce that sentence which his owne heart tells him is unjust and cruell , what is he but an officious minister of injustice ? but , indeed , what law ever said , thou shalt kill that man whom thou knowest innocent , if false witnesse will sweare him guilty ? this is but a false glosse set upon a true text , to countenance a man in being an instrument of evill . what then is in this case to be done ? surely , as i durst not acquit that judge , who under what ever colour of law should cast away a known innocent , so i durst not advise against plaine evidences and flat dispositions , upon private knowledge , that man to be openly pronounced guiltlesse ; and thereby discharged ; for as the one is a grosse violation of justice ; so were the other a publique affront to the law ; and of dangerous consequence to the weale-publique : certainly , it could not but be extreamely unsafe , that such a gappe should bee opened to the liberty of judgement , that a private brest should be opposed ( with an apparent prevalence ) against publique convictions : our casuists have beaten their braines to finde out some such evasions as might save the innocent from death , and the judge from blood-guiltinesse : herein therefore they advise the judge to use some secret meanes to stop the accusation , or indictmenr ; ( a course that might be as prejudiciall to justice , as a false sentence ) to sift the witnesses apart , as in susanna's case , and by many subtile interrogations of the circumstances to finde their variance or contradiction . if that prevaile not , cajetan goes so farre , as to determine it meet ( which how it might stand with their law , he knowes , with ours it would not ) that the judge should be fore all the people give his oath , that hee knowes the party guiltlesse ; as whom he himselfe saw at that very houre in a place far distant from that , wherein the fact is pretended to bee done : yea * dominicus à soto could be content ( if it might be done without scandall ) that the prisoner might secretly be suffered to slip out of the gaole , and save himselfe by flight . others think it the best way , that the judge should put off the cause to a superiour bench ; and that himselfe should ( laying aside his scarlet ) come to the bar , and as a witnesse avow upon oath the innocence of the party , and the falsity of the accusation : or lastly , if he should out of malice , or some other sinister ends ( as of the forfeiture of some rich estate ) be pressed by higher powers to passe the sentence on his own bench , that he ought to lay downe his commission , and to abdicate that power he hath , rather than to suffer it forced to a willing injustice . and truly were the case mine , after all faire and lawfull indeavours to justifie the innoncent , and to avoid the sentence , i should most willingly yeild to this last resolution : yea , rather my selfe to undergoe the sentence of death , than to pronounce it on the knowne-guiltlesse ; hating the poore pusillanimity of dominicus à soto * , that passes a nimis creditu rigidum , upon so just a determination ; and is so weakly tender of the judges indempnity , that he will by no means heare of his wilfull deserting of his office on so capitall an occasion . in the main cause of life and death , i cannot but allow and commend the judgement of leonardus lessius ; but when the question is of matters civill , or lesse criminall , † i cannot but wonder at his flying off ; in these where in the businesse is but pecuniary , or banishment , or losse of an office , he holds it lawfull for the judge , ( after he hath used all meanes to discover the falsenesse of the proofes , and to hinder the proceedings , if thus hee prevailes not ) to passe sentence upon those allegations and probations , which himselfe knowes to be unjust . the reasons pretended are as poor as the opinion ; * for , saith hee , the common-wealth hath authority to dispose of the estates of the subjects , and to translate them from one man to another , as may be found most availing to the publique good ; and here there appeares just cause so to doe , lest the forme of publique judgements should be perverted , not without great scandall to the people ; neither is there any way possible to help this particular mans inconvenience and losse ; therefore the common-wealth may ordaine that in such a case the judge should follow the publique forme of judicature , though hereby it falleth out that a guiltlesse man is undone in his fortunes ; and yet his cause knowne to be good by him that condemnes it . thus he . but what a loose point is this ? why hath not a man as true propriety in his estate as his life ? or what authority hath the common-wealth , causelesly to take away a mans substance or inheritance ( being that he is the rightfull owner ) more than a piece of himselfe ? when his patrimony is setled upon him , and his in a due course of law and undoubted right of possession , what just power can claime any such interest in it , as without any ground of offence to dispossess him ? or what necessity is there that the forme of publique judgements should be perverted , unlesse an honest defendant must be undone by false sentence ? or rather is not the forme of publique judgement perverted , when innocence suffers for the maintenance of a formality ? or how is the judge other than a partner in the injury , if for want of his seasonable interposition a good cause is lost , and a false plea prevailes ? that therefore , which in the second place he alledgeth , that the subject can have no reason to complaine of the judge , for as much as it is out of his power to remedy the case , and to passe other sentence than is chalked forth by the rule of law ; might as well be alledged against him in the plea of life and death , wherein he will by no meanes allow the judge this liberty of an undue commendation ; neither is there any just pretence , why an honest and well-minded ▪ judge should be so sparing in a case of life , and so too prodigall in matter of livelyhood . as for this third reason , that the mis-judgement in case of a pecuniary damage or banishment , may be afterwards capable of being reversed , and upon a new traverse the cause may be fercht about at further leisure ; whereas death once inflicted is past all power of revocation ; it may well inferre that therefore there should bee so much more deliberation , and care had in passing sentence upon capitall matters , than civill , by how much life is more prcious , and irrevocable , than our worldly substance ; but it can never inferre that injustice should bee tolerable in the one , not in the other . justice had wont to be painted blind-fold , with a paire of scales in her hand ; wherefore else , but to imply that he , who would judge aright , must not look upon the issue or event , but must weigh impartially the true state of the cause in all the grounds , and circumstances thereof , and sentence accordingly ? to say then that a judge may passe a doome formally legall , but materially unjust , because the case upon a new suit may be righted , were no other than to say , i may lawfully wound a man , because i know how to heale him againe . shortly therefore , whether it be in causes criminall , or civill , whether concerning life or estate , let those who sit in the seat of judicature , as they will answer it before the great judge of the world , resolve ( what event soever follow ) to judge righteous judgement , not justifying the wicked , not condemning the innocent ; both which are equally abominable in the sight of the almighty . case vii . whether , and in what cases am i bound to be an accuser of another . to be an accuser of others , is a matter of much envy , and detestation , insomuch as it is the style of the devill himselfe to be accusator fratrum , an accuser of the brethren : yet not of his owne brethren in evill ; it was never heard that one evill spirit accused another ; but of our brethren , revelat. . . it was a voice from heaven which called him so : saints on earth are the brethren of the glorious spirits in heaven ; it is the wickednes of that malicious spirit to accuse saints : but though the act be grown into hatred , in respect both of the agent and of the object ; yet certainly there are cases wherein it will become the saints to take upon them the person , and office of accusers . accusation therefore is either voluntary , or urged upon you by the charge of a superiour . voluntary is either such as you are moved unto by the conscience of some hainous and notorious crime committed , or to be committed by another , to the great dishonour of god , or danger of the common peace , whereto you are privy : or such as whereunto you are tyed by some former engagemeut of vow , or oath : in the former kinde ; a worthy divine in our time travailing on the way , sees a leud man committing abominable filthinesse with a beast ; the sinne was so foule and hatefull , that his heart would not suffer him to conceale it ; hee therefore hastens to the next justice , accuses the offender of that so unnaturall villany ; the party is committed , endicted , and upon so reverend ( though single ) testimony found guilty . or , if in the case of a crime intended , you have secret , but sure intelligence , that a bloudy villaine hath plotted a treason against the sacred person of your soveraigne , or a murther of your honest neighbour ; which hee resolves to execute ; should you keep this fire in your bosome , it might justly burn you . whether it be therefore for the discovery of some horrible crime done , or for the prevention of some great mischief to be done , you must either be an accuser , or an accessary . the obligation to accuse is yet stronger , where your former vow or oath hath fore-ingaged you to a just discovery ; you have sworn to maintaine and defend his majesty's royall person , state , dignity ; and to make knowne those that wilfully impugne it ; if now , you shall keep the secret counsels of such wicked designments , as you shall know to be against any of these , how can you escape to bee involved in a treason , lined with perjury ? these are accusations which your conscience will fetch from you , unasked ? but if being called before lawfull authority , you shall be required upon oath , to testifie your knowledge even concerning offenders , of an inferiour nature ; you may not detract your witnesse , though it amount to no lesse than an accusation . yet there are cases , wherein a testimony thus required , tending to an accusation , may be refused ; as in case of duty , and nearenesse of naturall , or civill relation ; it were unreasonably unjust for a man to be pressed with interrogations , or required to give accusatory testimonies in the case of parents , or children , or the partner of his bed : or if a man out of remorse of conscience shall disclose a secret sin to you formerly done , in a desire to receive counsaile , and comfort from you ; you ought rather to endure your soule to be fetcht out of your body , than that seeret to bee drawn out of your lips : or if the question be illegal , as those that tend directly to your own prejudice ; or those which are moved concerning hidden offences , not before notified by publique fame , or any lawfull ground of injury , which therefore the judge hath no power to ask ; in these cases , if no more , the refusall of an accusation , though required , is no other than justifiable . but where neither the conscience of the horridnesse of a crime done ; nor prevention of a crime intended , nor duty of obedience to a lawfull authority , nor the bond of an inviolable pre-ingagement , call you to the bar ; it is not a more uncharitable , than thanklesse office to bee an accuser : hence it is that delators , and informers , have in all happy and well-governed states , been ever held an infamous and odious kinde of cattell . a tiberius , and a domitian , might give both countenance and reward to them , as being meet factors for their tyranny , but a vespasian , and titus , and antonius pius , and macrinus , or what ever other princes carryed a tender care to the peace and welfare of their subjects , whipt them in the publique amphitheater , and abandoned them out of their dominions , as pernicious , and intolerable . and as these mercenary flies , whether of state , or of religion , are justly hatefull , next to the publique executioners ; so certainly , those busie spirited-men , which out of the itching humour of medling , run from house to house , with tales of private detraction , may well challenge the next roome in our detestation . this together with the other , is that which god so strictly forbids in his law , levit. . . thou shalt not goe up and downe as a tale-bearer amongst thy people , neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neighbour : i am the lord. a practice which wise solomon , though a great king ; and ( as one would think ) out of the reach of tongues , cryes downe with much feeling bitternesse ; prov. . . the words of the tale bearer are as wounds , and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly : no lesse than five severall times in his divine * proverbs , inveighing sharply ( as if himselfe had been stung in this kinde ) against these close back-biting calumniations . shorlty then , accuse when you are forced , either by the foulenesse of the fact , or the necessity of your duty : otherwise reserve your tongue for better offices . case viii . whether a prisoner indicted of a felonious act which he hath committed , and interrogated by the judge concerning the same , may stand upon the deniall , and plead not guilty . the casuists vary ; and out of respect to their owne lawes , are much perplexed in their resolutions : making the great scruple to be in the juridicall interrogations , ( which if the judge have not proceeded in the due forme of law required in such cases ) may warrant the offenders deniall ; and secondly , making difference of the quality of the offence , and danger of the punishment ; which if no lesse than capitall , may ( say they * ) give just ground to the accused party , either to conceale the truth , or to answer with such amphibolies , and equivocations , as may serve to his owne preservation ; in which course , naturall equity will beare him out , which allowes every man to stand upon his owne defence : and the case i perceive is aggravated in forraigne parts , as by the rack , so by an oath administred to the person accused ( which they call † juramentum calumniae ) which lessius justly calls a spirituall torture , by the vertue whereof , hee solemnely urged , not to deny what hee knowes , or believes to be true , concerning the businesse questioned ; a practise , which i cannot blame * lessius , if he professe to wish that the pope , and all secular princes , would joyne together to abrogate ; as being an evident occasion of much perjury . to lay down and determine the case as it stands with us in our ordinary proceedings of justice ; it must be premised : . to deny a knowne truth , and to averre a willfull lye , cannot be other than a sin . . there is a vast difference betwixt concealing a truth and denying it . . it may be sometimes lawfull to conceale some truths , though never lawfull to deny or contradict them . . no man can be bound directly to accuse himselfe , . it is consonant to naturall equity , that a man for the saving of his life should use the helpe of all evasions that are not sinfull . . it cannot be sinfull to put himselfe upon a legall triall in a case importing his life . . there is no place for a legall triall , where there is an absolute confession of guiltinesse . these positions being pre-required ; i say , that it is lawfull for the prisoner , though convinced in his conscience of the fact , yet to plead not guilty to the indictment at the barre : for as much as he doth therein , according to the sense both of the judge , and jury , onely hide and keepe back that truth ; the finding out , and eviction whereof , lyes upon their further search and proofe , so as he doth , in pleading not guilty , in effect as good as say , what ever i finde in my selfe , i have no reason to confesse my guiltinesse ; i stand upon my lawfull defence , and cast my selfe upon my just tryall ; yielding my selfe onely so far guilty , as your evidence and proofes can make me : let justice passe upon me , i have no reason to draw on my owne condemnation : the plea thus construed is lawfull , and just ; wherein not the shuffling equivocations of the offendor , but the upright verdict of a legall jury must carry the cause : to which purpose , that which sounds as a deniall in the accused , is nothing else but a professed referring himselfe to a juridicall triall of that fact , which he is not bound to confesse . but when the hand of god hath once found out the man in his sin ; and he finds himselfe legally convinced of his crime ; it greatly behoves him ( as joshuah charged achan after the lot had discovered his sin ) to give glory to god , in a free and full confession of his wickednesse , and to be more open and ingenuous in his acknowledgement , than he was close , and reserved in his plea : wherein as he shall discharge his conscience to that great and holy god , whom he hath offended , so he shall thus tender some kind of poore satisfaction to that society of men , whom hee hath scandalized by his crime . in which regard i cannot but marvell at the strange determination of learned * azpilcueta , the oracle of confessaries , who teaches , that the prisoner , who being rightly interrogated by the judge , stood stiffly in deniall of the fact , and is upon his condemnation ( carried to his execution , is not bound at his death to confesse the crime to the world , if he have before secretly whispered it in the ear of his ghostly father , and by him received absolution . a sentence that allowes the smothering of truthes , and the strangling of just satisfaction to those who are concerned , as patience , in the offence ; and lastly , highly injurious to publique justice ; whose righteous sentence is by this meanes left questionable , and obnoxious to unjust censure . how much more requisite were it that a publique confession should , in this case , save the labour of a private , whereby certainly , the soule of the offender would be more sensibly unloaded , justice better vindicated , more glory would accrew to god ; and to men more satisfaction . but however it be lawfull for the accused to stand upon these points of legality in the proceedings against him : yet for my owne part ; should i be so farre given over , as to have my hand in bloud ; and thereupon be arraigned at the barre of publique justice ; i should out of just remorse be the first man that should rise up against my selfe and ( which in other mens cases were utterly unlawfull ) be my owne accuser , witnesse , and judge : and this disposition i should rather commend in those , whose conscience hath inwardly convicted them for haynously criminous : that since they had not the grace to resist so flagitious a wickednesse ; they may yet endeavour to expiate it , before men , with an ingenuous confession : as before god , with a deepe and serious repentance . case ix . whether , and how farre a man may take up armes in the publique quarrell of a war. warre is no other than a necessary evill , necessary in relation to peace : onely , as that without which so great a blessing cannot bee had : as the wise woman said to joab , sam. . . they should first treat with the men of abel , ere they smite : & upon the charge of the lord of hosts , deut. . . conditions must first be tendered even to heathen enemies , before any acts of hostility shall be exercised ; where this which is the worst of all remedies , proves needfull , if you ask how farre it is lawfull to ingage ; i must aske you , ( ere i can returne answer ) first of the justice of the quarrell : for surely where the warre is knowne to be unjust , the willing abettors of it cannot wash their hands from blood : to make a warre just ( as our casuists rightly ) there must bee a lawfull authority to raise it ; a just ground whereon to raise it ; due formes and conditions in the raising , managing , and cessation of it : that no authority lesse than supreame can wage a warre , it is cleare in nature ; for that none other besides it can have power of life and death ; which both must lye at the publique stake in warre . that none but a just and weighty cause can be the ground of a warre , every mans reason apprehends ; for how precious a blessing had that need to bee , that is held worth the purchasing with the price of so much bloud ; and how heavy a curse must that needes bee , which can onely be remedied , or prevented by so grievous a judgement as war ? that due termes and conditions are requisite to bee offered ere warre be undertaken ; and observed in the managing and ceasing of it , humanity it self teacheth us ; without which men should run upon one another with no lesse fury and disorder than beasts ; not staying for any capitulation but the first advantage ; nor terminating their discord in any thing but utter destruction . where all or any of these are wanting , the warre cannot be just : and where it is known not to be such , woe be to those hands that are willingly active in prosecuting it . now the care of all these three maine requisites must lie chiefly upon that power , which is entrusted by the almighty , with the over-ruling of publique affaires : for the subject , as he is bound to an implicite reliance upon the command of the supreame power ; so ( unlesse it be in a case notoriously apparent to be unjust ) must yeild a blind-fold obedience to authority ; going whither he is led , and doing what he is bidden ; but if the case be such , as that his heart is fully convinced of the injustice of the enterprise , and that he clearly finds that he is charged to smite innocence , and to him , against god ; i cannot blame fight , if with sauls footmen ( when they were commanded to fall upon the priests of the lord ) he withhold his hand , and craving pardon , shew lesse readinesse to act , than to suffer . in the second place , i must aske you with what intentions you addresse your selfe to the field ; if it be out of the conscience of maintaining a just cause , if out of a loyall obedience to lawfull authority : i shall bid you go on , and prosper : but if either malice to the parties opposed , and therein desire of revenge , or a base covetousnesse of pay , or hope and desire of plunder have put you into armes ; repent and withdraw : for what can be more sordid or cruell , than to be hired for dayes-wages to shed innocent blood ? or what can bee more horribly mischievous for a man , than to kill , that hee may steale ? upon your answer to these questions it will be easie for mee to returne mine ; in a just quarrell , being thereto lawfully called , you may fight ; warrantable authority hath put the sword into your hand ; you may use it . but take heed that you use it with that moderation , and with those affections that are meet : even an authorized hand may offend in striking ; magistrates themselves , if there be revenge in their executions , doe no other than murder : far be it from you to take pleasure in bloud ; and to enjoy another mans destruction : if ( especially in those warres that are intestine ) you shall mingle your teares with the blood , which you are forced to spill , it may well become christian fortitude . shortly ; doe you enter into your armes , imprest , or voluntary ? if the former , you have nothing but your owne heart to looke unto for a fit disposition ; that power , whom you justly obey , must answer for the cause ; if the latter , you have reason diligently to examine all the necessary points , of the power , of the cause , of your intentions : as well considering that in a warre it is no lesse impossible that both sides should be in the right , than that in a contradiction both parts should be true : here therefore your will makes it selfe the judg of all three ; and ( if any of them faile ) leaves you answerable for all miscarriages ; so as you had need to be carefully inquisitive , in this case , upon what grounds you goe ; that so ( whatsoever may befall ) a good conscience may beare you out in the greatest difficulties , and saddest events that are wont to attend upon warre . case x. whether and how farre a man may act towards his own death . directly to intend or endeavour that , which may worke his owne death , is abominably wicked , and no lesse than the worst murder . for if a man may not kill another , much lesse himselfe ; by how much he is nearer to himselfe than to another : and certainely if we must regulate our love to another by that to our selves , it must follow that love to our selves must take up the first roome in our hearts : and that love cannot but be accompanied with a detestation of any thing that may bee harmefull to our selves . doubtlesse , many that can be cruell to another , are favourable enough to themselves ; but never man that could be cruell to himself would be sparing to another's blood . to will or attempt this is highly injurious to that god , whose we onely are ; who hath committed our life as a most precious thing to our trust , for his use , more than our owne ; and will require from us an account of our managing of it , and our parting from it . it is a foule misprision in those men , that make account of themselves as their owne , and therefore that they are the absolute lords of their life : did they give themselves their owne being ? had they nothing but meere nature in them ? can they but acknowledge an higher hand in their formation , and animating ? what a wrong were it therefore to the great lord and giver of life , to steale out of the world , without his leave that placed us there ? but much more if christians , they know themselves , besides , dearly paid for ; and therefore not in their own disposing , but in his that bought them . secondly , most desperately injurious to our selves , as incurring thereby a certaine damnation ( for ought appeares to lookers on ) for ever , of those soules which have wilfully broken gods more easie , and temporary prison , to put themselves upon the direfull prison of satan to all eternity . nature it selfe , though not enlightened with the knowledge , of the estate of another world , found cause to abhor this practice : however the stoicall philosophers , and some high roman spirits following their doctrine , have beene liberall of their lives ; the thebans of old professed detestation of this worst of prodigalities : and the athenians enacted that the hand , which should be guilty of such an act , should be cut off , and kept unburied ; and it was wisely ordained by that grecian common-wealth , when their virgins ( out of a peevish discontentment ) were growne into a selfe-killing humour , that the bodies of such offenders should bee dragged naked though the streets of the city ; the shame whereof stopped the course of that mad resolution . it is not the heaviest of crosses , or the sharpest bodily anguish that can warrant so foule an act . well was it turned off by antisthenes of old , when in the extremity of his paine he cried out , oh who will free me from this torment ! and diognes reached him a poynard , wherewith to dispatch himselfe : nay , said hee , i said , from my torment , not from my life : as well knowing it neither safe , nor easie , to part with our selves upon such termes . farre , farre be it from us to put into this ranke and file those worthy martyrs , which in the fervour of their holy zeale have put themselves forward to martyrdome ; and have courageously prevented the lust and fury of tyrants , to keep their chastity , and faith inviolable . i looke upon these as more fit objects of wonder , than either of censure , or imitation . for these ( whom wee may well match with sampson , and eleazar ) what gods spirit wrought in them , hee knowes that gave it ; rules are they by which we live , not examples . secondly , however wee may not by any meanes directly act to the cutting off the thred of life ; yet i cannot but yeild with learned * lessius , that there may fall out cases , wherein a man may ( upon just cause ) doe , or forbeare something whereupon death may indirectly ensue : indirectly , i say , not with an intention of such issue : for it is not an universall charge of god , that no man should upon any occasion expose his life to a probable danger ; if so , there would be no warre , no traffique ; but onely that he should not causelesly hazard himselfe ; nor with a resolution of wilfull miscarriage . to those instances hee gives of a souldier that must keep his station , though it cost him life : of a prisoner that may forbeare to flee out of prison , though the doores be open : of a man condemn'd to dye by hunger , in whose power it is to refuse a sustenance offered : of a man that latches the weapon in his owne body to save his prince : or of a friend , who when but one loafe is left to preserve the life of two , refraines from his part and dyes first : or that suffers another to take that planke in a shipwrack , which himselfe might have prepossessed , as trusting to the oares of his armes : or that puts himselfe into an infected house out of meer charity to tend the sick , though hee know the contagion deadly ; or in a sea-fight blows up the deck with gun-powder , not without his own danger ; or when the house is on fire , casts himselfe out at the window with an extreame hazard : to these , i say , may be added many more ; as the cutting off a limb to stop the course of a gangreene ; to make an adventure of a dangerous incision in the body , to draw forth the stone in the bladde ; the taking of a large dose of opiate pills , to ease a mortall extremity ; or lastly , when a man is already seized on by death , the receiving of some such powerfull medicine , as may facilitate his passage ( the defect of which care and art , the eminently-learned lord * verulam justly complaines of in physitians : ) in these , and the like cases , a man may lawfully doe these things which may tend , in the event to his owne death , though without an intention of procuring it . and unto this head must bee referred those infinite examples of deadly sufferings for good causes , willingly embraced for conscience sake . the seven brethren in the maccabees , ( alluded to by st. paul to his hebrewes , heb. . . ) will and must rather endure the butchering of their owne flesh , than the eating of swines flesh , in a willing affront of their law : daniel will rather dye than not pray . shadrach , meshach , and abednego , will rather fall downe bound into the fiery fornace seven-fold heated , than fall down before the golden image . and every right-disposed christian will rather welcome death than yeild to a willing act of idolatry , rebellion , witchcraft : if hereupon death follow by the infliction of others , they are sinfull agents , hee is an innocent sufferer . as for that scruple among our casuists , whether a man condemned to dye by poyson , may take the deadly draught that is brought him ; it is such , as wise socrates never made of old , when the athenians tendred him his hemlock ; and indeede it may as well be disputed , whether a man condemned to dye by the axe , may quietly lay downe his head upon the block ; and not , but upon force , yeild to that fatall stroke . a juster scruple is , whether a man condemned to a certaine and painefull death , which hee cannot possibly eschew ; may make choice rather of a more easie passage out of the world ; wherein i marvell at the indulgence of some doctors , that would either excuse , or mince the matter . for although i cannot blame that naturall disposition in any creature , to shrinke from pain , and to affect ( what it may ) the shifting from extremity of miserie : yet for a christian so to doe it , as to draw a greater mischief to himselfe , and an apparent danger to his soule , it cannot justly beare any other than a hard construction . for thus to carve himselfe of justice , is manifestly to violate lawfull authority ; and whiles he would avoid a short pain , to incur the shame and sin of a selfe-executioner . but if in that way , wherein the doome of death is passed , a man can give himselfe ease , or speed of dissolution ( as when a martyr being adjudg'd to the fire , use the helpe of a bagge of gun-powder , to expedite his passage ) it cannot be any way judged unlawfull : the sentence is obeyed , the execution is accordingly done ; and , if the patient have found a shorter way to that end which is appointed him , what offence can this be either to the law , or to the judge ? resolutions . the third decade . cases of piety and religion . case i. whether upon the appearance of evill spirits wee may hold discourse with them ; and how we may demean our selves concerning them . that there are evill spirits , is no less certaine than that there are men : none but a sadduce , or an atheist can make question of it . that evill spirits have given certaine proofes of their presence with men , both in visible apparitions , and in the possessions of places , and bodies , is no lesse manifest , than that we have soules , whereby they are discerned . their appearances are not wont to be without grievous inconveniences ; whether in respect of our dreadfulnesse , or their dangerous insinuations . it is the great mercy of the god of spirits , that hee hath bound up the evill angels in the chaines of darkenesse , restraining them from those frequent , and horrible appearances which they would otherwise make to the terrour , and consternation of his weak creatures . whensoever it pleaseth the almighty , for his owne holy purposes , so farre to loosen , or lengthen the chaines of wicked spirits , as to suffer them to exhibit themselves in some assumed shapes unto men , it cannot but mainly import us to know , what our deportment should be concerning them . doubtlesse to hold any faire termes of commerce , or peace ( much more of amity and familiarity ) with them , were no better than to professe our selves enemies to god ; for such an irreconcileable hostility there is betwixt the holy god , and these malignant spirits , that there can bee no place for a neutrality in our relation to them : so as hee is an absolute enemie to the one , that bids not open defiance to the other . as therefore wee are wont by our silence to signifie our heart-burning against any person ( in that we abide not to speake unto those whom wee hate , ) so must wee carry our selves towards evill spirits : and if they beginne with us , as that devill did in in the serpent with eve ; how unsafe and deadly it may bee to hold that with them , appeares in that first example of their onset ; the issue whereof brought misery , and mortality upon all mankinde ; yet then , were our first parents in their innocency , and all earthly perfection : wee now so tainted with sinne , that satan hath a kinde of party in us , even before his actuall temptations . as therefore wee are wont to say that the fort that yeilds to parley is halfe won ; so may it prove with us , if we shall give way to hold discourse with wicked spirits ; who are farre too crafty for us to deale withall : having so evident an advantage of us , both in nature ( we being flesh and blood , they spirituall wickednesse ) and in duration , and experience , we being but of yesterday , they coetaneous with the world and time it selfe . if you tell mee that our saviour himselfe interchanged some speeches with the spirits whom he ejected ; it is easily answered , that this act of his was never intended for our imitation ; sith his omnipotence was no way obnoxious to their malice , our weakness is . i cannot therefore but marvell at the boldnesse of those men , who professing no small degree of holinesse , have dared to hold familiar talk with evill spirits , and could be content to make use of them for intelligence ; as the famous jesuite , in our time , pere cotton ; who having provided . questions to be propounded to a demoniack ( some concerning matters of learning , some other matters of state , concerning the then french king and the king of england ) and having them written down under his owne hand to that purpose ; being questioned concerningit , answered , that hee had licence from rome to tender those demands : as i received it upon certaine relation from the learned dr. tilenus with many pregnant and undeniable circumstances , which i need not here expresse . although this need not seeme strange to me , when i finde that * navarre determines plainly , that when evill spirits are present ( not by our invocation ) as in possessed bodies , it is lawfull to move questions to them , ( so it be without our paayers to them , or pact with them for the profit of others ; yea , thus to confer with them , even out of vanity , or curiosity , is but venial at the most : thus he , with whom † lessius goes so far as to say , licitum est petere verbo à diabolo ut nocere desinat , &c. it is lawfull to move the devill in words to cease from hurting , so that it be not done by way of deprecation , or in a friendly compliance , but by way of indignation : a distinction which i confesse past the capacity of my apprehension ; who have not the wit to conceive how a man can move without implying a kinde of suite ; and how any suite can consist with an indignation . it savours yet of a more heroicall spirit , which the church of rome professeth to teach and practice , the ejection of evill spirits by an imperious way of command ; having committed to her exorcists a power of adjuration , to which the worst of devils must be subject ; a power more easily arrogated , than really exercised : indeed , this over-ruling authority was eminently conspicuous , not onely in the selected twelve , and the seventy disciples of christ , who returned from their embassie with joy , ( luk. . . ) that the devils were subject to them through his name , but even in their holy successors of the primitive church , whiles the miraculous gifts of the holy ghost were sensibly poured out upon men ; but if they will be still challenging the same power ; why doe they not as well lay claime to the speaking of strange tongues ? ( mar. . . ) to the super-naturall cure of all diseases ? to the treading on serpents and scorpions ? to the drinking of poysons without an antidote ? and if they must needs acknowledge these faculties above their reach , why doe they presume to divide the spirit from it selfe ; arrogating to themselves the power of the greatest workes , whiles they are professedly defective in the least ? wherein surely , as they are the true successors of the sonnes of sceva , act. . r , , , . who would be adjuring of devils by the name of jesus , whom s. paul preached , so they can looke for no other intertainment than they found from those demoniacks , which was to be baffled , and beaten , and wounded . especially , if we consider the foule superstition , and grosse magick , which they make use of in their conjurations ; by their owne vainely-devised exorcismes , feoffing a supernaturall vertue upon drugges , and herbes , for the dispelling , and staving off all evill spirits ; because the bookes are not perhaps obvious , take but a taste in one , or two : * in the treasure of exorcismes , there is this following benediction of rue , to be put into an hallowed paper , and to be carried about you and smelled at for the repelling of the invasion of devils † . i conjure thee ô thou creature of rue , by the holy lord , the father , the almighty and eternall god , which bringeth forth grasse in the mountaines , and herbes for the use of man : and which by the apostle of thy sonne our lord jesus christ , hast taught , that the weake should eat herbes : i conjure thee that thou bee blessed , and sanctifyed to retaine th●s invisible power and vertue , that whosoever shall carry thee about him , or shall smell to thee , may be free from all the uncleannesse of diabolicall infatuation ; and that all devills , and all witchcrafts may speedily fall from him , as herbes or grasse of the earth : through the same our lord jesus christ , which shall come to judge the quick and the dead , and the world by fire . the like is prescribed to be done to the seedes of hypericon or st. johns wort . * adde to this , the horrible fumigation to this purpose as it followes . i conjure thee o thou creature of galbanum , sulphur , assa foetida , aristolochium , hypericon and rue , by the † living god , by the † true god , &c. by jesus christ , &c. that thou be for our defence ; and that thou be made a perpetuall fumigation , exorcised , † blessed , and consecrated to the safety of us , and of all faithfull christians , and that thou be a perpetuall punishment to all malignant spirits , and a most vehement , and infinite fire unto them , more than the fire and brimstone of hell is to the infernall spirits there , &c. * but what doe i trouble you with these dreadfull incantations , whereof the allowed bookes of conjuration are full ? to these i may adde their application of holy water , ( wherein they place not a little confidence ) which ( saith lessius ) receives the force from the prayers of the church , by the meanes whereof it comes to passe , that it is assisted with divine power ; which ( as it were ) rests upon it , and joynes with it , to the averting of all the infestations of the devill : but faine would i learne where the church hath any warrant from god to make any such suit ; where any overture of promise to have it granted ? what is their prayer with out faith ? and what is their faith without a word ? but i leave these men ( together with their crosses , and ceremonies , and holy reliques , wherein they put great trust in these cases ) to their better informed thoughts . god open their eyes that they may see their errors . for us , what our demeanour should be in case of the appearance , or molestation of evill spirits , we cannot desire a better patterne than s. paul ; his example is our all-sufficient instruction , cor. . , . who when the messenger of satan was sent to buffet him , fell presently to his prayers ; and instantly besought god thrice , that it might depart from him . lo he that could command evill spirits out of the bodily possession of others ; when it comes to his own turne to be buffeted by them , betakes himselfe to his prayers to that god , whose grace was sufficient for him : verse . to them must we still have our recourse ; if wee thus resist the devil he shall flee from us : iam. . . in the primitive times , those that could command , needed not to sue : & therefore fasting and prayers , was an higher ( as a more laborious ) work ( to this purpose ) in the disciples , than their imperative course of ejection ; but for us , we that have no power to bid , must pray ; pray , not to those ill guests that they would depart ; not to the blessed virgin , or our angel-keeper that they would gard us from them , but to the great god of heaven , who commands them to their chains : this is a sure and everlasting remedy , this is the onely certaine way to their foile , and our deliverance , and victory . case ii. how farre a secret pact with evill spirits doth extend , and what actions and events must be referred thereunto . it is a question of exceeding great use , and necessity , for certainly many thousands of honest , and well-minded christians are in this kinde drawne into the snares of satan , unwarily , and unwittingly : for the determining of it , these two grounds must be laid ; first , that there is a double compact with satan ; one direct and open , wherein magicians and witches , upon wofull conditions and direfull ceremonies , enter into a mutuall covenant with evill spirits : the other , secret and indirect , where in nothing is seen , or heard , or known to be agreed upon ; onely by a close implication , that is suggested and yeilded to be done , which is invisibly seconded by diabolicall operation . the second ground is , that whatsoever hath not a cause in nature according to gods ordinary way must be wrought either by good or evill spirits : that it cannot bee supposed that good angels should bee at the command of ignorant , or vicious persons , of either sexe , to concurre with them in superstitious acts , done by meanes altogether in themselves ineffectable and unwarrantable : and therefore that the devill hath an unseene hand in these effects , which hee marvailously brings about , for the winning of credit with the world , and for the obliging and engaging of his owne clients : of this kinde there is too lamentably much variety in common experience : take an handfull , if you please , out of a full sack : let the first be , that authentick charme of the gospell of st. john allowed in the parts of the romish correspondence , wherein the first verses of that divine gospell are singled out , printed in a small roundell , and sold to the credulous ignorants , with this fond warrant , that whosoever carries it about him shall be free from the dangers of the dayes mis-happes : the booke and the key , the sive and the sheeres for the discovery of the thiefe ; the notching of a stick with the number of the warts which wee would have removed , the rubbing of them with raw flesh , to be buried in a dunghill that they may rot away insensibly therewith , or washing the part in moon-shine for that purpose : words , and characters , of no signification , or ordinary forme , for the curing of diseases in man , or beast , more than too many whereof we find in cornelius agrippa , and paracelsus . formes of words and figures for the stanching of blood , for the pulling out of thornes , for easing paine , for remedying the biting of a mad dog . amulets made up of reliques , with certaine letters and crosses , to make him that weares them invulnerable , whistling for a winde wherewith to winnow ; as it is done in some ignorant parts of the west . the use of an holed flint , hanged up on the rack , or beds head , for the prevention of the night-mare in man , or beast . the judging by the letters of the names of men or women , of their fortunes , as they call them , according to the serious fopperies of arcandam . the seventh sonne 's laying on of hands for the healing of diseases ; the putting of a verse out of the psalmes into the vessell to keep the wine from sowring ; the repeating of a verse out of virgil to preserve a man from drunkennesse all that day following , images astronomically framed under certaine constellations to preserve from severall inconveniences , as under the signe of the lion the figure of a lion made in gold , against melancholick fancies , dropsie , plague , fevers : which lessius might well marvell how cajetan could offer to defend ; when all the world knowes how little proportion and correspondence there is betwixt those imaginary signes in heaven , and these reall creatures on earth . judiciary astrology , as it is commonly practised , whether for the casting of nativities , prediction of voluntary , or civill events , or the discovery of things stolne or lost : for , as the naturall astrology , when it keeps it selfe within its due bounds is lawfull , and commendable , ( although not without much uncertainty of issue ; ) so that other calculatory , or figure casting astrology is presumptuous and unwarrantable ; cryed ever downe by councells and fathers , as unlawfull ; as that which lies in the mid-way betwixt magick , and imposture , and partakes not a little of both . the anointing of the weapon for the healing of the wound , though many miles distant ; wherein how confident soever some intelligent men have beene ) doubtlesse there can be nothing of nature , sith in all naturall agences , there must necessarily be a contraction either reall , or virtuall ; here in such an intervall , none can bee : neither can the efficacy bee ascribed to the salve ; since some others have undertaken and done the cure , by a more homely and familiar ointment ; it is the ill-bestowed faith of the agent that draws on the successe from the hand of an invisible physitian . calming of tempests , and driving away devills by ringing of bells , hallowed for that purpose . remedy of witcheries , by heating of irons , or applying of crosses . i could cloy you with instances of this kinde , wherewith satan beguiles the simple upon these two mis-grounded principles ; . that in all experience they have found such effects following upon the use and practise of such meanes ; which indeed cannot be denyed : charms and spels commonly are no lesse unfailing in their working , than the best naturall remedies ; doubtlesse , the devill is a most skilfull artist : and can do feats beyond all mortall powers ; but god blesse us from imploying him : king. . . is it not because there is not a god in israel that we goe to enquire of baal-zebub the god of ekron ? . that there may be hidden causes in nature for the producing of such effects , which they know not ; neither can give any reason of their operations , whereof yet we doe commonly make use , without any scruple ; and why may not these be ranged under the same head ? which they have used with no other but good meaning , without the least intention of reference to any malignant powers ; in answer whereto , i must tell them , that their best plea is ignorance , which may abate the sinne , but not excuse it : there are indeed , deep secrets in nature , whose bottome we cannot dive into , as those wonders of the load-stone ; a piece outwardly contemptible , yet of such force as approacheth neare to a miracle : and many other strange sympathies and antipathies in severall creatures ; in which ranke may be set the bleeding of the dead at the presence of the murtherer : and some acts done for the discovery of witchcraft both in this , and our neighbor kingdome ; but withall , though there be secrets in nature which we know not how she works ; yet we know there are works which are well knowne , that she cannot doe : how far her power can extend is not hard to determine : and those effects which are beyond this , ( as in the forementioned particulars ) we know whither to ascribe : let it be therefore the care and wisdome of christians to looke upon what grounds they goe : whiles they have god , and nature for their warrant , they may walke safely ; but where these leave them , the way leades downe to the chambers of death , case iii. whether reserving my conscience to my self , i may be present at an idolatrous devotion ; or whether in the lawfull service of god i may communicate with wicked persons . the question is double : both of them of great importance ; the former i must answer negatively , your presence is unlawfull upon a double ground ; of sinne , and of scandall : of sin , if you partake in the idolatry ; of scandall , if you doe but seeme to partake : the scandall is three-fold ; you confirm the offenders in their sin , you draw others by your example into sin , you grieve the spirits of those wiser christians , that are the sad witnesses of your offence . the great apostle of the gentiles ( cor. . , , , , , , . ) hath fully determined the question in a more favourable case : the heathen sacrifices were wont to be accompanied ( in imitation of the jewish , prescribed by god himselfe ) with feastes ; the owners of the feast civilly invite the neighbours ( though christians ) to the banquets ; the tables are spread in their temples ; the christian guests , out of a neighbourly society , goe , sit , eate with them : s. paul cries downe the practice , as utterly unlawfull : yet this was but in matter of meat ; which sure was gods , though sacrificed to an idoll ; how much more must it hold in rites and devices , meerely , either humane , or devilish ? i need not tell you of the christian souldiers in the primitive persecution , who when they found themselves by an ignorant mistaking drawne , under a pretence of loyalty , into so much ceremony as might carry some semblance of an idolatrous thurification , ranne about the city in an holy remorse , and proclaimes themselves to be christians : nor how little it excused marcellinus bishop of rome from an heavy censure , that he could say he did but for company cast a few graines of incense into the fire . the charge of the apostle ( thes. . . ) is full , and peremptory , that we should abstaine from every appearance of evill . it is a poore plea that you mention of the example of naaman . alas , an ignorant pagan ! whose body if it were washed from his leprosie , yet his soule must needes be still foule : kings . , , . yet even this man will thenceforth offer neither burnt-offering , nor sacrifice unto any other god , but unto the lord , nor upon any ground but the lords peculiar ; and will therefore lade two mules with israelitish earth ; and is now a professed convert : yea , but he will still bow in the temple of rimmon : but how will he bow ? civilly onely , not religiously ; in the house of rimmon , not to the idoll ; not in relation to the false deity , but to the king his master : you shall not take him going alone under that idolatrous roofe , but according to his office , in attendance of his soveraigne : nor bowing there , but to support the arme that lean'd upon him : and if upon his returne home from his journey he made that solemne protestation to his syrians , which he before made to the prophet : take notice , o all ye courtiers , and men of damascus , that naaman is now become a proselyte of israell , that hee will serve and adore none but the true god ; and if you see him at any time kneeling in the temple of your idoll rimmon , know that it is not done in any devotion to that false god , but in the performance of his duty and service to his royall master ; i see not but the prophet might well bid him , goe in peace . how ever that ordinary and formall velediction to a syrian , can be no warrant for a christians willing dissimulation . it is fit for every honest man to seeme as he is ; what do you howling amongst wolves , if you be not one ? or what do you amongst the cranes , if you be a stork : it was the charge of jehu , when he pretended that great sacrifice to baal ; search , and looke that there be here with you none of the servants of the lord , ( king. . . ) but the worshippers of baal onely : surely had any of gods clients secretly shrouded himselfe amongst those idolaters , his blood had beene upon his owne head : briefly then , i● you have a minde to keepe your selfe in a safe condition for your soule , let me lay upon you the charge which moses enforced upon the congregation of israel in the case of corah's insurrection , depart i pray you from the tents of these wicked men , and touch nothing of theirs , lest ye be consumed in all their sins . numb . . . the latter i must answer affirmatively : if the ordinances be holy , why should you not take your part of them ? it is an unjust nicenesse to abridge your selfe of a blessing , for another mans unworthinesse : doubtless , there ought to be a separation of the precious from the vile ; the neglect whereof is the great sinne of those , whom in duty it concernes to perform it ; but where this is not accordingly done , shall i suffer for anothers offence ? my owne sinnes may justly keepe me off from gods table ; if another mans may doe so too , i appropriate the guilt of his sin to my own wrong : surely it argues but small appetite to these heavenly viandes , if you can be put off with a pretence of others faults : judge of the spirituall repast by this earthly ; were you throughly hungry , would you refraine from your meat because one of the guests hath a paire of foule hands ? that may be a just eye-sore to you , but no reason why you should forbeare wholesome dishes : carve you for your selfe , and looke to your owne trencher , he feedes for himselfe , not for you ; sinne is the uncleannesse of the soule , that cleaves closer to it , than any outward nastinesse can to the skin ; to feed thus foule then is doubtlesse unwholesome , to himselfe , it can be no hurt to you . but you are ready to straine the comparison higher to your owne advantage : say , that one of the guests hath a plague-fore running upon him , shall i then thinke it safe to sit at the table with him ? now sin is of a pestilent nature , spreading its infection to others besides its owne subject ; therefore it is meet we keepe aloofe from the danger of his contagion : true , there are sinnes of a contagious nature , apt to diffuse their venome to others , ( as there are other some whose evill is intrinsecall to the owner ) but these infect by way of evill counsails , or examples , or familiar conversation , not by way of a meere extemporary presence of the person , by spreading of their corruption to those that are taken with them ; not by scattering abroad any guilt to those that abhorr them . well did our saviour know how deadly an infection had seised on the soule of judas , yet he drives him not from his board , lest his sinne should taint the disciples . the spirit that writes to the seven asian churches ( rev. . , , . ) saw and professed to see the horrible infection spread amongst the thyatirians by the doctrine and wicked practises of their jesebell , yet all that he enjoyns the godly party is to hold their own . have no fellowship , saith the apostle with the unfruitfull works of darknesse , ( eph. . . ) loe he would not have us partake in evill : he doth not forbid us to partake with an evil man in good works . however therefore we are to wish and endeavour ( in our places ) that all the congregation may be holy ; and it is a comfortable thing to joyn with those , that are truly conscionable , and carefully observant of their wayes , in the immediate services of our god : yet where there is neglect in the overseers , and boldnesse in the intruders , and thereupon , gods sacred table is pestred with some unworthy guests ; it is not for you , upon this ground , to deprive your selfe of the benefit of gods blessed ordinances ; notwithstanding all this unpleasing encombrance you are welcome , and may be happy . case iv. whether vowes bee not out of season now under the gospel ; of what things they may be made ; how farre they oblige us ; and whether and how far they may be capable of release . it is a wrongfull imputation that is cast upon us by the roman doctours , that we abandone all vowes under the gospell : they well see that we allow and professe that common vow ( as lessius termes it ) in baptisme ; which yet both bellarmine , and he , with other of their consorts , deny to be properly such : it is true , that as infants make it by their proxies , there may seeme some impropriety of the engagement as to their persons ; but if the party christened be of mature age , the expresse vow is made absolutely by , and for himselfe . besides this , we allow of the renovation of all those holy vowes , ( relating to the first ) which may binde us to a more strict obedience to our god , yet more , though we doe not now allow the vowes of things in their nature indiffernt , to be parts of gods worship , ( as they were formerly under the law ) yet we doe willingly approve of them , as good helps and furtherances to us , for the avoiding of such sinnes as we are obnoxious unto ; and for the better forwarding of our holy obedience . thus , the charge is of eternall use , psal. . . vow unto god and performe it : not that we are bound to vow ; that act is free and voluntary : but that when we have vowed , we are straitly bound to performance : it is with us for our vowes as it was with ananias and saphira for their substance . whiles it remained ( saith s. peter ) was it not thine own ? ( acts . . ) hee needed not to sell it , he needed not to give it ; but if he will give , he may not reserve : if he profess to give all , it is death to save some ; he lies to the holy ghost , that defalks from that which he engaged himselfe to bestow . it mainly concernes us therefore to looke carefully in the first place , to what we vow , and to our intentions in vowing , and to see that our vow be not rash and unadvised , of things either triviall , or unlawfull , or impossible , or out of our power to performe ; for every vow is a promise made to god ; and to promise unto that great and holy god , that which either we cannot , or ought not to doe , what is it other than to mock and abuse that sacred majesty , which will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine ? it is the charge to this purpose of wise solomon , be not rash with thy mouth , and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before god , for god is in heaven , and thou upon earth , therefore let thy words be few , eccles. . . your vow therefore must be either of things morally good , for the quickening you in that duty which you are bound to doe : or of things indifferent in themselves , the refraining , or doing whereof , may tend either to the restraint from sinne , or the furtherance of your holy obedience : as a man that findes his brains weak , and his inclination too strong to pleasing liquor , bindes himselfe by a vow to drinke no wine save onely at gods table : or a man that findes himselfe apt to be miscarryed by his appetite , confines himselfe by his vow to one dish , or to one meale for the day : or a man that findes himself given to the pleasure of gaming , to the losse of his time , and the weakning of his estate , curbes himselfe by his vow never to play for money : or a man that findes his prayers weak , and his flesh rebellious , vowes to tame his unruly desires , and to stir up his duller devotions by fasting . and as the matter of your vow must be carefully regarded ; so also your intentions in vowing ; for if you vow to doe good to an ill end , your thanke is lost , and danger of judgement incurred : as if you vow to give almes for vaine-glory , or ostentation : or , if god shall prosper your usurious , or monopolizing project , you will build an hospitall ; your vow is like to be so accepted , as the story tells us , the prayers were , of that bold curtizan , who coming to the shrine of s. thomas of * canterbury ( as that traitour was stiled ) devoutly beg'd , that through the intercession of that saint , she might be graced with so winning a beauty , that might allure her paramours to a gainfull courting of so pleasing a mistresse , when suddainly ( as my author tells me ) she was stricken blinde : and certainely , so it might well be ; for if a supposed saint were invoked , it was god that was highly provoked by the sinfull petition of a shamelesse harlot : and it was most just for him to revenge it ; and so we may well expect it shall be with whosoever shall dare to make use of his sacred name to their owne wicked or unwarrantable purposes . since therefore our vowes must be for their matter ( as casuists well determine ) de meliore bono , and for intentions , holy and directed onely to good ; it plainly appeares that many idle purposes , promises , resolutions , are wont to passe with men for vows , which have no just claime to that holy title : one sayes he vowes never to be friends with such a one that hath highly abused him ; another , that he will never come under the roofe of such an unkinde neighbour : one that he will drinke so many healths to his honoured friend ; another that he will not give the wall or the way to any passenger : one that he will never weare suit but of such a colour ; another that he will never cut his haire till such an event ; these , and such like may be foolish , unjust , ridiculous selfe engagements , but vowes they are not , neither therefore do bind the conscience , otherwise than as sampsons cords , and withes , which he may break as a thred of tow , iudg. . . . but as for true vowes , certainly they are so binding , that you shall sin hainously in not performing them : it is not better than dishonesty to fail in what we have promised to men ; but to disappoint god in our vowes , is no lesse than sacriledge : that of solomons is weighty , eccles. . , , . when thou vowest a vow unto god , deferre not to pay it , for he hath no pleasure in fooles ; pay that which thou hast vowed : better it is that thou shouldst not vow , than that thou shouldst vow and not pay it : suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin , neither say before the angel that it was an errour ; wherefore should god be angry at thy vow , and destroy the worke of thine hands ? if therefore a lawfull and just vow have passed your lips , you may not be false to god , and your selfe in not keeping it . but if it shall so fall out , that there proves to be some maine inconvenience or impossibility in the fulfilling of this your solemne promise unto god , whether through the extreme prejudice of your health , and life , or the over-swaying difficulty of the times what is to be done ; surely as under the law ( numb . . , , . ) it was left in the power of the parent to over-rule the vow of the childe , so i doubt not but under the gospel , it is left in the power of your spirituall fathers , to order , or dispense with the performance of those vowes , which you would , but cannot well fulfill : neither was it spoken in vaine , nor in matter of sins onely , which our saviour in way of authorization , said to his apostles and their successours , whatsoever ye shall binde on earth , shall be bound in heaven , and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven . mat. . in this case therefore , i should advise you to make your addresse to your spirituall pastor , and freely to lay open your condition before him , and humbly to submit your selfe to his fatherly directions in that course , which shall be found best and sasest for your soule : think it not safe in a businesse of so high nature to relye upon your owne judgment , and to carve out your own satisfaction ; but regard carefully what god hath said of old , the priests lippes should keep knowledge : and they should seeke the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . mal. . . case v. whom may we justly hold an heretick ; and what is to be done in the case of heresie ? there is no one point wherein the church of god hath suffered more , than in the mis-understanding of this question ; how many thousand innocents , have in these latter ages of the church perished in this unhappy quarrell ? yea , how many famous churches have beene most unjustly thunder-struck with direfull censures of excommunication down to the pit of hell , upon pretence of this crime , which have bin lesse guilty than their anathematizers ? and even amongst our selves , how apt we are to brand one another with this hatefull mark where there is no true merit of such a reproach ? it much imports us therefore to know who may be deservedly thus stigmatized by us : i have elsewhere somewhat largely insisted on this theme ; whither i might spare some lines to referre you ; but , in short , thus : to let passe the originall sense , and divers acceptions of the word , an heresie is no other than an obstinate errour against the foundation ; all truths are precious , but some withall necessary ; all errours are faulty , but some damnable ; the naynousnesse of the error is according to the worth of the truth impugned ; there are theologicall verities fit for us to know and believe ; there are articles of christian faith needfull to be known and believed ; there are truths of meet and decent superstructure , without which the fabrick may stand ; there are truths of the foundation so essentiall , as that without them it cannot stand : it is a maime to the house if but a tile be pulled off from the roofe , but if the foundation be razed , the building is overthrown : this is the endeavour and act of heresie . but now the next question will be , what doctrines they are which must be accounted to be of the foundation ; our countrey-man fisher the jesuite , and his associates wil tell you roundly , that all those things , which are defined by the church to be believed , are * fundamentall : a large ground-work of faith : doubtlesse the church hath defined all things contained in the scripture , to be believed ; and theirs ( which they call catholick ) hath defined all those traditionall points , which they have added to the creed , upon the same necessity of salvation to be believed ; now if all these be the foundation , which is the building ? what an imperfect fabrick doe they make of christian religion ; all foundation , no walls , no roofe ? surely it cannot , without too much absurdity , be denied , that there is great difference of truthes , some more important than others ; which could not be , if all were alike fundamentall : if there were not some speciall truthes , the beliefe whereof makes , and distinguisheth a christian , the authors of the creede apostolick ( besides the other symboles received anciently by the church ) were much deceived in their aime : he therefore that believes the holy scriptures ( which must be a principle presupposed ) to be inspired by god ; and as an abstract of the chiefe particulars thereof , professeth to believe and embrace the articles of the christian faith , to regulate his life by the law of gods commandements , and his devotion by the rule of christ prescribed ; and lastly to acknowledge and receive the sacraments expresly instituted by christ ; doubtlesse this man is by profession a christian , and cannot be denyed to hold the foundation ; and whosoever shall wilfully impugne any of these , comes within the verge of heresie : wilfully , i say , for meere error makes not an heretick ; if out of simplicity , or grosse ignorance , a man shall take upon him to maintaine a contradiction to a point of faith , being ready to relent upon better light , he may not be thus branded : eviction and contumacy must improve his error to be hereticall . the church of rome therefore hath beene too cruelly-liberall of her censures this way , having bestow'd this livery upon many thousand christians whom god hath owned for his saints : and upon some churches more orthodoxe than her selfe , presuming upon a power ( which was never granted her from heaven ) to state new articles of faith , and to excommunicate and barre all that shall dare to gainsay her oracles : whereas the great doctor of the gentiles hath told us from the spirit of god , that there is but one lord , one faith , one baptisme ; ( ephes. . . ) and what faith is that ? s. jude tells us : iude . the faith that was once delivered the saints ; so that as well may they make more reiterations of baptisme , and multiplicities of lords , as more faiths than one : some explications there may be of that one faith , made by the church , upon occasion of new-sprung errours , but such , as must have their grounds from fore-written truths , and such , as may not extend to the condemnation of them whom god hath left free : new articles of faith they may not be , nor binde farther than god hath reached them . hereticks then they are , and onely they , that pertinaciously raze the foundation of the christian faith ; what now must be done with them ? surely , first , if they cannot be reclaimed , they must be avoided : it is the charge of the beloved disciple to the elect lady , john v. . if any man come unto you and bring not ( that is , by an ordinary hebraisme , opposes ) this doctrine , receive him not into your houses , neither bidde him god speede ; but the apostle of the gentiles goes yet higher ; sor writing to titus the great super-intendent of crete , his charge is , tit. . . a man that is an heretick , after the first and second admonition reject . now , when wee compare the charge with the person , we cannot but finde that this rejection , is not a meer negative act , of refraining company , but a positive act of censure , so as he , who had power to admonish , had also power to reject in an authoritative , or judicatory way : he sayes then , devita , reject or avoid , not ( as erasmus too truly , but bitterly scoffes the romish practise ) de vita tolle : this of killing the heretick , as it was out of the power of a spirituall supervisor , so was it no lesse farre from the thoughts of him that desired to come in the spirit of meekness : fagots were never ordained by the apostle for arguments to confute hereticks ; this bloudy logick and divinity was of a much later brood , and is for a dominick , not a paul to owne : for certainely faith is of the same nature with love , it cannot be compelled , perswasions may move it , not force : these intellectuall sinnes must look for remedies of their owne kinde ; but if either they be ( as it is often ) accompanied with damnable blasphemies , against god , whether in his essence , or attributes , or the three incomprehensible persons in the all-glorious deity , or the blessed mediator betwixt god and man jesus christ , in either of his natures ; or else , shall be attended with the publique disturbances and dangerous distempers of the kingdome , or state wherein they are broached , the apostle's wish is , but seasonable , in both a spiritual and a bodily sense ; gal. . . would to god those were cut off that trouble you : in the mean time , for what concernes your selfe , if you know any such , as you love god , and your soules , keepe aloofe from them , as from the pestilence . * epiphanius well compares heresie to the biting of a mad dog , which as it is deadly , ( if not speedily remedied ) so it is withall dangerously infectious , not the tooth onely , but the very foame of that envenomed beast carries death in it ; you cannot be safe , if you avoid it not . case vi. whether the lawes of men doe binde the conscience , and how far we are tyed to their obedience . both these extreames of opinion concerning this point , must needs bring much mischiefe upon church and kingdome : those that absolutely hold such a power in humane lawes make themselves slaves to men : those that deny any binding power in them , run loose into all licentiousnesse : know then that there is a vast difference betwixt these two ; to bind the conscience in any act , and to bind a man in conscience to do or omit an act : humane laws cannot do the first of them ; the latter they may , and must doe : to binde the conscience is to make it guilty of a sin in doing an act forbidden , or omitting an act injoyned as in it selfe such : or making that act in it selfe an acceptable service to god , which is commanded by men : thus humane lawes cannot bind the conscience : it is god onely , john . . who , as he is greater than the conscience , so hath power to binde or loose it : esay . . it is he that is the onely law giver to the conscience : jam. . . princes and churches may make lawes for the outward man ; but they can no more binde the heart , than they can make it ; in vain is that power , which is not inabled with coertion , now what coertion can any humane power claim of the heart , which it can never attain to know ? the spirit of man therefore is subject onely to the father of spirits , who onely sees and searches the secrets of it , and can both convince , and punish it . besides , well did penitent david know what he said , when he cryed out , against thee onely have i sinned : psal. . he knew that sinne is a transgression of the law , and that none but gods law can make a sin : men may be concerned , and injured in our actions , but it is god who hath forbidden these wrongs to men , that is sinned against , in our acts of injustice and uncharitablenesse : and who only can inflict the spirituall ( which is the highest ) revenge upon offenders . the charge of the great doctor of the gentiles to his galatians , was galat. . . stand fast in the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free , and be not intangled againe in the yoak of bondage . what yoak of bondage was this , but the law of ceremonies ? what liberty was this , but a freedome from the bondage of that law ? and certainly if those ordinances , which had god for their author , have so little power to bind the conscience , as that the yoake of their bondage must be shaken off , as inconsistent with christian liberty ; how much less is it to be indured , that we should be the servants of men , in being tyed up to sin by their presumptuous impositions ? the lawes of men therefore doe not , ought not , cannot bind your conscience , as of themselves ; but , if they be just , they binde you in conscience to obedience : they are the words of the apostle to his romans , rom. . . wherefore ye must needes be subject ; not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake . however then their particular constitution in themselves put no speciall obligation upon us , under paine of sinne , and damnation ; yet in a generall relation to that god , who hath commanded us to obey authority , their neglect or contempt involves us in a guilt of sin : all power is of god , that which the supreme authority therefore enjoyns you , god enjoyns you by it , the charge is mediately his , though passing through the hands of men . how little is this regarded , in these loose times , by those lawlesse persons , whose practises acknowledge no soveraignty but titular , no obedience but arbitrary , to whom the strongest laws are as weapons to the leviathan , who esteemes iron as straw , and brass as rotten wood , job . . surely had they not first cast off their obedience to him that is higher than the highest , they could not without trembling heare that weighty charge of the great god of heaven , rom. . . let every soule be subject to the higher powers : for there is no power but of god ; and the powers that be , are ordained of god : pet. . . submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake ; and therefore should be convinced in themselves , of that awe , and duty , which they ow to soveraignty , and know and resolve to obey god in men , and men for god. you see then how requisite it is , that you walk in a middle way betwixt that excessive power , which flattering casuists have beene wont to give to popes , emperours , kings , and princes in their severall jurisdictions , and a lawlesse neglect of lawfull authority : for the orthodox , wise , and just moderation whereof , these last ages are much indebted to the learned and judicious chancellour of paris * , john gerson , who first so checked that over-flowing errour of the power of humane usurpation ( which carried the world before it ) as gave a just hint to succeding times , to draw that streame into the right channell , in so much as † dominicus à soto complaines greatly of him , as , in this , little differing from the lutheran heresie : but in the way which they call heresie , we worship the god of our fathers , rendring unto cesar the things that are cesars , and unto god those things that are gods ; yeilding our bodyes to cesar , act. . . reserving our souls for god : tendring to just lawes our active obedience , to unjust , passive . but in the meane time , farre be it from us to draw this knot of our obligation harder , & closer then authority it self intends it : what ever popes may doe for their decrees , certainly good princes never meant to lay such weight upon all their lawes as to make every breach of them ( even in relation to the authority given them by god ) to be sinfull . their lawes are commonly shut up with a sanction of the penalty imposed upon the violation : there is an obedientia bursalis , ( as , i remember , gerson calls it , ) an obedience , if not of the person , yet of the purse ; which princes are content to take up withall : we have a world of sinnes ( god knowes ) upon us in our hourly transgressions of the royall lawes of our maker ; but woe were us , if wee should have so many sins more , as we break statutes : in penall lawes , where scandall or contempt finde no place , humane authority is wont to rest satisfied with the mulct paid , when the duty is not performed . not that we may wilfully incur the breach of a good law , because our hands are upon our purse-strings ready to stake the forfeiture ; this were utterly to frustrate the end of good lawes , which doe therfore impose a mulct that they may not bee broken ; and were highly injurious to soveraign authority , as if it sought for our money , not our obedience , and cared more for gain then good order ; then which there cannot be a more base imputation cast upon government : as then we are wont to say in relation of our actions to the lawes of god ; that som things are forbidden because they are sinfull , and some things are sinfull because they are forbidden , so it holds also in the lawes of men ; som things are forbidden because they are justly offensive ; and som other things are only therfore offensive because they are forbidden ; in the former of these we must yield our careful obedience out of respect even to the duty it self ; in the latter , out of respect to the will of the law-giver ; yet so , as that if our own important occasions shall enforce us to transgress a penall law , without any affront of authority or scandall to others , our submission to the penalty frees us from a sinfull disodedience . case vii . whether tithes bee a lawfull maintenance for ministers under the gospel ; and whether men bee bound to pay them accordingly . as the question of mine and thine hath ever embroyled the world ; so this particular concerning tithes hath raised no little dust in the church of god ; whiles some plead them in the precise ( quota parta ) due & necessarie to be paid , both by the law of god , and nature it self ; others decry them as a judaicall law ; partly ceremoniall , partly judiciall ; and therfore either now unlawfull , or at least neither obligatory , nor convenient . what is fit to be determined in a businesse so over agitated ; i shall shut up in these ten propositions . . the maintenance of the legall ministery allowed and appointed by god was exceeding large and liberall . besides all the tithes of corn , wine oyle , herbs , herds , flocks ; they had forty eight cities set forth for them , with the fields round about them , to the extent of two thousand cubits every way : they had the first fruits of wine , oyle , wool , &c. in a large proportion ; he was held to be a man of an evil eye that gave lesse then the sixtith part : they had the first born of cattle , sheep , beeves , goats ; and the price of the rest , upon redemption : even the first-born of men must ransom themselves at five shekels a man ; they had the oblations and vowes of things dedicated to god : they had the ample loaves ( or * cakes rather ) of shew-bread , and no small share in meat-offerings , sin-offerings , trespasse-offerings , heave-offerings , shake-offerings ; of sacrifices eucharistical they had the brest and shoulder ; of other , the shoulder and the two cheekes ; yea the very burnt offerings afforded them an hide : besides all these , all the males were to appeare before the lord thrice a year ; none were exempted ( as their doctors tell us ) but servants , deaf , dumb , idiots , blind , lame , defiled , uncircumcised , old , sick , tender and weak , not able to travel , and no one of these which came up might appeare empty-handed . what do i offer to particularize ? there were no less then twenty four gifts alotted to the priests , expresly in the law ; the severals wherof who so desires to see , may finde in the learned and profitable annotations of master ainsworth * , out of maimonides . . we can have no reason to imagine , that the same god who was so bountifull in his provisions for the legall ministery , should bear lesse respect to the evangelicall ; which is far more worthy and excellent then the other ; justly therfore doth s. paul argue from the maintenance of the one , a meet proportion for the fit sustentation of the other , cor. . . . it is not fit for gods ministers to be too intent to matter of profit ; their main care must be the spiritual proficiency of the soules of their people ; the secular thoughts of outward provisions must come in only on the by ; but howsoever they may not be intangled in worldly affaires , yet they ought in duty to cast so much eye upon these earthly things as may free them from neglect ; it is to timothy that s. paul writes , that it any man provide not for his own , & especialy for those of his own house he hath denied the faith , & is worse then an infidell . tim. . . . under the law the tenth part was precisely alotted by the owner of all things , for the maintenance of the sacred tribe ; and if the wise and holy god had not found that a meet proportion for those that served at his altar ; he had either pitched upon som other , or left it arbitrary ; yea even before the law , gen. . . abraham ( and in his loynes levi himselfe ) paid tithes to melchisedec ( heb. . . ) the priest of the most high god ; and whether it were by his example , or by some naturall instinct , we find the very heathen nations , after some great victory atchieved , were wont to devote stil the tithe of their spoiles to their deities : so camillus , when he had after a long siege taken the rich city vejos , ( a place of such importance , that upon the taking of it , he wished som great cross might befall rome for the tempering of so high a felicity ) he presently offereth the tithe to his * gods : yea it was their custome who were most devout to consecrate the tithe of all their increase to those gods they were most addicted unto ; in so much as the romans noted it in their lucullus , that hee therfore grew up to so vast an estate , because he still devoted the tithe of his fruits to hercules : and * pliny tells us that when they gathered their frankincense , none of it might be uttered till the priest had the tithe of it set forth for him . . there can be no good reason given , why we may not observe the very same rate of proportion in laying out the maintenance of the ministery under the gospell ; and if these rules and examples bee not binding , ( since religion consisteth not now in numbers at all ; yet there is no cause why christian kingdoms , or commonwealths may not settle their choice upon the same number , and quantity with both jewes and gentiles . . the nationall lawes of this kingdom have set out the same proportion of tenths for this purpose ; if therfore there were no other obligation from the law of god or of the church , nor any precedents from the practise of the rest of the world , yet in obedience to our municipall lawes , we are bound to lay forth the tenth part of our increase to the maintenance of gods service ; and that tenth is as truly due to the minister as the nine parts to the owner . . since the tenth part is in the intention of the law both civill and ecclesiasticall , dedicated to the service of god ; and in the meer intuition thereof , is alotted to gods ministers , there can be no reason why it can be claimed , or warantably received by lay persons , for their proper use & behoof ; so as this practise of impropriation , which was first set on foot by unjust and sacrilegious buls from rome , is justly offensive both to god and good men ; as mis-deriving the well-meant devotions of charitable and pious soules into a wrong channell . nothing is more plaine then that tithes were given to the church and in it , to god ; how therefore that which is bequeath'd to god may be alienated to secular hands , let the possessors look ? . let men be tied to make good the apostles charge ( since the legall rate displeases ) and it shall well satisfie those that wait upon gods services under the gospel ; the charge of the apostle of the gentiles , is : let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth , in all good things , gal. . . whereto hee adds , ver . . be not deceived , god is not mocked . the charge is serious , and binding : and the required communication is universall ; and that with a grave item of gods strict observation of performance : we may not think to put it off with ambroses mis-pointed reading , of referring the all good things to the teaching , ( a conceit sensibly weak , and misconstructive ; ) nothing is more evident then that it hath relation to the communicating ; wherein ( for ought i see ) god intends a larger bounty to the evangelicall ministery then to the legall ; where all is to be communicated , what is excepted ? all , not exclusive of the owner ; but imparted by the owner ; let this bee really done , there will bee no reason to stand upon the tenths . . but that this may be accordingly done , there is no law that requires a meer arbitrarinesse in the communicators : the duty of the teacher is punctually set downe , and so well known that the meanest of the people can check him with his neglect : and why should wee thinke the reciprocall duty of the hearer fit to bee left loose and voluntary : yet such an apprehension hath taken up the hearts of too many christians as if the contributions to their ministers were a matter of meer almes ; which as they need not to give , so they are apt , upon easy displeasures , to upbraid : but these men must be put in minde of the just word of our saviour ; the laborer is worthy of his wages : the ministery signifies a service ; a publique service at gods altar ; whereto the wages is no lesse due , then the meat is to the mouth of him that payes it ; no man may more freely speak of tithes then my selfe , who receive none , nor ever shall do ? know then ye proud ignorants , that call your ministers your almes-men , and your selves their benefactors , that the same right you have to the whole , they have to a part ; god and the same lawes that have feoffed you in your estates , have allotted them their due shares in them ; which without wrong ye cannot detract . it is not your charity but your justice which they presse for their owne : neither think to check them with the scornfull title of your servants ; servants they are indeede , to gods church , not to you ; and if they doe stoop to particular services for the good of your souls , this is no more disparagement to them , then it is to the blessed angels of god , to be ministring spirits , heb. . . sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation . shortly , it is the apostles charge ratified in heaven , that they which labour in the word and doctrine should be remunerated with double honour ; that is not formall of words and complements , but real of maintenance ; which he laies weight upon his timothy to enioyn , . tim. . . . and surely how necessary it is that we should bee at som certainty in this case , and not left to the meere arbitrary will of the givers , it too well apears in common experience ; which tell us how ordinary it is , where ministers depend upon voluntary benevolences , if they doe but upon som just reproofe gall the conscience of a guilty hearer ; or preach som truth which dis-relishes the palat of a prepossessed auditor , how he straight flies out ; and not only withholds his own pay , but also withdrawes the contributions of others : so as the free-tongued teacher must either live by ayre , or be forced to change his pasture : it were easy to instance , but charity bids mee forbeare . hereupon it is , that these sportulary preachers are faine to sooth up their many masters , and are so gaged with the feare of a starving displeasure , that they dare not be free in the reprehension of the daring sins of their uncertain benefactors ; as being charmed to speak either placentia or nothing . and if there were no such danger in a faithfull and just freedom , yet how easy is it to apprehend , that if even when the laws enforce men to pay their dues to their ministers , they yet continue so backward in their discharge of them : how much lesse hope can there be , that being left to their free choyce , they would prove eyther liberall or just in their voluntary contributions . howsoever therfore in that innocent infancy of the church , wherein zealous christians , out of a liberall ingenuity were ready to lay downe all their substance at the apostles feet , & in the primitive times immediately subsequent , the willing forwardness of devout people tooke away all need of raysing set maintenances for gods ministers ; yet now , in these depraved and hard hearted times of the church , it is more then requisite , that fixed competencies of allowance should by good lawes be established upon them ; which being done by way of tithes in those countries wherein they obtaine , there is just cause of thankfulnesse to god for so meet a provision , none for a just oppugnation . case viii . whether it bee lawfull for christians where they find a countrey possessed by savage pagans and infidels , to drive out the native inhabitants ; and to seize , and enjoy their lands , upon any pretence ; and upon what grounds it may be lawfull so to doe . what unjust and cruel measure hath been heretofore offered by the spaniard to miserable indians , in this kind , i had rather you should receive from the relation of their own bishop , bartholomaeus casa then from my pen. he can tell you a sad story of millions of those poor savages made away to make room for those their imperious successors ; the discovery of whose unjust usurpation , procured but little thanks to their learned professors of complutum and salamanca : your question relates to our owne case ; since many thousands of our nation have transplanted themselves into those regions , which were prepossessed by barbarous owners : as for those countries which were not inhabited by any reasonable creatures , ( as the bermudas , or summer-islands ; which were only peopled wih hogs and deer , and such like bruite cattle ) there can be no reason why they should not fall to the first occupant ; but where the land hath a known master the case must vary : for the decision whereof some grounds are fit to be laid . no nation under heaven but hath som religion or other , and worships a god such as it is , although a creature much inferiour in very nature to themselves ; although the worst of creatures , evil spirits ; and that religion wherein they were bred , through an invincible ignorance of better , they esteem good at least . dominion and propriety is not founded in religion , but in a naturall and civill right ; it is true that the saints have in christ , the lord of all things , a spiritual right in all creatures ; all things are yours , ( saith the apostle ) and you are christs , and christ is gods : but the spirituall right gives a man no title at all to any naturall or civill possession here on earth ; yea christ himselfe , though both as god , and as mediator , the whole world were his , yet hee tells pilate , my kingdom is not of this world ; neither did he ( though the lord paramount of this whol earth ) by virtu of that transcendent soveraignty put any man out of the possession of one foot of ground which fell to him , either by birth , or purchase ; neither doth the want of that spirituall interest debar any man from a rightfull claim and fruition of these earthly inheritances . the barbarous people were lords of their owne ; and have their sagamores ; and orders , and formes of government under which they peaceably live , without the intermedling with other nations . infidelity cannot forfeit their inheritance to others ; no more then enmity professed by jewes to christian religion , can escheat their goods to the crownes under which they live ; yea much lesse : for those jewes , living amongst christian people , have , or might have had meanes sufficient to reclaime them from their stubborn unbeleefe , but these savages have never had the least overture of any saving helps to wards their conversion : they therefore being as true owners of their native inheritances , as christians are of theirs , they can no more be forced from their possessions by christians , then christians may be so forced by them : certainly , in the same tearms wherein they stand to christians , do also in their judgement , christians stand to them ; and if it would seem hard to us , that an inundation of pagans should ( as hereto fore it hath done ) break in upon us , and drive us out of our native possessions , how could it seem less unjust in us to them ? their idolatries , and sins against nature are hainous and abhominable and such as for which god of old condemned the seven nations to an utter extirpation ; but what commission have wee for their punishment ? could we shew such a patent in this case as the israelites had for their warres against ameleck , and those neighbouring heathens , all were sure : but you know who said , what have i to do to judge them that are without ? cor. . . and if hee may not be a judge , who may be an executioner . refusall of christianity can be no sufficient ground of either invasion , or expulsion , sith violence is not the appointed way for plantation of the faith ; which must be perswaded , and not compelled ; that sentence therefore of pope * gregory ; justum sanctumque esse bellum , &c. ( that it is a just and holy war which is by christians made against infidels , that they being brought under subjection the gospel of christ might be preached unto them ; lest that if they should not be subjected , they might be an hindrance to preaching , and to the conversion of those that would beleeve ; ) is surely either not out of the chayre , or beside the cushion ; and better beseems a successor of romulus , then of peter : i may not omit to acquaint you how hotly this main question was disputed by spanish & italian divines upon the very first entrance of this litigious usurpation ; at which time pope alexander . ( anno . ) gave his large decretory bull to ferdinand king , and isabella queen of castile and aragon for his expedition against the barbarous indians of the then newly discovered world : genesius sepulveda , a learned spaniard writ then , in defence and incoragement of this holy invasion , a dialogue , which hee called democrates secundus , which was published at rome , by the procurement of antonius augustinus , auditor of the palace ; which no sooner came abroad , then it was eagerly set on , by the divines both of italy and spaine ; amongst these latter , the doctors of salamanca , adde the complutenses ; and above them antonius ramirus bishoppe of segovia falls foule upon that offensive ▪ discourse , which genesius would faine have vindicated by an apology , set forth to that purpose ; but how insufficiently , it were easie to shew , if it were as needfull : but to make the matter good , hee thinks to back himselfe by the authority of great and famous persons , both counsellors , and doctors , by him cited ; and above all by that loud bull of * alexander ; wherein yet , for ought i see , the charge which is laid on those princes is only to reduce the people living in those islands and countries to receive christian religion ; which we may well apprehend more likely to be done by other means then by the sword . after much agitation it pleased the king of spaine , to require the judgement of † franciscus à victoria , the famous professor of divinity at salamanca , concerning this so weighty affaire ; which he hath published with such wisdome and moderation , as so great a businesse required ; stating the question aright on both sides ; both shewing the insufficiency of the received grounds of that indian expedition , and directing to those just motives , & rules of proceedings herein , as might bee , in such a case , justifiable ; to which grave and solid discourse of his , you may , if you please , bee referred for further satisfaction . onwards , i shall draw forth some few of such considerations from him as may serve for my present purpose . first therefore it is lawfull for christians to travell into any countrey under heaven , and as strangers , to stay there , without any wrong done to the natives ; a thing allowed by the law of nations derived from the law of nature , by which law it is every where held an inhuman thing to offer ill measure to a stranger . it is the argument that righteous lot used to the worst of pagans , the sodomits ; only unto these men doe nothing , for therefore are they come under the shadow of my roof . gen. . . and if before the division of nations , the earth lay freely open to all passengers without scruple , to travel whither they pleased , surely , that partition was never intended to warant a restraint ; and if nature have made the sea and all the in-lets of it common , it were very injurious to abridg any nation of the free use of so liberall an element . secondly , it is lawfull for us to use trafique with those infidels , and to interchange comodities with them , and to abide upon their coasts for negotiation , and to fish in their sea , and to take part of those profits which nature hath made common to all comers , and if those pagans shall oppose us in so warrantable courses , it will be meet for us to tender them al fair satisfaction ; perswading them that we intend no harm or prejudice to them in their persons , or estate ; but much good to both ; labouring to win them by all courteous demenor ; but if they shall flie out , notwithstanding all our kind indeavors , into a violent opposition of us ; setting upon us in a hostile manner , offering to cut our throats in so unjust a quarell , it is lawfull for us to stand upon our defence , and to repell one force with another ; and to use all convenient meanes for our security ; and if we cannot otherwise be safe , to raise bulwarks or fortifications for our own indemnity ; and if we finde our selves over-powred by implacable savages , to call for the aid and assistance of our friends , and ( if the enmity continue and proceed ) of our princes : since the just cause of war is the propulsation of publique injuries ; and such injury is as great as barbarous . but if not so much cruelty of disposition , as feare and suspicion of a strange nation shal arm them against us ; our care must bee so to manage our own defence , as may be least offensive to them ; & therfore we may not take this occasion of killing their persons , or sacking their townes , or depopulating their countrys ; for that in this case they are no other then innocent . if after all gentle intreaties , courteous usages , and harmlesse self-defence , they shal persist in a malicious hostility , & can by no means be reclamed from their impetuous onsets ; there is now just cause not to deale with them as innocents , but as enemies : and therfore to proceede against them accordingly . but an higher and more warrantable title , that we may have to deale with these barbarous infidels , is , for the propagation of christian religion ; and the promulgation of the gospel of jesus christ amongst these miserable savages : for which wee have good ground from the charge of our saviour : goe preach the gospell to every creature ; mar. ult . and he that was in bonds for the name of the lord jesus , tels us , the word of god is not bound ; tim. . . not bound , either in fetters ; or within limits : oh that wee could approve to god , and our consciences , that this is our main motive and principall drift in our western plantations ; but how little appearance there is of this holy care and endeavour , the plaine dealer upon knowledge hath sufficiently informed us ; although i now heare of one industrious spirit that hath both learned the language of our new-islanders , and printed some part of the scripture in it ; and trained up some of their children in the principles of christianity : a service highly acceptable to god , and no lesse meritorious of men : the gospell then may be , must be preached to those heathens , ( otherwise they shall perpetually remaine out of the estate of salvation ) and all possible meanes must be used for their conversion ; but herein i must have leave to depart from victoria , that he holds it lawfull if the savages do not freely permit ( but goe about to hinder ) the preaching of the gospell , to rayse war against them ; as if he would have them cudgeled into christianity : surely this is not the way : it is for mahumetans to profess planting religion by the sword ; it is not for christians ; it is a just clause therfore that he puts in , that the slaughters hereupon raised may rather prove an hindrance to the conversion of the savages , as indeed it fell out ; the poor indians being by these bloody courses brought into such a detestation of their masters , the castilians , that they profest they would not goe to heaven if any spanyards were there . the way then to plant the gospel of christ successefully among those barbarous soules , must be only gentle , and plausible : first , by insinuating our selves into them by a discreet familiarity , and winning deportment , by an holy and inoffensive living with them ; by working upon them with the notable examples of impartiall justice , strict piety , tender mercy , compassion , chastity , temperance & all other christian virtues ; and when they are thus won to a liking of our persons and carriage , they will be then wel capable of our holy counsels ; then will the christian faith begin to relish with them ; and they shall now grow ambitious of that happy condition , which they admire in us : then shall they be glad to take us into their bosoms : and think themselves blessed in our society and cohabitation : lo this is the true way of christian conquests ; wherein i know not whether shal be the greater gainer , the victor or the conquered ; each of them shall blesse other , and both shall be blessed by the almighty . case ix . whether i need in case of some foule sin , committed by mee , to have recourse to gods minister for absolution ; and what effect i may expect therefrom . a meane would do well betwixt two extremes ; the careless neglect of our spirituall fathers on the one side , and too confident reliance upon their power , on the other : some there are that doe so over-trust their leaders eyes , that they care not to see with their own ; others dare so trust their own judgement , that they think they may sleight their spiritual guides : there can be no safety for the soul , but in a mid-way betwixt both these . at whose gyrdle the keyes of the kingdom of heaven doe hang , mee thinks wee should not need dispute , when we hear our saviour so expresly deliver them to peter , in the name of the rest of his fellowes ; and afterwards to all his apostles , and their lawfull successors in the dispensation of the doctrine and discipline of his church : in the dispensation of doctrine to all his faithfull ministers under the gospell ; in the dispensation of discipline to those that are entrusted with the mannaging of church-government ; with these latter we meddle not ; neither need we , if we had occasion ; after the so learned & elaborate discourse of the power of the keyes , set forth by judicious doctor hammond ; to which i suppose nothing can be added . the former is that which lies before us : doubtlesse , every true minister of christ , hath by virtue of his first and everlasting commission , two keyes delivered in his hand ; the key of knowledg , and the key of spirituall power : the one , whereby he is enabled to enter and search into , not only the revealed mysteries of salvation , but also , in some sort , into the heart of the penitent ; there discovering ( upon an ingenious revelation of the offender ) both the nature , quality , and degree of the sinne ; and the truth , validity , and measure of his repentance : the other whereby he may in some sort either lock up the soul under sin , or free it from sinne ; these keyes were never given him , but with an intention that he should make use of them upon just occasion . the use that hee may and must make of them is both generall , and speciall : generall ; in publishing the will and pleasure of god signified in his word , concerning sinners ; pronouncing forgivenesse of sins to the humble penitent , and denouncing judgement to the unbeleeving , and obdured sinner : in which regard , he is as the herald of the almighty , proclaming war and just indignation to the obstinate ; and tendring terms of pardon and peace to the relenting and contrite soule : or rather , as the apostle stiles him , cor. . . gods ambassador offering and suing for the reconciliation of men to god ; and if that be refused , menacing just vengeance to sinners . speciall , in a particular application of this knowledge and power to the soul of that sinner which makes his addresse unto him : wherein must be inquired both what necessity there is of this recourse , and what aid and comfort it may bring to the soul. two cases there are wherein certainly there is a necessity of applying our selves to the judgement of our spirituall guides ; the first is in our doubt of the nature and quality of the fact ; whether it be a sin , or no sinne ; for both many sinnes are so gilded over with fair pretences and colourable circumstances , that they are not to be de cryed but by judicious eyes ; and some actions which are of themselves indifferent , may by a scrupulous conscience be mistaken for hainous offences : whither should we goe in these doubts but to our counsaile learned in the lawes of god ; of whom god himself hath said by his prophet . the priests lips should keep knowledge ; and they should seeke the law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . mal. . . the second is in the irresoluble condition of our souls after a known sin committed ; wherein the burdened conscience not being able to give ease unto it self , seeks for aid to the sacred hand of gods penetentiary here on earth , & there may find it ; that is , that which elihu , as upon experience , suggesteth unto job , on his dunghill : job . . the soul of the remorsed draweth near to the grave , and his life to the destroyers : ver . . but if there bee a messenger ( of god ) with him , an interpreter , one of a thousand , to shew unto man his uprightnesse , ( and the soundnesse of his repentance ) ver . . then is ( god ) gratious unto him , and saith , deliver him from going down into the pit ; i have found a ransome , &c. ver . . hee shall pray unto god ; and he will be favorable unto him ; and hee shall see his face with joy . in case of some dangerous sicknesse of the body , wee trust not our owne skill , nor some ignorant quack-salvers , but seek to a learned and experienced physitian for the prescription of some sure remedies ; whereas , if it be but for a sore finger , or a tooth-ach , we care only to make use of our own receits : and so in civil quarels ; if it be only som sleight brabble , wee thinke to compose it alone ; but if it be som maine question importing our free hold , wee are glad to waite on the stairs of some judicious lawyer , and to fee him for advice : how much more is it thus in the perilous condition of our soules ; which as it is a part farre more precious then its earthly tabernacle , so the diseases whereto it is subject , are infinitely more dangerous and deadly . is your heart therfore embroyled within you , with the guilt of some hainous sin ? labour what you may to make your peace with heaven ; humble your self unto the dust before the majesty whom you have offended ; beat your guilty brest , water your cheeks with your tears ; & cry mightily to the father of mercies for a gracious remission ; but if after all these penitent endevours you finde your soule still unquiet ; and not sufficiently apprehensive of a free and full forgiveness ; betake your selfe to gods faithfull agent for peace ; run to your ghostly physitian , lay your bosome open before him ; flatter not your own condition ; let neither feare nor shame stay his hand from probing and searching the wound to the bottome ; and that being done , make carefull use of such spirituall applications as shall be by him administred to you : this , this is the way to a perfect recovery , and fulness of comfort . but you easily grant that there may be very wholsome use of the ghostly counsell of your minister in the case of a troubled soule ; but you doubt of the validity and power of his absolution ; concerning which it was a just question of the scribes in the gospell ; who can forgive sinnes but god only ? mar. . . our saviour therefore to prove that he had this power , argues it from his divine omnipotence ; he only hath authority to forgive sinnes , ( ver . . ) that can say to the decrepit paralytick ; arise , take up thy bed and walke ; ( ver . . ) none but a god can by his command effect this ; he is therefore the true god that may absolutely say , thy sins be forgiven thee , ( ver . . ) indeede , how can it be otherwise ? against god only is our sin committed , against man only in the relation that man hath to god ; he only can know the depth of the malignity of sin , who only knowes the soule wherein it is forged ; he only who is lord of the soule , the god of spirits , can punish the soule for sinning ; hee only that is infinite can doome the sinfull soule to infinite torments ; he only therefore it must be , that can release the guilty soule from sin and punishment , if therefore man , or angell shall challenge to himselfe this absolute power to forgive sin let him be accursed , yet withall it must be yeelded , that the blessed son of god spake not those words of his last commission in vaine ; whos 's soever sins ye remit , they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sinnes ye retaine , they are retained . john . . neither were they spoken to the then present apostles only , but in them to all their faithfull successors to the end of the world . it cannot therfore but be granted , that there is some kind of power left in the hand of christs ministers , both to remit and retain sin : neither is this power given only to the governors of the church , in respect of the censures to be inflicted or relaxed by them , but to all gods faithfull ministers , in relation to the sins of men : a power not soveraign and absolute , but limited & ministeriall , for either quieting the conscience of the penitent , or further aggravating the conscience of sin and terror of judgement to the obstinate and rebellious : neither is this only by way of a bare verball declaration , ( which might proceed from any other lips ) but in the way of an operative and effectuall application , by virtue of that delegate , or commissionary authority which is by christ entrusted with them : for certainly , our saviour meant in these words to conferre somwhat upon his ministers , more then the rest of the world should be capable to receive , or perform , the absolution therefore of an authorized person must needs be of greater force and efficacy then of any private man , how learned or holy soever ; since it is grounded upon the institution and commission of the sonne of god , from which all power and virtue is derived to all his ordinances ▪ and we may wel say , that whatsoever is in this case , done by gods minister ( the key not erring ) is ratified in heaven : it cannot therfore but be a great comfort , and cordiall assurance to the penitent soule to heare the messenger of god ( after a careful inquisition into his spiritual estate and true fight of his repentance ) in the name of the lord jesus pronouncing to him the full remission of all his sinnes . and if either the blessing or curse of a father goe deeper with us , then of any other whosoever ; although but proceeding from his own privat affection , without any warrant from above ; how forcible shall we esteem the ( not so much apprecatory , as declaratory ) benedictions , of our spirituall fathers , sent to us , out of heaven ? although therefore you may perhaps , through gods goodnesse , attaine to such a measure of knowledg and resolution , as to be able to give your self satisfaction concerning the state of your soul ; yet it cannot be amisse , out of an abundant caution to take gods minister along with you , and making him of your spirituall counsaile , to unbosome your selfe to him freely , for his fatherly advice and concurrence : the neglect whereof , through a kinde of eyther strangenesse of mis-conceit , is certainly not a little disadvantageous to the soules of many good christians . the romish laity makes either oracles or idols of their ghostly fathers ; if we make ciphers of ours , i know not whether we be more injurious to them , or our selves . we go not about to rack your consciences to a forced and exquisite confession , under the pain of a no-remission , but wee perswade you for your owne good , to be more intimate with , and less reserved from , those whom god hath set over you for your direction , comfort , salvation . case x. whither it bee lawfull for a man that is not a professed divine , that is ( as we for distinction are wont to call him ) for a laick person , to take upon him to interpret the scripture . many distinct considerations had neede to make way to the answere . first , it is one thing for a man to interpret scripture , another thing to take upon him the function of preaching the gospell , which was perhaps in your intention ; this is far more large then the other , every mā that preacheth interpreteth the scripture , but every one that interprets scripture doth not preach . to interpret scripture is only to give the sense of a text ; but to preach is to divide the word aright ; to apply it to the conscience of the hearer ; and in an authoritative way to reprove sin , and denounce judgement against sinners ; to lay forth the sweete promises of the gospell to the faithfull and penitent ; for the performing whereof there must be a commission to gods minister from him that sends him ; upon which the apostle hath pronounced a ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) who is suffiicient for these things ? secondly , it must bee considered in what nature , & within what compass the interpretation is ; for doubtlesse the just degrees of callings must be herein duly observed ; whether in a publique way ; as pastors of congregations ; or in a private way , as masters of families ; whether in the schooles , in a meere grammaticall way ; or in the church , in a predicatory . thirdly , it must be considered , as what the calling , so what the gifts are of the interpreter : for surely ; meere interpretation doth not depend upon the profession , but upon the faculty of the undertaker ; whether he be learned , or ignorant ; whether skilfull in languages and arts ( which certainly must be required in whosoever would put forth his hand to so holy and great a work , or whether inexpert in both : where these gifts of interpretation , and eminent endowments of learning are found , there can be no reason of restraining them from an exercise so beneficially edificatory to the church of god : without which the truth of christian religion had wanted much both of her vigour , and lustre in all generations . how famously is it known that origen before his entring into holy orders , even at eighteene yeeres of his age entred into that great worke of his catechisings : act. . . . apollos the alexandrian was an eloquent man , and mighty in scriptures , and taught diligently the things of the lord ; yet knew nothing but the baptisme of john , till aquila and priscilla took him to task , and more perfectly expounded to him the way of god ; and what happy use it pleased god to make of laick hands , for both the defence and propagation of the gospell , we need no other witnesse then s. jerome ; who hath memoriz'd amongst the primitive christians , aristides , agrippa , hegesippus , justine , musanus , modestinus , both the apollonii , heraclius , maximus , and many others , whom god raised up amongst the learned laity of those times , to apologize for christianity ; and in the last foregoing age , how scarce removed out of our sight , are laurentius valla , both the earles of mirandula , capnio , fagius , sof an instan erasmus , faber , and the rest of those famous way-makers to the succeeding restitution of the evangelicall truth : and what a treasure in this kind had the church of god lost , if it should have missed the learned annotations upon the scripture , derived to us from the hands of mercerus , joseph scaliger , drusius , both causaubons , tilenus , grotius , heinsius , selden , and such other expert philogists , never initiated into sacred orders ? fourthly , due and serious consideration must be had of the interpretation it selfe ; that it bee genuine and orthodox : for there can be nothing in the world more dangerous then to mis-construe god speaking to us in his word ; and to affixe upon his divine oracles a sense of our owne , quite dissonant from the intention of that spirit of truth : care therfore must be taken that the intepretation given , be every way conform to the analogy of faith , and fully accordant to other scripture ; the neglect wherof , through either ignorance or misprision hath bred many foul and perilous soloecismes in divinity ; to give you a taste of too full a dish : in the . of ecclesiasticus * , where the vulgar reades , hee that lives for ever created all things at once : some , and those no mean ones , of the ancient , followed also by latter interpreters , have been misled into an ungrounded conceit of an instan●any & entire creation of the world , and all the parts thereof , in the first moment of time ; whereas the scripture hath expresly and punctually set down the several six dayes , wherein each part of it was distinctly formed : which those misconstruers are fain to understand of the distinct notifications given to the angels , concerning this almighty work : and what curious subtleties have beene hereupon raised by our school-divines , * is more fit to be past over with an unpleasing smile , then to be seriously recounted ; whereas the intention of the place , is only to signify that god made all things in the universall world , that have any being ; intimating not the time of creation , but ( as our † version hath it ) the generality of things created . what advantage the blasphemous arrians have formerly taken from the mis-interpretation of proverbs . . where wisdom is brought in ( by the mistaking of som ancients ) to say , * the lord created me ( in stead of possessed me ) in the beginning of his way , before his works of old , is more worthy of indignation , then any farther prosecution . but most pregnant and notable is the grosse mis-prision of a late famous school-man , franciscus d' arriba , confessor to the late queen mother of france , who to maintain that new way of reconciling that scholasticall difference among the roman doctors , concerning the effectual aid of divine grace , depending or not depending upon free will ( about which he had daies disputation with cardinall ascoly & cardinall bellarmine ; shewing how it might well be maintained without the devises of physicall predeterminations , or that scientia media of our late jesuites ) relies chiefly for his opinion upon that text of esay † . . haec dicit dominus sanctus israelis qui fecit ventura , thus saith the lord the holy one of israel who hath made things to come ; following a mis-edition of the vulgar which perverts the sense , by making a wrong stop in the sentence , whereas their owne montanus , & any other that hath but seen the hebrew text , would read it ; haec dicit dominus sanctus israelis qui fecit eum ; ventura interrogate me : thus saith the lord the holy one of israel ; and his maker : ask me of things to come concerning my sonnes , &c. referring the ventura , ( things to come ) to the following interrogate . so poza the late extravagant doctor of spain in the maintenance of his novel opinions against fathers and councels , pressed against him , stands upon his defence , out of the synod of constātinople , act. . grounded upon * the words of miscalled solomon ; beat usqui praedicat verbum inauditum ; corrupting both the text & the councell ; whereas it should be read , verbum inauditum obedientis : and the councell hath it aright , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ) as ours turns it likewise , well is be that speaketh in the eares of them that will heare : it were easie to fill a just volume with instances of this kind . to this purpose it will be requisite to make use of all those helps that may enable an interpreter to understand the scriptures ; whether those that are internall in it self ; or externall from other supplies : of the former kind are a diligent sifting of the context and inference , and a carefull comparing and conferring of one scripture with another , for all truths agree with themselves ; & this word of god is the sun that gives us light to see it self externall ; where it will be needefull to call both for the aid of arts and tongues ; and for the testimonies and judgements of reverend antiquity , and the not-to-be-neglected authority of modern doctors ; and thirdly , a due regard of those golden rules of interpreting ; which are recommended to posteeity by the learned penns of clemens of alexandria , hierome , augustine , gerson , hyperius , illyricus , jacobus matthias , and others ; which , as meet for a volume apart , may not expect to finde a roome in so concise a tractate . the want and neglect of all which requisites what strange work it must needs make with the simple and unlettered , wee may well conceive , when great clerks have hereupon bewrayed so foul and palpable miscarriage . albinus , the learned master of charles the great , writing upon john finding it said of judas that having received the sop , hee went immediatly out ; et erat nox ; and it was night ; puts both together as spoken of judas ; he ( saith hee ) was the night that went out ; as christ is the day that gives knowledge to his disciples , that were day too ; so judas , the night , gives knowledge to the jewes that were night , of a traitrous wickedness , &c. what work † bernard ( who shewed in this , that he saw not all things ) makes of daemonium meridianum , the noone-day-devill , in one of his sermons , is evident to be seene ; yet had he been as well seen in language as he was fervent in his devotion ; hee had spared that discourse as raised from a meere ungrounded interpretation ; there being no devill in the text ; but a phantasme of his deluded imagination : and if i should set forth the descents that our postillers run upon the names of jobs three daughters , i should seeme to you as apt to sport in so serious a subject ; and if i could thinke it worth the labour of gathering up the wilde senses , far-fetcht allegories , absurd inferences , that ignorant friers have fastned upon scripture , it is not a small skin that would containe that tome . surely that man whosoever he be , that would be hoising saile in these deeps of scripture , had neede to bee well ballast , and well tackled , and skilfull in the compasse , else he will have much adoe to escape a wrack : he that will walk in paths of danger had need to have his eys about him ; an hoodwinkt man may easily bee carried against a post : and hee that hath not light enough to see his own way , had need to take heed whom he trusts : hee that would blind-fold follow those very interpretations which the church of rome hath commended for authenticall , would run into foul and dangerous absurdities : let me single out som few confessed by their owne estius , and lucas brugensis ; such as are plainly contradictions to scripture , and doe , as it were , give the lye to gods spirit . such is that sam. . . filii autem david sacerdotes erant ; the sonnes of david were priests : whereas every child knowes that the scripture frequently tells us none could be priests but of aarons order and tribe ; out of levies loins ; and that david was of the house of judah : the septuagint rightly turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * . againe who that shall finde it in the vulgar interpretation : david desperabat &c. david despaired that he could escape from the face of saul : would not inferre that he utterly distrusted gods assurance , by the prophet , of his future kingdom ; whereas the originall is by estius his own confession , festinabat , as we also turn it , david made haste to get away , &c. sam. . . he that should find it reported of one of the sonnes of er , qui stare fecit solem ( hee that made the sun to stand stil ) would justly wonder what kind of man this was , that had been so long obscured from the world , & yet should have don so strange a miracle as never was don but by joshua ( chron. . . ) whereas hee that lookes into the text , shall finde no mention at all of the sun ; but only of the meer proper name of jechim the son of er. he that shall read in job , where god speakes of the leviathan ; cum sublatus fuerit ( i. leviathan ) timebunt angeli & territi purgabuntur ; when he raiseth up himselfe , the angels shall feare , and being terrified shall bee purged ; job . . . would sure think this whale were the devill , ( as som ancients have mistaken him ) and may well wonder how the good angels being celestiall spirits ) could be capable of fear ; or how the evill angels could be capable of purging : when the text hath no mention nor thought of * angels ; but only signifying the strength and terriblenesse of the whale , expresses it in these words ; when he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid ; by reason of breakings they purifie themselves . solomon was faulty enough in his idolatry , but he that shall read kings . . ( in the vulgar interpretation ) that hee went after chamosh the god of the moabites , shall adde one idoll more to him then we find him guilty of ; solomon was in his holy and regular times ; king. . . full of heavenly meditations and divine ditties ; but hee that should follow the vulgar interpretation , would fasten upon him almost * four thousand more then ever he owned . after that merab sauls eldest daughter was given away to adriel the meholathite , sam. . . contrary to engagement , hee that will follow the vulgar , must say that david straight fell in love with michal , the other sister ; whereas the text tells us that michal fel in love with him . he that should find in the vulgar construction , that saul sung all the day naked before samuel in naioth , would think his new prophesying had put him into a merry vein , sam . . whereas the text only tells us that hee fell down stripped of his wonted clothes . he that should find in the vulgar , psal. . . david reporting of him●self [ non novi literaturam ] i know no learning , would wonder at the prophets disparagement of his skill , who had elsewhere professed himself wiser then his teachers ; whereas all that he sayes , is * that the mercies & blessings of god upon him have been so many , that he knows not the numbers thereof . he that should find the angels in the revelation vestitos lapide ; cloathed with stone † rev. . . would sure think them buried ; wheras the text is , clothed in pure white linnen . and what do you imagine would a plain reader think of that charge of the wise man ; noli velle mentiri omne mendacium ; bee not willing to lie all manner of lies , ecclus. . would hee not straight say : som belike i am allowed to lye ? whereas the words are peremptory even in estius his reading , according to ours ; use not to make any manner of lyes . yea that very correction of the vulgar interpretation which brugensis allowes and magnifies , cor. . . with what safety can it passe the judicious ; whiles he reades , omnes quidem resurgemus , sed non omnes immutabimur ; wee shall all rise again , but we shall not all be changed : for how can those rise again that never died ? how are those capable of a resurrection , which are only changed ? whereas the just sense runnes according to our * version , we shall not all sleep , but we shall all bee changed . for those that are found alive at our saviours second cōming shall not sleep in death ; yet both they and the formerly dead must undergoe a change . i could utterly weary you with instances ; how must he that reades the apocryphall ecclesiasticus , needs say that this man ( how obscure soever in his authority ) saw more and cleerer then all the acknowledged prophets of the old testament ; for hee hath foretold us expresly the very name of our lord jesus which none of them ever beforehand published : for hee ( ecclus. . . ) speaking of the deep sea , is read in the vulgar to say , plantavit illum dominus jesus ; the lord jesus planted it : i shame to think what sport a jew will make of such a grosse mistaking ; wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( jesus , is mis-read for ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 islands , so as the right sense is only this ; god by his counsell appeaseth the deepe , and planteth i stands therein ; but i forbeare , only if you have too much leisure , you may be pleased to cast your eye upon the margine . in these and many more ( for i meant to give you but an assay ) the mistakes are important , and such as make no small change in the text ; which i have therefore produced that i might let you see how easie it is for a man that takes all things upon trust to be abused by his credulity ; and how unsafe it is much more for an unexpert & injudicious person to meddle with the holy oracles of the almighty . the conclusion then must be , that however it may bee lawfull for the eminently learned , either in schooles or families ( according as their calling may warrant them ) to interpret even difficult scriptures , and to unty the knots of a text ; yet since not many are thus qualified , and those that are so qualified , if they neglect to follow the prescribed rules may easily miscarry , to the great perill both of their own souls , and others ; i should therefore advise that this may bee the act of but some few choice persons , and of them , with all possible caution ; and that ordinary christians , if they have a desire , besides all fundamentall truths ( which are laid down openly and cleerly in the sacred word of god ) to inform themselves in those darker verities , which lie hidden in more obscure scriptures , to have recourse to their learned and faithfull pastors ; and rather to rest in that light which they shal receive from their well-digested instructions , then to rely upon their own ( perhaps confident , but much weaker ) judgement . resolutions . the fourth decade . cases matrimoniall . case i. whether the marriage of a sonne or daughter without or against the parents consent may be accounted lawfull . matrimony , though not a sacrament , yet a sacred institution of god , for the comfort and propagation of mankind ; is so fruitfull of questions as that * sanchez the jesuite hath stuffed an huge volume with them alone ; it were pitty that so many should in that estate be necessary ; we meddle not with those secret , and ( some of them ) immodest curiosities : contenting our selves only with those which meet us every day in the ordinary practise of men : wherof this which you have moved may well challeng the first place : a question wherein i was vehemently pressed in my late western charge , by som persons of greatest eminency in those parts upon occasion of som of their children undutifully carving for themselves in the choice of their matches ; the offended parents in the height of their displeasure were very earnest to invalidate & annul the marriage ; i gave them in effect the same account of the point , which now i give to you : that this disallowed marriage was one of those things which are unjust and unlawfull to bee done , but being once done are valid . how unwarrantable and injurious it is in the child to match himselfe without or against the parents consent , there needs no other judg the● the law of nature it self , which teacheth us that the child is no other then the peculiar goods , and living substance of the parent ; yea , as some civilians have taught us to expresse it , he is * pars viscerum matris , a part of the mothers bowels ; and part of the purest substance of the father ; and therefore ought no more to bee exempted from the parents power of disposing , then the very limbs of his owne body ; upon this ground it was that by the law of god it was lawfull for the † jewes , in case of extremity , to sell , as themselves , so their children also to servitude ; but to those onely of their owne nation , and in the * law civil there is the like permission , although under certaine ●onditions ; and particularly , in an utter exigency , victus causa ; to the latter whereof , som † expositors hold so strictly , as that they wil not admit this to be don for the redemption of the parent from death , or perpetual bondage ; but only to preserve him from affamishing : wherein certainly they are over-strait laced , and too much wedded to syllables ; it being questionless the intention of the law to comprehend all equally-pressing necessities ; to which they adde that this must be only in the fathers power , and that to a child not emancipated , and left to his owne disposing : it is not in my way to dispute the case with them , take it at the easiest , it sufficiently shewes the great power that nature it self yelds to the parent over the child ; by how much stronger then the parents interest is in the child , so much more wrongfull it must needs bee in the child to neglect his parents in finally bestowing himselfe ; and if we look into the positive law of † god , wee shall find the child so wholly left to the parents will and disposition , as that he may , at his pleasure , dispense with , or frustrate the vow of his child made to god himselfe . neither do the * roman doctors generally hold otherwise this day in case of an under-age ; and some of them extend this power yet further ; yet not without a distinction : holding , that after the age of puberty , those vows only are in the mercy of the father , which may be prejudicial to the government of the family , & paternal pow'r ; which is sufficient for my purpose in the question in hand . and although those casuists doe sufficiently doat upon their monkery , and the vows thereunto appertayning ; yet they ascribe so much to the bond of filial duty , as that they teach , that a sonne which ( his parents being in extreme need , and wanting his help ) enters into a religious order ; or comes not out of it ( though professed ) when hee might be likely by his coming forth to bee aidfull to his said parents , is guilty of a sin against the fift commandement : so as even with them , the respect to a parent ought to overweigh a vow of religion ; although consummate by a solemn profession . but , that you may not object to me the age of the law as therefore abrogated because mosaicall , heare what the chosen vessell saies under the new law of the gospel . if any man thinke that he behaveth himselfe uncomely towards his virgin , if shee passe the floure of her age , and need so require , let him doe what hee will , hee sinneth not ; let her marry : ( cor. . . ) neverthelesse he that standeth stedfast in his heart , having no necessity ; but hath power over his owne will , and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin , doth well , &c. ( ver . . ) loe , the apostle supposeth it in the parents power either to keep his daughter a virgin , or to dispose of her in marriage : she is not her owne , either to hold , or give ; but must be altogether ordered by the superior will of a parent : not , that any force is allowed either way to be used towards the daughter ; whether to continue her in a constrained virginity , or to call her against her minde upon a dis-affected match ; no , that god who disposeth all things sweetly , would have us doe so too ; hee allowes parents to be rulers of their children , but not tyrants : what they doe therefore in this kinde , must be more by councel then command : and with more sway of love then authority : thus , consulting wisely with the state of times and the childs disposition and abilities of contayning , must the parent either keep his virgin , or labour for the provision of a meete consortship thus did the two great patriarchs of gods ancient church , abraham and isaac , provide fit matches for their holy seed ; whiles the unholy provided unfit matches for themselves : thus did their godly issue in all generations take their parents along with them in the choice of meet yoke-fellowes , whiles the godless , whether out of impetuous lust , or stubborn disobedience , affect with esau , gen. . , , . to be their owne purveyors , to the great regret , and heart-breaking of their parents . lastly , the latitude that s. paul gives of the liberty of marriage to al christians is , tantum in domino ; onely in the lord , cor. . . now how can that marriage bee in the lord , which is against him ? and how can that bee other then against the lord ; which is against the lords commandement ? and what commandment can be more express then honor thy father and thy mother gal. . . and , children obey your parents ? ver . . and what can bee more contrary to the honour and obedience due to parents , then to neglect them in the main business that concernes our lives ? and what businesse can concern our life so much , as the choice of a meet partner , with whom we may comfortably weare out all the dayes of our pilgrimage on earth ? doubtlesse then , we may in a generality safely conclude , that it is altogether unlawfull for a childe to sleight his parents consent in the choice of his marriage ; there may be some particular cases incident wherein perhaps this may without sinne or blame be forborn ; as when the child either by general permission , or former elocation shall be out of the parents disposing , or where the parent is defective in his intellectuals , or where the child lives in remotis , out of the compasse of intelligence ; or where the parent being averse from the true religion denies his consent to match with any but those of his own straine ; or shall upon other by-occasions wilfully stand upon so unreasonable terms , that neither friends nor authority can over-rule him : but where these or the like preponderating exceptions doe not intervene , the child cannot without sin balk the parents consent to his choice in marriage . but though such marriages without , or against consent , bee not lawfully made ; yet being once made , they are valid . * the civill law , out of the grounds of policy , goes herein too far ; which sentenceth those marriages void ; which are made without the consent of parents of guardians ; but as matrimony hath somthing in it of nature , something of civility , something of divinity , as instituted by god , and by him to be regulated ; so sure this last interest ought to over-sway the other two ; the marriage therefore thus made , being , though faulty , yet true ; is doubtlesse after consummation indissoluble . the parties repentance , and the parents sorrow may have leisure to afflict them , no power to relieve them . case ii. whether marriage lawfully made may admit of any cause of divorce , save only for the violation of the marriage bed , by fornication or adulterie . our saviour hath so punctually decided the case in his divine sermon upon the mount , that i cannot but wonder at the boldnesse of any man , who calls himself a christian , that dares raise a question after so full and clear a determination from the mouth of truth it self . whosoever ( saith he ) shall put away his wife , saving for the cause of fornication , causeth her to commit adultery ; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced , committeth adultery mat. . . yet i find this so evident an assertion checked by two sorts of adversaries ; the one , certain wild novellists , who admit of very sleight causes of separation ; the other , romish doctors , who plead for some other main and important additions to this liberty of divorce . i have heard too much of , & once saw a licentious pamphlet thrown abroad in these lawlesse times , in the defence and encouragement of divorces ( not to be sued out , that solemnity needed not , but ) to be arbitrarily given by the disliking husband , to his displeasing and unquiet wife ; upon this ground principally , that marriage was instituted for the help and comfort of man ; where therefore the match proves such , as that the wife doth but pull downe a side , and by her innate peevishnesse , and either sullen , or pettish and froward disposition brings rather discomfort to her husband , the end of marriage being hereby frustrate , why should it not , saith he , be in the husbands power ( after some unprevailing means of reclamation attempted ) to procure his own peace , by casting off this clog , and to provide for his own peace and contentment in a fitter match ? woe is me , to what a passe is the world come that a christian pretending to reformation , should dare to tender so loose a project to the publique ? i must seriously profess when i first did cast my eye upon the front of the book , i supposed some great wit meant to try his skill in the maintenance of this so wild , and improbable a paradox ; but ere i could have run over som of those too wel-penned pages , i found the author was in earnest , and meant seriously to contribute this peece of good councel in way of reformation to the wise and seasonable care of superiors ; i cannot but blush for our age , wherein so bold a motion hath been amongst others , admitted to the light : what will all the christian churches through the world , to whose notice those lines shall come , think of our wofull degeneration in these deplored times , that so uncouth a designe should be set on foot amongst us ? or how can they construe it other then a direct contradiction to our saviours sentence , in maintaining that practise which hee expresly professeth to oppose ? for , what was the jewish guise here checked by our saviour , but a voluntary repudiation of a lawfull wife upon the terms of dislike , other then fornication ? their mis-interpretation of the law alluded unto , argues no lesse ; the law alluded unto is , that of deutronomy ▪ where god sayes , when a man hath tak●n a wife , and hath been her husband , and it shall be , that she finde not grace in his eyes , because he hath found in * her matter of nakednesse , he shall write her a bill of divorcement , and send her away , deut. . . whereupon he infers with an ego dico , i say unto you , whosoever shall put away his wife saving for fornication , causeth her to commit adultery : the matter of nakednesse therefore , for which the jews were then wont to divorce their wives , ( and offended in so divorcing them ) was any other displeasing qualitie , besides the breach of wedlock through bodily uncleannesse ; for which only had they dismissed their wives , our saviour had neither faulted their glosse nor their practise ; so as herein christ the giver of the law , decides one of those great controversies , which were agitated between the emulous schools of sammai , and hillel : determining on sammai's side , that for no other nakedness but that of adultery it was lawfull to divorce a wife : and flatly condemning by the like answer that [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ( mat. . . ) every cause of repudiation then ordinarily received ; as it was by the pharisee purposely propounded unto him . answerable whereunto is that of the prophet malachi , who ( in our just reading ) hath so fully decided the cause , as if it had been expresly referred to his umpirage : the lord ( saith he ) hath been witnesse between thee and the wife of thy youth , against whom thou hast dealt treacherously ; yet is she thy companion , and the wife of thy covenant , mal. . , , . ( loe , the wife of thy covenant , therefore too sure setled to bee turn'd off upon every sleight occasion ; what ? was thy covenant to take her for thy wife till thou shouldst dislike her ? what were this but to mock god and the world ? thy covenant implies no less then firmitude and perpetuity . ) therefore take heed to your spirit ; and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth : for the lord , the god of israel , saith , that he hateth putting away ; for one covereth violence with his garment , saith the lord of hosts : therefore take heed to your spirit that you deal not treacherously . what is this treachery which the prophet cries out against thus vehemently , thrice over with a breath , but pretended and unjust suggestions against a lawfull wife , for her undue divorce ? and what is that violence , but the injurious execution of those suggestions ? upon which unsufficient grounds the lord professes to hate putting away . yea how apparently contrary is this practise to the very originall institution of marriage it self ? he that made it in paradise ordained thus : therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother , and shall cleave unto his wife ; and they two shall be one flesh , gen. . . loe , before ever there was father , or mother , or son in the world , god hath appointed that the bonds betwixt husband and wife shall be more strait and indissoluble then betwixt the parent and child ; and can any man be so unreasonable as to defend it lawfull , upon some unkinde usages , or thwartness of disposition , for a parent to abandon and forsake his child ; or the son to cast off his parent ? much lesse therefore may it be thus betwixt an husband & wife : they two are one flesh ▪ behold here an union of gods making : a mans body is not more his own , then his wives body is his : and will a man be content to part easily with a peece of himselfe ? or can we thinke that god will indure an union made by himself to be sleightly dissolved ? or how is this bodily matrimony a lively image of the spirituall marriage betwixt christ and his church ( who hath said , i will betroth thee unto me for ever ; yea i will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindenesse , and in mercies , hos. . . ) if upon small occasions it may be subject to utter dissolution ? yea , what speak i of divinity ? even modest heathens would hisse this libertinisme off the stage : amongst the rest , what a fool was socrates ? the oracle , belike , called him the wisest man of his time ; but what a fool was he to indure the unquiet clack of his xantippe with such cool patience , if he might have quit himself of the trouble with a sodain act of her dismission ? or what use was there of those delegates of athens and the harmosyni of lacedaemon for the peecing up of these domestique breaches betwixt husband and wife , if the imperious husband had power to right himself by turning the scold out of doors ? lastly , what silly counsail was that which the jewish rabbi gave to his client , matcht with a shrew ; the bone that is falne to thy lot , that doe thou gnaw upon ; if it were altogether free for him to leave that bone , and take another ? but i have dwelt too long on so grosse a subject : there may yet seem some better colour for the plea of the romish doctors which admit infidelity and here●ie into the rank of those causes which may warrant a divorce : but herein the ambiguity of the word ( if heed be not taken ) may deceive you ; the * hebrew text , to which our saviour alludes , uses a word which signifies excision , or cutting off ; the greek , a departing away , or putting off ; the latine , divortium , in his true sense is not so hainous as either of the other , signifying rather a turning aside , but in our ordinary acception amounts to no less then both . but what unjust difference they make betwixt finall separation and dissolution , we shall finde in our next discourse : onwards , that such separation may not be made of man and wife ( lawfully joyned together ) for heresie or misbelief ; we need no other conviction then that peremptory and clear determination of our saviour which we have formerly insisted on : for though his words on the mount were in a way of doctrinall assertion , yet afterwards the same words were used by him , in way of a satisfactory answer to the pharises question concerning causes of divorce ; professedly resolving that there could be no allowable ground of such separation except fornication . what words can be more plain ? it is but a shift to say ( as the cardinall doth ) that our saviour here meant only to expresse the proper cause of the separation of married persons ; which is the breach of marriage faith : as having no occasion to speak of those generall grounds which reach to the just sundring of all humane societies ; such as heresie and infidelitie ; which are enough to unglew all naturall and civill relations betwixt father and son , master and servant , husband and wife : for it is clear that neither question nor answer were bounded with any particularities ; the pharisee asks , whether for every cause ? our saviour answers ; for no cause but fornication ; and it is spoken beside the book , that child or servant should or may forsake parent or master in case of heresie , or infidelity : s. paul teacheth other doctrine : let as many servants as are under the yoke ( of bondage ) count their ( infidell ) masters worthy of all honor ; tim. . . not worthy therefore of desertion and disclamation : and if the servants may not shake off the bonds of duty ; much lesse may the son brake or file off the bonds of nature ; and as for the matrimoniall knot , how too sure it is to be loosed by infidelity it self , let the apostle speak ; if any brother hath a wife that beleeveth not , and she be pleased to dwell with him , let him not put her away , cor. . . and the woman which hath an husband that beleeveth not ; and if he be pleased to dwell with her , let her not leave him , ver . . and if even infidelity have not power to dis-oblige the wife or husband , much less heresie : in this pretended case therefore to separate from board and bed , is no better then a presumptuous insolence ; it is the peremptory charge of christ , what god hath joyned together , let not man put asunder , mat. . . in all lawfull marriages , it is god that joyns the hands and hearts of the married . how dare man then undoe the work of god upon devises of his own ? had the lord ever said , if thy wife be a wilfull mis-beleever , rid thy hands of her ; this separation were just ; but now that his charge is clean contrary , what an impious sauciness is it to dis-joyn those whom god hath united ? as therefore , it is not in the power of any third person , upon any whatsoever pretence , violently to break the sacred bond of marriage ; so neither may the husband or wife enthral each other by a wilfull desertion ; whether upon pretext of religion , or any secular occasion ; in which cause what is to be don must come under a further disquisition ; certainly it was never the intention of the holy and wise god , by vertue of that which was ordained for mans comfort and remedy of sin , to binde him to a remedilesse misery ; which must necessarily fall out , if upon the departure of an unbeleeving or hereticall yoke-fellow , the relict party must be tyed up to a perpetuall necessity of either containing , ( if he can ) or , if he can not , of burning ; the wise doctor of the gentiles well fore-saw the dangerous inconvenience that must needs hereupon ensue , and hath given order for prevention , accordingly . but if the unbeleeving depart , let him depart ; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases ; but god hath called us to peace , cor. . . not , that it is free for a man or woman so forsaken , to carve him , or her self of redresse ( what an infinite confusion would follow upon such licentiousness ? ) but that after long and patient expectation , and all probable means used for the reduction of the party deserting ; recourse be had ( as to the last refuge ) to publique ecclesiastical authority ( which is the fittest to manage these matrimoniall affairs ) in whose power it may be , either by grave admonitions , and just censures to bring back the offendor to his duty ; or upon his continuing contempt , to set a day for the publication of the just freedom of the forsaken : wherein they shall doe no other then execute that apostolike sentence for exemption from an unjust bondage , and providing for a just peace . case iii. whether after a lawfull divorce for adultery , the innocent party may marry again . although matrimony be not , according to the romish tenet , one of those sacraments which imprint an indeleble character in the receiver ; yet it hath , as they hold , such a secret influence upon the soul , as that it leaves a perpetuall bond behind it , never to be dissolved till death ; so as those offenders , which by just censure are separated from the board and the bed , cannot yet be freed from the bond of marriage : upon this ground it is that they bar the innocent party from the benefit of a second marriage , as supposing the obligation of the former still in force . in the ordinary bills of the jewish divorce , the repudiated wife had full-scope given her of a second choice ; as the words ran : * she was to be free , and to have power over her own soul ; to goe away ; to be married to any man whom she would : they were not more liberall , then our romish divorcers are niggardly : the jewish divorce being upon unwarrantable cause , made their liberality so much more sinfull , as their divorce was more unjust : for the divorced woman was still in right the lawfull wife of that unrighteous husband that dismissed her ; the romish doctrine makes their strait-handednesse so much more injurious , as the cause of separation is more just . even this question also is expresly determined by our saviour in his answer to the pharisee : whosoever shall put away his wife , except it be for fornication , and marrieth another , committeth adultery : mat. . lo then , he that for so just a cause as fornication putteth away his wife and marrieth another , committeth not adultery : the exception manifestly implies so much , both in reason and common use : neither indeed , are the words capable of any other probable sense : that which bellarmine would fasten upon it , referring the exception to the former clause , of dismission only , so as it might be lawfull to divorce only for fornication , but not to marry after divorce ; cannot stand without a supply of words of his own , which god never alow'd him to intersert ; and besides utterly destroies the sense ; casting such a doctrine upon our saviour , as he would hate to own ; for except that restraint be refered to the marrying again , the sense would run thus , whosoever puts away his wife commits adultery ; which stands not with truth or reason : sith it is not the dismission that is adulterous , but the marryage of another : it is therefore the plain drift of our saviour , to teach the pharisee , that the marriage of a second wife ( after dismission of a former , upon any other cause , except for fornication ) is no less then adultery : thereby enforcing , that upon a just dismission for fornication , a second marriage cannot be branded with adultery . neither will it serve his turne , which he would borrow from st. augustine , that upon this negative of our saviours , we may not look to build an affirmative of our own ; for though it be granted , that he , who putting away his wife not for fornication , & marrieth another , sinneth ; yet it followes not that he who having dismissed his wife for fornication , marrieth another , sinneth not at all : a sin it may be , though not an adultery : for surely if it be a sinne ; it must be against a commandement ; and if against any commandement , it must be against the seventh ; and what is the seventh cōmandement , but thou shalt not commit adultery ? besides , the pharisees question [ is it lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause ? ] was not without a plaine implication of liberty to marry another ; which our saviour well knowing , gives a full answer as well to what he meant , as what hee said ; which had not been perfectly satisfactory , if he had only determined that one part concerning dismission , and not the other concerning marriage ; which clause if two other evangelists expresse not , yet it must bee fetcht necessarily from the third ; since it is a sure & irrefragable rule ; that all four evangelists make up one perfect gospell , it is therefore a very tottering and unsure ground which our rhemists build upon ; as if the apostle meant to crosse his lord and master , when hee saith , the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband , so long as hee liveth , rom. . . therfore only death can dissolve the bond of marriage ; not divorce , not adultery , not divorce for adultery : for how plainly doe the words carry their answer in themselves : * the woman ( saith the apostle ) that hath an husband : but the woman legally divorced for fornication , hath no husband : s. paul speakes of a true wife , not a divorced harlot : hee had no occasion here to look aside at matter of divorce , but takes marriage as in its intire right ; rather desiring to urge ( for cleering the case of our obligation to the law ) that the husband being once dead , the wife is free to marry again , then to intimate the case of her incapacity to marry till he be dead . as for that bond therfore , which is so much stood upon , if it be taken without all relations to the duties of bed and board ; it is meerly chimericall ; nothing but fantasie . there are , or should bee bonds of affectation ; bonds of mutual respects , and reciprocall duties betwixt man and wife , and these must hold firme notwithstanding any locall separation ; neither time , nor place may so much as slacken , much lesse loose them : but where a just divorce intervenes , these bonds are chopt in peeces , and no more are , then if they had never beene : and if all relations cease in death ( as they doe , in whatsoever kind ) surely divorce , being ( as it is ) no other then a legall death , doth utterly cut off ( as the hebrew term imports ) all former obligations and respects betwixt the partys so finaly separated . the adulterous wife therfore duly divorced being thus dead in law as to her husband , the husband stands now as free as if he had never married , so as i know not why the apostle should not as well speake to him as to any other ; when he saith : neverthelesse to avoid fornication , let every man have his own wife , cor. . . neither is it otherwise in the case of a chaste wife after her separation from an adulterous husband , mar. . . in these rights god makes no difference of sexes , both may lawfully claim the same immunities : which certainly should they be denied to either , must needs draw on very great inconveniences : for in how hard a condition should the innocent party be hereupon left ? either the husband or wife must bee forced to live with an adultrous consort ; or be tyed to a perpetuall necessity of either doing that ( which perhaps they cannot do ) containing ; or of suffering that which they ought not to endure , burning . what remedy now can bee expected of so great a mischief ? our romish doctors propose two ; reconciliation , or continence : both good , where they may be had ; reconciliation , in case of a seasonable & submisse repentance ; that which is the apostles charge in case of desertion , holds here also , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] let her be reconciled ; the more hainous the wrong is , the more commendable is the remission . continence , after such separation , in case of ability so granted : for surely this holy disposition is a gift ; and therefore is not had , where it is not bestowed ; those that place it in our power , derogate from the thanks of the giver : yea , he that gives it tels us all cannot receive it , mar. . . hee must not only give it , but give us power to take it . but where the offending party is obstinately vicious ; & the innocent ( after all endeavors ) unable to contain , without a supply of marriage , the case is remedilesse ; and we know gods mercy such , as that he leaves no man for matter of resolution utterly perplexed . shortly then , i doubt not but i may notwithstanding great authorities to the contrary ) safely resolve , that in the case of divorce it is lawful for the innocent person to marry ; but for that i finde the * church of england hitherto somwhat tender in the point ; and this practice , where it rarely falls , generally held , though not sinfull , yet of ill report , and abnoxious to various censures ; i should therfore earnestly advise and exhort those whom it may concerne , carefully and effectually to apply themselves to the fore-mentioned remedies ; reconciliation , if it be possible , to prevent a divorce ; holy endeavors of a continued continence ( if it may be obtain'd ) to prevent a second marriage after divorce : but if these prevail not , i dare not lay a load upon any mans conscience which god hath not burdened ; i dare not ensnare those whom god will have free . case iv. whether the authoritie of a father may reach so farre as to command or compell the child to dispose of himself in marriage where hee shall appoint . the extent of a paternal power , as we have partly shewed already , hath been wont to be very large ; reaching in som cases by the civill law to the life of the child ; and by the jewish law , to his liberty : so as it might seem much more over-ruling in case of marriage ; which also seemes to be intimated by the apostle in that he supposes and gives a power to the parent either to give or keep his virgin : and how apt parents are to make use of this awfull authority in matching their children for their own worldly advantage , contrary to their affections and disposition , we have too lamentable experience every day ; neither is it easy to set forth the mischievous effects that have followed upon those compelled marriages : for hence ensue perpetuall discontentments to the parties so forcedly conjoyned ; an utter frustration of the end of mariage , which should be mutuall comfort : and not seldome , dangerous machinations against the life of the disaffected consort ; as it were too easie to instance every where ; but especially if the affections of the yong couple have been before ( as it oft falls out ) placed elsewhere ; what secret heart burnings ; what loathing of conjugall society ; what adulterous plottings doe straight follow ; what unkind defiances passe between them ? how do they weare out their days in a melancholick pining , & wish each other , & themselves dead too soon ? yea herin an imperious or covetous parent may be most injurious to him selfe , in robbing himselfe of that comfort which he might receive from a dutifull child in her person , in her posterity ; for the avoiding of which mischiefs it were meet & happy , that both parent and child could both know their limits , which god , and nature hath set , and keep them . let the child then know that he is his parents ; that as he was once a part of them , in respect of his natural being , so he should be still in his affections , and obsequiousness , and therfore that hee ought to labour by all means to bring his heart unto a conformity to his parents will & desire , according to that universall rule of the apostle , children obey your parents in all things ; for this is well pleasing unto the lord : colos. . . the word is comprehensive , in all things . things unlawfull passe for impossible ; we only can doe what we ought . in all those things then which are honest , lawfull , just , parents must be obeyed : and the motions for marriage being such , impose upon the child so far a duty of obedience as that he is bound to work his affections what he may to a compliance with his parents will ; the wilful neglect whereof is no better then a kind of domestique rebellion . let the parent again consider that the child however derived from his loins , is now an entire person in him self ; that though the body came from him , yet the soule was from above ; that the soul of his child is endowed with powers and faculties of its own ; that as he is not animated by his parents spirits , so he is not in wardly swayed by his parents will or affections ; that when his reason coms to be improved , there may bee differences of judgement betwixt his parent and him , and from thence may arise a diversity or contrariety of affections and desires ; and these affections and passions may grow to such strength as that he himselfe sh●ll not be able to ma●ter them ; and if the parent feele himself subject to such infirmities , well may he be induced to pity those whom a vigorous heat of youth hath rendred more head-strong and unruly ; withall , let him consider that though the child shold be advised by the parent , yet it is fit that he should like for himselfe ; that the will is to be led , not driven ; that no marriage can be happy , but that which is grounded in love ; that love is so altogether voluntary , that it can not consist with constraint . lastly , let him know that the power of the father though great , yet is not unlimited ; it is the charge which the father of mercies hath laid upon all earthly fathers in their carriage towards their children ; fathers , provoke not your children to wrath ( or ( as the * vulgar reads it ) to indignation ) lest they be discouraged : and surely , if there be any thing wherein the passion of the child may be like to be inordinately stirred , it is in the crossing of an once-well-setled-affection ; and diverting the streame of love into another channell ; for the avoiding whereof the imperiall lawes have been so indulgent to the child ; as that ( according to their best glosses ) they permit not the father to disinherit the daughter for chosing an husband not unworthy of her self , though against her fathers● mind ; yea some of them have gone a step further : but i forbeare : how far it may be lawfull and fit for the parent to puni●h the disrespect of a child ; in so important a case , is not for me to determine ; doubtlesse where the provision is arbitrary , the parent will be apt so to manage it , as to make the child sensible of a disobedience ; so as both parts herein suffer , and are put into a way of late repentance . briefly therefore , on the one side the son or daughter doe justly offend , if without cause , or wilfully they refuse the parents choyce ; and are in duty bound to worke their hearts to an obedient subjection to those , unto whom they owe themselves ; and for this cause must bee wary in suffering their affections to over-runne their owne reason , and their parents guidance ; eyther suppressing the first motions of unruly passions , or if they grow impetuous , venting them betimes into the tender eares of their indulgent parents , or discreet and faithful friends ; that so they may seasonably prevent their own misery , and their parents grief : on the other side the parent shal offend , if holding too hard an hand over the fruit of his own body , he shall resolve violently to force the childs affections to his own bent ; & where he finds them setled wil rather break then bow them ; not caring so much to perswade as to compell love : these harshnesses have too much of tyranny in them to be incident to a christ an parent ; who must transact all these matrimonial affaires in a smooth & plausible way of consent & indulgence : a noble and ancient pattern whereof we find in the contract betwixt isaac & his rebecca , gen. . , , , , &c. the match was treated on betwixt abrahams proxie , and the maids father bethuel , and her brother laban : the circumstances drew their full consent ; all is agreed upon betwixt parents ; but when all this is don , nothing is don till rebecca have given her assent ; they said , wee will call the damsell , and enquire at her mouth , ver . . and they called rebecca , and said unto her , wilt thou goe with this man ? and she said , i will goe . ver . . now the contract is made up ; till then , all the engagements of bethuel and laban were but complements ; till then , all the rich jewels of gold and silver given to the intended bride ; and all the precious things given to her mother , & brother , were but at the mercy of the receivers ; neither ought it to be other in all christian espousals ; the free and cheerfull consent of parents and parties makes the match both full and happy ; let not the childe dare to crosse his parents ; let not the parent think to force the child ; and when an undue bargain is , through the heat of passion , made up past reclamation , let love and pity so far intercede for the offenders , that they may smart for their rashness & neglect , without their utter undoing . case v. whether the marriage of cousens germans , that is , of brothers or sisters children , be lawfull . the displeasure of the canon law against such marriages is so high flowne , that no lesse can take it off then an utter diremtion of them even though they be not ratified only , but consummate by carnall knowledg : and the grave authority of some ancient and holy fathers , and eminent doctors of the church ( besides five severall councels ) have passed an hard sentence upon them . the maine ground of the supposed unlawfulness , is , that clause of gods law which was more then judiciall : no man shall approach unto any neere of kin to his flesh to uncover their nakednesse ; i am the lord , levit. . . which though cornelius à lapide * ( following his radulphus ) would seeme to restraine to the ensuing particularities onely ; yet they may not think that god will suffer so universal a charge to be so straitly pent , especially , when we know that there are divers other no lesse unlawful copulations omitted in this black roll of uncleannesses , then those which are expresly mentioned ; the rest being intended to come in by way of analogy only : for it is easy for any reader to observe , that all the severalities of the degrees prohibited run still upon the male ; under which , if the like exorbitances of the other sexe were not meant to be comprehended , females should be lawlesse , and the lawe imperfect ; to marry then with a cousen-german is apprehended by these canonists to be an approach to one neare kinne to our flesh ; and therefore intimated in that inhibition : doctor * willet ( a man much deserving of gods church ) conceives these marriages to bee analogically forbidden , in this catalogue of moses for , saith he , if the degrees of affinity be limited to the third or fourth degree ; as it is not lawfull for a man to marry his wives daughters daughter ( levit. . . ) why should not the line of consanguinity hold to the fourth degree likwise ; and so neither the sonne to marry his fathers brothers daughter ; or the daughter the sonne ? but that worthy divine did not heedfully observe the great difference betwixt these instanced degrees ; for the one of these is an equal line , the other in an unequal ; the one is a collaterall consanguinity , the other is in a directly descending affinity ; so as the husband should bee grandfather in law to the wife , which in all reason were very unlawful , and absurd ; since in all those descending degrees there is a kinde of reverential inequality betwixt the lower and superiour , which abhorres from all proportion of a match : whereas the collateral equidistance of cousensgerman from the stock whence both descend , hath in it no such appearance of inequality , certainly then , no analogy can draw these marriages within the prohibition ; whether the neerenesse of approach to our flesh be a just bar to them , must be further considered . gregory * , ( whom some would faine interess in our english apostle ship ) writing to his augustine , in way of answere to his interrogations puts these mariages in the same rank with the marriages of brothers and sisters , which hee brands with this note , that they seldom ever prove fruitfull ; as for those of brothers and sisters ( which were usual , as dio dorus siculus tells us ) amongst the egiptians , and are this day in use in barbarous nations ) nature it selfe abominates the mention of them : in the first plantation of the world there was a necessity of them ; as without which there could have been no humane generation ; but afterwards , as the earth grew more peopled , so these matches grew still more odious : like as it was also in the first plantation of the church ; the holy seed being confined to a narrow compasse , were forced , unlesse they would joyne with infidels , to match somtimes over-neer to themselves ; as even abraham himself , the father of the faithfull , married his brothers daughter : but when the bounds of men and beleevers came to be enlarged , the greater elbow room opened a wider liberty of choice ; and now gods select people found it meet to observe a due distance in the elections of their wives ; so regarding the entireness of their tribes , as that they fell not within the lines of prohibition ; wherein no mention being made of brothers and sisters children in all ages and nations , some have thought fit to make use of their free-dom in this kind . what neede i to urge the case of zelophehads five daughters , num. . . who by gods own approbation , were married to their fathers brothers sonnes ; to mince the matter , and to make these sonnes , nephews , according ao the hebrew phrase ( as doctor willet indeavors to doe ) is without either need or warrant ; since these scruples were not since that time stood upon by the jewish people : yea this practise was no lesse current among the civiller heathens of old ; i could tell you of cluentia * ( by ciceroes relation ) married to her cousen marc. aurius ; of marcus antonius the wise and vertuous philosopher , marrying his cousen faustina , and a world of others : were not this labor saved me by the learned lawyer hotoman ; who tells us how universall this liberty was of old , as being enacted by the lawes of the roman empire ; and descending to the lawes of † justitian ; confidently affirmes that for five hundred yeeres , all christian people ( magno consensu ) allowed and followed these imperiall constitutions concerning matrimony : although i might here put him in minde of theodosius enacting the contrary in his time ; as it is like , by s. * ambroses instigation ; who then sharply inveighed against these matches in a vehement epistle to paternus , being then in hand with a marriage betwixt his son & his sisters daughter : but excepting that good emperour , the coast was cleare perhaps , for the cesarean constitutions ; not so for the judgement of divines ; amongst whom , it were enough that s. ambrose and s. augustine ( the flower of the latine fathers ) if no other , doe bitterly oppose it : this judgement being found not probable only , but exceeding profitable to the roman see , it is no wonder if it obteyned both credit and vigour from thence . decrees & decretals make this inhibition good , not without damning the contrary practise ; and now the civill and canon lawes clashing with one another , how can it be but the prevalence must be according to the power of the abettor ? what liberty the court of rome hath taken to it self in the restraint of marriages , and upon what ground ; all christendom both sees and feeles : one while their prohibition reaches to the seventh degree in natural kindred , then to the fourth : one while the impediment of spirituall cognation , is streched so far , without any colour of divine authority , as that ( what by * baptisme , what by confirmation ) twenty severall persons are excluded from the capacitie of intermarriage : anotherwhile the market is faln to fourteene : and wherefore this ? but for the sweet & scarce valuable gaine of dispensations , upon these occasions flowing in to the lateran treasure ? for which considerations wee have learned not to attribute too much to the judgement or practise of the roman courtiers in this point . upon the sūming up then of this discourse , will you bee pleased to see the vast latitude of different opinions concerning these marriages ? the canon lawe decryes them with such rigour , as to ordain them ( though after a conjugall conversation ) separated ; some moderate divines ( as doctor willet ) finding this sentence too hard , go not so far ; but hold this neerness of blood a sufficient bar to hinder a marriage contracted , though not consummate : som others ( as mr. perkins in my conference with him ) hold it , though not unlawfull , yet inconvenient : som others ( as learned and accute m. wootton , and m. attersoll ) who have written a very large discourse in way of vindication of them ) hold them both lawfull , and not inexpedient ; * hotoman yet higher , pium & christianum esse , quod duarum sororum liberi matrimonio copulentur ; that such a marriage is pious and christian : in all this variety if you desire my opinion , i shall neyther censure such marriages where they are made , nor yet incourage them to be made where they are not : to those that are free i should be apt to suggest counsails of forbearance , the world is wide , the choice abundant ; let it be never so lawfull , yet how unwise and unsafe were it to put the conscience upon the nicety of a dangerous scruple , when it may kee●s aloof off with a cleere freedom and resolute contentment ? that these marriages are disallowed by so great authority , should bee reason enough to divert the free thoughts to a safer election ; and againe , that these marriages are allowed both by civill lawes , and by the judgement of eminent divines ; and not any where forbidden eyther ( jure caesareo or apostolico ) by gods law or caesars ; should be reason enough to bear up the hearts of those who are so matched , from a scrupulous dejection . let the persons therfore so married enjoy themselves with mutual complacency and comfort , not disquieting themselves with needlesse anxieties ; let those single persons who have the world before them look further off ; and fasten their affections at a more unquestionable distance : as it was wont to be worthy m. perkins his expression to this purpose ; let those who must walke close to the brimof a steep precipice , look well to their feete and tread sure , and so they may come off perhaps as safely as those that are further off ; but if a man be to choose his way , let him so cast it , as that he may not approach neere to the brink of danger . case vi. whether it is necessary or requisite there should be a witnessed contract , or espousals of the parties to bee married , before the solemnization of the marriage . it is necessary wee should distinguish betwixt those things which are essentiall to the very being of marriage , & those which are requisite to the orderly and well-being of it : it may not be denyed that the marriage is true & valid , which with full consent of parties is made without the intervention of a previous contract in a due & lawful form prescribed by the church : but it is no less true that such a marriage is very unmeet , & liable to just exceptions : that * god , who is the author & institutor of marriage made a difference in his law , betwixt a betrothing & a matrimony ; he that ordained the one , ordained the other also ; and ordained the one in order to the other : and this was constantly observed in the practise of gods ancient people accordingly , so we finde the blessed * virgin espoused to joseph before his taking her to wife ; neither did the christian church think fit to vary from so holy a pattern ; whereto s. † paul alludes , when writing to , and of the church of corinth which he had happily planted , and forwarded in grace ) he saith , i have espoused you to one husband , that i may present you as a chaste virgin to christ. loe hee hath betrothed them to christ in that he had entred them into a covenant of grace , and prepared their soules for a full consummation of their blessed union with christ in glory , intimating ( as matrimony is a lively resemblance of our spirituall conjunction with the lord of glory ) that our bodily espousalls here below , are they which must make way for a complete marriage ensuing : it were not difficult , if it were needfull , to deduce this holy practise downe from the primitive times to the present : before the nicene councell we find the synod of ancyra * enjoyning a severe penance to the man that should defile his body by an incestuous copulation , after espousalls contracted : and the councell of eliveris or granado , about the time of the nicene convention , takes such notice of these betrothings , as that it decreed † , that if any parents should break the faith mutually engaged in these espousals , they should bee held off during the space of three yeeres from the communion . what should i trouble you with the decree of * syricius concerning these contracts ; or with the pregnant testimonies of s. chrysostom and ambrose to this purpose ; which were but to wast time & paper upon so cleere a truth ? as there was no christian church which did not carefully observe this sacred rite : so above all other the roman hath been at least curious enough in calling for a strict and severe account of their espousals : what voluminous discourses ? what a world of nice questions have faln from the pens of their canonists and casuists concerning this subject ? certainly this is a point of so much use and agitation amongst them , that were it not for the quarels arising herefrom , it is to bee feared their consistories would want work , and their advocates imployment : but to speake ingenuously , those of the roman clientele are not more careful & punctual in scaning , and observing the rules and practise of their espousals , then ours here are incurious of both : how many have we heard to say , they wil make no promise of themselves till they come to the church-dore ? and of those that doe contract themselves , how weakly & insufficiently is it performed on many hands ? so as their act , if questioned , is no way obliging ; nor such as upon the least discontent , will indure a contestation . now whereas there is a double contract or espousall , the one of the future ; the other of the present : that of the present , if it bee expressed in ful termes , differs nothing from marriage it self , save only in the publick solemnization ; which doubtlesse is a ceremony so requisite , as that without it an horrible confusion must needes follow both in church and state. that of the future , is a mutuall engagement of both parties , that they will marry each other ; which is most properly an espousall-contract ; giving both assurance to each other of a mutuall consent to a matrimony that shall bee ; and yet withall some meet respiration of a more full triall and inquiry into each others condition : for which purpose the wisdom of the church hath ordained that there should be a solemne publication of that more private contract three severall sabbaths , to the whole congregation ; not with ur the earnest charge of a discovery of whatsoever impediment might justly hinder the intended matrimony . the frequent , but unfit , use of these espousall-contracts in the roman church , betwixt their children in minority ( allowing * seven yeers in eyther parry for a meete age to this purpose ) must needs breed both much question and inconvenience : but in those which are of a mature age , and therefore able to judge of what may bee most expedient for themselves , this institution cannot be but singularly usefull & beneficiall : for neither is it meet that so great a work , and so highly importing us as matrimony , should bee rashly and suddainly undertaken ; neither doth it a little conduce to our safety , that since marriage once passed is irreversible , we may have som breathing-time betwixt our promise and accomplishment to inform our selves throughly before it bee too late , what we must trust to for ever . for we may take notice , that though marriage is indissoluble , yet these espousals , or contracts of a future marriage are not so ; many things may intervene betwixt this engagement by promise , and that a full and compleat solemnization , which may break off the match . the casuists determine of seventeen severall cases , at the least , which may sort to this effect ; som whereof have a proper relation to the romish religion ; others are common to what ever contracts of this kind ; i shall not grudge you the mention of them all . an espousall-contract therefore may ( according to their judgement ) be broken off . by the willing remission of both parts , although it had been seconded by an oath : by the entrance of the one party into some order of religion : by a contract with some other in words of the present : by the travaile of one of the parties into remote coun●ries , and not returning up on a lawfull summuns at a time prefixed by the judge : by an affinity supervening upon the sinfull copulation of one of the parties with the near kinswoman of the other : by the absolution of the judg upon suit of one of the parties repenting and pleading minority : by lapse of the time set for the accomplishment of the marriage by the disease of one of the parties being fallen into palsie , leprosie , the neopolitan sickness , or any other contagious distemper , or notable deformity . by the fornication of one of the parties committed since the contract : by a vow of chastity preceding the contract : by som capitall enmity intervening betwixt the families and persons of the contracted by the omission of performing the promised conditions ; as when the dowry agreed upon , is retracted or held off ▪ by the fame of a canonicall impediment , by susception of orders after conrract ; by the supervention of a legall kindred , inexpected ; by the harshnesse and asperity of disposition in either party . and ( which may comprise many other particularities ; by the falling out and discovery of any such accident , or event , as if it had beene sooner knowne would have prevented the making of such a contract ; all these say they , may bar a marriage after espousalls : but yet so , as that the parties may not be their own arbiters , to break off their contracts at pleasure , but must have recourse to the judge ecclesiasticall ; and submit themselves to the over-ruling sentence of the church . if you balk those which are proper to the romish superstition , yet you shall finde many just and allowable causes which may ( after a contract of espousall ) interrupt a purposed matrimony : so as , if there were neither rule , nor example of any such preceding engagement , yet surely , it were very fit for our own security , and our confident and comfortable entrance into that estate which we shall never put off , to observe carefully this previous betrothing of our selves ere wee knit the knot that can never be loosed . case vii . whether there ought to bee a prohibition and forbearance of marriages , and marriage duties for some appointed times . it is one thing what is lawful another thing what is fit and expedient ; as s. paul hath taught us to distinguish : marriage being of gods own institution , and that in the perfection of paradise , there can be no time wherein it may be unlawful to celebrate it ; yet there may be times wherein it is unfit : there is the like reason of times and places ; both of them are circumstances alike ; the debt of the marriage-bed not onely may , but must bee paid by them whom god hath called to that estate yet there are places wherein it were barbarous and piacular to defray it : even , besides those places which are destin'd to an holy use , the jewes of old held this act done in the field or under a tree , worthy of scourging : doubtlesse * there are times so wholly consecrated to devotion , as that therein it would be utterly unseasonable to let our thoughts loose to the most lawful pleasures : hence is that charge of the apostle , defraud not one the other , except it be with consent for the time , that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer : cor. . . so then as solomon himselfe can say , there is a time to embrace , and a time to refrain from embraceing . ecclus. . . but what the limitation of this time may be , no small question hath been raised in the church of god : neyther doe there want extremities on both sides : the church of rome hath heretofore been excessively large in her prohibitions ; forbiding the solemnization of marriage upon pretence of the holiness of the great feasts to be observed ; for the whole third part of the yeere ; neither doth the account fall lesse , if we reckon from the advent to the epiphany ; from septuagesima sunday to the octaves of easter ; and from three dayes before the ascension to the octaves of pentecost ; all which had wont to be strictly kept ; besides the feast of s. john baptist added by some ; and the foure ember weekes by others ; but now of late upon second thoughts , their councell of trent * have found it meet to shorten the restraint , and somewhat to enlarge the liberty of the seasons for marriage , having exempted the two only solemn feasts of easter and the nativitie , and abridged some previous weekes of the former : and for us how observant our consistories had wont to bee of those inhibitions for their own gain , every almanack can witnesse . some worthy divines in our church did not stick to professe their great dislike of our conforming herein to the church of rome , to the scandal of the reformed : concerning both which , i must say : that if either wee or they doe put any holinesse in the time exempted , or any unholiness in the act inhibited , we cānot be excused from superstition , can any time be more holy then gods owne day ? yet on that day wee doe commonly both publish marriages , and celebrate them . but if , as in some solemne fasts , indicted by the church for some publique humiliation , we both doe , and injoyne to abstaine from all conjugall society ; so in a desire the more dovoutly to celebrate the memory of gods infinite mercy to man kinde in sending a saviour into the world for our redemption ; and of the glorious resurrection of that son of god for our justification , we shall take off our selves from all worldly cares or delights , i see not why it should not be both lawfull and commendable . but , to say as it is , as the romanists are guilty of too much scruple in this kind , so too many of our own are no lesse faulty in a careless disregard of the holiest occasions of restraint ; which i would to god it did not too palpably appear in the scandalous carnality of many ( otherwise inoffensive ) professors . it is a common practise ( which i have long wisht an oportunity to censure ) that husbands and wives forget one another too soon : scarce are their consorts fully cold , ere they are laying for a second match ; and too few moneths are enow for the consummation of it . let me be bold to say , this haste hath in it too much not immodesty only , but inhumanity : if we look abroad into the world , wee shall find not among gods peculiar people only , but even amongst the very heathens , a meet ( and not niggardly ) intermission betwixt the decease of the one husband , or wife , & the marriage of another : a whole yeer was found little enough for the wife to mourne for her husband departed : and so is still amongst the very chineses , though atheous pagans ; * and by the civill lawes , a woman marrying within a yeer after her husbands death is counted in famous . it was no short time that * abraham ( though now very old ) breathed upon the death of sara ( the first of wives mentioned as mourned for ) before he took keturah ; and yet the hebrew † doctors observe that there is a short letter in the midst of that word which signifies his mourning ; to imply ( say they ) that his mourning was but moderate : i am sure his sonne isaac ( gen. . . ) was not comforted concerning the death of that his good mother , till three yeers after her decease : at which time he brought his rebecca into that tent which even still retayned the name of sarahs : whereas with us , after the profession of the greatest deerenesse , the old posie of the deaths-ring tells what we may trust to ; dead and forgotten : who can but blush to read that some heathens were faine to make lawes that the wife might not be allowed to continue her solemne mourning for her husband abve moneths ; and to see that our women had need of a law to inforce them so to mourn for the space of one ? in other reformed churches there is a determinate time of months set , untill the expiration whereof widowes ( especially the younger ) are not suffered to marry ; it were more then requisite that these loose times were , here with us , curbed with so seasonable a constitution ; but it were yet more happy , if a due regard of publique honesty & christian modesty could set bounds to our inordinate desires ; & so moderate our affections , that the world may see we are led by a better guide then appetite . case viii . whether it bee necessary that marriages should be celebrated by a minister ; and whither they may bee valid , and lawfull without him . it is no marvell if the church of rome ( which holds matrimonie a sacrament , conferring grace by the very work wrought ) require an absolute necessity of the priests hand in so holy an act ; but for us , who ( though reverently esteeming that sacred institution , yet ) set it in a key lower , it admits of too much question whether we neede to stand upon the terms of a ministers agency in the performance of that solemn action : there are those in these wilde times that have held it sufficiently lawful for the parties having agreed upon the bargain before friends and witnesses , to betak themselves to bed others have thought this act of conjoyning the married persons in wedlock a fitter act for the magistrate to undertake . and certainely if there were nothing in marriage but meere nature , it could not bee amisse that men and women should upon their mutuall agreement couple themselves together after the manner of brute creatures ; and if there were nothing in mariage but meer civility the magistrate might be meet to be imployed in this service : but now that we christians know matrimony to be an holy institution of god him selfe : which hee not only ordained , but actually celebrated betwixt the first innocent payre ; and which being for the propagation of an holy seed , requires a speciall benediction ; how can we in reason think any man meet for this office , but the man of god , set over us in the lord ; to derive the blessings of heaven upon our heads ? from hence therfore have our wholsom lawes taken a just hint to appropriate this service to a lawfull minister only : so as what ever private contract may bee transacted in corners betwixt the parties affected to each other , yet the marriage knot cannot be publiquely quit by any other hand then gods ministers . and herein certainly wee have just cause to bless the wisdom both of the church and state , which hath so regulated these matrimoniall affairs ; as that they are not only orderly but safely managed : for doubtless were not this provision carefully made , the world would bee quite over-run with beastliness , and horrible confusion : and in this point we may well give the church of rome her due , & acknowledge the wise care of her lateran and tridentine councells , which have enacted so strict decrees against clandestine marriages , and have taken so severe a course for the reforming of many foul disorders in these matrimoniall proceedings ; as may be of good use for the christian world : had they done the like in other cases , their light had not gone out in a snuffe : as therfore it is generally both decreed and observed ( not without excellent reason ) in all christian churches , that marriages should be solemnized in the publick congregation of gods people ; so it cannot but be requisite that it should be done by him , who is ordained to be the mouth of the congregation to god ; & the mouth of god to the congregatton ; and , as under the law , the priest was the man , who must conveigh blessings from god to his people ; so under the gospell who can be so apt for this divine office , as he that serves at the evangelicall altar ? and if all our marriages must be ( according to the apostles charge ) made in the lord , who is so meet to pronounce gods ratification of our marriages , as he who is the profest herald of the almighty ? as it is therefore requisite ( even according to the roman constitutions ) that hee who is betrusted with the cure of our soules , should besides other witnesses be both present & active in , and at our domestique contracts of matrimony : so by the laws both of our church and kingdome , it is necessary he should have his hand in the publique celebration of them . there may then be firme contracts , there cannot be lawfull marriages without gods ministers . case ix . whether there bee any necessity or use of thrice publishing the contract of marriage in the congregation , before the celebration of it ; and whether it bee fit that any dispensation should bee granted for the forbearance of it . there were amongst the jewes certain ceremoniall observations ( besides the precepts ) which they called the hedg of the law , and such there cannot want amongst christians ; whose prudence must direct them both to the ordaining , and keeping of some such expedient rules , as may best preserve gods lawes from violation : of that kind is this which we now have in hand ; this publique and reiterated denunciation of * bannes before matrimony , is an institution required and kept both by al the churches of the roman-correspondence , and by all the reformed ; amongst which , as ours , is most eminent , so it hath still expressed the most zeal and care of the due observing of so wholsom a rite : sixe severall * canons were made in our provinciall synod under the authority of king james of blessed memory in the yeer . to this purpose , with as strict charges , restrictions and cautions , as the wit of man could in this case devise ; and the late directory hath found cause to second so usefull and laudable a constitution : for the convenience , if not necessity , whereof , we need no other argument then the grievous mischiefes that have followed upon the neglect of this ordinance ; that one were enough , which is instanced by the tridentine * synod it self ; that some leud persons having secretly married themselves to one , take liberty to leave that match , and publiquely joyne themselves to another , with whom they live wickedly in a perpetuall adultry ; the frequent practise whereof in those hotter climates we may easily beleeve ; when wee see that in our own more temperate region , the feare of hanging cannot hold som off from so foul a sin . let me add hereunto the late experiments of som odiously incestuous marriages , which even by the relation of our diurnalists ) have by this means found a damnable passage , to the great dishonour of god , and shame of the church ; and hereupon the sad issue of stoln marriages , wherein parents have been most feloniously robbed of their children , are roo feelingly known , & irrecoverably lamented : but as for unfitness and inequality of matches , both for age and condition ( to the too late repentance and utter undoeing of both parties ) they are so ordinary , that they are every dayes occurrences : and all these evils have sensibly grown from the want of these publique denunciations of bannes ; partly upon the unhappy throwing open of the fence of discipline , and partly upon the surreption of secretly mis-gotten dispensations ; and though that forementioned synod of ours , seconded by royal authority , took * the most probable course that could be conceived ( the liberty of those faculties being continued ) for the preventing of these abuses ; as the restraint of the grant of them by any other , save those who have episcopall authority ; and security to bee given upon good bonds that the coast is cleere from all precontracts , suits of law , and prohibited degrees ; that the full consent of parents or guardians is had ; that the marriage shall bee celebrated in the parish church where one of the parties dwelleth ; and lastly the oathes required of two sufficient witnesses ( one whereof known to the judge ) that the expresse consent of parents or guardians goes along with the match intended ; and that there is no impediment from any pre-contract , kindred or alliance : yet notwithstanding all this prudent caution we have by wofull experience found our offices cheated , facultys corruptly procured , and matches illegally struck up , contrary to the pretended conditions : whereas all this mischief might have been avoyded , if as no marriage may bee allowed but publick ; so tho●e publick marriages might not bee celebrated but after thrice publication of the contract in both the parish churches where the persons contracted are known to inhabit : for so both the parents of either side cannot but be acquainted with the ingagements of their children ; and if there be any just hindrance , eyther by precontract , or by proximity of blood , or affinity , it cannot bee concealed ; that so the snare of either an unlawfull or prejudiciall matrimony may be seasonably eschued : to this good purpose therefore it is no lesse then necessary ( as i humbly conceive ) to be both enacted and observed , that no marriage should bee allowed of any person whatsoever ( except perhaps the peers of the realme , who are supposed to bee famously known through the kingdom ) without a solemn publication of their contracts at three several meetings to the congregation assembled ; and that there may no dispensation at al be granted to the contrary upon any whatsoever conditions : and if som pretend bashfulnesse , others feare of malicious prevention ( as the tridentine doctors suggest ) yet it is fit that both should vaile in the inevitable danger of those mischievous inconveniences which follow upon these clandestine matches , and silent dispensations . case x. whether marriages once made may bee anulled , and utterly voided ; and in what cases this may be done . in what only case a divorce may be made after a lawful marriage you have seen before ; now you enquire of the anulling or voiding of marriages made unlawfully : which doubtlesse may bee done by just authority upon divers well-grounded occasions : for as it is an indispensible charge , those whom god hath joyned together let no man put asunder ; so it no lesse truly holds on the contrary ; those whom god hath forbidden to be joyned , let no man keep together . our casuists are wont to bee very copious in this subject , distinguishing betwixt those impediments which may hinder a marriage from being made , and those which may undoe and void the marriage once made . they insist upon many particularities of both kinds ; and som , perhaps too many , i shall instance only in those of the latter sort which are unquestionable ; whereof the first shall be a mis-prison of the match ; when one party is mistaken for another ; as when he who by a full contract consented to marry with anne , is by a fraudulent substitution put up on a marriage with mary ; whether upon the likness of the woman , or the want of a discerning sense in the man ; or by som cunning conveyance of the perfidious contrivers ; for certainly it is the consent that maks the marriage ; & if the hearts be not joined together by mutuall agreement & affection , the coupling of the hāds is but a ceremony utterly ineff●ctual ; i doubt not but it was in jacobs power to have disavowed the match with leah , whom his father in lawe had deceitfully obtruded upon him being more injurious in changing his wife , then in ten times changing his wages ; since his heart was not accessary to that match , which the darkness of the night , and subtlety of a lahan had drawn him into . the like case is in the marrying a bond-woman in stead of a free ; a base plebeian in stead of a person of honour : as then we use to say that mis-reckoning is no payment , so we may well affirm that a mis-marriage is no true wedlock ; and therfore justly to be branded with a nullity . a second my bee the foedity and unnaturalness of the match ; when the parties incestuously marry within the first collaterall degree of brothers and sisters ; the very mention whereof , even nature it self , not depraved , abhorres : so as i cannot but wonder that the romane schoole should bee so much divided in this point , whiles * bonaventure , richardus and durand hold such a marriage even by divine lawe , a nullity ; contrarily aquinas , cajetan , thomas de argentina and others ( whom covarruvias recites ) defend this to be only an impediment by the canon law , and therfore that it may be in the popes power to dispence with so foul a matrimony ; against whom upon better reason , * scotus , and dominicus à soto prove such marriages by the law of nature to be utterly void and null ; with whom all ingenuons christians cannot but willingly concurre in their judgments . a third may be the horribleness of a crime committed in the way to a wicked match ; and that of two sorts ; the one of murther , the other of adultery : the former , when the wife hath conspired with the adulterer to murder her husband , with an intent to marry the murtherer ; or in the like case the husband to murther the wife . the latter when a man living in a known adultry with another mans wife , contracts matrimony with the adultresse in the life time of her husband . a fourth , is the indissoluble knot of mariage with a former still surviving husband or wife ; the force whereof is such , as that it frustrates and voideth any supervening matrimony ( except in the case specified in the foregoing discourse of divorce ) during the naturall life of the consorts . many unhappy , and perplexed cases have we met withall in this kinde ; neither doth it seldome fall out , that the husband being confidently reported for dead in the warres , or in travell abroad ; the wife after some yeers stay , and diligent inquisition , finding the rumor strongly verified by credible testimonies , and tendred oathes , begins to listen to some earnest suitor ; and bestowes her self in a second marriage ; not long after which , her only true , revived husband returnes , and challengeth his right in that his lawfull wife ; pretending the mis-carri●ge of letters and messages sent by him in that forced absence . in this case what is to be done ? the woman hath cast her self upon the danger of a capitall law , except shee have expected the time limited by statute ; or if she escape , one of the husbands is to seek for a wife , whom both may not enjoy : doubtless the second marriage is by ecclesiasticall authority to bee pronounced , as it is , null ; which indeed never had any true right to be : and the first must be content to swallow its own inconveniences . a fifth , may be a violent enforcement of the match : when a woman is upon fear of pain , or death compelled to yeeld her self in marriage , and is not perswaded , but affrighted into the bonds of wedlock : surely this is rather a rape then a matrimony , and therefore , upon utter want of consent , a nullity . a sixt may be a preceding , irremediable impotency , or incapacity of marriage duties ; whether naturall , or advantageous ; whether by way of perpetuall maleficiation , or casualty : i say , preceding ; for if any such disability be subsequent to the marriage , the nullity is avoided ; but if the persons find in themselves beforehand such remediless incapability of a marriage estate , they shall be highly injurious to each other , and shall fouly abuse the ordinance of god , in their entring into such a condition : for it is apparent , that the main ends of marriage are herein utterly frustrate ; which were by gods appointment , the propagation of mankinde , and the remedy of incontinency ; neither of which being attainable in such a defective estate of body , justly is such a match pronounced a nullity . but here i cannot but take occasion to commend the modesty of the women of our nation ; amongst whom , there are so rare examples of suits in this kind , prosecuted in our ecclesiasticall consistories ; it is not to be doubted but there are many defects of this nature to bee found every where , yet scarce one in an age offers to complain and call for redresse : so as it seems they are willing to smother all secret deficiencies , in a bashfull silence ; whereas those of other warmer regions impatient of the wrongs of their conjugall disappointments , fly out into open contestations , and fearelesly seeke for those remedies which the lawes provided in such cases will allow them . certainly the merit of this modest temper is so much the greater , by how much more it is concealed from the world ; and those of either sexe that are content to bite in their hidden grievances of this kinde , are worthy of double honour from those consorts , whose injurious infirmities they both have not disclosed , and suffer in suppressing . additionals . certain cases of doubt , besides the formerly published , having been proposed to me , and received a private solution ; i have thought fit upon the addresse of a second edition , to adjoyn them to their fellows , for the satisfaction of any others , whom the same cases may concern . case i. whether a marriage consummate betwixt the uncle and neece bee so utterly unlawfull , as to merit a sentence of present separation . resolution . what prodigious matches have beene of late made , and are still continued , upon advantage taken of the unsetlednesse of the times , i had rather silently lament , then openly proclaim to the world : such as are not capable of any apology ; call for our blushing and teares ; but there are some others which dare stand upon the termes of defence : such is this which you have here propounded on the behalf of your friend , whom it seemes a mis-learned advocate would faine bear up in a course altogether unjustifiable ; that cause must needs be desperately ill ; that can find no mercenary abettors : his offensive marriage with his neece is hartned by a sophisticall pleader ; whose wit and skill is so ill bestowed in this case , that i wish his fee might be perpetuall silence : but when hee hath made use of his best art to so bad a purpose , those colours of defence , wherewith hee thinks to daub over so soul a cause , will prove but water-colours , which shall easily be wash'd off by this present confutation . it was lawful , he saith , before the leviticall law , thus to match : so were worse marriages then this : let him tell me that cain , and enoch , and seth married their owne sisters , as saturne also did , by the report of diodorus siculus ; necessity made it then not unlawfull : it is a just rule of * law ; those things may not be drawne into precedent , which have been yeelded upon meer necessity ; as we use to say ; necessity hath no law , so it can make none , afterwards , as mankinde grew , nature it selfe taught men to keep further aloofe from their owne flesh ; and still remotenesse of distance enlarged it selfe with time . abraham ( saith hee ) married his neece sarah , gen. . . ( if at least sarah were iscah ) nahor his neece milcha , amram his aunt jochebed ; and these not without a large bles-upon the bed . let him tell me also , that jacob married two sisters , and conversed conjugally with both ( which were now shamefully incestuous ) yet was herein blessed with the issue of six of those patriarchs , who were the root of those glorious stemmes of israel . if we should speak most favourably of these conjunctions , to ranke them under malum quia prohibitum ; it must needs follow , that till the prohibition came , they could not bee censured as evill : though good authors make it justly questionable , whether these fore-alledged marriages should deservedly bee charged with a sin , or excused by gods extraordinary dispensation , in the meane time the blessing was to the person , not to the act ; even lots incestuous copulatio with his daughters sped well ; two famous nations sprang thence , & of one of them , the gracious progenitrice of the saviour of the world ; yet this is no plea for the allowance of that monstrous conjunction . after ●he law , one justifiable example were worth a thousand before it . lo , good caleb ( saith he ) married his daughter achsah to his brother othoniel . joshua . . , . indeede , this case comes as home to the businesse as it is farre off from the text . see whether mes-prision of scripture may mislead us : a man that understands nothing but the english , or vulgar latin , may easily run into so foul an error ; weigh but the place well , & you will soon find the fault without me ; othniel the son of kenaz , calebs brother , tooke kerath-sepher , and caleb gave him achsah his daughter to wife ; the english wanting cases expresses it doubtfuly , it will be cleare in the latin ; as montanus , and pagnine , two great masters of the hebrew in their interlinear , read it , othniel filius kenaz , fratris calebi ; othniel the sonne of kenaz , which kenaz was caleb's brother , both the hebrew & chaldee cleare that sense : so the septuagint , as emanuel-sa also urges upon that place judg , . . expresly say that kenaz was the brother of caleb , and not othoniel ; wherein yet i cannot much blame an unballanced judgement , whiles i find the septuagint contrary to themselves : for in josh. . they say othniel was calebs younger brother ; in judg. . . they say , kenaz the father of othniel was so ; for which there is no excuse , but the large sense of a brother in the hebrew , we are brethren , saith abraham to lot , yet he was lots uncle : so was kenaz a progenitor to othniel ; for caleb is stiled the son of jephunneh the kenezite , josh. . . & num. ▪ . the case was only this , kenaz was the ancestor of caleb ; and one of the same name was his brother , the father of othniel : what can be more plain then chron. . . and the sons of kenaz , othniel & seraiah ; so as if wee take this most strictly to the letter ; it implies nothing but the marriage of two cozens german , othniel the son of kenaz , and achsah the daughter of caleb , brothers children , as bucer upon the place , melanchton in his tract de conjugio , junius : and indeede , who otherwise ? and now by this time you see what a poore ground this is to build upon ; rather , you see a castle , not built on the sand , but in the ayre ; meer misconceit . but , saith the advocate , this marriage is no where directly forbidden in the law ; i must tell him it is but a meer shuffle to stand upon the terms of a direct prohibition , when there is one no lesse forceable & convictive : two wayes may ought be effectually forbidden in the law ; either in plain expression of terms , or in clear implication of sense ; surely , that is rather more in the law which it means irrefragably , than what it verbally expresseth : now , however this be not in the letter of the law , yet in the sense it is : the same law that forbids the nephew to marry the aunt , doth eadem operâ , forbid the uncle to marry the neece ; in regard as of neerness , yea identity of blood , the case is the same : however , som inequality may be conceived in respect of government & subjection . and if upon som oeconomicall termes , it be more unfit for a nephew to marry his aunt , than for an uncle to marry his neece , yet in regard of blood and that bodily conjunction , which god principally aymes at in this prohibition , what difference can possibly bee conceived ? nature hath made no other distance betwixt the nephew and the aunt , than bewixt the neece & the uncle : or if there be any , they must be sharper eys than mine that can discerne it : god himself ( me thinks ) hath put this out of doubt ; the reason wherewith hee backs his command is iresistible ; the nephew shall not marry the fathers sister ; why so ? for she is thy fathers neer kinswoman , v. . lo it is the neerness of blood that makes this match unlawfull , not respect of civil inequality ; where the blood then is equally neere , the marriage must be equally unlawfull . that rule of law which is pretended , in prohibitoriis , quicquid non prohibetur , permittitur . what is not forbidden , is permitted , had neede of a fair construction ; indeed , that which is not forbidden either in words or in necessary analogy & implication of sense , is supposed to be left at large , but what place hath this axiome in a case not less really forbidden than the expressed ? and if wee should strictly follow the letter of this maxime , it would lead us into sodome : since there are marriages not specified , which would be monstrously incestuous , & such as honesty would blush to mention , as shall appeare in the sequele . neither is there any more force in that other , in poenalibus non fit extensio , that penall lawes should not bee stretcht further then their words import . certainly in som sense , i know no law that is not penall : but why this law , thou shalt not marry thy aunt or neece should be rather penal , than , thou shalt not commit adultry , i know not ; i am sure learned zanchius accounts these of the . of leviticus , equally morall : and bucanus holds them to be against the law of nature . and if in humane laws this axiom may challenge a place , yet in the roy all laws of our maker , where , under one sin mentioned , all the species & appendances , and the whols claim of that wickednesse is wont to be comprised , doubtless it is utterly unsufferable : neither is here any extension of this prohibition beyond those limits which god hath fixed in the undoubted sense of his law . in the seventh commandement , nothing is expressed but adultry , shall we therefore say neither fornication , nor pollution , nor sodomie is there forbidden ? were not this to destroy that lawe , which god makes to be spirituall , and to open the flood gates to a torrent of licentiousnesse ? surely , it is easy to observe that gods spirit no lesse meanes that which he pleaseth to suppresse . the psalmist sayes , promotion comes neither from the east , nor from the west , nor from the south , psal. . . shall we therefore say , is is from the north ? is not that coast equally excluded , though not expressed ? it is too much boldness to hold god too strictly to syllables , when it is easie to determin what he meant to imply : these rules then are useless : let me see now if the advocat can as easily shake off one or two rules of law , which i shall return upon him in lieu of his . is committit in legem , &c. hee wrongs the law who keeping close to the letter , strives against the intent and purpose of the law : and that other not unlike , in fraudem legis facit qui salvis verbis legis sententiam ejus circumvenit , if this be not the case in hand , i shall professe to know nothing . from rules , let us look to authorities , it is directly maintained ( hee saith ) by the canonists and scholemen ; but what is it that is so maintained ? not this match ( let no man think so ) but that proposition , viz : that this match is no where directly forbidden in gods law , if wee take it of express terms , no wise man ever denied it ; not canonists & scholemen only , or those few named authors , but all reasonable men concurre in this truth ; what needs a citation of some , where all agree ? but if we take it of the necessary & cleare sense of the law by just analogy and infallible implication , now , none of the forecited , or any other orthodox authors will deny the certaine and indubitable prohibition of this marriage . how well the rest will speed , judg by their fore-man , tho : aquinas who expresly determines it a false position , that those are joyned together by god , who match within the fourth degree , whereas this is in the third ; not to say how stifly peter lombard urges the unlawfulness of marriages to the very seventh degree , vel quousque parentela possit agnosci , even as farre as the kindred may bee discerned , following herein pope gregory and nicholas : to shut up short , none of all his cited authors dare be any other then professed enemies to this match ; no lesse , then the most zealous commissioner of that now abolished court , whose late sentence is upon record enough to this purpose . as for lyra , who is trailed in here , and cited strongly in othniels case , what shall i say ? it grieves my soul to see any well-minded christian so abused by mis-information : this author hath thus turpitudinem sororis , &c. thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy fathers sister , or thy mothers sister ( & eodem modo ) and in the same manner is forbidden the marriage betwixt the brother , and the daughter of the aunt , for it is the same degree , so lyra : nothing can be more peremptory against this case in favor of which he is alledged . this would be the issue of all the rest , if it were worth the while to examin them , in that , which yeelded , nothing advanceth the cause of the producer . they are all as professed enemies to this match as my selfe ; only they deny an expresse mention of this cause , which was never either thought needfull , or intended to be pleaded . for the protestant divines which are cited to give testimony to the non-prohibition of this marriage , i must cry shame upon those false hands which have so palpably abused both your friend & the authors : let me give but a taste of som , melancthon zanchius , bucanus , who are said to allow the match , by admiting only the degrees mentioned to bee prohibited ; no place is instanced ; versatur in generalibus , you know the word , but let your eyes be judges of their opinion : melancthon mentioning the marriage of abraham and sarah , in the second degree : hoc gradu ( saith he ) in linea inaequali &c. in this degree in an inequallline ; marriages are forbidden by gods law , because god doth universally ordaine a greater reverence to be yeelded to a superior degree , then to an equall : it is the very case in hand , which melancthon thus sentenceth : for zanchius , he citing the text of levit. . thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy mothers sister ; adds , ergo neque mater teram , &c. therfore no man ( saith he ) may marry his aunt , and that charge which he gives concerning the aunt would god have to bee understood also of the uncle , which is the fathers brother , or the mothers brother , whiles he adds a reason of the prohibition , for she is the neer kinswoman of thy father or mother : thus zanchius in his book de operibus dei. lib. . de sponsalibus , who absolutely condemnes this marriage as incestuous , and indispensable . bucanus , moving the case of abrahams marriage with sarah , and amrams with jochebed &c. leaves it in doubt whether these men were ( as the times stood ) particularly dispensed with by god , or whether they sinned in thus marrying , even before the law , against the law of nature , by which he holds these matches utterly prohibited ; with what forehead then could any scholar obtrude these fals allegations upon an honest client , whether to draw his foot into a snare , or to keep it there , under pretence of favoring what they professedly oppose . as for the moderne jewes , to whom he stretches out his hand for succour , it matters little what they now teach or do ; they are not more without god , then without honesty , or credit ; their opinions are fabulous , their judgement frivolous , and their practise not worth our knowledge or regard . i rather descend to the resolution of our owne church ; that our ever honoured mother hath passed her condemnatory sentence upon this marriage in her ratification of that orthodox and just table of forbidden degrees , set forth by authority under archb. parker , what doubt we now ? do we acknowledg the oracular voice of our dear and holy mother the church of england , and yet question whether we should obey it ? certainly in a case of conscience , a dutifull son ( mee thinks should rather hold fit to follow the sacred determination of the church , then the municipall acts of the civill state . it is an ill office of those that would set church and state , canons and statutes together by the eares even in these points wherin they are perfect friends . the statute of of henry . c. . intending to marre the romish market of gainfull dispensations , and injurious prohibitions , professeth to allow all marriages that are not prohibited by gods law , such is this in hand , prohibited , though not in the letter , yet in necessary inference and interpretation . the canon . of . hath thus : no person shall marry within the degrees prohibited by the lawes of god , and expressed in a table set forth by authority , in the yeer . and all marriages so made and contracted shal be adjudged incestuous and unlawfull . what scruple can arise hence ? here is a perfect harmony betwixt statute and canon . it is a meer cavill ( no better to take and for or , as if the meaning were , that all degrees , whether prohibited by the lawe of god , or expressed in that table are forbidden : this is a foule straine both to grammer and to the sence and scope of the canon , which plainly intends to aver that all those degrees prohibited in that table are also forbidden by the laws of god. a truth so certain , that if either self-love , or love of gaine did not betray the eye , it is a wonder how it should abide a contradiction . it is observable that neither statute nor canon speak of an expresse prohibition in gods law , and the canon purposely distinguisheth the termes prohibited by gods law , and expressed in the table , as justly supposing there may be as strong a prohibition in a sense implyed , as verbally expressed : else , if our lawes ( as is pretended ) should give allowance ( which god forbid ) to any marriages not expresly in terminis , forbidden ; wee should have strange and uncouth mixtures . god by moses expresly forbad the uncovering the nakedness of father and mother ; hee expressed not the nakednesse of son and daughter : he expresly names the nakednesse of the fathers wife , he expresseth not the nakednesse of the mothers husband : he expresly names the nakednesse of thy sister , he expresseth not the nakedness of thy brother ; he expresseth the nakednesse of thy sons daughter , he expresseth not the nakednesse of thy daughters son : he expresseth the nakednesse of thy fathers wives daughter , he expresseth not the mothers husbands sonne ; he expresseth the fathers sister , not the mothers brother : he expresses the daughter in law , not the son in law . so as by this rule , if it should be carried only by meer verball expressions , a woman might marry her son in law ; the nephew might marry his great aunt , the neece her grea-uncle ; the daughter might marry her mothers husbands sonne ; the grand-mother might marry her daughters son ; the daughter might marry with her mothers husband ; were these things to be allowed , the world would be all sodome : these things therefore are of necessity included in the law by a clere analogy ; no lesse then if they had beene expressed . but have there been , as hee saith , precedents of this march ? i am sory to heare it ; surely , the more the worse and the more need to redresse it ; the addition of this , if neglected , would help to strengthen an ill claim . cozens-german , he saith , have beene allowed to marry ; what is that to the present case ? the difference is as much as betwixt a nephew and an uncle ; the uncle hath too much of the parents both right , and blood , to challenge an equall claim with a cozen. in the shutting up , it pitties me to see your worthy friend driven to this plea ; and like a drowning man to snatch at so small a twig : being done ( he saith ) it ought not to be undone . alas , the canon is peremptory . it is incestuous and unlawfull ; what plea is there for continuance ? speak not therfore of either connivence or dispensation ; this match is only capable of a late , but much wished repentance on the offenders part ; and a just diremption on the part of the judges . case ii. whether it be lawfull for a man to marry his wives brothers widow . amongst all the heads of case . divinity , there is no one that yeeldeth more scruples , then this of marriage , whether wee regard the qualification of the persons , or the emergency of actions and events . it is the lawfulness of this match that you inquire after , not the expedience and i must shape my answer accordingly . it hath been the wisdom and care of our godly and prudent predecessors , to ordaine a table of all the prohibited degrees to be publiquely hang'd up in all the severall churches of this nation ; to which all commers might have recourse for satisfaction : this catalogue you have perused , and find no exception of the case specified ; i know no reason therfore why you may not conclude it not unlawfull . the question of the expedience would require another debate , doubt less , in all cases of this nature , it must needs be yeelded that it were more meet and safe ( since the world yeilds so large a latitude of choice ) to look further off ; a wise and good man will not willingly trespasse against the rules of just expedience : and will be as carefull to consider what is fit to be done , as what is lawfull ; but that comes not , at this time , within your inquiry . whiles therfore i give my opinion for the lawfulness of this marriage with the relict of the wives brother , i doe no whit clash ( as you suggest with the judgement of beza , and master perkins , who professe their dislike of such copulations : i shal as readily cry them down for unmeet , and inconvenient , as those , that with too much boldnesse come over neere to the verge of a sinfull conjunction , but for the not unlawfulnesse of this match , i did upon the first hearing give my affirmative answer : and the more i consider of it , i am the more confirmed in that resolution . that universal rule mentioned by you , as laid down by those two worthy authors , must indure a limitation ; cujus non licet inire nuptias , ejus nec conjugis licet ; that there is the same degree and force of relation of a third person ( in the case of marriage ) to the husband and to the wife ; so as proximity of blood in the one , should not be a greater bar then the same proximity of alliance in the other ; otherwise , many more copulations will fall under censure , then common practise will condescend unto ; and that ground of , uxor pars quadam viri , the wife is as a part of the husband , as it holds not in naturall relation at all , so not in all conjugall ; as might be too easily instanced in divers particulars . and if there were not som difference in these relations , those second persons which are interessed in the husband or wife , might not come neer to the next in affinity to them ; for example , my brother may not marry my sister , therefore by this rule , he might not marry my wives sister , and so it should bee unlawfull for two brothers to marry two sisters , then which nothing is more ordinary or lesse obnoxious to disallowance . that generall rule therefore , must be restrained necessarily to the first ranke of affinity ; if we descend lower it holds not . for further explanation , our civilians and canonists are wont to make two kinds or degrees of affinity , the one primary , the other secondary ; in the first is the affinity between the husband and the cozens of blood to his wife , or è cōverse ; which indeed is justly held no lesse for a barr of marriage then his own naturall consanguinity ; for that is an affinity contracted upon interest of blood , by virtue of that entire union between man and wife , wherby they both become one flesh ; the secondary affinity is that wherein there is another person added moreover to that first kinde now mentioned ; the affinity arising only from the interest of an affinity , formerly contracted , not from consanguinity ; and this is not so binding as either to hinder a marriage to be contracted , or being contracted , to dissolve it . in this rank are the brothers wife and sisters husband ; and therefore , upon the decease of the brother and sister , the husband of the sister deceased , and the wife of the deceased brother may marry together , as dr. nicholauseverhardus out of richardus de media villa , and * ; of this kind is the marriage now questioned which therfore doth not fall within the compasse of the prohibition , secundum ge●us affinitatis , &c. the second kind of affinity , which is by a person added unto the first kinde is no bar to matrimony ; and with this judgment i find no reason why i should not concur ; but if any man think that he sees just ground to entertaine a contrary opinion , i prejudge him not , but modestly leave him to the freedom of his owne thoughts . case iii. whether an incestuous marriage contracted in simplicity of heart betwixt two persons ignorant of such a defilement , and so farre consummate as that children are borne in that wedlock , ought to be made known and prosecuted to a dissolution . it is a question ( as it may be put ) full of doubt and intricacy , parallel whereunto , and eminent in this kind , was that case , which i had long since from the relation of m. perkins ; and since that , have met with it in the report of two severall german authors . the case thus : a gentlewoman of great note in those parts , being left a widow , had her son trained up in her house ; who now having passed the age of his puberty , grew up as in stature , so in wanton desires ; earnestly soliciting her chamber-maid to his lust ; she had the grace not only to repell his offers , but being wearied with his wicked importunity , to complain to her mistresse , of his impetuous motions : the mother out of a purpose to repress this wild humor in her son , bids the maid , in a seeming yieldance to make appointment the night following with him , at which time shee would change beds with the maid , & schoole the young man to purpose . this being accordingly done , the devil so farre prevailed with the mother , that instead of chastising , she yeelded to the lust of her son , and by him conceived a daughter : & now finding her self to grow big , for the hiding of her shame , she retired secretly to a remote part of the country , where she unknowne left the burden of her wombe , and took order for all care & secrecy of education : after som yeeres the mother thinks fit to call home her concealed issue , under the pretence of a kinswoman , and gives her such breeding in her house , as might become the child of a friend ; the maid grew up to such comelinesse , both of person and behaviour , that the sonne , now grown a man , fell into passionate love with her , & in short , married her ; little thinking that hee was now matched with his owne daughter , he gotten by him of his own mother : they lived lovingly and comfortably together , and had divers children betwixt them . only the mother , who was alone conscious of this monstrous copulation , began to finde an hell in her bosom ; and in a deep remorse , made the case , at last known to some learned divines of that time , who be stowed many serious thoughts upon so uncouth a businesse ; and finally agreed upon this determination . that all circumstances throughly weighed , the penitent mother should after a sound humiliation secretly make her peace with god , for so foul and prodigious a sin ; but that the knowledge of the horrible incestuousness of this match , should still and ever , be concealed from the yong couple , who thought of nothing but a faire and honest legality in this their conjunction . the decision of this point comes somwhat home to yours ; to spend my opinion therefore in this case , i find no reason , all things considered , to vary from their judgment . i say then , that the mothers sinne was not more hainous in yeilding to so abominable an act of incest with her son , then in smothering the seasonable notice of it for the preventing of a worse incest with her daughter ; for that first act of her incest was transient , but this incest which was occasioned by her silence was permanent , and derivable to her posterity : she ought therfore , though to her perpetuall shame , when she saw an inclination in her son , to so foully unnaturall a match , to have forestalled it by a free confession , and to have made him sensible of so odious a procreation : which not being done , it must needs be said , that , as the first act of the sonne was a voluntary fornication , but an involuntary incest ; so this incestuous copulation of the son with the daughter , was involuntary in them both ; and there cannot be an actuall sinne , wherein there is not a consent of the will. on the one side , it is shamefull to thinke that so grievous a sin should passe without som exemplary censure , & that so foule blood should be propagated to succeeding ages , for want of the timely intervention of a vindicative authority ; but on the other side , it would be well considered what miserable inconveniences , yea mischiefs would follow upon so late a discovery ; first , all honest hearts are put into a just ; but unprofitable horror , to think that such a flagitious wickedness could be committed ; then the mother , who had rinced her soule with a fountain of teares , for so hatefull a miscarriage , and reconciled her self to that god , who was the only witness of her sin , should bee so late exposed to the unseasonable shame of that world , which , never was privy to her offence . as for the yong couple thus prodigiously conjoyn'd , how could they choose , upon the too late notice of their so deplorable condition , but run mad for anguish of soule , and weare out the rest of their dayes in shame and sorrow : and for the children born to them in so detestable a wedlock , whom they had formerly beheld with complacence & comfort , as the sweet pledges of their conjugall love , how must they now needs look upon them , as the living monuments of their ignominy ; and loath them as the most basely begotten imps of a worse then besti all copulation . and when riper age should bring that unhappy of spring forth into the world how should they be every where pointed at , & hooted after as som strange aberrations of nature ; all which are avoyded by this secrecy . but if on the other side you shall reply that this one evill is more , then equivalent to all these ; that in the meane time , these parties live in a continuall incest , and traduce it to following generations ; i must put you in minde to distinguish betwixt the state of incest , and the sin of incest ; it is true they live in a state of incest , but , from the sin of incest they are excused by an ignorance , altogether invincible ; an ignorance both of the originall fact , & of their mutual relations ; for it is to be supposed , that had they had the least intimation of the natural interest of father & daughter , they would with much indignation have defied so foul a cōmixture , which even bruite creatures ( if wee may beleeve histories ) have by the instinct of nature abominated , & upon after knowledg , revenged . and if any light of knowledge had broken forth unto the parties , of that condition wherein they stood , then to have continued under that state of incest , but an houre , had been damnably sinful ; now all those inevitable consequences of shame & horror must have been sleighted & forgotten , and must have shut up in a sodain dissolution . but as there are many degrees of incest , and the sin is so much more , or lesse haynous , as the parties are neerer or more remote ; i perceive the case intimated by you , concerns a lower ranke of incestuous copulation , namely , an incest arising from a mans carnall knowledge of a person too neere in blood unto her , whom he afterwards marrieth ; the fact known only by one , who now doubts whether he be not bound to reveale it : and why not sooner , when so faulty a match might have been prevented ? why so late , when the remedy intended , would bee as noxious as the disease ? why at all , when there is no necessity or use of the revelation ? this question starts another more universall , how farre we may or ought to mak known the secret sin of another ? doubtlesse to prevent som enormous act , which may follow upon our silence ; or upon the urging of lawfull authority , when we are called to give evidence concerning a fact questioned ; or to antevert some great danger to the publique , to our selves , to our friend , we may , & must disclose our knowledg of a closs wickedness ; or if the act be so haynously flagitious , and redounding to so high dishonour of god , as that our conscience tells us shall participate of this sinne in concealing it ; our holy zeal shall herein bear us out in a just accusation ; although in this case , heede must be taken , that our single crimination may be so carried and made good by circumstances , that it draw us not into the perill of a slander ; but , without these , i cannot see , that the revealing of a secret sinne , can be construed any otherwise than an act of detraction ; than which , nothing can be more odious and prejudiciall to humane society : wee have learn'd from aquinas that there are eight wayes of this hatefull practise ; whereof foure are direct ; the raysing of a false crime , the amplifying of a true crime ; the disclosing of a crime secret , and the sinister construction of anothers fact . to these i must adde , that even where the act is such as challengeth a revelation , the time may bee unseasonable and past the date . you know that the notice of treason , if too long smothered , drawes the concealer into danger : and in this case , though there be no perill in the silence , yet there may be injury : shortly , this sinne , if ever , should have been so early made known to the party concerned , as might have prevented the making up of a match secretly sinfull ; and have convinced the agent of a foule illegality , whereof he was ignorant . but now thus overlate , would break out to an unprofitable vexation , since this crime which might justly have hindred the marriage from being contracted , ought not to have the force , after so long intermission and successe of an intervenient wedlock , to dissolve it . the time was , when the minister in a solemne preconization , called you either then to speake , or for ever after to hold your peace : had you then spoken it might have been construed as zeale , now , not to hold your peace , will bee interpreted no better then malice . an advertisement to the reader . i have beene earnestly moved by some judicious friends , to goe on with this subject , and to mak up a compleat body of case-divinity , both practicall , speculative , and mixt ; whereof i confesse there is great defect in our language ; but i remember the talke which plutarch reports to have been betwixt crassus , and king deiotarus , two old men , but great undertakers . crassus jeeres deiotarus for laying the foundation of a new city in his decayed age ; deiotarus twits crassus for going about , in the like age to subdue the warlike parthians ; both justly supposing our decrepit age a just disswasive from * venturing upon great enterprises ; although herein i should not want a worthy precedent , that honour of navarre , martinus azpilcueta , who at ninty years finished the fourth edition of that his elaborate manuall of cases of conscience . but as for me , i am sufficiently conscious of my owne inabilities for so long , and difficult a worke ; onely this , i shall willingly profess , that such scruples as i meete with in my way , i shall not allow my selfe to balke , and shall leave the answers upon the file . in the meane time , let me incite some of our many eminent divines , whose wits are fresh , and bodies vigorous , to go through with so usefull a worke ; many yeares are passed since my ancient and learned colleague dr. ralph cudworth told me that hee had with much labour finished that taske , and devoted it to the presse , which yet sleeps in some private hands . it were happy if his worthy sonne , the just heyre of his fathers great abilities , would make strict inquiry after it , and procure it to the publique light , for the common benefit of gods church both in the present , and succeeding ages . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * dan. . . , . . . notes for div a -e * exod. . . levit. . , . deut. . , . nehem. . . psal. . . prov. . . ezek. . . a vid. alexand. ab alexand. gen. dierum l. . c. . * concil . viennens . * dom. sot. de justif. & jure l. . quaest . . artic. . tradit hoc ut axioma jurisconsultorum . * tul. de offic. l. . * so the vulgar renders zapnath paaneah salvator mundi , gen. . * lessius l. . c. . dub . . * cicer. de offic. l. . sect . * aug. epist. ▪ ad macedon . * arist. eth. l. . c. . * lessius de jure , &c. l. . c. . dub . . * attilius regulus . * dom. sot. de jure & justit . l. . q. . pag. . * les. de jur . &c. l. . c. . dubit . . ex antonio & sylvestr . &c. * ibid. paragr . ult . * less . ibid. * dalton . p. . * orat. pro. mil. † bann q. . a. . dub . . nav. l. . c. . less . l. . de jure , &c. c. . dub . . * rodrig . sum. cas . tom. . cap. . * conc. tr. sess. . rodriguez . tom. . c. . de duello , * tertul. in apol. c. . † less . l. . c. . du . . * ne se pollueret , mavit ipse mori . ex politiano gerard. voss. de orig . & progres . idol . l. . c. . * exod. . . the septuagint seem to have taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( death ) for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a diminutive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man : as cornel , à lapid . probably guesses † castal . si pernicies non fuerit : ours , if no mischief follow . * cornel. à lap. in exod. . * vel. ut alii , quorum animae certissimè in limbum descendunt siue baptismo . mart. alphons . viv. explan . bullae de abort . * rodr. sum. to. . c. . de abort . * vid rodrig . ubi supra . * constit. greg. . quae dicit quod quivis confessor approbatus ab ordinario potest absolvere à peccato abortus . ibid. * mart. alphons . vivald . expli . bull crue . * qui retinetur in carcere propter aliquod delictum , &c. rodrg . sum. cap. . * val max. l. . dom. sot. de jure , &c. l. q. * silvestr . v. correct . dom. sot. l. . de jure , q. less . de judice l. . c. . * dom. à sot. de jure , &c. l. . qu. . * etenim quod homo , qui ●fficio suo vivit , debeat tantam ●acturam facere , durum creditu est . dom. sot. ubi s●p●a . † in causis civilibu , et minùs criminalibus * less . de jure , &c. l . de judice dub. . quia resp . habeat authoritatem disponendi , &c. * prov. . . . . . . . . * rodriguez . tract . ordinis judicialis cap. . † sotus l. . q . de justi . . rei , art. . * less . de jur . l. . cap. . dub . ● . * mart. azpil . navar. enchirid . cap. . num . . * less . de jure l. . c. . dub . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lverul . adv. of learn . * navarr . enchir. cap. . n. . † less . l. . de magia cap. . dub . , * thesaurus exoreismorum ; atque conjurationum terribilium , &c. tract . dispersi● daemonum . fratris valerii poly●●ori patavini . ord. minorum conventualium † t it applicabile . . rutae in charta benedicta super se portandae o● faciendae , ad omnem invasionem diabolicam repellendam . * applicabile . . tit. profumigatio horriblis , ejusque vulgata benedictio . * less . ubi supra dubit . . * bromiard . sum . praedict . * relat. of the third confer . p. . * epiphan . haeres . l. . * tract . de vit. spec . lect . . cit. dom. à soto ut infra . † gersonis positio parum distat ab haeresi lutheran● . dominic . à soto de jure , &c. l. . qu. . * ten hand breadths long , five broad , seven fingers high . * h. ainsworth in lev. ▪ . ex maimonide * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. clem. al. stro . * plin. l. . b●ngus de num . myster . num . ● * greg. cap. pervenerabilem . & cap si non . . q . justum sanctumque esse bellum quod infidelibus à christianis infertur , ut eis imperio subditis praedicari possit christi evangelium , ne si imperio subditi non siat , praedicationi & conversioni eorum qui crediderint impedimento esse possint . * decret & indultum alex. . super expeditione , &c populos in ejusmodi insulis & terris d●gentes ad christianam religionem indulc ere velitis & d●b●atis , &c † franc. a victoria relect. de indis ▪ * eccles. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . communiter . montan. † estii annotat. in locum . * prov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † vulg. tra. esa. . . * ecclus. . . blessed is he that preaches a word unheard of . * erat autem ipse nox . † psal. . . bern. ser. * the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which every man knowes to bee used ordinarily to signifie either principes , or sacerdotes , as exo. . . * where doubtlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ which title is sometimes given to the angels . king. . . * quinque milla , for mille & quinque , five thousand , for a thousand and five . † cecinit for cicidit , * the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numer●s . † rev. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . su●● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rev. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neh. . . percutiamus soedus in vitulis , in campo uno : for , in viculis , in campo , ono anni nostri sicut aranca meditabuntur , psal . for , as a tale that is told : concupiscentia spadona devirginabit juvenculā , ecclus . . super for subter . gen. . vulnera for ulcera , exod . . distinctum for bis tinctum , exod . . sanctuarii for sancto atrii , levit. . tonsis for tusis , levit. . . neque for atque , levit. . solis , for salis , deut. . non fuerit for fuerit . josh. . . o●cidentale● for orientalem , jos. . hamata for squamata , sam. . . vagi habitabunt for pagi habitabuntur , sam. . . judam for ludā sam . . tumulum for tumultum , sam. . . capides seculi for sacculi , prov. . . ad alia for ad alta , prov. . . sponsa for speciosa , cant. . . adultera for adulta , ecclus. . . in fidelem for fidelem , esa. . . immitantes for irritantes : terra for ●er . ecclus. . , . obsurduit for obsorduit , esa. . imprudentem for impudentē , esa. . faunis fica ri●s for fatuis sicarii● , esa. vinctas for tinctas ezec. . . ejiciat ▪ for mittat . mat. . . angelus for angulus zach. . . servivit for servavit , ose. . . confessus for confusus , mar. . . sexta for tertia , mar. . . mytelem for melita , act . . compellebantur for complebantur . luk. . . placue runt for lat●●erunt heb . . adduxistis for addixistis . ja● . . in carne for in carcere , pet. . . appropinquabit for appropinquavit , pet. . . tubarum for turbarum , rev. . . de igne chaldaeorum for de 〈◊〉 chaldaeoru● . nehem. . . * thom. è sanchez ▪ societ . jes. theol. de matrimonio * jaco ▪ leon●ssa . consil. matrimon . . † exod. . . deut. . , . * l. . c. de patribus qui , &c. † covarruv . l. . var. c. . ex accursio & aliis . les. l. . c. . dub . † num. . , , , . * less . de jure l. . c. dub . . * navar. enchir. . prae . c. . n. . filius qui parentibus in extrema necessitate constitutis , &c. * matrimonia esse irritae , &c. instit. de nuptiis , & ff ▪ de jure nuptiarum . ita & evarist . in constit . edita anno c. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * maimon . treat . of divorce . * so also cor. . . * decreeing to take bonds of the persons divorce to remain single . can & constit. c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eph ▪ . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , colos . . . * cor à lap in locum . * will. syno . controver . . de mart. q. . * greg. resp . ad interrog . augustini . q. . * cic. orat . pro cluentio † hotoman de grad cognat ▪ laurent . kirchovius profes . rostoch . in consil . matrimon . * ambr. ep . ad paternium . * hodie cessat fraternitas & aliqua ex parte compaternitas per concilium trident. sess. . navar. c. . n. . * hotoman de vita matrimon . p. . cita●●e kirchovio , ut supra . * exod. . . ●evit . . deut. . . deut. . . . jer. * compare mat. . . with d●u † magdeburg . cent. . de conjugio cor. * concil . anciran . can . . † concil . eliv . c. . * luicbrand in syric . * aetas legitimè contrhbendi matrimonium , est in masculis annos , in faeminis sponsalbus autem contrahendis , septem in utriusque . navar. c. . n. * maimon . shicard . de reg. * concil trid. sess. . * alex. ab . alex. l. . gen. dier . c. . cod. l. . tit . * as appeares by comparing of gen. . . with . . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. . . * concil . trident. sess decret . de reformat matrimon . * constit. , , , , , * concil trid. 〈…〉 * constit. and canons ut supra . can. , , . * martin . alphons . vivald . candelab-aureum de matrim . & par●ic . de consanguin . * scot. m . d. . sot. ibid. q. un . art . . * in argumentum trati nequeunt , quae propter necessitatem sunt concessa * consil , matrimonial . germanor . consil. . notes for div a -e * plut in v●●a crassi a short answer to the tedious vindication of smectymnvvs by the avthor of the humble remonstrance. works. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a short answer to the tedious vindication of smectymnvvs by the avthor of the humble remonstrance. works. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by nathaniel butter ..., london : . the vindication of smectymnuus was written by stephen marshall, edmund calamy, thomas young, matthew newcomen and william spurstowe. cf. bm. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng smectymnuus. -- vindication of smectymnuus. church of england -- controversial literature. a r (wing h ). civilwar no a short ansvver to the tedious vindication of smectymnuus· by the author of the humble remonstrance. hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a short answer to the tedious vindication of smectymnvvs . by the avthor of the humble remonstrance . london , printed for nathaniel butter in pauls church-yard at the pyde-bull neare st. austins gate . . to the most high court of parliament . most honorable lords , and ye most noble knights , citizens , and burgesses of the house of commons : nothing could fall out more happily to me , then that my bold adversaries have appealed to your inviolable justice ; for sure i am , whiles you are ( as you ever wil be ) your selves , wise , and just , my cause cannot miscarry in your hands . with no lesse , therfore , but better grounded confidence , i cast my self upon your unpartiall judgement ; rejoycing to think , how clearly you will distinguish betwixt a facing boldnesse , and a modest evidence of truth : how can i but receive courage from your pious , and just proceedings ? it is i that vindicate , these men oppose that holy leiturgy , which your most religious order in this active session commanded to be intirely observed . how busie faction is to crosse that your most seasonable decree , every day yeelds new and lamentable proofs . if these indeavours of mine serve onely for the pursuance of your so necessary , and gracious act ; they cannot fear to be unwelcome . but , if i have hurt a good cause , by a weak and insufficient handling , let me suffer in your censure , and let my adversaries triumph in my sufferings . contrarily , if after all their smooth insinuations , it shall be found , that this champertous combination hath gone about , by meer shews of proof , to feed the unquiet humors of men , in the unjust dislike of most justifiable , ancient , and sacred institutions , and to cast false blames upon my peaceable and sincere managings of a certain truth , let them passe for what they are , and feel that justice which they have appealed . an answer to a calumniatory epistle , directed by way of preface to the reader . readers , my comfort is , that you have eyes of your own ; and know how to use them : with what gravity would our smectymnuans else perswade you , that my late defence is fraught with such stuff , as you shall finde undiscernable by any but their eyes ? you cannot well judge of the management of this quarrell , unlesse it will please you to receive notice how this fray began . it is not long since i sent forth a meek and peaceable remonstrance , bemoaning the frequence of scandalous pasquins , and humbly pleading for the just and ancient right of leiturgie and episcopacie . wherein i could not suppose that any person could finde himself touched , save onely those , who profess friendship to libells , enmity to the established forms : when all on the sudden , the smectymnuans , a strange generation of men , unprovoked , unthought of , cry out of hard measure , and flye in my face , as men wrongfully accused ; i know them not , i hurt them not ; if their own guilt have galled them , that is no fault of mine ; a long and bitter answer is addressed by them , where no question was moved : insomuch , as i could hardly induce his majestie , when i presented my defence to his royall hands , to beleeve , that any except on could be taken to so fair and innocent a discourse : my labour was all for peace , even this is made the ground of the quarrell : what should i now do ? i were worse then a worm , if upon this treading upon , i did not turn again ; yet , not so much out of respect to my own poor , and ( if need were ) despicable reputation , as to the publique cause of god , and his church , which i saw now ingaged in this unjust brawl . according to my true duty , therefore , i published a short and defensive reply to their long answer ; wherein , i hope the judicious will witnesse , that the truth sustains no losse : now , inraged with a moderate opposition , they heat their furnace seven times more , and break forth into a not more voluminous , then vehement invective . i do not see them look cleeringly through their fingers , at their seeminglyunknown , ( yet often discovered , and oft vilified ) antagonist ; it is all one , so long as he is namelesse ; if he be a consul , they are senators ; civility is but a ceremony ; all faces under masks are alike ; it matters not for the person , let it please you to look at the cause : in the carriage whereof , they first tax me , with over-lashing in my accusations ; i had objected to them , mis-allegations , misinterpretations , mis-inferences , weak and colourable proofs ; neither can their querulous noise make me go lesse , or be lesse confident in my charge . they liken themselves to cato , and well may , they are extremely like ; of thirty accusations , no one could be proved against cato ; of no fewer charges , which are laid upon them , i see not how they acquit themselves of one . who can but wonder at this eminent boldnesse , that they dare tell you , there are ( after all my generall exclamations ) but four places , for which i tax them of falshood ? falshood , is their own word ; mis-allegation is mine : be pleased to cast your eye upon my margin , and to count this quaternion of their imputed errors : but they are mis-inferences , and weak inconsequences , which ( besides mis-citations ) were upon the file of my accusations ; wherein i fear cato's number will be out-vyed . readers , such fidelity , as you finde in the deniall of my manifest exceptions against their allegations , look for in the demonstrative proofs of their exceptions against mine . there is belike , a machiavel somewhere , finde him out , i beseech you , and let him be brought forth to shame ; certainly , where the falshood lies , there he lurks . in the second place they tell you of raylings , revilings , scornings , never the like since montagues appeal ; and present you with a whole bundle of such strange flowers of rhetorick , as truly , i wondred should ever grow in my garden ; wherein , they have done passing wisely , in not noting the pages , as the severall beds , wherein such rare plants grew ; for i have carefully re-examined the book , and professe seriously , that some of them i cannot finde at all ; others i finde , but utterly mis-applied ; we are called ( they say ) vain , frivolous cavillers , riotous , proud , false , envious , &c. let me appeal to your eyes , readers ; where ever i thus wronged those , whom i call brethren ? divers of these words i confesse to have used , but to another purpose , upon a different subject ; that which i speak of the things , they unjustly take of the persons : for example ; i talk of false , and frivolous exceptions ; they say , i call them false and frivolous men : i talk of vain cavills ; they charge me to say , they are vain cavillers : i speak of a riot of assailants ; they cry out , that i call them riotous men : i say , a suggestion is envious ; they take it to themselves : i call the libellers , factious persons ; they mis-apply it , as spoken of them : i say an intimation is witlesse and malicious ; i am taken to say the men are so : and not to weary you with so odious a rabble , i say , this is weakly and absurdly objected ; they say , i call them weak and absurd men . thus , i could easily passe through the rest ; and shew you , that what i speak by way of supposition , they take absolutely ; what i speak as dehorting , they as accusing ; what of speeches , they of persons ; what of others , they of themselves : and thus rises the rare rhetorick which they have imputed to me ; wherein i doubt not , but ye my readers , will take occasion to think , what fidelity shall we expect from these men , in citing other authors , when they do so foully mis-report the book in our hand ? they arenot then my flowers , but their own weeds , which they have thus bundled up together . but had i so far over-lashed , as is pretended , your wisdom , readers , would send you to inquire of the provocation : for surely , the occasion may , if not justifie a mans act , yet abate his blame ; when therefore ye shall look back , and see with what strange insolence i was intertained by these undertakers , ye will be so far from complaining of my sharpnesse , that ye will rather censure my patience ; how blinde self-love will make men in their own concernments ? these men will not see in themselves that true guilt , which they unjustly cry out of , in another : so , i have heard a man with a very noysome breath , censure the ill lungs of his neighbour ; let my margin present thee , reader , with but an handfull out of a full sack . these are their terms in their verie first papers ; without any pretence of imitation : but if we should rake together the scornfull , girding and ( as some of their betters have styled them ) unmannerly passages of this their angry vindication , it were enough to fill a book alone . readers , ye may , if you please , beleeve , how easie it were for me , to pay them home in their own coyn ; but i had rather to consider what is fit for me ( how namelesse soever ) to give , then what they are worthy to receive : some others may perhaps be more sensible of this indignity then my self ; who have learned to think more meanly of my self , then they can speak ; and at once both to pitie this petulancie , and dis-regard it . in the third place they talk of daring protestations , and bold asseverations ; and spend some instances of the particular expressions of my confidence . do not think , readers , that i will be beaten out with words ; there is no one line of those passages , which they have recited , that i will not make good against all the clan of smetymnuus . neither can i , out of this assurance , decline any bar under heaven , for the triall of my righteous cause ; it is therefore an unreasonably envious suggestion of theirs , that in dedicating my book to his sacred majestie , i did , ever the more , flye from the judgement of parliament ; when in that very epistle , i made confident mention of my secure reliance upon the noble justice of their iudicature ; besides , that it is not too wise , nor too loyall an intimation of these men , which would imply such a distance betwixt soveraign , and parliamentary interest : for me , i would ever suppose such an entire union betwixt them , as the head and the body ; that they neither should , nor can be severed in the rights of their severall concernments . as for that resolute averment of the author of episcopacie by divine right , that he offers to forfeit his life to iustice , and his reputation to shame , if any living man can shew any lay-presbyter ( not as they please to report the word , a ruling elder ) in the world , till farell and viret first created him ; let me be his hostage ; let my life go for his , if any one such lay-presbyter can be produced . let them search records , and try their skill ; and when they have overcome , triumph . but in the mean time , they may not think to fob us off , with the colourable testimonies of b. whitgift , king , saravia , who were all well known to be just so good friends to lay-presbytery , as themselves are to episcopacie . for the rest , if i have been somewhat bold with them , in telling them , right-down , of poor arguments , verball exceptions , meer declamations , shuffling of testimonies , unproving illustrations , i may crave your pardon , readers , but theirs i cannot ; as not conscious of any ill-placed word , in this easie censure . shortly , my much reverenced friend , learned rivetus , will give them but a little thanks in mis-applying his censure of bishop montague , to a man so differently tempered , whom he hath with particular respects vouchsafed to honor , and oblige . in the fourth place , they tell you , that after all these thrasonicall boasts of mine , if their whole book were divided into four parts , there is one quarter , of which i make no mention : wherein , readers , i think verily you may beleeve them ; for in the first leaf of my defence , i fore-told you so much ; as finding nothing in that swollen bulk , but a meer unsound tympanie , instead of a truly solid conception ; whereof you may easily perceive the one half ( well neer ) bestowed either in meer verball quarrells , or in reall disputes of things uncontroverted . i am more thrifty of my good hours , then to follow them in so wilde a chace : pitching , onely , upon those points , which i conceived to be valuable , and pertinent ; wherein my profession was , so to save time , as that i should not lose ought of truth : it is an injurious suggestion therefore , which these men make , that where their proofs are strongest , there i have glided away without answer ; since i can safely call god to witnesse unto my soul , that i am not conscious to my self of any one considerable argument of theirs , that i have balked in my replicatory defence : but if in their estimation , there be any such , as wherin they have placed an over-weening confidence , let them not spare to re-inforce it to the utmost ; that the world may witness their valour , and my cowardise . what need is there of this , you will say , when they have already gloried in the victory ; vaunting , that they have me , confitentem reum ; and , in effect , the cause granted by me , in those things which are most materiall ? were it so , readers , as they pretend , that i come neerer to their tenets , then some others ; one would think they should , in this , finde cause to acknowledge , and imbrace mine ingenuity , rather then to insult upon me , as in way of disgrace . i wis , it is not the force of their argutation , that could move me one foot forward ; but if gods blessing upon my free disquisition of truth , should have so wrought upon my better-composed thoughts , as that i should have yeelded to go some steps further then others , towards the meeting of peace , one would not think this should yeeld any fit matter of exprobration ; but , the truth is , i have not departed , one inch , from either my own tenet , or from the received judgement of our orthodox divines . now that they may see the fault is not in my levity , but in their own mis-understanding ; that identity of the names and offices of bishops and presbyters , in the beginning of the apostles times , whereat they take advantage , they may see averred , at large , in episcopacie by divine right , . part. § . . and , to second it , they are challenged in my defence , to name any one of our writers , that hath not proclaimed this truth ; where then lyes the contradiction ? the clear nominall distinction of the three orders of bishops , presbyters , deacons , i professed to prove onely out of the writings of those , who were the next successors to the apostles ; what is here of either yeeldance or contradiction ? and if i have ingenuously granted , that the primitive bishops were elected by the clergie , with the assent of the people ; that bishops neither do , nor may challenge to themselves such a sole interest in ordination , or iurisdiction , as utterly to exclude presbyters from some participation in this charge , and act ; that they ought not to devest themselves of their iurisdictive power , by delegating it to others ; that the ordinary managing of secular imployments is improper for them ; if , in all these , i have gratified them , why do they complain ? and if i have disadvantaged my cause , why is it not urged to my conviction ? it is warily said of these men , that i almost grant lay-elders in antiquity ; i do so almost grant them in my own sense , that i utterly deny them in theirs : why should i make any doubt to yeeld unto the iustice of their complaints , in the post-script against the insolence , and tyrannie of popish prelates ? what lose we by this condescent ? or how can they plead they are not justly taxed for diffusing other mens crimes to the innocent , when their consciences cannot but flye in their faces for this injustice ? lastly , i am charged with shamefull self-contradictions , which surely must needs argue great rashnesse , or much weaknesse of judgement . see the instances ; in the same epistle , i professe not to tax their abilities , and yet call them impotent assailants : and why not both of these ? he that taxeth not their abilities , doth not therfore presently approve them ; they may , perhaps , not want good abilities in themselves , and yet be unable to prove their cause ; they may be able men , and yet impotent matches . the contradiction they would raise in the words concerning euangelists , is meerly cavillatory ; may you be pleased to turn to the ninety fourth page of my defence , you shall clearly acknowledge it . the word in a common sense , signifies any preacher of the gospel ; but in the peculiar sense of the new testament , it signifies some persons extraordinarily gifted , and imployed ; not setled in any one place , but sent abroad by the apostles on that blessed errand : now , to say that any of these latter were such as had ordinary places , and ordinary gifts , ( as they do , sect. . pag. . ) i do justly blame as a meer fancie , not herein contradicting any thing , but their light imagination . in the contradiction pretended to be , concerning the extent of episcopacie , sure they cannot but check themselves ; in my remonstrance and defence , they report men to say somewhere ( but , where , no man can tell ) that bishops had been every where ; and , that all churches through the whole christian world , have uniformly , and constantly maintained episcopacie ; elswhere , that i say they were not every where , and that there are lesse noble churches that do not confer to episcopall government ; words are more easily accorded , then acknowledged ; there are not , there have not been every where setled christian churches ; where ever there have been setled christian churches , there have been bishops ; from the apostles times to this present age , there have been bishops in all christian regions ; now , some late reformed churches have been necessitated to forbear them ; where , i beseech you , lies the contradiction ? i have often granted , that the name of bishops , and presbyters was , at the first , promiscuously used , and yet , i do no lesse justly maintain , that for this sixteen hundred years , the name of bishops hath been ordinarily appropriated ( in a contra-distinctive sense ) to church-governors in an apparent superiority . distinguish times , and reconcile histories . the two next exceptions concerning diocesan bishops , and civill government , are fully cleared and convinced in the due places of this insuing answer ; i shall not blur paper in an unseasonable anticipating my own discourse . sole ordination , and sole iurisdiction , we so disclaim , as that we hold the power of both , primarily in the bishop , the concurrent assistance in the presbyters ; what opposition is there in an orderly subordination ? the last contradiction clearly reconciles it self : in stating the question concerning episcopacie , i distinguish betwixt divine and apostolicall authority , professing , not to affirm that bishops were immediatly ordained by christ ; and yet averring , that christ laid the grounds of this imparity in his first agents ; what discordance is in these two ? is the ground-work of an house , the whole frame of it ? can they finde the roof in the foundation ? in the epistles to the seven asian churches , christ ( i truly say ) acknowledges ( at least intimates ) the hierarchie of those seven angels : do i imply that he did immediately ordain them ? readers , ye have seen the poor stuff of these their selected exceptions : beleeve it , such are all their contradictions to me , as these contradictions which they finde in me , to my self , groundlesse , and worthlesse : as i shall make good in this following discourse , concerning the ancient , holy , and beneficiall use of set-leiturgies in the church . this subject , because , as it is untracked with any frequent pens of others , so it is that , wherein my adversaries seem most to pride themselves , ( as supposing to have in it the most probable advantages against me ) i have somewhat largely handled , to your ample satisfaction . but , as for that other head of episcopacie , which hath already filled so many rhemes of waste-paper , for as much as i see they offer nothing , but that which hath passed an hundred ventilations , transeat . i have resolved to bestow my time better , then in drawing this sawe to and fro , to no purpose . let them first give a full , and punctuall answer to that , which hath been already , in an intire body of a treatise , written concerning the divine right of episcopacie ; and then , let them expect , that i should trouble my self with sweeping away these loose scraps of their exceptions . till then , let them , if they can , be silent , at least i shall ; as one that know how to give a better account of the remainder of my precious hours . a short answer to the tedious vindication of smectymnvvs . sect. i. i am sorry , brethren , that your own importunitie will needs make you guiltie of your further shame : had you sate down silent in the conscience of a just reproof , your blame had been by this time dead , and forgotten ; but now , your impetuous defence shall let the world see , you did in vain hope to face out an ill cause with a seeming boldnesse . i may not spend volumes upon you , but some lines i must : enow to convince the reader of the justice of my charge , and the miserable insufficiencie of your vindication ; it is not your stiff deniall that can make it other then gods truth , which i maintain , or that can justifie your errors ; let the cause speak for it self , and let that great moderator of heaven , to whom we both appeal , judge . it was a light touch , that i gave to your grammaticall slip of areopagi ; wherein it would not have hurt you , to have confessed your over-sight ; had you yeelded that you stumbled , though withall you say , you stumbled like emperors , we could have passed it over with a smile ; but now , that you will needs fall into a serious contestation , and spend almost a whole leaf in a faulty defence ; i must tell you , that you make this an hainous trifle : to face out wilfully the least errour , is no lesse then a crime ; and such is this of yours , as every true grammarian knows : i doubt not , but you had heard of dionysius areopagita ; but if you should have cited him under the name of dionysius areopagus , every scholar would have laughed you to scorn : had you said , the admired sons of iustice , the areopagus ; i grant it had been good , according to that which you cite out of sarisburiensis ; but to say , the admired sons of iustice , the areopagi , no grammar , no authoritie can bear you out ; and however you face it , that you can bring precedents enow , out of approved authors , name but one , and take all : that of sarisburiensis , which you alledge , is altogether for me , against your selves : he sayes that senate of athens was called areopagus ; so said my margin before : but what is this to your false latine ? brethren , this matter of latinity is but a straw , but let me say , this willing defence of a plain falshood , is a block , which your very friends cannot but stumble at ; and how can the reader choose but think , he that will wilfully stand in the defence of a known falshood in language , will not stick to defend a known errour in his cause ? before , ye stumbled ; now , ye fall : rise up for shame in a just confession , and look better to your feet hereafter . but belike , you have not a better facultie in stumbling , then i in leaping : and talk of huge great blocks that i have over-skipped in this whole book : where are they , which be they , brethren ? if such were , they are , i hope , still visible ; shew them me , i beseech you , that i may yet trie my skill : you instance in some words sounding to contempt ; i thought what these blocks would prove : meer matter of words , not lesse windy , then the froth of your next paragraph ; wherein your gravitie is set upon a merrie pin ; and , in a becoming jeer , tells us of the gentleman student in philosophy , that desires to learn the rare secret of the sinking of froth ; for which , i remit you , and your deep student , to the next tapster . it is not all your shuffling that can shift the just charge of your grosse uncharitablenesse ; the remonstrance comparing in a generall notion , the forms of civil government and ecclesiasticall , expresses it in these terms ; [ since if antiquitie may be the rule , the civill polity hath sometimes varied , the sacred , never ; and if originall authoritie may carry it , that came from arbitrarie imposers , this from men inspired : ] then which , no word can be in a right sense more safe , or more innocent : your good glosse appropriates what ( in thesi ) was spoken of all forms of civil government , to our particular monarchy ; and tels your reader , that i deliver it as arbitrary , & alterable ; then which , there cānot i suppose be any sclander more dangerous ; and to mend the matter now in your vindication , you redouble your most injurious charge upon the remonstrant , as if upon this ground , it could follow that to attempt the alteration of monarchicall governement , had beene , in his opinion , lesse culpable then to petition the alteration of episcopall ; quite contrary to the expresse words of my remonstrance ; whose implication is no other then this , that , if it were capitall in them who indeavored to alter the formes of civill government , they must needs seeme worthy of more then an easie censure , that went about in a libellous way to worke the change of a setled government in the church . see , reader , this latter is in the remonstrants judgement , worthy of more then an easie censure , the others accusation is no lesse then deadly : whether now doth hee hold lesse culpable ? truly , brethren , if you be not ashamed of this unjust crimination , i hope some body will blush for you . with how bold a face dare you appeale to the reader , yea to the most honourable parliament , and to the sacred majesty of our soveraigne , that you doe the man no wrong ? joyne issue then and let all these judge : first you say , one of the most confident advocates of episcopacy , hath said , that where a nationall church is setled in the orderly regiment of certaine grave overseers , to seeke to abandon this forme , and to bring in a forraine discipline is as unreasonable , as to cast off the yoke of just and hereditary monarchy , and to affect many-headed soveraignty ; this you think an assertion insolent enough , that sets the mitre , as high as the crowne ; but what a foule injury is this ? reader doe but view the place , and see , where the mitre stands : the words run thus : [ so were it no lesse unreasonable where a nationall church is setled in the orderly regiment of certaine grave overseers , ruling under one acknowledged soveraign , by wholsome and unquestionable laws , and by these laws punishable if they overlash : &c. ] say now , reader , whether this man sets the mitre as high as the crowne ? neither doth hee say , it were no lesse haynous , ( for the difference of the morality is excepted before ) but , no lesse unreasonable : as that which is there said to argue a strange brain-sick giddinesse in either offence . yet more anger ; the remonstrant rises higher and sets the mitre above the crown ? wherein , i beseech you , brethren ? what a woolseian insolence were this ? hee tels us ( you say ) that civill government came from arbitrary imposers , the sacred from men inspired ; now civill government here includes monarchy ; therefore this is to advance episcopacy above monarchy ; since the one challenges god for the founder , the other humane arbitrement . brethren , had your argument as much reason , as spight , it would presse sore : now , as you have framed it , it is a meere cavill . the remonstrant speaks of all civill government in generall ; the severall formes whereof amongst severall nations , and people , no reasonable man can deny were introduced variously , according to the first institution of their founders ; what error can your sharpe eyes finde in this proposition ? now , you will needs draw this by an envious application to monarchy , as if i meant to derive it onely from men , not from god : ye are mistaken , brethren : they are your better friends , that thus deduce monarchy ; for us , wee hold it is from god , by men , from god as the author & ordainer , by men , as the meanes ; wee fetch it not from earth , but from heaven ; wee know who said , by me kings raigne ; and from him we derive their crownes and scepters : but yee may know ( which we have oft blusht , and sighed to see laid in our dish , by popish authors ) who it was that said ; kings , princes and governors have their authority of the people , and upon occasion they may take it away againe , as men may revoke their proxies : who it was that said , it is not enough for subjects not to obey , but they must withstand wicked princes . sure they were no fautors of episcopacy , that have written so bloody lines against the safety , and lives of lawful princes , as i dare not transcribe ; that have so undervalued their power , and so abased their originall ; small reason had you to twit me with this hatefull guilt . it is but a poor put-off , that you censure not my words as treasonable , from my pen , which from yours had received no better construction : the words are the same , the intimation evident ; and not lesse evincible , then your vilifying of the judgement of that wise , & ( above all examples ) learned k. iames ; whom whiles you smooth in words , and directly oppose in his well-grounded edict , concerning the liturgy of the church , what do you but verbally praise , and really check ? ye cannot therefore so easily wipe off these aspersions of uncharitablenesse , by either stiffe deniall , or unjust recrimination ; for me , such is my malice towards you , that i can at once convince your want of charitie , and forgive it . if the religion of king william rufus , or the infallible judgement of pope pius may do you any service , make your best of them ; to me they are much alike . whatsoever daniel ( the poet , not the prophet ) pleased to say ; all historians were not monks , nor all monks false-tongued ; would god all divines were true : the actions of this prince blazon him more , then the historians pens ; whereof some have taxed him for favour of judaisme , others for touches of atheisme , all for indevotion : as for the bishops of those times , i say they were popish , and , in that notion , tyrannicall ; for that dependance which they had upon him , who exalts himself above all that is called god , exalted them to their proud contestation with princes . it was their popery therefore , that made them insolent , and their insolence , that made them odious to kings . it hath been ( ye say ) the usuall quality of former and later bishops , to tyrannize over such as fear them , and to flatter such as they fear : your tongues are your own ; but , brethren , if this be their qualitie , it is your fault that you will not suffer it to be their propertie : there are those that can do this , and more ; can tyrannize over those whom they ought to reverence , and flatter those whom they should not fear . as for your pius ; should not the pope have been my antichrist , i am sure he is yours ; little reason therefore could you have , to use his testimonie against your own profession . but , why may we not ( you say ) use the testimony of antichrist , against antichristian bishops ? brethren , i understand you not ; i hope you have more grace , then to call ours so : if you have so much of the separatist in you , many good hearts will justly grieve to see that ye pretend to come forth under license ; sure you dare not mean , you dare not say , that the publique government established here by law , is antichristian ; this were to strike where you would not ; or , if you could be so bold , authoritie might over-see , but would never allow so lawlesse an affront : if our bishops be antichristian , whence is your ordination ? good speed may you have , brethren , towards amsterdam . full wittie , and sound is the inference which you draw from the grounds , which i give of the popes unwillingnesse to yeeld a divine right to bishops ; for that hee would have them derive their authoritie meerly from himself : therefore ( say you ) it follows , that they have no more divine right , then the pope : just ; for the pope thinks so ; pretending his own ( false ) right , and disclaiming their true . but what 's this ( i ask ) to our bishops , who professe notwithstanding the apostolicall , that is , divine right of their calling , to hold the places and exercise of their jurisdiction , wholly from his majestie : you answer , [ surely ours have begun to affect the same exemption from secular power ; to make large and haughty strides , towards an independent hierarchie . ] where , or wherein , brethren ? will any justice hold it enough to accuse ? i challenge your instances , if you can finde an universall guiltinesse this way , spare us not ; i shall yeeld , we cannot suffer too much : but if your exceptions be either none , ( as your silence argues ) or particular , why should not you smart for the unjust branding of a whole order ? me thinks you should shame and feare to speake of our affected independence of hierarchy , when ye know that an independent parochiall hierarchy ( if it could be worth so high a name ) is in publique pamphlets , and open sermons set a-foote with much earnestnesse by those , who would be thought no meane ones in your fraternity ; and when you cannot but know , that the bishops bench is openly challenged in the name of too much dependence upon soveraignty ? away with these idle sclanders of your innocent , grave , and modest governors . for mr hooker , we know you love and honour his memory , dearly , nothing of his can be unwelcome to us ; neither doubt we , but that you will bee no lesse edified by his last works , if they may see the light , then with his first ; that man doth not looke , as if hee meant to contradict his owne truths . ye doubt to bee chid for this licentiousnesse of your pen ; and so you well may ; for it can be no lesse then a foule sclander to charge that faction upon whole episcopacy , which you dare ( upon urging ) impute but to a few . the more ( ye say ) is your misery , that a few bishops can put both the kingdomes into so dangerous a combustion . true ; but , if it be your miserie , it is not our sinne ; blame the guilty , strike not the innocent : but , if but a few can doe this ( ye say ) what a stir would they all make , if they should unite their powers ? this is in your owne phrase argumentum galeatum ; if a few factious preachers in our neighbour pulpits , since the entring of this parliament , have kindled such a fire in the city , and kingdome , what would they all do , if their seditious tongues were all united ? but now , ye speake to purpose ; if but a few were factors for this attempt ; how was it that one of the episcopall tribe in open court called the scottish designe , bellum episcopale ? who can forbeare to smile at this doughty proofe ? why , brethren , was that word too big for one mans mouth ? could hee not utter it without help of his fellowes ? did they either say , or think it , the more , because hee spake it ? what reason have you to feoffe a private conceit on all ? especally when the words may be capable of a lesse evill construction , as referring to the northerne rise of that quarrell , not to our prosecution . but , where ( ye say ) were the rest of the peaceable and orthodoxe bishops the while ? truly in all likelyhood , at home , quietly , in their own sees ; in their retired studies ; without notice of any plots , without any intimation of dangers ; much more without intermedling in any secrets of state , or close stratagems of disturbance ; so as , it was not their love to peace and truth , that could oppose , what they never could reach to know : neither is it any fault of theirs , that the deare and precious name of episcopacie is exposed to base and vulgar obloquie . let those who will needs poure contempt upon the guiltlesse , looke for a just revenge from him , who hath said , touch not mine anointed , and doe my prophets no harme . still therefore must i take leave to crie , fie , upon those my brethren , that dare to charge faction upon episcopacie , and withall to deplore the unhappy mis-cariages of any of our spirituall fathers , that shall be found guiltie of these wofull broyles . what cyprian would have done upon occasion of so high an indignitie offered by you to that holy function , appeares sufficiently in his epistle to rogatianus ; though no instance can come home to the point ; for , let me boldly say , that since christianitie lookt forth into the world , there were never so high , and base scornes put upon episcopacie , as there have been by shamelesse libellers within the space of this one yeare in this kingdome ; yea in this citie : god in his great mercie forgive the authors , and make them sensible of the danger of his just vengeance . sect. ii. vvhat a windie section have you past , wherein you confesse you have striven for words ? things , you say , shall now follow ; things well worthy to bee not more precious to the remonstrant , then to every well-minded christian ; leiturgie and episcopacie . leiturgie leads the way ; we had need to begin with our prayers . i challenged you for the instances of those many alterations you talked of , in the present leiturgie ; you answer me , truly sir , if we were able to produce no fuller evidence of this , then you have done of your iewish leiturgie ever since moses time , we should blush indeed ; but if we can bring forth such instances , &c. truly brethren , you could do little , if ye could not crack and boast : the greatest cowards can do this best ; do not say , what ye can do , but do what ye say ; put it upon this very issue . for the leiturgie ( ye say ) we can bring forth instances of such alterations as shall prove this present leiturgie to be none of that which was confirmed by parliamentary acts . mark well , readers , for certainly , in plain english , these men go about to mock you : the question is of the present leiturgie , which is pretended to vary extremely much from that in queen elizabeths daies ; now come our braving vindicators , and , after all their brags , labour to shew that this our present leiturgie differs from that in the daies of edward the sixt ; and spend one whole page , in the particular instances : is not this pains well bestowed , think you ? have they not hit the bird in the eye ? utterly balking what they undertook , they undertake what no man questioned ; and now before-hand crow , and triumph in these cockle-shels of a famous conquest . but ye lay this for your ground , that the leiturgie confirmed by our parliamentary acts , is the same which was made and confirmed in the fifth and sixth of edward the sixt : with one alteration , or addition of certain lessons to be used on every sunday in the yeer , and the form of the letany altered and corrected ; and two sentences onely added in the delivery of the sacrament to the communicant , and none other or otherwise ; thus sayes the act. now comes your rare sagacity , and findes notwithstanding , queen elizabeths leiturgie varying from the former in many omissions , in many additions , in many alterations : wherein , what do ye other then give the check to a whole parliament ? they say flatly , none other , or otherwise ; you say , the book is so altered , that the leiturgie now in use , is not the same that was established by act of parliament : but , be that as it may ; there lies not the question : if queen elizabeths book did so much differ from king edwards ; what is that to us ? say , ( as you have undertaken ) what such huge difference there is betwixt king iames his book , and queen elizabeths ? now , your loud vaunts end in flat silence ; neither can you instance in any thing , save some two pettie particles , not worthie of mention ; that in the title of confirmation , the words for imposition of hands , are added ; and , in the epistle for palm-sunday , in , is turned into at : these are all ( besides those which i fore-specified ) which have so mis-altered the leiturgie , that it can no more be known , to be it self , then the strangely-disguised dames , which were mentioned in doctor halls reproof . now let the reader say , who is worthie to wear those liveries of blushes , which , in your wardrobe of wit , you have been pleased to lay up for your friends . but i have not yet said all : if ( you say ) to these we should adde the late alterations in the use of the leiturgie , bringing in loud musick ; uncouth , and unedifying anthems ; a pompous superstitious altar-service , we think any indifferent eye will say , this is not the leiturgie established by parliament . what mean you , brethren , thus to delude the reader ? are these things you mention , any part of the leiturgie ? are they prescribed by any law of the church ? are they found in any rubrick of the communion-book ? do not the allowed forms of our publique prayers in all parochiall , and some cathedrall churches , in chappels , in houses , stand intirely without these ? why do you therefore bring in these things , as essentiall to leiturgie ; in the meet omission of some whereof , no doubt , some bishops of england ( no lesse zealously conscionable , though better tempered , then your selves ) may be found to conspire with you : as for the namelesse bishop , whom you cite , you must pardon me , if i did not understand either you , or him ; for the words in your defence , run , [ that the service of the church of england is not so dressed , that if a pope should come and see it , he would claim it as his own . ] now you report them to be , that the service of the church of england is now so drest , &c. so as you cannot blame me if i knew not the meaning or the man ; but by this your description of his preaching it as matter of humiliation to all the bishops of this kingdome , in a day of solemne and nationall fasting , i perceive it is the reverend bishop of carlile whom you thus cited , and whom you have , herein , not a little wronged ; i acquainted that worthy prelate with the passage , he disavows the words , and defies the reporters , vehemently protesting , that he never spake either those words , or that sense ; and to make it good , delivered me the pretended clause , transcribed out of his notes , with his owne hand ; which i reserve by me ; no whit sounding that way ; but signifying onely a vehement dislike of some innovations , as the turning the table to an altar , and the low crindging towards the altar so erected ; but , as for the leiturgy or service of the church of england , not a touch of either in his thoughts , or tongue : now brethren , learne you hence just matter of private humiliation , for so foule a sclander of a grave and religious bishop , and in him , of this whole church . for learned calvin ; if those who professe to honour his name , would have beene ruled by his judgement , wee had not had so miserable distractions in the church , as wee have now cause to bewaile ; all that i say of him , is , that his censure of some tolerable fooleries in our holy service , might well have beene forborne in alienâ republicâ ; your vindication is , that hee wrote that epistle to the english at francford ; who doubts it ? the parties were proper , the occasion just , but not the censure ; parciùs ista , when wee meddle with other mens affaires : i may well be pardoned , if i say that harsh phrase doth not answer the moderation which that worthy divine professeth to hold in the controversie of the english . as for that unparalleld discourse , whereon you run so much descant , concerning the antiquity of liturgies deduced so high as from moses time ; you argue that it cannot be , because you never read it : brethren , your not omniscient eyes shall see that my eyes are so lyncean , as to see you proudly mis-confident ; you shall see that others have seene what you did not ; and shall sample that which you termed , unparalleld . it is neither thank to your bounty , nor praise to your ingenuity , that the question is halfe-granted by you ; but an argument of your self-contradiction ; an order of divine service you yeeld , but not a forme ; or a forme , but not prescribed , not imposed ; and for this , you tell us a tale of iustin martyrs leiturgie , and tertullians leiturgie , how much to the purpose , the sequell shall shew . in the former , you grant , that after the exhortation they all rose , and joyned in prayer ; prayer ended , they went to the sacrament ; but , whether these prayers were suddainly conceived , or ordinately prescribed , there is the question ; and whether that sacrament were administred in an arbitrary , and various forme , mee thinks your selves should finde cause to doubt : but , iustin saies ( to cleare this point ) that in the beginning of this action , the president powred out prayers , and thanksgiving according to his ability , and the people said amen . what ever his ability was , i am sure you have a rare ability in mis-construing the fathers ; and particularly these testimonies of iustin , and tertullian . to begin with the latter ; out of him you say , the christians in those times did in their publike assemblies pray , sine monitore , quia de pectore ; without any prompter but their own heart . prove , first , that tertullian speaks of publike assemblies . secondly , know that if he did , the place is to your disadvantage ; for ( as a late learned author well urges ) would ye have it imagined , that the assembled christians did betake themselves publikely to their private devotions , each man by himself , as his own heart dictated ? this were absurd , and not more against ancient practise , then ( as your selves think ) piety . was it , then , that not the people , but the minister was left to the liberty of his expressions ? what is that to the people ? how did they ere the more pray without a prompter ? how is it more out of their heart , when they follow the minister praying out of unknown conceptions , then out of foreknown prescription ? so as , you must be admonished , that your sine monitore , without a prompter , is without all colour of proof of prayers conceived : your zephyrus blows with too soft a gale to shake the foundation of this argument ; and indeed is but a side-winde to my heraldus , and the very same blast with your rigaltius ; though you would seem to fetch them out of different corners ; if i give you your own asking , you have gained nothing : for what would you infer ? christians prayed for the emperors without a monitor , as the heathens did not ; therefore they had no formes of christian prayers : he were liberall , that would grant you this consequent ; when rather the very place shews what the forme was , which the christians then used ; we are praying still for all emperors , that god would give them a long life , a secure raigne , a safe court , valiant hoasts , faithfull counsellors , good people , and a quiet world ; this was tertullians leiturgie , wherein the hearts of christians joyned without a monitor ; it is small advantage that you will finde in my sense of sine monitore ; ( not being urged by any superior injunction ) if no injunction , you say , how could it be a leiturgie , a commanded , imposed forme ? you are unwilling to understand , that the injunction here meant is generall , a command to pray for the emperour , not a particular charge of the forms injoyned in praying ; this was therefore the praise of their christian loyaltie , that even unrequired , they poured out their supplications for princes : shortly then , after all these pretended senses , tertullian will not upon any termes be drawne to your partie . those other two places of tertullian and austine are meerely sleevelesse , and unproving ; not making any whit at all more for conceived prayers , then for prescribed ; who ever made question , whether wee might build our prayers upon our saviours form ? or whether we might vary our prayers with our occasions ? those fathers say no more , we no lesse ; ye dare not say there were no publique leiturgies in s. austins time ; my margin was conviction enough ; which ye touch as an iron too hot , with an hand quickly snatcht away . your denial should have drawn on further proofs . iustin martyr ( though fifty yeers before tertullian ) follows him in your discourse ; how guiltily you both translate and cite him , an author of no mean judgement hath shewed before me . i shall not therefore glean after his sickle ; but shortly thus , take your ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) in your own best sense ( for quantum pro virile potest ) what will follow ? the president prayed , and gave thanks to the utmost of his power ; therfore the church had then no leiturgie . what proof call you this ? look back , brethren , to your own citation ; you shall finde prayers more then once in their lords-day meetings ; these latter were the presidents , the former some other ministers ; these in the usuall set forms , those out of present conception ; both stand well together , both agreeable to the practise , as of these , so of former ages . but whiles i affect over-full answers , i feel my self grow ( like you ) tedious , i must contract my self and them . your assertion of the originall of set forms of leiturgy , i justly say is more magistrall , then true , and such as your own testimonies confute . that of the councell of laodicea is most pregnant for set formes , before arrius or pelagius lookt forth into the world ; wherein mention is expresly made of three formes of prayer , one by and for the catechumeni , the second for the penitents , the third for the faithfull . you cannot elude so cleare a proofe , by saying the councell required prayers for all these , but did not binde to set formes in prayers ; for the same councell stops your mouth whiles it tels you in plaine termes , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} that the same form or liturgy of prayers was to be used morning and evening ; and clemens ( though not the true , yet ancient ) tels us , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. and in the eight book of his constitutions , recites large prayers which were publiquely used in the church . let the reader now judge , where this shuffling lies : the canon requires one of these prayers to be in silence ; what then ? so doth our liturgy require in the ordination of ministers , that in one passage of this solemne act , our prayers should be secret and silent , yet the rest is no lesse in set formes . you might then bee ashamed to object want of fidelity to me in the citation of that testimony , which i but barely quoted in my margin . neither can you avoid a self-confutation in your owne proofes ; there was no noise of the arrian heresie till the nicene councell ; the councell of laodicea ( wherin set formes are notified ) was before the nicene by your owne account : yea , but , say you , the heresie of arrius was not just borne at the period of the nicene councell ; true ; but was it borne so long before , as that any councell tooke notice of it , before the nicene ? this you dare not affirme : but ( for a second shift ) the heresie of arrius troubled the church sometime , before the name of arrius was borrowed by it ; grant we ( upon good authority of fathers , and councels ) that the ground of the cursed error of arrius , concerning the son of god , was laid before by others ; what is that to the question of set prayers ? what is , if this be not a plaine shuffle ? neither is it any other then a meere slurre , wherewith you passe over the unanswerable pressure of the laodicean councell , before mentioned , by cavilling the difference betwixt prescribing , and composing ; the councell is flat in both , and injoynes one and the same liturgy of prayers : certainly , brethren , you finde cold comfort at laodicea ; let us see how you mend your selves at carthage . the fathers there , injoyne that no man in his prayers should name the father for the son ; or the son for the father ; that in assisting at the altar , their prayers should be directed to the father ; that no man should make use of any other forme then is prescribed , unlesse he did first confer with his more learned brethren : hence you gather , there was no set forme in use in the church ; and no such circumscribing of liberty in prayer that a man should be tied to a set liturgie . the charge was doubtlesse given upon a particular occasion , which is buried with time ; whether it were ignorance , or heedlesnesse in those african priests , that they thus mistook in their devotions , i cannot determine ; but , why might it not be then , as it is with too many now , that notwithstanding the churches prescriptions , men will be praying as they list ; and let fall such expressions as may well deserve censure and restraint ? however , that they had set formes , seemes to bee sufficiently implyed in their own words ; quicunque sibi preces aliunde describit ; for what can that aliunde relate unto but some former prescription ; which , that they had , even in these african churches , we need no other testimony then of the magdeburgenses , who cite cyprian himselfe for this purpose in his booke de oratione dominica ; where he tels us that the priest began with , sursum corda , lift up your hearts ; and the congregation answered , wee lift them up unto the lord : to which they adde , formulas denique quasdam precationū sine dubio habuerunt ; they had then without doubt certaine set formes of prayers ; and to suppose , that they had prescribed formes for publique use , which no man should be required to use , it were a strange and uncouth fancy : neither need wee any better contest for our defence then him , whom you cite in your margin , learned cassander , in the just allegation both of this councell , and the milevitane , the canon whereof runs thus ; it pleaseth the fathers that those prayers , or orisons which are approved in the synod , shall bee used by all men ; and no other shall bee said in the church , but such as have beene made , by some prudent authors , or allowed of the synod ; lest perhaps something may bee composed by them through ignorance , or want of care , contrary to the faith . say , readers , is not this a likely testimony to bee produced against set formes of prayer ? what is it then that you would hence inferre ? first , that this being ( anno . ) is the first mention of prayers to be approved or ratified in a synod , and the restrayning to the use of them : grant that it were so , of prayers to bee ratified , or restrained , is it so of prayers to be used ? are you not sufficiently convinced herein , by the synod of laodicea ? it is the occasion that draws on the law ; till now , this presumption of obtruding private mens prayers upon the publique use of the church , was not heard of in those parts ; now only was it seasonable for correction . secondly , you say the restriction was not such but that it admitted a toleration of prayers , framed by prudent divines ; no lesse , then those which were approved by the synod ; what gaine you by that ? when these prayers were said , and not conceived ; and so said , that they were put into formes , not left to arbitrary delivery . secondly , the occasion of this restriction ( being the prevention of errours in praying ) is so universall both for time and place , that it may well argue this practise to be most ancient for the originall , and worthy to be perpetuall for the continuance . and now , that the vindicators may see how small cause the remonstrant hath to be convinced of the latenesse of set forms imposed , ( not till the arrian and pelagian heresies invaded the church ) let them be pleased to tell the reader , what those {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , prayers prescribed were , whereof origen speaks in his . book against cels . so frequently used ; and if that word may undergo another sense , what those {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} can be construed , wherefrom he quotes three or four passages of scriptures , in the fourth book against celsus ? lastly , what the meaning and inference may be , of that which the centuries alledge out of origen in his . homily upon ieremy ; vbi frequenter in oratione dicimus , da omnipotens , da nobis partem cum prophetis , da cum apostolis christi tui , tribue ut inveniamur ad vestigia unigeniti tui . if this be not part of a set form of prayer , and long before arrius or pelagius , i have lost both my aim , and the day ; if it be , repent of your confidence , and recant your errour : and grant at last , that out of most venerable antiquity , the approvers of liturgies have produced such evidences for their ancient use , as your insolent wisdome may jeer , but can never answer . how i admire your goodnesse ! mercifull men , you pardon that fault , which in justice ye could not find , or cannot prove : my confident assertion of the prayers wherewith peter and iohn joyned , when they went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer , that they were not of a sudden conception , but of a regular prescription , shall be made good with better authority , then your bold and braving deniall ; i say the prayers wherewith they joyned , not the prayers which they made ; the prayers which they made , were their own , ( which wipes away your stout instance , in the pharisee and publican ) but the prayers wherewith they joyned , were publike and regular . for in all their sacrifices and oblations , the jews had their set service of prayers , which gave life to those otherwise dead ( or , at least , dumb ) actions . the noble and learned lord , du-plessis , the great glory of the reformed church of france , speaks home to this purpose ; so doth the renowmed p. fagius the dead martyr of our cambridge , besides learned cappellus , whom we cited in our late defence . confessio olim in sacrificio solennis ; ejus , praeterquam in lege vestigia , in prophetis formulam habemus : in ipsis iudaeorum libris verba tanquam concepta extant , quae sacerdos pronunciare solitus , saith the said mornay du-plessis . there was a solemn confession in their sacrifice of old ; whereof , besides that we have certain footsteps in the law , we have the very form in the prophets ; in the books of the iews , the very expresse words are extant , which the priest had wont to pronounce . thus he . and lyranus wel acquainted with the iewish practises ( as being one of them himself ) tels us , that the priest was used to confesse in generall , all the sins of the people , as ( saith he ) we are wont to do in the entrance of our masse . but ludovicus cappellus , the french oracle of hebrew learning , hath those very words , whereat you jeer so oft , as falling from my pen : ex quibus videre est , orationem cujus causa petrus & johannes petebant templum , fuisse eam , quae à iudaeis dicitur {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} quae respondet oblationi vespertinae lege praescriptae , quae fiebat , ut loquitur scriptura , inter duas vesperas ; thus he ; whom i beseech you brethren , laugh at for company . admire with me , reader , the subtlety of this deep exception ; our saviour ( i say ) prescribed to his disciples , besides the rule , a direct form of prayer ; what say my great challengers to this ? the remonstrant will have an hard task ( say they ) to prove from scripture , that either john or our saviour gave to their disciples publike liturgies , or that the disciples were tyed to the use of this form . truly the task were as hard , as the very mention of it is absurd and unreasonable . for shame brethren , leave this palpable shuffling ; the remonstrant spake of a prayer , ye ask for a liturgie ; the remonstrant speaks of prescribing , ye talk of tying ; which ( till your reply ) came not so much as into question ; it must be a weak sight that cannot discern your grosse subterfuges . the use that our saviour was pleased to make in his last supper of the fashions and words which were usuall in the jewish feasts , is plainly affirmed not by cassander only , ( whose videtur you please to play upon ) but by paulus fagius at large , by mornaeus , by cappellus : and if these tooke it from maimonides , who wrote not till a thousand yeares after christ ; yet , from whom i beseech you had maimonides this observation ? a man of yesterday may upon good grounds of authority tell a truth of a thousand yeares old . i let passe the meere non-sense wherewith you shut up this paragraph , as more worthy of the readers smile then my confutation ; who will easily assume by comparing the place , how little i meant to fetch a liturgy from a feast ; or necessity out of an arbitrary act . to prove that the jews had a form of liturgy even from moses his time , i produced a monument above the reach of your either knowledge , or censure ; a samaritan chronicle , now in the hands of our most learned and famous primate of ireland ; written in arabick , translated into that tongue , out of the hebrew , as ios : scaliger ( whose it once was ) testifies ; fetching downe the story from moses to adrians time , and somewhat below it ; out of this so ancient record , i cited the very words of the author , which these men would faine mistake as my own ; wherein hee mentions a booke of the old liturgy of the jews , in which were contained those songs and prayers which were used before their sacrifices : adding ; for before every of their severall sacrifices , they had their severall songs still used in those times of peace ; all which , accurately written , were transmitted to the subsequent generations , from the time of the legat ( moses ) unto this day , by the ministery of the high priest . thus he . this is our evidence ; now let us see your shifts : first , you tel us , those were onely divine hymns , wherein there was alwayes something of prayer . if but thus , wee have what wee would ; for what are prayses , but one kind of prayers ; and what can be more said for a set forme of hymns , then of petitions ? but , brethren , yee might have seene in the authors owne words , ( which you are loath to see ) songs and prayers , which were ever used before their sacrifices ; and were comprised in that ancient service-book : see now reader , whether there bee not something for set prayers in the authors own words , which these men would wittingly out-face , and not willingly see . the testimony cannot be eluded , now it must be disparaged ; [ ioseph scaliger had certainly but two samaritan chronicles ] who saies he had more ? i cited but one , what needed you ( but to shew the world you can tell something ) to talk of two ? what businesse have we with that shorter chronicle , which you will needs draw into mention ? let that bee as fond , as your exception is unseasonable ; what is that to us ? how else should wee have knowne , that you had taken notice of a samaritane pentateuch , and learned mr. sel. dens marmora arundeliana ? away with this poore ostentation ; speake to the purpose ; what can you say against that large samaritan chronicle , which i produced , turned out of hebrew into arabick , written in a samaritan character , and now not a little esteemed by the great , and eminently judicious primate , in whose library it is ? surely , as i have heard some bold pleaders ; when they have feared a strong testimony , pick quarrels at the face of the witnesse ; so doe you , brethren , in this case . scaliger himselfe you say ( the former owner ) passes this censure upon it , that though it have many things worthy of knowledge , yet they are crusted over with samaritan devices . who can expect other but that a samaritan should speak like himselfe , when it comes to a difference in religion ? but this is no reason , why in matters accorded , there should bee any distrust : what a bellarmine writes of the holy trinity passeth for no lesse currant then the best of our owne ; if ainsworth lived and died a separatist , yet we dare beleeve him in his report of jewish antiquities , no lesse then broughton , weems , drusius . so as this winde shakes not the authority of this relation . but , judge ( you say ) how much credit we are to give to this book for antiquitie , as far as moses , which makes no mention of their own originall , any other wayes , then , that they came out of egypt by moses ; a poor and groundlesse exception : for that which wee alledge this author for , is onely the report of a booke containing the formes of prayers used by the jewes since moses ; and as for the mention of their owne originall , it was their glory to fetch themselves from the first jewish patriarks , ( as the samaritan woman did at jacobs well ) neither would they challenge a lower rise ; no marvell therefore if they passed in silence the historie of the defection of the ten tribes ; as rather tending to their owne blemish ; especially considering , what josephus reports of their fashion , that ever when the jewes prospered , they claimed brotherhood of them ; when contrarily , they proclaimed hostility ; and what if this author doth onely touch the names of sampson , samuel , david , what doth this detract from the credit and validity of his historie ? so as notwithstanding your frivolous cavils , we will take leave to make so much of our samaritan cronicle , as to avow it for a noble and ancient proofe of that my confident assertion of the use of liturgies since moses . your pretended proofe to the contrary , which you so gloriously bring out of your famous rabbi moses maimonides in his mishneh , will prove but a vain flourish ; & if it worke any thing , it will be for my advantage . for what is it that hee sayes ? it is ( saith hee ) an affirmative precept , that prayers should be made to god , every day , &c. caeterùm neque numerus , &c. but neither the number of those prayers , nor the obligation to this , or that prayer , nor the certaine , and definite time of prayer , is injoyned in the law : thus he . now , how doth that concerne us ? who ever defended , that moses in the letter of the law , had given order for either number , or time , or obligation of particular prayers of severall israelites ? although , under your good favour , we know that even then there were solemne formes of words , to bee used in the remove and resting of the arke ; and in the solemne benedictions of israel , and in the trialls of jelousie , prescribed by god himselfe to the priests ; whereof what can yee make other , then a shorter kind of stinted liturgie ? length , or brevitie makes no variance . but what doth this imply other , then that there were of old , prescriptions both of number , and time , and formes , though not expressed in the law ? particulars whereof we shall produce in the sequell ; such as were not onely for the helpe of the ignorant , but for the direction of the priests themselves , and for the better devotion of the people . that ezra therefore and the men of the great synagogue , made use of those eighteene formes of prayers , or benedictions , prescribed by them so long agoe , it argues nothing , that the like formes were not in set practise before their times ; so as your maimonides ( after all your proritation ) holds no other then faire termes with our samaritan chronicle . and would learned capellus ( thinke you ) make himselfe so merrie at the view of this passage ? surely , brethren , it would be at your fond and ridiculous mis-prison , in playing not upon my words , but your owne idle fancy . i cited capellus for the formes of prayer used at the minchah , and other sacrifices , which you cannot gain-say , but that i should inferre from him , that the jewish liturgies were as ancient as moses ; it is your meere dreame , not my assertion : it would become you to make more conscience of your suggestions . as for the marginall note out of buxtorfius , it is worthy of but a marginall touch ; what such abuse were it to say , that maimonides tooke those thirteene articles of his creed , from the jewes devotion ; when the same author confesses they had a being before ; but were by rabbi moses bar maimon redacted into this order , wherein they stand ? surely , that ever since ezra's time they had a known forme of prayer , is confessed clearely by the same rabbin , in his misnah , as we have formerly seene ; and , what place could bee more proper for the seat of a creed ? but , to meet a little with your crowing insultation , in this passage of the age of the jewish liturgie , what say you to that expresse testimonie of paulus fagius , ( a man , one of the best acquainted with hebrew learning , of all ours in his age ) who upon the chaldee paraphrase of leviticus , chap. . in the words [ et confiteatur super eum ] hath thus , forma confessionis quâ tum usus est summus pontifex , secundum hebraeorum relationem , haec fuit , &c. the forme of confession which the high priest ( then , in the first times of the law ) used , according to the relation of the hebrewes , was thus , o lord , thy people of the house of israel have sinned , they have done wickedly , they have grievously transgressed before thee ; i beseech thee now , o lord , forgive their sinnes , and iniquities , and transgressions , wherein thy people , the house of israel , have sinned , and done wickedly , and transgressed before thee ? and when the said high-priest offered a bullock for a sin offering , then he said in this manner , o lord , i have sinned , i have done wickedly , and have grievously transgressed ; i beseech thee now , o lord , be mercifull to those sins , and iniquities , and grievous transgressions wherein i have sinned , done wickedly , and transgressed against thee . and when he should offer the other bullock , he used much what the same forme , adding , i , and my house , and the sonnes of aaron , thy holy people , have sinned , &c. i beseech thee now , o lord , pardon the sinnes , and iniquities , and transgressions , &c. this triple confession did the high-priest solemnly use , in the feast of expiation ; and what the forme of the high priests prayer was when he appeared before the lord , the said fagius showes us out of the thalmud . besides this , there was a set forme ( and that somewhat large ) of prayer and benediction , which the master of the familie amongst the jewes , was privately wont to use in his holy feasts ; which the same author elsewhere in his chaldee paraphrase , upon deut. . fully expresses ; adding withall , ( which you were pleased to make sport with , as mine ) verisimile est christum quibusdam quae in his precibus continentur , usum fuisse ; it is very likely , that our saviour made use of some passages which are contained in these prayers : and paulus burgensis tells us , it was an old tradition amongst the jewes , that when they had eaten the paschall lambe , they sung the psalmes , from laudate pueri dominum , to beati immaculati , that is , from the th . to the th . adding , verisimile hos à domino decantatos : it is likely , that these were sung by our saviour in his last supper . by this time the reader sees there is somewhat more ground for a set forme of prayer amongst the ancient jewes , then your deepe rabbinisme would condescend unto . i have dwelt somewhat longer in this point , because i see the chiefe pride of your vindication lies in this passage of jewish skill ; wherein i well see with whose heifer you have ploughed ; and what name you might adde ( if there were roome ) to your learned acrosticks ; but when all is done , i am deceived , if you may not put your gaines in your eye . for christian liturgies , your like confidence challenges the remonstrant , to produce any liturgie that was the issue of the first three hundred yeares : i name those under the stile of james , basil , chrysostome ; as ancient , though spuriously interserted ; you tell me of those of peter , matthew , marke , &c. ( though peters was the same with markes ) and cite learned rivetus , who censures these as zizania ; the tares , which the enemie sow'd whiles the husbandman slept ; quite beside the cushion : those were such , as all wise christians will confesse ( with st. austin ) were , a sutoribus fabularum , sub apostolorum nomine conscripti ; broached by some cogging merchants , under the name of the apostles : but these other were generally , both for matter and manner , holy ; though interspersed with some passages that might argue a later hand ; whiles others of them beare such age , as that they are cited by ancient fathers , for authentick parts of the formerly received liturgies : shortly then , to produce those intire liturgies , which were in the first three hundred yeares , is as unreasonable to demand , as impossible to performe ; how many noble monuments , besides these , have perished , as swallowed up by the devouring jawes of time , which it were a vaine hope to revoke ? but that there were such liturgies in use , with those churches , within the time required , i doubt not to evince ; what else , i beseech you , was that euchologium , which origen ( before that time ) cites ? whence were those passages of interchanged devotion , which the centuriators themselves instance in , from cyprian , fore-alledged by mee ? i dare boldly say , yee cannot answer these demands , and not yeeld your cause : to which let mee adde in the next succeeding age , those {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which eusebius tells us , that constantine made use of in his court : our learned christophorson renders it thus ; constitutas cum universo ecclesiae coetu , preces reddebat ; so as ( notwithstanding your colourable proofe in your defence , of the frame of a prayer injoyned to the souldiers by that good emperour ) it is cleare enough that , in those times , there was a set forme of liturgie , injoyned to the use of the church . learned morney , an author past exception , shall attest with mee ; who , in that elaborate , and accurate treatise of the masse and the parts thereof , dividing that divine service , according to the distribution of the laodicean synod , ( which you would faine have eluded by a pretence of no prescription of formes ) into that of the catechumeni , that of the penitents , that of the faithfull , hath thus ; hic jam mille fidelium locus , cujus ab oratione generali exordium , &c. this then is the place of the service of the faithfull ; whose entrance was alwayes with a generall prayer , for all the world , for the state of the church , for the necessities both publicke and private . the grecians call this a letanie , or supplication , &c. quae autem orationis illius forma fuerit ab incunabulis ecclesiae , ad hoc usque seculum custodita , ex coaevis authoribus perspicuum : what the forme of that prayer was , which hath beene kept , even from the cradle of the church unto this very age , it is apparent out of the authors that lived in those times . thus that famous lord , du plessis ; who seconds his owne judgement by pregnant authorities from chrysostome , ambrose , augustine ; to which , out of the feare of tediousnesse , i remit my reader . by all which it is ( i hope ) made evident enough , that , before ever pelagius , or arrius infected the world , prescribed formes of publick prayers were commonly used in the christian church . it is indeed more then an implication , which the remonstrant drew from the ancyran synod , the presbyter that had once sacrificed , was forbidden , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , to offer , to preach , to officiate in priestly administrations : what is the ministers imployment but the word , sacraments , and prayers ; all three here inhibited , and these last , under the name of liturgies ? and that these anti-remonstrants may not delude the reader with an opinion , that any either mistake , or fraud will follow upon the ambiguitie of the word ; it may please the reader , to take notice of what these carpers will not see ; a plaine expression in my translated words , of liturgies , or ministrations . it is great pitie that the remonstrant did not know so well as these deepe heads , that {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is a word of both various , and generall use : they needed not to send him to zonaras , or balsamon , for this parcell of phylologie , which he could have taught them nearer home , out of saint paul himselfe , and saint luke ; in whom they shall finde [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ] applyed to zacharias his sacrificing ; and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which our last translation turnes vessels of the ministerie : yea , the very collection of almes is saint pauls {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and epaphroditus is his {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} what use then was there of this wast piece of grammar-learning , when the remonstrant himselfe interpreted liturgies by ministrations ? i extolled the due use of conceived prayer ; even this doth not please , but invites suspicion rather ; well might i complaine of this sullennesse and morositie . if the quarrels that you pickt with the both originall and confirmation of our liturgie prove unjust , you may well allow me to call your arguing about it , no other then wrangling . for the originall , i deduced it from ancient models , not roman , but christian ; you except at the termes of pretended opposition , and still could fetch sparkes to fling in the face of him , who by the suffrages of unquestionable divines hath shewed the just sense of the true visibilitie of the roman church . truly , brethren , this is meerely to bark where you have no power at all to bite . what faculty you have in flinging sparkes i know not , but i am sure , if you blow this coale hard , the sparkes will flie in your eyes . the question is so throughly setled by those ( which you spitefully call begged ) suffrages , that no wit of man can finde but a probable colour to revive it . faine would you have something to say to doctor hall , if ye knew what it were ; in his book of the old religion , he cites a speech of luthers ; that this good friend of rome saies , under the papacie is true christianitie , yea the very kernell of christianitie : what of this ? did doctor hall faine that luther said so ? or doe these men feare that luther is turn'd papist ? compare this ( you say ) with that the bishop of salisburie saith , in his begged suffrage , who thus , speakes ; that the church of rome is no more a true church , then an arrant whore is a true wife to her husband . well : compare luther with the bishop of salisburie ; two worthy divines , what then ? they will , i hope , prove good friends , and doctor hall with them both ; whose owne suffrage hath bin , and is no lesse peremptorie against rome , then this which he begged ; a married woman , though she be a close harlot , is yet a wife ; and though she be not true to her husbands bed , yet she is truely his wife , till shee belegally divorced : such is the state of the roman church , to doctor davenant , and doctor hall , and all other orthodox divines . where now is your charitie in raising such groundlesse intimations against your innocent brethren ? tell the reader , i beseech you , where that scorne lies , which you say is cast upon you in this passage of my defence . i justly boast of those our martyrs and confessors , which were the composers of our liturgie ; you would faine counterpoize them with some holy martyrs and confessors of the same reformed religion , that opposed it , even to persecution ; and tell us of the troubles of frankford . pardon me , brethren ; some confessors you may talke of , but martyrs yee can name none : one , who was the most vehement of all those opposers , i knew to live and dye in a quiet submission to the liturgie established ; none of them suffered death for religion : they might bee holy men , and yet might square in their opinions ; even betwixt paul and barnabas there was a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . my praise of our martyrs tended not to the disparagement of any other . as for that slurre which your answer seemed to cast upon the edict of king james , and our parliamentary acts , that they are not unalterable , as the lawes of the medes and persians ; your so deep protestation clears you in our thoughts ; i have charitie enough to beleeve you ; but i must tell you , that speech might have a good heart , but it hath an ill face ; let it passe with favour : and as for those cheerefull expressions which you confesse you have taken liberty to make use of , in the passages of your booke , you will pardon me , if they bee intertained with as cheerefull answers : tertullian , shal be seconded by horace , ridentem dicere verum , quis vetat ? let those laugh that win . for your quaeres ; it seemes you thinke i am merrie too soone , in receiving them with so sarcasticall a declamation : your project is of the altering of our liturgie ; i tell you seriously , if you drive at a totall alteration ( as your words seeme to import ) your quaere is worthy of no better reception then scorne : for , that any private person should ( as of his owne head ) move for the entire change of a thing , established by so sacred authoritie , and such firme and full lawes , can be no better then a bold and ridiculous insolence . it was truly told you , that if you intended onely a correction of some inconvenient expressions , no doubt it would bee considered of , by wiser heads then your owne ; whereby i meant , that honourable and reverend committee , to which this great care was , by publick assent , referred ; you straight suspect a designe to gaine upon the parliament ; and , by a pretended shadow of alteration , to prevent a reall and totall reformation . take heede , brethren ; lest you heedlesly wrong them whom you professe to honour , and we with you : is the parliament ( thinke you ) so easie to be gained upon by pretended shadowes ? will those solid judgements bee likely to be swayed by colours ? why do you cast that aspersion upon them , to whom yee say you have presented these considerations ; and to whose grave wisdoms we do no lesse humbly submit ? that god , who sits in the assemblie of the judges of the earth , will , we hope , so guide the hearts of those great , and prudent peeres and commons , that they shall determine what may conduce most to peace , and godly uniformitie . but sure , brethren , you could not imagine , that by those wiser heads , wee should meane our owne ; when you compare your owne designes and successe , with our plaine credulitie , and late un-thriving proceedings . injoy your winnings without our envie , not without our pitie of the poore church of england , which will , i feare , too late rue your prevalence . the alteration of the liturgie sent into scotland is a businesse utterly unconcerning us : whatever unhappy hands were in it , would god they had beene prevented by some seasonable gout , or palsie ; in the report of the alteration made of the liturgie in the beginning of queene elizabeths time , i feare , you doe not well agree either with truth or with your selves , if we compare this passage with your first entry into this large section ; let the scanning of it be left to the readers better leisure : as not worthy to retard our way . doctor taylor ( whom you are pleased seriously to honour with the titles of my ironie ) hath made good amends , belike , for the praise he gave to our liturgie which he helped to compose , in his censure of a bishops licence , and the priestly robes ; the one whereof ( you say ) hee called the marke of the beast , the other a fooles coat : but , what if the strange variety of popish vestments , seemed to that holy martyr , ridiculous ? what if to take a licence to preach from the hands of a popish bishop , seemed to him no better then to receive the marke of a beast ? what is that to us ? what to the cause ? were these tenets erroneous , is this sufficient to enervate his testimonie , for the allowance of that letanie , which he made his last prayer at his parting with his deare consort ? and for the free use whereof he blessed that god to whom hee was sending up his soule ? were it a good ground of judgement , that he , who once erres , can never say true ? but , for this censure of the good martyr , let those that feele the smart of it complaine . let us descend ( since you will have it so ) to the re-examination of those your reasons , which enforce your desired alteration : first , it symbolizeth with the popish masse : i say , neither as masse , nor as popish : you disprove me in neither , neither indeed can doe . could you instance , this prayer is superstitious , that idolatrous , this hereticall , that erroneous , you might have just reason to except at any touch of our symbolizing with them ; but , if the prayer be good , and holy , why should i more refuse it , as comming from a papists mouth , then i would make use of a vicious prayer comming from the best protestant ? where i said , if the divell confesse christ to be the sonne of god , shall i disclaime the truth , because it passed through a damned mouth ? you answer , but you know sir , that christ would not receive such a confession from the divels mouth , nor paul neither , act. . true , in respect of the person confessing , not of the truth confessed : as it came from an evill spirit , our saviour , and st. paul had reason to refuse it ; but neither of them would disclaime the matter of that truth , which was so averred . there is great difference betwixt the words of a foule spirit , and a faulty man ; but if you will needs make a parallel , it must be personall : christ would not allow a divell to confesse him ; we will not allow a popish sacrificer to usurpe our good prayers ; but if my saviour would not dis-allow that i should make use of the good confession of an evill spirit , much lesse would hee dislike that i should make use of that good prayer , which was once the expression of an evill man : and yet these were not such , being taken from the composures of holy men , and ill places ; so as this is no other , then to take up gold mis-laid in a channell , which could not impure it : you may well aske why it was laid there ; you have no reason to aske why a wise man should take it up : your question therefore ; what need wee go to the roman portuise for a prayer , when wee can have one more free from jealousies in another place ; might have been moved to those worthies , which gathered this pile of devotion , who would easily have answered you , that your jealousie is causelesse , whiles the prayers themselves are past exception ; but can with no colour of reason bee charged upon us , who take holy prayers from good hands , not needing to enquire whence they had them . your second reason is as forcelesse , as your first . our liturgie was composed ( you say ) into this forme on purpose to bring the papist to our churches ; that failing , there is no reason to retaine it . the argument failes in every part : first , our liturgie was thus composed on purpose , that all christians might have a form of holy devotion , wherein they might safely , and comfortably joyne together , both publickly and privately , in an acceptable service to their god ; and this end , i am sure , failes not in respect of the intention of the composers , however it speed in the practise of the users of it . secondly , there is no reason that where the issue of things faileth , the good intention of the agent should bee held frustrate , or his act void : our end in preaching the gospel , is , to win soules to god ; if we prevaile not , shall we surcease , and condemne our errand as vaine ? but here , i say , the project sped ; for till the eleventh yeare of queene elizabeth , there was no recusant . you tell me , it was not the converting power of the liturgie , but the constraining power of the law , that effected this : but , brethren , what constraining power was of any use , where there was no recusant ? every constraint implies a reluctation , here was none : if then our liturgie had no power of converting to our churches , yet it had no operation of averting from them . what the popes negotiations were with queen elizabeth , at this time , imports nothing ; i am sure i have those manuscript decisions of the jesuitish casuists , which first determined it unlawfull to joyne with our assemblies ; till which our liturgie had so good effect , that those , who differed from us in opinion , were not separated in our devotion . but how am i mistaken ? that which i boasted of , as the praise , is objected to mee as the reproach of our divine service . what credit is this to our church ( you say ) to have such a forme of publicke worship , as papists may , without offence , joyne with us in , &c. or , how shall that reclaime an erring soule that brings their bodies to church , and leaves their hearts still in errour ? i beseech you , brethren , what thinke you of the lords prayer ? is that a perfect platforme of our devotion , or is it not ? tell me then , what christian is there in the world , of what nation , language , sect soever , ( except the separatist onely ) will refuse to joyne with their fellow christians in that forme of prayer ? and , what credit is it to our christian profession to have such a forme of publicke prayer , as papists , grecians , moscovites , armenians , jacobites , abassines , may , without offence , joyne with us in ? i had thought you would have looked for the reclamation of erring soules by the power of preaching ? here is no unteaching or confutation of errors , no confirmations of either doctrines , or uses in the formes of our prayers : and if i should aske you how many you have reclaimed by your conceived prayers , you would not , i feare , need to spend too much breath in the answer . when i therefore impute the rare gaine of soules to the want or weaknesse in preaching , you think to choak me by an exprobration of the fault of your governors : let the bishops see how they will cleare their soules of this sinne , who , having the sole power of admitting ministers into the church , have admitted so many weake ones , and have rejected so many faithfull , able preachers , for not conforming to their beggerly rudiments : let those whose guiltinesse findes themselves galled with this crimination , flie out in an angry answer ; but if there be those , who have beene conscionably carefull not to admit them that are not competently {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} not to eject any peaceable , and conscionable divine , for meere matter of ceremonie , how injuriously have you fastened upon them other mens delinquences ? although it is not unpossible , that men may be able preachers , and yet turbulent ; and there may bee ceremoniall rites , neither theirs , nor beggerly . you are deceived , brethren , it is not our liturgie that hath lost any ; too many have lost themselves by a mis-taught prejudice against our liturgie : as for the mis-catholick part , tell me , i pray you , whether is it more likely that a staggering papist will rather joyne with a church that useth a liturgie , or one that hath none ? with a church that allowes some of their wholesome prayers , or that which rejects and defies all , though never so holy , because theirs ? and for our own , surely , if our acute jesuits had no keener arguments , then this you bring , we should be in small feare to lose proselytes ; for what weake protestant could not easily replie , the church of rome was ancient , but yours is new ; that was orthodox , this false : the service was not yours , but borrowed and usurped from better hands ; we make use of it ( as wee may ) in the right of christianitie , not in any relation to you , and your errours ? so much for you and your jesuit in the second reason . your third reason is grounded upon stumbling blocks , it is no marvell if it fall : those , you say , are laid by the liturgie ; and i say , removed by many : so yee know they are by hooker , abbot , hutton , morton , burges , covell , and i know not how many others ; amongst the rest i stumbled upon a blinde man , whose inward sight abundantly supplyed the want of his bodily eyes ; who hath in many of those points given , in my opinion , very cleare satisfaction ; but sure you could not suppose me so weak , as to imagine that his lack of eyes could exempt him from errour ; although divers of your exceptions are ( if they were worth our insisting upon ) more groundlesse then his tenets ; but whiles i allowed many of his passages , i never meant to justifie all : it is far from mee to excuse , or patronize other mens paradoxes . we know the old distinction of scandals , taken , and given ; if there be any danger of the latter , it is ( i say ) under carefull hands to remove it ; and , however it pleases you to fall into cholerick comparisons , perhaps those hands which you sleight , may not bee the least active . to the fourth , which is the idolizing of the liturgie , i say truly , separatists abhorre it for such ; never true protestant adored it for such . show us the man that ever worshipt the service-booke , that wee may wonder at that uncouth idolatrie : show us the man that holds it the onely worship of god in england , as you unjustly pretend . i tell you of some others that stick not to say , too many doe injuriously make an idol of preaching : ( why should you hope i am not serious in affirming so undoubted a truth ? ) yet we may not thinke of abandoning it : even , in coole bloud the argument holds firme , without equalizing one with the other . some have made an idol of their silver and gold , must i therefore cast away this metall ? you needed not feare that i would speake ought to the derogation from my owne profession ; but if i compare gods ordinance of prayer , with his ordinance of preaching , and this individuall liturgie , with that individuall sermon , i hope there is no danger in that collation . to the fifth , the great distaste which these publick prayers meet withall , is truly lamentable , and the effect of that distaste , separation : yet more ? let those mis-zealous men who have infused these thoughts into well-meaning soules see how they will answer it in that great day , to the judge of the quick and dead ; surely , if the case were mine , i should feare it would fall heavie upon my soule ; for , if it be granted , that there are divers passages in our liturgie faulty , and worthy of correction , yet no wise enemie can say , they are so hainous , that they barre all communion : did they containe heresie , or blasphemie , wee could but separate from their use ; now , their separation can no more be without our pitie , then without their owne sinne : your argument hence inferred , that the partition wall of our offensive liturgie should bee removed , because some brain-sick men ( for that title is here merely your owne , not mine ) are scandalized thereby , will no lesse hold , if this our liturgie were either altered , or abolished : for , are there not thousands that professe to bee no lesse scandalized with any set formes whatsoever ? so then , if wee have any prescribed , or stinted devotions at all , the partition wall stands still ; and if that should be demolished , how many more , and more considerable thousands doe ye thinke , would be scandalized with the want of those holy formes , whereto they have beene so long , and so beneficially inured ? here is therefore a scandall on both parts , vnavoidable ; and it will bee our wisedome and pietie , to fall upon the least . you say , ye thinke , nay , you know that some few prelates , by their over-rigorous pressing of the service-booke , and ceremonies , have made more separatists , then all the preachers dis-affected to the ceremonies in england : i examine not the truth of your confident assertion ; but will you to distinguish betwixt causes and occasions : the rigour of those few prelates might be the occasion ; but the mis-perswasions of those dis-affected preachers were the causes of this wofull separation : both might unhappily concurre to this mischiefe ; but those more , who are the direct and immediate agents in so bad a service . your last reason is so sleightly enforced , that it merits rather pitie then refutation ; i doe justly averre that , there is no reason why difference in liturgies should breed dis-union betweene churches ; or why union in religion should binde us to the same liturgies ; distinguishing ( as i ought ) betwixt essentiall points , and mere outward formalities . how faintly you reply , that , [ it is true , every difference in liturgies doth not necessitate a dis-union of churches : but here the difference is too large to be covered with a few fig-leaves ! ] grant it to be larger then it is ; is it yet essentiall ? the question is not , what may cover our differences , but what may disunite our churches ? it is not formes of liturgies , but matter of obstinate and fundamentall error , that can draw on such an effect : tell not me therfore , or your reader , of some ceremonies of ours , that will not downe with other reformed churches ; when yee may , as good cheape , heare of some fashions of theirs , which will not downe with us : it is good reason , that as we give , so we should take liberty in things indifferent ; without any reciprocall dislike . as for precedency of time in our liturgie , and of dignity in our church , they may well have this operation with us , that our liturgie could not conform to that which had no being ; and that other churches should rather conforme to ours , which was ever noted for more noble , and eminent . you desire not to eclipse the glory of this church , as you professe ; yet you are willing to over-shadow it somewhat darkely ; whiles you can say , our first reformation was onely in doctrine , theirs in doctrine and discipline too : wherein you are double-faultie ; first , in imputing a defect to our church , most unjustly , in the extent of our reformation . what ? was there no reformation but in matter of doctrine ? none in matter of practise ? none in idolatrous or superstitious rites ? none in offensive customes ? none in corruption of government ? none in lawes ecclesiasticall ? what call you eclipsing , if this be none ? secondly , in imputing that to the reformed churches as their perfection , which is , indeed , their unwilling , and forced defect : reformation implies the renuing of a forme that once was ; now , show us , if you can , where ever in the world , that form of discipline ( whose erection you applaud to some neighbour churches ) found place , before it was in this last age provisionally taken up , by those , who could not bee allowed , with the libertie of true religion , to injoy their former government ? as for the comparison you are pleased to mention , betwixt the liturgies of the reformed churches , and those of other christians , grecians , armenians , &c. wherein you say , if you should set downe what you have read in the liturgies of those churches , you beleeve the remonstrant would blush for intimating , there is as much reason to conforme to their liturgies , as those of the reformed churches : i must tell you , it is of your owne making , neither did ever fall from my pen ; i doe blush indeed , but it is to see your bold mis-takings , and confident obtrusions of things never spoken , never meant : i doe not mention a conformitie to their liturgies , as equally good ; but onely aske , why wee should be tied to the formes of one church , more then another , as those who are intire within our selves , and equally free from obligations to any ; so as you shut up your first quaere with a mere cavill , and the reasons whereby you indevoured to back it , are utterly reasonlesse . your second quaere is to seek of so much as any good pretence of reason , yea of sound authoritie ; whether the first reformers of religion did ever intend the use of a liturgie further then to be an help in the want , and to the weakenesse of the ministers ? for first , have they ever professed their whole and sole intentions , or have they not ? if not , how come you to know what they never expressed ? if they have , why have you suppressed it ? secondly , it is obvious to every common understanding , that there were other reasons besides this , of framing set formes of publick liturgies ; as , the uniformitie of divine services in every nationall church , the opportunitie of the better joyning together of all hearts in common devotions , the better convenience of fixing the thoughts upon the matter of a fore-knowne expression : so as this , which you have so groundlesly intimated , cannot be imagined to be the onely reason of prescribed liturgies . tell me , i beseech you , what thinke you of our saviours epitome of a liturgie , the lords prayer ? for certainly it was no other ; a forme of prayer injoyned by divine authoritie : was that onely intended to be an helpe in the want , and to the weakenesse of the ministers ? was it not prescribed for the help of the devotion of all disciples ? your instances are ( if it might be ) poorer then your assertion . the . canon of the th . councell of carthage ordaines , ut nemo patrem nominet pro filio , &c. in a care to prevent the dangerous mis-prisons of some ignorant priests in africk , in mis-naming the sacred persons in the trinitie , it charged them not to mis-apply the termes ; therefore all prescribed formes of prayer are onely intended to supply wants , or weaknesses , of ministers : a stout inference , and irresistible . the composers of the liturgie for the french church at frankford tell us , hae formulae inserviunt tantùm rudioribus ; nullius libertati praescribitur : these formes serve onely for the ignorant sort ; not prescribing to any mans libertie . what meane you , brethren , to urge so improbable a proof ? first this was but a particular congregation , and therefore of no use or validity for the practise of the whole church : secondly , these prayers , which they set forth , were onely for the private use of christians ; for i hope you will not imagine , that when they say [ rudioribus tantum inserviunt , they serve onely for the more rude and ignorant sort of people , ] that they herein meant to point out the ministers ; so as your very allegation confutes your selves , and seconds me . your following inforcement in this paragraph failes of sense , much more of reason ; and doth but begge what it cannot evince . you tell mee of thousands , who desire to worship god with devout hearts , that cannot bee easily perswaded that these set formes , ( though never so free from just exception ) will prove so great an helpe to their devotion ; i tell you of many more thousands then they , and no lesse devoutly affected , that blesse god to have found this happy , and comfortable effect , in the fore-set prayers of the church . neither doth this plead at all against the use of present conception , whether in praying , or preaching ; or derogate any thing from that reverent and pious esteeme of conceived prayer , which i have formerly professed : surely , i doe from my sould honour both ; i gladly make use of both , and praise god for them as the gracious exercises of christian pietie , and the effectuall furtherances of salvation : there is place enough for them both ; they neede not justle each other : and , if experience had not made good this truth of mine to many , the most eminent divines of these later times ( eminent , i meane , not more for learning , then strict pietie ) why would they in their prayers , both after , and especially before their sermons , have confined themselves to a set forme of their own making , without the variation of any one clause , as i can abundantly instance ? certainly , they wanted not that freedome of either spirit , or tongue which is challenged by meaner persons , but did purposely hold themselves to the usuall conceptions , wherewith their thoughts , and the peoples eares were best acquainted . as for the difference which is pretended in the use of liturgies in other reformed churches , which you say doe use liturgies , but doe not binde their ministers to the use of them , it will prove no better then a mere logomachie . in this point , if wee bee understood , wee shall not differ : if , as you explicate your selves in the sequele , out of the canons and rubrick both of the dutch , and genevian churches , you meane onely , that the ministers were not so tyed up to those prescribed formes , that they might not at some times , and upon some occasions , make use of their owne conceptions , you have herein no adversary : doubtlesse , all christian divines have ever had that liberty in all the churches that have professed the name of christ ; neither ought it , neither can it bee denyed to any , either of theirs , or ours : all allegations to this sense , might well have beene spared ; wee shall willingly concurre with you , both in opinion , and practise : but , if by this [ not binding to the use of a liturgie ] you understand either an arbitrary power not in use in any liturgie at all , or an absolute release from any whatsoever usage of their publickly-prescribed formes , and a wilfull rejection of them , as either unfit or unlawfull , because set and stinted ; none of your cited authorities , no practise of any well governed church will countenance so strange a paradoxe : in this calvin fights directly against you , whiles hee orders , ut certa illa extet , à quâ pastoribus discedere non liceat : that there should bee a certaine forme , from which it may not bee lawfull for ministers to depart : the contradiction whereunto , alledged out of your namelesse liturgie , of formulae pro arbitrio , i leave to your owne reconciling . as for the lutheran churches , though they have more superfluitie then want , yet why they should bee excluded out of the list of the reformed , i know no reason ; since , if all protestant churches ( which is the usuall contradistinction from popish ) come under that stile , these are wont to challenge the deepest share in that denomination : neither is it out of any disrespect to the churches reformed ( as your charity would faine suggest ) that i say , they are but a poore handfull in comparison of the world of christians abroad ; ( i have ever honoured them , no lesse then your selves ) but in regard of the paucitie of their professours ; their value is no whit the lesse , because their number is so . one sparke of a diamond may bee worth large piles of marble : but i might well argue , that in a point ; wherein no judicious man can place an errour , there can bee no just reason that wee should abandon the received practise of all the christian churches upon earth , for the late institution of a few : if herein i mis-judge , i am willing to bee convinced . the rubrick of king edward the sixth , agreeing with the liberty given by divers ordinances , at this day , of omitting ( upon some great occasions ) part of the liturgie injoyned , makes nothing for the proofe of the proposition , supposed in your quaere , [ that the reformers of religion did never intend the use of a liturgie , further , then to bee an helpe in the want , or to the weakenesse of a minister : ] it will be an hard taske to make these two other then inconsequent : you tell mee of the practise of some stiffe ordinaries , that have denyed this liberty ; and plead , that what some ordinaries have voluntarily yeelded , you cannot be blamed to desire , as a favour from the high court of parliament : it is not for mee to returne the answer of my superiours ; but i cannot but put you in minde , that there is a vast difference betwixt an act of occasionall indulgence , and a constant claime ; betwixt a particular dispensation , and an universall rule : further then this , i prescribe not , but obey . however the state of homilies and liturgies bee much different , these latter having been , even from the primitive times , prescribed to the common usage of the church , which the former offers not to challenge ; yet i granted , that , if wee did utterly abridge all ministers of the publicke use of any conceived prayer , on what occasion soever , the argument might hold force against us . you tell mee of some men that have sacrilegiously done so : i send you to those some men for your answer : the commands and practises of the church of england are within the taske of my defence : let private men speake for themselves . from the deske you leape into the pulpit , and tell us , that your argument is as strong against limiting in prayer , as limiting in preaching ; wherein you are unwilling to know , that our church allowes equall freedome in both ; who that hath sate within the report of our pulpits , can but say , that our ministers doe there ordinarily pray , as freely as they preach ? i pray god they may doe it holily and discreetly in both : whiles they are allowed this freedome in their pulpits , what inconvenience can it be to be limited to solemne , publick ( but sacred ) formes in their deske ? we allow both , you would rob us of one , where is the sacriledge ? so then , in all this eager passage , your reader sees what fearefull venies you give to your owne shadow ; for certainly , you have here no visibly reall adversary : if by a set liturgie wee went about to infringe all liberty of conceived prayer , you might pretend some ground of a quarrell ; but when wee allow , and commend , and practise both , in their due places , where can you fasten ? the reason is lamentable which you urge in the fifth place , that many denie their presence at our church-meeting , in regard of those imposed prayers ; our eyes can witnesse ( not without teares ) the too much truth of this sad assertion ; wee have seene , and pitied to see many poore mis-guided mechanicks , waiting abroad in the church-yards , for the good houre ; who , so soone as ever the long expected psalme calls in to the ensuing sermon , have throng'd into the congregation , as now onely worthy of their presence ; alas poore soules , were their knowledge ( which they over-weene ) but equall to their zeale , they would see , and hate their own mis-judgement : in the meane time ( shift it how you please ) woe , woe be to those teachers that have mis-led well-meaning people , to this dangerous , and ungodly prejudice : it had beene better for them never to have beene borne , then to have lived to be authors of so pernicious a schisme in the church of god . i have no reason to accuse you , whom i know not ; although i must tell you , your cold put-off doth little lesse then accuse your selves : for your parts , you say , you professe that you are not against a free use of a liturgie ; wee thanke you for this favour ; what is this but to say , if a liturgie be not left free , wee professe our selves to bee against it , wee animate all others in that profession ? you are yet more courteous , and tell us , yee doe not count a liturgie a sufficient ground of separation from the church : marke , reader , there is fraud in the words ; they say , they doe not count a liturgie a sufficient ground of separation ; they doe not say , this liturgie : such a liturgie as they could devise , and upon such termes , might perhaps bee no sufficient ground of a separation ; but this liturgie of our church , as it now stands , they doe not undertake for . speake out , brethren , and doe not smother your thoughts ; declare freely to your auditors , whether the liturgie established in this church , be such , as wherewith they ought to joyne ; and whether that come within saint augustines rule of non-scindendas ecclesias : were you lesse reserved , the church would perhaps be more happy . the remonstrants dilemma may peradventure come too late , when you have forestalled the minds of ignorant men with strong resolutions against all imposed liturgies , but especially our owne : now , you can confidently say , [ the persons concerned will denie , that either the liturgie is good ; or lawfully imposed , if it were good ; ] and here ( for ought i see ) they and you are resolved to rest : in vaine shall we go about to make good the premisses , whiles you have taught them to hold fast the conclusion : disputes will not do it ; you have found a way that will worke the feate : by loosing the bond of imposition , and taking away the cause of disputes , and troubles of many thousand consciences . why now , brethren , i like you well ; plaine-dealing is a jewell : the way not to be troubled with liturgies , is to have no liturgies at all ; and the way to have no use of liturgies at all , is not to injoyne them : as if you said , the way to loose the gordian knot , is to cut it in pieces ; the way to prevent the danger of violating lawes , is to let them loose , or make them arbitrary ; the way to remedie the discontent of popish recusants , is to retract the oath ; the way not to be barred by the gate , is to throw open the hedge : truely , brethren , if this bee the onely meanes of redresse , you have reduced us unto a good condition ; it is the established , and ( as hath hitherto beene thought ) the wholesome law of this kingdome , that this ( and this onely ) liturgie should be used , and frequented by ministers , and people ; and this hath hitherto been obediently , and peaceably observed : now , upon some new exotick scruples , good people are taught to place pietie in the disobedience of those acknowledged lawes , and nothing will quiet their many thousand consciences , but an abrogation of the good lawes they were wont to live under . what must the indifferent reader needs think of this ? the law is the same it was , under which our religious fore-fathers went happily to heaven ; the change is in us . oh miserable men , whom some few tempestuous blasts from new-england , and amsterdam have thus turned about , and made insensible of our former blessings ! meane while , that which pincheth you in my reply , you are willing to passe over in silence . were the imposition amisse , what were this to the people ? the imposition ( if faulty ) is upon the minister ; how can that more concerne the people , then their joyning with him in an usuall prayer , ( whereto hee ties himselfe ) of his owne making ? if the case bee equall , why doe you not labour to convince your people of so unjust a partialitie ; and to reclaime them from so palpable an errour ? the end whereof ( without a speedy remedy ) can bee no other then that i have most unwillingly fore-spoken , perfect difformity and confusion . i may not omit to proclaime to the reader your eminent charity to me , of whom you say , yea , so resolute he is not to yeeld to a libertie , in what is established , &c. that wee evidently see by his answer , that had the reading of homilies beene as strictly enjoyned as the booke of common prayer , the ablest minister in england , ( were the law in the remonstrants hands , ) must be held as strictly to them , as to this . how now , brethren ? what , in so angry a confidence ? on what ground , i beseech you ? the remonstrant is well knowne to have beene as diligent a preacher as any in your alphabet ; and to bee still ( as not yet defective in that dutie , so ) as great an incourager of preaching as the best of your patrons ; why will yee thus unjustly raise so envious a suggestion against him ? [ hee is soresolute not to yeeld a liberty ; ] alas , what power hath hee , to either yeeld , or denie a libertie , who professeth ( as hee ought ) nothing but humble obedience ? but when a question is stated concerning the injunction , or freedome of a liturgie , you may be pleased to give mee leave to defend that part which my conscience ( and i thinke upon sure grounds ) dictates to me for a certaine truth : non eadem sentire bonis , &c. had wont to bee a received rule ; but , as to this challenge it selfe , might the readers leisure serve him to cast back his eye upon this passage of my defence , he shall no lesse marvell at the injustice , then the uncharitablenesse of it : hee shall there see with what inoffensive caution i marshall homilies , and liturgie in the same ranke ; so making our obedience the rule of the use of both , as that i professe a just liberty yeelded in both ; showing , that if homilies were injoyned to be read , and yet a free use of preaching allowed , there were no more cause to refuse them , then we have now to refuse the liturgie , having withall a freedome to our conceived prayers : in which position i would faine see what malice it selfe can finde to carpe at . as for that strange project of yours , of imposing the use of set formes as a punishment to un-sufficient ministers , yee might well give mee leave to smile a little at so uncouth a penance , and so unheard-of a mulct ; whereat , others , perhaps , will laugh out . you answer mee with a retortion of my owne words , and seeme to please your selves much in the conceit , calling the ingenious reader to record of your owne grosse mistaking : be this once pleased , readers , since you are call'd up , to examine these mens confident fidelitie ; i had ( as i well might ) taxed this rare project of theirs ; yet himselfe ( say they ) comes out with a project about preaching , never a whit better , and doth as good as confirme our saying , in the latter end : view the place , i beseech you ; see if you can finde any the least intimation of either preaching , or project ; all that passage is onely concerning prayer , the gift whereof , i say , every forward artizan will be unjustly challenging : away then ( say i ) with the booke , whiles it may bee supplied with his more profitable non-sense ; and conclude , how fit it is , where is nothing but an empty over-weening , and proud ignorance there should bee a just restraint , a restraint , i say , in a limitation of the formes of prayer ; for what should artizans have to do with preaching ? or what such absurd project is there , in this just restraint ? tell me now , reader , whether this bee not as like bellarmine , as the man in the moone : truely , how either the cardinall came into the line , or the noble peere into the margin , he were wise that could tell . what was professed in the hearing of some of you , and some of your superiours , of a willing condescent to part with that which is indifferent to themselves , if they might bee informed it is offensive to others , must be supposed to import , as a true information , so , a just offence ; wherein they should bee sure of the concurrence of some whom you are pleased to censure , as lesse mercifull ; then whom , none can bee more ready to make good that of gregorie , in putting to their hand for the removing of customes truely burdensome to the church . thus you have very poorly vindicated the first part of your answer concerning liturgie , having made good nothing which you have undertaken , disproved nothing which i affirmed : and if ( as you professe ) your desire was a sincere pursuit of truth , you are the more to be pitied , that you missed it ; it is not yet too late for you to recover it ; bee but ingenuous , in confessing what you cannot but see , and wee cannot differ : and if you doe heartily joyne with me in lamenting the breaches , and miserable distractions of the church , why should you not joyne with me in the effectuall indeavours to make them up ? why do you suffer your hands to widen that , which your tongues would seeme to close ? if peace bee the thing you desire , who is it that hath broken it ? wee are where we were ; the change is on your parts : and if there have beene some particular incroachments , and innovations in some few hands ; what is that to the whole church of england ? what is that to those , whose proceedings have beene square and innocent ? wee hope then that the worthies of that high court , the great patrons of peace and truth , will soone see , and seriously consider where the grief of the church lyes , and by their wisdoms put a seasonable end to these miserable , and dangerous distempers . sect. iii. your third section is nothing but a meere jangle of words ; wherewith it was too much for the reader to be once troubled ; for whose sake , i shall cut you up short ; making it apparent , that my affection to my cause , ( however you are pleased to scandalize my discourse ) hath no whit transported me to any over-reaching expressions , in lifting up the antiquity , and extolling the universality of episcopall government beyond truth . that which i spake of the libellers abroad , your charity would faine have extended to forraine churches ; now , as ashamed of the misprision , you would faine salve it up with a pretended probability of your mis-taken sense : for my part , now that my innocence is cleared , if you can put any honest colour upon your mis-understanding , i shall willingly connive at it ; although i must tell you there is enough dissimilitude in your instance . in what sense you meant the self-confoundednesse you impute to me , what matters it to the reader ? such a one you confesse it was , that makes men speake they know not what ; it is a faire livery , and well beseeming the bounty of such munificent hands . i justly professed my selfe so self-confounded , as to say confidently , that he is no peaceable and well affected son of the church of england , that doth not hate libels , and wish well to leiturgie and episcopacy . your charity ( presuming upon advantages ) dares to choake me with the name of a parliament ; wherein how you will answer your injurious imputation to that high court , i appeale to their bar. to make the matter altogether envious , you guiltily leave out the first clause , concerning libels , and aggravate the second ; and that which i professedly spake of complainants , you spightfully draw home to the iudges : whom i must still suppose , you doe hainously wrong , in fastening upon them this bold imputation of illaffectednesse to a well established leiturgie , and a well-regulated episcopacie : i beleeve those honourable peeres , and noble commons will give you small thanks for this insolent assertion . what i said , concerning the derivation of episcopall government from the times of the apostles , without the contradiction of any one congregation in the christian world , i am ready to make good against all your frivolous clamours ; purposely to lay the ground of a quarrell , you intersert , diocesan ; which came not within the termes of my proposition ; and to confute your owne addition , tell us how late dioceses came into the church , and now will needs inforce me to maintaine what your so magistrall power will put upon me : pardon me , brethren , i undertake to defend my owne words , not yours : but you say , as good to have said nothing at all , as not this ; and , we know what kinde of government it is that the remonstrant pleads for : i grant , you have reason to guesse it ; but what is that to my proposition ? whether they were bishops of cities , or dicceses , or parishes , or provinces , that is not essentiall to the question : neither doe we speake of them , quà diocesani , but , quà episcopi : if they were such as were placed in an imparity of degree above presbyters , and were induced with an eminent power of jurisdiction and ordination , what ever the limits of their government were , my assertion holds good ; on this ground well might b. hall say , that timothy was a diocesan bishop , that is , sustained that place , and did those offices , which his successors being formall diocesans , held and performed ; this kinde of bishops , i defend to have continued in the christian world unto this age , without the contradiction of any one congregation ; you tell me of scotland , as if i had affirmed , that there had beene bishops alwayes , every where ; it is no small wonder to me how you can with such sober vehemence presse upon me so impossible an absurdity : when you plainly see , that all i contend for , is this , that there hath beene no time , no age from the apostles dayes , wherein this forme of episcopall government hath not been without contradiction continued ; yet your importunity will force a tenet upon me , mal-grè ; and tels me you are sure it is the assertion of episcopall men ; amongst whom you cite d. halls irrefragable proposition ; no man living , no history can shew any wel allowed , and setled nationall church , in the whole christian world , that hath beene governed otherwise , then by bishops , in a meet and moderate imparity , ever since the times of christ and his apostles , untill this present age ; and the like passage you bring out of his episcopacy by divine right part . p. . what can you make of these allegations ? there is no one line in them , which i am not ready to justifie ; what one word is here liable to exception ? will it follow from hence , that i affirme bishops to have beene alwayes every where ? you see first it is limited to the christian world , not the pagan , and in that , not to every parochiall church , but a nationall ; and not to every nationall church , which is in fieri , and inchoatè ; ( such as that of scotland in those first times was ) but a setled nationall church ; and to make yet more sure , lest any schismaticall company might put in for a share , it is super-added , a well-allowed , setled , nationall church . i should have acknowledged you brave vindicators , indeed , if now , in the height of your learned valour , you could have choaked me with direct and particular instances of any well-allowed , setled , national churches in christendome before this present age , that were otherwise governed . in stead of this you tell me a tale of a sorry quarrell taken up against the bishop of pampelona by some barbarous biscainers ; whose rudenesse when i proved to you by their savage deportment to their king , you give a very civill and charitable construction of my marginall , as intimating it no lesse crime to offer an affront to a prelate , then to a king ; thus love creepes where it cannot goe . but to mend the matter , you instance in the reformed churches ; they have made contradiction to episcopal government ; true , but not till this present age ; that period was set before in my assertion , whence now arises your suddaine passion ; sir bethinke you , take up your remonstrance , reade your own words , mark the parenthesis : sir , i have done all this , and wonder what it is that you would have me to see , or to say ? the words are plaine , without either welt , or gard ; say what you would inferre upon them . the limitation of time here ( you say ) hath reference to the continuance of episcopacy , not the contradiction of episcopacy ; certainly , in any indifferent readers eye , to both : neither doth the verie scope of the place evince any lesse ; for could you suppose any man so utterly insensate , as to say ; by the joynt confession of reformed divines , the reformed churches of this age have never contradicted episcopacy ? this were indeed a paradox fit for none but a self-confounded man : fasten it upon those that are fit for dark roomes and ellebore . iust such another is the next , you say ; such another indeed , as truly affirmed , and as unjustly excepted to : that episcopall government hath continued in this iland , since the first plantation of the gospell to this present day , without contradiction : what talke you of taking in the manner , and salving of credit ? as if you had your adversarie at a great advantage : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , as the greek proverb is , and as we are wont to say ; here is great cry , and little wooll . for , whereas , the proposition may beare this double sense ; the continuance of episcopacy in this iland , hath had no contradiction ; or , there hath been no contradiction to the right of the continuance of it in this iland ; at the choice of the propounder , i am ready to make it good in both senses , neither are you able justly to oppose it in either ; i am sure those instances which you bring , out of wickliffe , lambert , richardus de mediavilla , occam , walter mapes , robert langland , in your next section , will shrink in the wetting , and come farre short of your undertaking . but brethren , i must sadly tell you , that in your next , and last exception , you have exceeded your selves in malice ; what loud and hideous out cries have you made against me , both in your answer , and vindication , for a safe and innocent passage in my remonstrance ? speaking of the continuance and derivation of episcopacy from the primitive times , i had said ; certainly , except all histories , all authors fayle us , nothing can be more plaine then this truth : now comes your charitable veracity , and , in your answer ( seconded now againe by your vindication ) reports the words thus ; except all histories , all authors fayle us , nothing can be more certaine then this truth ; and thereupon cry out , os durum ! and descant fearfully upon the word , nothing more certain ? what is it not more certaine that there is a god ? is it not more certaine that christ is god and man ? must this bee an article of our creed , &c. nothing more certaine ? oh that men should not onely forget themselves , but god also , and in their zeale for their own honour utter words bordering upon blasphemy . thus you ; whether like sober , and honest men , let the reader judge ; who casting back his eye upon that passage of my remonstrance , shall well finde that i have used no such word at all , as you have thus insolently and injuriously plaid upon : my phrase was onely , nothing can be more plaine , you falsifie it , nothing more certaine ; and run strange , and uncharitable descant upon it ; such as whereof i think your friends will be ashamed ; and when i , not urging the great difference of this expression , was willing to pass it over , with intimating onely the ordinary use of this manner of speech , in our hourely discourse , wherein we would be loath to be called to an account of our creed ; yet still , as eager and unsatisfied , in this your vindication , you redouble the charge upon me ; wee cry out ( you say ) of such a shamelesnesse as dares equall this opinion of his , of episcopall government to an article of our creed : when as here was no mention , no thought either of certainty , or of creed ; but onely an harmeless affirmation of the cleare evidence of this truth : but i will not stirre this puddle any more ; onely beseeching my reader , by this one passage to judge of the spirit of these men , so set upon detraction , and contradiction , that rather then they will want colours of exception , they will devise them out of their owne braines , and fasten them where they would disgrace . lest this place should not yeeld you sufficient ground of so foule a crimination , you flye back to episcopacy by divine right , and thence will fetch a clearer conviction ; where the author saith , he for his part is so confident of the divine institution of the majority of bishops above presbyters , that he dare boldly say , there are weighty points of faith , which have not so strong evidence in scripture ; he said it , and made it good by instances in the same place : why do you snarle at the speech , and not confute the proofes ? trie your skill in that one particular , the baptization of infants ; which , i am deceived , if the church holds not a weighty point of faith ; let us , if you please , enter into a serious contestation ; shew me more cleare evidence of scripture for this holy and universally received position , and practise , of baptizing infants , then i can produce for the majority of bishops above presbyters ; till then give me leave to returne your owne prayer ; god give the men lesse confidence , or more truth ; and let me adde , more charity ; for truly , in whether of these two latter you are more defective , it is not easie to judge ; in the meane time you have as much failed in clearing your selves from those just imputations , which are laid upon you , as you have over-reached in the unjust bespattering of your stanch and innocent adversarie . and now forbeare ( if you can ) readers , to smile in the parting , at the grave counsell of our wise smectymnuus , who after he hath tyred his reader with a tedious volume in answer to my short defence , adviseth mee very sadly , that my words may bee lesse in number : yet howsoever his weary loquacitie may , in this causelesse exprobration , deserve to move your mirth ; i shall resolve to make good use of his counsaile . est olitor saepe opportuna locutus . in the sequele , my words ( which were never yet taxed for an offensive superfluitie ) shall be very few ; and such as , to your greater wonder , i shall be beholden for , to my kinde adversaries : the rereward of my late defence was backed by the sound testimony of dr. abraham scultetus , the famous professor of heydelburgh , and the great oracle in his time of the palatinate , who in both the tenets of episcopacy by divine right , and the unwarrantablenesse of lay-presbytery agrees so fully with me , as i doe with my selfe , the grounds whereof , i dare confidently say , are such as no wit of man can overthrow , or weaken : now what say my smectymnuans to this ? for brevity sake , we will content our selves with what that learned rivet spake , when these two treatises of scultetus were shewed to him , by a great prelate amongst us , and his judgement required ; haec omnia jamdudum sunt protrita & profligata , all these have beene long since overworne and beaten out and baffled . in good time , brethren ; and why should not i take leave to returne the same answer to you in this your tedious velitation of episcopacie ? there is not one new point in this your over-swolne , and unweldie bulk ; no hay-cock hath beene oftner shaken abroad , and tossed up and downe in the winde , then every argument of yours hath been agitated by more able pens then mine : haec omnia jamdudum sunt protrita & profligata ; why should i abuse my good houres ; and spend my last age ( devoted to better thoughts ) in an unprofitable babling ? you may perhaps expect to meet with fitter matches , that have more leasure ; the cause is not mine alone , but common to this whole church , to the whole hierarchy ; to all the fathers of the church throughout the world ; to all the dutifull sons of those fathers wheresoever ; you may not hope that so many learned and eminent divines , who finde themselves equally interessed in this quarrell , can suffer either so just a cause unseconded , or so high insolence unchastised ; for my selfe , i remember the story that plutarch tels of the contestation betweene crassus and deiotarus ; men well-stricken in age , and yet attempting severall exploits , not so proper for their gray haires : what , said crassus to deiotarus ; doest thou begin to build a city , now in the latter end of the day ? and truly , said deiotarus to him againe , i think it somewhat with the latest for you to think of conquering the parthians : some witty lookers on , will perhaps apply both these to me ; it is the city of god , the euangelicall hierusalem which some factious hands have miserably demolished , is it for shaking and wrinkled hands to build up againe , now in the very setting , and shutting in of the day ? they are dangerous and not inexpert parthians , who shoot out their arrowes , even bitter invectives , against the sacred and apostolicall government of the church , and such as know how to fight , fleeing ; are these fit for the vanquishing of a decrepit leader ? shortly then , since i see that our smectymnuans have vowed , ( like as some impetuous scolds are wont to doe ) to have the last word ; and have set up a resolution ( by taking advantage of their multitude ) to tyre out their better imployed adversary , with meere length of discourse , and to do that by bulk of body , which by cleane strength they cannot , i have determined to take off my hand from this remayning controversie of episcopacy ( wherein i have said enough already , without the returne of answer , and indeed anticipated all those thred-bare objections which are here againe regested to the weary reader ) and to turne off my combined opposites to matches more meet for their age and quality : with this profession notwithstanding , that if i shall finde ( which i hope i never shall ) this just and holy cause ( whether out of insensiblenesse , or cautious reservednesse ) neglected by more able defenders ; i shall borrow so much time from my better thoughts , as to bestow some strictures , where i may not afford a large confutation ; i have ever held {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which as it holds in whatsoever matter of discourse , so especially in this so beaten subject of episcopacy ; wherein since i finde it impossible for my adversaries to fal upon any but former notions , oft urged , oft answered , for brevity sake we will content our selves with what that learned rivet spake of the two treatises of scultetus , haec omnia jam dudum sunt protrita & profligata : with this yet for a conclusion , that if in this their wordy , and wearisome volume , they shall meet with any one argument , which they dare avow for new , they shall expect their answer by the next post . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- tertul. apol. c. . pag. of the defence — august . ep. . justin martyr . apol. . concil. laodie . c. . concil. carthag . . concil. milevit . . hieron. ad euagr. greg. naz. orat. . firmilianus in cypr. ep . ambr. in presbyt . consignant . concil. antioch . c. . d. raynolds . orig. contr. cels . august . contr. crescon. l. . in the answer to the humble remonstrance . episcopall bravado . p. treason , treason . p. episcopall zeal broke into flames of indignation . p. . we know not what his arrogancie might attempt . p. so many falsities and contradictions . p. a face of confident boldnesse . p. a self-confounded man . p. notorious falsity . p. notorious — p. not leave his — p. os durum p. forgets not himself , but god also . p. words bordering upon blasphemie . p. indignation will not suffer us to prosecute these falsities . p. a stirrup for antichrist . p. antichristian government . p. we thank god we are none of you . p. borders upon antichrist . p. pride , rebellion , treason , unthankfulnesse , which have issued from episcopacie . p. defence , p. . notes for div a e- doth hee say , those iudges were called areopagi ? parag. . answ . p. . they cite it [ no lesse haynous ] these words [ ruling under one acknowledged soveraigne ] are purposely left out in their citation of them to make the proposition odious : what fidelity there is in this , let the reader judge . the first and greatest zelot at franckford . lib de obedient . and buchanan in his booke de jure regni . nos autem id contendimus , populum à quo reges nostri habent quicquid juris sibi vendicant , regibus esse potentiorem , jus quidem in illos habere multitudinē , &c. buchan . de jure regni . parag. . parag. . cypr. l. . ep. . act for the uniformity of common prayer . ● . eliz. tolerabiles ineptiae . in anglorū controversia moderationē tenui , cujus me non poenitet . cal. epist. parag. . author of the use of publique prayer . this is that which is ordinarily termed by thēa sacrifice of fools , out eccles. . . precantes sumus pro omnibus imperatoribus ; vitam prolixam , imperiū securū , domū tutam , exercitus fortes , senatū fidelē , populum probum , orbem quietum . tert. apol. c. . your cavill in the margin of your book , shews you want matter of quarrell ; the suas , which you would have in stead of nostras , is a disadvantage to your self : those are called the peoples prayers , which the church ever had , and shall have ; and those were to be looked on , therefore prescribed , and to be read ; there being a clear opposition betwixt audirent , and intuerentur . iustin mart. apol. . use of publique prayers . the word may as well imply all intention of voyce , because the congregation was large . pag. . parag. . conc. laod. c. . conc. laod. c. . conc. carthag. . c. . centur. magdeb. cent . . c. . concil. milevit . . vid. author of the use of publike prayer . pag. , . cent. . c. . where we often in our prayer , say , give us , o lord almighty , give us a portion with thy prophets , give us a portion with the apostles of thy christ , grant that we may be found in the footsteps of thine onely begotten son . parag. . so hannah made her private prayers in the house of god , sam. . . mor. de ples . de missa . l. . c. . p. fagius in paraphras . chald. in lev. . & in . du pless . de missa & ejus partibus . l. . c. . ( verba tanquam concepta ) the very words as conceived by him . lyran. in lev. . lud cappell . spic in act. whence we may see , that the prayer for which peter and john went up to the temple , was that which the jews called {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the lesser oblation ; which answered to the evening oblation prescribed by the law , &c. parag. . postea mortuus est adrianus , cujus deus non misereatur ; obiitque cum luctu & magna contritione ; tempus autem regni , anni sunt . ( deus conterat ejus ossa ) ita ut computus annorum ab adamo ad mortem ejus . mens. . quo tempore &c. abstulit librum optimum qui penes illos fuit , jam inde a diebus illis tranquillis & pacificis , qui comprehendebat cantiones & preces sacrificiis praemissas ; singulis enim sacrificiis singulas praemiserunt cantiones jam tum diebus pacis usitatas , quae omnia accurate conscripta in singulas transmissa subsequentes generationes à tempore legati ( moses sc. ) ad hunc usque diem per ministorium pontificum max. hunc ille librum abstulit , &c. quo libro historia nulla praeter pentateuchū mosis antiquior invenitur , &c. chron. samaritan . parag. . num. . , . num. . , , , . capell . spicil . in act. . p. fagius in chal. parap . levit. . o domine , peccarunt , iniqua egerunt , &c. et cum offerret juvencum pro peccato . ubi supra . p. fagius in chal. parap . deut. . parag. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . euseb. de vita const. li . . c. . morn . de pless . lib. de miss. cap. . concil. anc. luke . heb. . . cor. . . parag. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . calvin epist. to the protector , &c. prius citat . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . paragr. . para. . para. . pag. . episc. by d. r. p. . . para. . plutarch in vita crassi . the devovt soul, or, rules of heavenly devotion : also, the free prisoner, or, the comfort of restraint by jos. h. b.n. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the devovt soul, or, rules of heavenly devotion : also, the free prisoner, or, the comfort of restraint by jos. h. b.n. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by w.h., and are to be sold by george latham, junior ..., london : . "severall tractates written by dr. hall b. of norwich, in and since his imprisonment and retiring": p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng devotional literature. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the devovt soul , or , rules of heavenly devotion . also , the free prisoner , or , the comfort of restraint . by jos. h. b. n. london , printed by w. h. and are to be sold by george latham , junior , at the bishops-head in st. pauls church-yard . m. dc . l. to all christian readers , grace and peace , that in a time when we heare no noise but of drums and trumpets , and talk of nothing but armes , and sieges , & battels , i should write of devotion , may seem to some of you strange & unseasonable ; to me , contrarily , it seems most fit and opportune ; for when can it be more proper to direct our adress to the throne of grace , than when we are in the very jawes of death ? or when should we goe to seek the face of our god , rather , than in the needfull time of trouble ? blessed be my god , who in the midst of these wofull tumults , hath vouchsafed to give me these calm , & holy thoughts ; which i justly suppose , he meant not to suggest , that they should be smothered in the breast wherein they were conceived , but with a purpose to have the benefit communicated unto many . who is there that needs not vehement excitations , and helps to devotion ? and when more than now ? in a tempest the mariners themselves doe not only cry everyman to his god , but awaken jonah , that is fast asleep under the hatches , and chide him to his prayers . surely , had we not bin failing in our devotions , we could not have been thus universally miserable ; that duty , the neglect whereof is guilty of our calamity , must in the effectuall performance of it , be the meanes of our recovery . be but devout , and we cannot miscarry under judgements ; wee is mee , the teares of penitence , were more fit to quench the publique flame , than bloud . how soone would it clear up above head , if wee were but holily affected within ? could wee send our zealous ambassadours up to heaven , we could not fail of an happy peace . i direct the way ; god bring us to the end ; for my owne particular practice ; god is witnesse to my soule , that ( as one , the sense of whose private affliction is swallowed up of the publique ) i cease not daily to ●ly the father of mercies with my fervent prayers , that hee would , at last , be pleased , after so many streames of bloud , to passe an act of pacification in heaven : and what good heart can do otherwise ? brethren , all ye that love god , and his church , and his truth , and his anointed , and your countrey , & your selves , and yours , joyn your forces with mine , and let us by an holy violence make way to the gates of heaven with our petition , for mercy and peace ; and not suffer our selves to be beaten off from the threshold of grace , till wee be answered with a condescent . he , whose goodness is wont to prevent our desires , will not give denyals to our importunities . pray , and farewell . norwich . march . . the devout sovle . sect . i. devotion is the life of religion , the very soule of piety , the highest imploiment of grace ; and no other than the prepossession of heaven by the saints of god here upon earth ; every improvement whereof is of more advantage and value to the christian soul , than all the profit & contentments which this world can afford it . there is a kind of art of devotion ( if we can attain unto it ) whereby the practice thereof may bee much advanced : we have known indeed some holy soules , which out of the generall precepts of piety , and their own happy experiments of gods mercy , have , through the grace of god , grown to a great measure of perfection this way ; which yet might have been much expedited , and compleated , by those helps , which the greater illumination and experience of others might have afforded them : like as we see it in other faculties ; there are those , who out of a naturall dexterity , and their own frequent practice , have got into a safe posture of defence , and have handled their weapon with commendable skill , whom yet the fence-schoole might have raised to an higher pitch of cunning : as nature is perfited , so grace is not a little furthered by art ; since it pleaseth the wisedome of god , to work ordinarily upon the soul , not by the immediate power of miracle , but in such methods , and by such means , as may most conduce to his blessed ends . it is true , that all our good motions come from the spirit of god ; neither is it lesse true , that all the good counsails of others proceed from the same spirit ; & that good spirit cannot be crosse to itself ; he therefore that infuses good thoughts into us , suggests also such directions , as may render us apt both to receive and improve them : if god be bounteous , we may not be idle , and neglective of our spirituall aids . sect . ii. if you tell me ( by way of instance in a particular act of devotion ) that there is a gift of prayer , and that the spirit of god is not tied to rules ; i yeeld both these ; but withall , i must say there are also helps of prayer , and that we must not expect immediate inspirations : i find the world much mistaken in both ; they thinke that man hath the gift of prayer , that can utter the thoughts of his heart roundly unto god , that can expresse himself smoothly in the phrase of the holy ghost , and presse god with most proper words , & passionate vehemence : and surely this is a commendable faculty whersoever it is : but this is not the gift of prayer ; you may call it , if you will , the gift of elocution . doe wee say that man hath the gift of pleading , that can talk eloquently at the barre , that can in good termes loud and earnestly importune the judge for his client ; and not rather hee that brings the strongest reason , and quotes his books , and precedents with most truth , and clearest evidence , so as may convince the jury , and perswade the judge ? do wee say hee hath the gift of preaching , that can deliver himself in a flowing manner of speech , to his hearers , that can cite scriptures , or fathers , that can please his auditory with the flowers of rhetorick ; or rather , he , that can divide the word aright , interpret it soundly , apply it judiciously , put it home to the conscience , speaking in the evidence of the spirit , powerfully convincing the gainsayers , comforting the dejected , and drawing every soule nearer to heaven ? the like must we say for prayer ; the gift whereof hee may be truely said to have , not that hath the most rennible tongue , ( for prayer is not so much a matter of the lips , as of the heart ) but he , that hath the most illuminated apprehension of the god to whom he speakes , the deepest sense of his own wants , the most eager longings after grace , the ferventest desires of supplies from heaven ; and in a word , whose heart sends up the strongest groanes and cries to the father of mercies . neither may we look for enthusiasmes , & immediate inspirations ; putting our selves upon gods spirit , in the solemn exercises of our invocation , without heed , or meditation ; the dangerous inconvenience wherof hath been too often found in the rash , and unwarrantable expressions that have fallen from the mouths of unwary suppliants ; but we must addresse our selves with due preparation , to that holy worke ; we must digest our sutes ; & fore-order our supplications to the almighty ; so that there may be excellent and necessary use of meet rules of our devotion . he , whose spirit helps us to pray , and whose lips taughts us how to pray , is an all-sufficient example for us : all the skill of men , and angels , cannot afford a more exquisite modell of supplicatory devotion , than that blessed saviour of ours gave us in the mount ; led in by a divine , and heart-raising preface , carried out with a a strong and heavenly enforcement ; wherein an awfull compellation makes way for petition ; and petition makes way for thanksgiving ; the petitions marshalled in a most exact order , for spirituall blessings , which have an immediate concernment of god , in the first place ; then for temporall favours , which concern our selves , in the second ; so punctuall a method had notbeen observed by him that heareth prayers , if it had been all one to him , to have had our devotions confused , and tumultuary . sect . iii. there is commonly much mistaking of devotion , as if it were nothing but an act of vocall prayer , expiring with that holy breath , and revived with the next taske of our invocation ; which is usually measured of many , by frequence , length , smoothnesse of expression , lowdnes , vehemence ; whereas , indeed it is rather an habituall disposition of an holy soul , sweetly conversing with god , in all the forms of an heavenly ( yet awfull ) familiarity ; and a constant entertainment of our selves here below with the god of spirits , in our sanctified thoughts , and affections ; one of the noble exercises whereof , is our accesse to the throne of grace in our prayers ; whereto may be added , the ordering of our holy attendance upon the blessed word & sacraments of the almighty : nothing hinders therefore , but that a stammering suppliant may reach to a more eminent devotion , than hee that can deliver himself in the most fluent and patheticall formes of elocution ; and that our silence may bee more devout than our noise . we shall not need to send you to the cels or cloysters for this skill ; although it will hardly be believed , how far some of their contemplative men have gone in the theory hereof ; perhaps , like as chymists give rules for the attaining of that elixir , which they never found ; for sure they must needs fail of that perfection they pretend ; who erre commonly in the object of it , alwayes in the ground of it , which is faith ; stripped , by their opinion , of the comfortablest use of it , certainty of application . sect . iv. as there may be many resemblances betwixt light and devotion , so this one especially ; that as there is a light universally diffused through the aire , and there is a particular recollection of light into the body of the sun and stars ; so it is in devotion ; there is a generall kind of devotion that goes through the renewed heart and life of a christian , which wee may terme habitual , and virtual ; and there is a speciall , and fixed exercise of devotion , which we name actuall . the soule that is rightly affected to god , is never void of an holy devotion ; where ever it is , what ever it doth , it is still lifted up to god , and fastned upon him , and converses with him ; ever serving the lord in feare , and rejoycing in him with trembling . for the effectuall performance whereof , it is requisite first , that the heart bee setled in a right apprehension of our god ; without which , our devotion is not thanklesse onely , but sinfull : with much labour therefore , & agitation of a mind illuminated from above , we must find our selves wrought to an high , awfull , adorative , and constant conceit of that incomprehensible majesty , in whom wee live , and move , and are ; one god , in three most glorious persons , infinite in wisdome , in power , in justice , in mercy , in providence , in all that he is , in all that he hath , in all that he doth ; dwelling in light inaccessible , attended with thousand thousands of angels ; whom yet we neither can know , ( neither would it availe us if we could ) but in the face of the eternall son of his love , our blessed mediatour god and man ; who sits at the right hand of majesty in the highest heavens ; from the sight of whose glorious humanity , we comfortably rise to the contemplation of that infinite deity , whereto it is inseparably united ; in and by him , ( made ours by a lively faith ) finding our persons , and obedience accepted , expecting our ful redemption , and blessednesse . here , here must our hearts be unremoveably fixed ; in his light must we see light : no cloudy occurrences of this world , no busie imployments , no painfull sufferings must hinder us from thus seeing him that is invisible . sect . v. neither doth the devout heart see his grd aloof off , as dwelling above , in the circle of heaven , but beholds that infinite spirit really present with him ; the lord is upon thy right hand , saith the psalmist . our bodily eye doth not more certainly see our owne flesh , than the spirituall eye sees god , close by us ; yea in us ; a mans own soule is not so intimate to himselfe , as god is to his soule ; neither do we move by him only , but in him : what a sweet conversation therefore , hath the holy soul with his god ? what heavenly conferences have they two , which the world is not privy to ; whiles god entertains the soul with the divine motions of his spirit , the soul entertaines god with gracious compliances ? is the heart heavy with the grievous pressures of affliction ? the soule goes in to his god , and pours out it selfe before him in earnest bemoanings , and supplications ; the god of mercy answers the soule again , with seasonable refreshings of comfort : is the heart secretly wounded and bleeding with the conscience of some sinne ? it speedily betakes it selfe to the great physician of the soul , who forthwith applyes the balm of gilead for an unfailing and present cure : is the heart distracted with doubts ? the soule retires to that inward oracle of god for counsail , he returnes to the soule an happy settlement of just resolution : is the heart deeply affected with the sense of some speciall favour from his god ? the soul breaks forth into the passionate voice of praise & thanksgiving ; god returns the pleasing testimony of a cheerful acceptation : oh blessed soul , that hath a god to go unto upon all occasions ; oh infinite mercy of a god , that vouchsafes to stoop to such intirents with dust & ashes . it was a gracious speech of a worthy divine upon his death-bed , now breathing towards heaven , that he should change his place not his company : his conversation was now before hand with his god , and his holy angels ; the only difference was , that he was now going to a more free and full fruition of the lord of life , in that region of glory above , whom he had truly ( though with weaknes and imperfection ) injoyed in this vale of tears . sect . vi. now , that these mutuall respects may be sure not to coole with intermission , the devout heart takes all occasions both to thinke of god , and to speak to him . there is nothing that hee sees , which doth not bring god to his thoughts . indeed , there is no creature , werein there are not manifest footsteps of omnipotence ; yea , which hath not a tongue to tell us of it's maker . the heaven declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke ; one day telleth another , and one night certifieth another : yea , o lord , how manifold are thy works ! in wisdome hast thou made them all : the earth is full of thy riches , so is the great and wide sea , where are things creeping innumerable , both small and great beasts : every herb , flower , spire of grasse , every twig and leaf ; every worm and fly ; every scale and feather ; every billow and meteor , speaks the power and wisdom of their infinite creator ; solomon sends the sluggard to the ant ; esay sends the jews to the ox and the asse ; our saviour sends his disciples to the ravens , & to the lillies of the field ; there is no creature of whom we may not learn something ; we shall have spent our time ill in this great schoole of the world , if in such store of lessons , we be non-proficients in devotion . vaine idolaters make to themselves images of god , whereby they sinfully represent him to their thoughts and adoration ; could they have the wit and grace to see it , god hath taken order to spare them this labor , in that he hath stamped in every creature such impressions of his infinite power , wisdome , goodnes , as may give us just occasion to worship and praise him with a safe and holy advantage to our soules : for the invisible things of god , from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternall power and godhead . and indeed , wherefore serve all the volumes of naturall history , but to be so many commentaries upon the severall creatures , wherein we may read god ; and even those men who have not the skill , or leisure to peruse them , may yet out of their own thoughts , and observation , raise from the sight of all the works of god sufficient matter to glorifie him . who can be so stupid as not to take notice of the industry of the bee , the providence of the ant , the cunning of the spider , the reviving of the flye , the worms endeavour of revenge , the subtilty of the foxe , the sagacity of the hedge-hog , the innocence and profitablenesse of the sheep , the laboriousnesse of the oxe , the obsequiousness of the dog , the timorous shifts of the hare , the nimblenesse of the dear , the generosity of the lion , the courage of the horse , the fiercenesse of the tiger , the chearful musick of birds , the harmlesnesse of the dove , the true love of the turtle , the cocks observation of time , the swallows architecture , shortly , ( for it were easie here to be endlesse ) of the severall qualities , and dispositions of every of those our fellow-creatures , with whom we converse on the face of the earth ; and who that takes notice of them , cannot fetch from every act , and motion of theirs , some monition of duty , and occasion of devout thoughts ? surely , i fear many of us christians , may justly accuse our selves as too neglective of our duty this way ; that having thus long spent our time in this great academy of the world , we have not , by so many silent documents , learned to ascribe more glory to our creator ; i doubt those creatures if they could exchange their brutality with our reason , being now so docible as to learn of us so far as their sense can reach , would approve themselves better scholars to us , than we have been unto them . withall , i must add that the devout soul stands not alwaies in need of such outward monitors , but findes within it selfe , sufficient incitements to raise up it self to a continuall minding of god ; and makes use of them accordingly ; and , if at any time , being taken up with importunate occasions of the world , it finds god missing but an hour , it chides it selfe for such neglect , and sets it self to recover him with so much more eager affection : as the faithfull spouse in the canticles , when she finds him whom her soul loved , withdrawn from her for a season , puts her self into a speedy search after him , and gives not over till shee have attained his presence . sect . vii . now as these many monitors both outward & inward , must elevate our hearts very frequently , to god ; so those raised hearts must not entertain him with a dumbe contemplation , but must speak to him in the language of spirits : all occasions therefore must be taken of sending forth pious and heavenly ejaculations to god ; the devout soul may doe this more than an hundred times a day , without any hindrance to his speciall vocation : the huswife at her wheel , the weaver at his loome , the husbandman at his plough , the artificer in his shop , the traveller in his way , the merchant in his warehouse may thus enjoy god in his busiest imploiment ; for , the soule of man is a nimble spirit ; and the language of thoughts needs not take up time ; and though we now , for examples sake , cloath them in words , yet in our practice we need not : now these ejaculations may bee either at large , or occasionall : at large , such as that of old jacob , o lord i have waited for thy salvation ; or that of david , o save me for thy mercies sake : and these either in matter of humiliation , or of imploration , or of thanksgiving : in all which , we cannot follow a better pattern than the sweet singer of israel , whose heavenly conceptions we may either borrow , or imitate . in way of humiliation , such as these . heal my soul o lord , for i have sinned against thee . oh remember not my old sins , but have mercy upon mee . if thou wilt be extreme to mark what is done amisse , o lord who may abide it ? lord thou knowest the thoughts of man that they are but vaine . o god why abhorrest thou my soul , and hidest thy face from me . in way of imploration . up lord , and help me o god ; oh let my heart bee sound in thy statutes , that i be not ashamed . lord , where are thy old loving mercies ? oh deliver me , for i am helplesse , and my heart is wounded within me . comfort the soul of thy servant , for unto thee o lord , doe i lift up my soul . go not far from me o god. o knit my heart unto thee that i may fear thy name . thou art my helper and redeemer , o lord make no long tarrying . oh be thou my helpe in trouble , for vain is the help of man. oh guide me with thy counsell , and after that receive me to thy glory . my time is in thy hand , deliver me from the hands of mine enemies . oh withdraw not thy mercy from me , o lord. lead me o lord in thy righteousness because of mine enemies . o let my soul live , and it shall praise thee . in way of thanksgiving : oh god , wonderfull art thou in thine holy places . o lord , how glorious are thy workes ! & thy thoughts are very deep . oh god , who is like unto thee ! the lord , liveth , and blessed be my strong helper . lord , thy loving kindnesse is better than life it self . all thy works praise thee , o lord , and thy saints give thanks unto thee . oh how manifold are thy workes ! in wisdome hast thou made them all . who is god but the lord , and who hath any strength except our god ? wee will rejoyce in thy salvation , and triumph in thy name o lord. o that men would praise the lord for his goodnesse . oh how plentifull is thy goodnesse , which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee ! thou lord hast never failed them that seek thee . in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy , and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore . lord , what is man that thou art mindfull of him ? not unto us lord , not unto us , but unto thy name give the praise . sect . viii . occasionall ejaculations are such , as are moved upon the presence of some such object as carries a kind of relation or analogy to that holy thought which we have entertained . of this nature i find that , which was practised in s. basils time ; that , upon the lighting of candles , the manner was to blesse god in these words , praise be to god the father , and the son , and the holy ghost ; which that father says was anciently used ; but who was the author of it he professeth to bee unknown : to the same purpose was the lucernarium , which was a part of the evening office of old ; for which , there may seem to be more colour of reason , than for the ordinary fashion of apprecation , upon occasion of our sneesing ; which is expected , and practised by many , out of civility : old and reverend beza was wont to move his hat with the rest of the company , but to say withall , gramercy madame la superstition ; now , howsoever in this , or any other practice , which may seeme to carry with it a smacke of superstition , our devotion may be groundlesse and unseasonable , yet nothing hinders but that we may take just & holy hints of raising up our hearts to our god. as when we doe first look forth , and see the heavens over our heads , to thinke , the heavens declare thy glory o god. when we see the day breaking , or the sun rising , the day is thine , and the night is thine , thou hast prepared the light and the sunne . when the light shines in our faces , thou deckest thy self with light as with a garment ; or , light is sprung up for the righteous . when we see our garden imbellisht with flowers , the earth is full of the goodnesse of the lord. when we see a rough sea , the waves of the sea rage horribly , and are mighty ; but the lord that dwelleth on high , is mightier than they . when we see the darknesse of the night , the darknes is no darknes with thee . when we rise up from our bed , or our seat , lord thou knowest my down-sitting , and my up-rising ; thou understādest my thoughts afar off . when we wash our hands , wash thou me , o lord , and i shall be whiter than snow . when we are walking forth , o hold thou up my goings in thy paths , that my footsteps slip not . when we hear a passing-bell , oh teach me to number my dayes , that i may apply my heart to wisdome : or , lord , let me know my end , and the number of my dayes . thus may wee dart out our holy desires to god , upon all occasions ; wherein , heed must be taken that our ejaculations be not , on the one side , so rare , that our hearts grow to be hard and strange to god , but that they may be held on in continuall acknowledgement of him , and acquaintance with him ; and , on the other side , that they be not so overfrequent in their perpetual reiteration , as that they grow to be ( like that of the romish votaries ) fashionable ; which if great care bee not taken , will fall out , to the utter frustrating of our devotion . shortly , let the measure of these devout glances be , the preserving our hearts in a constant tendernes , & godly disposition ; which shall be further actuated upon all opportunities , by the exercises of our more enlarged , and fixed devotion : whereof there is the same variety that there is in gods services , about which it is conversant . there are three maine businesses wherein god accounts his service , here below , to consist ; the first is , our address to the throne of grace , and the pouring out of our souls before him in our prayers : the second is , the reading and hearing his most holy word ; the third is , the receit of his blessed sacraments ; in all which there is place and use for a fetled devotion . sect . ix . to begin with the first work of our actual , and enlarged devotion : some things are pre-required of us , to make us capable of the comfortable performance of so holy and heavenly a duty ; namely , that the heart be cleane first , and then that it be cleare : clean from the defilement of any knowne sin ; cleare from all intanglements and distractions : what doe wee in our prayers , but converse with the almighty ? and either carry our soules up to him , or bring him down to us ; now , it is no hoping , that we can entertaine god in an impure heart : even wee men loath a nasty and sluttish lodging ; how much more will the holy god abhorre an habitation spiritually filthy ? i find that even the unclean spirit made that a motive of his repossession , that he found the house swept and garnished : satans cleanlinesse is pollution ; and his garnishment , disorder and wickednesse ; without this he findes no welcome ; each spirit looks for an entertainment answerable to his nature ; how much more will that god of spirits , who is purity it selfe , look to be harboured in a cleanly room ? into a malicious soul wisdome shall not enter , nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin . what friend would be pleased that wee should lodge him in a lazar-house ? or who would abide to have a toad lie in his bosome ? surely , it is not in the verge of created nature to yeeld any thing that can be so noisome and odious to the sense of man , as sin is to that absolute , and essentiall goodnesse : his pure eyes cannot indure the sight of sin ; neither can he indure that the sinner should come within the sight of him ; away from me , yee wicked , is his charge , both here , and hereafter . it is the privilege and happinesse of the pure in heart , that they shall see god ; see him both in the end , and in the way ; enjoying the vision of him , both in grace , and in glory : this is no object for impure eys : descend into thy self therefore , and ransack thy heart , who ever wouldst be a true client of devotion ; search all the close windings of it , with the torches of the law of god ; and if there be any iniquity found lurking in the secret corners therof , drag it out and abandon it ; and when thou hast done , that thy fingers may retaine no pollution , say with the holy psalmist ; i will wash my hands in innocence , so will i goe to thine altar . presume not to approach the altar of god , there to offer the sacrifice of thy devotion , with uncleane hands : else thine offering shall be so far from winning an acceptance for thee , from the hands of god ; as that thou shalt make thine offering abominable . and if a beast touch the mount , it shall dye . sect . x. as the soul must be clean from sin , so it must bee clear and free from distractions . the intent of our devotion is to welcome god to our hearts ; now where shall we entertain him , if the rooms be full thronged with cares , and turbulent passions ? the spirit of god will not endure to be crowded up together with the world in our strait lodgings ; an holy vacuity must make way for him in our bosoms . the divine patterne of devotion , in whom the godhead dwelt bodily , retires into the mount to pray ; he that carried heaven with him , would even thus leave the world below him . alas , how can we hope to mount up to heaven in our thoughts , if wee have the clogs of earthly cares hanging at our heels : yea , not only must there bee a shutting out of all distractive cares , and passions , which are professed enemies to our quiet conversing with god in our devotion , but there must be also a denudation of the minde from all those images of our phantasie ( how pleasing soever ) that may carry our thoughts aside from those better objects : we are like to foolish children , who when they should be stedfastly looking on their books , are apt to gaze after every butter-fly , that passetin by them ; here must be therefore a carefull intention of our thoughts , a restraint from all vaine , and idle rovings , and an holding our selves close to our divine taske : whiles martha is troubled about many things , her devouter sister , having chosen the better part , plyes the one thing necessary , which shall never be taken from her ; and whiles martha would feast christ with bodily fare , she is feasted of christ with heavenly delicacies . sect . xi . after the heart is thus cleansed and thus cleared , it must bee in the next place decked with true humility , the cheapest , yet best ornament of the soul . if the wise man tel us , that pride is the beginning of sin ; surely , all gracious dispositions must begin in humility . the foundation of all high and stately buildings must be laid low : they are the lowly valleys that soak in the showres of heaven , which the steep hils shelve off , and prove dry and fruitlesse . to that man will i look ( saith god ) that is poore , and of 〈◊〉 contrite spirit , and trembleth at my word : hence it is , that the more eminent any man is in grace , the more he is dejected in the sight of god ; the father of the faithfull comes to god under the stile of dust , and ashes : david under the stile of a worm and no man ; agur the son of jakeh , under the title of more brutish than any man , and one that hath not the understanding of a man ; john baptist , as not morthy to carry the shooes of christ after him ; paul , as the least of saints , and chiefe of sinners : on the contrary , the more vile any man is in his owne eyes , and the more dejected in the sight of god , the higher he is exalted in gods favour : like as the conduict-water , by how much lower it fals , the higher it riseth . when therefore we would appeare before god , in our solemn devotions , we must see that we empty our selves of all proud conceits , and find our hearts fully convinced of our own vilenesse , yea nothingness in his sight . down , down with all our high thoughts ; fall wee low before our great and holy god ; not to the earth only , but to the very brim of hell , in the conscience of our owne guiltinesse ; for though the miserable wretchednesse of our nature may bee a sufficient cause of our humiliation , yet the consideration of our detestable sinfulnesse is that which will depresse us lowest in the sight of god. sect . xii . it is fit the exercise of our devotion should begin in an humble confession of our unword●●nesse . now for the effectual furtherance of this our self-dejection , it will be requisite to bend our eyes upon a threefold object ; to look inward into our selves , upward to heaven , downwards to hell . first , to turne our eyes into our bosomes , and to take a view ( not without a secret self-loathing ) of that world of corruption that hath lien hidden there ; & therupon to accuse , arraign , and condemn our selves before that awful tribunall of the judge of heaven and earth ; both of that originall pollution , which we have drawn from the tainted loins of our first parents ; and those innumerable actuall wickednesses derived there-from ; which have stained our persons and lives . how can we bee but throughly humbled , to see our souls utterly overspread with the odious and abominable leprosie of sin : we find that uzziah bore up stoutly a while , against the priests of the lord , in the maintenance of his sacrilegious presumption , but when he saw himself turn'd lazar , on the suddain , he is confounded in himselfe , and in a depth of shame hastens away from the presence of god to a sad , and penitentiall retirednes . we should need no other arguments to loath our selves , than the sight of our own faces , so miserably deformed with the nasty and hatefull scurse of our iniquity : neither only must we be content to shame , and grieve our eyes with the foule nature and condition of our sins , but we must represent them to our selves in all the circumstances that may aggravate their nainousnesse . alas , lord , any one sin is able to damne a soul ; i have committed many , yea numberlesse : they have not possessed me single , but , as that evill spirit said , their name is legion ; neither have i committed these sins once , but often ; thine angels ( that were ) sinned but once , and are damned for ever ; i have frequently reiterated the same offences , where ( then were it not for thy mercy ) shall i appear ? neither have i only done them in the time of my ignorance , but since i received sufficient illumination from thee ; it is not in the darke that i have stumbled , and faln , but in the midst of the clear light and sun-shine of thy gospel , and in the very face of thee my god ; neither have these been the slips of my weaknesse , but the bold miscarriages of my presumption ; neither have i offended out of inconsideration , and inadvertency , but after and against the checks of a remurmuring conscience ; after so many gracious warnings , and fatherly admonitions , after so many fearfull examples of thy judgements , after so infinite obligations of thy favours . and thus having look't inward into ourselves , and taken an impartiall view of our own vilenesse , it will be requisite to cast our eyes upward unto heaven , and there to see against whom we have offended ; even against an infinite majesty , & power , an infinite mercy , an infinite justice ; that power and majesty which hath spread out the heavens as a curtain , and hath laid the foundations of the earth so sure that it cannot be moved ; who hath shut up the sea with bars and doors , and said , hitherto shalt thou come and no further , and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves ; who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth ; who commandeth the devils to their chains , able therfore to take infinite vengeance on sinners . that mercy of god the father , who gave his own son out of his bosome for our redemption ; that mercy of god the son , who , thinking it no robbery to be equall unto god , for our sakes made himself of no reputation , and took upon him the form of a servant ; and being found in fashion as a man , humbled himself , and became obedient to the death , even the accursed death of the crosse ; that mercy of god the holy ghost , who hath made that christ mine , and hath sealed to my soule the benefit of that blessed redemption ; lastly , that justice of god , which as it is infinitely displeased with every sin , so will be sure to take infinite vengeance on every impenitent sinner . and from hence it will be fit and seasonable for the devout soul , to look downward into that horrible pit of eternall confusion ; and there to see the dreadful , unspeakable , unimaginable torments of the damned ; to represent unto it selfe the terrors of those everlasting burnings ; the fire and brimstone of that infernall tophet ; the mercilesse and unwearible tyranny of those hellish executioners ; the shrieks , and howlings , and gnashings of the tormented ; the unpitiable , interminable , unmitigable tortures of those ever-dying , and yet never-dying souls . by all which , we shall justly affright our selves into a deep sense of the dangerous and wofull condition wherein we lie in the state of nature and impenitence , and shal be driven with an holy eagernesse to seek for christ , the son of the ever-living god , our blessed mediator ; in and by whom only , we can look for the remission of all these our sins , a reconcilement with this most powerfull , mercifull , just god , and a deliverance of our soules from the hand of the nethermost hell . sect . xiii . it shall not now need , or boot to bid the soul which is truely apprehensive of all these , to sue importunately to the lord of life for a freedome , and rescue from these infinite paines of eternall death , to which our sinnes have forfeited it ; and for a present happy recovery of that favour , which is better than life . have we heard , or can wee imagine some hainous malefactor , that hath received the sentence of death , and is now bound hand , and foot , ready to be cast into a den of lions , or a burning furnace , with what strong cries , and passionate obsecrations he plies the judge for mercy ? wee may then conceive some little image of the vehement sute , and strong cries of a soul truly sensible of the danger of gods wrath deserved by his sin , and the dreadful consequents of deserved imminent damnation ; although what proportion is there betwixt a weak creature , and the almighty ; betwixt a moment , and eternity ? hereupon therefore followes a vehement longing ( uncapable of a denial ) after christ ; and fervent aspirations to that saviour , by whom only we receive a ful and gracious deliverance from death and hell ; and a full pardon and remission of all our sins ; and if this come not the sooner , strong knocking 's at the gates of heaven , even so loud that the father of mercies cannot but hear & open : never did any contrite soul beg of god , that was not prevented by his mercy ; much more doth he condescend when he is strongly intreated ; our very intreaties are from him , hee puts into us those desires which he graciously answers : now therfore doth the devout soul see the god of all comfort to bow the heavens , and come down with healing in his wings ; and heare him speak peace unto the heart thus throughly humbled ; fear not , thou shalt not die but live . be of good cheare , thy sins are forgiven thee : here therefore comes in that divine grace of faith , effectually apprehending christ the saviour , and his infinite satisfaction and merits ; comfortably applying all the sweet promises of the gospel ; clinging close to that all-sufficient redeemer ; and in his most perfect obedience emboldning it selfe , to challenge a freedome of accesse to god , and confidence of appearance before the tribunal of heaven ; and now the soule clad with christs righteousnesse , dares look god in the face , and can both challenge and triumph over all the powers of darknesse : for , being justified by faith , we have peach with god through jesu christ our lord. sect . xiv . by how much deeper the sense of our misery and danger is , so much more welcome and joyfull is the apprehension of our deliverance ; and so much more thankfull is our acknowledgement of that unspeakable mercy : the soule therefore that is truly sensible of this wonderfull goodnesse of it's god ; as it feels a marvellous joy in it self , so it cannot but break sorth into cheerfull and holy ( though secret ) gratulations : the lord is full of compassion , and mercy , long suffering , and of great goodnes ; he keepeth not his anger for ever ; he hath not dealt with me after my sins , nor rewarded me after mine iniquities . what shal i render unto the lord for all his benefits towards me ? i will take the cup of salvation , and call upon the name of the lord. i will thank thee , for thou hast heard me , & hast not given me over to death , but art become my salvation . o speak good of the lord all ye works of his ; praise thou the lord o my soul . sect . xv. the more feelingly the soul apprehends , and the more thankfully it digests the favours of god in its pardon , and deliverance , the more freely doth the god of mercy impart himself to it ; and the more god imparts himself to it , the more it loves him , and the more heavenly acquaintance and entirenesse grows betwixt god & it ; and now that love which was but a spark at first grows into a flame ; and wholly takes up the soul . this fire of heavenly love in the devout soul , is , and must be heightned more and more , by the addition of the holy incentives of divine thoughts , concerning the means of our freedome and deliverance . and here , offers it self to us that bottomlesse abysse of mercy in our redemption , wrought by the eternall son of god , jesus christ the just , by whose stripes we are healed ; by whose bloud we are ransomed ; where none will befit us but admiring and adoring notions . we shall not disparage you , o ye blessed angels , and arch-angels of heaven , if we shall say , ye are not able to look into the bottome of this divine love , wherwith god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son , that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life : none , oh none can comprehend this mercy , but he that wrought it . lord what a transcendent , what an infinite love is this ? what an object was this for thee to love ? a world of sinners impotent , wretched creatures , that had dispighted thee , that had no motive for thy favour but deformity , misery , professed enmity ? it had been mercy enough in thee , that thou didst no● damn the world ; but that thou shouldst love it , 〈◊〉 more than mercy . it was thy great goodnesse to forbeare the acts of just vengeance to the sinful world of man ; but to give unto it tokens of thy love , is a favour beyond all expression . the least gift from thee had been more than the world could hope for ; but that thou shouldst not stick to give thine only begotten son , the son of thy love , the son of thine essence , thy coequal , coeternal son , who was more than ten thousand worlds , to redeem this one forlorne world of sinners , is love above all comprehension of men and angels . what diminution had it been to thee and thine essentiall glory , o thou great god of heaven , that the souls that sinned should have dyed , and perished everlastingly ? yet so infinite was thy loving mercy , that thou wouldest rather give thy onely sonne out of thy bosome , than that there should not be a redemption for beleevers . yet , o god , hadst thou sent down thy son to this lower region of earth , upon such termes , as that hee might have brought down heaven with him , that hee might have come in the port and majesty of a god , cloathed with celestiall glory , to have dazeled our eyes , and to have drawn all hearts unto him ; this might have seemed , in some measure , to have sorted with his divine magnificence ; but thou wouldst have him to appear in the wretched condition of our humanity : yet , even thus , hadst thou sent him into the world , in the highest estate , and pomp of royalty , that earth could afford , that all the kings and monarchs of the world should have been commanded to follow his train , and to glitter in his court ; and that the knees of all the potentates of the earth should have bowed to his soveraign majesty , and their lips have kissed his dust , this might have carried some kind of appearance of a state next to divine greatnesse ; but thou wouldst have him come in the despised form of a servant : and thou , o blessed jesu , wast accordingly willing for our sakes , to submit thy self to nakednesse , hunger , thirst , wearinesse , temptation , contempt , betraying , agonies , scorn , buffeting , scourgings , distention , crucifixion , death : oh love above measure , without example , beyond admiration ! greater love ( thou saiest ) hath no man , than this , that a man lay down his life for his friends ; but , oh , what is it then , that thou , who wert god and man , shouldst lay down thy life , ( more precious than many worlds ) for thine enemies ! yet , had it been but the laying down of a life , in a fair and gentle way , there might have been some mitigation of the sorrow of a dissolution ; there is not more difference betwixt life and death , than there may be betwixt some one kind of death and another ; thine , o dear saviour , was the painfull , shamefull , cursed death of the crosse ; wherein yet , all that man could do unto thee was nothing to that inward torment , which , in our stead , thou enduredst from thy fathers wrath ; when in the bitternesse of thine anguished soul , thou cryedst out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? even thus , thus wast thou content to be forsaken , that wee wretched sinners might bee received to mercy ; o love stronger than death which thou vanquishedst ! more high , than that hell is deep , from which thou hast rescued us ! sect . xvi . the sense of this infinite love of god cannot chuse but ravish the soul , and cause it to goe out of it self , into that saviour who hath wrought so mercifully for it ; so as it may be nothing in it self , but what it hath , or is , may be christ . by the sweet powers therefore of faith and love the soul finds it self united unto christ , feelingly , effectually , indivisibly : so as that it is not to be distinguished betwixt the acts of both : to me to live is christ , saith the blessed apostle ; and elsewhere , i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in me , and the life which now i live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god , who loved me , and gave himself for me . my beloved is mine , and i am his , saith the spouse of christ in her bridall song . o blessed union , next to the hypostaticall , whereby the humane nature of the son of god is taken into the participation of the eternall godhead . sect . xvii . out of the sense of this happy union ariseth an unspeakable complacency and delight of the soul in that god and saviour , who is thus inseparably ours , and by whose union we are blessed ; and an high appreciation of him above all the world ; and a contemptuous under-valuation of all earthly things , in comparison of him ; and this is no other than an heavenly reflection of that sweet contentment , which the god of mercies takes in the faithful soul ; thou hast ravisht my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast ravisht my heart with one of thine eyes . thou art beautifull , o my love , as tirzah , comely as jerusalem , turn away thine eyes from me , for they have overcome me . how fair is thy love , my sister , my spouse ? how much better is thy love than wine , and the smell of thine ointments better than all spices . and the soul answers him again in the same language of spirituall dearnesse ; my beloved is white and ruddy , the chief est among ten thousand . set me as a seal upon thine heart , as a seal upon thine arm , for love is as strong as death : and as in an ecstaticall qualm of passionate affection ; stay mee with fiaggons , and comfort me with apples , for i am sick of love . sect . xviii . upon this gracious complacency will follow an absolute self-resignation , or giving up our selves to the hands of that good god , whose we are , and who is ours ; and an humble contentednesse with his good pleasure in all things ; looking upon god with the same face , whether he smile upon us in his favours , or chastise us with his loving corrections ; if he speak good unto us , behold the servant of the lord ; be it unto me according to thy word ; if evill , it is the lord , let him doe whatsoever he will : here is therefore a cheerfull acquiescence in god ; and an hearty reliance , and casting our selves upon the mercy of so bountifull a god ; who having given us his son , can in and with him deny us nothing . sect . xix . upon this subacted disposition of heart will follow a familiar ( yet awfull ) compellation of god ; and an emptying of our souls before him in all our necessities . for that god , who is infinitely mercifull , yet will not have his favours otherwise conveighed to us than by our supplications . the style of his deare ones is , his people that prayeth , and his owne stile is , the god that heareth prayers : to him therefore doth the devout heart pour out all his requests with all true humility , with all fervour of spirit , as knowing , that god will hear neither proud prayers , nor heartlesse : wherein his holy desires are regulated by a just method ; first , suing for spirituall favours , as most worthy ; then for temporall , as the appendances of better ; and in both , aiming at the glory of our good god , more than our own advantage : and in the order of spirituall thngs , first and most for those that are most necessary , and essentiall for our souls health , than for secondary graces , that concern the prosperity & comfort of our spirituall life : absolutely craving those graces that accompany salvation , all others , conditionally , and with reference to the good pleasure of the munificent giver ; wherein , heed must be taken , that our thoughts be not so much taken up with our expressions , as with our desires ; and that we doe not suffer our selves to languish into an unfeeling length , and repetition of our sutes : even the hand of a moses , may in time grow heavy ; so therefore must we husband our spirituall strength , that our devotion may not flagge with over-tiring , but may bee most vigorous at the last . and as we must enter into our prayers , not without preparatory elevations , so must we be carefull to take a meet leave of god , at their shutting up : following our supplications , with the pause of a faithfull , and most lowly adoration ; and as it were sending up our hearts into heaven , to see how our prayers are taken ; and raising them to a joyful expectation of a gracious and successefull answer from the father of mercies . sect . xx. upon the comfortable feeling of a gracious condescent , follows an happy fruition of god in all his favours ; so as we have not them so much , as god in them ; which advanceth their worth a thousand fold , and as it were brings down heaven unto us ; whereas , therefore , the sensuall man rests only in the meer use of any blessing , as health , peace , prosperity , knowledge , and reacheth no higher ; the devoute soul , in , and through all these , sees , and feels a god that sanctifies them to him , and enjoyes therein his favour , that is better than life . even we men are wont , out of our good nature , to esteem a benefit , not so much for its owne worth , as for the love , and respect of the giver : small legacies for this cause , finde deare acceptation ; how much more is it so betwixt god and the devout soul ? it is the sweet apprehension of this love that makes all his gifts , blessings . doe we his gifts , blessings . doe we not see some vaine churle , though cryed down by the multitude , herein secretly applauding himself that he hath bags at home ? how much more shall the godly man find comfort against all the crosses of the world , that hee is possessed of him that possesseth all things ; even god all-sufficient ; the pledges of whose infinite love he feels in all the whole course of gods dealing with him ? sect . xxi . out of the true sense of this inward fruition of god , the devout soul breaks forth into cheerfull thanksgivings to the god of all comfort , praising him for every evill that it is free from ; for every good thing it enjoyeth : for , as it keeps a just inventory of all gods favours , so it often spreads them thankfully before him and layes them forth ( so near as it may ) in the full dimensions ; that so , god may be no loser by him in any act of his beneficence . here therefore every of gods benefits must come into account ; whether eternall or temporall , spirituall or bodily , outward or inward , publick or private , positive or privative , past or present , upon our selves or others . in all which , he shall humbly acknowledge both gods free mercy , and his own shamefull unworthinesse ; setting off the favours of his good god the more , with the soyle of his own confessed wretchednes , and unanswerablenesse to the least of his mercies . now as there is infinite variety of blessings from the liberall hand of the almighty , so there is great difference in their degrees ; for , wheras there are three subjects of all the good we are capable of ; the estate , body , soul ; and each of these doe far surpasse other in value , ( the soul being infinitely more worth than the body , and the body far more precious than the outward estate ) so the blessings that appertain to them , in severall , differ in their true estimation accordingly . if either wee doe not highly magnifie gods mercy for the least , or shall set as high a price upon the blessings that concerne our estate , as those that pertain to the body , or upon bodily favours , as upon those that belong to the soul , we shall shew our selves very unworthy , and unequall partakers of the divine bounty . but it will savor too much of earth , if we be more affected with temporall blessings , than with spirituall and eternall . by how much nearer relation then , any favor hath to the fountain of goodnesse , and by how much more it conduceth to the glory of god , and ours in him , so much higher place should it possesse in our affection and gratitude . no marvell therefore if the devout heart bee raised above it self , and transported with heavenly raptures , when , with stephens eyes , it beholds the lord jesus standing at the right hand of god , fixing it self upon the consideration of the infinite merits of his life , death , resurrection , ascension , intercession , and finding it self swallowed up in the depth of that divine love , from whence all mercies flow into the soule ; so as that it runs over with passionate thankfulnes , and is therefore deeply affected with all other his mercies , because they are derived from that boundlesse ocean of divine goodnesse . unspeakable is the advantage that the soule raises to it self by this continuall exercise of thanksgiving ; for the grateful acknowledgement of favours , is the way to more ; even amongst men ( whose hands are short and strait ) this is the meanes to pull on further beneficence ; how much more from the god of all consolation , whose largest bounty diminisneth nothing of his store ? and herein the devout soul enters into its heavenly task ; beginning upon earth those hallelujahs , which it shall perfect above in the blessed chore of saints and angels , ever praising god , and saying , blessing , and glo-ry , and wisdome , and thanksgiving , and honour , and power , and might , be unto our god for ever and ever . amen . sect . xxii . none of all the services of god can bee acceptably , no not unsinfully performed without due devotion ; as therefore in our prayers and thanksgivings , so in the other exercises of divine worship , ( especially , in the reading and hearing of gods word , and in our receipt of the blessed sacrament ) it is so necessary , that without it , we offer to god a meer carcasse of religious duty , and profane that sacred name we would pretend to honour . first then , we must come to gods book , not without an holy reverence , as duly considering both what and whose it is ; even no other , than the word of the ever-living god , by which wee shall once be judged . great reason have wee therefore , to make a difference betwixt it , and the writings of the holiest men , even no lesse than betwixt the authors of both : god is true , yea , truth it self : and that which david said in his haste , s. paul sayes in full deliberati on , every man is a lier . before we put our hand to this sacred volume , it will be requisite to elevate our hearts to that god whose it is , for both his leave and his blessing : open mine eyes , saith the sweet singer of israel , that i may behold the wondrous things of thy law. lo , davids eyes were open before to other objects ; but when he comes to gods book , he can see nothing without a new act of apertion : letters he might see , but wonders hee could not see , till god did unclose his eyes , and enlighten them . it is not therfore for us , presumptuously to break in upon god , and to think by our naturall abilities to wrest open the precious caskets of the almighty ; and to fetch out all his hidden treasure thence , at pleasure ; but we must come tremblingly before him , and in all humility crave his gracious admission . i confesse i finde some kinde of envy in my self , when i read of those scrupulous observances of high respects given by the jewes to the book of gods law : and when i read of a romish saint , that never read the scripture but upon his knees , and compare it with the carelesse neglect whereof i can accuse my self , and perhaps some others : not that wee should rest in the formality of outward ceremonies of reverence , wherein it were more easie to be superstitious than devout ; but that our outward deportment may testifie , and answer the awfull disposition of our hearts : whereto we shall not need to be excited , if wee be throughly perswaded of the divine originall , and authority of that sacred word . it was motive enough to the ephesians zealously to plead for , and religiously to adore the image of their diana , that it was the image that fell down from jupiter . beleeve we , and know , that the scripture is inspired by god ; and we can entertain it with no other than an awfull addresse , and we cannot be christians if we do not so beleeve . every clause therefore of that god-inspired volume , must be , as reverently received by us , so seriously weighed , and carefully laid up ; as knowing , that there is no tittle therein without his use . what we read , we must labour to understand ; what wee cannot understand , we must admire silently , and modestly enquire of . there are plain truths , and there are deep mysteries . the bounty of god hath left this well of living-water open for all ; what runs over is for all commers ; but every one hath not wherewith to draw . there is no christian that may not enjoy gods book , but every christian may not interpret it ; those shallow fords that are in it , may be waded by every passenger , but there are deeps wherein he that cannot swim , may drown . how can i without a guide , said that ethopian eunuch : wherefore serves the tongue of the learned , but to direct the ignorant ? their modesty is of no lesse use than the others skill . it is a woefull condition of a church when no man will be ignorant . what service can our eyes doe us in the wayes of god without our thoughts ? our diligent and frequent reading , therefore , must be attended with our holy meditation : we feed on what we read , but we digest only what we meditate of . what is in our bible is gods ; but that which is in our hearts , is our own : by all which our care must be , not so much to become wiser , as to become better , labouring still to reduce all things to godly practice . finally , as we enter into this task with the lifting up of our hearts for a blessing , so we shut it up in the ejaculations of our thanksgiving to that god , who hath blessed us with the free use of his word . sect . xxiii . our eye is our best guide to god our creator , but our ear is it that leads us to god our redeemer . how shall they beleeve except they heare ? which that we may effectually doe , our devotion suggests unto us some duties before the act , some in the act , some after the act . it is the apostles charge , that we should be swift to hear , but heed must be taken , that we make not more haste than good speed : we may not be so forward as not to look to our foot when we go to the house of god , lest if we be too ready to heare , we offer the sacrifice of fooles . what are the feet of the soul , but our affections ? if these be not set right , we may easily stumble , and wrench at gods threshold . rash actions can never hope to prosper ; as therefore to every great work , so to this , there is a due preparation required ; and this must be done by meditation first , then by prayer . our meditation first , sequesters the heart from the world , and shakes off those distractive thoughts , which may carry us away from these better things : for what room is there for god , where the world hath taken up the lodging ? wee cannot serve god and mammon . then secondly , it seizes upon the heart for gof , fixing our thoughts upon the great businesse we goe about ; recalling the greatnesse of that majesty into whose presence we enter , and the maine importance of the service we are undertaking ; and examining our intentions wherewith we addresse our selves to the work intended ; i am now going to god● house ; wherefore doe i goe thither ? is it to see , or to be seen ? is it to satisfie my owne curiosity in hearing what the preacher will say ? is it to satisfie the law , that requires my presence ? is it to please others eyes , or to avoid their censures ? is it for fashion ? is it for recreation ? or is it with a sincere desire to do my soul good , in gaining more knowledge , in quickning my affections ? is it in a desire to approve my selfe to my god , in the conscience of my humble obedience to his command , and my holy attendance upon his ordinance ? and where we find our ends amisse , chiding and rectifying our obliquities ; where just and right , prosecuting them towards a further perfection . which that it may bee done , our meditation must be seconded by our prayers . it is an unholy rudenesse to presse into the presence of that god whom wee have not invoked : our prayer must bee , that god would yet more prepare us for the work , and sanctifie us to it , and blesse us in it ; that he would remove our sinnes , that he would send down his spirit into our hearts , which may inable us to this great service ; that he would blesse the preacher in the delivery of his sacred message , that he would be pleased to direct his messengers tongue to the meeting with our necessities ; that hee would free our hearts from all prejudices and distractions ; that he would keep off all temptations , which might hinder the good entertainment , and successe of his blessed word : finally , that hee would make us truely teachable , and his ordinance the power of god to our salvation . in the act of hearing , devotion cals us to reverence , attention , application . reverence to that great god , who speaks to us , by the mouth of a weak man ; for , in what is spoken from gods chair , agreeable to the scriptures , the sound is mans , the substance of the message is gods ; even an eglon , when he hears of a message from god , riseth out of his seat . it was not st. pauls condition only , but of all his faithfull servants , to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation ; they are ambassadors for christ ; as if god did beseech us by them , they pray us in christs stead to be reconciled to god : the ambassie is not the bearers , but the kings ; and if we do not acknowledge the great king of heaven in the voice of the gospel , we cannot but incur a contempt . when therefore wee see gods messenger in his pulpit , our eye lookes at him as if it said with cornelius , we are all here present before god to heare all things that are commanded thee of god ; whence cannot but follow together with an awful disposition of mind , a reverent deportment of the body ; which admits not a wild & roving eye , a drouzy head , a chatting tongue , a rude and indecent posture ; but composes it self to such a site a may befit a pious soul in s● religious an impoiment . neither do we come as authorized judges to sit upon the preacher , but as humble disciples to sit at his feet . sect . xxiv . reverence cannot but draw on attention ; we need not be bidden to hang on the lips of him whom we honour . it is the charge of the spirit , let him that hath an ear hear ; every one hath not an ear , and of those that have an ear , every one heareth not ; the soul hath an ear as well as the body ; if both these eares doe not meet together in one act , there is no hearing : common experience tels us that when the minde is otherwise taken up , we doe no more hear what a man says , than if we had been deaf , or he silent . hence is that first request of abigail to david ; let thine handmaid speak to thine eares , and hear the words of thine handmaid ; and job so importunately urgeth his friends , hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears . the outward ear may be open , and the inward shut ; if way be not made through both , we are deaf to spirituall things . mine ear hast thou boared , or digged , saith the psalmist ; the vulgar reads it , my eares hast thou perfitted : surely our ears are grown up with flesh ; there is no passage for a perfit hearing of the voice of god , till hee have made it by a spirituall perforation . and now that the ear is made capable of good counsel , it doth as gladly receive it ; taking in every good lesson , and longing for the next : like unto the dry and chopped earth , which soaks in every silver drop , that fals from the clouds , and thirsteth for more ; not suffering any of that precious liquor to fall beside it . sect . xxv . neither doth the devout man care to satisfie his curiosity , as hearing only that hee might hear ; but reducts all things to a saving use ; bringing all hee hears , home to his heart , by a self-reflecting application ; like a practiser of the art of memory , referring every thing to its proper place ; if it be matter of comfort , there is for my sick-bed , there is for my outward losses , there for my drooping under afflictions , there for the sense of my spiritual desertions ; if matter of doctrine , there is for my settlement in such a truth , there for the conviction of such an error , there for my direction in such a practice ; if matter of reproof , he doth not point at his neighbour , but deeply chargeth himself ; this meets with my dead-heartedness and security , this with my worldly-mindednesse , this with my self-love and flattery of mine owne estate , this with my uncharitable censoriousnesse , this with my foolish pride of heart , this with my hypocrisie , this with my neglect of gods services , and my duty ; thus in all the variety of the holy passages of the sermon , the devout minde is taken up with digesting what it hears ; and working it self to a secret improvement of all the good counsell that is delivered , neither is ever more busie , than when it sits still at the feet of christ . i cannot therefore approve the practice ( which yet i see commonly received ) of those , who think it no small argument of their devotion , to spend their time of hearing , in writing large notes from the mouth of the preacher ; which , however it may be an help for memory in the future , yet cannot ( as i conceive ) but be some prejudice to our present edification ; neither can the braine get so much hereby , as the heart loseth . if it be said , that by this means , an opportunity is given for a full rumination of wholsome doctrines afterwards : i yeeld it , but withall , i must say that our after-thoughts can never doe the work so effectually , as when the lively voice sounds in our ears , and beats upon our heart ; but herein i submit my opinion to better judgements . sect . xxvi . the food that is received into the soul by the ear , is afterwards chewed in the mouth thereof by memory , concocted in the stomack by meditation , and dispersed into the parts by conference and practise ; true devotion findes the greatest part of the work behinde ; it was a just answer that iohn gerson reports , given by a frenchman , who being askt by one of his neighbours if the sermon were done ; no saith he , it is said , but it is not done , neither will be , i fear , in hast . what are we the better if we hear and remember not ? if we be such auditors as the jews were wont to call sieves , that retaine no moisture that is poured into them ? what the better if we remember , but think not seriously of what we hear ; or if we practice not carefully what we think of ? not that which we hear is our own , but that which we carry away : although all memories are not alike , one receives more easily , another retains longer ; it is not for every one to hope to attain to that ability , that he can goe away with the whole fabrick of a sermon , and readily recount it unto others ; neither doth god require that of any man , which he hath not given him ; our desires and endeavours may not be wanting where our powers faile ; it will bee enough for weak memories , if they can so lay up those wholsome counsells which they receive , as that they may fetch them forth when they have occasion to use them ; & that what they want in the extent of memory , they supply in the care of their practice ; indeed that is it , wherein lies the life of all religious duties , and without which they are but idle formalities ; that which the philosopher said of all vertue , i must say of true godlinesse , that it consists in action ; our saviour did not say , blessed are ye if you know these things ; but , if ye know these things , blessed are ye if ye doe them . the end of our desire of the sincere milk of the gospel , is , that we may grow thereby in the stature of all grace , unto the fulnesse of god. sect . xxvii . the highest of all gods services are his sacraments ; which therefore require the most eminent acts of our devotion . the sacrament of initiation , which in the first planting of a church is administred only to those of riper age and understanding , cals for all possible reverence , and religious addresses of the receivers ; wherein the primitive times were punctually observant , both for substance , and ceremony ; now , in a setled and perpetuated church , in which the vertue of the covenant descends from the parent to the child , there seems to be no use of our preparatory directions : only , it is fit that our devotion should call our eyes back , to what we have done in our infancy , and whereto we are ever obliged ; that our full age may carefully endeavour to make our word good , and may put us in minde of our sinfull failings . that other sacrament of our spirituall nourishment , which our saviour ( as his farewell ) left us for a blessed memoriall of his death and passion , can never be celebrated with enough devotion . farre be it from us to come to this feast of our god , in our common garments ; the soul must be trimmed up , if we would be meet guests for the almighty . the great master of the feast will neither abide us to come naked , nor ill clad : away therefore , first with the old beastly ragges of our wonted corruptions : due examination comes in first , and throughly searches the soul , and finds out all the secret nastinesse , and defilements that it hides within it ; and by the aid of true penitence , strips it of all those loathsome clouts , wherewith it was polluted ; sin may not bee cloathed upon with grace ; joshuah's filthy garments must bee pluckt off , ere hee can be capable of precious robes : here may be no place for our sinfull lusts , for our covetous desires , for our naturall infidelity , for our malicious purposes , for any of our unhallowed thoughts ; the soul clearly devested of these and all other known corruptions , must in the next place in stead thereof , be furnished with such graces and holy predispositions , as may fit it for so heavenly a work . amongst the graces requisite , faith justly challengeth the first place , as that which is both most eminent , and most necessarily presupposed to the profitable receit of this sacrament ; for whereas the main end of this blessed banquet is the strengthening of our faith , how should that receive strength , which hath not being ? to deliver these sacred viands to an unbeleever , is to put meat into the mouth of a dead man : now therefore must the heart raise up it selfe to new acts of beleeving , and must lay faster hold on christ , and bring him closer to the soul ; more strongly applying to its self , the infinite merits of his most perfect obedience , & of his bitter death and passion ; and erecting it self to a desire and expectation of a more vigorous and lively apprehension of its omnipotent redeemer . neither can this faith be either dead , or solitary ; but is still really operative , and attended ( as with other graces , so ) especially with a serious repentance ; whose wonderfull power is , to undoe our former sins , and to mold the heart and life to a better obedience : a grace so necessary , that the want of it ( as in extream corruption of the stomack ) turnes the wholsome food of the soul into poison ; an impenitent man therefore comming to gods board , is so far from benefiting himself , as that he eates his owne judgement : stand off from this holy table , all yee that have not made your peace with your god ; or that harbour any knowne sinne in your bosome ; not to eat is uncomfortable , but to eat in such a state is deadly ; yet rest not in this plea , that ye cannot come because yee are unreconciled ; but ( as yee love your souls ) be reconciled that you may come . another grace necessarily pre-required is charity to our brethren , and readinesse to forgive ; for this is a communion , as with christ the head , so with all the members of his mysticall body : this is the true love-feast of god our saviour , wherein wee professe our selves inseparably united both to him and his ; if there be more hearts than one at gods table , he will not own them ; these holy elements give us an embleme of our selves : this bread is made up of many grains , incorporated into one masse ; and this wine is the confluent juice of many clusters ; neither doe we partake of severall loaves , or variety of liquors , but all eat of one bread , and drink of one cup. here is then no place for rancour and malice ; none for secret grudgings and heart-burnings ; therefore , if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against the , leave there thy gift , and go thy way ; first bee reconciled to thy brother , and them come and offer thy gift . neither may we doe , as those two emulous commanders of greece did , who resolved to leave their spight behind them at mount athos , and to take it up again in their returne ; here must bee an absolute , and free acquitting of all the back-reckonings of our unkindnesse , that we may receive the god of peace into a cleare bosome . sect . xxviii . besides these graces there are certaine holy predispositions so necessary that without them our soules can never hope to receive true comfort in this blessed sacrament ; whereof the first is an hungring and thirsting desire after these gracious means of our salvation : what good will our meat doe us without an appetite ? surely without it , there is no expectation of either relish , or digestion ; as therefore those that are invited to some great feast , care first to seed their hunger ere they feed their body ; labouring by exercise to get a stomach , ere they employ it ; so it concerns us to do here : and , as those that are listlesse , and weak stomached , are wont to whet their appetite with sharp sawces ; so must wee by the tart applications of the law , quicken our desires of our saviour here exhibited . could wee but see our sins , and our miseries by sin ; could wee see god frowning , and hell gaping wide to swallow us , wee should not need to bee bidden to long for our deliverer ; and every pledge of his favour would be precious to us . upon the apprehension of our need of a saviour and so happy a supply therof presented unto us , must needs follow a renewed act of true thankfulnes of heart to our good god , that hath both given us his dear son to work our redemption , & his blessed sacrament to seal up unto us our redemption thus wrought and purchased ; and with souls thus thankfully elevated unto god , we aproach with all reverence , to that heavenly table , where god is both the feast-master and the feast . what intention of holy thoughts , what fervour of spirit , what depth of devotion must we now find in our selves ? doubtlesse , out of heaven no object can be so worthy to take up our hearts . what a clear representation is here of the great work of our redemption ? how is my saviour by all my senses here brought home to my soul ? how is his passion lively acted before mine eyes ? for lo , my bodily eye doth not more truely see bread and wine , than the eye of my faith sees the body and bloud of my dear redeemer ; thus was his sacred body torn and broken ; thus was his precious bloud poured out for me ; my sins ( wretched man that i am ) helped thus to crucifie my saviour ; and for the discharge of my sins would he be thus crucified : neither did hee only give himselfe for me , upon the crosse , but lo , both offers and gives himself to me in this his blessed institution ; what had his generall gift been without this application ? now my hand doth not more sensibly take , nor my mouth more really eate this bread , than my soule doth spiritually receive , and feed on the bread of life ; o saviour , thou art the living bread that came dome from heaven ; thy flesh is meat indeed , and thy bloud is drink indeed : oh that i may so eate of this bread , that i may live for ever . he that commeth to thee , shall never hunger ; he that beleeveth in thee , shall never thirst : oh that i could now so hunger , and so thirst for thee , that my soul could be for ever satisfied with thee ; thy people of old , were fed with manna in the wildernesse , yet they dyed ; that food of angels could not keep them from perishing ; but oh , for the hidden manna , which giveth life to the world , even thy blessed self , give me ever of this bread , and my soule shall not dye but live : oh the precious juice of the fruit of the vine , wherewith thou refreshest my soul ! is this the bloud of the grape ? is it not rather thy bloud of the new testament , that is poured out for me ? thou speakest , o saviour , of new wine that thou wouldest drink with thy disciples , in thy fathers kindome , can there be any more precious and pleasant , than this , wherewith thou cheerest the beleeving soule ? our palate is now dull and earthly , which shall then exquisite and celestiall ; but surely , no liquor can be of equall price or soveraignty with thy bloud ; oh how unsavory are all earthly delicacies to this heavenly draught ! o god , let not the sweet taste of this spirituall nectar ever goe out of the mouth of my soul ; let the cōfortable warmth of this blessed cordiall ever work upon my soul , even till , and in , the last moment of my dissolution . dost thou bid me , o saviour , do this in remembrance of thee ? oh , how can i forget thee ? how can i enough celebrate thee for this thy unspeakable mercy ? can i see thee thus crucified before my eyes , and for my sake thus crucified , and not remember thee ? can i find my sins accessary to this thy death , and thy death meritoriously expiating all these my grievous sins , and not remember thee ? can i hear thee freely offering thy selfe to me , and feele thee graciously conveighing thy self into my soul , and not remember thee ? i doe remember thee o saviour ; but oh that i could yet more effectually remember thee ; with all the passionate affections of a soul sick of thy love ; with all zealous desires to glorifie thee , with all fervent longings after thee , and thy salvation ; i remember thee in thy sufferings , oh doe thou remember me in thy glory . sect . xxix . having thus busied it self with holy thoughts in the time of the celebration , the devout soul breaks not off in an abrupt unmannerlinesse , without taking leave of the great master of this heavenly feast , but with a secret adoration , humbly blesseth god for so great a mercy , and heartily resolves and desires to walk worthy of the lord jesus , whom it hath received , and to consecrate it selfe wholly to the service of him that hath so dearly bought it , and hath given it these pledges of its eternall union with him . the devout soul hath thus supt in heaven , and returns home , yet the work is not thus done : after the elements are out of eye and use , there remains a digestion of this celestiall food , by holy meditation ; and now it thinks , oh what a blessing have i received to day ! no lesse than my lord jesus , with all his merits ; and in and with him , the assurance of the remission of all my sins , and everlasting salvation : how happy am i , if i be not wanting to god & my self ? how unworthy shall i be , if i doe not strive to answer this love of my god and saviour , in all hearty affection , and in all holy obedience ? and now after this heavenly repast , how do i feel my self ? what strength , what advantage hath my faith gotten ? how much am i nearer to heaven than before ? how much faster hold have i taken of my blessed redeemer ? how much more firm and sensible is my interest in him ? neither are these thoughts , and this examination the work of the next instant onely , but they are such , as must dwell upon the heart ; and must often solicite our memory , and excite our practise , that by this means we may frequently renew the efficacy of this blessed sacrament , and our souls may batten more and more , with this spirituall nourishment , and may be fed up to eternall life . sect . xxx . these are the generalities of our devotion , which are of common use to all christians ; there are besides these certaine specialties of it , appliable to severall occasions , times , places , persons ; for there are morning , and evening devotions ; devotions proper to our board , to our closer , to our bed , to gods day , to our own ; to health , to sicknesse , to severall callings , to recreations ; to the way , to the field , to the church , to our home ; to the student , to the souldier , to the magistrate , to the minister , to the husband , wife , child , servant ; to our owne persons , to our families ; the severalties whereof , as they are scarce finite for number , so are most fit to to be left to the judgement , and holy managing of every christian ; neiis it to be imagined , that any soul which is taught of god , and hath any acquaintance with heaven , can be to seek in the particular application of common rules to his own necessity or expedience . the result of all is , a devout man is he that ever sees the invisible , and ever trembleth before that god he sees ; that walks ever , here on earth , with the god of heaven ; and still adores that majesty with whom he converses ; that confers hourly with the god of spirits in his own language ; yet so , as no familiarity can abate of his aw , nor fear abate ought of his love . to whom the gates of heaven are ever open ; that he may go in at pleasure to the throne of grace , & none of the angelical spirits can offer to challenge him of too much boldness : whose eyes are well acquainted with those heavenly guardians , the presence of whom hee doth as truly acknowledge , as if they were his sensible companions . he is well known of the king of glory , for a daily sutor in the court of heaven , and none so welcome there , as he : he accounts all his time lost that falls beside his god ; and can be no more weary of good thoughts , than of happinesse . his bosome is no harbour for any knowne evill ; and it is a question whether hee more abhorres sin , or hell ; his care , is to entertain god in a clear and free heart , and therefore he thrusts the world out of doors , and humbly beseeches god to welcome himself to his owne : he is truly dejected , and vile in his owne eyes : nothing but hell is lower than he ; every of his slips are hainous , every trespasse is aggravated to rebellion ; the glory and favours of god heighten his humiliation ; he hath lookt down to the bottomlesse deep , and seen with horror what he deserved to feel everlastingly ; his cries have been as strong , as his fears just ; and he hath found mercy more ready to rescue him , than he could be importunate : his hand could not be so soon put forth as his saviours , for deliverance . the sense of this mercy hath raised him to an unspeakable joy , to a most fervent love of so dear a redeemer ; that love hath knit his heart to so meritorious a deliverer , and wrought a blessed union betwixt god and his soul . that union can no more be severed from an infinite delight , than that delight can bee severed from an humble , & cheerfull acquiescence in his munificent god ; and now , as in an heavenly freedome , he pours out his soul into the bosome of the almighty , in all faithfull sutes for himself and others ; so , he enjoyes god in the blessings received , and returns all zealous prayses to the giver . he comes reverently to the oracles of god , and brings not his eye , but his heart with him ; not carelesly negligent in seeking to know the revealed will of his maker , nor too busily inquisitive into his deep counsels ; not too remisse in the letter , nor too peremptory in the sense : gladly comprehending what hee may , and admiring what he cannot comprehend . doth god call for his ear ? he goes awfully into the holy presence and so hears , as if he should now hear his last : latching every word that drops from the preachers lips , ere it fall to the ground , and laying it up carefully where hee may be sure to fetch it . hee sits not to censure , but to learn , yet speculation and knowledge is the least drift of his labour ; nothing is his own but what he practiseth . is he invited to gods feast ? he hates to come in a soul and slovenly dresse ; but trims up his soul , so , as may be fit for an heavenly guest : neither doth he leave his stomach at home cloyed with the world , but brings a sharp appetite with him ; and so feeds as if he meant to live for ever . all earthly delicates are unsavory to him , in respect of that celestiall manna : shortly , he so eates and drinks , as one that sees himself set at table with god , and his angels ; and rises and departs full of his saviour ; and in the strength of that meal walks vigorously and cheerfully on towards his glory . finally , as he well knows that he lives , and moves , and hath his being in god , so he refers his life , motions , and being wholly to god ; so acting all things , as if god did them by him , so using all things , as one that enjoyes god in them ; and in the mean time so walking on earth , that he doth in a sort carry his heaven with him . the free prisoner : or , the comfort of restraint . written some while since in the tower , by i. h. b. n. the free prisoner : or , the comfort of restraint . sect . i. sir , whiles you pity my affliction , take heed lest you aggravate it , and in your thoughts make it greater than it is in my own ; it is true , i am under restraint ; what is that to a man , that can be free in the tower , and cannot but be a prisoner abroad ? such is my condition , and every divine philosophers with me . were my walks much straiter than they are , they cannot hold me in ; it is a bold word to say , i cannot , i will not be a prisoner : it is my soul that is i : my flesh is my partner , ( if not my servant ) not my self : however my body may be immured , that agile spirit shall flie abroad , and visit both earth & heaven at pleasure . who shall hinder it from mounting up ( in an instant ) to that supreme region of blisse , and from seeing that , by the eye of faith , which s. paul saw in extasie ; and when it hath viewed that blessed hierarchy of heaven , to glance down through the innumerable , and unmeasurable globes of light ( which move in the firmament ; and below it ) into this elementary world ; and there to compass seas and lands , without shipwrack , in a trice , which a drake , or cavendish cannot doe , but with danger , and in some years navigation ; and if my thoughts list to stay themselves in the passage ; with what variety can my soul be taken up of severall objects ; here , turning in to the dark vaults , and dungeons of penall restraint , to visit the disconsolate prisoners , and to fetch from their greater misery , a just mitigation of mine own ; there , looking in to the houses of vain jollity , and pitying that which the sensuall fools call happiness ; here stepping in to the courts of great princes , & in them observing the fawning compliances of some , the trecherous underworking of others ; hollow friendships , faithless ingagements , faire faces , smooth tongues , rich suits , viewing all save their hearts , and censuring nothing that it sees not ; there calling in at the low cottages of the poor , and out of their empty cupbord furnishing it self with thankfulnesse ; here so overlooking the courts of justice , as not willing to see rigour or partiality ; there listning what they say in those meetings w ch would passe for sacred , and wondring at what it hears . thus can , and shal , and doth my nimble spirit bestirre it selfe in a restlesse flight , making onely the empyreall heaven , the bounds of its motion ; not being more able to stand still , than the heavens themselves , whence it descended : should the iron enter into my soul , as it did into that good patriarchs , yet it cannot fetter me : no more can my spirit be confined to one place , than my body can bee diffused to many . perhaps therefore you are mistaken in my condition ; for what is it i beseech you that makes a prisoner ? is it an allotment to the same roome without change , without remove ? what is that still to a mind that is free ? and why is my body then more a prisorer than the best mans soul ; that , you know , is peremptorily assigned , for inhabitation to this house of clay till the day of dissolution : why more than the stars of heaven , which have remained fixed in their first stations ever since they were first created ? why more than those great persons which keep up for state ; or dames for beauty ? why more than those anachorites whom wee have seen willingly coopt up for merit ? how much more scope have we than they ? wee breath fresh aire , we see the same heavens with the freeest travellers . sect . ii. but we have ( you wil say ) bounds for our restraint which the free spirit hates ; as never being pleased , but with a full liberty both of prospect and passage ; any barre , whether to the foot , or to the eye , is a death : oh vain affectation of wild , and roving curiosity ! if their desires cannot be bounded , yet their motions must ; when they have the full sight of heaven above them , they cannot climbe up into it ; they cannot possibly see that whole glorious contignation ; and when the whole earth lies open before them , they can measure but some small peeces of it . how can they be quiet till they have purchased tycho brahe his prospective trunk of thirty two foot long , wherby they may discover a better face of heaven ; some lesser planets moving round about the sun , and the moonets about saturn and jupiter , & the mountains , seas and vallies in the moon ? how can they rest til having acquainted themselves with the constellations of our hemisphere , they have passed the equinoctiall , and seen the triangle , the crosse , and the clouds , and the rest of the unknown stars that move above the other pole ? and when all this is done , they are but who they were , no whit better , no whit wiser , and perhaps far lesse happy than those , who never smelt any but their own smoak ; never knew any star , but charls-wayn , the morning star , and the seven . for me , i do not envy , but wonder at the licentious freedome , which these men thinke themselves happy to enjoy ; and hold it a weaknesse in those minds , which cannot find more advantage and pleasure in confinement , & retirednesse ; is it a small benefit , that i am placed there , where no oathes , no blasphemies beat my eares ? where my eyes are in no perill of wounding objects ; where i hear no invectives , no false doctrines , no sermocinations of iron-mongers , felt-makers , coblers , broom-men , grooms , or any other of those inspired ignorants ; no curses , no ribaldries : where i see no drunken comessations , no rebellious routs , no violent oppressions , no obscene rejoinings , nor ought else that might either vex or affright my soul . this , this is my liberty : who whiles i sit here quietly lockt up by my keeper , can pity the turmoils & distempers abroad , and bless my own immunity from those too common evills . sect . iii. is is the necessity , and force of the restraint ; since those things which we do voluntarily , are wont to passe from us with delight , which being imposed seem grievous to us ? why should not i have so much power over my will as to make that voluntary in me , to undergoe , which another wills forceably to inflict ? the mind that is truely subacted to grace , can so frame it self to what it must suffer , as that it finds a kind of contentment in patience ; thus we daily doe to the almighty , whose wil , by our humble submission , wee make ours ; and pray that we may doe so : and who can restraine us without him ? if therefore my wise and holy god think it best to cage me up , by the command of authority ( upon what cause soever ) why should not i think this inclosure a better liberty : who know there is perfect freedome in his obedience ? so then , if constraint make a prisoner , i am none ; who am most willingly , where my god will have me : and , if my will did not often carry me out of my owne walls at home , why cannot it as well confine me to a larger compasse of the tower ? sect . iv. is it solitude and infrequence of visitation ? this may perhaps be troublesom to a man that knows not to entertaine himselfe ; but , to him that can hold continual discourse with his owne heart , no favor can be greater ; for of all other , these self-conferences are most beneficiall to the soul ; other mens communication may spend the time with more advantage of learning , or mirth ; but none can yeeld us so much spirituall profit , as our own soliloquies : and when all is done , the greeks said well ; it is not much , but usefull that makes truely wise . besides this , wee can never have the opportunity of so good company , as when we are alone : now , we enjoy the society of god , and his angels , which wee cannot so freely doe in a throng of visitants : when god would expresse his greatest intirenesse with his church , ducam eam in solitudinem , saith he : i will bring her into the wildernesse , and there speak comfortably to her . we cannot expect so sweer conversation with god , in the presence of others , as apart . oh the divine benefit of an holy solitarinesse , which no worldly heart can either know , or value ! what care i for seeing of men , when i may see him that is invisible ? what care i for chatting with friends , when i may talk familiarly with the god of heaven ? what care i for entertaining mortall guests , when i may with abraham & his nephew lot feast the angels of god : and ( which were too great a word , if god himself had not spoken it ) be attended by them ? sect . v. is it the reproach and ignominy that commonly attends the very name of an imprisonment ? weak minds may be affected with every thing : but , with solid judgements , it is not the punishment , but the cause that makes either the martyr , or the malefactor . s. pauls bonds were famous : and petrus and vincula is not without a note of yearly celebrity : and it were hard , if so many blessed martyrs , and confessors , who have lived , and dyed in jayles , for the truths sake , should not have brought prisons ( such as they may be ) into some credit . shortly , as notorious crimes may be at liberty , so even innocence may be under restraint ; yet those crimes no whit the better , nor this innocence the worse . besides ( that which perhaps came not within your freer thoughts ) every restraint is not for punishment ; there is a restraint for safety , a salva custodia , as well as arcta , such is this of ours : this strong tower serves not so much for our prison , as for our defence ; what norror soever the name may carry in it : i blesse god for these wals , out of which i know not where we could ( for the time ) have been safe from the rage of the mis-incensed multitude : poor seduced soules , they were taught it was pieto to be cruel ; and were misperswaded to hate and condemn us for that , ( which should have procured their reverence , and honor ) even that holy station which wee hold in gods church ; and to curse those of us , who had deserved nothing but their thanks and prayers : railing on our very profession in the streets ; and rejoycing in our supposed ruine : father , forgive them , for they knew not what they did : here wee were out of the danger of this mis-raised fury , and had leasure to pray for the quenching of those wild-fires of contention , and causelesse malice , which ( to our great grief ) we saw wicked incendiaries dayly to cast amongst gods dear , & wel-minded people . here we have well & happily approved with the blessed apostle , that ( what ever our restraint be ) the word of god is not bound ; with what liberty , with what zeale , with what successe hath that been preached by us to all commers ? let them say , whether the tower had ever so many , such guests , or such benedictions ; so as if the place have rendred us safe , wee have endeavoured to make it happy ; wherein our performances have seemed to confute that which cornelius bishop of rome long since observed , that the minde laden with heavy burdens of affliction , is not able to doe that service , which it can doe when it is free and at ease ; our troubles through gods mercy made us more active , and our labours more effectuall . sect . vi. adde unto these ( if you please ) the eminent dignity of the place , such as is able to give a kind of honor to captivity , the ancient seat of kings , chosen by them , as for the safe residence of their royall persons , so for their treasury , their wardrobe , their magazine ; all these precious things are under the same custody with our selves ; sent hither , not as to prison , but a repositorie ; and why should wee thinke our selves in any other condition ? how many worthy inhabitants make choice to fixe their abode within these walls , as not knowing where to bee happier ? the place is the same to us , if our will may he the same with theirs ; they dearly purchase that , which cost us nothing but our fees ; nothing makes the difference , but the meer conceit of liberty , which , whiles i can give to my self , in my thoughts , why am i pitied as miserable , while their happinesse is applauded ? you see then , how free i am in that which you miscall my prison ; see now , how little cause i have to affect this liberty , which you imagine mee to want ; since i shall be , i can be no other than a prisoner abroad : there is much difference of prisons ; one is straight and close locked , so farre from admitting visitants , that it scarce allowes the sunne to look in at those crosse-barred grates ; another , is more large and spacious , yeelding both walkes and accesse ; even after my discharge from these walls , i shall be yet sure to bee a prisoner , both these wayes ; for , what is my body but my prison in the one ? and what is the world , but my prison in the other kind ? sect . vii . to begin with the former , never was there a more close prisoner than my soul is for the time to my body ; close in respect of the essence of that spirit , which since its first mittimus , never stirr'd out from this strait room ; never can doe , till my gaole-delivery . if you respect the improvement of the operations of that busie soul , it is any where , it is successively , every where ; no place can hold it , none can limit it ; but if you regard the immortal , and immateriall substance of it , it is fast lockt up within these walls of clay , till the day of my changing come ; even as the closest captive may write letters to his remotest friends , whilest his person is in durance ; i have too much reason to acknowledge my native jayle , and feel the true symptoms of it to my pain ; what darknesse of sorrow have i here found ? what little-ease of melancholicke lodgings ? what manacles and shackles of cramps ? yea what racks of torturing convulsions ? and if there bee others , that find lesse misery in their prison , yet there is no good soul , but findes equall restraint : that spirituall substance , which is imprisoned within us , would faine bee flying up to that heaven whence it descended ; these walls of flesh forbid that evolation , ( as socrates cal'd it of old ) and will not let it out , till the god of spirits ( who placed it there ) shall unlock the doores and free the prisoner by death ; he that infused life into lazarus , that he might call him from the prison of the grave , must take life from us , when he cals us out of this prison of flesh ; i desire to be loosed , and to be with christ , ( saith the apostle ) as some versions expresse it ; whiles we are chained to this flesh , we can have no passage to heaven , no free conversation with our saviour ; although it was the singular privilege of that great doctor of the gentiles , that he was in heaven before his dissolution : whether in the body , or out of the body , he knew not : how far that rapture extended , whether to both soule and body , if he knew not , how should we ? but this we know , that such extasie and vision was in him , without separation of the soul from the body ; which another should hope for in vaine : and for him , so he saw this glory of paradice , that hee could not yet enjoy it : before he , or we , can be blessed with the fruition of christ , we must be loosed , that is , freed from our clog , & our chaine of this mortall body . what but our prison wals can hinder us here , from a free prospect ? what but these wals of flesh can hinder me from a cleare vision of god ? i must now , for the time , see as i may : nothing can enter into my soule , but what passes through my senses , & partakes , in some sort , of their earthlinesse ; when i am freed from them , i shal see as i am seen ; in an abstracted & heavenly way ; so as one spirit apprehends another : i doe now , at the best , see those spirituall objects darkly , by the eye of faith , as in a glasse ; and that not one of the clearest neither : ( alas , what dim representations are these , that i can attaine to here , of that majesty , whose sight shal make me blessed ? ) i shal once see as i am seen , face to face ; the face of my glorified soul shal see the face of that all-glorious deity , and in that sight be eternally happy ; it is enough for a prisoner in this dungeon of clay , to know of , and fore-expect , such felicity , whereof these earthly gieves render him as yet uncapable . sect . viii . vvoe is me ! how many prisons doe we passe ? so soon as ever this divine soul is infused into this flesh , it is a prisoner ; neither can any more passe out of this skin , till this frame of nature be demolished : and now , as the soul of this embryon is instantly a prisoner to the body , so the body is also a prisoner in the womb , wherein it is formed : what darknesse , what closenesse , what uneasinesie , what nuisance is there in this dungeon of nature ? there he must lye in an uncouth posture , for his appointed moneth , till the native bonds being loosed , and the doores forced open , hee shall be by an helpfull obstetrication drawn forth into the larger prison of the world ; there indeed he hath elbow-room enough : but all that wide scope cannot free him from a true incarceration : who knowes not that there are many differences , and latitudes of restraint ? a simeon may imprison and enchaine himself in the compasse of a pillar , not allowing himself the ease of his whole dimensions ; peter may be lockt up in a larger jayl , betwixt his two leopards ( as that father tearms them ; ) s. paul may be two years allowed to be a prisoner in his own hired house , but under the guard of his keeper , and not without his chain : there are those , who upon hainous , and dangerous occasions may be kept close under many locks ; there are prisoners at large , who have the liberty of the tower ; yet even these last notwithstanding the allowance of spacious walks , & fresh gardens , are no other than acknowledged prisoners : such is my condition to the world , when i am at my fullest liberty . it is true , that when i look back to the straitness of my first , and native prison , and compare it with the large extent of that wide world , into which i am brought , i may wel with isaac's herds-mensay , rehoboth , for now , the lord hath made me room : but when i compare that world , wherein i am , with that whereto i aspire , and which i know to be above , and look to enjoy ; i can see nothing here , but meer prison-walls , and professe my life to be no other than a perpetuall durance . sect . ix . if varro said of old , that the world was no other than the great house of little man , i shall be bold to adde what kind of house it is ; it is no other than his prison , yea , his dungeon . far be it from me to disparage the glorious worke of my omnipotent creator : i were not worthy to look upon this large , and glittering roof of heaven , nor to see the pleasant varieties of these earthly landskips , if i did not adore that infinite power , and wisdome which appears in this goodly , and immense fabrick ; and confesse the marvellous beauty of that majestick , and transcendent workmanship ; rather when i see the moone and the stars , which thou hast ordained , i say with the psalmist , lord what is man ? but , o god , it is no dishonor to thee , that though this be a fair house , yet thou hast one so much better than it , as a palace is beyond a jayl . this beauty may please , but that ravisheth my soul : here is light , but dim , and dusky , in respect of that inaccessable light , wherein thou dwellest : here is a glorious sun , that illumineth this inferior world , but thou art the sun who enlightenest that world above : thou , to whom thy created sun is but a shadow . here we converse with beasts , or at the best , with men ; there with blessed souls , and heavenly angels : here some frivolous delights are intermixed with a thousand vexations ; there in thy presence is the fulness of joy : so then , let the sensuall heart mis-place his paradise here in the world , it shal not passe for other with me , than my prison : how can it ? why should it ? for what other termes do i find here ? what blinde light looks in here at these scant loop-holes of my soul ? yea , what darknes of ignorance rather possesses me ? what bolts and shackles of heavy crosses do i bear about me ? how am i fed here with the bread of affliction ? how am i watched and beset with evill spirits ? how contumeliously traduced ? how disdainfully lookt upon ? how dragging the same chaine with the worst malefactors ? how disabled to all spiritual motions ? how restrained from that full liberty of enjoying my home , and my god in it , which i daily expect in my dissolution ? when therefore , i am released from these wals , i am still imprisoned in larger . and so shall be til the lord of the spirits of all flesh ( who put me here ) shall set me free ; and all the days of my appointed time will i wait , till this my changing come . sect . x. you see then by this time , how little reason i have to be too much troubled with this imprisonment , or my friends for me ; but indeed , there are some sorts of prisoners , which neither you nor i can have teares enow to bewaile : and those especially of two kinds . the one , those that are too much affected with an outward bondage : the other , those that are no whit affected with a spirituall . in the first rank are they that sink under the weight of their irons : poor impotent soules , that groaning under the cruelty of a turkish thraldom , or a spanish inquisition , want faith to bear them out , against the impetuous violences of their tormentors : i sorrow for their sufferings ; but for their fainting more : could they see the crown of glory , which the righteous judge holds ready for their victorious patience , they could not but contemn paine , and all the pomp of death , and confesse that their light affliction ( which is but for a moment ) works for them a far more exceeding & eternall weight of glory . but alas , it is the weaknesse of their eyes , that they onely look at the things that are seen , close walls , heavy fetters , sharp scourges , mercilesse racks , and other dreadfull engins of torture , and see not the things which are not seen , the glorious reward of their victory , blessednesse . had they had stephens eyes , they would have emulated his martyrdome ; surely whosoever shal but read the story of the mother and the seven brothers in the maccabees , & that of the fourty armenian martyrs frozen to death , reported by gaudentius , and shall there see the fainting revolter dying uncomfortably in the bath , whiles the other thirty and nine ( together with their new converted keeper ) are crowned by an angel from heaven , cannot chuse ( except he have nothing but ice in his bosome ) but find in himself a disposition emulous of their courage , & = ambitious of their honour ; but alas , what ever our desires , and purposes may be , it is not for every one to attaine to the glory of martyrdome ; this is the highest pitch , that earthly saints are capable of : he must be more than a man , whom paine and death cannot remove from his holy resolutions , and especially , the lingring execution of both . it is well if an age can yeeld one , mole : in what termes shall i commemorate thee , o thou blessed confessor , the great example of invincible constancy , in these back-sliding times ( if at least thy rare perseverance be not more for wonder than imitation ) whom thirty yeares tedious durance in the inqusitory at rome , could not weary out of thy sincere profession of the evangelical truth ? all this while thou wert not allowed the speech , the sight of any , but thy persecutors : here was none to pity thee , none to exhort thee ; if either force of perswasion , or proffers of favour , or threats of extremity , could have wrought thee for thy perversion , thou hadst not at last dyed ours . blessed bee the god of all comfort , who having stood by thee , & made thee faithfull to the death , hath now given thee a crown of life and immortality ; and left thee a noble patterne of christian fortitude , so much more remarkable , as lesse frequently followed . whether i look into the former , or the present times , i finde the world full of shrinking professors . amongst the first christians , persecution easily discovered four sorts of cowardly renegadoes ; the first , and worst , whom they justly stiled idolaters , that yielded to all the publicke formes of worship to those false gods : the second , sacrificers , who condescended so far , as to some kinde of immolation unto those fained deities , or , at least , to a tasting of those things which were thus offered : the third , incensers , such as ( with marcellinus himself ) came on so far , as to cast some graines of incense into the idols fire : the last were their libellaticks , such as privately by themselves , or by some allowed proxey , denyed the faith , yet with their money bought out this ignominy , and sinne of any publick act of idolatry . not to speak of those many thousands which fell downe before solyman the second , and held up their finger to signifie their conversion to his mahometism , for ease of their taxations ? how many do we hear of daily of all nations , and some ( which i shame and grieve to say ) of our owne , who yeeld to receive circumcision , and to renounce their saviour ? oh the lamentable condition of those distressed christians ! if constant to their profession , they live in a perpetual purgatory of torment ; if revolting , they run into the danger of an everlasting damnation in hell ; even this gentle restraint puts me into the meditation of their insupportable durance ; why do not all christia nhearts bleed with the sense of their deplorable estate ? why is not our compassion heightened , according to the depth of their perill , and misery ? what are our bowels made of , if they yearne not at their unexpressible calamity ? ye rich merchants , under whose imployment many of these poor soules have thus unhappily miscarried , how can you blesse your selves in your baggs , whiles you see themembers of christ your saviour , thus torn from him , for want of a petty ransome ? ye eminent persons whom god hath advanced to power & greatness , how can you sleep quietly upon your pillows , whiles you think of the cold and hard lodgings , the hungry bellies , the naked and waled backs of miserable christians ? lastly , what fervent prayers should we all , that professe the dear name of christ , poure out unto the god of heaven for the strengthning of the faith & patience of these afflicted souls against the assaults of violence ? and for their happy and speedy deliverance out of their woefull captivity ? sect . xi . these prisoners are worthy of our deep compassion ; as those , who are too sensible of their owne misery ; others there are , who are so much more worthy of greater pity , by how much they are lesse apprehensive of their need of it ; plausible prisoners under a spirituall tyranny ; whose very wills are so captived to the powers of darknesse , that to chuse they would be no other than bondmen ; pleasing themselves in those chains , whose weight is enough to sink their souls into hell ; such are they , who have yielded themselves over to be enthralled by any known sin ; no men under heaven do so much applaud themselves in the conceit of their liberty ; none so great slaves as they ; if the very stoick philosophers had not enough evinced this truth , divinity should : indeed , the world is a worse kind of algier , full of miserable captives ; here lies one so fettered in lust , that hee rots againe ; there another , so laden with drunken excesse , that he can neither goe nor stand , and in very deed is not his owne man : here , one so pinched with golden fetters , that he can neither eate , nor sleep , nor at all enjoy himself ; there , another so pined with envy , that he is forced to feed on his owne heart : here , one so tormented with anger that hee is stark mad for the time ; and cares not how hee mischieves himself in a furious desire to hurt others : there , another so racked with ambition , that he is stretched beyond his own length , and lives in the pain of a perpetuall self-extension . these , and all others of this kinde are most miserable prisoners , chained up for ever-lasting darknesse : so much more worthy of our pity , as they are lesse capable of their own : spend your compassion ( if you please ) upon these deplorable subjects ; but for me , wish me ( if you will ) as free from any imputation of evill , as i was , and am from the thought of it ; wish mee in your free champian , where i may have no hedge so much as to confine my eye : wish me happy in the society of so dear and noble a friend ; but in the meane while , think of me no otherwise , than as a free prisoner , and yours thankfully devoted in all faithfull observance , i. n. finis . severall tractates written by dr. hall b. of norwich , in and since his imprisonment and retiring . namely , . the devout soul , and free prisoner . . the remedy of discontentment , or , a treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition . . the peace-maker , laying forth the right way of peace in matter of religion . . the balme of gilead , or , comforts for the distressed ; both morall and divine . . christ mysticall , or , the blessed union of christ & his members : to which is addded , an holy rapture , or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ . also , the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage . . a modest offer , tendred to the assembly of divines at westminster . . select thoughts in two decades , with the breathing of the devout soule . . pax terris . . imposition of hands . . the revelation unrevealed — concerning , the thousand yeares reigne of the saints with christ on earth . . susurrium cum deo. or , holy selfe-conferences of the devout soul , upon sundry choice occasions . now in the presse , and never before printed . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. preston psa . , psa . . . cant. . . psa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . psal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . penult . . . . . . . . . psa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . psal . . . . . . . . . . . . . psa . . . . . . . . . . . . luk. . wisd . . . psa . . . ecl. . esa . . . gen. . pro. . . mat. . . ephes . . . job . phil. . , , , &c. rom. . . ps . . . ps . . , . ps . . , , &c. phil. . . gal. . . cant. . . cant. . . . , . cant. . . . . . . psal . . rom. . psal . . . carolus bor romaeus . acts . . eccles . . . judg. . . cor. . acts . . sam. . . job . . psa . . . serm. ad eccles . cautelam . pet. . . eph. . . zach. . mat. . . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hos . . . non enim potest mens attrita & oneribus & importunitatibus gravata , tantum boni peragere , quantum delectata , & oppressionibus solut a. cornel. ep . . rufo coepiscopo . acts ult . gen. . magna domus homuli . psal . . , . characters of vertues and vices in two bookes: by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) characters of vertues and vices in two bookes: by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by melch. bradwood for eleazar edgar and samuel macham, and are to be sold at the sign of the bul-head in pauls church-yard, london : anno . the first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "a"; the last leaf is blank except for marginal rules and page numbers. each book has separate title page; pagination and register are continuous. this edition has "ios. hall" on the general title page; c v line has "sauior". identified as stc a on umi microfilm reel . reproductions of the originals in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery and the folger shakespeare library. appears at reel (henry e. huntington library and art gallery copy) and at reel (folger shakespeare library copy). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng characters and characteristics -- early works to . virtue -- early works to . vice -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion characters of vertves and vices : in two bookes : by ios . hall . london , printed by melch. bradwood for eleazar edgar and samuel macham , and are to be sold at the sign of the bul-head in pauls church-yard . anno . to the right honorable my singvlar good lords , edward lord denny baron of waltham , and iames lord haie his right noble and worthy sonne in lavv , i. h. hvmbly dedicates his labor , devoteth himselfe , wisheth all happinesse . a premonition of the title and vse of characters . reader , the diuines of the olde heathens were their morall philosophers : these receiued the acts of an inbred law , in the sinai of nature , and deliuered them with manie expositions to the multitude : these were the ouerseers of maners , correctors of vices , directors of liues , doctors of vertue , which yet taught their people the body of their naturall diuinitie , not after one maner ; while some spent themselues in deepe discourses of humane felicitie and the way to it in common ; others thought best to applie the generall precepts of goodnesse or decencie , to particular conditions and persons : a third sort in a mean course betwixt the two other , and compounded of them both , bestowed their time in drawing out the true lineaments of euery vertue and vice , so liuely , that who saw the medals , might know the face : which art they significantly termed charactery . their papers were so many tables , their writings so many speaking pictures , or liuing images , whereby the ruder multitude might euen by their sense learne to know vertue , and discerne what to detest . i am deceiued if any course could be more likely to preuaile ; for heerein the grosse conceit is led on with pleasure , and informed while it feeles nothing but delight : and if pictures haue beene accounted the books of idiots , beholde heere the benefit of an image without the offence . it is no shame for vs to learne wit of heathens , neither is it materiall , in whose schoole we take out a good lesson : yea , it is more shame not to follow their good , than not to leade them better . as one therefore that in worthy examples hold imitation better than inuention , i have trod in their paths , but with an higher & wider step ; and out of their tablets haue drawen these larger portraitures of both sorts . more might be sayd , i denie not of euery vertue , of euery vice : i desired not to say all , but enough . if thou do but read or like these , i haue spent good houres ill ; but if thou shalt hence abiure those vices , which before thou thoughtest not ill-fauoured , or fall in loue with any of these goodly faces of vertue ; or shalt hence finde where thou hast anie little touch of these euils , to cleere thy selfe , or where any defect in these graces to supply it , neither of vs shall need to repent of our labor . the svmme of the whole . first booke . the prooeme . pag. character of wisdome . of honestie . of faith. of humilitie . of valor . of patience . of true-friendship . of true-nobilitie . of the good magistrate . second booke . the prooeme . character of the hypocrite . of the busie-bodie . of the superstitious . of the profane . of the male-content . of the inconstant . of the flatterer . of the slothfull . of the couetous . of the vain-glorious . of the presumptuous . of the distrustfull . of the ambitious . of the vnthrift . of the enuious . the first booke . characterismes of vertues . london , printed by m. b. for eleazer edgar , and s. macham . the prooeme . vertve is not loued enough , because shee is not seene ; and vice loseth much detestation , because her vglinesse is secret . certainly , my lords , there are so many beauties , and so many graces in the face of goodnesse , that no eye can possibly see it without affection , without rauishment ; and the visage of euil is so monstrous , through loathsome deformities , that if her louers were not ignorant , they would be mad with disdaine and astonishment . what need we more than to discouer these two to the world ? this worke shall saue the labour of exhorting , and dissuasion . i haue heere done it as i could , following that ancient master of moralitie , who thought this the fittest taske for the ninetie and ninth yeere of his age , and the profitablest monument that he could leaue for a fare-well to his grecians . loe heere then vertue and vice strip't naked to the open view , and despoiled , one of her rags , the other of her ornaments , and nothing left them but bare presence to plead for affection : see now whether shall finde more suiters . and if still the vaine mindes of leaud men shall dote vpon their olde mistresse , it will appeare to be , not because she is not foule , but for that they are blind , and bewitched . and first behold the goodly features of wisdome , an amiable vertue and worthy to leade this stage ; which as she extends her selfe to all the following graces , so amongst the rest is for her largenesse most conspicuous . character of the wise man. there is nothing that he desires not to know , but most and first himselfe ; and-not so much his owne strength , as his weaknesses ; neither is his knowledge reduced to discourse , but practise . he is a skilfull logician not by nature , so much as vse ; his working minde doth nothing all his time but make syllogismes , & draw out conclusions ; euery thing that he sees & heares serues for one of the premises : with these he cares first to informe himselfe , then to direct others . both his eyes are neuer at once from home , but one keeps house while the other roues abroad for intelligence . in materiall and weighty points he abides not his minde suspended in vncertainties ; but hates doubting where he may , where he should be resolute : and first hee makes sure worke for his soule ; accounting it no safetie to be vnsetled in the foreknowledge of his finall estate . the best is first regarded ; and vaine is that regard which endeth not in securitie . euery care hath his iust order ; neither is there any one either neglected or mis-placed . he is seldome ouerseene with credulity ; for knowing the falsenesse of the world , he hath learn'd to trust himselfe alwaies ; others so farre , as he may not be dammaged by their disappointment . he seeks his quietnesse in secrecy , and is wont both to hide himselfe in retirednesse , and his tongue in himselfe . he loues to be gessed at , not knowen ; and to see the world vnseen ; and when hee is forced into the light , shewes by his actions that his obscuritie was neither from affectation nor weaknesse . his purposes are neither so variable as may argue inconstancy ; nor obstinately vnchangeable , but framed according to his after-wits , or the strength of new occasions . he is both an apt scholar and an excellent master ; for both euerie thing hee sees informes him , and his minde inriched with plentifull obseruation can giue the best precepts . his free discourse runnes backe to the ages past , and recouers euents out of memory , and then preuenteth tyme in flying forward to future things ; and comparing one with the other can giue a verdict well-neere propheticall : wherein his coniectures are better than anothers iudgements . his passions are so many good seruants , which stand in a diligent attendance ready to be commanded by reason , by religion ; and if at any time forgetting their duty they be mis-carried to rebell , hee can first conceale their mutiny ; then suppresse it . in all his iust and worthy designes he is neuer at a losse , but hath so proiected all his courses , that a second begins where the first failed ; and fetcheth strength from that which succeeded not . there be wrongs which he will not see ; neither doth he alwayes looke that way which hee meaneth ; nor take notice of his secret smarts , when they come from great ones . in good turnes he loues not to owe more than he must ; in euill to owe and not pay . iust censures hee deserues not , for hee liues without the compasse of an aduersarie ; vniust he contemneth , and had rather suffer false infamie to die alone , than lay hands vpon it in an open violence . he confineth himselfe in the circle of his own affaires , and lists not to thrust his finger into a needlesse fire . he stands like a center vnmoued , while the circumference of his estate is drawen aboue , beneath , about him . finally , his wit hath cost him much , and he can both keepe , and value , and imploy it . he is his owne lawyer ; the treasurie of knowledge , the oracle of counsell ; blinde in no mans cause , best-sighted in his owne . the characterisme of an honest man. he looks not to what hee might doe , but what hee should ; iustice is his first guide , the second law of his actions is expedience . he had rather complaine than offend , & hates sinne more for the indignitie of it , than the danger : his simple vprightnesse workes in him that confidence , which oft-times wrongs him , and giues aduantage to the subtle , when he rather pities their faithlesnes , than repents of his credulitie : he hath but one heart , and that lies open to sight ; and were it not for discretion , hee neuer thinks ought , whereof he would auoid a witnesse : his word is his parchment , and his yea his oath , which he will not violate for feare , or for losse . the mishaps of following euents may cause him to blame his prouidence , can neuer cause him to eat his promise : neither sayth he , this i saw not ; but this i sayd . when he is made his friends executour , hee defrayes debts , payes legacies , and scorneth to gaine by orphans , or to ransack graues ; and therefore will be true to a dead friend , because he sees him not . all his dealings are square , & aboue the boord : he bewrayes the fault of what he selles , and restores the ouerseene gaine of a false reckoning . he esteemes a bribe venomous , tho it come guilded ouer with the colour of gratuitie . his cheeks are neuer stained with the blushes of recantation ; neither doth his tongue falter to make good a lie with the secret glosses of double or reserued senses ; and when his name is traduced , his innocencie beares him out with courage : then , lo , hee goes on the plaine way of truth , and will either triumph in his integritie , or suffer with it . his conscience ouer-rules his prouidence : so as in all things , good or ill , he respects the nature of the actions , not the sequell . if he see what he must do , let god see what shall follow . he neuer loadeth himselfe with burdens aboue his strength , beyond his will ; and once bound , what he can he will do ; neither doth he will but what he can do . his eare is the sanctuary of his absent friends name , of his present friends secret ; neither of them can mis-carry in his trust . hee remembers the wrongs of his youth , and repayes them with that vsury which he himselfe would not take . he would rather want than borow , and begge than not pay : his faire conditions are without dissembling ; and hee loues actions aboue words . finally , hee hates falshood worse than death : he is a faithfull client of truth ; no mans enemie ; and , it is a question , whether more another mans friend , or his owne ; and if there were no heauen , yet he would be vertuous . the characterism of the faithfull man. his eyes haue no other obiects , but absent & inuisible ; which they see so cleerly , as that to them sense is blind : that which is present they see not ; if i may not rather say , that what is past or future is present to them . heerin he exceeds all others , that to him nothing is impossible , nothing difficult , whether to beare , or vndertake . he walkes euery day with his maker , and talkes with him familiarly , and liues euer in heauen , and sees all earthly things beneath him : when he goes in , to conuerse with god , he weares not his owne clothes , but takes them still out of the rich wardrobe of his redeemer , and then dare boldly prease in , and challenge a blessing . the celestiall spirits do not scorne his company , yea his seruice . he deales in these worldly affaires as a stranger , and hath his heart euer at home : without a written warrant he dare doe nothing , and with it , any thing . his warre is perpetuall , without truce , without intermission ; and his victorie certaine : hee meets with the infernall powers , and tramples them vnder feet . the shield that he euer beares before him , can neither be missed , nor pierced : if his hand be wounded , yet his heart is safe : he is often tripped , seldome foiled ; and if somtimes foiled , neuer vanquished . hee hath white hands , and a cleane soule , fit to lodge god in , all the roomes wherof are set apart for his holinesse : iniquitie hath oft called at the doore , and craued entertainment , but with a repulse : or if sin of force will be his tenant ; his lord hee can not . his faults are few , and those he hath , god will not see . he is allied so high , that he dare call god father , his sauior brother , heauen his patrimonie , and thinks it no presumption to trust to the attendance of angels . his vnderstanding is inlightened with the beames of diuine truth ; god hath acquainted him with his will ; and what hee knowes hee dare confesse : there is not more loue in his heart , than libertie in his tongue . if torments stand betwixt him and christ , if death , he contemnes them ; and if his owne parents lie in his way to god , his holy carelesnesse makes them his footsteps . his experiments haue drawen forth rules of confidence , which hee dares oppose against all the feares of distrust ; wherein hee thinkes it safe to charge god with what he hath done ; with what hee hath promised : examples are his proofes ; and instances his demonstrations . what hath god giuen which hee can not giue ? what haue others suffered which hee may not be enabled to indure ? is he threatned banishment ? there hee sees the deare euangelist in pathmos cutting in pieces : hee sees esay vnder the saw . drowning ? hee sees ionas diuing into the liuing gulfe . burning ? he sees the three children in the hote walke of the furnace . deuouring ? hee sees daniel in the sealed den amids his terrible companions . stoning ? hee sees the first martyr vnder his heape of many graue-stones . heading ? loe there the baptists necke bleeding in herodias platter . he emulates their paine , their strength , their glorie . hee wearies not himselfe with cares ; for hee knowes hee liues not of his owne cost : not idlely omitting meanes , but not vsing them with diffidence . in the midst of ill rumors and amazements his countenance changeth not ; for hee knowes both whom hee hath trusted , & whither death can lead him . he is not so sure he shall die , as that hee shall be restored ; and out-faceth his death with his resurrection . finally , hee is rich in workes , busie in obedience , cheerefull and vnmooued in expectation ; better with euils , in common opinion miserable , but in true iudgement more than a man. of the humble man. he is a friendly enemy to himselfe : for tho hee be not out of his owne fauor , no man sets so low a value of his worth as himselfe , not out of ignorance , or carelesnesse , but of a voluntary and meeke deiectednesse . hee admires euery thing in another , whiles the same or better in himselfe he thinks not vnworthily contemned : his eies are full of his owne wants , and others perfections . he loues rather to giue , than take honour , not in a fashion of complementall courtesie , but in simplicitie of his iudgement ; neither doth hee fret at those , on whom hee forceth precedencie , as one that hoped their modestie would haue refused ; but holdes his minde vnfainedly below his place , and is readie to go lower ( if need be ) without discontentment : when hee hath but his due , hee magnifieth courtesie , and disclaimes his deserts . hee can be more ashamed of honor , than grieued with contempt ; because hee thinkes that causelesse , this deserued . his face , his carriage , his habit , sauor of lowlinesse without affectation , and yet he is much vnder that he seemeth . his words are few & soft , neuer either peremptory or censorious ; because he thinks both ech man more wise , and none more faulty than himselfe : and when hee approcheth to the throne of god , he is so taken vp with the diuine greatnesse , that in his owne eyes he is either vile or nothing . places of publique charge are faine to sue to him , and hale him out of his chosen obscuritie ; which he holds off , not cunningly to cause importunitie , but sincerely in the conscience of his defects . hee frequenteth not the stages of common resorts , and then alone thinks himselfe in his naturall element , when he is shrowded within his owne walles . hee is euer iealous ouer himselfe , and still suspecteth that which others applaud . there is no better obiect of beneficence , for what hee receiues , hee ascribes meerly to the bountie of the giuer ; nothing to merit . he emulates no man in any thing but goodnesse , and that with more desire , than hope to ouertake , no man is so contented with his little , and so patient vnder miseries , because he knowes the greatest euils are below his sins , and the least fauours aboue his deseruings . hee walks euer in awe , and dare not but subiect euery word & action to an hie and iust censure . he is a lowly valley sweetly planted , and well watered ; the proud mans earth , whereon he trampleth ; but secretly full of wealthie mines , more worth than he that walks ouer them ; a rich stone set in lead ; and lastly , a true temple of god built with a low roofe . the character of a valiant man. hee vndertakes without rashnesse , and performes without fearer● he seeks not for dangers ; but when they find him , he beares them ouer with courage , with successe . he hath oft times lookt death in the face , and passed by it with a smile , & when hee sees he must yeeld , doth at once welcome and contemne it . he forecasts the worst of all euents , & incounters them before they come in a secret and mentall warre ; and if the suddennesse of an inexpected euill haue surprized his thoughts , & infected his cheekes with palenesse ; he hath no sooner digested it in his conceit , than he gathers vp himselfe , and insults ouer mischiefe . he is the maister of himselfe , and subdues his passions to reason ; and by this inward victorie workes his owne peace . he is afrayd of nothing but the displeasure of the highest , and runnes away from nothing but sinne : he lookes not on his hands but his cause ; not how strong he is , but how innocent : and where goodnesse is his warrant , he may be ouer-maistered , he can not be foiled . the sword is to him the last of all trials , which he drawes forth still as defendant , not as challenger , with a willing kinde of vnwillingnesse : no man can better manage it , with more safety , with more fauor : he had rather haue his blood seene than his backe ; and disdaines life vpon base conditions . no man is more milde to a relenting or vanquish't aduersarie , or more hates to set his foot on a carcase . he had rather smother an iniurie than reuenge himselfe of the impotent : and i know not whether more detests cowardlinesse or crueltie . he talks little , and brags lesse ; and loues rather the silent language of the hand ; to be seene than heard . he lies euer close within himselfe , armed with wise resolution , and will not be discouered but by death or danger . he is neither prodigall of blood to mis-spend it idlely , nor niggardly to grudge it when either god calles for it , or his countrey ; neither is hee more liberall of his owne life , than of others . his power is limited by his will , and he holds it the noblest reuenge , that he might hurt and doth not . hee commands without tyrannie & imperiousnesse , obeies without seruilitie , and changes not his minde with his estate . the height of his spirits ouer-looks all casualties , and his boldnesse proceeds neither from ignorance nor senselesnesse : but first he values euils , and then despises them : he is so ballanced with wisdome , that he floats steddilie in the midst of all tempests . deliberate in his purposes , firme in resolution , bolde in enterprising , vnwearied in atchieuing , and howsoeuer happy in successe : and if euer he be ouercome , his heart yeelds last . the patient man. the patient man is made of a mettall , not so hard as flexible : his shoulders are large , fit for a load of iniuries ; which he beares not out of basenesse and cowardlinesse , because he dare not reuenge , but out of christian fortitude , because he may not : hee hath so conquered himself , that wrongs can not conquer him ; & heerin alone findes , that victorie consists in yeelding . hee is aboue nature , while hee seemes below himselfe . the vilest creature knowes how to turne againe ; but to command himselfe not to resist being vrged is more than heroicall . his constructions are ouer full or charitie and fauor ; either this wrong was not done , or not with intent of wrong , or if that , vpon mis-information ; or if none of these , rashnesse ( tho a fault ) shall serue for an excuse . himselfe craues the offenders pardon , before his confession ; and a slight answer contents where the offended desires to forgiue . hee is gods best witnesse , and when hee stands before the barre for trueth , his tongue is calmly free , his forhead firme , and hee with erect and setled countenance heares his vniust sentence , and reioyces in it . the iailers that attend him are to him his pages of honour ; his dungeon the lower part of the vault of heauen ; his racke or wheele the staires of his ascent to glorie : he challengeth his executioners , and incounters the fiercest paines with strength of resolution ; and while he suffers , the beholders pitse him , the tormentours complaine of wearinesse , and both of them wonder . no anguish can maister him , whether by violence or by lingring . he accounts expectation no punishment , and can abide to haue his hopes adiourned till a new day . good lawes serue for his protection , not for his reuenge ; and his own power , to auoid indignities , not to returne them . his hopes are so strong , that they can insult ouer the greatest discouragements ; and his apprehensions so deep , that when he hath once fastened , hee sooner leaueth his life than his hold . neither time nor peruersnesse can make him cast off his charitable endeuors , and despaire of preuailing ; but in spight of all crosses , and all denials , he redoubleth his beneficiall offers of loue . hee trieth the sea after many ship-wracks , and beates still at that doore which hee neuer saw opened . contrarietie of euents doth but exercise , not dismay him ; and when crosses afflict him , he sees a diuine hand inuisibly striking with these sensible scourges : against which hee dares not rebell , not murmure . hence all things befall him alike ; and hee goes with the same minde to the shambles and to the folde . his recreations are calme and gentle ; and not more full of relaxation than void of fury . this man onely can turne necessitie into vertue , and put euill to good vse . hee is the surest friend , the latest and easiest enemie , the greatest conqueror , and so much more happy than others , by how much hee could abide to be more miserable . the true friend . his affections are both vnited and diuided ; vnited to him he loueth ; diuided betwixt another and himselfe ; and his one heart is so parted , that whiles hee hath some , his friend hath all . his choice is led by vertue , or by the best of vertues , religion ; not by gaine , not by pleasure ; yet not without respect of equall condition , of disposition not vnlike ; which once made admits of no change , except hee whom hee loueth be changed quite from himselfe , nor that suddenly , but after long expectation . extremity doth but fasten him , whiles he like a well-wrought vault lies the stronger by how much more weight hee beares . when necessitie calles him to it , he can be a seruant to his equall , with the same will wherewith he can command his inferior ; and tho he rise to honor , forgets not his familiarity , nor suffers inequalitie of estate to worke strangenesse of countenance ; on the other side , he lifts vp his friend to aduancement , with a willing hand , without out enuie , without dissimulation . when his mate is dead , he accounts himselfe but halfe aliue ; then his loue not dissolued by death deriues it selfe to those orphans which neuer knew the price of their father ; they become the heires of his affection , and the burden of his cares . he embraces a free communitie of all things , saue those which either honesty reserues proper , or nature ; and hates to enioy that which would do his friend more good : his charitie serues to cloake noted infirmities , not by vntruth , not by flattery , but by discreet secrecie ; neither is hee more fauourable in concealement , than round in his priuate reprehensions ; and when anothers simple fidelitie shewes it selfe in his reproofe , he loues his monitor so much the more by how much more he smarteth . his bosome is his friends closet , where he may safely lay vp his cōplaints , his doubts , his cares , and looke how he leaues , so he findes them ; saue for some addition of seasonable counsell for redresse . if some vnhappy suggestion shall either disioint his affection , or breake it , it soone knits againe , and growes the stronger by that stresse . he is so sensible of anothers iniuries , that when his friend is stricken hee cries out , and equally smarteth vntouched , as one affected not sympathy , but with a reall feeling of paine : and in what mischiefe may be preuented he interposeth his aid , and offers to redeeme his friend with himselfe ; no houre can be vnseasonable , no businesse difficult , nor paine grieuous in condition of his ease : and what either doth or suffereth , he neither cares nor desires to haue knowen ; lest he should seem to look for thanks . if hee can therefore steale the performance of a good office vnseene , the conscience of his faithfulnesse heerein is so much sweeter as it is more secret . in fauours done his memorie is fraile , in benefits receiued eternall : hee scorneth either to regard recompence , or not to offer it . he is the comfort of miseries , the guide of difficulties , the ioy of life , the treasure of earth ; and no other than a good angell clothed in flesh . of the truly-noble . he stands not vpon what he borrowed of his ancestours , but thinks he must worke out his owne honor : and if he can not reach the vertue of them that gaue him outward glory by inheritance , he is more abashed of his impotencie , than transported with a great name . greatnesse doth not make him scornfull and imperious , but rather like the fixed starres , the higher he is , the lesse he desires to seeme . neither cares he so much for pompe and frothie ostentation , as for the solid truth of noblenesse . courtesie and sweet affabilitie can be no more seuered from him , than life from his soule ; not out of a base and seruile popularitie , and desire of ambitious insinuation ; but of a natiue gentlenesse of disposition , and true value of himselfe . his hand is open and bounteous , yet not so , as that he should rather respect his glorie , than his estate ; wherein his wisdome can distinguish betwixt parasites and friends , betwixt changing of fauors and expending them . he scorneth to make his height a priuilege of loosenesse , but accounts his titles vaine , if hee be inferior to others in goodnesse : and thinks hee should be more strict , the more eminent he is ; because hee is more obserued , and now his offences are become exemplar . there is no vertue that hee holds vnfit for ornament , for vse ; nor any vice which he condemnes not as fordid , and a fit companion of basenesse ; and whereof he doth not more hate the blemish , than affect the pleasure . he so studies as one that knowes ignorance can neither purchase honour , nor wield it ; and that knowledge must both guide and grace him . his exercises are from his childhood ingenuous , manly , decent , and such as tend still to wit , valor , actiuitie : and if ( as seldome ) he descend to disports of chance , his games shall neuer make him either pale with feare , or hote with desire of gaine . hee doth not so vse his followers , as if he thought they were made for nothing but his seruitude ; whose felicitie were onlie to bee commanded and please : wearing them to the backe , and then either finding or framing excuses to discard them emptie ; but vpon all opportunities lets them feele the sweetnesse of their owne seruiceablenesse and his bountie . silence in officious seruice is the best oratorie to plead for his respect : all diligence is but lent to him , none lost . his wealth stands in receiuing , his honour in giuing : hee cares not either how many holde of his goodnesse , or to how few hee is beholden : and if hee haue cast away fauours , he hates either to vpbraid them to his enemie , or to challenge restitution . none can be more pitifull to the distressed , or more prone to succour ; and then most , where is least meanes to solicit , least possibilitie of requitall . he is equally addressed to warre & peace ; and knowes not more how to command others , than how to be his countries seruant in both . he is more carefull to giue true honor to his maker , than to receiue ciuill honour from men . hee knowes that this seruice is free and noble , and euer loaded with sincere glorie ; and how vaine it is to hunt after applause from the world , till he be sure of him that moldeth all hearts , and powreth contempt on princes ; and shortly , so demeanes himselfe , as one that accounts the bodie of nobilitie to consist in blood , the soule in the eminence of vertue . of the good magistrate . he is the faithfull deputie of his maker , whose obedience is the rule whereby he ruleth : his brest is the ocean whereinto all the cares of priuate men emptie themselues ; which as hee receiues without complaint and ouerflowing , so he sends them forth againe by a wise conueyance in the streames of iustice : his doores , his eares are euer open to suters ; and not who comes first speeds well , but whose cause is best . his nights , his meales are short and interrupted ; all which hee beares well , because hee knowes himselfe made for a publique seruant of peace and iustice . hee sits quietly at the sterne , & commands one to the top-saile , another to the maine , a third to the plummet , a fourth to the anchor , as hee sees the need of their course and weather requires ; and doth no lesse by his tongue , than all the mariners with their hands . on the bench he is another from himselfe at home ; now all priuate respects of blood , alliance , amitie are forgotten ; and if his own sonne come vnder triall , hee knowes him not : pitie , which in all others is woont to bee the best praise of humanitie , & the fruit of christian loue , is by him throwen ouer the barre for corruption : as for fauour the false aduocate of the gracious , he allowes him not to appeare in the court ; there only causes are heard speake , not persons : eloquence is then only not discouraged , when she serues for a client of truth : meere narrations are allowed in this oratory , not proemes , not excursions , not glosses : truth must strip herselfe , and come in naked to his barre , without false bodies , or colours , without disguises : a bribe in his closet , or a letter on the bench , or the whispering and winks of a great neighbour are answered with an angry and courageous repulse . displeasure , reuenge , recompense stand on both sides the bench , but he scornes to turne his eye towards them ; looking only right forward at equitie , which stands full before him . his sentence is euer deliberate and guided with ripe wisdome , yet his hand is slower than his tongue ; but when he is vrged by occasion either to doome or execution , he shewes how much hee hateth mercifull iniustice : neither can his resolution or act be reuersed with partiall importunitie . his forhead is rugged and seuere , able to discountenance villanie , yet his words are more awfull than his brow , and his hand than his wordes . i know not whether he be more feared or loued , both affections are so sweetly contempered in all hearts . the good feare him louingly , the middle sort loue him fearefully , and only the wicked man feares him slauishly without loue . he hates to pay priuate wrongs with the aduantage of his office , and if euer he be partiall it is to his enemy . he is not more sage in his gowne than valorous in armes , and increaseth in the rigor of his discipline as the times in danger . his sword hath neither rusted for want of vse , nor surfeteth of blood , but after many threats is vnsheathed , as the dreadfull instrument of diuine reuenge . he is the guard of good lawes , the refuge of innocencie , the comet of the guiltie , the pay-maister of good deserts , the champian of iustice ; the patron of peace , the tutor of the church , the father of his countrey , and as it were another god vpon earth . the second booke . characterismes of vices . london , printed by m. b. for eleazar edgar , and s. macham . the prooeme . i haue shewed you many faire vertues : i speak not for them , if their sight can not command affection , let them lose it . they shall please yet better , after you haue troubled your eyes a little with the view of deformities ; and by how much more they please , so much more odious , and like themselues , shall these deformities appeare . this light contraries giue to ech other , in the midst of their enmitie , that one makes the other seeme more good , or ill . perhaps in some of these ( which thing i do at once feare , and hate ) my stile shall seeme to some lesse graue , more satyricall ; if you finde me not without cause iealous , let it please you to impute it to the nature of those vices , which will not be otherwise handled . the fashions of some euils are besides the odiousnesse , ridiculous ; which to repeat , is to seeme bitterlie merrie . i abhorre to make sport with wickednesse , and forbid any laughter heere , but of disdaine . hypocrisie shall lead this ring ; woorthily , i thinke , because both she commeth neerest to vertue , and is the woorst of vices . the hypocrite . an hypocrite is the worst kinde of plaier , by so much as he acts the better part ; which hath alwayes two faces , oft times two hearts : that can compose his forhead to sadnesse and grauitie , while hee bids his heart be wanton and carelesse within , and ( in the meane time ) laughs within himselfe , to think how smoothly he hath couzened the beholder . in whose silent face are written the characters of religion , which his tongue & gestures pronounce , but his hands recant . that hath a cleane face and garment , with a soule soule ; whose mouth belies his heart , and his fingers belie his mouth . walking early vp into the citie , he turnes into the great church , and salutes one of the pillars on one knee , worshipping that god which at home hee cares not for ; while his eye is fixed on some window , on some passenger , and his heart knowes not whither his lips go . hee rises , and looking about with admiration , complaines of our frozen charitie , commends the ancient . at church hee will euer sit where hee may bee seene best , and in the midst of the sermon pulles out his tables in haste , as if he feared to leese that note ; when hee writes either his forgotten errand , or nothing : then he turnes his bible with a noise , to seeke an omitted quotation ; and folds the lease , as if hee had found it ; and askes aloud the name of the preacher , and repeats it , whom hee publikelie salutes , thanks , praises , inuites , entertaines with tedious good counsell , with good discourse , if it had come from an honester mouth . hee can commaund teares , when hee speaks of his youth , indeed because it is past , not because it was sinfull : himselfe is now better , but the times are worse . all other sinnes hee reckons vp with detestation , while hee loues and hides his darling in his bosome . all his speech returnes to himselfe , and euery occurrent drawes in a storie to his owne praise . when he should giue , he looks about him , and sayes who sees me ? no almes , no prayers fall from him without a witnesse ; belike lest god should denie , that hee hath receiued them : and when hee hath done ( lest the world should not know it ) his owne mouth is his trumpet to proclame it . with the superfluitie of his vsurie , hee builds an hospitall , and harbors them whom his extortion hath spoiled ; so while hee makes many beggers , he keeps some . hee turneth all gnats into camels , and cares not to vndoe the world for a circumstance . flesh on a friday is more abomination to him than his neighbours bed : hee abhorres more not to vncouer at the name of iesus , than to sweare by the name of god. when a rimer reads his poeme to him , he begges a copie , and perswades the presse ; there is nothing that hee dislikes in presence , that in absence hee censures not . he comes to the sicke bed of his stepmother , & weeps , when hee secretly feares her recouerie . he greets his friend in the street with so cleere a countenance , so fast a closure , that the other thinks hee reades his heart in his face ; and shakes hands with an indefinite inuitation of when will you come ? and when his backe is turned , ioyes that he is so well rid of a guest : yet if that guest visit him vnseared , hee counterfeits a smiling welcome , and excuses his chere , when closely he frownes on his wife for too much . he shewes well , and sayes well ; and himselfe is the worst thing he hath . in briefe , hee is the strangers saint , the neighbors disease , the blotte of goodnesse ; a rotten sticke in a darke night , a poppie in a corne field , an ill tempered candle with a great snuffe , that in going out smelles ill ; an angell abroad , a diuell at home ; and worse when an angell , than when a diuell . the characterism of the busie-bodie . his estate is too narrow for his minde , and therefore hee is faine to make himselfe roome in others affaires ; yet euer in pretence of loue . no newes can stir but by his doore ; neither can he know that , which hee must not tell : what euerie man ventures in guiana voyage , & what they gained he knowes to a haire . whether holland will haue peace hee knowes , and on what conditions ; and with what successe is familiar to him ere it bee concluded . no post can passe him without a question , and rather than he will leese the newes , he rides backe with him to appose him of tidings ; and then to the next man hee meets , hee supplies the wants of his hasty intelligence , and makes vp a perfect tale ; wherewith he so haunteth the patient auditor that after many excuses , hee is faine to indure rather the censure of his maners in running away , than the tediousnesse of an impertinent discourse . his speech is oft broken off with a succession of long parentheses , which he euer vowes to fill vp ere the conclusion , and perhaps would effect it , if the others eare were as vnweariable as his tongue . if hee see but two men talke and reade a letter in the street , hee runnes to them , and asks if he may not be partner of that secret relation ; and if they denie it , hee offers to tell , since hee may not heare , woonders : and then falles vpon the report of the scotish mine , or of the great fish taken vp at linne , or of the freezing of the thames ; and after many thanks and dismissions is hardly intreated silence . hee vndertakes as much as he performes little : this man will thrust himselfe forward to be the guide of the way hee knowes not ; and calles at his neighbors window , & asks why his seruants are not at worke . the market hath no commoditie which hee prizeth not , and which the next table shall not heare recited . his tongue like the taile of sampsons foxes carries fire-brand , and is enough to set the whole field of the world on a flame . himselfe beginnes table-talke of his neighbour at anothers boord ; to whom he beares the first newes , and adiures him to conceale the reporter : whose cholericke answer he returnes to his first host , inlarged with a second edition : so , as it vses to be done in the fight of vnwilling mastiues , hee claps ech on the side apart , and prouokes them to an eager conflict . there can no act passe without his comment , which is euer far-fetch't , rash , suspicious , delatorie . his eares are long , and his eyes quicke , but most of all to imperfections , which as he easily sees , so he increases with intermedling . hee harbours another mans seruant , and amiddes his entertainment asks what fare is vsuall at home , what houres are kept , what talke passeth their meales , what his masters disposition is , what his gouernment , what his guests ? and when hee hath by curious inquiries extracted all the iuice and spirit of hoped intelligence , turnes him off whence he came , and works on a new . hee hates constancie as an ear-then dulnesse , vnfit for men of spirit : and loues to change his worke and his place ; neither yet can hee bee so soone wearie of any place , as euerie place is wearie of him ; for as hee sets himselfe on worke , so others pay him with hatred ; and looke how manie maisters hee hath , so manie enemies : neither is it possible that anie should not hate him , but who know him not . so then hee labours without thanks , talkes without credit , liues without loue , dies without teares , without pitie ; saue that some say it was pitie he died no sooner . the superstitious . svperstition is godlesse religion , deuout impietie . the superstitious is fond in obseruation , seruile in feare , he worships god but as he lifts : he giues god what he asks not , more than he askes ; and all but what he should giue ; and makes more sinnes than the ten commandements . this man dares not stirre foorth till his brest be crossed , and his face sprinckled : if but an hare crosse him the way , he returnes ; or if his iourney began vnawares on the dismall day ; or if hee stumbled at the threshold . if he see a snake vnkilled , hee feares a mischiefe ; if the salt fall towards him , hee lookes pale and red , and is not quiet till one of the waiters haue powred wine on his lappe ; and when hee neeseth , thinks them not his friends that vncouer not . in the morning he listens whether the crow crieth eeuen or odde , and by that token presages of the weather . if hee heare but a rauen croke from the next roofe , hee makes his will , or if a bittour flie ouer his head by night : but if his troubled fancie shall second his thoughts with the dreame of a faire garden , or greene rushes , or the salutation of a dead friend , hee takes leaue of the world , and sayes he can not liue . hee will neuer set to sea but on a sunday ; neither euer goes without an erra pater in his pocket . saint pauls day and saint swithunes with the twelue are his oracles ; which he dares beleeue against the almanacke . when hee lies sicke on his death-bed , no sinne troubles him so much as that he did once eat flesh on a friday , no repentance can expiate that ; the rest need none . there is no dreame of his without an interpretation , without a prediction ; and if the euent answer not his exposition , hee expounds it according to the euent . euery darke groaue and pictured wall strikes him with an awfull but carnall deuotion . olde wiues and starres are his counsellers ; his night-spell is his guard , and charmes his physitians . he weares paracelsian characters for the tooth-ache , and a little hallowed wax is his antidote for all euils . this man is strangely credulous , and calles impossible things , miraculous : if hee heare that some sacred blocke speakes , moues , weepes , smiles , his bare foot carrie him thither with an offering ; and if a danger misse him in the way , his saint hath the thanks . some wayes he will not go , & some he dares not ; either there are bugs , or hee faineth them ; euery lanterne is a ghost , & euery noise is of chaines . he knowes not why , but his custome is to goe a little about , and to leaue the crosse stil on the right hand . one euent is enough to make a rule ; out of these rules he concludes fashions proper to himselfe ; and nothing can turne him out of his owne course . if he haue done his taske hee is safe , it matters not with what affection . finally , if god would let him be the caruer of his owne obedience , hee could not haue a better subiect , as he is he can not haue a worse . characterisme of the profane . the superstitious hath too manie gods , the prophane man hath none at all , vnlesse perhaps himselfe bee his owne deitie , and the world his heauen . to matter of religion his heart is a piece of dead flesh , without feeling of loue , of feare , of care , or of paine from the deafe stroakes of a reuenging conscience . custome of sinne hath wrought this senslesnesse , which now hath beene so long entertained that it pleades prescription , and knowes not to be altered . this is no sudden euill : we are borne sinfull , but haue made our selues prophane ; through manie degrees wee climbe to this height of impietie . at first hee sinned , and cared not ; now hee sinneth , and knoweth not . appetite is his lord , and reason his seruant , and religion his drudge . sense is the rule of his beleefe ; and if pietie may be an aduantage , he can at once counterfeit and deride it . when ought succeedeth to him hee sacrifices to his nets , and thanks either his fortune or his wit ; and will rather make a false god , than acknowledge the true : if contrary , he cries out of destiny , & blames him to whom hee will not bee beholden . his conscience would faine speake with him , but he will not heare it ; sets the day , but hee disappoints it ; and when it cries loud for audience , hee drownes the noise with good fellowship . he neuer names god but in his oathes ; neuer thinks of him but in extremity ; & then he knowes not how to thinke of him , because he beginnes but then . he quarrels for the hard conditions of his pleasure , for his future damnation ; and from himselfe layes all the fault vpon his maker ; and from his decree fetcheth excuses of his wickednesse . the ineuitable necessity of gods counsell makes him desperately carelesse : so with good food he poisons himselfe . goodnesse is his minstrell ; neither is anie mirth so cordiall to him as his sport with gods fooles . euerie vertue hath his slander , and his iest to laugh it out of fashion : euery vice his colour . his vsuallest theme is the boast of his yoong sinnes , which he can still ioy in , tho he can not commit ; and ( if it may bee ) his speech makes him woorse than hee is . hee can not thinke of death with patience , without terrour , which he therefore feares worse than hell , because this he is sure of , the other hee but doubts of . hee comes to church as to the theater , sauing that not so willinglie , for companie , for custome , for recreation , perhaps for sleepe ; or to feed his eyes or his eares : as for his soule hee cares no more than if hee had none . he loues none but himselfe , and that not enough to seeke his true good ; neither cares hee on whom hee treads , that he may rise . his life is full of licence , and his practise of outrage . he is hated of god as much as hee hateth goodnesse , and differs little from a diuell , but that he hath a body . the characterism of the male-content . he is neither well full nor fasting ; and tho he abound with cōplaints , yet nothing dislikes him but the present : for what hee condemned while it was , once past hee magnifies , and striues to recall it out of the iawes of time. what hee hath hee seeth not , his eyes are so taken vp with what he wants ; and what hee sees hee cares not for , because hee cares so much for that which is not . when his friend carues him the best morsell , hee murmures that it is an happie feast wherein each one may cut for himselfe . when a present is sent him , he asks is this all ? and what no better ? and so accepts it as if hee would haue his friend know how much he is bound to him for vouchsafing to receiue it . it is hard to enterteine him with a proportionable gift . if nothing , he cries out of vnthankfulnesse ; if little , that hee is basely regarded ; if much , hee exclames of flatterie , and expectation of a large requital . euery blessing hath somwhat to disparage & distaste it : children bring cares , single life is wilde and solitarie ; eminency is enuious , retirednesse obscure ; fasting painfull , satietie vnweldie ; religion nicely seuere , libertie is lawlesse ; wealth burdensome , mediocrity contemptible : euerie thing faulteth either in too much or too little . this man is euer headstrong , and selfe-willed , neither is he alwayes tied to esteeme or pronounce according to reason ; some things he must dislike hee knowes not wherefore , but hee likes them not : and other where rather than not censure , he will accuse a man of vertue . euerie thing hee medleth with , hee either findeth imperfect , or maketh so : neither is there anie thing that soundeth so harsh in his eare as the commendation of another ; whereto yet perhaps he fashionably and coldly assenteth , but with such an after-clause of exception , as doth more than marre his former allowance : and if hee list not to giue a verball disgrace , yet hee shakes his head and smiles , as if his silence should say , i could and will not . and when himselfe is praised without excesse , hee complaines that such imperfect kindnesse hath not done him right . if but an vnseasonable shower crosse his recreation , he is ready to fall out with heauen , and thinkes hee is wronged if god will not take his times when to raine , when to shine . hee is a slaue to enuie , and loseth flesh with fretting , not so much at his owne infelicitie , as at others good ; neither hath he leasure to ioy in his owne blessings whilest another prospereth . faine would he see some mutinies , but dare not raise them ; and suffers his lawlesse tongue to walke thorow the dangerous paths of conceited alterations , but so as in good maners hee had rather thrust euery man before him when it comes to acting . nothing but feare keeps him from conspiracies , and no man is more cruell when hee is not manicled with danger . he speaks nothing but satyres , and libels , and lodgeth no guests in his heart but rebels . the inconstant and hee agree well in their felicity , which both place in change : but heerein they differ ; the inconstant man affects that which will be , the male-content commonly that which was . finally , he is a querulous curre , whom no horse can passe by without barking at ; yea , in the deepe silence of night the very moone-shine openeth his clamorous mouth : he is the wheele of a well-couched fire-worke that flies out on all sides , not without scorching it selfe . euery eare was long agoe wearie of him , and he is now almost wearie of himselfe . giue him but a little respite , and he will die alone ; of no other death , than others welfare . the vnconstant . the inconstant man treads vpō a mouing earth , and keeps no pace . his proceedings are euer headdie and peremptorie ; for hee hath not the patience to consult with reason , but determines meerelie vpon fancie . no man is so hot in the pursute of what hee liketh ; no man sooner wearie . he is fiery in his passions , which yet are not more violent than momentanie : it is a woonder if his loue or hatred last so many dayes as a wonder . his heart is the inne of all good motions , wherein if they lodge for a night it is well ; by morning they are gone and take no leaue , and if they come that way againe they are entertained as guests , not as friends . at first like another ecebolius he loued simple trueth , thence diuerting his eyes hee fell in loue with idolatrie ; those heathenish shrines had neuer any more doting and besotted client , and now of late hee is leapt from rome to munster , and is growen to giddie anabaptisme : what he will be next , as yet he knoweth not ; but ere hee haue wintred his opinion , it will be manifest . hee is good to make an enemie of ; ill for a friend ; because as there is no trust in his affection , so no rancour in his displeasure . the multitude of his changed purposes brings with it forgetfulnesse ; and not of others more than of himselfe . he sayes , sweares , renounces , because what hee promised hee meant not long enough to make an impression . heerin alone he is good for a common-wealth , that hee sets manie on worke , with building , ruining , altering ; and makes more businesse than time it selfe ; neither is hee a greater enemie to thrift , than to idlenesse . proprietie is to him enough cause of dislike ; each thing pleases him better that is not his owne . euen in the best things long continuance is a iust quarrell ; manna it selfe growes tedious with age , and noueltie is the highest stile of commendation to the meanest offers : neither doth he in books and fashions aske how good , but how new . varietie carries him away with delight , and no vniforme pleasure can be without an irksome fulnesse . hee is so transformable into all opinions , maners , qualities , that he seemes rather made immediatly of the first matter than of well tempered elements ; and therefore is in possibilitie any thing , or euerie thing ; nothing in present substance . finally , he is seruile in imitation , waxey to persuasions , wittie to wrong himselfe , a guest in his owne house , an ape of others , and in a word , any thing rather than himselfe . the flatterer . flatterie is nothing but false friendship , fawning hypocrisie , dishonest ciuilitie , base merchandize of words , a plausible discord of the heart and lips . the flatterer is bleare-eyed to ill , and can not see vices ; and his tongue walks euen in one tracke of vniust praises ; and can no more tell how to discommend , than to speake true . his speeches are full of wondring interiections ; and all his titles are superlatiue , & both of them seldome euer but in presence . his base minde is well matched with a mercenarie tongue , which is a willing slaue to another mans eare ; neither regardeth hee how true , but how pleasing . his art is nothing but delightfull cozenage , whose rules are smoothing and garded with periurie ; whose scope is to make men fooles , in teaching them to ouer-value themselues ; and to tickle his friends to death . this man is a porter of all good tales , and mends them in the carriage : one of fames best friends , and his owne ; that helps to furnish her with those rumors , that may aduantage himselfe . conscience hath no greater aduersarie ; for when shee is about to play her iust part , of accusation ; he stops her mouth with good termes , and well-neere strangleth her with shifts . like that subtle fish he turnes himselfe into the colour of euery stone , for a booty . in himselfe hee is nothing , but what pleaseth his great-one , whose vertues he can not more extoll , than imitate his imperfections , that hee may thinke his worst gracefull . let him say it is hote , hee wipes his forhead , and vnbraceth himselfe ; if cold , he shiuers , & calles for a warmer garment . when he walks with his friend hee sweares to him , that no manels is looked at ; no man talked of ; and that whomsoeuer hee vouchsafes to looke on & nod to , is graced enough : that he knoweth not his owne woorth , lest hee should be too happie ; and when he tells what others say in his praise , he interrupts himselfe modestlie , and dares not speake the rest : so his concealement is more insinuating than his speech . he hangs vpon the lips which hee admireth , as if they could let fall nothing but oracles , and finds occasion to cite some approoued sentence vnder the name he honoureth ; and when ought is nobly spoken , both his hands are little enough to blesse him . sometimes euen in absence hee extolleth his patron , where hee may presume of safe conueiance to his cares ; and in presence so whispereth his commendation , to a common friend , that it may not be vnheard where he meant it . he hath salues for euery sore , to hide them , not to heale them ; complexion for euery face : sin hath not any more artificiall broker or more impudent band . there is no vice , that hath not from him his colour , his allurement ; and his best seruice is either to further guiltinesse , or smother it . if hee grant euill things inexpedient , or crimes errors , he hath yeelded much ; either thy estate giues priuilege of libertie , or thy youth ; or if neither , what if it be ill , yet it is pleasant ? honesty to him is nice singularitie , repentance superstitious melancholie , grauitie dulnesse , and all vertue an innocent conceit of the base-minded . in short , he is the moth of liberall mens coats , the eare-wig of the mightie , the bane of courts , a friend and a slaue to the trencher , and good for nothing but to be a factor for the diuell . the slothfull . he is a religious man , and weares the time in his cloister ; and as the cloake of his doing nothing , pleads contemplation ; yet is hee no whit the leaner for his thoughts , no whit learneder . he takes no lesse care how to spend time , than others how to gaine by the expense ; and when businesse importunes him , is more troubled to forethinke what he must doe , than another to effect it . summer is out of his fauour for nothing but long dayes , that make no haste to their eeuen . hee loues still to haue the sun witnesse of his rising ; and lies long more for lothnesse to dresse him , than will to sleepe : and after some streaking and yawning calles for dinner , vnwashed ; which hauing digested with a sleepe in his chaire , he walks forth to the bench in the market-place , and looks for companions : whomsoeuer he meets , he stayes with idle questions , and lingring discourse ; how the dayes are longthened , how kindly the weather is , how false the clocke , how forward the spring , and ends euer with what shall we doe ? it pleases him no lesse to hinder others , than not to worke himselfe . when all the people are gone from church , hee is left sleeping in his seat alone . hee enters bonds , and forfeits them by forgetting the day ; and asks his neighbour when his owne field was fallowed , whether the next peece of ground belong not to himselfe . his care is either none , or too late : when winter is come , after some sharpe visitations , hee looks on his pile of wood , and asks how much was cropped the last spring . necessitie driues him to euerie action , and what hee can not auoid , he will yet defer . euery change troubles him , although to the better ; and his dulnesse counterfeits a kinde of contentment . when he is warned on a iurie , hee had rather pay the mulct , than appeare . all but that which nature will not permit , he doth by a deputie , and counts it troublesome to doe nothing , but to doe any thing , yet more . he is wittie in nothing but framing excuses to sit still , which if the occasion yeeld not , he coineth with ease . there is no worke that is not either dangerous , or thanklesse , and whereof he foresees not the inconuenience and gainlesnesse before he enters ; which if it be verified in euent , his next idlenesse hath found a reason to patronize it . he had rather freeze than fetch wood , and chuses rather to steale than worke ; to begge than take paines to steale , and in many things to want than begge . hee is so loth to leaue his neighbors fire , that he is faine to walke home in the darke ; and if he be not lookt to , weares out the night in the chimney-corner ; or if not that , lies downe in his clothes to saue two labors . he eats , and prayes himselfe asleepe ; and dreames of no other torment but worke . this man is a standing poole , and can not chuse but gather corruption : hee is descried amongst a thousand neighbours by a drie and nastie hand , that still sauors of the sheet ; a beard vncut , vnkembed ; an eye and eare yellow with their excretions ; a coat shaken on , ragged , vnbrush't ; by linnen and face striuing whether shall excell in vncleanlinesse . for bodie hee hath a swollen legge , a duskie and swinish eye , a blowen cheeke , a drawling tongue , an heauie foot , and is nothing but a ●older earth molded with standing water . to conclude , is a man in nothing but in speech and shape . the couetous . hee is a seruaunt to himselfe , yea to his seruant ; and doth base homage to that which should be the worst drudge . a liuelesse peece of earth is his master , yea his god , which hee shrines in his coffer , and to which hee sacrifices his heart . euery face of his coine is a new image , which hee adores with the highest veneration ; yet takes vpon him to be protector of that he worshippeth : which hee feares to keepe , and abhors to lose : not daring to trust either any other god , or his own . like a true chymist hee turnes euerie thing into siluer , both what hee should eat , and what he should weare ; and that hee keepes to looke on , not to vse . when hee returnes from his field , he asks , not without much rage , what became of the loose crust in his cup-boord , and who hath rioted amongst his leekes ? he neuer eats good meale , but on his neighbors trencher ; and there hee makes amends to his complaining stomacke for his former and future fasts . he bids his neighbours to dinner , and when they haue done , sends in a trencher for the shot . once in a yeere perhaps , hee giues himselfe leaue to feast ; and for the time thinks no man more lauish ; wherein hee lists not to fetch his dishes from farre ; nor will bee beholden to the shambles ; his owne prouision shall furnish his boord with an insensible cost ; and when his guests are parted , talkes how much euery man deuoured , and how many cups were emptied , and feeds his familie with the moldie remnants a moneth after . if his seruant breake but an earthen dish for want of light , hee abates it out of his quarters wages . he chips his bread , & sends it backe to exchange for staler . he lets money , and selles time for a price ; and will not be importuned either to preuent or defer his day ; and in the meane time looks for secret gratuities , besides the main interest ; which he selles and returnes into the stocke . he breeds of money to the third generation ; neither hath it sooner any being , than he sets it to beget more . in all things hee affects secrecie and proprietie : hee grudgeth his neighbor the water of his well : and next to stealing hee hates borrowing . in his short and vnquiet sleepes hee dreames of theeues , & runnes to the doore , and names more men than he hath . the least sheafe he euer culles out for tithe ; and to rob god holdes it the best pastime , the cleerest gaine . this man cries out aboue other ; of the prodigalitie of our times , and telles of the thrift of our forefathers : how that great prince thought himselfe royally attired , when he bestowed thirteen shillings & foure pence on halfe a sute : how one wedding gown serued our grandmothers , till they exchanged it for a winding sheet ; and praises plainnesse , not for lesse sinne , but for lesse cost . for himselfe hee is still knowen by his fore-fathers coat , which he meanes with his blessing to bequeath to the many descents of his heires . he neither would be poore , nor be accounted rich . no man complaines so much of want to auoid a subsidie ; no man is so importunate in begging , so cruell in exaction ; and when hee most complaines of want , hee feares that which he complaines to haue . no way is indirect to wealth ; whether of fraud or violence : gaine is his godlinesse ; which if conscience go about to preiudice , and grow troublesom by exclaming against , he is condemned for a common barretor . like another ahab hee is sicke of the next field , and thinks he is ill seated , while he dwelles by neighbours . shortly , his neighbors doe not much more hate him , than he himselfe . he cares not ( for no great aduantage ) to lose his friend , pine his bodie , damne his soule ; and would dispach himselfe when corne falles , but that he is loth to cast away money on a cord . the vaine-glorious . all his humour rises vp into the froth of ostentation ; which if it once settle , falles downe into a narrow roome . if the excesse be in the vnderstanding part , all his wit is in print ; the presse hath left his head emptie ; yea not only what he had , but what hee could borrow without leaue . if his glorie be in his deuotion , he giues not an almes but on record ; and if he haue once done wel , god heares of it often ; for vpon euery vnkindnesse he is ready to vpbraid him with his merits . ouer and aboue his owne discharge hee hath some satisfactions to spare for the common treasure . hee can fulfill the law with ease , and earne god with superfluitie . if hee haue bestowed but a little sum in the glazing , pauing , parieting of gods house , you shall finde it in the church-window . or if a more gallant humour possesse him , hee weares all his land on his backe , and walking hie , lookes ouer his left shoulder , to see if the point of his rapier follow him with a grace . hee is proud of another mans horse ; and well mounted thinks euery man wrongs him , that looks not at him . a bare head in the street , doth him more good than a meales meat . hee sweares bigge at an ordinarie , and talkes of the court with a sharpe accent ; neither vouchsafes to name any not honorable , nor those without some terme of familiaritie ; and likes well to see the hearer looke vpon him amazedly , as if he said , how happy is this man that is so great with great ones ! vnder pretence of seeking for a scroll of newes , hee drawes out an handful of letters endorsed with his owne stile , to the height ; and halfe reading euery title , passes ouer the latter part , with a murmur ; not without signifying , what lord sent this , what great ladie the other ; and for what sutes ; the last paper ( as it happens ) is his newes from his honourable friend in the french court. in the midst of dinner , his lacquay comes sweating in , with a sealed note from his creditour , who now threatens a speedie arrest , and whispers the ill newes in his masters eare , when hee aloud names a counseller of state , and professes to know the imployment . the same messenger he calles with an imperious nod , and after expostulation , where he hath left his fellowes , in his eare sends him for some new spur-leathers or stockings by this time footed ; and when he is gone halfe the roome , recalles him , and sayth aloud , it is no matter , let the greater bagge alone till i come ; and yet againe calling him closer , whispers ( so that all the table may heare ) that if his crimson sute be readie against the day , the rest need no haste . he picks his teeth when his stomacke is emptie , and calles for pheasants at a common inne . you shall finde him prizing the richert iewels , and fairest horses , when his purse yeelds not money enough for earnest he thrusts himselfe into the prease , before some great ladies ; and loues to be seene neere the head of a great traine . his talke is how many mourners hee furnish't with gownes at his fathers funerals , how manie messes ; how rich his coat is , and how ancient , how great his alliance ; what challenges hee hath made and answered ; what exploits he did at cales or nieuport : and when hee hath commended others buildings , furnitures , sutes , compares them with his owne . when he hath vndertaken to be the broker for some rich diamond , he weares it , and pulling off his gloue to stroke vp his haire , thinks no eye should haue any other obiect . entertaining his friend , he chides his cooke for no better cheere , and names the dishes he meant , and wants . to conclude , hee is euer on the stage , and acts still a glorious part abroad , when no man carries a baser heart , no man is more so . did and carelesse at home . hee is a spanish souldier on an italian theater ; a bladder full of winde , a skin full of words , a fooles wonder , and a wise-mans foole . the presumptuous . presumption is nothing but hope out of his wits , an high house vpon weake pillars . the presumptuous man loues to attempt great things , only because they are hard and rare : his actions are bolde , and venturous , and more full of hazard than vse . he hoiseth saile in a tempest , & sayth neuer any of his ancestours were drowned : he goes into an infected house , and sayes the plague dares not seaze on noble blood : he runnes on high battlements , gallops downe steepe hilles , rides ouer narrow bridges , walks on weake ice , and neuer thinks , what if i fall ? but , what if i runne ouer and fall not ? he is a confident alchymist , and braggeth , that the wombe of his furnace hath conceiued a burden that will do all the world good ; which yet hee desires secretly borne , for feare of his owne bondage : in the mean time , his grasse breaks ; yet he vpon better luting , layes wagers of the successe , and promiseth wedges before-hand to his friend . he saith , i will sinne , and be sory , and escape ; either god will not see , or not be angrie , or not punish it ; or remit the measure . if i doe well , he is iust to reward ; if ill , he is mercifull to forgiue . thus his praises wrong god no lesse than his offence ; and hurt himselfe no lesse than they wrong god. any patterne is enough to incourage him : shew him the way where any foot hath trod , hee dares follow , altho hee see no steps returning ; what if a thousand haue attempted , and miscarried ; if but one haue preuailed , it sufficeth . he suggests to himself false hopes of neuer too late ; as if hee could command either time or repentance : and dare deferre the expectation of mercy till betwixt the bridge and the water . giue him but where to set his foot , and hee will remoue the earth . he foreknowes the mutations of states , the euents of warre , the temper of the seasons ; either his olde prophecie telles it him , or his starres . yea , hee is no stranger to the records of gods secret counsell , but he turnes them ouer , and copies them out at pleasure . i know not whether in all his enterprises hee shew lesse feare , or wisdome : no man promises himselfe more , no man more beleeues himselfe . i will go and sell , and returne and purchase , and spend and leaue my sonnes such estates ; all which if it succeed , he thanks himselfe ; if not , he blames not himselfe . his purposes are measured , not by his abilitie , but his will , and his actions by his purposes . lastly , he is euer credulous in assent , rash in vndertaking , peremptorie in resoluing , witlesse in proceeding , and in his ending miserable ; which is neuer other , than either the laughter of the wise , or the pitie of fooles . the distrustfull . the distrustfull man hath his heart in his eyes , or in his hand ; nothing is sure to him but what he sees , what hee handles : hee is either very simple , or very false ; and therefore beleeues not others , because he knowes how little himselfe is worthy of beleefe . in spirituall things , either god must leaue a pawne with him , or seeke some other creditour . all absent things and vnusuall , haue no other , but a conditionall entertainment : they are strange , if true . if he see two neighbours whisper in his presence , he bids them speake out , and charges them to say no more than they can iustify . when he hath committed a message to his seruant , he sends a second after him , to listen how it is deliuered . he is his owne secretarie , and of his own counsell , for what he hath , for what hee purposeth : and when he telles ouer his bagges , looks thorow the key-hole , to see if hee haue any hidden witnesse , and askes aloud , who is there ? when no man heares him . he borrowes money when hee needs not , for feare lest others should borrow of him . hee is euer timorous , and cowardly ; and asks euery mans errand at the doore , ere he opens . after his first sleepe , he starts vp , and askes if the furthest gate were barred , and out of a fearefull sweat calles vp his seruant , and bolts the dore after him ; and then studies whether it were better to lie still and beleeue , or rise and see . neither is his heart fuller of feares , than his head of strange proiects , and far-fetcht constructions ; what meanes the state , thinke you , in such an action , and whether tends this course : learne of mee ( if you know not ) the waies of deepe policies are secret , and full of vnknowen windings ; that is their act , this will be their issue : so casting beyond the moone , he makes wise and iust proceedings suspected . in all his predictions , and imaginations , hee euer lights vpon the worst ; not what is most likely will fall out , but what is most ill . there is nothing that he takes not with the left hand ; no text which his glosse corrupts not . wordes , oaths , parchments , seales , are but broken reeds ; these shall neuer deceiue him ; he loues no paiments but reall . if but one in an age haue miscarried , by a rare casualtie , he misdoubts the same euent . if but a tile fallen from an hie roofe haue brained a passenger , or the breaking of a coach-wheele haue indangered the burden ; hee sweares hee will keepe home ; or take him to his horse . hee dares not come to church , for feare of the croud ; nor spare the sabbaths labour for feare of the want ; nor come neere the parliament house , because it should haue beene blowen vp ; what might haue beene , affects him as much as what will be . argue , vow , protest , sweare , he heares thee , and beleeues himselfe . hee is a scepticke , and dare hardly giue credit to his senses which hee hath often arraigned of false intelligence . hee so liues , as if he thought all the world were theeues , and were not sure whether himselfe were one : hee is vncharitable in his censures , vnquiet in his feares ; bad enough alwaies , but in his owne opinion much woorse than he is . the characterism of the ambitious . ambition is a proud couetousnes , a dry thirst of honor , the longing disease of reason , an aspiring , and gallant madnesse . the ambitious climes vp high and perillous staires , and neuer cares how to come downe ; the desire of rising hath swallowed vp his feare of a fall . hauing once cleaued ( like a burre ) to some great mans coat , he resolues not to be shaken off with any small indignities , and finding his holde thorowly fast , casts how to insinuate yet neerer ; and therefore , hee is busie and seruile in his indeuours to please , and all his officious respects turn home to himselfe . he can be at once a slaue to command , an intelligencer to informe , a parasite to sooth and flatter , a champian to defend , an executioner to reuenge ; any thing for an aduantage of fauour . he hath proiected a plot to rise , and woe be to the friend that stands in his way : hee still haunteth the court , and his vnquiet spirit haunteth him ; which hauing fetch 't him from the secure peace of his countrey-rest , sets him new and impossible taskes ; & after many disappointments incourages him to trie the same sea in spight of his shipwracks ; and promises better successe . a small hope giues him heart against great difficulties , and drawes on new expense , new seruilitie ; perswading him ( like foolish boyes ) to shoot away a second shaft , that he may finde the first . he yeeldeth , and now secure of the issue , applauds him selfe in that honour , which hee still affecteth , still misseth ; and for the last of all trials , will rather bribe for a troublesome preferment , than returne void of a title . but now when hee finds himselfe desperately crossed , and at once spoiled both of aduancement and hope , both of fruition and possibilitie , all his desire is turned into rage , his thirst is now onely of reuenge ; his tongue sounds of nothing but detraction & slander : now the place he sought for is base , his riuall vnworthie , his aduersarie iniurious , officers corrupt , court infectious ; and how well is he that may be his owne man , his owne master ; that may liue safely in a meane distance , at pleasure , free from staruing , free from burning . but if his designes speed well ; ere hee bee warme in that seat , his minde is possessed of an higher . what he hath is but a degree to what he would haue : now he scorneth what hee formerly aspired to ; his successe doth not giue him so much contentment , as prouocation ; neither can he be at rest , so long as he hath one , either to ouerlook , or to match , or to emulate him . when his countrey-friend comes to visit him , hee carries him vp to the awfull presence ; and now in his sight crouding neerer to the chaire of state , desires to bee lookt on , desires to be spoken to , by the greatest , and studies how to offer an occasion , lest hee should seeme vnknowen , vnregarded ; and if any gesture of the least grace fall happilie vpon him , he looks backe vpon his friend , lest hee should carelesly let it passe , without a note : and what hee wanteth in sense , he supplies in historie . his disposition is neuer but shamefully vnthankfull ; for vnlesse he haue all , he hath nothing . it must be a large draught , whereof he will not say , that those few droppes do not slake , but inflame him : so still hee thinks himselfe the worse for small fauours . his wit so contriues the likely plots of his promotion , as if hee would steale it away without gods knowledge , besides his will ; neither doth he euer looke vp , and consult in his forecasts , with the supreme moderator of all things ; as one that thinks honor is ruled by fortune , and that heauen medleth not with the disposing of these earthly lots : and therefore it is iust with that wise god to defeat his fairest hopes , and to bring him to a losse in the hotest of his chace ; and to cause honour to flie away so much the faster , by how much it is more egerly pursued . finally , he is an importunate sutor , a corrupt client , a violent vndertaker , a smooth factor , but vntrusty , a restlesse master of his owne ; a bladder puft vp with the winde of hope , and selfe-loue . hee is in the common body as a mole in the earth , euer vnquietly casting ; and in one word is nothing but a confused heape of enuie , pride , couetousnesse . the vnthrift . he ranges beyond his pale , and liues without compasse . his expence is measured not by abilitie , but will. his pleasures are immoderate , and not honest . a wanton eye , a lickerous tongue , a gamesome hand haue impouerisht him . the vulgar sort call him bountifull , and applaud him while he spends , and recompence him with wishes when he giues , with pitie when he wants : neither can it be denied that he raught true liberalitie , but ouer-went it . no man could haue liued more laudably , if when he was at the best , he had stayed there . while he is present none of the wealthier guests may pay ought to the shot , without much vehemencie , without danger of vnkindnesse . vse hath made it vnpleasant to him , not to spend . he is in all things more ambitious of the title of good fellowship than of wisdome . when he looks into the wealthie chest of his father , his conceit suggests that it cannot be emptied ; and while hee takes out some deale euery day , hee perceiues not any diminution ; and when the heape is sensiblie abated , yet still flatters himselfe with enough : one hand couzens the other , and the bellie deceiues both : he doth not so much bestow benefits , as scatter them . true merit doth not cary them , but smoothnesse of adulation : his senses are too much his guides , and his purueyors ; and appetite is his steward . he is an impotent seruant to his lusts ; and knowes not to gouerne either his minde or his purse . improuidence is euer the companion of vnthriftinesse . this man can not looke beyond the present , & neither thinks , nor cares what shall be ; much lesse suspects what may be : and while he lauishes out his substance in superfluities , thinks hee onely knowes what the world is woorth , and that others ouerprize it . hee feeles pouertie before he sees it , neuer complaines till hee be pinched with wants ; neuer spares till the bottome , when it is too late either to spend or recouer . hee is euerie mans friend saue his owne , and then wrongs himselfe most , when he courteth himselfe with most kindnesse . hee vies time with the slothfull , and it is an hard match , whether chases away good houres to worse purpose ; the one by doing nothing , the other by idle pastime . hee hath so dilated himselfe with the beames of prosperitie , that he lies open to all dangers , and cannot gather vp himselfe , on iust warning , to auoid a mischiefe . hee were good for an almner , ill for a steward . finally , he is the liuing tombe of his fore-fathers , of his posteritie , and when he hath swallowed both , is more emptie than before he deuoured them . the enuious . hee feeds on others euils , & hath no disease but his neighbors welfare : whatsoeuer god do for him , he can not be happie with companie ; and if hee were put to chuse , whether hee would rather haue equals in a common felicitie , or superiors in miserie , hee would demurre vpon the election . his eye casts out too much , and neuer returnes home , but to make comparisons with anothers good . he is an ill prizer of forraine commoditie ; worse of his own : for , that , he rates too hie , this vnder value . you shall haue him euer inquiring into the estates of his equals and betters ; wherein he is not more desirous to heare all , than loth to heare any thing ouer-good : and if iust report relate ought better than he would , he redoubles the question , as being hard to beleeue what hee likes not ; and hopes yet , if that be auerred againe to his griefe , that there is somewhat concealed in the relation , which if it were knowen , would argue the commended partie miserable , and blemish him with secret shame . hee is readie to quarrell with god , because the next field is fairer growen ; and angerly calculates his cost , and time , and tillage . whom hee dares not openly backbite , nor wound with a direct censure , he strikes smoothly with an ouer-cold praise ; and when hee sees that hee must either maliciously oppugne the the iust praise of another ( which were vnsafe ) or approoue it by assent , he yeeldeth ; but showes withall that his meanes were such , both by nature , and education , that he could not without much neglect , be lesse commendable : so his happinesse shall be made the colour of detraction . when an wholsome law is propounded , he crosseth it , either by open , or close opposition ; not for any incommoditie or inexpedience , but because it proceeded from any mouth , besides his owne ; and it must be a cause rarely plausible , that will not admit some probable contradiction . when his equall should rise to honor , he striues against it vnseene ; and rather with much cost suborneth great aduersaries ; and when hee sees his resistance vaine , he can giue an hollow gratulation in presence ; but in secret , disparages that aduancement ; either the man is vnfit for the place , or the place for the man ; or if fit , yet lesse gainfull , or more common than opinion ; whereto he ads , that himselfe might haue had the same dignitie vpon better termes , and refused it . hee is wittie in deuising suggestions to bring his riuall out of loue , into suspicion . if he be curteous , he is seditiously popular ; if bountifull , he bindes ouer his clients to a faction ; if succesfull in war , hee is dangerous in peace ; if wealthie , hee laies vp for a day ; if powerfull , nothing wants but opportunitie of rebellion . his submission is ambitious hypocrisie , his religion , politike insinuation ; no action is safe from a iealous construction . when hee receiues an ill report of him whom hee emulates ; hee saith , fame is partiall , and is wont to blanch mischiefs ; and pleaseth himselfe with hope to finde it worse ; and if ill-will haue dispersed any more spightful narration , hee layes holde on that , against all witnesses ; and brocheth that rumor for trust , because worst : and when he sees him perfectly miserable , he can at once pitie him , and reioyce . what himselfe can not doe , others shall not : he hath gained well , if hee haue hindred the successe of what he would haue done , and could not . he conceales his best skill , not so as it may not be knowen that he knowes it , but so as it may not be learned ; because he would haue the world misse him . he attained to a soueraigne medicine by the secret legacie of a dying empericke , whereof he will leaue no heire , lest the praise should be diuided . finally , he is an enemie to gods fauors , if they fall beside himselfe ; the best nurse of ill fame ; a man of the worst diet ; for he consumes himselfe , and delights in pining ; a thorne-hedge couered with nettles ; a peeuish interpreter of good things , and no other then a leane and pale carcase quickened with a feend . the peace of rome proclaimed to all the world, by her famous cardinall bellarmine, and the no lesse famous casuist nauarre. whereof the one acknowledgeth, and numbers vp aboue three hundred differences of opinion, maintained in the popish church. the other confesses neere threescore differences amongst their owne doctors in one onely point of their religion. gathered faithfully out of their writings in their own words, and diuided into foure bookes, and those into seuerall decads. whereto is prefixed a serious disswasiue from poperie. by i.h. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the peace of rome proclaimed to all the world, by her famous cardinall bellarmine, and the no lesse famous casuist nauarre. whereof the one acknowledgeth, and numbers vp aboue three hundred differences of opinion, maintained in the popish church. the other confesses neere threescore differences amongst their owne doctors in one onely point of their religion. gathered faithfully out of their writings in their own words, and diuided into foure bookes, and those into seuerall decads. whereto is prefixed a serious disswasiue from poperie. by i.h. azpilcueta, martín de, ?- . hall, joseph, - . bellarmino, roberto francesco romolo, saint, - . disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei. english. selections. [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed [by j. windet] for iohn legate, london : . dedication signed: ios. hall. navarre = martín de azpilcueta. in part a translation of: bellarmino, roberto francesco romolo. disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei. "a serious dissvvasiue from poperie" (caption title) has separate pagination; register is continuous. includes index. the last leaf is blank. with a final errata leaf. one of three imprint variants of this edition. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng azpilcueta, martín de, ?- . bellarmino, roberto francesco romolo, -- saint, - . catholic church -- controversial literature. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the peace of rome . proclaimed to all the world , by her famous cardinall bellarmine , and the no lesse famous casuist navarre . whereof the one acknowledgeth , and numbers vp aboue three hundred differences of opinion , maintained in the popish church . the other confesses neere threescore differences amongst their owne doctors in one onely point of their religion . gathered faithfully out of their writings in their own words , and diuided into foure bookes , and those into seuerall decads . whereto is prefixed a serious disswasiue from poperie . by j. h. london printed for iohn legate . . to the high and mightie prince , henry prince of great britaine . the second ioy , and hope of our times , all happinesse . most gracious prince . god calleth your highnes by iust inheritance to defend his faith . this diuine royaltie accompanies your princedome in a blessed society : wherein your challenge is not more true , then your patterne admirable . he that giues you right to the succession of this claime , giues you such an example , as what father euer gaue a son ? his scepter hath not more defended it , then his pen : we blesse god and wonder : in this right then , all propugnations of truth are yours ; how much more from him , whose glory it is to haue sworne your seruice ? yet here , i offer to your highnesse not so much any fight of ours against them of rome , as theirs against themselues , and therein for vs : what can be more aduantage to vs , or shame to them ? one blow of an enemy dealt to his brother , is more worth then many from an aduerse hand : all our apologies cannot hurt them so much , as their own diuisions . behold , here your highnesse shall sit still , and see all the romish doctors ( after all their brags of peace ) scuffling and grapling together before you : and ( which is most worth ) in bellarmines owne theater ; no aduersary can giue them more deep wounds , then their own swords : and if ciuill discord can give vs hope of their ruine , rome cannot stand : lo these are the men that gloried in their vnity , and vpbraided vs ( not once ) with our dissensions , and haue warned the world ( because we differ in one point ) not to trust vs in any . the cōfidence of their secrecie made them peremptory , not either their innocence , or our guilt : if god haue not now opened their own mouthes to conuince them of bold falshood , let them haue no accusers . i know the view of this popish fray could not in their conceits fall more vnhappily into any eies , then your highnesses , whom they grieue to see in this early spring of your age so firmely rooted in the truth , and before hannibals yeares threatning hostility to error . so let your highnesse still moue their enuy and our ioy . so much shall god more loue you , as you hate their abominations : neither shall it i hope euer bee forgotten , that in their bloody proiect , your lims also should haue flowen vp to heauen with your soule . that god which hath reserued you for the second hope and stay of his christian world , go on to prosper your gratious proceedings , but according to the promise of their entrances : that we may bee still happy in your highnesse , and you in him for euer . so be it : yea so it will be : how can it be that so many and faithfull prayers of all gods faithfull ones through the world should haue other successe ? amongst the rest are vowed and duly payd to this purpose , the dayly poore deuotions of your highnesses vnworthy , yet loyall seruant ios . hall . a seriovs disswasive from poperie . to w. d. reuolted , &c. yov challeng'd mee for my bold assertion of your manifolde diuisions , i doe here make it good with vsury . those mouthes that say they teach you the truth , say also ( and you haue beleeued them ) that they all teach the same . as you finde them true in this , so trust them in the other : for me , i cannot without indignation see , that in this light of the gospell , god and his truth should thus bee loosers by you : and that a miserable soule should suffer it selfe thus grossly couzened of it selfe , and glory : many can write to you with more profoundnes , none with more sincere feruency , and desire to saue you . i call heauen and earth to record against you this day , that if you relent , or answere not , your perishing is wilfull . we may pitty your weakenes , but god shall plague your apostacy ; if you had beene bred in blindnes , your ignorance had beene but lamentable , now your choice and loue of darkenes is feareful and desperate . alas you can not be condemned without our sorrow & shame : what should we do ? we can but intreat , perswade , protest , mourn , & gage our souls for yours ; if these auaile not , who can remedy that which will perish ? heare this yet ( you weake reuolter ) if there be any care left in you of that soule which you haue thus prostituted to errour ; if you haue any regard to that god whose simple truth you haue contemned and forsaken ; what is this that hath driuen you from vs , allured you to them ? for godssake , let me but expostulate a litle ere my silence : either be conuicted or inexcusable : our badde liues haue set you off ; woe is me that they are no holier ; i bewaile our wickednes , i defend it not ; onely aske how they liue in italie ; if they be not ( for the more part ) filthes to the worst of ours , goe with them and prosper . let all indifferent tongues say , whether that very see whereon your faith depends , euen within the smoake of his holines , be not ( for vitiousnes ) the sinke of the world ; we may condemne our selues , their liues shall iustifie vs : but you lift not to looke so farre ; you see their liues at home , you see ours : the comparison is not equall ; they take this for the time of their persecution ; we of our prosperitie . the stubbornest israelite , and the most godlesse marriner could call vpon god in his trouble : we are all worse with libertie : looke backe and see how they liued in former times while they prospered , no turks ( saith erasmus ) more abhominably : thogh now at the worst , how many holy professors might you finde , which would scorn that the most strict hermite , or austere cappucine , should go before them in a gratious life , and in true mortification ? euen amongst twelue , there will be one diuell : i wish they were so good that we might emulate them : but for my part , i neuer yet could know that papist , which made conscience of all gods ten morall lawes : shortly , whatsoeuer is vpbraided to vs ; the truth is pure , thogh men be vnholy ; and god is where he was , whatsoeuer becomes of men : for you , if you had not fallen to coole affections , and a loose life , you had beene still ours : it is iust with god to punish your secure negligence with errour and delusion ; and to suffer you thus to loose the truth , who had lost your care of obedience and first loue . and now you doe well to shift off this blame to others sins , which haue most cause to accuse your owne . from manners to looke towards our doctrine : the noueltie of our religion ( you say ) hath discouraged you : theirs hath drawne you with the reuerence of her age . it is a free challenge betwixt vs , let the elder haue vs both : if there be any point of our religion yonger then the patriarkes and prophets , christ and his apostles , the fathers and doctors of the primitiue church , let it be accursed , and condemned for an vpstart : shew vs euidence of more credite and age , and carrie it . the church of rome hath beene auncient , not the errors ; neither doe we in ought differ from it , wherein it is not departed from it selfe . if i did not more feare your wearines then my owne , forgetting the measure of a praeface , i would passe through euerie point of difference betwixt vs , and let you see in all particulars , which is the old way ; and make you know , that your popish religion doth but put on a borrowed visor of grauitie vpon this stage , to out-face true antiquitie . yet least you should complaine of words , let me without your tediousnes haue leaue but to instance in the first of all controuersies betwixt vs ; offering the same proofe in al , which you shall see performed in one . i compare the iudgement of the ancient church with yours , see therefore and be ashamed of your noueltie . first our question is , whether all those bookes which in our bibles are stiled apocryphall , and are put after the rest by themselues , are to be receiued as the true scriptures of god ? heare first the voice of the old church : to let passe that cleare and pregnant testimonie of melito sardensis in his epistle to onesimus cited by eusebius . let cyprian or ruffinus rather speake in the name of all : of the olde testament ( saith he ) first were written the fiue bookes of moses , genesis , exodus , leuiticus , numbers , deuteronomie ; after these the booke of ioshua the son of nun , and that of the iudges , together with ruth ; after which were the foure bookes of the kings , which the hebrues reckon but two : of the chronicles which is called the booke of dayes ; and of ezra are two bookes which of them are accounted but single , and the booke of esther . of the prophets there is esay , hieremie , ezekiel and daniel , and besides , one booke which containes the twelue smaller prophets . also iob , and the psalmes of dauid are single bookes : of salomon there are three books deliuered to the church , the prouerbes , ecclesiastes , song of songs . in these they haue shut vp the number of the bookes of the olde testament . of the new , there are foure gospels , of matthew , marke , luke and iohn ; the acts of the apostles , written by luke ; of paul the apostle fourteene epistles , of the apostle peter two epistles , of iames the lords brother and apostle , one , of iude one , of iohn three , lastly the reuelation of iohn . these are they which the fathers haue accounted within the canon ; by which they would haue the assertions of our faith made good : but we must know there are other bookes , which are called of the ancients not canonicall but ecclesiastical , as the wisedome of salomon , and another booke of wisedome , which is called of iesus the sonne of sirach ; which booke of the latines is termed by a generall name ecclesiasticus : of the same ranke is the booke of toby and iudith , and the bookes of the maccabees : thus farre that father ; so hierome after that he hath reckoned vp the same number of bookes with vs in their order , hath these words : this prologue of mine ( saith he ) may serue as a well defenced entrance to all the bookes which i haue turned out of hebrew into latine ; that we may know , that whatsoeuer is besides these is apocryphall : therefore that booke which is intituled salomons wisedome , and the booke of iesus the son of sirach , and iudith , & tobias & pastor are not canonical : the first book of the macabees i haue found in hebrew , the second is greeke : which booke ( saith he ) indeed the church readeth but receiueth not as canonicall . the same reckoning is made by origen in eusebius , word for word . the same by epiphanius , by cyrill , by athanasius , gregory nazianzen , damascen : yea by lyranus , both hugoes , caietan , carthusian , and montanus himselfe , &c. all of them with full consent reiecting these same apocryphall bookes with vs. now heare the present church of rome in her owne words , thus : the holy synode of trent hath thought good to set downe with this decree a iust catalogue of the bookes of holy scripture ; least any man should make doubt which they be which are receiued by the synode ; and they are these vnder-written , of the old testament fiue bookes of moses , then ioshua , the iudges , ruth , foure bookes of the kings , two of the chronicles , two of esdras the first and the second , which is called nehemias , tobias , iudith , ester , iob , the psalter of dauid , containing one hundreth and fiftie psalmes , the prouerbes of salomon , ecclesiastes , the song of songs , the booke of wisedome , ecclesiasticus , esay , hieremy , &c. two bookes of the macabees , the first and the second . and if any man shall not receiue these whole bookes with al the parts of them , as they are wont to be read in the catholick church ; & as they are had in the old vulgar latine edition ; for holy and canonicall , let him be accursed . thus shee : iudge you now of our age , and say , whether the opinion of the ancient church ( that is ours ) be not a direct enemy to poperie , and flatly accursed by the romish . passe on yet a little further ; our question is whether the hebrew and greeke originals be corrupted ; and whether those first copies of scriptures be not to be followed aboue all translations . heare first the ancient church with vs : but ( saith saint augustine ) howsoeuer it be taken , whether it be beleeued to be so done , or not beleeued , or lastly whether it were so or not so ; i hold it a right course that when any thing is found different in eyther bookes ( the hebrew and septuagint ) since for the certainty of things done there can be but one truth ; that tongue should rather bee beleeued from whence the translation is made into another language . vppon which words ludouicus viues ( yet a papist ) saith thus : the same ( saith he ) doth ierome proclayme euery where , and reason it selfe teacheth it , and there is none of sound iudgement that will gaine say it ; but in vaine doth the consent of all good wits teach this , for the stubburne blockishnes of men opposeth against it . let ierome himselfe then , a greater linguist be heard speake : and if there be any man ( saith he ) that will say the hebrew bookes were afterwards corrupted of the iewes ; let him heare origen , what he answeres in the eight volume of his explanations of esay to this question , that the lord and his apostles which reproue other faults in the scribs and pharisees , would neuer haue beene silent in this , which were the greatest crime that could be , but if they say that the hebrewes falsified them after the comming of christ and preaching of the apostles , i cannot hold from laughter , that our sauiour and the euangelists and apostles should so cite testimonies of scripture , as the jews would afterwards depraue them : thus ierome . and the canon law it selfe hath this determination , that the truth and credite of the books of the old testament should be examined by the hebrew volumes , of the new , by the greeke . and pope innocentius as he is cyted by gratian could say , haue recourse to the diuine scriptures in their original greek . the same lastly by bellarmines owne confession , the fathers teach euery where : as ierome in his booke against heluidius , and in his epistle to marcella , that the latine edition of the gospels is to be called back to the greek fountaines ; and the latine edition of the olde testament is to be amended by the hebrew ; in his comment vpon zachary , chap. . the very same hath austen in his second booke of christian doctrine , chap. . , . and epist. . and elsewhere . this was the old religion and ours ; now heare the new . the present church of rome hath thus : the holy synode decreeth that the old vulgar latine edition in all lectures , disputations , sermons , expositions be held for authenticall , saith the counsell of trent : and her champion bellarmine hath these words ; that the fountaine of the originals in many places run muddy and impure , we haue formerly shewed , and indeed it can scarce be doubted , but that as the latine church hath beene more constant in keeping the faith then the greeke , so it hath been more vigilant in defending her bookes from corruption . yea some of the popish doctors mainetaine , that the iewes in hatred of the christian faith did on purpose corrupt many places of scripture : so holds gregory de valentia , iacobus christopolitanus in his praeface to the psalmes , canus in the second booke of his common places . but in stead of all , bellarmine shal shut vp all with these wordes ; the heretickes of this time in hatred of the vulgar edition , giue too much to the hebrew edition , as caluin , chemnitius , georgius maior : all which would haue euery thing examined and amended by the hebrew text , which they commonly call a most pure fountain : see now whether that which bellarmine confesses to haue beene the iudgement of hierome , austen , and all the auncient fathers be not here condemned by him , as the opinion of the heretickes : ours was theirs ; and theirs is condemned vnder our names : iudge whether in this also popery be not an vpstart . yet one step more : our question is , whether the scripture be easie or most obscure , and whether in all essentiall points it doe not interpret it selfe , so as what is hard in one place is openly layd forth in another : heare the iudgement of the old church and ours : all things are cleare and plaine and nothing contrary in the scriptures ; saith epiphanius , those things which seeme doubtfully and obscurely spoken in some places of scripture are expounded by them , which in other places are open and plaine , saith basil : what could caluin or luther say more ? there is no so great hardnesse in the scriptures to come to those things which are necessary to saluation , saith austen : in those things which are openly layd downe in scripture , are found all those things which containe our faith and rules for our life , saith the same father ; who yet againe also saith thus : the spirit of god hath royally and wholsomely tempered the holy scriptures so , as both by the plaine places he might preuent our hunger , and by the obscure hee might auoyd our nice slouthfulnesse ; for there is ( scarce ) any thing that can be fetch 't out of those obscurities , which is not found most plainely spoken elsewhere . and because bellarmine takes exception at this ( feré scarce ) compare this place with the former ; and with that which he hath in his third , epistle thus : the manner of speech in which the scripture is contriued , is easie to be commed to of al ; although to be throughly attained by few ; those things which it containeth plaine and easie , it speakes like a familiar friend without guile to the heart of the learned and vnlearned , &c. but it inuites all men with an humble manner of speech , whom it dooth not onely feede with manifest truth , but exercise with secret , hauing the same in readinesse , which it hath in secrecy : thus austen : to omit iraeneus and origen . chrysostome ( whom bellarmine saith we alledge alone for vs ) besides many other playne places , writeth thus . who is there to whom all is not manifest , which is written in the gospel ? who that shall heare , blessed are the meeke , blessed are the mercifull , blessed are the pure in heart , & the rest , wold desire a teacher to learne any of these things which are here spoken ? as also the signes , miracles , histories are not they knowne and manifest to euery man ? this pretence and excuse is but the cloake of our slothfulnesse : thou vnderstandest not those things which are written ; how shouldest thou vnderstand them , which wilt not so much as sleightly looke into them ? take the booke into thy hand , read all the history , and what thou knowest remember , and what is obscure runne often ouer it . so chrysostome : yea he makes this difference betwixt the philosophers and apostles : the philosophers speake obscurely , but the apostles and prophets ( saith he ) contrarily make all things deliuered by them , cleare and manifest ; and as the common teachers of the world haue so expounded all things that euery man may of himselfe by bare reading , learne those things which are spoken : yea lastly , so far he goes in this point , as that he asketh , wherefore needeth a preacher ? all things are cleare and plaine in the diuine scriptures ; but because ye are delicate hearers , and seeke delight in hearing , therefore ye seeke for preachers . you haue heard the old religion , now heare the new : bellarmine hath these wordes : it must needes be confessed that the scriptures are most obscure ; here therefore ( saith he ) luther hath deuised two euasions ; one that the scripture ; though it be obscure in one place , yet that it doth clearely propound the same thing in another . the second is , that though the scripture be cleare of it selfe , yet to the proud and vnbeleeuers it is hard , by reason of their blindnes and euill affections : so the lutherans ( saith eckius ) contend that the scriptures are cleare and plaine : so duraeus against vvhitakers : so the rhemists in their annotations ; and generally all papists . iudge now if all these forenamed fathers , and so the auncient church were not lutherans in this point ; or rather we theirs ; and yeeld that this their old opinion by the new church of rome is condemned for hereticall : and in al these say vpon your soule , whether is the elder ? let me draw you on yet a little further : our question is , whether it be necessary or fit that all men ( euen of the laiety ) should haue liberty to heare and read the scriptures , in a language which they vnderstand . heare first the voyce of the old religion : to omit the direct charges of gregory nissen and ambrose ; thus hath ierome vpon the psalmes . the lord will declare ; and how will he declare ? not by word but by writing ; in whose writing ? in the writing of his people , &c. our lord and sauiour therefore tels vs , and speaketh in the scriptures of his princes : our lord will declare it to vs in the scriptures of his people , in the holy scriptures : which scripture is read to all the people ; that is , so read as that all may vnderstand ; not that a few may vnderstand , but all . what faithfull man saith augustine ( though he be but a nouice , before he be baptized and haue receiued the holy ghost ) doth not with an equall minde reade and heare all things , which after the ascension of our lord are written in canonicall truth , and authority , although as yet he vnderstands them not as he ought . but of all other saint chrysostome is euery where most vehement and direct in this point : amongst infinite places , heare what he saith in one of his homilies of lazarus . i doe alwaies exhort , and will neuer cease to exhort you ( saith he ) that you will not here onely attend to those things which are spoken , but when you are at home , you continually busie your selues in reading of the holy scriptures ; which practise also i haue not ceased to driue into them which come priuately to me : for let no man say , tush , they are but idle words , and many of them such as should bee contemned : alas , i am taken vp with lawe causes , i am employed in publique affaires , i follow my trade , i maintaine a wife and children , and haue a great charge to looke to ; it is not for me to read the scriptures , but for them which haue cast off the world ; which haue taken vp the solitary toppes of mountaines for their dwellings , which liue this contemplatiue kinde of life continually . what sayest thou o man ? is it not for thee to turne ouer the scriptures , because thou art distracted with infinite cares ; nay , then it is for thee more then for them ; for they doe not so much neede the helpe of the scriptures , as you that are tost in the midst of the waues of worldly busines . and soone after , neyther can it be possible that any man should without great fruit be perpetually conuersant in this spirituall exercise of reading and straight . let vs not neglect to buy our selues bookes , least we receiue a wound in our vitall parts ; and after he hath compared the bookes of scripture to gold , he addeth , but what say they , if we vnderstand not those things which are contained in those bookes ? what gaine we then ? yes surely , though thou dost not vnderstand those things which are there laid vp , yet by the very reading much holinesse is got : although it cannot be , that thou shouldest be alike ignorant of all thou readest ; for therefore hath the spirit of god so dispenced this word , that publicanes , fishers , tent-makers , shepheards & goat-beards , plaine vnlettered men may be saued by these bookes ; least any of the simpler sort should pretend this excuse , that all things which are said should be easie to discerne ; and that the workeman , the seruant , the poore widdow , and the most vnlearned of all other , by hearing of the word read , might get some gaine and profit . and the same father elsewhere ; i beseech you ( saith he ) that you come speedily hither , and harken diligently to the reading of the holy scriptures ; and not onely when you come hither , but also at home take the bible into your hands , and by your diligent care reape the profite contained in it . lastly , in his homilies vpon the epistle to the colossians ; he cries out , heare , i beseech you , o all ye secular men , prouide you bibles which are the medicines for the soule ; at least get the new testament . now on the contrary , let the new religion of rome speake ; first by her rhemish iesuites , thus : we may not thinke that the translated bibles into vulgar tongues were in the hands of euery husbandman , artificer , prentise , boyes , girles , mistresse , maide , man ; that they were sung , played , alledged of euery tinker , tauerner , rimer , minstrell . the like words of scorn and disgrace are vsed by hosius , and by eckius , and by bellarmine de verbo . l. . c. . the wise will not here regard ( say our rhemists ) what some wilfull people doe mutter , that the scriptures are made for all men , &c. and soone after they compare the scriptures to fire , water , candles , kniues , swords , which are indeede needfull , &c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other , then wise men . all the heretickes of this time , saith bellarmine , agree that the scriptures should be permitted to all , and deliuered in their owne mother tongue ; but the catholike church forbids the reading of the scriptures by all , without choice : or the publique reading or singing of them in vulgar tongues , as it is decreed in the councell of trent , ses. c. . and can . . if you thinke ( saith duraeus ) that christ had all christians to search the scriptures , you are in a grosse errour ; for how shall rude and ignorant men search the scriptures , &c. and so he concludes , that the scriptures were not giuen to the common multitude of beleeuers . iudge now what either we say , or these papists condemne , besides the ancient iudgement of the fathers : and if euer either caluin or luther haue beene more peremptory in this matter then saint chrysostome , i vow to be a papist . if ours be not in this the old religion , be not you ours . yet this one passage further , and then no more , least i weary you : our question is ; whether the scriptures depend vpon the authority of the church ; or rather the church vpon the authoritie of scriptures ? heare first the ancient church , with , and for vs : the question is ( saith saint austen ) betwixt vs and the donatists , where the church is ; what shall we do then ? shall we seeke her in our owne words , or in the words of her head , the lord iesus christ ? i suppose we ought to seeke her rather in his words , which is the truth ; and knowes best his owne body , for the lord knowes who are his ; we will not haue the church sought in our words . and in the same booke , whether the donatists hold the church ( saith the same father ) let them not shew , but by the canonicall bookes of diuine scriptures ; for neyther do we therefore say they should beleeue vs , that wee are in the church of christ , because optatus or ambrose hath commended this church vnto vs which we now hold ; or because it is acknowledged by the councels of our fellow-teachers , or because so great miracles are done in it : it is not therefore manifested to be true and catholicke ; but the lord iesus himselfe iudged , that his disciples should rather be confirmed by the testimonies of the law and the prophets : these are the rules of our cause , these are the foundations ; these are the confirmations . and vpon the psalmes , least thou shouldst erre ( saith the same augustine ) in thy iudgement of the church : least any man should say to thee , this is christ which is not christ , or this is the church which is not the church ; for many , &c. heare the voyce of the shepheard himselfe , which is cloathed in flesh , &c. he shewes himselfe to thee ; handle him , and see . he shewes his church , least any man should deceiue thee vnder the name of the church , &c. yet chrysostome more directly thus : he that would know which is the true church of christ , whence may he know it in the similitude of so great confusion , but onely by the scriptures ? now the working of miracles is altogether ceased ; yea they are rather found to be fainedly wrought of them , which are but false christians ; whence then shall he know it , but onely by the scriptures ? the lord jesus therfore knowing what great confusion of things would be in the last dayes , therefore commands that those which are christians , and would receiue confirmation of their true faith , should flye to nothing but to the scriptures ; otherwise if they flie to any other helpe , they shall be offended and perish , not vnderstanding which is the true church : this is the old faith ; now heare the new , contradicting it , and vs. the scripture ( saith eckius a popish doctor ) is not authenticall without the authority of the church , for the canonicall writers are members of the church ; whereupon let it be obiected to an hereticke , that will striue against the decrees of the church , by what weapons he will fight against the church , he will say by the canonicall scriptures of the foure gospels , and pauls epistles : let it be straight obiected to him , how he knowes these to be canonicall , but by the church : and a while after , the scripture ( saith he ) defined in a councell , it seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs , that you abstaine from things offered to idolls , and blood , and strangled : the church by her authority altred a thing so clearely defined , and expressed : for it vseth both strangled and blood ; behold the power of the church is aboue the scripture : thus eckius . and besides cusanus , bellarmine saith thus : if we take away the authority of the present church , and of the present councell ( of trent ) all the decrees of all other councells , and the whole christian faith may be called into doubt ; and in the same place a little after ; the strength of all ancient councels and the certainety of all opinions depends on the authority of the present church : you haue heard both speake , say now , with whom is true antiquity ; and on gods name detest the newer of both : it were as easie to bring the same , if not greater euidence for the perfection , and all-sufficiency of scripture ; and so to deliuer all the body of our religion ▪ by the tongues and pens of the fathers , that eyther you must be forced to hold them nouelists with vs ▪ or your selues such against them : how honest and ingenuous is that confession of your erasmus , who in his epistle to the bishop and cardinall of ments , could say , it is plainely found , that many things in luthers bookes are condemned for hereticall , which in the bookes of bernard and austen , are read for holy and orthodox . this is too much for a tast , if your appetite stand to it , i dare promise you full dishes : let me therefore appeale to you , if light and darkenesse be more contrary then these points of your religion , to true antiquity : no , no , let your authors glose as they list ; popery is but a yong faction , corruptly raysed out of auncient grounds ; and if it haue ( as we grant ) some ancient errors , falshood cannot be bettered with age ; there is no prescription against god and truth : what wee can proue to be erroneous , we neede not proue new : some hundreths of yeares is an idle plea against the ancient of dayes . what can you plead yet more for your change ? their numbers perhaps , and our handfuls ? you heard all the world was theirs , scarce any corner ours : how could you but suspect a few ? these are but idle brags ; we dare and can share equally with them in christendome : and if we could not ; this rule will teach you to aduance turcisme aboue christianity , and paganisme aboue that : the world aboue the church , hell aboue heauen : if any proofe can be drawne from numbers , he that knowes all , sayes the best are fewest . what then could stir you ? our diuisions and their vnity . if this my following labour doe not make it good to all the world , that their peace is lesse then ours , their dissension more , by the confession of their owne mouthes , be you theirs still , and let me follow you . i stand not vpon the scoldings of priests and iesuites , nor the late venetian iarres , nor the pragmaticall differences now on foote , in the view of all christendome , betwixt their owne cardinals , in their sacred conclaue , and all their clergy , concerning the popes temporall power : neither doe i call any friend to be our aduocate ; none but bellarmine and nauarrus shall be my orators ; and if these plead not this cause enough , let it fall : see here dangerous rifts and flawes , not in the outward barke onely , but in the very heart and pithe of your religion ; and if so many be confessed by one or two , what might be gathered out of all ? and if so many be acknowledged , thinke how many there are that lurke in secret , and will not be confessed ? how loath would we be ( after all exclamations ) that your busie iesuites , could rake out so many confessed quarrels out of all our authors , as i haue here found in two of yours ? we want onely their cunning secrecy in the carriage of our quarrels : our few ( and sleight ) differences are blazoned a broad with infamy and offence , their hundreds are craftily smothered in silence . let your owne eyes satisfie you in this , not my pen : see now , what you would neuer beleeue . what is it then , that could thus bewitch you to forsake the comely and heauenly truth of god , and to dote vpon this beastly strumpet ? to change your religion , for a ridiculous , sensuall , cruell , irreligious faction ? a religion ( if we must call it so ) that made sport to our playne fore fathers , with the remembrance of her grauest deuotions : how oft haue you seene them laugh at themselues , whiles they haue told of their creeping crouch , kissing the pax , offering their candles , signing with ashes , partiall shrifts , merry pilgrimages , ridiculous miracles , and a thousand such may-games , which now you begin ( after this long hissing at ) to looke vpon soberly , and with admiration . a religion , whose fooleries very boyes may shout and laugh at , if for no more but this , that it teaches men to put confidence in beades , medals , roses , hallowed swords , spels of the gospell , agnus dei , and such like idle bables ; ascribing vnto them diuine vertue : yea so much as is due to the sonne of god himselfe , and his pretious blood . j speake not of some rude ignorants ; your very booke of holy ceremonies shall teach you what your holy fathers doe , and haue done . that tells you first with great allowance , and applause , that pope vrban the fift sent three agnos dei , to the greeke emperour , with these verses : balsame , pure wax , and chrismes-liquor cleare , make vp this precious lamb , i send thee here ; all lightning it dispels , and each ill spri'ght , remedies sinne , and makes the heart contrite . euen as the blood that christ for vs did shed : it helps the child-beds paines ; & giues good speed vnto the birth ; great gifts it still doth win to all that weare it , and that worthy bin : it quels the rage of fire ; and cleanely bore it brings from shipwracke safely to the shore . and least you should plead this to be the conceit of some one phantasticall pope , heare ( and be ashamed ) out of the same booke , what by prescription euery pope vseth to pray in the blessing of the water , which serues for that agnus dei : if you know not , thus he prayeth : that it would please thee o god , to blesse those things which we purpose to poure into this vessell of water prepared to the glory of thy name , so as by the worship and honour of them , we thy seruants may haue our heynous offences done away , the blemishes of our sinnes wip't off , and there by we may obtaine pardon , and receiue grace from thee ; so that at the last with thy saints and elect children we may merite to obtaine euerlasting life . amen . how could you choose but be in loue with this superstition , magicke , blasphemy practised , and maintained by the heads of your church ? a religion that allowes iugling equiuocations , & reserued senses euen in very oathes . besids all that hath beene shamelesly written by our iesuites to this purpose ; heare what franciscus victoria , an ingenuous papist , and a learned reader of diuinity in salmantica , writes in the name of all : but what shall a confessor do ( saith he ) if he be askt of a sinne that he hath heard in confession ? may he say that he knowes not of it ? i answere according to all our doctors , that he may ; but what if he be compelled to sweare ? i say that he may and ought to sweare that he knowes it not ; for that it is vnderstood that he knowes it not besides confession , and so he sweares true . but say , that the iudge or prelate shal malitiously require of him vpon his oath , whether he know it in confession or no ; i answere , that a man thus vrged may still sweare that he knowes it not in confession ; for that it is vnderstood he knowes it not to reueale it , or so as he may tell : who teach and do thus in anothers case , iudge what they would doe in their owne . o wise , cunning and holy periuries , vnknowne to our forefathers . a religion that allowes the buying and selling of sinnes , of pardons of soules : so as now purgatory can haue no rich men in it , but fooles and friendlesse : diuels are tormenters there ( as themselues hold from many reuelations of bede , bernard , carthusian ) yet men can commaund diuels , and money can command men . a religion , that relies wholly vpon the infallibility of those , whom yet they grant haue been , and may be monstrous in their liues and dispositions ; how many of those heyres of peter ( by confession of their owne records ) by bribes , by whores , by diuels , haue climed vp into that chaire ; yet , to say that those men , which are confessed to haue giuen their soules to the diuell , that they might be popes , can erre , while they are popes , is heresie worthy of a stake , and of hell . a religion , that hood-winkes the poore laity in forced ignorance , least they should knowe gods will , or any way to heauen but theirs : so as millions of soules liue no lesse without scriptures , then if there were none : that forbids spirituall food as poyson ; and fetches gods booke into the inquisition . a religion , that teaches men to worshippe stockes and stones , with the same honour that is due to their creator : which practise least it should appeare to her simple clyents , how palpably opposite it is to the second commaundement ; they haue discreetly left out those words of gods law , as a needelesse illustration , in their catechismes and prayer bookes of the vulgar . a religion , that vtterly ouerthrowes the true humanity of christ , while they giue vnto it tenne thousand places at once , and yet no place : flesh and no flesh , seuerall members without distinction ; a substance without quantitie , and other accidents ; or substance and accidents that cannot be seene , felt , perceiued ; so they make either a monster of their sauiour , or nothing . a religion , that vtterly ouerthrowes the perfection of christs satisfaction : if all be not paid , how hath he satisfied ? if temporall punishments in purgatory be yet due , how is all paid ? and if these must be paid by vs , how are they satisfied by him ? a religion , that makes more scripture then euer god and his ancient church ; and those which it doth make , so imperiously obtrudes vpon the world , as if god himselfe should speak from heauen : and while it thunders out curses against all that will not adde these bookes to gods , regards not gods curse , if any man shall adde vnto these things , god shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke . a religion , whose patrons disgrace the true scriptures of god with reproachfull tearmes , odious comparisons imputations of corruption and imperfection , and in fine , pin their whole authority vpon the sleeues of men . a religion , that erects a throne in the conscience to a meere man , and giues him absolute power to make a sinne , to dispense with it , to create new articles of faith , and to impose them vppon necessity of saluation . a religion , that baffoules all temporall princes , making them stand bare-foote at their great bishops gate , lye at his foote , hold his stirrup , yea their owne crownes at his curtesie , exempting all their ecclesiasticall subiects from their iurisdiction , and ( when they list ) al the rest from their allegeance . a religion , that hath made wicked men saints , and saints gods ; euen by the confession of papists , lewd and vndeseruing men haue leapt into their calender : whence it is , that the pope before his canonization of any saint , makes solemne protestation , that he entends not in that businesse to doe ought preiudiciall to the glory of god , or to the catholicke faith and church : and once sainted , they haue the honour of altars , temples , inuocations ; and some of them in a stile fit onely for their maker . i know not whither that blessed virgin receiue more indignity from her enemies that denie her , or these her flatterers that deifie her . a religion that robs the christian heart of all sound comfort , whiles it teacheth vs , that we neither can nor ought to be assured of the remission of our sinnes , and of present grace , and future saluation ; that we can neuer know whether we haue receiued the true sacraments of god , because we cannot know the intention of the minister , without which they are are no sacraments : a religion , that rackes the conscience with the needlesse torture of a necessary shrift ; wherin the vertue of absolution depends on the fulnesse of confession , and that , vpon examination and the sufficiency of examination is so full of scruples ( besides those infinite cases of vnresolued doubts in this fained penance ) that the poore soule neuer knowes when it is cleare . a religion , that professes to be a bawd of sin ; whiles both ( in practise ) it tollerates open stewes , and prefers fornication in some cases to honourable matrimony , and gently blanches ouer the breaches of gods law with the name of venials and fauourable titles of diminution ; daring to affirme that veniall sinnes are no hinderance to a mans cleanenesse and perfection . a cruell religion , that sends poore infants remedilesly vnto the eternall paines of hell ; for want of that which they could not liue to desire : and frights simple soules with expectation of fained torments in purgatory ; not inferior ( for the time ) to the flames of the damned ; how wretchedly and fearefully must their poore laicks needes die : for first they are not sure they shall not goe to hell ; and secondly they are sure to be scorched , if they shall goe to heauen . a religion , that makes nature vainly proude in being ioyned by her , as copartner with god , in our iustification , in our saluation : and idly puffed vp in a conceit of her perfection , and ability to keepe more lawes then god hath made . a religion , that requires no other faith to iustification in christians , then may be found in the diuels themselues : who besides a confused apprehension , can assent vnto the truth of gods reuealed will : popery requires no more . a religion , that in stead of the pure milke of the gospell hath long fed her starued soules , with such idle legends , as the reporter can hardly deliuer without laughter , & their abettors not heare without shame and disclamation : the wiser sort of the world read those stories on winter euenings for sport , which the poore credulous multitude heares in their churches , with a deuout astonishment . a religion , which ( least ought should be here wanting to the doctrine of diuels ) makes religious prohibitions of meat , and differences of diet ; superstitiously preferring gods workmanship to itselfe and willingly polluting what he hath sanctified . a religion , that requires nothing but meere formality in our deuotions ; the worke wrought suffices alone in sacraments , in praiers : so the number be found in the chappelet , there is no care of the affection ; as if god regarded not the hart , but the tongue & hands , & while he vnderstāds vs , cared litle whether we vnderstand our selues . a religion , that presumptuously dares to alter and mangle christs last institution ; and sacrilegiously robbes gods people of one halfe of that heauenly prouision , which our sauiour left for his last and dearest legacy to his church for euer : as if christs ordinance were superfluous , or any shaueling could be wiser then his redeemer . a religion , that depends wholly vpon nice and poore vncertainties , and vnproueable supposals : that peter was bishop of rome ; that he left any heires of his graces & spirit ; or if any , but one in a perpetuall and vnfaileable succession at rome ; that he so bequeathed his infallibility to his chayre , as that whosoeuer sits in it , cannot but speake true ; that all which sit where he sate , must by some secret instinct , say as he taught ; that what christ said to him absolutely , ere euer rome was thought of , must be referred , yea tyed to that place alone , and fulfilled in it : that linus , or clemens , or cletus , the schollers and supposed successors of peter , must be preferred ( in the headship of the church ) to iohn the beloued apostle then liuing : that he whose life , whose penne , whose iudgement , whose keyes may erre , yet in his pontificall chayre cannot erre : that the golden line of this apostolicall succession , in the confusion of so many , long , desperate schismes , shamefully corrupt vsurpa●ions , and intrusions , yeelded heresies , neyther was , nor can be broken . denie any of these , and poperie is no religion : oh the lamentable hazard of so many millions of poore soules that stand vpon these slipperie tearmes , whereof if any be probable , some are impossible : oh miserable grounds of popish faith , whereof the best can haue but this praise , that perhaps it may be true . a religion that hath beene oft dyed in the blood of princes : that in some cases teaches and allowes rebellion against gods annointed ; and both suborneth treasons , and excuses , pities , honours , rewards the actors . a religion , that ouerloades mens consciences with heauy burdens of infinite vnnecessary traditions ; farre more then euer moses commented vpon with all the iewish masters ; imposing them with no lesse authority , and exacting them with more rigour , then any of the royall lawes of their maker . a religion that cozens the vulgar with nothing but shadowes of holines , in pilgrimages , processions , offerings , holy-water , latine seruices , images , tapers , rich vestures , garish altars , crosses , censings , and a thousand such like ( fitt for children and fooles ) robbing them in the meane time of the sound and plaine helpes of true piette and saluation . a religion , that cares not by what wilfull falshoods it maintaines a part : as wickliffes blasphemy , luthers aduise from the diuell , tindals community , caluins fayned miracle , and blasphemous death ; bucers necke broken , bezaes reuolt , the blasting of huguenots , englands want of churches and christendome ; queene elizabeths vnwomanlines , her episcopall iurisdiction , her secret fruitfulnes , english catholicks cast in beares skins to dogges , plesses shamefull ouerthrow ; garnets straw , the lutherans obscene night-reuels ; scories drunken ordination in a tauerne ; the edict of our gracious king iames ( an. ) for the establishment of popery , our casting the crusts of our sacrament to doggs , and ten thousand of this nature , malitiously raysed and defended against knowledge and conscience for the disgrace of those whom they would haue hated , ere knowen . a religion , that in the conscience of her own vntruth , goes about to falsifie , and depraue all authors that might giue euidence against her , to out-face al ancient truths , to foist in gibeonitish witnesses of their owne forging : and leaues nothing vnattempted against heauen or earth , that might aduantage her faction , and disable her innocent aduersary : lo this is your choice ; if the zeale of your losse haue made me sharpe , yet not malicious , not false ; god is my record , i haue not ( to knowledge ) charged you with the least vntruth : and if i haue wronged , accuse me : and if i cleare not my selfe , and my challenge , let mee be branded for a slanderer . in the meane time what spirituall phrensie hath ouertaken you , that you can finde no beauty , but in this monster of errors ? it is to you , and your fellowes that god speakes by his prophet : o ye heauens be astonished at this , be afraide and vtterly confounded , saith the lord , for my people hath committed two euils , they haue forsaken me , the fountaine of liuing waters , to digge them pits , euen broken pits , that can hold no water : what shall be the issue ? et tu domine deduces eos in puteum interitus : thou o god shalt bring them downe into the pit of destruction ; if you wil thus wilfully leaue god , there i must leaue you : but ( if you had not rather die ) returne , and saue one ; returne to god , returne to his truth , returne to his church : your blood be vpon my head , if you perish . advertisements to the reader . vnderstand ( good reader ) that in all these passages following , i haue brought in c. bellarm. speaking in his owne words , except in some few plaine references , where i mention him in the third person . that the edition of c. bellarmine which i haue followed , and quoted in euery page , is that in octauo ( the commonest , i thinke ) set forth at ingolstadt , from the presse of adam sartorius , in the yeare m.d.xcix . that all those authors which thou seest named ouer the head of euery section , are papists of note : whose quarrels c. bellarmine confesseth . that such great doctors could not be singular in their iudgements , but must needes , in all probability , ( which yet is not confessed ) be attended with many followers , in euery point of variance : euery master hath the fauour of his owne schoole : the sides taken by their scholers is not more secret , then likely . that one doctor pappus , a learned german , hath vndertaken the like taske , but somewhat vnperfectly : for of my contradictions he hath noted but . the edition followed by him was not the same , and therefore his trust could not be so helpfull to mee : besides , that two or three of card. bellarmines workes are since published . that i haue willingly omitted diuers small differences , which ( if i had regarded number ) might haue caused the sum to swell yet higher . that thou mayest not looke to finde all these acknowledged differences , maine and essentiall : all religion consists not of so many stones in her foundation ; it is enough , that deepe and material dissensions are intermingled with the rest ; and that scarce any point is free from some . that card. bellarmine acknowledges those dissensions only , which fall into the compasse of his owne controuersies ( if all those : ) omitting all others . for instance : of all those sixtie and two differences , in the matter of penance , which i haue here gathered out of nauarre and fr●a victoria , he hath not confessed aboue fiue or sixe : so that , by the same proportion , wheras three hundred and three contradictions are acknowledged , there cannot but be many hundreds wittingly by him concealed . gen. . . venite igitur descendamus , & confundamus ibi linguam eorum , vt non audiat vnus quis que vocem proximi sui , atque ita diuisit eos dominus ex illo loco in vniuersas terras , & cessauerunt aedificare ciuitatem , & idcirco vocatum est nomen eius babel , &c. the peace of rome . lib . i. first centvry of dissentions . decad . i. first , bellarmine against nic. lyra , carthusian , hugo , and thomas cardinals , sixtus senensis . there haue not wanted some which haue held the seuen last chapters of the booke of ester , because they are not in the hebrewe text , spurious and counterfet : in which opinion was s. hierom ( as is gathered out of his praeface ) and following him , not onely before the councell of trent nicholas lyra , dionysius carthusianus , hugo , and thomas de vio cardinals , but also since the said councell sixtus senensis in the first and eight booke of his bibliotheca sancta . but that they are sacred and diuine , is sufficiently proued by all those decrees of popes and councels , and those testimonies of hebrew , greeke , and latine fathers , which we haue noted formerly in the fourth chapter of this booke , and so those other chapters which are not in the hebrew , &c. bellarmine in his first booke of the word of god , chapt . . ( see at large his confutation of sixtus senensis in the same place . ) pag. . secondly , iohn driedo against bellarmine . iohannes driedo ( a catholike writer ) denies the booke of baruch to be canonical , in his first book , the last chapter , at the last argument : but the authority of the catholicke church perswades vs the contrary , which in the councell of trent ( the fourth sitting ) numbers the prophet baruch among the sacred bookes . bellarmine the same booke , chap. . pag. . thirdly , erasmus and iohannes driedo against bellarmine . not onely heretickes , pagans , iewes , but of catholicke christians iulius africanus of olde , and of late , iohannes driedo in his first booke de script . &c. chap. last , and of semi-christians erasmus in his scholees vpon hieroms praeface to daniel , haue reiected the story of susanna as new , and foisted into the canon . but notwithstanding it is certaine that all these parts of daniel are truely canonicall . bellarm. the same booke chap. . pag. . fourthly , caietane a cardinall , and some other namelesse against bellarmine . some obiect that the church receiues those books that saint hierome receiues , and refuseth those which he reiecteth , as it appeares distinct. . canon . sancta romana . but hierome flatly affirmes all these fiue bookes not to be canonicall : so reasoneth caietane , otherwise a catholicke & a holy doctor . some answere , that hierome saith onely that these are not canonicall among the iewes ; but that cannot be , for he mentioneth also the booke of the pastor , which was accounted to the new testament . but i admit that hierome was of that opinion , because no generall councell as yet had defined of these books ; except onely of the booke of iudith , which hierome also afterwards receiued : that therefore which gelasius saith in the distinct aboue cited , is to be vnderstood of the bookes of the doctors of the church , origin , ruffin , and the like ; not of the bookes of scripture . bellarm. ibid. chap. . pag. . fiftly , bellarmine against erasmus , caietanus . in our times erasmus in the end of his notes vpon this epistle : and caietane in the beginning of his commentaries vpon this epistle haue reuiued and renewed a question , that hath long slept in silence , concerning the author and authority of the epistle to the hebrewes . bellarmine vndertakes to confute their seuerall reasons , drawne , first , from hebr. . . compared with . sam. . . secondly , from hebr. . . compared with kings . . thirdly , from heb. . . compared with exod. . . bellarm. ibid. chap. . pag. . sixtly , beda , lyranus , driedo , mercator , sulpitius , genebrard , benedictus , bellarmine dissenting . there are two principall opinions about the storie of iudith : some would haue that storie to haue happened after the babilonish captiuity , eyther in cambyses time , so beda , lyranus , io. driedo ; or vnder darius hystaspes , as gerardus mercator ; seuerus sulpitius refers it to artaxerxes ochus : some others hold it to haue beene after the captiuity ; either in sedecias times , as gil. genebrardus ; or iosias , as iohn benedictus . but neither of these seemes to me probable enough , saith bellarmine , who confuting all them , placeth this storie in the raigne of manasses king of iuda . bellarm. same booke , c. . p. . seuenthly , erasmus and caietane against bellarm. and all other true catholickes . erasm . in his notes vpon these epistles affirms , that the epistle of iames doth not sauor of an apostolicke grauitie : hee doubts of the second epistle of peter . he affirmes the second and third epistles of iohn were not written by iohn the apostle , but by another : of iudes epistle hee saith nothing . caietane doubts of the authors of the epistle of iames , of iude , of the second and third of iohn , and therefore will haue them to be of lesse authority then the rest . bellarmine iustly refutes their opinion , ch . . pag. . eightly , erasmus against all true catholickes . erasmus in the end of his notes vpon the reuelation , seekes out many doubtfull coniectures , wherby he would proue this booke of the reuelation , not to be written by iohn the apostle . his three reasons are truely answered by bellarmine , chap. . p. . ninthly , genebrardus against bellarmine . the fourth booke of esdras is indeede cyted by ambrose , in his booke de bono mortis ; and in his second booke vpon luke ; and in the . epistle to horatian : but doubtlesse it is not canonicall : since that it is not by any councell accounted in the canon ; and is not found eyther in hebrew or greeke , and contains in the sixt chapter very fabulous toyes . i wonder therfore what came into genebrards minde , that he would haue this booke pertaine to the canon ; in his chronology , pag. . bellarm. chap. . pag. . tenthly , iacobus christopolitanus , canus against bellarmine . omitting those therefore which falsly attribute too much purity vnto the hebrew text , we are to meete with others , which in a good zeale , but i know not whether according to knowledge , defend that the iewes in hatred of the christian religion haue purposely depraued many places of scripture ; so teaches iacob bishop of christopolis in his praeface to the psalmes , and canus in his second booke and thirteenth chapter of common places . these bellarmine confutes by most weighty arguments , as he cals them , and shewes that by this defence the vulgar edition should be most corrupt , in . booke of the word of god , chap. . pag. . decad ii. first , pagnin , paulus forosempron , eugubius , io. mirandulanus , driedo , sixtus senensis , all together by the eares . concerning this vulgar latine edition , there is no small question . that it is not ieromes , is held by sanctus pagninus , in the praeface of his interpretation of the bible to clement the eight , and paulus bishop of forosempronium , in his second booke , first chapter of the day of christs passion . contrarily , that it is ieromes is defended by augustine eugubinus , and iohannes picus mirandulanus in bookes set out to that purpose , and by some others . but that it is mixt both of the new and old , is maintained by io. driedo in his second booke , ch . . and sixtus senensis in his . booke of the holy library , and the end . bellarm. . booke , chap. . pag. . secondly , bellarmine against some nameles authors . concerning the translation of the septuagint , though i know some hold it is vtterly lost , yet i hold rather that it is so corrupted , that it seemes another . bellarm. . booke , ch . . pag. . thirdly , valla , faber , erasmus , and others against bellarmine . that place rom. . . not onely kemnitius , but also valla , erasmus , iacobus faber and others would haue to be corrupted in the latine vulgar . bellarmine confutes them , and would shew that their latine translation herein is better then the greeke originall . bellarm. same booke , chap. . pag. . fourthly , card. caietane against bellarmine . thomas caietanus in his treatise of the institut . and authority of the b. of rome , chap. . teacheth , that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are not the same with the power of binding and loosing ; for that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen includes the power of order and iurisdiction , and somewhat more : but this doctrine seemes to vs more subtile then true ; for it was neuer heard of , that the church had any other keyes besides those of order , and iurisdiction . bellarm. . booke of the pope , ch . . pag. . fiftly , ioachim , raymundus , a namelesse frenchman against all catholikes . that there are three eternall spirits , father , sonne holy ghost essentially differing , was taught by a certaine frenchman in anselmes time ; and the same seemes to be held by ioachim the abbot , in the yeare . and raymundus lullius , in the yeare . confuted by bellarmine in his first booke de christo. cha . . pag. . sixtly , erasmus confuted by bellarmine . bellarmines disputation against the transsiluani , and erasmus as their patrone , concerning the diuinity of christ , warranted from diuers places of scripture . see bell. l. . de christo. ch . . pag. . . seuenthly , bellarmine against durandus . the fourth error is of durandus in . d. . q. . who taught , that christs soule descended not to hell in substance , but only in certaine effects , because it did illuminate those holy fathers , which were in limbo : which opinion to be erroneous ( and yet not so ill as caluins ) is proued by foure arguments ; and all his obiections answered by bellarm. l. . de christo ch . . pag. . , &c. eightly , bonauenture against thomas saint thomas p. . q. . art. . teaches , that christ by his reall presence descended but to limbus patrum , and in effect onely to the other places of hell : but it is probable that his soule discended to all . secondly , saint thomas seemes to say ( p. . q. . ar . . ) that it was some punishment to christ to be in hel according to his soule , &c. and caietane ( in act . . ) saith that the sorrowes of christs death continued in him , til his resurrection , in regard of three penalties , whereof the second is , that the soule remained in hell , a place not conuenient for it . but bonauent . in . d. . q. . saith , that christs soule while it was in hell , was in the place of punishment indeede , but without punishment , which seemes to me more agreeable to the fathers . bellarm. l. de christo. c. . p. . , &c. ninthly , bellarmine and all other papists against lyranus . nicolaus lyranus is not of so great authority that we should oppose him to all the auncient fathers and historians , which say , that peter was slaine at rome ( not as lyranus at hierusalem . ) bellarm. l. . of the pope of rome , ch . . pag. . tenthly , aeneas syluius confuted by bellarmine . that speech of aeneas syluius ( afterwards pope ) that before the nicene councel each man liued to himselfe , and there was small respect had of the bishop of rome is partly true , and partly false : it is true that the power of the popes was somewhat in those times hindred ; but it is not true that there was so little respect giuen him . bellarm. l. . de pontif. c. . pag : . decad . iii. first , martinus polonus confuted by bellarmine . the confutation of martinus polonus which liued an. . in that storie of pope ioane , deliuered from him by sigebertus , marianus scotus , platina and others . see bellarm. l. . de pontif. c. . pag. . , &c. secondly , bellarmine against valla. the sixteenth is pope celestinus , whom laurentius valla affirmes , to haue been infected with the heresie of nestorius ; in his declamation against the donation of constantine . but valla lyes falsly . bellarm . l. . de pont. c. . p. . thirdly , darandus and adrian against pope gregorie and bellarmine . saint gregorie the first is by durandus , in . di. . q. . accused of error , for that he permitted vnto presbiters to conferre the sacrament of confirmation ; which is onely by right proper to bishops : by reason of which place of gregorie , adrian in quest , of confirmation , art . vlt. affirmeth , that the pope may erre in defining points of faith , but in truth , not s. gregorie erreth herein , but durandus and adrian . bellarm . l. . de pont. c. . p. . fourthly , gratian , gerson , panormitan answered by bellarmine . gratians speech ( . quaest . . can . vlt ) that hieromes authority being defenced by scripture , crossed a whole generall councell ; and panormitans , and gersons , that one priuate mans opinion , if he be furnished with better authorities from scripture , is to bee preferred to the opinion of the pope : and that any one learned man may , and ought in some cases to resist a whole councell . see confuted , and qualified by bellar. l. . de concil . cap. . p. . fiftly , pighius , turrecremata , caietane , other popish doctors against bellarmine in fiue seuerall opinions . in this question , whether in case of heresie the pope may be iudged and deposed , there are fiue different opinions . the first of albertus pighius , . booke of eccles. hierarchy , ch . . who holds that the pope can not be an hereticke , and therefore can in no case be deposed : which is a probable opinion , but not certaine , and is contrary to the common opinion . the second of io. de turrecremata , . b. part . c. . that the pope , in that he fals into an heresie , though inward and secret , is without the church and deposed of god ; and therefore that he may be iudged , that is declared to be deposed ( de facto ) if hee yet refuse to yeelde . but this opinion i cannot allow . the third is in another extreame , that the pope neyther for secret nor manifest heresie is , or can be deposed : this io. turrecremata in the place forecited confuteth ; and indeed it is an opinion very improbable . the fourth is caietanes in his tract of the authority of the pope and the councel , ch . . and . that a pope which is manifestly hereticall , is not ( ipso facto ) deposed , but may and ought to be deposed by the church : which opinion in my iudgement cannot be defended . here therefore bellarmine defends these positions against caietane . that euery manifest hereticke is ipso facto deposed , out of tit. . that a manifest hereticke cannot be the pope . that an hereticke loosing faith , and retaining the character still , is yet without the chuch . that the pope cannot be deposed for ignorance or wickednes . that the pope may not bee deposed by the church . the fift opinion is true , that the pope being a manifest hereticke , ceases of himselfe to be pope and head of the church : as of himselfe he ceases to be a christian and member of the church ; and therefore that he may be iudged and punished by the church . bellarmine . b. of . gener. contro . chap. . pag. . sixtly , some namelesse doctors against bellarmine . it is the opinion of some catholikes , as iodocus clictonaeus reporteth , that mahumet was that antichrist properly called , because he came about the yeare . as iohn foretold . but this reason of theirs is friuolous , bellarm. third booke of the pope , chap. . pag. . seuenthly , bellarmine against bb. iansenius . i cannot enough maruell what bishop iansenius meant , in that he wrote that although it be the opinion of all the auncient , that elias shall come , yet that it is not conuinced out of that place in ecclesiasticus , chap. . . for if it be so as iansenius saith , it followes that ecclesiasticus both is , and hath written false . bellarm. in . b. c. . pag. . eightly , dominicus a soto against bellarmine . one doubt remaines , whether by the cruell persecution of antichrist , the christian faith and religion shall be vtterly extinguished : dominicus a soto defends it in . booke of sentences , d. . q. . art . . but this opinion in my iudgement cannot be defended . bellarmine l. chap. . pag. . ninthly , gerson , almaine , pope adrian , hosius , eckius , &c , pighius , thomas waldensis , in three contradictory opinions . concerning the popes certainety of iudgement , there are foure diuers opinions . the first is , that the pope as pope may be an hereticke in himselfe , and may teach others heresie , although he define something euen with a generall councell : this is the opinion of all the heretickes of this time , luther , caluin , &c. the second that the pope as pope may be an hereticke , and teach heresie if he define without a generall councell , and that it hath so happened . this opinion followes nilus in his booke against the primacy of the pope . io. gerson , and almaine : alphonsus de castro , and pope adrian the sixt , in the quaest . of confirmation : which opinion is not meerely hereticall , but is erroneous and neare to heresie . the third in an other extreame , that the pope cannot by any meanes be an hereticke , nor teach heresie , publiquely , though he should alone determine any matter . so holds albert pighius b. . of eccles. hierar . c. . the fourth , that the pope whether he may be an heretick or no , cannot by any meanes define any hereticall point to be beleeued of the whole church . this , which is the commonest opinion , holds thomas . quaest . . art . . tho. waldensis , l. . of the doctr. of faith , ch . . io. de turrecremata , io. driedo , caietane , hosius , eckius , io. of louan , petrus a soto , &c. bellarm. b. . of the pope , ch . . pag. . tenthly , the sorbonists and some other concealed doctors against bellarmine . that prayer of christ for peters faith , that it might not faile , is expounded : by the parisian diuines , that the lord prayed for his vniuersall church , or for peter as he bore the figure of the whole church , which exposition is false . others that liue at this day teach ; that the lord in this place prayed for the perseuerance of peter alone in the grace of god , vntill the end , confuted by foure arguments . the third exposition is true ; that the lord obtained for peter two priuiledges : one , that hee should neuer loose the true faith , though neuer so much tempted ; the other , that he as pope should neuer teach any thing against the faith . bell. b. . ch . pag. . decad . iiii. first , melchior canus and others , against pighius , hosius , io. louan , onuphrius . not only the heretickes , but some catholicke doctors , haue held pope honorius to haue been an hereticke , so doth melchior canus from the two epistles of honorius himselfe to sergius , wherein he approoues the doctrine of the monothelites : from the . synod , act. . seuenth synod . act. last , eighth synod , act. . from the epistle of pope agatho , from the epistle of pope leo . from tharasius , theodorus , epiphanius the deacon , bede , &c. but in the behalfe of honorius haue written albert pighius , hosius , io. of louan , onuphrius : bellarm. b. . ch . . pag. . secondly , alphonsus de castro against bellarmine , celestin pope against innocentius . alphonsus de castro affirmes flatly , that pope celestinus was an hereticke ; the first booke of heres . chap. . for that he held matrimony so dissolued by heresie , that he whose wife was proued hereticall , might marry againe : contrary to which is taught by pope innocentius [ . ch . quanto . of diuorces ] and the same is defined in the councell of trent [ sess. . canon . . ] but i answer that neither celestinus nor innocentius determine any certainty of that matter . bellarm. l. . c. . pag. . thirdly , pope nicholas against pope iohn , bellarmine against turrecremata . pope nicholas the third defines , that christ by his word and example taught perfect pouerty , which consists in the abdication of all our substance ; no power of it being left to a man , either in particular or common ; and that such pouerty is holy and meritorious : but pope iohn . . in his extrauagants teaches this to be false and hereticall : io. de turrecremata goes about wholly to reconcile these two popes : but in truth , if i be not much deceiued , they cannot be in all things reconciled . bellarm. b. . chap. . pag. . fourthly , occam , adrian , gerson , erasmus against bellarmine . that pope iohn . . was an hereticke in teaching that the soules of the blessed shall not see god till the resurrection , is affirmed by gul. occam . adrian , erasmus , io. gerson . he thought so indeede , but then it was not heresie , so to thinke , because no councell had defined the question , and io. villanus reports , that the day before his death , he partly explaned , and partly recanted his opinion . bellarmine same chapter and booke . pag. . fiftly , abulensis against turrecremata . of the inward iurisdiction in the court of conscience ; there is some dissention amongst our authors : for abulensis * holds this power giuen to all priests immediately from god , when they are ordained : now that yet notwithstanding this , euery priest cannot bind or loose whatsoeuer christians , is therefore ordered , because the church to take away confusion hath diuided diocesses ; and subiected one people to one bishop , another to another . but io. de turrecremata ❀ teaches that this power is not giuen of god by the force of ordination , but by man vpon his meere iniunction . bellarm. b. . c. . p. . sixtly , three ranks of popish doctors at variance . how bishops receiue their iurisdiction , there are three opinions amongst our diuines . the first , that as well apostles as other bishops , did , and doe receiue it immediatly from god. so teach franciscus victoria , and alphonsus de castro . the second of those that hold , the apostles not to haue receiued their iurisdiction from christ , but from peter ; and bishops not from christ , but peters successor . so io. de turrecremata and dominicus iacobatius . the third of them , which teach , that the apostles indeed receiued all their authority immediately from christ ; but other bishops receiued it not from christ , but from the pope : so holds caietane , dominicus a soto , franciscus vargas , herbaeus , gabriell , bonauenture , albert , durand . and others . bellarm. b. . c. . p. . seuenthly , aug. triumphus , aluar. pelagius , hostiensis , &c. against henricus , turrecrem . pighius , waldensis , &c. of the popes temporall power , are three opinions of authors : first that the pope hath full power ouer all the world , both in spirituall things and temporall . so teach august . triumphus , aluarus pelagius , and many lawyers , hostiensis , siluester , and others not a few : yea hostiensis goes further , and teaches , that all dominion of infidell princes , is by christs comming translated to the church , and rests in the pope . the second in another extreame , that the pope as pope and by the law of god hath no temporall power , nor can any way rule ouer secular princes , and depriue them of their prince-dome , though they deserue it . so all the heretickes . the third , which is the meane betwixt both , is the commonest opinion of catholike diuines , that the pope as pope hath not directly and immediately any temporall power , but onely spirituall ; yet in respect to his spirituall iurisdiction , that hee hath at least indirectly a certaine power , and that supreame , euen in temporall things . so teach hugo , halensis , durandus , henricus , driedo , turrecremata , pighius , waldensis , petrus de palude , caietane , francis victoria , dominicus a soto , nicholas saunders , &c. what thom. aquinas thinkes of this temporall power of the pope , is vncertaine . bellar. l. . c. . pag. . eightly , onuphrius against bellarmine and hostiensis . onuphrius writes , that the appointment of the electors of the romane empire , was done by gregorie the tenth , but innocent . . which was before gregorie . speakes of this institution , and hostiensis that was likewise before him , saith , that innocentius speaks of the seuen electors : and aluarus pelagius , who liued in the memorie of gregorie . reports this to haue beene the act of gregorie . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . ninthly , pighius against bellarm. pope celestine , councell of chalcedon . the beginning of councels albertus pighius in his . b. of the heauenly hierarchy ch . . defends to be altogether humane and deuised by naturall reason ; but it is more probable that it is diuine , for the councell of chalcedon in an epistle to leo , and the sixt synod , act. and pope celestine in an epistle to the councell of ephesus , and the third councell of toledo , teach that councels are imported in those words of christ , matth. . wheresoeuer two or three , &c. bellarm. de concil . & eccles. milit . lib. . c. . pag. . tenthly , some vn-named catholickes against bellarm. turrecremata , canus . some catholickes hold , that all bishops are not iudges in councels , for then ( say they ) the pope should be bound , who is president in the councell , to follow the greater part of bishops ; but this is false , as appeares in the practises of damasus and leo. i answere first , that perhaps it neuer fell so out , that the pope should follow the lesser part in the councell , when they haue giuen their voices without all fraud . secondly i say , that the president of the councell , as president , must follow the greater part of the voyces ; but the pope not as president , but as the chiefe prince of the church , may recall and retract that iudgement . so io. de turrecremata [ lib. . c. . . ] and canus [ lib. . c. ] bellarm. ibid. ch . . p. . decad . v. first , bellarmine against some catholikes namelesse . that particular councels confirmed by the pope cannot erre in faith , and manners , there are some catholickes that denie : which as yet are not by the church condemned for heretickes : but surely it is rash , erroneous , and neare to heresie , to affirme that particular councels confirmed by the pope may erre . bellarmine , l. . ch . . p. . secondly , alanus copus against bellarmine . it is a very vncertaine thing , what was decreede of images in the councell of francford ; for the ancient authors agree not with themselues : by reason of this confusion , alanus copus in his fourth and fift dialogue , teaches , that in that synod of francford the hereticall councell of constantinople was onely condemned : the nicene not onely not condemned , but confirmed : which opinion i wish to be true , but i suspect it to be false . bellarmine ibid. chap. . pag. . thirdly , bellarmine against vega. some answere , as vega in the councell of trent [ b. . c. . ] that any councell is lawfull , if held by the faithfull , not for that historians witnes so , but because the councell it selfe defineth so of it selfe ; for they vse euer in the beginning of their act , so to determine their meeting lawfull , and in the holy ghost . but sure this answere is not found ; for first the auncient councels had not wont to witnesse so of themselues . secondly , eyther it appeares to vs , that the councell is a lawfull one ; or it appeares not : if it do appeare , such a decree is in vaine , if it doe not appeare , we shall as well doubt of that decree , as of the councel . bellarmine same booke , cap. . pag. . fourthly , parisienses against caietane : turrecremata and bellarmine against canus . of generall councels there are diuers opinions amongst vs. first the diuines of paris , and all those which teach , that the councell is aboue the pope , thinke that lawfull generall councels cannot erre , euen before the confirmation of the pope . contrary to these , teach others , as caietane [ in apolog. ] io. turrecremata , [ lib. . cap. . , . ] but when councels define something with the consent of the popes legates , not hauing had full instruction : what authority they haue , is stil in controuersie . but i thinke such a councell may erre , before the popes owne confirmation . canus and others hold the contrary . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . fiftly , bellarmine against gratian. gratian dist . . affirmes , that the decretall epistles of popes ought to be numbred amongst the canonicall scriptures , and di. . he saith , that the canons of councels are of the same authority with decretall epistles ; and pope gregorie in his first b. epist. . saith , he reuerences the foure first councels , as the foure euangelists . i answere first , that gratian was deceiued by a depraued copy , which he followed , &c. as for gregorie , i answere that his ( as ) doth not signifie equality , but similitude . bellarm. l. . c. . pag. . sixtly , three rankes of popish diuines dissenting . in this question , whether the pope be aboue the councell , i finde three opinions of our doctors . first , that the councell is aboue the pope : so affirm al the hereticks of this time : and the same is taught by card. cameracensis , io. gerson , iacob . almaine , and some others : also nicol. cusanus , card. panormitanus , and his master the cardinall of florence , and abulensis in cap. . of matthew , q. . this opinion hath two grounds . that the pope is not properly the head of the whole church , gathered together . that the supreame power of the church is as well in the councell , as in the pope ; but in the councell principally , immediately , and immoueably : and in the defence of this point , these authors againe differ from themselues , whiles some hold this power formally and subiectiuely in the pope ; and finally in the church . others will haue it formally and principally in the church ; and instrumentally in the pope . second opinion is of some canonists , which will haue the pope aboue the councell , and that he cannot vpon constraint be iudged by any ; but that he may subiect himselfe ( if he will ) to the councell . so teacheth the glosse . in canon . nossi , &c. the third is the more common opinion , that the pope is so aboue the councell , that he cannot subiect himselfe vnto the iudgement thereof ; if we speake of a coactiue sentence : so al the old schoolemen hold ; albert , thomas , bonauenture , richard paludanus a , so b antoninus , c turrecremata , d al. pelagius , iacobatius , caietane , pighius , turrianus , and saunders , and many other there mentioned . bellarmine , l. . c. . pag. . seuenthly , councell of basill against eugenius , and leo , popes . that which the councell of basill defined of the authority of the councell aboue the pope , was neuer by any pope allowed . pope eugenius first did professedly reiect it : then pope leo the tenth , in the last councell of lateran . sess. . as also the whole church , which euer held eugenius ( who by the councell of basill was deposed ) for the true pope . bellarm . lib. . cap. . pag. . where io. gerson is by him confuted . eightly , driedo against bellarm. and canus . the author of the booke de dog. eccl. c. . openly saith , that nouices in religion dying before their baptisme cannot be saued : but this seemes ouerhard : melchior canus holds they may be saued ; because though they be not of the christian church , yet they are of that church , that comprehends all faithfull ones , from abel to the end of the world . but this satisfies not : i answere , that this rule , no man without the church can be saued , is to be vnderstood of those which neither indeede , nor in defire are of the church . bellarmine , lib. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , bellarmine against alphonsus de castro . alphonsus de castro [ in his second booke of the iust punishment of heretickes , chap. . ] teaches that heretickes and apostates , if once baptized are members and parts of the church , although they openly professe false doctrine : which opinion , as it is plainely false , so may easily be refuted . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , alphonsus and others against bellarmine . some catholiks doubt concerning schismaticks , whether they be of the church : yea alphonsus de castro flatly affirmes them to be of the church ; but it is easie to shew the contrary out of scriptures and traditions of the fathers . bellarmine , l. . c. . where also he holds the definition which pope nicholas giues of the church to be imperfect . p. . . decad . vi. first , catechism . rom. waldensis , turrecremata , &c. against some namelesse papists . that persons excommunicate are not of the church , is taught by the catechisme of rome , by tho. waldensis , io. de turrecremata , io. driedo , and some others . the contrary is defended by others : whose three obiections are answered by bellarmine . bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . secondly , bellarmine against some not named papists . for answering of that place of austen l. . against cresconius , that notorious wicked men are not of the church ; not only brentius and caluin heretikes , but some catholikes , faine two churches , and they doe but faine them indeede ; for neyther scripture nor austen euer mention more then one . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . thirdly , bellarmine against turrecremata . that close infidels , that haue neyther faith nor any other christian vertue , yet externally for some temporall commodity , professe the catholike faith , belong not to the true church , is taught , not onely by the caluinists , but by some of our catholikes ; amongst whom is io. de turrecremata , l. . de eccles. but we follow their phrase of speech , which say , that those , who by an externall profession onely are ioyned to the faithfull , are true parts of the body of the church , though drie and dead . bellarm. l. . c. . pag. . fourthly , alexander alensis , and turrecremata against bellarmine . there are some catholike doctors , which teach , in the passion of our lord , there remained true faith in none , but the blessed virgin alone : and that they hold to be signified by that one candle , which alone is kept light in the third night before easter . so holds alexander alensis [ . p. q. vlt. art . . ] and iohn de turrecremata [ l. . de eccles. c. . ] but i wonder at turrecremata , who for so slight an argument from a candle , saith , it is against the faith of the vniuersall church to affirme otherwise . for rupertus in his . booke of diuine offices , chap. . sayeth , that in his time , the last candle also had wont to bee quenched . it may be answered rather with abulensis , that by this candle is signified , that onely in the blessed virgin ; there was for those three dayes an explicit faith of the resurrection . bellarmine l. . c. . pag. . fiftly , caietane , francisc. victoria , against other doctors . if there were no constitution for the choice of the pope , and all the cardinals should perish at once : the question is , in whom should be the right of the election . some hold , that the right of the choyce ( setting aside the positiue law ) should belong to the councell of bishops : as caietane in his treatise of the power of the pope and councell , chap. . franciscus victoria , relect. . q. . of the power of the church : others ( as siluester reports , in the word excommunication ) teach , that it pertaines to the clergy of rome . bellarm. in his first booke of the members of the church militant . c. . p. . sixtly , bellarmine against antonius delphinus , and michael medina . to that obiection out of ierome , who saith vpon the first to titus , that a presbiter is the same with a bishop ; is answered by antonius delphinus ( l. . of the church ) that in the beginning of the church all presbiters were bishops . but this satisfies not . michael medina [ in his first booke de sacr . hom . origine ] affirmes , that s. ierome held the same opinion with the aerian heretickes , and that not onely ierome was in this heresie , but also ambrose , austen , sedulius , primasius , chrisostom . theodoret , oecumenius , theophilact . the opinion of these men was condemned , first in aerius , then in the waldenses , and after in wickliffe . but this opinion of medina is very inconsiderate . bellarm. same booke , c. . p. . seuenthly , bellarmine against onuphrius . the opinion of onuphrius concerning the names or titles of cardinals , see confuted by bellarmine in the same booke , c. . p. . eightly , io. maior . and iodoc. clictonaeus against s. thomas , caietane , sotus . iohannes maior holds , that the vow of single life of priests , stands by the law of god , and therefore cannot be dispensed with : so also iod. clictonaeus [ in his booke de contin . sacerd. ] who there defends two opinions which cannot hold together : but s. thomas [ in . . q. . art . . ] saith plainely , that the vow of continency , is onely by the decree of the church , annexed to holy orders , and therefore may be dispensed with : the same teaches caietane in opusc . and sotus in his seuenth booke of iustice , &c. bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , erasmus and panormitan against the other popish doctors . erasmus in a declamation of the praise of matrimonie , holds it profitable , that liberty of mariage should be granted to priests : and the same is taught by card. panormitan , a catholike and learned doctor ( in the chapt. cum olim . ) against these errors we are to proue , that the vow of continency is so annexed to holy orders , that they neyther may marry , nor conuerse with their wiues formerly married . bellarm. same booke , c. . p. . tenthly , the glosse , innocent . panormitan , hostiensis , opposed by all diuines , and some canonists . the fourth error is of many of the canonists , which hold , that tithes , euen according to the determination of quantity , stand by the law of god ; and that no other quantity can be set downe by any humane law or custome : so the glosse , innocentius , panormitan , hostiensis ; but doubtlesse it is a manifest errour , as not onely all diuines , but some canonists also teach , as syluester in the word decima , quaest . . and nauar. cap. . and herein many of the canonists offend double : once , in that they defend a falshood ; twise , in that they doe almost condemne all those diuines as heretickes , which hold the contrary . bellarm . same booke c. . p. . decad . vii . first , sotus against syluester , and nauar , bellarmine and aquinas with both . whether the precept of tithes , as it is positiue and humane , may by custome bee altered , is doubtfull . sotus holdes directly it cannot , booke . quaest . . art . . and thinkes that this is the iudgement of aquinaes . but i thinke with siluester and nauarre , that it may , and i doubt not , but this is the opinion of aquinas . bellarm. ibid. p. . secondly , bellarmine against thomas waldensis . thomas waldensis teaches , that clerkes should eyther giue their goods to the poore , or lay them together in common ; and proues it by some sentences of fathers , origen , hierome , bernard . but it is certaine that clerkes are not by their profession , tyed to put away their patrimony . bellarmine same booke , c. . p. . thirdly , marsilius paduan . io. de ianduno . turrecremata : canonists , glosse , driedonius , francisc. victoria , dominicus a soto , couarruuias dissenting . in the question concerning the liberty of ecclesiasticall persons , are three opinions : first is of many heretickes , that clerkes are and should be subiect to secular powers , both in payment of tributes , and in iudgements , especially not ecclesiasticall : so also marsilius of padua , and io. de ianduno teach , that christ himselfe was not free from paying tribute , and that he did it not voluntarily , but of necessity , as is reported by turrecremata . the second opinion in another extreame , is of many canonists , who hold that by the law of god , clerkes and their goods are free from the power of secular princes : so teaehes the glosse , in can. tributum : and of this minde seemes io. driedonius to be in his booke of christian liberty , ch . . the third in the meane , is of many diuines , that clerkes are free partly by the law of god , partly by the law of men , and partly neyther way : so thinkes franciscus victoria , dominicus a soto , couarruuias in his booke of practicall quaestions . bellarmine same booke cap. . where he disputes against the canonists , confutes cornelius iansenius , and followes tostatus and caietane in the exposition of austen , and lastly , refels dominicus a soto , &c. pag. . . . fourthly , dominicus a soto and alphonsus against saint thomas and bonauenture . it is a question among diuines , whether dueties commanded by god , doe properly fall within the compasse of our vowes : for some denie it , as thomas and bonauenture ( in . dist . . ) others affirme it , as some latter writers dominicus a soto , l. . de iustit . & iure : alphonsus a castro . l. . of penall law , &c. c. . bellarmine controu . . gener. b. . c. . . de membr . eccles. militant . pag. . fiftly , scotus and albertus , and bellarmine against saint thomas . although saint thomas doth not admit an absolute vow of virginity , in the blessed virgin , before her espousal , yet scotus doth admit it , in . dist . quaest . . and before scotus , albertus magnus in his booke of the praises of our lady , and before albert the holy fathers , nissenus and augustine . neyther doe i see , how that vow can preiudice the celebration of her true marriage ; if it be supposed ( as all diuines doe ) that it was reuealed to her , that saint ioseph should neuer require of her matrimoniall beneuolence . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . sixtly , scotus , paludanus , caietane , against albertus , thomas , bonauenture , richard , durand , &c. whether after a solemne vow made , matrimony be quite dissanulled by the law of god , and of nature ; or onely by the law of the church , is questioned : for albertus , s. thomas , s. bonauenture , richard , and durand , in the . dist . . and dominicus a soto in his . booke of law and iustice , q. . art . . will haue the mariage , by the law of god and nature vtterly void , if it be made after a solemne vow taken : but scotus and paludanus in . d. . and caietane , and all the whole schoole of lawyers ( as panormitan reporteth ) affirme , that such mariage is onely voyde by the law of the church . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , erasmus and espencaeus , iustinian and gregory , bellarmine and the common sort disagreeing . of the fourth are two extreame errors : one of martin chemnitius and the m●gdeburgenses , who teach , that matrimony whether ratified and consummate , or ratified only , cannot be dissolued by the profession of a monasteriall life . so also teacheth erasm. [ vpon . ch . of . cor. ] and to the same iudgement inclineth claudius espencaeus in his sixt b. ch . of contin . another errour in the contrary extreme , that mariage , thogh fully consummate , is dissolued by entring into religion : so decreed iustinian g. of bishops , and this law is related by gregorie , ( b. . epist. . ) but the iudgement of the church is in the meane between both , that matrimony ratified onely , is so dissolued , not when it is consummate : so besides many canons , the councell of trent . sess. . can. . bellarm. ibid. ch . . p. . &c. eightly , io. of louan and bellarm. against george cassander . the third error is of george cassander [ in his b. of the office of a good man ] who holdeth that princes ought to seek a way of reconciliatiō betwixt the catholiks , lutherans , caluininsts , &c. and til they do find it out ; that they ought to permit to euery one his own faith ; so that they al receiue the scripture and the creed apostolike . this is a manifest error , and against him wrote of the catholike doctors , iohn of louan ; of the hereticks iohn caluin : and this opinion may easily be confuted . bellarmine l. . c. . p. . ninthly , some namelesse doctors , also scotus , thomas , and bellarmine in three diuers opinions . there haue beene some which haue denied , that veniall sinne could be remitted after this life , as saint thomas reports , [ in . dist . q. . art . . ] but said , that all veniall sinnes are remitted in the instant of death , by a finall grace : but they are deceiued , for both scriptures and fathers teach vs , that small sins are remitted after this life , &c. others ( as scotus in the . dist . . q. . ) say , that sinne after the act is passed , leaues onely a guilt of punishment behind it : and therefore veniall sinne is said to be remitted in purgatorie , because it is there wholly punished ; but mortall sinne is not said to be forgiuen after this life , because it is neuer there totally punished . this opinion is also false . another opinion of the same scotus is , that venial sinnes are remitted in the first moment of the soules seperation from the body , by the vertue of our fore-going merits : but this pleaseth me not : the opinion of thomas is truer , that veniall sinnes are remitted in purgatorie by the act of loue and patience , &c. bellarm. . controu . gener . of purgat . l. . c. . p. . tenthly , some vn-named papists against bonauenture , scotus , durand , thomas , &c. some catholikes , to proue that ( as they hold ) soules in purgatory may merit , argue thus : the soules in purgatorie haue all things necessarie for merit ; for they haue grace , faith , charity , freewill , &c. also they proue it by the authority of saint thomas , in . dist . . q. . art . . but i answere to the argument ; that the soules in purgatorie cannot merite , because they are not in the state of their passage ; for god hath onely decreed , during this life to accept our good workes for merit : and after this life , good workes are the effects of glory : euill the effects of damnation . for saint thomas , i answere , that he changed his opinion , for ( in q. . of euill , art . . ) he saith directly , that there can be no merit in purgatorie : so also bonauenture , scotus , durand , and others . bellarm. ibid. l. . c. . p. . decad . viii . first , carthusian , michael baij , gerson , roffensis against the common opinion of diuines . the third question is , whether the soules in purgatorie be certaine of their saluation or no : some catholikes teach , that they are not ; who hold that there be sundrie punishments in purgatorie ; whereof the greatest is vncertainty of saluation , with which they say , some soules are only punished . so seemes dionisius carthusianus to hold , by reason of certaine visions , which he reports ; and so teaches michael baij in his . b. of merit of workes , ch . . this way seemes to tend the opinion of io. gerson , lect . . of spirituall life , and io. of rochester against the . artic . of luther . who hold veniall sinne to be onely vpon the mercy of god : and therefore that it may ( if god so will ) be eternally punished , &c. but the common opinion of diuines is , that all soules in purgatory are certaine of their saluation . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , bellarmine warranted by bede , carthusian , and gregorie against the councell of florence , and all diuines . in the first question concerning the number of places , there is great difficultie ; for on the one side all diuines teach , that there are no other receptacles beside the foure mentioned ; and the councell of florence ( ses. vlt. ) defines , that the soules which haue nothing to be purged , are straight taken into heauen : on the other side beda in his . booke c. . tels of a very probable vision , which he doubted not to beleeue ; wherein was shewed to a certaine soule which after returned to the body , besides hell , purgatorie and heauen , a goodly flourishing , pleasant , light-some and sweete medow , wherein liued those soules which suffred nothing , but onely stayed there because they were not yet fit for heauen ; and diuers such visions are brought by dionysius cart● . & greg. and it seemes to me not vnprobable that such a place there is to be found , which belongeth to purgatorie : for though there be no punishment of paine , yet of losse there is . therefore this place is a milder kind of purgatorie , and as it were a more gentlemanlike and honorable prison . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . thirdly , alphonsus ciaconus against melchior canus , and dominicus a soto . if this history of traian should be defended , we must say , that traian was not absolutely condemned to hell , but onely punished in hell according to his present demerite , and that the sentence was suspended by reason of gregories prayers foreseene by god ; and therfore that he was not immediatly translated from hell to heauen , but first vnited to the body , then baptized , and then that he did penance in this life : and this is the common answere of s. thomas , durand , richard , and others : but i rather incline to the opinion of melchior canus , which simply reiects this history as fained : and of dominicus a soto , notwithstanding the apology which alphonsus ciaconus hath . years agoe published , for this story . bel. ib. c. . p. . fourthly , sotus , abulensis , thomas , richardus , and durandus differing . of the damned i say : that he that is absolutely damned to eternal punishmēt cannot be recalled to life ; for then the damnatiō of the wicked shold be vncertain . against this opinion is abulensis [ quaest . . in the fourth booke of the kings : ] to the instances brought , sotus answers , that those heathens were onely inuincibly ignorant , and therefore in purgatorie : but i say , that those which were raysed , though they did deserue eternall damnation , yet were not condemned , but that their iudgement was suspended , and that in the meane time they were punisht , according to their present iniustice : so holds saint thomas , richardus , durand , and others . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . fiftly , bellarmine against dominicus a soto . besides these errours ; it was the opinion of dominicus a soto [ vpon the . sent . dist . . q. . art . . ] that no man remaines ten yeares in purgatorie . whom see how bellarmine confutes by reasons , by visions , by the custome of the church . bellarmine ibid. c. . pag. . sixtly , thomas and the schoolemen against the visions of bede and carthusian . concerning the third doubt , ' it is altogether vncertaine ; for , that the soules in purgatory are punished neyther by diuels , nor by angels , but by fire onely , is taught by the schoolemen , as thomas [ vpon . dist . . art . . ] on the other part , that the soules in purgatorie are punished by diuels , is taught by many reuelations , as that of s. fursaeus in beda , l. . hist. c. . and others : in dionysius carthusian in his book de . nouissimis . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , bonauenture against thomas . although all men graunt in some sort , that the punishment or paines of purgatorie are greater then the paines of this life : yet it is doubtfull how this is to be vnderstood ; for saint thomas teaches two things : first that the paine of losse is the greatest of all paines , whether in purgatorie , or in this life : secondly , that the least paine of purgatorie is greater then all the paines of this life . but bonauenture , in . dist . . art . . teaches ; first that the paine of losse in purgatory is not greater then euery paine , whether of purgatory , or of this life : secondly , he teaches that the paines of purgatorie are greater then the paines of this life , onely in this sense ; because the greatest paine of purgatorie is greater then the greatest paine of this life : although there be found some other punishment in purgatorie , lesse then some punishment in this life : which opinion pleaseth me best , for &c. bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . eightly , dominicus a soto against petr. cluniacensis . neither ought any man to doubt , but that the soules of the departed saints , which raigne with christ , doe pray for the soules of the saints which are in purgatorie : the contray whereof is rashly affirmed by dominicus a soto , b. sent . dist . . qu. . art . . whom bellar. confutes by the authority of petrus cluniacensis , saint austen , and lastly , of the whole church , who in that praier , which begins , god the giuer of pardons , beseecheth god that by the intercession of saint mary and all saints , the soules of the departed may come to the fellowship of eternal happinesse . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , saint thomas against pet. damian , and bellarmine . that the dead do good to the liuing , it is manifest : for . macab . . we read that onias and hieremias long before departed , were seene to pray for the people of the iewes then aliue : neither is it incredible , that euen the soules in purgatory doe pray for vs , and preuaile , since that the soule of paschasius and seuerinus ( though in purgatorie ) wrought miracles , as appeares by gregorie , [ b. . of dialog . ch . . ] and peter damian in an epistle of the miracles of his time : and though saint thomas in . . q. . art . . teach the contrary , yet his reason proueth nothing , &c. but although this be true , yet it seemes superfluous for vs , to sue to them that they may pray for vs ; because they cannot ordinarily know , what we doe in particular , but onely in common know that we are in many dangers , &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , dominicus a soto against many visions and saint brigit . one doubt remaines , whether the restitution of a thing detained , profit the dead , and so become a fourth kind of suffrage : for the soules of the departed are said to haue often appeared , and intreated for restitution of those things , which either they had forgotten , or could not restore : and saint brigit in her . b. of reuelations , ch . . affirmes , that the soule is so long tormented , till that which was vniustly taken away be restored . dominicus a soto [ vpon . dist . . q. . art . . ] holdes , that such restitution , if it be made , auailes nothing , nor hinders nothing , if vn-made ; for god punishes not , but for our owne faults committed in our life time . as to those apparitions , i answere , that perhaps those soules doe not desire restitution , as it is restitution , but as an almes ; for although it do not benefite the soule , that he restores , which is bound to restore it , yet it will much profite it , if another restore it which is not bound : for this is a kind of almes , and therefore satisfactory . bellarmine ibid. chap. . pag. . decad . ix . first , sotus against paludanus . it is the iust man onely , that can helpe soules by his suffrages : for the vniust cannot satisfie for himselfe , much lesse for others . but you will say , what if a iust prelate commaund his spirituall sonnes , to pray or fast for the departed , and those sonnes be vniust ? paludanus answeres vpon . sent. dist . , q. . that all those deuotions doe profite the dead : but sotus vppon better grounds denies it , in the same place . quaest . art . . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , caietane : some other diuines , and the common opinion in three differences . bvt our diuines dissent about particular suffrages : for caietane in the first tome of his opuscul . ( trac . . q. . ) teaches , that all soules indeede may be , and are helpt by the generall suffrages ; but that by particular suffrages ; those soules onely are helped , which haue particularly deserued to be helped by them , and such he holds to be those , who haue had a speciall deuotion to the keyes of the church , and haue beene careful for the soules of others . others , whom saint thomas cites [ vpon . dist . . q. . art . . ] say , that the suffrages which are made for one , doe not onely profite him , but all others , and not him more then others : as a candle lighted for the master , equally giues light to the seruants in the same place . but the common opinion is betweene both these ; that particular suffrages profite all them , and them onely ( as in the nature of satisfaction ) for whom they are made . bellarmine ibid. ch . . pag. . thirdly , thomas and bellarmine against guilielm . de sancto amore . guilielmus de sancto amore , would haue that place of christs speech ( goe sell all , and giue to the poore , &c. ) vnderstood onely of the preparation of the minde , that it should be so disposed , as that it could part with all things ; against whom saint thomas wrote , opusc . . bellarmine , l. . de membr . eccles. mil. cap. . pag. . fourthly , gulielm . de sancto amore , confuted by bellarm. another error was , that of gulielmus de sancto amore , and after him of io. wickliffe , who teach , that monkes are bound to liue by the worke of their own hands , &c. bellarm. b. of monks , cap. . pag. . fiftly , erasmus , agrippa , ferus against all catholikes . erasmus , cornelius agrippa , io. ferus haue in our dayes reuiued that opinion of the manichees , that warre is not lawfull for christians , holding herein with the anabaptists . bellarm. l. de laicis . c . p. . sixtly , eight opinions of papists ( and some ancient ) concerning purgatorie . concerning the place where purgatorie is , there are many opinions : the first , of some who hold that the soule is there purged , where it sinned ; and indeede that the soule is in diuers places purged , is probably gathered out of gregory , l. . dialog . cap. . and out of an epistle of petrus damianus . but that all are punisht where they sinned , is not probable . the second is , that the places of soules are not corporall , so held austen , but he retracted it . the third , that the place of punishment for the soule , is this world , &c. the seuenth is , that not the earth , but the darke ayre , where the diuels are , is the place of punishment . the eight is , the common opinion of schoolemen , that purgatorie is in the bowels of the earth , neare to hell . bellarm. l. . of purgat . cap. . pag. . . seuenthly peter lombard , thomas , bonauenture , richardus , marsilius against thomas himselfe , caietane , durand . the schoolemen inquire , whether the glory of the soule after the resurrection shall be greater then before : in two things they all agree : first , that the accidentall glory of the soule shall bee greater both in extention , and intention : secondly , that the essentiall ioy shall be greater in extention , because it is now in the soule alone , then shall reach vnto the body also . but about the increase of essentiall glory in intention , they doe not agree : for peter lombard in his . of sent. d. . and saint thomas vpon the same place : and saint bonauenture , and richardus , and marsilius say , that the essentiall glory shall then be greater in very measure , and degrees of intention : but on the contrary , saint thomas . . q. . art . . and caietane , in the same place , and durandus say , that the essentiall glory shall not be greater in degrees of intention , but in extent onely . i affirme two things : first , that the first opinion is more according to saint austens meaning , and to haymons in . reuelat. and bernards , &c. secondly , that the second opinion is simply the truer : and therefore that saint thomas did well to change his opinion . bellarmine . controu . gener. of the church triumph , l. . c. . pag. . eightly , bellarmine against mart. peresius . neyther doth it hinder much , that the fathers haue seldome mentioned ( dulia seruice ) for when they say , that images and saints are to be worshipped , and not with ( latria ) they shew sufficiently , that they ought to be worshipped with that kind of seruice , which we call dulia , as beda cals it vpon luke . and the master of sent. withal schoolemen , l. . sent. there was no neede therefore that martinus peresius [ in his worke of traditions , part . consid . . ] should say , that he did not greatly allow , that this name ( dulia ) should be giuen to the worship of the saints , since dulia signifies seruice , and we are not the seruants of the saints , but fellow-seruants , &c. bellarm. same booke , c. . p. . ninthly , foure disagreeing opinions of doctors . how the saints know what we aske of them , there are foure opinions of our doctors : some say , they know it by the relatiō of angels : others say , that the soules of the saints ( as the angels ) by a certain marueilous celerity of nature , are after a sort euery where , and heare the prayers of their suppliants . the one of these is austens , the other hieromes , but neyther of them is sufficient . others say , that the saints see in god all things , from the beginning of their blessednesse , which may in any sort concerne them , and therefore also our prayers , which are directed to them : so teach gregorie ( b. . of his morals ) saint thomas , caietane . others lastly say , that the saints doe not from the beginning of their blessednesse see our prayers in god ; but that then onely they are reuealed by god to them , when we vtter them . and of these two latter , the first seemes to me to be simply the more likely : for if the saints euer needed new reuelations , the church would not so confidently say to all saints , orate pro nobis , pray for vs , but rather would desire of god to reueale our prayers to them . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , bellarmine against catharinus and thomas caietane . the second opinion , is of ambrosius catharinus in his treatise of images , where he teaches , that god in the ten commaundements simply forbids all images : but that this precept was onely positiue and temporall . but this opinion is not allowed of vs , especially because saint irenaeus directly teaches , that the decalogue is naturall , excepting onely that precept of the sabboth ; and tertullian in his booke of idolatry , holdeth , that this precept is most of all now to be obserued : so cyprian also , austen , &c. the third is of thomas caietane vpon . exod. which teacheth , that not euery image or idoll is there forbidden , but onely that there is forbidden to any man , to make to himselfe any image , which he will take for his god. this opinion displeases me onely in the manner of speech ; for caietane takes an image and an idoll both for one , which is false , &c. bellarm. l. . contr . . gener . c. . that is , de imaginibus sanctorum , l. . c. . p. . decad . x. first , abulensis , durandus , peresius against catharinus , payua , saunders , and bellarmine . the fourth opinion is caluins , in the first booke of his institutions , ch . . where he saith , it is an abominable sinne to make a visible and bodily image of the inuisible and incorporeall god. and this opinion of caluins is also the opinion of some catholike doctors , as abulensis [ vpon . deuteron . quaest . . ] and durandus [ vpon . dist . . q. . ] and peresius [ in his booke of traditions . ] but i affirme three things : first , that it is not so certaine in the church , that we may make images of god , or the trinity , as of christ and the saints , for this all catholikes confesse . secondly , that caluins fraude and craft is admirable , who after he hath proued that images of god are not to be made , digresseth to amplification , and triumphes , as if he had proued that wee may not make , or worship any image at all . thirdly , i say , that it is lawfull to paint the image of god the father in the forme of an old man ; and of the holy spirit in the forme of a doue , as is taught also by caietane * . ambrosius catharinus ❀ , diegus , payua , nicholas saunders , thomas waldensis . bellarmine ibid. ch . . p. . secondly , bellarmine against bartholomaeus caranza . besides it must be noted , that bartholomaeus caranza erres , who in the summe of the councels , saith , ( can. . of the . synod ) that the image of christ in the forme of a lambe , and of the spirit in the forme of a doue , is there forbidden : whereas the councell forbids not these images , but onely prefers to them the images of christ in an humane forme , &c. besides , the reason of bartholomaeus seemes to conclude against himselfe ; that the shadowes ceased when the truth came , for these images were not in vse in the olde testament , but began onely after christs comming : but his errour is to be corrected out of the . synod , where this canon is often entirely cyted . bellarmine same booke , chap. . pag. . thirdly , payua , saunders , alan . copus and others differing . payua answeres , that the elebertine councell forbids onely an image of god , which is made to represent the shape of god : but this seemes not to satisfie . nicholas saunders answeres , that the councell for bad images in the churches , because the time and place required it ; for then there was danger , least the gentiles should thinke we worshipt wood and stones ; and least that in the persecutions , their images should haue beene reproachfully handled by the persecutors . this answere is good . alanus copus in b. . of dialog . ch . saith , that images are here forbidden , because they began to be worshipped of those christians , as gods : in which sense saint ino. takes that canon in decret . part . . c. . but this exposition is not well warranted by the reasons of the canon . others say , that there is only forbidden to paint images on the wals , and not in tables and vayles . but howsoeuer it be , that councell is rather for vs , then against vs. bellarm. ibid. ch . . p. . fourthly , three rankes of popish writers dissenting . of the last question , what manner of worshippe images are worthy of , there are three opinions : first , that the image is no way in it selfe to be worshipped , but only that the thing represented is to be worshipped before the image : so some hold , whom catharinus both reports and refutes : the same seemes to be held by alexander , . part . q. . art . vlt. as also by durandus , . sent. di . q. . and by alphonsus a castro . the second , that the same honour is due to the image , and the thing expressed by it : and therefore that christs image is to bee worshipped with the worship of latria , saint maries with hyperdulia , the saints with dulia ; so alexander ( . part . q. . art . vlt. ) saint thomas ( . p. q. . art . ) and vpon the same place , caietane , s. bonauenture , marsilius , almain , carthusianus , capreolus , and others ; which opinion stands vpon grounds , there specified . the third opinion in the meane , is of them that say , images in themselues properly should be honoured , but with a lesse honour , then the thing represented ; and therfore that no image is to be worshipped with latria : so holds : martinus , peresius , ambrosius , catharinus , nicholas saunders , gabriell . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . . . &c. what shift bellarmine makes to reconcile the second opinion ; by adoration improperly , and by accident , see the same booke , c. . p. . fiftly , bellarmine against peresius and durandus , &c. peresius answers , that it is not true , that we are caried with the same motion of the heart to the image , and the thing represented : since these two are opposites , neither can be knowne , but with a double act of knowledge . bellarmine confutes him , and shewes , that these two are so opposite , as that one depends vpon another , and that one can neyther be defined nor knowne without the other . durandus answeres otherwise ; for he admits there is one , and the same motion to both , but denies that therefore they haue but one and the same adoration : others confirme this answer , for that although there be one and the same motion of the minde ( that is ) of the vnderstanding towards them both , yet there may be contrary motions of will , &c. but this answere satisfies not . i hold there must be another answere giuen : see his determination at large , that there is the same motion of the vnderstanding and will , to the image and the thing expressed ; but in diuers respects , as eyther of them is made the principall , or indirect obiect . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . sixtly , tho. waldensis against abulensis , iansenius , and others . thomas waldensis holds not improbably [ in his . tom. tit. . ch . . ] that the very wooden crosse , which is now diuided into many peeces and parc●ls , shall then be renewed , and gathered vp together , and shall appeare in heauen . the same seemes to be affirmed by sibilla and chrysostome ; and the other fathers doe not contradict it . but if this be not admitted , at least the bright image of the crosse shal appeare out of the ayre , or fire condensated , as abulensis , iansenius , and others teach . bellarm. ib. c. . p. seuenthly , two sorts of papists dissenting . some of our latter writers thinke , that sacred houses are not properly built , but onely to god , as sacrifices are offered to him alone , and that they haue their names from saints , not for that they are built vnto them , but because their memories are in those temples worshipped , and they called vpon , as patrons in those places : so they interpret , the church of saint peter , not for that sacrifice is therein offred to peter , but because it is offred to god in thankesgiuing , for the glory bestowed on saint peter ; and he is there cald vppon , as our patrone and aduocate with god. another answere admits holy houses , truely and properly built to the saints , but not in the nature of temples , but as royall monuments , or memories of them . bellarmine lib. . cap. . pag. . eightly , thomas against scotus , abulensis , lyranus . we are not bound by any peculiar precept , not to sinne on festiuall dayes , or to the acts of contrition , or loue of god. this is saint thomas his opinion against scotus , vpon . dist . . which saith , on holy dayes men are bound to an internall act of louing god : and against abulensis and lyranus , who hold , that sinnes being seruile workes , are forbidden ; and therefore that a sinne done on a holy-day is doubtfull . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , gulielm . occam . against the common opinion . the second thing required to a sacrament of the new law , is a sensible signe ; for there are some inuisible signes , as the character imprinted in the soule by the sacraments : but it is certaine there must be visible signes also : scarce euer any but gulielmus occam . hath held , that though the sacraments be visible signes , yet that this is not of their essence ; for that god might institute a sacrament in a spirituall matter , as if he should appoint that a mental prayer , or the meditation of christs passion should giue grace , meerely by the worke wrought . but occam is deceiued . bellarm. de sacrament in genere c. . p. . tenthly , three diuers opinions of popish doctors . concerning the definition of a sacrament , there are three opinions of doctors . some hold , that a sacrament cannonot properly be defined , as occam , maior , richardus . some hold , that it may be defined , at least imperfectly : so scotus , d. . q. . and sotus . some that it may be properly defined : so martinus ledesmius in tract . of sacram. bellarm. ib. c. . p. . the peace of rome . the second booke or centvry . decad . i. first . bellarmine dissenting from waldensis , hugo , gratian , lombard . the definition of a sacrament is so canuased by bellarmine , as that he reiecteth two of augustines , seconded also by hugo , b. . part . . ch . . bernard in his sermon of the lords supper : tho. waldensis , tom. . ch . . as altogether imperfect . also hugoes definition as too long : gratians ( cyted by him from gregorie , but indeed from isidore ) as onely an explication of the word , not the matter ; peter lombards as wanting somewhat , or rather intricately infolding it , and allowes onely the definition of the councell of trent , as most accurate ; ( definitio pulcherrima est ) bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . . &c. secondly , albert , thomas bonauenture , and others against thomas , dominicus a soto , ledesmius , &c. here be two opinions of diuines : the first of the master of sentences [ b. . d. . ] and vpon that place : albertus , thomas , bonauenture , and others , who teach , that no definition can directly and properly agree to the sacraments of both the olde and newe law , but that they all agree properly to the sacraments of the new ; imperfectly and by proportion onely to the sacraments of the olde . another opinion is , of saint thomas . part . q. . art . . ( for hee manifestly changed his opinion ) as also of dominicus ▪ a soto , and martin ledesmius , who teach , that this definition , the signe of an holy thing , doth directly and vniuocally agree to the sacraments of both olde and new law : either sentence partly pleases , and partly displeases me . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . thirdly , dominicus a soto and caietan , thomas , durand , adrian , alexand. alens . dominic . a soto , all opposite . there be diuers opinions of doctors , the first of certaine of our late writers , who hold , that properly the matter and forme in the sacraments , is not the thing and wordes , but that some sensible thing is the matter , whether it be substance or word , or both : and that the signification is the forme . so dominicus a soto [ vpon . dist . . q. . ar . . ] and caietane seemes to affirme the same with very little difference . another opinion is , of them which teach , that the very sacrament it selfe , and not onely the materiall part of it , consists of the thinges , as the matter ; and words , as the forme : so saint thomas . part . q. . ar . . and the auncient diuines in common . others againe hold , that all sacraments doe not consist of things and words , but some onely : so durandus [ vppon . dist . . q. . ] and adrianus [ quaest . . of baptisme ] others teach , that all sacraments of the new law consist of thinges and wordes : so alexander alensis , . p. q. , &c. and the diuines commonly . others lastly thinke , that all sacraments doe consist of things and words , if they be taken in a large sense , else not . so dominicus a soto vpon . dist . . q. . art . . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . fourthly , paluda . against tho. bellar. against domin . a soto . that which paludanus saith , [ vpon . dist . . q. . ] that the sacrament is not euer made voyde , when a man intends to bring in a new rite , is true ; but not against s. thomas , as perhaps he thought . but that which dominicus a soto sayth , namely , that the greekes doe truely baptize , with those wordes , let the seruant of christ be baptized , because the church of rome tolerates that fashion , &c. but if the church of rome should detest that rite , then they should not baptize truely , is not altogether true , &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , hugo , pet. lombard , alensis , bonauenture , &c. against the common opinion , and bellarm. ovr aduersaries teach these two things : that the sacraments which they hold onely two , were instituted by christ : namely , baptisme and the lords supper ; and that the rest were not appointed by christ : so teach caluin and chemnitius : and with them ( whom they cyte ) cyprian , hugo , peter lombard , who denie , that all sacraments were instituted by christ : they might haue added alexander alensis , saint bonauenture and marsilius , who say , that the sacraments of confirmation and penance , were not instituted by christ , but by his apostles . against this errour the councell of trent , set downe , can. . sess. . thus : if any man shall say , that all the sacraments of the new testament , were not instituted by iesus christ our lord , let him be accursed ; yea immediately instituted by him . further , that which alexander and bonauenture teach concerning the sacrament of confirmation cannot be defended , &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . , . &c. sixtly , bellarmine against catharinus . there is a new heresie arisen in our time ; that the intention of the minister is not necessarie in the sacrament . to this opinion of the heretikes ambrosius catharinus commeth very neare : neyther can i see , wherein he differs from the opinion of kemnitius and other heretikes , sauing that in the end of his worke , he subiects himselfe to the sea-apostolike , and to the councell , both which they deride . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . note , the same which he condemnes for hereticall in catharinus , he graunts to be held by his st. thomas , in the chapter following , pag. . seuenthly , caietane and ledesmius against thomas and others . here are two opinions of diuines : for some , as caietane and ledesmius teach , that in the minister there is no operatiue vertue , as an efficient and instrumentall cause , as there is in the sacrament : for in the words of the sacrament there is operatiue vertue , but by dependance on the minister ; for then the wordes haue vertue , when they are conioyned with the vertue , which is in the minister . others holde that the minister hath in himselfe no efficient power , in respect of iustification , but that is onely in the sacrament : so thomas is thought to hold , . part . qu. . art . and that the minister concurres onely by applying the sacrament . bellarm. same booke , c. . pag. . eightly , bellarmine against ambrose catharinus . the fourth argument is of catharinus , from the authority of saint thomas , chrysostome , and pope nicholas . of saint thomas , who saith , that the intention of the church expressed in the very forme of wordes , is sufficient to make a perfect sacrament , neyther is any other intention required on the part of the minister &c. and catharinus addes a reason , that it seemes ouerhard , that god should put the saluation of men in the arbitrement of a wicked minister , and so our iustification should be made vncertaine . this argument is already answered . how he answereth and confuteth this opinion and authorities of catharinus , see bellarmine ibid. c. . pag. . ninthly , bellarmine against ledesmius , canus , bonauenture , scotus , durand , richardus , occam , marsilius , gabriel . that the sacraments are true causes of iustification ; but morall causes , not naturall ( as he that commands a murder is the true cause of it , though he touch not the partie murdered ) is defended by ledesmius and canus in relict . de sacram. and the same seemes to be held by many of the old schoolemen , bonauenture , scotus , durand , richardus , occam , marsilius , gabriel , who hold , that the sacraments doe truely iustifie , but yet , that god only doth worke that grace at the presence of the sacraments , so as the sacraments are not naturall causes , but such as without which , this effect would not follow . but i hold that the more probable and safe opinion , which attributes a true efficiency to the sacraments . bellarm. of the effect of the sacram. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , the master of sentences against the common opinion . there is therefore one question , whether the olde sacraments ( excepting circumcision ) did iustifie actually by the very worke wrought : and there are two opinions : one of the master of sent. [ in . dist . ] which denies it , for he saith , that those sacraments did not iustifie , though they were done neuer so much in faith and charity . the other is the common opinion of diuines , that all those sacraments did iustifie , ex opere operantis , that is , vpon the faith and deuotion of the receiuers ; and this opinion is most true . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . decad . ii. first , alexander , bonauenture , scotus , gabriel , against thomas , capreolus , scotus , ledesmius , others , &c. of circumcision there are two opinions : one of alexander , and bonauenture , scotus , and gabriel , that circumcision did confer iustification , ex opere operato , vpon the very act done : which opinion is disproued by many arguments . where it is yet to be noted , that this opinion of theirs doth not fauour the heretickes of our time , for the heretickes when they make the olde sacraments equall to ours , doe not extoll the olde , but debase ours : but this opinion doth not abase ours , but extoll the ancient . the other opinion , is of saint thomas and capreolus , scotus , ledesmius , and others ; that circumcision did by it owne power iustifie , but yet iustified onely as it was a protestation of our faith , and as it applyed faith to vs. this opinion is doubtlesse the more probable of the two . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , durand , scotus , gabriel against the other papists . that there is a certaine spirituall stampe imprinted in the minde , in some sacraments , which is called a character , is the common opinion of catholiks . but it is to be noted that some of our diuines , as durand , scotus , gabriel , do indeed admit this stampe or character , but yet teach something which seemes to make for kemnitius and the heretickes : for durandus holdes , that the character is not any reall thing distinguished from the soule , but is onely a matter to be conceiued in the minde , and which hath his being onely in conceit . but all others confesse , that the character is a reall matter distinct from the soule . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . thirdly , bellarmine against durandus and scotus . the character is not a mere relation , but an absolute quality : this is a common opinion , excepting onely scotus and durandus . durandus in the place forecited , holds , it hath onely a being in conceit , &c. which opinion can scarcely be distinguished from the heresie of this time , and seemes expresly condemned by councels : which if durandus had seene , doubtlesse he would haue taught otherwise ; and surely the councell of trent , in her curse of this opinion , intends it against those which denie a reall character . scotus would haue it a reall relation , but that can scarce be defended : and there haue not wanted many , that haue confuted him soundly . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . fourthly , three opinions of papists . some of our doctors hold this character to be in the vnderstanding : others place it in the will , because they thinke it disposeth vs to charity , which is in the will : others hold it simply to be in the substance of the soule , and this seemes the truer opinion . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , scotus against thomas . neither circumcision , nor any sacrament of the olde lawe did imprint any character in the soule : so holds saint thomas * . scotus thinkes the contrary concerning circumcision . but the opinion of thomas is truer . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . sixtly , bernard , hugo , lombard , pope nicholas against all other diuines . besides these errors , there is a very incommodious opinion of many catholikes , who haue thought , that the inuocation of one person in the trinity , and especially of christ , is sufficient to baptisme : so seemes to hold s. ambrose in his first booke of the holy ghost : beda vpon . chap. of acts : bernard , epi. . ad henricum . hugo de sancto victore , l. . of sacraments : master of sentenc . b. . dist . . and lastly , pope nicholas in his epist. to the bulgarians . the two foundations of these authors opinion are ouerthrowne by bellarm. who concludeth . but howsoeuer it be , it is certaine that baptisme is eyther absolutely , or with condition to be repeated , if it be administred in the name of christ , or any other person , without an expresse mention of the rest , as all more graue diuines teach . bellarm. in his b. of baptisme , cap. . pag. . seuenthly , two contrary opinions of doctors . that christ did vse some baptisme before his passion it cannot be denied , but the doubt is , whether that baptisme were the same sacrament , which now we haue , or onely a preparation to the sacrament of baptisme afterwards to be instituted , as the baptisme of iohn was : chrysost. theophilact , and pope leo hold with this latter , &c. but the other which we haue said , is more probable , which is professedly taught by augustine , tract . . and . vpon iohn : by cyrill . b. vpon iohn , c. . hugo de sancto victore , b. . of sacraments : and this is the commoner opinion of diuines , with the master of senten . b. . dist . . bellarm . ibid. c. . p. . eightly , many opinions of schoolemen . note , that concerning the time wherein christ instituted the sacrament of baptisme , there are very many opinions , among the schoolemen ; but the more common and probable opinion , is that which we follow , which also the catechisme of the councell of trent receiues , and the master of sent. with st. thomas and others . bellarmine in his booke of baptisme , c. . pag. . ninthly , dominicus a soto , ledesmius , &c. against thomas , maior , gabriel , and others . there are some diuines , as dominicus a soto , and martin ledesmius vpon . dist . . which teach , that martyredome doth not giue grace ( ex opere operato ) by the very worke wrought ▪ but onely ex opere operantis , by the worke of the sufferer : and giues no degree of grace , but that which answers to the merit of the martyres charity . but it is a more probable opinion , that martyredome by the very worke wrought doth giue the first grace ; so that if a man being yet in his sinnes , shall come to martyredome , yet without an affection to any sinne , and with faith and loue in part begun , &c : by the vertue of martyredome he shall vpon the worke wrought be iustified and saued . so is expresly taught by st. thomas , io. maior , gabriel and others . bellarmine same booke , cap. . pag. . tenthly , bellarmine and all papists , with thomas against peter lombard . there haue been two opinions amongst catholikes , of iohns baptisme , whereof one is thought erroneous , the other very improbable . the first was peter lombards , who distinguishes those which were baptized of iohn , into two kinds : one was of them which were so baptized of iohn , that they did put their hope and trust in that baptisme , and had not any knowledge of the holy ghost : these he confessed were to be baptised with christs baptisme . the other of those , who were baptized of iohn , but did not relie vpon that baptisme , and had knowledge of the holy ghost : these were not necessarily to be rebaptized . bellarmine confutes him by himselfe , and consent of all catholikes , and concludes ; wherefore saint thomas [ . p. q. . ar . vlt ] writes , that this is a very vnreasonable opinion . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . decad . iii. first , master of sentences , schoolemen , thomas against thomas , bellarmine , and other papists . another opinion is , that the baptisme of iohn was as a certain sacrament of the old law : so taught the master of sent. in the place forecited , and many of the schoolemen : and saint thomas himselfe ; but he did iustly afterwards recant , and teach the contrary , . part q. art . . whereupon saint thomas well saith that the baptisme of iohn pertained not to the old law , but to the new rather , as a certaine preparation to christs baptisme . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , thomas , concil . florentinum , innocentius , waldensis , hugo , bellarmine dissagreeing . some schoolemen hold , that the apostles did in diuers fashions minister the sacrament of confirmation ; and that in the first times , because the holy ghost visibly descended , then they vsed no annointing , but meere imposition of hands : after that , vnction came in vse , &c. and if you obiect that the apostles could not institute the matter of a sacrament , they answere ; that they receiued that commaundement from christ , that they should one while vse imposition of hands , another while chrisme , as they should thinke most conuenient : this answere is not vnlikely : and saint thomas is not fare off from it [ . p q. . art . . ] and perhaps hither might be drawne the testimonies of the florentine councell , and of innocentius , &c but the other answer ( me thinks ) is more probable of thomas waldensis , and hugo de sancto victore ; who say , that the annointing with chrisme , and laying on of hands , is all one ; for he that anoints , layes on his hand . this answere is the likelier . bellarmine in his b. of confirmation , c. . p. . thirdly , caietane , dominicus a soto , franc. victoria against all the elder papists . it is a question among our diuines , whether balme be required in chrisme , as vpon the necessity of the sacrament , or only on necessity of the precept . all the old diuines and lawyers , hold balme required vpon the necessity of the sacrament ; so as the sacrament is voyde , if it be administred without it : but the latter diuines caietane , dominicus a soto , franc. a victoria , &c. hold , that balme is not required as to the essence of the sacrament , but yet necessarily to be used by the commandement of god. bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . fourthly , rich. armachanus against the common opinion . of the catholikes there is onely richardus armachanus , which thinkes , that the office of confirming is common both to bishops , and presbiters : and from him tho. waldensis thinkes that wickliffe drew his heresie . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . fiftly , bonauenture , durand , adrian , against thomas , richard. paludanus , marsilius . amongst our catholike diuines there is a question , whether at least by dispensation a presbiter may conferre this sacrament : for saint bonauenture , durand , adrian , vpon . dist . . say , it cannot be committed to priests . but saint tho mas , and all his schollers , and many other diuines , as richardus , paludanus , marsilius , and others ; and all canonists teach the contrary : and indeede it is the truer , that these last affirme . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . sixtly , some namelesse papists against the common opinion . it is questioned , whether those things which are spoken of christ , in the forme of bread and wine be spoken of him truly , and properly , or by some trope : some thinke them truely and properly spoken , as the same thing should be truely and properly spoken of the bread , if bread were there . their reason is , because they thinke that the vnion of christ with the accidents of bread , is eyther personall , or very like to it ; and therefore that there is a communication of properties betwixt christ , and those accidents , &c. but the common opinion of diuines teach the contrary . bellar. of the sacram . of the eucharist . l. . c. . p. ▪ seuenthly , gabriel , cusanus , caietane , tapperus , hesselius , iansenius against all other papists . almost all catholikes will haue the wordes of iohn . vnderstood of the sacrament of the eucharist , or of the sacramentall eating of christs body in the eucharist : but there are some few , who ( the better to disproue the hussites and lutherans ) hold , that this chapter medleth not with any sacramental eating of christs body , or drinking his blood , of which sort are gabriel , nicholas , cusanus , thomas caietanus , ruardus tapper , iohannes hesselius , and cornelius iansenius . all other catholikes ( whom nicholas saunders in his booke of the sixth of iohn citeth ) with great consent teach , that this chapter intreateth of the sacramentall eating of christ : which doubtlesse is most true . bellarmine ibid. cap. . pag. . eightly , two sorts of doctors opposite . the catholikes doe not agree in the manner of explicating , what is properly meant , by this pronoune hoc or hic , this , in the words of consecration : ( this is my body ) and there are two more famous opinions : one , that this pronoune ( hoc , this ) signifies the body of christ , confuted in this place of bellarmine by two arguments . the other opinion is of saint thomas [ . p.d. . art . . ] and vppon . cor. . that the pronoune ( hoc , this ) doth not precisely signifie the bread , or the body , but in common , that substance which is vnder these forms ; yet so as the signification doth properly pertaine to the formes ; that so the sense should be , not , this , that is , these formes are my body : but thus , vnder these formes is my body , as it was of old expounded by guitmundus , l. . bellarmine ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , most papists and bellarmine against thomas . some catholikes hold , that a body may be locally in two places at once ; for ( say they ) if one place may hold two bodies , so as neither the places are diuided , nor the bodies confounded ( as it was done in christs comming forth of the graue ) then one body may fill two places , &c. but some others , and amongst them saint thomas thinkes that one body cannot be totally in two places . his reason , by the leaue of so great a doctor , is not found . bellarm. l. of the eucharist , c. . p. . tenthly , durand . occam , albertus , thomas , bonauenture , richardus , scotus , dissenting . there were two particular opinions , and both false and erroneous , deuised in the schooles , for the vnfolding the greatnesse of this mystery : one of durandus [ vpon . dist . . &c. ] who held it probable , that the substance of the body of christ is in the eucharist , without magnitude or quantity : and he vsed those arguments to this purpose , which now are taken vp by the sacramentaries . another opinion was of some auncient diuines , which albertus without any name reports , and confutes ; which afterwards occam [ vpon . q. . ] followed ; who say , that there is in the sacrament , the very magnitude or quantity of the body of christ , which yet , they thinke cannot be distinguished from the substance : but they adde , that all parts doe so runne into other , that there is no shape in the body of christ nor any distinction and order of the parts of the body . but the common opinion of the schooles and church is , that in the eucharist there is whole christ with his magnitude and bignesse , and all other accidents , &c. and besides , that the parts and members of christs body , doe not one runne into another , but are so distinguished , and disposed among themselues , as they haue both order and shape agreeable to an humane body : so teach albertus , s. thomas , bonauenture , richardus , scotus , and others vpon ( . dist . . or . ) and alexander ( . p. q. . in . ) &c. bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . decad . iiii. first , bellarmine against durandus , &c. avgustine discoursing of christs comming into the world , through the wombe of the virgin still continuing closed , saith , that in these workes all the reason of the fact , is the power of the doer : the same is held by common consent of other fathers , gregor . nazian . theodoret . hierome , &c. but i am ashamed to say what durandus and beza answere to this , &c. that which durand saith ; that her virginity might , and did still remaine inuiolable , and yet that the passages were somewhat dilated ; according to the best physitians , implies a contradiction : for io. fernclius teacheth , that the losse of virginity doth not consist in the breaking of any filme , but onely in the dilatation of the parts . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , bellarmine against durandus . the fift example is , of the ascension of christ , and the saints into heauen ; for we beleeue that christ ascended aboue all heauens , and likewise that the bodies of the saints after their resurrection shall ascend but there is no doore in heauen , no window , no gappe through which they may ascend ; for as iob , . the heauens are solide as brasse , therefore there must needes be more bodies in one place . to this durandus answeres , that by the power of god the heauens may be diuided , when the bodies of the saints shall ascend : but if the heauen be in it owne nature solide , and incorruptible , as all diuines and philosophers teach , surely it is not probable there should be so many holes made in heauen , as there are bodies of the saints to ascend , &c. bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . thirdly , sundry opinions of popish doctors . dvrandus holdeth , that one essentiall part of the bread namely , the forme , is turned , but that the other part , which is the matter , is not turned [ vpon . dist . . ] others ( that there might no errour be missing ) haue contrarily taught , that the matter of the bread is turned into christs body , but that the substantiall forme of the bread remaines still the same : this errour st. thomas reports without the name of the author [ . p q. . art . . ] a fift opinion is , that of rupertus the abbot , which was some fortie yeares after guitmundus : which rupertus taught , that the bread of the sacrament , is personally assumed by the second person in the trinity , in the very same manner , that the humane nature was assumed by the same word , as appeares in his sixt booke vpon iohn . this errour is noted , and confuted by algerus [ in . b. of sacraments , chap. . ] where he saith , that this is a new and most absurd heresie : this algerus liued in the same time with rupertus , about the yeare . as witnes trithemius and petrus cluniacensis , who notes , that algerus did most accurately confute the errours of some moderne writers , concerning the body of our lord. bellarm. l. . c. . p. . fourthly , bellarmine against dominicus a soto , sanctius , alanus , &c. hence may be refuted the common error , which possesses many of this time , concerning the author of this heresie : for as thomas waldensis witnesses , there was an olde booke of diuine offices , without any name of the author , wherein wickliffe did marueilously triumph , and vexed the catholikes with it ; boasting it one while to be ambroses , another while isidores , another while fulgentius : at last the catholickes suspected that walramus or valeramus was the author of it ; so write dominicus a soto , claudius sanctius , gul. alanus , and others . but he was not the first , for the berengarians were before him ; neyther was walramus the author hereof , but rupertus tuitiensis , from whose bookes this opinion is to be fetch 't , which dominicus a soto idlely expoundeth ( vpon . dist . . q. . ) bellarm. l. . c. . p. . fiftly , waldensis and bellarmine against iohannes parisiensis . the sixt opinion or heresie rather , is of one iohannes parisiensis , which ( as waldensis reporteth ) openly opugned that other heresie , and brought in a new ; for he taught , that the bread is assumed by the sonne , but by meanes of the body of christ ; as the body is taken for part of his manhood , not for the whole : and hee said , as part , not as whole , least hee should be constrained to admit , that god is bread . bellarm. l. . c. . confuted , l. . c. . pag. . sixtly , durandus against the councels of constance , and of trent , and bellarmine . the third error is of them , which will haue onely the matter of bread to remaine , which doth expresly contradict the councell of trent [ sess. . cha . . and can. . ] and the councell of constance , [ sess. . ] yea also this opinion of durandus is contrary to the councell of lateran : for neyther would that councel haue said , that there is a transsubstantiation made , vnlesse it would haue signified , that the whole substance of the bread is changed , &c. therefore this opinion of durandus is hereticall , though he himselfe be not therefore to be called an heretike , because he was ready to yeelde to the iudgement of the church . bellarmine lib. . c. . pag. . seuenthly , foure diuers opinions of diuines . about the time of christs instituting the sacrament , there are foure opinions : first , of the greeks who hold , that christ did keepe his passeouer , and institute his sacrament , the thiteenth day of the first moneth : the second of rupertus , who teaches , that the hebrewes were neuer wont to celebrate two feast dayes together ; and therefore when the feast of vnleauened bread fell the sixt day , it was wont to be deferred to the saboth following . this opinion of rupertus both is false , and doth not satisfie that maine argument of the greekes . the third of paulus burgensis , who holds , that both the feast of vnleauened bread , and of the passeouer , might be deferred vpon the tradition of the elders , to the day following : and that in the yeare wherein christ suffred , the hebrewes did eate their passeouer on friday euening , christ his on thursday in the euening . the fourth is , the common opinion of diuines , that christ instituted his sacrament in that time , wherein according to the law , and custome of the iewes , all leauen was cast away , which was the . day , &c. this opinion is onely true , &c. bellarm. l. . c. . p. . eightly , the popish doctors disagreeing . the catholike church hath euer thought it so necessary , that water should be mixed with wine in the chalice , that it cannot without a grieuous sin be omitted : but whether the sacrament can consist without water , it is not so certaine : the common opinion leanes to the affirmatiue part . bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , popish diuines differing . here is therefore a question to be handled , whether those onely words ( for this is my body , &c. ) pertaine to the forme of the sacrament : the catholike church affirmes it with great consent , councell florent . catech. of concil . trident , diuines with the master of sent. lawyers : for although diuines dispute , and cannot agree , whether all the seuerall words , which are had in the forme of the consecration of the chalice , in the latine masse-bookes , be of the essence of the forme thereof , yet all agree that they are of the integrity , and perfection of the forme ; so as no one of them can without sinne be omitted : and their consent in this point is sufficient . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , io. de louanio against george cassander . iohan . de louanio in his booke of the communion vnder both kinds , chiefely confutes a b. of a certain aduiser , who without any name set forth a b. of this quest . perswading to this vse : but after , it was known that the b. was george cassanders . bellar. l. . c. . p. . decad . v. first , some papists against the councell of trent . first the opinion of some is to be confuted , who hold , that from the words this is my body , is gathered , that whole christ is vnder the forme of bread ; for they say , that by the word ( body ) is signified a liuing body , and therfore a body with a soule , and blood . but this opinion is flatly contrary to the councell of trent ( sess. . ca. . ) who teaches , that by the power of the wordes , onely the body is there vnder the forme of bread ; the soule , the diuinity , and blood , onely by a concomitance . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , alexand. alensis and gasper cassalius against the common opinion . there is no spirituall fruit receiued by both kinds , which is not receiued by one ; this proposition is not so certaine as the former : for our diuines are of diuers iudgements concerning it : but it is my opinion , and the common and most probable assertion of diuines , of st. thomas , s. bonauenture , richard , gabriel , roffensis , caietane , &c. and though richardus seemes to incline the other way : yet he doth it onely to reconcile alexander alensis vnto the common opinion : for of all the ancients there is onely alexander ( in . part . sum. q. . ) which holdes the contrarie ; and of the new writers gasper cassalius cals it into doubt and question ( in his second booke of the supper , &c. ) bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . thirdly , io. of louan , cornel. iansenius opposite . of this place are two opinions of catholickes : first of iohn of louan , and others , who holde , that the sacrament of the eucharist was giuen to the two disciples in emmaus , and they bring for them austen , chrysost. bede , theophilact , ierome , isychius : the other of cornelius iansenius vpon the place , who teaches , that the bread blessed by christ in emmaus , was not the sacrament , but onely a figure of it bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . fourthly , two sorts of popish doctors dissenting . we teach , that the very sacrament is to be adored ( as the councell of trent speaketh ) but this maner of speech is taken two wayes : those that thinke the sacrament of the eucharist to bee formally the body of christ , as he is vnder those formes ; doe graunt , that the sacrament is iustly said to be formally adored : but those that say , the sacrament of the eucharist is formally the species of bread and wine , as they containe christ , doe teach consequently , that the said sacrament is materially to be adored . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . fiftly , hugo de sancto victore , peter lombard , thomas , rabanus , &c. disagreeing . many catholikes endeauour to shew the word missa ( masse ) to be hebrew , for deut. . there is the word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in the same signification : and not the catholikes only , but philip melanchton acknowledges this deriuation . other ( and their opinion is more probable ) hold it to be latine ; of whom also some hold it to be ( a mittendo ) because our offerings and prayers are sent vp to god. so hugo de sancto victore ( lib. . de sacram. ) others lesse probably , for that an angell is sent from god to assist the sacrifice , and carry it to god , as the master of sent. and thomas ( . p. q. . ) but their opinion is most likely , which deriue it a missione , seu , dimissione populi : this opinion is isidores , rabanus , and hugo , and others later diuines admit this etymology . bellarm. de missa , l. . c. . p. . sixtly , bellarmine against a nameles doctor . g. cassalius . neare to this opinion of melanchton seemes to be a certaine late doctor , a man otherwise learned and godly , who in his booke of sacrifice ( chap. . ) teacheth , that euery good worke , which is done , that we may in an holy fellowshippe cleaue to god , is a sacrifice properly : but this opinion of his is false , and may be confuted with many and manifest arguments . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , bellarmine against arias montanus . this testimony of malach. . cannot be vnderstood of the sacrifice of the crosse ; nor of any iewish sacrifice , nor of the sacrifices of the heathen idolaters ; wherefore the exposition of arias montanus is no way to be suffered ; for it doth not onely contradict the opinion of al those fathers ( which we will straight-way cyte ) but the apostle himselfe , and the open truth : for to what end were the blood of so many thousand martyres shed , for not communicating with the gentiles sacrifices , if those had beene cleane and acceptable to god. bellarm. . b. of masse , cap. . pag. . eightly , cassalius confuted by bellarm. to this purpose make all those places of the fathers , which teach , that there is one only sacrifice of the church , which succeeded al the multitude of the old sacrifices . leo , chrysost. aug. &c. whence appeares , that the opiniō of gasper cassalius in his . b. de sacrificio is altogether improbable : who affirms , there are two sacrifices of the eucharist ; one of bread and wine ; another of the body and blood of christ. bellarm. b. . of the masse , c. . pag. . ninthly , diuers opinions of popish doctors . the consecration of the eucharist belongs to the essence of the sacrifice ; this sentence thus generally proposed hath many vpholders , for of the greeks nic. cabasilas : of the latines ruardus , iodocus tiletanus , gasper cassalius , alanus and others maintain it : but al hold it not a like . some thinke it to be therefore , because by the consecration there is made a true and reall change of the bread into christs body ; and a true sacrifice requires such a mutation , whereby the thing ceases to be . but this opinion hath no smal argumēts against it : others think it to be , because by this consecration , christ is truely ( though mystically , and vnblooodily ) ffred . this opinion doth not yet fully satisfie : thus therfore it seemes to be set forth . there are three things in a sacrifice , which are found in the consecration of the eucharist ; first a prophane and earthly thing is made holy : secondly , that thing , thus made holy , is offered to god : thirdly , the thing thus offered , is ordained to a true , reall , and externall mutation , and distinction , &c. this seemes to me the opinion of st. thomas ( in . . q. . art . . ) bellarm . ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , one or two popish doctors against the councell of trent . the sacrifice of the masse hath not onely , or principally his vertue from the act of him , that offers it : but euen from the worke wrought , which is the common opinion of diuines , and of the councell of trent , ( sess. . c. . ) although there be one or two of our writers found , that dissent from it . bellarm. . booke of the masse , c. . p. . decad . vi. first , bellarm. against platina and polidor . virgil. damasus in his pontificall , in the life of soter and siluester popes , amongst other holy vessels , makes mention of censers ; wherefore it is false , which platina in the life of sixtus . and polidore virgil in his booke of the deuisers of things , write , that leo . which liued an. dom. . was the first , that vsed frankincense in the masse . bellarm. . b. of masse , cap. . pag. . secondly , bellarmine against other papists . that celestinus . was not the first author of [ the introitus ] in the masse , see defended by bellarm. against the consent of their writers , as himselfe confesses . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . thirdly , bellarmine against many papists . that anastasius . was not the first author of standing at the gospell , is held by bellarmine against many of their writers . ibid. c. . p. . fourthly , foure seuerall opinions of popish doctors . scotus , occam , and gabriel ( vpon . sent. dist . . ) place the essence of the sacrament of penance , in absolution onely , &c. the question then is , whether there be any thing besides absolution , which belongs to the nature and essence of this sacrament . of this there are foure opinions : the first is , that only absolution makes the essence of this sacrament . so of our catholike diuines , scotus , occam , io. maior , iacob . almaine and others , &c. the last and truest opinion is , that the sacrament of penance consists of two parts , inward , and essentiall to it ; the absolution of the priest , as the forme , and the acts of the penitent , as the matter ; which was the opinion of many old diuines : st. thomas , richardus , durandus and others vpon . sent. dist . . and is now held by almost all that write of this sacrament . bellarm. . b. of penance , cap. . pag. . fiftly , gratian and bonauenture against the rest . then chemnitius addes , that there are diuers opinions of our catholikes , concerning the necessity of confession ; and this he proues out of gratian , and a glosse of his , & out of bonauenture : these are all his fathers , &c. but say that confession doth not stand by the law of god , as kemnitius would proue out of a certaine glosse , which yet the catholikes mislike . bellarm. . b. of penance , cap , . pag. . sixtly , scotus confuted by bellarmine . neyther is that aptly and well said by scotus , that penance is the absolution of the penitent , done in a set forme of words , &c. for penance is the act of the penitent , not of the priest , and absolution is an act of the priest , not of the penitent . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , gropperus reiected by bellarmine . there is no catholike writer which makes the matter of this sacrament to be onely the action of the priest , pronouncing absolution in a set forme ; saue onely gropperus , or whosoeuer was the author of the enchiridion coloniense ; which sometimes seemes to speake very vnheedely . for diuines would eyther haue it consist in absolution alone , or else they assigne the matter to be on the behalfe of the penitent ; the forme from the priest : which indeede is the commonest opinion of almost all . bellarmine . b. of pen. cap. . p. . eightly , scotists against thomas , bonauenture , and others : vega , ferrariensis , &c. the scotists obiect , that absolution alone is the cause of grace , for that al the power of the sacrament rests in the keyes ; which are the priests , not the penitents : i answer first , by denying the consequent : the sacrament may consist of two parts , & yet worke only by one : as a man consists of body & soule , & yet vnderstands onely by his soule : and this answere is followed by them , who place the vertue of the sacrament in absolution alone , which was once the opinion of st. thomas , and saint bonauenture , and other ancients vpon . dist . sent. dist . . and of the later , andreas vega , francis of ferrara , &c. farther , it may be answered , that absolution is indeede the principall cause of iustification , not the onely cause ; but that is partly in the keyes of the absoluer , partly in the act of the penitent : so holds saint thomas ( who recanted his former opinion ) part q. . art . . bellarmine ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , durandus against thomas and the common opinion . of the diuision of penance into contrition , confession , satisfaction , there are two questions : one amongst the catholikes , the other with the heretickes . the former is not , whether these three be necessary , and absolutely to be vsed , but whether all be the true parts of the sacrament : for it was the opinion of durandus ( vpon . dist . . q. . ) that onely confession is the materiall part of this sacrament of penance , and that contrition is the disposition towards it , and satisfaction the fruit of it . but the common opinion of diuines , and of saint thomas ( . p. q. . ) is , that all three of them ▪ are the true materiall parts of the sacrament of penance : neither can now be doubted of , since it is flatly set downe by two generall councels of florence and trent , bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , adrianus refuted by bellarmine . that there may be a conditional will ( at the least ) of things impossible , as well as a desire of a thing lost : see defended against adrianus , q. . de paenitentia by bellarm. l. . of penance , cap. . pag. . decad . vii . first , io. maior , iac. almain , andr. vega against thomas , scotus , durand , albert. soto , canus , &c. bvt in this our catholike writers doe not agree , whether the purpose of a better life , and detestation of sinne be expresly and formally necessary to true contrition , or whether it be sufficient to haue it implicitely or confusedly , and virtually . the old diuines , as peter lombard , alexander alensis , s. thomas , scotus , durandus , albertus , and others , simply teach , that it is of the very essence of contrition , to detest our sinne , and to purpose amendement : and though they distinguish not betwixt a formal and vertuall purpose , yet they plainely shew , they meane a direct , formall purpose ; which was after more plainely taught by pope adrian . . in . quodl . art . . tho. caietanus , dominicus a soto , melchior canus : yet there haue beene some few , that haue disputed against it , and contenting themselues with a virtual purpose , which is concluded in the hatred of their sins , haue denied that other to be necessary . in this ranke were io. maior , iac. almayne , in . . sent. d. . andr. vega vpon the councell of trent , c. . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , capreolus , dom. a soto and others against peter lomb. thomas , albertus , bonauenture , &c. in this onely doe the schoolemen seeme here to disagree , that some wil haue the act of penance , as also the act of faith and charity , to be onely a disposition to the remission of sinnes , and not to be any merit ( either of worke or congruity ) of the forgiuenesse of them : of this opinion is io. capreolus ( vpon . sent d. . q. . ) dominicus a soto ( . b. of nature and grace , c. . ) but other , and the most , hold those acts to be not onely a disposition towards , but a merit ( by congruity ) of our iustification ; which opinion is the masters of sent. ( b. . d. . ) and st. thomas ( vpon . d. . ) of albertus , s. bonauenture : besides , of scotus , durandus , gabriel , and others vpon . dist . and of the later writers andreas vega ( b. vpon the councell of trent . ) bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . thirdly , one popish doctor against the rest . the catholike doctors with common consent , are wont to teach , that contrition if it be perfect , and haue the desire and vow of the sacrament of baptisme , or absolution , reconciles a man to god , and remits sinne before the sacrament of penance be performed . but there was of late a catholike doctor , who not many yeares since in a booke which he wrote of charity , taught against this common opinion . bellarm. ib. c. . p. . fourthly , armachanus confuted by bellarmine . richardus armachanus in l. quaest . armen . cap. . taught it probable , that for some great sinnes , pardon could not be had , though the sinner should doe whatsoeuer he could , for obtaining it . but this we affirm , not as probable , but as certain , and confessed of catholikes , that no multitude or haynousnes of sinne can be such , as may not be done away by true repentance . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , bellarmine against richardus . that the sinne against the holy ghost is vnpardonable , richardus teacheth to be , not in respect of the fault , but of the punishment ; because if a man repent not of it , none of his temporall punishment ( required to satisfaction ) shall be forgiuen . bellarm. ibid. c. . confuted by bellarmine by . arguments , pag. . sixtly , rupertus opposed by bellarmine . that feare , which is one of the foure passions of the minde , is not in it selfe euill : see defended against rupertus the abbat , l. . de operibus spiritus , by bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , the councell of trent against petr. oxoniensis , erasmus , rhenamus . there was about some hundreth yeare since , one petrus oxoniensis , which affirmed , that the particular , and speciall confession of our sinnes in seuerall , is not required by any law of god , but onely by some decree of the vniuersall church . in our age haue held the same errour erasmus roterodamus , and beatus rhenanus , who hold , that secret confession of our seueral sinnes , both , was neuer instituted , and commaunded by any law of god , and besides , was neuer in vse with the auncient church : against all these mentioned errors , the councell of trent hath determined . sess. . c. . and can. . . bellarm. . b. of penance , cap. . pag. . eightly , bellarmine against thomas waldensis , and others . i know that thomas waldensis [ in . tom. c. . ] was of this minde , that he thought nectarius bishop of constantinople , did simply abrogate the vse of confession ; and therein greatly offended : but i would not easily yeelde to that : and i know that some haue thought this whole history feigned , and deuised by socrates ; but i cannot be brought to beleeue , that a false history could be written by him of a matter whereof many liuing in the time , when , and where the thing was done , could conuince him . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . ninthly , all doctors against ru. tapperus , and perhaps thomas . indeede ruardus tapperus a worthy diuine , teacheth , that a man may satisfie god for his eternall guilt and punishment , by certaine acts , which in order of nature follow the infusion of iustifying grace , and goe before remission of sinnes ; and cyteth thomas for his opinion ( vpon . sent. dist . . qu. ) neither is it certaine , whether st. thomas meant so , or no : it is enough for vs , that all doctors agree in this , that before this grace receiued , no man can satisfie god. bellarm. l. . of penance , c. . p. . where also he endeuours to reconcile andreas vega , in his opinion of our satisfaction to god , for the fault and offence of sinne . tenthly , thomas , durand . paludan . against adrian , caietane and bellarmine . although the opinion of thomas , durandus , paludanus and others [ vpon sent. dist . . ] be very likely , that satisfaction is not rightly made to god by workes , which are otherwise due to be done , yet the opinion of adrianus and caietanus is not improbable ; that we doe satisfie god euen by workes , otherwise due to him ; since the satisfaction we giue to god doth not belong to iustice onely , but to friendshippe also . bellarmine l. . cap. . pag. . decad . viii . first , scotus , gabriel , and few others against thomas , richard , durand , paludan , &c. concerning satisfaction enioyned by a priest : the better part of catholike diuines doe not graunt , that the party confessing may without sinne refuse such a satisfaction : for although scotus and gabriel , and some few others teach thus , yet the master of sent. s. thomas , richardus , durandus , paludanus and many others ( vpon . dist . . ) hold , as we teach , that a priest hath the keyes , whereby he may not onely absolue from guilt and offence , but as a iudge , may in gods steed binde vnto punishment , which the penitent cannot refuse , vnlesse he resist the iudge set ouer him from heauen , and by consequent god himselfe , bellarm. li. . c. . pag. . secondly , the better popish diuines against the worse . no catholike doctor teaches , that workes done in deadly sinne do discharge from death . indeed some say , that the works done in mortal sinne , are satisfactory , if he which did the works , returne againe to the grace of god : but that they are so , whiles he continues in deadly sinne , no man ( that i know ) affirmeth ; yea our better diuines hold , that those works which are done in deadly sinne , neither are , nor euer can be satisfactorie . bellarmine lib. . cap. . pag. . thirdly , ruardus , iansenius , dominicus a soto against waldensis , and alphonsus , &c. of the place ( mar. . . ) we all agree not ; whether that annointing which the apostles vsed , were sacramentall , or onely a figure of this sacrament : those which defend the first opinion are thomas waldensis , and alphonsus de castro ; but the later is surely the more probable , which is the opinion of ruardus , iansenius , and dominicus a soto , and others . bellarmine in his booke of extreme vnction , cap. . pag. . fourthly , dominicus a soto opposed by bellarmine and all diuines . some catholikes , amongst whom is dominicus a soto , thinke that bodily health is an absolute and infallible effect of this sacrament of annointing , &c. but this answere pleaseth mee not , since that all diuines , and also the very councels of florence and trent directly say , that bodily health is promised in this sacrament , onely conditionally , if it may be expedient for the good of the soule . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , three dissenting opinions of papists . there is yet one question amongst our diuines : for what be those remainders of sinne , which are done away by this anointing ? they doe not all agree : some would haue them veniall sinnes , but improbably , for they may be wip't away without any sacrament . others would haue it to be , that pronenesse to sinne , or habit which remaines of sinne ; but that is yet more vnlikely . but i say that the remnants of sin are double , both which are wip't away by this sacrament . first are those , which sometimes remaine after all other sacraments , whether they be veniall or mortall sinnes ; for a man may after confession and communion fall into a mortall sinne , and not know it , &c. secondly , vnder the name of these remnants are vnderstood that dulnesse , heauinesse , anxietie which vses to be left of sinne , and which may vexe a man neare his death , &c. bellarm. ibid. cap. . p. . & . sixtly , waldensis , dominic . a soto , iansen . &c. disagreeing . here is yet one doubt , in that pope innocentius . in his epistle . chap. . saith , that not onely priests but lay-men in cases of their own , and others necessities , may anoile : which opinion beda vpon mar. . recytes in so many wordes , and the councell of wormes , can. . though waldensis answeres , that innocentius his wordes are to be vnderstood of that time , and place where there are no priests , and that then , and there , it is lawfull for layickes to minister this sacrament : but this exposition is iustly confuted of all diuines . dominicus a soto vnderstands innocentius to speake of the vse of oyle , for healing of diseases , besides , and out of the businesse of the sacrament : but that seemes to bee against the vse and practise of the church : others , more truely ( as iansenius ) say , that innocentius speaketh of the partie to be annointed , not of the minister . bellarmine in the same booke , cap. . pag. . seuenthly , the councell of florence , thomas , other diuines at variance . there are two vsuall ceremonies in this sacrament : one , that the letany and other prayers be read before the annointing . the second , that seuen parts of the body be annointed ; namely , the eyes , eares , nostrils , mouth , handes , because of the fiue senses ; then the reynes , which are the seats of lust ; and lastly the feete , which haue the power of motion and execution : so is it prescribed by the councell of florence . but some thinke that none of all these annointings , is of the essense of the sacrament , but that it is sufficient ( for that ) if the sicke man be annointed anie where ; the rest to be but for rite and solemnitie : but others hold , that all those seuerall annointings are essentiall : but the common opinion ( which also st. thomas holds ) is , that the annointing of the fiue senses onely is enough for the essence of the sacrament , and indeede respect of honestie seemes to require we should forbeare the annointing of the reines in women , &c. bellarm. ibid. cap. . p. . eightly , olde schoolemen , and dominicus a soto against petr. a soto , caietane , durand , paludanus , &c. ordination of bishops is a sacrament , truely and properly so called : this opinion , though it be denyed of some old schoolemen , and amongst the new , by dominicus a soto ( lib. . de instit. ) yet is affirmed by the auncient fathers , and of the late , by petrus a soto , caietane ; and of some olde schoolemen too , as altisidoriensis , io. maior , scotus , durand , paludanus : though durandus would haue it one and the same sacrament , with the sacrament of priesthood : and lastly , of all the canonists almost , vpon ch. cleros , dist . . bellarmine in his booke of the sacram . of orders , cap. . pag. . ninthly , durandus and caietane opposed by bellarmine and other diuines . it is very probable , that the ordination of deacons is a sacrament , though it be not certai●e , as a matter of faith : that it is very probable , appears , first because it is approued by the common opinion of diuines : onely durandus there is , which holds , that onely priest-hood is the sacrament of orders , and with him caietanus , tom. . opusc. tract . . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , durandus and caietane against the rest . for sub-deaconship there is not so great certaintie as of deaconship , for neyther is it mentioned in scripture , neyther hath the ordination thereof any imposition of hands , as appeares by the fourth councell of carthage , can. . &c. but yet it is verie probable , that this order is a sacrament also : onely durandus and caietanus denie it . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . decad . ix . first , the old schoolemen , and some new against durand . of the lesser orders , it is lesse probable that they are sacraments , then of the sub-deaconship : yet it is the more probable opinion , that holdes them all to be sacraments , then that which denies it : first , because all the olde schoolemen affirme it , excepting onely durandus , and the grauer sort of the new , as franciscus de victoria , petrus a soto , &c. bellarmine . ibid. cap. . pag. . secondly , dominicus a soto , and some others against petr. a soto , ledesmius , hosius , &c. the third controuersie is , of the matter and form of this sacrament : for wheras in the ordination of the priest and deacon , there are two externall signes , imposition of hands , and reaching forth of an instrument , as of the chalice & patin in the priesthood : the booke of the gospels in the deaconship . the question is , whether of these two signes are the essentiall matter of this sacrament . some thinke , that imposition of hands is onely accidentall , and that the reaching foorth of the instruments is onely essentiall . so holdes dominicus a soto ( dist. . quaest . . art . . ) and some others : but the more probable and true opinion is , that not onely the reaching out of the instruments , but the imposition of hands also , is the essentiall matter of this sacrament : so affirmes petrus a soto , martinus ledesmius , cardinall hosius , &c. bellarmine ibid. cap. . pag. . thirdly , durandus against the rest . of the catholike writers there is onely durandus , who ( vpon . dist. . qu. . ) holdeth , that matrimony cannot be called a sacrament , saue only equiuocally : whom chemnitius brings for his part ; forgetting , that by durandus owne confession , all our diuines teach the contrary . bellarmine of the sacram. of matrimony , c. . p. . fourthly , alphonsus a castro and petr. a soto against the councell of florence and trent . there are some catholikes which hold , that matrimony is not properly a sacrament of the new law , but that it was so in the old law amongst the iewes , and so not instituted , but onely confirmed by christ : so teaches alphonsus a castro . booke against heres . petrus a soto lect. . of matrimony , and some others . but i see not how that can be safely defended ; for the councell of florence reckons vp matrimony amongst the sacraments of the newe law ; and the councell of trent sess. . can. . in flat wordes , saith , that the sacrament of matrimony was instituted by christ in the new law. bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . fiftly , two opinions of popish doctors differing . concerning carnall copulation , are two opinions of catholikes : some teach , that it neither is the sacrament , nor part of the sacrament , but only an act or duety of matrimony ; and therefore only accidentall in respect of the sacrament of matrimonie : others would haue it a part of the sacrament , yet not an essentiall part , but integrall ; and therefore before copulation the matrimony is ratified , but not consummate . bellarm. ibid. cap. . p. . sixtly , three different opinions of three rankes of papists . some hold ( as petrus paludanus , io. capreolus , io. eckius ) that those married persons which are conuerted to christianity , ought after their baptisme to be maried together againe , and then that their marriage is made a sacrament : others , as tho. de argentina , and paludanus , &c. say , that without any new contract , that matrimony which before baptisme was no sacrament , straight after baptisme become a sacrament . but how euer it be , the common opinion of diuines is , that the mariage of infidels may be true and lawfull , but not ratified nor indissoluble : but if both be conuerted , and baptized , their mariage becomes both ratified , and indissoluble , and consequently a sacrament . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . seuenthly , canus confuted by bellarmine . melchior canus while he striues for the defence of his new and singular opinion , vnwisely vseth those arguments , whereby the heretickes of our time might vexe the church ; for in his . booke of theolog. places , chap. . he affirmes , that not euery mariage lawfully contracted betwixt christians , is a sacrament , but that onely , which is celebrated by an ecclesiasticall minister in set and solemne words . see his opinion sharply confuted by bellarmine , ibid. cap . & . which he concludes thus : that canus goes about , so much as in him lies , to proue that there is no true sacrament of matrimony in the church . pag. . &c. eightly , diuers opinions of their doctors . some teach , that the patriarches had but one lawfull wife , and the rest were their concubines . others not onely teach , that those women were the true and lawfull wiues of the patriarches , but also hold , that this was not forbidden , saue onely by the positiue law of the gospell , which they would haue the opinion of st. ierome and augustine . there is a third opinion common in the schooles , that the patriarches might by gods dispensation marry more wiues then one : but of this are diuers conceits , some thinke that the seuerall patriarches had a peculiar inspiration from god for this dispensation : others hold it enough that this dispensation was made knowne by inspiration to the first patriarches , &c. bellarm. ibid cap. . pag. . ninthly , erasmus , catharinus , caietanus against the other popish doctors . erasmus in his notes vpon . cor. . goes about largely to shew , that in case of fornication the innocent partie may marry againe : and these notes were set forth by erasmus in the yeare of our lord . two yeares before luthers faction arose . and there are two other catholikes , which are possessed with the same errour : ambrose catharinus and caietanus ; for catharinus concludes in his notes vppon caietane , as from him ; that from the gospell it cannot be gathered , that in case of fornication it is not lawfull to marry againe ; but that this is forbidden by diuers canons , and therefore ought not to be done without the authority of the church . bellarm . ibid. cap. . pag. . tenthly , bellarmine against canus . dominicus a soto vpon . sent. dist. . quaest . . affirmes , that in his time there were some which began to defend , that the essentiall forme of this sacrament of matrimony , are those wordes of the priest , i ioyne you together , but yet that there was none , which durst commit this opinion to writing ; whence it followes , that the opinion of canus is newe and singular , &c. bellarmine in his first booke of matrimonie , cap. . pag. . diuers opinions of diuines acknowledged : canus confuted . that which canus saith , that our diuines write no certainety of this sacrament , that they are distracted into diuers opinions , helpeth his cause nothing at all ; for though our diuines follow diuers opinions of the matter of this sacrament , yet of the forme and minister of it , they disagree not . see the confutation of canus at large , chap. . &c. bellarmine the same booke , cap. . pag. . decad . x. first , pet. lombard , bonauenture , rich. dominicus a soto , against thomas , scotus , duran . palud . abulensis , &c. it is a question among our doctors , whether diuorce so graunted to the iewes , as that after it they might marry againe , were yeelded to them as lawfull , or as a lesser euill : master of sentenc . dist. . lib. . and bonauentura , richardus , dominicus a soto , and others hold it was euer vnlawfull , but onely tolerated with impunity , for the auoiding of a greater euill : but the contrary opinion ( i must confesse ) euer seemed to me most probable , which is defended by saint thomas , scotus , durandus , paludanus , abulensis , eckius , dominicus a soto . bellarmine the same booke , cap. . pag. . secondly , erasmus and gropperus against the rest . erasmus was the first that called this matter into controuersie : whether the consent of parents be required to the essence of matrimonie ; but the catholike doctors are so farre from doubting of this point , as that they neuer number the want of parents consent , amongst the impediments of matrimony , and the councell of trent accurses them which shall hold mariage , without consent of parents void , or voydable by parents . all the old diuines , and amongst them st. tho. in . d. . and the most of the learned new writers , as ruard . petr. and dominic . a soto , and others , teach , that matrimonie without consent and knowledge of parents , is not onely true marriage , but also a true sacrament : indeed gropperus denies this clandestine matrimony to be a sacrament , wherein he is manifestly deceiued , and contradicts both st. thomas and all sounder diuines . bellarm. ibid. cap. , & . pag. . . &c. thirdly , thomas , bonauent . albert. richard. durand . dominicus a soto , against scotus , paludan , caietane , and all canonists . it is a controuersie among catholikes , by what law a solemne vow dissolueth that matrimonie , which is contracted after the saide vow ; whether by the law naturall and diuine , or onely ecclesiasticall and positiue : for many , and those graue diuines saint thomas , saint bonauenture , albertus , richardus , durandus , and dominicus a soto hold , that a solemne vow dissolues matrimony by the lawe of god and nature : but many denie their grounds , as scotus , paludanus , and caietane , and all the interpreters of the canon law , as panormitanus witnesseth : who thinketh , that this dissolution is onely warranted by the decree of the church . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . fourthly , caietane against the common opinion . concerning these foure forbidden degrees , some doctors haue denied , that they are forbidden by the law of nature , amongst whom is caietane , in . . q. . but yet the commoner and truer opinion teacheth the contrary . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , albertus , thomas , bellarmine , and others against pet. lombard , io. scotus , &c. there be some of our diuines , which seperate originall iustice giuen to our first parent , in his creation , from that grace which wee call ( gratum facientem ) and which teach , that adam receiued indeede at first a certaine habite , which subiected the inferiour part of the soule to the superiour ; but not this sauing grace , which makes vs the sonnes and friends of god , and is necessary to the earning of eternall life ; of which opinion were peter lombard , . sent. dist. . and after him io. scotus and certaine other . we follow albertus magnus , saint thomas and others , which conioyne originall iustice with the said grace , &c. bellarmine in his booke of the grace giuen to our first parents , cap. . pag. . sixtly , some learned papists confuted by bellarmine . the state of adam after his fall , differ'd no otherwise from his estate in his pure naturalles , then a stripped man from a naked , neyther is mans nature euer a whit the worse , if you onely take away his originall fault ; neyther is more ignorant and weake , then it would haue beene in his meere naturals : therefore the corruption of nature is not of the want of any naturall gift , or the addition of any ill quality , but onely from the losse of his supernaturall gift , from adams sinne , which is the common opinion of schoolemen , both olde and new : neyther did wee learne this which wee teach from dominicus a soto onely : neyther hath saint thomas and other approued authors written the contrary ( as some otherwise very learned men doe hold ) but as i said , this is the commoner opinion , as shall appeare by the testimonies following . bellarmine in his booke of the grace giuen to our first parents , cap. . pag. . seuenthly , bellarmine against eugubinus . the pelagians held , that man should haue died though hee had not sinned : to which errour augustinus eugubinus comes very neare in his notes vpon genes . . bellarmine in the same booke of the grace giuen to mankinde in our first parent , cap. . pag. . eightly , franc. georgius refuted by bellarmine . some of the auncients haue turned all that historie of paradise , the riuers and trees , into meere allegories , as philo , valentinus haeresiarcha , origenes : but in our age franciscus georgius , . tom. of problemes , and in his harmony of the world , cant. . tom. . chap. . hath gone about to receiue and defend this opinion , long since condemned by the fathers . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , aug. eugubinus , hier. de oleastro , vatablus , iansenius reiected by bellarmine . the fourth opinion is , of some later writers , augustine eugubinus , hierome de oleastro , francis vatablus , cornelius iansenius that hold , paradise was in mesopotamia , but that in the time of the deluge , the beauty and pleasure of it so faded , that there was no shew of a paradise , and therefore now there is no more guard of the angell , or flaming sword : but for many causes i cannot like this opinion . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . tenthly , the later papists against the auncient . howsoeuer the later writers , which we cyted before ; eugubinus , iansenius and others , holde the contrary ; yet since i neuer read any of the auncient , which haue held the earthly paradise to be perished , eyther by waters or by any other cause : and i haue found many that affirme it is yet extant , as almost all the schoolemen ( vpon . sent. d. . ) and saint thomas : besides , iren. hierom. augustine , theodoret , bede , &c. and others : i dare not dissent from so common and receiued an opinion , bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . the peace of rome . the third booke or centvry . decad . i. first , bellarm. against s. tho. and other schoolemen . it is held by io. damascenus , st. thomas , and other of the schoolemen , that men onely , and not brute creatures should haue had place in paradise , if man had not sinned ; but the authority of saint basill and saint austin , which teach the contrary , preuaileth more with me : see the confutation . bellarmine the same booke , cap. . pag. . secondly , the schoolemen opposed by bellarmine . st. austin whom the schoolemen in this doe follow , holdes , that the tree of life was appointed to defend that death , which vseth to ensue vpon olde age : the opinion of many other fathers , and i thinke very agreeable to scripture , and reason , is quite otherwise ; namely , that this tree had this power , that once tasted of , it could giue perfect immortality , such as we shall haue after our resurrection , &c. this i confesse i like better of the two . bellarmine ibid. c. . pag. . thirdly , bellarmine against alphonsus de castro . i maruell what alphosus de castro meant , to write that saint ierome neuer ascribed this errour of the equalitie of sinnes to iouinian , for in many pages in his second booke against iouinian , hee both names him , and answereth his arguments for this purpose . bellarm. in his first booke of the losse of grace and state of sinne , cap. . pag. . fourthly , io. gerson and io. rossensis against lombard and the rest , and iacob . almaine . the catholike diuines in the master of sent. . b. dist. . and saint thomas out of the consent of almost all writers teach , that some sinnes of their owne nature ( without all respect to predestination , or reprobation of the state of the regenerate , or vnregenerate ) are deadly , and others veniall , and that by the first , man is made vnworthy of gods fauour , and guilty of death ; by the other liable onely to some temporall punishment , and fatherly chastisement : onely io. gerson , . p. theol. tract . . and io. of rochester in his refutation of . art. of luther , and iacobus almaine must be excepted , which differ somewhat herein from the common opinion of diuines . bellarm . ibid. c. . p. . fiftly , bellarmine and thomas against scotus and bonauenture . the common opinion of catholike diuines is , that eues first sinne was pride , yea s. thomas holdes , that the first sinne of both our first parents was pride , . . quaest . . s. bonauenture and scotus hold , that adams first sinne was inordinate loue to his wife , not of concupiscence , but of humane kindnesse . the other opinion is to be receiued rather : see the confutation of scotus and bonauenture , cha . . bellarm. . booke of the losse of grace , &c. c. . p. . sixtly , different opinions of ancient fathers , maintained by some papists . some thinke , that eue beleeued not , that death should follow vpon the eating of the forbidden tree , but rather beleeued , that god had lyed to them , and vpon enuie forbad that so excellent and wholsome fruit . so teach cyrill , chrysostome , augustine , rupertus , rabanus , and many others . others thinke , that eue beleeued that the same fruite was not indeed forbidden by god , and that she and her husband had mistooke the wordes of god : this opinion is noted by augustine booke . gen. ad literam , cap. . and by epiphanius in the heresie of cainites . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . seuenthly , scotus and some few others against thomas , albert , bonauenture , richard , durand . some there are which thinke , that the first sinne of our first parents might haue beene veniall : so holdes scotus ( vppon . senten . dist. . ) and some fewe others which follow him : but the greater diuines teach contrarie , as saint thomas , albert , saint bonauenture , richardus , durandus , egidius , and others , vpon . sent. dist. . and alexander alensis in sum. theol. p. . q. . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag . eightly , bellarmine against the schoolemen , with chrysostome . saaint chrysostome directly teacheth , that the sinne of eue was more haynous then adams , which opinion most of the schoolemen follow , vpon . sent. dist. . contrarily , saint ambrose by many arguments , proues , that the man sinned worse then the woman : saint austin so speakes , as if he thought the sinnes of both equall : bellarmine allowes chrysostomes opinion for probable , but yeelds rather to ambrose , and concludes , that absolutely the man sinned worse then the woman , though in respect of some acts , the woman sinned equally to him . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . ninthly , three rankes of popish doctors dissenting . concerning the traduction of originall sinne , saint austin holdes thus : that eyther both bodie and soule is corrupted in the deriuation of it , ( according to their opinion , which holde the soule propagated ) or that the soule is corrupted in the body , as in an vncleane vessel , according to them which hold the soule created by god , and onely the corrupted flesh taken from our parents : further , austin writes , that the flesh is corrupted , because it is begotten in lust ; and that it is not generation but lust , which properly traduceth sinne , as august . in his first booke de peccat . meritis , & . b. de nuptijs & concup . but this opinion , if it bee taken as the wordes sound ( as it is indeede vnderstood by peter lombard , gregory ariminensis , and gabriel ) seemes not to bee suffered . others hold , that the soule is defiled with the body , because the flesh destitute of originall iustice , and growne rebellious to reason , drawes away the soule , and inclines it amisse : so thinke alexander alensis and s. bonauenture : but this opinion is confuted by the same arguments . there is another opinion , which i doubt not is the truest , of saint anselme , saint thomas , scotus , durandus , and others vpon . sent. dist . . that to the traducing of originall sinne , nothing is required , but that a man be by true generation descended from adam , for in that hee was in adams loynes when he transgressed , hee did communicate with his sinne . bellarmines . booke of losse of grace , cap. pag. . tenthly ▪ some popish doctors against thomas aquin ▪ and others . all hold , that no sinne could haue beene traduced to mankinde , if eue alone had sinned : but in this they differ , that some thinke from eues sinne alone ; there would haue growne a necessity of dying to her sonnes , and the other inconueniences that follow mortalitie : others hold , that neither sinne nor necessity of dying would haue followed : this latter opinion is saint thomases , . . q. . and without doubt very true . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . decad . ii. first , all diuines against thomas aquin. the common opinion is , that if the first man had not sinned , whosoeuer else should sinne , his offence should haue bin personall and particular , and therefore could not infect and defile his posterity : but yet s. thomas seems to hold the contrary in his . quaest . of euill , art . but perhaps the place is corrupted . bellarm . l. . c. . p. . secondly , capreolus , caietanus and others against the common opinion . though some catholikes hold , that opinion to haue some more inclination to the truth , which exempts none but christ from the state of originall sinne , yet euen those authors doe not condemne the contrary opinion as erroneous , neyther indeede can , vnlesse they will resist the decrees of the generall councell of trent , and of sixtus . and pius the . popes , which if they did , they should not be reckoned for catholikes ; and of this opinion were capreolus , caietanus and others . bellarm. l. . c. . & . pag. . thirdly , bellarmine against some namelesse papists . there are that hold , the blessed virgin sinned not in adam ; for , they say , that the law of not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill , was giuen to our parents for themselues and their posterity , except the virgin marie ; which opinion seemes to me not safe to be defended . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . fourthly , hofmeisterus and viruesius confuted by bellar. of our writers iohn hofmeisterus , and alphonsus viruesius doe scarce acknowledge , there is any difference in this article of originall sinne , betwixt vs and the heretickes ; but if it be well considered , there is a double difference in our doctrine . bellarm. l. . of the losse of grace , cap. . p. . fiftly , the councell of trent against pighius and catharinus . the councell of trent hath defined , that originall sinne is not as one , and the same in all ; but that euery man hath his owne proper birth-sinne , against the false opinion of pighius and catharinus . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . sixtly , two rankes of popish doctors opposed by bellarm. there doe now remaine two incommodious opinions of catholikes to be confuted . some therefore of our authors , would haue originall sinne to be nothing but concupiscence : that is , a faulty quality in the mind , euermore stirring vp wicked desires : so holds peter lombard ( in . sent. d. . ) henricus [ b. . q. . ] gregorius ariminensis ; and of the later io. driedo : but this difference is betwixt henry and gregorie ; that henry holds , that euill quality of the soule , to be a pronenesse to all euill : gregorie restrains it to the inclination vnto that thing , which is carnally delightfull . this opinion ( me thinkes ) cannot be defended . ( and a little after ) in all this we agree with peter lombard , henricus , gregory and the rest : onely here lies the question , whether this faultines of nature be a positiue quality , or not : and whether it be properly and formally originall sinne : they affirm both , we deny both . bellarm. ib. c , . p. seuenthly , albert pighius , and catharinus , and some ancient confuted by bellarmine . lastly remaines to be confuted , the errour of albertus pighius , ambrosius catharinus , and some of the ancient , as pet. lomb. reports ; which is , that original sin is nothing els but the first disobedience of adam , wherby the precept of god , for not eating of the forbidden tree was broken , &c. but it is false and heretical , that original sinne is nothing else , besides the first actuall transgression of adam , &c. bellarm ▪ ibid. cap. . pag. . eightly , foure sorts of popish doctors at irreconcileable variance . there are fiue opinions of the estate and punishment of infants vn-baptized , after this life : first of those which durst promise the kingdome of heauen to them ; though they denied not , that they were borne in originall sinne : so held one vincentius of old , and now lately zuinglius , and many of the sectaries of these times . the second of them which exclude them from heauen , but yet yeelde them an eternall and naturall blessednesse , free from all sorrow and trouble , out of the kingdome of the blessed , and farre from the prison of the damned : so did the pelagians hold , as august . b. of heresies , chap. . neare to which opinion are ambrosius catharinus albertus pighius , and hierome sauanarola . the third is , that infants dying without baptisme are damned in hell to eternall death , but yet so punished with want of the vision of god , as that in the meane time they suffer no paine , neither inward nor outward : so teacheth s. thomas in q. . of euill , art . . . &c. and some other schoole doctors [ vpon . sent. d. . ] the fourth opinion exempts such infants from the torment of the fire and worme , whereof we reade ( mar. . ) but not from an inward sorrow , for the losse of their eternall blessednesse . so teaches peter lombard ( vpon . sent. ) and after him some others , as s. thomas , s. bonauenture , and gregory ariminensis , and others report . the fift , which is the seuerest opinion , teacheth , that infants for their originall sinne , are perpetually tormented in hell , with both sorts of punishment , of losse , and of sense : to which opinion incline gregorius ariminensis , io. driedo . bellarm. . b. of the losse of grace . c. . p. ▪ . ninthly , two sorts of popish writers opposite . the place wherein such infants doe , and shall liue , is the prison of hell ; a place darke and horrible , as almost all the schoole-diuines teach , saint thomas , s. bonauenture , scotus , durandus , richardus , capreolus , and others vpon . sent. dist . . and besides , alexander alensis , and albertus . this difference only there is betwixt these olde diuines , that some place infants in the higher part of hell , which they call limbum puerorum , the verge of infants : others say , they haue one common place with the damned . thus the fathers of the florentine councell teach , &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , durandus , thomas , bonauenture , richardus differing . some of the old schoolemen haue held , that those infants shal therfore haue no sorrow , for the losse of blessednes , because they shall not know they haue lost it , which may be done onely by faith : this reason is approued by thomas in qu. . de malo , but himselfe reproues it in . sent. dist . . quaest . . durandus vpon the same place defends it . bonauenture hath deuised another reason : thomas a third : and richardus vpon the same place , seeing that the foresaid reasons did not giue satisfaction , addes a fourth , and saith : that infants know they are fallen from happinesse , and yet are not sadde , it comes to passe by a singular prouidence of god which remoues sorrow from their minds . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . decad . iii. first , albert pighius and peter lombard , with scotus against the rest , &c. that no part of iustice stands in any quality or habite of ours , but all wholly in gods free acceptation , is held by caluin , kemnitius , heshusius : and to this opinion of the heretikes comes albertus pighius ( otherwise a catholike doctor ) but in some questions ( as ruardus tapperus noted before vs ) miserably seduced by reading of caluins bookes : for thus pighius writes in his fift booke of freewill : wee will fetch the diuers acceptions of grace from the scriptures , not from the schooles ; for in them commonly they immagine , that the grace of god is some quality created in our soules by god , &c. all which i thinke false and feined , and to haue no authority from scripture : thus pighius . but the common opinion of diuines constantly teacheth , that a supernaturall habite is infused into vs by god , whereby the soule is garnished and perfited , and so made acceptable to god. for though peter lombard in . sent. dist . . seeme to say , that charity is not an habite , but the very holy ghost himselfe , yet it appeares in the same booke dist . . he meant , that the spirit of god dwelleth not in them onely , which know and loue him , but euen in infants by some habite : wherefore io. scotus holds , that peter lombards opinion may well be expounded and defended ; but st. thomas and other diuines reproue his opinion , as if he denied the habite of charity . bellarm. of grace and freewill , l. . cap. . pag. . secondly , foure diuers opinions of popish doctors . whether the habite of grace be the same with the habite of charity , there are foure opinions of diuines : for some would haue this iustifying grace ( gratum facientem ) to be an habite , in nature and respects different from charity , as st. thomas , capreolus , caietanus , ferrariensis , dominicus a soto . others make not a reall , but a formall distinction betwixt them , as albertus magnus , alexander alensis , and perhaps st. bonauenture vpon . sent. dist . others hold them neither in deede nor formally , but onely in certaine respects different ; and this is the iudgement of alexander alensis , who belike changed his opinion , richardus , scotus , mayro . gabriel , maior , henry of gaunt , and andreas vega. others holde , there is no difference at all betwixt them , saue in name onely . so durandus vpon . dist . . q. the third opinion seemes to be most probable , and more agreeing to scripture , fathers , and councell of trent . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . thirdly , thomas and all diuines against peter lombard . vve thought it meete to confute the opinion of them , which teach , that charity whereby we loue god , is not any created habite , but the very person of the holy ghost , which vseth to be accounted lombards opinion . but we must thinke pet. lomb. was not grosse , and dull , to thinke the very act of loue , which we our selues produce , is the very holy ghost : but this was it , that lombard taught , that the very next immediate cause , or ground of the loue of god , is the spirit of god in vs , and not any created habite , as of faith , hope , and the rest ; which opinion all diuines confute in their commentaries ( on the . booke sent. dist . . ) especially saint thomas ( in . . q. . ) and in his questions , who answereth . obiections that might be made for lombards opinion . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . fourthly , three rankes of popish writers at variance . vvhence grace proueth effectuall , are three opinions : the first of them , which hold the efficacy of grace to stand in the assent and co-operation of mans will : and therefore these hold it in mans power to make grace effectuall , which otherwise in it selfe would be but sufficient . the other of those , which thinke effectuall grace to be the naturall action of god , which determines the wil , to will and choose that good , which was inspired to them by exciting grace : this opinion seemes eyther the same with the error of the caluinists and lutherans , or very little different ; the abettors of this opinion like it , because they thinke it is augustines : but that it was not his , may be shewed by foure arguments , &c. the third , is the meane betweene both these extremes . bellarmine ibid. c. . p. . . &c. fiftly , popish diuines diuided . many catholike diuines , and almost all , teach , that euery man hath sufficient grace giuen him for the place and time , and yet without preuenting grace no man can desire or receiue it . so alexander alensis , albertus magnus , s. thomas , bonauent . scotus , p. adrian , io. roffensis , &c. bellarm. l. . of grace and freewill , c. . p. . sixtly , andr ▪ vega against abulensis , adrian , caietane , roffensis . although sufficient and necessary ayde to rise from sinne , be not wanting to any man for the time and place , yet it is not present at all times : this proposition is not mine onely , but it is confirmed by abulensis , adrianus . caietane , roffensis , driedo , tapperus . but andreas vega saith , that sinners may be at any or euery time conuerted , yet he addes , that they cannot at euery time bring that their possibility to effect : so he partly affirmes , and partly denies it . bellarm . l. . c. . p. . seuenthly , thomas , and caietane , and bellarmine against other doctors . diuines indeede dispute , whether predestination belong rather to the vnderstanding , or to the will : but i like the opinion of cardinal caietane and st. thomas , who hold it rather of the vnderstanding ; and the rather , because it is saint augustines in his booke de bono perseuerant . cap. . bellarm. ib. c. . p . eightly , ambros. catharinus and some others confuted by bellarmine . bvt let vs more at large expound that principal place out of rom. . because ambros. catharinus , and some other new writers take it amisse . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . ninthly , some namelesse authors confuted by bellarm. the distinction which some catholikes make betwixt predestination and election ; that predestination is before election ; predestination is the meanes , election respects the glory it selfe ; predestination is free , election depends on the praeuision of our good works . see by bellarmine ( the same booke , cap. . p. . ) confuted , as disagreeing from scripture and reason . tenthly , eight seuerall opinions of popish doctors . the first opinion is , that freewill doth consist properly in our act , not in any habite , &c. so teacheth herueus ( . quodlibet . q. . ) who places freewill in those acts of the vnderstanding and will , which goe before deliberation , or the conclusion of deliberation . the second is , bonauentures opinion , who placeth freewill in a certaine naturall habite , arising from reason and will ( vpon . sent. dist. . art . . ) the third is albertus opinion , that freewill it is a power of the soule , perfected by a naturall habite . the fourth , that freewill is an vniuersal power , or faculty , conteining vnder it all the powers of the vnderstanding and sensitiue soule . this opinion is reported without name by saint bonauenture and saint thomas . the fift is , of alexander alensis , which teacheth , that freewill is a particular power or faculty of the soule , and distinct from reason and will ( in p. . sum. q. . &c. ) the sixt is durandus ( vpon . sent. d. . q. . ) who teaches , that freewill is the very power of reason and will , but more especially of reason . the seuenth is the opinion of henricus and scotus ( in . sent. dist . . ) who hold , that freewill is but one particular faculty , euen the will it selfe ; and that it is so free , that it doth not depend so much as vpon the practicall iudgement of reason . the eight is the opinion of s. thomas ( . part . sum. q. . ) and ( in . . q. . &c. ) richardus capreolus , conradus , caietanus , and others , which hold , that freewill is indeede one particular faculty , euen the will it selfe ( as the former opinion ) but they adde , that the roote of this freedome is in reason , and that the will wholly depends vpon the last iudgement of practicall reason , which opinion seemes to me to be the truest . bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . decad . iiii. first , occam against the common opinion . although gul. occam write , that the obiect of the will is any thing that hath being , whether it be good or euill ; so that it can be set vpon euill , as it is euill : yet the common opinion of diuines is contrary , &c. and amongst the rest of saint thomas in . part , q. . art . . &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , three rankes of popish diuines disagreeing . about the obiect of freewill , there are three opinions ; the first of pet. lombard , occam , gabriel , who hold , that all things which are present , are necessary , and cannot be otherwise ; and therefore that future actions alone are in the power of freewill . the second of gregorius ariminensis ( vpon . sent. d. . ) which thinkes , that the entring into an action , euen for the present , may be free , but that some continuance , is altogether necessary . the third is more common in schooles , and more true , which is declared and defended by io. scotus , capreolus , and hersubcus : that freewill hath in his power , not onely future , but present actions , and not onely in their entrance , but continuance also . bellar. ibid. cap. . pag. . thirdly , scotus and henric ▪ against thom ▪ and capreolus . concerning the first act of the will , whether it be simply free , as scotus and henricus hold , or whether it be wrought wholly by god alone , so as the will is but onely passiue , as capreolus and saint thomas ( by capreolus report ) or whether thirdly , it be efficiently of the will , but yet of god as the author of it : as following vpon that natural inclination , which god hath set in the will , as caietane , ferrariensis , and saint thomas . see bellarmine same booke , cap. . pag. . fourthly , petrus ab aliaco against saint thomas and other diuines . one controuersie remains , whether by the light of reason alone , we can know that there is a god , and that he is one . of our men petrus ab aliaco in . sent. q. . writes , that we can know nothing at all of god , without a speciall helpe of grace : but almost all diuines , and especially saint thomas , teach the contrary ; who doubt not to call that opinion erroneous . bellarmine in his fourth booke of grace and freewill , c. . p. . fiftly , durandus against all diuines : some other namelesse against the rest . of actions naturall , or ciuill , or manuall ( without consideration of any morall good or euill in them ) whether they could be done of vs , by the onely power of nature , there haue beene two contrary errours : for some haue taught that man as well as other things , can doe his workes without any helpe of god , whether generall or speciall . so origen seemes to hold , as saint thomas noteth : so also the pelagians , and amongst others durandus vpon . sent. dist . . quaest . . others haue held in an other extreame , that god doth so immediately and properly worke all things , that the second causes do iust nothing ; but in their presence god doth all . saint thomas reports this opinion , in quaest ▪ de potentia art . . the true and common opinion of diuines is betweene both . bellarmine the fourth booke , cap. . pag. . sixtly , saint thomas , gregorie , gabriel , buridan , andreas de castro , laurent . valla , in three rankes against one another . one of the maine controuersies of this matter is , whether man haue freewill in naturall and ciuill actions , whereof are three opinions : first , of well neare all catholikes , that not onely man is of freewill in the foresaid actions , but that this is euident , both in the light of nature and doctrine of faith , as saint thomas ( aboue others ( in quaest . . de malo ) and gregory , gabriell , and others vpon . sent. d. . the second of some catholikes , which hold it certaine by the doctrine of faith , not by the light of reason , that man hath this freewill . so teach io. buridanus . ethic. q. . andr. de castro , . sent. d. . cyted by ruardus , &c. the third opinion , or heresie rather , is of laurentius valla in his booke of free-will , &c. and bucer , who teach , that man hath not freewill in any thing , in this state of his corrupted nature ; no not in things indifferent and ciuill . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . seuenthly , caietane , durandus , and another sort vn-named against each other , and bellarm. against all . the co-operation of gods prouidence with mans freewill , caietane thinks cannot be expressed : contrary , durandus thinkes he hath sufficiently vnfolded it , when he teacheth , that there is no concourse of gods will with second causes ; but that the natures and vertues of themselues are sufficient : and that god as he hath made them , so should preserue them . but this opinion is false and contrary to scriptures , fathers , and reason . the third sort hold , that god by his concourse determines the action of mans will , and yet that it is absolutely free : and this for many causes i cannot allow . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . eightly , greg. ariminensis , capreolus , cassalius against albert , bonauenture , scotus , richard durandus , &c some diuines hold , that no morall truth can be knowne by man , in the state of his corrupted nature , without the speciall aide of gods spirit so teach gregorius ariminensis , iohannes , capreolus , gaspar cassalius . contrarily , all diuines almost thinke by the meere power of nature , and by a generall ayde of god , some morall truth may be knowne . so albertus , s. bonauenture , scotus , richardus , durandus , dominicus a soto , s ▪ thomas , &c. this latter opinion seemes the truest , which we doe the rather defend , because it so much displeaseth our aduersaries , and io. caluin especially . bellarm. . booke of grace and freewill , cap. . pag. . ninthly , scotus , durandus , gabriel , gregor . ariminensis , capreolus , marsilius , alexander , albert , thomas bonauent . opposite to each other . all catholikes agree , that no workes meritorious of grace , can be done by the onely power of nature ; and secondly , that all our workes before iustification are no sinnes : within these bounds some dispute for freewill , perhaps more freely and lauishly then were meete , as scotus , durandus , gabriell , vpon sent. d. . others againe giue lesse to it then they should , as gregorius ● ariminensis , capreolus vpon . sent d. . and marsilius . we wil follow that , which the greater and grauer sort of diuines teach , namely , alexander , albertus , s. thomas , s. bonauenture , &c. bellarm. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , two sorts of namelesse doctors opposed . perhaps those authors which say , that without the helpe of god no tentation can be ouercome , and those which hold , some may be vanquished without it , may be reconciled ; yet their opinion and speech is more agreeable to scriptures and fathers , which say , no tentation can be ouercome without gods ayde . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . decad . v. first , bellarmine with saint thomas and bonauenture against some namelesse doctors . for the common saying in schooles ( to the man that doth what he can , god denies not grace ) i answere , that this is well expounded of st. thomas in . . q. . and saint bonauenture in . sent. dist . . grace is not denied to him that doth his vtmost , when a man doth it by working together with gods grace , whereby he is stirred ; not when he worketh only by the power of nature : certainely those which teach that man by doing what he may , is by the onely strength of nature prepared to grace ; eyther thinke that hee may thereby desire , and aske grace , which is the pelagians heresie , or hold , that man by his owne strength may keepe all the morall law , &c. and this also is pelagianisme , confuted in the former booke . bellarm. l. . of grace and freewill , c. . p. . secondly , bellarmine against dominicus a soto . some catholikes , and especially dominicus a soto , . b. of nat . and grace , c. . denie , that our dispositions towards iustification , can by any reason be called merits , and to be iustified freely , they hold to imply a iustification , without any merite whatsoeuer : but i cannot vnderstand , why we should not in that case vse the name of merite ( especially with that addition of congruity ) when we speake of works done by the preuenting grace of god. bellarm. of iustification , l. . c. . p. . thirdly , albertus pighius and the diuines of colen against the councell of trent and bellarmine . not onely martin bucer , but albertus pighius ( with some others , as namely the diuines of colen ) in his second controuersie , held this opinion , or error rather , that there is a double iustice , wherby we are formally iustified , one imperfect , which is in our inherent vertues : the other perfect , which is christs righteousnes impured , whose opinion is reiected by the councell of trent , sess. . c. . bellarm. l. . of iustification , c. . & . p. . fourthly , gropperus , catharinus , saint thomas , bonauenture , scotus , in three opinions . of this matter , concerning certainty of saluation , there are . opinions , or rather falshoods : the first , of the heretickes of this time , that the faithfull may haue such knowledge , as that by a sure faith they may know their sinnes forgiuen , &c. the second is , of the author of the enchiridion coloniense , which holds , that a man both may , and ought to be certaine his sinnes are forgiuen , but yet he denies , that he is iustified by faith alone : but this booke is in many other things worthy of the censure of the church . the third is of ambrosius catharinus , who holds , that a man may be certaine of his owne grace , euen by the assurance of faith : contrary to these errours is the common opinion of almost all diuines , saint thomas , s. bonauenture , scotus , durandus , roffensis , alphonsus a castro , dominicus a soto , ruardus , &c. nicholas saunders , thomas stapleton , &c. that no man by any certainty of faith be assured of his iustice , except those which haue speciall reuelations . bellarm. l. . of iustice , c. . p. . fiftly , the diuines of louan and paris against catharin . how bellarmine presseth catharinus with the authoritie of the vniuersities of paris and louan , and the flat wordes of the councell of trent ; and catharinus his answeres and elusions of all , see bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . sixtly , bellarmine against catharinus . catharinus his exposition of those places of ecclesiastes , ecclesiasticus , iob for his purpose , see largly confuted by bellar. bellar. ib. c. . & . p. . . seuenthly , catharinus and two rankes of popish diuines differing . i say there is no catholike writer holds , that a man should euer doubt of his reconciliation with god ; for there are three opinions amongst catholikes : one of ambrosius catharinus , which doth not onely exclude all doubt , but addes , that the iust man may haue an assurance of his iustification , by the certainty of a diuine faith . another goes not so farre , yet holdes , that perfect men are wont to attaine vnto that security , as that they haue no feare of their iustification , as we beleeue without all doubting that there was a caesar , an alexander , &c. though we saw them not , but this opinion i confesse , i like not . the third , which is more common in the church , takes not away all feare , but yet takes away all anxiety , and wauering doubfulnes . bellar. l. . of iustific . c. . p. eightly , andr. vega against thom. and other catholikes andr . vega in his . booke vpon the councells , c. . holds , veniall sin to be properly against the law : but veniall sinnes ( without which we cannot liue ) are not simply sinnes , but imperfectly , and in some regards , and are not indeede against the law , but besides it , as st. thomas teaches well in . . q. . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . ninthly robert holkot against saint thomas and the common opinion . although some haue taught , that freedome of will is not necessary to merite , as robert holkot held ( witnesse io. picus in his apologie ) yet the common opinion of diuines is contrary , as it appeares out of st. thomas . . quaest . . and other doctors , vpon . sent. d. . &c. bellarm. l. . of iustification , c. . p. . tenthly , a certaine namelesse author against pius . peter lombard , and others . it was the opinion of a certaine late author , which was in many points condemned by pius . that eternall life is due to good workes , for that they are the true obedience to the law ; not for that they are done by a person aduanced by grace , into the state of the sonne of god ; so hee holdes , that meritorious workes may be done by a man not regenerate by baptisme , &c. the contrary opinion is receiued and allowed in the schooles of catholike diuines : see pet. lombard , and the diuines vpon . sent. dist . . bellarm. l. . of iustification , c. . p. . decad . vi. first , guliel . altisidoriensis against all popish doctors . it was the singular opinion of gulielm . altisidoriensis ( l. . tract . . c. . &c. ) that merit doth more principally depend vpon faith , then charity ; which opinion of his doth not a little fauour the heretickes of this time : but in truth scripture is so pregnant against him , that i wonder so worthy a man could be so far deceiued . bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . secondly , bellarm. against many of their graue authors . though there be some graue authors which hold , that euery good worke of a iust man , and a man indued with charity is meritorious of eternall life : yet i hold it more probable , that there is further required to merite , that the good worke should in the very act of it proceede from charity , and be directed to god , as the supernatural end , &c. bellarm. l. . cap. . pag . thirdly , thomas waldensis , paulus burgensis , against durandus , and gregorius and the common opinion . all catholickes acknowledge , that good workes are meritorious of eternall life : but some holde that these wordes ( of congruity and condignity ) are not to bee vsed : but onely that wee should say absolutely , that good workes by the grace of god doe merite eternall life : so teacheth thomas waldensis , tom. . of sacraments . chap. . paulus burgensis in psalme . others will haue them to merite by condignity , in a large manner : so teach durandus and gregorius . the common opinion of diuines dooth simply admit a merite of condignity . bellarmine lib. . cap. . pag. where note , that bellarmine findes durandus to hold the same in this point with vs. pag. . lin . . fourthly , bellarmine against some of their acute distinguishers . how some distinguish nicely betwixt dignum and condignum , and their confutation , who will admit a merite of dignity , not of condignity , see bellarm. l. . c. . p. . fiftly , caietane and dom. a soto , scotus , andr ▪ vega , tho. and bonauenture with bellarm ▪ differing . some hold , that the good workes of the iust merite eternall life vpon their very worth , in regard of the worke : though there were no such agreement betwixt god and vs : so hold caietane ( in . . quaest . . ) and dominicus a soto ( . booke of nature and grace , chap. . ) others contrarily , thinke that good workes proceeding from grace , are not meritorious vpon the very worth of the worke , but onely in regard of gods couenant with vs , and his gratious acceptation : thus holdes scotus in . sent. d. . q. . whom other of the old schoolemen follow : and of the later andreas vega : yet this opinion differs far from the heresie of the lutherans , &c. but to me the meane opinion seemes more probable , which teaches , that good workes are meritorious of eternall life vpon condignity , in respect of the worke and couenant together , which opinion i doubt not is agreeable to the councell of trent , and the chiefe diuines , as st. thomas and bonauent . bellarm. l. , c. . p. . sixtly , thomas and bonauent . against andr. vega and the doctor of louan . the last question is , whether god reward good works of his meere liberality , aboue their worthines : the common opinion constantly affirmes it , as is plaine in saint thomas , s. bonauent . scotus , durandus , &c. but andr. vega , and that doctor of louan ( many of whose opinions pius . confuted ) held the contrary : and this is the fourteenth opinion by him expressed and condemned . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . seuenthly , some popish doctors against chrysostome confuted by bellarmine . whether god doe giue punishment to euill workes , beyond the worthines or condignity of them , is not so certaine . st. chrysostome seemes to patronage the affirmatiue part , but saint austin rather tolerates then approues it : some others defend the negatiue by foure testimonies of scripture , answered by bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . eightly , caietane against dominic . a soto and bellarm. though cardinall caietane teach , that those clerkes and monkes sinne not deadly , which choose the romane breuiary , and neglect that breuiary which is proper to their order , and church : yet that opinion is not so safe and sure , as dominicus ● soto well admonishes , except it be by consent of the bishop and whole chapter . bellarm. of good workes in particular , l. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , bellarmine against panormitan . vve answere , that clerkes and monkes are by gods law bound to pray and praise god more then others : but vnto this forme of prayer and praises which is now in vse , they are onely tyed by the determination of the church ; as for that which panormitanus ( otherwise a learned lawyer ) holds , that the number of seuen houres for diuine seruice is determined by gods law , when dauid saith , seuen times a day do i praise thee , it is very sleight , &c. bellarm. ibid. c. . p. . tenthly , some popish doctors opposed by bellarmine and pius . and concil . lateran . vvhatsoeuer some doctors haue formerly thought , we say , that now doubtlesse those clerkes which doe not their diuine offices , eyther ought to want the fruits of their benefices , or if they haue receiued them , to restore them againe for common almes , or reparations of their churches : and there is a flat decree for this in the councell of lateran , sess. . statuimus , and in the constitution of pius . bellarm. ibid. cap. . p. . decad . vii . first , bellarmine against io. cassianus , and some others vn-named . another opinion for lent , is that of io. cassianus , who teaches , that in the primitiue church , the fast was alike all the yeare long : after , when deuotion grewe cold , it pleased all the priests to appoint the fast of lent , and to establish it in a firme law. but this opinion is built on a false ground . the third opinion is of them , who referre the institution of lent to pope telesphorus &c. but the only true opinion is , that the lent fast was ordained by the apostles of christ : and enioyned to the whole church . bellarm. l , . of good w. in part , c . p. . secondly , albertus against thomas and bellarmine . though the precept of almes belong not properly to the tenne commandements , since therin onely are contained precepts of iustice : yet diuines vse to reduce all morall precepts to those ten . and some ( as albertus vpon . dist . . art . . ) reduce the precept of almes to that commandement , thou shalt not steale , others as saint thomas in . . quaest . . &c. honour thy father and mother : which opinion is more probable . bellarmine the third booke , cap. . pag. . thirdly , some graue diuines against st. thomas , albertus , richardus , paludanus , &c. although there be graue diuines that hold the contrary , yet i hold that the truer and safer opinion , which teaches , that no superfluous riches can be retained in our hands without sinne : whether we meete with extreame necessities of the poore , whereon to bestow them or no , which opinion followes s. thomas , in . . quaest . ● . art. . and besides him , albertus , richard , paludanus , and others vpon . sent. dist . . in which place s. thomas writes , that this is the common opinion of diuines . bellarm. ibid. c. . pag. . fourthly , the old schoolemen against the common opinion and bellarmine . some of the old schoolemen , though they admitted indulgences , yet doubted of the spirituall treasure : as francis mayro ( vpon . sent. d. . ) makes question of the treasure of the ouerflowing satisfactions of christ , laid vp in the church , and durandus ( vpon dist . . q. . ) doubteth , whether the satisfaction of saints pertaine to the treasure . but the common opinion of diuines both old and new , st. thomas , s. bonauenture , and others , acknowledge both . bellarm. l. . of indulgences , c. . p. . fiftly , pius . gregory , . clem. . leo. . against some diuines of louan . some of the new writers , especially the doctors of louan , haue taught , that the sufferings of saints are not so by indulgences applyed , that they become true satisfactions for vs : but that they be motiues only to induce god to apply to vs christs satisfaction : but this opinion was condemned by pius . gregory . by clement . and leo . bellarm. l. . of indulg . cap. . pag. . sixtly , durand , anthonius , pope adrian , syluester , thomas , franciscus mayro , caietane , dominicus a soto , &c. disagreeing . some there haue beene , which would haue pardons nothing else but a payment , or discharge of punishments , out of the treasure of christs merites and the saints , applyed to vs by the pope : so held durandus ( dist . . ) saint anthonius , p. hadrian . syluester , and s. thomas as it seemes ( vpon . d. . q. . ) contrarily , francis mayro in the place forecited , wil haue pardons nothing but a iudiciary absolution : which opinion seemes to be fauoured by the examples of the auncientest councels . but the late diuines haue on better consideration defined , that in indulgences there is both an absolution , and a payment , &c. caietane , dominicus a soto , petrus a soto , martinus , ledesmius , and others . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . seuenthly , pope sixtus . and bellarmine against petrus oxoniensis . wherefore the opinion of petrus oxoniensis was iustly condemned of pope sixtus . and the councell complutense , which held , that the pope could not pardon to a man liuing vpon earth , his punishment of purgatorie ; and that by contrition alone our sinnes are done away : see alphonsus de castro his booke of heresies , the word confession . bellarm. ibid. cap. . pag. . eightly , archidiaconus and syluester , and some others against sotus , nauarrus , and the common opinion . some haue held , that the pope or other bishops are not partakers of those pardons , which they giue to others in common : so teaches the arch-deacon in chap. of indulg . and cytes some few others of his iudgement . syluest . in summa verb. indulg . but all other diuines hold contrary ( vpon . dist . ) and sotus d. . and the canonists , with nauarrus in his tract of the iubily . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . ninthly , caietane and richardus against saint thomas and bellarmine . caietane holdes , that the pope by his confessor ( not by himselfe ) may giue pardon to himselfe : and so richardus ( vpon . dist . . ) but it may be better answered , that the pope may indirectly be partaker of a pardon graunted by himselfe , or his predecessor , without the helpe of a confessor , if he do those things which are required of others , for the obtayning of pardon , as saint thomas vpon . dist. . q. . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , petrus paludanus against the common opinion . petrus paludanus ( vpon . dist . . ) seemes to holde , that the faultines of veniall sinnes , though not of mortall , is taken away by pardons : but the common opinion of others is more probable , that nothing is taken away , but the guilt of temporall punishments , which remaines after the fault is discharged . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . decad . viii . first , saint thomas and others against some of the auncient diuines . that pardons deliuer a man from punishment , not onely before the church , but before god , was cenyed by some of the auncient diuines , whose opinion is related and confuted by s. thomas vpon . dist . . and others : and now at this day is denied by luther and caluin . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . secondly , thomas elysius against caietane , dominicus a soto , ledesmius , &c. when in the form of the pardon it is said , that there is graunted remission of the penance inioyned , it is not to be vnderstood of that penance , which the priest inioynes in the sacrament of confession : against some that hold , all penance to bee meant vnder the name of penance inioyned , as thomas elysius ( in clipeo cathol . q. . art . . ) but almost all learned men teach the contrary , as card caietan , dominicus a soto , ledesmius , nauarrus , cordubensis , syluester , gabriel , &c. bellarm. l. . c. . p. . thirdly , alex. alensis , durand . paludan . adrian pope , petr. a soto , &c. against s. thomas , maior , syluester , dominicus a soto &c. vvhen a pardon is absolutely graunted without mention of penaunce inioyned , it is to be vnderstood , that all penances are pardoned in it : whether already inioyned , or that might be inioyned . this proposition is against very graue authors , alex. alensis , in sum. p. . q. . durandus , paludanus , adrian the . pope : petrus a soto , card. caietane , who hold , that pardons are neuer giuen but for inioyned penances : but our opinion hath neyther fewer nor lesse worthie patrones , s. thomas vpon . dist . . io. maior , syluester , dominicus a soto , michael , medina , ledesmius , anthon. cordubensis , nauarrus , panormitan , io. andreas , and caietane confesses this the common opinion . bellarm. l. . cap. . p. . fourthly , bellarm. against caietane , and dom. a soto &c. those definitions which caietane and domin . a soto haue made of pardons : see reiected by bellar. l. . cap. . pag. . fiftly , dom. a soto against palud . adrian , nauar. &c. here it is in controuersie : whether the pardon of so many dayes and yeares in this life , answere to so many in purgatorie : for dominicus a soto holds , that one day spent in purgatorie , takes more of the guilt of punishment due to our sinnes , then many yeares in this life , spent in the sharpest penance . but the common opinion holds the contrary , as it is to be seene in paludanus , adrian , nauarrus , cordubensis and others . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . sixtly , bellarm. against gerson , and dominicus a soto . there haue beene some of our writers , which haue held , that all those pardons which containe the release of many thousand yeares penance , were not giuen by any popes , but onely feined by their pardoners for commodity : so hold iohn gerson in his tract , of absolut . sacram. and dominic . a soto vppon . d. . the contrary is maintained by bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . seuenthly , popish doctors disagreeing . whether hee that receiues a pardon in the point of death , as is supposed , after recouering , may receiue it againe , when he comes to the point of death , our doctors disagree . see nauar. de iubil . notab . . nu . . and cordubensis q. . &c. bellarm . l. . c. . p. . eightly ; anthonius against nauarrus and cordubensis . if a man vpon the hope of a iubile to come , shall willingly and purposely fall into a sinne reserued ; the doubt is , whether he may be absolued from that sinne : some say he cannot , as anthonius . p. tit. . c. but others thinke the contrary , nauar. in tract . de iubil . and cordubensis , q. . de indulg . bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , bellarmine and other namelesse against felinus , dominicus a soto , nauar. cordub . &c. whether a generall councell may grantfull pardons , is questioned : for felinus , dominic ▪ a soto , nauar ▪ cordubensis , affirme it &c. and though i haue not read any that expresly denies , that a generall councell can doe it , yet all those authors seeme to hold thus , which write , that this authority belongs to the pope alone , and i thinke this latter opinion is most true . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . tenthly , two sorts of popish doctors opposite . vpon what law bishops may giue pardons , it is questioned , for some hold , that they may doe it by gods law , others denie it . bellarm. l. . c. . decad . ix . first , angelus , bartholm . fumus , innocentius , panormitan against the common opinion , and canon law . angelus ( in summa ) and bartholomaeus fumus hold , that all parish-priests , or what priests soeuer may heare confessions , may also in that sacrament of confession graunt pardons : and they bring for them innocentius , in com. cap. cum ex eo : and panormitane and others . but the common opinion teacheth the contrary , that no priests ( vnder a bishop ) may giue pardons , vnlesse by commission from the pope or bishop : and there is an expresse text in the law for it . chap. accedentibus , de excess . praelatorum . bellar. l. . c. . pag. . secondly , thomas , durandus , paludanus , anthonius turrecrem . syluester , &c. against bonauenture , adrian , caietane , maior , &c. for the cause of a pardon-giuing , some hold , there neede not be any proportion ; but that it is enough , that the cause be honest and holy : that is , that pardon be not graunted vpon an euill worke inioyned , or a worke meerely temporall and vaine , &c. but such a one as pertaines to gods glory , and the profite of the church . thus hold st. thomas , durandus , paludanus , s. anthonius , io. de turrecremata , syluester , io. tabiensis , and our gregorie de valentia . others hold , that to make the cause iust , is required some worke , that may be proportionable to the pardon . so teach of the olde schoolemen , saint bonauenture , richardus ; aug. de ancona , io. gerson , gabriel , and of the later , in our age , pope adrian , card. caietane , mai●r , ledesmius , dominicus a soto , petrus a soto , nauarrus , cordubensis , to which adde innocentius and felinus . bellarm. l. . c. . p. . thirdly , bellarm. against io. gerson , dominicus a soto , vega , &c. as it is not to be allowed , that some vpon a good zeale , but perhaps ouer-hote , haue spoken with some reproach of pardons graunted vpon sleight causes , as io. gerson , dominic . a soto , andreas vega , &c : so clement . is iustly to be praised , which hath receiued and vrged the decree of the lateran councell , of moderating indiscreet pardons , &c. bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . fourthly , caietane , petrus a soto &c. against paludanus , anthonius , cordubensis , &c. first it is questioned , whether the state of grace be required in a man at that time , when the pardon is receiued , or rather when the workes inioyned are done , or when the pardon is first pronounced , or the letters there of deliuered . for caietane , petrus a soto , and others hold , that the state of grace is then required , not onely when the pardon is receiued , but when the worke inioyned is performed , not when it is published , &c. other very graue authors , as petr. paludanus , s. anthonius , anthon. cordubensis , and others hold contrary . bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . fiftly , some namelesse doctors against anthonius adrian , caietane , &c. it is thirdly questioned , whether confession ( which commonly is one part of the worke inioyned ) be required in deed , or purpose onely . the answere is , that if the forme of the pardon do flatly set down , confession to be made within so many dayes , then it is to be required in deede , and actually , else not : yea though a man haue mortall sinnes ; it is probable , that contrition alone with a purpose of confessing , will serue the turne ; so hold paludanus , syluester , panormitanus , felinus . but yet it is more safe and probable , that confession is actually required , and not in purpose onely : when a pardon is graunted vnder the tearmes of rightly penitent and confessed , as teach saint anthonius , adrian , caietane , nauarrus and the glosse . bellarm. lib. . indulg . cap. . pag. . sixtly , caietane and barthol . fumus against all other diuines . card . caietane teaches , that besides fulfilling of the workes inioyned , he that would receiue pardon , must haue a purpose to satisfie god , by his owne workes , as much as he may : which opinion of his is profitable and godly , but perhaps not true : since it is contrary to the doctrine of others . neyther did i euer read any that followed caietane in it , but bartholm . fumus in summa . bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . seuenthly , ostiensis and gabriel against the common opinion . not onely the heretickes , but also amongst the catholikes ostiensis ( in summa . l. . tit. de remiss . ) and gabriel ( lect . . in can. miss . ) haue taught , that pardons doe no whit profite the dead . but it is a most certaine thing , and vndoubted among all catholiks , that by pardons the soules in purgatorie may be helped . bellar. l. . c. . p. . . eightly , michael medina against bonauenture , richard. gabriel , maior , &c. it is questioned how pardons may helpe the dead : for michael medina , dis . . c. . holdes , that the soules of the deceased belong to the iurisdiction of the pope , and that they may receiue pardon from him , by way of absolution . but almost all writers hold the contrary , as st. bonauenture , richardus , gabriel , io. maior , caietane , dominicus a soto , petrus a soto , nauarrus , &c. cordubensis . bellarm. lib. . cap. . pag. . ninthly , three different opinions of papists . how pardons doe helpe the dead , by way of suffrage : see controuerted in three opinions , and two of them confuted by bellarm. l. . cap. . p. . tenthly , dominicus a soto , and nauarrus against caietane , petrus a soto , cordubensis . the hardest question of all is , whether pardons doe helpe the dead , vpon any iustice and worthines , or onely vpon meere fauor of god , and congruity : some hold it is in iustice and condignity , as dominicus a soto vpon . d. nauarrus de iubil . not . . others hold it meerely vpon the mercy , and bounty of god , and therfore only of congruity . so caietane , petrus a soto , cordubensis . bellarm. l. . cap. . pag. . . decad . x. first , bellarmine against caietane . caietane holds , that he that would be helpt in purgatorie by suffrages , must haue beene not onely in the state of grace , but deuoted to the keyes of the church , and studious , and carefull to helpe others , while hee was aliue by his suffrages . but this opinion of caietane , though it be profitable and godly , yet it is not true , and confuted by euery one . bellarmine , l. . cap. . pag. . secondly , bellarmine against praepositinus . the opinion of one praepositinus , of the common helpe which suffrages giue to the deceased : see confuted by bellarm. l. . c. . pag. . thirdly , bellarmine with s. thomas against himselfe , and durandus . whereas bellarmine in his . booke de christo , chap. . had said : it is probable , that christs soule went downe to all the places of hell : and had confuted s. thomas his answere of his descending in effect and vertue : for so ( saith he ) we might with durandus say , that christ did descend to no place otherwise then in effect : now vpon better consideration he saith , he holds thomas his opinion , and some other schoolemen rather to be followed . bellarm. recognitions , pag. . fourthly , bellarmine against himselfe and pighius . i approue not , that i said with albertus pighius , that saint paul appealed to caesar as to his lawfull prince : the first answere therefore is to be stood in , that s. paul appealed to him de facto not de iure , as the supreame iudge of iudea , not as his superior . bellarm. recognition , pag. . fiftly , bellarmine against some not named . whereas we said , that the opinion of those which teach , that infallibility of iudgment is not in the pope , but in the generall councell , is not altogether hereticall , but erroneous and neare to heresie : now it seemes to vs so erroneous , that it may iustly by the churches iudgement be condemned as hereticall . bellarm. recognition , pag. . sixtly , durand . against s. thomas and bellarm. i doe not like that i said , infidell princes cannot by the church be depriued of the dominion , they haue ouer the faithfull , except they goe about to turne their subiects from the faith of christ : for though durandus , whom i followed ( vpon . sent. dist . , q. , ) doe probably dispute this against saint thomas , yet the authority of saint thomas ought iustly rather to preuaile . bellarm. recognition , p. . seuenthly , st. thomas , dominicus a soto , nauar. opposed by some new writers . i wrote , that ciuill power in kings and princes is not immediately from god , but mediately from the councell and consent of men : and because this is the common opinion , i did not striue to proue it : but now since of late some haue written , that the ciuill power of kings is no lesse immediately from god then the power of the pope : i hold it necessary to adde somewhat of this point : and first i bring forth the author of this opinion , saint thomas . . q. . art . . dominicus a soto , of the canonists nauarrus , &c. bellarm. recognition , p. . eightly , suarez against bellarmine . how franciscus suarez reprehends bellarmine concerning rupertus his errour of impanation , see bellarmine recognition p. . ninthly , some namelesse papists against bellarmine . the exceptions taken by catholikes against bellarmine , for saying that the conuersion of the bread is adductiue not productiue , and his defence , see recognition , pag. . tenthly , fr. suarez against bellarmine and iohn of louan . franciscus suarez , disp . . de euchar ▪ reprooues bellarmine and io. of louan for teaching that christ gaue the sacrament in the forme of bread , in the time of his legall supper , and the wine when supper was ended , after many other businesses and actions : how bellarmine cleares himselfe , see recognition pag. . first , bellarmine against gropperus . i cyted the enchiridion of iohn gropperus which he is said to haue written vnder the name of the councell of colen : but though gropperus himselfe were a catholicke , yet in that booke there are no small errours , as we haue shewed : and therefore it is not without cause put into the number of bookes prohibited . an. dom. . bellarm. recognition pag. . secondly , bellarmine against abulensis , adrian , caietane , &c. we said , that many authors held , that sufficient helpe is not giuen at all times to rise from sinne , but onely in respect of time and place : as abulensis , adrianus , caietan . but we are to note , that these authors doe not onely say that which we say , but somewhat also which we say not : that vnto some men for the greatnesse or multitude of their sinnes , god in his certaine decree denies helpe in the rest of their life . so abulensis quaest . . vpon . exod. adrian quaest . . de paenitentia . caietanus ientaculo . . q. . which three doctors seeme to be borne out by three holy fathers : saint anselme in comment . vpon . matt. saint isidor . lib. . de summo bono . saint austen . for me , as i dare not reproue so great authors , so i hold it an holy course , thus to thinke of god in his goodnesse , that there is no men , which while they liue , are not in time and place visited by the regard of his diuine grace . bellar. recognit . p. . thirdly , popish doctors disagreeing . because while i writ this , there is great controuersie amongst our writers about the kingdome of christ , i thought good to explaine my selfe further : i hold therefore that heede is to be taken of godly men , least they so vphold christs temporall kingdome , that they denie his pouertie . that his kingdome therefore was not temporall but spirituall , besides the auncient , is well taught by two accurate interpreters , cornelius iansenius , and adamus sasbout , &c. bellarm. recognit . pag. . the peace of rome . the fovrth booke containing above three-score different opinions of papists , in that one point of confession , all ( sauing . or . of the last ) confessed by nauarrus . decad . i. . the glosse and gratian against nauarre and the common opinion . though the glosse ( . and . in cap. lachrymae ) and gratian ( de paen . dist . . ) hold a● man excluded from confession , by his contrition ; so as being once throughly contrite , he is not of necessity in due time to confesse , which they proue by diuers authorities from the canon law , and from saint crysostome , and saint austen : yet we must with a sure faith hold , and defend , that although by the contrition of the heart alone , without actuall confession , our sinnes are remitted , yet that he to whom they are pardoned , is bound in due time ( if opportunity can be had ) to confesse them , nauarrus in his commentaries vppon the seuen distinctions of penance , abridged by gregorie sayrus chap. . of his summa sacram. paenitentiae , printed at venice with priuiledge . an. . p. . . nauarre against some namelesse . that sacramentall confession was not instituted in paradise , nor brought in by the law of nature , see defended against some of their namelesse writers by nauar. sum. paenit . cap. . pag. . . the same author against other catholikes . that confession was not instituted by any meere man , or any humane law , but onely by christ himselfe , and that it was not instituted by iosuah to achan , against the error of some namelesse catholikes , is maintained by nauar. sum. paenit . c. . p. . . some namelesse catholikes confuted by nauar. the errours of those , which held the sacrament of penance was instituted by saint iames. chap. . see also confuted . sum. paenit . cap. . . the glosse , panormitan , decius , against durandus , maior , nauarre . fvrther it follows necessarily that the glosse ( summa de paen . dist . . ) erreth , which teacheth , that the full confession of sinnes was not instituted by any authority of the olde or new testament , but onely by the tradition of the vniuersall church : which opinion is followed by panormitan and decius , but is confuted by all , but especially by durandus and maior . sum. paen . cap. . pag. . . nauar. against caietane . it is further implyed that caietane erred , who vpon iohn . teaches , that sacramentall confession was instituted by christ , but not commaunded . sum. paenit . cap. . pag. . . sixtus the fourth , and others against petrus ab osma . it is yet inferred further , that petrus ab osma erred , who in the time of sixtus the fourth , at salmantica , & other places of spain taught , that sacramentall confession began by humane institution , and the tradition of the church : and that mortal sinnes both for their fault and punishment in another world , might be done away without confession , by the onely contrition of the heart , &c. al which were condemned by sixtus . sum. paenit . cap. . pag. . . . nauarre against the canon . the canon is deceiued , which ( in relect. de sacram , ) teaches , that penance and outward confession was necessary to saluation , not onely vnder the time of the gospell , but of the law also , and vnder the time of nature , in act , if it might be had , or in desire and purpose , if it might not . sum. paen . cap. . . nauar. and scotus , &c. against the glosse . the glosse erreth ( sum. de paen . dist . . ) that saith , that sacramentall confession was not in vse in the greeke church , as is largely taught by scotus . d. . and the councell of colen . fol. . sum. paenit . cap , . pag. . . . nauar. against caietane . a man is bound to contrition and confession , so oft as any action is to be done , which requires contrition and confession to go before it , such as the sacrament of the eucharist . howsoeuer caietane teach the contrary in sum. verb. communio , and vpon . cor. who holds , that he sinnes not deadly which communicates vpon contrition had , before he confesse himselfe , though he haue opportunity of confession , which opinion is condemned by the tridentine councell . sum. paenit . c. . p. . . decad . ii. . nauar. against paludanus , &c. nauar holdes , there is no precept that tyes vs vpon paine of sinne , to confesse before any sacrament , saue the eucharist . paludanus in . d. . q. . saith , that to the sacrament of confirmation , of orders , of extreame vnction , an actuall confession of our sinnes is necessary . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . paludanus and anthoninus against thomas and nauarre . how oft we commit one and the same sinne , is ill put by paludanus and saint anthoninus among the circumstances to be confessed : for the second sinne is not the circumstance of the first ; whereupon neither aristotle nor saint thomas number ( this quoties ) among the circumstances . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . io. maior against thomas , paludanus , gabriel , anthoninus , adrian , caietane , prierias , wee are not bound to confesse those circumstances , which doe aggrauate the fault , but change it not into another kinde of sinne , as the common opinion teacheth , saint thomas , paludanus , gabriel , st. anthoninus , adrian , caietan , prierias . the contrary opinion ( which is defended by io. maior . d. q. . ) makes the conscience full of scruples and feare . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . thomas , scotus , maior differing . it is hard to know , what circumstances changes the action from one kinde into another : whereof are three diuers opinions : one of saint thomas . d. . q. . the other of scotus : the third of io. maior in . dist . . q. . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . alensis against nauar : nauar against lyra , maior , anthoninus , adrian . the circumstance of time is not necessary to be confessed ; as that we haue sinned vpon an holy-day : whence alensis is deceiued , which holds , that a mortal sinne vpon an holy-day is double in respect of the guilt , though single in respect of the act : and lyra exod. . and maior . d. . q. . and anthon. . p. art . . and adrian vpon . de confess . q. . are deceiued , which teach , that in that precept of the decalogue , onely mortall sinne is fobidden . sum. paenit . c. . f. . . . adrian , maior , syluester , &c. against other namelesse diuines : and nauar betwixt both . it is doubted by our doctors , whether he that sinnes mortally before other , and yet not with any purpose to giue occasion of sinning to others , be bound to confesse the circumstance of his scandall giuen : for adrian in . de confess . q. . and io. maior . dist . . and syluester , say he must confesse it : others denie it . nauarre determines betwixt both . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . nauarre against adrian . it is a great difficulty among our doctors , whether he that doth any thing that he thinkes he should not do , or with any thing which he doubts whether it be a mortal sin or no , be bound to confesse not only that he hath sinned , but that he hath sinned wittingly , or against his conscience . adrianus in . de confess . quaest . . holds , that circumstance must be confessed , &c. but for all that , it is not necessarily to be confessed . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . maior against thomas . saint thomas . dist . . q. . holds , that confession is sometimes to be made by an interpreter : io. maior vpon the same place denies it . sum. paenit . cap . fol. . . . paludanus and adrian against the common opinion . no confession or absolution can be giuen or taken by a proxie , or messenger , nor by writing : for all sacraments ( except matrimony ) require our owne person , and cannot be done by deputies : but paludanus in . dist . . q. . and adrian in . de confess . q. . hold such confessions and absolutions as are done by writing to be of force . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . paludanus , anthoninus , thomas opposed by other doctors and nauarre . all writers confesse a lye to be euer a sinne , but especially in confession : but they agree not what kind of sinne it is , for paludanus vpon . d. . q. . saith , it is a mortall sinne to lie in confession : and saint anthoninus p. . tit. . c. . and saint thomas , . q. . art . . to the same purpose . others more truely teach , it is not alwaies a mortall sinne to lye in confession . sum. paenit . cap. fol. . . decad . iii. . scotus , paludanus , gabriel , maior , caietane , concil . florent . io. scotus disagreeing . this matter concerning the examination of the conscience , is very doubtfull , and controuersiall amongst our authours : for scotus ( in . dist . . q. . ) and paludanus ( ibid. q. . art . . ) holdes , that such diligence is to be required in this businesse , as the penitent would vse for the remembring of any other difficult matter . but gabriel ( vpon the said dist . q. . ) saith , that a man ought onely to confesse all that he can well remember . but io. maior ( ibid. q. . ) will haue a man take such paines to find out and remember all his sinnes , as a scholler would doe , to get a latin oration by heart , which he should vtter amongst learned hearers . caietane ( in verbo confess . ) holdes , he that beleeues , he hath made sufficient inquisition for his sinne , though he haue not done so , hath discharged himselfe , and neede not reiterate his confession . the councell of florence , onely teaches vs to confesse what sinnes are in our memorie , and speakes nothing of any diligence to recall them . io. scotus is too rigorous , &c. sum. paenit . c. . fol. . . . gabriels maior , syluester , thomas , paludan against innocentius , hostiensis and the truer opinion . st. tho. ( in . d. ) & palud ( in . d. . q. ) wil haue the third person reuealed in confession : as palud . instanceth , that a woman committing incest with her brother , ought to confesse this , although her brother be knowne to the confessor : which opinion is followed by gabriel ( ibid. q. . ) and maior ( qu. . ) arg. . and syluester verb. confess .. . q. . yet the truer opinion holdes , that the person and his sinne is to be concealed : so teaches innnocent . in cap. omnis . hostiensis ibid. col . . yea herein io. maior is contrary to himselfe . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . nauar against io maior . as for cases reserued , although an inferiour confessor cannot absolue the penitent , yet the penitent is bound to confesse all his mortall sinnes to his owne parish-priest , whether reserued or other . the contrary is held by io. maior ( in . d. . q. . ) sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . nauar against adrianus . from whence it is plaine , that adrianus is deceiued , who vpon . q. . of confess . col . . teaches , that the absolution which is giuen by him which receiues onely the confession of sinnes reserued , is not sacramentall . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . popish doctors diuided . to heale , or aduise him that hath none but mortall sinnes lawfully confessed , or veniall sinnes , the confessor hath no neede of any knowledge or prudence , but onely skill to pronounce the verie wordes of the sacrament : because there is neyther contrition necessarily required , nor confession indeede necessarily to be made , as it is the opinion of almost all our doctors , in cap. omnis de paenit . and saint thomas . part . quaest . . art . . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . vrbanus and the glosse and paludanus against innocentius : and hostiensis and panormitan betwixt both . there is no smal difference amongst our doctors , whether in case our owne confessor be ignorant , it be sufficient to aske him leaue to chuse another , though he graunt it not . vrbanus . in d. c. placuit . and the glosse . in d. . flatly say , that in case of ignorance the consent of our parish-priest is not necessary : and of the same opinion is palud . in . d . q . and dist . . q. . but afterward innocent . . ( in cap. omnis ) decreed , it should not be lawfull to confesse to another , without the leaue of our owne . so hostiensis and panormitan ( in d. cap. omnis ) and adrian ( . de confess . ) hold , that it is necessary , leaue should be asked of our owne , though not obtained , &c. sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . paludanus , anthoninus , against nauar , and against raymundus , hostiensis , godofr . in case a parishioner remooue his dwelling from one towne to another , or winter one where , and summer another : it is questioned to whom his confession is to be made . paludanus in . d. . q. . and st. anthoninus par . . tit. . cap. . hold , that his confession is to bee made to him , in whose parish hee dwels when he is shriuen . but it is the truer opinion , that in such case he may confesse to eyther . sum. paenit . cap. . hostiensis , raymundus , godofredus hold , that he must confesse to his owne former priest : but they are deceiued . fol. . . . hostiensis and paludanus and anthon. against the glosse and panormitan . a parishioner sinning in the parish of another ( saith hostien . ) is to confesse to him in whose parish he sinned , not to his owne priest : and the same opinion is held by paludan . and anthoninus , but falsly , as the glosse in cap. placuit . . q. . and panormitan in cap. cum contingit . num . . &c. sum. paen . c. . fol. . . . paludanus against hostiensis . that the sacrament which from the beginning was none , cannot by any after-allowance become good and auaileable , see disputed by paludanus in . d. . q. . against hostiensis . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . bonauenture , richardus , panormitan , hostiensis , paludanus , nauarrus disagreeing . who should be accounted our owne priest in this businesse of confession , there are manie disagreeing opinions : saint bonauenture ( in . d. . art . . ) and scotus , and richardus ( ibid. art . . q. . ) bring three acceptions of this title : panormitan and others in d. cap. omnis , and hostiensis in sum . de paenit . parag●cui confit . and cardin. in clem. dudum de sepult . and paludanus ( in . d. . q. . ) say , that there are more then three to be taken for our owne priest , and nauarrus in that place reckens vp eleuen . sum. paenit . c. . fol. . . decad . iiii. . the opinion of doctors , panormitan , andr. sicul. paludanus , angelus , syluester , gabriel , &c. against the glosse . howsoeuer the glosse require , that he which is chosen for our confessor should haue charge of soules , eyther ordinarily , or by commission ; yet the truer opinion of doctors teacheth that whosoeuer hath leaue to choose , may take what confessor he lists , whether he haue charge of soules or not : so teach panormitan ( in clem. . de offic . deleg ) and andr. sicul. paludanus ( in . d. . qu. . ) angelus ( verbo confess . . sec. . ) syluester ( verb. confessor ) gabriel ( in . dist . . ) adrianus ( in . de confess . dub . . ) sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . clement the . anthoninus , and the common opinion of doctors against the glosse , io. andreas , and panormitan . some haue held , that though the pope , or our own bishoppe should giue vs leaue to chuse our confessor , yet we might not doe it without the consent of our owne parish-priest : so glossa . and io. andreas , and panormitanus in part . ( vpon cap. omnis vtriusque ) but the truer and commoner opinion of doctors is contrary , and saint anthoninus in . par . tit. . cap. . sayes , that this opinion of the glosse , andreas , and panormitan was condemned by clement . sum. paenit . cap. . . nauarre against paludanus and anthoninus . they are deceiued , which hold , that the bishoppe giuing any manlibertie of pilgrimage , giues him liberty also to be absolued by that confessor he chuseth , from cases reserued : yet so held palud . in . dist . . q. . and saint anthoninus . p. tit. . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . richardus and syluester against the common opinion . some hold that a parish-priest is bound onely vpon necessity to heare confessions onely at those times , when the parishioner is bound to be shriuen : so teach richardus ( vpon . d. . art . . ) and syluester ( verbo confessor . qu. . ) that is , once a yeare . but those teach truer , which hold him bound to take the shrift of his people , as oft as any of them will confesse . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . io. maior , adrian , caietane , against richardus and syluester . some hold , that so oft as a man thinkes he cannot remember , what mortal sinne he hath committed till lent , so oft he is bound to confesse it before , as io. maior in . d. . q. . adrianus in . de confess . dub . . caietane verbo confess . against richardus and syluester vbi supra . summa paenitentiae cap. . fol. . . . felinus against paludanus and all diuines &c. if a penitent on his death-bedde confesse himselfe to a lay man , though that lay-man cannot absolue him yet he is bound to conceale his secrets by the seale of confession , sayth paludanus and all diuines vpon . dist . . the contrary is taught by felinus ( in c. pastoralis . praeterea . ) sum. paenit . cap. . & cap. . fol. . . . paludanus , adrianus , thomas , nauarre against the glosse and the arch-deacon . the glosse teaches ( . a. in cap. placuit . de paenit . dist . . ) that men may be tyed to confesse ouer againe those sinnes , which they haue once lawfully confessed : of which opinion also is the archdea . ( ibid. in verb. & consulo . ) but they hold truer , which teach , that no humane law can binde a man so to do , without his owne consent , as gerson ( in lect. . vpon marc. ) paludanus ( in . dist . . quaest . . ) adrianus ( in . de confess . q. . ) s. thomas ( quodlib . . ar . . ) sum. paen . fol. . . . io. . against io. poliacus . the three hereticall opinions of iohannes poliacus concerning confession , were confuted by pope iohn . in extrauag . vas elect. sum. paenit . c. . f. . . . io. maior against the common opinion and nauar. io. maior ( in . d. . q. . ) in defence of the glosse holdes , this second confession of the same sinnes requisite for religious persons , but he dares not affirme it fit for all the people . nauar. sum. paen . cap. . fol. . . caietane opposed by nauarre and others . concerning the questions to be moued by the confessor to the penitent before his shrift , see the disagreement betwixt caietane and nauar. sum. paen . c. . fol. . . decad . v. . nauarre against caietane . concerning the sufficiency of knowledge required in a confessor : see the difference betwixt caietane and others on the one side , which holde it enough in some cases if he know the forme of absolution : and nauar on the other , who requires somewhat more . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . . some namelesse doctors against the rest . some hold , that vnder the seale of confession wee are bound onely to conceale the very sinne so confessed : but the common opinion of doctors is , that not onely mortall and veniall sinnes , but all circumstances ( which might bring the sin vnto knowledge ) must be also concealed . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . nauarre against panormitan and caietane . concerning particular cases , how farre we may goe in the reuelation of thinges confessed : see the disagreement of caietane and panormitan with p. nauarrus . summa paenitentiae cap. . . scotus , bonauenture , durand . &c. against archidiac . both cardinals , and the canon &c. that the penitent may giue leaue vnto his confessor to reueale somewhat of his confession , only when it may tend to his owne spirituall good , is held by scotus in . dist . . bonauenture and durandus , richardus and angelus verb. confess . but it is truer that he may giue his confessor leaue to reueale it for his owne temporall good , or others , as is plaine in cap. domino sancto d. . and archidiaconus dominic . and both cardinals in cap. ( ipsi apostoli ) turrecremata his shift in this case , see confuted by nauar. sum. paen . cap. . fol. . . . alexander , ostiensis , io. andreas , panormitan , petr. ab anchor &c. against thomas , scotus , paludan , bonauenture , hostiensis , caietan . some holde , in two cases confession should be reuealed : first , in a case of heresie , which opinion the doctors ( vpon . d. . ) and adrianus ( in . de confess . post . . ) and caietane ( tom. . opusc . tract . . ) haue reiected , and haue condemned that old latine verse , which maintaines it as pestilent . the second , when a notorious crime to be committed , is confessed , as the burning of the city , &c. and the partie confessing will not relent from his ill purpose : in such a case it is held by some that the confession may be reuealed : so teach alexander in . par . qu. . mem . . ostiensis , io. andreas , panormitan , petrus , ab anchorano , decius , angelus , syluester , which authours grieuously erred in this matter &c. all other therefore , as saint thomas , scotus , paludanus , bonauenture in . dist . . and hostiensis himselfe , in summa . paenit . paragraph . in quo . turrecremata in cap. sacerdos . caietane in tom. . opusc. tract . . teach , it is vtterly vnlawfull to disclose it . yea caietane asked by another cardinall , answereth , that a confessor to whom is reuealed a treasonable purpose , to kill the king or the pope , may not reueale it . sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . and . . richardus and nauarre against maior and adrian . vvhether a priest trauelling amongst theeues into a wood , hearing by one of them now before hand relenting , that they meane to kill him in that wood , be bound to go on into the wood , and die rather then reueale that which was confessed , see disputed betwixt io. maior in . dist . . and adrianus in . de confess . post . . on the one side , which holde , hee may returne and saue himselfe : and richardus in . dist . . art . . on the other , who holdes , ( and nauarre with him ) that he must rather goe into the wood , and manifestly hazard his life . sum. paenit . d. . fol. . . . nauar against some namelesse . that which some hold , that a confessor must so behaue himselfe out of confession toward the penitent , as if he had neuer heard his confession , see confuted by nauar. sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . nauarre against diuers confessors . sixe seuerall fashions of absolution , vsed by the confessors of his time , see confuted by nauar. sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . &c. . nauarre against the common practise . the imposition of hands vpon euery penitent , is not necessary alwaies , nor fit to be vsed , yea somtime euill : see defended by nauarre , as when the penitent is a woman , and perhaps sweetely beautiful , and delicately attired : according to paludanus in . dist . . quaest . . sum. paen . . fol. . . . nauarre against angelus . that a confessor may absolue his penitent from his sins , and after send him for absolution from his excommunication to his superiour , vnto whom that excommunication is reserued , is falsely taught by angelus in ver . confess . parag . . saith nauarrus . sum. paen . . fol. . . decad . vi. . popish doctors diuided . in this difficult question our doctors agree not : whether a confessor may absolue a penitent which will not obey him ; because the penitent followes other doctors , which hold the contrary opinion to the confessor . some hold , that penitent may not be absolued ; but their opinion is more probable , which hold he may . sum. paen . . fol. . . scotus and the doctors of paris against thomas , bonauenture , richardus , durandus &c. although many doctors thinke , that no sacramentall satisfaction done out of charity , auailes any thing to expiate the punishment for sinne , which we owe to god , because god accepts not his workes , that is infected with mortall sinne , and by consequent , is his enemy , for any satisfaction : as st. thomas , bonauent . richard. durand . vpon . d. . . caietan tom. . opusc. tract . . q. . yet it is more truely held by scotus ( in . d. . q. . ) and the doctors of paris in the same place , that he which is in mortall sin may satisfie for his temporall punishment , due to his sinne wip't off by contrition . sum. paenit . . fol. . . nauarre against caietane . caietane holdes ( tom. . opusc. tract . . ) that a sacramentall satisfaction takes not the like effect afterward , which it would haue had , if it had beene done in charity : but the contrary is truer , that such satisfaction by the addition of charity afterward , becomes as perfect as if it should haue beene done in it . sum. paen . . fol. . . . thomas , paludanus , maior . almaine , roffensis , anthoninus , against caietane and the truer opinion . in this question so difficult and controuersall amongst our authours , howsoeuer saint thomas , paludanus , and others ( vpon . dist . . ) maior ( in . dist . . ) almaine ( in . dist . . ) roffensis in his . artic. against luther and st. anthoninus ( . p. tit. . cap. . ) hold , that the penitent is bound vpon commaund to accept the penance imposed , and hauing once accepted , to performe it : yet the truer opinion is , that the penitent is not bound by precept before he be absolued , to accept the penance inioyned by his confessor ; but that it is free for him to accept or not accept it , and it is enough that he will eyther in this life , or in purgatorie satisfie for his sinnes . so caietane ( in summa verb. satisfactio ) and hostiensis ( in summa de paenit , & remiss . ) saith , that onely the lords prayer is to be inioyned to the penitent , to be said for penance , rather then he should bee sent away not absolued sum. paenit . cap. . fol. . . . . nauar against richard. anthoninus , syluester , &c. richardus ( in . d. . art . . q. ) anthoninus ( . p. tit. . cap. . ) and syluest . ( verbo confessio ) are deceiued , which hold , that vpon meere omission of doing penance , confession is to be iterated . sum. paen . cap. . fol. . . . two contrary opinions of popish doctors . whether we are bound to confesse veniall sins , two opinions are reported by thomas . ( q. . art . . ) franciscus de victoria ( sum. sacram. de confessione art . . . innocentius , archidiac . adrian . palud . bonauent . against saint thomas , fr. vict. and other doctors . that a man is bound presently vpon his sinne committed to confesse , is held by innocentius ( cap. omnis ) archidiacon ( in cap. ille rex . ) but saint thomas and other doctors hold the contrary , and franciscus de victor . ibid. art . . who addes adrianus , paludan . and bonauenture , set downe some cases wherin a man is bound presently to confesse : but i beleeue them not . artic. . . fr. victor . against other diuines . that the pope cannot dispense with the precept of confession : see defended against other their diuines by victoria art . . . scotus against pet. lombard , thomas , durandus , paludan , richard , gabriel . that we may in an extremity confesse our sinnes to a lay-man , is held by the master of sentences ( . d. . ) and saint thomas ( in the same place , and in additionibus q. . art . . ) who cyteth augustine and bede ) by durandus , paludanus , richardus , gabriel . but scotus defends it not safe to be done ( in . d. . art . . ) who is confuted by fr. victoria art . . . paludanus , capreolus , durandus , against maior and fr. victoria . that any priest may absolue vs in the point of death , stands by the law of god , saith paludanus ( . d. . q. ) and capreolus ( d. . q. vnica ) and durandus . it stands onely by a positiue law , saith maior and fr. victoria . art . . decad . vii . . io. maior , bernardus de gauaco , capreolus and caietane in three different opinions . whether an imperfect and informe confession be to be repeated , are three opinions ; two extreame , and one meane : the first of io. maior ( d. . q. . . ) that it must be repeated if it were not entire , or wanted of contrition : which victoria cals an intollerable errour : the second of bernardus de gauaco ( in impugnat . godofredi quodlib . ) that how imperfect soeuer it be , it is not to be repeated . the third is more likely , of capreolus ( d. . q. . ) and caietane , which hold , that some imperfect confession is to be repeated , some not . victor . art . . . fr. victor . against durandus . that by an imperfect confession , the precept of confession is satisfied , and fulfilled , is denyed in some cases by durandus ( . dist . . quaest . and . ) affirmed by fran. victoria . art . . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e har. suis & ipsa roma viribus ruit . notes for div a -e especially , to by iudith , wisd . of salomon , ecclesiasticus , maccabees . euseb. l. . c. . exposit. symboli veteris instrumenti primo omnium mosis quinque libri . &c ▪ haec sunt quae patres intra canonem concluserunt , ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones , &c. alij libri sunt qui noa canonici , &c. in prologo galeato tom. . p. . hic prologus scripturam quasi galeatū principiū omnibus libris quos de hebraeo , &c. vt scire valeamus quicquid extra hos est inter apocrypha esse ponendum : igitur sapientia quae vulgo salomonis inscribitur & iesu &c. non sunt in canone , &c. euseb. li. . c. haud ignorādum autem fuerit veteris instrum . libros sicut hebraei tradunt . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . haec sunt apocrypha , iesus , sapientia , pastor , & macabaeotum libri , iudith atque tobia . hugo card. concil . trident . decr. de canon . script . april . promulg in quart . sessione . sacrorum vero librorum indicem huic decreto adscri bendum censuit , &c. sunt autem in fra-scripti testamenti veteris quinque libri mosis , &c. tobias , iudith , sapientia salomonis , ecclesiasticus , macab . . si quis autem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus prout in ecclesia catholica legi consueuerunt , & in veteri vulgata latina editione habentur , pro sacris & canonicis non susceperit , anathema sit . aug. de ciuit. dei l. . c. . sed quomodo libet istud accipiatur , &c. ei linguae potius credatur vnde est in aliam . facta translatio . ludoui . viues ibid. hoc ipsum hieronymus clamat vbique hoc ipsum docet ratio , &c. sed frustra bonorum ingeniorum consensus hoc docet . hieron . l. . com . in isaiam quod si aliquis dix erit hebrae os libros postea a iudaeis falsatos , &c. § sin autem dixerint post aduentum domini saluatoris &c hebraeos libros fuisse falsatos , cachin num tenere non potero , vt saluator & apostoli , &c. cap. . decr. p. . dist . . c. vt veterum vt veterum librorum fides de hebaeis voluminibus examinanda est , ita nouorum graeci sermonis normam desiderat . ad decr. p. . d . c. . ad diuina recurre scripta graeca . bellar. l. de verb. dei . cap. . §. . accedit quod patres passim docent ad fontes hebraeos & graecos esse recurrendum : & hieron in lib. contr . heluid . & in epist. ad marcellam &c. concil . trid. sess . sacro sa ncta synodus statuit vt haec ipsa vetus &c pro authentica habeatur . bell. de verb. l. . c. . nunc autem fontes multis in locis turbidos fluere , &c. omnino contendunt iudaeos in odium christianae relig . studiose deprauasse ita docet iac. christopolitanus & canus , &c. bell. . de verb. dei p. . so raynolds in his refutation . p. against isaac valla , andradius , monta &c. haeretici huius temporis , odio vulgatae editionis nimium tribuunt editioni hebraicae &c omnia examinari volunt ad hebraeum textū quē non semel purissimū fontē appellant . bell. l. . de verb. c. epiphan . contr anomaeos . haeres . . omnia sunt clara & lucida &c. basil. in ascet. or regul . breviores . quae ambigue , & obscure videntur dici in quibusdam locis sacrae script . & reg . . aug. ep. . non tanta in scripturis difficultate peruenitur ad ea quae necessaria sunt saluti , &c. aug. de doctr . christ. l. . c. . in jis quae aperte in scriptura posita sūt iuueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidē moresque viuendi . magnifice & salubriter spirit . sanctus ita script . &c. de doctr . christiana , l. c. . aug. epist. . modus ipse dicendi quo sancta scriptura &c. sed inuitat omnes humili sermone . chrysost. hom. . de lazaro cui non sunt manifesta quae cunque in euangel . ? &c. quomodo possis intelligere quae ne leuiter quidem inspicere velis &c sume librum in manus , lege &c. citat . ab ipso bellarm. apostoli vero & prophetae omnia contra fecerunt manifesta , claraque : quae prodiderunt , exposuerunt nobis veluti communes orbis doctores , vt perse quisque discere possi● , ea quae dicuntur , ex sola lectione . chry. hom . . in laz. quamobrem opus est conci onatore , omnia sunt plana ex scripturis diuinis , sed quia delicatuli estis . &c. hom . in . thess. bellarm. l . de verbo c. . necessario fatendum est scripturas esse obscurissimas . lutherus duo effugia excogitauit ; vnum quod scriptura etiam si alicubi obscura , tamen illud idem alibi clare proponat , &c. ibid. § . eccius in enchirid . c. . lutherani contendunt scripturas sacras esse claras . duraeus contr . whitak . li. . rhemists in . pe. . . and in their praeface at large , &c. homili . in . dominic . ab epiphan . ambr. ser. . hieron in psa. dominus narrabit , & quomodo narrabit ? non verbo , sedscriptura , in cuius scriptura ? in populorū , &c. dominus narrabit in scripturis populorū in scripturis sanctis ; quae , scriptura populis omnibus legitur , hoc est vt omnes intelligant , non vt pauci intelligerent , sed vt omnes . in psal. . omnia quae post ascens . &c quis fidelis vel etiam catechumenus antequam spiritū sanctum baptizatus accipiat , non aequo animo , &c. aug. trac . in io . and to the same purpose l. de doct . chris. c. . chrys. hom . . de lazar. semper hortor & hortari non desinam vt non hic tantū attendatis . &c. ego forensibus causis affixus sum , &c. vxorem alo & liberos , familiae curamgero &c. qui montium vertices occuparunt , &c. quid ais homo ? non est tui negotij scripturas euoluere , &c. imo tuum magis est quam illorum , &c. neque nunc fieri potest vt quisquam , &c. ne negligamus nobis parare libros , &c. quid igitur inquiunt , &c. publicani , piscatores , tabernaculorum opifices , pastores & apostoli idiotae illiterati &c. note , that which is read in chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in some better copies is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies goat-beards , more agreeable to the place . vt & famulus , & vidua mulier , & omnium hominum indoctissimus , exaudita lectione aliquid lucri vtilitatisque reportet . hom. in gen. . obsecro vt subinde huc veniatis , &c. in coloss. hom . audite obsecro seculares omnes , &c. rhemists in their praeface to their testament . bellar. de ver . l. . c. . haeretici huius temporis omnes in eo conueniunt , vt oporteat scripturas omnibus permittere imo & tradere in sua lingua : &c. at catholica ecclesia , &c. prohibet ne passim omnibus sine discrimine concedatur eiusmodi lectio , &c. duraeus cont . whit. l. . si christianis omnibus vt scripturas seru tentur a christo dictum esse intelligis , in magno certe errore &c. promiscuae fidelium turbae &c. basil. ep. . aug. de vnitate ecclesiae , siue epist. cont . petilianum donatistam cap. . inter nos autem & donatistas quaestio est , vbi sit ecclesia , quid ergo facturi sumus ? in verbis nostris eam quaesituri , &c aug. ibid. c. . vtrum ipsi ecclesiam teneant , non nisi diuinatum scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant , &c. quia nec nos propterea dicimus , &c. aug. in psa. . in illa verba . omnes qui quaerunt te &c ne in ecclesia errares , ne quis , &c. multi enim di●erunt carnem non habuisse : ostendit &c. so epi. & in ps. . &c. chrys. hom . in matth. . qui vult cognoscere , quae sit vera ecclesia christi , vnde cognoscet nisi &c. eckius in enchirid . c. de ecclesia . scriptura non est authentica sine authoritate ecclesiae ; scriptores enim canonici sunt membra ecclesiae , vnde haeretico contendere volenti , &c. eckius ibidem scriptura definit in concilio , visum est spiritui sancto &c. rem tam clare expressam , & definitam ecclesia sua authoritate mutauit , &c ecce potestas ecclesiae super scriptura . si tollamus authoritatē praesentis ecelesiae & praesentis concilij , in dubium reuocari poterunt omnium aliorū conciliorū decreta , & tota fides christiana , &c. bell. de effectu sacram . l. . c. . pag. . omnium dogmatum firmitas , &c. so pigh . l. . de hier. ec . stapl. l. . princ. doct . c. . compertum est ab his dam nata vt haeretica in lutheri libris , quae in bernardi augustinique libris , vt orthodoxa , imo vt pra leguntur . erasm. ep . ad card. mogunt . pag. . balsamus & munda cera cum chrismatis vnda conficiunt agnum , quod munus do tibi magnum &c. fulgura de caelo , &c. peccatum frangit vt christi sanguis & angit , &c. sacr. cerem . l. . vt ea , quae in hoc aquarum vasculo , praeparato ad nominis tui gloriam infundere decreuimus , benedicas : quatenus ipsorum veneratione & honore nobis famulis tuis crimina diluantur , abstergantur maculae peccatorum , impetrentur veniae , gratiae conferantur , vt tandem vna cum sanctis & electis tuis vitam percipere mereamur aeternam . fran. a victoria ordin . praedicatorum sum. sacram . art . . p. . sed quid faciet confessor cum interrogatur de peccato , &c. respondeo secun dum omnes , quod sic . sed fac quod iudex aut praelatus ex malitia exigat a me iuramentum , an sciam in confessione ? respondeo : quod coactus iuretse nescire in confessione , quia intelligitur se nescire ad reuelandum , aut taliter quod possit dicere . papa facit protestationem ante canonizationem se nihil intendere facere , quod sit contra fidem aut ecclesiam catholicam . aliqui tamen clarissimi viri dicunt , &c. quia papa quodammodo cogebatur ad canonizandum quendam contra suam voluntatem . lib. sacr. ceremon . notes for div a -e non defuerunt etiam qui librum quidem , &c. those aditions to ester , which we reiect as apocryphall . ex catholicis , iohannes driedo &c. nec solum haeretici pagani & judaei , &c. ecclesia eoslibros recipit quos b. hieron . nostris temporibus erasmus . duae sunt sententie principales , &c. erasmus in annotationibus ad has epistolas , &c. erasmus in fine annotationum . &c. nec defuerunt olim catholici qui de huius libri authoritate dubitarent . quartus autem esdrae , &c. his igitur omissis qui hebraico fonti nimiam puritatem falso attribuunt , &c. non paruae quaestio est , &c. de postrema , &c. hunc locum non solum chemnitius , sed , &c. thomas caietanus in tract . de instit. &c. tres esse spiritus aeternus , &c. sed ocurrunt arriani transsiluani , & erasmus , &c. quartus error est durandi , &c b. thomas , &c. docet christum per realem , &c. nic. lyranus non tantae autoritatis est , &c. quod ante nicenum , &c. quod fabula sit narratio martini , &c. decimussextus est celest. gregor . . in epist. . ad johan . carahtanum . primo ex gratiano . sunt de hac re quinque opiniones , &c. huc referri potest opinio quorundam catholicorum , vt refert iodoc. clict . &c. quo loco non possum satis , &c. vnum superest dubium , anne , &c. quatuor tantum remanent diuersae , &c. qui locus tribus modis exponi solet , &c. nec solum haeretici . tricesimus tertius est celestinus . quem alphonsus , &c. nicolaus . qui in capite ex●st . de verborum significatione in sexto definit . iohannes . papa a multis reprehenditur . de secunda est quidem aliqua dissensio inter authores , &c. * jn-defensorio p. . c. . ❀ l. . sum. c. sunt tres de eare theologorum sententiae . de qua &c. tres inueniuntur auct●rum sententiae &c. onuphrium in libro de comitijs imperialibus contra communem historicorum sententiam scripsisse &c. hanc autem originem , &c. secundo abqui catholici obij , &c. concilia particularia , &c. rem esse incertissimam , &c. respondent quidam , vt vega , &c. de concilijs vnuersalibus , &c. p. . c. gratianus dist . &c. de proposita quaestione tres &c. a in . d. . b . p. tit . . c. . c l. . c. . &c d de planctu ec cle . l. . c. . quae autem definiuit . author libri de eccl. haereticos & apostatas baptiz . alphonsus , &c. deschismaticis , &c. de excommunicatis quod in eccles. &c. propter haec loca &c. restant infideles occulti , &c. so thomas waldensis , io. driedo , peter a soto , hosius , canus , & others . non desunt etiam catholici qui dicant , &c. si nulla extaret &c. sexta obiectio ex s. hieronimo in com . &c. onuphrius in libro de cardinalium titulis &c ac vt a primo incipiamus , io. maior , &c. praeterea erasmus , &c. quartus error est multorum canonistarum . dubium autem est , &c. thomas vvald . do●et clericos debere , &c. postrema restat quaestio de libertate eccles. quaestionem esse inter theologos , &c. et quamuis , s. thomas . vtrum autem post votum . de quarto duo sunt errores extremi . tertius error est , &c. non defuerunt qui , &c. argumentum tertium quorundam catholicorum . tertia quaestio nunc , &c. quantum ad primum , difficultas , &c. quod ●am quasi pratum florentissimum lucidissimum , odoratis , amaenum . mitissimum purgatorium , & quasi carcer quidam senatorius , & honoratus . si haec historia , &c. de damnatis similiter dico , &c. in - sent . di . . praeter hos errores , &c. de tertio dubio &c. quamuis autem aliquo modo &c. nec vlli dubium esse debet , &c. quod autem mortui , &c. vnum hic solun dubium , &c. qui potest suffragijs , &c. at dissentiunt de suffragijs ●●●●●●ularibus , &c. quarta expos . &c. alter error fuit gul. &c. eandem haeresin nostro saeculo , &c. quaestio quarta sequitur ●vbi sit purgat . est autem hic notandum scholasticos , &c. neque obstat quod esti patres , &c. de modo autem quo cognoscunt , &c. . par . q. . ar . secunda opinio , &c. quarta opinie , &c. * . part. q. . art . . ❀ lib. de cultu imaginum , &c. praeterea notandum est bartol . &c. ad secundum payua responder . venio nunc ad postremam quaestionem &c. peresius respondet . et quidem tho. vvaldensis , prima quorundam recentiorum , qui &c. basilicae vel memoriae . non tenemur diebus festis , &c secundum est vt hoc , &c. tres sunt doctorum sent entiae , &c. sunt enim plures definitiones &c. duae sunt theolugorum sententiae . sunt igitur variae doctorum sententiae , &c. jtaque quod paludanus , &c. aduersarij duo quaedam docent , &c. noua haeresis nostro tempore , &c. responderidebet duas esse theologorum sententias . quartum argumentum est catha . &c. sacramenta esse ver●s causas , &c. vna igitur quaestio est , &c. porro de circumcisione . signum aliquod spirituale , &c. character non est relatio , &c. alij ponunt simpliciter in substantia . nec circumcisio &c. * . p. q. . ar . ● . praeter hos errores est opinio , &c nota , negari non posse &c. quo puncto temporis &c. non desunt theologi vt dominicus , &c. inter catholicos fuerunt etiam &c. altera opinio est . prior est aliquorum scholasticorum &c. respon . quaestionem esse inter theologos . ex catholicis solus est &c. est quidem inter catholicos quaestio &c. sed existit hes loco , &c. porro catholici fere omnes , &c. nota secundo catholicos , &c. quidam tamen catholici , &c. primum est , duas opiniones falsas &c. b. augustinus in epistola ad vo●usianum de vtroque isto miraculo , &c. quintum exemplum est . durandus docuit partem vnam &c. hinc refelli potest , &c. sexta opinio seu potius haeresis , &c. tertius error eorum est , &c. sunt igitur de praesenti quaestione , &c. porro ecclesia catholica semper &c. est igitur quaestio hoc loco tractanda , &c. johannes a louanio vbi praecipue &c. breuiter refellenda est opinio eorum &c. nihil spiritualis fructus capitur ex duabus . de hoc loco duae sunt catholicorum sententiae . de modo autem loquendi , &c. plurimi conantur , &c. ab hac philippi sententia non procul . &c. hoc testimonium non potest &c. huc faciunt omnia loca patrum &c. consecratio eucharistiae , &c sacrificium missae &c. praeterea damasus in pontificali . conuenit ferè inter authores , &c. quam ceremoniam non ipse &c. jta ex catholicis theologis scotus , &c. deinde attexit varias esse opiniones catholicorum &c. denique esto , non sit confessio iuris &c. neque sco'us satis apte &c. jnprimis null ●unt catholicorum &c. obijciunt tertio &c. sequitur altera partitio , &c. neque probandum est quod hadrianus &c. porro catholici scriptores in eo &c. theologi scholastici in eo solum &c. ●●quidem catholici doctores &c. et richardus armachanus docuit , &c. secunda est richardi in libello de spiritu blasphemiae &c. errat enim rupertus abbas l. . &c. extitit etiam ante annos &c. non ignoro thomam vvaldensem &c. docet quidem ruardus tapperus insignis theologus &c. adde quod licet sententia sit valde &c. non concedit melior pars theologorum &c. denique nemo catholicorum d●cet , &c. de priore non omnes conueniunt . quidam catholici inter quos &c. vna tantum est inter theologos quaestio &c. vna est tantum hoc in loco dubitatio &c. duae sunt ceremoniae &c. ordinatio ● episcopalis , &c. de diaconis valde probabile est . jam vero de subdia conantu &c. denique de minoribus ordinibus &c. sequitur tertia controuersia &c. ex catholicis vnus est durandus . non desunt catholici qui admittant , &c. de copulâ coniugali duae sunt &c. respondent aliqui vt petrus &c. canus autem dum pro sua opinione &c. quidam enim docent , &c. eandem sententiam &c. et dominicus &c. quod vero ille dicit , &c. quaestio est inter doctores , &c. primus videtur erasmus &c. quaestio igitur &c. de his quatuor gradibus &c. non desunt quidem theologi . quare non magis differt , &c. prior fuit pelagianorum &c. non defuerunt ex veteribus &c quaerta opinio est recentiorum . &c. et quidem recentiores illi &c. et quidem johannes damascenus , &c. vna sancti augustini quem scholastici &c. quocirca valdè mirum est &c. his omnibus erroribus contraria est sententia theolog. catholicorum &c. at sententiae communis &c. aliqui docent &c. et quidem non desunt . et quidem s. iohannes chrys. explicandus est modus &c. quod ad priorem &c. communis sententia est si primus , &c. tametsi non desint . inter catholicos , &c. non desunt qui existiment . ex nostris ioha●nes &c. non vnum in omnibus &c. nunc refutand●e sunt duae &c. restat vltimus error . quinque numerantur sententiae &c. locus in quo paruuli degunt &c. aliqui veterum scholasticorum . ad hanc sententiam accessit albertus &c. vtrum habitus gratiae . operae precium esse duximus . &c. vnde sumatur efficacia gratiae &c. theologi catholici quàm plurimi &c. auxilium dei sufficiens &c. disputant quidem theologi &c. sed explicemus paulo fusius , &c. propter hoc argumentum non defuerunt &c. sunt autem de hac re multae theologorum sententiae &c. tametsi gul. occam in l. . sent. q. . tres de hac re sententiae &c. tres enim theologorum . vna solum controuersia rema net . duo siquidem contrarij errores &c. tertia quaestio quae vna ex principalibus &c. concordiam istam liberi arbitrij &c. quidam theogi , &c. conueniunt theologi catholici , &c. fortasse conciliari possunt . dictum iliud commune scholarum , &c. aliqui etiam ex catholicis , &c. in eandem sententiam fiue potius , &c. de proposita igitur quaestione &c. nam parisiensis & louaniensium vero , &c. dico nullum catholicum scriptorem &c. ab hoc argumento &c. quamuis non desint &c. fuit opinio cuiusdam &c. fuit singularis opinio gulielm . &c. et quamuis non desint grauissimi , &c. catholici omnes agnoscunt &c. quod vero quidam distinguunt &c. non desunt qui censeant opera &c. postrema restat quaestio . &c. vtrum autem operibus . &c. quamuis cardinalis caietanas . &c. respondemus iure diuino &c quicquid olim doctores . &c. a●tera sententia est johannis cassiani &c. quamuis autem praeceptum elecmosynae &c. quamuis non desint graues theologi &c. non defuerunt ex antiquis theologis &c. non desuerunt aliqui ex recentioribus &c. non defuere qui indulgentias &c. quaere merit● damnata est &c non defuerunt qui negauerint &c. certe haec responsio probabilis visa est caietano &c. videtur quidem petrus &c. indulgentiae liberant &c. cum in forma indulgentiae &c cum non fit mentio &c. porro caietani definitio &c. existit autem hoc loco &c. non desunt qui negent &c. an qui indulgentiam . &c. si quis tempore iubilei . &c. de conci●io generali quaeri potest &c. altera dubita●io est de iure &c. denique angelus in summa . ad iustam causam requiri &c. ●icu●●roban●●n non est quod &c. an requiratur status gratiae &c tertia quaestio est de confessione nam cardinali● caietan . &c. ex catholicis ostiensis . de modo quo indul . &c. quid significet per modum suffragij &c. difficillima omnium ea est &c. requiritur ex sententia caietani &c. praepositinus quidam &c. remelius considerata &c. non probo quod &c. vbi dicimus senten●iam &c. non approbo quod dixi . &c. docuimus hoc loco , &c. reprehendit vtrumque &c. dixi conuersionem &c. videtur reprehendere io. de louan & me . posui inter libros catholicos &c. allegantur multi authores &c. quia dum haec recognoscer●m &c. quamuis . glossa &c. confess . sacram. non esse in paradiso &c. a nullo puro homine &c. errasse etiam eos . infertur errasse glossam &c. errore caietanum . etiam petrum ab osma errasse &c. infertur falli canonem &c. errasse glossam tenetur homo &c. non esse vllum &c. malè autem addunt paludanus &c. circumstantias quae aggrauant . difficile est autem &c. non igitur circumstantia temporis &c. dubium est inter doctores &c difficultas est inter doctores &c. neminem teneri ad &c. neque confess . neque absolutionem fieri posse per procuratorem . quamuis in confesso sit , &c. res haec satis dubia &c. quamuis s. thomas &c. quoad casus reservatos &c. vnde fallitur adrianus &c. ad medicandum & consulendum &c. non parua inter doctores &c. tertius casus est &c. parochianus delinquens , &c. ratihabitionem retro-trabi . &c. quid tamen nomine proprij &c quicquid glossa &c. quamuis non nulli olim vt glossa &c. quamuis viatores &c. quidam eius opinionis sunt &c. quoties quis putat se non &c. laicus cui in articulo &c. quicquid olim glossa &c. tria illa diéta &c. jo. maior qui maxime contendit &c. jnterrogatio praeambula &c. non sufficit autem vt putat caietan . &c. quicquid aliqui &c. quicquid contrarium dicat caietan . licentiam hanc dari posse &c. aliqui saltem in alijs duobus &c. quid facere debet confessarius &c. confessariū quo ad confitentem &c. informa absolutionis . manus impositio super capite paenitentis &c. hinc infertur falli angelum &c. jn hac quaestione difficili &c. quamuis mult . doctores , &c. quamuis caietanus &c. in hac quaestione satis difficili &c. vnde falluntur richard. &c. the great mystery of godliness laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : also the invisible world discovered to spirituall eyes and reduced to usefull meditation in three books / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the great mystery of godliness laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : also the invisible world discovered to spirituall eyes and reduced to usefull meditation in three books / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by e. cotes for john place, london : . has added t.p. at end of preface. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng church of england -- prayer-books and devotions. christian life. a r (wing h ). civilwar no the great mystery of godliness, laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation: also the invisible world, discovered to spirituall e hall, joseph d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the great mystery of godliness , laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation : also the invisible world , discovered to spirituall eyes , and reduced to usefull meditation . in three books . by jos hall , d. d. b. norwich . london , printed by e. cotes , ●or john place at furnivals inne-gate , . to all them that love our lord jesus christ in sincerity , grace and peace . dear brethren , if i have , in a sort , taken my leave of the world already ; yet , not of you , whom god hath chosen out of the world , and endeared to me by a closer interest : so as ye may justly expect from me a more speciall valediction ; which i do now in all christian affection tender unto you : and , as dear friends upon a long parting are wont to leave behind them some takens of remembrance , where they most affect ; so have i thought good , before my setting forth on my last journey , to recomend unto you these my two finall meditations ; then which , i suppose , nothing could be more proper for me to give ; or more likely to merit your acceptation : for , if we were half way in heaven already , what can be a more seasonable imployment of our thoughts , then the great mysterie of godlinesse , which the angels d●sire to look into ? and , now when our badily eyes are glutted with the view of the things that are seen ( a prospect , which can offord us nothing but vanity and vexation ) what can be more meet , then to feed our spirituall eyes , with the light of invisible glories ? make your use of them , both , to the edisying of your selves in your most holy faith ; and aspire with me , towards that happiness which is laid up above for all those that love the appearance of our lord jesus . withall , as the last words of friends are wont to bear the greatest weight , and to make the deepest impression ; so let these lines of holy advise , wherewith after many well-meant discourses ) i shall close up the mouth of the presse , find the like respect from you . oh that i might in the first place , effectually recommend to you the full recovery of that precious legacy of our blessed saviour , peace : peace with god , peace with men ; next to grace the best of all blessings : yet , wo is me , too too long banished from the christian world , with such animosity , as if it were the worst of enemies , and meet to be adjudged to a perpetuall mitrnatit ion . oh for a fountain of tears to bewaile the slain of gods people in all the coasts of the earth : how is christendome become an universall aceldama ? how is the earth every where drenched with humane bloud ? ●oured out , not by the hands of cruell infidels , but of brethren : men need not go so farre as euphrates for the execution of turks and pagans , christians can make up an armageddon with their own mutuall slaughter . enough , my dear brethren , enough ; yea more then too much hath been the effusion of that bloud , for which our saviour hath shed his : let us now , at the last , dry up these deadly issues , which we have made ; and with soveraigne balms bind up the wounds we have given : let us now be , not more sparing of our tears , to wash off the memory of these our unbrotherly dimications , and to ppease the anger of that god , whose offended justice hath raised war out of our own bowels : as our enmity , so our peace begins at heaven : had we not provoked our long suffering god , we had not thus bled ; and we cannot but know and beleeve him that said . when a mans wayes please the lord , he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him ; oh that we could throughly reconcile our selves to that great and holy god , whom we have irritated by our crying sins , how soon would he , who is the commander of all hearts , make up our breaches , and calme and compose our spirits to an happy peace and concord ! in the next place give me leave earnestly to exhort you , that , as we have been heretofore palpably faulty in abusing the mercies of our god for which we have soundly smarted ) so that now , we should be so much the more carefull to improve the judgments of god , to our effectuall reformation : we have felt the heavie hand of the almighty upon us to purpose ; oh that our amendment could be no lesse sensible then our sufferings ; but , alas , my brethren , are our wayes any whit holyer ? our obedience , more exact , our sins less and fewer then before we were thus heavily afflicted ? 〈…〉 our god too justly 〈…〉 that complaint , which he made once by his prophet jeremiah , ye have transgressed against me , saith the lord , in vain have i smitten your children , they received no correction : far be it from us , that after so many sad and solemne mournings of our land , any accuser should be able to charge us , as the prophet hosea did his israel , by swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adulterie , they break out , and blood toucheth bloud : we be to us , if after so many veins opened , the blood remaining should not be the purer . let me have leave , in the third place , to e●cite you to the practise of c●●●stian charity , in the mutuall constructions of each others persons , and actions ; which ( i must tell you ) we have heedlesly violated in the heat of our holy intentions ; whiles those which have varied from us in matter of opinion , concerning some appendances of religion , and outward forms of administration , we have been apt to look upon with such disregard , as if they had herein forfeited their christian profession , and were utter aliens from the common-wealth of israel ; though in the mean time , sound at the heart ; and endeavouring to walk close with god in all their wayes : whereas the father of all mercies allows a gracious latitude to his children , in all not-forbidden paths : and in every nation and condition of men , he that feareth god , and worketh righteousness ▪ is accepted with him : beware we ( my dear brethren ) lest whiles we follow the chase of zeal , we out-run charity , without which , piety it self would be but unwelcome : as for matter of opinion in the differences of religion , wherewith the whole known world , not of christians only , but of men , is wofully distracted , to the great prejudice of millions of souls , let this be our sure rule . whosoever he be that holds the faith which was once delivered to the saints , agreeing therefore with us in all fundamentall truths , let him be received as a brother : for there is but one lord , one faith , one baptism : and , other foundation can no man lay , then that which is laid , which is jesus christ : let those which will be a devising a new creed , look for a new saviour , and hope for another heaven ; for us we know whom we have beleeved : if any man be faulty in the doctrines of superstructure , let us pity and rectifie his errour , but not abandon his person . the communion of saints is not so sleight that it should be violated by weak mistakings : if any man through ignorance or simplicity , shall strike at the foundation of faith , let us labour by all gentle means , and brotherly conviction , in the spirit of meeknesse to reclaim him : if after all powerfull indeavours he will needs remain , obstinate in his evill way ; let us disclaim his fellowship , and not think him worthy of a god-speed . but if he shall not only wilfully undermine the ground-work of christian faith , by his own damnable opinions , but diffuse his hereticall blasphemies to the infection of others ; let him be cut off by spirituall censures ; and so dealt with by publick authority that the mischief of his contagion may be seasonably prevented , and himself be made sensible of his hainous crime . in all which proceedings , just distinction must be made betwixt the seduced soul , and the pestilent seducer , the one calls for compassion , the other , for severity : so then my brethren let us pity and pray for all that have erred and are deceived ; let us instruct the ignorant , convince the gainsaying , avoid the obstinate , restrain the infectious , and punissh the self-convicted heresiarch . in the fourth place , let us , i beseech you , take heed of beeing swayed with self-interests in all our designs : these have ever been the bane of the best undertakings , as being not more plausibly insinnuative , then pernicious : for that partiall self-love , that naturally lodges in every mans brest , is ready to put us upon those projects , which , under fair pretences , may be extreamly prejudiciall to the publique weal ; suggesting not how lawfull or expedient they may be for the common , but how beneficiall to our selves ; drawing us by insensible degrees to sacrifice the publique welfare to our own advantage , and to underwork , and cross the better counsails of more faithfull patriots : whereupon , many flourishing churches , kingdomes , states , have been brought to miserable ruine : oh that we could remember , that as all things are ours , so we are not our own ; that we have the least interest in our selves , being infinitely more considerable as parts of a community , then as single persons ; that the main end of our beeing , ( next to the glory of our maker ) is an universall serviceablenesse to others : in the attaining whereof , we shall far more eminently advance our own happiness , then by the best of our private self-seeking indeavors . but withall , it will be meet for us to consider , that , as we are made to serve all , so only in our own station : there can be no hope of a continued wel being without order : there can be no order without a due subordination of degrees , and diversity of vocations ; and in vain shall divers vocation● be ordained , if all professions shall enterfere with each other . it is the prudent and holy charge of the apostle , let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called . we are all members of the same body , every one whereof hath his proper employment : the head is to direct and govern , the feet to walk , the eyes to see , the ears to hear : how mad would we think that man , that should affect to walk on his head , to hear with his eye , to see with his ear ? neither surely is it lesse incongurous for men in divine and civill administrations , to offer to undertake , and manage each others function ; in their nature and quality no lesse disperate : so then , let us indeavour to advance the common good , as that a pious zeal may not draw in confusion ; and that we may not mistakeingly rear up the walls of babel , whiles we intend jerusalem : not religion only , but policie cals us to encouragement of all usefull professions ; and of the sacred so much more , as the soul is more precious then all the world beside . heed therefore must be taken to avoid all means , whereby the study of learning and knowledge may be any way disheartned ; as without which the world would soon be over-run with ignorance , & barbarism : all arts therefore , as being in their kind excellent , may justly challenge their own rights , and if they shall want those respects , which are due to them , will suddenly languish : but above all , as divinity is the queen of sciences , so should it be our just shame that whiles her handmaids are mounted on horsback , she should wait on them on foot . fifthly , as it is our greatest honour that the name of christ is called upon us ; so let it , i beseech you , be our care , that our profession be not formal , empty , and barren like the jewish fig-tree , abounding with leaves , void of fruit ; but reall , active , fruitfull of all good workes , and exemplary in an universal obedience to the wholwill of god : for it is a scandall never to be enough lamented , that any of those who are saints by calling ( such we all are , or should be ) should hug some dearling sin in their bosome , which at last breaks forth to the shame of the gospell , and to the insultation of gath and ascalon : wo be to us if we shall thus cause the name of our god to be evill spoken of : there are two many of those , whom i am loath , and sorry to style heathen-christians ; christians in name , heathens in conversation : these , as they come not within the compasse of my dedication , ( for , alas , how should they love the lord jesus , when they know him not ? ) so i can heartily bewail their condition , who , like gideons fleece , continue altogether dry , under so many sweet shewres of grace ; wishing unto their souls , even thus late , a sense of the efficacy of that water which was once poured on their faces : these , if they run into all excesse of riot , what can be other expected from them ? but for us , that have learned to know the great mysterie of godlinesse , and have given up our name , to a strict covenant of obedience , if we shall suffer our selves to be miscarried into any enormious wickedness , we shall cause heaven to blush , and hell to triumph . oh therefore , let us be so much the more watchfull over our ways , as our engagements to the name of our god , are greater , and the danger of our miscariages more deadly . lastly , let me beseech , and adjure you , in the name of the lord jesu , to be carefull in matter of religion , to keep within the due bounds of gods revealed will . a charge which i would to god were not too needfull in these last dayes ; wherein , who sees not what spirits of errour are gone forth into the world , for the seducing of simple , and ungrounded souls ? wo is me , what throngs are carried to hell by these devillish impostures ? one pretends visions , and revelations of new verities , which the world was not hitherto worthy to know ; another boasts of new lights of uncouth interpretations , hidden from all former eyes ▪ one despises the dead letter of the scriptures , another distorts it to his own erroneous sense . o the prodiges of damnable , hereticall , atheous fancies , which have hereupon infested the christian church ; ( for which , what good soul doth not mourn in secret ? ) the danger whereof ye shall happily avoid , if ye shall keep close to the written word of our god which is only able to make you wise to salvation : as our saviour repelled the devill , so do ye the fanatick spirits of these brain-sick men , with , it is written ; let those who would be wiser then god , justly perish in their presumption ; my soul for yours , if ye keep you to s. pauls guard , not to be wise above that which is written . i could easily out of the exuberance of my christian love overcharg you with multiplicity of holy counlses , but i would not take a tedious farewell . may the god of heaven bless these , and all other wholesom admonitions to the furtherance of your souls in grace ; and may his good spirit , ever lead & guide us in all such wayes , as may be pleasing to him , till we happily meet in the participation of that incomprehensible glory , which he hath prepared for ill his saints ; till when , farewel from your fellow-pilgrim in this vale of tears , jos. hall . higham neer norwich , nov. . the great mysterie of godliness , laid forth by way of affectuous and feeling meditation . by jos. hall , d. d. b. n. london , printed by e. cotes , for john place at furnivals inne-gate , . the great mysterie of godliness . sect. i. let no man goe about to entertain the thoughts of the great mystery of godliness , but with a ravished heart , an heart filled with a gracious composition of love , and joy , and wonder : such a one , o saviour , i desire , through thy grace , to bring with me to the meditation of that thine infinitely glorious work of our redemption : it was as possible for thy chosen vessell who was by a divine extasie caught up into paradise , and there heard unutterable words to express what he saw and heard above , as to set forth what was acted by thee here below ; as therefore unable either to comprehend , or utter things so far above wonder , he contents himself with a patheticall intimation of that , which he saw could never be enough admired ; great is the mysterie of godlinesse . there are great mysteries of art , which the wit and experience of skilfull men have discovered ; there are greater mysteries of nature , some part whereof have been described by art and industrie , but the greater part lyes hidden from mortall eyes : but these are lesse then nothing to the great mystery of godliness : for , what are these but the deep secrets of the creature ? mean therefore , and finite like it self ; but the other are the unfadomable depths of an infinite deitie : fitter for the admiration of the highest angels of heaven , then for the reach of humane conception . great were the mysteries of the law ; neither could the face of moses be seen without his veile : but what other were these , but the shadowes of this great mystery of godliness ? what did that golden ark overspread with glorious cherubims , that gorgeous temple , those perfumers altars , those bleeding sacrifices , that sumptuous ▪ priesthood , but prefigure thee , o blessed saviour , which in the fulnesse of time shouldst be revealed to the world , and make up this great mystery of godliness ? there is nothing , o dear jesu that ▪ thou either didst or sufferedst for mankind , which is other then mysterious , and wonderfull ; but the great and astonishing mysterie of godlinesse is thy ▪ self ; god manifested in the flesh : lo , faith it self can never be capable to apprehend a mysterie like this ; thou who art a spirit , and therefore immateriall , invisible , to expose thy self to the view of earthen eyes ; thou , who art an infinite spirit to be enwrapped in flesh ; thou an al-glorious eternal spirit to put on the rags of humane mortality ; thou , the great creatour of all things , to become a creature ; thou , the omnipotent god , to subject thy self to miserable frailty and infirmity : o mysterie transcending the full apprehension of even glorified souls ! if but one of thy celestial spirits have upon thy gracious mission assumed a visible shape ▪ and therein appeared to any of thy servants of old , it hath been held a spectacle of so dreadfull astonishment , that it could not be consistent with life ; even so much honour was thought no less then deadly ; neither could the patient make any other account then to be killed with the kindnesse of that glory ; what shall we say then , that thou who art the god of those spirits , and therefore infinitely more glorious then all the hierarchy of heaven , vouchsafedst , not in a vanishing apparition , but in a setled state of many years continuance , to shew thy self in our flesh , and to converse with men in their own shape and condition ? o great mysterie of godlinesse , god manifested in the flesh ▪ so great that the holy ambition of the heavenly angels could not reach higher then the desire to look down into it . sect. ii. but o saviour , that which raised the amazement at the appearance of thine angels ▪ was their resplendent glorie ; whereas that which heightens the wonder of thy manifestation to men , is the depth of thine abasement : although thou wouldst not take the nature of angels , yet why wouldst thou not appear in the lustre and majesty of those thy best creatures ? or , since thou wouldst be a man , why wouldst thou not come as the chief of men , commanding kings and princes of the earth to attend thy train ? thou , whose the earth is , and the fulnesse thereof , why wouldst thou not raise to thy self a palace compiled of all those precious stones , which lye hid in the close cofers of that thine inferiour treasurie ? why did not thy court glitter with pearle , and gold , in the rich furnitures , and gay suits of thy stately followers ? why was not thy table furnished with all the delicacies that the world could afford ? o saviour , it was the great glory of thy mercy , that being upon earth , thou wouldest abandon all earthly glory ; there could not be so great an exaltation of thy love to mankinde , as that thou wouldst be thus low abased ; manifested then thou wert , but manifested in a despicable obscurity : whether shall i more wonder , that being god blessed for ever , thou wouldst become man ; or , that condescending to be man , thou wouldst take upon thee the shape of a servant , a servāt to those whose lord , whose god thou wert . what proportion could there be , o blessed jesus betwixt a god and a man ; betwixt finite , and infinite ; the onely power of thy everlasting and unmeasurable love hath so reduced one of these to the other , that both are united in that glorious person of thine to make up an absolute saviour of mankind : o the height , and depth of this supercelestial mysterie , that the infinite deity , and finite flesh should meet in one subject ? yet so , as the humanity should not be absorpted of the godhead ; nor the godhead coarcted by the humanity , but both inseparably united ; that the godhead is not humanized , the humanity is not deifred , both are indivisibly conjoyned : conjoined so , as without confusion ; distinguished so , as without division : so wert thou , o god , manifested in the flesh , that thou the word of thine eternall father wert made flesh ; and dwelledst among us ; and we men beheld thy glory , the glory , as of the only begotten of the father , full of grace and truth ; yet so wert thou made flesh as not by conversion into flesh , but as by assumption of flesh to thine eternall deity : assumption , not into the nature of the godhead , but into the person of thee , who art god everlasting : o mystery of godlinesse , incomprehensibly glorious ! cease , cease o humane curiosity , and where thou canst not comprehend , wonder and adore . sect. iii. but , o savior , was it not enough for thee to be manifested in flesh ? did not that elementarie composition carry in it abasement enough , without any further addition ? ( since for god to become man was more then for all things to be redacted to nothing ) but that in the rank of miserable manhood , thou wouldst humble thy self to the lowest of humanity , and become a servant ? shall i say more ? i can hear bildad the shuhite say , man is a worm ; and i hear him , who was a noble type of thee , say , as in thy person , i am a worm and no man , a reproach of men , and despised of the people : o saviour , in how despicable a condition do i find thee exhibited to the world ? lodged in a stable ; cradled in a manger ; visited by poor shepheards ; imployed in an homely trade ; attended by mean fishermen ; tempted by presumptuous devils ; persecuted by the malice of envious men ; exposed to hunger , thirst , nakednesse , wearinesse , contempt ? how many sclaves under the vassalage of an enemie fare better then thou didst from ingratefull man , whom thou camest to save ? yet all these were but a mild and gentle preface to those thy last sufferings , wherewith thou wert pleased to shut up this scene of mortality : there i find thee sweating blood in thine agonie , crowned with thorns bleeding with scourges , buffeted with cruell hands , spat upon by impure mouths , laden with thy fatall burden , distended upon that torturing crosse , nailed to that tree of shame and curse , reviled and insulted upon by the vilest of men , and at last , ( that no part of thy precious bloud might remain unshed ) pierced to the heart by the spear of a late and impertinent malice . thus , thus , o god and saviour , wouldst thou be manifested in the flesh , that the torments of thy flesh and spirit might be manifested to that world , which thou camest to redeem ; thus wast thou wounded for our transgressions ; thus wast thou bruised for our iniquities ; thus were the chastisements of our peace upon thee ; and thus with thy stripes are we healed ▪ o blessed , but still incomprehensible mystery of godliness ; god thus manifested in the flesh , in weakness , contempt , shame , pain , death . once only , o blessed jesus whiles thou wert wayfaring upon this globe of earth , didst thou put on glory ; even upon mount tabor , in thy heavenly transfiguration ; then , and there did thy face shine as the sun ; and thy raiment was white as thy light : how easie had it been for thee to have continued this celestiall splendor to thy humanity all the whole time of the so journing upon earth ; that so thou mightest have been adored of all mankinde ? how would all the nations under heaven have flockd to thee , and fallen down at the feet of so glorious a majesty ? what man in all the world would not have said with peter , lord it is good for us to be here ? or if it had pleased thee to have commanded moses and elias to wait upon thee in thy mediatorie perambulation , and , to attend thee at jerusalem , on the mount of sion , as they did in the mount of tabor , whom hadst thou not in a zealous astonishment drawn after thee ? but it was thy wil and the pleasure of thy heavenly father , that this glorious appearance should soon be over shadowed with a cloud : and as those celestiall guests , now in the midst of thy glory , spent their conference about thy bitter sufferings , and thine approaching departure out of the world ▪ so wert thou , for the great work of our redemption , willing to be led from the mount tabor to mount calvarie ; from the height of that glory to the lowest depth of sorrow , pain , exinanition . thus vile wert thou , o saviour , in the flesh ; but in this vilenesse of flesh mannifested to be god ; how did all thy creatures in this extremity of thine abasement , agree to acknowledge and celebrate thine infinite deity ? the angels came down from heaven to visit and attend thee ; the sun pulled in his head as abhorring to look upon the sufferings of his maker , the earth was covered over with darkness ▪ and quaked for the horror of that indignity , which was offered to thee in that bloody passion ; the rocks rent , the graves opened themselves , and sent up their long-since putrefied tenants to wait upon thee , the lord of life , in thy glorious resurrection ; so as thou , in thy despised and crucified flesh wert abundantly manifested to be the almighty god of heaven and earth . sect. . o blessed saviour , thou the true god manifested in the flesh , be thou pleased to manifest unto the soul of thy servant , the unspeakable riches of thy love and mercie to mankind , in that great work of our redemption : vouchafe to affect ▪ my heart with a lively sense of that infinite goodnesse of thine towards the wretcheddest of thy creatures ; that for our sake thou camest down , and cloathedst thy self in our flesh and cloathedst that pure and holy flesh with all the miseries that are incident to this sinfull flesh of ours ; and wast content to undergo a bitter , painfull , ignominous death from the hands of man , that by dying thou mightest overcome death and ransome him from that hel , to which he was ( without thee ) irrecoverably forfeited ; and fetch him forth to life , liberty , and glory : o let me not see only , but feel this thy great mysterie of godlinesse effectually working me to all hearty thankfulnesse for so inestimable a mercie ; to all holy resolutions to glorifie thee in all my actions , in all my sufferings : didst thou , o saviour , being god eternall , take flesh for me ; and shall not i , when thou callest , be willing to lay down this sinfull flesh for thee again ? wert thou content to abridge thy self , for the time , not onely of thy heavenly magnificence , but of all earthly comforts , for my sake , and shall not i , for thy dear sake , renounce all the wicked pleasures of sin ? didst thou wear out the dayes of thy flesh in poverty , toil , reproach , and all earthly hardship ; and shall i spend my time in pampering this flesh in wanton dalliance , in the ambitious , and covetous pursuit of vain honours , and deceivable riches ? blessed lord thou wert manifested in the flesh , not only to be a ransome for our souls , but to be a precedent for our lives : far , far be it from me thus to imitate the great pattorn of holiness . o jesu , the author and finisher of my faith and salvation , teach me to tread in thy gracious steps , to run with patience the race that is set before me ▪ to endure the cross , to despise the shame to be crucified to the world , to work all righteousnesse . sect. v. how easily could i be drawn to envie the priviledge of those eyes , which saw thee here walking upon earth , o god and saviour , in the dayes of thy manifesting thy self in flesh ? oh what an happy spectacle was this , to see the face of him , in whom the godhead dwelt bodily ? all the world is not worth such a sight : whither could i not wish to go to see but a just portraiture of that shape , wherein thou wert pleased to converse with men ? but thine holy apostle checks this uselesse curiosity in me , whiles he saies ; if we have knowne christ after the flesh , yet now henceforth know we him so no more ; it is not the outside of thine humane form , the view whereof can make us more holy or more happy : judas saw thee as well as he that lay in thy bosome ; those saw thee that maligned and persecuted thee , and shall once again see thee to their utmost horror , see him whom they pierced : they saw that flesh in which god was manifested ; they saw not god manfested in the flesh : it is our great comfort and priviledge , that it was flesh wherein god was manifested ▪ but it is not in the flesh , but in the deity to render us blessed : o saviour , i dare not beg of thee , so to manifest thy self to me , as thou didst to thy chosen vessell in his way to damascus , or to thy first martyr in the storm of his lapidation ; these miraculous manifestations are not for my meanness to sue for : but let me never cease to crave of thee a double manifestatiō of thy self to me ▪ be pleased to manifest thy self to me in the clear illuminations of thy spirit ; let me by the eyes of my faith clearly see thee both sprawling in : the manger , and walking upon earth , and tempted in the wildernesse , and arraigned in the judgment-hall , and suffering upon calvarie , and rising out of thy tomb , and a soending from thy olivet ▪ and reigning in heaven , and there interceding for me : and after my approaching dissolution , let my soul see thee in that glorified flesh , wherein thou wert manifested to the world , and in the majesty of that all-glorious deity ▪ which assumed it to that ever blessed society of glory . sect. vi . it was thy mercy , o god , that thou wouldst not keep up thy self close in thine eternall , spirituall , and incomprehensible essence , unknown to thy creatures upon earth , but that thou wouldest be manifested to the world : it was yet thy further mercy that thou wert not only pleased to manifest thy self to man in the wonderfull works of thy creation , ( since those invifible things of thine are understood , and clearly seen by the things that are made , even thine eternall power and god-head ) but to manifest thy self yet more clearly to us in thy sacred word , the blessed oracles of thine eternall truth : but it was the highest pitch of thy mercy , that thou wouldst manifest thy self yet more to us in the flesh . thou mightst have sent us thy gracious messages by the hands of thine angels , those glorious ministring spirits , that do continually attend thy throne ; this would not content thee , but such was thy love to us forlorn wretches , that thou wouldst come thy self , to finish the work of our redemption . neither didst thou think it enough to come to us in a spirituall way , imparting thy self to us by secret suggestions , and inspirations , by dreams and visions , but wouldst vouchsafe openly to be manifested in our flesh : how then , o my god , how wert thou manifested in the flesh ? was not the flesh thy vail ? and wherefore serves a vail , but to hide and cover ? did not thy deity then lie hid , and obscured , whiles thou wert here on earth under the vail of of thy flesh ? how then wert thou manifested in that flesh , wherein thou didst lye obscured ? surely , thou wert certainly manifested in respect of thy presence , in that sacred flesh of thine ; though for the time thy power and majesty lay hid under the vail : sometimes thou wert pleased that this sun of thy deity should break forth in the glorious beams of divine operations , to the dazeling of the eyes of men and devils , to the full eviction of thine omnipotent power against thy envious gainsayers ; at other times , thou wert content it should be clouded over with the dim and dusky appearances of humane infirmity ; the more thou wert obscured , the more didst thou manifest thy most admirable humility , and unparallelable love to mankinde , whose weaknesse thou disdainedst not to take up ; and the more thou didst exert thy power , in thy miraculous works , the more didst thou glorifie thy self , and vindicate thine almighty deity thus manifested in the flesh ; oh that thou wouldst enable me to give thee the due praiss both of thine infinite mercie in this thine humble obscurity , and of thy divine omnipotence , who as thou wert manifested in the flesh , so wast also justified in the spirit . sect. vii . he that should have seen thee , o saviour , working in josephs shop , or walking in the fields or streets of nazareth , or journying towards ierusalem , would have looked upon thee as a meer man : neither did thy garb or countenance bewray any difference in thee from the ordinary sort of men ; so did ●hy god-head please to conceal it for a time in that flesh , where in thou wouldst be manifested ; it was thine al-working and coessentiall spirit , by whose evident testimonies , and mighty operations , thy deity was irrefragably made good to the world : if the doubtfull sons of men shall in their peevish infidelity , he apt to renew the question of johns disciples : art thou he that should come , or shall we looke for another ? thine ever blessed and coeternal spirit , hath fully justified thee , for that only true , absolute , perfect mediator , by whom the great work of mans redemption is accomplished : whiles the gates of hell want neither power , nor malice , nor subtletie , it is not possible that thy divine person should want store of enemies ; these , in all successions of times , have dared to open their blasphemous mouthe against thy blessed deity : but against all their hellish oppositions , thou wert still , and shalt be ever justified by thy co-omni potent spirit ; in those convictive wonders which thou wroughtst upon earth ; in those miraculous gifts and graces , which thou powredst out upon men ; in that glorious resurrection and ascension of thine wherein thou didst victoriously triumph over all the powers of death and hell . lo then , ye perverse jews and scoffing gentiles , that are still ready to upbraid us with the impotency and sufferings of a despised redeemer ; and to tell us of the ragges of his manger , of the homelinesse of his education , of his temptation and transportation by the devill , of his contemptible train ; of his hunger and thirst , of his weariness and indigence , of his whips and thorns , of his agonie in the garden of gethsemane , of his opprobrious crucifixion in calvarie , of his parted garments and his borrowed grave : is not this he ▪ to whose homely cradle a glorious and supernaturall star guided the sages of the east for their adoration ? is not this he , whose birth declared by one glorious angell , was celebrated by a multitude of the heavenly host with that divine anthem of [ glory to god in the highest , and on earth peace , good will towards men ? ] is not this he that filled the world with his divine and beneficiall miracles ? healing all diseases by his word , restoring limbs to the lame , giving eyes to the borne blind , casting out devils , raising the dead , commanding windes and seas , acknowledged by an audible voice from heaven ? is not this he whom the very ejected devils were forced to confess to be the son of the everliving god ? whom the heaven and al the elements owned for their almighty creatour ? whose sufferings darkened the sun , and shooke the earth , and rent the rocks in pieces ? and justly , whom the dead saints and the heavenly angels attended in his powerfull resurrect on , and glorious ascension ? o saviour , abundantly justified in the spirit against all the malignances of men and devils . setc. viii . if thy malicious persecutours , whose hand was in thy most cruell crucifixion , shall for the covering of their own shame , blazon thee for a deceiver of the people ; how convincingly wert thou justified in the spirit , by the dreadfull and miraculous descent of the holy ghost in the cloven and fiery tongues ; and that suddain variety of language for the spreading of the glory of thy name over all the nations of the earth ? if the unbeleiving world , bewitched with their former superstition , shall furiously oppose thy name and gospell in the times immediately succeeding : how notably art thou justified in the spirit , by the suddain stopping of the mouths of their hellish oracles , by the powerfull predications of thine holy apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and doctors , seconded by such undeniable miracles as shamed and astonished , if not won , the gainsayers ? but , o saviour , being thus clearly instified in the spirit against the old spight of hell , with what shame and horrour do i see thine eternall godhead called into question by the misgoverned wits of certaine late mis-named christians : who as if they would raise up cursed arrius from his hatefull grave , have dared to renew those blasphemous cavils against thy sacred person , which with so great authority , and full evidence of the spirit were long since cryed downe to that hell , whence ( to the great contumelie of heaven ) they were most wickedly sent up into the world : woe is me , their damned sounder did not send down his soul into that fatal draught , in a more odious way , then these his followers vent themselves upward in most unsavoury and pestilent contradictions to thee , the lord of life and glory ▪ but even against these art thou justified in the spirit , speaking in thy divine scriptures , whose evident demonstrations do fully convince their calumnies and false suggestions ; and vindicate thy holy name , and blessed deity from all their devillish and frivolous argutations . is there any weak soul that makes doubt of thy plenarie satisfaction for his sinne , of the perfect accomplishment of the great work of mans redemption ? how absolutely art thou justified o blessed jesu , in the spirit , in that thou raisedst thy selfe from the dead ; quitting that prison of the grave , whence thou couldst not have come , till thou hadst paid the utmost farthing , wherein we stood indebted to heaven : o saviour , not more concealed in the flesh , then manifestly justified in the spirit for my all-sufficient redeemer , not more meekly yeilding to death for our offences , then powerfully raised up again for our justification : how should i blesse and praise thee , both for thine humble self-dejection in respect of thine assumed flesh , and for thy powerfull justification in thine infinite and eternall spirit ; that holy ghost whereby thou wert conceived in the womb of the virgin , justified thee in thy life , death , resuscitation ; now then , how confidently can i trust thee with my ▪ soul , who hast approved thy self so compleat and almighty a reedemer ? o blessed jesu , with what assurance do i cast my self upon thee for thy present protection for my future salvation ? how boldly can i defie all the powers of darknesse , whiles i am in the hand of so gracious and omnipotent a mediator ? who shal lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth . even thou the god who wast manifested in the flesh , and justified in the spirit , shalt justifie and save my spirit , soul and body in the day of our appearance before thee . sect. ix . o saviour , it is no mysterie that being manifested in he flesh , thou wert seen of men ; but it is no small part of the great mystery of godliness , that thou who art the god of spirits , wert seen by those heavenly spirits , cloathed in flesh : it could not be but great news to the angels to see their god born , and conversing as man , with men . for a man to see an angell is a matter of much wonder , but for an angell to see god become man , is a far greater wonder : since in this ▪ the change concernes an infinite subject , in the other , a finite , though incorporeall ▪ but , pause here awhile , o my soul , and inquire a little into these strange spectators : seen of angels ? who , or what might those be ? are three any such reall , incorporeall , permament substances ; or are they onely things of imagination , and extemporary representations of the pleasure of the almighty ? wo is me , ( that no errour may be wanting to this prodigious age , ) do we live to see a reviction of the old sadduci●●● , so long since dead and forgotten ? was gabriel that appeared and spake to daniel , nothing but a supernatural ph●ntasme ? and what then was a he gabriel ▪ that appeared with the happy newes of a saviour to the blessed virgin ? what are the angels of those little ones , whereof our saviour speakes , which do alwaies behold the face of his father in heaven ? what were those angels that appeared to the shepherds with the tidings and gratulations of the saviour borne at bethlem ? what was that beneficent spirit that visited peter in the prison , smote him on the side to wake him from his sleep ; shook off his chains , threw open the iron gate , and rescued him from the bloody hands of herod ? what are those spirits , who shall be gods reapers at the end of the world , to cut down the tares , and gather the wheat into his barn ? shortly , what were all those spirits ( whereof both testaments are full , ) which god was pleased to imply in his frequent missions to the earth ? were these phantasms too ? certainly , though there may be many orders , yet there is but one generall condition of those angelicall attendants on the throne of the almighty : even in the old testament , was it a supernaturall apparition of fancie , that in one night smote all the first borne in the land of aegypt ? was it a supernaturall apparition of fancie , that in one night laid an hundred fourscore and five thousand assyrians dead upon the ground ? could these be any other then the acts of living , and powerful agents ? it is not for us to contend about words ; those that are disposed to devise paradoxes , may frame to themselves what senses they please of their own terms ; this we are sure of , that the angels are truly existing , spirituall , intelligent , powerfull , eviternall creatures , whose being is not exposed to our sense , but evidenced both to our faith and reason ; not circumscribed in any grosse locality , but truly being where they are , and acting according to their spiritual nature . of these angels , o blessed saviour , wert thou seen manifested in the flesh , to their wonder and gratulation : that , thou who hadst taken our flesh wert visible , was no whit strange ; herein thou wert a plain and happy object to all eyes : but how the angels , being meerly spirituall substances , could see thee , may be part of this great mysterie : doubtlesse , they saw thee both before and ever since thou camest into the world , with eyes like themselves , spirituall , and , not seldome , saw thee being incarnate with the assumed eyes of those bodies wherein they appeared ; thus they saw , and adored , and proclaimed thee in thy first saluration of the world , when thou layest in that homely posture , in the manger at bethlehem ; singing that sweet and celestiall caroll at thy nativity , glory be to god in the highest . they saw thee in the wild desert , where no creatures appeared to thee , but either beasts or devils , there they saw thee pined with fasting , conflicted with the prince of darknes : they saw thee foiling that presum ptuous enemy , not without wonder , doubtlesse , at the boldnesse of that daring spirit , and joyfull applause at thy happy victory ; they saw thee , but ( as knowing there was no use of seconds in this duel of thine ) unseen of thee , till the full end of that great combat ; then they shewed themselves to thee , as willing to be known to have been the secret witnesses of the fight , and glad congratulators of thy triumph , then they came and ministred unto thee ; never were they but ready to have visibly attended thee , hadst thou been pleased to requite so sensible a service ; but the state of a servant , which thou choosedst to undergoe , suited not with the perpetuity of so glorious a retinue ; whether therefore they were seen to thee , or not seen , it was their great honour and happinesse , and a main part of the great mysterie of godliness , that thou , who art the true god manifested in the flesh , wert seen of angels . they saw thee in the garden , in thy sad agonie ; and if angels could have been capable of passion in that state of their glory , could have been no doubt , content to suffer in , and with thee ; with what eyes do we think they lookt upon thy bloody sweat ; and the frownes of thine heavenly father , which they saw bent against thee , in our persons , for the sin of mankind , which thou camest to expiate ? now in this dolefull condition , so wert thou seen of angels , that the angels were seen of thee : for lo , there appeared an angell from heaven strengthening thee . o the deep humiliation of god , manifested in the flesh , that thou , o jesu , the god and lord of all the angels of heaven , shouldst in this bloody conflict with thy fathers wrath for our sins need and receive comfort from a created ▪ angel thy servant ▪ whilest thou wert grapling with the powers of darkness there was no need of aid ; only after the fight angels came , and ministred to thee ; but now , that thou must struggle under the wrath of thy father , for mans sin , there was use of the consolation of one of those angels , whereof thou commandest millions : o blessed saviour , had not the face of thy heavenly father been clouded to thee , standing in the stead of our guiltinesse , it had been no lesse then presumption in any finite power to tender thee any suggestions of comfort ; but now , alas , those beatificall beams were so for the time hid from thine eyes , and the sweet influences of light and joy arising there-from , were for that sad instant , suspended ; so as nothing appeared to thee , that while , but the darknesse of displeasure and horrour ; now therefore the comforts of a creature , could not be but seasonable and welcome ; so that thou disdainedst not to be strengthened by an angel : extreme distresse looks not so much to the hand that brings supply , as to the supply it brings : if but one of thy three drouzy clients could have shaken off his sleep , and have let fall to thee some word of consolation , in that heavy fit of thine ▪ thou hadst not refused it ; how much lesse , the cordiall intimations of an heavenly monitor ? neither was it improper for thee , who wast content to be made a little inferiour to the angels , to receive some spirituall aid from the hands of an angell . what then , o saviour , was the strengthening which thou receivedst from this officious spirit in this pang of thine agony ? doubtless it was not any communication of an additionall power to bear up , under that heavy pressure of the sins of the whole world , which drew from thee those sweats of blood ; no angell in heaven was able to contribute that to the sonne of god ; but it was a sweet , and forcible representation to thy disconsolate humanity , of the near approach of an happy eluctation out of those torments of thy sufferings , and of the glorious crown of thy victory immediately succeeding . sect. x. and now , soon after , those angels that saw thee sweating in thine agonie , and bleeding on thy crosse , saw thee also triumphing over death , in thy resurrection ; they attended thee joyfully in the vault of thy sepulture , and saw thee trampling upon the last enemie ; being then sutably habited to so blessed an occasion , in white shining vestures ; how gladly were they imployed about that most glorious solemnity , both as actors in the service , and as the first heralds of thy victories over death ? i find one of them obsequiously making ready for thy coming out of those chambers of death , upon thine easter morning ; rolling away that massy stone , which the vain care of thine adversaries had laid ( curiously sealed ) upon the mouth of that cave , for the prevention of thy fore-threatned resurrection ; and sitting upon it with a countenance like lightning , and his garment white as snow , the terrour of whose presence made the guard to shake , and to become as dead men ; i find two of them no lesse glorious , sitting the one at the head , the other at the feet of that bed of earth whereon thou hadst newly slept ; by these angels wert thou both seen and attended ; and , no doubt , but as at thy first coming into the world , when but one angell published thy birth he was seconded by a multitude of the heavenly host ▪ praising god with hymns of rejoycing for thy nativity ; so when but one or two angels were seen at thy second birth ( which was thy glorious resurrection ) there were more of that heavenly company invisibly celebrating the joyfull triumph of that blessed day ; wherein having conquered death and hell , thou shewedst thy self in a glorified condition to the redeemed world of men : after this , when for the securance of thy resurrection , ( upon which all our faith justly dependeth ) thou hadst spent forty dayes upon earth , i find thee upon mount olivet , at thy most glorious ascension , not seen only , but proclaimed , and fore-promised in thy certain , and at least equally-glorious return , by the blessed angels . and behold while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up , two men stood by them in white apparel ; which also said , ye men of galilee , why stand yee gazing up into heaven ; this same jesus which is taken from you into heaven , shall so come again , as ye have seen him go into heaven ] but , o saviour , these views of thee by thine angels hitherto were but speciall , and visible even by bodily eyes ; how do i , by the eyes of my soul , see thee both attended up in that heavenly progresse , and welcomed into thine empyreall heaven , by all the host of those celestiall spirits : no small part of whose perpetuall happiness it is , to see thee in thy glorified humanity ; sitting at the right hand of majestie ; there they enjoy thee , there they sing continuall hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lamb for ever and ever . sect. xi . if thine angels , o blessed jesu , desired to look into this great and deep mysterie of the gospell ; their longing is satisfied in the sight of thy blessed incarnation , and the full accomplishment of the great office of thy mediatorship , since , now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places , is made knowne the manifold wisdome of god , in this wonderfull work of mans redemption ; which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in god , who created all things by thee ; but , that the unsearcheable riches of christ should be preached to the gentiles , how marvailous an accession is it to the greatness of this divine mysterie of godlinesse ? of old , in judah was god known , his name was great in israel : in salem was his tabernacle , and his dwelling place in sion ; but in the mean while , we miserable gentiles sate in darknesse , and in the shadow of death , without god in the world , exposed to the displeasure of heaven , tyrannized over by the powers of hell , strangers from the covenants of promise , for lorn , without hope of mercy : that therefore , o saviour , thou vouchsafedst in the tender bowels of thine infinite compassion , to look down from heaven upon us , and at the last , graciously to visit us , in the clear revelation of the saving truth of thy gospell , to break down the partition wal whereby we were excluded from any participation with thee ; to own us for thy people , and to admit us unto the fellowship of thy saints : o the wonderfull mysterie of godlinesse , effectually manifested to us out-cast gentiles , to our conversion , to our eternall salvation ! what a vail , o god , was spread over all nations ? a dark vail of ignorance , of errour , of impiety ? how did our fore-fathers walk in their own wayes , following the sinfull lusts of their own hearts worshipping dumb idols , sacrificing to all the host of heaven , offering not their substance only , but their sons and daughters to devils ? it was thine own infinite goodnesse , that moved thee to pity our woful and despaired condition ; and to send thine eternall son into the world , to be no lesse a light to lighten the gentiles , then to be the glory of thy people israel ! how fully hast thou made good thy gracious promises long since published by thy holy prophets : it shall come , that i will gather all nations , and tongues , and they shall come and see my glory ; and again , it shall come to pass in the last dayes , that the mountain of the lords house shall be established in the top of the mountaines , and shall be exalted above the hils , and all nations shall flow to it ; and many people shall go , and say ▪ come ye , let us go up to the mountain of the lord , to the house of the god of jacob , and he will teach us his wayes , and we will walk in his paths . and again , behold , thus saith the lord , i will lift up my hand to the gentiles , and set up my standard to the people , and they shall bring thy sons in their arms , and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders : and again , behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not , and nations that know not thee , shall run unto thee , because of the lord thy god , and for the holy one of israel , for he hath glorified thee . o blessed then , ever blessed be thy name , o god , that thou wouldest vouchsafe to be made known among us gentiles ; give unto the lord , o ye kindreds of the people , give unto the lord , glory and strength ; give unto the lord the glory due to his name : all the earth shall worship thee , and shall sing unto thee , they shall sing unto thy name ; all the ends of the world shall remember , and run unto the lord , and all the kinreds of the nations shall worship before thee . how did we , o saviour , of old lye under the pity , and contempt of those thy people , which challenged a peculiarity of thy favour : we have a little sister ( said thy iewish spouse ) and she hath no brests , what shall we do for our sister , when she shall be spoken for ? take no thought for us , o thou oncebeloved synagogue of the jews , thy little sister is not only spoken for , but contracted , but happily married to her lord and saviour ; having been betrothed to him for ever , in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies : so as we can now return our pity to thee , and say , we had an elder sister which had brests , but her brests are long since wrinkled , and dryed up ; what shall we doe for our sister in these dayes of her barrennesse , and just neglect ? we shall surely pray for our sister , that god would be pleased to return to her in his compassion of old , and restore her to the happy state of her former fruitfulnesse : we follow them with our prayers , they us with malice and despight : with how envious eyes did they look upon those first heralds of the gospell , who carried the glad tidings of salvation to the despised gentiles ? what cruell storms of persecution did they raise against those blessed messengers , whose feet deserved to be beautifull ? wherein their obstinate unbelief turned to our advantage ; for after they had made themselves unworthy of that gospell of peace , that blessing was instantly derived upon us gentiles ; and we happily changed conditions with them : the naturall branches of the good olive tree being cut off , we , that were of the wild olive contrary to nature , are graffed in ; o the goodness and severity of god! on them which fell , severity , on us , which succeeded , goodness ; they were once the children , and we the dogs under the table ; the crums were our lot , the bread was theirs ; now is the case , through their wilfull incredulity , altered ; they are the dogs , and we the children : we sit at a full table , whiles their hunger is not satisfied with scraps ; the casting away of them was the reconciling of the world , their fall , our exaltation ; it is not for us to be high-minded , but to fear : the great sheet with four corners is let down from heaven , with al manner of four-footed beasts of the earth , and creeping things , and fowls of the air ; we may kill , and eat ; without any difference of clean or unclean ; but even of clean meats we may surfet . o saviour , it is thy great mercie , that thou hast been thus long preached amongst us gentiles , that we in the remote ends of the world have seen the salvation of our god : but if we shall abuse thy graces to wantonness ; and walk unanswerably to this freedome of thy gospell , how both just and easie is it for thee to withdraw these blessings from us , and to return us to the wofull condition of our old forlornnesse : o let it not be enough that thou art preached amongst us gentiles ; but do thou work us to an holy obedience of thy blessed gospell ; reclaim us from our abominable licentiousnesse of life , from our hellish heresies of opinion , and teach us to walk worthy of that great salvation , which thou hast held forth unto us : so shall it be our happiness that thou wert preach'd to us gentiles ; otherwise our condemnation shall be so much the deeper , as our light hath been more clear , and our means more powerfull . sect. xiii . so ▪ poor and despicable , o saviour ▪ wouldst thou have thy coming in the flesh , that it is no marvail if the vain world utterly disregarded thee : for what is the mis-judging world led by but by outward pomp & magnificence ? yea , thy very domestick , followers after so long acquaintance with thy person and doctrine , even when thou wert risen from the dead , could thinke of the royalty of a temporall kingdome to be restored to israel : and still the perverse generations of jewish infidels after the conviction of so many hundred years , gape for an earthly monarchy of their expected massiah : that , therefore , appearing to the world in so contemptible means , so born , so living , so dying , thou shouldst be universally beleeved on in the world , is the just wonder of the mysterie of godlinesse . it was the largness of thy divine bountie to allow thy gospell preached to every creature ; but alas , it is liberally preached , sparingly received ; who hath beleeved our report , and to whom is the arme of the lord revealed ? it was the complaint of thy chosen vessell the doctor of the gentiles , we preach christ crucified , to the jewes a stumbling block , to the greeks foolishnesse : what a power therefore is there in the mysterie of godlinesse , that thou art not preached only , but beleeved on in the world ? hadst thou exhibited thy self in the magnificence and majesty of the son of god , attended either with the glorious angels of heaven , or the mighty monarchs of the earth , scattering honors and riches upon thy followers , in abundance : how large a train wouldst thou have had ? how would all the earth have rung with hosonnas to the highest ? but now , that thou wouldst come as the son of man , in the homeliest condition of birth , education life and death ; not having so much as an house wherein to put thy head , or a grave wherein to lay thy dead body ; now , that thou wouldst suffer thy self to be spat upon , scourged , crucifed , reviled ; that the stub born hearts of men should be so convinced by the truth , and power of thy deity , that thou art beleeved on in the world , is the great mysterie of godlinesse ▪ the powers of darknesse could not but see their kingdome shaken by thy coming down to the earth , upon this errand of thy mediation ; how busie and violent therefore were those gates of hell in opposing so glorious a worke ? how did they stirr up cruell tyrants , in the first dawning of thy gospell , furiously to persecute this way unto death ? what exquisite torments of all kinds did they devise for the innocent professors of thy name ? how drunken was the earth with the blood of thy martyrs in all parts ? and , when they saw how little force could prevaile , ( since this palm-tree grew the more by depression , ) how did they set their wits on work in attempting by fraud , to bring about their cut fed designes . how cunningly did they go about to undermine that wall , which they could not batter ; now , whole troops of the skilfullest engineers of hell , are sent up by damned heresies to blow up , and overthrow that truth , which they could not beat down ▪ one while thine eternall deity , another while thy sacred humanitie is impugned by those , who yet stile themselves christians : one while either of thy natures , another while thy intire person is laid at , by those that profess themselves thy friends , and clients ▪ one while thine offices , another while thy scriptures are opposed by those who yet would seem thine ; and though their insinuations have been so eraftily carried , and their colours so well laid , that no small part of the world hath been for the time , beguiled by them , and drawn into a plausible misbeleef ▪ yet still , great hath the truth ever been , and ever prevailed , happily triumphing over those damnable heresies that have dared to lift up their head against her , and chasing them into their hell : so as , in spight of men and devils , the great mysterie of godliness is gloriously vindicated , and god manifested in weak flesh is beleeved on in the world . sect. xiiii . the world is not all of one making , there is a world of creatures , not capable of beleef ; there is a world of men that lyeth in wickednesse , refusing to beleeve ; there is a world of faithfull souls , that do beleeve , and in beleeving are saved : and , o blessed saviour , that thou wouldst graciously enlarge this world of beleevers ! wo is me , what a world of this world of men lyes still under the damnable estate of unbelief ? alas , for those poor savage indians , that know nothing of a god ; which out of their fear , and tyrannicall superstition , worship devils , that they may not hurt them ; for those ignorant , and wofully blindfolded mahumetans , that are not allowed to see any more , then one blinke of thee , as a great prophet , being taught to blaspheme ▪ thy deity , and to enslave their faith to a wretched impostor ; for those obstinate jews that are wilfully blind and will not see the light of that truth concerning thee their messiah , which shineth forth clearly to them , in the writings of the prophets , in the undeniable accomplishment of all former predictions , in the powerfull conviction of miraculous works ; what christian is there , whose bowels do not yearn , whose heart doth not bleed at the thought of so many millions of miserable unbeleevers ? o thou the god of infinite mercy and compassion , in whose hands are all the hearts of the sons of men , look down graciously from heaven upon the dark souls of these poor infidels and enlighten them with the saving knowledge of the great mysterie of godlinesse : let the beams of thy gospell break forth unto them , and work them to a sound beleef in thee their god , manifested in the flesh : fetch home into thy fold all those that belong to thy mercifull election ; bring in the fulnesse of the gentiles ; gather together the out-casts of israel , and glorifie thy self in completing a world of beleevers . and for us , on whom the ends of the world are come ; as we have been graciously called to the comfortable notice of this mysterie of godlinesse , and have professed , and vowed a steadfast beleef in thy name ; so keep us by thy good spirit in an holy and constant avowance of all those main truths , concerning thy sacred person , natures , and offices , unto our last end ; for thou seest , o blessed jesu that there is now such an hell of the spirits of errour broken loose into the world , as if they meant to evacuate this part of the mysterie of godlinesse , ( christ beleeved on in the world ; ) o do thou by thy mighty power restraine and quell these pernicious heresies , and send down these wicked spirits back to their chains ; so as our most holy faith may ever remain inviolable till the day of thy glorious return . neither let us sit down contented that we hold fast and beleeve the meer historie of thy life , death , and resurrection ; ( without which , as we can be saved , so with it alone we cannot ) but do thou by thy good spirit , work and settle in our souls , a sound , lively , operative , justifying faith in thee ; whereby we may not only beleeve on thee , as a common saviour , but beleeve in thee , as ours : bringing thee home to our hearts , and confidently relying upon thee , for the acquittance of all our sins , and for our eternall salvation : o that thou mightest be thus beleeved on in the world ; and if not by them , in the notion of their universality , yet by us who professe thy name , to thy great glory and our everlasting comfort . sect. xv . in these occurrences , on the earth ; great is the mysterie of godlinesse , but the highest pitch of this great mysterie , o saviour , is , that thou thus manifested in our flesh , wert received up into glorie : even that celestiall glorie which thou enjoyest in the highest heavens , sitting on the right hand of majesty , seen and adored by all that blessed company of the souls of just men made perfect , and the innumerable troops of glorious angels : if some erroneous fancies have placed their heaven here below upon earth , ours is above ; and so is thine o blessed jesu , who wert taken up in glorie ; thou couldst not be taken up to any earthly ascent , since thou tookest thy farewell on the top of mount olivet : but from this globe of earth thou ascendest through the skies to that empyreall heaven , where thou remainest in glorie , infinite , and incomprehensible . the many and intentive beholders of thy last parting , did not cast their eyes down into the valley , neither did see cause with the fifty sons of the prophets , to seek for thee ( as they would needs do for elijah ) in vallies , and mountains ; they saw and worishpped thee , leasurely ascending up through the region of this lower heaven , till a cloud intercepted thee from their sight ; neither then could easily be taken off , either by the interposition of that dark body , or by the interpellation of angels : and now , o blessed saviour , how is my soul ravished with the mediation of thy glorious reception into thine heaven ? surely , if the inhabitants of those celestial mansions may be capable of any increase of joy , they then both found and shewed it , when they saw and welcomed thee entering in thy gorlifi'd humanity , in to that thy eternal palace of blessedness ; and if there could be any higher , or sweter ditty then hallelujah , it was then sung by the chore of angels and saints . and may thy poor servants warfairing and wandring here upon earth , ever second them in those heavenly songs of praises and gratulations : for wherein stands all our safety , hope , comfort , happinesse , but in this , that thou our jesus art received up into glorie ? and having conquered all adverse powers , sittest on the right hand of god the farher , crowned with honour and majesty ? o jesu , thou art our head , we are thy body : how can the body but participate of the glory of the head ? as for thy self therefore , so for us , art thou possessed of that heavenly glorie : as thou sufferedst for us , so for us thou also raignest ; let every knee therefore bow unto thee , of things in heaven , and things on earth , and things under the earth ; o blessed be thy name for ever and ever : thine , o lord , is the greatnesse , and the power , and the glorie , and the victorie , and the majestie ; for all that is in the heaven , and in the earth is thine : thine is the kingdom , o lord , and thou art exalted as head over all : and now , o saviour , what a superabundant amends is made to thy glorified humanitie , for all thy bitter sufferings upon earth ? thine agonie was extreme , but thy glorie is infinite , thy crosse was heavie , but thy crown transcendently glorious : thy pains were unconceivably grievous , but short , thy glory everlasting : if thou wert scorned by men , thou art now adored by angels : thou that stoodst before the judgment seat of a pilate , shalt come in all heavenly magnificence to judge both the quick and the dead ; shortly , thou which wouldst stoop to be a servant upon earth , rulest and raignest for ever in heaven as the king of eternall glorie . o then , my soul , seeing thy saviour is received up into this infinite glorie , with what intention and fervour of spirit shouldst thou fix thine eyes upon that heaven where he lives , and raigns ? how canst thou be but wholly taken up with the sight and thought of that place of blessednesse ? how canst thou abide to grovell any longer on this base earth , where is nothing but vanity and vexation ; and refrain to minde the things above , where is all felicitie and glorie ? with what longings , and holy ambi●ion shouldst thou desire to aspire to that place of eternall rest , and beatitude , into which thy saviour is ascended ? and with him to partake of that glory and happinesse which he hath provided for all that love him ? o saviour , it is this clog of wretched infidelity and earthlinesse that hangs heavie upon my soul , and keeps me from mounting up into thy presence , and from a comfortable fruition of thee : o do thou take off this sinfull weight from me , and raise up my affections and conversation to thee ; enable me constantly to enjoy thee by a lively faith here : till by thy mercie i shall be received into thy glorie . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- prov. . ● . jer. . hos. . . act● . . . jude . . phes . . cor. . . cor. . notes for div a e- tim. . . great is the mysterie of godlinesse . pet. . . notes for div a e- god manifested . in the flesh job . . notes for div a e- job . . psal. . . esay . . mat. . . mark . . luke . . notes for div a e- cor. . . notes for div a e- rom. . . notes for div a e- justified in the spirit . luk. . , , , notes for div a e- rom. . . rom. . notes for div a e- seen of angels . dan. . , . mat. . . luk. . . . act . , , . luk. . . heb. . . notes for div a e- mat. . , , . joh. . . act. . , . notes for div a e- pet. . . ephes. . . ephes. . psal. . . ephes. . . esay . . luk . . esay . . esay . , . esay . ● . esay . . . psal. . ps. . . ps. . cant. . . hos. . . r●m . . ● . rom. . rom. . . rom. . act. . . ● . notes for div a e- beleeved on in the world esay , . . cor. . . mat. . . notes for div a e- joh. . . rom. . psal , . . received up into glory . notes for div a e- heb. . . . king . . phil. . . chr. . . the righteous mammon an hospitall-sermon preach't in the solemne assembly of the city on munday in easter-weeke / by ios. hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the righteous mammon an hospitall-sermon preach't in the solemne assembly of the city on munday in easter-weeke / by ios. hall ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by edward griffin for nathaniell butter, london : . signatures: a-g⁸ h⁴. title within ornamental border. imperfect: cropped. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- timothy, st, vi, -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the righteovs mammon : an hospitall-sermon preach't in the solemne assembly of the city on munday in easter-weeke . by ios hall d. of d. london , printed by edward griffin for nathaniell butter . . to my mvch honor'd frend sr henry baker knight & baronet . sir , amongst many to whom my poore labonrs owe much for their acceptation , i know none that can challenge so deepe a debt as your selfe . if others haue tasted of my well-meant papers , you haue fed heartily on them ; and so made them your owne , that your memorie may compare with others eyes , and your practise with the speculation of others : neither haue your hand or tongue bin niggardly dissemblers of your spirituall gaine . vnto you therefore ( to whose name i had long since in my desires deuoted my next ) do i send this meane present : a sermon importunately desired of many : that which the present auditors found vsefull , the presse shall communicate to posteritie ; the gaine of either , or both is no lesse mine : i doubt not but you haue already so acted that part of this discourse which concerneth you , that the direction i giue to others is but an historie of what you haue done . and go on happily ( worthy sir ) in those your holy courses which shall lead you to immortalitie ; and so vse your riches that they may be made vp into a crowne for your head in a better world : my hearty well-wishes shall not be wanting to you , and your vertuous lady , as whom you haue obliged to be iustly worcester aprill . yours jos. hall . tim . . . charge them that are rich in this world , that they be not high minded , nor trust in vncertaine riches , but in the liuing god , who giueth vs richly all things to enioy . &c. those things which are excellent , and beneficiall in their vse , are dangerous in their miscariage : it were lost labour for me to perswade you how good riches are : your paines and your cares are sufficient proofes of your estimation ; and how deadly the abuse of them is , many a soule feeles that cannot returne to complaine ; there is nothing more necessarie therefore , for a christian heart , than to be rectified in the menaging of a prosperous estate ; and to learne so to be happy here , that it may be more happy hereafter ; a taske which this text of ours vndertakes , and ( if yee be not wanting to it and your selues ) will be sure to performe : what should i neede to intreat your attention ( right honorable , right worshipfull , and beloued ) to a busines so neerely concerning you ? the errand is gods ; the vse of it yours . i neuer held it safe to pull scripture in peeces : these words fall alone into their parts . timothy is set vpon the spirituall bench , and must giue the charge . a charge , to whom ? of what ? to whom ? to the rich : of what ? what they must auoide , what they must indeuour : what must they auoide ? hy-mindednesse , & trust in wealth : what are the duties they must labour vnto ? confidence in god ; beneficence to men : and euery one of these is backed with a reason to inforce it : why should they not be hy-minded ? their wealth is but in this world ; why should they not trust in riches ? they are vncertaine . why should they trust in god ? he is a liuing god , and a liberall god : why should they extend their beneficence to men ? by this they lay vp to themselues a sure foundation : here is worke enough you see for my discourse , and your practise : the god of heauen blesse it in both our hands . charge hath ianus-like ) a double aspect ; one that lookes vp to s. paul , the other that lookes downe to timothy , and from him , to the rich : in the first there is apostolicall superiority ; for ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) charge thou , referres to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse . i charge thee ; so paul charges timothy to charge the rich ; he that giues the charge , if he be not the cheife of the bench , yet hee is greater than the iurie ; the first foundation of the church is laid in an inequalitie ; and hath euer since so continued ; there can be no harmonie where all the strings or voices are of one tenour ; in the latter , as it looks on timothy , it carries in it episcopall power , euangelicall sufficiencie : episcopall power ; for this charge is by the vulgar turn'd , and the translation of the syriac , praecipe , command ; and so doe we translate it in the first of this epistle , and the third verse ; timothy was left at ephesus ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to command . the rich are commonly great ; nobilitie in the account of god is ioyned with wealth ; curse not the king in thy thought , nor the rich in thy bed-chamber , saith salomon ; so diues at whose gates lazarus lay is by some no meane ones guessed to be herod , or some other king ; and so are iobs freinds termd by the seuenty ▪ yea the rich is not onely a litle king amongst his neighbours , but diues , quasi diuus ; as a petty god to his vnderlings , and yet euen the rich man that ( as salomon notes ) speakes with command vnto others , he must be spoken to with command . command the rich . that foolish shaueling soared too hye a pitch , when in his imperious bull he mands the angels : francis of assise and hee , were both of a diet ; but we may safely say that all powers below the angels , are liable to our spirituall charge ; and this command implies obedience ; els , to what purpose doe we command and go without ? christ gaue vs the keyes ; ( for that which the romanists would plead out of origen , of claues coeli , the keyes of heauen to the rest , and claues coelorum , the keyes of the heauens to peter is a distinction without a difference ) ; what becomes of them ? that i may not say on some of our hands they are suffered to rust for want of vse ; on others , ( as the pontificians ) the wards are altered , so as they can neither open nor shut ; sure i am that ( if they be not lost on our behalfe whether in dis-vse , or abuse ) the power of them is lost in the hearts of many : they haue secret pick-locks of their owne making , presumption and securitie , wherby they can open heauen gates though double locked by our censures , and shut the gates of hell at pleasure , which their owne sinnes haue opened wide to receiue them ; what vse is there of vs , but in our chayre ? and there , but to be heard , and seene ? euen in this sense spectaculo facti sumus ; we are to gaze on , not to imploy : now yee are full , now yee are rich , yee raigne as kings without vs ; we are weake , yee are strong ; yee are honorable , but wee are despised ; it was well noted by one , that the good father of the prodigall , though he might himselfe haue brought forth the prime robe ; or haue led his sonne into his wardrobe to take it , yet he commands his seruants to bring it forth ( proferte stolam ) because he would bring meanes into credit ; because he would haue his sonnes beholden to his seruants for their glory . it is a bold word , but a true one , yee shall neuer weare the long white robe , vnlesse his seruants your ministers bring it , and put it on . he that can saue you without vs , will not saue you but by vs : he hath not tyed himselfe to meanes , man he hath ; he could create you immediatly to himselfe , but hee will haue you begotten by the immortall seed of your spirituall fathers : woe be to you therefore , if our word haue lost the power of it in you : you haue lost your right in heauen : let vs neuer come there if you can come thither ordinarily without vs. the words of the wife ( saith salomon ) are like goades , like nayles ; but if these goades light vpon the skin of a leuiathan , who esteemes yron as straw , and brasse as rotten wood ; if these nayles meete with yron , or marble in their driuing , that they turne againe ; what shall we say but our gospell is hid to them that perish ; and woe vnto your soules , for yee haue rewarded euill to your selues . hitherto the power implyed in this charge ; the sufficiencie followeth : this euangelicus must be parangelicus ; like as the fore-runner of christ had a charge for all sorts , so must his followers ; so hath timothy in this epistle , a charge for wiues , for bishops , for deacons , for widdowes , for seruants , and here for the rich ; he must charge ; and how shall he charge , if hee haue neither shot nor powder ? it is no brag to say that no nation vnder heauen since the gospell lookt forth into the world , euer had so many , so learned teachers as this iland hath at this day . hierom said of old to his paulinus , de hierosôlymis & de britannia aequaliter patet aula coelestis ; heauen is as open in britayne as in hierusalem ; it holds well if you take it for a propheticall comparison betwixt ierusalem as it had beene , and britayne as it should be : ierusalem the type of gods church vpon earth , in the glory of all her legall magnificence was neuer more blessed , then this church of ours : for the northerne part of it beyond the twede , we saw not , we heard not of a congregation ( whereof indeed there is not so great frequence ) without a preaching minister ; and though their maintenance hath beene generally but small , yet their paines haue been great , and their successe sutable : and now lately , his sacred maiestie in his last yeares iourney ( as if the sunne did out of compassion goe beyond his tropick line , to giue heate vnto the northerne climate ) hath so ordered it , that their meanes shall be answerable to their labours ; so as both pastors and people professe themselues mutually blessed in ech other ; and blesse god and their king for this blessednes : as for the learning and sufficiencie of those teachers ( whether prelates or presbyters ) our eares were for some of them sufficient witnesses , and wee are not worthy of our eares , if our tongues do not thankfully proclaime it to the world . as for this southerne part , when i cōsider the face of our church in an vniuersalitie , mee thinks i see the firmament in a cleare night , bespangled with goodly starres of all magnitudes , that yeeld a pleasing diuersitie of light vnto the earth ; but withall , through the incōparable multitude of cures , and the incompetent prouision of some , we cannot but see some of our people ( especially in the vtmost skirts ) like to those that liue vnder the southerne pole , where the stars are thinner set ; & some stars there are in our hemisphere , like those litle sparkles in the galaxy , or milky circle , wherein yee can scarse discerne any light ; the desire of our hearts must be that euery congregatiō , euery soule might haue a timothie to deliuer the charge of god powerfully vnto it ; euen with s. pauls change of note ; that euery one which hath a charge were ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) able to giue the charge ; and euery hearer ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ready to take it : wherein i cannot but thankfully congratulate the happines of this famous citie , which if in other riches it equalize the best , i am sure in this it exceeds all . there is not a citie vnder the cope of heauen so wealthy in the spirituall prouision ; yea there are whole countreyes in christendome , that haue not so many learned preachers , as are within these walls and liberties ; heare this , yee citizens , and be not proud , but thankful ; others may exceede you in the glory of outward structure , in the largenesse of extent , in the vniforme proportion of streets , or ornaments of temples , but your pulpits do surpasse theirs ; & if preaching can lift vp cities vnto heauen , yee are not vpon earth ; happy is it for you if yee be as well fed as taught , and woe be to you if you do not thinke your selues happy . charge then , but whom ? the rich : man that came naked out of the wombe of the earth , was euen then so rich , that all things were his ; heauen was his roofe or canopy , earth his floore , the sea his pond , the sun and moone his torches , all creatures his vassals : and if he lost the fulnes of this lordship by being a slaue to sinne , yet we haue still dominium gratificum , as gerson termes it ; euery sonne of abraham is heire of the world : but to make vp the true reputation of wealth ( for thus , we may be as hauing all things , and possessing nothing ) another right is required besides spirituall , which is a ciuill and humane right ; wherein i doubt not but our learned wiclef , and the famous archbishop of armach , and the more famous chancelor of paris ( three renowmed diuines of england , france , and ireland haue had much wrong , whiles they are accused to teach , that men in these earthly things haue no tenure but grace , no title but charitie : which questionlesse they intended in foro interiori , in the consistory of god , not in the common-pleas of men ; in the courts , not of law , but of conscience ; in which onely it may fall out , that the ciuill owner may be a spirituall vsurper , and the spirituall owner may be a ciuill begger . god frames his language to ours , and speaking according to that ius gentium , whereon the diuision of these earthly possessions are grounded , hee calls some rich , others , poore : those hereticks which called themselues apostolique ( as some body doth now at rome ) before the time of epiphanius & augustine , which taught the vnlawfulnes of all earthly proprieties ; seconded in austens time , by our country-man pelagius , and in our times by some of the illuminate elders of munster ; are not worth confutation ; or , if they were , our apostle hath done it to our hands , in this one word , rich ; for there can be neither rich nor poore in a communitie ; neither doth he say , charge men that they be not rich , but charge the rich that they be not hye-minded . with these , let vs couple our ignorant votaries , that place holinesse in want ; with whom , their very crosses cannot deliuer their coyne from sinne ; which , to make good the old rule , that it is better to giue then to receiue , giue all they haue away at once , for but a licence to begge for euer . did these men euer heare that the blessing of god maketh rich ? that the wings of riches carry them vp to heauen ? that the crowne of the wise is their wealth ? doe they not know that if lazarus were poore , yet abraham was rich , and pium pauperem suscepit sinus diuitis ; it was the happines of poore lazarus that he was lodged in the bosome of rich abraham . i am no whit afraid , ( ô yee rich citizens ) least this paradoxe of our holy mendicants shall make you out of loue with your wealth ; i feare some of you would be rich , though ye might not ; now wee tell you from him , whose title is rich in mercy , that yee may be at once rich and holy ; in diuitijs cupiditatem reprehendit , non facultatem saith austen : it is a true word of the sonne of sirach , which i would haue you carry home with you , and write it as a fit motto , in your counting-house ; bona est substantia , si non sit peccatum in conscientia ; substance doth well in the hand , if there be not euill in the heart . ecclesiasticus . . charge the rich ; who are they ? there is nothing wherein is greater mesprison . one man in a laodicean conceitednes thinks himselfe rich , when he hath nothing ; another , in a couetous humor thinks he hath nothing , when he is rich ; and how easie is it for another man to mistake vs , if we may thus easily mistake our selues ? i feare some of you are like the pageants of your great solemnities , wherein there is the show of a solid body , whether of a lyon , or elephant , or vnicorne , but if they be curiously look't into , there is nothing but cloth , and sticks , and ayre ; others of you contrarily are like a dissembling couent , that professes pouerty , & purchases lordships ; the very same did salomon obserue in his time , in the great burgomasters of ierusalem pro. . . for the auoyding of both extremes , let vs inquire who is rich . and tho greatnes and riches be in the ranke of those things , which are held to haue no absolute determination , but consist rather in respect & comparison ( for a rich farmer is yet poore to a rich merchant , and a rich merchant is but poore to a prince , and he to some great emperor ; that great mammonist would say he is rich that can maintaine an armie , a poore man would say according to that italian inscription , he is rich that wants not bread ) ; yet certainly there are certaine generall stakes and bounds , which diuide betwixt pouerty and competence , betwixt competency and wealth ; as there were variety of shekels among the iewes , yet there was one shekell of the sanctuarie that varied not ; who then is rich ? i must giue you a double answer ; one will not serue ; the one according to true moralitie , the other according to vulgar vse : in the first he is rich that hath enough , whether the world thinke so or not ; euen esau tho he were poore in grace , yet in estate he was rich , i haue enough my brother ; and he that said , soule thou hast goods enow for many yeares , was almost so ; it was not his fault that he thought he had enough , but that he meant to lye downe , and wallow in it . a mans wealth or pouertie is most-what in himselfe ; and though nature haue professed to read vnto heathen men this lesson of wise moderation , yet it hath beene seldome seene that any thing but true piety , hath taught them to take it out ; godlinesse is great gaine with contentment : victus & vestitus diuitiae christianorum , saith hierom : food and rayment are the christians wealth ; those men therefore , which are still in the horse leeches note , sucking and crauing ; which like pharaohs leane kine are euer feeding , and neuer the fatter , are as farre from true wealth , as they would be from pouertie , and further i am sure they cannot be , and not further from wealth then godlinesse ; hauing is the measure of outward wealth , but it is thinking that must measure the inward ; thoughts , i say , of contentment , cheerefullnes , and thankfulnes , which if yee want , it is not either or both the indyes that can make you rich . in the latter , he is rich that hath more then enough , whether he thinke so or no ▪ he that hath the possession ( whether ciuill , or naturall ) of more then necessarie : now if necessarie and superfluous seeme as hard to define as rich ; know there are iust limits for both the●●● superfluous is defined by necessarie ; for what is 〈◊〉 necessarie , is superfluous : there is then a double necessarie ; one of nature , the other of estate : that is necessarie to nature without which we cannot liue , that to estate , without which we cannot liue well : that is necessarie to estate , which were superfluous to nature ; and that which were superfluous to nature , is not so much as necessary to estate ; nature goes single , and beares litle breadth ; estate goes euer with a traine ; the necessitie of nature admits litle difference , especially for quantities ; the necessitie of estate requires as many diuersities , as there are seuerall degrees of humane conditions , and seuerall circumstances in those degrees . iustly therefore doe the scholemen and casuists teach , that this necessarie to the decencie of estate doth not confist in puncto indiuiduo , but hath much latitude ; that is necessarie to scarlet , which to russet were superfluous ; that is but necessarie to a nobleman , which to an esquire were superfluous ; that were ●●pe●fluous to a pere , which to a prince is but necessary : that is necessary to the father of a familie , which to a single man were superfluous : neither doth this necessitie looke onely to the present , but to the future ; not to what may be ( which were an endlesse prospect ) but to what must be , the mariage of a daughter , the education of a sonne , the honest prouision for posteritie : he that in a iust estimate can goe beyond the bounds of this necessary , enters into the superfluous estate , and may well passe with the world for rich . such a one is rich ; let him looke how he became so : that god which can allow you to be rich , will not allow you alwaies to your wealth : he hath set vp a golden goale , to which hee allowes you all to runne , but yee must keepe the beaten rode of honestie , iustice , charity , and truth ; if yee will leaue this path , and will be crossing ouer a shorter cut through by-wayes of your owne , yee may be rich with a vengeance . the heathen poet ( one of them whom s. paul cited ) could obserue ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which salomon translates to vs prou. . . he that makes hast to be rich shall not be innocent . if you haue filled your bags with fraud , vsury , extortion , this gaine may be hony in your mouth , but it will be grauell in your throat , and poyson in your soule : there are some meanes of wealth in an ill name , as those two trusty seruants of mammon , vse and brocage ; there are others as bad as they , litle said to : since i speake to citizens , let mee be bold to say , there is not so errand vsury in letting of money , as in sale of wares . this oppression is both more , & more vniuersall . there are two maximes that doe vsually mis-lead men of trafique , all the world ouer ; the one i , res valet quanti vendi potest , a thing is worth what it may be sold for ; the other , caueat emptor , at the buyers perill : the one is in regard of the price , the other in regard of the qualitie of the wares . in the first , whereas our casuists haue set three prices , low , meane , rigorous , they super adde a fourth , excessiue ; and thinke they may lawfully get what they can : whereas they shall once finde , that as the rigorous price is a straine of charity , so the excessiue is a violation of iustice ; neither doth this gaine differ ought from theft , but that it is honested by a faire cozenage . in the second ; it matters not how defectiue the measure be , how vicious the substance , how false the kinde , let this be the buyers care ; no man is bound to buy , no man can do wrong to himselfe ; such wares must be put off , ( perhaps not to customers ) with concealment of faults , if not with protestations of faultlesnes . in salomons time , it is naught , it is naught said the buyer , & when he was gone apart , he boasted ; but now , it is good , it is good , saith the seller , and when the buyer is gone , he boasteth of his deceit . let mee appeale to your bosomes , if these two , excesse of price , and deficiency of worth haue not beene the most seruiceable factors to bring in some of your wealth ; and let me tell you , if these be guilty of your gaines , you may mis-name your trades , mysteries , but sure these tricks are mysteries of iniquitie . it were enuious and infinite to arraigne the seuerall sciences of their adulteration and fraud ; let mee rather shut them all vp together in that fearefull sentence of wise salomon , vhe gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue , is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death : and ( if yee please ) read on in the next verse , the robbery of the wicked shall destroy them . search your chests , search your hearts ( ô all yee that heare me this day ) and if any of you finde any of this adulterine gold amongst your heapes , away with it , as ye loue your selues , away with it ; else know that ( as chrysostome wittily ) yee haue lockt vp a theefe in your counting-house , which will carry away all , and if yee looke not to it the sooner , your soules with it . rich , in this world , not of it . as s. iohn distinguisheth of being in the church , and being of it , so doth s. paul of the world ; those are the rich of the world which are worldlings in heart , as well as in estate ; those are rich in the world , whose estate is below , whose hearts are aboue : the rich of the world are in it , but the rich in the world are not of it : maruell not there should be so much difference in litle particles ; the time was when this very difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , set the the whole world together by the eares in the controuersie of eutyches , and dioscorus ; and here , you see there is no lesse distance betweene them , then betwixt heauen and earth : if timothy , or s. paul either , should haue charged the rich of the world hee had charmed a deafe adder ; yea perhaps euen with this charge ( like a rustie or ill-wrought peece ) they had recoyled in his face with those athenians , what will this babler say ? the prophet is a foole , the spirituall man is mad , as they say in the prophet : there is no good to be done on a worldly heart ; it is both hard and cold ; let the smith strike a barre new-come out of the fire ( though it be yron ) it bowes , let him strike on his anvile neuer so long , there is no impression , but rather a rebound of the stroke : the maker of all hearts tells vs , that the vnregenerate man hath cor lapideum , an heart of stone , and to what purpose do we with our venerable countryman preach to an heape of stones ? will yee haue the reason why we preach our selues hoarse and dead , and preuaile not ? the world is in mens eares , the world is in their hearts ; and they are not in the world , but of it ; and there can be nothing in them that are of the world , but that which is enmitie to god ; and that which god repayes with enmity , so as there is no way for them but perishing with the world : it is for those onely whose hearts are not in their bags , to receiue the charge from god for their wealth , and to returne glory to him by it : to these ( whereof i hope here are many before mee ) must timothies charge , and my speech be directed : let these heare their condition first , and then their dutie : their condition , they are rich , but in this world ; for distinction , for limitation ; one implyes the estate of their riches , the other the time . their estate , as learned beza , that they are but worldly riches . the very word imports that there are other riches , not of the world ; as austen distinguishes of pauper in animo , and in sacculo ; poore in minde , and in purse ; so may we of the rich : there is a spirituall wealth , as well as a secular ; and so true and precious is the spirituall , that the secular wealth is but starke beggery to it ; this outward wealth is in acres of earth , in the bowels of the earth , the fruits of the earth , beasts of the earth ; and all of it is valued by peeces of earth , and one mouth-full of earth makes an end of all ; who knowes not that earth is the basest peece of the world , and yet earth is at the end of all these riches , and all of them end in the earth : see what it is that the world dotes and dreames of ( for these earthly hopes , as the diuine philosopher said , are but dreames of the waking ) euen nebuchadnezzars image , a composition of mettals , and the foote of all is clay . earthly men tread vpon their felicitie , and yet haue not the wit to contemne it and to seeke a better , which is the spirituall wealth ; the cabinet whereof is the soule , and the treasure in it , god himselfe . oh happy resolution of that blessed father , omnis mihi copia , quae deus meus non est , egestas est , all wealth besides my god , is penury . ambiant terrena , saith another , let the gentiles seeke after earthly things which haue no right to heauenly , let them desire the present , which beleeue not the future ; the christians wealth is his sauiour , and how can he complaine of measure that hath the author of all ? what should i need to say more of the christian heart , he is rich in god ; and therefore well may he sing that contented ditty of the psalmist , funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris , my lot is falne in a good ground , and i haue a goodly heritage : oh that it could be our ambition that nazianzen reports of his philagrius , lutum contemnere , to scorne this base and ( pardon an homely word ) dirty god of the world , and to aspire vnto the true riches ; and when satan shall offer to greaze vs in the fist to remit but a litle of the rigor of a good conscience , we could cast it in his face with s. peters indignation , thy gold and thy siluer perish with thee . the estate of wealth is not more described by this world , then the time ; for ( a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) when it is absolutely spoken , be , as the philosopher ( b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) yet when it is restrained with a ( c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) it is scarce a time ; and at the most , is turned iustly seculum à sequendo , as isidore . like as the same word in the hebrew that signifies eternitie , at other times signifies but fifty yeares , the compasse of a iubilee ; so as ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) is but the space of humane life , which how short soeuer , is the vtmost extent of the vse of worldly riches . wealth is like vnto words , by imposition , not naturall ; for commodities are as they are commonly valued ; we know bracelets of glasse , and copper chaines , and litle bells , and such like trifles are good merchandise somwhere , though contemptible with vs ; and those things which the indians regard not , europe holds precious : what are coynes where their vse and valuation ceases ? the patars , and souses , and deniers , and quart-d'escus that are currant beyond the water , serue but for counters to vs : thus it is with all our wealth : consider i beseech you that all our crownes , and soueraynes , and peeces , and halfe-peeces , and duckets , and double duckets are currant but to the brim of the graue , there they cease ; and we iustly laugh at the folly of those easterne pagans , which put coyne into the dead mans hand for his prouision in another world : what should we doe therefore , if we will be prouident trauelers , but make ouer our money here , to receiue it by exchange in the world to come ; it is our sauiours counsell , make you friends of the vnrighteous mammon , that they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations : and as a father sayes sweetly , if yee will be wise merchants , thrifty and happy vsurers , part with that which yee cannot keepe , that you may gaine that which yee cannot loose ; which that yee may do , both in preparation of minde , and ( when neede is ) in a charitable abdication , harken to the duties which god layes vpon you . the remouall of euill must make roome for good ; first therefore our apostle would haue our hearts cleared of euill dispositions , then setled in good : the euill dispositions that doe commonly attend wealth , are pride and mis-confidence : against these our apostle bendeth his charge ; that they be not hye-minded ; that they trust not in vncertaine riches . for the first ; it is strange to see how this earthly drosse , which is of it selfe heauy , and therfore naturally sinks downeward , should raise vp the heart of man ; and yet it commonly carries a man vp , euen to a double pitch of pride , one aboue others , the other aboue himselfe , aboue others in contempt , aboue himselfe in ouer-weening ; the poore and proud is the wise-mans monster , but the proud and rich are no newes : it is against all reason that mettals should make difference of reasonable men , of christians ; for as that wise law-giuer said , a free man can be valued at no price ; yet salomon noted in his time , the rich rules the poore ; not the wise ; and siracides in his , the rich speaks proudly , and what fellow is this ? and s. iames in his , the man with the gold ring lookes to sit hyest . and not to cast backe our eyes , doe yee not see it thus in our times ? if a man be but worth a foot-cloth , how big hee lookes on the inferior passengers ? and if he haue purchased a litle more land , or title then his neighbours , you shall see it in his garbe ; if he command , it is imperiously , with sirrah , and fellow ; if he salute , it is ouerly , with a surly and silent nod ; if he speake , it is oracles ; if hee walke , it is with a grace ; if he controll , it is in the killing accent ; if he intertaine , it is with insolence , and whatsoeuer he doth , he is not as he was , nor , as the pharisee sayes , like other men . he looks vpon vulgar men , as if they were made to serue him , and should thinke themselues happy to be commanded ; and if he be crossed a litle , he swells like the sea in a storme ; let it be by his equall , he cares more for an affront , then for death , or hell ; let it by his inferiour , ( although in a iust cause ) that man shall be sure to be crusht to death for his presumption : and alas when all is done , after these hye termes , all this is but a man , and ( god knowes ) a foolish one too , whom a litle earthly trash can affect so deeply . neither doth this pride raise a man more aboue others , then aboue himself ; and what wonder is it if he will not know his poore neighbours , which hath forgotten himselfe ? as saul was changed to another man presently vpon his anointing , so are men vpon their aduancement ; and according to our ordinary prouerbe , their good and their bloud rises together ; now it may not be taken as it hath beene ; other cariage , other fashions are fit for them ; their attire , fare , retinue , houses , furniture displease them , new must be had ; together with coaches , and lacquaies , and all the equipage of greatnes : these things ( that no man mistake me ) i mislike not ; they are fit for those that are fit for them . charity is not strait-laced , but yeelds much latitude to the lawfull vse of indifferent things ; ( although it is one of salomons vanities that seruants should ride on horse-backe , and he tells vs it becomes not a swine to be ringd with gold ) but it is the heart that makes all these euill ; when that is puft vp with these windy vanities , and hath learned to borrow that part of the deuils speech , all these things are mine ; and can say with him that was turnd into a beast , is not this great babel that i haue built , or with that other patterne of pride , i sit as a queene , i am , and there is none beside me , now all these turne into sinne . the bush that hangs out , showes what we may looke for within ; whither doth the conceit of a litle inheritance transport the gallants of our time ? o god , what a world of vanity hast thou reserv'd vs to ? i am asham'd to thinke that the gospell of christ should be disgraced with such disguised clyents . are they christians , or antickes in some carnevale , or childrens puppets that are thus dressed ? pardon , i beseech you , men , brethren , and fathers , this my iust and holy impatience , that could neuer expresse it selfe in a more solemne assembly ( although i perceiue those whom it most concernes , are not so deuout as to be present ) . who can without indignation looke vpon the prodigyes , which this mis-imagination produces in that other sexe , to the shame of their husbands , the scorne of religion , the damnation of their own soules . imagine one of our fore-fathers were aliue againe , and should see one of these his gay daughters walke in cheapside before him ; what doe you thinke hee would thinke it were ? here is nothing to be seene but a verdingale , a yellow ruffe , and a periwig , with perhaps some fether wauing in the top ; three things for which he could not tell how to finde a name : sure , he could not but stand amazed to thinke what new creature the times had yeelded since he was a man : and if then he should runne before her , to see if by the fore-side he might guesse what it were , when his eyes should meet with a poudred firzle , a painted hide shadowed with a fan not more painted , brests displayd , and a loose lock erring wantonly ouer her shoulders , betwixt a painted cloth , and skin , how would he yet more blesse himselfe to thinke , what mixture in nature could be guilty of such a monster . is this ( thinks he ) the flesh and blood , is this the hayre , is this the shape of a woman ? or hath nature repented of her worke since my daies , and begun a new frame ? it is no maruell if their forefathers could not know them ; god himselfe that made them , will neuer acknowledge that face he neuer made , the hayre that he neuer made theirs , the body that is asham'd of the maker , the soule that thus disguises the body ; let me therefore say to these dames , as benet said to totilaes seruant , depone filia quod portas , quia non est tuum ; lay downe that yee weare , it is none of your owne : let me perswade them ( for that can worke most ) that they do all this in their own wrong : all the world knowes that no man will rough cast a marble wall , but mud , or vnpolisht ragge : that beauty is like truth , neuer so glorious , as when it goes plainest ; that false art in stead of mending nature , marres it : but if none of our perswasions can preuaile ; heare this yee garish popingayes of our time , if you will not be ashamed to cloth your selues in this shamelesse fashion , god shall cloth you with shame and confusion : heare this , yee plaister-faced iezebels , if you will not leaue your dawbing and your hye washes , god shall one day wash them off with fire and brimstone . i grant , it is not wealth alone that is accessary to this pride ; there are some that ( with the cynick , or that worse dog , the patch't cistertian ) are proud of raggs ; there are others , that are rich of nothing but clothes , somewhat like to nazianzens country of ozizala , that abounded in flowers , but was barren of corne ; their clothes are more worth then all the rest ; as we vse to say of the elder , that the flower of it , is more worth then all the tree besides ; but if there be any other causes of our hye-mindednesse , wealth is one , which doth ordinarily lift vp our heads , aboue our selues , aboue others ; and if there be here any of these empty bladders , that are pufft vp with the winde of conceit , giue me leaue to pricke them a litle ; and first , let me tell them they may haue much , and be neuer the better ; the chimnye ouer-lookes all the rest of the house , is it not ( for all that ) the very basest peece of the building ? the very heathen man could obserue ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. ) that god giues many a man wealth for their greater mischeife ; as the israelites were rich in quailes , but their sawce was such , that famine had been better ; litle cause had they to be proud that they were fed with meat of princes , with the bread of angels , whiles that which they put into their mouthes , god fetcht out of their nosthrils . haman was proud that he alone was called to the honor of esters feast , this advancement raysd him fifty cubits hyer , to a stately gibbet ; if your wealth be to any of you an occasion of falling , if your gold be turned into fetters , it had beene better for you to haue liued beggers . let me tell them next , of the folly of this pride ; they are proud of that which is none of theirs . that which law , and case-diuinitie speakes of life , that man is not dominus vitae suae sed custos , is as true of wealth : nature can tell him in the philosopher , that hee is not dominus but colonus , not the lord but the farmer : it is a iust obseruation of philo , that god onely by a propriety is stiled the possessor of heauen and earth , by melchisedech , in his speech to abraham ; we are onely the tenants , and that at the will of the lord ; at the most ( if we will as diuines ) we haue ius ad rem , not dominium in rem , right to these earthly things , not lordship ouer them ; but right of fauour from their proprietarie , and lord in heauen , and that liable to an account : doe wee not laugh at the groome that is proud of his masters horse , or some vaine whiffler , that is proud of a borrowed chaine ? so ridiculous are we to be pufft vp with that , whereof we must needs say , with the poore man , of the hatchet , alas master it is but borrowed ; and whereof our account shall be so much more great , and difficult , as our receit is more ; hath god therefore laded you with these earthly riches , be yee like vnto the full eare of corne , hange downe your heads in true humilitie towards that earth from which you came : and if your stalke be so stiffe , that it beares vp aboue the rest of your ridge , looke vp to heauen , not in the thoughts of pride , but in the humble vowes of thankfulnes , and bee not hye-minded , but feare . hitherto of the hye-mindednesse that followes wealth ; now where our pride is , there will be our confidence ; as the wealthy therefore may not be proud of their riches , so they may not trust in them ; what is this trust , but the setting of our hearts vpon them , the placing of our ioy and contentment in them ; in a word , the making of them our best freind , our patron , our idoll , our god ? this the true and ielous god cannot abide , and yet nothing is more ordinarie ; the rich mans wealth is his strong citie , saith salomon , and where should a man thinke himselfe safe but in his fort ? he sees mammon can doe so much , and heares him talke of doing so much more , it is no maruell if he yeeld to trust him , mammon is so proud a boaster , that his clients which beleeue in him , cannot choose but be confident of him ; for what doth he not brag to do ? siluer answers to all , saith salomon ; that wee grant ; although we would be loath it could answer to truth , to iustice , to iudgment : but yet more , he vaunts to procure all , to pacifie all , to conquer all ; he sayes he can procure all , secular offices , titles , dignities ; yea ( i would i might not say in some sacrilegious and periur'd wretches ) the sacred promotions of the church ; and yee know that old song of the pope , and his roman trafique , claues , altaria , christum : yea foolish magus makes full account the holy ghost himselfe may be had for money : he sayes he can pacifie all ; a gift in the bosome appeaseth wrath ; yea he saies ( looke to it yee that sit in the seates of iudicature ) he can sometimes bribe off sins , and peruert iudgment : he saies he can ouercome all , according to the old greeke verse , fight with siluer launces , and you cannot faile of victory ; yea he would make vs beleeue he thought this a baite to catch the sonne of god himselfe withall ( all these will i giue thee ) , breifly hee saies according to the french prouerbe , siluer does all ; and let me tell you indeed , what mammon can doe ; he can barre the gates of heauen , hee can open the gates of hell to the vnconscionable soule , and helpe his followers to damnation : this he can doe ; but for other things , howsoeuer with vs men , the foolish siluer-smiths may shout out , great is mammon of the worldlings , yet if we weigh his power aright , we shall conclude of mammon ( as paracelsus doth of the deuill ) that he is a base and beggerly spirit : for what i beseech you , can he doe ? can he make a man honest ? can he make him wise ? can hee make him healthfull ? can he giue a man to liue more merrily , to feed more heartily , to sleep more quietly ? can hee buy off the gout , cares , death , much lesse the paines of another world ? nay , doth he not bring all these ? goe to then , thou rich man ; god is offended with thee , and meanes to plague thee with disease and death ; now try what thy bags can do ; begin first with god , & see whether thou canst bribe him with thy gifts , and buy off his displeasure ; wherewith shalt thou come before the lord and bow thy selfe before the hye god ? will the lord be pleased with thousands of rams , or with ten thousand riuers of oyle ? the siluer is mine , and the gold is mine , saith the lord of hosts , haggai . if that speed not , go to the sergeant of god , death ; see if thou canst fee him , not to arrest thee ; he lookes thee sternely in the face , and tells thee with ehud hee hath a message to thee from god ; and bids thee with the prophet set thine house in order , for thou must dye ; yet , if he heare thee not , goe to the vnder-bayliffe of death , disease , see if hee can bee wrought to forbeare thee ; he answers thee with laban , this thing is proceeded of the lord i cannot therefore say to thee euill or good . in summe , disease will summon thee vnto death ; death will arrest thee to the iudgment seat of god , god will passe his doome vpon thee , and in all these riches auaile not in the day of wrath : and who would be so mad as to trust a freind that he knowes will be sure neuer to faile him , but when hee hath most neede ? take heede therefore , as yee loue your soules , how yee bestow your trust vpon riches ; yee may vse them , and serue your selues of them ; yea yee may enioy them in a christian moderation ; god will allow it you : that praise which the iesuites colledge at granado giues of their sanchez , that ( though hee liued where they had a very sweet garden ) yet he was neuer seene to touch a flower , and that he would rather dye then eat salt , or pepper , or ought that might giue rellish to his meat ; like as that of some other monks , that they would not see the sunne , nor shift their clothes , nor cleanse their teeth , carries in it more superstition and austeritie and slouenry , then wit or grace : wherefore hath god made his creatures but for vse ? this niggardlines is iniurious to the bounty of their maker ; we may vse them , we may not trust to them ; we may serue our selues of them , we may not serue them ; we may inioy them , we may not ouer-ioy in them ; so must wee be affected to our goods , as theoderic the good king of aquitayne , was with his play , in bonis iactibus tacet , in malis ridet , in neutris irascitur , in vtrisque philosophatur ; in good casts hee was silent , in ill , merry ; in neither angry , a philosopher in both . but if we will be making our wealth a riuall vnto god , now the ielousie of god shall burne like fire ; this is the way to bring a curse vpon our riches , and vs ; if we leane vpon this reed , it shall breake , and runne into our hand ; and he that trusteth in riches shall fall . prou. . . now as the disdainfull riuall will be sure to cast reproches vpon his base competitor ; so doth god , that we may see how vnworthy riches are of our trust , he tells vs they are vncertaine , yea vncertainty it selfe . were our wealth tyed to our life , it were vncertaine enough ; what is that but a flower , a vapor , a tale , a dreame , a shadow , a dreame of a shadow , a thought , as nothing ? what are great men but like hailstones , that leape vp on the tiles , & straight fall downe againe , & lye still , & melt away ? but now , as we are certaine that our riches determine with our vncertaine life ( for goods and life are both in a bottom , both are cast away at once ; ) so we cannot be certaine they will hold so long ; our life flies hastily away , but many times our riches haue longer wings , and out-flie it ; it was a witty obseruation of basil that wealth roles along by a man , like as an heddy streame glides by the banks ; time will molder away the very banke it washeth , but the current stayes not for that , but speeds forward from one elbow of earth vnto another ; so doth our wealth euen while wee stay , it is gone ' in our penall lawes , there are more waies to forfait our goods , then our liues ; on our hye waies , how many fauorable theeues take the purse , and saue the life ? and generally , our life is the tree , our wealth is the leaues , or fruit ; the tree stands still when the leaues are fallne , the fruit beaten downe ; yea many a one is like the pine-tree , which ( they say ) if his barke be pulld off lasts long , else it rots ; so doth many a man liue the longer for his losses ; if therefore life and wealth striue whether is more vncertaine , wealth will sure carry it away . iob was yesterday the richest man in the east ; to day he is so needy that he is gone into a prouerb , as poore as iob : belisarius the great and famous commander , to whom rome owed her life twise at least , came to date obolū belisario ; one halfe-penny to belisarius . what do i instance ? this is a point wherein many of you citizens , that are my auditors this day , might rather read a lecture vnto mee ; you could tell mee how many you haue knowne , reputed in your phrase , goodmen , which all on the sudden haue shut vp the shop windowes , & broken for thousands ; you could reckon vp to mee a catalogue of them , whom either casualty of fire , or inundation of waters , or robbery of theeues , or negligence of seruants , or suretyship for frends , or ouersight of reckonings , or trusting of customers , or vnfaithfulnes of factors , or inexpected falls of markets , or pyracie by sea , or vnskilfulnes of a pilot , or violence of tempests haue brought to an hasty pouertie ; and could tell mee that it is in the power of one gale of winde to make many of you either rich merchants , or beggers : oh miserable vncertaintie of this earthly pelfe , that stands vpon so many hazards , yea that falls vnder them ! who would trust it ? who can dote vpon it ? what madnesse is it in those men , which ( as menot sayes ) like vnto hunters , that kill an horse of price , in the pursuit of an hare worth nothing , indanger yea cast away their soules vpon this worthlesse and fickle trash . glasses are pleasing vessels , yet because of their brittlenesse , who esteemes them precious ? all salomons state was not comparable to one tulip , his royall crowne was not like the crowne imperiall of our gardens ; and yet because these are but flowers , whose destinie is fading and burning , we regard them thereafter ; no wise man bestowes much cost in painting mud-walls . what meane wee ( my beloued ) to spend our liues and hearts vpon these perishing treasures ? it was a wise meditation of nazianzen to his asterius ; that good is to no purpose if it continue not ; yea there is no pleasant thing in the world , saith he , that hath so much ioy in the welcome , as it hath sorrow in the farewell : looke therefore vpon these heapes , ô yee wise-hearted citizens , with carelesse eyes , as those things whose parting is certaine , whose stay is vncertaine ; and say with that worthy father , by all my wealth , and glory , and greatnes this alone haue i gained , that i had something to which i might preferre my sauiour . and know that as abraham whiles hee was in his owne country ( it is cyrills note ) had neuer god appearing to him , saue onely to bid him goe forth , but after , when hee was gone forth , had frequent visions of his maker ; so whiles in our affections wee remaine here below in our cofers , we cannot haue the comfortable assurances of the presence of god ; but if we can abandon the loue and trust of these earthly things , in the conscience of our obedience , now god shall appeare to vs , and speake peace to our soules ; and neuer shall we finde cause to repent vs of the change . let me therefore conclude this point with that diuine charge of our sauiour , lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth , where mothe and rust doe corrupt , and theeues breake thorough and steale , but lay vp for your selues treasure in heauen . thus much of the negatiue part of our charge ; wherein we haue dwelt so long , that we may scarce soiourne in the other . trust not , but trust ; the heart of man is so conscious of his owne weaknes , that it will not goe without a prop ; and better a weake stay then none at all ; like as in matter of policie , the very state of tyrannie is preferred to the want of a king ; the same breath therefore that withdrawes one refuge from vs , substitutes a better ; and in steed of riches , which is the false god of the world , commends to vs the true and liuing god of heauen and earth ; euen as some good carpenter raises vp the studds , and in steed of a rotten groundsell layes a sound ; the same trust then must we giue to god , which which we may not giue to riches ; the obiect onely is changed , the act is not changed . him must we esteeme aboue all things , to him must we looke vp in all , on him must we depend for all both protection , and prouision ; from his goodnesse and mercy must wee acknowledge all , and in him must we delight with contempt of all ; and this is to trust in god. it was a sweet ditty of the psalmist , which wee must all learne to sing , bonum est considere in domino , it is good to trust in the lord : good , in respect of him , and good for vs. for him , it is one of the best peeces of his glory , to be trusted to : as , with vs , ioseph holds potiphar cannot doe him a greater honor , then in trusting him with all ; and his glory is so precious , that he cannot part with that to any creature ; all other things hee imparts willingly , and reserues nothing to himselfe but this : being , life , knowledge , happinesse are such blessings , as are eminently , originally , essentially in god , and yet , being , he giues to all things , life to many , knowledge to some kindes of creatures , happinesse to some of those kindes , as for riches , he so giues them to his creature , ●hat he keeps them not at all to himselfe ; but as for his glory ( whereof our trust is a part ) hee will not indure it communicated to angell , or man ; not to the best guest in heauen , much lesse to the drosse of the earth ; whence is that curse not without an indignation , cursed be the man trusts in man ; that maketh flesh his arme , yea or spirit either , besides the god of spirits ; whom haue i in heauen but thee ? herein therefore we doe iustice to god , when wee giue him his owne , that is , his glory , our confidence . but the greatest good is our owne ; and god showes much more mercy to vs in allowing and inabling vs to trust him , then we can doe iustice in trusting him ; for alas he could in his iust iudgment glorifie himselfe in our not trusting him , in taking vengeance of vs for not glorifying him : our goodnes reaches not to him ; but his goodnes reaches downe to vs in that our hearts are raised vp to confidence in him . for , what safety , what vnspeakable comfort is there in trusting to god ? when our sauiour in the last words of his diuine-farewell-sermon to his disciples would perswade them to confidence , he sayes ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) : and so doth the angell to paul in prison ; a word that signifies boldnes ; implying that our confidence in god causeth boldnes and courage ; and what is there in all the world that can worke the heart to so comfortable and vnconquerable resolution as our reposall vpon god ? the lord is my trust , whom then can i feare ? in the lord put i my trust , how say yee then to my soule , flee hence as a bird to the hills ? yea how oft doth dauid inferre vpon this trust , a non confundar , i shall not be ashamed ; and this case is generall , that they that put their trust in the lord are as mount sion that cannot be moued ; faith can remoue mountaines , but the mountaines that are raisd on faith , are vnremoueable . here is a stay for you ( ô yee wealthy and great ) worthy of your trust ; if yee were monarchs on earth , or angels in heauen , ye could be no way safe but in this trust ; how easie is it for him to inrich , or impouerish you , to hoyse you vp to the seats of honor , or to spurne you downe ? what mines , what princes can raise you vp to wealth , against him , without him ? he can bid the windes and seas fauour your vessels , he can bid them sinke in a calme . the rich and the poore meet together , god is the maker of both ; yee may trade , and toyle , and carke , and spare , and put vp , and cast about , and at last sit you downe with a sigh of late repentance and say , except the lord build the house , they labour in vaine that build it ; it is in vaine to rise early , and lye downe late , and eat the bread of sorrow . vnto how many of you may i say with the prophet haggai , yee haue sowen much , and bring in litle ; yee eat and haue not enough , yee drinke , but yee are not filled , yee cloth you , but yee be not warme ; and he that earneth much , puts his gaines into a broken bagg . and whence is all this ? yee looked for much , and loe it came to litle ; when yee brought it home i did blow vpon it , saith the lord of hosts . behold how easie a thing it is for the god of heauen to blast all your substance ; yea not onely to diminish , but to curse it vnto you , and to make you weary of it , and of your selues . oh cast your selues therefore into those allmighty hands , seeke him in whom onely you shall finde true rest and happines ; honor him with your substance , that hath honored you with it ; trust not in riches , but trust in god. it is motiue enough to your trust , that he is a god ; all arguments are infolded in that one ; yet this text giues you certaine explicit inforcements of this confidence ; euery one of these reasons ( implying a secret kinde of disdainfull comparison betwixt the true god and the false ) perswade you to trust in god ; riches are but for this world , the true god is lord of the other , and begins his glory where the glory of the world ends : therefore trust in him . riches are vncertaine , the true god is amen , the first and the last ; euer like himselfe , therefore trust in him . riches are but a liuelesse and senselesse mettall , the true god is a liuing god , therefore trust in him . riches are but passiues in gift , they cannot bestow so much as themselues , much lesse ought besides themselues , the true god giues you all things to enioy , therefore trust in him ; the two latter , because they are more directly stood vpon , and now fall into our way , require a further discourse . ( el-chai ) the liuing god , is an ancient and vsuall title to the almighty ; especially when he would disgrace an vnworthy riuall . as s. paul in his speech to the lystrians , opposes to their vaine idols , the liuing god. viuo ego , as i liue , is the oath of god for this purpose , as hierom noteth , neither doe i remember any thing besides his holinesse , and his life that he sweares by : when moses askt gods name , he describ'd himselfe by , i am ; he is , he liues ; and nothing is , nothing liues absolutely , but he ; all other things by participation from him . in all other things , their life and they are two ; but god is his owne life , and the life of god is no other then the liuing god : and because he is his owne life , he is eternall ; for ( as thomas argues truely against the gentiles ) nothing ceases to be but by a separation of life , and nothing can be separated from it selfe ; for euery separation is a diuision of one thing from another ; most iustly therefore is he which is absolute , simple , eternall in his being , called the liuing god : although , not onely the life that he hath in himselfe , but the life that he giues to his creatures challengeth a part in this title ; a glimpse whereof perhaps the heathen saw , when they call'd their iupiter , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) from ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which signifies to liue : in him we liue ( saith s. paul to his athenians ) . as light is from the sunne , so is life from god , ( which is the true soule of the world , and more ; for without him it could not be so much as a carcasse ; and spreads it selfe into all the animate creatures . life ( we say ) is sweet ; and so it is indeed ; the most excellent and precious thing that is deriued from the common influence of god. there is nothing before life , but being ; and being makes no distinction of things ; for that can be nothing , that hath no being ; life makes the first and greatest diuision ; those creatures therefore , which haue life , we esteeme farre beyond those , that haue it not , how noble soeuer otherwise ; those things therefore which haue the perfitest life must needs be the best ; needs then must it follow that he which is life it selfe , who is absolute , simple , eternall , the fountaine of all that life which is in the world , is most worthy of all the adoration , ioy , loue , and confidence of our hearts , and of the best improuement of that life which he hath giuen vs. trust therefore in the liuing god. couetousnes ( the spirit of god tells vs ) is idolatry , or ( as our old translation turnes it ) worshipping of images . euery stampe or impression in his coyne is to the couetous man a very idoll ; and what madnes is there in this idolatry , to dote vpon a base creature , and to bestow that life which wee haue from god , vpon a creature that hath no life in it selfe , and no price but from men : let mee then perswade euery soule that heares me this day , as iacob did his houshold , put away the strange gods that are among you , & be cleane ; and as s. paul did his lystrians ; oh turne away from these vanities vnto the liuing god. the last attractiue of our trust to god is his mercy , and liberalitie ; who giues vs richly all things to enioy : a theme , wherein yee will grant it easie to leese our selues . first god not only hath all in himselfe , but he giues to vs , hee giues , not somewhat ( though a crust is more then we are worthy of ) but all things . and not a litle of all , but richly ; and all this , not to looke on , but to enioy ; euery word would require not a seuerall houre , but a life to meditate of it ; and the tongue not of men , but angels to expresse it . it is here with vs , as in a throng ; wee can get neither in nor out ; but as we vse to say of cares , so it shall be with our discourse , that the greatnes of it shall procure silence ; and the more wee may say of this head , the lesse we will say : it shal content vs only to top these sheaues , since we cannot stand to thresh them out . whither can yee turne your eyes to looke beside the bounty of god ? if yee looke vpward ; his mercy reacheth to the heauens . if downeward ; the earth is full of his goodnes , and so is the broad sea . if yee looke about you ; what is it that hee hath not giuen vs ? ayre to breath in , fire to warme vs , water to coole vs , clothes to couer vs , food to nourish vs , fruits to refresh vs , yea delicates to please vs ; beasts to serue vs , angels to attend vs , heauen to receiue vs , and which is aboue all , his owne sonne to redeeme vs. lastly , if yee looke into your selues ; hath he not giuen vs a soule to informe vs , senses to informe our soule , faculties to furnish that soule . vnderstanding , the great survayer of the secrets of nature , and grace ; fantasie and invention the master of the workes ; memory the great keeper or master of the rolles of the soule , a power that can make amends for the speede of time , in causing him to leaue behinde him those things , which else he would so carry away , as if they had not beene : will , which is the lord paramount in the state of the soule , the commander of our actions ; the elector of our resolutions . iudgement , which is the great counsellor of the will : affections , which are the seruants of them both . a bodie fit to execute the charge of the soule , so wondrously disposed , as that euery part hath best oportunitie to his own functions ; so qualified with health arising frō proportion of humors that like a watch kept in good tune it goes right , and is fit to serue the soule , & maintaine it selfe . an estate that yeelds all due conueniences for both soule , and bodie ; seasonable times , raine , & sun-shine ; peace in our borders ; competency , if not plenty of all commodities , good lawes , religious , wise , iust gouernors , happy and flourishing daies , and aboue all the liberty of the gospel . cast vp your bookes , ô ye citizens , & sum vp your receits , i am decei'd if he that hath least shall not confesse his obligations infinite . there are three things especially wherein yee are beyond others , and must acknowledge your selues deeper in the bookes of god , then the rest of the world ; let the first be the cleare deliuerance from that wofull iudgement of the pestilence . oh remember those sorrowfull times , when euery moneth swept away thousands from among you ; when a man could not set forth his foote but into the iawes of death ; when piles of carcasses were carried to their pits as dung to the fields ; when it was cruelty in the sicke to admit visitation , and loue was litle better then murderous ; and by how much more sad and horrible the face of those euill times looked , so much greater proclaime you the mercy of god , in this happy freedom which you now inioy ; that you now throng together into gods house without feare , and breath in one anothers face without danger : the second is the wonderfull plenty of all prouisions both spirituall and bodily ; you are the sea , all the riuers of the land run into you ; of the land ? yea of the whole world , sea and land conspire to inrich you . the third is the priuiledge of carefull gouernment ; your charters as they are large and strong , wherein the fauour of princes hath made exceptions from the generall rules of their municipall lawes , so your forme of administration is excellent , and the execution of iustice exemplary , and such as might become the mother citie of the whole earth . for all these you haue reason to aske , quid retribuam with dauid ; what shall i render to the lord for all his benefits ? and to excite one another vnto thankfulnesse with that sweet singer of israel , oh that men would therefore praise the lord for his goodnesse : and ( as beneficence is a binder ) these fauors of god call for your confidence : what should you do but euer trust that god , whom you haue found so gracious ? let him be your god , be yee his people for euer ; and let him make this free and open challenge to you all ; if there be any power in heauen , or in earth that can doe more for you then he hath done let him haue your hearts and yourselues . and thus from that dutie we owe to god in our confidence , and his beneficence to vs , we descend to that beneficence which we owe to men ; expressed in the variety of foure epithets , doing good , being rich in good workes , ready to distribute , willing to communicate ; all to one sense ; all is but beneficence : the scriptures of god least any atheist should quarrell at this waste , haue not one word superfluous ; here is a redoubling of the same words without fault of tautologie ; a redoubling of the same sense in diuers words , without idlenes . there is feruor in these repetitions , not loosenes ; as it was wont for this cause to bee obserued both in councels , and acclamations to princes , how oft the same word was reiterated , that by the frequence they might iudge of the vehemence of affection . it were easie to instance in many of this kinde , as especially exod. . . psal . . . ioh. . . and so many more , as that their mention could not be voide of that superfluitie which we disclaime . this heape of words therfore showes the vehement intention of his desire of good workes , and the important necessitie of their performance ; and the manner of this expression inforces no lesse , charge the rich , that they do good , and be rich in doing good . harken then yee rich men of the world ; it is not left arbitrary to you , that you may doe good if you will , but it is laid vpon you as your charge and dutie ; you must do good works , and woe be to you if you doe not . this is not a counsell , but a precept ; although i might say of god , as we vse to say of princes , his will is his command ; the same necessitie that there is of trusting in god , the same is in doing good to men . let me sling this stone into the brazen forheads of our aduersaries , which in their shamelesse challenges of our religion dare tell the world , wee are all for faith , nothing for works ; and that we hold works to saluation as a parenthesis to a clause , that it may be perfit without them : heauen and earth shall witnesse the iniustice of this calumniation ; and your consciences shall be our compurgators this day , which shall testifie to you , both now , and on your death-beds , that we haue taught you there is no lesse necessitie of good works , then if you should be sau'd by them ; and that though you cannot be saued by them , as the meritorious causes of your glory , yet that you cannot be saued without them , as the necessarie effects of that grace which brings glory . it is an hard sentence of some casuists ( concerning their fellowes ) that but a few rich mens confessors shall be saued ; i imagine , for that they dawbe vp their consciences with vntempered morter , and sooth them vp in their sins ; let this be the care of them whom it concerneth ; for vs , we desire to be faithfull to god , and you ; and tell you roundly what you must trust to ; do good therefore yee rich , if euer yee looke to receiue good ; if euer yee looke to be rich in heauen , be rich in good works vpon earth : it is a shame to heare of a rich man that dyes , and makes his will of thousands , and bequeaths nothing to pious and charitable vses : god and the poore are no part of his heyre ; we doe not houer ouer your expiring soules on your death-beds , as rauens ouer a carcasse ; we doe not begge for a couent , nor fright you with purgatory , nor chaffer with you , for that invisible treasure of the church whereof there is but one key-keeper at rome ; but we tell you that the making of freinds with this mammon of vnrighteousnes is the way to eternall habitations : they say of cyrus that he wont to say he laid vp treasures for himselfe , whiles he made his freinds rich ; but we say to you , that you lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen , whiles you make the poore your freinds vpon earth : we tell you there must be a date , ere there can be a dabitur ; that hee which giues to the poore , lends vpon vse to the lord ; which payes large increase for all he borrowes ; and how shall he giue you the interest of glory , where he hath not receiued the principall of beneficence ? how can that man euer looke to be gods heyre in the kingdome of heauen , that giues all away to his earthly heyres , and lends nothing to the god of heauen ? as that witty graecian said of extreme tall men , that they were cypresse-trees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. faire and tall , but fruitlesse , so may i say of a strait-handed rich man ; and these cypresses are not for the garden of paradise ; none shall euer be planted there but the fruitfull : and if the first paradise had any trees in it only for pleasure , i am sure the second , which is in the midst of the new ierusalem , shall haue no tree that beares not twelue fruits , yea whose very leaues are not beneficiall ; doe good therefore ô yee rich , and shew your wealth to be , not in hauing , but in doing good . and if god haue put this holy resolution into any of your hearts , take this with you also , from him ; doe not talke , and purpose , and proiect , but execute ; do not so do good that we may thanke your death-bed for it , and not you : late beneficence is better then none , but so much as early beneficence is better then late ; hee that giues not till hee dyes , showes that he would not giue , if he could keepe it , and god loues a cheerefull giuer ; that which you giue thus , you giue it by your testament , i can scarce say you giue it by your will : the good mans praise is , dispersit , dedit , he disperses his goods , not , he left them behinde him ; and his distribution is seconded with the retribution of god , his righteousnesse endureth for euer , psal . . . our sauiour tells vs that our good works are our light , let your light so shine , that men may see your good works ; which of you lets his light goe behind him , and hath it not rather carried before him , that he may see which way it goes , and which way himself goes by it ? do good therefore in your life , that you may haue cōfort in your death , and a crowne of life after death . now all this haue i spoken , not for that i haue ought ( as s. paul saies ) whereof to accuse my nation ; blessed be god , as good works haue abounded in this age , so this place hath super-abounded in good works . be it spoken to the glory of that god , whose all our good works are , to the honor of the gospell , to the conviction of that lewd slander of solifidianisme . london shall vye good works with any citie vpon earth ; this day and your eares are abundant witnesses ; as those therefore that by an handfull guesse at the whole sacke , it may please you by this yeares breife to iudge of the rest ; wherein i do not feare least enuie it selfe shall accuse vs of a vaine-glorious ostentation ; those obstreperous benefactors that ( like to hens which cannot lay an egge but they must cackle straight ) giue no almes but with trumpets , loose their thankes with god ; almes should bee like oyle , which though it swim aloft when it is fallne , yet makes no noyse in the falling ; not like water , that still sounds where it lights : but howsoeuer priuate beneficence should not bee acquainted with both the hands of the giuer , but silently expect the reward of him that seeth in secret , yet god should be a great looser , if the publique fruits of charitie should be smothered in a modest secrecy : to the praise therefore of that good god , which giues vs to giue , and rewards vs for giuing , to the example of posteritie , to the honor of our profession , to the incouragement of the well-deseruing , and to the shame of our malicious aduersaries , heare what this yeare hath brought forth . here followed a breife memoriall of the charitable acts of the city this yeare last past . &c. and if the season had not hindered , your eyes should haue seconded your eares in the comfortable testimonie of this beneficence , euge &c. well done good and faithfull seruants ; thus should your profession be graced , thus should the incense of your almes ascend in pillers of holy smoke into the nosthrils of god ; thus should your talents be turned into cities : this colour is no other then celestiall , and so shall your reward be ; thus should the foundation be laid of that building , whose walls reach vp vnto heauen , whose roofe is finished and laid on , in the heauen of heauens , in that immortalitie of glory , which the god of all glory , peace , and comfort hath prouided for all that loue him ; vnto the participation whereof the same god of ours mercifully bring vs , through the sonne of his loue , iesus christ the righteous , to whom with the father , and the holy ghost , one infinite and incomprehensible god be giuen all praise , honor , and glory now and foreuer . amen . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e charge maldona● could incline to that . in locum . es . . . somewhat aboue eight hundred . the rich ▪ rom. . . titulū charitatis dom. à soto de iustitia & iure . menander . pro. . , . i● this world . austen . a world . b euer-being c now. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they bee not ●ye-min●ed . theodericus refer . cassiodore . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. arist . sene● . gen. . and that they trust not keyes , altars , christ . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. micha . collegium granatense praef. ad lectorem con●●● . vitam r. p. tho. sanchez . prae●●● . operi morali in praecepta decal . c. sol. apollin . sidon . epist . de theoder . in vncertaine riches . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. basil . in ps . . but ( trust ) in god. joh. . vlt. prou. . the liuing . gen. . ● . who giues vs richly all things to enioy . aboue in one yeare . that they doe good , and bee rich in good works . reuel . . . cheirothesia, or, a confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institvtion, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) cheirothesia, or, a confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much neglected institvtion, and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace / by jos. hall ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed for john place ..., london : . first word of title in greek characters. running title: imposition of hands. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng imposition of hands. confirmation -- church of england. a r (wing h a). civilwar no cheirothesia, or, a confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children setting forth the divine ground, end, and use of that too much hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ΧΕΙΡΟΘΕΣΙΑ : or , a confirmation of the apostolicall confirmation of children : setting forth the divine ground , end , and use of that too much neglected institvtion . and now published as an excellent expedient to truth and peace . by jos. hall , d. d. b. norwich . london , printed for john place , at furnivals inn-gate in holborn , . to all gods faithfull people every where , grace and peace . not out of any light affectatiō , or out of a crosse humour of vainly striving against the streame , ( my witnesse is in heaven ; ) but out of a care to approve my faithfulness to gods church , have i undertaken this subject . mine eyes tell me too plainly , that an apostolicall institution is palpably neglected ; and my heart tels me , both how infinitely advantageous , and beneficiall , the practise of it , if duly revived , might be to the church of christ ; and how extream losers , gods people are by the want of it . i durst not therefore but impart these thoughts to the world before i leave it ; humbly recommending thē to the serious consideration of all wel-affected christians ; who shall soon find , upon these poor suggestions , how happy it were , if in this case , we could walke with an even foot in the mid-way betwixt romish superstition , and profane neglect . the god of heaven make us wise to salvation ; and guide our feet into the way of peace . amen . the contents of the severall sections . § . . no notice taken of the jmposition of hands , yet how important it is , and ought to be esteemed , pag. . § . . what kind of jmposition of hands is meant , heb. . . namely that of confirmation , p. . § . . wrongs done to this jnstitution of confirmation ; and first , in the excesse ; in making it a sacrament . p. . § . . a second wrong in excesse ; preferring it before the sacrament of baptisme . p. . § . . wrong done to it in the defect . by the utter neglect and mis-construction of it , p. . § . . confirmation by jmposition of hands not dying with the apostles , and continuing in the church after the miraculous gifts . p. . § . . the deduction of the use of confirmation through the primitive times succeeding the apostles . p. . § . . jmposition of hands , not a dumb ceremony ; but joyned with prayer . p. . § . . the order of confirmation as it is injoyned by the church of england . p. . § . . the considerations whereupon the church ordered confirmation to be given to those that are of years of discretion . p. . § . . the judgment of forraign divines , and churches concerning confirmation . p. . § . . motives to the practise of confirmation . first from conformity with the primitive church . p. . § . . the second motive from the great benefit , and advantage that arises therefrom . p. . § . . the third motive from the great inconveniences that grow from the neglect and dis-use of it . p. . § . . the objection of the disorder and inefficacy of our late practise of confirmation answered . p. . imposition of hands . sect. . it is no small wonder to me , that amongst all those great wits of the later times , that have so curiously pried into all the corners of apostolicall institutions and practises , i could meet with no one , that hath so much as taken notice of this , of the imposition of hands ; which yet , all the while , lay so broad open before them , as that the doctrine thereof is by the apostle reckoned amongst the first principles of christian religion : is it for that men are unwilling to know some truths , whose unpleasing consequences they would be loath to own ? or , is it that they are carried away with so high a prejudice against this practice , by reason of the extreme abuse of it , as that they are afraid to entertain any thoughts concerning it ? however it be , certainly the spirit of god hath not doubted to place this amidst the rank of the clearest and most concerning verities ; and amongst such , as are essentially fundamentall to our christian profession ; joyning it together with those main principles of faith , repentance , baptisme , resurrection and judgment : what shall we say then ? dare any christian presume to say , that the apostle , the great and wise master-builder of the church , mistook the foundation whereon he built ? or , dare any presumptuous soul single this one article from the rest , as meerly temporary , when all the rest are granted to be of eternall use ? can there be any time wherein faith , and repentance from dead works , shall not be necessary , both for knowledge and practice ? can it be , that baptisme should be ever out of date ? can the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead , and of the last judgment , be ever unseasonable , and super annated ? how , or why then should that of imposition of hands , which is indivisibly marshalled with all these , by the blessed apostle , be shuffled out from the rest , as arbitrary , and altogether unnecessary ? sect. . taking it then for granted , that the apostle accounts the doctrine & practice of the imposition of hands , to be both of excellent use , and , as then , of great importance and necessity in the church of god : let us inquire , in the next place , what is meant by this so requisite imposition , and of what kind it is . besides that extraordinary act of laying on the hand for curing of diseases and infirmities , practised by our blessed saviour and his apostles , and for conveying the holy ghost in a miraculous way ; in the primitive times there were three occasions and usages of imposition of hands ; in cases of , i. confirmation , of ordination , . of absolution & re-admission of penitents . that the first of these is here intended , not only all antiquity , but all late interpreters ( except some few straglers ) do unanimously agree : neither indeed can it , with any probability , be taken of either of the other ; not of ordination : what should novices have to do with that businesse now in the primer of their christianity ? their teachers were only concerned herein , not the puisnes in that school of christ : not of re-admission of penitents , the ceremony whereof ( for ought we can find ) began not till after the apostles : doubtlesse therefore of confirmation ; for which cause also ( as calvin well noteth ) it is paired together with baptisme , as an ordinary subsequent thereof : so as this practice thus hinted by the apostle , and made good ( as we shall hereafter shew ) by the constant tradition of all following times , is plainly derived , even by mr. calvins own confession , from no lesse then apostolicall institution . sect. . it hath been the lot of this sacred rite to fall into ill hands , & to be foully wronged by a double extreme ; the one , of excesse ; the other , of defect . the excesse , in a superstitious over-doing , and over-valuing it ; the defect , in a neglective dis-estimation ; both which must be clearly evicted and quit , ere we can present this holy ordinance to the beholder , in its native beauty and perfection : first then , it is an injurious excesse of respect that is given to confirmation , by them , who have advanced it into the rank of sacraments , forcing upon it that honour which it never originally affected , and which it utterly ( with due modestie ) refuseth to undergoe . to make up a christian sacrament , cardinall bellarmine himself sticks not to professe three things to be necessarily required : first , a promise of grace ; secondly , a sensible sign , together with a word , whereby that promise is applyed ; thirdly , a command from god , enjoyning the ministration of it : now after all his confident undertaking , where are all , where are any of these to be found in this businesse of confirmation ? for the promise , he tels us of the comforter , whom our lord jesus pre-ingaged himself to send ; and of that gracious word , at his last farewell , ye shall receive power , after that the holy ghost is come upon you : but what is this to the particular act of confirmation ? all this might well have beene , and yet no hands imposed , no confirmation implyed . well might this promise confirm the apostles in a confident expectation of some miraculous work to be wrought upon them , but could give no intimation of a new sacrament to be erected ; no specialty of their hands to be imployed in an imposition : that distinction therefore of alphonsus vivaldus , that christ instituted this sacrament , though not , exhibendo , yet , promittendo , is no better then frivolous ; unlesse he can shew , that our saviour applyed that generall promise to this speciall institution : which he shall never be able to perform . for the sensible sign ; here were hands indeed laid on , but not with any intention of acting or constituting a sacrament : and ▪ where is the solemn word whereby that promise is applyed , and that sign actuated ? surely , here , god is silent ; men may speak : for that set form which they bind their tongues unto , i sign thee with the sign of the crosse , and confirm thee with the chrisme of salvation , in the name of the father , son and holy ghost ; whose is it ? they dare not father it upon christ , who is the sole author of sacraments ; it is a device of their own , and thereupon subject to much variation of expression , as their casuists stick not to confesse . as for any command , it is as far to seek , as either of the other : what scripture can be pretended to carry the least colour of a mandate ? it is a poor shift of the cardinall , in stead of a word of injunction , to flap us off with the execution of the act : it is true , hands were laid on by the apostles , the holy ghost was given : but was this done with either purpose , or charge , to make this a perpetuall sacrament unto the church ? or , if this were anywhere to be found , yet what were all this to the warrant of the rites used in the church of rome , in the administration of this pretended sacrament ? wherein , as if the apostles act were quite forgotten , there is no imposition of hands at all , only some strange and uncouth rites are foysted in , which the apostles were never guilty of thinking of : for in what scripture shall we look for the chrisme compounded ( as it needs must be ) of oyl and balsame ? where shall we look for the consignation with the crosse in the forehead ? for the box on the ear given to the confirmed , with the rest of the complements of that pretendedly-sacramentall action ? so as now the cardinall may spread before us the testimonies of ten popes , nine councels , nine greek fathers , ten latin , besides middle aged authors and school-men , for the avowing of this their sacrament , and the antiquity of the holy appendances of it : but all these fall too short for the proof of a true and genuine sacrament of the christian church ; a truth that was well seen by the quick and piercing eies of our alexander of hales , the father of the schoolmen , whom they styled , the irrefragable doctor , and the fountain of life : as also , by his acute disciple , cardinall bonaventure , whom they have honoured with the title of a saint ; both which flatly deny any such sacrament instituted by christ , or so much as by his apostles ; sending us for the first rise of it , to a french councel held at melde , which was not till the year of grace , . so as the roman catechisme , which from the counterfeit authority of their fabian , would cast their holy chrisme upon christ himself ; and scotus , who yet suffers for stooping so low , as to fetch it from the apostles , are quite beside the cushion . sect. . yet a far more injurious degree of excesse it is , that confirmation is not only ranged together with the holy sacraments , but also equalled , and ( not without an high and intolerable affront ) preferred to baptisme it self : not so much in respect of the dignity of the person , whose hand was wont to be imployed in this action , ( held commonly , and of old , in a key above presbyterie , or as primus presbyterorum , in the lowest style ) as of the vertue and efficacy of the act it self ; without which , the eminence of the agent could avail little to the dignifying of the work : we know , the very angels are content to condescend to mean offices , for the good of us , wretched men ; yet those acts to which they have stooped , have been never the more ennobled in themselves : and if an emperour shall be designed to hold a popes stirrop , the act is never the lesse servile , because the agent is royall : it is not for us , in this case , to stand upon the person ; to whom , if it were appropriated of old , as hierome speaks , propter honorem sacerdotii , i fear it is now , by some , denied , propter invidiam sacerdotii ; the case is herein much altered : once men could have been content , with the galatians , to have pull'd out their own eies , and to have given them to us : but in these last times , too many could be content to lose one of their own eies , that we might lose both ours : however , it were great pity and sin , that so holy an act should lye still , as dead , whiles we strain courtesy who should take it up . but it is not , as i said , so much the dignity of the agent that is insisted upon , as the power and energie of the act of confirmation , which is by our romish doctors set up , proudly to contest with , and over-top the acknowledged sacrament of baptisme ; if baptisme be yeilded to begin our christendom , confirmation , they say , perfects it ; and all the praises which they , from their urban , melchiades , clemens , fabian , and others , yeild unto their confirmation , are understood ( as chemnitius well construes them ) as antitheticall ; so many derogations from the power of baptisme : in baptisme , say they , we are regenerated to life ; in confirmation , we are armed to fight : in baptisme , there is only preparation made for gods in-dwelling in our hearts ; in confirmation , he actually takes up the house-room for himself : yea , in flat tearms , they dare say , he shall never be a christian , that is not anointed by episcopall confirmation ; and it is the title of one of the chapters of their decretum , manus impositionis saer . &c. the sacrament of the imposition of hands is more worthy then the sacrament of baptisme . these , and whatever other excesses of titles and prerogatives , have been cast upon this holy institution , to the disparagement of other more noble ordinances , have not a little blemished the face of it , in some undistinguishing eies . to which may be added the over-eager and tumultuous affectation , wherewith it was wont , not very long since , to be prosecuted in some parts ( the western especially ) of this church . it cannot be spoken , with what fervour , and violence of desire , that people were wont to sue for this sacred ceremony : what fair-like confluences have we there seen of zealous ambients ? how have we been tired with the importunity of suitors , impatient of either deniall , or delay ? how have we been oppressed with the throngs of the multitude , striving for the first admission ? insomuch , as we have been forced to call for the help of officers to our rescue from that well-meant impetuousnesse ? yea , so hath that people been formerly devoted to this religious institution , that the want of it was one of the causes of their insurrection in the daies of king edward the sixth ; falling out , as then , by reason of the absence , or willing forbearance , of miles coverdale , their elected bishop . now i must be pardoned , if i impute some part of this height of zeal in those our modern clients , to an ungrounded over-weening of opinion , which they have conceived of this godly ordinance traduced unto them by their fore-fathers ; whereof , if need were , i could give too sufficient an account to the reader : an errour , which by good counsel , might in good time be redressed . sect. . but leaving the consideration of an excessive over-valuation , whereof ( i dare undertake ) the greatest part of this nation , at this day , are far enough from being guilty : we descend to that other extreme , of defect ; whereof , i fear , there are not too many free : what an universall neglect is there of this holy duty in all the churches that professe reformation ? what a willing forgetfulnesse of it ? as if there had never been any such matter practised in the church of god , never any such ceremony so much as intimated by any apostle , never any mention or memory of it in the succeeding ages ; lastly , as if there never had been , never could be , any profitable or godly use of it amongst christians . yea rather on the contrary , how odious is the very name of it grown to the ears of those , who professe the strictest godlinesse ? how is the practice of it cryed down , and hooted at , as meerly superstitious and antichristian ? who can but wonder at this strange partiality ? that men who professe so awefull an observance , and so strict and punctuall imitation of all the apostolicall ordinations and actions , should willingly abandon , and carelesly slight one of their prime , and most apparent institutions ? faine would i know what they can say to this irrefragable text ? was there not such a thing , in the apostolick times , as the imposition of hands ? was not the doctrine and practice of it held so usefull , as that it was singled out for one of the principles of christian religion ? is there not as much occasion and need of the use of it , as ever ? was this only a temporary institution , soon after to be abrogated ? what need was there then to trouble the heads , and to clog the catechisme of christian novices with a vanishing , and now already-gasping ceremony ? and why is it ranked in the style of faith , repentance , baptisme , &c. whose use and practice must be perpetuall ? surely to coop up the doctrine of baptisme , and imposition of hands , in a parenthesis , as some have poorly devised , is both very unreasonable , and injurious to the spirit of god , which would have this scripture to run freely , in all equall relations , to the fore-going and following clauses : what god will have laid open , it is high presumption in any man to enclose . sect. . that the apostles laid their hands on persons formerly baptized , and hereby conveyed unto them the holy ghost , is so clear a truth , as none durst ever deny : but did not this priviledge rest only in them , and die with them ? as it could not be bought and sold , according to the profane and sacrilegious offer of the wicked sorcerer ; so , could it be bequeathed unto , and feoffed upon their holy successors ? surely , we hear our blessed saviour , at his parting , say , lo , i am with you alway , even to the end of the world : those blessed men to whom these cordiall words were spoken , were not to stay long in the world : not to their persons therfore , but to their succession , was this promise both made and verified . not in respect to those miraculous gifts , which as persons extraordinary , they both had , and conferred ( in this singular qualification they neither had , nor could have any successors in the following times ) but in respect to those better graces , which , as predecessours to the ordinary pastours , and overseers of the church , their ministery should convey to the souls of gods people . hereupon it is , that their successors do justly claim a true right to this divine priviledge , and find a just warrant for their imposition of hands : for the effectuall performance whereof , yet , they challenge not any power , by an inherent vertue in themselves , or by any authoritative bequest from , or to others , but only in an humble way of impetration , by their faithfull prayers , which are the life of that holy ceremony , according to the practice of the apostles themselves ; who , though miraculously gifted , yet aided still their hand with their tongue , devoutly suing for what they intended to give : let no man therfore pretend , that because the miraculous effects of the apostolicall imposition of hands are long since ceased , therfore the act is now idle and uselesse . divine institutions are ill-measured by sensible operations : there are spirituall and indivisible fruits of holy ordinances , which ( as being most proper for them ) shall be perpetually produced by them , ( through the blessing of the almighty ) even when there is no appearance of any outward efficiency . such are they which proceed from the imposition of sacred and authorized hands , if the judgment of a learned father , and eminent saint , may find place with us ; it is not now , saith he , as it was , that by the testimony of temporall and sensible miracles , the holy ghost is by the imposition of hands given , as formerly it was , for the commendation and better setting forth of the then new moulded faith , and for the enlargement of the newbegun church : for who doth now expect , that those , upon whom hands are imposed for the receiving of the holy ghost , should suddenly begin to speak with tongues ? but invisibly and secretly by the bond of peace is the love of god conceived to be thus inspired into their hearts . the instance that bellarmine himself gives to this purpose is beyond exception ; in the beginnings of the church those that believed wrought miracles , as our saviour foretold his apostles ; now that effect hath long ceased ; shall we therefore say that faith is vain and forcelesse ? farre be it from us so to slaunder that divine grace , which still and ever exercises a more excellent power in the believer , in that it quickneth him to a new life ; according to that of the prophet , the just shall live by faith . although then we presume not to affect the working of wonders by the imposing of our handsupon the heads of the baptized ; yet why should we not dare to hope that the solemn laying on of approved hands , seconded by our fervent prayers , shall help to work an increase of grace in the hearts of capable receivers ? now if any man shall think fit to match this imposition of hands upon the baptized , with the anointing the sick with oyl , mentioned by the apostle ; which being both used , and required in the primitive times , had doubtlesse a soveraign effect ; but now the power of healing being lost , is no better then a purposelesse and vain ceremonie : let him know there is a great difference to be put betwixt both these , that oyl was professedly intended and used for a bodily cure onely ; receiving its vertue from a power above that of nature ; and therefore justly ranged amongst those primtive miracles , which continued not ages in the church ; whereas the imposition of hands was directed to spirituall ends , and such as were of eternall use and benefit ; to which may be added , that the doctrine of anointing with oyl had never the honour to be numbred amongst christian principles , which yet is yeilded to the imposition of hands by the great herald of the church . sect. . had the apostle onely by the way so let fall the mention of imposition of hands , that no further noise had been afterwards made of it in the church of christ , it might perhaps have been supposed some occasionall ceremony not intended for perpetuity ; but now , when we find the continuation of both the precept and practice , in the immediately-succeeding times , deducing it self through all the ages of the church , ( though lateward not without some taint of superstitious interspersions , which are easily wip'd away ) we have reason to think it was never distin'd to an abrogation : clemens the fellow-labourer to the apostles , in that epistle which he writes to his disciples , julius , and julianus , makes an honourable commendation of it to all christians , charging them to hasten both their baptisme and confirmation , by reason of the great uncertainty of the time of their dissolution ; attributing to it the conveyance of the seven-fold grace of the holy spirit to the receiver . i may not conceal that the credit of this epistle amongst the rest hath undergone question , ( which indeed none of his letters have escaped ( as is confessed by eusebius ) save onely that to the corinthians now lately published ) but not to stand upon turrianus his terms of apologie ; i must needs say , this one carries simplicity in the face of it ; passing under no other style then of clemens bishop of the city of rome ; and , that if the authority of it be suspected , yet the age cannot , so as if not authenticall , yet it is not denyed to be exceeding ancient . that story is famous which is reported by eusebius from clemens of alexandria , concerning the young man whom saint iohn the apostle , after his return from pathmos delivered and doubly recommended to the carefull custody of a grave bishop , under a vehement adjuration ; the bishop ( saith that ancient and unquestionable author ) received the young man to his charge , trained him up in his house , and at last * christned him ; and after that proceeded yet to such height of diligent observance of him , as that for a singular preservative , he added moreover to him the obsignation with the seal of the lord : ( to wit , his confirmation ) who yet proving afterward miserably debauched , was by the apostle graciously reclaimed . not to take in our way the full testimonies of dennis the areopagite , and origen ; that of tertullian is most clear , the flesh is over-shadowed with the imposition of the hand , that the soul may be illightned by the spirit . and elsewhere ; then is the hand laid on by that benediction , calling in , and inviting the holy ghost : how frequent his scholar the blessed martyr cyprian is in the report of this practice , no man that hath turn'd over his epistles can be ignorant : and that no man may say these ( if hundreds more such ) are but single witnesses ; the councell of arles in the time of constantine the great , consisting ( as binius numbers them ) of two hundred , or as ado in his chronicle of six hundred bishops , ordaines , that if any shall return to the church from their former heresie , they shall be examined concerning the articles of their creed ; and if it be found that they have been baptized in the name of the father , the son , and the holy ghost ; hands shall be onely laid upon them , that they may receive the holy ghost . but to what purpose should i presse my reader with throngs of witnesses , when all those testimonies which are mis-alledged by romish authors , whether of councels , or fathers , or doctors , to prove their confirmation a sacrament , yet cannot be denyed thus much validity , as to prove there hath ever been a confirmation . if they have uniustly contended to impose a wrong title upon the imposition of hands , yet it is no lesse clear that there was imposition , then that there were hands to be imposed ; and if they have palpably corrupted that wholsom institution with the inter-mixtures of their own mis-becomming devises , this can be no more prejudice to the true originall purity of it , then it can derogate from a beautifull face , that it was once besmear'd with a foul liniment ; wipe off the filth , and the face is still it self . it is true , that some of their additionall ceremonies came in betimes , but late enough to disprove their pedegree from any apostolique authority ; others of them ( as clapping on the cheek the crosse of the thumb , treading on the toe , filleting the forehead for seven dayes , and the like ) may justly seem to be no lesse vain then new ; and to serve onely to confirme us in the lightnesse and indiscretion of their founders : casting aside therefore all those fopperies wherewith time , and weak superstition have clogged this holy ordinance ; let us look at it in that native ( and thereupon most comely ) simplicity wherein it passed from the hands of the blessed apostles , and in that plaine and holy dresse , wherein they , by the guidance of the good spirit of god , ( wherewith they were inspired ) left it to the entertainment of the ensuing world . sect. . that our saviour laid his sacred hands on the children , that were brought unto him , in way of benediction , and that his apostles laid their hands on persons that had been baptized for conferring on them the holy ghost , it is most evident ; neither can it be doubted , but that their successours in the pastoral charge of the church laid their hands likewise upon the formerly baptized ; otherwise , ( had not this been familiarly known both in the practice , and use of it ) imposition of hands had never been recorded for a point of the ancient catechisme of christs church : the succeeding hands then were also imposed ; but to what purpose ? surely no man can think the end of this act could in them be other then holy , & spirituall ; as they in their calling succeeded those prime founders of the church , so this act also succeeded theirs : though not in giving the visible graces of the spirit ( which in thē was miraculous ) yet in obtaining an increase of invisible grace to the receiver , as theirs also more effectually did : for certainly , we shall grosly mistake this whole act , if we shall conceive it to have been onely a dumb or dead ceremony , completed in the motion of an hand , and touch of an head ; there was withall a life , and vigour put into it by the zealous prayer of the godly pastor , and congregation , which might not returne to him without a blessing : neither was it otherwise of old ; when the patriarch jacob laid his hands upon ephraim , and manasses head , it was not without a fervent apprecation ; god , before whom my fathers , abraham and isaac did walk , the god which fed me all my life-long unto this day , the angell which redeemed me from all evill , blesse the lads . it was not the bare hand of moses laid upon joshua that could replenish him with the spirit of wisdome without his prayers : yea , our blessed saviour himself , to whom all power was given in heaven , and in earth , when he touched the dumb man , and said , ephatah ; he lookt up into heaven , as thence fetching his cure : the apostles , when the seaven elected deacons were presented unto them , did not without solemne prayer , lay their hands upon them : when barnabas and saul were separated by the charge of the holy ghost , to the great worke of god , to which they were designed , hands were laid on them , but withall , prayers were made for them . so in this very case , when the baptized samaritans should be confirmed by peter and john , their hands were laid on with prayers . these , these are they which gave virtue to the hands ; which certainly without these , being but flesh , could have no spirituall operation upon the soul ; but being thus seconded , could not but be available to the furtherance of grace in the receiver . this is the practice which holy cyprian tells was successively continued in the church ; who speaking of the samaritans baptized by philip , and confirmed afterwards by the prayers , and imposition of the hands of the forementioned apostles , addes ( quod nunc quoque , &c. ) which is still ( saith he ) practised amongst us , that those , which are baptized in the church , are by the governours of the church presented unto us , and by our prayers , and laying on of our hands receive the holy ghost , &c. it is utterly needlesse to cite any further proof of this point ; or any particular attestation to the act of confirmation , done with great consent , and allowance in the primitive times ; when s. jerom in his dialogue against the luciferians ; having said , that by the imposition of authorized hands , the holyghost was still convayed to the baptized , addes ; dost thou ask me where this is written ? in the acts of the apostles ; but if there were no authority of scripture at all for it , the consent of the whole world to this point , might well challenge the force of a precept : thus he . since therefore it is undeniably certaine , that after the miraculous gifts were ceased , yet still this practice of imposition of hands was , with the generall approbation of the christian church , continued to succeeding ages ; i ask when , and why it ceased ? have we any warrant for banishing it out of the church of god ? have we any just ground of reason to forbear , and discontinue the use of it ? have we lesse need of grace , or confirmation then our forefathers ? or , is the power of gods ordinance abated , and now languisheth with age ? or , are we lesse qualified to performe this gracious act then our predecessours ? surely , the church of england which ( to her eternall praise and honour be it spoken ) hath ever been studiously carefull to maintaine all apostolicall constitutions and practises , above all her reformed sisters hath not failed to hold out this holy ordinance , and to recommend it in the most ancient , simple , and inoffensive forme to all her obedient children : neither doe we finde that the present times ( though too ful of distraction and quarrell ) have ever declared any opposition to , or dislike of that never-interrupted , never-disallowed institution : so as we have just reason to think , that it both should , and doth continue in its full right and vigour . sect. . but lest the discontinuance of the act , together with some prejudice of the otherwise affected , should have worne out of the mindes of men the memory of that laudable and godly practise , it will not be amisse to recall unto our thoughts , the wise and exemplary order wherein that holy rite was injoyned to be administred . first therefore , having removed away all the trash of superstitious , and frivolous appendances , as the crosse , the chrisme , the stripe , the fillet , and the rest ; as aiming onely at the originall simplicity of that religious ceremony : secondly , having removed away all opinion of a sacrament , ( for which the church of rome hath unjustly strugled ) and therewith disclaimed all derogation from the power and vertue of baptisme : and thirdly , having solemnly professed against the misconceit of an absolute necessity of this rite to salvation in them , which die after baptisme , before hands can be laid upon them ; the church of england hath piously ordered the imposition of hands so to be administred , as may be to the greater edification of those that are to receive it ; and therefore hath ordained that none should be confirmed but such as can give account of having learned the articles of the faith , the lords prayer , the ten commandements , and that initiatory catechisme , which is purposely appointed for their preparation ; wherein this church hath judiciously , and not without good ground both of reason & religion , reformed that common errour and abuse of the church of rome , which commonly casts away their confirmation upon babes in the cradle of their first infancy ; for though some of their doctors are willing to limit this act unto the age of their puberty , which is the twelfth year ; others to the seventh ; that so the child may at least remember ( though yet he understand not ) what was done to him ; yet the most are of opinion , that there is no cause to deferre their confirmation till they come to the use of reason ; and doe practise accordingly ; so as alphonsus vivaldus tells us that commonly in spaine , all children of two , or three years old , are wont to be confirmed ; and petrus a soto and cassander professes it to have beene the ancient order of the church , that forthwith after their baptisme , children should also receive their confirmatiō : in which point i cannot but allow the moderate determination of c. bellarmine ; who tells us , that when persons of ripe age come to be baptized , the same day , together with baptisme they receceive both confirmation , and eucharist ; but when they are baptized , being infants , the other two are justly deferred till the receiver attaines to the use of reason ; since ( as he truly resolves ) neither of them are necessary for infants , and both of them are received with more fruit , and greater reverence , by those which are come to a mature age . but though he come home to us in matter of time , yet the church of england goes beyond him in the qualification of the persons , in whom he ( as holding grace given by the very work wrought ) professes not to require that measure of knowledge and preparation , which we cal for , & presuppose in those who shall be admitted to the imposition of our hands ; upon this ground , that the ancients stood not upon catechismes and examinations in the laying on of their hands in the primitive times , but conferred their confirmation upon infants ; whereat no man can wonder , that knowes they were also wont of old ( upon a weake misprision ) to cram the blessed eucharist into the mouthes of infants ; to the due participation whereof notwithstanding , we know a competent measure of knowledge , and felf-examination ought to be required ; doubtless if a meet time be fit to be stood upon , much more a meet ability of understanding ; so as in this point , i may safely appeal to any well-informed conscience , whether the church of england have not chosen the better part , and with great judgement reformed a palpable defect in the roman profession . sect. and certainly , the considerations whereupon this church professeth to be led into this just and pious resolution are such , as may well become the gravity and godly care of our gracious mother ; which the rubrick thus expresseth : first , because that when children come to the yeers of discretion , and have learn'd what their god-fathers and god-mothers promised for them in baptisme , they may then themselves with their own mouth , and with their own consent openly before the church ratifie and confirm the same ; and also promise that by the grace of god , they will evermore endevour themselves faithfully to observe and keep such things as they by their own mouth and confession have assented unto . secondly , for as much as confirmation is ministred to them that be baptized , that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sin , and the assaults of the world and the devill ; it is most meet to be administred when children come to that age , that partly by the frailty of their own flesh , partly by the assaults of the world and the devill , they begin to be in danger to fal into sundry kinds of sin . thirdly , for that it agreeth with the usage of the church in times past , whereby it was ordained that confirmation should be ministred to them that were of perfect age , that they being instructed in christs religion , should openly professe their own faith , and promise to be obedient to the will of god . now let any reader , let any adversary say , whether any determination could be more holily-rationall , or more evidently conducing to the furthering of the welfare and salvation of christian soules , in this case , then this which our mother the church of england hath upon sad and serious deliberation fixed upon ; which if it had been accordingly executed , with that constant care and fidelity as it ought , would certainly have prevented many foul and monstrous exorbitances in matter of doctrine , and many horrible enormities in the practice of mens lives ; with both which we are now miserably pestred and over-run . when the party then is upon due examination , found fit both for age and knowledge , he is to be in due season presented to the imposition of hands ; which is ordained to be performed with such holy comlinesse and such vigor of devotion , as ( be it spoken without envy ) the church of england may be herein well proposed as a pattern to all the christian churches in the world ; doubtlesse if there be any church under heaven that hath continued the apostolicall institution and practise of the imposition of hands in the native simplicity and purity thereof , it is the church of england . but that we may not think the church of england ( though more eminent in this point then her other sisters ) goes alone in her judgement and practise of confirmation , by imposition of hands , let us see the free and full astipulation of other famous divines and churches to her , in both these . philip melancthon , as in behalf of the churches of saxonie , hath thus : in ritu confirmationis fiebat &c. in the rite of confirmation there was of old an explication of doctrine ; wherein every one was to recite the summe of christian doctrine , and openly to professe his detestation of all both heathen and hereticall phrensies ; and that he will be , and ever remain , a true member of the church , and not depart from the true belief which he then professed . this custome was profitable both for the instruction of men , and for the retaining of them in the true acknowledgement of god , and his truth . flac. illyricus thus : porro autem impositionem manuū &c. but further also , they had wont of old in the beginnings of the church to use imposition of hands after a more accurate instruction in the catechisme , with publick and fervent prayer , that they might obtain for them the grace of the holy ghost , as we read it was done to the samaritanes , acts . and i believe that so they were wont in the primitive church to remove those which were novices , from the catechumeni , to the rank of those auditors which were allowed to be of greater maturity ; that so now it might be lawfull for them , ( as those that were judged worthy ) to partake of the holy communion . learned chemnitius , as for the protestant churches in generall thus . nostri saepe ostenderunt &c. our doctors have often shewed , that the rite of confirmation might very well ( setting aside those unprofitable & superstitious traditions , and indeed such as are contrary to the scriptures ) be thus made use of ; even according to the consent of the holy scripture ; viz : that those which are baptized in their infancy ( for such is now the estate of the church ) when they come to the yeers of discretion , should be diligently instructed in a certain and simple catechisme of the doctrine of the church . and when they shall be thought to have in some good sort attained to the understanding of those principles , that then they should be presented to the bishop and the church ; and there the child which was baptized in his infancy , should first by a short and plain admonition be put in mind of his baptisme ; wherewith , how , why , and into what he was baptized , what in that baptisme the whole trinity conferred upon him , and sealed unto him ; namely , the covenant of peace , and the compact of grace ; how that there he made a publique renouncing of satan , a profession of his faith , and a promise of holy obedience , secondly , that the child himself should before the congregation make a proper and publique profession of this doctrine & faith . thirdly , that being interrogated of the chief points of christian religion , he should give answer to them al ; & if he fail in his ūderstanding of any of them , he should be better instructed in them . fourthly , he should be admonished , and by this profession should declare , that he utterly dissents from all heathen , hereticall , phanaticall and profane opinions . fiftly , that there should be added a grave and serious exhortation out of the word of god , that he persevere in that covenant which he hath made in baptisme , and in that faith , and doctrine which he hath there professed . sixtly , that publique prayer be made for those children , that god by his holy spirit would vouchsafe to govern , conserve , and confirm them in this profession . at which prayer , without all superstition , imposition of hands may be used : neither would such a prayer be in vain ; for it is grounded upon the promises made of the gift of perseverance , and the grace of confirmation . such a fashion of confirmation would yeeld much profit to the edification both of the younger sort , and of the whole church , and would be agreeable both to the scripture and to purer antiquity : for in the apostolicall imposition of hands that there was an exploration of doctrine , and a profession of faith , the history doth manifestly witnesse act. . of the exhortation to perseverance , and confirmation by the word in the doctrine and faith once professed ; there are examples of the apostolike church act. , , and . and that publique prayer was used , the history testifies act. . so also of the examination and profession of faith and doctrine in confirmation , the seventh canon of the councell of laodicea , and the eighth canon of the councell of arles do sufficiently speak . thus he . reader , i have thus at large transcribed the testimony of this worthy author ; for that it gives both so full an attestation to the solemn confirmation hitherto used in the church of england ; and withall layes forth the grounds of this holy practise fetch'd from the blessed apostles , and from scripture it self : judge now , whether there could be a better commentary upon that form which our godly forefathers have transmitted unto us , and our church hath lately both prescribed , and recommended her dutifull children . hemingius that great light of denmark for his own judgement , and the danish churches , hath thus : purior ecclesia secuta apost. tempora &c. the purer churches following the apostles times , when the children of christians began to be baptized , had this fashion : that the children being instructed in the catechisme , should be publiquely brought forth into the sight of the bishops , and there be interrogated concerning the articles of their faith ; and should there with their own voice confirm the vow that was in their name made in their baptisme ; and that action , from a part of it was termed confirmation ; and that whole action consisted of an examination , a solemn confirmation of the vow made in baptisme , the prayer of the bishop , and the imposition of hands . this custome was exceeding profitable , and conduced much to the retaining of their former confession and concord ; for neither was it easily found that any man would depart from that doctrine which he had by his solemn vow ratified and confirmed : and soon after , in our churches , saith he , the substance of the ancient confirmation is retained , all popish superstitions being abolished : for our bishops in their visitations do publiquely examine the younger sort in the articles of their faith , and in the doctrine of the sacraments , and do then confirm them in the same by instruction and exhortations . for the judgement of the french church both concerning the ancient use of confirmation , and of the laudable practice of it for the present ; we need no other witnesses then he , who is the just glory of it , mr. calvin , who tels us : hic mos olim fuit &c. this was the manner of old , that the children of christians , after they were grown up to some good age , were presented before the bishop , that they might fulfill that duty which was required of those who at a riper age offered themselves to baptisme ; for they sate amongst those that were appointed to be catechized , till they being rightly instructed in the mysteries of faith , could be able before the bishop and the people to render a confession of their belief . upon the ending of their child-hood , or in the entring of their youth , they were again by their parents brought to the bishop , and were examined by the bishop according to that form of catechisme which they then had , which was both certain and common : and that this action , which ought otherwise in it self worthily to be held grave and holy , might carry in it so much the more reverence and dignity ; there was also therein used the ceremonie of the imposition of hands ; so the child , after the approbation of his belief professed , was dismissed with a solemn blessing : thus he . and could that eminent author , if he had been retained advocate for the church of england , better have set forth her fashion of confirming , and her perfect conformity herein to the ancient apostolicall practice ? justly may i call it so , by warrant of the same author , who commenting upon this text of the hebrews , hath thus , transacta infantia &c. their infancy past over , being instructed in their belief , they offered themselves to catechizing ; but then another symbole or sign was used , which was the imposition of hands : this one place , saith he , abundantly testifies that the originall of this ceremonie was derived from the apostles . lastly , that it may appear how well he approved this practice ▪ nos quoque &c. we also could well and worthily wish , that this rite were restored to the church every where ; whereby children after the publique confession of their faith made , might be offered up to god ; and this would be a well-beseeming approbation of their catechizing . and yet more fully in his institutions thus , utinam verò morem hunc . would to god we might retain that fashion which i admonished you formerly was used amongst the ancient christians , before this abortive counterfeit of a sacrament sprang up ; that there should be a catechisme of all the heads of religion , which without all controversie are agreed upon &c. that the child at ten yeers of age should tender himself to give a publique confession of his faith , &c. this discipline , if it were at this day in force , there would be amongst christian people a greater agreement in matter of faith ; neither would there be so great ignorance and rudenesse as is amongst many ; neither would some be so readily carried away with new and strange doctrines ; thus he . tell me now reader , whether in the judgement of this eminent divine ( whose authothority is justly wont to sway so much with all reformed churches ) we have not great reason to plead for the continuance and inforcement of holy confirmation , and to blesse god for the guiding of our wise predecessors into those safe wayes which others complain to have missed ; and earnestly to desire that this religious and beneficiall action might be so reverently and zealously performed , as may most conduce to the edification of gods church . sect. to the carefull ideavour whereof , though i might urge many motives , yet i shall take up with these following ; not more few in number , then considerable in weight . the first shall be the agreement and contesseration , both in judgement and practice with the primitive church : to whose example , doubtlesse , the nearer we draw , the more we shall approach towards purity and perfection . now by the confession of all divines , both romish and reformed , there was a confirmation by imposition of hands in all the first ages of the church , and that the manner of performing it was the true pattern of ours , i appeal to the witnesse of those protestant authors , which i have formerly cited , and am ready if need were , to second it with many more : and why , my dear brethren , should we think it fit or safe to leave so gratious an example , and to walk alone in our own wayes , untracked , untroden with the holy feet of our first and surest guides ? where the practice began sensibly to degenerate , in adulterating the ordinance with superstitious additions , both of rites and opinions , there we have justly declined it , and do with the zealousest professors cry down the grosse abuse of that godly institution to the pit of hell , whence certainly it came : but shall we upon this pretence cast off that gratious act of religion which was sent us from heaven by the hands of the apostles ? what if we cannot second our imposition of hands with sensible wonders as the apostles did ? ( else , as oecumenius well observes , simon magus could not have seen that the holy ghost was given by them ) though we cannot work miracles , yet we can pray ; and our prayers have the same spirituall effects with theirs ; neither did the ordinary pastors that succeeded those blessed apostles expect any other issue of their hands imposed , yet still imposed their hands ; and whether should we affect to be like them , in acting and approving the laying on of hands , or to some hesternall teachers that refuse and disallow of it ? the common plea of those gain-sayers is the cessation of those miraculous gifts which were in the apostolick times by their onely hands bestowed ; ( others in great numbers had the holy ghost , none gave it but they ) whereupon they argue , as they think strongly , that the effect ceasing the cause is uselesse ; whom i send to our learned fulk for satisfaction : there is ( saith he ) another kind of imposition of hands ( besides that miraculous one ) mentioned hebr. . . whereof there may be perpetuall use in the church ; which is the same which saint austin cals nothing else but prayer over a man ; and whereof he speaks tract. . on the first epistle of john &c. and soon after : we acknowledge imposition of hands with prayer , that they which were so taught and instructed , might receive strength of gods spirit , so to continue ; so he . this is that onely which we professe and glory to imitate , as being well assured that the faithfull prayers of godly pastors and christian congregations can never either be out of date , or acceptation . sect. the second motive shall be the great benefit which accrues to the church of god by the use of this ordinance ; which i had rather to expresse in the elegant and solid termes of learned hooker , then in my own . by this meanes ( saith he ) it came to passe , that children in expectation thereof were seasoned with the principles of true religion , before malice and corrupt examples depraved their minds , a good foundation was laid betimes for direction of the course of their whole lives , the seed of the church of god was preserved sincere and sound , the prelates , and fathers of gods family , to whom the care of their souls belonged , saw by triall and examination of them , a part of their own heavy burden discharged , reaped comfort by beholding the first beginnings of true godlinesse in tender yeers , glorified him whose praise they found in the mouths of infants , and neglected not so fit an opportunity of giving every one fatherly encouragement and exhortation ; whereunto imposition of hands and prayer being added , our warrant for the great good effect thereof is the same which patriarchs , prophets , priests , apostles , fathers , and men of god have had for such their particular invocations and benedictions , as no man i suppose professing truth of religion will easily think to have been without fruit ; thus he . and surely these are so excellent fruits of this work of confirmation that we shall not need to seek out for more ; yet i may not passe over a serious and important passage of a late writer , who in a profitable and well-laboured discourse of the doctrine and practice of pedobaptisme , taking an hint from calvin ( as he well might ) to prove the high antiquity of baptizing of infants , by the primitive practice of their confirmation , which is under the name of imposition of hands , coupled together therewith ; and having well made out his argument by the received distinction of catechumeni , takes occasion to set forth that ordinance in the primitive institution of it ; recommending it with those grave authors forementioned to be of singular use , if it were restored to the original purity ; and recounting the benefits that might arise therefrom instanceth in these following ; by this meanes the neglected exercise of catechizing would be brought in life and credit ; secondly , the unity of faith would be maintained ; thirdly , parents would be quickned up to a further care of the religious ▪ education of their children ; fourthly , children themselves would be put on to seek after knowledge ; whereto he addeth two others not hinted formerly by any author ; fiftly , that by this means , persons ignorant or scandalous might be kept out from communion with the church in the sacred ordinance of the lords supper ; and so the stumbling block of mixt communion removed ; sixtly , that by this meanes , the difference of the times about the formality of a church-covenant , in receiving in of members ( as they call them ) might be compremised and taken up ; there being here the substance of what is there contended for , and that better bottom'd ( as he conceives ) then the former : all which as they are exceeding weighty and worthy of sad consideration , so , me thinks , this last should be held fit to be listned unto by our brethren of the church-way ; who may easily see how by but the admissiō of a truly apostolicall institution they may effect that which ( not without greater difficulty to be atchieved ) they project and desire . sect. the third motive shall be the mischieves and inconveniences which follow upon the neglect and want of this holy ordinance ; which do plainly appear ( as the right serves to set forth both it self and the wrong ) both in the privation of those benefits which we have fore-specified , and in the seizure of those manifold evils which have sensibly ensued . for whiles this institution is let fall , we see catechizing of children ( then which nothing can be conceived more profitable and necessary in gods church ) is grown utterly out of fashion . and what wofull distractions of opinions , what horrible paradoxes of contradiction to the articles of christian faith have been and are daily broached to the world , what good heart can but tremble to consider ? certainly it was not without great reason , that our wise and learned king james of blessed memory , when complaint was made to him of the growth of popery in his time , returned answer , that all this was for the want of catechizing : for surely , if the younger sort were soundly seasoned with true knowledge of the grounds of religion , they could not be so easily carried away with every wind of doctrine . how cold and carelesse are parents generally grown of breeding their children in a religious way ; for that they know they neither are , nor shall be ever called to any account of their knowledge or proficiency . how utterly regardlesse are the children themselves of so much as a verball learning the principles of religion , which shall never be required of them to the shame of their ignorance or unperfitnesse ; being in the mean time wholly taken up with vain toyes , and idle impertinencies ? with what bold and sinfull ignorance do too many of the promiscuous multitude thrust themselves upon gods table ? which might be clearly avoided , if the prudent and godly order of our church were duly observed ; that none should be admitted to the communion but those that have been confirmed ; none confirmed but those who are able to give account of the catechisme set forth by the church , containing the main grounds of christian doctrine , viz. the belief , the ten commandements , the lords prayer , and the sacraments . lastly , how lawlesly vicious are the lives of too many , which might have been in all likelyhood somewhat restrained , if in the entring of their youth , they had publiquely engaged themselves to god and the congregation , to renew their baptismall covenant , in renouncing the world , the devill , and the flesh ; and solemnly promising to do their utmost indeavour to keep gods holy will and commandements , and to walk in the same all the dayes of their life ? in the account of most of these great inconveniences , i am seconded by master calvin himself , who plainly imputes to the want of this discipline , so much querrell in matter of belief , so much ignorance and rudenesse in too many , and so fearfull distractions with new and wilde opinions set abroach every where in the world . so as , whether we consider the convenience and honour of our conformation to the primitive church of christ , or the great profit that ariseth from the due observation of this ordinance , or the no small inconveniencies and mischieves which ensue upon the neglect of it , we have great reason to wish , that it may be happily in the purity of it restored to the church of god . sect. in the mean timelet no man think to choke me with the objection of the disorder , and utter inefficacy of this ordinance , as it was lately wont to be practised in our church ; i may not deny that in too many places there was fault enough even on both parts , both of the giver and receiver : for the one mr. hooker gives a grave and modest touch of reproof ; no , saith he , there is no cause we should doubt of the benefit , but surely great cause to make great complaint of the deepe neglect of this christian duty , almost with all them to whom by right of their place and calling the same belongeth : let them not take it in evill part , the thing is true , their small regard hereunto hath done harm in the church of god , thus he . neither can i but justifie his gentle reprehension : the fathers of the church generally failed in the zealous prosecution of this so beneficiall a work , being i suppose discouraged with either the coldnes or adversnes of too ma ny of their charge ; into whose thoughts some otherwise affected teachers had instilled a strong prejudice against this institution ; hereupon having eye enough to their own peace , they were content silently to let fall the frequent and regular performance of that which their hearts allowed ; afterwards , in the beginning of king james his reign , they were quickend with this synodicall constitution : forasmuch as it hath been a solemn ancient and laudable custome in the church of god , continued from the apostles times , that all bishops should lay their hands upon children baptized and instructed in the catechisme of the christian religion , praying over them , and blessing them , which we commonly call confirmation , and that this holy action hath been accustomed in the church in former ages , to be performed in the bishops visitation every third year ; we will and appoint that every bishop , or his suffragane in his accustomed visitation , do in his own person carefully observe the said custome , &c. upon this canon , the bishops generally were not indiligent in performing this part of their charge , insomuch as had there been a correspondent forwardnesse , both in the people , and in their brethren of the ministery ( who are by the canon charged with the care of preparing and procuring the presentation of such persons as are meet to be admitted to confirmation ) this service had certainly been accomplished with good effect , and was by divers of them done accordingly . but soon after , divisions grew on , the authority of ecclesiasticall superiors began to abate in the minds of men , and there wanted not who suggestit to be a piece of piety to dislike and decry this ( which they termed a superstitious ) ceremony ; so as now there wanted heads on which hands should be imposed : whiles yet in some places of the remoter diocesses , this episcopall benediction was ( in the other extream ) sought with so too much heat , as that it was not possible to be given otherwise then in a breathlesse and tumultuary way , as i formerly intimated . it is not then for us to say how an holy service is performed , but how it should be ; what errors passe in any godly administrations , ought not so much to disgrace the act , as to invite an amendment ; and let me be bold to say , that were this institution carefully and punctually acted on all parts , according to the rules prescribed by the church of england , there could be no doubt of a plentifull blessing from heaven to be powred down upon that so sacred and religious ordinance . wherefore dear brethren , laying aside all unjust prejudice that may arise , either from the persons interested , or from the abuse of the thing , or discontinuance of the practice , let us resolve both reverently to esteem , and humbly to submit to an institution , no lesse then apostolicall , and expect the heavenly benediction of him who is the great bishop of our soules ; to whom with the father and the holy spirit be all praise , honour , and glory , for evermore . amen . finis notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- hebr. . . cor. . . calv. in locum . bellarm. de sacram. confirm . l. . c. . sect. . tria requiruntur . act. . . vivald. . candclab . aur . de sacr. conf. tit. . pro mandato damus illis mandati executionem . de sacr. confirm . c. . bellarm. ubi supra ▪ alex. halens . part . . qu. . sixtus senens . l. . bibliotheo-sanct . poss . appar ▪ sacr. confirmat . sacramentum aeque sacrosanctum ac ipse baptismus . catechif . austriac . lib. sacrarum cerem ut pleni christiani inveniantur decret. de consec . d. s. cap. omnes fidcles . chemuit . exam. conc. trid. cap. de confirmat . quia nunquam erit christianus nisi confirmatione episcopali fuerit chrismatus . decret. de consecr. cap. jejuni . manus impositionis sacramentum dignius est . sacr. baptismi . cap. de bis . ibid. majore veneratione venerandum &c. ibid. viz. cornwall and devon . hic respexit ad usitatam catechism . formulam . calvi● . in h●b. . . matth. . . grotius his vindicat. heb. . & act. . pezelii resp. ad catechis . trid. cap. de confirmat . august . l. . de baptismo , c. . bellar. de confirmat . lib. . c. . jam. . . clem. ep. . julio & juliano . clemens urbis romae episcopus . euseb. hist. eccles. l. . c. . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . diony. eccl. ●ierar . c. . orig. hom. . in levit. tertul. de resur. ●arni● & lib. de baptismo . concil : arelat. . sub sylvestro . can. . acts : acts . neophytorum ● . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. aretius i locum : tradebantur ergo ista catecbi mi initi● brevibus paucu tanquam prae cipua religionis nostra capi bez. in heb. . ● gen. . , , . deut . mar. . . act. . . act. . . act. . . cypr. de baereticis baptiz andis ad jubaianum . hieron. dialog. adversus lucifer . cited also by bellarm. de confirm . l. . concil. aurelian . vivald. . ubi supra . cassand. consultat . de confirm . bellar. l. . de confir. c. . sect. ult. liturgy of the church of england . rubrick before confirmation . non nisi adultiore aetate ut fiat nil prohibet hanc ob causam ut parentibus , susceptoribus , & ecclesiarum praefectis detur occasio pueros de fide quā in baptismo professi sunt diligentiùs instituendi & admonendi . cassand. consult . c. de confirmat . imposition of hands with prayer , which was the old and pure ceremonic of confirmation . fulk in rhem. act. . melanct. confess . saxoni●arum eccles. cap. de confirmat . & unctione . mat : flac. illyr . gloss. in hebr. . chemmit . exam. concil. trident. de confirmat . dr. nic. hemingius syntag. c. . ● . votum , calvin instit : l. . . . calvin . com. in hebr. . calvin de vera reformandae ecclesiae ratione . calvin instit l. . c. . hooker eccles. pol. lib. . . mr. iohn brinsley preacher at yarmouth , doctr. and practis . of pedobaptisme . p. . . . &c. so deodat . on the place . . . . . . rubrick after the order of confirmation . . calvin ubi supra . instit. l. . c. . hooker eccle. pol. l. . of confir. . can , & const. eccles ● n . can. & constit . can. . pet. . . epistles. the third and last volume containing two decades / by ioseph hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : c or : ) epistles. the third and last volume containing two decades / by ioseph hall ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by e. edgar, and a. garbrand, at the wind-mill in pauls church yard, london : . in two pts. "the sixt decade of epistles" has special t.p., with imprint. signatures: a , b-h , i , k , a-g , h (last leaf blank). title within architectural border. errata: p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion epistles , the third and last volvme . containing two decades . by ioseph hall doctor of diuinitie . london printed for e. edgar , and a. garbrand , at the wind-mill in pauls church yard . . to the most high and excellent prince , henrie , prince of wales , all happinesse . most gracious prince , let mee not ( whiles i desire to be dutifull ) seeme importunate , in my dedications . i now bring to your highnesse these my last , and perhaps most materiall letters : wherein , if i mistake not , ( as , how easily are wee deceiued in our owne ? ) the pleasure of the varietie shall striue with the importance of matter . there is no worldly thing , i confesse , whereof i am more ambitious then of your highnesses contentment , which that you place in goodnesse , is not more your glory , then our ioy : do so still , and heauen and earth shall agree to blesse you , and vs in you . for me , after this my officious boldnesse , i shall betake myselfe in silence , to some greater worke , wherein i may approue my seruice to the church , and to your highnes , as her second ioy and care . my heart shall be alwaies , and vpon al opportunities , my tong and pen , shall no lesse gladly bee deuoted to my gracious master , as one who reioyce to be your highnesses ( though vnworthy , yet ) faithfull and obsequious seruant . ios . hall . the svmme of the severall epistles . decad . v. ep. i. to my lord bishop of bath and wels. discoursing of the causes and means of the increase of popery . . ep. ii. to my lord b. of worcester shewing the differences of the present church , from the apostolicall ; and needlesnesse of our conformity thereto in all things . . ep. iii. to my lady mary denny . containing the discription of a christian , and his differences from the worldling . . ep. iiii. to my l. honoria hay. discoursing of the necessity of baptisme ; and the estate of those which necessarily want it . . ep. v. to sir richard lea , since deceased . discoursing of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions . . ep. vi. to master peter movlin preacher of the church at paris . discoursing of the late french occurrents , and what vse god expects to be made of them . . ep. vii . to m. thomas svtton . exciting him , and ( in him ) all others to early and chearefull beneficence : shewing the necessity and benefit of good workes . . ep. viii . to e. b. dedicated to sir george goring . remedies against dulnes and hartlesnesse in our callings , and encouragements to chearefulnesse in labour . . ep. ix . to s. h. i. discussing this question . whether a man and wife after some yeares mutuall , and louing fruition of each other , may vpon consent , whether for secular , or religious causes , vowe and performe a perpetuall separation from each others bed , and absolutely renounce all carnall knowledge of each other for euer . ep. x. to m. william knight ; incouraging him to persist in the holy calling of the ministery , which vpon conceit of his insufficiency , and want of affection , he seemed inclining to forsake , and change . decad . vi. ep. i. to my lord denny . a particular account how our dayes are , or should be spent , both common and holy . ep. ii. to m. t. s. dedicated to sir fvlke grevill . discoursing how wee may vse the world without danger . ep. iii. to s. george fleetvvood . of the remedies of sinne , and motiues to auoide it . ep. iiii. to m. doctor milbvrne . discoursing how farre , and wherein popery destroieth the foundation . . ep. v. written long since to i. w. disswading from separation : and shortly oppugning the grounds of that errour . . ep. vi. to master i. b. a complaint of the mis-education of our gentry . ep. vii . to master ionas reiges bergivs in zeland . written some whiles since , concerning some new opinions then broaced in the churches of holland ; and vnder the name of arminius ( then liuing : ) perswading all great wits to a studie and care of the common peace of the church , and disswading from al affectation of singularity . ep. viii . to w. i. condemned for murder effectually preparing him , and ( vnder his name ) whatsoeuer malefactor , for his death . . ep. ix . to master iohn mole , of a long time now prisoner vnder the inquisition at rome . exciting him to his wonted constancie , and incouraging him to martyrdome . . ep. x. to all readers . containing rules of good aduice for our christian and ciuill carriage . . errata . decad . v. page . line . read setlednes for seelednes . p. . l. . read their for they , p. . l. . r. stales for stalls . p. . l. . r. great , oppugnation for great oppugnation , p. . l. . r. person for persons , p. . l. . r. fastes for facts , p. . vlt r. concluding for concluding , p. . l. , r. ingrosses for ingrosse , p. . l. . read heard for hard , p. . l. . r. duels for doels , p. . l. . r. cotton for cotten , p. . l. . r. holy for wholy , p. . penult . r. death-bed for dead bed , p. . l. . r. more weake for more weaker p. . . r. our price for our pride , p. . l. . r. then euer forthen neuer , p. . l. . r. matrimoniall for matrimonicall , p. . l. . r. i am not more for i am more , p . l. r. appose vs for oppose vs : decad . vi. page . l. . r. judges for iudge . p. . l. . r. ruffians for ruffianlike , p. . l. . r. glad for gald , p. . l. . r. let for lets , p. . l. . r. yeeld for yeelds . p. . l. . r. probation for prouation , the fifth decade . epistle . i. to my lord bishop of bathe and wels. ep. i. discoursing of the causes and means of the increase of popery . by what meanes the romish religion hath in these latter times preuailed so much ouer the world , ( right reuerend and honourable ) is a consideration both weighty , and vse-full : for hence may we frame our selues either to preuent , or imitate them : to imitate them in what wee may ; or preuent them in what they should not . i meddle not with the meanes of their first risings : the munificence of christian princes , the honest deuotions of wel-meaning contributers , the diuision of the christian world , the busie indeauours of forward princes , for the recouery of the holy land , with neglect of their owne , the ambitious insinuations of that sea , the same and large dominiō of those seuen hils ; the compacted indulgence , and conniuence of some treacherous , of other timorous rulers ; the shameles flattery of parasites , the rude ignorance of times ; or if there be any other of this kinde ; my thoughts and wordes shall be spent vpon the present , and latest age . all the world knowes , how that pretended chayre of peter tottered , and cracked , some threescore yeares agoe , threatning a speedy ruine to her fearefull vsurper : how is it that still it stands , and seemes now to boast of some setlednesse ? certainely , if hell had not contriued a new support , the angell had long since saide , it is fallen , it is fallen ; and the merchants , alas , alas , the great citie . the brood of that lame loyola shall haue this miserable honour , without our enuie ; that if they had not beene , rome had not beene . by what meanes , it rests now to enquire . it is not so much their zeale for falshood ; which yet wee acknowledge , and admire not . if satan were not more busie then they , we had lost nothing . their desperate attempts , bold intrusions , importunate solicitations haue not returned empty ; yet their policy hath done more then their force . that popish world was then foule , and debauched , as in doctrine , so in life ; and now beganne to be ashamed of it selfe ; when these holy fathers , as some saints drop't out of heauen , suddenly professed an vnusuall strictnesse , sad piety , resolued mortification ; and so drew the eyes , and hearts of men after them , that poore foules beganne to thinke it could not be other then diuine , which they taught ; other then holy , which they touched . the very times ( not seldome ) giue as great aduantage , as our owne best strength : and the vices of others giue glory to those which eyther are , or appeare vertuous . they saw how ready the world was to bite at the baite , and now followed their successe , with new helps . plenty of pretended miracles must blesse , on all sides , the in deauours of this new sect ; and calls for both approbation , and wonder . those things by the report of their owne pennes ( other witnesses i see none ) haue beene done by the ten patriarcks of the iesuitish religion , both aliue and dead , which can hardly bee matched of him , whose name they haue vsurped . and now the vulgar can say , if these men were not of god , they could doe nothing : how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles ? not distrusting either the fame , or the worke , but applauding the authors , for what was said to bee done . but now lest the enuie of the fact should surpasse the wonder , they haue learned to cast this glory vpon their woodden ladies , & to communicate the gaine vnto the whole religion : two blocks at hale and scherpen-heuuell , haue saide and done more for popery , then all fryers , euer since francis wore his breeches on his head . but because that praise is sweete , which arises from the disgrace of a riuall , therefore this holy society hath besides , euer wont to honor it selfe by the brokage of shameles vntruthes against the aduerse part ; not caring how probable any report is , but how odious . a iust volume would not containe those willing lies , wherewith they haue purposely loded religion , and vs ; that the multitude might first hate vs , and then enquire : and these courses are helde not tollerable , but meritorious . so the ende may be attayned , all meanes are iust ; all wayes straight . vvhom we may , we satisfie : but wounds once giuen , are hardly healed with out some scarres : and commonly accusations are vocall , apologies dumbe . how easie is it to make any cause good , if we may take liberty of tongue , and conscience ? yet lest some glimpse of our truth and innocence should perhaps lighten the eyes of some more inquisitiue reader , they haue by strict prohibitions , whether of bookes , or conference , restrained all possibility of true informations ; yea their owne writings , wherein our opinions are reported with confutation , are not alowed to the common view , lest if it should appeare what we hold , our meere opinion should preuaile more then their subtilest answere . but aboue all , the restraint of gods booke hath gained them most ; if that might be in the hands of men , their religion could not be in their hearts ; now , the concealement of scriptures breeds ignorance , and ignorance superstition . but because forbiddance doth but whet desire , and worke a conceite of some secret excellence in things denyed ; therfore haue they deuised to affright this dangerous curiosity , with that cruell , butcherly , hellish inquisition . wherein yet there is not lesse craft then violence . for since they haue perceiued the blood of martyrs to bee but the seed of the church , and that these perfumes are more dispersed with beating ; they haue now learned to murder without noyse , and to bring forth ( if , at least , they list sometimes to make the people priuie to some examples of terror ) not men but carcasses . behold , the constant confessions of the dying saints haue made them weary of publique executions : none but bare walls shalll now testifie the courage and faith of our happy martyrs . a disguised corps is onely brought forth to the multitude either for laughter , or feare . yet because the very dead speake for truth in a loude silence ; these spectacles are rare ; and the graues of heretickes are become as close as their death . yet lest ( since neither liuing mouthes , nor faithfull pens may be suffered to insinuate any truth ) those speeches should perhaps be receiued from the ancients , which in vs were hereticall ; the monuments of vnpartial antiquity must be depraued , all witnesses that might speake against them must be corrupted , with a fraudulent violence ; and some of them purged to the death . so whiles ours are debarred , and the ancients altered , posteritie shal acknowledge no aduersarie . what should i speake of those plausible deuices ; which they haue inuented to make superstitious , and foolish proselytes ? their proud vaunts of antiquity , vniuersality , succession , and the name of their fore-fathers , doe not only perswade , but amaze , and besot an ignorant heart . the glorious shews of their processions , the gaudy ornaments of their altars , the pompe and magnificence of the places , and maner of their seruices , the triumphes of their great festiuals , are enough to bewitch any childish , simple , or vaine beholders . vvho knowes not that nature is most led by sense ? sure , children and fooles ( such are all meere naturall men ) cannot be of any other religion . besides all these , their personall vndertakings , what for cunning , what for boldnes , could promise nothing but successe . they can transforme themselues into all shapes ; and in these false formes thrust themselues into al courts , and companies , not oftner changing their habit , then their name . they can take the best opportunities to worke vpon those which are either most vnable to resist , or most like to bestead them . that i may not speake of the wrongs of vnseasonable trauell : wherein many vnsettled heads haue met dangers , and solicited errors : who like fond and idle dinahs , going abroad to gaze , haue beene rauished ere they returne . neuer any bird was so laide for , by the ne●s and cals of the fowler , as the great heire of some noble family , or some fiery wit , is by these impostors . they know that greatnesse is both lawlesse , and commaunding ; if not by precept , yet by example : their very silence is persuasory , and imperious . but alas for that other sexe : still the diuel begins with eue ; still his assault is strongest , where is weakest resistance . simon magus had his helena , nicholas the deacon had his choros foemineos ( as hierome cals them . ) marcion had his factoresse at rome ; appelles his philumena , montanus his prisca and maximilla ; arrius his constantines-sister , donatus his lucilla , elpidius his agape , priscillianus his galla : and our iesuites haue their painted ladies ( not dead , but liuing ) both for obiects and instruments . vvhen they saw they could not blow vp religion with french powder into heauen , they now try by this moabitish plot to sinke it downe to hell . those silly women , which are laden with sinnes , and diuers lusts , must now bee the stalls of their spiritual fornications : but for that these enterprises want not danger ; that both parts may securely succeede , beholde publike liberty of dispensations , whether for dissembled religion , or not vnprofitable filthinesse . these meanes are ( like the authors ) dishonest , and godlesse . adde ( if you please ) hereto , those which pretend more innocent policy : their common dependances vpon one commaunder , their intelligences giuen , their charges receiued , their rewards and honors ( perhaps of the calender , perhaps of a red hat ) duely conferred . neither may the least helpe be ascribed to the conference of studies ; ( the conioyned labours of whole societies directed to one end , and shrouded vnder the title of one author : ) to large maintenances , raised from the death-beds of some guilty benefactors : from whence flow both infinite numbers , and incomparable helpes of students . vnder which head , for the time past , not a fewe are mooued by the remembrance of the bounteous hospitality of the religious ; who hauing ingrossed the world to themselues , seemed liberal in giuing something ; like vnto some vaineglorious theeues , which hauing robbed wealthy merchants , bestow some pence vpon beggars . further , the smothering , if not composing of their frequent strifes , and confining of brawles within their owne thresholds ; with the nice men aging of their knowne oppositions , hath wonne many ignorant friends . lastly , the excellent correspondence of their doctrines vnto nature , hath been their best solicitor . wee haue examined particulars in a former epistle : wherein we haue made it euident , that popery affects nothing but to make nature either proud , or wanton : it offers difficulties , but carnall ; and such as the greatest louer of himselfe would easily imbrace for an aduantage . that we may therefore summe vp all ; i neede not accuse our carelesnesse , indifferency , idlenesse , loose carriage ; in all which , would god we had not aided them , and wronged our selues ; nor yet their zeale and forwardnesse ; worse meanes are guily of their gaine . in short , the faire outside which they set vpon religion , which sure is the best they haue , if not all ; their pretended miracles , wilfull vntruths , strait prohibitiōs , bloody & secret inquisitiōs , deprauations of ancient witnesses , expurgation of their owne ; gay and gairish sights , glorious titles , crafty changes of names , shapes , habits , conditions ; insinuations to the great oppugnation of the weaker sexe ; falshood of answers , and oathes , dispensatons for sinnes , vniting of forces , concealing of differences , largenesse of contributions , multitude of actors , and meanes , accordances to mens naturall dispositions : where wee on the contrary care not to seeme but to bee , disclaime miracles , dare not saue the life of religion with a lie ; giue free scope to all pennes , to all tongues , to all eyes ▪ shed no blood for religion : suffer al writers to speake like themselues ; shew nothing but poore simplicity in our deuotions , got euer , and looke as wee are ; teach the truth right-downe in an honest plainenesse , take no vantage of imbecillity : sweare true , though we die ; giue no hope of indulgence for euill ; studie each retyred to himselfe , & the muses ; publish our quarrels and aggrauate them ▪ anger nature , and conquer it . such gaine shall be grauell in their throates : such losses to vs ( in our not daring to sinne ) shall bee happy and victorious ; in all other regards are both blame worthy , and recouerable . what dulnesse is this ? haue we such a king , as in these lists of controuersie , may dare to grapple with that great infallible vicar , for his triple crown : such bishops as may iustly challenge the whole consistory of rome ; so many learned doctors , and diuines , as no nation vnder heauen , more ; so flourishing vniuersities as christendome hath none ; such blessed opportunities , such encouragements ; and now when we want nothing else , shal we be wanting to our selues ? yea aboue all these , the god of heauen fauours vs ; and doe wee languish ? the cause is his , and in spight of the gates of hell shall succeede , though wee were not : our neglect may slacken the pace of truth , cannot stay the passage . vvhy are we not as busie , as suttle , more resolute ? such spirits , and such hands as yours ( reuerend lord ) must put life into the cold brests of this frozen generation , and raise them vp to such thoughts and indeuors , as may make the emulation of our aduersaries equall to their enmitie . to my lord bishop of worcester . ep. ii. shewing the differences of the present church from the apostolicall ; and needlesnesse of our conformity thereto in all things . i feare not to say those men are but superstitiously curious , ( right reuerend , and honorable ) which would call backe all circumstances , to their first patternes . the spouse or christ hath been euer cloathed with her owne rites : and as apparrell , so religion hath her fashions , variable according to ages , and places : to reduce vs to the same obseruations which were in apostolicall vse , were no better then to tye vs to the sandals of the disciples , or the seamlesse coate of our sauiour . in these cases , they did , what we need not : and we may , what they did not god meant vs no bondage in their example : their canons binde vs whether for maners , or doctrine , not their ceremonies . neither christ , nor his apostles did all things for imitation : i speake not of miraculous acts. we neede not be silent before a iudge , as christ was ; wee need not take a towel , and gird our selues , and wash our seruants feet , as christ did ; we need not make tents for our liuing as paul , nor go armed as peter ; nor cary about our wiues , as he , and the other apostles . i acknowledge the ground not onely of separation , but anabaptisme ; and wonder that these conceits doe not answere themselues who can choose but see a manifest difference betwixt those lawes , which christ and his great ambassadors made for eternall vse , and those rituall matters , which were confined to place , and time ? euery nation , euery persons sinnes that obserues not those ; these for the most part , are not kept of the most ; and are as well left without sinne by vs , as vsed without prescription or necessity by the authors . some of them we cannot doe ; others wee neede not : which of vs can cast out diuels by command ? who can cure the sicke by ointment , and imposition of hands ? the disciples did it . all those acts which proceeded from supernaturall priuiledge , ceased with their cause : who now dare vndertake to continue them ? vnlesse perhaps some bold papists , who haue brought in grosse magicke instead of miraculous authoritie ; and daube very chrcasses instead of healing diseases . there be more yet , which we neede not doe : vvhat neede wee to choose ministers by lot ? vvhat neede we to disclaime all peculiarity in goods ? vvhat need wee to christen in riuers ; or to meete vpon their bankes ? vvhat need wee to receiue gods supper after our owne ? vvhat to leane in each others bosome while we receiue it ? what to abhorre leauen in that holy bread ? what to celebrate loue feasts vpon the receipt ? what to abstaine from all strangled and bloud ? what to depend vpon a maintenance arbitrary , and vncertaine ? what to spend our daies in a perpetuall pererration , as not onely the apostles but the prophets and euangelists some ages after christ ? whosoeuer would impose all these on vs , he should surely make vs , not the sonnes , but the slaues of the apostles . gods church neuer helde her selfe in such seruile termes ; yea christ himselfe gaue at first some precepts of this nature , which he reuersed ere long : when hee sent the disciples to preach , hee charges , take not gold , nor siluer , nor money in your girdles ; afterwards iudas carried the bag . he charges , not to take so much as a staffe ; yet after behold two swords : should the disciples haue held their master to his owne rule ? is it necessary that what he once commaunded , should be obserued alwayes ? the very next age to these christian patriarcks , neither would nor durst haue so much varied her rites , or augmented them if it had found it selfe tyed either to number , or kind : as yet it was pure , chast , and ( which was the ground of all ) persecuted . the church of rome distributed the sacramentall bread : the church of alexandria permitted the people to take it : the churches of affricke and rome , mixed their holy wine with water ; other colder regions dranke it pure . some kneeled in their prayers , others fell prostrate ; and some lifted vp eies , hands , feet towards heauen : some kept their easter according to the iewish vse the foureteenth of march ; the french ( as nicephorus ) the eight of the calends of aprill , in a set solemnity : the church of rome the sunday after the fourteenth moone ; which yet ( as socrates truly writes ) was neuer restrained by any gospell , by any apostle . that romish victor ouercame the other world in this point , with too much rigour ; whose censure therfore of the asian churches was iustly censured , by irenaeus . vvhat should i speake of their difference of facts ? there can scarce bee more variety in daies , or meates . it hath euer beene thus seene , according to our anselmes rule , that the multitude of different ceremonies in all churches , hath iustly commended their vnitie in faith . the french diuines preach couered ( vpon the same rule which required the corinthians to be vncouerd ) we bare : the dutch sit at the sacrament , we kneele ; geneua vseth wafers , wee leauened bread ; they common vestures in diuine seruice , we peculiar : each is free : no one doth either blames , or ouer rule others . i cannot but commend those very nouatian bishops ( though it is a wonder any precedent of peace should fall from schismaticks ) who meeting in councel together , enacted that canon of indifferency , when the church was distracted with the differences of her paschall solemnities ; conluding how insufficient , this cause was to disquiet the church of christ . their owne issue ( our separatists ) will needes be vnlike them in good ; and striue to a further distance from peace : whiles in a conceit not lesse idle , thē scrupulous , they presse vs to an vniforme cōformity in our fashions to the apostles . their owne practise condemnes them : they call for some , and yet keepe not all : yet the same reason enforces all , that pleads for some : and that which warrants the forbearance of some , holds for all . those tooles which serue for the foundation , are not of vse for the roof . yea the great master builder chose those workmen for the first stones which he meant not to imploy in the walls . doe wee not see all christs first agents extraordinary apostles , euangelists , prophets ; prophetesses ? see wee not fiery and clouen tongues descending ▪ what church euer since boasted of such founders ; of such meanes ? why wol●d god begin with those which he meant not to continue , but to shew vs we may not alwayes looke for one face of things ? the nurse feeds and tends her child at first ; afterward hee is vndertaken by the discipline of a tutor ; must he be alwaies vnder the spoone , and ferule , because hee began so ? if he haue good breeding , it matters not by whose hands . vvho can deny , that we haue the substance of all those royall lawes , which christ and his apostles left to his church ? what do we how thus importunately catching at shadows ? if there had beene a necessity of hauing what we want , or wanting what we haue , let vs not so farre wrong the wisedome and perfection of the law-giuer , as to thinke he would not haue enioined that , and forbidden this . his silence in both argues his indifferency , and cals for ours ; which while it is not peaceably intertayned , there is clamour without profite , malice without cause , and strife without ende . to my lady mary denny . ep. iii. contayning the description of a christian , and his differences from the worldling . madam . it is true that worldly eyes can see no difference , betwixt a christian , & another man ; the out-side of both is made of one clay , and cast in one mould ; both are inspired with one common breath : outward euents distinguish them not ; those , god neuer made for euidences of loue , or hatred . so the sēses can perceiue no difference , betwixt the reasonable soule , & that which informes the beast : yet the soul knows there is much more , then betwixt their bodies . the same holds in this : faith sees more inward diffrence , then the eye sees outward resemblance . this point is not more high , then material : which that it may appeare , let me shew , what it is to be a christian : you that haue felt it , can secōd me with your experience ; and supply the defects of my discourse . he is the liuing temple of the liuing god , where the deity is both resident & worshipped . the highest thing in a man is his owne spirit ; but in a christian the spirit of god , which is the god of spirits . no grace is wanting in him ; & those which there are , want not stirring vp . both his hart & his hands are cleane : all his outward purity flowes from within ; neither doth he frame his soul to counterfait good actiōs , but out of his holy dispositiō , commands and produces them , in the sight of god. let vs begin with his beginning , and fetch the christian out of his nature , as another abraham from his chaldea : whiles the wordling liues and dies , in nature , out of god. the true conuert therfore after his wilde and secure courses puts himselfe ( through the motions of gods spirit ) to schoole vnto the lawe ; there he learnes what he should haue done , what hee could not do , what he hath done , what he hath deserued . these lessons , cost him many a stripe , and many a teare , and not more griefe then terror : for this sharpe master makes him feele what sinne is , and what hell is : and in regard of both , what himselfe is . when he hath well smarted vnder the whip of this seuere vsher , and is made vile enough in himselfe , then is he led vp into the higher schoole of christ , & there taught the comfortable lessons of grace ; there he learnes , what belongs to a sauiour , what one hee is , what he hath done , and for whom , how he became ours , we his ; & now finding himselfe in a true state of danger , of humilitie , of neede , of desire , of fitnes for christ , he brings home to himself al that he learns , and what he knowes he applies . his former tutor he feared , this hee loueth ; that shewed him his wounds , yea made them : this binds and heales them : that killed him , this shewes him life , and leades him to it . now at once he hates himselfe , defies satan , trusts to christ , makes account both of pardon and glory . this is his most precious faith , whereby he appropriates , yea in grosses christ iesus to himselfe : whence hee is iustified from his sinnes , purified from his corruptions , established in his resolutiōs , comforted in his doubts , defended against temptations , ouercomes all his enemies . which vertue , as it is most imploied , and most opposed , so carries the most care from the christian hart , that it be sound , liuely growing : sound , not rotten , not hollow not presumptuous : sound in the act ; not a superficiall conceit , but a true , deepe , and sensible apprehension ; an apprehension , not of the braine , but of the heart , and of the heart not approuing , or assenting , but trusting , and reposing sound in the obiect , none but christ : he knows , that no friendship in heauen can do him good , without this ; the angells cannot : god will not : ye beleeue in the father , beleeue also in me . liuely ; for it cannot giue life , vnlesse it haue life ; the faith that is not fruitfull is dead : the fruits of faith are good workes : whether inward , within the roofe of the heart , as loue , awe , sorrow , piety , zeale , ioy , and the rest ; or outward towards god , or our bretheren : obedience and seruice to the one : to the other reliefe and beneficence : these he beares in his time : sometimes all , but alwayes some . growing : true faith cannot stand still , but as it is fruitfull in workes , so it increaseth in degrees ; from a little seede it proues a large plant , reaching from earth to heauen , and from one heauen to another : euery showre and euery sun addes something to it . neither is this grace euer solitary , but alwaies attended royallie : for hee that beleeues what a sauiour hee hath , cannot but loue him : & he that loues him cannot but hate whatsoeuer may displease him : cannot but reioice in him , & hope to inioy him , and desire to enioy his hope , and contemne all those vanities which he once desired and enioyed . his minde now scorneth to grouell vpon earth , but soareth vp to the things aboue , where christ sits at the right hand of god : and after it hath seene what is done in heauen , looks strangely vpon al worldly things . he dare trust his faith aboue his reason , and sense ▪ and hath learned to weane his appetite from crauing much : hee stands in awe of his owne conscience and dare no more offend it , then not displease himselfe . hee feares not his enemies , yet neglects them not ; equally auoiding security , and timorousnesse : hee sees him that is inuisible ; and walks with him awfully , familiarly . he knowes what he is borne to , and therefore digests the miseries of his wardship , with patience : hee findes more comfort in his afflictions , then any worldling in pleasures . and as hee hath these graces to comfort him within , so hath hee the angels to attend him without ; spirits better then his owne , more powerfull , more glorious ; these beare him in their armes , wake by his bed , keepe his soule while hee hath it and receiue it when it leaues him . these are some present differences , the greatest are future , which could not bee so great , if themselues were not witnesses ; no lesse then betwixt heauen and hell , torment and glory , an incorruptible crowne , and fire vnquēchable . whether infidels be leeue these things or no , we know them : so shall they , but too late . what remaynes but that wee applaud our selues in this happines ; & walke on clearly in this heauenly professiō ? acknowledging that god could not do more for vs ; & that we cānot do enough for him . let others boast ( as your ladiship might with others ) of ancient and noble houses , large patrimonies , or dowries , honourable commaunds ; others of famous names , high and enuied honors , or the fauors of the greatest ; others of valor or beauty , or some perhaps of eminent learning and wit ; it shall bee our pride that we are christians . to my lady honoria hay . ep. iiii. discoursing of the necessity of baptisme ; and the estate of those which necessarily want it . madame . methinks children are like teeth , troublesome both in the breeding , and loosing , & oftentimes painful while they stand : yet such , as we neither would , nor can well be without . i goe not about to comfort you thus late , for your losse , i rather congratulate your wise moderation , & christian care of these first spirituall priuiledges ; desiring only to satisfie you in what you hard as a witnesse ; not in what you needed as a mother . children are the blessings of parents , and baptisme is the blessing of children , and parents : wherein , there is not only vse , but necessity ; necessity , not in respect so much of the end , as of the precept : god hath enioyned it , to the comfort of parents , and behoofe of children : which therefore , as it may not be superstitiously hastened , so not negligently differred . that the contempt of baptisme damneth , is past all doubt ; but that the constrained absence thereof , should send infants to hel , is a cruell rashnesse . it is not their sinne to die early : death is a punishment , not an offence ; an effect of sinne , not a cause of torment ; they want nothing but time ; which they could not cōmand . because they could not liue a while longer , that therfore they should die euerlastingly , is the hard sentence of a bloody religion . i am onely sorry , that so harsh an opinion should bee graced with the name of a father , so reuerend , so diuine : whose sentence yet , let no man pleade by halues . he who helde it vnpossible for a child to be saued vnlesse the baptismall water were powred on his face , held it also as vnpossible , for the same infant , vnlesse the sacramētal bread were receiued into his mouth . there is the same ground for both , the same error in both , a weaknes fit for forgetfulnes ; seeyet how ignorāt , or il meaning posterity , could single out one half of the opinion for truth : and condemne the other of falshood . in spight of whom , one part shall easily conuince the other ; yea without al force , since both cannot stand , both will fall together , for company . the same mouth , which said , vnlesse ye be borne againe of water , and the holy ghost , said also , except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood : an equall necessity of both . and lest any one should plead different interpretations , the same saint austin auerres this later opinion also , concerning the necessary communicating of children , to haue beene once the common iudgement of the church of rome : a sentence so displeasing , that you shall finde the memory of it noted with a blacke coale , & wip't out in that infamous bill of expurgations . had the ancient church held this desperate sequele , what strange , and yet wilful cruelty had it bene in them , to deferre baptisme a whole yearelong : till easter , or that sunday , which hath his name ( i thinke ) from the white robes of the baptised ? yea what an aduenture was it in some , to adiourne it till their age ( with constantine ) if being vnsure of their life , they had beene sure the preuention of death wold haue inferred damnation ? looke vnto that legall sacrament of circumcision , which ( contrary to the fancies of our anabaptists ) directly answeres this euangelicall . before the eight day they could not bee circumcised : before the eight day they might die . if dying the seuenth day , they were necessarily condemned : eyther the want of a day is a sinne , or god sometimes condemneth not for sin : neither of them possible , neither according with the iustice of the law-giuer . or if from this parallell , you please to looke either to reason or example , the case is cleare . reason ; no man that hath faith , can bee condemned ; for christ dwels in our harts by faith : and he in whom christ dwels cannot bee a reprobate . now it is possible a man may haue a sauing saith , before baptisme : abraham first beleeued to iustification : then after receiued the signe of circumcision , as a seale of the righteousnes of that faith , which he had when he was vncircumcised : therefore some dying before their baptisme , may , yea must be saued . neither was abrahams case singular ; he was the father of all them also , which beleeue , not being circumcised : these , as they are his sons in faith , so in righteousnesse ; so in saluation : vncircumcision cannot hinder , where faith admitteth ; these following his steps of beleefe before the sacrament , shal doubtlesse rest in his bosome , without the sacrament ; without it , as fataly absent , not as willingly neglected . it is not the water , but the faith : not the putting away the filth of the flesh ( saith saint peter ) but the stipulation of a good conscience ; for who takes baptisme without a ful faith ( saith hierome ) takes the water , takes not the spirit ; vvhence is this so great vertue of the water , that it should touch the body , and cleanse the heart ( saith austen ) vnlesse by the power of the word , not spoken , but beleeued ? thou seest water ( saith ambrose : ) euery water heales not , that water onely heals which hath the grace of god annexed ; and if there bee any grace in the water ( saith basill ) it is not of the nature of the water , but of the presence of the spirit . baptisme is indeed , as s. ambrose stiles it , the paune and image of our resurrection , yea ( as basil ) the power of god to resurrectiō : but ( as ignatius expoundes this phrase aright ) beleeuing in his death , wee are by baptisme made partakers of his resurrection . baptisme therefore without faith cannot saue a man , and by faith doth saue him ; and faith without baptisme ( where it cannot be had ; not where it may be had , and is contemned ) may saue him : that spirit which workes by meanes , will not bee tyed to meanes . examples . cast your eyes vpon that good theefe : good in his death , though in his life abhominable : hee was neuer washed in lordan , yet is receiued into paradise ; his soble was foule with rapines , and iniustice , yea bloody with murders : and yet being scouted onely with the blood of his sauiour , not with water of baptisme ; it is presented glorious to god. i say nothing of the soules of traian , and falconella , meere heathens , liuing and dying without christ , without baptisme : which yet their honest legend reports deliuered from hell , transported to heauen , not so much as scorched in purgatorie : the one by the prayers of gregory , the other of tecla . vvhat partiality is this to deny that to the children of christians , which they grant to knowne , infidels ? the promise is made to vs , and our seed ; not to those that are without the pale of the church . those innocents which were massacred for christ , are by them canonized for saints , and make one day in their calendar ( each yeare ) both holy , and dismall ; whereof yet scarce any liued to know water , none to know baptisme . yea , all martyrs are here priuiledged ; who are christened in their owne blood , instead of water : but where hath god saide , all that die without baptisme , shall die for euer , except martyrs ? why not , except beleeuers ? it is faith that giues life to martyrs ; which if they should want , their first death could not auoyde the second . ambrose doubted not to say , his valentinian was baptised , because hee desired it ; not because he had it : he knew the minde of god , who accounts vs to haue what we vnfaynedly wish . children cannot liue to desire baptisme , if their parents desire it for them , why may not the desire of others be theirs , as well as ( according to austins opinion ) the faith of othērs beleeuing , and the mouth of others confessing ? in these cases therefore of any soules but our owne , it is safe to suspend , and dangerous to passe iudgement . secret things to god : hee that made all soulesv , knowes what to doe with them , neither will make vs of counsaile : but if we define either way , the errors of charity are inoffensiue . wee must honour good meanes and vse them , and in their necessarie want depend vpon him , who can worke , beyond , without , against meanes . thus haue i endeauoured your ladiships satisfaction in what you heard , not without some scruple . if any man shall blame my choice in troubling you with a thorny , and scholasticall discourse , let him know that i haue learned this fashion of st. hierome the oracle of antiquitie , who was wont to entertaine his paula , and eustochium , marcella , principia , hedibia , and other deuout ladies , with learned canuases of the deep pointes of diuinity . this is not so perplexed , that it need to offend : nor so vnnecessary , that it may bee vnknowne . to sir richard lea , since deceassed . ep. v. discoursing of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions . wise men seeke remedies before their disease : sensible patients , when they beginne to complaine : fooles , too late . afflictions are the common maladies , of christians : these you feele , and vpon the first grones seeke for ease . vvherefore serues the tongue of the learned , but to speake wordes in season ? i am a scholer of those that can comfort you : if you shall with mee , take out my lessons , neither of vs shall repent it . you smart and complaine , take heed least too much : there is no affliction not grieuous : the bone that was disioynted , cannot bee set right without paine . no potion can cure vs , if it worke not : it workes not , except it make vs sicke : wee are contented with that sickenesse , which is the way to health . there is a vexation without hurt : such is this : we are afflicted , not ouer-pressed ; needy , not desperate ; persecuted not forsaken , cast downe but perish not . how should we , when all the euil in a citie comes from the prouidence of a good god ; which can neither be impotent , nor vnmercifull ? it is the lord , let him doe what he will. vvoe were vs if euils could come by chance ; or were let loose to alight where they list : now they are oueruled ; wee are safe . the destinie of our sorrowes is written in heauen by a wise and eternall decree : behold he that hath ordained , moderates them . a faithfull god , that giues anissue with the tentation : an issue , both of their end , and their successe . he chides not alwayes , much lesse striketh ; our light afflictions are but for a moment , not so long , in respect of our vacancy ; and rest . if we weepe somtimes , our teares are precious ; as they shall neuer be dry in his bottle , so they shall soone be dry vpon our cheekes . hee that wrings them from vs , shal wipe them off : how sweetly doth he interchange our sorrows , and ioyes , that wee may neither be vaine , nor miserable ? it is true ; to be strooke , once in anger , is fearefull : his displeasure is more then his blow : in both , our god is a consuming fire . feare not , these stripes are the tokens of his loue : hee is no son , that is not beaten ; yea till he smart , and cry ; if not till he bleed : no parent corrects anothers child , and he is no good parent , that corrects not his owne . oh rod worthy to be kissed , that assures vs of his loue , of our adoption ! vvhat speake i of no hurt ? short prayses doe but discommend , i say more , these euills are good : looke to their effects . what is good if not patience ? affliction is the mother of it ; tribulation bringeth forth patience . vvhat can earth or heauen yeeld better then the assurance of gods spirit ? afflictions argue , yea seale this to vs. wherein stands perfect happinesse , if not in our neare resemblance of christ ? vvhy was man created happy , but because in gods image ? the glory of paradise , the beauty of his body , the duty of the creatures , could not giue him felicity without the likenesse to his creator . behold , what we lost in our height , we recouer in our misery ; a conformity to the image of the sonne of god : hee that is not like his elder brother , shall neuer be coheire with him . lo his side , temples , hands , feet , all bleeding : his face blubbred ghastly , & spitted on : his skin al pearled with a bloody sweate , his head drouping , his soule heauy to the death : see you the worldling merry , soft , delicate , perfumed , neuer wrinkled with sorrow , neuer humbled with afflictions ? what resemblance is here , yea what contrariery ? ease slayeth the foole ; it hath made him resty , and leaues him miserable . be not deceiued ; no man can follow christ without his grosse ; much lesse reach him and if none shall reigne with christ , but these that suffer with him ; what shall become of these iolly ones ? go now thou dainty worldling , and please thyselfe in thy happines , laugh alwaies , and bee euer applauded ; it is a wofull felicity that thou shalt find in opposition to thy redeemer : he hath saide , woe to them that laugh ; beleeuest thou , and dost not weepe at thy laughter ? and with salomon , condemne it of madnes ? and againe , with the same breath , blessed are ye that weepe : who can beleeue this , and not reioyce in his owne teares , and not pitty the faint smiles of the godlesse ? why blessed ? for ye shal laugh : behold we that weepon earth , shal laugh in heauen : wee that now weepe with men , shall laugh with angels ; while the fleering worldling , shal be gnashing , and howling with diuels : we that weepe for a time , shall laugh for euer : who would not be content to differ his ioy a little , that it may be perpetuall , and infinite ? vvhat mad man would purchase this crackling of thornes ( such is the wordlings ioy ) with eternal shrieking & tormēt ? he that is the dore and the way , hath taught vs , that through many afflictions wee must enter into heauen . there is but one passage , and that a strait one : it with much pressure wee can get through , and leaue but our superfluous rags as torne from vs in the crowd ; we are happy . hee that made heauen , hath on purpose thus framed it ; wide when we are entred ; and glorious narrow and hard in the entrance : that after our paine , our glory might be sweeter . and if before hand you can climbe vp thither in your thoughts ; looke about you , you shall see no more palmes , then crosses : you shall see none crown'd , but those that haue wrestled : with crosses and so rows , to sweat , yea to blood ; and haue ouercome . all runs here to the ouercommer , and ouercomming implies both fighting , and successe . girde vp your loynes therefore , and strengthen your weake knees , resolue to fight for heauen , to suffer in fighting , to persist in suffering ; so persisting you shall ouercome , and ouercomming you shall bee crowned . oh reward truely great , aboue desert , yea , aboue conceit . a crowne for a fewe groanes : and eternall crowne of life and glory , for a short and moment any suffering : how iust is saint pauls account , that the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs ? o lord let me smart that i may reigne ; vphold thou me in smarting , that thou mayest holde mee worthy of reigning . it is no matter how vile i be , so i may be glorious . vvhat say you ? would you not bee afflicted ? vvhether had you rather mourne for a while , or for euer ; one must bee chosen : the election is easie : whether had you rather reioyce for one fit or alwayes ? you would doe both . pardon me ; it is a fond couetousnes , and idle singularity to affect it . what ? that you alone may fare better then all gods saints ? that god should strew carpets for your nice feet onely , to walke into your heauen , and make that way smooth for you , which all patriarks , prophets , euangelists , confessors , christ himselfe , haue found rugged and bloody ? away with this selfe loue ; and come downe you ambitious sonne of zebedee : and ere you thinke of sitting neare the throne , bee content to bee called vnto the cup. now is your tryall ; let your sauiour see how much of his bitter potion you can pledge ; then shall you see how much of his glory he can afford you . be content to drinke of his vineger , and gall , and you shall drinke new wine with him in his kingdome . to master peter moulin , preacher of the church at paris . ep. vi. discoursing of the late french occurrents , and what vse god expects to be made of them . since your trauels here with vs , wee haue not forgotten you ; but since that , your witty and learned trauels in the common affaires of religion haue made your memory both fresh , and blessed . beholde , whiles your hand was happily busie in the defence of our king , the heads and hands of traitors were busie in the massacring of your owne . god doth no memorable , and publick act , which he would not haue talked of , read , construed of all the world . how much more of neighbours , whom scarce a sea seuereth from each other ? how much yet more of brethren , whom neither land , nor sea , can seuer ? your dangers , and feares , and griefes haue beene ours : all the salt water that runs betwixt vs , cannot wash off our interest in all your common causes : the deadly blow of that miscreant ( whose name is iustly sentenced to forgetfulnesse ) pierced euen our sides . vvho hath not bled within himselfe , to thinke that he , which had so victoriously out-liued the swordes of enemies , should fall by the knife of a villaine ? and that he should die in the peaceable streets , whom no fields could kil ? that all those honorable and happy triumphs should end in so base a violence ? but oh our idlenesse , and impietie , if we see not a diuine hād from aboue , striking with this hand of disloyalty . sparrows fall not to the ground without him much lesse kings ; one dyes by a tyle-sheard , another by the splinters of a launce , one by lice , another by a fly , one by poyson , another by a knife ; vvhat are all these but the executioners of that great god , which hath saide , ye are gods , but ye shall die like men ? perhaps god saw ( that wee may guesse modestly at the reasons of his acts ) you reposed too much , in this arme of flesh ; or perhaps he saw this scourge would haue beene too early , to those enemies , whose sin , though great , yet was not full : or perhaps hee saw , that if that great spirit had beene deliberately yeelded in his bed , you shold not haue slept in yours : or perhaps the auncient conniuence at those streames of bloud , from your too common deels , was now called to reckning ; or , it may be , that weake reuolt from the truth . he whos 's the rod was , knows why he strooke : yet may it not passe without a note , that he fell by that religion , to which he fell . how many ages might that great monarch haue liued ( whatsoeuer the ripe head of your more then mellow cotton could imagine ) ere his least finger should haue bled , by the hand of an huguenot ? all religions may haue some monsters ; but blessed be the god of heauen , ours shall neuer yeeld that good iesuite , either a mariana to teach treason , or a rauillac to act it . but what is that we heare ? it is no maruell : that holy society is a fit gardian for the hearts of kings : i dare say , none more loues to see them : none takes more care to purchase them . how happy were that chappell ( think they ) if it were full of such shrines ? i hope all christian princes haue long , and well learned ( so great is the courtesie of these good fathers ) that they shall neuer ( by their willes ) neede bee troubled with the charge of their owne heartes . an heart of a king in a iesuites hand , is as proper , as a wafer in a priests . iustly was it written of old , vnder the picture of ignatius loyola , cauete vobis principes ; be wise o ye princes , and learne to be the keepers of your owne hearts . yea rather , o thou keeper of israel , that neither slumbrest nor sleepest , keepe thou the hearts of al christian kings , whether aliue or dead , from the keeping of this traiterous generation ; whose very religion is wholy rebellion , and whose merits bloody . doubtlesse , that murderer hoped to haue stabbed thousands with that blow , and to haue let out the life of religion , at the side of her collapsed patron : god did at once laugh and frowne at his proiect ; and suffred him to liue to see himselfe , no lesse a foole then a villaine : oh the infinite goodnesse of the wise , and holy gouernor of the world ; who could haue looked for such a calme in the middest of a tempest ? who wold haue thought that violence could beget peace ? who durst haue conceiued that king henry should die alone ? and that religion should loose nothing but his person ? this is the lords doing , and it is marueilous in our eyes . you haue now parallel'd vs : out of both our feares hath god fetched security : oh that out of our security , we could as easily fetch feare : not so much of euill , as of the author of good ; and yet trust him in our feare , and in both magnifie him . yea , you haue by this act gained some conuerts , against the hope of the agents : neither can i without many ioyfull congratulations , thinke of the estate of your church ; which euery day honours with the accesse of new clients ; whose teares and sad confessions make the angels to reioyce in heauen , & the saints on earth . wee should giue you example , if our peace were as plentifull of goodnesse as of pleasure . but how seldom hath the church gained by ease ? or lost by restraint ? blesse you god for our prosperity , and wee shall praise him for your progresse . to master thomas svtton . ep. vii . exciting him , and ( in him ) all others to early and chearfull beneficence : shewing the necessity and benefit of good workes . sir , i trouble you not with reasons of my writing , or with excusds : if i doe ill , no plea can warrant mee ; if well , i cannot bee discouraged with any censures . i craue not your pardon , but your acceptation . it is no presumption to giue good counsell ; and presents of loue feare not to bee ill taken of strangers . my pen and your substance are both giuen vs for one end , to doe good : these are our talents , how happy are we if wee can improue them well : suffer me to doe you good with the one that with the other , you may doe good to many , and most to your selfe . you cannot but know , that your full hand , and worthy purposes haue possessed the world with much expectation : what speake i of the world ? whose honest and reasonable claymes yet , cannot bee contemned with honour , nor disappointed without dishonour . the god of heauen , which hath lent you this aboundance , and giuen you these gracious thoughts of charity ; of piety , looks long for the issue of both : & wil easily complaine either of too little or too late . your wealth and your will are both good , but the first is onely made good by the second for if your hand were ful , and your heart empty , we who now applaud you , should iustly pitty you , you might haue riches , not goods , not blessings : your burthen should be greater , then your estate ; and you should be richer in sorrowes , then in mettalls . for ( if wee looke to no other world ) what gaine is it to be the keeper of the best earth ? that which is the common cofer of all the rich mines , we doe but tread vpon ; and account it vile , because it doth but holde , and hide those treasures . whereas the skilfull metalist that findeth , and refineth those precious veines , for publick vse , is rewarded , is honoured . the very basest element yeeldes golde ; the sauage indian gets it , the seruile prentise workes it , the very midianitish camell may weare it , the miserable worldling admires it , the couetous lew swallowes it , the vnthrifty ruffian spends it : what are al these the better for it ? onely good vse giues praise to earthly possessions . here in therfore you owe more to god , that he hath giuen you an heart to doe good a will to bee as rich in good workes , as great in riches . to be a friend to this mammon , is to be an enemie to god : but to make friends with it , is roiall , and christian . his enemies may be wealthie , none but his friends can either be good , or doe good : da & accipe , saith the wise man. the christian which must imitate the hie patterne of his creator , knows his best riches to be bounty ; god that hath all , giues all ; reserues nothing . and for himselfe ; he well considers , that god hath not made him an owner , but a seruant : and of seruants a seruant , not of his goods but of the giuer ; not a treasurer , but a steward : whose praise is more to lay out well , then to haue receiued much . the greatest gaine therfore that he affects , is an euen reckning , a cleare discharge : which since it is obtained by disposing , not by keeping , he counts reseruation losse , and iust expence his trade , and ioy ; he knowes , that well done faithfull seruant , is a thousand times more sweet a note , then soule take thine ease ; for that is the voyce of the master recompencing , this of the carnall heart presuming : and what follows to the one , but his masters ioy ? what to the other , but the losse of his soule ? blessed bee that god which hath giuen you an heart to fore thinke this , and in this dry , and dead age , a will to honour him with his own : and to credit his gospell , with your beneficence ; lo we are vpbrayded with barrennesse : your name hath beene publikly opposed to these challenges , as in whom it shall be seene , that the truth hath friends that can giue . i neither distrust , nor perswade you , whose resolutions are happily fixed on purposes of good : onely giue mee leaue to hasten your pace a little , and to excite your christian forwardnesse , to begin speedily , what you haue long and constantly vowed . you would not but doe good ; why not now ? i speake boldly , the more speede , the more comfort : neither the times are in our disposing , nor our selues : if god had set vs a day , and made our wealth inseparable , there were no danger in delaying ; now our vncertainty either must quicken vs , or may deceiue vs. how many haue meant wel , and done nothing , and lost their crowne with lingring ? whose destinies haue preuented their desires , and haue made their good motions the wards of their executors , not without miserable successe : to whō , that they wold haue done good , is not so great a praise , as it is a dishonor that they might haue done it : their wracks are our warnings , we are equally mortal , equally fickle . why haue you this respite of liuing , but to preuent the imperious necessity of death ? it is a woful and remedilesse complaint , that the end of our dayes hath ouer-runne the beginning of our good workes . early beneficence hath no danger , many ioies : for the conscience of good done , the prayers and blessings of the releeued , the gratulations of the saints , are as so many perpetuall comforters , which can make our life pleasant , and our death happy our euill dayes good , and our good better . all these are lost with delay , few and cold are the prayers for him that may giue : & in lieu , our good purposes fore flowed , are become our tormenters vpon our dead-bed . little difference is betwixt good differred , and euill done : good was meant , who hindered it , will our conscience say ? there was time enough , meanes enough , neede enough , what hindered ? did feare of enuy , distrust of want ? alas what bugs are these to fright men from heauen ? as if the enuy of keeping , were lesse then of bestowing : as if god were not as good a debtor , as a giuer : he that giues to the poore lendes to god , saith wise salomon ; if hee freely giue vs what wee may lend , and grace to giue ; will he not much more pay vs what wee haue lent ; and giue vs because wee haue giuen ? that is his bounty , this his iustice ▪ oh happy is that man that may be a creditor to his maker : heauen and earth , shall be empty before he shall want a royall payment . if wee dare not trust god whiles we liue , how dare we trust men when we are dead ? men that are still deceitfull , and light vpon the ballance , light of truth , heauy of selfe-loue . how many executors haue proued the executioners of honest wills ? how many haue our eies seen , that after most carefull choise of trustie guardians , haue had their children and goods so disposed , as if the parents soule could returne to see it , i doubt whether it could be happy ? how rare is that man that prefers not himselfe to his dead friend ? profit to truth ? that will take no vantage of the impossibility of account ? what euer therefore men either shew , or promise , happy is that man that may bee his owne auditor , superuisor , executor . as you loue god and your selfe , be not afraid of being happie too soone . i am not worthy to giue so bolde aduice , let the wise sonne of syrach speake for me . do good before thou die , and according to thine ability stretch out thine hands , and giue : defraud not thy selfe of thy good day ; and let not the portion of thy good desires ouerpasse thee : shalt thou not leaue thy trauels to another , and thy labours to them that will deuide thine heritage ? or let a wiser then he , salomon : say not , tomorrow i will giue , if thou now haue it : for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth . it hath beene an old rule of liberality , he giues twise that giues quickly , whereas slow benefites argue vnchearefulnesse , and lose their worth . who lingers his receits is condemned as vnthriftie : he that knoweth both , saith , it is better to giue , then to receiue . if we be of the same spirit , why are we hasty in the worse , and slacke in the better ? suffer your selfe therfore good sir , for gods sake , for the gospels sake , for the churches sake , for your soules sake , to bee stirred vp by those poore lines , to a resolute and speedy performing of your worthy intentions : and take this as a louing inuitation sent from heauen , by an vnworthie messenger . you cānot deliberate long of fit obiects for your beneficence , except it be more for multitude , then want : the streets , yea the world is full ; how doth lazarus lie at euery dore ? how many sons of the prophets in their meanely-prouided colledges may say , not , mors in olla , but fames ? how many churches may iustly pleade , that which our sauiour bad his disciples , the lord hath need ? and if this infinite store hath made your choyce doubtfull , how easie were it to shew you , wherein you might oblige the whole church of god to you , and make your memoriall both eternall , and blessed ; or , if you had rather , the whole common wealth ? but now i find my selfe too bold and too busie , in thus looking toward particularities : god , shall direct you , and if you follow him , shall crowne you : howsoeuer , if good be done , and that be times : he hath what hee desired , and your soule shall haue more then you can desire . the successe of my weake yet hearty counsell , shall make me as rich , as god hath made you with all your aboundance . that god blesse it to you , and make both our recknings chearfull in the day of our common audit . to e. b. dedicated to sir george goring . ep. viii . remedies against dulnesse and hartlesnesse in our callings , and encouragements to chearefulnesse in labour . it falls out not seldom ( if we may mesure all by one ) that the mind ouer layed with worke , grows dull , and heauy : and now doth nothing , because it hath done too much ; ouer lauish expence of spirits hath left it heartlesse : as the best vessell with much motion and vent , becomes flat , and dreggish . and not fewer ( of more weaker temper ) discourage themselues with the difficultie of what they must doe : some trauailers haue more shrunke at the mappe then at the way ? betwixt both , how many sit stil with their hands folded ; and wish they knew how to be rid of time ? if this euill bee not cured , we become miserable losers , both of good houres , and of good parts . in these mentall diseases , empiricks are the best phisitians . i prescribe you nothing but out of feeling : if you will auoide the first : moderate your own vehemencie ; suffer not your selfe to do all you could do : rise euer from your deske , not without an appetite . the best horse will tire soonest , if the reine lie euer loose in his necke : restraints in these cases are incouragements : obtaine therefore of your selfe to deferre , and take new daies : how much better is it to refresh your selfe , with many competent meales , then to buy one daies glutonie : with the fast of many ? and if it be hard to call off the mind , in the midst of a faire and likely flight ; know that all our ease and safetie begins at the commaund of our selues : hee can neuer taske himselfe wel , that cannot fauour himselfe . perswade your heart that perfection comes by leasure : and no excellent thing is done at once : the rising and setting of many sunnes ( which you thinke slackens your worke ) in truth ripens it . that gourd which came vp in a night , withered in a day ; whereas those plants which abide age , rise slowly . indeede , where the heart is vnwilling , prorogation hinders : what i list not to doe this day , i loath the next ; but where is no want of desire , delay doth but sharpen the stomach . that which we doe vnwillingly leaue , we long to vndertake , & the more our affection is , the greater our intention , and the better our performance . to take occasion by the foretop , is no small point of wisedome ; but to make time ( which is wilde and fugitiue ) tame and pliable to our purposes , is the greatest improuement of a man : all times serue him , which hath the rule of himselfe . if the second , thinke seriously of the conditiō of your being : it is that we were made for ; the birde to flie , and man to labour . what doe wee here if wee repine at our worke ? we had not beene , but that we might be still busie ; if not in this taske we dislike , yet in some other of no lesse toile : there is no act that hath not his labor , which varies in measure according to the will of the doer . this which you complaine of , hath beene vndertaken by others , not with facilitie only , but with pleasure ; & what you choose for ease , hath beene abhorred of others , as tedious . all difficultie is not so much in the worke , as in the agent . to set the minde on the racke of long meditation ( you say ) is a torment : to follow the swift foote of your hound alday long , hath no wearinesse : what would you say of him that finds better game in his studie , then you in the fielde , and would account your disport his punishment ? such there are , though you doubt and wonder . neuer think to detract from your businesse , but adde to your will. it is the policie of our great enemie , to driue vs with these feares , from that hee fore-sees would grow profitable : like as some inhospitall sauages make fearefull delusions by sorcery , vpon the shore , to fright strangers from landing . where you find therfore motions of resistance , awaken your courage the more , & know there is some good that appeares not ; vaine indeauors find no opposition . al crosses implie a secret commoditie : resolue then to will because you begin not to will : and either oppose your selfe , as satan opposes you , or else you doe nothing . we pay no price to god for any good thing , but labour ; if we higgle in that , we are worthy to lose our bargaine . it is an inualuable gaine , that we may make in this trafique : for god is bountifull , as well as iust , and when he sees true indeauour , doth not only sell , but giue : whereas idlenes neither gets nor saues , nothing is either more fruitlesse of good , or more fruitfull of euill ; for we doe ill whiles wee doe nothing , and lose , whiles we gaine not . the sluggard is senselesse , and so much more desperate , because hee cannot complaine : but ( though hee feele it not ) nothing is more precious then time , or that shall abide a reckning more strict and fearefull : yea this is the measure of all our actions , which if it were not abused , our accounts could not be but euen with god : so god esteemes it ( what euer our pride be ) that he plagues the losse of a short time , with a reuenge beyond all times . houres haue wings , and euery moment flies vp to the author of time , and carries newes of our vsage : all our prayers cannot intreate one of them either to returne , or slacken his pace : the mispense of euery minute is a new record against vs in heauen . sure , if we thought thus , wee would dismisse them with better reports , and not suffer them either to goe away empty , or laden with dangerous intelligence ; how happy is it that euery houre should conuey vp , not only the message , but the fruits of good , and stay with the ancient of daies , to speake for vs before his glorious throne ? know this and i shall take no care for your pains , nor you , for pastime . none of our profitable labours shall be transient , but euen when wee haue forgotten them , shall welcome vs into ioy : wee thinke wee haue left them behind vs , but they are forwarder then our souls , and expect vs where wee would be . and if there were no crowne for these toiles , yet without future respects there is a tediousnesse in doing nothing . to man especially , motion is natural : there is neither minde , nor eie , nor ioint which mooueth not : and as company makes way short , houres neuer goe away so merrily , as in the fellowship of worke . how did that industrious heathen draw out water by night , and knowledge by day , & thoght both short , euer labouring onely that he might labour ? certainely if idlenesse were enacted by authoritie , there would not want some , which would pay their mulct , that they might worke and those spirits are likest to heauen , which moues alwaies , and the freest from those corruptions , which are incident to nature : the running streame cleanseth it selfe , whereas standing ponds breede weedes , and mud . these meditations must hearten vs to that we must do : whiles we are cheareful , our labours shall striue whether to yeeld vs more comfort , or others more profit . to s. h. i. ep. ix . discussing this question . whether a man and wife after some yeares mutuall , and louing fruition of each other , may vpon consent , whether for secular , or religious causes , vowe and performe a perpetuall separation from each others bed , and absalutely renounce all carnall knowledge of each other for euer . i wish not my selfe any other aduocate , nor you any other aduersarie , then saint paule who neuer gaue ( i speake boldly ) a direct precept , if not in this : his expresse charge whereupon i insisted , is defraude , not one another , except with consent for a time , that you may giue your selues to fasting and praier , and then againe come together , that satan tempt you not , for your incontinency . euery word ( if you weigh it well ) opposes your part , and pleads for mine : by consent of al diuines ancient , & moderne , ( defrauding ) is refraining frō matrimonical conuersation : see what a word the spirit of god hath chosen for this abstinence : neuer but taken in ill part . but there is no fraud in consent , as chrysostom , athanasius , theophilact , expound it : true ; therefore saint paule addes ( vnlesse with consent ) that i may omit to say , that in saying ( vnlesse with consent ) he implies , both that there may bee a defrauding without it , and with consent a defrauding , but not vnlawfull : but see what hee addes ( for a time , ) consent cannot make this defrauding lawfull , except it be temporary : no defrauding without consent , no consent for a perpetuity . how long then , and wherefore ? not for euery cause , not for any length of time , but onely for a while , and for deuotion ( vt vacetis , &c. ) not that you might pray onely ( as chryso stome notes iustly ) but that you might ( giue your selues to praier . ) in our marriage societie ( saith he ) against that paradoxe of hierome , we may pray , and woe to vs it we doe not ; but we cannot ( vacare orationi . ) but we are bidden to pray continually : yet not i hope , euer to fast and pray . marke how the apostle addes ( that you may giue you selues to fasting and praier ; ) it is solemne exercise , which the apostle here intends , such , as is ioined with fasting , and externall humiliation ; wherin al earthly comforts must be forborne . but what if a man list to taske himselfe continually , and wil be alwaies painfully deuote : may hee then neuer abstaine ? no : ( let them meete together againe ) saith the apostle , not as a toleratiō , but as a charge ? but what if they both can liue safely thus seuered ? this is more then they can vndertake : there is danger , saith our apostle , in this abstinence ( lest satan tempt you for your incontinencie ) what can be more plaine . neither may the maried refraine this conuersation without cōsent : neither may they with consent , refraine it for euer . what can you now vrge vs with , but the examples , and sentences of some ancients ? let this stand euicted for the true and necessary sense of the apostle , and what is this , but to lay men in the ballance with god ? i see and confesse how much some of the fathers admited virginitie ; so farre , that there wated not some , which both detested mariage as vicious , and would force a single life vpon marriage , as commendable : whose authoritie should moue me , if i saw not some of them opposite to others , and others no lesse to saint paule himselfe . how oft doth saint austin redouble that rule , and importunately vrge it to his ecdicia , in that serious epistle , that without consent the continence of the maried , cannot bee warrantable : teaching her ( from these words of saint paule which he charges her , in the contrary practise , not to haue read , heard , or marked ) that if her husband should containe , and shee would not , he were bound to pay her the debt of marriage beneuolence ; & that god would impute it to him for continence not withstanding . hence is that of chrysostome , that the wife is both the seruant and the mistresse of her husband , a seruant to yeeld her body , a mistresse to haue power of his : who also in the same place determines it forbidden fraude , for the husband , or wife to containe alone : according to that of the paraphrast let either both containe , or neither . hierome contrarily , defines thus : but if one of the two ( saith he ) considering the rewarde of chastity , will containe , he ought not to assent to the other which containes not , &c. because lust ought rather to come to continencie , then continencie decline to lust , concluding that a brother , or sister is not subiect in such a case ; and that god hath not called vs to vncleannesse , but to holines . a strange glosse to fall from the pen of a father : which yet i durst not say , if it were more boldnes for me to dissent from him , then for him to dissent from all others . he that censures saint paule to argue grosly to his galatians , may as well taxe him of an vnfit direction to his corinthians : it shall be no presumption to say , that in this point all his writings bewray more zeale , then truth : whether the conscience of his former slip caused him to abhorre that sexe ; or his admiration of virginitie transported him to a contempt of marriage . antiquitie will afford you many examples of holy men voluntarily sequestred from their wiues : precepts must bee our guides , and not patternes . you may tell me of sozomens ammon , that famous monke , who hauing perswaded his bride the first day to continuance of virginitie , liued with her . yeares in a seuerall bed : and in a seuerall habitation , vpon the mountaine nitria , . yeares , you may tell me of ieromes malchus , austens ecdicia , and ten thousand others : i care not for their number , and suspect their example : doe but reconcile their practise with saint paules rule ; i shall both magnifie and imitate them . i professe , before god and men : nothing should hinder me but this law of the apostle : whereto consider , i beseech you , what can be more opposite then this opinion , then this course of life . the apostle saies , refraine not but with consent for a time : your words , and their practise saith , refraine with consent foreuer : hee saith ( meete together againe ) you say , neuer more : hee saith ( meete lest you bee tempted ) you say , meete not though you bee tempted . i willingly grant with athanasius , that for some set time , especially ( as anselme interprets it ) for some holy time , we may , and ( in this latter case ) we must forbeare all matrimonical acts , & thoughts : not for that they are sinfull , but vnseasonable . as marriage must be alwaies vsed chastly , and moderately : so sometimes it must be forgotten . how many are drunke with their owne vines , and surfet of their owne fruits ? either immodestie , or immoderation in man or wise , is a dulterous . if yet i shall further yeeld , that they may conditionally agree , to refrain frō each other , so long till they bee perplexed with temptations , on either part : i shall goe as farre as the reach of my warrant , at least perhaps beyond it : since the apostle chargeth , meete againe lest you bee tempted ; not , meete when you are tempted ? but to say , absolutely , and for euer renounce ( by consent ) the conuersation of each , other , what temptation soeuer assault you , is directly , not beyond , but against paules diuinitie , no lesse then my assertion is against yours . the ground of all these errors in this head of matrimony , is an vnworthie conceit of some vnchristian filthinesse in the marriage bed . euery man will not vtter , but too many holde that conclusion of hierome : it is good for a man not to touch a women , therefore to touch her , is euill ; whom i doubt not , but saint austin meant to oppose , while he writes , bonum inquam sunt nuptiae , & contra omnes calumnias possunt sanâ ratione defendi : marriage ( i say ) is a good thing , and may by sound proofe bee defended , against all slaunders : well may man say that is good , which god saith , is honorable ; and both good and honourable must that needs be , which was instituted by the honourable author of goodnesse , in the state of mans perfect goodnesse : let vs take heede of casting shame vpon the ordinance of our maker . but there was no carnall knowledge in paradise . but againe , in paradise god said , increase and multiply : there should haue beene , if there were not . those that were naked without shame should haue beene conioined without shame , because without sinne . meates and drinks , and acts of marriage ( saith austin ) ( for these hee compares both in lawfulnes , and necessitie ) are , as they are vsed , either lawful , veniall , or damnable . meates are for the preseruation of man : marriage acts for the preseruation of mankind : neither of them are without some carnall delight : which yet , if by the bridle of temperance it bee held to the proper , and natural vse , cannot be termed lust . there is no ordinance of god , which either is of more excellent vse , or hath suffered more abuse in all times : the fault is in men , not in marriage : let them rectifie themselues , their bed shal bee blessed . here need no separation from each other , but rather a separation of brutishnes , & close corruption from the soule ; which whosoeuer hath learned to remoue , shall finde the crowne of matrimonicall chastitie , no lesse glorious , then that of single continence . to master william knight . ep. x. incouraging him to persist in the holy calling of the ministery , which vpon conceit of his insufficiency , and want of affection , he seemed inclining to forsake , and change . i am more glad to heare from you , then sorry to heare of your discontentment : whereof , as the cause is from your selfe , so must the remedy . wee schollers are the aptest of all others to make our selues miserable : you might be your owne best counsellor were you but indifferent to your selfe : it i could but cure your preiudice , your thoughts would heale you : and indeed the same , hand that wounded you , were fittest for this seruice . i need not tell you , that your calling is honourable ; if you did not thinke so , you had not complained . it is your vnworthinesse , that troubles you : let mee boldly tell you , i know you in this case better then your selfe ; you are neuer the more vnsufficient , because you thinke so : if wee will bee rigorous , paules question ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) will appose vs all : but according to the gracious indulgence of him that calls things which are not as if they were , wee are that wee are , yea , that we ought ; and must be thankefull for our any thing . there are none more fearefull then the able , none more bold then the vnworthy : how many haue you seene and heard , of weaker graces ( your owne heart shall bee the iudge ) which haue sate without palenesse , or trembling , in that holy chaire , and spoken as if the wordes had beene their owne : satisfying themselues , if not the hearers ? and doe you ( whose gifts many haue enuied ) stand quaking vpon the lowest staire ? hath god giuen you that vnusuall varietie of tongues , skill of artes , a stile worth emulation , and ( which is worth all ) a faithfull and honest heart ; and doe you now shrinke backe , and say , send by him by whom thou shouldst send ? giue god but what you haue ; he expects no more : this is enough to honour him , and crowne you . take heede while you complaine of want , least pride shroude it selfe vnder the skirts of modestie ; how many are thankfull for lesse ? you haue more then the most ; yet this contents you not ; it is nothing vnlesse you may equall the best , if not exceede ; yea i feare how this might satisfie you , vnlesse you may thinke your selfe such as you would bee : what is this but to grudge at the bestower of graces ? i tell you without flatterie , god hath great gaines by fewer talents : set your heart to imploie these , and your aduantage shall bee more then your masters . neither do now repent you of the vnaduisednesse of your entrance ; god called you to it vpon an eternall deliberation , and meant to make vse of your suddennes , as a meanes to fetch you into his worke , whom more leasure would haue found refractarie : full little did the one saul thinke of a kingdom , when he went to seeke his fathers straies in the land of shalishah ; or the other saul of an apostleship , when hee went with his commission to damascus : god thought of both ; & effected what they meant not ; thus hath hee done to you ; acknowledge this hand , and follow it . hee found and gaue both facultie & opportunitie to enter ; finde you but a will to proceede , i dare promise you aboundance of comfort . how many of the ancients , after a forceable ordination , became not profitable onely , but famous in the church ? but , as if you sought shifts to discourage your selfe , when you see you cannot maintaine this hold of insufficiencie , you flie to alienation of affection ; in the truth wherof , none can contoll you but your owne heart ; in the iustice of it , we both may , and must . this plea is not for christians ; we must affect what we ought , in spight of our selues ; wherefore serues religion if not to make vs lords of our owne affections ? if wee must bee ruled by our slaues , what good should we do ? can you more dislike your station , then wee all naturally distast goodnesse ? shall we neglect the pursuit of vertue , because it pleases not , or rather displease , and neglect our selues , till it may please vs ? let mee not aske whether your affections be estranged , but wherefore ? diuinitie is a mistresse worthie your seruice : all other artes are but drudges to her , alone : fooles may contemne her who cannot iudge of true intellectual beautie ; but if they had our eies ; they could not but bee rauished with admiration . you haue learned ( i hope ) to contemn their contempt , and so pitty their iniurious ignorance . she hath chosen you as a worthy client , yea a fauorite , and hath honored you with her commaunds , and her acceptations ; who but you would pleade strangenesse of affection ? how many thousand sue to her ; and cannot be look't vpon ? you are happy in her fauours , and yet complaine : yea so far , as that you haue not stucke to thinke of a change : no word could haue falne from you more vnwelcome . this is satans policie to make vs out of loue with our callings , that our labours may be vnprofitable , and our standings tedious . hee knows that all changes are fruitlesse , and that whiles we affect to be other , we must needs be weary of what we are : that there is no successe in any indeauor without pleasure ; that there can bee no pleasure where the mind longs after alterations . if you espie not this craft of the common enemy , you are not acquainted with your selfe : vnder what forme soeuer it come , repell it : and abhorre the first motion of it , as you loue your peace , as you hope for your reward . it is the misery of the most men , that they cannot see when they are happie ; and whiles they see but the out-side of others conditions , preferre that which their experience teaches them afterwardes to condemne , not without losse and teares . farre be this vnstablenesse from you , which haue been so long taught of god. all vocations haue their inconueniences , which if they cannot be auoided , must be digested . the more difficulties , the greater glory : stand fast therefore , and resolue that this calling is the best , both in it selfe , and for you : and know that it cannot stand with your christian courage to run away from these incident euills , but to encounter them . your hand is at the plough ; if you meete with some tough clods , that will not easily yeeld to the share , lay on more strength rather ; seeke not remedie in your feet by flight , but in your hands , by a constant indeauor . away with this weake timorousnesse , and wrongful humilitie : be chearfull and couragious in this great worke of god ; the end shall be glorious your selfe happy , and many in you . the sixt decade of epistles . london , . the sixt decade . epist. i. to my lord denny . ¶ a particular account how our dayes are , or should be spent , both common and holy . every day is a little life , and our whole life is but a day repeated : whence it is , that old iacob numbers his life by dayes , and moses desires to be taught this point of holy arithmeticke , to number not his yeares , but his dayes : those therefore that dare loose a day , are daungerously prodigall ; those that dare mis-spend it , desperate . we can best teach others by our selues : let mee tell your lordship , how i would passe my dayes , whether common or sacred ; that you ( or whosoeuer others , ouer-hearing me ) may eyther approoue my thriftinesse , or correct my errors : to whom is the account of my houres either more due , or more knowne ? all dayes are his , who gaue time a beginning , and continuance ; yet some he hath made ours , not to command , but to vse . in none may we forget him , in some we must forget all , besides him . first therefore , i desire to awake at those houres , not when i will , but when i must : pleasure is not a fit rule for rest , but health : neyther doe i consult so much with the sunne , as mine owne necessity , whither of body , or , in that , of the minde . if this vassall could welserue mee waking , it should neuer sleepe : but now , it must bee pleased , that it may bee seruiceable . now , when sleepe is rather driuen away , then leaues mee ; i would euer awake with god ; my first thoughts are for him , who hath made the night for rest , and the day for trauell : and as he giues , so blesses both . if my heart be earely seasoned with his presence , it will sauour of him all day after . while my body is dressing , not with an effeminate curiosity , nor yet with rude neglect ; my minde addresses itselfe to her insuing task ; bethinking what is to be done , and in what order ; and marshalling ( as it may ) my houres with my work : that done after some whiles meditation , i walke vp to my maisters & companions , my bookes ; and sitting down amongst them , with the best contentment , i dare not reach forth my hand to salute any of them , till i haue first looked vp to heauen , and craued fauour of him to whom all my studies are duly referred : without whome , i can neither profit , nor labour . after this , out of no ouer-great variety , j call forth those , which may best fit my occasions ; wherein , i am not too scrupulous of age : somtimes i put my selfe to schoole , to one of those auncients , whom the church hath honoured with the name of fathers ; whose volumes , i confesse , not to open , without a secret reuerence of their holinesse , and grauitie : sometimes , to those later doctours , which want nothing but age to make them classicall : alwayes to gods booke . that day is lost , wherof some houres are not improued in those diuine monuments : others i turn ouer out of choyse , these out of duty . ere i can haue sat vnto wearinesse , my family , hauing now ouercome all household-distractions , inuites mee to our common deuotions ; not without some short preparation . these hartily performed , send mee vp , with a more strong and chearefull appetite to my former worke , which i find made easie to me by intermission , and variety : now therefore , can i deceiue the houres with change of pleasures , that is , of labours . one while mine eyes are busied , another while my hand , & sometimes my minde takes the burden from them both : wherein , i would imitate the skilfullest cookes , which make the best dishes with manifold mixtures : one houre is spent in textuall diuinity , another in controuersy ; histories relieue them both . now , when the minde is weary of others labors , it begins to vndertake hir owne ; sometimes it meditates , and windes vp for future vse ; sometimes it layes foorth her conceits into present discourse ; sometimes for it selfe , ofter , for others . neither know i whether it workes or playes in these thoughts : i am sure no sport hath more pleasure , no work more vse : only the decay of a weake body , makes me thinke these delights insensibly laborious . thus could i all day , ( as ringers vse ) make my selfe musicke with chaunges , and complain sooner of the day for shortnesse , then of the businesse for toyle ; were it not that this faint moniter interrupts me stil in the midst of my busie pleasures , and inforces me both to respite & repast i must yeeld to both ; my body and mind are ioyned together in these vnequal couples , the better must follow the weaker . before my meales therefore , and after , i let my selfe loose from all thoughts , and now , would forget that i euer studyed : a full minde takes away the bodies appetite , no lesse then a full body makes a dull and vnweildy minde : company , discourse , recreations , are now seasonable and welcome ; these prepare me for a diet , not gluttonous , but medicinall ; the palate may not be pleased , but the stomack ; nor that for it owne sake : neither woulde i thinke any of these comforts woorth respect in themselues , but in their vse , in their end ; so farre , as they may inable me to better things , if i see any dish to tempt my palate , j feare a serpent in that apple , and would please my selfe in a wilfull denyall : i rise capable of more , not desirous not now immediately from my trencher , to my booke ; but after some intermission . moderate speede is a sure helpe to all proceedings , where those things which are prosecuted with violence of indeuour , or desire , either succeed not , or continue not . after my latter meale , my thoughts are slight , onely my memorie may be charged with her taske , of recalling what was committed to her custodie in the day , and my heart is busie in examining mine hands and mouth , & all other sences of that dayes behauiour . and now the euening is come , no trades-man doth more carefully take in his wares , cleare his shoppeboord , and shut his windowes , then j would shut vp my thoughts , & clear my minde . that student shall liue miserably , which like a camell lies down vnder his burden . all this done , calling together my familie , we end the day with god. thus do wee rather driue away the time before vs , then follow it . i graunt , neither is my practise worthy to be exemplarie , neither are our callings proportionable . the lyues of a nobleman , of a courtier , of a scholler , of a cittizen , of a countreyman , differ no lesse then their dispositions : yet must all conspire in honest labour . sweat is the destiny of all trades , whether of the browes , or of the minde . god neuer allowed anie man to do nothing . how miserable is the condition of those men , which spend the time as if it were giuen thē , and not lent : as if houres were waste creatures , and such as should neuer be accounted for ; as if god would take this for a good bil of reckoning ; item , spent vpon my pleasures , fortie yeares . these men shal once finde , that no bloud can priuiledge idlenes ; and that nothing is more precious to god , then , that which they desire to cast away , tyme . such are my common daies : but gods day cals for another respect . the same sunne arises on this day , and enlightens it ; yet because that sun of righteousnesse arose once vpon it , & gaue a new life vnto the world in it , & drew the strength of gods moral precept vnto it , therfore iustly do we sing with the psalmist ; this is the day which the lorde hath made . now , i forget the world , and in a sort , my selfe ; and deale with my wonted thoughts , as great men vse , who , at sometimes of their priuacie , forbid the accesse of all suters . prayer , meditation , reading , hearing , preaching , singing , good conference , are the businesses of this day ; which i dare not bestow on anie worke , or pleasure , but heauenly . j hate superstition on the one side , and loosenesse on the other ; but i finde it harde to offend in too much deuotion , easie in profanenesse . the whole week is sanctified by this day , and according to my care of this , is my blessing on the rest . i show your lordship , what i would do , and what i ought : i commit my desires to the imitation of the weake , my actions to the censures of the wise and holye ; my weakenesses to the pardon and redresse of my mercifull god. epist. ii. to mr. t. s. dedicated to sir fulke greuill . ¶ discoursing how wee may vse the worlde without daunger . howe to liue out of the daunger of the worlde is both a great & good care , and that which troubles too fewe . some , that the world may not hurt them , run frō it ; & banish themselues to the toppes of solitary mountaines : changing the cities , for deserts , houses , for gaues , and the societie of men for beasts ; and least their enimy might insinuate himselfe into their secrecy , haue abridged themselues of dyet , cloathing , lodging , harbour , fit for reasonable creatures ; seeming to haue left off themselues , no lesse then companions . as if the worlde were not euery where ; as if wee could hide our selues from the diuel ; as if solitarinesse were priuiledged from temptations ; as if wee did not more violently affect restrained delights ; as if these hieromes did not finde rome in their hart , when they had nothing but rockes & trees in their eye . hence these places of retyrednesse , founded at first vppon necessity mixt with deuotion , haue proued infamously vnclean ; cels of lust , not of piety . this course is preposterous ; if i were worthy to teach you a better way , learne to bee an hermit at home : begin with your owne heart , estraunge and weane it from the loue , not from the vse of the world : christianity hath taught vs nothing , if wee haue not learned this distinction ; it is a great weakenesse not to see , but wee must be inamored : elisha , saw the secret state of the syrian court , yet as an enemy : the blessed angelles see our earthly affayres , but as strangers : moses his body was in the court of pharaoh , amongest the delicate egiptians , his heart was suffering with the afflicted israelites . lot tooke part of the fayre medowes of sodom , not of theyr sinnes . our blessed sauiour sawe the glory of al kingdomes , & contemned them : and cannot the world look vpon vs christians , but wee are be witched ? we see the sun daily , & warme vs at his beames , yet make not an idol of it ; doth any man hide his face , least he should adore it ? all our safetie or danger therefore , is from within . in vaine is the body an anachoret , if the heart be a ruffian : and if that bee retyred in affections , the body is but a cipher : lo then the eyes will looke carelessely and strangely in what they see , and the tongue will sometimes answere to that was not asked . we eate and recreate , because wee must , not because we would : and when wee are pleased , wee are suspicious : lawfull delights , we neyther refuse , nor dote vpon , and all contentments goe and come like strangers . that all this may be done , take vp your hart with better thoughts ; be sure it will not be empty , if heauen haue fore-stalled all the roomes , the worlde is disappointed , and eyther dares not offer , or is repulsed . fixe your selfe vpon the glory of that eternity , which abides you after this short pilgrimage . you cannot but contemne what you find in comparison of what you expect . leaue not til you attaine to this , that you are willing to liue , because ye cannot as yet be dissolued : be but one halfe vppon earth , let your better part conuerse aboue whence it is , and enioy that whereto it was ordained . thinke how little the world can doe for you and what it doth , how deceitfully : vvhat stings there are with this hony , vvhat farewell succeeds this welcome . when this iael brings you milk in the one hand , know shee hath a nayle in the other . aske your heart what it is the better , what the merrier , for all those pleasures where with it hath befriended you : let your own trial teach you contempt ; thinke how sincere , how glorious those ioyes are , which abide you elsevvhere , and a thousand times more certaine ( though future ) then the present . and let not these thoughts be flying , but fixed : jn vaine do we meditate , if were solue not : when your hart is once thus setled , it shall commaund all things to aduantage . the world shall not betray , but serue it ; and that shall be fulfilled which god promises by his salomon ; vvhen the wayes of a man please the lord , he wil make his enimies also at peace with him . sir , this aduice my pouerty affoorded long since to a weake friend ; i write it not to you , any otherwise , then as schollers are woont to say their part to their maisters . the world hath long and iustly both noted and honoured you for eminence in wisedome and learning , and i aboue the most ; i am ready with the awe of a learner , to embrace all precepts from you : you shall expect nothing from me , but testimonies of respect and thankefulnesse . epist. iii. to s george fleetwood . ¶ of the remedies of sinne , and motiues to auoyde it . there is none , either more common , or more troblesom guest , then sin. troublesome , both in the solicitation of it , and in the remorse . before the act , it wearies vs with a wicked importunity ; after the act it torments vs with feares , and the painful gnawings of an accusing conscience : neyther is it more irkesome to men , then odious to god ; who indeed neuer hated any thing but it ; and for it any thing . how happy were we , if we could be rid of it ? this must be our desire , but cannot be our hope ; so long as wee carry this bodie of sinne and death about vs : yet ( which is our comfort ) it shall not carry vs , though wee carry it : it will dwell with vs , but with no commaund ; yea , with no peace : wee grudge to giue it house-roome , but wee hate to giue it seruice . this our hagar wil abide many strokes , ere she be turned out of doores ; she shall go at last , and the seede of promise shall inherit alone . there is no vnquyetnesse good , but this : and in this case , quietnesse cannot stand with safetie : neither did euer warre more truly beget peace , then in this strife of the soule . resistance is the way to victory , and that , to an eternall peace and happynesse . it is a blessed care then , how to resist : sinne , how to auoyd it : and such as i am glad to teach and learne . as there are two grounds of all sin , so of the auoydance of sinne ; loue , and feare : these if they be placed amisse , cause vs to offend : if aright , are the remedies of euill : the loue must be of god ; feare , of iudgement . as he loues much , to whom much is forgiuen , so hee that loues much , will not dare to dooe that which may neede forgiuenesse . the heart that hath felt the sweetnesse of gods mercies , will not abide the bitter rellish of sinne : this is both a stronger motiue then fear , and more noble ; none but a good heart is capable of this grace : which who so hath receyued , thus powerfully repelles tentations . haue i found my god so gracious to me that hee hath denyed mee nothing , eyther in earth or heauen : and shal not j so much as deny my owne will for his sake ? hath my deare sauiour bought my soul at such a price , and shall he not haue it ? was hee crucified for my sinnes , and shall i by my sinnes crucifie him againe ? am j his in so many bonds , and shall j serue the diuel ? o god! is this the fruit of thy beneficence to me , that j should wilfully dishonor thee ? was thy blood so little worth , that i should treade it vnder my feete ? dooth this become him that shall be once glorious vvith thee ? hast thou prepared heauen for me , and do i thus prepare my selfe for heauen ? shall i thus recompence thy loue , in dooing that which thou hatest ? satan hath no dart ( i speak confidently ) that can pierce this shielde : christians are indeed to oft surprized , ere they can holde it out : there is no small pollicy in the suddainenesse of temptation : but if they haue once setled it before their brest , they are safe , and their enemy hopelesse . vnder this head therefore , there is sure remedie against sinne , by looking vpwardes , backwards , into our selues , forwards . vpwards , at the glorious maiesty , and infinite goodnesse of that god whom our sinne would offend , and in whose face we sin : whose mercies , & whose holynesse is such , that if there were no hel , we would not offend . backwards , at the manifold fauours , whereby we are obliged to obedience . into our selues , at that honourable vocation , wherewith he hath graced vs , that holy profession we haue made of his calling , and grace , that solemne vowe & couenant , whereby we haue confirmed our profession ; the gracious beginnings of that spirit in vs , which is grieued by our sinnes , yea quenched . forwards , at the ioy which will follow vpon our forbearance , that peace of conscience , that happy expectation of glory , compared with the momentary and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne ; all these , out of loue ; fear is a retentiue , as necessary , not so ingenuous . jt is better to be wonne , then to be frighted from sinne : to be allured , then drawne . both are little inough in our pronesse to euil : euil , is the onely obiect of feare . heerein therefore , wee must terrifie our stubburnnesse , with both euils ; of losse , and of sence : that if it be possible , the honor of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation : of losse , remembering that now we are about to loose a god ; to cast away all the comforts & hopes of ano her world ; to rob our selues of all those sweete mercies we inioyed ; to thrust his spirit out of doores ( which cannot abide to dwell within the noysom stench of sinne ) to shut the doores of heauen against our selues . of sence ; that thus we giue satan a right in vs , power ouer vs , aduantage against vs. that wee make god to frowne vpon vs in heauen ; that we arme all his good creatures against vs on earth ; that we do as it were take gods hand in ours , & scourge our selues with all temporall plagues ; and force his curses vpon vs , and ours : that we wound our owne consciences with sins , that they may wound vs with euerlasting torments ; that we do both make an hell in our breasts before hande , and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit , to rereceiue vs afterwards : that wee doe now cast brimstone into the fire ; and least we should faile of tortures , make our selues our owne fiends : these , & vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde , must be layde to the soule : vvhich , if they be throughly vrged to an heart , not altogether incredulous , wel may a man aske himselfe , how he dare sin ? but if neyther this sunne of mercies , nor the tempestuous winds of iudgement can make him cast off peters cloake of vvickednesse ; hee must bee clad vvith confusion , as vvith a cloak , according to the psalmist . i tremble to thinke hovv many liue , as if they vvere neyther beholden to god , nor affrayde of him ; neyther in his debt , nor daunger : as if their heauen and hell vvere both vpon earth ; sinning not onely vvithout shame , but not vvithout mallice ; it is theyr least ill to do euill ; behold they speake for it , ioy in it , boast of it , inforce to it ; as if they vvould send challenges into heauen , & make loue to destruction : their leudnesse cals for our sorrowe , and zealous obedience ; that our god may haue as true seruants , as enimies : and as vvee see naturall qualities , increased vvith the resistaunce of theyr contraries : so must our grace vvith others sinnes : we shal redeeme somvvhat of gods dishonour by sinne , if vve shal thence grovv holye . epist. iiii. to mr. doctor milburne . ¶ discoursing , how farre , and wherein popery destroyeth the foundation . the meane in all thinges is not more safe then hard : whether to finde or keep : & as in al other morality , it lyeth in a narrow roome ; so most in the matter of our censures , especially concerning religion : wherein we are wont to be eyther carelesse , or too peremptory : how farre , and wherein popery raceth the foundation , is worth our inquiry : i neede not stay vpon wordes . by foundation , we mean the necessary groundes of christian faith . this foundation papistry defaces , by laying a new ; by casting downe the old . in these cases , addition destroyes : he that obtrudes a new worde , no lesse ouerthrowes the scripture , then hee that den̄yes the olde , yea this , very obtrusion denies : he that sets vp a newe christ , reiects christ : two foundations cannot stand at once : the arke and dagon : now papistry layes a double how foundation : the one , a new rule of faith , that is , a new word : the other , a new author , or guide of faith , that is , a newe head besides christ god neuer layde other foundation , then in the prophets and apostles : vpon their diuine writing , he meant to build his church ; which hee therefore inspired , that they might be like ( himselfe ) perfect and eternall : popery buildes vppon an vn-written word , the voyce of old ( but doubtful ) traditions . the voyce of the present church , that is , as they interpret it , theyrs ; with no lesse confidence and presumption of certainety , then any thing euer written by the finger of god ; if this be not a new foundation , the old was none . god neuer taught this holy spouse to knowe any other husband , thē christ ; to acknowledge any other head ; to followe any other shepheard , to obey any other king : he alone may be inioyed without iealousie , submitted to without danger , without errour beleeued , serued without scruple : popery offers to impose on gods church a king , shepheard , head , husband , besides her owne : a man ; a man of sin . he must know all things , can erre in nothing : direct , inform , animate , cōmand , both in earth and purgatory , expounde scriptures , cannonize saints , forgiue sins : create new articles of faith ; and in all these , is absolute and infallible as his maker ; who sees not , that if to attribute , these things to the son of god , bee to make him the foundation of the church ; then to ascribe them to another , is to contradict him that sayde , other foundation can no man lay , then that which is layde , which is iesus christ. to lay a new foundation , doth necessarily subuert the old : yet see this further actually done in particulars : wherein yet this distinction may cleare the way : the foundation is ouerthrowne two wayes ; either in flat tearmes , when a mayne principle of faith is absolutely denyed : as the deity and consubstantiality of the sonne by arrius , the trinity of persons by sabellius and seruetus , the resurrection of the bodye by himeneus and philetus , the last iudgement by saint peters mockers ; or secondly , by consequent ; when anie opinion is maintained , which by iust sequell ouer turneth the trueth of that principle , which the defendant professes to holde ; yet so , as hee will not graunt the necessity of that deduction ▪ so the ancient m●n●i , of whom ierom speaketh , while they vrged circumcision , by consequent according to paules rule , reiected christ : so the pelagians , while they defended a full perfection of our righteoushes in our selues , ouerthrew christes iustification : and in effect sayde , i beleeue in christ , and in myselfe : so some vbiauitaries , while they hold the possibility of the conuersion , and saluation of reprobates , ouerthrow the doctrine of gods eternall decree , and immutability . popery comes in this latter rank ; and may iustly be tearmed heresie , by direct consequent : though not in their graunt , yet in necessarie proofe and inference . thus it ouerthrowes the truth of christs humanity , while it holds his whole humaine body locally circumscribed in heauen , & at once ( the same instant ) wholy present in ten thousand places on earth , without circumscription : that whole christ is in the formes of bread , with all his dimensions , euery part hauing his own place and figure : and yet so , as that he is wholly in euery part of the breade . our iustification , while it ascribes it to our owne workes : the al-sufficiency of christs owne sacrifice , whiles they reiterate it daily by the handes of a priest . of his satisfaction , while they holde a payment of our vtmost farthings , in a deuised purgatory . of his mediation , while they implore others to ayde them , not only by their intercession , but their merites ; suing not onely for their prayes , but their gifts : the value of the scriptures , whiles they hold them insufficient , obscure , in points essentiall to saluation , & bind them to an vncertaine dependance vpon the church . besides hundreds of this kind , there are heresies in actions , contrary to those fundamentall practises which god requires of his : as prohibitions of scriptures to the laity : prescriptions of deuotion in vnknowne tongues : tying , the effect of sacraments and prayers to the externall worke : adoration of angels , saints , bread , reliques , crosses , jmages : all which , are as so many reall vnderminings of the sacred foundation , which is no lesse actiue , then vocall . by this , the simplest may see , what we must holde of papists ; neyther as no heretiques , nor yet so palpable as the worst : if any man aske for theyr conuiction . in the simpler sort , i grant this excuse fayre and tollerable : poore soules , they cannot bee any otherwise informed , much lesse perswaded : whiles in trueth of heart , they hold the maine principles which they know , doubtlesse , the mercie of god may passe ouer their ignorant weakenesse , in what they cannot know . for the other , i feare not to say , that many of their errours are wilfull . the light of truth hath shined out of heauen to them , and they loue darkenesse more then light . jn this state of the church : hee shall speake and hope idly , that shall call for a publique and vniuersall euiction : how can that be , when they pretend to bee iudges in their owne cause ? vnlesse they wil not be aduersaries to themselues , or iudge of vs , this course is but impossible : as the diuell , so antichrist , will not yeelde : both shall bee subdued ; neyther will treat of peace : what remains , but that the lorde shall consume that wicked man ( which is now clearely reuealed ) with the breath of his mouth , & abolish him with the brightnes of his cōming . euen so , lord iesus come quickly . this briefly is my conceit of popery , which i willingly refer to your clear & deepe iudgement , being not more desirous to teach the ignoraunt ▪ what i knowe , then to learne of you what i should teach , & know not . the lord direct all our thoughts to his glory , & the behoofe of his church . epist. v. written long since to mr. i. vv. ¶ disswading from seperation : & shortly oppugning the grounds of that errour . in my former epistle ( i confesse ) j touched the late seperation vvith a light hand : onely setting downe the iniurie of it ( at the best ) not discussing the groundes in common ; now your daunger drawes me on to this discourse : it is not much lesse thanke-woorthy , to preuent a disease , then to cure it : you confesse that you doubt ; i mislike it not , doubting is not more the way to errour , then to satisfaction ; lay downe first , all pride and preiudice , and i cannot fear you : i neuer yet knew any man of this way , which hath not bewraide himselfe far gone with ouer-weening : and therefore it hath beene iust with god , to punish their selfe loue with error : an humble spirit is a fit subiect for trueth : prepare you your heart , and let mee then answere , or rather god for mee ; you doubt whether the notorious sin of one vnreformed , vncensured , defile not the whole congregation ; so as we may not without sinne communicate therewith : & why not the whole church ? wo were vs , if we should thus liue in the daunger of all men : haue we not sins enow of our own , but we must borrow of others ? each man shal beare his own burden : is ours so light , that we cal for more waight , & vndertake what god neuer imposed ? it was enough for him that is god & man to bear others iniquities ; it is no taske for vs , which shrink vnder the least of our owne : but it is made ours , you say ( thogh anothers ) by our toleration & conniuence : indeede , if we consent to them ; encourage them , imitate or accompany them in the same excesse of ryot ; yet more , the publicke person , that forbeares a knowne sin , sinneth ; but if each mans known sinne be euery mans , what difference is betwixt the roote and the braunches ? adams sinne spread it selfe to vs , because wee were in him , stood or fell in him ; our case is not such . do but see how god scorneth that vniust prouerbe of the iewes , that the fathers haue eaten sower grapes , and the childrens teeth are set on edge ? how much lesse are straungers ? js any bond so neere as this of blood ? shall not the childe smart for the parent ; and shall wee ( euen spiritually ) for others ? you obiect achans stealth , & israels punishment : an vnlike case , & extraordinary : for see how direct gods charge is . be ye ware of the execrable thing least ye make your selues execrable , and in taking of the execrable thing , make also the hoast of israell execrable and trouble it . now euery man is made a party , by a peculiar iniunction , and not onely all israell is as one man : but euery israelite is a publicke person in this act ; you cannot shewe the like in euery one , no , not in any : it was a lawe for the present , not intended for perpetuity : you may as well challenge the trumpets of rammes-hornes , and seauen dayes walke vnto euery siedge . looke else , where the church of thyatira suffers the woman iezabel to teach and deceyue . a great sinne , yet to you ( saith the spirit ) the rest of thyatira , as many as haue not this learning : i will put vpon you none other burden , but that which you haue , holde fast ; hee saith not , leaue your church , but hold fast your owne . look into the practise of the prophets , ransacke their burdens , and see if you find this there ; yea , beholde our best patterne , the sonne of god. the iewish rulers in christ time were notoriously couetous , proud , oppressing , cruel , superstitious , our sauiour feared not polluting , in ioyning with them ; and was so far frō seperating himselfe , that he called & sent others to them . but , a little leauen leauens the whole lumpe : it is true , by the infection of it ; sinne , where it is vnpunnished , spreadeth ; it so wreth al those whose hands are in it , not others . if we dislike it , detest , resist , reproue , and mourn for it ; we cannot be tainted : the corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder : yet you heare not paul say , abstaine from the sacrament till-these bee reformed ; rather he enioynes the act , and controules the abuse : god hath bidden you heare and receiue : shew me , where he hath sayd , except others be sinfull . their vncleannesse can no more defile you , then your holinesse can excuse them . but while j communicate ( you say ) i consent ; god forbid . it is sinne not to cast out the deseruing ; but not yours : who made you a ruler & a iudge ? the vnclean must be seperated , not by the people : i would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publicke persons ? what strange confusion is this ? and what other then the olde note of corah and his company , ye take too much vpon you , seeing all the congregation is holy , euery one of them , and the lord is among them : wherfore , then lift you vp your selues aboue the congregation of the lorde ? what is ( if this bee not ) to make a monster of christs body : hee is the heade , his church the body , consisting of diuers limbes ? all haue their seuerall faculties and imployments ; not euery one , al ; who would immagine any man so absurd , as to say , that this body shold be al toong , or al hands ; euery man a teacher , euery man a ruler ? as if christ had sayde to euery man , goe teach , and whose sinnes ye remit : howe sencelesse are these two extreames ? of the papists , that one man hath the keyes : of the brownists , that euerie man hath them . but these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the church ▪ true ; to be executed by hir gouernours , the faculty of speech is giuen to the whole man , but the vse of it to the proper instrument . man speaketh ; but by his toong ; if a voice should be heard from his hand , eare , foote , it were vnnaturall . now if the tongue speak not when it ought , shall we be so foolish as to blame the hand ? but you say ; if the tongue speake not , or speak ill , the whole man smarteth ; the man sinneth : i graunt it , but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a racke , if you straine it in all thinges , to the likenesse of the spirituall , or ciuill . the mēbers of that being quickned by the same soule , haue charge of each other , and therefore either stand or fall together : it is not so in these . if then notwithstanding vnpunnished sinnes wee may ioyne with the true church : whether is ours such ? you doubt , and your solicitors deny : surely if wee haue many enormities , yet none worse then rash and cruel iudgment ; let them make this a colour to depart from themselues : there is no lesse woe to them that cal good , euil : to iudge one man is bold and daungerous : iudge then , what it is to condemne a whole church : god knowes , as much without cause , as without shame , vaine men may libel against the spouse of christ : her husband neuer diuorc't her : no , his loue is still aboue their hatred , his blessinges aboue their censures : do but ask them , were we euer the true church of god ? if they deny it , who then were so ? had god neuer church vpon earth , since the apostles time , till barrow & greenwood arose ? and euen then scarce a number ? nay , when or where was euer any man in the worlde ( except in the schooles perhaps of donatus or nouatus ) that taught their doctrine ; and now still hath hee none , but in a blind lane at amsterdam ? can you thinke this probable ? if they affirme it , when ceased we ? are not the pointes controuerted still the same ? the same gouernment , the same doctrine ? their minds are changed , not our estate : who hath admonished , euinced , eccommunicated vs ; and when ? all these must be done ; will it not be a shame to say , that francis iohnson , as he tooke power to excommunicate his brother , and father ; so had power to excōmunicate his mother , the church ? how base and idle are these conceits ? are we then heretickes condemned in ourselues , wherin ouerthroew wee the foundation ? what other god , sauiour , scriptures , iustification , sacraments , heauen , do they teach beside vs ? can al the maisters of seperation , yea can al the churches in christendome , set forth a more exquisite and woorthy confession of faith , then is contained in the articles of the church of england ? who can hold these , and be hereticall ? or , from which of these are we reuolted ? but to make this good , they haue taught you to say , that euery trueth in scripture is fundamentall ; so fruitfull is errour of absurdities ; whereof stil one breedes another more deformed then it selfe . that trophimus was left at miletum sicke , that pauls cloake was left at troas , that gaius paules hoast , saluted the romaines , that naball was drunke ; or that thamar baked cakes , and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall : how large is the separatists creed , that hath all these articles ? if they say al scripture is of the same author , of the same authority : so say we , but not of the same vse : is it as necessary for a christian to knowe that peter hosted with one simon a tanner in ioppd , as that iesus christ the son of god was born of the virgin mary . what a mōster is this of an opiniō , that al trueths are equal ? that this spiritual house should be all foundation , no wals , no roofe ? can no man be saued but hee that knowes euery thing in scripture ? then both they and we , are excluded : heauē wold not haue so many , as their parlor at amsterdam : can any man be saued that knowes nothing in scripture ? it is far frō them to bee so ouercharitable to affirm it : you see thē that both al truths must not of necessity be known , & some must : & these we iustly call fundamental : which who so holdeth , al his hay & stubble ( through the mercy of god ) condemn him not : stil he hath right to the church on erth , & hope in heauē : but whither euery truth be fundamētal , or necessary : discipline ( you say ) is so : indeed necessary to the wel-being of a church , no more : it may be true without it , not perfect . christ cōpares his spouse to an army with banners : as order is to an army , so is discipline to the church : if the troups be not well marshalled in their seuerall ranks , & moue not forward , acording to the discipline of warre , it is an army stil : cōfusion may hinder their succes , it cannot bereaue thē of their name : it is , as beautiful proportiō to the body , an hedge to a vineyard , a wal to a citty , an hem to a garment , seeling to an house . it may be a body , vineyard , citty , garment , house , without them : it cannot be wel and perfect : yet which of our aduersaries vvill say wee haue no discipline ? some they graunt , but not the right : as if they sayde ? your citty hath a bricke-wall indeede , but it should haue one of hewen stone ; your vineyard is hedged , but it should be paled & ditched : while they cauill at what wee want , wee thanke god for what wee haue ; and so much we haue , in spight of all detraction , as makes vs both a true church , and a worthy one . but the mayn quarrel is against our ministery , and forme of worship : let these be examined ; this is the circle of their censure . no church , therefore no ministery : and no ministery , therefore no church : vnnatural sons , that spit in the face of those spirituall fathers that be got them , and the mother that bore them . what woulde they haue ? haue wee not competent guifts from aboue , for so great a function ? are we all vnlearned , vnsufficient ? not a man that knowes to deuide the word aright ? as paul to the corinthes , is it so that there is not one wise man amongest vs ? no man vvill affirm it : some of them haue censured our excesse in some knowledge ; none , our defect in all : what then ? haue we not a true desire to do faithful seruice to god and his church ? no zeal for gods glory ? who hath beene in our harts to see this ? who dare vsurp vpon god , & condemn our thoughts ? yea , we appeale to that only iudge of harts , whether he hath not giuen vs a sincere longing for the good of his syon : he shall make the thoughts of al hearts manifest : and then shall euerie man haue praise of god : if then wee haue both ability and will to do publick good : our inward calling ( which is the mayne poynt ) is good and perfect : for the outward , what want wee ? are we not first ( after good triall ) presented & approued by the learned , in our colledges : examined by our church-gouernors , ordaind by imposition of hāds of the eldership , alowed by the congregations , we are set ouer : do we not labor in word & doctrine ? do we not carefully administer the sacraments of the lord iesus ? haue we not by our publick means won many soules to god ? what shuld we haue & do more ? al this , & yet no true ministers ? we passe very little to be iudged of thē , or of mans day : but our ordainers ( you say ) are antichristian : surely our censurers are vnchristian : tho we shold grant it : some of vs were baptized by hereticks : is the sacrament annihilated , and must it bee redoubled ? how much lesse ordination , which is but an outward admission to preach the gospel ? god forbid that we shold thus condemne the innocent : more hands were laid vpon vs , then one : & of them , for the principall , except but their perpetual honor , & som few immateriall rites , let an enemy say what they differ , from super-intendents ? & can their double honor make them no elders ? jf they haue any personal falts , why is their calling scourged ? looke into our sauiours times : what corruptions were in the very priesthood ? it was now made annual , which was before fixed & singular . christ saw these abuses , & was silent : heere was much dislike , and no clamour ; we for lesse , exclaim & seperate : euen personal offences are fetcht into the condemnation of lawfull courses . god giue both pardon and redresse to this foule vncharitablenesse . alas ! how ready are wee to tosse the fore-part of our wallet , whiles our owne faultes are ready to breake our neckes behinde vs : all the world sees and condemnes their ordination to be faulty , yea none at all , yet they cry out first on vs , craftily ( j thinke ) least wee should complaine : that church-gouernours should ordaine ministers , hath beene the constant practise of the church , from christs time , to this houre . i except onely in an extreame desolation , meerely for the first course : that the people shoulde make their ministers , was vnheard of in al ages & churches till bolton , browne , and barrow : and hath neyther coulour nor example : dooth not this comparison seeme strange and harsh ? their tradesmen may make true ministers , our ministers cānot : who but they wold not be ashamed of such a position ? or who but you woulde not thinke the tyme mispent in answering it ? no lesse friuolous are those exceptions that are taken against our worshippe of god , condemned for false and idolatrous , whereof volumnes of apologies are written by others : we meet together , pray , read , heare , preach , sing , administer , and receiue sacraments : wherein offend we ? how many goddes do we pray to ? or to whom but the true god ? in what words but holy ? whom do we preach but the same christ with them ? what point of faith , not theirs ? what sacraments but those they dare not but allow ? where lyes our idolatry , that we may let it out ? jn the maner of performing : in set prayers , antichristian ceremonies of crossing , kneeling , &c , for the former : what sinne is this ? the original and truth of prayer is in the heart : the voyce is but as accidentall : if the heart may often conceiue the same thought , the tongue her seruant may often vtter it , in the same words : and if daily to repeat the same speeches be amisse , then to entertaine the same spirituall desires , is sinnefull : to speak once without the heart is hypocriticall : but to speake often the same request vvith the heart , neuer offendeth . what intollerable boldnesse is this ; to condemne that in vs which is recorded to haue beene the continuall practise of gods church in all successions ? of the iewes , in the time of moses , dauid , salomon , iehosophat , ezekiah , ieremie : of the auncient christian assemblies , both greek and latine , and now at this day of all reformed churches in christendom ; yea , which our sauiour himselfe so directly allowed , & in a manner prescribed : & the blessed apostles paul & peter in all theyr formall salutations ( which were no other then set prayers ) so commonlie practised : for the other ( least i exceed a letter ) tho wee yeild thē such as you imagine ; worse they cannot be : they are but ceremonious appendances : the body & substāce is sound . blessed be god that we can haue his true sacraments at so easie a rate , as the payment ( if they were such ) of a few circumstantiall in conueniences : howe many deer children of god in al ages , euen neere the golden times of the apostles , haue gladly purchased them much deerer , & not complained : but see howe our church imposes them : not as to bind the conscience , otherwise then by the common bonde of obedience ; not as actions ; wherein gods worship essentially consisteth , but as themselues , ceremonies : comely or couenient , not necessarie ; whatsoeuer : is this a sufficient ground of seperation ? howe many moderate and wiser spirits haue we , that cannot approue the ceremonies , yet dare not forsake the church ? and that holde your departure far more euill , then the cause . you are inuited to a feast , if but a napkin or trencher bee misplaced , or a dish ill carued , do you run from the table , and not stay to thank the hoast ? eyther be lesse curious , or more charitable . woulde god both you , and all other , which either fauor the seperation , or professe it , coulde but read ouer the auncient stories of the church , to see the true state of things and times ; the beginninges , proceedings , increases , encounters yeildings , restaurations of the gospell , what the holy fathers of those first times , were glad to swallow , for peace ; what they helde , practised , found , left : whosoeuer knowes but these things cannot seperate : and shal not be contented onely , but thankful : god shall giue you still more light : in the meane time , vpon the perril of my soule , stay , and take the blessed offers of your god , in peace : and since christ sayeth to you by my hand , wil you also go away ? answere him with that worthy disciple , maister whether shall i go from thee , thou hast the words of eternall life ? epist. vi. to mr. i. b. ¶ a complaint of the mis-education of our gentry . i confesse , i cannot honor blood without good qualities , not spare it ; with ill . there is nothing that i more desire to be taught , then what is true nobilitie : what thanke is it to you that you are borne wel ? if you could haue lost this priuiledge of nature , i feare you had not beene thus far noble : that you may not plead desert , you had this before you were ; long ere you could either know or preuent it ; you are deceiued if you thinke this any other then the body of gentility , the life and soule of it , is in noble and vertuous disposition , in gallantnesse of spirit , without hautinesse , without insolence , without scornfull ouer lynesse : shortly , in generous qualities , carriage , actions . see your error , and know that this demeanor dooth not aunswere an honest byrth : if you can follow all fashions , drinke all healths , weare fauours and good cloths , consort with ruffians , companions , swear the biggest oaths , quarrell easily , fight desperately , game in euery inordinate ordinary , spend your patrimony ere it fall , looke on euery man betwixt scorne and anger ; vse gracefully some gestures of apish complement ; talke irreligiously , dally with a mistris , or ( which tearme is plainer ) hunt after harlots , take smoake at a play-house , and liue as if you were made all for sport , you thinke you haue doone enough , to merit , both of your blood , and others opinions . certainly , the world hath no basenesse , if this be generosity : wel-fare the honest and ciuill rudenesse of the obscure sonnes of the earth , if such be the graces of the eminent : the shame whereof ( methinkes ) is not so proper to the wildnesse of youth , as to the carelesnesse or vanity of parents : i speake it boldly ; our land hath no blemmish comparable to the mis-education of our gentry ; infancy and youth are the seed-times of al hopes : if those passe vnseasonably , no fruit can be expected from our age , but shame and sorrow : who should improue these , but they which may commaund them : i cannot altogether complaine of our first yeares . how like are wee to children , in the training vp of our children ? giue a childe some painted babe ; he ioyes in it at first sight : and for some daies wil not abide it out of his hand or bosome ; but when hee hath sated himselfe with the newe pleasure of that guest , hee now ( after a while ) casts it into corners , forgets it , and can look vpon it , with no care : thus do we by ours . their first times finde vs not more fond , then carefull : we doe not more follow them with our loue , then ply them with instruction : when this delight beginnes to grow stale , we begin to grow negligent . nothing that i know can be faulted in the ordering of child-hood , but indulgence foolish mothers , admit of tutors , but debarre rods ? these , while they desire their children may learne , but not smart , as is sayde of apes , kill theyr young ones with loue ; for what can worke vpon that age , but feare ? and what feare without correction ? now at last , with what measure of learning their owne wil would vouchsafe to receiue , they are too earely sent to the common nurseries of knowledge ; there ( vnlesse they fal vnder carefull tuition ) they study in iest , and play in earnest . in such vniuersal meanes of learning , all cannot fal besides them ; what their company , what their recreation would either instil or permit , they bring home to their gladde parents . thence are they transplanted to the collegiate jnnes of our common lawes : and there too manie learne to be lawlesse , and to forget their former little . paules is their vvestminster , their study , an ordinary , or play-house , or dauncing schoole ; & some lambert their polydon . and now after they haue ( not without much expence ) learned fashions and licentiousnesse , they returne home , full of welcomes and gratulations . by this time some blossomes of youth appearing in their face , admonish their parents to seeke them some seasonable match ; wherein the father inquires for wealth , the sonne for beautie , perhappes the mother for parentage , scarce any for vertue , for religion . thus setled , what is their care , theyr discourse ; yea , their trade , but eyther an hound , or an hawke ? and it is wel , if no woorse : and now , they so liue , as if they had forgotten that there were bookes : learning is for priests , and pedants ; for gentlemen , pleasure . oh! that eyther wealth , or wit should bee cast away thus basely : that euer reason should growe so debauched , as to thinke any thinge more worthy then knowledge : with what shame and emulation may wee looke vpon other nations ( whose apish fashions we can take vppe in the channelles , neglecting their immitable examples ) and with what scorn do they looke vpon vs ? they haue their solemne academies for all those qualities , which may accomplish gentility : from which they returne richly furnished , both for action and speculation . they account knowledge and ability of discourse as essential to great nesse , as bloud : neither are they more aboue the vulgar in byrth , then in vnderstanding : they trauel with iudgement , and return with experience : so do they followe the excercises of the body , that they neglect not the culture of the mind . from hence growes ciuility , and power , to mannage affayres either of iustice or state ; from hence incouragement to learning , & reuerence from inferiors . for those onely can esteeme knowledge , which haue it ; and the common sort frame either their obseruance , or contempt out of the example of their leaders . amongst them , the sons of nobles scorne not , either marchandise , or learned professions ; and hate nothing so much , as to do nothing : i shame & hate to thinke , that our gallants hold there can be no disparagement , but in honest callings . thus perhaps i haue abated the enuy of this reproofe , by cōmunicating it to more ; which j had not done , but that the generality of euil importunes redresse . i wel see that either good or euil descends : in vain shall we hope for the reformation of the many , while the better are disordered . whome to solicit heerein , j know not , but all : how gald should i be , to spend my light to the snuffe , for the effecting of this ? i can but perswade and pray ; these i will not fayle of : the rest to him that both can amend and punish . epist. vii . to mr. ionas reigesbergius in zeland . ¶ written some whiles since , concerning some new opinions then broached in the churches of holland ; and vnder the name of arminius ( then liuing ) perswading al great wits to a study and care of the common peace of the church , and disswading from al affect ation of singularity . i receiued lately , a short relation of some newe paradoxes from your leiden ; you would know what we thinke : i feare not to be censured , as medling : your truth is ours : the sea cannot deuide those churches whom one faith vnites . i know not howe it comes to passe , that most men , while they too much affect ciuility , turne flatterers ; and plaine trueth is most where counted rudenesse . hee that tels a sicke friend he looks il , or termes an angrie tumour the gowt , or a waterish swelling , dropsy ; is thought vnmannerly . for my part , i am glad that i was not borne to feed humors : how euer you take your owne euils , i must tell you , wee pittie you , and thinke you haue iust cause of deiection , and we for you : not for any priuate cares , but ( which touch a christian neerest ) the common-wealth of god. behold , after all those hilles of carcasses , and streames of bloud , your ciuill sword is sheathed , wherein wee neither congratulate , nor feare your peace ; lo now , insted of that , another while , the spiritual sword is drawn and shaken , & it is wel if no more . now the politick state sits stil , the church quarrels : oh! the insatiable hostility of our great enemy , with what chaunge of mischiefes dooth he afflict miserable man ? no sooner did the christian world begin to breath frō persecution but it was more punished with arrianisine : when the red dragon cānot deuour the child , he tries to drowne the mother ; & when the waters fail , he raises war. your famous iunius had nothing more admirable thē his loue of peace : when our busy separatists apealed him , with what a sweet calmnes did he reiect them , & with a graue importunity cal'd thē to moderation . how it wold haue vexed his holy soule ( now out of the danger of passions , to haue forseene his chaire troblesom . god forbid that the church should find a challenger , instead of a champion : who would thinke but you should haue beene taught the benefite of peace , by the long want ? but if your temporal state ( besides either hope , or beleefe ) hath growne wealthy with war , like those fowles which fatten with harde weather : yet be too sure , that these spiritual broyles , cannot but impouerish the church ; yea , affamish it . jt were pitty that your holland should be stil the amphitheatre of the worlde , on whose scaffoldes , all other nations should sit , and see variety of bloudie shewes , not vvithout pitty , and horror . jf i might challenge ought in that your acute , and learned arminius ; i vvould thus solicit , and coniure him : alas ! that so wise a man should not know the vvorth of peace ; that so noble a sonne of the church , shoulde not be brought to light , without ripping the wombe of his mother ! what meane these subtle nouelties ? if they make thee famous , and the churche miserable ; who shall gain by them ? is singularity so precious , that it should cost no lesse , then the safety and quiet of our common mother ? if it be truth thou affectest ; what alone ? coulde neuer any eyes ( till thine ) bee blessed with this obiect ; where hath that sacred verity hid her self thus long from all her carefull inquisitors , that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought ? hath the gospel shined thus long , and bright , and left some corners vnseene ? away with all newe truths ; faire and plausible they may be , sound they cannot : some may admire thee for them ; none shall blesse thee . but graunt that some of these , are no lesse true , then nice poyntes ; what doe these vnseasonable crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plain-songs of our peace ? some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth . who binds vs to speak all we thinke ? so the church may be still , would god thou wert wise alone ? did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before , at our quarrels ? were they not rich enough with our spoils ? by the dear name of our common parents , what meanest thou , arminius ? whether tend these new-rais'd dissentions ? who shall thriue by them , but they which insult vpon vs , & rise by the fall of truth ? who shall be vndone , but thy brethren ? by that most precious , and bloudy ransome of our sauiour , and by that awefull appearance , we shall once make before the glorious tribunall of the son of god , remember thy selfe , and the poore distracted limbes of the church , let not those excellent parts , wherewith god hath furnished thee , lye in the narrow way , and cause any weake one , eyther to fall , or stumble , or erre . for gods sake , either say nothing , or the same . how many great wittes haue sought no by-paths , and now are happy with their fellowes . let it be no disparagement to goe with many to heauen . what could hee reply to so playne a charge ? no distinction can auoid the power of simple truth . i know hee hears not this of me first : neither that learned and woorthy fran. gomarus , nor your other graue fraternity of reuerend diuines , haue beene silent in so mayne a cause . i feare rather too much noyse in any of these tumults : there may too many contend ; not intreat . multitude of sutors , is commonly powerfull ; howe much more in iust motions , but if either hee , or you , shall turne me home , and bid me spend my little moisture vppon our owne brandes , i graunt there is both the same cause , and the same neede . this counsell is no whit further from vs , because it is directed to you : any reader can chaunge the person : i lament to see , that euery where peace hath not many clients , but fewer louers ; yea , euen many of those that praise her , follow her not . of old , the very nouation men , women , children , brought stones and morter ( with the orthodox ) to the building of the church of the resurrection , and ioyned louingly with them , against the arrians : lesser quarrels diuide vs ; and euery diuision ends in blowes , and euery blow is returned ; and none of al lightes beside the church : euen the best apostles dissented ; neither knoledge , nor holynesse can redresse all differences : true , but wisedome and charity could teach vs to auoyde their preiudice . if we had but these two vertues ; quarrels should not hurt vs , nor the church by vs : but ( alas ) self-loue is too strong for both these : this alone opens the flood-gates of dissention , and drownes the sweet , but low valley of the church . men esteem of opinions , because their owne ; & will haue truth serue , not gouerne ; what they haue vnder-taken , must be true : victory is sought for , not satisfaction ; victory of the authour , not of the cause : hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld , as wel to argue : what shold we do then , but bestow our selues vpon that which too many neglect , publicke peace ; first , in prayers that we may preuaile , then in teares that we preuaile not ? thus haue i beene bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares . your old loue , & late hospitall entertainment in that your island , called for this rememberance ; the rather to keepe your english tongue in breath , which was wont not to bee the least of your desires . would god you could make vs hapy with newes not of truce , but sincere amity & vnion ; not of prouinces , but spirits . the god of spirits effect it both heere and there , to the glory of his name and church . epist. viii . to w. i. condemned for murder . ¶ effectually preparing him , and ( vnder his name ) whatsoeuer malefactor , for his death . it is a bad cause that robbeth vs of al the comfort of friendes ; yea , that turnes their remēbrance into sorrow . none can do so , but those that proceed from our selues ; for outward euils , which come from the infliction of others , make vs cleaue faster to our helpers , and cause vs to seeke and finde ease in the very commisseration of those that loue vs : whereas those grieses which arise from the iust displeasure of conscience , will not abide so much , as the memory of others affection ; or if it do , makes it so much the greater corrasiue , as our case is more vncapeable of their comfort . such is yours . you haue made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe , and yours to vs. this is the beginning of your payne , that you had frends : if you may now smart soundly from vs , for your good , it must be the onely ioy you must expect , and the finall dutie wee owe to you . it is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might haue beene ; neither would j send you backe to what is past , but purposely to increase your sorrow ; who haue caused al our comfort to stand in your teares . if therefore our former counsailes had preuailed , neyther had your hands shed innocent bloude , nor iustice yours . now , to your great sinne , you haue done the one , and the other must be done to your paine , and we your welwillers , with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both . your sin is gone before , the reuenge of iustice wil follow : seeing you are guilty , let god be iust ; other sinnes speake , this cryeth ; and will neuer be silent , till it bee answered with it selfe : for your life ; the case is hopeles ; feed not your selfe with vaine presumptions , but settle your selfe to expiate anothers bloude vvith your owne . would god your desert had beene such , that we might vvith any comfort haue desired you might liue . but now , alas , your fact is so heynous , that your life can neyther bee craued without in-iustice , nor bee protracted without inwarde torment . and if our priuate affection shoulde make vs deafe to the shouts of bloud , and partiality should teach vs to forget all care of publicke right , yet resolue , there is no place for hope . since then you could not liue guiltlesse , there remaines nothing but that you labour to dye penitent ; and since your bodye cannot bee saued aliue , to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death . wherein , howe happye shall it bee for you , if you shall yet giue care to this my last aduice ; too late indeede for your recompence to the worlde , not too late for your selfe . you haue deserued death , and expect it ; take heede least you so fasten your eyes vppon the first death of the body , that you should not look beyond it , to the second , which alone is worthy of trēbling , worthy of teares . for this , though terrible to nature , yet is common to vs , with you . you must dye : what doe wee else ? and what differs our end from yours , but in hast and violence ? and vvho knowes whether in that ? it may bee a sickenesse as sharpe , as suddaine , shal fetch vs hence : it may bee the same death , or a worse , for a better cause : or if not so , there is much more miserie in lingering : hee dies easily , that dyes soone : but the other , is the vtmost vengeaunce that god hath reserued for his enemies : this is a matter of long feare , and short payne . a few panges lets the soule out of prison ; but the torment of that other is euerlasting ; after tenne thousand yeares scorching in that flame , the payne is neuer the neerer to his ending . no time giues it hope of abating ; yea , time hath nothing to do with this eternity . you that shall feele the paine of one minutes dying , thinke what paine it is to be dying for euer and euer . this , although it bee attended with a sharpe paine , yet is such as some strong spirits haue indured without shew of yeildance . i haue herd of an irish traitor , that when he lay pining vppon the wheele with his bones broke , asked his friend if hee changed his countenance at all : caring lesse for the paine , then the shew of feare . few men haue dyed of greater paines , then others haue sustained and liue . but that other ouer-whelms both body and soule , and leaues no roome for any comfort in the possibility of mitigation . heere , men are executioners , or diseases ; there fiends . those diuels that were ready to tempt the gracelesse vnto sinne , are as ready to follow the damned with tortures . whatsoeuer becom of your carcasse , saue your soule from these flames : and so mannage this short time you haue to liue , that you may die but once . this is not your first sinne ; yea , god hath now punnished your former sins with this : a fearefull punishment in it selfe , if it deserued no more : your cōscience ( which now beginnes to tell trueth ) cannot but assure you , that there is no sinne more worthy of hell , then murder ; yea , more proper to it . turne ouer those holy leaues ( which you haue too much neglected , & now smart for neglecting ) you shall finde murderers among those that are shut out from the presence of god : you shall finde the prince of that darknes , in the highest stile of his mischief , termed a man-slayer . alas ! how fearefull a case is this , that you haue heerein-resembled him , for whome topheth was prepared of old , and imitating him in his action , haue endangered your self to partake of his tormēts . oh , that you coulde but see what you haue done , what you haue deserued ; that your heart could bleed enough within you , for the bloud your handes haue shed : that as you haue followed satan our common enemy in sinning , so you could defye him in repenting : that your teares could disapoint his hopes of your damnation . what an happy vnhappinesse shall this be to your sad friendes , that your better part yet liueth ? that frō an ignominious place , your soule is receyued to glory ? nothing can effect this but your repentance , and that can do it . feare not to looke into that horrour , which should attend your sinne , and bee now as seuere to your selfe , as you haue beene cruell to another . thinke not to extenuate your offence with the vain titles of man-hood ; what praise is this , that you were a valiaunt murderer ? strike your owne breast ( as moses did his rooke ) and bring down riuers of tears to wash away your bloud-shed . do not so much feare your iudgment , as abhorre your sinne ; yea , your selfe for it : and with strong cries lift vppe your guilty hands to that god whom you offended , and say : deliuer mee from blood-guiltines o lord. let me tell you , as without repentance there is no hope , so with it , ther is no condemnation . true penitence is strong , & can grapple with the greatest sin , yea with all the powers of hell . what if your hands be red with blood ? behold , the blood of your sauiour , shall wash away yours : if you can bath your selfe in that ; your scarlet soule shall be as white as snow . this course alone shal make your crosse the way to the paradice of god. this plaister can heale all the sores of the foul , if neuer so desperate : onely , take heede that your heart bee deepe enough pierced , ere you lay it on ; else vnder a seeming skinne of dissimulation , your soule shall fester to death . yet ioy vs vvith your true sorrowe , whome you haue grieued with your offence ; & at once comfort your friends , and saue your soule . epist. ix . to mr. iohn mole , of a long time nowe prisoner vnder the inquisition at rome . ¶ exciting him to his wonted constancie , and incouraging him to martyrdome . what passage can these lines hope to finde into that your straight and curious thraldome ? yet who would not aduenture the losse of this paines for him , which is ready to loose himself for christ ? what do we not ow to you which haue thus giuen your self for the cōmon faith ? blessed be the name of that god who hath singled you out for his champion , & made you inuincible : how famous are your bonds ? how glorious your constancy ? oh , that out of your close obscurity , you could but see the honour of your suffring , the affections of gods saints , & in som , an holy enuy at your distressed hapines . those wals cannot hide you : no man is attended with so many eyes from earth & heauen : the church your mother beholdes you , not with more compassion , then ioy : neither can it bee sayde , how shee at once pitties your misery , and reioyces in your patience : the blessed angels looke vpon you with gratulation and applause . the aduersaries with an angry sorrowe to see themselues ouercome by their captiue , their obstinate cruelty ouer-matched with humble resolution , and faithfull perseuerance . your sauiour sees you from aboue , not as a meer spectator , but as a patient with you , in you , for you ; yea , as an agent in your indurance & victory , giuing new courage with the one hād , and holding out a crowne with the other ; whom would not these sights incorage ? who now can pitty your solitarinesse ? the harts of all good men are with you . neither can that place be but full of angels , which is the continuall obiect , of so many prayers , yea the god of heauen was neuer so near you , as now ye are remooued from men . let me speake a bold , but true worde . jt is as possible for him to bee absent from his heauen , as from the prisons of his saints . the glorified spirits aboue sing to him ; the persecuted soules below , suffer for him , and crie to him ; he is magnified in both , present with both ; the faith of the one , is as pleasing to him , as the triumph of the other ; nothing obligeth vs men so much , as smarting for vs ; words of defence are woorthy of thankes , but pain is esteemed aboue recompence . how do we kisse the woundes which are taken for our sakes , and professe that we would hate our selues , if wee did not loue those that dare bleed for vs : how much more shal the god of mercies be sensible of your sorrowes , and crowne your patience ? to whom you may truely sing that ditty of the diuine psalmist , surely for thy sake am i slaine continually , and am counted as a sheepe for the slaughter . what neede i to stir vp your constancy , which hath already amazed , and wearied your persecutors ? no suspition shall driue me heereto ; but rather the thirst of your praise . he that exhorts to persist in well-doing , whiles he perswades , commendeth . whether shoulde i rather send you , then to the sight of your own christian fortitude ? which neither prayers , nor threats , haue bin able to shake : heere stands on the one hand , liberty , promotion , pleasure , life , and ( which easily exceeds al these ) the deare respect of wife and children ( whome your onely resolution shall make widdow and orphanes ) these with smiles , and vowes , and teares , seeme to importune you . on the other hand , bondage , solitude , horror , death ( and the most lingering of all miseries ) ruine of posterity : these with frowns and menaces labour to afright you : betwixt both , you haue stoode vnmooued ; fixing your eyes either right forward vpon the cause of your suffering , or vpwards vppon the crowne of your reward : it is an happy thing when our owne actions may be either examples , or arguments of good . these blessed proceedings call you on to your perfection ; the reward of good beginnings prosecuted , is doubled ; neglected , is lost . how vaine are those temptations , vvhich ( would make you a looser of all this praise ; this recompence ? go on therfore happily ; keepe your eies where they are , and your heart cannot bee , but where it is , and where it ought : looke still , for what you suffer , & for whom : for the truth , or christ : what can be so precious as truth ? not life it selfe . all earthly things are not so vile to life , as life to truth ; life is momentary , truth eternall ; life is ours , the truth , gods : oh happy purchase , to giue our life for the truth . what can we suffer too much for christ ? he hath giuen our life to vs ; he hath giuen his own life for vs. what great thing is it , if he require what he hath giuen vs , if ours for his ? yea , rather , if he cal for what he hath lent vs ; yet not to bereue but to chaunge it ; giuing vs gold for our clay , glory for our corruption . behold that sauiour of yours weeping , & bleeding , & dying for your alas ! our soules are too strait for his sorrowes ; we can be made but paine for him ; he was made sin for vs : we sustain for him , but the impotent anger of men , hee strugled with the infinite wrath of his father for vs. oh , who can endure enough for him , that hath passed thorough death and hell for his soule ? thinke this , and you shall resolue with dauid , i will bee yet more vile for the lord. the woorst of the despight of men , is but death ; and that , if they inflict not , a disease wil ; or if not that , age. heere is no imposition of that which would not be but an hastening of that which will bee : an hastening , to your gaine . for behold , their violence shall turne your necessity , into vertue and profit . nature hath made you mortall , none but an enemie can make you a martyr ; you must die , though they will not ; you cannot die for christ , but by them : how coulde they else deuise to make you happie ? since the giuer of both liues hath said , hee that shall loose his life for my sake , shall saue it . loe , this alone is lost with keeping , and gained by losse . say you were freed , vppon the safest conditions , and returning : ( as how welcome should that newes be , more to yours , then to your selfe . ) perhappes , death may meete you in the way , perhaps ouer-take you at home : neither place , nor time , can promise immunitie from the common destinie of men : those that may abridge your houres , cannot lengthen them ; and while they last , cannot secure them from vexation ; yea themselues shall followe you into their dust ; and cannot auoide what they can inflicte ; death shal equalie tirannize by them , and ouer them : so their fauors are but fruitlesse , their malice gainefull . for , it shall change your prison into heauen , your fetters into a crown , your iailours to angels , your misery into glory . looke vppe to your future estate , and reioyce in the present : beholde the tree of life , the hidden manna , the scepter of power , the morning-starre , the white garment , the newe name , the crowne , and throne of heauen are adressed for you . ouercome and enioy them : oh glorious condition of martyrs , whom conformity in death , hath made like their sauiour in blessednesse ; whose honour is to attend him for euer , whō they haue ioyed to imitate . vvhat are these which are arayd in long white robes , and whence came they ? these are ( saies that heauenly elder ) they which came out of great tribulation , and vvashed their long robes , and haue made their long robes white , in the bloude of the lambe . therefore they are in the presence of the throne of god , and serue him day and night in the temple : and hee that sitteth on the throne , will dwel among them , and gouerne them , and leade them vnto the liuelie fountaines of waters , and god shall wipe all teares from their eyes . all the elect haue seales in theyr fore-heades : but martyrs haue palme in theyr handes : all the elect haue white robes ; martyrs , both white and long . white , for their glorie , long for the largenesse of their glorie . once redde with theyr owne bloude ; now white with the bloude of the lambe : there is nothing in our bloude , but weake obedience ; nothing but merrit in the lambes-bloud . behold , his merite makes our obedience glorious . you doo but sprinckle his feet with your bloude ; loe , hee washes your long white robes , with his . euerie droppe of your bloude is answered with a streame of his ; and euerie droppe of his , is woorth riuers of ours : precious in the sight of the lorde , is the death of his saintes : precious in preuention ; precious in acceptation , precious in remuneration . oh , giue willingly that which you cannot keepe , that you may receyue what you cannot leese . the way is steepe , but now you breath towardes the top . let not the want of some few steps , loose you an eternall rest . put too the strength of your owne fayth ; the prayers of gods saints shall further your pace ; & that gracious hand that sustaines heauen and earth , shall vphold , and sweetly draw you vp to your glory . go on to credite the gospell with your perseuerance , and shew the false-hearted clients of that romayne-court , that the trueth yeildes reall and heartie professours ; such as dare no lesse smart , then speake for her . without the wals of your restraint , where can you looke beside encouragements of suffering ? beholde in this , how much you are happier then your many predecessors . those haue found friends , or wiues , or children , the most dangerous of al tempters . suggestions of weakenes , when they com masked with loue , are more powerfull to hurt . but you , all your manie friendes , in the valour of their christian loue , wish rather a blessed martyr , then a liuing and prosperous reuolter : yea , your deare wife ( worthy of this honour , to be the wife of a martyr ) preferres your faith , to her affection ; and in a courage beyond hir sex , contemnes the worst miserie of your losse ; professing she woulde redeeme your life with hirs , but that she would not redeeme it with your yeildance : and while shee lookes vppon those manie pawns of your chast loue , your hopefull children , wishes rather to see them fatherlesse , then their father vnfaithfull : the greatest part of your sufferings are hers . she beares them with a cheerefull resolution . she diuides with you in your sorrowes , in your patience ; she shall not bee diuided in your glory : for vs we shall accompanie you , with our prayers , and followe you with our thankefull commemorations ; vowing to write your name in red letters , in the kalenders of our hearts ; and to register it in the monuments of perpetual records , as an example to all posteritie , the memoriall of the iust shal bee blessed . epist. x. to all readers . ¶ containing rules of good aduise for our christian and ciuill carriage . i grant , breuitie where it is neyther obscure nor defectiue , is very pleasing , euen to the daintist iudgments . no maruaile therefore , if most men desire much good coūsel in a narrow room ; as some affect to haue great personages , drawne in little tablets , or , as we see worlds of countreyes described in the compasse of small mappes : neither do i vnwillingly yeild to sollowe them ; for both the powers of good aduice are the stronger , when they are thus vnited ; and breuitie makes counsell more portable for memorie , and readier for vse . take these therefore for more ; which as i would faine practise , so am i willing to commend . let vs begin with him who is the first and last : informe your selfe aright concerning god , without whome , in vaine do we know all things : bee acquainted with that sauiour of yours , which paid so much for you on earth , and now sues for you in heauen ; without whom , wee haue nothing to doe with god , nor he with vs. adore him in your thoughts , trust him with your selfe : renew your sight of him euerie day ; and his of you : ouer-look these earthly things , & when you do at any time cast your eyes vppon heauen , thinke , there dwels my sauiour , there i shall be . call your selfe to often reckonings , cast vp your debts , paiments , graces , wants expences , imploiments , yeeld not to thinke your set deuotions troublesome : take not easie denialles from your selfe ; yea , giue peremptory denials to your selfe ; hee can neuer bee good that flatters himselfe : hold nature to her allowaunce ; and let your wil stand at curtesy : happy is that man , which hath obtained to be the maister of his owne heart : thinke all gods outward fauors and prouisions the best for you ; your own abilities , and actions the meanest . suffer not your minde to bee either a drudge or a wanton ; exercise it euer , but ouerlay it not : in al your businesses look throgh the world , at god ; whatsoeuer is your leuell , let him bee your scope : euery day take a view of your last , and thinke either it is this , or may be : offer not your selfe either to honour , or labour ; let them both seeke you : care you onely to be woorthy , and you cannot hide you from god ; so frame your self to the time & companie , that you may neyther serue it ; nor sullenly neglect it ; and yeeld● so far , as you may neither betray goodnesse , nor countenance euil . let your words bee few , and digested ; it is a shame for the tongue to cry the heart mercie , much more to cast it selfe vpon the vncertaine pardon of others eares . there are but two things which a christian is charged to buy , and not to sell , time and truth ; both , so precious , that we must purchase them at anie rate . so vse your friends , as those which should be perpetuall , may bee chaungeable ; while you are within yourselfe , there is no daunger : but thoughts once vttered must stande to hazard . do not hear from your selfe , what you would be loath to hear from others . in al good thinges giue your eye and eare the ful scope , for they let into the minde ; restraine the tongue , for it is a spender ▪ fewe men haue repented them of silence : in all serious matters take counsel of daies , & nights and friends & let leasure ripen your purposes : neither hope to gain ought by suddennesse : the first thoughtes may be confident , the second are wiser . serue honestie euer , though without apparant wages : she wil pay sure , if slow : as in apparell , so in actions , know not what is good , but what becomes you : how manie warrantable acts haue mishapen the authors . excuse not your owne ill , aggrauate not others : and if you loue peace , auoide censures , comparisons , contradictions : out of good men chuse acquaintance , of acquaintance , friends , of friends ; familiars ▪ after probacion admit them , & af●e● admittance cha●ge them not . age commendeth friendship . do not alwayes your best ; it is neither wise , nor safe for a man euer to stand vpon the top of his strength ▪ if you would be aboue the expectation of others 〈…〉 your selfe . 〈…〉 after your p●●●● ; not after your minde ▪ 〈◊〉 to where you may deny ; except vpon confidence of de●●●● , or hope to require ▪ eyther frequent ●●li●s , or complaints , are wearisome to any friende : rather smother your griefes and wantes a● you may , then be either querulous , or importunate . let not your face belye your heart , nor alwaies tell tales out of it ; he is fit to liue amongst frends or enimies , that can be ingenuously close : giue freely , sell thriftily : change seldome your place , neuer your state : either 〈…〉 conueniences , or swallow them , rather theen you should run from your selfe to auoide them . in al your reckonings for the world , cast vp some crosses that appeare not ; either those will come , or may : let your suspicions bee charitable ; your trust fearfull ▪ your censures sure , giue way to the anger of the great : the thunder and cannon will abide no fence . as in throngs we are affraid of losse ; so while the world comes vpon you , look wel to your soule ; there is more danger in good , then in euil : i fear the number of these my rules ; for precepts are wont ( as nayles ) to driue out one another : but these , intended to scatter amongest many : and i was loath that anie guest should complain of a niggardly hand ; daintie dishes are woont to be sparingly serued out ; homely ones , supply in their bignesse , what they want in their worth . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e index expurg . homil. in . cor. . de bono coniugij , cap. . de bono . coniug . c. . &c. . a modest offer of some meet considerations, tendred to the english about their coyne and trade, and particularly to east india hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a modest offer of some meet considerations, tendred to the english about their coyne and trade, and particularly to east india hall, joseph, - . sheet ([ ] p) s.n., [london : anno ] imprint from colophon. by joseph hall. reproduction of the original in the university of london, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng east india company -- early works to . money -- england -- early works to . commerce -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a modest offer of some meet considerations , tendred to the english about their coyne and trade , and particularly to east india . the ordinary means of encreasing our wealth being foreign trade , managed so that the ballance be for us , not against us ; and the seat of our now war being distant from us , ( which is our happiness ) where we must pay our armies and fleet , we ought to provide that forreigners ( be they friends or foes ) do not get our trade nor our wealth from us . it doth behove us therefore to secure our foreign trade in the first place , by safe guarding and wisely conducting our merchants ships at sea : which may be done if our naval affairs and strength ( our chief and commanding point ) be put into the hands of men of integrity , skill and courage , of sobriety and diligence , and of desire to shorten the war. such men as these we may hope will effect the like qualities in them they do command ; and then from the nature of the thing , and by divine ordination too , we may expect all good success . our armies and fleet may then be paid abroad , because the goods we import being exported again will create bills for us , ( which are not now to be had ) and make the exchange in our favour . the kings customs and our wealth will encrease , and the french being without trade and captures at sea , will the sooner be reduced to extremity . the next thing is our money : not to alter its fineness , weight , nor denomination , but to permit none that is ( lip'd or false to pass in payment , and the good at no higher value than formerly . our mill'd money , as now it is , is not only the common and true measure of our lands , and of all our means in the kingdom , but also of our foreign commerce with strangers ; therefore to alter it would bring us into confusion and loss too : for gold and silver being their product , not ours , when we add to its value , they have the advance of us . this encreases the ballance against us , and we must pay it in gold or silver , not at our valuation , but as the exchange will allow ; which whilst we pay our armies and fleet abroad , will not exceed five shillings our mill'd crown , and twenty shillings the guinea . and if , as some propose , we advance the one to thirty shillings , and the other to six shillings three pence , in payment , we thereby add to spain , &c. per cent. in their gold , and per cent. in their silver , and substract as much from our selves in all our rents , in all our now made contracts , and loans , in all the customs and charges that forreigners pay for goods they import here , and in all we buy here and send abroad to foreign markets , ( in case that strangers do buy the like with us ) and in all that we do remit to discharge the ballance upon us . when gold or silver from abroad comes to pay their debt to us , it is good ; but when to encrease our debt to them , it 's an evil to us : for it must go from us at less value than it came to us we should therefore hasten to extinguish this ballance , or lessen it all we can , by safe guarding at sea our ships in trade , and by sending our own product and manufacture to markets abroad upon equal terms with foreigners who buy them of us ; which cannot be done if we add to the value of our money : what we add they have our manufacture , &c. cheaper than our merchants , and then we lose our trade too . the course of all exchanges in time of peace , or when we are free and safe in foreign trade , doth shew that generally our mint at twenty shillings a guinea , and at five shillings the mil'd crown , is the best market in europe for gold and silver , it will then come to us , and what we now part with for payment of our armies and fleet abroad ( which by the way will be done with one third less if we do not advance our money than if we do ) will return to us in time of peace , and i hope it is not far off , if it be , i am sure , when it comes it will be the better and more lasting with us for this war upon the whole , to advance our crown to six shillings three pence can serve no purpose of ours , is needless , and pernicious , therefore not to be done . but if we do not reduce guineas to s. d , or s. and make our money good to s. the mill'd crown , and no more , ( as formerly it did pass in payment , ) and stop the currancy of clip'd and false money , and if we do not make forreign trade free , and safe to all the subjects of england , and put it so that they may set forth in it upon equal terms with foreigners ; i say if this be not done , there can be no paying our armies and fleet abroad ; consequently , no army or fleet of ours there : then the french will soon subdue our allies , and next us , then slavery and popery will be the lot of our inheritance for ever , and we with our allies thus ruined , shall soon end this war , object . but is not our coin rather to be ordered hereafter than now , and by degrees ( the guineas at least ) than all at once . answ . if we will go on with the war , it must be done presently . last years delay giving them opportunity for it , some ( i wish them branded ) to distress our king by making the payment of his army in flanders , if not impossible yet very difficult and costly , set upon the project of raising guineas , others for their particular gain did the like , and these together advancing guineas to s. it left neither silver nor bills for payment of the army in flanders , and by that means made it next to a miracle that our king did subsist there the last campaigne . every moment we delay , our clippers and false coiners are at work , and which is worse , guineas at s. and clipt and false money from abroad is poured in upon us , and so we encrease our ballance and loss by th●se degrees , and this delay . now is a fit time to do it , when some , confident that our s. would be made s. d. have laid up in silver bullion about l. value , that must be brought to our mint , or applied ( which is as well ) to pay our armies abroad . the bulk of the guineas are now with ( or of right belong unto ) bankers , goldsmiths , the india and africa companies , jews , stock-jobbers , and the victualers , agents , or under-payers of the navy or armies , persons well provided by the gains they have had , and who do now oppose the fall of guineas only because they shall lose by it . and the doing it by degrees cannot help us , nor will it ease us in the least . the next thing is the east-india trade : which , though the most mischievous of any to us , yet since we must have it , and it is become in value near one half of the foreign trade of the kingdom , it ought to be made national , and secured that it be not lost to the dutch ( who by the continuance of our now company are much encreased in that trade , ) nor gotten from us by the scotch company , who invested as it is in act of parliament , and having jews , hamburghers , hollanders , english , and some of other nations , subscribers into it , will soon ( if not timely prevented ) get that trade , and more beneficial trades from us , i mean those to guinea and west-india , and perhaps all trade : for the grants in that act set together , make that company as it were universal monarch of trade . now for prevention against the one and the other , i do humbly offer against establishing by act of parliament the east-india trade in a company with a joint-stock exclusive of others the subjects of england . for such establishments of trade in england are malum in se , monopolies at common law , for that they give and appropriate that to some onely which is the common right of all : and in the instance now before us , do make but one buyer for what is exported , and but one seller for what is imported , to the value of near one half of the foreign trade of this kingdom . it is true , new invention and discovery hath alwayes been incouraged and rewarded with exclusive grants ; for that in those cases no other have any right antecedent to the thing granted . yet even in these cases , it hath been usual with parliaments to allow no more than fourteen years , exclusive to others the subjects of england , because they should not be long excluded in any case . and for time out of mind , the wisdom of our nation in parliament hath condemned exclusive grants of trade , as appears in magna charta , and in many other statures unrepealed . it may , and most likely will , endanger the peace and being of the english monarchy . it is a most pernicious contraction of trade , for that it cannot be extended to persons so as to make it national . if the whole trade of the nation were contracted as this to east india is , it would soon nationally perish ; for that the whole then in proportion , would scarce enrich one hundred and sixty persons , and maintain very few adventurers or traders . if the trade be thus settled for twenty one years , it will for many of those years exclude from trade the greater number of merchants , and many others , as minors ; those who are not now in cash , and those who have their trades swallowed up by this . future admission into this trade will be precarious , very costly , and may be lost . it will cause the dutch and scotch to surmount us in this trade . where our trade is without a company we out-do the dutch ; and where we have a company and they none , they out-do us . therefore , the dutch above all things desire the continuance of the now company in england . they by their agents here in , importuned o.c. to establish the now joynt-stock . it will unavoidably give being and support unto stock-jobbing . the loss of estates by cheats this way , and by the monopolists double tax upon us of one buyer and one seller , in so great a trade as this is , will in less than twenty years exceed two millions . the proposal in ease of our lands to raise money by such grants , if accepted , will lessen the value of our lands , and soon rid us of them . the benefits to our nation are many , if the trade to india be free , or in a regulated company , without a joynt-stock . ingenuity will be encouraged . new places of trade will be applyed to , others discovered . more of the sons of our gentry may be sent factors . it will increase the exportation of our manufacture and product . it will enable us to furnish europe with all the commodities of those countries , much cheaper than the dutch. it will add to our navigation , and augment the kings custom , stock-jobbing will cease . and it will prevent taking up money at interest upon a common seal , which as done by our now company , is a thing very unequal and hazardous to the subject ; and make it impossible to do the evil deeds our now company hath done ( and if continued may do ) here and in india , fully proved upon them before the commons in parliament . the india trade hath been carried on better for the nation without a company in a joynt-stock than with one , and may be so again . forts and castles in india , if we have them , cannot defend us in case the dutch , or french , or indians , be our enemies ; but may tempt us ( as it did the now company ) to offend them , or create a jealousie in the india princes of us , and by that means tempt them to offend us . and however joynt-stocks in trade may have been used here in the infancy of foreign trade , and granted by kings to a number of subjects named , ( the intention whereof was not particular but to them in trust for the general good , and in prospect of a future opening it unto national benefit ) yet now when we of this kingdom are arrived at the utmost degree of experience in commerce with all countries , i cannot see any reason why the subjects should lose their right , or should be clogg'd by joynt-stocks to the great dammage of the nation , as i have before made evident . what i have here said with respect to the india trade , is applicable to the guinea trade also . i am troubled for the late loss of six ships coming from the east-indies , whereof two were interlopers ; the whole , i compute , did cost them in india three hundred thousand pounds , not more . but i cannot infer thence any reason for an exclusive grant of that trade : for if so , then the interlopers who lost one third , must have one third of that trade , exclusive of the now company . and by a parity of reason , the now jamaica , barbadoes , and west-india merchants , who during this war have sustained greater loss , must have grants of those trades , exclusive of all others ; which if done , would make it cruel pity , and most unjust . as it had been if when london in was burnt , we to rebuild it , in compassion to them , had taxed the nation to the value of all our lands . to prevent scotland being the chief seat of all trade , or as it were the universal monarch in it ; i think we ought to make that design ( if we can ) abortive : and i think it will be so in case our parliament shall please . ( . ) to declare that the east-india trade is and shall be free to all the subjects of england . and that it shall be managed in a regulated company ( as the turkey , or as near it as may be ) without a joynt-stock , except a small one to defray the common and necessary charges of embassadors , &c. and , ( . ) that from and after the end of the session of parliament , which shall be in the year , in case it shall appear that the east-india company in scotland have made any progress in trade , that then all goods imported from east-india , in english ships and by english men , shall be custom free . to induce the former i have said enough before ; and to enforce the latter i say , that the doing it will not lessen our kings revenue ( comparatively ) one peny : for if it be not done , and the scots do proceed in that trade , &c. as it is enacted or granted to them , we shall not import any thing from india , &c. because they will have gotten all that trade from us . a court of merchants might be of use to us at this time. london , anno . the balm of gilead, or, comforts for the distressed, both morall and divine most fit for these woful times / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the balm of gilead, or, comforts for the distressed, both morall and divine most fit for these woful times / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p., leaf of plates : port. printed by thomas newcomb, and are to be sold by john holden ..., london : . reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng devotional exercises. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the balm of gilead or , comforts for the distressed ; both morall and divine . most fit for these woful times . by jos. hall , d. d. and b. n. london , printed by thomas newcomb ; and are to be sold by john holden , at the blue-anchor in the new-exchange . . to all the distressed members of jesus christ , wheresoever , whose souls are wounded with the present sense of their sinnes , or of their afflictions ; or with ●he fears of death & judgment : the author humbly recommends this soveraign balm , which god hath been pleased to put into his hands for their benefit ; earnestly exhorting them to apply it carefully to their severall sores ; together with their faithfull prayers to god for a blessing upon the use thereof : not doubting but ( through gods mercy ) they shal find thereby a sensible ease and comfort to their soules : which shall be helpt on , by the fervent devotions of the unworthiest servant of god and his church j. h. b. n. the contents . comforts for the sick bed. the preface . sect. . aggravation of the misery of sicknesse . sect. . comfort , from the freedom of the soul. sect. . comfort , from the author of sickness , and the benefit of it . sect. . comfort , from the vicissitudes of health . sect. . sickness better then sinfull health sect. . comfort from the greater sufferings of holyer men , and the resolutions of heathens sect. . our sufferings farr below our deservings sect. . comfort from the benefit of the exercise of our patience sect. . the necessity of our expectation of sickness sect. . comfort from gods most tender regard to us in sickness sect. . comfort , from the comfortable end of our suffering sect. . comfort , from the favor of a peaceable passage out of the world comforts for the sick soul sect. . the happiness of a deep sorrow for sinn sect. . comfort from the wel-grounded declaration of pardon sect. . aggravation of the grievous condition of the patient , and the remedies from mercy applyed sect. . complaint of unrepentance and unbelief satisfied sect. . complaint of a misgrounded sorrow , satisfied sect. . complaint of the insufficient measure of sorrow for sin , answered sect. . complaint of the want of faith , satisfied sect. . complaint of the weaknesse of faith satisfied sect. . complaint of inconstancy , and desertions , answered sect. . complaint of unregeneration , and deadnesse in sinn , satisfied sect. . complaint of the insensibleness of the time and meanes of conversion , answered sect. . complaint of irresolution , and uncertainty in matter of our election , answered comforts against tentations sect. . christ himself assaulted . our tryall is for our good sect. . the powerfull assistance of gods spirit ; and the example of s. paul sect. . the restraint of our spirituall enemies , and the infinite power of god over-matching them sect. . the advantage made to us by our temptations and foyles sect. . complaint of relapses into sinn , with the remedy of it comforts against weakness of grace sect. . comfort from the common condition of all saints sect. . comfort from the improvement of weak graces ; and the free distribution of the almighty sect. . comfort from gods acceptation of the truth of grace , not the quantity sect. . comfort from the variety of gods gifts ; and the ages and statures of grace sect. . comfort from the safety of our condition even in leasurely progresses in grace sect. . comfort from our good desires and endevors sect. . comfort from the happiness of an humble poverty in spirit sect. . an incitement to so much the more caution and faster adherence to god comforts against infamy and disgrace sect. . comfort from the like suffering of the holyest men , yea , of christ himself sect. . comfort of our recourse to god sect. . comfort from the clearnesse of our conscience sect. . from the improvement of our reason sect. . from the cause of our suffering sect. . from our envyed vertue sect. . from others sleighting of just reproaches sect. . from the narrow bounds of infamy sect. . from the short life of slander comforts against publick calamities sect. . comfort from the inevitable necessity of changes sect. . from the sense and sympathie of common evils sect. . from the sure protection of the almighty sect. . from the justice of gods proceedings sect. . the remedy , our particular repentance sect. . the unspeakable miseries of a civil war sect. . the wofull miseries of pestilence , allaid by consideration of the hand that inflicts it comforts against the loss of friends sect. . the true value of a friend ; and the fault of over-prizing him sect. . the true ground of an undefeisible enjoying our friends sect. . the rarity and tryall of true friends sect. . it is but a parting , not a losse sect. . the losse of a vertuous wife mitigated sect. . the mitigation of the losse of a dear and hopefull sonn comforts against poverty and losse of our estate . sect. . comfort from the fickle nature of these earthly goods sect. . they are not ours , but lent us sect. . the estimation of our riches is in the minde sect. . it may be good for us to be held short sect. . the danger of abundance sect. . the cares that attend wealth sect. . the imperiousnesse of ill used wealth sect. . consideration of the causes and meanes of impoverishing us sect. . examples of those who have affected poverty comforts against imprisonment sect. . comfort from the nature and power of true liberty sect. . the sad objects of a free beholders eye sect. . comfort from the invisible company that cannot be kept from us sect. . comfort from the inward disposition of the prisoner sect. . the willing choice of retiredness in some persons sect. . comfort from the causes of imprisonment sect. . comfort from the good effects of retiredness sect. . the souls imprisonment in the body ibid. comforts against banishment sect. . comfort from the universality of a wise mans country sect. . from the benefit of self-conversation sect. . from the examples of those holy ones that have abandoned society sect. . from the advantage that hath been made of removing sect. . from the right we have in any countrey , and in god sect. . from the practise of voluntary travail sect. . all are pilgrims comforts against the loss of our senses , of seeing , and hearing sect. . comfort from the two inward lights of reasan and faith sect. . the supply of better eyes sect. . comfort from the better object of inward sight ib. sect. . the ill off●ices done by the eyes sect. . the freedome from temptations by the eye , and freedome from many sorrows sect. . the chearfulnesse of some blind men sect. . the supply which god gives in other faculties sect. . the benefit of the eyes which once we had sect. . the supply of one sense by another sect. . the better condition of the inward ear sect. . the grief that arises from hearing evill things comforts against barrennesse sect. . the blessing of fruitfulnesse , seasoned with sorrows sect. . the paines of child-bearing sect. . the misery of ill disposed and undutifull children sect. . the cares of parents for their children sect. . the great grief in the losse of children comforts against want of sleep sect. . the misery of the want of rest ; with the best remedy sect. . the favor of freedom from pain sect. . the great favour of health without sleep sect. . sleep is but a symptome of mortality sect. . no use of sleep whither we are going comforts against the inconveniencies of old age sect. . the illimitation of age and the miseries attending it sect. . old age is a blessing sect. . the advantages of old age . fearlesness sect. . the next advantage of old age , freedom from impetuous passions of lust sect. . the third advantage ; experimentall knowledge sect. . age in some persons vigorous and well-affected sect. . the fourth advantage of age ; near approach to our end comforts against the fears and pains of death sect. . the fear of death naturall sect. . remedy of feare , acquaintance with death sect. . the misapprehension of death injurious sect. . comfort from the common condition of men sect. . death not feared by some sect. . our deaths-day better then our birth-day sect. . the sting of death pull'd out sect. . death but a parting to meet again sect. . death but a sleep sect. . death sweetned to us by christ sect. . the painfulnesse of christs death sect. . the vanity and miseries of life sect. . examples of the courageous resolutions of others sect. . the happy advantages of death comforts against the terrours of judgement sect. . aggravations of the fearefulnesse of the last iudgment sect. . comfort from the condition of the elect sect. . awe more fit for thoughts of judgment , then terrour sect. . in that great and terrible day , our advocate is our iudge sect. . frequent meditation , and due preparation , the true remedy of fear comforts against the fears of spirituall enemies sect. . the great power of evill spirits , and their restraint sect. . the fear of the number of evil spirits , and the remedy of it sect. . the malice of the evill spirits , and our fears thereof remedied sect. . the great subtilty of evill spirits , and the remedie of the feare thereof the universal reeeipt for all maladies i have perused this excellent treatise , intituled , the balm of gilead , containing in it many singular medicines , and soverain salves , compounded and made up with so many sweet and spirituall ingredients of holy and heavenly consolations , as may be sufficient and effectual , being rightly applied , to cure and heal all sicknesses and sores of body and mind , caused by the fearfull apprehension of imminent dangers , or the sense of present evils ; unto which i subscribe my probatum est , and do allow it to be printed and published : john dovvname . the comforter . comforts for the sick bed. the preface . what should we do in this vale of teares , but bemoan each others miseries ? every man hath his load , and well is he whose burthen is so easie that he may help his neighbours . hear me , my son ; my age hath waded through a world of sorrowes ; the angel that hath hitherto redeemed my soul from all evill , and hath led me within few paces of the shore , offers to lend thee his hand , to guide thee in this dangerous foard ; wherein every error is death ; let us follow him with an humble confidence , and bee safe in the view and pity of the wofull miscarriages of others . § . aggravation of the misery of sicknesse . thou art now cast upon the bed of sicknesse ; a roaring out all the day long for the extreamity of thy pain , measuring the slow houres , not by minutes , but by groanes ; thy soule is weary of thy life , through the intolerable anguish of thy spirit ; of all earthly afflictions this is the soarest . job himself , after the sudden and astonishing new●● of the losse of his goods , and children , could yet beare up , and blesse the god that gives and takes ; but when his body was tormented , and was made one boyle , now his patience is retched so farre as to curse ( not his god , but ) his nativity . the great king questioning with his cup-bearer nehemiah , can say , why is thy countenance sad , seeing thou art not sick ? as implying , that the sick man of all other hath just cause to be dejected ; worldly crosses are aloofe off from us ; sicknesse is in our bosome ; those touch ours onely , these our selves ; here , the whole man suffers ; what could the body feele without the soule , that animates it ? how can the soule ( which makes the body sensible ) choose , but be most affected with that pain , whereof it gives sense to the body ? both partners have enough to doe to encounter so fierce an enemy : the sharper assault requires the more powerfull resistance ; recollect thy self , my son , and call up all the powers of thy soul , to grapple with so violent an enemy . § . comfort , from the freedom of the soul. thy body is by a sore disease consined to thy bed . i should be sorry to say , thou thy self wert so : thy soul ( which is thy self ) is , i hope , elsewhere ; that , however it is content to take a share in thy sufferings , soares above to the heaven of heavens ; and is prostrate before the throne of grace , suing for mercy and forgivenesse ; beholding the face of thy glorious mediator , interceding for thee : wo were to us if our souls were coffin'd up in our bosomes , so as they could not stirre abroad , nor goe any further then they are carried ; like some snail , or tortoise , that cannot move out of the shell ; blessed be god , he hath given us active spirits , that can bestirre themselves , whiles our bodies lie still ; that can be so quicke and nimble in their motions , as that they can passe from earth to heaven , ere our bodies can turn to the other side ▪ and how much shall we be wanting to our selves , if we doe not make use of this spirituall agilitie ; sending up these spirits of ours , from this dull clay of our bodies , to those regions of blessednesse ; that they may thence fetch comfort , to alleviate the sorrows of their heavie partners ? thus doe thou , my sonne , imploy thy better part ; no paines of the worse can make thee miserable ; that spirituall part of thine shall ere long be in blisse , whiles this earthen peece shall lye rotting in the grave : why shouldst thou not , even now before thy separation , improve all the powers of it , to thy present advantage ? let that still behold the face of thy god in glory ▪ whiles thy bodily eyes look upon those friends at thy bed side , which may pity , but cannot help thee . § . comfort from the author of sicknesse , and the benefit of it . thou art pained with sicknesse : consider seriously whence it is that thou thus smartest ; affliction commeth not out of the dust ; couldst thou but heare the voyce of thy disease , as well as thou feelest the stroke of it ; it saith loud enough , am i come up hither without the lord to torment thee ? the lord hath said to me , goe up against this man , and afflict him . couldst thou see the hand that smites thee , thou couldst not but kisse it ; why man , it is thy good god , the father of all mercies , that layes these stripes upon thee ; hee that made thee , he that bought thee at so deare a rate as his owne blood , it is he that chastiseth thee ; and canst thou think he would whip thee but for thy good ? thou art a father of children , and art acquainted with thine owne bowels ; didst thou ever take the ●od into thy hand , out of a pleasure that thou tookest in smiting that flesh which is derived from thine owne loines ? was it any ease to thee to make thy child smart , and bleed ? didst thou not suffer more then thou inflictedst ? couldst thou not rather have been content to have redeemed those his stripes with thine own ? yet thou sawest good reason to lay on , and not to spare for his loud crying , and many teares ; and canst say , thou hadst not loved him , if thou hadst not been so kindly severe : and if we that are evill , know how to give loving and beneficiall correction unto our children , how much more shall our father which is in heaven know how to beat us to our advantage ? so as wee may sing under the rod , with the blessed psalmist ; i know o lord that thy judgements are right , and that of very faith fulnesse thou hast afflicted me . might the child be made arbiter of his own chastisement , do we think he would award himself so much as one lash ? yet the wiser parent knowes he shall wrong him , if he doe not inflict more ; as having learned of wise solomon ; thou shalt beat him with the rod , and shalt deliver his soul from hell ; love hath his stroaks , saith ambrose , which are so much the sweeter , by how much they are the harder set on : dost thou not remember the message that the two sisters sent to our saviour ; lord , behold , hee whom thou lovest is sick : were it so that pain , or sicknesse , or any other the executioners of divine justice should be let loose upon thee , to tyrannize over thee at pleasure , on purpose to render thee perfectly miserable ; there were just reason for thy utter disheartening ; now they are stinted , and goe under commission ; neither can they bee allowed to have any other limits then thy own advantage : tell me whether hadst thou rather be good , or be healthfull : i know thou wouldst bee both , and thinkst thou mayst well be so . who is so little in his owne favour as to imagine hee can be the worse for faring well ? but he that made thee lookes farther into thee then thine owne eyes can doe ; he sees thy vigour is turning wanton ; and that if thy body be not sick , thy soul will : if he therefore finde it sit to take downe thy worse part a little , for the preventing of a mortall danger to the better , what cause hast thou to complain , yea , rather not to be thankfull ? when thou hast felt thy body in a distemper of fulnesse , thou hast gone to sea on purpose to make thy self sick ; yet thou knewest that turning of thy head and stomach would bee more painful to thee then thy former indisposition ; why should not thine al●wise creator take liberty to cure thee with an afflictious remedy ? § , comfort , from the vicissitudes of health . thou art now sick : wert thou not before a long time healthfull ? canst thou not be content to take thy turns ? if thou hadst had more daies of health then houres of sicknesse , how canst thou think thou hadst cause to repine ? had the divine wisedome thought sit to mitigate thy many daies pain , with the ease of one hour , it had been well worthy of thy thanks ; but now that it hath before-hand requited thy few painfull houres , with yeares of perfect health , how unthankfully dost thou grudge at the condition ? it was a foule mistake , if thou didst not from all earthly things expect a vicissitude ; they cannot have their being without a change ; as well may day be without a succession of night ▪ and life without death , as a mortall body without sits of distemper ; and how much better are these momentany changes , then that last change of a misery unchangeable ? it was a wofull word that father abraham said to the damned glutron ; son , remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , and lazarus evill things ; but now he is comforted , and thou art tormented : oh happy stripes wherewith we are here chastened of the lord , that we may not bee condemned with the world ! oh welcome feavers that may quit my soule from everlasting burnings ! § , comfort sicknesse better then sinfull health . thou complainest of sicknesse ; i have known those that have bestowed teares upon their too much health , sadly bemoaning the feare and danger of gods disfavour for that they ayled nothing ; and our bromiard tels us of a devout man in his time , that bewailed his continued welfare as no small affliction ; whom soon after god fitted with pain enough : the poore man joyed in the change , and held his sicknesse a mercy ; neither indeed was it otherwise intended by him that sent it . why are we too much dejected with that , which others complain to want ? why should we finde that so tedious to us , which others have wished ? there have been medicinal agues , which the wise physitian hath cast his patient into , for the cure of a worse distemper . a secure and lawless health , how ever nature takes it , is the most dangerous indisposition of the soul : if that may be healed by some few bodily pangs , the advantage is unspeakable . look upon some vigorous gallant , that in the height of his spirit , and the heat of his blood , eagerly pursues his carnal delights , as thinking of no heaven , but the free delectation of his sense ; and compare thy present estate with his : here thou liest groaning , and sighing , and panting , and shifting thy weary sides , complaining of the heavie pace of the tedious hours ; whiles he is fro licking with his jocund companions , carousing his large healths , sporting himself with his wanton mistress , and bathing himself in all sensuall pleasures ; and tell me whether of the two thou thinkest in the happier condition : surely , if thou be not shrunk into nothing but mee● sense , if thou hast not cast off all thoughts of another world , thou shalt pity the misery of that godless jollity ; and gratulate to thy self the advantage of thine , humble and faithful suffering ; as that which shall at last make thee an abundant amends , by yeelding thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness . § . comfort : the greater sufferings of hol●er men ; and the resolutions of heathens . thy pain is grievous ; i apprehend it such , and pity thee with all my soul. but let me tell thee , it is not such , but that holier men have susfered more . dost thou not hear the great precedent of patience crying out from his dung ● hill ; oh that my grief were thorowly weighed , and my calamities laid in the balance together ! for now it would be heavier then the sand of the sea : therefore my words are swallowed up . for the arrows of the almighty are within me , the poison whereof drinketh up my spirits : the terrours of god do set themselves in array against me ? dost thou not hear the man after gods own heart speak of the voice of his roaring ? dost thou not see him that shrunk not from the bear , the lion , the giant , drenching his bed with his tears ? dost thou not hear the faithful crying out , i am the man that hath suffered affliction by the rod of his wrath , &c. surely , against me is he turned ; he turneth his hand against me all the day : my flesh and my skin hath he made old ; he hath broken my bones . might i not easily shew thee the prophets , apostles , martyrs , ( the great favourites of heaven ) some on the gridirons , others in boiling cal drons , some on the spits , others under the sawes , some in the flames , others crashed with the teeth of wilde beasts : some on the racks , others in fiery furnaces : most of them in such torments , as in comparison whereof thy pains are but sport ? yea , what speak i of these mortal , and ( at the best ) sinful men ; when thou maist see the son of god , the lord of life , the king of glory , god blessed for ever , sweating drops of blood in his dreadful agony ; and maist hear him cry upon the tree of shame and curse , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? alas , what are we capable to suffer in proportion of these tortures ? who are we , that we should think much to share with the best of gods saints , yea with the dear and eternal son of his love , our ever blessed redeemer ? had not god found this the way to their heaven , they had not trod so deep in blood : why do we grudge to wet our feet where they waded ? yea , if from these holy ones , thou shalt turn thine eyes to some meer pagans , let me shew thee the man whom we are wont to account infamous for voluptuousness ; epicurus , the philosopher ; who on his dying day , when he lay extremely tormented with the stone in the bladder , and a tearing collick in his bowels , as it were gasping for life ; yet even then writing to his idomeneus , can out of the strength of his resolutions profess his chearfulness ; and can style even that day blessed . it was the same mouth that could boast , ●hat if he were frying in the brazen bull of phalaris , he could there finde contentment . what should i tell thee of a mutius scaevola , who in a glorious revenge voluntarily burns off his own right hand , not without the envie and pity of his enemies : or of a regulus , that after so high a provocation , offers himself to the worst of the merciless fury of his tormentors ? why shouldst thou think it strange ( saith wise seneca ) that some men should be well pleased to be scorcht , to be wounded , to be rackt , to be kill'd ? frugality is a pain to the riotous ; labour is a punishment to the lazie ; continence is a misery to the wanton ; studie is a torture to the slothful : all these things are not in their own nature difficult ; but we are feeble , and false-hearted . shall these pagans attain to this height of magnanimity , out of the bravery of their manly resolutions ; and shall we christians droop , and pule under gentler sufferings ? whiles we profess to have moreover the advantage of faith to uphold and chear us ? poor heathen souls ! they never heard of any gracious engagements of a merciful god to stand by them , and to comfort them : they never had met with those sweet messages from heaven ; call upon me in the day of thy trouble , and thou shalt glorifie me : come unto me , all ye that labour and are heavie laden , and i will give you rest : strengthen ye the weak hands , and confirm the feeble knees : say to them that are of a fearful heart , be strong , fear not ; behold , your god will come with vengeance , even god with a recompence ; he will come and save you . they had not the heart of a job , to say , i know that my redeemer liv●th ; nor the eyes of a steven , to pierce the heaven , and to see their saviour standing at the right hand of god : but meerly tugg'd it out in the strength of their natural courage , heightened with a vain-glorious ambition of that fame which they did believe would survive them ; whereas we christians know that we have a god , the father of all mercie● ▪ to stand by us ; a redeemer , to deliver us ; a comforter , to strengthen and refresh us ; sweet and unfail able promises , to sustain us ; and at last , a crown of eternal glory , to recompense us . § . comfort : our sufferings far below our deservings . thou art pained with sickness : look not at what thou feelest , but at what thou hast deserved to feel . why doth the living man complain ? man suffereth for his sin . alas , the wages of every sin is death ; a double death ; of body , of soul● ; temporal , eternal : any thing belowe this , is mercy . there is not the least of thy many thousand transgressions but hath merited the infinite wrath of a just god ; and thereby , more torments then thou art capable to undergo . what dost thou complain of ease ? where thou owedst a thousand talents , thou art bidden to take thy bill , and sit down and write fifty : wil● thou not magnifie the clemency of so favourable a creditor ? surely , were every twig wherewith thou smartest , a scorpion , and every breath that thon sendest forth , a flame ; this were yet less then thy due . oh the infinite goodness of our indulgent father , that takes up with so gentle a correction ! tell me , thou nice & delicate patient , if thou canst not bear these stripes , how wilt thou be able to endure those that are infinitely sorer ? alas , what are these to that hell which abides for the impatient ? there are exquisite pains , without mitigation ; eternal pains , without intermission ; which thou canst neither suffer nor avoid ; fear them , whiles thou grudgest at these ; lay thy self lowe under the hand of thy good god , and be thankful for a tolerable misery . how graciously hath the wisdom of our god thought fit to temper our afflictions ; so contriving them , that if they be sharp , they are not long ; and if they be long , they are not over-sharp ; that our strength might not be over-laid by our trials , either way ! be content man ; either thy languishment shall be easie , or thy pain soon over . extreme and everlasting , are terms reserved for gods enemies in the other world : that is truly long , which hath no end ; that is truly painful , which is not capable of any relaxation . what a short moment is it that thou canst suffer ? short , yea nothing , in respect of that eternity which thou must either hope for , or fear . smart a while patiently , that thou maist not be infinitely miserable . § . comfort : t●● benefit 〈◊〉 the exercise of our pat●●ence . thou complainest of pain : what use were there of thy patience , if thou a●ledst nothing ? god never gives vertues without an intent of their exercise . to what purpose were our christian valour , if we had no enemy to encounter ? thus long thou hast lien quiet in a secure garison , where thou hast heard no trumpet but thine own , and hast turned thy drumshead into a dicing table , lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle recreations : now god draws thee forth into the field , and shews thee an enemy ; where is thy christian fortitude , if thou shrink back , and cowardly wheeling about , chusest rather to make use of thy heels , then of thy hands ? doth this beseem thee , who professest to fight under his colours , who is the great conquerour of death and hell ? is this the way to that happie victory , which shal carry away a crown of glory ? my son , if thou faint in the day of thine adversity , thy strength is but small : stir up thine holy courage ; be strong in the lord , and in the power of his might : buckle close with that fierce enemy wherewith thy god would have thee assaulted ; looking up to him who hath said , and cannot fail to perform it ; be faithful to the death , and i will give thee a crown of life . § . comfort : the necessity of expecting sickness . thou art surprized with sickness ; whose fault is this but thine own ? who bade thee not to look for so sure a guest ? the very frame of thy body should have put thee into other thoughts : dost thou see this living fabrick made up as a clock consisting of so many wheels , and gimmers ? and couldst thou imagine that some of them should not be ever out of order ? couldst thou think that a cottage , not too strongly built , and standing so bleak in the very mouth of the windes , could for any long time hold tight , and unreaved ? yea , dost thou not rather wonder that it hath out-stood so many blustring blasts , thus long , utterly unruined ? or that the wires of that engine should so long have held pace with time ? it was scarce 〈◊〉 patient question which job asked : is my strength the strength of stones ? or is my fl●sh as brass ? no , alas , job , thy best metal is but ●lay ; and thine , as all flesh , is grasse ; the clay mouldereth , and the grasse withereth ; what doe we make account of any thing but misery and ficklenesse in this wofull region of change ? if we will needs over-reckon our condition , we doe but help to aggravate our owne wretchednesse . §. . . comfort . thou art retired to thy sick bed ; be of good comfort ; god was never so neer thee , never so tenderly indulgent to thee as now : the whole , saith our saviour , need no● the physitian , but the sick : lo , the physitian , as being made for the time of necessity , commeth not but where there is need ; and where need is , he will not fail to come . our need is motive enough to him , who himself tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses ; our health estranges him from us : whiles thou art his patient , he cannot be kept off from thee ; the lord , saith the psalmist , will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing . thou wilt make all his bed in his sicknesse : loe , the heavenly comforter doth not onely visit , but attend thee ; and if thou finde thy pallet uneasie , he shall turn , and soften it for thy repose . canst thou not read gods gracious indulgence in thine own disposition ? thou art a parent of children ; perhaps thou findest cause to affect one more then another , though all be deare enough ; but if any one of them be cast down with a feverous distemper , now thou art more carefully busie about him then all the rest ; how thou pitiest him , how thou pliest him with offers and receits ? with what silent anxiety dost thou watch by his couch ? listening for every of his breathings ; jealous of every whispering that might break off his slumber ; answering every of his groanes with so many sighes ; and in short , so making of him for the time , that thy greatest darling seems the while neglected in comparison of this more needfull charge : how much more shall the father of mercies be compassionately intent upon the sufferings of his deare children , according to the proportion of their afflictions ? § . comfort . the comfortable end of our su●ferings ▪ thou art wholly taken up with the extremity of thy paines ; alas poor soule , thy purblinde eies see nothing but what is laid close to thee : it is thy sense which thou followest , but where is thy faith ? couldst thou look to the end of thy sufferings , thou couldst not but rejoyce in tribulation ▪ let patience have her perfect work , and thou shalt once say , it is well for me that i was afflicted ; thou mights● be jo●ond long enough ere thy jollity coul● make thee happy ; yea , wo● be to them that laugh here : but on the contrary , our light affliction , which is but for a mome●t , worketh for us a farre more exceeding , and eternall weight of glory . oh blessed improvement of a few groanes●● oh glorious issue of a short brunt of sorrow ! what do we going for christians , if we be nothing but meer flesh and blood ? and if we be more , we have more cause of joy then complaint ; for whiles our outward man perisheth , our inward man is renewed daily : our outward man is but flesh , our inward is spirit ; infinitely more noble then this living clay that wee carry about us ; whiles our spirit therefore gaines more then our flesh is capable to lose , what reason have we not to boast of the bargain ? let not therefore these close curtaines confine thy sight , but cast up thine eies to that heaven whence thy soule came , and see there that crowne of glory which thy god holds forth for all that overcome ; and run with patience the race that is set before thee , looking unto iesus the author and finisher of our faith , who is set down at the right hand of the throne of god ; and solace thy selfe with the expectation of that blessednesse , which if thy torments were no lesse then those of hell , would make more then abundant amends for all thy sufferings . §. . . comfort . the favour of a peaceable passage out of the world . thou art sick to die ; having received the sentence of death in thy selfe ; thy physitian hath given thee up to act this last part alone ; neither art thou like to rise any more till the generall resurrection ; how many thousands have died lately , that would have thought it a great happinesse to die thus quietly in their beds ? whom the storme of warre hath hurried away furiously into another world , snatching them suddenly out of this ; not suffering them to take leave of that life which they are forced to abandon ; whereas thou hast a fair leasure to prepare thy self for the entertainment of thy last guest ; to set both thine house in order , and thy soule : it is no small advantage , my son , thus to see death at a distance , and to observe every of his paces towards thee ; that thou maist put thy selfe into a fit posture to meet this grim messenger of heaven , who comes to fetch thee to immortality ; that dying thus by gentle degrees , thou hast the leasure with the holy patriarch iacob , to call thy children about thee , to bequeath to each of them the dear legacy of thy last benediction ; and that being incompassed with thy sad friends , now in thy long journey to a far country ( though thine , and their home ) thou maist take a solemn farewell of them , as going somewhat before them to the appointed happy meeting place of glory and blessednesse : that one of thine own may close up those eyes , which shall in their next opening , see the face of thy most glorious saviour , and see this flesh ( now ready to lie down in corruption ) made like to his , in unspeakable glory . comforts for the sick soul. § . the happiness of a deep sorrow for sin . thy sin lies heavie upon thy soul : blessed be god that thou feel'st it so ; many a one hath more weight upon him , and boasteth of ease . there is musick in this complaint ; the father of mercies delights to hear it , as next to the melody of saints and angels . go on still , and continue these sorrowful notes , if ever thou look for sound comfort : it is this godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation , not to be repented of . weep still , and make not too much haste to dry up these tears ; for they are precious , and held fit to be reserved in the bottle of the almighty : over-speedy remedies may prove injurious to the patient : and as in the body , so in the soul , diseases and tumors must have their due maturation , ere there can be a perfect cure : the inwards of the sacrifice must be three times rinsed with water ; one ablution will not serve the turn : but when thou hast emptied thine eyes of tears , and unloaded thy brest of leasurely sighs , i shall then , by full commission from him that hath the power of remission , say to thee , son , be of good comfort , thy sins are forgiven thee . § . comfort from the welgrounded ▪ declaration of pardon . think not this word meerly formal , and forceless : * he that hath the keys of hell , and of death , hath not said in vain , whose sins ye remit , they are remitted . the words of his faithful ministers on earth , are ratified in heaven : onely the priest under the law had power to pronounce the leper clean : had any other israelite done it , it had been as unprofitable , as presumptuous . it is a precious word that fell from elihu ; when a mans soul draweth nigh to the grave , and his life to the destroyer , if there be a messenger ( of god ) with him , an interpreter , one among a thousand , to shew unto that man his uprightness ; then he ( i. e. god ) is gracious unto him , and saith , deliver him from going down into the pit ; i have found a ransom . behold , this is thy case , my son ; the life of thy soul is in danger of the destroyer , through his powerful temptations : i am ( howsoever unworthy ) a messenger sent to thee from heaven ; and in the name of that great god that sent me , i do here , upon the sight of thy serious repentance , before angels and men , declare thy soul to stand right in the court of heaven : the invaluable ransom of thy dear saviour is laid down and accepted for thee ; thou art delivered from going down into the pit of horrour and perdition . § . aggravation of the grievous condition of the patient , and remedies from mercy applied . oh happie message , thou saist , were it as sure as it is comfortable ! but , alas , my heart findes many and deep grounds of fear and diffidence , which will not easily be removed : that smites me , whiles you offer to acquit me ; and tells me , i am in a worse condition then a looker on can imagine ; my sins are beyond measure hainous , such as my thoughts tremble at , such as i dare not utter to the god that knows them , and against whom onely they are committed : there is horrour in their very remembrance ; what will there then be in their retribution ? they are bitter things that thou urgest against thy self , my son ; no adversary could plead worse : but i admit thy vileness ; be thou as bad as satan can make thee : it is not either his malice , or thy wickedness that can shut thee out from mercy . be thou as foul as sin can make thee , yet there is a fountain opened to the house of david ( a bloody fountain in the side of thy saviour ) for sin , and for uncleanness . be thou as leprous as that syrian was of old , if thou canst but wash seven times in the waters of this jordan , thou canst not but be clean ; thy flesh shall come again to thee , like to the flesh of a little childe ; thou shalt be at once sound and innocent . be thou stung unto death with the fiery serpents of this wilderness , yet if thou canst but cast thine eyes to that brazen serpent which is erected there , thou canst not fail of cure . wherefore came the son of god into the world , but to save sinners ? adde , if thou wilt , whereof i am chief ; thou canst say no worse by thy self then a better man did before thee ; who in the right of a sinner , claimeth the benefit of a saviour . were it not for our sin , what use were there of a redeemer ? were not our sin hainous , how should it have required such an expiation as the blood of the eternal son of god ? take comfort to thy self , my son ; the greatness of thy sin serves but to magnifie the mercy of the forgiver : to remit the debt of some few farthings , it were small thank ; but to strike off the scores of thousands of talents , it is the height of boun●y : thus doth thy god to thee ; he hath suffered thee to run on in his books to so deep a sum , that when thy conscious heart hath proclaimed thee bankrupt , he may infinitly oblige thee , and glorifie his own mercy in crossing the reckoning , and acquitting thy soul. all sums are equally dischargeable to the munificence of our great creditor in heaven : as it is the act of his justice , to call for the least ; so of his mercy , to forgive the greatest . had we to do with a finite power , we had reason to sink under the burden of our sins : now there is neither more nor less to that which is infinite : onely let thy care be , to lay hold on that infinite mercy which lies open to thee : and as thou art an object fit for mercy , in that thou art in thy self sinful , and miserable enough ; so finde thy self ( as thou art ) a subject meet to receive this mercy , as a penitent believer . open and enlarge thy bosom , to take in this free grace , and close with thy blessed saviour ; and with , and in him , possess thy self of remission , peace , salvation . § . complaints o● unrepentance an● unbelief . sweet words ( thou sayest ) to those that are capable of them : but what is all this to me , that am neither penitent nor believer ? alas , that which is honey to others , is no better then gall & wormwood to me , who have not the grace to repent , and believe as i ought . why wilt thou , my son , be so unwise , and unjust , as to take part with satan against thine own soul ? why wilt thou be so unthankfully injurious to the father of mercies , as to deny those graces which his good spirit hath so freely bestowed upon thee ? if thou wert not penitent for thy sins , wherefore are these tears ? what mean these sighs , and sobs , and passionate expressions of sorrow which i hear from thee ? it is no worldly loss that thus afflicts thee ; it is no bodily distemper that thus disquiets thee : doubtless , thou art soul-sick , my son , thy spirit is deeply wounded within thee ; and what can thus affect thy soul , but sin ? and what can this affection of thy soul be for sin , but true penitence ? § . complaints of a misgrounded sorrow , satisfied . alas , thou sayest , i am indeed sorrowful for my sin , but not upon the right grounds ; i grieve for the misery that my sin hath brought upon me , not for the evil of my sin● ; for the punishment , not the offence ; for my own danger , not for the displeasure of my good god. beware , my son , lest an undue humility cause thee to belye the graces of gods spirit : thou art no meet judge of thy self , whiles thou art under temptations : had not thy sorrow a relation to thy god , why wouldst thou thus sigh● towards heaven ? why would thy heart challenge thee for unkindness in offending ? why dost thou cry out of the foulness , not onely of the peril , of thy sin ? what is it that makes the act of thy sin to be sinful , but the offence of the divine majestie ? how canst thou then be sorry that thou hast sinned , and not be sorry that thou hast offended ? tell me , what is it that thy conscience primarily suggests to thee in this deep impression of thy sorrow ? is it , thou shalt be punished ? or i● it not rather , thou hast sinned ? and were it put to thy choice , whether thou hadst rather enjoy the favour of god , with the extremest smart , or be in his displeasure with ease ; whether wouldst thou pitch upon ? or if liberty were tendred unto thee , that thou mightst freely sin without the danger of punishment ; whether doth not thy heart rise at the condition , as ready to flee in the face of the offerer ? besides fear and horrour , dost thou not finde an inward kinde of indignation at thy miscarriage , and such an hatred of thy sin , that were it to be done again , if it were possible to be hid from god , and men ; and if there were not an hell to avenge it , thou wouldst abho● to commit it ? all these are strong convictions of the right grounds of thy repentance , and of the wrong which thou dost to thine own soul , in the unjust scruples which thou raisest against it . § . complaint of the insufficient measure of sorrow , satisfied . if the grounds ( thou saist ) of my repentance be right , yet the measure is insufficient : i am sorrowful for my sins , but not enough : an effectual grief for sin should be serious , deep , hearty , intensive ; mine is slight , and superficial● : i sigh , but my sighs come not from the bottom of an humbled heart : i can sometimes weep , but i cannot pour out my self into tears : i mourn , but i do not dwell upon my sorrow . my son , thou hast to do with a god , which in all the dispositions of our soul regards truth , and not quantity : if he find thy remorse sound , he stands not upon measure : he doth not mete out our repentance by inches , or by houres ; but where he findes sincerity of penitence , he is graciously indulgent : look upon david , and acknowledge his sin formidably hainous ; no lesse then adultery seconded with inebriation and murder ; yet no sooner did he in a true compunction of heart cry peccavi , i have sinned against the lord ; then he heares from the same mouth that accused him , the lord also hath put away thy sin , thou shalt not die ; you doe not hear of any tearing of hair , or rending of garments , or knocking 's of brest , or lying in sackcloth and ashes ; but onely a penitent confession availing for the expiation of so grievous crimes . thou art deceived , if thou thinkst god delights in the misery and afflictedness of his creature : so far onely is the grief his dear ones pleasing unto him , as it may make for the health of their souls , in the● due sensibleness of their sin , in their meet capacity of mercy . i do not , with some casuists , flatter thee with an opinion of the sufficiency of any slight attrition , and empty wishes that thou hadst not sinned ; doubtless , a true contrition of spirit , and compunction of heart , are necessarily required to a saving repentance ; and these , wert thou but an indifferent censurer of thine own waies , thou couldst not choose but finde within thy selfe ; why else is thy countenance so dejected , thy cheeks pale , and watered so oft with thy teares , thy sleeps broken , thy meales stomacklesse ? wherefore are thy so sad bemoanings , and vehement deprecations ? but after all this , be thou such 〈◊〉 thou accusest thy selfe , defective in the measure of thy repentance ; d●st thou rest contented in this con●ition ? dost thou not complain of it as thy greatest misery ? art thou not heartily sorry that thou canst be no more sorry for thy sin ? comfort thy selfe , my son ▪ even this , this alone is an acceptable degree of repentance : our god , whose will is his deed , accounts ours so ; what is repentance but a change of minde from evil to good ? and how sensible is this change , that thou who formerly delightedst in thy sinne , now abhorrest it , and thy selfe for it , and art yet ambitious of more grief for being transported into it ? let not the enemy of thy soule , who desires nothing more then to make thee perfectly miserable , win so much of thee , as to render thee unsatisfied with the measure of that penitence which is accepted of thy god ; rather turn thine eies from thy sins , and look up to heaven , and fasten them there upon thine all-sufficient mediator at the right hand of majesty ; and see his face smiling upon thine humbled soul , and perfectly reconciling thee to his eternall father ; as being fully assured , that being justified by faith , we have peace with god , through our lord jesus christ ; by whom also wee have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand , and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of god. §. . complaint of the want of faith , satisfied . yea , there , there , thou sayest , is the very core of all my complaint ; i want that faith that should give me an interest in my saviour , and afford true comfort to my soule , and boldnesse , and accesse with confidence to the throne of grace ; i can sorrow , but i cannot beleeve : my griefe is not so great as my infidelity : i see others full of joy and peace in beleeving ; but my earthen heart cannot raise it selfe up to a comfortable apprehension of my saviour ; so as , me thinks , i dwell in a kinde of disconsolate darknesse , and a sad lumpishnesse of unbeleef ; wanting that lightsome assurance which others professe to finde in themselves . take heed , my son , lest whiles thou art too querulous , thou prove unthankfull ; and lest whiles thine humblenesse disparages thy self , thou make god a loser : many a man may have a rich mine lying deep in his ground which he knowes not of ; there are shels that are inwardly furnished with pearles of great price , and are not sensible of their worth : this is thy condition ; thou hast that grace ▪ which thou complainest to want : it is no measuring of thy selfe by sense , especially in the time of temptation ; thou couldst not so feelingly bemoan the want of faith if thou hadst it not ; deny it if thou canst , thou assentest to the truth of all the gracious promises of god ; thou acknowledgest he could not be himselfe if he were not a true god ; yea truth it self ; thou canst not doubt but that he hath made sweet promises of free grace and mercy to all penitent sinners ; thou canst not but grant that thou art sinfull enough to need mercy , and sorrowfull enough to desire and receive mercy : canst thou but love thy selfe so well , as that when thou seest a pardon reached forth to thee to save thy soule from death , thou shouldst doe any other then stretch forth thy hand to take it ? lo , this hand stretched forth is thy faith , which so takes spirituall hold of thy saviour , that it cals not thy sense to witnesse . as for that assurance thou speakest of , they are happy that can truly feel , & maintain it ; and it must be our holy ambition ( what we may ) to aspire unto it ; but that is such an height of perfection , as every traveller in this wretched pilgrimage , cannot , whiles he is in this perplexed , and heavy way , hope to attain unto : it is an unsafe and perillous path , which those men have walked in , who have been wont to define all faith by assurance ; should i lead thee that way , it might cost thee a fall ; so sure a certainty of our constant and reflected apprehension of eternall life , is both hard to get , and not easie to hold unmovably ; considering the many and strong temptations that we are subject unto in this vale of misery and death : should faith be reduced to this triall , it would be yet more rare then our saviour hath foretold it : for , as many a one boasts of such an assurance , who is yet failing of a true faith , ( hugging a vain presumption in stead of it ) so many a one , also , hath true faith in the lord iesus , who yet complaines to want this assurance . canst thou in a sense of thine owne misery , close with thy saviour ? canst thou throw thy self into the arms of his mercy ? canst thou trust him with thy soul , and repose thy self upon him for forgivenesse and salvation ? canst thou lay thy self before him as a miserable object of his grace and mercy ? and when it is held forth to thee , canst thou lay some ( though weak ) hold upon it ? labour what thou mayst for further degrees of strength daily ; set not up thy rest in this pitch of grace ; but , chear up thy self , my son , even thus much faith shall save thy soul : thou believest ; and he hath said it , that is truth it self ; he that believeth on the son , hath everlasting life . § . complaint of the weakness of faith , satisfied . i know , thou sayest , that jesus christ came into the world to save sinners ; and that whosoever believeth in him , shall not perish , but have eternal life : neither can i deny , but that in a sense of my own sinful condition , i do cast my self in some measure upon my saviour , and lay some hold upon his all-sufficient redemption : but alas , my apprehensions of him are so feeble , as that they can afford no sound comfort to my soul. courage , my son ; were it that thou lookedst to be justified , and saved by the power of the very act of thy faith , thou hadst reason to be disheartened with the conscience of the weakness thereof : but now that the vertue and efficacie of this happie work is in the object apprehended by thee , which is the infinite merits and mercy of thy god and saviour , ( which cannot be abated by thine infirmities ) thou hast cause to take heart to thy self , and chearfully to expect his salvation . understand thy case aright : here is a double hand that helps us up towards heaven : our hand of faith lays hold upon our saviour ; our saviours hand of mercy and plenteous redemption lays hold on us : our hold of him is feeble , and easily loosed ; his hold of us is strong , and irresistible . comfort thy self therefore , in this , with the blessed apostle ; when thou art weak , then thou art strong ; when weak in thy self , strong in thy redeemer . shouldst thou boast of thy strength , and say , tush , i shall never be moved ; i should suspect the truth and safety of thy condition : now thou bewailest thy weakness , i cannot but encourage and congratulate the happie estate of thy soul. if work were stood upon , a strength of hand were necessary ; but now , that onely taking and receiving of a precious gift is required , why may not a weak hand do that as well as a strong ? as well , though not as forcibly . be not therefore dejected with the want of thine own power , but comfort thy self in the rich mercies of thy blessed redeemer . § . complaint of incon●tancy , and desertion , answered . now thou saist ; sometimes , i confess , i finde my heart at ease , in a comfortable reliance on my saviour ; and being well resolved of the safety of my estate , promise good days to my self ; and after the banishment of my former fears , dare bid defiance to temptations : but alas , how soon is this fair weather over ? how suddenly is this clear skie over-clouded , and spread over with a sad darkness , and i return to my former heartlesness ? didst thou conceive , my son , that grace would put thee into a constant , and pepetually-invariable condition of soul , whiles thou art in this earthly warfare ? didst thou ever hear or read of any of gods prime saints upon earth , that were unchangeable in their holy dispositions , whiles they continued in this region of mutability ? look upon the man after gods own heart , thou shalt finde him sometimes so courageous , as if the spirits of all his worthies were met in his one bosom . how resolutely doth he blow off all dangers , trample on all enemies , triumph over all cross events ? another while thou shalt finde him so dejected , as if he were not the man. one while , the lord is my shepherd , i shall lack nothing : another while , why art th●● so sad , my soul , and why art thou so disquieted within me ? one while , i will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people , that have set themselves against me round about : another while , hide me under the shadow of thy wings , from the wicked that oppress me , from my deadly enemies who compass me about . one while , thy loving kindness is before mine eyes , and i have walked in thy truth : another while , lord , where are thy loving kindnesses ? yea , dost thou not hear him with one breath professing his confidence , and lamenting his desertion ? lord , by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong : thou didst hide thy face , and i was troubled . look upon the chosen vessel , the great apostle of the gentiles , one while thou shalt see him erecting trophies in himself of victory to his god : in all these things we are more then conquerours , through him that loved us : another while thou shalt finde him bewailing his own sinful condition ; oh wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! one while thou shalt finde him caught up into the third heaven , and there in the paradise of god : another while thou shalt finde him buffeted by the messenger of satan , and sadly complaining to god of the violence of that assault . hear the spouse of christ , ( whether the church in common , or the faithful soul ) bemoaning her self , i opened to my beloved , but my beloved had withdrawn himself , and was gone : my soul failed when he spake . i sought him , but i could not finde him ; i called him , but he gave me no answer . thus it will be with thee , my son , whiles thou art in this frail flesh ; the temper of thy soul will be , like her partner , subject to vicissitudes . shouldst thou continue always in the same state , i should more then suspect thee . this is the difference betwixt nature and grace , that nature is still uniform , and like it self ; grace varies according to the pleasure of the giver : the spirit breathes when and where it listeth . when therefore thou findest the gracious spirations of the holy ghost within thee , be thankful to the infinite munificence of that blessed spirit ; and still pray , arise , o north , and come thou south winde , ●blowe upon my garden , that the spices thereof may slow out . but when thou shalt finde thy soul becalmed , and not a leaf stirring in this garden of thine ; be not too much dejected with an ungrounded opinion of being destituted of thy god ; neither do thou repine at the seasons , or measures of his bounty : that most free and infinitely-beneficent agent , will not be tied to our terms , but will give what , and how , and when he pleaseth : onely do thou humbly wait upon his goodness ; and be confident , that he who hath begun his good work in thee , will perform it until the day of jesus christ. § . complaint of unregeneration , and deadness in sin , answered . it is true ( thou saist ) if god had begun his good work in me , he would at the last , for his own glories sake , make it up : but for me , i am a man dead in sins and trespasses ; neither ever had i any true life of grace in me : some shew , indeed , i have made of a christian profession ; but i have onely beguiled the eyes of the world with a meer pretence ; and have not found in my self the truth , and solidity of those heavenly vertues whereof i have made a formal ostentation . it were pity , my son , thou shouldst be so bad as thou makest thy self : i have no comfort in store for hypocrisie ; no disposition can be more odious to the god of truth ; in so much as when he would express his utmost vengeance against sinners , he hath no more fearful terms to set it forth , then i will appoint him his portion with the hypocrites . were it thus with thee , it were more then high time for thee to resolve thy self into dust and ashes , and to put thy self into the hands of thine almighty creatour , to be moulded anew by his powerful spirit ; and never to give thy self peace , till thou findest thy self● renewed in the spirit of thy minde : but in the mean while , take heed lest thou be found guilty of mis-judging thine own soul ; and mis-prising the work of gods spirit in thee : god hath been better to thee , then thou wilt be acknown of ; thou hast true life of grace in thee , and for the time perceivest it not : it is no heed to take of the doom thou passest upon thy self in the hour of temptation : when thy heart was free , thou wert in another minde , and shalt upon better advice return to thy former thoughts . it is with thee , as it was with eu●ychus , that fell down from the third loft , and was taken up for dead ; yet for all that , his life was in him . we have known those who have lien long in trances , withovt any perception of life ; yea , some ( as that subtil joannes duns scotus ) have been put into their graves for fully dead , when as yet their soul hath been in them , though unable to exert those faculties which might evince her hidden presence . such thou mayest be , at the worst : yea , wert thou but in charity with thy self , thou wouldst be found in a much better condition . there is the same reason of the natural life , and the spiritual : life , where it is , is discerned by breathing , sense , motion : where there is the breath of life , there must be a life that sends it forth : if then the soul breathes forth holy desires , doubtless there is a life whence they proceed . now deny , if thou canst , that thou hast these spiritual breathings of holy desires within thee ? dost thou not many a time sigh for thine own insensateness ? is not thine heart troubled with the thoughts of thy want of grace ? dost thou not truly desire that god would renew a right spirit within thee ? take comfort to thy self ; this is the work of the inward principle of gods spirit within thee : as well may a man breathe without life , as thou couldst be thus affected without grace : sense is a quick discrier of life : pinch or wound a dead man , he feels nothing ; but the living perceiveth the easiest touch . when thou hast heard the fearful judgements of god denounced against sinners , and laid home to the conscience , hast thou not found thy heart pierced with them ? hast thou not shrunk inward , and secretly thought , how shall i decline this dreadful damnation ? when thou hast heard the sweet mercies of god laid forth to penitent sinners , hath not thy heart silently said , oh that i had my share in them ! when thou hast heard the name of christ blasphemed , hast thou not felt a secret horrour in thy bosom ? all these argue a true spiritual life within thee . motion is the most perfect discoverer of life : he that can stir his limbs , is surely not dead : the feet of the soul are the affections : hast thou not found in thy self an hate and detestation of that sin whereinto thou hast been miscarried ? hast thou not found in thy self a true grief of heart for thy wretched indisposition to all good things ? hast thou not found a secret love to , and complacency in those whom thou hast thought truly godly and conscionable ? without a true life of grace , these things could never have been : are not thine eyes and hands many times lifted up in an imploration of mercy ? canst thou deny that thou hast a true , though but weak appetite to the means , and further degrees of grace ? what can this be but that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , to which our saviour hath pronounced blessednesse ? discomfort not thy selfe too much , son , with the present disappearance of grace , during the hour of thy temptation ; it is no otherwise with thee , then with a ●ree in winter-season , whose sap is run down to the root ; wherein there is no more shew of the life of vegetation by any buds or blossomes that it might put forth , then if it were stark dead ; yet when the sun returnes , and sends forth his comfortable beames in the spring , it burgens out afresh , and bewraies that vitall juyce which lay long hidden in the earth : no otherwise then with the hearth of some good huswife , which is towards night swept up , and hideth the fire under the heap of her ashes , a stranger would think it were quite out ; here is no appearance of light , or heat , or smoak , but by that time she hath stirred it up a little , the bright gleeds shew themselves , and are soon raised to a flame : stay but till the spring , when the sun of righteousnesse shall call up thy moisture into thy branches ; stay but till the morning , when the fire of grace , which was raked up in the ashes , shall bee drawne forth and quickned , and thou shalt find cause to say of thy heart , as iacob said of his hard lodging , surely the lord is in this place and i knew it not ; onely doe thou , not neglecting the meanes , wait patiently upon gods leasure ; stay quietly upon the bank of this bethesda , till the angel descend and move the water . §. . complaint of the insensibleness of the time and meanes of conversion . i could gladly , thou saist , attend with patience upon god in this great and happy work of the excitation of grace , were i but sure i had it ; could i be but perswaded of the truth of my conversion ; but it is my great misery that here i am at a sad and uncomfortable losse ; for i have been taught that every true convert can designe the time , the place , the meanes , the manner of his conversion ; and can shew how neare hee was brought to the gates of death , how close to the very verge of hell , when god by a mighty and out-stretched arme snacht him away , in his own sensible apprehension , from the pit , and suddenly rescued him from that damnation ; and put him into a new state of spirituall life , and undefaisible salvation : all which i cannot do ; not finding in my selfe any such sudden and vehement concussion , and heart-breaking ; any such forcible , and irresistible operation of gods spirit within me , not being able to design the sermon that converted me , or those particular approaches that my soule made towards an hardly-recovered desperation . my son , it is not safe for any man to take upon him to set limits to the wayes of the almighty ; or to prescribe certain rules to the proceedings of that infinite wisedome ; that most free , and all-wise agent will not be tyed to walk alwaies in one path ; but varies his courses according to the pleasure of his own will : one man hee cals suddenly , another by leasure ; one by a kinde of holy violence , as hee did s. paul , another by sweet solicitations , as philip , nathaniel , andrew , peter , matthew , and the rest of the apostles ; one man he drawes to heaven with gracious invitations , another he drives thither by a strong hand ; we have known those who having mispent their yonger times in notoriously lewd and debauched courses , living as without god , yea , against him , have been suddenly heart-stricken with some powerfull denunciation of judgement , which hath so wrought upon them that it hath brought them within sight of hell ; who after long and deep humiliation , have been raised up through gods mercy , to a comfortable sense of the divine favour , and have proceeded to a very high degree of regeneration , and lived , and died saints : but this is not every mans case ; those who having from their infancy been brought up in the nurture and feare of the lord ; and from their youth have been trained up under a godly and conscionable ministery ; where they have been continually plyed with the essectuall means of grace ; precept upon precept , line upon line , here a little , and there a little ; and have by an insensible conveyance received the gracious inoperations of the spirit of god , ( though not without many inward strifes with temptations , and sad fits of humiliation for their particular failings ) framing them to all holy obedience , these cannot expect to finde so sensible alterations in themselves ; as well may the child know when he was naturally born , as these may know the instant of their spirituall regeneration ; and as well may they see the grasse to grow , as they can perceive their insensible increase of grace ; it is enough that the child attaining to the use of reason , now knowes that he was born : and that when wee see the grasse higher then we left it , we know that it is growne . let it then suffice thee , my son , to know , that the thing is done , though thou canst not define the time , and manner of doing it : be not curious in matter of particular perceptions , whiles thou mayst be assured of the reality & truth of the grace wrought in thee : thou seest the skilfull chirurgion , when hee will make a fontinell in the body of his patient , he can do it either by a sudden incision , or by a leasurely corrasive ; both sort to one end , and equally tend towards health : trust god with thy self , and let him alone with his own work : what is it to thee which way he thinks best to bring about thy salvation ? § . complaint of irresolution , and uncertain●y in matter of our election , answered . all were safe , thou saist , if onely i could be ascertained of mine election to life : i could be patient , so i might be sure : but , wretched man that i am , here , here i stick● : i see others walk confidently , and comfortably , as if they were in heaven already ; whereas i droop under a continual diffidence ; raising unto my self daily new arguments of my distrust : could my heart be setled in this assurance , nothing could ever make me other then happie . it is true , my son , that as all other mercies flow from this of our election , so the securing of this one , involves all other favours that concern the well-being of our souls . it is no less true , that our election may be assured ; else the holy ghost had never laid so deep a charge upon us , to do our utmost endeavour to ascertain it : and we shall be much wanting to our selves , if hearing so excellent a blessing may be attained by our diligence , we shall slacken our hand , and not stretch it forth to the height , to reach that crown which is held out to us : but withal , it is true , that if there were not difficulty more then ordinary in this work , the apostle had not so earnestly called for the utmost of our endeavour to effect it . shortly , the truth is , in all christianity there is no path , wherein there is more need of treading warily , then in this : on each side is danger and death ; security lies on the one hand , presumption on the other : the miscarriage either way , is deadly . look about thee , and see the miserable examples on both kindes : some walk carelesly , as if there were no heaven ; or if there were such a place , yet , as if it nothing concerned them : their hearts are taken up with earth ; neither care nor wish to be other then this world can make them : the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that believe not : some others walk proudly , being vainly puft up with their own ungrounded imaginations , as if they were already invested with their glory ; as if , being rapt up with the chosen vessel into the third heaven , they had there seen their names reco●●ded in the book of life ; where as this is nothing but an illusion of that lying spirit , who knows the way to keep them for ever out of heaven , is , to make them believe they are there . it must be thy main care to walk even , in a jus● equidistance from both these extremes , and so to compose thy self , that thon maist be resolute without presumption , and careful without diffidence . and first , i advise thee to abandon those false teachers , whose trade is to improve their wits for the discomfort of souls , in broaching the sad doctrines of uncertainty and distrust : be sure , our saviour had never bidden his disciples to re●joyce that their names are written in heaven , if there had not been a particular enrolment of them ▪ or if that record had been alterable ; or if the same disciples could never have attained to the notice of such inscription . neither is this a mercy peculiar to his domestick followers alone , but universal to all that shall believe through their word ; even thou and i are spoken to in them , so sure as we have names , we may know them registred in those eternal records above . not that we should take an acesius his ladder , and climb up into heaven , and turn over the book of gods secret counsels , and read our selves designed to glory : but that as we by experience see that we can by reflections see and read those letters , which directly we cannot : so we may do here , in this highest of spiritual objects . the same apostle that gives us our charge , gives us withal our direction : wherefore ( saith he ) brethren , give all diligence to make your calling and election sure ; ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as divers copies read it ; by good works : ) for if ye do these things , ye shall never fall : for so an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour jesus christ. lo , first our calling , then our election : not that we should begin with heaven , and thence descend to the earth ; ( it is enough for the angels on that celestial ladder of jacob , to both descend , and ascend : ) but that we should from earth ascend to heaven ; from our calling to our election : as knowing that god shews what he hath done for us above , by that which he hath wrought in us here belowe . our calling therefore first ; not outward , and formal , but inward , and effectual . the spirit of god hath a voice , and our soul hath an ear : that voice of the spirit speaks inwardly , and effectually to the ear of the soul , calling us out of the state of corrupt nature , into the state of grace ; out of darkness into his marvellous light . by thy calling therefore maist thou judge of thine election : god never works in vain , neither doth he ●ver cast away his saving graces , ( what ever become of the common ; ) but whom he did predestinate , them also he called ; and whom he called , them he justified ; and whom he justified , them also he glorified . this doubtless , thou saist , is sure in it self ; but how is it assured to me ? resp. that which the apostle addes , ( as it is read in some copies ) by good works , ( if therein we also comprehend the acts of believing , and repenting ) is a notable evidence of our election : but not to urge that clause , which ( though read in the vulgar ) is found wanting in our editions ; the clear words of the text evince no less ; for , if ye do these things , ye shall never fall : here is our negative certainty : and for onr positive ; so , an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour jesus christ : lo , if we shall never fall , if we shall undoubtedly enter into the kingdom of christ ; what possible scruple can be made of the blessed accomplishment of our election ? what then are these things , which must be done by us ? cast your eyes upon that precious chain of graces which you shall finde stringed up in the fore going words ; if you adde to your faith , vertue ; and to vertue , knowledge ; and to knowledge , temperance ; and to temperance , patience ; and to patience godliness ; and to godliness , brotherly kindness , and to brotherly kindness , charitie . if you would know what god hath written concerning you in heaven , look into your own bosom , see what graces he hath there wrought in you : truth of grace ( saith the divine apostle ) will make good the certainty of your election . not to instance in the rest of that heavenly combination ; do but single out the first and the last , faith and charity : for faith , how clear is that of our saviour , he that believeth in him that sent me , hath everlasting-life , and shall not come into condemnation , but hath passed from death to life ? lo , what access can danger have into heaven ? all the peril is in the way : now the believer is already passed into life : this is the grace , by which christ dwells in our hearts ; and whereby we have communion with christ , and an assured testimony of , and from him : for , he that believeth in the son of god , hath the witness in himself : and what witness is that ? this is the record , that god hath given us eternal life ; and this life is in his son. he that hath the son , hath life . o happie and sure connexion ! eternal life first ; this life eternal is in and by christ jesus ; this jesus is ours by faith ; this faith witnesseth to our souls our assurance of life eternal . chari●y is the last ; which comprehends our love both to god and man : for from the reflection of gods love to us , there ariseth a love from us to god again : the beloved disciple can say . we love him , because he loved us first : and from both these , resulteth our love to our brethren : behold , so full an evidence , that the apostle tells us expresly , that we know we are passed from death to life , because we love the brethren : for the love of the father is inseparable from the love of the son : he that loveth him that begets , loves him that is begotten of him . now then , my son , deal unpartially with thine own heart ; ask of it seriously , as in the presence of the searcher of all hearts , whether thou dost not finde in thy self these unfailing evidences of thine election : art thou not effectually ( though not perfectly ) called out of the world , and corrupt nature ? dost thou not inwardly abhor thy former sinfull ways ? dost thou not think o● what thou wert with detestation ? dost thou not heartily desire and endeavour to be in all things approved to god , and conformed to thy saviour ? dost thou not gladly cast thy self upon the lord jesus , and depend upon his free all-sufficiency for pardon and salvation ? dost thou not love that infinite good●ness , who hath been so rich in mercies to thee ? dost thou not love and bless those gleams of goodness which he hath cast upon his saints on earth ? in plain terms , dost thou no● love a good man because he is good ? comfort thy self in the lord , my son ; let no fainting qualms of fear and distrust possess thy soul : faithful is he that hath called thee , who will also preserve thy whole spirit , and soul , and body blameless unto the coming of oer lord jesus christ. comfort against temptations . § . christ himself assaulted : our trial is for our good . thou art haunted with temptations : that which the enemy sees he cannot do by force or fraud , he seeks to effect by importunity . can this seem strange to thee , when thou seest the son of god in the wilderness fourty days and fourty nights under the hand of the tempter ? he that durst thus set upon the captain of our salvation , god blessed for ever ; how shall he spare frail flesh and blood ? why should that saviour of thine ( thinkst thou ) suffer himself to be tempted , if not to bear thee out in all thy temptations ? the keys of the bottomless pit are in his hands ; he could have shut up that presumptuous spirit under chains of darkness , so as he could have come no nearer to him then hell ; but he would let him loose , and permit him to do his worst , purposely , that we might not think much to be tempted , and that he might foyl that great enemy for us . canst thou think that he , who now sits at the right hand of majestie , commanding all the powers of heaven , earth , hell , could not easily keep off that malignant spirit from assailing thee ? canst thou think him lesse merciful then mighty ? would he die to save thee ? and will he turn that bandog of hell loose upon thee to worry thee ? dost thou not pray daily to thy father in heaven , that hee would not lead thee into temptation ? if thou knowest thou hast to doe with a god that heareth prayers , oh thou of little faith , why fearest thou ? loe , he that was led by his own divine spirit into the wildernesse to bee tempted of that evill spirit , bids thee pray to the father that he would not lead thee into temptation ; as implying that thou couldst not goe into temptation , unlesse he led thee ; and whiles he that is thy father leads thee , how canst thou miscarry ? let no man when he is tempted , say , i am tempted of god , for god cannot be tempted with evill , neither tempteth hee any man : god tempteth thee not , my sonne ; yet know , that being his , thou couldst not be tempted without him ; both permitting , and ordering that temptation to his owne glory , and thy good . that grace which thy god hath given thee , he will have thus exercised , thus manifested ; so wee have known some indulgent father , who being assured of the skill and valour of his deare son , puts him upon tiltings , and barriers , and publique duels , and lookes on with contentment , as well knowing that hee will come off with honour : how had wee known the admirable continency of good joseph , if hee had not been strongly solicited by a wanton mistresse ? how had wee known davids valour , if the philistims had not had a giantly challenger to encounter him ▪ how had wee knowne the invincible piety of the three children , if there had not beene a furnace to try them ? or of daniel , if there had been no lions to accompany him ? be confident , thy glory shall be according to the proportion of thy triall ; neither couldst thou ever bee so happy , if thou hadst not been beholden to temptations . §. . the powerfull assistance of gods spirit , and the example of s. paul. how often ( thou saist ) have i beaten off these wicked suggestions , yet still they turn upon me again , as if denials invited them , as if they meant to tire me with their continuall solicitations ; as if i must yeeld , & be over-laid , though not with their force , yet with their frequence ? know , my sonne , that thou hast to doe with spirituall wickednesses ; whose nature is therefore as unweariable , as their malice unsatisfiable : thou hast a spirit of thine owne , and besides , god hath given thee of his ; so as hee lookes thou shouldst , through the power of his gracious assistance , match the importunity of that evill spirit , with an indefatigable resistance : be strong therefore in the lord , and in the power of his might ; and put in the whole armour of god , that thou maist be able to withstand ●n the evill day , and having done all to stand : look upon a stronger champion then thy selfe , the blessed apostle ; thou shalt finde him in thine owne condition ; see the missenger of satan sent to buffet him ; and he did it to purpose ; how soundly was that chosen vessell buffeted on both sides , and how often ? thrice hee besought the lord that it might depart from him ; but even yet it would not be ; the temptation holds , onely a comfort shall countervaile it , my grace is sufficient for thee , for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse ▪ it is not so much to be considered how hard thou art laid at , as how strongly thou art upheld : how many with the blessed martyr theodorus , have upon racks and gibbets found their consolations stronger then their pains ? whiles therefore the goodnesse of thy god sustaines , and supplies thee with abundance of spirituall vigour and refreshment answerable to the worst of thine assaults , what cause hast thou to complain of suffering ? the advice is high and heroicall , which the apostle james , gives to his compatriots ; my brethren , count it all joy , when ye f●ll into divers temptations ; let those temptations be rather trials by afflictions , then suggestions of sin ; yet even those overcome yeeld no small cause of triumph ; for by them is our faith no lesse tried , and the trying of our saith worketh patience ; and the perfect work of patience is a blessed entirenesse of grace ; the number of enemies addes to the praise of the victory ; to overcome single temptations is commendable , but to subdue troopes of temptations is glorious . § . the restraint of our spirituall enemies , and their over-matching by the power of god. alas , thou saist , i am overlaid not with multitudes onely , but with power : in all challenges of duels , there is wont to be respect had to the equality both of the combatants and weapons ; but woe is me , how am i overmatched ! for me , i am a weak wretch ; and we wrestle not against flesh and blood , but against principalities and powers ; against the rulers of the darknesse of this world , against spirituall wickednesse in heavenly places : behold , the amorite , whose height is like the height of the cedars , and their strength as the strength of oaks : what are we but poor pismires in the valley , to these men of measures ? who can stand before these sonnes of anak ? i did not advise thee , my son , to be strong in thy self ; alas , we are all made up of weaknesse : one of those powers of darknesse were able to subdue a whole world of men ; but to bee strong in the lord , whose lowest angel is able to vanquish a whole hell of devils ; and in the power of his might , who commandeth the most furious of those infernal spirits to their chains : wo were us , if we were left in our own hands ; there were no way with us but foiling , and death : but , our help is in the name of the lord , who hath made heaven and earth . the lord is our strength and our shield ; he is our rock and our salvation ; he is our defence , so as we shall not be moved . it is he that hath girded us with strength unto battel , and that subdueth those that rise up against us . take courage therefore to thy self , man ; there cannot be so much difference betwixt thee , and those hellish powers , as there is betwixt them , and the almighty : their force is finite , and limited by his omnipotence . how fain dost thou think jannes and jambres , the great magicians of egypt , by the conjoyned powers of hell , would have made but a louse , in an affront to moses ? yet they could not . how earnestly was that legion of devils fain to beg but for leave to prevail over a few gaderene-swine ? how strong therefore soever they 〈◊〉 to thee , yet to him they are so meer weakness , that they cannot so much as move without him . who can fear a bear or a lion , when he sees them chained to their stake ? even children can behold them baited , when they see their restraint . look not upon thy self therefore ; look not upon them ; but look up to that over-ruling hand of the almighty , who ordinates all their motions to his own holy purposes , and even out of their malice , raises glory to himself , and advantage to his servants . §. . the advantage that is made to 〈◊〉 by our temptations and foils . it is a woful advantage , thou sayst , that i have made of temptations : for , alas , i have been shamefully foiled by them ; and what by their subtilty , and what by their violence , have been miscarried into a grievous sin against my god , and lie down in a just confusion of face to have been so miserably vanquished . hadst thou wanted tears , my son , for thine offence , i should willingly have lent thee some : it is indeed a heavie case , that thou hast given thy deadly enemy this cause to triumph over thee , and hast thus provoked thy god : be thou thorowly humbled under the consci●ence of thy sin , and be not too sudden in snatching a pardon out of the hand which thou hast offended : be humbled ; but after thou hast made thy peace with god , by a serious repentance , be not disheartned with thy fa●lings ; neither do i fear to tell thee of an advantage to be made , not of thy temptations onely , but even of thy sin : what art thou other then a gainer , if having been beaten down to thy knees , thou hast in an holy indignation risen up , and fought so much the more valiantly ? a wound received , doth but whet the edge of true fortitude : many a one had never been victorious , if he had not seen himself bleed first . look where thou wilt , upon all the saints of god ; mark if thou canst see any one of them without his scars : oh the fearful gashes that we have seen in the noblest of gods champions upon earth , whose courage had never been raised so high , if it had not been out of the sense of some former discomfitures ! as some well-spirited wrestler , therefore , be not so much troubled with thy fall , as zealous to repay it with a more successful grapling . we know ( saith the blessed apostle ) that all things work together for good to them that love god : all things ; yea , even those that are worse then nothing , their very sins . the corinthians offended in their silent connivence at the incestuous person : the apostles reproof produceth their sorrow : what was the issue ? for behold , this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort , what carefulness it wrought in you ? yea , what clearing of your selves ; yea , what indignation , yea , what fear , yea , what vehement desire , yea , what zeal , yea , what revenge ? lo , what a marvellous advantage is here made of one offence ? what hath satan now gotten by this match ? one poor corinthian is mis-led to an incestuous copulation : the evil spirit rejoyceth to have got such a prey ; but how long shall he enjoy it ? soon after the offending soul , upon the apostles holy censure is reclaimed ; he is delivered over to satan , that satan should never possess him . the corinthians are raised to a greater height of godly zeal then ever . corinth had never been so rich in grace , if it had not been defiled with so foul a crime . say now , whether this be not , in effect , thy case ? shouldst thou ever have so much hated thy sin , if thou hadst not been drawn in to commit it ? shouldst thou have found in thy self so fervent love to thy god , if it had not been out of the sense of his great mercy in remitting it ? wouldst thou have been so wary of thy steps as now thou art , if thou hadst never slipped ? give glory to god , my son , whiles thou givest shame to thy self ; and bless him for the benefit that he hath been pleased to make of thine offending him . § . ●omplaint 〈◊〉 relapses 〈◊〉 to sin ; ●ith the ●●medy ●ereof . but , alas , thou sayst , my case is far worse then it is conceived ; i have been more then once miscarried into the same sin : even after i have made profession of my repentance , i have been transported into my former wickedness : having washed off my sin ( as i thought ) with my many tears , yet i have suffered my soul to be defiled with it again . i may not flatter thee , my son ; this condition is dangerous . those diseases , which upon their first seizure have without any great peril of the patient received cure , after a recidivation have threatned death . look upon the saints of god , thou shalt finde they have kept aloof from that fire wherewith they have been formerly burnt : thou shalt not finde noah again uncovered through drunkenness in his tent ; thou shalt not finde judah climbing up again to tamars bed ; thou shalt not take peter again in the high-priests hall denying his master ; or ( after pauls reproof ) halting in his dissimulation . but , tell me , notwithstanding , art thou truly serious with thy god ? hast thou doubled thine humiliation for the reduplication of thine offence ? hast thou sought god so much the more instantly with an unfained contrition of heart ? hast thou found thy soul wrought to so much greater detestation of thy sin , as thine acquain●tance with it hath been more ? hast thou taken this occasion to lay better hold on thy saviour , and to reinforce the vows of thy more careful and strict obedience ? be of good chear ; this unpurposed reiteration of thy sin , shall be no prejudice to thy salvation . it is one thing for a man to walk on willingly in a beaten path of sin ; another thing for a man to be justled out of the way of righteousness by the violence of a temptation , which he soon recovers again by a sound repentance . the best cannot but be overtaken with sin : but , he that is born of god , doth not commit sin : he may be transported whither he meant not , but he makes not a trade of doing ill : his heart is against that which his hand is drawn unto : and if in this inward strife he be over-powered , he lies not down in a willing yeeldance , but struggles up again , and in a resumed courage and indignation tramples on that which formerly supplanted him . didst thou give thy self over to a resolved course of sinning , and betwixt whiles shouldst knock thy brest with a formal god forgive me , i should have no comfort in store for thee , but send thee rather to the whipping-stock of the almighty for due correction , if possibly those seasonable stripes may prevent thine everlasting torments : but now , since what thou hatest , that thou doest ; and thou doest that which thou wouldst not ; and it is no more th●u that doest it , but sin that dwells in thee ; cry out as much as thou wilt on the sinfulness of thy sin ; bewail thy weakness with a better man then thy self ; o wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! but know , that thou hast found mercy with thy god : thy repeated sin may grieve , but cannot hurt thy soul. had we to do with a finite compassion , it might be abated by spending it self upon a frequent remission ; like as some great river may be drawn dry by many small out-lets : but now that we deal with a god whose mercy is as himself , infinite ; it is not the greatness or the number of our offences that can make a difference in his free remissions : that god who hath charged our weak charity not to be overcome with evil , but to overcome evil with good , justly scorneth that we should think his infinite and incomprehensible goodness can be checked with our evil . it was not without a singular providence , that peter came to our saviour with that question in his mouth , lord , how often shall my brother sin against me , and i forgive him ? till seven times ? that it might fetch from that blessed son of god that gracious answer , for our perpetual direction and comfort ; i say not unto thee , until seven times , but until seventy times seven . lord , if thou wouldst have us sinful men thus indulgent to one another , in the case of our mutual offences ; what limits can be set to thy mercies in our sins against thee ? be we penitent , thou canst not but be gracious . comforts against weakness of grace . §. . comfort from the common condition of all saints . thou complainest of the weakness of grace ; some little stirrings thou feelest of gods spirit within thee ; but so feeble , that thou canst not finde any solid comfort in them : thou seest others ( thou sayst ) whose brests are full of milk , and their bones moistned with marrow , whiles thou languishest under a spiritual leanness and imbecillity : thou wantest that vigorous heat of holy affections , and that alacrity in the performance of holy duties , which thou observest in other christians . i love this complaint of thine , my son ; and tell thee , that without this thou couldst not be in the way of being happie . thinkst thou that those whom thou esteemest more eminent in grace , make not the same moan that thou dost ? certainly , they never had any grace , if they did not complain to have too little : every man best feels his own wants , and is ready to pass secret censures upon himself for that , wherein he is applauded by others : even the man after gods own heart can say , but i am poor and sorrowful : he was a great king when he said so ; it was not meanness in outward estate that troubled him , but a spiritual neediness : for he had before , in the same heavenly ditty , professed , o god , thou knowest my foolishnesse , and my guiltinesse is not hid from thee : it was an old observation of wise solomon ; there is that maketh himselfe rich , and hath nothing ; there is that maketh himselfe poore , yet hath great riches ; in this latter rank are many gracious soules , and thine ( i hope ) for one ; who certainly , had never been so wealthy in grace , if they had been conceited of greater store : even in this sense many a saint may say with saint paul , when i am weak , then i am strong : since the very complaint of weaknesse , argues strength ; and on the contrary , an opinion of sufficient grace , is an evident conviction of meere emptinesse . §. . comfort from the improvement of weak graces ; and gods free distribution . but suppose thy selfe , so poor as thou pretendest ; it is not so much what we have , as how we improve it . how many have we known that have grown rich out of a little , whereas others out of a great stock have run into debt and beggery ? had that servant in the gospel , who received but one talent , imployed it to the gain of a second , he had been proportionably as well rewarded as he that with five gained ten . in our temporall estate we are warned by the wisest man to take heed of making haste to be rich ; and the great apostle tels us , that he that would bee rich fals into many temptations ; surely , there is no small danger also in affecting to be too suddenly rich in the endowments of the soule ; this cannot but be accompanied with the temptation of an unthankfull distrust ; for on the one side , he that beleeves makes not haste ; and on the other , we cannot bee sufficiently thankfull for what we have , whiles we doe over-eagerly reach after what wee have not . tell me , thou querulous soul , dost thou not ackowledge what thou hast to be the gift of god ? and wilt thou not allow the great benefactor of heaven to dispense his own favours as he pleaseth ? if he think fit rather to fill thy vessell with drops of grace , art thou discontented because hee doth not pour out his spirit upon thee in full v●als ? if thou have have any at all , it is more then he owes thee , more then thou canst repay him ; take what thou hast as an earnest of more ; and wait thankfully upon his bounty for the rest : is it not mee● in a free gift to attend the leasure of the donor ? what sturdy , and ill mannerd beggers are we , if we will not ●●ay at the doore till we be served ; and grudge at our almes when it comes ? look upon the father of the faithfull , thou shalt finde him fourscore and sixe yeares childlesse ; and at last after he had got an ismael , hee must wait fourteen yeers more for the promised seed ; and when hee had enjoyed him not much longer then he expected him , he must then sacrifice him to the giver : thus , thus my son must our faith bee exercised in attendance both for time , and measure of mercy . §. . comfort from gods acceptation of truth , not quantity . thy graces are weak ; yet , if true , discomfort not thy selfe ; how many weak bodies have we knowne which with careful tendance , have enjoyed better and longer health , then those that have had bigger limbs , and more brawny armes ? neither is it otherwise in the soul ; soundnesse of grace is health ; increased degrees of grace make up the strength of that spirituall part ; if thou have but this health tenderly observed , thou maist be happy in the enjoying of thy god , although more happy in a comfortable sense of a stronger fruition . we have to do with a god that stands not so much upon quantity , as truth of grace ; he knowes we can have nothing but what hee gives us , and inables us to improve ; and where he sees our wils and endeavours not wanting , he is ready to accept and crown his owne gifts in us : he will not break the bruised reed , nor quench the smoaking flax . §. . comfort from the variety of gods gifts , and the ages and statures of grace . thou art weak in grace : be not discouraged , my son , there are all ages , all statures in christ : shall the child repine that he is not suddenly grown a man ? shall the dwarf quarrell that he is not a giant ? were there a standerd of graces , lesse then which would not be accepted , thou hadst reason to bee troubled ; but it is so far from that , as that our saviour hath encharged , suffer little children to come to me , and forbid them not , for of such is the kingdome of heaven . in some legall oblations it pleased god to regard time and age ; the lamb for the passeover , and for the peace-offering ; the bullock for the sin offering of israel , have their date assigned ; and in divers cases he hath called for two turtle doves , or two young pigeons : young turtles , and old doves , in the mean while , ( according to our jewish doctors ) were unlawfull to bee offered ; but in our spirituall sacrifices all ages are equally accepted ; he that is eternall regards not time ; he that is infinite and almighty regards not statures ; even the eleventh houre carried the peny as well as the first : and , let the weak say , i am strong . §. . comfort from the safety of our leasurely progresse in grace . it troubles thee that thou hast made so slow progresse in graces ; thy desire is to heaven-ward , & thou checkest thy self for no more speed : it is an happy ambition that carries thee on in that way to blessednesse . quicken thy selfe what thou mayst , with all gracious incitations in that holy course : but know , my son , that we may not alwaies hope to goe thitherward on the spurre ; in that passage there are waies that will not admit of h●ste ; how many have we known that by too much forwardness have been cast back in their journey , whether through want of breath , or mistaking their way , or mis-placing their steps ? i praise thee , that it is the desire of thy soul to run the way of gods commandments ; and do encourage thine holy zeal in speeding that holy race ; ever praying thou mayst so run , as that thou mayst obtain . but withal , i must tell thee , that , blessed is the man that doth but walk in the law of the lord : whiles thou passest on , though but a foot-pace , thou art every step neerer to thy glory : so long as thou riddest way , thou art safe : blessed is the man whose strength is in thee , o god ; in whose heart are thy wayes ; who passing through the vale of misery , goes on from strength to strength , till he appear before thee his god in sion . §. . comfort from our good desires and endevours . thy grace is little ; but thou wishest and labourest for more ; this is a good beginning of heavenly wealth : hee is in a good way to riches , that desires to thrive : never any holy soule lost her longing : if thy wishes be hearty and serious , thou hast that which thou cravest , or at least bee sure thou shalt have : if any man ●ick wisdome , let him aske of god , who giveth to all men liberally , and upbraideth no man , and it shall bee given him : were this condition offered us for worldly riches , who would be poore ? if we imbrace it not in spirituall , either wee distrust the promises , or neglect our own mercies : in these temporall things how many have so eagerly followed the chase of the world , that they have over-runne it , and whiles they have greedily swallowed gain , have been choaked with it ? but in those better blessings , earnestness● of desi●● , ●nd fervour of prosecution , was never but answered with a gracious impetration . §. . comfort from the happiness of an humble poverty . thou art poore in grace , but in an humble self-dejection longest for more ; know , that an humble poverty , is better then a proud fulnesse ; wert thou poore and proud , there were no hope of thy proficiency : thy false conceit lies in the way of thy thrift ; and many a one had been gracious , if they had not so thought themselves : but now , that thou art meaner in thine opinion , then in thine estate , who can more justly challenge our saviours blessing , blessed are the poor in spirit ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ? thou art weak in grace ; it is thine own fault if thou gettest not more strength : wherefore serves that heavenly food of the word and sacraments , but to nourish thy soul to eternal life ? do but eat and digest , and thou canst not but grow stronger : god will not be wanting to thee in an increase of grace , if thou be not wanting to thy self : he offers his spirit to thee with the means ; it is thy sinful neglect , if thou separate them : thou knowest in whose hands is the staff of bread ; pray that he who gives thee the food and the mouth , would also give thee appetite , digestion , nourishment . § . an incitement to more caution , an● faster adherence t● god. thy grace is weak : it concerns thee so much the more to be cautious in avoiding occasions of temptation . he that carries brittle glasses , is chary of them , that they take not a knock ; whereas strong metal fears no danger . he that hath but a small rush-candle , walks softly , and keeps off every air : thou art weak , thy god is strong : dost thou not see the feeble childe that findes hee cannot goe alone , how fast he clings to the hand of his mother ; more trusting to her helpe , then his owne strength ; doe thou so to thy god ; and say with the blessed psalmist ; hold up my goings in thy pathes , that my footsteps slip not ; hold thou mee up , and i shall bee safe ; vphold me according to thy word , that i may live , and let me not bee ashamed of my hop●● peter was a bold man , that durst step forth and set his foot upon the liquid face of the waters ; but he that ventured to walk there , upon the strength of his faith , when hee felt the stiffe winde , and saw the great billow , began to sinke in his weaknesse ; but no sooner had jesus stretched forth his hand , and caught him , then he takes courage , and walks now with the same confidence upon the sea , that hee wont to walk on the l●nd : together with a check , hee receives more supportation from christ , then his owne legges could afford him : feare no miscarriage through thine own weaknesse , whiles thou art held up by that● strong helper . comforts against infamy and disgrace . § . comforts from like sufferings● of the holiest , yea , of christ himself . next to our body and soul , is the care of our reputation ; which whoso hath lost , is no better then civilly dead . thou sufferest under a publike infamy , i do not ask how justly : he was a wise man that said , it was fit for every good man to fear even a false reproach : a good name is no less wounded for the time with that , then with a just crimination . this is a sore evil , my son , and such , as against which there is no preservative , and for which there is hardly any remedy : innocence it self is no antidote against evil tongues : neither greatness nor sanctity can secure any man from unjust calumny . might that be any ease to thy heart , i could tell thee of the greatest of kings , and holiest of saints , that have grievously complained of this mischief , and yet were not able to help them● selves : thou hast the company of the best that ever the earth bore , if that may be any mitigation of thy misery : yea , what do i speak of sinful men , whose greatest purity might be blurred with some imperfections ? look upon the lord of life , the eternal son of the ever-living god , god cloathed in flesh ; and see whether any other were his lot , whiles he sojourned in this region of mortality ; dost thou not heare him for his gracious sociablenesse , branded as a man gluttonous , a wine-bibber , a friend of publicanes and sinners ? dost thou not heare him for his powerfull and mercifull cure of demoniacks , blazoned for a fellow that casts out devils through beelzebub the prince of the devils ? dost thou not heare him sclandred to death for treason against caesar , and blasphemy against god ? dost thou not heare the multitude say , hee is madd , and hath a devil ? dost thou not heare him after his death charged with imposture ? and can there bee any worse names then glutton , dtunkard , conjurer , traytor , blasphemer , mad man , demoniack , impostor ? who now can henceforth thinke much to bee sclandered with meaner crimes , when hee heares the most holy sonne of god , in whose mouth was no guile , & in whom the prince of this world could finde nothing , laden with so hainous calumniations ? § . comfort of our recourse to god. thou art smitten with a foule tongue ; i marvell not if it goe deep into thy soule ; that man gave an high praise to his sword , that said it was sharper then sclander ; and if a rasour bee yet sharper , such did david finde the edomites tongue : and if these wea●pons , reach not yet farre enough , he found both spears and arrows in the mouthes of his traducers . lo , thou art but in the same case with the man after gods own heart : what shouldst thou do , but for davids complaint , make use of davids remedy ? i will cry unto god most high ; unto god that performeth all things for me : he shall send from heaven , and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up : god shall send forth his mercy and his truth . do by thy slander , as hezekiah did by the railing lines of rabshak●h , spread them before the lord , and leave thy quarrel in the just hands of that great arbiter of heaven and earth , who will be sure in his good time to revenge thy wrong , and to clear thine innocence , and will requite thee good for these causless curses . § . comfort from the clearness of our conscience . in the mean while , thou sayst , i stand blemished with an odious aspersion ; my name passes thorow many a foul mouth . thou hearest , my son , what some others say ; but what dost thou hear from the bird in thy bosom ? if thy conscience acquit thee , and pronounce thee guiltless , obdure thy fore-head against all the spight of malice : what is ill fame , but a little corrupted , unsavoury breath ? do but turn away thine ear , that thou receive it not , and what art thou the worse ? oh thy weakness , if thou suffer thy self to be blown over by the meer air of some putrified lungs , which if thou doe but a little decline by shifting thy foot , will soon vanish . § . comfort from the improvement of our reason . thou art under ill tongues ; this is an evill proper onely to man ; other creatures are no lesse subject to disease , to death , to outward violence then hee ; but none else can bee obnoxious to a detraction ; sith none other is capable of speech , whereout a sclander can bee formed ; they have their severall sounds and notes of expression , whereby they can signifie their dislike and anger ; but onely man can cloathe his angry thoughts with words of offence ; so as that faculty which was given him for an advan●tage , is depraved to a further mischiefe ; but the same liberall hand of his creatour hath also indued him with a property of reason , which as it ought to direct his language to others , so also to teach him how to make use of others language to him ; and where he findes it wrongfull , either to convince it by a just apology , or to contemn it ; if therefore thou understandest thy self to lye under an unjust obloquie , have so much of the man in thee , as either to confute or despise it . § . comfort from the cause of our suffering . thou art shamefully traduced ; i could pity thy suffering , but withall give mee leave to enquire not so much what thou sufferest , as for what ; if for a good cause , i shall turn my pity into envie : truth it self hath told thee , thou art in the way to blessedness : who can pity thee for that wherein thou hast cause to rejoyce ? blessed are ye when men revile you , and persecute you , and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly , for my sake : rejoyce , and be exceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven . yea , rather pluck up thy spirits , and take up the resolution of holy job ; if mine adversary had written a book against me , surely i would take it upon my shoulders , and binde it as a crown to me : and say with that gracious king of israel , i will be yet more vile for the lord. § . comforts from our env●ed vertue . thou art reproached by lewd men : thank thine own vertue that thou art envied ; wert thou so bad as thy detractors , thou shouldst sit quiet enough ; if yee were of the world , saith our saviour , the world would love his owne ; but because yee are not of the world , but i have chosen you out of the world , therefore the world hateth you . whiles the moon sits , no dogs bark at her ; it is her shining that opens their mouth : wert thou either obscure or wicked , thou mightst be safe ; but if thou wilt needs bee eminently good , look for the lashes of ill tongues : they think it strange that yee run not with them into the same excesse of riot , speaking evill of you , saith the prime apostle . it was not without reason that the great musitian in the story struck his scholar , because he saw the multitude applaud his skill ; as well knowing that had he been true to his art , those mis-judging eares could not have approved him : what more excellent instruments had god ever in his church then the blessed apostles , and what acceptation found they on the earth ? being defamed , we intreat ; wee are made as the filth of the world , and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day : wee are made a spectacle to the world , to angels , and to men . complain if thou canst of a worse condition then these great ambassadors of the high god ; otherwise , resolve with the chosen vessell , to passe cheerfully through honour , and dishonour , through evill report and good report , towards the goale of immortality . § . comfort from others s●eighting of reproaches . thou art disgraced through sclanderons reports . it is not meer air that we live by ; how many hast thou known that have blown over a just infamy with a carelesse neglect ? pleasing themselves to think that they have thriven even under curses ; and shall their guiltinesse be entertained with more courage then thine innocence ? let those whose heart is as foule as their name , be troubled with deserved censures ; doe not thou give so much way to malice , as to yeeld any regard to her misraised suggestions ; thou canst not devise how more to vexe a detractor , then by contempt ; thus thou shalt force spight , as that wise heathen truly said , to drink off the greatest part of her own poyson . §. . comfort from the narrow bounds of infamy . thou art disgraced with an ill fame : what a poore matter is this ? how farre dost thou think that sound reacheth ? perhaps to the next village , perhaps further to the whole shire wherein thou dwellest ; it is like the next county never heard of thy name ; and if thou look yet further off ; assoon moist thou be talkt of amongst the antipodes , as in the neighbouring region : and what a small spot of earth is this to which thy shame is confined ? didst thou know the vast extent of this great world , thou wouldst easily see into how narrow a corner our either glory , or dishonour can be pent up : and shouldst confesse how little reason we can have to affect the one , or be disheartned with the other . §. . comfort from the short life of slander . thou art wronged with an unjust disgrace ; have patience a while ; sclanders are not long liv'd : truth is the child of time ; ere long she shall appeare and vindicate thee . wait upon the god of truth , who shall cause thy light to break forth as the morning ; and thine health to spring forth speedily : but if otherwise , what speakest thou of his name , which as it is locall , so it is momentany , soo● passed over in silence , and oblivion ; there is a shame , my son , which is worthy of thy fear ; which is both universall , before the face of all the world of angels , and men , and beyond the reach of time , eternall ; fear this , and contemn the other ; on the contrary , if fame should befriend thee so much , as to strain her cheeks in sounding thy praises ; and should cry thee up for vertuous , and eminent every way ; alas , how few shall hear her , and how soon is that noyse stilled , and forgotten ? shortly then , let it be thy main care to d● mean thy selfe holily and conscionably before god and men ; leave the rest upon god , who shall be sure to make his word good in spight of men and devils ; the memory of the just shall be blessed , but the name of the wicked shall rot . comforts against publique calamities . §. . comfort from the inevitable necessity of changes , and gods over-ruling them . thou art afflicted with the publique calamities ; so it becomes thee as a good man , a good christian , a good patriot . wee are not entire peeces , but are all limbs of a community both of church and kingdome ; whiles the whole body suffers , how can we be free ? this should be no news to us ; what earthly kingdome or sate hath ever enjoyed a constant felicity ? these publique bodies , like as single persons , have their birth , their infancy , their youth , their vigour , their declinations : even the white marble of that famous embleme , and type of gods church , after not many centuries of yeares felt the dint of time , and mouldred to nothing ; it is as much as those heavenly bodies above can doe , to avoid change : well might we be distracted with these troubles , my son , if we did not well know whence they come , even from a most wise , holy , powerfull , just providence : hee that sits in heaven orders these earthly affaires according to the eternall counsell of his will ; it is that almighty hand that holds the stern of this tossed vessel , and steers it in that course which he knows best : it is not for us that are passengers to meddle with the ●ard or compass : let that all-skilful pilot alone with his own work ; he knows every rock and shelf that may endanger it , and can cut the proudest billow that threatens it , with ease : it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good . § . the sense and sympathy of common evils . were there no other respects then personal , i cannot blame thee if thy fears strive with thy grief for the publike evils : every mans interest is involved in the common : and if the ship sink , what will become of the passengers ? but withal , there is a kinde of inbred sympathy in every good heart , which gives us a share in all others miseries , and affects us more deeply for them , then for our own . old indulgent eli loved his sons too well , and was therefore no doubt very sensible of their death ; yet that part of the news passed over with some , not mortal , passion : but when he heard of the ark of god taken , now his neck and his heart were broken together : and his religious daughter in law , though she were delivered upon this report , of a son , yet she died in travel of that heavie news , and could live onely to say , i●habod , the glory is departed from israel , for the ark of god is taken : disregarding her new son , when she heard of the loss of her people , and of her god. how many pagans have we read of , that have died resolutely for their country , chearfully sacrificing themselves to the publike ? how many that would die with their country , hating to think of over-living the common ruine ? how many that have professed a scorn to be beholden for their lives to their peoples murtherer ? we shall as soon extinguish both grace and nature , as quit this compassionate sense of the common calamities . § . comfort from the sure protection of the almighty . thou grievest for the publike distempers : mourn not as one without faith : be sure , he that keepeth israel , will neither slumber nor sleep . wherefore was the holy tabernacle over-spred with a strong tent of skins , but to figure out unto us gods church sheltred under a sure protection ? he that was so curious of the custody of his material temple , by night as well as by day , that a sleeping levite might not escape beating , and burning of garments ; how careful do we think he will ever be of his spiritual & living house ? how unmeet judges are we of his holy proceedings ? we are ready to measure his love still by an outward prosperity , then which nothing can be more uncertain : the almighty goes by other rules , such as are most consonant to his infinite justice and mercy . i am abashed to hear a pagan , though no vulgar one , say , whatsoever is brought to pass , a wise man thinks ought to be so done ; neither goes about to rebuke nature , but findes it best to suffer what he cannot alter . and shall we christians repine at those seemingly harsh events , which we see fall out in gods church , whiles we are ignorant of his designes ? and be ready to bless a thriving prophaneness ? look abroad upon the ancient lot of gods inheritance , and their corrivals in glory ; thou shalt see the family of esau flourishing and renowned , yeelding besides dukes , eight kings of his line , whiles poor israel was toyling and sweating in the egyptian furnaces ; yet we know the word to stand inviolable , the elder shall serve the younger ; and , jacob have i loved , esau i have hated : what if that great and wise god ( who works oft-times by contraries , and brings light out of darkness ) have purposed to fetch honour and happiness to his church out of this sad affliction ? metals are never so bright as when they are scoured : perfumes and spices never so redolent , as when they have felt the fire , and the p●stle . wilt thou not give the physitian leave to make use of his mithridate , because there are vipers in the composition ? how unworthy art thou of health , if thou wilt no trust the fidelity and skill of the artist in mixing so wholsome a cordial ? § . consideration of the justice of gods proceedings . thou art troubled with the publike miseries : take heed that thy grief be clear of all impiety . wouldst thou not have god to be just , that is , himself ? wouldst thou not allow it an act of his justice to punish sins ? canst thou deny that our sins have reacht up to heaven , and called for judgement ? why is the living man sorrowful ? man suffereth for his sins . i read of a devout man that was instant with god in his prayers for a nation not far off , and was answered , suffer the proud to be humbled : whether we will suffer it or no , the just god will humble the proud , and punish the sinful . the wonderful patience , and infinite justice of the almighty , hath set a stint to the wickedness of every people : the iniquity of the amorites is not yet full , saith god to abraham ; when the measure is once made up ▪ it is time for god to strike ; we shall then complain in vain , and too late . wouldst thou know then what is to be done for the preventing of a destructive vengeance ? there is no way under heaven , but this , to break off our sins by a seasonable and serious repentance : by the united forces of our holy resolutions , and endeavours , to make an head against the over-bearing wickedness of the time ; and not to suffer it to fill up towards the brim of that fatal ephah ; till which time the long-suffering god onely threatens and corrects a people ; but then he plagues them ; and stands upon the necessity of his inviolable justice : shall i not visit for these things , saith the lord ? and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this ? § . the remedy ; our particular repentance thou mournest for the common sufferings : thou dost well ; our tears can never be better bestowed . but the while , is not thine hand in them ? have not thy sins helped to make up this irritating heap ? hast no ▪ thou cast in thy symbole into the common shot ? may not the times justly challenge thee in part , as accessary to their misery ? begin at home , my son , if thou wish well to the publike ; and make thine own peace with thy god for thy particular offences . renew thy covenant with god of a more holy and strict obedience ; and then pour out thy prayers and tears for an universal mercy : so shalt thou not onely pull away one brand from this consuming fire , but help effectually to quench the common conflagration . § . the unspeakable miseries of a civil war. thy heart bleeds to see the woful vastation of civil discord , and the deadly fury of home-bread enemies : certainly there is nothing under heaven more gastly and dreadful then the face of an intestine war ; nothing that doth so neerly resemble hell : wo is me ; here is altogether killing , and dying , and torturing , and burning , and shrieks , and cries , and ejulations , and fearful sounds , and furious violences , and whatsoever may either cause or increase horrour : the present calamity oppresses one , another fear : one is quivering in death , another trembles to expect it : one beggs for life , another will sell it dearer : here one would rescue one life , and loseth two ; there another would hide himself where he findes a merciless death : here lies one bleeding , and groaning ▪ and gasping , parting with his soul in extremity of anguish ; there another of stronger spirits , kills , and dies at once : here one wrings her hands , and tears her hair , and seeks for some instrument of a self-inflicted death , rather then yeeld her chaste body to the lust of a bloody ravisher ; there another clings inseparably to a dear husband , and will rather take part of the murtherers sword , then let go her last embraces : here one tortured for the discovery of hid treasure , there another dying upon the rack out of jealousie . oh that one man , one christian , should be so bloodily cruel to another ! oh that he who bears the image of the merciful god , should thus turn fiend to his own flesh and blood ! these are terrible things , my son ; and worthy of our bitterest lamentations , and just fears . i love the speculation of seneca's resolutely-wise man , that could look upon the glittering sword of an executioner with erected and undazeled eyes , and that makes it no matter of difference whether his soul pass out at his mouth , or at his throat ; but i should more admire the practice ; whiles we carry this clay about us , nature cannot but in the holiest men shrink in at the sight and sense of these tyrannous and tragical acts of death : yet even these are the due revenges of the almighties punitive justice , so provoked by our sins as that it may not take up with an easier judgement : dost thou not see it ordinary with our physitians , when they finde the body highly distempered , and the blood foul , and inflamed , to order the opening of a vein , and the drawing out of so many ounces , as may leave the rest meet for correction ? why art thou over-troubled to see the great physitian of the world take this course with sinful mankinde ? certainly , had not this great body , by mis dieting and wilful disorder , contracted these spiritual diseases under which we languish ; had it not impured the blood that runs in these common veins , with riot , and surfets , we had never been so miserable , as to see these torrents of christian blood running down our chanels . now yet as it is , could we bewail and abandon our former wickedness , we might live in hope , that at the last this deadly issue might stop , and dry up ; and that there might be yet left a possibility of a blessed recovery . § . the woful miseries of pestilence , allaid by consideration of the hand that smites us . thou art confounded with grief , to see the pestilence raging in our streets ; in so frequent a mortality as breeds a question concerning the number of the living , and the dead : that which is wont to abate other miseries , heightens this , the company of participants . it was certainly a very hard , and sad option that god gave to king david , after his sin of numbring bring the people ; chuse thee whether seven yeers famine shall come unto thee in thy land , or three moneths flight before thine enemies , or three days pestilence : we may believe the good king , when we hear him say , i am in a great strait : doubtless so he was : but his wise resolutions have soon brought him out : let us fall now into the hand of the lord , ( for his mercies are great ; ) and let me not fall into the hand of man. he that was to send these evils , knew their value , and the difference of their malignity : yet he opposes three days pestilence , to seven yeers famine , and three months vanquishment : so much oddes he knew there was betwixt the dull activity of man , and the quick dispatch of an angel ! it was a favour that the angel of death , who in one night destroyed an hundred fourscore and five thousand assyrians , should in three daies cut off but seventy thousand israelites ; it was a great mercy that it was no worse : we read of one ( city shall i call it , or region , of cayro ) wherein eighteen hundred thousand were swept away in one years pestilence ; enow , one would think to have peopled the whole earth : and in our own chronicles of so generall a mortality , that the living were hardly sufficient to bury the dead . these are dreadfull demonstrations of gods heavy displeasure ; but yet there is this alleviation of our misery , that we suffer more immediatly from an holy , just , mercifull god ; the kingly prophet had never made that distinction in his wofull choyce , if he had not known a notable difference betwixt the sword of an angell , and an enemy , betwixt gods more direct and immediate infliction , and that which is derived to us through the malice of men ; it was but a poor consolation that is given by a victorious enemy , to dying lausus , in the poet ; comfort thy selfe in thy death with this , that thou fallest by the hand of great aeneas : but surely , we have just reason to ●aise comfort to our souls , when the pains of a pestilentiall death compasse us about , from the thought and intuition of that holy and gracious hand , under which we suffer ; so as we can say with good eli , it is the lord. it is not amisse that we call those marks of deadly infection , gods tokens , such sure they are : and ought therefore to call up our eyes and hearts to that almighty power that sends them , with the faithfull resolution of holy iob , though thou kill me , yet will i trust in thee : it is none of the least miseries of contagious sicknesse , that it bars us from the comfortable society and attendance of friends , or , if otherwise , repaies their love and kinde visitation with death : be not dismaid , my son , with this sad solitude ; thou hast company with thee whom no infection can indanger , or exclude , there is an invisible friend that will be sure to stick by thee so much more closely , by how much thou art more avoided by neighbours , and will make all thy bed in thy sickness , and supply thee with those cordialls which thou shouldst in vain expect from earthly visitants : indeed , justly doe we style this , the sicknesse , eminently grievous both for the deadlinesse , and generality of the dispersion ; yet there is a remedy that can both cure and con●ine it ; let but every man look well to the plague of his own heart , and the land is healed . can we with david , but see the angell that smites us , and erect an altar ; and offer to god the sacrifices of our praiers , penitence , obedience ; we shall hear him say , it is enough : the time was , ( and that time may not be forgotten ) when in the dayes of our late soveraigne , our mother city was almost desolated with this mortall infection , when thousands fell at our side , and ten thousands at our right hand ▪ upon the publique humiliation of our soules , the mercy of the almighty was pleased to command that raging disease in the height of its fury ( like somehead-strong horse in the midst of his career ) to stop on the sudden , and to leave us at once ( ere wee could think of it ) both safe and healthfull : this was the lords doing , and it was marvellous in our eyes : behold , the lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save , neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear ; the same mercy is everlasting , the same remedy certain ; be wee but penitent , and wee cannot be miserable . comforts against losse of friends . § . the true value of a friend , and the fault of over-prizing him . thou hast lost thy friend ; thy sorrow is just ; the earth hath nothing more precious then that which thou hast parted with : for what is a friend , but a mans selfe in another skin , a soul divided into two bodies , both which are animated by the same spirit : it is somewhat worse with thee therefore , then with a palsied man , whose one halfe is stricken with a dead kinde of numnesse , he hath lost but the use of one side of his body , thou the one halfe of thy soul. or may i not with better warrant say that a true friend hath as it were , two soules in one body , his own , and his friends ? sure i am , so it was with jonathan and david ; the soule of jonathan was knit with the soule of david , and ionathan loved him as his owne soul : still the more goodnesse , the stronger union ; meer nature can never be so fast a cement of soules , as grace ; for here the union is wrought by a better spirit then our owne , even that blessed spirit who styles himselfe by the name of love ; by how much greater thine affection was , so much heavie● is thy losse . but let mee tell thee , i feare thou art too much accessary to thine owne affliction : didst thou look for this losse ? did thy heart say , what if we should part ? didst thou not over-enjoy this blessing whilest thou hadst it ? surely , these are no small disadvantages ; as every other evill , so this especially is aggravated by our unexpectation ; neither hadst thou been so oppressed with this sorrow , if thou hadst fore-seene it , and met it on the way : it is our weak inconsideration , if we do so welcome these earthly comforts , not as guests , but as in-mates ; and as some that are importuntely hospitable , so entertain our friends , that we cannot abide to give them leave to depart : whereas we ought , according to the wise advice of our seneca , ( not much abluding from the counsel of that blessed apostle with whom he is said to have interchanged letters ) so to possess them , as those that make account to forgo them ; and so forgo them , as if we possessed them still . § . the tru● ground of a● undefeisible enjoying of our friends . thou art grieved for the loss of a dear friend : take heed lest thy love had too much of the man , and too little of god : all blessings , as they come down from the father of mercies , so should be enjoyed in him : and if we enjoy them as in themselves , our love begins to degenerate into carnal . it is a sure rule , that all love that depends upon a thing affected , when that thing ceaseth , then the love ceaseth : as he that loves a face onely for beauty , when that beauty is defaced by deformity , presently cools in his affection : he that respects a man for his bounty onely , disregards him when he sees him impoverished . didst thou value thy friend onely for his wit , for his ready compliances , for his kinde offices ; all these are now lost , and thy love with them : but if thou didst affect him for eminence of grace , for the sake of that god that dwelt in him ; now thy love is not , cannot be lost , because thou still enjoyest that god in whom thou lovedst him . comfort thy self therefore in that god , in whom he was thine , and yeeld him chearfully into those hands that lent him thee . §. . the rarity and trial of true friends . thou hast lost a true friend : that jewel was worthy to be so much more precious , by how much more rare it is . the world affords friends enow , such as they are ; friends of the purple , as tertullian calls them ; friends of the basket , as the poet : such as love thy loaves and fishes , and thee for them : wealth makes many friends , saith the wise man ; but where is the man that loves thee for thy self ? that loves thy vertue , and thee for it , devested of all by-respects ? whiles there is honey in thy gally-pot , the wasps and flyes will be buzzing about it ; but which of them cares to light upon an empty vessel ? was he so much thine , that he would not be set off by thine adversity ? did he honour thee when thou wert despised of the world ? did he follow thee with applause whiles thou wert hooted at by the multitude ? would he have owned thee if he had found thee stripped and wounded in the wilderness ? such a friend is worthy of thy tears : but take heed thy love prove not envious : if thy god hath thought him fitter for the society of saints and angels , dost thou repine at his happiness ? thou hast lost his presence ; he is advanced to the beatifical presence of the king of glory : whether is thy loss , or his gain the greater ? § . it is but parting , not a 〈◊〉 thou hast lost thy friend : say rather , thou hast parted with him . that is properly lost , which is past all recovery , which we are out of hope to see any more : it is not so with this friend thou mournest for ; he is but gone home a little before thee ; thou art following him ; you two shall meet in your fathers house , and enjoy each other more happily then you could have done here belowe . how just is that charge of the blessed apostle , that we should not mourn as men without hope , for those that do but sleep in jesus ? did we think their souls vanisht into air , ( as that heathen poet profanely expresseth it ) and their bodies resolved into dust , without all possibility of reparation , we might well cry out our eyes for the utter extinction of those we loved : but if they do but sleep , they shall do well . why are we impatient for their silent reposal in the bed of their grave , when we are assured of their awaking to glory ? §. . the loss of a vertuous wife , mitigated . thou hast lost a dear wife , the wife of thy youth , the desire of thine eyes : did ye not take one another upon the terms of redelivery when ye should be called for ? were you not in your very knitting put in minde of your dissolution ? till death us depart . was she vertuous ? knowest thou not that there was a pre-contract betwixt thy saviour , and her soul , ere thou couldst lay any claim to her body ? and canst thou now grudge his just challenge of his own ? wilt thou not allow him to call for a consummation of that happie match ? didst thou so over-love her outside , that thou wouldst not have her soul glorious : if thou lovedst her not as a man , but as a christian , envie her not to that better husband above , who gives her no less dowry then immortality . § . the mitigation of the loss of a dear and hopeful son . thy son is dead : what marvel is it , that a mortal father hath begot a mortal son ? marvel rather , that thy self hath lived to have or to lose a son : we lie open to so many deaths , that our very subsistence is almost miraculous . thou hast lost a piece of thy self : for what are our children , but as colonies deduced from our own flesh ? yea rather , our selves made up in other models . this loss cannot but go neer thee : but tell me , what was the disposition of the son thou mournest for ? if he were graceless and debauched , as thy shame , so thy sorrow should die with him : set the hopes thou mightst have had of his reclaiming , against the fears of his continuing , and increasing wickedness , and thou couldst have made no other present account but of dishonour , and discomfort : if it be sad that he is taken away in his wildness ; it had been more heavie , that he would have added to the heap of his sin , and therein to his torments . if he were gracious , he had a better father then thy self , whose interest was more in him then thine : and if that heavenly father have thought good to prefer him to a crown of immortal glory , why shouldst thou be afflicted with his advancement ? why shouldst thou not rather rejoyce that thy loyns have helped to furnish heaven with a saint ? were it put to thy choice that thy son might be called off from his blessed rest , and returned to his former earthly relations ; couldst thou be so injurious in thy self-love , as to wish the misery of so disadvantageous a change to that soul , which , as it was never of thy production , so it were pity it should be at thy disposing ? rather , labour to have thine own soul so disposed , that it may be ready to follow him into those blessed mansions , and that it may love and long for heaven so much more for that one piece of thee is there before-hand . comforts against poverty , and loss of our estate . § . the fickle nature of these earthly goods . thou art driven into want , and that which is worse , out of abundance . those evils that we have been inured to , as being bred up with us from our cradle , are grown so familiar , that we are little moved with their presence : but those into which we fall suddenly , out of an outward felicity of estate , are ready to overwhelm us . let thy care be , not to want those better riches , which shall make thy soul happie , and thou shalt not be too much troubled with the loss of this trivial , and perishing stuff : had these been true goods , they could not have been lost : for that good that is least capable of loss , as it is unsatisfying in the time of an imperfect and unsure fruition , so in the losing it turns evil . didst thou not know that riches have wings ? and what use is there of wings , if not to flie ? if another mans violence shall clip those wings , even this very clipping is their flight . set thy heart upon that excellent and precious wealth which can never be taken from thee , which shall never leave thee , nor thou it , thou shalt easily slight these poor losses . as these were not goods , so they were not thine : here thou foundst them , and here thou leavest them : what hadst thou but their use ? neither can they be otherwise thine heirs whom thou leavest behinde thee . i am ashamed to hear the heathen philosopher say , all that is mine i carry about me ; when many of us christians are ready to bug those things as most ours , which are without our selves . it was an unanswerable question which god moves to the rich man in the parable , upon the parting with his soul : then , whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ? perhaps a strangers , perhaps ( as in case of undisposed lands ) the occupants , perhaps a false executors , perhaps an enemies call that thine , that thou shalt be sure to carry away with thee ; that shall either accompany thy soul in its last passage , or follow it : such shall be thy holy graces , thy charitable works , thy vertuous actions , thine heavenly dispositions : lo , these are the treasures which thou shalt lay up for thy self in heaven , where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt ; where theeves do not break thorow nor steal . § . consideration that they are not ours , but lent us thou hast lost thy goods : may i not rather say , thou hast restored them ? he parted with more then thou , that said , the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken : lo , whether it were by way of patrimony , or by way of providence and industry , the lord gave it ; and whether it were by the hands of chaldeans , or sabeans , the lord hath taken it : the lord is in both ; he did but give and take his own . is it not just so with thee ? what reason hast thou then to complain ? or may i not yet rather say , it was not given , but lent thee , for a while , till it were called for ? and dost thou grudge to restore what thou borrowedst ? nay , ( that thou mayst have yet less claim to this pelf ) was it not onely left in thy hand by the owner , to employ for his use , till he should re-demand it with the increase ? what is it to thee , but to improve , and to account for ? if others have taken off thy charge : whiles they have spoiled , they have eased thee . § . that the right valuation of riches is in the minde . thy wealth is gone : hast thou necessaries left ? be thankful for what thou hast , forget what thou hadst : hadst thou had more , thou couldst have made use of no more then nature calls for ; the rest could but have lien by thee , for sight , for readiness of employment : do but forbear the thought of superfluities , and what art thou the worse ? perhaps , thy fare is coarser , thy dishes fewer , thy utensils meaner , thy clothes homelier , thy train shorter ; what of this ? how is thy minde affected ? cuntentment stands not in quantities , nor in qualities , but in the inward disposition of the heart ; that alone can multiply numbers , and raise prices ; that alone can turn honest freezes into rich velvets , pulse into delicates , and can make one attendant many officers : wise seneca tels thee truly , that the true mold of wealth is our body , as the last is of the shooe ; if the shooe be too bigge for the foot , it is but troublesome , and uselesse ; and how poor an answer would it be of the cordwainer to say , that hee had leather good store ; it is fitnesse which is to be regarded here , not largenesse ; neither is this any other then the charge of the blessed apostle , having food and raiment , let us bee therewith content ; and if we have no more , we shall be but as we were , as we shall bee , for wee brought nothing into the world , neither shall wee carry any thing out . §. . it may be good for us to be held short . thou hast parted with thy wealth ; perhaps for thine own good ; how many have wee known that have been cumbred with plenty , like as the ostrich , or bustard with bulk of body , so as they could not raise their thoughts to spirituall things ; who when their weight hath been taken off , have mounted nimbly towards their heaven ? how many have wee known that had lost their lives , if ( with the philosopher ) they had not forgone their gold ? yea , how many that had lost their precious soules ? the whole vessell had sunk in this boistrous sea , if the luggage of this earthly fraight had not been cast over-boord ; and why art thou so troubled to lose that which might have undone thee in the keeping ? §. . the danger of abundance . thou hadst wealth ; hast thou not parted with that for which many a man hath been the worse ? worse both in body and soule : and by which never any soul was better : have wee not seen many good corn fields marred with ranknesse ? have we not seen many a good bough split with the weight of too much fruit ? whereas those fields , had they been either thinner sown , or seasonably eaten down , had yeelded a fair crop ; and those boughs had they been but moderately laden , had out-lived many autumns : dost thou not hear thy saviour say , how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdome of god ? art thou troubled that there is a rub removed out of thy way to happinesse ? that the bunch of the camell is taken off , if yet thou maist passe through the eye of the needle ? §. . the cares that attend wealth . thou hadst riches ? but hast thou not cares to boot ? surely , else thou hast fared better then all thy neighbors ? no body but thy selfe could ever handle these roses without pricking his fingers : hee was famous amongst the jewish doctors , whose rule it was , hee that multiplies riches , multiplies cares : and our blessed saviour hath coupled these two together , the cares of the world , and the deceitfuln●sse of riches ; wee have heard of one who was glad to be rid of his lately found bagge , that he might sleep , and sing again : he was noted and envied at rome for his wealth , which could experimentally say , the poor man laughs more often , and more heartily then the rich ; and tells us , that outward felicity is an unquiet thing , never ceasing to vexe it self : thy sides are now rid of these thorns , why dost thou grumble at thine own ease ? §. . the imperiousnesse of ill used wealth . thou lately possessedst great riches ; yea , maist thou not rather say , thou wert possessed of them ? that wise romane truly observed that many a one hath wealth , as we are wont to say , a man hath taken an ague , when indeed the ague hath taken him , and holds him in a painfull manner : the truth is , many a mans wealth is his master , and keeps him under hard conditions , not allowing him sufficient diet , not competent rest , not any recreation ; if thou wert thus a drudge to thine estate , thou art now thine own man ; enjoy thy liberty , and together with thy patience , be thankfull . §. . consideration of the causes and means of impove●ishing us . thou art very poore ; who made thee so ? if thine own negligence , lazinesse , improvidence , unthriftinesse , rash ingagements ; thou hadst reason to bear that burthen which thou hast pull'd upon thine owne shoulders : and if thou be forced to make many hard faces under the load , yet since thy owne will hath , brought upon thee this necessity , even the necessity should move thy will to trudge away as lightly , and as fast as thou maist with that pressing weight : if the meer oppression and injurie of others , thou shalt the more comfortably run away with this crosse , because thy owne hand hath not been guiltie of imposing it ; how easie is it for thee here , to see gods hand chastising thee by another mans sin ? and more to be grieved at the sin of that others wrong , then at thine own smart ; how sad a thing is it for any good soul to see brethren a prey to each other ? that neighbours should be like the reed and the brake set neare together , whereof the one starves the other ? that we should have daily occasion to renue that wofull comparison of our bromiard , betwixt the friends and enemies of christ ; that jews doe not suffer beggers , that christians make beggers ? in the mean time , if god think fit to send poverty to thy door upon the message of men , bid it welcome for the sake of him that sent it , and entertaine it not grudgingly for its own sake ; as that , which if it be well used , will repay thee with many blessings ; the blessings of quiet rest , safe security , humble patience contented humility , contemptuous valuation of these earthly things ; all which had balked thy house in a prosperous condition . § . the examples of those who have affected poverty . thou art stripped of thy former conveniences for diet , for lodging , for attendance . how many have purposely affected to doe that out of choyce , which is befaln theee upon need ; some out of the grounds of philosophy● , others of religion ? attalus the philosopher might have lien soft , yet hee calls for , and praises the bed and pillow that will not yeeld to his body : and neroe● great and rich master bragges of his usuall dining without a table ; what should i tell then of the pharisees uneasie couches , and p●nall garments ; of the mats of the elect manichees ; of the austere usages of the ancient eremiticall christians ; their rigorous abstinences , their affamishing meales , their nightly watchings , their cold groundlyings , their sharpe disciplines ? thou art in ease , and delicacy , in comparison of these men , who voluntarily imposed upon themselves these hardnesses , which thou wouldst bee loth to undergoe from others cruelty : it was a strange word of epicurus the philosopher , not savouring of more contentment , then presumption ; give us but water , give us but barly meale , and wee shall vie with jupiter himselfe for happinesse ; and if this ethnick , who was in an ill name for affectation of pleasure , could rest so well pleased with a poore messe of water-gruell ; what a shame were it for us christians not to bee well apaid with a much larger ( though ▪ but homely ) provision ? comforts against imprisonment . § . consideration of the nature and power of true liberty . thou art restrained of thy liberty . i cannot blame thee to be sensible of the affliction . liberty is wont to hold competition for dearnesse , with life it selfe ; yea , how many have lost their life to purchase their liberty ? but take heed lest thou bee either mistaken , or guilty of thine owne complaint ; for certainly , thou canst not bee bereaved of thy liberty , except thou wilt : liberty is a priviledge of the will ; will is a soveraigne power that is not subject to either restraint , or constraint : hast thou therefore a freedome within , a full scope to thine owne thoughts ? it is not the cooping up of these outward parts , that can make thee a prisoner : thou art not worthy of the name of a man , if thou thinkest this body to bee thy selfe : and that is onely it which humane power can reach unto . besides , art thou a christian ? then thou hast learned to submit thy will to gods ; gods will is declared in his actions ; for sure what hee doth , that hee wills to doe . if his will bee then to have thee restrained , why should it not bee thine ? and if it be thy will to keepe in , what dost thou complaine of restraint ? § . the sad obj●cts of a free beholder . thou art restrained ; is it such a matter that thou art not suffered to rome abroad ? how ill hast thou spent thy time , if thou hast not laid up matter both of employment and contentment in thine owne bosome ? and what such goodly pleasure were it for thee to looke over the world , and to behold those objects which thine eye shall there meet withall ; here men fighting , there women and children wayling ; here plunders , there riots , here fields of blood , there townes and cities flaming ; here some scuffling for patrimonies , there others wrangling for religion ; here some famishing for want , there others abusing their fulnesse ; here schismes and heresies , there rapines and sacriledges : what comfortable spectacles these are to attract , or please our eyes ! thy closenesse frees thee from these sights ; the very thought whereof is enough to make a man miserable ; and in stead of them presents thee onely with the face of thy keeper , which custome and necessity hath acquitted from thy first horrour . §. . comfort from the invisible company that cannot bee kept from us . thou art shut up close within four walls , and all company is secluded from thee ; content thy self , my son , god and his holy angels cannot bee kept out ; thou hast better company in thy solitude , then thy liberty afforded thee ; the jollity of thy freedom robb'd thee of the conversation of these spiritual companions , which onely can render thee happy : they which before were strangers to thee , are now thy guests , yea , thy inmates , ( if the fault bee not thine ) to dwell with thee in that forced retirednesse . what if the light be shut out from thee ? this cannot hinder thee from seeing the invisible ; the darknesse hideth not from thee , ( saith the psalmist ) but the night shineth as the day ; the darknesse and the light are both alike to thee . yea , i doubt not to say , god hath never beene so clearly seene as in the darkest dungeons ; for the outward light of prosperity distracts our visive beames , which are strongly contracted in a deep obscurity : hee must descend low , and bee compassed with darknesse , that would see the glorious lights of heaven by day : they ever shine , but are not seen save in the night : may thine eyes bee blessed with this invisible sight , thou shalt not envie those that glitter in courte , and that look daily upon the faces of kings and princes ; yea , though they could see all that the tempter represented to the view of our saviour upon the highest mountaine , all the kingdomes of the world , and the glory of them . § . comfort from the inward disposition of the prisoner . thou art forced to keepe close ; but with what disposition both of minde and body ? if thou hadst an unquiet and burdened soule , it were not the open and free aire that could refresh thee ; and if thou have a cleare and light heart , it is not a strict closenesse that can dismay thee ; thy thoughts can keepe thee company , and cheare up thy solitarinesse : if thou hadst an unsound and painefull body ; as , if thou wert laid up of the gout , or some rupture , or luxation of some limb , thou wouldst not complain to keep in ; thy pain would make thee insensible of the trouble of thy confinement : but if god have favoured thee with health of body , how easily mayst thou digest an harmless limitation of thy person ? a wise man ( as laurentius the presbyter observed well ) doth much while he rests ; his motions are not so beneficial as his sitting still : so mayst thou bestow the hours of thy close retiredness , that thou mayst have cause to bless god for so happie an opportunity . how memorable an instance hath our age yeelded us , of an eminent person , to whose encagement we are beholden , ( besides many philosophical experiments ) for that noble history of the world , which is now in our hands ? the court had his youthful and freer times , the tower his later age ; the tower reformed the court in him , and produced those worthy monuments of art and industry , which we should have in vain expected from his freedom and jollity . it is observed , that shining wood , when it is kept within doors , loseth its light . it is otherwise with this and many other active wits , which had never shined so much , if not for their closeness . § . comfort from the will●ng aboue of ●●●rednes in some persons . thou art close shut up : i have seen anachorites that have sued for this as a favour which thou esteemest a punishment , and having obtained it , have placed merit in that wherein thou apprehendest misery ; yea , our history tells us of one , who when the church , whereto his cell was annexed , was on fire , would not come out , to live , but would die , and lye buried under the ashes of that roofe where his vow had fixed him . suppose thou dost that out of the resolution of thine owne will , which thou dost out of anothers necessitating , and thou shalt sit downe contented with thy lot. § . comfort from the causes of imprisonment . thou art imprisoned ; wise men are wont in all actions and events to enquire still into the causes : wherefore dost thou suffer ? is it for thy fault ? make thou thy gaole gods correction house for reforming of thy misdeeds : remember and imitate manasses , the evill sonne of a good father , who upon true humiliation , by his just imprisonment , found an happy expiation of his horrible idolatries , murders , witchcrafts , whose bonds brought him home to god , and himselfe . is it for debt ? thinke not to pay those who have intrusted thee with a lingring durance , if there bee power in thine hand for a discharge ; there is fraud and injustice in this closenesse ; feare thou a worse prison if thou wilt needs wilfully live and die in a just indebtment , when thou maist bee at once free , and honest : stretch thine ability to the utmost , to satisfie others with thine own impoverishing : but if the hand of god have humbled and disabled thee , labour what thou canst to make thy peace with thy creditors : if they will needs be cruel , look up with patience to the hand of that god who thinks fit to afflict thee with their unreasonableness ; and make the same good use of thy sufferings , which thou wouldst do from the immediate hand of thy creator . if it be for a good cause , rejoyce in this tribulation , and be holily proud and glad , with the blessed apostles , that thou art counted worthy to suffer shame and bonds for the name of the lord jesus : for every just cause is his ; neither is he less a martyr that suffers for his conscience in any of gods commandments , then he who suffers for matter of faith and religion . remember that cordial word of thy saviour , blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . in such a prison thou shalt be sure to finde good company : there thou shalt finde joseph , micaiah , jeremiah , john baptist , peter , paul and silas , and ( what should i think of the poll ? ) all the holy martyrs , and confessors of jesus christ from the first plantation of the gospel to this present day : repent thee if thou canst to be thus matched , and choose rather to violate a good conscience , and bee free , then to keep it under a momentary restraint . §. . the good 〈◊〉 of retirednesse ; and the partnership of the souls imprisonment thou art a prisoner ; make the best of thy condition ; close aire is warmer then open ; and how ordinarily doe wee heare birds sing sweeter notes in their cages , then they could doe in the wood ? it shall bee thine owne fault if thou bee not bettered by thy retirednesse . thou art a prisoner ; so is thy soule in thy body ; there , not restrained onely , but fettered , yet complaines not of the straitnesse of these clay walls , or the weight of these bonds , but patiently waites for an happy gaole-delivery : so doe thou , attend with all long-suffering the good houre of the pleasure of thy god ; thy period is set , not without a regard to thy good , yea , to thy best ; hee in whose hand are all times , shall finde , and hath determined , a fit time to free both thy body from these outward prison-walls , and thy soule from this prison of thy body ; and to restore both body and soule from the bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god. comforts against banishment . § . comfort from the universality of a wise mans country . thou art banished from thy countrey : beware lest in thy complaining thou censure thy selfe ; a wise mans countrey is every where ; what such relation hath the place wherein thou wert born , to thy present being ? what more then the time wherein thou wert born ? what reason hast thou to bee more addicted to the region wherein thou fell'st , then to the day of the week , or houre of the day in which thou salutedst the light ? what are times and places of our birth but unconcerning circumstances ? wherever thou farest well , thou maist either finde or make thy countrey ; but thou sayest , there is a certain secret property in our native soyle , that drawes our affection to it , and tyes our hearts to it , not without a pleasing kinde of delight , whereof no reason can bee yeelded ; so as we affect the place , not because it is better then others , but because it is our owne ; vlysses doth no lesse value the rockie soyle of his hard and barren ithaca , then agamemnon doth the noble walls of his rich and pleasant mycenae : i grant this relation hath so powerfull an influence upon our hearts naturally , as is pretended ; yet such a one as is easily checked with a small unkindnesse ; how many have wee knowne , who upon an actuall affront ( not of the greatest ) have diverted their respects from their native country , and out of a strong alienation of minde have turned their love into hostility : we shall not need to seek farre for histories , our times and memories will furnish us too well : doe we not see those , who have sucked the brests of our common mother , upon a little dislike , to have spit in her face ? can we not name our late home-bred compatriots , who upon the disrelish of some displeasing laws have flown off from their country , and suborned treasons , and incited forrain princes to our invasion ? so as thou seest this naturall affection is not so ardent in many , but that it may be quenched with a mean discontentment . if therefore there were no other ground of thine affliction , thy sorrow is not so deep-rooted , but that it may be easily pulled up . § . comfort from the benefit of self-conversation . it is not the aire or earth that thou standest upon ; it is the company , thou saist , from which it is a kinde of death to part ; i shall leave all acquaintance , and conversation , and be cast upon strange faces , and languages that i understand not ; my best entertainment will be solitude , my ordinary , inhospitality ; what dost thou affright thy self , my sonne , with these bugges of needlesse terrour ? he is not worthy of the name of a philosopher , much lesse of a christian divine , that hath not attained to bee absolute in himselfe ; and which way soever hee is cast , to stand upon his owne bottome ; and that , if there were no other men left in the world , could not tell how to enjoy himselfe : it is that within us , whereby wee must live , and be happy : some additions of complacency may come from without : sociable natures , ( such is mans ) seek and finde pleasure in conversation , but if that bee denyed , sanctified spirits know how to converse comfortably with their god , and themselves . § . examples of those holy ones that have abandoned society . how many holy ones of old have purposely withdrawne themselves from the company of men , that they might bee blessed with an invisible society ; that have exchanged cities for deserts , houses for caves , the sight of men for beasts , that their spirituall eyes might be fixed upon those better objects , which the frequence of the world held from them ? necessity doth but put thee into that estate , which their piety affected . oh! but to bee driven to forsake parents , kinsfolke , friends , how sad a case must it needs bee ? what is this other then a perfect distraction ? what are wee but pieces of our parents ? and what are friends but parts of us ? what is all the world to us without these comforts ? when thou hast said all , my son , what is befalne thee other , then it pleased god to enjoyn the father of the faithfull ? get thee out of thy country , and from thy kindred , and from thy fathers house into a land that i will shew thee ; loe , the same god by the command of authority calls thee to this secession ; if thou wilt shew thy self worthy to be the sonne of such a father , doe that in an humble obedience to god , which thou art urged to doe by the compulsion of men ; but what so grievous a thing is this ? dost thou think to find god where thou goest ? dost thou make full account of his company both all along the way , and in the end of thy journey ? hath not he said ( who cannot sail ) i will not leave thee nor forsake thee ? certainly , he is not worthy to lay any claim to a god , that cannot finde parents , kindred , friends in him alone : besides , he that of very stones could raise up children unto abraham , how easily can he , of inhospital men , raise up friends to the sons of abraham ? onely labour thou to inherit that faith wherein he walked ; that alone shall free-denizen thee in the best of forain states , and shall entertain thee in the wildest desarts . § . the advantage that hath been made of removing . thou art cast upon a forraign nation : be of good chear ; we know that flowers removed , grow greater ; and some plants which were but unthriving , and unwholsome in their own soyl , have grown both safe and flou rishing in other climates . had joseph been ever so great , if he had not been transplanted into egypt ? had daniel and his three companions of the captivity eve● attained to that honour in their native land ? how many have we known , that have found that health in a change of air , which they could not meet with at home ? in africk the south-winde clears up ; and the north is rainy . look thou up still to that hand which hath translated thee ; await his good pleasure : be thou no stranger to thy god , it matters not who are strangers unto thee . § . the rig●● that we have in any country , and i● god. thou art a banished man : how canst thou be so , when thou treadest upon thy fathers ground ? the earth is the lords , and the fulness of it : in his right , where ever thou art , thou mayst challenge a spiritual interest : all things , saith the apostle , are yours , and you are christs , and christ is gods. no man can challenge thee for a stranger , that is not thy fathers childe . thine exile separates thee from thy friends : this were no small affliction , if it might not be abundantly remedied . that was a true word of laurentius , that where two faithful friends are met , god makes up a third : but it is no less true , that where one faithful spirit is , there god makes up a second : one god can more then supply a thou sand friends . § . ●he pra●tice of voluntary travel . thy banishment bereaves thee of the comfort of thy wonted companions : would not a voluntary travel do as much ? dost thou not see thousands tha● do willingly for many yeers change their country for forraign regions ; taking long farewells of their dear friends and comerades ; some out of curiosity , some out of a thirst after knowledge , some out of covetous desire of gain ? what difference is there betwixt thee and them , but that their exile is voluntary , thy travel constrained ? and who are these whom thou art so sorry to forgo ? dost thou not remember what crates the philosopher said to a young man , that was beset with parasitical friends ; young man , said he , i pity thy solitude : perhaps thou mayst be more alone in such society , then in the wilderness : such conversation is better lost then continued : if thou canst but get to be well acquainted with thy self , thou shalt be sorry that thou wert no sooner solitary . § . all ar● pilgrims thou art out of thy country : who is not so ? we are all pilgrims together with thee : whiles we are at home in the body , we are absent from the lord : miserable are we , if our true home be not above ; that is the better country which we seek , even an heavenly : and thither thou mayst equally direct thy course in whatsoever region . this center of earth is equidistant from the glorious circumference of heaven : if we may once meet there , what need we make such difference in the way ? comforts against the loss of the senses ; of sight , and hearing . § . comfort from the ●●o in●ard ●ghts of ●ason ●nd faith . thou hast lost thine eyes : a loss , which all the world is uncapable to repair : thou art hereby condemned to a perpetual darkness ; for , the light of the body is the eye : and if the light that is in thee be darkness , how great is that darkness ? couldst thou have foreseen this evil , thou hadst anticipated this loss , by weeping out those eyes for grief , which thou must forgo . there are but two ways , by which any outward comfort can have access to thy soul ; the eye , and the ear : one of them is now fore-closed for ever . yet know , my son , thou hast two other inward eyes , that can abundantly supply the want of these of thy body ; the eye of reason , and the eye of faith : the one , as a man ; the other , as a christian : answerable whereunto , there is a double light apprehended by them ; rational , and divine : solomon tells thee of the one ; the spirit of man is the candle of the lord , searching all the inward parts of the belly : the beloved disciple tells thee of the other ; god is light ; and we walk in the light , as he is in the light : now these two lights are no less above that outward and visible light , whereof thou art bereaved , then that light is above darkness : if therefore by the eye of reason thou shalt attain to the clear sight of intelligible things ; and by the eye of faith , to the sight of things supernatural and divine ; the improvement of these better eyes , shall make a large amends for the lack of thy bodily sight . § . the supply of better eyes . thy sight is lost : let me tell thee what antony the hermite ( whom ruffinus doubts not to style blessed ) said to learned ( though blinde ) didymus of alexandria ; let it not trouble thee , o didymus , that thou art bereft of carnal eyes ; for thou lackest onely those eyes which mice , and flyes , and lyzards have : but rejoyce that thou hast those eyes which the angels have , whereby they see god , and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of knowledge . make this good of thy self , and thou shalt not be too much discomforted with the absence of thy bodily eyes . § . the better object of our inward sight . thine eyes are lost : the chief comfort of thy life is gone with them : the light is sweet , saith solomon ; and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun . hath not god done this purposely , that he might set thee off from all earthly objects , that thou mightst so much the more intentively fix thy self upon him , and seek after those spiritual comforts , which are to be found in a better light ? behold , the sun is the most glorious thing that thy bodily eyes can possibly see : thy spiritual eyes may see him that made that goodly and glorious creature , and therefore must needs be infinitely more glorious then what he made . if thou canst now see him the more , how hast thou but gained by thy loss ? § . the ill officer done by the eyes . thou art become blinde : certainly , it is a sore affliction . the men of jabesh-gilead offered to comply with the tyran of the ammonites , so far as to serve him : but when he required the loss of their right eyes , as a condition of their peace , they will rather hazard their lives in an unequal war ; as if servitude and death were a less mischief then one eyes loss ; how much more of both ? for though one eye be but testis singularis , yet the evidence of that is as true , as that of both ; yea , in some cases more : for when we would take a perfect aim , we shut one eye , as rather an hinderance to an accurate information : yet for ordinary use , so do we esteem each of these lights , that there is no wise man but would rather lose a limb then an eye : although i could tell thee of a certain man not less religious then witty , who when his friends bewailed the loss of one of his eyes , askt them , whether they wept for the eye which he had lost , or the eye which remained ? weep rather , said he , for the enemy that stays behinde , then for the enemy that is gone . lo , this man lookt upon his eyes , with eyes different from other mens ; he saw them as enemies , which others see as officious servants , as good friends , as dear favourites : indeed , they are any or all of these , according as they are used : good servants , if they go faithfully on the errands we send them , and return us true intelligence : good friends , if they advise and invite us to holy thoughts ; enemies , if they suggest and allure us to evil : if thine eyes have been employed in these evil offices to thy soul , god hath done that for thee , which he hath in a figurative sense enjoyned thee to do to thy self ; if thy right eye offend thee , pluck it out , and cast it from thee ; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish , and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell . § . freedom from temptations by the eyes , and from sorrows . thou hast lost thine eyes , and together with them much earthly contentment : but withal , thou art hereby freed of many temptations : those eyes were the in-lets of sin ; yea , not onely the meer passages by which it entred ; but busie agents in the admission of it ; the very pandars of lust , for the debauching of the soul. how many thousands are there , who on their death-beds , upon the sad recalling of their guilty thoughts , have wished they had been born blinde ? so as if now thou have less joy , thou shalt sin less ; neither shall any vain objects call away thy thoughts from the serious and sad meditation of spiritual things . before , it was no otherwise with thee , then the prophet jeremich reports it to have been with the jews , that death is come up by the windows . so it was with our great grand-mother eve ; she saw the tree was pleasant to the eyes , and thereupon took of the fruit . so it hath been ever since with all the fruit of her womb , both in the old , and later world : the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair , and they took them wives of all which they chose : in so much as not filthy lusts onely , but even adulteries take up their lodgings in the eye : there the blessed apostle findes them ; having eyes ( saith he ) full of adultery , and that can not cease from sin . whiles therefore , thine heart walked after thine eyes , as job speaks , it could do no other but carry thee down to the chambers of death : thou art now delivered from that danger of so deadly a misguidance . hath not the loss of thine eyes , withal , freed thee of a world of sorrows ? the old word is , what the eye views not , the heart ●ues not : hadst thou but seen what others were forced to behold , those fearful conflagrations , those piles of murdered carcases , those streams of christian blood , those savage violences , those merciless rapines , those sacrilegious outrages , thine heart could not chuse but bleed within thee : now thou art affected with them onely aloof off , as receiving them by the imperfect intelligence of thine ear from the unfeeling relation of others . §. . the cheerfulness of some blind men . thine eies are lost , what need thy heart to goe with them ? i have known a blinde man more chearfull , then i could be with both mine eies : old isaac was dark-sighted when he gave the blessing ( contrary to his own intentions ) to his sonne jacob , yet it seems he lived fourty yeers after , and could be pleased then to have good chear made him with wine and v●nison ; our life doth not lye in our eyes ; the spirit of man is that which upholds his infirmities ; labour to raise that to a chearfull disposition ; even in thy bodily darknesse , there shall bee light and joy to thy soul. §. . the supply which god gives in other faculties . hath god taken away thine eyes ? but hath he not given thee an abundant supply in other faculties ? are not thine inward senses the more quick ? thy memory stronger , thy phantasie more active , thy understanding more apprehensive ? the wonders that we have heard , and read of blinde mens memories , were not easie to beleeve , if it were not obvious to conceive that the removall of all distractions gives them an opportunity both of a carefull reposition of all desired objects , and of a sure fixednesse of them where they are laid : hence have we seen it come to passe that some blinde men have attained to those perfections which their eies could never have feoffed them in : it is very memorable that our ecclesiasticall story reports of didymus of alexandria , who being blinde from his infancy , through his prayers , & diligent indeavours reacht unto such an high pitch of knowledge in logick , geometry , arithmetick , astronomy , as was admired by the learned masters of those arts ; and for his rare insight into divinity , was by great athanasius approved to be the doctor of the chaire in that famous church . what need we doubt of this truth , when our own times have so cleerly seconded it ? having yeelded divers worthy divines , gods seers , bereaved of bodily eyes ; amongst the rest , there was one in my time , very eminent in the university of cambridge , ( whom i had occasion to dispute with for his degree ) of great skill both in tongues and arts , and of singular acutenesse of judgement . it is somewhat strange that suidas reports of neoclldes , that being a blinde man he could steal more cunningly then any that had use of eyes ; sure , i may say boldly of our fisher , that hee was more dextrous in picking the locks of difficult authors , and fetching forth the reasures of their hidden senses , then those that had the sharpest eyes about him ; in so much as it was noted those were singular proficients which imployed themselves in reading to him ; if they read books to him , he read lectures the while to them ; and still taught more then he learned . as for the other outward senses , they are commonly more exquisite in the blinde ; we read of some who have been of so accurate a touch , that by their very feeling they could distinguish betwixt black and white ; and for the eare , as * our philosophers observe , that sounds are sweeter to the blind , then to the sighted ; so also that they are more curiously judged of by them ; the vertue of both those senses being now contracted into one . but the most perfect recompence of these bodily eyes , is in the exaltation of our spirituall , so much more enlightned towards the beatisicall vision of god , as they apprehend more darknesse in all earthly objects ; certainly , thou shalt not misse these materiall eyes , if thou maist finde thy soul thus happily enlightned . §. . the benefit of the eies which once we had . thine eyes are lost ; it is a blessing that once thou hadst them ; hadst thou been born blinde , what a stranger hadst thou ( in all likelihood ) been to god and the world ? hadst thou not once seen the face of this heaven , and this earth , and this sea , what expressions could have made thee sufficiently apprehensive of the wonderfull works of thy creator ? what discourse could have made thee to understand what light is ? what the sun the fountain of it , what the heavens , the glorious region of it , and what the moon and starres illuminated by it ? how couldst thou have had thy thoughts raised so high , as to give glory to that great god , whose infinite power hath wrought all these marvellous things ? no doubt , god hath his own waies of mercy , even for those that are born dark ; not requiring what he hath not given ; graciously supplying by his spirit in the vessels of his election , what is wanting in the outer-man ; so as even those that could never see the face of the world , shall see the face of the god that made it ; but in an ordinary course of proceeding , those which have been blinde from their birth , must needs want those helps of knowing and glorifying god in his mighty works , which lie open to the seeing : these once filled thine eies , and stay with thee still after thine eies have forsaken thee ; what shouldst thou doe but walk on in the strength of those fixed thoughts , and be alwaies adoring the majesty of that god whom that sight hath represented unto thee so glorious , and in an humble submission to his good pleasure strive against all the discomforts of thy sufferings . our story tels us of a valiant souldier ( answerable to the name he bore ) polyzelus , who after his eyes were struck out in the battel , covering his face with his target , fought still , laying about him as vehemently , as if he had seen whom to smite . so do thou , my son , with no less courage ; let not the loss of thine eyes hinder thee from a chearful resistance of those spiritual enemies , which labor to draw thee into an impatient murmuring against the hand of thy god : wait humbly upon that god who hath better eyes in store for thee , then those thou hast lost . § . the supply of one sense by another thou hast lost thy hearing : it is not easie to determine whether loss is the greater , of the eye , or of the ear : both are grievous . now all the world is to thee as dumb , since thou art deaf to it : how small a matter hath made thee a meer cypher amongst men ! these two are the senses of instruction : there is no other way for intelligence to be conveyed to the soul , whether in secular or in spiritual affairs . the eye is the window , the ear is the door by which all knowledge enters : in matter of observation , by the eye ; in matter of faith , by the ear . had it pleased god to shut up both these senses from thy birth , thy estate had been utterly disconsolate : neither had there been any possible access for comfort to thy soul : and if he had so done to thee in thy riper age , there had been no way for thee but to live on thy former store : but now that he hath vouchsafed to leave thee one passage open , it beh●ves thee to supply the one sense by the other , & to let in those helps by the window , which are denied entrance at the door . and since that infinite goodness hath been pleased to lend thee thine ear so long , as till thou hast laid the sure grounds of faith in thy heart ; now thou mayst work upon them , in this silent opportunity , with heavenly meditations , and raise them up to no less height , then thou mightst have done by the help of the quickest ear . it is well for thee , that in the fulness of thy senses thou wert careful to improve thy bosome as a magazine of heavenly thoughts , providing with the wise patriarch for the seven yeers of dearth : otherwise , now that the passages are thus blocked up , thou couldst not but have been in danger of affamishing . thou hast now abundant leasure to recal and ruminate upon those holy counsels , which thy better times laid up in thy heart , and to thy happie advantage findest the difference betwixt a wise providence , and a careless neglect . § . the better condition of the inward ear . thine outward hearing is gone : but thou hast an inward and better ear , whereby thou hearest the secret motions of gods spirit , which shall never be lost : how many thousands whom thou enviest , are in a worse condition ? they have an outward and bodily ear , whereby they hear the voice of men ; but they want that spiritual ear , which perceives the least whisperings of the holy ghost : ears they have , but not hearing ears ; for fashion , more then use : wise solomon makes and observes the distinction ; the hearing ear , and the seeing eye , the lord hath made even both of them : and a greater then solomon can say of his formal auditors , hearing they hear not . if thou have an ear for god , though deaf to men ; how much happier art thou then those millions of men , that have au ear for men , and are deaf to god ? § . the grief that arises from lear●ing evil . thou hast lost thy hearing ; and therewith no small deal of sorrow : how would it grieve thy soul to hear those woful ejulations , those pitiful complaints , those hideous blasphemies , those mad paradoxes , those hellish heresies , wherewith thine ear would have been wounded , if it had not been barred against their entrance ? it is thy just grief that thou missest the hearing of many good words ; it is thy happiness that thou art freed from the hearing of many evil . it is an even lay betwixt the benefit of hearing good , and the torment of hearing evil . comforts against barrenness . §. . the blessing of fruitfulness seasoned with sorrows . thou complainest of dry loins , & a barren womb : so did a better man before thee , even the father of the faithful : what wilt thou give me , seeing i go childless ? so did the wife of faithful israel , give me children , or else i die . so desirous hath nature been , even in the holiest , to propagate it self , and so impatient of a denial : lo , children and the fruit of the womb are an heritage and gift that cometh from the lord. happie is he that hath his quiver full of such shafts . it is the blessing that david grudged to wicked ones , they have children at their desire . it was the curse which god inflicted upon the family of abimelech king of gerar , that he closed up all the wombs in his house for sarahs sake : and the judgement threatned to ephraim , is a miscarrying womb , and dry brests : and jechoniah's sad doom is , write this man childless : as on the contrary , it is a special favour of god , that the barren hath born seven : and it is noted by the psalmist , as a wonder of gods mercy , that he maketh the barren woman to keep house , and to be a joyful mother of children . it is pity he was ever born , that holds not children a blessing ; yet not simple and absolute , but according as it may prove : she hath a double favour from god , that is a joyful mother of children : many a one breeds her sorrow , breeds her death . there is scarce any other blessing from god seasoned with so much acrimony both of misery and danger . do but lay together the sick fits of breeding , the painful throws of travel , the weary attendances of nursing , the anxious cares of education , the fears and doubts of mis-guidance , the perpetual solicitude for their provision , the heart-breaking grief for their miscarriage ; and tell me whether thy bemoaned sterility have not more ease , less sorrow . §. . the pains of child-bearing . it is thy sorrow then that thou art not fruitful : consider that thou art herein freed from a greater sorrow : in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children . do but think upon the shrieks and torments that thou hast seen and heard in the painful travels of thy neighbours : one thou hast seen wearying the days and nights in restless pangs , and calling for death in a despair of delivery : another after the unprofitable labours of midwives , forced to have her bowels ransackt by the hand of another sex . one hath her dead burden torn from her by piece-meal ; another is delivered of her life and birth together : one languisheth to death after the hand of an unskilful midwife ; another is weary of her life through the soreness of her brests : all these sorrows thou hast escaped by this one : in these regards , how many whom thou enviest , have thought thee happier then themselves ? §. . the misery of ill-disposed and undutiful children . thou art afflicted that thou art not a mother : many a one is so , that wishes she had been barren : if either the childe prove deformed and mis-shapen ; or , upon further growth , unnatural and wicked ; what a corrosive is this to her that bore him ? rebecca thought it long to be ( after her marriage ) twenty yeers childless ; her holy husband ( at sixty yeers age ) prays to god for issue by her : his devotion ( as the jewish doctors say ) carried him to mount moriah for this purpose , that in the same place where his life was miraculously preserved from the knife of his father , it might by the like miracle be renewed in his posterity : god hears him ; rebecca conceives : but when she felt that early combat of her strugling twins in her womb , she can say , if it be so , why am i thus ? and when she saw a childe come forth all clad in hair , and after saw his conditions no less rough then his hide , do we not think she wished that part of her burden unborn ? certainly , children are according to their proof , either blessings , or crosses . hast thou a childe well disposed , well governed ? a wise son maketh a glad father . hast thou a childe disorderly and debauched ? a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother ; and the calamity of his father . hast thou a son that is unruly , stubborn , unnatural ? ( as commonly the cions over-rule the stock : ) he that wasteth his father , and chaseth away his mother , is a son that causeth shame , and bringeth reproach . and if such a son should live and die impenitent , what can be answerable to the discomfort of that parent who shall think that a piece of himself is in hell ? § . the cares of parents for their children . thou hast no children : as thou hast less joy , so thou hast loss trouble : it is a world of work and thoughts that belongs to these living possessions . artemidorus ▪ observes , that to dream of children , imports cares to follow . surely , as they are our greatest cares , so they bring many lesser cares with them : before thou hadst but one mouth to feed , now many . and upon whom doth this charge lie , but upon the parent ? not nature onely , but religion casts it upon him : for , if any provide not for his own , especially for those of his own house , he hath denied the faith , and is worse then an infidel . dost thou not see that many suckers growing up from the root of the tree , draw away the sap from the stock ? and many rivulets let out from the main chanel , leave the stream shallow ? so it must be with thee , and thine : but this expence is not more necessary then comfortable . i remember a great man coming to my house at waltham , and seeing all my children standing in the order of their age , and stature , said , these are they that make rich men poor : but he straight received this answer ; nay , my lord , these are they that make a poor man rich ; for there is not one of these whom we would part with , for all your wealth . indeed , wherefore do we receive , but to distribute ? and what are we but the farmers of those we leave behinde us ? and if we do freely lay out of our substance before-hand for their good , so much of our rent is happily cleared . it is easie to observe that none are so gripple and hard-fisted , as the childless : whereas those who for the maintenance of large families are inured to frequent disbursements , finde such experience of divine providence in the faithful managing of their affairs , as that they lay out with more chearfulness then they receive : wherein their care must needs be abated , when god takes it off from them to himself ; and if they be not wanting to themselves , their faith gives them ease , in casting their burden upon him who hath both more power , and more right to it , since our children are more his then our own : he that feedeth the young ravens , can he fail the best of his creatures ? worthy mr greenham tels us of a gentlewoman , who comming into the cottage of a poor neighbour , and seeing it furnished with store of children , could say , here are the mouthes , but where is the meat ? but not long after she was paid in her own coyne , for the poor woman coming to her after the buriall of her last , and now onely childe , inverted the question upon her , here is the meat , but where are the mouthes ? surely , the great house-keeper of the world , whose charge we are , will never leave any of his menialls without the bread of sufficiency ; and who are so fit to be his purveyors as the parents for their own brood ? nature hath taught the very birds to pick out the best of the graines for their young ; nature sends that moisture out of the root which gives life to the branches , and blossomes . sometimes indeed it meets with a kinde retaliation ; some stork-like disposition repaies the loving offices done by the parents in a dutifull retribution to their age or necessity : but how often have we seen the contrary ? here , an unsatisfiable importunity of drawing from the parent that maintenance which is but necessary for his own subsistence : so we have seen a young bat hanging on the teat of her damme for milk , even when she is dying : so we have seen some insatiable lambs forcing the udder of their dammes , when they have been as bigge as the ewe that yeaned them : there , an undutifull and unnaturall neglect , whether in not owning the meannesse of those that begot them ; or in not supporting the weaknesse of their decayed estate by due maintenance . ingratitude is odious in any man , but in a childe , monstrous . §. . the great grief in the losse of children . it is thy grief that thou never hadst a childe ; beleeve him that hath tried it , there is not so much comfort in the having of children , as there is sorrow in parting with them , especially , when they are come to their proof ; when their parts , and disposition have raised our hopes of them , and doubled our affection towards them ; and as ( according to the french proverb ) hee that hath not cannot lose ; so contrarily , he that hath must lose ; our meeting is not more certain then our parting ; either wee must leave them , and so their grief for us must double ours ; or they must leave us , and so our grief for them must be no lesse then our love was of them . if then thou wilt be truly wise , set thy heart upon that onely absolute good , which is not capable of losing : divided affections must needs abate of their force ; now since there are no objects of dearnesse which might distract thy love , bee sure to place it wholly upon that infinite goodnesse which shall entertain it with mercy , and reward it with blessednesse . if elkanah therefore could say to his barren wife hannah , why weepest thou ? and why is thy heart heavy ? am not i better to thee then ten sons ? how much more comfortably maist thou hear the father of mercies say to thy soul , why is thy heart heavy ? am not i better to thee then ten thousand sons ? comforts against want of sleep . § . the misery of the want of rest ; with the best remedy . thou art afflicted with want of sleep : a complaint incident to distempered bodies , and thoughtfull mindes : oh how wearisome a thing it is to spend the long night in tossing up and down in a restlesse bed in the chase of sleep , which the more eagerly it is followed , flies so much the farther from us ! couldst thou obtain of thy selfe to forbear the desire of it , perhaps it would come alone ; now that thou suest for it ( like to some froward peece ) it is coy and overly , and punishes thee with thy longing : loe , he that could command an hundred and seven and twenty provinces , yet could not command rest ; on that night his sleep departed from him ; neither could bee either forced , or intreated to his bed . and the great babylonian monarch , though hee laid some hand on sleep , yet he could not hold it , for his sleep brake from him : and for great and wise solomon , it would not so much as come within his view , neither night nor day seeth he sleep with his eyes : surely , as there is no earthly thing more comfortable to nature then bodily rest , so there is nothing whose losse is more grievous and disheartning ; if the senses be not sometimes in meet vicissitudes , tied up , how can they choose but run themselves out of breath , and weary and spend themselves to nothing ? if the body be not refreshed with a moderate enterchange of repose , how can it but languish in all the parts of it ? and as commonly the soul followes the temper of the body , how can that but finde a sensible discomposure and debilitation in all her faculties , and operations ? do we not see the savagest creatures tamed with want of rest ? doe we not find this rack alone to have been torture enough to fetch from poor soules a confessionall discovery of those acts they never did ? doe we not finde raveries , and frenzies the ordinary attendants of sleeplesness ? herein therefore thy tongue hath just cause to complain of thine eyes . for remedy , in stead of closing thy lids to wait for sleep ; lift up thy stiff eyes to him that giveth his beloved rest : what ever be the means , he it is that holdeth thine eyes waking : he that made thine eyes , keeps off sleep from thy body , for the good of thy soul : let not thine eyes wake without thy heart . the spouse of christ can say , i sleep , but my heart waketh ; how much more would she say , mine eyes wake , and my heart waketh also ? when thou canst not see sleep with thine eyes , labour to see him that is invisible : one glimpse of that sight is more worth , then all the sleep that thine eyes can be capable of : give thy self up into his hands , to be disposed of at his will : what is this sweet acquiescence , but the rest of the soul ? which if thou canst finde in thy self , thou shalt quietly digest the want of thy bodily sleep . § . the favor of freedom from pain . thou wantest sleep : take heed thou do not aggravate thine affliction : it is onely an evil of loss , no evil of sense : a meer lack of what thou wishest ; not a pain of what thou feelest . alas , how many besides want of rest , are tortured with intolerable torments in all the parts of their body ; who would think themselves happie , if they might be put into thy condition : might they but have ease , how gladly would they forbear rest ? be not therefore so much troubled that it is no better with thee , but rather be thankful that it is no worse . §. . the favor of health without sleep . thou lackest sleep ; a thing that we desire not so much for its own sake , as in a way to health . what if god be pleased so to dispose of thee , as to give thee health without it ? so he hath done to some . it is a small matter that goulart reports out of gaspar wolfius , of a woman in padua that continued fifteen days and nights without sleep . that is very memorable which seneca tells us of great mecaenas , that in three yeers he slept not ( ne horae momento ) so much as the space of an hour : which however lipsius thinks good to mitigate with a favourable construction , as conceiving an impossibility of an absolute sleeplesness yet if we shall compare it with other instances of the same kinde , we shall finde no reason to scruple the utmost rigour of that relation : that a frantick man ( of whom fernelius writes ) should continue a yeer and two moneths without any sleep at all , is no wonder , in comparison of that which learned heurnius tells us , upon good assurance given him , when he was a student in padua , that nizolius the famous ciceronian , lived ten whole yeers without sleep ▪ and even in our time and climate , i have been informed by credible testimony , that monsieur l' angles , a french physitian at london , lived no fewer yeers altogether sleepless . but that exceeds all example , which monsieur goulart reports out of an author of good reputation , of a certain gentlewoman , who for thirty five yeers , remained without any sleep , and found no inconvenience or distemper thereby , as was witnessed by her husband and servants . lo , the hand of god is not shortened : he who in our time miraculously protracted the life of the maid of meures so many yeers , without meat ; hath sustained the lives of these fore-named persons thus long , without sleep , that it might appear , man lives not by meat or sleep onely , but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god. if he should please to bless thee with a sleepless health , the favour is far greater , then if he allowed thee to short out thy time in a dull unprofitable rest . §. . sleep but a symptom of mortality . thou wantest sleep : behold , he that keepeth israel doth neither slumber nor sleep : and those blessed spirits that do continually see the face of god , never sleep . sleep is but a symptome of frail mortality ; whereof the less we do or can partake , we come so much the neerer to those spiritual natures whose perfection makes them uncapable of sleep . hereupon it was , that those retired christians in the primitive times , which affected to come neerest to an angelical life , wilfully repelled sleep , neither would ever admit it , till it necessarily forced it self upon them . lo then , thou sufferest no more out of the distemper of humours , or unnatural obstructions , then better men have willingly drawn upon themselves out of holy resolutions . it is but our construction that makes those things tedious to us , which have been well taken by others . §. . no use of sleep whither we are going . thou wantest sleep : have patience , my son , for a while ; thou art going where there shall be no need , no use of sleep : and in the mean time , thy better part would not , cannot rest : though the gates be shut , that it cannot shew it self abroad , it is ever , and ever will be active . as for this earthly piece , it shall ere long sleep its fill , where no noise can wake it , till the voice of the archangel , and the trumpet of god shall call it up in the morning of the resurrection . comforts against the inconveniences of old age . § . the illimitation of age ; and the miseries that attend it . old age is that which we all desire to aspire unto ; and when we have attained , are as ready to complain of , as our greatest misery : verifying in part that old observation , that wedlock and age are things which we desire , and repent of . is this our ingratitude , or inconstancie , that we are weary of what we wished ? perhaps this accusation may not be universal : there is much difference in constitutions , and much latitude in old-age : infancy and youth have their limits , age admits of no certain determination : at seventy yeers david was old , and stricken in yeers ; and they covered him with clothes , but he gat no heat : whereas caleb can profess , now lo , i am fourscore and five yeers old : as yet , i am as strong this day , as i was in the day that moses sent me to spie out the land : as my strength was then , even so is my strength now , for war , both to go out , and come in . and beyond him , moses was an hundred and twenty yeers old , when his eye was not dim , nor his natural strength abated . methuselah was but old , when he was nine hundred sixty five . but as for the generality of mankinde , the same moses , who lived to see an hundred and twenty yeers ▪ hath set mans ordinary period at half his own term : the days of our yeers are threescore yeers and ten : and if by reason of strength they be fourscore yeers , yet is their strength labour and sorrow : lo , fourscore yeers alone , are load enough for the strength ( much more for the weakness ) of age : but when labour and sorrow are added to the weight , how can we but double under the burden ? he was both old and wise , that said out of experience , that our last days are the dregs of our life : the clearer part is gone , and all drawn out , the lees sink down to the bottom . who can express the miserable inconveniences that attend old-age ! wherein our cares must needs be multiplied according to the manifold occasions of our affairs : for the world is a net , wherein the more we stir , the more we are intangled . and for our bodily grievances , what varieties do we here meet withal ? what aches of the bones , what belking of the joynts , what convulsions of sinews , what torments of the bowels , stone , collick , strangury ? what distillations of rheums , what hollow coughs , what weaknesses of retention , expulsion , digestion , what decay of senses ? so as age is no other then the common sewer into which all diseases of our life are wont to empty themselves : well therefore might sarah say , after i am waxed old shall i have pleasure ? and good barzillai justly excuses himself for not accepting the gracious invitation of david : i am this day fourscore yeers old , and can i discern between good and evil ? can thy servant taste what i eat , or what i drink ? can i hear any more the voice of singing men , and singing women ? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king ? lo , these are they which the preacher calls the evil days , and the yeers wherein a man shall say , i have no pleasure : wherein the sun , or the light , or the moon , or the stars are darkned , and the clouds return after the rain : when the keepers of the house shall tremble , and the strong men shall bow themselves , and the grinders cease , because they are few , and those that look out of the windows be darkened . shortly , what is our old-age , but the winter of our life ? how can we then expect any other then gloomy weather , chilling frosts , storms and tempests ? § . old-age a blessing . but whiles we do thus querulously aggravate the incommodities of age , we must beware lest we derogate from the bounty of our maker , and disparage those blessings which he accounts precious ; amongst which , old-age is none of the meanest : had he not put that value upon it , would he have honoured it with his own style , calling himself , the ancient of days ? would he else have set out this mercy as a reward of obedience to himself , ( i will fulfil the number of thy days ) and of obedience to our parents , to live long in the land ? would he have promised it as a marvellous favour to restored jerusalem ( now become a city of truth , ) that there shall yet old men , and old women dwell in the streets of jerusalem , and every man with his staff in his hand for very age ? would he else have denounced it as a judgement to over-indulgent eli , there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever ? far be it from us to despise that which god doth honour , and to turn his blessing into a curse . yea , the same god , who best knows the price of his own favours , as he makes no small estimation of age himself , so he hath thought fit to call for an high respect to be given to it by men , out of an holy awe to himself : thou shalt rise up before the hoary head , and honour the face of the old man , and fear thy god. i am the lord. hence it is , that he hath pleased to put together the ancient and the honourable ; and hath told us , that an hoary head is a crown of glory , if it be found in a way of righteousness : and lastly , makes it an argument of the deplored estate of jerusalem , that they favoured not the elders . as therefore , we too sensibly feel what to complain of , so we well know what priviledges we may challenge as due to our age ; even such as nature it self hath taught those heathens which have been in the next degree to savage : if pride and skill have made the athenians uncivill , yet a yong lacedemonian will rise up , and yeeld his place in the theatre to neglected age . §. . the advantages of old age : . fearlesnesse . it is not a little injurious so to fasten our eyes upon the discommodities of any condition , as not to take in the advantages that belong to it ; which carefully laid together , may perhaps sway the balance to an equall poise : let it be true that old age is oppressed with many bodily griefes ; but what if it yeeld other immunities which may keep the scales even ? whereof it is not the least , that it gives us firm resolution , and bold security against dangers and death it selfe ; for the old man knowes how little of his clew is left in the winding , and therefore , when just occasion is offered , sticks not much upon so inconsiderable a remainder . old age and orbity , as cesellius professed , were those two things that emboldened him . and when castritius refused to deliver the hostages of placentia to carbo the consul , and was threatned with many swords , hee answered those menaces with his many yeares . and that wee may not disdain home-bred instances , and may see that brave spirits may lodge in cottages ; in my time a plain villager in the rude peake , when theeves taking advantage of the absence of his family , breaking into his solitary dwelling , and finding him sitting alone by his fire side , fell violently upon him ; and one of them setting his dagger to his heart , swore that he would presently kill him , if he did not instantly deliver to them that money which they knew he had lately received ; the old man looks boldly in the face of that stout villain , and with an undaunted courage returnes him this answer in his peakish dialect , nay , even put fro thee , sonne , i have lived long enough , but i tell thee , unlesse thou mend thy manners , thou wilt never live to see halfe my daies ; put fro thee if thou wilt . what young man would have been so easily induced to part with his life , and have been so ready to give entertainment to an unexpected death ? surely , the hope and love of life commonly softens the spirits of vigorous youth , and disswades it from those enterprises which are attended with manifest perill ; whereas extream age teacheth us to contemn dangers . §. . the second advantage of old age , freedome from passions . yet a greater priviledge of age is a freedome from those impetuous passions wherewith youth is commonly over-swayed ; for together with our naturall heat is also abated the heat of our inordinate lusts , so as now our weaker appetite may easily be subdued to reason : the temperate old man in the story , when one shewed him a beautifull face , could answer , i have long since left to be eyesick : and that other could say of pleasure , i have gladly with drawn my self from the service of that imperious mistresse . what an unreasonable vassalage our youthfull lusts subject us unto , we need no other instance then in the strongest , and wisest man ; how was the strongest man sampson effeminated by his impotent passion , and weakned in his intellectuals so far , as wilfully to betray his own life to a mercenary harlot , and to endure to hear her say , tell mee wherewith thou mayest be bouud to doe thee hurt : how easily might he have answered thee , o delila , even with these cords of brutish sensuality , wherewith thou hast already bound me to the losse of my liberty , mine eyes , my life ? how was the wisest man , solomon , besotted with his strange wives , so as to be drawn away to the worship of strange gods ! and how may the firre trees howle , when the cedars fall ! who can hope to be free from being transported with irregular affections , when wee see such great precedents of frailty before our eyes ? from the danger of these miserable miscarriages our age happily secures us , putting us into that quiet harbour , whence we may see young men perillously tossed with those tempests of unruly passions , from which our cooler age hath freed us . §. . the third advantage of age , experimentall knowledge . adde hereunto the benefit of experimentall knowledge , wherewith age is wont to enrich us , every dram whereof is worth many pounds of the best youthly contentments ; in comparison whereof , the speculative knowledge is weak and imperfect ; this , may come good cheap , perhaps costs us nothing ; that , commonly we pay deare for , and therefore is justly esteemed the more precious : if experience be the mistresse of fools , i am sure it is the mother of wisedome ; neither can it be ( except we be too much wanting to our selves ) but the long observation of such variety of actions and events as meet with us in the whole course of our life , must needs leave with us such sure rules of judgement , as may be unfailing directions for our selves , and others : in vain shall this be expected from our younger yeares , which the wise philosopher excludes from being meet auditors , much lesse judges of true morality : in regard whereof , well might the old man say , yee young men think us old men fooles , but we old men know you young men to be fooles : certainly , what value soever ignorance may put upon it , this fruit of age is such , as that the earth hath nothing equally precious . it was a profane word , and fit for the mouth of an heathen poet , that prudence is above destiny : but surely , a christian may modestly and justly say , that , next to divine providence , humane prudence may challenge the supreme place in the administration of these earthly affairs ; and that age may claim the greatest interest in that prudence : young elihu could say , multitude of yeers should teach wisdom : and the wise man , oh how comely a thing is judgement for gray hairs , and for ancient men to know counsel ! oh how comely is the wisdom of old men , and understanding and counsel to men of honour ! in regard whereof , the grecians had wont to say , that young men are for action , old men for advice : and among the romans we know that senators take their name from age . that therefore which is the weakness of old mens eyes , that ( their visual spirits not uniting till some distance ) they better discern things further off , is the praise and strength of their mental eyes ; they see either judgements or advantages afar off , and accordingly frame their determinations . it is observed that old lutes sound better then new : and it was rehoboam's folly and undoing , that he would rather follow the counsel of his green heads that stood before him , then of those grave senators that had stood before his wiser father . not that meer age is of it self thus rich in wisdom and knowledge ; but age well cultured , well improved : there are old men that do but live , or rather have a being upon earth , ( so have stocks and stones as well as they ) who can give no proof of their many yeers , but their gray hairs , and infirmities . there are those , who , like to hermogenes , are old men , whiles they are boys ; and children , when they are old men : these , the elder they grow , are so much more stupid . time is an ill measure of age , which should rather be meted by proficiency , by ripeness of judgement , by the monuments of our commendable and useful labours . if we have thus bestowed our selves , our autumn will shew what our spring was ; and the colour of our hair will yeeld us more cause to fear our pride then our dejection . §. . age in some is vigorous and well affected . we accuse our age of many weaknesses and indispositions : but these imputations must not be universal : many of these are the faults of the person , not of the age . he said well , as all wine doth not turn sowre with age , no more doth every nature . old oil is noted to be clearer , and hotter in medicinal use then new . there are those who are pettish and crabbed in youth ; there are contrarily those who are milde , gentle , sociable in their decayed yeers : there are those who are crazie in their prime ; and there are those who in their wane are vigorous : there are those who ere the fulness of their age have lost their memory ; as hermogenes , cornivus , antonius caracalla , georgius trapezunti●s , and nizolius . there are those , whose intellectuals have so happily held out , that they have been best at the last : plato in his last yeer ( which was fourscore and one ) died , as it were , with his pen in his hand : isocrates wrote his best piece at ninety four yeers : and it is said of demosthenes , that when death summoned him at an hundred yeers , and somewhat more , he bemoaned himself , that he must now die , when he began to get some knowledge . and as for spiritual graces and improvements ; such as be planted in the house of the lord , shall flourish in the courts of our god : they also shall bring forth more fruit in their age ; and shall be fat and well liking . § . the fourth advantage of age , neer approach to our end . but the chief benefit of our age is , our neer approach to our journeys end : for the end of all motion is rest ; which when we have once attained , there remains nothing but fruition : now our age brings us ( after a weary race ) within some breathings of our goal : for if young men may die , old men must . a condition which a meer carnal heart bewails and abhors , complaining of nature as niggardly in her dispensations of the shortest time to her noblest creature ; and envying the oaks , which many generations of men must leave standing and growing . no marvel ; for the worldling thinks himself here at home , and looks upon death as a banishment : he hath placed his heaven here belowe , and can see nothing in his remove , but either annihilation , or torment . but for us christians , who know , that whiles we are present in the body , we are absent from the lord ; and do justly account our selves forraigners , our life a pilgrimage , heaven our home ; how can we but rejoyce , that after a tedious and painful travel , we do now draw neer to the threshold of our fathers house ; wherein we know there are many mansions , and all glorious . i could blush to hear an heathen say , if god would offer me the choice of renewing my age , and returning to my first childhood , i should heartily refuse it ; for i should be loth , after i have passed so much of my race , to be called back from the goal , to the bars of my first setting out ; and to hear a christian whining and puling at the thought of his dissolution . where is our faith of an heaven , if having been so long sea-beaten , we be loth to think of putting into the safe and blessed harbour of immortality ? comforts against the fears and pains of death . §. . the fear of death natural . thou fearest death : thou wert not a man if thou didst not so ▪ the holiest , the wisest , the strongest that ever were , have done no less . he is the king of fear , and therefore may and must command it . thou mayst hear the man after gods own heart say , the sorrows of death compassed me : and again , my soul is full of troubles , my life draweth nigh to the grave : i am counted with them that go down to the pit , as a man that hath no strength ; free among the dead . thou mayst hear good and great hezekiah , upon the message of his death , chattering like a crane or a swallow , and mourning as a dove . thou fearest as a man ; i cannot blame thee : but thou must overcome thy fear , as a christian : which thou shalt do , if from the terrible aspect of the messenger , thou shalt cast thine eyes upon the gracious and amiable face of the god that sends him : holy david shews the way ; the snares of death prevented me : in my distress i called upon the lord , and cried unto my god ; he heard my voice out of his temple , and my cry came before him , even into his ears : lo , he that is our god , is the god of salvation ; and unto god the lord belong the issues of death : make him thy friend , and death shall be no other then advantage . it is true , as the wise man saith , that god made not death ; but that through envie of the devil death came into the world : but it is as true , that though god made him not , yet he is pleased to employ him as his messenger to summon some souls to judgment , to invite others to glory : and for these later , precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints : and what reason hast thou to abominate that which god accounts precious ? §. . remedy o● fear , acquaintance with death . thou art afraid of death : acquaint thy self with him more , and thou shalt fear him less : even bears and lions , which at the first sight afrighted us , upon frequent viewing lose their terrour : snure thine eyes to the sight of death , and that face shall begin not to displease thee . thou must shortly dwell with him for a long time , ( for the days of darkness are many ) do thou in the mean time entertain him ; let him be sure to be thy daily guest : thus the blessed apostle ; i protest by our rejoycing which i have in christ jesus , i die daily . bid him to thy board , lodge him in thy bed , talk with him in thy closet , walk with him in thy garden , as joseph of arimathea did ; and by no means suffer him to be a stranger to thy thoughts : this familiarity shall bring thee to a delight in the company of him whom thou didst at first abhor ; so as thou shalt with the chosen vessel say , i have a desire to depart , and to be with christ , which is best of all . § . the misapprehension of death injurious . thou art grievously afraid of death : is it not upon a mistaking ? our fears are apt to imagine and to aggravate evils : even christ himself , walking upon the waters , was by the disciples trembled at , as some dreadful apparition . perhaps , my son , thou lookest at death as some utter abolition , or extinction of thy being ; and nature must needs shrink back at the thought of not being at all : this is a foul and dangerous misprision : it is but a departing , which thou callest a death . see how god himself stiles it to the father of the faithful ; thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace , thou shalt be buried in a good old-age : and of his holy grand-childe israel , the spirit of god says , when jacob had made an end of commanding his sons , he gathered up his feet into the bed , and yeelded up the ghost , and was gathered unto his people . lo , dying is no other , then going to our fathers , and gathering to our people , with whom we do and shall live in that other and better world , and with whom we shall re-appear glorious . let but thy faith represent death to thee in this shape , and he shall not appear so formidable . do but mark in what familiar terms it pleased god to confer with his servant moses concerning his death ; get thee up into this mountain abarim , unto mount nebo , which is in the land of moab , and behold the land of canaan which i give unto the children of israel for a possession ; and die in the mount whither thou go est up , and be gathered to thy people , as aaron thy brother died in mount hor , and was gathered to his people : lo , it is no more , then go up and die : should it have been but to go a days journey in the wilderness to sacrifice , it could have been no otherwise expressed ; o●●s if it were all one to go up to sinai , to meet with god , and to go up to nebo and die . neither is it otherwise with us ; onely the difference is , that moses must first see the land of promise , and then die ; whereas we must first die , and then see the promised land. § . comfort from the common condition of men . thou art troubled with the fear of death : what reason hast thou to be afflicted with that which is the common condition of mankinde ? remember , my son , the words of joshua , the victorious leader of gods people ; behold , this day ( saith he ) i am going the way of all the earth . if all the earth go this way , couldst thou be so fond as to think there should be a by-path left for thee , wherein thou mayst tread alone ? were it so that monarchs and princes , that patriarchs , prophets , apostles were allowed any easier passage out of the world , thou mightst perhaps finde some pretence of reason to repine at a painfull dissolution , but now since all goe one way , and ( as the wise philosopher saies ) those which are unequall in their birth , are in their deaths equal , there can be no ground for a discontented murmure : grudge if thou wilt , that thou art a man , grudge not that being a man thou must die : it is true that those whom the last day shall finde alive , shall not die , but they shall bee changed ; but this change of theirs shall be no other then an analogicall death , wherein there shall be a speedy consumption of all our corrupt and drossie parts ▪ so as the pain must be so much the more intense , by how much it is more short then in the ordinary course of death : briefly , that change is a death , and our death is a change , as job stiles it ; the difference is not in the pain , but in the speed of the transaction : fear not then the sentence of death ; remember them that have been before thee , and that come after , for this is the sentence of the lord over all flesh . §. . death not feared by some . thou fearest death : so doe not infants , children , distracted persons , as the philosopher observes : why should use of reason render us more cowardly , then defect of reason doth them ? thou fearest that which some others wish : o death , how acceptable is thy sentence to the needy , and to him whose strength faileth , that is now in the last age , and is vexed with all things , and to him that despaireth , and hath lost patience : wherefore is light given ( saith iob ) to him that is in misery , and life unto the bitter in soul ? which long for death , but it commeth not , and dig for it more then for hid treasures ; which rejoyce exceedingly , and are glad when they can finde the grave ? how many are there that invite the violence of death , and if hee refuse it , doe , as ignatius threatned he would doe to the lions , force his assault ? death is the same to all : the difference is in the disposition of the entertainers ; couldst thou look upon death with their eyes , he should be as welcome to thee , as he is unto them : at the least , why shouldst thou not labour to have thy heart so wrought upon that this face of death , which seems lovely , and desirable to some , may not appear over-terrible to thee ? §. . our death day , better then our birth day . thou art afraid to die ; couldst thou then have been capable of the use of reason , thou wouldst have been more afraid of comming into the world , then thou art now of going out : for why should we be more afraid of the better , then of the worse ? better is the day of death , then the day of ones birth , saith the preacher : eccles. . . better every way ; our birth begins our miseries , our death ends them : our birth enters the best of men into a wretched world , our death enters the good into a world of glory : certainly , were it not for our infidelity , as wee came crying into the world , so wee should goe singing out of 〈◊〉 and if some have solemnized their birth-day with feasting and triumph , the church of old hath bestowed that name and cost upon the deaths-day of her martyrs , and saints . §. . the sting of death pulled out . thou abhorrest death , and fleest from it as from a serpent : but doest thou know that his sting is gone ? what harme can there be in a sting-lesse snake ? hast thou not seen or heard of some delicate dames that have carried them ( thus corrected ) in their bosome for coolnesse , and for the pleasure of their smoothnesse ? the sting of death is sinne ; hee may hisse , and winde about us , but he cannot hurt us when that sting is pulled out : look up , o thou beleeving soul , to thy blessed saviour ▪ who hath pluckt out this sting of death , and happily triumphs over it , both for himself and thee ; o death where is thy sting ? o grave where is thy victory ? §. . death is but aparting to meet again . thy soul and body ( old companions ) are loth to part : why man , it is but the forbearing their wonted society , for a while ; they doe but take leave of each other till they meet againe in the day of resurrection , and in the mean time they are both safe , and the better part happy : it is commendable in the jews ( otherwise the worst of men ) that they call their grave ( beth chajim ) the house of the living ; and when they return from the buriall of their neighbours , they pluck up the grasse , and cast it into the aire , with those words of the psalmist , they shall flourish and put forth as the grasse upon , the earth : did wee not beleeve a resurrection of the one part , and a re-uniting of the other , wee had reason to be utterly daunted with the thought of a dissolution ; now wee have no cause to bee dismayed with a little intermission . is it an heathen man , or a christian ( such i wish he had been ) whom i hear say , the death which wee so fear , and flee from , doth but respite life for a while , doth not take it away , the day will come which shall restore us to the light again . settle thy soul , my sonne , in this assurance , and thou canst not bee discomforted with a necessary parting . § . death is but a sleep . thou art afraid of death : when thou art weary of thy dayes labour , art thou afraid of rest ? hear what thy saviour , who is the lord of life , esteems of death , iohn . . our friend lazarus sleepeth . and of jairus his daughter , the maid is not dead , but sleepeth : neither useth the spirit of god any other language , concerning his servants under the old testament : now shall i sleep in the dust , saith holy job : and of david , when thy days be fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers . nor yet under the new : for this cause many are weak and sickly among you , and many sleep , saith the apostle . lo , the philosophers of old were wont to call sleep the brother of death ; but god says death is no other then sleep it self ; a sleep both sure and sweet : when thou liest down at night to thy repose , thou canst not be so certain to awake again in the morning , as when thou layest thy self down in death , thou art sure to wake in the morning of the resurrection . out of this bodily sleep thou mayst be affrightedly startled with some noises of sudden horrour , with some fearful dreams , with tumults , or alarms of war ; but here thou shalt rest quietly in the place of silence , free from all inward and outward disturbances , whiles in the mean time thy soul shall see none but visions of joy , and blessedness . but , oh the sweet and heavenly expression of our last rest , and the issue of our happie resuscitation , which our gracious apostle hath laid forth , for the consolation of his mournful thessalonions : for , if we believe ( saith he ) that jesus died and rose again ; even so them also which sleep in jesus , will god bring with him . lo , our belief is antidote enough against the worst of death : and why are we troubled with death , when we believe that jesus died ? and what a triumph is this over death , that the same jesus who died , rose again ? and what a comfort it is , that the same jesus who arose , shall both come again , and bring all his with him in glory ? and lastly , what a strong cordial is this to all good hearts , that all those which die well , do sleep in jesus ? thou thoughtst , perhaps , of sleeping in the bed of the grave ; and there indeed is rest : but he tells thee of sleeping in the bosome of jesus ; and there is immortality and blessedness . oh blessed jesu , in thy presence is the fulness of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . who would desire to walk in the world , when he may sleep with jesus ? § . death sweetned to us by christ. thou fearest death : it is much on what terms , and in what form death presents himself to thee : if as an enemy , ( as that is somewhere his style , the last enemy death ) thy unpreparation shall make him dreadful ; thy readiness and fortitude shall take off his terrour : if as a messenger of god to fetch thee to happiness , what reason hast thou to be afraid of thine own bliss ? it is one thing what death is in himself , a privation of life ; as such , nature cannot chuse but abhor him : another thing what he is by christ made unto us ; an introduction to life , an harbinger to glory . why would the lord of life have yeelded unto death , and by yeelding vanquisht him ; but that he might alter and sweeten death to us ; and of a fierce tyrant , make him a friend and benefactor ? and if we look upon him thus changed , thus reconciled , how can we chuse but bid him welcome ? § . the painfulness of christs ●eath . thou art afraid of the pangs of death : there are those that have died without any great sense of pain : some we have known to have yeelded up their souls without so much as a groan : and how knowest thou , my son , what measure god hath allotted to thee ? our death is a sea-voyage , ( so the apostle , i desire to lanch forth ) wherein some finde a rough and tempestuous passage ; others , calm and smoothe : such thine may prove ; so as thy dissolution may be more easie then a fit of thy sickness . but if thy god have determined otherwise . look unto jesus the authour and finisher of our faith , the son of god , the lord of glory ; see with what agonies he conflicted , what torments he endured in his death for thee : look upon his bloody sweat , his bleeding temples , his furrowed back , his nailed hands and feet , his racked joynts , his pierced side : hear his strong cries , consider the shame , the pain , the c●rse of the cross which he underwent for thy sake : say , whether thy sufferings can be comparable to his . he is a cowardly and unworthy souldier , that follows his general sighing . lo , these are the steps wherein thy god and saviour hath trod before thee : walk on courageously , in this deep and bloody way ; after a few paces thou shalt overtake him in glory : for if we suffer with him , we shall also reign together with him . §. . the vanity and miseries of life . thou shrinkest at the thought of death : is it not for that thou hast , over-valued life , and made thy home on earth ? delicate persons that have pampered themselves at home , are loth to stir ab●●ad , especially upon hard and un●●uth voyages : perhaps it is so with thee ; wherein i cannot but much pity thy mistaking , in placing thy contentment there , where a greater and wiser man could finde nothing but vanity , and vexation . alas , what can be our exile , if this be our home ? what woful entertainment is this to be enamoured on ? what canst thou meet with here , but distempered humours , hard usages , violent passions , bodily sicknesses , sad complaints , hopes disappointed , frequent miscarriages , wicked plots , cruel menaces , deadly executions , momentany pleasures sauced with lasting sorrows ; lastly , shadows of joy , and real miseries : are these the things that so bewitch thee , that when death calls at thy door , thou art ready to say to it , as the devil said to our saviour , art thou come to torment me before the time ? are these those winning contentments , that cause thee to say of the world , as peter said of mount tabor , master , it is good for us to be here . if thou have any faith in thee , ( and what dost thou profess to be a christian without it ? ) look up to the things of that other world , whither thou art going ; and see whether that true life , pure joy , perfect felicity , and th● eternity of all these , may not be worthy to draw up thy heart to a lo●ging desire of the fruition of them , and a contemptuous disvaluation of all that earth can promise , in comparison of this infinite blessedness . it was one of the defects which our late noble and learned philosopher the lord virulam * found in our physitians , that they do not studie those remedies that might procure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the easie passage of their patients ( since they must needs die ) thorow the gates of death : such helps i must leave to the care of the skilful sages of nature ; the use whereof i suppose must be with much caution , lest whiles they endeavour to sweeten death , they shorten life . but 〈◊〉 me prescribe , and commend to thee , my son , this true spiritual means of thine happie euthanasia ; which can be no other then this faithful disposition of the labouring soul , that can truely say , i know whom i have believed : i have fought a good fight ; i have finished my course ; i have k●pt the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness , which the lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day . § . examples of courageous resolutions in others . thou startest back at the mention of death : how canst thou but blush to read of that heathen martyr , socrates , who when the message as death was brought to him , could applaud the news of most joyful : or of a cardinal of rome , ( who yet expected a tormenting purgatory ) that received the intimation of his approaching death , with bu●na nuova , buona nuova , o che buona nuova è questa ! is not their confidence thy shame ; who believing that when our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved , we have a building of god , an house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens , yet shrinkest at the motion of taking the possession of it ? canst thou with dying mithridates ( when he took his unwilling farewel of the world ) cry out , oh light ! when thou art going to a light more glorious then this thou leavest , then the sun is more weak then a rush-candle ? it is our infidelity , my son , it is our meer in● idelity that makes us unwilling to die : did we think ( according to the cursed opinion of some fanatick persons ) that the soul sleeps as well as the body , from the moment of the dissolution , till the day of resurrection : or did we doubt lest we should wander to unknown places where we cannot be certain of the entertainment ; or did we fear a scorching trial ( upon the emigration ) in flames little inferiour , for the time ) to those of hell , there were some cause for us to tremble at the approach of death : but now that we can boldly say , with the wise man , ` the souls of the righteous are in the hand of god , and there shall no torment touch them : in the sight of the unwise they seemed to die , and their departure is taken for misery , and their going from us to be utter destruction ; but they are in peace . oh thou of little faith , why fearest thou ? why dost thou not chide thy self , as that dying saint did of old , go forth , my soul , go boldly forth ; what art thou afraid of ? lo , the angels of god are ready to receive thee , and to carry thee up to thy glory ; neither shalt thou sooner have left this wretched body , then thou shalt be possessed of thy god : after a momentany darkness cast upon nature , thou shalt enjoy the beatifical vision of the glorious god : be not afraid to be happie ; but say , out of faith , that which jonah said in anger ; it is better for me to die then to live . § . the happy advantages of death . i am afraid to die : this is the voice of nature : but wilt thou hear what grace saith ? to me to live is christ , and to die is gain . if therefore meer nature raign in thee , thou canst not but be affrighted with death : but if true grace be prevalent in thy soul , that guest shall not be unwelcome : was ever any man afraid of profit and advantage ? such is death to the faithful : whosoever he be that findes christ to be his life , shall be sure to finde death his gain , for that he is thereby brought to a more full and neer communion with christ : whereas before he enjoyed his saviour onely by the dim apprehension of his faith , now he doth clearly and immediately enjoy that glorious presence , which onely makes blessedness : this is it which causeth death to change his copie ; and renders him who is of himselfe formidable , pleasing and beneficiall ; i desire to depart and to be with christ , saith the man who was rapt up to the third heaven ; had it been onely departing , surely he had had no such great edge to it ; but to depart , and be with christ , is that which ravisheth his soule . when the heathen socrates was to die for his religion , he comforted himselfe with this , that hee should goe to the place where he should see orphaeus , homer , musaeus , and the other worthies of the former ages ; poor man ! could he have come to have knowne god manifested in the flesh , and received up into glory , and therein that glorified flesh sitting at the right hand of majesty ; could he have attained to know the blessed order of the cherubim , and seraphim , angels , archangels , principalities , and powers , and the rest of the most glorious hierarchy of heaven ; could he have been acquainted with that celestiall chore of the spirits of just men made perfect : could he have reached to know the god and father of spirits , the infinitely , and incomprehensibly glorious deity , whose presence transfuses everlasting blessednesse into all those citizens of glory : and could he have known that he should have an undoubted interest ( instantly upon his dissolution ) in that infinite blisse ; how much more gladly would he have taken off his hemlock ; and how much more merrily would he have passed into that happier world ? all this wee know , and are no lesse assured of it , then of our present beeing ; with what comfort therefore should we think of changing our present condition with a blessed immortality ? how sweet a song was that of old simeon ? lord , now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace , according to thy word , for mineties have seen thy salvation : loe , that which hee saw by the eye of his sense , thou seest by the eye of thy faith ; even the lords christ ; he saw him in weaknesse , thou seest him in glory ; why shouldst thou not depart , not in peace onely , but in joy and comfort ? how did the holy protomartyr stephen triumph over all the rage of his enemies , and the violent fury of death , when he had once seen the heavens opened , and the son of man standing on the right hand of god ? loe , god offers the same blessed prospect to the 〈◊〉 of thy soul ; faith is the key that can open the heaven of heavens ; fixe thy eies upon that glorious and saving object ; thou canst not but lay down thy body in peace , and send up thy soul into the hands of him that bought it , with the sweet and cheerfull recommendation , of lord jesus receive my spirit . comforts against the terrours of judgement . §. . aggravation of the fearfulness of the last judgement . thou apprehendest it aright ; death is terrible , but judgement more ; both these succeed upon the same decree , it is appointed unto man once to die , but after this the judgement : neither is it mo●e terrible , then lesse thought on ; death , because he strikes on all hands , and laies before us so many sad examples of mortality , cannot but sometimes take up our hearts ; but the last judgement , having no visible proofs to force it self upon our thoughts , too seldome affrights us : yet who can conceive the terrour of that day ? before which the sun stall bee turned into darknesse , and the moon into blood ; that day , which shall burne as an oven , when all the proud , and all that doe wickedly shall bee as the stubble ; that day , in which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also , ●●d the works that are therein shall be burnt ●p : that day , wherein the lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ; in flaming fire , taking vengeance on them that know not god , and that obey not the gospel of our lord iesus christ ; that day , wherein the lord will come with fire , and with his chariots like a whirlewinde , to render his anger with fury , and his rebuke with flames of fire ; for by fire , and by his sword will the lord plead with all flesh : that day , wherein the son of man shall come in his glory , and all the holy angels with him ; and shall sit upon the throne of his glory ; and all nations shall bee gathered before him ; that day , wherein all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him : s●ortly , that great and terrible day of the lord , wherein if the powers of heaven shall bee shaken , how can the heart of man remain unmoved ? wherein , if the world be dissolved , who can bear up ? alas , we are ready to tremble at but a thunder-crack in a poor cloud ; and at a small flash of lightning that glances through our eyes ; what shall wee doe when the whole frame of the heavens shall break in peeces , and when all shall be on a flame about our eares ? oh , who may abide the day of his comming ; and who shall stand when hee appeareth ? §. . comfort from the condition of the elect . yet bee of good chear , m● sonne ; amids all this horrour there is comfort ▪ whether thoube one of those whom it shall please god to reserve alive upon earth to the sight of this dreadfull day , he only knowes in whose hands our times are ; this we are sure of , that we are upon the last houres , of the last daies : justly doe we spit in the faces of s. peters scoffers , that say , where is the promise of his coming ? well knowing , that the lord is not slack , as some account slackness ; but that he that shall come , will come , and not tarry . well mayst thou live to see the son of man come in the clouds of heaven , and to be an actor in this last scene of the world : if so , let not thy heart be dismayed with the expectation of these fearful things : thy change shall be sudden and quick ; one moment shall put off thy mortality , and clothe thee with that incorruption , which shall not be capable of fear and pain : the majestie of this appearance shall adde to thy joy and glory : thou shalt then see the lord himself descend from heaven with a shout , with the voice of the archangel , and with the trump of god : thou shalt see thy self , and those other which are alive and remain , to be caught up in the clouds to meet the lord in the air ; and so shalt thou be ever with the lord. upon this assurance , how justly may the apostle subjoyn , wherefore comfort one another with these words . certainly , if ever there were comfort to be had in any words , not of men or angels onely , but of the ever-living god , the god of truth , these are they that can and will afford it to our trembling souls . but if thou be one of the number of those whom god hath determined to call off before-hand , and by a faithful death to prevent the great day of his appearance ; here is nothing for thee , but matter of a joy unspeakable and full of glory : for those that sleep in jesus , shall god bring with him ; they shall be part of that glorious train which shall attend the majestie of the great judge of the world : yea , they shall be co●●se●●ors to the lord of heaven and earth , in this awful judica ture ; as sitting upon the bench , when guilty men and angels shall be at the bar : to him that overcometh , saith the lord christ , will i grant to sit with me in my throne , even as i also overcame , and am set down with my father in his throne . what place ▪ then is here for any terrour , since the more state and heavenly magnificence , the more joy and glory ? § . awe more fit for thoughts of judgement , then fear . thou art afraid to think of judgement : i had rather thou shouldst be awful , then timorous . when saint paul discoursed of the judgement to come , it is no marvel that f●●ix trembled : but the same apostle , when he had pressed to his corinthians , the certainty and generality of our appearance before the judgement-seat of christ , that every one may receive the things done in his body , whether good or evil ; addeth , knowing therefore the terrour of the lord , we perswade men ▪ but we are made manifest to god , &c. lo , the holiest man may not be exempted from the dread , but from the slavish fear of the great judge : we know his infinite justice ; we are conscious to our selves of our manifold failings : how can we lay these two together , and not fear ? but this fear works not in us a malignant kinde of repining at the severe tribunal of the almighty , ( as commonly whom we fear we hate ) but rather a careful endeavour so to approve our selves , that we may be acquitted by him , and appear blameless in his presence . how justly may we tremble , when we look upon our own actions , our own deserts ? but how confidently may we appear at that bar , where we are beforehand assured of a discharge ? being justified by faith , ●we have peace with god , through jesus christ our lord. when we think of an● universal conflagration of the world , how can we but fear ? but when we think of an happie restitution of all things in this day ; how can we but rejoyce in trembling ? § . in that great and terrible day , our advocate is our judge . thou quakest at the expectation of the last judgement : surely , the very majestie of that great assize must needs be formidable : and if the very delivery of the law on mount sinai were with so dreadful a pomp of thunder and lightning , of fire , smoke , earthquakes , that the israelites were half dead with fear in receiving it ; with what terrible magnificence shall god come to require an account of that law at the hands of the whole sinful generation of mankinde ? represent unto thy thoughts , that which was shewed of old to the prophet daniel in vision : imagine that thou sawest the ancient of days sitting upon a throne like the fiery flame 〈◊〉 , a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before him ; thousand thousands ministring unto him , and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him ; the judgement set , and the books opened . or as john , the daniel of the new testament saw , a great white throne , and him that sate on it , from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away , and the dead both small and great standing before god ; and the books opened , and the dead judged out of those things which were written in those books , according to their works . let the eyes of thy minde see before-hand that which these bodily eyes shall once see ; and tell me how thou feelest thy self affected with the sight of such a judge , such an appearance , such a process : and if thou findest thy self in a trembling condition , cheer up thy self with this , that thy judge is thine advocate ; that upon that throne there sits not greater majestie then mercie : it is thy saviour that shall sentence thee . how safe art thou then under such hands ? canst thou fear that he will doom thee to death , who died to give thee life ? canst thou fear he will condemn thee for those sins which he hath given his blood to expiate ? canst thou fear the rigour of that justice which he hath so fully satisfied ? canst thou misdoubt the miscarriage of that soul which he hath so dearly bought ? no , my son , all this divine state and magnificence makes for thee : let those guilty and impenitent souls , who have heaped unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath , quake at the glorious majestie of the son of god ; for whom nothing remains , but a fearful expectation of judgement , and fiery indignation , which shall devour the adversaries : but for thee , who art not onely reconciled unto god by the mediation of the son of his love , but art also incorporated into christ , and made a true limb of his mystical body ; thou art bidden ( together with all the faithful ) to look up , and lift up thy head ; for now the day of thy re●emption is come . and indeed , how canst thou do other , since by vertue of this blessed union with thy saviour , this glory is thine ; every member hath an interest in the honour of the head. rejoyce therefore in the day of the lord jesus ; and when all the tribes of the earth shall wail , do thou sing and rejoyce ; and call to the heavens and the earth to bear thee company : let the heavens rejoyce , and let the earth be glad : let the sea make a noise , aud all that is therein : let the field be joyful , and all that is in it . then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the lord : for he cometh , for he cometh to judge the earth , and with righteousness to judge the world , and the people with his truth . §. . frequent meditation and due prepa●ation , the remedies of our ●ear . thou art affrighted with the thought of that great day : think of it oftner , and thou shalt less fear it . it will come both surely , and suddenly ; let thy frequent thoughts prevent it . it will come as a thief in the night , without warning , without noise : let thy careful vigilance always expect it ; and thy soul shall be sure not to be surprised , not to be confounded . thine audit is both sure , and uncertain : sure that it will be , uncertain when it will be . if thou wilt approve thy self a good steward , have thine account always ready ; set thy reckoning still even betwixt god and thy soul : blessed is the servant whom his master shall finde so doing : look upon these heavens , and this earth as dissolving ; and think , with jerome , that thou hearest the last trump , and the voice of the archangel shrilling in thine ears , ( as once thou shalt ) arise , ye dead , and come to judgement . shortly , let it be thy main care , to live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world ; looking for that blessed hope , and the glorious appearing of the great god , and our saviour jesus christ , who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity ; who shall change our vile body , that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body ; according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself . comforts against the fears of our spiritual enemies . § . the great power of evil spirits , and their restraint . thou art affrighted at the thought of thy spiritual enemies : no marvel ; neither earth nor hell hath any thing equally formidable : those three things which are wont to make enmity dreadful and dangerous ▪ ( power , malice , subtilty ) are met in them : neither is it easie to say in which of these they are most eminent . certainly , were we to be matcht with them on even hand , there were just cause , not of fear onely , but despair . i could tremble , thou sayst , to think what satan hath done , what he can do ▪ what contestation he enabled the egyptian sorcerers to hold with moses ; how they turned every man his rod into a serpent ; so as they seemed to have the advantage , for the time , of many serpents crawling and hissing in phoraoh's pavement , for one : how they turned the waters into blood : how they brought froggs upon the land of egypt 〈◊〉 as if thus far the power of hell would presume to hold competition with heaven : what furious tempests he raises in the air , as that which from the wilderness ▪ beat upon the four corners of the house of job's eldest son , and overthrew it : lo , job was the greatest man in the east ; his heir did not dwell in a cottage ; that strong fabrick could not stand against this hurricane of satan . what fearful apparitions he makes in the upper regions : what great wonders he doth , causing fire to come down from heaven on the earth , in the sight of men : lastly , what grievous tyranny he exerciseth upon all the children of disobedience . couldst thou look for any less , my son , from those , whom the spirit of god himself , styles principalities , and powers , and rulers of the darkness of this world , and spiritual wickednesses in high places , and the prince of the power of the air . surely , it were no mastery to be a christian , if we had not powerfull opposites : but dost thou not withall consider that all this power is by concession , and the exercise of it but with permission , with limitation ? what power can there be in any oreature , which is not derived from the almighty ? this measure the infinite creator was pleased to communicate to them , as angels , which they retain , and exercise still as devils ; their damnation hath stripped them of their glory ; but we know not of how much of their strength : and seest thou not how their power is bounded ? those that could in appearance turn their rods into serpents , could not keep all their serpents from being devoured of that one serpent of moses : those that could b●ing frogs upon egypt , cannot bring a baser creature , lice : those that were suffered to bring frogs , shall not have power to take them away : restrained powers must know their limits ; and we knowing them , must set limits to our feares ; a lion chained up can do lesse harme then a curre let loose : what is it to thee how powerfull the evill spirits are , whiles they are by an over-ruling power tied up to their stake , that they cannot hurt thee ? §. . the fear of the number of evil spirits , and the remedy of it . thy feares are increased with their number ; they are as many as powerfull : one , demoniack was possessed with a legion ; how many legions then shall we think there are to tempt those millions of men , which live upon the face of the earth , whereof no one is free from their continuall solicitations to evill ? that holy man , whom our counterfeit hermites would pretend to imitate in the vision of his retirednesse , saw the air full of them , and of their s●ares for mankinde ; and were our eyes as clear as his , we might perhaps meet with the same prospect : but bee not dismaid my son : couldst thou borrow the eyes of the servant of an holier master , thou shouldst see that there are moe with us , then they that are against us ; thou shouldst see the blessed angels of god , pitching their tents about thee , as the more powerfull , vigilant , constant guardians of thy soule : loe , these are those valiant ones , which stand about thy bed ; they all hold swords , being expert in warre ; every one hath his sword upon his thigh , because of fear in the night : feare not therefore , but make the lord , even the most high , thy habitation : then there shall no evill befall thee , neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling : for he shall give his angels charge ever thee to keepe thee in all thy waies . they shall bear thee up in their hands , lest thou dash thy foot against a stone ; yea , ( and besides this safe indempnity ) thou shalt tread upon the lyon , and adder ; the young lion , and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet . in secular enmity , true valour may be oppressed , will not easily bee d●unted with multitude ; i will not be afraid of ten thousand , ( saith david ) they came about me like bees , but in the name of the lord will i destroy them : it was a brave resolution in that generall , who when one of his souldiers could tell him , that the cloud of persian arrows ( shot at them ) darkned the sun ; bee of good chear , ( said he ) wee shall sight in the shade : answerable whereunto , was that heroicall determination of luther , who ( after his engagements ) against all threats , and disswasions . would goe ●nto the city of wormes , though there were as many devils in it , as tiles upon their houses ; and why should not we imitate this confidence ? what if there were as many devils in the air , as there are spires of grasse on the earth ? god is our refuge and strength , a very present help in trouble ; therefore will we not fear , though the earth be removed ; though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. behold , god is our salvation , we will trust , and not bee afraid ; for the lord jehovah is our strength and our song , he also is become our salvation . let god arise , and let his enemies be scattered ; let them also that hate him flee before him ; like as the smoak vanisheth , so shalt thou drive them away . §. . the malice of the evill spirits , and our fears thereof remedied . but oh the malice of those infernall spirits , implacable , and deadly ; whose trade is temptation , and accusation ; whose delight is torment ; whose musick is shrieks , and howlings , and groanes , and gnashing ; and whose main drift is no lesse then the eternall death , and damnation of miserable mankind ! why should we , my son , expect other from him , who is professedly the manslayer from the beginning ? that carries nothing but destruction both in his name and nature ? that goes about continually like a roaring lion , seeking whom hee may devoure ? surely , this malignity is restlesse ; neither wil take up with any thing on this side hell . but comfort thy selfe in this , that in spight of all the malice of hell , thou art safe ▪ doest thou not know that there stands by thee the victorious lion of the tribe of iudah , whom that infernall ravener dare not look in the face ? dost thou not remember , that when the sentence was pronounced of eternall enmity , between the seed of the woman , and the seed of the serpent , it was with this doome , it shall bruise thy head , and thou shalt bruise his heel : loe , a bruise of a mans heel is farre from the heart ; but a bruise of the serpents head is mortall ; there his sting , there his life lies : neither did the seed of the woman ( christ jesus ) this for himself , ( who was infinitely above all the power and malice of the devil ) but for us the impotent and sinful seed of man : the god of peace shall bruise satan under your feet , saith the blessed apostle : under your feet ; not under his own onely : of whom god the father had long before said , sit thou on my right hand , till i make thine enemies thy footstool . yea , what do i speak of the future ? already is this great work done ; already is this great work atchieved : for the lord of life , having spoiled principalities and powers , hath made a shew of them openly , triumphing over them on his cr●ss . lo , all the powers of hell were dragg'd after this glorious conquerour , when he was advanced upon that triumphant chariot . look therefore , my son , upon these hellish forces , as already vanquished ; and know , that in all things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us . onely do thou by the power of thy faith , apply unto thy self this great work , that thy victorious saviour hath done for the salvation of all the world of believers . § . the great subtilfy of evil spirits , and the remedy of the fear of it . power without malice were harmless ; and malice without power were impotent : but when both are combined together , they are dreadful . but , whereas malice hath two ways to execute mischief , either force , or fraud ; the malice of satan prevails more by this latter ; so as the subtilty of these malignant spirits is more pernicious then their power : in regard of his power , he is a lion ; in regard of his subtilty , he is a serpent , yea , that old serpent , whose craft must needs be marvellously increased by the age and experience of so many thousand yeers . so much the more careful ought we to be , my son , lest satan should get an advantage of us : this is that he seeks ; and if our spiritual wisdom & circumspection be not the more , will be sure to find . it is a great word , and too high for us , which the apostle speaks ; for we are not ignorant of satans devices . alas , he hath a thousand stratagems , that our weak simplicity is never able to reach unto : the wisest of us knows not the deceitfulness of his own heart , much less can he dive into the plots of hell that are against us . we hear , and are fore-warned of the wiles of the devil : but what his special machinations are , how can we know , much less prevent ? even the children of this world ( saith our saviour ) are in their generation wiser then the children of light : how much more crafty is their father , from whom their cunning is derived ? be as mean as thou wilt , my son , in thine own eyes ; say with agur the son of jakeh , surely , i am more brutish then any man , and have not the understanding of a man : i neither learned wisdom , nor have the knowledge of the holy . but what ever thou art in thy self , know what thou art , or mayst be in thy god : consider what the man after gods own heart sticks not to profess ; thou , through thy commandments , hast made me wiser then mine enemies ; for they are ever with me : lo , the spirit of wisdom is ours ; and he who is the eternal wisdom of the father , is made unto us wisdom , as well as righteousness : and he who over-rules hell , hath said , the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church : what are the gates of hell , but the deep plots and consul●tations of those infernal powers ? the serpent is the known embleme of subtilty : the serpents of the egyptian sorcerers , were all devoured by moses his serpent : wherefore ? but to shew us , that all the crafty counsels and machinations of hellish projectors , are easily destroyed by the power and wisdom of the almighty : when all was done , it was the rod of god that swallowed them all , and was yet still it self , when they were vanquished : so as that whereby satan thought to have won most honour to himself , ended in his shame and loss . what an infinite advantage did the powers of darkness think to have made , in drawing our first parents ( by their subtil suggestions ) into sin , and thereby into perdition ; as imagining either mankinde shall not be , or shall be ours ? the incomprehensible wisdom and mercy of our god disappointed their hopes ; and took occasion by mans fall , to raise him up to a greater glory ; and so ordered it , that the serpents nibbling at the heel cost him the breaking of his head . what trophees did that wicked spirit think to erect upon the ruines of miserable job ? and how was he baffled by the patience of that saint ? and how was that saint doubled both in his estate and honour , by his conquering patience ? how confidently did the subtilty of hell say , concerning the son of god exhibited in the flesh ; this is the heir , come , let us kill him , and the inheritance shall be ours ? how sure work did they think they had made , when they saw him , through their subtil procurement , nailed to the cross , and dying upon that tree of shame and curse ; when they saw him laid dead under a sealed and guarded grave-stone ? and now , behold , even now begins their confusion , and his triumph ; now doth the lord of life begin to trample upon death and hell ; and to perfect his own glory , and mans redemption , by his most glorious resurrection . and as it was with the head , so it is with the members : when satan hath done his worst , they are holier upon their sins , and happier by their miscarriages ; god findes out a way to improve their evils to advantage , and teaches them of these vipers to make soverain treacles , and safe and powerful trochisces . shortly , the temptations of satan sent out from his power , malice , subtilty , are no other then fiery darts , for their suddenness , impetuosity , penetration : if we can but hold out the shield of faith before us , they shall not be quenched onely , but retorted into the face of him that sends them ; and we shall , with the chosen vessel , finde and profess , that in all things we are more then conquerours , through him that loved us ; and in a bold defiance of all the powers of darkness , shall say , i am perswaded , that neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come ; nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature , shall be able to separate us from the love of god , which is in christ jesus our lord ; to whom be all honour , glory , praise , power and dominion , now and for evermore . the vniversal receit for all maladies . these are , my son , special compositions ▪ of wholsome receits for the several maladies of thy soul : wherein it shall be my happiness to have suggested unto thee such thoughts as may any whit avail to the alleviation of thy sorrows . but , there is an universal remedy , which a skilfuller physitian hath ordained for all thy grievances ; and i from his hand earnestly recommend to thee : is any among you afflicted ? let him pray . lo here the great and soverain panpharmacum of the distressed soul , which is able to give ease to all the fore-mentioned complaints . art thou cast● down upon thy sick bed ? call for the elders of the church , and let them pray . this was hezekiah's receit , when he was sick unto death ; he turned his face to the wall , and prayed . this was david's receit ; have mercy on me , o lord , for i am weak ; o lord heal me , for my bones are vexed . take therefore the counsel of the wise man ; my son , in thy sickness be not negligent , but pray unto the lord , and he will make thee whole . art thou soul-sick ? pray : so did holy david ; the sorrows of hell compassed me about , and the snares of death prevented me : in my distress i called upon the lord , and cried unto my god. art thou infested with importunate temptations ? pray : so did s. paul , when the messenger of satan was sent to buffet him : thrice i besought the lord that it might depart from me . so did david ; whiles i suffer thy terrours , i am distracted ; thy fierce wrath goeth over me : but unto thee have i cried , o lord , and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee . art thou disheartned with the weakness of grace ? pray : so did david : i am feeble , and sore broken , i have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart : lord , all my desire is before thee . art thou afflicted with the slanders of evil tongues ? pray : so did david ; the mouth of the wicked , and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me : they have spoken against me with a lying tongue : hold not thy peace , o god of my praise . art thou grieved or affrighted with the publike calamities of war , famine , pestilence ? pray : so good jehosaphat presseth god with his gracious promise made to solomen : if when evil cometh upon us , as the sword , judgement , or pestilence , or famine , we stand before this house , and in thy presence , and cry unto thee in our affliction , then thou wilt hear and help : and shuts up his zealous supplication with , neither know we what to do , but our eyes are upon thee . art thou afflicted with the loss of friends ? pray , and have rec●urse to thy god , as ezekiel , when peletiah , the son of benaiah died : then fell i down upon my face , and cried with a loud voice , and said , ah lord god! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of israel ? art thou distressed with poverty ? pray : so did david : i am poor and needy , and my heart is wounded within me : i became also a reproach to them , when they that looked upon me , shaked their heads : help me , o lord my god ; oh save me according to thy mercy . art thou imprisoned ? pray : so did jonah , when he was shut up within the living wals of the whale ; i cried by reason of my affliction unto the lord ; so did asaph : let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee ; according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou them that are appointed to die . art thou driven from thy country ? pray ; this is the remedy prescribed by solomon , in his supplication to god ; if thy people be carried away into a land far off , or near : yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried and turn , and pray to thee , in the land of their captivity . if they return to thee with all their hearts , and pray towards the land which thou gavest to their fore-fathers , &c. then hear thou from heaven their prayer , and their supplication . art thou bereaved of thy bodily senses ? make thy addresse to him that said , who hath made mans mouth , or who maketh the dumb , and the deaf , or the seeing , or the blind ? have not i the lord ? cry aloud to him with bartimeus , lord , that i may receive my sight : and if thou be hopelesse of thine outward sight , yet pray with the psalmist , o lord open thou mine eyes , that i may see the wondrous things of thy law. art thou afflicted with sterility ? pray ; so did isaac , so did hannah ; she was in bitternesse of soul , and prayed unto the lord , and wept sore and received a gracious answer . art thou troubled and weakned with want of rest ? pray ; so did asaph , i complained , and my spirit was overwhelmed . thou holdest mine eyes waking , i am so troubled that i cannot speak : i cryed to god with my voice , unto god with my voice , and he gave ear unto me . dost thou droop under the grievances of old age ? pray ; so did david ; oh cast me not off in the time of old age , forsake me not when my strength faileth . o god thou hast taught me from my youth : now also when i am old , and gray-headed , o god forsake me not . art thou troubled and dismayed with the feares of death ? pray ; so did david , my soul is full of troubles , and my life draweth nigh unto the grave ; i am counted with them that goe down into the pit , i am as a man that hath no strength . free among the dead , thou hast laid me in the lowest pit , in darknese , in the deeps : but unto thee have i cried , o lord , and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee . dost thou tremble at the thought of judgement ? so did the man after gods own heart ; my flesh trembleth for fear of thee , and i am afraid of thy judgements ; look up with jeremiah , and say to thy saviour , o lord , thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul , thou hast redeemed my life : o lord , judge thou my cause . lastly , art thou afraid of the power , malice , subtilty of thy spirituall enemies ? pray : so did david ; deliver me from mine enemies , o my god , defend me from them that rise up against me ; oh hide me from the secret counsell of the wicked ; consider mine enemies , for they are many , and they hate me with cruell hatred ; o keep my soul , and deliver me : so did s. paul pray , that he might be freed from the messenger of satan whose buffets he felt , and was answered with , my grace is sufficient for thee ; so he sues for all gods saints , may the god of peace tread down satan under your feet shortly . shortly , what ever evill it be that presseth thy soul , have speedy recourse to the throne of grace ; pour out thy heart into the eares of the father of all mercies , and god of all comfort , and be sure , if not of redresse , yet of ease : we have his word for it that cannot not fail us ; call upon me in the day of trouble , i will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie mee : fashionable suppliants may talk to god ; but be confident , he that can truly pray , can never be truly miserable : of our selves we lie open to all evils ; our rescue is from above ; aud what entercourse have we with heaven but by our prayers ? our prayers are they that can deliver us from dangers , avert judgements , prevent mischiefs , procure blessings ; that can obtain pardon for our sins , furnish us with strength against temptations , mitigate the extremity of our sufferings , sustain our infirmities , raise up our dejectednesse , increase our graces , abate our corruptions , sanctifie all good things to us , sweeten the bitternesse of our afflictions , open the windows of heaven , shut up the bars of death , vanquish the powers of hell : pray , and be both safe , and happy . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e gen. . . a ps. ▪ job ▪ . job . job . job . . neh. . job . . kings . . prov. . . ps. . . prov. . joh. . job . luk ▪ . cor. . . bro. sum. v. infirmitas heb. . . job . , , . psal. . . psal. . lam. . , , . psal. . . mat. . . isai. . , . lam. . . luke ● ▪ eph. . . job . gods most tender regard to us in sickness ecclus. . . mat. . . psal. . luk. . . cor. . . cor. . . heb. . . notes for div a -e cor. . . psal. . . lev. . . hebr. doct . in locum . * rev. . . lev. . . job . , , . zech. . kings . . tim. . . sam ▪ . rom. . , . ephes. . . rom. . . joh. . . joh. . . psa. . . . psal. . psal. . , . psa. . psal. . . psa. rom. rom. ▪ ● cant. . . ●oh . . . cant. . ● . phil. . . mat. . . eph. . . gen. . . eph. . . isai. . . pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cor. . . luk. ▪ . pet. . , . rom. . . pet. . , . joh. . . eph. . ▪ joh. ● ▪ ▪ joh. . , . joh. . ▪ joh. . . joh. . ▪ thes. . thes. . notes for div a -e heb. . . iames . . eph. . . eph. . , , . cor. . . verse , . iames . . eph. . . amos . . psa. . . psa. . psal. . , . psal. . , . ●om . . . cor. . . gal. . , , . joh. . . rom. . , , . rom. . . rom. . . rom. ▪ ult ▪ mat. . . mat. . . notes for div a -e job . . psal. . . psal. . . prov. . . pro. . . tim. . . mat. . . mat. . . lev. . lev. . lev . lev. . , . lev. . lev. . . ioel . . psal. ▪ . cor. : . psal. ▪ ● psal. . , , . jam. . . mat. . . psal. . . psal. . , . mat : : ● , , notes for div a -e mat : : : mat : : : io. . mat : : : joh : : : mat : : : joh : : : ps. : : ps : : : psal. . , . sam. . mat. . . job . , . sam. . . john . pet. . cor. . . cor. . . isai. . eccles. . . prov. . . notes for div a -e sam. . . sam. . , . sam . , . exod. . senec. epist . lam. . . gen. . . jer. ▪ . sen. ep ▪ . sam. ▪ . kings . . sam. ▪ . psal. . . isai. . notes for div a -e sam. . ioh. . . sen. ep. . cor. . , . prov. . prov. . thes. . , . joh. . . prov. . . isai. . . ezek. . notes for div a -e prov. . tim. . . luk. . . matth. . . job . senec. ep. . tim. . . tim . . mark . rab. gamaliel . mar. . sen. ep. . epist. . ep. . brom. v. elcemosyna . senec. ep : . epist : epic. in ep. sen. notes for div a -e ps. . . sir walter raleigh . acts . . rom : : : notes for div a -e senec : ep. . gen : : : cor. ▪ , , ▪ pet. ● heb. ▪ ● cor. ● heb. ▪ ● notes for div a -e matth. . , . prov. . . joh. . , . ruffinus hist. l. . c. . eccl. . . sam. . . bromiard v. sensus . matth. . . jer. . gen. . gen. . pet. . . job . prov. . . gen. . . pro. . . esth. . . ruffin . eccl. hist l. . c. . mr. fisher of trinity colledge in cambr. suidas ex aristophane . * the lord verul . fr. bacon in his naturall historie . suidas v. hippias . rom. . . prov. . . mat. . . notes for div a -e gen. . . gen. . . psa. . . vers. . psal. . . gen. . , . hos . jer. . . sam. . . psa. . . gen. . . gen. . , . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . prov. . . prov. . . prov. . . prov. . . prov. . . artemidor . de insomniis , l. . c. . tim. . . psa. . . sam. . . notes for div a -e esth . dan . . eccl. ▪ jer. . . ps. . psa. . cant. . . goul. histoires memorables . c. ve●lles . patholog . l. . c. . lib. de morbis capitis , c. . goulart ibidem . matth. . . deut. . . sozomen . l. . c. . thes. . . notes for div a -e king . . josh. . , . deut. . gen. . . psal. . . sen. ep. ▪ gen. . . sam. . . eccl. . , , . dan. . . . exod. . exod. . zech. . . sam. . . lev. . . isai. . . prov. . prov. . . lam. . . judg. . . job ecclus . , . kings . , , ▪ , , &c. psal. . , . cor. . . cicero de senect . notes for div a -e psa. . . psal. . , , . isai. . . psal. . , . psal. . . phil. . . wisd. ▪ . . . psa. . . ecel . . ult . ● cor. ▪ . phil. . . gen. . . gen. . . deut. . josh. . . sen. ep. . psal. . . psal. . , , . job . . ecclus. . . sen. ep. . ecclus. . ▪ iob . , , . i cor. . . ps. . sen. ep. . matth. . . luke . . job . . sam. . . cor. ▪ . psal. . . phil. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●eb . . tim. . . matth. . . mat. . . * lo. ba●●● his advancement of learning . tim. . . tim. . , . plato phaedone . f ▪ cosfin . de morte bella●mini , p. . cor. . . wisd. . , , . jona . . phil. . . tim. ▪ . heb. . . luke . . vers. . acts . . notes for div a -e heb. . . acts . . mal. ▪ . pet. . . thes. ▪ , . isai. . , . mat. . , . rev. . . joel . . mal. . . pet. . ▪ pet. . . heb. . . thes. . . verse verse thes. . . cor. . . verse . rev. . . acts . . cor. . . rom. . . act. ▪ dan. . , , . rom. . heb. . luke . . eph. . . phil. . ● rev. ▪ . psal. ▪ . verse verse mat. . . phil. . . notes for div a -e exod. ▪ . vers. . exod. . . job . job . . rev. . . eph. . . eph. . . eph. . . exod. . , , , kings . . cantic . ▪ , . ps. . . vers. , vers. . vers. . vers. . psal. . ▪ ps. . ▪ ps. . , . isai. . psal. . ▪ . gen. . . rom. ▪ . ps. ● ▪ ● ▪ col. . . rom. . . gen. . ● ▪ rev. ▪ . rev. ▪ . cor. . . cor. . . ephes . . luke ▪ . prov. ▪ . verse . psal. ▪ . deu● ▪ ▪ ▪ ephes. ▪ ▪ cor. ▪ ▪ mat. ● ▪ mark ▪ ● ▪ luke ▪ ● ▪ eph ▪ . . rom. . . rom. . . notes for div a -e james . . james . . ● kings ● . , . psal. . . ●cclus ● ▪ . psal. . , . psal. ▪ , . ● cor. ● ▪ . psal. , , . verse psal. . , . psa. . . verse . chro. . , , . chron. . , . ezek. ▪ . psa. ▪ , , . jonah . , . ps. . . chron. . , . , . exod. . . mark . , . psal. . . gen. . . sam. . . sam. . . ps. . . verse . verse . ps. . . vers. , . ps. . verse . verse . vers. . vers. . psal. ▪ . lament . . , . ps. . . psal. . , . cor. ▪ rom. ▪ . cor. . . psal. . . one of the sermons preach't to the lords of the high court of parliament, in their solemne fast held on ashwednesday, feb. and by their appointment published: by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) one of the sermons preach't to the lords of the high court of parliament, in their solemne fast held on ashwednesday, feb. and by their appointment published: by ios: exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by m. flesher, for nath. butter, london : . ios: exon. = joseph hall. the first leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion one of the sermons preach't to the lords of the high court of parliament , in their solemne fast held on ashwednesday , feb. . and by their appointment published : by ios : exon. london , printed by m. flesher , for nath. butter . . acts . , , . , now when they heard this , they were pricked in their hearts , and said to peter , and the rest of the apostles , men and brethren what shall we doe ? , then said peter vnto them , repent and be baptized , &c. &c. . and with many other words did he testifie , and exhort them , saying , saue your selues from this vntoward generation . who knowes not that simon peter was a fisher ? that was his trade both by sea and land , if we may not rather say , that as simon , he was a fisherman , but , as peter , he was a fisher of men ; he that call'd him so , made him so ; and surely his first draught of fishes , which , as simon , he made at our sauiours comand , might well be a true type of the first draught of men , which , as peter , hee made in this place ; for , as then , the nets were ready to cracke , and the ship to sinke , with store ; so here , when he threw forth his first drag net of heauenly doctrine , & reproofe , three thousand soules were drawne vp at once . this text was as the sacred cord , that drew the net together ; and pull'd vp this wondrous shole of conuerts to god ; it is the summe of saint peters sermon , if not at a fast , yet at a generall humiliation , which is more and better ; ( for wherefore fast we but to be humbled ? and if wee could bee duely humbled , without fasting , it would please god a thousand times better , then to fast formally , without true humiliation ; indeed , for the time , this was a feast , the feast of pentecost ; but for the estate of these iewes , it was dies cinerum , a day of contrition ; a day of deepe hunger , and thirst after righteousnesse , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? neither doubt i to say , that the festiuity of the season added not a little to their humiliation ; like as wee are neuer so apt to take cold , as vpon a sweat : and that winde is euer the keenest , which blowes cold out of a warm coast ; no day could be more afflictiue then an ashwednesday , that should light vpon a solemne pentecost ; so it was here : euery thing answered well ; the spirit came downe vpon thē in a mighty winde ; and behold , it hath ratled their harts together ; the house shooke in the descent , and behold here , the foundations of the soule were moued ; fiery tongues appeared , & here their brests were inflamed ; clouen tongues ; and here their hearts were cut in sunder . the words were miraculous , because in a supernaturall , and sudden variety of language ; the matter diuine , laying before them both the truth of the messiah , and their bloody measure offered to that lord of life , and now compuncti cordibus , they were pricked in their hearts . wise salomon sayes , the words of the wise are like goads , and nayles ; here they were so ; goades , for they were , compuncti , pricked ; yea , but the goad could not goe so deepe , that passeth but the skin ; they were nayles , driuen into the very heart of the auditors , vp to the head ; the great master of the assembly , the diuine apostle had set them home , they were pricked in their hearts . neuer were words better bestowed . it is an happy blood-letting that saues the life , this did so here : wee looke to the signe commonly in phlebotomy , it is a signe of our idle and ignorant superstition , saint peter here saw the signe to be in the heart , and he strikes happily , compuncti cordibus , they were pricked in their hearts , and said , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? oh , what sweet musick was this to the apostles eare ? i dare say , none but heauen could afford better ; what a pleasing spectacle was this anguish of their wounded soules ? to see men come in their zealous deuotions , and lay downe their moneyes ( the price of their alienated possessions ) at those apostolike feet , was nothing to this ; that they came in a bleeding contrition , & prostrated their penitent and humbled soules at the beautifull feet of the messengers of peace ; with men and brethren what shall we doe ? oh when , when shall our eyes be blessed with so happy a prospect ? how long shall wee thunder out gods fearfull iudgements against wilfull sinners ; how long shall wee threaten the flames of hell to those impious wretches , who crucifie againe to thēselues , the lord of life , ere we can wring a sigh , or a teare from the rocks of their hearts or eyes ? woe is me that wee may say too truely , as this peter did of his other fishing ; master , we haue trauailed all the night and caught nothing . surely , it may well goe for night with vs , whiles wee labour and preuaile not . nothing ? not a soule caught ? lord what is becomne of the successe of thy gospel ? who hath beleeued our report , or to whom is the arm● of the lord reuealed ? oh god , thou art euer thy selfe , thy truth is eternall , hell is where it was ; if we be lesse worthy then thy first messengers ; yet what excuse is this to the besotted world , that through obdurednesse and infidelity it will needs perish ? no man will so much as say with the iewes , what haue i done , or with saint peters auditors , what shall i doe ? oh foolish sinners , shall yee liue here alwayes ; care ye not for your soules ; is there not an hell that gapes for your stubborne impenitence ? goe on , if there bee no remedy , goe on , and dye for euer ; we are guiltlesse , god is righteous , your damnation is iust ; but , if your life bee fickle , death vnaauoydable , if an euerlasting vengrance be the necessary reward of your momentany wickednes , oh turne , turne frō your euill waies ; and in an holy distraction of your remorsed soules say , with these iewes , men and brethren what shall we doe ? this from the generall view of the occasion ; wee descend to a little more particularitie . luke , the beloued physitian , describes saint peters proceeding here , much after his owne trade ; as of a true spirituall physitian ; who finding his countrymen the iewes in a desperate , and deadly condition , gasping for life , struggling with death , enters into a speedy and zealous course of their cure ; and first hee begins with the chyrurgicall part ; and finding them rancke of blood , and that foule , and putrified , hee lets it out ( compuncti cordibus ) where wee might show you the incision , the veine , the lancet , the orifice , the anguish of the stroke : the incision , compuncti , they were pricked ; the veine in their hearts ; smile not now , ye physitians , if any heare me this day , as if i had passed a solaecisme , in telling you these men were pricked in the veine of the heart , talke you of your cephalica , and the rest , and tel vs of another cistern from whēce these tubuli sanguinis are deriued ; i tell you againe ( with an addition of more incongruities still ) that god and his diuine physitians doe still let blood in the median veine of the hart ; the lancet is the keene and cutting reproofe of their late barbarous crucifixion of their holy and most innocent and benigne sauiour ; the orifice , is the eare , ( when they heard this : ) what euer the locall distance bee of these parts ; spiritually , the eare is the very surface of the heart ; and whosoeuer would giue a medicinall stroke to the heart must passe it through the eare , the sense of discipline and correction : the anguish bewrayes it selfe in their passionate exclamation ; men and brethren what shall we doe ? there is none of these , which my speech might not well take vp , if not as an house to dwell in , yet as an inne to rest and lodge in ; but i will not so much as bayt here ; onely wee make this a thorow fare tothose other sacred prescriptions of sauing remedies : which are three in number . the first is , euacuation of sinnes by a speedy repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the second , the soueraigne bath or lauer of regeneration , baptisme . the third , diet●ticall and prophylacticall receipts of wholesome caution : which i meane ( with a determinate praeterition of the rest ) to spend my houre vpon , saue your selues from this vntoward generation . but , ere i pitch vpon this most vsefull and seasonable particularity , let mee offer to your thoughts the speedy application of these gracious remedies ; the blessed apostle doth not let his patients languish vnder his hand in the heats and colds of hopes and feares ; but so soon as euer the word is out of their mouthes , men and brethren , what shall we doe ? hee presently administreth these soueraigne receipts , repent , be baptized , saue your selues . in acute diseases wise physitians will leese no time ; onely delay makes some distempers deadly . it is not for vs to let good motiōs freeze vnder our fingers ; how many gleeds haue dyed in their ashes , which if they had beene speedily blowne , had risen into comfortable flames ? the care of our zeale for god must be sure to take all opportunities of good ; this is the apostles ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) seruing the time ; that is , obseruing it ; not for conformity to it when it is naught , ( fye on that basenesse , no let the declining time come to vs , vpon true and constant grounds , let not vs stoope to it , in the termes of the seruile yeeldance of optatus his donatists , omnia pro tempore , nibil pro veritate ) not , i say , for conformity to it , but for aduantage of it ; the embleme teaches vs to take occasion by the forelocke , else we catch too late . the israelites must goe forth and gather their manna , so soone as it is faln ; if they stay but till the sunne haue raught his noone-point , in vaine shall they seeke for that food of angels . saint peter had learnt this of his master ; when the shoale was ready , christ sayes , laxate retia , luk. . . what should the net doe now in the ship ? when the fish was caught , christ sayes , draw vp againe , what should the net doe now in the sea ? what should i aduise you reuerend fathers and brethren ( the princes of our israel , as the doctors are called , iudges . . ) to speake a word in season ; what should i presume to put into your hands , these apples of gold , with pictures of siluer ? what should i perswade you ( to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to wing your words with speed , when the necessity of endangered soules calls for them ? oh let vs rowe hard whiles the tyde of grace serues ; when we see a large doore , and effectuall opened vnto vs , let vs throng in , with a peaceable and zealous importunity to be sure ; oh let vs preach the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season , out of season ; and carefully watch for the best aduantages of preuailing , and when the yron of mens hearts is softned by the fire of gods spirit , and made flexible by a meet humiliation , delay not to strike , and make a gracious impression , as saint peter did here repent , bee baptized ; saue your selues from this vntoward generation . now to the maine , and all-sufficient recipe for these feeling distempers ; saue your selues . this is the very extracted quintessence of saint peters long sermon ; in which alone is included and vnited the soueraigne vertue of repentance , of baptisme , of whatsoeuer helpe to a conuerting soule ; so as i shall not need to speake explicitely of them , whiles i enlarge my selfe to the treating of this vniuersall remedy , saue your selues from this vntoward generation . would you thinke that saint luke hath giuen mee the diuision of this , whether text , or , sermon of saint peter ? ye shall not find the like otherwhere ; here it is clearly so : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he testifies , he exhorts ; he testifies what he thinkes of the times ; he exhorts or beseeches , ( as the syriacke turnes it ) to auoyd their danger ; both of them , as st. austen well , referre to this one diuine sentence : the parts whereof then , are in saint lukes diuision ; peters reprehensory attestation , and his obtestation ; his reprehensory attestation to the common wickednesse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; his obtestation of their freedome and indemnity , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; saue your selues . to beginne with the former ; what is a generation ? what is an vntoward generation ? either word hath some little mist about it ; the very word , generation , hath begot multiplicity of senses : without all perplexednesse of search , wee will single out the properly intended for this place ; as times , so , wee in them , are in continuall passage ; euery thing is in motion ; the heauens do not more moue aboue our heads , in a circular reuolution , then we here on earth doe by a perpetuall alteration ; now all that are contained in one list of time , whether fixed , or vncertaine , are a generation of men ; fixed ; so suidas vnder-reckons it by seuen yeares ; but the ordinary rate is an hundred ; it is a cleare text , gen. . . but in the fourth generation , they shall come hither againe ; when is that ? ( to the shame of galatinus , who cloudes it with the fancy of the foure kinds , or manners of mans existence : ) moses himselfe interprets it , of foure hundred yeares , vers . . vncertaine ; so salomon ; one generation passeth , another commeth ; the very terme implyes transitorinesse : it is with men , as with raspices ; one stalk is growing , another growne vp , a third withered , & all vpō one root ; or , as with floures , & some kinds of flyes , they grow vp , and seed , and dye ; yee see your condition , oh ye great men of the earth , it is no staying here ; orimur , morimur ; after the acting of a short part vpon this stage , ye must withdraw for euer ; make no other account , but , with abraham , to serue your generation , and away ; ye can neuer more fitly heare of your mortality then now , that yee are vnder that roofe which couers the monuments of your dead , and forgotten progenitors . what is an vntoward generation ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is promiscuously turned froward , peruerse , crooked ; the oppositiō to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all is as one , what euer swarues from the right is crooked ; the law is a right line , and what crookednesse is in nature , frowardnesse , and vntowardnesse is in moralitie . shortly , there is a double crookednesse and vntowardnes ; one negatiue , the other , positiue ; the first , is a failing of that right we should either haue , or be ; the second , a contrary habit of vicious qualities ; and both these , are , either in credendis , or agendis ; in matter of faith , or matter of fact . the first , when wee doe not beleeue , or doe what we ought ; the second , when we mis-beleeue , or mis-liue . the first is an vntowardnesse of omission ; the second of commission . the omissi●e vntowardnesse shall lead the way ; and that , first , in matter of beleefe . this is it whereof our sauiour spake to the two disciples in their warme walke to emaus , o fooles , and slow of heart to beleeue ; whereof the proto-martyr stephen to his auditors , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) the stiffe necke , the vncircumcised eare , the fat heart , the blinded eye , the obdurate soule ( quae nec mouetur precibus , nec cedit minis , as bernard ) are wont to be the expressions of this vntowardnesse . if these iewes , then , after so cleare predictions of the prophets , after so miraculous demonstrations of the diuine power of christ ; after so many graues ransackt , dead raysed , deuils eiected , limmes and eyes new-created ; after such testimonies of the starre , sages , angels , god himselfe ; after such triumphes ouer death and hell , doe yet detrect to beleeue in him , and to receiue him for their messias , most iustly are they , in this first kinde , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a froward generation ; and so is any nation vnder heauen , that followes them in the steps of their peeuish incredulity , more or lesse ; shutting their eyes vpon the glorious light of sauing truth ; like that sullen tree , in the indies , which , they say , closes it selfe against the beames of the rising sunne , and opens onely to the dampish shades of the night ; where wee must take this rule with vs ; a rule of most iust proportion ; that the meanes of light to any nation aggrauate the haynousnesse , and damnablenesse of their vnbeleefe : the time of that ignorance god regarded not , but now : saith saint paul to the athenians , acts . if i had not comne , and spoken to them , they should haue had no sinne ; saith our sauiour , ioh. . . those that walke in cimmerian , in egyptian darkenesse , it is neither shame , nor wonder , if they either erre , or stumble ; but , for a man to stumble the sunne in the face , or to grope by the walles at noone in the midst of goshen , is so much more hatefull , as the occecation is more willing . the later , which is the negatiue vntowardnesse in action , is , when any nation failes palpably in those holy duties of piety , iustice , charity , which the royall law of their god requireth . of this kinde are those vsuall complaints ; the feare of god is not before their eies . god looked to see if there were any that looked after god , and behold there was none ; the righteous is perished from the children of men ; behold the teares of the oppressed , and none comforted them . the prophets are full of these querulous notes ; there is not a page of them free ; yea hardly shall yee meet with one line of theirs , which doth not brand their israel with this defect of holinesse . from the negatiue , cast your eyes vpon the positiue crookednesse , or vntowardnesse ; that is , in matter of faith , the maintenance of impiety , mis-beleefe , heresie , superstition , atheisme , and what euer other intellectuall wickednesse . in matter of fact , idolatries , profane cariage , violation of gods dayes and ordinances ; disobediences , murders , adulteries , thefts , drunkennesse , lyes , detractions , or any other actuall rebellion against god. behold , i haue drawne forth before you an hellish rabble of sinnes , enow to marre a world ; what euer nation now or succession of men abounds either in these sinfull omissions , or these haynous commissions ; whether in matter of iudgement , or manners , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vntoward generation ; that which makes a man crooked , or vntoward , makes a generation so ; for what is a generation , but a resultance of men ? their number doth not vary their condition . but let not our zeale ( as it oft doth ) make vs vncharitable ; when a whole generation is taxed for vntowardnesse , think not that none are free , no , not one , saith the psalmist ; by way of seruent aggrauation ; all seeke their owne , saith the apostle ; all , in comparison : but , neuer times were so ouer growne with iniquity , as that god hath not left himselfe some gracious remainders ; when the theeuish chaldeans and sabeans haue done their worst , there shall be a messenger , to say i am escaped ; neuer was haruest or vintage so curiously inned , that some gleanings were not left in the field ; some clusters among the leaues : but these few , if they may giue a blessing to the times , yet they cannot giue a style ; the denomination still followes the greater ( though the worse ) part ; let these bee neuer so good ; the generation , is , and is noted for euill . let me therefore here commend to your better thoughts these three emergent considerations : . the irreparable wrong , and reproach that lewd men bring vpon the very ages and nations where they liue . . the difference of times , and ages , in respect of the degrees of euill . . the warrant of the free censure of ill-deseruing times , or nations . it were happy if the iniury of a wicked man could bee confiued to his owne bosome , that he only should fare the worse for his sins ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. as the greeke rule runnes ; if it were but selfe-do , selfe-haue , as the old word is ; but as his lewdness is ( like some odious sent ) diffused through the whole roome where he is ; so it reacheth to earth and heauen ; yea to the very times and generations , vpon which he is vnhappily falne . doubtlesse there were many worthy saints in these very times of saint peter ; there was the blessed mother of christ , the paragon of sanctity ; there was a beauye of those deuout , and holy dames that attended the doctrine , bewayled the death , and would haue embalmed the corps of our blessed sauiour ; there were the twelue apostles ; the seventie disciples ; the hundred and twenty names that were met in one roome at ierusalem , acts . . the ●iue hundred brethren that saw christ after his glorious and victorious resurrection ; besides those many thousands , that beleeued , through their word , in all the parts of iudea , and galslee , yet , for all that , the apostle brands this with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an vntoward generation . it is not in the vertue of a few to drowne the wickednesse of the more ; if we come into a field that hath some good plenty of corne , and some store of weeds , though it be red with poppy , or yellow with ca●locke , or blew with wild bottles or scabious , we still call it a corne field ; but , if we come into a barne-floore , and see some few graines scattered amongst an heape of chaffe , we do not call it a corne-heape , the quantity of the offall deuoures the mention of those insensible graines : thus it is with times , and nations ; a little good is not seene amongst much ill ; a righteous lot cannot make his city to be no sodom ; wickednesse as it helps to corrupt , so to shame a very age . the orator tertullus , when hee would plead against paul , sayes , we haue ●ound this man ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a pestilence● act. . . foolish tertullus , ●hat mistooke the antidote for the poyson , the remedy for the disease ▪ but had s. paul beene such ●s thy mes-prison supposed 〈◊〉 he had beene such as thy vniust 〈◊〉 now makes thy sel●e , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the plague of thy people ▪ a 〈◊〉 he infects the world with sinne , the very age with infamy ; malus vir malum publicum , is not a more old , then true word ; are there then in any nation vnder heauen lewd miscreants , whose hearts are atheists , whose tongues are blasphemers , whose bodies are ● stewes ; whose lips are nothing but a factory of close villany ; let them please themselues , and let others ( if ye will ) applaud them for their beneficiall contributions to the publike affaires , in the style of bonu● ciui● a good patriot ; as men whose parts may be vsefull to the w●●le-publike ; but , i say , such men are no better then the bane of their country , the stayne of their age ; turpis est pars quae suo toti ●on ●●n●e●it as g●rson well ; it is an ill member , for which all the body fares the worse : heare this then , ye glorious sinners , that bragge of your good affections , and faithful services to your deare country ; your hearts , your heads , your purses , your hands ( yee say ) are prest for the publike good ; yea , but are your hearts godlesse ? are your liues filthy ? let me tell you , your sinnes doe more disseruice to your nation , then your selues are worth : all your valor , wisedome , subsidiary helps cannot counterpoise one dramme of your wickednesse ; talke what yee will ; sinne is a shame to any people , saith wise salomon ; yee bring both a curse , and a dishonor vpon your nation ; it may thank you for the hateful style of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a froward generation : this , for our first obseruation . neuer generation was so straight , as not to be distorted with so me powerfull sinnes , but there are differences ; and degrees in this distortion ; euen in the very first world were giants , as moses tells vs gen. . . which , as our mythologists adde , did ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) bid battle to heauen . in the next , there were mighty hunters ; proud babel-builders ; after them followed beastly sodomites ; it were easie to draw downe the pedegree of euills through all times , till wee come to these last , which the holy ghost markes out for perillous ; yet some generation is more eminently sinfull then other ; as the sea is in perpetuall agitation , yet the spring tydes rise higher then their fellowes ; hence saint peter notes this his generation with an emphasis of mischiefe ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) here is a transcendency of euill ; what age may compare with that , which hath embrued their cruell hands in the blood of the sonne of god ? that roaring lyon is neuer still , but there are times , wherein he rageth more , as he did and doth in the first , in the last dayes of the gospel . the first , that he might blocke vp the way of sauing truth ; the last , for that hee knowes his time is short . there are times that are poysoned with more contagious heresies , with more remarkeable villanies , it is not my meaning to spēd time in abridging the sacred chronologies of the church , and to deduce along the cursed successions of damnable errours from their hellish originall ; onely let me touch at the notable difference betwixt the first , and the last world ; in the first ( as epiphanius observes ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there was neither diuersity of opinion , nor mention of heresie , nor act of idolatry , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : onely piety , and impiety diuided the world ; wheras now , in the last ( which is the wrangling and techy dotage of the decrepit world ) here is nothing but vnquiet clashings of opinion , nothing but foule heresie , either maintained by the guilty , or imputed to the innocent , nothing but grosse idolatry in paganisme , in mis-beleeuing christianity ; and ( woe is me that i must say it ) a coloured impiety shares too much of the rest ; my speech is glided , ere i was aware , into the third head of our discourse ; and is suddenly falne vpon the practise of that , which s. peters example here warrants , the censure of ill deseruing times : which i must craue leaue of your honorable & christian patience , with an holy and iust freedome , to prosecute . it is the peeuish humour of a factious eloquence to aggrauate the euills of the times ; which , were they better then they are , would be therefore cryed down in the ordinary language of malecontented spirits , because present ; but , it is the warrantable , and necessary duty of s. peter , and all his true euangelicall successours , when they meet with a froward generation , to call it so . how commonly doe we cry out of those querulous michaiahs , that are still prophesying euill to vs , and not good ? no theme but sinnes , no sawce but vineger : might not one of these galled iewes of s. peters auditory haue started vp ; and haue thus challenged him for this tartnesse ; what meanes this hard censure ? why doe you slander the time ? salomon was a wise man , and he sayes , say not thou , what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these ? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this : this is but a needlesse rigor ; this is but an enuious calumny : the generation were not vntoward ; if your tongue were not vncharitable . the apostle feares none of these currish oblatrations ; but contemning all impotent mis-acceptions , calls them what he findes them , a froward generation : and well might hee doe so ; his great master did it before him , an euill and adulterous generation ; and the harbinger of that great master fore-ranne him in that censure , o generation of vipers , mat. . . and the prophets led the same way to him in euerie page . and why doenot we follow peter in the same steppes wherein peter followed christ , and christ his fore-runner , and his fore-runner the prophets ? who should tell the times of their sinnes , if wee be silent ? pardon me , i beseech you , most noble , reuerend , and beloued hearers ; necessity is layd vpon me ; in this day of our publique mourning , i may not be as a man in whose mouth is no reproofes . oh let vs bee thankfull for our blessings , wherein , through the mercy of god , we outstrip all the nations vnder heauen ; but withall , let vs bewaile our sinnes , which are so much more grieuous , because ours . would to god it were no lesse vniust , then vnpleasing to complaine of this as an vntoward generation ; there be ●oure things that are wont both to make vp and euince the prauity of any generation ; ( woe is mee that they are too apparently met in this ) multitude of sinnes , magnitude of sinnes , boldnesse of sinne , impunity of sinning ; take a short view of them all : you shall see that the multitude is such , as that it hath couered the earth ; the magnitude such , as hath reacht to heauen ; the boldnesse such as out-faceth the gospel , the impunity such as frustrates the wholsome lawes vnder which we liue . for the multitude , where is the man that makes true conscience of any the lawes of his god ? and if euery man violate all the lawes of god , what do all put together ? our forefathers sinnes were but as drops , ours are as torrents . instance in some few ; cannot we our selues remember , since a debaucht drunkard was an owle among birds , a beast of men , a monster of beasts ; abhorred of men , shouted at by children ? is this sight now any newes to vs ? is not euery tauern a stye of such swine ? is not euery street indented with their shamefull staggerings ? is there not now as much spent in wanton smoake , as our honest forefathers spent in substantiall hospitality ? cannot we remember , since oathes were so geason , and vncouth , that their sound startled the hearer , as amazed at the strange language of treason against the god of heauen ▪ now they fill euery mouth , and beat euery ea●e in a neglected familiarity ? what shold i tell you of the ouergrowne frequence of oppressions , extortions , iniurious and fraudulent transactions , malitious suites ; the neighbour walls of this famous adioyning pallace can too amply witnesse this truth , whose roofe if ( as they say ) it will admit of no spiders , i am sure , the floore of it yeelds venome enough ▪ to poyson a kingdome : what should i tell you of the sensible declination to our once loathed superstitions ; of the common trade of contemptuous dis-obediences to lawfull authority , the scornefull vnderualuing of gods messengers ; the ordinary neglect of his sacred ordinances ; what speake i of these and thousands more ? there are arithmeticians that haue taken vpon them to count how many cornes of sand would make vp the bulke of heauen and earth ; but no art can reckon vp the multitude of our prouoking sinnes . neither doe they more exceed in number , then magnitude ; can there be a greater sinne then idolatry ? is not this ( besides all the rest ) the sinne of the present romish generation ? one of their owne confesses ( as he well may ) that were not the bread transubstantiate , their idolatry were more grosse , then the heathenish ; loe , nothing excuses them but an impossible figment ▪ know , o yee poore , ignorant seduced soules , that the bread can bee no more turned into god ; then god can be turned into bread , into nothing ; the very omnipotent power of god barres these impious contradictions . my heart trembles therfore and bleeds to thinke of your highest , your holiest devotions . can there be a greater sinne then robbing of god ? this is done by our sacrilegious patrons : can there bee a greater sinne then tearing god out of heauen with our bloody and blasphemous oathes ; then the affamishing of soules by a wilfull , or lazie silence ; then rending in peeces the bowels of our deare mother the church , by our headstrong , and friuolous dissentions ; then furious murders ; then affronts of authority ? these , these are those huge mountaines which our gyantlike presumption roles vpon each other , to war against heauen . neither are the sinnes of men more great , then audacious ; yea it is their impudency that makes them hainous ; bashfull offences rise not to extremity of euill ; the sinnes of excesse as they are opera tenebrarum , so they had wont to bee night-workes , they that are drunken are drunke in the night , saith the apostle ; now , they dare , with absaloms beastlinesse , call the sun to record : saint bernard tells vs of a daemon meridianus , a noone-deuill , out of the vulgar mis-translation of the . psalme ; surely , that ill spirit walkes about busily , and haunts the licentious conuersation of inordinate men . vniust exactions of griping officers had wont to c●eepe in vnder the modest cloke of voluntary curtesie , or faire considerations of a befriended expedition , now they come like elies sonnes , nay but , thou shalt giue it me now , and , if not , i will take it by force , sam. . . the legall thefts of professed vsurers , and the crafty compacts of slie oppressors , dare throw downe the gantlet to iustice ; and insolent disobediences doe so to authority ; and when wee denounce the fearfull iudgements of god against all these abhominable wickednesses ; the obdured sinner dares ieere vs in the face , and ▪ in a worse sense aske the disciples question , domine quando fient haec ; master when shall these things be ? yea their selfe-flattering incredulity dare say to their soule , as peter did to his master , fauor thy selfe , for these things shal not happen to thee . neither , lastly , would sinne dare to be so impudent , if it were not for impunity ; it cannot bee but cowardly , where it sees cause of feare ; euery hand is not to be layd vpon euill ; if an error should arise in the church ; it is not for euery vnlearned tradesman to cast away his yard-wand , and take vp his pen ; wherefore serue vniuersities , if euery blew apron may at his pleasure turne licenciate of diuinity , and talke of theologicall questions which hee vnderstands not , as if they were to bee measured by the elle . o times ! lord whither will this presumption grow ? deus , omen , &c. if folly , if villanie bee committed in our israel , it is not for euery man to be an officer ; who made thee a iudge ? was a good question , though ill asked . but i would to god wee had more cause to complaine of the presumption of them who meddle with what they should not , then the neglect of thē who meddle not with what they should ; woe is me the flood-gates of euill are ( as it were ) lift open , and the full streame gusheth vpon vs ; not that i would cast any aspersion vpon sacred soueraignty ; no , blessed bee god for his deare anointed ; of whom we may truly , and ioyfully say , that in imitation of him whom he represents , hee loues iustice , and hates iniquity ; it is the partiality or slacknesse of the subordinate inferiour executions that is guilty of this preualence of sinne ; what can the head do where the hands are wanting ? to what vse is the water deriued from the cesterne , into the pipes , if the cocke be not turned ? what auailes it that children are brought to the birth , if there want a midwifry to deliuer them ? can there possibly be better lawes , then have in our times beene enacted , against drunkennesse ? where , or when are they executed ? can there bee a better law made for the restraint of too too common oathes ? who vrges , who payes that iust mulct ? can there be better lawes against wilfull recusancy , against symony , against sacriledge ? how are they eluded by fraudulent euasions ? against neglect of diuine seruice ; yet how are they sleighted ? against the lawlesse wandring of lazie vagabonds ; yet , how full are our streets , how empty our correction-houses ? lastly , ( for it were easie to be endlesse ) can there bee better lawes then are made ●or the punishment of fornications , adulteries , and all other fleshly inordinatenesses ? how doth bribery & corruption smother these offences , as if the sinnes of men serued onely to enrich couetous officers ? now , put all these together , the multitude , the magnitude , the boldnesse , the impunity of sinne , and tell me whether all these doe not make this of ours , generationem prauam , a froward generation ; so as wee may too wel take vp esayes complaint , ah sinfull nation , a people laden with iniquity , a seed of euill doers , children that are corrupters . esa . . . honorable & beloued , how should we be humbled vnder the hand of our god , in the sense of our many , great , bold and lawlesse sinnes ? what sackcloth , what ashes can be enough for vs ? oh that our faces could bee couered with confusion ; that wee could rend our hearts , and not our garments ; be afflicted , and mourne , and weepe , and thus saue your selues from this froward generation . and so from st. peters attestation to their wickednesse , wee descend to his obtestation of their redresse , saue your selues . we must be so much shorter in the remedie , as we haue beene longer in the disease . the remedy is but of a short sound , but of a long extent , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i vrge not the passiuenesse of this aduise ; that it is not , saue your selues , but , be ye saued : god is iealous of ascribing to vs any power vnto good ; we haue ability , we haue will enough to vndoe our selues ; scope enough to hell-ward ; neither motion nor will to good ; that must bee put into vs by him that giues both posse , & velle , & posse velle ; power to will , and will to do . this ( sauing ) comprises in it three great duties , repentance for our sinne ; auoidance of sinners ; reluctation to sin and sinners . repentance . perhaps , as st. chrysostome , and cyril think , some of these were the personall executioners of christ ; if so , they were the worst of this generation ; and yet they may , they must saue themselues from this generation , by their vnfained repentance : howsoeuer , they made vp no small peece of the euill times , and had need to bee saued from themselues , by their hearty contrition ; surely those sinnes are not ours , whereof we haue truly repented ; the skin that is once washed is as cleane from soile , as if it had neuer beene foule ; those legall washings , and rinsings shewed them what they must do to their soules , to their liues ; this remedie , as it is vniuersall , so it is perpetuall ; the warme waters of our teares , are the streames of iordan to cure our leprosie , the siloam to cure our blindnesse , the poole of bethesda to cure all our lamenesse , and defects of obedience ; alas , there is none of vs but haue our share in the common sinnes ; the best of vs hath helpt to make vp the frowardnesse of our generation ; oh that we could vn-sin our selues by our seasonable repentance ; cleanse your hands ye sinners , and purge your hearts yee double minded . auoydance is the next ; auoidance of all vnlawfull participation ; there is a participation naturall , as to liue in the same ayre , to dwell in the same earth , to eat of the same meat ; this we cannot auoid , vnlesse wee would goe out of the world , as st. paul tells his corinthes . there is a ciuill participation , in matter of commerce , and humane necessary conuersation ; this we need not auoid with lewes , turkes , infidels , heretickes . there is a spirituall participation in morall things , whether good , or euill : in these lyes this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and yet , not vniuersally neither ; wee are not tied to auoid the seruices of god , and holy duties for the commixture of leud men , as the foolish separatists haue fancied ; it is participation in euill that wee are here charged to auoid ; although also intirenesse , euen in ciuill conuersation , is not allowed vs with notoriously wicked and infectious persons ; the israelites must hye them from the tents of corah ; and , come out of her my people . chiefly , they are the sins from which wee must saue our selues , not the men ; if , not rather , from the men for the sinnes ; haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse , saith st. paul , ephes . . . commenting vpon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of st. peter . there is nothing more ordinarie with our casuists , then the nine wayes of participation , which aquinas , and the schooles following him haue shut vp in two homely verses , iussio , consilium , &c. the summe is , that we doe not saue our selues from euill , if either we command it , or counsell it , or consent to it , or sooth it , or further it , or share in it , or disswade it not , or resist it not , or reueale it not ; here would be worke enough ( you see ) to hold our preaching vnto st. pauls houre , midnight ; but i spare you , and would be loath to haue any eutychus : shortly , if we would saue our selues from the sin of the time , wee may not command it , as iezebel did to the elders of iesreel ; we may not aduise it , as ionadab did to amnon ; wee may not consent to it , as bathsheba did to dauid ; wee may not sooth it , as zidkijah did to ahab ; wee may not further it , as ioab did to dauid ; we may not share in it , as achitophel did to absalom ; we may not forbeare to disswade it , as hira● the adullamite to iudah ; to resist it , as partiall magistrates ; to reueale it , as trecherous confessaries . but , of all these , ( that we may single out our last and vtmost remedy ) here must bee a zealous reluctation to euill ; all those other negatiue cariages of not commanding , not counselling , not consenting , not soothing , not abetting , not sharing , are nothing without a reall oppugnation of sinne . would we then thoroughly quit our selues of our froward generation ? wee must set our faces against it to discountenance it ; wee must set our tongues against it , to controule it ; wee must set our hands against it , to oppose it ; it goes ●arr● that of the apostle , yee haue not yet resisted vnto blood striuing against sinne , heb. . . loe here is a truely heroicall exercise for you great ones ; to striue against sinne , not ad sudorem only , as physicians prescribe , but ad sanguinem ; ye cannot better bestow your selues then ( in a loyall assistance of sacred authority ) vpon the debellation of the outragious wickednesse of the times . these are the dragons , and gyants , and monsters , the vanquishing wherof hath moralized the histories of your famous progenitors . oh do yee consecrate your hands , and your hearts to god in beating down the headstrong powers of euill ; and as by repentance , and auoydance , so , by reluctation , s●ue your selues from this vntoward generation . now , what need i waste the time in dehorting your noble and christian ingenuity from participation of the epidemicall sinnes of a froward generation ? it is enough motiue to you , that sinne is a base , sordid , dishonourable thing ; but , withall , let me adde only one dissuasiue from the danger , implyed in the very word saue ; for how are wee saued but from a danger ? the danger both of corruption , and confusion . corruption ; ye see before your eies that one yawning mouth makes many ; this pitch will defile vs ; one rotten kernell of the pomegranate infects the fellowes ; saint paul made that verse of the heathen poet , canonicall , euill conuersation corrupts good manners ; what wofull experience haue we , euerie day , of those , who by this meanes from a vigorous heat of zeale , haue declined to a temper of lukewarme indifferencie and then , ●rom a carelesse mediocrity , to all extremity of debauchednesse ; and of hopfull beginners , haue ended in incarna●e deuills ? oh the dangerous , and insensible insinuations of sinne ; if that crafty tempter can hereby worke vs but to one dram of lesse detestation to a familiarly inured euill , hee promiseth himselfe the victorie ; it is well noted by saint ambrose , of that chast patriarch ioseph , that , so soone as euer his wanton mistresse had laid her impure hand vpon his cloake , he leaues it behinde him , that he might bee sure to auoyd the danger of her contagious touch ; if the spouse of christ bee a lilly among thornes ; ( by the mighty protection of her omnipotent husband ) yet take thou heed , how thou walkest amōgst those thornes , for that lilly : shortly ▪ wouldest thou not bee tainted with wickednesse , abhorre the pestilent societie of leud men ; and by a seasonable subduction , thus , saue thy selfe from a froward generation . the last and vtmost of all dangers is confusion ; that charge of god by moses is but iust , numb . . . depart , i pray you , from the tents of these men , and touch nothing of theirs , lest ye perish in all their sinnes ; lo , the very station , the very touch is mortall . indeed , what reason is there to hope or to plead for an immunity ; if wee share in the worke , why should wee not take part of the wages ? the wages of sinne is death ; if the storke be taken damage faisant with the cranes , shee is inwrapped in the same net , and can not complaine to bee surprized . qui cum lupis est , cum lupis vlulet , as he said ; hee that is with wolues , let him howle with wolues : if we bee fratres in malo , brethen in euill , we must looke to bee inuolued in the same curse ; bee not deceiued ; honorable and beloued , here is no exemption of greatness ; nay , contrarily , eminence of place aggrauates both the sinne , and the iudgement ; when ezra heard that the hand of the princes and rulers had beene chiefe in that great offence , then he rent his cloathes , and tore his haire , ezra . . certainly this case is dangerous and fearfull , whersoeuer it lights ; hardly are those sinnes redressed that are taken vp by the great ; easily are those sins diffused , that are warranted by great examples : the great lights of heauen , the most conspicuous planets , if they be eclipsed , all the almanacks of all nations write of it ; whereas the small starres of the galaxy are not heeded ; all the country runs to a beacon on fire , no body regards to see a shrub flaming in a valley ; know then , that your sins are so much greater , as your selues are ; and , all the comfort that i can giue you with out your true repentance , is , that mighty men shall bee mightily tormented ; of all other men therefore be ye most carefull to keepe your selues vntainted with the common sins ; and to renew your couenant with god ; no man cares for a spot vpon a plaine , russet , riding suit ; but we are curious of a rich robe , euery mote there is an eye-sore ; oh , bee yee carefull to preserue your honour from all the foule blemishes of corruption ; as those that know vertue hath a greater share in nobilitie , then blood ; imitate in this , the great frame of the creation , which still , the more it is remoued from the dregs of this earth , the purer it is ; oh saue yee your selues from this vntoward generation , so shall yee helpe to saue your nation from the imminent iudgements of our iust god ▪ so shall ye saue your soules in the day of the appearance of our lord iesus christ ; to whom with the father , and the holy ghost , one infinite god , be all honour , and glory ascribed , now , and for euer . finis . christian moderation in two books. by jos: exon. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christian moderation in two books. by jos: exon. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ], , [ ] p. printed by miles flesher [and r. oulton?], and are to be sold by nathaniel butter, london : mdcxl. [ ] "oulton app[arently]. pr[inted]. bk. 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proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian moderation . in two books . by jos : exon . london , printed by miles flesher , and are to be sold by nathaniel butter . mdcxl . to all christian people wheresoever : but especially to those of this westerne diocese : and therein to the honorable nobility , the reverend and learned clergy , the worshipfull gentry , the honest and faithfull commonalty of the counties of devon and cornwall . j. exon wisheth the continuance , and increase of ( that whereof hee treates ) all christian moderation both in opinion , and practice . the contents . the first book . moderation in practice . § . . of the use and necessity of moderation in generall . § . . practicall moderation in matter of pleasure . wherein first of the pleasures of the palate . . of the excesse of them . . of the other extremity of defect . § . . of some extremities in other usages of the body . § . . of the extreames in the cases of lust . § . . the liberty that god hath given us in the use of his creatures , both for necessity and lawfull delight . § . . the just bounds of moderation in the liberall use of gods creatures . and therein our limitation , in our respects to god. § . . the limitation of our liberty in respect of the pleasures themselves : first for the kind , then for the quantity , and quality of them . § . . the moderation of the pleasure of conjugall society . § . . the limitation of all our pleasures in the manner of using them . § . . motives to moderation in the use of all our pleasures . § . . of the moderation of our desires in matter of wealth , and honor , &c. motives to that moderation . § . . of the moderation of our passions : and therein first of our sorrow . the cautions requisite thereto . of the kinds of sorrow : and first of worldly sorrow . the temperaments thereof . § . . of spirituall sorrow ; and the moderation thereof . § . . of the moderation of the passion of feare . the dangerous effects of that passion . particularly of the feare of death . strong motives for the remedy of it . § . . of the moderation of the passion of anger ; the ill effects of it . the distinction of zealous and vicious anger . arguments for the mitigation of our anger . the second book . moderation in matter of iudgement . § . . of the danger of immoderation in matter of judgment , and of the remedy in generall . § . . lukewarmnesse to be avoided in religion . § . . zeale required in the matters of god , but to be tempered with discretion and charity . § . . rules for moderation in iudgement . the first rule : to distinguish of persons . § . . second rule : to distinguish of truths and errors . § . . third rule : the avoidance of curiosity in the disquisition of truths . therein of the simplicity of former times , and the over-lashing of ours . § . . fourth rule : to rest in those fundamentall truths which are revealed clearly in the scriptures . § . . fifth rule : to be remisse and facile in un-importing verities . first in our opinion . § . . and then also in our censure of the otherwise minded . § . . sixth rule : not to relie upon the trust of an opposite in relating the state of an opinion , or person . examples of the injurious practices this way . § . . seventh rule : not to judge of an adversaries opinion by the inferences pretended to follow upon it ; which are commonly very hainously aggravated . the ingenuous proceedings of the ancient churches herein . § . . eighth rule : to keepe opinions within their owne bounds ; not imputing private mens conceits to whole churches . § . . ninth rule : we may not draw the actions or manners of men to the prejudice of their cause . § . . tenth rule : that we must draw as neare as we safely may to christian adversaries in lesser differences . the cautions of complying with them . § . . eleventh rule : to refraine from all railing termes , and spightfull provocations of each other in differences of religion . § . . twelfth rule : that however our judgements differ in lesser verities , wee should compose our affections towards unity and peace . finis . recensui dissertationem hanc de moderatione christiana , duabus partibus absolutam , quarum altera de moribus agit , altera de doctrina ; utraque & bonis moribus , & doctrinae ecclesiae anglicanae consentanea . octob. . . imprimatur . jo : alsop . christian moderation . the first book . of moderation in matter of practice . §. . of the use and necessity of moderation , in generall . i cannot but second , & commend that great clerk of paris , who ( as our witty countryman bromiard reports ) when king lewes of france required him to write down the best word that ever he had learnt , call'd for a faire skin of parchment , and in the midst of it , wrote this one word , measure , and sent it sealed up to the king : the king opening the sheet , and finding no other inscription , thought himself mocked by his philosopher , and calling for him , expostulated the matter ; but when it was shewed him that all vertues , and all religious and worthy actions were regulated by this one word , and that without this , vertue it self turned vicious , he rested well satisfied : and so he well might ; for it was a word well worthy of one of the seven sages of greece ; from whom indeed it was borrowed , and onely put into a new coat . for , whiles he said of old ( for his motto ) nothing too much , hee meant no other but to comprehend both extreames under the mention of one : neither in his sense is it any paradox to say , that too little is too much ; for as too much bounty is prodigality , so too much sparing is niggardlinesse : so as in every defect there is an excesse ; and both , are a transgression of measure . neither could ought be spoken , of more use or excellency ; for , what goodnesse can there be in the world without moderation , whether in the use of gods creatures , or in our own disposition and carriage ? without this , justice is no other then cruell rigour ; mercy , unjust remisnesse ; pleasure , bruitish sensuality ; love , frenzy ; anger , fury ; sorrow , desperate mopishnesse ; joy , distempered wildnesse ; knowledge , saucy curiosity ; piety , superstition ; care , wracking distraction ; courage , mad rashnesse ; shortly , there can be nothing under heaven , without it , but meere vice and confusion : like as in nature , if the elements should forget the temper of their due mixture , and incroach upon each other by excesse , what could follow but universall ruine ? or what is it that shall put an end to this great frame of the world , but the predominancy of that last devouring fire ? it is therefore moderation , by which this inferiour world stands : since that wise and great god , who hath ordained the continuance of it , hath decreed so to contemper all the parts thereof , that none of them should exceed the bounds of their owne proportion , and degree , to the prejudice of the other . yea , what is the heaven it selfe , but ( as gerson compares it well ) as a great clock regularly moving in an equall sway of all the orbes , without difference of poyse , without variation of minutes , in a constant state of eviternall eavennesse , both of beeing and motion : neither is it any other , by which this little world of ours , ( whether of body or minde ) is upheld in any safe , or tolerable estate ; when humours passe their stint , the body sickens ; when passions , the minde . there is nothing therefore in the world more wholsome , or more necessary for us to learne , then this gracious lesson of moderation : without which , in very truth a man is so far from being a christian , that he is not himselfe . this is the center , wherein all both divine , and morall philosophy meet ; the rule of life , the governesse of manners , the silken string that runs through the pearl-chain of all vertues , the very ecliptick line , under which reason and religion moves without any deviation : and therefore most worthy of our best thoughts , of our most carefull observance . §. ii. practicall moderation in matter of the palate : and therein , first of the excesse : and then , of the other extremity in defect . what then is there incident into the whole course of humane life , but matter of practice , or matter of speculation and judgement ? and both these are swayed and ordered by moderation . practicall moderation shall lead the way , as that which is most worthy ; and whereto the speculative is for the most part , reduced ; and whereby it is mainly governed . this , howsoever it reacheth to the managing of all the inward dispositions of the soule , and all the outward carriages of life , and may therefore admit of so many severalties of discourse , as there are varieties of desires , inclinations , actions , passions of man : yet shall , for the tractation of it , be confined to some few of those noted heads , which we meet with in every turne of this our earthly pilgrimage . the chiefe imployment of moderation is in the matter of pleasure , which like an unruly and headstrong horse is ready to run away with the rider , if the strict curb of just moderation doe not hold it in ; the indiscreet check whereof , also , may prove no lesse perilous to an unskilfull manager : pleasures , whether in matter of diet , and other appurtenances of life , or in matter of lust . we begin with the first ; wherein the ex●reams of both kindes are palpable , and worthy both of our full consideration , and carefull accordance . how prone we are to excesse in these pleasures of the palate , appeares too well , in that this temptation found place in paradise it selfe : the first motive that inclined our liquorous grandmother eve , was , that shee saw the tree was good for food ; and then followes , that it was pleasant to the eyes ; her appetite betraid her soul : and after , when in that first world men began to be multiplyed , that giantly brood of men-eaters ( if we may beleeve berosus ) procured abortions , to pamper their gluttony with tender morsells : afterwards , even in the holy seed , we finde an isaac apt to misplace the blessing for a dish of venison , and his son esau selling his birth-right for a messe of broth . we finde israel tempting god in the desart , and longing to be fed with flesh , and cramming it in till it came out of their nostrils . we finde too many under the gospell , whose belly is their god , and therein , their bane . by unsatiable greedinesse have many been dead , saith ecclesiasticus ; and how many doe we see daily that digge their graves with their teeth ; and doe therefore perish , because they doe not put their knife to their throat ? and as for immoderation in drinking , the first newes that we heare of wine , is in noahs drunkennesse , he was the true ianus , the inventer of the scruzing of the grape to his cost ; whom if the heathens celebrated , we justly censure , as beginning this glory in shame : the next was in lots incest and stupidity ; and ever since , wine is a mocker , as wise solomon well styles it . the heathen have made a god of it , and give it the title of freedome ; abuse hath made it a divell and turned that liberty into licentiousnesse ; whereupon some foolish hereticks have absurdly ascribed it to that hellish originall ; wine , saith the apostle , wherein is excesse ; how many have our eyes beene witnesses of , whom their unruly appetite , this way hath turned into beasts , how many into monsters of wickednesse ? certainly , a drunkard is , in , at all . neither is there any vice under heaven , from which he can secure himselfe : it is memorable that our jewish doctors tell us of a certaine gentile king , who lighting upon eleven of their learned , and holy rabbins , put them to their choyce , whether they would eate swines flesh , or drink of their ethnick wine , or lie with harlots ; swines flesh they hated , harlots they professed to abhorre , wine they yeeld unto ; but , by that time they had awhile plyed that bewitching liquor , all came alike to them , both the flesh of swine , and of harlots were easily admitted . experience yeelds us so wofull instances of the lamentable effects of drunkennesse , every day , that we need not dwell upon particulars . the other extreame , is more rare , and though faulty enough , yet lesse bruitish : how many have all ages afforded who out of a feare of complying too much with their appetite , have not stuck to offer hard measure to nature ; not thinking they could be godly enough , except they were cruell to themselves . it is hard to beleeve the reports of the rigorous austerity of some of the ancient ; one of whom , macarius could professe to euagrius that in twenty yeares he had not taken his fill of bread , or water , or sleep . another , arsenius would not give himselfe so much ease as to sit , or stand in taking repast , but was still wont to eate walking : professing that he would not gratifie his body so much , as to yeeld it so much ease , and holding the time , but lost , which he bestowed in feeding . and for the quality of their sustenance ; what shall we say to the diet of some votaries ? amongst whom laurence bishop of dublin was wont to eat no other bread , then that which was mixed with lie , in emulation of him that said , i have eaten ashes as bread . fryer valentine went beyond him , who for ten yeares together did eate nothing but only bread dipt in the juice of wormwood . i shall not need to presse any other instance of this kinde , then that which st. ierome gives of paul the first hermite , who living in a cave , within the desart , was beholden to a palme-tree both for his diet and cloathes ; whereto he addes , quod ne cui impossibile , &c. which that it may not seeme impossible to any man , i take the lord iesus , and all his angells to witnesse , that i have seene monkes , whereof one shut up for thirty yeares together , that lived only with barly bread , and muddy water . thus he . had not these men placed a kinde of holinesse in crossing their palate , they might have fared otherwise . when francis of assise was bidden to the great cardinall hostiensis to dinner , he poures downe upon that curious damask cloth ( spread for better viands ) before them , all those scraps of almes out of his sleeve , which his good dames of the city had given him ; and could say , that if the cardinalls cheare were better , yet his was holyer . yet even these parcells might bee delicate ( panis desideriorum ) in comparison of daniels pulse , or the baptists locusts , or the fuilletans salads . that which eusebius casts upon st. iames , we see now practised by the carthusians , and minimes , abstinence from flesh : some antiquity of tradition hath dieted st. peter with lupines , st. matthew with berries , and herbs ; howsoever , i know those saints had fared better ; the one feasted his master at his owne house ; the other fed on fish and hony-comb at his masters last table , and saw the sheet let dovvne with all varieties of dainties ; and heard , arise peter , kill and eate . and if we yeeld so much to baronius as to grant that st. paul was alvvaies abstemious , ( though it follovves not , as lorinus well , because for thirty dayes he complyed with nazarites in the temple ) it is more then we ovve him ; since it is not like he that prescribed wine to timothy , a younger man , would forbear it himselfe , upon the like or greater necessities . this we are sure of , that this chosen vessell was carefull to beat dovvne his body ; and that many of those ancient worthies , the great patternes of mortification , stinted their flesh with the straitest . good hilarion in stead of barly , could threaten to feed this asse of his with chaffe : and devout bernard professes how much wrong hee had done to himselfe , by this well-meant rigor , in disabling him for better services ; complaining that he had by this meanes turned a vertue into vice , and killed a subject , whiles hee meant to subdue an enemy : and even their st. francis himselfe at his death could confesse too late , that he had used his brother body too hardly . a faint imitation of which severity , we finde in those , who now adayes turne religious abstinence into change of diet ; and therein place no little merit . for my part , i cannot yeeld there is more delicacy in flesh then in other dishes ; i remember it was the word of that wise states-man of rome , that it was never well with them , since a fish was sold for more then an oxe ; and that famous glutton could say of old ; that is the best flesh , which is no flesh ; and all experience shewes that oyle , wine , shell-fishes , are more powerfull to stir and inflame nature then other duller liquors ; and viands of flesh , which are of more grosse , and heavy nourishment ; neither was it for nothing that the mythologists fained venus to be bred of the sea. the ingenuity of lindanus can confesse how little these kindes of fasts differ from the most exact gluttonies . let the fond ebionites , encratites , manichees , hate the very nature of some meates ; i am sure they are all alike to their maker ; there is one flesh of fish , saith the holy apostle : that which goes into the body defiles not the man , saith our saviour . how ever therfore these differences are fit for civill considerations , and in that regard are in all due obedience to be strictly observed , yet in spirituall respects they come not within any view , as those which the creator of sea and land hath left both in themselves , and to him equally indifferent . §. iii. of some extremities in other vsages of the body . the like austerity hath beene affected of old in other usages of the body , whether in apparell , lodging , restraint of recreations . it is well knowne how some over-devout amongst the seaven kindes of pharisees , garded their fringes with thornes , and knockt their heads against the walls , till the blood issued forth . and even amongst the manichees ●n st. austins time , there were some more strict then their fellowes , which called themselves mattarios , who gloryed to lye upon hard mattes , not envying faustus his featherbeds . it was a great competition betwixt two pretended saints , st. francis and st. clare , whether should have the rougher coate : although all was one to that incurious saint of assise , for had his coat beene better , it had gone to the next begger ; wherein i cannot but wonder at the difference of humors in two that goe for their saints : it is spoken to the praise of anthony the hermite that he never saw himselfe naked ; whereas to the wonder of the others mortification , it is said , that other forenamed saint of theirs , stript himselfe stark naked , before the bishop of assise , and in that forme ( like a mahumetan dervis ) ran through the streets . yet these are but small self-penances in comparison of some others : our story tells us that the monke acepsemas lay threescore yeares close hid in a blinde roome , where he never spake with any man , never was seene of any man. but didymus went yet beyond him who in his whole life of ninety yeares never conversed with any . yet these might passe their time with ease , in comparison of an hilarion , who put himselfe into a little-ease ; so penall a lodging that he could neither stand upright for the height , nor stretch out his legges for the length : or a symeon stylites , that chained himselfe to an hollow pillar of the like in capacity . yet all this taske was tolerable , in respect of the cruell piety of those men , that stuck not to tew & lancinate their bodies ; like that superianus the scholar of lacharis , of whom suidas speakes , that would scourge himself into learning ; such were the famous whip-stocks in the time of gregory the tenth , which out of italy passing into germany , astonished the beholders with their bloody shoulders , affecting glory and merit in that selfe-martyrdome . and though the dangerous opinions which attended this practice in the first authors , were condemned , as hereticall , yet the usage itselfe is continued in spain , and some other parts ; and , not without a secret kind of horrour , applauded by the multitude , as an undoubted argument of serious and deep mortification : and what marvell , when that which is acted in the streets but once , by a few muffled penitents , is pretended to be done in cells and closets as in a set course of discipline , by the most of their strict votaries : but all these , and what ever acts of penance , must yeeld to that of goderannus , ( a souldier of christ , as our capgrave styles him ) who when the host , given by his st. hugh to a leprous man in the height of that loathsomness , was rendred again , with the interest of some other odious ejections , did that , which in favour of the queasie stomack of my reader , i must conceale : onely this , that their saint which beheld it , could say , that s. laurence his gridiron was far more tolerable . to shut up all , s. martin would needs die in sackcloth and ashes . such hard usages have some zealous self-enemies put upon their bodies ; no doubt in a mis-grounded conceit of greater holinesse , and higher acceptance at the hands of god ; from whom they shall once heare that old question in the like case to the jews , who required this of you ? as if god took pleasure in the misery of his best creature , and had so ordered it , that grace could not consist with prosperity and contentment . we have seene then both those extremities wherewith men are mis-carried in matter of the palate , and some outward usages of the body . §. iv. of the extreames in the cases of lust . as for the delight of the marriage-bed which some salacious spirits have thought fit in an eminence or propriety to call pleasure , how far it hath bewitched men it is too apparent . how many are thus drunk with their own wine ! spending their bodies to satisfy those sensuall desires wherwith they are impotently transported ; like that bird of whom suidas speaks , which dies in the very act of his feathering . certainly , there is no such tyran in the world as lust , which , where it prevailes enslaveth the soule , and sendeth his best subjects , not to the mill with sampson , or to the distaffe with hercules , but to the chambers of death , to the dungeon of hell . the witty athenians could enact a law for bigamie ; and socrates himself , who was by the oracle named for the wisest man of his time , and the greatest master of his passions , could be content to practice that , wherein he was well punished ; and how their famous philosophers were affected , i had rather s. ierome should speak then i : and the turks at this day , whom their alcoran restraines from wine , yet are by their law let loose to this full scope of sensuality . what speak i of these , when the very patriarks , and princes of gods peculiar people were palpably exorbitant in this kinde ; the man after gods own heart ( in respect of the sincerity of his soule ) divided himself betwixt sixe partners of his bed ; the mistaking of which permission hath drawne the modern jews into a false opinion of no lesse then eighteen wives allowed still to their princes : but for his son solomon ( in other things the wisest under heaven ) from whom the east●rne potentates have borrowed their seraglio's , what stint was there of his bedfellowes ? he could not so much as know all their faces . neither was it for nothing that the all●wise god saw it fit in his royall law , to give us two commandements against lust , and but one onely against murder or theft ; doubtlesse ( as gerson well observes ) because he saw us naturally more prone to these wanton desires , then to those violent . contrarily , there have not wanted some , who out of a strong affectation of continency , & an over-valuation of the merit of virginity , have poured too much water upon the honest flames of their lawfull desires , and have offered a willing violence to nature ; not to speak of origen , and some others that have voluntarily evirated themselves ( a practice justly cryed downe by some councels ) such were amnon the heremite , and pelagius the monk in the ecclesiasticall history , who the first day of their marriage took up a resolution of the continuance of a virginall chastity ( a fashion which some improbable legends have have cast upon s. iohn the beloved disciple in his mis-imputed marriage in cana ) and retired to an agreed solitarinesse . many formall votaries have made profession of no lesse continency , but with what successe i take no pleasure to relate : let an indifferent man speak ; erasmus in an epistle to his grunnius : who tels us of store of monasteries , such , as in comparison vvhereof the stews were more sober , more modest . out of their owne ingenuous casuists , out of the vvofull complaints of their alvarez , pelagius , s. brigit , gerson , others , it were easie to tell shamefull tales if we made disgrace our ayme ; it shall be enough to desire any reader to informe himselfe of the reason alledged in the councel of ments , under pope stephen , of so strict an inhibition to their clergie , not to admit of so much as their sister to come within their doors ; and to take notice of that old by-word , in hispania preti &c. i take no joy to discover the miserable nakednesse of christians ; inordinate minds where is no restraint of grace , are apt to run thus wilde , whether amongst them , or us ; but there , so much more , as there is lesse allowance of lawfull remedies ; a point , which some of the most ingenuous spirits of the roman correspondence have seriously wisht to have recommended to wiser consideration , and redresse . §. v. the liberty that god hath given us in the use of his creatures . i meant to dwell only so long in the extreams , as to make my passage to the meane , which is the sole drift of our indeavour . there is therefore betwixt excesse and defect , whereof we have spoken , a lawfull and allowed latitude of just pleasure , which the bounty of our good god hath allowed to his dearest creature , man ; whereof it is meet for us to take knowledge . to begin with the palate . he who is the author of appetite , hath provided , and allowed meanes to satisfie it , not with asparing hand , as for meere necessity ; but sometimes also liberally , for delight . i have oft wondred to see how providently the great house-keeper of the world hath taken seasonable order for the maintenance of all his creatures ; so as , their mouthes are not sooner ready then their meat . whether in man or beast , conception is immediately seconded with nourishment , neither is the issue brought forth into the light of the world , before there be bottles of milk ready prepared for the sustenance . the birds ( except some domestick ) hatch not their young in the dead of winter , but when the growing spring hath yeelded a meet meanes of their food . in the very silk-worme i have observed , that the small , and scarce-sensible seed , which it casts , comes not to life and disclosure untill the mulbery ( which is the slowest of all trees ) yeelds her lease for its necessary preservation : and the same god , who hath given the creature life , appetite , meat , hath by a secret instinct directed them to seeke it ; so as the whelp , even before it can see , hunts for the teat ; ●nd those shell-fishes to which ●ature hath denyed meanes of ●ight or smelling , yet can follow , ●nd purchase their food . and if ●ll thy creatures , o god , vvait upon thee , that thou maist give them ●heir meat in due season ; if thou openest thy hand , and they are filled vvith good ; how much more magnificent art thou to that creature , for whom thou madest all the rest ? thou , vvho at the first broughtst him forth into a vvorld furnished before-hand vvith all varieties , hast beene graciously pleased to store him stil● vvith all things that might serve for the use of meat , medicine , delicacy : hadst thou only intended our meere preservation , a little had beene enough ; nature is neithe● vvanton nor insatiable . we know vvhat those brachmanni are reported to have said , to the great conqueror of the world , in shamin● his conquest by their owne : w● know vvhat the romane commander said to his souldiers in ● just indignation at their nicenesse ; ye have the river nilus running by you , and doe you aske for vvine ? and how he upbraided them vvith this scornfull taxation ; blush for shame , those that overcome ●ou , drink water . we know vvhat ●he vvise and just socrates returned ●o archelaus , tempting his fidelity vvith large proffers : goe , said he , ●ell your master , that foure gilles of floure are sold at athens for an ●alf-peny , & that our vvells yeeld ●s vvater for nothing : but now , ●ince our liberall creator hath ●hought good to furnish our ta●les , vvith forty kindes at the least of beasts , and foules ; vvith two hundred ( as they are computed ) of fishes , besides the rich , and dainty provenues of our gardens , and orchards , and the sweet juice of our canes , and the cells of our hives , what should this argue , but that he ( vvho made nothing in vaine , and all for man ) intended to provide , not for our necessity only , but for our just delight ? the father of the faithfull , though he promised only to comfort the hearts of his great , and divine guests with a morsell of bread , yet he entertaines them with a tender and fat calfe , with butter and milk , the delicates of those homelyer times . but this , in all likelihood , was but small cheare in comparison of that which he prepared for the celebrity of his son isaacs weaning , which is by moses styled a great feast : after this , when his son isaac feasted a king , doe we not think there were all the choice services , the times would afford ? sampson , though by gods destination a nazarite , yet kept his wedding feast seaven daies long : samuel , a prophet of god , feasted thirty persons , and reserved a choyce bit for his best guest : what speak i of this ? when every new moone was wont to be celebrated with a solemne feast by gods people : and david shelters himselfe under this excuse , for his absence from the table of saul . i might well have silenced all the rest , if i had only mentioned great solomons both practice , and counsell . there is nothing better ( saith he ) for a man , then that hee should eat and drink ; and that hee should make his soule enjoy good in his labour ; this also i saw that it was from the hand of god ; for who can eat ? or who can hasten hereunto more then i ? certainly this challenge is unanswerable ; neither hath the spirit of god thought it unfit to give us a bill-of-fare of that mighty king ; and to record in those holy archives , the particulars of his daily expences of meale , floure , oxen , sheep , besides harts , roe-bucks , fallow-deere , and fatted fowles , which the monarches of all ages may admire , none can emulate . what speak i yet of this , when he that was greater then solomon , sanctified feasting by his owne blessed example ? he , the lord of glory that took up wi●h a manger for his cradle , and ( after the carpenters cottage ) owned no house but heaven , is invited to a bridall feast , ( the jolliest commonly of all meetings ) carries his traine with him , helps on the cheere by turning water into the richest wine . had he beene so sowre , as some sullen hypochondriaques ( who place holinesse in a dull austerity ) would fancy him , it had been an easie answer , they want wine ; all the better , water is more fit ; this safe liquor wil send the guests home coolely tempered ; but now , as one that would be known to be a favourer of honest and moderate delight , he bids , fill the water-pots with ( that which hee would make better ) wine . neither was it any rare or strange matter for our saviour to honour , and blesse other feasts with his presence ; matthew the publican , when he was called from his tole-booth to a discipleship , and was now to be matriculated into the family of christ , entertained his new master with a sumptuous banquet ; himselfe ( now an evangelist ) speakes modestly of his own cheer , as if it had beene but common fare , but s. luke tells us , it was a great feast . what should i speak of the tables of zacheus , of simon the pharisee , of martha and mary ? so did our saviour in a sweet sociablenesse of carriage , apply himselfe to a free conversation with men , in the cheerefull use of gods good creatures , that his envious maligners took occasion hereupon to slander him with the unjust and blasphemous imputation of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a wine-bibber , a friend to publicans and sinners . he that made the creatures , can best tell how to use them ; his practice is more then all laws ; those men therefore are not more injurious to themselves , then to the divine beneficence , who in an opinion of greater sanctity , abridge themselves of a moderate participation of those comfortable helps , god hath allowed them ; and sit sullenly at a liberall board with their hat pulld over their eyes , not so much as removing their napkin from their trencher , unjustly scrupling their conscience with touch not , taste not , handle not . there are times of abstinence ; and not of a private fast only , but much more of a bannitum j●junium , as that councel styled it ; solemne and sacred ; there are out of civill grounds , wholsome laws for either forbearance , or change of diet ; far be it from us to detrect our strict obedience to these . surely , unlesse we will take up that lawlesse resolution of disrumpamus vincula , ( let us break their bonds , & cast their cords from us ) we must be content to be tyed by the teeth ; and in these cases to determine with frier giles , that the best diet is to eate nothing ; but where we are left open from all just restraint of divine and humane lawes , to pine our selves in an affectation of holinesse , and so partially to carve unto our selves , as if all things were not cleane unto the cleane : it is but a wayward and thanklesse austerity . the like may be said for other usages of the body , in matter of attire , sleep , lodging , recreation . socrates the historian tells of sisinnius the witty bishop of the overstrait-laced sect of the novatians , a man of singular temperance , and moderation , yet somewhat more spruce , liberall , and costly in his apparel , and more nice in his frequent bathings , then ordinary ; that being asked where hee found it written that a priest for his daily array should be suted in white , answered , yea , tell me first , where you find it written that a bishop should be clothed in black ; you cannot shew me this , i can shew you the other , for solomon sayes , let thy garments be white : how fitly the text is applyed , i labour not ; sure i am that no wise man need to be more nice then a novatian ; and that the kingly preacher in that liberall concession of his gives large scope to our lawfull liberty , in the use of gods blessings ; hee allowes ( within the compasse of our callings ) rich sutes to the back , sweet oyles for the head , comfortable drinks for the stomach : neither ought we to be scant , where god meant to be bountifull . and , if he have made us the lords of the world , why are we wilfull beggers ? wherefore hath he given the warme fleece to the sheep , the rich hides to the bever and ermin , the curious case to the silk-worm , the soft and faire feathers to the fowles of the aire , but , after their owne use , for ours ? wherefore hath he clothed the trees with cotton , or the fields with flaxe ? wherfore hath hee enriched the earth with variety of sweet and delicate flowers , with precious metals , and with more precious stones , the sea with beautifull and costly pearles ? why hath he treasured up such orient and pleasing colours in graines and fishes , if not for the use and behoofe of man ? what other creature knows wherefore they serve ? or , how can our blessed creator be any other then a greater loser by our either ignorance or willing neglect ? as for the comfort of conjugall society , what other did our good god intend in the making of that meet helper ? he that made those creatures , could have made many more , & having set this stint to his creation , he that made the woman of the man , could as well have made man of man , and could in the infinitenesse of his wisedome have appointed thousands of waies for the multiplication of mankinde ; but now having thought meet to pitch upō the traducing of man , by this living rib of his owne , he hath holily ordained that they two shall be one flesh ; not onely , as two bodies animated with one soule , but rather , as one body animated with two united spirits ; so as it is equally lawfull for them to enjoy each other in a mutuall , and holy communion , and to enjoy themselves in their single and personall contentments . how safely then may we take wise solomons vvord , for this innocent and sweet conversation : let thy fountaine be blessed , and rejoyce with the wife of thy youth ; let her be as the loving hinde , and pleasant roe , let her brests satisfie thee at all times , and be thou ravisht alwayes with her love : and when towards the latter end of his daies , he had found more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets , and her hands as bands ; yet even then , he renues this charge in the height of his mortification . live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest , all the dayes of the life of thy vanity , which he hath given thee under the sun all the dayes of thy vanity ; for that is thy portion in this life , and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. §. vi. together with our liberty , the just bounds of our moderation , in the liberall use of gods creatures : and therein our limitation in respects to god. so then that god , who hath given us meat , drink , apparell , wife , children , recreations , and what ever other conveniences of this life , intended no other , but that we should make our use , and have the fruition of these comforts ; and if he meant not that we should take some pleasure in the fruition of them , wherefore are they given us as blessings ? or what place is there for our thankfulnesse ? if i may take no pleasure in one food above another , what use is there of my taste ? what difference doe i make betwixt a course crust , and the finest of the wheat ? why am i more bound to god for giving me wine then water , many dishes then one , better then worse ? or how can i be more sensible of my obligation ? if i may not take contentment in the wife of my youth , wherefore is she mine ? what is left to me to counterpoyse those houshold distractions , which doe unavoidably attend the state of matrimony ? if i may not joy in my children , what difference is there to me betwixt my owne , and other mens , save that my care is more without hope of requitall ? and if i may not take pleasure in my recreation , how is it such ? what difference is there betwixt it and work ? yea , if i may not take pleasure in the works of my calling , what difference is there betwixt a slave and me ? but the same god who hath allowed us to take pleasure in all these hath also thought good to set bounds , and stints to our pleasure , which we may not exceed ; he hath indulged to us a lawfull freedome , not a wilde licentiousnesse : if wee passe our limits , we sin . now because in our naturall pronenesse to excesse there is nothing more difficult , then to keepe within due compasse , and to be at once delighted and holy , it highly concernes us to take notice of those just boundaries , within which our freest pleasure must be ranged . first then , we cannot offend in our delectations , if we be sure to take god with us ; more plainly , we shall safely partake of our pleasures , if we receive them as from god , if we enjoy them in god , if we referre them to god : from god , as the author and giver of them ; in god , as the allower and sanctifier of them ; to god , as to the end , and scope of them : the least deviation from any of these , makes our delights vicious . wee receive them as from god , when we know them to be allowed of him , and granted to us , by him : herein therefore lawfull pleasures differ from sinfull ; we have his vvarrant for the one , for the other his inhibition . the act may be alike in both , but differs both in the subject , and ground of it ; gods institution justifies that act in a lawfull conjugall society , which he abhorres and condemnes in a stranger : marriage is made in heaven , adultery is brewed in hell . the teeth kept the same pace under the law in eating the cleane flesh , and the uncleane ; and still doe , in the morsells of sufficiency , and surfet ; the first draught of the wine , vvhich is for refreshing , goes downe the same vvay , vvith the lavish , and supern●●erary carowses of drunkennesse : that holy god , whose will is the rule of goodnesse , cannot give any approbation of evill ; if then i can boldly present my pleasure in the face of god , and say , lord , this is the delight thou hast allowed me , the liberty thou givest , i take ; here is thy word , and my deed ; my heart cannot but sit downe in a comfortable assurance . we enjoy them in god , whiles we can enjoy god in them , not suffering our selves so to be possessed of them , as that we should let goe the sweet hold of the divine presence , and complacency : the very thought whereof must necessarily exclude all disorder , and excesse . it is the brand which st. iude sets upon the sensuall false-teachers of his time , feeding without feare ; and the prophet esay to the same purpose , the harp and the viole , the tabret and the pipe , and wine are in their feasts ; but they regard not the work of the lord , neither consider the operation of his hands . if then we be so taken up with any earthly pleasures , that they doe either banish god from our hearts , or steale our hearts from god ; our tables are made snares to us , and our wives in stead of ribs become thornes in our sides . for me , let me rather want delights then be transported by them from better joyes ; they shall not passe with me for pleasures , but for torments , that shall rob me of the fruition of my god. we referre them to god , when we partake of them with an intuition of the glory of him , from whom we receive them , and in whom we enjoy them ; not making any pleasure its owne end , wherein we shall rest , but the way to a better ; whether ye eate or drink , or whatsoever ye doe , ( saith the apostle ) doe all to the glory of god. we doe well to look up to heaven , and to say grace at our meales , but i have read of an holy man , that was wont to give thankes for every morsell that he put into his mouth ; and i could envy his holy and free thoughts ; but sooner could i take up the resolution of that votary , who professed that he did in every creature of god finde both edification , and matter of devotion ; and when one shewed him a lewd , and debaucht ruffian , and askt him what good he could pick out of such a prospect ? yes , said he , i can so farre enjoy his wickednesse , as to be thankfull to god , for giving me that grace which he wants . shortly , let me never have any pleasure , upon which i cannot pray to god for a blessing , and for which i cannot returne my thanks-giving . §. vii . the limitation of our liberty , in respect of the pleasures themselves , first for the kinde , then for the quantity , and quality of them . our pleasures cannot be amisse , whiles they have these respects to god. there are also considerable limitations , which they have within themselves . the first whereof must bee , that they be in their very kinde lawfull ; for as there is no dish whereof we may warrantably surfet ; so there are some whereof we may not taste : for our first parents to but set their teeth in the forbidden fruit , yea to touch it , was not free from evill : any morsell of an uncleane meat , under the law was no lesse sinfull , then the whole dish : the wholsomest of all foods , if taken in excesse , may destroy nature ; in so much as we finde one that dyed of strawberries , the most harmlesse fruit that the earth beareth ; but the least measure of poyson is too much : whereto we may also adde , that the same thing may be poison to one , vvhich to another is either meat or medicine , even as it is in bodily diets : a turk eates in one day so much opium vvith pleasure , as vvould be the bane of many westerne christians ; and erasmus professes that fish vvas death to him , vvhich to others is both nourishing and delicate . for a socrates to ride upon a stick , or to learne to fiddle , or dance in his old age , was a sight as uncouth , as it vvas in his boyes becomming , and commendable . it is said of thales milesius , one of the great sages of greece , that he was pressed to death in a throng at their gymnick sports ; any vvise man would presently ask , vvhat that vvise man did there ? to personate an history on an academicall theatre may be a mutuall delight to the actor , and beholders , but for a professed divine to doe it , can be no other then unmeet , and that which is justly forbidden in some synodes . the vvilde carnevalls abroad , however they may be tolerated in the young laity by their indulgent confessors , yet for persons that professe to be clerks , or religious votaries ( what pretences soever may be set upon it by favourable casuists ) cannot but be extreamly faulty . the kinde yeelded to be lawfull , and meet , both in it selfe , and to the person using it , there must be due consideration had of the quality , quantity , manner , circumstances that are able to make even good things evill . for the first , both religion and right reason require , that we should not be wanton , and over-delicate in our contentments ; that our pleasures should be like our selves , masculine , and temperate . it was a check that fell seasonably from vespasian , and recorded to his great honor by suetonius , that when a yong man came to him curiously perfumed , i had rather ( said he ) thou hadst smelt of garlick : and that praise is no meane one , which gerson the chancelor of paris gives to king lewis the saint , that he regarded not of how dainty composition his excrement were made , neither meant to be a cooke for the wormes . surely that curiosity of mixture , whereby not the eye and the palate , but the sent also must be feasted , is more fit for sybarites , then for christians ; dissolved pearles are for the draught of aesop the tragedians son , or anthonies great mistris : let a vitellius or heliogobalus hunt over seas and lands for the dainty bit of this birds tongue , that fishes roe , or that beasts sweet bread ; the oysters of this coast , the scollops of that other , this root , that fruit : what doe christians with this vaine apician like gluttony ? it was a fit rule for that monster of the gut ( whom even the romane luxury censured ) that those dishes please best , which cost most . i have both heard and read , that when some of our english merchants in germany , entertained martin luther with some other of his dutch friends , at their table , when amongst other liberall dishes , he saw a pastie at the first cutting up , reeking upwards , and filling the roome with an hot and spicy steame , in stead of thanks , he frowned , and angerly said , now woe be to them that bring these delicacies into our germany . it is not easie to set stints to the quality or price of diets : for that which to one nation , or person may passe for meane and course , may to another be costly and delicious . if we may beleeve relations , in angola dogges flesh is held for the daintiest meat , in so much as one mastive hath beene exchanged there for twenty slaves , the price of ▪ ducats ; our frogges , snailes , mushroms , would somewhere be accepted for a good service : and we know what the tartars are wont to esteeme of their cosmo , whiles we make a face at the mention of it . laercius tells us , that when plato in a thrifty discourse with rich aristippus was saying , that an half-peny was enough to furnish a temperate mans dinner , well then , said he , and fifty drachma's are no more then so , to me . custome of the place , care of health , regard to our ability , are fit moderators of every mans palate ; but the true christian is governed by an higher law , giving only such way to his appetite , as may well consist with due mortification . it was the rule which columbanus ( of whom there are many monumēts in these westerne parts ) gave to his followers ; let the diet of monkes bee course , and late , so as it may sustaine , and not hurt . we are no rechabites , no votaries , free from all yokes ( of this kind ) save the almighties , which is no other then an holy temperance : he hath allowed us the finest of the wheat , and wine that makes glad the heart , we are not tyed to prodicus his sawce , which is the fire ; nor to bernards , which is salt and hunger ; we may with old isaac call for savoury meat , such as we love . happy are vve , if vve know how to use our blessings , and have learned so to order our appetite , as that vve make it neither a slave nor a vvanton . for the quantity , pleasure is hony ; eat not too much hony , saith solomon ; that is to be tasted on the top of the finger , not to be scoped up with the vvhole hand ; we may be too great niggards to our selves this vvay , denying those helps to nature vvhereby it may be more cheerfully inabled unto good : ionathan complained justly that sauls rash vow of not tasting any food , that day , had troubled the land ; see i pray you how mine eyes are enlightned , because i tasted a little hony ; how much more , if the people had eaten freely to day had they prevailed ? it was the rule of a great p●●terne of strict devotion , if abstinence goe beyond the bounds of a vertue , it turns vice : and our alensis vvell , if our fast must be afflictive , yet with due moderation ; neither is it required that a man should fast his utmost , but so much as may well stand with the conservation of nature in her meet vigour : neither are we tyed to the old mans dyet in suidas , salt and two barly-cornes ; or to the liberall allowance which francis of assise made to his st. clare , an ounce and halfe of bread in a day : neither need vve be driven ( as socrates counselled poore eschines ) to borrow of our selves : but on the other side , vve may not let loose the reines of our appetite , and as gluttons are vvont to doe , cram in so much to breakfast , that vve have no stomach to supper . not in surfetting and drunkennesse , saith the blessed apostle . it seemed a strange thing to anacharsis the scythian , as laertius observes , to see the greeks drink in small cruzes at the beginning of their feasts , and in large bowles at the latter end , ( an order ill imitated by the lavish healthists of our time ) as if they intended not satisfaction , and refreshing of nature , but wilfull excesse . if the bounty of god allow us to bee sometimes merry , in our moderate feasts , yet never mad ; he is so far from crowning any man for drinking ( as it is said alexander the great did his promachus ) that he hath passed a woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drink : well may we say of our cups as was wont to be said of the ionians , they are good servants , ill free-men , and masters . too much oyle puts out the lamp ; both reason and health are drowned in over-deep cups : our body is as a well-set clock which keeps good time ; if it be too much or indiscreetly tamper'd with , the larum runs out before the houre . the like care of avoiding extremity must be had in all other delights . the very heathen orator could say , he is not worthy of the name of a man , that would be a whole day in pleasure . sleep and recreations are as necessary as meat , but both must know their stint . if a beare or a dormouse grow fat with sleep , i am sure the minde of man is thus affamished : slothfulnesse , saith solomon , casteth into a deep sleep , and an idle soule shall suffer hunger . it was a dead sleep wherein adam lost his rib , ishbosheth his life , the harlot her sonne , the foolish virgins their entrance . how long then wilt thou sleep , o sl●ggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? yet a little sleep , a little slumber , a little folding of the hands to sleep ; so shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth , and thy want as an armed man. as for sports , when they take up so much time and labour as to turne trades , they have lost themselves , and perhaps marr'd their masters . it was a just exception that salustius tooke to sempronia , not that she danced , but that she danced too well : and our story tells us , when rich clisthenes would choose a fit match for his only daughter , and amongst other suitors the sonne of terpander ▪ the athenian was most likely to speed , the young man to ingratiate himselfe the more , after dinner danced some attick jigges , with much cunning and activity ; well , well , said clisthenes , terpanders sonne , you have danced away your marriage . if the iron be blunt , the edge must be whetted , saith solomon ; but if we shall weare away all the steele with too much whetting , the toole must needs be left unprofitable . §. viii . the limitation , and moderation of the pleasure of conjugall society . but the greatest danger of immoderation is in matter of lust ; an impetuous passion , and that which commonly beares downe reason before it ; and too often even there , where the strongest resolutions , and most religious vowes have made head against it : insomuch as alvarez pelagius sticks not to confesse , that there was scarce any of the holy sisters in his time sine devoto carnali ; and dominicus a soto professes he cannot deny , that their clergy abounds with concubinaries and adulterers . what should i mention the toleration and yearly rent of publique stewes ? these known curtizans in spaine , and italy , pay to their great land-lords for their lust ; whereas amongst the abassines , wages are given them out of the common purse ; yea , even those , who are allowed lawfull remedies , shall finde it taske enough , so to order their desires , as they may not offend in their application . to deny the lawfulnesse of matrimoniall benevolence were to cast mire in the face of our creator ; yet there may be such deordination in the acts thereof , as may draw sin into the marriage-bed ; in so much as gerson can tell us , there is lesse difficulty in forbearing these desires , then in curbing , and moderating them once admitted : for pleasure ever , as both s. ambrose and hierome have observed , drawes on a strong appetite of it selfe ; and ( as chrysologus well ) is like a dog , beat him off , he flees away , make much of him , he follows us the more . the jewes note that in foure places of the law they are admonished to increase and multiply ; and therefore hold , that after twenty yeares of age , who so finds ( the iezer ) in himselfe , is bound under paine of sin to marry ; somewhat of kin to the divinity of that old physician at basil , of whom erasmus speaks , who taught in his publique lecture , that this ( increase and multiply ) was our saviours last legacy to the world , which we had thought had been ( pacem meam do vobis ) my peace i give to you , and that it were pitty that any fruitfull soile should lie fallow ; positions wildly licentious , and such as leave no place for a gracious eunuchisme for the kingdome of heaven . virginall chastity is a grace worthy of our fervent prayers , worthy of our best indeavors . i hear the great apostle of the gentiles say , he that gives his virgin in marriage doth well , but he that gives her not in marriage doth better ; and why should not every one ( where there is a difference of meliority ) strive towards the best ? all may strive , but all can not attaine . he that is able to receive it , let him receive it , saith our saviour . but he that cannot receive the blessing of single chastity , may receive the blessing of chaste marriage : an institution , which if it had not been pure and innocent , had never been made in paradise , by the all-holy maker of paradise , both in earth , and heaven . in the managing , and fruition vvhereof , we may not follow bruitish appetite , and lawlesse sensuality ; but must be over-ruled vvith right reason , christian modesty , and due respects to the ends of that blessed ordinance . our strictest casuists will grant , that for the conservation of mankind , even a votary may , yea must marry , and we have in our times known those , who for the continuation of a lineall succession of some great families , have been fetcht from their cells to a bride-chamber : as for the remedy of incontinency , our apostle hath passed a plaine ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) come together againe . as for the pleasure of conjugall society , i doe not find a more clear decision , then that of the voluminous jesuite salmeron . to a faithfull man ( saith he ) unto whom christ hath made all things cleane , that turpitude , and absorption ( of reason ) which commonly attends the act of matrimoniall knowledge is not a sin ; for as the apostle teacheth , all things are cleane unto the cleane , as clemens in the third book of his stromata worthily expounds it ; moreover , that pleasure or delectation which doth naturally follow the act of generation , which is by god naturally inbred in every living creature , and is not desired meerly for its owne sake , is no sin at all ; even as the delight which accompanieth eating , & drinking , and sleeping , is not judged unlawfull : so therefore it is not onely to be granted that marriage is no sin ; but he that is at liberty , and free from any vow , and hath not a will to contain himself , shall not acquit himselfe of a grievous sin , if he seek not a wife ; for of such like s. paul saith , if they doe not containe , let them marry ; for it is better to marry then to burne : that is , as s. ambrose interprets it , to be overcome of lust . thus far salmeron . and to the same purpose the learned chancelor of paris determines , that however those meetings which have no other intuition but meer pleasure , cannot be free from some veniall offence ; yet that he who comes to the marriage-bed , not without a certaine renitency and regret of minde that he cannot live without the use of matrimony , offends not . shortly then , howsoever it be difficult , if not altogether impossible to prescribe fixed limits to all ages and complexions ; yet this we may undoubtedly resolve , that we must keepe within the bounds of just sobriety , of the health , and continued vigour of nature , of our aptitude to gods service , of our alacrity in our vocations ; not making appetite our measure , but reason ; hating that messaline-like disposition , which may be wearied , not satisfied ; affecting to quench , not to solicit lust ; using our pleasure as the traveller doth water , not as the drunkard , wine ; whereby he is enflamed and enthirsted the more . §. ix . of the limitation of our pleasures in the manner of using them . thus much for the just quantity of our lawfull delights ; the manner of our using them remaines ; whether those of the boord , or of the bed , or of the field ; one universall rule serves for them all : we may not pursue them either over-eagerly , or indiscreetly . if wee may use them , we may not set our hearts upon them ; and if wee give our selves leave to enjoy them , yet wee may not let our selves loose to their fruition : carelesnesse is here our best posture ; they that rejoyce , as if they rejoyced not ; they that have wives , as if they had none ; they that buy , as if they possessed not ; they that use the world , as if they used it not , saith the blessed apostle . far be it from a christian heart so to be affected with any earthly delight , as if his felicity dwelt in it , his utter dejection and misery in the want of it : that as phaltiel did his wife , he should follow it weeping . it was a good charge that the holy man gave to his votary , that he should not totus comedere ; and the spouse in the divine marriage-song can say , i slept , but my heart waketh : thus , whiles we shall take our pleasure , our pleasure shall not take us . discretion must be the second guide of our pleasure : as in other circumstances , so especially in the choice of meet places , and seasons . it was a shamelesse word of that brutish cynick , that hee would plantare hominem in foro ; the jews made it a matter of their . lashes , for a man to lie with his owne wife in the open field : and if it were notoriously filthy for absalom , to come neare to his fathers concubines in the darkest closet , surely to set up a tent upon the roofe of the house , and in the sight of the sun , and all ●srael to act that wickednesse , was no lesse then flagitious villany . the very love-feasts of the primitive christians were therefore cryed downe , by the apostle , because they were misplaced ; have yee not houses to eate and drink in ? and so were the vigils in the succeeding ages . if markets , if sports , be never so warrantable , yet in a church , not without a foule profanation : so likewise there are times , which doe justly stave off even those carnall delights , which else would passe with allowance : the priests under the law whiles they did eate the holy bread , ( which was in their severall courses twice in the yeare ) must abstaine from the society of their wives ; the like charge doth the apostle impose upon his corinthians , defraud not one another , except it be with consent for a time , that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer . it was a commendable resolution of good vriah , the ark of god , and israel , and iudah abide in tents , and my lord ioab , and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields , shall i then goe in to my house , to eat and to drink , and to lie with my wife ? as thou livest , and as thy soule liveth , i will not doe this thing . when a solemne fast is indicted , for a man to entertaine his friends with a feast , is no better then an high impiety and disobedience ; neither can it be worthy of lesse then a just mulct and censure in those , who cast their liberallest invitations upon those daies which by the wholsome lawes both of church and common-welth are designed to abstinence ; and it is a strange charge that alfonsus de vargas layes upon the jesuites , that , upon a sleight pretence , made no bones of a fat capon on good friday : there is a time for all things , saith wise solomon ; there is a time to embrace , and a time to refraine from imbracing ; a time to mourne , and a time to dance . if then our pleasure shall be rightly differenced , for the kinde , and where that is allowable , ordered aright for the measure , quality , manner of enjoying it , we shall be safely cheerfull , and our life holily comfortable . §. x. motives to moderation in the use of all our pleasures . but , because it is no easie task to keep our hearts in so meet a temper , and to curb in our appetite from a lawlesse immoderation , it will be necessary for us seriously to consider , first , the shortnesse of them ; they are like to that time , on whose wings they are carried , fugitive and transient ; gone whiles they come , and as the apostle speaks , in their very use perishing . lysimachus , when in his extremity of drought he had yeelded himselfe and his crowne to the scythians , for a draught of water , good god ( saith he ) how great a felicity haue i forgone for how short a pleasure ? who ever enjoy'd full delight a day ? or if he could , what is he the better for it to morrow ? he may be worse , but who ever is the better for his yesterdayes feast ? sweet meats , and fat morsels glut the soonest ; and that which was pleasant in the palate , is noysome in the maw , and gut . as for those bodily delights wherein luxurious men place their chief felicity , alas ! what poore abortions they are , dead in the very co●ception , not lasting out their mention , what vanishing shadows , what a short nothing ? and how great a madnesse is it to place our contentment upon meere transitorinesse , to fall in love with that face which cannot stay to be saluted ? the unprofitablenes of them : it is easie to name thousands that have mis-carried by the use of pleasures , who , with vlysses his companions have been turned into swinish beasts , by the cups of this circe ; but shew me the man that ever was the better for them : we have known want , like to the hard soil of ithaca , breed good wits ; but what can fulnesse yeeld , save fat guts , ill humours , dull braines ? the observation is as true as old , that the flesh is nourished with soft , but the minde with hard meats : the falconer keeps his hawk sharp that would flye vvell ; and the horses are breath'd , and dieted , that vvould vvin the bell , and the vvager . sampson vvas not so strong , nor david so holy , nor solomon so vvise , as not to be foyled vvith these assaults . it vvas one straine in moses his song , iesurun is waxed fat and kicked ; thou didst drink of the pure blood of the grape : thou art waxen fat , thou art grown thick , thou art covered with fatnesse : then he forsook god that made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . how many brave hopes have vvee knovvn dashed vvith youthly excesse ? how many high , and gallant spirits effeminated ? hannibal could complaine that he brought men into campania , but carryed women out againe . who ever knew any man that by the superfluity of earthly contentments grew more wise , more learned , more vertuous , more devout ? whereas it is no rare thing to finde those , whom a strait and hard hand hath improved in all these ; it is better to goe to the house of mourning , saith solomon , then to goe to the house of feasting : sorrow is better then laughter , for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better . if iobs children do but meet at a kinde banquet , their father is faine to expiate their feast with sacrifice ; for seldome is ever jollity without excesse ; whereas in a sad austerity there is no feare of over-lashing . thirdly , as there is no profit in the immoderation of these momentany pleasures , so no little pain in the loose : this hony-bagge hath ever a sting attending it ; so as we are commonly plagued ( as bernard well ) in that wherein we were mis-delighted . fishes and fowles are well pleased with their baites , but when the hook or gin seizeth them , they are too late sensible of their misery . i have known potions , that have been very pleasant in the mouth , which have wrought churlishly in the guttes ; such are these pleasures : what fruit have you ( saith the apostle ) in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? the world deales with too many ( as our bromiard observes ) like a bad neighbour , that makes a man drunk purposely , to defeat him of his purse or patrimony , when the liquor is evaporated , the man awakes , and findes himselfe a beggar : could we foresee the issue of these sinfull delights , we durst not but fall off . had any man before-hand said , death is in the pot , which of the children of the prophets durst have been so hardy as to put in his spoone ? it vvas a good answer of a vvell meaning novice , vvho vvhen he vvas told because that hee was tender and delicate , he could never indure the hardship of a strict profession , answered , yes , i will therefore indure it the rather , for being so tender and delicate , much lesse shall i be able to indure the paines of hell . could vve then fore-consider the everlasting torments , vvhich attend the momentany pleasures of sin ; we vvould say to the best and most plausible of them , as sir thomas is reported to have said to his vvife , gentle eve i will none of your apple : and would be loth ( as that philosopher said in the like case ) to buy repentance ( yea torment ) at so deare a rate . §. xi . of the mo●eration of our desires in matter of wealth and honour , &c. next to the moderation of our pleasures is that of our desires , if not rather before it ; for whereas there are three acts of our sensitive appetite , in respect of good , loving , desiring , delight : love makes way to our desires , and delight followes it ; but because the desires we now speak of , are rather covetous , then love-some ; of outward abilities , rather then bodily pleasures , we cannot repent of this order of their tractation . and surely , of the two , our desires are much more insatiable and boundlesse then our delights . a gluttons belly is much sooner filled then his eye : for that only can quiet the appetite of an intellectuall nature , which is all and infinitely good ; all other things doe rather whet then satiate our longings . all this sensible world ( as gerson well ) is but as one little morsell to the stomach of the soul , and if a thousand worlds could be let downe they cannot fill it ; for the minde is by receiving enlarged to receive more ; and still cryes like the daughters of the horse-leech , give , give . every soule ( as st. austin wittily ) is either christs spouse , or the divels harlot : i adde , if christs spouse , she takes up with him , and accounts all things in the world but dung , yea but losse in comparison of him : if the divells harlot , she runs wilde after every gaudy pleasure , and profit ; like the barren womb , in solomon , which never saith , it is enough . so then the true christian soule , as it can say with david , whom have i in heaven but thee , and there is nothing in earth that i desire besides thee ; so it can say with st. paul , i have learned both to want and to abound , to be full and to be hungry , and in whatsoever estate to be therewith content . our desires therefore are both the surest measures of our present estate , and the truest prognosticks of our future : vpon those words of solomon , as the tree falls so it shall lie , bernard wittily , how the tree will fall thou shalt soone know by the store , and weight of the boughes ; our boughes are our desires , on which side soever they grow and sway most , so shall the soule fall . it was a word too good for him that sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage , i have enough my brother : iacob himselfe could have said no more ; this moderation argues a greater good then it selfe ; for as nothing comes amisse to that man who holds nothing enough , ( since the love of mony is the root of all evill ) so he that can stint his desires is canon-proofe against tentations ; whence it is that the best and wisest men have still held themselves shortest : even he that had more then enough , could say , give me not over-much . who knowes not the bare feet and patched cloaks of the famous philosophers amongst the heathen ? plutarch wonders at cato , that being now old , and having passed both a consul-ship and triumph , he never wore any garment that exceeded the worth of an hundred pence . it was the wish of learned erasmus , after the refused offers of great preferments , that he might so order his expences , that he might make all eaven at his death ; so as when he dyed , he might be out of every mans debt , and might have only so much mony left , as might serve to bring him honestly to his grave : and it was little otherwise ( it seemes ) with the painfull and eminent master calvin , who after all his power and prevalence in his place , was found at his death to be worth some forty pounds sterling ; a summe which many a master gives his groome for a few yeares service : yea , in the very chaire of rome , ( vvhere a man vvould least look to meet vvith moderation ) vve finde clement . vvhen he would place out his two daughters , gave to the one thirty pounds in a nunnery , to the other three hundred in her marriage ; and alexander the . who was chosen pope in the councell of pisa , had vvont to say he was a rich bishop , a poore cardinall , and a beggarly pope : the extreame lowlinesse of celestine the . who from an anachorets cell was fetcht into the chaire , ( and gave the name to that order ) was too much noted to hold long ; he that would onely ride upon an asse ; ( whiles his successors mount on shoulders ) soone walks on foot to his desert , and thence to his prison . this man was of the diet of a brother of his , pope adrian , who caused it to be written on his grave , that nothing fell out to him in all his life more unhappily , then that hee was advanced to rule : these are , i confesse , meer heteroclites of the papacy ; the common rule is otherwise ; to let passe the report which the archbishop of lions made in the councel of basil of those many millions , which in the time of pope martin came to the court of rome out of france alone ; and the yearely summes registred in our acts , which out of this iland flew thither , above the kings revenues : we know in our time what millions of gold sixtus . who changed a neat-heards cloak for a franciscans cowle , ( and therefore by vertue of his order might touch no silver ) raked together in five yeares space . the story is famous of the discourse betwixt pope innocent the . and thomas aquinas ; when that great clerk came to rome , and looked somewhat amazedly upon the masse of plate , and treasure which he there saw ; lo , said the pope , you see , thomas , we cannot say as s. peter did of old , silver and gold have i none ; no , said aquinas , neither can you command as he did , the lame man to arise and walk . there was not more difference in the wealth of the time , then in the vertue . it was an heroicall word of s. paul ; as having all things , yet possessing nothing ; and a resolution no lesse , that rather then he would be put down by the brag of the false-teachers among the corinthians , he would lay his fingers to the stitching of skins for tent-making . what speak i of these meannesses , when he tells us of holy men , that wandred about in sheep-skins , and goats skins , in deserts , and mountains , and caves of the earth ? yea what doe i fall into the mention of any of these , when i heare the lord of life , the god of glory , who had the command of earth , and heaven , say , the foxes have holes , and the birds of the ayre haue nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head ? it was a base and unworthy imputation , that hath been cast upon him by some ignorant favourers of wilfull poverty , that he lived upon pure almes . if our blessed saviour , and his train had not a common stock , wherefore was iudas the purse-bearer ? and why in that office did he repine at the costly oyntment bestowed upon his master , as that which might have been sold for , pence to the use of the poore , if himselfe had not wont to be a receiver of the like summes in a pretence of distribution ? wherein had he been a thiefe , if he had not both wont , and meant to lurch out of the common treasury ? certainly , he that said , it is better to giue then to receive , would not faile of the better , and take up with the worse : and he who sent his cators to sichem to buy meat , would not goe upon trust with samaritans : now , he that shall aske how this stock should arise , may easily think that he vvho commanded the fish to bring him tribute-mony , had a thousand vvayes to make his owne provision : amongst vvhich , this is cleare and eminent ; his chosen vessel could say , even so the lord hath ordained that they which preach the gospell , should live of the gospell . lo this was christs owne ordination , was it not therefore his practice ? and if any man would rather cast it upon our saviours care for the provision of succeeding times , he may soone learne , that when the blessed son of god sent his disciples as legates from his own side , to preach the gospell , without scrip , or mony , the word was , dignus est , the labourer is worthy of his wages : he saith not , the begger is vvorthy of his almes : this maintenance vvas not of beneficence , but duty : so as salmeron observes well , neither christ nor his apostles were in any vvant ; they earned what they had , and they had what was sufficient : and if that gracious messiah beg'd water of the samaritan woman , at iacobs vvell , it vvas because he thirsted after the salvation of her , and her neighbours ; and vvould take this occasion to bestow upon them the vvaters of life , vvhich they had not othervvise knowne , or desired ; i heare vvhere he askt for vvater , a common element , and that for vvhich the giver vvas no whit the poorer , i vvould faine heare vvhere hee askt for bread , vvhere for meat : i find vvhere he gave bread more then once , to thousands , and fish to boot ; but where ever did he ask a morsell , or finne ? shortly then , he vvho could have commanded all the pomp and royalty of the whole world , would appeare in the forme of a servant , that he might sanctifie a meane and moderate condition to us . it is true , there can bee no certaine proportion of our either having , or desiring ; since the conditions of men are in a vast difference ; for that coat which is too bigge for a dwarfe , will not so much as come upon a giants sleeve : and it is but just and lawfull for every man to affect so much , as may bee sufficient , not only for the necessity of his person , but for the decency of his estate ; the neglect whereof may be sordid , and deservedly taxable . it is said of gregory the great , that he sharply reproved paschafius bishop of naples ; for that he used to walk down to the sea-side , attended only with one or two of his clergy , without that meet port which his place required . surely , he that goeth below himself , disparageth his vocation , and whiles he would seeme humble , is no other then carelesse : but all things considered , he that can cut eavenest betweene want and excesse , is in the safest , easiest , happiest estate : a truth , which if it were duely entertained , would quit mens hearts of a world of vexation , which now they doe willingly draw upon themselves ; for he that resolves to be rich , and great , as he must needs fall into many snares of sin , so into manifold distractions of cares . it was a true word of wise bion , in laertius , who when he was asked , what man lived most unquietly , answered , he that in a great estate affects to be prosperous : in all experience , he that sets too high a pitch to his desires , lives upon the rack ; neither can be loosed , till he remit of his great thoughts , and resolve to clip his wings and train , and to take up with the present . very seasonable and witty was that answer , which cyneas in the story gave to ambitious pyrrhus , when that great conqueror began speech of his designes : well , said cyneas , when thou hast vanquished the romans , vvhat vvilt thou then doe ? i will then ( said pyrrhus ) saile over to sicily ; and vvhat wilt thou doe , said cyneas , vvhen that is vvon ? then vvill vve said pyrrhus , subdue africk ; well , and when that is effected , vvhat vvilt thou ( said cyneas ) then doe ? why then , said pyrrhus , we vvill sit downe and spend the rest of our time merrily , and contentedly : and vvhat hinders thee , said cyneas , that vvithout all this labour & perill , thou canst not now doe so before-hand ? certainly , nothing lies crosse the vvay of our contentation , but our owne thoughts ; and those the all-wise god leaves there on purpose for the just torture of great hearts . it vvas a truly apostolicall , and divine counsell that the chosen vessell gives to his hebrewes ; let your conversation be without covetousnesse ; and be content with such things as ye have : vvhich unto his timothy he limits to food and rayment ; and backs it irrefragably with a reason fetcht from our first and last estate ; for we brought nothing into this world , and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out . lo , wee begin and end vvith nothing ; and no lesse then all can sate us vvhile vve are : oh the infinite avarice and ambition of men ! the sea hath both bottome , and bounds , the heart of man hath neither . there are those , as our bromiard observes , who in a faire pretence of mortification , like soaring kites , flie up from the earth , and cry , fie , fie , in their flight , as if they scorned these lower vanities , and yet when they have done , stoop upon the first carrion that comes in their eye : false pharisees that under the colour of long prayers devoure widowes houses ; pharisaicall votaries that under colour of wilfull poverty , sweep away vvhole countries into their corban . amongst the very mahumetans under the name of sanctity , the scirifii in africk , in our very age , the sonnes of scirifius hascenus , desire no more patrimony from their father , but a drum , and an ensigne ; and thus furnished , ( religion being their sole pretext ) they run away with the large kingdomes of fez , and morocco . and what other spirit possessed fryer campanella , a poore dominican in our time , who durst think of changing his cowle for a crowne , ayming at no lesse in his secret treaty with the turks , then the now divided empire of italy ? how no lesse rise then insatiable are these desires of men ? one plots for a lordship , another for a coronet . one hath swallowed a crozier , another a scepter ; a third a monarchy , and a fourth all these : of all the ambitions that have come to my notice , i doe most wonder at that of maximilian the first , who being emperour affected also to be pope ; and for that purpose , in his letter written to the baron of lichtenstein , offered the summe of three hundred thousand ducats , besides the pawne of foure rich and preciously stuffed chests , together with the sumptuous pall of his princely investiture ; vvhereof ( said he ) after we are seized of the papacy , vve shall have no further use : though vvhy not ( saith waremundus ) as vvell as pope boniface the eight , vvho girded vvith his sword , and crowned vvith an imperiall diadem came abroad magnificently amongst the people and could openly professe , i am both caesar and pope . vaine men ! whither doe our restlesse desires carry us , unlesse grace and wiser thoughts pineon their wings ? which if vve doe seriously affect ; there is a double remedy of this immoderation ; the first is the due consideration of our owne condition , both in the shortnesse and ficklenesse of our life , and the length and vveight of our reckoning . alas , if all the vvorld were mine , how long could i injoy it ? thou foole , this night shall they take away thy soule , as vvas said to the rich projector in the parable , and then whose shall all these things bee ? were i the great king of babylon , vvhen i see the hand writing my destiny upon the vvall , vvhat should i care for the massie bowls of my cupboord , or the golden roofe of my palace ? vvhat foole vvas ever fond of the orient colours of a bubble ? vvho ever vvas at the cost to gild a mud-vvall ? or to embroyder that tent vvhich he must remove to morrow ? such is my condition here ; i must alter , it cannot . it is the best ceremony that i could note in all the pack of those pontificall rites , that an herald burnes tovve before the nevv pope in all the height of his pomp , and cryes holy father , thus passes the glory of the world : thus , even thus indeed , the glory passes ; the account passes not so soon : it is a long reckoning that remaines to be made for great receipts : for vve are not the owners ; vve are the baylifes or stewards of our vvhole estates : in the day of our great audit , there is not one peny but must be calculated ; and vvhat can the greatnesse of the summe ( passed through our hands ) then availe us , other then to adde difficulty to the computation , and danger to the accountant ? when death shall come roughly to us in the style that benedict did to totilaes servant , lay downe that thou bearest , for it is not thine owne ; and the great master of the universall family of the world shall call us to a redde rationem , for all that we have received ; woe is me , what pleasure shall it be to me that i had much ? what is the poore horse the better for the carriage of a rich sumpter all day , when at night he shall lie downe with a galled back ? i heare him that wished to live croesus , wishing to die a beggarly cynick , that was not worth his shroud : the cheare goes downe well , till it come to the shot ; when that goes too deep , vve quarrell at our excesse . oh our madnesse to doat upon our future repentance ! the second remedy , is the due consideration of the object of our desires : alas , vvhat poore stuffe is this vvherewith vve are transported ? what is the most preciovs metall of either colour , but thick clay , as the maker himself calls it ? what is the largest territory but an insensible spot of contemptible earth ? what are the greatest commands , but a glorious servitude ? what the highest offices , but golden fetters ? vvhat the highest titles , but aire and sound ? and if the fond minds of worldlings can set other glosses on these bewitching contentments , yet , as when a man that hath eaten saffron , breathes upon a painted face , he presently descryes and shames the false complexion ; so when the truly rationall and judicious shall come to spend his thoughts upon the best , and all of these garish and glittering allurements , he shall speedily detect their vanity , and bewray their dissembled unworthinesse . §. xii . the moderation of our passions : and therein first of our sorrow . the moderation of our passions challengeth the next roome ; in the pursuit whereof ( since their variety is great ) it were easie to passe our bounds ; but we shall moderate our discourse , and select some of the most impetuous : as for love and joy , they have so much affinity with pleasure and delight whereof we have already treated , that we shall spare the labour of their further mention . sorrow shall take the first place ; a passion that hath beene guilty of much blood . we have read and heard of some few , that have dyed of joy ; as chilon of sparta , when he imbraced his sonne returning with honour ; and clidemus the athenian , when he was crowned by the players ; these tertullian instances in ; so pope leo the tenth ( if we beleeve iovius ) is said to dye for the joy of taking millaine ; so senas the generall of the turkish gallies , dyed for the joy of the returne of that sonne , whom he had given for lost ; it was with these , as with them , whom we have seene choaked with those cordiall waters , which they have received for the remedy of their qualmes : but our experience tells us of a thousand for one , that have beene kill'd with griefe : not perhaps in a sudden violence ( which kinde of death caesar esteemed more easie ) but in a lingring , and languishing forme of murder ; for a broken spirit dryeth and bones , saith solomon ; and by the sorrow of the heart , the spirit is broken . this is our childs part which was beset us in paradise before we were : by the mothers side , in sorrow shalt thou bring forth ; by the fathers , in sorrow shalt thou eat of it , all the dayes of thy life : sorrow in birth , sorrow in life , and in death sorrow . the shadow doth not more inseparably follow the body , then this doth our existence ; so as he that meant to say thrice miserable , mistooke not much , when he said , thrice man. if we look upon those who have had the greatest share in gods love , we shall finde them to have drunk deepest of this cup. the great mirrour of patience can say , my bowels boyled and rested not ; the dayes of affliction prevented me . i went mourning without the sun ; i am a brother to dragons , and a companion to owles . and the sweet singer of israel warbles out sad straines of complaint , in this kinde ; the sorrowes of death compassed me about , and the paines of hell gat hold on me ; and againe , my soule melts for very heavinesse . esay cryes out of his loynes ; ieremy of his bowells ; and good ezekiah chatters like a crane or swallow , and mournes like a dove . what speak i of these , when i hear the lord of life and glory say , my soule is exceeding heavy , even to the death . now this sorrow is ever out of the sense of some evill : evill , whether of sin , or of punishment ; of sinne , whether of others , or our owne . punishment , as bodily sicknesse , death of friends , worldly losses ; all these are just grounds of sorrow . rivers of waters run downe mine eyes , because they keep not thy law , saith holy david . and doe we not think he sorrowed more for his owne sinnes ? there is no rest in my bones , saith he , because of my sinne , and all the night long i make my bed to swim ; i water my couch with my teares . punishment doth not more necessarily follow upon sinne , then sorrow followes punishment ; davids eye is consumed because of his griefe . ezekiah turnes him to the wall and weeps ; and whiles st. paul chargeth not to mourn immoderatly for the dead , he supposeth just teares due : garments were allowed to be torne by gods people at the death of friends ; and at the parents death , after thirty dayes wearing , it was their guise to lay downe those rent garments , never to be sowne up againe ; wee pitty and grieve at the childishnesse of those innocent babes , that can play at wink and hide about their fathers hearse : and for afflictions , whether of body or estate , how are they such , if we feele them not ? and how doe we feele them , if we sorrow not ? the sense of paine argues life , as st. ambrose well . it is ill taken by the almighty from his people that he had striken them but they grieved not ; this is ( what lyes in us ) to disappoint god of his purpose ; and to put our selves into the posture of solomons drunkard ; they have striken me ( doth he say ) and i was not sick , they have beaten me , and i felt it not ; we are wont to censure that child for stubborne and gracelesse , that sheds no teares when he is whipped : it cannot be well with us , if vve sorrow not ; blessed are they that mourne . but there are certaine just conditions and cautions of our griefe , vvhich vve cannot exceed or neglect , vvithout offence both to god , and to our selves . whereof the first shall be , that the cause of our sorrow be just : not fancied , not insufficient ; for vve have knowne some that have brew'd their owne griefe , vvho vvith simeon stylites have voluntarily chained up themselves in their owne pillar , vvhen they might have enjoyed free scope of comfortable liberty . how many melancholique peeces have vvith meere imaginations made their lives miserable , and vvorne out their dayes in the bitternesse of their soule ; only out of those conceits vvhich the by-standers have hooted at , as either impossible , or ridiculous ? one thinkes himselfe loathsomly deformed , another disgraced and infamous ; a third dying or dead : one thinks himselfe transmuted into some beast : another possessed by some ill spirit . what forme cannot this humour put on ? i leave these kind of complainants to good counsell and ellebore . others there are , who have indeed reall crosses , but farre below their sorrow , passionately lamenting even small afflictions : so we have seene a child , when he hath taken a heedlesse and harmlesse fall , bewray his griefe with loud crying , and in a foolish anguish knocking his head against that ground , which he accuseth for his miscarriage : thus we finde certain armenians , styled of old by the name of chazinzarii , who kept a yearely fast , called arzibur , in the sad memory of the dogge of sergius , their martyr , ( of that name ) devoured by a wolfe ; which attendant of his , was wont to goe before his master , and by some dumb signes , call forth the disciples to their devotions : it was an affliction to rachel that she had no children , but she had no reason so to be affected with it , as to say , give me children , or else i dye : ionah had cause to be sorry for the losse of his gourd , but he had no reason to say , it is better for me to dye then to live : these dispositions are like unto a new cart , which screaks , and cryes , even whiles it hath no burden but his owne wheeles , whereas that which is long used , and well liquored , goes silently away with an heavy load . our second caution therefore must be , that even our just sorrow be moderate ; for the quantity , not more then enough . it was a rule of the lycians ( as st. ambrose tells us ) if a man would mourn above his stint , to put him into a womans habit ; we may mourne for the dead , but not as men without hope : david mournes , at least enough , for his sick childe , but when hee perceives it once dead , he riseth up , and washeth , anointeth and refresheth himselfe , and changeth his apparell , and comes into the lords house to worship . hath good melaina lost her husband , and her children at once ? her teares are just , but she dries them up at last with this resolution , that she shall now the more freely betake her selfe to her devotion . have we lost our worldly goods ? they had not beene goods , if they vvere not vvorth our griefe for their miscarriage ; if , as our riches have wings , they be flowne up to heaven , ( being taken away by the same hand that gave them ) it is good reason our sorrow should give way to our submission and obedience : and we should say vvith iob , the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken , blessed bee the name of the lord. as then on the one side we may not so obdure our selves , as to be like the spartan boyes , vvhich would not so much as change a countenance at their beating ; so on the other side , vve may not be like to those anticks of stone , vvhich vve see carved out under the end of great beams in vast buildings , vvhich seeme to make vvry and vvrencht faces , as if they vvere hard put to it , vvith the vveight , vvhen as indeed they beare little or nothing . our third caution is , that the measure of this sorrow be proportioned , vvhether it be more or lesse , according to the cause of the sorrow ; for it may be so moderate , as to be unproportionable . griefe for crosses should be small , and impassionate ; griefe for sin can hardly be too much : and as those crosses , and those sins differ in degree , so should the degrees of our sorrow ; he therefore that grieves more for a crosse , then for his sinne ; or grieves equally for a small crosse and a greater , offends in the undue proportion of his sorrow : shortly then , there is a worldly sorrow , and there is a spirituall ; both which must know their just limits ; right reason and true philosophy teaches the one , the other divinity . i have lost my goods ; were they mine first ? perhaps i was but their keeper , or bearer , not their owner ; i see the groom that keeps the horse is not much troubled to flea him ; what doth he lose but his labour in tending him ? what was the mule in plutarch , after his lying down in the water , troubled with the melting of that burden of salt , which he carryed ? or what paines is it to the silly asse , that the treasure which he bore is taken off , and laid up in his masters chest ? i see many sweating in the mint upon severall imployments , they have money enough under their hands , what are they the richer ? or doe they greeve to see it carryed away in full sacks from their fingering ? my goods are lost ; were they not only lent me for a time , till they should be called for ? were they not delivered into my hands , only to be paid back upon account ? if the owner require them at his day , what harme is done ? so that my reckoning bee eaven , how can i complaine to be eased of a charge ? i have lost my goods by shipwrack ; it is well that my selfe have escaped ; how have i heard and read of philosophers , who have voluntarily cast their gold into the sea ; the windes have done that for me , which their hands did for themselves ? perhaps that very wealth had beene my undoing , which at least , can doe no harme where it is ; why did i trust such friends as winde and water , if i did not looke to be disappointed ? i have lost my goods by casualty of fire ; even that casualty was not without a providence : he that sent that fire , meant to try me by it ; he had not sent it , but that he knew there was drosse of worldlinesse and corruption to be thus purged out of me : it is a worse flame that i have deserved ; and if by this lesser and momentany fire , the mercy of god hath meant to prevent that greater , and everlasting , i have reason ( as the martyrs were wont ) to embrace the flame . i have lost my goods by robbery , cosenage , oppression ; i would be loth to be in his case that hath thus found them : let him mourn that hath thus purchased a curse : for me , i have but forceably transferred my charge , where it will be wofully audited for . it is all one to me whether it be fire , or water , or fraud , or violence that hath robbed me ; there is one and the same hand of god in all these events : let me kisse that hand which strikes me with these varieties of rods , and i shall say , it is good for me that i was afflicted . my friend , my wife , my child is dead ; say rather they are departed : i can scarce allow it to be a death , where they decease well : prosectio est , quam tu putas mortem , as tertullian of old . it is a meere departure of those partners which must once meet , and from those friends which must soone follow and overtake us . sorrow is so proper for a funerall that the jews were wont to hire mourners , rather then they would want them : even our blessed saviour bestowed teares upon the exequies of him , whom he meant presently to raise : it is not for us to be too niggardly of this warme dew ; but those teares which are shed at the decease of good soules , should be like those drops of raine which fall in a sun-shine , mixed with rayes of comfort . let them put no stint to their sorrow who think there is no rest , no happinesse after death : but for us , who know death to be only the end of our life , not of our being ; yea rather the change of a better life for worse ; we have reason to dry up our teares , and in some sort to imitate the patterne of those nations , which were wont to mourne at the birth of their children , and rejoyce and feast at their death : a practise , which in part was taken up by the jewes themselves , who with their mourners mixed also musitians in their funerall banquets , and countenanced by great and wise solomon , the day of death is better then ones birth day . shortly then , i have parted with a good child , but to a better father , to a more glorious patrimony : whether now is the childs gaine , or the fathers losse greater ? and what can it be but selfe-love that makes me more sensible of my owne losse , then my childes glory ? it is my weaknesse therefore , if i doe not either swallow , or stifle my sorrow . i have lost my health and am seized with sicknesse and paine : this , this , next to death is the king of sorrowes ; all earthly crosses vaile to it , and confesse themselves trifles in comparison : what ease can i now find in good vvords more then callicon found to his head in that chaffe , vvherewith he stuffed his earthen pitcher , vvhich he made his pillow ? vvhiles the thorne is ranckling in my foot , vvhat ease can i finde in a poultesse ? know , o weak man , there is that in a christian heart vvhich is a more then sufficient cordiall against sicknesse , paines , death , and that can triumph over the vvorst extremities . this is the victory , vvhich overcomes a vvorld ( of miseries ) even our faith . not so only ( saith the chosen vessell ) but we glory or rejoyce in tribulations : for , lo , our faith is it vvhich puts true constructions upon our paines . health it self vvould not be vvelcome to us , if we did not know it good ; and if vve could be perswaded that sicknesse were good , or better for us , vvhy should not that be equally vvelcome ? it vvas a good speech of that hermite , vvho vvhen he heard a man praying vehemently for the removall of his disease , said , ( fili , rem tibi necessariam abjicere audes ? ) alas , sonne , you goe about to be rid of a necessary commodity . the christian heart knowes it is in the hands of him who could as easily avert evill , as send it ; and whose love is no lesse , then his power ; and therefore resolves , he could not suffer , if not for the better . the parent is indulgent to his child , were his love well improved ; if he would not suffer his son to be let blood in a plurifie , whiles the physitian knowes he dyes if he bleed not ? an ignorant pesant hath digg'd up a lump of pretious ore , doe we not smile at him , if he be unwilling the finer should put it into the fire ? the presse is prepared for the grapes and olives , and ( as austin well ) neither of them will yeeld their comfortable and wholsome juyce without an hard strayning ; would not that fond manichee make himselfe ridiculous , that should sorbid to gather , much more to wring them ? shortly then , am i visited with sicknesse ? it is not for me ( like a man that is overloaded with too heavy a burden ) to make ill faces ; but to stir up my christian resolution , and to possesse my soule in patience , as well knowing that the vessell that would be fit for gods cup-board , must be hammered with many stroakes ; the corne for gods table must passe under the sickle , the flayle , the mill ; the spices for gods perfume must be bruised and beaten . in ●umme ; worldly crosses cannot affect us with too deepe sorrow , if we have the grace and leasure to turne them round , and view them on all sides ; for if we finde their face sowre , and grisly , their back is comely and beautifull : no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous , but grievous ; neverthelesse , afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby : wherefore lift up the hands which hang downe , and the feeble knees . §. xiii . of spirituall sorrow and the moderation thereof . not so rise , but more painfull is the spirituall sorrow , vvhether for the sense of sinnes , or the vvant of grace . this is that which the apostle styles ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a godly sorrow , vvorking repentance to salvation , not to be repented of : the tears vvhereof , the almighty puts up in his bottle , and keeps them for most pretious , it is seldome vvhen this griefe exceeds ; too many are so afraid of enough , that they are vvilling to learne of their confessors , that a meere velleity of sorrow is sufficient to true repentance : but give me not an attrition , but a contrition of heart ; give me a drouping head , red eyes , blubbered cheeks , a macerated body met vvith a pensive soule , give me sackcloth and ashes , fastings , watchings , prostrations , ejulations , vvhen i have offended my god ; and let me bee let loose to my free sorrow : let me be in bitternesse ( as zechariah expresses it ) as one that is in bitternesse for his only sonne . not , but that it is possible to drink too deep of this bitter cup : we have known those , who have pined themselves away , in a continuall heavinesse , refusing all possible meanes of comfort , out of a sense of their sinnes , vvhose vvhole life hath beene like a gloomy winters day , all over-cast vvith clouds , vvithout the least glimpse of a sun shine ; vve have seene them that have thus lived and dyed disconsolate , raving , despairing : experience makes this so true , that we may well conclude , that even the best spirituall sorrow must be moderated , the worst shunned ; every sorrow for sinne is not good : there is a sorrow that lookes at the punishment through the sinne , not regarding the offence ; but the smart of evill ; this would not care for the frowne of god , if he vvould not strike , as that vvhich indeed feares not god ; but hell ; as that vvhich apprehends only lashes and torm●nts : this is incident even to divells , and damned soules ; all vvhich cannot but naturally abhorre paine and torture : what malefactor vvas ever in the vvorld , that vvas not troubled to thinke of his execution ? there is a sorrow that lookes not at the punishment , but the sinne , regarding , not so much the deserved smart , as the offence ; that is more troubled with a fathers frowne , then with the whip in a strangers hand ; with the desertions of god , then with the feare of an hell : under this sorrow , and sometimes perhaps under the mixture of both , doth god suffer his dearest ones to dwell for a time , numbring all their teares , and sighes , recording all their knocks on their breasts , and stroakes on their thighes , and shakings of their heads , and taking pleasure to view their profitable , and at last happy self-conflicts . it is said of anthony the holy hermite , that having beene once in his desart , beaten and buffeted by divells , he cryed out to his saviour ( o bone iesu ubi eras ? ) o good iesus where wert thou , whil●s i was thus handled ? and received answer , iuxta te , sed expectavi certamen tuum : i was by thee , but stayed to see how thou wouldest behave thy selfe in the combat . surely , so doth our good god to all his : he passeth a ( videndo vidi ) upon all their sorrowes , and will at last give an happy issue with the temptation ; in the meane time it cannot but concerne us , to temper this mixed sorrow of ours with a meet moderation : heare this then thou drouping soul , thou are dismayed with the haynousnesse of thy sinnes , and the sense of gods anger for them ; dost thou know with whom thou hast to doe ? hast thou heard him proclaim his own style ? the lord , the lord , mercifull and gratious , long suffering , and abundant in goodnesse and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquities and transgressions , and sinnes ; and canst thou distrust that infinite goodnesse ? lo , if there were no mercy in heaven , thou couldst not be otherwise affected ; looke up and see that glorious light that shines about thee ; with the lord there is mercy , and with him is plentious redemption . and is there plentious redemption for all , and none for thee ? because thou hast wronged god in his justice , wilt thou more wrong him in his mercy ? and because thou hast wronged him in both , wilt thou wrong thy selfe in him ? know , o thou weak man , in what hands thou art . he that said , thy mercy o lord is in the heavens , and thy faithfulnesse reacheth unto the clouds ; said also , thy mercy is great above the heavens , and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds . it is a sure comfort to thee , that he cannot faile in his faithfulnesse and truth ; thou art upon earth , and these reach above thee , to the clouds , but if thy sinnes could be so great and high , as to over-look the clouds , yet his mercy is beyond them , for it reacheth unto heaven ; and if they could in an hellish presumption reach so high as heaven , yet his mercy is great above the heavens ; higher then this they cannot . if now thy hainous sinnes could sink thee to the bottome of hell , yet that mercy which is above the heavens , can fetch thee up againe : thou art a grievous sinner ; we know one that said he was the chiefe of sinners , who is now one of the prime saints in heaven : looke upon those whom thou must confesse worse then thy selfe : cast back thine eyes but upon manasseh , the lewd son of an holy parent ; see him rearing up altars to baal , worshipping all the host of heaven , building altars for his new gods , in the very courts of the house of the lord ▪ causing his sonnes to passe through the fire , trading with witches , and wicked spirits , seducing gods people to more then amoritish wickednesse , filling the streets of jerusalem with innocent bloud : say if thy sinne can be thus crimson ; yet , behold this man a no lesse famous example of mercy then wickednesse : and what ? is the hand of god shortned that he cannot now save ? or , hath the lord cast off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? is his mercy cleane gone for ever ? hath god forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ? o man , say justly , on : this is mine infirmity ; thine infirmity sure enough ; and take heed , if thou persist to distrust , that it be not worse : these misprisons of god are dangerous ; the honour of his mercy is justly deare to him ; no marvell if he cannot indure it to be questioned ; when the temptation is blowne over , heare what the same tongue sayes , the lord is mercifull and gratious , slow to anger , and plentious in mercy . he will not alway chide , neither will he keep his anger for ever : he hath not dealt with us after our sinnes , nor rewarded us after our iniquities : for as the heaven is high above the earth , so great is his mercy towards them that feare him . oh then , lay hold on the large , and illimited mercy of thy god , and thou art safe : what cares the debtor for the length of a bill that is crossed ? what cares the condemned person for the sentence of death , whiles hee hath his pardon sealed in his bosome ? thou art an hainous sinner : wherefore came thy saviour ? wherefore suffered he ? if thy sinne remaine , wherefore serves his bloud ? if thy debt bee still called for , wherefore was thine obligation cancelled ? if thou be still captive to sin and death , wherefore was that deare ransome paid ? why did he stretch forth his blessed hands upon the crosse , but to receive thee ? why did he bow downe his head but to invite thee ? why vvas his precious side opened , but that he might take thee into his heart ? thou despisest him , if thou trustest him not ; iudas and thou shall sin more in despairing , then in betraying him . oh then , gather heart to thy selfe , from the merits , from the mercies of thine all-sufficient redeemer , against all thy sinfulnesse : for , who is it that shall be once thy judge ? before what tribunall shalt thou appeare , to receive thy sentence ? is it not thy saviour that sits there ? he that dyed for thee , that he might rescue thee from death ; shall he , can he doome thee to that death from which he came to save thee ? comfort thy self then with these words , and if thou wouldst keep thy soule in an equall temper , as thou hast two eyes , fixe the one of them upon gods justice to keep thee low and humble , and to quit thee from presumption : fixe the other upon his transcendent mercy , to keepe thee from the depth of sorrow and desperation . §. xiv . of the moderation of the passion of feare . sorrow is for present and felt evils ; feare is onely of evils future : a passion so afflictive , that even the expectation of a doubtful mischief that may come , is more grievous to us sometimes , then the sense of that mischiefe , when it is come . that which torquemade reports of a spanish lord in his knowledge , i could second with examples at home , of some , who have been thought otherwise valiant , yet , if they had been but locked up in a chamber , would either break the doores , or offer to leap out of the windows ; yet not knowing of any danger imminent : and if in an imaginary , or possible evill , feare have these effects , what shall we expect from it in those which are reall and certaine ? it is marvellous , and scarce credible , which both histories and eyes can witnesse in this kinde ; iames osorius , a young gentleman of spaine , born of a noble family , one of the courtiers of charles the fift , being upon occasion of a wicked designe of lust to an honourable lady , emprisoned , with an intent of his execution the next day , was suddenly so changed with the feare of the arrest of death , that in the morning when he was brought forth , none of the beholders knew him ; his haire was turned so white , as if he had been fourescore years old : upon sight whereof , the emperour pardoned him , as having been enough punished with the fear of that which he should have suffered . levinus lemnius a late philosopher ( in whom my younger age took much delight ) recounts the story , and discourses probably upon the naturall reasons of this alteration . the like report is made by iulius scaliger , of a kinsman of franciscus gonzaga , in his time imprisoned upon suspition of treason , who with the feare of torture and death , was in one nights space thus changed . and coelius rodiginus tells us of a falconer , who climbing up to a rocky hill for an hawks nest , was with the breaking of a rope ( wherewith he was raised ) so affrighted , that instantly his haire turned . what need we more instances ? my selfe have seene one , to whom the same accident was said to have befalne , though now the colour were ( upon the fall of that weak fleece ) altered . what speak we of this ? death it self hath followed sometimes , upon this very fear of death ; so as some have dyed lest they should dye . montague gives us an instance of a gentleman , at the siege of s. paul , who fell downe stark dead , in the breach , without any touch of stroke , save what his owne heart gave him : yea , how have we knowne some , that have dyed out of the feare of that , whereof they might have dyed ; and yet have escaped ? a passenger rideth by night over the narrow plank of an high and broken bridge , and in the morning dyes to see the horror of that fall hee might have had . there is no evill whether true or fancyed , but may be the subject of feare : there may be a pisander so timorous , that he is afraid to see his own breath : and our florilegus tels us of a lewes king of france , so afraid of the sea , that he said it was more then an humane matter to crosse the water ; and durst not passe betwixt dover and vvhitsands , till he had implored the aid of st. thomas of canterbury : but all these feares have a relation to that utmost of all terribles ; and if other evils , as displeasure , shame , paine , danger , sicknesse , be the usuall subjects of feare also , yet death is the king of feare : i am of the mind of lucretius therefore , although to a better purpose , that if a man would see better dayes , he must free his heart from that slavish fear of death , wherewith it is commonly molested . in what a miserable servitude are those men , whereof erasmus speaketh to his grunnius , who so abhorre the thought of death , that they cannot abide the smell of frankincense , because it is wont to bee used at funeralls ? they who are ready to swound at the sight of a coffin ; and ( if they could otherwise choose ) could be content not to lie in a sheet , because it recalls the thought of that , wherein they shall be once wrapped ? it concerns a wise man to obdure himself against these weak feares , and to resolve to meet death boldly , in the teeth : nothing is more remarkable in all the passages of our blessed saviour , then that which s. luke records of him , that when he was to go up ( his last ) to jerusalem , where he must die , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) he stedfastly set his face to that fatall journey : the word implyes a resolution of courage against some evill to be conflicted with . maldonate would have the metaphor fetcht from the custome of bulls , who when they must fight , are wont to fetch up a kind of sprightly terrour into their countenance ; at least , it imports a firme purpose of an undaunted spirit to grapple with some fore-expected evill : thus must wee learne to doe against our last enemie . tell me then , thou weak man , thou fearest death : will it not come if thou feare it not ? will it come the later for thy feare ? is not thy life thus made miserable before it come ? is not this the condition , upon which thou receivedst life , to part with it when it should be called for ? art thou discontent at thy being ? dost thou murmur that thou art a man , because therein thou art mortall ? doth any thing befall thee different from the best , and all of thy kind ? look back upon all that have been before thee , where are those innumerable numbers of men which peopled the earth but in the last century of yeares ? see whether the great monarches of the world speed any otherwise : & couldst thou expect lesse , upon the many and sensible warnings of thy mortality ? what language have thy sicknesses , and decayes of nature spoken to thee , but this ( of a true harbingers ) death is comming ? and how well shouldst thou be pleased with his approach ? say that thou were sentenced to live some hundreds of yeares , with thine infirmities to boot , what a burden wouldst thou be to thy selfe ? how more discontented wouldst thou be that thou mightst not die ? why art thou not as well displeased that thou must be old ? and when wouldst thou part that thou mightst avoid it ? thou fearest death ; how many heathens have undergone it with courage ? shall i see a bold roman spurring his horse , to leap down into a dreadfull gulfe , for the benefit of those from whom he cannot receive thanks ? shall i see a cleombrotus , casting himselfe resolutely from the rock , to enjoy that separate life of the soule which plato discoursed of ? shall i heare a canius ( of whom seneca speaks ) jeering his tyran , and his death together , and more regarding the victory of his game , then the losse of his life ? shall i hear of some indian wives , that affect and glory to cast themselves into the fire with the carcasses of their dead husbands ? shall i see turks filling up ditches with their wilfully-slaughtered bodies , for the fruition of their brutish paradise ; and shall i bee cowardly , where pagans are valiant ? yea , how many have i known that have eagely sought for death and cannot finde it ? how many , who upon frivolous occasions by self-dispatches have cast away that life , which they could not otherwise be rid of ? what conceit soever i have of the price of life , their undervaluation of it hath beene such , that they have parted with it for nothing ; they have run to meet that death , which i flie from , as formidable and ugly ? thou fearest death : look upon the examples of those holy men , who have tendered themselves to the painfullest martyrdome ; see ignatius resolving to challenge the lions ; see the tender virgins , daring the worst cruelty of tyrants , and embracing death in his worst formes ; see silly mothers , in an ambition of a crowne of life , running with their children in their armes , to overtake death ; see those resolute saints that might have been loosed from their wheels , and racks , with proffers of life and honour , and scorned the exchange ? doe i professe their faith , doe i looke for their glory , and shall i partake nothing of their courage ? thou art afraid of death : what a slaughter dost thou make every houre of all other creatures ? what meale passeth thee , wherein some of them doe not bleed for thee ? yea , not for need , not for use , but for sport , for pleasure , dost thou kill them dayly , without pitty , without scruple : alas , we made them not , they are our fellowes ; he that made us , made them too : how much are we lesse to god , then they are to us ? doe we see so many thousands of them then dye for us , and shall we think much to returne our life to our creator ? thou art afraid of death : thou mistakest him ; thou thinkest him an enemy , he is a friend ; if his visage be sowre , and hard , he is no other then the grim porter of pararadise , which shall let thee into glory : like unto peters good angell , he may smite thee on the side , but he shall lead thee out of thy prison , through the iron gates into the city of god. were there an absolute perition in our dissolution , we could not feare it too much ; now that it doth but part us a while for our advantage , what doe we feare but our gaine ? the stalk and eare arises from the graine , but it must rot first : oh our foolishnesse , if we be unwilling that one grain should putrifie for the increase of an hundred ! thou art afraid of death : hast thou well considered from how many evills it acquites thee ? all the tumults of state , all the bloudy cruelties of warre , all the vexations of unquiet neighbours , all secret discontentments of minde , all the tormenting paines of body are hereby eased at once ; thou shalt no more complaine of ; racking convulsions , of thy wringing collicks , of the dreadfull quarry that is within thy reynes , and bladder , of thy belking goutes , of thy scalding feavers , of thy galling ulcers , of the threats of thine imposthumes , the stoppings of thy strangury , the giddinesse of thy vertigo , or any other of those killing diseases , wherewith thy life was wont to be infested : here is a full supersedea● for them all ; what reason hast thou to be affraid of ease ? lastly , thou fearest death ; is it not that thy saviour underwent for thee ? did thy blessed redeemer drink of this cup , and art thou no willing to pledge him ? his was a bitter one in respect of thine ; for it was besides , spieed with the wrath of his father due to our sinnes ; yet he drank it up to the very dregges for thee , and wilt thou shrink at an ordinary drought from his hand ? and why did he yeeld to death , but to overcome him ? why was death suffered to seize upon that lord of life , but that by dying he might pull out the sting of death ? the sting of death is sinne ; so then , death hath lost his sting , now thou mayest carry it in thy bosome ; it may coole thee , it cannot hurt thee . temper then thy feare with these thoughts ; and that thou mayest not be too much troubled with the sight of death , acquaint thy selfe with him before-hand ; present him to thy thoughts , entertaine him in thy holy and resolute discourses : it was good counsell that bernard gave to his novice , that he should put himselfe ( for his meditations ) into the place where the dead body● were wont to be wash● , and to settle himselfe upon the beare , whereon they were wont to be carryed forth : so feeling and frequent remembrances could not but make death familiar ; and who can startle at the sight of a familiar acquaintance ? at a stranger we doe ; especially if he come upon us on a sudden ; but if hee bee a dayly and entire guest , he is at all houres welcome , without our dismay , or trouble . §. xv. of the moderation of the passion of anger . of all the passions that are incident to a man , there is none so impetuous , or that produceth so terrible effects , as anger ; for besides that intrinsecall mischiefe , which it works upon a mans owne heart , ( in regard whereof hugo said well , pride robs me of god , envy of my neighbour , anger of my selfe ) what bloudy tragedies doth this passion act every day in the world , making the whole earth nothing but either an amphitheater for fights , or a shambles for slaughter ? so much the more need is there , of an effectuall moderation of so turbulent an affection : our schoole hath wont to distinguish it ; there is a zealous anger , and there is a vicious : the great doctor of the gentiles , when hee sayes , be angry , and sin not , showes there may be a sin-lesse anger ; he that knew no sinne was not free from this passion , when he whipped the money-changers ( twice ) out of the temple : surely , if we be not thus angry , we shall sinne . if a man can be so coole , as without any inward commotion to suffer gods honour to be trod in the dust , he shall finde god justly angry with him for his want of anger . i know not whether it vvere a praise that was given to theodosius , that never any man saw him angry ; so as it may fall , an immunity from anger can bee no other then a dull stupidity : moses was a meek man , as any upon earth ; yet , vvas he not angry vvhen he smote the egyptian ? vvas he not angry , vvhen upon the sight of israels idolatry , hee threw downe and brake the tables of god , vvhich he had in his hand ? there is so little need of quenching this holy fire , that there is more need of a bellowes to blow it up , that it might flame up to that perfect height , of the psalmist , my zeale hath consumed me , because mine enemies have forgotten thy words : oh the truly heavenly fire that burnt in that sacred bosome ! he doth not say , my zeale hath warmed me , but hath consumed me ; as if it were his highest perfection to be thus sacrificed and burnt to ashes ; neither doth he say , because my friends have forgotten thy words , but , because my enemies : every man can be troubled with a friends miscarriage , but to be so deeply affected for an enemy , must needs be transcendently gracious . it is the vicious anger we must oppose in our selves : in it selfe that passion is neither good nor evill : it is either , as it is used : like as we are wont to say of the planet mercury , that the influences are either good or evill , according to his conjunction with starres of either operation ; our anger then proves vicious , when it offends , either in the cause , or the quantity ; when the cause is unjust , or the quantity excessive : the cause is unjust , when we are angry with a man for a thing that is good , for an indifferent thing , for a thing that is triviall : kain is angry , because his brothers sacrifice is accepted ; pharaoh was angry with israel , because they vvould be devout , and goe serve god in the wildernesse : vvhen the man of god reproves ieroboam and his altar , he in a rage stretches forth his hand for a revenge ; iehoiakim when he heares some lines of ieremia●s scroll , cuts it vvith a pen-knife and casts it into the fire in a fury ; and ahab professes to hate michaiah because he never prophesied good to him ; whiles he should have hated himselfe , that would not deserve any newes but evill : so that tyran cambyses , because praxaspes reproved him for his drunkennesse , shoots his son to the heart , and sayes , see what a steddy hand i have when i am drunk ! this we feele every day ; let a man never so discreetly reprove a swearer , or drunkard , or uncleane person , or any other enormious sinner , hee straight flyes out into a raging anger , and verifies the old word , veritas odium : am i become your enemy , because i told you the truth ? saith s. paul to the galathians : it may be possible ( which wise solomon observes ) that he who rebukes a man , afterwards , may finde more favour , then he that flattereth : but in the meane time whiles the blood is up , that anger which a man should turne inward upon himselfe for his sin , he spends outwardly upon his reprover : to be angry for good , is devilish ; to be angry for that which is neither good nor evill , or that which is sleight and frivolous , is idle and absurd : for whereas anger is a kindling of the blood about the heart , how unfit is it that it should be set on fire with every straw ? and wherefore serves our reason , if not to discern of those objects , wherewith it is , or is not , meet for us to be affected ? thus the jewish doctors tell us , that pharaoh was angry with his baker and butler , for no other cause , but for that there was a fly in his cup , and a little grain of gravell in his bread : it is our saviours word upon the mount , he that is angry with his brother without a cause , shall be in danger of the iudgement : the well governed heart must be like a strong oake , which is not moved but with a blustering winde ; not like an aspen leafe , that shakes with the least stirring of the ayre . now , even where the cause is just , yet the quantity may offend : and the quantity shall offend , if it be either too long , or too vehement . those leaden angers can never be but sinfull , which lye heavy , and goe slowly away . what shall be done to thee , thou false tongue ? saith the psalmist : even sharp arrowes of the mighty , with codes of iuniper : and why of juniper ? s. ierome tells us , that of all wood , that keeps fire the longest ; in so much that the coales raked up in ashes , will ( as he saith ) hold fire for a whole yeare : those therefore which were formerly turned ( carbones desolatorii ) are now translated justly , coals of iuniper . it must be onely a lying , false , slanderous tongue that is a fit subject for coals of juniper ; even the same that is no lesse fit for the fire of hel : what should these juniper fires doe in christian hearts , against offending brethren ? i find in suidas , certain fishes that are called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which carry their coler in their heads : such should christians be , not letting it settle in their hearts , but venting it at their tongues . the charge of the apostle is , that we should not let the sun goe down upon our anger ; much lesse may we let it rise againe : nightly anger is like the serene in other countryes , unwholsome , if not deadly ; but to yeare and day our wrath , is more then brutish , and partakes too much of him that is a man-slayer from the beginning . and as our anger may not be too long , so not too intense , & vehement , whiles it lasts : it is not for a christians wrath to be like the dog-star , which when it rises , scorches the earth , and burnes up the fruits ; or like a comet , that still portends war and death : but rather , like unto one of those gliding starres , that we see in a winters night , which , as it is , blazes not long , and hurts nothing , so ends in a coole , and not unwholsome moisture . our anger therefore must be tempered with mercy , and charity , otherwise , it is like to a fire under an empty kettle , which burnes the vessell to no purpose : such wrath is cruell , such anger outragious . now , for the moderation of this dangerous passion , it is not for me to prescribe athenodorus his alphabet , that remedy is so poore , that the very prescription is enough to move anger ; rather let me commend that of bernards , consideration ; and that not so much when wee are once provoked , for that is too late ; and the assaults of this passion are too sudden : but as wise princes are wont in the midst of peace , to provide for warre ; so must we in the calmest state of our mindes , prepare against this inward turbulency . art thou therefore subject to choler ? look upon that passion with sober eyes ; see whether it be any other but a short fit of madnesse : look upon the person of a man thus transported , see his eies red , glaring , sparkling ; his cheekes now pale as ashes , then fiery and swolne up as with a poyson ; his head and hands shaking , his lips quivering , his mouth foaming , his tongue doubling , his feet unconstantly shifting , and the whole man ( which hippocrates notes as the effect of a most desperate disease ) become utterly unlike himselfe : see in another , how well this forme doth become thy selfe ; look upon thy selfe , be sensible of thine owne distemper , thou shalt finde anger justly fetcht from angor , vexation : thou shalt finde it ( it is austins comparison ) like to vinegar , vvhich discolours the vessell it stands in ; thou shalt finde thou canst not take up a coale to throw at another , but thou shalt burne thy owne fingers ; thou shalt finde that , while thou stingest others , thou shalt make a drone of thy selfe ; and that of solomon shall bee verified of thee , anger resteth in the bosome of fooles . look to the effects of it , thou shalt finde it utterly disables thee from good ; the wrath of man do●h not work the righteousnesse of god , as st. iames : thou shalt finde it exposes thee to all mischief ; for he that hath no rule over his owne spirit , is like a city that is broken downe , and without walls , saith solomon . what enemy may not rush into such a city at pleasure ? just such advantage doth thine anger give to thy spirituall enemies ; and therefore st. paul , when he charges us not to suffer the sun to goe downe upon our anger ; addes , give no place to the divell ; as if this continuing passion did open the gates of the heart , for satans entrance and free possession . thou shalt finde this the great make-bate of the world , the beginner of all quarrells ; for as the churning of the milke bringeth forth butter , and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood , so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife , saith wise solomon . wrath then brings forth quarrels , and quarrels bloodshed , manslaughter , murders : what is it that hath so drowned christendome in bloud , but the anger of discordant princes ? what but this is guilty of so many brutish duells , so many bloody massacres ? and where thine anger shall stay when it is once broke loose , it is not in thy power to determine ; i am sure if it staies not the sooner , it ends in a curse . cursed bee their anger for it was fierce , and their wrath for it was cruell . look but upon the the temper of well governed heathens , and be ashamed to heare an archtyas say to his bayly , i had punisht thee if i had not been angry ; or that philosopher say to xenocrates , whip this boy , for i am angry : or to see a greater philosopher then hee , who when he had discoursed against anger , and shewed how unfit the passion is for a wise man ; one of his auditors purposely spit in his face , from whom he received no other answer , but this , i am not angry , but i doubt whether i should not be so : or to see a pisistratus not more troubled with rayling words of an adversary , then if an hood-winkt man had reeled upon him heedlesly in his way : or to heare a socrates professe himselfe no more affected with the scolding of his xantippe , then with the creaking of a cart ▪ wheele ; and when he was uncivilly washed from her chamber , to say only , after such thunder , i lookt for raine : or to heare a cato say , that he could and did pardon all offenders but himselfe : and when lentulus spat in his face , to heare no other language fall from him , then , i will now say those men are deceived , that deny lentulus to have a mouth : or to heare a cleanthes , when one called him asse , to say only , he should be then fit to carry zenoes budget : or to see a crates , when nicodromus struck him with his fist , onely to put a board before his forehead with a jeering inscription . it were easie to weary a reader with instances of this kind : and shall meer pagans that were without god in the world , have such rule over their passions , and shall a christian , who professeth a more divine philosophie , and whose first lesson is to deny himself , & to mortifie all evil and corrupt affections , give the reyns to the wild and unruly eruptions of his rage ? how shall these heathens in profession , justly condemn us professed christians , who are in practice heathenish ? lastly , look but upon the termes wherein thou standest with god ; how grievously dost thou provoke him every day to his face ? one of thy offences against that infinite majesty , is more then thou canst be capable to receive from all thine enemies upon earth : yet , how silently doth he passe over all thy hainous affronts , and bids his sun to shine , and his raine to fall , as well upon thy ground , as the holiest owners ? how graciously doth he still invite thee to repentance ? how sweetly doth he labour to win thee with new mercies ? and dost thou call thy self the son of that father , whom thou wilt not imitate ? dost thou pray daily to him to forgive thee , as thou forgivest others , whiles thou resolvest to forgive none , whom thou canst plague with revenge ? looke upon thy deare redeemer , and heare him , whiles his cruell executioners were racking out his hands and feet , and nailing them to the tree of shame and curse , crying , father forgive them , for they know not what they do ; and canst thou give thy self out for a disciple to this saviour , if for every offence of thy brother , thou break forth into raging imprecations , railing speeches , furious actions ? lay all these seriously to thy heart in the middest of thy greatest tranquillity , and have them ready before thine eyes , for the next onset of thy passion ; and withall , plie thy god with thy prayers , that hee who moulded thy heart at first , would be pleased to temper it aright ; to coole these sinfull inflamations by the power of his grace , that so he may make good in thee that happy word of the psalmist ; surely , the wrath of man shall praise thee ; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restraine . amen . finis . the second booke . of moderation in matter of iudgement . §. i. of the danger of immoderation in matter of iudgement , and of the remedy in generall . as it would be an hard competition betwixt intellectuall errors , and practicall , whether are the more hainous ; so would it be no lesse difficult to determine , whether moderation in matter of judgement , or of practise be more necessary ; and whethers neglect be more dangerous ; for surely , if the want of moderation in practise doe most distract every man in his owne particular , the want of moderation in judgement distracts the whole world from it selfe ; whence it is , that we finde so miserable divisions all the earth over ; but especially , so wofull schismes and breaches in the christian world ; wherein we see one nation is thus d●vided from another , and each one nation no lesse divided from it selfe . for it cannot be , since every man hath a minde of his owne not lesse different from others , then his face , that all should jump in the same opinion ; neither can it stand with that naturall selfe-love , wherewith every one is possessed , easily to forsake the childe of his owne brayne , and to preferre another mans conceit to his owne ; hereupon , therefore , it comes to passe , that whiles each man is ingaged to that opinion , which either his owne election , or his education hath feoffed him in , new quarrels arise , and controversies are infinitly multiplyed ; to the great prejudice of gods truth , and to the lamentable violation of the common peace ; would to god we could as well redresse , as bewayle this misery , wherewith christendome is universally infested ; howsoever it shall not be utterly thankelesse to indeavour it ; the remedy must goe in the same pace with the disease ; whereas therefore there are two things which are guilty of this mischiefe , error in doctrine , and distemper in affection ; the former i must leave to the conviction of those polemicall discourses , which have beene so learnedly written of the severall points of difference , as , i suppose , no humane wit or industry can give any further addition thereto ; onely i shall touch some such generall symptomes , as are commonly incident into these controversies of religion ; my maine drift is to dwell upon the latter ; and to labour the reducing of mens to a wise and christian moderation concerning differences in judgment . §. ii. luke-warmenesse to be avoyded in religion . farre be it from us to allow luke-warmenesse in the matters of god ; a disposition , which the almighty professeth so much to hate , that he could rather be content the angell of the church of laodicea should be quite cold , then in such a mambling of profession ; and indeed , what temper is so offensive to the stomach as this meane ? fit onely for a medicinall potion ( whose end is ejection ) not for nourishment ; those , whose devotion is onely fashionable , shall in vayne hope to be accepted ; it is a true word of saint austen , there is no love where there is no zeale ; and what cares god for heartlesse followers , that are led only by example and forme ? such there are , that yawne not out of any inward cause , but because they see others gape before them ; as they say in the abassine churches , if one man neese , all the rest do , and must follow . men like unto mosse , which takes still the property of the barke , it growes upon ; if upon the oke , it cooles and bindes , if upon the pine and firre , it digests and softens ; or like unto the herborists dodder , which is no simple in it selfe , but takes both his name , and temper from the herbe out of which it arises ; if out of time , it is epithimium : if out of the nettle , it is epiurtîca ; that great lawgiver of old would have a punishment for neuters ; and well are they worthy , when the division is maine and essentiall ; such men are meerely for themselves , which have the truth of god in respect of persons ; not caring so much what is professed as by whom ; suidas tels us of musonius , so well reputed of ; that no further question was made of any man , if it appeared he was musonius his friend ; too many affect no other worth in themselves , then a dependance upon others , holding it enough that they are the clients of this famous doctor , of that great saint : such men like as we have heard of some apothecaryes , which onely by taking the vapor of some drugge in the stamping of it , have beene wrought upon , hold it sufficient for them to have received in , the very ayre , and empty titles of disciples , without respect to the grounds , and substance of the doctrine . the rule which the blessed apostle gave for our settlement in some cases is wont by a common misconstruction to be so expressed , as if it gave way to a loose indifferency ; the vulgar reads it , let every one abound in his owne sense , as leaving each man to his owne liberty , in those things of middle nature ; whereas his words , in their originall , run contrary ; let every one be fully perswaded in his owne minde ; requiring a plerophory of assurance , and not allowing an unsettled hesitation in what we doe ; and if thus , in matters of the least importance , how much more in the great affaires of religion ? here it holds well ( which is the charge of the apostle ) it is good to be zealously affected in a good thing alwayes ▪ nothing is more easie to observe , then that , as ●t uses to be with stuffes , that in their first making , they are strongly wrought , afterwards , in processe of time they grow to be slight , both in matter and work , so it falls out in religious professions ; in the first breaking out of a reformation , there appeares much heate and forwardnes , which in time abates , and cooleth , so as the professor growes to the temper of our baldwin , archbishop of canterbury , whom pope vrban of old , greets in the style of a fervent monkea , warme abbot , a luke warme bishop , a key-cold arch-bishop , or like unto those kites , of whom our writers say , that in their first yeares they dare prey upon greater foules , afterwards they sieze upon lesser birds , and the third yeere fall upon flyes . whence it is that melancthon could fore-guesse , that the time should come wherein men should bee tainted with this errour , that either religion is a matter of nothing , or that the differences in religions are meerely verball ; farre bee it from us thus to degenerate from our holy ancestors , whose zeale made them true holocausts to god , and sent up their soules in the smoake of that their acceptable sacrifice , into heaven , that , those truths which they held worthy bleeding for , wee should sleight as not worth pleading for . wee cannot easily forgive that wrong which our late spalatensis did to our freshbleeding martyrs , whom even before by revolt , hee blamed of lavishnesse , as if they might well have spared that expence of blood ; although wee may well suppose hee redeemed his errour by dying , for the same truthes , for which they fryed alive , as hee dead , wee know what saint basill answered to that great man , who would have perswaded him to let fall his holy quarrell : those saith hee , that are trayned up in the scriptures , will rather dye then abate a syllable of divine truth . it is said of valentinian , that when the rude scythians made ●n incursion into the territories of the romane empire , hee , so ore-strayned his lungs , in calling upon his troupes , that hee presently dyed ; so vehement must wee bee , when any maine thing is in question , neither voyce nor life must bee spared , in the cause of the almighty . the glosse that is put upon the act of innocent , the . in the councell of lyons , who graced the dignity of cardinall-shippe with a redde hatte , is that it was done with an intention ( as martinvs polonvs construes it ) to signify they should bee ready to shed their blood for christ , and his gospell , might well fitte every christian , perhaps somewhat better , then those delicate mates of princes ; whom should wee imitate , but him , whose name wee beare , who fulfilled that of the psalmist his type , the zeale of thine house hath even eaten me up ? §. iii. zeale required in the matters of god ; but to bee tempered with discretion and charity . we must bee zealous , we must not bee furious : it is in matter of religion , as with the tending of a still ; if we put in too much fire , it burnes ; if too little , it workes not ; a middle temper must bee kept , an heat there must bee , but a moderate one ; we may not be in our profession , like a drowzy iudge upon a grecian bench , who is fayne to bite upon beanes , to keepe himselfe from sleeping ; neither may we bee like that grecian player , who acted mad ajax , upon the stage ; but wee must bee soberly fervent , and discreetly active ; s. paules spirit was stirred within him , at athens , to see the idol-altars amongst those learned philosophers ; & it breaks out of his mouth , in a grave reproofe ; i doe not see him put his hand furiously to demolish them , and if a iuventius and maximinian in the heat of zeale , shall rayle on wicked iulian at a feast , hee justly casts their death not upon their religion , but their petulancy : it was a wel-made decree in the councell of eliberis , that if any man did take upon him to breake downe the idols of the heathen , and were slaine in the place , hee should not be reckoned amongst the martyrs . there must be then , two moderators of our zeale ; discretion , and charity , without either , and both of which , it is no other then a wilde distemper ; and , with them , it is no lesse then the very life blood of a christian , or the spirits of that blood ; from the common acts of both these , joyned together , shall result these following maximes , as so many usefull rules of our christian moderation . §. iiii. rules for moderation in iudgement . the first is , that wee must necessarily distinguish betwixt persons that are guilty of errors ; for , as saint austen well , it is one thing to bean heretick , another thing to be misled by an heretick ; and , i may well adde , ( according to our construction ) it is one thing to be an hereticke , another thing to be an haeresiarch : these three degrees there are , even in the most dangerous errors of doctrine . there is a broacher , and deviser of that wicked opinion ; there are abettors and maintainers of it once broached ; there are followers of it so abetted ; and all these , as they are in severall degrees of mischiefe , so they must all undergoe an answerable , whether aggravation , or mitigation of our censure ; those , who by false teachers are betrayed into that error , wherein now , either by breeding , or by misinformation they are settled , are worthy of as much pitty , as dislike . those , who out of stiffenesse of resolution , and stomach of side-taking , shall uphold , and diffuse a knowne error , are worthy of hatred and punishment ; but those , who out of ambition , or other sinister respects , shall invent , and devise pernicious doctrines , and thereby pervert others , for their owne advantages , are worthy of a maranatha ; and the lowest hell ; we doe easily observe it thus , in all reall offences of an high nature ; absalom contrives the conspiracy against his father ; the captaines second , and abet it ; the common-people follow both of them in acting it ; he should be an ill judge of men and actions ; who should but equally condemne the author of the treason , and those , that follow absalom with an honest and simple heart ; neither is it otherwise in the practise of all those princes , who would hold up the reputation of mercy and justice ; whiles the heads of a sedition are hang'd up , the multitude is dismissed with a generall pardon : and , if in all good and commendable things , the first inventor of them is held worthy of a statue , or record , when as the following practisers are forgotten , why should there not be the like difference in evill ? those poore soules therefore , who doe zealously walke in a wrong way , wherein they are set by ill guides , may not be put into the same rank with their wicked mis-leaders : as we have reason to hope god will be mercifull to the well-meant errors of those filly ones , so must we enlarge the bowels of our compassion to their miscarriage ; whiles in the meane time , we may well pray with the psalmist , that god would not be mercifull to those that offend of malicious wickednesse . §. v. the second rule for moderation , secondly , wee must distinguish betweene truthes necessary , and truthes additionall or accessory , truthes essentiall , and accidentall truthes , truthes fundamentall , and truthes superedified ; and in them truthes weighty and important , and truthes slight and meerely scholasticall ; for these are worthy of a farre-different consideration ; those truthes which are of the foundation , and essence of religion are necessarily to be knowne , beleeved , imbraced of all men , and the obstinate opposers of them are worthy of our carefull avoydance , and hardest censure : truthes important ( though not fundamentall ) are worthy of our serious disquisition and knowledge . all other truthes are commendable , and may be of good use in their kinds and places , but so , as that hee who is either ignorant of them , or otherwise minded , concerning them , hath his owne freedome ; and must not , ( so he trouble not the common peace ) forfair our charitable opinion . we see it is thus in the body ; there are some vitall parts ; a wound received in them , is no lesse then mortall , there are other which , though usefull and serviceable , and such as make up the integrity of the body ; yet such as wherein the mayne for t of life doth not consist ; these cannot be hurt without payne , but may be hurt without much perill ; there are yet besides these , certaine appendances to the outward fabrick of the body , which serve both for decency and convenience ; the losse whereof may be with lesse danger , but not with lesse smart then of some limme ; to teare off the hayre , or to beat out a tooth is farre from man-slaughter , yet an act of violence ; and a breach of peace : it is no otherwise in the body of religion ; a limme may be maymed , or a joynt displaced , yet the heart whole , some appendance may be violated , and yet the body whole ; it is a true word that of columbanus of old , that necessary truthes are but few : not many stones need to make up the foundation of christian faith , twelve will serve ; whereas many quarreis , perhaps may be laid in the superstructure . there are some things ( saith gerson ) which are de necessitate fidei ; whereof wee may not doubt , other things are de pietate , vel devotione fidei , wherein there is more scope of beleefe ; that which he speakes of historicall verities , is no lesse true in doctrinall ; i know no booke so necessary for these times , as that de paucitate credendorum ; nor any one article of our beleefe more needfull , then that we need not beleeve more then the apostles ; other points may be the care of schollers , need not be of christians . it was the observation of wise and learned erasmus , which hath runne oftentimes in my thoughts ; the doctrine of the church , saith he , which at the first was free from quarrels , began to depend upon the aydes , and defences of philosophy ; this was the first degree of the churches declination , to the worse , wealth began to come upon her , and power grew with it ; the authority of emperours , taking upon them to intermeddle in the affaires of religion , did not much helpe to further the sincerity of the faith ; at last , it came to sophisticall contentions ; thousands of new articles brake forth ; from thence it grew to terrors and threats ; and since to blowes ; lo , the miserable degrees of the churches disturbance ; we have almost lost religion and peace in the multiplicity of opinions ; it is worth observing , by what degrees it pleased god to communicate to us men , his will and our duty ; at the first , we heare of no charge given to our first parents , but of refrayning from the tree of knowledge : afterwards , ( as the iewish doctors teach ) there were sixe only precepts imposed on adam , and his seed ; the first , against idolatry , that hee should worship no other gods : the second , of his veneration of the only true god : the third against blood-shed : the fourth against wild and incestuous lusts : the fifth , against stealth : the sixth , concerning due administration of iustice. after these , one yet more was added to noah , and his sonnes of not eating flesh alive , viz. in the blood of it ; yet after this , one more was given to abraham , concerning circumcision ; at last the complete law is given , in ten words , to moses in horeb ; the judicials are for commentaries upon those morall statutes . with these gods people contented themselves ; till traditions began to be obtruded upon them , by presumptuous teachers ; these , our saviour cryes downe , as intolerable , insolent depravations of the law ; the messiah is come : with how few charges doth hee load his people ? that they should beleeve , repent , deny themselves , constantly professe him , search the scriptures ; follow peace , love one another , and communicate in his remembrance . and his apostles with only , go , teach and baptize ; and strive who shall serve best . after his glorious ascension into heaven , the apostles assembled in their councell at hierusalem , lay no other new weight upon the gentile-converts , but to abstaine from pollutions of idols , from fornication , things strangled , and blood ; when the church was well enlarged , and setled , what did the foure generals councels offer to the world , but the condemnation of those foure heresies , which then infested the church ? time and busie heads drew on these varieties of conclusions , and deductions , which have bred this grievous danger , and vexation to gods people ; in so much , as , it is now come to that passe , that as he said of old , it is better to live in a common-wealth where nothing is lawfull , then where every thing ; so , it may no lesse justly be said , that it is safer to live where is no faith professed , then where every thing is made matter of faith ; the remedy must be , that our judgements revert to that first simplicity of the gospell , from which , the busie and quarrelsome spirits of men have drawne us ; and that wee fixe and rest there . §. vi. the third rule of moderation , viz. the avoydance of curiosity . to which end it shall be requisite , thirdly , to avoyd curiosity in the search , or determination of immateriall , and superfluous truthes . i know not whether the minde of man be more unsatiable in the desire of knowledge , or more unweariable in the pursuit of it ; which we are all apt to affect upon severall grounds ; for , as bernard well , some would know that they might be knowne , this is vanity ; others , that they might sell their knowledge , this is basenesse ; some , that they may edifie others , this is charity ; some that they may be edified , this is wisedome ; and some , lastly , would know only that they may know , this is fond curiosity ; a vicious disposition of the soule , which doth not more shew it selfe in the end , then in the object of our knowledge ; for surely , to seek after the knowl●dge of those things , which are necessary or usefull , can be no other then praise-worthy ; there are ( saith saint austen ) two kinds of persons very commendable in religion : the former , those who have found the truth , the latter , those who do studiously inquire for it : it is most true of those truthes which are important , and essentiall ; but to spend our se●ves in the search of those truthes , which are either unrevealed , or unprofitable , it is no other then a labour ill lost ; yet alas , these are they which commonly take up the thoughts of men ; how busily have some disputed whether adam if hee had continued in his inocence , should have sl●pt , or no ; or whether hee would have needed that repose ? others , whether if adam in his innocency had known his wife , after she was conceived of child , he had in this sinned ; or no : others , if he had begotten children in the state of innocence , whether they should immediatly upon their birth , have had the use of their limmes , and members , for their present provision , as other creatures have ? others ; whether in that first estate there should have been more males or females , borne ? others what space there was betwixt the creation of angels and man , and their fall ? thus a peter lombard is devising a distinction betwixt mo●o quodam , and quodam modo ; and a io : maior disputed whether a man may equitare fine equo ; and matreas ( as suidas hath it ) in a poeme that he frames of aristotles doubts ; makes this one , how the sunne should in his setting go downe into the ocean , and not swim . thus an overleasured italian hath made a long discourse ; how a man may walke all day through the streets of rome in the shade : thus , a licentiate of paris takes upon him to defend , that there is something god really , which is not formally god ; another , that there are other priorities and posteriorities in the divine persons , besides those of their origination ; another , that the divine persons are distinguisht per absoluta : another , as our bradwardine and io. maior and vasquez , that god is in vacuo : and , in our dayes , hurtado de mendoza , a spaniard , straines his wit to prove the possibility of an infinity of magnitude ; and what subtile disq●isitions , and long volumes are spent upon a certaine middle knowledge in god , betweene his knowledge of simple intelligence , ( which is of what may be or is fit to be ) and that of vision ( which is his knowledge of what shall be ) betwixt which two some have placed a third , a mid-knowledge of future-conditionate-contingents . and lastly , what a world of worke is on foot , betwixt the scotists on the one side , and the thomists and dominicans on the other , concerning gods foreknowledge of evill ; and concerning the reall existence of future things in eternity , and other the like sut●leties . good lord ! where will the minde of man take up ? how restlesse , how boundlesse , are the brayn●s of curious men ? and especially in this last age ; for , surely , it is a true word of gerson , mundus senescens patitur phantasias ; the world now in his old age is full of fancies ; it is with it , as it is with u● ; the sleepe of the aged must needs be so much fuller of imaginations , as they have lived to see more obj●cts to furnish them ; justly may wee take up that complaint of alvarez pelag●us : he is nobody for knowledge now a dayes that devises not s●me novelty : festus sclandered saint paul , when he said , too much learning had made him mad : certainly , it is no sclaunder to say of too many , that too much learning ( as it is used ) hath made them foolish and wanton in their speculations ; there cannot be a truer sentence then that of the grecians ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) wisdome consists not in the knowledge of many things , but of things profitable ; our fore-fathers , as they came short of us in knowledge , so they went beyond us in piety , and peace ; the iewish doctors say of father abraham , that hee had no master but his owne reynes ; those ( holy david said ) were his teachers also ; and devout bernard tells his friend murdach , with an experto crede , that he shall find more in the woods , then in his bookes ; the trees and stones ( saith he ) shall teach thee that , which thou canst not heare from thy masters , thinkst thou not , thou maist suck hon●e from the rock , and oyle out of the hardest stone ? marvelous is the improvement both of the meanes and measure of knowledge , in these last dayes , in comparison of the former ; of old ( saith erasmus ) there were no schooles of divinity , and augustine was held an invincible logician , for that he had read aristotles categories ; at last , divinity came to the height , if not beyond it ; the sacred scriptures , with the ancient authors , were layd aside , &c. the time was , when synodes were faine to enact , that none should be promoted to ecclesiasticall benefices , but those which could competently read , and sing ; nor to canon-ships in cathedrals but those which could read , sing , and competenly construe ; not to holy ord●rs , but those that could literaliter loqui . the world is w●ll mended with us , since our king alured translated gregories pastorale , out of latin , into saxon ; that it might be understood of the bishops , and priests ; and in his preface to it , writes thus : knowledge was so utterly lost from among the english nation , that there were very few on this side of humber , that could so much , as understand their owne common prayers , in the engl●sh tongue ; or transl●te any writing out of latin in●o english ; surely there were so ●ew , that i do not remember one on the south-part of thames , when ●●●gan to raigne . thus alured : before whose time , w●●●redus king of kent was faine to su●signe his characters , wi●h a cros●e , professing to doe it pro●gror●ntia literarum ; and the 〈…〉 wa● , a ●●shop that is i●●●ran● of his grammar is to b● d●p●●●● . now ( blessed be g●d ) k●●w●●dge abounds every 〈◊〉 ▪ the pr●sse hath help● 〈…〉 it all the world over ; whi●● whiles it was only tran●m●tted by the labour of a single penne , must needs be more sparingly imp●rted ; and as it uses to b● in other cas●s ) plenty hath bred wantonnes , & prodigall expence of w●● ; wherby we are growne to such excesse , ●hat it were happy ( except men had more rule of their 〈…〉 there vvere lesse 〈…〉 the vvorld , and 〈…〉 : vve have reason in this regard to envy the safe and quiet simplicity of our fore-fathers , vvho contented themselves vvith the honest plaine-song of that , vvhereof vve affect to run upon infinit descant ; it is vvell observed by gerson , that it falls out oftentimes , there is more fervour of devotion , where there is lesse naturall knowledge ; whence we finde great praise of sanctity given to some eminent persons , who came short even of ordinary skill : bernard saith of his devout brother gerard , that he had no learning at all ; but that he had a cleare understanding , and an illuminated spirit : and sozomen , when hee speakes of antony the hermite , says , he neither had any skill in learning , neither did greatly esteeme it ; but cared only to have a pure and holy minde , as that which was more ancient , and more worthy then any learning in the world ; and paul the simple , a man famous both for sanctimony , and miracles , had so little knowledge , as that ( which i have stood amazed to read ) hee askt whether the prophets were before christ , and his apostles , or after : the truth is , religion ( as the chancelor of paris well ) is not a schoole of learning , but a discipline of living , and he is much more acceptable to god , that hath so much knowledge as doth inable him to worship and serve that di●ine majesty devoutly , and to live ●olily , then he who with bere●g●t●u● could dispute of omne scibt●e , 〈◊〉 , with salomon , could d●scou●●● of all things from the moss● 〈◊〉 the wall , to the highest cedar ; gregory s●id truly , nothing can be offered to god more rich and precious then a good will : and phocyons law is magnified for a divine one ; let vertue and goodnesse take place , and let all other things passe for trifles . that therefore which was wont to be said of pythagoras , that h●e reduced the speculative philosophy to use , and , that which was said of the cynicks , that without regard of logicke , and naturall philosophy , they were all for morality ; i could be apt to wish in our divine philosophy ; it were happy for the church of god , if laying aside all curious disquisitions of impertinent truthes , wee would apply our selves wholly to the knowledge and maintenance of those only points , which are necessary to salvation ; and to the zealous practise of those things which we assuredly know ; leaving the rest to those schoole-divines , who have both faculty , and leasure to discusse them . §. vii . the fourth rule of moderation ; to rest in those fundamentall truthes which are revealed clearely in the scriptures . now that we be not left upon uncertaineties in this quest of saving truth , it will be requisite for us to know , and resolve , fourthly , that all these fundamentall verities , necessary to salvation , are clearely layd before us , in the sacred monuments of divine scriptures : in them is the full , and easie direction of a christians both beleefe , and practice ; it is the question appointed by our church to be proposed to every candidate of holy orders , whether he beleeve this truth ; and his ingagement thereupon punctually followes ; and if here be enough to make the man of god perfect , much more an ordinary christian ; there are indeed unfadomable depths in that ocean , wherin we shall vainly hope to pitch our anchor ; but all necessary truthes need not much line : in those things which are clearely layd downe in scripture , ( saith saint austen ) are found all those points which containe faith , and rules of living , viz. hope and charity ; and need we care for more then these ? let me beleeve well , & live well , let who list take thought for more : what a madnesse were it to forsake the living waters , and to dig for our selves cisternes that will hold no water ? what a disease in our appetite , when wee have wholesome provision laid before us , to nauseate all good dishes , and to long for mushromes , whereof some are venemous , all unwholesome ? it was the iustice of lacedaemon , that when terpander the musitian added one string more to his harpe then ordinary , banisht him the citty ; the great doctor of the gentiles could say ; if wee or an angell from heaven preach any other gospell to you , let him be accursed ; hee doth not say a contrary gospell , but another ; such as that evangelium aeternum of the friers , such as that symbole of the twelve new articles , in pius his profession ; it had some colour that tannerus the iesuite held in the publique disputation with hunnius ; who stoutly defended it to be a matter of faith that tobye had a dog ; because it rested upon the authority of that , which hee supposed canonicall scripture , the indubitate truth whereof , is the first principle of christianity ; how ever some particular clauses , in themselves considered , may carry no such weight ; but to obtrude a necessity of new and traditionall truthes , besides those which god hath revealed , what is it but to make our selves more wise and carefull then our maker ? wo be to those men , on whose heads lyes so much innocent blood of orthodox christians , which hath beene shed for those causes , which god never owned ; wo be to those anathemaes which are spent upon true-beleeving soules : such as can say in sincerity of heart and clearenesse of judgement with erasmus , either acquit me with the apostle , or condemne the apostle with me . §. viii : the fifth rule of moderation , to be remisse and facile in unimporting verities , both in our opinion and censure . now , as we cannot be too stiffe and zealous for the maintenance of those truths , which are necessary and pure de fide , as gerson stiles them ; so fiftly , it is required to christian moderation , that in all collaterall , and unimportant verities , wee should be remisse , and easie both in our opinion , and censure ; not too peremptorily resolving , not too eagerly pressing , not too sharpely judging : in maine matters it is good to take up that resolution of gregory , commended by gerson , that it is more profitable to indure a scandall ( through breach of peace ) then an abandoning of truth ; and that honour of roterdam , i had rather be torne in peeces by the furious abettors of both sides , then be safe and quiet on the wrong part ; but in points of a baser alloy , saint austens rule is not more wise then modest ; i may thinke one thing , another man may thinke another , i doe neither prescribe to him nor he to me ; learned and wise erasmus observed well ; there are many things which doe no harme , while they are neglected , but when they are once stirred , raise up grievous tragedies in the world ; even in the poorest matters , what broyles are raised by contradiction ? what fearefull blood-sheds hath this iland yeelded , for but the carrying of a crosse ? what stirs have beene in the whole christian church for the difference of an easter day ? what broyles for a few poore harmelesse ceremonies ? as for the sacramentarian quarrels , lord , how bitter have they beene , how frequent , how long , in six severall successions of learned conflicts ? as if wee christians meant to imitate those heathens which dwelt about the marshes of triton , the auses and machlyes , amongst whom the manner was , when they kept their anniversary feast to the honour of minerva , that their virgins divided themselves into troopes , and intertained each other , with stones and clubs ; and if any of them received a deaths-wound , in the fray , shee was straight cry'd downe , as no mayd ; in these cases , the very victory is miserable , and such ( as pirrhus said of his ) as is enough to undoe the conquerer ; as good physitians then , when they desire to recover their patient , labour to make peace amongst the humours , so must wee doe in a sicke church ; and , if we cannot compose them by a discreet moderation ; yet , at least , it will be fit to hold off from a passionate side-taking , it is noted by suidas , that heber was not amongst the builders of babels tower , and therefore his language was not altered ; and it is worth observing , that corahs sonnes perished not in the common destruction of their parents , and kinsfolkes ; for that they fled from the conspirators , to moses ; if we would find favour as storkes , we must not consort with cranes . now that wee may be capable of this peaceable temper we must be free from these two vices , pride and pertinacy ; whereof the one , forestals the heart with an over-weening of our selves , and our opinions ; not induring a contradiction ; the other obdures it against any meanes of reformation ; resolving to hold the conclusion in spight of the premises ; for the first ; only by pride commeth contention , saith wise salomon ; this is it , that makes a man scorne the common tracke ; and lifts him up with the conceite of his owne abilities , and of the validity of his owne grounds ; not without a contemptuous undervaluing of all others ; wee finde it thus in all experience ; for my part , i never met with any ( as worthy master green-ham hath noted before me ) if but a schismaticall spirit , whom i have not sensibly discerned thus tainted ; take but a separist , a blew-aporn'd man , that never knew any better schoole then his shop-bord ; if he doe not thinke himselfe more truly learned , then the deepest doctor , and a better interpreter of scripture , then the greatest divine , i am no lesse mistaken , then he ; hence it is , that they affect a singularity , and keepe aloofe from others , both in practise and opinion ; wherein a proud man is like unto oyle , which will ever swim aloft , and will by no meanes mixe with water ; contrarily , the only disposition that fits the heart for peace , ( indeed all other graces ) is humility : that cloth which the fuller would perfectly whiten , yeelds it selfe to be trampled upon ; they are low pits , wherein the starres may be seen by day ; they are the valleyes , and not the shelving hills that soke in the waters of heaven : the iewish doctors say well , that in a true disciple of abraham , there must be three things ; a good eye , a meeke spirit , an humble soule , the first frees him from envy , the second from impatience , and the third from pride ; these two last will teach him to acknowledge , and admire other mens better faculties , and to abase his owne , to be ready to submit to clearer reason , and irrefragable authority ; and modestly to distrust his owne . it was a word worthily commended in potho a good bishop neare yeares agoe . are we more learned , and more devout then the fathers ? or doe wee presume proudly to determine of those things , which their wisedome thought meet to be praetermitted ? surely , hee that beares this minde cannot easily erre , cannot erre dangerously : ●t is possible i confesse to goe too farre , in our relyance upon others judgements ; i cannot like that of erasmus , who professeth to his bilibadus , that hee ascribed so much to the authority of the church , that if she had thought meet to have allowed the opinion of arius , or pelagius , hee should have assented thereunto ; this is too much servility ; in these manifest and maine truthes , we have no reason to make flesh our arme . if all the world should face me downe , that the sunne shines not , i would be pardoned to beleeve my eyes : and if all the philosophers under heaven should with zeno defend , that there is no motion , i would with diogenes , confute them by walking ; but in all those verities which are disputable , and free for discourse , let me ever be swayed by the sacred authority of that orthodoxe church wherein i live . pertinacy is the next , which indeed is the onely thing that makes an hereticke ; let the error be haynous , yet if there be not a perverse stiffenesse in the maintenance of it , it amounts not to the crime of heresie : much lesse is it so in case of a relenting schisme ; it was a good speech of erasmus : i cannot be an hereticke unlesse i will ; and since i neither am , nor will be so , i will endeavour to use the matter so , as that i may not be thought to be one . the course is preposterous , and unnaturall , that is taken up by quarrelsome spirits ; f●rst , they pitch their conclusion , and then , hunt about for premises to make it good , this method is for men that seeke for victory , not for truth ; for men , that seeke not god , but themselves : whereas the well-disposed heart , being first , upon sure grounds , convinced of the truth which it must necessarily hold , cares only in essentiall verities , to guard it selfe against erronious suggestions ; and in the rest is ready to yeeld unto better reason ; hee is not fit to be a gamester , that cannot be equally content to lose and winne ; and in vaine shall hee professe morality , that cannot with socrates set the same face upon all events , whether good , or evill : in all besides necessary truthes , give me the man that can as well yeeld as fight ; in matters of this nature , i cannot like the spirits of those lacedemonian dames which gave the shields to their sonnes , with the peremptory condition of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) surely , hee is better accepted of god , that in these frayes of indifferency doth peaceably lay downe the bucklers , then hee , that layes about him with the greatest ostentation of skill , and valour : in things of this kinde , meeknesse may doe god more service then courage ; they say milke quenches wild-fire better then any other liquor : and wee finde in all experience , that the pores are better opened with a gentle heat , then with a violent . the great apostle was content to become all things to all , that hee might winne some : how was hee all to all if hee did not sometimes remit of his right to some ; he that resisteth peter , the prime apostle , to his face , in the case of a perillous temporizing , yet gave way to iames , and the other brethren , to purifie himselfe , with the foure votaries in the temple : shortly then as he is a wise man that knowes when it is time to yeeld , so is hee a peaceable sonne of the church , that yeelds when hee sees it time , and by this meanes provides for his owne comfortable discharge , and the publique tranquillity : that can be in necessaries truthes an oake , and a reed in truthes indifferent . §. ix . remissenesse in matter of censure . in matters of this nature , whereof wee treat , true moderation requires the peaceable christian to be not more yeelding in his opinion , then favourable in his censures of the contrary-minded : for it is a fearefull violation both of charitie and justice , to brand an adversarie in matter of slight opinions , with the odious note of sect , or heresie ; and no lesse presumption , to shut that man out of heaven , whom god hath enrolled in the booke of life . in all other things ( sayth the chancelour of paris ) besides those which are meerely matters of faith , the church may either deceive , or be deceived , and yet hold charitie still : and as it is a good rule that is given to visitors , that they should be sparing in making decrees , lest the multitude of them should bring them into contempt ; so it is a rule no lesse profitable to spirituall governours , which erasmus relates out of gerson , that they should not rashly throw about the thunder-bolts of their censures . we cannot be too severe in the maine matters of religion ( though not without that wise item of cicero , that nothing that is cruell can be profitable ) the remissenesse wherein may be no other , then an injurious mercie ; but in things of slighter condition , we must be wiser then to draw a sword to kill flyes ; neither is it for us to call for scorpions , where a rod is too much . it is remarkable , that of galienus , who when his wife had complained to him of a cheater , that had sold glasse-pearles to her for true , made as if hee would have cast him to the lions ; the offender looking for those fierce beasts , was onely turn'd loose to a cock. in some cases , shame and scorne may be a fitter punishment then extreme violence . wee may not make the tent too bigge for the wound , nor the playster too broad for the sore . it was grave counsell that s. austin gave to his alipius , that heed must be taken , lest whiles wee goe about to amend a doubtfull complaint , wee make the breach wider . and that rule was too good for the authour , iohn . that in a case uncertaine , wee should rather determine within the bounds , then exceede them . even in plaine convictions , violence must be the last remedie ; as in outward bodily extremities ( by hippocrates his prescription ) ignis and ferrum must be last tryed ; for generous spirits ( as erasmus well ) desire to be taught , abide not to be forced ; it is for tyrants to compell , for asses to be compelled ; and as seneca observes , a good natur'd horse will be govern'd by the shadow of the wand , whereas a sullen restie iade will not be ordered by the spurre . s. paul puts it to the choyse of his corinthians ; will ye that i come to you with a rod , or with the spirit of meekenesse ? as loth to use the rod , unlesse he were constrained by their wilfull disobedience . much have they therefore to answer for , before the tribunall of heaven , who are apt to damne christians better then themselves ; sending all the clyents of the north-westerne grecian , russian , armenian , ethiopick churches , downe to hell , without redemption , for varying from them , in those opinions , which onely themselves have made fundamentall . and herein are wee happy , that wee suffer for our charitie , rather chusing to incurre the danger of a false censure from uncharitable men , then to passe a bloudie and presumptuous censure upon those , who ( how faultily soever ) professe the deare name of our common saviour . let them , if they please , affect the glory of a turkish iustice , in killing two innocents , rather then sparing one guiltie ; let us rather chuse to answer for mercie , and sooner take then offer an unjust or doubtfull violence . §. x. the sixt rule of moderation : not to beleeve an opposite , in the state of a tenet , or person . sixtly , to a man of peace , nothing is more requisite then a charitable distrust , viz. that wee should not take an adversaries word for the state of his opposite . they were , amongst the rest , two necessarie charges that erasmus gave to his goclenius , to be sober , and incredulous : for as there is nothing that rayses so deadly hostilitie as religion , so no criminations are either so rife , or so haynous , as those which are mutually cast upon the abettors of contrarie opinions : wee need not goe farre to seeke for lamentable instances ; let a man beleeve andrew iurgivicius , hee will thinke the protestants hold no one article of the apostles creed ; let him beleeve campian , hee shall thinke wee hold god to be the authour of sinne ; that the mediator betweene god and man ( jesus ) dyed the second death ; that all sinnes are equall ; and many more of the same bran. if hee shall beleeve cardinall bellarmine , he shall condemne erasmus as a patron of arrians ; luther as an enemie to the holy trinitie , and to the consubstantialitie of the sonne of god ; melanctbon and scheckius , as fautors of the tri-theists ; calvin , as an advocate of samosatenians ; bullinger of arrianisme , beza of nestorianisme : if hee will beleeve our countrey-man gifford , hee shall thinke calvins doctrine in no thing better , in many things worse then the alcoran ; if hee will beleeve i. gualterius , a iesuite divine , hee shall thinke never any heresie hath , since the first noyse of the gospel , arisen in the church of god , whereof the reformed part is not guilty ; here hee shall suppose to finde symon magus , falsly pretending the churches reformation ; cerinthus destroying the use and utilitie of baptisme ; ebion impugning the integritie of the blessed virgin ; in beastly licentiousnesse , nicholaitans ; in mutilation of scripture , saturnians ; in the vaine jactation of scripture , basilides ; in the contempt of the divine law , carpocrates ; in condemning of fastings , gnosticks ; in maintaining the impossibility of keeping the law , ptolomeus ; secundian hereticks , in allowing uncleannesses ; marcosian heretickes , in a proud boast of perfection ; montanists in dissolving the bonds of wedlocke , and corrupting baptisme : what should i blurre too mu●h paper , with the abridgement of so uncharitable a discourse ; shortly he shall beleeve that all our learned divines have done nothing , but patcht together all those old ragges of obsolete errors , which they have raked up out of the dunghils of antiently damned hereticks ; and to make up his mouth , shall goe away with an opinion of an hundred severall foule errors in iohn galvin ; and seventy eight no lesse haynous in martin luther . should a stranger come now , to take up this booke , which hee supposes penned by a christian divine ( and one therefore , which should not dare to lye ) how can hee conceive other , then that the reformed doctrine is nothing but a chimericall monster , composed of divellish lyes and hellish heresies ? to looke neerer home ; what tearmes and imputations some rigid followers of luther have ( in imitation of their over-blunt and passionate master ) cast upon their opposers , i doe purposely forbeare to specifie , as willing rather to lay my hand upon these scarres , then to blazon the shame of brethren . now as it will become every man ( according to s. hierome's counsell ) to be impatient in the suspition of heresie , if any of the parties accused shall be called forth , and charged with these prodigious crimes of opinion , hee is streight readie to flye in the face of the slanderer , and calls heaven and earth to be witnesse of his utter detestation of those errors , which are maliciously affained to him ; and is readie to say as our learned whitakers sayd in the same case to campian ; nisi omnem , &c. unlesse thou hadst utterly cast off all , both religion to god , and reverence to men , and hadst long since made shipwracke of thy conscience , and had'st put off even all humanity it selfe , thou would'st neve suffer thy selfe to be guilty of such horrible wickednesse , as to upbrayd such monstrous opinions to us . it is a true word of gerson , that in a penny-worth of strife there is not an halfe-penny-worth of love ; and we say truly , ill will never say'd well ; god forbid that the same man should be in the same cause , accuser , witnesse , and judge ; what would become of innocence , where malice and power should be met ? how short a cut is that , which the spightfull authour of the warre of the fifth gospell takes , ●o convince all gainesayers : westphalus , saith he , calls calvin hereticke , calvin calls westphalus hereticke , therefore they are both heretickes . schlusselburgius brands the calvines for sacramentarian heretickes ; the calvinists brand schlusselburgius for an vbiquitarian hereticke , therefore both are heretickes : and may not any mahumetan thus refell the whole profession of christianity ? those that style themselves catholicks , call the reformed hereticks ; the reformed call them hereticks ; therefore both are heretickes : the roman christians brand the greeke church with heresie , the grecians equally cen●ure the roman , therefore they are all hereticks ; and cannot wee as easily pay him againe in his owne coyne : the turkish mahumetan calls the persian hereticke , the persian calls the turkish so ; therefore both are in their owne religion , hereticks : god forbid , that a man should be ever such , as an enemie would have him seeme to be : would wee thinke it faire and just , to be so dealt with before the awfull tribunall of heaven ? would wee have the arch-enemie of mankind beleeved in all his suggestions against our innocence ? why should wee then admit of this wrong in each other ? at a contentious barre , where wrangling fomentors of quarrels are wont to aggravate all advantages , this liberty ( i know not how justly ) hath been given , that they commonly frame large bills of complaint , and suggest wrongs that were never done : but for divines in the causes of god , who pretend to plead for truth , before god and his angels , to be thus lavish in their criminations , it is an high violation of christian charity , and justice . surely this practice is no more ●e● , then justifiable ; should i fetch it so farre as from the times of our blessed saviour , whose divine perfection could not free him from the imputation of a conjurer ; of a wine-bibber and glutton ; of a friend to publicans and sinners , of an enemy to cesar ; should i follow the times , and deduce it to his proto-martyr , saint steven ? we shall finde him loaded with the accusation of blasphemy against god and moses , against the law and the temple . after him we shall find the chosen vessell , saint paul , charged by tertullus , for a pestilent fellow , and a mover of sedition ; and even among the christians themselves , what foule charges of libertine doctrine are layd upon them by false teachers ; as for the succeeding ages of the primitive church , had we either leisure , or will , to swell up our discourse with an abridgement of ecclesiasticall history , wee might easily weary the reader with wofull varieties in this kinde : who knowes not the impossible crimes that were cast upon the primitive christians , of promiscuous lust , of worshiping an asses head , and such absurd calumniations . amongst christians themselves , to let goe all the rest , it is memorable what quarrels there were in the synode of ephesus , betwixt cyrill bishop of alexandria , and iohn of antioch : the churches subject to these eminent pastors , stuck not to strike each other with mutuall anathemaes ; theodoret , something unhappily , thrusts his sickle into the harvest of antioch ; against whom ( by the instigation of euoptius ) cyrill bitterly inveighes ; theodoret accuses cyrill of apollinarisme : cyrill accuses theodoret of nestorianisme ; this broyle drew the easterne world into parts ; so as afterwards when theodoret would have entred into the synode of chalcedon , the egyptian bishops and other reverend prelates , cryed out , we eject cyrill , if we admit theodoret ; the canons disclaime him , god opposes him . the same violence was againe renued in the eighth action ; the bishops loudly crying out , he is an hereticke , he is a nestorian ; away with the heretick : but at the last , when the matter was throughly scanned , and it was found that the good bishop had subscribed both to the orthodoxe creeds , and to leo's epistle ; with one unanimous consent they received him in ▪ with this acclamation , theodoret is worthy of his place in the church ; let the church receive her orthodoxe bishop . it is worthy of immortall memory , that wee finde reported of athanasius : there was a great quarrell betwixt the easterne , & westerne churches , about the persons and subsistences in the deity ; each upbraided other with heresie : the westerne would professe three persons in the blessed trinity ; but would not endure to heare of three subsistences ; and were thereupon by the easterne churches , censured for suspition of sabellianisme : contrarily , the easterne would yeeld three subsistences , but would not abide three persons , and were therefore accused by the westerne churches of arianisme : the breach was fearefull , till wise and holy athanasius found a way to let them see they were good friends , and knew not of it . and if we should goe about to instance in particular men , the catalogue would be endlesse . how chrysostome and epiphanius , ierome and ruffinus , blurr'd each other , all the world knowes : saint austen , besides all his other wrongs , complaines that sixteene articles were sclanderously imposed upon him , by the pelagians , on purpose to draw envy upon the doctrine of divine praedestination : what foule and grosse opinions were by adversary pennes cast upon the waldenses , and albigenses ; and our wicklef , and his followers , is shamefully apparent in too many histories . and still as satan is ever himselfe in these last times , ( wherein by how much the more charity freezeth , malice burnes so much the more ) how familiar it is , even for christian adversaries , to speake nothing of each other , but sclanders : erasmus reckons up amongst many false imputations cast upon him by some spightfull fryers , this for one , that hee had said , all the miracles our saviour did , upon earth , were done by magicke ; and that ( which yet bellarmine seriously charges him withall ) he held all warre whatsoever absolutely unlawfull ; a slander which himselfe punctually refutes . how trivially common it is , that luther was the sonne of an incubus , the disciple of the divell , and that hee who had beene his master , proved his executioner ▪ that calvin was stigmatiz'd for a buggerer ; beza ( upon occasion of some yong poems for meere tryall of wit ) a profligate lover of his andibertus ; and , at last ( which hee lived to confute ) a revolter from his profession . did i list to rake in the sinkes of staphilus , surius , bolseck , gualterius ; i could both weary , and amaze my reader with nasty heaps of , as tedious , as false criminations of this kind . amongst our owne : how doe the opposites in the five belgick articles , cast inke in each others faces , while the one part , upbrayds the other with manicheisme , and stoicisme , the other them againe with pelagianisme , and socinianisme : within our owne territories ; one objects arianisme perhaps too justly on some hands ) to the opini●n of p●rity ; another ( too wildly ) antichristian●sme , to the only ancient and true government of the church . now god forbid , that either church , or man should be tryed , and judged by his adversary : this were no other then that the arraigned innocent should be sentenced by the executioner . and if in a civill judicature there be required sworne and able iudges , just lawes , cleare evi●en●e , select jurors , recorded proceedings ; how much more ought this to be expected in those pleas of religion , which concerne the eternall state of the soule , the safety of the church , and the glory of our creator and redeemer . it is the rule of the apostle , that charity thinkes not evill : if therefore an ingenuous adversary shall out of an inward selfe conviction , acquit his opposite of an unjust charge , wee have reason to take it for a granted truth ; and to make our advantage of it : if then , an erasmus shall say , that it cannot be denyed , that luther hath intimated monitions of divers things , which it were happy for the christian world to have reformed , and which , indeed , were not longer to be indured ; as he doth to his laurinus : if hee shall say , that many things passe currant in the ancient fathers , which in luther are condemned as errors , as in his epistle to if hee shall say , that those things which luther urges , if they be moderatly handled , come nearer to the vigour of evangelicall prescriptions , as hee doth to his iodocus iulius . if a ferus , or cassander ; if a cusanus , or contarenus ; if a caietan or montanus , or cudsemius , or franciscus a sancta clara , or any other temperate adversary , shall set favourable states to our controversies , and give ju●tly-charicable testimonies to our personall innocences , we have no lesse cause to accept their suffrages , then their partners have to credit them : still waters represent any object in their bottome , clearely ; those that are either troubled , or agitated , dimly and imperfectly . but as for matter of crimination , surely , an enemies tongue is no sclander ; and if a cruell inquisitor shall send a martyr to his stake , ugly dressed , & painted over with divels ; a wise and charitable spectator thinks never the worse of the man , for a forced disguise , but sees in that hereticke a saint , and in those divels , beautifull angels of god ; as wee may not beleeve an adversary in reports , so not in the pretended consequences of opinion . §. xi . the seventh rule of moderation , not to judge of an adversaries opinion by the inferences pretended to follow upon it . seventhly therfore , there cannot be a more usefull rule for our moderation in judgement , then this , that we may not take that for a mans opinion , which an adversary will say , doth by necessary inference follow upon it ; but only that , which himselfe professes to maintaine : it is that which , with worthy and moderate bucer , the learned bishop of sarisbury hath also intimated in his grave advise concerning the lutheran differences ; and the like occurrences in the judgement o● the foure learned french divines , concerning the peace with the lutheran churches , and meet to be througly considered . for the force of consecutions is many times very deceitfull , and such , as may easily betray our discourse . there are indeed such consequences as are plainely necessary , and those which in their first sight , carry in them no lesse certainty then the principles from which they were immediatly derived : of this nature are they which are reciprocally deduced from their certaine , and intrinsecall causes , to their effects ; such as , the sunne is risen , it is therefore day : he is god , therefore omnipotent , omniscient . there are others , which may perhaps seeme to us no lesse necessary , as following upon some premisses by an undoubted force of reason ; which yet , another thinks hee can by some cleanly distinction , commodiously evade , and yet hold that ground which we layd for that ratiocination ; such is that of gualterius the iesuite : theodore beza denyes that the body of christ can be substantially in many places at once ; therefore he denies gods omnipotence . the protestant ascribes to god more then a meere permission of evill , therefore hee makes him the author of sinne . contrarily , no meane one of ours , inferres a papist makes christ a creature , therefore hee is an arrian ; makes christ of meale , therefore not of the blessed virgin , therefore an apollinarist . consequences , which the disputant thinks to make good , but the accused , on either part detests . thus the honest and ingenuous christian is drawne from a commendable search of necessary truthes , into a wild chase of envious inferences : and now the quarrell is , indeed , fallen off from divinity , and is removed to the schooles of logique , naturall philosophy , metaphysicks ; and not hee that hath the most truth must carry it , but he that can bring the most skilfull sophistry . what is it , that distracts the reformed churches of christendome , but this injurious conceit of inconsequent inferences ? the humanity of christ , saith one part , is omnipresent , therefore saith the other , no humanity at all , sith this is onely proper to the deity . the ubiquity of christs humane nature is denyed , saith the other ; therefore the personall union is destroyed . away with these rigid illations , when wee have to doe with brethren ; each holdeth his owne ; both disclayme the inferences , and in their sence may . for as learned bucer gravely ; it is our part to see not what doth of it selfe follow , upon any opinion , but what followes in the conscience of those , who hold that opinion , which wee thinke contrary to a fundamentall article . were this rule held , how happy were the church , how certaine our peace ? when we have done our best , there will be errours enow in the church ; wee need not to make them more . this was not the fashion in the plaine dealing world of the first ages of christianity ; no heresie was then feoffed upon any man , but upon open and acknowledged conviction ; and if he cleared himselfe from the maine crimination , hee was pronounced innocent . looke into the records of times . the contagion of arrius , beginning at the obscure church of baucalis , soone reach't to alexandria , and there instantly infected seaven hundred virgins , twelve deacons , seaven priests , and offered to diffuse it selfe into the very episcopall throane ; at last by miletus his relation , the archbishop alexander is made acquainted with the rumor of that heresie ; he presently sends for arrius , and charges him with the crime ; that impudent mouth sticks not to confesse his wicked error , but there openly casts up the poyson of his damnable doctrine before his governour . the holy bishop , no lesse openly reproves him ; urges and aggravates the sacrilegious impiety of his opinion ; and finding him to second his error with contumacies , expels him from his church , followes him ( as was meet ) with seventy letters of caution to other churches ; yet still the mischiefe spreds : the godly emperour constantine is informed of the danger ; hee calls a synode ; arrius with his all wicked pamphlets , is there cryed downe , and condemn'd to banishment . i doe not finde those holy fathers nibling at consequences , strain'd out of his thalia , or some other of his abhominable papers , but charging him with the right-downe positions of heresie ; such as these blasphemies , concerning christ ; time was , when hee was not ; hee was made of things that were not ; he was not begotten of the substance of the father ; in time , not from eternity ; not true god of god , but created of nothing . here were no tricks of inferences , no quirkes of sophismes , no violent deduction of unyeelded sequels ; the heresie proclaymed it selfe , and was accordingly sentenced . such were the proceedings with the apollinarists , in the third councell of rome ; and in the first generall councell of constantinople , with the macedonians ; and where not in the cases of heresie ? and if ( for all the rest ) we would see a modell of the old theologicall simplicity , in the censures of this nature , we need but to cast our eye upon that profession of faith , and anathemat●me , which damasus ingeniously wrote to paulinus , whether bishop of thessalonica , as theodoret would have it , or , as others , of antioch ; wee pronounce anathema , saith he , to those who doe not with full liberty proclaime the holy ghost to be of one power , and substance with the father , and the sonne . we pronounce anathema to them who follow the error of sabellius , saying , that the father is one and the same person with the son. wee pronounce anathema to arrius , and eunomius , who with a like impiety , but in a forme of words unlike , affirme the sunne and the holy spirit to be creatures . we pronounce anathema to the macedonians , who comming from the stocke of arrius , have not varyed from his impiety , but from his name . we pronounce anathema to photinus , who renuing the heresie of ebion , confesses our lord iesus christ made only of the virgin mary . wee pronounce anathema to those , that maintaine two sonnes , one before all worlds , the other after the assuming of flesh from the virgin : thus he . is there any man here condemned for an heretick , but hee who dirctly affirmes , confesses , maintaines opinions truly damnable ? neither indeed is it just or equall , that a man should , by the malice of an enemy , be made guilty of those crimes , which himselfe abhorres : what i will owne , is mine ; what is cast upon me , is my adversaries ; and if i be by deductions fetch 't into such errour , the fault is not in my faith , but in my logick ; my braine may erre , my heart doth not . away then , ye cruell tortors of opinions , dilaters of errours , delators of your brethren , incendiaries of the church , haters of peace , away with this unjust violence ; let no man beare more then his owne burden ; presse an ●●ring brother ( if ye please ) in way of argument , with such odious consectaries , as may make him weary of his opinion ; but hate to charge him with it as his owne ; frame not imaginary monsters of error with whom you may contend : hee that makes any man worse then hee is , makes himselfe worse then hee . §. xii . the eighth rule of moderation , to keepe opinions within their owne bounds , not imputing private mens conceits to whole churches . eightly , it will be requisite to a peaceable moderation , that we should give to every opinion his owne due extent , not casting private mens conceits upon publicke churches , not fathering single fancies upon a community ; all men cannot accord in the same thoughts , there was never any church under heaven , in which there was not some ahimaaz , that would run alone . in all waters , lightly , there are some sorts of fish that love to swim against the streame , there is no reason that the blame of one , or few should be diffused unto all . if a pope john the shall maintaine that the soules of the blessed shall sleep till the resurrection ; if a dominicus a soto shall hold , that the whole christian faith shall be extinguished in the persecutions of antichrist ; shall wee impute these opinions to the see , or church ? if an alphonsus a castro shall hold hereticks and apostates , after they are once baptiz'd , to be true members of the catholicke church ; or a catharinus , or vasquez shall teach the commandement that forbids worshipping of images , to be meerely temporary ; if a durant shall revive pelagianisme , in denying that there is any need of the divine ayde , either of generall or speciall concourse in humane actions ; if a richardus armachanus shall second the novatians , in teaching that there is no pardon to be obtained by the penitent , for some haynous sinnes ; if an occham shall teach that the visible signes are not of the essence of a sacrament ; or a iohannes parisiensis , or cornelius a lapide ( little differing from the condemned error of rupertus tuitiensis ) shall teach , that the sacramentall bread is hypostatically assumed by the word . is there any so unjust arbiter of things , as to upbrayd these paradoxes to the roman church , who professeth their dislike ? thus if a knox , or buchanan , or goodman , shall broach exorbitant and dangerous opinions , concerning the successions and rights of kings , and lawlesse power of subjects ; why should this be layd in our dish , more then a suarez , or mariana in theirs ? if a flaccius illiricus shall uphold a singular error concerning grace , and originall sinne ; if some ill-advised followers of zuinglius shall hold the sacramentall elements to be onely bare signes , serving meerely for memory , and representation ; if some divines of ours shall defend the rigid opinions concerning predestination ; if some phantasticall heads shall crye downe all decent ceremonies , and all set formes of devotion ; why should the church suffer double in those things which it bewayles ? surely , as the church is a collective body , so it hath a tongue of her owne speaking by the common voyce of her synodes ; in her publicke confessions , articles , constitutions , catechismes , liturgies ; what she sayes in these , must passe for her owne : but if any single person shall take upon him ( unauthorised ) to be the mouth of the church , his insolence is justly censurable ; and if an adversary shall charge that private opinion upon the church , he shall be intolerably injurious : indeed , as it is the best harmony where no part , or instrument , is heard alone , but a sweet composition ; and equall mixture of all , so is it the best state of the church , where no dissenting voyce is heard above , or besides his fellowes ; but all agree in one common sound of wholesome doctrine . but ( such as mans naturall selfe-love is ) this is more fit to be expected in a platonicall speculation , then in a true reality of existence : for whiles every man is apt to have a good conceit of his owne deeper insight , and thinkes the prayse , and use of his knowledge lost , unlesse he impart it ; 〈◊〉 commeth to passe , that not contayning themselves within their owne privacies , they vent their thoughts to the world , and hold it a great glory to be the authours of some more then common-piece of skill ; and to say truth , the freedome and ●ase of the presse hath much advanced this itching , and disturbing humour of men whiles only the penne was imployed , bookes were rare ; neither was it so easie for a man either to know anothers opinion , or to diffuse his owne ; now , one onely day is enough to fill the world with a pamphlet , and suddainly to scatter whatsoever conceit , beyond all possibility of revocation . so much the more need there is , for those that sit at the helme , whether of church , or state , to carry a vigilant eye , and hard hand over these common tel-tales of the world , and so to restraine them ( if it were possible ) that nothing might passe their stampe , which should be prejudiciall to the common peace , or varying from the received judgement of the church . but if this task be little lesse then impossible , since by this meanes every man may have ten thousand severall tongues at pleasure ; how much more happy were it , that the sonnes of the church could obtaine of themselves so much good nature , & submissive reverence , as to speake none but their mothers tongue ? the forme of tongues in the first descent of the holy ghost , was fiery and cloven ; and that was the fittest for the state of the first plantation of the gospell , intimating that fervour , and variety , which was then both given , and requisite : now , in the enlarged and setled estate of his evangelicall church , the same spirit descends , and dwels in tongues , coole and undivided , cor unum , via una , one heart , one way , was the motto of the prophet , when he foretels the future coalition of gods people : and one mind , one mouth was the apostles to his romanes . let us walke by the same rule . let us mind the same thing ; is his charge to his philippians . but if any wrangler affect to bee singular , and will needes have a minde of his owne , let him stand but for what hee is , let him goe only for a single figure , let him not , by a misprision , take up the place of thousands . §. xiii . the ninth rule of moderation : the actions and manners of men must not regulate our judgements concerning the cause . ninthly , neither doth it a little conduce to moderation , to know , that the facts and manners of men may not be drawne to the prejudice of the cause : for , howsoever it commonly holds , that impious opinions and loose life goe still together ; yet it is no trusting to this rule , as if it did not admit of exceptions . there have been those , whose errours have beene foule , and yet their conversation faultlesse . i remember what bernard said of peter abailardus , that hee was iohn without , and herod within : and of arnoldus of brixia , would god his doctrine were so sound , as his life is strict : and elsewhere ; whose conversation is honey , his opinion poyson ; whose head is a doves , his tayle a scorpions . epiphanius , when he speakes of the hereticke hierax ( an hereticke with a witnesse , who denyed the resurrection of the flesh , which he granted to the soule ) could say , he was a man truly admirable for his exercise in pietie , and such an one , as besides the governance of his owne , could draw other mens soules to the practise of godlinesse . and augustine speaking somewhere of pelagius and some others of his sect ( i remember ) acknowledgeth , that the carriage of their life was faire , and unblamable : and those that are the bitterest enemies to the waldenses , or poore men of lyons , give great testimonie to the integritie and inoffensivenesse of their conversation . so on the contrarie , there are many whose religion is sound , but their life impure . as caesar said of old , wee have enow of these birds at home . such , as like ants , follow the track of their fellowes to their common hillocke ; going on those right wayes of opinion , whereinto example & education have put them , yet stayning their profession by leud behaviour . i have read , that a rich iew being askt why hee turn'd christian , laid the cause upon the vertue of our faith. and being askt , how hee did so well know the vertue of such faith ; because ( said hee ) the nation of christians could not possibly hold out so long , by vertue of their workes , for they are starke naught ; therfore it must needs be by the power of their faith. certainely it were woe with us , if lives should decide the truth of religion , betwixt us and unbelievers , betwixt us and our ignorant fore-fathers : these are not therefore fit umpires betwixt christians competitioning for the truth . the iew was the sounder for religion , yet the samaritan was more charitable , than either the levice , or priest. it were strange , if in the corruptest church , there were not some conscionable ; and no lesse , if in the holyest , there bee not some lawlesse and inordinate ; there is no pomgranate wherein there is not some graines rotten . the sanctity of some few cannot boulster out falsehood in the common beleefe ; neyther can the disorder of orthodox beleevers , disparage that soundnesse of doctrine , which their life b●lyes . and if our saviour give us this rule for discerning of false prophets ; by their fruits you shall know them ; doubtlesse , that fruit was intended chiefely for their doct●ine ; their lives were fayre , their carriage innocent ; ( for they came in sheepes cloathing . ) what was that other then honest simplicity ? yet their fruits were evill : but withall , as a good and holy life is ( as hee said well ) a good commentarie to the sacred volume of god ; so their out-breaking iniquities were a good commentarie upon their vicious doctrines ; both wayes were their fruits evill . and if meere outward carriage should be the sole rule of our tryall , nothing could be more uncertaine then our determination : how many dunghills have wee seene , which whiles they have beene covered with snow , could not be discerned from the best gardens ? how many sowre crabs , which for beautie have surpassed the best fruit in our orchard ? as in matter of reason , experience tells us , that some falsehoods are more probable then some truths ; so is it also in matter of practice ; no face seemes so purely faire as the painted . truth of doctrine is the test whither wee must bring our profession for matter of tryall ; and the sacred oracles of god are the test , whereby wee must trie the truth of doctrine . §. xiiii . the tenth rule of moderation : that wee must draw as neere as wee safely may , to christian adversaries , in cases of lesser differences . it will perhaps seeme a paradox to some , vvhich i must lay downe for a tenth rule of moderation , viz. that wee must endeavour to draw as neere as wee may to christian adversaries , in the differences of religion : for some men , whose zeale ●● carryes them beyond knowledge , are all for extremities , and thinke there can never bee distance enough betwixt themselves and those that oppose them in the controversies of doctrine , or discipline . for the righting of our conceits in this point , we shall need a double d●stinction ; one of the persons , the other of the limits of our approach , or remotenesse . of the persons first ; for there are hostes , and there are inimici . the former are they , who professe open hostilitie to the whole cause of christianitie ; as iewes , and turkes : the latter are adversaries within the bosome of the church ; such as , according with us in the maine essentiall truths , maintaine stiffe differences in matters of great consequence , both in the judgement and practice of religion . to the first of these , wee doe justly professe publique and universall defiance ; hating all communion with them , save that of civill commerce , which is not unlawfull with the most savage infidels . and in this name , doe wee deservedly crie downe those favours , which these avowed enemies of christ receive at rome , even from the hands of him , who pretends to succeed the most fervent apostle , that once said , lord , thou knowest i love thee : besides the benefit of a favourable entertainment , wee know the pope on his coronation day vouchsafes to receive a present from their hands ; no lesse then that holy booke of god , which their cursed impietie prophaneth , and which , in requitall , condemneth their impietie ; whiles those that professe the same creed more sincerely then himselfe , are rigorously expelled , and cruelly martyr'd . our stomach doth not so farre exceed our charitie , but wee can pray for those miscreant iewes : they once for all cursed themselves , his bloud be upon us and our children ; wee are so mercifull to them , that wee can blesse them , in praying that his bloud may be upon them for their redemption . and as wee can pray for their conversion , so wee cannot but commend the order , which is held in some parts of italy , that , by the care of the ordinarie , sermons are made on their sabbaths in those places , where the iewes are suffered to dwell for their conviction ; but whiles wee wish well to their soules , wee hate their societie . i like well that piece of just prohibition , that christian women should not bee nurses to the children of iewes , in their houses ; but i cannot brooke the libertie following , that out of their houses , by licence from the ordinarie , they may : my reason is but just , because their proud detestation goes so high , as to an absolute forbiddance of any office of respect from theirs to us , and yet allowes the same from ours to them . so , by their law , a iewish woman may not be either midwife , or nurse to one of ours ; yet giving way to our women , to doe these services to theirs . not to speake of the same fashion of garments ( which however forbidden by the law , they have now learned for their own advantage , to dispence with ) what a curiositie of hatred it is , that if one of us gentiles should make a iewes fire on their sabbath , it is not lawfull for them to sit by it : and why should wee bee lesse averse from that odious generation ? they have done violence to the lord of life , our blessed redeemer ; what have wee done unto them ? bloud lyes still upon them ; nothing upon us , but undue mercie . but as to the latter kind of adversaries , wee must be advised to better tearmes ; if any of them who call themselves christians , have gone so farre , as directly and wilfully to raze the foundation of our most holy faith ; and being selfe-condemned , through the cleare evidence of truth , shall rebelliously persist in his heresie ; into the secret of such men , let not my soule come , my glory be thou not joyned to their assembly . i know no reason to make more of such a one , then of a iew or turke in a christians skin . i cannot blame that holy man , who durst not endure to be in the bath with such a monster ; or those of samosata , who in imitation of this fact of saint iohn , let forth all the water of that publike bath , wherein eunomius had washed , and caused new to be put therein . i cannot blame theodosius a bishop of phrygia , ( however socrates pleaseth to censure him ) that hee drove the macedonian hereticks , not out of the citty onely , but out of the country too . i cannot blame gratianus the emperour , that hee interdicted all assemblies to the manichees , photinians , eunomians ; and if he had extended his banne against those other forenamed hereticks , it had beene yet better for the church . hierom's word is a good one ; it is not cruelty that wee thus doe for gods cause , but piety . but if there be any , who with full consent embrace all the articles of christian belee●e , and yet erre ( not contumaciously ) in some such dangerous consequences , as doe in mine understanding ( though not their owne ) threaten ruine to the foundation by them yeelded ; as i dare not exclude them from the church of god , so i dare not professe to abhorre their communion . god forbid wee should shut up christian brother-hood in so narrow a compasse , as to barre all misbeleevers of this kind , out of the family of god. doe but turne over that charitable and irrefragable discourse of christianography . let your eyes but walke over those ample territories and large regions , which in most of the parts of the habitable world ( but especially in europe , africa , and asia ) professe the blessed name of god , our redeemer , and looke to be saved by his blood ; and then aske your heart , if you dare entertaine so uncharitable a thought , as to exclude so many millions of weake , but true beleevers , out of the church below , or out of heaven above : you shall there see grecians , russians , georgians , armenians , iacobites , abassines ; and many other sects serving the same god , acknowledging the same scriptures , beleeving in the same saviour , professing the same faith in all fundamentall points , aspiring to the same heaven ; and like bees , though flying severall wayes , and working upon severall meadowes , or gardens , yet in the evening , meeting together in the same hive . now , if i liv'd in the community of any of these diverse sects of christians , i should hold it my duty to comply with them in all ( not unlawfull ) things ; and if any of them should live in the community of our church , i should labour by all good meanes to reclaime him from his erroneous opinion , or superstitious practice ; & when i had wrought upon him my utmost , rather then let goe my hopes and interest in him , i would goe as farre to meet him ( without any angariation , save that of charity ) as the line of a good conscience would permit me ; herein following the sure patterne of our blessed apostle , whose profession it is , though i be free from all men , yet have i made my selfe servant unto all , that i might gaine the more : unto the iewes i became as a iew , that i might gaine the iewes ; and to them under the law , as under the law , that i might gaine them that are under the law ; to them that are without law , as without law , ( being not without law to god , but under the law to christ ) that i might gaine them that are without law. to the weake , i became weake , that i might gaine the weake . i am made all things , to all men , that i might by all meanes save some . i doe much feare the church of rome hath a hard answere to make one day , in this particular ; who imperiously , and unjustly challenging unto it selfe the title of the church catholike , shutteth all other christian professions out of doores , refusing all communion with them , and so neglecting them , as if they had no soules ; or those soules cost nothing ; amongst the rest , i shall give but two instances . the great prince of the abassine christians having heard of the fame of the europaean churches , sends some of his nation , of whom he had a great opinion , to rome , to be informed of the substance and rites of religion there professed ; zago zaba was one of the number ; they with great labour and hazard arrived there , made knowne their great errand ; but were so farre slighted , that they were not so much as admitted to christian society , and after many yeares vayne hope , were turn'd home disregardfully , not much wiser then they came , without any other newes , save of the scorne and insolence of those , who should have instructed them . a carriage much sutable to that , which they still beare to the greeke church ; a church which , as for extent , it may compare with theirs ; so for purity of doctrine , i dare say ( if that be her voyce , which her last patriarch cirill of constantinople hath acquainted the world with all ( as i was also confidently assured , by the late learned bishop of saribaris ) as far exceeding the roman church , as the roman doth the russian , or ethiopick , which it most contemneth : let any the most curious eye trave●l over that learned confession of faith , which after all devises , and illusions is proved sufficiently to be the genuine act of that worthy patriarch , and by him published in the name of the whole greeke church , and let him tell me what one blemish , or mole hee can finde in that faire body ; save onely that one clause , concerning the third person of the blessed trinity ; the holy spirit proceeding from the father by the sonne ; wherein there can be no danger , whiles he addes , in the next words , being of the same substance with the father and the sonne ; and concludes ; these three persons in one essence we call the most holy trinity , ever to be blessed , glorified and adored of every creature . this errour of his greek church , as it is now minced , is rather a problem of scholasticall divinity , then an heresie in the christian faith . in all the rest , shew me any the most able , and sincere divine in the whole christian world , that can make a more cleare , and absolute declaration of his faith , then that greeke church hath done , by the hand of her worthy , and renouned prelate ; yet how uncharitably is she barred out of doores by her unkinde sister of rome ? how unjustly branded with heresie ? in so much , as it is absolutely forbidden to the grecian priests to celebrate their masses , and divine services , in the roman fashion : neither may the romans officiate in the grecian manner , under the payne of perpetuall suspension ; and if a woman of the latine church be given in marriage to a greeke , shee may not be suffered to live after the grecian fashion ; a solaecisme , much like to that of the russian churches , who admit none to their communion ( be hee nver so good a christian ) if he doe not submit himselfe to their matriculation , by a new baptisme . sure , those christians that thus carry themselves towards their deare brethren ( dearer perhaps to god then they ) have either no bowels , or no braynes , and shall once finde by the difference of the smart , whether ignorance , or hard-heartednesse , were guilty of this injurious measure . next to the persons , the limits of this approach or remotenesse are considerable , which must be proportioned according to the condition of them with whom we have to deale . if they be professed enemies to the christian name , beware of dogs , beware of the concision , saith the apostle of the gentiles . iustly must wee spit at these blasphemers , who say they are iewes and are not , but are the synagogue of satan . if they be coloured friends , but true hereticks ; such as doe destroy , directly , and pertinaciously , the foundation of christian religion ; the apostles charge is expresse , haereticum hominem devita , a man that is an hereticke , after the first and second admonition avoyd and reject ; and such an one as he may be , that addes blasphemy to heresie , it might be no reall mistaking ( though a verball ) of that wise and learned pontifician , who misreading the vulgar , made two words of one , and turned the verbe into a noune , de vita ; supple , tolle : put an hereticke to death : a practise so rise in the roman church , against those saints , who , in the way , which they call heresie , worship the lord god of their fathers , beleeving all things which are written in the law , in the prophets , in the apostles , that all the world takes notice of it ; seeming , with the rap't evangelist , to heare the soules , from under the altar , crying aloud , how long lord , holy and true , dost thou not judge and avenge our blood , on them that dwell upon the earth ? surely were wee such as their uncharitable 〈◊〉 mis-construction would make us , their cruelty were not excusable before god , or men : but now , as our innocence shall aggravate their condemnation before the just tribunal in heaven ; so our example shall condemne them , in the judgement of all impartiall arbiters here on earth : for what client of rome was ever sentenced to death by the reformed church , meerely for matter of religion ? what are wee other to them , then they are to us ? the cause is mutually the same ; only our charity is more , our cruelty lesse . neither is this any small testimony of our sincere innocence ; it is a good rule of saint chrysostome , if wee would know a wolfe from a sheep ( since their clothing ( as they use the matter ) will not difference them ) looke to their fangs , if those be bloody ; their kinde is enough bewrayd ; for who ever saw the lips of a sheep besmear'd with blood ? it is possible to see a campian at tiburne , or a garnets head upon a pole ; treasonable practises , not meere religion , are guilty of these executions : but however , our church is thus favourable in the case of those heresies , which are either simple , or secondary , and consequentiall ; yet in the cases of hereticall blasphemy , her holy zeale hath not fear'd to shed blood : witnesse the flames of ket , and legat , and some other arrians in our memory ; and the zealous prosecution of that spanish cistertian , whom wee heard and saw ( not long since ) belching out his blasphemous contumelies against the sonne of god , who after hee was given over to the secular power for execution , was by the spanish embassadour master gondemor , carryed , backe into spaine by leave from king iames , of blessed memory : in which kind also master calvin did well approve himselfe to gods church , in bringing servetus to the stake at geneva ; as for those which are heretickes onely by consequence , and interpretation , heedlesly undermining that foundation which they would pretend to establish , as we may not , in regard of their opinions in themselves , utterly blot them out of the catalogue of brethren , so we must heartily indeavour all good meanes for their reclamation ; strive to convince their errours ; labour with god for them in our prayers , trye to win them with all loving offices , neither need we doubt to joyne with them in holy duties , untill their obdurednesse and wilfull pertinacy shall have made them uncapable of all good counsell ; and have drawne them to a turbulent opposition of the truth : for , as it is in actuall offences , that not our sinne , but our unrepentance damnes us ; so it is in these matters of opinion , not the errour , but the obstinacy incurres a just condemnation . so long therefore , as there is hope of reformation , wee may , wee must comply with this kind of erring christians ; but not without good cautions . first , that it be only in things good or indifferent . secondly , that it be with a true desire to win them to the truth . thirdly , that we finde our selves so throughly grounded , as that there be no danger of our infection : for we have knowne it fall out with some , as with that noble grecian of whom xenophon speakes , who whiles hee would be offering to stay a barbarian , from casting himselfe down from the rock , was drawne down with him for company , from that precipice . saint austen professes that this was one thing , that hardned him in his old manicheisme ; that hee found himselfe victorious in his disputations , with weake adversaries , such men in stead of convincing , yeeld ; and make themselves miserable , and their opposites foolishly proud , and mis-confident . fourthly , that we doe not so farre condescend to complying with them , as for their sakes to betray the least parcell of divine truth . i● they be our friends , it must be only , usque ad aras , there we must leave them . that which wee must be content to purchase with our blood , we may not forgoe for favour , even of the dearest . fiftly , that we doe not so far yield to them , as to humour them in their errour , as to obfirme them in evill ; as to scandalize others . and lastly , if wee finde them utterly incorrigible , that wee take off our hand and leave them unto just censure . as for differences of an inferiour nature ; if but ( de venis capillaribus & minutioribus theologicarum quaestionum spinetis , as staphilus would have theirs : ) or , if of matters rituall , and such as concerne rather the decoration , then the health of religion ; it is fit they should be valued accordingly ; neither peace , nor friendship should be crazed for these , in themselves considered . but if it fall out through the peevishnes and selfe-conceit of some crosse dispositions , that even those things , which are in their nature indifferent , ( after the lawfull command of authority ) are blazon'd for sinfull , and haynous , and are made an occasion of the breach of the common peace , certainly it may prove that some schisme ( even for triviall matters ) may be found no lesse pernicious , then some heresie . if my coat be rent in peeces , it is all one to me whether it be done by a bryer or a nayle , or by a knife . if my vessell sinke , it is all one whether it were with a shot , or a leake : the lesse the matter is , the greater is the disobedience , and the disturbance so much the more sinfull . no man can be so foolish , as to thinke the value of the apple , was that which cast away man-kinde ; but the violation of a divine interdiction . it is fit therefore that men should learne to submit themselves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake : but if they shall bee wilfully refractary , they must be put in minde , that korahs mutiny was more fearefully revenged , then the most grievous idolatry . §. xv. the eleventh rule of moderation ; to refrayne from all rayling termes , and spightfull provocations in differences of religion . it shall be our eleventh rule for moderation , that wee refraine from all rayling termes , and spightfull provocations of each other in the differences of religion . a charge too requisite for these times ; wherein it is rare to finde any writer , whose inke is not tempered with gall , and vineger , any speaker , whose mouth is not a quiver of sharpe , and bitter words . it is here , as it is in that rule of law ; the breach of peace is begun by menacing , increased by menacing , but finished by this battery of the tongue . wherein wee are like those egyptians of whom the historian speakes ; who having begun their devotion with a fast , whiles the sacrifice was burning , fell upon each others with blowes , which having liberally dealt on all hands , at last they sat downe to their feast : thus doe we ; after professions of an holy zeale , wee doe mercilesly wound each other with reproaches , and then sit downe , and enjoy the contentment of our supposed victory . every provocation sets us on , and then ( as it useth to be with scolds ) every bitter word heightens the quarrell ; men doe , as we use to say of vipers , when they are whipt , spit out all their poyson . these uncharitable expressions , what can they bewray , but a distempered heart , from which they proceed , as the smoake and sparkes flying up show the house to be on fire ; or as a corrupt spittle showes exulcerate lungs : by this meanes it falls out that the truth of the cause is neglected , whiles men are taken up with an idle , yet busie , prosecution of words ; like as in thrashing the straw flyes about our eares , but the corne is hid . and it hath beene an old observation , that when a man falls to personall rayling , it argues him drawne utterly dry of matter , and despayring of any farther defence ; as we see and find that the dogge which running back , falls to bauling , and barking hath done fighting any more . i have both heard and read that this practice is not rare amongst the iewes , to brawl in their publike synagogues , and to bang each other with their holy candlesticks and censers ; in so much that this scandall hath indangered the setting off some of theirs to mahometisme : and i would to god it were only proper unto them , and not incident unto too many of those , who professe to be of the number of them , to whom the prince of peace said , my peace i leave with you . it is the caveat which the blessed apostle gives to his galathians , and in them to us ; if yee bite , and devoure one another , take heed yee be not consumed one of another . lo here , it is the tongue that bites ; and so bites , as that ( after the fashion of a mad dogges teeth ) both rage and death followes . and if any man thinke it a prayse ( with the lacedaemonian in plutarch ) to bite like a lion , let him take that glory to himselfe , and be as he would seeme , like a lion that is greedy of his prey , and as a young lion , that lurketh in secret places : but withall let him expect that just doome of the god of peace , thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder , the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet . certainely it is in vaine for us to expect any other measure from the exasperated , and unruly mindes of hostile brethren , whose hatred is commonly so much greater , as their interest is more : they whose fires would not meet after death , are apt in life to consume one another . this is the stale and knowne machination of him , whose true title is , the accuser of the brethren . that old dragon , when he saw the woman flying to the wildernesse to avoyde his rage ; what doth hee ? hee casts out of his mouth water , as a flood after the woman , that hee might cause her to be carryed away of the flood : what are these waters which he casts out of his mouth , but sclanderous accusations , lyings , detractions , cruell persecutions of the tongue ? and shall wee that professe the deare name of one common saviour , so farre second the great enemy of mankinde , as to derive some cursed channels from those hellish floods of his , for the drenching of the flourishing valleyes of gods church ? shall wee rather imitate him then the blessed archangell of god , who contending with the divell , and disputing about the body of moses , durst not bring against him a rayling accusation , but sayd , the lord rebuke thee : nay , shall wee dare to doe that to brethren , which the angell durst not doe to the divell ? when we heare and see fearefull thundring , and lightning , and tempest , we are commonly wont to say , that ill spirits are abroad ; neither doubt i but that many times ( as well as in iobs case ) god permits them to rayse these dreadfull blustrings in the ayre , right so when wee see these flashes , and heare these hideous noyses of contention in gods church , wee have reason to thinke that there is an hand of satan in their raysing , and continuance . for , as for god , we know his courses are otherwise . when it pleased him to make his presence knowne to elijah ; first there passed a great and strong wind , which rent the mountaines , and brake the rockes in peeces , but the lord was not in the winde . after that winde , came an earthquake , but the lord was not in the earthquake : after the earthquake a fire , but the lord was not in the fire ; but after the fire , came a still small voyce , and therein was the almightie pleased to expresse himselfe ; loe , as saint ambrose observes well , the divell is for noyse , christ for silence . hee that is the lyon of the tribe of iuda , delights in the style of the lambe of god ; and is so tearmed , both by iohn the baptist , his forerunner , in the dayes of his flesh , and by iohn the evangelist , his apostle , in the state of his glory : neither was the holy spirit pleased to appeare in the forme of a falcon , or eagle , or any other bird of prey , but of a dove ; the meeknesse and innocence whereof , our saviour recommended for a patterne to all his followers : if there be any therefore , who delight to have their beakes or tallons imbrued in blood , let them consider of what spirit they are ; sure i am , they are not of his , whose so zealous charge it is ; put on ( as the elect of god , holy and beloved ) bowels of mercy , kindnesse , humblenesse of mind , meeknesse , long-suffering ; forbearing one another , forgiving one another ; if any man have a quarrell against any , even as christ forgave you , even so also doe yee : and above all things put on charitie , which is the bond of perfectnesse ; and let the peace of god rule in your hearts . §. xvi . the twelfth rule of moderation : that how-ever our judgements differ , wee should compose our affections towards vnitie and peace . which divine counsell of the blessed apostle leades me to the twelfth and last rule of moderation , viz. that if wee cannot bring our judgements to conspire in the same truth with others , yet wee should compose our affections to all peace , to all tender respects and kind offices to our dissenting brethren . what if our braines be divers ? yet let our hearts be one . i cannot but commend the exemplarie disposition of the christians of constantinople , in the dayes of constantius ; when the famous church of the resurrection was there to be erected ; the novatians , men , women , children , ( though a sect diversly affected ) brought stones and mortar to the building of it ; joyning with the orthodox christians , against the arrians ; communicating with them in three other churches ; and were upon the point of a full unitie and concord , had not some few wrangling spirits , of the novatian partie put in a claw , and cross'd so faire hopes . had the matter been so slight as he conceived , it was good counsell which the emperour gave to bishop alexander , ac tametsi &c. although you , saith he , differ from each other in a point of small moment ( as wee cannot all be of one minde in every thing ) yet it may be so ordered by you , that there may be a sincere concord betwixt you ; and that there be a mutuall communion and consociation betwixt all your people . and the same temper hath beene laudably observed and professed by diverse late worthies in the church . concerning the administration of the sacrament to the sick in case of extremitie , calvin in an epistle to olevianus , gives reasons of that practice , but withall addes ; scis , frater , alium esse apud nos morem ; you know , brother , the fashion is otherwise with us ; i beare with it , because it is not availeable for us to contend . luther , though a man of a hot and stiffe spirit , yet writing to the cities and churches of helvetia , hath thus ; insuper ut dilectio & amicabilis concordia , &c. moreover , that there may be a perfect and friendly love and concord betwixt us , wee shall not fayle to doe whatsoever lyes in our power , especially i , for my part , will utterly blot out of my thoughts , all the offence that i had conceived , and will promise all love and fidelitie to you : and shuts up with a fervent prayer ; that god , by the grace of his holy spirit , would glew their hearts together , through christian love ; and purge out of them all the drosse and dregs of humane diffidence , and divellish malice and suspition , to the glory of his holy name , the salvation of many soules , to the despight of the devill , of the pope , and all his adherents . and before that time , in the conference of the divines on both parts at marpurge , oct. . . passing through all the points wherein there seemed any difference , and sticking onely at the last , concerning the sacrament , they shut up thus , quanquam verò , &c. and although wee could not at this time agree , whether the true body and bloud of christ be in the bread and wine corporally , yet each part shall hold and maintaine ( so farre as his conscience will allow ) true christian love with other , and both parts shall continually pray unto almightie god , that he will by his spirit confirme us in the true sense and understanding thereof : to which were subscribed the names of those ten eminent divines following ; luther , melanchton , iustus ionas , osiander , brentius , agricola , oecolampadius , zuinglius , bucer , hedio . thus , thus it should be amongst divines , amongst christians , who hope to meet in one heaven . if it must be with us , as with the sava and danuby , two famous rivers in the east , that they run threescore miles together in one channell , with their waters divided in very colour , from each other ; yet let it be ( as it is in them ) without noyse , without violence . if wee be children , as wee pretend , of our father abraham , let us take up his peaceable suggestion to his nephew ; let there be no strife , i pray thee , betwixt thee and mee , betwixt thy heard-men and my heard-men , for wee are brethren . macarius was , in his time , accounted a very holy man ; yet i reade , that after hee had macerated himselfe with long devotion , hee had an answer from god , of the acceptance of his prayers ; but withall an intimation , that after all his endeavours , hee came short of the merit of two women in the citie , which were two wives of two brethren , which had lived fifteene yeeres together in one house , without the least discord . this sweet and peaceable disposition cannot but be graciously accepted of god , betwixt us that are brethren , in the wide house of his church . it is not for christians to be like unto thistles , or tazels , which a man cannot touch , without pricking his fingers ; but rather to pitosella , or mouse-eare in our herball , which is soft and silken in the handling , although if it be hard strained , it yeelds a juice that can harden metalls to cut iron . but if wee meet with a kind of men , who are disposed to be quarrelsome , like to that cercyon in suidas , who would needs wrestle with every man he met ; the best way is to doe as some have advised , when we are provoked to fight with women , to runne away . shun prophane and vaine babling , ( saith the apostle ) as for peace , if it flye from us , wee must run after it ; follow peace with all men , as he to his hebrewes : but if after all our quickest paces , it will not be overtaken ; if we still fall upon those , who are enemies to peace ; rabid children , who love to heare themselves crie ; salamanders , who love the fire of contention ; muddie eeles , who delight most in troubled waters , be they such as are under our power , wherefore are censures , but for such spirits ? even he that could say , shall i come to you with a rod , or with the spirit of meekenesse ? said also , i would they were even cut off that trouble you . it is well commended by the historian in proclus , bishop of constantinople , that hee shewed himselfe mild and gentle to all , and by this meanes woon more then others did by roughnesse and severitie ; and it is a sure rule , that it is an easier account that shall be given for mercie , then for crueltie : and certainely , this course is first to be taken ; the chirurgian stroakes the arme , before hee open's the veine : but where lenitie prevailes not , wee are cruell to the church , if wee strike not home ; when singing will not still the childe , the rod must : if they bee such as are without the reach of our authoritie , wee must first doe our best , to make them sensible of the wounds they give to our common mother , and those rubs which they lay in the way of the gospel ; since it cannot be otherwise now , then the historian noteth in those first ages of the church , that the difference of opinions , whereof one arose out of another , was a great hinderance to many , in pitching upon our holy profession : and as optatus , of old , betwixt our licet and their non licet , christian soules cannot chuse but stagger , and be distracted ; and withall , to minde them of the palpable wrongs wee doe to our selves , and the advantages wee give to common enemies . it was a worthie and just intimation , which saint gregorie nazianzene gives , to this purpose , unto the synod of constantinople ; what can be more absurd ( saith he ) then whiles we decline the enemies fight , to betake our selves to mutuall assaults of each other , and by this meanes to waste and weaken our owne forces ? or what can be a greater pleasure to our adversaries , then to see us thus bickering with our selves ? but if neither the respect to the glory of the god of peace , nor to the peace and welfare of the deare church and spouse of christ , nor of themselves , can prevaile any thing ; what remaines , but to mourne in silence for the irreparable breaches of the sacred walls of ierusalem , and together with our zealous prayers for the opposed peace of sion , to appeale to the justice of that holy and righteous lord god of israel , with increpa domine bestias calami , rebuke , o lord , the beasts of the reed , and scatter the people that delight in warre . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e brom. sum . praedic . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne●uid nimis . so pythagoras ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . non est ergo temperātia , in solis resecādis superfluis , est & in admittendis necessariis . bern. de consid. l. . c. . gen. . beros . baylonic . psa. . . num. . . ●cclus . . ● . prov. . . prov. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . liber pater eph. . . schicard . de jur. reg hebr. v. bell. gentilis rex pirg●ndicus , &c. socrat. l. . c. . vita . laur. ps. . . lib. confor . . hieron . in vit . pauli . panis eleemosynae panis sanctus . confor . fruct . separatur . de se petrus . solo pane & olivis , raroque oleribus ator . clem. de gestis petri. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . socrat. l. . c . bern. meditat . devotiss . conform . l. . fruct . ● . p. . o quantum distamus ab his qui tempore antonii suere monachi ! bern. apolog . ad gul. abbat . jesunia nostra vini copia natant , pis cium varietate carnium superant deliciat ▪ cor. . . genus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex thalm. drus. t●ihaeres . august . l. . contr . faustum . conform . p. . vidi tunicā b. francis. & s. clarae , grossi●r & rudior erat tunica s. clarae . socr. l. . c. . con●o●m . p. . theod. l. . c. . socrat. l. . c. . sozom. l. c. . binius anno. . jo : capgrave de s. henrico herem . cinore & cilicio recubabat agrotus , rogarunt discipuli ut si●eret villa stramenta supponi , respondit , non decet christia●●m nisi in ci●ere & cilicio mori . sever. sulp. l. . cig●lus . prov. . . in tan●um graci & romani hoc quondam vicio labo●arun● , ut & clarissimi philosophorū graecia haberen● publicè concubinos , &c. hieron . in illa es. . & pu●ris alienis adhaeserunt . sam. . munster in praecept . mosaica . schicard . de jur. reg. hebr. non 〈◊〉 adducam quanta sit turba monasteriorum 〈◊〉 quibus 〈◊〉 nulla viget disciplina pietatis , ut prae his lupanaria si●● , & magis sobri● , & magis pudica . illustr . ep. grunnio . concil . mogunt . sub stephano . c. . bin. rivet . resp . ad sylv. s. petra . ambros. pescen . niger . gen. . . gen. . . viz. abimelec . gen. . jud. . sam. . . eccles. . , . mat. . . luk. . . concil . salegunstad . anno . sivis be●e comedere jejuns . confor . . socrat. l. . c. . prov. . , . eccl. . . eccles. . . jude . ●say . . gen. . . melchior suerinensis episc. ex ducibus brunswic . krantz . metrop . l. . c. . gers. serm de b. ludovico . heliogab . aelius lamprid. jo : pory , append. to leo's hist. of africk . cibus sit vilis monachorum & vespertinu● , ut & sustineat & non noceat . reg. columb . c. . gen. . . p●●●i● est non 〈◊〉 frequenti●●●●c ga●diorum , &c. b●rn . ep. ● . sam. . . qui carnem suam supra modum affligit , civem suum occidit : si plus quam oportet alimentis reficit , hosiem nu●rit . hugo . instit . monast . in reg . d. august . c. . alens . to. . q. . mem . et si jejunium , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suid. es. . . quaet . si ex toto cor de ridere non licet ? negatur . reg. basilii c. . prov. . . gen. . . sam. . king. . . mat. . . vix ●l●qua sanctimonialium sine devoto carnali . alv. pel. de planctu . l. . . curent in unaqu●que civitate locum meretricibus assignandum ab hominum frequentia , & a majoribus ecclesiis remotum . in concil . mediolan . ● . habito a carolo boromaeo . jo. pory 〈◊〉 supra . tatianus , nihil d●fferre a ●a●rimonio scortationem s●d idem esse . epiph. h●eres . de tatianis . facitior est saepe , &c. ficut ●●bri● , pot●s , & ignis 〈…〉 magis succenduntur . gers. reg. morales de luxuria . munster . in praecept . mos. erasm. epist. da●eli stibaro . medicus senex basileae in publica professione docui● , &c. cor. . . cor. . . salm●ron tom. . tract . . de temporibus luctus . fideli , cui christus omn●a mundavit , iila turpitudo & absorp●io non est peccatum , nam ut ait apostolus , omnia munda mundis u● egregiè expon●t clem l. . strom. in fine . ad haec volupta● aut d●lectatio quae na●uraliter censequi●●a opus generationis quae omni animan●i ingenita est à deo , nec prop●er se c●petitur , pecc●●ū ullum non est ; quemad●●●dū & delecta●io quae consequ●●●● ed●ntē & biben●ē , aut somnū capien●ē non censetur illicita ; non solū erg● nuptiae non sunt peccatū , sed ille qui esset solutus & liber à vo●● , nec velle● se continere , crim●u non effugeret , si uxorem ●on quaereret , potius qu im ●ri , i. vinci a libidine , &c. salmer . to. . tract . . &c. b. ambr. to. . non sine renitentia , & dolore quodam animi , quòd sine usu matrimonii vivere non possit , &c. cor. . , , . ber● ▪ cant. . . nullo modo placuit bis in die saturum fieri . cic. tuscul . l. . schicard . de jure reg . hebr. ● cor. . cor. . . sam. . . alphons . varg. stratagem . jes. c. . eccles. . , . onerat quippe talis cibus voluptatis , irritatque famem non sa●ia● . gers. serm . ad eccles . cautelam . paupertas nemini malum nisi repugnanti . senec. ep. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. . . quan●o inferius delectamur , āto à supern● amore disjungimur . bern. de inter . domo . c. . eccles. . , . brom. sum p●aed . v. gula. cambdēs remaines . jo : de neapoli q. . to●us iste mundus sensibilis ad animae ventrem quid est nisi b●lus exiguus , &c ger. serm. ad eccles . cautel . cor vix ad unius milvi r●fectionem sufficere posset , & totus mundus ei non sufficit . bern. de interiore domo . c. . aug. gun. ad literam . phil. . . prov. . . ps . . phil. . ▪ . cui nihil satis est , nihil rurpe est . timo●heus in aristophontum prodigum . aelian . tim. . . si vis cum laetitia animi vivere , nol● multa habere . bern. ubi supra . c. . plut. in vit . laz. bayf . de re vest . bin. in vita clem. . anno. . bin. anno. . bin. in vita celestini electi . ann. . adrian . nihil si●i in vita infoelicius accidisse , quam quod imperárit . henr. a token in sylv. loc . com . hoppin . de orig . templ . reditus romani computati ab henrico . ad tantumascenderunt quantum reditus regis , viz. l. x. millia marcarum puri reditus , praeter alia emolumenta . florilegus . ann. . ciracella in ejus vit . cit . a rivetio contr . sylv. s. pet●a . sicut paulus ditissimus pauper dicebat , sicut nihil habentes , & omnia possidentes . ambros . de vitiorum , virtutumque conflictu . heb. , . joh. . cor. . . salmer . tom. . tract . . senec. de tranquillit . heb. . . tim. . . tim. . vnder the antiochi the levites took upon them to be kings , and turned saduces , and died violently . b●ought . ex fen gers. tertullus patric us romanus locuples , pa●rimonium dedi● benedicto , &c. regn●● po●ius quam coenobia vir sanctus posteris 〈◊〉 volater . mendicantes autem fratres et si praedia non sunt iustituti habere , tamen nihil haben●es omnia possident . krantz . metrop . l. . c. . caesar a branchedoro monita polit. an. . sept. . ut waremundus de erenb●rgh in ve●isimil . de regni subsid . idem branchedorus ibid. vrspergens cuspin . in vita alberti . vide orationem praemonitoriā caes. branchedori . m●gnitudo non habet cer●um modum . sen. epist. . depon● quod portas , nam non est tuum . melius est minus ege ▪ e quam plus habere . una ex reg . aug. habac. . . tertul. de anima . c. . pro . pro. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . job . . , . ps. . . ps , . . ps. . es. . . jer. . . esa. . . mar. . ps. . . ps. . . psal. . . jer. . . pro. . . . caution of sorrow . prateol . elench . haeres . v. chazinzarii . gen. . . caution of our sorrow . ambros. de obitu satyri fiatris . thes. . . sam. . . hieron . epist. non mihi peri● , sed praei● , &c. bern. epist . nullas habeant lachrymarum ferias , nullam ●ristitiae requiem consequantur , qui nullam putant requiem , mortuorum . nobis vero quibus mors non na●urae sed vitae istius sinis , &c. amb. de obitu frat . satyri . monumentarii ceraulae . apul . mat. . . eccl. . . aut absorbendus , aut premendus omnis dolor . ambros. ut supra . suidas . rom. . . aug. in psal. . torcul●ria paran●ur avis , & olivis , nec ●va vinum , &c. heb. . cor. . fr● a vict. relect. zech. . . exod. . . cor. . . exod. . , . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . . king. . , , , , , . , . psal. . ps. . , , , . anth. torquemade . journee . sim. gou●art hist. memorab . levin . lemnius de miraculiox citat . simone goulart . hist●ire memorab . suid. florilegus an. . lucret. inprimis timor est acheron●is agendus , funditus humanam qui vitam turbat ab imo . ea gensita mortem horret , ut ad thuris odorem efferentur , quòd in ▪ funeribus solet accendi . erasm. epist. grunnio . luk. . . vultum corrugan●es obfirmant . mald. in loc . cor. . . ira per zelum , ira per vicium . eph. . . socrat. l. . c. . psal. . . jer. . . herod . seneca . gal. . . mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ●lum● cas i●as g●runt . plaut . ps. . , prov. . . eccles. . jam. . . prov. . . eph. . . pr. . . gen. . . ps. . . notes for div a -e ●●ta cs● ut dic : solet differentia i●ter artifices , sicut inter incologices doctores . g●● . de propos . ab ep. hae r●t●candis . dispendio litis carcre non mediocre est lucrum . amb. de offic. l. . c. . non amat qu● no● zelat aug. contr . adimant . c. . s. por. prolegom . to the ●frian hi●t . gerard. her . p. . suid. verbo musonius . rom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gal. . . girald . cambrens . itinerar . thaum●turg . nat . c. ● . melanct. postil . de baptist . christi , metuendum est etiam in postrema mundi aetate magis hunc errorem grassaturum esse , quòd aut nihil sint religiones , aut differant tantum vocabulis &c. spalat . part . ● . qui divinis innutriti sunt eloquiis &c. suid. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . bin. in vita innocentii . psal. . . io. . . suid. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theodor. l. cap. . cancil . eliber . c . miles q. praesidiarius rom ▪ felem quam aegyptii colebant . ut deum interfecit hinc tantus exortus tumultus ut militum praesidiariorum trucidati sint . melanct. postill . fer. . post advent . ex diodoro sic. the first rule . to distinguish of persons . aug. de utilitate cred . c. . to distinguish of tru●hes & errors . columban . c. . pauca sunt necessaria vera . doctrina christi quae prius nesciebat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coep●t a philosophie praesidiis pendere , hic erat primus , &c. eras praefat . ad opera hilarii . gen. . . nunquam audivimus petrinos aut paulinos aut bartholomaeanos , &c. sed ab initio una praedicatio apostolorum . epiph. l. . bern. serm. in cant. . aug. de utilitat . cred. c. . nesciunt necessaria , quia superflua did●erunt . f. senec. gars de neglig . pra●latorum . alens . tom. . q. . m. . ibid. q. . ibid. q. . ibid. q. . ibid. memb . . am●s . ●e resist . gratia . c. . mela●ct . ●polog . advers . p●ri● . sophi●l . suid. v. matreas . gers. epist. ad quendam fratrem minorem . quis non horreat profanas noc itates & verbo●um & sensuum ? bern. epist. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut de nugatore hermippus . d. twiss de s●t●ntia media , &c. gers. contra superstitiosos . q. observ . non est s●●ens hodie qui novitates n●n inv●nit . de planct . eccl. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . praestat pro●â igno●atione d●tin●ri quam falsa opinione mancipori . chrysost. in math. . hom. . experto crede , aliquid amplius invenies , in sylvis quàm i● l●bris . b●rn . epist. he●●t●o murdach . epist. . erasm. epist. l. . ioan. episc. concil . raven . concil . sabin●n , in hisp. . alured praefat adversum a se lib. pastor . greg. d. henr. spelman volum . . synod . brit. anno c. . d. henr. spelm. conc. brit. episcopus ignorans grammaticam deponatur . gers. tract . de cantichordo . bern. serm. in cant . . sozom. l. . c. . gers. tract . super magnif . sed mu●tos videostudiosos , paucos religiosos : amant lectionem , non religionem ; imo amore lectionis in odium incidunt religionis . hugo . l. . miscel. c. . tempore ●eteris ecclesiae romanae , populus non curs●abat ad videndum illud quod sacerdos ostendit , sed prostratis humi corporibus , animis incoelum erectis , gratias agebaut christo redemptori , qui nos suo san guine lavit , sua morte redemit , &c. eras. de amabilitate concordiae eccles. basil. . vid. libr. ordinat . aug. de doctr . christ. l. . c. . plut. customes of laced . gal. . . vide relat . colloq . chamier . eras. epist. colleg. so●bon . gers. declar . defect . gers. assert : ●o . parui utilius rasci scandalum permittitur quam veriritas deseratur . eras. senatui paris . malui nempe solus ab utriusque partis insanioribus dilace●ari quam esse tutus in parte damnata . aug. in psa. . eras. l. colleg. sorb . vide act. & mon. & bromiard . v. honor. io. i●slerus scaphus de diuturnitate belli eu●harist , hospin . de sestis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suidas v. hebraei . num. . . prov. . . pirke aboth . potho prunie●sium episcopus , . i●●ib . de statu dom. dei hospin . de orig. f●st . christ. eras. epist. illustr . quantum apud alios valeat ecclesiae authoritas nescio : certe apud me tantum valet ut cum arianis & pelagianis sentire possim , si probass●t ecclesia quod illi docuerunt , bilibaldo . laert. eras. ep●st . l. . coll. sorb . a literato quodam & experto viro accepi perniciosam esse in omni arte vel doctrina assertionem audacem & extremam gers. de vita , spir . animae &c. lect . . corol . . suidas . cal. . act. . ▪ , . non turpe est sententiam mutare , sed in malo perseverate funestum & exitiosum . gre naz. orat . . gerson . declar . desect . gavant . praxis compend . visit . ne temerè vibret fulmen excommunicationis nihil quod crudele , utile . offi● . . . aug. alipio , epist. . iohn . apud navar . ●n man. c . erasm. godes●cho . m. blunts observation in his journey to the levant . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , suid. vide & martin . cromerus de falsa relig . luther . l. . whitak . respons . ad campian . gers. de praecept . decalogi , c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . siquis a bellis quae jam seculis aliquot obres nihili , plus quam ethnicè geruntur , deterreat , notatur à sycophantis quasi sentiat cumiis qui negant ullum b●ll●m gerendum christianis . eras. l. epist. . paulo volezio . citat . a d. davenant sent. de pace procur . ●in . conci● . p. . rom. . sub damas● . non debet plurimorum malum tendere in aestimationem cunctorum . greg. moral . l. . . this is seasonably and happily done by an order of the starre-chamber lately made . rom. . cor. . . philip. . . sententia impia , vita luxuriosa . non bene vivit qui non rectè credit . calixtus . benedict . episc. bernard . epist. . epist. . epist. . epiphan . haeres . . bromiard . v. fides . nullum malum punicum in quo non aliquod gra num supput●e . ma● . . , , . salmeron . . ●rolegom . lib. sacrar . ceremon . in locis italiae & adjacentium insularum nullus haereticus quovis praetextu domicilium contrahere , habitare , aut morari possit . greg. . anno . pro iudaeis est orare , sed non st●cten●do genua . greg. fer. . post palman . gav●nt . enchirid. tit . conc●o . gavant . ex silvio . v. haebr . ex provinc . mediol . munster . praecept . mosaica negat . ib. munst. ib. munst. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gen. . . theed . lib. . c. . & cassiod . l. . c. . socrat. l. c. . islud aggressus non de more catholicae ecclesiae . sozem. l. . c. . sozom. ibid. c. . cor. . . . . . dam. à goes . histr . ethiop . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see this question shortly but fully handled by my l. grace of canterb. in his late convictive answer to a. c. sect . . p. . . . and largely discussed by the archbish. of spalat . de repub. eccles. l. . c. . num . à . ad . ne graeci latinomore , &c. ex pio . anno . gavant . gavant . ex congr . episc. . febr. . philip. . . revel . . . tit. . . act. . . revel . . . staphil . desens contra illiricum . pet. . . psal. . . h●spin . de festis ethnic . ex utraque p●rte suut qui pug●are cup●●tus cic. tyroni suo epist. l. . erasmus taxat hilarium quod arrium appellat satanam & antichristum . praefat. ad hilar. mr. blunts voyage to the levant . gal. . . psal. . . psa. . eteocles & polynices . revel . . . iude . kings . . ambro. in psal. . ● nunquid ovis lupum persequitur ? non , sed lupus ovem , &c. chrys. hom. . in matth. coloss. . . . . . contra quam lutheranus , q. apud prolaeum . a calviniana fraternitate libera n●s domine . p●olaeus . fascic . c. . q. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . so●rat . l. . c. . socr. l. . c. . epist. . honestis , ac prud . dom. consulibus , &c. tiguri , bernae , basileae , schafhusii , saugalli , &c. an . vid. hosp. & d. paraeum in iren. subs●ripti . v. p. add●ctus . mart. iucherus . gen. . . suidas . v. cercyon . tim. . . heb. . . gal. . . socr. l. : c. . mesius est propter misericordiam rationem reddere quà propter crudelitatem . quinetiam dogmatum discrepantia , quorum alia ex aliis nascebantur , impedimento fuit , quo minus complures , qui fidem christianam recipere animum induxerant , eam recip●rent . a modest offer of some meet considerations tendered to the learned prolocvtor and to the rest of the assembly of divines, met at westminster by a true lover of truth and peace. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a modest offer of some meet considerations tendered to the learned prolocvtor and to the rest of the assembly of divines, met at westminster by a true lover of truth and peace. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. s.n.] [oxford? : . signed: philalethirenaeus. attributed to joseph hall. cf. blc. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng great britain -- church history -- th century. a r (wing h ). civilwar no a modest offer of some meet considerations tendered to the learned prolocutor, and to the rest of the assembly of divines, met at westminste hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a modest offer of some meet considerations tendered to the learned prolocvtor , and to the rest of the assembly of divines , met at westminster . by a true lover of truth and peace . imprinted , m.dc.xliv . a modest offer of some meet considerations , tendered to the learned prolocutor , and to the rest of the assembly of divines met at vvestminster . learned and reverend brethren ; if you be now ( as is supposed ) upon the advise of a forme of church-government ; i beseech you , in the feare of god , setting aside all prejudice , to take into your sad thoughts these considerations following . it is ( i perceive ) an usuall prayer of many preachers well affected to your assembly , that god would now ( after yeares universall practice of the whole church of christ , upon earth ) shew you the patterne in the mount ; as if , after so long and perfect inquisitions , there could be any new discoveries of the forme that was , or should be ; wherein , i suppose their well-meaning is not a little injurious both to the knowne truth , and to you : for , what revelations can we expect thus late ? or what monuments of either scripture , or history can now be hoped to be brought to light , which your eyes have not seene , and former ages have not inquired into ? surely , ye well know , there can be but these three forms of church-government , possibly devised ; either by bishops , or by presbyteries , or by the multitude of several and select congregations : every of which , have both their abettors , and thei● adversaries ; the first hath all times , and places , since the dayes of the blessed apostles , till this age , to stand for it ; the second hath the late persecuted , reformed church of france , ( which never desired , nor meant to make their necessitated forme , a patterne for others ) the netherlands , and scotland , for precedents of it ; the third hath the ministers of new-england , and their associates , commonly styled by the name of independents , vehemently contending for it : the adversaries of every of these are as well known , as their friends ; and the pleas , which every of them makes for it selfe , are as well known as either . i suppose it is yet res integra ; else , i should lay my finger upon my lips ; both the houses of parliament , your assembly , and the whole kingdome , stand yet free , and unengaged to any part : for the national covenant ( as it is interpreted by some of your selves , and those other divines whose allowed sermons have commented upon it ) intends not to abjure , and disclaime episcopacie , as such ; but only bends against the whole present fabrick of government , as it is built on these arches , these pedestalls ; so as if it be taken asunder from those ( some of them , not necessary ) appendances , you are no way forstalled in your judgement against it ; nor any other , that hath lift up his hand in this solemne covenant . that i may not urge the latine translation of the same covenant , printed and sent abroad to the low-countries and france , and other churches , which ran onely upon tyrannicum regimen episcoporum ; that onely the tyrannicall government of the prelates , not their fatherly and brotherly preeminence , is there abjured . your wisdomes know well how to distinguish betwixt a calling , and the abuses of the execution thereof ; betwixt the maine substance of a calling , and the circumstantiall and separable appurtenances thereunto ; from which it may be devested , and yet stand intire . i should be a flatterer of the times past ( which is not often seene ) if i should take upon me to justifie , or approve of all the carriages of some that have been entrusted with the keyes of ecclesiasticall government ; or to blanch over the corruptions of consistoriall officers ; in both these , there was fault enough , to ground both a complaint , and reformation ; and , may that man never prosper , that desires not an happy reformation of what ever hath been , or is amisse in the church of god ; but this i offer to your serious consideration , whether episcopacie , stripped of all circumstances that may be justly excepted against , and reduced to the primitive estate , may not be thought a forme , both better in it selfe , and more fit for this kingdome and church , then either of the other . how ancient it is , i need not appeale to any but your selves , who doe well know , that there was never yet any history of the church , wherein there was not full mention made of bishops , as the onely governours thereof ; neither can any learned adversary deny , that they have continued , with the generall allowance of gods church , from the very apostolike times , untill this present age . and whether it can be safe , and , lye not open to much scandall , to exchange so ancient an institution hitherto perpetuated to the church , for a new , where no necessity inforces us , judge ye . how universall it is , being the onely received government of all the christian churches over the face of the whole earth , ( excepting onely this small spot of our neighbourhood ) ye know as well , as the undoubted relation of the christianographie can tell you : and how unsafe it may be , to depart from the forme of all the churches , that professe the name of christ , ( who doe all submit themselves to bishops , or superintendents , except the fore-excepted ) i leave to your grave judgement . besides , how episcopacie is , and hath long been setled in this kingdome , and ( as it were ) incorporated into it ; and enwoven into the municipall laws of this land , so as that it cannot be utterly removed , without much alteration in the whole body of our lawes ; is a matter well worthy of not the least consideration . but , all these would yet seeme light upon the balance , if there were not an intrinsecall worth in the institution it selfe , that might sway with you : the covenant bindes to the indeavour of such a government , as is according to the word of god , and the example of the best reformed churches . and now , let me appeale to your owne hearts , and the hearts of all judicious and unprejudicate readers , whether the rules of church-government , laid forth in the epistles to timothie and titus , doe not suppose , and import that very proper jurisdiction , which is claimed by episcopacie at this day : which , if it were not intended to be left as a perfect pattern to succession ; the whole church of christ should have been left in the dark , without any direction for the succeeding administration thereof : those charges are plainly given , not to many , but to one ; and doe most manifestly imply not a parity , but preeminence and power . and if the example of the best churches must carry it : what church could be more pure , and more fit for our imitation , then the primitive ? and that part of it which immediately followed the apostles of our blessed saviour jesus christ ? and doe not you full wel know , that our histories , and unquestionable authors name the men , whom those apostles , by imposition of hands , ordained to this function ? do not ignatius , irenaeus , tertullian , polycrates , egesippus , clemens , eusebius , ierome instance in those persons , who succeeded each other in those first sees ? if you tell me of the difference betwixt the episcopacie of those first ages of the church , and that of the present times ; i doe willingly yeeld it , but , withall , i must adde , that it is not in any thing essentiall to the calling , but in matters outward , and meerly adventitious ; the abatement whereof ( if it shall be found needfull ) diminisheth nothing from the substance of that holy institution ; what can be more expresse , then , in the ancientest of them , the blessed martyr , ignatius , the mention of the three distinct degrees of bishops , presbyters , deacons ; encharged with their severall duties which were yet never intermitted , and let fall to this present day ; how frequently , and vehemently doth he in his genuine epistles ( twice in that to the ephesians ) call for due subjection to the bishop and the presbyterie ? how distinctly doth he in his epistle to the magnesians , name their bishop , dama ; and their presbyters , bassus , apollonius , stephanus ? how doth he in his epistle ad trallianos set forth the bishop {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and the presbyterie , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. and if any man shall be so unjustly scrupulous , as to call into question the credit of this gracious author , ( reserved , no doubt , by a speciall providence , for the conviction of the schismes of these last times ) therein out-doing vedelius himselfe , ( who stoutly asserteth some of these epistles , whiles he rejects others as suppositious ) let him cast his eyes upon the no lesse famous , and holy martyr , and bishop , polycarpus ; who ( as irenaeus , an unquestionable author tels us , one , whose eyes beheld that saint ) did not onely converse with those that had seene christ , but also was by the apostles constituted in asia , bishop of the church of smyrna . let him , if he can , deny cyprian the holy martyr and bishop of carthage , writing familiarly to the presbyters , and deacons there ; sometimes gravely reproving them ; sometimes fatherly admonishing them of their duties ; in divers of his epistles . let him deny , that his contemporanye cornelius , bishop of rome , acknowledgeth . presbyters committed by the catholique church , to his charge : shortly , let him , if he stick at this truth , deny that there was any christian church of old , any historie . all which duly considered , i would faine know what reason can be shewed , why that ancient , yea first government by the bishop and his presbyterie , received , and with all good approbation and successe , used in the primitive church , and derived ( though not without some faulty omissions , and intertextures , which may easily be remedied ) untill this present day , should not rather take place ; then a government lately , and occasionally raised up in the church , for the necessity , or convenience of some speciall places , and persons ; without any intention of an universall rule and prescription . if you shall say that this government by bishops hath been found , by sad experience , hitherto , a block in the way of perfect reformation , destructive to the power of godlinesse , and pure administration of the ordinances of christ ; give me leave to answer ; that , first , i feare , the independent part , will be apt to say no lesse of the presbyterian ; boldly pressing their defects , both in constitution , and practice ; and publiquely averring , the exquisitely-reformed way to lye betwixt the episcopall , and calvinian , which they have had the happinesse to light upon ; neither want there , those , who , upon challenge of further illumination , taxe those semi-separists , as comming far too short of that perfection of reformation , which themselves have attained . secondly , i must , in the feare of god , beseech you here to make use of that necessary distinction , betwixt callings , and persons ; for it oftentimes fals out , that the calling unjustly suffers for that , whereof onely the person is guilty ; let the calling be never so holy , & the rules of administration never so wise , and perfect ; yet if the person , in whose trust they are , be either negligent , or corrupt , or impotent in ordering his passions and carriage , it cannot be but all things must goe amisse , and much disorder and confusion must needs follow to the church of god ; and if such hath been the case in some late times , why should the blame be laid upon the calling , which both is innocent , and might have been better improved ? give me a bishop ( such there have been , and such there are , let d. potter the late bishop of carlile , for instance , be one ) that is truly conscionable , pious , painfull , zealous in promoting the glory of god , ready to encourage all faithfull preachers , and to censure and correct the lazie , and scandalous ; carefull of the due imposition of his hands ; meek and unblameable in all his carriage ; and now tell me how the government of such an one ( regulated by the holy and wholsome lawes of our church ) can be said to be obstructive to the successe of the gospel , or to destroy the power of godlines ? certainly , if all be not such , the fault is in the men ; their calling doth not onely admit of , but incites them to all vertue and goodnesse ; whereof if they be defective , let the person take off the blame from the function . neither doubt i to affirme , that it may well be made good , that the perfectest reformation , which the church of god can be capable of , here upon earth , may consist with episcopacie , so regulated , as it may be , if it please the high court of parliament to pitch upon that course : and indeed how can it be conceived , that the carefull inspection of one constant , prudent , and vigilant overseer , super-added to a grave and judicious presbyterie , should be any hindrance to the progresse of godlinesse ? especially , when he is so limited by the bounds of good lawes and constitutions , that he cannot run out , without the danger of a just censure ; there are already many excellent rules of government , if they were awaked , and actuated by full authority ; and , where there is any deficiency , more might be easily added to make the body of church-lawes complete . to give a taste of what may be effected , with very little or no alteration of one forme of government to another . i remember one of our brethren of scotland , in a discourse tending to the advancing of the presbyterian way , tells us , that dr. montague , the late worthy bishop of winchester , asked king james of blessed memory , ( whose sweet affability the world well knew ) how it came about , that there were so few heresies , and errors of doctrine , broached , and prosecuted , to the publique disturbance of the church of scotland ? unto which , the wise and learned king is said to have returned this answer ; that every parish hath their pastor , ever present with them , and watching over them ; that the pastor hath his elders and deacons , sorted with him ; that he with them , once a week , meets at a set time and place , for the censure of manners , or what ever disorder falls out in the parish ; so as he , by this meanes , perfectly knowes his flock ; and every aberration of them , either in matter of opinion , or practice : and , lest any error , or heresie may seize upon the pastor ; they have their presbyteries , consisting of severall shrivalties , which meet together in the chiefe towne or city next to them , every week also once ; and have there their exercise of prophecying ; after which , the moderator of the said meeting asks and gathers the judgements of all the said pastors , concerning the doctrine then delivered , or , of any other doubtfull point , that is then and there propounded ; and if the said presbyters be divided in their opinions , then the question is , under an injoyned silence , put over to the next synode , which is held twice a yeare ; unto that all the pastors of that quarter , or province duly resort ; accompanyed with their elders ; the moderator of the former synode begins the action ; then a new moderator is chosen for the present , or ( as it seldome falls out ) the last moderator , by voices , continued . any question of doubt being proposed , is either decided by that meeting , or ( if it cannot be so done ) is , with charge of silence , reserved till the nationall synode , or generall assembly ; which they hold every yeare once ; whither come not the pastors onely , but the king himselfe , or his commissioners ; and some of all orders and degrees , sufficiently authorized for the determining of any controversie , that shall arise amongst them . thus he . and certainly this beares the face of a very faire and laudable course , and such , as deserves the approbation of all the wel-willers to that discipline : but let me adde , that we either have , or may have , ( in this very same state of things , with some small variation ) in effect , the same government with us ; onely there wants some care and life in their execution , which might , without much difficulty , be redressed ; every parish hath , or by law ought to have their minister ever present with them ; and carefully watching over them . in stead then of their pastor , elders , and deacons ; we have in every parish , the minister , whether a rector , or vicar ; churchwardens , questmen , or sidemen , and overseers for the poore ; and in places of any eminence , a curate or assistent to the rector , who is a deacon at least ; these may , and ought , and , in some places , doe duly meet together , every week , on a set day , in their vestry ; and decide such differences as happen amongst them ; and may well be enjoyned , to take notice of such abuses and mis-demeanours , as are incident into their parish , for their speedy reformation , within the verge of their owne power . in stead of their presbyteries , consisting of severall pastors , we have our number , and combination of ministers , in the divisions of our severall deanries ; under which , are ranged all the ministers within that circuit ; over whom the rurall deane ( as he is called ) is every year chosen , by the said ministers of that division , as their moderator , for the yeare ensuing ; whose office ( if it were carefully looked unto , and reduced to the originall institution ) might be of singular use to gods church ; this deanry , or presbytery , consisting of severall pastors , may be injoyned to meet together every moneth , or oftner ( if it seeme fit ) in some city or town next unto them ; and may there have their exercise of prophesying , as i have known it practiced in some parts of this kingdom ; and as it is earnestly wished and recommended , by that excellently-learned lord , verulame , late lord chancelour of england , in his prudent considerations : and then , and there , may indevour to decide any doubt , that may arise in their severall parishes ; either concerning the doctrine of their minister , or scruple in cases of conscience , and may transact any publique businesse that may concerne their whole division ; but if any such matter or question should arise , as their divided opinions cannot fully determine ; it may ( under charge of silence ) be put over to a more publique meeting ; which is the synodall assembly of the clergy held twice a yeare , under the moderation ( hitherto ) of the archdeacon ; and if there the question fayle , of a full determination , it is , or may be referred , ( with like silence and peace ) to a diocesan synode , which may be held every yeare once ; under the presidency of the bishop ; and if yet the decision come not home , it may be referred to the determining of a provinciall synod , or yet higher , to a nationall : so as in these cases of doubts , or errors , if men would not be wanting to themselves , nothing needs to be wanting in the state we now stand in , to the safety , and happinesse of our church . for matter of ordination of ministers ; the former constitutions of our church , have deeply enjoyned the presence , and assistance of those , who by their originall institution , are the presbyterie of the bishop , at , and , in , the examination , and allowance of the persons to be ordained ; requiring also , the joynt-imposition of those hands , which attested the sufficiency of the said examinates ; not without a severe sanction of two yeares suspension , of the act of ordaining , to passe upon any bishop , or suffragane , that shall be found failing in any of the particulars ; the qualification of those that are to be ordained , is in our canons already set forth , with much caution ; for their age , their degrees , their abilities , the testimonie of their holy conversation ; neither need i doubt to affirm , that he , who ( besides all other circumstances of education ) is able to give a good account of his faith in latine , according to the received articles of the church of england , and to confirme the same by sufficient testimonies , out of the holy scripture , may be thought competently fit , ( for matter of knowledge ) to enter upon the first step of deaconship ; which the wisdome of the church hath ( according to the apostles rule ) appointed ( not without a sufficient distance of time ) in way of probation , to the higher order of ministery ; forbidding to give both orders at once ; and requiring , that he , who is ordained deacon , shall continue a whole yeare , at least , in that station , except , upon some weighty reasons , it shall seeme fit to the bishop , to contract the time limited : and , lest there should be any subreption in this sacred businesse , it is ordered , that these ordinations should be no other then solemne , both in respect of time and place ; neither ought they to be , nor in some places are , without a publique preconization of lawfull warning affixed upon the cathedrall church doore , where the said ordination shall be celebrated ; and over and besides the charge , that none shall be admitted to be a candidate of holy orders , but he who brings sufficient testimonials of his good life and conversation , under the seale of some colledge in cambridge or oxford , or of three , or foure grave ministers , together with the subscription and testimonie of other credible persons , who have known his life and behaviour , by the space of three yeeres next before ; it is well knowne to you , that before the act of ordination there is publique proclamation made to the whole assembly , that if any man knowes any crime or impediment in any of the persons presented , for which he ought not to be ordained , that hee should come forth and declare it before any hand be laid upon his head , for his full admission . notwithstanding all which care of our deare mother the church of england ; if it shall bee thought meet , that any further act of tryall , shall passe upon those , which are suitors for ordination , how easily may it be ordered , that at the monethly ( or , if need be , more frequent ) meeting of the ministers , within the same presbyterie , or deanrie ; they may be appointed to make tryall of their gifts , and undergoe such further examination of their abilities , as shall bee thought requisite , ere they shall be presented , and admitted by the bishop , and his presbyterie to that holy function . and whereas it is much stood upon , that it is meet the people , ( whose soules must have right in him , to whose trust they are committed ) should have some hand in their consent to that pastor , by whom they must be fed ; it must be said , that besides their devolution of their right to the patron , who , as their trustee , presents a minister for them , it may be no prejudice at all to the power which by law and inheritance is setled upon the patron , that the person whom his choyce pitches upon , be appointed before hand to preach , ( for a triall ) to that congregation to which he is so designed , and if either for his voice , or other just exceptions he be found unmeet for them , that another , more fit may be recommended by the said patron to the place ; but if through faction , or self-will , or partialitie , the multitude shall prove pe●vish , and fastidious , they may , in such a case , be over-ruled by just authority . as for matter of censures , it may not be denyed , that there hath been great abuse in the managing of them , both upon ecclesiasticall persons , and others : suspension of ministers upon slight , and insufficient causes ; both ab officio , and beneficio , hath been too rife in some places of later times ; and the dreadfull sentence of excommunication hath too frequently , and familiarly passed upon light and triviall matters : how happy were it , if a speedy course may be taken , for the prevention of this evil ; in the conference at hampton-court , a motion was strongly made to this purpose , but without effect ; if the wisedom of the present parliament shall settle some other way for the curbing of contumatious offences against church-authority , it will be an act worthy of their care and justice . in the meane time , as for this , and all other ecclesiasticall proceedings , it may with much facility , and willing consent of all parts , be ordered , that the bishop shal not take upon him , to inflict either this , or any other important censure , without the concurrence of his presbitery ; which shall be a meanes ( in all likelyhood ) to prevent any inconvenience that may arise from the wonted way of judicature . as for the co-assession of a lay-presbyterie , in swaying these affaires of church-government ; ye well know how new it is ; some of you might have been acquainted with the man that brought it first into any part of this island ; and what ground there is for it , either in scripture , or antiquity , i appeale to your judgement : surely , the late learned author of the counsaile for the reforming the church of england , ( although otherwise a vehement assertor of the french discipline ) ingenuously confesseth , that however those protestants which live under popish governours , have done wisely , in deputing some choise men , selected out of their congregations , whom they call elders , to share with their pastors , in the care and management of ecclesiasticall affaires ; yet , those protestant churches which live under the government of protestant princes , may with the safety of those respects , which mutually intercede betwixt pastors and people , forbeare any such deputation : for as much , as the supreme magistrate , transfers ( for the most part ) to himselfe , that , which is the wonted charge of those deputed elders ; concluding , that those men , do meerely lose their labour , who so busily indevour on the one side , to disprove the antiquity of the lay-eldership ; and , on the other , by weak proofes to maintaine , ( cleane contrary to the minde of the apostle ) that the text of saint paul ( tim. . . ) is to be understood of pastors , and lay-elders ; thus he ; with what faire probability , i leave to your judgment . neither is it any intention of mine to meddle with any piece of that government , which obtaineth in other the churches of god ; but onely , to contribute my poor opinion , concerning the now-to-be-setled affaires of our own . what shall i need to suggest unto you the dangerous under-workings of other sects ? secretly indevouring to spring their hidden mines to the overthrow both of the one government , and the other ; whereof , without speedy remedy , perhaps it will be too late to complaine ; no doubt , the wisdom , and authority of that great senate ( whom ye also serve to advise ) will forthwith interpose it self to the prevention of those mischiefes , which the variety of these heresies , and sects ( though some of them cloaked with the fayrest pretences ) threaten to this poor church : it is no boot for me to tel you , that the lesse disunion there is , the more ground of safety ; and that where the holy purposes of reformation may be effected , with the least change , there must needs be the most hope of accordance . the rest to the wise application of the powerfull and judicious ; it is enough for me to have thus boldly shot my bolt amongst you ; and to have thus freely discovered my honest , and well meant thoughts to so able judgments ; what i want in my poor indevours shall be supplyed with my prayers , that god would be pleased to compose all our miserable distractions , and to put an happy issue , to the long and perilous agitations of this wofully tottering and bleeding church and kingdome ; which the good god of heaven vouchsafe to grant for his great mercies sake , and for the sake of the dear sonne of his love jesus christ , the just . amen . septemb. . . philalethirenaeus . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- iren. advers. haeres . l. . c. . susurrium cum deo soliloqvies, or, holy self-conferences of the devout soul upon sundry choice occasions with humble addresses to the throne of grace : together with the souls farwell to earth and approaches to heaven / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) susurrium cum deo soliloqvies, or, holy self-conferences of the devout soul upon sundry choice occasions with humble addresses to the throne of grace : together with the souls farwell to earth and approaches to heaven / by jos. hall. hall, joseph, - . hall, joseph, - . soules farewell to earth and approaches to heaven. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [ ], , [ ] p. printed by will. hunt and are to be sold by george lathum junior, london : . "the sovles farewell to earth and approaches to heaven" (p. - ) has special t.p. reproduction of original in the british library. eng devotional literature. a r (wing h ). civilwar no susurrium cum deo. soliloquies: or, holy self-conferences of the devout soul, upon sundry choice occasions, with humble addresses to the thr hall, joseph b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion susurrium cum deo soliloqvies : or , holy self-conferences of the devout soul , upon sundry choice occasions , with humble addresses to the throne of grace . together with the souls farwell to earth , and approaches to heaven . the second edition . by jos. hall , b. norwich . london , printed by will : hunt , and are to be sold by george lathum junior , at the signe of the bishops head in st pauls churchyard . . the authors svpplicatory dedication . to thee only , o my god , who hast put these holy thoughts into my soule , doe i most humbly desire to dedicate both my selfe and them ; earnestly beseeching thee graciously to accept of both : and that thou wouldst be pleased to accompany and follow these my weak practicall devotions , with a sensible blessing in every reader . let these good meditations not rest in the eie , but descend into the bosome of the perusers : and effectually worke in their hearts , that warmth of pious affections , which i have here presumed to exemplifie in mine ; to the glory of thy great name , and our mutuall comfort , in the day of the glorious appearing of our lord jesus . amen . the heads of the severall soliloquies . . the best prospect . . the happy parting , . heavenly conversation . . love unchangeable . . the happiest object . . vnchangeable duration . . trust upon triall . . angelicall familiarity . . the unanswerable christian . . hellish hostility . . false joy . . true light . . bosome-discourse . . the insensible fetters . . satans prevalence . . leasurely growth . . allowable variety . . misconstructions of holinesse . . two heavens in one . . the stock imployed . . love of life . . equall distribution . . the bodies subjection . . the ground of unproficiency . . the sure refuge . . the light burden . . joy intermitted . . vniversall interest . . the spiritual bedleem . . the difference of actions . the necessity of labour . . acquaintance with heaven . . the all-sufficient knowledge . . poor greatness . . acceptation of desires . . heavenly ioyes . . mixed contentments . . true wealth . . false light . . the haste of desire . . deaths remembrancers . . faiths victory . . the unfailing friend . . quiet humility . . sure mercies . . dangerous prosperity . . cheerfull obedience . . heavenly accordance . . divine bounty . . sweet use of power . . the power of conscience . . proud poverty . . the happiest society . . honey from the rock . . sure earnest . . heavenly manna . . the hearts treasure . . the narrow way . . gods various proceedings . . the waking guardian . . the sting of guiltines . . beneficiall want . . interchange of conditions . . the rule of devotion . . hels triumph . . dumbe homage . . indifferency of events . . the transcendent love . . choice of seasons . . the happy return home . . the confinements of age . . sin without sense . . the extremes of devotion . . the sick mans vowes . . the suggestions of a false heart . . sacred melody . . blemishes of the holy function . . the blessed reward . . presages of judgement . . vnwearied motion , and rest eternall . june the th , . i have perused these divine and holy soliloquies between god and the faithfull soule , and doe finde them to bee so pious and profitable , so sweet and comfortable , and full of pious and spiritual devotion , that i judge them well worthy to be printed and published . iohn downame . selfe-conferences . soliloq . i. the best prospect . o my god , i shall not bee worthy of my eyes , if i think i can imploy them better , than in looking up to thy heaven : and shall i not be worthy to look up to heaven , if i suffer my eyes to rest there , and not looke through heaven at thee , the almighty maker and ruler of it ; who dwell'st there in all glory and majesty ; and if seeing thee i doe not alwaies adore thee , and find my soul taken up with awfull and admiring thoughts concerning thee : i see many eyes have looked curiously upon that glorious frame else they could not have made so punctuall observation of the fire , and motion of those goodly globes of light , which thou hast placed there , as to fortell all their conjunctions , and oppositions , for many hundred yeeres before ; but , whiles they look at the motions , let me look at the mover ; wondring , not without ravishment of spirit , at that infinite power and wisddome , which keepes up those numberlesse and immense bodies in so perfect a regularity , that they all keepe their just stations , and times , without the least varying from the course which thou settedst them in their first creation ; so whiles their observation makes them the wiser , mine shall make me the holier . much variety of objects hast thou given us , here below , which do commonly take up our eyes ; but it shall bee my fault , if all those doe not rather lead my thoughts to thee , than withdraw them from thee ; since thy power and majesty is clearly conspicuous in them all . o god , whiles i have eyes , let me never but see thee in all things , let me never but enjoy thee ; let me see thee here as thou maiest be seen , by the eye of faith , till i may see , as i am seen , hereafter , in glory : let me see thee as through a glasse darkly here on earth , till i may come to see thee face to face in heaven . soliloq . ii. the happy parting . i have lived divers yeers longer than holy david did ; yet i can truely say with him ; if that psalme were his which hath the title of moses ; we have brought our yeares to an end , as it were a tale that is told : me thinks , o my soule , it is but yesterday since we met ; and now we are upon parting ; neither shall we , i hope , be unwilling to take leave ; for what advantage can it bee to us to hold out longer together ? one peece of me cannot but grow more infirme with use and time ; and therupon must follow a decay of all faculties , and operations : where the tooles are growne bad and dull , what worke can be exquisite ? thou seest it then necessary , and inevitable that we must yeeld to age , and grow worse with continuance . and what privilege can meer time give us in our duration ? we see the basest of stones last longer than the durablest plants ; and we see trees hold out longer then any sensitive creatures ; and divers of those sensitive creatures out-last man , the lord of them all : neither are any of these held more excellent because they weare out more houres : wee know henoch was more happy that was fetcht away at three hundred sixty five yeares , than methuselah at nine hundred sixty and nine : difference of age doth nothing but pull downe a side where there are not supplies of increasing abilities . should we continue our partnership many yeares longer , could wee hope for more health and strength of body , more vigour of understanding and judgement , more heate of good affections ? and can wee doubt that it will be else-where better with us ? doe wee not know what abides for us above ? are we not assured that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved , we have a building of god , an house not made with hands , eternall in the heavens . why therefore , oh , why , should ye be loath to part upon faire termes ? thou , o my soule , to the possession of that happy mansion , which thy deare saviour hath from eternity prepared for thee in his fathers house : and thou , o my body , to that quiet repository of thy grave , till ye both shall happily meet in the blessed resurrection of the just , never , never to be severed ? soliloq . iii. heavenly conversation . it matters not a little with whom wee hold our familiar conversation ; for commonly wee are transformed into the dispositions and manners of those whose company we frequent : we daily see those who by haunting the society of drunkards , and debauched persons , have from civill and orderly men growne into extremity of lewdnesse ; and on the contrary , those who have consorted themselves with the holy and vertuous , have attained to a gracious participation of their sanctity : why shouldst thou not then , o my soule , by a continuall conversation with god , and his angels , improve to an heavenly disposition ? thou canst not , whiles thou art here , but have somewhat to doe with the world ; that will necessarily intrude into thy presence , and force upon thee businesses unavoidable ; and thy secular friends may well looke to have some share in thy sociable entertainements : but these are but goers and commers , easily and willingly dismissed , after some kind interlocutions : the company that must stick by thee is spirituall , which shall never leave thee , if thou have the grace to apply thy selfe to them upon all occasions . thou maist hold faire correspondence with all other not offensive companions ; but thy entirenesse must be onely with these . let those other be never so faithfull , yet they are uncertaine ; bee their will never so good , yet their power is limited ; these are never but at hand , never but able , and willing to make and keepe thee happy . o my god , thou seest how subject i am to distractions ; oh hold mee close to thee : let me enter into the same company here in my pilgrimage , which i shall for ever enjoy hereafter in my home . solilo . iv. love unchangeable . our younger years are wont to bee delightted with variety , and to be much affected to a change , although to the worse : the childe is better pleased with his new coat , though the old be farre handsomer : whereas age and experience fixeth our desires and teacheth us to set the greatest vallue upon those good things wherewith we have been longest acquainted . yea , it is the generall disposition of nature to be cloyed with continued blessings , and upon long fruition to complaine of that good which we first commended for pleasing , and beneficiall : what could relish better with the israelites the first morning than the angels food which fell downe from heaven every day about their campe ? the taste whereof was like to wafers made with honey : if we stay but a while , wee shall , ere many yeeres , heare them calling for the onions and garlike of egypt ; and crying out : now our soule is dried away ; there is nothing but this manna before our eyes . our wanton appetite is apt to be weary of the best blessings , both of earth and heaven , and to nauseate with store : neither is any thing more tedious to us , than the enjoyned repetition of a daily-tasked devotion . but contrarily , grace endeares all blessings to us by their continuance , and heightens our affections , where they are rightly placed , by the length of the time of their enjoying . o god , it is thy mercy that thou hast vouchsafed to allow mee an early interest in thee , even from my tender yeeres , : the more and longer i have known thee , the more cause have i still found to love thee , and adore thee ; thou art ever one and unchangeable ; oh make thou my heart so ; devote thou me wholly unto thee ; and by how much cooler my old age is in all other affections , inflame it so much the more in my love to thee . solil . v. the happiest object . if we could attaine to settle in our thoughts a right apprehension of the majesty of god , it would put us unto the comfortable exercise of all the affections that belong to the soule : for surely , if wee could conceive aright of his omnipotent power , and transcending glory , and incomprehensible infinitenesse , we could not but tremble before him , and be alwaies taken up with an adoring feare of him : and , if we could apprehend his infinite goodnesse both in himselfe and to mankinde , wee could not but be ravished with a fervent love to him , and should thinke our selves happy , that we might bee allowed to love such a god ; and if we could conceive of that absolute beauty of his holinesse , and blissefull presence , we could not but be enflamed with a longing desire to enjoy such a god ; and if wee could apprehend all these ; we could not bee but both transported with an unspeakeable joy , that we have a sure interest in a god so holy , so good , so almighty , so glorious , and stricken with an unexpressible griefe , that we should either offend him , or suffer our selves to want but for a moment the feeling presence of that all-sufficient , and all-comprehending majesty : on the contrary , those men begin at the wrong end , who go about to draw their affections to god first , and then after seeke to have their mindes enlightned with right conceits of his essence and attributes : who meeting with those occurrent temptations , which mainly crosse them in their desires and affections , are strait set off from prosecuting their good motions , and are as new to seeke of a god , as if they had never bent their thoughts towards heaven . o god , let it be the maine care of my life , to know thee , and whom thou hast sent jesus christ thy son my saviour . i cannot through thy mercy fail of an heavenly disposition of soule whiles i am here , and of a life of eternall glory with thee hereafter . solilo . vi . vnchangeable duration . in the first minute wherin wee live , we enter upon an eternity of being ; and , though at the first , through the want of the exercise of reason , we cannot know it ; and afterwards , through our inconsideration , and the bewitching businesses of time , we doe not seriously lay it to heart , we are in a state of everlastingnesse ; there must upon the necessity of our mortality be a change of our condition , but with a perpetuity of our being ; the body must undergo a temporary dissolution , and the soule a remove , either to blisse or torment ; but both of them , upon their meeting , shall continue in an unchangeable duration , for ever and ever : and if wee are wont to slight transitory and vanishing commodities , by reason of their momentany continuance , and to make most account of things durable ; what care and great thoughts ought i to bestow upon my selfe , who shall outlast the present world ; and how ought i to frame my life so , as it may fall upon an eternity infinitely happy and glorious ? o god , doe thou set off my heart from all these earthly vanities , and fix it above with thee . as there shall bee no end of my being , so let there bee no change of my affections ; let them before-hand take possession of that heaven of thine , whereto i am aspiring : let nothing but this clay of mine bee left remaining upon this earth whereinto it is mouldring ; let my spirituall part bee ever with thee whence it came , and enter upon that blisse which knows neither change nor end . soliloq . vii . trust upon triall . what a providence there is over all the creatures in the world , which both produceth them to their being , and over-rules , and carries them on , to and in their dissolution without their knowledge , or intended cooperation ; but for those whom god hath indued with the faculty of ratiocination , how easie is it to observe the course of the divine proceedings with them , how that all-wise god contrives their affaires and events quite beyond , and above the power of their weak projections ; how he prevents their desires , how he fetches about inexpected and improbable occurrences to their hinderance , or advantage ; sometimes blessing them with successe , beyond all their hopes , sometimes blasting their projects , when their blossomes are at the fairest ? surely , if i looke onely in a dull stupidity upon the outsides of all accidents , that befall me , and not improve my reason and faith to discerne , and acknowledge that invisible power , that orders them to his owne , and their ends , i shall bee little better than bruitish ; and if upon the observation of all that good hand of god , sensibly leading mee on , in all the waies of my younger , and riper age , in so many feeling and apparent experiments of his gracious provisions and protections , i shall not have learned to trust him with the small remainder of my daies , and the happy close of that life which he hath so long , and mercifully preserved , the favours of a bountifull god shall have been cast away upon a barren , and unthankfull heart . o god , i am such as thou hast made me , make up thy good worke in me , and keep me that i do not marre my selfe with my wretched unbeliefe , i have tryed thee to the full ; oh that i could cast my selfe wholly upon thee ; and trust thee both with my body and soule , for my safe passage to that blessed home ; and for the perfect accomplishment of my glory , in thine . soliloq . viii . angelicall familiarity . there is no reason to induce a man to thinke that the good angels are not as assiduously present with us , for our good , as the evill angels are for our hurt ; since we know that the evill spirits cannot bee more full of malice to work our harm , than the blessed angels are full of charity , & wel-wishing to mankinde ; and the evill are only let loose to tempt us by a permission of the almighty , wheras the good are by a gracious delegation from god encharged with our custody ; now , that the evill spirits are ever at hand , ready upon all occasions to present their services to us for our furtherance to mischiefe , appeares too plainly in their continuall temptations which they inject into our thoughts ; in their reall and speedy operations with the spels and charmes of their wicked clients , which are no lesse effectually answered by them , immediately , upon their practice , than naturall causes are by their ordinary and regular productions . it must needs follow therefore , that the good angels are as close to us , and as inseparable from us : and though we see neither , yet hee that hath spirituall eyes perceives them both , and is accordingly affected to their presence . if then wicked men sticke not to goe so far as to endanger , and draw on their owne damnation , by familiarly conversing with malignant spirits ; why should not i for the unspeakable advantage of any soule affect an awfully-familiar conversation with those blessed angels which i know to be with me ? the language of spirits are thoughts : why doe not i entertaine them in my secret cogitations , and hold an holy discourse with them in mentall allocutions ; and so carry my selfe as that i may ever hold faire correspondence with those invisible companions , and may expect from them all gracious offices , of holy motions , carefull protection , and at last an happy conveyance to my glory ? o my soule , thou art a spirit , as they are ; doe thou ever see them , as they see thee ; and so speak to them , as they speake to thee ; and blesse thy god for their presence , and tuition ; and take heed of doing ought that may cause those heavenly guardians to turne away their faces from thee as asham'd of their charge . soliloq . ix . the unanswerable christian . it is no small griefe to any good heart that loves the lord jesus in sincerity , to see how utterly unanswerable the greater sort of men that beare the name of christ are to the example and precepts of that christ whose name they beare : he was humble and meeke , they proud and insolent ; hee bade us love our enemies , they hardly can love their friends ; he prayed for his persecutors , they curse ; hee that had the command of all , cared not to possesse any thing , they not having right to much , would possesse all ; hee bade us give our coat also to him that takes our cloak , they take both coat and cloake from him that hath it ; he bade us turne our cheek for the other blow , they will bee sure to give two blowes for one ; he paid obedience to a foster father , and tribute to caesar , they despise government ; his trade was onely doing good , spending the night in praying , the day in preaching and healing ; they debauch their time , revelling away the night , and sleeping away , or mispending the day ; he forbad oaths , they not onely sweare and forsweare , but blaspheme too ; hee bade us make friends of the mammon of unrighteousnes , they make mammon their god ; hee bade us take up his crosse , they impose their own ; he bad us lay up our treasure in heaven , they place their heaven in earth ; he bids us give to them that ask , they take violently from the owners ; he bade us return good for evill , they for good return evill ; he charged his disciples to love one another , they nourish malice and rancor against their brethren ; hee left peace for a legacy to his followers , they are apt to set the world on fire : his businesse was to save , theirs to destroy . o god , let rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because they do no better keep the law of thy gospel . give grace to all that are called by thy name , to walke worthy of that high profession wherto they are called : and keepe me thy unworthy servant that i may never deviate from that blessed patterne which thou hast set before me : oh let mee never shame that great name that is put upon me : let mee in all things approve my self a christian in earnest ; and so conform my selfe to thee , in all thy example and commands , that it may be no dishonour to thee to owne mee for thine . soliloq . x. hellish hostility . i cannot but observe how universall it is in all kindes for one creature to prey upon another , the greater fishes devoure the lesse , the birds of rapine feed upon the smaller foules , the ravenous wild beasts sustaine themselves with the flesh of the weaker and tamer cattle ; the dog pursues the hare , the cat the mouse ; yea the very moale under the earth hunts for the worm , and the spider in our window for the flye : whether it pleased god to ordain this antipathy in nature , or whether mans sin brought this enmity upon the creature i enquire not , this i am sure of ; that both god hath given unto man ( the lord of this inferiour world ) leave and power , to prey upon all these his fellow-creatures ; and to make his use of them , both for his necessity , and lawfull pleasure ; and that the god of this world is only hee that hath stirred up men to prey upon one another ; some to eat their flesh , as the savage indians ; others to destroy their lives , estates , good names : this proceedes only from him that is a murtherer from the beginning . o my soule , doe thou mourne in secret to see the great enemy of mankinde so wofully prevalent as to make the earth so bloody a shambles to the sons of men ; and to see christians so outragiously cruell to their own flesh : and o thou that art the lord of hosts , and the god of peace , restraine thou the violent fury of those which are called by thy name , and compose these unhappy quarrels amongst them that should be brethren . let me ( if it may stand with thy blessed will ) once again see peace smile ore the earth , before i come to see thy face in glory . soliloq . xi . false joy . amongst these publicke blusters of the world , i finde many men that secretly applaud themselves in the conceit of an happy peace which they find in their bosom : where all is calme and quiet ; no distemper of passions , no fear of evill , no sting of remorse , no disturbance of doubts ; but all smoothnesse of brow , and all tranquility of minde ; whose course of life , yet , without any great enquiry hath appeared to bee not over-strict and regular . i hear them boast of their condition , without any envy of their happinesse , as one that had rather heare them complaine of their inward unquietnesse , than brag of their peace . give me a man that after many secret bickerings , and hard conflicts in his breast , upon a serious penitence , and sense of reconciliation with his god hath attained to a quiet heart , walking conscionably and close with that majesty with whom he is attoned ; i shall bless and emulate him as a meet subject of true joy : for spiritually there is never a perfect calme but after a tempest ; the winde and earthquake and fire make way for the soft voice . but i pitty the flatteries , and selfe-applauses of a carelesse and impenitent heart : this jollity hath in it much danger , and without some change , death . oh savior , i know thou cam'st to send fire on the earth ; yea fire into these earthen bosomes , whereof the very best hath combustible matter enough for thee to worke upon ; and what will i ( thou saist ) if it be already kindled ; o blessed jesu , my will agrees with thine ; i desire nothing in the world more than that this fire of thine may flame up in my soul , and burne up those secret corruptions which have lyen smothering within me : set me at full variance with my selfe , that i may be at peace with thee . soliloq . xii . true light . thou hast taught us , o saviour , that even the light of man may be darknesse , and that the light endarkned causeth the greatest darknesse : neither can it be otherwise ; since the very obscuring of the light maketh some kind of darknesse , the utter extinction of it must needs make the darkenesse absolute . now what is darknesse but a meere privation of light : there is but a double spirituall light , the absence whereof causeth darknesse : thine evangelist hath justly said of thee , thou art the true light , that enlightnest every man that commeth into the world ; thy psalmist hath said of thy divine oracles , thy word is a lanterne unto my feet , and a light unto my steps ; whosoever wants both , or either of these , cannot but be in darkness , yea his pretended light cannot but be darkness it selfe . i see , o lord , there is much of this dark light in the world ; in one i observe a kinde of glow-wormelight , which in a summers evening shines somewhat bright , but he that should offer to light his candle at it would be much deceived ; this is justly a darke light , since it shines not at all by day , neither is at all communicable to another , no not to the bearer it selfe : in another , i see the light of a dark lantern ; which casts out some gleams of light , but only to him that bears it ; even this mans light is darknesse also , to all the world besides himselfe : in a third i see a resemblance of that meteoricall light , which appears in moorish places , that seems fire , but is nothing but a slimy glittering exhalation , causing both the wonder and errour of the travailer ; leading him , through the impulsive motion of the air , into a ditch ; and of this kind i find too much variety ; all of them agreeing in this , that they pretend visions and revelations of the spirit even for contrary projections . o saviour , what light soever is not derived from thee , is no better than darknesse : thou hast sufficiently revealed thy selfe and thy will to us in thy word ; as for any new lights ( except it be a clearer manifestation of the old ) o lord give me the grace not to follow them : i finde a double light to proceed from thee , one which is a generall light , that enlightens every man that comes into the world ; the other a speciall light of thy spirit illuminating the soul of every beleever with a right apprehension of thee and heavenly things : o do thou shine into my soule with this heavenly light of thine ; and if this bee not enough to make me happy , ( without the acce●sion , and with the rejection of other new lights ) let mee sit in perpetuall darknesse . soliloq . xiii . bosome-discourse . o lord , if i had the skill , and grace to be ever communing with my owne heart , and with thee , i should never want either worke , or company , never have cause to complaine of solitarinesse , or tedious houres : for there is no time wherein there is not some maine business to be done between thee and my soul ; one while finding my heart dull and stupid , i should have cause to rowse it up by some quickning meditation ; another while finding it dejected with some inexpected crosse , i should be chearing it up with some comfortable applications : one while finding it distracted with some scrupulous doubts , i should be labouring to settle it in just resolutions ; another while perceiving it to incline towards idle thoughts , i should bee cheeking it with a seasonable reprehension : one while , finding it faint and flacke in holy duties , i should chide it into a more sensitive vigour ; another while , finding it more cheerfull in the performances of devotion , i should encourage it with the assurance of a gracious acceptation : one while i should find cause to fortifie it against temptations ; another while to erect it after a foile : one while to conflict ; another to triumph : one while to examine my condition ; another while either to deplore , or congratulate it : one while i should finde time to sue to thee my god for the supply of some want ; another while to blesse thee for favours received : one while to bemoane my wretchednesse , another while to adore thy infinite greatness : one while to renew my vowes ; another while to beg pardon for my omissions : one while to seeke thee with teares and due humiliation ; another while to rejoyce in thy great salvation : the varieties of my ever-changing condition , whiles i am in this vale of misery , cannot want the perpetuall imployment of a busie soule . o god , let me be dumbe to all the world , so as i may ever have a tongue for thee , and my owne heart . soliloq . xiv . the insensible fetters . what a subtile devill wee have to deale with ? he will be sure to give the sinner line enough , so he may be sure to hold him : he shall have his full scope and freedom to all honest , and religious practices ; so as by some one secret sin that evill spirit may have power over his soul , both to ensnare , and retaine it : hee cares not how godly we seem , how conscionable we are in all other actions , so as he may still in one dear sinne keep us fast intangled : wherupon it often comes to pass , that not onely the eyes of the world , but even our own are too often deceived in the judgement of our spirituall estate : we profess strict holiness ; and give good proofes , upon occasion , of a tender , and well-guided conscience , so as this glorious shew wins us the reputation of rare vertue and exemplary piety : yet still that wicked devill hath a tie upon our heel : there is some peccadillio of smothered lust , or concealed pride , or zealous cruelty , and uncharitableness , that gives him the command of our soules at pleasure : and this shall no less fetch us within his power and mercy , than if we were lockt up under a thousand chaines . o god , thou who art infinite both in wisdom and power , do thou enable me not only to resist the power , but to avoid the wiles of that cunning spirit : let me give him no advantage by the close entertainment of any bosome sin : let my holiness and obedience be as universall , as either thy commands , or his mischievous intentions . soliloq . xv . satans prevalence . how busie and prevalent satan is , in this present age , above all former times , appeares too plainly in those universall broiles , and combustions which he hath raised all the world over ; whereof no nation of the whole knowne habitable earth is at this day free ; in the strange number and variety of sects , schismes , heresies , set on foot by him , every where ; the like whereof were never heard of , in the preceding times of the church ; in the rifenesse of bold and professed atheisme ; and most clearly , in the marveilous multitude of witches abounding in all parts . heretofore one of those clients of hell in a whole country was hooted at as a strange monster ; now , hundreds are discovered in one shire ; and ( if fame deceive us not ) in a village of fourteen houses in the north parts are found so many of this damned breed : heretofore , onely some barbarous , and wild deserts ; or some rude uninhabited coasts , as of lapland , and finland , &c. were thought to bee haunted with such mis-creant guests ; now the civillest , and most religious parts are frequently pestered with them : heretofore some silly poore and ignorant old women were thus deluded by that infernall impostor ; now we have known those of both sexes which have professed much knowledge , holiness , devotion , drawne into this damnable practice : what shall we say to all these over-pregnant proofes of the unusually prevailing power of hell ? certainly , either satan is now let loose ( according to the prediction of the holy evangelist in pathmos ) towards the end of the world : or because he finds his time but short , hee rageth thus extremely ; as if what he must lack in time , he would make up in fury : but , oh blessed god , thine infinite wisdome and omnipotence , knows how to make a just advantage of that increased power , and successe , which thou hast permitted to this great enemy of mankind ; thy justice is hereby magnified in thy just judgements , upon the wicked ; and thy mercy in the gaine that hence accrues to thy chosen ; for certainly , thy true saints would not be so eminently holy , if satan were not so malicious : thou who in naturall causes are wont to work by contraries , ( so as inward heat is ordinarily augmented by the extremity of an ambient cold ) canst , and wilt doe so much more in spirituall ; what thy visible church loseth in the number of formall professors , is abundantly made up in the vigorous graces of thy reall saints . still and ever doe thou so order and over-rule these busie workings of the powers of darknes , that thou maiest repay thine unreclaimeable enemies with judgements , and heighten the piety , vigilancy and zeale of thy faithfull ones . soliloq . xvi . leasurely growth . wee are all commonly impatient of leasure ; and apt to over-hasten the fruition of those good things wee affect : one would have wealth , but he would not be too long in getting it ; hee would have golden showres raine downe into his lap , on the suddaine : another would bee wise and learned ; yet hee cannot abide to stay for gray haires , or to spend too much oile in his tedious lucubrations : one would be free , but he would not weare out an apprentiship : another would bee honourable , but he would neither serve long , nor hazard much : one would be holy , but he would not wait too long at the door-posts of gods house , nor lose too many houres in the exercise of his stinted devotions : another , would be happy , but he would leape into heaven suddainly , not abiding to thinke of a leasurely towring up thither by a thousand degrees of ascent , in the slow proficiency of grace . whereas the great god of heaven , that can doe all things in an instant , hath thought good to produce all the effects of naturall agency not without a due succession of time . when i looke into my garden , there i see first a small spire looke out of the earth , which in some moneths time growes into a stalke ; then after many daies expectation , branches forth into some leaves ; at last appeares the hope of a floure , which ripened with many sunnes and showres , arises to its perfection , and at last puts forth its seed for a succeeding multiplication . if i looke into my orchard , i see the well-grafted siens yield first a tender bud ; it self after many yeeres is bodied to a solid stock , and under the patience of many hard winters , spreads forth large armes ; at last being growne to a meet age of vegetation , it begins to grace the spring with some fair blossoms , which falling off kindly , give way to a weake embryon of fruit ; every day now addes something to the growth , till it attaine in autumne to a full maturity : why should i make account of any other course in my spirituall proceedings ? o god , i shall be alwaies ready to censure my slow pace in grace , and holy obedience , and shall bee ever ambitious of aspiring higher in thy gracious favour ; but when i shall have endeavoured my utmost , i shall wait with humble patience upon thy bountifull hand ; as one that desires thankefully to acknowledge the little that i have received , and meekely to attend thy good pleasure for what i may receive . so thou bring mee to heaven , take what time , and keepe what pace thou pleasest . soliloq . xvii . allowable variety . it is a great and insolent wrong in those men , who shall think to reduce all dispositions , and forms of devotion and usages to their owne ; since in all these there may bee much variety ; and all those different fashions may receive a gracious acceptation in heaven : one thinkes it best to hold himselfe to a set forme of invocation ; another deems it farre better to be left free to his arbitrary and unpremeditated expressions : one pleases himselfe with this notion of that omnipotent deity whom he implores ; another thinkes that may be more proper , and affective : one thinks this posture of body may bee the meetest for his humble addresse to the throne of grace , or to the table of the heavenly manna ; another likes that better : one is for a long prayer ; another for short ejaculations : one desires to raise up his spirits ( with the prophet ) by the aid of an harmonious melody ; another holds them better fixed in a sad silence : one holds it best to set forth gods service in a solemne state and magnificence ; another approves better of a simple and inceremonious devotion : one requires a sacred place , and a peculiar habit , as best becomming gods publike worship ; another makes no difference of either roome , or dresse : one makes scruple of comming otherwise than fasting to the lords table : another conceives it more seasonable after a love-feast : one thinkes his christian liberty allowes him the moderate scope to all not-unlawfull recreations : anothers austerity interdicts all pastimes : one judgeth this haire , and that attire not lawfull onely , but comely : another thinks he espies sinne in both : o god , as thou hast ever shewed thy selfe justly severe in the avenging of sin , so i know thee graciously indulgent in allowing thy servants much latitude in the free use of all that thou hast not prohibited , in imitation whereof , give me an heart holily zealous to abhorre every thing that is truely evill , and charitably affected to the favourable censure of all usages that are meerely indifferent . let my maine care bee to look to the sincerity of my soule , and to the sure grounds of warrant for my actions ; for other circumstantiall appurtenances , where thou art pleased to be liberall , let mee not be strait-handed . soliloq . xviii . misconstructions of holinesse . it is no marvell if there bee nothing that undergoes more variety of constructions from the lookers on , than holinesse ; for that being an inward gracious disposition of the soule , conformed to god , in all the renewed faculties thereof , lyes so close in the bosome , that it can only be guessed at by such uncertaine emanations of words , and actions , as flow from it to the eares , and eyes of others : the particular graces and affections of love , feare , hope , joy , godly sorrow , zeale , and the rest breake forth apparently in such symptomes , and effects as may win a certainty of beliefe from the beholders , neither indeed are easily concealed from the view of others : all these may bee read in the face : but , if the heart it self could be seen , and that curiously dissected , yet even thus could not holinesse be discovered . beside the closenesse , every man is apt to measure his judgement of holinesse , by a false rule of his own , whereby it comes to passe that it is so commonly mis-taken . one thinkes him holy that forsakes the world , and retires into some wilde desert , or mures up himselfe in an anchorites cell : another judges him holy that macerates his body with fasting , that disciplines his hide with whips and haire clothes , that lies hard , and fares hard : that abstaines from all that relates to flesh in his lent , and embers : that passionately hugges his crucifix , and tosses his beads , and duely observes his shrifts , and canonicall houres : now this man that in their way is in danger of canonization for a saint , is by the professor of an opposite holinesse decryed to hell for superstition and idolatry : one stiles him holy , who segregates himselfe from the contagious communion of formall christians , professing to serve his god in a purer way of worship ; rejecting all stinted formes of prayer and psalmony ; spitting at the mention of an hierarchy , allowing no head sacred , but by the imposition of what we miscall , laick hands ; abandoning all ceremonies of humane institution ; abiding no circumstances of divine worship but apostolicall : another allowes him onely holy , who is already a citizen of the new jerusalem , advanced to such an entirenesse with god as that hee is no lesse than glorified ; hee hath left the scriptures below him as a weake and dead letter , and is farre above all whatsoever ordinance ; yea ( which i tremble to report ) above the blood of christ himselfe . a third reputes him onely holy , who having left the society of all churches as too impure , stands now alone , waiting for some miracles from heaven to settle his resolution . now , lord , after all these and many more weake and idle misprisions , upon the sure and unfailing grounds of truth ( thy word is truth ) i know that man to bee truely holy , whose understanding is enlightened with right apprehensions of thee and heavenly things ; whose will and affections are rightly disposed to thee , so as his heart is wholly taken up with thee ; whose conversation is so altogether with thee , that he thinkes all time lost , wherein hee doth not enjoy thee , and a sweet and heavenly communion with thee ; walking perpetually with thee ; and labouring in all things to bee approved of thee . o god , doe thou worke me up to this temper , and keepe me still in it ; and then , however i may differ in a construction of holinesse from others , that thinke themselves more perfect , howsoever , i may bee censured as defective in my judgement or affections , yet i doe , not without sound and sensible comfort , know , that my judge is in heaven , and my witnesse in my bosome . soliloq . xix . two heavens in one . i was wont to say , it is in vaine for a man to hope for , and impossible for him to enjoy a double heaven ; one below , and another above : since our sufferings here one earth must make way for our future glory : but , now i finde it in a better sense , very faisible for a true christian to attaine both : for , as we say , where the prince resides , there is the court : so surely , where the supreme and infinite majesty pleases to manifest his presence , there is heaven : whereas therefore god exhibits himself present two waies , in grace , and in glory ; it must follow , that the gracious presence of god makes an heaven here below , as his glorious presence makes an heaven above . now it cannot but fall out , that as the lower materiall heaven comes far short of the purity of the superior regions , being frequently over-cast with clouds , and troubled with other both watery and fiery meteors : so this spirituall heaven below , being many times darkened with sad desertions , and blustred with temptations , cannot yeeld that perfection of inward peace , and happines , which remaines for us above this sphere of mutability : yet affords us so much fruition of god as may give us a true title , and entrance into blessednesse . i well see , o god , it is no paradox to say that thy saints reigne with thee here on earth ; though not for a thousand yeers , yet during the time of their sojourning here below ; not in any secular splendor and magnificence , not in bodily pleasures , and sensuall contentments : yet in true spirituall delectation , in the joys of the holy ghost unspeakeable , and full of glory . o my god , doe thou thus set my foot over the threshold of thy heaven : put thou my soule into this happy condition of an inchoate blessedness : so shall i cheerfully spend the remainder of my daies in a joyfull expectation of the full consummation of my glory . soliloq . xx . the stock imployed . what are all excellencies without respect of their use ? how much good ground is there in the world , that is neither cultured nor owned ? what a world of precious metals lies hid in the bowels of the earth , which shall never be coined ? what store of rich pearles and diamonds are hoarded up in the earth and sea , which shall never see the light ? what delicacies of fouls and fishes doe both elements afford , which shall never come to the dish ? how many great wits are there in the world , which lie willingly concealed ? whether out of modesty , or idlenesse , or lacke of a wished opportunity . improvement gives a true value to all blessings : a peny in the purse is worth many pounds , yea talents in an unknown mine : that is our good which doth us good . o god , give thou me grace to put out my little stocke to the publike banke ; and faithfully to imploy those poore faculties thou hast given me , to the advantage of thy name , and the benefit of thy church ; so besides the gaine of others , my pounds shall be rewarded with cities . soliloq . xxi . love of life . we are all naturally desirous to live ; and though we prize life above all earthly things , yet we are ashamed to profess that we desire it for its owne sake , but pretend some other subordinate reason to affect it . one would live to finish his building , or to cleare his purchase ; another to breed up his children , and to see them well-matched : one would faine outlive his triall at law ; another wishes to outweare an emulous corrivall : one would faine out-last a lease , that holds him off from his long-expected possessions ; another would live to see the times amend , and a re-establishment of a publike peace : thus wee that would bee glad to give skin for skin , and all things for life , would seeme to wish life for any thing , but it selfe : after all this hypocrisie , nature above all things would live ; and makes life the maine end of living ; but grace has higher thoughts , and therefore though it holds life sweet and desirable , yet entertaines the love of it upon more excellent , that is , spirituall termes . o god , i have no reason to bee weary of this life , which , through thy mercy , long acquaintance hath endearead to me ( though sauced with some bitter disgusts of age ; ) but how unworthy shall i approve my selfe of so great a blessing , if now , i do not more desire to continue it for thy sake , than my owne ? soliloq . xxii . equall distribution it was a most idle question which the philosophers are said to have proposed to barnabas the colleague of saint paul : why a small gnat should have six legges , and wings beside ; whereas the elephant , the greatest of beasts , hath but foure legs , and no wings ? what pity it is that those wise masters were not of the counsel of the almighty , when hee was pleased to give a being to his creature ; they would surely have devised to make a winged elephant , and a corpulent gnat : a fethered man , and a speaking beast . vaine fooles , they had not learned to know and adore that infinite wisdome wherin all things were made : it is not for that incomprehensible majesty and power to bee accountable to wretched man for the reasons of his all-wise , and mighty creation ; yet so hath he contrived it , that there is no part of his great workmanship , whereof even man cannot bee able to give an irrefragable reason , why thus framed , not otherwise . what were more easie than to say , that six legges to that unweildy body had beene cumbersome , and impeditive of motion , that the wings for so massie a bulk had been uselesse . i admire thee , o god , in all the workes of thy hands ; and justly magnifie not onely thine omnipotence both in the matter and forme of their creation ; but thy mercy and wisdome in the equall distribution of all their powers and faculties , which thou hast so ordered , that every creature hath some requisite helpes , no creature hath all : the foules of the aire , which are ordained for flight , hast thou furnisht with feathers to beare them up in that light element ; the fishes , with smooth scales and finnes for their more easie gliding through those watery regions : the beasts of the field , with such limbes and strong hides as might fit them for service : as for man , the lord of all the rest , him thou hast endued with reason , to make his use of all these : whom yet thou hast so framed , as that in many qualities thou hast allowed the brute creatures to exceed their master : some of them are stronger than he ; some of them swifter than he , and more nimble than he : he were no better than a mad man that should aske , why man should not flye as well as the bird , and swimme as well as the fish , and run as fast as the hart ? since that one faculty of reason wherewith he is furnished is more worth than all the brutish excellencies of the world put together . o my god , thou that hast enricht me with a reasonable soule , whom thou mightest have made the brutest of thy creatures , give me the grace so to improve thy gift , as may be most to the glory and advantage of thy owne name ; let me in the name and behalf of all my brute fellow-creatures blesse thee for them ; and both for them and my selfe in a ravishment of spirit cry out with the psalmist ; o lord my god , how wonderfull and excellent are thy workes , in wisedome hast thou made them all . soliloq . xxiii . the bodies subjection . bodily exercise , saith the apostle , profits little : little sure in respect of any worth that it hath in it selfe ; or any thanke that it can expect from the almighty : for what is it to that good and great god , whether i be full or fasting , whether i wake or sleepe , whether my skinne be smooth or rough , ruddy or pale , white or discoloured ; whether my hand be hard with labour , or soft with ease ; whether my bed be hard , or yeelding ; whether my dyet bee course , or delicate : but though in it selfe it availe little ; yet so it may bee , and hath been , and ought to be improved , as that it may be found exceedingly beneficiall to the soule : else the same apostle would not have said , i keepe under my body , and bring it into subjection , lest that by any meanes , when i have preached to others , i my selfe should be a cast-away . in all the records of history , whom doe we finde more noted for holinesse , than those who have been most austere in the restraints of bodily pleasures and contentments ? in the mount of tabor who should meet with our saviour in his transfiguration , but those two eminent saints , which had fasted an equall number of dayes with himself ? and our experience tells us , that what is detracted from the body is added to the soule . for the flesh and spirit are not more partners , than enemies ; one gaines by the others losse : the pampering of the flesh , is the starving of the soule : i finde an unavoidable emulation between these two parts of my selfe . o god , teach me to hold an equall hand betwixt them both ; let me so use them , as holding the one my favourite , the other my drudge ; not so humouring the worse part , as to discontent the better ; nor so wholly regarding the better , as altogether to discourage the worse : both are thine , both by gift , and purchase ; inable thou me to give each of them their dues , so as the one may be fitted with all humble obsequiousnesse to serve ; the other to rule and command with all just authority , and moderation . soliloq . xxiv . the ground of vnproficiency . where there is defect in the principles , there can be no possibility of prevailing in any kinde : should a man be so foolish as to perswade his horse that it is not safe for him to drinke in the extremity of his heate ; or to advise a child that it is good for him to be whipt , or in a case of mortall danger , to have a fontinell made in his flesh , how fondly should hee mispend his breath ? bebecause the one wants the faculty , the other the use of reason . so if a man shall sadly tell a wild sensualist , that it is good for him to bear the yoake in his youth ; that it is meet for him to curbe and cross his unruly appetite ; that the bitterest cup of afflictions ought to bee freely taken off , as the most soveraigne medicine of the soule ; that wee ought to bleed and die for the name of christ ; that all the suffering of the present times are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us ; his labour is no lesse lost , than if hee had made an eloquent oration to a deafe man ; because this carnall hearer lacks that principle of grace and regeneration which onely can enable him to apprehend and relish these divine counsailes : i see , o god , i see too well , how it comes to passe that thy word sounds so loud , and prevailes so little ; even because it is not joyned with faith in the hearers : the right principle is missing , which should make the soule capable of thy divine mysteries : faith is no lesse essentiall to the true christian , than reason is to man , or sense to beast : o doe thou furnish my soule with this heavenly grace of thine ; and then all thy sacred oracles shall bee as cleare to my understanding , as any visible object is to my sense . soliloq . xxv . the sure refuge . sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof , saith our saviour : lo , every day hath its evill , and that evill is load enough for the present , without the further charge of our anticipated cares . surely the life of man is conflicted with such a world of crosses succeeding each other , that if he have not a sure refuge to flee unto , he cannot chuse but bee quite over-laid with miseries : one while his estate suffers , whether through casualty , or oppression ; another while his children miscarry , whether by sicknesse , or death , or disorder : one while his good name is impeached ; another while his body languishes : one while his minde is perplexed with irksome sutes ; another while his soule is wounded with the sting of some secret sinne : one while he is fretted with domesticall discontents ; another while distempered with the publike broiles : one while the sense of evills torments him ; another while the expectation . miserable is the case of that man , when hee is pursued with whole troops of mischiefs , hath not a fort wherein to succour himself : and safe and happy is that soule , that hath a sure and impregnable hold whereto hee may resort . o the noble example of holy david ; never man could bee more perplexed than hee was at his ziklag ; his city burnt , his whole stock plundered , his wives carryed away , his people cursing , his souldiers mutining , pursued by saul , cast off by the philistims ; helplesse , hopelesse : but david fortified himselfe in the lord his god : there , there , o lord , is a sure helpe in the time of trouble , a safe protection in the time of danger , a most certaine remedy of all complaints : let my dove get once into the holes of that rock , in vaine shall all the birds of prey hover over me for my destruction . soliloq . xxvi . the light burden . why do wee complaine of the difficulty of a christian profession , when we heare our saviour say , my yoak is easie , and my burden is light ? certainely hee that impoposed it , hath exactly poised it , and knowes the weight of it to the full : it is our fault if we make or account that heavy , which he knowes to be light : if this yoake and burden be heavy to our sullen nature , yet to grace they are light : if they be heavy to feare , yet they are light to love : what is more sweet and easie than to love ? and love is all the burden wee need to take up : for love is the fulfilling of the law ; and the evangelicall law is all the burden of my saviour . o blessed jesu , how willingly doe i stoope under thy commands : it is no other than my happinesse that thou requirest ; i shall bee therefore my owne enemy , if i be not thy servant : hadst thou not bidden me to love thee , to obey thee , thine infinite goodness , and perfection of divine beauty would have attracted my heart to bee spiritually inamoured of thee ; now thou bidst me to doe that which i should have wisht to bee commanded ; how gladly doe i yeeld up my soule to thee ? lay on what load thou pleasest ; since the more i bear , the more thou enablest me to bear , and the more i shall desire to bear : the world hath so clogg'd me this while , with his worthlesse and base lumber , that i have beene ready to sinke under the weight , and what have i got by it , but a lame shoulder , and a galled backe ? o doe thou free me from this unprofitable , and painfull luggage ; and ease my soule with the happy change of thy gracious impositions ; so shall thy yoake not bee easie onely but pleasing , so shall thy fulfilled wil be so far from a burden to me , that it shall bee my greatest delight upon earth , and my surest and comfortablest evidence for heaven . soliloq . xxvii . joy intermitted . what a lightsomenesse of heart do i now feele in my selfe , for the present , out of a comfortable sense of thy presence , o my god , and the apprehension of my interest in thee ? why should it not be thus alwaies with me ? surely thine apostle bids me rejoyce continually , and , who would not wish to do so ? for there is little difference betwixt joy and happinesse ; neither was it ghessed ill by him that defined that man onely to be happy that is alwayes delighted ; and certainely , there is just cause , why i should be thus alwaies affected : thou , o my god , art still and alwaies the same : yea the same to me , in all thy gracious relations , of a mercifull father , a loving saviour , a sweet comforter : yea thou art my head , and i am a limb of thy mysticall body . such i am , and shall ever be ; thou canst no more change , than not be : and for me , my crosses and my sinnes are so farre from separating me from thee , that they make mee hold of thee the faster . but , alas , though the just grounds of my joy be steady ; yet my weake disposition is subject to variablenesse ; whiles i carry this flesh about me , my soule cannot but be much swayed with the temper of my body ; which sometimes inclines me to a dull listlesnesse , and a dumpish heavinesse of heart , and sadnesse of spirit ; so as i am utterly unapt to all cheerfull thoughts , and finde work enough to pull my affections out of this stiffe clay of the earth , and to raise them up to heaven . besides , this joy of the holy ghost is a gift of thy divine bounty , which thou dispensest , when , and how thou pleasest ; not alwaies alike to thy best favourites on earth : thou that givest thy sun and raine , dost not command thy clouds alwaies to be dropping , nor those beams to shine continually upon any face : there would bee no difference betwixt the proceedings of nature and grace , if both produced their effects in a set and constant regularity : and what difference should i finde betwixt my pilgrimage , and my home , if i should here be taken up with a perpetuity of heavenly joy ? should i alwaies thus feelingly enjoy thee , my life of faith should bee changed into a life of sense : it is enough for me , o god , that above in those regions of blisse , my joy in thee shall be full and permanent : if in the mean while it may please thee , that but some flashes of that celestiall light of joy may frequently glance into my soule : it shall suffice if thou give me but a taste of those heavenly pleasures , whereon i shall once liberally feast with thee to all eternity . soliloq . xxviii . vniversall interest . it was a noble praise that was given to that wise heathen , that hee so carried himselfe as if hee thought himselfe born for all the world : surely the more universal a mans beneficence is , so much is it more commendable ; and comes so much neerer to the bounty of that great god , who openeth his hand , and filleth all things living with plenteousness : there are too many selfish men , whose spirits as in a close retort , are cooped up within the compasse of their owne concernments ; whose narrow hearts think they are born for none but themselves : others that would seeme good natur'd men , are willing enough to enlarge themselves to their kindred ; whom they are carefull to advance with neglect of all others , however deserving ; some yet , more liberall minded , can be content to be kinde and open-handed to their neighbours ; and some perhaps reach so farre , as to professe a readinesse to do all good offices to their countrey-men ; but here their largesse findes its utmost bounds : all these dispositions are but inclosures ; give mee the open champaine of a generall and illimited benefacture : is he rich ? hee scatters his seed abroad by whole handfulls over the whole ridge , and doth not drop it downe betweene his fingers into the severall furrowes ; his bread is cast upon the waters also : is he knowing and learned ? he smothers not his skil in his bosome : but freely laies it out upon the common stock ; not so much regarding his private contentment , as the publike proficiency : is he deepely wise ? hee is ready to improve all his cares and counsels to the advancement and preservation of peace , justice , and good order amongst men . now although it is not in the power of any but persons placed in the highest orbe of authority , actually to oblige the world to them ; yet nothing hinders but that men of meaner ranke may have the will to bee thus universally beneficent , and may in preparation of mind be zealously affected to lay themselves forth upon the common good : o lord ; if thou hast given me but a private and short hand , yet give mee a large and publick heart . soliloq . xxix . the spirituall bedleem . he that with wise solomon affects to know not wisedome onely , but madnesse and folly , let him after a serious observation of the sober part of the world , obtaine of himselfe to visit bedleem , and to looke into the severall cells of distracted persons ; where , it is a world to see what strange varieties of humors , and passions shall present themselves to him : here he shall see one weeping , and wringing his hands for a meerely-imaginary disaster ; there another , holding his sides in a loud laughter , as if hee were made all of mirth : here one mopishly stupid , and so fixed to his posture , as if he were a breathing statue ; there another apishly active and restless : here one ragingly fierce , and wreaking his causeless anger on his chaine ; there another gloriously boasting of a mighty stile of honour , whereto his rags are justly intitled ; and when he hath wondred a while at this woefull spectacle , let him know and consider that this is but a slight image of those spirituall phrensies , wherewith the world is miserably possessed ; the persons affected believe it not ; surely should i goe about to perswade any of these guests of bedleem , that in deed , he is mad , and should therefore quietly submit himselfe to the meanes of cure , i should be more mad than he : only dark rooms , and cords , and ellebore are meet receits for these mentall distempers ; in the meane while , the sober and sad beholders too well see these mens wits out of the socket , and are ready out of christian charity , to force upon them due remedies , who cannot be sensible of their owne miseries . now having learn'd of the great doctor of the gentiles to distinguish man into spirit , soule , and body , ( whereof the body is as the earthly part , the soule as the ethereall , the spirit as the heavenly : the soul animall , the spirit rationall , the body meerely organicall , ) it is easie for him to observe that as each of these parts exceeds other in dignity , so the distemperatures thereof is so much greater , and more dangerous , as the part is more excellent ; when therefore he shall hear the prophet hosea say , the spirituall man is mad , hee cannot thinke that charge lesse than of the worst of phrensies : and such indeed they are which have been epidemicall to all times : could they passe for any other than sottishly mad , that would worship cats , and dogs , and serpents ? so did the old egyptians , who thought themselves the most deeply learned of all nations . could they be lesse mad than they , that of the same tree , would make a block for their fire , and a god for their adoration ? so did isaiah's idolaters . could they be any bettter , who when they had molten their earings , and with their own hands had shaped a golden calf , could fall down and worship it , and say , these bee thy gods , o israel , which brought thee out of the land of egypt ? so did they which should have knowne themselves gods peculiar people . could they bee any other than mad men , that thought there was one god of the hils , another of the vallies ? so did the syrian courtiers . could they bee any other than stark mad that would lance , and gash their owne flesh , because their block did not answer them by fire ? so did the baalites . lastly , could they be other than the maddest of men , who would passe their owne children through the fire , and burn them to ashes in a pretence of devotion ? so did the clients of moloch . yea , what speake i of the times of ignorance ? even since the true light came into the world , and since the beams of his glorious gospel shined on all faces , there hath been no lesse need of darke roomes and manicles than before : can we thinke them other than notoriously mad , that having good clothes to their backes , would needs strip them off , and go stark naked ? so did the adamites of old , about the yeare of our lord , . so did certaine anabaptists of holland at amsterdam in the yeer . so did the cynicall saint francis in the streets of assissium . could they bee other than mad which would worship cain , iudas , the sodomites ? so did those good devotionists which were called caiani , about the yeer . nay , were they not worse than mad , who if we may beleeve hosius , and lindanus , and prateolus , worshipt the devill ten times every day ? so did those hereticks which were in the last age called demoniaci . could they be better than mad which held that beasts have reason as wel as man , that the elements have life , that plants have sense , and suffer paine in their cutting up ? so did the manichees . could they be other than blasphemously mad , that held there are two gods , one good the other evill , and that all creatures were made by the latter ? so did the gnosticks . were there ever mad men in the world , if they were not such who would beseech , yea force passengers to doe them the favour to cut their throats , in a vain affectation of the praise of martyrdome ? so did the circumcellions , a faction of donatists in the year . but above all other , did not those surpass in madnesse , who allowed of all heresies , and professed to hold all opinions true ? so did rhetorus and his followers : st. augustines charity sticks at the beleefe of so impossible a tenet ; i must crave leave to wonder at his reason : for ( saith hee ) many opinions being contradictory to cach other , no man that is compos mentis can thinke both parts can bee verifiable : as if it could be supposed that a rhetorius , thus opening , could bee any other than beside all his wits : surely had he been himselfe , so impossible an absurdity could not have falne from him : neither could any of these fore-cited practises or opinions have been incident into any but braines highly distempered . but what doe we raking in the ashes of these old forgotten lunaticks ; would to god wee had not work more than enough to looke for the prodigious phrensies of the present age , than which there were never since the world began either more or worse , can there be under the cope of heaven a madder man , than hee that can deny there is a god ? such a monster was rare and hooted at in the times of paganisme : the heathen orator tels us of but two in those darke ages before him , that were so far forsaken of their wits ; and we know that the old athenians , when a bold pen durst but question a deity , sentenced the booke to the fire , and the author to exile . but now , alas , i am ashamed to say that this modern age under so clear beames of the gospel hath bred many professed atheists , who have dared , not in their heart onely , as in davids time , but with their blasphemous lips to deny the god that made them . and are the phrensies of those insolent soules any whit lesse wilde and outragious , that dare boast themselves to be god ; and sticke not to stile themselves absolutely deified ? avowing that the soule in their body is the onely christ , or god in the flesh ; that all the acts of their beastly and abominable lusts are the workes of righteousnesse ; that it is their perfection , and the highest pitch of their glory to give themselves up to all manner of abominations , without any reluctation ; that there is no hell , but a dislike of , and remorse for , their greatest villanies : now shew mee amongst the savagest of pagans any one that hath been thus desperately brain-sick , and let me bee branded for a slanderer . what should i need to instance in any more , or to contract a large volume of hereseology ? in short , there is no true heretick in the world , that is not in some degree a mad-man ; and this spirituall madnesse is so much worse than the naturall , as in other regards , so especially in this ; that whereas that distemper of the braine containes it self in its own bounds , without any danger of diffusion to others , the spirituall , is extreemly contagious , spreading its infection to the perill of all that come within the aire of it . in this sad case what is to bee done ? surely wee may , as we doe , mourn for the miserable distractions of the world ; but it is thou onely , o lord , that canst heale them . o thou , that art the great and soveraigne physician of soules ; that after seven yeares brutality , restoredst the frantick babylonian to his shape and senses , looke downe mercifully upon our bedleem , and restore the distracted world to their right temper once againe : as for those that are yet sound , keepe them o god , in their right wits unto the end , preserve them safe from all the pestilent taintures of schism and heresie : and for me , the more insight thou givest me into , and the more sense of , these woefull distempers , so much the more thankfull doe thou make me to thine infinite goodnesse , that thou hast beene graciously pleased to keep me within compasse . and o , do thou still and ever keep mee within the compas of thy revealed will , and all just moderation ; and suffer me not to be miscarried into any of those exorbitances of judgement which may prove a trouble to thy church , and a scand all to thy name . soliloq . xxx . the difference of actions . there is great difference in sins , and actions whether truly or seemingly offensive ; there are gnats , and there are camels ; neither is there lesse difference in consciences : there are consciences so wide and vast , that they can swallow a camel ; and there are consciences so strait , as that they straine at a gnat ; yea , which is strange to observe , those very consciences which one while are so dilated that they straine not at a camel , another while are so drawne together by an anxious scrupulousnesse that they are ready to bee choaked with a gnat . how palpably was this seen in the chief priest and pharisees and elders of the jewes : the small gnat of entring into the judgement hall of the roman governor , would by no meanes down with them ; that hainous act would defile them , so as they should not eat the passeover ; but in the mean time the huge camel of the murther of the lord passed down glib , and easily through their throats : they are ready to choak with one poor ear of corn pulled on a sabbath by an hungry passenger ; yet whole houses of widowes , the whiles , passe down their gorges with ease : an unwashen had or cup was piacular ; whiles within their hearts are full of extortion and excess . i wish the present age did not abound with instances : it is the fashion of hypocrites to bee seemingly scruplous in small things , whiles they make no conscience at all of the greatest : and to bee so much less conscionable of greater matters of the law , judgement , mercy and faith ; as they are more scrupulously punctuall in their mint , anise , and cummin . o god , i would not make more sins than thou hast made ; i desire to have an heart wisely tender , not fondly scrupulous ; let my soule endure no fetters but thine ; if indifferent things may be my gnats , let no known sin be other than a camell to me ; and let mee rather choak in the passage , than let down such a morsell . soliloq . xxxi . the necessity of labour . the great and wise god that hath been pleased to give to all creatures their life and being , without their endeavour or knowledge , hath yet ordained not to continue their being , without their owne labour , and co-operation ; so as hee hath imposed upon them all a necessity of paines-taking for their owne preservation : the wild beasts of the desart must walk abroad , and forrage far for their prey ; the beasts of the field must earne their pasture with their worke , and labour in very feeding to fill a large maw with picking up those severall mouthfulls , whereby they are sustained ; the fowles of severall kindes must flye abroad to seek their various diet , some in the hedges , some in the fields , some in the waters ; the bee must with unwearied industry gather her stock of wax and honey out of a thousand flowers ; neither know i any that can bee idle and live : but man , as hee is appointed to be the lord of all the rest , so hee is in a speciall manner borne to labour ; as he upon whom the charge lies to provide both for himselfe , and all the creatures under his command ; being not more impotent than they in his first entrance into the world , than he is afterwards by the power of his reason more able to governe them , and to order all things that may concerne both their use , and conservation . how willingly , o lord , should i stoop to this just condition of my creation ? labour is my destiny , and labour shall bee my trade : something i must alwaies doe ; both out of thy command , and my owne inclination ; as one whose not un-active spirit abhorres nothing more than the torment of doing nothing : o god , doe thou direct mee to , and imploy me in , those services that may be most for thy glory , for the good of others , and my own discharge and comfort . soliloq . xxxii . acquaintance with heaven . what an high favour is it in the great god of heaven , that he is pleased to stoop so low as to allow wretched man here upon earth to be acquainted with so infinite a majesty ? yet in the multitudes of his mercies , this hath hee condescended unto : so farre hath hee yeilded to us , as that hee is pleased wee should know him ; and to that end hee hath clearly revealed himself to mankind , and more then so , he is willing and content that we should enjoy him , and should continually make a comfortable use of his presence with us ; that we should walke with him , and impart all our secret thoughts and counsels to him ; that wee should call for his gracious aid upon all our occasions ; that we should impart all our wants and feares and doubts to him , with expectation of a mercifull and sure answer , and supply from heaven ; yea , that hee should invite us , silly wretches , to his presence , and calls us up to the throne of grace , and incourage us poor souls , dejected with the conscience of our unworthinesse , to put up our sutes boldly to his mercifull hands ; yea , that hee should give this honour to dust and ashes as to stile us his friends : how shamefully , unthankfull , and how justly miserable shall i bee , if i make not an answerable use of so infinite a mercy ? o god , how utterly unworthy shall i be of this grace , if notwithstanding these mercifull proffers and solicitations , i shall continue a willing stranger from thee , and shall make no more improvement of these favours than if they had never been rendred ? o let me know thee , let me acknowledge thee , let me adore thee , let me love thee , let mee walke with thee , let me enjoy thee ; let me , in an holy and awfull familiarity bee better and more entirely acquainted with thee than with the world , than with my self ; so i shall be sure to be happy here , and hereafter glorious . soliloq . xxxiii . the all-sufficient knowledge . i finde much inquiry of curious wits , whether wee shall know one another in heaven ; there is no want of arguments on both parts , and the greatest probabilities have seemed to bee for the affirmative : but , o lord , whether or no wee shall know one another , i am sure we shall all thy glorified saints know thee ; and in knowing thee wee shall be infinitely happy ; and what would wee more ? surely , as we finde here , that the sun puts out the fire , and the greater light ever extinguisheth the lesse : so why may wee not think it to be above ? when thou art all in all to us , what can the knowledge of any creature adde to our blessednesse ? and if when we casually meet with a brother , or a son before some great prince , we forbeare the ceremonies of our mutuall respects , as being wholly taken up with the awfull regard of a greater presence ; how much more may we justly think , that when wee meet before the glorious throne of the god of heaven , all the respects of our former earthly relations must utterly cease , and bee swallowed up of that beatificall presence , divine love , and infinitely blessed fruition of the almighty . o god , it is my great comfort here below to thinke and know that i have parents , or children , or brothers and sisters , or friends already in possession of glory with thee , and to believe assuredly that in my time i shall bee received to the association of their blessednesse : but if upon the dissolution of this earthly tabernacle , i may be admitted to the sight of thy all-glorious essence , and may set eye upon the face of my blessed saviour , now sitting at the right hand of thine incomprehensible majesty , attended with those millions of his heavenly angels , i shall neither have need , nor use of enquiring after my kindred , according to the flesh . what can fall into my thoughts or desires , beside , or beyond that which is infinite ? soliloq . xxxiv . poor greatnesse . i cannot but look with much pitty mixed with smiles upon the vaine worldling , that sets up his rest in these outward things , and so pleases himselfe in this condition , as if he thought no man happy but himselfe : how high he looks , how big he speakes , how proudly hee struts ? with what scorne and insultation doth he look upon my dejectednesse ? the very language of his eye is no other than contempt , seeming to say , base indigent , thou art stript of all thy wealth , and honour ; thou hast neither flocks , nor heards , nor lands , nor mannors , nor bagges , nor barne-fulls , nor titles , nor dignities , all which i have in abundance ; no man regards thy meanenesse ; i am observed with an awfull veneration . be it so , great sir , thinke i ; enjoy you your height of honor , and heaps of treasure , and ceremonies of state , whiles i go shrugging in a thred-bare coat , and am glad to feed on single dishes , and to sleepe under a thatched roofe ; but let me tell you , set your all against my nothing , if you have set your heart upon these gay things , were you the heire of all the earth , i would be loath to change conditions with your eminence ; and will take leave to tell you , that at your best , you shall fall within my commiseration : it is not in the power of all your earthly privileges to render you other than a miserable vassall : if you have store of gold , alas , it is but made up into feetters and manicles ; and what is all your outward bravery but meere matter of opinion ? i shall shew you an indian slave , that shall no lesse pride himselfe in a bracelet of glasse beades , that you can in your richest jewels of rubies and diamonds : all earthly things are as they are valued : the wise and almighty maker of these earthen mines , esteemes the best metals , but as thicke clay ; and why should we set any other price of them than their creator ? and if we be wont to measure the worth of al things by their vertues and uses , and operations , what is it that your wealth can do ? can it free you from cares ? can it lengthen your sleeps ? can it keepe you from head-aches , from gouts , dropsies , feavers and other bodily distempers ? can it ransome you from death ? can it make your account easier in the great day of reckoning ? are you ever the wiser , ever the holier , ever the quieter for that which you have purchased with teares , and blood ? and were it so precious as you imagine , what hold have you of it ? what assurance to enjoy it , or your self but one hour ? as for despised me , i have wealth that you know not of ; my riches are invisible , invaluable , interminable : god all-sufficient is mine ; and with him all things : my treasure is not lockt up in earth , or in heaven , but fils both : my substance is sure ; not obnoxious to plunder or loss , or diminution : no man hath bled , no widow or orphan hath wept for my enriching ; the onely difference is this ; you are miserable , and think your self happy ; i am happy whom you think miserable : how ever our thoughts may beare us out in both for a while , yet at the last , except truth it selfe can deceive us , the issue must fall on my side . o god , be thou my portion , and the lot of mine inheritance , let the scum of the world spit in my face as the most despicable of all creatures , i am above the despight of men and devils , and am secretly happy , and shall be eternally glorious . soliloq . xxxv . acceptation of desires . what a comfort it is to us weake wretches that we have to deal with a mercifull god , that measures us not by our performances , but by the truth of our desires : david had a goodmind to build god an house , his hands were too bloody to lay the foundation of so holy a fabrick ; yet god takes it as kindly from him , as if hee had finished the work ; and rewards the intention of building an house to his name ; with the actuall building of an house to david for ever . good ezekiah knew how easie and welcome a sute he made , when after all endeavours of sanctifying the people , for the celebration of that great passeover , he prayed , the lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke god , the lord god of his fathers , though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary . alas , we cannot be but lame in all our obediences : what can fall from defective causes , but imperfect effects ? if we pray , we are apt to entertaine unmeet notions of the infinite spirit to whom wee addresse our supplications , and suddain glances of wandring thoughts ; if we read or hear , wee are subject to vaine distractions ; if wee approach gods table , our souls fail of that exact preparation & purity wherewith they should be decked , when they come to that celestiall banquet ; if we doe the workes of justice , or mercy , it is not without some light touch of self-respect ; & well may we say with the blessed apostle , the good that i would , i do not : we should therefore finde just cause of discouragement in our selves , if our best actions were to bee weighed by their own worth ; and not by our better intentions : but that gracious god , who puts good desires into us , is so ready to accept of them , that he looks not so much at what wee have done , as at what we wisht to have done ; and without respect to our defect , crownes our good affections . all that i can say for my selfe , o my god , is , that the desire of my heart is to please thee in all things : my comfort then is , though my abilities fail in the performance , yet thy mercies cannot faile in my acceptation . soliloq . xxxvi . heavenly ioyes . doubtless , o god , thou that hast given to men , even thine enemies , here upon earth , so excellent meanes to please their outward senses ; such beautifull faces , and admirable flowers to delight the eye ; such delicate sents from their garden , to please the smell ; such curious confections , & delicate sauces , to please the taste ; such sweet musick from the birds , and artificiall devises of ravishing melody from the art of man , to delight the eare ; hast much more ordained transcendent pleasures , and infinite contentments for thy glorified saints above . my soule , whiles it is thus clogged and confined , is too straight to conceive of those incomprehensible waies of spirituall delectation , which thou hast provided for thy dear chosen ones , triumphing with thee in thy heaven : o teach me to wonder at that which i cannot here attaine to know , and to long for that happinesse which i there hope to enjoy with thee for ever . soliloq . xxxvii . mixed contentments . what a fool were i , if i should thinke to finde that , which solomon could not ; contentment upon earth ? his greatnesse , wealth and wisdome gave him opportunity to search , where my impotency is shut out : were there any thing under heaven free from vanity and vexation , his curious inquisition could not have missed it . no , alas , all our earthly contentments are like a jewish passeover , which wee must eate with soure herbes : have i wealth ? i cannot bee void of cares : have i honour ? i cannot bee rid of envy : have i knowledge ? hee that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrow , saith the kingly preacher : have i children ? it were strange , if without crosses : have i pleasures ? not without a sting : have i health ? not without the threats of disease : have i full diet ? not without the inconveniences of satiety : have i beauty ? not without a snare to my soul . thus it is in all our sublunary comforts ; i cannot have the rose , but i must be content with the prickles : pure and absolute pleasure dwels elsewhere , far above the reach of this vale of misery . o god , give me to seeke it there onely : not without a contemptuous neglect of all those deceitfull vanities which would withdraw my soule from thee ; and there let me finde it , whiles i am here by faith , when i remove hence by personall fruition : in the mean time , let me take what thou givest me with patience , and thankfulness : thankfulnesse for the meat , and patience with the sauce . soliloq . xxxviii . true wealth . all a mans wealth or poverty is within himselfe : it is not the outward abundance or want that can make the difference . let a man bee never so rich in estate , yet if his heart be not satisfied , but he is still whining , and scraping and pining for more , that man is miserably poore ; all his bagges cannot make him other than a starke beggar . on the other side , give mee a man of small means whose minde is throughly content with his little , and enjoyes his pittance with a quiet and thankefull heart , that man is exceeding rich ; all the world cannot rob him of his wealth . it is not having , by which we can measure riches , but enjoying : the earth hath all treasures in it , yet no man stiles it rich : of these which the world call goods of fortune , onely opinion sets the value : gold and silver would bee metals whether wee thinke them so , or not ; they would not bee riches , if mens conceit and institution did not make them such . o my soule , bee not thou carried away with the common error to covet and admire those things which have no true worth in themselves : if both the indies were thine , thou shouldest bee no whit the wealthier ; labour for those riches whereby thy stocke may bee advanced : the great lord of all , who knowes best where his wealth lies , and where thou shouldst hoord up thine , hath told thee where to seeke it , where to lay it : lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth , where moth and rust doth corrupt , and where theeves break thorow and steale ; but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven : there thou shalt bee sure to finde it entire , free from plunder , and all danger of diminution . o god , give me to covet that my minde may bee rich in knowledge , that my soule may be rich in grace , that my heart may bee rich in true contentation ; as for this pelfe of the world , let it make them miserable that admire it . soliloq . xxxix . false light . looking forth one starry evening , my eye met with a glorious light , that seemed fairer than its fellowes : whiles i was studying what planet it might be , it suddainly glided downe , and vanished . o god , how can we hope to avoid delusions upon earth , when even the face of heaven may thus deceive us ? it is no otherwise in the firmament of the church : how many have there been , that have seemed eternally fixed in that high sphere , which have proved no other than base meteors , gilded with fair beames ; they appeared starres , their substance was but slime . woe were to the earth , if a true starre should fall ; yea , i doubt whether the fabrick of heaven would stand , if one of those glorious lights should drop downe : if therefore the star wormwood shall fall , and imbitter the waters , hee shall shew himselfe to be but a false star , and a true impostor ; else , heaven should fall as soon as hee . o my god , give mee grace to know the truth of my substance and the firmnesse of my station : let me hate all counterfeit exhalations ; let me know my selfe the least and most insensible star in thy galaxie ; so shall i bee happy in thee , and thou shalt be by me glorified . soliloq . xl . the haste of desire . how slowly the houres seem to pace when we are big with the desire and expectation of any earthly contentment ? we are ready to chide the time for standing still , when wee would over-hasten the fruition of our approaching comfort : so the school-boy longs for his play-day , the apprentice for his freedome , the ward for his livery , the bride for her nuptialls , the heire for his inheritance : so approvedly true is that of wise solomon , hope deferred makes the heart sick . were it not , o my soule , for that wretched infidelity , which cleaves so close unto thee , thou couldst not but bee thus affected to thy heaven ; and shouldst bee yet so much more , as the joyes there are infinitely more exquisite than which this earth can afford : surely thou dost but flatter mee with the over-weening conceit of the firm apprehension of my faith ; whiles i finde thee so cool in the longing desires of thy glorification : what ? hast thou no stomack to thy happinesse ? hath the world benummed thee with such a dull stupidity that thou art growne regardlesse and insensible of eternall blessednesse ? oh shake off this lethargick heavinesse of spirit , which hath possessed thee , and rouze up thy selfe to those ardent desires of glory which have sometimes enflamed thee : yea , lord , do thou stir up that heavenly fire that now lies raked up in the embers of my soule , and ravish my heart with a longing desire of thy salvation . soliloq . xli . deaths remembrancers . every thing that i see furnishes me with fair monitions of my dissolution : if i look into my garden , there i see some flowers fading , some withered ; if i look to the earth , i see that mother , in whose wombe i must lie ; if i goe to church , the graves that i must step over in my way , shew me what i must trust to ; if i look to my table , death is in every dish , since what i feed on did once live . if i look into my glasse , i cannot but see death in my face ; if i goe to my bed , there i meet with sleepe the image of death ; and the sheets , which put mee in minde of my winding up . if i look into my study ; what are all those books , but the monuments of other dead authors ? o my soul , how canst thou bee unmindfull of our parting , when thou art plyed with so many monitors ? cast thine eyes abroad into the world , what canst thou see but killing and dying ? cast thine eyes up into heaven , how canst thou but thinke of the place of thy approaching rest ? how justly then may i say with the apostle , by our rejoycing which i have in christ jesus , i die daily : and , lord , as i daily die in the decay of this fraile nature ; so let me die daily in my affection to life , in my preparation for death . o do thou fit me for that last , and happy change . teach me so to number my daies that i apply my heart to wisdom , and addresse it to ensuing glory . soliloq . xlii . faiths victory . wee are here in a perpetuall warfare , and fight wee must ; surely , either fight , or dye ; some there are that doe both ; that is according as the quarrell is , and is managed : there are those that fight against god ; these medling with so unequall a match , cannot looke to prevaile . again , the flesh warreth against the spirit ; this intestine rebellion cannot hope to prosper ; but if with the chosen vessell , i can say , i have fought a good fight , i can neither lose life , nor misse of victory : and what is that good fight ? even the same apostle tels me , the fight of faith ; this is the good fight indeed , both in the cause and managing , & the issue : lo this faith it is , that wins god to my side , that makes the almighty mine ; that not only ingages him in my cause , but unites me to him ; so as his strength is mine : in the power of his might therefore i cannot but be victorious over all my spirituall enemies by the onely meanes of this faith : for satan ; this shield of faith is it that shall quench all the fiery darts of that wicked one . for the world ; this is the victory that overcomes the world ; even our faith . be sure to finde thy self furnished with this grace ; and then say , o my soule , thou hast marched valiantly : the powers of hell shall not bee able to stand before thee ; they are mighty and have all advantages of a spirituall nature , of long duration , and experience ; of place , of subtilty : yet this conquering grace of faith is able to give them the foile , and to trample over all the powers of darknesse . o my lord god , doe thou arme and fortifie my soule with a lively and stedfast faith in thee , i shall not feare what man or divell can doe unto me : settle my heart in a firme reliance upon thee , and turne mee loose to what enemy thou pleasest . soliloq . xliii . the unfailing friend . next to the joy of a good conscience , there is no greater comfort upon earth , than the enjoyment of dear friends ; neither is there any thing more sad than their parting ; and by how nearer their relations are , so much greater is our sorrow in forgoing them : what moane ▪ did good david make , both for absalon as a sonne , ( though ungracious ) and for jonathan as a friend : surely , when our dear ones are pulled away from us , we seeme to have limbes torne away from our bodies ; yet this is a thing must bee lookt for ; wee are given to each other , ( or lent rather ) upon condition of parting , either they must leave us , or we them ; a parting there must bee , as sure as there was a meeting : it is our fault if we set our hearts too much upon that , which may , yea , which must be lost . be wise , o my soul , and make sure of such friends as thou canst not be bereaved of : thou hast a god , that hath said , i will not leave thee nor forsake thee : it was an easie sute , and already granted which the holy psalmist made : cast me not off in the time of old age , forsake me not when my strength faileth : and againe , when my father and my mother forsake me ( in their farewell to a better world ) yet then the lord will take me up . it is an happy thing to have immortall friends : sticke close unto them , o my soule , and rejoyce in them evermore , as those that shall sweetly converse with thee here , and shall at last , receive thee into everlasting habitations . soliloq . xliv . quiet humility . he is a rare man that is not wise in his owne conceit ; and that saies not within himselfe , i see more than my neighbours : for wee are all borne proud , and selfe-opinionate ; and when we are come to our imaginary maturity , are apt to say with zedechiah , to those of better judgement than our own , which way went the spirit of god from me to speak unto thee ? hence have arisen those strange varieties of wilde paradoxes , both in philosophy and religion , wherewith the world abounds every where . when our fancy hath entertained some uncouth thought , our selfe-love is apt to hatch it up , our confidence to broach it , and our obstinacy to maintain it ; and ( if it bee not too monstrous ) there will not want some credulous fools to abet it : so as the onely way both to peace and truth , is true humility ; which will teach us to thinke meanly of our own abilities , to be diffident of our own apprehensions and judgments , to ascribe much to the reverend antiquity , greater sanctity , deeper insight of our blessed predecessors . this onely will keepe us in the beaten road , without all extravagant deviations to untrodden by-paths : teach me , o lord , evermore to think my self no whit wiser than i am ; so shall i neither bee vainly irregular , nor the church troublesomely unquiet . soliloq . xlv . sure mercies . there is nothing more troublesome in humane society than the disappoint of trust , and failing of friends : for besides the disorder that it works in our owne affaires , it commonly is attended with a necessary deficiency of our performances to others : the leaning upon a broken reed gives us both a fall and a wound : such is a false friend , who after professions of love , and reall offices , either slinkes from us , or betrayes us : this is that which the great patterne of patience so bitterly complaines of , as none of his least afflictions , my kinsfolk have failed me , and my familiar friends have forgotten me . it went to the heart of david , that his owne familiar friend , in whom hee trusted , which did eate of his bread , should lift up his heele against him : and surely , those that are stanch , and faithfull in themselves , cannot but bee so much the more deeply affected with the perfidious dealing of others ; and yet also so much the more , as their confidence and entirenesse was greater ; this was that which heightned the vexation of that man who is so famous for the integrity of his heart . it was thou , o man , mine equall , my guide , my acquaintance ; we took sweet counsell together , and walked to the house of god in company . and still our daily experience gives us miserable instances in this kinde : hee hath had little to doe in the world that hath not spent many a sigh upon others faithlesness . and now , o my soule , the more sad proofe thou hast had of the untrusty disposition and carriage of men , the more it concernes thee to betake thy selfe , in all zealous & absolute affiance , unto the sure protection and never-fayling providence of thy god ? the god who being truth it selfe , never did , never can forfeit his trust to any soule that relyed upon his most certaine promises , upon his promised mercies , upon his mercifull and just performances . my soule wait thou only upon god ; for my expectation is from him ; he onely is my rock , and my salvation ; in god is my salvation and my glory , the rocke of my strength , and my refuge is in god . it shall not trouble thee to send men false , whiles thou hast such a true god to have recourse unto . soliloq . xlvi . dangerous prosperity . it was a just and needfull precaution , o god , which thou gavest of old to thine israel . when thou shalt have eaten , and art full , then beware lest thou forget the lord : there was not so great feare of forgetting thee , whiles they were in an hungry and dry wilderness , although even there they did too often forget themselves , in an ungracious murmuring against thee and their leaders ; the greatest danger of their forgetting thee would be , ( thou knewest ) when they should come to be pampered in the land that flowed with milk and honey : there it was that accordingly jesurum waxed fat and kicked ; there being growne thick and covered with fatnesse , he forsooke god which made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . nothing is more difficult than to keep our selves from growing wanton by excess ; whereas nature kept low is capable of just obedience : like as in the body also , a full feed breeds superfluous and vicious humors , wheras a spare diet keeps it both clean and healthfull . do not i see , o lord , even the man that was after thine owne heart whiles thou kepst him in breath , with the prosecution of an unjust master , how tenderly consciencious hee was ; remorsed in himselfe for but cutting off a lappe of the robe of his causelesse pursuer : who yet when he came to the full scope of his ease , and courtly jollity , made no scruple of the adulterous bed of faire bathsheba , or the bloody murther of a faithfull vriah . who was i , o lord , that i should promise my self an immunity from the perill of a prosperous condition under which thy holier servants have miscarried . it was thy goodnesse and wisdome who fore-seest not what shall be onely , but what might bee also , in prevention of the danger of my surfeit , to take away the dish , whereon i might have over-fed . o god , i do humbly submit to thy good pleasure ; and contentedly rest upon thy providence , which hast thought fit rather to secure me in the safe use of my little , than to exercise mee with the temptations of a bewitching plenty . soliloq . xlvii . cheerfull obedience . it is not so much the worke that god stands upon as the mind of the worker . the same act may bee done with the thanke and advantage of one agent , and with frowns and disrespect to another . if we doe our businesse grudgingly , and because we must , out of the necessity of our subsistence , we shall have as much thanke to sit still : it is our owne need that sets our hands on work , not our obedience : so as herein wee are our own slaves , not gods servants ; whereas , if we go about the workes of our calling cheerfully , offering them up to god , as our willing sacrifice in an humble compliance with his commands , and an awfull and comfortable expectation of his gracious acceptance , we are blessed in our holy endeavours , and cannot faile of an euge from our master in heaven . alas , lord , it is but little that i can doe , and , without thy enabling , nothing . thou that vouchsafest to give me an abilitation to the worke , put into me also good affections to thee in performing of it : let me doe thy will here , as thy angels doe in heaven , with all gracious readinesse , and alacrity ; and be no lesse glad that i shall doe it , than that it is done : so whiles carnall hearts shall languish under their forced taskes , my labour shall be my pleasure ; and i shall finde unspeakable comfort both in the conscience of my act , and the crown of my obedience . soliloq . xlviii heavenly accordance . as our condition here upon earth is different ; so must our affection needs be also : that which is one mans joy is anothers griefe ; one mans fear is another mans hope : neither can it be otherwise , while our occasions draw us to so manifest contradictions of disposition : these diversities and contrarieties of inclination and desire , are the necessary symptomes of our wretched mortality ; and the nearer we grow to the perfection of our blessednesse , the more shall we concentrate in the united scope of all our actions , and affections , which is the sole glory of our creator : know then , o my soul , that the closer thou canst gather up thy selfe in all the exercise of thy faculties , and proposals of thy desires , to the only respect of the honour of that great and good god which gave thee thy being , thou aspirest so much nearer to thy heaven , where all the blessed saints and angels agree together in one perpetuall imployment of praising their maker ; and sweetly accord in that one most perfect ditty and note of an eternall allelujah to him that sits upon the throne of that celestiall glory . o god , doe thou draw in my heart more and more from this variety of earthly distractions , and fixe it upon this one heavenly worke : put me upon that blessed taske here below , which shall never know any end , but endure for ever in heaven . soliloq . xlix . divine bounty . had not the apostle said so , yet our owne sense and experience would have told us , that every good and perfect gift is from above , and commeth downe from the father of lights : for sure , from below it cannot come . how should any perfect gift arise from the region of all imperfection ? how should evill afford any good ? what is below but earth and hell ? whereof the one yeelds nothing but torment , the other nothing but misery , and sin : if therefore it be pefect , or good , ( since nothing can give what it hath not ) it must needs come from above : and from whom above ? not from those lightsome bodies of the starres , whose influences cannot reach unto the soule , whose substance is not capable of any spirituall power , whether to have , or give perfect gifts : not from the blessed spirits , which are angels of light : they may helpe , through gods gracious appointment , to convey blessings to us , they neither wil or can challenge an originall and primary interest in the blessings which they convey . onely therefore from the father of lights ; who as he is light , so is the author of all whatsoever light , both inward and outward , spirituall and sensible : and as light was the first good and perfect gift which hee bestowed on the world , so it well may imploy all the spirituall blessings conferred on the creature : so as he that said , let there bee light ; said also , let this man be wise ; let that bee learned ; let that other be gracious and holy : whence then , o whence can i look for any good thing , but from thy hands , o my god , who givest to all men liberally and upbraidest not : whose infinite treasure is not capable of any diminution ; since the more thou givest , thy store is not the lesse , thy glory more . thou dost not sell thy favours , as we men are apt to do , looking through our small bounty , at an expected retribution ; but thou givest most freely , most absolutely : neither dost thou lend thy best blessing , as looking to receive them back again , but so conveyest them to us , as to make them our owne for ever : since therefore thy gifts are so free , that all thy heavenly riches may be had for asking ; how worthy shall i bee to want them if i doe not sue for them to the throne of thy grace ; yet even this ( since it is a good thing ) i cannot do without thee . o then give thou mee the grace that i may bee ever begging faithfully of thee ; and give mee the graces that i beg for . soliloq . l. sweet use of power . i see that great , wise , and holy god , who might most justly make use of his absolute power , yet proceeds sweetly with his creature in all his wayes : hee might force some to salvation in spight of their wills ; he might damne others meerely for his pleasure , without respect to their sin : but he doth not , hee will not doe either of these ; but goes along graciously and gently with us , inviting us to repentance , and earnestly tendring to us the meanes of salvation on the one side with effectuall perswasions , and strong motives , and kindly inclinations to an answerable obedience ; on the other side , laying before us the fearfull menaces of his judgements denounced against sinners , urging all powerfull disswasions , and using all probable meanes to divert us from all the waies of wickednesse ; and when those prevaile not , justly punishing us for our wilfull disobedience , impenitence , and infidelity . o god , how should we learne of thee to proceed with all our fellow-creatures , ( but much more with our christian brethren ) not according to the rigour of any pretended prerogative of power , but in all mercifull tenderness , in all gentle and faire meanes of their reclamation on the one side , & on the other , in an unwilling and constrained severity of necessary justice . and how much doth it concerne thee , o my soule , not to stay till thy god shall drag thee to repentance and salvation , but gladly to embrace all those happy opportunities , and cheerfully to yeeld to all those mercifull solicitations , which thy god offers thee for thy full conversion ; and carefully to avoid those waies of sinne and death which he hath under so dreadfull denunciations graciously warned thee to shun : else thy god is cleared both in his justice and mercy , and thy perdition is of thy self . soliloq . li. the power of conscience . it is a true word of the apostle , god is greater than our conscience ; and surely , none but he : under that great god , the supreme power on earth is the conscience . every man is a little world within himselfe ; and in this little world there is a court of judicature erected , wherein next under god the conscience sits as the supreme judge , from whom there is no appeale ; that passeth sentence upon us , upon all our actions , upon all our intentions ; for our persons , absolving one , condemning another ; for our actions , allowing one , forbidding another : if that condemn us , in vaine shall all the world besides acquit us ; and if that cleare us , the doom which the world passeth upon us , is frivolous ▪ and ineffectuall . i grant this judge is sometimes corrupted with the bribes of hope , with the weake feares of losse , with an undue respect of persons , with powerfull importunities , with false witnesses , with forged evidences , to passe a wrong sentence upon the person , or cause ; for which hee shall be answerable to him that is higher than the highest ; but yet this doom , ( though reversible by the tribunall of heaven ) is still obligatory on earth : so as it is my fault that my conscience is mis-led ; but it is not my fault to follow my conscience . how much need have i therefore , o my god , to pray that thou wouldst guide my conscience aright ; and keepe this great judge in my bosome from corruption and errour ? and what need hath this intestine arbiter of mine to take speciall care that he may avoid all misinformations that may mislead his judgment , and all the base suggestions of outward advantage , or losse that may deprave his affections ? and , o thou , that only art greater than my conscience , keep mee from doing ought against my conscience : i cannot disobey that but i must offend thee ; since that is but thine officer under thee , and only commands for thee . soliloq . lii . proud poverty . that which wise solomon observed in the temporall estates of men , holds no lesse true in the spirituall : there is that maketh himselfe rich , yet hath nothing ; there is that maketh himself poor , yet hath great riches : on the one side , we meet with a proud but beggarly laodicean , that saies , i am rich , and increased with goods , and have need of nothing ; which will not know that he is wretched , and miserable , and poor , and blinde , and naked ; this man when the means of further grace are tendred him , can say , as esau did of the profered herds , i have enough my brother ; and with the bragging pharisee can boast of what he is not , and of what he is ; of what hee hath , of what he doth ; admiring his owne nothing , and not caring to seek for more , because he thinks he hath all ; this fond justiciary can overdoe his duty , and supererogate ; contemning the poverty of soules better furnished than his 〈◊〉 ; and laying his merits in the dish of the almighty . on the other side , there is an humble soule , that is secretly rich in all spirituall endowments ; full of knowledge , abounding in grace , which out of the true poverty of spirit under-values himselfe , and makes no shew of ought but a bemoaned disability : as wee have seen those grounds wherein the richest mines are treasured , bewray nothing but barrennesse in their outside . o my soul , what estimation soever others may set upon thee , thou art conscious enough of thy owne wants ; be thankfull for the little thou hast , and abased for the much thou lackest ; and if thou wilt needs bee advancing thy selfe above others , let it be in the contestation of thy greater humblenesse , and lower dejection . thy grace shall be no lesse because thou thinkst it so : but shall rather multiply by a modest diminution . and , o blessed lord , thou who resistest the proud , and givest grace to the humble , give me more humility , that i may receive more grace from thee ; and thou whose gracious raine shelves downe from the steep mountains , and sweetly drenches the humble vallies ; depresse thou my heart more and more with true lowliness of spirit , that the showers of thy heavenly grace may soke into it , and make it more fruitfull in all good affections , and all holy obedience . soliloq . liii . the happiest society . i finde , o lord , some holy men that have gone aside from the world , into some solitary wildernesse , that they might have their ful scope of enjoying thee freely , without any secular avocations ; who no doubt improved their perfect leisure to a great entirenesse of conversation with thee . surely i could easily admire the report of their holinesse , and emulate their mortified retirednesse , if i did not hear them say , the woolfe dwels in the wood , and that they could as soone leave themselves , as the world behind them . there is no desart so wild , no mountaines or rockes so craggy , wherein i would not gladly seeke thee , o my god , and which i would not willingly climbe up to finde thee , if i could hope that solitude would yeeld a spirituall advantage of more enjoying thee . but , alas , i find our weak powers are subject to an unavoidable lassitude ; and wee can no more contemplate alwaies those divine objects , than our bodily eyes are able to fix themselves on the body of the sun in his brightest splendor : so as , if our mindes should not bee sometime taken off with a safe variety of cogitations , wee should be overwhelmed with thy glory , and with too much light blinded : by this meanes it comes to pass that these small interspirations set an edge upon our re-assumed speculations , and renewed devotions : although also in the mean time , i should hate all secular diversions , if they should take thee for a moment quite out of my sight ; if i did not finde that i may still refer them to thee , and enjoy thee in them . o god , doe thou so fix my soul upon thee , that what ever occasion shall take me up , i may never be out of thy blessed society , and make me so insensible of the noise of the world , that even in the midst of the market i may bee still alone with thee . soliloq . liv. honey from the rock . o god , thou didst miraculously refresh thy murmuring israel of old with water out of the rock , in that dry wildernesse ; and now i hear thee say , if they had hearkened to thy voice , and walked in thy waies , with honey out of the rock thou wouldst have satisfied them . loe , that which thou wouldest have done to thine ancient people , if they had obeyed thee , thou hast abundantly performed to thine evangelicall israel . with hony out of the rock hast thou satisfied them ; the rock that followed them was christ my saviour : lo , out of this rock hath flowed that hony whereby our soules are satisfied ; out of his side ( saith the evangelist ) came water and blood , this rock of our salvation affordeth both what israel had , and might have had . surely , o my god , there can be no hony so sweet , as the effect of the precious bloud of my saviour to the soul of the beleever ; by that bloud we have eternall redemption from death , and remission of all our sinnes ; by that bloud are we justified in the sight of our god , and saved from the wrath to come ; by that bloud we have our peace made in heaven , and are fully reconciled to our god ; by that blood wee are cleansed and purged from all our iniquity ; by that bloud we are sanctified from our corruptions ; by that blood we receive the promise and possession of an eternall inheritance . o the spirituall hony so sweet , that the materiall hony is but bitternesse to it ! jonathan of old did but dip his speare in the honey of the wood , and but with one licke of that sweet moisture had his eies cleared , and his spirits revived ; o god , let me but taste , and see how sweet the lord jesus is , in all his gracious promises , in all his mercifull and reall performances , i shall need no more to make me happy . thy solomon bids me to eat honey : lo , this is the honey that i desire to eat of ; give me of this honey and i shall receive both clearnesse to my eies , and vigour of my spirits to the foiling of all my spirituall enemies . this is nothe honey whereof i am bidden not to eate too much : no , lord , i can never eat enough of this celestiall honey ; here i cannot surfet ; or , if i could , this surfet would be my health . o god , give me still enough of this honey out of the rocke , so shall my soul live , and bless thee , and bee blessed of thee . soliloq . lv . sure earnest . o my god , what a comfortable assurance is this which thou hast given to my soule ? thou hast , in thy great mercy , promised and agreed to give me heaven ; and now because thou dost not put me into a present possession , thou hast given me earnest of my future inheritance ; and this earnest is that good spirit of thine , which thou hast graciously put into my soule . even we men , whose stile is deceitfull upon the ballance , think our selves sure when in civill transactions we have received an earnest of the bargaine ; and much more when we have taken that small piece of coine , as part of the bargained payment ; how then can i fear to fail thee , my god , whose title is faithfull and true ; whose word is yea , and amen . it is ordinary with the world to cheat my soule with fair promises , and faithlesse engagements of yielding me those contentments , which it neither can , nor meant to performe . but for thee , o lord , heaven and earth shall passe away , but not one jot of thy word shall passe unfulfilled : hadst thou then , but given mee that word of thine , i durst have set my soul upon it , with all firme confidence ; but now that thou hast seconded thy word with thy earnest , what place can be left for my doubt ? what then , what is it that thou canst sticke at , o my soul ? canst thou make question of the truth of the earnest ? thou knowest that thou canst not ; the stamp is too well known to be misdoubted ; the impressions are full and inimitable ; this seale cannot be counterfeit ; the graces of the spirit which thou hast received , thou feelest to be true and reall ; thou findest in thy selfe a faith , though weak , yet sincere ; an unfeigned repentance joyned with an hearty detestation of all thy sinnes ; a fervent love of that infinite goodnesse that hath remitted them , a conscionable care to avoid them , a zealous desire to bee approved to god in all thy waies : flesh and bloud cannot have wrought these graces in thee ; it is onely that good spirit of thy god , which hath thus sealed thee to the day of redemption . walke on therefore , o my soule , confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance , and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of this happy contract from the sure hands of thy god : let no temptation stagger thee in the comfortable resolutions of thy future glory ; but say boldly with that holy patriarke , o lord i have waited for thy salvation . soliloq . lvi . heavenly manna . victory it selfe is the great reward of our fight ; but what is it , o god that thou promisest to give us as the reward of our victory ? even the hidden manna : surely were not this gift exceeding precious , thou wouldst not reserve it for the remuneration of so glorious a conquest . behold that materiall and visible manna , which thou sentest down from heaven , to stop the mouths of murmuring israel , perished in their use ; and if it were reserved but to the next day , putrified , and instead of nourishing , annoyed them ; but the hidden manna , that was laid up in the arke , was incorruptible , as a lasting monument of thy power , and mercy to thy people ; but now , alas , what is become both of that manna , and of that arke ? both are vanished ( having passed through the devouring jawes of time ) into meer forgetfulnesse . it is the true spiritual manna that came down from the highest heaven , and ascending thither again is hidden therein the glorious arke of eternity , that thou wilt give to thy conqueror : that is it , which being participated of here below , nourisheth us to eternall life ; and being communicated to us above , is the full consummation of that blessed life , and glory . o give me so to fight that i may overcome , that so overcomming , i may bee feasted with this manna . thou that art , and hast given me thy selfe , the spirituall manna , which i have fed on by faith ; and the symbolicall manna , whereof i have eaten sacramentally ; give me of that heavenly manna , whereof i shall partake in glory : it is yet an hidden manna , hid from the eies of the world , yea in a sort from our owne ; hid in light inaccessible : for our life is hid with christ in god ; but shall then bee fully revealed : for it shall then not onely cover the face of the earth round about the tents of israel . but spread it self over the face of the whole heaven , yea fill both heaven and earth . i well thought , o my god , that if heaven could afford any thing more precious than other , thou wouldst lay it up for thy victor : for it is an hard service that thy poore infantry here upon earth are put unto ; to conflict with so mighty , so malicious , so indefatigable enemies ; and therefore the reward must be so much the greater , as the warefare is more difficult . o doe thou who art the great lord of hosts , give me courage to fight , perseverance in fighting , and power to overcome all my spirituall enemies , that i may receive from thee this hidden manna , that my soul may live for ever , and may for ever blesse thee . soliloq . lvii . the hearts treasure . it is a sure word of thine , o saviour , that where our treasure is , there our hearts will be also ; neither can wee easily know , where to finde our hearts , if our treasure did not discover them : now , lord , where is my treasure ? surely i am not worthy to bee owned of thee , if my treasure be anywhere but in heaven : my lumber and luggage may be here on earth , but my treasure is above ; there thou hast laid up for me the richest of thy mercies , even my eternall salvation : yea lord , what is my richest treasure but thy selfe ? in whom all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge , yea of infinite glory are laid up for all thine : all things that this world can afford me , are but meere pelfe in comparison of this treasure ; or , if the earth could yeeld ought that is precious , yet i cannot call that treasure . treasure implies both price , and store of the dearest commodities : never so great abundance of base things cannot make a treasure ; neither can some few peeces of the richest mettals bee so accounted ; but where there is a large congestion of precious jewels , and metalls , there onely is treasure : if any at all , surely very little , and mean is the wealth which i can promise my selfe here ; perhaps some brasse farthing , or light and counterfeit coine , meer earthy dross , which may load but cannot enrich my soule ; my only true riches are above with thee ; and where then should my heart bee but there ? my hand and my braine too must necessarily bee sometimes here below , but my heart shall be still with my treasure in heaven . it is wont to be said , that however the memory of old age is short , yet that no old man ever forgot where hee laid up his treasure . o god , let not that celestiall treasure which thou hast laid up for me , be at any time out of my thoughts ; let my eye be ever upon it ; let my heart long for the full possession of it ; and so joy in the assured expectation of it ; that it may disrelish all the contentments , and contemne all the crosses which this world can afford me . soliloq . lviii . the narrow way . o saviour , i hear thee say , i am the way , the truth , and the life ; and yet again , thou ( who art truth it selfe ) tell'st me , that the way is narrow , and the gate straight that leadeth unto life : surely , thou who art the living way , art exceeding large ; so wide that all the world of beleevers enter into life by thee only : but the way of our walke towards thee is straight and narrow ; not , but that thy commandement in it self is exceeding broad ; for lord , how fully comprehensive it is of all morall and holy duties ? and what gracious latitude hast thou given us in it of our obedience ? and how favourable indulgence and remission in case of our faylings ? but narrow in respect of the weaknesse and insufficiency of our obedience ? it is our wretched infirmity that straitens our way to the . lo , heaven , which is thy all-glorious mansion , when wee are once entred into it , how infinitely large and spacious it is ; even this lower contignation of it , at how marvailous distance it archeth in this globe of aire , and earth , and waters ? and how is that again surrounded with severall heights of those lightsome regions , unmeasurable for their glorious dimensions ? but the heaven of heavens , the seat of the blessed , is yet so much larger , as it is higher in place , and more eminent in glory ; yet thou wouldst have the way to it narrow , and the gate of it straight : and even thus it pleaseth thee to ordain in the dispensation of all thine inferiour blessings ; learning dwells fair within , but the entrance is straight through study , watching , bending of braines , wearing of spirits : the house of honour is sumptuous and goodly within , but the gate is straight that leads into it ; which is through danger , attendance , plots of emulation : wealth hath large elbow-roome of lodging , but the gate is straight ; hard labour , careful thrift , racking of thoughts , painfull adventures . how much more wouldst thou have it thus in the best of all blessings , the eternell fruition of heaven ? and why is this way narrow , but because it is untracked , and untrodden ? if i may not rather say the way is untracked and found by few , because it is narrow , and not easie to tread in . surely grace is the way to glory , and that path is not for every foot : the straighter and narrower it is , o my god , the more let me strive and shoulder to enter into it . vvhat vaine quarrels doe we daily heare of for the way ; but lord enable me to strive for this way even to blood : and if thou have been pleased to set me a deep way , or a rough way through many tribulations , to that happy and eternall life , let me passe it with all cheerfull resolution . how oft have i not grudged to go a foule way to a friends house , where i knew my entertainement kind and cordiall ? o let me not think much to come to those thy everlasting mansions of bliss , through tears and blood . the end shall make an abundant amends for the way ; if i suffer with thee , i shall reign with thee . soliloq . lix . gods various proceedings . what strange varieties doe i finde in the workings of god with men : one-where i finde him gently , and plausibly inviting men to their conversion ; another-where , i finde him frighting some others to heaven : some he traines up in a goodly education , and without any eminent change , calls them forth to an exemplary profession of his name ; some others he chuseth out of a life notoriously lewd , to be the great patternes of a suddain reformation ; one that was only formall in his devotion without any true life of grace , is , upon a grievous sicknesse , brought to a lively sense of godlinesse ; another comes to gods house with a purpose to sleep or scoffe , and through the secret operation of gods spirit working with his word , returnes full of true compunction of heart , with teares in his eyes , and resolutions of present amendment of life : one that was proud of his owne righteousnesse is suffered to fall into some foule sin , which shames him before men , and is thus brought down to an humble acknowledgement of his owne frailty ; another , that was cast down with a sad despair of gods mercy , is raised up by the fall of an unbroken glasse , or by some comfortable dreame , or by the seasonable word of a cheerfull friend : one is called at the sixt hour , another not till the eleventh ; one by faire and probable meanes , another by contraries ; so as even the worke of satan himself hath been made the occasion of the conversion of his soule . o god , thy waies are infinite , and past finding out : it is not for us to prescribe thee what to do , but humbly to adore thee in what thou doest . far be it from me , so to cast my self upon thy all-working providence , as to neglect the ordinary means of my salvation : inable me chearfully to endeavour what thou requirest , and then take what way thou pleasest ; so that thou bringst me to the end of my hope , the salvation of my soul . soliloq . lx . the waking guardian . it is a true word which the psalmist said of thee , o god ; thou that keepest israel , neither slumbrest , nor sleepest : fond tyrants thinke that thou winkest at their cruell persecutions of thy church , because thou dost not speedily execute vengeance upon them , whereas , if the fault were not in their eyes , they should see thine wide open , and bent upon them for their just destruction ; onely thou thinkst fit to hold thy hand for a time from the infliction of judgment , till the measure of their iniquity be full , and then they shall feel to their cost , that thou sawest all their secret plots and conspiracies against thine israel . the time was , o saviour , when in the daies of thine humane infirmity thou slept'st in the sterne of the ship , on a pillow , when the tempest raged and the waves swelled ; yet even then when thy disciples awoke thee and said , lord save us we perish , thou rebukedst them sharply , with , why are yee fearfull , o yee of little faith ? their danger was apparently great , but yet thou telst them their feare was causelesse , and their faith weake , that they could not assure themselves that thy presence ( though sleeping ) was a sufficient preservative against the fury of windes and waters : how much more now , that being in the height of thine heavenly glory , and ever intentively vigilant for the safegard of thy chosen ones , may we rest secure of thy blessed protection , and our sure indemnity ? o god , do thou keep my eies ever open , that i may still wait upon thee , for thy gracious tuition , and the mercifull accomplishment of thy salvation : thou seest i have to doe with those enemies that are never but waking , never but seeking all advantages against my soul ; what can they doe when thine eye is ever over me for good ? o then let mine eyes be ever unto thee , o god my lord ; in thee let me still put my trust : so shalt thou keepe me from the snares that they have laid for me , and the grins of the workers of iniquity . soliloq . lxi . the sting of guiltinesse . guiltinesse can never thinke it selfe sure ; if there were no fiends to torment it , like a bosome-devill , it would ever torture it selfe : no guard can bee so sure , no fort so strong as to secure it from terrors . the first murderer after his bloody fratricide , when there is no mention of any man ( beside his father ) upon earth , yet can say , it shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay mee ; and i marvaile that he added not ; if none else will doe it , i shall do that deadly office to my selfe : hee was sure hee could meet with none but brethren or nephewes ; and even the face of those was now dreadfull to him : hee that had been so cruell to him that had laine in the same wombe with himselfe , feares that no neereness of bloud can shield him from the violence of the next man . conscience when once exasperated , needs not stay for an accuser , a witnesse , a solicitor to enforce the evidence , a judge ; but it selfe alone acts all these parts , and oft-times also the executioners to boot . it was a just question of the wisest of men , a wounded spirit who can bear ? but there are divers and different degrees of the wounds of spirit : all are painefull , some mortall ; as in the body , there may bee some wounds in the outward and fleshly part , which have more pain than peril , but those of the principall , and vitall parts are not more dolorous than dangerous , and often deadly : so it is in the soul , there are wounds of the inferiour and affective faculties , as griefe for crosses , vexation for disappointment of hopes , pangs of anger for wrongs received , which may be cured with seasonable remedies ; but the wounds of conscience inflicted by the sting of some hainous sin , which lies belking within us , carries in it horror , despaire , death . o god , keep me from bloud-guiltinesse , and from all crying and presumptuous sins ; but if ever my frailty should be so fouly tainted , do thou so work upon my soul , as that my repentance may walke in equall paces with my sin , ere it can aggravate it selfe by continuance . apply thy soveraign plaister to my soule whiles the wound is greene , and suffer it not to fester inwardly through any impenitent delay . soliloq . lxii . beneficiall vvant . it is just with thee , o god , when thou seest us grow wanton , and unthankfully neglective of thy blessings , to withdraw them from us , that by the want of them we may feel both our unregarded obligations , and the defects of our duty : so we have seen the nurse , when the childe begins to play with the dugge , to put up the breast out of sight . i should not acknowledg how precious a favour health is , if thou didst not sometimes interchange it with sicknesse ; nor how much i am bound to thee for my limbes , if i had not sometimes a touch of lamenesse : thirst gives better relish to the drinke , and hunger is the best sauce to our meate . nature must needs affect a continuance of her wellfare ; neither is any thing more grievous to her , than these crosse interceptions of her contentments : but thou , who art wisdome it selfe , knowest how fit it is for us , both to smart for our neglect of thy familiar mercies , and to have thy blessings more endeared to us by a seasonable discontinuance . neither dost thou want to deale otherwise in the mannaging of thy spirituall mercies . if thy spouse , the faithfull soul , shall ( being pampered with prosperity ) begin to grow secure and negligent , so as at the first knock of her beloved , she rise not up to open to him , but suffers his head to bee filled with dew , and his lockes with the drops of the night ; she soon findes her beloved withdrawne and gone : she may then seeke him , and not finde him ; she may call , and receive noe answer ; she may seek him about the streets , and in stead of finding him lose her vaile , and meet with blowes and wounds from the watch-men . o god , keep thou me from being resty with ease ; hold mee in a continuall tendernesse of heart : continue me in a thankfull , and awfull use of all thy favours : but , if at any time thou seest me decline to a careless obduration , and to a disrespective forgetfulnesse of thy mercies , doe thou so chastise me with the fatherly hand of thy afflictions , and so work me to a gracious use of thy desertions , that my soul may seeke thee with more vigour of affections , and may recover thee with more sensible comfort . soliloq . lxiii . interchange of conditions . it is not for nothing , o my god , that thou hast protracted my time so long , and hast given me so large experience of thy most wise and holy dealing with my selfe and others . doubtlesse it is , that i might see , and feele , and observe , and teach the gracious changes of thy carriage towards thy poore sinfull creatures upon earth . thou dost not hold us alwaies under the rod , ( though we well deserve a perpetuall correction ) as considering our miserable impotence , and aptnesse to an heartlesse dejection ; thou dost not alwaies keep our hearts raised up to the jollity of a prosperous condition , as knowing our readinesse to presume , and to bee carried away with a false confidence of our unmoveablenesse ; but graciously interchangest thy favours with our sufferings : when thou seest us ready to faint , and to be discouraged with our adversity , thou takest off thy hand , and givest us a comfortable respiration from our miseries ; when thou seest us puft up with the vaine conceit of our owne worth , or successe , thou takest us downe with some heavy crosse . when thou findest us overlaid with an unequall match , and ready to bee foiled in the fight , thou givest us breath , and puttest new strength into our armes , and new courage into our hearts ; when thou findest us insolent with our victory , thou sham'st us by an unexpected discomfiture . and as for the outward estate of the nations and kingdomes of the earth , thou whirlest them about in a perpetuall , yet constant vicissitude ; peace breeds plenty , plenty wantonnesse and pride , pride animosity , from thence followes war , vvar produces vastation and want , poverty causeth industry , and ( when nothing is left to strive for ) peace , an industrious peace brings plenty againe , and in this gyre thou hast ordained the world still to turne about . be not too much moved then , o my soule , when thou findest thy selfe hard pressed with afflictions , and conflicted with strong temptations , but beare up constantly in the strength of thy faith , as being assured , that having rid out this storme , thou shalt bee blessed with an happy calme ; neither bee thou lifted up too much when thou findest thy selfe carried on with a fair gale of prosperity , since thou knowst not what tempests may suddenly arise ; and many hopefull vessell hath been sunke in sight of the port : and when thou seest the world every where full of woefull combustions , bee not over-much dismaied with the sight and sense of these publike calamities , but waite patiently upon that divine providence ; which , after those revolutions of change , shall happily reduce all things to their determinate posture : to which purpose , o god , do thou fix my heart firmly upon thee ; doe thou keep me from the evill of prosperity , from dejectednesse in affliction , from the prevalence of temptation , from misprision of thy providence : vvorke me to that due temper which thy solomon hath prescribed me ; in the day of prosperity be joyfull ; but in the day of adversity consider : god also hath set the one over against the other , to the end that man should finde nothing after him . soliloq . lxiv . the rule of devotion . thy will , o god , as it is alwaies holy , so in what thou hast decreed to doe with us , is secret , and in what thou wouldst have us doe to thee , is revealed : it is thy revealed will that must regulate both our actions , and our prayers . it may be that i may lawfully sue to thee for what thou hast decreed not to grant : as samuel ceased not to pray for thy favour to that saul , whom thou hadst rejected ; and many an israelite prayed for raine in that three yeeres and an halfe , wherein thou hadst commanded the clowds to make good the prophecie of thine elias ; yea , thine holy apostle prayed thrice to have the messenger of satan taken off from him ; and heard no answer , but , my grace is sufficient for thee : so , lord , we pray for the removall of thy judgements from this sinnefull and deplored nation , which for ought we know , and have cause to feare , thou hast decreed to ruine and de●●station ; and many a good soule prayes for a comfortable sense of thy favour , whom thou thinkest fit to keepe downe for the time in a sad desertion ; and i thy unworthy servant may pray to be freed from those temptations , wherewith thou seest it fit that my faith should be still exercised . o god , give me the grace to follow thy revealed will , and to submit my selfe to thy secret . what thou hast commanded , i know i may doe ; what thou hast promised , i know i may trust to ; what thou hast in a generality promised to do , may in some particular cases by the just decree of thy secret counsell bee otherwise determined : if i aske what thou hast decreed to do , i know i cannot but obtaine ; if i aske what thou hast warranted ( notwithstanding the particular exception of thy secret will ) though i receive it not , yet i receive not pardon onely , but acceptation . o god , give me grace to steer my selfe , and my prayers by thy revealed will ; and humbly to stoop to what the event shews to have been thy secret will . soliloq . lxv . hels triumph . thou hast told us , o saviour , that there is joy in the presence of thine angels , for a sinners repentance ; those blessed spirits are so far from envying our happinesse , that as they endeavour it here , so they congratulate it in heaven : and we wel know , that these good spirits do not more rejoyce in the conversion of a sinner , than the evill spirits do in the mis-carriage of a convert . the course of the holy obedience of thy servants here is doubtlesse a pleasing object to thine angels , neither are those malignant spirits lesse pleased with the wicked practises of their vassals ; but the joy arises to both from the contrary condition of those parties , over which they have prevailed : the alleagance of a good subject ( though wel-accepted ) yet is no newes to a gracious soveraigne ; but the comming in of some great rebell is happy tidings at the court : on the contrary , where there is a rivality of soveraigntie , for a professed enemy to do hostile actions , is no other than could bee expected ; but for a subject or a domestick servant to bee drawne into the conspiracie , is not more advantage than joy to the intruder . o god , thou hast mercifully called me out of the world to a profession of thy name ; i know what eies those envious spirits have ever upon me : o doe thou lead me in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies ; if thine angels have found cause to joy in my conversion , o doe thou keepe me from making musicke in hell by my miscarriage . soliloq . lxvi . dumbe homage . how officious , o god , doe i see thy poore dumbe creatures to us ? how doe they fawne , or crouch , as they see us affected ? how doe they run and fetch , and carry , and draw at our command ? how doe they beare our stripes with a trembling unresistance ? how readily doe they spend their strength , and their lives in our service ? how patiently doe they yield us their milk and their fleeces for our advantage ? and lie equally still to be shorne , or slain at our pleasure ? expecting nothing from us in the mean time but a bare sustenance , which , if it bee denyed them , they do not fall furiously upon their cruell masters , but meekly bemoane themselves in their bruitish language , and languish , and die ; if granted them , they are fatned for our use . i am ashamed , o god , i am ashamed to see these thy creatures so obsequiously pliant unto me , whiles i consider my disposition and deportment towards thee my creator : alas , lord , what made the difference betwixt me and them , but thy meere good pleasure ? thou mightest have made them rationall , and have exchanged my reason for their brutality ; they are my fellowes by creation , and owe both their being and preservation to the same hand with my selfe : thou art the absolute lord of both , to whom i must bee accountable for them ; they are mine onely by a limited substitution from thee ; why then should they bee more obedient to my will , than i am to thine ; since they have onely sense to lead them in their way , i have both reason and faith to teach me my duty . had i made them , i could but require of them their absolute submission : why should i then exact of them , more than i am ready to performe unto thee ? o god , thou that hast put them under my hand , and me under thy owne , as thou hast made me their master for command , so let me make them my masters to teach me obedience . soliloq . lxvii . indifferency of events . thou givest us daily proofes , o god , of the truth of that observation of wise solomon , that all things come alike to all , and that no man knowes love or hatred by all that is before them : in these outward things thy dearest friends have not fared better then thine enemies ; thy greatest enemies have not suffered more than thy beloved children . when therefore i looke abroad , and see with what heavy afflictions thou art pleased to exercise thy best favourites upon earth , i cannot but stand amazed to see what horrible torments of all kindes have beene undergone by thy most precious martyrs , whose patience hath overcome the violence of their executioners : and to see those extreme tortures which some of thy faithfull servants have endured in the beds of their sickness ; one torne , and drawn together with fearefull convulsions , another shrieking under the painefull girds of an unremoveable stone ; one wrung in his bowels with pangs of cholicke , and turning of guts , another possessed with a raging gout in all his limbes ; one whose bladder after a painefull incision is ransack'd , another whose leg or arme is cut off to prevent a mortall gangrene : i cannot but acknowledge how just it might be in thee , o god , to mix the same bitter cup for me ; and how merciful it is , that knowing my weakness thou hast forborn hitherto to load mee with so sad a burthen . what thou hast in thine eternall councell determined to lay upon mee , thou onely knowest . if thou bee pleased to continue thy gracious indulgence to me still , make me truly thankfull to thee for health and ease , as the greatest of thy outward favours ; but let mee not build upon them , as the certaine evidences of thy better mercies : and if thou thinke fit to interchange them with a vicissitude of sickness and paine , let mee not misconstrue thy severe chastisements as arguments of thy displeasure : but still teach mee to feare thee in my greatest prosperity , and to love thee in my greatest sufferings ; and to adore thine infinite wisdome , justice , and mercy in both . soliloq . lxviii . the transcendent love . how justly doe i marvaile , o god , to see what strength of naturall affection thou hast wrought in poore brute creatures towards their masters , and towards their owne mates , towards their dammes and their young : we have plentifull instances of those whom death could not separate from their beloved guardians , some that have died for their masters , some with them ; some that have fearlesly hazarded their owne lives for the preservation of their young ones , some that have fed their aged dammes with that food which they have spared from their own mawes amongst the rest how remarkable is that comparison of thine , o saviour , wherein thou wert pleased to set forth thy tender care of thine israell by the resemblance of an hen gathering her chickings under her wings ? how have i seen that poor fowl , after the patience of a painfull hatching , clocking her little brood together ? and when she hath perceived the puttock hovering over her head , in a varied note calling them hastily under the wing of her protection , and there covertly hiding them not from the talons onely , but from the eye of that dangerous enemy , till the perill hath been fully over ; after which she calls them forth to their liberty and repast , and with many a carefull scrape discovers to them such grains of food as may bee fit for them , contenting her self to carve for them with neglect of her owne sustenance . o god , thou who hast wrought in thy silly creatures such an high measure of indulgence and dearnes of respect towards their tender brood , how infinitely is thy love and compassion towards the children of men , the great master-peece of thy creation ? how past the admiration of men and angels , is that transcendent proof of thy divine love , in the more than marvelous work of our redemption ? how justly glorifiable is thy name in the gracious , and sometimes miraculous , preservation of thy children ? in the experience whereof , if i forbeare to magnifie thee , or dare not to trust thee , how can i be but unworthy to bee owned of thee , or blessed by thee ? soliloq . lxix . choice of seasons . how regularly , o god , hast thou determined a set season for all thy creatures , both for their actions and their use ? the storke in the heaven , saith thy prophet jeremy , knoweth her appointed times , and the turtle and the crane , and the swallow observe the time of their comming : who hath seen the * stork before the calends of august , or a swallow in the winter ? who hath heard the nightingale in the heat of harvest ? or the bittern bearing her base in the coldest moneths ? yea the fishes in the sea know and observe their due seasons , and present us with their shoales only when they are wholsome and useful ; the herring doth not furnish our market in the spring , nor the salmon , or mackerell in winter : yea the very flies both have and keepe their daies appointed ; the silke-worme never looks forth of that little cell of her conception , till the mulbery puts forth the leaves for their nourishment ; and who hath ever seen a butter-flie , or an harnet in winter ? yea there are flies wee know appropriate to their owne moneths , from which they vary not : lastly , how plain is this in all the severall varieties of trees , flowers , herbes ? the almond tree looks out first , the mulberry last of all other ; the tulip , and the rose , and all other the sweet ornaments of the earth are punctuall in their growth and fall : but as for man , o god , thou hast in thy infinite vvisdome indued him with that power of reason , whereby he may make choice of the fittest seasons of all his actions . thou that hast appointed a time for every purpose under heaven , hast given him wit to finde and observe it . even lawfull acts unseasonably done , may turne evill ; and acts indifferent , seasonably performed , may prove good , and laudable . the best improvement of morality , or civility , may shame us , if due time bee not as well regarded , as substance : onely grace , piety , true vertue can never be unseasonable . there are no seasons in eternity ; there shall bee one uniforme and constant act of glorifying thee : thy angels and saints praise thee above , without change or intermission ; the more we can do so on earth , the nearer shall wee approach to those blessed spirits . o god , let my heart be wholly taken up evermore with an adoration of thine infinite majesty , and let my mouth bee ever sounding forth of thy praise ; and let the hosannahs , and hallelujahs which i begin here , know no measure but eternity . soliloq . lxx . the happy return home . every creature naturally affects a return to the originall whence it first came . the pilgrim , though faring well abroad , yet hath a longing homeward ; fountaines and rivers run back with what speed they may to the sea whence they were derived ; all compound bodies return to their first elements ; the vapors rising up from the earth , and waters , and condenss'd into clouds , fall down again to the same earth , whence they were exhaled ; this body that we beare about us , returnes at last to that dust whereof it was framed : and why then , o my soul , dost not thou earnestly desire to returne home to the god that made thee ? thou knowest thy originall is heavenly , why are not thy affections so ? what canst thou finde here below worthy to either withdraw , or detain thee from those heavenly mansions ? thou art here in a region of sin , of misery and death ; glory waites for thee above : fly then , o my soul , fly hence to that blessed immortality ; if not as yet in thy dissolution : ( for which thou must waite on the pleasure of thy deare maker & redeemer ) yet in thy thoughts , in thy desires and affections ; soar thou up thither , and converse there with that blessed god and father of spirits , with those glorious orders of angels , and with the soules of just men made perfect ; and if the necessity of these bodily affairs must needs draw thee off for a time , let it bee not without reluctation and hearty unwillingnesse , and with an eager appetite of quick returne to that celestiall society . it will not be long ere thou shalt bee blessed with a free , and uninterrupted fruition of that glorious eternity : in the meane time doe thou prepossesse it in thy heavenly dispositions ; and contemning this earth , wherewith thou art clogged , aspire to thy heaven , and be happy . soliloq . lxxi . the confinements of age . dost thou not observe , o my soule , how time and age confines , and contracts , as our bodies , so our desires and motions here upon earth , still into narrower compasses ? vvhen we are young the world is but little enough for us ; after wee have seen our own island , wee affect to crosse the seas , and to climbe over alpes , and pyrennes , and never thinke we have roved far enough ; vvhen we grow ancient , wee begin to bee well-pleased with rest ; now long and unnecessary journeyes are laid aside . if businesse call us forth , wee go , because we must ; as for the visits of friendship , one sun is enough to measure them , with our returnes ; and still , the older we grow , the more we are devoted to our home ; there we are content to sit still , and enjoy the thoughts of our youth , and former experience , not looking farther than a kind neighbour-hood : but , when age hath stiffened our joynts , and disabled our motions , now , our home-pastures , and our gardens become our utmost boundaries ; from thence a few yeares more confine us to our owne floor ; soon after that , we are limited to our chamber , and at last to our chaire , then to our bed , and , in fine , to our coffin . these naturall restrictions , o my soule , are the appendences of thy weary partner , this earthly body : but for thee , the nearer thou drawest to thy home , the more it concernes thee to bee sensible of a blessed inlargement of thy estate and affections ▪ hitherto thou art immured in a straight pile o● clay ; now , heaven it selfe shall be but wide enough for thee : the world hath hitherto taken thee up●… which ( though large is yet but finite ; ) now , thou art upon the enjoying of that god who alone is infinite , in all that he is : o how inconsiderable is the restraint of the worse part , in comparison of the absolute inlargement of the better ? o my god , whose mercy knowes no other limits than thy essence , worke me in this shutting up of my daies to all heavenly dispositions , that whiles my outward man is so much more lessened , as it drawes nearer to the center of its corruption , my spirituall part may be so much more dilated , in , and towards thee , as it approacheth nearer towards the circumference of thy celestiall glory . soliloq . lxxii . sin without sense . alas , lord , how tenderly sensible i am of the least bodily complaint that can befall mee ? if but a tooth begin to ake , or a thorn have rankled in my flesh , or but an angry corne vexe my toe , how am i incessantly troubled with the pain ? how feelingly doe i bemoane my selfe ? how carefully do i seek for a speedy remedy ? which till i feel , how little relish doe i finde in my wonted contentment ? but for the better part , which is so much more tender , as it is more precious , with what patience ( shall i call it , ) or stupidity , doe i endure it wounded ( were it not for thy great mercy ) no lesse than mortality ? every new sin ( how little soever ) that i commit , fetches bloud of the soule ; every willing sin stabs it ; the continuance wherein festers inwardly ; and , without repentance , kills . o god , i desire to be ashamed , and humbled under thy hand for this so unjust partiality ; which gives me just cause to fear that sense hath yet more predominance in me than faith . i do not so much sue to thee to make mee lesse sensible of bodily evills , ( whereof yet too deep a sense differs little from impatience ) as to make me more sensible of spirituall : let me feele my sin more painefull than the worst disease ; and rather than wilfully sin , let me die . soliloq . lxxiii . the extremes of devotion . i acknowledge it to bee none of thy least mercies , o god , that thou hast vouchsafed to keepe mee within the due lines of devotion ; not suffering mee to wander into those two extremes , which i see and pitty in others . too many there are , that doe so content themselves in meer formalities , that they little regard how their heart is affected with the matter of their prayers : so have i grieved to see poore misdevout soules under the papacy , measuring their orisons , not by weight , but by number ; not caring which way their eie strayed , so their lips went ; resting well apaid that god understood them , though they understood not themselves : too neer approaching whereunto , are a world of wel-meaning ignorant soules at home , that care only to pray by rote , not without some generall intentions of piety , but so , as their hearts are little guilty of the motion of their tongues ; who , whiles they would cloake their carelesnesse , with a pretence of disability of expressing their wants to god , might learn that true sense of need never wanted words to crave reliefe : every begger can with sufficient eloquence importune the passenger for his almes . did they not rather lack an heart than a tongue , they could not be defective in bemoaning themselves to heaven for what they lack ; especially , whiles we have to doe with such a god , as more esteemes broken clauses made up with hearty sighes , than all the complements of the most curious eloquence in the world . on the other side there are certain zealous devotionists , which abhorre all set formes , and fixed hours of invocation , teaching ( and so practising ) that they may not pray , but when they feele a strong impulsion of gods spirit to that holy work ; whereupon it hath come to pass , that whole daies , yea , weekes , have gone over their heads , unblessed by their prayers ; who might have taken notice , that , under the law , god had his regular course of constant hours for his morning and evening sacrifices ; that the ancient saints under the old testament , held close to davids rule , evening and morning , and at noon to pray and cry aloud ; so as the very lions could not fright daniel from his taske : and even after the vaile of the temple was rent , peter and iohn went up together to gods house , at the ninth hour , to evening prayer . yea , what stand we upon this ? when the apostle of the gentiles charges us , to pray continually : not that wee should in the midst of a sensible indisposednesse of heart fall suddainly into a fashionable devotion ; but that by holy ejaculations , and previous meditation , wee should make way for a feeling invocation of our god , whose eares are never but open to our faithfull prayers . if wee first ( though silently ) pray that we may pray , the fervour of our devotion shall grow upon us in praying : these holy waters of the sanctuary , that at first did but wet the soles of our feet , shall , in their happy processe , rise up to our chinnes . i thanke thee , o god , that thou hast given me a desire to walk even between these extremities : as i would be ever in a praying disposition to thee , so i would not willingly break houres with thee ; i would neither sleepe nor wake without praying ; but i would never pray without feeling . if my heart goe not along with formes of words , i do not pray , but babble ; and if that be bent upon the matter of my sute , it is all one to thee , whether the words be my own , or borrowed . let thy good spirit ever teach me to pray , and help me in praying : let that ever make intercessions for me with groanings which cannot be expressed ; and then , if thou canst , send me away empty . soliloq . lxxiv . the sick mans vowes . the answer was not amisse , which theodoricus bishop of coleine is said to have given to sigismond the emperor , who demanding how he might be directed the right way to heaven , received answer ; if thou walk so , as thou promisedst in thy painfull fit of the stone , or gout . our extremities commonly render us holy : and our paine is prodigall of those vowes , which our case is as niggardly in performing . the distressed mariner , in the perill of a tempest , vows to his saint a taper as big as the mast of his ship ; which upon his comming to shoare , is shrunk into a rush-candle . there was never a more stiffe-necked people than that , which should have been gods peculiar , yet , upon every new plague , how doe they crouch and creep to the power , which their murmurs provoked ? and wee daily see desperation makes those votaries , whom health dispenseth with , as the loosest of libertines . were it essentiall to prosperity , thus to pervert and debauch us , it were enough to make a good heart out of love with welfare , since the pleasure and profit of the best estate is far too short of recompensing the mischiefe of a depraved jollity : but now , the fault is in our owne wretched indisposition ; the blessing is gods , the abuse is ours . is the sun to be blamed that the travellers cloak swelts him with heat ? is the fruit of the grape guilty of that drunkennesse which followes upon a sinful excess ? can we not feed on good meate without a surfet ? and whose fault is it but ours , if wee forget the engagements of our sicke beds ? rather than health should make us godlesse , how much better were it for us to be alwaies sicke ? o my god , i do acknowledge , and bewaile this wretched frailty of our corrupt nature ; wee are not the same men sick and whole ; we are apt to promise thee fair , and to pay thee with disappointment ; and are ready to put off our holy thoughts with our biggens : it is thou only that canst remedy this sicknesse of our health , by working us to a constant mortification . o do thou ever blesse thy servant , either with sanctified crosses , or a temperate prosperity . soliloq . lxxv . the suggestions of a false heart . surely , if thousands of souls perish by the flattery of others , more perish by their own ; whiles their naturall selfe-love soothes them with plausible , but untrue suggestions , concerning their estate : is the question concerning grace ? the false heart tells a man he is stored to superfluity , and excesse ; when hee is indeed more bare and beggarly than the proud pastor of laodicea . is the question of sinne ? it proclaimes him , not innocent only but a saint ; it tells him his hands are pure , when hee is up to the elbows in blood ; that his tongue is holy , when it is foule with perjury and blasphemy ; that his eye is honest and chaste , when it is full of adultery ; that his soul is clean , when it is defiled with abominable lusts , or with cruell rancour , and malice . is the question concerning vertue ? it tels a man hee is just , when he is all made up of rapine , and violent oppression ; that hee is eminently wise , when hee hath not wit enough to know himselfe a fool ; that he is free handed and munificent , when he sticks not to rob beggars ; that he is piously religious , whiles he puls downe churches : thus is the man still hid from himself , and is made to see another in his owne skin : he cannot repent , because hee thinkes himselfe faultles ; he cannot amend , because hee is ever at the best : his only ease and advantage is , that he is carried hoodwinkt into hell . if the question be concerning some scrupulous act to bee done or omitted , now self-respect plaies its prizes at all weapons ; what shifting and traversing there is to avoid the dint of a present danger ? what fine colours , and witty equivocations doth the soule finde out , to cozen it self into a safe offence . if the question be of a sinfull act already committed , what a shuffling there is to face it out by a stout justification ? maugre conscience , it was not lawfull onely , but ( such as the circumstances were ) expedient also ; and if it be so foul , that an apology is too odious , yet an extenuation cannot but be admitted : be it amisse , yet , not hainous , not unmeet for pardon . one would thinke hell should have little need of the fawning assentation of others , when men carry so dangerous parasites in their owne bosomes : but sure both together must needs helpe to people that region of darkness . take heed , o my soul , how thou givest way to these flattering thoughts , whether arising from thy own breast , or injected by others ; and know , thou art never in more danger , than when thou art most applauded : looke upon thine estate , and actions with unpartiall and severe eies ; behold thine owne face , not in the false glasse of opinion , and mercenary adulation , but in the true and perfect glasse of the royall law of thy creator ; that shall duely represent unto thee , whether the beauty of thy graces , or the blemishes of thy manifold imperfections ; that alone shall tell thee how much thou art advanced in a gracious proficiency , and how shamefully defective thou art in what thou oughtedst to have attained : judge of thy selfe by that unfailing rule , and bee indifferent what thou art judged of by others . soliloq . lxxvi . sacred melody . what a marvailously chearfull service was that , o god , which thou requiredst , and hadst performed , under the law : here was not a dumbe and silent act in thy sacrifices , a beast bleeding before thy altar , and a smoake , and flame arising out of it ; here was not a cloudy perfume quietly ascending from the golden altar of thine incense : but , here was the merry noise of most melodious musick , singing of psalmes , and sounding of all harmonious instruments . the congregation were upon their knees , the levites upon their stage sweetly singing , the priests sounding the trumpets , together with cymbals , harps , psalteries , making up one sound in praising and thanking the lord . me thinks i hear , and am ravished to hear in some of thy solemne daies , an hundred and twenty of thy priests sounding with trumpets ; thy levites in greater number , singing aloud with the mixture of their musicall instruments ; so as not the temple onely , but the heaven rings again ; and even in thy daily sacrifices , each morning and evening , i find an heavenly mirth ; musicke , if not so loud , yet no lesse sweet , and delicate ; no fewer than twelve levites might bee standing upon the stage every day singing a divine ditty over thy sacrifice ; psalteries not fewer than two , nor more than sixe ; pipes , not fewer than two , nor more than twelve ; trumpets two at the least , and but one cymball ; so proportioned by the masters of thy chore , as those that meant to take the heart through the eare : i finde where thy holy servants , david , solomon , hezekiah , ( doubtlesse by thy gracious direction , yea , by thy direct command * ) both appointed , and made use of these melodious services ; i doe not finde where thou hast forbidden them : this i am sure of , since thou art still and ever the same , under both law and gospell , that thou both requirest , and delightest in the chearfull devotions of thy servants ; if wee have not the same sounds with thy legall worshippers , yet we should still have the same affections . as they might not waite upon thee , sorrowfull ; so it is not for us to praise thee with drooping and dejected spirits . o god , doe thou quicken my spirituall dulnesse in thy holy service ; and when i come to celebrate thy great name , whiles the song is in my mouth , let my heart be the stage , wherein trumpets and psalteries , and harps shall sound forth thy praise . soliloq . lxxvii . blemishes of the holy function . i cannot but blesse my selfe at the sight of that strange kinde of curiosity , which is reported to have been used in the choice of those , who were of old admitted to serve at the altar ; if levi must bee singled out from all israel , yet thousands must bee refused of the tribe of levi : wee are told , that , notwithstanding that priviledge of bloud , no lesse than an hundred and forty blemishes might exclude a man from this sacred ministration ; whereof nineteen in the eyes , nine in the eares , twenty in the feet ; such an holy nicenesse there was in the election of the legall priesthood , that , if there were not found an exact symmetrie of all parts of the body , & not comelines onely , but a perfection of outward forme in those levitical candidates , they might by no meanes be allowed to serve in the sanctuary ; they might have place in some out-roomes , and cleave wood for the altar ; and might claime a portion in the holy things ; but they might not meddle with the sacred utensils , nor set foot upon the floor of the holy place . it was thy charge , o god , that those sons of aaron , which drew neare to thee , should be void of blemish ; thou , which wouldst have the beasts of thy sacrifice free from bodily imperfection , wouldst much more have thy sacrificers so : the generality of the command was thine ; the particularities of the numbers are traditionall : and well might the care of these outward observations agree with the pedagogie of that law , which consisted in externall rites ; but we well know , it was the inward purity of the heart , and integrity of an unspotted life , that thou meant'st to aime at , under the figure of these bodily perfections , which , if it were wanting , it was not a skin-deep beauty , and exquisitenesse of shape , that could give a son of aaron an allowed accesse to thine altar : hophni and phinehas , the ill sonnes of good eli , were outwardly blemishlesse , else they had not been capable of so holy a●… attendance ; but their insolencies and beastlinesse made them more loathsome to thee , than if they had been lepers , or monsters of outward deformity : and can wee thinke that thou hast lesse regard to the purity of the evangelicall ministerie , than thou formerly hadst of the legall ? can we think the spirituall blemishes of thine immediate servants under the gospel , can be a lesse eye-sore to thee , than the externall blemishes of thy priesthood under the law ? oh that my head were waters , and mine eies a fountaine of teares , that i might weep night and day for the enormities of those , who professe to waite on thy evangelicall sanctuary ? my sorrow and piety cannot but bewaile them to thee , though my charity forbids me to blazon them to the world . oh thou , that art as the refiners fire , and the fullers soap , doe thou purifie all the sonnes of thy spirituall levi : do thou purge them as gold and silver , that they may offer unto the lord an offering of righteousnesse ; then shall the offerings of our judah and jerusalem bee pleasant to the lord , as in the daies of old , and as in former yeers . soliloq . lxxviii . the blessed reward . when paulinus came first into this island , to preach the gospell , to our then-pagan ancestors , king edwin thought good to consult with his priests , and nobles , whether it were best to give any entertainment to the christian religion , which was by that stranger preached , and recommended to his people . up starts one coifi , the arch-priest of those heathen idols , and freely saies ; there is no vertue or goodnesse , o king , in this religion , which wee have hitherto embraced ; there is none of all thy subjects , that hath more studiously addicted himselfe to the service and worship of our gods , than my selfe ; yet i am sure there are many that have prospered better , and have received more favours from thee , than i have done ; and if our gods could doe any thing , they would rather have been beneficent to me , that have most carefully served them : it remaines then , that if these new doctrines , which are preacht to us , bee found upon examination , to bee better , and more availeable , that without all delay we do readily receive , and welcome them . thus spake a true idols priest , that knew no ell whereby to measure religion , but profit ; no proofe of a just cause , but successe ; no conviction of injustice , but mis-carriage . yea , even thine altars , o righteous god , were never quit of some such mercenary attendants , who seek for onely gain in godliness : if the queene of heaven afford them better penny worths and more plenty than the king of heaven , she shall have their cakes , and their incense , and their hearts to boot . i know thee , o lord , to be a munificent rewarder of all that serve thee ; yet if thou shouldest give me no wages , i will serve thee ; if thou shouldest pay mee with hunger and stripes , and prisons , and death , i will serve thee . away base thoughts of earthly remuneration , i will honour and serve thee , o god , for thine owne sake , for thy services sake ; yet i have no reason not to regard thine infinite bounty ; it is no lesse than a crown that thou hast promised me ; and that i shall humbly aspire unto , and expect from thee , not as in the way of my merit , but of thy meer mercy ; my service is free in a zealous and absolute consecration to thee , thy hand is more free in my so gracious retribution : if thou be pleased to give thy servant such a weight of glory , the glory of that gift is thine : my service is out of my just duty , thy reward is of thy grace , and divine beneficence . doe thou give me to doe what thou bidst me , and then deal with me as thou wilt . as the glory of thy name is the drift of all my actions , so the glory that thou givest mee cannot but redound to the glory of thine infinite mercy . blessed bee thy name in what thou givest , whiles thou makest mee blessed in what i receive from thee . soliloq . lxxix . presages of judgement . seldome ever doe wee read of any great mutation in church or state , which is not usher'd in , with some strange prodigies ; either raining of bloud , or apparitions of comets , or airy armies fighting in the clouds , or sea-monsters appearing , or monstrous births of men , or beasts , or bloudy springs breaking out , or direfull noises heard ; or some such like uncouth premonitors ; which the great and holy god sends purposely to awaken our security , and to prepare us either for expectation , or prevention of judgements ; wherein , the mercy of god marvellously magnifies it selfe towards sinnefull man-kind , that he wills not to surprise us with unwarned evills , but would have his punishments anticipated by a seasonable repentance : but of all the fore-tokens of thy fearefullest plagues prepared for any nation , o god , there is none so certain , as the prodigious sinnes of the people committed with an high hand against heaven , against so cleare a light , so powerfull convictions . the monstrous and unmatchable heresies , the hellish blasphemies , the brutish incests , the savage murthers , the horrible sacrileges , perjuries , sorceries of any people , can be no other than the professed harbingers of vengeance ; these are our shoures of bloud ; these are our ill-boding comet ; these are our mishapen births ; which an easie augurie might well construe to portend our threatned destruction . the prophet did not more certainely foretell , when he heard of an hand-broad cloud arising from the sea , that a vehement rain was comming , than gods seers might foreknow , when they saw this darke cloud of our sins mounting up towards heaven , that a tempest of judgement must necessarily follow . but , oh thou god of infinite mercy and compassion , looke downe from heaven upon us , and behold us from the habitation of thy holines : where is thy zeale , and thy strength , the sounding of thy bowells , and of thy mercies towards us ? are they restrained ? if so , it is but just ; for surely wee are a sinfull nation , a people laden with iniquity : we have seen our tokens , and have felt thy hand ; yet we have not turned to thee from our evill waies : to us therefore justly belongeth confusion of faces , because we have sinned against thee : but to thee , o lord our god , belong mercies and forgivenesses , though wee have rebelled against thee ; oh spare , spare the remnant of thy people : let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy chosen inheritance . o my god , hear the prayer of thy servant , and his supplications , and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate : o lord heare , o lord forgive , o lord hearken , and defer not for thine owne sake , o my god . soliloq . lxxx . vnwearied motion , and rest eternall . i see thy heavens , o god , move about continually , and are never weary of their revolution ; whereas all sublunary creatures are soon tyred with their motions , and seek for ease , in their intermissions : even so , o my soule , the nearer thou growest to celestiall , the more constant shall thy courses be , and the freer from that lassitude that hangs upon thine earthly part . as it is now with me , thou seest , i soone find an unavoidable defatigation in all things . i am weary of labour , and , when that is done , i am no lesse weary of doing nothing ; weary of the day , and more weary of the night ; weary of all postures ; weary of all places ; weary of any one ( if never so pleasing ) imployment ; weary , even of varieties ; weary of those , which some men call , recreations ; weary of those ( wherein i finde most delight ) my studies . but , o my soule , if thou be once soundly heaveniz'd in thy thoughts , and affections , it shall bee otherwise with thee ; then thou shalt be ever ( like this firmament ) most happily restlesse ; thou shalt then finde ever worke enough to contemplate that infinite deity , who dwels in the light inaccessible ; to see ( with ravishment of spirit ) thy deare saviour in his glorified humanity , adored by all the powers of heaven ; to view the blessed orders of that celestiall hierarchy , attending upon the throne of majesty ; to behold , and admire the unspeakable , and incomprehensible glory of the saints : these are objects , with the sight whereof thine eie shall never bee satisfied , much lesse cloyed : besides that the hopes and desires of enjoying so great felicity , and the care of so composing thy selfe , as that thou maiest be ever readily addressed for the fruition of it , shall wholly take thee up , with such contentment , that all earthly pleasures shall bee no better than torments in comparison thereof . o , then my soule , since ( as a spark of that heavenly fire ) thou canst never be but in motion , fix here above , where thy movings can bee no other than pleasing , and beatificall . and as thou , o my god , hast a double heaven , a lower heaven for motion , and an empyreall heaven for rest ; one , patent to the eye , the other visible to our faith : so let my soule take part with them both ; let it ever bee moving towards thee , and in thee , ( like this visible heaven ) and ( since the end of all motion is rest ) let it ever rest with thee , in that invisible region of glory . so let it move ever to thee whiles i am here , that it may ever rest with thee in thine eternall glory hereafter . amen . finis . the sovles farewell to earth , and approaches to heaven . by j.h. b.n. the soules farewell to earth , and approaches to heaven . sect. i. be thou ever , o my soule , holily ambitious ; alwaies aspiring towards thine heaven ; not entertaining any thought that makes not towards blessednesse : for this cause therefore put thy selfe upon thy wings , and leave the earth below thee ; and when thou art advanced above this inferiour world , look downe upon this globe of wretched mortality , and despise what thou wast , and hadst ; and think with thy selfe : there was i not a sojourner , so much , as a prisoner , for some tedious yeeres ; there have i been thus long tugging with my miseries , with my sinnes ; there have my treacherous senses betrayd mee to infinite evills both done and suffered : how have i been there tormented with the sense of others wickednes , but more of my own ? what insolence did i see in men of power ? what rage in men of bloud ? what grosse superstition in the ignorant ? what abominable sacrilege in those that would bee zealous ? what drunken revellings , what sodomitical filthinesse , what hellish profanations in atheous ruffians ? what perfidiousnesse in friendship , what cozenage in contracts , what cruelty in revenges ; shortly , what an hell upon earth ? farewell then sinful world , whose favours have been no other than snares , and whose frownes no lesse than torments : farewell for ever ; for , if my flesh cannot yet clear it self of thee , yet my spirit shall ever know thee at a distance ; and behold thee no otherwise than the escaped mariner looks back upon the rock whereon he was lately splitted . let thy bewitched clients adore thee for a deity , all the homage thou shalt receive from me shall bee no other than defiance , and if thy glorious showes have deluded the eies of credulous spectators , i know thee for an impostor : deceive henceforth those that trust thee , for me , i am out of the reach of thy fraud , out of the power of thy malice . thus doe thou , o my soul , when thou art raised up to this height of thy fixed contemplation , cast down thine eies contemptuously upon the region o● thy former miseries , and bee sure ever to keep up in a constant ascent towards blessednesse ; not suffering thy self to stoop any more upon these earthly vanities : for , tell me seriously , when the world was disposed to court thee most of all , what did it yield thee but unsound joyes sauced with a deep anguish of spirit ; false hopes shutting up in an heart-breaking disappointment ; windy proffers mocking thee with suddain retractions ; bitter pils in sugar ; poison in a golden cup . it shew'd thee perhaps stately palaces , but stuft with cares ; faire and populous cities , but full of toile and tumult ; flourishing churches , but annoyed with schisme , and sacrilege ; rich treasures , but kept by ill spirits ; pleasing beauties , but baited with temptation ; glorious titles , but surcharged with pride ; goodly semblances with rotten in-sides ; in short , death disguised with pleasures and profits . if therefore heretofore thy unexperience have suffered thy fethers to be belimed with these earthly intanglements , yet now , that thou hast happily cast those plumes , and quit thy selfe of these miserable incombrances ; thou maiest soare aloft above the sphere of mortality ; and be stil towring up towards thine heaven ; and as those that have ascended to the top of some athos or tenariffe see all things below them in the vallies small , and scarce , in their diminution , discernable ; so shall all earthly objects in thy spirituall exaltation seem unto thee ; either thou shalt not see them at all , or at least so lessened , as that they have to thee quite lost all the proportion of their former dimensions . sect. ii. it will not be long , o my soul , ere thou shalt absolutely leave the world in the place of thine habitation , being carried up by the blessed angels to thy thy rest and glory ; but in the meane time , thou must resolve to leave it in thy thoughts , and affections : thou maist have power over these even before the hour of thy separation ; and these rightly disposed have power to exempt thee before-hand from the interests of this inferiour world , and to advance thine approaches to that world of the blessed . whiles thou art confined to this clay , there is naturally a luggage of carnality that hangs heavy upon thee , and swayes thee downe to the earth , not suffering thee to mount upward to that blisse whereto thou aspirest ; this must bee shaken off , if thou wouldst attaine to any capacity of happiness ; even in this sense , flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of god : it behoves thee to be , so far as this composition wil admit , spirituallized , ere thou canst hope to attaine to any degree of blessednesse . thy conjunction with the body doth necessarily clog thee with an irrationall part , which will unavoidably force upon thee some operations of its owne ; and thy senses will be interposing themselves in all thy intellectuall imployments , profering thee the service of their guidance in all thy proceedings : but if thou lov'st eternity of blessednesse , shake them off as importunate sutors ; gather up thy selfe into thine owne regenerated powers , and doe thy worke without , and above them . it is enough that thou hast at first taken some hint from them of what concernes thee ; as for the rest , cast them off as unnecessary , and impertinent ; the prosecution whereof is too high , and too internall for them to intermeddle with : thou hast now divine and heavenly things in chase , whereof there cannot be the least sent in any of these earthly faculties . devest thy selfe therefore ( what thou possibly maiest ) of all materiality both of objects , and apprehensions ; and let thy pure , renewed , and illuminated intellect work only upon matter spirituall , and celestiall ; and above all , propose unto thy selfe , and dwell upon that purest , perfectest , simplest , blessedest object , the glorious and incomprehensible deity : there thou shalt finde more than enough to take up thy thoughts to all eternity . be thou , o my soule , ever swallowed up in the consideration of that infinite self-being essence , whom all created spirits are not capable sufficiently to admire : behold and never cease wondering at the majesty of his glory . thy bodily eies dazle at the sight of the sunne , but if there were as many sunnes as there are stars in the firmament of heaven , their united splendour were but darkenesse to their all-glorious creator : thou canst not yet hope to see him as he is : but loe thou beholdest where he dwels in light inaccessible ; the sight of whose very outward verge is enough to put thee into a perpetuall extasie . it is not for thee as yet to strive to enter within the vaile ; thine eies may not be free where the angels hide their faces ; what thou wantst in sight , o my soule , supply in wonder . never any mortall man , o god , durst sue to see thy face , save that one intire servant of thine , whose face thy conference had made shining and radiant ; but even he ( though inured to thy presence ) was not capable to behold such glory , and live : far be it from me , o lord , to presume so high ; onely let me see thee as thou hast bidden me ; and but so , as not to behold thee ( after thy gracious revelation ) were my sinne : let mee see , even in this distance , some glimmering of thy divine power , wisdom , justice , mercy , truth , providence , and let me bless and adore thee in what i see . sect. iii. oh the infinitenesse of thine almighty power , which thou not hast , but art , beyond the possibility of all limitations of objects or thoughts : in us , poor finite creatures , our power comes short of our will ; many things we fain would doe , but cannot ; and great pitty it were that there should not bee such a restraint upon our unruly appetites ; which would otherwise worke out the destruction both of others , and our selves . but , o god , thy power is beyond thy will ; thou canst doe more than thou wilt : thou couldst have made more worlds when thou madst this one ; and even this one , which thou hast made , lord , how glorious a one it is : lo , there needs no other demonstration of thine omnipotence . oh what an heaven is this which thou hast canopied over our heads ? how immensely capacious ? how admirably beautifull ? how bestudded with goodly globes of light ? some one whereof hath in it such unspeakable glory , as that there have not wanted nations , ( and those not of the savagest ) which have mis-worship'd it for their god : and if thou hadst made but one of these in thy firmament , thy workmanship had been above our wonder ; for even this had surpassed the whole frame of this lower world ; but now as their quality strives with their greatnesse , so their magnitude strives with their number , which of them shall more magnifie the praise of their almighty creator ; and these three are no less than matched by the constant regularity of the perpetuall motion of those mighty bodies ; which having walked their daily rounds about the world above this five thousand six hundred and sixty yeares , yet are so ordered by thy inviolable decree , that they have not varied one inch from their appointed line , but keepe their due course and just distance each from other : although not fixed in any solid orbe , but moving singly in a thin and yeelding skie , to the very same point whence they set forth . and if the bodily and visible part of thine heavenly hoast , o god , be thus unconceivably glorious , where shall we finde room to wonder at those spirituall and living powers which inhabite those celestiall mansions , and attend upon the throne of thy majesty : the thousand thousands of thy blessed angels , arch-angels , cherubim , seraphin , thrones , principalities , dominions , which in thy presence enjoy a bliss next to infinite ? any one of which if wee could see him , were enough to kill us with his glory : not one of those millions of mighty spirits , but were able to destroy a world : oh then how infinitely transcendent is that power of thine , which hast both created all this heavenly hierarchy , and so movest in them , that onely in and by thee they are thus potent . yea , lord , let me but cast mine eies downe to this earth i tread upon , and view thy wonders in the deep , how manifestly do these proclame thy divine omnipotence ? when i see this vaste globe of earth , and waters , dreadfully hanging in the midst of a liquid air , upheld by nothing but by the powerfull word ; when i see the rage of the swelling waves ( naturally higher than the shores they beat upon ) restrained to their bounds by thine over-ruling command : when i see the earth beautifully garnished with marvailous variety of trees , herbs , flowers ; richly stuffed with precious metals , stones , minerals : when i see ( besides a world of men ) the numberless choice and differences of the substance , formes , colours , dispositions , of beasts , fowles , fishes , wherewith these lower elements are peopled , how can i be but dissolved into wonder of thine almighty power ? sect. iv. neither is thy power , o god , either more , or more thy selfe than thy wisdome , which is no lesse essentiall to thee , than infinite . what have we to doe , silly and shallow wretches , with that incomprehensible wisdom which is intrinsecall to thy divine nature ; the body of that sunne is not for our weak eies to behold : it is enough for mee if i can but see some raies of that heavenly light which shines forth so gloriously upon thy creature : in the framing and governing whereof , whether thy power or wisdome did and doe more exhibite it selfe , thou only canst judge . o the divine architecture of this goodly fabricke of heaven , and earth , raised out of nothing to this admirable perfection ! what stupendious artifice of composition is here ! what exquisite symmetrie of parts , what exact order of degrees , what marvailous analogie betwixt beasts , fishes , plants , the natives of both elements ! oh what a comprehensive reach is this of thine omniscience , which at once in one act beholdest all the actions and events of all the creatures that were , are , or shall be in this large universe ? what a contrivance of thine eternall counsell , which hast most wisely and holily ordered how to dispose of every creature thou hast made , according to the pleasure of thy most just will ? vvhat a sway of providence is this that governes the world ? over-ruling the highest , and stooping to the meanest peece of thy creation ? concurring with , and actuating the motions and operations of all second causes of whatsoever is done in heaven , or in earth ? yea , lord , how wonderfull are those irradiations of knowledge and wisdome , which thou hast beamed forth upon thine intelligent creatures , both angels and men ? as for those celestiall spirits which see thy face continually , it is no marvaile if they be illuminated in a degree farre above humane apprehension ; but that the rationall soule of man , even in this woefull pilgrimage below , notwithstanding the opacity of that earth wherewith it is encompassed , should bee so far enlightned , as that it is able to know all the motions of the heavens , the magnitudes and distances of starres , the natures , properties , influences of the planets , the instant of the eclipses , conjunctions and severall aspects of those celestiall bodies ; that it can discover the secret treasures of earth and sea ; and knowes to unlock all the close cabinets both of art and nature ; o god , what is this but some little gleame of that pure and glorious light , which breakes forth from thine infiniteness upon thy creature : yet were the knowledge of all men on earth , and all the angels in heaven , multiplied a thousand fold , how unable were it being united together , to reach unto the height of thy divine counsels , to fadome the bottome of thy most wise and holy decrees ? so as they must bee forced to cry out with that saint of thine , who was rapt into the third heaven , o the depth of the riches both of the vvisdome and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgements , and his waies past finding out ! sect. v. but with what a trembling adoration , o my soul , must thou needs look upon the infinite justice of thy god ; whose inviolable rule is to render to every man according to his workes . alas , the little good thou wert able to do , hath been allayed with so many , and great imperfections , that it can expect no retribution but displeasure ; and for the many evills whereof thou art guilty , what canst thou look for but the wages of sinne , death ? not that temporary , and naturall only , which is but a separation of thee , a while , from thy load of earth ; but the spirituall and eternall separation from the presence of thy god , whose very want is the height of torments . lo , whatever become of thee , god must be himselfe : in vain shouldst thou hope that for thy selfe he will abate ought of his blessed essence , of his sacred attributes : that righteous doome must stand , the soule that sinnes shall die : hell claimes his due ; justice must bee satisfied ; where art thou now , o my soul ? what canst thou now make account of but to despair and die ? surely , in thy self , thou art lost : there is no way with thee but utter perdition . but looke up , o soul , look up above the hils whence commeth thy salvation ; see the heavens opening upon thee ; see what reviving , and comfortable raies of grace and mercy shine forth unto thee from that excellent glory ; and out of that heavenly light hear the voice of thy blessed saviour , saying to thee , o israel , thou hast destroyed thy selfe , but in me is thy helpe . even so , o jesu , in thee , onely in thee is my helpe : wretched man that i am ; in my selfe i stand utterly forfeited to death and hell : it is thou that hast redeemed me with no lesse ransome than thy precious bloud . death was owing by me , by thee it was payed for me , so as now my debt is fully discharged , and my soule clearly acquitted : who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth ; who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died , yea rather that is risen again . lo now the rigor of thine inviolable justice is taken off by thine infinite mercy ; the sum that i could never pay , is by the power of that faith which thou hast wrought in me , set off to my all-sufficient surety , & by thy divine goodnesse graciously accepted as mine ; i have paid it in him , he hath paid it for me ; thy justice is satisfied , thy debtor freed , and thy mercy magnified . sect vi . there are no bounds to bee set unto thy thoughts , o my soul , since whatsoever thy god either is , or hath done comes within thy prospect : there , besides the great worke of his creation , thou maiest dwell upon the no lesse almighty worke of his administration of this universall world , whereof the preservation and government is no lesse wonderfull than the frame ; there thou shalt see the marvelous subordination of creatures , some made to rule , others to obey ; the powerfull influences of the celestiall bodies upon the inferiour ; the continuall transmutation of elements , forsaking their own places and natures to serve the whole ; formes dying , matter perpetuall ; all things maintained by a friendly discord of humors , out of which they are raised ; the circular revolution of fashions , occurrences , events ; the different and opposite dispositions of men over-ruled to such a temper ; that yet government is continued in the hands of few , society and commerce with all : shortly , all creatures whiles they doe either naturally , or voluntarily act their own part , doing unawares the will of their creator . but that which may justly challenge thy longer stay , and greater wonder , is the more-than-transcendent worke of mans redemption ; the mysteries whereof the holy angels have desired to look into , but could never yet sufficiently conceive or admire : that the sonne of god , the lord of glory , coeternall , coequall to his father , god blessed for ever , should take upon him an estate lower than their own ; should cloath his deity with the ragges of our flesh ; should stoop to weake and miserable man-hood , and in that low and despicable condition , should submit himselfe to hunger , thirst , wearinesse , temptation of devils , despight of men , to the cruelty of tormentors , to agonies of soule , to the pangs of a bitter , ignominious , cursed death , to the sense of his fathers wrath for us wretched sinners , that had made our selves the worst of creatures , enemies to god , slaves to satan , is above the reach of all finite apprehension . o never-to-bee-enough-magnified mercy ! thou didst not , o saviour , when thou sawest mankind utterly lost , and forlorn , content thy selfe to send down one of thy cherubim , or seraphin , or some other of thy heavenly angels to undertake the great work of our deliverance ( as wel knowing that taske too high for any created power ) but wouldst , out of thine infinite love and compassion , vouchsafe , so to abase thy blessed selfe , as to descend from the throne of thy celestiall glory to this dungeon of earth ; and not leaving what thou hadst , and what thou wast , to assume what thou hadst not , man ; and to disparage thy selfe by being one of us , that wee might become like unto thee , co-heirs of thy glory and blessednesse . thou that art the eternall sonne of god , wouldst condescend so low , as to be man ; that wee who are wormes and no men might bee advanced to bee the sonnes of god ; thou wouldst bee a servant , that wee might reigne ; thou wouldst expose thy self to the shame and disgrace of thy vile creatures here , that thou mightst raise us up to the height of heavenly honour with thee our god , and thy holy angels ; thou wouldst dye for a while , that we might live eternally . pause here a while , o my soule , and do not wish to change thy thoughts ; neither earth nor heaven can yeild thee any of higher concernment , of greater comfort : onely withall , behold the glorious person , of that thy blessed mediator , after his victories over death and hell , sitting triumphant in all the majesty of heaven , adored by all those millions of celestiall spirits , in his glorified humanity ; and ( what thou maist ) enjoy the vision of him by faith , till thou shalt be everlastingly blessed with a cleare , and present intuition . long after that day ; and be ever carefull in the meane time to make thy self ready for so infinite an happinesse . sect. vii . and now , o my soul , having left below thee all the triviall vanities of earth ; and fixed thy selfe ( so farre as thy weak eies will allow thee ) upon thy god , and saviour , in his almighty works , and most glorious attributes , it will be time for thee ( and will not a little conduce to thy further addresse towards blessednesse ) to fasten thy selfe upon the sight of the happy estate of the saints above , who are gone before thee to their bliss , and have ( through gods mercy ) comfortably obtained that which thou aspirest unto : thou that wert guided by their example , bee likewise heartned by their successe : thou art yet a traveller , they comprehensors ; thou art panting towards that rest which they most happily enjoy ; thou art sweating under the crosse , whiles they sit crowned in an heavenly magnificence . see the place wherein they are , the heaven of heavens , the paradise of god : infinitely resplendent , infinitely delectable ; such as no eye can behold , and not be blessed : shouldst thou set thy tabernacle in the midst of the sun , thou couldst not but bee encompassed with marvailous light ; yet even there it would bee but as midnight with thee in comparison of those irradiations of glory which shine forth above in that empyreall region ; for thy god is the sun there : by how much therefore those divine raies of his exceed the brightest beams of his creature ; so much doth the beauty of that heaven of the blessed surpasse the created light of this inferior & starry firmament . even the very place contributes not a little to our joy , or misery ; it is hard to bee merry in a goale ; and the great persian monarch thought it very improper for a courtier to bee of a sad countenance within the verge of so great a royalty . the very devils conceive horror at the apprehension of the place of their torment , and can beseech the over-ruling power of thy saviour not to command them to go out into the deep . no man can be so insensate to thinke there can bee more dreadfulnesse in the place of those infernall tortures , than there is pleasure and joy in the height of that sphere of blessednesse ; sith we know wee have to doe with a god that delights more in the prosperity of his saints , than in the cruciation , and howling of his enemies . how canst thou then , o my soule , bee but wholly taken up with the sight of that celestiall jerusalem , the beautious city of thy god , the blessed mansions of glorified spirits ? surely , if earth could have yeelded any thing more faire , and estimable than gold , pearles , precious stones , it should have been borrowed to resemble these supernall habitations : but , alas , the lustre of these base materials doth but darken the resplendence of those divine excellencies . with what contempt now , dost thou looke downe upon those muddy foundations of earth , which the low spirits of worldlings are wont to admire ? and how feelingly dost thou blesse and emulate the spirits of just men made perfect , who are honoured with so blisfull an habitation . but what were the place , o my soule , how goodly & glorious soever in it self , if it were not for the presence of him whose being there makes it heaven ? lo there the throne of that heavenly majesty , which filling and comprehending the large circumference of this whole , both lower and superior world , yet there keepes and manifests his state , with the infinite magnificence of the king of eternall glory : there he in an ineffable manner communicates himselfe to blessed spirits , both angels and men : and that very vision is no lesse to them than beatificall : surely , were the place a thousand degrees lower in beauty and perfection than it is , yet that presence would render it celestiall ; the residence of the king was wont to turn the meanest village or castle , into a court : the sweet singer of israel saw this of old , and could say , in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy ; and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . it is not so in these earthly and finite excellencies : a man may see mountaines of treasure , and bee never a whit the richer ; and may bee the witness and agent too in anothers honour ( as haman was of mardochees ) and be so much more miserable ; or may view the pompe and splendour of mighty princes , and be yet still a beggar : but the infinite graces of that heavenly king are so communicative , that no man can see him but must bee transformed into the likeness of his glory . sect. viii . even thy weak and imperfect vision of such heavenly objects , o my soule , are enough to lay a foundation of thy blessednesse ; and how can there chuse but bee raised thence as a further degree towards it , a sweet complacency of heart in an appropriation of what thou seest ; without which nothing can make thee happy ? let the sun shine never so bright , what is this to thee if thou bee blinde ? be the god of heaven never so glorious , yet if hee bee not thy god : bee the saviour of the world never so mercifull , yet if hee be not mercifull to thee : be the heaven never so full of beauty and majesty , yet if thou have not thy portion in that inheritance of the saints in light ; so far will it be from yielding thee comfort , that it will make a further addition to thy torment . what an aggravation of misery shall it be to those that were children of the kingdom , that from that outer darknesse whereinto they are cast , they shall see aliens come from the east and west , and sit downe with abraham , isaac , and jacob in the kingdome of heaven ? cease not then , o my soul , till by a sure and undefaisible application , thou hast brought all these home to thy self ; and canst look upon the great god of heaven , the gracious redeemer of the world , the glory of that celestiall paradise as thine owne . let it be thy bold ambition , and holy curiosity to finde thy name enrolled in that eternall register of heaven : and if there bee any one room in the many mansions of that celestiall jerusalem , lower and lesse resplendent than other , thither doe thou finde thy selfe ( through the great mercy of thy god ) happily designed . it must bee the worke of thy faith that must do it : that divine grace is it , the power whereof can either fetch downe heaven to thee , or carry thee before-hand up to thy heaven ; and not affix thee only to thy god , and saviour , but unite thee to him , and ( which is yet more ) ascertaine thee of so blessed an union . neither can it bee but that from this sense of appropriation there must necessarily follow a marvellous contentment , and complacency in the assurance , of so happy an interest . lord , how doe i see poore worldlings please themselves in the conceit of their miserable proprieties ? one thinks , is not this my great babylon which i have built ? another , are not these my rich mines ? another , is not this my royall and adored magnificence ? and how are those unstable mindes transported with the opinion of these great ( but indeed worthlesse ) peculiarities ; which after some little time moulder with them into dust ? how canst thou then , bee , but pleasingly affected , o my soul , with the comfortable sense of having a god , a savior , an heaven of thine own ? for in these spiritual and heavenly felicities , our right is not partiall and divided , as it useth to be in secular inheritances ; so as that every one hath his share distinguish'd from the rest , and parcelled out of the whole ; but here each one hath all ; and this blessed patrimony is so communicated to all saints , as that the whole is the propriety of every one upon the assurance therefore of thy gods gracious promises made to eevery true beleever , finde thou thy selfe happily seized of both the king , and kingdom of heaven , so far as thy faith can as yet feoffe thee in both ; and delight thy selfe above all things in these unfailing pledges of thine instant blessednes , and say with the holy mother of thy redeemer , my soul doth magnifie the lord ; and my spirit rejoyceth in god my saviour . sect. ix . from this feeling complacency in the owning of thy right to glory and happinesse , there cannot but arise a longing desire of the full possession thereof : for thou canst not so little love thy selfe , as what thou knowest thou hast a just title unto , and withall apprehendest to bee infinitely pleasing and beneficiall , not to wish that thou maist freely enjoy it . if thou have tasted how sweet the lord is , thou canst not but long for more of him , yea , for all : it is no otherwise even in carnall delights , the degustation whereof is wont to draw on the heart to a more eager appetition ; much more in spiritual ; the pleasures whereof as they are more pure , so they are of the heavenly-minded with far greater ardency of spirit affected . the covetous mans heart is in his bags ; what he hath doth but augment his lust of more ; and the having of more doth not satiate but enlarge his desires ; hee that loveth silver , shall not be satisfied with silver ; nor he that loveth abundance with encrease : but these celestiall riches are so much more allective , as they are more excellent , than those which are delved out of the bowels of the earth . o my soule , thou hast through the favour of thy god sipp'd some little of the cup of immortality , and tasted of that heavenly manna the food of angels ; and canst thou take up with these slight touches of blessednes ? thou hast ( though most unworthy ) the honour to be contracted to thy saviour here below ; thou knowest the voice of his spouse , draw me and we shall runne after thee ; stay me with flagons , comfort me with apples , for i am sick of love ; make hast my beloved , and be thou like to a roe , or to a young hart upon the mountaines of spices : where is thy love if thou have not fervent desires of a perpetuall enjoyment ? if thou doe not earnestly wish for a full consummation of that heavenly match ? o my lord and saviour , as i am not worthy to love thee ; so i were not able to love thee ( how amiable soever ) but by thee . o thou that hast begun to kindle this fire of heavenly love in me , raise thou it up to a perfect flame ; make me not onely sick of thy love , but ready and desirous to die for thee , that i may enjoy thee : oh let me not endure that any worldly heart should be more enamoured of these earthly beauties , which are but varnished rottennes , than i am of thee who art of absolute and infinite perfections ; and bestowest them in being loved . oh when shall the day be , wherein thou wilt make up these blessed nuptials ; and endow me with a ful participation of that glory wherewith thou art invested , from , and to all eternity ? whereto have all thy sweet favours , and gracious love-tokens tended , but to this issue of blessednesse ? oh doe thou crown all thy mercies in me , and mee with immortality . sect. x. vpon this desire of fruition , ( if thou wouldst be truly happy ) there must follow a constant prosecution of that desire : for if thy wishes be never so fervent , yet if they be onely volatile and transient , they shall be able to availe thee little ; slight and flickering motions of good , if they be not followed with due indeavours , sort to no effect . content not thy selfe therefore , o my soule , that thou hast entertained into thy selfe some affective thoughts of thy beatitude ; but settle thy selfe in firme resolutions to pursue , and perpetuate them : let them not call in as strangers , but dwell in thee as in-mates , never to be , by any secular occasions , dislodged . these morning dewes of holy dispositions , which are ready to be exhaled with every gleam of worldly prosperity , as they finde little acceptance from god , so they are able to afford small comfort to thee ; as whose condition is such , that they leave thee more disconsolate in their vanishing , than they yielded thee pleasure in their momentany continuance . be thou able to say with holy david , my heart is fixed , o god , my heart is fixed ; and then thou maiest well adde , i will sing and give praise ; otherwise thy distracted thoughts will admit no cause of sound joy . in this case it fals out with thee , o my soul , as with some fond child , who eagerly following a bee in hope of her bag , sees a gay butterflie crosse his way ; and thereupon leaves his first chase , and runs after those painted wings ; but in that pursute seeing a bird flie close by him , hee leaves the flie in hope of a better purchase ; but in the meane time is disappointed of all , and catcheth nothing . it mainely behoves thee therefore to keep up thy cogitations and affections close to these heavenly objects ; and to check them whensoever thou perceivest an inclination to their wandring : like as the carefull huntsman , when he findes his hound offering to follow after a new game , rates him off ; and holds him to his first sent . whither are yee stray , o my thoughts ? what means this sinfull and lossefull inconstancy ? can yee bee happier in a change ? is there any thing in this miserable world that can be worthy to carry you away from the hopes and affectations of blessednesse ? have yee not full often complained of the worthlesnesse , and satiety of these poore vanities here below ? have yee not found their promises false , their performances unsatisfactory , their disappointment irksome ? away then yee frivolous temptations , and solicit those mindes that are low , and empty like your selves : for me , i disdaine your motions ; and being taken up with higher imployments , scorne to descend to your base suggestions , which tend to nothing but meer earthliness . but ( as there is no fire which will not go out if it be not fed ) it cannot be enough that thou hast entertained these gracious resolutions , unlesse thou doe also supply and nourish them with holy meditations , devout prayers , continual ejaculations , and the due frequentation of all the holy ordinances of thy god ; without which , if they shall languish through thy neglect , thou shalt finde double more worke , and difficulty , in reviving them , than there could have been in maintaining , and upholding them in their former vigour . bee not therefore wanting to thy selfe in the perpetuall exercise and improvement of all those holy meanes , that may further and perfect these heavenly longings after salvation ; thy god shall not be wanting to thee in blessing thee with an answerable successe . sect. xi . it is the just praise of the marvailous bounty of thy god , o my soule , that he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him . if therefore thou canst hunger and thirst , after righteousnesse , if thy heart can yearn after heaven , he shall bee sure to satisfie thee with goodnesse ; and not onely shall bring thee home at the last to that land of promised blessednesse , but in the meane time also put thee into an inchoate fruition of happinesse ; which is the next degree of thine ascent to heaven . that which is complete may bee the surest rule of knowing and judging of that which is imperfect : wherein doth the perfection of heavenly blisse consist , but in a perpetuall enjoying the presence of god , in a cleare vision of the divine essence , in a perfect union with god , and an eternall participation of his life and glory ? now as grace is glory begun , and glory is grace consummate , so dost thou , o my soule ( being wrought to it by the power of the spirit of thy god ) even in this life ( how weakely soever ) enter upon all these acts and privileges of beatitude : even here below thou art never out of the presence of thy god ; and that presence can never be other than glorious ; and that it is not beatificall here , is not out of any deficiency in it , but in thine own miserable incapacity ; who , whiles thou abidest , in this vale of tears , and art clogged with this flesh , art no fit subject of so happy a condition . yea that blessed presence is ever comfortably acknowledged by thee , and enjoyed with such contentment and pleasure that thou wouldst not part with it for a world , and that thou justly accountest all earthly delights but meer vexations to that alone ; whom have i in heaven but thee ? and what doe i desire on earth in comparison of thee ? a balaam could say ( how truly soever ) i shall see him , but not now ; i shall behold him , but not nigh : but , lord , i see thee even now ; i behold thee so nigh me , that i live in thee , and would rather die than live without thee ; i see thee , though weakly and dimly , yet trulie and reallie ; i see thee as my god all-sufficient , as my powerfull creator , my mercifull redeemer , my gracious comforter ; i see thee the living god , the father of lights , the god of spirits , dwelling in light inaccessible , animating , filling , comprehending this glorious world ; and doe awfully adore thine infinitenesse . neither doe i looke at thee with a trembling astonishment , as some dreadfull stranger , or terrible avenger ; but i behold thy majesty so graciously complying with my wretchednesse , that thou admittest mee to a blessed union with thee : i take thee at thy word , o dear saviour , even that sweet word of impetration , which thou wert pleased to utter unto thy coeternal father , immediately before thy meritorious passion , i pray not for these alone ; but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word ; that they all may be one , as thou , father , art in me , and i in thee ; that they may be one in us : and the glory which thou gavest me , i have given them , that they may bee one even as we are one ; i in them , and thou in me , that they may bee made perfect in one ; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me , and hast loved them , as thou hast loved me . i know thou couldst not but be heard in all that thou prayed'st ; and therefore i take what thou suedst for , as done . lord , i do beleeve in thee , unite thou me to thee : make me one spirit with thee : it is no presumption to sue and hope for what thou hast prayed for , and promised to performe : oh make mee according to the capability of my weake humanitie , partaker of thy divine nature ; vouchsafe to allow me , even me poor wretched soul , to say of thee , i am my beloveds , and my beloved is mine : and by vertue of this indissoluble union , why shouldst thou not , o my soule , finde thy selfe endowed with a blessed participation of that heavenly life and glory , which is in , and with him ? in that thou art united to thy body , thou impartest to it vegetation , sense , motion ; and givest it a share in the exercise of all thy noble faculties : how much more entire and beneficiall is the spirituall union of thy god , and thee ? alas , that bond of naturall conjunction is easily dissolved by ten thousand waies of death : this heavenly knot is so fast tied , that all the powers of hell cannot unloose it ; and the blessings communicated to thee by this divine match are so much more excellent , as the infinite giver of them is above thy meanenesse : lo , now thou art actually interessed in all that thy god is , or hath ; his kingdome is thine , his glorie is thine to all eternitie . sect. xii . and what now can follow , o my soule , upon the apprehension of thus enjoying the presence of thy god , and the vision of so blessed an object ; and thine union with him , and participation of him , but a sensible ravishment of spirit with a joy unspeakable , and full of glorie ? heretofore , if some great friend should have brought mee to the court , and having shew'd me the splendor and magnificence of that seat of majesty , should have brought mee in to the sight of his royal person ; and should have procured me not onely a familiar conference with him , but the entire affection of a favourite ; and from thence there should have been heaped upon me , titles of honour , and large revenues , and ( yet higher ) a consociation of princely dignitie : how should i have been transported with the sense of so eminent an advancement ? how great and happie should i have seemed , not more in others eies , than in my own ? what big thoughts had hereupon swolne up my heart in the daies of my vanitie ? but , alas , what poor things are these in comparison of those heavenly promotions ? i might have been brought into the stateliest court of this world ; and have been honoured not only with the presence , but the highest favours , of the best and greatest of kings , and yet have been most miserable : yea , which of those monarchs , that have the command , and dispensation of all greatness , can secure himselfe from the saddest infelicities ? but these spiritual prerogatives are above the reach of all possible miserie ; and can , and do put thee ( in some degree ) into an unfailing possession both reall and personall of eternall blessednesse . i cannot wonder that peter when with the other two disciples upon mount tabor , he saw the glorious transfiguration of my saviour , was out of himself for the time , and knew not what he said ; yet , as not thinking himselfe and his partners , any otherwaies concerned , than in the sight of so heavenly a vision , he mentions onely three tabernacles , for christ , moses , elias , none for themselves ; it was enough for him , if without doors he might be still blessed with such a prospect : but how had he been wrapt from himselfe , if he had found himselfe taken into the society of this wondrous transformation , and interessed in the communion of this glory ? thy renovation , and the power of thy faith , o my soul , puts thee into that happy condition ; thou art spiritually transfigured into the similitude of thy blessed saviour , shining with his righteousness and holiness ; so as he is glorified in thee , and thou in him ; glorified , not in the fulnesse of that perfection which will be , but in the pledge and earnest of what shall , and must bee hereafter . o then , with what unspeakable joy , and jubilation , dost thou entertaine thy happinesse ? how canst thou containe thy selfe any longer within these bounds of my flesh , when thou feelest thy selfe thus initiated into glory ? art thou in heaven and know'st it not ? know'st thou not that hee who is within the entry , or behinde the screen , is as trulie within the house , as he that walkes in the hall , or sits in the parlour ? and canst thou pretend to bee within the verge of heaven , and not rejoyce ? what is that makes heaven , but joy and felicity ? thy very thought cannot separate these two , no more than it can sever the sun and light : for both these are equally the originals and fountaines of light and joy ; from whence they both flow , and in which both are complete ; there is no light which is not derived from the sun ; no true joy but from heaven : as therefore the nearer to the body of the sun , the more light and heat , so the nearer to heaven , the more excesse of joy . and certainly , o my soul , there is nothing but infidelity , can keepe thee from an exuberance of joy , and delight in the apprehension of heaven . can the wearie traveller after he hath measured many tedious miles , and passed many dangers both by sea and land , and felt the harsh entertainements of a stranger , chuse but rejoyce to draw near in his returne to a rich , and pleasant home ? can the ward , after an hard pupillage chuse but rejoyce that the day is comming wherein he shall freely enjoy all his lordly revenues and roialties ? can a joseph chuse but finde himself inwardly joyed , when out of the dungeon he shall be called up , not to liberty only , but to honour ; and shall be arraied with a vesture of fine linnen ; and graced with pharaoh's ring , and chain ; and set in his second chariot , and in the next chair to the throne of egypt ? and canst thou apprehend thy selfe now approaching to the glorie of the heaven of heavens , a place and state of so infinite contentment and happinesse , and not be extasied with joy ? there , there shalt thou , o my soule , enjoy a perfect rest from all thy toiles , cares , fears ; there shalt thou find a true vitall life , free from all the incombrances of thy miserable pilgrimage ; free from the dangers of either sins , or temptations ; free from all anxiety and distraction ; free from all sorrow , pain , perturbation ; free from all the possibility of change , or death : a life wherein there is nothing but pure and perfect pleasure ; nothing but perpetuall melodie of angels and saints , singing sweet allelujahs to their god ; a life which the most glorious deitie both gives , and is : a life wherein thou hast the full fruition of the ever-blessed god-head , the continuall society of the celestial spirits , the blissefull presence of the glorified humanitie of thy dear saviour : a life wherein thou hast ever consort with the glorious companie of the apostles , the goodly fellowship of the patriarks , and prophets , the noble army of martyrs and confessors , the celestiall synod of all the holy fathers , and illuminated doctors of the church ; shortly , the blessed assembly of all the faithfull professors of the name of the lord jesus , that having finished their course , sit now shining in their promised glory : see there that yet-unapproachable light , that divine magnificence of the heavenly king ; see that resplendent crown of righteousnesse , which decks the heads of every of those saints , and is readie to be set on thine , when thou hast happilie overcome those spirituall powers , wherewith thou art still conflicting ; see the joyfull triumphs of these exsulting victors ; see the measures of their glory different , yet all full , and the least unmeasurable ; lastly , see all this happinesse not limited to thousands , nor yet millions of years , but commeasured by no less than eternity . and now , my soul , if thou have received the infallible ingagement of thy god , [ in that having beleeved , thou art sealed with that holy spirit of promise , which is the earnest of thine inheritance , untill the full redemption of thy purchased possession ] if , through his infinite mercy , thou bee now upon the entring into that blessed place and state of immortality , forbear ( if thou canst ) to be raised above thy self with the joy of the holy ghost , to bee enlarged towards thy god with a joy unspeakable and glorious : see if thou canst now breath forth any thing but praises to thy god , and songs of rejoycing ; bearing evermore a part in that heauenly ditty of the angels ; blessing , and glory , and wisdome , and thanksgiving , and honour , and power , and might be unto our god for ever , and ever . sect xiii . and now what remaines , o my soule , but that thou do humbly and faithfully wait at the gate of heaven for an happie entrance ( at the good pleasure of thy god ) into those everlasting mansions . i confess , should thy merits bee weigh'd in the ballance of a rigorous justice , another place ( which i cannot mention without horror ) were more fit for thee , more due to thee : for , alas , thou hast been above measure sinfull , and thou knowest the wages of sin , death . but the god of my mercy hath prevented thee with infinite compassion : and in the multitudes of his tender mercies hath not onely delivered thee from the nethermost hell , but hath also vouchsafed to translate thee to the kingdom of his dear son ; in him thou hast boldnesse of access to the throne of grace ; thou , who in thy selfe art worthy to bee a child of wrath , art in him adopted to be a co-heire of glory ; and hast the livery and seizin given thee beforehand of a blessed possession ; the full estating wherein i do in all humble awfulnesse attend . all the few daies therefore of my appointed time will i wait at the threshold of grace untill my changing come ; with a trembling joy , with a longing patience , with a comfortable hope . onely , lord , i know there is something to be done , ere i can enter ; i must die , ere i can be capable to enjoy that blessed life with thee : one stroke of thine angell must bee endured in my passage into thy paradise ; and lo , here i am before thee ready to embrace the condition ; even , when thou pleasest , let me bleed once to bee ever happy . thou hast , after a weary walk through this roaring wilderness , vouchsafed to call up thy servant to mount nebo , and from thence aloof off , to shew me the land of promise , a land that flowes with milk and honey ; do thou but say , die thou on this hill , with this prospect in mine eye , and do thou mercifully take my soul from mee , who gavest it to me ; and dispose of it where thou wilt in that region of immortality . amen , amen . come lord jesu , come quickly . behold , lord , i have by thy providence dwelt in this house of clay more than double the time wherin thou wert pleased to sojourn upon earth ; yet i may well say with thine holy patriark , few and evil have been the dayes of the yeeres of my pilgrimage : few in number , evill in condition : few in themselves , but none at all to thee , with whom a thousand yeares are but as one day . but had they beene double to the age of methusaleh , could they have been so much as a minute to eternity ? yea , what were they to me ( now that they are past ) but as a tale that is told and forgotten . neither yet have they been so few , as evill . lord what troubles and sorrowes hast thou let me see , both my owne and others ? what vicissitudes of sicknesse and health ? what ebbes and flowes of condition ? how many successions and changes of princes both at home , and abroad ? what turnings of times ? what alterations of governments ? what shiftings and downfalls of favourites ? what ruines and desolations of kingdoms ? what sacking of cities ? what havocks of warre ? what frenzies of rebellions ? what underminings of treachery ? what cruelties and barbarismes in revenges ? what anguish in the oppressed and tormented ? what agonies in temptations ? what pangs in dying ? these i have seen , and in these i have suffered : and now , lord , how willing i am to change time for eternity , the evils of earth , for the joyes of heaven , misery for happinesse , a dying life for immortality ? even so , lord jesu , take what thou hast bought ; receive my soule to thy mercie , and crowne it with thy glorie . amen . amen . amen . finis . a catalogue of the severall bookes written by the author in and since his retiring , namely , . the devout soule , and free prisoner . . the remedy of discontentment , or , a treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition . . the peace-maker , laying forth the right way of peace in matter of religion . . the balm of gilead , or , comforts for the distressed ; both morall and divine . . christ mysticall , or , the blessed union of christ and his members . to which is added , an holy rapture , or , a patheticall meditation of the love of christ . also , the christian laid forth in his whole disposition and carriage . . a modest offer , tendred to the assembly of divines at westminster . . select thoughts in two decades , with the breathing of the devout soule . . pax terris . . imposition of hands . . the revelation unrevealed — concerning , the thousand yeeres raigne of the saints with christ on earth . . satans fierie darts quenched , or , temptations repelled ; in decades . . resolutions and decisions of divers practicall cases of conscience ; in decades . select thoughts , one centurie , with the breathing of the devout soul . . susurrium cum deo , &c. this present tract , newly reprinted . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- cor. . . euthym in praefat. psalmorum . psal. . . gen. . . . . cor. . . exo. . . deut. . . exo. . . num. . . heb. . ult. psal. . . kin. . luk. . . mat. . . john . . psa. . . clement . de gestis petri . tim. . . cor. . . rom. . . sam. . cato . thes. . . hos. ▪ . esa. . . exod. . kin. . . kin. . . kin. . . cicer. de natur. deorum , initio . heart bleedings for professors abominations ; set forth under the hands of churches of christ baptized into the name of christ . p. . , . &c. joh. . . mat. . chro ▪ . , ▪ rom. . ▪ mat. . . pro. . . cor. . . tim. . . tim. . . eph. . . ioh. . . psal. . . psal. . . kin. . . iob . . psal. . . psal. . , . psal. . . deut. . , . deut. . . sam. . iam. . . iam. . . prov. . . rev. . . psal. . . cor. . heb. . . eph. . . rom. . . col. . . heb. . . heb. . , . pet. . . heb. . . sam. . . pro. . . pro. . . eph. . . mat. . colos. . psal. . psal. . . mat. . , , &c. mat. . . luk. . . psa. . . gen. . cant. . . . . . . . . eccle. . . cor. . luk. . . psal. . . eccl. . , . mat. . . ier. . . * oecolampad . in locū ierem. eccl. . . psal. . . act. . . thes. . . rom. . . aeneas sylv. de reb. gest ▪ alph. chro. . , . chro. . , . mamonides in cle. hamikdash . c. * chro ▪ . , . maymon . in giath hamikdash . ier. . . mal. . . mal. . . beda eccles. hister . l. . cap. . ier. . , . king , . . esa. . . esa. . . dan. . . . dan. . . . dan. . . notes for div a e- rom. . ose . . . rom. . . . pet. . . bernard . serm. de passione domini . rev. . nehe. . . luk. . . heb. . mat. . . dan , . . luk. . . . eccl. . . cant. . . . . . . psal. . . psal. . psal. . . num. . . ioh. . . . . . cor. . . pet. . . can. . . mar. . . luk. . . rom. . eph. . . ioh. . . thes. . . eph. . . . thes. . . rev. . . psal. . . psal. . . col. . . gen. . . contemplations upon the remarkable passages in the life of the holy jesus by joseph hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations upon the remarkable passages in the life of the holy jesus by joseph hall. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by e. flesher and are to be sold by jacob tonson ..., london : . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- biography -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations upon the remarkable passages in the life of the holy jesus . by joseph hall , late lord bishop of excester . london , printed by e. flesher , and are to be sold by jacob tonson , at the judge's head in chancery lane , near fleet-street . . the contents . the angel and zachary . pag. the annunciation of christ . pag. the birth of christ . pag. the sages and the star. pag. the purification . pag. herod and the infants . pag. christ among the doctours . pag. christ's baptism . pag. christ tempted . pag. simon called . pag. the marriage in cana. pag. the good centurion . pag. the widow's son raised . pag. the ruler's son cured . pag. the dumb devil ejected . pag. matthew called . pag. christ among the gergesens ; or , legion , and the gadarene herd . pag. the faithfull canaanite . pag. the deaf and dumb man cured . pag. zacchaeus . pag. john baptist beheaded . pag. the five loaves and two fishes . pag. the walk upon the waters . pag. the bloudy issue healed . pag. jairus and his daughter . pag. the motion of the two fiery disciples repelled . pag. the ten lepers . pag. the pool of bethesda . pag. the transfiguration of christ . pag. , the prosecution of the transfiguration . pag. the woman taken in adultery . pag. the thankfull penitent . pag. martha and mary . pag. the beggar that was born blind , cured . pag. the stubborn devil ejected . pag. the widow's mites . pag. the ambition of the two sons of zebedee . pag. the tribute-money pay'd . pag. lazarus dead . pag. lazarus raised . pag. christ's procession to the temple . pag. the fig-tree cursed . pag. christ betrayed . pag. the agony . pag. peter and malchus : or , christ apprehended . pag. christ before caiaphas . pag. christ before pilate . pag. the crucifixion . pag. the resurrection . pag. the ascension . pag. contemplations upon the new testament . i. the angel and zacharie . when things are at worst , then god begins a change. the state of the jewish church was extremely corrupted immediately before the news of the gospell ; yet , as bad as it was , not onely the priesthood , but the courses of attendence continued , even from david's time till christ's . it is a desperately-depraved condition of a church , where no good orders are left . judaea passed many troubles , many alterations , yet this orderly combination endured about eleven hundred years . a settled good will not easily be defeated , but in the change of persons will remain unchanged ; and if it be forced to give way , leaves memorable footsteps behind it . if david foresaw the perpetuation of this holy ordinance , how much did he rejoyce in the knowledge of it ? who would not be glad to doe good , on condition that it may so long out-live him ? the successive turns of the legall ministration held on in a line never interrupted . even in a forlorn and miserable church there may be a personall succession . how little were the jews better for this , when they had lost the urim and thummim , sincerity of doctrine and manners ? this stayed with them even whilst they and their sons crucified christ . what is more ordinary , then wicked sons of holy parents ? it is the succession of truth and holiness that makes or institutes a church , whatever becomes of the persons . never times were so barren , as not to yield some good : the greatest dearth affords some few good ears to the gleaners . christ would not have come into the world , but he would have some faithfull to entertain him : he , that had the disposing of all times and men , would cast some holy ones into his own times : there had been no equality , that all should either over-run , or follow him , and none attend him . zachary and elizabeth are just , both of aaron's bloud , and john baptist of theirs . whence should an holy seed spring , if not of the loins of levi ? it is not in the power of parents to traduce holiness to their children : it is the blessing of god that feoffs them in the vertues of their parents , as they feoffe them in their sins . there is no certainty , but there is likelihood , of an holy generation , when the parents are such . elizabeth was just as well as zachary , that the fore-runner of a saviour might be holy on both sides . if the stock and the graffe be not both good , there is much danger of the fruit. it is an happy match , when the husband and the wife are one , not onely in themselves , but in god ; not more in flesh , then in the spirit . grace makes no difference of sexes : rather the weaker carries away the more honour , because it hath had less helps . it is easie to observe , that the new testament affordeth more store of good women then the old. elizabeth led the ring of this mercy , whose barrenness ended in a miraculous fruit both of her body and of her time . this religious pair made no less progress in vertue then in age ; and yet their vertue could not make their best age fruitfull . elizabeth was barren . a just soul and a barren womb may well agree together . amongst the jews barrenness was not a defect onely , but a reproach : yet while this good woman was fruitfull of holy obedience , she was barren of children . as john , who was miraculously conceived by man , was a fit fore-runner of him that was conceived by the holy ghost ; so a barren matron was meet to make way for a virgin. none but a son of aaron might offer incense to god in the temple : and not every son of aaron ; and not any one at all seasons . god is a god of order , and hates confusion no less then irreligion . albeit he hath not so streightned himself under the gospell , as to tie his service to persons or places ; yet his choice is now no less curious , because it is more large : he allows none but the authorized ; he authorizeth none but the worthy . the incense doth ever smell of the hand that offers it . i doubt not but that perfume was sweeter which ascended up from the hand of a just zachary . the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to god. there were courses of ministration in the legall services . god never purposed to burthen any of his creatures with devotion . how vain is the ambition of any soul , that would load it self with the universall charge of all men ? how thankless is their labour , that do wilfully over-spend themselves in their ordinary vocations ? as zachary had a course in god's house , so he carefully observed it : the favour of these respites doubled his diligence . the more high and sacred our calling is , the more dangerous is neglect . it is our honour , that we may be allowed to wait upon the god of heaven in these immediate services . woe be to us , if we slacken those duties wherein god honours us more then we can honour him . many sons of aaron , yea of the same family , served at once in the temple , according to the variety of imployments . to avoid all difference , they agreed by lot to assign themselves to the severall offices of each day . the lot of this day called zachary to offer incense in the outer temple . i do not find any prescription they had from god of this particular manner of designment . matters of good order in holy affairs may be ruled by the wise institution of men according to reason & expediency . it fell out well that zachary was chosen by lot to this ministration , that god's immediate hand might be seen in all the passages that concerned his great prophet ; that as the person , so the occasion might be of god's own chusing . in lots , and their seeming casual disposition , god can give a reason , though we can give none . morning and evening , twice a day , their law called them to offer incense to god , that both parts of the day might be consecrate to the maker of time. the outer temple was the figure of the whole church upon earth , like as the holy of holiest represented heaven . nothing can better resemble our faithfull prayers , then sweet perfume : these god looks that we should ( all his church over ) send up unto him morning and evening . the elevations of our hearts should be perpetuall : but if twice in the day we do not present god with our solemn invocations , we make the gospell less officious then the law. that the resemblance of prayers and incense might be apparent ; whilst the priest sends up his incense within the temple , the people must send up their prayers without . their breath and that incense , though remote in the first rising , met e're they went up to heaven . the people might no more go into the holy place to offer up the incense of prayers unto god , then zachary might go into the holy of holies . whilst the partition-wall stood betwixt jews and gentiles , there were also partitions betwixt the jews themselves . now every man is a priest unto god ; every man ( since the veil was rent ) prays within the temple . what are we the better for our greater freedome of access to god under the gospell , if we do not make use of our privilege ? whilst they were praying to god , he sees an angel of god. as gideon's angel went up in the smoak of the sacrifice , so did zachary's angel ( as it were ) come down in the fragrant smoak of his incense . it was ever great news to see an angel of god ; but now more , because god had long withdrawn from them all the means of his supernaturall revelations . as this wicked people were strangers to their god in their conversation , so was god grown a stranger to them in his apparitions : yet now that the season of the gospell approached , he visited them with his angels , before he visited them by his son. he sends his angel to men in the form of man , before he sends his son to take humane form . the presence of angels is no novelty , but their apparition : they are always with us , but rarely seen ; that we may awfully respect their messages when they are seen . in the mean time our faith may see them , though our senses do not . their assumed shapes do not make them more present , but visible . there is an order in that heavenly hierarchie , though we know it not . this angel that appeared to zachary was not with him in the ordinary course of his attendences , but was purposely sent from god with this message . why was an angel sent ? and why this angel ? it had been easie for him to have raised up the propheticall spirit of some simeon to this prediction : the same holy ghost which revealed to that just man that he should not see death , e're he had seen the messias ; might have as easily revealed unto him the birth of the forerunner of christ , and by him to zachary . but god would have this voice , which should goe before his son , come with a noise : he would have it appear to the world , that the harbinger of the messiah should be conceived by the marvellous power of that god , whose coming he proclaimed . it was fit the first herald of the gospel should begin in wonder . the same angel that came to the blessed virgin with the news of christ's conception , came to zachary with the news of john's , for the honour of him that was the greatest of them which were born of women , and for his better resemblance to him which was the seed of the woman . both had the gospell for their errand , one as the messenger of it , the other as the authour : both are foretold by the same mouth . when could it be more fit for the angel to appear unto zachary , then when prayers and incense were offered by him ? where could he more fitly appear then in the temple ? in what part of the temple more fitly then at the altar of incense ? and whereabouts rather then on the right side of the altar ? those glorious spirits as they are always with us , so most in our devotions ; and as in all places , so most of all in god's house . they rejoyce to be with us , whilst we are with god ; as contrarily , they turn their faces from us , when we goe about our sins . he that had wont to live and serve in the presence of the master , was now astonished at the presence of the servant . so much difference there is betwixt our faith , and our senses , that the apprehension of the presence of the god of spirits by faith goes down sweetly with us , whereas the sensible apprehension of an angel dismays us . holy zachary , that had wont to live by faith , thought he should die when his sense began to be set on work . it was the weakness of him , that served at the altar without horrour , to be daunted with the face of his fellow-servant . in vain do we look for such ministers of god as are without infirmities , when just zachary was troubled in his devotions with that wherewith he should have been comforted . it was partly the suddenness , and partly the glory of the apparition that affrighted him . the good angel was both apprehensive and compassionate of zachary's weakness , and presently incourages him with a chearfull excitation ; fear not , zacharias . the blessed spirits , though they do not often vocally express it , do pity our humane frailties , and secretly suggest comfort unto us , when we perceive it not . good and evil angels , as they are contrary in estate , so also in disposition : the good desire to take away fear , the evil to bring it . it is a fruit of that deadly enmity which is betwixt satan and us , that he would , if he might , kill us with terrour : whereas the good spirits , affecting our relief and happiness , take no pleasure in terrifying us , but labour altogether for our tranquillity and chearfulness . there was not more fear in the face , then comfort in the speech ; thy prayer is heard . no angel could have told him better news . our desires are uttered in our prayers : what can we wish but to have what we would ? many good suits had zachary made , and amongst the rest for a son. doubtless it was now some space of years since he made that request ; for he was now stricken in age , and had ceased to hope : yet had god laid it up all the while , and when he thinks not of it , brings it forth to effect . thus doth the mercy of our god deal with his patient and faithfull suppliants : in the fervour of their expectation he many times holds them off ; and when they least think of it , and have forgotten their own suits , he graciously condescends . delay of effect may not discourage our faith : it may be god hath long granted , e're we shall know of his grant . many a father repents him of his fruitfulness , and hath such sons as he wishes unborn : but to have so gracious and happy a son as the angel foretold , could not be less comfort then honour to the age of zachary . the proof of children makes them either the blessings or crosses of their parents . to hear what his son should be before he was ; to hear that he should have such a son , a son whose birth should concern the joy of many , a son that should be great in the sight of the lord , a son that should be sacred to god , filled with god , beneficiall to man , an harbinger to him that was god and man ; was news enough to prevent the angel , and to take away that tongue with amazement , which was after lost with incredulity . the speech was so good , that it found not a sudden belief : this good news surprized zachary . if the intelligence had taken leisure , that his thoughts might have had time to debate the matter , he had easily apprehended the infinite power of him that had promised ; the pattern of abraham and sara ; and would soon have concluded the appearance of the angel more miraculous then his prediction . whereas now , like a man masked with the strangeness of that he saw and heard , he misdoubts the message , and asks , how shall i know ? nature was on his side , and alledged the impossibility of the event , both from age and barrenness . supernatural tidings at the first hearing astonish the heart , and are entertained with doubts by those , who upon farther acquaintance give them the best welcome . the weak apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not so much to be censured , as pitied . it is a sure way for the heart , to be prevented with the assurance of the omnipotent power of god , to whom nothing is impossible : so shall the hardest points of faith goe down easily with us . if the eye of our mind look upward , it shall meet with nothing to avert or interrupt it ; but if right forward , or downward , or round about , every thing is a block in our way . there is a difference betwixt desire of assurance , and unbelief . we cannot be too carefull to raise up our selves arguments to settle our faith ; although it should be no faith , if it had no feet to stand upon but discursive . in matters of faith , if reasons may be brought for the conviction of the gainsayers , it is well ; if they be helps , they cannot be grounds of our belief . in the most faithfull heart there are some sparks of infidelity : so to believe , that we should have no doubt at all , is scarce incident unto flesh and bloud . it is a great perfection , if we have attained to overcome our doubts . what did mis-lead zachary , but that which uses to guide others , reason ? i am old , and my wife is of great age . as if years and dry loins could be any lett to him , who is able of very stones to raise up children unto abraham . faith and reason have their limits ; where reason ends , faith begins : and if reason will be encroaching upon the bounds of faith , she is straight taken captive by infidelity . we are not fit to follow christ , if we have not denied our selves ; and the chief piece of our selves is our reason . we must yield god able to doe that which we cannot comprehend ; and we must comprehend that by our faith which is disclaimed by reason . hagar must be driven out of doors , that sara may rule alone . the authority of the reporter makes way for belief in things which are otherwise hard to pass : although in the matters of god , we should not so much care who speaks , as what is spoken , and from whom . the angel tells his name , place , office , unasked ; that zachary might not think any news impossible that was brought him by an heavenly messenger . even where there is no use of language , the spirits are distinguished by names , and each knows his own appellation , and others . he that gave leave unto man , his image , to give names unto all his visible and inferiour creatures , did himself put names unto the spirituall : and as their name is , so are they mighty and glorious . but lest zachary should no less doubt of the style of the messenger , then of the errand it self , he is at once both confirmed , and punished with dumbness . that tongue which moved the doubt must be tied up : he shall ask no more questions for forty weeks , because he asked this one distrustfully . neither did zachary lose onely his tongue for the time , but his ears also ; he was not onely mute , but deaf : for otherwise , when they came to ask his allowance for the name of his son , they needed not to have demanded it by signs , but by words . god will not pass over slight offences , and those which may plead the most colourable pretences , in his best children , without a sensible check . it is not our holy entireness with god that can bear us out in the least sin ; yea rather , the more acquaintance we have with his majesty , the more sure we are of correction when we offend . this may procure us more favour in our well-doing , not less justice in evill . zachary staied , and the people waited . whether some longer discourse betwixt the angel and him then needed to be recorded , or whether astonishment at the apparition and news withheld him , i inquire not . the multitude thought him long ; yet though they could but see afar off , they would not depart till he returned to bless them . their patient attendence without shames us , that are hardly perswaded to attend within , whilst both our senses are imployed in our divine services , and we are admitted to be co-agents with our ministers . at last zachary comes out speechless , and more amazes them with his presence then with his delay . the eyes of the multitude , that were not worthy to see his vision , yet see the signs of his vision ; that the world might be put into the expectation of some extraordinary sequell . god makes way for his voice by silence : his speech could not have said so much as his dumbness . zachary would fain have spoken , and could not : with us , too many are dumb , and need not . negligence , fear , partiality stop the mouths of many , which shall once say , woe to me , because i held my peace . his hand speaks that which he cannot with his tongue , and he makes them by signs to understand that which they might reade in his face . those powers we have we must use . but though he have ceased to speak , yet he ceased not to minister . he takes not this dumbness for a dismission , but stays out the eight days of his course , as one that knew the eyes and hands and heart would be accepted of that god which had bereaved him of his tongue . we may not straight take occasions of withdrawing our selves from the publick services of our god , much less under the gospell . the law , which stood much upon bodily perfection , dispensed with age for attendence : the gospell , which is all for the soul , regards those inward powers , which whilst they are vigorous , exclude all excuses of our ministration . ii. the annunciation of christ . the spirit of god was never so accurate in any description , as that which concerns the incarnation of god. it was fit no circumstance should be omitted in that story , whereon the faith and salvation of all the world dependeth . we cannot so much as doubt of this truth , and be saved . no , not the number of the moneth , not the name of the angel is concealed . every particle imports not more certainty , then excellence . the time is the sixth moneth after john's conception , the prime of the spring . christ was conceived in the spring , born in the solstice . he in whom the world received a new life , receives life in the same season wherein the world received its first life from him ; and he which stretches out the days of his church , and lengthens them to eternity , appears after all the short and dim light of the law , and enlightens the world with his glory . the messenger is an angel. a man was too mean to carry the news of the conception of god. never any business was conceived in heaven that did so much concern the earth , as the conception of the god of heaven in the womb of earth . no less then an arch-angel was worthy to bear these tidings ; never any angel received a greater honour , then of this embassage . it was fit our reparation should answer our fall. an evill angel was the first motioner of the one to eve , a virgin , then espoused to adam , in the garden of eden : a good angel is the first reporter of the other to mary , a virgin , espoused to joseph , in that place which ( as the garden of galilee ) had a name from flourishing . no good angel could be the authour of our restauration , as that evill angel was of our ruine . but that which those glorious spirits could not doe themselves , they are glad to report as done by the god of spirits . good news rejoyces the bearer . with what joy did this holy angel bring the news of that saviour , in whom we are redeemed to life , himself established in life and glory ? the first preacher of the gospell was an angel : that office must needs be glorious that derives it self from such a predecessour . god appointed his angel to be the first preacher , and hath since called his preachers angels . the message is well suited . an angel comes to a virgin , gabriel to mary ; he that was by signification the strength of god , to her that was by signification exalted by god , to the conceiving of him that was the god of strength . to a maid , but espoused : a maid , for the honour of virginity ; espoused , for the honour of marriage . the marriage was in a sort made , not consummate , through the instinct of him that meant to make her not an example , but a miracle of women . in this whole work god would have nothing ordinary . it was fit that she should be a married virgin , which should be a virgin-mother . he that meant to take man's nature without man's corruption , would be the son of man without man's seed , would be the seed of the woman without man ; and amongst all women , of a pure virgin ; but amongst virgins , of one espoused , that there might be at once a witness and a guardian of her fruitfull virginity . if the same god had not been the authour of virginity and marriage , he had never countenanced virginity by marriage . whither doth this glorious angel come to find the mother of him that was god , but to obscure galilee ? a part which even the jews themselves despised , as forsaken of their privileges : out of galilee ariseth no prophet . behold , an angel comes to that galilee out of which no prophet comes ; and the god of prophets and angels descends to be conceived in that galilee out of which no prophet ariseth . he that filleth all places makes no difference of places . it is the person which gives honour and privilege to the place , not the place to the person : as the presence of god makes the heaven , the heaven doth not make the owner glorious . no blind corner of nazareth can hide the blessed virgin from the angel. the favours of god will find out his children wheresoever they are withdrawn . it is the fashion of god to seek out the most despised , on whom to bestow his honours . we cannot run away , as from the judgments , so from the mercies of our god. the cottages of galilee are preferred by god to the famous palaces of jerusalem : he cares not how homely he converses with his own . why should we be transported with the outward glory of places , whilst our god regards it not ? we are not of the angel's diet , if we had not rather be with the blessed virgin at nazareth , then with the proud dames in the court of jerusalem . it is a great vanity to respect any thing above goodness , and to disesteem goodness for any want . the angel salutes the virgin , he prays not to her : he salutes her as a saint , he prays not to her as a goddess . for us to salute her as he did , were gross presumption : for neither are we as he was , neither is she as she was . if he that was a spirit saluted her that was flesh and bloud here on earth , it is not for us , that are flesh and bloud , to salute her , which is a glorious spirit in heaven . for us to pray to her in the angel's salutation , were to abuse the virgin , the angel , the salutation . but how gladly do we second the angel in the praise of her , who was more ours then his ? how justly do we bless her , whom the angel pronounceth blessed ? how worthily is she honoured of men , whom the angel proclaimeth beloved of god ? o blessed mary , he cannot bless thee , he cannot honour thee too much , that deifies thee not . that which the angel said of thee , thou hast prophesied of thy self ; we believe the angel , and thee : all generations shall call thee blessed , by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed . if zachary were amazed with the sight of this angel , much more the virgin. that very sex had more disadvantage of fear . if it had been but a man that had come to her in that secrecy and suddenness , she could not but have been troubled ; how much more when the shining glory of the person doubled the astonishment ? the troubles of holy minds end ever in comfort . joy was the errand of the angel , and not terrour . fear ( as all passions ) disquiets the heart , and makes it for the time unfit to receive the messages of god. soon hath the angel cleared these troublesome mists of passions , and sent out the beams of heavenly consolation into the remotest corner of her soul by the glad news of her saviour . how can joy but enter into her heart , out of whose womb shall come salvation ? what room can fear find in that breast that is assured of favour ? fear not , mary ; for thou hast found favour with god. let those fear who know they are in displeasure , or know not they are gracious : thine happy estate calls for confidence , and that confidence for joy. what should , what can they fear , who are favoured of him at whom the devils tremble ? not the presence of the good angels , but the temptations of the evill strike many terrours into our weakness : we could not be dismaied with them , if we did not forget our condition . we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again , but the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry , abba , father . if that spirit ( o god ) witness with our spirits that we are thine , how can we fear any of those spirituall wickednesses ? give us assurance of thy favour , and let the powers of hell doe their worst . it was no ordinary favour that the virgin found in heaven . no mortall creature was ever thus graced , that he should take part of her nature that was the god of nature ; that he , who made all things , should make his humane body of hers ; that her womb should yield that flesh which was personally united to the godhead ; that she should bear him that upholds the world. loe , thou shalt conceive and bear a son , and shalt call his name jesvs . it is a question , whether there be more wonder in the conception , or in the fruit ; the conception of the virgin , or jesus conceived : both are marvellous ; but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders , then the latter exceedeth it . for the child of a virgin is the improvement of that power which created the world : but that god should be incarnate of a virgin , was an abasement of his majesty , and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example . well was that child worthy to make the mother blessed . here was a double conception ; one in the womb of her body , the other of the soul. if that were more miraculous , this was more beneficiall : that was her privilege , this was her happiness . if that were singular to her , this is common to all his chosen : there is no renewed heart wherein thou , o saviour , art not formed again . blessed be thou that hast herein made us blessed . for what womb can conceive thee , and not partake of thee ? who can partake of thee , and not be happy ? doubtless the virgin understood the angel as he meant , of a present conception , which made her so much more inquisitive into the manner and means of this event : how shall this be , since i know not a man ? that she should conceive a son by the knowledge of man after her marriage consummate , could have been no wonder : but how then should that son of hers be the son of god ? this demand was higher . how her present virginity should be instantly fruitfull , might be well worthy of admiration , of inquiry . here was desire of information , not doubts of infidelity : yea rather , this question argues faith ; it takes for granted that which an unbelieving heart would have stuck at . she says not , who and whence art thou ? what kingdome is this ? where and when shall it be erected ? but smoothly supposing all those strange things would be done , she insists onely in that which did necessarily require a farther intimation , and doth not distrust , but demand : neither doth she say , this cannot be , nor , how can this be ? but , how shall this be ? so doth the angel answer , as one that knew he needed not to satisfie curiosity , but to inform judgment , and uphold faith. he doth not therefore tell her of the manner , but of the authour of this act ; the holy ghost shall come upon thee , and the power of the most high shall over-shadow thee . it is enough to know who is the undertaker , and what he will doe . o god , what do we seek a clear light , where thou wilt have a shadow ? no mother knows the manner of her naturall conception : what presumption shall it be for flesh and bloud , to search how the son of god took flesh and bloud of his creature ? it is for none but the almighty to know those works which he doeth immediately concerning himself : those that concern us he hath revealed . secrets to god , things revealed to us . the answer was not so full , but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message : yet after the angel's solution , we hear of no more objections , no more interrogations . the faithfull heart , when it once understands the good pleasure of god , argues no more , but sweetly rests it self in a quiet expectation . behold the servant of the lord , be it to me according to thy word . there is not a more noble proof of our faith , then to captivate all the powers of our understanding and will to our creatour , and without all sciscitations to goe blindfold whither he will lead us . all disputations with god ( after his will known ) arise from infidelity . great is the mystery of godliness ; and if we will give nature leave to cavill , we cannot be christians . o god , thou art faithfull , thou art powerfull : it is enough that thou hast said it ; in the humility of our obedience we resign our selves over to thee . behold the servants of the lord , be it unto us according to thy word . how fit was her womb to conceive the flesh of the son of god by the power of the spirit of god , whose breast had so soon by the power of the same spirit conceived an assent to the will of god ? and now of an handmaid of god , she is advanced to the mother of god. no sooner hath she said , be it done , then it is done ; the holy ghost overshadows her , and forms her saviour in her own body . this very angel , that talks with the blessed virgin , could scarce have been able to express the joy of her heart in the sense of this divine burthen . never any mortal creature had so much cause of exultation . how could she , that was full of god , be other then full of joy in that god ? grief grows greater by concealing , joy by expression . the holy virgin had understood by the angel , how her cousin elizabeth was no less of kin to her in condition ; the fruitfulness of whose age did somewhat suit the fruitfulness of her virginity . happiness communicated doubles it self . here is no straining of courtesie : the blessed maid , whom vigour of age had more fitted for the way , hastens her journey into the hill-country , to visit that gracious matron , whom god had made a sign of her miraculous conception . onely the meeting of saints in heaven can parallel the meeting of these two cousins : the two wonders of the world are met under one roof , and congratulate their mutuall happiness . when we have christ spiritually conceived in us , we cannot be quiet till we have imparted our joy. elizabeth , that holy matron , did no sooner welcome her blessed cousin , then her babe welcomes his saviour : both in the retired closets of their mother's womb are sensible of each other's presence ; the one by his omniscience , the other by instinct . he did not more forerun christ , then over-run nature . how should our hearts leap within us , when the son of god vouchsafes to come into the secret of our souls , not to visit us , but to dwell with us , to dwell in us ? iii. the birth of christ . as all the actions of men , so especially the publick actions of publick men are ordered by god to other ends then their own . this edict went not so much out from augustus , as from the court of heaven . what did caesar know joseph and mary ? his charge was universal , to a world of subjects , through all the roman empire : god intended this cension onely for the blessed virgin and her son , that christ might be born where he should . caesar meant to fill his coffers , god meant to fulfill his prophecies ; and so to fulfill them , that those whom it concerned might not feel the accomplishment . if god had directly commanded the virgin to goe up to bethlehem , she had seen the intention , and expected the issue : but that wise moderatour of all things , that works his will in us , loves so to doe it , as may be least with our fore-sight and acquaintance , and would have us fall under his decrees unawares , that we may so much the more adore the depths of his providence . every creature walks blindfold ; onely he that dwells in light sees whither they goe . doubtless , blessed mary meant to have been delivered of her divine burthen at home , and little thought of changing the place of conception for another of her birth . that house was honoured by the angel , yea , by the over-shadowing of the holy ghost : none could equally satisfie her hopes or desires . it was fit that he , who made choice of the womb wherein his son should be conceived , should make choice of the place where his son should be born . as the work is all his , so will he alone contrive all the circumstances to his own ends . o the infinite wisedome of god in casting all his designs ! there needs no other proof of christ , then caesar and bethlehem ; and of caesars , then augustus : his government , his edict pleads the truth of the messias . his government : now was the deep peace of all the world under that quiet scepter , which made way for him who was the prince of peace . if wars be a sign of the time of his second coming , peace was a sign of his first . his edict : now was the scepter departed from juda ; it was the time for shilo to come : no power was left in the jews , but to obey . augustus is the emperour of the world ; under him herod is the king of judaea ; cyrenius is president of syria : jewrie hath nothing of her own . for herod , if he were a king , yet he was no jew ; and if he had been a jew , yet he was no otherwise a king then tributary and titular . the edict came out from augustus , was executed by cyrenius ; herod is no actour in this service . gain and glory are the ends of this taxation : each man profest himself a subject , and paid for the privilege of his servitude . now their very heads were not their own , but must be payed for to the head of a forrein state : they which before stood upon the terms of their immunity , stoop at the last . the proud suggestions of judas the galilaean might shed their bloud , and swell their stomacks , but could not ease their yoak : neither was it the meaning of god , that holiness ( if they had been as they pretended ) should shelter them from subjection . a tribute is imposed upon god's free people . this act of bondage brings them liberty : now when they seemed most neglected of god , they are blessed with a redeemer ; when they are most pressed with forrein sovereignty , god sends them a king of their own , to whom caesar himself must be a subject . the goodness of our god picks out the most needfull times for our relief and comfort : our extremities give him the most glory . whither must joseph and mary come to be taxed , but unto bethlehem , david's city ? the very place proves their descent . he that succeeded david in his throne , must succeed him in the place of his birth . so clearly was bethlehem designed to this honour by the prophets , that even the priests and the scribes could point herod unto it , and assured him , the king of the jews could be no-where else born . bethlehem justly the house of bread ; the bread that came down from heaven is there given to the world . whence should we have the bread of life , but from the house of bread ? o holy david , was this the well of bethlehem whereof thou didst so thirst to drink of old , when thou saidst , oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of bethlehem ? surely that other water , when it was brought thee by thy worthies , thou pouredst it on the ground , and wouldst not drink of it : this was that living water for which thy soul longed , whereof thou saidst elsewhere , as the hart brayeth after the water-brooks , so longeth my soul after thee , o god : my soul thirsteth for god , for the living god. it was no less then four days journey from nazareth to bethlehem : how just an excuse might the blessed virgin have pleaded for her absence ? what woman did ever undertake such a journey so near her delivery ? and doubtless joseph , who was now taught of god to love and honour her , was loth to draw forth a dear wife , in so unwieldy a case , into so manifest hazard . but the charge was peremptory , the obedience exemplary : the desire of an inoffensive observance even of heathenish authority digests all difficulties . we may not take easie occasions to withdraw our obedience to supreme commands . yea , how didst thou , ( o saviour ) by whom augustus reigned , in the womb of thy mother yield this homage to augustus ? the first lesson that ever thy example taught us was obedience . after many steps are joseph and mary come to bethlehem . the plight wherein she was would not allow any speed , and the forced leisure of the journey causeth disappointment : the end was worse then the way ; there was no rest in the way , there was no room in the inne . it could not be , but that there were many of the kindred of joseph and mary at that time in bethlehem ; for both there were their ancestours born , if not themselves ; and thither came up all the cousins of their bloud : yet there and then doth the holy virgin want room to lay either her head , or her burthen . if the house of david had not lost all mercy and good nature , a daughter of david could not so near the time of her travail have been destitute of lodging in the city of david . little did the bethlehemites think what a guest they refused ; else they would gladly have opened their doors to him , who was able to open the gates of heaven to them . now their inhospitality is punishment enough to it self : they have lost the honour and happiness of being host to their god. even still , o blessed saviour , thou standest at our doors and knockest ; every motion of thy good spirit tells us thou art there : now thou comest in thine own name , and there thou standest , whilst thy head is full of dew , and thy locks wet with the drops of the night . if we suffer carnal desires and worldly thoughts to take up the lodging of our heart , and revell within us , whilst thou waitest upon our admission , surely our judgement shall be so much the greater , by how much better we know whom we have excluded . what do we cry shame on the bethlehemites , whilst we are wilfully more churlish , more unthankfull ? there is no room in my heart for the wonder at this humility . he , for whom heaven is too streight , whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain , lies in the streight cabbin of the womb , and when he would inlarge himself for the world , is not allowed the room of an inne . the many mansions of heaven were at his disposing ; the earth was his , and the fulness of it : yet he suffers himself to be refused of a base cottage , and complaineth not . what measure should discontent us wretched men , when thou ( o god ) farest thus from thy creatures ? how should we learn both to want and abound , from thee , who , abounding with the glory and riches of heaven , wouldst want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth ? thou camest to thine own , and thy own received thee not . how can it trouble us to be rejected of the world , which is not ours ? what wonder is it if thy servants wandred abroad in sheep-skins and goat-skins , destitute and afflicted , when their lord is denied harbour ? how should all the world blush at this indignity of bethlehem ? he that came to save men , is sent for his first lodging to the beasts : the stable is become his inne , the cratch his bed. o strange cradle of that great king , which heaven it self may envy ! o saviour , thou that wert both the maker and owner of heaven , of earth , couldst have made thee a palace without hands , couldst have commanded thee an empty room in those houses which thy creatures had made . when thou didst but bid the angels avoid their first place , they fell down from heaven like lightning ; and when in thy humbled estate thou didst but say , i am he , who was able to stand before thee ? how easie had it been for thee , to have made place for thy self in the throngs of the stateliest courts ? why wouldst thou be thus homely , but that , by contemning worldly glories , thou mightest teach us to contemn them ? that thou mightest-sanctify poverty to them whom thou calledst unto want ? that since thou , who hadst the choice of all earthly conditions , wouldst be born poor and despised , those which must want out of necessity might not think their poverty grievous . here was neither friend to entertain , nor servant to attend , nor place wherein to be attended ; onely the poor beasts gave way to the god of all the world . it is the great mystery of godliness , that god was manifested in the flesh , and seen of angels : but here , which was the top of all wonders , the very beasts might see their maker . for those spirits to see god in the flesh , it was not so strange , as for the brute creatures to see him who was the god of spirits . he , that would be led into the wilderness amongst wild beasts to be tempted , would come into the house of beasts to be born , that from the height of his divine glory his humiliation might be the greater . how can we be abased low enough for thee , ( o saviour ) that hast thus neglected thy self for us ? that the visitation might be answerable to the homeliness of the place , attendents , provision , who shall come to congratulate his birth but poor shepherds ? the kings of the earth rest at home , and have no summons to attend him by whom they reign : god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty . in an obscure time ( the night ) unto obscure men ( shepherds ) doth god manifest the light of his son by glorious angels . it is not our meanness ( o god ) that can exclude us from the best of thy mercies : yea , thus far dost thou respect persons , that thou hast put down the mighty , and exalted them of low degree . if these shepherds had been snorting in their beds , they had no more seen angels , nor heard news of their saviour , then their neighbours : their vigilancy is honoured with this heavenly vision . those who are industrious in any calling are capable of farther blessings ; whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation . no less then a whole chore of angels are worthy to sing the hymn of glory to god , for the incarnation of his son. what joy is enough for us , whose nature he took , and whom he came to restore by his incarnation ? if we had the tongues of angels , we could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious redeemer . no sooner do the shepherds hear the news of a saviour , then they run to bethlehem to seek him : those that left their beds to tend their flocks , leave their flocks to enquire after their saviour . no earthly thing is too dear to be forsaken for christ . if we suffer any worldly occasion to stay us from bethlehem , we care more for our sheep then our souls . it is not possible that a faithfull heart should hear where christ is , and not labour to the sight , to the fruition of him . where art thou , o saviour , but at home in thine own house , in the assembly of thy saints ? where art thou to be found but in thy word and sacraments ? yea , there thou seekest for us : if there we haste not to seek for thee , we are worthy to want thee , worthy that our want of thee here should make us want the presence of thy face for ever . iv. the sages and the star. the shepherds and the cratch accorded well ; yet even they saw nothing which they might not contemn : neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a king , then that king whom they came to see . but o the divine majesty that shined in this basenesse ! there lies the babe in the stable , crying in the manger , whom the angels came down from heaven to proclaim , whom the sages come from the east to adore , whom an heavenly star notifies to the world ; that now men might see , that heaven and earth serves him that neglected himself . those lights that hang low are not far seen , but those that are high placed are equally seen in the remotest distances . thy light , o saviour , was no lesse then heavenly . the east saw that which bethlehem might have seen . oft-times those which are nearest in place are farthest off in affection . large objects , when they are too close to the eye , do so over-fill the sense , that they are not discerned . what a shame is this to bethlehem ? the sages came out of the east to worship him , whom that village refused . the bethlehemites were jews , the wise men gentiles . this first entertainment of christ was a presage of the sequell : the gentiles shall come from far to adore christ , whilst the jews reject him . those easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature , professed philosophers ; them hath god singled out to the honour of the manifestation of christ . humane learning well improved makes us capable of divine . there is no knowledge whereof god is not the authour : he would never have bestowed any gift that should lead us away from himself . it is an ignorant conceit , that inquiry into nature should make men atheous . no man is so apt to see the star of christ as a diligent disciple of philosophy . doubtlesse this light was visible unto more ; onely they followed it , who knew it had more then nature . he is truly wise , that is wise for his own soul. if these wise men had been acquainted with all the other stars of heaven , and had not seen the star of christ , they had had but light enough to lead them into utter darknesse . philosophie without this star is but the wisp of errour . these sages were in a mean between the angels and the shepherds . god would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures have some to be witnesses of his son. the angels direct the shepherds , the star guides the sages : the duller capacitie hath the more clear and powerfull helps . the wisedome of our good god proportions the means unto the disposition of the persons . their astronomy had taught them , this star was not ordinary , whether in sight , or in brightnesse , or in motion . the eyes of nature might well see , that some strange news was portended to the world by it : but that this star designed the birth of the messias , there needed yet another light . if the star had not besides had the commentary of a revelation from god , it could have led the wise men onely into a fruitlesse wonder . give them to be the offspring of balaam , yet the true prediction of that false prophet was not enough warrant . if he told them , the messias should arise as a star out of jacob , he did not tell them that a star should arise far from the posterity of jacob at the birth of the messias . he that did put that prophecy into the mouth of balaam , did also put this illumination into the heart of the sages . the spirit of god is free to breathe where he listeth . many shall come from the east and the west to seek christ , when the children of the kingdom shall be shut out . even then god did not so confine his election to the pale of the church , as that he did not sometimes look out for special instruments of his glory . whither do these sages come , but to jerusalem ? where should they hope to hear of the new king , but in the mother-city of the kingdome ? the conduct of the star was first onely generall to judaea ; the rest is for a time left to inquiry . they were not brought thither for their own sakes , but for jewrie's , for the world's ; that they might help to make the jews inexcusable , and the world faithfull . that their tongues therefore might blazon the birth of christ , they are brought to the head-citie of judaea , to report and inquire . their wisedome could not teach them to imagine , that a king could be born to judaea of that note and magnificence , that a star from heaven should publish him to the earth , and that his subjects should not know it : and therefore , as presupposing a common notice , they say , where is he that is born king of the jews ? there is much deceit in probabilities , especially when we meddle with spirituall matters . for god uses still to go a way by himself . if we judge according to reason and appearance , who is so likely to understand heavenly truths as the profound doctours of the world ? these god passes over , and reveals his will to babes . had these sages met with the shepherds of the villages near bethlehem , they had received that intelligence of christ which they did vainly seek from the learned scribes of jerusalem . the greatest clerks are not alwaies the wisest in the affairs of god : these things goe not by discourse , but by revelation . no sooner hath the star brought them within the noise of jerusalem , then it is vanished out of sight . god would have their eyes lead them so far , as till their tongues might be set on work to win the vocal attestation of the chief priests and scribes to the fore-appointed place of our saviour's nativity . if the star had carried them directly to bethlehem , the learned jews had never searched the truth of those prophecies wherewith they are since justly convinced . god never withdraws our helps , but for a farther advantage . however our hopes seem crossed , where his name may gain , we cannot complain of loss . little did the sages think this question would have troubled herod : they had ( i fear ) concealed their message , if they had suspected this event . sure , they thought , it might be some son or grandchild of him which then held the throne ; so as this might win favour from herod , rather then an unwelcome fear of rivality . doubtless they went first to the court ; where else should they ask for a king ? the more pleasing this news had been if it had faln upon herod's own loins , the more grievous it was to light upon a stranger . if herod had not over-much affected greatness , he had not upon those indirect terms aspired to the crown of jewry : so much the more therefore did it trouble him to hear the rumour of a successour , and that not of his own . settled greatness cannot abide either change , or partnership . if any of his subjects had moved this question , i fear his head had answered it . it is well that the name of forreiners could excuse these sages . herod could not be brought up among the jews , and not have heard many and confident reports of a messias , that should ere long arise out of israel : and now when he hears the fame of a king born , whom a star from heaven signifies and attends , he is nettled with the news . every thing affrights the guilty . usurpation is full of jealousies and fear , no less full of projects and imaginations : it makes us think every bush a man , and every man a thief . why art thou troubled , o herod ? a king is born , but such a king , as whose scepter may ever concur with lawfull sovereignty ; yea such a king , as by whom kings do hold their scepters , not lose them . if the wise men tell thee of a king , the star tells thee he his heavenly . here is good cause of security , none of fear . the most general enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings . if men could but know how much safety and sweetness there is in all divine truth , it could receive nothing from them but welcomes and gratulations . misconceits have been still guilty of all wrongs ▪ and persecutions . but if herod were troubled , ( as tyranny is still suspicious , ) why was all jerusalem troubled with him ? jerusalem , which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds , for a recovery of her liberty and right ? jerusalem , which now onely had cause to lift up her drooping head in the joy and happiness of a redeemer ? yet not onely herod's court , but even jerusalem was troubled . so had this miserable city been over-toiled with change , that now they were settled in a condition quietly evil , they are troubled with the news of better . they had now got a habit of servility , and now they are so acquainted with the yoke , that the very noise of liberty ( which they supposed would not come with ease ) began to be unwelcome . to turn the causes of joy into sorrow , argues extreme dejectedness , and a distemper of judgment no less then desperate . fear puts on a visour of devotion . herod calls his learned counsell , and , as not doubting whether the messiah should be born , he asks where he shall be born . in the disparition of that other light , there is a perpetually-fixed star shining in the writings of the prophets , that guides the chief priests and scribes directly unto bethlehem . as yet envy and prejudice had not blinded the eyes and perverted the hearts of the jewish teachers ; so as now they clearly justifie that christ , whom they afterwards condemn , and by thus justifying him condemn themselves in rejecting him . the water that is untroubled yields the visage perfectly . if god had no more witness but from his enemies , we have ground enough of our faith . herod feared , but dissembled his fear , as thinking it a shame that strangers should see there could any power arise under him worthy of his respect or awe . out of an unwillingness therefore to discover the impotency of his passion , he makes little adoe of the matter , but onely , after a privy inquisition into the time , imploys the informers in the search of the person ; goe , and search diligently for the babe , &c. it was no great journey from jerusalem to bethlehem ; how easily might herod's cruelty have secretly suborned some of his bloudy courtiers to this inquiry and execution ? if god had not meant to mock him , before he found himself mocked of the wise men , he had rather sent before their journey , then after their disappointment . but that god in whose hands all hearts are did purposely besot him , that he might not find the way to so horrible a mischief . there is no villany so great , but it will mask it self under a shew of piety : herod will also worship the babe . the courtesie of a false tyrant is death . a crafty hypocrite never means so ill , as when he speaketh fairest . the wise men are upon their way full of expectation , full of desire : i see no man either of the city or court to accompany them . whether distrust or fear hindred them , i inquire not : but of so many thousand jews , no one stirs his foot to see that king of theirs , which strangers came so far to visit . yet were not these resolute sages discouraged with this solitariness and small respect , nor drawn to repent of their journey , as thinking , what do we come so far to honour a king whom no man will acknowledge ? what mean we to travel so many hundred miles to see that which the inhabitants will not look out to behold ? but chearfully renew their journey to that place which the ancient light of prophecy had designed . and now behold , god encourages their holy forwardness from heaven , by sending them their first guide ; as if he had said , what need ye care for the neglect of men , when ye see heaven honours the king whom ye seek ? what joy these sages conceived when their eyes first beheld the re-appearance of that happy star , they onely can tell , that , after a long and sad night of temptation , have seen the loving countenance of god shining forth upon their souls . if with obedience and courage we can follow the calling of god in difficult enterprises , we shall not want supplies of comfort . let not us be wanting to god , we shall be sure he cannot be wanting to us . he that led israel by a pillar of fire into the land of promise , leads the wise men by a star to the promised seed . all his directions partake of that light which is in him ; for god is light. this star moves both slowly and low , as might be fittest for the pace , for the purpose of these pilgrims . it is the goodness of god , that in those means wherein we cannot reach him , he descends unto us . surely , when the wise men saw the star stand still , they looked about to see what palace there might be near unto that station , fit for the birth of a king ; neither could they think that sorry shed was it which the star meant to point out : but finding their guide settled over that base roof , they go in to see what guest it held . they enter , and , o god! what a king do they find ? how poor ? how contemptible ? wrapt in clouts , laid in straw , cradled in the manger , attended with beasts ? what a sight was this , after all the glorious promises of that star , after the predictions of prophets , after the magnificence of their expectation ? all their way afforded nothing so despicable as that babe whom they came to worship . but as those which could not have been wise men , unless they had known that the greatest glories have arisen from mean beginnings , they fall down , and worship that hidden majesty . this baseness hath bred wonder in them , not contempt : they well knew the star could not lie . they which saw his star afar off in the east , when he lay swaddled in bethlehem , do also see his royalty farther off , in the despised estate of his infancy : a royalty more then humane . they well knew that stars did not use to attend earthly kings ; and if their aim had not been higher , what was a jewish king to persian strangers ? answerable therefore hereunto was their adoration . neither did they lift up empty hands to him whom they worshipt , but presented him with the most precious commodities of their country , gold , incense , myrrh ; not as thinking to enrich him with these , but by way of homage acknowledging him the lord of these . if these sages had been kings , and had offered a princely weight of gold , the blessed virgin had not needed in her purification to have offered two young pigeons , as the sign of her penury . as god loves not empty hands , so he measures fulness by the affection . let it be gold , or incense , or myrrh , that we offer him , it cannot but please him , who doth not use to ask how much , but how good . v. the purification . there could be no impurity in the son of god ; and if the best substance of a pure virgin carried in it any taint of adam , that was scoured away by sanctification in the womb ; and yet the son would be circumcised , and the mother purified . he that came to be sin for us , would in our persons be legally unclean , that , by satisfying the law , he might take away our uncleanness . though he were exempted from the common condition of our birth , yet he would not deliver himself from those ordinary rites that implied the weaknesse and blemishes of humanity . he would fulfill one law to abrogate it , another to satisfie it . he that was above the law , would come under the law , to free us from the law. not a day would be changed , either in the circumcision of christ , or the purification of mary . here was neither convenience of place , nor of necessaries for so painfull a work , in the stable of bethlehem : yet he that made and gave the law , will rather keep it with difficulty , then transgresse it with ease . why wouldest thou , o blessed saviour , suffer that sacred foreskin to be cut off , but that , by the power of thy circumcision , the same might be done to our souls that was done to thy body ? we cannot be therefore thine , if our hearts be uncircumcised . doe thou that in us which was done to thee for us ; cut off the superfluitie of our maliciousnesse , that we may be holy in and by thee , which for us wert content to be legally impure . there was shame in thy birth , there was pain in thy circumcision . after a contemptible welcome into the world , that a sharp rasour should passe through thy skin for our sakes , ( which can hardly endure to bleed for our own , ) it was the praise of thy wonderfull mercy , in so early humiliation . what pain or contempt should we refuse for thee , that hast made no spare of thy self for us ? now is bethlehem left with too much honour ; there is christ born , adored , circumcised . no sooner is the blessed virgin either able or allowed to walk then she travels to jerusalem , to perform her holy rites for her self , for her son ; to purifie her self , to present her son. she goes not to her own house at nazareth , she goes to god's house at jerusalem . if purifying were a shadow , yet thanksgiving is a substance . those whom god hath blessed with fruit of body , and safety of deliverance , if they make not their first journey to the temple of god , they partake more of the unthankfullnesse of eve , then marie's devotion . her forty days therefore were no sooner out , then mary comes up to the holy city . the rumour of a new king born at bethlehem was yet fresh at jerusalem since the report of the wise men : and what good news had this been for any pick-thank to carry to the court , here is the babe whom the star signified , whom the sages inquired for , whom the angels proclaimed , whom the shepherds talkt of , whom the scribes and high priests notified , whom herod seeks after ? yet unto that jerusalem , which was troubled at the report of his birth , is christ come , and all tongues are so lockt up , that he which sent from jerusalem to bethlehem to seek him finds him not , who ( as to countermine herod ) is come from bethlehem to jerusalem . dangers that are aloof off , and but possible , may not hinder us from the duty of our devotion . god saw it not yet time to let loose the fury of his adversaries , whom he holds up like some eager mastives , and then onely lets goe , when they shall most shame themselves , and glorifie him . well might the blessed virgin have wrangled with the law , and challenged an immunity from all ceremonies of purification . what should i need purging , which did not conceive in sin ? this is for those mothers whose births are unclean ; mine is from god , which is purity it self . the law of moses reaches onely to those women which have conceived seed ; i conceived not this seed , but the holy ghost in me . the law extends to the mothers of those sons which are under the law ; mine is above it . but , as one that cared more for her peace then her privilege , and more desired to be free from offence then from labour and charge , she dutifully fulfills the law of that god whom she carried in her womb and in her arms : like the mother of him , who , though he knew the children of the kingdome free , yet would pay tribute unto caesar : like the mother of him , whom it behoved to fulfill all righteousnesse . and if she were so officious in ceremonies , as not to admit of any excuse in the very circumstance of her obedience , how much more strict was she in the main duties of morality ? that soul is fit for the spirituall conception of christ , that is conscioanbly scrupulous in observing all god's commandments ; whereas he hates all alliance to a negligent or froward heart . the law of purification proclaims our uncleannesse : the mother is not allowed after her child-birth to come unto the sanctuary , or to touch any hallowed thing , till her set time be expired . what are we , whose very birth infects the mother that bears us ? at last she comes to the temple ; but with sacrifices , either a lamb and a pigeon or turtle , or ( in the meaner estate ) two turtle-doves or young pigeons ; whereof one is for a burnt-offering , the other for a sin-offering ; the one for thanksgiving , the other for expiation ; for expiation of a double sin , of the mother that conceived , of the child that was conceived . we are all born sinners , and it is a just question , whether we do more infect the world , or the world us . they are grosse flatterers of nature that tell her she is clean . if our lives had no sin , we bring enough with us : the very infant , that lives not to sin as adam , yet sinned in adam , and is sinfull in himself . but oh the unspeakable mercy of our god! we provide the sin , he provides the remedy . behold an expiation well-near as early as our sin : the bloud of a young lamb or dove , yea rather the bloud of him whose innocence was represented by both , cleanseth us presently from our filthinesse . first went circumcision , then came the sacrifice ; that , by two holy acts , that which was naturally unholy might be hallowed unto god. under the gospell our baptism hath the force of both : it does away our corruption by the water of the spirit ; it applies to us the sacrifice of christ's bloud , whereby we are cleansed . oh that we could magnifie this goodnesse of our god , which hath not left our very infancy without redresse , but hath provided helps whereby we may be delivered from the danger of our hereditary evils . such is the favourable respect of our wise god , that he would not have us undoe our selves with devotion : the service he requires of us is ruled by our abilities . every poor mother was not able to bring a lamb for her offering : there was none so poor but might procure a pair of turtles or pigeons . these doth god both prescribe , and accept from poorer hands , no lesse then the beasts of a thousand mountains : he looks for somewhat of every one , not of every one alike . since it is he that makes differences of abilities , ( to whom it were as easie to make all rich , ) his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation . the truth and heartiness of obedience is that which he will crown in his meanest servants . a mite from the poor widow is more worth to him then the talents of the wealthy . after all the presents of those eastern worshippers , ( who intended rather homage then ditation , ) the blessed virgin comes in the form of poverty with her two doves unto god. she could not without some charge lie all this while at bethlehem , she could not without charge travell from bethlehem to jerusalem . her offering confesseth her penury . the best are not ever the wealthiest . who can despise any one for want , when the mother of christ was not rich enough to bring a lamb for her purification ? we may be as happy in russet , as in tissue . while the blessed virgin brought her son into the temple with that pair of doves , here were more doves then a pair : they for whose sake that offering was brought , were more doves , then the doves that were brought for that offering . her son , for whom she brought that dove to be sacrificed , was that sacrifice which the dove represented . there was nothing in him but perfection of innocence , and the oblation of him is that whereby all mothers and sons are fully purified . since in our selves we cannot be innocent , happy are we , if we can have the spotless dove sacrificed for us , to make us innocent in him . the blessed virgin had more business in the temple then her own ; she came , as to purifie her self , so to present her son. every male that first opened the womb was holy unto the lord. he that was the son of god by eternal generation before times , and by miraculous conception in time , was also by common course of nature consecrate unto god. it is fit the holy mother should present god with his own : her first-born was the first-born of all creatures . it was he , whose temple it was that he was presented in , to whom all the first-born of all creatures were consecrated , by whom they were accepted ; and now is he brought in his mother's arms to his own house , and as man is presented to himself as god. if moses had never written a law of god's special propriety in the first-born , this son of god's essence and love had taken possession of the temple ; his right had been a perfect law to himself : now his obedience to that law , which himself had given , doth no less call him thither , then the challenge of his peculiar interest . he that was the lord of all creatures , ever since he struck the first-born of the egyptians , requires the first male of all creatures , both man and beast , to be dedicated to him : wherein god caused a miraculous event to second nature , which seems to challenge the first and best for the maker . by this rule , god should have had his service done onely by the heirs of israel : but since god , for the honour and remuneration of levi , had chosen out that tribe to minister unto him , now the first-born of all israel must be presented to god as his due , but by allowance redeemed to their parents . as for beasts , the first male of the clean beasts must be sacrificed , of unclean exchanged for a price . so much morality is there in this constitution of god , that the best of all kinds is fit to be consecrated to the lord of all . every thing we have is too good for us , if we think any thing we have too good for him . how glorious did the temple now seem , that the owner was within the walls of it ? now was the hour and guest come , in regard whereof the second temple should surpass the first : this was his house built for him , dedicated to him ; there had he dwelt long in his spiritual presence , in his typicall . there was nothing either placed or done within those walls whereby he was not resembled ; and now the body of those shadows is come , and presents himself where he had been ever represented . jerusalem is now every-where : there is no church , no christian heart , which is not a temple of the living god : there is no temple of god wherein christ is not presented to his father . look upon him ( o god ) in whom thou art well pleased , and in him and for him be well pleased with us . under the gospel we are all first-born , all heirs ; every soul is to be holy unto the lord ; we are a royal generation , an holy priesthood . our baptism , as it is our circumcision , and our sacrifice of purification , so is it also our presentation unto god. nothing can become us but holiness . o god , to whom we are devoted , serve thy self of us , glorifie thy self by us , till we shall by thee be glorified with thee . vi. herod and the infants . well might these wise men have suspected herod's secrecy : if he had meant well , what needed that whispering ? that which they published in the streets , he asks in his privy-chamber : yet they , not misdoubting his intention , purpose to fulfill his charge . it could not in their apprehension but be much honour to them to make their success known , that now both king and people might see , it was not fancy that led them , but an assured revelation . that god which brought them thither diverted them , and caused their eyes to shut , to guide them the best way home . these sages made a happy voiage , for now they grew into farther acquaintance with god : they are honoured with a second messenger from heaven : they saw the star in the way , the angel in their bed . the star guided their journey unto christ , the angel directed their return . they saw the star by day , a vision by night . god spake to their eyes by the star , he speaks to their heart by a dream . no doubt , they had left much noise of christ behind them : they that did so publish his birth by their inquiry at jerusalem , could not be silent when they found him at bethlehem . if they had returned by herod , i fear they had come short home . he that meant death to the babe for the name of a king , could mean no other to those that honoured and proclaimed a new king , and erected a throne besides his . they had done what they came for ; and now that god whose business they came about takes order at once for his son's safety , and for theirs . god , who is perfection it self , never begins any business , but he makes an end , and ends happily . when our ways are his , there is no danger of miscarriage . well did these wise men know the difference , as of stars , so of dreams ; they had learned to distinguish between the natural and divine : and once apprehending god in their sleep , they follow him waking , and return another way . they were no subjects to herod , his command pressed them so much the less : or if the being within his dominions had been no less bond then native subjection , yet where god did countermand herod , there could be no question whom to obey . they say not , we are in a strange country , herod may meet with us , it can be no less then death to mock him in his own territories ; but chearfully put themselves upon the way , and trust god with the success . when men command with god , we must obey men for god , and god in men ; when against him , the best obedience is to deny obedience , and to turn our backs upon herod . the wise men are safely arrived in the east , and fill the world full of expectation , as themselves are full of wonder : joseph and mary are returned with the babe to that jerusalem where the wise men had inquired for his birth . the city was doubtless still full of that rumour , and little thinks , that he whom they talk of was so near them . from thence they are at least in their way to nazareth , where they purpose their abode . god prevents them by his angel , and sends them for safety into egypt . joseph was not wont to be so full of visions : it was not long since the angel appeared unto him to justifie the innocency of the mother , and the deity of the son ; now he appears for the preservation of both , and a preservation by flight . could joseph now chuse but think , is this the king that must save israel , that needs to be saved by me ? if he be the son of god , how is he subject to the violence of men ? how is he almighty , that must save himself by flight ? or how must he flie to save himself out of that land , which he comes to save ? but faithful joseph having been once tutoured by the angel , and having heard what the wise men said of the star , what simeon and anna said in the temple , labours not so much to reconcile his thoughts , as to subject them ; and , as one that knew it safer to suppress doubts then to assoil them , can believe what he understands not , and can wonder where he cannot comprehend . oh strange condition of the king of all the world ! he could not be born in a baser estate , yet even this he cannot enjoy with safety . there was no room for him in bethlehem , there will be no room for him in judaea . he is no sooner come to his own , then he must flie from them ; that he may save them , he must avoid them . had it not been easie for thee ( o saviour ) to have acquit thy self from herod a thousand ways ? what could an arm of flesh have done against the god of spirits ? what had it been for thee to have sent herod five years sooner unto his place ? what to have commanded fire from heaven on those that should have come to apprehend thee ? or to have bidden the earth to receive them alive , whom she meant to swallow dead ? we suffer misery , because we must ; thou , because thou wouldest . the same will that brought thee from heaven into earth , sends thee from jewry to egypt . as thou wouldst be born mean and miserable , so thou wouldst live subject to humane vexations ; that thou , who hast taught us how good it is to bear the yoke even in our youth , mightst sanctifie to us early afflictions . or whether , o father , since it was the purpose of thy wisedom to manifest thy son by degrees unto the world , was it thy will thus to hide him for a time under our infirmity ? and what other is our condition ? we are no sooner born thine , then we are persecuted . if the church travail , and bring forth a male , she is in danger of the dragons streams . what do the members complain of the same measure which was offered to the head ? both our births are accompanied with tears . even of those whose mature age is full of trouble , yet the infancy is commonly quiet : but here life and toil began together . o blessed virgin , even already did the sword begin to pierce thy soul. thou which wert forced to bear thy son in thy womb from nazareth to bethlehem , must now bear him in thy arms from jewry into egypt . yet couldst thou not complain of the way , whilest thy saviour was with thee : his presence alone was able to make the stable a temple , egypt a paradise , the way more pleasing then rest . but whither then , o whither dost thou carry that blessed burthen , by which thy self and the world are upholden ? to egypt , the slaughter-house of god's people , the furnace of israel's ancient affliction , the sink of the world : out of egypt have i called my son , saith god. that thou calledst thy son out of egypt , o god , is no marvell . it is a marvell that thou calledst him into egypt ; but that we know , all earths are thine , and all places and men are like figures upon a table , such as thy disposition makes them . what a change is here ? israel , the first-born of god , flies out of egypt into the promised land of judaea . christ , the first-born of all creatures , flies from judaea into egypt . egypt is become the sanctuary , judaea the inquisition-house of the son of god. he , that is every where the same , makes all places alike to his : he makes the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure , the lions den an house of defence , the whales belly a lodging-chamber , egypt an harbour . he flees , that was able to preserve himself from danger ; to teach us , how lawfully we may flee from those dangers we cannot avoid otherwise . it is a thankless fortitude , to offer our throat unto the knife . he that came to die for us fled for his own preservation , and hath bid us follow him ; when they persecute you in one city , flee into another . we have but the use of our lives , and we are bound to husband them to the best advantage of god and his church . god hath made us , not as butts to be perpetually shot at , but as the marks of rovers movable , as the wind and sun may best serve . it was warrant enough for joseph and mary , that god commands them to flee ; yet so familiar is god grown with his approved servants , that he gives them the reason of his commanded flight : for herod will seek the young child , to destroy him . what wicked men will do , what they would doe , is known unto god beforehand . he that is so infinitely wise to know the designs of his enemies before they are , could as easily prevent them , that they might not be : but he lets them run on in their own courses , that he may fetch glory to himself out of their wickedness . good joseph , having this charge in the night , staies not till the morning : no sooner had god said , arise , then he starts up and sets forward . it was not diffidence , but obedience , that did so hasten his departure . the charge was direct , the business important . he dares not linger for the light , but breaks his rest for the journey , and taking advantage of the dark , departs toward egypt . how knew he this occasion would abide any delay ? we cannot be too speedy in the execution of gods commands , we may be too late . here was no treasure to hide , no hangings to take down , no lands to secure : the poor carpenter needs do no more but lock the doors , and away . he goes lightly that wants a load . if there be more pleasure in abundance , there is more security in a mean estate . the bustard or the ostridge , when he is pursued , can hardly get upon his wings ; whereas the lark mounts with ease . the rich hath not so much advantage of the poor in injoying , as the poor hath of the rich in leaving . now is joseph come down into egypt . egypt was beholden to the name , as that whereto it did owe no less then their universal preservation . well might it repay this act of hospitality to that name and bloud . the goging down into egypt had not so much difficulty as the staying there . their absence from their country was little better then a banishment . but what was this other , then to serve a prentiship in the house of bondage ? to be any-were save at home was irksome : but to be in egypt so many years amongst idolatrous pagans , must needs be painfull to religious hearts . the command of their god , and the presence of christ makes amends for all . how long should they have thought it to see the temple of god , if they had not had the god of the temple with them ? how long to present their sacrifices at the altar of god , if they had not had him with them who made all sacrifices accepted , and who did accept the sacrifice of their hearts ? herod was subtle in mocking the wise men , whiles he promised to worship him whom he meant to kill . now god makes the wise men to mock him , in disappointing his expectation . it is just with god , to punish those which would beguile others with illusion . great spirits are so much more impatient of disgrace . how did herod now rage and fret , and vainly wish to have met with those false spies , and tell with what torments he would revenge their treachery , and curse himself for trusting strangers in so important a business ? the tyrants suspicion would not let him rest long : ere many days he sends to inquire of them , whom he sent to inquire of christ . the notice of their secret departure increaseth his jealousie ; and now his anger runs mad , and his fear proves desperate . all the infants of bethlehem , shall bleed for this one . and ( that he may make sure work ) he cuts out to himself large measures both of time and place . it was but very lately that the star appeared , that the wise men re-appeared not : they asked for him that was born , they did not name when he was born : herod , for more security , over-reaches their time , and fetches into the slaughter all the children of two years age . the priests and scribes had told him , the town of bethlehem must be the place of the messiah's nativity : he fetches in all the children of the coasts adjoyning ; yea , his own shall for the time be a bethlehemite . a tyrannous guiltiness never thinks it self safe , but ever seeks to assure it self in the excess of cruelty . doubtless he , who so privily inquired for christ , did as secretly brew this massacre . the mothers were set with their children on their laps , feeding them with the breast , or talking to them in the familiar language of their love , when suddenly the executioner rushes in , and snatches them from their arms ; and at once pulling forth his commission and his knife , without regard to shrieks or tears , murthers the innocent babe , and leaves the passionate mother in a mean between madness and death . what cursing of herod ? what wringing of hands ? what condoling ? what exclaiming was now in the streets of bethlehem ? o bloudy herod , that couldst sacrifice so many harmless lives to thine ambition ! what could those infants have done ? if it were thy person whereof thou wert afraid , what likelihood was it thou couldst live till those sucklings might endanger thee ? this news might affect thy successours , it could not concern thee , if the heat of an impotent and furious envy had not made thee thirsty of bloud . it is not long that thou shalt enjoy this cruelty : after a few hatefull years thy soul shall feel the weight of so many innocents , of so many just curses . he , for whose sake thou killedst so many , shall strike thee with death ; and then what wouldest thou have given to have been as one of those infants whom thou murtheredst ? in the mean time , when thine executioners returned , and told thee of their unpartial dispatch , thou smiledst to think how thou hadst defeated thy rival , and beguiled the star , and eluded the prophecies ; whiles god in heaven and his son on earth laugh thee to scorn , and make thy rage an occasion of farther glory to him whom thou meantest to suppress . he that could take away the lives of others cannot protract his own . herod is now sent home . the coast is clear for the return of that holy family . now god calls them from their exile . christ and his mother had not stayed so long out of the confines of the reputed visible church , but to teach us continuance under the cross . sometimes god sees it good for us , not to sip of the cup of affliction , but to make a diet-drink of it , for constant and common use . if he allows us no other liquour for many years , we must take it off chearfully , and know that it is but the measure of our betters . joseph and mary stir not without a command ; their departure , stay , removal is ordered by the voice of god. if egypt had been more tedious unto them , they durst not move their foot till they were bidden . it is good in our own business to follow reason or custome : but in god's business , if we have any other guide but himself , we presume , and cannot expect a blessing . o the wonderfull dispensation of god in concealing of himself from men ! christ was now some five years old : he bears himself as an infant , and , knowing all things , neither takes nor gives notice of ought concerning his removall and disposing , but appoints that to be done by his angel , which the angel could not have done but by him . since he would take our nature , he would be a perfect child , suppressing the manifestation and exercise of that godhead whereto that infant nature was conjoined . even so , o saviour , the humility of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth . the more thou hidest and abasest thy self for us , the more should we magnifie thee , the more should we deject our selves for thee . unto thee with the father and the holy ghost , be all honour and glory , now and for ever . amen . vii . christ among the doctours . even the spring shews us what we may hope for of the tree in summer . in his nonage therefore would our saviour give us a taste of his future proof , lest if his perfection should have shewed it self without warning to the world , it should have been entertained with more wonder then belief ; now this act of his childhood shall prepare the faith of men by fore-expectation . notwithstanding all this early demonstration of his divine graces , the incredulous jews could afterwards say , whence hath this man his wisedome and great works ? what would they have said , if he had suddenly leapt forth into the clear light of the world ? the sun would dazzle all eyes , if he should break forth at his first rising into his full strength : now he hath both the day-star to goe before him , and to bid men look for that glorious body , and the lively colours of the day , to publish his approach ; the eye is comforted , not hurt by his appearance . the parents of christ went up yearly to jerusalem at the feast of the passover ; the law was onely for the males . i do not find the blessed virgin bound to this voiage ; the weaker sex received indulgence from god : yet she , knowing the spirituall profit of that journey , takes pains voluntarily to measure that long way every year . piety regards not any distinction of sexes or degrees , neither yet doth god's acceptation : rather doth it please the mercy of the highest , more to reward that service which , though he like in all , yet out of favour he will not impose upon all . it could not be but that she whom the holy ghost overshadowed should be zealous of god's service . those that will goe no farther then they are dragged in their religious exercises , are no whit of kin to her whom all generations shall call blessed . the child jesus in the minority of his age went up with his parents to the holy solemnity , not this year onely , but in all likelihood others also . he in the power of whose godhead , and by the motion of whose spirit , all others ascended thither , would not himself stay at home . in all his examples he meant our instruction : this pious act of his nonage intended to lead our first years into timely devotion . the first liquor seasons the vessell for a long time after . it is every way good for a man to bear god's yoke even from his infancy : it is the policie of the devill to discourage early holiness . he that goes out betimes in the morning , is more like to dispatch his journey , then he that lingers till the day be spent . this blessed family came not to look at the feast and be gone ; but they duly staid out all the appointed days of unlevened bread . they and the rest of israel could not want houshold-businesses at home : those secular affairs could not either keep them from repairing to jerusalem , or send them away immaturely . worldly cares must give place to sacred . except we will depart unblessed , we must attend god's services till we may receive his dismission . it was the fashion of those times and places , that they went up , ( and so returned , ) by troups to those set meetings of their holy festivals . the whole parish of nazareth went and came together . good fellowship doth no way so well as in the passage to heaven : much comfort is added by society to that journey , which is of it self pleasant . it is an happy word , come , let us go up to the house of the lord. mutuall incouragement is none of the least benefits of our holy assemblies . many sticks laid together make a good fire , which if they lie single , lose both their light and heat . the feast ended , what should they doe but return to nazareth ? god's services may not be so attended , as that we should neglect our particular callings . himself calls us from his own house to ours , and takes pleasure to see a painfull client . they are foully mistaken , that think god cares for no other trade but devotion . piety and diligence must keep meet changes with each other : neither doth god less accept of our return to nazareth , then our going up to jerusalem . i cannot think that the blessed virgin , or good joseph , could be so negligent of their divine charge , as not to call the child jesus to their setting forth from jerusalem . but their back was no sooner turned upon the temple , then his face was towards it : he had business in that place , when theirs was ended : there he was both worshipped , and represented . he , in whom the godhead dwelt bodily , could doe nothing without god : his true father led him away from his supposed . sometimes the affairs of our ordinary vocation may not grudge to yield unto spiritual occasions . the parents of christ knew him well to be of a disposition , nor strange , nor sullen and stoical , but sweet and sociable : and therefore they supposed he had spent the time and the way in company of their friends and neighbours . they do not suspect him wandered into the solitary fields : but when evening came , they go to seek him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance . if he had not wonted to converse formerly with them , he had not now been sought amongst them . neither as god , nor man , doth he take pleasure in a stern froward austerity , and wild retiredness ; but in a mild affableness , and amiable conversation . but , o blessed virgin , who can express the sorrows of thy perplexed soul , wben all that evening-search could afford thee no news of thy son jesus ? was not this one of those swords of simeon , which should pierce through thy tender breast ? how didst thou chide thy credulous neglect , in not observing so precious a charge , and blame thine eyes , for once looking beside this object of thy love ? how didst thou , with thy carefull husband spend that restless night in mutual expostulations , and bemoanings of your loss ? how many suspicious imaginations did that while rack thy grieved spirit ? perhaps thou migtest doubt , lest they which laid for him , by herod's command , at his birth , had now by the secret instigation of archelaus surprised him in his childhood . or it may be thou thoughtest thy divine son had now withdrawn himself from the earth , and returned to his heavenly glory , without warning . or peradventure thou studiedst with thy self , whether any carelesness on thy behalf had not given occasion to this absence . o dear saviour , who can miss , and not mourn for thee ? never any soul conceived thee by faith , that was less afflicted with the sense of thy desertion , then comforted with the joy of thy presence . just is that sorrow , and those tears seasonable , that are bestowed upon thy loss . what comfort are we capable of , whiles we want thee ? what relish is there in these earthly delights without thee ? what is there to mitigate our passionate discomforts , if not from thee ? let thy self loose , o my soul , to the fulness of sorrow , when thou findest thy self bereaved of him , in whose presence is the fulness of joy ; and deny to receive comfort from any thing save from his return . in vain is christ sought among his kindred according to the flesh . so far are they still from giving us their aid to find the true messias , that they lead us from him . back again therefore are joseph and mary gone to seek him at jerusalem . she goes about in the city , by the steets and by the open places , and seeks him whom her soul loveth : she sought him for the time , and found him not . do we think she spared her search ? the evening of her return she hastes to the inn where she had left him ; where missing him , she inquires of every one she met , have you not seen him whom my soul loveth ? at last , the third day , she finds him in the temple . one day was spent in the journey towards galilee , another in the return to jerusalem ; the third day recovers him . he , who would rise again the third day , and be found amongst the living , now also would the third day be found of his parents , after the sorrow of his absence . but where wert thou , o blessed jesu , for the space of these three days ? where didst thou bestow thy self , or who tended thee , whilst thou wert thus alone at jerusalem ? i know , if jerusalem should have been as unkind to thee as bethlehem , thou couldst have commanded the heavens to harbour thee ; and if men did not minister to thee , thou couldst have commanded the service of angels . but since the form of a servant called thee to a voluntary homeliness , whether it pleased thee to exercise thy self thus early with the difficulties of a stranger , or to provide miraculously for thy self , i inquire not , since thou revealest not ; onely this i know , that hereby thou intendedst to teach thy parents , that thou couldst live without them ; and that not of any indigency , but out of a gracious dispensation , thou wouldst ordinarily depend upon their care . in the mean time , thy divine wisedome could not but fore-know all these corroding thoughts wherewith the heart of thy dear mother must needs bleed , through this sudden dereliction ; yet wouldst thou leave her for the time to her sorrow . even so , o saviour , thou thoughtest fit to visit her that bore thee with this early affliction . never any loved thee , whom thou dost not sometimes exercise with the grief of missing thee ; that both we may be more carefull to hold thee , and more joyfull in recovering thee . thou hast said , and canst not lie , i am with you to the end of the world : but even whiles thou art really present , thou thinkest good to be absent unto our apprehensions . yet if thou leave us , thou wilt not forsake us ; if thou leave us for our humiliation , thou wilt not forsake us to our finall discomfort : thou mayest for three days hide thy self , but then we shall find thee in the temple . none ever sought thee with a sincere desire of whom thou wert not found . thou wilt not be either so little absent , as not to whet our appetites , nor so long , as to fainten the heart . after three days we shall find thee : and where should we rather hope to find thee then in the temple ? there is the habitation for the god of israel , there is thy resting-place for ever . oh all ye that are grieved with the want of your saviour , see where you must seek him . in vain shall ye hope to find him in the streets , in the taverns , in the theaters : seek him in his holy temple . seek him with piety , seek him with faith , there shall ye meet him , there shall ye recover him . whilst children of that age were playing in the streets , christ was found sitting in the temple ; not to gaze on the outward glory of that house , or on the golden candlesticks or tables , but to hear and appose the doctours . he who , as god , gave them all the wisedome they had , as the son of man hearkens to the wisedom he had given them . he , who sate in their hearts , as the authour of all learning and knowledge , sits in the midst of their school as an humble disciple : that by learning of them , he might teach all the younger sort humility , and due attendance upon their instructors . he could at the first have taught the great rabbins of israel the deep mysteries of god : but because he was not yet called by his father to the publick function of a teacher , he contents himself to hear with diligence , and to ask with modesty , and to teach onely by insinuation . let those consider this , who will needs run as soon as they can go ; and when they find ability , think they need not stay for a farther vocation of god or men . open your eyes , ye rathe-ripe invaders of god's chair ; and see your saviour in his younger years , not sitting in the eminent pulpits of the doctours , but in the lowly floors of the auditours . see him , that could have taught the angels , listning in his minority to the voice of men . who can think much to learn of the ancients , when he looks upon the son of god sitting at the feet of the doctours of israel ? first he hears , then he asks . how much more doth it concern us to be hearers ere we offer to be teachers of others ? he gathers that hears , he spends that teacheth . if we spend before we gather , we shall soon prove bankrupts . when he hath heard , he asks , and after that he answers . doubtless those very questions were instruction , and meant to teach more then to learn. never had these great rabbins heard the voice of such a tutor ; in whom they might see the wisedom of god so concealing it self , that yet it would be known to be there . no marvel then if they all wondred at his understanding and answers . their eyes saw nothing but humane weakness , their ears heard divine sublimity of matter : betwixt what they saw and what they heard , they could not but be distracted with a doubting admiration . and why did ye not ( o ye jewish teachers ) remember , that to us a child is born , and unto us a son is given , and the government is upon his shoulder , and his name shall be called wonderfull , counsellor , the mighty god ; the everlasting father , the prince of peace ? why did ye not now bethink your selves what the star , the sages , the angels , the shepherds , zachary , simeon , anna , had premonished you ? fruitless is the wonder that endeth not in faith . no light is sufficient , where the eyes are held through unbelief or prejudice . the doctours were not more amazed to hear so profound a childhood , then the parents of christ were to see him among the doctours : the joy of finding him did strive with the astonishment of finding him thus . and now , not joseph , ( he knew how little right he had to that divine son ) but mary breaks forth into a loving expostulation , son , why hast thou dealt so with us ? that she might not seem to take upon her as an imperious mother , it is like she reserved this question till she had him alone : wherein she meant rather to express grief then correption . onely herein the blessed virgin offended , that her inconsideration did not suppose , ( as it was , ) that some higher respects then could be due to flesh and bloud called away the son of god from her that was the daughter of man. she , that was but the mother of humanity , should not have thought that the business of god must for her sake be neglected . we are all partial to our selves naturally , and prone to the regard of our own rights . questionless this gracious saint would not for all the world have willingly preferred her own attendence to that of her god : through heedlesness she doeth so . her son and saviour is her monitour , out of his divine love reforming her natural : how is it that ye sought me ? know ye not that i must go about my fathers business ? immediately before the blessed virgin had said , thy father & i sought thee with heavy hearts : wherein , both , according to the supposition of the world , she calleth joseph the father of christ , and , according to the fashion of a dutifull wife , she names her joseph before her self . she well knew that joseph had nothing but a name in this business , she knew how god had dignified her beyond him ; yet she says , thy father and i sought thee . the son of god stands not upon contradiction to his mother , but leading her thoughts from his supposed father to his true , from earth to heaven , he answers ; knew ye not that i must go about my fathers business ? it was honour enough to her , that he had vouchsafed to take flesh of her . it was his eternall honour , that he was god of god , the everlasting son of the heavenly father : good reason therefore was it , that the respects to flesh should give place to the god of spirits . how well contented was holy mary with so just an answer ? how doth she now again in her heart renew her answer to the angel , behold the servant of the lord , be it according to thy word . we are all the sons of god in another kind , nature and the world think we should attend them . we are not worthy to say we have a father in heaven , if we cannot steal away from these earthly distractions , and imploy our selves in the services of our god. viii . christ's baptism . john did every way forerun christ , not so much in the time of his birth , as in his office : neither was there more unlikeliness in their disposition and carriage , then similitude in their function . both did preach and baptize : onely john baptized by himself , our saviour by his disciples . our saviour wrought miracles by himself , by his disciples ; john wrought none by either . wherein christ meant to shew himself a lord , and john a servant ; and john meant to approve himself a true servant to him whose harbinger he was . he that leapt in the womb of his mother when his saviour ( then newly conceived ) came in presence , bestir'd himself when he was brought forth into the light of the church , to the honour and service of his saviour . he did the same before christ , which christ charged his disciples to doe after him , preach and baptize . the gospel ran always in one tenour , and was never but like it self . so it became the word of him , in whom there is no shadow by turning , and whose word it is , i am jehova , i change not . it was fit that he which had the prophets , the star , the angel to foretell his coming into the world , should have his usher to go before him , when he would notifie himself to the world . john was the voice of a cryer ; christ was the word of his father . it was fit this voice should make a noise to the world , ere the word of the father should speak to it . john's note was still , repentance , the axe to the root , the fan to the floor , the chaffe to the fire : as his raiment was rough , so was his tongue ; and if his food were wild hony , his speech was stinging locusts . thus must the way be made for christ in every heart . plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration . if the heart of man had continued upright , god might have been entertained without contradiction : but now violence must be offered to our corruption , ere we can have room for grace . if the great way-maker do not cast down hills , and raise up valleys in the bosomes of men , there is no passage for christ . never will christ come into that soul , where the herald of repentance hath not been before him . that saviour of ours , who from eternity lay hid in the counsel of god , who in the fulness of time so came , that he lay hid in the womb of his mother for the space of forty weeks , after he was come thought fit to lie hid in nazareth for the space of thirty years , now at last begins to shew himself to the world , and comes from galilee to jordan . he that was god always , and might have been perfect man in an instant , would by degrees rise to the perfection both of his manhood , and execution of his mediatourship ; to teach us the necessity of leisure in spiritual proceedings ; that many suns , and successions of seasons , and means must be stayed for , ere we can attain our maturity ; and that when we are ripe for the imployments of god , we should no less willingly leave our obscurity , then we took the benefit of it for our preparation . he that was formerly circumcised would now be baptized . what is baptism but an evangelical circumcision ? what was circumcision but a legal baptism ? one both supplied and succeeded the other ; yet the authour of both will undergo both . he would be circumcised , to sanctifie his church that was ; and baptized , to sanctifie his church that should be ; that so in both testaments he might open a way into heaven . there was in him neither filthiness , nor foreskin of corruption , that should need either knife or water . he came not to be a saviour for himself , but for us . we are all uncleanness and uncircumcision . he would therefore have that done to his most pure body , which should be of force to clear our impure souls : thus making himself sin for us , that we might be made the righteousness of god in him . his baptism gives virtue to ours . his last action ( or rather passion ) was his baptizing with bloud ; his first was his baptization with water : both of them wash the world from their sins . yea , this latter did not onely wash the souls of men , but washeth that very water by which we are washed : from hence is that made both clean and holy , and can both cleanse and hallow us . and if the very handkerchief which touched his apostles had power of cure , how much more that water which the sacred body of christ touched ? christ comes far to seek his baptism ; to teach us ( for whose sake he was baptized ) to wait upon the ordinances of god , and to sue for the favour of spiritual blessings . they are worthless commodities that are not worth seeking for . it is rarely seen , that god is found of any man unsought for . that desire which onely makes us capable of good things , cannot stand with neglect . john durst not baptize unbidden ; his master sent him to do this service ; and behold , the master comes to his servant , to call for the participation of that priviledge which he himself had instituted and injoyned . how willingly should we come to our spiritual superious , for our part in those mysteries which god hath left in their keeping ? yea , how gladly should we come to that christ who gives us these blessings , who is given to us in them ? this seemed too great an honour for the modesty of john to receive . if his mother could say , when her blessed cousin the virgin mary came to visit her , whence is this to me , that the mother of my lord should come to me ? how much more might he say so , when the divine son of that mother came to call for a favour from him ? i have need to be baptized of thee , and comest thou to me ? o holy baptist , if there were not a greater born of woman than thou , yet thou couldst not be born of a woman , and not need to be baptized of thy saviour . he baptized with fire , thou with water . little would thy water have availed thee without his fire . if he had not baptized thee , how wert thou sanctified from the womb ? there can be no flesh without filthiness . neither thy supernatural conception , nor thy austere life could exempt thee from the need of baptism . even those that have not lived to sin after the similitude of adam , yet are they so tainted with adam , that , unless the second adam cleanse them by his baptism , they are hopeless . there is no less use of baptism unto all , then there is certainty of the need of baptism . john baptized without , christ within . the more holy a man is , the more sensible he is of his unholiness . no carnal man could have said , i have need to be baptized of thee , neither can he find what he is the better for a little font-water . the sense of our wretchedness , and the valuation of our spiritual helps , is the best trial of our regeneration . our saviour doth not deny , that either john hath need to be baptized of him , or that it is strange that he should come to be baptized of john ; but he will needs thus far both honour john , and disparage himself , to be baptized of his messenger . he that would take flesh of the virgin , education from his parents , sustenance from his creatures , will take baptism from john. it is the praise of his mercy , that he will stoop so low as to be beholden to his creatures , which from him receive their being and power , both to take and give . yet not so much respect to john , as obedience to his father , drew him to this point of humiliation ; thus it behoves us to fulfill all righteousness . the counsels and appointments of god are righteousness it self . there needs no other motive either to the servant or the son , then the knowledge of those righteous purposes . this was enough to lead a faithfull man through all difficulties and inconveniencies ; neither will it admit of any reply , or any demur . john yieldeth to this honour which his saviour puts upon him , in giving baptism to the authour of it . he baptized others to the remission of their sins : now he baptizes him by whom they are remitted , both to the baptizer and to others . no sooner is christ baptized , then he comes forth of the water . the element is of force but during the use ; it turns common , when that is past . neither is the water sooner poured on his head , then the heavens are opened , and the holy ghost descendeth upon that head which was baptized . the heavens are never shut whiles either of the sacraments is duly administred and received : neither do the heavens ever thus open , without the descent of the holy ghost . but now that the god of heaven is baptized , they open unto him , which are opened to all the faithfull by him ; and that holy ghost which proceeded from him , together with the father , joyns with the father in a sensible testimony of him : that now the world might see what interest he had in the heavens , in the father , in the holy spirit , and might expect nothing but divine from the entrance of such a mediator . ix . christ tempted . no sooner is christ come out of the water of baptism , then he enters into the fire of temptation . no sooner is the holy spirit descended upon his head in the form of a dove , then he is led by the spirit to be tempted . no sooner doth god say , this is my son , then satan says , if thou be the son of god. it is not in the power either of the gift or seals of grace , to deliver us from the assaults of satan . they may have the force to repell evil suggestions , they have none to prevent them . yea , the more we are ingaged unto god by our publick vows , and his pledges of favour , so much more busie and violent is the rage of that evil one to encounter us . we are no sooner stept forth into the field of god , then he labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands , or to turn them against us . the voice from heaven acknowledged christ to be the son of god : this divine testimony did not allay the malice of satan , but exasperate it . now that venomous serpent swells with inward poison , and hasts to assail him whom god hath honoured from heaven . o god , how should i look to escape the suggestions of that wicked one , when the son of thy love cannot be free ? when even grace it self draws on enmity ? that enmity that spared not to strike at the head , will it forbear the weakest and remotest limb ? arm thou me therefore with an expectation of that evil i cannot avoid . make thou me as strong as he is malicious . say to my soul also , thou art my son , and let satan doe his worst . all the time of our saviour's obscurity i do not find him set upon . now that he looks forth to the publick execution of his divine office , satan bends his forces against him . our privacy , perhaps , may sit down in peace ; but never man did endeavour a common good without opposition . it is a sign that both the work is holy , and the agent faithfull , when we meet with strong affronts . we have reason to be comforted with nothing so much as with resistence . if we were not in a way to do good , we should find no rubs : satan hath no cause to molest his own , and that whilst they go about his own service . he desires nothing more , then to make us smooth paths to sin : but when we would turn our feet to holiness , he blocks up the way with temptations . who can wonder enough at the sawciness of that bold spirit , that dares to set upon the son of the everliving god ? who can wonder enough at thy meekness and patience , o saviour , that wouldst be tempted ? he wanted not malice and presumption to assault thee ? thou wantedst not humility to endure those assaults . i should stand amazed at this voluntary dispensation of thine , but that i see the susception of our humane nature lays thee open to this condition . it is necessarily incident to manhood to be liable to temptations . thou wouldest not have put on flesh , if thou hadst meant utterly to put off this consequence of our infirmity . if the state of innocence could have been any defence against evil motions , the first adam had not been tempted , much less the second . it is not the presenting of temptations that can hurt us , but their entertainment . ill counsel is the fault of the giver , not of the refuser . we cannot forbid lewd eyes to look in at our windows , we may shut our doors against their entrance . it is no less our praise to have resisted , then satan's blame to suggest evil . yea , o blessed saviour , how glorious was it for thee , how happy for us , that thou wert tempted ? had not satan tempted thee , how shouldst thou have overcome ? without blows there can be no victory , no triumph . how had thy power been manifested , if no adversary had tried thee ? the first adam was tempted and vanquished ; the second adam , to repay and repair that foil , doth vanquish in being tempted . now have we not a saviour , and high priest , that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but such an one as was in all things tempted in like sort , yet without sin . how boldly therefore may we go unto the throne of grace , that we may receive mercy , and find grace of help in time of need ? yea , this duel was for us : now we see by this conflict of our almighty champion , what manner of adversary we have , how he fights , how he is resisted , how overcome . now our very temptation affords us comfort , in that we see , the dearer we are unto god , the more obnoxious we are to this trial . neither can we be discouraged by the hainousness of those evils whereto we are moved , since we see the son of god solicited to infidelity , covetousness , idolatry . how glorious therefore was it for thee , o saviour , how happy for us , that thou wert tempted ? where then wast thou tempted , o blessed jesu ? or whither wentest thou to meet with our great adversary ? i do not see thee led into the market-place , or any other part of the city , or thy home-stead of nazareth ; but into the vast wilderness , the habitation of beasts ; a place that carrieth in it both horrour and opportunity . why wouldst thou thus retire thy self from men ? but as confident champions are wont to give advantage of ground or weapon to their antagonist , that the glory of their victory may be the greater : so wouldst thou , o saviour , in this conflict with our common enemy , yield him his own terms for circumstances , that thine honour and his foil may be the more . solitariness is no small help to the speed of a temptation . woe to him that is alone : for if he fall , there is not a second to lift him up . those that out of an affectation of holiness seek for solitude in rocks and caves of the desarts , do no other then run into the mouth of the danger of temptation , whilst they think to avoid it . it was enough for thee , to whose divine power the gates of hell were weakness , thus to challenge the prince of darkness . our care must be always to eschew all occasions of spiritual danger , and ( what we may ) to get us out of the reach of temptations . but , o the depth of the wisedome of god! how camest thou , o saviour , to be thus tempted ? that spirit whereby thou wast conceived as man , and which was one with thee and the father as god , led thee into the wilderness to be tempted of satan . whilst thou taughtest us to pray to thy father , lead us not into temptation , thou meantest to instruct us , that if the same spirit led us not into this perilous way , we goe not into it . we have still the same conduct : let the path be what it will , how can we miscarry in the hand of a father ? now may we say to satan , as thou didst unto pilate , thou couldst have no power over me , except it were given thee from above . the spirit led thee , it did not drive thee . here was a sweet invitation , no compulsion of violence . so absolutely conformable was thy will to thy deity , as if both thy natures had but one volition . in this first draught of thy bitter potion , thy soul said in a real subjection , not my will , but thy will be done . we imitate thee , o saviour , though we cannot reach to thee : all thine are led by thy spirit . o teach us to forget that we have wills of our own . the spirit led thee ; thine invincible strength did not animate thee into this combat uncalled . what do we weaklings so far presume upon our abilities or success , as that we dare thrust our selves upon temptations unbidden , unwarranted ? who can pity the shipwrack of those mariners , who will needs put forth and hoise sails in a tempest ? forty days did our saviour spend in the wilderness , fasting and solitary , all which time was worn out in temptation ; however the last brunt , because it was most violent , is onely expressed . now could not the adversary complain or disadvantage , whilst he had the full scope both of time and place to do his worst . and why did it please thee , o saviour , to fast forty days and forty nights : unless , as moses fasted forty days at the delivery of the law , and elias at the restitution of the law ; so thou thoughtest fit at the accomplishment of the law , and the promulgation of the gospel , to fulfill the time of both these types of thine ; wherein thou intendest our wonder , not our imitation ; not our imitation of the time , though of the act . here were no faulty desires of the flesh in thee , to be tamed , no possibility of a freer and more easie assent of the soul to god , that could be affected of thee , who wast perfectly united unto god : but , as for us thou wouldest suffer death , so for us thou wouldest suffer hunger , that we might learn by fasting to prepare our selves for temptations . in fasting so long , thou intendedst the manifestation of thy power ; in fasting no longer , the truth of thy manhood . moses and elias , through the miraculous sustentation of god , fasted so long , without any question made of the truth of their bodies . so long therefore thou thoughtest good to fast , as by the reason of these precedents might be without prejudice of thine humanity ; which if it should have pleased thee to support , as thou couldst , without means , thy very power might have opened the mouth of cavils against the verity of thine humane nature . that thou mightest therefore well approve , that there was no difference betwixt thee and us but sin , thou that couldst have fasted without hunger , and lived without meat , wouldst both feed , and fast , and hunger . who can be discouraged with the scantiness of friends or bodily provisions , when he sees his saviour thus long destitute of all earthly comforts , both of society and sustenance ? oh the policy and malice of that old serpent , when he sees christ bewray some infirmity of nature in being hungry , then he lays sorest at him by temptations . his eye was never off from our saviour all the time of his sequestration ; and now that he thinks he espies any one part to lie open , he drives at it with all his might . we have to doe with an adversary no less vigilant then malicious , who will be sure to watch all opportunities of our mischief , and where he sees any advantage of weakness , will not neglect it . how should we stand upon our guard for prevention , both that we may not give him occasions of our hurt , nor take hurt by those we have given ? when our saviour was hungry , satan tempts him in matter of food ; not then of wealth or glory . he well knows both what baits to fish withall , and when , and how to lay them . how safe and happy shall we be , if we shall bend our greatest care where we discern the most danger . in every temptation there is an appearance of good , whether of the body , mind , or estate . the first is the lust of the flesh , in any carnal desire ; the second the pride of heart and life ; the third the lust of the eyes . to all these the first adam is tempted , and in all miscarried ; the second adam is tempted to them all , and overcometh . the first man was tempted to carnal appetite , by the forbidden fruit ; to pride , by the suggestion of being as god ; to covetousness , in the ambitious desire of knowing good and evil . satan having found all the motions so successful with the first adam in his innocent estate , will now tread the same steps in his temptations of the second . the stones must be made bread , there is the motion to a carnal appetite . the guard and attendence of angels must be presumed on , there is a motion to pride . the kingdomes of the earth and the glory of them must be offered , there to covetousness and ambition . satan could not but have heard god say , this is my wel-beloved son ; he had heard the message and the caroll of the angels ; he saw the star , and the journey and offerings of the sages ; he could not but take notice of the gratulations of zachary , simeon , anna ; he well knew the predictions of the prophets : yet now that he saw christ fainting with hunger , as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a godhead , he can say , if thou be the son of god. had not satan known that the son of god was to come into the world , he had never said , if thou be the son of god. his very supposition convinces him : the ground of his temptation answers it self . if therefore christ seemed to be a meer man , because after forty days he was hungry , why was he not confessed more then a man , in that for forty days he hungred not ? the motive of the temptation is worse then the motion , if thou be the son of god. satan could not chuse another suggestion of so great importance . all the work of our redemption , of our salvation , depends upon this one truth , christ is the son of god. how should he else have ransomed the world ? how should he have done , how should he have suffered that which was satisfactory to his father's wrath ? how should his actions or passion have been valuable to the sins of all the world ? what marvell is it if we , that are sons by adoption , be assaulted with the doubts of our interest in god , when the naturall son , the son of his essence , is thus tempted ? since all our comfort consists in this point , here must needs be laid the chief battery ; and here must be placed our strongest defence . to turn stones into bread , had been no more faulty in it self , then to turn water into wine : but to doe this in a distrust of his father's providence , to abuse his power and liberty in doing it , to work a miracle of satan's choice , had been disagreeable to the son of god. there is nothing more ordinary with our spirituall enemy , then by occasion of want to move us to unwarrantable courses : thou art poor , steal ; thou canst not rise by honest means , use indirect . how easie had it been for our saviour , to have confounded satan by the power of his godhead ? but he rather chuses to vanquish him by the sword of the spirit , that he might teach us how to resist and overcome the powers of darkness . if he had subdued satan by the almighty power of the deity , we might have had what to wonder at , not what to imitate : now he useth that weapon which may be familiar unto us , that he may teach our weakness how to be victorious . nothing in heaven or earth can beat the forces of hell , but the word of god. how carefully should we furnish our selves with this powerfull munition ? how should our hearts and mouths be full of it ? teach me , lord , the way of thy statutes : o take not from me the words of truth . let them be my songs in the house of my pilgrimage ; so shall i make answer to my blasphemers . what needed christ to have answered satan at all , if it had not been to teach us , that temptations must not have their way , but must be answered by resistence , and resisted by the word ? i do not hear our saviour averre himself to be a god , against the blasphemous insinuation of satan ; neither do i see him working this miraculous conversion , to prove himself the son of god : but most wisely he takes away the ground of the temptation . satan had taken it for granted , that man cannot be sustained without bread ; and therefore infers the necessity of making bread of stones . our saviour shews him from an infallible word , that he had mislayed his suggestion ; that man lives not by usual food onely , but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of god. he can either sustain without bread , as he did moses and elias ; or with a miraculous bread , as the israelites with manna ; or send ordinary means miraculously , as food to his prophet by the ravens ; or miraculously multiply ordinary means , as the meal and oil to the sareptan widow . all things are sustained by his almighty word . indeed we live by food , but not by any virtue that is without god ; without the concurrence of whose providence , bread would rather choak then nourish us . let him withdraw his hand from his creatures , in their greatest abundance we perish . why do we therefore bend our eyes on the means , and not look up to the hand that gives the blessing ? what so necessary dependence hath the blessing upon the creature , if our prayers hold them not together ? as we may not neglect the means , so we may not neglect the procurement of a blessing upon the means , nor be unthankfull to the hand that hath given the blessing . in the first assault satan moves christ to doubt of his father's providence , and to use unlawfull means to help himself : in the next he moves him to presume upon his father's protection , and the service of his blessed angels . he grounds the first upon a conceit of want , the next of abundance . if he be in extremes , it is all to one end , to mislead unto evill . if we cannot be driven down to despair , he labours to lift us up to presumption . it is not one foil that can put this bold spirit out of countenance . temptations , like waves , break one in the neck of another . whilst we are in this warfare , we must make account , that the repulse of one temptation doth but invite to another . that blessed saviour of ours that was content to be led from jordan into the wilderness , for the advantage of the first temptation , yields to be led from the wilderness to jerusalem , for the advantage of the second . the place doth not a little avail to the act. the wilderness was fit for a temptation arising from want , it was not fit for a temptation moving to vain-glory : the populous city was the fittest for such a motion . jerusalem was the glory of the world , the temple was the glory of jerusalem , the pinacle the highest piece of the pinacle : there is christ content to be set for the opportunity of temptation . o saviour of men , how can we wonder enough at this humility of thine , that thou wouldst so far abase thy self , as to suffer thy pure and sacred body to be transported by the presumptuous and malicious hand of that unclean spirit ? it was not his power , it was thy patience that deserves our admiration . neither can this seem over-strange to us , when we consider , that if satan be the head of wicked men , wicked men are the members of satan . what was pilate , or the jews that persecuted thine innocence , but lims of this devil ? and why are we then amazed , to see thee touched and locally transported by the head , when we see thee yielding thy self over to be crucified by the members ? if satan did the worse and greater mediately by their hands , no marvel if he doe the less and easier immediately by his own ; yet neither of them without thy voluntary dispensation . he could not have looked at thee without thee . and if the son of god did thus suffer his own holy and precious body to be carried by satan ; what wonder is it , if that enemy have sometimes power given him over the sinfull bodies of the adopted sons of god ? it is not the strength of faith that can secure us from the outward violences of that evil one . this difference i find betwixt his spiritual and bodily assaults : those are beaten back by the shield of faith , these admit not of such repulse . as the best man may be lame , blind , diseased ; so , through the permission of god , he may be bodily vexed by the old man-slayer . grace was never given us for a target against external afflictions . methinks i see christ hoised upon the highest battlements of the temple , whose very roof was an hundred and thirty cubits high ; and satan standing by him , with this speech in his mouth : well then , since in the matter of nourishment thou wilt needs depend upon thy father's providence , that he can without means sustain thee , take now farther trial of that providence in thy miraculous preservation ; cast thy self down from this height . behold , thou art here in jerusalem , the famous and holy city of the world ; here thou art on the top of the pinacle of that temple which is dedicated to thy father , and , if thou be god , to thy self ; the eyes of all men are now fixt upon thee : there cannot be devised a more ready way to spread thy glory , and to proclaim thy deity , then by casting thy self headlong to the earth . all the world will say , there is more in thee then a man ; and for danger , there can be none : what can hurt him that is the son of god ? and wherefore serves that glorious guard of angels , which have by divine commission taken upon them the charge of thine humanity ? since therefore in one act thou maist be both safe and celebrated , trust thy father and those thy serviceable spirits with thine assured preservation ; cast thy self down . and why didst thou not , o thou malignant spirit , endeavour to cast down my saviour by those same presumptuous hands that brought him up , since the descent is more easie then the raising up ? was it because it had not been so great an advantage to thee that he should fall by thy means , as by his own ? falling into sin was more then to fall from the pinacle . still thy care and suit is , to make us authours to our selves of evil . thou gainest nothing by our bodily hurt , if the soul be safe . or was it rather for that thou couldst not ? i doubt not but thy malice could as well have served to have offered this measure to himself , as to his holy apostle soon after : but he that bounded thy power tethers thee shorter . thou couldst not ; thou canst not doe what thou wouldst . he that would permit thee to carry him up , binds thy hands from casting him down . and woe were it for us , if thou wert not ever stinted . why did satan carry up christ so high , but on purpose that his fall might be the more deadly ? so deals he still with us , he exalts us , that we may be dangerously abased : he puffs men up with swelling thoughts of their own worthiness , that they may be vile in the eyes of god , and fall into condemnation . it is the manner of god , to cast down , that he may raise , to abase , that he may exalt : contrarily satan raises up , that he may throw down , and intends nothing but our dejection in our advancement . height of place gives opportunity of temptation . thus busie is that wicked one in working against the members of christ . if any of them be in eminence above others , those he labours most to ruinate . they had need to stand fast , that stand high : both there is more danger of their falling , and more hurt in their fall . he that had presumed thus far to tempt the lord of life , would fain now dare him also to presume upon his deity : if thou be the son of god , cast thy self down . there is not a more tried shaft in all his quiver then this , a perswasion to men to bear themselves too bold upon the favour of god. thou art the elect and redeemed of god ; sin , because grace hath abounded ; sin , that it may abound . thou art safe enough though thou offend ; be not too much an adversary to thy own liberty . false spirit , it is no liberty to sin , but servitude rather ; there is no liberty but in the freedome from sin . every one of us that hath the hope of sons must purge himself , even as he is pure that hath redeemed us . we are bought with a price , therefore must we glorifie god in our body and spirits , for they are god's . our sonship teaches us awe and obedience ; and therefore , because we are sons , we will not cast our selves down into sin . how idlely do satan and wicked men measure god by the crooked line of their own misconceit ? i wiss christ cannot be the son of god , unless he cast himself down from the pinacle , unless he come down from the cross . god is not mercifull , unless he humour them in all their desires ; not just , unless he take speedy vengeance where they require it . but when they have spent their folly upon these vain imaginations , christ is the son of god , though he stay on the top of the temple : god will be mercifull , though we miscarry , and just , though sinners seem lawless . neither will he be any other then he is , or measured by any rule but himself . but what is this i see ? satan himself with a bible under his arm , with a text in his mouth , it is written , he shall give his angels charge over thee ? how still in that wicked one doth subtlety strive with presumption ? who could not but over-wonder at this , if he did not consider , that since the devil dares to touch the sacred body of christ with his hand , he may well touch the scriptures of god with his tongue ? let no man henceforth marvel to hear hereticks or hypocrites quote scriptures , when satan himself hath not spared to cite them . what are they the worse for this , more then that holy body which is transported ? some have been poisoned by their meats and drinks ; yet either these nourish us , or nothing . it is not the letter of the scripture that can carry it , but the sense : if we divide these two , we profane and abuse that word we alledge . and wherefore doth this foul spirit urge a text , but for imitation , for prevention , and for success ? christ had alledged a scripture unto him , he re-alledges scripture unto christ . at leastwise he will counterfeit an imitation of the son of god. neither is it in this alone ; what one act ever passed the hand of god , which satan did not apishly attempt to second ? if we follow christ in the outward action with contrary intentions , we follow satan in following christ . or , perhaps , satan meant to make christ hereby weary of this weapon : as we see fashions , when they are taken up of the unworthy , are cast off by the great . it was , doubtless , one cause why christ afterward forbad the devil even to confess the truth , because his mouth was a slander . but chiefly doeth he this for a better colour of his temptation : he gilds over this false metal with scripture , that it may pass current . even now is satan transformed into an angel of light , and will seem godly for a mischief . if hypocrites make a fair shew to deceive with a glorious lustre of holiness , we see whence they borrowed it . how many thousand souls are betrayed by the abuse of that word , whose use is sovereign and saving . no devil is so dangerous as the religious devil . if good meat turn to the nourishment , not of nature , but of the disease , we may not forbear to feed , but endeavour to purge the body of those evil humours which cause the stomack to work against it self . o god , thou that hast given us light , give us clear and sound eyes , that we may take comfort of that light thou hast given us . thy word is holy ; make our hearts so , and then shall they find that word not more true then cordial . let not this divine table of thine be made a snare to our souls . what can be a better act then to speak scripture ? it were a wonder if satan should doe a good thing well . he cites scripture then , but with mutilation and distortion : it comes not out of his mouth , but maimed and perverted : one piece is left , all misapplied . those that wrest or mangle scripture for their own turn , it is easie to see from what school they come . let us take the word from the authour , not from the usurper . david would not doubt to eat that sheep which he pulled out of the mouth of the bear or lion. he shall give his angels charge over thee . o comfortable assurance of our protection ! god's children never goe unattended : like unto great princes we walk ever in the midst of our guard , though invisible , yet true , carefull , powerfull . what creatures are so glorious as the angels of heaven ? yet their maker hath set them to serve us . our adoption makes us at once great and safe . we may be contemptible and ignominious in the eyes of the world ; but the angels of god observe us the while , and scorn not to wait upon us in our homeliest occasions . the sun or the light may we keep out of our houses , the air we cannot ; much less these spirits , that are more simple and immaterial . no walls , no bolts can sever them from our sides : they accompany us in dungeons , they go with us into our exile . how can we either fear danger , or complain of solitariness , whilst we have so unseparable , so glorious companions ? is our saviour distasted with scripture because satan mis-lays it in his dish ? doth he not rather snatch this sword out of that impure hand , and beat satan with the weapon which he abuseth ? it is written , thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god. the scripture is one , as that god whose it is . where it carries an appearance of difficulty or inconvenience , it needs no light to clear it , but that which it hath in it self . all doubts that may arise from it are fully answered by collation . it is true that god hath taken this care , and given this charge of his own : he will have them kept , not in their sins : they may trust him , they may not tempt him : he meant to incourage their faith , not their presumption . to cast our selves upon any immediate providence when means fail not , is to disobey , in stead of believing god. we may challenge god on his word , we may not strain him beyond it : we may make account of what he promised , we may not subject his promises to unjust examinations ; and where no need is , make trial of his power , justice , mercy , by devices of our own . all the devils in hell could not elude the force of this divine answer : and now satan sees how vainly he tempteth christ to tempt god. yet again for all this do i see him setting upon the son of god. satan is not foiled , when he is resisted . neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon christ ; he shall be tried with honour . as some expert fencer that challenges at all weapons , so doth his great enemy . in vain shall we plead our skill in some , if we fail in any . it must be our wisedom to be prepared for all kind of assaults . as those that hold towns and forts do not onely defend themselves from incursions , but from the cannon and the pioneer . still doth that subtle serpent traverse his ground for an advantage . the temple is not high enough for his next temptation ; he therefore carries up christ to the top of an exceeding high mountain . all enemies in pitcht fields strive for the benefit of the hill , or river , or wind , or sun. that which his servant balak did by his instigation , himself doth now immediately , change places in hope of prevailing . if the obscure country will not move us , he tries what the court can doe ; if not our home , the tavern ; if not the field , our closet . as no place is left free by his malice , so no place must be made prejudicial by our carelesness : and as we should always watch over our selves , so then most when the opportunity carries cause of suspicion . wherefore is christ carried up so high but for prospect ? if the kingdoms of the earth and their glory were onely to be presented to his imagination , the valley would have served ; if to the outward sense , no hill could suffice . circular bodies , though small , cannot be seen at once . this show was made to both : divers kingdoms lying round about judaea were represented to the eye ; the glory of them to the imagination . satan meant the eye could tempt the fancy , no less then the fancy could tempt the will. how many thousand souls have died of the wound of the eye ? if we do not let in sin at the window of the eye , or the door of the ear , it cannot enter into our hearts . if there be any pomp , majesty , pleasure , bravery in the world , where should it be but in the courts of princes , whom god hath made his images , his deputies on earth ? there is soft raiment , sumptuous feasts , rich jewels , honourable attendence , glorious triumphs , royal state . these satan lays out to the fairest show . but oh the craft of that old serpent ! many a care attends greatness : no crown is without thorns : high seats are never but uneasie . all those infinite discontentments which are the shadow of earthly sovereignty he hides out of the way ; nothing may be seen but what may both please and allure . satan is still and ever like himself . if temptations might be but turn'd about and shewn on both sides , the kingdom of darkness would not be so populous . now whensoever the tempter sets upon any poor soul , all sting of conscience , wrath , judgment , torment is concealed , as if they were not . nothing may appear to the eye but pleasure , profit , and a seeming happiness in the enjoying our desires . those other wofull objects are reserved for the farewell of sin ; that our misery may be seen and felt at once . when we are once sure , satan is a tyrant ; till then , he is a parasite . there can be no safety , if we do not view as well the back as the face of temptations . but oh presumption and impudence that hell it self may be ashamed of ! the devil dares say to christ , all these will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me . that beggarly spirit , that hath not an inch of earth , can offer the whole world to the maker , to the owner of it . the slave of god would be adored of his creatour . how can we hope he should be sparing of false boasts , and of unreasonable promises unto us , when he dares offer kingdoms to him by whom kings reign ? temptations on the right hand are most dangerous . how many that have been hardned with fear , have melted with honour ? there is no doubt of that soul that will not bite at the golden hook . false liars and vain-glorious boasters see the top of their pedigree : if i may not rather say , that satan doth borrow the use of their tongues for a time . whereas faithfull is he that hath promised , who will also doe it . fidelity and truth is the issue of heaven . if idolatry were not a dear sin to satan , he would not be so importunate to compass it . it is miserable to see how he draws the world insensibly into this sin , which they profess to detest . those that would rather hazzard the furnace then worship gold in a statue , yet do adore it in the stamp , and find no fault with themselves . if our hearts be drawn to stoop unto an over-high respect of any creature , we are idolaters . o god , it is no marvel if thy jealousie be kindled at the admission of any of thine own works into a competition of honour with their creatour . never did our saviour say , avoid , satan , till now . it is a just indignation that is conceived at the motion of a rivality with god. neither yet did christ exercise his divine power in this command , but by the necessary force of scripture drives away that impure tempter ; it is written , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him onely shalt thou serve . the rest of our saviour's answers were more full and direct then that they could admit of a reply ; but this was so flat and absolute , that it utterly daunted the courage of satan , and put him to a shamefull flight , and made him for the time weary of his trade . the way to be rid of the troublesome solicitations of that wicked one is continued resistence . he that forcibly drove the tempter from himself , takes him off from us , and will not abide his assaults perpetual . it is our exercise and trial that he intends , not our confusion . x. simon called . as the sun in his first rising draws all eyes to it ; so did this sun of righteousness , when he first shone forth into the world . his miraculous cures drew patients , his divine doctrine drew auditours , both together drew the admiring multitude by troops after him . and why do we not still follow thee , o saviour , through desarts and mountains , over land and seas , that we may be both healed and taught ? it was thy word , that when thou wert lift up , thou wouldst draw all men unto thee : behold , thou art lift up long since , both to the tree of shame , and to the throne of heavenly glory , draw us , and we shall run after thee . thy word is still the same , though proclaimed by men ; thy virtue is still the same , though exercised upon the spirits of men . oh give us to hunger after both , that by both our souls may be satisfied . i see the people not onely following christ , but pressing upon him . even very unmannerliness finds here both excuse and acceptation . they did not keep their distances in an awe to the majesty of the speaker , whilst they were ravished with the power of the speech : yet did not our saviour check their unreverent thronging , but rather incourages their forwardness . we cannot offend thee , o god , with the importunity of our desires . it likes thee well , that the kingdom of heaven should suffer violence . our slackness doth ever displease thee , never our vehemency . the throng of auditours forced christ to leave the shore , and to make peter's ship his pulpit . never were there such nets cast out of that fisher-boat before . whilst he was upon the land , he healed the sick bodies by his touch : now that he was upon the sea , he cured the sick souls by his doctrine ; and is purposely severed from the multitude , that he may unite them to him . he that made both sea and land , causeth both of them to conspire to the opportunities of doing good . simon was busie washing his nets . even those nets that caught nothing must be washed , no less then if they had sped well . the night's toil doth not excuse his day's work . little did simon think of leaving those nets which he so carefully washed ; and now christ interrupts him with the favour and blessing of his gracious presence . labour in our calling ( how homely soever ) makes us capable of divine benediction . the honest fisher-man , when he saw the people flock after christ , and heard him speak with such power , could not but conceive a general and confuse apprehension of some excellent worth in such a teacher , and therefore is glad to honour his ship with such a guest ; and is first christ's host by sea , ere he is his disciple by land . an humble and serviceable entertainment of a prophet of god was a good foundation of his future honour . he that would so easily lend christ his hand and his ship , was likely soon after to bestow himself upon his saviour . simon hath no sooner done this service to christ , then christ is preparing for his reward : when the sermon is ended , the ship-room shall be paid for abundantly : neither shall the host expect any other pay-master then himself . lanch forth into the deep , and let down your nets to make a draught . that ship which lent christ an opportunity of catching men upon the shore , shall be requited with a plentifull draught of fish in the deep . it had been as easie for our saviour to have brought the fish to peter's ship , close to the shore ; yet , as chusing rather to have the ship carried to the shole of fish , he bids , lanch forth into the deep . in his miracles , he loves ever to meet nature in her bounds ; and when she hath done her best , to supply the rest by his over-ruling power . the same power therefore that could have caused the fishes to leap upon dry land , or to leave themselves forsaken of the waters upon the sands of the lake , will rather find them , in a place natural to their abiding . lanch out into the deep . rather in a desire to gratifie and obey his guest , then to pleasure himself , will simon bestow one cast of his net. had christ injoyned him an harder task , he had not refused . yet not without an allegation of the unlikelihood of success ; master , we have travailed all night , and caught nothing ; yet at thy word i will let down the net. the night was the fittest time for the hopes of their trade ; not unjustly might simon mis-doubt his speed by day , when he had worn out the night in unprofitable labour . sometimes god crosseth the fairest of our expectations , and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair . that pains cannot be cast away , which we resolve to lose for christ . o god , how many do i see casting out their nets in the great lake of the world , which in the whole night of their life have caught nothing ? they conceive mischief , and bring forth iniquity : they hatch cockatrices eggs , and weave the spider's web : he that eateth of their eggs dieth , and that which is troden upon breaketh out into a serpent . their webs shall be no garment , neither shall they cover themselves with their labours . o ye sons of men , how long will ye love vanity , and follow after lies ? yet if we have thus vainly mis-spent the time of our darkness , let us at the command of christ cast out our new-washen nets ; our humble and penitent obedience shall come home laden with blessings . and when they had so done , they inclosed a great multitude of fishes , so that their net brake . what a difference there is betwixt our own voluntary acts , and those that are done upon command ; not more in the grounds of them , then in the issue ? those are oft-times fruitless , these ever successfull . never man threw out his net at the word of his saviour , and drew it back empty . who would not obey thee , o christ , since thou dost so bountifully requite our weakest services ? it was not meer retribution that was intended in this event , but instruction also : this act was not without a mystery . he that should be made a fisher of men , shall in this draught foresee his success . the kingdom of heaven is like a draw-net cast into the sea , which , when it is full , men draw to land . the very first draught that peter made after the complement of his apostleship inclosed no less then three thousand souls . o powerfull gospel , that can fetch sinfull men from out of the depths of natural corruption ! o happy souls , that from the blind and muddy cells of our wicked nature are drawn forth to the glorious liberty of the sons of god! simon 's net breaks with the store . abundance is sometimes no less troublesome then want . the net should have held , if christ had not meant to over-charge simon both with blessing and admiration . how happily is that net broken , whose rupture draws the fisher to christ ? though the net brake , yet the fish escaped not . he that brought them thither to be taken , held them there till they were taken . they beckened to their partners in the other ship , that they should come and help them . there are other ships in partnership with peter , he doth not fish all the lake alone . there cannot be a better improvement of society , then to help us gain , to relieve us in our profitable labours , to draw up the spiritual draught into the vessel of christ and his church . wherefore hath god given us partners , but that we should becken to them for their aid in our necessary occasions ? neither doth simon slacken his hand , because he had assistents . what shall we say to those lazy fishers , who can set others to the drag , whilst themselves look on at ease ; caring onely to feed themselves with the fish , not willing to wet their hands with the net ? what shall we say to this excess of gain ? the nets break , the ships sink with their burthen . o happy complaint of too large a capture ! o saviour , if those apostolical vessels of thy first rigging were thus over-laid , ours flote and totter with a balasted lightness . thou , who art no less present in these bottoms of ours , lade them with an equal fraught of converted souls , and let us praise thee for thus sinking . simon was a skilfull fisher , and knew well the depth of his trade ; and now perceiving more then art or nature in this draught , he falls down at the knees of jesus , saying , lord , goe from me , for i am a sinfull man. himself is caught in this net. he doth not greedily fall upon so unexpected and profitable a booty , but he turns his eyes from the draught to himself , from the act to the authour , acknowledging vileness in the one , in the other majesty : goe from me , lord , for i am a sinfull man. it had been pity the honest fisher-man should have been taken at his word . o simon , thy saviour is come into thine own ship to call thee , to call others by thee unto blessedness , and dost thou say , lord , goe from me ? as if the patient should say to the physician , depart from me , for i am sick . it was the voice of astonishment , not of dislike ; the voice of humility , not of discontentment . yea , because thou art a sinfull man , therefore hath thy saviour need to come to thee , to stay with thee ; and because thou art humble in the acknowledgment of thy sinfulness , therefore christ delights to abide with thee , and will call thee to abide with him . no man ever fared the worse for abasing himself to his god. christ hath left many a soul for froward and unkind usage ; never any for the disparagement of it self , and intreaties of humility . simon could not devise how to hold christ faster , then by thus suing to him to be gone , then by thus pleading his unworthiness . o my soul , be not weary of complaining of thine own wretchedness ; disgrace thy self to him that knows thy vileness ; be astonished at those mercies which have shamed thine ill deservings . thy saviour hath no power to go away from a prostrate heart . he that resists the proud , heartens the lowly . fear not , for i will make thee henceforth a fisher of men . loe , this humility is rewarded with an apostleship . what had the earth ever more glorious then a legacy from heaven ? he that bade christ go from him , shall have the honour to go first on this happy errand . this was a trade that simon had no skill of : it could not but be enough to him , that christ said , i will make thee : the miracle shewed him able to make good his word . he that hath power to command the fishes to be taken , can easily inable the hands to take them . what is this divine trade of ours then but a spiritual piscation ? the world is a sea , souls like fishes swim at liberty in this deep , the nets of wholsome doctrine draw up some to the shore of grace and glory . how much skill , and toil , and patience is requisite in this art ? who is sufficient for these things ? this sea , these nets , the fishers , the fish , the vessels , are all thine , o god ; doe what thou wilt in us , and by us . give us ability and grace to take ; give men will and grace to be taken ; and take thou glory by that which thou hast given . xi . the marriage in cana. was this then thy first miracle , o saviour , that thou wroughtest in cana of galilee ? and could there be a greater miracle then this , that having , been thirty years upon earth , thou didst no miracle till now ? that thy divinity did hide it self thus long in flesh ? that so long thou wouldst lie obscure in a corner of galilee , unknown to that world thou camest to redeem ? that so long thou wouldst strain the patient expectation of those who , ever since thy star , waited upon the revelation of a messias ? we silly wretches , if we have but a dram of vertue , are ready to set it out to the best show : thou , who receivedst not the spirit by measure , wouldst content thy self with a willing obscurity , and concealedst that power that made the world , in the roof of an humane breast , in a cottage of nazareth . o saviour , none of thy miracles is more worthy of astonishment , then thy not doing of miracles . what thou didst in private , thy wisedom thought fit for secrecy : but if thy blessed mother had not been acquainted with some domestical wonders , she had not now expected a miracle abroad . the stars are not seen by day ; the sun it self is not seen by night . as it is no small art to hide art , so is it no small glory to conceal glory . thy first publick miracle graceth a marriage . it is an ancient and laudable institution , that the rites of matrimony should not want a solemn celebration . when are feasts in season , if not at the recovery of our lost rib ? if not at this main change of our estate , wherein the joy of obtaining meets with the hope of farther comforts ? the son of the virgin and the mother of that son are both at a wedding . it was in all likelihood some of their kindred to whose nuptiall feast they were invited so far : yet was it more the honour of the act , then of the person , that christ intended . he that made the first marriage in paradise , bestows his first miracle upon a galilaean marriage . he that was the authour of matrimony and sanctified it , doth by his holy presence honour the resemblance of his eternall union with his church . how boldly may we spit in the faces of all the impure adversaries of wedlock , when the son of god pleases to honour it ? the glorious bridegroom of the church knew well how ready men would be to place shame even in the most lawfull conjunctions ; and therefore his first work shall be to countenance his own ordinance . happy is that wedding where christ is a guest . o saviour , those that marry in thee cannot marry without thee . there is no holy marriage whereat thou art not ( however invisible , yet ) truly present , by thy spirit , by thy gracious benediction . thou makest marriages in heaven , thou blessest them from heaven . o thou that hast betrothed us to thy self in truth and righteousness , do thou consummate that happy marriage of ours in the highest heavens . it was no rich or sumptuous bridal to which christ with his mother and disciples vouchsafed to come from the farther parts of galilee . i find him not at the magnificent feasts or triumphs of the great : the proud pomp of the world did not agree with the state of a servant . this poor needy bridegroom wants drink for his guests . the blessed virgin , ( though a stranger to the house , ) out of a charitable compassion , and a friendly desire to maintain the decency of an hospitall entertainment , inquires into the wants of her host , pities them , bemoans them , where there was power of redress . when the wine failed , the mother of jesus said unto him , they have no wine . how well doth it beseem the eyes of piety and christian love , to look into the necessities of others ? she that conceived the god of mercies both in her heart and in her womb , doth not fix her eyes upon her own trencher , but searcheth into the penury of a poor israelite , and feels those wants whereof he complains not . they are made for themselves , whose thoughts are onely taken up with their own store or indigence . there was wine enough for a meal , though not for a feast ; and if there were not wine enough , there was enough water : yet the holy virgin complains of the want of wine , and is troubled with the very lack of superfluity . the bounty of our god reaches not to our life onely , but to our contentment ; neither hath he thought good to allow us onely the bread of sufficiency , but sometimes of pleasure . one while that is but necessary , which some other time were superfluous . it is a scrupulous injustice , to scant our selves , where god hath been liberal . to whom should we complain of any want , but to the maker and giver of all things ? the blessed virgin knew to whom she sued . she had good reason to know the divine nature and power of her son. perhaps the bridegroom was not so needy , but , if not by his purse , yet by his credit he might have supplied that want , or , it were hard if some of the neighbour-guests ( had they been duely solicited ) might not have furnished him with so much wine as might suffice for the last service of a dinner : but blessed mary knew a nearer way ; she did not think best to lade at the shallow chanel , but runs rather to the well-head , where she may dip and fill the firkins at once with ease . it may be she saw that the train of christ ( which unbidden followed unto that feast , and unexpectedly added to the number of the guests ) might help forward that defect ; and therefore she justly solicits her son jesus for a supply . whether we want bread , or water , or wine , necessaries or comforts , whither should we run , o saviour , but to that infinite munificence of thine , which neither denieth , nor upbraideth any thing ? we cannot want , we cannot abound , but from thee . give us what thou wilt , so thou give us contentment with what thou givest . but what is this i hear ? a sharp answer to the suit of a mother : o woman , what have i to doe with thee ? he whose sweet mildness and mercy never sent away any suppliant discontented , doth he onely frown upon her that bare him ? he that commands us to honour father and mother , doth he disdain her whose flesh he took ? god forbid : love and duty doth not exempt parents from due admonition . she solicited christ as a mother , he answers her as a woman . if she were the mother of his flesh , his deity was eternal . she might not so remember her self to be a mother , that she should forget she was a woman ; nor so look upon him as a son , that she should not regard him as a god. he was so obedient to her as a mother , that withall she must obey him as her god. that part which he took from her shall observe her : she must observe that nature which came from above , and made her both a woman and a mother . matter of miracle concerned the godhead onely ; supernatural things were above the sphere of fleshly relation . if now the blessed virgin will be prescribing either time or form unto divine acts , o woman , what have i to doe with thee , my hour is not come ? in all bodily actions his style was , o mother : in spiritual and heavenly , o woman . neither is it for us in the holy affairs of god to know any faces ; yea , if we have known christ heretofore according to the flesh , henceforth know we him so no more . o blessed virgin , if in that heavenly glory wherein thou art thou canst take notice of these earthly things , with what indignation dost thou look upon the presumptuous superstition of vain men , whose suits make thee more then a solicitour of divine favours ? thy humanity is not lost in thy motherhood , nor in thy glory : the respects of nature reach not so high as heaven . it is far from thee to abide that honour which is stoln from thy redeemer . there is a marriage whereto we are invited , yea , wherein we are already interessed , not as the guests onely , but as the bride ; in which there shall be no want of the wine of gladness . it is marvel , if in these earthly banquets there be not some lack . in thy presence , o saviour , there is fulness of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore . blessed are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the lamb. even in that rough answer doth the blessed virgin descry cause of hope . if his hour were not yet come , it was therefore coming : when the expectation of the guests and the necessity of the occasion had made fit room for the miracle , it shall come forth , and challenge their wonder . faithfully therefore and observantly doth she turn her speech from her son to the waiters : whatsoever he saith unto you , doe it . how well doth it beseem the mother of christ to agree with his father in heaven , whose voice from heaven said , this is my wel-beloved son , hear him ? she that said of her self , be it unto me according to thy word , says unto others , whatsoever he saith unto you , doe it . this is the way to have miracles wrought in us , obedience to his word . the power of christ did not stand upon their officiousness ; he could have wrought wonders in spite of them : but their perverse refusal of his commands might have made them uncapable of the favour of a miraculous action . he that can ( when he will ) convince the obstinate , will not grace the disobedient . he that could work without us , or against us , will not work for us , but by us . this very poor house was furnished with many and large vessels for outward purification . as if sin had dwelt upon the skin , that superstitious people sought holiness in frequent washings . even this rinsing fouled them with the uncleanness of a traditional will-worship . it is the soul which needs scowring ; and nothing can wash that , but the bloud which they desperately wished upon themselves and their children , for guilt , not for expiation . purge thou us , o lord , with hyssop , and we shall be clean ; wash us , and we shall be whiter then snow . the waiters could not but think strange of so unseasonable a command , fill the water-pots . it is wine that we want , what do we go to fetch water ? doth this holy man mean thus to quench our feast , and cool our stomacks ? if there be no remedy , we could have sought this supply unbidden . yet so far hath the charge of christ's mother prevailed , that , in stead of carrying flagons of wine to the table , they go to fetch pails-full of water from the cisterns . it is no pleading of unlikelihoods against the command of an almighty power . he that could have created wine immediately in those vessels , will rather turn water into wine . in all the course of his miracles , i do never find him making ought of nothing ; all his great works are grounded upon former existences : he multiplied the bread , he changed the water , he restored the withered lims , he raised the dead , and still wrought upon that which was , and did not make that which was not . what doeth he in the ordinary way of nature , but turn the watery juice that arises up from the root into wine ? he will onely doe this now suddenly and at once , which he doeth usually by sensible degrees . it is ever duly observed by the son of god , not to doe more miracles then he needs . how liberal are the provisions of christ ? if he had turned but one of those vessels , it had been a just proof of his power ; and perhaps that quantity had served the present necessity : now he furnisheth them with so much wine as would have served an hundred and fifty guests for an intire feast . even the measure magnifies at once both his power and mercy . the munificent hand of god regards not our need onely , but our honest affluence . it is our sin and our shame , if we turn his favour into wantonness . there must be first a filling ere there be a drawing out . thus , in our vessels , the first care must be of our receit ; the next , of our expence : god would have us cisterns , not chanels . our saviour would not be his own taster , but he sends the first draught to the governour of the feast . he knew his own power , they did not . neither would he bear witness of himself , but fetch it out of others mouths . they that knew not the original of that wine , yet praised the taste : every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine , and when men have well drunk , then that which is worse ; but thou hast kept the good wine untill now . the same bounty that expressed it self in the quantity of the wine , shews it self no less in the excellence . nothing can fall from that divine hand not exquisite . that liberality hated to provide crab-wine for his guests . it was fit that the miraculous effects of christ ( which came from his immediate hand ) should be more perfect then the natural . o blessed saviour , how delicate is that new wine which we shall one day drink with thee , in thy father's kingdom ! thou shalt turn this water of our earthly affliction into that wine of gladness , wherewith our souls shall be satiate for ever . make haste , o my beloved , and be thou like to a roe , or to a young hart upon the mountain of spices . xii . the good centurion . even the bloudy trade of war yielded worthy clients to christ . this roman captain had learned to believe in that jesus whom many jews despised . no nation , no trade can shut out a good heart from god. if he were a forreiner for birth , yet he was a domestick in heart : he could not change his bloud , he could over-rule his affections . he loved that nation which was chosen of god ; and if he were not of the synagogue , yet he built a synagogue : where he might not be a party , he would be a benefactour . next to being good , is a favouring of goodness . we could not love religion , if we utterly wanted it . how many true jews were not so zealous ? either will or ability lacked in them , whom duty more obliged . good affections do many times more then supply nature . neither doth god regard whence , but what we are . i do not see this centurion come to christ as the israelitish captain came to elias in carmel , but with his cap in his hand , with much suit , much submission , by others , by himself . he sends first the elders of the jews , whom he might hope their nation and place might make gracious : then , left the imployment of others might argue neglect , he seconds them in person . cold and fruitless are the motions of friends , where we do wilfully shut up our own lips . importunity cannot but speed well in both . could we but speak for our selves , as this captain did for his servant , what could we possibly want ? what marvell is it if god be not forward to give , where we care not to ask , or ask as if we cared not to receive ? shall we yet call this a suit , or a complaint ? i hear no one word of intreaty . the less is said , the more is concealed : it is enough to lay open his want . he knew well , that he had to deal with so wise and mercifull a physician , as that the opening of the maladie was a craving of cure . if our spirituall miseries be but confessed , they cannot fail of redress . great variety of suitours resorted to christ . one comes to him for a son , another comes for a daughter , a third for himself : i see none come for his servant , but this one centurion . neither was he a better man then a master . his servant is sick ; he doth not drive him out of doors , but lays him at home : neither doth he stand gazing by his bed-side , but seeks forth . he seeks forth , not to witches or charmers , but to christ : he seeks to christ , not with a fashionable relation , but with a vehement aggravation of the disease . had the master been sick , the faithfullest servant could have done no more . he is unworthy to be well served , that will not sometimes wait upon his followers . conceits of inferiority may not breed in us a neglect of charitable offices . so must we look down upon our servants here on earth , as that we must still look up to our master which is in heaven . but why didst thou not , o centurion , rather bring thy servant to christ for cure , then sue for him absent ? there was a paralytick whom faith and charity brought to our saviour , and let down through the uncovered roof in his bed : why was not thine so carried , so presented ? was it out of the strength of thy faith , which assured thee thou neededst not shew thy servant to him who saw all things ? one and the same grace may yield contrary effects . they , because they believed , brought the patient to christ : thou broughtest not thine to him , because thou believedst . their act argued no less desire , thine more confidence . thy labour was less , because thy faith was more . oh that i could come thus to my saviour , and make such moan to him for my self , lord , my soul is sick of unbelief , sick of self-love , sick of inordinate desires ! i should not need to say more . thy mercy , o saviour , would not then stay by for my suit , but would prevent me ( as here ) with a gracious ingagement , i will come and heal thee . i do not hear the centurion say , either come , or heal him : the one he meant , though he said it not ; the other he neither said nor meant . christ over-gives both his words and intentions . it is the manner of that divine munificence , where he meets with a faithfull suitour , to give more then is requested ; to give when he is not requested . the very insinuations of our necessities are no less violent then successfull . we think the measure of humane bounty runs over , when we obtain but what we ask with importunity : that infinite goodness keeps within bounds , when it overflows the desires of our hearts . as he said , so he did . the word of christ either is his act , or concurs with it . he did not stand still when he said , i will come , but he went as he spake . when the ruler intreated him for his son , come down ere he die , our saviour stirr'd not a foot : the centurion did but complain of the sickness of his servant , and christ unasked says , i will come and heal him . that he might be far from so much as seeming to honour wealth , and despise meanness , he that came in the shape of a servant , would goe down to the sick servant's pallet , would not goe to the bed of the rich ruler's son. it is the basest motive of respect , that ariseth meerly from outward greatness . either more grace , or more need , may justly challenge our favourable regards , no less then private obligations . even so , o saviour , that which thou offeredst to doe for the centurion's servant , hast thou done for us . we were sick unto death ; so far had the dead palsie of sin overtaken us , that there was no life of grace left in us : when thou wert not content to sit still in heaven , and say , i will cure them ; but addedst also , i will come and cure them . thy self camest down accordingly to this miserable world , and hast personally healed us ; so as now we shall not die , but live , and declare thy works , o lord. and oh that we could enough praise that love and mercy which hath so graciously abated thee , and could be but so low dejected before thee , as thou hast stooped low unto us ; that we could be but as lowly subjects of thy goodness , as we are unworthy ! o admirable return of humility ! christ will goe down to visit the sick servant : the master of that servant says , lord , i am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof . the jewish elders , that went before to mediate for him , could say , he is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him : but the centurion , when he comes to speak for himself , i am not worthy . they said , he was worthy of christ's miracle : he says , he is unworthy of christ's presence . there is great difference betwixt others valuations , and our own . sometimes the world under-rates him that finds reason to set an high price upon himself : sometimes again it over-values a man that knows just cause of his own humiliation . if others mistake us , this can be no warrant for our errour . we cannot be wise , unless we receive the knowledge of our selves by direct beams , not by reflexion , unless we have learned to contemn unjust applauses , and , scorning the flattery of the world , to frown upon our own vileness . lord , i am not worthy . many a one , if he had been in the centurion's coat , would have thought well of it . a captain , a man of good ability and command , a founder of a synagogue , a patron of religion ; yet he overlooks all these , and when he casts his eye upon the divine worth of christ , and his own weakness , he says , i am not worthy : alas ! lord , i am a gentile , an alien , a man of bloud ; thou art holy , thou art omnipotent . true humility will teach us to find out the best of another , and the worst piece of our selves . pride contrarily shews us nothing but matter of admiration in our selves , in others of contempt . whilst he confest himself unworthy of any favour , he approved himself worthy of all . had not christ been before in his heart , he could not have thought himself unworthy to entertain that guest within his house . under the low roof of an humble breast doth god ever delight to dwell . the state of his palace may not be measured by the height , but by the depth . brags and bold faces do ofttimes carry it away with men ; nothing prevails with god but our voluntary dejections . it is fit the foundation should be laid deep , where the building is high . the centurion's humility was not more low then his faith was lofty : that reaches up into heaven , and in the face of humane weakness descries omnipotence : onely say the word , and my servant shall be whole . had the centurion's roof been heaven it self , it could not have been worthy to be come under of him whose word was almighty , and who was the almighty word of his father . such is christ confessed by him that says , onely say the word . none but a divine power is unlimited : neither hath faith any other bounds then god himself . there needs no footing to remove mountains , or devils , but a word . do but say the word , o saviour , my sin shall be remitted , my soul shall be healed , my body shall be raised from dust ; both soul and body shall be glorious . whereupon then was the steddy confidence of the good centurion ? he saw how powerfull his own word was with those that were under his command , ( though himself were under the command of another , ) the force whereof extended even to absent performances : well therefore might he argue , that a free and unbounded power might give infallible commands , and that the most obstinate disease must therefore needs yield to the beck of the god of nature . weakness may shew us what is in strength : by one drop of water we may see what is in the main ocean . i marvell not if the centurion were kind to his servants , for they were dutifull to him : he can but say , doe this , and it is done . these mutuall respects draw on each other : chearfull and diligent service in the one , calls for a due and favourable care in the other . they that neglect to please , cannot complain to be neglected . oh that i could be but such a servant to mine heavenly master ! alas ! every of his commands says , doe this , and i doe it not : every of his inhibitions says , doe it not , and i doe it . he says , goe from the world ; i run to it : he says , come to me ; i run from him . woe is me ! this is not service , but enmity . how can i look for favour , whilst i return rebellion ? it is a gracious master whom we serve ; there can be no duty of ours that he sees not , that he acknowledges not , that he crowns not . we could not but be happy , if we could be officious . what can be more marvellous then to see christ marvell ? all marvelling supposes an ignorance going before , and a knowledge following some accident unexpected . now who wrought this faith in the centurion , but he that wondred at it ? he knew well what he wrought , because he wrought what he would ; yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew ; to teach us , much more to admire that which he at once knows and holds admirable . he wrought this faith as god , he wondred at it as man : god wrought , and man admired : he that was both did both , to teach us where to bestow our wonder . i never find christ wondring at gold or silver , at the costly and curious works of humane skill or industry : yea , when the disciples wondred at the magnificence of the temple , he rebuked them rather . i find him not wondring at the frame of heaven and earth , nor at the orderly disposition of all creatures and events : the familiarity of these things intercepts the admiration . but when he sees the grace or acts of faith , he so approves them , that he is ravished with wonder . he that rejoyced in the view of his creation , to see that of nothing he had made all things good , rejoyces no less in the reformation of his creature , to see that he had made good of evill . behold , thou art fair , my love , behold , thou art fair , and there is no spot in thee . my sister , my spouse , thou hast wounded my heart , thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes . our wealth , beauty , wit , learning , honour , may make us accepted of men , but it is our faith onely that shall make god in love with us . and why are we of any other save god's diet , to be more affected with the least measure of grace in any man , then with all the outward glories of the world ? there are great men whom we justly pity ; we can admire none but the gracious . neither was that plant more worthy of wonder in it self , then that it grew in such a soil , with so little help of rain and sun. the weakness of means addes to the praise and acceptation of our proficiency . to doe good upon a little is the commendation of thrift : it is small thank to be full-handed in a large estate . as contrarily , the strength of means doubles the revenge of our neglect . it is not more the shame of israel , then the glory of the centurion , that our saviour says , i have not found so great faith in israel . had israel yielded any equall faith , it could not have been unespied of these all-seeing eyes : yet though their helps were so much greater , their faith was less : and god never gives more then he requires . where we have laid our tillage and compost and seed , who would not look for a crop ? but if the uncultured fallow yield more , how justly is that unanswerable ground near to a curse ? our saviour did not mutter this censorious testimony to himself , not whisper it to his disciples , but he turned him about to the people , and spake it in their ears , that he might at once work their shame and emulation . in all other things , except spirituall , our self-love makes us impatient of equalls ; much less can we endure to be out-stripped by those who are our professed inferiours . it is well if any thing can kindle in us holy ambitions . dull and base are the spirits of that man , that can abide to see another overtake him in the way , and out-run him to heaven . he that both wrought this faith , and wondred at it , doth now reward it . go thy ways , and as thou hast believed , so be it unto thee . never was any faith unseen of christ , never was any seen without allowance , never was any allowed without remuneration . the measure of our receits in the matter of favour is the proportion of our belief . the infinite mercy of god ( which is ever like it self ) follows but one rule in his gift to us , the faith that he gives us . give us , o god , to believe , and be it to us as thou wilt , it shall be to us above that we will. the centurion sues for his servant , and christ says , so be it unto thee . the servant's health is the benefit of the master ; and the master's faith is the health of the servant . and if the prayers of an earthly master prevailed so much with the son of god for the recovery of a servant , how shall the intercession of the son of god prevail with his father in heaven for us that are his impotent children and servants upon earth ? what can we want , o saviour , whilst thou suest for us ? he that hath given thee for us can deny thee nothing for us , can deny us nothing for thee . in thee we are happy , and shall be glorious . to thee , o thou mighty redeemer of israel , with thine eternal father , together with thy blessed spirit , one god infinite and incomprehensible , be given all praise , honour and glory , for ever and ever . amen . xiii . the widow's son raised . the favours of our beneficent saviour were at the least contiguous : no sooner hath he raised the centurion's servant from his bed , then he raises the widow's son from his bier . the fruitfull clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field : nain must partake of the bounty of christ as well as cana or capernaum . and if this sun were fixed in one orb , yet it diffuseth heat and light to all the world . it is not for any place to ingross the messengers of the gospel , whose errand is universal : this immortal seed may not fall all in one furrow . the little city of nain stood under the hill of hermon , near unto tabor : but now it is watered with better dews from above , the doctrine and miracles of a saviour . not for state , but for the more evidence of the work , is our saviour attended with a large train ; so entering into the gate of that walled city , as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power , and to take it . his providence hath so contrived his journey , that he meets with the sad pomp of a funeral . a wofull widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her onely son to the grave . there was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion . a young man in the flower , in the strength of his age swallowed up by death . our decrepit age both expects death , and solicits it ; but vigorous youth looks strangely upon that grim serjeant of god. those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree we gather up with contentment ; we chide to have the unripe unseasonably beaten down with cudgels . but more , a young man , the onely son , the onely child of his mother . no condition can make it other then grievous for a well-natur'd mother to part with her own bowels ; yet surely store is some mitigation of loss . amongst many children one may be more easily missed ; for still we hope the surviving may supply the comforts of the dead . but when all our hopes and joys must either live or die in one , the loss of that one admits of no consolation . when god would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable , he can but say , o daughter of my people , gird thee with sackcloath , and wallow thy self in ashes , make lamentation and bitter mourning , as for thine onely son. such was the loss , such was the sorrow of this disconsolate mother : neither words nor tears can suffice to discover it . yet more , had she been aided by the counsel and supportation of a loving yoke-fellow , this burthen might have seemed less intolerable . a good husband may make amends for the loss of a son. had the root been left to her intire , she might better have spared the branch : now both are cut up , all the stay of her life is gone , and she seems abandoned to a perfect misery . and now when she gave her self up for a forlorn mourner , past all capacity of redress , the god of comfort meets her , pities her , relieves her . here was no solicitour but his own compassion : in other occasions he was sought and sued to . the centurion comes to him for a servant , the ruler for a son , jairus for a daughter , the neighbours for the paralytick : here he seeks the patient , and offers the cure unrequested . whilst we have to doe with the father of mercies , our afflictions are the most powerfull suitours : no tears , no prayers can move him so much as his own commiseration . o god , none of our secret sorrows can be either hid from thine eyes , or kept from thine heart : and when we are past all our hopes , all possibilities of help , then art thou nearest to us for deliverance . here was a conspiration of all parts to mercy . the heart had compassion , the mouth said , weep not , the feet went to the bier , the hand touched the coffin , the power of the deity raised the dead . what the heart felt was secret to it self , the tongue therefore expresses it in words of comfort , weep not . alas ! what are words to so strong and just passions ? to bid her not to weep that had lost her onely son , was to perswade her to be miserable , and not feel it ; to feel , and not regard it ; to regard , and yet to smother it . concealment doth not remedy , but aggravate sorrow . that with the counsel of not weeping therefore she might see cause of not weeping , his hand seconds his tongue : he arrests the coffin , and frees the prisoner ; young man , i say unto thee , arise : the lord of life and death speaks with command . no finite power could have said so without presumption , or with success . that is the voice that shall one day call up our vanished bodies from those elements into which they are resolved , and raise them out of their dust . neither sea , nor death , nor hell can offer to detain their dead , when he charges them to be delivered . incredulous nature , what dost thou shrink at the possibility of a resurrection , when the god of nature undertakes it ? it is no more hard for that almighty word which gave being unto all things , to say , let them be repaired , then , let them be made . i do not see our saviour stretching himself upon the dead corps , as elias and elisha upon the sons of the sunamite and sareptan ; nor kneeling down , and praying by the bier , as peter did to dorcas : but i hear him so speaking to the dead as if he were alive , and so speaking to the dead , that by the word he makes him alive ; i say unto thee , arise . death hath no power to bid that man lie still , whom the son of god bids arise . immediatly he that was dead sate up . so at the sound of the last trumpet , by the power of the same voice , we shall arise out of the dust , and stand up glorious ; this mortal shall put on immortality , this corruptible incorruption . this body shall not be buried , but sown ; and at our day shall therefore spring up with a plentifull increase of glory . how comfortless , how desperate should be our lying down , if it were not for this assurance of rising ? and now , behold , lest our weak faith should stagger at the assent to so great a difficulty , he hath already , by what he hath done , given us tasts of what he will doe . the power that can raise one man can raise a thousand , a million , a world . no power can raise one man but that which is infinite ; and that which is infinite admits of no limitation . under the old testament god raised one by elias , another by elisha living , a third by elisha dead : by the hand of the mediatour of the new testament he raised here the son of the widow , the daughter of jairus , lazarus , and , in attendence of his own resurrection , he made a gaol-delivery of holy prisoners at jerusalem . he raises the daughter of jairus from her bed , this widow's son from his coffin , lazarus from his grave , the dead saints of jerusalem from their rottenness ; that it might appear , no degree of death can hinder the efficacy of his over-ruling command . he that keeps the keys of death cannot onely make way for himself through the common hall and outer rooms , but through the inwardest and most reserved closets of darkness . methinks i see this young man , who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleep , wiping and rubbing those eyes that had been shut up in death , and descending from the bier , wrapping his winding-sheet about his loins , cast himself down in a passionate thankfulness at the feet of his almighty restorer , adoring that divine power which had commanded his soul back again to her forsaken lodging : and though i hear not what he said , yet i dare say they were words of praise and wonder which his returned soul first uttered . it was the mother whom our saviour pitied in this act , not the son , ( who now forced from his quiet rest must twice pass through the gates of death . ) as for her sake therefore he was raised , so to her hands was he delivered ; that she might acknowledge that soul given to her , not to the possessour . who cannot feel the amazement and ecstasie of joy that was in this revived mother , when her son now salutes her from out of another world , and both receives and gives gratulations of his new life ? how suddenly were all the tears of that mournfull train dried up with a joyfull astonishment ? how soon is that funeral-banquet turned into a new birth-day-feast ? what striving was here to salute the late carkass of their returned neighbour ? what awfull and admiring looks were cast upon that lord of life , who seeming homely , was approved omnipotent ? how gladly did every tongue celebrate both the work and the authour ? a great prophet is raised up amongst us , and , god hath visited his people . a prophet was the highest name they could find for him , whom they saw like themselves in shape , above themselves in power . they were not yet acquainted with god manifested in the flesh . this miracle might well have assured them of more then a prophet : but he that raised the dead man from the bier would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the grave of infidelity . they shall see reason enough to know , that the prophet who was raised up to them was the god that now visited them , and at last should doe as much for them as he had done for the young man , raise them from death to life , from dust to glory . xiv . the ruler's son cured . the bounty of god so exceedeth man's , that there is a contrariety in the exercise of it . we shut our hands because we opened them ; god therefore opens his because he hath opened them . god's mercies are as comfortable in their issue , as in themselves . seldome ever do blessings go alone : where our saviour supplied the bride-groom's wine , there he heals the ruler's son. he had not in all these coasts of galilee done any miracle but here . to him that hath shall be given . we do not find christ oft attended with nobility ; here he is . it was some great peer , or some noted courtier , that was now a suitour to him for his dying son. earthly greatness is no defence against afflictions . we men forbear the mighty : disease and death know no faces of lords or monarchs . could these be bribed , they would be too rich . why should we grudge not to be privileged , when we see there is no spare of the greatest ? this noble ruler listens after christ's return into galilee . the most eminent amongst men will be glad to hearken after christ in their necessity . happy was it for him that his son was sick ; he had not else been acquainted with his saviour , his soul had continued sick of ignorance and unbelief . why else doth our good god send us pain , losses , opposition , but that he may be sought to ? are we afflicted , whither should we go but to cana , to seek christ ? whither but to the cana of heaven , where our water of sorrow is turned to the wine of gladness , to that omnipotent physician who healeth all our infirmities ? that we may once say , it is good for me that i was afflicted . it was about a day's journey from capernaum to cana : thence hither did this courtier come for the cure of his son's fever . what pains even the greatest can be content to take for bodily health ? no way is long , no labour tedious to the desirous . our souls are sick of a spiritual fever , labouring under the cold fit of infidelity , and the hot fit of self-love ; and we sit still at home , and see them languish unto death . this ruler was neither faithless , nor faithfull . had he been quite faithless , he had not taken such pains to come to christ . had he been faithfull , he had not made this suit to christ when he was come , come down , and heal my son , ere he die . come down ; as if christ could not have cured him absent : ere he die ; as if that power could not have raised him being dead . how much difference was here betwixt the centurion and the ruler ? that came for his servant , this for his son. this son was not more above the servant , then the faith which sued for the servant surpassed that which sued for the son. the one can say , master , come not under my roof , for i am not worthy ; onely speak the word , and my servant shall be whole : the other can say , master , either come under my roof , or my son cannot be whole . heal my son , had been a good suit ; for christ is the onely physician for all diseases : but , come down and heal him , was to teach god how to work . it is good reason that he should challenge the right of prescribing to us , who are every way his own : it is presumption in us to stint him unto our forms . an expert workman cannot abide to be taught by a novice : how much less shall the all-wise god endure to be directed by his creature ? this is more then if the patient should take upon him to give a recipe to the physician . that god would give us grace , is a beseeming suit : but to say , give it me by prosperity , is a sawcy motion . as there is faithfulness in desiring the end , so modesty and patience in referring the means to the authour . in spiritual things god hath acquainted us with the means whereby he will work , even his own sacred ordinances . upon these , because they have his own promise , we may call absolutely for a blessing : in all others , there is no reason that beggars should be chusers . he who doeth whatsoever he will , must doe it how he will. it is for us to receive , not to appoint . he who came to complain of his son's sickness , hears of his own : except ye see signs and wonders , ye will not believe . this nobleman was ( as is like ) of capernaum . there had christ often preached , there was one of his chief residencies . either this man had heard our saviour oft , or might have done : yet because christ's miaracles came to him onely by hear-say , ( for as yet we find none at all wrought where he preached most , ) therefore the man believes not enough ; but so speaks to christ as to some ordinary physician , come down , and heal . it was the common disease of the jews , incredulity , which no receit could heal but wonders . a wicked and adulterous generation seeks signs . had they not been wilfully graceless , there was already proof enough of the messias ; the miraculous conception and life of the fore-runner , zachary's dumbness , the attestation of angels , the apparition of the star , the journey of the sages , the vision of the shepherds , the testimonies of anna and simeon , the prophecies fulfilled , the voice from heaven at his baptism , the divine words that he spake : and yet they must have all made up with miracles ; which though he be not unwilling to give at his own times , yet he thinks much to be tied unto at theirs . not to believe without signs , was a sign of stubborn hearts . it was a foul fault , and a dangerous one : ye will not believe . what is it that shall condemn the world but unbelief ? what can condemn us without it ? no sin can condemn the repentant . repentance is a fruit of faith : where true faith is then , there can be no condemnation ; as there can be nothing but condemnation without it . how much more foul in a noble capernaite , that had heard the sermons of so divine a teacher ? the greater light we have , the more shame it is for us to stumble . oh what shall become of us , that reel and fall in the clearest sun-shine that ever looked forth upon any church ? be mercifull to our sins , o god , and say any thing of us , rather then , ye will not believe . our saviour tells him of his unbelief ; he feels not himself sick of that disease : all his mind is on his dying son. as easily do we complain of bodily griefs , as we are hardly affected with spiritual . o the meekness and mercy of this lamb of god! when we would have look'd that he should have punished this suitour for not believing , he condescends to him that he may believe : goe thy way , thy son liveth . if we should measure our hopes by our own worthiness , there were no expectation of blessings : but if we shall measure them by his bounty and compassion , there can be no doubt of prevailing . as some tender mother that gives the breast to her unquiet child in stead of the rod , so deals he with our perverseness . how god differences men according to no other conditions then of their faith ! the centurion's servant was sick , the ruler's son. the centurion doth not sue unto christ to come , onely says , my servant is sick of a palsie : christ answers him , i will come and heal him . the ruler sues unto christ , that he would come , and heal his son : christ will not goe , onely says , goe thy way , thy son liveth . outward things carry no respect with god. the image of that divine majesty shining inwardly in the graces of the soul is that which wins love from him in the meanest estate . the centurion's faith therefore could doe more then the ruler's greatness ; and that faithfull man's servant hath more regard then this great man's son. the ruler's request was , come and heal : christ's answer was , goe thy way , thy son liveth . our mercifull saviour meets those in the end , whom he crosses in the way . how sweetly doth he correct our prayers , and whilst he doth not give us what we ask , gives us better then we asked ? justly doth he forbear to go down with this ruler , lest he should confirm him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of locality and distance : but he doeth that in absence , for which his presence was required with a repulse , thy son liveth ; giving a greater demonstration of his omnipotency then was craved . how oft doth he not hear to our will , that he may hear us to our advantage ? the chosen vessel would be rid of temptations , he hears of a supply of grace . the sick man asks release , receives patience ; life , and receives glory . let us ask what we think best , let him give what he knows best . with one word doth christ heal two patients , the son , and the father ; the son's fever , the father's unbelief . that operative word of our saviour was not without the intention of a trial . had not the ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his son's life and recovery , neither of them had been blessed with success . now the news of performance meets him one half of the way : and he that believed somewhat ere he came , and more when he went , grew to more faith in the way ; and when he came home , inlarged his faith to all the skirts of his family . a weak faith may be true , but a true faith is growing . he that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent , may presume , but doth not believe . great men cannot want clients , their example sways some , their authority more ; they cannot go to either of the other worlds alone . in vain do they pretend power over others , who labour not to draw their families unto god. xv. the dumb devil ejected . that the prince of our peace might approve his victories perfect , wheresoever he met with the prince of darkness he foiled him , he ejected him . he found him in heaven ; thence did he throw him headlong , and verified his prophet , i have cast thee out of mine holy mountain . and if the devils left their first habitation , it was because ( being devils ) they could not keep it . their estate indeed they might have kept , and did not ; their habitation they would have kept , and might not . how art thou faln from heaven , o lucifer ? he found him in the heart of man , ( for in that closet of god did the evill spirit after his exile from heaven shrowd himself ; sin gave him possession , which he kept with a willing violence ; ) thence he casts him by his word and spirit . he found him tyrannizing in the bodies of some possessed men , and with power commands the unclean spirits to depart . this act is for no hand but his . when a strong man keeps possession , none but a stronger can remove it . in voluntary things the strongest may yield to the weakest , sampson to a dalilah ; but in violent , ever the mightiest carries it . a spirituall nature must needs be in rank above a bodily ; neither can any power be above a spirit , but the god of spirits . no otherwise is it in the mentall possession . where ever sin is , there satan is : as on the contrary , whosoever is born of god , the seed of god remains in him . that evill one not onely is , but rules in the sons of disobedience : in vain shall we try to eject him , but by the divine power of the redeemer . for this cause the son of god was manifested , that he might destroy the works of the devill . do we find our selves haunted with the familiar devills of pride , self-love , sensuall desires , unbelief ? none but thou , o son of the ever-living god , can free our bosoms of these hellish guests . o cleanse thou me from my secret sins , and keep me that presumptuous sins prevail not over me . o saviour , it is no paradox to say that thou castest out more devils now then thou didst whilst thou wert upon earth . it was thy word , when i am lifted up , i will draw all men unto me . satan weighs down at the feet , thou pullest at the head , yea at the heart . in every conversion which thou workest , there is a dispossession . convert me , o lord , and i shall be converted . i know thy means are now no other then ordinary : if we expect to be dispossessed by miracle , it would be a miracle if ever we were dispossessed . o let thy gospell have the perfect work in me , so onely shall i be delivered from the powers of darkness . nothing can be said to be dumb but what naturally speaks ; nothing can speak naturally but what hath the instruments of speech ; which because spirits want , they can no otherwise speak vocally , then as they take voices to themselves in taking bodies . this devill was not therefore dumb in his nature , but in his effect : the man was dumb by the operation of that devill which possessed him ; and now the action is attributed to the spirit , which was subjectively in the man. it is not you that speak , saith our saviour , but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you . as it is in bodily diseases , that they do not infect us alike , some seize upon the humours , others upon the spirits ; some assault the brain , others the heart or lungs : so in bodily and spirituall possessions ; in some the evill spirit takes away their senses , in some their lims , in some their inward faculties ; like as spiritually they affect to move us unto severall sins , one to lust , another to covetousness or ambition , another to cruelty : and their names have distinguished them according to these various effects . this was a dumb devill , which yet had possessed not the tongue onely of this man , but his ear ; nor that onely , but ( as it seems ) his eyes too . o subtle and tyrannous spirit , that obstructs all ways to the soul , that keeps out all means of grace both from the door and windows of the heart ; yea , that stops up all passages , whether of ingress , or egress ; of ingress at the eye , or ear , of egress at the mouth ; that there might be no capacity of redress ! what holy use is there of our tongue but to praise our maker , to confess our sins , to inform our brethren ? how rise is this dumb devill every-where , whilst he stops the mouths of christians from these usefull and necessary duties ? for what end hath man those two privileges above his fellow-creatures , reason , and speech , but that , as by the one he may conceive of the great works of his maker , which the rest cannot , so by the other he may express what he conceives to the honour of the creatour both of them and himself ? and why are all other creatures said to praise god , and bidden to praise him , but because they doe it by the apprehension , by the expression of man ? if the heavens declare the glory of god ; how doe they it but to the eyes and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made ? it is no small honour whereof the envious spirit shall rob his maker , if he can close up the mouth of his onely rationall and vocall creature , and turn the best of his workmanship into a dumb idol , that hath a mouth and speaks not . lord , open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise . praise is not more necessary then complaint ; praise of god , then complaint of our selves , whether to god or men . the onely amends we can make to god , when we have not had the grace to avoid sin , is to confess the sin we have not avoided : this is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurs of our lives . if we confess our sins , he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . that cunning man-slayer knows there is no way to purge the sick soul but upward , by casting out the vicious humour wherewith it is clogged ; and therefore holds the lips close , that the heart may not dis-burthen it self by so wholsome evacuation . when i kept silence , my bones consumed : for day and night thy hand , o lord , was heavy upon me ; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer . o let me confess against my self my wickedness unto thee , that thou maist forgive the punishment of my sin . we have a tongue for god , when we praise him ; for our selves , when we pray and confess ; for our brethren , when we speak the truth for their information ; which if we hold back in unrighteousness , we yield unto that dumb devil . where do we not see that accursed spirit ? he is on the bench , when the mute or partial judge speaks not for truth and innocence : he is in the pulpit , when the prophets of god smother , or halve , or adulterate the message of their master : he is at the bar , when irreligious jurours dare lend an oath to fear , to hope , to gain : he is in the market , when godless chapmen for their peny sell the truth and their soul : he is in the common conversation of men , when the tongue belies the heart , flatters the guilty , balketh reproofs even in the foulest crimes . o thou who onely art stronger then that strong one , cast him out of the hearts and mouths of men . it is time for thee , lord , to work , for they have destroyed thy law. that it might well appear this impediment was not natural , so soon as the man is freed from the spirit , his tongue is free to his speech . the effects of spirits as they are wrought , so they cease at once . if the son of god do but remove our spiritual possession , we shall presently break forth into the praise of god , into the confession of our vileness , into the profession of truth . but what strange variety do i see in the spectatours of his miracle , some wondering , others censuring , a third sort tempting , a fourth applauding ? there was never man or action but was subject to variety of constructions . what man could be so holy as he that was god ? what act could be more worthy then the dispossession of an evil spirit ? yet this man , this act passeth these differences of interpretation . what can we doe to undergoe but one opinion ? if we give alms , and fast , some will magnifie our charity and devotion , others will tax our hypocrisie : if we give not , some will condemn our hard-heartedness , others will allow our care of justice . if we preach plainly , to some it will savour of a careless slubbering , to others of a mortified sincerity : elaborately , some will tax our affectation , others will applaud our diligence in dressing the delicate viands of god. what marvel is it if it be thus with our imperfection , when it fared not otherwise with him that was purity and righteousness it self ? the austere fore-runner of christ came neither eating nor drinking ; they say , he hath a devil : the son of man came eating and drinking ; they say , this man is a glutton , a friend of publicans and sinners . and here one of his holy acts carries away at once wonder , censure , doubt , celebration . there is no way safe for a man , but to square his actions by the right rule of justice , of charity ; and then let the world have leave to spend their glosses at pleasure . it was an heroical resolution of the chosen vessel , i pass very little to be judged of you , or of man's day . i marvell not if the people marvelled , for here were four wonders in one ; the blind saw , the deaf heard , the dumb spake , the demoniack is delivered . wonder was due to so rare and powerfull a work , and , if not this , nothing . we can cast away admiration upon the poor devices or activities of men ; how much more upon the extraordinary works of omnipotency ? whoso knows the frame of heaven and earth , shall not much be affected with the imperfect effects of frail humanity ; but shall with no less ravishment of soul acknowledge the miraculous works of the same almighty hand . neither is the spiritual ejection worthy of any meaner entertainment . rarity and difficulty are wont to cause wonder . there are many things which have wonder in their worth , and lose it in their frequency : there are some which have it in their strangeness , and lose it in their facility : both meet in this . to see men haunted , yea possessed with a dumb devil , is so frequent , that it is a just wonder to find a man free : but to find the dumb spirit cast out of a man , and to hear him praising god , confessing his sins , teaching others the sweet experiments of mercy , deserves just admiration . if the cynick sought in the market for a man amongst men , well may we seek amongst men for a convert . neither is the difficulty less then the rareness . the strong man hath the possession , all passages are block'd up , all helps barred , by the treachery of our nature . if any soul be rescued from these spiritual wickednesses , it is the praise of him that doeth wonders alone . but whom do i see wondering ? the multitude . the unlearned beholders follow that act with wonder , which the learned scribes entertain with obloquy . god hath revealed those things to babes , which he hath hid from the wise and prudent . with what scorn did those great rabbins speak of these sons of the earth , this people that knows not the law is accursed ? yet the mercy of god makes an advantage of their simplicity ; in that they are therefore less subject to cavillation and incredulity : as contrarily , his justice causes the proud knowledge of others to lie as a block in their way to the ready assent unto the divine power of the messias . let the pride of glorious adversaries disdain the poverty of the clients of the gospel ; it shall not repent us to go to heaven with the vulgar , whilst their great ones go in state to perdition . the multitude wondered . who censured , but scribes , great doctours of the law , of the divinity of the jews ? what scribes , but those of jerusalem , the most eminent academy of judaea ? these were the men who , out of their deep reputed judgment , cast these foul aspersions upon christ . great wits oft-times mis-lead both the owners and followers . how many shall once wish they had been born dullards , yea idiots , when they shall find their wit to have barred them out of heaven ? where is the scribe ? where is the disputer of this world ? hath not god made the wisedome of the world foolishness ? say the world what it will , a dram of holiness is worth a pound of wit. let others censure , with the scribes ; let me wonder , with the multitude . what could malice say worse , he casteth out devils through beelzebub the prince of devils ? the jews well knew that the gods of the heathen were no other then devils ; amongst whom , for that the lord of flies ( so called , whether for the concourse of flies to the abundance of his sacrifices , or for his aid implored against the infestation of those swarms ) was held the chief , therefore they style him , the prince of devils . there is a subordination of spirits , some higher in degree , some inferiour to others . our saviour himself tells us of the devil , and his angels : messengers are inferiour to those that send them . the seven devils that entered into the swept and garnished house were worse then the former . neither can principalities , and powers , and governours , and princes of the darkness of this world , design other then several ranks of evil angels . there can be no being without some kind of order , there can be no order in parity . if we look up into heaven , there is the king of gods , the lord of lords , higher then the highest . if to the earth , there are monarchs , kings , princes , peers , people . if we look down to hell , there is the prince of devils . they labour for confusion that call for parity . what should the church doe with such a form as is not exemplified in heaven , in earth , in hell ? one devil ( according to their supposition ) may be used to cast out another . how far the command of one spirit over another may extend , it is a secret of infernal state , too deep for the inquiry of men . the thing it self is apparent ; upon compact , and precontracted composition , one gives way to other for the common advantage . as we see in the commonwealth of cheaters and cutpurses , one doeth the fact , another is feed to bring it out , and to procure restitution : both are of the trade , both conspire to the fraud ; the actour falls not out with the revealer , but divides with him that cunning spoil . one malicious miscreant sets the devil on work to the inflicting of disease or death ; another upon agreement , for a farther spiritual gain , takes him off : there is a devil in both : and if there seem more bodily favour , there is no less spiritual danger in the latter : in the one satan wins the agent , the suitour in the other . it will be no cause of discord in hell , that one devil gives ease to the body which another tormented , that both may triumph in the gain of a soul . oh god , that any creature which bears thine image should not abhor to be beholden to the powers of hell for aid , for advice ! is it not because there is not a god in israel , that men go to inquire of the god of ekron ? can men be so sottish , to think that the vowed enemy of their souls can offer them a bait without an hook ? what evil is there in the city which the lord hath not done ? what is there which he cannot as easily redress ? he wounds , he heals again : and if he will not , it is the lord , let him doe what seems good in his eyes . if he do not deliver us , he will crown our faithfulness in a patient perseverance . the wounds of god are better then are the salves of satan . was it possible that the wit of envy could devise so high a slander ? beelzebub was a god of the heathen ; therefore herein they accuse him for an idolater : beelzebub was a devil to the jews ; therefore they accuse him for a conjurer : beelzebub was the chief of devils ; therefore they accuse him for an arch-exorcist , for the worst kind of magician . some professours of this black art , though their work be devillish , yet they pretend to doe it in the name of jesus ; and will presumptuously seem to doe that by command , which is secretly transacted by agreement . the scribes accuse christ of a direct compact with the devil , and suppose both a league and familiarity , which by the law of moses ( in the very hand of a saul ) was no other then deadly . yea , so deep doth this wound reach , that our saviour searching it to the bottom , finds no less in it then the sin against the holy ghost ; inferring hereupon that dreadfull sentence of the irremissibleness of that sin unto death . and if this horrible crimination were cast upon thee , o saviour , in whom the prince of this world found nothing , what wonder is it if we thy sinfull servants be branded on all sides with evil tongues ? yea , ( which is yet more ) how plain is it that these men forced their tongue to speak this slander against their own heart ? else this blasphemy had been onely against the son of man , not against the holy ghost : but now that the searcher of hearts finds it to be no less then against the blessed spirit of god , the spight must needs be obstinate ; their malice doth wilfully cross their conscience . envy never regards how true , but how mischievous : so it may gall or kill , it cares little whether with truth or falshood . for us ; blessed are we when men revile us , and say all manner of evil of us , for the name of christ . for them ; what reward shall be given to thee , thou false tongue ? even sharp arrows with hot burning coals ; yea those very coals of hell from which thou wert enkindled . there was yet a third sort that went a mid way betwixt wonder and censure . these were not so malicious as to impute the miracle to a satanical operation : they confess it good , but not enough , and therefore urge christ to a farther proof . though thou hast cast out this dumb devil , yet this is no sufficient argument of thy divine power : we have yet seen nothing from thee like those ancient miracles of the times of our forefathers . joshua caused the sun to stand still ; elias brought fire down from heaven ; samuel astonisht the people with thunder and rain in the midst of harvest : if thou wouldst command our belief , doe somewhat like to these . the casting out of a devil shews thee to have some power over hell ; shew us now that thou hast no less power over heaven . there is a kind of unreasonableness of desire and insatiableness in infidelity ; it never knows when it hath evidence enough . this which the jews over-looked was a more irrefragable demonstration of divinity , then that which they desired . a devil was more then a meteor , or a parcel of an element : to cast out a devil by command , more then to command fire from heaven . infidelity ever loves to be her own carver . no son can be more like a father , then these jews to their progenitors in the desart . that there might be no fear of degenerating into good , they also of old tempted god in the wilderness . first , they are weary of the egyptian bondage , and are ready to fall out with god and moses for their stay in those furnaces . by ten miraculous plagues they are freed ; and going out of those confines the egyptians follow them , the sea is before them : now they are more afflicted with their liberty then their servitude . the sea yields way , the egyptians are drowned : and now that they are safe on the other shore , they tempt the providence of god for water . the rock yields it them ; then , no less for bread and meat . god sends them manna and quails : they cry out of the food of angels . their present enemies in the way are vanquished ; they whine at the men of measures in the heart of canaan . nothing from god but mercy ; nothing from them but temptations . their true brood both in nature and in sin had abundant proofs of the messiah ; if curing the blind , lame , diseased , deaf , dumb , ejecting devils , over-ruling the elements , raising the dead , could have been sufficient : yet still they must have a sign from heaven , and shut up in the style of the tempter , if thou be the christ . the gracious heart is credulous : even where it sees not , it believes ; and where it sees but a little , it believes a great deal . neither doth it presume to prescribe unto god what and how he shall work ; but takes what it finds , and unmovably rests in what it takes . any miracle , no miracle serves enough for their assent , who have built their faith upon the gospel of the lord jesus . xvi . matthew called . the number of the apostles was not yet full ; one room is left void for a future occupant : who can but expect that it is reserved for some eminent person ? and behold , matthew the publican is the man. o the strange election of christ ! those other disciples , whose calling is recorded , were from the fisher-boat , this from the toll-booth : they were unlettered , this infamous . the condition was not in it self sinfull , but as the taxes which the romans imposed on god's free people were odious , so the collectours , the farmers of them abominable . besides that it was hard to hold that seat without oppression , without exaction . one that best knew it , branded it with poling and sycophancy : and now , behold a griping publican called to the family , to the apostleship , to the secretaryship of god. who can despair in the conscience of his unworthiness , when he sees this pattern of the free bounty of him that calleth us ? merits do not carry it in the gracious election of god , but his meer favour . there sate matthew the publican busie in his counting-house , reckoning up the sums of his rentals , taking up his arrerages , and wrangling for denied duties ; and did so little think of a saviour , that he did not so much as look at his passage ; but , jesus , as he passed by , saw a man sitting at the receit of custome , named matthew . as if this prospect had been sudden and casual , jesus saw him in passing by . o saviour , before the world was , thou sawest that man sitting there , thou sawest thine own passage , thou sawest his call in thy passage ; and now thou goest purposely that way that thou mightest see and call . nothing can be hid from that piercing eye , one glance whereof hath discerned a disciple in the cloaths of a publican : that habit , that shop of extortion cannot conceal from thee a vessel of election . in all forms thou knowest thine own ; and in thine own time shalt fetch them out of the disguises of their foul sins , or unfit conditions . what sawest thou , o saviour , in that publican , that might either allure thine eye , or not offend it ? what but an hatefull trade , an evil eye , a gripple hand , bloudy tables , heaps of spoil ? yet now thou saidst , follow me . thou that saidst once to jerusalem , thy birth and nativity is of the land of canaan ; thy father was an amorite , thy mother an hittite : thy navel was not cut , neither wert thou washed in water , to supple thee ; thou wast not salted at all , thou wast not swaddled at all : none eye pitied thee , but thou wast cast out in the open fields , to the loathing of thy person , in the day that thou wast born : and when i passed by thee , and saw thee polluted in thine own bloud , i said unto thee , live , yea , i said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud , live : now also , when thou passedst by , and sawest matthew sitting at the receit of custome , saidst to him , follow me . the life of this publican was so much worse then the birth of that forlorn amorite , as , follow me , was more then , live. what canst thou see in us , o god , but ugly deformities , horrible sins , despicable miseries ? yet doth it please thy mercy to say unto us both , live , and , follow me . the just man is the first accuser of himself . whom do we hear to blazon the shame of matthew , but his own mouth ? matthew the evangelist tells us of matthew the publican . his fellows call him levi , as willing to lay their finger upon the spot of his unpleasing profession : himself will not smother nor blanch it a whit , but publishes it to all the world , in a thankfull recognition of the mercy that called him ; as liking well that his baseness should serve for a fit foil to set off the glorious lustre of his grace by whom he was elected . what matters it how vile we are , o god , so thy glory may arise in our abasement ? that word was enough , follow me ; spoken by the same tongue that said to the corps at nain , young man , i say to thee , arise . he that said at first , let there be light , says now , follow me . that power sweetly inclines which could forcibly command : the force is not more unresistible then the inclination . when the sun shines upon the iceicles , can they chuse but melt , and fall ? when it looks into a dungeon , can the place chuse but be enlightned ? do we see the jet drawing up straws to it , the load-stone iron , and do we marvel if the omnipotent saviour , by the influence of his grace , attract the heart of a publican ? he arose , and followed him . we are all naturally averse from thee , o god : do thou but bid us follow thee , draw us by thy powerfull word , and we shall run after thee . alas ! thou speakest , and we sit still ; thou speakest by thine outward word to our ear , and we stir not : speak thou by the secret and effectual word of thy spirit to our heart ; the world cannot hold us down , satan cannot stop our way , we shall arise , and follow thee . it was not a more busie then gainfull trade that matthew abandoned to follow christ into poverty : and now he cast away his counters , and struck his tallies , and crossed his books , and contemned his heaps of cash in comparison of that better treasure which he foresaw lie open in that happy attendence . if any commodity be valued of us too dear to be parted with for christ , we are more fit to be publicans then disciples . our saviour invites matthew to a discipleship ; matthew invites him to a feast . the joy of his call makes him begin his abdication of the world in a banquet . here was not a more chearfull thankfulness in the inviter , then a gracious humility in the guest . the new servant bids his master , the publican his saviour , and is honoured with so blessed a presence . i do not find where jesus was ever bidden to any table , and refused : if a pharisee , if a publican invited him , he made not dainty to go : not for the pleasure of the dishes , what was that to him , who began his work in a whole lent of days ? but ( as it was his meat and drinks to doe the will of his father ) for the benefit of so winning a conversation . if he sate with sinners , he converted them ; if with converts , he confirmed and instructed them ; if with the poor , he fed them ; if with the rich in substance , he made them richer in grace . at whose board did he ever sit , and left not his host a gainer ? the poor bridegroom entertains him , and hath his water-pots filled with wine : simon the pharisee entertains him , and hath his table honoured with the publick remission of a penitent sinner , with the heavenly doctrine of remission : zacchaeus entertains him , salvation came that day to his house with the authour of it . that presence made the publican a son of abraham : matthew is recompensed for his feast with an apostleship : martha and mary entertain him , and besides divine instruction receive their brother from the dead . o saviour , whether thou feast us , or we feast thee , in both of them is blessedness . where a publican is the feast-master , it is no marvel if the guests be publicans and sinners . whether they came alone , out of the hope of that mercy which they saw their fellow had found ; or whether matthew invited them , to be partners of that plentifull grace whereof he had tasted ; i inquire not . publicans and sinners will flock together ; the one hatefull for their trade , the other for their vicious life . common contempt hath wrought them to an unanimity , and sends them to seek mutual comfort in that society , which all others held loathsome and contagious . moderate correction humbleth and shameth the offender : whereas a cruel severity makes men desperate , and drives them to those courses whereby they are more dangerously infected . how many have gone into the prison faulty , and returned flagitious ? if publicans were not sinners , they were no whit beholden to their neighbours . what a table-full was here ? the son of god beset with publicans and sinners . o happy publicans and sinners , that had found out their saviour ! o mercifull saviour , that disdained not publicans and sinners ! what sinner can fear to kneel before thee , when he sees publicans and sinners sit with thee ? who can fear to be despised of thy meekness and mercy , which didst not abhor to converse with the outcasts of men ? thou didst not despise the thief confessing upon the cross , nor the sinner weeping upon thy feet , nor the canaanite crying to thee in the way , nor the blushing adulteress , nor the odious publican , nor the forswearing disciple , nor the persecutour of disciples , nor thine own executioners . how can we be unwelcome to thee , if we come with tears in our eyes , faith in our hearts , restitution in our hands ? o saviour , our breasts are too oft shut upon thee , thy bosome is ever open to us . we are as great sinners as the consorts of these publicans , why should we despair of a room at thy table ? the squint-eyed pharisees look a-cross at all the actions of christ : where they should have admired his mercy , they cavil at his holiness ; they said to his disciples , why eateth your master with publicans and sinners ? they durst not say thus to the master , whose answer ( they knew ) would soon have convinced them : this wind ( they hoped ) might shake the weak faith of the disciples : they speak where they may be most likely to hurt . all the crue of satanical instruments have learnt this craft of their old tutour in paradise . we cannot reverence that man whom we think unholy . christ had lost the hearts of his followers , if they had entertained the least suspicion of his impurity , which the murmur of these envious pharisees would fain insinuate ; he cannot be worthy to be followed that is unclean ; he cannot but be unclean that eateth with publicans and sinners . proud and foolish pharisees ! ye fast whilst christ eateth ; ye fast in your houses , whilst christ eateth in other mens ; ye fast with your own , whilst christ feasts with sinners : but if ye fast in pride , whilst christ eats in humility ; if ye fast at home for merit or popularity , whilst christ feasts with sinners for compassion , for edification , for conversion ; your fast is unclean , his feast is holy ; ye shall have your portion with hypocrites , when those publicans and sinners shall be glorious . when these censurers thought the disciples had offended , they speak not to them , but to their master , why doe thy disciples that which is not lawfull ? now , when they thought christ offended , they speak not to him , but to the disciples . thus , like true make-bates , they go about to make a breach in the family of christ , by setting off the one from the other . the quick eye of our saviour hath soon espied the pack of their fraud , and therefore he takes the words out of the mouths of his disciples into his own . they had spoke of christ to the disciples ; christ answers for the disciples concerning himself , the whole need not the physician , but the sick . according to the two qualities of pride , scorn and over-weening , these insolent pharisees over-rated their own holiness , contemned the noted unholiness of others : as if themselves were not tainted with secret sins , as if others could not be cleansed by repentance . the searcher of hearts meets with their arrogance , and finds those justiciaries sinfull , those sinners just . the spiritual physician finds the sickness of those sinners wholsome , the health of those pharisees desperate : that wholsome , because it calls for the help of the physician ; this desperate , because it needs not . every soul is sick ; those most that feel it not . those that feel it complain ; those that complain have cure : those that feel it not shall find themselves dying ere they can with to recover . o blessed physician , by whose stripes we are healed , by whose death we live , happy are they that are under thy hands , sick , as of sin , so of sorrow for sin . it is as unpossible they should die , as it is unpossible for thee to want either skill , or power , or mercy . sin hath made us sick unto death : make thou us but as sick of our sins , we are as safe as thou art gracious . xvii . christ among the gergesens ; or , legion , and the gadarene herd . i do not any-where find so furious a demoniack as amongst the gergesens . satan is most tyrannous where he is obeyed most . christ no sooner sailed over the lake , then he was met by two possessed gadarenes . the extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other . yet in the midst of all that cruelty of the evil spirit , there was sometimes a remission , if not an intermission , of vexation . if oft-times satan caught him , then sometimes , in the same violence , he caught him not . it was no thank to that malignant one , who , as he was indefatigable in his executions , so unmeasurable in his malice ; but to the mercifull over-ruling of god , who , in a gracious respect to the weakness of his poor creatures , limits the spightfull attempts of that immortal enemy , and takes off this mastive whilst we may take breath . he , who in his justice gives way to some onsets of satan , in his mercy restrains them : so regarding our deservings , that withall he regards our strength . if way should be given to that malicious spirit , we could not subsist ; no violent thing can endure : and if satan might have his will , we should no moment be free . he can be no more weary of doing evil to us , then god is of doing good . are we therefore preserved from the malignity of these powers of darkness , blessed be our strong helper , that hath not given us over to be a prey unto their teeth . or if some scope have been given to that envious one to afflict us , hath it been with favourable limitations , it is thine onely mercy , o god , that hath chained and muzzled up this band-dog , so as that he may scratch us with his paws , but cannot pierce us with his fangs . far , far is this from our deserts , who had too well merited a just abdication from thy favour and protection , and an interminable seisure by satan , both in soul and body . neither do i here see more matter of thanks to our god , for our immunity from the external injuries of satan , then occasion of serious inquiry into his power over us for the spiritual . i see some that think themselves safe from this ghostly tyranny , because they sometimes find themselves in good moods , free from the suggestions of gross sins , much more from the commission . vain men , that feed themselves with so false and frivolous comforts ! will they not see satan , through the just permission of god , the same to the soul in mental possessions that he is to the body in corporal ? the worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites ; not ever tortured , not ever furious : betwixt whiles he might look soberly , talk sensibly , move regularly . it is a wofull comfort that we sin not always . there is no master so barbarous as to require of his slave a perpetual unintermitted toil : yet , though he sometimes eat , sleep , rest , he is a vassal still . if that wicked one have drawn us to a customary perpetration of evil , and have wrought us to a frequent iteration of the same sin , this is gage enough for our servitude , matter enough for his tyranny and insultation . he that would be our tormentour always , cares onely to be sometimes our tempter . the possessed is bound , as with the invisible fetters of satan , so with the material chains of the inhabitants . what can bodily force prevail against a spirit ? yet they endeavour this restraint of the man , whether out of charity , or justice : charity , that he might not hurt himself ; justice , that he might not hurt others . none do so much befriend the demoniack as those that bind him . neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled : for though this act of the enemy be plausible , and to appearance pleasant ; yet there is more danger in this dear and smiling tyranny . two sorts of chains are fit for outrageous sinners ; good laws , unpartial executions ; that they may not hurt , that they may not be hurt to eternal death . these iron chains are no sooner fast then broken . there was more then an humane power in this disruption . it is not hard to conceive the utmost of nature in this kind of actions . sampson doth not break the cords and ropes like a thread of tow , but god by sampson : the man doth not break these chains , but the spirit . how strong is the arm of these evil angels ? how far transcending the ordinary course of nature ? they are not called powers for nothing . what flesh and bloud could but tremble at the palpable inequality of this match , if herein the mercifull protection of our god did not the rather magnifie it self , that so much strength met with so much malice hath not prevailed against us ? in spite of both we are in safe hands . he that so easily brake the iron fetters , can never break the adamantine chain of our faith. in vain do the chafing billows of hell beat upon that rock whereon we are built . and though these brittle chains of earthly metall be easily broken by him , yet the sure tempered chain of god's eternal decree he can never break . that almighty arbiter of heaven , and earth , and hell , hath chained him up in the bottomless pit , and hath so restrained his malice , that ( but for our good ) we cannot be tempted ; we cannot be foiled , but for a glorious victory . alas ! it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed . the chains of restraint are commonly broken by the fury of wickedness . what are the respects of civility , fear of god , fear of men , wholsome laws , carefull executions , to the desperately licentious , but as cobwebs to an hornet ? let these wild demoniacks know , that god hath provided chains for them that will hold , even everlasting chains under darkness . these are such as must hold the devils themselves ( their masters ) unto the judgment of the great day ; how much more those impotent vassals ? oh that men would suffer themselves to be bound to their good behaviour by the sweet and easie recognizances of their duty to their god , and the care of their own souls , that so they might rather be bound up in the bundle of life . it was not for rest that these chains were torn off , but for more motion . this prisoner runs away from his friends , he cannot run away from his jaolour . he is now carried into the wilderness , not by meer external force , but by internal impulsion ; carried by the same power that unbound him , for the opportunity of his tyranny , for the horrour of the place , for the affamishment of his body , for the avoidance of all means of resistence . solitary desarts are the delights of satan . it is an unwise zeal that moves us to doe that to our selves , in an opinion of merit and holiness , which the devil wishes to doe to us for a punishment , and conveniency of temptation . the evil spirit is for solitariness , god is for society : he dwells in the assembly of his saints , yea , there he hath a delight to dwell . why should not we account it our happiness , that we may have leave to dwell where the authour of all happiness loves to dwell ? there cannot be any misery incident unto us whereof our gracious redeemer is not both conscious and sensible . without any intreaty therefore of the miserable demoniack , or suit of any friend , the god of spirits takes pity of his distress ; and from no motion but his own , commands the evil spirit to come out of the man. o admirable precedent of mercy , preventing our requests , exceeding our thoughts , forcing favours upon our impotence , doing that for us which we should , and yet cannot desire ! if men upon our instant solicitations would give us their best aid , it were a just praise of their bounty : but it well became thee , o god of mercy , to go without force , to give without suit . and do we think thy goodness is impaired by thy glory ? if thou wert thus commiserative upon earth , art thou less in heaven ? how dost thou now take notice of all our complaints , of all our infirmities ? how doth thine infinite pity take order to redress them ? what evil can befall us which thou knowest not , feelest not , relievest not ? how safe are we that have such a guardian , such a mediatour in heaven ? not long before had our saviour commanded the winds and waters , and they could not but obey him : now he speaks in the same language to the evil spirit ; he intreats not , he perswades not , he commands . command argues superiority . he onely is infinitely stronger then the strong one in possession . else where powers are matcht , though with some inequality , they tug for the victory , and without a resistence yield nothing . there are no fewer sorts of dealing with satan then with men . some have dealt with him by suit , as the old satanian hereticks , and the present indian savages , sacrificing to him , that he hurt not : others by covenant , conditioning their service upon his assistence , as witches and magicians : others by insinuation of implicit compact , as charmers and figure-casters : others by adjuration , as the sons of scaeva and modern exorcists , unwarrantably charging him by an higher name then their own . none ever offered to deal with satan by a direct and primary command , but the god of spirits . the great archangel , when the strife was about the body of moses , commanded not , but imprecated rather , the lord rebuke thee , satan . it is onely the god that made this spirit an angel of light that can command him , now that he hath made himself the prince of darkness . if any created power dare to usurp a word of command , he laughs at their presumption , and knows them his vassals , whom he dissembles to fear as his lords . it is thou onely , o saviour , at whose beck those stubborn principalities of hell yield and tremble . no wicked man can be so much a slave to satan , as satan is to thee : the interposition of thy grace may defeat that dominion of satan : thy rule is absolute , and capable of no lett . what need we to fear , whilst we are under so omnipotent a commander ? the waves of the deep rage horribly , yet the lord is stronger then they . let those principalities and powers doe their worst : those mighty adversaries are under the command of him who loved us so well as to bleed for us . what can we now doubt of ? his power , or his will ? how can we profess him a god , and doubt of his power ? how can we profess him a saviour , and doubt of his will ? he both can and will command those infernall powers . we are no less safe then they are malicious . the devill saw jesus by the eyes of the demoniack : for the same saw that spake ; but it was the ill spirit that said , i beseech thee torment me not . it was sore against his will that he saw so dreadfull an object . the over-ruling power of christ dragged the foul spirit into his presence . guiltiness would fain keep out of sight . the lims of so wofull an head shall once call on the hills and rocks to hide them from the face of the lamb ; such lion-like terrour is in that mild face when it looks upon wickedness . neither shall it be one day the least part of the torment of the damned , to see the most lovely spectacle that heaven can afford . he from whom they fled in his offers of grace shall be so much more terrible , as he was and is more gracious . i marvel not therefore that the devill , when he saw jesus , cried out : i could marvell that he fell down , that he worshipped him . that which the proud spirit would have had christ to have done to him in his great duell , the same he now doeth unto christ , fearfully , servilely , forcedly . who shall henceforth brag of the externall homage he performs to the son of god , when he sees satan himself fall down and worship ? what comfort can there be in that which is common to us with devils , who , as they believe and tremble , so they tremble and worship ? the outward bowing is the body of the action , the disposition of the soul is the soul of it : therein lies the difference from the counterfeit stoopings of wicked men and spirits . the religious heart serves the lord in fear , and rejoyces in him with trembling . what it doeth is in way of service : in service to his lord , whose sovereignty is his comfort and protection ; in the fear of a son , not of a slave ; in fear tempered with joy ; in a joy , but allayed with trembling . whereas the prostration of wicked men and devils is onely an act of form , or of force ; as to their judge , as to their tormentour , not as to their lord ; in meer servility , not in reverence ; in an uncomfortable dulness , without all delight ; in a perfect horrour , without capacity of joy . these worship without thanks , because they fall down without the true affections of worship . whoso marvels to see the devill upon his knees , would much more marvel to hear what came from his mouth , jesus , the son of the most high god. a confession , which if we should hear without the name of the authour , we should ask from what saint it came . behold the same name given to christ by the devil , which was formerly given him by the angel , thou shalt call his name jesus . that awfull name , whereat every knee shall bow , in heaven , in earth , and under the earth , is called upon by this prostrate devil . and lest that should not import enough , ( since others have been honoured by this name in type , ) he adds for full distinction , the son of the most high god. the good syrophoenician and blind bartimaeus could say , the son of david : it was well to acknowledge the true descent of his pedigree according to the flesh : but this infernal spirit looks aloft , and fetcheth his line out of the highest heavens , the son of the most high god. the famous confession of the prime apostle ( which honoured him with a new name to immortality ) was no other then , thou art the christ , the son of the living god : and what other do i hear from the lips of a fiend ? no more divine words could fall from the highest saint . nothing hinders but that the veriest miscreant on earth , yea the foulest devil in hell , may speak holily . it is no passing of judgment upon loose sentences . so peter should have been cast for a satan , in denying , forswearing , cursing ; and the devil should have been set up for a saint , in confessing , jesus , the son of the most high god. fond hypocrite , that pleasest thy self in talking well , hear this devil ; and when thou canst speak better then he , look to fare better : but in the mean time know , that a smooth tongue and a foul heart carrie away double judgments . let curious heads dispute whether the devil knew christ to be god : in this i dare believe himself , though in nothing else . he knew what he believed , what he believed that he confessed , jesus , the son of the most high god. to the confusion of those semi-christians , that have either held doubtfully , or ignorantly mis-known , or blasphemously denied what the very devils have professed . how little can a bare speculation avail us in these cases of divinity ? so far this devil hath attained , to no ease , no comfort . knowledge alone doth but puffe up : it is our love that edifies . if there be not a sense of our sure interest in this jesus , a power to apply his merits and obedience , we are no whit the safer , no whit the better ; onely we are so much the wiser , to understand who shall condemn us . this piece of the clause was spoken like a saint , jesus , the son of the most high god : the other piece like a devil , what have i to doe with thee ? if the disclamation were universal , the latter words would impugn the former : for whilst he confesses jesus to be the son of the most high god , he withall confesses his own inevitable subjection . wherefore would he beseech , if he were not obnoxious ? he cannot , he dare not say , what hast thou to doe with me ? but , what have i to doe with thee ? others indeed i have vexed , thee i fear : in respect then of any violence , of any personal provocation , what have i to doe with thee ? and dost thou ask , o thou evil spirit , what hast thou to doe with christ , whilst thou vexest a servant of christ ? hast thou thy name from knowledge , and yet so mistakest him whom thou confessest , as if nothing could be done to him but what immediately concerns his own person ? hear that great and just judge sentencing upon his dreadfull tribunal ; inasmuch as thou didst it unto one of these little ones , thou didst it unto me : it is an idle misprision , to sever the sense of an injury done to any of the members from the head. he that had humility enough to kneel to the son of god , hath boldness enough to expostulate ; art thou come to torment us before our time ? whether it were that satan , who useth to enjoy the torment of sinners , whose musick it is to hear our shrieks and gnashings , held it no small piece of his torment , to be restrained in the exercise of his tyranny : or whether the very presence of christ were his rack ; for the guilty spirit projecteth terrible things , and cannot behold the judge or the executioner without a renovation of horrour : or whether that ( as himself professeth ) he were now in a fearfull expectation of being commanded down into the deep , for a farther degree of actual torment , which he thus deprecates . there are tortures appointed to the very spiritual natures of evil angels . men , that are led by sense , have easily granted the body subject to torment , who yet have not so readily conceived this incident to a spiritual substance . the holy ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint us with the particular manner of these invisible acts , rather willing that we should herein fear then enquire : but as all matters of faith , though they cannot be proved by reason , ( for that they are in a higher sphere , ) yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of all reason that dares bark against them , ( since truth cannot be opposite to it self ; ) so this of the sufferings of spirits . there is therefore both an intentional torment incident to spirits , and a real . for , as in blessedness the good spirits find themselves joyned unto the chief good , and hereupon feel a perfect love of god , and unspeakable joy in him , and rest in themselves : so contrarily , the evil spirits perceive themselves eternally excluded from the presence of god , and see themselves settled in a wofull darkness ; and from the sense of this separation arises an horrour not to be expressed , not to be conceived . how many men have we known to torment themselves with their own thoughts ? there needs no other gibbet then that which their troubled spirit hath erected in their own heart . and if some pains begin at the body , and from thence afflict the soul in a copartnership of grief ; yet others arise immediately from the soul , and draw the body into a participation of misery . why may we not therefore conceive meer and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation ? besides which , i hear the judge of men and angels say , go , ye cursed , into everlasting fire , prepared for the devil and his angels : i hear the prophet say , tophet is prepared of old . if with fear and without curiosity we may look upon those flames , why may we not attribute a spiritual nature to that more then natural fire ? in the end of the world the elements shall be dissolved by fire : and if the pure quintessential matter of the sky , and the element of fire it self , shall be dissolved by fire , then that last fire shall be of another nature then that which it consumeth . what hinders then but that the omnipotent god hath from eternity created a fire of another nature , proportionable even to spiritual essences ? or why may we not distinguish of fire , as it is it self a bodily creature , and as it is an instrument of god's justice , so working not by any material virtue or power of its own , but by a certain height of supernatural efficacy , to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous judge ? or , lastly , why may we not conceive that , though spirits have nothing material in their nature which that fire should work upon , yet by the judgment of the almighty arbiter of the world , justly willing their torment , they may be made most sensible of pain , and , by the obedible submission of their created nature , wrought upon immediately by their appointed tortures ; besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are everlastingly confined ? for if the incorporeal spirits of living men may be held in a loathed or painfull body , and conceive sorrow to be so imprisoned ; why may we not as easily yield that the evil spirits of angels , or men , may be held in those direfull flames , and much more abhor therein to continue for ever ? tremble rather , o my soul , at the thought of this wofull condition of the evil angels , who , for one onely act of apostasie from god , are thus perpetually tormented ; whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the majesty of our god : and withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man , which , after this holy severity of justice to the revolted angels , so graciously forbears our hainous iniquities , and both suffers us to be free for the time from these hellish torments , and gives us opportunity of a perfect freedome from them for ever . praise the lord , o my soul , and all that is within me praise his holy name , who forgiveth all thy sins , and healeth all thine infirmities ; who redeemeth thy life from destruction , and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions . there is no time wherein the evil spirits are not tormented : there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more . art thou come to torment us before our time ? they knew that the last assises are the prefixed term of their full execution ; which they also understood to be not yet come . for though they knew not when the day of judgment should be , ( a point concealed from the glorious angels of heaven , ) yet they knew when it should not be ; and therefore they say , before the time . even the very evil spirits confess , and fearfully attend , a set day of universal sessions . they believe less then devils , that either doubt of , or deny that day of final retribution . o the wonderfull mercy of our god , that both to wicked men and spirits respites the utmost of their torment ! he might upon the first instant of the fall of angels have inflicted on them the highest extremity of his vengeance ; he might upon the first sins of our youth ( yea of our nature ) have swept us away , and given us our portion in that fiery lake : he stays a time for both ; though with this difference of mercy to us men , that here not onely is a delay , but may be an utter prevention of punishment ; which to the evil spirits is altogether impossible . they do suffer , they must suffer : and though they have now deserved to suffer all they must , yet they must once suffer more then they do . yet so doth this evil spirit expostulate , that he sues , i beseech thee , torment me not . the world is well changed since satan's first onset upon christ . then he could say , if thou be the son of god ; now , jesus , the son of the most high god : then , all these will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me ; now , i beseech thee , torment me not . the same power , when he lists , can change the note of the tempter to us . how happy are we that have such a redeemer as can command the devils to their chains ? o consider this , ye lawless sinners , that have said , let us break his bands , and cast his cords from us . however the almighty suffers you for a judgment to have free scope to evil , and ye can now impotently resist the revealed will of your creatour ; yet the time shall come , when ye shall see the very masters whom ye have served ( the powers of darkness ) unable to avoid the revenges of god. how much less shall man strive with his maker ; man , whose breath is in his nostrils , whose house is clay , whose foundation is the dust ? nature teaches every creature to wish a freedome from pain . the foulest spirits cannot but love themselves ; and this love must needs produce a deprecation of evil . yet what a thing is this , to hear the devil at his prayers ? i beseech thee , torment me not . devotion is not guilty of this , but fear . there is no grace in the suit of devils , but nature ; no respect of glory to their creatour , but their own ease ; they cannot pray against sin , but against torment for sin . what news is it now to hear the profanest mouth , in extremity , imploring the sacred name of god , when the devils do so ? the worst of all creatures hates punishment , and can say , lead me not into pain ; onely the good heart can say , lead me not into temptation . if we can as heartily pray against sin , for the avoiding of displeasure , as against punishment , when we have displeased , there is true grace in the soul . indeed , if we could fervently pray against sin , we should not need to pray against punishment , which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that body : but if we have not laboured against our sins , in vain do we pray against punishment . god must be just ; and the wages of sin is death . it pleased our holy saviour , not onely to let fall words of command upon this spirit , but to interchange some speeches with him . all christ's actions are not for example . it was the errour of our grandmother to hold chat with satan . that god who knows the craft of that old serpent , and our weak simplicity , hath charged us not to enquire of an evil spirit . surely if the disciples returning to jacob's well wondred to see christ talk with a woman , well may we wonder to see him talking with an unclean spirit . let it be no presumption , o saviour , to ask upon what grounds thou didst this wherein we may not follow thee . we know that sin was excepted in thy conformity of thy self to us ; we know there was no guile found in thy mouth , no possibility of taint in thy nature , in thine actions . neither is it hard to conceive how the same thing may be done by thee without sin , which we cannot but sin in doing . there is a vast difference in the intention , in the agent . for , as on the one side , thou didst not ask the name of the spirit , as one that knew not , and would learn by enquiring ; but that by the confession of that mischief which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might be the more conspicuous , the more glorious : so , on the other , god and man might doe that safely , which meer man cannot doe without danger . thou mightest touch the leprosie , and not be legally unclean , because thou touchedst it to heal it , didst not touch it with possibility of infection . so mightest thou , who , by reason of the perfection of thy divine nature , wert uncapable of any stain by the interlocution with satan , safely confer with him , whom corrupt man , predisposed to the danger of such a parly , may not meddle with without sin , because not without peril . it is for none but god to hold discourse with satan . our surest way is , to have as little to doe with that evil one as we may ; and if he shall offer to maintain conference with us by his secret temptations , to turn our speech unto our god , with the archangel , the lord rebuke thee , satan . it was the presupposition of him that knew it , that not onely men but spirits have names . this then he asks , not out of an ignorance , or curiosity ; nothing could be hid from him who calleth the stars and all the hoasts of heaven by their names : but out of a just respect to the glory of the miracle he was working , whereto the notice of the name would not a little avail . for if without inquiry , or confession , our saviour had ejected this evil spirit , it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely devil : whereas now it appears there was a combination and hellish champarty in these powers of darkness , which were all forced to vail unto that almighty command . before the devil had spoken singularly of himself , what have i to doe with thee ? and , i beseech thee , torment me not : yet our saviour , knowing that there was a multitude of devils lurking in that breast , who dissembled their presence , wrests it out of the spirit by this interrogation , what is thy name ? now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselves . he that asked the question , forced the answer : my name is legion . the authour of discord hath borrowed a name of war : from that military order of discipline by which the jews were subdued doth the devil fetch his denomination . they were many , yet they say , my name , not , our name : though many , they speak as one , they act as one , in this possession . there is a marvellous accordance even betwixt evil spirits : that kingdome is not divided , for then it could not stand . i wonder not that wicked men do so conspire in evil , that there is such unanimity in the broachers and abetters of errours , when i see those devils which are many in substance are one in name , action , habitation . who can too much brag of unity , when it is incident unto wicked spirits ? all the praise of concord is in the subject : if that be holy , the consent is angelical ; if sinfull , devillish . what a fearfull advantage have our spiritual enemies against us ? if armed troups come against single stragglers , what hope is there of life , of victory ? how much doth it concern us to band our hearts together in a communion of saints ? our enemies come upon us like a torrent : o let us not run asunder like drops in the dust . all our united forces will be little enough to make head against this league of destruction . legion imports order , number , conflict . order , in that there is a distinction of regiment , a subordination of officers . though in hell there be confusion of faces , yet not confusion of degrees . number : those that have reckoned a legion at the lowest , have counted it six thousand ; others have more then doubled it : though here it is not strict , but figurative , yet the letter of it implies multitude . how fearfull is the consideration of the number of apostate angels ? and if a legion can attend one man , how many must we needs think are they who , all the world over , are at hand to the punishment of the wicked , the exercise of the good , the temptation of both ? it cannot be hoped there can be any place or time wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies . be sure , ye lewd men , ye shall want no furtherance to evil , no torment for evil : be sure , ye godly , ye shall not want combatants to try your strength and skill : awaken your courages to resist , and stir up your hearts , make sure the means of your safety . there are more with us then against us . the god of heaven is with us , if we be with him ; and our angels behold the face of god. if every devil were a legion , we are safe : though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death , we shall fear no evil . thou , o lord , shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies , and thy right hand shall save us . conflict : all this number is not for sight , for rest ; but for motion , for action : neither was there ever hour since the first blow given to our first parents , wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these adversaries . as therefore strong frontier-towns , when there is a peace concluded on both parts , break up their garrison , open their gates , neglect their bulwarks ; but when they hear of the enemy mustering his forces in great and unequal numbers , then they double their guard , keep sentinel , repair their sconces : so must we , upon the certain knowledge of our numerous and deadly enemies in continual array against us , address our selves always to a wary and strong resistence . i do not observe the most to think of this ghostly hostility . either they do not find there are temptations , or those temptations hurtfull ; they see no worse then themselves ; and if they feel motions of evil arising in them , they impute it to fancy , or unreasonable appetite , to no power but nature's ; and those motions they follow , without sensible hurt ; neither see they what harm it is to sin . is it any marvel that carnal eyes cannot discern spiritual objects ? that the world , who is the friend , the vassal of satan , is in no war with him ? elisha's servant , when his eyes were opened , saw troups of spiritual souldiers , which before he discerned not . if the eyes of our souls be once enlightned by supernatural knowledge , and the clear beams of faith , we shall as plainly descry the invisible powers of wickedness , as now our bodily eyes see heaven and earth . they are , though we see them not : we cannot be sa●● from them , if we do not acknowledge , not oppose them . the devils are now become great suitours to christ ; that he would not command them into the deep , that he would permit their entrance into the swine . what is this deep but hell , both for the utter separation from the face of god , and for the impossibility of passage to the region of rest and glory ? the very evil spirits then fear , and expect a farther degree of torment ; they know themselves reserved in those chains of darkness for the judgment of the great day . there is the same wages due to their sins , and to ours ; neither are the wages paid till the work be done . they tempting men to sin must needs sin grievously in tempting , as with us men those that mislead into sin offend more then the actours : not till the upshot therefore of their wickedness shall they receive the full measure of their condemnation . this day , this deep they tremble at : what shall i say of those men that fear it not ? it is hard for men to believe their own unbelief . if they were perswaded of this fiery dungeon , this bottomless deep , wherein every sin shall receive an horrible portion with the damned , durst they stretch forth their hands to wickedness ? no man will put his hand into a fiery crucible to fetch gold thence , because he knows it will burn him . did we as truly believe the everlasting burning of that infernal fire , we durst not offer to fetch pleasures or profits out of the midst of those flames . this degree of torment they grant in christ's power to command . they knew his power unresistible : had he therefore but said , back to hell whence ye came , they could no more have staid upon earth , then they can now climb into heaven . o the wonderfull dispensation of the almighty , who , though he could command all the evil spirits down to their dungeons in an instant , so as they should have no more opportunity of temptation , yet thinks fit to retain them upon earth ! it is not out of weakness or improvidence of that divine hand , that wicked spirits tyrannize here upon earth , but out of the most wise and most holy ordination of god , who knows how to turn evil into good , how to fetch good out of evil , and by the worst instruments to bring about his most just decrees . oh that we could adore that awfull and infinite power , and chearfully cast our selves upon that providence which keeps the keys even of hell it self , and either lets out , or returns the devils to their places . their other suit hath some marvel in moving it , more in the grant ; that they might be suffered to enter into the herd of swine . it was their ambition of some mischief that brought forth this desire ; that since they might not vex the body of man , they might yet afflict men in their goods . the malice of these envious spirits reacheth from us to ours : it is sore against their wills , if we be not every way miserable . if the swine were legally unclean for the use of the table , yet they were naturally good . had not satan known them usefull for man , he had never desired their ruine . but as fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg , when they intend it at the head ; so doeth this devil , whilst he drives at the swine , he aims at the souls of these gadarens . by this means he hoped well ( and his hope was not vain ) to work in these gergesens a discontentment at christ , an unwillingness to entertain him , a desire of his absence : he meant to turn them into swine , by the loss of their swine . it was not the rafters or stones of the house of job's children that he bore the grudge to , but to the owners ; nor to the lives of the children so much as the soul of their father . there is no affliction wherein he doth not strike at the heart ; which whilst it holds free , all other dammages are light : but a wounded spirit ( whether with sin or sorrow ) who can bear ? whatever becomes of goods or lims , happy are we if ( like wise souldiers ) we guard the vital parts . whilst the soul is kept sound from impatience , from distrust , our enemy may afflict us , he cannot hurt us . they sue for a sufferance ; not daring other then to grant , that , without the permission of christ , they could not hurt a very swine . if it be fearfull to think how great things evil spirits can doe with permission ; it is comfortable to think how nothing they can doe without permission . we know they want not malice to destroy the whole frame of god's work ; but of all , man ; of all men , christians . but if without leave they cannot set upon an hog , what can they doe to the living images of their creatour ? they cannot offer us so much as a suggestion , without the permission of our saviour : and can he , that would give his own most precious bloud for us , to save us from evil , wilfully give us over to evil ? it is no news , that wicked spirits wish to doe mischief ; it is news , that they are allowed it . if the owner of all things should stand upon his absolute command , who can challenge him for what he thinks fit to doe with his creature ? the first fole of the ass is commanded , under the law , to have his neck broken : what is that to us ? the creatures doe that they were made for , if they may serve any way to the glory of their maker . but seldome ever doth god leave his actions unfurnished with such reasons as our weakness may reach unto . there were sects amongst these jews that denied spirits ; they could not be more evidently , more powerfully convinced then by this event . now shall the gadarens see from what a multitude of devils they were delivered ; and how easie it had been for the same power to have allowed these spirits to seize upon their persons , as well as on their swine . neither did god this without a just purpose of their castigation : his judgments are righteous , where they are most secret . though we cannot accuse these inhabitants of ought , yet he could , and thought good thus to mulct them . and if they had not wanted grace to acknowledge it , it was no small favour of god , that he would punish them in their swine , for that which he might have avenged upon their bodies and souls . our goods are farthest off us : if but in these we smart , we must confess we find mercy . sometimes it pleaseth god to grant the suits of wicked men and spirits , in no favour to the suitours . he grants an ill suit , and withholds a good : he grants an ill suit in judgment , and holds back a good one in mercy . the israelites ask meat ; he gives quails to their mouths , and leanness to their souls . the chosen vessel wishes satan taken off , and hears onely , my grace is sufficient for thee . we may not evermore measure favours by condescent . these devils doubtless receive more punishment for that harmfull act wherein they are heard . if we ask what is either unfit to receive , or unlawfull to beg , it is a great favour of our god to be denied . those spirits which would go into the swine by permission , go out of the man by command ; they had stayed long , and are ejected suddenly . the immediate works of god are perfect in an instant , and do not require the aid of time for their maturation . no sooner are they cast out of the man , then they are in the swine : they will lose no time , but pass without intermission from one mischief to another . if they hold it a pain not to be doing evil , why is it not our delight to be ever doing good ? the impetuousness was no less then the speed . the herd was carried with violence from a steep-down place into the lake , and was choaked . it is no small force that could doe this ; but if the swine had been so many mountains , these spirits , upon god's permission , had thus transported them . how easily can they carry those souls which are under their power to destruction ? unclean beasts that wallow in the mire of sensuality , brutish drunkards transforming themselves by excess , even they are the swine whom the legion carries headlong to the pit of perdition . the wicked spirits have their wish ; the swine are choaked in the waves : what ease is this to them ? good god , that there should be any creature that seeks contentment in destroying , in tormenting the good creatures of his maker ! this is the diet of hell : those fiends feed upon spight towards man , so much more as he doth more resemble his creatour ; towards all other living substances , so much more as they may be more usefull to man. the swine ran down violently ; what marvell is it if their keepers fled ? that miraculous work , which should have drawn them to christ , drives them from him . they run with the news ; the country comes in with clamour : the whole multitude of the country about besought him to depart . the multitude is a beast of many heads ; every head hath a several mouth , and every mouth a several tongue , and every tongue a several accent : every head hath a several brain , and every brain thoughts of their own . so as it is hard to find a multitude without some division at least . seldome ever hath a good motion found a perfect accordance : it is not so infrequent for a multitude to conspire in evil . generality of assent is no warrant for any act . common errour carries away many , who inquire not into the reason of ought , but the practice . the way to hell is a beaten road through the many feet that tread it . when vice grows into fashion , singularity is a vertue . there was not a gadaren found that either dehorted their fellows , or opposed the motion . it is a sign of people given up to judgment , when no man makes head against projects of evil . alas ! what can one strong man doe against a whole throng of wickedness ? yet this good comes of an unprevailing resistence , that god forbears to plague where he finds but a sprinkling of faith. happy are they who ( like unto the celestial bodies , which being carried about with the sway of the highest sphere , yet creep on their own ways ) keep on the courses of their own holiness , against the swindge of common corruptions : they shall both deliver their own souls , and help to withhold judgment from others . the gadarens sue to christ for his departure . it is too much favour to attribute this to their modesty , as if they held themselves unworthy of so divine a guest . why then did they fall upon this suit in a time of their loss ? why did they not tax themselves , and intimate a secret desire of that which they durst not beg ? it is too much rigour to attribute it to the love of their hogs , and an anger at their loss ; then , they had not intreated , but expelled him . it was their fear that moved this harsh suit ; a servile fear of danger to their persons , to their goods ; lest he , that could so absolutely command the devils , should have set these tormentours upon them ; lest their other demoniacks should be dispossessed with like loss . i cannot blame these gadarens that they feared : this power was worthy of trembling at . their fear was unjust . they should have argued , this man hath power over men , beasts , devils ; it is good having him to our friend ; his presence is our safety and protection : now they contrarily mis-inferre , thus powerfull is he , it is good he were farther off . what miserable and pernicious misconstructions do men make of god , of divine attributes and actions ! god is omnipotent , able to take infinite vengeance of sin ; oh that he were not : he is provident ; i may be careless : he is mercifull ; i may sin : he is holy ; let him depart from me , for i am a sinfull man. how witty sophisters are natural men to deceive their own souls , to rob themselves of a god ? o saviour , how worthy are they to want thee that wish to be rid of thee ? thou hast just cause to be weary of us , even whilst we sue to hold thee : but when once our wretched unthankfulness grows weary of thee , who can pity us to be punished with thy departure ? who can say it is other then righteous , that thou shouldst retort one day upon us , depart from me , ye wicked ? xviii . the faithfull canaanite . it was our saviour's trade to doe good ; therefore he came down from heaven to earth , therefore he changed one station of earth for another . nothing more commends goodness then generality and diffusion ; whereas reservedness and close-handed restraint blemish the glory of it . the sun stands not still in one point of heaven , but walks his daily round , that all the inferiour world may share of his influences both in heat and light . thy bounty , o saviour , did not affect the praise of fixedness , but motion . one while i find thee at jerusalem , then at capernaum , soon after in the utmost verge of galilee ; never but doing good . but as the sun , though he daily compass the world , yet never walks from under his line , never goes beyond the turning points of the longest and shortest day : so neither didst thou , o saviour , pass the bounds of thine own peculiar people ; thou wouldst move , but not wildly , not out of thine own sphear . wherein thy glorified estate exceeds thine humbled , as far as heaven is above earth . now thou art lift up , thou drawest all men unto thee : there are now no lists , no limits of thy gracious visitations ; but as the whole earth is equidistant from heaven , so all the nations of the world lie equally open to thy bounty . neither yet didst thou want outward occasions of thy removall : perhaps the very importunity of the scribes and pharisees , in obtruding their traditions , drave thee thence ; perhaps their unjust offence at thy doctrine . there is no readier way to lose christ , then to clog him with humane ordinances , then to spurn at his heavenly instructions . he doth not always subduce his spirit with his visible presence ; but his very outward withdrawing is worthy of our sighs , worthy of our tears . many a one may say , lord , if thou hadst been here , my soul had not died . thou art now with us , o saviour , thou art with us in a free and plentifull fashion ; how long , thou knowest ; we know our deservings and fear . o teach us how happy we are in such a guest , and give us grace to keep thee . hadst thou walked within the phoenician borders , we could have told how to have made glad constructions of thy mercy in turning to the gentiles ; thou that couldst touch the lepers without uncleanness , couldst not be defiled with aliens : but we know the partition-wall was not yet broken down ; and thou that didst charge thy disciples not to walk into the way of the gentiles , wouldst not transgress thine own rule . once , we are sure , thou camest to the utmost point of the bounds of galilee ; as not ever confined to the heart of jewry , thou wouldst sometimes bless the outer skirts with thy presence . no angle is too obscure for the gospel : the land of zabulon and the land of napthali , by the way of the sea , beyond jordan , galilee of the gentiles , the people which sate in darkness saw great light . the sun is not scornfull , but looks with the same face upon every plot of earth : not onely the stately palaces and pleasant gardens are visited by his beams , but mean cottages , but neglected bogs and moors . god's word is like himself , no accepter of persons ; the wild kern , the rude scythian , the savage indian are alike to it . the mercy of god will be sure to find out those that belong to his election in the most secret corners of the world , like as his judgments will fetch his enemies from under the hills and rocks . the good shepherd walks the wilderness to seek one sheep strayed from many . if there be but one syrophoenician soul to be gained to the church , christ goes to the coasts of tyre and sidon to fetch her . why are we weary to doe good , when our saviour underwent this perpetual toil in healing bodies , and winning souls ? there is no life happy but that which is spent in a continual drudging for edification . it is long since we heard of the name or nation of canaanites ; all the country was once so styled ; that people was now forgotten : yet because this woman was of the bloud of those phoenicians which were anciently ejected out of canaan , that title is revived to her . god keeps account of pedigrees after our oblivion ; that he may magnifie his mercies , by continuing them to thousands of the generations of the just , and by renewing favours upon the unjust . no nation carried such brands and scars of a curse as canaan . to the shame of those careless jews , even a faithfull canaanite is a suppliant to christ , whilst they neglect so great salvation . she doth not speak , but cry ; need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate clamour . the god of mercy is light of hearing , yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation ; not to make himself inclinable to grant , but to make us capable to receive blessings . they are words , and not prayers , which fall from careless lips . if we felt our want , or wanted not desire , we could speak to god in no tune but cries . if we would prevail with god , we must wrastle , and if we would wrastle happily with god , we must wrastle first with our own dulness . nothing but cries can pierce heaven . neither doth her vehemence so much argue her faith , as doth her compellation , o lord , thou son of david . what proselyte , what disciple could have said more ? o blessed syrophoenician , who taught thee this abstract of divinity ? what can we christians confess more then the deity , the humanity , and the messiahship of our glorious saviour ? his deity , as lord ; his humanity , as a son ; his messiahship , as the son of david ? of all the famous progenitours of christ , two are singled out by an eminence , david and abraham ; a king , a patriarch : and though the patriarch were first in time , yet the king is first in place ; not so much for the dignity of the person , as the excellence of the promise , which as it was both later and fresher in memory , so more honourable . to abraham was promised multitude and blessing of seed : to david perpetuity of dominion . so as when god promiseth not to destroy his people , it is for abraham's sake ; when , not to extinguish the kingdome , it is for david's sake . had she said , the son of abraham , she had not come home to this acknowledgment . abraham is the father of the faithfull , david of the kings of juda and israel : there are many faithfull , there is but one king. so as in this title she doth proclaim him the perpetual king of his church , the rod or flower which should come from the root of jesse , the true and onely saviour of the world . whoso would come unto christ to purpose , must come in the right style ; apprehending a true god , a true man , a true god and man : any of these severed from other makes christ an idol , and our prayers sin . being thus acknowledged , what suit is so fit for him as mercy : have mercy on me . it was her daughter that was tormented , yet she says , have mercy on me . perhaps her possessed child was senseless of her misery ; the parent feels both her sorrow , and her own . as she was a good woman , so a good mother . grace and good nature have taught her to appropriate the afflictions of this divided part of her own flesh . it is not in the power of another skin , to sever the interest of our own loins or womb . we find some fowls that burn themselves , whilst they endeavour to blow out the fire from their young : and even serpents can receive their brood into their mouth , to shield them from danger . no creature is so unnatural , as the reasonable that hath put off affection . on me , therefore , in mine : for my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil . it was this that sent her to christ : it was this that must incline christ to her . i doubt whether she had inquired after christ , if she had not been vexed with her daughter's spirit . our afflictions are as benhadad's best counsellours , that sent him with a cord about his neck to the mercifull king of israel . these are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our devotions , without which they grow dull and ineffectual . neither are they stronger motives to our suit , then to christ's mercy . we cannot have a better spokesman unto god then our own misery ; that alone sues and pleads and importunes for us . this which sets off men , whose compassion is finite , attracts god to us . who can plead discouragements in his access to the throne of grace , when our wants are our forcible advocates ? all our worthiness is in a capable misery . all israel could not example the faith of this canaanite ; yet she was thus tormented in her daughter . it is not the truth or strength of our faith that can secure us from the outward and bodily vexations of satan : against the inward and spiritual that can and will prevail . it is no more antidote against the other , then against fevers and dropsies . how should it , when as it may fall out that these sufferings may be profitable ? and why should we expect that the love of our god shall yield to fore-lay any benefit to the soul ? he is an ill patient that cannot distinguish betwixt an affliction , and the evil of affliction . when the messenger of satan buffets us , it is enough that god hath said , my grace is sufficient for thee . millions were in tyre and sidon , whose persons , whose children were untouched with that tormenting hand : i hear none but this faithfull woman say , my daughter is grievously vexed of the devil . the worst of bodily afflictions are an insufficient proof of divine displeasure . she that hath most grace complains of most discomfort . who would now expect any other then a kind answer to so pious and faithfull a petition ? and behold , he answered her not a word . o holy saviour , we have oft found cause to wonder at thy words , never till now at thy silence . a miserable suppliant cries and sues , whilst the god of mercies is speechless . he that comforts the afflicted , adds affliction to the comfortless by a willing disrespect . what shall we say then ? is the fountain of mercy dried up ? o saviour , couldst thou but hear ? she did not murmur , not whisper , but cry out : couldst thou but pity , but regard her that was as good as she was miserable ? if thy ears were open , could thy bowels be shut ? certainly it was thou that didst put it into the heart , into the mouth of this woman to ask , and to ask thus of thy self : she could never have said , o lord , thou son of david , but from thee , but by thee : none calleth jesus the lord , but by the holy ghost . much more therefore didst thou hear the words of thine own making ; and well wert thou pleased to hear what thou thoughtest good to forbear to answer . it was thine own grace that sealed up thy lips . whether for the trial of her patience and perseverance : for silence carried a semblance of neglect ; and a willing neglect lays strong siege to the best fort of the soul. even calm tempers , when they have been stirred , have bewrayed impetuousness of passion . if there be any dregs in the bottom of the glass , when the water is shaken , they will be soon seen . or whether for the more sharpning of her desires , and raising of her zealous importunity . our holy longings are increased with delays : it whets our appetite to be held fasting . or whether for the more sweetning of the blessing by the difficulty or stay of obtaining . the benefit that comes with ease is easily contemned : long and eager pursuit endears any favour . or whether for the ingaging of his disciples in so charitable a suit . or whether for the wise avoidance of exception from the captious jews . or , lastly , for the drawing on of an holy and imitable pattern of faithfull perseverance ; and to teach us not to measure god's hearing of our suit by his present answer , or his present answer by our own sense . whilst our weakness expects thy words , thy wisedom resolves upon thy silence . never wert thou better pleased to hear the acclamation of angels , then to hear this woman say , o lord , thou son of david : yet silence is thy answer . when we have made our prayers , it is an happy thing to hear the report of them back from heaven : but if we always do not so , it is not for us to be dejected , and to accuse either our infidelity , or thy neglect ; since we find here a faithfull suitour met with a gracious saviour , and yet he answered her not a word . if we be poor in spirit , god is rich in mercy ; he cannot send us away empty : yet he will not always let us feel his condescent ; crossing us in our will , that he may advance our benefit . it was no small fruit of christ's silence , that the disciples were hereupon moved to pray for her . not for a meer dismission : it had been no favour to have required this , but a punishment : for , if to be held in suspense be miserable , to be sent away with a repulse is more . but for a mercifull grant . they saw much passion in the woman , much cause of passion : they saw great discouragement on christ's part , great constancy on hers . upon all these they feel her misery , and become suitours for her , unrequested . it is our duty , in case of necessity , to intercede for each other ; and by how much more familiar we are with christ , so much more to improve our interest for the relief of the distressed . we are bidden to say , our father , not , mine . yea , being members of one body , we pray for our selves in others . if the foot be prickt , the back bends , the head bows down , the eyes look , the hands stir , the tongue calls for aid ; the whole man is in pain , and labours for redress . he cannot pray or be heard for himself , that is no man's friend but his own . no prayer without faith , no faith without charity , no charity without mutual intercession . that which urged them to speak for her , is urged to christ by them for her obtaining ; she cries after us . prayer is as an arrow : if it be drawn up but a little , it goes not far ; but if it be pull'd up to the head , it flies strongly , and pierces deep . if it be but dribbled forth of careless lips , it falls down at our foot : the strength of our ejaculation sends it up into heaven , and fetches down a blessing . the child hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying ; and the very unjust judge cannot endure the widow's clamour . heartless motions do but teach us to deny ; fervent suits offer violence both to earth and heaven . christ would not answer the woman , but doth answer the disciples . those that have a familiarity with god shall receive answers , when strangers shall stand out . yea even of domesticks some are more intire . he that lay in jesus his bosome could receive that intelligence which was concealed from the rest . but who can tell whether that silence or this answer be more grievous ? i am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of israel . what is this answer but a defence of that silence and seeming neglect ? whilst he said nothing , his forbearance might have been supposed to proceed from the necessity of some greater thoughts : but now his answer professeth that silence to have proceeded from a willing resolution not to answer : and therefore he doth not vouchsafe so much as to give to her the answer , but to her solicitours ; that they might return his denial from him to her , who had undertaken to derive her suit to him . i am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of israel . like a faithfull embassadour , christ hath an eye to his commission : that may not be violated , though to an apparent advantage : whither he is not sent , he may not go . as he , so all his have their fixed marks set ; at these they aim , and think it not safe to shoot at rovers . in matter of morality it is not for us to stand onely upon inhibitions , avoiding what is forbidden , but upon commands , endeavouring onely what is injoyned . we need no other rule of our life , then the intention of our several stations . and if he that was god would take no farther scope to himself then the limits of his commission , how much doth it concern us frail men to keep within compass ? or what shall become of our lawlesness , that live in a direct contrariety to the will of him that sent us ? israel was jacob's name , from him derived to his posterity ; till the division of the tribes under jeroboam all that nation was israel : then the father's name went to the most , which were ten tribes ; the name of the son juda to the best , which were two . christ takes no notice of this unhappy division ; he remembers the ancient name which he gave to that faithfull wrastler . it was this christ with whom jacob strove ; it was he that wrencht his hip , and changed his name , and dismist him with a blessing : and now he cannot forget his old mercy to the house of israel ; to that onely doth he profess himself sent . their first brood were shepherds , now they are sheep ; and those not guarded ; not empastured , but strayed and lost . o saviour , we see thy charge ; the house of israel , not of esau ; sheep , not goats , not wolves ; lost sheep , not securely impaled in the confidence of their safe condition . woe were to us if thou wert not sent to us . he is not a jew which is one without . every israelite is not a true one . we are not of thy fold , if we be not sheep : thou wilt not reduce us to thy fold , if we be not lost in our own apprehensions . o lord , thou hast put a fleece upon our backs , we have lost our selves enough : make us so sensible of our own wandrings , that we may find thee sent unto us , and may be happily found of thee . hath not this poor woman yet done ? can neither the silence of christ nor his denial silence her ? is it possible she should have any glimps of hope after so resolute repulses ? yet still , as if she saw no argument of discouragement , she comes , and worships , and cries , lord , help me . she which could not in the house get a word of christ , she that saw her solicitours ( though christ's own disciples ) repelled , yet she comes . before she followed , now she overtakes him : before she sued aloof , now she comes close to him : no contempt can cast her off . faith is an undaunted grace ; it hath a strong heart , and a bold forehead . even very denials cannot dismay it , much less delays . she came not to face , not to expostulate , but to prostrate her self at his feet . her tongue worshipt him before , now her knee . the eye of her faith saw that divinity in christ which bowed her to his earth . there cannot be a fitter gesture of man to god then adoration . her first suit was for mercy , now for help . there is no use of mercy but in helpfulness . to be pitied without aid , is but an addition to misery . who can blame us , if we care not for an unprofitable compassion ? the very suit was gracious . she saith not , lord , if thou canst , help me , as the father of the lunatick ; but professes the power whilst she begs the act , and gives glory where she would have relief . who now can expect other then a fair and yielding answer to so humble , so faithfull , so patient a suppliant ? what can speed well , if a prayer of faith from the knees of humility succeed not ? and yet , behold , the farther she goes , the worse she fares : her discouragement is doubled with her suit . it is not good to take the childrens bread , and to cast it to dogs . first , his silence implied a contempt ; then , his answer defended his silence ; now , his speech expresses and defends his contempt . lo , he hath turned her from a woman to a dog , and ( as it were ) spurns her from his feet with an harsh repulse . what shall we say ? is the lamb of god turned lion ? doth that clear fountain of mercy run bloud ? o saviour , did ever so hard a word fall from those mild lips ? thou calledst herod fox , most worthily ; he was crafty and wicked : the scribes and pharisees a generation of vipers ; they were venomous and cruel : judas a devil ; he was both covetous and treacherous . but here was a woman in distress , and distress challenges mercy : a good woman , a faithfull suppliant , a canaanitish disciple , a christian canaanite ; yet rated , and whipt out for a dog , by thee who wert all goodness and mercy . how different are thy ways from ours ? even thy severity argues favour . the trial had not been so sharp , if thou hadst not found the faith so strong , if thou hadst not meant the issue so happy . thou hadst not driven her away as a dog , if thou hadst not intended to admit her for a saint ; and to advance her so much for a pattern of faith , as thou depressedst her for a spectacle of contempt . the time was when the jews were children , and the gentiles dogs : now the case is happily altered ; the jews are the dogs , ( so their dear and divine countryman calls the concision , ) we gentiles are the children . what certainty is there in an external profession , that gives us onely to seem , not to be ? at least the being that it gives is doubtfull and temporary : we may be children to day , and dogs to morrow . the true assurance of our condition is in the decree and covenant of god , on his part ; in our faith and obedience , on ours . how they of children became dogs , it is not hard to say ; their presumption , their unbelief transformed them ; and ( to perfect their brutishness ) they set their fangs upon the lord of life . how we of dogs become children , i know no reason but , oh the depth ! that which at the first singled them out from the nations of the world , hath at last singled us out from the world and them . it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in god that hath mercy . lord , how should we bless thy goodness , that we of dogs are children ? how should we fear thy justice , since they of children are dogs ? o let not us be high-minded , but tremble . if they were cut off who crucified thee in thine humbled estate , what may we expect who crucifie thee daily in thy glory ? now what ordinary patience would not have been overstrained with so contemptuous a repulse ? how few but would have faln into intemperate passions , into passionate expostulations ? art thou the prophet of god , that so disdainfully entertainest poor suppliants ? is this the comfort that thou dealest to the distressed ? is this the fruit of my humble adoration , of my faithfull profession ? did i snarl or bark at thee , when i called thee the son of david ? did i fly upon thee otherwise then with my prayers and tears ? and if this term were fit for my vileness , yet doth it become thy lips ? is it not sorrow enough to me that i am afflicted with my daughter's misery , but that thou ( of whom i hoped for relief ) must adde to mine affliction in an unkind reproach ? but here is none of all this : contrarily , her humility grants all , her patience overcomes all , and she meekly answers , truth , lord , yet the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their master's table . the reply is not more witty then faithfull . o lord , thou art truth it self , thy words can be no other then truth ; thou hast call'd me a dog , and a dog i am : give me therefore the favour and privilege of a dog , that i may gather up some crums of mercy from under that table whereat thy children sit . this blessing ( though great to me , yet ) to the infiniteness of thy power and mercy is but as a crum to a feast . i presume not to press to the board , but to creep under it : deny me not those small offalls which else would be swept away in the dust . after this stripe , give me but a crum , and i shall fawn upon thee , and depart satisfied . o woman , ( say i ) great is thine humility , great is thy patience : but , o woman , ( saith my saviour ) great is thy faith . he sees the root , we the stock . nothing but faith could thus temper the heart , thus strengthen the soul , thus charm the tongue . o precious faith ! o acceptable perseverance ! it is no marvell if that chiding end in favour : be it to thee even as thou wilt . never did such grace go away uncrowned . the beneficence had been streight , if thou hadst not carried away more then thou suedst for . lo , thou that camest a dog , goest away a child : thou that wouldst but creep under the childrens feet , art set at their elbow : thou that wouldst have taken up with a crum , art feasted with full dishes . the way to speed well at god's hand is , to be humbled in his eyes , and in our own . it is quite otherwise with god , and with men . with men , we are so accounted of as we account of our selves : he shall be sure to be vile in the sight of others , which is vile in his own . with god , nothing is got by vain ostentation , nothing is lost by abasement . o god , when we look down to our own weakness , and cast up our eyes to thine infiniteness , thine omnipotence , what poor things we are ? but when we look down upon our sins and wickedness , how shall we express our shame ? none of all thy creatures ( except devils ) are capable of so foul a quality . as we have thus made our selves worse then beasts , so let us , in a sincere humbleness of mind acknowledge it to thee , who canst pity , forgive , redress it . so setting our selves down at the lower end of the table of thy creatures , thou , the great master of the feast , maist be pleased to advance us to the height of glory . xix . the deaf and dumb man cured . our saviour's entrance into the coasts of tyre and sidon was not without a miracle , neither was his regress ; as the sun neither rises nor sets without light . in his entrance , he delivers the daughter of the faithfull syrophoenician : in his egress , he cures the deaf and dumb. he can no more want work , then that work can want success . whether the patient were naturally deaf , and perfectly dumb , or imperfectly dumb , and accidentally deaf , i labour not . sure i am that he was so deaf that he could not hear of christ , so dumb that he could not speak for himself : good neighbours supply his ears , his tongue ; they bring him to christ . behold a miracle led in by charity , acted by power , led out by modesty . it was a true office of love , to speak thus in the cause of the dumb , to lend senses to him that wanted . poor man ! he had nothing to intreat for him but his impotence ; here was neither ear to inform , nor tongue to crave : his friends are sensible of his infirmity , and unasked bring him to cure . this spiritual service we owe to each other . it is true , we should be quick of hearing to the things of god and of our peace , quick of tongue to call for our helps : but , alas ! we are naturally deaf and dumb to good , we have ear and tongue enough for the world ; if that do but whisper , we hear it ; if that do but draw back , we cry after it : we have neither for god. ever since our ear was lent to the serpent in paradise , it hath been spiritually deaf ; ever since we set our tooth in the forbidden fruit , our tongue hath been speechless to god : and that which was faulty in the root , is worse in the branches . every soul is more deafned and bedumbed by increasing corruptions , by actual sins . some ears the infinite mercy of god hath bored , some tongues he hath untied by the power of regeneration : these are wanting to their holy faculties , if they do not improve themselves in bringing the deaf and dumb unto christ . there are some deaf and dumb upon necessity , some others upon affectation . those , such as live either out of the pale of the church , or under a spiritual tyranny within the church : we have no help for them but our prayers , our pity can reach farther then our aid . these , such as may hear of a christ , and sue to him , but will not ; a condition so much more fearfull , as it is more voluntary . this kind is full of wofull variety , whilst some are deaf by an outward obturation , whether by the prejudice of the teacher , or by secular occasions and distractions ; others , by the inwardly apostemating tumours of pride , by the ill vapours of carnal affections , of froward resolutions : all of them like the deaf adder have their ears shut to the divine charmer . o miserable condition of foolish men , so peevishly averse from their own salvation ; so much more worthy of our commiseration , as it is more incapable of their own ! these are the men whose cure we must labour , whom we must bring to christ by admonitions , by threats , by authority , and ( if need be ) by wholsome compulsions . they do not onely lend their hand to the deaf and dumb , but their tongue also ; they say for him that which he could not wish to say for himself . doubtless they had made signs to him of what they intended , and finding him forward in his desires , now they speak to christ for him . every man lightly hath a tongue to speak for himself ; happy is he that keeps a tongue for other men . we are charged not with supplications onely , but with intercessions . herein is both the largest improvement of our love , and most effectual . no distance can hinder this fruit of our devotion ; thus we may oblige those that we shall never see , those that can never thank us . this beneficence cannot impoverish us ; the more we give , we have still the more ; it is a safe and happy store that cannot be impaired by our bounty . what was their suit , but that christ would put his hand upon the patient ? not that they would prescribe the means , or imply a necessity of his touch ; but for that they saw this was the ordinary course both of christ , and his disciples , by touching to heal . our prayers must be directed to the usual proceedings of god : his actions must be the rule of our prayers , our prayers may not prescribe his actions . that gracious saviour , who is wont to exceed our desires , does more then they sue for . not onely doth he touch the party , but takes him by the hand , and leads him from the multitude . he that would be healed of his spiritual infirmities must be sequestred from the throng of the world . there is a good use , in due times , of solitariness . that soul can never injoy god that is not sometimes retired : the modest bridegroom of the church will not impart himself to his spouse before company . or perhaps this secession was for our example , of a willing and carefull avoidance of vain-glory in our actions : whence also it is that our saviour gives an after-charge of secrecy . he that could say , he that doeth evil hateth the light , eschueth the light even in good . to seek our own glory is not glory . although besides this bashfull desire of obscurity , here is a meet regard of opportunity in the carriage of our actions . the envy of the scribes and pharisees might trouble the passage of his divine ministery ; their exasperation is wisely declined by this retiring . he in whose hands time is , knows how to make his best choice of seasons . neither was it our saviour's meaning to have this miracle buried , but hid . wisedom hath no better improvement then in distinguishing times , and discreetly marshalling the circumstances of our actions ; which whosoever neglects , shall be sure to shame his work , and marre his hopes . is there a spirituall patient to be cured ? aside with him : to undertake him before the face of the multitude , is to wound , not to heal him . reproof and good counsel must be like our alms , in secret , so as ( if possible ) one ear or hand might not be conscious to the other . as in some cases confession , so our reprehension must be auricular . the discreet chirurgion that would cure a modest patient , whose secret complaint hath in it more shame then pain , shuts out all eyes save his own . it is enough for the god of justice to say , thou didst it secretly , but i will doe it before all israel , and before this sun. our limited and imperfect wisedom must teach us to apply private redresses to private maladies . it is the best remedy that is least seen , and most felt . what means this variety of ceremony ? o saviour , how many parts of thee are here active ? thy finger is put into the ear , thy spittle toucheth the tongue , thine eyes look up , thy lungs sigh , thy lips move to an epphatha . thy word alone , thy beck alone , thy wish alone , yea the least act of velleity from thee might have wrought this cure : why wouldst thou imploy so much of thy self in this work ? was it to shew thy liberty in not always equally exercising the power of thy deity ? in that one while thine onely command shall raise the dead , and eject devils ; another while thou wouldst accommodate thy self to the mean and homely fashions of natural agents , and , condescending to our senses and customs , take those ways which may carry some more near respect to the cure intended . or was it to teach us how well thou likest that there should be a ceremonious carriage of thy solemn actions , which thou pleasest to produce cloathed with such circumstantial forms ? it did not content thee to put one finger into one ear , but into either ear wouldst thou put a finger : both ears equally needed cure , thou wouldst apply the means of cure to both . the spirit of god is the finger of god : then dost thou , o saviour , put thy finger into our ear , when thy spirit inables us to hear effectually . if we thrust our own fingers into our ears , using such humane perswasions to our selves as arise from worldly grounds , we labour in vain ; yea , these stoppells musts needs hinder our hearing the voice of god. hence , the great philosophers of the ancient world , the learned rabbins of the synagogue , the great doctours of a false faith , are deaf to spiritual things . it is onely that finger of thy spirit , o blessed jesu , that can open our ears , and make passage through our ears into our hearts . let that finger of thine be put into our ears , so shall our deafness be removed , and we shall hear , not the loud thunders of the law , but the gentle whisperings of thy gracious motions to our souls . we hear for our selves , but we speak for others . our saviour was not content to open the ears onely , but to untie the tongue . with the ear we hear , with the mouth we confess . the same hand is applied to the tongue , not with a dry touch , but with spittle ; in allusion doubtless to the removall of the naturall impediment of speech : moisture , we know , glibs the tongue , and makes it apt to motion ; how much more from that sacred mouth ? there are those whose ears are open , but their mouths are still shut to god ; they understand , but do not utter the wonderfull things of god : there is but half a cure wrought upon these men ; their ear is but open to hear their own judgement , except their mouth be open to confess their maker and redeemer . o god , do thou so moisten my tongue with th● 〈◊〉 , that it may run smoothly ( as the pen of a ready writer ) to the praise of thy name . whilst the finger of our saviour was on the tongue , in the ear of the patient , his eye was in heaven . never man had so much cause to look up to heaven as he ; there was his home , there was his throne ; he onely was from heaven , heavenly . each of us hath a good mind homeward , though we meet with better sights abroad ; how much more when our home is so glorious above the region of our peregrination ? but thou , o saviour , hadst not onely thy dwelling there , but thy seat of majesty ; there the greatest angels adored thee : it is a wonder that thine eye could be ever any-where but there . what doeth thine eye in this , but teach ours where to be fixed ? every good gift and every perfect giving come down from above : how can we look off from that place whence we receive all good ? thou didst not teach us to say , o infinite god , which art every-where ; but , o our father , which art in heaven : there let us look up to thee . o let not our eyes or hearts grovell upon this earth , but let us fasten them above the hills whence cometh our salvation ; thence let us acknowledge all the good we receive ; thence let us expect all the good we want . why our saviour look'd up to heaven ( though he had heaven in himself ) we can see reason enough : but why did he sigh ? surely not for need ; the least motion of a thought was in him impetratory . how could he chuse but be heard of his father , who was one with the father ? not for any fear of distrust . but partly for compassion , partly for example . for compassion of those manifold infirmities into which sin had plunged mankind ; a pitifull instance whereof was here presented unto him . for example , to fetch sighs from us for the miseries of others ; sighs of sorrow for them , sighs of desire for their redress . this is not the first time that our saviour spent sighs , yea tears , upon humane distresses . we are not bone of his bone , and flesh of his flesh , if we so feel not the smart of our brethren , that the fire of our passion break forth into the smoke of sighs . who is weak , and i am not weak ? who is offended , and i burn not ? christ was not silent whilst he cured the dumb ; his epphatha gave life to all these his other actions . his sighing , his spitting , his looking up to heaven , were the acts of a man : but his command of the ear and mouth to open was the act of god. he could not command that which he made not . his word is imperative , ours supplicatory . he doeth what he will with us , we doe by him what he thinks good to impart . in this mouth the word cannot be severed from the success : our saviour's lips are no sooner opened in his epphatha , then the mouth of the dumb and the ears of the deaf are opened at once . behold here celerity and perfection . naturall agents work by leisure , by degrees ; nothing is done in an instant ; by many steps is every thing carried from the entrance to the consummation : omnipotency knows no rules ; no imperfect work can proceed from a cause absolutely perfect . the man hears now more lightly then if he had never been deaf , and speaks more plainly then if he had never been tongue-ty'd . and can we blame him if he bestowed the handsel of his speech upon the power that restored it ? if the first improvement of his tongue were the praise of the giver , of the maker of it ? or can we expect other then that our saviour should say , thy tongue is free , use it to the praise of him that made it so ; thy ears are open , hear him that bids thee proclaim thy cure upon the house-top ? but now behold , contrarily , he that opens this man's mouth by his powerfull word , by the same word shuts it again ; charging silence by the same breath wherewith he gave speech : tell no man. those tongues which interceded for his cure , are charmed for the concealment of it . o saviour , thou knowest the grounds of thine own commands ; it is not for us to enquire , but to obey : we may not honour thee with a forbidden celebration . good meanings have oft-times proved injurious . those men whose charity imployed their tongues to speak for the dumb man , do now imploy the same tongues to speak of his cure , when they should have been dumb . this charge ( they imagine ) proceeds from an humble modesty in christ ; which the respect to his honour bids them violate . i know not how we itch after those forbidden acts , which if left to our liberty we willingly neglect . this prohibition increaseth the rumour ; every tongue is busied about this one . what can we make of this but a well-meant disobedience ? o god , i should more gladly publish thy name at thy command . i know thou canst not bid me to dishonour thee ; there is no danger of such an injunction : but if thou shouldst bid me to hide the profession of thy name and wondrous works , i should fulfill thy words , and not examine thine intentions . thou knowest how to win more honour by our silence , then by our promulgation . a forbidden good differs little from evil . what makes our actions to be sin but thy prohibitions ? our judgement avails nothing . if thou forbid us that which we think good , it becomes as faulty to thee-ward as that which is originally evil . take thou charge of thy glory , give me grace to take charge of thy precepts . xx. zacchaeus . now was our saviour walking towards his passion : his last journey had most wonders . jericho was in his way from galilee to jerusalem : he balks it not , though it were outwardly cursed ; but , as the first joshua saved a rahab there , so there the second saves a zacchaeus ; that an harlot , this a publican . the traveller was wounded as he was going from jerusalem to jericho : this man was taken from his jericho to the true jerusalem , and was healed . not as a passenger did christ walk this way , but as a visiter ; not to punish , but to heal . with us , the sick man is glad to send far for the physician ; here the physician comes to seek patients , and calls at our door for work . had not this good shepherd left the ninety nine , and searched the desart , the lost sheep had never recovered the fold : had not his gracious frugality sought the lost groat , it had been swept up with the rushes , and thrown out in the dust . still , o saviour , dost thou walk through our jericho : what would become of us , if thou shouldst stay till we seek thee alone ? even when thou hast found us , how hardly do we follow thee ? the work must be all thine : we shall not seek thee , if thou find us not ; we shall not follow thee , if thou draw us not . never didst thou , o saviour , set one step in vain ; wheresoever thou art walking , there is some zacchaeus to be wone : as in a drought , when we see some weighty cloud hovering over us , we say there is rain for some grounds , wheresoever it falls . the ordinances of god bode good to some souls , and happy are they on whom it lights . how justly is zacchaeus brought in with a note of wonder ? it is both great and good news to hear of a convert . to see men perverted from god to the world , from truth to heresie , from piety to prophaneness , is as common , as lamentable ; every night such stars fall : but to see a sinner come home to god , is both happy , and wondrous to men and angels . i cannot blame that philosopher who , undertaking to write of the hidden miracles of nature , spends most of his discourse upon the generation and formation of man ; surely we are fearfully and wonderfully made : but how much greater is the miracle of our spirituall generation ; that a son of wrath , a child of satan should be transformed into the son and heir of the ever-living god ? o god , thou workest both : but in the one our spirit animates us , in the other thine own . yet some things which have wonder in them for their worth , lose it for their frequence ; this hath no less rarity in it then excellence . how many painfull peter's have complained to fish all night , and catch nothing ? many professours and few converts hath been ever the lot of the gospel . god's house , as the streets of jericho , may be thronged , and yet but one zacchaeus . as therefore in the lottery , when the great prize comes , the trumpet sounds before it ; so the news of a convert is proclaimed with , behold zacchaeus . any penitent had been worthy of a shout , but this man by an eminence ; a publican , a chief of the publicans , rich . no name under heaven was so odious as this of a publican , especially to this nation , that stood so high upon their freedom , that every impeachment of it seemed no less then damnable : insomuch as they ask not , is it fit , or needfull , but , is it lawfull , to pay tribute unto caesar ? any office of exaction must needs be hainous to a people so impatient of the yoke . and yet , not so much the trade , as the extortion drew hatred upon this profession ; out of both they are deeply infamous : one while they are matched with heathens , another while with harlots , always with sinners . and behold , zacchaeus a publican . we are all naturally strangers from god , the best is indisposed to grace : yet some there are whose very calling gives them better advantages . but this catch-poleship of zacchaeus carried extortion in the face , and in a sort bad defiance to his conversion : yet behold , from this toll-booth is called both zacchaeus to be a disciple , and matthew to be an apostle . we are in the hand of a cunning workman , that of the knottiest and crookedst timber can make rafts and cieling for his own house ; that can square the marble , or flint , as well as the freest stone . who can now plead the disadvantage of his place , when he sees a publican come to christ ? no calling can prejudice god's gracious election . to excell in evil must needs be worse : if to be a publican be ill , surely to be an arch-publican is more . what talk we of the chief of publicans , when he that professed himself the chief of sinners is now among the chief of saints ? who can despair of mercy , when he sees one jericho send both an harlot and a publican to heaven ? the trade of zacchaeus was not a greater rub in his way , then his wealth . he that sent word to john for great news , that the poor receive the gospel , said also , how hard is it for a rich man to enter into heaven ? this bunch of the camel keeps him from passing the needle's eye ; although not by any malignity that is in the creature it self , ( riches are the gift of god , ) but by reason of those three pernicious hang-byes , cares , pleasures , pride , which too commonly attend upon wealth . separate these , riches are a blessing : if we can so possess them , that they possess not us , there can be no danger , much benefit in abundance . all the good or ill of wealth , or poverty , is in the mind , in the use . he that hath a free and lowly heart in riches , is poor ; he that hath a proud heart under rags , is rich . if the rich man doe good and distribute , and the poor man steal , the rich hath put off his woe to the poor . zacchaeus had never been so famous a convert , if he had been poor ; nor so liberal a convert , if he had not been rich . if more difficulty , yet more glory was in the conversion of rich zacchaeus . it is well that wealthy zacchaeus was desirous to see christ . little do too many rich men care too see that sight : the face of caesar in their coin is more pleasing . this man leaves his bags , to bless his eyes with this prospect . yet can i not praise him for this too much ; it was not ( i fear ) out of faith , but curiosity . he that had heard great fame of the man , of his miracles , would gladly see his face : even an herod long'd for this , and was never the better . onely this i find , that this curiosity of the eye , through the mercy of god , gave occasion to the belief of the heart . he that desires to see jesus is in the way to injoy him : there is not so much as a remote possibility in the man that cares not to behold him . the eye were ill bestowed , if it were onely to betray our souls : there are no less beneficial glaunces of it . we are not worthy of this usefull casement of the heart , if we do not thence send forth beams of holy desires , and thereby re-convey profitable and saving objects . i cannot marvell if zacchaeus were desirous to see jesus : all the world was not worth this sight . old simeon thought it best to have his eyes closed up with this spectacle , as if he held it pity and disparagement to see ought after it . the father of the faithfull rejoyced to see him , though at nineteen hundred years distance : and the great doctour of the gentiles stands upon this as his highest stair , have i not seen the lord jesus ? and yet , o saviour , many a one saw thee here , that shall never see thy face above ; yea , that shall call to the hills to hide them from thy sight . and if we had once known thee according to the flesh , henceforth know we thee so no more . what an happiness shall it be , so to see thee glorious , that in seeing thee we shall partake of thy glory ? o blessed vision , to which all others are but penal and despicable ! let me go into the mint-house , and see heaps of gold , i am never the richer : let me go to the picturers , i see goodly faces , and am never the fairer : let me go to the court , i see state and magnificence , and am never the greater . but , o saviour , i cannot see thee , and not be blessed . i can see thee here , though in a glass : if the eye of my faith be dim , yet it is sure . o let me be unquiet till i do now see thee through the veil of heaven , ere i shall see thee as i am seen . fain would zacchaeus see jesus , but he could not . it were strange if a man should not find some lett in good desires ; somewhat will be still in the way betwixt us and christ . here are two hinderances met , the one internal , the other external ; the stature of the man , the press of the multitude ; the greatness of the press , the smalness of the stature . there was great thronging in the streets of jericho to see jesus ; the doors , the windows the bulks were all full : here are many beholders , few disciples . if gazing , if profession were godliness , christ could not want clients : now amongst all these wonderers there is but one zacchaeus . in vain should we boast of our forwardness to see and hear christ in our streets , if we receive him not into our hearts . this croud hides christ from zacchaeus . alas ! how common a thing is it , by the interposition of the throng of the world to be kept from the sight of our jesus ? here , a carnal fashionist says , away with this austere scrupulousness , let me doe as the most . the throng keeps this man from christ . there , a superstitious mis-believer says , what tell you me of an handfull of reformed . the whole world is ours . this man is kept from christ by the throng . the covetous mammonist says , let them that have leisure be devout , my imployments are many , my affairs great . this man cannot see christ for the throng . there is no perfect view of christ , but in an holy secession . the spouse found not her beloved till she was past the company , then she found him whom her soul loved . whoso never seeks christ but in the croud , shall never find comfort in finding him : the benefit of our publick view must be enjoyed in retiredness . if in a press we see a man's face , that is all ; when we have him alone , every lim may be viewed . o saviour , i would be loth not to see thee in thine assemblies , but i would be more loth not to see thee in my closet . yet had zacchaeus been but of the common pitch , he might perhaps have seen christ's face over his fellows shoulders : now , his stature adds to the disadvantage ; his body did not answer to his mind ; his desires were high , whilst his body was low . the best is , however smalness of stature was disadvantageous in a level , yet it is not so at height . a little man , if his eye be clear , may look as high ( though not as far ) as the tallest . the least pigmy may from the lowest valley see the sun or stars as fully as a giant upon the highest mountain . o saviour , thou art now in heaven , the smalness of our person or of our condition cannot lett us from beholding thee . the soul hath no stature , neither is heaven to be had with reaching : onely clear thou the eyes of my faith , and i am high enough . i regard not the body , the soul is the man : it is to small purpose that the body is a giant , if the soul be a dwarf . we have to doe with a god that measures us by our desires , and not by our statures . all the streets of jericho ( however he seemed to the eye ) had not so tall a man as zacchaeus . the witty publican easily finds both his hinderances , and the ways of their redress . his remedy for the press , is to run before the multitude ; his remedy for his stature , is to climb up into the sycomore : he imploys his feet in the one , his hands and feet in the other . in vain shall he hope to see christ , that doth not out-goe the common throng of the world . the multitude is clustred together , and moves too close to move fast : we must be nimbler then they , if ever we desire or expect to see christ . it is the charge of god , thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil : we doe evil if we lag in good . it is held commonly both wit and state for a man to keep his pace : and that man escapes not censure , who would be forwarder then his fellows . indeed for a man to run alone in ways of indifferency , or to set an hypocritical face of out-running all others in a zealous profession , when the heart lingers behind , both these are justly hatefull : but in an holy emulation to strive truly and really to out-strip others in degrees of grace , and a conscionable care of obedience , this is truly christian , and worthy of him that would hope to be blessed with the sight of a saviour . tell me , ye fashionable christians , that stand upon terms of equality , and will not go a foot before your neighbours in holy zeal and aidfull charity , in conscionable sincerity ; tell me , who hath made other mens progress a measure for yours ? which of you says , i will be no richer , no greater , no fairer , no wiser , no happier then my fellows ? why should you then say , i will be no holier ? our life is but a race ; every good end that a man proposes to himself is a several goal . did ever any man that ran for a prize say , i will keep up with the rest ? doth he not know that if he be not foremost , he loseth ? we had as good to have sate still , as not so to run that we may obtain . we obtain not , if we out-run not the multitude . so far did zacchaeus over-run the stream of the people , that he might have space to climb the sycomore ere jesus could pass by . i examine not the kind , the nature , the quality of this plant : what tree soever it had been , zacchaeus would have tried to scale it , for the advantage of this prospect . he hath found out this help for his stature , and takes pains to use it . it is the best improvement of our wit , to seek out the aptest furtherances for our souls . do you see a weak and studious christian , that being unable to inform himself in the matters of god , goes to the cabinet of heaven , the priests lips , which shall preserve knowledge ? there is zacchaeus in the sycomore . it is the truest wisedom that helps forward our salvation . how witty we are to supply all the deficiencies of nature ? if we be low , we can adde cubits to our stature ; if ill-coloured , we can borrow complexion ; if hairless , perukes ; if dim-sighted , glasses ; if lame , crutches : and shall we be conscious of our spiritual wants , and be wilfully regardless of the remedy ? surely , had zacchaeus stood still on the ground , he had never seen christ ; had he not climbed the sycomore , he had never climbed into heaven . o saviour , i have not height enough of my own to see thee : give me what sycomore thou wilt ; give me grace to use it , give me an happy use of that grace . the more i look at the mercy of christ , the more cause i see of astonishment . zacchaeus climbes up into the sycomore to see jesus : jesus first sees him , preventing his eyes with a former view . little did zacchaeus look that jesus would have cast up his eyes to him . well might he think the boys in the street would spy him out , and shout at his stature , trade , ambition : but that jesus should throw up his eyes into the sycomore , and take notice of that small despised morsell of flesh , ere zacchaeus could find space to distinguish his face from the rest , was utterly beyond his thought or expectation . all his hope is to see ; and now he is seen . to be seen and acknowledged is much more then to see . upon any solemn occasion many thousands see the prince , whom he sees not ; and if he please to single out any one , whether by his eye or by his tongue , amongst the press , it passes for an high favour . zacchaeus would have thought it too much boldness to have asked what was given him . as jonathan did to david , so doeth god to us , he shoots beyond us . did he not prevent us with mercy , we might climbe into the sycomore in vain . if he give grace to him that doeth his best , it is the praise of the giver , not the earning of the receiver . how can we doe or will without him ? if he sees us first , we live ; and if we desire to see him , we shall be seen of him . who ever took pains to climbe the sycomore , and came down disappointed ? o lord , what was there in zacchaeus , that thou shouldst look up at him ? a publican , a sinner , an arch-extortioner ; a dwarf in stature , but a giant in oppression ; a little man , but a great sycophant ; if rich in coin , more rich in sins and treasures of wrath . yet it is enough that he desires to see thee : all these disadvantages cannot hide him from thee . be we never so sinfull , if our desires towards thee be hearty and fervent , all the broad leaves of the sycomore cannot keep off thine eye from us . if we look at thee with the eye of faith , thou wilt look at us with the eye of mercy . the eye of the lord is upon the just ; and he is just that would be so ; if not in himself , yet in thee . o saviour , when zacchaeus was above , and thou wert below , thou didst look up at him : now thou art above , and we below , thou lookest down upon us : thy mercy turns thine eyes every way towards our necessities . look down upon us , that are not worthy to look up unto thee ; and find us out , that we may seek thee . it was much to note zacchaeus , it was more to name him . methinks i see how zacchaeus startled at this , to hear the sound of his own name from the mouth of christ : neither can he but think , doth jesus know me ? is it his voice , or some other 's in the throng ? lo , this is the first blink that ever i had of him . i have heard the fame of his wonderfull works , and held it happiness enough for me to have seen his face ; and doth he take notice of my person , of my name ? surely the more that zacchaeus knew himself , the more doth he wonder that christ should know him . it was slander enough for a man to be a friend to a publican ; yet christ gives this friendly compellation to the chief of publicans , and honours him with this argument of a sudden intireness . the favour is great , but not singular : every elect of god is thus graced . the father knows the child's name : as he calls the stars of heaven by their names , so doth he his saints , the stars on earth ; and it is his own rule to his israel , i have called thee by thy name , thou art mine . as god's children do not content themselves with a confused knowledge of him , but aspire to a particular appprehension and sensible application ; so doeth god again to them : it is not enough that he knows them as in the croud , wherein we see many persons , none distinctly ; but he takes single and severall knowledge of their qualities , conditions , motions , events . what care we that our names are obscure or contemned amongst men , whilst they are regarded by god ? that they are raked up in the dust of earth , whilst they are recorded in heaven ? had our saviour said no more but , zacchaeus , come down , the poor man would have thought himself taxed for his boldness and curiosity : it were better to be unknown , then noted for miscarriage . but now the next words comfort him ; for i must this day abide at thine house . what a sweet familiarity was here ? as if christ had been many years acquainted with zacchaeus , whom he now first saw . besides our use , the host is invited by the guest , and called to an unexpected entertainment . well did our saviour hear zacchaeus his heart inviting him , though his mouth did not . desires are the language of the soul ; those are heard by him that is the god of spirits . we dare not doe thus to each other , save where we have eaten much salt ; we scarce go where we are invited : though the face be friendly , and the entertainment great , yet the heart may be hollow . but here , he that saw the heart , and foreknew his welcome , can boldly say , i must this day abide at thine house . what a pleasant kind of entire familiarity there is betwixt christ and a good heart ? if any man open , i will come in , and sup with him . it is much for the king of glory to come into a cottage , and sup there : yet thus he may doe , and take some state upon him in sitting alone . no , i will so sup with him , that he shall sup with me . earthly state consists in strangeness , and affects a stern kind of majesty aloof . betwixt god and us , though there be infinite more distance , yet there is a gracious affability and familiar intireness of conversation . o saviour , what doest thou else every day but invite thy self to us in thy word , in thy sacraments ? who are we that we should entertain thee , or thou us , dwarfs in grace , great in nothing but unworthiness ? thy praise is worthy to be so much the more , as our worth is less . thou that biddest thy self to us , bid us be fit to receive thee , and in receiving thee , happy . how graciously doth jesus still prevent the publican , as in his sight , notice , compellation , so in his invitation too ? that other publican , levi , bade christ to his house , but it was after christ had bidden him to his discipleship : christ had never been called to his feast , if levi had not been called into his family . he loved us first , he must first call us ; for he calls us out of love . as in the generall calling of christianity , if he did not say , seek ye my face , we could never say , thy face , lord , will i seek : so in the specialties of our main benefits or imployments , christ must begin to us . if we invite our selves to him before he invite himself to us , the undertaking is presumptuous , the success unhappy . if nathanael , when christ named him , and gave him the memorial-token of his being under the fig-tree , could say , thou art the son of god ; how could zacchaeus doe less in hearing himself upon this wild fig-tree named by the same lips ? how must he needs think , if he knew not all things , he could not know me ; and if he knew not the hearts of men , he could not have known my secret desires to entertain him : he is a god that knows me , and a mercifull god that invites himself to me ? no marvel therefore , if upon this thought zacchaeus come down in haste . our saviour said not , take thy leisure , zacchaeus ; but , i will abide at thine house to day . neither did zacchaeus upon this intimation sit still and say , when the press is over , when i have done some errands of my office ; but he hasts down to receive jesus . the notice of such a guest would have quickned his speed without a command . god loves not slack and lazy executions . the angels of god are described with wings : and we pray to doe his will with their forwardness . yea even to judas christ saith , what thou doest , doe quickly . o saviour , there is no day wherein thou dost not call us by the voice of thy gospel : what doe we still lingering in the sycomore ? how unkindly must thou needs take the delays of our conversion ? certainly , had zacchaeus staid still in the tree , thou hadst balked his house as unworthy of thee . what construction canst thou make of our wilfull dilations , but as a stubborn contempt ? how canst thou but come to us in vengeance , if we come not down to entertain thee in a thankfull obedience ? yet do i not hear thee say , zacchaeus , cast thy self down for haste ; this was the counsell of the tempter to thee ; but , come down in haste . and he did accordingly . there must be no more haste then good speed in our performances : we may offend as well in our heady acceleration , as in our delay . moses ran so fast down the hill that he stumbled spiritually , and brake the tables of god. we may so fast follow after justice , that we out-run charity . it is an unsafe obedience that is not discreetly and leisurely speedfull . the speed of his descent was not more then the alacrity of his entertainment . he made haste , and came down , and received him joyfully . the life of hospitality is chearfulness . let our chear be never so great , if we do not reade our welcome in our friend's face as well as in his dishes , we take no pleasure in it . can we marvell that zacchaeus received christ joyfully ? who would not have been glad to have his house , yea himself , made happy with such a guest ? had we been in the stead of this publican , how would our hearts have leapt within us for joy of such a presence ? how many thousand miles are measured by some devout christians , onely to see the place where his feet stood ? how much happier must he needs think himself that owns the roof that receives him ? but o the incomparable happiness then of that man whose heart receives him , not for a day , not for years of days , not for millions of years , but for eternity ! this may be our condition , if we be not streightned in our own bowels . o saviour , do thou welcome thy self to these houses of clay , that we may receive a joyfull welcome to thee in those everlasting habitations . zacchaeus was not more glad of christ then the jews were discontented . four vices met here at once , envy , scrupulousness , ignorance , pride . their eye was evil because christ's was good . i do not hear any of them invite christ to his home ; yet they snarl at the honour of this unworthy host : they thought it too much happiness for a sinner , which themselves willingly neglected to sue for . wretched men ! they cannot see the mercy of christ , for being bleared with the happiness of zacchaeus : yea , that very mercy which they see , torments them . if that viper be the deadliest which feeds the sweetest , how poisonous must this disposition needs be that feeds upon grace ? what a contrariety there is betwixt good angels and evil men ? the angels rejoyce at that whereat men pout and stomach : men are ready to cry and burst for anger at that which makes musick in heaven . o wicked and foolish elder brother , that feeds on hunger and his own heart without doors , because his younger brother is feasting on the fat calf within ! besides envy they stand scrupulously upon the terms of traditions . these sons of the earth might not be conversed with ; their threshold was unclean ; touch me not , for i am holier then thou . that he therefore , who went for a prophet , should go to the house of a publican and sinner , must needs be a great eye-sore . they that might not go in to a sinner , cared not what sins entred into themselves : the true cousins of those hypocrites , who held it a pollution to go into the judgment-hall , no pollution to murther the lord of life . there cannot be a greater argument of a false heart , then to stumble at these straws , and to leap over the blocks of gross impiety . well did our saviour know how hainously offensive it would be to turn in to this publican : he knows , and regards it not . a soul is to be wone , what cares he for idle misconstruction ? morally good actions must not be suspended upon danger of causeless scandal . in things indifferent and arbitrary , it is fit to be over-ruled by fear of offence : but if men will stumble in the plain ground of good , let them fall without our regard , not without their own perill . i know not if it were not david's weakness to abstain from good words , whilst the wicked were in place . let justice be done in spite of the world ; and in spite of hell , mercy . ignorance was in part guilty of these scruples : they thought christ either too holy to go to a sinner , or in going made unholy . foolish men ! to whom came he ? to you righteous ? let himself speak : i came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . whither should the physician go but to the sick ? the who le need him not . love is the best attractive of us ; and he to whom much is forgiven , loves much . o saviour , the glittering palaces of proud justiciaries are not for thee ; thou lovest the lowly and ragged cottage of a contrite heart . neither could here be any danger of thy pollution . thy sun could cast his beams upon the impurest dunghill , and not be tainted . it was free and safe for the leper and bloudy-fluxed to touch thee ; thou couldst heal them , they could not infect thee . neither is it otherwise in this moral contagion . we who are obnoxious to evil , may be insensibly defiled : thy purity was enough to remedy that which might marre a world . thou canst help us ; we cannot hurt thee . o let thy presence ever bless us ; and let us ever bless thee for thy presence . pride was an attendent of this ignorance : so did they note zacchaeus for a sinner , as if themselves had been none . his sins were written in his forehead , theirs in their breast . the presumption of their secrecy makes them insult upon his notoriousness . the smoke of pride flies still upward , and in the mounting vanisheth ; contrition beats it down , and fetcheth tears from the tender eyes . there are stage-sins , and there are closet sins . these may not upbraid the other : they may be more hainous , though less manifest . it is a dangerous vanity to look outward at other mens sins with scorn , when we have more need to cast our eyes inward to see our own with humiliation . thus they stumbled and fell ; but zacchaeus stood . all their malicious murmur could not dishearten his piety and joy in the entertaining of christ . before zacchaeus lay down as a sinner , now he stands up as a convert : sinning is falling , continuance in sin is lying down , repentance is rising and standing up . yet perhaps this standing was not so much the site of his constancy or of his conversion , as of his reverence . christ's affability hath not made him unmannerly : zacchaeus stood . and what if the desire of more audibleness raised him to his feet ? in that smalness of stature it was not fit he should lose ought of his height . it was meet so noble a proclamation should want no advantage of hearing . never was our saviour better welcomed . the penitent publican makes his will , and makes christ his supervisor . his will consists of legacies given , of debts paid : gifts to the poor , payments to the injured . there is liberality in the former , in the latter justice ; in both the proportions are large : half to the poor ; fourfold to the wronged . this hand sowed not sparingly . here must needs be much of his own that was well gotten , whether left by patrimony , or saved by parsimony , or gained by honest improvement . for when he had restored fourfold to every one whom he had oppressed , yet there remained a whole half for pious uses : and this he so distributes , that every word commends his bounty . i give ; and what is more free then gift ? in alms we may neither sell , nor return , nor cast away . we sell , if we part with them for importunity , for vain-glory , for retribution : we return them , if we give with respect to former offices ; this is to pay , not to bestow : we cast away , if in our beneficence we neither regard order nor discretion . zacchaeus did neither cast away , nor return , nor sell , but give . i do give ; not , i will. the prorogation of good makes it thankless . the alms that smell of the hand lose the praise . it is twice given that is given quickly . those that defer their gifts till their death-bed doe as good as say , lord , i will give thee something when i can keep it no longer . happy is the man that is his own executor . i give my goods ; not another's . it is a thankless vanity to be liberal of another man's purse . whoso gives of that which he hath taken away from the owner , doeth more wrong in giving then in stealing . god expects our gifts , not our spoils . i fear there is too many a school and hospital , every stone whereof may be challenged . had zacchaeus meant to give of his extortions , he had not been so carefull of his restitution : now he restores to others , that he may give of his own ; i give half my goods . the publican's heart was as large as his estate ; he was not more rich in goods then in bounty . were this example binding , who should be rich to give ? who should be poor to receive ? in the streight beginnings of the church those beneficences were requisite , which afterwards in the larger elbow-room thereof would have caused much confusion . if the first christians laid down all at the apostles feet , yet ere long it was enough for the believing corinthians , every first day of the week to lay aside some pittance for charitable purposes . we are no disciples , if we do not imitate zacchaeus so far as to give liberally , according to the proportion of our estate . giving is sowing : the larger seeding , the greater crop . giving to the poor is foeneration to god : the greater bank , the more interest . who can fear to be too wealthy ? time was when men faulted in excess : proclamations were fain to restrain the jews ; statutes were fain to restrain our ancestours . now there needs none of this : men know how to shut their hands alone . charity is in more danger of freezing then of burning . how happy were it for the church , if men were onely close-handed to hold , and not lime-fingered to take . to the poor ; not to rich heirs . god gives to him that hath ; we to him that wants . some want because they would , whether out of prodigality or idleness ; some want because they must : these are the fit subjects of our beneficence , not those other . a poverty of our own making deserves no pity . he that sustains the lewd , feeds not his belly , but his vice . so then this living legacy of zacchaeus is free , i give ; present , i do give ; just , my goods ; large , half my goods ; fit , to the poor . neither is he more bountifull in his gift , then just in his restitution : if i have taken ought from any man by false accusation , i restore it four-fold . it was proper for a publican to pill and pole the subject , by devising complaints , and raising causeless vexations , that his mouth might be stopt with fees , either for silence or composition . this had zacchaeus often done . neither is this [ if ] a note of doubt , but of assertion . he is sure of the fact , he is not sure of the persons : their challenge must help to further his justice . the true penitence of this holy convert expresses it self in confession , in satisfaction . his confession is free , full , open . what cares he to shame himself , that he may give glory to god ? woe be to that bashfulness that ends in confusion of face . o god , let me blush before men , rather then be confounded before thee , thy saints and angels . his satisfaction is no less liberal then his gift . had not zacchaeus been carefull to pay the debts of his fraud , all had gone to the poor . he would have done that voluntarily , which the young man in the gospel was bidden to doe , and refusing went away sorrowfull . now he knew that his misgotten gain was not for god's corban ; therefore he spares half , not to keep , but to restore . this was the best dish in zacchaeus his good chear . in vain had he feasted christ , given to the poor , confessed his extortions , if he had not made restitution . woe is me for the paucity of true converts . there is much stoln goods ; little brought home . mens hands are like the fisher's flue , yea like hell it self , which admits of no return . o god , we can never satisfie thee ; our score is too great , our abilities too little : but if we make not even with men , in vain shall we look for mercy from thee . to each his own had been well ; but four for one was munificent . in our transactions of commerce , we doe well to beat the bargain to the lowest ; but in cases of moral or spiritual payments to god or men , now there must be a measure , pressed , shaken , running over . in good offices and due retributions we may not be pinching and niggardly . it argues an earthly and ignoble mind , where we have apparently wronged , to higgle and dodge in the amends . o mercy and justice well repaid ! this day is salvation come to thine house . lo , zacchaeus , that which thou givest to the poor , is nothing to that which thy saviour gives to thee . if thou restorest four for one , here is more then thousands of millions for nothing : were every of thy pence a world , they could hold no comparison with this bounty . it is but dross that thou givest , it is salvation that thou receivest . thou gavest in present , thou dost not receive in hope ; but , this day is salvation come to thine house . thine ill-gotten metalls were a strong bar to bolt heaven-gates against thee : now that they are dissolved by a seasonable beneficence and restitution , those gates of glory fly open to thy soul. where is that man that can challenge god to be in his debt ? who can ever say , lord , this favour i did to the least of thine unrequited ? thrice happy publican , that hast climbed from thy sycomore to heaven ; and by a few worthless bags of unrighteous mammon , hast purchased to thy self a kingdom uncorruptible , undefi●ed , and that fadeth not away . xxi . john baptist beheaded . three of the evangelists have ( with one pen ) recorded the death of the great harbinger of christ , as most remarkable and usefull . he was the fore-runner of christ , as into the world , so out of it : yea , he that made way for christ into the world , made way for the name of christ into the court of herod . this herod antipas was son to that herod who was , and is ever infamous for the massacre at bethlehem . cruelty runs in a bloud . the murtherer of john , the fore-runner of christ , is well descended of him who would have murthered christ , and , for his sake , murthered the infants . it was late ere this herod heard the fame of jesus ; not till he had taken off the head of john baptist . the father of this herod inquired for christ too soon ; this too late . great men should have the best intelligence . if they improve it to all other uses of either frivolous or civil affairs , with neglect of spiritual , their judgment shall be so much more as their helps and means were greater . whether this herod were taken up with his arabian wars against arethas his father in law , or whether he were imployed in his journey to rome , i inquire not : but if he were at home , i must wonder how he could be so long without the noise of christ . certainly , it was a sign he had a very irreligious court , that none of his followers did so much as report to him the miracles of our saviour ; who doubtless told him many a vain tale the while . one tells him of his brother philip's discontentment ; another relates the news of the roman court ; another , the angry threats of arethas ; another flatters him with the admiration of his new mistress , and disparagement of the old : no man so much as says , sir , there is a prophet in your kingdom that doeth wonders . there was not a man in his countrey that had not been astonished with the same of jesus ; yea all syria and the adjoyning regions rung of it : onely herod's court hears nothing . miserable is that greatness which keeps men from the notice of christ . how plain is it from hence , that our saviour kept aloof from the court ? the austere and eremiticall harbinger of christ , it seems , preacht there oft , and was heard gladly ; though , at last , to his cost : whilst our saviour , who was more sociable , came not there . he sent a message to that fox , whose den he would not approach . whether it were that he purposely forbore , lest he should give that tyrant occasion to revive and pursue his father's suspicion ; or whether for that he would not so much honour a place so infamously graceless and disorder'd ; or whether by his example to teach us the avoidance of outward pomp and glory . surely herod saw him not till his death ; heard not of him till the death of john baptist . and now his un-intelligence was not more strange then his misconstruction ; this is john baptist , whom i beheaded . first , he doubted , then he resolved : he doubted upon others suggestions ; upon his own apprehensions he resolved thus . and though he thought good to set a face on it to strangers , unto whom it was not safe to bewray his fear ; yet to his domesticks he freely discovered his thoughts ; this is john baptist . the troubled conscience will many a time open that to familiars , which it hides from the eyes of others . shame and fear meet together in guiltiness . how could he imagine this to be john ? that common conceit of transanimation could have no place here ; there could be no transmigration of souls into a grown and well-statur'd body . that received fancy of the jews held onely in the case of conception and birth , not of full age . what need we scan this point , when herod himself professes , he is risen from the dead ? he that was a jew by profession , and knew the story of elisha's bones , of the sareptan's and shunamite's sons , and in all likelihood had now heard of our saviour's miraculous resuscitation of others , might think this power reflected upon himself . even herod , as bad as he was , believed a resurrection . lewdness of life and practice may stand with orthodoxy in some main points of religion . who can doubt of this , when the devils believe and tremble ? where shall those men appear , whose faces are christian , but their hearts sadducees ? oh the terrours and tortures of a guilty heart ! herod's conscience told him he had offered an unjust and cruel violence to an innocent ; and now he thinks that john's ghost haunts him . had it not been for this guilt of his bosom , why might he not as well have thought that the same god , whose hand is not shortned , had conferred this power of miracles upon some other ? now , it could be no body but john that doeth these wonders : and how can it be ( thinks he ) but that this revived prophet , who doeth these strange things , will be revenged on me for his head ? he that could give himself life , can more easily take mine : how can i escape the hands of a now-immortal and impassible avenger ? a wicked man needs no other tormentour ( especially for the sins of bloud ) then his own heart . revell , o herod , and feast , and frolick ; and please thy self with dances , and triumphs , and pastimes : thy sin shall be as some fury that shall invisibly follow thee , and scourge thy guilty heart with secret lashes , and upon all occasions shall begin thine hell within thee . he wanted not other sins , that yet cried , deliver me from bloud-guiltiness , o god. what an honour was done to john in this misprision ? while that man lived , the world was apt to think that john was the christ : now that john is dead , herod thinks christ to be john. god gives to his poor conscionable servants a kind of reverence and high respect , even from those men that malign them most ; so as they cannot but venerate whom they hate . contrarily , no wit or power can shield a leud man from contempt . john did no miracle in his life , yet now herod thinks he did miracles in his resurrection ; as supposing that a new supernatural life brought with it a supernatural power . who can but wonder at the stupid partiality of herod and these jews ? they can imagine and yield john risen from the dead , that never did miracle , and arose not ; whereas christ , who did infinite miracles , and arose from the dead by his almighty power , is not yielded by them to have risen . their over-bountifull misconceit of the servant , is not so injurious as their niggardly infidelity to the master . both of them shall convince and confound them before the face of god. but , o yet more blockish herod ! thy conscience affrights thee with john's resurrection , and flies in thy face for the cruel murther of so great a saint ; yet where is thy repentance for so foul a fact ? who would not have expected that thou shouldst hereupon have humbled thy self for thy sin , and have laboured to make thy peace with god and him ? the greater the fame and power was of him whom thou supposedst recovered from thy slaughter , the more should have been thy penitence . impiety is wont to besot men , and turn them senseless of their own safety and welfare . one would have thought that our first grand-sire adam , when he found his heart to strike him for his disobedience , should have run to meet god upon his knees , and have sued for pardon of his offence : in stead of that , he runs to hide his head among the bushes . the case is still ours ; we inherit both his sin and his senselesness . besides the infinite displeasure of god , wickedness makes the heart uncapable of grace , and impregnable to the means of conversion . even the very first act of herod's cruelty was hainous . he was foul enough with other sins ; he added this above all , that he shut up john in prison . the violence offered to god's messengers is branded for notorious . the sanctity and austere carriage of the man wone him honour justly from the multitude , and aggravated the sin : but whatever his person had been , his mission was sacred , ( he shall send his messenger ; ) the wrong redounds to the god that sent him . it is the charge of god , touch not mine anointed , nor doe my prophets any harm . the precept is perhaps one , for even prophets were anointed ; but at least next to violation of majesty , is the wrong to a prophet . but what ? do i not hear the evangelist say that herod heard john gladly ? how is it then ? did john take the ear and heart of herod , and doth herod bind the hands and feet of john ? doth he wilfully imprison whom he gladly heard ? how inconstant is a carnall heart to good resolutions ? how little trust is to be given to the good motions of unregenerate persons ? we have known when even mad dogs have fawned upon their master , yet he hath been too wise to trust them but in chains . as a true friend loves always , so a gracious heart always affects good : neither can be altered with change of occurrences . but the carnal man , like an hollow parasite or a fawning spaniel , flatters onely for his own turn ; if that be once either served or crossed , like a churlish curre , he is ready to snatch us by the fingers . is there a worldly-minded man that lives in some known sin , yet makes much of the preacher , frequents the church , talks godly , looks demurely , carries fair ? trust him not ; he will prove , after his pious fits , like some resty horse , which goes on some paces readily and eagerly , but anon either stands still , or falls to flinging and plunging , and never leaves till he have cast his rider . what then might be the cause of john's bonds , and herod's displeasure ? for herodias sake his brother philip's wife . that woman was the subject of herod's lust , and the exciter of his revenge . this light huswife ran away with her husband's brother ; and now doting upon her incestuous lover , and finding john to be a rub in the way of her licentious adultery , is impatient of his liberty , and will not rest till his restraint . resolved sinners are mad upon their leud courses , and run furiously upon their gainsayers . a bear robbed of her whelps is less impetuous . indeed , those that have determined to love their sins more then their souls , whom can they care for ? though herod was wicked enough , yet had it not been upon herodias's instigation , he had never imprisoned john. importunity of leud solicitours may be of dangerous consequence , and many times draws greatness into those ways which it either would not have thought of , or abhorred . in the remotion of the wicked is the establishment of the throne . yet still is this dame called the wife of philip. she had utterly left his bed , and was solemnly coupled to herod ; but all the ritual ceremonies of her new nuptials cannot make her other then philip's wife . it is a sure rule , that which is originally faulty can never be rectified . the ordination of marriage is one for one ; they twain shall be one flesh . there cannot be two heads to one body , nor two bodies to one head . herod was her adulterer , he was not her husband ; she was herod's harlot , philip's wife . yet how doth herod dote on her , that for her sake he loads john with irons ? whether will not the fury of inordinate lust transport a man ? certainly john was of late in herod's favour . that rough-hewn preacher was for a wilderness , not for a court : herod's invitation drew him thither , his reverence and respects incouraged him there . now the love of his lust hath carried him into an hate of god's messenger . that man can have no hold of himself or care of others , who hath given the reins to his unruly concupiscence . he that hath once fixed his heart upon the face of an harlot , and hath beslaved himself to a bewitching beauty , casts off at once all fear of god , respect to laws , shame of the world , regard of his estate , care of wife , children , friends , reputation , patrimony , body , soul. so violent is this beastly passion where it takes ; neither ever leaves till it hath hurried him into the chambers of death . herodias her self had first plotted to kill the baptist ; her murtherers were suborned , her ambushes laid . the success failed , and now she works with herod for his durance . o marvellous hand of the almighty ! john was a mean man for estate , solitary , guardless , unarmed , impotent : herodias a queen , so great that she swayed herod himself ; and not more great then subtle ; and not more great or subtle then malicious : yet herodias laid to kill john , and could not . what an invisible , and yet sure , guard there is about the poor servants of god , that seem helpless and despicable in themselves ? there is over them an hand of divine protection , which can be no more opposed then seen . malice is not so strong in the hand , as in the heart . the devil is stronger then a world of men , a legion of devils stronger then fewer spirits ; yet a legion of devils cannot hurt one swine without a permission . what can bands of enemies or gates of hell doe against god's secret ones ? it is better to trust in the lord , then to trust in princes . it is not more clear who was the authour , then what was the motive of this imprisonment , the free reproof of herod's incest ; it is not lawfull , &c. both the offenders were nettled with this bold reprehension . herod knew the reputation that john carried ; his conscience could not but suggest the foulness of his own fact : neither could he but see how odious it would seem to persecute a prophet for so just a reproof . for the colour therefore of so tyrannical an act , he brands john with sedition : these presumptuous taxations are a disgrace and disparagement to authority . it is no news with wicked tyrants , to cloak their cruelty with pretences of justice . never was it other then the lot of god's faithfull servants , to be loaded with unjust reproaches in the conscionable performance of their duties . they should speed too well in the opinion of men , if they might but appear in their true shape . the fact of herod was horrible and prodigious ; to rob his own brother of the partner of his bed ; to tear away part of his flesh , yea his body from his head . so as here was at once in one act , adultery , incest , violence . adultery , that he took another's wife : incest , that he took his brother's : violence , that he thus took her , in spite of her husband . justly therefore might john say , it is not lawfull for thee . he balked not one of herod's sins , but reproved him of all the evils that he had done ; though more eminently of this , as that which more filled the eye of the world . it was not the crown or awfull scepter of herod that could daunt the homely , but faithfull , messenger of god : as one that came in the spirit of elias , he fears no faces , spares no wickedness . there must meet in god's ministers courage and impartiality . impartiality , not to make difference of persons ; courage , not to make spare of the sins of the greatest . it is an hard condition that the necessity of our calling casts upon us , in some cases to run upon the pikes of displeasure . prophecies were no burthens , if they did not expose us to these dangers . we must connive at no evil : every sin unreproved becomes ours . hatred is the daughter of truth . herod is inwardly vexed with so peremptory a reprehension : and now he seeks to kill the authour . and why did he not ? he feared the people . the time was when he feared john no less then now he hates him : he once reverenced him as a just and holy man , whom now he heart-burns as an enemy ; neither was it any counterfeit respect , sure the man was then in earnest . what shall we say then ? was it that his inconstant heart was now fetcht off by herodias , and wrought to a disaffection ? or was it with herod as with salomon's sluggard , that at once would and would not ? his thoughts are distracted with a mixt voluntary contradiction of purposes : as an holy man and honoured of the people , he would not kill john ; he would kill him , as an enemy to his lust . the worse part prevaileth ; appetite oversways reason and conscience : and now , were it not for fear of the people , john should be murthered . what a self-conflicting and prodigious creature is a wicked man left over to his own thoughts ? whilst on the one side he is urged by his conscience , on the other by his lustfull desires and by the importunity of satan . there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked : and after all his inward broils , he falls upon the worst ; so as his yieldance is worse then his fight . when god sees fit , herod's tyranny shall effect that which the wise providence of the almighty hath decreed for his servant's glory . in the mean while , rubs shall be cast in his way ; and this for one , he feared the people . what an absurd and sottish thing is hypocrisy ? herod fears the people , he fears not god. tell me then , herod , what could the people doe at the worst ? perhaps , mutiny against thee , raise arms and tumults , disturb the government , it may be , shake it off . what could god doe ? yea , what not ? stir up all his creatures to plague thee , and when he hath done , tumble thee down to hell , and there torment thee everlastingly . o fond herod , that fearest where no fear was , and fearest not where there is nothing but terrour ! how god fits lewd men with restraints ? if they be so godless as to regard his creature above himself , he hath externall buggs to affright them withall ; if bashfull , he hath shame ; if covetous , losses ; if proud , disgrace : and by this means the most wise providence keeps the world in order . we cannot better judge of our hearts , then by what we most fear . no man is so great as to be utterly exempted from fear . the jews feared herod ; herod feared the jews : the healthfull fear sickness ; the free , servitude : the people fear a tyrant's oppression and cruelty ; the tyrant fears the people's mutiny and insurrection . if there have been some so great as to be above the reach of the power and machinations of inferiours , yet never any that have been free from their fears and suspicions . happy is he that fears nothing but what he should , god. why did herod fear the people ? they held john for a prophet . and this opinion was both common and constant : even the scribes and pharisees durst not say , his baptism was from men . it is the wisedom and goodness of god , ever to give his children favour somewhere . if jezebel hate elias , ahab shall for the time honour him : and if herod hate the baptist , and would kill him , yet the people reverence him . herod's malice would make him away ; the people's reputation keeps him alive . as wise princes have been content to maintain a faction in their court or state for their own purposes ; so here did the god of heaven contrive and order differences of judgment and affection betwixt herod and his subjects for his own holy ends . else certainly , if all wicked men should conspire in evil , there could be no being upon earth ; as contrarily , if evil spirits did not accord , hell could not stand . oh the unjust and fond partiality of this people ! they all generally applaud john for a prophet , yet they receive not his message . whose prophet was john , but of the highest ? what was his errand , but to be the way-maker unto christ ? what was he but the voice of that eternal word of his father ? what was the sound of that voice but , behold the lamb of god : he that comes after me is greater then i , whose shoe-latchet i am not worthy to unlose ? yet they honour the servant , and reject the master : they contemn that prince whose embassadour they reverence . how could they but argue , john is a prophet ; he speaks from god ; his words must be true ; he tells us this is the lamb of god , the messias that should come to redeem the world : this must then needs be he ; we will look for no other ? yet this perverse people receives john , and rejects jesus . there is ever an absurdity in unbelief , whilst it separates those relations and respects which can never in nature be disjoyned . thus it readily apprehends god as mercifull in pardoning , not as just in punishing ; christ as a saviour , not as a judge . thus we ordinarily ( in a contrariety to these jews ) profess to receive the master , and contemn the servants : whilst he hath said that will make it good , he that despiseth you , despiseth me . that which herod in policy durst not , in wine he dares doe : and that which god had restrained till his own time , now in his own time he permits to be done . the day was , as one of the evangelists styles it , convenient : if for the purpose of herodias , i am sure for god's ; who , having determined to glorify himself by john's martyrdome , will cast it upon a time when it may be most notified , herod's birth-day . all the peers of the country , perhaps of the neighbour nations , are now assembled . herodias could not have found out a time more fit to blazon her own shame and cruelty then in such a confluence . the wise providence of god many times pays us with our own choice ; so as when we think to have brought about our own ends to our best content , we bring about his purposes to our own confusion . herod's birth-day is kept ; and so was pharaoh's : both of them with bloud . these personal stains cannot make the practice unlawfull . where the man is good , the birth is memorable . what blessing have we , if life be none ? and if our life be a blessing , why should it not be celebrated ? excess and disorder may blemish any solemnity ; but that cleaves to the act , not to the institution . herod's birth-day was kept with a feast , and this feast was a supper . it was fit to be a night-work : this festivity was spent in works of darkness , not of the light ; it was a child of darkness that was then born , not of the day . those that are drunken , are drunk in the night . there is a kind of shame in sin , even where it is committed with the stiffest resolution : at least there was wont to be : if now sin be grown impudent , and justice grown bashfull , wo be to us . that there might be perfect revells at herod's birth-day , besides the feast , there is musick and dancing , and that by salome the daughter of herodias . a meet daughter for such a mother , bred according to the disposition of so immodest a parent . dancing in it self , as it is a set , regular , harmonious motion of the body , cannot be unlawfull , more then walking or running ; circumstances may make it sinfull . the wanton gesticulations of a virgin in a wild assembly of gallants warmed with wine , could be no other then riggish and unmaidenly . it is not so frequently seen that the child follows the good qualities of the parent ; it is seldome seen that it follows not the evil . nature is the soil ; good and ill qualities are the herbs and weeds : the soil bears the weeds naturally , the herbs not without culture . what with traduction , what with education , it were strange if we should miss any of our parents mis-dispositions . herodias and salome have what they desired . the dance pleased herod well : those indecent motions that would have displeased any modest eye , ( though what should a modest eye doe at herod's feast ? ) over-pleased herod . well did herodias know how to fit the tooth of her paramour , and had therefore purposely so composed the carriage and gesture of her daughter , as it might take best : although doubtless the same action could not have so pleased from another . herod saw in salome's face and fashion the image of her whom he doated on ; so did she look , so did she move : besides that his lavish cups had predisposed him to wantonness : and now he cannot but like well that which so pleasingly suted his inordinate desire . all humours love to be fed ; especially the vicious , so much more , as they are more eager and stirring . there cannot be a better glass wherein to discern the face of our hearts , then our pleasures : such as they are , such are we , whether vain , or holy . what a strange transportation was this ? whatsoever thou shalt ask : half a kingdom for a dance ? herod , this pastime is over-pay'd for ; there is no proportion in this remuneration : this is not bounty , it is prodigence . neither doth this pass under a bare promise onely , but under an oath , and that solemn and ( as it might be in wine ) serious . how largely do sensual men both profer and give for a little momentany and vain contentment ? how many censure herod's gross impotence , and yet second it with a worse , giving away their precious souls for a short pleasure of sin ? what is half a kingdom , yea a whole world , to a soul ? so much therefore is their madness greater , as their loss is more . so large a boon was worthy of a deliberation . salome consults with her mother upon so ample and ratified a promise . yet so much good nature and filial respect was in this wanton damsel , that she would not carve her self of her option , but takes her mother with her . if herodias were infamously leud , yet she was her parent , and must direct her choice . children should have no will of their own ; as their flesh is their parents , so should their will be . they do justly unchild themselves , that in main elections dispose of themselves without the consent of those which gave them being . it is both unmannerly and unnatural in the child to run before , without , against the will of the parent . oh that we could be so officious to our good and heavenly father , as she was to an earthly and wicked mother ; not to ask , not to undertake ought without his allowance , without his directions : that when the world shall offer us whatsoever our heart desires , we could run to the oracles of god for our resolution ; not daring to accept what he doth not both license and warrant . oh the wonderfull strength of malice ! salome was offered no less then half the kingdome of herod , yet chuses to ask the head of a poor preacher . nothing is so sweet to a corrupt heart as revenge ; especially when it may bring with it a full scope to a dear sin . all worldlings are of this diet : they had rather sin freely for a while and die , then refrain and live happily , eternally . what a suit was this , give me here in a charger the head of john baptist ? it is not enough for her to say , let john's head be cut off ; but , give me it in a charger . what a service was here to be brought into a feast , especially to a woman ? a dead man's head swimming in bloud . how cruel is a wicked heart , that can take pleasure in those things which have most horrour ? oh the importunity of a galled conscience ! herodias could never think her self safe till john was dead ; she could never think him dead till his head were off ; she could not think his head was off till she had it brought her in a platter : a guilty heart never thinks it hath made sure enough . yea , even after the head was thus brought , they thought him alive again . guiltiness and security could never lodge together in one bosome . herod was sorry , and no doubt in earnest , in the midst of his cups and pleasance . i should rather think his jollity counterfeited then his grief . it is true , herod was a fox ; but that subtle beast dissembles not always : when he runs away from the dogs , he means as he does . and if he were formerly willing to have killed john , yet he was unwillingly willing ; and so far as he was unwilling to kill him as a prophet , as a just man , so far was he sorry that he must be killed . had herod been wise , he had not been perplexed . had he been so wise as to have ingaged himself lawfully and within due limits , he had not now been so intangled as to have needed sorrow . the folly of sinners is guilty of their pain , and draws upon them a late and unprofitable repentance . but here the act was not past , though the word were past . it was his misconceived intanglement that caused this sorrow ; which might have been remedied by flying off . a threefold cord tied him to the performance ; the conscience of his oath , the respect to his guests , a lothness to discontent herodias and her daughter . herod had so much religion as to make scruple of an oath ; not so much as to make scruple of a murther . no man casts off all justice and piety at once ; but whilst he gives himself over to some sins , he sticks at others . it is no thank to leud men that they are not universally vicious . all god's several laws cannot be violated at once : there are sins contrary to each other ; there are sins disagreeing from the leudest dispositions . there are oppressours that hate drunkenness ; there are unclean persons which abhor murther ; there are drunkards which hate cruelty . one sin is enough to damn the soul , one leak to drown the vessel . but , o fond herod , what needed this unjust scrupulousness ? well and safely mightest thou have shifted the bond of thine oath with a double evasion . one , that this generality of thy promise was onely to be construed of lawfull acts and motions : that onely can we doe , which we can justly doe ; unlawfulness is in the nature of impossibility . the other , that had this ingagement been so meant , yet might it be as lawfully rescinded as it was unlawfully made . a sinfull promise is ill made , worse performed . thus thou mightest , thou shouldst have come off fair ; where now , holding thy self by an irreligious religion tied to thy foolish and wicked oath , thou onely goest away with this mitigation , that thou art a scrupulous murtherer . in the mean while , if an herod made such conscience of keeping an unlawfull oath , how shall he in the day of judgement condemn those christians which make no conscience of oaths lawfull , just , necessary ? woe is me , one sells an oath for a bribe , another lends an oath for favour , another casts it away for malice . i fear to think it may be a question whether there be more oaths broken , or kept . o god , i marvell not , if being implored as a witness , as an avenger of falshood , thou hold him not guiltless that thus dares take thy name in vain . next to his oath is the respect to his honour . his guests heard his deep engagement , and now he cannot fall off with reputation . it would argue levity and rashness to say and not to doe , and what would the world say ? the misconceits of the points of honour have cost millions of souls . as many a one doeth good onely to be seen of men , so many a one doeth evil onely to satisfie the humour and opinion of others . it is a damnable plausibility so to regard the vain approbation or censure of the beholders , as in the mean time to neglect the allowance or judgment of god. but how ill guests were these ? how well worthy of an herod's table ? had they had but common civility , finding herod perplexed , they had acquitted him by their disswasions , and would have disclaimed the expectation of so bloudy a performance : but they rather ( to gratifie herodias ) make way for so slight and easie a condescent . even godly princes have complained of the iniquity of their heels : how much more must they needs be ill attended , that give incouragements and examples of leudness ? neither was it the least motive , that he was loth to displease his mistress . the damsell had pleased him in her dance ; he would not discontent her in breaking his word . he saw herodias in salome : the suit , he knew , was the mother's , though in the daughter's lips : both would be displeased in falling off ; both would be gratified in yielding . o vain and wicked herod ! he cares not to offend god , to offend his conscience ; he cares to offend a wanton mistress . this is one means to fill hell , lothness to displease . a good heart will rather fall out with all the world then with god , then with his conscience . the mis-grounded sorrow of worldly hearts doth not withhold them from their intended sins . it is enough to vex , not enough to restrain them . herod was sorry , but he sends the executioner for john's head . one act hath made herod a tyrant , and john a martyr . herod a tyrant , in that without all legall proceedings , without so much as false witnesses , he takes off the head of a man , of a prophet . it was lust that carried herod into murther . the proceedings of sin are more hardly avoided then the entrance . whoso gives himself leave to be wicked , knows not where he shall stay . john a martyr , in dying for bearing witness to the truth ; truth in life , in judgment , in doctrine . it was the holy purpose of god , that he which had baptized with water should now be baptized with bloud . never did god mean that his best children should dwell always upon earth : should they stay here , wherefore hath he provided glory above ? now would god have john delivered from a double prison ; of his own , of herod's ; and placed in the glorious liberty of his sons . his head shall be taken off , that it may be crowned with glory . precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints . o happy birth-day ( not of herod , but ) of the baptist ! now doth john enter into his joy ; and in his name is this day ever celebrated of the church . this blessed fore-runner of christ said of himself , i must decrease . he is decreased indeed , and now grown shorter by the head ; but he is not so much decreased in stature , as increased in glory . for one minute's pain he is possessed of endless joy ; and as he came before his saviour into the world , so is he gone before him into heaven . the head is brought in a charger . what a dish was here for a feast ? how prodigiously insatiable is the cruelty of a wicked heart ! o blessed service fit for the table of heaven ! it is not for thee , o wicked herod , nor for thee , malicious and wanton herodias ; it is a dish precious and pleasing to the god of heaven , to the blessed angels , who look'd upon that head with more delight in his constant fidelity , then the beholders saw it with horrour , and herodias with contentment of revenge . it is brought to salome as the reward of her dance ; she presents it to her mother as the dainty she had longed for . methinks i see how that chast and holy countenance was tossed by impure and filthy hands ; that true and faithfull tongue , those sacred lips , those pure eyes , those mortified cheeks are now insultingly handled by an incestuous harlot , and made a scorn to the drunken eyes of herod's guests . oh the wondrous judgments and incomprehensible dispositions of the holy , wise , almighty god! he that was sanctified in the womb , born and conceived with so much note and miracle , ( what manner of child shall this be ? ) lived with so much reverence and observation , is now , at midnight , obscurely murthered in a close prison , and his head brought forth to the insultation and irrision of harlots and ruffians . o god , thou knowest what thou hast to doe with thine own . thus thou sufferest thine to be misused and slaughtered here below , that thou mayest crown them above . it should not be thus , if thou didst not mean that their glory should be answerable to their depression . xxii . the five loaves and two fishes . what flocking there was after christ which way soever he went ? how did the kingdom of heaven suffer an holy violence in these his followers ? their importunity drave him from the land to the sea . when he was upon the sea of tiberias , they followed him with their eyes ; and when they saw which way he bent , they followed him so fast on foot that they prevented his landing . whether it were that our saviour staid some while upon the water , ( as that which yielded him more quietness , and freedom of respiration , ) or whether the foot-passage ( as it oft falls out ) were the shorter cut , by reason of the compasses of the water and the many elbows of the land , i inquire not : sure i am , the wind did not so swiftly drive on the ship , as desire and zeal drave on these eager clients . well did christ see them all the way ; well did he know their steps , and guided them : and now he purposely goes to meet them , whom he seemed to fly . nothing can please god more then our importunity in seeking him : when he withdraws himself , it is that he may be more earnestly inquired for . now then he comes to find them whom he made shew to decline : and seeing a great multitude , he passes from the ship to the shore . that which brought him from heaven to earth , brought him also from the sea to land ; his compassion on their souls , that he might teach them ; compassion on their bodies , that he might heal and feed them . judaea was not large , but populous : it could not be but there must be amongst so many men many diseased : it is no marvel if the report of so miraculous and universal sanations drew customers . they found three advantages of cure above the power and performance of any earthly physician , certainty , bounty , ease . certainty , in that all comers were cured without fail : bounty , in that they were cured without charge : ease , in that they were cured without pain . far be it from us , o saviour , to think that thy glory hath abated of thy mercy : still and ever thou art our assured , bountifull , and perfect physician , who healest all our diseases , and takest away all our infirmities . o that we could have our faithfull recourse to thee in all our spiritual maladies : it were as impossible we should want help , as that thou shouldst want power and mercy . that our saviour might approve himself every way beneficent , he that had filled the souls of his auditours with spiritual repast , will now fill their bodies with temporal : and he that had approved himself the universal physician of his church , will now be known to be the great housholder of the world , by whose liberal provision mankind is maintained . he did not more miraculously heal , then he feeds miraculously . the disciples having well noted the diligent and importune attendence of the multitude , now towards evening come to their master in a care of their repast and discharge . this is a desart place , and the time is now past : send the multitude away , that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals . how well it becomes even spiritual guides to regard the bodily necessities of god's people ? this is not directly in our charge , neither may we leave our sacred ministration to serve tables . but yet , as the bodily father must take care for the soul of his child ; so must the spiritual have respect to the body . this is all that the world commonly looks after , measuring their pastours more by their dishes then by their doctrine or conversation ; as if they had the charge of their bellies , not of their souls : if they have open cellars , it matters not whether their mouths be open . if they be sociable in their carriage , favourable and indulgent to their recreations , full in their chear , how easily doth the world dispense with either their negligence or enormities ? as if the souls of these men lay in their weasand , in their gut . but surely they have reason to expect from their teachers a due proportion of hospitality . an unmeet parsimony is here not more odious then it is sinfull : and where ability wants , yet care may not be wanting . those preachers which are so intent upon their spiritual work , that in the mean time they over-strain the weaknesses of their people , holding them in their devotions longer then humane frailty will permit , forget not themselves more then their pattern ; and must be sent to school to these compassionate disciples , who , when evening was come , sue to christ for the people's dismission . the place was desart ; the time , evening . doubtless our saviour made choice of both these , that there might be both more use and more note of his miracle . had it been in the morning , their stomack had not been up , their feeding had been unnecessary . had it been in the village , provision either might have been made , or at least would have seemed made by themselves . but now that it was both desart and evening , there was good ground for the disciples to move , and for christ to work their sustentation . then onely may we expect and crave help from god , when we find our need . superfluous aid can neither be heartily desired , nor earnestly lookt for , nor thankfully received from the hands of mercy . cast thy burthen upon the lord , and he shall sustain thee . if it be not a burthen , it is no casting it upon god. hence it is that divine aid comes ever in the very upshot and exigence of our trialls ; when we have been exercised , and almost tired with long hopes , yea with despairs of success : that it may be both more longed for ere it come , and when it comes more welcome . oh the faith and zeal of these clients of christ ! they not onely follow him from the city into the desart , from delicacy to want , from frequence to solitude ; but forget their bodies in pursuit of the food of their souls . nothing is more hard for an healthfull man to forget then his belly ; within few hours this will be sure to solicit him , and will take no denials . yet such sweetness did these hearers find in the spiritual repast , that they thought not on the bodily : the disciples pitied them , they had no mercy on themselves . by how much more a man's mind is taken up with heavenly things , so much less shall he care for earthly . what shall earth be to us , when we are all spirit ? and in the mean time , according to the degrees of our intellectual elevations , shall be our neglect of bodily contentments . the disciples think they move well : send them away that they may buy victuals . here was a strong charity , but a weak faith. a strong charity , in that they would have the people relieved ; a weak faith , in that they supposed they could not otherwise be so well relieved . as a man when he sees many ways lie before him , takes that which he thinks both fairest and nearest ; so do they : this way of relief lay openest to their view , and promised most . well might they have thought , it is as easie for our master to feed them as to heal them ; there is an equal facility in all things to a supernatural power : yet they say , send them away . in all our projects and suits we are still ready to move for that which is most obvious , most likely , when sometimes that is less agreeable to the will of god. the all-wise and almighty arbiter of all things hath a thousand secret means to honour himself in his proceedings with us . it is not for us to carve boldly for our selves ; but we must humbly depend on the disposal of his wisedom and mercy . our saviour's answer gives a strange check to their motion ; they need not depart . not need ? they had no victuals ; they must have ; there was none to be had . what more need could be ? he knew the supply which he intended , though they knew it not . his command was therefore more strange then his assertion , give ye them to eat . nothing gives what it hath not . had they had victuals , they had not called for a dismission ; and not having , how should they give ? it was thy wisedom , o saviour , thus to prepare thy disciples for the intended miracle : thou wouldst not doe it abruptly , without an intimation both of the purpose of it and the necessity . and how modestly dost thou undertake it , without noise , without ostentation ? i hear thee not say , i will give them to eat ; no , but , give ye : as if it should be their act , not thine . thus sometimes it pleaseth thee to require of us what we are not able to perform ; either that thou mayest shew us what we cannot doe , and so humble us ; or that thou mayest erect us to a dependence upon thee , which canst doe it for us . as when the mother bids the infant come to her , which hath not yet the steddy use of his legs , it is that he may cling the faster to her hand or coat for supportation . thou bidst us , impotent wretches , to keep thy royal law. alas ! what can we sinners doe ? there is not one letter of those thy ten words that we are able to keep . this charge of thine intends to shew us not our strength , but our weakness . thus thou wouldst turn our eyes both back to what we might have done , to what we could have done ; and upwards to thee in whom we have done it , in whom we can doe it . he wrongs thy goodness and justice that misconstrues these thy commands , as if they were of the same nature with those of the aegyptian task-masters , requiring the brick , and not giving the straw . but in bidding us doe what we cannot , thou inablest us to doe what the ●●●dest . thy precepts under the gospel have not 〈…〉 of our duty , but an habilitation of 〈…〉 when thou badest the disciples to give to the multitude , thou meantest to supply unto them what thou commandedst to give . our saviour hath what he would , an acknowledgement of their insufficiency : we have here but five loaves and two fishes . a poor provision for the family of the lord of the whole earth : five loaves , and those barley ; two fishes , and those little ones . we well know , o saviour , that the beasts were thine on a thousand mountains , all the corn thine that covered the whole surface of the earth , all the fowls of the air thine ; it was thou that providedst those drifts of quails that fell among the tents of thy rebellious israelites , that rainedst down those showrs of manna round about their camp : and dost thou take up ( for thy self and thy meiny ) with five barley loaves , and two little fishes ? certainly this was thy will , not thy need : to teach us , that this body must be fed , not pampered . our belly may not be our master , much less our god ; or if it be , the next word is , whose glory is their shame , whose end damnation . it is noted as the crime of the rich glutton , that he fared deliciously every day . i never find that christ entertained any guests but twice ; and that was onely with loaves and fishes . i find him sometimes feasted by others more liberally . but his domesticall fare how simple , how homely it is ? the end of food is to sustain nature . meat was ordained for the belly , the belly for the body , the body for the soul , the soul for god : we must still look through the subordinate ends to the highest . to rest in the pleasure of the meat , is for those creatures which have no souls . oh the extreme delicacy of these times ! what conquisition is here of all sorts of curious dishes from the farthest seas and lands , to make up one hour's meal ? what broken cookery ? what devised mixtures ? what nice sauces ? what feasting not of the tast onely , but of the sent ? are we the disciples of him that took up with the loaves and fishes ; or the scholars of a philoxenus , or an apitius , or vitellius , or those other monsters of the palate ? the true sons of those first parents that killed themselves with their teeth ? neither was the quality of these victuals more course , then the quantity small . they make a but of five loaves and two fishes ; and well they might , in respect of so many thousand mouths . a little food to an hungry stomack doth rather stir up appetite then satisfy it : as a little rain upon a droughty soil doth rather help to scorch then refresh it . when we look with the eye of sense or reason upon any object , we shall see an impossibility of those effects which faith can easily apprehend , and divine power more easily produce . carnall minds are ready to measure all our hopes by humane possibilities ; and when they fail , to despair of success : where true faith measures them by divine power , and therefore can never be disheartned . this grace is for things not seen , and whether beyond hope , or against it . the virtue is not in the means , but in the agent . bring them hither to me . how much more easie had it been for our saviour to fetch the loaves to him , then to multiply them ? the hands of the disciples shall bring them , that they might more fully witness both the authour and manner of the instant miracle . had the loaves and fishes been multiplied without this bringing , perhaps they might have seemed to have come by the secret provision of the guests : now there can be no question either of the act , or of the agent . as god takes pleasure in doing wonders for men , so he loves to be acknowledged in the great works that he doeth . he hath no reason to part with his own glory ; that is too precious for him to lose , or for his creature to embezell . and how justly didst thou , o saviour , in this mean to teach thy disciples , that it was thou onely who feedest the world ; and upon whom both themselves and all their fellow-creatures must depend for their nourishment and provision ; and that if it came not through thy hands , it could not come to theirs ? there need no more words . i do not hear the disciples stand upon the terms of their own necessity ; alas ! sir , it is too little for our selves ; whence shall we then relieve our own hunger ? give leave to our charity to begin at home . but they willingly yield to the command of their master , and put themselves upon his providence for the sequel . when we have a charge from god , it is not for us to stand upon self-respects ; in this case there is no such sure liberty as in a self-contempt . o god , when thou callest to us for our five loaves , we must forget our own interest : otherwise , if we be more thrifty then obedient , our good turns evil ; and much better had it been for us to have wanted that which we withhold from the owner . he that is the master of the feast marshals the guests ; he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass . they obey , and expect . o marvellous faith ! so many thousands sit down , and address themselves to a meal , when they saw nothing but five poor barly loaves and two small fishes . none of them say , sit down ? to what ? here are the mouths , but where is the meat ? we can soon be set , but whence shall we be served ? ere we draw our knives , let us see our chear . but they meekly and obediently dispose themselves to their places , and look up to christ for a miraculous purveyance . it is for all that would be christ's followers , to lead the life of faith ; and , even where means appear not , to wait upon that mercifull hand . nothing is more easy then to trust god when our barns and coffers are full ; and to say , give us our daily bread , when we have it in our cupboard . but when we have nothing , when we know not how or whence to get any thing , then to depend upon an invisible bounty , this is a true and noble act of faith. to cast away our own , that we may immediately live upon divine providence , i know no warrant . but when the necessity is of god's making , we see our refuge ; and happy are we if our confidence can fly to it , and rest in it . yea fulness should be a curse , if it should debar us from this dependence : at our best we must look up to this great housholder of the world , and cannot but need his provision . if we have meat , perhaps not appetite ; if appetite , it may be not digestion ; or if that , not health , and freedom from pain ; or if that , perhaps ( from other occurrents ) not life . the guests are set full of expectation . he that could have multiplied the bread in absence , in silence takes it and blesses it ; that he might at once shew them the authour and the means of this increase . it is thy blessing , o god , that maketh rich . what a difference do we see in mens estates ? some languish under great means , and injoy not either their substance or themselves ; others are chearfull and happy in a little . second causes may not be denied their work ; but the over-ruling power is above . the subordinateness of the creature doth not take away from the right , from the thank of the first mover . he could as well have multiplied the loaves whole ; why would he rather doe it in the breaking ? was it to teach us that in the distribution of our goods we should expect his blessing , not in their intireness and reservation ? there is that scattereth , and yet increaseth , saith solomon : yea , there is no man but increaseth by scattering . it is the grain thrown into the several furrows of the earth which yields the rich interest unto the husbandman : that which is tied up in his sack , or heaped in his granary , decreaseth by keeping . he that soweth liberally shall reap liberally . away with our weak distrust . if wealth came by us , giving were the way to want : now that god gives to the giver , nothing can so sure inrich us as our beneficence . he multiplied the bread not to keep , but to give ; he gave it to the disciples . and why not rather by his own hand to the multitude , that so the miracle and thank might have been more immediate ? wherefore was this , o saviour , but that thou mightest win respect to thy disciples from the people ? as great princes , when they would ingratiate a favourite , pass no suits but through his hands . what an honour was this to thy servants , that as thou wert mediatour betwixt thy father and man , so thou wouldst have them in some beneficiall occasion mediate betwixt men and thee ? how fit a type is this of thy spirituall provision , that thou who couldst have fed the world by thine immediate word , wouldst by the hands of thy ministers divide the bread of life to all hearers ? like as it was with the law : well did the israelites see and hear that thou couldst deliver that dreadfull message with thine own mouth ; yet in favour of their weakness thou wouldst treat with them by a moses . use of means derogates nothing from the efficacy of the principal agent , yea adds to it . it is a strange weakness of our spirituall eyes , if we can look but to the next hand . how absurd had these guests been , if they had termined the thanks in the servitours , and had said , we have it from you , whence ye had it is no part of our care : we owe this favour to you ; if you owe it to your master , acknowledge your obligations to him , as we do unto you ? but since they well knew that the disciples might have handled this bread long enough ere any such effect could have followed , they easily find to whom they are beholden . our christian wisedom must teach us , whosoever be the means , to reserve our main thanks for the authour of our good . he gave the bread then to his disciples , not to eat , not to keep , but to distribute . it was not their particular benefit he regarded in this gift , but the good of many . in every feast each servitour takes up his dish , not to carry it aside into a corner for his own private repast ; but to set it before the guests , for the honour of his master : when they have done , his chear begins . what shall we say to those injurious waiters , who fatten themselves with those concealed messes which are meant to others ? their table is made their snare ; and these stoln morsels cannot but end in bitterness . accordingly the disciples set this fare before the guests . i do not see so much as judas reserve a share to himself , whether out of hunger or distrust . had not our saviour commanded so free a distribution , their self-love would easily have taught them where to begin . nature says , first thy self , then thy friends : either extremity or particular charge gives grace occasion to alter the case . far be it from us to think we have any claim in that which the owner gives us meerly to bestow . i know not now whether more to wonder at the miraculous eating , or the miraculous leaving . here were a whole hoast of guests , five thousand men ; and in all likelihood no fewer women and children . perhaps some of these onely look'd on . nay , they did all eat . perhaps every man a crum , or a bit . nay , they did eat to satiety ; all were satisfied . so many must needs make clean work ; of so little there could be left nothing . yea , there were fragments remaining . perhaps some crums or crusts , hardly to be discerned , much less gathered . nay , twelve baskets full : more remained then was first set down . had they eaten nothing , it was a just miracle that so much should be left ; had nothing remained , it was no less miracle that so many had eaten , and so many satisfied : but now that so many bellies and so many baskets were filled , the miracle was doubled . o work of a boundless omnipotency ! whether this were done by creation or by conversion , uses to be questioned , but needs not . whilst christ multiplies the bread , it is not for us to multiply his miracles . to make ought of nothing , is more then to adde much unto something . it was therefore rather by turning of a former matter into these substances , then by making these substances of nothing . howsoever , here is a marvellous provision made , a marvellous bounty of that provision , a no less marvellous extent of that bounty . those that depend upon god , and busy themselves in his work , shall not want a due purveyance in the very desart . our streight and confined beneficence reaches so far as to provide for our own ; those of our domesticks which labour in our service do but justly expect and challenge their diet ; whereas day-labourers are oft-times at their own finding . how much more will that god , who is infinite in mercy and power , take order for the livelihood of those that attend him ? we see the birds of the air provided for by him ; how rarely have we found any of them dead of hunger ? yet what doe they but what they are carried unto by natural instinct ? how much more where , besides propriety , there is a rational and willing service ? shall the israelites be fed with manna , eliah by the ravens , the widow by her multiplied meal and oyl , christ's clients in the wilderness with loaves and fishes ? o god , whilst thou dost thus promerit us by thy providence , let not us wrong thee by distrust . god's undertakings cannot but be exquisite : those whom he professes to feed , must needs have enough . the measure of his bounty cannot but run over . doth he take upon him to prepare a table for his israel in the desart ? the bread shall be the food of angels , the flesh shall be the delicates of princes , manna and quails . doth he take upon him to make wine for the marriage-feast of cana ? there shall be both store and choice ; the vintage yields poor stuff to this . will he feast his auditours in the wilderness ? if they have not dainties , they shall have plenty ; they were all satisfied . neither yet , o saviour , is thy hand closed . what abundance of heavenly doctrine dost thou set before us ? how are we feasted , yea pampered with thy celestiall delicacies ? not according to our meanness , but according to thy state , are we fed . thrifty and niggardly collations are not for princes . we are full of thy goodness ; o let our hearts run over with thanks . i do gladly wonder at this miracle of thine , o saviour ; yet so as that i forget not mine own condition . whence is it that we have our continuall provision ? one and the same munificent hand doeth all . if the israelites were fed with manna in the desart , and with corn in canaan , both were done by the same power and bounty . if the disciples were fed by the loaves multiplied , and we by the grain multiplied , both are the act of one omnipotence . what is this but a perpetuall miracle , o god , which thou workest for our preservation ? without thee , there is no more power in the grain to multiply then in the loaf : it is thou that givest it a body at thy pleasure , even to every seed his own body ; it is thou that givest fulness of bread and cleanness of teeth . it is no reason thy goodness should be less magnified because it is universall . one or two baskets could have held the five loaves and two fishes ; not less then twelve can hold the remainders . the divine munificence provides not for our necessity onely , but for our abundance , yea superfluity . envy and ignorance , whilst they make god the authour of enough , are ready to impute the surplusage to another cause ; as we commonly say of wine , that the liquour is god's , the excess satan's . thy table , o saviour , convinces them , which had more taken away then set on : thy blessing makes an estate not competent onely , but rich . i hear of barns full of plenty , and presses bursting out with new wine , as the rewards of those that honour thee with their substance . i hear of heads anointed with oyl , and cups running over . o god , as thou hast a free hand to give , so let us have a free heart to return thee the praise of thy bounty . those fragments were left behind . i do not see the people , when they had filled their bellies , cramming their pockets , or stuffing their wallets ; yet the place was desart , and some of them doubtless had far home . it becomes true disciples to be content with the present , not too solicitous for the future . o saviour , thou didst not bid us beg bread for to morrow , but for to day : not that we should refuse thy bounty when thou pleasest to give ; but that we should not distrust thy providence for the need we may have . even these fragments ( though but of barley loaves and fish-bones ) may not be left in the desart , for the compost of that earth whereon they were increased ; but by our saviour's holy and just command are gathered up . the liberall housekeeper of the world will not allow the loss of his orts : the childrens bread may not be given to dogs : and if the crums fall to their share , it is because their smalness admits not of a collection . if those who out of obedience or due thrift have thought to gather up crums , have found them pearls , i wonder not : surely both are alike , the good creatures of the same maker ; and both of them may prove equally costly to us in their wilfull mis-spending . but oh , what shall we say , that not crusts and crums , not loaves and dishes and cups , but whole patrimonies are idly lavisht away ; not merely lost , ( this were more easy ) but ill spent in a wicked riot upon dice , drabs , drunkards ? oh the fearfull account of these unthrifty bailifs , which shall once be given in to our great lord and master , when he shall call us to a strict reckoning of all our talents ! he was condemned that increased not the summe concredited to him : what shall become of him that lawlesly impairs it ? who gathered up these fragments but the twelve apostles , every one his basket-full ? they were the servitours that set on this banquet at the command of christ , they waited on the tables , they took away . it was our saviour's just care that those offalls should not perish : but he well knew that a greater loss depended upon those scraps ; a loss of glory to the omnipotent worker of that miracle . the feeding of the multitude was but the one half of the work , the other half was in the remnant . of all other it most concerns the successours of the apostles to take care that the marvellous works of their god and saviour may be improved to the best ; they may not suffer a crust or crum to be lost that may yield any glory to that almighty agent . here was not any morsel or bone that was not worthy to be a relique , every the least parcel whereof was no other then miraculous . all the ancient monuments of god's supernatural power and mercy were in the keeping of aaron and his sons . there is no servant in the family but should be thriftily carefull for his master's profit ; but most of all the steward , who is particularly charged with this oversight . wo be to us if we care onely to gather up our own scraps , with neglect of the precious morsels of our maker and redeemer . xxiii . the walk upon the waters . all elements are alike to their maker . he that had well approved his power on the land , will now shew it in the air and the waters ; he that had preserved the multitude from the peril of hunger in the desart , will now preserve his disciples from the peril of the tempest in the sea. where do we ever else find any compulsion offered by christ to his disciples ? he was like the good centurion ; he said to one , go , and he goeth . when he did but call them from their nets they came ; and when he sent them by pairs into the cities and country of judaea to preach the gospel , they went. there was never errand whereon they went unwillingly : onely now he constrained them to depart . we may easily conceive how loth they were to leave him ; whether out of love , or of common civility . peter's tongue did but ( when it was ) speak the heart of the rest ; master , thou knowest that i love thee . who could chuse but be in love with such a master ? and who can willingly part from what he loves ? but had the respects been onely common and ordinary , how unfit might it seem to leave a master now towards night , in a wild place , amongst strangers , unprovided of the means of his passage ? where otherwise therefore he needed but to bid , now he constrains . o saviour , it was ever thy manner to call all men unto thee ; come to me , all that labour and are heavy laden . when didst thou ever drive any one from thee ? neither had it been so now , but to draw them closer unto thee , whom thou seemedst for the time to abdicate . in the mean while , i know not whether more to excuse their unwillingness , or to applaud their obedience . as it shall be fully above , so it was proportionally here below ; in thy presence ( o saviour ) is the fulness of joy . once , when thou askedst these thy domesticks whether they also would depart , it was answered thee by one tongue for all , master , whither should we go from thee ? thou hast the words of eternal life . what a death was it then to them to be compelled to leave thee ? sometimes it pleaseth the divine goodness to lay upon his servants such commands as savour of harshness and discomfort ; which yet both in his intention and in the event are no other then gracious and soveraign . the more difficulty was in the charge , the more praise was in the obedience . i do not hear them stand upon the terms of capitulation with their master , nor pleading importunately for their stay ; but instantly upon the command they yield and go . we are never perfect disciples , till we can depart from our reason , from our will ; yea , o saviour , when thou biddest us , from thy self . neither will the multitude be gone without a dismission . they had followed him whilst they were hungry , they will not leave him now they are fed . fain would they put that honour upon him , which to avoid he is fain to avoid them : gladly would they pay a kingdom to him as their shot for their late banquet ; he shuns both it and them . o saviour , when the hour of thy passion was now come , thou couldst offer thy self readily to thine apprehenders ; and now when the glory of the world presses upon thee , thou runnest away from a crown . was it to teach us that there is less danger in suffering then in outward prosperity ? what do we dote upon that worldly honour , which thou heldst worthy of avoidance and contempt ? besides this reservedness , it was devotion that drew jesus aside . he went alone up to the mountain to pray . lo , thou , to whom the greatest throng was a solitude in respect of the fruition of thy father , thou who wert uncapable of distraction from him with whom thou wert one , wouldst yet so much act man as to retire for the opportunity of prayer : to teach us , who are nothing but wild thoughts and giddy distractedness , to go aside when we would speak with god. how happy is it for us that thou prayedst ? o saviour , thou prayedst for us , who have not grace enough to pray for our selves , nor worth enough to be accepted when we do pray . thy prayers , which were most perfect and impetrative , are they by which our weak and unworthy prayers receive both life and favour . and now how assiduous should we be in our supplications , who are empty of grace , full of wants ; when thou , who wert a god of all power , praiedst for that which thou couldst command ? therefore do we pray , because thou praiedst : therefore do we expect to be graciously answered in our prayers , because thou didst pray for us here on earth , and now intercedest for us in heaven . the evening was come ; the disciples look'd long for their master , and loth they were to have stirred without him : but his command is more then the strongest wind to fill their sails , and they are now gone . their expectation made not the evening seem so long as our saviour's devotion made it seem short to him . he is on the mount , they on the sea : yet whilst he was in the mount praying , and lifting up his eyes to his father , he fails not to cast them about upon his disciples tossed on the waves . those all-seeing eyes admit of no limits . at once he sees the highest heavens , and the midst of the sea ; the glory of his father , and the misery of his disciples . whatever prospects present themselves to his view , the distress of his followers is ever most noted . how much more dost thou now , o saviour , from the height of thy glorious advancement behold us thy wretched servants tossed on the unquiet sea of this world , and beaten with the troublesome and threatning billows of affliction ? thou foresawest their toil and danger ere thou dismissedst them , and purposedly sendest them away that they might be tossed . thou that couldst prevent our sufferings by thy power , wilt permit them in thy wisedom , that thou mayest glorifie thy mercy in our deliverance , and confirm our faith by the issue of our distresses . how do all things now seem to conspire to the vexing of the poor disciples ? the night was sullen and dark , their master was absent , the sea was boistrous , the winds were high and contrary . had their master been with them , howsoever the elements had raged , they had been secure . had their master been away , yet if the sea had been quiet or the winds fair , the passage might have been endured . now both season , and sea , and wind , and their master's desertion had agreed to render them perfectly miserable . sometimes the providence of god hath thought good so to order it , that to his best servants there appeareth no glimpse of comfort ; but so absolute vexation , as if heaven and earth had plotted their full affliction . yea , o saviour , what a dead night , what a fearfull tempest , what an astonishing dereliction was that , wherein thou thy self criedst out in the bitterness of thine anguished soul , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? yet in all these extremities of misery , our gracious god intends nothing but his greater glory and ours ; the triumph of our faith , the crown of our victory . all that lonesome and tempestuous night must the disciples wear out in danger and horrour , as given over to the winds and waves ; but in the fourth watch of the night , when they were wearied out with toils and fears , comes deliverance . at their entrance into the ship , at the arising of the tempest , at the shutting in of the evening , there was no news of christ : but when they have been all the night long beaten , not so much with storms and waves as with their own thoughts , now in the fourth watch ( which was near to the morning ) jesus came unto them , and purposely not till then ; that he might exercise their patience ; that he might inure them to wait upon divine providence in cases of extremity ; that their devotions might be more whetted by delay ; that they might give gladder welcome to their deliverance . o god , thus thou thinkest fit to doe still . we are by turns in our sea , the winds bluster , the billows swell , the night and thy absence heighten our discomfort : thy time and ours is set ; as yet it is but midnight with us ; can we but hold out patiently till the fourth watch , thou wilt surely come and rescue us . oh let us not faint under our sorrows , but wear out our three watches of tribulation with undaunted patience and holy resolution . o saviour , our extremities are the seasons of thine aid . thou camest at last ; but yet so , as that there was more dread then joy in thy presence . thy coming was both miraculous and frightfull . thou god of elements passedst through the air , walkedst upon the waters . whether thou meantest to terminate this miracle in thy body , or in the waves which thou trodest upon , whether so lightning the one , that it should make no impression in the liquid waters , or whether so consolidating the other , that the pavemented waves yielded a firm causey to thy sacred feet to walk on , i neither determine nor inquire ; thy silence ruleth mine : thy power was in either miraculous ; neither know i in whether to adore it more . but withall give me leave to wonder more at thy passage then at thy coming . wherefore camest thou but to comfort them ? and wherefore then wouldst thou pass by them , as if thou hadst intended nothing but their dismay ? thine absence could not be so grievous as thy preterition : that might seem justly occasioned , this could not but seem willingly neglective . our last conflicts have wont ever to be the forest : as when after some dripping rain it pours down most vehemently , we think the weather is changing to serenity . o saviour , we may not always measure thy meaning by thy semblance : sometimes what thou most intendest , thou shewest least . in our afflictions thou turnest thy back upon us , and hidest thy face from us , when thou most mindest our distresses . so jonathan shot the arrows beyond david , when he meant them to him . so joseph calls for benjamin into bonds , when his heart was bound to him in the strongest affection . so the tender mother makes as if she would give away her crying child , whom she hugs so much closer in her bosome . if thou pass by us whilst we are struggling with the tempest , we know it is not for want of mercy . thou canst not neglect us ; o let not us distrust thee . what object should have been so pleasing to the eyes of the disciples as their master ; and so much the more as he shewed his divine power in this miraculous walk ? but lo , contrarily , they are troubled ; not with his presence , but with this form of presence . the supernatural works of god , when we look upon them with our own eyes , are subject to a dangerous misprision . the very sun-beams to whom we are beholden for our sight , if we eye them directly , blind us . miserable men ! we are ready to suspect truths , to run away from our safety , to be afraid of our comforts , to mis-know our best friends . and why are they thus troubled ? they had thought they had seen a spirit . that there have been such apparitions of spirits , both good and evil , hath ever been a truth undoubtedly received of pagans , jews , christians ; although in the blind times of superstition there was much collusion mixed with some verities : crafty men and lying spirits agreed to abuse the credulous world . but even where there was not truth , yet there was horrour . the very good angels were not seen without much fear ; their sight was construed to bode death : how much more the evil , which in their very nature are harmfull and pernicious ? we see not a snake or a toad without some recoiling of bloud and sensible reluctation , although those creatures run away from us : how much more must our hairs stand upright and our senses boggle at the sight of a spirit , whose both nature and will is contrary to ours , and professedly bent to our hurt ? but say it had been what they mistook it for , a spirit ; why should they fear ? had they well considered , they had soon found that evil spirits are never the less present , when they are not seen ; and never the less harmfull or malicious , when they are present unseen . visibility adds nothing to their spite or mischief . and could their eyes have been opened , they had , with elisha's servant , seen more with them then against them ; a sure , though invisible , guard of more powerfull spirits , and themselves under the protection of the god of spirits : so as they might have bidden a bold defiance to all the powers of darkness . but , partly their faith was yet but in the bud ; and partly the presentation of this dreadfull object was sudden , and without the respite of a recollection and settlement of their thoughts . oh the weakness of our frail nature , who , in the want of faith , are affrighted with the visible appearance of those adversaries whom we profess daily to resist and vanquish , and with whom we know the decree of god hath matched us in an everlasting conflict ! are not these they that ejected devils by their command ? are not these of them that could say , master , the evil spirits are subdued to us ? yet now when they see but an imagined spirit , they fear . what power there is in the eye to betray the heart ! whilst goliah was mingled with the rest of the philistin hoast , israel camped boldly against them ; but when that giant stalks out single between the two armies , and fills and amazes their eyes with his hideous stature , now they run away for fear . behold , we are committed with legions of evil spirits , and complain not : let but one of them give us some visible token of his presence , we shreek and tremble , and are not our selves . neither is our weakness more conspicuous then thy mercy , o god , in restraining these spiritual enemies from these dreadfull and ghastly representations of themselves to our eyes . might those infernal spirits have liberty to appear how and when and to whom they would , certainly not many would be left in their wits , or in their lives . it is thy power and goodness to frail mankind that they are kept in their chains , and reserved in the darkness of their own spiritual being , that we may both oppugn and subdue them unseen . but oh the deplorable condition of reprobate souls ! if but the imagined sight of one of these spirits of darkness can so daunt the heart of those which are free from their power , what a terrour shall it be to live perpetually in the sight , yea under the torture , of thousands , of legions , of millions of devils ? oh the madness of wilfull sinners , that will needs run themselves headily into so dreadfull a damnation ! it was high time for our saviour to speak : what with the tempest , what with the apparition , the disciples were almost lost with fear . how seasonable are his gracious redresses ? till they were thus affrighted , he would not speak ; when they were thus affrighted , he would not hold his peace . if his presence were fearfull , yet his word was comfortable ; be of good chear , it is i : yea it is his word onely which must make his presence both known and comfortable . he was present before ; they mistook him , and feared : there needs no other erection of their drooping hearts but , it is i. it is cordial enough to us in the worst of our afflictions , to be assured of christ's presence with us . say but , it is i , o saviour , and let evils doe their worst ; thou needest not say any more . thy voice was evidence enough ; so well were the disciples acquainted with the tongue of thee their master , that , it is i , was as much as an hundred names . thou art the good shepherd ; we are not of thy flock , if we know thee not by thy voice from a thousand . even this one is a great word , yea an ample style , it is i. the same tongue that said to moses , i am hath sent thee , saith now to the disciples , it is i ; i your lord and master , i the commander of winds and waters , i the soveraign lord of heaven and earth , i the god of spirits . let heaven be but as one scroll , and let it be written all over with titles , they cannot express more then , it is i. oh sweet and seasonable word of a gracious saviour , able to calm all tempests , able to revive all hearts ! say but so to my soul , and , in spight of hell , i am safe . no sooner hath jesus said , i , then peter answers , master . he can instantly name him that did not name himself . every little hint is enough to faith. the church sees her beloved as well through the lattice , as through the open window . which of all the followers of christ gave so pregnant testimonies upon all occasions of his faith , of his love to his master , as peter ? the rest were silent , whilst he both owned his master , and craved access to him in that liquid way . yet what a sensible mixture is here of faith and distrust ? it is faith that said , master ; it was distrust ( as some have construed it ) that said , if it be thou . it was faith that said , bid me come to thee ; ( implying that his word could as well enable as command ; ) it was faith that durst step down upon that watery pavement : it was distrust that upon the sight of a mighty wind feared . it was faith , that he walked ; it was distrust , that he sunk ; it was faith that said , lord , save me . oh the imperfect composition of the best saint upon earth ; as far from pure faith , as from meer infidelity ! if there be pure earth in the center , all upward is mixed with the other elements : contrarily , pure grace is above in the glorified spirits ; all below is mixed with infirmity , with corruption . our best is but as the air ; which never was , never can be at once fully enlightned : neither is there in the same region one constant state of light . it shall once be noon with us , when we shall have nothing but bright beams of glory ; now it is but the dawning , wherein it is hard to say whether there be more light then darkness . we are now fair as the moon , which hath some spots in her greatest beauty ; we shall be pure as the sun , whose face is all bright and glorious . ever since the time that adam set his tooth in the apple , till our mouth be full of mould , it never was , it never can be other with us . far be it from us to settle willingly upon the dregs of our infidelity ; far be it from us to be disheartned with the sense of our defects and imperfections : we believe ; lord , help our unbelief . whilst i find some disputing the lawfulness of peter's suit ; others quarrelling his , if it be thou : let me be taken up with the wonder at the faith , the fervour , the heroicall valour of this prime apostle , that durst say , bid me come to thee upon the waters . he might have suspected that the voice of his master might have been as easily imitated by that imagined spirit as his person ; he might have feared the blustering tempest , the threatning billows , the yielding nature of that devouring element : but , as despising all these thoughts of misdoubt , such is his desire to be near his master , that he says , bid me come to thee upon the waters . he says not , come thou to me : this had been christ's act , and not his . neither doth he say , let me come to thee : this had been his act , and not christ's . neither doth he say , pray that i may come to thee , as if this act had been out of the power of either . but , bid me come to thee . i know thou canst command both the waves and me : me to be so light that i shall not bruise the moist surface of the waves ; the waves to be so solid that they shall not yield to my weight . all things obey thee : bid me come to thee upon the waters . it was a bold spirit that could wish it , more bold that could act it . no sooner hath our saviour said , come , then he sets his foot upon the unquiet sea ; not fearing either the softness or the roughness of that uncouth passage . we are wont to wonder at the courage of that daring man who first committed himself to the sea in a frail bark , though he had the strength of an oaken planck to secure him : how valiant must we needs grant him to be , that durst set his foot upon the bare sea and shift his paces ? well did peter know that he who bade him could uphold him ; and therefore he both sues to be bidden , and ventures to be upholden . true faith tasks it self with difficulties ; neither can it be dismaied with the conceits of ordinary impossibilities . it is not the scattering of straws , or casting of mole-hills , whereby the virtue of it is described , but removing of mountains . like some courageous leader , it desires the honour of a danger , and sues for the first onset : whereas the worldly heart freezes in a lazy or cowardly fear , and onely casts for safety and ease . peter sues , jesus bids . rather will he work miracles , then disappoint the suit of a faithfull man. how easily might our saviour have turned over this strange request of his bold disciple , and have said , what my omnipotence can doe is no rule for thy weakness : it is no less then presumption in a meer man , to hope to imitate the miraculous works of god and man. stay thou in the ship , and wonder ; contenting thy self in this , that thou hast a master to whom the land and water is alike . yet i hear not a check , but a call ; come . the suit of ambition is suddenly quashed in the mother of the zebedees . the suits of revenge prove no better in the mouth of the two fiery disciples . but a suit of faith , though high and seemingly unfit for us , he hath no power to deny . how much less , o saviour , wilt thou stick at those things which lie in the very road of our christianity ? never man said , bid me to come to thee in the way of thy commandments , whom thou didst not both bid and inable to come . true faith rests not in great and good desires , but acts and executes accordingly . peter doth not wish to go , and yet stand still : but his foot answers his tongue , and instantly chops down upon the waters . to sit still and wish , is for sluggish and cowardly spirits . formal volitions , yea velleities of good , whilst we will not so much as step out of the ship of our nature to walk unto christ , are but the faint motions of vain hypocrisie . it will be long enough ere the gale of good wishes can carry us to our heaven . ease slayeth the foolish . o saviour , we have thy command to come to thee out of the ship of our natural corruption : let no sea affray us , let no tempest of temptation withhold us . no way can be but safe , when thou art the end. lo , peter is walking upon the waves : two hands uphold him ; the hand of christ's power , the hand of his own faith ; neither of them would doe it alone . the hand of christ's power laid hold on him ; the hand of his faith laid hold on the power of christ commanding . had not christ's hand been powerfull , that faith had been in vain : had not that faith of his strongly fixed upon christ , that power had not been effectual to his preservation . whilst we are here in the world , we walk upon the waters ; still the same hands bear us up . if he let goe his hold of us , we drown ; if we let goe our hold of him , we sink and shreek as peter did here , who , when he saw the wind boistrous , was afraid , and , beginning to sink , cried , saying , lord , save me . when he wisht to be bidden to walk unto christ , he thought of the waters ; bid me to come to thee on the waters : he thought not on the winds which raged on those waters ; or if he thought of a stiff gale , yet that tempestuous and sudden gust was out of his account and expectation . those evils that we are prepared for , have not such power over us as those that surprise us . a good water-man sees a dangerous billow coming towards him , and cuts it , and mounts over it with ease ; the unheedy is overwhelmed . o saviour , let my haste to thee be zealous , but not improvident ; ere i set my foot out of the ship , let me foresee the tempest : when i have cast the worst , i cannot either miscarry or complain . so soon as he began to fear , he began to sink : whilst he believed , the sea was brass ; when once he began to distrust , those waves were water . he cannot sink , whilst he trusts the power of his master ; he cannot but sink when he misdoubts it . our faith gives us , as courage and boldness , so success too : our infidelity lays us open to all dangers , to all mischiefs . it was peter's improvidence not to foresee ; it was his weakness to fear ; it was the effect of his fear to sink : it was his faith that recollects it self , and breaks through his infidelity , and in sinking could say , lord , save me . his foot could not be so swift in sinking , as his heart in imploring : he knew who could uphold him from sinking , and being sunk deliver him ; and therefore he says , lord , save me . it is a notable both sign and effect of true faith , in sudden extremities to ejaculate holy desires ; and with the wings of our first thoughts to fly up instantly to the throne of grace for present succour . upon deliberation it is possible for a man that hath been careless and profane , by good means to be drawn to holy dispositions : but on the sudden a man will appear as he is ; what-ever is most rife in the heart will come forth at the mouth . it is good to observe how our surprisals find us : the rest is but forced ; this is natural . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh . o saviour , no evil can be swifter then my thought : my thought shall be upon thee , ere i can be seized upon by the speediest mischief : at least , if i over-run not evils , i shall overtake them . it was christ his lord whom peter had offended in distrusting ; it is christ his lord to whom he sues for deliverance . his weakness doth not discourage him from his refuge . o god , when we have displeased thee , when we have sunk in thy displeasure , whither should we fly for aid but to thee whom we have provoked ? against thee onely is our sin ; in thee onely is our help . in vain shall all the powers of heaven and earth conspire to relieve us , if thou withhold from our succour . as we offend thy justice daily by our sins , so let us continually rely upon thy mercy by the strength of our faith. lord , save us . the mercy of christ is at once sought and found ; immediately jesus stretched forth his hand , and caught him . he doth not say , hadst thou trusted me , i would have safely preserved thee ; but since thou wilt needs wrong my power and care with a cowardly diffidence , sink and drown : but rather , as pitying the infirmity of his fearfull disciple , he puts out the hand for his relief . that hand hath been stretch'd forth for the aid of many a one that hath never ask'd it ; never any ask'd it , to whose succour it hath not been stretched . with what speed , with what confidence should we fly to that sovereign bounty , from which never any suitour was sent away empty ? jesus gave peter his hand ; but withall he gave him a check : o thou of little faith , why doubtedst thou ? as peter's faith was not pure , but mixed with some distrust ; so our saviour's help was not clear and absolute , but mixed with some reproof . a reproof , wherein there was both a censure and an expostulation ; a censure of his faith , an expostulation for his doubt : both of them sore and heavy . by how much more excellent and usefull a grace faith is , by so much more shamefull is the defect of it ; and by how much more reason here was of confidence , by so much more blame-worthy was the doubt . now peter had a double reason of his confidence ; the command of christ , the power of christ : the one in bidding him to come ; the other in sustaining him whilst he came . to misdoubt him whose will he knew , whose power he felt , was well worth a reprehension . when i saw peter stepping forth upon the waters , i could not but wonder at his great faith ; yet behold , ere he can have measured many paces , the judge of hearts taxes him for little faith. our mountains are but moats to god. would my heart have served me to dare the doing of this that peter did ? durst i have set my foot where he did ? o saviour , if thou foundest cause to censure the weakness and poverty of his faith , what mayest thou well say to mine ? they mistake that think thou wilt take up with any thing . thou lookest for firmitude and vigour in those graces which thou wilt allow in thy best disciples , no less then truth . the first steps were confident , there was fear in the next . oh the sudden alteration of our affections , of our dispositions ! one pace varies our spiritual condition . what hold is there of so fickle creatures , if we be left never so little to our selves ? as this lower world wherein we are is the region of mutability ; so are we ( the living pieces of it ) subject to a perpetual change . it is for the blessed saints and angels above to be fixed in good : whilst we are here , there can be no constancy expected from us , but in variableness . as well as our saviour loves peter , yet he chides him . it is the fruit of his favour and mercy that we escape judgment , not that we escape reproof . had not peter found grace with his master , he had been suffered to sink in silence ; now he is saved with a check . there may be more love in frowns then in smiles : whom he loves he chastises . what is chiding but a verbal castigation ? and what is chastisement but a real chiding ? correct me , o lord , yet in thy judgment , not in thy fury . o let the righteous god smite me ( when i offend ) with his gracious reproofs ; these shall be a precious oyl that shall not break my head . xxiv . the bloudy issue healed . the time was , o saviour , when a worthy woman offered to touch thee , and was forbidden : now a meaner touches thee with approbation and ●ncouragement . yet as there was much difference in that body of thine which was the object of that touch , ( being now mortal and passible , then impassible and immortal , ) so there was in the agents ; this a stranger , that a familiar ; this obscure , that famous . the same actions vary with time and other circumstances ; and accordingly receive their dislike or allowance . doubtless thou hadst herein no small respect to the faith of jairus , unto whose house thou wert going . that good man had but one onely daughter , which lay sick in the beginning of his suit , ere the end , lay dead . whilst she lived , his hope lived ; her death disheartned it . it was a great work that thou meantest to doe for him ; it was a great word that thou saidst to him , fear not ; believe , and she shall be made whole . to make this good , by the touch of the verge of thy garment thou revivedst one from the verge of death . how must jairus needs now think , he who by the virtue of his garment can pull this woman out of the paws of death which hath been twelve years dying , can as well by the power of his word pull my daughter ( who hath been twelve years living ) out of the jaws of death which hath newly seized on her ? it was fit the good ruler should be raised up with this handsell of thy divine power , whom he came to solicit . that thou mightest lose no time , thou curedst in thy passage . the sun stands not still to give his influences , but diffuses them in his ordinary motion . how shall we imitate thee , if we suffer our hands to be out of ure with good ? our life goes away with our time : we lose that which we improve not . the patient laboured of an issue of bloud ; a disease that had not more pain then shame , nor more natural infirmity then legal impurity . time added to her grief ; twelve long years had she languished under this wofull complaint . besides the tediousness , diseases must needs get head by continuance ; and so much more both weaken nature and strengthen themselves , by how much longer they afflict us . so it is in the soul , so in the state ; vices , which are the sicknesses of both , when they grow inveterate , have a strong plea for their abode and uncontrolableness . yet more , to mend the matter , poverty ( which is another disease ) was superadded to her sickness : she had spent all she had upon physicians . whilst she had wherewith to make much of her self , and to procure good tendance , choice diet , and all the succours of a distressed languishment , she could not but find some mitigation of her sorrow : but now want began to pinch her no less then her distemper , and help'd to make her perfectly miserable . yet could she have parted from her substance with ease , her complaint had been the less . could the physicians have given her , if not health , yet relaxation and painlesness , her means had not been mis-bestowed : but now , she suffered many things from them ; many an unpleasing potion , many tormenting incisions and divulsions did she endure from their hands : the remedy was equal in trouble to the disease . yet had the cost and pain been never so great , could she have hereby purchased health , the match had been happy ; all the world were no price for this commodity : but alas ! her estate was the worse , her body not the better ; her money was wasted , not her disease . art could give her neither cure nor hope . it were injurious to blame that noble science , for that it always speeds not . notwithstanding all those sovereign remedies , men must ( in their times ) sicken and die . even the miraculous gifts of healing could not preserve the owners from disease and dissolution . it were pity but that this woman should have been thus sick ; the nature , the durableness , cost , pain , incurableness of her disease both sent her to seek christ , and moved christ to her cure . our extremities drive us to our saviour ; his love draws him to be most present and helpfull to our extremities . when we are forsaken of all succours and hopes , we are fittest for his redress . never are we nearer to help , then when we despair of help . there is no fear , no danger , but in our own insensibleness . this woman was a stranger to christ ; it seems she had never seen him . the report of his miracles had lifted her up to such a confidence of his power and mercy , as that she said in her self , if i may but touch the hem of his garment , i shall be whole . the shame of her disease stopt her mouth from any verbal suit . had she been acknown of her infirmity , she had been shunned and abhorred , and disdainfully put back of all the beholders , ( as doubtless where she was known , the law forced her to live apart . ) now she conceals both her grief , and her desire , and her faith ; and onely speaks ( where she may be bold ) within her self : if i may but touch the hem of his garment , i shall be whole . i seek not mysteries in the virtue of the hem rather then of the garment . indeed , it was god's command to israel , that they should be marked , not onely in their skin , but in their cloaths too : those fringes and ribbands upon the borders of their garments were for holy memorials of their duty , and god's law. but that hence she supposed to find more virtue and sanctity in the touch of the hem then of the coat , i neither dispute nor believe . it was the site , not the signification , that she intimated ; not as of the best part , but the utmost . in all likelihood , if there could have been virtue in the garment , the nearer to the body , the more . here was then the praise of this woman's faith , that she promiseth her self cure by the touch of the utmost hem . whosoever would look to receive any benefit from christ , must come in faith : it is that onely which makes us capable of any favour . satan , the common ape of the almighty , imitates him also in this point : all his charms and spells are ineffectual without the faith of the user , of the receiver . yea the endeavour and issue of all , both humane and spiritual , things depends upon our faith. who would commit a plant or a seed to the earth , if he did not believe to have it nursed in that kindly bosome ? what merchant would put himself upon the guard of an inch-board in a furious sea , if he did not trust to the faithfull custody of that planck ? who would trade , or travell , or war , or marry , if he did not therein surely trust he should speed well ? what benefit can we look to carry from a divine exhortation , if we do not believe it will edify us ? from a sacramental banquet , ( the food of angels ) if we do not believe it will nourish our souls ? from our best devotions , if we do not perswade our selves they will fetch down blessings ? oh our vain and heartless services , if we do not say , may i drink but one drop of that heavenly nectar , may i tast but one crum of that bread of life , may i hear but one word from the mouth of christ , may i send up but one hearty sigh or ejaculation of an holy desire to my god , i shall be whole ! according to her resolution is her practice . she touched , but she came behind to touch ; whether for humility , or her secrecy rather , as desiring to steal a cure unseen , unnoted . she was a jewess , and therefore well knew that her touch was ( in this case ) no better then a pollution ; as hers , perhaps , but not of him . for on the one side , necessity is under no positive law ; on the other , the son of god was not capable of impurity . those may be defiled with a touch that cannot heal with a touch : he that was above law is not comprised in the law. be we never so unclean , he may heal us ; we cannot infect him . o saviour , my soul is sick and foul enough with the spirituall impurities of sin : let me by the hand of faith lay hold but upon the hem of thy garment , ( thy righteousness is thy garment ) it shall be both clean and whole . who would not think but a man might lade up a dish of water out of the sea unmissed ? yet that water ( though much ) is finite ; those drops are within number : that art which hath reckoned how many corns of sand would make up a world , could more easily compute how many drops of water would make up an ocean . whereas the mercies of god are absolutely infinite , and beyond all possibility of proportion : and yet this bashfull soul cannot steal one drop of mercy from this endless , boundless , bottomless sea of divine bounty , but it is felt and questioned . and jesus said , who touched me ? who can now say that he is a poor man that reckons his store , when that god , who is rich in mercy , doth so ? he knows all his own blessings , and keeps just tallies of our receits ; delivered so much honour to this man , to that so much wealth ; so much knowledge to one , to another so much strength . how carefully frugal should we be in the notice , account , usage of god's several favours , since his bounty sets all his gifts upon the file ? even the worst servant in the gospel confest his talents , though he imployed them not . we are worse then the worst , if either we misknow , or dissemble , or forget them . who now can forbear the disciples reply ? who touched thee , o lord ? the multitude . dost thou ask of one ; when thou art pressed by many ? in the midst of a throng , dost thou ask , who touched me ? yea but yet some one touched me : all thronged me ; but one touched me . how riddle-like soever it may seem to sound , they that thronged me touched me not ; she onely touched me that thronged me not , yea that touched me not . even so , o saviour , others touched thy body with theirs ; she touched thy hem with her hand , thy divine power with her soul. those two parts whereof we consist ( the bodily , the spiritual ) do in a sort partake of each other . the soul is the man , and hath those parts , senses , actions which are challenged as proper to the body . this spiritual part hath both an hand , and a touch ; it is by the hand of faith that the soul toucheth : yea this alone both is , and acts all the spiritual senses of that immaterial and divine part ; this sees , hears , tasteth , toucheth god ; and without this the soul doeth none of these . all the multitude then pressed christ : he took not that for a touch , since faith was away ; onely she touched him that believed to receive virtue by his touch . outward fashionableness comes into no account with god ; that is onely done which the soul doeth . it is no hoping that virtue should go forth from christ to us , when no hearty desires go forth from us to him . he that is a spirit , looks to the deportment of that part which resembleth himself : as without it the body is dead , so without the actions thereof bodily devotions are but carkasses . what reason had our saviour to challenge this touch ? some body touch'd me . the multitude ( in one extreme ) denied any touch at all : peter ( in another extreme ) affirmed an over-touching of the multitude . betwixt both , he who felt it can say , some body touched me . not all , as peter ; not none , as the multitude ; but some body . how then , o saviour , how doth it appear that some body touch'd thee ? for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . the effect proves the act ; virtue gone out evinces the touch . these two are in thee convertible : virtue cannot go out of thee but by a touch ; and no touch can be of thee without virtue going out from thee . that which is a rule in nature , that every agent works by a contact , holds spiritually too : then dost thou , o god , work upon our souls , when thou touchest our hearts by thy spirit ; then do we re-act upon thee , when we touch thee by the hand of our faith and confidence in thee : and in both these virtue goes out from thee to us . yet goes not so out , as that there is less in thee . in all bodily emanations , whose powers are but finite , it must needs follow , that the more is sent forth , the less is reserved : but as it is in the sun , which gives us light , yet loseth none ever the more , ( the luminosity of it being no whit impaired by that perpetual emission of lightsome beams ; ) so much more is it in thee , the father of lights . virtue could not go out of thee without thy knowledge , without thy sending . neither was it in a dislike , or in a grudging exprobration , that thou saidst , virtue is gone out from me . nothing could please thee better , then to feel virtue fetch'd out from thee by the faith of the receiver . it is the nature and praise of good to be communicative : none of us would be other then liberal of our little , if we did not fear it would be lessened by imparting . thou that knowest thy store so infinite , that participation doth onely glorifie and not diminish it , canst not but be more willing to give then we to receive . if we take but one drop of water from the sea , or one corn of sand from the shore , there is so much ( though insensibly ) less : but were we capable of worlds of virtue and benediction from that munificent hand , our inriching could no whit impoverish thee . thou which wert wont to hold it much better to give then to receive , canst not but give gladly . fear not , o my soul , to lade plentifully at this well , this ocean of mercy , which , the more thou takest , overflows the more . but why then , o saviour , why didst thou thus inquire , thus expostulate ? was it for thy own sake ; that the glory of the miracle might thus come to light , which otherwise had been smothered in silence ? was it for jairus his sake ; that his depressed heart might be raised to a confidence in thee , whose mighty power he saw proved by this cure , whose omniscience he saw proved by the knowledge of the cure ? or was it chiefly for the woman's sake ; for the praise of her faith , for the securing of her conscience ? it was within her self that she said , if i may but touch : none could hear this voice of the heart , but he that made it . it was within her self that the cure was wrought : none of the beholders knew her complaint , much less her recovery ; none noted her touch , none knew the occasion of her touch . what a pattern of powerfull faith had we lost , if our saviour had not called this act to triall ? as her modesty hid her disease , so it would have hid her vertue . christ will not suffer this secrecy . oh the marvellous , but free , dispensation of christ ! one while he injoyns a silence to his cured patients , and is troubled with their divulgation of his favour ; another while ( as here ) he will not lose the honour of a secret mercy , but fetches it out by his inquisition , by his profession ; who hath touched me ? for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . as we see in the great work of his creation , he hath placed some stars in the midst of heaven , where they may be most conspicuous ; others he hath set in the southern obscurity , obvious to but few eyes : in the earth , he hath planted some flowers and trees in the famous gardens of the world ; others , no less beautifull , in untracked woods or wild desarts , where they are either not seen , or not regarded . o god , if thou have intended to glorifie thy self by thy graces in us , thou wilt find means to fetch them forth into the notice of the world ; otherwise our very privacy shall content us , and praise thee . yet even this great faith wanted not some weakness . it was a poor conceit in this woman , that she thought she might receive so sovereign a remedy from christ without his heed , without his knowledge . now that she might see she had trusted to a power which was not more bountifull then sensible , and whose goodness did not exceed his apprehension , but one that knew what he parted with , and willingly parted with that which he knew beneficial to so faithfull a receiver , he can say , some body hath touched me , for i perceive virtue is gone out from me . as there was an errour in her thought , so in our saviour's words there was a correction . his mercy will not let her run away with that secret offence . it is a great favour of god to take us in the manner , and to shame our closeness . we scour off the rust from a weapon that we esteem , and prune the vine we care for . o god , do thou ever find me out in my sin ; and do not pass over my least infirmities without a feeling controlment . neither doubt i but that herein , o saviour , thou didst graciously forecast the securing of the conscience of this faithfull ( though over-seen ) patient ; which might well have afterwards raised some just scruples , for the filching of a cure , for unthahkfulness to the authour of her cure ; the continuance whereof she might have good reason to misdoubt , being surreptitiously gotten , ingratefully concealed . for prevention of all these dangers , and the full quieting of her troubled heart , how fitly , how mercifully didst thou bring forth this close business to the light , and clear it to the bottom ? it is thy great mercy to foresee our perils , and to remove them ere we can apprehend the fear of them : as some skilfull physician , who perceiving a fever or phrensy coming , which the distempered patient little misdoubts , by seasonable applications anticipates that grievous malady ; so as the sick man knows his safety ere he can suspect his danger . well might the woman think , he who can thus cure , and thus know his cure , can as well know my name , and descry my person , and shame and punish my ingratitude . with a pale face therefore and a trembling foot she comes , and falls down before him , and humbly acknowledges what she had done , what she had obtained . but the woman , finding she was not hid , &c. could she have perceived that she might have slily gone away with the cure , she had not confessed it : so had she made god a loser of glory , and her self an unthankfull receiver of so great a benefit . might we have our own wills , we should be injurious both to god and our selves . nature lays such plots as would be sure to befool us ; and is witty in nothing but deceiving her self . the onely way to bring us home , is to find we are found , and to be convinced of the discovery of all our evasions : as some unskilfull thief , that finds the owner's eye was upon him in his pilfering , laies down his stoln commodity with shame . contrarily , when a man is possessed with a conceit of secrecy and cleanly escape , he is emboldened in his leudness . the adulterer chuses the twilight , and says , no eye shall see me ; and joys in the sweetness of his stoln waters . o god , in the deepest darkness , in my most inward retiredness , when none sees me , when i see not my self , yet let me then see thine all-seeing eye upon me : and if ever mine eyes shall be shut , or held with a prevailing temptation , check me with a speedy reproof , that , with this abashed patient , i may come in , and confess my errour , and implore thy mercy . it is no unusual thing for kindness to look sternly for the time , that it may indear it self more when it lists to be discovered . with a severe countenance did our saviour look about him , and ask , who touched me ? when the woman comes in trembling , and confessing both her act and success , he clears up his brows , and speaks comfortably to her ; daughter , be of good chear , thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace . o sweet and seasonable word , fit for those mercifull and divine lips ; able to secure any heart , to dispell any fears ! still , o saviour , thou doest thus to us : when we fall down before thee in an awfull dejectedness , thou rearest us up with a chearfull and compassionate incouragement ; when thou findest us bold and presumptuous , thou lovest to take us down ; when humbled , it is enough to have prostrated us . like as that lion of bethel worries the disobedient prophet , guards the poor ass that stood quaking before him : or like some mighty wind , that bears over a tall elme or cedar with the same breath that it raiseth a stooping reed : or like some good physician , who , finding the body obstructed and surcharged with ill humours , evacuates it , and when it is sufficiently pulled down , raises it up with sovereign cordials . and still doe thou so to my soul ; if at any time thou perceivest me stiff and rebellious , ready to face out my sin against thee , spare me not ; let me smart , till i relent . but a broken and contrite heart thou wilt not , o lord , o lord , do not reject . it is onely thy word which gives what it requires , comfort and confidence . had any other shaken her by the shoulder , and cheared her up against those oppressive passions , it had been but waste wind . no voice but his who hath power to remit sin can secure the heart from the conscience of sin , from the pangs of conscience . in the midst of the sorrows of my heart , thy comforts , o lord , thy comforts onely have power to refresh my soul . her cure was christ's act , yet he gives the praise of it to her ; thy faith hath made thee whole . he had said before , virtue is gone out from me ; now he acknowledges a virtue inherent in her . it was his virtue that cured her , yet he graciously casts this work upon her faith. not that her faith did it by way of merit , by way of efficiency , but by way of impetration . so much did our saviour regard that faith which he had wrought in her , that he will honour it with the success of her cure. such and the same is still the remedy of our spiritual diseases , our sins . by faith we are justified , by faith we are saved . thou onely , o saviour , canst heal us ; thou wilt not heal us but by our faith : not as it issues from us , but as it appropriates thee . the sickness is ours , the remedy is ours : the sickness is our own by nature , the remedy ours by thy grace both working and accepting it . our faith is no less from thee then thy cure is from our faith. o happy dismission , go in peace ! how unquiet had this poor soul formerly been ? she had no outward peace with her neighbours ; they shunned and abhorred her presence in this condition ; yea they must doe so . she had no peace in body ; that was pained and vexed with so long and foul a disease . much less had she peace in her mind , which was grievously disquieted with sorrow for her sickness , with anger and discontentment at her torturing physicians , with fear of the continuance of so bad a guest . her soul ( for the present ) had no peace , from the sense of her guiltiness in the carriage of this business ; from the conceived displeasure of him to whom she came for comfort and redress . at once now doth our saviour calm all these storms ; and in one word and act restores to her peace with her neighbours , peace in her self ; peace in body , in mind , in soul. goe in peace . even so , lord , it was for thee onely , who art the prince of peace , to bestow thy peace where thou pleasest . our body , mind , soul , estate is thine , whether to afflict , or ease . it is a wonder if all of us do not ail somewhat . in vain shall we speak peace to our selves , in vain shall the world speak peace to us , except thou say to us , as thou didst to this distressed soul , goe in peace . xxv . jairus and his daughter . how troublesome did the people's importunity seem to jairus ? that great man came to sue unto jesus for his dying daughter ; the throng of the multitude intercepted him . every man is most sensible of his own necessity . it is no straining courtesy in the challenge of our interest in christ : there is no unmannerliness in our strife for the greatest share in his presence and benediction . that onely child of this ruler lay a dying when he came to solicit christ's aid , and was dead whilst he solicited it . there was hope in her sickness ; in her extremity there was fear ; in her death despair and impossibility ( as they thought ) of help . thy daughter is dead , trouble not the master . when we have to doe with a mere finite power , this word were but just . he was a prophet no less then a king that said , whilst the child was yet alive , i fasted and wept ; for i said , who can tell whether god will be gracious to me that the child may live ? but now he is dead , wherefore should i fast ? can i bring him back again ? i shall goe to him , but he shall not return to me . but since thou hast to doe with an omnipotent agent , know now , o thou faithless messenger , that death can be no bar to his power . how well would it have become thee to have said , thy daughter is dead ; but who can tell whether thy god and saviour will not be gracious to thee that the child may revive ? cannot he , in whose hands are the issues of death , bring her back again ? here were more manners then faith ; trouble not the master . infidelity is all for ease , and thinks every good work tedious . that which nature accounts troublesome , is pleasing and delightfull to grace . is it any pain for an hungry man to eat ? o saviour , it was thy meat and drink to doe thy father's will ; and his will was that thou shouldst bear our griefs and take away our sorrows . it cannot be thy trouble which is our happiness , that we may still sue to thee . the messenger could not so whisper his ill news , but jesus heard it . jairus hears that he feared , and was now heartless with so sad tidings . he that resolved not to trouble the master , meant to take so much more trouble to himself , and would now yield to a hopeless sorrow . he whose work it is to comfort the afflicted , rouzeth up the dejected heart of that pensive father ; fear not , believe onely , and she shall be made whole . the word was not more chearfull then difficult . fear not ? who can be insensible of so great an evil ? where death hath once seized , who can but doubt he will keep his hold ? no less hard was it not to grieve for the loss of an onely child , then not to fear the continuance of the cause of that grief . in a perfect faith there is no fear : by how much more we fear , by so much less we believe . well are these two then coupled , fear not , believe onely . o saviour , if thou didst not command us somewhat beyond nature , it were no thank to us to obey thee . while the child was alive , to believe that it might recover , it was no hard task ; but now that she was fully dead , to believe she should live again , was a work not easy for jairus to apprehend , though easy for thee to effect : yet must that be believed , else there is no capacity of so great a mercy . as love , so faith is stronger then death ; making those bonds no other then ( as sampson did his withes ) like threds of tow . how much natural impossibility is there in the return of these bodies from the dust of their earth , into which through many degrees of corruption they are at the last mouldred ? fear not , o my soul ; believe onely : it must , it shall be done . the sum of jairus his first suit was for the health , not for the resuscitation of his daughter : now that she was dead , he would , if he durst , have been glad to have asked her life . and now , behold , our saviour bids him expect both her life and her health ; thy daughter shall be made whole : alive from her death , whole from her disease . thou didst not , o jairus , thou daredst not ask so much as thou receivest . how glad wouldst thou have been , since this last news , to have had thy daughter alive , though weak and sickly ? now thou shalt receive her not living onely , but sound and vigorous . thou dost not , o saviour , measure thy gifts by our petitions , but by our wants and thine own mercies . this work might have been as easily done by an absent command ; the power of christ was there whilst himself was away : but he will go personally to the place , that he might be confessed the authour of so great a miracle . o saviour , thou lovest to go to the house of mourning ; thy chief pleasure is the comfort of the afflicted . what a confusion there is in worldly sorrow ? the mother shreeks , the servants cry out , the people make lamentation , the minstrells howl and strike dolefully , so as the ear might question whether the ditty or the instrument were more heavy . if ever expressions of sorrow sound well , it is when death leads the quire . soon doth our saviour charm this noise , and turns these unseasonable mourners ( whether formal or serious ) out of doors . not that he dislikes musick , whether to condole or comfort ; but that he had life in his eye , and would have them know that he held these funeral ceremonies to be too early and long before their time . give place , for the maid is not dead , but sleepeth . had she been dead , she had but slept ; now she was not dead , but asleep , because he meant this nap of death should be so short , and her awakening so speedy . death and sleep are alike to him , who can cast whom he will into the sleep of death , and awake when and whom he pleaseth out of that deadly sleep . before the people and domesticks of jairus held jesus for a prophet ; now they took him for a dreamer . not dead , but asleep ? they that came to mourn cannot now forbear to laugh . have we piped at so many funerals , and seen and lamented so many corpses , and cannot we distinguish betwixt sleep and death ? the eyes are set , the breath is gone , the lims are stiff and cold . who ever died , if she do but sleep ? how easily may our reason or sense befool us in divine matters ? those that are competent judges in natural things , are ready to laugh god to scorn when he speaks beyond their compass ; and are by him justly laughed to scorn for their unbelief . vain and faithless men ! as if that unlimited power of the almighty could not make good his own word ; and turn either sleep into death , or death into sleep , at pleasure . ere many minutes they shall be ashamed of their errour and incredulity . there were witnesses enough of her death , there shall not be many of her restoring . three choice disciples and the two parents are onely admitted to the view and testimony of this miraculous work . the eyes of those incredulous scoffers were not worthy of this honour . our infidelity makes us incapable of the secret favours and the highest counsels of the almighty . what did these scorners think and say , when they saw him putting the minstrels and people out of doors ? doubtless the maid is but asleep ; the man fears lest the noise shall awake her ; we must speak and tread softly that we disquiet her not : what will he and his disciples doe the while ? is it not to be feared they will startle her out of her rest ? those that are shut out from the participation of god's counsells , think all his words and projects no better then foolishness . but art thou , o saviour , ever the more discouraged by the derision and censure of these scornfull unbelievers ? because fools jear thee , dost thou forbear thy work ? surely i do not perceive that thou heedest them , save for contempt ; or carest more for their words then their silence . it is enough that thine act shall soon honour thee , and convince them . he took her by the hand , and called , saying , maid , arise ; and her spirit came again , and she arose straightway . how could that touch , that call be other then effectual ? he who made that hand , touched it ; and he who shall once say , arise , ye dead , said now , maid , arise . death cannot but obey him who is the lord of life . the soul is ever equally in his hand who is the god of spirits : it cannot but go and come at his command . when he says , maid , arise , the now-dissolved spirit knows his office , his place , and instantly re-assumes that room which by his appointment it had left . o saviour , if thou do but bid my soul to arise from the death of sin , it cannot lie still ; if thou bid my body to arise from the grave , my soul cannot but glance down from her heaven , and animate it . in vain shall my sin or my grave offer to withhold me from thee . the maid revives : not now to languish for a time upon her sick-bed , and by some faint degrees to gather an insensible strength ; but at once she arises from her death and from her couch ; at once she puts off her fever with her dissolution ; she finds her life and her feet at once ; at once she finds her feet and her stomack . he commanded to give her meat . omnipotency doth not use to go the pace of nature . all god's immediate works are ( like himself ) perfect . he that raised her supernaturally , could have so fed her . it was never the purpose of his power , to put ordinary means out of office . xxvi . the motion of the two fiery disciples repelled . the time drew now on wherein jesus must be received up . he must take death in his way . calvary is in his passage to mount olivet . he must be lift up to the cross , thence to climb into his heaven . yet this comes not into mention ; as if all the thought of death were swallowed up in this victory over death . neither , o saviour , is it otherwise with us , the weak members of thy mystical body : we must die , we shall be glorified . what if death stand before us ? we look beyond him at that transcendent glory . how should we be dismay'd with that pain which is attended with a blessed immortality ? the strongest receit against death is the happy estate that follows it ; next to that is the fore-expectation of it and resolution against it . he stedfastly set his face to go to jerusalem : jerusalem the nest of his enemies , the amphitheater of his conflicts , the fatall place of his death . well did he know the plots and ambushes that were there laid for him , and the bloudy issue of those designs : yet he will go , and goes resolved for the worst . it is a sure and wise way to send our thoughts before us , to grapple with those evils which we know must be incountred . the enemy is half overcome that is well prepared for . the strongest mischief may be outfaced with a seasonable fore-resolution . there can be no greater disadvantage then the suddenness of a surprisall . o god , what i have not the power to avoid , let me have the wisedom to expect . the way from galilee to judaea lay through the region of samaria , if not through the city . christ now towards the end of his preaching could not but be attended with a multitude of followers : it was necessary there should be purveyours and harbingers to procure lodgings and provision for so large a troup . some of his own retinue are addressed to this service : they seek not for palaces and delicates , but for house-room and victuals . it was he whose the earth was and the fulness thereof , whos 's the heavens are and the mansions therein ; yet he , who could have commanded angels , sues to samaritans : he that filled and comprehended heaven , sendeth for shelter in a samaritan cottage . it was thy choice , o saviour , to take upon thee the shape , not of a prince , but of a servant . how can we either neglect means , or despise homeliness , when thou the god of all the world wouldst stoop to the suit of so poor a provision ? we know well in what terms the samaritans stood with the jews ; so much more hostile as they did more symbolize in matter of religion : no nations were mutually so hatefull to each other . a samaritan's bread was no better then swines-flesh ; their very fire and water was not more grudged then infectious . the looking towards jerusalem was here cause enough of repulse . no enmity is so desperate as that which arises from matter of religion . agreement in some points , when there are differences in the main , doth but advance hatred the more . it is not more strange to hear the son of god sue for a lodging , then to hear him repelled . upon so churlish a deniall , the two angry disciples return to their master on a fiery errand ; lord , wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them , as elias did ? the sons of thunder would be lightning straight ; their zeal , whether as kinsmen or disciples , could not brook so harsh a refusal . as they were naturally more hot then their fellows , so now they thought their piety bade them be impatient . yet they dare not but begin with leave , master , wilt thou ? his will must lead theirs ; their choler cannot drive their wills before his : all their motion is from him onely . true disciples are like those artificiall engines which goe no otherwise then they are set ; or like little children , that speak nothing but what they are taught . o saviour , if we have wills of our own , we are not thine . do thou set me as thou wouldst have me goe ; do thou teach me what thou wouldst have me say or doe . a mannerly preface leads in a faulty suit ; master , wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them ? faulty , both in presumption , and in desire of private revenge . i do not hear them say , master , will it please thee , who art the sole lord of the heavens and the elements , to command fire from heaven upon these men ? but , wilt thou that we command ? as if , because they had power given them over diseases and unclean spirits , therefore heaven and earth were in their managing . how easily might they be mistaken ? their large commission had the just limits . subjects that have munificent grants from their princes can challenge nothing beyond the words of their patent . and if the fetching down fire from heaven were less then the dispossessing of devils , ( since the devil shall inable the beast to doe thus much , ) yet how possible is it to doe the greater and stick at the less , where both depend upon a delegated power ? the magicians of aegypt could bring forth frogs and bloud ; they could not bring lice : ordinary corruption can doe that which they could not . it is the fashion of our bold nature , upon an inch given , to challenge an ell ; and where we find our selves graced with some abilities , to flatter our selves with the faculty of more . i grant , faith hath done as great things as ever presumption undertook ; but there is great difference in the enterprises of both . the one hath a warrant , either by instinct , or express command ; the other none at all . indeed , had these two disciples either meant , or said , master , if it be thy pleasure to command us to call down fire from heaven , we know thy word shall enable us to doe what thou requirest ; if the words be ours , the power shall be thine ; this had been but holy , modest , faithfull : but if they supposed there needed nothing save a leave onely , and that ( might they be but let loose ) they could go alone , they presumed , they offended . yet had they thus overshot themselves in some pious and charitable motion , the fault had been the less : now the act had in it both cruelty , and private revenge . their zeal was not worthy of more praise , then their fury of censure . that fire should fall down from heaven upon men , is a fearfull thing to think of , and that which hath not been often done . it was done in the case of sodome , when those five unclean cities burned with the unnatural fire of hellish lust : it was done two severall times at the suit of elijah : it was done ( in an height of triall ) to that great pattern of patience . i find it no more , and tremble at these i find . but besides the dreadfulness of the judgment it self , who can but quake at the thought of the suddenness of this destruction , which sweeps away both body and soul in a state of unpreparation , of unrepentance ; so as this fire should but begin a worse , this heavenly flame should but kindle that of hell ? thus unconceivably heavy was the revenge : but what was the offence ? we have learned not to think any indignity light that is offered to the son of god ; but we know these spiritual affronts are capable of degrees . had these samaritans reviled christ and his train , had they violently assaulted him , had they followed him with stones in their hands and blasphemies in their mouths , it had been a just provocation of so horrible a vengeance : now the wrong was onely negative , they received him not : and that , not out of any particular quarrel or dislike of his person , but of his nation onely ; the men had been welcome , had not their country distasted . all the charge that i hear our saviour give to his disciples in case of their rejection is , if they receive you not , shake off the dust of your feet . yet this was amongst their own , and when they went on that sacred errand of publishing the gospel of peace . these were strangers from the commonwealth of israel . this measure was not to preachers , but to travellers ; onely a meer inhospitality to misliked guests . yet no less revenge will serve them then fire from heaven . i dare say for you , ye holy sons of zebedee , it was not your spleen , but your zeal , that was guilty of so bloudy a suggestion : your indignation could not but be stirred to see the great prophet and saviour of the world so unkindly repelled : yet all this will not excuse you from a rash cruelty , from an inordinate rage . even the best heart may easily be miscarried with a well-meant zeal . no affection is either more necessary , or better accepted . love to any object cannot be severed from hatred of the contrary : whence it is that all creatures which have the concupiscible part , have also the irascible adjoyned unto it . anger and displeasure is not so much an enemy , as a guardian and champion of love. whoever therefore is rightly affected to his saviour , cannot but find much regret at his wrongs . o gracious and divine zeal , the kindly warmth and vital temper of piety , whither hast thou withdrawn thy self from the cold hearts of men ? or is this according to the just constitution of the old and decrepit age of the world , into which we are fallen ? how many are there that think there is no wisedom but in a dull indifferency ; and chuse rather to freeze then burn ? how quick and apprehensive are men in cases of their own indignities ? how insensible of their saviour's ? but there is nothing so ill as the corruption of the best . rectified zeal is not more commendable and usefull , then inordinate and misguided is hatefull and dangerous . fire is a necessary and beneficial element ; but if it be once misplaced , and have caught upon the beams of our houses or stacks of our corn , nothing can be more direfull . thus sometimes zeal turns murther , ( they that kill you shall think they doe god service , ) sometimes phrensie , sometimes rude indiscretion . wholsome and blessed is that zeal that is well grounded and well governed : grounded upon the word of truth , not upon unstable fancies ; governed by wisedom and charity : wisedom , to avoid rashness and excess ; charity , to avoid just offence . no motion can want a pretence . elias did so ; why not we ? he was an holy prophet : the occasion , the place abludes not much : there wrong was offered to a servant , here to his master ; there to a man , here to a god and man. if elias then did it , why not we ? there is nothing more perillous then to draw all the actions of holy men into examples : for as the best men have their weaknesses , so they are not privileged from letting fall unjustifiable actions . besides that , they may have had perhaps peculiar warrants signed from heaven , whether by instinct , or special command , which we shall expect in vain . there must be much caution used in our imitation of the best patterns , ( whether in respect of the persons , or things ; ) else we shall make our selves apes , and our acts sinfull absurdities . it is a rare thing for our saviour to find fault with the errours of zeal , even where have appeared sensible weaknesses . if moses in a sacred rage and indignation brake the tables written with god's own hand , i find him not checked . here our meek saviour turns back , and frowns upon his furious suitours , and takes them up roundly ; ye know not of what spirit ye are . the faults of uncharitableness cannot be swallowed up in zeal . if there were any colour to hide the blemishes of this misdisposition , it should be this crimson die . but he that needs not our lie , will let us know he needs not our injury ; and hates to have a good cause supported by the violation of our charity . we have no reason to disclaim our passions : even the son of god chides sometimes , yea where he loves . it offends not that our affections are moved , but that they are inordinate . it was a sharp word , ye know not of what spirit ye are . another man would not perhaps have felt it ; a disciple doth . tender hearts are galled with that which the carnal mind slighteth . the spirit of elias was that which they meant to assume and imitate : they shall now know their mark was mistaken . how would they have hated to think that any other but god's spirit had stirred them up to this passionate motion ? now they shall know it was wrought by that ill spirit whom they professed to hate . it is far from the good spirit of god to stir up any man to private revenge or thirst of bloud . not an eagle , but a dove , was the shape wherein he chose to appear . neither wouldst thou , o god , be in the whirlwind , or in the fire , but in the soft voice . o saviour , what do we seek for any precedent but thine , whose name we challenge ? thou camest to thine own , thine own received thee not . didst thou call for fire from heaven upon them ? didst thou not rather send down water from thy compassionate eyes , and weep for them by whom thou must bleed ? better had it been for us never to have had any spirit , then any but thine . we can be no other then wicked , if our mercies be cruelty . but is it the name of elias ( o ye zelots ) which ye pretend for a colour of your impotent desire ? ye do not consider the difference betwixt his spirit and yours . his was extraordinary and heroical , besides the instinct or secret command of god for this act of his ; far otherwise is it with you , who by a carnal distemper are moved to this furious suggestion . those that would imitate god's saints in singular actions must see they go upon the same grounds . without the same spirit and the same warrant it is either a mockery or a sin to make them our copies . elias is no fit pattern for disciples , but their master . the son of man came not to destroy mens lives , but to save them . then are our actions and intentions warrantable and praise-worthy , when they accord with his . o saviour , when we look into those sacred acts and monuments of thine , we find many a life which thou preservedst from perishing , some that had perished by thee recalled ; never any by thee destroyed . onely one poor fig-tree ( as the reall emblem of thy severity to the unfruitfull ) was blasted and withered by thy curse . but to man , how ever favourable and indulgent wert thou ? so repelled as thou wert , so reviled , so persecuted , laid for , sold , betrayed , apprehended , arraigned , condemned , crucified ; yet what one man didst thou strike dead for these hainous indignities ? yea , when one of thine enemies lost but an ear in that ill quarrel , thou gavest that ear to him who came to take life from thee . i find some whom thou didst scourge and correct , as the sacrilegious money-changers ; none whom thou killedst . not that thou either lovest not , or requirest not the duly severe execution of justice . whose sword is it that princes bear but thine ? offenders must smart and bleed . this is a just sequel , but not the intention of thy coming ; thy will , not thy drift . good princes make wholsome laws for the well-ordering of their people : there is no authority without due coercion . the violation of these good laws is followed with death , whose end was preservation , life , order : and this not so much for revenge of an offence past , as for prevention of future mischief . how can we then enough love and praise thy mercy , o thou preserver of men ? how should we imitate thy saving and beneficent disposition towards mankind , as knowing , the more we can help to save , the nearer we come to thee that camest to save all ; and the more destructive we are , the more we resemble him who is abaddon , a murtherer from the beginning ? xxvii . the ten lepers . the samaritans were tainted , not with schism , but heresie , but paganism ; our saviour yet balks them not , but makes use of the way as it lies , and bestows upon them the courtesie of some miracles . some kind of commerce is lawfull even with those without . terms of intireness and leagues of inward amity are here unfit , unwarrantable , dangerous ; but civil respects , and wise uses of them for our convenience or necessity , need not , must not be forborn . ten lepers are here met : those that are excluded from all other society seek the company of each other . fellowship is that we all naturally affect , though even in leprosy . ever lepers will flock to their fellows : where shall we find one spiritual leper alone ? drunkards , profane persons , hereticks will be sure to consort with their matches . why should not god's saints delight in an holy communion ? why is it not our chief joy to assemble in good ? jews and samaritans could not abide one another , yet here in leprosy they accord ; here was one samaritan leper with the jewish : community of passion hath made them friends , whom even religion disjoyned . what virtue there is in misery , that can unite even the most estranged hearts ? i seek not mystery in the number . these ten are met together , and all meet christ : not casually , but upon due deliberation ; they purposely waited for this opportunity . no marvel if they thought no attendence long to be delivered from so loathsome and miserable a disease . great naaman could be glad to come from syria to judaea , in hope of leaving that hatefull guest behind him . we are all sensible enough of our bodily infirmities . oh that we could be equally weary of the sicknesses and deformities of our better part . surely our spiritual maladies are no less then mortal , if they be not healed ; neither can they heal alone . these men had died lepers if they had not met with christ . o saviour , give us grace to seek thee , and patience to wait for thee ; and then we know thou wilt find us , and we remedy . where do these lepers attend for christ but in a village : and that , not in the street of it , but in the entrance , in the passage to it ? the cities , the towns were not for them ; the law of god had shut them out from all frequence , from all conversation . care of safety and fear of infection was motive enough to make their neighbours observant of this piece of the law. it is not the body onely that is herein respected by the god of spirits . those that are spiritually contagious must be still and ever avoided ; they must be separated from us , we must be separated from them : they from us , by just censures ; or ( if that be neglected ) we from them , by a voluntary declination of their familiar conversation . besides the benefit of our safety , wickedness would soon be ashamed of it self , if it were not for the incouragement of companions . solitariness is the fittest antidote for spiritual infection . it were happy for the wicked man , if he could be separated from himself . these lepers that came to seek christ , yet finding him , they stand afar off ; whether for reverence , or for security . god had enacted this distance . it was their charge , if they were occasioned to pass through the streets , to cry out , i am unclean . it was no less then their duty to proclaim their own infectiousness : there was not danger onely , but sin in their approach . how happy were it , if in those wherein there is more perill , there were more remoteness , less silence ? o god , we are all lepers to thee , overspred with the loathsome scurf of our own corruptions : it becomes us well , in the conscience of our shame and vileness , to stand afar off . we cannot be too awfull of thee , too much ashamed of our selves . yet these men , though they be far off in the distance of place , yet they are near in respect of the acceptance of their prayer . the lord is near unto all that call upon him in truth . o saviour , whilst we are far off from thee , thou art near unto us . never dost thou come so close to us , as when in an holy bashfulness we stand farthest off . justly dost thou expect we should be at once bold and bashfull . how boldly should we come to the throne of grace , in respect of the grace of that throne ? how fearfully , in respect of the awfulness of the majesty of that throne , and that unworthiness which we bring with us into that dreadfull presence ? he that stands near may whisper ; but he that stands afar off must cry aloud : so did these lepers . yet not so much distance as passion strained their throats . that which can give voice to the dumb , can much more give loudness to the vocall . all cried together : these ten voices were united in one sound , that their conjoyned forces might expugn that gracious ear . had every man spoken singly for himself , this had made no noise , neither yet any shew of a fervent importunity : now , as they were all affected with one common disease , so they all set out their throats together , and ( though jews and samaritans ) agree in one joynt supplication . even where there are ten tongues , the word is but one ; that the condescent may be universal . when we would obtain common favours , we may not content our selves with private and solitary devotions , but must joyn our spiritual forces together , and set upon god by troups . two are better then one ; because they have a good reward for their labour . no faithfull prayer goes away unrecompensed : but where many good hearts meet , the retribution must be needs answerable to the number of the petitioners . o holy and happy violence that is thus offered to heaven ! how can we want blessings , when so many cords draw them down upon our heads ? it was not the sound , but the matter , that carried it with christ : if the sound were shrill , the matter was faithfull ; jesu master , have mercy upon us . no word can better become the mouth of the miserable . i see not where we can meet with fitter patterns . surely , they were not verier lepers then we : why do we not imitate them in their actions , who are too like them in our condition ? whither should we seek but to our jesus ? how should we stand aloof in regard of our own wretchedness ? how should we lift up our voice in the fervour of our supplications ? what should we rather sue for then mercy ? jesu master , have mercy upon us . o gracious prevention of mercy , both had and given ere it can be asked ! jesus , when he saw them , said , go shew your selves to the priests . their disease is cured ere it can be complained of ; their shewing to the priest presupposes them whole ; whole in his grant , though not in their own apprehension . that single leper that came to christ before ( matt. . luk. . ) was first cured in his own sense ; and then was bid to goe to the priest for approbation of the cure. it was not so with these , who are sent to the judges of leprosy , with an intention they shall in the way find themselves healed . there was a different purpose in both these : in the one , that the perfection of the cure might be convinced , and seconded with a due sacrifice ; in the other , that the faith of the patients might be tried in the way ; which if it had not held as strong in the prosecution of their suit as in the beginning , had ( i doubt ) failed of the effect . how easily might these lepers think , alas ! to what purpose is this ? shew our selves to the priests ? what can their eyes doe ? they can judge whether it be cured , ( which we see yet it is not ) they cannot cure it . this is not now to doe : we have been seen enough , and loathed . what can their eyes see more then our own ? we had well hoped that jesus would have vouchsafed to call us to him , and to lay his hands upon us , and to have healed us . these thoughts had kept them lepers still . now shall their faith and obedience be proved by their submission both to this sudden command , and that divine ordination . that former leper was charged to shew himself to the chief priest , these to the priests ; either would serve : the original command runs , either to aaron , or to one of his sons . but why to them ? leprosy was a bodily sickness ; what is this to spiritual persons ? wherefore serve physicians , if the priests must meddle with diseases ? we never shall find those sacred persons to pass their judgement upon fevers , dropsies , palsies , or any other bodily distemper : neither should they on this , were it not that this affection of the body is joyned with a legall uncleanness . not as a sickness , but as an impurity must it come under their cognisance : neither this , without a farther implication . who but the successours of the legall priesthood are proper to judge of the uncleannesses of the soul ? whether an act be sinfull , or in what degree it is such ; what grounds are sufficient for the comfortable assurance of repentance , of forgiveness ; what courses are fittest to avoid the danger of relapses , who is so like to know , so meet to judge , as our teachers ? would we in these cases consult ofter with our spiritual guides , and depend upon their faithfull advices and well-grounded absolutions , it were safer , it were happier for us . oh the dangerous extremity of our wisedome ! our hood-wink'd progenitours would have no eyes but in the heads of their ghostly fathers : we think our selves so quick-sighted , that we pity the blindness of our able teachers ; none but our selves are fit to judge of our own leprosie . neither was it onely the peculiar judgement of the priest that was here intended , but the thankfulness of the patient : that by the sacrifice which he should bring with him , he might give god the glory of his sanation . o god , whomsoever thou curest of this spiritual leprosie , it is reason he should present thee with the true evangelical sacrifices , not of his praises onely , but of himself , which are reasonable and living . we are still leprous if we do not first see our selves foul , and then find our selves thankfully serviceable . the lepers did not , would not go of themselves , but are sent by christ : goe and shew your selves . and why sent by him ? was it in obedience to the law ? was it out of respect to the priesthood ? was it for prevention of cavills ? was it for conviction of gain-sayers ? or was it for confirmation of the miracle ? christ that was above the law would not transgress it ; he knew this was his charge by moses . how justly might he have dispensed with his own ? but he will not : though the law doth not bind the maker , he will voluntarily bind himself . he was within the ken of his consummatum est ; yet would not anticipate that approaching end , but holds the law on foot till his last pace . this was but a branch of the ceremonial ; yet would he not slight it , but in his own person gives example of a studious observation . how carefully should we submit our selves to the royall laws of our creatour , to the wholsome laws of our superiours , whilst the son of god would not but be so punctual in a ceremony ? whilst i look to the persons of those priests , i see nothing but corruption , nothing but professed hostility to the true messiah . all this cannot make thee , o saviour , to remit any point of the observance due to their places . their function was sacred , whatever their persons were : though they have not the grace to give thee thy due , thou wilt not fail to give them theirs . how justly dost thou expect all due regard to thine evangelicall priesthood , who gavest so curious respect to the legall ? it were shame the synagogue should be above the church ; or that priesthood which thou meantest speedily to abrogate , should have more honour then that which thou meantest to establish and perpetuate . had this duty been neglected , what clamours had been raised by his emulous adversaries ? what scandalls ? though the fault had been the patient's , not the physician 's . but they that watched christ so narrowly , and were apt to take so poor exceptions at his sabbath-cures , at the unwashen hands of his disciples , how much more would they have calumniated him if by his neglect the law of leprosie had been palpably transgressed ? not onely evil must be avoided , but offence ; and that not on our parts , but on others . that offence is ours , which we might have remedied . what a noble and irrefragable testimony was this to the power , to the truth of the messiah ? how can these jews but either believe , or be made inexcusable in not believing ? when they shall see so many lepers come at once to the temple , all cured by a secret will , without word or touch , how can they chuse but say , this work is supernatural ; no limited power could doe this ? how is he not god , if his power be infinite ? their own eyes shall be witnesses and judges of their own conviction . the cure is done by christ more exquisitely then by art or nature ; yet it is not publickly assured and acknowledged , till according to the mosaicall law certain subsequent rites be performed . there is no admittance into the congregation , but by sprinkling of bloud . o saviour , we can never be ascertained of our cleansing from that spirituall leprosie wherewith our souls are tainted , but by the sprinkling of thy most precious bloud : wash us with that , and we shall be whiter then snow . this act of shewing to the priest was not more required by the law then pre-required of those lepers by our saviour , for the triall of their obedience . had they now stood upon terms with christ , and said , we will first see what cause there will be to shew our selves to the priests ; they need not see our leprie , we shall be glad they should see our cure : do thou work that which we shall shew , and bid us shew what thou hast wrought : till then excuse us : it is our grief and shame to be seen too much ; they had been still lepers . it hath been ever god's wont by small precepts to prove mens dispositions . obedience is as well tried in a trifle , as in the most important charge ; yea so much more , as the thing required is less : for oft-times those who would be carefull in main affairs , think they may neglect the smallest . what command soever we receive from god or our superiours , we must not scan the weight of the thing , but the authority of the commander . either difficulty or slightness are vain pretences for disobedience . these lepers are wiser ; they obeyed , and went. what was the issue ? as they went , they were healed . lo , had they stood still , they had been lepers ; now they went , they are whole . what haste the blessing makes to overtake their obedience ? this walk was required by the very law , if they should have found themselves healed : what was it to prevent the time a little , and to doe that sooner upon hopes which upon sense they must doe after ? the horrour of the disease adds to the grace of the cure ; and that is so much more gracious as the task is easier : it shall cost them but a walk . it is the bounty of that god whom we serve , to reward our worthless endeavours with infinite requitals . he would not have any proportion betwixt our acts and his remunerations . yet besides this recompence of obedience , o saviour , thou wouldst herein have respect to thine own just glory . had not these lepers been cured in the way , but in the end of their walk , upon their shewing to the priests , the miracle had lost much light : perhaps the priests would have challenged it to themselves , and have attributed it to their prayers ; perhaps the lepers might have thought it was thy purpose to honour the priests as the instruments of that marvellous cure. now there can be no colour of any others participation , since the leprosie vanishes in the way . as thy power , so thy praise admits of no partners . and now , methinks , i see what an amazed joy there was amongst these lepers , when they saw themselves thus suddenly cured : each tells other what a change he feels in himself ; each comforts other with the assurance of his outward clearness ; each congratulates other's happiness , and thinks , and says how joyfull this news will be to their friends and families . their society now serves them well to applaud and heighten their new felicity . the miracle , indifferently wrought upon all , is differently taken . all went forward ( according to the appointment ) toward the priests , all were obedient ; one onely was thankfull . all were cured , all saw themselves cured : their sense was alike , their hearts were not alike . what could make the difference but grace ? and who could make the difference of grace but he that gave it ? he that wrought the cure in all , wrought the grace not in all , but in one . the same act , the same motives , are not equally powerfull to all : where the oxe finds grass , the viper poison . we all pray , all hear ; one goes away bettered , another cavils . will makes the difference ; but who makes the difference of wills but he that made them ? he that creates the new heart , leaves a stone in one bosome , puts flesh into another . it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth , but in god that hath mercy . o god , if we look not up to thee , we may come and not be healed ; we may be healed , and not be thankfull . this one man breaks away from his fellows to seek christ . whilst he was a leper , he consorted with lepers ; now that he is healed , he will be free . he saith not , i came with these men , with them i will goe ; if they will return , i will accompany them ; if not , what should i goe alone ? as i am not wiser then they , so i have no more reason to be more thankfull . there are cases wherein singularity is not lawfull onely , but laudable . thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil . i and my house will serve the lord. it is a base and unworthy thing for a man so to subject himself to others examples , as not sometimes to resolve to be an example to others . when either evil is to be done , or good neglected , how much better is it to goe the right way alone , then to erre with company ? o noble pattern of thankfulness ! what speed of retribution is here ? no sooner doth he see his cure , then he hasts to acknowledge it : the benefit shall not die , not sleep in his hand . late professions of our obligations savour of dulness and ingratitude . what a laborious and diligent officiousness is here ? he stands not still , but puts himself to the pains of a return . what an hearty recognition of the blessing ? his voice was not more loud in his suit then in his thanks . what an humble reverence of his benefactour ? he falls down at his feet , as acknowledging at once beneficence and unworthiness . it were happy for all israel , if they could but learn of this samaritan . this man is sent with the rest to the priests . he well knew this duty a branch of the law of ceremonies , which he meant not to neglect : but his heart told him there was a moral duty of professing thankfulness to his benefactour , which called for his first attendence . first therefore he turns back , ere he will stir forward . reason taught this samaritan ( and us in him ) that ceremony must yield to substance , and that main points of obedience ought to take place of all rituall complements . it is not for nothing that note is made of the countrey of this thankfull leper ; he was a samaritan : the place is known and branded with the infamy of a paganish mis-religion . outward disadvantage of place or parentage cannot block up the way of god's grace and free election ; as contrarily the privileges of birth and nature avail us nothing in spirituall occasions . how sensible wert thou , o saviour , of thine own beneficence ? were there not ten cleansed ? but where are the nine ? the trouping of these lepers together did not hinder thy reckoning . it is both justice and wisedom in thee to keep a strict account of thy favours . there is an wholsome and usefull art of forgetfulness in us men , both of benefits done , and of wrongs offered . it is not so with god. our injuries indeed he soon puts over , making it no small part of his style , that he forgives iniquities : but for his mercies , there is no reason he should forget them ; they are worthy of more then our memory . his favours are universal over all his works ; there is no creature that tasts not of his bounty ; his sun and rain are for others besides his friends : but none of his good turns escapes either his knowledge or record . why should not we ( o god ) keep a book of our receits from thee , which agreeing with thine may declare thee bounteous , and us thankfull ? our saviour doth not ask this by way of doubt , but of exprobration . full well did he count the steps of those absent lepers ; he knew where they were ; he upbraids their ingratitude , that they were not where they should have been . it was thy just quarrel , o saviour , that whilst one samaritan returned , nine israelites were healed and returned not . had they been all samaritans , this had been faulty ; but now they were israelites , their ingratitude was more foul then their leprosy . the more we are bound to god , the more shamefull is our unthankfulness . there is scarce one in ten that is carefull to give god his own : this neglect is not more general then displeasing . christ had never missed their presence , if their absence had not been hatefull and injurious . xxviii . the pool of bethesda . otherwhere ye may look long , and see no miracle ; but here behold two miracles in one view : the former , of the angel curing diseases ; the latter , of the god of angels , viz. christ jesus , preventing the angel in his cure. even the first christ wrought by the angel ; the second immediately by himself . the first is incomparable , for , ( as montanus truly observes ) there is no one miraculum perpetuum but this one , in the whole book of god. be content to spend this hour with me in the porches of bethesda , and consider with me the topography , the aitiology , the chronography of this miracle . these three limit our speech and your patient attention . the chronography ( which is first in place and time ) offers us two heads : . a feast of the jews ; . christ going up to the feast . the jews were full of holy-days , both of god's institution and the churche's . of god's , both weekly , monthly , anniversary . weekly , that one of seven , which i would to god we had learned of them to keep better . in this regard it was that seneca said , the jews did septimam aetatis partem perdere , lose the seventh part of their life . monthly , the new moons , numb . . anniversary , easter , pentecost , and the september-feasts . the churche's , both the purim by mardochaeus ; and the encaenia by judas maccabaeus , which yet christ honoured by his solemnization , john . surely god did this for the chearfulness of his people in his service : hence the church hath laudably imitated this example . to have no feasts , is sullen : to have too many , is paganish and superstitious . neither would god have cast the christian easter upon the just time of the jewish pasch , and their whitsontide upon the jewish pentecost , if he would not have had these feasts continued . and why should the christian church have less power then the jewish synagogue ? here was not a mere feriation , but a feasting ; they must appear before god cum muneribus with gifts . the tenth part of their increase must be spent upon the three solemn feasts , besides their former tithes to levi , deut. . . there was no holy-day wherein they feasted above six hours ; and in some of them tradition urged them to their quantities of drink : and david , when he would keep holy-day to the ark , allows every isra●lite a cake of bread , a piece of flesh , a bottle of wine ; not a dry dinner , ( prandium caninum ) not a meer drinking , of wine without meat , but to make up a perfect feast , bread , flesh , wine , sam. . the true purims of this island are those two feasts of august and november . he is no true israelite that keeps them not , as the days which the lord hath made . when are joy and triumphs seasonable if not at feasts ? but not excess . pardon me , i know not how feasts are kept at the court : but , as job , when he thought of the banquets of his sons , says , it may be they have sinned ; so let me speak at peradventures , if sensuall immoderation should have set her foot into these christian feasts , let me at least say with indulgent eli , non est bona fama , filii , it is no good report , my sons . do ye think that s. paul's rule , non in comessationibus & ebrietate , not in surfeiting and drunkenness , was for work-days onely ? the jews had a conceit , that on their sabbath and feast-days the devils fled from their cities ad montes umbrosos , to the shady mountains . let it not be said , that on our christian feasts they should è montibus aulam petere : and that he seeks , and finds not , loca arida , but madida . god forbid that christians should sacrifice to bacchus in stead of the ever-living god : and that on the day when you should have been blown up by treacherous fire from earth to heaven , you should fetch down the fire of god's anger from heaven upon you by swilling and surfeits : god forbid . god's service is unum necessarium , one thing necessary , saith christ . homo ebrius , superflua creatura , a drunken man is a superfluous creature , saith ambrose . how ill do those two agree together ? this i have been bold to say out of caution , not of reproof . thus much , that there was a feast of the jews . now , what feast it was , is questionable : whether the pasch , as irenaeus , and beza with him , thinks , upon the warrant of john . . where our saviour had said , yet four months , and then comes harvest : or whether pentecost , which was fifty days from the shaking of the sheaf , ( that was easter sunday ) as cyrill , chrysostome , theophylact , euthymius , and some later : or whether one of the september feasts , as some others . the excellency of the feast makes for easter , the feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the number of interpreters for pentecost ; the number of feasts for september . for as god delighted in the number of seven , the seventh day was holy , the seventh year , the seventh seventh year : so he shewed it in the seventh month , which reserves his number still , september ; the first day whereof was the sabbath of trumpets , the tenth dies expiationum , and on the fifteenth began the feast of tabernacles for seven days . it is an idleness to seek that which we are never the better when we have found . what if easter ? what if tabernacles ? what if pentecost ? what loss , what gain is this ? magnâ nos molestiâ joannes liberâsset , si unum adjecisset verbum ; john had eased us of much trouble , if he had added but one word , saith maldonat . but for us , god give them sorrow which love it : this is one of saint paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vain disputations , that he forbids his timothy ; yea , ( which is the subject thereof ) one of them which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , foolish and unlearned questions , tim. . . quantum mali facit nimia subtilitas ? how much mischief is done by too much subtility ? saith seneca . these are for some idle cloisterers , that have nothing to doe but to pick straws in divinity : like to appian the grammarian , that with long discourse would pick out of homer's first verse of his iliads , and the first word , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the number of the books of iliads and odysses ; or like didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that spent some of his four thousand books about , which was homer's country , who was aeneas's true mother , what the age of hecuba , how long it was betwixt homer and orpheus ; or those wise criticks of whom seneca speaks , that spend whole volumes , whether homer or hesiod were the elder . non profuturam scientiam tradunt , they vent an unprofitable skill , as he said . let us be content with the learned ignorance of what god hath concealed ; and know , that what he hath concealed , will not avail us to know . rather let us inquire why christ would go up to the feast . i find two silken cords that drew him up thither . . his obedience . . his desire of manifesting his glory . first , it was a generall law , all males must appear thrice a year before the lord. behold , he was the god whom they went up to worship at the feast ; yet he goes up to worship . he began his life in obedience , when he came into his mother's belly to bethlehem at the taxation of augustus , and so he continues it . he knew his due . of whom do the kings of the earth receive tribute ? of their own , or of strangers ? then their sons are free . yet he that would pay tribute to caesar , will also pay this tribute of obedience to his father . he that was above the law , yields to the law : legi satisfacere voluit , etsi non sub lege , he would satisfie the law , though he were not under the law. the spirit of god says , he learned obedience in that he suffered . surely also he taught obedience in that he did . this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to john baptist , it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness . he will not abate his father one ceremony . it was dangerous to go up to that jerusalem which he had left before , for their malice : yet now he will up again . his obedience drew him up to that bloudy feast , wherein himself was sacrificed ; how much more now , that he might sacrifice ? what can we plead to have learned of christ , if not his first lesson , obedience ? the same proclamation that gedeon made to israel , he makes still to us , as ye see me doe , so doe ye . whatsoever therefore god injoyns us , either immediately by himself , or mediately by his deputies , if we will be christians , we must so observe , as those that know themselves bound to tread in his steps that said , in the volume of thy book it is written of me , i desired to doe thy will , o god , psal . . . i will have obedience , ( saith god ) and not sacrifice . but where sacrifice is obedience , he will have obedience in sacrificing . therefore christ went up to the feast . the second motive was the manifestation of his glory . if we be the light of the world , who are so much snuffe , what is he that is the father of lights ? it was not for him to be set under the bushell of nazareth , but upon the table of jerusalem . thither and then was the confluence of all the tribes . many a time had christ passed by this man before , when the streets were empty ; for there he lay many years ; yet heals him not till now . he that sometimes modestly steals a miracle with a vide nè cui dixeris , see thou tell no man , that no man might know it ; at other times does wonders upon the scaffold of the world , that no man might be ignorant , and bids proclaim it on the house tops . it was fit the world should be thus publickly convinced , and either wone by belief , or lost by inexcusableness . good , the more common it is , the better . i will praise thee , saith david , in ecclesia magna , in the great congregation . glory is not got in corners . no man ( say the envious kinsmen of christ ) keeps close , and would be famous : no , nor that would have god celebrated . the best opportunities must be taken in glorifying him . he that would be crucified at the feast , that his death and resurrection might be more famous ; will at the feast doe miracles , that his divine power might be approved openly . christ is flos campi , non horti , the flour of the field , and not of the garden , saith bernard . god cannot abide to have his graces smothered in us . i have not hid thy righteousness within my heart , saith the psalmist . absalom , when he would be insignitè improbus , notoriously wicked , does his villany publickly in the eyes of the sun , under no curtain but heaven . he that would doe notable service to god , must doe it conspicuously . nicodemus gain'd well by christ , but christ got nothing by him , so long as , like to a night-bird , he never came to him but with owls and bats . then he began to be a profitable disciple , when he durst oppose the pharisees in their condemnation of christ , though indefinitely : but most , when in the night of his death the light of his faith brought him openly to take down the sacred corps before all the gazing multitude , and to embalm it . when we confess god's name , with the psalmist , before kings ; when kings , defenders of the faith , profess their religion in publick and everlasting monuments to all nations , to all times ; this is glorious to god , and in god to them . it is no matter how close evils be , nor how publick good is . this is enough for the chronography ; the topography follows . i will not here stand to shew you the ignorance of the vulgar translation , in joyning probatica and piscina together , against their own fair vatican copy , with other ancient : nor spend time to discuss whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be here understood for the substantive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is most likely to be that sheep-gate spoken of in ezra : nor to shew how ill piscina in the latin answers the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours turn it a pool , better then any latin word can express it : nor to shew you ( as i might ) how many publick pools were in jerusalem : nor to discuss the use of this pool , whether it were for washing the beasts to be sacrificed , or to wash the entralls of the sacrifice ; whence i remember hierom fetches the virtue of the water , and in his time thought he discerned some redness , as if the bloud spilt four hundred years before could still retain his first tincture in a liquid substance ; besides that it would be a strange swimming-pool that were brewed with bloud , and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this conceit arises from the errour of the construction in mis-matching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . neither will i argue whether it should be bethsida , or bethzida , or bethsheda , or bethesda . if either you or my self knew not how to be rid of time , we might easily wear out as many hours in this pool as this poor impotent man did years . but it is edification that we affect , and not curiosity . this pool had five porches . neither will i run here with s. austin into allegories ; that this pool was the people of the jews , aquae multae , populus multus , and these five porches the law in the five books of moses : nor stand to confute adrichomius , who out of josephus would persuade us that these five porches were built by solomon , and that this was stagnum solomonis , for the use of the temple . the following words shew the use of the porches ; for the receit of impotent , sick , blind , halt , withered , that waited for the moving of the water . it should seem it was walled about to keep it from cattel , and these five vaulted entrances were made by some benefactours for the more convenience of attendence . here was the mercy of god seconded by the charity of men : if god will give cure , they will give harbour . surely it is a good matter to put our hand to god's ; and to further good works with convenience of injoying them . jerusalem was grown a city of bloud , to the persecution of the prophets , to a wilfull despight of what belonged to her peace , to a profanation of god's temple , to a mere formality in god's services : and yet here were publick works of charity in the midst of her streets . we may not always judge of the truth of piety by charitable actions . judas disbursed the money for christ ; there was no traitour but he . the poor traveller that was robb'd and wounded betwixt jerusalem and jericho , was passed over first by the priest , then the levite ; at last the samaritan came and relieved him : his religion was naught , yet his act was good ; the priest's and levite's religion good , their uncharity ill . novatus himself was a martyr , yet a schismatick . faith is the soul , and good works are the breath , saith s. james : but as you see in a pair of bellows there is a forced breath without life ; so in those that are puffed up with the wind of ostentation , there may be charitable works without faith. the church of rome , unto her four famous orders of jacobins , franciscans , augustines , and carmelites , hath added a fifth of jesuites ; and , like another jerusalem , for those five leprous and lazarly orders hath built five porches ; that if the water of any state be stirred , they may put in for a share . how many cells and convents hath she raised for these miserable cripples ? and now she thinks ( though she exalt her self above all that is called god , though she dispense with and against god , though she fall down before every block and wafer , though she kill kings and equivocate with magistrates , ) she is the onely city of god. digna est , nam struxit synagogam , she is worthy , for she hath built a synagogue . are we more orthodox , and shall not we be as charitable ? i am ashamed to think of rich noblemen and merchants that die and give nothing to our five porches of bethesda . what shall we say ? have they made their mammon their god , in stead of making friends with their mammon to god ? even when they die will they not ( like ambrose's good usurers ) part with that which they cannot hold , that they may get that which they cannot lose ? can they begin their will , in dei nomine , amen ; and give nothing to god ? is he onely a witness , and not a legatee ? can we bequeath our souls to christ in heaven , and give nothing to his lims on earth ? and if they will not give , yet will they not lend to god ? he that gives to the poor , foeneratur deo , lends to god. will they put out to any but god ? and then , when , in stead of giving security , he receives with one hand and pays with another , receives our bequest and gives us glory ? oh damnable niggardliness of vain men , that shames the gospel , and loses heaven ! let me shew you a bethesda that wants porches . what truer house of effusion then the church of god , which sheds forth waters of comfort , yea of life ? behold some of the porches of this bethesda so far from building , that they are pulled down . it is a wonder if the demolished stones of god's house have not built some of yours , and if some of you have not your rich suits garded with souls . there were wont to be reckoned three wonders of england , ecclesia , foemina , lana , the churches , the women , the wool. foemina may pass still ; who may justly challenge wonder for their vanity , if not their person . as for lana , if it be wonderfull alone , i am sure it is ill joyned with ecclesia : the church is fleeced , and hath nothing but a bare pelt left upon her back . and as for ecclesia , either men have said with the babylonians , down with it , down with it even to the ground ; or else in respect of the maintenance , with judas , vt quid perditio haec ? why was this waste ? how many remorsefull souls have sent back , with jacob's sons , their money in their sacks mouths ? how many great testators have in their last will returned the anathematized peculium of impropriations to the church , chusing rather to impair their heir then to burthen their souls ? dum times nè pro te patrimonium tuum perdas , ipse pro patrimonio tuo peris , saith cyprian ; whilst thou fearest to lose thy patrimony for thy own good , thou perishest with thy patrimony . ye great men , spend not all your time in building castles in the air , or houses on the sand ; but set your hands and purses to the building of the porches of bethesda . it is a shame for a rich christian to be like a christmas-box , that receives all , and nothing can be got out till it be broken in pieces ; or like unto a drown'd man's hand , that holds whatsoever it gets . to doe good and to distribute , forget not ; for with such sacrifices god is well pleased . this was the place : what was the use of it ? all sorts of patients were at the bank of bethesda : where should cripples be but at the spittle ? the sick , blind , lame , withered , all that did either morbo laborare or vitio corporis , complain either of sickness or impotency , were there . in natural course , one receit heals not all diseases , no nor one agent ; one is an oculist , another a bone-setter , another a chirurgeon : but all diseases are alike to the supernaturall power of god. hippocrates , though the prince of physicians , yet swears by aesculapius he will never meddle with cutting of the stone . there is no disease that art will not meddle with : there are many that it cannot cure . the poor haemorrhoïssa was eighteen years in the physicians hands , and had purged away both her body and her substance . yea some it kills in stead of healing : whence one hebrew word signifies both physicians and dead men . but behold here all sicknesses cured by one hand , and by one water . o all ye that are spiritually sick and diseased , come to the pool of bethesda , the bloud of christ . do ye complain of the blindness of your ignorance ? here ye shall receive clearness of sight : of the distemper of passions ? here ease : of the superfluity of your sinfull humours ? here evacuation : of the impotency of your obedience ? here integrity : of the dead witheredness of good affections ? here life and vigour . whatsoever your infirmity be , come to the pool of bethesda , and be healed . all these may be cured ; yet shall be cured at leisure : all must wait , all must hope in waiting . methinks i see how enviously these cripples look one upon another , each thinking other a lett , each watching to prevent other , each hoping to be next ; like emulous courtiers , that gape and vie for the next preferment , and think it a pain to hope , and a torment to be prevented . but bethesda must be waited on . he is worthy of his crutches that will not stay god's leisure for his cure. there is no virtue , no success without patience . waiting is a familiar lesson with courtiers : and here we have all need of it . one is sick of an overflowing of the gall , another of a tumour of pride , another of the tentigo of lust , another of the vertigo of inconstancy , another of the choaking squinancy of curses and blasphemies ; one of the boulimy of gluttony , another of the pleuritical stitches of envy ; one of the contracting cramp of covetousness , another of the atrophie of unproficiency : one is hide-bound with pride , another is consumed with emulation , another rotten with corrupt desires : and we are so much the sicker , if we feel not these distempers . oh that we could wait at the bethesda of god , attend diligently upon his ordinances : we could no more fail of cure , then now we can hope for cure . we wait hard , and endure much for the body . quantis laboribus agitur ut longiore tempore laboretur ! multi cruciatus suscipiuntur certi , ut pauci dies adjiciantur incerti . what toil do we take that we may toil yet longer ! we endure many certain pains for the addition of a few uncertain days , saith austin . why will we not doe thus for the soul ? without waiting it will not be . the cripple ( act. . . ) was bidden , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , look up to us . he look'd up . it was cold comfort that he heard , silver and gold have i none : but the next clause made amends for all , surge & ambula , rise and walk : and this was , because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he attended expecting , verse . would we be cured ? it is not for us to snatch at bethesda , as a dog at nilus ; nor to draw water and away , as rebecca ; nor to set us a while upon the banks , as the israelites by the rivers of babylon : but we must dwell in god's house , wait at bethesda . but what shall i say to you courtiers , but even as saint paul to his corinthians , ye are full , ye are rich , ye are strong without us ? many of you come to this place not as to bethel , the house of god , or bethesda , the house of effusion ; but as to bethaven , the house of vanity . if ye have not lost your old wont , there are more words spoken in the outer closet by the hearers , then in the chappel by the preacher ; as if it were closet , quasi close-set , in an exchange , like communication of news . what do ye think of sermons as matters of formality , as very superfluities , as your own idle complements , which either ye hear not , or believe not ? what do ye think of your selves ? have ye onely a postern to go to heaven by your selves , where-through ye can go , besides the foolishness of preaching ? or do ye sing that old pelagian note , quid nunc mihi opus est deo ? what need have i of god ? what should i say to this but , increpa , domine . as for our houshold sermons , our auditours are like the fruit of a tree in an unseasonable year ; or like a wood new felled , that hath some few spires left for standers some poles distance ; or like the tithe sheaves in a field when the corn is gone , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. as he said . it is true , ye have more sermons and more excellent then all the courts under heaven put together : but , as austin said well , quid mihi proderit bona res non utenti bene ? what am i the better for a good thing if i use it not well ? let me tell you , all these forcible means , not well used , will set you the farther off from heaven . if the chappel were the bethesda of promotion , what thronging would there be into it ? yea if it were but some mask-house , wherein a glorious ( though momentany ) show were to be presented , neither white staves nor halberts could keep you out . behold here , ye are offered the honour to be ( by this seed of regeneration ) the sons of god. the kingdom of heaven , the crown of glory , the scepter of majesty , in one word , eternall life is here offered and performed to you . o let us not so far forget our selves , as in the ordinances of god to contemn our own happiness . but let us know the time of our visitation : let us wait reverently and intentively upon this bethesda of god ; that when the angel shall descend and move the water , our souls may be cured , and through all the degrees of grace may be carried to the full height of their glory . xxix . the transfiguration of christ . there is not in all divinity an higher speculation then this of christ transfigured . suffer me therefore to lead you up by the hand into mount tabor , ( for nearer to heaven ye cannot come while ye are upon earth , ) that you may see him glorious upon earth , the region of his shame and abasement , who is now glorious in heaven , the throne of his majesty . he that would not have his transfiguration spoken of till he were raised , would have it spoken of all the world over now that he is raised and ascended , that by this momentany glory we may judge of the eternall . the circumstances shall be to us as the skirts of the hill , which we will climbe up lightly ; the time , place , attendents , company . the time , after six days ; the place , an high hill apart ; the attendents , peter , james , john ; the company , moses and elias : which when we have passed , on the top of the hill shall appear to us that sight which shall once make us glorious , and in the mean time make us happy . all three evangelists accord in the terminus à quo , that it was immediately after those words , there be some of them that stand here which shall not tast of death till they have seen the son of man come in his kingdom . wherein , methinks , the act comments upon the words . peter , james and john , were these some : they tasted not of death , till they saw this heavenly image of the royalty of christ glorified . but the terminus quò disagrees a little . matthew and mark say , after six ; luke , post ferè octo : which as they are easily reconciled by the usuall distinction of inclusivè and exclusivè , necessary for all computations , and luke's about eight ; so , methinks , seems to intimate god's seventh day , the sabbath : why should there be else so precise mention of six days after , and about eight , but to imply that day which was betwixt the sixth and eighth ? god's day was fittest for so divine a work : and well might that day which imported god's rest and man's glory , be used for the clear representation of the rest and glory of god and man. but in this conjecture ( for ought i know ) i goe alone : i dare not be too resolute . certainly it was the seventh , whether it were that seventh ; the seventh after the promise of the glory of his kingdom exhibited : and this perhaps not without a mystery . god teacheth both by words and acts , saith hilary , that after six ages of the world should be christ 's glorious appearance , and our transfiguration with him . but i know what our saviour's farewell was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is not for us to know . but if we may not know , we may conjecture ; yet not above that we ought , saith s. paul : we may not super sapere , as tertullian's phrase is . for the place , tradition hath taken it still for tabor . i list not to cross it without warrant . this was an high hill indeed : thirty furlongs high , saith josephus ; mirâ rotunditate sublimis , saith hierome : and so steep , that some of our english travellers , that have desired to climbe it of late , have been glad to give it up in the mid-way , and to measure the rest with their eyes . doubtless this hill was a symbol of heaven , being near it , as in situation , in resemblance . heaven is expressed usually by the name of god's hill : and nature or this appellation taught the heathens to figure it by their olympus . all divine affairs of any magnificence were done on hills . on the hill of sinai was the law delivered : on the hill of moriah was isaac to be sacrificed ; whence abraham's posie is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in monte providebitur : on the hill of rephidim stood moses with the rod of god in his stretched hand , and figured him crucified upon the hill , whom joshua figured victorious in the valley : on the hills of ebal and gerizim were the blessings and curses : on carmel was eliah's sacrifice : the phrontisteria , schools or universities of the prophets were still ramah and gibeah , excelsa , high places : who knows not that on the hill of sion stood the temple ? i have looked up to the hills , saith the psalmist . and idolatry , in imitation , had its hill-altars . on the mount of olives was christ wont to send up his prayers , and sent up himself . and here luke saith , he went up to an high hill to pray ; not for that god makes difference of places , to whose immensity heaven it self is a valley . it was an heathenish conceit of those aramites , that god is deus montium , the god of the mountains . but because we are commonly more disposed to good by either the freedome of our scope to heaven , or the awfulness or solitary silence of places , which ( as one saith ) strikes a kind of adoration into us , or by our locall removall from this attractive body of the earth ; howsoever , when the body sees it self above the earth , the eye of the mind is more easily raised to her heaven . it is good to take all advantage of place ( setting aside superstition ) to further our devotion . aaron and hur were in the mountain with moses , and held up his hands . aaron ( say some allegorists ) is mountainous ; hur , fiery : heavenly meditation and the fire of charity must lift up our prayers to god. as satan carried up christ to an high hill to tempt him , so he carries up himself to be freed from temptation and distraction . if ever we would be transfigured in our dispositions , we must leave the earth below , and abandon all worldly thoughts . venite , ascendamus ; o come , let us climbe up to the hill , where god sees , or is seen , saith devout bernard . o all ye cares , distractions , thoughtfulness , labours , pains , servitudes , stay me here with this ass , my body , till i with the boy , that is , my reason and vnderstanding , shall worship and return , saith the same father , wittily alluding to the journey of abraham for his sacrifice . wherefore then did christ climbe up this high hill ? not to look about him , but , saith s. luke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to pray ; not for prospect , but for devotion ; that his thoughts might climbe up yet nearer to heaven . behold how christ entred upon all his great works with prayers in his mouth . when he was to enter into that great work of his humiliation in his passion , he went into the garden to pray : when he is to enter into this great work of his exaltation in his transfiguring , he went up into the mountain to pray : he was taken up from his knees to both . o noble example of piety and devotion to us ! he was god that prayed : the god that he prayed to , he might have commanded ; yet he prayed , that we men might learn of him to pray to him . what should we men dare to doe without prayers , when he that was god would doe nothing without them ? the very heathen poet could say , a jove principium : and which of those verse-mongers ever durst write a ballad without imploring of some deity ? which of the heathens durst attempt any great enterprise , insalutato numine , without invocation and sacrifice ? saul himself would play the priest , and offer a burnt-offering to the lord , rather then the philistins should fight with him unsupplicated ; as thinking any devotion better then none ; and thinking it more safe to sacrifice without a priest , then to fight without prayers . vngirt , unblest , was the old word ; as not ready till they were girded , so not till they had prayed . and how dare we rush into the affairs of god or the state ; how dare we thrust our selves into actions either perillous or important , without ever lifting up our eyes and hearts unto the god of heaven ? except we would say , ( as the devillish malice of surius slanders that zealous luther , ) nec propter deum haec res coepta est , nec propter deum finietur , &c. this business was neither begun for god , nor shall be ended for him . how can god bless us , if we implore him not ? how can we prosper , if he bless us not ? how can we hope ever to be transfigured from a lump of corrupt flesh , if we do not ascend and pray ? as the samaritan woman said weakly , we may seriously , the well of mercies is deep : if thou hast nothing to draw with , never look to tast of the waters of life . i fear the worst of men , turks , and the worst turks , the moors , shall rise up in judgement against many christians , with whom it is a just exception against any witness by their law , that he hath not prayed six times in each naturall day . before the day break , they pray for day ; when it is day , they give god thanks for day ; at noon they thank god for half the day past ; after that they pray for a good sun-set ; after that they thank god for the day passed ; and lastly , pray for a good night after their day . and we christians suffer so many suns and moons to rise and set upon our heads , and never lift up our hearts to their creatour and ours , either to ask his blessing , or to acknowledge it . of all men under heaven , none had so much need to pray as courtiers . that which was done but once to christ , is always done to them . they are set upon the hill , and see the glory of the kingdoms of earth : but i fear it is seen of them as it is with some of the mariners , the more need , the less devotion . ye have seen the place , see the attendents . he would not have many , because he would not have it yet known to all : hence was his intermination , and sealing up their mouths with a nemini dicite , tell no man. not none , because he would not have it altogether unknown ; and afterwards would have it known to all . three were a legall number ; in ore duorum aut trium , in the mouth of two or three witnesses . he had eternally possessed the glory of his father without any witnesses : in time the angels were blessed with that sight ; and after that two bodily , yet heavenly , witnesses were allowed , enoch and elias . now in his humanity he was invested with glory , he takes but three witnesses , and those earthly and weak , peter , james , john. and why these ? we may be too curious . peter , because the eldest ; john , because the dearest ; james , because next peter the zealousest : peter , because he loved christ most ; john , because christ most loved him ; james , because next to both he loved , and was loved most . i had rather to have no reason but , quia complacuit , because it so pleased him . why may we not as well ask why he chose these twelve from others , as why he chose these three out of the twelve ? if any romanists will raise from hence any privilege to peter , ( which we could be well content to yield , if that would make them ever the honester men , ) they must remember that they must take company with them ; which these pompeian spirits cannot abide . as good no privilege as any partners . and withall , they must see him more taxed for his errour in this act , then honoured by his presence at the act : whereas the beloved disciple saw and erred not . these same three which were witnesses of his transfiguration in the mount , were witnesses of his agony in the garden ; all three , and these three alone , were present at both : but both times sleeping . these were arietes gregis , the bell-weathers of the flock , as austin calls them . oh weak devotion of three great disciples ! these were paul's three pillars , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gal. . . christ takes them up twice ; once to be witnesses of his greatest glory , once of his greatest extremity : they sleep both times . the other was in the night , more tolerable ; this by day , yea in a light above day . chrysostome would fain excuse it to be an amazedness , not a sleep ; not considering that they slept both at that glory , and after in the agony . to see that master praying , one would have thought should have fetcht them on their knees : especially to see those heavenly affections look out at his eyes ; to see his soul lifted up in his hands in that transported fashion to heaven . but now the hill hath wearied their lims , their body clogs their soul , and they fall asleep . whilst christ saw divine visions , they dreamed dreams ; whilst he was in another world , ravished with the sight of his father's glory , yea of his own , they were in another world , a world of fancies , surprized with the cousin of death , sleep . besides so gracious an example , their own necessity ( quia incessanter pecco , because i continually sin , bernard's reason ) might have moved them to pray rather then their master : and behold , in stead of fixing their eyes upon heaven , they shut them ; in stead of lifting up their hearts , their heads fall down upon their shoulders ; and shortly , here was snorting in stead of sighs and prayers . this was not abraham's or elihu's ecstatical sleep , job . not the sleep of the church , a waking sleep ; but the plain sleep of the eyes : and that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a slumbring sleep , which david denies to himself psal . . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sound sleep , which solomon forbids prov. . . yea rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the dead sleep of adam or jonas ; and , as bernard had wont to say when he heard a monk snort , they did carnaliter seu seculariter dormire . prayer is an ordinary receit for sleep . how prone are we to it , when we should mind divine things ? adam slept in paradise , and lost a rib : but this sleep was of god's giving , and this rib was of god's taking . the good husband slept , and found tares . eutychus slept , and fell . whilst satan lulls us asleep , ( as he doth always rock the cradle when we sleep in our devotions , ) he ever takes some good from us , or puts some evil in us , or indangers us a deadly fall . away with this spiritual lethargy . bernard had wont to say , that those which sleep are dead to men , those that are dead are asleep to god. but i say , those that sleep at church are dead to god : so we preach their funeral sermons in stead of hortatory . and as he was wont to say , he lost no time so much as that wherein he slept ; so let me adde , there is no loss of time so desperate as of holy time . think that christ saith to thee at every sermon as he did to peter , etiam , petre , dormis ? sleepest thou , peter ? couldst thou not wake with me one hour ? a slumbring and a drowzy heart do not become the business and presence of him that keepeth israel , and slumbers not . these were the attendents ; see the companions of christ . as our glory is not consummate without society , no more would christ have his : therefore his transfiguration hath two companions , moses , elias . as saint paul says of himself , whether in the body , or out of the body , i know not , god knows : so say i of these two . of eliah there may seem less doubt , since we know that his body was assumed to heaven , and might as well come down for christ's glory as go up for his own ; although some grave authours , as calvin , oecolampadius , bale , fulk , have held his body with enoch's resolved into their elements : sed ego non credulus illis . enoch translatus est in carne , & elias carneus raptus est in coelum , &c. enoch was translated in the flesh , and elias being yet in the flesh was taken into heaven , saith hierome in his epistle ad pammachium . and for moses ; though it be rare and singular , and austin makes much scruple of it ; yet why might not he after death return in his body to the glory of christ's transfiguration , as well as afterwards many of the saints did to the glory of his resurrection ? i cannot therefore with the gloss think , there is any reason why moses should take another , a borrowed body , rather then his own . heaven could not give two fitter companions , more admirable to the jews for their miracles , more gracious with god for their faith and holiness : both of them admitted to the conference with god in horeb ; both of them types of christ ; both of them fasted forty days ; both of them for the glory of god suffered many perils ; both divided the waters ; both the messengers of god to kings ; both of them marvellous , as in their life , so in their end . a chariot of angels took away elias ; he was sought by the prophets , and not found : michael strove with the devil for the body of moses ; he was sought for by the jews , and not found : and now both of them are found here together on tabor . this elias shews himself to the royall prophet of his church ; this moses shews himself to the true michael . moses the publisher of the law , elias the chief of the prophets , shew themselves to the god of the law and prophets . alter populi informator aliquando , alter reformator quandoque , one the informer once of the people , the other the reformer sometimes , saith tertull. in . advers . marcionem . alter initiator veteris testamenti , alter consummator novi , one the first register of the old testament , the other the shutter up of the new. i verily think , with hilary , that these two are pointed at as the forerunners of the second coming of christ , as now they were the foretellers of his departure : neither doubt i that these are the two witnesses which are alluded to in the apocalyps ; howsoever divers of the fathers have thrust enoch into the place of moses . look upon the place , apoc. . . who but elias can be he of whom it is said , if any man will hurt him , fire proceedeth out of his mouth , and devoureth his enemies , alluding to kings ? who but elias of whom it is said , he hath power to shut the heaven , that it rain not in the days of his prophesying , alluding to kings ? who but moses of whom it is said , he hath power to turn the waters into bloud , and smite the earth with all manner of plagues , alluding to exod. . and ? but take me aright ; let me not seem a friend to the publicans of rome , an abettour of those alcoran-like fables of our popish doctours , who ( not seeing the wood for trees ) do haerere in cortice , stick in the bark , taking all concerning that antichrist according to the letter . odi , & arceo . so shall moses and elias come again in those witnesses , as elias is already come in john baptist : their spirits shall be in these witnesses , whose bodies and spirits were witnesses both of the present glory and future passion of christ . doubtless many thousand angels saw this sight , and were not seen ; these two both saw and were seen . o how great an happiness was it for these two great prophets , in their glorified flesh to see their glorified saviour , who before his incarnation had spoken to them ? to speak to that man god of whom they were glorified , and to become prophets not to men , but to god ? and if moses his face so shone before , when he spoke to him without a body in mount sinai , in the midst of the flames and clouds ; how did it shine now , when himself glorified , speaks to him a man , in tabor , in light and majesty ? elias hid his face before with a mantle when he passed by him in the rock : now with open face he beholds him present , and in his own glory adores his . let that impudent marcion , who ascribes the law and prophets to another god , and devises an hostility betwixt christ and them , be ashamed to see moses and elias not onely in colloquio , but in consortio claritatis , not onely in conference , but in a partnership of brightness ( as tertull. speaks ) with christ ; whom if he had misliked , he had his choice of all the quire of heaven ; and now chusing them , why were they not in sordibus & tenebris , in rags and darkness ? sic inalienos demonstrat illos , dum secum habet ; sic relinquendos docet , quos sibi jungit ; sic destruit , quos de radiis suis exstruit : so doth he shew them far from strangeness to him , whom he hath with him ; so doth he teach them to be forsaken , whom he joyns with himself ; so doth he destroy those , whom he graces with his beams of glory , saith that father . his act verifies his word . think not that i come to destroy the law or the prophets ; i am not come to destroy , but to fulfill them , matt. . . oh what consolation , what confirmation was this to the disciples , to see such examples of their future glory , such witnesses and adorers of the eternal deity of their master ? they saw in moses and elias what they themselves should be . how could they ever fear to be miserable , that saw such precedents of their insuing glory ? how could they fear to die , that saw in others the happiness of their own change ? the rich glutton pleads with abraham , that if one came to them from the dead , they will amend : abraham answers , they have moses and the prophets , let them hear them . behold , here is both moses and the prophets ; and these too come from the dead : how can we now but be persuaded of the happy state of another world , unless we will make our selves worse then the damned ? see and consider that the saints of god are not lost , but departed ; gone into a far country with their master , to return again richer and better then they went. lest we should think this the condition of elias onely , that was rapt into heaven , see here moses matched with him , that died and was buried . and is this the state of these two saints alone ? shall none be seen with him in the tabor of heaven but those which have seen him in horeb and carmel ? o thou weak christian , was onely one or two lims of christ's body glorious in the transfiguration , or the whole ? he is the head , we are the members . if moses and elias were more excellent parts , tongue , or hand ; let us be but heels or toes , his body is not perfect in glory without ours . when christ , which is our life , shall appear , then shall we also appear with him in glory , colos . . . how truly may we say to death , rejoyce not , mine enemy ; though i fall , yet shall i rise ; yea i shall rise in falling ? we shall not all sleep , we shall be changed , saith s. paul to his thessalonians . elias was changed , moses slept ; both appeared : to teach us , that neither our sleep nor change can keep us from appearing with him . when therefore thou shalt receive the sentence of death on mount nebo , or when the fiery chariot shall come and sweep thee from this vale of mortality , remember thy glorious re-apparition with thy saviour , and thou canst not but be comforted , and chearfully triumph over that last enemy , outfacing those terrours with the assurance of a blessed resurrection to glory . to the which , &c. xxx . the transfiguration of christ . the second part. it falls out with this discourse as with mount tabor it self , that it is more easily climbed with the eye , then with the foot . if we may not rather say of it , as josephus did of sinai , that it doth not onely ascensus hominum , but aspectus fatigare , weary not onely the steps but the very sight of men . we had thought not to spend many breaths in the skirts of the hill , the circumstances ; and it hath cost us one hour's journey already : and we were glad to rest us , ere we can have left them below us . one pause more ( i hope ) will overcome them , and set us on the top . no circumstance remains undiscussed but this one , what moses and elias did with christ in their apparition . for they were not , as some sleepy attendents , ( like the three disciples in the beginning , ) to be there and see nothing ; nor , as some silent spectatours , mute witnesses , to see and say nothing : but ( as if their glory had no whit changed their profession ) they are prophets still , and foretold his departure , as s. luke tells us . foretold , not to him who knew it before , yea who told it them ; they could not have known it but from him ; he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the word of his father : they told but that which he before had told his disciples ; and now these heavenly witnesses tell it over again , for confirmation . like as john baptist knew christ before ; he was vox clamantis , the voice of a crier , the other verbum patris , the word of his father ; there is great affinity betwixt vox and verbum ; yea this voice had uttered it self clearly , ecce agnus dei , behold the lamb of god : yet he sends his disciples with an art thou he ? that he might confirm to them by him that which he both knew and had said of him . so our saviour follows his fore-runner in this , that what he knew and had told his disciples , the other elias , the typicall john baptist , and moses must make good to their belief . this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 departure of christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word both hard and harsh ; hard to believe , and harsh in believing . the disciples thought of nothing but a kingdome ; a kingdome restored magnificently , interminably : and two of these three witnesses had so swallowed this hope , that they had put in for places in the state , to be his chief peers . how could they think of a parting ? the throne of david did so fill their eyes , that they could not see his cross : and if they must let down this pill , how bitter must it needs be ? his presence was their joy and life ; it was their death to think of his loss . now therefore that they might see that his sufferings and death were not of any sudden impotence , but predetermined in heaven , and revealed to the saints , two of the most noted saints in heaven shall second the news of his departure , and that in the midst of his transfiguration : that they could not chuse but think , he that can be thus happy , needs not be miserable ; that passion which he will undergoe , is not out of weakness , but out of love. it is wittily noted by that sweet chrysostome , that christ never lightly spake of his passion , but immediately before and after he did some great miracle : and here answerably , in the midst of his miraculous transfiguration , the two saints speak of his passion . a strange opportunity : in his highest exaltation to speak of his sufferings ; to talk of calvary in tabor ; when his head shone with glory , to tell him how it must bleed with thorns ; when his face shone like the sun , to tell him it must be blubbered and spat upon ; when his garments glistered with that celestial brightness , to tell him they must be stripped and divided ; when he was adored by the saints of heaven , to tell him how he must be scorned by the basest of men ; when he was seen between two saints , to tell him how he must be seen between two malefactours : in a word , in the midst of his divine majesty , to tell him of his shame ; and whilst he was transfigured in the mount , to tell him how he must be disfigured upon the cross . yet these two heavenly prophets found this the fittest time for this discourse : rather chusing to speak of his sufferings in the height of his glory , then of his glory after his sufferings . it is most seasonable in our best to think of our worst estate : for both that thought will be best digested when we are well ; and that change will be best prepared for when we are the farthest from it . you would perhaps think it unseasonable for me , in the midst of all your court-jollity to tell you of the days of mourning , and , with that great king , to serve in a death's head amongst your royall dishes , to shew your coffins in the midst of your triumphs : yet these precedents above exception shew me that no time is so fit as this . let me therefore say to you , with the psalmist , i have said , ye are gods : if ye were transfigured in tabor , could ye be more ? but ye shall die like men : there is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it was a worthy and witty note of hierome , that amongst all trees , the cedars are bidden to praise god , which are the tallest : and yet dies domini super omnes cedros libani , esa . . ye gallants , whom a little yellow earth and the webs of that curious worm have made gorgeous without , and perhaps proud within , remember that ere long , as one worm decks you without , so another worm shall consume you within ; and that both the earth that you pranck up , and that earth wherewith you pranck it , is running back into dust . let not your high estate hide from you your fatall humiliation : let not not your purples hide from you your winding-sheet : but even on the top of tabor think of the depth of the grave : think of your departure from men , while ye are advanced above men . we are now ascended to the top of the hill. let us therefore stand , and see , and wonder at this great sight : as moses , to see the bush flaming , and not consumed ; so we , to see the humanity continuing it self in the midst of these beams of glory . christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith s. paul , in the form of a servant ; now for the time he was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , transformed : that there is no cause why maldonat should so inveigh against some of ours , yea of his own , as jansenius , who translates it transformation : for what is the externall form but the figure ? and their own vulgar ( as hotly as he takes it ) reads it , philip. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , formam servi accipiens . there is no danger in this ambiguity . not the substantiall form , but the external fashion of christ was changed : he having three forms , ( as bernard distinguishes ) contemptam , splendidam , divinam , changeth here the first into the second . this is one of the rarest occurrences that ever befell the saviour of the world. i am wont to reckon up these four principall wonders of his life , incarnation , temptation , transfiguration , and agony : the first in the womb of the virgin , the second in the wilderness , the third in the mount , the fourth in the garden : the first , that god should become man ; the second , that god and man should be tempted and transported by satan ; the third , that man should be glorified upon earth ; the last , that he which was man and god should sweat bloud under the sense of god's wrath for man. and all these either had the angels for witnesses , or the immediate voice of god. the first had angels singing , the second angels ministring , the third the voice of god thundring , the fourth the angels comforting : that it may be no wonder , the earth marvels at those things whereat the angels of heaven stand amazed . bernard makes three kinds of wonderfull changes : sublimitas in humilitatem , height to lowliness , when the word took flesh ; contemptibilitas in majestatem , when christ transformed himself before his disciples ; mutabilitas in aeternitatem , when he rose again , and ascended to heaven to reign for ever . ye see this is one of them : and as tabor did rise out of the valley of galilee , so this exaltation did rise out of the midst of christ's humiliation . other marvels do increase his dejection , this onely makes for his glory ; and the glory of this is matchable with the humiliation of all the rest . that face wherein before ( saith esay ) there was no form , nor beauty , now shines as the sun : that face which men hid their faces from in contempt , now shines so , that mortall eyes could not chuse but hide themselves from the luster of it , and immortall receive their beams from it . he had ever in vultu sidereum quiddam , as hierome speaks , a certain heavenly majesty and port in his countenance , which made his disciples follow him at first sight ; but now here was the perfection of supercelestiall brightness . it was a miracle in the three children , that they so were delivered from the flames , that their very garments smelt not of the fire : it is no less miracle in christ , that his very garments were dyed celestiall , and did savour of his glory : like as aaron was so anointed on his head and beard , that his skirts were all perfumed . his cloaths therefore shined as snow , yea ( that were but a waterish white ) as the light it self , saith s. mark , and matthew , in the most greek copies . that seamless coat , as it had no welt , so it had no spot . the king's son is all fair , even without . o excellent glory of his humanity ! the best diamond or carbuncle is hid with a case : but this brightness pierceth through all his garments , and makes them lightsome in him , which use to conceal light in others . herod put him on in mockage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . not a white , but a bright robe , ( the ignorance whereof makes a shew of disparity in the evangelists : ) but god the father , to glorifie him , cloaths his very garments with heavenly splendour . behold , thou art fair , ( my beloved ) behold , thou art fair ; and there is no spot in thee . thine head is as fine gold , thy mouth is as sweet things , and thou art wholly delectable . come forth , ye daughters of sion , and behold king solomon with the crown wherewith his father crowned him , in the day of the gladness of his heart . o saviour , if thou wert such in tabor , what art thou in heaven ? if this were the glory of thy humanity , what is the presence of thy godhead ? let no man yet wrong himself so much as to magnifie this happiness as another's , and to put himself out of the participation of this glory . christ is our head , we are his members . as we all were in the first adam , both innocent and sinning ; so are we in the second adam , both shining in tabor , and bleeding sweat in the garden . and as we are already happy in him , so shall we be once in our selves by and through him . he shall change our vile bodies , that they may be like his glorious body . behold our pattern , and rejoyce ; like his glorious body . these very bodies , that are now cloddy like the earth , shall once be bright as the sun : and we , that now see clay in one anothers faces , shall then see nothing but heaven in our countenances : and we , that now set forth our bodies with cloaths , shall then be cloathed upon with immortality , out of the wardrobe of heaven . and if ever any painted face should be admitted to the sight of this glory , ( as i much fear it ; yea i am sure god will have none but true faces in heaven ; ) they would be ashamed to think that ever they had faces to daub with these beastly pigments , in comparison of this heavenly complexion . let us therefore look upon this flesh , not so much with contempt of what it was and is , as with a joyfull hope of what it shall be . and when our courage is assaulted with the change of these bodies from healthfull to weak , from living to dead ; let us comfort our selves with the assurance of this change from dust to incorruption . we are not so sure of death , as of transfiguration . all the days of our appointed time we will therefore wait , till our changing shall come . now from the glory of the master , give me leave to turn your eyes to the errour of the servant , who having slept with the rest , and now suddenly awaking , knoweth not whether he slept still . to see such a light about him , three so glittering persons before him , made him doubt now , as he did after , when he was carried by the angel through the iron gate , whether it were a pleasing dream , or a real act . all slept , and now all waked ; onely peter slept waking , and i know not whether more erred in his speech or in his sleep . it was a shame for a man to sleep in tabor ; but it is more a shame for a man to dream with his eyes open . thus did peter ; master , it is good for us to be here . let us make us three tabernacles . i could well say with optatus in this or any other occasion , ipsius sancti petri beatitudo veniam tribuat , dubito dicere peccâsse tantam sanctitatem , let blessed peter pardon me , i fear to say so great holiness offended . yet since our adversaries are so over-partiall to this worthy saint , in whom they have as little as they boast much , that they can be content his praise should blemish the dignity of all the rest , yea that god himself is in danger to be a loser by the advancement of so dear a servant ; give me leave to lay my finger a little upon this blot . god would never have recorded that which it should be uncharitable for us to observe . it was the injurious kindness of marcion in honour of peter , to leave out the story of malchus , as epiphanius notes : it shall be our blame , if we do not so note , that we benefit our selves even by his imperfections . s. mark 's gospel is said to be peter's . o blessed apostle , can it be any wrong to say of thee that which thou hast written of thy self , not for insultation , not for exprobration ? god forbid but that men may be ashamed to give that to him which he hath denied to himself . let me therefore not doubt to say , ( with reverence to so great a saint ) that as he spake most , so he is noted to have erred most . not to meddle with his sinking , striking , judaizing ; one while we find him carnally insinuating , another while carnally presuming ; one while weakly denying , another while rashly misconstruing . carnally insinuating ; master , favour thy self . which though some parasites of rome would fain smooth up , that he in this shewed his love to christ , as before his faith , out of s. hierome and s. austin ; yet it must needs be granted , which bernard saith , diligebat spiritum carnaliter , he loved the spirit in a carnal fashion . let them chuse whether they will admit christ to have chid unjustly , or peter worthy of chiding : except perhaps , with hilary , they will stop where they should not ; vade post me , spoken to peter in approbation ; satana , non sapis quae dei sunt , spoken to satan in objurgation . carnally presuming ; though all men , yet not i. if he had not presumed of his strength to stand , he had not fallen . and as one yawning makes many open mouths ; so did his vain resolution draw on company : likewise said the other disciples . for his weak denial ; ye all know his simple negation , lined with an oath , faced with an imprecation . and here , that no man may need to doubt of an errour , the spirit of god saith , he knew not what he said : not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as mark , what he should say ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith luke , what he did speak : whereof s. mark gives the reason , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they were amazedly affrighted . amazedness may abate an errour of speech , it cannot take it away . besides astonishment , here was a fervour of spirit ; a love to christ's glory , and a delight in it : a fire , but misplaced , on the top of the chimney , not on the hearth : praematura devotio , as ambrose speaks , a devotion , but rash and heady . and if it had not been so , yet it is not in the power of a good intention to make a speech good . in this the matter failed : for what should such saints doe in earthly tabernacles , in tabernacles of his making ? and if he could be content to live there without a tent , ( for he would have but three made , ) why did he not much more conceive so of those heavenly guests ? and if he spoke this to retain them , how weak was it to think their absence would be for want of house-room ? or how could that at once be which moses and elias had told him , and that which he wished ? for how should christ both depart at jerusalem , and stay in the mount ? or if he would have their abode there , to avoid the sufferings at jerusalem , how did he yet again sing over that song for which he had heard before , come behind me , satan ? or if it had been fit for christ to have staied there , how weakly doth he ( which chrysostome observes ) equalize the servant with the master , the saints with god ? in a word , the best and the worst that can be said here of peter is , that which the psalmist saith of moses , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effutiit labiis , he spake unadvisedly with his lips , psal . . . yet if any earthly place or condition might have given warrant to peter's motion , this was it . here was a hill , the embleme of heaven ; here were two saints , the epitome of heaven ; here was christ , the god of heaven . and if peter might not say so of this , how shall we say of any other place , bonum est esse hîc ? it is good to be here . will ye say of the country , bonum est esse hîc ? there is melancholick dulness , privacy , toil . will you say of the court , bonum est esse hîc ? there dwells ambition , secret undermining , attendence , serving of humours and times . will ye say of the city , bonum est esse hîc ? there you find continual tumult , usury , cozenage in bargains , excess and disorder . get you to the wilderness , and say , it is good to be here . even there evils will find us out . in nemore habitat lupus , saith bernard , in the wood dwells the wolf : weariness and sorrow dwell every-where . the rich man wallows amongst his heaps , and when he is in his counting-house , beset with piles of bags , he can say , bonum est esse hîc : he worships these molten images ; his gold is his god , his heaven is his chest : not thinking of that which tertullian notes , aurum ipsum quibusdam gentibus ad vincla servire , that some countries make their very fetters of gold : yea so doth he , whilst he admires it , making himself the slave to his servant , damnatus ad metalla , as the old roman punishment was . coacta servitus miserabilior , affectata miserior ; forced bondage is more worthy of pity , affected bondage is more miserable . and if god's hand touch him never so little , can his gold bribe a disease , can his bags keep his head from a king , or the gout from his joynts ? or doth his loathing stomack make a difference betwixt an earthen and silver dish ? o vain desires , and impotent contentments of men , who place happiness in that which doth not onely not save them from evils , but help to make them miserable ! behold , their wealth feeds them with famine , recreates them with toil , chears them with cares , blesses them with torments ; and yet they say , bonum est esse hîc . how are their sleeps broken with cares ? how are their hearts broken with losses ? either riches have wings , which in the clipping or pulling fly away , and take them to heaven : or else their souls have wings , ( stulte , hâc nocte , thou fool , this night , ) and fly from their riches to hell. non dominus , sed colonus , saith seneca , not the lord , but the farmer . so that here are both perishing riches , and a perishing soul ; uncertainty of riches , ( as s. paul to his timothy ) and certainty of misery . and yet these vain men say , bonum est esse hîc . the man of honour , ( that i may use bernard's phrase ) that hath assuerus his proclamation made before him , which knows he is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a certain great man , as simon affected , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the man , which demosthenes was proud of , that sees all heads bare , and all knees bent to him , that finds himself out of the reach of envy , on the pitch of admiration , says , bonum est esse hîc . alas ! how little thinks he of that which that good man said to his eugenius , non est quòd blandiatur celsitudo , ubi solicitudo major ; what care we for the fawning of that greatness , which is attended with more care ? king henry the seventh's embleme in all his buildings , ( in the windows ) was still a crown in a bush of thorns : i know not with what historicall allusion ; but sure , i think , to imply that great places are not free from great cares . saul knew what he did , when he hid himself among the stuffe . no man knoweth the weight of a scepter , but he that swaieth it . as for subordinate greatness , it hath so much less worth as it hath more dependence . how many sleepless nights , and restless days , and busie shifts doth their ambition cost them that affect eminence ? certainly , no men are so worthy of pity as they whose height thinks all others worthy of contempt . high places are slippery ; and as it is easie to fall , so the ruine is deep , and the recovery difficult . altiorem locum sortitus es , non tutiorem ; sublimiorem , sed non securiorem , saith bernard : thou hast got an higher place , but not a safer ; a loftier , but not more secure . aulae culmen lubricum , the slippery ridge of the court , was the old title of honour . david's curse was , fiat via eorum tenebrae & lubricum , let their way be made dark and slippery . what difference is there betwixt his curse and the happiness of the ambitious , but this , that the way of the one is dark and slippery , the way of the other lightsome and slippery ; that dark , that they may fall , this light , that they may see and be seen to fall ? please your selves then , ye great ones , and let others please you in the admiration of your height . but if your goodness do not answer your greatness , sera querela est , quoniam elevans allisisti me , it is a late complaint , thou hast lift me up to cast me down . your ambition hath but set you up a scaffold , that your misery might be more notorious . and yet these clients of honour say , bonum est esse hîc . the pampered glutton , when he seeth his table spred with full bowls , with costly dishes and curious sauces , the dainties of all three elements , says , bonum est esse hîc . and yet eating hath a satiety , and satiety a wearînest : his heart is never more empty of contentment , then when his stomack is fullest of delicates . when he is empty , he is not well till he be filled ; when he is full , he is not well till he have got a stomack : et momentanea blandimenta gulae stercoris fine condemnat , saith hierom , and he condemns all the momentany pleasures of his maw to the dunghill . and when he sits at his feasts of marrow and fat things , ( as the prophet speaks , ) his table , according to the psalmist's imprecation , is made his snare ; a true snare every way : his soul is caught in it with excess , his estate with penury , his body with diseases . neither doth he more plainly tear his meat in pieces with his teeth , then he doth himself . and yet this vain man says , bonum est esse hîc . the petulant wanton thinks it the onely happiness , that he may have his full scope to filthy dalliance . little would he so doe , if he could see his strumpet as she is , her eyes the eyes of a cockatrice , her hairs snakes , her painted face the visor of a fury , her heart snares , her hands bands , and her end wormwood , consumption of the flesh , destruction of the soul , and the flames of lust ending in the flames of hell. since therefore neither pleasures , nor honour , nor wealth , can yield any true contentment to their best favourites , let us not be so unwise as to speak of this vale of misery , as peter did of the hill of tabor , bonum est esse hîc . and if the best of earth cannot doe it , why will ye seek it in the worst ? how dare any of you great ones seek to purchase contentment with oppression , sacrilege , bribery , out-facing innocence and truth with power , damning your own souls for but the humouring of a few miserable days ? filii hominum , usquequo gravi corde ? ad quid diligitis vanitatem , & quaeritis mendacium ? o ye sons of men , how long , & c ? but that which moved peter's desire ( though with imperfection ) shews what will perfect our desire and felicity : for if a glimpse of this heavenly glory did so ravish this worthy disciple , that he thought it happiness enough to stand by and gaze upon it ; how shall we be affected with the contemplation , yea fruition of the divine presence ? here was but tabor , there is heaven ; here were but two saints , there many millions of saints and angels ; here was christ transfigured , there he sits at the right hand of majesty ; here was a representation , there a gift and possession of blessedness . oh that we could now forget the world , and , fixing our eyes upon this better tabor , say , bonum est esse hîc . alas ! this life of ours , if it were not short , yet it is miserable ; and if it were not miserable , yet it is short . tell me , ye that have the greatest command on earth , whether this vile world have ever afforded you any sincere contentation . the world is your servant : if it were your parasite , yet could it make you heartily merry ? ye delicatest courtiers , tell me , if pleasure it self have not an unpleasant tediousness hanging upon it , and more sting then honey . and whereas all happiness ( even here below ) is in the vision of god ; how is our spirituall eye hindered , as the body is from his object , by darkness , by false light , by aversion ? darkness ; he that doeth sin is in darkness : false light ; whilst we measure eternal things by temporary : aversion ; whilst , as weak eyes hate the light , we turn our eyes from the true and immutable good , to the fickle and uncertain . we are not on the hill , but in the valley ; where we have tabernacles , not of our own making , but of clay ; and such as wherein we are witnesses of christ , not transfigured in glory , but blemished with dishonour , dishonoured with oaths and blasphemies , re-crucified with our sins ; witnesses of god's saints , not shining in tabor , but mourning in darkness , and , in stead of that heavenly brightness , cloathed with sackcloath and ashes . then and there we shall have tabernacles not made with hands , eternall in the heavens , where we shall see how sweet the lord is ; we shall see the triumphs of christ , we shall hear and sing the hallelujahs of saints . quae nunc nos angit vesania vitiorum , sitire absynthium , & c ? saith that devout father . oh! how hath our corruption bewitched us , to thirst for this wormwood , to affect the shipwrecks of this world , to dote upon the misery of this fading life ; and not rather to fly up to the felicity of saints , to the society of angels , to that blessed contemplation wherein we shall see god in himself , god in us , our selves in him ? there shall be no sorrow , no pain , no complaint , no fear , no death . there is no malice to rise against us , no misery to afflict us , no hunger , thirst , weariness , temptation to disquiet us . there , o there , one day is better then a thousand : there is rest from our labours , peace from our enemies , freedome from our sins . how many clouds of discontentment darken the sunshine of our joy while we are here below ? vae nobis qui vivimus plangere quae pertulimus , dolere quae sentimus , timere quae exspectamus ! complaint of evils past , sense of present , fear of future , have shared our lives amongst them . then shall we be semper laeti , semper satiati , always joyfull , always satisfied with the vision of that god , in whose presence there is fulness of joy , and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore . shall we see that heathen cleombrotus abandoning his life , and casting himself down from the rock , upon an uncertain noise of immortality ; and shall not we christians abandon the wicked superfluities of life , the pleasures of sin , for that life which we know more certainly then this ? what stick we at , my beloved ? is there a heaven ? or is there none ? have we a saviour there ? or have we none ? we know there is a heaven , as sure as that there is an earth below us ; we know we have a saviour there , as sure as there are men that we converse with upon earth ; we know there is happiness , as sure as we know there is misery and mutability upon earth . oh our miserable sottishness and infidelity , if we do not contemn the best offers of the world , and , lifting up our eyes and hearts to heaven , say , bonum est esse hîc ! even so , lord jesus , come quickly . to him that hath purchased and prepared this glory for us , together with the father and blessed spirit , one incomprehensible god , be all praise for ever . amen . xxxi . the prosecution of the transfiguration . before , the disciples eyes were dazzled with glory ; now , the brightness of that glory is shaded with a cloud . frail and feeble eyes of mortality cannot look upon an heavenly luster . that cloud imports both majesty and obscuration . majesty ; for it was the testimony of god's presence of old : the cloud covered the mountain , the tabernacle , the oracle . he that makes the clouds his chariot , was in a cloud carried up into heaven . where have we mention of any divine representation , but a cloud is one part of it ? what comes nearer to heaven , either in place or resemblance ? obscuration : for as it shew'd there was a majesty , and that divine ; so it shew'd them that the view of that majesty was not for bodily eyes . like as when some great prince walks under a canopy , that veil shews there is a great person under it , but withall restrains the eye from a free sight of his person . and if the cloud were clear , yet it shaded them . why then was this cloud interposed betwixt that glorious vision and them , but for a check of their bold eyes ? had they too long gazed upon this resplendent spectacle , as their eyes had been blinded , so their hearts had perhaps grown to an over-bold familiarity with that heavenly object : how seasonably doth the cloud intercept it ? the wise god knows our need of these vicissitudes and allays . if we have a light , we must have a cloud ; if a light to chear us , we must have a cloud to humble us . it was so in sinai , it was so in sion , it was so in olivet ; it shall never be but so . the naturall day and night do not more duely interchange then this light and cloud . above we shall have the light without the cloud , a clear vision and fruition of god without all dim and sad interpositions : below we cannot be free from these mists and clouds of sorrow and misapprehension . but this was a bright cloud . there is difference betwixt the cloud in tabor , and that in sinai : this was clear , that darksome . there is darkness in the law , there is light in the grace of the gospel . moses was there spoken to in darkness ; here he was spoken with in light . in that dark cloud there was terrour ; in this there was comfort . though it were a cloud then , yet it was bright ; and though it were bright , yet it was a cloud . with much light there was some shade . god would not speak to them concerning christ out of darkness : neither yet would he manifest himself to them in an absolute brightness . all his appearances have this mixture . what need i other instance then in these two saints ? moses spake oft to god mouth to mouth : yet not so immediately , but that there was ever somewhat drawn as a curtain betwixt god and him ; either fire in horeb , or smoak in sinai : so as his face was not more veiled from the people , then god's from him . elias shall be spoken to by god , but in the rock , and under a mantle . in vain shall we hope for any revelation from god , but in a cloud . worldly hearts are in utter darkness , they see not so much as the least glimpse of these divine beams , not a beam of that inaccessible light : the best of his saints see him here but in a cloud , or in a glass . happy are we , if god have honoured us with these divine representations of himself . once , in his light we shall see light . i can easily think with what amazedness these three disciples stood compassed in that bright cloud , expecting some miraculous event of so heavenly a vision ; when suddenly they might hear a voice sounding out of that cloud saying , this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased ; hear him . they need not be told whose that voice was ; the place , the matter evinced it . no angel in heaven could , or durst have said so . how gladly doth peter afterwards recount it ? for he received from god the father honour and glory , when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory , this is my beloved son , &c. it was onely the ear that was here taught , not the eye . as of horeb , so of sinai , so of tabor might god say , ye saw no shape nor image in that day that the lord spake unto you . he that knows our proneness to idolatry , avoids those occasions which we might take to abuse our own fancies . twice hath god spoken these words to his own son from heaven ; once in his baptism , and now again in his transfiguration . here not without some oppositive comparison ; not moses , not elias , but this. moses and elias were servants ; this a son. moses and elias were sons , but of grace and choice ; this is that son , the son by nature . other sons are beloved as of favour , and free election ; this is the beloved , as in the unity of his essence . others are so beloved , that he is pleased with themselves ; this so beloved , that in and for him he is pleased with mankind . as the relation betwixt the father and the son is infinite , so is the love. we measure the intension of love by the extension : the love that rests in the person affected alone , is but streight ; true love descends ( like aaron's ointment ) from the head to the skirts , to children , friends , allies . o incomprehensibly-large love of god the father to the son , that for his sake he is pleased with the world ! o perfect and happy complacence ! out of christ there is nothing but enmity betwixt god and the soul ; in him there can be nothing but peace . when the beams are met in one center , they do not onely heat , but burn . our weak love is diffused to many ; god hath some , the world more ; and therein wives , children , friends : but this infinite love of god hath all the beams of it united in one onely object , the son of his love. neither doth he love any thing but in the participation of his love , in the derivation from it . o god , let me be found in christ , and how canst thou but be pleased with me ? this one voice proclaims christ at once the son of god , the reconciler of the world , the doctour and law-giver of his church . as the son of god , he is essentially interessed in his love : as he is the reconciler of the world in whom god is well pleased , he doth most justly challenge our love and adherence : as he is the doctour and law-giver , he doth justly challenge our audience , our obedience . even so , lord , teach us to hear and obey thee as our teacher ; to love thee and believe in thee as our reconciler ; and as the eternall son of thy father to adore thee . the light caused wonder in the disciples ; but the voice astonishment : they are all fallen down upon their faces . who can blame a mortall man to be thus affected with the voice of his maker ? yet this word was but plausible and hortatory . o god , how shall flesh and bloud be other then swallowed up with the horrour of thy dreadfull sentence of death ? the lion shall roar , who shall not be afraid ? how shall those who have slighted the sweet voice of thine invitations , call to the rocks to hide them from the terrour of thy judgments ? the god of mercies pities our infirmities . i do not hear our saviour say , ye lay sleeping one while upon the earth ; now ye lie astonished : ye could neither wake to see , nor stand to hear ; now lie still and tremble . but he graciously touches and comforts them ; arise , fear not . that voice which shall once raise them up out of the earth , might well raise them up from it . that hand which by the least touch restored sight , lims , life , might well restore the spirits of the dismaied . o saviour , let that sovereign hand of thine touch us when we lie in the trances of our griefs , in the bed of our securities , in the grave of our sins , and we shall arise . they looking up saw no man save jesus alone : and that doubtless in his wonted form . all was now gone , moses , elias , the cloud , the voice , the glory : tabor it self cannot be long blessed with that divine light and those shining guests . heaven will not allow to earth any long continuance of glory . onely above is constant happiness to be look'd for and injoyed , where we shall ever see our saviour in his unchangeable brightness , where the light shall never be either clouded or varied . moses and elias are gone , onely christ is left . the glory of the law and the prophets was but temporary , yea momentany ; that onely christ may remain to us intire and conspicuous . they came but to give testimony to christ ; when that is done , they are vanished . neither could these raised disciples find any miss of moses and elias , when they had christ still with them . had jesus been gone , and left either moses or elias , or both , in the mount with his disciples , that presence ( though glorious ) could not have comforted them . now that they are gone , and he is left , they cannot be capable of discomfort . o saviour , it matters not who is away , whilst thou art with us . thou art god all-sufficient ; what can we want when we want not thee ? thy presence shall make tabor it self an heaven : yea , hell it self cannot make us miserable with the fruition of thee . xxxii . the woman taken in adultery . what a busie life was this of christ's ? he spent the night in the mount of olives , the day in the temple : whereas the night is for a retired repose , the day for company . his retiredness was for prayer ; his companiableness was for preaching . all night he watches in the mount ; all the morning he preaches in the temple , it was not for pleasure that he was here upon earth ; his whole time was penall and toilsome . how do we resemble him , if his life were all pain and labour , ours all pastime ? he found no such fair success the day before : the multitude was divided in their opinion of him ; messengers were sent and suborned to apprehend him : yet he returns to the temple . it is for the sluggard or the coward to plead a lion in the way : upon the calling of god , we must overlook and contemn all the spight and opposition of men . even after an ill harvest we must sow ; and after denialls we must woe for god. this sun of righteousness prevents that other , and shines early with wholsome doctrines upon the souls of his hearers . the auditory is both thronged , and attentive . yet not all with the same intentions : if the people came to learn , the scribes and pharisees came to cavill and carp at his teaching . with what a pretence of zeal and justice yet do they put themselves into christ's presence ? as lovers of chastity and sanctimony , and haters of uncleanness , they bring to him a woman taken in the flagrance of her adultery . and why the woman rather ? since the man's offence was equall , if not more ; because he should have had more strength of resistence , more grace not to tempt . was it out of necessity ? perhaps , the man , knowing his danger , made use of his strength to shift away , and violently brake from his apprehenders . or was it out of cunning ? in that they hoped for more likely matter to accuse christ in the case of the woman , then of the man : for that they supposed his mercifull disposition might more probably incline to compassionate her weakness , rather then the stronger vessell . or was it rather out of partiality ? was it not then , as now , that the weakest soonest suffers ; and impotency lays us open to the malice of an enemy ? small flies hang in the webs , whilst wasps break through without controll . the wand and the sheet are for poor offenders ; the great either out-face or out-buy their shame . a beggarly drunkard is haled to the stocks , whilst the rich is chambered up to sleep out his surfeit . out of these grounds is the woman brought to christ : not to the mount of olives , not to the way , not to his private lodging ; but to the temple : and that not to some obscure angle ; but into the face of the assembly . they pleaded for her death ; the punishment which they would onwards inflict was her shame : which must needs be so much more , as there were more eyes to be witnesses of her guiltiness . all the brood of sin affects darkness and secrecy , but this more properly ; the twilight , the night is for the adulterer . it cannot be better fitted then to be dragged out into the light of the sun , and to be proclaimed with hootings and basins . oh the impudence of those men who can make merry professions of their own beastliness , and boast of the shamefull trophees of their lust ! methinks i see this miserable adulteress how she stands confounded amidst that gazing and disdainfull multitude ; how she hides her head , how she wipes her blubbered face and weeping eyes . in the mean time it is no dumb show that is here acted by these scribes and pharisees ; they step forth boldly to her accusation . master , this woman was taken in adultery in the very act . how plausibly do they begin ? had i stood by and heard them , should i not have said , what holy , honest , conscionable men are these ? what devout clients of christ ? with what reverence they come to him ? with what zeal of justice ? when he that made and ransacks their bosom tells me , all this is done but to tempt him . even the falsest hearts will have the plausiblest mouths : like to solomon's curtizan , their lips drop as an hony-comb , and their mouth is smoother then oyl ; but their end is bitter as wormwood . false and hollow pharisees , he is your master whom ye serve , not he whom ye tempt : onely in this shall he be approved your master , that he shall pay your wages , and give you your portion with hypocrites . the act of adultery was her crime : to be taken in the very act , was no part of her sin , but the proof of her just conviction : yet her deprehension is made an aggravation of her shame . such is the corrupt judgement of the world : to doe ill troubles not men , but to be taken in doing it : unknown filthiness passeth away with ease ; it is the notice that perplexes them , not the guilt . but , o foolish sinners , all your packing and secrecy cannot so contrive it , but that ye shall be taken in the manner ; your conscience takes you so ; the god of heaven takes you so : and ye shall once find that your conscience is more then a thousand witnesses , and god more then a thousand consciences . they that complain of the act , urge the punishment ; now moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned . where did moses bid so ? surely the particularity of this execution was without the book . tradition and custome enacted it , not the law. indeed moses commanded death to both the offenders , not the manner of death to either : by analogy it holds thus . it is flatly commanded in the case of a damsell betrothed to an husband , and found not to be a virgin ; in the case of a damsell betrothed , who , being defiled in the city , cried not ; tradition and custome made up the rest ; obtaining , out of this ground , that all adulterers should be executed by lapidation . the ancienter punishment was burning ; death always , though in divers forms . i shame to think that christians should slight that sin which both jews and pagans held ever deadly . what a mis-citation is this ? moses commanded . the law , was god's , not moses's . if moses were imployed to mediate betwixt god and israel , the law is never the more his : he was the hand of god to reach the law to israel , the hand of israel to take it from god. we do not name the water from the pipes , but from the spring . it is not for a true israelite to rest in the second means , but to mount up to the supreme originall of justice . how reverent soever an opinion was had of moses , he cannot be thus named without a shamefull undervaluing of the royall law of his maker . there is no mortall man whose authority may not grow into contempt : that of the ever-living god cannot but be ever sacred and inviolable . it is now with the gospel , as it was then with the law : the word is no other then christ's , though delivered by our weakness ; whosoever be the crier , the proclamation is the king 's of heaven . whilst it goes for ours , it is no marvell if it lie open to despight . how captious a word is this ? moses said thus , what saiest thou ? if they be not sure that moses said so , why do they affirm it ? and if they be sure , why do they question that which they know decided ? they would not have desired a better advantage , then a contradiction to that received law-giver . it is their profession , we are moses's disciples ; and , we know that god spake to moses . it had been quarrel enough to oppose so known a prophet . still i find it the drift of the enemies of truth , to set christ and moses together by the ears ; in the matter of the sabbath , of circumcision , of marriage and divorce , of the use of the law , of justification by the law , of the sense and extent of the law , and where not ? but they shall never be able to effect it : they two are fast and indissoluble friends on both parts for ever ; each speaks for other , each establishes other ; they are subordinate , they cannot be opposite ; moses faithfull as a servant , christ as a son. a faithfull servant cannot but be officious to the son. the true use we make of moses is , to be our schoolmaster to teach us , to whip us unto christ ; the true use we make of christ is , to supply moses . by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of moses . thus must we hold in with both , if we will have our part in either : so shall moses bring us to christ , and christ to glory . had these pharisees out of simplicity , and desire of resolution in a case of doubt , moved this question to our saviour , it had been no less commendable then now it is blame-worthy . o saviour , whither should we have recourse but to thine oracle ? thou art the word of the father , the doctour of the church . whilst we hear from others , what say fathers ? what say councils ? let them hear from us , what sayest thou ? but here it was far otherwise : they came not to learn , but to tempt ; and to tempt that they might accuse . like their father the devil , who solicits to sin , that he may plead against us for yieldance . fain would these colloguing adversaries draw christ to contradict moses , that they might take advantage of his contradiction . on the one side , they saw his readiness to tax the false glosses which their presumptuous doctours had put upon the law , with an i say unto you : on the other , they saw his inclination to mercy and commiseration in all his courses , so far as to neglect even some circumstances of the law ; as , to touch the leper , to heal on the sabbath , to eat with known sinners , to dismiss an infamous ( but penitent ) offender , to select and countenance two noted publicans : and hereupon they might perhaps think that his compassion might draw him to cross this mosaical institution . what a crafty bait is here laid for our saviour ? such as he cannot bite at , and not be taken . it seems to them impossible he should avoid a deep prejudice either to his justice or mercy . for thus they imagine ; either christ will second moses in sentencing this woman to death , or else he will cross moses in dismissing her unpunished . if he command her to be stoned , he loses the honour of his clemency and mercy ; if he appoint her dismission , he loses the honour of his justice . indeed , strip him of either of these , and he can be no saviour . o the cunning folly of vain men , that hope to beguile wisedom it self ! silence and neglect shall first confound those men , whom after his answer will send away convicted . in stead of opening his mouth , our saviour bows his body ; and in stead of returning words from his lips , writes characters on the ground with his finger . o saviour , i had rather silently wonder at thy gesture , then inquire curiously into the words thou wrotest , or the mysteries of thus writing : onely herein i see thou meantest to shew a disregard to these malicious and busy cavillers . sometimes taciturnity and contempt are the best answers . thou that hast bidden us be wise as serpents , givest us this noble example of thy prudence . it was most safe that these tempters should be thus kept fasting with a silent disrespect , that their eagerness might justly draw upon them an insuing shame . the more unwillingness they saw in christ to give his answer , the more pressive and importunate they were to draw it from him . now , as forced by their so zealous irritation , our saviour rouzeth up himself , and gives it them home , with a reprehensory and stinging satisfaction ; he that is without sin among you , let him first cast a stone at her . as if his very action had said , i was loth to have shamed you ; and therefore could have been willing not to have heard your ill-meant motion : but since you will needs have it , and by your vehemence force my justice , i must tell you , there is not one of you but is as faulty as she whom ye accuse ; there is no difference , but that your sin is smothered in secrecy , hers is brought forth into the light . ye had more need to make your own peace by an humble repentance , then to urge severity against another . i deny not but moses hath justly from god imposed the penalty of death upon such hainous offences : but what then would become of you ? if death be her due , yet not by those your unclean hands : your hearts know you are not honest enough to accuse . lo , not the bird , but the fouler is taken . he says not , let her be stoned ; this had been against the course of his mercy : he says not , let her not be stoned ; this had been against the law of moses . now he so answers , that both his justice and mercy are entire ; she dismissed , they shamed . it was the manner of the jews , in those hainous crimes that were punished with lapidation , that the witnesses and accusers should be the first that should lay hands upon the guilty : well doth our saviour therefore choak these accusers with the conscience of their so foul incompetency . with what face , with what heart could they stone their own sin in another person ? honesty is too mean a term . these scribes and pharisees were noted for extraordinary and admired holiness : the outside of their lives was not onely inoffensive , but saint-like and exemplary . yet that all-seeing eye of the son of god , which found folly in the angels , hath much more found wickedness in these glorious professours . it is not for nothing that his eyes are like a flame of fire . what secret is there which he searches not ? retire your selves , o ye foolish sinners , into your inmost closets , yea ( if ye can ) into the center of the earth ; his eye follows you , and observes all your carriages : no bolt , no bar , no darkness can keep him out . no thief was ever so impudent as to steal in the very face of the judge . o god , let me see my self seen by thee , and i shall not dare to offend . besides notice , here is exprobration . these mens sins , as they had been secret , so they were forgotten . it is long since they were done ; neither did they think to have heard any more news of them . and now when time and security had quite worn them out of thought , he that shall once be their judge , calls them to a back-reckoning . one time or other shall that just god lay our sins in our dish , and make us possess the sins of our youth . these things thou didst , and i kept silence ; and thou thoughtest i was like unto thy self : but i will reprove thee , and set them in order before thee . the penitent man's sin lies before him for his humiliation ; the impenitent's , for his shame and confusion . the act of sin is transient , not so the guilt ; that will stick by us , and return upon us , either in the height of our security , or the depth of our misery , when we shall be least able to bear it . how just may it be with god to take us at advantages , and then to lay his arrest upon us when we are laid up upon a former suit ? it is but just there should be a requisition of innocence in them that prosecute the vices of others . the offender is worthy of stoning , but who shall cast them ? how ill would they become hands as guilty as her own ? what doe they but smite themselves , who punish their own offences in other men ? nothing is more unjust or absurd , then for the beam to censure the moat , the oven to upbraid the kiln . it is a false and vagrant zeal that begins not first at home . well did our saviour know how bitter and strong a pill he had given to these false justiciaries ; and now he will take leisure to see how it wrought : whilst therefore he gives time to them to swallow it , and put it over , he returns to his old gesture of a seeming inadvertency . how sped the receit ? i do not see any one of them stand out with christ , and plead his own innocency ; and yet these men ( which is very remarkable ) placed the fulfilling or violation of the law onely in the outward act . their hearts misgave them , that if they should have stood out in contestation with christ , he would have utterly shamed them , by displaying their old and secret sins ; and have so convinced them by undeniable circumstances , that they should never have clawed off the reproach : and therefore when they heard it , being convicted by their own conscience , they went out one by one , beginning at the eldest , even unto the last . there might seem to be some kind of mannerly order in this guilty departure . not all at once ; lest they should seem violently chased away by this charge of christ : now their slinking away one by one may seem to carry a shew of a deliberate and voluntary discession . the eldest first . the ancienter is fitter to give then take example ; and the younger could think it no shame to follow the steps of a grave fore-man . o wonderfull power of conscience ! man can no more stand out against it , then it can stand out against god. the almighty , whose substitute is set in our bosome , sets it on work to accuse . it is no denying , when that says we are guilty ; when that condemns us , in vain are we acquitted by the world . with what bravery did these hypocrites come to set upon christ ? with what triumph did they insult upon that guilty soul ? now they are thunder-struck with their own conscience , and drop away confounded ; and well is he that can run away farthest from his own shame . no wicked man needs to seek out of himself for a judge , accuser , witness , tormentour . no sooner do these hypocrites hear of their sins from the mouth of christ , then they are gone . had they been sincerely touched with a true remorse , they would have rather come to him upon their knees , and have said , lord , we know and find that thou knowest our secret sins ; this argues thy divine omniscience . thou that art able to know our sins , art able to remit them . o pardon the iniquities of thy servants . thou that accusest us , do thou also acquit us . but now in stead hereof , they turn their back upon their saviour , and haste away . an impenitent man cares not how little he hath either of the presence of god , or of the mention of his sins . o fools ! if ye could run away from god , it were somewhat ; but whilst ye move in him , what doe ye ? whither go ye ? ye may run from his mercy , ye cannot but run upon his judgement . christ is left alone . alone in respect of these complainants ; not alone in respect of the multitude : there yet stands the mournfull adulteress . she might have gone forth with them ; no body constrained her stay : but that which sent them away , stayed her , conscience . she knew her guiltiness was publickly accused , and durst not be by herself denied : as one that was therefore fastened there by her own guilty heart , she stirs not till she may receive a dismission . our saviour was not so busie in writing , but that he read the while the guilt and absence of those accusers ; he that knew what they had done , knew no less what they did , what they would doe . yet , as if the matter had been strange to him , he lifts up himself , and says , woman , where are thy accusers ? how well was this sinner to be left there ? could she be in a safer place then before the tribunall of a saviour ? might she have chosen her refuge , whither should she rather have fled ? o happy we , if when we are convinced in our selves of our sins , we can set our selves before that judge who is our surety , our advocate , our redeemer , our ransome , our peace ! doubtless , she stood doubtfull betwixt hope and fear ; hope , in that she saw her accusers gone ; fear , in that she knew what she had deserved : and now whilst she trembles in expectation of a sentence , she hears , woman , where are thy accusers ? wherein our saviour intends the satisfaction of all the hearers , of all the beholders : that they might apprehend the guiltiness , and therefore the unfitness , of the accusers ; and might well see there was no warrantable ground of his farther proceeding against her . two things are necessary for the execution of a malefactour , evidence , sentence ; the one from witnesses , the other from the judge . our saviour asks for both . the accusation and proof must draw on the sentence ; the sentence must proceed upon the evidence of the proof . where are thy accusers ? hath no man condemned thee ? had sentence passed legally upon the adulteress , doubtless our saviour would not have acquitted her : for as he would not intrude upon others offices , so he would not cross or violate the justice done by others . but now , finding the coast clear , he says , neither do i condemn thee . what , lord ? dost thou then shew favour to foul offenders ? art thou rather pleased that gross sins should be blanched , and sent away with a gentle connivency ? far , far be this from the perfection of thy justice . he that hence argues adulteries not punishable by death , let him argue the unlawfulness of dividing of inheritances , because in the case of the two wrangling brethren thou saidst , who made me a divider of inheritances ? thou declinedst the office , thou didst not dislike the act , either of parting lands , or punishing offenders . neither was here any absolution of the woman from a sentence of death , but a dismission of her from thy sentence , which thou knewest not proper for thee to pronounce . herein hadst thou respect to thy calling , and to the main purpose of thy coming into the world ; which was neither to be an arbiter of civil causes , nor a judge of criminal , but a saviour of mankind ; not to destroy the body , but to save the soul. and this was thy care in this miserable offender ; goe , and sin no more . how much more doth it concern us to keep within the bounds of our vocation , and not to dare to trench upon the functions of others ? how can we ever enough magnifie thy mercy , who takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner ? who so camest to save , that thou challengest us of unkindness for being miserable , why will ye die , o house of israel ? but , o son of god , though thou wouldst not then be a judge , yet thou wilt once be : thou wouldst not in thy first coming judge the sins of men , thou wilt come to judge them in thy second . the time shall come when upon that just and glorious tribunall thou shalt judge every man according to his works . that we may not one day hear thee say , goe , ye cursed , let us now hear thee say , goe , sin no more . xxxiii . the thankfull penitent . one while i find christ invited by a publican , now by a pharisee . where-ever he went , he made better chear then he found , in an happy exchange of spirituall repast for bodily . who knows not the pharisees to have been the proud enemies of christ ; men over-conceited of themselves , contemptuous of others ; severe in shew , hypocrites in deed , strict sectaries , insolent justiciaries ? yet here one of them invites christ ; and that in good earnest . the man was not ( like his fellows ) captious , not ceremonious : had he been of their stamp , the omission of washing the feet had been mortall . no profession hath not yielded some good : nicodemus and gamaliel were of the same strain . neither is it for nothing , that the evangelist having branded this sect for despising the counsell of god against themselves , presently subjoyns this history of simon the pharisee , as an exempt man. o saviour , thou canst find out good pharisees , good publicans , yea a good thief upon the cross ; and that thou maist find , thou canst make them so . at the best , yet he was a pharisee , whose table thou here refusedst not . so didst thou in wisedom and mercy attemper thy self , as to become all things to all men , that thou mightest win some . thy harbenger was rough , as in cloaths , so in disposition ; professedly harsh and austere : thy self wert milde and sociable . so it was fit for both . he was a preacher of penance ; thou the authour of comfort and salvation : he made way for grace ; thou gavest it . thou hast bidden us to follow thy self , not thy fore-runner . that then which politicks and time-servers doe for earthly advantages , we will doe for spirituall ; frame our selves to all companies , not in evil , but in good , yea in indifferent things . what wonder is it that thou , who camest down from heaven to frame thy self to our nature , shouldst , whilst thou wert on earth , frame thy self to the severall dispositions of men ? catch not at this , o ye licentious hypocrites , men of all hours , that can eat with gluttons , drink with drunkards , sing with ribalds , scoffe with profane scorners , and yet talk holily with the religious , as if ye had hence any colour for your changeable conformity to all fashions . our saviour never sinn'd for any man's sake , though for our sakes he was sociable , that he might keep us from sinning . can ye so converse with leud good-fellows , as that ye repress their sins , redress their exorbitances , win them to god ? now ye walk in the steps of him that stuck not to sit down in the pharisee's house . there sate the saviour , and , behold , a woman in the city that was a sinner . i marvell not that she is led in with a note of wonder ; wonder , both on her part , and on christ's . that any sinner , that a sensuall sinner obdured in a notorious trade of evil , should voluntarily , out of a true remorse for her leudness , seek to a saviour , it is worthy of an accent of admiration . the noise of the gospel is common ; but where is the power of it ? it hath store of hearers , but few converts . yet were there no wonder in her , if it were not with reference to the power and mercy of christ ; his power that thus drew the sinner , his mercy that received her . o saviour , i wonder at her , but i bless thee for her ; by whose onely grace she was both moved , and accepted . a sinner ? alas , who was not ? who is not so ? not onely in many things we sin all ; but in all things we all let fall many sins . had there been a woman not a sinner , it had been beyond wonder . one man there was that was not a sinner ; even he that was more then man , that god and man , who was the refuge of this sinner : but never woman that sinned not . yet he said not , a woman that had sinned , but , that was a sinner . an action doth not give denomination , but a trade . even the wise charity of christians ( much more the mercy of god ) can distinguish between sins of infirmity , and practice of sin ; and esteem us not by a transient act , but by a permanent condition . the woman was noted for a luxurious and incontinent life . what a deal of variety there is of sins ? that which faileth cannot be numbred . every sin continued deserves to brand the soul with this style . here one is pickt out from the rest : she is not noted for murther , for theft , for idolatry ; onely her lust makes her a woman that was a sinner . other vices use not to give the owner this title , although they should be more hainous then it . wantons may flatter themselves in the indifferency or slightness of this offence ; their souls shall need no other conveiance to hell then this : which cannot be so pleasing to nature as it is hatefull to god , who so speaks of it as if there were no sins but it , a woman that was a sinner . she was a sinner , now she is not ; her very presence argues her change . had she been still in her old trade , she would no more have endured the sight of christ , then that devil did which cried out , art thou come to torment me ? her eyes had been lamps and fires of lust , not fountains of tears ; her hairs had been nets to catch foolish lovers , not a towell for her saviour's feet : yet still she carries the name of what she was ; a scar still remains after the wound healed . simon will be ever the leper , and matthew the publican . how carefully should we avoid those actions which may ever stain us ? what a difference there is betwixt the carriage and proceedings of god and men ? the mercy of god , as it calleth those things that are not as if they were , so it calleth those things that were as if they were not ; i will remember your iniquities no more . as some skilfull chirurgion so sets the bone , or heals the sore , that it cannot be seen where the complaint was . man's word is , that which is done cannot be undone : but the omnipotent goodness of god doth ( as it were ) undoe our once-committed sins . take away my iniquity , and thou shalt find none . what we were in our selves , we are not to him , since he hath changed us from our selves . o god , why should we be niggardly , where thou art liberal ? why should we be reading those lines which thou hast not onely crossed , but quite blotted , yea wiped out ? it is a good word , she was a sinner . to be wicked , is odious to god , angels , saints , men ; to have been so , is blessed and glorious . i rejoyce to look back , and see my egyptians lying dead upon the shore , that i may praise the authour of my deliverance and victory . else , it matters not what they were , what i was . o god , thou whose title is , i am , regardest the present . he befriends and honours us that says , such ye were , but ye are washed . the place adds to the hainousness of the sin ; in the city . the more publick the fact is , the greater is the scandall . sin is sin , though in a desart . others eyes do not make the act more vile in it self ; but the offence is multiplied by the number of beholders . i hear no name of either the city or the woman ; she was too well known in her time . how much better is it to be obscure , then infamous ? herein , i doubt not , god meant to spare the reputation of a penitent convert . he who hates not the person , but the sin , cares onely to mention the sin , not the person . it is justice to prosecute the vice , it is mercy to spare the offender . how injurious a presumption is it for any man to name her whom god would have concealed ? and to cast this aspersion on those whom god hath noted for holiness ? the worst of this woman is past , she was a sinner ; the best is to come , she sought out jesus . where ? in the house of a pharisee . it was the most inconvenient place in the world for a noted sinner to seek christ in . no men stood so much upon the terms of their own righteousness ; no men so scornfully disdained an infamous person . the touch of an ordinary ( though honest ) jew was their pollution ; how much more the presence of a strumpet ? what a sight was a known sinner to him , to whom his holiest neighbour was a sinner ? how doth he ( though a better pharisee ) look awry to see such a piece in his house , whilst he dares think , if this man were a prophet , he would surely know what manner of woman this is ? neither could she fore-imagine less , when she ventured to press over the threshold of a pharisee . yet not the known austerity of the man , and her mis-welcome to the place , could affright her from seeking her saviour even there . no disadvantage can defer the penitent soul from a speedy recourse to christ . she says not , if jesus were in the street , or in the field , or in the house of some humble publican , or any-where save with a pharisee , i would come to him ; now i will rather defer my access , then seek him where i shall find scorn and censure : but , as not fearing the frowns of that overly host , she thrusts her self into simon 's house to find jesus . it is not for the distressed to be bashfull ; it is not for a believer to be timorous . o saviour , if thy spouse miss thee , she will seek thee through the streets ; the blows of the watch shall not daunt her . if thou be on the other side of the water , a peter will leap into the sea , and swim to thee : if on the other side of the fire , thy blessed martyrs will run through those flames to thee . we are not worthy of the comfort of thy presence , if wheresoever we know thou art , whether in prison , or in exile , or at the stake , we do not hasten thither to injoy thee . the place was not more unfit then the time : a pharisee's house was not more unproper for a sinner , then a feast was for humiliation . tears at a banquet are as jiggs at a funeral . there is a season for all things . musick had been more apt for a feast then mourning . the heart that hath once felt the sting of sin , and the sweetness of remission , hath no power to delay the expressions of what it feels , and cannot be confined to terms of circumstance . whence then was this zeal of her access ? doubtless , she had heard from the mouth of christ , in those heavenly sermons of his , many gracious invitations of all troubled and labouring souls ; she had observed how he vouchsafed to come under the roofs of despised publicans , of professed enemies ; she had noted all the passages of his power and mercy ; and now deep remorse wrought upon her heart for her former viciousness . the pool of her conscience was troubled by the descending angel , and now she steps in for a cure . the arrow stuck fast in her soul , which she could not shake out ; and now she comes to this sovereign dittany , to expell it . had not the spirit of god wrought upon her ere she came , and wrought her to come , she had never either sought or found christ . now she comes in , and finds that saviour whom she sought : she comes in , but not empty-handed : though debauched , she was a jewess . she could not but have heard that she ought not to appear before the lord empty . what then brings she ? it was not possible she could bring to christ a better present then her own penitent soul : yet , to testifie that , she brings another , delicate both for the vessell and the contents , a box of alabaster ; a solid , hard , pure , clear marble , fit for the receit of so precious an ointment : the ointment pleasant and costly ; a composition of many fragrant odours , not for medicine , but delight . the soul that is truly touched with the sense of its own sin can think nothing too good , too dear for christ . the remorsed sinner begins first with the tender of burnt-offerings and calves of a year old ; thence he ascends to hecatombs , thousands of rams ; and above that yet , to ten thousand rivers of oyl ; and yet higher , could be content to give the first-fruit of his body to expiate the sin of his soul. any thing , every thing is too small a price for peace . o saviour , since we have tasted how sweet thou art , lo , we bring thee the daintiest and costliest perfumes of our humble obediences : yea , if so much of our bloud , as this woman brought oyntment , may be usefull or pleasing to thy name , we do most chearfully consecrate it unto thee . if we would not have thee think heaven too good for us , why should we stick at any earthly retribution to thee in lieu of thy great mercies ? yet here i see more then the price . this odoriferous perfume was that wherewith she had wont to make her self pleasing to her wanton lovers ; and now she comes purposely to offer it up to her saviour . as her love was turned another way from sensuall to divine , so shall her ointment also be altered in the use : that which was abused to luxury , shall now be consecrated to devotion . there is no other effect in whatsoever true conversion . as we have given our members servants to iniquity to commit iniquity , so shall we now give our members servants unto righteousness in holiness . if the dames of israel , that thought nothing more worth looking on then their own faces , have spent too much time in their glasses ; now they shall cast in those metalls to make a laver for the washing of their uncleannesses . if i have spent the prime of my strength , the strength of my wit , upon my self and vanity ; i have bestowed my alabaster-box amiss : o now teach me , my god and saviour , to improve all my time , all my abilities to thy glory . this is all the poor recompence can be made thee for those shamefull dishonours thou hast received from me . the woman is come in ; and now she doth not boldly face christ , but , as unworthy of his presence , she stands behind . how could she in that site wash his feet with her tears ? was it that our saviour did not sit at the feast , ( after our fashion , ) but , according to the then - jewish and roman fashion , lay on the one side ? or was it that this phrase doth not so much import posture as presence ? doubtless , it was bashfulness and shame arising from the conscience of her own former wickedness that placed her thus . how well is the case altered ? she had wont to look boldly in the face of her lovers : now she dares not behold the awfull countenance of her saviour . she had wont to send her alluring beams forth into the eyes of her wanton paramours : now she casts her dejected eyes to the earth , and dares not so much as raise them up to see those eyes from which she desired commiseration . it was a true inference of the prophet , thou hast an whore's forehead , thou canst not blush : there cannot be a greater sign of whorishness then impudence . this woman can now blush ; she hath put off the harlot , and is turned true penitent . bashfulness is both a sign , and effect of grace . o god , could we but bethink how wretched we are in nature , how vile through our sins , how glorious , holy and powerfull a god thou art , ( before whom the brightest angels hide their faces , ) we could not come but with a trembling awfulness into thy presence . together with shame , here is sorrow : a sorrow testified by tears ; and tears in such abundance , that she washes the feet of our saviour with those streams of penitence ; she began to wash his feet with tears . we hear when she began , we hear not when she ended . when the grapes are pressed , the juice runs forth : so when the mind is pressed , tears distill ; the true juice of penitence and sorrow . these eyes were not used to such clouds , or to such showrs ; there was nothing in them formerly but sun-shine of pleasure , beams of lust : now they are resolved into the drops of grief and contrition . whence was this change , but from the secret working of god's spirit ? he caused his wind to blow , and the waters flowed ; he smote the rock , and the waters gushed out . o god , smite thou this rocky heart of mine , and the waters of repentance shall burst forth in abundance . never were thy feet , o saviour , bedewed with more precious liquour then this of remorsefull tears . these cannot be so spent , but that thou keepest them in thy bottle ; yea thou returnest them back with interest of true comfort : they that sow in tears shall reap in joy . blessed are they that mourn . lo , this wet seed-time shall be followed with an harvest of happiness and glory . that this service might be complete , as her eyes were the ewre , so her hair was the towell for the feet of christ . doubtless at a feast there was no want of the most curious linen for this purpose . all this was nothing to her : to approve her sincere humility , and hearty devotion to christ , her hair shall be put to this glorious office . the hair is the chief ornament of womanhood : the feet , as they are the lowest part of the body , so the meanest for account , and homeliest for imployment : and lo , this penitent bestows the chief ornament of her head on the meanest office to the feet of her saviour . that hair which she was wont to spread as a net to catch her amorous companions , is honoured with the imployment of wiping the beautifull feet of him that brought the glad tidings of peace and salvation : and , might it have been any service to him to have licked the dust under those feet of his , how gladly would she have done it ? nothing can be mean that is done to the honour of a saviour . never was any hair so preferred as this . how i envy those locks that were graced with the touch of those sacred feet ; but much more those lips that kissed them ? those lips that had been formerly inured to the wanton touches of her lascivious lovers , now sanctifie themselves with the testimony of her humble homage and dear respects to the son of god. thus her oyntment , hands , eyes , hair , lips are now consecrated to the service of christ her saviour , whom she had offended . if our satisfaction be not in some kind proportionable to our offence , we are no true penitents . all this while i hear not one word fall from the mouth of this woman . what need her tongue speak , when her eyes spake , her hands spake , her gesture , her countenance , her whole carriage was vocall ? i like this silent speaking well , when our actions talk , and our tongues hold their peace . the common practice is contrary ; mens tongues are busie , but their hands are still . all their religion lies in their tongue ; their hands either doe nothing , or ill ; so as their profession is but wind , as their words . wherefore are words but for expression of the mind ? if that could be known by the eye or by the hand , the language of both were alike . there are no words amongst spirits ; yet they perfectly understand each other . the heavens declare the glory of god. all tongues cannot speak so loud as they that have none . give me the christian that is seen , and not heard . the noise that our tongue makes in a formality of profession shall ( in the silence of our hands ) condemn us for hypocrites . the pharisee saw all this , but with an evil eye . had he not had some grace , he had never invited such a guest as jesus : and if he had had grace enough , he had never entertained such a thought as this of the guest he invited ; if this man were a prophet , he would have known what manner of woman it is that toucheth him ; for she is a sinner . how many errours in one breath ? justly ( o simon ) hath this one thought lost thee the thank of thy feast . belike , at the highest , thou judgedst thy guest but a prophet ; and now thou doubtest whether he were so much . besides this undervaluation , how unjust is the ground of this doubt ? every prophet knew not every thing ; yea no prophet ever knew all things . elisha knew the very secrets of the assyrian privy-chamber : yet he knew not the calamity of his worthy hostess . the finite knowledge of the ablest seer reaches but so far as it will please god to extend it . well might he therefore have been a prophet , and in the knowledge of greater matters not have known this . unto this , how weakly didst thou , because of christ's silent admission of the woman , suppose him ignorant of her quality ? as if knowledge should be measured always by the noise of expression . stay but a while , and thou shalt find that he well knew both her life and thy heart . besides , how injuriously dost thou take this woman for what she was ? not conceiving , ( as well thou mightest ) were not this woman a convert , she would never have offered her self into this presence . her modesty and her tears bewray her change : and if she be changed , why is she censured for what she is not ? lastly , how strong did it savour of the leven of thy profession , that thou supposest ( were she what she was ) that it could not stand with the knowledge and holiness of a prophet to admit of her least touch , yea of her presence ? whereas on the one side , outward conversation in it self makes no man unclean or holy , but according to the disposition of the patient ; on the other , such was the purity and perfection of this thy glorious guest , that it was not possibly infectible , nor any way obnoxious to the danger of others sin . he that said once , who touched me ? in regard of virtue issuing from him , never said , whom have i touched ? in regard of any contagion incident to him . we sinfull creatures , in whom the prince of this world finds too much , may easily be tainted with other mens sins ; he , who came to take away the sins of the world , was uncapable of pollution by sin . had the woman then been still a sinner , thy censure of christ was proud and unjust . the pharisee spake ; but it was within himself : and now , behold , jesus answering , said . what we think , we speak to our hearts , and we speak to god ; and he equally hears , as if it came out of our mouths . thoughts are not free . could men know and convince them , they would be no less liable to censure then if they came forth cloathed with words . god , who hears them , judges of them accordingly . so here , the heart of simon speaks , jesus answers . jesus answers him , but with a parable . he answers many a thought with judgment ; the blasphemy of the heart , the murther of the heart , the adultery of the heart are answered by him with reall vengeance . for simon , our saviour saw his errour was either out of simple ignorance or weak mistaking : where he saw no malice then , it is enough to answer with a gentle conviction . the convictive answer of christ is by way of parable . the wisedom of god knows how to circumvent us for our gain ; and can speak that pleasingly by a prudent circumlocution , which right-down would not be digested . had our saviour said in plain terms , simon , whether dost thou or this sinner love me more ? the pharisee could not for shame but have stood upon his reputation , and in a scorn of the comparison have protested his exceeding respects to christ . now , ere he is aware , he is fetch'd in to give sentence against himself for her whom he condemned . o saviour , thou hast made us fishers of men ; how should we learn of thee , so to bait our hooks , that they may be most likely to take ? thou the great housholder of thy church hast provided victuals for thy family , thou hast appointed us to dress them : if we do not so cook them as that they may fit the palats to which they are intended , we do both lose our labour and thy cost . the parable is of two debtours to one creditour ; the one owed a lesser sum , the other a greater ; both are forgiven . it was not the purpose of him that propounded it , that we should stick in the bark . god is our creditour , our sins our debts ; we are all debtours , but one more deep then another . no man can pay this debt alone ; satisfaction is not possible : onely remission can discharge us . god doth in mercy forgive as well the greatest as the least sins . our love to god is proportionable to the sense of our remission . so then the pharisee cannot chuse but confess , that the more and greater the sin is , the greater mercy in the forgiveness ; and the more mercy in the forgiver , the greater obligation and more love in the forgiven . truth , from whose mouth soever it falls , is worth taking up . our saviour praises the true judgment of a pharisee . it is an injurious indiscretion in those who are so prejudiced against the persons , that they reject the truth . he that would not quench the smoaking flax , incourages even the least good . as the carefull chirurgion stroaks the arm ere he strikes the vein ; so did christ here , ere he convinces the pharisee of his want of love , he graceth him with a fair approbation of his judgment . yet the while turning both his face and his speech to the poor penitent ; as one that cared more for a true humiliation for sin , then for a false pretence of respect and innocence . with what a dejected and abashed countenance , with what earth-fixed eyes do we imagine the poor woman stood , when she saw her saviour direct his face and words to her ? she that durst but stand behind him , and steal the falling of some tears upon his feet , with what a blushing astonishment doth she behold his sidereall countenance cast upon her ? whilst his eye was turned towards this penitent , his speech was turned to the pharisee concerning that penitent , by him mistaken ; seest thou this woman ? he who before had said , if this man were a prophet , he would have known what manner of woman this is , now hears , seest thou this woman ? simon saw but her outside : jesus lets him see that he saw her heart ; and will thus convince the pharisee that he is more then a prophet , who knew not her conversation onely , but her soul. the pharisee , that went all by appearance , shall by her deportment see the proof of her good disposition : it shall happily shame him to hear the comparison of the wants of his own entertainments with the abundance of hers . it is strange that any of this formall sect should be defective in their lotions . simon had not given water to so great a guest ; she washes his feet with her tears . by how much the water of the eye was more precious then the water of the earth , so much was the respect and courtesie of this penitent above the neglected office of the pharisee . what use was there of a towell , where was no water ? she that made a fountain of her eyes , made precious napary of her hair : that better flax shamed the linen in the pharisee's chest . a kiss of the cheek had wont to be pledge of the welcome of their guests . simon neglects to make himself thus happy : she redoubles the kisses of her humble thankfulness upon the blessed feet of her saviour . the pharisee omits ordinary oyl for the head : she supplies the most precious and fragrant oyl to his feet . now the pharisee reads his own taxation in her praise ; and begins to envy where he had scorned . it is our fault , o saviour , if we mistake thee . we are ready to think , so thou have the substance of good usage , thou regardest not the complements and ceremonies ; whereas now we see thee to have both meat and welcome in the pharisee's house , and yet hear thee glance at his neglect of washing , kissing , anointing . doubtless , omission of due circumstances in thy entertainment may deserve to lose our thanks . do we pray to thee ? do we hear thee preach to us ? now we make thee good chear in our house : but if we perform not these things with the fit decency of our outward carriages , we give thee not thy water , thy kisses , thy oyl . even meet ritual observances are requisite for thy full welcome . yet how little had these things been regarded , if they had not argued the woman's thankfull love to thee , and the ground of that love , sense of her remission , and the pharisee's default in both ? love and action do necessarily evince each other . true love cannot lurk long unexpressed : it will be looking out at the eyes , creeping out of the mouth , breaking out at the fingers ends , in some actions of dearness ; especially those wherein there is pain and difficulty to the agent , profit or pleasure to the affected . o lord , in vain shall we profess to love thee , if we doe nothing for thee . since our goodness cannot reach up unto thee , who art our glorious head ; o let us bestow upon thy feet ( thy poor members here below ) our tears , our hands , our oyntment , and whatever our gifts or endeavours may testifie our thankfulness and love to thee in them . o happy word ! her sins , which are many , are forgiven her . methinks i see how this poor penitent revived with this breath ; how new life comes into her eyes , new bloud into her cheeks , new spirits into her countenance : like unto our mother earth ; when , in that first confusion , god said , let the earth bring forth grass , the herb that beareth seed , and the fruit-tree yielding fruit , all runs out into flowers , and blossoms , and leaves , and fruit . her former tears said , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? now her chearfull smiles say , i thank god through jesus christ my lord. seldome ever do we meet with so perfect a penitent ; seldome do we find so gracious a dismission . what can be wished of any mortall creature but remission , safety , faith , peace ? all these are here met to make a contrite soul happy . remission , the ground of her safety ; faith , the ground of her peace ; safety and salvation , the issue of her remission ; peace , the blessed fruit of her faith. o woman , the perfume that thou broughtest is poor and base in comparison of those sweet savours of rest and happiness that are returned to thee . well was that ointment bestowed , wherewith thy soul is sweetned to all eternity . xxxiv . martha and mary . we may reade long enough ere we find christ in an house of his own . the foxes have holes , and the birds have nests : he that had all , possessed nothing . one while i see him in a publican's house , then in a pharisee's ; now i find him at martha's . his last entertainment was with some neglect , this with too much solicitude . our saviour was now in his way ; the sun might as soon stand still as he . the more we move , the liker we are to heaven , and to this god that made it . his progress was to jerusalem , for some holy feast . he whose devotion neglected not any of those sacred solemnities , will not neglect the due opportunities of his bodily refreshing : as not thinking it meet to travell and preach harbourless , he diverts ( where he knew his welcome ) to the village of bethany . there dwelt the two devout sisters , with their brother , his friend lazarus ; their roof receives him . o happy house into which the son of god vouchsafed to set his foot ! o blessed women , that had the grace to be the hostesses to the god of heaven ! how should i envy your felicity herein , if i did not see the same favour ( if i be not wanting to my self ) lying open to me ? i have two ways to entertain my saviour , in his members , and in himself . in his members , by charity and hospitableness ; what i doe to one of those his little ones , i doe to him : in himself , by faith ; if any man open , he will come in and sup with him . o saviour , thou standest at the door of our hearts , and knockest by the solicitations of thy messengers , by the sense of thy chastisements , by the motions of thy spirit : if we open to thee by a willing admission and faithfull welcome , thou wilt be sure to take up our souls with thy gracious presence ; and not to sit with us for a momentany meal , but to dwell with us for ever . lo , thou didst but call in at bethany ; but here shall be thy rest for everlasting . martha ( it seems ) as being the elder sister , bore the name of the house-keeper ; mary was her assistent in the charge . a blessed pair ; sisters not more in nature then grace , in spirit no less then in flesh . how happy a thing it is when all the parties in a family are joyntly agreed to entertain christ ? no sooner is jesus entred into the house then he falls to preaching : that no time may be lost , he stays not so much as till his meat be made ready ; but whilst his bodily repast was in hand , provides spiritual food for his hosts . it was his meat and drink to doe the will of his father : he fed more upon his own diet then he could possibly upon theirs ; his best chear was to see them spiritually fed . how should we , whom he hath called to this sacred function , be instant in season and out of season ? we are , by his sacred ordination , the lights of the world . no sooner is the candle lighted , then it gives that light which it hath , and never intermits till it be wasted to the snuff . both the sisters for a time sate attentively listening to the words of christ . houshold occasions call martha away : mary sits still at his feet , and hears . whether shall we more praise her humility , or her docility ? i do not see her take a stool and sit by him , or a chair and sit above him ; but , as desiring to shew her heart was as low as her knees , she sits at his feet . she was lowly set , richly warmed with those heavenly beams . the greater submission , the more grace . if there be one hollow in the valley lower then another , thither the waters gather . martha's house is become a divinity-school : jesus , as the doctour , sits in the chair ; martha , mary , and the rest , sit as disciples at his feet . standing implies a readiness for motion ; sitting , a settled composedness to this holy attendence . had these two sisters provided our saviour never such delicates , and waited on his trencher never so officiously , yet had they not listened to his instruction , they had not bidden him welcome ; neither had he so well liked his entertainment . this was the way to feast him ; to feed their ears by his heavenly doctrine : his best chear is our proficiency ; our best chear is his word . o saviour , let my soul be thus feasted by thee , do thou thus feast thy self by feeding me ; this mutual diet shall be thy praise and my happiness . though martha was for the time an attentive hearer , yet now her care of christ's entertainment carries her into the kitchin ; mary sits still . neither was mary more devout then martha busie : martha cares to feast jesus ; mary , to be feasted of him . there was more solicitude in martha's active part ; more piety in mary's sedentary attendence : i know not in whether more zeal . good martha was desirous to express her joy and thankfulness for the presence of so blessed a guest , by the actions of her carefull and plentious entertainment . i know not how to censure the holy woman for her excess of care to welcome her saviour . sure she her self thought she did well ; and out of that confidence fears not to complain to christ of her sister . i do not see her come to her sister , and whisper in her ear the great need of her aid ; but she comes to jesus , and , in a kind of unkind expostulation of her neglect , makes her moan to him ; lord , dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone ? why did she not rather make her first address to her sister ? was it for that she knew mary was so tied by the ears , with those adamantine chains that came from the mouth of christ , that untill his silence and dismission she had no power to stir ? or was it out of an honour and respect to christ , that in his presence she would not presume to call off her sister without his leave ? howsoever , i cannot excuse the holy woman from some weaknesses . it was a fault to measure her sister by her self , and apprehending her own act to be good , to think her sister could not doe well if she did not so too . whereas goodness hath much latitude . ill is opposed to good , not good to good. neither in things lawfull or indifferent are others bound to our examples . mary might hear , martha might serve , and both doe well . mary did not censure martha for her rising from the feet of christ , to prepare his meal : neither should martha have censured mary for sitting at christ's feet , to feed her soul. it was a fault , that she thought an excessive care of a liberal outward entertainment of christ was to be preferred to a diligent attention to christ's spirituall entertainment of them . it was a fault , that she durst presume to question our saviour of some kind of unrespect to her toil , lord , dost thou not care ? what saiest thou , martha ? dost thou challenge the lord of heaven and earth of incogitancy and neglect ? dost thou take upon thee to prescribe unto that infinite wisedom , in stead of receiving directions from him ? it is well thou mettest with a saviour , whose gracious mildness knows how to pardon and pity the errours of our zeal . yet i must needs say here wanted not fair pretences for the ground of this thy expostulation . thou , the elder sister , workest ; mary , the younger , sits still . and what work was thine but the hospitall receit of thy saviour and his train ? had it been for thine own paunch , or for some carnal friends , it had been less excusable ; now it was for christ himself , to whom thou couldst never be too obsequious . but all this cannot deliver thee from the just blame of this bold subincusation , lord , dost thou not care ? how ready is our weakness upon every slight discontentment to quarrell with our best friend , yea with our good god ; and the more we are put to it , to think our selves the more neglected , and to challenge god for our neglect ? do we groan on the bed of our sickness , and languishing in pain complain of long hours and weary sides ? straight we think , lord , dost thou not care that we suffer ? doth god's poor church goe to wreck , whilst the ploughers ploughing on her back make long furrows ? lord , dost thou not care ? but know thou , o thou feeble and distrustfull soul , the more thou doest , the more thou sufferest , the more thou art cared for : neither is god ever so tender over his church as when it is most exercised . every pang and stitch and gird is first felt of him that sends it . o god , thou knowest our works , and our labour , and our patience ; we may be ignorant and diffident ; thou canst not but be gracious . it could not but trouble devout mary to hear her sister 's impatient complaint ; a complaint of her self to christ , with such vehemence of passion , as if there had been such strangeness betwixt the two sisters , that the one would doe nothing for the other without an externall compulsion from a superiour . how can she chuse but think , if i have offended , why was i not secretly taxed for it in a sisterly familiarity ? what if there have been some little omission ? must the whole house ring of it before my lord and all his disciples ? is this carriage beseeming a sister ? is my devotion worthy of a quarrell ? lord , dost thou not care that i am injuriously censured ? yet i hear not a word of reply from that modest mouth . o holy mary , i admire thy patient silence . thy sister blames thee for thy piety ; the disciples ( afterwards ) blame thee for thy bounty and cost : not a word falls from thee in a just vindication of thine honour and innocence , but in an humble taciturnity thou leavest thine answer to thy saviour . how should we learn of thee , when we are complained of for well-doing , to seal up our lips , and to expect our righting from above ? and how sure , how ready art thou , o saviour , to speak in the cause of the dumb ? martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things ; but one thing is needfull , and mary hath chosen the better part . what needed mary to speak for her self when she had such an advocate ? doubtless martha was , as it were , divided from her self with the multiplicity of her carefull thoughts : our saviour therefore doubles her name in his compellation ; that in such distraction he may both find and fix her heart . the good woman made full account that christ would have sent away her sister with a check , and her self with thanks : but now her hopes fail her ; and though she be not directly reproved , yet she hears her sister more approved then she ; martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things . our saviour received courtesie from her in her diligent and costly entertainment ; yet he would not blanch her errour , and smooth her up in her weak misprision . no obligations may so enthrall us , as that our tongues should not be free to reprove faults where we find them . they are base and servile spirits that will have their tongue tied to their teeth . this glance towards a reproof implies an opposition of the condition of the two sisters . themselves were not more near in nature , then their present humour and estate differed . one is opposed to many , necessary to superfluous , solicitude to quietness : thou art carefull and troubled about many things ; one thing is necessary . how far then may our care reach to these earthly things ? on the one side , o saviour , thou hast charged us to take no thought what to eat , drink , put on ; on the other , thy chosen vessel hath told us , that he that provides not for his family hath denied the faith , and is worse then an infidel . we may , we must care for many things ; so that our care be for good , and well . for good , both in kind and measure ; well , so as our care be free from distraction , from distrust . from distraction , that it hinder us not from the necessary duties of our general calling : from distrust , that we misdoubt not god's providence whilst we imploy our own . we cannot care for thee , unless we thus care for our selves , for ours . alas ! how much care do i see every-where ? but how few martha's ? her care was for her saviour's entertainment , ours for our selves . one finds perplexities in his estate , which he desires to extricate ; another beats his brains for the raising of his house : one busies his thoughts about the doubtfull condition ( as he thinks ) of the times , and casts in his anxious head the imaginary events of all things , opposing his hopes to his fears ; another studies how to avoid the cross blows of an adversary . martha , martha , thou art carefull and troubled about many things . foolish men ! why do we set our hearts upon the rack , and need not ? why will we endure to bend under that burthen , which more able shoulders have offered to undertake for our ease ? thou hast bidden us , o god , to cast our cares upon thee , with promise to care for us : we do gladly unload our selves upon thee . o let our care be to depend on thee , as thine is to provide for us . whether martha be pitied or taxed for her sedulity , i am sure mary is praised for her devotion . one thing is necessary . not by way of negation , as if nothing were necessary but this : but by way of comparison , as that nothing is so necessary as this . earthly occasions must vail to spiritual . of those three main grounds of all our actions , necessity , convenience , pleasure , each transcends other : convenience carries it away from pleasure , necessity from convenience , and one degree of necessity from another . the degrees are according to the conditions of the things necessary . the condition of these earthly necessaries is , that without them we cannot live temporally ; the condition of the spiritual , that without them we cannot live eternally . so much difference then as there is betwixt temporary and eternal , so much there must needs be betwixt the necessity of these bodily actions and those spiritual : both are necessary in their kinds ; neither must here be an opposition , but a subordination . the body and soul must be friends , not rivals : we may not so plie the christian , that we neglect the man. oh the vanity of those men who , neglecting that one thing necessary , affect many things superfluous ! nothing is needless with worldly minds but this one which is onely necessary , the care of their souls . how justly do they lose that they care not for , whilst they over-care for that which is neither worthy nor possible to be kept ? neither is mary's business more allowed then her self : she hath chosen the good part . it was not forced upon her , but taken up by her election . martha might have sate still as well as she : she might have stirr'd about as well as martha . mary's will made this choice , not without the inclination of him who both gave this will and commends it . that will was before renewed ; no marvel if it chose the good : though this were not in a case of good and evil , but of good and better . we have still this holy freedome , through the inoperation of him that hath freed us . happy are we if we can improve this liberty to the best advantage of our souls . the stability or perpetuity of good addes much to the praise of it . martha's part was soon gone ; the thank and use of a little outward hospitality cannot long last : but mary's shall not be taken away from her . the act of her hearing was transient , the fruit permanent ; she now hears that which shall stick by her for ever . what couldst thou hear , o holy mary , from those sacred lips , which we hear not still ? that heavenly doctrine is never but the same , not more subject to change then the authour of it . it is not impossible that the exercise of the gospel should be taken from us ; but the benefit and virtue of it is as inseparable from our souls as their being . in the hardest times that shall stick closest to us ; and till death , in death , after death shall make us happy . xxxv . the beggar that was born blind , cured . the man was born blind : this cure requires not art , but power ; a power no less then infinite and divine . nature presupposeth a matter , though formless ; art looks for matter formed to our hands : god stands not upon either . where there was not an eye to be healed , what could an oculist doe ? it is onely a god that can create . such are we , o god , to all spiritual things : we want not sight , but eyes : it must be thou onely that canst make us capable of illumination . the blind man sate begging . those that have eyes and hands and feet of their own may be able to help themselves ; those that want these helps must be beholden to the eyes , hands , feet of others . the impotent are cast upon our mercy : happy are we , if we can lend lims and senses to the needy . affected beggary is odious : that which is of god's making justly challengeth relief . where should this blind man sit begging , but near the temple ? at one gate sits a cripple , a blind man at another . well might these miserable souls suppose that piety and charity dwelt close together : the two tables were both of one quarry . then are we best disposed to mercy towards our brethren , when we have either craved or acknowledged god's mercy towards our selves . if we go thither to beg of god , how can we deny mites , when we hope for talents ? never did jesus move one foot but to purpose . he passed by ; but so as that his virtue stayed : so did he pass by , that his eye was fixed . the blind man could not see him ; he sees the blind man. his goodness prevents us , and yields better supplies to our wants . he saw compassionately ; not shutting his eyes , not turning them aside , but bending them upon that dark and disconsolate object . that which was said of the sun , is much more true of him that made it , nothing is hid from his light : but of all other things miseries ( especially of his own ) are most intentively eyed of him . could we be miserable unseen , we had reason to be heartless . o saviour , why should we not imitate thee in this mercifull improvement of our senses ? wo be to those eyes that care onely to gaze upon their own beauty , bravery , wealth ; not abiding to glance upon the sores of lazarus , the sorrows of joseph , the dungeon of jeremy , the blind beggar at the gate of the temple . the disciples see the blind man too , but with different eyes : our saviour for pity and cure , they for expostulation ; master , who did sin ? this man , or his parents , that he is born blind ? i like well that whatsoever doubt troubled them , they straight vent it into the ear of their master . o saviour , whilst thou art in heaven , thy school is upon earth . wherefore serve thy priests lips , but to preserve knowledge ? what use is there of the tongue of the learned , but to speak a word in season ? thou teachest us still ; and still we doubt , and ask , and learn. in one short question i find two truths and two falshoods ; the truths implied , the falshoods expressed . it is true , that commonly man's suffering is for sin ; that we may justly , and do often , suffer even for the sins of our parents . it is false , that there is no other reason of our suffering but sin ; that a man could sin actually before he was , or was before his being , or could before-hand suffer for his after-sins . in all likelihood that absurd conceit of the transmigration of souls possessed the very disciples . how easily and how far may the best be miscarried with a common errour ? we are not thankfull for our own illumination , if we do not look with charity and pity upon the gross mis-opinions of our brethren . our saviour sees , and yet will wink at so foul a misprision of his disciples . i hear neither chiding nor conviction . he that could have inlightned their minds ( as he did the world ) at once , will doe it by due leisure ; and onely contents himself here with a mild solution ; neither this man , nor his parents . we learn nothing of thee , o saviour , if not meekness . what a sweet temper should be in our carriage towards the weaknesses of others judgments ? how should we instruct them without bitterness , and without violence of passion expect the meet seasons of their better information ? the tender mother or nurse doth not rate her little one for that he goes not well ; but gives him her hand , that he may goe better . it is the spirit of lenity that must restore and confirm the lapsed . the answer is direct and punctuall , neither the sin of the man nor of his parents bereaved him of his eyes : there was an higher cause of this privation , the glory that god meant to win unto himself by redressing it . the parents had sinned in themselves ; the man had sinned in his first parents : it is not the guilt of either that is guilty of this blindness . all god's afflictive acts are not punishments ; some are for the benefit of the creature , whether for probation , or prevention , or reformation ; all are for the praise , whether of his divine power , or justice , or mercy . it was fit so great a work should be usher'd in with a preface . a sudden and abrupt appearance would not have beseemed so glorious a demonstration of omnipotence . the way is made ; our saviour addresses himself to the miracle : a miracle not more in the thing done , then in the form of doing it . the matter used was clay . could there be a meaner ? could there be ought more unfit ? o saviour , how oft hadst thou cured blindnesses by thy word alone ? how oft by thy touch ? how easily couldst thou have done so here ? was this to shew thy liberty , or thy power ? liberty , in that thou canst at pleasure use variety of means , not being tied to any ; power , in that thou couldst make use of contraries ? hadst thou pull'd out a box and applied some medicinall ointment to the eyes , something had been ascribed to thy skill , more to the naturall power of thy receit : now thou mad'st use of clay , which had been enough to stop up the eyes of the seeing , the virtue must be all in thee , none in the means . the utter disproportion of this help to the cure adds glory to the worker . how clearly didst thou hence evince to the world , that thou , who of clay couldst make eyes , wert the same who of clay hadst made man ; since there is no part of the body that hath so little analogy to clay as the eye ; this clearness is contrary to that opacity ? had not the jews been more blind then the man whom thou curedst , and more hard and stiff then the clay which thou mollifiedst , they had , in this one work , both seen and acknowledged thy deity . what could the clay have done without thy tempering ? it was thy spittle that made the clay effectuall ; it was that sacred mouth of thine that made the spittle medicinall : the water of siloe shall but wash off that clay which this inward moisture made powerfull . the clay thus tempered , must be applied by the hand that made it , else it avails nothing . what must the blind man needs think , when he felt the cold clay upon the holes of his eyes ? or ( since he could not conceive what an eye was ) what must the beholders needs think , to see that hollowness thus filled up ? is this the way to give either eyes or sight ? why did not the earth see with this clay as well as the man ? what is there to hinder the fight , if this make it ? yet with these contrarieties must the faith be exercised , where god intends the blessing of a cure. it was never meant that this clay should dwell upon those pits of the eyes : it is onely put on to be washed off , and that not by every water ; none shall doe it but that of siloam , which signifies sent ; and if the man had not been sent to siloam , he had been still blind . all things receive their virtue from divine institution . how else should a piece of wheaten bread nourish the soul ? how should spring-water wash off spirituall filthiness ? how should the foolishness of preaching save souls ? how should the absolution of god's minister be more effectuall then the breath of an ordinary christian ? thou , o god , hast set apart these ordinances ; thy blessing is annexed to them ; hence is the ground of all our use , and their efficacy . hadst thou so instituted , jordan would as well have healed blindness , and siloam leprosy . that the man might be capable of such a miracle , his faith is set on work ; he must be led with his eyes daubed up to the pool of siloam . he washes , and sees . lord , what did this man think when his eyes were now first given him ? what a new world did he find himself now come into ? how did he wonder at heaven and earth , and the faces and shapes of all creatures , the goodly varieties of colours , the chearfulness of the light , the lively beams of the sun , the vast expansion of the air , the pleasant transparence of the water ; at the glorious piles of the temple , and stately palaces of jerusalem ? every thing did not more please then astonish him . lo , thus shall we be affected , and more , when , the scales of our mortality being done away , we shall see as we are seen ; when we shall behold the blessedness of that other world , the glory of the saints and angels , the infinite majesty of the son of god , the incomprehensible brightness of the all-glorious deity . o my soul , that thou couldst be taken up before-hand with the admiration of that which thou canst not as yet be capable of fore-seeing . it could not be but that many eyes had been witnesses of this man's want of eyes . he sate begging at one of the temple-gates : not onely all the city , but all the country must needs know him ; thrice a year did they come up to jerusalem ; neither could they come to the temple and not see him . his very blindness made him noted . deformities and infirmities of body do more easily both draw and fix the eye then an ordinary symmetry of parts . besides his blindness , his trade made him remarkable ; the importunity of his begging drew the eyes of the passengers . but of all other , the place most notified him . had he sate in some obscure village of judaea , or in some blind lane of jerusalem , perhaps he had not been heeded of many ; but now that he took up his seat in the heart , in the head of the chief city , whither all resorted from all parts , what jew can there be that knows not the blind beggar at the temple-gate ? purposely did our saviour make choice of such a subject for his miracle ; a man so poor , and so publick : the glory of the work could not have reach'd so far , if it had been done to the wealthiest citizen of jerusalem . neither was it for nothing that the act and the man is doubted of and inquired into by the beholders ; is not this he that sate begging ? some said , it is he ; others said , it is like him . no truths have received so full proofs as those that have been questioned . the want or the sudden presence of an eye ( much more of both ) must needs make a great change in the face ; those little balls of light ( which no doubt were more clear then nature could have made them ) could not but give a new life to the countenance . i marvell not if the neighbours , who had wont to see this dark visage led by a guide , and guided by a staffe , seeing him now walking confidently alone out of his own inward light , and looking them chearfully in the face , doubted whether this were he . the miraculous cures of god work a sensible alteration in men , not more in their own apprehension , then in the judgement of others . thus in the redress of the spiritual blindness , the whole habit of the man is changed . where before his face looked dull and earthly ; now there is a sprightfull chearfulness in it , through the comfortable knowledge of god and heavenly things . whereas before his heart was set upon worldly things ; now he uses them , but injoys them not : and that use is because he must , not because he would . where before his fears and griefs were onely for pains of body , or loss of estate or reputation ; now they are onely spent upon the displeasure of his god , and the peril of his soul. so as now the neighbours can say , is this the man ? others , it is like him , it is not he . the late-blind man hears , and now sees himself questioned ; and soon resolves the doubt , i am he . he that now saw the light of the sun , would not hide the light of truth from others . it is an unthankfull silence , to smother the works of god in an affected secrecy . to make god a loser by his bounty to us , were a shamefull injustice . we our selves abide not those sponges that suck up good turns unknown . o god , we are not worthy of our spiritual eye-sight , if we do not publish thy mercies on the house top , and praise thee in the great congregation . man is naturally inquisitive : we search studiously into the secret works of nature ; we pry into the reasons of the witty inventions of art ; but if there be any thing that transcends art and nature , the more high and abstruse it is , the more busie we are to seek into it . this thirst after hidden , yea forbidden , knowledge did once cost us dear : but where it is good and lawfull to know , inquiry is commendable ; as here in these jews , how were thine eyes opened ? the first improvement of humane reason is inquisition , the next is information and resolution : and if the meanest events pass us not without a question , how much less those that carry in them wonder and advantage ? he that was so ready to profess himself the subject of the cure , is no niggard of proclaiming the authour of it ; a man that is called jesus made clay , and anointed mine eyes , and sent me to siloam to wash , and now i see . the blind man knew no more then he said , and he said what he apprehended , a man. he heard jesus speak , he felt his hand ; as yet he could look no farther : upon his next meeting he saw god in this man. in matter of knowledge , we must be content to creep ere we can goe . as that other recovered blind man saw first men walk like trees , after like men ; so no marvell if this man saw first this god onely as man , after this man as god also . onwards he thinks him a wonderfull man , a mighty prophet . in vain shall we either expect a sudden perfection in the understanding of divine matters , or censure those that want it . how did this man know what jesus did ? he was then stone-blind ; what distinction could he yet make of persons , of actions ? true ; but yet the blind man never wanted the assistence of others eyes ; their relation hath assur'd him of the manner of his cure , besides the contribution of his other senses : his ear might perceive the spittle to fall , and hear the injoyned command ; his feeling perceived the cold and moist clay upon his lips . all these conjoyned gave sufficient warrant thus to believe , thus to report . our ear is our best guide to a full apprehension of the works of christ . the works of god the father , his creation and government , are best known by the eye . the works of god the son , his redemption and mediation , are best known by the ear. o saviour , we cannot personally see what thou hast done here . what are the monuments of thine apostles and evangelists , but the relations of the blind man's guide , what and how thou hast wrought for us ? on these we strongly rely , these we do no less confidently believe then if our very eyes had been witnesses of what thou didst and sufferedst upon earth . there were no place for faith ; if the ear were not worthy of as much credit as the eye . how could the neighbours doe less then ask where he was that had done so strange a cure ? i doubt yet with what mind ; i fear , not out of favour . had they been but indifferent , they could not but have been full of silent wonder , and inclined to believe in so omnipotent an agent . now , as prejudiced to christ , and partiall to the pharisees , they bring the late-blind man before those professed enemies unto christ . it is the preposterous religion of the vulgar sort , to claw and adore those which have tyrannically usurped upon their souls , though with neglect , yea with contempt , of god in his word , in his works . even unjust authority will never want soothing up in whatsoever courses , though with disgrace and opposition to the truth . base minds , where they find possession , never look after right . our saviour had pick'd out the sabbath for this cure. it is hard to find out any time wherein charity is unseasonable . as mercy is an excellent grace , so the works of it are fittest for the best day . we are all born blind : the font is our siloam : no day can come amiss , but yet god's day is the properest for our washing and recovery . this alone is quarrell enough to these scrupulous wranglers , that an act of mercy was done on that day wherein their envy was but seasonable . i do not see the man beg any more when he once had his eyes ; no burger in jerusalem was richer then he . i hear him stoutly defending that gracious authour of his cure against the cavills of the malicious pharisees : i see him as a resolute confessour suffering excommunication for the name of christ , and maintaining the innocence and honour of so blessed a benefactour : i hear him reade a divinity-lecture to them that sate in moses his chair , and convincing them of blindness , who punish'd him for seeing . how can i but envy thee , o happy man , who , of a patient , provest an advocate for thy saviour ; whose gain of bodily sight made way for thy spirituall eyes ; who hast lost a synagogue , and hast found heaven ; who , being abandoned of sinners , art received of the lord of glory ? xxxvi . the stubborn devil ejected . how different , how contrary are our conditions here upon earth ? whilst our saviour is transfigured on the mount , his disciples are perplexed in the valley . three of his choice followers were with him above , ravished with the miraculous proofs of his godhead : nine other were troubled with the business of a stubborn devil below . much people was met to attend christ , and there they will stay till he come down from tabor . their zeal and devotion brought them thither ; their patient perseverance held them there . we are not worthy the name of his clients , if we cannot painfully seek him , and submissly wait his leisure . he that was now awhile retired into the mount , to confer with his father , and to receive the attendence of moses and elias , returns into the valley to the multitude . he was singled out awhile for prayer and contemplation ; now he was joyned with the multitude for their miraculous cure and heavenly instruction . we that are his spirituall agents must be either preparing in the mount , or exercising in the valley ; one while in the mount of meditation , in the valley of action another ; alone to study , in the assembly to preach : here is much variety , but all is work . moses , when he came down from the hill , heard musick in the valley ; christ , when he came down from the hill , heard discord . the scribes ( it seems ) were setting hard upon the disciples : they saw christ absent , nine of his train left in the valley , those they fly upon . as the devil , so his imps watch close for all advantages . no subtle enemy but will be sure to attempt that part where is likelihood of least defence , most weakness . when the spouse misses him whom her soul loveth , every watchman hath a buffet for her . o saviour , if thou be never so little stept aside , we are sure to be assaulted with powerfull temptations . they that durst say nothing to the master , so soon as his back is turned fall foul upon his weakest disciples . even at the first hatching the serpent was thus crafty , to begin at the weaker vessell : experience and time hath not abated his wit. if he still work upon silly women laden with divers lusts , upon rude and ungrounded ignorants , it is no other then his old wont . our saviour upon the skirts of the hill knew well what was done in the plain ; and therefore hasts down to the rescue of his disciples . the clouds and vapours do not sooner scatter upon the sun's breaking forth , then these cavils vanish at the presence of christ : in stead of opposition they are straight upon their knees ; here are now no quarrels , but humble salutations ; and if christ's question did not force theirs , the scribes had found no tongue . doubtless there were many eager patients in this throng ; none made so much noise as the father of the demoniack . belike upon his occasion it was that the scribes held contestation with the disciples . if they wrangled , he sues , and that from his knees . whom will not need make both humble and eloquent ? the case was wofull , and accordingly expressed . a son is a dear name ; but this was his onely son . were his grief ordinary yet , the sorrow were the less ; but he is a fearfull spectacle of judgment , for he is lunatick . were this lunacy yet merely from a naturall distemper , it were more tolerable ; but this is aggravated by the possession of a cruell spirit , that handles him in a most grievous manner . yet were he but in the rank of other demoniacks , the discomfort were more easy ; but lo , this spirit is worse then all other his fellows ; others are usually dispossessed by the disciples , this is beyond their power . i besought thy disciples to cast him out , but they could not : therefore , lord , have thou mercy on my son. the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the god of power . here was his refuge ; the strong man had gotten possession , it was onely the stronger then he that can eject him . o god , spirituall wickednesses have naturally seized upon our souls : all humane helps are too weak ; onely thy mercy shall improve thy power to our deliverance . what bowels could chuse but yearn at the distress of this poor young man ? frenzy had taken his brain : that disease was but health in comparison of the tyrannicall possession of that evill spirit , wherewith it was seconded . out of hell there could not be a greater misery : his senses are either bereft , or else left to torment him ; he is torn and racked , so as he foams and gnashes , he pines and languishes ; he is cast sometimes into the fire , sometimes into the water . how that malicious tyrant rejoyces in the mischief done to the creature of god ? had earth had any thing more pernicious then fire and water , thither had he been thrown ; though rather for torture , then dispatch . it was too much favour to die at once . o god , with how deadly enemies hast thou matched us ? abate thou their power , since their malice will not be abated . how many think of this case with pity and horrour , and in the mean time are insensible of their own fearfuller condition ? it is but oftentimes that the devil would cast this young man into a temporary fire ; he would cast the sinner into an eternall fire , whose everlasting burnings have no intermissions . no fire comes amiss to him ; the fire of affliction , the fire of lust , the fire of hell. o god , make us apprehensive of the danger of our sin , and secure from the fearfull issue of sin . all these very same effects follow his spiritual possession . how doth he tear and rack them whom he vexes and distracts with inordinate cares and sorrows ? how do they foam and gnash whom he hath drawn to an impatient repining at god's afflictive hand ? how do they pine away who hourly decay and languish in grace ? oh the lamentable condition of sinfull souls , so much more dangerous , by how much less felt ! but all this while what part hath the moon in this man's misery ? how comes the name of that goodly planet in question ? certainly these diseases of the brain follow much the course of this queen of moisture . that power which she hath in humours is drawn to the advantage of the malicious spirit ; her predominancy is abused to his despight : whether it were for the better opportunity of his vexation , or whether for the drawing of envy and discredit upon so noble a creature . it is no news with that subtle enemy to fasten his effects upon those secondary causes which he usurps to his own purposes . what-ever be the means , he is the tormentour . much wisedom needs to distinguish betwixt the evil spirit abusing the good creature , and the good creature abused by the evil spirit . he that knew all things , asks questions ; how long hath he been so ? not to inform himself ; ( that devil could have done nothing without the knowledge , without the leave of the god of spirits ; ) but that by the confession of the parent he might lay forth the wofull condition of the child ; that the thank and glory of the cure might be so much greater , as the complaint was more grievous . he answered , from a child . o god , how i adore the depth of thy wise and just and powerfull dispensation ? thou that couldst say , i have loved jacob , and esau have i hated , ere the children had done good or evil , thoughtest also good , ere this child could be capable of good or evil , to yield him over to the power of that evil one . what need i ask for any other reason then that which is the rule of all justice , thy will ? yet even these weak eyes can see the just grounds of thine actions . that child , though an israelite , was conceived and born in that sin which both could and did give satan an interest in him . besides , the actual sins of the parents deserved this revenge upon that piece of themselves . rather , o god , let me magnifie thy mercy , that we and ours escape this judgment , then question thy justice , that some escape not . how just might it have been with thee , that we , who have given way to satan in our sins , should have way and scope given to satan over us in our punishments ? it is thy praise that any of us are free ; it is no quarrell that some suffer . do i wonder to see satan's bodily possession of this young man from a child , when i see his spiritual possession of every son of adam from a longer date ; not from a child , but from the womb , yea in it ? why should not satan possess his own ? we are all by nature the sons of wrath . it is time for us to renounce him in baptism , whose we are till we be regenerate . he hath right to us in our first birth ; our new birth acquits us from him , and cuts off all his claim . how miserable are they that have nothing but nature ? better had it been to have been unborn , then not to be born again . and if this poor soul from an infant were thus miserably handled , having done none actual evil ; how just cause have we to fear the like judgments , who by many foul offences have deserved to draw this executioner upon us ? o my soul , thou hast not room enough for thankfulness to that good god , who hath not delivered thee up to that malignant spirit . the distressed father sits not still , neglects not means : i brought him to thy disciples . doubtless the man came first to seek for christ himself ; finding him absent , he makes suit to the disciples . to whom should we have recourse in all our spiritual complaints but to the agents and messengers of god ? the noise of the like cures had surely brought this man with much confidence to crave their succour ; and now how cold was he at the heart , when he found that his hopes were frustrate ? they could not cast him out . no doubt the disciples tried their best , they laid their wonted charge upon this dumb spirit ; but all in vain . they that could come with joy and triumph to their master , and say , the devils are subject to us , find now themselves matched with a stubborn and refractory spirit . their way was hitherto smooth and fair ; they met with no rub till now . and now surely the father of the demoniack was not more troubled at this event then themselves . how could they chuse but fear lest their master had , with himself , with-drawn that spiritual power which they had formerly exercised ? needs must their heart fail them with their success . the man complained not of their impotence : it were fondly injurious to accuse them for that which they could not doe : had the want been in their will , they had well deserved a querulous language ; it was no fault to want power . onely he complains of the stubbornness , and laments the invincibleness of that evil spirit . i should wrong you , o ye blessed followers of christ , if i should say that , as israel , when moses was gone up into the mount , lost their belief with their guide ; so that ye , missing your master , ( who was now ascended up to his tabor , ) were to seek for your faith. rather the wisedom of god saw reason to check your over-assured forwardness ; and both to pull down your hearts by a just humiliation in the sense of your own weakness , and to raise up your hearts to new acts of dependence upon that sovereign power from which your limited virtue was derived . what was more familiar to the disciples then ejecting of devils ? in this onely it is denied them . our good god sometimes finds it requisite to hold us short in those abilities whereof we make least doubt , that we may feel whence we had them . god will be no less glorified in what we cannot doe , then in what we can doe . if his graces were alwaies at our command , and ever alike , they would seem naturall , and soon run into contempt : now we are justly held in an awfull dependence upon that gracious hand , which so gives as not to cloy us , and so denies as not to discourage us . who could now but expect that our saviour should have pitied and bemoaned the condition of this sad father and miserable son , and have let fall some words of comfort upon them ? in stead whereof i hear him chiding and complaining , o faithless and perverse generation , how long shall i be with you ? how long shall i suffer you ? complaining , not of that wofull father and more wofull son ; it was not his fashion to adde affliction to the distressed , to break such bruised reeds ; but of those scribes , who , upon the failing of the success of this suit , had insulted upon the disability of the followers of christ , and depraved his power : although perhaps this impatient father , seduced by their suggestion , might slip into some thoughts of distrust . there could not be a greater crimination then faithless and perverse : faithless , in not believing ; perverse , in being obstinately set in their unbelief . doubtless these men were not free from other notorious crimes : all were drowned in their infidelity . morall uncleannesses or violences may seem more hainous to men ; none are so odious to god as these intellectuall wickednesses . what an happy change is here in one breath of christ ? how long shall i suffer you ? bring him hither to me . the one is a word of anger , the other of favour . his just indignation doth not exceed or impeach his goodness . what a sweet mixture there is in the perfect simplicity of the divine nature ? in the midst of judgment he remembers mercy , yea he acts it . his sun shines in the midst of this storm . whether he frown or whether he smile , it is all to one purpose , that he may win the incredulous and disobedient . whither should the rigour of all our censures tend but to edification , and not to destruction ? we are physicians , we are not executioners ; we give purges to cure , and not poisons to kill . it is for the just judge to say one day to reprobate souls , depart from me : in the mean time it is for us to invite all that are spiritually possessed to the participation of mercy . bring him hither to me . o saviour , distance was no hindrance to thy work : why should the demoniack be brought to thee ? was it that this deliverance might be the better evicted , and that the beholders might see it was not for nothing that the disciples were opposed with so refractory a spirit ? or was it that the scribes might be witnesses of that strong hostility that was betwixt thee and that foul spirit , and be ashamed of their blasphemous slander ? or was it that the father of the demoniack might be quickened in that faith which now , through the suggestion of the scribes , begun to droop ; when he should hear and see christ so chearfully to undertake and perform that whereof they had bidden him despair ? the possessed is brought ; the devil is rebuked and ejected . that stiffe spirit , which stood out boldly against the commands of the disciples , cannot but stoop to the voice of the master : that power which did at first cast him out of heaven , easily dispossesses him of an house of clay . the lord rebuke thee , satan , and then thou canst not but flee . the disciples , who were not used to these affronts , cannot but be troubled at their mis-success : master , why could not we cast him out ? had they been conscious of any defect in themselves , they had never ask'd the question . little did they think to hear of their unbelief . had they not had great faith , they could not have cast out any devils ; had they not had some want of faith , they had cast out this . it is possible for us to be defective in some graces , and not to feel it . although not so much their weakness is guilty of this unprevailing , as the strength of that evil spirit . this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting . weaker spirits were wont to be ejected by a command ; this devil was more sturdy and boisterous . as there are degrees of statures in men , so there are degrees of strength and rebellion in spirituall wickednesses . here bidding will not serve , they must pray ; and praying will not serve without fasting . they must pray to god that they may prevail ; they must fast to make their prayer more fervent , more effectuall . we cannot now command , we can fast and pray . how good is our god to us , that whilst he hath not thought fit to continue to us those means which are less powerfull for the dispossessing of the powers of darkness , yet he hath given us the greater ? whilst we can fast and pray , god will command for us ; satan cannot prevail against us . xxxvii . the widow's mites . the sacred wealth of the temple was either in stuff , or in coin . for the one the jews had an house , for the other a chest . at the concourse of all the males to the temple thrice a year upon occasion of the solemn feasts , the oblations of both kinds were liberall . our saviour , as taking pleasure in the prospect , sets himself to view those offerings , whether for holy uses or charitable . those things we delight in , we love to behold : the eye and the heart will goe together . and can we think , o saviour , that thy glory hath diminished ought of thy gracious respects to our beneficence ? or that thine acceptance of our charity was confined to the earth ? even now that thou sittest at the right hand of thy father's glory , thou seest every hand that is stretched out to the relief of thy poor saints here below . and if vanity have power to stir up our liberality out of a conceit to be seen of men , how shall faith encourage our bounty in knowing that we are seen of thee , and accepted by thee ? alas ! what are we the better for the notice of those perishing and impotent eyes , which can onely view the outside of our actions ; or for that waste wind of applause which vanisheth in the lips of the speaker ? thine eye , o lord , is piercing and retributive . as to see thee is perfect happiness , so to be seen of thee is true contentment and glory . and dost thou , o god , see what we give thee , and not see what we take away from thee ? are our offerings more noted then our sacrileges ? surely thy mercy is not more quick-sighted then thy justice . in both kinds our actions are viewed , our account is kept ; and we are sure to receive rewards for what we have given , and vengeance for what we have defalked . with thine eye of knowledge thou seest all we doe ; but what we doe well , thou seest with thine eye of approbation . so didst thou now behold these pious and charitable oblations . how well wert thou pleased with this variety ? thou sawest many rich men give much ; and one poor widow give more then they in lesser room . the jews were now under the roman pressure ; they were all tributaries , yet many of them rich ; and those rich men were liberal to the common chest . hadst thou seen those many rich give little , we had heard of thy censure : thou expectest a proportion betwixt the giver and the gift , betwixt the gift and the receit : where that fails , the blame is just . that nation ( though otherwise faulty enough ) was in this commendable . how bounteously open were their hands to the house of god ? time was when their liberality was fain to be restrained by proclamation ; and now it needed no incitement : the rich gave much , the poorest gave more . he saw a poor widow casting in two mites . it was misery enough that she was a widow . the married woman is under the carefull provision of an husband ; if she spend , he earns : in that estate four hands work for her ; in her viduity but two . poverty added to the sorrow of her widowhood . the loss of some husbands is supplied by a rich joynture ; it is some allay to the grief that the hand is left full , though the bed be empty : this woman was not more desolate then needy . yet this poor widow gives . and what gives she ? an offering like her self , two mites ; or , in our language , two half-farthing-tokens . alas , good woman ! who was poorer then thy self ? wherefore was that corban , but for the relief of such as thou ? who should receive , if such give ? thy mites were something to thee , nothing to the treasury . how ill is that gift bestowed , which dis-furnisheth thee , and adds nothing to the common stock ? some thrifty neighbour might perhaps have suggested this probable discouragement . jesus publishes and applauds her bounty : he called his disciples , and said unto them , verily i say unto you , this woman hath cast in more then they all . whilst the rich put in their offerings , i see no disciples called ; it was enough that christ noted their gifts alone : but when the widow comes with her two mites , now the domesticks of christ are summoned to assemble , and taught to admire this munificence ; a solemn preface makes way to her praise , and her mites are made more precious then the others talents . she gave more then they all . more , not onely in respect of the mind of the giver , but of the proportion of the gift , as hers . a mite to her was more then pounds to them : pounds were little to them , two mites were all to her : they gave out of their abundance , she out of her necessity . that which they gave , left the heap less , yet an heap still ; she gives all at once , and leaves her self nothing . so as she gave , not more then any , but more then they all . god doth not so much regard what is taken out , as what is left . o father of mercies , thou lookest at once into the bottom of her heart and the bottom of her purse ; and esteemest her gift according to both . as thou seest not as man , so thou valuest not as man : man judgeth by the worth of the gift , thou judgest by the mind of the giver and the proportion of the remainder . it were wide with us if thou shouldst goe by quantities . alas ! what have we but mites , and those of thine own lending ? it is the comfort of our meanness , that our affections are valued , and not our presents : neither hast thou said , god loves a liberal giver , but a chearfull . if i had more , o god , thou shouldst have it ; had i less , thou wouldst not despise it , who acceptest the gift according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . yea , lord , what have i but two mites , a soul , and a body ? mere mites , yea , not so much , to thine infiniteness . oh that i could perfectly offer them up unto thee , according to thine own right in them , and not according to mine . how graciously wouldst thou be sure to accept them ? how happy shall i be in thine acceptation ? xxxviii . the ambition of the two sons zebedee . he who had his own time and ours in his hand , foreknew and foretold the approach of his dissolution . when men are near their end , and ready to make their will , then is it seasonable to sue for legacies . thus did the mother of the two zebedees ; therein well approving both her wisedom and her faith : wisedom , in the fit choice of her opportunity ; faith , in taking such an opportunity . the suit is half obtained that is seasonably made . to have made this motion at the entry into their attendence , had been absurd , and had justly seemed to challenge a denial . it was at the parting of the angel , that jacob would be blessed . the double spirit of elijah is not sued for till his ascending . but , o the admirable faith of this good woman ! when she heard the discourse of christ's sufferings and death , she talks of his glory ; when she hears of his cross , she speaks of his crown . if she had seen herod come and tender his scepter unto christ , or the elders of the jews come upon their knees with a submissive profer of their allegeance , she might have had some reason to entertain the thoughts of a kingdom : but now whilst the sound of betraying , suffering , dying , was in her ear , to make account of and suit for a room in his kingdome , it argues a belief able to triumph over all discouragements . it was nothing for the disciples , when they saw him after his conquest of death and rising from the grave , to ask him , master , wilt thou now restore the kingdom unto israel ? but for a silly woman to look through his future death and passion , at his resurrection and glory , it is no less worthy of wonder then praise . to hear a man in his best health and vigour to talk of his confidence in god , and assurance of divine favour , cannot be much worth : but if in extremities we can believe above hope , against hope , our faith is so much more noble as our difficulties are greater . never sweeter perfume arose from any altar , then that which ascended from job's dunghill , i know that my redeemer liveth . what a strange style is this that is given to this woman ? it had been as easie to have said , the wife of zebedee , or the sister of mary or of joseph , or ( as her name was ) plain salome : but now , by an unusual description , she is styled ▪ the mother of zebedee's children . zebedee was an obscure man ; she , as his wife , was no better : the greatest honour she ever had or could have , was to have two such sons as james and john ; these give a title to both their parents . honour ascends as well as descends . holy children dignifie the loyns and womb from whence they proceed , no less then their parents traduce honour unto them . salome might be a good wife , a good huswife , a good woman , a good neighbour : all these cannot ennoble her so much as the mother of zebedee's children . what a world of pain , toil , care , cost , there is in the birth and education of children ? their good proof requites all with advantage . next to happiness in our selves , is to be happy in a gracious issue . the suit was the sons , but by the mouth of their mother : it was their best policy to speak by her lips . even these fishermen had already learned craftily to fish for promotion . ambition was not so bold in them as to shew her own face : the envy of the suit shall thus be avoided , which could not but follow upon their personall request . if it were granted , they had what they would ; if not , it was but the repulse of a woman's motion : which must needs be so much more pardonable , because it was of a mother for her sons . it is not discommendable in parents to seek the preferment of their children . why may not abraham sue for an ismael ? so it be by lawfull means , in a moderate measure , in due order , this endeavour cannot be amiss . it is the neglect of circumstances that makes these desires sinfull . oh the madness of those parents , that care not which way they raise an house ; that desire rather to leave their children great , then good ; that are more ambitious to have their sons lords on earth , then kings in heaven ! yet i commend thee , salome , that thy first plot was to have thy sons disciples of christ , then after to prefer them to the best places of that attendence . it is the true method of divine prudence , o god , first to make our children happy with the honour of thy service , and then to endeavour their meet advancement upon earth . the mother is put upon this suit by her sons ; their heart was in her lips . they were not so mortified by their continual conversation with christ , hearing his heavenly doctrine , seeing his divine carriage , but that their minds were yet roving after temporal honours . pride is the inmost coat , which we put off last , and which we put on first . who can wonder to see some sparks of weak and worldly desires in their holiest teachers , when the blessed apostles were not free from some ambitious thoughts whilst they sate at the feet , yea in the bosome of their saviour ? the near kindred this woman could challenge of christ might seem to give her just colour of more familiarity ; yet now that she comes upon a suit , she submits her self to the lowest gesture of suppliants . we need not be taught , that it is fit for petitioners to the great , to present their humble supplications upon their knees . o saviour , if this woman , so nearly allied to thee according to the flesh , coming but upon a temporal occasion to thee , being as then compassed about with humane infirmities , adored thee ere she durst sue to thee ; what reverence is enough for us that come to thee upon spiritual suits , sitting now in the height of heavenly glory and majesty ? say then , thou wife of zebedee , what is it that thou cravest of thine omnipotent kinsman ? a certain thing . speak out , woman ; what is this certain thing that thou cravest ? how poor and weak is this supplicatory anticipation to him that knew thy thoughts ere thou utteredst them , ere thou entertainedst them ? we are all in this tune ; every one would have something ; such perhaps as we are ashamed to utter . the proud man would have a certain thing ; honour in the world : the covetous would have a certain thing too ; wealth and abundance : the malicious would have a certain thing ; revenge on his enemies : the epicure would have pleasure and long life ; the barren , children ; the wanton , beauty . each one would be humoured in his own desire ; though in variety , yea contradiction to other ; though in opposition not more to god's will , then our own good . how this suit sticks in her teeth , and dares not freely come forth , because it is guilty of its own faultiness ? what a difference there is betwixt the prayers of faith , and the motions of self-love and infidelity ? those come forth with boldness , as knowing their own welcome , and being well assured both of their warrant and acceptation : these stand blushing at the door , not daring to appear ; like to some baffled suit , conscious to its own unworthiness and just repulse . our inordinate desires are worthy of a check : when we know that our requests are holy , we cannot come with too much confidence to the throne of grace . he that knew all their thoughts afar off , yet , as if he had been a stranger to their purposes , asks , what wouldst thou ? our infirmities do then best shame us , when they are fetcht out of our own mouths : like as our prayers also serve not to acquaint god with our wants , but to make us the more capable of his mercies . the suit is drawn from her ; now she must speak . grant that these my two sons may sit , one on thy right hand , the other on thy left , in thy kingdom . it is hard to say , whether out of more pride or ignorance . it was as received as erroneous a conceit amongst the very disciples of christ , that he should raise up a temporal kingdom over the now-tributary and beslaved people of israel . the romans were now their masters ; their fancy was , that their messias should shake off this yoke , and reduce them to their former liberty . so grounded was this opinion , that the two disciples in their walk to emmaus could say , we trusted it had been he that should have delivered israel ; and when , after his resurrection , he was walking up mount olivet towards heaven , his very apostles could ask him , if he would now restore that long-expected kingdom . how should we mitigate our censures of our christian brethren , if either they mistake , or know not some secondary truths of religion , when the domestick attendents of christ , who heard him every day till the very point of his ascension , misapprehended the chief cause of his coming into the world , and the state of his kingdom ? if our charity may not bear with small faults , what doe we under his name that conniv'd at greater ? truth is as the sun ; bright in it self , yet there are many close corners into which it never shined . o god , if thou open our hearts , we shall take in those beams : till thou doe so , teach us to attend patiently for our selves , charitably for others . these fishermen had so much courtship to know , that the right hand and the left of any prince were the chief places of honour . our saviour had said that his twelve followers should sit upon twelve thrones , and judge the twelve tribes of israel . this good woman would have her two sons next to his person , the prime peers of his kingdom . every one is apt to wish the best to his own . worldly honour is neither worth our suit , nor unworthy our acceptance . yea , salome , had thy mind been in heaven , hadst thou intended this desired preeminence of that celestial state of glory , yet i know not how to justifie thine ambition . wouldst thou have thy sons preferred to the father of the faithfull , to the blessed mother of thy saviour ? that very wish were presumptuous . for me , o god , my ambition shall go so high as to be a saint in heaven , and to live as holily on earth as the best ; but for precedency of heavenly honour , i do not , i dare not affect it . it is enough for me , if i may lift up my head amongst the heels of thy blessed ones . the mother asks , the sons have the answer . she was but their tongue , they shall be her ears . god ever imputes the acts to the first mover , rather then to the instrument . it was a sore check , ye know not what ye ask . tn our ordinary communication to speak idly , is sin ; but in our suits to christ to be so inconsiderate , as not to understand our own petitions , must needs be a foul offence . as faith is the ground of our prayers , so knowledge is the ground of our faith. if we come with indigested requests , we profane that name we invoke . to convince their unfitness for glory , they are sent to their impotency in suffering ; are ye able to drink of the cup whereof i shall drink , and to be baptized with the baptism wherewith i am baptized ? o saviour , even thou , who wert one with thy father , hast a cup of thine own : never potion was so bitter as that which was mixed for thee . yea , even thy draught is stinted ; it is not enough for thee to sip of this cup , thou must drink it up to the very dregs . when the vinegar and gall were tendred to thee by men , thou didst but kiss the cup ; but when thy father gave into thine hands a potion infinitely more distastfull , thou ( for our health ) didst drink deep of it even to the bottom , and saidst , it is finished . and can we repine at those unpleasing draughts of affliction that are tempered for us sinfull men , when we see thee , the son of thy father's love , thus dieted ? we pledge thee , o blessed saviour , we pledge thee , according to our weakness , who hast begun to us in thy powerfull sufferings . onely do thou enable us ( after some four faces made in our reluctation , yet ) at last willingly to pledge thee in our constant sufferings for thee . as thou must be drenched within , so must thou be baptized without . thy baptism is not of water , but of bloud ; both these came from thee in thy passion : we cannot be thine , if we partake not of both . if thou hast not grudged thy precious bloud to us , well maist thou challenge some worthless drops from us . when they talk of thy kingdome , thou speakest of thy bitter cup , of thy bloudy baptism . suffering is the way to reigning . through many tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heaven . there was never wedge of gold that did not first pass the fire ; there was never pure grain that did not undergoe the flail . in vain shall we dream of our immediate passage from the pleasures and jollity of earth to the glory of heaven . let who will hope to walk upon roses and violets to the throne of heaven ; o saviour , let me trace thee by the track of thy bloud , and by thy red steps follow thee to thine eternall rest and happiness . i know this is no easy task ; else thou hadst never said , are ye able ? who should be able if not they that had been so long blessed with thy presence , informed by thy doctrine , and ( as it were ) beforehand possessed of their heaven in thee ? thou hadst never made them judges of their power , if thou couldst not have convinced them of their weakness . alas ! how full of feebleness is our body , and our mind of impatience ! if but a bee sting our flesh , it swells ; and if but a tooth ake , the head and heart complain . how small trifles make us weary of our selves ? what can we doe without thee ? without thee what can we suffer ? if thou be not , o lord , strong in my weakness , i cannot be so much as weak ; i cannot so much as be . oh , do thou prepare me for my day , and enable me to my trialls : i can doe all things through thee that strengthenest me . the motion of the two disciples was not more full of infirmity then their answer ; we are able . out of an eager desire of the honour , they are apt to undertake the condition . the best men may be mistaken in their own powers . alas , poor men ! when it came to the issue , they ran away , and i know not whither one without his coat . it is one thing to suffer in speculation , another in practice . there cannot be a worse sign then for a man in a carnall presumption to vaunt of his own abilities . how justly doth god suffer that man to be foiled purposely , that he may be ashamed of his own vain self-confidence ? o god , let me ever be humbly dejected in the sense of mine own insufficiency ; let me give all the glory to thee , and take nothing to my self but my infirmities . oh the wonderfull mildness of the son of god! he doth not rate the two disciples , either for their ambition in suing , or presumption in undertaking : but leaving the worst , he takes the best of their answer ; and omitting their errours , incourages their good intentions : ye shall drink indeed of my cup , and be baptized with my baptism : but to sit on my right hand and my left , is not mine to give , but to them for whom it is prepared of my father . i know not whether there be more mercy in the concession , or satisfaction in the deniall . were it not an high honour to drink of thy cup , o saviour , thou hadst not fore-promised it as a favour . i am deceived if what thou grantedst were much less then that which thou deniedst . to pledge thee in thine own cup , is not much less dignity and familiarity then to sit by thee . if we suffer with thee , we shall also reign together with thee . what greater promotion can flesh and bloud be capable of , then a conformity to the lord of glory ? enable thou me to drink of thy cup , and then set me where thou wilt . but , o saviour , whilst thou dignifiest them in thy grant , dost thou disparage thy self in thy denial ? not mine to give ? whose is it , if not thine ? if it be thy father's , it is thine : thou , who art truth , hast said , i and my father are one . yea , because thou art one with the father , it is not thine to give to any save those for whom it is prepared of the father . the father's preparation was thine , his gift is thine ; the decree of both is one . that eternal counsel is not alterable upon our vain desires . the father gives these heavenly honours to none but by thee ; thou givest them to none but according to the decree of thy father . many degrees there are of celestiall happiness . those supernall mansions are not all of an height . that providence which hath varied our stations upon earth , hath pre-ordered our seats above . o god , admit me within the walls of thy new jerusalem , and place me wheresoever thou pleasest . xxxix . the tribute-money pay'd . all these other histories report the power of christ ; this shews both his power and obedience : his power over the creature ; his obedience to civil powers . capernaum was one of his own cities ; there he made his chief abode , in peter's house : to that host of his therefore do the toll-gatherers repair for the tribute . when that great disciple said , we have left all , he did not say , we have abandoned all , or sold , or given away all ; but , we have left , in respect of managing , not of possession ; not in respect of right , but of use and present fruition ; so left , that upon just occasion we may resume ; so left , that it is our due , though not our business . doubtless he was too wise to give away his own , that he might borrow of a stranger . his own roof gave him shelter for the time , and his master with him . of him , as the housholder , is the tribute required ; and by and for him is it also pay'd . i inquire not either into the occasion , or the sum . what need we make this exaction sacrilegious ? as if that half-shekel which was appointed by god to be pay'd by every israelite to the use of the tabernacle and temple , were now diverted to the roman exchequer . there was no necessity that the roman lords should be tied to the jewish reckonings ; it was free for them to impose what payments they pleased upon a subdued people : when great augustus commanded the world to be taxed , this rate was set . the mannerly collectours demand it first of him , with whom they might be more bold ; doth not your master pay tribute ? all capernaum knew christ for a great prophet ; his doctrine had ravish'd them , his miracles had astonish'd them : yet when it comes to a money-matter , his share is as deep as the rest . questions of profit admit no difference . still the sacred tribe challengeth reverence : who cares how little they receive , how much they pay ? yet no man knows with what mind this demand was made ; whether in a churlish grudging at christ's immunity , or in an awfull compellation of the servant rather then the master . peter had it ready what to answer . i hear him not require their stay till he should goe in and know his master's resolution ; but , as one well acquainted with the mind and practice of his master , he answers , yes . there was no truer pay-master of the king 's dues then he that was king of kings . well did peter know that he did not onely give , but preach tribute . when the herodians laid twigs for him , as supposing that so great a prophet would be all for the liberty and exemption of god's chosen people , he choaks them with their own coin , and told them the stamp argued the right ; give unto caesar the things that are caesar's . o saviour , how can thy servants challenge that freedom which thy self hadst not ? who that pretends from thee can claim homage from those to whom thou gavest it ? if thou by whom kings reign forbarest not to pay tribute to an heathen prince , what power under thee can deny it to those that rule for thee ? that demand was made without doors . no sooner is peter come in , then he is prevented by his master's question , what thinkest thou , simon ? of whom do the kings of the earth receive tribute ? of their own children , or of strangers ? this very interrogation was answer enough to that which peter meant to move : he that could thus know the heart , was not in true right liable to humane exactions . but , o saviour , may i presume to ask what this is to thee ? thou hast said , my kingdom is not of this world : how doth it concern thee what is done by the kings of the earth , or imposed upon the sons of earthly kings ? thou wouldst be the son of an humble virgin ; and chosest not a royall state , but a servile . i dispute not thy natural right to the throne , by thy lineal descent from the loins of juda and david : what should i plead that which thou wavest ? it is thy divine royalty and sonship which thou here justly urgest ; the argument is irrefragable and convictive . if the kings of the earth do so privilege their children that they are free from all tributes and impositions ; how much more shall the king of heaven give this immunity to his onely and natural son ? so as in true reason i might challenge an exemption for me and my train . thou mightest , o saviour , and no less challenge a tribute of all the kings of the earth to thee , by whom all powers are ordained . reason cannot mutter against this claim : the creature owes it self and whatsoever it hath to the maker ; he owes nothing to it . then are the children free . he that hath right to all needs not pay any thing ; else there should be a subjection in sovereignty , and men should be debtours to themselves . but this right was thine own peculiar , and admits no partners ; why dost thou speak of children , as of more , and , extending this privilege to peter , say , lest we scandalize them ? was it for that thy disciples , being of thy robe , might justly seem interessed in the liberties of their master ? surely no otherwise were they children , no otherwise free . away with that fanatical conceit , which challenges an immunity from secular commands and taxes to a spiritual and adoptative sonship : no earthly saintship can exempt us from tribute to whom tribute belongeth . there is a freedom , o saviour , which our christianity calls us to affect ; a freedom from the yoke of sin and satan , from the servitude of our corrupt affections : we cannot be sons if we be not thus free . oh free thou us by thy free spirit from the miserable bondage of our nature , so shall the children be free : but as to these secular duties , no man is less free then the children . o saviour , thou wert free , and wouldst not be so ; thou wert free by natural right , wouldst not be free by voluntary dispensation , lest an offence might be taken . surely had there followed an offence , it had been taken onely , and not given . woe be to the man by whom the offence cometh . it cometh by him that gives it ; it cometh by him that takes it when it is not given : no part of this blame could have cleaved unto thee either way . yet such was thy goodness , that thou wouldst not suffer an offence unjustly taken at that which thou mightest justly have denied . how jealous should we be even of others perils ? how carefull so to moderate our power in the use of lawfull things , that our charity may prevent others scandalls ? to remit of our own right for another's safety ? oh the deplorable condition of those wilfull men , who care not what blocks they lay in the way to heaven , not forbearing by a known leudness to draw others into their own damnation ! to avoid the unjust offence even of very publicans , jesus will work a miracle . peter is sent to the sea ; and that not with a net , but with an hook . the disciple was now in his own trade . he knew a net might inclose many fishes , an hook could take but one : with that hook must he go angle for the tribute-money . a fish shall bring him a stater in her mouth ; and that fish that bites first . what an unusual bearer is here ? what an unlikely element to yield a piece of ready coin ? oh that omnipotent power which could command the fish to be both his treasurer to keep his silver , and his purveyour to bring it ! now whether , o saviour , thou causedst this fish to take up that shekel out of the bottom of the sea , or whether by thine almighty word thou mad'st it in an instant in the mouth of that fish , it is neither possible to determine , nor necessary to inquire . i rather adore thine infinite knowledge and power , that couldst make use of unlikeliest means ; that couldst serve thy self of the very fishes of the sea , in a business of earthly and civil imployment . it was not out of need that thou didst this : ( though i do not find that thou ever affectedst a full purse . ) what veins of gold or mines of silver did not lie open to thy command ? but out of a desire to teach peter , that whilst he would be tributary to caesar , the very fish of the sea was tributary to him . how should this incourage our dependence upon that omnipotent hand of thine , which hath heaven , earth , sea at thy disposing ? still thou art the same for thy members , which thou wert for thy self the head. rather then offence shall be given to the world by a seeming neglect of thy dear children , thou wilt cause the very fowls of heaven to bring them meat , and the fish of the sea to bring them money . o let us look up ever to thee by the eye of our faith ; and not be wanting in our dependence upon thee , who canst not be wanting in thy providence over us . xl. lazarus dead . oh the wisedom of god in penning his own story ! the disciple whom jesus loved comes after his fellow-evangelists , that he might glean up those rich ears of history which the rest had passed over . that eagle soars high , and towrs up by degrees . it was much to turn water into wine ; but it was more to feed five thousand with five loaves . it was much to restore the ruler's son ; it was more to cure him that had been years a cripple . it was much to cure him that was born blind ; it was more to raise up lazarus that had been so song dead . as a stream runs still the stronger and wider , the nearer it comes to the ocean whence it was derived ; so didst thou , o saviour , work the more powerfully , the nearer thou drewest to thy glory . this was , as one of thy last , so of thy greatest miracles ; when thou wert ready to die thy self , thou raisedst him to life who smelt strong of the grave . none of all the sacred histories is so full and punctuall as this , in the report of all circumstances . other miracles do not more transcend nature , then this transcends other miracles . this alone was a sufficient eviction of thy godhead , o blessed saviour : none but an infinite power could so far goe beyond nature , as to recall a man four days dead from , not a mere privation , but a settled corruption . earth must needs be thine , from which thou raisest his body ; heaven must needs be thine , from whence thou fetchest his spirit . none but he that created man , could thus make him new . sickness is the common preface to death ; no mortall nature is exempted from this complaint ; even lazarus , whom jesus loved , is sick . what can strength of grace or dearness of respect prevail against disease , against dissolution ? it was a stirring message that mary sent to jesus , he whom thou lovest is sick : as if she would imply , that his part was no less deep in lazarus then hers . neither doth she say , he that loves thee is sick ; but , he whom thou lovest : not pleading the merit of lazarus his affection to christ , but the mercy and favour of christ to him . even that other reflexion of love had been no weak motive ; for , o lord , thou hast said , because he hath set his love upon me , therefore will i deliver him . thy goodness will not be behind us for love , who professest to love them that love thee . but yet the argument is more forcible from thy love to us ; since thou hast just reason to respect every thing of thine own , more then ought that can proceed from us . even we weak men , what can we stick at where we love ? thou , o infinite god , art love it self . whatever thou hast done for us is out of thy love : the ground and motive of all thy mercies is within thy self , not in us ; and if there be ought in us worthy of thy love , it is thine own , not ours ; thou givest what thou acceptest . jesus well heard the first groan of his dear lazarus ; every short breath that he drew , every sigh that he gave was upon account : yet this lord of life lets his lazarus sicken , and languish , and die ; not out of neglect or impotence , but out of power and resolution . this sickness is not to death . he to whom the issues of death belong , knows the way both into it and out of it . he meant that sickness should be to death in respect of the present condition , not to death in respect of the event ; to death in the process of nature , not to death in the success of his divine power , that the son of god might be glorified thereby . o saviour , thy usuall style is , the son of man ; thou that wouldst take up our infirmities , wert willing thus to hide thy godhead under the course weeds of our humanity : but here thou saist , that the son of god might be glorified . though thou wouldst hide thy divine glory , yet thou wouldst not smother it . sometimes thou wouldst have thy sun break forth in bright gleams , to shew that it hath no less light even whilst it seems kept in by the clouds . thou wert now near thy passion ; it was most seasonable for thee at this time to set forth thy just title . neither was this an act that thy humanity could challenge to it self , but far transcending all finite powers . to die , was an act of the son of man ; to raise from death , was an act of the son of god. neither didst thou say merely , that god , but , that the son of god might be glorified . god cannot be glorified unless the son be so . in very naturall relations , the wrong or disrespect offered to the child reflects upon the father , as contrarily the parent's upon the child ; how much more where the love and respect is infinite ? where the whole essence is communicated with the intireness of relation ? o god , in vain shall we tender our devotions to thee indefinitely , as to a glorious and incomprehensible majesty , if we kiss not the son , who hath most justly said , ye believe in the father , believe also in me . what an happy family was this ? i find none upon earth so much honoured ; jesus loved martha , and her sister , and lazarus . it is no standing upon terms of precedency : the spirit of god is not curious in marshalling of places . time was when mary was confessed to have chosen the better part ; here martha is named first , as most interessed in christ's love : for ought appears all of them were equally dear . christ had familiarly lodged under their roof . how fit was that to receive him , whose in-dwellers were hospital , pious , unanimous ? hospital , in the glad entertainment of jesus and his train ; pious , in their devotions ; unanimous , in their mutual concord ? as contrarily he balks and hates that house which is taken up with uncharitableness , profaneness , contention . but , o saviour , how doth this agree ? thou lovedst this family ; yet hearing of their distress , thou heldest off two days more from them ? canst thou love those thou regardest not ? canst thou regard them from whom thou willingly absentest thy self in their necessity ? behold , thy love , as it is above ours , so it is oft against ours . even out of very affection art thou not seldom absent . none of thine but have sometimes cried , how long , lord ? what need we instance , when thine eternal father did purposely estrange his face from thee , so as thou criedst out of forsaking ? here thou wouldst knowingly delay , whether for the greatning of the miracle , or for the strengthning of thy disciples faith. hadst thou gone sooner , and prevented the death , who had known whether strength of nature , and not thy miraculous power , had done it ? hadst thou overtaken his death by this quickning visitation , who had known whether this had been onely some qualm or ecstasie , and not a perfect dissolution ? now this large gap of time makes thy work both certain and glorious . and what a clear proof was this beforehand to thy disciples , that thou wert able to accomplish thine own resurrection on the third day , who wert able to raise up lazarus on the fourth ? the more difficult the work should be , the more need it had of an omnipotent confirmation . he that was lord of our times and his own , can now , when he found it seasonable , say , let us go into judaea again . why left he it before ? was it not upon the heady violence of his enemies ? lo , the stones of the jews drove him thence : the love of lazarus and the care of his divine glory drew him back thither . we may , we must be wise as serpents , for our own preservation ; we must be careless of danger , when god calls us to the hazzard . it is far from god's purpose to give us leave so far to respect our selves , as that we should neglect him . let judaea be all snares , all crosses ; o saviour , when thou callest us , we must put our lives into our hands , and follow thee thither . this journey thou hast purposed and contrived ; but what neededst thou to acquaint thy disciples with thine intent ? where didst thou ever ( besides this ) make them of counsell with thy voiages ? neither didst thou say , how think you if i go ? but , let us go . was it for that thou , who knewest thine own strength , knewest also their weakness ? thou wert resolute , they were timorous : they were sensible enough of their late perill , and fearfull of more ; there was need to fore-arm them with an expectation of the worst , and preparation for it . surprisall with evils may indanger the best constancy . the heart is apt to fail , when it finds it self intrapped in a sudden mischief . the disciples were dearly affected to lazarus ; they had learned to love where their master loved : yet now , when our saviour speaks of returning to that region of perill , they pull him by the sleeve , and put him in mind of the violence offered unto him ; master , the jews of late sought to stone thee , and goest thou thither again ? no less then thrice in the fore-going chapter did the jews lift up their hands to murther him by a cruel lapidation . whence was this rage and bloudy attempt of theirs ? onely for that he taught them the truth concerning his divine nature , and gave himself the just style of the son of god. how subject carnal hearts are to be impatient of heavenly verities ? nothing can so much fret that malignant spirit which rules in those breasts , as that christ should have his own . if we be persecuted for his truth , we do but suffer with him with whom we shall once reign . however the disciples pleaded for their master's safety , yet they aimed at their own ; they well knew their danger was inwrapped in his . it is but a cleanly colour that they put upon their own fear . this is held but a weak and base passion ; each one would be glad to put off the opinion of it from himself , and to set the best face upon his own impotency . thus white-livered men , that shrink and shift from the cross , will not want fair pretences to evade it . one pleads the perill of many dependents ; another the disfurnishing the church of succeeding abettours : each will have some plausible excuse for his sound skin . what errour did not our saviour rectifie in his followers ? even that fear which they would have dissembled is graciously dispelled by the just consideration of a sure and inevitable providence . are there not twelve hours in the day , which are duely set and proceed regularly for the direction of all the motions and actions of men ? so in this course of mine which i must run on earth , there is a set and determined time wherein i must work , and doe my father's will. the sun that guides these hours is the determinate counsell of my father , and his calling to the execution of my charge : whilst i follow that , i cannot miscarry , no more then a man can miss his known way at high noon : this while , in vain are either your disswasions or the attempts of enemies ; they cannot hurt , ye cannot divert me . the journey then holds to judaea ; his attendents shall be made acquainted with the occasion . he that had formerly denied the deadliness of lazarus his sickness , would not suddenly confess his death ; neither yet would he altogether conceal it : so will he therefore confess it , as that he will shadow it out in a borrowed expression ; lazarus our friend sleepeth . what a sweet title is here both of death , and of lazarus ? death is a sleep ; lazarus is our friend . lo , he says not , my friend , but , ours ; to draw them first into a gracious familiarity and communion of friendship with himself : for what doth this import but , ye are my friends , and lazarus is both my friend and yours ? our friend . o meek and mercifull saviour , that disdainest not to stoop so low , as that , whilst thou thoughtest it no robbery to be equall unto god , thou thoughtest it no disparagement to match thy self with weak and wretched men ! our friend lazarus . there is a kind of parity in friendship . there may be love where is the most inequality ; but friendship supposes pairs : yet the son of god says of the sons of men , our friend lazarus . oh what an high and happy condition is this for mortal men to aspire unto , that the god of heaven should not be ashamed to own them for friends ! neither saith he now abruptly , lazarus our friend is dead ; but , lazarus our friend sleepeth . o saviour , none can know the estate of life or death so well as thou that art the lord of both . it is enough that thou tellest us death is no other then sleep : that which was wont to pass for the cousin of death , is now it self . all this while we have mistaken the case of our dissolution : we took it for an enemy , it proves a friend ; there is pleasure in that wherein we supposed horrour . who is afraid , after the weary toils of the day , to take his rest by night ? or what is more refreshing to the spent traveller then a sweet sleep ? it is our infidelity , our impreparation that makes death any other then advantage . even so , lord , when thou seest i have toiled enough , let me sleep in peace : and when thou seest i have slept enough , awake me , as thou didst thy lazarus ; but i go to awake him . thou saidst not , let us go to awake him : those whom thou wilt allow companions of thy way , thou wilt not allow partners of thy work ; they may be witnesses , they cannot be actours . none can awake lazarus out of this sleep , but he that made lazarus . every mouse or gnat can raise us up from that other sleep ; none but an omnipotent power from this . this sleep is not without a dissolution . who can command the soul to come down and meet the body , or command the body to piece with it self and rise up to the soul , but the god that created both ? it is our comfort and assurance ( o lord ) against the terrours of death and tenacity of the grave , that our resurrection depends upon none but thine omnipotence . who can blame the disciples if they were loth to return to judaea ? their last entertainment was such as might justly dishearten them . were this ( as literally taken ) all the reason of our saviour's purpose of so perillous a voiage , they argued not amiss , if he sleep , he shall doe well . sleep in sickness is a good sign of recovery . for extremity of pain bars our rest : when nature therefore finds so . much respiration , she justly hopes for better terms . yet it doth not always follow , if he sleep , he shall doe well : how many have died in lethargies ? how many have lost in sleep what they would not have forgone waking ? adam slept and lost his rib ; sampson slept and lost his strength ; saul slept and lost his weapon ; ishbosheth and holofernes slept and lost their heads . in ordinary course it holds well ; here they mistook and erred . the misconstruction of the words of christ led them into an unseasonable and erroneous suggestion . nothing can be more dangerous then to take the speeches of christ according to the sound of the letter : one errour will be sure to draw on more ; and if the first be never so slight , the last may be important . wherefore are words but to express meanings ? why do we speak but to be understood ? since then our saviour saw himself not rightly construed , he delivers himself plainly , lazarus is dead . such is thy manner , o thou eternall word of thy father , in all thy sacred expressions . thine own mouth is thy best commentary : what thou hast more obscurely said in one passage , thou interpretest more clearly in another . thou art the sun , which givest us that light whereby we see thy self . but how modestly dost thou discover thy deity to thy disciples ? not upon the first mention of lazarus his death , instantly professing thy power and will of his resuscitation ; but contenting thy self onely to intimate thy omniscience , in that thou couldst in that absence and distance know and report his departure , they shall gather the rest , and cannot chuse but think , we serve a master that knows all things , and he that knows all things can doe all things . the absence of our saviour from the death-bed of lazarus was not casuall , but voluntary ; yea , he is not onely willing with it , but glad of it ; i am glad for your sakes that i was not there . how contrary may the affections of christ and ours be , and yet be both good ? the two worthy sisters were much grieved at our saviour's absence , as doubting it might savour of some neglect ; christ was glad of it , for the advantage of his disciples faith. i cannot blame them that they were thus sorry ; i cannot but bless him that he was thus glad . the gain of their faith in so divine a miracle was more then could be countervailed by their momentany sorrow . god and we are not alike affected with the same events ; he laughs where we mourn , he is angry where we are pleased . the difference of the affections arises from the difference of the objects , which christ and they apprehend in the same occurrence . why are the sisters sorrowfull ? because upon christ's absence lazarus died . why was jesus glad he was not there ? for the benefit which he saw would accrue to their faith. there is much variety of prospect in every act , according to the severall intentions and issues thereof , yea even in the very same eyes . the father sees his son combating in a duell for his country ; he sees blows and wounds on the one side , he sees renown and victory on the other : he grieves at the wounds , he rejoyces in the honour . thus doeth god in all our afflictions : he sees our tears , and hears our groans , and pities us ; but withall he looks upon our patience , our faith , our crown , and is glad that we are afflicted . o god , why should not we conform our diet unto thine ? when we lie in pain and extremity , we cannot but droop under it ; but do we find our selves increased in true mortification , in patience , in hope , in a constant reliance on thy mercies ? why are we not more joyed in this then dejected with the other ; since the least grain of the increase of grace is more worth then can be equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation ? o strange consequence ! lazarus is dead ; nevertheless , let us goe unto him . must they not needs think , what should we doe with a dead man ? what should separate , if death cannot ? even those whom we loved dearliest , we avoid once dead ; now we lay them aside under the board , and thence send them out of our houses to their grave . neither hath death more horrour in it then noisomeness ; and if we could intreat our eyes to endure the horrid aspect of death in the face we loved , yet can we perswade our sent to like that smell that arises up from its corruption ? o love stronger then death ! behold here a friend whom the very grave cannot sever . even those that write the longest and most passionate dates of their amity , subscribe but , your friend till death ; and if the ordinary strain of humane friendship will stretch yet a little farther , it is but to the brim of the grave : thither a friend may follow us , and see us bestowed in this house of our age ; but there he leaves us to our worms and dust . but for thee , o saviour , the grave-stone , the earth , the coffin are no bounders of thy dear respects ; even after death , and buriall , and corruption , thou art graciously affected to those thou lovest . besides the soul ( whereof thou saiest not , let us goe to it , but , let it come to us , ) there is still a gracious regard to that dust which was and shall be a part of an undoubted member of that mysticall body whereof thou art the head. heaven and earth yield no such friend but thy self . o make me ever ambitious of this love of thine , and ever unquiet till i feel my self possessed of thee . in the mouth of a mere man this word had been incongruous , lazarus is dead , yet let us goe to him ; in thine , o almighty saviour , it was not more loving then seasonable ; since i may justly say of thee , thou hast more to doe with the dead then with the living : for , both they are infinitely more , and have more inward communion with thee , and thou with them . death cannot hinder either our passage to thee , or thy return to us . i joy to think the time is coming , when thou shalt come to every of our graves , and call us up out of our dust , and we shall hear thy voice , and live . xli . lazarus raised . great was the opinion that these devout sisters had of the power of christ : as if death durst not shew her face to him , they suppose his presence had prevented their brother's dissolution : and now the news of his approach begins to quicken some late hopes in them . martha was ever the more active . she that was before so busily stirring in her house to entertain jesus , was now as nimble to goe forth of her house to meet him : she in whose face joy had wont to smile upon so blessed a guest , now salutes him with the sighs and tears and blubbers and wrings of a disconsolate mourner . i know not whether the speeches of her greeting had in them more sorrow or religion . she had been well catechized before ; even she also had sate at jesus his feet , and can now give good account of her faith in the power and godhead of christ , in the certainty of a future resurrection . this conference hath yet taught her more , and raised her heart to an expectation of some wonderfull effect . and now she stands not still , but hasts back into the village to her sister ; carried thither by the two wings of her own hopes , and her saviour's commands . the time was , when she would have called off her sister from the feet of that divine master , to attend the houshold occasions ; now she runs to fetch her out of the house to the feet of christ . doubtless martha was much affected with the presence of christ ; and as she was over-joyed with it her self , so she knew how equally welcome it would be to her sister : yet she doth not ring it out aloud in the open hall , but secretly whispers this pleasing tidings in her sister's ear , the master is come , and calleth for thee . whether out of modesty , or discretion . it is not fit for a woman to be loud and clamorous : nothing beseems that sex better then silence and bashfulness ; as not to be too much seen , so not to be heard too far . neither did modesty more charm her tongue then discretion ; whether in respect to the guests , or to christ himself . had those guests heard of christ's being there , they had either out of fear or prejudice withdrawn themselves from him ; neither durst they have been witnesses of that wonderfull miracle , as being over-awed with that jewish edict which was out against him : or perhaps they had withheld the sisters from going to him , against whom they knew how highly their governours were incensed . neither was she ignorant of the danger of his own person , so lately before assaulted violently by his enemies at jerusalem : she knew they were within the smoak of that bloudy city , the nest of his enemies ; she holds it not therefore fit to make open proclamation of christ's presence , but rounds her sister secretly in the ear . christianity doth not bid us abate any thing of our wariness and honest policies ; yea it requires us to have no less of the serpent then of the dove . there is a time when we must preach christ on the house-top ; there is a time when we must speak him in the ear , and ( as it were ) with our lips shut . secrecy hath no less use then divulgation . she said enough , the master is come , and calleth for thee . what an happy word was this which was here spoken ? what an high favour is this that is done , that the lord of life should personally come and call for mary ? yet such as is not appropriated to her . thou , comest to us still , o saviour , if not in thy bodily presence , yet in thy spiritual , thou callest us still , if not in thy personal voice , yet in thine ordinances . it is our fault , if we doe not as this good woman , arise quickly , and come to thee . her friends were there about her , who came purposely to condole with her ; her heart was full of heaviness : yet so soon as she hears mention of christ , she forgets friends , brother , grief , cares , thoughts , and hasts to his presence . still was jesus standing in the place where martha left him . whether it be noted to express mary's speed , or his own wise and gracious resolutions ; his presence in the village had perhaps invited danger , and set off the intended witnesses of the work : or it may be to set forth his zealous desire to dispatch the errand he came for ; that as abraham's faithfull servant would not receive any courtesie from the house of bethuel , till he had done his master's business concerning rebeccah , so thou , o saviour , wouldst not so much as enter into the house of these two sisters in bethany , till thou hadst effected this glorious work which occasioned thee thither . it was thy meat and drink to doe the will of thy father ; thy best entertainment was within thy self . how do we follow thee , if we suffer either pleasures or profits to take the wall of thy services ? so good women were well worthy of kind friends . no doubt bethany , being not two miles distant from jerusalem , could not but be furnished with good acquaintance from the city : these knowing the dearness , and hearing of the death of lazarus , came over to comfort the sad sisters . charity together with the common practice of that nation calls them to this duty . all our distresses expect these good offices from those that love us ; but of all others death , as that which is the extremest of evils , and makes the most fearfull havock in families , cities , kingdoms , worlds . the complaint was grievous , i look'd for some to comfort me , but there was none . it is some kind of ease to sorrow , to have partners ; as a burthen is lightned by many shoulders ; or as clouds , scattered into many drops , easily vent their moisture into air . yea the very presence of friends abates grief . the perill that arises to the heart from passion is the fixedness of it , when , like a corrosiving plaister , it eats in into the sore : some kind of remedy it is , that it may breath out in good society . these friendly neighbours seeing mary hasten forth , make haste to follow her . martha went forth before ; i saw none goe after her : mary stirs ; they are at her heels . was it for that martha , being the elder sister , and the huswife of the family , might stir about with less observation ? or was it that mary was the more passionate , and needed the more heedy attendence ? however , their care and intentiveness is truely commendable ; they came to comfort her , they doe what they came for . it contents them not to sit still and chat within doors , but they wait on her at all turns . perturbations of mind are diseases : good keepers do not onely tend the patient in bed , but when he sits up , when he tries to walk ; all his motions have their carefull assistence . we are no true friends , if our endeavours of the redress of distempers in them we love be not assiduous and unweariable . it was but a loving suspicion , she is gone to the grave to weep there . they well knew how apt passionate minds are to take all occasions to renew their sorrow ; every object affects them . when she saw but the chamber of her dead brother , straight she thinks , there was lazarus wont to lie , and then she wept afresh ; when the table , there lazarus was wont to sit , and then new tears arise ; when the garden , there lazarus had wont to walk , and now again she weeps . how much more do these friends suppose the passions would be stirred with the sight of the grave , when she must needs think , there is lazarus ? o saviour , if the place of the very dead corps of our friend have power to draw our hearts thither , and to affect us more deeply ; how should our hearts be drawn to and affected with heaven , where thou sittest at the right hand of thy father ? there ( o thou which wert dead , and art alive , ) is thy body and thy soul present , and united to thy glorious deity . thither , o thither let our access be ; not to mourn there , ( where is no place for sorrow ) but to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious , and more and more to long for that thy beatificall presence . their indulgent love mistook mary's errand ; their thoughts ( how kind soever ) were much too low : whilst they supposed she went to a dead brother , she went to a living saviour . the world hath other conceits of the actions and carriage of the regenerate then are truly intended , setting such constructions upon them as their own carnall reason suggests : they think them dying , when behold they live ; sorrowfull , when they are alwaies rejoycing ; poor , whilst they make many rich . how justly do we appeal from them as incompetent judges , and pity those mis-interpretations which we cannot avoid ? both the sisters met christ ; not both in one posture : mary is still noted , as for more passion , so for more devotion ; she that before sate at the feet of jesus , now falls at his feet . that presence had wont to be familiar to her , and not without some outward homeliness ; now it fetches her upon her knees , in an awfull veneration : whether out of a reverent acknowledgment of the secret excellency and power of christ ; or out of a dumb intimation of that suit concerning her dead brother , which she was afraid to utter . the very gesture it self was supplicatory . what position of body can be so fit for us , when we make our address to our saviour ? it is an irreligious unmannerliness for us to goe less . where the heart is affected with an awfull acknowledgment of majesty , the body cannot but bow . even before all her neighbours of jerusalem doth mary thus fall down at the feet of jesus ; so many witnesses as she had , so many spies she had of that forbidden observance . it was no less then excommunication for any body to confess him : yet good mary , not fearing the informations that might be given by those jewish gossips , adores him ; and in her silent gesture says , as much as her sister had spoken before , thou art the christ , the son of god. those that would give christ his right must not stand upon scrupulous fears . are we naturally timorous ? why do we not fear the deniall , the exclusion of the almighty ? without shall be the fearfull . her humble prostration is seconded by a lamentable complaint ; lord , if thou hadst been here , my brother had not died . the sisters are both in one mind , both in one speech ; and both of them in one speech bewray both strength and infirmity : strength of faith , in ascribing so much power to christ , that his presence could preserve from death ; infirmity , in supposing the necessity of a presence for this purpose . why , mary , could not thine omnipotent saviour as well in absence have commanded lazarus to live ? is his hand so short , that he can doe nothing but by contaction ? if his power were finite , how could he have forbidden the seizure of death ? if infinite , how could it be limited to place , or hindred by distance ? it is a weakness of faith to measure success by means , and means by presence , and to tie effects to both , when we deal with an almighty agent . finite causes work within their own sphere ; all places are equally near , and all effects equally easy to the infinite . o saviour , whilst thou now sittest gloriously in heaven , thou dost no less impart thy self unto us then if thou stoodest visibly by us , then if we stood locally by thee : no place can make difference of thy virtue and aid . this was mary's moan ; no motion , no request sounded from her to her saviour . her silent suit is returned with a mute answer ; no notice is taken of her errour . oh that marvellous mercy that connives at our faulty infirmities ! all the reply that i hear of is , a compassionate groan within himself . o blessed jesu , thou that wert free from all sin , wouldst not be free even from strong affections . wisedom and holiness should want much work , if even vehement passions might not be quitted from offence . mary wept ; her tears drew on tears from her friends , all their tears united drew groans from thee . even in thine heaven thou dost no less pity our sorrows : thy glory is free from groans , but abounds with compassion and mercy : if we be not sparing of our tears , thou canst not be insensible of our sorrows . how shall we imitate thee , if , like our looking-glass , we do not answer tears , and weep on them that weep upon us ? lord , thou knewest ( in absence ) that lazarus was dead , and dost thou not know where he was buried ? surely thou wert farther off when thou sawest and reportedst his death , then thou wert from the grave thou inquiredst of : thou that knewest all things , yet askest what thou knowest , where have ye laid him ? not out of need , but out of will : that as in thy sorrow , so in thy question thou mightst depress thy self in the opinion of the beholders for the time , that the glory of thine instant miracle might be the greater , the less it was expected . it had been all one to thy omnipotence to have made a new lazarus out of nothing ; or in that remoteness to have commanded lazarus , wheresoever he was , to come forth : but thou wert neither willing to work more miracle then was requisite , nor yet unwilling to fix the minds of the people upon the expectation of some marvellous thing that thou meantest to work ; and therefore askest , where have you laid him ? they are not more glad of the question , then ready for the answer ; come and see . it was the manner of the jews , as likewise of those aegyptians among whom they had sojourned , to lay up the dead bodies of their friends with great respect ; more cost was wont to be bestowed on some of their graves then on their houses : as neither ashamed then , nor unwilling to shew the decency of their sepulture , they say , come and see . more was hoped for from christ then a mere view ; they meant and expected that his eye should draw him on to some farther action . o saviour , whilst we desire our spirituall resuscitation , how should we labour to bring thee to our grave ? how should we lay open our deadness before thee , and bewray to thee our impotence and senselesness ? come , lord , and see what a miserable carkass i am ; and by the power of thy mercy raise me from the state of my corruption . never was our saviour more submissly dejected then now immediately before he would approve and exalt the majesty of his godhead . to his groans and inward grief he adds his tears . anon they shall confess him a god ; these expressions of passions shall onwards evince him to be a man. the jews construe this well ; see how he loved him . never did any thing but love fetch tears from christ . but they do foully misconstrue christ in the other ; could not he that opened the eyes of him that was born blind , have caused that even this man should not have died ? yes , know ye , o vain and importune questionists , that he could have done it with ease . to open the eyes of a man born blind was more then to keep a sick man from dying : this were but to uphold and maintain nature from decaying ; that were to create a new sense , and to restore a deficiency in nature . to make an eye was no whit less difficult then to make a man : he that could doe the greater might well have done the less . ye shall soon see this was not for want of power . had ye said , why would he not ? why did he not ? the question had been fairer , and the answer no less easy ; for his own greater glory . little do ye know the drift whether of god's acts , or delays ; and ye know as much as you are worthy . let it be sufficient for you to understand , that he who can doe all things will doe that which shall be most for his own honour . it is not improbable that jesus , who before groaned in himself , for compassion of their tears , now groaned for their incredulity . nothing could so much afflict the saviour of men as the sins of men . could their externall wrongs to his body have been separated from offence against his divine person , their scornfull indignities had not so much affected him . no injury goes so deep as our spirituall provocations of our god. wretched men ! why should we grieve the good spirit of god in us ? why should we make him groan for us that died to redeem us ? with these groans , o saviour , thou camest to the grave of lazarus . the door of that house of death was strong and impenetrable . thy first word was , take away the stone . o weak beginning of a mighty miracle ! if thou meantest to raise the dead , how much more easy had it been for thee to remove the grave-stone ? one grain of faith in thy very disciples was enough to remove mountains ; and dost thou say , take away the stone ? i wis , there was a greater weight that lay upon the body of lazarus then the stone of his tomb , the weight of death and corruption ; a thousand rocks and hills were not so heavy a load as this alone : why then dost thou stick at this shovel-full ? yea , how easy had it been for thee to have brought up the body of lazarus through the stone , by causing that marble to give way by a sudden rarefaction ? but thou thoughtest best to make use of their hands rather : whether for their own more full conviction ; for had the stone been taken away by thy followers , and lazarus thereupon walked forth , this might have appeared to thy malignant enemies to have been a set match betwixt thee , the disciples and lazarus : or whether for the exercise of our faith , that thou mightest teach us to trust thee under contrary appearances . thy command to remove the stone seemed to argue an impotence ; straight that seeming weakness breaks forth into an act of omnipotent power . the homeliest shews of thine humane infirmity are ever seconded with some mighty proofs of thy godhead ; and thy miracle is so much more wondred at , by how much it was less expected . it was ever thy just will that we should doe what we may . to remove the stone or to untie the napkin was in their power ; this they must doe : to raise the dead was out of their power ; this therefore thou wilt doe alone . our hands must doe their utmost , ere thou wilt put to thine . o saviour , we are all dead and buried in the grave of our sinfull nature . the stone of obstination must be taken away from our hearts , ere we can hear thy reviving voice : we can no more remove this stone then dead lazarus could remove his ; we can adde more weight to our graves . o let thy faithfull agents , by the power of thy law , and the grace of thy gospell , take off the stone , that thy voice may enter into the grave of miserable corruption . was it a modest kind of mannerliness in martha , that she would not have christ annoyed with the ill sent of that stale carkass ? or was it out of distrust of reparation , since her brother had passed all the degrees of corruption , that she says , lord , by this time he stinketh , for he hath been dead four days ? he that understood hearts , found somewhat amiss in that intimation ; his answer had not endeavoured to rectifie that which was utterly faultless . i fear the good woman meant to object this as a likely obstacle to any farther purposes or proceedings of christ . weak faith is still apt to lay blocks of difficulties in the way of the great works of god. four days were enough to make any corps noisome . death it self is not unsavoury ; immediately upon dissolution the body retains the wonted sweetness : it is the continuance under death that is thus offensive . neither is it otherwise in our spiritual condition : the longer we lie under our sin , the more rotten and corrupt we are . he who upon the fresh commission of his sin recovers himself by a speedy repentance , yields no ill sent to the nostrills of the almighty . the candle that is presently blown in again offends not ; it is the snuffe which continues choaked with its own moisture that sends up unwholsome and odious fumes . o saviour , thou wouldst yield to death , thou wouldst not yield to corruption : ere the fourth day thou wert risen again . i cannot but receive many deadly foils ; but oh , do thou raise me up again ere i shall pass the degrees of rottenness in my sins and trespasses . they that laid their hands to the stone , doubtless held now still awhile , and looked one while on christ , another while upon martha , to hear what issue of resolution would follow upon so important an objection : when they find a light touch of taxation to martha , said not i to thee , that if thou wouldst believe , thou shouldst see the glory of god ? that holy woman had before professed her belief , as christ had professed his great intentions ; both were now forgotten : and now our saviour is fain to revive both her memory and faith ; said not i to thee ? the best of all saints are subject to fits of unbelief and oblivion ; the onely remedy whereof must be the inculcation of god's mercifull promises of their relief and supportation . o god , if thou have said it , i dare believe ; i dare cast my soul upon the belief of every word of thine . faithfull art thou which hast promised , who wilt also doe it . in spite of all the unjust discouragements of nature we must obey christ's command . what-ever martha suggests , they remove the stone , and may now see and smell him dead , whom they shall soon see revived . the sent of the corps is not so unpleasing to them , as the perfume of their obedience is sweet to christ . and now when all impediments are removed , and all hearts ready for the work , our saviour addresses to the miracle . his eyes begin ; they are lift up to heaven . it was the malicious mis-suggestion of his enemies , that he look'd down to beelzebub : the beholders shall now see whence he expects and derives his power ; and shall by him learn whence to expect and hope for all success . the heart and the eye must go together : he that would have ought to doe with god , must be sequestred and lifted up from earth . his tongue seconds his eye ; father . nothing more stuck in the stomack of the jews , then that christ called himself the son of god ; this was imputed to him for a blasphemy , worthy of stones . how seasonably is this word spoken in the hearing of these jews , in whose sight he will be presently approved so ? how can ye now , o ye cavillers , except at that title , which ye shall see irrefragably justified ? well may he call god father , that can raise the dead out of the grave . in vain shall ye snarl at the style , when ye are convinced of the effect . i hear of no prayer , but a thanks for hearing . whilst thou saidst nothing , o saviour , how doth thy father hear thee ? was it not with thy father and thee as it was with thee and moses ? thou saidst , let me alone , moses , when he spake not . thy will was thy prayer . words express our hearts to men , thoughts to god. well didst thou know , out of the self-sameness of thy will with thy father's , that if thou didst but think in thine heart that lazarus should rise , he was now raised . it was not for thee to pray vocally and audibly , lest those captious hearers should say , thou didst all by intreaty , nothing by power . thy thanks overtake thy desires ; ours require time and distance : our thanks arise from the echo of our prayers resounding from heaven to our hearts ; thou , because thou art at once in earth and heaven , and knowest the grant to be of equall paces with the request , most justly thankest in praying . now ye cavilling jews are thinking straight , is there such distance betwixt the father and the son ? is it so rare a thing for the son to be heard , that he pours out his thanks for it as a blessing unusuall ? do ye not now see that he who made your heart , knows it , and anticipates your fond thoughts with the same breath ? i knew that thou hearest me always ; but i said this for their sakes , that they might believe . mercifull saviour , how can we enough admire thy goodness , who makest our belief the scope and drift of thy doctrine and actions ! alas , what wert thou the better if they believed thee sent from god ? what wert thou the worse if they believed it not ? thy perfection and glory stands not upon the slippery terms of our approbation or dislike ; but is reall in thy self , and that infinite , without possibility of our increase or diminution . we , we onely are they that have either the gain or loss in thy receit or rejection : yet so dost thou affect our belief , as if it were more thine advantage then ours . o saviour , whilst thou spak'st to thy father , thou liftedst up thine eyes ; now thou wert to speak unto dead lazarus , thou liftedst up thy voice , and criedst aloud , lazarus , come forth . was it that the strength of the voice might answer to the strength of the affection ? since we faintly require what we care not to obtain , and vehemently utter what we earnestly desire . was it that the greatness of the voice might answer to the greatness of the work ? was it that the hearers might be witnesses of what words were used in so miraculous an act ; no magicall incantations , but authoritative and divine commands ? was it to signifie that lazarus his soul was called from far ; the speech must be loud that shall be heard in another world ? was it in relation to the estate of the body of lazarus , whom thou hadst reported to sleep ; since those that are in a deep and dead sleep cannot be awaked without a loud call ? or was it in a representation of that loud voice of the last trumpet , which shall sound into all graves , and raise all flesh from their dust ? even so still , lord , when thou wouldst raise a soul from the death of sin , and grave of corruption , no easie voice will serve . thy strongest commands , thy loudest denunciations of judgments , the shrillest and sweetest promulgations of thy mercies , are but enough . how familiar a word is this , lazarus , come forth ? no other then he was wont to use whilst they lived together . neither doth he say , lazarus , revive ; but , as if he supposed him already living , lazarus , come forth : to let them know , that those who are dead to us , are to and with him alive ; yea in a more entire and feeling society , then whilst they carried their clay about them . why do i fear that separation which shall more unite me to my saviour ? neither was the word more familiar then commanding , lazarus , come forth . here is no suit to his father , no adjuration to the deceased , but a flat and absolute injunction , come forth . o saviour , that is the voice that i shall once hear sounding into the bottom of my grave , and raising me up out of my dust ; that is the voice that shall pierce the rocks , and divide the mountains , and fetch up the dead out of the lowest deeps . thy word made all ; thy word shall repair all . hence , all ye diffident fears ; he whom i trust is omnipotent . it was the jewish fashion to enwrap the corps in linen , to tie the hands and feet , and to cover the face of the dead . the fall of man ( besides weakness ) brought shame upon him ; ever since , even whilst he lives , the whole body is covered ; but the face , because some sparks of that extinct majesty remain there , is wont to be left open . in death ( all those poor remainders being gone , and leaving deformity and gastliness in the room of them ) the face is covered also . there lies lazarus bound in double fetters : one almighty word hath loosed both ; and now he that was bound came forth . he whose power could not be hindred by the chains of death , cannot be hindred by linen bonds : he that gave life gave motion , gave direction : he that guided the soul of lazarus into the body , guided the body of lazarus without his eyes , moved the feet without the full liberty of his regular paces . no doubt the same power slackned those swathing-bands of death , that the feet might have some little scope to move , though not with that freedome that followed after . thou didst not onely , o saviour , raise the body of lazarus , but the faith of the beholders . they cannot deny him dead , whom they saw rising ; they see the signs of death , with the proofs of life . those very swathes convinced him to be the man that was raised . thy less miracle confirms the greater ; both confirm the faith of the beholders . o clear and irrefragable example of our resuscitation ! say now , ye shameless sadducees , with what face can ye deny the resurrection of the body , when ye see lazarus after four-days death rising up out of his grave ? and if lazarus did thus start up at the bleating of this lamb of god , that was now every day preparing for the slaughter-house ; how shall the dead be rouzed up out of their graves by the roaring of that glorious and immortall lion , whose voice shall shake the powers of heaven , and move the very foundations of the earth ? with what strange amazedness do we think that martha and mary , the jews and the disciples , look'd to see lazarus come forth in his winding-sheet , shackled with his linen fetters , and walk towards them ? doubtless fear and horrour strove in them , whether should be for the time more predominant . we love our friends dearly ; but to see them again after their known death , and that in the very robes of the grave , must needs set up the hair in a kind of uncouth rigour . and now , though it had been most easy for him that brake the adamantine fetters of death , to have broke in pieces those linen ligaments wherewith his raised lazarus was encumbred ; yet he will not doe it but by their hands . he that said , remove the stone , said , loose lazarus . he will not have us expect his immediate help in that we can doe for our selves . it is both a laziness , and a presumptuous tempting of god , to look for an extraordinary and supernaturall help from god , where he hath enabled us with common aid . what strange salutations do we think there were betwixt lazarus and christ that had raised him ; betwixt lazarus and his sisters and neighbours and friends ? what amazed looks ? what unusuall complements ? for lazarus was himself at once : here was no leisure of degrees to reduce him to his wonted perfection ; neither did he stay to rub his eyes , and stretch his benummed lims , nor take time to put off that dead sleep wherewith he had been seized ; but instantly he is both alive , and fresh , and vigorous : if they do but let him goe , he walks so as if he had ailed nothing , and receives and gives mutuall gratulations . i leave them entertaining each other with glad embraces , with discourses of reciprocall admiration , with praises and adorations of that god and saviour that had fetched him into life . xlii . christ's procession to the temple . never did our saviour take so much state upon him as now that he was going towards his passion : other journies he measured on foot , without noise or train ; this with a princely equipage and loud acclamation . wherein yet , o saviour , whether shall i more wonder at thy majesty , or thine humility ; that divine majesty which lay hid under so humble appearance , or that sincere humility which veiled so great a glory ? thou , o lord , whose chariots are twenty thousand , even thousands of angels , wouldst make choice of the silliest of beasts to carry thee in thy last and royall progress . how well is thy birth suited with thy triumph ? even that very ass whereon thou rodest was prophesied of ; neither couldst thou have made up those vaticall predictions without this conveyance . o glorious , and yet homely pomp ! thou wouldst not lose ought of thy right ; thou that wast a king , wouldst be proclaimed so : but that it might appear thy kingdome was not of this world , thou that couldst have commanded all worldly magnificence , thoughtest fit to abandon it . in stead of the kings of the earth , who reigning by thee might have been imployed in thine attendence , the people are thine heralds ; their homely garments are thy foot-cloath and carpets ; their green boughs the strewings of thy way : those palms which were wont to be born in the hands of them that triumph , are strewed under the feet of thy beast . it was thy greatness and honour to contemn those glories which worldly hearts were wont to admire . justly did thy followers hold the best ornaments of the earth worthy of no better then thy treading upon ; neither could they ever account their garments so rich , as when they had been trampled upon by thy carriage . how happily did they think their backs disrobed for thy way ? how gladly did they spend their breath in acclaiming thee ? hosanna to the son of david : blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord. where now are the great masters of the synagogue , that had enacted the ejection of whosoever should confess jesus to be the christ ? lo here bold and undaunted clients of the messiah , that dare proclaim him in the publick road , in the open streets . in vain shall the impotent enemies of christ hope to suppress his glory : as soon shall they with their hand hide the face of the sun from shining to the world , as withhold the beams of his divine truth from the eyes of men by their envious opposition . in spite of all jewish malignity , his kingdome is confessed , applauded , blessed . o thou fairer then the children of men , in thy majesty ride on prosperously , because of truth and meekness and righteousness : and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things . in this princely ( and yet poor and despicable ) pomp doth our saviour enter into the famous city of jerusalem ; jerusalem noted of old for the seat of kings , priests , prophets : of kings , for there was the throne of david ; of priests , for there was the temple ; of prophets , for there they delivered their errands , and left their bloud . neither know i whether it were more wonder for a prophet to perish out of jerusalem , or to be safe there . thither would jesus come as a king , as a priest , as a prophet : acclaimed as a king ; teaching the people , and foretelling the wofull vastation of it , as a prophet ; and as a priest taking possession of his temple , and vindicating it from the foul profanations of jewish sacrilege . oft before had he come to jerusalem without any remarkable change , because without any semblance of state ; now that he gives some little glimpse of his royalty , the whole city was moved . when the sages of the east brought the first news of the king of the jews , herod was troubled and all jerusalem with him ; and now that the king of the jews comes himself ( though in so mean a port ) there is a new commotion . the silence and obscurity of christ never troubles the world ; he may be an underling without any stir : but if he do but put forth himself never so little to bear the least sway amongst men , now their bloud is up ; the whole city is moved . neither is it otherwise in the private oeconomy of the soul. o saviour , whilst thou dost , as it were , hide thy self , and lie still in the heart , and takest all terms contentedly from us , we entertain thee with no other then a friendly welcome ; but when thou once beginnest to ruffle with our corruptions , and to exercise thy spiritual power in the subjugation of our vile affections , now all is in a secret uproar , all the angles of the heart are moved . although , doubtless , this commotion was not so much of tumult , as of wonder . as when some uncouth sight presents it self in a populous street , men run , and gaze , and throng , and inquire ; the feet , the tongue , the eyes walk ; one spectatour draws on another , one asks and presses another ; the noise increases with the concourse , each helps to stir up others expectation : such was this of jerusalem . what means this strangeness ? was not jerusalem the spouse of christ ? had he not chosen her out of all the earth ? had he not begotten many children of her , as the pledges of their love ? how justly maist thou now , o saviour , complain with that mirrour of patience , my breath was grown strange to my own wife , though i intreated her for the childrens sake of my own body ? even of thee is that fulfilled , which thy chosen vessel said of thy ministers , thou art made a gazing-stock to the world , to angels , and to men . as all the world was bound to thee for thine incarnation and residence upon the face of the earth , so especially judaea , to whose limits thou confinedst thy self ; and therein , above all the rest , three cities , nazareth , capernaum , jerusalem , on whom thou bestowedst the most time , and cost of preaching , and miraculous works . yet in all three thou receivedst not strange entertainment onely , but hostile . in nazareth they would have cast thee down headlong from the mount : in capernaum they would have bound thee : in jerusalem they crucified thee at last , and now are amazed at thy presence . those places and persons that have the greatest helps and privileges afforded to them , are not always the most answerable in the return of their thankfulness . christ's being amongst us doth not make us happy , but his welcome . every day may we hear him in our streets , and yet be as new to seek as these citizens of jerusalem ; who is this ? was it a question of applause , or of contempt , or of ignorance ? applause of his abettours , contempt of the scribes and pharisees , ignorance of the multitude ? surely his abettours had not been moved at this sight : the scribes and pharisees had rather envied then contemned : the multitude doubtless inquired seriously , out of a desire of information . not that the citizens of jerusalem knew not christ , who was so ordinary a guest , so noted a prophet amongst them . questionless this question was asked of that part of the train which went before this triumph , whilst our saviour was not yet in sight , which ere long his presence had resolved . it had been their duty to have known , to have attended christ , yea to have publish'd him to others : since this is not done , it is well yet that they spend their breath in an inquiry . no doubt there were many that would not so much as leave their shop-board , and step to their doors or their windows to say , who is this ? as not thinking it could concern them who passed by , whilst they might sit still , those greeks were in some way to good , that could say to philip , we would see jesus . o saviour , thou hast been so long amongst us , that it is our just shame if we know thee not . if we have been slack hitherto , let our zealous inquiry make amends for our neglect . let outward pomp and worldly glory draw the hearts and tongues of carnall men after them ; o let it be my care and happiness to ask after nothing but thee . the attending disciples could not be to seek for an answer ; which of the prophets have not put it into their mouths ? who is this ? ask moses , and he shall tell you , the seed of the woman that shall break the serpent's head . ask our father jacob , and he shall tell you , the shiloh of the tribe of judah . ask david , and he shall tell you , the king of glory . ask esay , and he shall tell you , immanuel , wonderfull , counsellour , the mighty god , the everlasting father , the prince of peace . ask jeremy , and he shall tell you , the righteous branch . ask daniel , he shall tell you , the messiah . ask john the baptist , he shall tell you , the lamb of god. if ye ask the god of the prophets , he hath told you , this is my beloved son , in whom i am well pleased . yea , if all these be too good for you to consult with , the devils themselves have been forced to say , i know who thou art , even that holy one of god. on no side hath christ left himself without a testimony ; and accordingly the multitude here have their answer ready , this is jesus , the prophet of nazareth in galilee . ye undervalue your master , o ye well-meaning followers of christ : a prophet ? yea , more then a prophet ? john baptist was so , yet was but the harbinger of this messiah . this was that god by whom the prophets were both sent and inspired . of nazareth , say you ? ye mistake him : bethlehem was the place of his birth , the proof of his tribe , the evidence of his messiahship . if nazareth were honoured by his preaching , there was no reason he should be dishonoured by nazareth . no doubt , he whom you confessed , pardoned the errour of your confession . ye spake but according to the common style : the two disciples in their walk to emmaus , after the death and resurrection of christ , give him no other title . this belief passed current with the people ; and thus high even the vulgar thoughts could then rise : and , no doubt , even thus much was for that time very acceptable to the father of mercies . if we make profession of the truth according to our knowledge , though there be much imperfection in our apprehension and delivery , the mercy of our good god takes it well ; not judging us for what we have not , but accepting us in what we have . shouldst thou , o god , stand strictly upon the punctual degrees of knowledge , how wide would it goe with millions of souls ? for besides much errour in many , there is more ignorance . but herein do we justly magnifie and adore thy goodness , that where thou findest diligent endeavour of better information matched with an honest simplicity of heart , thou passest by our unwilling defects , and crownest our well-meant confessions . but oh the wonderfull hand of god in the carriage of this whole business ! the people proclaimed christ first a king ; and now they proclaim him a prophet . why did not the roman bands run into arms upon the one ? why did not the scribes and pharisees and the envious priesthood mutiny upon the other ? they had made decrees against him , they had laid wait for him ; yet now he passes in state through their streets , acclaimed both a king and prophet , without their reluctation . what can we impute this unto , but to the powerfull and over-ruling arm of his godhead ? he that restrained the rage of herod and his courtiers upon the first news of a king born , now restrains all the opposite powers of jerusalem from lifting up a finger against this last and publick avouchment of the regall and propheticall office of christ . when flesh and bloud have done their worst , they can be but such as he will make them : if the legions of hell combine with the potentates of the earth , they cannot go beyond the reach of their tether : whether they rise or sit still , they shall by an insensible ordination perform that will of the almighty which they least think of , and most oppose . with this humble pomp and just acclamation , o saviour , dost thou pass through the streets of jerusalem to the temple . thy first walk was not to herod's palace , or to the market-places or burses of that populous city , but to the temple ; whether it were out of duty , or out of need : as a good son when he comes from far , his first alighting is at his father's house , neither would he think it other then preposterous , to visit strangers before his friends , or friends before his father . besides that the temple had more use of thy presence : both there was the most disorder , and from thence , as from a corrupt spring , it issued forth into all the chanels of jerusalem . a wise physician inquires first into the state of the head , heart , liver , stomack , the vitall and chief parts , ere he asks after the petty symptoms of the meaner and less-concerning members . surely all good or evil begins at the temple . if god have there his own , if men find there nothing but wholsome instruction , holy example , the commonwealth cannot want some happy tincture of piety , devotion , sanctimony ; as that fragrant perfume from aaron's head sweetens his utmost skirts . contrarily , the distempers of the temple cannot but affect the secular state . as therefore the good husbandman , when he sees the leaves grow yellow , and the branches unthriving , looks presently to the root ; so didst thou , o holy saviour , upon sight of the disorders spred over jerusalem and judaea , address thy self to the rectifying of the temple . no sooner is christ alighted at the gate of the outer court of his father's house , then he falls to work : reformation was his errand ; that he roundly attempts . that holy ground was profaned by sacrilegious barterings : within the third court of that sacred place was a publick mart held ; here was a throng of buiers and sellers , though not of all commodities , ( the jews were not so irreligious , ) onely of those things which were for the use of sacrifice . the israelites came many of them from far ; it was no less from dan to beersheba then the space of an hundred and threescore miles ; neither could it be without much inconvenience for them to bring their bullocks , sheep , goats , lambs , meal , oyl , and such other holy provision with them up to jerusalem : order was taken by the priests , that these might for money be had close by the altar ; to the ease of the offerer , and the benefit of the seller , and perhaps no disprofit to themselves . the pretence was fair , the practice unsufferable . the great owner of the temple comes to vindicate the reputation and rights of his own house ; and in an indignation at that so foul abuse , lays fiercely about him , and with his three-stringed scourge whips out those sacrilegious chapmen , casts down their tables , throws away their baskets , scatters their heaps , and sends away their customers with smart and horrour . with what fear and astonishment did the repining offenders look upon so unexpected a justicer , whilst their conscience lashed them more then those cords , and the terrour of that meek chastiser more affrighted them then his blows ? is this that mild and gentle saviour that came to take upon him our stripes , and to undergoe the chastisements of our peace ? is this that quiet lamb , which before his shearers openeth not his mouth ? see now how his eyes sparkle with holy anger , and dart forth beams of indignation in the faces of these guilty collybists : see how his hands deal strokes and ruine . yea , thus , thus it became thee , o thou gracious redeemer of men , to let the world see , thou hast not lost thy justice in thy mercy ; that there is not more lenity in thy forbearances , then rigour in thy just severity ; that thou canst thunder , as well as shine . this was not thy first act of this kind ; at the entrance of thy publick work thou begannest so as thou now shuttest up , with purging thine house . once before had these offenders been whipt out of that holy place , which now they dare again defile . shame and smart is not enough to reclaim obdur'd offenders . gainfull sins are not easily checked , but less easily mastered . these bold flies , where they are beaten off , will alight again . he that is filthy will be filthy still . oft yet had our saviour been ( besides this ) in the temple , and often had seen the same disorder ; he doth not think fit to be always whipping . it was enough thus twice to admonish and chastise them before their ruine . that god who hates sin always , will not chide always , and strikes more seldome ; but he would have those few strokes perpetuall monitours ; and if those prevail not , he smites but once . it is his uniform course , first the whip , and if that speed not , then the sword. there is a reverence due to god's house for the owner's sake , for the service's sake . secular and profane actions are not for that sacred roof , much less uncivil and beastly . what but holiness can become that place which is the beauty of holiness ? the fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with god. never could there be more plausible colours cast upon any act ; the convenience , the necessity of provisions for the sacrifice : yet through all these do the fiery eyes of our saviour see the foul covetousness of the priests , the fraud of the money-changers , the intolerable abuse of the temple . common eyes may be cheated with easy pretexts ; but he that looks through the heart at the face , justly answers our apologies with scourges . none but the hand of publick authority must reform the abuses of the temple . if all be out of course there , no man is barred from sorrow ; the grief may reach to all , the power of reformation onely to those whom it concerneth . it was but a just question , though ill propounded to moses , who made thee a judge or a ruler ? we must all imitate the zeal of our saviour ; we may not imitate his correction . if we strike uncalled , we are justly stricken for our arrogation , for our presumption . a tumultuary remedy may prove a medicine worse then the disease . but what shall i say of so sharp and imperious an act from so meek an agent ? why did not the priests and levites ( whose this gain partly was ) abett these money-changers , and make head against christ ? why did not those multitudes of men stand upon their defence , and wrest that whip out of the hand of a seemingly-weak and unarmed prophet ; but in stead hereof run away like sheep from before him , not daring to abide his presence , though his hand had been still ? surely , had these men been so many armies , yea , so many legions of devils , when god will astonish and chase them , they cannot have the power to stand and resist . how easy is it for him that made the heart , to put either terrour or courage into it at pleasure ? o saviour , it was none of thy least miracles , that thou didst thus drive out a world of able offenders in spite of their gain and stomackfull resolutions ; their very profit had no power to stay them against thy frowns . who hath resisted thy will ? mens hearts are not their own : they are , they must be such as their maker will have them . xliii . the fig-tree cursed . when in this state our saviour had rid through the streets of jerusalem , that evening he lodged not there . whether he would not , that after so publick an acclamation of the people he might avoid all suspicion of plots or popularity : ( even unjust jealousies must be shunned ; neither is there less wisedom in the prevention , then in the remedy of evils ; ) or whether he could not , for want of an invitation ; hosanna was better cheap then an entertainment ; and perhaps the envy of so stomacked a reformation discouraged his hosts . however , he goes that evening supperless out of jerusalem . o unthankfull citizens ! do ye thus part with your no less meek then glorious king ? his title was not more proclaimed in your streets then your own ingratitude . if he have purged the temple , yet your hearts are foul . there is no wonder in mens unworthiness ; there is more then wonder in thy mercy , o thou saviour of men , that wouldst yet return thither where thou wert so palpably disregarded . if they gave thee not thy supper , thou givest them their breakfast : if thou maist not spend the night with them , thou wilt with them spend the day . o love of unthankfull souls , not discourageable by the most hatefull indignities , by the basest repulses ! what burthen canst thou shrink under , who canst bear the weight of ingratitude ? thou that givest food to all things living , art thy self hungry . martha , mary and lazarus kept not so poor an house , but that thou mightest have eaten something at bethany . whether thine haste out-ran thine appetite ; or whether on purpose thou forbarest repast , to give opportunity to thine insuing miracle , i neither ask , nor resolve . this was not the first time that thou wast hungry . as thou wouldst be a man , so thou wouldst suffer those infirmities that belong to humanity . thou camest to be our high priest ; it was thy act and intention , not onely to intercede for thy people , but to transfer unto thy self , as their sins , so their weaknesses and complaints . thou knowest to pity what thou hast felt . are we pinched with want ? we endure but what thou didst , we have reason to be patient ; thou enduredst what we do , we have reason to be thankfull . but what shall we say to this thine early hunger ? the morning , as it is privileged from excess , so from need ; the stomack is not wont to rise with the body . surely , as thine occasions were , no season was exempted from thy want : thou hadst spent the day before in the holy labour of thy reformation ; after a supperless departure thou spentest the night in prayer ; no meal refreshed thy toil . what do we think much to forbear a morsell , or to break a sleep for thee , who didst thus neglect thy self for us ? as if meat were no part of thy care , as if any thing would serve to stop the mouth of hunger , thy breakfast is expected from the next tree . a fig-tree grew by the way side , full grown , well spred , thick leaved , and such as might promise enough to a remote eye : thither thou camest to seek that which thou foundest not ; and not finding what thou soughtest , as displeased with thy disappointment , cursedst that plant which deluded thy hopes . thy breath instantly blasted that deceitfull tree ; it did ( no otherwise then the whole world must needs doe ) wither and die with thy curse . o saviour , i had rather wonder at thine actions then discuss them . if i should say that , as man , thou either knewest not or consideredst not of this fruitlesness , it could no way prejudice thy divine omniscience ; this infirmity were no worse then thy weariness or hunger . it was no more disparagement to thee to grow in knowledge , then in stature ; neither was it any more disgrace to thy perfect humanity , that thou ( as man ) knewest not all things at once , then that thou wert not in thy childhood at thy full growth . but herein i doubt not to say , it is more likely thou camest purposely to this tree , knowing the barrenness of it answerable to the season , and fore-resolving the event ; that thou mightest hence ground the occasion of so instructive a miracle : like as thou knewest lazarus was dying , was dead , yet wouldst not seem to take notice of his dissolution , that thou mightest the more glorifie thy power in his resuscitation . it was thy willing and determined disappointment for a greater purpose . but why didst thou curse a poor tree for the want of that fruit which the season yielded not ? if it pleased thee to call for that which it could not give , the plant was innocent ; and if innocent , why cursed ? o saviour , it is fitter for us to adore then to examine . we may be sawcy in inquiring after thee , and fond in answering for thee . if that season were not for a ripe fruit , yet for some fruit it was . who knows not the nature of the fig-tree to be always bearing ? that plant ( if not altogether barren ) yields a continuall succession of increase ; whilst one fig i● ripe , another is green ; the same bough can content both our tast and our hope . this tree was defective in both , yielding nothing but an empty shade to the mis-hoping traveller . besides that , i have learn'd that thou , o saviour , wert wont not to speak onely , but to work parables . and what was this other then a reall parable of thine ? all this while hadst thou been in the world ; thou hadst given many proofs of thy mercy , ( the earth was full of thy goodness , ) none of thy judgments : now , immediately before thy passion , thou thoughtest fit to give this double demonstration of thy just austerity . how else should the world have seen thou canst be severe as well as meek and mercifull ? and why mightest not thou , who madest all things , take liberty to destroy a plant for thine own glory ? wherefore serve thy best creatures but for the praise of thy mercy and justice ? what great matter was it if thou , who once saidst , let the earth bring forth the herb yielding seed , and the tree yielding the fruit of its own kind , shalt now say , let this fruitless tree wither ? all this yet was done in figure : in this act : of thine i see both an embleme , and a prophecy . how didst thou herein mean to teach thy disciples how much thou hatest an unfruitfull profession , and what judgments thou meantest to bring upon that barren generation ? once before hadst thou compared the jewish nation to a fig-tree in the midst of thy vineyard , which , after three years expectation and culture yielding no fruit , was by thee , the owner , doomed to a speedy excision : now thou actest what thou then saidst . no tree abounds more with leaf and shade ; no nation abounded more with ceremoniall observations and semblances of piety . outward profession , where there is want of inward truth and reall practice , doth but help to draw on and aggravate judgment . had this fig-tree been utterly bare and leafless , it had perhaps escaped the curse . hear this , ye vain hypocrites , that care onely to shew well , never caring for the sincere truth of a conscionable obedience : your fair outside shall be sure to help you to a curse . that which was the fault of this tree , is the punishment of it , fruitlesness : let no fruit grow on thee hence-forward for ever . had the boughs been appointed to be torn down , and the body split in pieces , the doom had been more easie ; that juicy plant might yet have recovered , and have lived to recompense this deficiency : now it shall be what it was , fruitless . woe be to that church or soul that is punished with her own sin. outward plagues are but favours in comparison of spirituall judgments . that curse might well have stood with a long continuance ; the tree might have lived long , though fruitless : but no sooner is the word passed , then the leaves flag and turn yellow , the branches wrinkle and shrink , the bark discolours , the root dries , the plant withers . o god , what creature is able to abide the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure ? even the most great and glorious angels of heaven could not stand one moment before thine anger , but perish'd under thy wrath everlastingly . how irresistible is thy power ? how dreadfull are thy judgements ? lord , chastise my fruitlesness , but punish it not ; at least , punish it , but curse it not , lest i wither and be consumed . xliv . christ betrayed . such an eye-sore was christ that raised lazarus , and lazarus whom christ raised , to the envious priests , scribes , elders of the jews , that they consult to murther both : whilst either of them lives , neither can the glory of that miracle die , nor the shame of the oppugners . those malicious heads are laid together in the parlour of caiaphas . happy had it been for them , if they had spent but half those thoughts upon their own salvation , which they misimployed upon the destruction of the innocent . at last this results , that force is not their way ; subtlety and treachery must doe that which should be vainly attempted by power . who is so fit to work this feat against christ as one of his own ? there can be no treason where is not some trust . who so fit among the domesticks as he that bare the bag , and over-lov'd that which he bare ? that heart which hath once enslaved it self to red and white earth , may be made any thing . who can trust to the power of good means , when judas , who heard christ daily , whom others heard to preach christ daily , who daily saw christ's miracles , and daily wrought miracles in christ's name , is ( at his best ) a thief , and ere long a traitour ? that crafty and malignant spirit which presided in that bloudy counsel hath easily found out a fit instrument for this hellish plot . as god knows , so satan guesses , who are his , and will be sure to make use of his own . if judas were christ's domestick , yet he was mammon's servant : he could not but hate that master whom he formally professed to serve , whilst he really served that master which christ professed to hate . he is but in his trade , whilst he is bartering even for his master ; what will ye give me ? and i will deliver him unto you . saidst thou not well , o saviour , i have chosen you twelve , and one of you is a devil ? thou that knewest to distinguish betwixt men and spirits , callest judas by his right name . loe , he is become a tempter to the worst of evils . wretched judas ! whether shall i more abhor thy treachery , of wonder at thy folly ? what will they , what can they give thee valuable to that head which thou proferest to sale ? were they able to pay , or thou capable to receive all those precious metalls that are laid up in the secret cabins of the whole earth , how were this price equivalent to the worth of him that made them ? had they been able to have fetch'd down those rich and glittering spangles of heaven , and to have put them into thy fist , what had this been to weigh with a god ? how basely therefore dost thou speak of chaffering for him whose the world was ? what will ye give me ? alas ! what were they ? what had they , miserable men , to pay for such a purchace ? the time was , when he that set thee on work could say , all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them are mine ; and i give them to whom i please : all these will i give thee . had he now made that offer to thee in this wofull bargain , it might have carried some colour of a temptation : and even thus it had been a match ill made . but for thee to tender a trade of so invaluable a commodity to these pelting petty-chapmen for thirty poor silverlings , it was no less base then wicked . how unequall is this rate ? thou that valuedst mary's ointment which she bestowed upon the feet of christ at three hundred pieces of silver , sellest thy master , on whom that precious odour was spent , at thirty . worldly hearts are peny-wise , and pound-foolish : they know how to set high prices upon the worthless trash of this world ; but for heavenly things , or the god that owns them , these they shamefully undervalue . and i will deliver him unto you . false and presumptuous judas ! it was more then thou couldst doe ; thy price was not more too low then thy undertaking was too high . had all the powers of hell combined with thee , they could not have delivered thy master into the hands of men . the act was none but his own ; all that he did , all that he suffered was perfectly voluntary . had he pleased to resist , how easily had he with one breath blown thee and thy complices down into their hell ? it is no thank to thee that he would be delivered . o saviour , all our safety , all our comfort depends not so much upon thine act as upon thy will : in vain should we have hoped for the benefit of a forced redemption . the bargain is driven , the price paid . judas returns , and looks no less smoothly upon his master and his fellows then as if he had done no disservice . what cares he ? his heart tells him he is rich , though it tell him he is false . he was not now first an hypocrite . the passeover is at hand ; no man is so busy to prepare for it , or more devoutly forward to receive it then judas . oh the sottishness and obdureness of this son of perdition ! how many proofs had he formerly of his master's omniscience ? there was no day wherein he saw not that thoughts and things absent came familiar under his cognisance : yet this miscreant dares plot a secret villany against his person , and face it : if he cannot be honest , yet he will be close . that he may be notoriously impudent , he shall know he is descried : whilst he thinks fit to conceal his treachery , our saviour thinks not fit to conceal the knowledge of that treacherous conspiracy ; verily , i say unto you that one of you shall betray me . who would not think but that discovered wickedness should be ashamed of it self ? did not judas ( think we ) blush , and grow pale again , and cast down his guilty eyes , and turn away his troubled countenance at so galling an intimation ? custome of sin steels the brow , and makes it uncapable of any relenting impressions . could the other disciples have discerned any change in any one of their faces , they had not been so sorrowfully affected with the charge . methinks i see how intentively they bent their eyes upon each others , as if they would have look'd through those windows down into the bosome ; with what self-confidence , with what mutuall jealousie they perused each others foreheads : and now , as rather thinking fit to distrust their own innocence then their master's assertion , each trembles to say , lord , is it i ? it is possible there may lurk secret wickedness in some blind corner of the heart , which we know not of : it is possible that time and temptation , working upon our corruption , may at last draw us into some such sin as we could not fore-believe . whither may we not fall , if we be left to our own strength ? it is both wise and holy to misdoubt the worst : lord , is it i ? in the mean time , how fair hath judas ( all this while ) carried with his fellows ? had his former life bewrayed any falshood or misdemeanour , they had soon found where to pitch their just suspicion : now judas goes for so honest a man , that every disciple is rather ready to suspect himself then him . it is true , he was a thief ; but who knows that besides his maker ? the outsides of men are no less deceitfull then their hearts . it is not more unsafe to judge by outward appearances , then it is uncharitable not to judge so . oh the head-strong resolutions of wickedness , not to be checked by any opposition ! who would not but have thought , if the notice of an intended evil could not have prevented it , yet that the threats of judgment should have affrighted the boldest offender ? judas can sit by , and hear his master say , wo be to the man by whom the son of man is betraied ; it had been better for that man never to have been born , and is no more blank'd then very innocence ; but thinks , what care i ? i have the money ; i shall escape the shame : the fact shall be close , the match gainfull : it will be long ere i get so much by my service ; if i fare well for the present , i shall shift well enough for the future . thus secretly he claps up another bargain ; he makes a covenant with death , and with hell an agreement . o judas , didst thou ever hear ought but truth fall from the mouth of that thy divine master ? canst thou distrust the certainty of that dreadfull menace of vengeance ? how then durst thou persist in the purpose of so flagitious and damnable a villany ? resolved sinners run on desperately in their wicked courses ; and have so bent their eyes upon the profit or pleasure of their mischievons projects , that they will not see hell lie open before them in the way . as if that shameless man meant to outbrave all accusations , and to outface his own heart , he dares ask too , master , is it i ? no disciple shall more zealously abominate that crime then he that fosters it in his bosome . whatever the searcher of hearts knows by him , is lock'd up in his own breast : to be perfidious is nothing , so he may be secret : his master knows him for a traitour , it is not long that he shall live to complain ; his fellows think him honest : all is well , whilst he is well esteemed . reputation is the onely care of false hearts , not truth of being , not conscience of merit ; so they may seem fair to men , they care not how foul they are to god. had our saviour onely had this knowledge at the second hand , this boldness had been enough to make him suspect the credit of the best intelligence : who could imagine that a guilty man dared thus brow-beat a just accusation ? now he whose piercing and unfailing eyes see things as they are , not as they seem , can peremptorily convince the impudence of this hollow questionist with a direct affirmation ; thou hast said . foolish traitour ! couldst thou think that those blear eyes of thine would endure the beams of the sun , or that counterfeit slip , the fire ? was it not sufficient for thee to be secretly vicious , but thou must presume to contest with an omniscient accuser ? hast thou yet enough ? thou supposedst thy crime unknown . to men it was so ; had thy master been no more , it had been so to him : now his knowledge argues him divine . how durst thou yet resolve to lift up thy hand against him , who knows thine offence , and can either prevent or revenge it ? as yet the charge was private , either not heard , or not observed by thy fellows : it shall be at first whispered to one , and at last known to all . bashfull and penitent sinners are fit to be concealed ; shame is meet for those that have none . curiosity of knowledge is an old disease of humane nature : besides , peter's zeal would not let him dwell under the danger of so doubtfull a crimination ; he cannot but sit on thorns , till he know the man. his signs ask what his voice dare not . what law requires all followers to be equally beloved ? why may not our favours be freely dispensed where we like best , without envy , without prejudice ? none of christ's train could complain of neglect ; john is highest in grace . bloud , affection , zeal , diligence have indeared him above his fellows . he that is dearest in respect , is next in place : in that form of side-sitting at the table , he leaned on the bosome of jesus . where is more love , there may be more boldness . this secrecy and intireness privileges john to ask that safely , which peter might not without much inconvenience and perill of a check . the beloved disciple well understands this silent language , and dares put peter's thought into words . love shutteth out fear . o saviour , the confidence of thy goodness emboldens us not to shrink at any suit . thy love shed abroad in our hearts bids us ask that which in a stranger were no better then presumption . once , when peter ask'd thee a question concerning john , what shall this man doe ? he received a short answer , what is that to thee ? now , when john asks thee a question ( no less seemingly curious ) at peter's instance , who is it that betrays thee ? however thou mightest have returned him the same answer , ( since neither of their persons was any more concerned , ) yet thou condescendest to a mild and full ( though secret ) satisfaction . there was not so much difference in the men , as in the matter of the demand . no occasion was given to peter of moving that question concerning john ; the indefinite assertion of treason amongst the disciples was a most just occasion of moving john's question for peter and himself . that which therefore was timorously demanded , is answered graciously ; he it is to whom i shall give a sop when i have dipped it . and he gave the sop to judas . how loth was our saviour to name him whom he was not unwilling to design ? all is here expressed by dumb signs ; the hand speaks what the tongue would not . in the same language wherein peter asked the question of john , doth our saviour shape an answer to john : what a beck demanded , is answered by a sop . o saviour , i do not hear thee say , look on whomsoever i frown , or to whomsoever i doe a publick affront , that is the man ; but , to whomsoever i shall give a sop . surely a by-stander would have thought this man deep in thy books , and would have construed this act , as they did thy tears for lazarus , see how he loves him . to carve a man out of thine own dish , what could it seem to argue but a singularity of respect ? yet , lo , there is but one whom thou hatest , one onely traitour at thy board ; and thou givest him a sop . the outward gifts of god are not always the proofs of his love ; yea , sometimes are bestowed in displeasure . had not he been a wise disciple that should have envied the great favour done to judas , and have stomacked his own preterition ? so foolish are they , who , measuring gods affection by temporall benefits , are ready to applaud prospering wickedness , and to grudge outward blessings to them who are uncapable of any better . after the sop satan entred into judas . better had it been for that treacherous disciple to have wanted that morsell : not that there was any malignity in the bread , or that the sop had any power to convey satan into the receiver , or that by a necessary concomitance that evil spirit was in or with it . favours ill used make the heart more capable of farther evil . that wicked spirit commonly takes occasion by any of gods gifts , to assault us the more eagerly . after our sacramentall morsell , if we be not the better , we are sure the worse . i dare not say , yet i dare think , that judas , comparing his master's words and john's whisperings with the tender of this sop , and finding himself thus denoted , was now so much the more irritated to perform what he had wickedly purposed . thus satan took advantage by the sop of a farther possession . twice before had that evil spirit made a palpable entry into that leud heart . first , in his covetousness and theft ; those sinfull habits could not be without that authour of ill : then , in his damnable resolution , and plot of so hainous a conspiracy against christ . yet now ( as if it were new to begin ) after the sop satan entred . as in every gross sin which we entertain , we give harbour to that evil spirit ; so in every degree of growth in wickedness , new hold is taken by him of the heart . no sooner is the foot over the threshold , then we enter into the house : when we pass thence into the inner rooms , we make still but a perfect entrance . at first satan entred , to make the house of judas's heart his own ; now he enters into it as his own . the first purpose of sin opens the gates to satan ; consent admits him into the entry ; full resolution of sin gives up the keys to his hands , and puts him into absolute possession . what a plain difference there is betwixt the regenerate and evil heart ? satan lays siege to the best by his temptations ; and sometimes upon battery and breach made enters : the other admits him by willing composition . when he is entred upon the regenerate , he is entertained with perpetuall skirmishes , and by an holy violence at last repulsed : in the other he is plausibly received , and freely commandeth . oh the admirable meekness of this lamb of god! i see not a frown , i hear not a check ; but , what thou doest , doe quickly . why do we startle at our petty wrongs , and swell with anger , and break into furious revenges upon every occasion , when the pattern of our patience lets not fall one harshword upon so foul and bloudy a traitour ? yea , so fairly is this carried , that the disciples as yet can apprehend no change ; they innocently think of commodities to be bought : when christ speaks of their master sold , and , as one that longs to be out of pain , hastens the pace of his irreclamable conspiratour , that thou doest , doe quickly . it is one thing to say , doe what thou intendest , and another to say , doe quickly what thou doest . there was villany in the deed ; the speed had no sin , the time was harmless , whilst the man and the act were wicked . o judas , how happy had it been for thee , if thou hadst never done what thou perfidiously intendedst ? but since thou wilt needs doe it , delay is but a torment . that steely heart yet relents not ; the obfirmed traitour knows his way to the high priest's hall and to the garden ; the watchword is already given , hail , master , and a kiss . yet more hypocrisy ? yet more presumption upon so overstrained a lenity ? how knewest thou , o thou false traitour , whether that sacred cheek would suffer it self to be defiled with thine impure touch ? thou well foundest thy treachery was unmasked ; thine heart could not be so false to thee as not to tell thee how hatefull thou wert . goe , kiss and adore those silverlings which thou art too sure of ; the master whom thou hast sold is not thine . but oh the impudence of a deplored sinner ! that tongue which hath agreed to sell his master dares say , hail : and those lips that have passed the compact of his death dare offer to kiss him whom they had covenanted to kill . it was god's charge of old , kiss the son , lest he be angry . o saviour , thou hadst reason to be angry with this kiss ; the scourges , the thorns , the nails , the spear of thy murtherers were not so painfull , so piercing , as this touch of judas : all these were in this one alone . the stabs of an enemy cannot be so grievous as the skin-deep wounds of a disciple . xlv . the agony . what a preface do i find to my saviour's passion ? an hymn , and an agony : a chearfull hymn , and an agony no less sorrowfull . an hymn begins , both to raise and testify the courageous resolutions of his suffering ; an agony follows , to shew that he was truly sensible of those extremities wherewith he was resolved to grapple . all the disciples bore their part in that hymn ; it was fit they should all see his comfortable and divine magnanimity wherewith he entred into those sad lists : onely three of them shall be allowed to be the witnesses of his agony ; onely those three that had been the witnesses of his glorious transfiguration . that sight had well fore-arm'd and prepared them for this : how could they be dismay'd to see his trouble , who there saw his majesty ? how could they be dismay'd to see his body now sweat , which they had then seen to shine ? how could they be daunted to see him now accosted with judas and his train , whom they then saw attended with moses and elias ? how could they be discouraged to hear the reproaches of base men , when they had heard the voice of god to him from that excellent glory , this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased ? now before these eyes this sun begins to be over-cast with clouds ; he began to be sorrowfull and very heavy . many sad thoughts for mankind had he secretly hatched , and yet smothered in his own breast ; now his grief is too great to keep in : my soul is exceeding sorrowfull , even unto death . o saviour , what must thou needs feel when thou saidst so ? feeble minds are apt to bemoan themselves upon light occasions ; the grief must needs be violent that causeth a strong heart to break forth into a passionate complaint . woe is me ! what a word is this for the son of god ? where is that comforter which thou promisedst to send to others ? where is that thy father of all mercies and god of all comfort , in whose presence is the fulness of joy , and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore ? where are those constant and chearfull resolutions of a fearless walking through the valley of the shadow of death ? alas ! if that face were not hid from thee whose essence could not be disunited , these pangs could not have been . the sun was withdrawn awhile , that there might be a cool , though not a dark night , as in the world , so in thy breast ; withdrawn in respect of sight , not of being . it was the hardest piece of thy sufferings , that thou must be disconsolate . but to whom dost thou make this moan , o thou saviour of men ? hard is that man driven that is fain to complain to his inferiours . had peter , or james , or john thus bewailed himself to thee , there had been ease to their soul in venting it self ; thou hadst been both apt to pity them , and able to relieve them : but now in that thou lamentest thy case to them , alas ! what issue couldst thou expect ? they might be astonish'd with thy grief ; but there is neither power in their hands to free thee from those sorrows , nor power in their compassion to mitigate them . nay , in this condition what could all the angels of heaven ( as of themselves ) doe to succour thee ? what strength could they have but from thee ? what creature can help when thou complainest ? it must be onely the stronger that can aid the weak . old and holy simeon could fore-say to thy blessed mother , that a sword should pierce through her soul ; but , alas ! how many swords at once pierce thine ? every one of these words is both sharp and edged ; my soul is exceeding sorrowfull , even unto death . what humane soul is capable of the conceit of the least of those sorrows that oppressed thine ? it was not thy body that suffered now : the pain of body is but as the body of pain ; the anguish of the soul is as the soul of anguish . that , and in that thou sufferedst . where are they that dare so far disparage thy sorrow , as to say thy soul suffered onely in sympathy with thy body ; not immediately , but by participation ; not in its self , but in its partner ? thou best knewest what thou feltest , and thou that feltest thine own pain canst cry out of thy soul. neither didst thou say , my soul is troubled ; so it often was , even to tears : but , my soul is sorrowfull ; as if it had been before assaulted , now possessed with grief . nor yet this in any tolerable moderation ; changes of passion are incident to every humane soul : but , exceeding sorrowfull . yet there are degrees in the very extremities of evils : those that are most vehement , may yet be capable of a remedy , at least a relaxations thine was past these hopes , exceeding sorrowfull unto death . what was it , what could it be , o saviour , that lay thus heavy upon thy divine soul ? was it the fear of death ? was it the fore-felt pain , shame , torment of thine ensuing crucifixion ? oh poor and base thoughts of the narrow hearts of cowardly and impotent mortality ! how many thousands of thy blessed martyrs have welcomed no less tortures with smiles and gratulations , and have made a sport of those exquisite cruelties which their very tyrants thought unsufferable ? whence had they this strength but from thee ? if their weakness were thus undaunted and prevalent , what was thy power ? no , no : it was the sad weight of the sin of mankind ; it was the heavy burthen of thy father's wrath for our sin that thus pressed thy soul , and wrung from thee these bitter expressions . what can it avail thee , o saviour , to tell thy grief to men ? who can ease thee , but he of whom thou saidst , my father is greater then i ? lo , to him thou turnest ; o father , if it be possible , let this cup pass from me . was not this that prayer ( o dear christ ) which in the days of thy flesh thou offeredst up with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save thee from death ? surely this was it . never was cry so strong ; never was god thus solicited . how could heaven chuse but shake at such a prayer from the power that made it ? how can my heart but tremble to hear this suit from the captain of our salvation ? o thou that saidst , i and my father are one , dost thou suffer ought from thy father but what thou wouldst , what thou determinedst ? was this cup of thine either casuall or forced ? wouldst thou wish for what thou knewest thou wouldst not have possible ? far , far be these mis-raised thoughts of our ignorance and frailty . thou camest to suffer , and thou wouldst doe what thou camest for : yet since thou wouldst be a man , thou wouldst take all of man , save sin : it is but humane ( and not sinfull ) to be loth to suffer what we may avoid . in this velleity of thine , thou wouldst shew what that nature of ours which thou hadst assumed could incline to wish ; but in thy resolution , thou wouldst shew us what thy victorious thoughts raised and assisted by thy divine power had determinately pitched upon : nevertheless not as i will , but as thou wilt . as man thou hadst a will of thine own : no humane soul can be perfect without that main faculty . that will , which naturally could be content to incline towards an exemption from miseries , gladly vails to that divine will whereby thou art designed to the chastisements of our peace . those pains which in themselves were grievous , thou embracest as decreed : so as thy fear hath given place to thy love and obedience . how should we have known these evils so formidable , if thou hadst not in half a thought inclined to deprecate them ? how could we have avoided so formidable and deadly evils , if thou hadst not willingly undergone them ? we acknowledge thine holy fear , we adore thy divine fortitude . whilst thy mind was in this fearfull agitation , it is no marvell if thy feet were not fixed . thy place is more changed then thy thoughts . one while thou walkest to thy drouzy attendents , and stirrest up their needfull vigilancy ; then thou returnest to thy passionate devotions , thou fallest again upon thy face . if thy body be humbled down to the earth , thy soul is yet lower ; thy prayers are so much more vehement as thy pangs are . and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly , and his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud falling down to the ground . o my saviour , what an agony am i in , whilst i think of thine ? what pain , what fear , what strife , what horrour was in thy sacred breast ? how didst thou struggle under the weight of our sins , that thou thus sweatest , that thou thus bleedest ? all was peace with thee : thou wert one with thy coeternal and coessential father ; all the angels worshipp'd thee ; all the powers of heaven and earth awfully acknowledged thine infiniteness . it was our person that feoffed thee in this misery and torment ; in that thou sustainedst thy father's wrath and our curse . if eternal death be unsufferable , if every sin deserve eternal death , what , o what was it for thy soul in this short time of thy bitter passion to answer those millions of eternal deaths which all the sins of all mankind had deserved from the just hand of thy godhead ? i marvell not if thou bleedest a sweat , if thou sweatest bloud : if the moisture of that sweat be from the body , the tincture of it is from the soul. as there never was such another sweat , so neither can there be ever such a suffering . it is no wonder if the sweat were more then natural , when the suffering was more then humane . o saviour , so willing was that precious bloud of thine to be let forth for us , that it was ready to prevent thy persecutours ; and issued forth in those pores , before thy wounds were opened by thy tormentours . oh that my heart could bleed unto thee with true inward compunction for those sins of mine which are guilty of this thine agony , and have drawn bloud of thee both in the garden and on the cross . woe is me : i had been in hell , if thou hadst not been in thine agony ; i had scorched , if thou hadst not sweat . oh let me abhor my own wickedness , and admire and bless thy mercy . but , o ye blessed spirits which came to comfort my conflicted saviour , how did ye look upon this son of god , when ye saw him labouring for life under these violent temptations ? with what astonishment did ye behold him bleeding whom ye adored ? in the wilderness , after his duell with satan , ye came and ministred unto him ; and now in the garden , whilst he is in an harder combat , ye appear to strengthen him . o the wise and marvellous dispensation of the almighty ! whom god will afflict , an angel shall relieve ; the son shall suffer , the servant shall comfort him ; the god of angels droopeth , the angel of god strengthens him . blessed jesu , if as man thou wouldst be made a little lower then the angels ; how can it disparage thee to be attended and cheared up by an angel ? thine humiliation would not disdain comfort from meaner hands . how free was it for thy father to convey seasonable consolations to thine humbled soul , by whatsoever means ? behold , though thy cup shall not pass , yet it shall be sweetned . what if thou see not ( for the time ) thy father's face ? yet thou shalt feel his hand . what could that spirit have done without the god of spirits ? o father of mercies , thou maist bring thine into agonies , but thou wilt never leave them there . in the midst of the sorrows of my heart thy comforts shall refresh my soul. whatsoever be the means of my supportation , i know and adore the authour . xlvi . peter and malchus : or , christ apprehended . wherefore , o saviour , didst thou take those three choice disciples with thee from their fellows , but that thou expectedst some comfort from their presence ? a seasonable word may sometimes fall from the meanest attendent ; and the very society of those we trust carries in it some kind of contentment . alas ! what broken reeds are men ? whilst thou art sweating in thine agony , they are snorting securely . admonitions , threats , intreaties cannot keep their eyes open . thou tellest them of danger , they will needs dream of ease ; and though twice rouzed ( as if they had purposed this neglect ) they carelesly sleep out thy sorrow and their own perill . what help hast thou of such followers ? in the mount of thy transfiguration they slept , and besides fell on their faces , when they should behold thy glory , and were not themselves for fear ; in the garden of thine agony they fell upon the ground for drouziness , when they should compassionate thy sorrow , and lost themselves in a stupid sleepiness . doubtless even this disregard made thy prayers so much more fervent . the less comfort we find on earth , the more we seek above . neither soughtest thou more then thou foundest : lo , thou wert heard in that which thou fearedst . an angel supplies men ; that spirit was vigilant whilst thy disciples were heavy . the exchange was happy . no sooner is this good angel vanished , then that domestick devil appears : judas comes up , and shews himself in the head of those miscreant troups . he whose too much honour it had been to be a follower of so blessed a master , affects now to be the leader of this wicked rabble . the sheep's fleece is now cast off ; the wolf appears in his own likeness . he that would be false to his master , would be true to his chapmen : even evil spirits keep touch with themselves . the bold traitour dares yet still mix hypocrisy with villany ; his very salutations and kisses murther . o saviour , this is no news to thee . all those who under a show of godliness practise impiety do still betray thee thus . thou who hadst said , one of you is a devil , didst not now say , avoid , satan ; but , friend , wherefore art thou come ? as yet , judas , it was not too late . had there been any the least spark of grace yet remaining in that perfidious bosome , this word had fetch'd thee upon thy knees . all this sunshine cannot thaw an obdurate heart . the sign is given , jesus is taken . wretched traitour ! why wouldst thou for this purpose be thus attended ? and ye foolish priests and elders ! why sent you such a band and so armed for this apprehension ? one messenger had been enough for a voluntary prisoner . had my saviour been unwilling to be taken , all your forces ( with all the legions of hell to help them ) had been too little : since he was willing to be attached , two were too many . when he did but say , i am he , that easy breath alone routed all your troups , and cast them to the earth , whom it might as easily have cast down into hell. what if he had said , i will not be taken ? where had ye been ? or what could your swords and staves have done against omnipotence ? those disciples that failed of their vigilance , failed not of their courage : they had heard their master speak of providing swords , and now they thought it was time to use them : shall we smite ? they were willing to fight for him with whom they were not carefull to watch : but of all other peter was most forward ; in stead of opening his lips , he unsheaths his sword ; and in stead of shall i ? smites . he had noted malchus , a busie servant of the high priest , too ready to second judas , and to lay his rude hands upon the lord of life : against this man his heart rises , and his hand is lift up . that ear which had too-officiously listened to the unjust and cruell charge of his wicked master , is now severed from that worse head which it had mis-served . i love and honour thy zeal , o blessed disciple : thou couldst not brook wrong done to thy divine master . had thy life been dearer to thee then his safety , thou hadst not drawn thy sword upon a whole troup . it was in earnest that thou saidst , though all men , yet not i ; and , though i should die with thee , yet i will not deny thee . lo , thou art ready to die upon him that should touch that sacred person ; what would thy life now have been in comparison of renouncing him ? since thou wert so fervent , why didst thou not rather fall upon that treachour that betray'd him , then that sergeant that arrested him ? surely the sin was so much greater , as the plot of mischief is more then the execution ; as a domestick is nearer then a stranger ; as the treason of a friend is worse then the forced enmity of an hireling . was it that the guilty wretch upon the fact done subduced himself , and shrouded his false head under the wings of darkness ? was it that thou couldst not so suddenly apprehend the odious depth of that villany , and instantly hate him that had been thy old companion ? was it that thy amazedness as yet conceived not the purposed issue of this seizure , and astonishedly waited for the success ? was it that though judas were more faulty , yet malchus was more imperiously cruell ? howsoever , thy courage was awaked with thy self ; and thy heart was no less sincere then thine hand was rash . put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword . good intentions are no warrant for our actions . o saviour , thou canst at once accept of our meanings , and censure our deeds . could there be an affection more worth incouragement then the love to such a master ? could there be a more just cause wherein to draw his sword then in thy quarrell ? yet this love , this quarrell cannot shield peter from thy check : thy meek tongue smites him gently , who had furiously smote thine enemy ; put up thy sword . it was peter's sword ; but to put up , not to use : there is a sword which peter may use ; but it is of another metall . our weapons are , as our warfare , spiritual : if he smite not with this , he incurs no less blame then for smiting with the other ; as for this material sword , what should he doe with it that is not allowed to strike ? when the prince of peace bade his followers sell their coat and buy a sword , he meant to insinuate the need of these arms , not their improvement ; and to teach them the danger of the time , not the manner of the repulse of danger . when they therefore said , behold , here are two swords ; he answered , it is enough : he said not , go buy more . more had not been enow , if a bodily defence had been intended : david's tower had been too streight to yield sufficient furniture of this kind . when it comes to use , peter's own sword is too much : put up thy sword . indeed there is a temporal sword ; and that sword must be drawn , else wherefore is it ? but drawn by him that bears it ; and he bears it that is ordained to be an avenger , to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil ; for he bears not the sword in vain . if another man draw it , it cuts his fingers ; and draws so much bloud of him that unwarrantably wields it , as that he who takes the sword shall perish with the sword . can i chuse but wonder how peter could thus strike unwounded ? how he , whose first blow made the fray , could escape hewing in pieces from that band of ruffians ? this could not have been , if thy power , o saviour , had not restrained their rage ; if thy seasonable and sharp reproof had not prevented their revenge . now , for ought i see , peter smarts no less then malchus : neither is peter's ear less smitten by the mild tongue of his master , then malchus his ear by the hand of peter . weak disciple ! thou hast zeal , but not according to knowledge : there is not more danger in this act of thine , then inconsideration and ignorance . the cup which my father hath given me , shall i not drink it ? thou drawest thy sword to rescue me from suffering . alas ! if i suffer not , what would become of thee ? what would become of mankind ? where were that eternal and just decree of my father , wherein i am a lamb slain from the beginning of the world ? dost thou go about to hinder thine own and the whole world's redemption ? did i not once before call thee satan , for suggesting to me this immunity from my passion ? and dost thou now think to favour me with a reall opposition to this great and necessary work ? canst thou be so weak as to imagine that this suffering of mine is not free and voluntary ? canst thou be so injurious to me as to think i yield , because i want aid to resist ? have i not given to thee and to the world many undeniable proofs of my omnipotence ? didst thou not see how easy it had been for me to have blown away these poor forces of my adversaries ? dost thou not know that , if i would require it , all the glorious troups of the angels of heaven ( any one whereof is more then worlds of men ) would presently shew themselves ready to attend and rescue me ? might this have stood with the justice of my decree , with the glory of my mercy , wirh the benefit of man's redemption , it had been done ; my power should have triumphed over the impotent malice of my enemies : but now , since that eternal decree must be accomplished , my mercy must be approved , mankind must be ransomed ; and this cannot be done without my suffering ; thy well-meant valour is no better then a wrong to thy self , to the world , to me , to my father . o gracious saviour , whilst thou thus smitest thy disciple , thou healest him whom thy disciple smote . many greater miracles hadst thou done ; none that bewraied more mercy and meekness then this last cure : of all other this ear of malchus hath the loudest tongue to blazon the praise of thy clemency and goodness to thy very enemies . wherefore came that man but in an hostile manner to attach thee ? besides his own , what favour was he worthy of for his masters sake ? and if he had not been more forward then his fellows , why had not his skin been as whole as theirs ? yet , even amidst the throng of thine apprehenders , in the heat of their violence , in the height of their malice , and thine own instant peril of death , thou healest that unnecessary ear , which had been guilty of hearing blasphemies against thee , and receiving cruell and unjust charges concerning thee . o malchus , could thy ear be whole , and not thy heart broken and contrite with remorse for rising up against so mercifull and so powerfull an hand ? couldst thou chuse but say , o blessed jesu , i see it was thy providence that preserved my head , when my ear was smitten ; it is thine almighty power that hath miraculously restored that ear of mine which i had justly forfeited : this head of mine shall never be guilty of plotting any farther mischief against thee ; this ear shall never entertain any more reproaches of thy name ; this heart of mine shall ever acknowledge and magnifie thy tender mercies , thy divine omnipotence ? could thy fellows see such a demonstration of power and goodness with unrelenting hearts ? unthankfull malchus , and cruell souldiers ! ye were worse wounded , and felt it not . god had struck your breasts with a fearfull obduration , that ye still persist in your bloudy enterprise . and they that had laid hold on jesus , led him away , &c. xlvii . christ before caiaphas . that traitour whom his own cord made ( soon after ) too fast , gave this charge concerning jesus , hold him fast . fear makes his guard cruell : they bind his hands , and think no twist can be strong enough for this sampson . fond jews , and souldiers ! if his own will had not tied him faster then your cords , though those manicles had been the stiffest cables or the strongest iron , they had been but threads of tow . what eyes can but run over to see those hands , that made heaven and earth , wrung together and bruised with those merciless cords ; to see him bound , who came to restore us to the liberty of the sons of god ; to see the lord of life contemptuously dragged through the streets , first to the house of annas , then from thence to the house of caiaphas , from him to pilate , from pilate to herod , from herod back again to pilate , from pilate to his calvary : whilst in the mean time the base rabble and scum of the incensed multitude runs after him with shouts and scorns ? the act of death hath not in it so much misery and horrour , as the pomp of death . and what needed all this pageant of cruelty ? wherefore was this state and lingring of an unjust execution ? was it for that their malice held a quick dispatch too much mercy ? was it for that , whilst they meant to be bloudy , they would fain seem just ? a sudden violence had been palpably murtherous : now the colour of a legall process guilds over all their deadly spight ; and would seem to render them honest , and the accused guilty . this attachment , this convention of the innocent was a true night-work ; a deed of so much darkness was not for the light . old annas and that wicked bench of gray-headed scribes and elders can be content to break their sleep to doe mischief : envy and malice can make noon of midnight . it is resolved he shall die ; and now pretences must be sought that he may be cleanly murthered . all evil begins at the sanctuary : the priests and scribes and elders are the first in this bloudy scene ; they have pay'd for this head , and now long to see what they shall have for their thirty silverlings . the bench is set in the hall of caiaphas : false witnesses are sought for , and hired : they agree not , but shame their suborners . woe is me ! what safety can there be for innocence , when the evidence is wilfully corrupted ? what state was ever so pure , as not to yield some miscreants , that will either sell or lend an oath ? what a brand hath the wisedom of god set upon falshood , even dissonance and distraction ? whereas truth ever holds together , and jars not whilst it is it self . o saviour , what a perfect innocence was in thy life , what an exact purity in thy doctrine , that malice it self cannot so much as devise what to slander ? it were hard if hell should not find some factours upon earth . at last two witnesses are brought in , that have learned to agree with themselves , whilst they differed from truth ; they say the same , though false ; this fellow said , i am able to destroy the temple of god , and build it again in three days . perjured wretches ! were these the terms that you heard from that sacred mouth ? said he formally thus as ye have deposed ? it is true , he spake of a temple , of destroying , of building , of three days ; but did he speak of that temple , of his own destroying , of a material building in that space ? he said , destroy ye : ye say , i am able to destroy . he said , this temple of his body : ye say , the temple of god. he said , i will make up this temple of my body in three days : ye say , i am able in three days to build this material temple of god. the words were his , the sentence yours : the words were true , the evidence false . so whilst you report the words , and misreport the sense , ye swear a true falshood , and are truly forsworn . where the resolutions are fixed , any colour will serve . had those words been spoken , they contained no crime ; had he been such as they supposed him , a meer man , the speech had carried a semblance of ostentation , no semblance of blasphemy : yet how vehement is caiaphas for an answer ? as if those words had already battered that sacred pile , or the protestation of his ability had been the highest treason against the god of the temple . that infinite wisedom knew well how little satisfaction there could be in answers , where the sentence was determined . jesus held his peace . where the asker is unworthy , the question captious , words bootless , the best answer is silence . erewhile his just and moderate speech to annas was returned with a buffet on the cheek ; now his silence is no less displeasing . caiaphas was not more malicious then crafty : what was in vain attempted by witnesses , shall be drawn out of christ's own mouth ; what an accusation could not effect , an adjuration shall : i adjure thee by the living god , that thou tell us whether thou be the christ , the son of god. yea , this was the way to screw out a killing answer . caiaphas , thy mouth was impure , but thy charge is dreadfull . now if jesus hold his peace , he is cried down for a profane disregard of that awfull name ; if he answer , he is ensnared : an affirmation is death ; a denial worse then death . no , caiaphas , thou shalt well know it was not fear that all this while stopped that gracious mouth : thou speakest to him that cannot fear those faces he hath made : he that hath charged us to confess him , cannot but confess himself . jesus saith unto him , thou hast said . there is a time to speak , and a time to keep silence . he that is the wisedom of his father , hath here given us a pattern of both . we may not so speak as to give advantage to cavils ; we may not be so silent as to betray the truth . thou shalt have no more cause , proud and insulting caiaphas , to complain of a speechless prisoner : now thou shalt hear more then thou demandedst : hereafter shall ye see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power , and coming in the clouds of heaven . there spake my saviour ; the voice of god , and not of man. hear now , insolent high priest , and be confounded . that son of man whom thou seest , is the son of god whom thou canst not see . that son of man , that son of god , that god and man whom thou now seest standing despicably before thy consistorial seat in a base dejectedness , him shalt thou once with horrour and trembling see majestically sitting on the throne of heaven , attended with thousand thousands of angels , and coming in the clouds to that dreadfull judgment , wherein thy self amongst other damned malefactours shalt be presented before that glorious tribunal of his , and adjudged to thy just torments . goe now , wretched hypocrite , and rend thy garment ; whilst in the mean time thou art worthy to have thy soul rent from thy body , for thy spightfull blasphemy against the son of god. onwards thy pretence is fair , and such as cannot but receive applause from thy compacted crue ; what need have we of witnesses ? behold , now ye have heard his blasphemy . what think ye ? and they answered & said , he is guilty of death . what heed is to be taken of mens judgment ? so light are they upon the balance , that one dram of prejudice or forestalment turns the scales . who were these but the grave benchers of jerusalem , the synod of the choice rabbi's of israel ? yet these pass sentence against the lord of life ; sentence of that death of his , whereby ( if ever ) they shall be redeemed from the murther of their sentence . o saviour , this is not the last time wherein thou hast received cruel dooms from them that profess learning and holiness . what wonder is it if thy weak members suffer that which was endured by so perfect an head ? what care we to be judged by man's day , when thou , who art the righteous judge of the world , wert thus misjudged by men ? now is the fury of thy malignant enemies let loose upon thee : what measure can be too hard for him that is denounced worthy of death ? now those foul mouths defile thy blessed face with their impure spittle , the venomous froth of their malice ; now those cruell hands are lifted up to buffet thy sacred cheeks ; now scorn and insultation triumphs over thine humble patience , prophesy unto us , thou christ , who it is that smote thee . o dear jesu , what a beginning is here of a passion ? there thou standst bound , condemned , spat upon , buffetted , derided by malicious sinners . thou art bound , who camest to loose the bands of death ; thou art condemned , whose sentence must acquit the world ; thou art spat upon , that art fairer then the sons of men ; thou art buffeted , in whose mouth was no guile ; thou art derided , who art cloathed with glory and majesty . in the mean while , how can i enough wonder at thy infinite mercy , who in the midst of all these wofull indignities couldst find a time to cast thine eyes back upon thy frail and ingratefull disciple ; and in whose gracious ear peter's cock sounded louder then all these reproaches ? o saviour , thou who in thine apprehension couldst forget all thy danger , to correct and heal his over-lashing , now in the heat of thy arraignment and condemnation canst forget thy own misery , to reclaim his errour ; and by that seasonable glance of thine eye , to strike his heart with a needfull remorse . he that was lately so valiant to fight for thee , now the next morning is so cowardly as to deny thee : he shrinks at the voice of a maid , who was not daunted with the sight of a band. o peter , had thy slip been sudden , thy fall had been more easy : premonition aggravates thy offence ; that stone was foreshew'd thee whereat thou stumbledst : neither did thy warning more adde to thy guilt , then thine own fore-resolution . how didst thou vow , though thou shouldst die with thy master , not to deny him ? hadst thou said nothing , but answered with a trembling silence , thy shame had been the less . good purposes , when they are not held , do so far turn enemies to the entertainer of them , as that they help to double both his sin and punishment . yet a single denial had been but easie ; thine ( i fear to speak it ) was lined with swearing and execration . whence then , oh whence was this so vehement and peremptory disclamation of so gracious a master ? what such danger had attended thy profession of his attendence ? one of thy fellows was known to the high priest for a follower of jesus ; yet he not onely came himself into that open hall , in view of the bench , but treated with the maid that kept the door to let thee in also . she knew him what he was ; and could therefore speak to thee , as brought in by his mediation , art not thou also one of this man's disciples ? thou also supposes the first acknowledged such ; yet what crime , what danger was urged upon that noted disciple ? what could have been more to thee ? was it that thy heart misgave thee thou mightest be called to account for malchus ? it was no thank to thee that that ear was healed ; neither did there want those that would think how near that ear was to the head . doubtless , that busie fellow himself was not far off , and his fellows and kinsmen would have been apt enough to follow thee ( besides thy discipleship ) upon a bloudshed , a riot , a rescue . thy conscience hath made thee thus unduly timorous : and now , to be sure to avoid the imputation of that affray , thou renouncest all knowledge of him in whose cause thou foughtest . howsoever the sin was hainous . i tremble at such a fall of so great an apostle . it was thou , o peter , that buffetedst thy master more then those jews ; it was to thee that he turned the cheek from them , as to view him by whom he most smarted : he felt thee afar off , and answered thee with a look ; such a look as was able to kill and revive at once . thou hast wounded me , ( maist thou now say ) o my saviour , thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes : that one eye of thy mercy hath wounded my heart with a deep remorse for my grievous sin , with an indignation at my unthankfulness ; that one glance of thine hath resolved me into the tears of sorrow and contrition . oh that mine eyes were fountains , and my cheeks chanels that shall never be dried ! and peter went out , and wept bitterly . xlviii . christ before pilate . well worthy were these jews to be tributary ; they had cast off the yoke of their god , and had justly earned this roman servitude . tiberius had befriended them too well with so favourable a governour as pilate . had they had the power of life and death in their hands , they had not been beholden to an heathen for a legall murther . i know not whether they more repine at this slavery , or please themselves to think how cleanly they can shift off this bloud into another's hand . these great masters of israel flock from their own consistory to pilate's judgment-hall : the sentence had been theirs , the execution must be his ; and now they hope to bear down jesus with the stream of that frequent confluence . but what ails you , o ye rulers of israel , that ye stand thus thronging at the door ? why do ye not go into that publick room of judicature , to call for that justice ye came for ? was it for that ye would not defile your selves with the contagion of an heathen roof ? holy men ! your consciences would not suffer you to yield to so impure an act ; your passeover must be kept , your persons must be clean : whilst ye expect justice from the man , ye abhor the pollution of the place . woe to you priests , scribes , elders , hypocrites ; can there be any roof so unclean as that of your own breasts ? not pilate's walls , but your hearts are impure . is murther your errand ? and do you stick at a locall infection ? god shall smite you , ye whited walls . do ye long to be stained with bloud , with the bloud of god ? and do ye fear to be defiled with the touch of pilate's pavement ? doth so small a gnat stick in your throats , whilst ye swallow such a camel of flagitious wickedness ? go out of your selves , ye false dissemblers , if ye would not be unclean . pilate , onwards , hath more cause to fear lest his walls should be defiled with the presence of so prodigious monsters of impiety . that plausible governour condescends to humour their superstition : they dare not come in to him ; he yields to go forth to them . even pilate begins justly , what accusation bring you against this man ? it is no judging of religion by the outward demeanour of men ; there is more justice amongst romans then amongst jews . these malicious rabbi's thought it enough that they had sentenced jesus ; no more was now expected but a speedy execution . if he were not a malefactour , we would not have delivered him up unto thee . civill justice must be their hangman . it is enough conviction that he is delivered up to the secular powers . themselves have judg'd , these other must kill . pilate and caiaphas have changed places : this pagan speaks that law and justice which that high priest should have done ; and that high priest speaks those murthering incongruities which would better have beseemed the mouth of a pagan . what needs any new triall ? dost thou know , pilate , who we are ? is this the honour that thou givest to our sacred priesthood ? is this thy valuation of our sanctity ? had the basest of the vulgar complained to thee , thou couldst but have put them to a review : our place and holiness look'd not to be distrusted . if our scrupulous consciences suspect thy very walls , thou maist well think there is small reason to suspect our consciences . upon a full hearing , ripe deliberation , and exquisitely-judiciall proceeding , we have sentenced this malefactour to death ; there needs no more from thee but thy command of execution . oh monster , whether of malice or unjustice ! must he then be a malefactour whom ye will condemn ? is your bare word ground enough to shed bloud ? whom did ye ever kill but the righteous ? by whose hands perished the prophets ? the word was but mistaken ; ye should have said , if we had not been malefactours , we had never delivered up this innocent man unto thee . it must needs be notoriously unjust which very nature hath taught pagans to abhor . pilate sees and hates this bloudy suggestion and practice . do ye pretend holiness , and urge so injurious a violence ? if he be such as ye accuse him , where is his conviction ? if he cannot be legally convicted , why should he die ? do you think i may take your complaint for a crime ? if i must judge for you , why have you judged for your selves ? could ye suppose that i would condemn any man unheard ? if your jewish laws yield you this liberty , the roman laws yield it not to me . it is not for me to judge after your laws , but after our own . your prejudgment may not sway me . since ye have gone so far , be ye your own carvers of justice ; take ye him , and judge him according to your law. o pilate , how happy had it been for thee , if thou hadst held thee there ? thus thou hadst wash'd thy hands more clean then in all thy basons . might law have been the rule of this judgment , and not malice , this bloud had not been shed . how palpably doth their tongue bewray their heart ? it is not lawfull for us to put any man to death . pilate talks of judgment , they talk of death . this was their onely aim : law was but a colour , judgment was but a ceremony ; death was their drift , and without this nothing . bloud-thirsty priests and elders ! it is well that this power of yours is restrained : no innocence could have been safe , if your lawless will had had no limits . it were pity this sword should be in any but just and sober hands . your fury did not always consult with law : what law allowed your violence to stephen , to paul and barnabas , and your deadly attempts against this blessed jesus whom ye now persecute ? how lawfull was it for you to procure that death which ye could not inflict ? it is all the care of hypocrites to seek umbrages and pretences for their hatefull purposes ; and to make no other use of laws ( whether divine or humane ) but to serve turns . where death is fore-resolved , there cannot want accusations . malice is not so barren as not to yield crimes enough . and they began to accuse him , saying , we found this fellow perverting the nation ; and forbidding to give tribute unto caesar , saying that he himself is christ and king. what accusations saidst thou , o pilate ? hainous and capitall . thou mightest have believed our confident intimation : but since thou wilt needs urge us to particulars , know that we come furnished with such an inditement as shall make thine ears glow to hear it . besides that blasphemy whereof he hath been condemned by us , this man is a seducer of the people , a raiser of sedition , an usurper of sovereignty . o impudent suggestion ! what marvell is it , o saviour , if thine honest servants be loaded with slanders , when thy most innocent person escaped not so shamefull criminations ? thou a perverter of the nation , who taughtest the way of god truely ? thou a forbidder of tribute , who payedst it , who prescribedst it , who provedst it to be caesar's due ? thou a challenger of temporall sovereignty , who avoidedst it , renouncedst it , professedst to come to serve ? oh the forehead of malice ! go , ye shameless traducers , and swear that truth is guilty of all falshood , justice of all wrong ; and that the sun is the onely cause of darkness , fire of cold. now pilate startles at the charge . the name of tribute , the name of caesar is in mention : these potent spells can fetch him back to the common hall , and call jesus to the bar. there , o saviour , standest thou meekly to be judged , who shalt once come to judge the quick and the dead . then shall he before whom thou stoodest guiltless and dejected , stand before thy dreadfull majesty guilty and trembling . the name of a king , of caesar , is justly tender and awfull ; the least whisper of an usurpation or disturbance is entertained with a jealous care . pilate takes this intimation at the first bound ; art thou then the king of the jews ? he felt his own free-hold now touched , it was time for him to stir . daniel's weeks were now famously known to be near expiring . many arrogant and busie spirits , ( as judas of galilee , theudas , and that aegyptian seducer ) taking that advantage , had raised severall conspiracies , set up new titles to the crown , gathered forces to maintain their false claims . perhaps pilate supposed some such business now on foot , and therefore asks so curiously , art thou the king of the jews ? he that was no less wisedom then truth , thought it not best either to affirm or deny at once . sometimes it may be extremely prejudiciall to speak all truths . to disclaim that title suddenly which had been of old given him by the prophets , at his birth by the eastern sages , and now lately at his procession by the acclaiming multitude , had been injurious to himself ; to profess and challenge it absolutely , had been unsafe , and needlesly provoking . by wise and just degrees therefore doth he so affirm this truth , that he both satisfies the inquirer , and takes off all perill and prejudice from his assertion . pilate shall know him a king ; but such a king as no king needs to fear , as all kings ought to acknowledge and adore : my kingdom is not of this world . it is your mistaking , o ye earthly potentates , that is guilty of your fears . herod hears of a king born , and is troubled ; pilate hears of a king of the jews , and is incensed . were ye not ignorant , ye could not be jealous : had ye learned to distinguish of kingdoms , these suspicions would vanish . there are secular kingdoms , there are spirituall ; neither of these trenches upon other : your kingdom is secular , christ's is spirituall ; both may , both must stand together . his laws are divine , yours civil : his reign is eternall , yours temporall : the glory of his rule is inward , and stands in the graces of sanctification , love , peace , righteousness , joy in the holy ghost ; yours in outward pomp , riches , magnificence : his enemies are the devil , the world , the flesh ; yours are bodily usurpers , and externall peace-breakers : his sword is the power of the word and spirit , yours materiall : his rule is over the conscience , yours over bodies and lives : he punishes with hell , ye with temporall death or torture . yea so far is he from opposing your government , that by him ye kings reign : your scepters are his ; but to maintain , not to wield , not to resist . o the unjust fears of vain men ! he takes not away your earthly kingdoms , who gives you heavenly ; he discrowns not the body , who crowns the soul ; his intention is not to make you less great , but more happy . the charge is so fully answered , that pilate acquits the prisoner . the jewish masters stand still without ; their very malice dares not venture their pollution in going in to prosecute their accusation . pilate hath examined him within ; and now comes forth to these eager complainants , with a cold answer to their over-hot expectation ; i find in him no fault at all . o noble testimony of christ's innocence , from that mouth which afterwards doomed him to death . what a difference there is betwixt a man as he is himself , and as he is the servant of others wills ? it is pilate's tongue that says , i find in him no fault at all : it is the jews tongue in pilate's mouth that says , let him be crucified . that cruel sentence cannot blot him whom this attestation cleareth . neither doth he say , i find him not guilty in that whereof he is accused ; but gives an universall acquittance of the whole carriage of christ , i find in him no fault at all . in spite of malice , innocence shall find abettours . rather then christ shall want witnesses , the mouth of pilate shall be opened to his justification . how did these jewish bloud-suckers stand thunder-stricken with so unexpected a word ? his absolution was their death ; his acquitall their conviction . no fault , when we have found crimes ? no fault at all , when we have condemned him for capitall offences ? how palpably doth pilate give us the lie ? how shamefully doth he affront our authority and disparage our justice ? so ingenuous a testimony doubtless exasperated the fury of these jews : the fire of their indignation was seven-fold more intended with the sense of their repulse . i tremble to think how just pilate as yet was , and how soon after depraved ; yea , how mercifull together with that justice . how fain would he have freed jesus , whom he found faultless ? corrupt custome , in memory of their deliverance from egyptian bondage , allowed to gratify the jews with the free delivery of some one prisoner . ( tradition would be incroaching ; the paschall lamb was monument enough of that happy rescue : men affect to have something of their own . ) pilate was willing to take this advantage of dismissing jesus . that he might be the more likely to prevail , he proposeth him with the choice and nomination of so notorious a malefactour , as he might justly think uncapable of all mercy ; barabbas , a thief , a murtherer , a seditionary ; infamous for all , odious to all . had he propounded some other innocent prisoner , he might have feared the election would be doubtfull ; he cannot misdoubt the competition of so prodigious a malefactour . then they all cried again , not him , but barabbas . o malice beyond all example shameless and bloudy ! who can but blush to think that an heathen should see jews so impetuously unjust , so savagely cruell ? he knew there was no fault to be found in jesus ; he knew there was no crime that was not to be found in barabbas : yet he hears ( and blushes to hear ) them say , not him , but barabbas . was not this ( think we ) out of similitude of condition ? every thing affects the like to it self ; every thing affects the preservation of that it liketh . what wonder is it then if ye jews , who profess your selves the murtherers of that just one , favour a barabbas ? o saviour , what a killing indignity was this for thee to hear from thine own nation ? hast thou refused all glory , to put on shame and misery for their sakes ? hast thou disregarded thy blessed self , to save them ? and do they refuse thee for barabbas ? hast thou said , not heaven , but earth ; not sovereignty , but service ; not the gentile , but the jew ? and do they say , not him , but barabbas ? do ye thus requite the lord , o ye foolish people and unjust ? thus were thine ears and thine eyes first crucified ; and through them was thy soul wounded even to death , before thy death ; whilst thou sawest their rage , and heardst their noise of crucify , crucify . pilate would have chastised thee . even that had been a cruel mercy from him ; for what evil hadst thou done ? but that cruelty had been true mercy to this of the jews , whom no bloud would satisfy but that of thy heart . he calls for thy fault , they call for thy punishment ; as proclaiming thy crucifixion is not intended to satisfy justice , but malice , they cried the more , crucify him , crucify him . as their clamour grew , so the president 's justice declined . those graces that lie loose and ungrounded , are easily washt away with the first tide of popularity . thrice had that man proclaimed the innocence of him whom he now inclines to condemn , willing to content the people . oh the foolish aims of ambition ! not god , not his conscience come into any regard ; but the people . what a base idol doth the proud man adore ? even the vulgar , which a base man despiseth . what is their applause but an idle wind ? what is their anger but a painted fire ? o pilate , where now is thy self and thy people ? whereas a good conscience would have stuck by thee for ever , and have given thee boldness before the face of that god which thou and thy people shall never have the happiness to behold . the jews have play'd their first part ; the gentiles must now act theirs . cruell pilate , who knew jesus was delivered for envy , accused falsly , maliciously pursued , hath turned his profered chastisement into scourging . then pilate took jesus and scourged him . woe is me , dear saviour ; i feel thy lashes ; i shrink under thy painfull whippings ; thy nakedness covers me with shame and confusion . that tender and precious body of thine is galled and torn with cords . thou that didst of late water the garden of gethsemani with the drops of thy bloudy sweat , dost now bedew the pavement of pilate's hall with the showrs of thy bloud . how fully hast thou made good thy word , i gave my back to the smiters , and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair ; i hid not my face from shame and spitting ? how can i be enough sensible of my own stripes ? these blows are mine ; both my sins have given them , and they give remedies to my sins . he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was upon him , and with his stripes are we healed . o blessed jesu , why should i think strange to be scourged with tongue or hand , when i see thee bleeding ? what lashes can i fear either from heaven or earth , since thy scourges have been born for me , and have sanctified them to me ? now , dear jesu , what a world of insolent reproaches , indignities , tortures , arr thou entring into ? to an ingenuous and tender disposition scorns are torment enough ; but here pain helps to perfect thy misery , their despight . who should be actours in this whole bloudy execution , but grim and barbarous souldiers , men inured to cruelty , in whose faces were written the characters of murther , whose very trade was killing , and whose looks were enough to prevent their hands ? these , for the greater terrour of their concourse , are called together ; and whether by the connivence or the command of their wicked governour , or by the instigation of the malicious jews conspire to anticipate his death with scorns , which they will after inflict with violence . o my blessed saviour , was it not enough that thy sacred body was stripped of thy garments , and waled with bloudy stripes ; but that thy person must be made the mocking-stock of thine insulting enemies , thy back disguised with purple robes , thy temples wounded with a thorny crown , thy face spat upon , thy cheeks buffetted , thy head smitten , thy hand sceptred with a reed , thy self derided with wry mouths , bended knees , scoffing acclamations ? insolent souldiers ! whence is all this jeering and sport , but to flout majesty ? all these are the ornaments and ceremonies of a royall inauguration , which now in scorn ye cast upon my despised saviour . goe on , make your selves merry with this jolly pastime . alas ! long agoe ye now feel whom ye scorned . is he a king , think you , whom ye thus play'd upon ? look upon him with gnashing and horrour , whom ye look'd at with mockage and insultation . was not that head fit for your thorns , which you now see crowned with glory and majesty ? was not that hand fit for a reed , whose iron scepter crushes you to death ? was not that face fit to be spat upon , from the dreadfull aspect whereof ye are ready to desire the mountains to cover you ? in the mean time , whither , o whither dost thou stoop , o thou coeternal son of thine eternal father ? whither dost thou abase thy self for me ? i have sinned , and thou art punished ; i have exalted my self , and thou art dejected ; i have clad my self with shame , and thou art stripped ; i have made my self naked , and thou art cloathed with robes of dishonour ; my head hath devised evil , and thine is pierced with thorns ; i have smitten thee , and thou art smitten for me ; i have dishonoured thee , and thou for my sake art scorned ; thou art made the sport of men for me , that have deserved to be insulted on by devils . thus disguised , thus bleeding , thus mangled , thus deformed art thou brought forth , whether for compassion , or for a more universall derision , to the furious multitude , with an ecce homo , behold the man : look upon him , o ye merciless jews ; see him in his shame , in his wounds and bloud , and now see whether ye think him miserable enough . ye see his face blew and black with buffeting , his eyes swoln , his cheeks beslabbered with spittle , his skin torn with scourges , his whole body bathed in bloud ; and would ye yet have more ? behold the man ; the man whom ye envied for his greatness , whom ye feared for his usurpation : doth he not look like a king ? is he not royally dressed ? see whether his magnificence do not command reverence from you . would ye wish a finer king ? are ye not afraid he will wrest the scepter out of caesar's hand ? behold the man. yea , and behold him well , o thou proud pilate , o ye cruel souldiers , o ye insatiable jews . ye see him base , whom ye shall see glorious ; the time shall surely come wherein ye shall see him in another dress : he shall shine whom ye now see to bleed ; his crown cannot be now so ignominious and painfull , as it shall be once majestical and precious ; ye who now bend your knees to him in scorn , shall see all knees both in heaven and in earth and under the earth to bow before him in an awfull adoration ; ye that now see him with contempt , shall behold him with horrour . what an inward war do i yet find in the breast of pilate ? his conscience bids him spare , his popularity bids him kill . his wife , warned by a dream , warns him to have no hand in the bloud of that just man ; the importunate multitude presses him for a sentence of death . all shifts have been tried to free the man whom he hath pronounced innocent : all violent motives are urged to condemn that man whom malice pretends guilty . in the height of this strife , when conscience and moral justice were ready to sway pilate's distracted heart to a just dismission , i hear the jews cry out , if thou let this man goe , thou art not caesar's friend . there is the word that strikes it dead : it is now no time to demur any more . in vain shall we hope that a carnal heart can prefer the care of his soul to the care of his safety and honour , god to caesar . now jesus must die : pilate hasts into the judgment-hall ; the sentence sticks no longer in his teeth , let him be crucified . yet how foul so ever his soul shall be with this fact , his hands shall be clean . he took water and washed his hands before the multitude , saying , i am innocent of the bloud of this just person : see ye to it . now all is safe i wis : this is expiation enough ; water can wash off bloud , the hands can cleanse the heart : protest thou art innocent , and thou canst not be guilty . vain hypocrite ! canst thou think to scape so ? is murther of no deeper dye ? canst thou dream waking , thus to avoid the charge of thy wife's dream ? is the guilt of the bloud of the son of god to be wip'd off with such ease ? what poor shifts do foolish sinners make to beguile themselves ? any thing will serve to charm the conscience , when it lists to sleep . but , oh saviour , whilst pilate thinks to wash off the guilt of thy bloud with water , i know there is nothing that can wash off the guilt of this his sin but thy bloud . oh do thou wash my soul in that precious bathe , and i shall be clean . oh pilate , if that very bloud which thou sheddest do not wash off the guilt of thy bloudshed , thy water doth but more defile thy soul , and intend that fire wherewith thou burnest . little did the desperate jews know the weight of that bloud , which they were so forward to wish upon themselves and their children . had they deprecated their interest in that horrible murther , they could not so easily have avoided the vengeance : but now that they fetch it upon themselves by a willing execration , what should i say , but that they long for a curse ? it is pity they should not be miserable . and have ye not now felt , o nation worthy of plagues , have ye not now felt what bloud it was whose guilt ye affected ? sixteen hundred years are now passed since you wished your selves thus wretched : have ye not been ever since the hate and scorn of the world ? did ye not live ( many of you ) to see your city buried in ashes , and drowned in bloud ? to see your selves no nation ? was there ever people under heaven that was made so famous a spectacle of misery and desolation ? have ye yet enough of that bloud which ye called for upon your selves and your children ? your former cruelties , uncleannesses , idolatries cost you but some short captivities ; god cannot but be just : this sin , under which you now lie groaning and forlorn , must needs be so much greater then these , as your vastation is more ; and what can that be other then the murther of the lord of life ? ye have what ye wisht : be miserable till ye be penitent . xlix . the crucifixion . the sentence of death is past , and now who can with dry eyes behold the sad pomp of my saviour's bloudy execution ? all the streets are full of gazing spectatours , waiting for this ruefull sight . at last , o saviour , there thou comest out of pilate's gate , bearing that which shall soon bear thee . to expect thy cross was not torment enough ; thou must carry it . all this while thou shalt not onely see , but feel thy death before it come ; and must help to be an agent in thine own passion . it was not out of favour , that , those scornfull robes being stripped off ▪ thou art led to death in thine own cloaths . so was thy face besmeared with bloud , so swoln and discoloured with buffettings , that thou couldst not have been known but by thy wonted habit . now thine insulting enemies are so much more imperiously cruell , as they are more sure of their success . their merciless tormentings have made thee half dead already : yet now , as if they had done nothing , they begin afresh ; and will force thy weakned and fainting nature to new tasks of pain . the transverse of thy cross ( at least ) is upon thy shoulder : when thou canst scarce goe , thou must carry . one kicks thee with his foot , another strikes thee with his staff , another drags thee hastily by thy cord , and more then one spur on thine unpitied weariness with angry commands of haste . oh true form and state of a servant ! all thy former actions , o saviour , were ( though painfull , yet ) free ; this , as it is in it self servile , so it is tyrannously inforced : inforced yet more upon thee by thy own love to mankind , then by their power and despight . it was thy father that laid upon thee the iniquity of us all : it was thine own mercy that caused thee to bear our sins upon the cross , and to bear the cross ( with the curse annexed to it ) for our sins . how much more voluntary must that needs be in thee , which thou requirest to be voluntarily undertaken by us ? it was thy charge , if any man will come after me , let him deny himself , and take up his cross , and follow me . thou didst not say , let him bear his cross as forceably imposed by another ; but , let him take up his cross , as his free burthen : free in respect of his heart , not in respect of his hand : so free , that he shall willingly undergoe it , when it is laid upon him ; not so free as that he shall lay it upon himself unrequired . o saviour , thou didst not snatch the cross out of the souldiers hands , and cast it upon thy shoulder ; but when they laid it on thy neck , thou underwentest it . the constraint was theirs , the will was thine . it was not so heavy to them , or to simon , as it was to thee : they felt nothing but the wood , thou feltest it clogged with the load of the sins of the whole world . no marvell if thou faintedst under that sad burthen ; thou that bearest up the whole earth by thy word , didst sweat , and pant , and groan under this unsupportable carriage . o blessed jesu , how could i be confounded in my self to see thee , after so much loss of bloud and over-toiledness of pain , languishing under that fatal tree ! and yet why should it more trouble me to see thee sinking under thy cross now , then to see thee anon hanging upon thy cross ? in both thou wouldst render thy self weak and miserable , that thou mightest so much the more glorify thy infinite mercy in suffering . it is not out of any compassion of thy misery , or care of thine ease , that simon of cyrene is forced to be the porter of thy cross ; it was out of their own eagerness of thy dispatch : thy feeble paces were too slow for their purpose ; their thirst after thy bloud made them impatient of delay . if thou have wearily struggled with the burthen of thy shame all along the streets of jerusalem , when thou comest once past the gates , an helper shall be deputed to thee : the expedition of thy death was more sweet to them , then the pain of a lingring passage . what thou saidst to judas , they say to the executioner , what thou doest , doe quickly . whilst thou yet livest , they cannot be quiet , they cannot be safe : to hasten thine end , they lighten thy carriage . hadst thou done this out of choice which thou didst out of constraint , how i should have envied thee , o simon of cyrene , as too happy in the honour to be the first man that bore that cross of thy saviour , wherein millions of blessed martyrs have ( since that time ) been ambitious to succeed thee ? thus to bear thy cross for thee , o saviour , was more then to bear a crown from thee . could i be worthy to be thus graced by thee , i should pity all other glories . whilst thou thus passest , o dear jesu , the streets and ways resound not all with one note . if the malicious jews and cruell souldiers insulted upon thee , and either haled or railed thee on with a bitter violence , thy faithfull followers were no less loud in their moans and ejulations ; neither would they endure that the noise of their cries and lamentations should be drowned with the clamour of those reproaches : but especially thy blessed mother , and those other zealous associates of her own sex , were most passionate in their wailings . and why should i think that all that devout multitude which so lately cried hosanna in the streets , did not also bear their part in these publick condolings ? though it had not concerned thy self , o saviour , thine ears had been still more open to the voice of grief then of malice : and so thy lips also are open to the one , shut to the other . daughters of jerusalem , weep not for me , but weep for your selves and for your children . who would not have thought , o saviour , that thou shouldst have been wholly taken up with thine own sorrows ? the expectation of so bitter a death had been enough to have overwhelmed any soul but thine : yet even now can thy gracious eye find time to look beyond thine own miseries , at theirs ; and to pity them , who , insensible of their own insuing condition , mourned for thine now present . they see thine extremity , thou foreseest theirs ; they pour out their sorrow upon thee , thou divertest it upon themselves . we silly creatures walk blindfolded in this vale of tears , and little know what evil is towards us : onely what we feel we know ; and whilst we feel nothing , can find leisure to bestow our commiseration on those who need it perhaps less then our selves . even now , o saviour , when thou wert within the view of thy calvary , thou canst foresee and pity the vastation of thy jerusalem ; and givest a sad prophecy of the imminent destruction of that city which lately had cost thee tears , and now shall cost thee bloud . it is not all the indign cruelty of men that can rob thee of thy mercy . jerusalem could not want malefactours , though barabbas was dismissed . that all this execution might seem to be done out of the zeal of justice , two capital offenders , adjudged to their gibbet , shall accompany thee , o saviour , both to thy death , and in it . they are led manicled after thee , as less criminous : no stripes had disabled them from bearing their own crosses . long agoe was this unmeet society foretold by thine evangelical seer , he was taken from prison and from judgment ; he was cut out of the land of the living ; he made his grave with the wicked . o blessed jesu , it had been disparagement enough to thee to be sorted with the best of men , ( since there is much sin in the perfectest , and there could be no sin in thee ; ) but to be matched with the scum of mankind , whom vengeance would not let to live , is such an indignity as confounds my thoughts . surely there is no angel in heaven but would have been proud to attend thee ; and what could the earth afford worthy of thy train ? yet malice hath suited thee with company next to hell ; that their viciousness might reflect upon thee , and their sin might stain thine innocence . ye are deceived , o ye fond judges : this is the way to grace your dying malefactours ; this is not the way to disgrace him whose guiltlesness and perfection triumph'd over your injustice : his presence was able to make your thieves happy ; their presence could no more blemish him then your own . thus guarded , thus attended , thus accompanied art thou , blessed jesu , led to that loathsome and infamous hill , which now thy last bloud shall make sacred : now thou settest thy foot upon that rising ground which shall prevent thine olivet , whence thy soul shall first ascend into thy glory . there whilst thou art dressing thy self for thy last act , thou art presented with that bitter and farewell-potion wherewith dying malefactours were wont to have their senses stupified , that they might not feel the torments of their execution . it was but the common mercy of men to alleviate the death of offenders ; since the intent of their last doom is not so much pain , as dissolution . that draught , o saviour , was not more welcome to the guilty then hatefull unto thee . in the vigour of all thine inward and outward senses thou wouldst incounter the most violent assaults of death , and scornedst to abate the least touch of thy quickest apprehension . thou well knewest that the work thou wentest about would require the use of all thy powers ; it was not thine ease that thou soughtest , but our redemption ; neither meantest thou to yield to thy last enemy , but to resist and to overcome him : which that thou mightest doe the more gloriously , thou challengedst him to doe his worst ; and in the mean time wouldst not disfurnish thy self of any of thy powerfull faculties . this greatest combat that ever was shall be fought on even hand : neither wouldst thou steal that victory which thou now atchievedst over death and hell. thou didst but touch at this cup ; it is a far bitterer then this that thou art now drinking up to the dregs : thou refusedst that which was offered thee by men , but that which was mixed by thine eternal father ( though mere gall and wormwood ) thou didst drink up to the last drop . and therein , o blessed jesu , lies all our health and salvation . i know not whether i do more suffer in thy pain , or joy in the issue of thy suffering . now , even now , o saviour , art thou entring into those dreadfull lists , and now thou art grappling with thy last enemy ; as if thou hadst not suffered till now , now thy bloudy passion begins : a cruell expoliation begins that violence . again do these grim and merciless souldiers lay their rude hands upon thee , and strip thee naked ; again are those bleeding wales lay'd open to all eyes ; again must thy sacred body undergoe the shame of an abhorred nakedness . lo , thou that cloathest man with raiment , beasts with hides , fishes with scales and shells , earth with flowers , heaven with stars , art despoiled of cloaths , and standest exposed to the scorn of all beholders . as the first adam entred into his paradise , so dost thou ( the second adam ) into thine , naked ; and as the first adam was cloathed with innocence when he had no cloaths , so wert thou ( the second ) too : and more then so ; thy nakedness , o saviour , cloaths our souls not with innocence onely , but with beauty . hadst not thou been naked , we had been cloathed with confusion . o happy nakedness , whereby we are covered from shame ! o happy shame , whereby we are invested with glory ! all the beholders stand wrapped with warm garments ; thou onely art stripped to tread the wine-press alone . how did thy blessed mother now wish her veil upon thy shoulders ? and that disciple who lately ran from thee naked , wish'd in vain that his loving pity might doe that for thee , which fear forced him to for himself . shame is succeeded with pain . oh the torment of the cross ! methinks i see and feel how , having fastned the transverse to the body of that fatal tree , and laid it upon the ground , they racked and strained thy tender and sacred lims , to fit the extent of their fore-appointed measure ; and having tentered out thine arms beyond their natural reach , how they fastned them with cords , till those strong iron nails ( which were driven up to the head , through the palms of thy blessed hands ) had not more firmly then painfully fixed thee to the gibbet . the tree is raised up , and now not without a vehement concussion settled in the mortise . woe is me ! how are thy joynts and sinews torn , and stretched till they crack again , by this torturing distension ? how doth thine own weight torment thee , whilst thy whole body rests upon this forced and dolorous hold , till thy nailed feet bear their part in a no-less-afflictive supportation ? how did the rough iron pierce thy soul , whilst , passing through those tender and sensible parts , it carried thy flesh before it , and as it were rivetted it to that shamefull tree ? there now , o dear jesu , there thou hangest between heaven and earth , naked , bleeding , forlorn , despicable , the spectacle of miseries , the scorn of men . be abashed , o ye heavens and earth , and all ye creatures wrap up your selves in horrour and confusion , to see the shame and pain and curse of your most pure and omnipotent creatour . how could ye subsist , whilst he thus suffers in whom ye are ? o saviour , didst thou take flesh for our redemption , to be thus indignly used , thus mangled , thus tortured ? was this measure fit to be offered to that sacred body that was conceived by the holy ghost of the pure substance of an immaculate virgin ? woe is me ! that which was unspotted with sin , is all blemished with humane cruelty , and so wofully disfigured , that the blessed mother that bore thee could not now have known thee ; so bloudy were thy temples , so swoln and discoloured was thy face , so was the skin of thy whole body streaked with red and blew stripes , so did thy thorny diadem shade thine heavenly countenance , so did the streams of thy bloud cover and deform all thy parts . the eye of sense could not distinguish thee , o dear saviour , in the nearest proximity to thy cross : the eye of faith sees thee in all this distance ; and by how much more ignominy , deformity , pain it finds in thee , so much more it admires the glory of thy mercy . alas ! is this the head that is decked by thine eternall father with a crown of pure gold , of immortall and incomprehensible majesty , which is now bushed with thorns ? is this the eye that saw the heavens opened , and the holy ghost descending upon that head , that saw such resplendence of heavenly brightness on mount tabor , which now begins to be overclouded with death ? are these the ears that heard the voice of thy father owning thee out of heaven , which now tingle with buffettings , and glow with reproaches , and bleed with thorns ? are these the lips that spake as never man spake , full of grace and power , that called out dead lazarus , that ejected the stubbornest devils , that commanded the cure of all diseases , which now are swoln with blows , and discoloured with blewness and bloud ? is this the face that should be fairer then the sons of men , which the angels of heaven so desired to see , and can never be satisfied with seeing , that is thus foul with the nasty mixtures of sweat , and bloud , and spittings on ? are these the hands that stretched out the heavens as a curtain , that by their touch healed the lame , the deaf , the blind , which are now bleeding with the nails ? are these the feet which walked lately upon the liquid pavement of the sea , before whose footstool all the nations of the earth are bidden to worship , that are now so painfully fixed to the cross ? o cruell and unthankfull mankind , that offered such measure to the lord of life ! o infinitely-mercifull saviour , that wouldst suffer all this for unthankfull mankind ! that fiends should doe these things to guilty souls , it is ( though terrible , yet ) just ; but that men should doe thus to the blessed son of god , it is beyond the capacity of our horrour . even the most hostile dispositions have been onely content to kill ; death hath sated the most eager malice : thine enemies , o saviour , held not themselves satisfied , unless they might enjoy thy torment . two thieves are appointed to be thy companions in death ; thou art designed to the midst , as the chief malefactour : on whether hand soever thou lookest , thine eye meets with an hatefull partner . but , o blessed jesu , how shall i enough admire and celebrate thy infinite mercy , who madest so happy an use of this jewish despight , as to improve it to the occasion of the salvation of one , and the comfort of millions ? is not this , as the last , so the greatest specialty of thy wonderfull compassion , to convert that dying thief ? with those nailed hands to snatch a soul out of the mouth of hell ? lord , how i bless thee for this work ? how do i stand amazed at this , above all other the demonstrations of thy goodness and power ? the offender came to die : nothing was in his thoughts but his guilt and torment : whilst he was yet in his bloud , thou saidst , this soul shall live . ere yet the intoxicating potion could have time to work upon his brain , thy spirit infuses faith into his heart . he that before had nothing in his eye but present death and torture , is now lifted up above his cross in a blessed ambition ; lord , remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom . is this the voice of a thief , or of a disciple ? give me leave , o saviour , to borrow thine own words ; verily i have not found so great faith , no not in all israel . he saw thee hanging miserably by him , and yet styles thee lord ; he saw thee dying , yet talks of thy kingdom ; he felt himself dying , yet talks of a future remembrance . o faith stronger then death , that can look beyond the cross at a crown ; beyond dissolution at a remembrance of life and glory ! which of thine eleven were heard to speak so gracious a word to thee in these thy last pangs ? after thy resurrection and knowledge of thine impassible condition it was not strange for them to talk of thy kingdom ; but in the midst of thy shamefull death , for a dying malefactour to speak of thy reigning , and to implore thy remembrance of himself in thy kingdom , it is such an improvement of faith as ravisheth my soul with admiration . o blessed thief , that hast thus happily stoln heaven ! how worthy hath thy saviour made thee to be a partner of his sufferings , a pattern of undauntable belief , a spectacle of unspeakable mercy ? this day shalt thou be with me in paradise . before i wondred at thy faith ; now i envy at thy felicity . thou cravedst a remembrance ; thy saviour speaks of a present possession , this day : thou suedst for remembrance as a favour to the absent ; thy saviour speaks of thy presence with him : thou spakest of a kingdom ; thy saviour of paradise . as no disciple could be more faithfull , so no saint could be happier . o saviour , what a precedent is this of thy free and powerfull grace ? where thou wilt give , what unworthiness can bar us from mercy ? when thou wilt give , what time can prejudice our vocation ? who can despair of thy goodness , when he that in the morning was posting towards hell , is in the evening with thee in paradise ? lord , he could not have spoken this to thee , but by thee , and from thee . what possibility was there for a thief to think of thy kingdom , without thy spirit ? that good spirit of thine breathed upon this man , breathed not upon his fellow ; their trade was alike , their sin was alike , their state alike , their cross alike , onely thy mercy makes them unlike : one is taken , the other is refused . blessed be thy mercy in taking one ; blessed be thy justice in leaving the other . who can despair of that mercy ? who cannot but tremble at that justice ? now , o ye cruell priests and elders of the jews , ye have full leisure to feed your eyes with the sight ye so much longed for ; there is the bloud ye purchased : and is not your malice yet glutted ? is not all this enough , without your taunts and scoffs and sports at so exquisite a misery ? the people , the passengers are taught to insult , where they should pity . every man hath a scorn ready to cast at a dying innocent . a generous nature is more wounded with the tongue , then with the hand . o saviour , thine ear was more painfully pierced then thy brows , or hands , or feet . it could not but goe deep into thy soul , to hear these bitter and girding reproaches from them thou camest to save . but , alas ! what flea-bitings were these in comparison of those inward torments which thy soul felt in the sense and apprehension of thy father's wrath for the sins of the whole world , which now lay heavy upon thee for satisfaction ? this , oh this was it that pressed thy soul as it were to the neathermost hell. whilst thine eternall father look'd lovingly upon thee , what didst thou , what neededst thou to care for the frowns of men or devils ? but when he once turn'd his face from thee , or bent his brows upon thee , this , this was worse then death . it is no marvell now , if darkness were upon the face of the whole earth , when thy father's face was eclipsed from thee by the interposition of our sins . how should there be light in the world without , when the god of the world , the father of lights , complains of the want of light within ? that word of thine , o saviour , was enough to fetch the sun down out of heaven , and to dissolve the whole frame of nature , when thou criedst , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? oh what pangs were these , dear jesu , that drew from thee this complaint ? thou well knewest nothing could be more cordiall to thine enemies , then to hear this sad language from thee : they could see but the outside of thy sufferings ; never could they have conceived so deep an anguish of thy soul , if thy own lips had not expressed it . yet , as not regarding their triumph , thou thus pourest out thy sorrow : and when so much is uttered , who can conceive what is felt ? how is it then with thee , o saviour , that thou thus astonishest men and angels with so wofull a quiritation ? had thy god left thee ? thou not long since saidst , i and my father are one : are ye now severed ? let this thought be as far from my soul , as my soul from hell. no more can thy blessed father be separated from thee , then from his own essence . his union with thee is eternall ; his vision was intercepted : he could not withdraw his presence , he would withdraw the influence of his comfort . thou , the second adam , stoodst for mankind upon this tree of the cross , as the first adam stood and fell for mankind under the tree of offence . thou barest our sins ; thy father saw us in thee , and would punish us in thee , thee for us : how could he but withhold comfort , where he intended chastisement ? herein therefore he seems to forsake thee for the present , in that he would not deliver thee from that bitter passion which thou wouldst undergoe for us . o saviour , hadst thou not been thus forsaken , we had perished ; thy dereliction is our safety : and however our narrow souls are not capable of the conceit of thy pain and horrour ; yet we know there can be no danger in the forsaking , whilst thou canst say , my god. he is so thy god as he cannot be ours : all our right is by adoption , thine by nature ; thou art one with him in eternall essence , we come in by grace and mercifull election : yet whilst thou shalt enable me to say , my god , i shall hope never to sink under thy desertions . but whilst i am transported with the sense of thy sufferings , o saviour , let me not forget to admire those sweet mercies of thine which thou pouredst out upon thy persecutours . they rejoyce in thy death , and triumph in thy misery , and scoff at thee in both : in stead of calling down fire from heaven upon them , thou heapest coals of fire upon their heads . father , forgive them , for they know not what they doe . they blaspheme thee , thou prayest for them ; they scorn , thou pitiest ; they sin against thee , thou prayest for their forgiveness ; they profess their malice , thou pleadest their ignorance . o compassion without example , without measure , fit for the son of god , the saviour of men ! wicked and foolish jews ! ye would be miserable , he will not let you : ye would fain pull upon your selves the guilt of his bloud , he deprecates it : ye kill , he sues for your remission and life . his tongue cries louder then his bloud ; father , forgive them . o saviour , thou couldst not but be heard . those who out of ignorance and simplicity thus persecuted thee , find the happy issue of thine intercession . now i see whence it was that three thousand souls were converted soon after at one sermon . it was not peter's speech , it was thy prayer , that was thus effectuall . now they have grace to know and confess whence they have both forgiveness and salvation ; and can recompense their blasphemies with thanksgiving . what sin is there , lord , whereof i can despair of the remission , or what offence can i be unwilling to remit , when thou prayest for the forgiveness of thy murtherers and blasphemers ? there is no day so long but hath his evening . at last , o blessed saviour , thou art drawing to an end of these painfull sufferings , when spent with toil and torment thou criest out , i thirst . how shouldst thou doe other ? o dear jesu , how shouldst thou doe other then thirst ? the night thou hadst spent in watching , in prayer , in agony , in thy conveyance from the garden to jerusalem , from annas to caiaphas , from caiaphas to pilate , in thy restless answers , in buffetings and stripes ; the day in arraignments , in haling from place to place , in scourgings , in stripping , in robing and disrobing , in bleeding , in tugging under thy cross , in woundings and distension , in pain and passion : no marvell if thou thirstedst . although there was more in this drought then thy need : it was no less requisite thou shouldst thirst , then that thou shouldst die : both were upon the same predetermination , both upon the same prediction . how else should that word be verified , psal . . , . all my bones are out of joynt ; my heart is like wax , it is melted in the midst of my bowels : my strength is dried up like a potsherd , and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws ; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death ? had it not been to make up that word whereof one jot cannot pass , though thou hadst felt this thirst , yet thou hadst not bewrayed it . alas ! what could it avail to bemoan thy wants to insulting enemies , whose sport was thy misery ? how should they pity thy thirst , that pitied not thy bloudshed ? it was not their favour that thou expectedst herein , but their conviction . o saviour , how can we , thy sinfull servants , think much to be exercised with hunger and thirst , when we hear thee thus plain ? thou that not long since proclaimedst in the temple , if any man thirst , let him come to me and drink : he that believeth in me , out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters , now thy self thirstest : thou , in whom we believe , complainest to want some drops ; thou hadst the command of all the waters both above the firmament and below it , yet thou wouldst thirst . even so , lord , thou that wouldst die for us , wouldst thirst for us . o give me to thirst after those waters which thou promisest , what-ever become of those waters which thou wouldst want . the time was , when , craving water of the samaritan , thou gavest better then that thou askedst . oh give me to thirst after that more precious water ; and so do thou give me of that water of life , that i may never thirst again . blessed god! how marvellously dost thou contrive thine own affairs ? thine enemies , whilst they would despight thee , shall unwittingly justifie thee , and convince themselves . as thou fore-saidst , in thy thirst , they gave thee vinegar to drink . had they given thee wine , thou hadst not taken it : the night before thou hadst taken leave of that comfortable liquour , resolving to drink no more of that sweet juice till thou shouldst drink it new with them in thy father's kingdom . had they given thee water , they had not fulfilled that prediction , whereby they were self-condemned . i know not now , o dear jesu , whether this last draught of thine were more pleasing to thee or more distastfull : distastfull in it self ; ( for what liquour could be equally harsh ; ) pleasing , that it made up those sufferings thou wert to endure , and those prophecies thou wert to fulfill . now there is no more to doe , thy full consummation of all predictions , of all types and ceremonies , of all sufferings , of all satisfactions is happily both effected and proclaimed ; nothing now remains but a voluntary , sweet and heavenly resignation of thy blessed soul into the hands of thine eternall father , and a bowing of thine head for the change of a better crown , and a peaceable obdormition in thy bed of ease and honour , and an instant entrance into rest , triumph , glory . and now , o blessed jesu , how easily have carnall eyes all this while mistaken the passages and intentions of this thy last and most glorious work ? our weakness could hitherto see nothing here but pain and ignominy ; now my better-inlightned eyes see in this elevation of thine both honour and happiness . lo , thou that art the mediatour betwixt god and man , the reconciler of heaven and earth , art lift up betwixt earth and heaven , that thou mightest accord both . thou that art the great captain of our salvation , the conquerour of all the adverse powers of death and hell , art exalted upon this triumphall chariot of the cross , that thou mightest trample upon death , and drag all those infernall principalities manicled after thee . those arms which thine enemies meant violently to extend , are stretched forth for the imbracing of all mankind that shall come in for the benefit of thine all-sufficient redemption . even whilst thou sufferest , thou reignest . oh the impotent madness of silly men ! they think to disgrace thee with wrie faces , with tongues put out , with bitter scoffs , with poor wretched indignities ; when in the mean time the heavens declare thy righteousness , o lord , and the earth shews forth thy power . the sun pulls in his light , as not abiding to see the sufferings of his creatour ; the earth trembles under the sense of the wrong done to her maker ; the rocks rend , the veil of the temple tears from the top to the bottom : shortly , all the frame of the world acknowledges the dominion of that son of god whom man despised . earth and hell have done their worst . o saviour , thou art in thy paradise , and triumphest over the malice of men and devils : the remainders of thy sacred person are not yet free . the souldiers have parted thy garments , and cast lots upon thy seamless coat . ( those poor spoils cannot so much inrich them as glorifie thee , whose scriptures are fulfilled by their barbarous sortitions . ) the jews sue to have thy bones divided ; but they sue in vain . no more could thy garments be whole , then thy body could be broken . one inviolable decree over-rules both . foolish executioners ! ye look up at that crucified body , as if it were altogether in your power and mercy ; nothing appears to you but impotence and death : little do ye know what an irresistible guard there is upon that sacred corps ; such , as if all the powers of darkness shall band against , they shall find themselves confounded . in spite of all the gates of hell that word shall stand , not a bone of him shall be broken . still the infallible decree of the almighty leads you on to his own ends , through your own ways . ye saw him already dead , whom ye came to dispatch : those bones therefore shall be whole , which ye had had no power to break . but yet , that no piece either of your cruelty or of divine prediction may remain unsatisfied , he whose bones may not be impaired , shall be wounded in his flesh ; he whose ghost was yielded up , must yield his last bloud . one of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side , and forthwith there came out bloud and water . malice is wont to end with life ; here it over-lives it . cruell man ! what means this so late wound ? what commission hadst thou for this bloudy act ? pilate had given leave to break the bones of the living , he gave no leave to goar the side of the dead : what wicked superrerogation is this ? what a superfluity of maliciousness ? to what purpose did thy spear pierce so many hearts in that one ? why wouldst thou kill a dead man ? methinks the blessed virgin , and those other passionate associates of hers , and the disciple whom jesus loved , together with the other of his fellows , the friends and followers of christ , and especially he that was so ready to draw his sword upon the troup of his master's apprehenders , should have work enough to contain themselves within the bounds of patience at so savage a stroke : their sorrow could not chuse but turn to indignation , and their hearts could not but rise ( as even mine doth now ) at so impertinent a villany . how easily could i rave at that rude hand ? but , o god , when i look up to thee , and consider how thy holy and wise providence so overrules the most barbarous actions of men , that ( besides their will ) they turn beneficiall , i can at once hate them , and bless thee . this very wound hath a mouth to speak the messiah ship of my saviour , and the truth of thy scripture , they shall look at him whom they have pierced . behold now the second adam sleeping , and out of his side formed the mother of the living , the evangelicall church : behold the rock which was smitten , and the waters of life gushed forth . behold the fountain that is set open to the house of david , for sin and for uncleanness ; a fountain not of water onely , but of bloud too . o saviour , by thy water we are washed , by thy bloud we are redeemed . those two sacraments which thou didst institute alive , flow also from thee dead , as the last memorialls of thy love to thy church : the water of baptism , which is the laver of regeneration ; the bloud of the new testament shed for remission of sins : and these , together with the spirit that gives life to them both , are the three witnesses on earth , whose attestation cannot fail us . o precious and sovereign wound , by which our souls are healed ! into this cleft of the rock let my dove fly and enter , and there safely hide her self from the talons of all the birds of prey . it could not be but that the death of christ contrived and acted at jerusalem in so solemn a festivall , must needs draw a world of beholders . the romans , the centurion and his band , were there as actours , as supervisours of the execution . those strangers were no otherwise engaged , then as they that would hold fair correspondence with the citizens where they were engarisoned : their freedome from prejudice rendred them more capable of an ingenuous construction of all events . now when the centurion and they that were with him that watched jesus saw the earthquake , and the things that were done , they feared greatly , and glorified god , and said , truly this was the son of god. what a marvellous concurrence is here of strong and irrefragable convictions ? meekness in suffering , prayer for his murtherers , a faithfull resignation of his soul into the hands of his heavenly father , the sun eclipsed , the heavens darkned , the earth trembling , the graves open , the rocks rent , the veil of the temple torn ; who could goe less then this , truly this was the son of god ? he suffers patiently ; this is through the power of grace : many good men have done so through his enabling . the frame of nature suffers with him ; this is proper to the god of nature , the son of god. i wonder not that these men confessed thus ; i wonder that any spectatour confessed it not : these proofs were enough to fetch all the world upon their knees , and to have made all mankind a convert . but all hearts are not alike ; no means can work upon the wilfully-obdured . even after this the souldier pierced that blessed side ; and whilst pagans relented , jews continued impenitent . yet even of that nation , those beholders whom envy and partiality had not interessed in this slaughter , were stricken with just astonishment , and smote their breasts , and shook their heads , and by passionate gesture spake what their tongues durst not . how many must there needs be , in this universall concourse , of them whom he had healed of diseases , or freed from devils , or miraculously fed , or some way obliged in their persons or friends ? these , as they were deeply affected with the mortall indignities which were offered to their acknowledged messiah , so they could not but be ravished with wonder at those powerfull demonstrations of the deity of him in whom they believed ; and strangely distracted in their thoughts , whilst they compared those sufferings with that omnipotence . as yet their faith and knowledge was but in the bud or in the blade . how could they chuse but think , were he not the son of god , how could these things be ? and if he were the son of god , how could he die ? his resurrection , his ascension , should soon after perfect their belief ; but in the mean time their hearts could not but be conflicted with thoughts hard to be reconciled . howsoever , they glorify god , and stand amazed at the expectation of the issue . but above all other , o thou blessed virgin , the holy mother of our lord , how many swords pierced thy soul , whilst standing close by his cross thou sawest thy dear son and saviour thus indignly used , thus stripped , thus stretched , thus nailed , thus bleeding , thus dying , thus pierced ? how did thy troubled heart now recount what the angel gabriel had reported to thee from god in the message of thy blessed conception of that son of god ? how didst thou think of the miraculous formation of that thy divine burthen by the power of the holy ghost ? how didst thou recall those prophecies of anna and simeon concerning him , and all those supernaturall works of his , the irrefragable proofs of his godhead ? and laying all these together , with the miserable infirmities of his passion , how wert thou crucified with him ? the care that he took for thee in the extremity of his torments could not chuse but melt thy heart into sorrow : but oh ! when in the height of his pain and misery thou heardst him cry out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? what a cold horrour possessed thy soul ? i cannot now wonder at thy qualms and swounings ; i could rather wonder that thou survivedst so sad an hour . but when , recollecting thy self , thou sawest the heavens to bear a part with thee in thy mourning , and feltest the earth to tremble no less then thy self , and foundest that the dreadfull concussion of the whole frame of nature proclaimed the deity of him that would thus suffer and die , and remembredst his frequent predictions of drinking this bitter cup , and of being baptized thus in bloud ; thou beganst to take heart , and to comfort thy self with the assured expectation of the glorious issue . more then once had he foretold thee his victorious resurrection . he who had openly professed jonas for his type , and had fore-promised in three days to raise up the ruined temple of his body ; had doubtless given more full intimation unto thee , who hadst so great a share in that sacred body of his . the just shall live by faith. lo , that faith of thine in his ensuing resurrection and in his triumph over death , gives thee life , and chears up thy drouping soul , and bids it in an holy confidence to triumph over all thy fears and sorrows ; and him whom thou now seest dead and despised , represents unto thee living , immortall , glorious . l. the resurrection . grace doth not ever make show where it is . there is much secret riches both in the earth and sea , which never eye saw . i never heard any news till now of joseph of arimathaea : yet was he eminently both rich , and wise , and good ; a worthy , though close , disciple of our saviour . true faith may be wisely reserved , but will not be cowardly . now he puts forth himself , and dares beg the body of jesus . dearth is wont to end all quarrells . pilate's heart tells him he hath done too much already , in sentencing an innocent to death : no doubt that centurion had related unto him the miraculous symptoms of that passion . he that so unwillingly condemned innocence , could rather have wished that just man alive , then have denied him dead . the body is yielded , and taken down ; and now , that which hung naked upon the cross , is wrapped in fine linen ; that which was soiled with sweat and bloud , is curiously washed and embalmed . now even nicodemus comes in for a part , and fears not the envy of a good profession . death hath let that man loose , whom the law formerly over-awed with restraint . he hates to be a night-bird any longer ; but boldly flies forth , and looks upon the face of the sun , and will be now as liberall in his odours , as he was before niggardly in his confession . o saviour , the earth was thine and the fulness of it ; yet , as thou hadst not an house of thine own whilst thou livedst , so thou hadst not a grave when thou wert dead . joseph that rich councillour lent thee his ; lent it so , as it should never be restored : thou took'st it up but for a while ; but that little touch of that sacred corps of thine made it too good for the owner . o happy joseph , that hadst the honour to be landlord of the lord of life ! how well is thy house-room repay'd with a mansion not made with hands , eternall in the heavens ? thy garden and thy tomb were hard by calvary , where thou couldst not fail of many monitions of thy frailty . how oft hadst thou seasoned that new tomb with sad and savoury meditations ? and hadst oft said within thy self , here i shall once lie down to my last rest , and wait for my resurrection ? little didst thou then think to have been disappointed by so blessed a guest ; or that thy grave should be again so soon empty , and in that emptiness uncapable of any mortall in-dweller . how gladly dost thou now resign thy grave to him in whom thou livest , and who liveth for ever , whose soul is in paradise , whose godhead every-where ? hadst thou not been rich before , this gift had enriched thee alone , and more ennobled thee then all thine earthly honour . now great princes envy thy bounty , and have thought themselves happy to kiss the stones of that rock which thou thus hewedst , thus bestowedst . thus purely wrapped and sweetly embalmed lies the precious body of our saviour in joseph's new vault . are ye now also at rest , o ye jewish rulers ? is your malice dead and buried with him ? hath pilate enough served your envy and revenge ? surely it is but a common hostility that can die ; yours surviveth death , and puts you upon a farther project . the chief priests and pharisees came together unto pilate , saying , sir , we remember that this deceiver said whilst he was yet alive , after three days i will rise again : command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure till the third day ; lest his disciples come by night , and steal him away , and say to the people he is risen . how full of terrours and inevitable perplexities is guiltiness ? these men were not more troubled with envy at christ alive , then now with fear of his resurrection . and what can now secure them ? pilate had helpt to kill him ; but who shall keep him from rising ? wicked and foolish jews ! how fain would ye fight against god and your own hearts ? how gladly would ye deceive your selves , in believing him to be a deceiver whom your consciences knew to be no less true then powerfull ? lazarus was still in your eye : that man was no phantasm ; his death , his reviving was undeniable ; the so-fresh resuscitation of that dead body after four days dissolution was a manifest conviction of omnipotence . how do ye vainly wish that he could deceive you in the fore-reporting of his own resurrection ? without a divine power he could have raised neither lazarus nor himself : with and by it , he could as well raise himself as lazarus . what need we other witnesses then your own mouths ? that which he would doe , ye confess he foretold ; that the truth of his word might answer the power of this deed , and both of them might argue him the god of truth and power , and your selves enemies to both . and now what must be done ? the sepulcher must be secured , and you with it : an huge stone , a strong guard must doe the deed : and that stone must be sealed , that guard of your own designing . methinks i hear the souldiers and busie officers , when they were rolling that other weighty stone ( for such we probably conceive ) to the mouth of the vault with much toil and sweat and breathlesness , how they bragg'd of the sureness of the place and unremovableness of that load ; and when that so choice a watch was set , how they boasted of their valour and vigilance , and said , they would make him safe from either rising or stealing . oh the madness of impotent men , that think by either wile or force to frustrate the will and designs of the almighty ! how justly doth that wise and powerfull arbiter of the world laugh them to scorn in heaven , and befool them in their own vain devices ? o saviour , how much evidence had thy resurrection wanted , if these enemies had not been thus maliciously provident ? how irrefragable is thy rising made by these bootless endeavours of their prevention ? all this while the devout maries keep close , and silently spend their sabbath in a mixture of grief and hope . how did they wear out those sad hours in bemoaning themselves each to other ; in mutuall relations of the patient sufferings , of the happy expiration of their saviour , of the wonderfull events both in the heavens and earth that accompanied his crucifixion , of his frequent and clear predictions of his resurrection ? and now they have gladly agreed , ( so soon as the time will give them leave , ) in the dawning of the sunday-morning to visit that dear sepulcher . neither will they goe empty-handed : she that had bestowed that costly alabaster-box of ointment upon their saviour alive , hath prepared no less precious odours for him dead . love is restless and fearless . in the dark of night these good women goe to buy their spices , and ere the day-break are gone out of their houses towards the tomb of christ to bestow them . this sex is commonly fearfull ; it was much for them to walk alone in that unsafe season : yet , as despising all fears and dangers , they thus spend the night after their sabbath . might they have been allowed to buy their perfumes on the sabbath , or to have visited that holy tomb sooner , can we think they would have staid so long ? can we suppose they would have cared more for the sabbath then for the lord of the sabbath , who now kept his sabbath in the grave ? sooner they might not come , later they would not , to present their last homage to their dead saviour . had these holy women known their jesus to be alive , how had they hasted , who made such speed to doe their last offices to his sacred corps ? for us , we know that our redeemer liveth ; we know where he is . o saviour , how cold and heartless is our love to thee , if we do not haste to find thee in thy word and sacraments ; if our souls do not fly up to thee in all holy affections into thy heaven ? of all the women mary magdalen is first named , and in some evangelists alone : she is noted above her fellows . none of them were so much obliged , none so zealously thankfull : seven devils were cast out of her by the command of christ . that heart which was freed from satan by that powerfull dispossession , was now possessed with a free and gracious bounty to her deliverer . twice at the least hath she poured out her fragrant and costly odours upon him . where there is a true sense of favour and beneficence , there cannot but be a fervent desire of retribution . o blessed saviour , could we feel the danger of every sin , and the malignity of those spirituall possessions from which thou hast freed us , how should we pour out our selves into thankfulness unto thee ? every thing here had horrour . the place , both solitary and a sepulcher : nature abhors , as the visage , so the region of death and corruption . the time , night ; onely the moon gave them some faint glimmering : ( for this being the seventeenth day of her age , afforded some light to the latter part of the night . ) the business , the visitation of a dead corps . their zealous love hath easily overcome all these . they had followed him in his sufferings when the disciples left him ; they attended him to his cross weeping ; they followed him to his grave , and saw how joseph laid him : even there they leave him not , but , ere it be day-light , return to pay him the last tribute of their duty . how much stronger is love then death ? o blessed jesu , why should not we imitate thy love to us ? those whom thou lovest , thou lovest to the end , yea in it , yea after it : even when we are dead , not our souls onely , but our very dust is dearly respected of thee . what condition of thine should remove our affections from thy person in heaven , from thy lims on earth ? well did these worthy women know what joseph of arimathaea and nicodemus had done to thee ; they saw how curiously they had wrapped thee , how preciously they had embalmed thee : yet , as not thinking others beneficence could be any just excuse of theirs , they bring their own odours to thy sepulture to be perfumed by the touch of thy sacred body . what thank is it to us that others are obsequious to thee , whilst we are slack or niggardly ? we may rejoyce in others forwardness ; but if we rest in it , how small joy shall it be to us , to see them go to heaven without us ? when on the friday-evening they attended joseph to the intombing of jesus , they mark'd the place , they mark'd the passage , they mark'd that inner grave-stone which the owner had fitted to the mouth of that tomb ; which all there care is now to remove ; who shall roll away the stone ? that other more weighty load wherewith the vault was barred , the seal , the guard set upon both , came not perhaps into their knowledge ; this was the private plot of pilate and the priests , beyond the reach of their thoughts . i do not hear them say , how shall we recover the charges of our odours ? or , how shall we avoid the envy and censure of our angry elders , for honouring him whom the governours of our nation have thought worthy of condemnation ? the onely thought they now take is , who shall roll away the stone ? neither do they stay at home and move this doubt , but when they are well forward on their way , resolving to try the issue . good hearts cannot be so solicitous for any thing under heaven , as for removing those impediments which lie between them and their saviour . o blessed jesu , thou who art clearly revealed in heaven , art yet still both hid and sealed up from too many here on earth : neither is it some thin veil that is spred between thee and them , but an huge stone ; even a true stone of offence lies rolled upon the mouth of their hearts . yea , if a second weight were superadded to thy grave here , no less then three spirituall bars are interposed betwixt them and thee above ; idleness , ignorance , unbelief . who shall roll away these stones , but the same power that removed thine ? o lord , remove that our ignorance , that we may know thee ; our idleness , that we may seek thee ; our unbelief , that we may find and enjoy thee . how well it succeeds when we go faithfully and conscionably about our work , and leave the issue to god ? lo , now god hath removed the cares of these holy women , together with the grave-stone . to the wicked that falls out which they feared , to the godly that which they wished and cared for , yea more . holy cares ever prove well ; the worldly dry the bones , and disappoint the hopes . could these good visitants have known of a greater stone sealed , of a strong watch set , their doubts had been doubled : now god goes beyond their thoughts , and at once removes that which both they did and might have feared : the stone is removed , the seal broken , the watch fled . what a scorn doth the almighty god make of the impotent designs of men ? they thought , the stone shall make the grave sure , the seal shall make the stone sure , the guard shall make both sure : now when they think all safe , god sends an angel from heaven above , the earth quakes beneath , the stone rolls away , the souldiers stand like carkasses , and when they have got heart enough to run away , think themselves valiant ; the tomb is opened , christ is risen , they confounded . oh the vain projects of silly men ! as if with one shovel-full of mire they would dam up the sea ; or with a clout hang'd forth they would keep the sun from shining . oh these spiders-webs , or houses of cards which fond children have ( as they think ) skilfully framed , which the least breath breaks and ruines ! who are we , sorry worms , that we should look in any business to prevail against our creatour ? what creature is so base that he cannot arm against us to our confusion ? the lice and frogs shall be too strong for pharaoh , the worms for herod . there is no wisedom nor counsell against the lord. oh the marvellous pomp and magnificence of our saviour's resurrection ! the earth quakes , the angel appears ; that it may be plainly seen that this divine person now rising had the command both of earth and heaven . at the dissolution of thine humane nature , o saviour , was an earthquake , at the re-uniting of it is an earthquake ; to tell the world that the god of nature then suffered , and had now conquered . whilst thou laiest still in the earth , the earth was still ; when thou camest to fetch thine own , the earth trembled at the presence of the lord , at the presence of the god of jacob. when thou our true sampson awakedst , and foundest thy self tied with these philistian cords , and rousedst up , and brakest those hard and strong twists with a sudden power , no marvell if the room shook under thee . good cause had the earth to quake , when the god that made it powerfully calls for his own flesh from the usurpation of her bowells . good cause had she to open her graves and yield up her dead , in attendence to the lord of life , whom she had presumed to detain in that cell of darkness . what a seeming impotence was here , that thou , who art the true rock of thy church , shouldst lie obscurely shrouded in joseph's rock ? thou , that art the true corner-stone of thy church , shouldst be shut up with a double stone , the one of thy grave , the other of thy vault ? thou , by whom we are sealed to the day of our redemption , shouldst be sealed up in a blind cavern of earth ? but now what a demonstration of power doth both the world and i see , in thy glorious resurrection ? the rocks tear , the graves open , the stones roll away , the dead rise and appear , the souldiers flee and tremble , saints and angels attend thy rising . o saviour , thou laiest down in weakness , thou risest in power and glory ; thou laiest down like a man , thou risest like a god. what a lively image hast thou herein given me of the dreadfull majesty of the generall resurrection and thy second appearance ? then not the earth onely , but the powers of heaven shall be shaken : not some few graves shall be open , and some saints appear ; but all the bars of death shall be broken , and all that sleep in their graves shall awake , and stand up from the dead before thee : not some one angel shall descend ; but thou , the great angel of the covenant , attended with thousand thousands of those mighty spirits . and if these stout souldiers were so filled with terrour at the feeling of an earthquake and the sight of an angel , that they had scarce breath left in them for the time to witness them alive ; where shall thine enemies appear , o lord , in the day of thy terrible appearance , when the earth shall reel and vanish , and the elements shall be on a flame about their ears , and the heavens shall wrap up as a scroll ? o god , thou mightest have removed this stone by the force of thine earthquake , as well as rive other rocks ; yet thou wouldst rather use the ministery of an angel : or , thou that gavest thy self life , and gavest being both to the stone and to the earth , couldst more easily have removed the stone then moved the earth ; but it was thy pleasure to make use of an angel's hand . and now he that would ask why thou wouldst doe it rather by an angel then by thy self , may as well ask why thou didst not rather give thy law by thine own immediate hand then by the ministration of angels ; why by an angel thou struckest the israelites with plagues , the assyrians with the sword ; why an angel appeared to comfort thee after thy temptation and agony , when thou wert able to comfort thy self ; why thou usest the influences of heaven to fruiten the earth ; why thou imployest second causes in all events , when thou couldst doe all things alone . it is good reason thou shouldst serve thy self of thine own ; neither is there any ground to be required whether of their motion or rest , besides thy will. thou didst raise thy self , the angels removed the stone . they that could have no hand in thy resurrection , yet shall have an hand in removing outward impediments ; not because thou neededst , but because thou wouldest : like as thou alone didst raise lazarus , thou badest others let him loose . works of omnipotency thou reservest to thine own immediate performance ; ordinary actions thou doest by subordinate means . although this act of the angels was not merely with respect to thee ; but partly to those devout women , to ease them of their care , to manifest unto them thy resurrection . so officious are those glorious spirits , not onely to thee their maker , but even to the meanest of thy servants , especially in the furtherance of all their spirituall designs . let us bring our odours , they will be sure to roll away the stone . why do not we imitate them in our forwardness to promote each others salvation ? we pray to doe thy will here as they doe in heaven : if we do not act our wishes , we do but mock thee in our devotions . how glorious did this angel of thine appear ? the terrified souldiers saw his face like lightning , both they and the women saw his garments shining , bright , and white as snow : such a presence became his errand . it was fit that , as in thy passion the sun was darkened , and all creatures were clad with heaviness , so in thy resurrection the best of thy creatures should testifie their joy and exultation in the brightness of their habit ; that as we on festivall-days put on our best cloaths , so thine angels should celebrate this blessed festivity with a meet representation of glory . they could not but injoy our joy , to see the work of man's redemption thus fully finished : and if there be mirth in heaven at the conversion of one sinner , how much more when a world of sinners is perfectly ransomed from death , and restored to salvation ? certainly , if but one or two appeared , all rejoyced , all triumphed . neither could they but be herein sensible of their own happy advantage , who by thy mediation are confirmed in their glorious estate ; since thou by the bloud of thy cross and power of thy resurrection hast reconciled things not in earth onely , but in heaven . but , above all other , the love of thee their god and saviour must needs heighten their joy , and make thy glory theirs . it is their perpetuall work to praise thee : how much more now when such an occasion was offered as never had been since the world began , never could be after ? when thou the god of spirits hadst vanquished all the spirituall powers of darkness , when thou the lord of life hadst conquered death for thee and all thine , so as they may now boldly insult over their last enemy , o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? certainly , if heaven can be capable of an increase of joy and felicity , never had those blessed spirits so great a cause of triumph and gratulation as in this day of thy glorious resurrection . how much more , o dear jesu , should we men , whose flesh thou didst assume , unite , revive , for whose sake and in whose stead thou didst vouchsafe to suffer and die , whose arrerages thou payedst in death and acquittedst in thy resurrection , whose souls are discharged , whose bodies shall be raised by the power of thy rising ; how much more should we think we have cause to be overjoyed with the happy memory of this great work of thy divine power and unconceivable mercy ? lo now , how weak soever i am in my self , yet in the confidence of this victorious resurrection of my saviour i dare boldly challenge and defie you , o all ye adverse powers . doe the worst ye can to my soul ; in despite of you it shall be safe . is it sin that threats me ? behold , this resurrection of my redeemer publishes my discharge . my surety was arrested and cast into the prison of his grave : had not the utmost farthing of mine arrerages been paid , he could not have come forth . he is come forth : the sum is fully satisfied . what danger can there be of a discharged debt ? is it the wrath of god ? wherefore is that but for sin ? if my sin be defrayed , that quarrell is at an end : and if my saviour suffered it for me , how can i fear to suffer it in my self ? that infinite justice hates to be twice paid . he is risen , therefore he hath satisfied . who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died ; yea rather , that is risen . is it death it self ? lo , my saviour , that overcame death by dying , hath triumph'd over him in his resurrection . how can i now fear a conquered enemy ? what harm is there in the serpent , but for his sting ? the sting of death is sin : that is pulled out by my powerfull redeemer , it cannot now hurt me ; it may refresh me to carry this cool snake in my bosome . o then , my dear saviour , i bless thee for thy death ; but i bless thee more for thy resurrection . that was a work of wonderfull humility , of infinite mercy ; this was a work of infinite power ▪ in that was humane weakness ; in this divine omnipotence : in that thou didst die for our sins ; in this thou didst rise again for our justification . and now how am i conformable to thee , if , when thou art risen , i lie still in the grave of my corruptions ? how am i a lim of thy body , if , whilst thou hast that perfect dominion over death , death hath dominion over me ; if , whilst thou art alive and glorious , i lie rotting in the dust of death ? i know the locomotive faculty is in the head : by the power of the resurrection of thee our head , all we thy members cannot but be raised . as the earth cannot hold my body from thee in the day of the second resurrection , so cannot sin withhold my soul from thee in the first . how am i thine , if i be not risen ? and if i be risen with thee , why do i not seek the things above , where thou sittest at the right hand of god ? the vault or cave which joseph had hewn out of the rock was large , capable of no less then ten persons : upon the mouth of it eastward was that great stone rolled ; within it , at the right hand , in the north part of the cave , was hewn out a receptacle for the body , three handfulls high from the pavement ; and a stone was accordingly fitted for the cover of that grave . into this cave the good women ( finding the stone rolled away ) descended to seek the body of christ ; and in it saw the angels . this was the goal to which peter and john ran , finding the spoils of death , the grave-cloaths wrapped up , and the napkin that was about the head folded up together and laid in a place by it self : and as they came in haste , so they return'd with wonder . i marvell not at your speed , o ye blessed disciples , if upon the report of the women ye ran , yea flew upon the wings of zeal , to see what was become of your master . ye had wont to walk familiarly together in the attendence of your lord : now society is forgotten ; and , as for a wager , each tries the speed of his legs , and , with neglect of other , vies who shall be first at the tomb. who would not but have tried masteries with you in this case , and have made light touches of the earth to have held paces with you ? your desire was equall ; but john is the younger , his lims are more nimble , his breath more free : he first looks into the sepulcher , but peter goes down first . o happy competition who shall be more zealous in the enquiry after christ ! ye saw enough to amaze you , not enough to settle your faith. how well might you have thought , our master is not subduced , but risen ? had he been taken away by others hands , this fine linen had not been left behind : had he not himself risen from this bed of earth , he had not thus wrapped up his night-cloaths , and laid them sorted by themselves . what can we doubt , when he foretold us he would rise ? o blessed jesu , how wilt thou pardon our errours ? how should we pardon and pity the errours of each other in lesser occasions , when as yet thy prime and dearest disciples , after so much divine instruction , knew not the scriptures , that thou must rise again from the dead ? they went away more astonished then confident ; more full of wonder as yet then of belief . there is more strength of zeal ( where it takes ) in the weaker sex. those holy women , as they came first , so they staid last : especially devout mary magdalene stands still at the mouth of the cave weeping . well might those tears have been spared , if her knowledge had been answerable to her affection , her faith to her fervour . withall , ( as our eye will be where we love ) she stoops , and looks down into that dear sepulcher . holy desires never but speed well . there she sees two glorious angels , the one sitting at the head , the other at the feet where the body of jesus had lain . their shining brightness shew'd them to be no mortall creatures : besides that peter and john had but newly come out of the sepulcher , and both found and left it empty in her sight , which was now suddenly filled with those celestiall guests . that white linen wherewith joseph had shrouded the sacred body of jesus was now shamed with a brighter whiteness . yet do i not find the good woman ought appalled with that inexpected glory . so was her heart taken up with the thought for her saviour , that she seemed not sensible of whatsoever other objects . those tears which she did let drop into the sepulcher , send up back to her the voice of those angels , woman , why weepest thou ? god and his angels take notice of every tear of our devotion . the sudden wonder hath not dried her eyes , nor charmed her tongue : she freely confesseth the cause of her grief to be the missing of her saviour ; they have taken away my lord , and i know not where they have laid him . alas , good mary ! how dost thou lose thy tears ? of whom dost thou complain , but of thy best friend ? who hath removed thy lord but himself ? who but his own deity hath taken away that humane body out of that region of death ? neither is he now laid any more , he stands by thee whose removall thou complainest of . thus many a tender and humbled soul afflicts it self with the want of that saviour whom it hath , and feeleth not . sense may be no judge of the bewailed absence of christ . do but turn back thine eye , o thou religious soul , and see jesus standing by thee , though thou knewest not that it was jesus . his habit was not his own . sometimes it pleases our saviour to appear unto his not like himself : his holy disguises are our trialls . sometimes he will seem a stranger , sometimes an enemy ; sometimes he offers himself to us in the shape of a poor man , sometimes of a distressed captive . happy is he that can discern his saviour in all forms . mary took him for a gardener . devout magdalene , thou art not much mistaken . as it was the trade of the first adam to dress the garden of eden , so was it the trade of the second to tend the garden of his church . he digs up the soil by seasonable afflictions , he sows in it the seeds of grace , he plants it with gracious motions , he waters it with his word , yea with his own bloud , he weeds it by wholsome censures . o blessed saviour , what is it that thou neglectest to doe for this selected inclosure of thy church ? as in some respect thou art the true vine , and thy father the husbandman ; so also in some other we are the vine , and thou art the husbandman . oh be thou such to me as thou appearedst unto magdalene : break up the fallows of my nature , implant me with grace , prune me with meet corrections , bedew me with the former and latter rain ; doe what thou wilt to make me fruitfull . still the good woman weeps , and still complains , and passionately enquires of thee , o saviour , for thy self . how apt are we , if thou dost never so little vary from our apprehensions , to mis-know thee , and to wrong our selves by our mis-opinions ? all this while hast thou concealed thy self from thine affectionate client ; thou sawest her tears , and heardest her importunities and inquiries : at last ( as it was with joseph , that he could no longer contain himself from the notice of his brethren ) thy compassion causes thee to break forth into a clear expression of thy self , by expressing her name unto her self ; mary . she was used , as to the name , so to the sound , to the accent . thou spakest to her before , but in the tone of a stranger ; now of a friend , of a master . like a good shepherd , thou callest thy sheep by their name , and they know thy voice . what was thy call of her , but a clear pattern of our vocation ? as her , so thou callest us , first , familiarly , effectually . she could not begin with thee otherwise then in the compellation of a stranger ; it was thy mercy to begin with her . that correction of thy spirit is sweet and usefull , now after ye have known god , or rather are known of him . we do know thee , o god , but our active knowledge is after our passive ; first we are known of thee , then we know thee that knewest us . and as our knowledge , so is our calling , so is our election ; thou beginnest to us in all , and most justly saist , you have not chosen me , but i have chosen you . when thou wouldst speak to this devout client as a stranger , thou spakest aloof ; woman , whom seekest thou ? now when thou wouldst be known to her , thou callest her by her name , mary . generall invitations and common mercies are for us as men ; but where thou givest grace as to thine elect , thou comest close to the soul , and winnest us with dear and particular intimations . that very name did as much as say , know him of whom thou art known and beloved , and turns her about to thy view and acknowledgment : she turned her self , and saith unto him , rabboni , which is to say , master . before , her face was towards the angels : this word fetches her about , and turns her face to thee from whom her misprision had averted it . we do not rightly apprehend thee , o saviour , if any creature in heaven or earth can keep our eyes and our hearts from thee . the angels were bright and glorious ; thy appearance was homely , thy habit mean : yet when she heard thy voice , she turns her back upon the angels , and salutes thee with a rabboni , and falls down before thee , in a desire of an humble amplexation of those sacred feet which she now rejoyces to see past the use of her odours . where there was such familiarity in the mutuall compellation , what means such strangeness in the charge ? touch me not , for i am not yet ascended to my father . thou wert not wont , o saviour , to make so dainty of being touched : it is not long since these very same hands touched thee in thine anointing ; the bloudy-fluxed woman touched thee ; the thankfull penitent in simon 's house touched thee . what speak i of these ? the multitude touch'd thee , the executioners touch'd thee ; and even after thy resurrection thou didst not stick to say to thy disciples , touch me , and see , and to invite thomas to put his fingers into thy side : neither is it long after this before thou sufferest the three maries to touch and hold thy feet . how then saist thou , touch me not ? was it in a mild taxation of her mistaking ? as if thou hadst said , thou knowest not that i have now an immortal body , but so demeanest thy self towards me as if i were still in my wonted condition : know now that the case is altered : howsoever indeed i have not yet ascended to my father , yet this body of mine , which thou seest to be reall and sensible , is now impassible , and qualified with immortality , and therefore worthy of a more awfull veneration then heretofore . or was it a gentle reproof of her dwelling too long in this dear hold of thee , and fixing her thoughts upon thy bodily presence ; together with an implied direction of reserving the height of her affection for thy perfect glorification in heaven ? or lastly , was it a light touch of her too much haste and eagerness in touching thee , as if she must use this speed in preventing thine ascension , or else be indangered to be disappointed of her hopes ? as if thou hadst said , be not so passionately forward avd sudden in laying hold of me , as if i were instantly ascending ; but know that i shall stay some time with you upon earth , before my going up to my father . o saviour , even our well-meant zeal in seeking and injoying thee may be faulty ; if we seek thee where we should not , on earth ; how we should not , unwarrantably . there may be a kind of carnality in spiriuall actions . if we have heretofore known thee after the flesh , henceforth know we thee so no more . that thou livedst here in this shape , that colour , this stature , that habit , i should be glad to know ; nothing that concerns thee can be unusefull . could i say , here thou satest , here thou layest , here and thus thou wert crucified , here buried , here settest thy last foot ; i should with much contentment see and recount these memorialls of thy presence . but if i shall so fasten my thoughts upon these , as not to look higher to the spirituall part of thine atchievements , to the power and issue of thy resurrection , i am never the better . no sooner art thou risen then thou speakest of ascending ; as thou didst lie down to rise , so didst thou rise to ascend : that is the consummation of thy glory , and ours in thee . thou that forbadst her touch , enjoynedst her errand ; goe to my brethren , and say , i ascend unto my father and your father , to my god and your god. the annunciation of thy resurrection and ascension is more then a private fruition ; this is for the comfort of one , that for the benefit of many . to sit still and injoy , is more sweet for the present ; but to goe and tell , is more gainfull in the sequel . that great angel thought himself ( as he well might ) highly honoured , in that he was appointed to carry the happy news unto the blessed virgin ( thy holy mother ) of her conception of thee her saviour : how honourable must it needs be to mary magdalene , that she must be the messenger of thy second birth , thy resurrection , and instant ascension ? how beautifull do the feet of those deserve to be , who bring the glad tidings of peace and salvation ? what matter is it , o lord , if men despise , where thou wilt honour ? to whom then dost thou send her ? goe tell my brethren . blessed jesu , who are those ? were they not thy followers ? yea , were they not thy forsakers ? yet still thou stylest them thy brethren . o admirable humility ! o infinite mercy ! how dost thou raise their titles with thy self ? at first they were thy servants , then disciples , a little before thy death they were thy friends ; now after thy resurrection they were thy brethren . thou that wert exalted infinitely higher from mortall to immortall , descendest so much lower to call them brethren , who were before friends , disciples , servants . what do we stand upon the terms of our poor inequality , when the son of god stoops so low as to call us brethren ? but , oh mercy without measure ! why wilt thou , how canst thou , o saviour , call them brethren , whom in their last parting thou foundst fugitives ? did they not run from thee ? did not one of them rather leave his inmost coat behind him , then not be quit of thee ? did not another of them deny thee , yea abjure thee ? and yet thou saist , goe tell my brethren . it is not in the power of the sins of our infirmity to unbrother us : when we look at the acts themselves , they are hainous ; when at the persons , they are so much more faulty as more obliged ; but when we look at the mercy of thee who hast called us , now , who shall separate us ? when we have sinned , thy dearness hath reason to aggravate our sorrows ; but when we have sorrowed , our faith hath no less reason to uphold us from despairing : even yet we are brethren . brethren in thee , o saviour , who art ascending for us ; in thee , who hast made thy father ours , thy god our god. he is thy father by eternall generation , our father by his gracious adoption ; thy god by unity of essence , our god by his grace and election . it is this propriety wherein our life and happiness consisteth : they are weak comforts that can be raised from the apprehension of thy generall mercies . what were i the better , o saviour , that god were thy father , if he be not mine ? oh do thou give me a particular sense of my interest in thee , and thy goodness to me . bring thou thy self home to me , and let me find that i have a god and saviour of my own . it is fit i should mark thy order ; first , my father , then , yours . even so , lord , he is first thine , and in thine onely right ours . it is in thee that we are adopted , it is in thee that we are elected ; without thee , god is not onely a stranger , but an enemy to us . thou onely canst make us free , thou onely canst make us sons . let me be found in thee , and i cannot fail of a father in heaven . with what joy did mary receive this errand ? with what joy did the disciples welcome it from her ? here was good news from a far country , even as far as the utmost regions of death . those disciples whose flight scattered them upon their master's apprehension , are now , at night , like a dispersed covy met together by their mutuall call : their assembly is secret ; when the light was shut in , when the doors were shut up . still were they fearfull , still were the jews malicious . the assured tidings of their master's resurrection and life hath filled their hearts with joy and wonder . whilst their thoughts and speech are taken up with so happy a subject , his miraculous and sudden presence bids their senses be witnesses of his reviving and their happiness . when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled , for fear of the jews , came jesus , and stood in the midst , and said , peace be unto you . o saviour , how thou camest in thither i wonder , i inquire not : i know not what a glorified body can doe ; i know there is nothing that thou canst not doe . had not thine entrance been recorded for strange and supernaturall , why was thy standing in the midst noted before thy passage into the room ? why were the doors said to be shut whilst thou earnest in ? why were thy disciples amazed to see thee ere they heard thee ? doubtless , they that once before took thee for a spirit when thou didst walk upon the waters , could not but be astonished to see thee whilst the doors were barred ( without any noise of thine entrance ) to stand in the midst : well might they think thou couldst not thus be there , if thou wert not the god of spirits . there might seem more scruple of thy realty then of thy power : and therefore , after thy wonted greeting , thou shewest them thy hands and thy feet , stamped with the impressions of thy late sufferings . thy respiration shall argue the truth of thy life . thou breathest on them as a man , thou givest them thy spirit as a god ; and as god and man thou sendest them on the great errand of thy gospel . all the mists of their doubts are now dispelled , the sun breaks out clear . they were glad when they had seen the lord. had they known thee for no other then a meer man , this re-appearance could not but have affrighted them ; since till now by thine almighty power this was never done , that the long-since dead rose out of their graves , and appeared unto many : but when they recounted the miraculous works that thou hadst done , and thought of lazarus so lately raised , thine approved deity gave them confidence , and thy presence joy . we cannot but be losers by our absence from holy assemblies . where wert thou , o thomas , when the rest of that sacred family were met together ? had thy fear put thee to so long a flight , that as yet thou wert not returned to thy fellows ? or didst thou suffer other occasions to detain thee from this happiness ? now for the time thou missedst that divine breath which so comfortably inspired the rest ; now thou art suffered to fall into that weak distrust which thy presence had prevented . they told thee , we have seen the lord ; was not this enough ? would no eyes serve thee but thy own ? were thy ears to no use for thy faith ? except i see in his hands the print of the nails , and put my finger into the print of the nails , and thrust my hand into his side , i will not believe . suspicious man ! who is the worse for that ? whose is the loss if thou believe not ? is there no certainty but in thine own senses ? why were not so many and so holy eyes and tongues as credible as thine own hands and eyes ? how little wert thou yet acquainted with the ways of faith ? faith comes by hearing . these are the tongues that must win the whole world to an assent ; and durst thou the first man detrect to yield ? why was that word so hard to pass ? had not that thy divine master foretold thee with the rest that he must be crucified , and the third day rise again ? is any thing related to be done but that which was fore-promised ? any thing beyond the sphere of divine omnipotence ? go then , and please thy self in thine over-wise incredulity , whilst thy fellows are happy in believing . it is a whole week that thomas rests in this sullen unbelief ; in all which time doubtless his ears were beaten with the many constant assertions of the holy women , ( the first witnesses of the resurrection , ) as also of the two disciples walking to emmaus , ( whose hearts burning within them , had set their tongues on fire in a zealous relation of those happy occurrences , ) with the assured reports of the rising and re-appearance of many saints in attendence of the lord and giver of life : yet still he struggles with his own distrust , and stiffly suspends his belief to that truth whereof he cannot deny himself enough convinced . as all bodies are not equally apt to be wrought upon by the same medicine , so are not all souls by the same means of faith ; one is refractory , whilst others are pliable . o saviour , how justly mightest thou have left this man to his own pertinacy ? whom could he have thank'd if he had perished in his unbelief ? but , o thou good shepherd of israel , that couldst be content to leave the ninety and nine to go fetch one stray in the wilderness , how carefull wert thou to reduce this straggler to his fellows ? right so were thy disciples re-assembled , such was the season , the place the same , so were the doors shut up , when ( that unbelieving disciple being now present with the rest ) thou so camest in , so stoodst in the midst , so shewedst thy hands and feet ; and singling out thy incredulous client , invitest his eyes to see , and his fingers to handle thine hands , and his hand to be thrust into thy side , that he might not be faithless , but faithfull . blessed jesu , how thou pitiest the errours and infirmities of thy servants ? even when we are froward in our misconceits , and worthy of nothing but desertion , how thou followest us , and overtakest us with mercy ; and in thine abundant compassion wilt reclaim and save us , when either we meant not or would not ? by how much more unworthy those eyes and hands were to see and touch that immortall and glorious body , by so much more wonderfull was thy goodness in condescending to satisfy that curious infidelity . neither do i hear thee so much as to chide that weak obstinacy . it was not long since thou didst sharply take up the two disciples that walk'd to emmaus , o fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ; but this was under the disguise of an unknown traveller , upon the way , when they were alone : now thou speakest with thine own tongue , before all thy disciples ; in stead of rebuking , thou onely exhortest , be not faithless , but faithfull . behold , thy mercy no less then thy power hath melted the congealed heart of thy unbelieving follower . then thomas answered and said unto him , my lord , and my god. i do not hear that , when it came to the issue , thomas imployed his hands in this triall : his eyes were now sufficient assurance ; the sense of his master's omniscience in this particular challenge of him spared ( perhaps ) the labour of a farther disquisition . and now how happily was that doubt bestowed , which brought forth so faithfull a confession , my lord , my god ? i hear not such a word from those that believed . it was well for us , it was well for thee , o thomas , that thou distrustedst : else , neither had the world received so perfect an evidence of that resurrection whereon all our salvation dependeth ; neither hadst thou yielded so pregnant and divine an astipulation to thy blessed saviour . now thou dost not onely profess his resurrection , but his godhead too , and thy happy interest in both . and now , if they be blessed that have not seen , and yet believed ; blessed art thou also , who having seen , hast thus believed : and blessed be thou , o god , who knowest how to make advantage of the infirmities of thy chosen , for the promoting of their salvation , the confirmation of thy church , the glory of thine own name . amen . li. the ascension . it stood not with thy purpose , o saviour , to ascend immediately from thy grave into heaven ; thou meantest to take the earth in thy way ; not for a sudden passage , but for a leisurely conversation . upon thine easter-day thou spakest of thine ascension ; but thou wouldst have forty days interposed . hadst thou meerly respected thine own glory , thou hadst instantly changed thy grave for thy paradise ; for so much the sooner hadst thou been possessed of thy father's joy ; we would not continue in a dungeon , when we might be in a palace : but thou , who for our sakes vouchsafedst to descend from heaven to earth , wouldst now in the upshot have a gracious regard to us in thy return . thy death had troubled the hearts of many disciples , who thought that condition too mean to be compatible with the glory of the messiah ; and thoughts of diffidence were apt to seize upon the holiest breasts . so long therefore wouldst thou hold footing upon earth , till the world were fully convinced of the infallible evidences of thy resurrection ; of all which time thou onely canst give an account : it was not for flesh and bloud to trace the ways of immortality ; neither was our frail , corruptible , sinfull nature a meet companion for thy now-glorified humanity ; the glorious angels of heaven were now thy fittest attendents . but yet how oft did it please thee graciously to impart thy self this while unto men ; and not onely to appear unto thy disciples , but to renew unto them the familiar forms of thy wonted conversation , in conferring , walking , eating with them ? and now when thou drewest near to thy last parting , thou , who hadst many times shewed thy self before to thy severall disciples , thoughtest meet to assemble them all together , for an universall valediction . who can be too rigorous in censuring the ignorances of well-meaning christians , when he sees the domestick followers of christ , even after his resurrection , mistake the main end of his coming in the flesh ? lord , wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to israel ? they saw their master now out of the reach of all jewish envy ; they saw his power illimited and irresistible ; they saw him stay so long upon earth , that they might imagine he meant to fix his abode there ; and what should he doe there , but reign ? and wherefore should they be now assembled , but for the choice and distribution of offices , and for the ordering of the affairs of that state which was now to be vindicated ? oh weak thoughts of well-instructed disciples ! what should an heavenly body doe in an earthly throne ? how should a spirituall life be imployed in secular cares ? how poor a business is the temporall kingdom of israel for the king of heaven ? and even yet , o blessed saviour , i do not hear thee sharply controll this erroneous conceit of thy mistaken followers ; thy mild correction insists rather upon the time , then the misconceived substance of that restauration . it was thy gracious purpose that thy spirit should by degrees rectify their judgments , and illuminate them with thy divine truths ; in the mean time it was sufficient to raise up their hearts to an expectation of that holy ghost , which should shortly lead them into all needfull and requisite verities . and now , with a gracious promise of that spirit of thine , with a carefull charge renewed unto thy disciples for the promulgation of thy gospel , with an heavenly benediction of all thine acclaiming attendents , thou takest leave of earth . when he had spoken these things , whilst they beheld , he was taken up , and a cloud received him out of their sight . oh happy parting , fit for the saviour of mankind , answerable to that divine conversation , to that succeeding glory ! o blessed jesu , let me so far imitate thee , as to depart hence with a blessing in my mouth ; let my soul , when it is stepping over the threshold of heaven , leave behind it a legacy of peace and happiness . it was from the mount of olives that thou tookest thy rise into heaven . thou mightest have ascended from the valley , all the globe of earth was alike to thee : but since thou wert to mount upward , thou wouldst take so much advantage as that stair of ground would afford thee ; thou wouldst not use the help of a miracle in that wherein nature offered her ordinary service . what difficulty had it been for thee to have styed up from the very center of earth ? but since thou hadst made hills so much nearer unto heaven , thou wouldest not neglect the benefit of thine own creation . where we have common helps , we may not depend upon supernaturall provisions ; we may not strain the divine providence to the supply of our negligence , or the humouring of our presumption . thou that couldst alwaies have walked on the sea , wouldst walk so but once , when thou wantedst shipping : thou , to whom the highest mountains were but valleys , wouldst walk up to an hill to ascend thence into heaven . o god , teach me to bless thee for means , when i have them ; and to trust thee for means , when i have them not ; yea to trust to thee without means , when i have no hope of them . what hill was this thou chosest but the mount of olives ? thy pulpit shall i call it , or thine oratory ? the place from whence thou hadst wont to showr down thine heavenly doctrine upon the hearers ; the place whence thou hadst wont to send up thy prayers unto thy heavenly father ; the place that shared with the temple for both : in the day-time thou wert preaching in the temple , in the night praying in the mount of olives . on this very hill was the bloudy sweat of thine agony ; now is it the mount of thy triumph . from this mount of olives did flow that oyl of gladness wherewith thy church is everlastingly refreshed . that god that uses to punish us in the same kind wherein we have offended , retributes also to us in the same kind and circumstances wherein we have been afflicted . to us also , o saviour , even to us thy unworthy members dost thou seasonably vouchsafe to give a proportionable joy to our heaviness , laughter to our mourning , glory to contempt and shame . our agonies shall be answered with exaltation . whither then , o blessed jesu , whither didst thou ascend ? whither but home into thine heaven ? from the mountain wert thou taken up ; and what but heaven is above the hills ? lo , these are those mountains of spices which thy spouse , the church , long since desired thee to climbe . thou hast now climbed up that infinite steepness , and hast left all sublimity below thee . already hadst thou approved thy self the lord and commander of earth , of sea , of hell. the earth confess'd thee her lord , when at thy voice she rendered thee thy lazarus ; when she shook at thy passion , and gave up her dead saints : the sea acknowledged thee , in that it became a pavement to thy feet and ( at thy command ) to the feet of thy disciple ; in that it became thy treasury for thy tribute-money : hell found and acknowledged thee , in that thou conqueredst all the powers of darkness ; even him that had the power of death , the devil . it now onely remained that , as the lord of the air , thou shouldst pass through all the regions of that yielding element ; and , as lord of heaven , thou shouldst pass through all the glorious contignations thereof ; that so every knee might bow to thee both in heaven , and in earth , and under the earth . thou hadst an everlasting right to that heaven that should be , an undoubted possession of it ever since it was ; yea even whilst thou didst cry and spraul in the cratch , whilst thou didst hang upon the cross , whilst thou wert sealed up in thy grave : but thine humane nature had not taken actuall possession of it till now . like as it was in thy true type , david , he had right to the kingdom of israel immediately upon his anointing ; but yet many an hard brunt did he pass ere he had the full possession of it in his ascent to hebron . i see now , o blessed jesu , i see where thou art ; even far above all heavens , at the right hand of thy father's glory . this is the far country into which the nobleman went to receive for himself a kingdom ; far off to us , to thee near , yea intrinsecall . oh do thou raise up my heart thither to thee ; place thou my affections upon thee above , and teach me therefore to love heaven because thou art there . how then , o blessed saviour , how didst thou ascend ? whilst they beheld , he was taken up , and a cloud received him out of their sight . so wast thou taken up , as that the act was thine own , the power of the act none but thine . thou that descendedst wast the same that ascendedst : as in thy descent there was no use of any power or will but thine own , no more was there in thine ascent . still and ever wert thou the master of thine own acts . thou laidst down thy own life , no man took it from thee ; thou raisedst up thy self from death , no hand did or could help thee ; thou carriedst up thine own glorified flesh , and placedst it in heaven . the angels did attend thee , they did not aid thee : whence had they their strength but from thee ? elias ascended to heaven , but he was fetch'd up in a chariot of fire ; that it might appear hence , that man had need of others helps ; who else could not of himself so much as lift up himself to the aiery heaven , much less to the empyreall . but thou , our redeemer , needest no chariot , no carriage of angels : thou art the authour of life and motion ; they move in and from thee . as thou therefore didst move thy self upward , so , by the same divine power , thou wilt raise us up to the participation of thy glory . these vile bodies shall be made like to thy glorious body , according to the working whereby thou art able to subdue all things unto thy self . elias had but one witness of his rapture into heaven : s. paul had none , no not himself ; for , whether in the body , or out of the body , he knew not . thou , o blessed jesu , wouldst neither have all eyes witnesses of thine ascension , nor yet too few . as after thy resurrection thou didst not set thy self upon the pinnacle of the temple , nor yet publickly shew thy self within it , as making thy presence too cheap ; but madest choice of those eyes whom thou wouldst bless with the sight of thee ; thou wert seen indeed of five hundred at once , but they were brethren : so in thine ascension , thou didst not carry all jerusalem promiscuously forth with thee to see thy glorious departure , but onely that selected company of thy disciples which had attended thee in thy life . those who immediately upon thine ascending returned to jerusalem , were an hundred and twenty persons : a competent number of witnesses , to verify that thy miraculous and triumphant passage into thy glory . lo , those onely were thought worthy to behold thy majesticall ascent , which had been partners with thee in thy humiliation . still thou wilt have it thus with us , o saviour , and we embrace the condition : if we will converse with thee in thy lowly estate here upon earth , wading with thee through contempt and manifold afflictions , we shall be made happy with the sight and communion of thy glory above . o my soul , be thou now ( if ever ) ravished with the contemplation of this comfortable and blessed farewell of thy saviour . what a sight was this ? how full of joyfull assurance , of spirituall consolation ? methinks i see it still with their eyes , how thou my glorious saviour didst leisurely and insensibly rise up from thine olivet , taking leave of thine acclaiming disciples now left below thee , with gracious eyes , with heavenly benedictions . methinks i see how they followed thee with eager and longing eyes , with arms lifted up , as if they had wished them winged to have soared up after thee . and if eliah gave assurance to his servant elisha , that if he should behold him in that rapture , his master's spirit should be doubled upon him ; what an accession of the spirit of joy and confidence must needs be to thy happy disciples in seeing thee thus gradually rising up to thy heaven ? oh how unwillingly did their intentive eyes let go so blessed an object ! how unwelcome was that cloud that interposed it self betwixt thee and them , and , closing up it self , left onely a glorious splendour behind it , as the bright track of thine ascension ? of old here below the glory of the lord appeared in the cloud ; now afar off in the sky the cloud intercepted this heavenly glory ; if distance did not rather doe it , then that bright meteor . their eyes attended thee on thy way so far as their beams would reach ; when they could goe no farther , the cloud received thee . lo , yet even that very screen whereby thou wert taken off from all earthly view was no other then glorious : how much rather do all the beholders fix their sight upon that cloud , then upon the best piece of the firmament ? never was the sun it self gazed on with so much intention . with what long looks , with what astonished acclamations did these transported beholders follow thee their ascending saviour ? as if they would have look'd through that cloud and that heaven that hid thee from them . but oh , what tongue of the highest archangel of heaven can express the welcome of thee the king of glory into those blessed regions of immortality ? surely the empyreall heaven never resounded with so much joy : god ascended with jubilation , and the lord with the sound of the trumpet . it is not for us weak and finite creatures , to wish to conceive those incomprehensible , spirituall , divine gratulations that the glorious trinity gave to the victorious and now-glorified humane nature . certainly , if when he brought his onely-begotten son into the world , he said , let all the angels worship him ; much more now that he ascends on high , and hath led captivity captive , hath he given him a name above all names , that at the name of jesvs all knees should bow . and if the holy angels did so carol at his birth , in the very entrance into that estate of humiliation and infirmity ; with what triumph did they receive him now returning from the perfect atchievement of man's redemption ? and if when his type had vanquished goliah , and carried the head into jerusalem , the damsels came forth to meet him with dances and timbrels ; how shall we think those angelicall spirits triumphed in meeting of the great conquerour of hell and death ? how did they sing , lift up your heads , ye gates , and be ye lift up , ye everlasting doors , and the king of glory shall come in ? surely , as he shall come , so he went ; and behold he shall come with thousands of his holy ones ; thousand thousands ministred unto him , and ten thousand thousands stood before him : from all whom methinks i hear that blessed applause , worthy is the lamb that was killed , to receive power , and riches , and wisedom , and strength , and honour , and glory , and praise : praise , and honour , and glory , and power , be to him that sitteth upon the throne , and to the lamb for evermore . and why dost not thou , o my soul , help to bear thy part with that happy quire of heaven ? why art not thou rapt out of my bosome with an ecstasy of joy , to see this humane nature of ours exalted above all the powers of heaven , adored of angels , archangels , cherubin , seraphim , and all those mighty and glorious spirits , and sitting there crowned with infinite glory and majesty ? although little would it avail thee that our nature is thus honoured , if the benefit of this ascension did not reflect upon thee . how many are miserable enough in themselves , notwithstanding the glory of their humane nature in christ ? none but those that are found in him are the happier by him : who but the members are the better for the glory of the head ? o saviour , how should our weakness have ever hoped to climb into heaven , if thou hadst not gone before and made way for us ? it is for us that thou the fore-runner art entred in : now thy church hath her wish , draw me , and i shall run after thee . even so , o blessed jesu , how ambitiously should we follow thee with the paces of love and faith , and aspire towards thy glory ? thou that art the way , hast made the way to thy self and us : thou didst humble thy self , and becamest obedient to the death , even to the death of the cross . therefore hath god also highly exalted thee ; and upon the same terms will not fail to advance us : we see thy track before us , of humility and obedience . o teach me to follow thee in the roughest ways of obedience , in the bloudy paths of death , that i may at last overtake thee in those high steps of immortality . amongst those millions of angels that attended this triumphant ascension of thine , o saviour , some are appointed to this lower station , to comfort thine astonished disciples , in the certain assurance of thy no-less-glorious return ; two men stood by them in white apparell . they stood by them , they were not of them ; they seemed men , they were angels : men for their familiarity ; two , for more certainty of testimony ; in white , for the joy of thine ascension . the angels formerly celebrated thy nativity with songs ; but we do not find they then appeared in white : thou wert then to undergoe much sorrow , many conflicts ; it was the vale of tears into which thou wert come down . so soon as thou wert risen , the women saw an angel in the form of a young man , cloathed in white ; and now , so soon as thou art ascended , two men cloathed in white stand by thy disciples : thy task was now done , thy victory atchieved , and nothing remained but a crown , which was now set upon thy head. justly therefore were those blessed angels suited with the robes of light and joy . and why should our garments be of any other colour ? why should oyl be wanting to our heads , when the eyes of our faith see thee thus ascended ? it is for us , o saviour , that thou art gone to prepare a place in those celestiall mansions ; it is for us that thou sittest at the right hand of majesty . it is a piece of thy divine prayer to thy father , that those whom he hath given thee , may be with thee . to every bleeding soul thou saiest still as thou didst to peter , whither i goe thou canst not follow me now , but thou shalt follow me hereafter . in assured hope of this glory , why do i not rejoyce , and beforehand walk in white with thine angels , that at the last i may walk with thee in white ? little would the presence of these angels have availed , if they had not been heard as well as seen . they stand not silent therefore , but , directing their speech to the amazed beholders , say , ye men of galilee , why stand ye gazing into heaven ? what a question was this ? could any of those two hundred and forty eyes have power to turn themselves off to any other object then that cloud , and that point of heaven where they left their ascended saviour ? surely every one of them were so fixed , that had not the speech of these angels called them off , there they had set up their rest till the darkness of night had interposed . pardon me , o ye blessed angels ; had i been there with them , i should also have been unwilling to have mine eyes pull'd off from that dear prospect , and diverted unto you . never could they have gazed so happily as now . if but some great man be advanced to honour over our heads , how apt we are to stand at a gaze , and to eye him as some strange meteor ? let the sun but shine a little upon these dialls , how are they look'd at by all passengers ? yet , alas ! what can earthly advancement make us other then we are , dust and ashes ; which the higher it is blown , the more it is scattered ? oh how worthy is the king of glory to command our eyes now in the highest pitch of his heavenly exaltation ? lord , i can never look enough at the place where thou art ; but what eye could be satisfied with seeing the way that thou wentest ? it was not the purpose of these angels to check the long looks of these faithfull disciples after their ascended master ; it was onely a change of eyes that they intended , of carnall for spirituall , of the eye of sense for the eye of faith. this same jesus which is taken up from you into heaven , shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into heaven . look not after him , o ye weak disciples , as so departed that ye shall see him no more ; if he be gone , yet he is not lost ; those heavens that received him shall restore him ; neither can those blessed mansions decrease his glory . ye have seen him ascend upon the chariot of a bright cloud ; and in the clouds of heaven ye shall see him descend again to his last judgment . he is gone : can it trouble you to know you have an advocate in heaven ? strive not now so much to exercise your bodily eyes in looking after him , as the eyes of your souls in looking for him . ye cannot , o ye blessed spirits , wish other then well to mankind . how happy a diversion of eyes and thoughts is this that you advise ? if it be our sorrow to part with our saviour , yet to part with him into heaven it is our comfort and felicity : if his absence could be grievous , his return shall be happy and glorious . even so , lord jesus , come quickly . in the mean while it is not heaven that can keep thee from me , it is not earth that can keep me from thee . raise thou up my soul to a life of faith with thee : let me ever injoy thy conversation , whilst i expect thy return . the end . books printed for , or sold by , jacob tonson , at the judge's head in chancery-lane , near fleet-street . the heroin musquetier , or the female warriour ; in four parts : containing many true and delightfull adventures of a french lady , in the late campagnes of . and . sir patient fancy , a comedy , acted at the duke 's theatre , and written by the authour of the rover. friendship in fashion , a comedy ; written by thomas otway : acted at the duke 's theatre . mr. rimer's criticisms upon the plays of beaumont and fletcher , in a letter to fleetwood sheppard , esq . the art of making love , or a guide for ladies and gentlemen in the affairs of love. price s. pleas of the crown . written by sir matthew hales , late chief justice of the court of king's-bench . an historical discourse of parliaments in their original before the conquest , and continuance since : together with the original , growth , and continuance of these courts following , viz. the high court of chancery , king's-bench , common pleas , exchequer , dutchy , and other inferiour courts . price s. brutus of alba , or , the enchanted lovers , a tragedy , written by n. tate : acted at the duke's theatre . the counterfeits , a comedy , acted at the duke's theatre . a treatise of the principall grounds of the law : written by w. noy , late attorney generall to king charles the first . ready for the press . a treatise of sublimity : translated out of longin , by h. watson , of the inner temple , gent. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e matth. . . compared with mark . . notes for div a -e luk. . . compared with . notes for div a -e vide chap. . ver . , . notes for div a -e for the full explica●ion whereof , i refer my reader to my passion-sermon , wherein the particularities are largely discussed . notes for div a -e gal. . . a letter concerning separation written formerly by a reverend author, and recommended to all (especially the truly christian and honest-minded) members of the separation within this distracted and divided kingdom. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) a letter concerning separation written formerly by a reverend author, and recommended to all (especially the truly christian and honest-minded) members of the separation within this distracted and divided kingdom. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed for w.d., london : . at head of p. : to mr. smith and mr. rob[inson], ring-leaders of the late separation at amsterdam. although the controversy between hall and smith occured - , no ed. of this piece at that time has been recorded. attributed to hall by wing and nuc pre- imprints. item at reel : identified as wing l (number cancelled). reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng smyth, john, d. . robinson, john, ?- . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a letter concerning separation , written formerly by a reverend author ; and recommended to all ( especially the truly christian and honest-minded ) members of the separation within this distracted and divided kingdom . rom. . v. . now i beseech you , brethren , mark them which cause divisions , &c. jude . . these be they who separate themselves , sensual , having not the spirit . . cor. . v. . — be of one mind , live in peace ; and the god of love and peace shall be with you . london , printed for w. d. . the publisher to the well-minded reader . the demeanor and language of the conceited zealot says , stand by thy self , come not near to me , i am holyer than thou : that of the pharisee , god i thank thee , that i am not as other men are . the sentiments and expressions of both combined , make one modern separatist . saint paul's dialect on the other hand is , we beseech you , brethren , mark them which cause divisions , and avoid them . and his motive is founded on this reason , that he who loveth not his brother whom he hath seen ( and can hebe said to love his brother who separates and divides from him ? ) how can he love god whom he hath not seen ? our blessed saviour has therefore ( who best might ) umpired the business , and assured you , that by this shall all men know you to be his disciples , if you love one another . in the name , and for the sake of our common saviour , i call upon you my brethren of the separation ( unless you value them who abuse the holy name of jesus more than jesus himself ) that you weigh and duly ponder our blessed saviours words , and study the advice of his apostle st. paul. and you will then upon mature calm thoughts not be so ready to inveigh against the mischief of impositions , as to abhor the unreasonableness of separation . in a word , since charity is the most extensive , and humility the foundation of all christian graces ; whether it be more equal , that the established laws ecclesiastical should vail to private humour , or you our brethren of the separation , kindly and modestly submit your selves to these laws , let your own private consciences be the sole judges . to mr. smith and mr. rob. ring-leaders of the late separation at amsterdam . ep. . setting forth their injury done to the church , the injustice of your cause , and fearfulness of their offence : censuring and advising them . we hear of your separation , and mourn ; yet not so much for you , as for your wrong : you could not do a greater injury to your mother than to flie from her. say she were poor , ragged , weak ; say she were deformed ; yet she is not infectious : or if she were , yet she is yours . this were cause enough for you to lament her , to pray for her , to labour for her redress ; not to avoid her : this unnaturalness is shameful , and more heinous in you , who are reported , not parties in this evil , but authors : your flight is not so much as your mis-guidance . plead not : this fault is past excuse . if we should all follow you , this were the way , of a church ( as you plead ) imperfect , to make no church ; and of a remedy to make a disease . still the fruit of our charity to you is , besides our grief , pity . your zeal of truth has misled you , and you others ; a zeal , if honest , yet blind-folded , and led by self-will . oh that you loved peace but half so well as truth ! then this breach had never been ; and you that are yet brethren had been still companions . go out of babylon , you say ; the voice not of schism , but of holiness . know you where you are ? look about you , i beseech you , look behind you ; and see if we have not left it upon our backs . she her self feels , and sees that she is abandoned ; and complains to all the world , that we have not only forsaken , but spoyl'd her ; and yet you say , come ovt of babylon . and except you will be willingly blind , you may see the heaps of her altars , the ashes of her idols , the ruines of her monuments , the condemnation of her errors , the revenge of her abominations . and are we yet in babylon ? is babylon yet among us ? where are the main buildings of that accvrsed city ? those high and proud towers of that vniversal hierarchy , infallible judgment , dispensations with the laws of god , and sins of men : disposition of kingdoms and deposion of princes , parting stakes with god in our conversion , through freedom of will ; in our salvation , through the merit of our works ? where are those rotten heaps ( rotten , not through age , but corruption of transubstantiating of bread , adoring of images , multitude of sacraments , power of indulgencies , necessity of confession , profit of pilgrimages , constrained and approved ignorance , unknown devotions ? where are those deep vaults ( if not mines ) of pennances and purgatories , and whatsoever else hath been devised by those popelings , whether profitable or glorious , against the lord and his christ ? are they not all razed , and buried in the dust ? hath not the majesty of her gods , like as was done to mithra and serapis , been long agone offer'd to the publick laughter of the vulgar ? what is this but to go , yea , to run ( if not to flie ) out of babylon ? but as every man is an hearty patron of his own actions , and it is a desperate cause that hath no plea ) you alledge our comorting in ceremonies , and say , still we tarry in the suburbs . grant that these were as ill as an enemy can make them , or can pretend them : you are deceived , if you think the walls of babylon stand upon ceremonies . substantial errors are both her foundation and frame . these ritual observations are not so much as tile and reed , rather like to some fan upon the roof ; for ornament , more than use : not parts of the building but necessary appendances . if you take them otherwise , you wrong the church ; if thus , and yet depart , you wrong it and your self : as if you would have persuaded righteous lot not to stay in zoar , because it was so near sodom . i fear , if you had seen the mony-changers in the temple , however you would have pray'd or taught there : christ did it , not forsaking the place but scourging the offenders : and this is the valour of christian teachers : to oppose abuses , not to run away from them : where shall you not thus find babylon ? would you have run from geneva because of her wafers ? or from corinth , for her disorder'd love feasts ? either run out of the world , or your flight is vain . if experience of change teach you not , that you shall find your babylon every where , return not . compare the place you have left , with that you have chosen : let not fear of seeming to repent over-soon , make you partial . lo , there a common harbour of all opinions , of all heresies ; if not a mixture . here you drew in the free and clear air of the gospel , without that odious composition of judaism , arrianism , anabaptism : there you live in the stench of these and more . you are unworthy of pity , if you will approve your misery . say , if you can , that the church of england ( if she were not yours ) is not an heaven to amsterdam . how is it then , that our gnats are harder to swallow , than their camels ? and that whilst all christendom magnifies our happiness and applauds it ; your handful alone , so detests our enormities , that you despise our graces ? see whether in this you make not god a loser . the thanks of all his favours is lost , because you want more : and in the mean time , who gains by this sequestration , but rome and hell ? how do they insult in this advantage , that our mother 's own children condemn her for unclean , that we are dayly weakened by our divisions , that the rude multitude hath so palpable a mortive to distrust us ? sure , you intended it not : but if you had been their hired agent you could not have done our enemies greater service . the god of heaven open your eyes , that you may see the unjustice of that zeal which hath transported you : and turn your heart to an endeavour of all christian satisfaction : otherwise , your souls shall find too late , that it had been a thousand times better to swallow a ceremony , than to rend a church : yea , that even whoredoms and murders shall abide an easier answer than separation . i have done if only i have advised you of that fearful threatning of the wise man. the eye that mocketh his father , and despiseth the government of his mother , the ravens of the valley shall pick it out , and the young eagles eat it . finis . the breathings of the devout soul hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the breathings of the devout soul hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . attributed to joseph hall. cf. halkett & laing ( nd ed.). reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng devotional literature. a r (wing h ). civilwar no select thoughts, one century. also the breathings of the devout soul. by j.h. d.d. b.n. hall, joseph d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the breathings of the devout soul . london , printed , . the breathings of the devout soul . i. blessed lord god ; thou callest me to obedience ; and fain would i follow thee : but what good can this wretched heart of mine be capable of , except thou put it there ? thou know'st i cannot so much as wish to think well without thee ; i have strong powers to offend thee ; my sins are my own ; but whence should i have any inclination to good but from thee , who art only , and all good ? lord , work me to what thou requirest , and then require what thou wilt . ii. lord god , whither need i go to seek thee ? thou art so with me , as that i cannot move but in thee . i look up to heaven ; there i know thy majestie most manifests it self ; but withall , i know that being here thou art never out of thy heaven , for it is thy presence onely that makes heaven : oh give me to enjoy thee in this lowest region of thine heavenly habitation ; and as in respect of my naturall being , i live and move in thee , so let me not live and move spiritually , but with thee , and to thee . iii. whither now , o whither do ye rove o my thoughts ? can ye hope to finde rest in any of these sublunary contentments , alas ? how can they yeeld any stay to you , that have no settlement in themselves ? is there not enough in the infinite good to take you up ; but that ye will be wandring after earthly varities ▪ oh my lord , how justly mightest thou cast me off with scorn , for casting any affective glances upon so base a rival ? truly lord , i am ashamed of this my hatefull inconstancy ; but it is thou only that must remedy it ; o thou that art the father of mercies pity my wildnesse , and weak distractions : take thou my heart to thee , it is thine own ; keep it with thee , tye it close to thee by the cords of love , that it may not so much as cast down an eye upon this wretched and perishing world . iiii. lord , i confesse to my shame , thou art a great loser by me ; for , besides my not improving of thy favors , i have not kept even-reckonings with thee ; i have not justly tallied up thy inestimable benefits : thy very privative mercies are both without , and beyond my account ; for every evill that i am free from , is a new blessing from thee ; that i am out of bondage , that i am out of pain and misery , that i am out of the dominion of sin ; out of the tyranny of satan , out of the agonies of an afflicted soul ; out of the torments of hell : lord , how unspeakeable mercies are these ? yet , when did i bless thee for any of them ? thy positive bounties i can feel , but with a benummed and imperfect sence . lord , do thou enlarge , and intenerate my heart ; make me truly sensible , as of my good received ; so of my escaped evils ; and take thou to thy self the glory of them both . v. ah my lord god , what heats and colds do i feel in my soul ? sometimes i finde my self so vigorous in grace , that no thought of doubt dare shew it self ; and me thinks i durst challenge my hellish enemies ; another while i feel my self so dejected and heartlesse , as if i had no interest in the god of my salvation , nor never had received any certain pledges of his favour : what shall i say to this various disposition ? whether , lord , is it my wretchednesse to suffer my self to be rob'd of thee , for the time , by temptation ? or whether is this the course of thy proceedings in the dispensation of thy graces to the sons of men ; that thou wilt have the breathings of thy spirit , as where , so how , and when thou pleasest ? surely , o my god , if i did not know thee constant to thine everlasting mercies , i should be utterly disheartened with these sad intervals ; now , when my sense failes me , i make use of my faith ; and am no lesse sure of thee , even when i feel thee not , then when i finde the clearest evidences of thy gracious presence . lord , shine upon me with the light of thy countenance ( if it may be ) alwaies ; but , when ever that is clouded , strengthen thou my faith ; so shall i be safe , even when i am comfortless . vi . o my god , i am justly ashamed to think what favors i have received from thee , and what poor returns i have made to thee : truly lord , i must needs say , thou hast thought nothing either in earth , or in heaven too good for me ; and i , on the other side , have grudg'd thee that weak● and worthless obedience which thou hast required of me : alas , what pleasure could i have done to thee who art infinite , if i had sacrificed my whole self to thee , as thou commandest ? thou art , and wilt be thy self , though the world were not ; it is i , i only that could be a gainer by this happy match ; which in my own wrong i have unthankfully neglected ; i see it is not so much what we have , as how we imploy it : o thou , that hast been so bountiful , in heaping thy rich mercies upon me , vouchsafe to grant me yet one gift more ; give me grace and power to improve all thy gifts to the glory of the giver ; otherwise , it had been better for me to have been poor , then ingrateful . vii . ah lord , what strugling have i with my weak fears ? how do i anticipate my evils by distrust ? what shall i do when i am old ? how shall i be able to indure pain ? how shall i pass through the horrid gates of death ? oh my god , where is my faith that i am thus surprized ? had i not thee to up-hold , and strengthen my soul , well might i tremble and sink under these cares ; but now , that i have the assurance of so strong an helper , as commands all the powers of heaven , earth , and hell , what a shame is it for me to give so much way to my wretched infidelity , as to punish my self with the expectation of future evils ? oh for the victorie that overcomes the world , even our faith ; thou o god , art my refuge and strength , a very present help in trouble ; therefore will i not fear though the earth be removed , and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea . viii . lord , i made account my daies should have been but an inch ; but thou hast ▪ made them a span long ; having drawn out the length of a crazie life beyond the period of my hopes : it is for something , sure , that thou hast thus long respited me from my grave , which look't for me many years ago : here i am , o my god , attending thy good pleasure ; thou know'st best what thou hast to do with me ; dispose of me as thou wilt ; only make me faithfull in all thy services ; resolute to trust my self with thee in all events ; carefull to be approved of thee in all my waies ; and crown my decayed age with such fruits as may be pleasing to thee , and available to the good of many ; lastly , let me live to thee , and die in thee . ix . how oft , lord , have i wondred to see the strange carriage of thine administration of these earthly affaires ; and therein to see thy marvailous wisdome , power , goodness , in fetching good out of evill ! alas , we wretched men are apt enough to fetch the worst of evils , out of the greatest good , turning the grace of thee our god into wantonnesse : but how have i seen thee , of liveless stones to raise up children to abraham , of sinners to make saints ? out of a desperate confusion to fetch order ; out of a bloudy war , an happy peace ; out of resolutions of revenge , love ; out of the rock , water ; out of a persecuter , an apostle ? how can i be discouraged with unlikelihoods , when i see thee work by contraries ? it is not for me , o my god , to examine or pre-judge thy counsailes ; take what waies thou wilt , so thou bring me to thine own end ; all paths shall be direct that shall leade me to blessedness . x. how many good purposes , o my god , have i taken up , & let fall to the ground again without effect ? how teeming hath this barren womb of my heart been of false conceptions ? but especially , when thy hand hath been smart and heavy upon me in mine affliction , how have i tasked my self with duties , and revived my firme resolutions of more strict obedience , which yet upon the continuance of my better condition , i have slackened ? lord , it is from thee that i purposed well ; it is from my own sinfull weakness that i failed in my performances ; if any good come me , the will and the deed must be both thine ; the very preparations of the heart are from thee ; and if i have devised my way , it must be thou that directest my steps : o god , do thou ripen and perfect all the good motions that thou puttest into my soul ; and make my health but such as my sickness promised . xi . every man , lord , is unwilling that his name should dye ; we are all naturally ambitious of being thought on when we are gone ; those that have not living monuments to perpetuate them , affect to have dead ; if absolon have not a son , he will yet erect a pillar : yet when we have all done , time eates us out at the last ; there is no remembrance of the wise more then of the foole for ever ; seeing that which now is , in the daies to come shall all be forgotten . o god , let it be my care and ambition , what ever become of my memory here below , that my name may be recorded in heaven . xii . thy wise providence , o god , hath so ordered it , that every mans minde seeks and findes contentment in some thing ; otherwise it could not be ( since we must meet with so frequent crosses in the world ) but that mans life would be burdensome to him ; one takes pleasure in his hauke or hound ; another in his horses and furnitures ; one in fair buildings ; another in pleasant walks and beautiful gardens ; one in travailing abroad ; another in the enjoying of the profits and pleasures of his home ; one in the increase of his wealth ; another in the titles of his honor ; one in a comfortable wife , another in loving and dutiful children ; but when all is done , if there be not somwhat els to uphold the heart in the evil day , it must sink . o god , do thou possesse my soul of thee ; let me place all my felicity in the fruition of thine infinite goodness ; so i am sure the worst of the world hath not power to render me other then happy . xiii . o lord god , under how opposite aspects do i stand ▪ from the world ? how variously am i construed by men ? one pities my condition , another praises my patience ; one favors mee out of the opinion of some good that he thinks he sees in mee ; another dislikes me for some imagined evil : what are the eyes , or tongues of men to mee ? let me not know what they say , or think of me , and what am i the better or worse for them ? they can have no influence upon me without my own apprehension : all is in what termes i stand with thee , my god ; if thou be pleased to look upon me with the eye of thy tender mercy and compassion , what care i to be unjustly brow-beaten of the world ? if i may be blessed with thy favour , let me be made a gazing-stock to the world , to angels , and to men . xiv . speak lord , for thy servant heareth : what is it which thou wouldst have me do that i may finde rest to my soul ? i am willing to exercise my self in all the acts of piety which thou requirest ; i am ready to fast , to pray , to read ▪ to hear , to meditate , to communicate , to give alms , to exhort , admonish , reprove , comfort where thou bid'st me ; and if there be any other duty appertaining to devotion , or mercy , let me serve thee in it : but , alas , o my god , howsoever i know these works are in themselves well-pleasing unto thee , yet as they fall from my wretchedness , they are stained with so many imperfections , that i have more reason to crave pardon for them , then to put confidence in them ; and if i could performe them never so exquisitely , yet one sin is more then enough to dash all my obedience . i see then , o lord , i well see there is no act that i can be capable ●o do unto thee , wherein i can finde any repose ▪ it must be thine act to me , which only can effect it ; it is thy gracious word , come unto me all ye that labour , and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest ; lo this rest must be thy gift , not my earning ; and what can be fi●er then gift ? thou givesh it then , but to those that come to thee ; not to those that come not ; to those that come to thee laden and labouring under the sense of their own wretchedness ; not to the proud , and careless ; o saviour , thy sinner is sufficiently laden with the burden of his iniquities ; lade thou me yet more with true penitent sorrow for my sins ; and inable me then to come unto thee by a lively faith ; take thou the praise of thine own work ; give me the grace to come ; and give me rest in coming . xv . o blessed saviour , what strange variety of conceits do i finde concerning thy thousand years raign ? what riddles are in that prophesie ; which no humane tongue can aread ? where to fix the begining of that marvailous millenary , and where the end ; and what manner of raign it shall be , whether temporal , or spiritual ; on earth , or in heaven ; undergoes as many constructions , as there are pens that have undertaken it ; and yet ( when all is done ) i see thine apostle speaks onely of the souls of thy martyrs , raigning so long with thee ; not of thy raigning on earth so long with those martyrs ; how busie are the tongues of men , how are their brains taken up with the indeterminable construction of this enigmaticall truth ? when , in the mean time , the care of thy spirituall raign in their hearts , is neglected ; o my saviour , whiles others weary themselves with the disquisition of thy personall raign here upon earth for a thousand years ; let it be the whole bent and study of my soul , to make sure of my personall raign with thee in heaven to all eternity . xvi . blessed be thy name , o god , who hast made a good use even of hell it self ; how many atheous hearts have been convinced by the very operations of devils ? those which would with the stupid saducees , perswade themselves there are no spirits ; yet when they have sensibly found the marvellous effects wrought even by the base instruments of satan ; they have been forced to confesse , doubtless there is a god that rules the world ; for so great powers of evill spirits must necessarily evince the greater powers of good ; it is of thy wise and holy dispensation that thy good angels do not so frequently exhibite themselves , and give so visible demonstrations of their presence to thy saints , as the evill angels do to their vassals , though they are ever as present , and more powerfull ; what need they ; when thou so mightily over-rulest those malignant spirits , that thou forcest from them thine own glory , and advantage to thy chosen ? lord , how much more shall all thy other creatures serve to thy praise , when thy very hellish enemies shall proclaim thy justice , goodness , omnipotence . xvii . speculation , o lord , is not more easie then practice is difficult ; how many have we known , who , as it was said of the philosophers of old , know how to speak well , but live ill ; how many have written books of chymistry , and given very confident directions for the finding out of that precious stone of the philosophers , but how many have indeed made gold ? practice is that which thou , o god , chiefly requirest and respectest ; who hast said , if ye know these things , blessed are ye if you do them ; knowledg puffeth up , but love edifieth : o lord do thou enlighten mine eyes with the knowledg of thy will ; but above all , do thou rectifie my affections , guide my feet into the wayes of thy commandements ; apply my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway ; and prosper thou the work of my hands upon me , o prosper thou my handiwork . xviii . how oft have i wondred , o lord , at the boldness of those men , who knowing they must shortly die , yet dare do those things which will draw upon them eternity of torments ? what shall i say , but , the fool hath said in his heart , there is no god ; surely , men love themselves well enough ; and would be loth to do that , which would procure them an inevitable misery and pain ; did they therefore believe there were another world , and that they must be called to a strict reckoning for all their actions , and be doomed to an everlasting death for their wicked deeds , they durst not , they could not do those acts which should make them eternally miserable : let me say to the most desperate ruffian ; there is poyson in this cup , drink this draught and thou diest ; he would have the wit to keep his lips close , and cast the potion to the ground ; were it not for their infidelity , so would men do to the most plausible ( but deadly ) offers of sin . o lord , since i know thy righteous judgments ; teach me to tremble at them ; restrain thou my feet from every evill way ; and teach me so to walk , as one that looks every hour to appear before thy just , and dreadfull tribunal . xix the longer i live , o my god , the more do i wonder at all the works of thine hands : i see such admirable artifice in the very least and most despicable of all thy creatures , as doth every day more and more astonish my observation : i need not look so far as heaven for matter of marvaile ( though therein thou art infinitely glorious ) whiles i have but a spider in my window , or a bee in my garden , or a worm under my feet : every one of these overcomes me with a just amazement ; yet can i see no more then their very out-sides ; their inward form which gives them their being , and operations , i cannot pierce into ; the less i can know , o lord , the more let me wonder ; and the less i can satisfie my self with marvailing at thy works , the more let me adore the majesty and omnipotence of thee that wroughtest them . xx . alas , my lord god , what poor , weak , imperfit services are those ( even at the best ) that i can present thee withal ! how leane , lame , and blemished sacrifices do i bring to thine altar ! i know thou art worthy of more then my soul is capable to perform ; and fain would i tender thee the best of thine own : but , what i would that i do not ; yea , cannot do : surely , had i not to do with an infinite mercy , i might justly look to be punished for my very obedience : but now lord my impotence redounds to the praise of thy goodness ; for were i more answerable to thy justice the glory of thy mercy would be so much less eminent in my remission , & acceptance ; here i am before thee , to await thy good pleasure ; thou knowest whether it be better to give me more ability , or to accept of that poor ability thou hast given me ; but since , when thou hast given me most ▪ i shall still , and ever stand in need of thy forgiveness ; let my humble suit be to thee alwaies ▪ rather for pardon of my defects , then for a supply of thy graces . xxi . o my god ; how do i see many profane and careless souls spend their time in jollity and pleasure ▪ the harp and the viol , the tabret and the pipe , and wine are in their feasts ; whiles i that desire to walk close with thee , in all conscionable obedience , droop and languish under a dull heaviness , and heartless dejection : i am sure i have a thousand times more cause of joy and cheerfulness , then the merriest of all those wilde and joviall spirits ; they have a world to play withall , but i have a god to rejoyce in ; their sports are triviall and momenta●ie ; my joy is serious , and everlasting : one ▪ dram of my mirth is worth a pound of theirs ▪ but , i confesse , o lord , how much i am wanting to my self in not stirring up this holy fire of spirituall joy ; but suffering it to lie raked up under the dead ashes of a sad neglect : o thou , who art the god of hope , quicken this heavenly affection in my soul ; and fill me with all joy and peace in believing ; make my heart so much more light then the worldlings , by how much my estate is happier . xxii . what shall i do lord ? i strive and tug ( what i may ) with my naturall corruptions , and with the spirituall wickednesses in high places which set upon my soul ; but sometimes i am foyled , and go halting out of the field ; it is thy mercy that i live , being so fiercely assaulted by those principalities , and powers ; it were more then wonder if i should escape such hands without a wound : even that holy servant of thine who strove with thine angel for a blessing , went limping away , though he prevailed ; what mervail is it that so weak a wretch as i , striving with many evill angels for the avoidance of a curse , come off with a maime , or a scar ? but blessed be thy name , the wounds that i receive are not mortall ; and when i fall , it is but to my knees ▪ whence i rise with new courage and hopes of victory ; thou who art the god of all power , and keepest the keys of hell and death , hast said , resist the devill , and he will flee from you ; lord , i do and will by thy merciful ayd still and ever resist ; make thou my faith as stedfast , as my will is resolute ; oh still teach thou my hands to war , and my fingers to fight ; arme thou my soul with strength , and at last according to thy gracious promise , crown it with victory . xxiii . oh lord god ; how ambitious , how covetous of knowledg is this soul of mine ? as the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the eare filled with hearing ; no more is the mind of man with understanding ; yea , so insatiable is my heart , that the more i know , the more i desire to know ; and the less i think i know : under heaven there can be no bounds set to this intellectuall appetite : o do thou stop the mouth of my soul with thy self , who are infinite ; whom have i in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that i desire besides thee : alas , lord , if i could know all creatures , with all their forms , qualities , workings ; if i could know as much as innocent adam , or wise solomon ; yea more , if i could know all that is done in earth or heaven , what were my soul the better , if it have not attained the knowledg of thee : since , as the preacher hath most wisely observed , in much wisdome is much grief , and he that increaseth knowledg , increaseth sorrow ; oh then , set off my heart from affecting that knowledg whose end is sorrow ; and fix it upon that knowledg , which brings everlasting life : and this is life eternal , to know thee the only true god ; and jesus christ whom thou hast sent . xxiv . o my god , what miserable uncertainties there are in these worldly hopes ! but yesterday i made account of an eminent advantage of my estate , which now ends in a deep loss . how did we lately feed our selves with the hope of a firme and during peace , which now shuts up in too much bloud ? how confidently did i relie upon the promised favour of some great friends , which now leave me in the suds , as the scom of ( a mis-called ) fortune ? in how slippery places , o lord , do our feet stand ? if that may be said to stand which is ever sliding , never fixed ; and not more ●●ippery , then brittle ; so as there is not more danger of falling , then of sinking : with thee , o god , with thee only , is a constant immutability of happiness ; there let me seek it , there let me finde it ; and over-looking all the fickle objects of this vain world , let my soul pitch it self upon that blessed immortality which ere long it hopes to enjoy with thee . xxv . lord god , what a wearisome circle do i walk in here below ; i sleep , and dress , and work , and eat , and work again , and eat again , and undress , and sleep again ; and thus wearing out my time find ▪ a satiety in all these , troublesome ; lord , when shall i come to that state , wherein i shall do nothing but injoy thee ; do nothing but praise thee ; and in that one work shall finde such infinite contentment , that my glorified soul cannot wish to do any other ? and shall therein alone bestow a blessed eternity ? xxvi . o god , how troublesome and painful do i find this sun of thine , whose scorching beams beat upon my head ? and yet , this excellent creature of thine is that , to which , under thee , we are beholden for our very life ; and it is thy great blessing to the earth , that it may enjoy these strong and forceable rayes from it ; oh , who shall be able to endure the burning flames of thy wrath , which thou intendest for the punishment , and everlasting torment of thine enemies ? and if men shall blaspheme the name of thee the god of heaven , for the great heat of that beneficiall creature , what shall we think they will do for that fire which shall be consuming them to all eternity ? lord keep my soul from those flames , which shall be ever burning , and never , either quenched , or abated . xxvii which way , o lord , which way can i look , and not see some sad examples of misery : one wants his limbs with mephibosheth , another his sight with bartimeus , a third with lazarus wants bread , and a whole skin ; one is pained in his body , another plundred of his estate , a third troubled in minde ; one is pined in prison , another tortured on the rack , a third languisheth under the loss of a deare son , or wife or husband ; who am i lord , that , for the present , i enjoy an immunity from all these sorrows ? i am sure none grones under them that hath deserved them more : it is thy mercy , thy meer mercy , o my good god , that any of these calamities have faln beside me ; oh make me truly thankful for thine infinite goodness ; and yet onely so sensible of thy gracious indulgence this way ; as that when any of these evils shall seize upon mee , i may be no more dejected in the sense of them , then i am now overjoyed with the favor of their forbearance . xxviii . o blessed god , what variety of gifts hast thou scattered amongst the sons of men ? to one thou hast given vigor of body , to another agility , beauty to a third ; to one depth of judgment , to another quickness of apprehension ; to one readiness and rarity of invention ; to another tenacity of memorie ; to one the knowledg of liberal arts , to another the exquisiteness of manuary skill ; to one worldly wealth , to another honour ; to one a wise heart , to another an eloquent tongue ; to one more then enough , to another contentment with a little ; to one valour , to another sagacity : these favors , o lord ▪ thou hast promiscuously dispersed amongst both thy friends , and enemies : but oh , how transcendent are those spiritual mercies which thou hast reserved for thine own ; the graces of heavenly wisdome , lively faith , fervent charity , firme hope , joy in the holy ghost and all the rest of that divine beauye . for any competency of the least of thy common blessings i desire to be thankful to thy bounty ; ( for which of them , o god , can i either merit or requite ? ) but oh for a soul truly and eagarly ambitious of those thy best mercies ; oh let me ever long for them , and ever be insatiable of them ; oh do thou fill my heart with the desire of them , and let that desire never finde it self filled . xxix . how comfortable a style is that , o god , which thine apostle gives to thine heaven , whiles he cals it the inheritance of the saints in light ? none can come there but saints ; the ●oomes of this lower wo●d are taken up , commonly , with wicked men , with beasts , with devils ; but into that heavenly jerusalem no unholy thing can enter ; neither can any saint be excluded thence ; each of them have not only a share , but an entire right to thy glory : and how many just titles are there , o saviour , to that region of blessedness ; it ▪ is thy fathers gift , it is thy purchase , it is thy saints inheritance ; theirs only in thy right ; by thy gracious adoption they are sons , and as sons , heires : co-heirs with thee of that blessed patrimony ; so feoffed upon them , so possessed of them , that they can never be disseized : and ▪ lord , how glorious an inheritance it is ! an inherit●nce in light : in light incomprehensible , in light inaccessible : lo , the most spirituall of all thy visible creatures is light ; and yet this light is but the effect , and emanation of one of thy creatures ▪ the sun ; and serves only for the illumination of this visible world ; but that supernal light is from the al-glorious beams of thy divine majesty , diffusing themselves to those blessed spirits , both angels , and souls of thy saints , who live in the joyful fruition of thee , to all eternity : alas , lord , we do here dwell in darkness , and under an uncomfortable opacity , whiles thy face is clouded from us with manifold temptations there above , with thee , is pure light , a constant noon-tide of glory ; i am here under a miserable and obscure wardship ; oh teach me to despise the best of earth ; and ravish my soul with a longing desire of being possessed of that blessed inheritance of the saints in light . xxx . what outward blessing can be sweeter then civill peace ? what judgment more heavy then that of the sword ? yet , o saviour , there is a peace which thou disclaimest ; and there is a sword which thou challengest to bring ▪ peace with our corruptions is warr against thee ; and that war in our bosomes , wherein the spirit fighteth against the flesh , is peace with thee o let thy good spirit raise and foment this holy and intestine war more and more within me . and as for my outward spirituall enemies ; how can there be a victory without war ; and how can i hope for a crown without victory ? o do thou ever gird me with strength to the battle ; inable thou me to resist unto bloud ; make me faithfull to the death , that thou maist give me the crown of life . xxxi . o lord god ; how subject is this wretched heart of mine to repining , and discontentment ? if it may not have what it would , how ready it is ( like a froward child ) to throw away what it hath . i know and feel this to be out of that naturall pride which is so deep rooted in me ; for could i be sensible enough of my own unworthinesse , i should think every thing too good , every thing too much for me : my very being , o lord , is more then i am ever able to answer thee ; and how could i deserve it when i was not ? but that i have any helps of my wel-beeing here ; or hopes and means of my being glorious hereafter , how far is it beyond the reach of my soul ? lord , let me finde my own nothingness ; so shall i be thankfull for a little , and , in my very want , blesse thee . xxxii . where art thou , o my god ? whither hast thou withdrawn thy self ? it is not long , since i found thy comfortable presence with my soul ; now i misse thee , and mourn and languish for thee : nay , rather , where art thou o my soul ? my god is where he was ; neither can be any other then himself ; the change is in thee , whose inconstant disposition varies continually , and cannot finde it self fixed upon so blessed an object . it will never be better with me , o my god , until it shall please thee to stablish my heart with thy free spirit ; and to keep it close to thee , that it may not be carried away with vain distractions , with sinful temptations : lord my god , as thou art alwaies present with me , and canst no more be absent , then not be thy self ; so let me be alwaies with thee , in an humble , and faithful acknowledgment of thy presence ; as i can never be out of thine all-seeing eye ; so let mine eyes be ever bent upon thee who art invisible ; thou that hast given me eyes , improve them to thy glorie and my happiness . xxxiii . my bosome , o lord , is a rebeccaes ▪ womb , there are twins striving within it ; a jacob and esau , the old man and the new : whiles i was in the barren state of my ●nregeneration all was quiet within me ; now this strife is both troublesome , and paineful ; so as nature is ready to say , if it be so , why am i thus ? but withal , o my god , i bless thee for this happy unquietness ; for i know there is just cause of comfort in these inward struglings ; my soul is now not unfruitful , and is conceived with an holy feed which wrestles with my natural corruptions ; and if my esau have got the start in the priority of time ; yet my jacob shall follow him hard at the heele , and happily supplant him ▪ and though i must nourish them both , as mine , yet i can , through thy grace , imitate thy choice ; and say with thee , jacob have i loved , and esau have i hated ; blessed god , make thou that word of thine good in me , that the elder shall serve the younger . xxxiv . alas , my lord god , how small matters trouble me ? every petty occurrence is ready to rob me of my peace ; so as , me thinks , i am like some little cock-boat in a rough sea , which every billow topples up and down , and threats to sink : i can chide this weak pusillanimity in my self ; but it is thou that must redress it : lord , work my heart to so firme a setledness upon thee , that it may never be shaken ; no not with the violent gust● of temptation ; much lesse with the easie gales of secular misaccidents : even when i am hardest pressed , in the multitude of the sorrows of my heart , let thy comforts refresh my soul ; but for these sleight crosses , oh teach me to despise them , as not worthy of my notice , much less of my vexation : let my heart be taken up with thee , and then , what care i whether the world smile or frown . xxxv . what a comfort it is , o ▪ saviour , that thou art the first fruits of them that sleep : those that die in thee , do but sleep : thou saidst so , once , of thy lazarus ; and maist say so of him again ; he doth but sleep still ▪ his first sleep was but short , this latter , though longer , is no less true ; out of which he shall no less surely awake at thy second call , then he did before at thy first ; his first sleep and waking was singular , this latter is the same with ours ; we all lie down in our bed of earth , as sure to wake , as ever we can be to shut our eyes ; in , and from thee , o blessed saviour , is this our assurance ; who art the first fruits of them that sleep : the first handfull of the first fruits was not presented for it self , but for the whole field , wherein it grew ▪ the vertue of that oblation extended it self to the whole crop : neither didst thou , o blessed jesu , rise again for thy self only , but the power and vertue of thy resurrection reaches to all thine ; so thy chosen vessel tels as : christ the first fruits , afterwards they that are christs at his coming ▪ so as , though the resurrection be of all the dead , both just and unjust ; yet to rise by the power of thy resurrection , is so proper to thine own , as that thou , o saviour , hast styled it the resurrection of the just ; whiles the rest shall be drag'd out of their graves by the power of thy god-head to their dreadful judgment : already therefore , o jesu , are we risen in thee : and as sure shall rise in our own persons ; the loco-motive faculty is in the head ; thou who art our head art risen , we who are thy members must , and shall follow : say then , o my dying body , say boldly unto death , rejoyce not over me , o mine enemy , for though i fall , yet i shall rise again : yea , lord , the vertue of thy first fruits diffuseth it self , not to our rising only , but to a blessed immortality of these bodies of ours : for , as thou didst rise immortall and glorious , so shall we by , and with thee ; who shalt change these vile bodies , and make them like to thy glorious body . the same power that could shake off death , can put on glory and majesty : lay thee down therefore , o my body , quietly and cheerfully ; and look to rise in another hue ; thou art sown in corruption , thou shalt be raised in incorruption ; thou art sown in dishonour , thou shalt be raised in glory ; thou art sown in weaknesse , but shalt be raised in power . xxxvi . in this life , in this death of the body ; o lord , i see there are no degrees , though differences of time ; the man that dyed yesterday is as truly dead , as abel the first man that dyed in the world ▪ and methuselah that lived nine hundred sixty nine years , did not more truly live , then the childe that did but salute , and leave the world ; but in the life to come , and the second death , here are degrees ; degrees of blessedness to the glorified , degrees of torments to the damned ; the least whereof is unspeakable , unconceivable : oh thou that art the lord of life and death , keep my soul from those steps that go down to the chambers of death ; and once set it ( for higher i dare not sue to go ) but over the threshold of glory and blessedness . xxxvii . o lord my god , i am as very a pilgrime as ever walked upon thy earth ; why should i look to be in any better condition then my neighbours , then my forefathers ? even the best of them , that were most fixed upon their inheritance , were no other then strangers at home : it was not in the power of the world to naturalize them , much less to make them enroll themselves free-denizons here below ; they knew their country , which they sought , was above ; so infinitely rich , and pleasant , that these earthly regions which they must pass thorough , are , in comparison , worthy of nothing but contempt . my condition is no other then theirs ; i wander here in a strange country ; what wonder is it , if i meet with forrainers fare , hard usage , and neglect ? why do i intermeddle with the affaires of a nation that is not mine ? why do i clog my self in my way with the base and heavy lumber of the world ? why are not my affections homeward ? why do i not long to see and enjoy my fathers house ? o my god , thou that hast put me into the state of a pilgrim , give me a pilgrims heart ; set me off from this wretched world wherein i am ; let me hate to think of dwelling here ; let it be my only care how to pass through this miserable wilderness to the promised land of a blessed eternitie . xxxviii . one talent at the least , o lord , hast thou put into my hand ; and that sum is great to him that is not worth a dram ; but , alas , what have i done with it ? i confess i have not hid it in a napkin ; but have been laying it out to some poor advantage ; yet surely the gain is so unanswerable , that i am afraid of an audit ▪ i see none of the approved servants in the gospel brought in an increase of less value then the receit ; i fear i shall come short of the sum . o thou , who justly holdest thy self wronged with the style of an austere master , vouchsafe to accept of my so mean improvement ; and thou , who valuedst the poor widows mites above the rich gifts cast into thy treasurie , be pleased to allow of those few pounds that my weak indevors could raise from thy stock and mercifully reward thy servant , not according to his success , but according to his true intentions of glorifying thee . xxxix . what a word is this which i hear from thee , o saviour ; behold i stand at the doore and knock ! thou which art the lord of life , god blessed for ever , to stand and knock at the door of a sinful heart ! oh what a praise is this of thy mercy and long suffering ? what a shame to our dull neglect and graceless ingratitude ? for a david to say i waited patiently upon the lord ; truly my soul waiteth upon god ; it is but meet and comely ; for it is no other then the duty of the greatest monarchs on earth , yea , of the highest angels in heaven to attend their maker ; but for thee the great god of heaven to wait at the door of us sinful dust and ashes , what a condescension is this , what a longanimity ? it were our happiness , o lord , if upon our greatest suit and importunity we might have the favor to entertain thee into our hearts ; but that thou shouldst importune us to admit thee , and shouldst wait at the posts of our doors , till thine head be filled with dew , and thy locks with the drops of the night , it is such a mercy , as there is not room enough in our souls to wonder at . in the mean time what shall i say to our wretched unthankfulnes ; and impious negligence ? thou hast graciously invited us to thee , and hast said ; knock and it shall be opened ; and yet thou continuest knocking at our doors , and we open not ; willingly delaying to let in our happiness ; we know how easie it were for thee to break open the brasen doors of our brests , and to come in ; but the kingdome of heaven suffers not violence from thee , though it should suffer it from us ; thou wilt do all thy works in a sweet and gracious way ; as one who will not force , but win love ; lord , i cannot open unless thou that knock'st for entrance , wilt be pleased to inable me with strength to turn the key , and to unbolt ▪ this unweldy bar of my soul . o do thou make way for thy self by the strong motions of thy blessed spirit , into the in-most rooms of my heart ; and do thou powerfully incline me to mine own happiness : els , thou shalt be ever excluded , and i shall be ever miserable . xli . in what pangs couldst thou be , o asaph , that so woful a word should fall from thee , hath god forgotten to be gracious ? surely , the temptation went so high , that the next step had been blasphemie ; had not that good god , whom thy bold weakness questions for forgetfulness , in great mercy remembred thee and brought thee speedily to remember thy self and him , that which thou confessest to have been infirmity , had proved a sinful despair : i dare say for thee , that word washed thy cheeks with many a tear , and was worthy of more ; for , o god , what can be so dear to thee as the glory of thy mercy ? there is none of thy blessed attributes which thou desirest to set forth so much unto the sons of men , and so much abhorrest to be disparaged by our detraction , as thy mercy : thou canst , o lord , forget thy displeasure against thy people ; thou canst forget our iniquities , and cast our sins out of thy remembrance ; but thou canst no more forget to be gracious , then thou ●anst cease to be thy self ; o my god , i sin against thy justice hourly , and thy mercy interposes for my remission ; but oh keep me from sinning against thy mercy ; what plea can i hope for , when i have made my advocate mine enemy ? xli . how happy , o lord , is the man that hath thee for his god ? he can want nothing that is good ; he can be hurt by nothing that is evill ; his sins are pardoned , his good indeavors are accepted ; his crosses are sanctified ; his prayers are heard ; all that he hath are blessings , all that he suffers are advantages ; his life is holy , his death comfortable , his estate after death glorious ; oh that i could feel thee to be my god ; that i could enjoy an heavenly communion with thee ▪ in vain should earth or hell labour to make me other then blessed . xlii . how just a motion is this of thine , o thou sweet , singer of israel ; o love the lord , all ye his saints ; surely they can be no saints that love not such a lord ; had he never been good to them , yet that infinite goodness which is in himself , would have commanded love from saints : yet , how could they have been saints , if he had wholly kept his goodness to himself ? in that then he hath made them saints , he hath communicated his goodness to them , and challengeth all love from them ; and being made such , how infinitely hath he obliged them with all kinds of mercies ? how can ye choose o ye saints but love the lord ? what have ye , what are ye , what can ye be , but from his meer bounty ? they are sleight favours that he hath done you for the world ; in these his very enemies share with you ; how transcendent are his spirituall obligations ! hath he not given you his angels for your attendants ; himself for your protector ; his son out of his bosome for your redeemer ; his spirit for your comforter ; his heaven for your inheritance ? if gifts can attract love ; o my god , who can have any interest in my heart but thy blessed self , that hast been so infinitely munificent to my soul ? take it to thee , thou that hast made and bought it ; enamour it thoroughly of thy goodness ; make me sick of love ; yea let me die for love of thee , who hast loved me unto death that i may fully enjoy the perfection of thy love , in the height of thy glory . xliii . lord , how have i seen men miscarried into those sins , the premonition whereof they would have thought incredible , and their yeildance thereto , impossible ? how many hazaels hath our very age yeilded , that if a prophet should have fore-told their acts , would have said , is thy servant a dog that he should do these great things ? oh my god , why do not i suspect my self ? what hold have i of my self more then these other miserable examples of humane frailtie ? lord god , if thou take off thy hand from me , what wickedness shall escape me ? i know i cannot want a tempter ; and that tempter cannot want either power , or malice , or skill , or vigilance or baits , or opportunities ; and for my self , i find too well , that of my self i have no strength to resist any of his temptations : o for thy mercies sake , uphold thou me with thy mighty hand ; stand close to me in all assaults ; shew thy self strong in my weakness : keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins ; let them not have dominion over me ; then ( onely ) shall i be upright , and shall be innocent from the great transgression . xliv . it is thy title , o lord , and only thine , that thou givest songs in the night : the night is a sad and dolorous season ; as the light contrarily is the image of cheerfulness ; like as it is in bodily pains and aches , that they are still worst towards night ; so it is in the cares and griefs of mind ; then they assault us most when they are helpt on by the advantage of an uncomfortable darkness : many men can give themselves songs in the day of their prosperity ; who can but howl in the night of their affliction ; but for a paul and silas to sing in their prison at mid-night ; for an asaph to call to remembrance his song in the night , this comes onely from that spirit of thine , whose peculiar style is the comforter : and surely , as musick sounds best in the night , so those heavenly notes of praise which we sing to thee our god in the gloomy darkness of our adversity , cannot but be most pleasing in thine ears : thine apostle bids us ( which is our ordinary wont ) when we are merry to sing , when afflicted , to pray ; but if when we are afflicted we can sing , ( as also when we are merriest we can pray ) that ditty must needs be so much more acceptable to thee , as it is a more powerful effect of the joy of thy holy ghost ; o my god , i am conscious of my own infirmity ; i know i am naturally subject to a dull and heavy ▪ dumpishness , under whatsoever affliction ; thou that art the god of all comfort , remedy this heartless disposition in me ; pull this lead out of my bosome ; make me not patient only , but cheerful under my trials , fill thou my heart with joy , and my mouth with songs in the night of my tribulation . xlv . it is a true word , o lord , that thy seer said of thee long ago ; the lord seeth not as man seeth : man sees the face , thou seest the heart ; man sees things as they seem , thou seest them as they are ; many things are hid from the eyes of men , all things lie open and displaid before thee . what a madness then were it in me to come disguised into thy presence ▪ & to seek to hide my counsels from thine al-seeing eyes ? i must be content , lord , to be deluded here by fair appearances ; for i may not offer to look into the bosoms of men , which thou hast reserved for thy self ; it is only the out-side that i can judg by ; yea , o god , if i shall cast my eyes inward , and look into my own brest , even there i find my self baffled at home ; the heart of man is deceitful above all things ; who can know it ? none but those piercing eyes of thine can discover all the windings and turnings of that intricate piece . what would it avail me , o lord , to mock the eyes of all the world with asemblance of holiness , whilst thou shouldst see me false and filthy ? should i be censured by a world of men , when i am secretly allowed by thee , i could contemn it , yea glory in their unjust reproach ; but if thine eye shall note me guilty , to what purpose is all the applause of men ? o thou that art the god of truth ; do thou open , and dissect this close heart of mine ; search every fibre that is in , or about it ; and if thou findest any ill blood there , let it out ; and if thou findest any hollowness , fill it up ; and so work upon it , that it may be approved of thee that madest it ; as for men , it shall be alike to me whether they spend their breath or save it ▪ xlvi . lord god , what a world of treasure hast thou hid in the bowels of the earth , which no eye of man ever did , or shall , or can see ? what goodly plants hast thou brought forth of the earth , in wilde , unknown regions , which no man ever beheld ? what great wits hast thou shut up in a willing obscurity , which the world never takes notice of ? in all which thou shewest , that it is not only the use and benefit of man which thou regardest in the great variety of thy creation , and acts of administration of the world , but thine own glory , and the fulfilling of thine own good pleasure ; and if onely the angels of heaven be witnesses of thy great works , thou canst not want a due celebration of thy praise ; it is just with thee , o god , that thou shouldst regard only thy blessed self , in all that thou doest , or hast done ; for all is thine , and thou art all : oh that i could sincerely make thee the perfect scope of all my thoughts , of all my actions ; that so we may both meet in one and the same happy end , thy glory in my eternall blessedness . xlvii . indeed , lord , as thou saist , the night commeth when no man can work ; what can we do , when the light is shut in , but shut our eyes , and sleep ? when our senses are tyed up , and our limbs laid to rest , what can we do , but yeeld our selves to a necessary repose ? o my god , i perceive my night hastening on apace , my sun draws low , the shadows lengthen , vapours rise , and the air begins to darken ; let me bestir my self for the time ; let me lose none of my few hours ▪ let me work hard a while ; because i shall soon rest everlastingly . xlviii . thou seest , lord , how apt i am to contemn this body of mine ; surely when i look back upon the stuffe whereof it is made , no better then that i tread upon ; and see the loathsomness of all kinds that comes from it ; and feel the pain that it oft times puts me to , and consider whither it is going , and how noisome it is above all other creatures upon the dissolution ; i have much adoe to hold good terms with so unequal a partner ; but on the other side ; when i look up to thy hand , and ●●e how fearfully and wonderfully thou hast made it ▪ what infinite cost thou hast bestowed upon it , in that thou hast not thought thine own blood too dear to redeeme it ▪ that thou hast so far honour'd it , as to make it the temple of thy holy ghost ; and to admit it into a blessed communion with thy self ; and hast decreed to do so great things for it hereafter ; even to cloath it with immortality , and to make it like unto thy glorious body ; i can bless thee for so happy a mate ; and with patience digest all these necessary infirmities ; and now i look upon this flesh , not as it is , withered and wrinkled ; but as it will be , shining and glorified . o lord , how vile so ever this clay is in it self ; yet make mee in thine interest and my hopes so enamoured of it , as if i did already finde it made celestial . oh that my faith could prevent my change , and anticipate my ensuing glory . xlix . lord , what a dreadful favor was that which thou shewedst to thy prophet elijah , to send a fiery chariot for him , to conveigh him up to heaven ! i should have thought that the sight of so terrible a carriage should have fetcht away his soul before-hand , and have left the body groveling on the earth : but that good spirit of thine , which had fore-signified that fiery rapture , had doubtless fore-armed thy servant with an answerable resolution to expect , and undergoe it : either he knew that chariot , how ever fearful in the appearance , was onely glorious , and not penal ; or els he cheerfully resolved that such a momentany pain in the change would be followed with an eternity of happiness : o god , we are not worthy to know whereto thou hast reserved us : perhaps thou hast appointed us to be in the number of those , whom thou shalt finde alive at thy second coming ; and then the case will be ours ; we shall pass through fire to our immortality : or , if thou hast ordained us to a speedier dispatch , perhaps thou hast decreed that our way to thee shall be through a fiery triall . o god , what ever course thou in thine holy wisdom hast determined for the fetching up my soul from this vale of misery , and tears , prepare me thoroughly for it ; and do thou work my heart to so lively a faith in thee , that all the terrours of my death may be swallowed up in an assured expectation of my speedy glory : and that my last groans shall be immediately seconded with eternall allelujahs , in the glorious chore of thy saints and angels in heaven . amen . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- joh. . . psal. . . . psal. . . jude . prov. . . prov. . . eccles . . matth. . . cor. . . psal. . . psal . . rom. . . jsa. . . rom. . . ephes. . . psal. ▪ . eccles. . . p● . . . eccles. . . joh. . . rev. . . rom. . . ps. . . gen. . . cor. . . act. ● . . luk. . . micah . . phil. . . cor. . , . heb. . , , . luk. . . , , . ps. . . ps. . . cant. . . p● . ▪ . micha . . , . psal. . . kings . . . psal. . . job . . eccles. . . act. . . ps. . . sam. . . three tractates by jos. hall, d.d. and b.n. selections. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) three tractates by jos. hall, d.d. and b.n. selections. hall, joseph, - . , [ ], p. : port. printed by m. flesher, for nat. butter, london : . engraved t.p. imperfect: "the peace-maker" with individual title page and paging, [ ], p. at end is lacking in filmed copy. reproduction of original in bodleian library. the devout soule -- the free prisoner, or, the comfort of restraint -- the remedy of discontentment, or, a treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition -- the peace-maker. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christianity. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion three tractates , the devout soul. the free-prisoner . the remedie of discontentment . to which may be added the peace-maker . by jos. hall , d. d. and b. n. london . printed by m. flesher , for nat : butter . m. dc . xlvi . to all christian readers , grace and peace . that in a time when wee heare no noise but of drums & trumpets , and talk of nothing but arms , and sieges , and battels , i should write of devotion , may seem to some of you strange and unseasonable ; to me , contrarily , it seems most fit and opportune : for when can it be more proper to direct our addresse to the throne of grace , then when we are in the very jaws of death ? or when should we goe to seek the face of our god , rather , then in the needfull time of trouble ? blessed be my god , who in the midst of these wofull tumults , hath vouchsafed to give me these calme , and holy thoughts ; which i justly suppose , he meant not to suggest , that they should be smoothered in the brest wherein they were conceived , but with a purpose to have the benefit communicated unto many ; who is there that needs not vehement excitations , and helps to devotion ? and when more then now ? in a tempest the mariners themselves doe not onely cry every man to his god , but awaken jonah , that is fast asleep under the hatches , and chide him to his prayers . surely , had we not been failing in our devotions , we could not have been thus universally miserable ; that duyy , the neglect wherof is guilty of our calamity , must in the effectuall performance of it , be the meanes of our recovery . be but devout , and we cannot miscarry under judgements ; woe is me , the teares of penitence , were more fit to quench the publique flame , then blood . how soon would it cleare up above head , if we were but holily affected within ? could we send our zealous ambassadours up to heaven , we could not faile of an happy peace . i direct the way ; god bring us to the end ; for my own particular practice ; god is witnesse to my soule , that ( as one , the sense of whose private affliction is swallowed up of the publique ) i cease not dayly to ply the father of mercies with my fervent prayers , that he would , at last , be pleased , after so many streames of blood , to passe an act of pacification in heaven : and what good heart can doe otherwise ? brethren , all ye that love god , and his church , and his truth , and his anointed , and your country , and your selves , and yours , joyn your forces with mine , and let us by an holy violence make way to the gates of heaven with our petition , for mercy and peace ; and not suffer our selves to be beaten off from the threshold of grace , till we be answered with a condescent . he , whose goodnesse is wont to prevent our desires , will not give denials to our importunities . pray , and farewell . norwich . march . . the devovt soule . sect . i. devotion is the life of religion , the very soul of piety , the highest imploiment of grace ; and no other then the prepossession of heaven by the saints of god here upon earth ; every improvement whereof is of more advantage and value to the christian soule , then all the profits and contentments which this world can afford it . there is a kind of art of devotion ( if we can attain unto it ) whereby the practice thereof may be much advanced : wee have known indeed some holy souls , which out of the generall precepts of piety , and their own happy experiments of gods mercy , have , through the grace of god , grown to a great measure of perfection this way ; which yet might have been much expedited , and compleated , by those helps , which the greater illumination and experience of others might have afforded them : like as we see it in other faculties ; there are those , who out of a naturall dexterity , and their own frequent practice , have got into a safe posture of defence , and have handled their weapon with commendable skill , whom yet the fence-schoole might have raised to an higher pitch of cunning : as nature is perfited , so grace is not a little furthered , by art ; since it pleaseth the wisdome of god , to work ordinarily upon the soul , not by the immediate power of miracle , but in such methods , and by such means , as may most conduce to his blessed ends . it is true , that our good motions come from the spirit of god ; neither is it lesse true , that all the good counsails of others proceed from the same spirit ; and that good spirit cannot be crosse to itselfe ; he therefore that infuses good thoughts into us , suggests also such directions , as may render us apt both to receive and improve them : if god be bounteous , we may not be idle , and neglective of our spirituall aids . sect . ii. ii you tell me ( by way of instance in a particular act of devotion ) that there is a gift of prayer , and that the spirit of god is not tyed to rules ; i yeeld both these ; but withall , i must say there are also helps of prayer , and that we must not expect immediate inspirations : i finde the world much mistaken in both ; they think that man hath the gift of prayer , that can utter the thoughts of his heart roundly unto god , that can expresse himselfe smoothly in the phrase of the holy ghost , and presse god with most proper words , and passionate vehemence : and surely this is a commendable faculty , wheresoever it is : but this is not the gift of prayer ; you may call it , if you will , the gift of elocution . doe we say that man hath the gift of pleading , that can talk eloquently at the barre , that can in good termes loud and earnestly importune the judge for his client ; and not rather he that brings the strongest reason , and quotes his books , and precedents with most truth , and clearest evidence , so as may convince the jury , and perswade the judge ? doe we say he hath the gift of preaching , that can deliver himselfe in a flowing manner of speech , to his hearers , that can cite scriptures , or fathers , that can please his auditory with the flowers of rhetorick ; or rather , he , that can divide the word aright , interpret it soundly , apply it judiciously , put it home to the conscience , speaking in the evidence of the spirit , powerfully convincing the gainsayers , comforting the dejected , and drawing every soul nearer to heaven ? the like must we say for prayer ; the gift whereof he may be truly said to have , not that hath the most rennible tongue , ( for prayer is not so much a matter of the lips , as of the heart ) but he that hath the most illuminated apprehension of the god to whom he speaks , the deepest sense of his own wants , the most eager longings after grace , the ferventest desires of supplyes from heaven ; and in a word , whose heart sends up the strongest groans and cries to the father of mercies . neither may we look for enthusiasmes , and immediate inspirations ; putting our selves upon gods spirit , in the solemn exercises of our invocation , without heed , or meditation ; the dangerous inconvenience whereof hath been too often found in the rash , and unwarrantable expressions , that have fallen from the mouths of unwary suppliants ; but we must addresse our selves with due preparation , to that holy work ; we must digest our suits ; and fore-order our supplications to the almighty ; so that there may be excellent and necessary use of meet rules of our devotion . he , whose spirit helps us to pray , and whose lips taught us how to pray , is an alsufficient example for us : all the skill of men , and angels , cannot afford a more exquisite modell of supplicatory devotion , then that blesser saviour of ours gave us in the mount ; led in by a divine , and heart-raising preface , carried out with a strong and heavenly enforcement ; wherein an awfull compellation makes way for petition ; and petition makes way for thanksgiving ; the petitions marshalled in a most exact order , for spirituall blessings , which have an immediate concernment of god , in the first place ; then for temporall favours , which concern ourselves , in the second ; so punctuall a methode had not been observed by him that heareth prayers , if it had been all one to him , to have had our devotions confused , and tumultuary . sect . iii. there is commonly much mistaking of devotion as if it were nothing but an act of vocall prayer , expiring with that holy breath , and revived with the next task of our invocation ; which is usually measured of many , by frequence , length , smoothnesse of expression , lowdnesse , vehemence ; whereas , indeed , it is rather an habituall disposition of an holy soul , sweetly conversing with god , in all the forms of an heavenly ( yet awful ) familiarity ; and a constant intertainment of ourselves here below with the god of spirits , in our sanctifyed thoughts , and affections ; one of the noble exercises whereof , is our accesse to the throne of grace in our prayers ; whereto may be added , the ordering of our holy attendance upon the blessed word and sacraments of the almighty : nothing hinders therefore , but that a stammering suppliant may reach to a more eminent devotion , then he that can deliver himselfe in the most fluent and pathetical forms of elocution ; and that our silence may be more devout then our noise . we shall not need to send you to the cels or cloysters for this skill ; although it will hardly be beleeved , how far some of their contemplative men have gone in the theory hereof ; perhaps , like as chymists give rules for the attaining of that elixir , which they never found ; for sure they must needs fail of that perfection they pretend , who erre commonly in the object of it , always in the ground of it , which is faith ; stripped , by their opinion , of the comfortablest use of it , certainty of application . sect . iv. as there may be many resemblances betwixt light and devotion , so this one especially , that as there is a light universally diffused through the ayre , and there is a particular recollection of light into the body of the sun , and starres ; so it is in devotion ; there is a generall kind of devotion that goes through the renewed heart and life of a christian , which we may term habituall , and virtuall ; and there is a speciall , and fixed exercise of devotion , which wee name actuall . the soul that is rightly affected to god , is never void of an holy devotion ; where ever it is , what ever it doth , it is still lifted up to god , and fastned upon him , and converses with him ; ever serving the lord in feare , and rejoycing in him with trembling . for the effectuall performance whereof , it is requisite first , that the heart be setled in a right apprehension of our god ; without which , our devotion is not thanklesse only , but sinfull : with much labour therefore , and agitation of a mind illuminated from above , we must find our selves wrought to an high , awfull , adorative , and constant conceit of that incomprehensible majesty , in whom we live , and move , and are ; one god , in three most glorious persons , infinite in wisdome , in power , in justice , in mercy , in providence , in al that he is , in al that he hath , in all that he doth ; dwelling in light inaccessible , attended with thousand thousands of angels ; whom yet we neither can know , ( neither would it avail us if we could ) but in the face of the eternall son of his love , our blessed mediatour god and man ; who sits at the right hand of majesty in the highest heavens ; from the sight of whose glorious humanity , we comfortably rise to the contemplation of that infinite deity , whereto it is inseparably united ; in and by him , ( made ours by a lively faith ) finding our persons , and obedience accepted , expecting our full redemption , and blessednesse . here , here must our hearts be unremoveably fixed ; in his light must we see light : no cloudy occurrences of this world , no busie imployments , no painfull sufferings must hinder us from thus seeing him that is invisible . sect . v. neither doth the devout heart see his god aloof off , as dwelling above , in the circle of heaven , but beholds that infinite spirit really present with him ; the lord is upon thy right hand , saith the psalmist ; our bodily eye doth not more certainly see our own flesh , then the spirituall eye sees god close by us ; yea , in us ; a mans own soul is not so intimate to himselfe , as god is to his soul ; neither doe we move by him only , but in him : what a sweet conversation therefore , hath the holy soule with his god ? what heavenly conferences have they two , which the world is not privy to ; whiles god entertaines the soule with the divine motions of his spirit ; the soul entertains god with gracious compliances ? is the heart heavy with the grievous pressures of affliction ? the soule goes in to his god , and pours out it self before him in earnest bemoanings , and supplications ; the god of mercy ansers the soul again , with seasonable refreshings of comfort : is the heart secretly wounded and bleeding with the conscience of some sin ? it speedily betakes it self to the great physitian of the soul , who forthwith applies the balme of gilead for an unfailing and present cure : is the heart distracted with doubts ? the soul retires to that inward oracle of god for counsail , he returns to the soul an happy setlement of just resolution : is the heart deeply affected with the sense of some special favour from his god ? the soul breaks forth into the passionate voice of praise and thanksgiving ; god returns the pleasing testimony of a cheerfull acceptation : oh blessed soul , that hath a god to go unto upon all occasions ; oh infinite mercy of a god , that vouchsafes to stoop to such intirenesse with dust and ashes . it was a gracious speech of a worthy divine upon his death-bed , now breathing towards heaven , that he should change his place , not his company : his conversation was now before-hand with his god , and his holy angels ; the only difference was , that he was now going to a more free and full fruition of the lord of life , in that region of glory above , whom he had truely ( though with weaknesse and imperfection ) enjoyed in this vale of tears . sect . vi. now , that these mutuall respects may bee sure not to cool with intermission , the devout heart takes all occasions both to think of god , and to speak to him . there is nothing that he sees , which doth not bring god to his thoughts . indeed there is no creature , wherin there are not manifest footsteps of omnipotence ; yea , which hath not a tongue to tell us of its maker . the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy-work ; one day telleth another , and one night certifieth another : yea , o lord , how manifold are thy works ! in wisedome hast thou made them all : the earth is full of thy riches , so is the great and wide sea , where are things creeping innumerable , both small and great beasts : every herbe , flower , spire of grasse , every twigge and leafe ; every worm and flye ; every scale and feather ; every billow and meteor , speaks the power and wisdome of their infinite creator ; solomon sends the sluggard to the ant ; esay sends the jews to the oxe and the asse ; our saviour sends his disciples to the ravens , and to the lillies of the field ; there is no creature of whom we may not learn something ; we shall have spent our time ill in this great school of the world , if in such store of lessons , we be non-proficients in devotion . vain idolaters make to themselves images of god , wherby they sinfully represent him to their thoughts and adoration ; could they have the wit and grace to see it , god hath taken order to spare them this labour , in that he hath stamped in every creature such impressions of his infinite power , wisdome , goodnes , as may give us just occasion to worship and praise him with a safe and holy advantage to our souls : for the invisible things of god from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternall power and godhead . and indeed , wherefore serve all the volumes of naturall history , but to be so many commentaries upon the severall creatures , wherein we may reade god ; and even those men who have not the skill , or leisure to peruse them , may yet out of their own thoughts , and observation , raise from the sight of all the works of god sufficient matter to glorifie him . who can be so stupide as not to take notice of the industry of the bee , the providence of the ant , the cunning of the spider , the reviving of the flye , the worms indeavour of revenge , the subtilty of the fox , the sagacity of the hedge-hog ; the innocence and profitablenesse of the sheep , the laboriousnesse of the oxe , the obsequiousnesse of the dog , the timerous shifts of the hare , the nimblenesse of the dear , the generosity of the lion , the courage of the horse , the fiercenesse of the tiger ; the cheerfull musick of birds , the harmlesnesse of the dove , the true love of the turtle , the cocks observation of time , the swallows architecture ; shortly , ( for it were easie here to be endlesse ) of the severall qualities , and dispositions of every of those our fellow-creatures , with whom we converse on the face of the earth ; and who that takes notice of them , cannot fetch from every act , and motion of theirs , some monition of duty , and occasion of devout thoughts ? surely , i fear many of us christians , may justly accuse our selves as too neglective of our duty this way ; that having thus long spent our time in this great academy of the world , we have not , by so many silent documents , learned to ascribe more glory to our creator ; i doubt those creatures , if they could exchangetheir brutality with our reason , being now so docible as to learn of us so far as their sense can reach , would approve themselves better scholars to us , then we have been unto them . withall , i must adde that the devout soul stands not always in need of such outward monitors , but finds within it self , sufficient incitements to raise up it self to a continuall minding of god ; and makes use of them accordingly ; and , if at any time , being taken up with importunate occasions of the world , it finds god missing but an hour , it chides it self for such neglect , and sets it self to recover him with so much more eager affection : as the faithfull spouse in the canticles , when she finds him whom her soul loved , withdrawn from her for a season , puts her self into a speedy search after him , and gives not over till she have attained his presence . sect . vii . now as these many monitors both outward and inward , must elevate our hearts very frequently , to god ; so those raised hearts must not entertain him with a dumb contemplation , but must speak to him in the language of spirits : all occasions therefore must be taken of sending forth pious and heavenly ejaculations to god ; the devout soul may doe this more then an hundred times a day , without any hinderance to his speciall vocation : the huswife at her wheel , the weaver at his loom , the husbandman at his plough , the artificer in his shop , the traveller in his way , the merchant in his warehouse may thus enjoy god in his bufiest imployment ; for , the soul of man is a nimble spirit ; and the language of thoughts needs not take up time ; and though we now , for examples sake , cloath them in words , yet in our practice we need not . now these ejaculations may be either at large , or occasionall : at large , such as those of old jacob , o lord i have waited for thy salvation ; or that of david , o save me for thy mercies sake : and these , either in matter of humiliation , or of imploration , or of thanksgiving . in all which , we cannot follow a better pattern then the sweet singer of israel , whose heavenly conceptions we may either borrow , or imitate . in way of humiliation , such as these . heal my soul , o lord , for i have sinned against thee . oh remēber not my old sins , but have mercy upon me . if thou wilt be extream to mark what is done amisse , o lord who may abide it ? lord thou knowest the thoughts of man that they are but vain ; o god , why abhorrest thou my soul , and hidest thy face from me ? in way of imploration . vp lord , and help me o god ; oh let my heart be sound in thy statutes , that i be not ashamed . lord , where are thy old loving mercies ? oh deliver me , for i am helplesse , and my heart is wounded within me . comfort the soul of thy servant , for unto thee , o lord , due i lift up my soul . goe not far from me o god. o knit my heart unto thee that i may fear thy name . thou art my helper and redeemer , o lord make no long tarrying . oh be thou my help in trouble , for vain is the help of man. oh guide me with thy counsell , and after that receive me to thy glory . my time is in thy hand , deliver me from the hands of mine enemies . oh withdraw not thy mercy from me , o lord. lead me , o lord , in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies . o let my soul live , and it shall praise thee . in way of thankesgiving : oh god , wonderfull art thou in thine holy places . oh lord , how glorious are thy works ! and thy thoughts are very deep . oh god , who is like unto thee ! the lord liveth , and blessed be my strong helper . lord , thy loving kindnesse is better then life it self . all thy works praise thee , o lord , and thy saints give thanks unto thee . oh how manifold are thy works ! in wisedome hast thou made them all . who is god but the lord , and who hath any strength except our god ? we will rejoyce in thy salvation , and triumph in thy name , o lord. oh that men would praise the lord for his goodnesse . oh how plentifull is thy goodnesse , which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee ! thou lord hast never failed them that seek thee . in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy , and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore . lord , what is man that thou art mindful of him ? not unto us lord , not unto us , but unto thy name give the praise . sect . viii . occasionall ejaculations are such , as are moved upon the presence of some such object as carries a kinde of relation or analogy to that holy thought which we have entertained . of this nature i finde that , which was practised in s. basils time ; that , upon the lighting of candles , the manner was to blesse god in these words , praise be to god the father , and the son , and the holy ghost ; which that father says was anciently used ; but who was the authour of it he professeth to be unknown : to the same purpose was the lucernarium , which was a part of the evening office of old ; for which there may seem to be more colour of reason , then for the ordinary fashion of apprecation , upon occasion of our sneesing ; which is expected , and practised by many , out of civility : old and reverend beza was wont to move his hat with the rest of the company , but to say withall , gramercy madame la superstition ; now , howsoever in this , or any other practice , which may seem to carry with it a smack of superstition , our devotion may be groundless and unseasonable , yet nothing hinders but that we may take just and holy hints of raising up our hearts to our god. as when vve doe first look forth , and see the heavens over our heads , to think , the heavens declare thy glory , o god. when we see the day breaking , or the sun rising , the day is thine , and the night is thine , thou hast prepared the light and the sun. when the light shines in our faces , thou deckest thy self with light as with a garment ; or , light is sprung up for the righteous . when we see our garden imbellisht with flowers , the earth is full of the goodnesse of the lord. when we see a rough sea , the waves of the sea rage horribly , and are mighty ; but the lord that dwelleth on high , is mightier then they . when we see the darknesse of the night , the darknesse is no darknesse with thee . when we rise up from our bed , or our seat , lord thou knowest my down-sitting , and my uprising ; thou understandest my thoughts afar off . when we wash our hands , wash thou me , o lord , and i shall be whiter then snow . when we are walking forth , oh hold thou up my goings in thy paths , that my footsteps slip not . when we hear a passing bell : oh teach me to number my days , that i may apply my heart to wisdome : or , lord , let me know my end , and the number of my days . thus may we dart out our holy desires to god , upon all occasions ; wherein , heed must be taken that our ejaculations be not , on the one side , so rare , that our hearts grow to be hard and strange to god , but that they may be held on in continuall acknowledgement of him , and acquaintance with him ; and , on the other side , that they be not so over-frequent in their perpetuall reiteration , as that they grow to be ( like that of the romish votaries ) fashionable ; which if great care be not taken , will fall out , to the utter frustrating of our devotion . shortly , let the measure of these devout glances be , the preserving our hearts in a constant tendernesse , and godly disposition ; which shall be further actuated upon all opportunities , by the exercises of our more enlarged , and fixed devotion : whereof there is the same variety that there is in gods services , about which it is conversant . there are three main businesses wherein god accounts his service , here below , to consist ; the first is , our addresse to the throne of grace , and the pouring out of our souls before him in our prayers : the second is , the reading and hearing his most holy word ; the third is , the receit of his blessed sacraments ; in all which there is place and use for a setled devotion . sect . ix . to begin with the first work of our actuall , and enlarged devotion : some things are pre-required of us , to make us capable of the comfortable performance of so holy and heavenly a duty ; namely , that the heart be clean first , and then that it be clear : clean from the defilement of any known sin ; clear from all intanglements and distractions : what doe we in our prayers , but converse vvith the almighty ? and either carry our souls up to him , or bring him down to us ? now , it is no hoping , that we can entertain god in an impure heart : even we men loath a nasty and sluttish lodging ; how much more will the floly god abhorre an habitation spiritually filthy ? i finde that even the unclean spirit made that a motive of his repossession , that he found the house swept and garnished : satans cleanlinesse is pollution ; and his garnishment , disorder and wickednesse ; without this he findes no welcome ; each spirit looks for an entertainment answerable to his nature ; how much more will that god of spirits , who is purity it self , look to be harboured in a cleanly room ? into a malicious soul wisdome shall not enter , nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin ; what friend would be pleased that we should lodge him in a lazar-house ? or who would abide to have a toad lie in his bosome ? surely , it is not in the verge of created nature to yeeld any thing that can be so noisome and odious to the sense of man , as sin is to that absolute , and essentiall goodnesse : his pure eyes cannot endure the sight of sin ; neither can he endure that the sinner should come within the sight of him ; away from me , ye wicked , is his charge , both here , and hereafter . it is the priviledge and happinesse of the pure in heart , that they shall see god ; see him both in the end , and in the way ; injoying the vision of him , both in grace , and in glory : this is no object for impure eyes : descend into thy self therefore , and ransack thy heart , who ever wouldst be a true client of devotion ; search all the close windings of it , with the torches of the law of god ; and if there be any iniquity found lurking in the secret corners thereof , drag it out and abandon it ; and when thou hast done , that thy fingers may retain no pollution , say with the holy psalmist ; i will wash my hands in innocence , so will i goe to thine altar . presume not to approach the altar of god , there to offer the sacrifice of thy devotion , with unclean hands : else thine offering shall be so far from winning an acceptance for thee , from the hands of god ; as that thou shalt make thine offering abominable . and if a beast touch the mount , it shall die . sect . x. as the soul must bee clean from sin , so it must be clear and free from distractions . the intent of our devotion is to welcome god to our hearts ; now where shall we entertain him , if the rooms be full thronged with cares , and turbulent passions ? the spirit of god will not endure to be crowded up together with the vvorld in our strait lodgings ; an holy vacuity must make way for him in our bosomes . the divine pattern of devotion , in whom the godhead dwelt bodily , retires into the mount to pray ; he that carried heaven with him , would even thus leave the world below him . alas , how can we hope to mount up to heaven in our thoughts , if we have the clogges of earthly cares hanging at our heels ! yea , not onely must there be a shutting out of all distractive cares , and passions , which are professed enemies to our quiet conversing with god in our devotion , but there must be also a denudation of the minde from all those images of our phantasie ( how pleasing soever ) that may carry our thoughts aside from those better objects : we are like to foolish children , who when they should be stedfastly looking on their books , are apt to gaze after every butterfly , that passeth by them ; here must be therefore a carefull intention of our thoughts , a restraint from all vain , and idle rovings , and an holding our selves close to our divine task : whiles martha is troubled about many things , her devouter sister , having chosen the better part , plies the one thing necessary , which shall never be taken from her ; and whiles martha would feast christ with bodily fare , she is feasted of christ with heavenly delicacies . sect . xi . after the heart is thus cleansed , and thus cleared , it must be in the next place decked with true humility , the cheapest , yet best ornament of the soul . if the wise man tel us , that pride is the beginning of sin ; surely , all gracious dispositions must begin in humility . the foundation of all high and stately buildings must be laid low : they are the lowly valleys that soak in the showers of heaven , which the steep hils shelve off , and prove dry and fruitlesse . to that man will i look ( saith god ) that is poor , and of a contrite spirit , and trembleth at my word : hence it is , that the more eminent any man is in grace , the more he is dejected in the sight of god ; the father of the faithfull comes to god under the style of dust and ashes : david under the style of a worm and no man : agur the son of jakeh , under the title of more brutish then any man ; and one that hath not the understanding of a man : john baptist , as not worthy to carry the shooes of christ after him ; paul , as the least of saints , and chief of sinners : on the contrary , the more vile any man is in his own eies , and the more dejected in the sight of god , the higher he is exalted in gods favour : like as the conduict-water , by how much lower it fals , the higher it riseth . when therefore we would appear before god , in our solemn devotions , we must see that we empty our selves of all proud conceits , and find our hearts fully convinced of our own vilenesse , yea nothingnesse in his sight . down , down with all our high thoughts ; fall we low before our great and holy god ; not to the earth only , but to the very brim of hell , in the conscience of our own guiltinesse ; for though the miserable wretchednesse of our nature may be a sufficient cause of our humiliation , yet the consideration of our detestable sinfulnes is that which will depresse us lowest in the sight of god. sect . xii . it is fit the exercise of our devotion should begin in an humble confession of our unworthinesse . now for the effectuall furtherance of this our self-dejection , it wil be requisite to bend our eyes upon a threefold object ; to look inward into our selves , upward to heaven , downwards to hell . first , to turn our eyes into our bosomes , and to take a view ( not without a secret self-loathing ) of that world of corruption that hath lyen hidden there ; and thereupon to accuse , arraign , and condemn our selves before that awfull tribunall of the judge of heaven , and earth ; both of that originall pollution , which wee have drawn from the tainted loyns of our first parents ; and those innumerable actuall wickednesses derived there-from ; which have stayned our persons and lives . how can we be but throughly humbled , to see our souls utterly overspread with the odious and abominable leprosie of sin : we finde that vzziah bore up stoutly a while , against the priests of the lord , in the maintenance of his sacrilegious presumption , but when he saw himself turn'd lazar , on the suddain , he is confounded in himself , and in a depth of shame hastens away from the presence of god to a sad , and penitentiall retirednesse . wee should need no other arguments to loath ourselves , then the sight of our own faces , so miserably deformed with the nasty and hatefull scurfe of our iniquity : neither onely must we be content to shame , and grieve our eyes with the foule nature and condition of our sins , but we must represent them to our selves in all the circumstances that may aggravate their hainousnesse . alas , lord , any one sin is able to damn a soul ; i have committed many , yea numberlesse : they have not possessed me single , but , as that evill spirit said , their name is legion ; neither have i committed these sins once , but often ; thine angels ( that were ) sinned but once , and are damned for ever ; i have frequently reiterated the same offences , where then ( were it not for thy mercy ) shall i appear ? neither have i only done them in the time of my ignorance , but since i received sufficient illumination from thee ; it is not in the dark that i have stumbled , and faln , but in the midst of the clear light and sun-shine of thy gospel , and in the very face of thee my god ; neither have these been the ships of my weaknesse , but the bold miscarriages of my presumption ; neither have i offended out of inconsideration , and inadvertency , but after and against the checks of a remurmuring conscience ; after so many gracious warnings , and fatherly admonitions , after so many fearfull examples of thy judgements , after so infinite obligations of thy favors . and thus having look't inward into ourselves , and taken an impartiall view of our own vilenesse , it will be requisite to cast our eyes upward unto heaven , and there to see against whom we have offended ; even against an infinite majesty , and power , an infinite mercy , an infinite justice ; that power and majesty which hath spread out the heavens as a curtain , and hath laid the foundations of the earth so sure that it cannot be moved ; who hath shut up the sea with bars and doors , and said , hitherto shalt thou come and no further , and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves ; who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth ; who commandeth the devils to their chains , able therefore to take infinite vengeance on sinners . that mercy of god the father , who gave his own son out of his bosome for our redemption ; that mercy of god the son , who , thinking it no robbery to be equall unto god , for our sakes made himself of no reputation , and took upon him the form of a servant ; and being found in fashion as a man , humbled himself , and became obedient to the death , even the accursed death of the crosse ; that mercy of god the holy ghost , who hath made that christ mine , and hath sealed to my soul the benefit of that blessed redemption ; lastly , that justice of god , which as it is infinitely displeased with every sin , so will be sure to take infinite vengeance on every impenitent sinner . and from hence it will be fit and seasonable for the devout soul , to look downward into that horrible pit of eternal confusion ; & there to see the dreadfull , unspeakable , unimaginable torments of the damned ; to represent unto it self the terrors of those everlasting burnings ; the fire and brimstone of that infernal tophet ; the merciless and unweariable tyranny of those hellish executioners ; the shrieks , and howlings , and gnashings of the tormented ; the unpitiable , interminable , unmitigable tortures of those ever-dying , and yet never-dying souls . by all which , we shall justly affright our selves into a deep sense of the dangerous and wofull condition wherein we lye in the state of nature and impenitence , and shall be driven with an holy eagernesse to seek for christ , the son of the ever-living god , our blessed mediatour ; in and by whom onely , we can look for the remission of all these our sins , a reconcilement with this most powerfull , mercifull , just god , and a deliverance of our souls from the hand of the nethermost hell . sect . xiii . it shall not now need , or boot to bid the soul which is truly apprehensive of all these , to sue importunately to the lord of life for a freedome , and rescue from these infinite pains of eternall death , to which our sins have forfaited it ; and for a present happy recovery of that favour , which is better then life . have we heard , or can we imagine some hainous malefactor , that hath received the sentence of death , and is now bound hand , and foot , ready to be cast into a den of lyons , or a burning furnace , with what strong cryes , and passionate obsecrations he plies the judge for mercy ? we may then conceive some little image of the vehement suit , and strong cryes of a soul truly sensible of the danger of gods wrath deserved by his sin , and the dreadfu● consequents of deserved imminent damnation ; although wha● proportion is there betwixt ● weak creature , and the almighty ; betwixt a moment , and eternity ? hereupon therefore followe● a vehement longing ( uncapabl● of a denyall ) after christ ; an● fervent aspirations to that saviour , by whom only we receive a full and gracious deliverance from death and hell ; and a full pardon and remission of all ou● sins ; and , if this come not the sooner , strong knocking 's at the gates of heaven , even so lou● that the father of mercies cannot but heare and open : neve● did any contrite soul beg of god , that was not prevented by his mercy ; much more doth he condescend when he is strongly intreated ; our very intreaties are from him , he puts into us those desires which he graciously answers ; now therefore doth the devout soul see the god of all comfort to bow the heavens , and come down with healing in his wings ; and heare him speak peace unto the heart thus thoroughly humbled ; feare not , thou shalt not dye but live . be of good cheer , thy sins are forgiven thee . here therefore comes in that divine grace of faith , effectually apprehending christ the saviour , and his infinite satisfaction and merits ; comfortably applying all the sweet promises of the gospell ; clinging close to that all-sufficient redeemer ; and in his most perfect obedience emboldning it self , to challenge a freedome of accesse to god , and confidence of appearance before the tribunall of heaven ; and now the soul clad with christs righteousnesse , dares look god in the face , and can both challenge and triumph over all the powers of darknesse : for , being justified by faith , we have peace with god through jesus christ our lord. sect . xiv . by how much deeper the sense of our misery and danger is , so much more welcome and joyfull is the apprehension of our deliverance ; and so much more thankfull is our acknowledgement of that unspeakable mercy : the soul therefore that is truly sensible of this wonderfull goodnesse of it's god ; as it feeles a marvellous joy in it self , so it cannot but break forth into cheerfull and holy ( though secret ) gratulations : the lord is full of compassion , and mercy , long suffering , and of great goodnesse ; he keepeth not his anger for ever ; he hath not dealt with me after my sins , nor rewarded me after mine iniquities : what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits towards me ? i will take the cup of salvation , and call upon the name of the lord. i will thank thee , for thou hast heard me , and hast not given me over to death , but art become my salvation . o speak good of the lord all ye works of his ; praise thou the lord , o my soul . sect . xv. the more feelingly the soul apprehends , and the more thankfully it digests the favours of god in it's pardon , and deliverance , the more freely doth the god of mercy impart himself to it ; and the more god imparts himself to it , the more it loves him , and the more heavenly acquaintance and entirenesse grows betwixt god , and it ; and now that love which was but a spark at first , grows into a flame , and wholly takes up the soul . this fire of heavenly love in the devout soul , is , and must be heightned more and more , by the addition of the holy incentives of divine thoughts , concerning the means of our freedome & deliverance . and here , offers it self to us that bottomlesse abysse of mercy in our redemption , wrought by the eternall son of god , jesus christ the just , by whose stripes we are healed ; by whose bloud we are ransomed ; where none will befit us but admiring and adoring notions . we shall not disparage you , o ye blessed angels , and archangels of heaven , if we shall say , ye are not able to look into the bottome of this divine love , wherewith god so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son , that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life : none , oh , none can comprehend this mercy , but he that wrought it . lord ! what a transcendent , what an infinite love is this ? what an object was this for thee to love ? a world of sinners ? impotent , wretched creatures , that had despighted thee , that had no motive for thy favour but deformity , misery , professed enmity ? it had been mercy enough in thee , that thou didst not damn the world , but that thou shouldst love it , is more then mercy . it was thy great goodness to forbear the acts of just vengeance to the sinfull world of man , but to give unto it tokens of thy love , is a favour beyond all expression : the least gift from thee had been more then the world could hope for ; but that thou shouldst not stick to give thine onely begotten son , the son of thy love , the son of thine essence , thy coequall , coeternall son , who was more then ten thousand worlds , to redeem this one forlorn world of sinners , is love above all comprehension of men and angels . what diminution had it been to thee and thine essentiall glory , o thou great god of heaven , that the souls that sinned should have died and perished everlastingly ? yet so infinite was thy loving mercy , that thou wouldest rather give thy onely son out of thy bosome , then that there should not be a redemption for beleevers . yet , o god , hadst thou sent down thy son to this lower region of earth , upon such terms , as that he might have brought down heaven with him , that he might have come in the port and majesty of a god , cloathed with celestiall glory , to have dazeled our eyes , and to have drawn all hearts unto him ; this might have seemed , in some measure , to have sorted with his divine magnificence ; but thou wouldst have him to appear in the wretched condition of our humanity : yet , even thus , hadst thou sent him into the world , in the highest estate , and pomp of royalty , that earth could afford , that all the kings and monarchs of the world should have been commanded to follow his train , and to glitter in his court ; and that the knees of all the potentates of the earth should have bowed to his soveraign majesty , and their lips have kissed his dust , this might have carried some kind of appearance of a state next to divine greatnesse ; but thou wouldst have him come in the despised form of a servant : and thou , o blessed jesu , wast accordingly willing , for our sakes , to submit thy self to nakednesse , hunger , thirst , wearinesse , temptation , contempt , betraying , agonies , scorn , buffeting , scourgings , distention , crucifixion , death : o love above measure , without example , beyond admiration ! greater love ( thou saiest ) hath no man , then this , that a man lay down his life for his friends ; but , oh , what is it then , that thou , who wert god and man , shouldst lay down thy life , ( more precious then many worlds ) for thine enemies ! yet , had it been but the laying down of a life , in a fair and gentle way , there might have been some mitigatiō of the sorrow of a dissolution ; there is not more difference betwixt life and death , then there may be betwixt some one kind of death , and another ; thine , o dear saviour , was the painfull , shameful , cursed death of the crosse ; wherein yet , all that man could doe unto thee was nothing to that inward torment , which in our stead , thou enduredst from thy fathers wrath ; when in the bitternesse of thine anguished soul , thou cryedst out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? even thus , wast thou content to be forsaken , that we wretched sinners might be received to mercy ; o love stronger then death , which thou vanquishedst ! more high , then that hell is deep , from which thou hast rescued us ! sect . xvi . the sense of this infinite love of god cannot choose but ravish the soul , and cause it to goe out of it self , into that saviour who hath wrought so mercifully for it ; so as it may be nothing in it self , but what it hath , or is , may be christs . by the sweet powers therefore of faith and love the soul findes it self united unto christ , feelingly , effectually , indivisibly : so as that it is not to be distinguished betwixt the acts of both : to me to live is christ , saith the blessed apostle ; and elsewhere , i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in me , and the life which now i live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god , who loved me , and gave himselfe for me ; my beloved is mine , and i am his , saith the spouse of christ in her bridall song . o blessed union , next to the hypostaticall , whereby the humane nature of the son of god is taken into the participation of the eternall godhead . sect . xvii . out of the sense of this happy union ariseth an unspeakable complacency and delight of the soul in that god and saviour , who is thus inseparably ours , and by whose union we are blessed ; and an high appreciation of him above all the world ; and a contemptuous under — valuation of all earthly things , in comparison of him ; and this is no other then an heavenly reflection of that sweet contentment , which the god of mercies takes in the faithfull soul ; thou hast ravisht my heart , my sister , my spouse , thou hast ravisht my heart with one of mine eyes . thou art beautifull , o my love , as tirzah , comely as jerusalem ; turne away thine eyes from me , for they have overcome me . how fair is thy love , my sister , my spouse ? how much better is thy love then wine , and the smell of thine ointments better then all spices . and the soul answers him again in the same language of spirituall dearnesse ; my beloved is white and ruddy ; the chiefest among ten thousand . set me as a seal upon thine heart , as a seal upon thine arm , for love is as strong as death : and as in an ecstaticall qualm of passionate affection ; stay me with flaggons , and comfort me with apples , for i am sick of love . sect . xviii . vpon this gracious complacency will follow an absolute self-resignation , or giving up our selves to the hands of that good god , whose we are , & who is ours ; and an humble contentednesse with his good pleasure in all things ; looking upon god with the same face , whether he smile upon us in his favours , or chastise us with his loving corrections ; if he speak good unto us ; behold the servant of the lord ; be it unto me according to thy word ; if evill , it is the lord , let him doe whatsoever he will : here is therefore a cheerfull acquiescence in god ; and an hearty reliance , and casting our selves upon the mercy of so bountifull a god ; who having given us his son , can in and with him deny us nothing . sect . xix . vpon this subacted disposition of heart wil follow a familiar ( yet awfull ) compellation of god ; and an emptying of our soules before him in all our necessities . for that god , who is infinitly mercifull , yet will not have his favours otherwise conveighed to us then by our supplications : the style of his dear ones is , his people that prayeth , and his own style is , the god that heareth prayers : to him therfore doth the devout heart pour out all his requests with all true humility , with all fervour of spirit , as knowing , that god will hear neither proud prayers , nor heartlesse : wherein his holy desires are regulated by a just method ; first , suing for spirituall favours , as most worthy ; then for temporall , as the appendences of better ; and in both , ayming at the glory of our good god , more then our own advantage : and in the order of spirituall things , first and most for those that are most necessary , and essentiall for our souls health , then for secondary graces , that concern the prosperity and comfort of our spirituall life : absolutely craving those graces that accompany salvation , all others , conditionally , and with reference to the good pleasure of the munificent giver ; wherein , heed must be taken , that our thoughts be not so much taken up with our expressions , as with our desires ; and that we doe not suffer our selves to languish into an unfeeling length , and repetition of our suits : even the hands of a moses , may in time grow heavy ; so therefore must we husband our spirituall strength , that our devotion may not flagge with overtyring , but may be most vigorous at the last . and as we must enter into our prayers , not without preparatory elevations , so must we be carefull to take a meet leave of god , at their shutting up : following our supplications , with the pause of a faithfull , and most lowly adoration ; and as it were sending up our hearts into heaven , to see how our prayers are taken ; and raising them to a joyfull expectation of a gracious and successefull answer frō the father of mercies . sect . xx. vpon the comfortable feeling of a gracious condescent , follows an happy fruition of god in all his favours ; so as we have not them so much , as god in them ; which advanceth their worth a thousand fold , and as it were brings down heaven unto us ; whereas , therefore , the sensuall man rests onely in the meer use of any blessing , as health , peace , prosperity , knowledge , and reacheth no higher ; the devout soul , in , and through all these , sees , and feels a god that sanctifies them to him , and enjoys therein his favour , that is better then life ; even we men are wont , out of our good nature , to esteem a benefit , not so much for its own worth , as for the love , and respect of the giver : small legacies for this cause finde dear acceptation ; how much more is it so betwixt god and the devout soul ? it is the sweet apprehension of this love that makes all his gifts , blessings . doe we not see some vain churl , though cryed down by the multitude , herein secretly applauding himself , that he hath bags at home ? how much more shall the godly man finde comfort against all the crosses of the world , that he is possessed of him that possesseth all things ; even god al-sufficient ; the pledges of whose infinite love he feels in all the whole course of gods dealing with him . sect . xxi . out of the true sense of this inward fruition of god , the devout soul breaks forth into cheerfull thanksgivings to the god of all comfort , praising him for every evill that it is free from ; for every good thing it enjoyeth : for , as it keeps a just inventory of all gods favours , so it often spreads them thankfully before him , and layes them forth ( so near as it may ) in the full dimensions ; that so , god may be no loser by him in any act of his beneficence . here therefore every of gods benefits must come into account ; whether eternall , or temporall , spirituall or bodily , outward or inward , publique or private , positive or privative , past or present , upon our selves or others . in all which , he shall humbly acknowledge both gods free mercy , and his own shamefull unworthinesse ; setting off the favours of his good god the more , with the foyle of his own confessed wretchednesse , and unanswerablenesse to the least of his mercies . now as there is infinite variety of blessings from the liberall hand of the almighty , so there is great difference in their degrees ; for , whereas there are three subjects of all the good we are capable of ; the estate , body , soul ; and each of these doe far surpasse other in value , ( the soul being infinitely more worth then the body , and the body far more precious then the outward estate ) so the blessings that appertain to them , in severall , differ in their true estimation accordingly . if either we doe not highly magnifie gods mercy for the least , or shall set as high a price upon the blessings that concern our estate , as those that pertain to the body , or upon bodily favours , as upon those that belong to the soul , we shall shew our selves very unworthy , and unequall partakers of the divine bounty . but it will savour too much of earth , if we be more affected with temporall blessings , then with spirituall and eternall . by how much nearer relation then , any favour hath to the fountain of goodness , and by how much more it conduceth to the glory of god , and ours in him ; so much higher place should it possesse in our affection and gratitude . no marvell therefore if the devout heart be raised above it self and transported with heavenly raptures , when , with stephens eyes , it beholds the lord jesus standing at the right hand of god , fixing it self upon the consideration of the infinite merits of his life , death , resurrection , ascension , intercession , and finding it self swallowed up in the depth of that divine love , from whence all mercies flow into the soul ; so as that it runs over with passionate thankfulnesse , and is therefore deeply affected with all other his mercies , because they are derived from that boundlesse ocean of divine goodnesse . unspeakable is the advantage that the soul raises to it self by this continuall exercise of thanksgiving ; for the gratefull acknowledgement of favours , is the way to more ; even amongst men ( whose hands are short and strait ) this is the means to pull on further beneficence ; how much more from the god of all consolation , whose largest bounty diminisheth nothing of his store ? and herein the devout soul enters into its heavenly task ; beginning upon earth those hallelujahs , which it shall perfect above in the blessed chore of saints and angels , ever praising god , and saying ; blessing , and glory , and wisdome , and thankesgiving , and honour , and power , and might , be unto our god for ever and ever . amen . sect . xxii . none of all the services of god can be acceptably , no not unsinfully performed without due devotion ; as therefore in our prayers & thanksgivings , so in the other exercises of divine worship , ( especially , in the reading and hearing of gods word , and in our receipt of the blessed sacrament ) it is so necessary , that without it , we offer to god a meer carcass of religious duty , and profane that sacred name we would pretend to honour . first then , we must come to gods book , not without an holy reverence , as duly considering both what and whose it is ; even no other , then the word of the ever-living god , by which we shall once be judged . great reason have we therefore , to make a difference betwixt it , and the writings of the holiest men , even no less then betwixt the authours of both : god is true , yea , truth it self : and that which david said in his haste , s. paul says in full deliberation , every man is a lyer . before we put our hand to this sacred volume , it will be requisite to elevate our hearts to that god whose it is , for both his leave and his blessing : open mine eyes , saith the sweet singer of israel , that i may behold the wondrous things of thy lan. lo , davids eyes were open before to other objects ; but when he comes to gods book , he can see nothing , without a new act of apertion : letters he might see , but wonders he could not see , till god did unclose his eyes , and enlighten them . it is not therefore for us , presumptuously to break in upon god , and to think by our naturall abilities to wrest open the precious caskets of the almighty ; and to fetch out al his hidden treasure thence , at pleasure ; but we must come tremblingly before him , and in all humility crave his gracious admission . i confesse i finde some kinde of envy in my self , when i reade of those scrupulous observances of high respects given by the jews to the book of gods law : and when i reade of a romish saint , that never read the scripture but upon his knees , and compare it with the carelesse neglect whereof i can accuse my self , and perhaps some others : not that we would rest in the formality of outward ceremonies of reverence , wherein it were more easie to be superstitious then devout ; but that our outward deportment may testifie , and answer the awefull disposition of our hearts : whereto we shall not need to be excited , if we be throughly perswaded of the divine originall , and authority of that sacred word . it was motive enough to the ephesians zealously to plead for , and religiously to adore the image of their diana , that it was the image that fell down from jupiter . beleeve we , and know , that the scripture is inspired by god ; and we can entertain it with no other then an awefull addresse , and we cannot be christians if we doe not so beleeve . every clause therefore of that god-inspired volume , must be , as reverently received by us , so seriously weighed , and carefully laid up ; as knowing , that there is no tittle therein without his use . what we reade , we must labour to understand ; what we cannot understand , we must admire silently , and modestly inquire of . there are plain truths , and there are deep mysteries . the bounty of god hath left this well of living-water open for all : what runnes over is for all commers ; but every one hath not wherewith to draw . there is no christian that may not enjoy gods book , but every christian may not interpret it ; those shallow fords that are in it , may be waded by every passenger , but there are deeps wherein he that cannot swim , may drown . how can i without a guide ? said that ethiopian eunuch : wherefore serves the tongue of the learned , but to direct the ignorant ? their modesty is of no less use then the others skill . it is a wofull condition of a church when no man will bee ignorant . what service can our eyes do us in the ways of god without our thoughts ? our diligent and frequent reading , therefore , must be attended with our holy meditation : we feed on what we read , but we digest only what we meditate of : what is in our bible , is gods ; but that which is in our hearts , is our own : by all which our care must be , not so much to become vviser , as to become better , labouring still to reduce all things to godly practice . finally , as we enter into this task with the lifting up of our hearts for a blessing , so we shut it up in the ejaculations of our thanksgiving to that god , who hath blessed us with the free use of his word . sect . xxiii . our eye is our best guide to god our creator , but our ear is it that leads us to god our redeemer . how shall they beleeve except they hear ? which that we may effectually doe , our devotion suggests unto us some duties before the act , some in the act , some after the act . it is the apostles charge , that we should be swift to hear , but heed must be taken , that we make not more haste then good speed : we may not be so forward as not to look to our foot when we goe to the house of god , lest if we be too ready to hear , we offer the sacrifice of fools . what are the foot of the soul , but our affections ? if these be not set right , we may easily stumble , and wrench at gods threshold . rash actions can never hope to prosper ; as therefore to every great work , so to this , there is a due preparation required ; and this must be done by meditation first , then by praier . our meditation first sequesters the heart from the world , and shakes off those distractive thoughts , which may carry us away from these better things : for what room is there for god , where the world hath taken up the lodging ? we cannot serve god and mammon . then secondly , it seizes upon the heart for god , fixing our thoughts upon the great businesse we go about ; recalling the greatnesse of that majesty into whose presence we enter , and the main importance of the service we are undertaking ; and examining our intentions wherewith we addresse our selves to the work intended ; i am now going to gods house ; wherefore doe i goe thither ? is it to see , or to be seen ? is it to satisfie my own curiosity in hearing what the preacher will say ? is it to satisfie the law , that requires my presence ? is it to please others eyes , or to avoid their censures ? is it for fashion ? is it for recreation ? or is it with a sincere desire to doe my soul good , in gaining more knowledge , in quickning my affections ? is it in a desire to approve my self to my god , in the conscience of my humble obedience to his command , and my holy attendance upon his ordinance ? and where we finde our ends amisse , chiding and rectifying our obliquities ; where just and right , prosecuting them towards a further perfection . which that it may be done , our meditation must be seconded by our prayers . it is an unholy rudenesse to press into the presence of that god whom we have not invoked : our prayer must be , that god would yet more prepare us for the work , and sanctifie us to it , and bless us in it ; that he would remove our sinnes , that he would send down his spirit into our hearts , which may inable us to this great service ; that he would bless the preacher in the delivery of his sacred message , that he would be pleased to direct his messengers tongue to the meeting with our necessities ; that he would free our hearts from all prejudices and distractions ; that he would keep off all temptations , which might hinder the good entertainment , and success of his blessed word : finally , that he would make us truly teachable , and his ordinance the power of god to our salvation . in the act of hearing , devotion cals us to reverence , attention , application . reverence to that great god , who speaks to us , by the mouth of a weak man ; for , in what is spoken from gods chair , agreeable to the scriptures , the sound is mans , the substance of the message is gods. even an eglon , when he hears of a message from god , riseth out of his seat . it was not saint pauls condition onely , but of all his faithfull servants , to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation ; they are ambassadours for christ ; as if god did beseech us by them , they pray us in christs stead to be reconciled to god : the ambassy is not the bearers , but the kings ; and if we doe not acknowledge the great king of heaven in the voice of the gospel , we cannot but incur a contempt . when therefore we see gods messenger in his pulpit , our eye looks at him , as if it said with cornelius , we are all here present before god to hear all things that are commanded thee of god ; whence cannot but follow together with an awfull disposition of mind , a reverent deportment of the body ; which admits not a wild and roving eye , a drouzy head , a chatting tongue , a rude and indecent posture ; but composes it self to such a site as may befit a pious soul in so religious an imployment . neither do we come as authorized judges to sit upon the preacher , but as humble disciples to sit at his feet . sect . xxiv . reverence cannot but draw on attention ; we need not be bidden to hang on the lips of him whom we honour . it is the charge of the spirit , let him that hath an ear hear ; every one hath not an eare , and of those that have an ear , every one heareth not ; the soul hath an ear as well as the body ; if both these ears doe not meet together in one act , there is no hearing : common experience tels us that when the mind is otherwise taken up , we doe no more hear what a man says , then if we had been deaf , or he silent . hence is that first request of abig●il to david ; let thine handmaid speak to thine ears , and hear the words of thine handmaid ; and job so importunately urgeth his friends : hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears . the outward ear may be open , and the inward shut ; if way be not made through both , we are deaf to spirituall things . mine ear hast thou boared , or digged , saith the psalmist ; the vulgar reads it , my ears hast thou perfected : surely our ears are grown up with flesh ; there is no passage for a perfit hearing of the voyce of god , till he have made it by a spirituall perforation . and now that the ear is made capable of good counsell , it doth as gladly receive it ; taking in every good lesson , and longing for the next : like unto the dry and chopped earth , which soaks in every silver drop , that falls from the clouds , and thirsteth for more , not suffering any of that precious liquor to fall beside it . sect . xxv . neither doth the devout man care to satisfie his curiosity , as hearing only that he might hear ; but reducts all things to a saving use ; bringing all he hears , home to his heart , by a self-reflecting application ; like a practiser of the art of memory , referring every thing to it's proper place ; if it be matter of comfort , there is for my sick bed , there is for my outward losses , there for my drouping under afflictions , there for the sense of my spirituall desertions ; if matter of doctrine , there is for my settlement in such a truth , there for the conviction of such an error , there for my direction in such a practice ; if matter of reproof , he doth not point at his neighbour , but deeply chargeth himself ; this meets with my dead-heartednesse and security , this with my worldly mindednesse , this with my self-love and flattery of mine own estate , this with my uncharitable censoriousnesse , this with my foolish pride of heart , this with my hypocrisie , this with my neglect of gods services , and my duty ; thus in all the variety of the holy passages of the sermon , the devout mind is taken up with digesting what it heares ; and working it self to a secret improvement of all the good counsell that is delivered , neither is ever more busie , then when it sits still at the feet of christ . i cannot therefore approve the practice ( which yet i see commonly received ) of those , who think it no small argument of their devotion , to spend their time of hearing , in writing large notes frō the mouth of the preacher ; which however it may be an help for memory in the future , yet cannot ( as i conceive ) but be some prejudice to our present edification ; neither can the brain get so much hereby , as the heart loseth . if it be said , that by this means , an opportunity is given for a full rumination of wholesome doctrines afterwards : i yeeld it , but withall , i must say that our after-thoughts can never doe the work so effectually , as when the lively voice sounds in our ears , and beats upon our heart ; but herein i submit my opinion to better judgments . sect . xxvi . the food that is received into the soul by the ear , is afterwards chewed in the mouth thereof by memory , concocted in the stomach by meditation , and dispersed into the parts by conference and practice ; true devotion findes the greatest part of the work behinde ; it was a just answer that john gerson reports , given by a frenchman , who being askt by one of his neighbours if the sermon were done ; no saith he , it is said , but it is not done , neither will be , i fear , in hast . what are we the better if we hear and remember not ? if we be such auditours as the jews were wont to call sieves , that retain no moisture that is poured into them ? what the better if we remember , but think not seriously of what we hear ; or if we practice not carefully what wee think of ? not that which we hear is our own , but that which we carry away : although all memories are not alike , one receives more easily , another retains longer ; it is not for every one to hope to attain to that ability , that he can goe away with the whole fabrick of a sermon , and readily recount it unto others ; neither doth god require that of any man , which he hath not given him ; our desires and endeavours may not be wanting wher our powers fail ; it will be enough for weak memories if they can so lay up those wholesom counsels which they receive , as that they may fetch them forth when they have occasion to use them ; and that what they want in the extent of memory , they supply in the care of their practice ; indeed that is it , wherein lies the life of all religious duties , and without which 〈…〉 the philosopher 〈…〉 vertue , i must say of true godliness , that it consists in action ; our saviour did not say , blessed are ye if ye know these things ; but , if ye know these things , blessed are ye if ye doe them . the end of our desire of the sincere milk of the gospel , is , that we may grow thereby in the stature of all grace , unto the fulnesse of god. sect . xxvii . the highest of all gods services are his sacraments ; which therefore require the most eminent acts of our devotion . the sacrament of initiation , which in the first planting of a church is administred onely to those of riper age and understanding , cals for all possible reverence , and religious addresses of the receivers ; wherein the primitive times were punctually observant , both for substance , and ceremony ; now , in a setled and perpetuated church , in which the vertue of the covenant descends from the parent to the child , there seems to be no use of our preparatory directions : onely , it is fit that our devotion should call our eyes back , to what we have done in our infancy , and whereto we are ever obliged ; that our full age may carefully endeavour to make our word good , and may put us in mind of our sinfull failings . that other sacrament of our spirituall nourishment , which our saviour ( as his farewell ) left us for a blessed memoriall of his death and passion , can never be celebrated with enough devotion . farre be it from us to come to this feast of our god , in our common garments ; the soul must be trimmed up , if we would be meet guests for the almighty . the great master of the feast will neither abide us to come naked , nor ill clad : away therefore , first with the old beastly rags of our wonted corruptions : due examination comes in first , and throughly searches the soul , and findes out all the secret nastiness , and defilements that it hides within it ; and by the aid of true penitence , strips it of all those loathsome clouts , wherewith it was polluted ; sin may not be cloathed upon with grace ; joshuahs filthy garments must be pluckt off , ere he can be capable of precious robes : here may be no place for our sinfull lusts , for our covetous desires , for our naturall infidelity , for our malicious purposes , for any of our unhallowed thoughts ; the soul clearly devested of these and all other known corruptions , must in the next placae in stead thereof , be furnished with such graces and holy predispositions , as may fit it for so heavenly a work . amongst the graces requisite , faith justly challengeth the first place , as that which is both most eminent , and most necessarily presupposed to the profitable receit of this sacrament ; for whereas the main end of this blessed banquet is the strengthening of our faith , how should that receive strength , which hath not beeing ? to deliver these sacred viands to an unbeleever , is to put meat into the mouth of a dead man : now therefore must the heart raise up it self to new acts of beleeving , and must lay faster hold on christ , and bring him closer to the soul ; more strongly applying to it self , the infinite merits of his most perfect obedience , and of his bitter death and passion ; and erecting it self to a desire and expectation of a more vigorous : and lively apprehension of it's omnipotent redeemer . neither can this faith be either dead , or solitary ; but is still really operative , and attended ( as with other graces , so ) especially with a serious repentance ; whose wonderfull power is , to undoe our former sins , and to mold the heart and life to a better obedience : a grace so necessary , that the want of it ( as in extream corruption of the stomach ) turns the wholesom food of the soul into poyson ; an impenitent man therefore comming to gods board , is so far from benefiting himself , as that he eats his own judgement : stand off from this holy table , all ye that have not made your peace with your god ; or that harbour any known sin in your bosome ; not to eat is uncomfortable , but to eat in such a state is deadly ; yet rest not in this plea , that ye cannot come because ye are unreconciled ; but ( as ye love your souls ) be reconciled that you may come . another grace necessarily pre-required is charity to our brethren , and readinesse to forgive ; for this is a communion , as with christ the head , so with all the members of his mysticall body : this is the true love-feast of god our saviour , wherein we professe our selves inseparably united both to him & his ; if there be more hearts then one at gods table , he will not own them ; these holy elements give us an embleme of our selves : this bread is made up of many grains , incorporated into one masse ; and this wine is the confluent juice of many clusters ; neither doe we partake of severall loaves , or variety of liquors , but all eat of one bread , and drink of one cup. here is then no place for rancour and malice ; none for secret grudgings and heart-burnings ; therefore , if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee , leave there thy gift , and goe thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother , and then come and offer thy gift . neither may we doe as those two emulous commanders of greece did , who resolved to leave their spight behinde them at mount athos , and to take it up again in their return ; here must be an absolute , and free acquitting of all the back-reckonings of our unkindnesse , that we may receive the god of peace into a clear bosome . sect . xxviii . besides these graces there are certain holy pre-dispositions so necessary that without them our souls can never hope to receive true comfort in this blessed sacrament ; whereof the first is an hungring and thirsting desire after these gracious means of our salvation : what good will our meat doe us without an appetite ? surely without it , there is no expectation of either relish , or digestion ; as therefore those that are invited to some great feast , care first to feed their hunger ere they feed their body ; labouring by exercise to get a stomach , ere they employ it ; so it concerns us to do here : and , as those those that are listlesse , and weak stomached , are wont to whet their appetite with sharp sawces , so must we by the tart applications of the law , quicken our desires of our saviour here exhibited . could we but see our sins , and our miseries by sin ; could we see god frowning , and hell gaping wide to swallow us , we should not need to be bidden to long for our deliverer ; and every pledge of his favour would be precious to us . upon the apprehension of our need of a saviour and so happy a supply thereof presented unto us , must needs follow a renued act of true thankfulnesse of heart to our good god , that hath both given us his dear son to work our redemption , and his blessed sacrament to seal up unto us our redemption thus wrought and purchased ; and with souls thus thankfully elevated unto god , we approach with all reverence , to that heavenly table , where god is both the feast-master , and the feast . what intention of holy thoughts , what fervour of spirit , what depth of devotion must we now finde in our selves ? doubtlesse , out of heaven no object can be so worthy to take up our hearts . what a clear representation is here of the great work of our redemption ? how is my saviour by all my senses here brought home to my soul ? how is his passion lively acted before mine eyes ? for lo , my bodily eye doth not more truly see bread and wine , then the eye of my faith sees the body and bloud of my dear redeemer ; thus was his sacred body torn and broken ; thus was his precious bloud poured out for me ; my sins ( wretched man that i am ) helped thus to crucifie my saviour ; and for the discharge of my sins would he be thus crucified : neither did he onely give himself for me , upon the crosse , but lo , he both offers and gives himself to me in this his blessed institution ; what had his generall gift been without this application ? now my hand doth not more sensibly take , nor my mouth more really eat this bread , then my soul doth spiritually receive , and feed on the bread of life ; o saviour , thou art the living bread that came down from heaven ; thy flesh is meat indeed , and thy bloud is drink indeed : oh that i may so eat of this bread , that i may live for ever ; he that commeth to thee , shall never hunger , he that beleeveth in thee , shall never thirst : oh that i could now so hunger , and so thirst for thee , that my soul could be for ever satisfied with thee ; thy people of old , were fed with manna in the wildernesse , yet they died ; that food of angels could not keep them from perishing ; but oh , for the hidden manna , which giveth life to the world , even thy blessed self , give me ever of this bread , and my soul shall not die but live : oh the precious juice of the fruit of the vine , wherewith thou refreshest my soul ▪ is this the bloud of the grape ? is it not rather thy bloud of the new testament , that is poured out for me ? thou speakest , o saviour , of new wine that thou wouldest drink with thy disciples , in thy fathers kingdome , can there be any more precious and pleasant , then this , wherewith thou chearest the beleeving soul ? our palate is now dull and earthly , which shall then be exquisite and celestiall ; but surely no liquor can be of equall price or soveraignty with thy bloud ; oh how unsavoury are all earthly delicacies to this heavenly draught ▪ o god , let not the sweet taste of this spirituall nectar ever goe out of the mouth of my soul ; let the comfortable warmth of this blessed cordiall ever work upon my soul , even till , and in , the last moment of my dissolution . doest thou bid me , o saviour , doe this in remembrance of thee ? oh , how can i forget thee ? how can i enough celebrate thee for this thy unspeakable mercy ? can i see thee thus crucified before my eies , & for my sake thus crucified , and not remember thee ? can i finde my sins accessary to this thy death , and thy death meritoriously expiating all these my grievous sins , and not remember thee ? can i hear thee freely offering thy self to me , and feel thee graciously conveighing thy self into my soul , and not remember thee ? i doe remember thee o saviour ; but oh that i could yet more effectually remember thee ; with all the passionate affections of a soul sick of thy love ; with all zealous desires to glorifie thee , with all fervent longings after thee , and thy salvation ; i remember thee in thy sufferings , oh doe thou remember me in thy glory . sect . xxix . having thus busied it self with holy thoughts in the time of the celebration , the devout soul breaks not off in an abrupt unmannerlinesse , without taking leave of the great master of this heavenly feast , but with a secret adoration , humbly blesseth god for so great a mercy , and heartily resolves and desires to walk worthy of the lord jesus , whom it hath received , and to consecreate it self wholly to the service of him that hath so dearly bought it , and hath given it these pledges of it's eternall union with him . the devout soul hath thus sup't in heaven , and returnes home , yet the work is not thus done : after the elements are out of eye and use , there remains a digestion of this celestial food , by holy meditation ; and now it thinks , oh what a blessing have i received to day ! no lesse then my lord jesus , with all his merits ; and in and with him , the assurance of the remission of all my sins , and everlasting salvation : how happy am i , if i be not wanting to god and my self ? how unworthy shall i be , if i doe not strive to answer this love of my god and saviour , in all hearty affection , and in all holy obedience ? and now after this heavenly repast , how doe i feel my self ? what strength , what advantage hath my faith gotten ? how much am i neerer to heaven then before ? how much faster hold have i taken of my blessed redeemer ? how much more firm & sensible is my interest in him ? neither are these thoughts , & this examination the work of the next instant onely , but they are such , as must dwell upon the heart ; and must often solicite our memory , and excite our practise , that by this means we may frequently renue the efficacy of this blessed sacrament , and our souls may batten more and more , with this spirituall nourishment , and may be fed up to eternall life . sect . xxx . these are the generalities of our devotion , which are of common use to all christians ; there are besides these certain specialties of it , appliable to severall occasions , times , places , persons ; for there are morning , and evening devotions ; devotions proper to our board , to our closet , to our bed , to gods day , to our own ; to health , to sicknesse , to severall callings , to recreations ; to the way , to the field , to the church , to our home , to the student , to the souldier , to the magistrate , to the minister , to the husband , wife , child , servant ; to our own persons , to our families ; the severalties whereof , as they are scarce finite for number , so are most fit to be left to the judgement , and holy managing of every christian ; neither is it to be imagined , that any soul which is taught of god , and hath any acquaintance with heaven , can be to seek in the particular application of common rules to his own necessity or expedience . the result of all , is , a devout man is he that ever sees the invisible , and ever trembleth before that god he sees ; that walks ever , here on earth , with the god of heaven ; and still adores that majesty with whom he converses ; that confers hourely with the god of spirits in his own language ; yet so , as no familiarity can abate of his aw , nor fear abate ought of his love . to whom the gates of heaven are ever open , that he may goe in at pleasure to the throne of grace , and none of the angelicall spirits can offer to challenge him of too much boldnesse : whose eies are well acquainted with those heavenly guardians , the presence of whom he doth as truly acknowledge , as if they were his sensible companions . he is well known of the king of glory , for a daily suitor in the court of heaven , & none so welcome there , as he : he accounts all his time lost that fals beside his god ; and can be no more weary of good thoughts , then of happinesse . his bosome is no harbour for any known evill ; and it is a question whether he more abhorres sin , or hell ; his care is to entertain god in a clear , and free heart , and therefore he thrusts the world out of doors , and humbly beseeches god to welcome himself to his own : he is truly dejected , and vile in his own eies : nothing but hell is lower then he ; every of his slips are hainous , every trespasse is aggravated to rebellion ; the glory and favours of god heighten his humiliation ; he hath lookt down to the bottomles deep , & seen with horror what he deserved to feel everlastingly ; his crys have been as strong , as his fears just ; & he hath found mercy more ready to rescue him , then he could be importunate : his hand could not be so soon put forth as his saviours , for deliverance . the sense of this mercy hath raised him to an unspeakable joy to a most fervent love of so dear a redeemer ; that love hath knit his heart to so meritorious a deliverer , and wrought a blessed union betwixt god and his soul . that union can no more be severed from an infinite delight , then that delight can be severed from an humble , and cheerfull acquiescence in his munificent god ; and now , as in an heavenly freedome , he pours out his soul into the bosome of the almighty , in all faithfull suits for himself and others ; so , he enjoys god in the blessings received , and returns all zealous praises to the giver . he comes reverently to the oracles of god , and brings not his eye , but his heart with him , not carelesly negligent in seeking to know the revealed will of his maker , nor too busily inquisitive into his deep counsels ; not too remisse in the letter , nor too peremptory in the sense : gladly comprehending what he may , and admiring what he cannot comprehend . doth god call for his ear ? he goes awfully into the holy presence and so hears , as if he should now hear his last : latching every word that drops from the preachers lips , ere it fall to the ground , and laying it up carefully where he may be sure to fetch it . he sits not to censure , but to learn , yet speculation and knowledge is the least drift of his labour ; nothing is his own but what he practiseth . is he invited to gods feast ? he hates to come in a foul and slovenly dresse ; but trims up his soul , so , as may be fit for an heavenly guest : neither doth he leave his stomach at home cloyed with the world , but brings a sharp appetite with him ; and so s●eds as if he meant to live for ever . all earthly delicates are unfavoury to him , in respect of that celestiall manna : shortly , he so eats and drinks , as one that sees himself set at table with god , and his angels ; and rises and departs full of his saviour ; and in the strength of that meal walks vigorously and cheerfully on towards his glory . finally , as he well knows that he lives , and moves , and hath his beeing in god , so he referres his life , motions , and beeing wholly to god ; so acting all things as if god did them by him , so using all things , as one that enjoyes god in them ; and in the mean time so walking on earth , that he doth in a sort carry his heaven with him . the free prisoner : or , the comfort of restraint . written some while since in the tower , by i. h. b. n. the free prisoner : or the comfort of restraint . sect . i. sir : whiles you pity my affliction , take heed lest you aggravate it , and in your thoughts make it greater then it is in my own ; it is true , i am under restraint ; what is that to a man , that can be free in the tower , and cannot but be a prisoner abroad ? such is my condition , and every divine philosophers with me . were my walls much straiter then they are , they cannot hold me in ; it is a bold word to say , i cannot , i will not be a prisoner : it is my soul that is i : my flesh is my partner , ( if not my servant ) not my self : however my body may be immured , that agile spirit shall flye abroad , and visit both earth , and heaven at pleasure . who shall hinder it from mounting up ( in an instant ) to that supream region of blisse , and from seeing that , by the eye of faith , which s. paul saw in extasie ; and when it hath viewed that blessed hierarchy of heaven to glance down through the innumerable , and unmeasurable globes of light ( which move in the firmament , and below it ) into this elementary world ; and there to compasse seas and lands , without shipwrack , in a trice , which a drake , or cavendish cannot doe , but with danger , and in some years navigation ; and if my thoughts list to stay themselves in the passage ; with what variety can my soul be taken up of severall objects ; here , turning in to the dark vaults , and dungeons of penall restraint , to visit the disconsolate prisoners , and to fetch from their greater misery , a just mitigation of mine own ; there , looking in to the houses of vain jollity , and pitying that which the sensuall fools call happinesse ; here stepping in to the courts of great princes , and in them observing the fawning compliances of some , the trecherous underworking of others ; hollow friendships , faithlesse ingagements , fair faces , smooth tongues , rich suits , viewing all save their hearts , & censuring nothing that it sees not ; there calling in at the low cottages of the poor , and out of their empty cupboard furnishing it self with thankfulnesse ; here so over-looking the courts of justice , as not willing to seerigour or partiality ; there listing what they say in those meetings which would passe for sacred , and wondring at what it hears . thus can , and shall , and doth my nimble spirit bestir it self in a restless flight , making onely the empyreall heaven , the bounds of it's motion ; not being more able to stand still , then the heavens themselves , whence it descended : should the iron enter into my soul , as it did into that good patriarchs , yet it cannot fetter me : no more can my spirit be confined to one place , then my body can be diffused to many . perhaps therefore you are mistaken in my condition ; for what is it i beseech you that makes a prisoner ? is it an allotment to the same room without change , without remove ? what is that still to a minde that is free ? and why is my body then more a prisoner then the best mans soul ; that , you know , is peremptorily assigned , for inhabitation to this house of clay till the day of dissolution : why more then the starres of heaven , which have remained fixed in their first stations ever since they were first created ? why more then those great persons which keep up for state ; or dames for beauty ? why more then those anachorites whom we have seen willingly coop'd up for merit ? how much more scope have we then they ? we breathe fresh aire , we see the same heavens with the freest travellers . sect . ii. but we have ( you will say ) bounds for our restraint , which the free spirit hates ; as never being pleased , but with a full liberty both of prospect and passage ; any barre , whether to the foot , or to the eye , is a death : oh vain affectation of wilde , and roving curiosity ! if their desires cannot be bounded , yet their motions must ; when they have the full sight of heaven above them , they cannot clime up into it ; they cannot possibly see that whole glorious contignation ; and when the whole earth lyes open before them , they can measure but some small pieces of it . how can they be quiet till they have purchased tycho brahe his prospective trunk of thirty two foot long , whereby they may discover a better face of heaven ; some lesser planets moving round about the sun , and the moonets about saturn and jupiter , and the mountains , seas , and vallies in the moon ? how can they rest till having acquainted themselves with the constellations of our hemisphere , they have passed the equinoctiall , and seen the triangle , the crosse , and the clouds , and the rest of the unknown stars that move above the other pole ? and when all this is done they are but who they were , no whit better , no whit wiser , and perhaps far lesse happy then those , who never smelt any but their own smoke ; never knew any star , but charles-wayn , the morning-star , and the seven . for me , i doe not envie , but wonder at the licentious freedome , which these men think themselves happy to enjoy ; and hold it a weaknesse in those mindes , which cannot finde more advantage and pleasure in confinement , and retirednesse ; is it a small benefit , that i am placed there , where no oathes , no blasphemies beat my ears ? where my eyes are in no perill of wounding objects ; where i hear no invectives , no false doctrines , no sermocinations of ironmongers , felt-makers , coblers , broom-men , groomes , or any other of those inspired ignorants ; no curses , no ribaldries : where i see no drunken comeslations , no rebellious routs , no violent oppressions , no obscene rejoycings , nor ought else that might either vex , or afright my soul . this , this is my liberty : who whiles i sit here quietly lock'd up by my keeper , can pity the turmoiles and distempers abroad , and blesse my own immunity from those too common evils . sect . iii. is it the necessity and force of the restraint ; since those things which we do voluntarily , are wont to passe from us with delight , which being imposed seem grievous to us ? why should not i have so much power over my will as to make that voluntary in me , to undergo , which another wils forcibly to inflict ? the mind that is truly subacted to grace , can so frame it self to what it must suffer , as that it finds a kind of contentment in patience ; thus we daily doe to the almighty , whose will , by our humble submission , we make ours ; and pray that we may do so : and who can restrain us without him ? if therefore my wise and holy god think it best to cage me up , by the cōmand of authority ( upon what cause soever ) why should not i think this enclosure a better liberty : who know there is perfect freedome in his obedience ? so then , if constraint make a prisoner , i am none ; who am most willingly , where my god will have me : and , if my will did not often carry me out of my own walks at home , why cannot it as well confine me to a larger compasse of the tower ? sect . iv. is it solitude and infrequence of visitation ? this may perhaps be troublesome to a man that knows not to entertain himself ; but , to him that can hold continuall discourse with his own heart , no favour can be greater ; for of all other , these self-conferences are most beneficiall to the soul ; other mens communication may spend the time with more advantage of learning or mirth ; but none can yeeld us so much spiritual profit , as our own soliloquies : and when all is done , the greeks said well ; it is not much , but usefull that makes truly wise . besides this , we can never have the opportunity of so good company , as when we are alone : now , we enjoy the society of god , and his angels , which we cannot so freely do in a throng of visitants : when god would expresse his greatest intirenesse with his church , ducam eam in solitudinem , saith he : i will bring her into the wildernesse , and there speak comfortably to her . we cannot expect so sweet conversation with god , in the presence of others , as apart . oh the divine benefit of an holy solitarinesse , which no worldly heart can either know , or value ! what care i for seeing of men , when i may see him that is invisible ? what care i for chatting with friends , when i may talk familiarly with the god of heaven ? what care i for entertaining mortall guests , when i may with abraham & his nephew lot feast the angels of god : and ( which were too great a word , if god himself had not spoken it ) be attended by them ? sect . v. is it the reproach & ignominy that commonly attends the very name of an imprisonment ? weak mindes may be affected with every thing : but , with solid judgements , it is not the punishment , but the cause that makes either the martyr , or the malefactor . s. pauls bonds were famous : and petrus ad vincula is not without a note of yearly celebrity : and it were hard , if so many blessed martyrs , and confessors , who have lived , & dy'd in jayls , for the truths sake ; should not have brought prisons ( such as they may be ) into some credit . shortly , as notorious crimes may be at liberty , so even innocence may be under restraint ; yet those crimes no whit the better , nor this innocence the worse . besides ( that which perhaps came not within your freer thoughts ) every restraint is not for punishment ; there is a restraint for safety , a salva custodia , as well as arcta , such is this of ours : this strong tower serves not so much for our prison , as for our defence ; what horror soever the name may carry in it : i blesse god for these wals , out of which i know not where we could ( for the time ) have been safe from the rage of the mis-incensed multitude : poor seduced souls , they were taught it was piety to be cruell ; and were misperswaded to hate & condemn us for that , ( which should have procured their reverence , and honour ) even that holy station which we hold in gods church ; and to curse those of us , who had deserved nothing but their thanks and prayers : rayling on our very profession in the streets ; and rejoycing in our supposed ruine : father , forgive them , for they knew not what they did : here we were out of the danger of this mis-raised fury , and had leisure to pray for the quenching of those wilde fires of contention , ' and causlesse malice , which ( to our great grief ) we saw wicked incendiaries daily to cast amongst gods dear & well-minded people . here we have well and happily approved with the blessed apostle , that ( what ever our restraint be ) the word of god is not bound ; with what liberty , with what zeal , with what successe hath that been preached by us to all commers ? let them say , whether the tower had ever so many , such guests , or such benedictions ; so as if the place have rendered us safe , we have endeavoured to make it happy ; wherin our performances have seemed to confute that which * cornelius bishop of rome long since observed , that the mind laden with heavy burdens of affliction , is not able to doe that service , which it can doe when it is free and at ease ; our troubles through gods mercy made us more active , and our labours more effectuall . sect . vi. adde unto these ( if you please ) the eminent dignity of the place , such , as is able to give a kinde of honour to captivity , the ancient seat of kings , chosen by them , as for the safe residence of their royall persons , so for their treasury , their wardrobe , their magazine ; all these precious things are under the same custody with our selves ; sent hither , not as to a prison , but a repository ; and why should we think our selves in any other condition ? how many worthy inhabitants make choice to fixe their abode within these wals , as not knowing where to be happier ? the place is the same to us , if our will maybe the same with theirs ; they dearly purchase that , which cost us nothing but our fees ; nothing makes the difference , but the meer conceit of liberty , which whiles i can give to my self , in my thoughts , why am i pityed as miserable , whiles their happinesse is applauded ? you see then how free i am in that which you mis-call my prison ; see now , how little cause i have to affect this liberty , which you imagine me to want ; since i shall be , i can be no other then a prisoner abroad : there is much difference of prisons ; one is strait and close locked , so far from admitting visitants , that it scarce allows the sun to look in at those crosse-barred grates ; another , is more large and spacious , yeelding both walks , and accesse ; even after my discharge from these wals , i shall be yet sure to be a prisoner , both these ways ; for , what is my body but my prison in the one ? and what is the world , but my prison in the other kinde ? sect . vii . to begin with the former , never was there a more close prisoner then my soul is for the time to my body ; close in respect of the essence of that spirit , which since it's first mittimus , never stir'd out from this strait room ; never can doe , till my gaole-delivery . if you respect the improvement of the operatiōs of that busie soul , it is any where , it is successively every where ; no place can hold it , none can limit it ; but if you regard the immortall , and immateriall substance of it , it is fast lockt up within these wals of clay , till the day of my changing come ; even as the closest captive may write letters to his remotest friends , whilest his person is in durance ; i have too much reason to acknowledge my native jayle , and feel the true symptomes of it to my pain ; what darkness of sorrow have i here found ? what little-ease of melancholick lodgings ? what manacles and shakles of cramps ? yea what racks of torturing convulsions ? and if there be others , that finde less misery in their prison , yet there is no good soul , but findes equall restraint : that spirituall substance , which is imprisoned within us , would fain be flying up to that heaven whence it descended ; these wals of flesh forbid that evolation , ( as socrates cal'd it of old ) and will not let it out , till the god of spirits ( who placed it there ) shall unlock the doors , and free the prisoner by death ; he that insused life into lazarus , that he might call him from the prison of the grave , must take life from us , when he cals us out of this prison of flesh ; i desire to be loosed , and to be with christ , ( saith the apostle ) as some versions expresse it ; whiles we are chained to this flesh , we can have no passage to heaven , no free conversation with our saviour : although it was the singular priviledge of that great doctor of the gentiles , that he was in heaven before his dissolution : whether in the body , or out of the body , he knew not : how far that rapture extended , whether to both soul and body , if he knew not , how should we ? but this we know , that such extasie and vision was in him , without separation of the soul from the body ; which another should hope for in vain : and for him , so he saw this glory of paradise , that he could not yet enjoy it : before he , or we , can be blessed with the fruition of christ , vve must be loosed : that is , freed from our clog , and our chain of this mortall body . what but our prison wals can hinder us here , from a free prospect ? what but these wals of flesh can hinder me from a clear vision of god ? i must now , for the time , see as i may : nothing can enter into my soul , but what passes through my senses , and partakes , in some sort , of their earthlinesse ; when i am freed from them , i shall see as i am seen ; in an abstracted and heavenly way ; so as one spirit apprehends another : i do now , at the best , see those spirituall objects darkly , by the eye of faith , as in a glasse ; and that not one of the clearest neither : ( alas , what dim representations are these , that i can attain to here , of that majesty , whose sight shal make me blessed ? ) i shall once see as i am seen , face to face ; the face of my glorified soul shall see the face of that all-glorious deity , and in that sight be eternally happy ; it is enough for a prisoner in this dungeon of clay , to know of , and fore-expect such felicity , vvhereof these earthly gieves render him as yet uncapable . sect . viii . woe is me ! how many prisons do we passe ? so soon as ever this divine soul is insused into this flesh , it is a prisoner : neither can any more passe out of this skin , till this frame of nature be demolished : and now , as the soul of this embryon is instantly a prisoner to the body , so the body is also a prisoner in the womb , wherein it is formed : what darknesse , what closenesse , what uneasinesse , what nuisance is there in this dungeon of nature ? there he must lie in an uncouth posture , for his appointed month , till the native bonds being loosed , & the doors forced open , he shall be by an helpfull obstetrication drawn forth into the larger prison of the vvorld ; there indeed he hath elbow-room enough : but al that wide scope cannot free him from a true incarceratiō : who knows not that there are many differences , and latitudes of restraint ? a simeon may imprison and enchain himself in the compasse of a pillar , not allowing himself the ease of his whole dimensiōs ; peter may be lockt up in a larger jayle , betwixt his two leopards ( as that father terms thē ; ) s. paul may be two years allowed to be a prisoner in his own hired house , but under the guard of his keeper , and not vvithout his chain : there are those who upon hainous , and dangerous occasions , may be kept close under many locks ; there are prisoners at large , vvho have the liberty of the tower ; yet even these last , notwithstanding the allowance of spacious walks , & fresh gardens , are no other then acknowledged prisoners : such is my condition to the world , whē i am at my fullest liberty : it is true , that when i look back to the straitnesse of my first , and native prison , and compare it with the large extent of that wide world , into which i am brought , i may well with isaacs herds-men , say , rehoboth , for now , the lord hath made me room : but when i compare that world , wherein i am , with that whereto i aspire , and vvhich i know to be above , and look to enjoy ; i can see nothing here , but meer prison-vvals , and professe my life to be no other then a perpetuall durance . sect . ix . if varro said of old , that the world was no other then the great house of little man , i shall be bold to adde what kind of house it is ; it is no other then his prison , yea , his dungeon . far be it from me to disparage the glorious work of my omnipotent creator : i were not worthy to look upon this large , and glittering roof of heaven , nor to see the pleasant varieties of these earthly landskips , if i did not adore that infinite power , and wisdome which appears in this goodly , and immense fabricke ; and confesse the marvellous beauty of that majestick , and transcendent workmanship ; rather when i see the moon and the starres , which thou hast ordained , i say with the psalmist , lord what is man ? but , o god , it is no dishonour to thee , that though this be a fair house , yet thou hast one so much better then it , as a palace is beyond a jayle . this beauty may please , but that ravisheth my soul : here is light , but dim , and dusky , in respect of that inaccessible light , wherein thou dwellest : here is a glorious sun , that illumineth this inferiour world , but thou art the sun who enlightenest that world above : thou , to whom thy created sun is but a shadow . here we converse with beasts , or at the best , with men ; there with blessed soules , and heavenly angels : here some frivolous delights are intermixed with a thousand vexations ; there in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy : so then , let the sensuall heart mis-place his paradise here in the world , it shall not passe for other with me , then my prison : how can it ? why should it ? for what other terms doe i find here ? what blind light looks in here at these scant loopeholes of my soul ? yea , what darknesse of ignorance rather possesses me ? what bolts and shackles of heavy crosses doe i beare about me ? how am i fed here with the bread of afdiction ? how am i watched and beset with evill spirits ? how contumeliously traduced ? how disdainefully lookt upon ? how dragging the same chaine with the worst malefactors ? how disabled to all spirituall motions ? how restrained from that full liberty of injoying my home , and my god in it , which i daily expect in my dissolution ? when therefore , i am released from these walls , i am still imprisoned in larger , and so shall be till the lord of the spirits of al flesh ( who put me here ) shal set me free ; and all the daies of my appointed time wil i wait , til this my changing come . sect . x. you see then by this time , how little reason i have to be too much troubled with this imprisonment , or my friends for me ; but indeed , there are some sorts of prisoners , which neither you nor i can have tears enow to bewaile : and those especially of two kinds . the one , those that are too much affected with an outward bondage : the other , those that are no whit affected with a spirituall . in the first rank are they that sinke under the weight of their irons ; poore impotent soules , that groaning under the cruelty of a turkish thraldome , or a spanish inquisition , want faith to beare them out , against the impetuous violences of their tormentors : i sorrow for their suffering ; but for their fai●●●● more : could they see the gro●●● of glory , which the right● 〈◊〉 judge holds ready for their ●●ctorious patience , they 〈◊〉 not but contemne paine , 〈◊〉 all the pomp of death , and ●●●fesse that their light affliction ( which is but for 〈…〉 ) works for them a far more ●●●ceeding and eternall weight of glory : but alas , it is the weaknesse of their eyes , that they onely look at the things that are seen , close walls , heavy 〈◊〉 sharp scourges , merciless racks , and other dreadfull engines of torture , and see not the things that are not seen , the glorious reward of their victory , blessedness . had they had stephens eyes , they would have emulated his martyrdome ; surely whosoever shall but read the story of the mother and the seaven brothers in the maccabees , and that of the fourty armenian martyrs frozen to death , reported by gaudentius , and shall there see the fainting revolter dying uncomfortably in the bath , whiles the other thirty and nine ( together with their new converted keeper ) are crowned by an angell from heaven , cannot choose ( except he have nothing but ice in his bosome ) but find in himself a disposition emulous of their courage , and ambitious of their honour ; but alas , what ever our desires ; and purposes may be , it is not for every one to attain to the glory of martyrdome ; this is the highest pitch , that earthly saints are capable of : he must be more then a man , whom pain and death cannot remove from his holy resolutions , and especially , the lingering execution of both . it is well if an age can yeeld one , mole : in what terms shal i commemorate thee , o thou blessed confessor , the great example of invincible constancy , in these backsliding times , ( if at least thy rare perseverance be not more for wonder then imitation ) whom thirty yeares tedious durance in the inquisitory at rome , could not weary out of thy sincere profession of the evangelical truth ? all this while thou wert not allowed the speech , the sight of any , but thy persecutors : here was none to pity thee , none to exhort thee : if either force of perswasion , or proffers of favour , or threats of extremity , could have wrought thee for thy perversion , thou hadst not at last dyed ours . blessed be the god of all comfort , who having stood by thee , and made thee faithfull to the death , hath now given thee a crown of life and immortalitie ; and left thee a noble pattern of christian fortitude , so much more remarkable , as lesse frequently followed . whether i look into the former , or the present times i finde the world full of shrinking professors . amongst the first christians , persecution easily discovered four sorts of cowardly renegadoes ; the first , and worst , whom they justly styled idolaters , that yeelded to all the publike forms of worship to those false gods : the second , sacrificers , who condescended so far , as to some kind of immolation unto those fained deities , or , at least , to a tasting of those things which were thus offered : the third , incensers , such as ( with marcellinus himself ) came on so far , as to cast some grains of incense into the idols fire : the last were their libellaticks , such as privately by themselves , or by some allowed proxey , denyed the faith , yet with their mony bought out this ignominy , & sin of any publique act of idolatry . not to speak of those many thousands which fell down before solyman the second , and held up their finger to fignifie their conversion to his mahometisme , for ease of their taxations ; how many doe we hear of daily of all nations , and some ( which i shame and grieve to say ) of our own , who yeild to receive circumcision , and to renounce their saviour ? oh the lamentable condition of those distressed christians ▪ if constant to their professio they live in a perpetual purgatory of torment ; if revolting , they run into the danger of an everlasting damnation in hel ; even this gentle restraint puts me into the meditatiō of their insupportable durance ; why doe not all christian hearts bleed with the sense of their deplorable estate ? why is not our compassion heightned , according to the depth of their perill , and misery ? what are our bowels made of , if they yearn not at their unexpressible calamity ? ye rich merchants , under whose imployment many of these poor souls have thus unhappily miscarried , how can you blesse your selves in your bags , whiles you see the members of christ your saviour , thus torn from him , for want of a petty ransome ? ye eminent persons whom god hath advanced to power and greatness , how can you sleep quietly upon your pillows , whiles you think of the cold and hard lodgings , the hungry bellies , the naked and waled backs of miserable christians ? lastly , what fervent prayers should we all , that professe the dear name of christ , powre out unto the god of heaven for the strengthning of the faith and patience of these afflicted souls against the assaults of violence ? and for their happy and speedy deliverance out of their wofull captivity ? sect . xi . these prisoners are worthy of our deep compassion ; as those , who are too sensible of their own misery ; others there are , who are so much more worthy of greater pity , by how much they are lesse apprehensive of their need of it ; plausible prisoners under a spirituall tyranny ; whose very wils are so captived to the powers of darkness , that to choose they would be no other then bondmen ; pleasing themselves in those chains , whose weight is enough to sink their souls into hell ; such are they , who have yeelded themselves over to bee enthralled by any known sin ; no men under heaven doe so much applaud themselves in the conceit of their liberty ; none so great slaves as they ; if the very stoick philosophers had not enough evinced this truth , divinity should : indeed , the world is a worse kind of algier , full of miserable captives ; here lies one so fettered in lust , that he rots again ; there another , so laden with drunken excesse , that he can neither goe norstand , and in very deed is not his own man : here one so pinched with golden fetters , that he can neither eat , nor sleep ; nor at all enjoy himself : there , another so pined with envy , that he is forced to feed on his own heart : here , one so tormented with anger , that he is stark mad for the time ; and cares not how he mischieves himself in a furious desire to hurt others ; there , another , so racked with ambition , that he is stretched beyond his own length , and lives in the pain of a perpetuall self-extention . these , and all others of this kinde are most miserable prisoners , chained up for everlasting darknesse : so much more worthy of our pity , as they are lesse capable of their own : spend your compassion ( if you please ) upon these deplorable subjects ; but for me , wish me ( if you wil ) as free from any imputation of evill , as i was , and am from the thought of it ; wish me in your free champian , where i may have no hedge so much as to confine my eye : wish me happy in the society of so dear and and noble a friend ; but in the mean while , think of me no otherwise , then as a free prisoner , and yours thankfully devoted , in all faithfull observance , i. n. the remedy of discontentment . or , a treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition : fit for these sad and troubled times . by jos. hall d. d. and b. of n. phil. . ● 〈…〉 have learned in whatsoever estate i am , therewith to be content . . i know both how to be abased , and i know how to abound ; every where , and in all things i am instructed both to be full and to be hungry , both to abound and to want . london , printed by m. f. for nat. butter . . i have perused this treatise entituled [ the remedy of discontentment , ] and judging it to be very pious , profitable , and necessary for these sad and distracted times , i license it to be printed and published , and should much commend it to the christian reader , if the very name of the authour were not in it self sufficient without any further testimony . john dovv●am● . to the christian reader , grace and peace . what can be more seasonable , then when all the world is sick of discontentment , to give counsels and receits of contentation ? perhaps the patient will think it a time is chosen for physick , in the midst of a fit : but in this case we must doe as we may . i confesse , i had rather have stayed till the paroxys me were happily over , that so the humors being somewhat setled , i might hope for the more kindly operation of this wholsome medicine . but , partly my age and weaknesse , despairing to out-live the publique distemper ; and partly my judgement ( crossing the vulgar opinion for the season of some kinde of receits ) have ●●w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this safe , and 〈…〉 ●nscription : god is 〈…〉 that i wrote this 〈…〉 of mine own afflictions , ( the particulars whereof , it were unseasonable to trouble the world withall ) as one that meant to make my selfe my own patient , by enjoyning my self that course of remedies , that i prescribe to others ; and , as one , who by the powerfull working of gods spirit within me , labour to finde my heart framed to those holy dispositions which i wish and recommend to every christian soul : if there be no remedy but the worst of outward troubles must afflict us ; it shall be happy yet , if we may find inward peace in our bosomes : which shall be , if we can reconcile our selves to our offended god ; and calme our spirits to a meek undergoing of those sufferings , which the divine providence hath thought fit to measure forth unto us : this is the main drift of this ensuing labour . now the same god , who hath , in these blustring times , put into my heart these quiet thoughts of holy contentation , blesse them in every hand that shall receive them ; and make them effectuall to the good of every soul , that shall now , and hereafter entertain them ; that so their gracious proficiency may , in the day of the appearance of our lord jesus , adde to the joy of my account ; who am the unworthiest of the servants of god , and his church , j. n. the contents of the severall sections following . sect. i. the excellency of contentation ; and how it is to be had . pag. § ii. the contrariety of estates wherein it is to be exercised . § iii. who they are that know not how to want , and be abused . § iv. who they are that know how to want . § v. considerations leading to contentation ; and first the consideration of the ficklenesse of life , and of all earthly commodities ; honour , beautie , strength , &c. § vi. consideration of the unsatisfying condition of these worldly things . § vii . the danger of the too much estimation of these earthly comforts . § viii . the consideration of the divine providence , ordering , and over-ruling all events . § ix . the consideration of the worse condition of others . § x. the consideration of the inconveniences of great estates ; & therein first their cares . § xi . the danger of the distempers , both bodily , and spirituall , that follow great means , and the torment in parting with them . § xii . consideration of the benefits of poverty . § xiii . consideration of how little will suffice nature . § xiv . consideration of the inconveniences and miseries of discontentment . § xv. the gracious vicissitudes of gods favours and afflictions . § xvi . consid . of the great examples of contentation , both without , and within the church of god. § xvii . contentment in death it self . § xviii . the miseries and inconveniences of the continued conjunction of the soul and body . § xix . holy dispositions for contentment ; the first whereof , humility . § xx. . selfe-resignation . § xxi . . the true inward riches . § xxii . holy resolutions : and . that the present estate is best for us . § xxiii . . resolution to abate of our desires . § xxiv . . resolution , to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments . § xxv . . resolution , to be frequent and fervent in prayer . § xxvi . the difficulty of knowing how to abound ; and the ill consequences of the not knowing it . contentation , in knowing how to want : where is set forth what it is to know how to want , and to be abased . how to be attained in respect of the adversities of life , where must be certain considerations , of the valuation of earthly things ; the transitoriness of life , honour , beautie , strength , pleasure . unsatisfying condition of them . danger of over-esteeming them . of divine providence over-ruling all events . of the worse condition of others . of the inconvenience of great estates . cares . danger of distemper bodily . spirituall . torment in parting . account . of the benefits of poverty . freedom from cares . fears of keeping . losing . of how little will suffice nature . of the miseries of discōtentment . of the vicissitude of favors and crosses . examples of cōtentation without within the church of god. dispositions . humility . self-resignation . true inward riches . resolutions . that our present condition is best for us . resol . to abate of our desires . resol . to digest smaller inconveniences . resol . to be frequent & fervent in prayer . of death itself . remedies against the terror of death . necessity & benefit of death . conscience of a well-led life . finall peace with god. efficacy of christs death applyed . comfortable expectation of certaine resurrection ; and an immediate vision of god. miseries & incōveniences of the cōtinued cōjunction of soul and body . defilement of sin originall . pronenesse to sin . difficulty of doing well . dulnesse of understāding . perpetuall conflicts . solicitude of cares . multiplicity of passiōs : retardation of glory . how to abound . the remedy of discontentment . sect . i. the excellency of contentation ; and how it is to be had . if there be any happinesse to be found upon earth , it is in that which we call contentation : this is a flower that growes not in every garden : the great doctor of the gentiles tels us that he had it ; i have learned ( saith hee ) in what estate soever i am , therewith to be content ; i know how to be abased , and i know how to abound : lo , he could not have taken out this lesson if he had not learn'd it ; and he could not have learnt it of any other then his master in heaven : what face soever philosophy may set upon it , all morality cannot reach it ; neither could his learned gamaliel , at whose feet he sate , have put this skill into him ; no , he learn'd it since he was a christian ; and now professeth it ; so as it appears , there is a divine art of contentation to be attained in the schoole of christ ; which whosoeeer hath learnt , hath taken a degree in heaven , and now knowes how to be happy both in want , and abundance . sect . ii. the contrariety of estates wherein contentation is to be exercised . the nature of man is extreamly querulous ; wee know not what we would have , and when we have it , we know not how to like it : we would be happy , yet we would not dye ; we would live long , yet wee would not bee old ; wee would be kept in order , yet we would not be chastised with affliction ; we are loath to work , yet are weary of doing nothing ; we have no list to stir , yet finde long sitting painfull ; we have no minde to leave our bed , yet finde it a kinde of sicknesse to lie long ; we would marry , but would not bee troubled with houshold cares ; when once we are maried , we wish we had kept single ; if therefore grace have so mastered nature in us , as to render us content with what ever condition , we have attain'd to no smal measure of perfection which way soever the winde blowes , the skilfull mariner knows how to turn his sailes to meet it ; the contrariety of estates to which wee lie open here , gives us different occasions for the exercise of contentation : i cannot blame their choice who desire a middle estate betwixt want and abundance , and to be free from those inconveniences which attend both extreames : wise solomon was of this diet ; give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed mee with the food of my meet allowance ; lo , he that had all , desired rather to have but enough : and if any estate can afford contentment in this life , surely this is it , in the judgement and experience of the wisest heathen . but forasmuch as this equall poise is hardly attainable by any man , & is more proper for our wishes , and speculation , then for our hopes , true wisdom must teach us so to compose our selves that we may be fit to entertain the discontentments , & dangers of those excesses , and effects , which we cannot but meet with in the course of our mortall life : and surely we shall finde that both extreams are enemies to this good temper of the soul : prosperity may discompose us , as well as an adverse condition ; the sunshine may be as troublesome to the traveller as the winde or rain ; neither know i whether is more hard to manage of the two ; a dejected estate , or a prosperous ; whether we may be more incommodated with a resty horse , or with a tired one : let us begin with that which nature is wont to think most difficult ; that contrary to the practice of learners , we may try to take out the hardest lesson first . let us therefore learne in the first place how to want . sect . iii. how many doe not know how to want . cold we teach men how not to want , we should have disciples enow ; every man seeks to have , & hates to lack : could we give an antidote against poverty , it would be too precious : and why can we not teach men even this lesson too ? the lord is my shepherd , saith david , therefore can i lack nothing ; and most sweetly elsewhere , o fear the lord ye that be his saints ; for they that fear him , lack nothing ; the lions do lack and suffer hunger ; but they which seek the lord shall want no manner of thing that is good : let god be true , and every man a lyer ; certainly , if we were not wanting to god in our fear of him , in our faithfull reliance upon him ; in our conscionable seeking of him , he whose the earth is , and the fulnesse of it , would not suffer our carefull endeavours to go weeping away : but if it so fall out that his most wise providence findes it better for us to be held short in our worldly estate , ( as it may be the great physitian sees it most for our health to be kept fasting ) it is no lesse worth our learning to know how to want ; for there is many an one that wants , but knows not how to want , and therefore his need makes him both offensive and miserable . there are those that are poor and proud ; one of the wise mans three abominations ; foolish laodiceans that bear themselves for rich , encreased with goods , and lacking nothing ; when they are no other then wretched , and miserable , and poor , and blinde , and naked ; these men know not how to want , their heart is too big for their purse ; and surely pride , though every where odious , yet doth no where so ill as in rags . there are those that are poor and envious ; looking with an evill eye upon the better fare of others ; as surely this vice dwels more cōmonly in cottages then in palaces . how displeasedly doth the begger look upon the larger almes of his neighbour ? grudging to another what ever fals besides himself , and misliking his own dole , because the next hath more ; whose eye with the discontented labourers is evill , because his master is good ; neither doe these men know how to want . there are those that want distrustfully ; measuring the mercifull provision of the almighty by the line of their own sense ; as the samaritan peer , when in the extremity of a present famine he heard the prophet foretell a sudden plenty ; behold , if the lord would make windows in heaven , might this thing be ? there are those that want impatiently ; repining at gods dealing with them , and making their own impotent anger guilty of a further addition to their misery ; as the distressed king of israel , in a desperate sense of that grievous dearth ; behold , this evill is of the lord , what should i wait on the lord any longer ? and those wretched ones , who when the fourth angell had poured out his phiall upon the sunne , being scorched with the extremity of the heat , blasphemed the god of heaven : in this kinde was that sinfull techinesse of jonah : when i see a poor worme that hath put it selfe out of the coole cell of the earth wherein it was lodged , and now being beaten upon by the sun-beames , lies wrigling upon the bare path , turning it self every way in vain , and not finding so much as the shade of a leafe to cover it ; i cannot but think of that fretting prophet ; when wanting the protection of his gourd he found himself scalded with that strong reflection ; and looking up wrathfully towards that sun from whom he smarted , could say to the god that made it , i do well to be angry , even to the death . lastly , there are those that are poor and dishonest even out of the very suggestion of their want ; it was the danger hereof that made agur the sonne of jakeh pray against penury ; lest i be poor , and steal ; and ( by forswearing it ) take the name of god in vain . sect . iv. who they are that know how to want . these and perhaps others do and must want , but in the mean time they do that which they know not how to do ; there is a skill in wanting which they have not ; those onely know how to want , that have learnt to frame their minde to their estate ; like to a skilfull musitian , that can let down his strings a peg lower when the tune requires it ; or like to some cunning spagirick , that can intend or remit the heat of his furnace according to occasion . those , who when they must be abased , can stoop submissely , like to a gentle reed , which when the winde blowes stiffe , yeilds every way ; those that in an humble obeysance can lay themselves low at the foot of the almighty , and put their mouth in the dust ; that can patiently put their necks under the yoak of the highest ; and can say with the prophet , truly this is my sorrow , and i must beare it ; those that can smile upon their afflictions , rejoycing in tribulation , singing in the gaole with paul and silas at midnight ; lastly , those that can improve misery to an advantage , being the richer for their want , bettered with evils , strengthened with infirmities ; and can truly say to the almighty , i know that of very faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me ; never could they have come out so pure metall , if they had not passed under the hand of the refiner ; never had they proved so toward children , if they had not been beholden to the rod : these are they that know how to want , & to be abased ; and have effectually learned to be content with the meanest condition : to which happy temper that vvee may attain , there will be use of , . certaine considerations ; . certain dispositions ; and . certain resolutions ; these three shall be as the grounds , and rules of this our divine art of contentation . sect . v. the consideration of the ficklenesse of life , and all earthly commodities . the first consideration shall be of the just valuation of all these earthly things ; which doubtlesse is such , as that the wise christian cannot but set a low price upon them , in respect , first , of their transitorinesse ; secondly , of their insufficiency of satisfaction ; thirdly , the danger of their fruition . at the best , they are but glassie stuffe , which the finer it is , is so much more brittle ; yea , what other then those gay bubbles , which children are wont to raise from the mixed sope and spittle of their walnut-shell ; vvhich seem to represent pleasing colors , but in their flying up instantly vanish ? there is no remedy ; either they must leave us , or we must leave them . well may we say that of the psalmist , which campian vvas reported to have often in his mouth ; my soul is continually in my hands ; and who knows vvhether it will not expire in our next breathing ? how many have shut their eyes in an healthfull sleep , who have waked in another vvorld ? we give too large scope to our account , vvhiles we reckon seven years for a life ; a shorter time will serve ; vvhiles vve finde the revolution of lesse then halfe those years to have dispatched * five caesars , and five popes ; nay , who can assure himself of the next moment ? it is our great weakness , if we doe not look upon every day , as our last ; why should we think our selves in a better condition , then the chosen vessel , * who deeply protested to dye daily ? what a poor complaint was that of the great conquerour of the jews , titus vespasian , who putting his head out of his sick litter , querulously accused heaven , that he must dye , and had not deserved it ; when he might have found it guilt enough that he was a man ; and therefore by the very sentence of nature condemned , i know not whether to live , or dye . indeed , what can we cast our eyes upon , that doth not put us in minde of our frailty ? all our fellow-creatures dye for us , and by us : the day dyes into night ; the trees and all other plants of the earth suffer a kinde of autumnall mortality ; the face of that common mother of us all , doth at the least in winter , resemble death ; but if the angel of death ( as the jews term him ) shall respite , and reprieve us for the time ; alas ! how easily may we have over-lived our comforts ? if death doe not snatch us away from them , how many thousand means of casualties , of enemies , may snatch them away from us ? he that was the greatest man of all the sonnes of the east , within a few dayes became a spectacle and proverb of penury , which still sticks by him , and so shall doe to the worlds end , as poor as job . the rich plaine of jordan , which over-night was as the garden of the lord , is in the morning covered over with brimstone , and salt , and burning ; wilt thou cause thine eyes to flye upon that which is not ? saith wise solomon : for riches certainly make thēselves wings , they fly away as an eagle towards heaven : if wee have wings of desire to fly after them , they are nimbler of flight to outstrip us , and leave us no less miserable in their losse , then wee were eager in their pursuit . as for honour , what a meer shadow it is ? upon the least cloud interposed , it is gone , and leaves no mention where it was : the same sun sees haman adored in the persian court , like some earthly deity ; and like some base vermine waving upon his gibbet : doe we see the great , and glorious cleopatra , shining in the pompous majesty of egypt ? stay but a while , and ye shall see her in the dust , and her two children , whom shee proudly styled the sun , and the moon , driven like miserable captives before the chariot of their conquerour : man being in honour abideth not , saith the psalmist , he perisheth , but his greatnesse ( as more fraile then he ) is oftentimes dead and buried before him , and leaves him the surviving executor of his own shame . it was easie for the captive prince , to observe in the charet-wheel of his victor , that when one spoak rose up , another went down , and both these in so quick a motion , that it was scarce distinguished by the eye . well therefore may we say of honour , as ludovicus vives said of scholasticall divinity : cui fumus est pro fundamento : it is built upon smoak , how can it be kept from vanishing ? as for beauty , what is it , but a dash of natures tincture laid upon the skinne , which is soon washt off with a little sickness ? what but a fair blossome , that drops off , so soon as the fruit offers to succeed it ? what but a flower , vvhich vvith one hot sun gleam weltreth and fals ? hee that had the choice of a thousand faces , could say , favour is deceitfull , and beauty is vanity . lastly , for strength , and vigour of body , if it could bee maintained till our old age , alas , how soon is that upon us , ere we be aware ! how doth it then shrivell our flesh and loosen our sinews , and cripple our joynts ! milo , when he lookt upon his late brawny arms , and saw them now grow lanck and writhled , le ts fall teares , and bewraies more weaknesse of mind , then he had before bodily strength : but how often doth sicknesse prevent the debilitations of age ; pulling the strongest man upon his knees , and making him confesse , that youth , as well as childe-hood , is vanitie ? as for pleasure , it dies in the birth , and is not therefore worthy to come into this bill of mortality . doe we then upon sad consideration see and feel the manifest transitorinesse of life , riches , honour , beautie , strength , pleasure , and whatever else can bee deare and precious to us in this vvorld , and can vvee dote upon them so , as to be too much dejected vvith our parting from them ? our saviour bids us consider the lillies of the field ; and he that made both , tels us , that solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these : surely , full well are they worth our considering . but if those beauties could bee as permanent , as they are glorious , how vvould they carry away our hearts with them ? now , their fading condition justly abates of their value ; would wee not smile at the weaknesse of that man , that should weep and howle , for the falling of this tulip , or that rose , abandoning all comfort for the losse of that , vvhich he knows must flourish but his moneth ? it is for children to cry for the falling of their house of cards , or the miscarriage of that painted gew-gaw , vvhich the next showre vvould have defaced . wise christians know hovv to apprize good things according to their continuance , and can therefore set their hearts onely upon the invisible comforts of a better life , as knowing that the things which are not seen , are eternall . sect . vi. consideration of the unsatisfying condition of all worldly things . but vvere these earthly things exempted from that ficklenesse , vvhich the god of nature hath condemned them unto , vvere they ( the very memory vvhereof perisheth with their satiety ) as lasting , as they are brittle , yet vvhat comfort could they yeeld for the soul to rest in ? alas ! their efficacy is too short to reach unto a true contentation ; yea , if the best of them vvere perpetuated unto us , upon the fairest conditions , that this earth can allow , hovv intolerable tedious would it prove in the fruition ? say that god were pleased to protract my life to the length of the age of the first founders of mankinde , and should ( in this state of body ) adde hundreds of years to the days of my pilgrimage : woe is me , how vveary should i be of my self , and of the world ? i , that now complain of the load of seventy one yeers , how should i be tyred out , ere i could arrive at the age of parre ? but before i could climb up to the third century of johannes de temporibus , hovv often should i call for death , not to take up , but to take off my burthen , and with it my self ? but if any , or all these earthly blessings could be freed from those grievances , wherewith they are commonly tempered , yet how little satisfaction could the soul finde in them ? what are these outward things , but very luggage , which may load our backs , but cannot lighten our hearts ? great , and vvise solomon , that had the full command of them all , cries out , vanity of vanities ; and a greater monarch then hee , shuts up the scene with , i have been all things , and am never the better : all these are of too narrow an extent , to fill the capacious soul of man ; the desires vvhereof are enlarged with enjoying , so as the more it hath , the lesse it is satisfyed , neither indeed can it bee otherwise ; the eye , and the eare , are but the purveyours for the heart , if therefore the eye be not satisfied with seeing , nor the ear with hearing , how shall the heart say , it is enough ? now , vvho vvould suffer himself to be too much disquieted vvith the losse of that , vvhich may vex him , but cannot content him ? we doe justly smile at the folly of that vain lord , of vvhom petrarch speakes , who vvhen an horse vvhich hee dearely loved , was sick , laid that steed of his , on a silken bed , vvith a vvrought pillovv under his head , and caused himselfe ( then afflicted vvith the gout ) to be carried on his servants shoulders to visit that dear patient ; and upon his decease , mourned solemnly for him , as if it had been his son. we have laught at the fashion of the girles of holland , vvho having made to themselves gay and large babies , and laid them in a curious cradle , fain them to sicken and dye , and celebrate their funerall vvith much passion : so fond are we , if having framed to our selves imaginary contentments here , in the world , vve give vvay to immoderate grief in their miscarriage . sect . vii . the danger of the love of these earthly comforts . neither are these earthlie comforts more defective in yeelding full satisfaction to the soul , then dangerous in their over-dear fruition : for too much delight in them , robs us of more solid contentments : the world is a cheating gamester , suffering us to win at the first , that at last he may goe away with all . our very table may be made our snare ; and those things vvhich should have been for our vvealth , may bee unto us an occasion of falling : leo the fourth emperour of constantinople , delighted extreamly in precious stones , with these he embellishes his crown , which being worn close to his temples , strikes such a cold into his head , that causeth his bane : yea , how many vvith the too much love of these outward things , have lost , not their lives onely , but their souls ? no man can be at once the favourite of god and the world ; as that father said truly : or as our saviour in fuller tearms , no man can serve two masters , god and mammon : shortly , the world may be a dangerous enemy , a sure friend it cannot bee . if therefore we shall like wise men , value things at their due prices , since we are convinced in our selves , that all these earthly comforts are so transitory in their nature , so unsatisfying in their use , and so dangerous in their enjoying , hovv little reason have we to be too much affected with forgoing them ? our bloud is dear to us , as that wherein our life is , yet if we finde that it is either infected , or distempered , vve doe willingly part vvith it in hope of better health : how much more , vvith those things , which are farther from us , and lesse concerning us ? sect . viii . consideration of the divine providence ordering all events . the second consideration is of that all-wise providence which ordereth all events both in heaven and earth , allotting to every creature his due proportion , so over-ruling all things to the best , that we could not want , if he knew it better for us to abound : this station he hath set us in , this measure he hath shared out to us , whose will is the rule of good ; what we have therefore , cannot but be best for us . the world is a large chesse-board , every man hath his place assigned him : one is a king , another a knight , another a pawn , and each hath his severall motion ; vvithout this variety , there could be no game played ; a skilfull player will not stirre one of these chips , but vvith intention of an advantage ; neither should any of his men either stand , or move , if in any other part of that checker , it might bee in more hope to win . there is no estate in this world vvhich can be universally good for all , one mans meat may be another mans medicine , and a third mans poyson ; a turk findes health and temper in that opium , vvhich would put one of us into our last sleep . should the plow-man be set to the gentlemans fare , this chicken , that partridge , or phesant , would ( as over-slight food ) bee too soon turned over , and leave his empty stomach to quarrell for stronger provision : beef is for his diet ; and if any sawce needs besides his hunger , garlick : every man hath , as a body , so a minde of his own ; vvhat one loves is abhorred of another ; the great house-keeper of the world knows how to fit every palate with that which either is , or should be agreeable to it , for salubrity , if not for pleasure : lay before a childe a knife , and a rod , and bid him take his choice , his hand will be straight upon that edge tool , especially , if it be a little guilded , and glittering ; but the parent knows the rod to be more safe for him , and more beneficiall : we are ill carvers for our selves , he that made us , knows what is fit for us , either for time , or measure ; without his providence not an hair can fall from our heads ; we would have bodily health , i cannot blame us ; what is the vvorld to us without it ? he whose wee are , knows sicknesse to bee for the health of the soul ; whether should we in true judgement desire ? we vvish to live , who can blame us ? life is sweet , but if our maker have ordained , that nothing but death can render us glorious , what madnesse is it to stick at the condition ? oh our grosse infidelity , if we doe not beleeve that great arbiter of the world , infinitely wise to know what is best for us , infinitely mercifull to vvill what hee knows best , infinitely powerfull to doe what he will ! and if we be thus perswaded , hovv can we , but in matter of good , say with blessed mary : behold thy servant , be it unto me according to thy word ; and in matter of evill , with good eli : it is the lord , let him doe what hee will ? sect . ix . consideration of the worse condition of others . in the third place , it will be requisite for us to cast our eyes upon the vvorse condition of others , perhaps better deserving then our selves ; for if we shall vvhine and complain of that weight , which others do run away chearfully withall , the fault vvill appear to be not in the heavinesse of the load , but in the weaknesse of the bearer : if i bee discontented vvith a mean dwelling , another man lives merrily in a low thatched cottage ; if i dislike my plain fare , the four captive children feed fair and fat vvith pulse and water : if i be plundred of my rich suits , i see a more chearfull heart under a russet coat , then great princes have under purple robes : if i doe gently languish upon my sick bed , i see others patient under the torments of the colick , or stone , or strangury : if i be clapt up within four wals , i hear petronius professe , he had rather be in prison with cato , then at liberty with caesar : i hear paul and silas sing like nightingales in their cages : am i sad , because i am childlesse ? i hear many a parent wish himself so : am i banished from my home ? i meet with many of vvhom the vvorld vvas not vvorthy , vvandring about in sheeps-skins , in goat-skins , in deserts , and in mountains , and in dens , and in caves of the earth : what am i that i should speed better then the miserablest of these patients ? what had they done , that they should fare worse then i ? if i have little , others have lesse ; if i feel pain , some others , torture ; if their sufferings be just , my forbearances are mercifull ; my provisions , to theirs , liberall : it is no ill counsell therefore , and not a little conducing to a contented want , that great persons should sometimes step aside into the homely cottages of the poor , and see their mean stuffe , course fare , hard lodgings , worthlesse utensils , miserable shifts ; and to compare it with their own delicate and nauseating superfluities : our great and learned king alfred was the better all his life after , for his hidden retirednesse in a poor neat-heards cabbin , where he was sheltred , and sometimes also chidden by that homely dame : neither vvas it an ill vvish of that vvise man , that all great princes might first have had some little taste , what it is to want , that so their own experience might render them more sensible of the complaints of others . man , though he be absolute in himself , and stand upon his own bottom , yet is he not a little wrought upon by examples , and comparisons with others ; for in them he sees what he is , or may be , since no events are so confined to some speciall subjects , as that they may not bee incident to other men . merits are a poor plea for any mans exemption , whiles our sinfull infirmities lay us all open to the rod of divine justice : and if these dispensations be meerly out of favour , why doe i rather grudge at a lesser misery , then blesse god for my freedome from a greater judgement ? those therefore that suffer more then i , have cause of more humbling , and i that suffer lesse then they , have cause of more thankfulnesse ; even mitigations of punishment are new mercies , so as others torments doe no other then heighten my obligations ; let me not therefore repine to be favourably miserable . sect . x. consideration of the inconveniences of great estates : and first of their cares , that they expose us to envy , and then macerate us with cares . the fourth consideration shall be of the inconveniences which doe oftentimes attend a fulnesse of estate ; such , and so many as may vvell make us sit down content with a little ; whereof , let the first be envy : a mischief not to be avoided of the great ; this shadow follows that body inseparably ; all the curs in the street are ready to fall upon that dogge that goes away with the bone ; and every man hath a cudgell to fling at a well-loaded tree ; whereas a mean condition is no eye-sore to any beholder ; low shrubs are not wont to bee stricken with lightning , but tall oaks and cedars feel their flames ; whiles david kept his fathers sheep at home , he might sing sweetly to his harp in the fields , without any disturbance : but when he once comes to the court , and findes applause , and greatnesse creep upon him , now emulation , despight and malice , dog him close at the heels wheresoever he goes : let him leave the court , and flee into the wildernesse , there these bloud-hounds follow him in hot suit ; let him run into the land of the philistims , there they finde him out , and chase him to ziklag ; and if at the last , he hath climbed up to his just throne , and there hopes to breath him after his tedious pursuit , even there he meets vvith more unquietnesse then in his desert , and notwithstanding all his royalty , at last cries out , lord remember david , and all his troubles : how many have wee known , whom their wealth hath betraid , and made innocent malefactors ? who might have slept securely upon a hard bolster , and in a poor estate out-lived both their judges , and accusers . besides , on even ground a fall may be harmlesse ; but he that fals from on high , cannot escape bruising : he therefore that can think the benefits of eminence can countervail the dangers which haunt greatness , let him affect to over-top others ; for me , let me rather be safely low , then high with perill . after others envy , the next attendant upon greatnesse is our own cares ; how doe these disquiet the beds , and sawce the tables of the wealthy ? breaking their sleeps , galling their sides , embittering their pleasures , shortning their days : how bitterly doe vve finde the holiest men complaining of those distractions , vvhich have attended their earthly promotions ? nazianzen cries out of them as no other then the bane of the soul ; and that other gregory , whom we are wont to call the last of the best bishops of rome , and the first of the bad , passionately bewails this clogge of his high preferment : i confesse , saith he , that whiles i am outwardly advanced , i am inwardly fallen lower ; this burdensome honour depresses me , and innumerable cares disquiet me on all sides ; my minde ( grown almost stupid with those temporall cares which are ever barking in mine ears ) is forced upon earthly things ; thus he : there are indeed cares which as they may be used , may help us on towards heaven ; such as melancthon owns to his camerarius ; my cares , saith he , send me to my prayers , and my prayers dispell my cares ; but those anxieties vvhich commonly wait upon greatnesse , distract the minde , and impair the body . it is an observation of the jewish doctors , that joseph the patriarch vvas of a shorter life then the rest of his brethren ; and they render this reason of it , for that his cares were as much greater , as his place was higher : it vvas not an unfit comparison of him , vvho resembled a coronet upon the temples , to a pail upon the head ; we have seen those , who have carried full and heavy vessels on the top of their heads , but then they have walked evenly , and erect under that load ; we never saw any that could dance under such a weight , if either they bend , or move vehemently , all their carriage is spilled : earthly greatness is a nice thing , & requires so much charinesse in the managing ; as the contentment of it cannot requite ; he is vvorthy of honey , that desires to lick it off from thorns ; for my part , i am of the minde of him who professed , not to care for those favours , that compelled him to lie waking . danger of distemper , both bodily and spirituall , that commonly follows great means : and torment in parting with them . in the next place , i see greatnesse not more pale , and worn vvith cares , then swoln up , and sickly with excesse ; too much oyle poured in , puts out the lamp , superfluity is guilty of a world of diseases , which the spare diet of poverty is free from ; how have vve seen great mens eies surfeited at that full table , whereof their palate could not taste , and they have risen discontentedly glutted with the sight of that , vvhich their stomach vvas uncapable to receive ; and vvhen , not giving so much law to nature , as to put over their gluttonous meal , ( their vvanton appetite charging them with a nevv variety of curious morsels , and lavish cups ) they finde themselves overtaken with feverous distempers , the physitian must succeed the cook ; and a second sicknesse must cure the first : but alas , these bodily indispositions are nothing to those spirituall evils , vvhich are incident into secular greatness . it is a true word of s. ambrose , seconded by common experience , that an high pitch of honour is seldome held up without sinne ; and s. jerome tels us , it vvas a common proverb in his time , that a rich man either is vvicked , or a vvicked mans heir : not , but that rich abraham may have a bosome for poor lazarus to rest in , and many great kings have been great saints in heaven , and there is still room for many more ; but that commonly great temptations follow great estates , and oftentimes overtake them ; neither is it for nothing , that riches are by our blessed saviour styled the mammon of iniquity , & wealth is by the holy apostle branded with deceitfulnesse ; such as cheat many millions of their souls . add unto these ( if you please ) the torment of parting with that pelf , and honour , vvhich hath so grosly bewitched us ; such as may well verifie that vvhich lucius long since wrote to the bishops of france , and spain , that one houres mischief makes us forget the pleasure of the greatest excesse . i marvell not at our english jew , of whom our story speaks , that would rather part with his teeth , then his bags : how many have wee knowne that have poured out their life together with their gold , as men that would not out-live their earthen god ; yea ( woe is mee ) how many soules have beene lost in the sinne of getting , and in the quarrell of leesing this thicke clay , as the prophet tearmes it ? but lastly , that which is yet the sorest of all the inconveniences , is the sadnesse of the reckoning , which must come in after these plentifull entertainments ; for there is none of all our cates here , but must be billed up ; and great accompts must have long audits : how hard a thing it is in this case , to have an omnia aequè ? in the failing whereof , how is the conscience affected ? i know not whether more tormented , or tormenting the miserable soul ; so as the great owner is but ( as witty bromiard compares him ) like a weary jade , which all the day long hath been labouring under the load of a great treasure ; and at night lies down with a galled back . by that time therefore wee have summed up all , and finde here envy , cares , sicknesses both of body and soul , torment in parting with , and more torment in reckoning for , these earthly greatnesses ; wee shall be convinced of sufficient reason to be well apaid with their want . sect . xii . consideration of the benefits of poverty . let the fifth consideration be , the benefit of poverty ; such , and so great , as are enough to make us in love with having nothing . for first , vvhat an advantage is it , to be free from those gnawing cares , which ( like tityus his vulture ) feed upon the heart of the great ? here is a man that sleeps ( aethiopian-like ) with his doores open ; no dangers threaten him , no feares break his rest ; hee starts not out of his bed at midnight , and cries theeves , he feels no rack of ambitious thoughts , he frets not at the disappointment of his false hopes , hee cracks not his brain with hazardous plots , he mis-doubts no undermining of emulous rivals , no traps of hollow friendship , but lives securely in his homely cottage , quietly enjoying such provision , as nature , and honest industry furnish him withall ; for his drinke , the neighbour spring saves him the charge of his excise ; and when his better earnings have fraught his trencher with a warm , and pleasing morsell , and his cup with a stronger liquor , hovv chearfully is he affected with that happy variety ; and in the strength of it digests many of his thinner meals ? meals usually sawced with an healthfull hunger , wherein no uncocted crudities oppresse nature , and cherish disease : here are no gouts , no dropsies , no hypochondriack passions , no convulsive fits , no distempers of surfeits , but a clear , and wholesome vigor of body , and an easie putting over the light tasks of digestion , to the constant advantage of health . and as for outward dangers , what an happy immunity doth commonly blesse the poore man ? how can he fear to fall , that lies flat upon the ground ? the great pope , boniface the seventh , vvhen hee saw many stately buildings ruined vvith earthquakes , is glad to raise him a little cabin of boards in the midst of a meadovv , and there findes it safest to shelter his triple crown . when great men hoist their top-sail , and launch forth into the deep , having that large clew which they spread , expos'd to all windes , and weathers , the poor man sails close by the shore ; and when hee foresees a storme to threaten him , puts in to the next creek ; and wears out in a quiet security that tempest , wherein he sees prouder vessels miserably tost , and at last , fatally wracked . this man is free from the perill of spightfull machinations ; no man whets his axe to cut down a shrub , it is the large timber of the world that hath cause to fear hewing : neither is he lesse free inwardly from the galling stroaks of a self-accusing conscience ; here is no remurmuring of the heart for guilty subornations , no checks for the secret contrivances of publique villanies ; no heart-breaking for the failings of bloudy designes ; or late remorse for their successe ; but quiet , & harmlesse thoughts of seasonable frugality , of honest recreation , with an un-interrupted freedome of recourse to heaven . and if at any time , by either hostile , or casuall means , he be berest of his little , he smiles in the face of a theef ; and is no whit astonished to see his thatch on a flame , as knowing how easie a supply will repair his losse . and when he shall come to his last close , his heart is not so glewed to the world , that he should be loth to part ; his soul is not tyed up in bags , but flies out freely to her everlasting rest . oh the secret vertue and happinesse of poverty ; which none but the right disposed minde knows how to value ▪ it was not for nothing that so many great saints have embraced it , rather then the rich proffers of the vvorld ; that so many great princes have exchanged their thrones for quiet cels ; who so cannot be thankful for a little , upon these conditions , i wish he may be punished with abundance . sect . xiii . considering how little will suffice nature . neither will it a little avail to the furtherance of our contentation , to consider how little will suffice nature , and that all the rest is but matter of opinion : it is the apostles charge , having food and raiment , let us be therewith content : indeed what use is there of more , then what may nourish us within , and cover us without ? if that be wholsome , and agreeable to our bodily disposition , whether it be fine , or course , nature passes not ; it is meerly will that is guilty of this wanton and fastidious choice ; it is fit that civilitie should make difference of clothings ; and that vveaknesse of body , or eminence of estate should make differences of diets ; else , why not russet as well as scarlet ? beef , as phesant ? the grashopper feeds on dew , the chameleon on air , what care they for other viands ? our books tell us , that those anachorets of old , that went aside into wildernesses , and sustained themselves with the most spare diet , such as those deserts could afford , out-lived the date of other mens lives , in whom nature is commonly stifled with a gluttonous variety : how strong , and vigorous above their neighbour grecians , were the lacedemonians held of old ? who by the ordinance of their law-giver , held themselves to their black broth , which , when dionysius would needs taste of , his cook truly told him , that if he would relish that fare , he must exercise strongly , as they did , and wash in eurotas : who knows not that our island doth not afford more able bodies , then they that eat , and drink oats ? and whom have wee seene more healthfull and active , then the children of poor men , trayned up hardly in their cottages with fare as little , as course ? doe i see a poor indian husbanding one tree to all his houshold uses ; finding in that one plant , timber , thatch , meat , medicine , wine , honey , oyle , sawce , drink , utensils , ships , cables , sayles ? and doe i rove over all the latitude of nature for contentment ? our appetite is truly unreasonable , neither will know any bounds : we begin with necessaries , as pliny justly observes , and from thence we rise to excesse , punishing our selves with our owne wilde desires ; whereas , if wee were wise , we might finde mediocrity an ease . either extream is a like deadly ; he that over-afflicts his body , kils a subject ; he that pampers it , nourishes an enemy . too much abstinence turns vice , and too much ingurgitation is one of the seven , and at once destroys both nature and grace . the best measure of having or desiring , is not what we would , but what we ought : neither is he rich that hath much ; but he that desires not much : a discreet frugality is fittest to moderate both our wishes , and expences ; which if we want , wee prove dangerously prodigall in both ; if we have , we doe happily improve our stock to the advantage of our selves , and others . sect . xiv . considering the inconveniences , and miseries of discontentment . the next inducement to contentation , shall be the serious consideration of the miserable inconveniences of the contrary disposition ; discontentment is a mixture of anger , and of grief ; both which are wont to raise up fearfull tempests in the soul ; hee teareth himself in his anger , saith bildad , concerning that mirrour of patience ; and the sorrow of the world worketh death , saith the chosen vessell : so as the malecontent , whether he be angry or sad , mischieves himself both ways ; there cannot be a truer word then that of wise solomon , anger resteth in the bosome of fools ; what can be more foolish then for a man , because he thinks god hath made him miserable by crosses , to make himself more miserable by his own distempers ? if the clay had sense , what a mad thing were it for it to struggle with the potter ? and if a man wil spurn against strong iron-pikes , what can he hope to carry away but wounds ? how witless a thing it is for a man to torment himself with the thoughts of those evils , that are past all remedy ? what wise beholder would not have smiled with pity and scorn , to have seen great augustus ; after the defeat of some choice troops , to knock his head against the wall , and to hear him passionately cry out ; o varus , restore me my lost legions ? who would not have been angry with that cholerick prophet to hear him so furiously contest with his maker for a withered gourd ? what an affliction was it to good jacob ( more then the sterility of a beloved wife ) to hear rachel say ; give mee children , or else i die ? yea , how ill did it sound in the mouth of the father of the faithfull ; lord god , what wilt thou give mee , seeing i goe childelesse ? yet thus froward and techy is nature in the best ; if we may not have all we would have , all that we have is nothing ; if wee bee not perfectly humoured , we are wilfully unthankfull ; all israel is nothing worth to ahab , if he may not have one poor vineyard : how must this needs irritate a munificent god , to see his bounty contemned out of a childish pettishnesse ? how can he forbeare to take away from us his sleighted mercies ? how can he hold his hand from plaguing so ingratefull disrespects of his favours ? as for that other passion of grief , what wofull work doth it make in ungoverned mindes ? how many have we knowne , that out of thought for unrecoverable losses , have lost themselves ? how many have runne from their wits ? how many from their lives ? yea , how many , that out of an impatience to stay the leisure of vengeance , have made their own hands , their hasty executioners ? and even where this extremity prevails not ; look about , and yee shall see men that are not able matches to their passions , wofully macerating thēselves with their own thoughts , wearing out their tedious dayes upon the rack of their own hearts ; and making good that observation of the wise man ; by the sorrow of the heart , the spirit is broken . now all these mischiefs might have been happily prevented by a meek yeeldance of our selves to the hands of an all-wise , and an all-mercifull god , and by an humble composure of our affections to a quiet suffering ; it is the power of patience to calm the heart in the most blustering trials ; and when the vessell is most tossed , yet to secure the fraight : this , if it doe not abate of our burden , yet it addes to our strength , and wins the father of mercies both to pity , and retribution . whereas murmuring israelites can never be free from judgements ; and it is a dreadfull word that god speaketh of that chosen nation ; mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest ; it , still , yelleth against me , therefore have i hated it ; a childe that struggles under the rod , justly doubles his stripes , and an unruly malefactor drawes on , besides death , tortures . sect . xv. consid . the vicissitudes of favours and afflictions . furthermore , it is a main help towards contentation , to consider the gracious vicissitudes of gods dealing with us : how he intermixes favours with his crosses ; tempering our much honey , with some little gall ; the best of us are but shrewd children , yet he chides us not always , saith the psalmist : hee smiles often , for one frown ; and why should wee not take one with another ? it was the answer wherewith that admirable pattern of patience stopped the querulous mouth of his tempting wife ; what ? shall we receive good at the hand of god , and shall we not receive evill ? it was a memorable example which came lately to my knowledge of a worthy christian , who had lived to his middle age in much health , and prosperity , and was now for his two last years miserably afflicted with the strangury ; who in the midst of his torments could say , oh my lord god , how gracious hast thou been unto me ! thou hast given me eight and forty years of health , and now but two years of pain ; thou mighte●t have caused me to lie in this torture all the days of my life ; and now thou hast caried mee comfortably through the rest , and hast mercifully taken up with this last parcell of my torment ; blessed be thy name for thy mercy in forbearing me , and for thy justice in afflicting mee . to be thankfull for present blessings is but ordinary , but to be so thankfull for mercies past , that the memory of them should be able to put over the sense of present miseries , is an high improvement of grace . the very heathens by the light of nature and their own experience , could observe this interchange of gods proceedings ; and made some kinde of use of them accordingly : camillus , after he had upon tenne years siege , taken the rich city veios , prayd that some mis-hap might befall himself and rome to temper so great an happines ; when one would have thought the prize would not countervail the labour , and the losse of time and bloud ; and alexander the great , when report was made to him of many notable victories , atchieved by his armies , could say ; o jupiter , mixe some mis-fortune with these happy news : lo , these men could tell that it is neither fit , nor safe for great blessings to walk alone , but that they must be attended with their pages , afflictions ; why should not we christians expect them with patience , and thanks ? they say , thunder and lightning hurts not , if it be mixed with rain . in those hot countries , which lie under the sealding zone , when the first showres fall after a long drought , it is held dangerous to walk suddenly abroad ; for that the earth so moistned sends up unwholsome steams ; but in those parts where the rain and sun-shine are usually interchanged , it is most pleasant to take the air of the earth newly refreshed with kindly showres ; neither is it otherwise in the course of our lives ; this medley of good and evill conduces not a little to the health of our soules : one of them must serve to temper the other ; and both of them to keep the heart in order . were our afflictions long , and our comforts rare and short , we had yet reason to be thankfull ; the least is more then god ows us : but now , when if heavinesse endure for a night , joy commeth in the morning , and dwels with us , so , that some fits of sorrow are recompensed with many moneths of joy ; how should our hearts overflow with thankfulnesse , and easily digest small grievances , out of the comfortable sense of larger blessings ? but if we shall cast up our eies to heaven , and there behold the glorious remuneration of our sufferings , how shall we contemn the worst that earth can doe unto us ? there , there is glory enough to make us a thousand times more then amends for all that we are capable to endure ; yea , if this earth were hell , and men devils , they could not inflict upon us those torments , which might hold any equality with the glory which shall be revealed ; and even of the worst of them we must say with the blessed apostle ; our light affliction which is but for a moment , worketh for us a far more exceeding , eternall weight of glory : when the blessed proto-martyr stephen had sted fastly fixed his eies on heaven , and ( that curtain being drawn ) had seen the heavens opened , and therein the glory of god , and jesus standing on the right hand of god ; doe we think he cared ought for the sparkling eies , and gnashed teeth , and killing stones of the enraged multitude ? oh poor impotent jews , how far was that divine soul above the reach of your malice ? how did he triumph over your cruelty ? how did he by his happy evolation make all those stones precious ? sect . xvi . consid . the examples of contentation , both without , and within the church of god. lastly , it cannot but be a powerfull motive unto contentation , that we lay before us the notable examples of men , whether worse , or better then our selves , that have been eminent in the practice of this vertue ; men , that out of the meer strength of morality , have run away with loss●s , and poverty as a light burden ; that out of their free choice have fallen upon those condition , which we are ready to f●ar , and shrinke from : what a shame is it for christians to bee out-stripped herein by very pagans ? if we look upon the ancient philosophers ; their low valuation of these outward things , and their willing abdication of those comforts , wherewith others vvere too much affected , made them admired of the multitude ; here doe dsee a cynick housed in his tub , scorning all wealth and state ; and making still even with his virtuals , and the day ; who , when he was invited to supper to one of alexanders great lords , could say ; i had rather lick salt at athens , then feast with craterus : here i meet with him , whom their oracle styled the wisest of men , walking bare-foot in a patcht thred-bare cloak , contemning honors , and all earthly things ; and when that garment would hang no longer on his back , i can hear him say , i would have bought a cloak , if i had had mony ; after which vvord , saith soneca , whosoever offered to give , came too late ; apollododonus , amongst the rest , sends him a rich mantle towards his end , and is resused ; with what patience doth this man bear the loud scoldings of his xantippe ? making no other of them , then the creaking of a cart-wheel : with what brave resolution doth he repell the proffers of archelaus , telling him how cheap the market afforded meal at athens , and the fountains water ? here i meet with a zeno , formerly rich in his traffique for purple , now impoverisht by an ill sea-voyage , and can hear him say , i sailed best when i ship-wrackt : here i see an aristippus drowning his gold in the sea , that it might not drown him : here i can hear a democritus , or cleanthes , when hee was asked how a man should be rich , answer ; if he be poor in desires . what should i speak of those indian sophists , that took their name from their nakednesse ; whom we hear to say ; the sky is our house , and the earth our bed ; we care not for gold , we contemn death : one of them can tell onesicritus ; as the mother is to the childe , so is the earth to mee ; the mother gives milk to her infant ; so doth the earth yeeld all necessaries to mee ; and when gold was offered to him , by that great conquerour ; perswade ( said he ) if thou canst , these birds to take thy silver and gold , that they may sing the sweeter ; and if thou canst not doe that , wouldst thou have me worse then them ? adding moreover in a strong discourse ; naturall hunger , when we have taken food , ceaseth ; and if the minde of man did also naturally desire gold , so soon as he hath received that which he wished , the desire and appetite of it would presently cease ; but so far is it from this society , that the more it hath , the more it doth , without any intermission , long for more ; because this desire proceeds not from any motion of nature , but onely out of the wantonnesse of mans own will , to which no bounds can bee set . blush , o christian soul , ( whosoever thou art , that readest these lines ) to hear such words falling from heathen lips , when thou seest those that professe godlinesse , dote upon these worthlesse metals , and transported with the affectation and cares of those earthly provisions . if from these patterns of men that should be below our selves , we look up to the more noble precedents of prophets and apostles ; lo , there we finde elijah fed by ravens ; elisha boarding with his poor sareptan hostesse ; an hundred prophets fed by fifty in a cave , with bread and water ; the sons of the prophets for the enlarging of their over-strait lodgings , hard at work ; they are their owne carpenters , but their tools are borrowed ; there we shall find a few barley loaves , and little fishes , the houshold provision of our saviours train : yea , there we finde the most glorious apostle , the great doctor of the gentiles , employing his hands to feed his belly ; busily stiching of skins for his tent-work ; yea , what doe we look at any or all of these , when we see the son of god , the god of all the world , in the form of a servant ? not a cratch to cradle him in , not a grave to bury him in , was his own ; and he that could command heaven and earth , can say , the foxes have holes , the birds have nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head . who now can complain of want , when he hears his lord , and saviour but thus provided for ? he could have brought down with him a celestiall house , and have pitcht it here below , too glorious for earthen eies to have lookt upon : hee could have commanded all the precious things that lie shrowded in the bowels of the earth , to have made up a majesticall palace for him , to the dazling of the eies of all beholders ; he could have taken up the stateliest court that any earthly monarch possessed , for his peculiar habitation : but his greatnesse was spirituall and heavenly ; and he that owned all would have nothing , that he might sanctifie want unto us ; and that he might teach us by his blessed example , to sit down contented with any thing , with nothing . by that time therefore wee have laid all these things together , and have seriously considered of the mean valuation of all these earthly things , for their transitorinesse , unsatisfaction , danger ; of the over-ruling providence of the almighty , who most wisely , justly , mercifully disposeth of us and all events that befall us ; of the worse condition of many thousand others ; of the great inconveniences that attend great and full estates ; of the secret benefits of poverty ; of the smalnesse of that pittance that may suffice nature ; of the miseries that wait upon discontentment ; of the mercifull vicissitudes of favours , wherewith god pleaseth to interchange our sufferings ; and lastly , the great examples of those , as well without , as vvithin the bosome of the church , that have gone before us , and led us the way to contentation : our judgement cannot chuse but be sufficiently convinced , that there is abundant reason to vvin our hearts to a quiet and contented entertainment of want , and all other outward afflictions . sect . xvii . of contentment in death it selfe . but all these intervenient miseries are sleight in comparison of the last , and utmost of evils , death ; many a one graples chearfully with these triviall afflictions , who yet looks pale , and trembles at the king of fear : his very name hath terrour in it , but his lookes more : the courageous champion of christ , the blessed apostle ; and with him , every faithfull soul , makes his challenge universall , to whatsoever estate he is in ; to the estate of death , therefore , no lesse then the afflictive incidence of life : when therefore this gastly giant shall stalk forth , and bid defiance to the whole host of israel ; and when the timorous unbeleevers shall run away at the sight of him , and endeavour to hide their heads from his presence ; the good soul armed , not with the unmeet and cumbersome harmnesse of flesh and bloud , but with the sure ( though invisible ) armour of god , dares come forth to meet him , and in the name of the lord of hosts , both bids him battle and foils him in the combat ; and now having laid him on the ground , can triumphingly say , o death , where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? five smooth pebles there are , which if we carry in our scrip , we shall be able to quell , not onely the power of death , but the terror too . whereof the first is a sure apprehension of both the unavoidable necessary , and certain benefit of death : a necessity , grounded upon the just and eternall decree of heaven : it is appointed to all men once to die ; and what a madnesse were it for a man to think of an exemption from the common condition of mankind ? mortality is , as it were , essential to our nature ; neither could wee have had our souls but upon the tearms of a re-delivery , when they shall be called for ; if the holiest saints , or the greatest monarchs sped otherwise , wee might have some colour of repining : now , grieve if thou wilt , that thou art a man ; grieve not , that being man thou must die . neither is the benefit inferiour to the necessity ; lo here the remedy of all our cares , the physick for all our maladies , the rescue from all our feares and dangers , earnestly sued for by the painfull , dearly welcome to the distressed : yea , lo here the cherub that keeps the gate of paradise ; there is no entrance but under his hand ; in vain do we hope to passe to the glory of heaven , any other way then through the gates of death . the second is the conscience of a well-led life ; guiltinesse vvill make any man fowardly , unable to looke danger in the face , much more death ; whereas the innocent is bold as a lion : what a difference therefore there is betwixt a martyr , and a malefactor ? this latter knows he hath done ill , and therefore if he can take his death but patiently , it is well ; the former knows he hath done well , and therefore takes his death not patiently onely , but chearfully . but because no mortall man can have so innocently led his life , but that he shall have passed many offences against his most holy , and righteous god ; here must be , thirdly , a finall peace firmly made betwixt god and the soul . two powerfull agents must mediate in it ; a lively faith , and a serious repentance ; for those sins can never appear against us , that are washed off with our tears ; and being justified by faith we have peace with god , through our lord jesus christ . now , if we have made the judge our friend , what can the sergeant doe ? the fourth is the power , and efficacy of christs death applyed to the soul : wherefore dyed he , but that we might live ? wherefore would he , who is the lord of life , die , but to sanctifie , season , and sweeten death to us ? who would goe any other way then his saviour went before him ? who can fear that enemy , whom his redeemer hath conquered for him ? who can run away from that serpent , whose sting is pulled out ? oh death , my saviour hath been thy death , and therefore thou canst not be mine . the fifth is , the comfortable expectation , and assurance of a certain resurrection , and an immediate glory : i doe but lay me down to my rest , i shall sleep quietly , and rise gloriously : my soul , in the mean time , no sooner leaves my body , then it enjoys god ; it did lately through my bodily eyes see my sad friends , that bade me farewell with their tears ; now it hath the blisse-making vision of god : i am no sooner lanched forth , then i am at the haven , where i would be ; here is that which were able to make amends for a thousand deaths ; a glory , infinite , eternall , incomprehensible . this spirituall ammunition shall sufficiently furnish the soul for her encounter with her last enemy ; so as she shall not only endure , but long for this combat ; and say with the chosen vessell , i desire to depart , and to be with christ . sect . xviii . the miseries and inconveniences of the continued conjunction of the soul and body . now for that long conversation causeth entirenesse , and the parting of old friends and partners ( such the soul and body are ) cannot but be grievous , although there were no actuall pain in the dissolution : it will be requisite for us , seriously to consider the state of this conjunction ; and to enquire what good offices the one of them doth to the other , in their continued union , for which they should be so loth to part : and here wee shall finde that those two , however united to make up one person , yet ( as it fals out in crosse matches ) they are in continuall domestique jars one with the other , and entertain a secret familiar kind of hostility betwixt themselves ; for the flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit against the flesh , and these are contrary the one to the other . one says well , that if the body should implead the soul , it might bring many foul impeachments against it ; and sue it for many great injuries done to that earthly part : and the soul again hath no fewer quarrels against the body : betwixt them both there are many brawls , no agreement . our schools have reckoned up therefore eight main incommodities , which the soul hath cause to complain of in her conjunction with the body : whereof the first is the defilement of originall sinne , wherewith the soul is not tainted as it proceeds , alone , from the pure hands of its creator , but as it makes up a part of a son of adam , who brought this guilt upon humano nature ; so as now this composition , which we call man , is corrupt : who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean ? saith job . the second is a pronenesse to sinne , which , but by the meeting of these partners , had never been ; the soul , if single , would have been innocent ; thus matched , what evill is it not apt to entertain ? an ill consort is enough to poyson the best disposition . the difficulty of doing well is the third ; for how averse are we by this conjunction from any thing that is good ? this clog hinders us from walking roundly in the ways of god : the good that i would doe , i doe not , saith the chosen vessell . the fourth is the dulnesse of our understanding , and the dimnesse of our mentall eies , especially in the things pertaining unto god ; which now we are forced to behold through the vail of flesh : if therefore we mis-know , the fault is in the mean , through which we doe imperfectly discover them . the fift is a perpetuall impugnation , and self-conflict , either part labouring to oppose and vanquish the other . this field is fought in every mans bosome , without any possibility of peace , or truce , till the last moment of dissolution . the sixt is the racking solicitude of cares , which continually distract the soul , not suffering it to rest at ease , whiles it carries this flesh about it . the seventh is the multiplicity of passions which daily bluster within us , and raise up continuall tempests in our lives , disquieting our peace , & threatning our ruine . the eight is the retardation of our glory ; for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of god ; wee must lay down our load if we would enter into heaven : the seed cannot fructifie unlesse it die . i cannot blame nature if it could wish not to be unclothed , but to be clothed upon : but so hath the eternall wisdome ordered , that we should first lay down , ere we can take up ; and be devested of earth , ere we can partake of heaven . now then , sith so many and great discommodities doe so unavoidably accompany this match of soul and body , and all of them cease instantly in the act of their dissolution ; what reason have we to be too deeply affected with their parting ? yea , how should we rather rejoyce that the houre is come , wherein we shall be quit both of the guilt and temptations of sinne ; wherein the clogge shall bee taken away from our heels , and the vail from our eies ; wherein no intestine wars shall threaten us , no cares shall disquiet us , no passions shall torment us ; and lastly , wherein we may take the free possession of that glory , which we have hitherto lookt at only afar off from the top of our pisgah ? sect . xix . holy dispositions for contentment : and first , humility . hitherto , we have dwelt in those powerfull considerations which may work us to a quiet contentment with whatsoever adverse estate , whether of life or death ; after which , we addresse our selves to those meet dispositions , which shall render us fully capable of this blessed contentation ; and shall make all these considerations effectuall to that happy purpose . whereof the first is true humility , under-valuing our selves , & setting an high rate upon every mercy that we receive ; for , if a man have attained unto this , that he thinks every thing too good for him , and self lesse then the least blessing , and worthy of the heaviest judgement ; he cannot but sit down thankfull for small favours , and meekly content with mean afflictions : as contrarily , the proud man stands upon points with his maker , makes god his debter ; looks disdainfully at small blessings ; as if he said , what , no more ? and looks angerly at the least crosses ; as if he said , why thus much ? the father of the faithfull hath practically taught us this lesson of humility , who comes to god with dust and ashes in his mouth : and the jewish doctors tell us truly , that in every disciple of abraham , there must be three things : a good eye , a meek spirit , and an humble soul ; his grandchilde jacob , the father of every true israelite , had well taken it out ; whiles he can say to his god , i am not worthy of the least of all the mercies , and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant : and indeed , in whomsoever it be , the best measure of grace is humility ; for the more grace still , the greater humility ; and no humility , no grace : solomon observed of old ; and saint james took it from him , that god resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble ; so as he that is not humble , is not so much as capable of grace ; and he that is truly humble , is a fit subject for all graces , and amongst the rest , for the grace of contentation : give me a man therefore , that is vile in his own eies , that is sensible of his own wretchednesse , that knows what it is to sin , and what belongs to that sin whereof he is guilty ; this man shall think it a mercy that he is any where out of hell ; shall account all the evils that he is free from , so many new favors ; shall reckon easie corrections amongst his blessings ; and shall esteem any blessing infinitely obliging . whereas contrarily , the proud begger is ready to throw gods alms at his head , and swels at every lash , that he receives from the divine hand . not without great cause , therefore , doth the royall preacher oppose the patient in spirit , to the proud in spirit ; for the proud man can no more bee patient , then the patient can be discontent with whatsoever hand of his god. every toy puts the proud man beside his patience ; if but a flie be found in pharaohs cup , he is straight in rage , ( as the jewish tradition lays the quarrell ) and sends his butler into durance : and if the emperour doe but mistake the stirrup of our countreyman pope adrian , he shall dance attendance for his crown : if a mardochee doe but fail of a courtesie to haman , all jewes must bleed to death ; and how unquiet are our vain dames , if this curle be not set right , or or that pinne mis-placed ? but the meek spirit is incurious ; and so throughly subacted , that he takes his load from god ( as the camel from his master ) upon his knees : and for men , if they compell him to goe one mile , he goes twain ; if they smite him on the right cheek , hee turns the other ; if they sue away his coat , he parts with his cloak also . heraclius the emperour , when hee was about to passe through the golden gate , and to ride in royall state through the streets of jerusalem , being put in minde by zacharias the bishop there , of the humble and dejected fashion wherein his saviour walked through those streets , towards his passion , strips off his rich robes , lays aside his crown , & with bare head & bare feet , submissely paces the same way that his redeemer had caried his crosse towards his golgotha : every true christian is ready to tread in the deep steps of his saviour , as well knowing that if hee should descend to the gates of death , of the grave , of hell , he cannot bee so humbled , as the son of god was for him : and indeed , this , and this alone , is the true way to glory ; he that is truth it self , hath told us , that he who humbles himself shall be exalted ; and wise solomon , before honour is humility . the fuller treads upon that cloth which he means to whiten : and he that would see the starres by day , must not climbe up into some high mountain , but must descend to the lower cels of the earth . shortly , whosoever would raise up a firm building of contentation , must bee sure to lay the foundation in humility . sect . xx. of a faithfull selfe-resignation . secondly , to make up a true contentment with the most adverse estate , there is required a faithfull selfe-resignation into the hands of that god , whose wee are ; who , as he hath more right in us , then our selves , so he best knows what to doe with us : how graciously hath his mercy invited us to our own ease ? bee carefull ( saith he ) for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer , and supplication , with thanksgiving , let your requests bee made known unto god : we are naturally apt in our necessities to have recourse to greater powers then our own ; even where we have no engagement of their help ; how much more should we cast our selves upon the almighty , when he not onely allows , but solicits our reliance upon him ? it was a question that might have befitted the mouth of the best christian , which fell from socrates , since god himselfe is carefull for thee , why art thou solicitous for thy selfe ? if evils were let loose upon us , so as it were possible for us to suffer any thing that god were not aware of , we might have just cause to sink under adversities ; but now , that we know every dram of our affliction is weighed out to us , by that all-wise , and all-mercifull providence ; oh our infidelity , if we doe make scruple of taking in the most bitter dose ! here then is the right use of that main duty of christianity , to live by faith : brute creatures live by sense , meer men by reason , christians by faith . now , faith is the substance of things hoped for ; the evidence of things not seen ; in our extremities , we hope for gods gracious deliverance , faith gives a subsistence to that deliverance , before it be : the mercies that god hath reserved for us , doe not yet show themselves ; faith is the evidence of them , though yet unseen : it was the motto of the learned and godly divine master perkins , fidei vita vera vita ; the true life , is the life of faith ; a word which that worthy servant of god did both write and live ; neither indeed is any other life truly vitall , but this ; for hereby we enjoy god in all whatsoever occurrences : are we abridged of means ? we feed upon the cordiall promises of our god : doe we sigh and groan under varieties of grievous persecutions ? out of the worst of them we can pick out comforts ; whiles we can hear our saviour say , blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake ; for theirs is the kingdome of heaven : are we deserted , and abandoned of friends ? we see him by us , who hath said , i will never leave thee , nor forsake thee : doe we droop under spirituall desertions ? we hear the god of truth say ; for a small moment have i forsaken thee , but with great mercy will i gather thee ; in a little wrath i hid my face from thee , but with everlasting kindness will i have mercy on thee , saith the lord thy redeemer : are we driven from home ? if wee take the wings of the morning , and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there also shall thine hand lead us , and thy right hand shall hold us : are we dungeon'd up from the sight of the sun ? peradventure the darknesse shall cover us ; but then shall our night be turned into day ; yea , the darknesse is no darknesse with thee : are we cast down upon the bed of sicknesse ? he that is our god , is the god of salvation ; and unto god the lord belong the issues from death . it cannot bee spoken hovv injurious those men are to themselves , that will be managing their owne cares , and plotting the prevention of their fears ; and projecting their own , both indemnity , and advantages ; for , as they lay an unnecessary load upon their own shoulders , so they draw upon themselves the miseries of an unremediable disappointment ; alas , how can their weaknesse make good those events which they vainly promise to themselves , or avert those judgements they would escape , or uphold them in those evils they must undergoe ? whereas if wee put all this upon a gracious god , hee contrives it with ease ; looking for nothing from us , but our trust , and thankfulnesse . sect . xxi . of true inward riches . in the third place , it will be most requisite to furnish the foul with true inward riches ; i mean not of meer morall vertues , ( which yet are truly precious when they are found in a good heart ) but of a wealth as much above them , as gold is above drosse ; yea , as the thing which is most precious , is above nothing : and this shall be done , if we bring christ home to the soul ; if we can possesse our selves of him , who is god al-sufficient ; for , such infinite contentment there is in the son of god made ours , that whosoever hath tasted of the sweetnesse of this comfort , is indifferent to all earthly things ; and insensible of those extream differences of events , wherewith others are perplexed ; how can he be dejected with the want of any thing , who is possessed of him that possesseth all things ? how can he be over-affected with triviall profits , or pleasures , who is taken up with the god of all comfort ? is christ mine therefore ? how can i fail of all contentment ? how can he complain to want light , that dwels in the midst of the sun ? how can he complain of thirst , out of whose belly flow rivers of living water ? what can i wish , that my christ is not to me ? would i have meat and drink ? my flesh is meat indeed ; and my bloud is drink indeed : would i have clothing ? but , put ye on the lord jesus christ , saith the apostle : would i have medicine ? he is the tree of life , the leaves whereof are for the healing of the nations : would i have safety and protection ? he truly is my strength , and my salvation ; he is my defence , so as i shall not fall ; in god is my health and my glory ; the rock of my might , and in god is my trust : would i have direction ? i am the way , and the truth : would i have life ? christ is to me to live ; i am the resurrection and the life : would i have all spirituall things ? we are in christ jesus , who of god is made unto us wisdome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption . oh the happy condition of the man that is in christ , and hath christ in him ! shall i account him rich that hath store of oxen , and sheep , and horses , and camels ; that hath heaps of metals , and some spots of ground ; and shall i not account him infinitely more rich , that ownes and enjoyes him whose the earth is , and the fulnesse of it ; whose heaven is , and the glory of it ? shall i justly account that man great , whom the king will honour , and place near to himselfe ; and shall i not esteeme that man more honourable , whom the king of heaven is pleased to admit unto such partnership of glory , as to professe ; to him that overcommeth will i grant to sit with me in my throne ; even as i also overcame , and am set downe with my father in his throne ? it is a true word of saint augustine , that every soul is either christs spouse , or the devils harlot : now if we be matched to christ , the lord of glory ; what a blessed union is here ? what can he withhold from us , that hath given us himself ? i could envie the devotion of that man ( though otherwise mis-placed ) whom saint bernard heard to spend the night in no other words , then , deus meus & omnia ; my god , and all things ; certainly , he who hath that god , hath more then all things ; he that wants him ( what ever else he seemes to possesse ) hath lesse then nothing . sect . xxii . holy resolutions : . that our present estate is best for us . after these serious considerations , and meet dispositions , shall in the last follow certain firme resolutions for the full actuating our contentment : and first , we must resolve ( out of the unfailable grounds of divine providence , formerly spoken of ) that the present estate wherein we are , is certainly the best for us ; and therefore wee must herein absolutely captivate our understanding , and will , to that of the highest : how unmeet judges are flesh and blood of the best fitnesse of a condition for us ? as some palates ( which are none of the wholsomest ) like nothing but sweet meats , so our nature would be fed up with the only delicacies of pleasures and prosperity ; according to the false principle of aristippus , that he onely is happy , which is delighted ; but the all-wise god knowes another diet more fit for our health , and therefore graciously tempers our dishes with the tart sauces of afiliction : the mother of the two sons of zebedee , and her ambitious children , are all for the chiefe p●●rage in the temporall kingdome of christ ; but he cals them to a bitter cup , and a bloody baptisme rather ; and this was a far greater honour then that they sued for : there is no earthly estate absolutely good for all persons ; like as no gale can serve for all passengers . in africk , they say , the north winde brings clouds , and the south winde clears up : that plant which was starved in one soile , in another prospers ; yea , that which in some climate is poyson , proves wholsome in another : some one man , if he had anothers blessings , would run wilde ; and if he had some other mans crosses , would be desperate ; the infinite wisdome of the great governour of the world allots every one his due proportion ; the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument ; neither is a cartwheele turned about upon the cummin ; but the fitches are beaten out with a staffe , and the cummin with a rod , saith esay : and no otherwise in matter of prosperity ; josephs coat may be party-coloured , and benjamins messe may be five times so much as any of his brethren . it is marvell if they who did so much envie joseph for his dream of superiority , did not also envie benjamin for so large a service , and so rich gifts at his parting ; this it seems gave occasion for the good patriarchs fear , when he charged them , see that you fall not out by the way : but , there had been no reason for so impotent an envie ; whiles the gift is free , and each speeds above his desert , who can have cause to repine ? it is enough that joseph knew a just reason of so unequall a distribution , though it were hidden from themselves . the elder brother may grudge the fat calfe , and the prime robe to the returned unthrift , but the father knowes reason to make that difference . god is infinitely just and infinitely mercifull , in dispensing both his favours and punishment . in both kinds every man hath that which is fittest for him , because it is that which gods will hath designed to him ; and that will is the most absolute rule of justice : now if we can so frame our will to his , as to think so too , how can wee bee other then contented ? do we suffer ? there is more intended to us then our smart : it was a good speech of seneca , though an heathen , ( what pity it is that he was so ? ) i give thanks to my infirmity , which forces me not to be able to do that , which i ought not will to do ; if we lose without , so as we gain within ; if in the perishing of the outward man the inward man be renued , we have no cause to complain , much to rejoyce : do i live in a mean estate ? if it were better , i should be worse ; more proud , more carelesse ; and what a wofull improvement were this ? what a strange creature would man be , if he were what he would wish himselfe ? surely , he would be wickedly pleasant , carelesly prophane , vainely proud , proudly oppressive , dissolutely wanton , impetuously selfe-willed ; and shortly , his own idoll , and his own idolater : his maker knowes how to frame him better ; it is our ignorance and unthankfulnesse , if we submit not to his good pleasure : to conclude , we pray every day , thy will be done ; what hypocrites are we , if we pray one thing , and act another ? if we murmure at what we wish ? all is well between heaven and us , if we can think our selvs happy to be what god will have us . sect . xxiii . . resolution , to abate of our desires . secondly , we must resolve to abate of our desires ; for it is the illimitednesse of our ambitious , and covetous thoughts , that is guilty of our unquietnesse ; every man would be , and have more then he is ; and is therefore sick of what he is not . it was a true word of democritus , if we desire not much , we shall think a little much : and it is sutable to one of the rules of s. augustine ; it is better to need lesse , then to have more : paul , the richest poor man , ( as ambrose well ) could say , as having all things , yet possessing nothing : it is not for a christian to be of the dragons temper , which they say is so ever thirsty , that no water will quench his drought ; and therefore never hath his mouth shut ; nor with the daughters of the horseleach to cry alwayes , give , give ; he must confine his desires ; and that , to no overlarge compasse ; and must say to them , as god doth to the sea , hitherto shalt thou come , and no further ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed . what a cumber it is for a man to have too much ? to be in the case of surena the parthian lord , that could never remove his family with lesse then a thousand camels ? what is this , but tortoise-like to be clogg'd with a weighty shell , which we cannot drag after us , but with pain ? or like the ostrich , to be so held down with an heavie body that we can have no use of our wings ? whereas the nimble lark rises and mounts with ease , and sings chearfully in her flight . how many have we known , that have found too much flesh a burden ? and when they have found their blood too rank , have been glad to pay for the letting it out ? it was the word of that old and famous lord keeper bacon , the eminent head of a noble and witty family , mediocria firma : there is neither safety , nor true pleasure in exces : it was a wise and just answer of zeno the philosopher , who reproving the superstuity of a feast , and hearing by way of defence , that the maker of it was a rich man , and might well spare it , said ; if thy cook shall oversalt thy broth , and when he is chid for it , shall say , i have store enough of salt lying by mee : wouldst thou take this for a fair answer ? my son , eat thou honey , saith solomon ; because it is good : but , to be sure , for the preveating all immoderation , he addes soon after ; hast thou found honey ? eat so much as is sufficient for thee , lest thou be filled therewith : if our appetite carry us too far , we may easily surfeit ; this ( which is the embleme of pleasure ) must be tasted ( as dionysius the sophist said of old ) on the tip of the finger ; not be supt up in the hollow of the hand : it is with our desires as it is with weak stomachs , the quantity offends , even where the food is not unwholsome ; and if heed be not taken , one bit draws on another , till nature be overlaid ; both pleasures and profits ( if way be given to them ) have too much power to debauch the minde , and to work it to a kinde of insatiablenesse ; there is a thirst that is caused with drunkennes ; and the wanton appetite , like as they said of messalina , may be wearied , but cannot be satisfied ; it is good therefore to give austere repulses to the first overtures of inordinate desires , and to give strong denials to the first unruly motions of our hearts ; for , s. chrysostome well ; pleasure is like a dog , which being coyed , and stroked , followes us at the heels , but if rated , and beaten off , is driven away from us with ease . it is for the christian heart to be taken up with other desires , such as wherein there can be no danger of immoderatenesse : these are the holy longings after grace and goodnesse ; this only covetousnesse , this ambition is pleasing to god , and infinitely beneficiall to the soule . blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , for they shall be filled : spirituall blessings are the true riches whereof we can never have enough . s. ambrose said truly , no man is indeed wealthy , that cannot carry away what he hath with him : what is left behinde , is not ours , but other mens : contemne thou whiles thou art alive , that which thou canst not enjoy when thou art dead . as for this earthly trash , and the vaine delights of the flesh , which we have so fondly doted on ; we cannot carry them indeed away with us , but the sting of the guilty mis-enjoying of them will be sure to stick by us ; and , to our sorrow , attend us both in death and judgement : in summe therefore , if we would be truly contented , and happy , our hearts can never be enough enlarged in our desires of spirituall and heavenly things , never too much contracted in our desires of earthly . sect . xxiv . . resolution , to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments . our third resolution must be to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments ; and by the exercise thereof , to enable our selves for greater : as those that drink medicinall waters , begin first with smaller quantities , and by degrees arise , at last , to the highest of their prescribed measure ; or as the wise lacedemonians , by early scourgings of their boyes , inured them in their riper yeares to more painfull sufferings : a strong milo takes up his calf at first , and by continuall practice is now able to carry it when it is grown a bull. such is our self-love , that we affect ever to be served of the best ; and that we are apt to take great exceptions at small failings : we would walk alwayes in smooth , and even paths , and would have no hinderances in our passage ; but there is no remedie , we must meet with rubs ; and perhaps crosse shinnes , and take fals too in our way : every one is willing and desirous to enjoy ( as they say the city of rhodes doth ) a perpetuall sunshine ; but we cannot ( if we be wise ) but know , that we must meet with change of weather ; with rainy dayes , and sometimes stormes and tempests ; it must be our wisdome to make provision accordingly : and some whiles to abide a whetting ; that , if need be , we may endure a drenching also . it was the policy of jacob , when he was to meet with his brother esau ( whom he feared an enemy , but found a friend ) to send the droves first , then his handmaids , and their children ; then leah , with her children , and at last came joseph and rachel , as one that would adventure the lesse dear in the first place , and ( if it must be ) to prepare himself for his dearest losse . s. pauls companions in his perilous sea-voyage , first lighten the ship of lesse necessaries , then they cast out the tackling , then the wheat , & in the last place themselves . it is the use that wise socrates made of the sharp tongues of his crosse and unquiet wives , to prepare his patience for publick sufferings . surely , he that cannot endure a frown , will hardly take a blow ; and he that doubles under a light crosse , will sink under a heavier ; and contrarily that good martyr prepares his whol body for the faggot , with burning his hand in the candle . i remember seneca in one of his epistles rejoyces much to tell with what patient temper he took it , that comming unexpectedly to his countrey house , he found all things so discomposed , that no provision was ready for him ; finding more contentment in his own quiet apprehension of these wants , then trouble in that unreadines : and thus should we be affected upon all occasions ; those that promised me help , have disappointed me : that friend on whom i relyed , hath failed my trust : the sum that i expected , comes not in at the day : my servant slackens the businesse enjoyned him : the beast that i esteemed highly , is lost : the vessell in which i shipped some commodities , is wrackt : my diet & attendance must be abated ; i must be dislodged of my former habitation ; how do i put over these occurrences ? if i can make light work of these lesser crosses , i am in a good posture to entertaine greater . to this purpose , it will be not a little expedient to thwart our appetite in those things wherein we placed much delight ; and to torture our curiosity in the delay of those contentments , which we too eagerly affected : it was a noble and exemplary government of these passions , which we finde in king david , who being extreamly thirsty , and longing for a speedy refreshment , could say ; oh that one would give mee drink of the water of the well of bethlehem ! but when he saw that water purchased with the hazard of the lives of three of his worthies , when it was brought to him , he would not drink it , but poured it out unto the lord. have i a minde to some one curious dish above the rest ? i will put my knife to my throat , and not humour my palate so far as to taste of it : doe i receive a letter of newes from a far countrey , over night ? it shall keep my pillow warme till the morning : doe my importunate recreations cal me away ? they shall , against the hair , be forcibly adjourned till a further leisure : out of this ground it was , that the ancient votaries observed such austerity , and rigour in their diet , clothes , lodging ; as those that knew how requisite it is that nature should be held short of her demands ; and continually exercised with denials , lest she grow too wanton , and impetuous in her desires : that which was of old given as a rule to monastick persons , is fit to be extended to all christians ; they may not have a will of their own , but must frame themselves to such a condition , and cariage , as seemes best to their superiour ; if therefore it please my god to send me some little comfort , i shall take that as an earnest of more ; and if he exercise me with lesser crosses , i shall take them as preparatives to greater ; and endeavour to be thankfull for the one , and patient in the other ; and contented with gods hand in both . sect . xxv . . resol . to be frequent and fervent in prayer . our last resolution must be , to be frequent and fervent in our prayers to the father of all mercies , that he will be pleased to work our hearts by the power of his spirit , to this constant state of contentation ; without which we can neither consider the things that belong to our inward peace , nor dispose our selves towards it , nor resolve ought for the effecting it ; without which , all our considerations , all our dispositions , all our resolutions , are vain and fruitlesse . justly therefore doth the blessed apostle , after his charge of avoiding all carefulnesse for these earthly things , enforce the necessity of our prayers and supplications , and making our requests knowne unto god ; who both knows our need , and puts these requests into our mouths : when we have all done , they are the requests of our hearts , that must free them from cares , and frame them to a perfect contentment : there may be a kind of dull and stupid neglect , which possessing the soul may make it insensible of evill events , in some naturall dispositions ; but a true temper of a quiet and peaceable estate of the soul upon good grounds can never be attained without the inoperation of that holy spirit , from whom every good gift , and every perfect giving proceedeth : it is here contrary to these earthly occasions : with men , he that is ever craving , is never contented ; but with god , he cannot want contentment that prays always . if we be not unacquainted with our selves , we are so conscious of our own weaknesse , that we know every puffe of temptation is able to blow us over ; they are onely our prayers that must stay us from being caried away with the violent assaults of discontentment ; under which , a praying soul can no more miscary , then an indevout soul can enjoy safety . sect . xxvi . the difficulty of knowing how to abound ; and the ill consequences of not knowing it . let this be enough for the remedy of those distempers which arise from an adverse condition ; as for prosperity , every man thinks himself wise and able enough to know how to govern it , and himself in it ; an happy estate ( we imagine ) will easily manage it selfe , without too much care ; give me but sea-room , saith the confident mariner , and let me alone , what ever tempest arise : surely , the great doctor of the gentiles had never made this holy boast of his divine skill , [ i know how to abound ] if it had been so easie a matter as the world conceives it : meer ignorance , and want of selfe-experience , is guilty of this errour . many a one abounds in wealth and honour , who abounds no lesse in miseries and vexation : many a one is caried away with an unruly greatness , to the destruction of body , soul , estate ; the world abounds every where with men that doe abound , and yet do not know how to abound : and those especially in three ranks . the proud , the covetous , the prodigall ; the proud is thereby transported to forget god ; the covetous , his neighbour ; the prodigall , himself . both wealth and honour are of a swelling nature ; raising a man up not above others , but above himself ; equalling him to the powers immortall ; yea , exalting him above all that is called god ; oh that vile dust and ashes should be raised to that height of insolence as to hold contestation with its maker ! who is the lord ? saith the king of egypt : i shall be like to the highest ; i am , and there is none besides me , saith the king of babylon ; the voice of god , and not of man , goes down with herod ; and hovv will that spirit trample upon men , that dare vie with the almighty ? hence are all the heavy oppressions , bloudy tyrannies , imperious domineerings , scornfull insultations , merciless outrages , that are so rife amongst men , even from hence , that they know not how to abound . the covetous man abounds with bags , and no lesse with sorrows ; verifying the experience of wise solomon ; there is a sore evill which i have seen under the sun , riches kept for the owners thereof , to their hurt ; what he hath got with unjustice , he keeps with care , leaves with grief , and reckons for with torment ; i cannot better compare these money-mongers then to bees ; they are busie gatherers , but it is for themselves ; their masters can have no part of their honey till it be taken from them ; and they have a sting ready for every one that approaches their hive ; and their lot at the last is burning . what maceration is there here with fears , and jealousies ; what cruell extortion , and oppression exercised upon others ? & all from no other ground then this , that they know not how to abound ? the prodigal feasts and sports like an athenian , spends like an emperour ; and is ready to say as heliogabalus did of old , those cates are best , that cost dearest ; caring more for an empty reputation of a short gallantry , then for the comforble subsistence of himself , his family , his family , his posterity : like cleopes , the vain egyptian king , which was fain to prostitute his daughter for the finishing of his pyramid : this man lavisheth out not his own means alone , but his poor neighbours ; running upon the score with all trades that concern back or belly ; undoing more with his debts , then he can pleasure with his entertainments ; none of all which should be done , if he knew how to abound . great skill therefore is required to the governing of a plentifull and prosperous estate , so as it may be safe and comfortable to the owner , and beneficiall unto others ; every corporall may know how to order some few files , but to marshall many troops in a regiment , many regiments in a whole body of an army , requires the skill of an experienced generall . but the rules and limits of christian moderation , in the use of our honours , pleasures , profits , i have at large laid forth in a former discourse ; thither i must crave leave to send the benevolent reader ; beseeching god to bless unto him these and all other labours , to the happy furtherance of his grace and salvation . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. preston . ps . . , . ps . . . cant. . . ps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . penul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ps . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . ps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ps . . . . . . . . . . . luc. . . wisd . . . psal . . . eccles . . esa . . . gen. . . pro. . . mat. . . ephes . . . job . phil. . , , , &c. rom. . . ps . . . ps . . , . ps . . . , &c. phil. . . gal. . . cant. . . cant. . . . , . can. . . . . . . ps . . rom. . . ps . . . carolus borromaeus acts . eccles . . . jud. . . cor. . act. . sam. . . job . . psal . . . serm. ad eccles . cautelam . pet. . eph. . . zachar. . ● mat. . . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hos . . . * non enim potest mens attrita & oneribus & importunitatibus gravata , tanium boni peragere , quantum delectata & oppressionibus soluta cornel. ep . . rufo coepiscopo . acts ult . gen. . . magna domus homuli . psal . . , . notes for div a -e phil. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . si sedeas requies est magna laboris ; si multum sedeas , labor est . tert. car. pro. . . senec. de tranquil . psal . . . psal . . , . ecclus. . . rev. . . mat. . king. . king. . . rev. . . . ionah . . prov. . * galba otho vitellius ael . pertinax didius . anno d. . . gregor . innocent hadrian johan . vel nicolaus * cor. . . gen. . deut. . . prov. . . ps . . . ludo. vives in . de civilcensurā notatus vellosillo . prov. ult . penult . eccles : . . mat. . . eccle. . . ps . . . dan. . , . heb. . ps . . . g. naz. carm. de calam . suis . greg. l. . epi. . . in vita melanct. shicardus . ambros . l. epist . . hieron . ep. ad hedibium . tim. . ep. lucii ad episc . gall. & hisp . tim. . paulo primo eremitae in spelunca viventi palma & cibum & vestimentum praebebat : quod cum imp●s●●b●le vidcatur . jestemm testur & angelos vidisse me monacbos , de quibus unus per . annos clausus , bo●deaceo pane & lu●ulenta aqua vixit . hieron de vita pauli . revelatur antonio nonagenario de paulo agente jam annum , esse alium se sanctiorem monachum , ibid. plin. l. . c. . hugo . instit . mona . reg. s. columb . senec. epist . . job . . eccles . . gen. . . gen. . . pro. . ps . . . jam. . . jer. . . ps . . . job . . livius . cor. . . acts . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . inter opera ambrosii de moribus brachmannorum . kings . . king. . , , , . mat. . . heb. . . rom. . . phil. . . gal. . . job . . rom. . gen. . p●●k . avoth . gen. . pro. . . jam. . . eccles . . mat. . , . pro. . phil. . . heb. . . mat. . . heb. . . esa . . , psal . . , . verse , . psal . . joh. . . joh. . . rom. . . rev. . . ps . . , . phil. . joh. . cor. . rev. . . esa . . . gen. . . gen. . . cor. . . ambros . de vitiorum & virtutum conflictus . pro. . job . pro. . pro. . mat. . . ambros . epist . . gen. . . . & . , . &c. acts . , . sam. . , , . phil. . . jam. . . exod. . . esa . . . act. . . eccl. . . aelius lāprid . psittacorum regio, the land of parrots, or, the she-lands with a description of other strange adjacent countries in the dominions of prince de l'amour, not hitherto found in any geographical map / by one of the late most reputed wits. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) psittacorum regio, the land of parrots, or, the she-lands with a description of other strange adjacent countries in the dominions of prince de l'amour, not hitherto found in any geographical map / by one of the late most reputed wits. hall, joseph, - . quevedo, francisco de, - . [ ], , [ ] p., [ ] folded leaf of plates : ill. printed for f. kirkman and are to sold at his shop ..., london : . this work was listed by wing under both joseph hall and francisco de quevedo. it appears on reel : as h a, and on reel : as q . both wing numbers are cancelled in wing (cd-rom, ), and replaced with p d. reproduction of originals in the huntington library and the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion psittacorum regio . the land of parrots : or , the she-lands . with a description of other strange adjacent countries , in the dominions of prince del ' amovr , not hitherto found in any geographical map . by one of the late most reputed wits . the prophecie of seneca in medea ▪ — venient annis , &c. — when certain years are spent , hereafter shall the spumy ocean shew his secret store , and ope to mortals view a larger continent . — licensed nov. . . london , printed for f. kirkman , and are to be sold at his shop under st. ethelboroughs church in bishops-gate-street . . gluttonia gurmond hall. frolick fatness here doth dwell . keepe leanness out , and all goes well . quaffonia . gulpers court. the house of youthfull mirth and lusty che●● peace , wine , short rest , have all their mansion 〈◊〉 the land of parrots of the she-ands and ●●er dominions of prince del amour . blackswanstack or modestiana shrewesbourg . cockatrixi blubberick tatlingen gossipinga● scoldonna the pallace of prince del amour the prince sliver streames flu : a clawback courtier hermaphrodites preadmonition to the reader . courteous reader . onely in one thing i must intreat your favourable censure , and that is in my allusions here and there , unto the names of some cities and places ; assuring you ( as your ingenious examination of the particulars will perswade you better ) that i had no intent to intimate any collation or referenceof the state or manners of those i describe , unto theirs to which i allude . let this protestation therefore clear me from si●ister imputations , and you from all unjust suppositions . and know all you that have not yet seen these lands , but do intend to take a view of them hereafter ; that you must first take one of the french doctors pills , despouilez vous dtout affection ; and this will enable you fully to indure the alteration of all airs in this clime . secondly , you must not follow my example to travel at the first single , but two or three in a company ; for one you know may apprehend more then another can ; and i my self that thus miscarried , give you this warning , having incurred my own misfortune onely by this my desperate neglect , which you may also occasion by your too much conversing with the she-landers . thirdly , you must go over the country thrice , ere you shall be able to make any exact platform of it : once for strabo , who ●●●ay somewhat inform you for geograp●● ; once for socrates , who may instruc● you in the morality ; once for merlin cocaius , who perhaps may acquaint you with the languagè and etymology . no more at this time , but aboard when you please , and à good gale of wit go along with you . psittacorum regio ; the land of parrots ; or , the shee-lands : with a description of some other strange adjacent countries in the dominions of prince de l' amour . i know not yet what travel means , if he that leaves his native soyl , to pass but into another country , or over a neighbour-river ( admit it be the rhine or the tweed ) deserve the name ( as vulgar opinion seems to allow ) whereas he never changes either skie , air , or soyl : i see not ( if this be true ) any profit , or any worth in the world contained in travel . my parents and my friend at mount-auban have written very often for my return , as though were far from them : whereas i ( believe me ) have imagined my self fo● two whole years there , as if i ha● been at home : for how little a way is it from mount-auban to paris from paris to callis , from callis to dover ! truly when i think of the land , it seems about an elle ; in the map , a fingers breadth ; in the form of the heavens , just nothing . not see i any reason why that england should be held my native soyl more then all europe : for if you stand upon diversity of language , how many languages differ from ours if the conditions of the nation move ye , view not europe , but view the whole world , and every province thereof , leaning to the qualities of those that adjoyn to it ; at the polypus is said to change to the colour of every stone she comes neer . turn you therefore which way you will , i cannot see how this half a foot travel can benefit us any way . indeed i hold , that our drake and our candish were travellers , as also sebastiano delcano the portuguess , because their voyages put girdles about the whole world : nay , i will allow christopher collono that name also , for his discovery of the west-indies ; francesco piccaro , and almagro , for peru ; hernando magellano , for the molucca's ; and sir hugh willoughby , for his northern discoveries ; together with all such as have found out unknown regions , or have reduced them to order . and truly ( i will tell you plainly ) my minde did prompt me to an enterprise of this kinde , such a one as the world might gaze at , and all posterity record with admiration . heroick thoughts having ●ired my brest full often , and whilst others neglected them , have kindled a bold attempt in me , methoughts i saw thes● unknown lands , which no man s● much as dreamed of ; which cause● me as chearfully to resolve to discover them , for i could not do other wise then imagine but that they did lie towards the cape of good-hope valiant country-men , we mus● hope , and we must dare . bug-bear● of dangers are onely sit to frigh● babies , whereas they do but animate bolder spirits ; if we should stick at them , we should never look out at our own doors . this was the cause that america was so long unknown ; and had been still ( fo● ought i see ) had not a dove been sent as it were from heaven , which plucking off the olive-branch from this continent , taught us by that , that there was more land , and les● sea then we dreamed of . o how sacred shall his name be to all posterity ! his statue shall be advanced for us to gaze upon , and to remain whilst the earth keeps her foundation . it is as great a glory ( think i ) to be called the new worlds discoverer , as her conqueror . and why may not we have the same success , and the like glory ? i am verily perswaded , that the large continent that seneca prophesied of , is yet undiscovered , and remains to yeild us this honour , if we dare venture on it . i do not question but that there are some will follow me in this my late famous enterprize ; for whose greater delight and encouragement , i have written this discovery , which i present to the world in this following relation . after i had taken leave of my friends and acquaintance , i embarked at all winds port , in a ship called the fancie : we say led very prosperously for some days ; at length we fell into a current which our pilots were not acquainted with ; and being unable to resist its impetuosity , we were hurried to a land which had not yet been discovered . as soon as we had cast anchor there , it being very secure riding all about , we sent captain young on shore , with two of our best souldiers , merry man and good fellow , to discover what they could of the country : from whom after a short space for their return , we had this following relation , that this new discovered part of the world was called psittacorum regio , or , womandecoia the she-lands , which are in the dominions of prince de l' amour , scituated towards the cape of good hope , looking towards the tropick of capricorn●s ; a country replenished with many fountains of orange flower water , and trees whose heads are ever green ; and such a great quantity of sweet william and rosemary , that the very air is perfumed with it . that the grounds were fertile enough , but badly husbanded ( it being pity it should be otherwise , the men being so shrewdly wived ) yet nevertheless , sometimes they are more fruitful then the inhabitants desire ; for they bring forth before their time ; and the fruit falling so plentifully before it is expected , doth cause very great differences , to the detriment and disquiet of the publick good . they acquainted us also , that before we could arrive at the she-lands , we must pass through several provinces , both large and rich , yet all of several conditions , habits and languages . we could not but rest satisfied with their intelligence ; wherefore ( after we had taken care and well provided for our ship ) and refreshed our selves , we resolved to try our various adventures . for my part , i so depended upon their relation , that i could not otherwise then believe that the country was rather pleasant then dangerous ; in somuch that i travelled so far into it without any conduct , that i mistook my way , but at last fortunately discovered a strange province called gluttonia ( high dyet being an introducer into lasciviania ) which is also in prince de l' amours dominions . the soyl of this province is worthily admirable , the air delicately temperate . o how it pitied me , that so bad husbandmen should possess so fruitful and pleasant a habitation ! in latitude it lyeth full thirty two degrees , and in longitude forty four : it joyns to quaffonia , where they speak the same language , and are scituate in the same longitude and latitude : they have both one prince , one law ; and a happy reformation ( if there could be such a one ) would make them concur both in prince , law , habit and manners . the she-landresses of woman-decoia traffique much hither , but more to lasciviania , where ( when there is a truce between them and that province ) they use to make exchange by bartering of christalline glasses for unguents and pomanders . to avoid prolixity , i shall here chiefly discourse of the present customs and manners of the natives of this country . every month they are bound by their law ( and would be so , were there no law ) to celebrate a solemn feast , where every aldergut of the whole society must present himself , all excuses and delays whatsoever set a part , to consult ( after dinner ; for before , it is unlawful for any one to give his voice ) about the publick good . the place where they meet is gurmonds-hall : every one knoweth his seat , and hath his jourdan or chamber-pot standing by him , in a little coffer made for the purpose . well , being met , and having turned their wine into water , and their oysters into shells ; every one takes his chair , and to dinner they go . their daintiest dishes are evermore the first sacrifices unto their stomacks : for they hold that the best meat meeteth fittest with the best appetite . now they do not count it convenient , as to their appetites , in any case to have their boars , sheep , goats , lambs , &c. served up in parcels and joynts , as we of europe use ; but they must have all whole , ( the old romans taught them that : ) you shall see the waiters come sweating with a whole hog , or an whole calf , upon a great pewter engine , you would bless your self to behold it . he that riseth before six hours are fully run , incurs a most rigorous fine : and after this , for a while they eat and drink by little and little onely ( for that cause that made aristotle's parasite philoxenus wish himself the neck of a crane ) to take the more delight in the delicacies . but for the breaking up of the feast , they observe this order : they have a door in their hall , large enough for the greatest gut-monger that lives , take him fasting : at this door they all enter , when they come to the feast ; which being ended , he that offers to pass the same way that he came , and cannot get his belly thorow , is let forth another way : but he that passeth as easily as he came in , is staid by an officer appointed for that purpose , called the serjeant of the maw , and brought back again , ( will he , nill he ) where he must settle himself to a new collation , until his belly be able to kiss both the cheeks of the door at once ; and then he is dismissed . ( i cannot be fully perswaded , but the creeping through saint wilfrids needle , which was whilom to be seen in bever-castle , was a device brought by some ancient pilgrim , from this more ancient custom . ) nay , mark but whether these men have not a care of the cities credit . they have a common hospital ( and that i 'll assure you a large one ) wherein all such as have got the dropsie , the gout , the cough of the lungs , or any such malady by too much eating , are maintain'd at the publick charge . but all such as have lost their teeth by age , or by supping their broth too hot , are forthwith provided for conveniently , and sent away into spoon-meat-islands . most of these citizens are of an unmeasurable grosness ( and seemed to me when i saw them , to walk much like so many tuns , moving each upon pottle-pots : ) nor is that man worthy of their meanest salutation , that is not all cheeks to the belly , and all belly to the feet ; like him whose epitath this was : here lyes sir john of red-cross-street : he was beard to the belly , and belly to the feet . and such shapes do the women of this city walk in also : ( the german towns do pretty well in imitation of these great bosses ; but the barbarians come very neer them ) the young women may not marry till such time , as before a bench of matrons , they make a publick demonstration to their husbands that shall be , that their dugs and chins may meet without any forcing of either . they go for the most part all naked , onely the alder-guts may wear gowns ; marry , those must be onely the skins of such beasts as they are able to devour alone at one sitting . yet there is no freeman of the town , but wears a large knife , and a spoon as big as a ladle bound to his right arm . before , upon his brests , each one weareth a poke of hair-cloth , to save what otherwise may fall besides , and to wipe their mouths withal ; but those they use so long in this greasie imploy ment , that whether their shining exceed their blackness , or their blackness their shining , he had need to be well sighted that should distinguish . they are naturally dull of wit , and slow of apprehension ; and yet , notwithstanding , most perfect in all the arts they respect . their schools have no lectures read in them , but onely apicius his institutions of the art of muncherie : and there all the young fry are taught the sciences of carving , chewing and swallowing : oh most profoundly ! the gluttonian lecturer ( when i was there ) was one doctor full-gorge , a man most rare in his profession ; and instead of grammar , he read the first section of the aforesaid institutions of apicius . their library is a large room , ranked full of pots , kettles , spits , and belly-utensils of all sorts , every sort being enseamed in their several classes : the scholars have also each one his full pot , and his laden platter , for his book : the freshmen have lesser measures , the sophisters larger , and so up to the graduats . the first , perhaps , hath his pint and his pullet ; the next , his quart and his goose ; the third , his pottle and quarter of lamb , or his gammon of bacon ; and so upwards : nor may any leave his task , or have leave to play , till he have made an end of what was injoyned him . if one stay seven years in these schools , and benefit nothing , he is , forsooth , banished for ever into starveling-isles , to hungerland is he sent immediately , to dyet upon spanish dinners , furnished with half pilchers . thither also they thrust all physitians and prescribers of dyets : if any of them are ill at ease ( let asclepiades swagger and hang if he will ) he presently eats a raw radish , drinks a little hot water , spews a while ; and within a quarter of an hour , viah , he lets flie upon ajax , and afterwards rises up as sound as a bell . this region aboundeth with rivers , whose course is ( most of them ) uncertain , because of the abundance of ordure that stops them , sometimes here , and sometimes there ; but generally ( take this for an infallible rule ) at the beginning of january , and the end of february , they are sure all of them to overflow the bancks , and ( if the breaches be not stopt in time ) to do much harm in the pastures adjoyning . gourmonds-hall is a very fair large house , beautifully set forth with arched-bay-windows ; and upon the front of the entrance were written in letters of gold , this gutling inscription . frolick-fatness here doth dwell : keep leanness out , and all goes well . and within there hung a table chained to a marble pillar , containing these inviolable laws . be it enacted , . that eating but one meal a day , be henceforth held for a capital transgression . . that he that overthrows a full dish or a cup rashly , be forthwith by vertue of this statute enjoyned to stand up right on his feet , and having a dish of broth set between his heels , to eat it up with a thimble . . that none eat alone , nor violate the laws of the table by any private suppers : but that every citizen do eat either in the street , or in any open window , upon pain of eating his next meal with his heels u● wards . . that whosoever forbeareth eat or sleep some hours together , ● satisfie the state by eating two suppers . . if the mouth be full , it sha● be sufficient to give an answer holding up the finger . . that conspirators against ●● state of gluttonia , be forthwi●● starved to death ; and other mal● factors punished with the loss of tooth . . that all cooks that dress no their meat according to the judici● ous palate , be immediately bo●●● unto stakes , and flesh half-roast●● hung by them , until some pittif●● and hungry spectator take compass● on upon them , so as to eat it all up . . that to belch be held not one● lawful , but honourable also : and the the government of the next following feast be assigned to him , th● broke winde the strongest at the last . . that every mans weekly maungery be brought in a billa vera , by his fellow gourmandizer , unto the register to be recorded ; and withal , that if he have not fulfilled the law in that case enacted , he may accordly be fined . signed all-paunch . those that are the least offenders , are put for four and twenty hours into the temple of famine ; a prison directly contrary to our bedlem , beth-lehem in hebrew signifying bread . it stands without the city , as aesculapius his temple stood without rome : but not for healths sake , ( as plutarch saith that did ) but onely lest such as are condemned to that gaol , should so much as once sent the air of the kitchin. the walls of it are painted about with all manner of good victuals , to excite the prisoners appetite , to his greater vexation by tantalizing of him . i next arrived at quaffonia , o● which i would have none to expe●● any exact description , for i dur● not for my ears go into any city o● the whole province , until it wa● dark night , that all the citizen were wrapt in wine and war● clothes ; and then ( you cannot bu● imagine ) that it must be otherwise then very unlikely , that i shoul● discover many remarkable things you may perhaps say , what shoul● you fear ? faith i 'll tell ye : harki● your ear ! i feared the bourgom●sters bounty ; for their fashion is as soon as any one sets foot in at th● city-gate , to give him , by my troth as i was informed , not a few c● rouses , and lifts of wine for hi● welcome : oh , they receive him i● pomp ; and all out of the commo● purse of the city : he must pul● all off , and drink fair to a pearl on his nail , or else he is held an ungrateful , unmannerly fellow ; and which is worse , a direct foe to the common good of the city . now i feared both this honour and this danger ; and therefore you cannot in the least question , but that your scruple of conscience is fully answered . this province is as large as gluttonia ; but if it were less , what that hath in wealth , this hath in intemperance . there is no country or nation under the cope of heaven so fortunate in the abundant delicate juyce of the grape , as this is . the peculiar wines of all our kingdoms of europe ; the germains rhenish ; the frenchmans white and claret ; the spaniards xerez , malaga , and the canaries ; tush , they have them all in excess . the temperature of their bodies are somewhat different from the gluttonians , for they delight in the qualiti● of heat and drought ; whereas th● quaffonians more especially affe● heat and moisture : but their bodie and their wits hold both one key in difference : for the fuddle landers , as they are more ingeniou● then the eat alians , so are they mor● lascivious in their young years , a● they are generally more quick witted ; but being come to a graver age , ( especially old age ) the● grow so forgetful , that one may cal● them so●s ; you shall nto have on● amongst twenty of them that can remember his own name . there is not any river in the world comparable to that which runneth through this province ; dan●w , thames , seyne , or , sir walter rawleighs river in guania , put them all in , they are but kennels to this : for besides the pleasing meanders that he makes in his wanton course , the water is so sweet and delicate , that neither the best europes wine , nor the turks delicious zerbeth ( though made of hony and water ) can possibly go beyond it . this worthy son of the ocean , hath one peculiar fish belongeth unto it , called a tappe ; and this fish will sometimes lye by the shore , and spout a great quantity of water aloft ( marry , the remaining of it in his belly hath made it somewhat more pleasing to the taste then it was before ) and this the inhabitants watch for in boats ; and when they get it , they highly esteem of it . this river passeth through turning-fry : faith i had almost forgotten one town , it goeth from thence to celleridge , ere it comes to broaching-ford , and so by broaching-ford passeth directly unto carousakannikin , the prime city of the whole province . it is a name that i understand not , further then i have a little light from the germane tongue : but as for the city , it is built upon a hill , and carryeth the form of a t●nkard , from what quarter soever you behold it . it i● of ancient renown , and one of the best seated ports for traffique in all the whole land. on the east part it is strongly fortified with barricadoes and bulwarks of barrels , and the roofs of the house are most of one and the same manner , covered with the boards of broken casks : in the entrance of the gates , from morning until night , there is placed a double cannon of pewter ( for their law commandeth this to be duly observed ) the citizens call it the flaggon of hospitality ; and round about it ▪ are these words ingraven , aut bibe , aut abi ; drink or be gone . he that arriveth must either drink it all off , or else he is carried before the magistrate , to render an accompt of his contumacy . the arms of the city are advanced over the gate ; and they are the three horse-leaches upon three naked feet in a bloudy field ; the word , plaenae quiescimus ; being full we rest . here by a fortunate chance i met with a lascivianian born , who was bound for the city , as well as i ; his name he told me was cinciglion , an italian wold expressing the noise that the wine maketh in running from the tap. he ( being acquainted with their fashions ) brought me secretly by night into the town , and shewed me such things as i should never have discovered of my self . their buildings are not much unlike to the gluttonians , but that the fronts of their houses are so wholly hid with spreading vines , that ▪ had ▪ i not seen the signs hang out on every side , i should have sworn i had been in a vineyard , and not in a city : believe me , it was a pleasant spectacle . in the market-place are all the measures hung up in chains , sealed with a stamp on their tops ▪ the inhabitants go naked , but for a wreath of vines about their foreheads ; their skins are painted , some with such ●ipling figures as nature breaths forth ; others after the manner of the picts and ancient britains : you shall have some painted so perfectly after a flaggon , that if he set but his hands on his sides , you would swear that it were a living flaggon . i did see one also , so directly in the shape of a whale , that when he vomited , no man in the world but would have taken him for a live whale , spewing up the ocean . i had a great desire to see the manner of their publick feasts , and yet not to be seen by the citizens . so my comrade at last agreed to perform my request , and to satisfie my longing ; indeed he gave me withal certain cautions of danger , that i might avoid , if i were discovered ; and likewise he informed me in some necessaty points of behaviour : so having my instructions about me , he being my conduct , we got us into the town-hall , in the evening , unspyed of any . by and by came the quaffonians , just as the glottonians do , onely they had more drink , and less meat . every one had his purveyance , at either elbow a piss-pot for his urine on one side , and a bowl for his vomit on the other . at first , they begin a sacrifice to bacchus , their general god : not as the romans did of old , with pouring a little wine upon the ground ; no , no , far more religiously , and with more stately ceremonies . at the upper end of the table stands a stately statue of bacchus , holding in his right-hand a mighty great goblet , of such weight , that ( as virgil said once ) the left hand now and then , as it were , endeavours to help her sister . into this goblet , or standing cup , the master of the ceremonies , in the name of the whole company , p●●rs a ●undlet of wine , ( it holds no● le●● , if you will believe me ) which passing in pipes , as if it were in ve●●s , into his mouth , when he pist , both at once made a pretty shew , as if he had both pis●ed wine and spewed it , all in a moment . and this is the hour glass proportioning the continuance of the feast ; for when he leaveth pouring out ▪ they must all leave pouring in ▪ then , sirs , comes me up a service of shooing-horns ( do you see ) of all sorts , salt-cakes , red-herrings , pickled-herrings , anchoves , and gammons of bacon , ( westphalia may go pipe in an ivie-leaf , if it seek to equal these ) and abundance of such putters on . and then begins the full pots to go round about the table , and the empty against the walls ; so that you cannot tell whether they are ▪ sooner filled to be emptied , or emptified to be filled ; but ( as plautus ●aith of one ) the drink is sure to go off , be it out of can , or jourdan . now when one of them will drink to another , he first challength him with a solemn ceremonial song , the reliques of some tavern-catch . and then they joyn hands fast together , and giving a sound shake or two , the ●●●llenger advanceth his mo●●● e●●● weapon , and blows it dry : ●● may puff a little , but the pot is ●●●robed of his liquor , ere it be severed from his gripe : and then the other answereth him at his own weapon . the second course is not very dainty ; but how soever , they moisten it well with redoubled rouses . then comes the fruit with the third course , and that in truth is very rarely furnished ; and being almost finished , and the cloth being then thrust on a heap , the master of the ceremonies cryeth healths , three times with a loud voice . i imagined this had been a summons to the breaking up of the company , and was going thence ; when my associate pulled me by the sleeve : why , how now you sleepy spectator ( quoth he ) would you be gone when the feast is hardly begun ? stay till the conclusion of it , i bescech yee : do you see how fast god bacchus his hour-glass runs ? so i sat down again and stayed . then steps me out one of the company , and taking off his wreath , down upon his knees he placeth himself , ( i thought he had been going to his prayers ) and presently calls for a quart-pot ; an health ( quoth he ) unto great bousing-gut our tun-strider ; and presently the pot stops his mouth : he drinks , he puffs , he belches , he talks , until within a while he had gulped down as many quarts , as his name had letters ; and when he had done , he falls a spewing , till all cryed twang again , and dyes ( as horace said ) the pavements where he stood , with proud lyaean blood . well , they all follow in order from the highest to the lowest , each one with the same port ; execution , and ejection ; proving himself hereby , also a faithful citizen , and ( which is more ) a strenuous tossaffakan . this past , up starts another , with this catch : a health to you and us , this day , and a health to all drink-alia : seasoning his song with many a goodly belch ( quoth he ) it is a hot night , let 's drink and sleep ; and so down upon his marry bo●●● ; up he takes his pot hand ▪ smooth , the devil a bone findes he in the drink . after him they must all follow ; woe be to him that hangs an arse . this showre overblown , out steps a third , and he advanceth a quart of plump lyaeus to the health of all quagmirists , ( which is the general name of the most eminent persons of the famous city of carousa-kanikin : briefly , after him they go ; and thus all of them in order brings in his foundation of a new round . now every one having his share , they must each of them , as they sate ( pox on 't , that madded me ) go play the poet : of one of these might horace have truely said , aut insanit homo , aut versus facit . the man is mad , or else he maketh verses . and these verily they make out of the inspiration of bacchus onely ( the muses may go hang themselves for any room they can finde there : ) and herein according to the old manner that plutarch speaketh of , every one sings his song , and instead of his harpe , he had a knife and a quart-pot ; and truely they plaid fine musick on it . one in his song commended his mistress ; another , the goodness of the wine ; a third , related all the passages betwixt him and his wife at home ; and so it made me remember that old saying of laberius : ebriulati mentem hilarem accipiunt . binde , when wine 's effects the brain doth then mirth doth caper in the minde . another rimed all in satyr against one that was not at this drinking-bout : and every one ( me thoughts ) kept anacreons measures : he was a drunken poet , and dyed of a surfeit ; if you will not believe me , it is but putting your selves to the trouble to read francis meres , in his wits common-wealth ( which perhaps you will not esteem worth your time . ) while these songs were a singing , it was a world of rare sport to see their several behaviours ; every man had his humour to himself : you should see one , for very pure love , weeping in his fellows bosome ; and another sit a kissing of his companion : one setting his mouth on the rack with laughter ( wise were the men that could tell at what ) another down upon all four in devotion to bacchus ; a third swaggering and swearing , because the bowl of wine was brought him no sooner ; a fourth arguing of religion , and matters of state : and here in a corner , you should have a fifth sit nodding and slavering , it would do a blind-mans heart good to see him , with several other strange undecent postures , no less unfit then too tedious to insert . at the beginning of their feast , because they generally have ( as hath been said ) very slippery memories , quickly forgetting what they do , they have a publick notary , whom they call clerk of the winde-pipe , who is appointed to register every particular carouse , and so files them up for common records , what each man hath drunk , and unto whom ; which done , after the feast he reads them to the company , ( if any be awake to hear them . ) pottle-gulp swol●e-gut dry-mouth draw-large sup it off unto swoln-gut gallons fuddle-deep gallons ⅓ lurch-cup pottles broken-belt pottles full-brink half an hogshead concordat cum originali p. skinker . if any have failed in the taking of his liquor , he must forthwith make present satisfaction ( if he be able ) otherwise , at the next meeting he is sure to pay ●ound interest for his forbearance . well , the roll being read , and the hour-glass run all out : marry , quoth i to my comrade , but how will they get home now ? that marvel i at most . oh , well enough , sir , ( quoth he ) trouble not your head for that . do you not see those ropes there in the court , that have fastned unto them iron rings ? these the servants ( who may not touch a drop of wine till the feast be done ) being so sober as to know every one his own rope , do take hold of , and the other end being fastned to their masters door , so draw themselves and their masters both in one cart , directly home . it is like enough that you say true ( said i ) but what if one should come in the mean time , and tye the ropes further end to a wrong door ? why do you think ( answered he smiling ) that any one wakes this night ? yet i have known it done , and the cart go to a wrong house , and the man to another mans wife ; who perhaps being as drunk as he , never discovers the matter until next day at noon ; and then , that which they ignorantly committed , they do wittingly laugh at : for it is a principle here , that a drunken man can never offend ; for it is the offence of bacchus , that he is but an instrument unto , and no otherwise . but i remembred that place in lucian's dialogues , that bacchus never bids them drink more then what may suffice to exhilerate nature . in the town-hall , properly called gulpers court , there hangeth up that ancient embleme of the order of their knights of the golden tun : he that can drink this vessel thrice off ; and go his ways without any indenting ; for this good service he is presently knighted , and hath besides a chain of an extraordinary value bestowed on him . the knights have a large charter , and are allowed many goodly priviledges ; they have absolute command in all taverns , and at all tables . they may furnish so many souldiers in pewter-coats out of any mans cellar in the town , graiis : and besides , they have full authority as concerning brimmers , and to put what limits they please unto every mans pot-tipling . these hardy men have great conflicts at every solemn meeting ( as the sword-players had in rome , or as the helots had with the lacedaemonians ) their weapons are full-charged cups ; and he that carryeth most of them away cleer , is conqueror , and leads the rest about the town ( if they can go ) in triumph . and this is their trial of the victory : if he can put his finger just into the flame of the candle , without playing hit-i-misse-i , let him spew whole fish-ponds , he is a sober man. now reader , i will present thee with the laws of the city of carousa-kanikin in the province of quaffonia . it is decreed , and absolutely enacted , . that all promises , oaths , bills , bonds , indentures , or any other conveyances whatsoever , made , or caused to be made in the afternoon , be utterly void and of none eff●ct . . that no man of what state or degree soever he be , have his cups private to himself , upon pain of drinking two days after in a fire-shovel . . that if any one cast away any snuff , but meer froath , he be forthwith enjoyned to fall down upon his knees , and so to lick up the otherwise perishing liquor . . that he that sweareth by bacchus , and keepeth not his word , be utterly disabled from making any will , and bearing any witness . . that he that striketh with a pot , and either spilleth the wine , or breaketh the pot , be injoyned to touch neither pot nor wine for four and twenty hours after . . that he that mixeth water with his wine , be sent to sup with the dogs . . that every one pledge his challenger in the same cup , and in the same fashioned draught , upon pain of being debarred from drink for two days after . . that all that stay three days in the city , do offer sacrifice to bacchus . . that ones calling of a citizen thief or whore-master , bear no action ; but to call him temperate or abstainer , shall be lyable to the law. . that the pots in banquets be either always full , or empty : the waiter that presents a pot half filled , and the person that takes it , shall be both guilty of breach of good-fellowship . . that he that being sober , shall strike him that is drunk , be immediately disabled for giving testimony in any cause whatsoever : but the drunken man striking the sober , shall be acquitted . . that he that being sober shall rob him that is drunk , be forbidden wine for ever ; and if he kill him , he shall be put to death by thirst . . that he whom either nature or sickness hath made abstinent , be banished the land. . that he that goeth from any publick meeting , without staggering , be accounted a malefactor in the highest degree . subscribed stilyard . over the portal of the hall were these verses written . the house of youthful mirth , and lusty cheer ; peace , wine , sport , rest , have all their mansions here . that same night i was a spectator of their more then rambling revels : one of the carousa-kanikin quagmirists , whose house was of some hight , being loose in the breech , intending to go thither , where neither pope nor emperour can send an ambassador ; and being truely cap-shackled , mistook the window for the door ; and so stepping rashly on , he came down with the wrong end forward , and in plain english , broke his neck . his funeral was very richly set forth , i can tell you : every quassonian was dyed all over with black , and for that day wore a cypress wreath instead of is vines . the body was not laid in coffin , nor upon a herse , as we use ; ●ut being put into a cask half full of wine , was so born to the grave ; and when he came there , it was to lye rather in a cistern of sack , then in a grave of earth , and to be drowned rather then buryed . for whereas the romans used to cast balls of frankincense upon the pit wherein the body was burnt , they did not so here , but each one poured his can of wine into the grave ; and biding thrice , adieu most sweet and corpulent country-man , put finger in their eye , wept some quarts of rheum , and to it they went hand in hand to the tavern . this quagmirist it seems was well esteemed of them ; for he had a statue afterwards erected to him in bacchus his court , and under it these two lines in fair roman letters . although he took his window for his door , his valiant death shall make his honour more . and upon his grave they set up a pretty obelisk , a brazen flaggon on the top of it , with these rimes carved about it ; questionless such epitaphs in latine are to be seen at siena , two in san-domingo , and one in s. spirito : by wine i liv'd , and wine me kill'd men say : for being sober , i could nere see day . gone is my flesh , yet thirst lyes in my bone : give me one rouse my friend , and get thee gone . farewel fellow toss-pots . now had i stay'd two days in this town , without ever being demanded what i was ; but then my com●nion came and told me , my friend , ●ou have had a fair reign ; if you ●ay one day longer , you must per●orce do sacrifice to god bacchus : i may not conceal you further , unless you would have me forsworn . no , said i , what custom is that i pray you , that you are so strictly bound unto ? tell me the course , and i 'll either perform it , and stay longer ; or else i 'll get me presently gone , and rid us both from future danger . well , sir , said he , saw you not the statue of bacchus yesterday in gulper● court , and the large goblet ●e holdeth , wherein they poured the wine that runs out at two passages ? i answered , yes that i did . well then , said he , you must set your mouth to one of them ( chuse you which ) and suck until you be able to stand no longer , but fall flat to the ground , and so must you lye under the spout , wallowing in the wine , until all be 〈◊〉 out upon you . how like you this faith , said i , it is not altogether 〈◊〉 delightful ; but i beseech you te●● me , was there ever any strange that offered this sacrifice ? all , all quoth he , and not a mans tail that escaped it , but to it he must , maugr● his beard : some will come spiritfully to it , but others are fain to be haled to their teat , like a bear to the stake . well , sir , said i , i 'll be jogging hence : onely i would intreat you to inform me which country in this tract is next in dignity to this , and the worthiest of travel . so faith he told me , hot-watrea , or licor-ardente , which is under the government of sir limbeck stillitory , a knight of the noble family of take off your dose : and so led me forwards , and shewed me the way , as plain as dunstable rode ; and then courteously gave me the bascio los manos . i thankt him heartily for his valienado , and so we parted . now i all alone took my way towards the north , leaving the river of froath behind me , until i came at spewersbury , the silthiest town that ever i saw since my mother cradled my head : onely this i must tell the reader by the way , ( for i promise ye it put me often to a shrewd pother ) i was as much troubled with pots and flaggous in my journey , as a clerk of the market , or as the traveller that hath far to go , is with the spanish and italian crosses : i could never trace it three miles to an end , but i should finde a bouncing tankard placed under an arch , and drink i must needs , no gain-saying of the lands hospitality : at last i overtock a traveller in an old tattered ca●●ock of hair-cloth , baresoored , and bareheaded . i demanded w●●● he went so fast ? sir , quoth he , i have undertaken a long pilgrimage unto saint borachio of bottlesbrook . i wondered at this new name , and this as yet undiscovered pilgrimage ; so i questioned him at large of the country , of this towns situation and discipline ; and finally , of the vertues of this borachio . bottles-brook , sir , said he , is seated in the confines of hot-watrea , and lasciviania , and is of great fame throughout both the soyls . besides divers other ancient monuments in the town , there is a temple of bacchus fiery face , they call it the cappel-ardent , where a rich and rare statue of his is erected , not like a grown man , but very youthful , just as his father took him from the burning womb of semele ; so it is , having been long ago so cut out of the hard rock of rubies . the top of this temple is all set with carbuncles , and golden sparks , most rich to behold ; and from the embowed arch there drops , they say , a kinde of hot fuming liquor ( as cataracts do in some places of mardelzur , as hackluit affirms in his voyages , and is received into a borachio that stands placed accordingly ; whose vertue is such , that if one drink a large draught of it with good devotion , he shall never in his life after be either drunk before noon , or athirst before midnight : both which helps may do me much good ; for i am a man so imployed in my country , that i can never lye in my bed until midnight for thirst ; nor never rise before noon , but i am drunk and fast a sleep again . therefore have i gone these three days without drinking at all ( save that i drunk one dish of water this morning ) because i would merit the more of this holy st. borachio , when i come there ; nor dares any man importune me to drink , or any in my company , as long as i wear this weed . bir-lady , sirs , you must think i was not a little glad of so great a priviledge ; and therefore ● intreated both his company and patronage . well , we went chatting on until i observed the soyl altered ; wherefore i asked him , where we now were . this country , quoth he , ever since we came over the lake metheglin , is called the country of usquebah , as there is an ordinary pass to ireland through wales , being the first shire of hot-watrea : it is not so well husbanded , but it is far more fertile then our country of wine-cester , exceeding both in fatness of soyl , and pureness of air. so when ● heard the name , i understood presently both the original and the definition thereof ; usquebathia , because they drink usque ad , even to the bottom : there are other derivations thereof , but those i leave to the six wits to censure of . the● quoth i , being very weary , whither go we now ? is not this bottles-brook ? o lord , no , he replyed ; but cheer up your self , we have but , in comparison , a foot of ground till we are there ; we are onely to trample a little over the pleasant shores of hot-watrea , and we shall presently arrive at bottlesbrook . but whence , said i , is that smoak ? he replyed , it comes out of mount denis , wherein the souls of such as either lived too soberly , or killed themselves desperately , are purified by fire ; and there they burn , until some of their living friends go in pilgrimage to chappel-ardent for a bottle of saint borachio's water ; and pouring that upon their tomb , they are freed . i smiled at this , and thought now surely i have found the original of purgatory : let abbot odilo , and his monks of coruna tell me never so many tales of mount aetna , and so many good-morrows , 't is here thought i , or 't is nowhere . well , at length we arrived at bottlesbrook : in truth i found it to be a pretty sweet town ; marry it was both paved with bottles , and roofed with lethern-bougets . i do not remember that i saw any artificer in all the town , but lethern jack-makers . the reason is , the men of this country use no pure wine , as the other drink-alls do , but certain distilled waters mixed with the strongest grapes they can get ; which are so violently hot , that the brittle glass cannot hold them , and therefore they are forced to fortisie their bottles with lethern jerkins , rivited together with pitch and rozen . we travelled on through many craggy and fenny passages , till at last we arrived at a port called puerto d' aqua forte , the inhabitants of which place drink brandfireal , by most of them for brevity called brandewine , squezed from the sowrest grapes , which the french ( rather then they would throw away ) thought it more convenient to make a more profitable trastique of . some say the dutchlanders , to disperse the unwholesome fogs which arise from their seas , strengthen and fortifie their stomacks with this tipple , which i also found here , ( how they came by it in these parts i know not ) but this i am sure , that it is with them a-la-modo , lustily quaft off . the yeomen of these brandy-bottles here are fiery faced , cholerick of condition , of a staggering manner of pace in their going : but that which is most terrible of all , they drink , and they breath nothing but elemental sire , meer flames . as much cold , or scargut , as one of us will drink , so much fire will one of them take : that a man would verily imagine when he saw them , that they were so many fire-darts , or as one might call them , st. george● flap-dragons . i was in danger of water before , but now i feared nothing but that i should be fired or stifled with the smoak of an herb called tobacco , which they took in at their mouths , and gave out at their noses , resembling the ●ume● of so many brewers chimnies . it is reported , that one rollo waralador , an ungodly fellow , one of this country , taught this wicked vapour by an indian devil , first brought it hither into these parts ; so what for fire and smoak , i thought it necessary to make my escape . i left my companion at his orison to bacchus ( i loved him well , but i loved my self better : ) the next morning i hastned out of this vulcans shop ; for so it was a very cyclops ▪ forge , rather then a city of bacchus . i travelled on so far , that at last i approached the verges of lasciviana ( some give it another name , which i am very willing to forget . ) being extream weary , i set me down on a delicate ●●rot of nature , ( somewhat out of the way ) on which finding my self drowsie , and inclining to sleep , i might the more freely take a nap . i had not been long at my quietus , but that i was awakened with a most sweet voice ; i made no inquiry to know who the singer was , lest my appearance ( as i thought ) might bereave me of such a melodious happiness ; my sence of hearing keeping a right intelligence with the pleasant measures of the verse : to my best remembrance , these were the words of the song : under our climate nature shows her beauties naked to each eye , feeding the sight inchantingly , with rich treasures which there grows . upon the flowers we glittering spie tears , or ( rather ) pearls to lye , fallen from the eyes of fair aurora , with which she , to whom zephyrus makes vows and prayers , doth beautifie each morn , her neck and curled hairs : there ' mongst the smiles , and the caresses , the little frolick loves inspir'd , dance on th' ennamel'd grass till tir'd , with their fair mistresses the graces ; and still when they desir'd to kiss , they came to rest themselves ( o b●●ss ) betwixt fair venus snowy brests , where they created thousand new and fresh delights ; whose charmes no language can express , for every moment life or death was in their mights . sometimes we see a satyr come , who sitting in an oaks fresh shade , upon his pipe complaints he made of his delightful martyrdom : then go we to a wood apart , where but on● beam the sun can dart , to finde out solitariness ; and meeting peaceful rest , which there with it was courting , we banished all unquietness , lest we should have disturb'd his sullen sporting . there under a streight myrtle-tree , which fairies holy do esteem , where grav'd by venus hand hath been her trophies , and each mystery ; our solemn vows betwixt us past , that those our flames should ever last , nor should their ardour weaker grow : then offering up those oaths of victory we 'll sing , we wrote them on the bark below , they 're printed deeper in our hearts , and there they spring . sure there 's no pen that 's so lascivious , were it pluckt from a sparrows wing , can ere describe so sweet a thing as this same love that dwells in us . never tho with clothes unlaced adonis venus nak'd imbraced , were such various sports invented ; nor ere did love and 's psyche fair withhim , taste such delights , were so contemed as when our glutted veins with flowing pleasures swim . the song was no sooner ended , but those which i took then for syrens , rushed in upon me from an ambush ; whom i afterwards found to be neither better nor worse , then some of the armed she-landeresses ( you heard of them of the she-lands before ) who took and carryed me prisoner ( the more unfortunate i ) a long and ●oylsome journey , even to their chief city , called gossipingoa . thither i was brought , and detained a great while longer then stood with my good liking . i will here discover the whole progress of their dealing with me , and then i will go on with the description and conditions of these new undiscovered people . as soon as these cruel conqueresses had taken me upon the borders of lasciviania , they brought me away ( as i have said ) to this their chief city , where they towl'd a bell , and presently all the petticoat-inhabitants came flocking thither in a trice , and began to prie more narrowly upon me , who stood bound sure enough ( god wot ) for offering them any false measure . at length one of the rout , ( their captainness it seems she was ) gave a sign to the rest to be silent ( as she had need ) and then she thus bespake the company ; what , or of whence this fellow is , i do not know , onely we took him in the confines of yonder damned country of our enemies , lasciviania ; and seeing they have offered us so much injury , i hold it very fit now ( if it be not too late ) to take revenge of them , and first with this prisoner . now she having made an end of her learned speech , i got leave ( with much ado for noise ) to speak , and so declared my nation , and the cause of my wandring , as well as i could ; and told then womanships , that for my part i had not any acquaintance at all in lasciviania ; i was one that wished their madamhoods , and all their sex , all the good i could ; and that it would derogate much from their natures , clemencie and from their honour and just government , to condemn an innocent pilgrim , and one that had not in the least offended , without hearing of his cause . well , these good words , i can tell you , wrought so handsomely with them , that the poor young wenches began many of them to weep : yet the old countesses were not so much oversway'd with my oration , but that i must to prison , to a great house in the market-place , called cold and comfortless , until my country and cause of my travel were truely manifested to the she-council . well , to ward i went ; and but for that my countries name is the true paradise of women , ( as it is the proverb in france , that england is the paradise of women , the purgatory of servants , and the hell of horses ) which pleaded for me ; i had never come out alive : for all the lascivianians that they take , they either fairly hang them up , or else put them to most slavish offices in this prison ; which they do to plague them for their injuries offered : for the people of that province , as they are most of them wanton , run madding after whores , out of their beastiality neglecting their wives , or else through their mad-brain'd jealousie keep them in continual slavery ▪ oh how many noble captains did i see in this prison wearing out their lives in spinning , carding of wool , and knitting ! faith at length , for my countries sake , i had my liberty restored , but not without an oath ; for i was brought to juno's altar , and there laying my hand on the same , i was forced to take a solemn oath to observe all these conditions following : . that i should never go about to injure their noble sex by word or deed . . that i should never interrupt ● woman in her tale . . that wheresoever i lived , i should leave the rule of the house to my wife . . that i should never more come to lasciviania ; for it is the common phrase here , many go thither good men , but come away from thence evil husbands . . that i should never aim at more then the love of one . . that i should never betray my wives secrets . . that i should never deny my wife any womans ornaments . . that i should continually give women the — and the praise for beauty , wit and eloquence , and defend them against all men . this oath i willingly took , but believe me , sirs , not without a little equivocation ; though rather then fail i would have taken one ten times stricter . so therefore you see my tongue is tyed by my oath , not to tell the sine conundrums that i saw among these mad wenches . somewhat i may say , but no harm ; no more i would , in truth , if i had not at all been sworn . i shall now according to my promise make it my next enterprise to go on with the description , conditions , customs , and forms of government of this newfound land. as touching the situation of the shalands , or womandecoia , it lyeth in that part of the southern continent , over against morleture and beach , called psittaccorum regio , the land of parrots ; it bordereth on the dominions of prince de l' amour : on the north side it boundeth on lasciviania ( a nation , as we have said , that is a great enemy to it ; ) on the south , upon thrivingois ; on the east , upon the two foppianians , the fickle and fat. the soyl whereof is very fruitful : it is divided into many provinces , both large and wealthy : the principal of them are these : fattingen , scoldonna , blubberick , giglot-angir , the high and low ; cockatrixia , shrewes-bourg , and blackswanstack , otherwise called modestiana . not far from these is an island , called hermaphrodite , or double-sex : many of these provinces i did pass through , when i was carryed prisoner to gossipingoa . but to speak truth , fattingen , or the land of parrots , is the best country of them all , and hath many fair cities in it , as pratingople , talesborne , and lips-wagg ; through the last of which there runneth a great river , called silver streams , which sometimes will overflow the banks , and drown all the lower parts of the country , which they call chinnedale ; but the countrymen have now devised very strong rampiers to keep it from breaking out any more , but when they list to let it out a little now and then for clearing of the channel . as touching their forms of government , they are allowed of for a free state by prince de l' amour ( questionless the kindest prince of the world to women , and the most unlikeliest to debar them of their liberties ) their government being ruder and differing from his , the women in his country being more courtly and civilized ; and if otherwise , upon any dislike sent hither , where they need not to question their welcome entertainment : for here , for ought i could perceive , each one seeks superiority , and would be so popular , as to avoid obedience . they have no laws at all , doing every thing by the numbers of voices . but the giving up of their voices , struck me into a wonder , being unacquainted therewith , for they set up a cry all together ; none gives ●ar , but each one yells , as if she were horn-mad ; and is not this able to abash a milde mans spirit ? they hold a continual parliament ( if the word signifies so , as it is rendred in their consultations ) onely to prattle about their affairs of state ; so that erasmus , as he had in part already done in his colloquies , would be able to give a stronger testimony of womens turning suitors . now this continuance is necessary , because of their laws uncertainty : for the decrees of this day , are altered or disanulled to morrow ; but the same day they cannot , lest their law ▪ givers should seem to be inconstant in their edicts . every ones voice is alike in worth , the city of gossipingoa through , but not every ones dignity , for they have a set number of chosen women , they call them gravesses ; and these have the authority of most honour in each particular city : but they are not born to this dignity , but are elected , either for their beauty , or their eloquence ; for by these two are all elections ordered . they had once a custom to elect these gravesses by voices , but afterwards every one giving her voice but onely for her self , it bred a confusion , and so made them to abolish that manner of election : and then they drew a decree , that those onely should have the sway in this same envious contention , who would profess themselves neither to be fair nor eloquent : but this brought all to such a pass , that in the whole multitude of them , you should not finde one that would be electresses ; the elder sort holding that they had the eloquence , and the younger standing as firm in it that they had the beauty . at length they all agreed to pass over these places of electresses unto twelve of the most aged matrons of old mumpington ( a ruinous village hard by ) and so they did , giving them the most glorious titles of electresses gravesial : the chief of whom , when i was there were these , the dutchess of cackletout , the countess of banne alleyla , the arch-presbyteress of slaverspreg , the palatine of twittle-comtattle , and eight more subordinate electresses . to set them the more agog to their charges , they are strangely adored , and wonderfully cursified . and besides this honourable stile , the reverend of the age , wealth and abundance comes in flowing continually upon them ; for the ambitious young wenches will so bribe and ply them with gifts , to have their voices at the day of election , that i hold that there is not a court more corrupt in giving voices , or more wealthy in getting of riches . instead of scepters and swords , the gravesses have fans and glasses born before them , huge christal glasses ; and still as they pass through the streets , they prank up their attires by the said glasses , ( and loose no time ) but set all their gew-gaws in order as they go along . there are a few shee ▪ landresses born in this nation , but most of them being , as we said , of the unciviler sort of females , are excluded out of prince de l' amours dominions ; such as will either wear their husbands breeches , or else such as their husbands jealousie will banish , those are sent in flocks hither . now all such as are their husbands masters , and are therefore banished upon the unjust claim unto soveraignty ; these are assigned to inhabite the frontiers of the shee-lands , especially in the countries of shrewesbourg ; and there they are all put in garrison . but as for those that are voluntary exiles , they are generally of meek and unmanly spirits ; and these are seated in the heart of the land , to become votaresses to peace and beauty ; and yet you need never dream that this weal-publick ( however weakly founded ) should go to ruine for want of particular members : and i will tell you why , there are so many volunteers , ( especially free-women ) come to this camp , that the fear is rather that there will want room for the new inhabitants , then otherwise . truely , i am in great perplexity lest my countrywomen ( though they are used so well here ) should have any understanding of this state : for if they have , we may go snick-up for any female that will abide amongst us ; but all will away , we should not have one big belly left to lay the foundation for a future age by . at gossipingoa , i got ( besides my freedom ) the cities letters for my pass-port ; and so from thence i took my way towards g●glot-angyr , a country lying upon the south part of womandecoia , towards lasciviania ; the land of it self in this part is the worlds paradise . i was not many leagues from lovesden , the first town of this country , when i entred into an air as delicately seated , as if the perfumers in england had lately play'd their prizes therefor eternal soveraignty ; the whole country round about it is so stufft with apothecaries and pomandrificoes : the rest i omit , as i look upon these as the chief magnificoes of this state. the women of this country are generally tall , gracefully adorned ; and ( were it not that they practice the art of sneek-oyling over much ) we might imagine them handsome . they wear nothing on their faces , nor on their brests : as for the rest of their habit , it is fair in shew , light in weight , and easie to mount . i travelled hard , till at last i arrived at a province named shamesgrave , ( for so they call the shire-town of giglot-angyr , where it is reported that the sepulchre of modesty lyes . here their houses are made all of muscovia glasses , as transparent as air : where it is labour lost to seek any of them at home , unless you make your inquest immediately upon their dressing time , or somewhat before : but lay your plot to seek them in a playhouse , or in a tavern , or so , and it stands upon a good foundation : for there you are sure to find your female , either a laughing , a singing , or some extraordinary imployment . you never saw spider contrive a more artificial net for a flie , then these women do for the lascivianians ( however their countries deadly enemies ) yet some of these men serve their desires as volunteers for provant and preferment . others they lay their ambushes for , and fetch them in first by loose allurements , then by prayers , and then by pence ; and if none of these means will work , they compel them to serve their wanton desires by force . and when they have done so , just as your stallion horses are kept for breed , so are they stowed into custody , dieted with eringo's , potato's , cullisses , and other devised dishes , until venus sends her second summons . this i no sooner heard , but i hated ; and no sooner hated it , but i avoided it , as neither daring to presume of my learning , nor policie ; but as i knew my self neither to be a proper young man , nor for a fine gentleman ( none dispraised ) i durst not hazard my honesty upon so slight foundations . but you may perceive , it is sometimes convenient to want a good faee : and those things which at other times a man doth blame nature for most , may at one time or other stand him in more stead then her greatest benefits in ordinary estimations . not far from guaon , the last isle , between cape hermose and cape beach , lyes double-sex-isles , much like to our isle of man on the coast of lancashire . in this isle nature hath so orderly disposed all things to one form , that i could finde no one plant in all the soyl , but was of a double kinde of fruits , or one fruit of two several kindes and names : there was your bear-apple , your cherry-damson , your date-almond , your chestnut-filberd ; and a thousand of these conclusions of nature : yea , insomuch , that the very inhabitants of the whole island wore all their habits as indices of a co-aptation of both sexes in one . those that bare the most man about them , wore spurs , boots , and breeches , from the heels to the hanshes ; and bodies , rebatoes , and periwigs , from the crupper to the crown : and for those that were the better sharers in womankinde , they wore doublets to the rump , and skirts to the remainder : nay , their very names bare notes of their participation of either side ; there was mary philip , peter alice , jane andrew , and george audry , and many more that i cannot remember . and all their own nation that have not shewn themselves perfect , both in begetting , and bringing forth , are made slaves to the rest : and when they take any that are but simply of one sex , you would admire what a coyl they keep about them , as prodigies and monsters , as we do those that are born double-headed , or other such deformed births . their onely glory which they esteem most , is , that in their conceit they have the perfection of nature alone amongst them from all the world besides : for seeing nature , say they , hath bestowed two hands , two feet , two eyes , two ears , and two nostrils to every mans perfect body ; why should not the most perfect creature of all be perfect in two sexes also ? and again , cybele , and the pathiques of old rome , were fain to use forced means for that which we have given us by nature . thus are they wont to perfect their deformities : and truely you may observe in them all , besides their shapes , both mans wit , and a womans craft . they have no cattle in this countrie , but mules ; nor any wilde beasts , but hares : as the mule is held both to conceive and beget ; and some hold the like of the hare . they live most upon shell-fish , for that is their best and most ordinary sustenance . in my return from the confines of giglot-angyr , being now upon the western angle of the same , i did light ( just as my staff fell ) into the countrie of shrewesbourg , the onely garrison of this feminine government , and the onely defence it hath against forreign incursions . now this countrie fearing no foe but the lascivianians ( for the thrivingois are a quiet nation , and never will offer to molest them ; and the foppianians cannot , though they would ) therefore they place their forces or towns of garrison , onely upon the eastern frontiers of lasciviania . here was i sweetly gull'd ; for espying persons in the habits of men , marry , thought i , this is good luck , i am now gotten out of womandecoia : but when all came to all , i was nearly couzen'd with a borrowed shape : for in this countrie women wear breeches , and long beards ; and the men go with their chins all naked , in kirtles and peticoats ; spinning and carding wool , whilst their wives discharge the main affairs of the state. in this tract is an ancient and ample town , generally called pepuzian and i do not think but pepuzian heritiques were of this original , who held that women should be both princes and priests , as well as men ▪ the barbarians in aristotle's time never used the women half so imperiously as the men are used here : i had great compassion of their slavery ; yes verily had i ; the poor snakes dare not so much as wipe their mouths unless their wives bid them ; nor so much as ( saving your presence ) go piss , nor pass a word with their best friend , but they must first come to their wives with a writ of quaeso magistra , good mistress give me leave to go , &c. i observed this custom to be more strictly looked unto upon one certain day whilst i was there , then at other times by far ; and the reason of it was , because that some of the better-spirited husbands disdaining to be chained in this unmanly subjection by their wives , had laid a plot amongst themselves to rise up on an appointed night ( as it might be this night ) in open arms upon the sudden against their wives , and so to shake off their infamous and disgraceful servitude . this plot had taken a very good effect , had not misfortune crossed it : for one cowardly fellow of their confederacie , being threatned by his wife to be soundly cudgelled for some other private escape that he had made ; to procure himself a pardon , went and revealed all the whole platform of the conspiracie , just the evening before the night appointed . the women sit at meat , and the men attend ; the women sleep when they please , and the men watch ; so do they scold and fight , whilst the men are fain to bear off , with ears , head and shoulders . happy may they call that day wherein one mrs. disquiet or other doth not lamb-baste them before night . i imagined my self amongst the turkish slaves ; but that these distinctions of habits assured me this was a more abject kinde of captivity . ah what a base sight was it to see a distaff and a spindle in a mans hand , and a sword and a buckler in a womans ! yet i concealed my dislike , as well as i could , desiring for to see without suffering . if any woman use her husband somewhat gentlier then ordinary , ( as some of them were more tender hearted then others ) she is presently informed against , and cited to appear before the parliament of shrewesbourg , and there indited of high-treason against the state. her next neighbours give evidence against her with such noise and fury , that it is strange to see how far they are overborn with impatience . if she be convicted by the smallest evidence that is , she is condemned to this punishment : she must first change attire with her husband , and then shave off her hair ; and so being led through the market-place , must stand for one whole day upon the pillory , as an object unto all the fleering scoffers and beholders : nor shall the man escape scot-free , for being so audacious , as to take the favours offer'd by his wife without a modest refusal : but when that the woman comes home ( she shall be all covered with durt , grains , rotten eggs , &c. ) she must not put off her vesture until she bring a cudgel into the court , all dyed with the fresh bloud of her husbands broken-pate . he that out-liveth his wife , must either marry his maid , and be sworn to her service , as he was to his former wives ; or else he must become a slave to the next neighbours wife : for no man may be the ruler of his own house . in this countrie , when the wife goeth forth , either to wars , consultations , or for pleasure , she leaveth her keyes , and therewithal her government , unto her maid , or her daughter : either of which if the husband once mutter against , his shoulders are sure to pay for it soundly at his wives return , unless he can beg or buy the silence of the deputie-governess . they never lye with their husbands , but when provinder pricks them : ( for they hold that it would procure too much familiarity ) notwithstanding , if the husband arise not out of his cabin in the entry ▪ , before the wife be warm in her bed ; and coming up stairs barefooted● , do not knock thrice gently at her chamber-door , and offer her his service with a soft low voice , he is sure to have a great deal of pains and labour bestowed on his ribsthe next day . the women of this country observe a fashion contrary to ours ; for they clip their hair , and let their nails grow long : 't is supposed that they do thus , that there may be less hold taken by the assailants , and more by themselves . there are also certain amongst them that profess the trade of the noble science , and keep free-schools , wherein the rest are taught all the wards of offensive and defensive , both of heels , nails and teeth ; as also the most exact and judicial method of clawing off the skin of mens faces , putting out eyes , byting of arms , wringing of ears , and tearing of beards : these lectures they are instructed in , both by precept and practice . the men are all their drudges , to wash , wipe , scoure , and 〈◊〉 all that is to do in the house , is expected from them ; yea , even to dr●●● all the meat : so that i imagine it i● ▪ ●● a mans esteem of the undecencie of such businesses , ( not any unableness of his to discharge them ) that maketh him eschue such imployments . believe me , there are no foul spots to be found in any place in the houses here , saving on the mens clothes ; but these are so filthy , that they are certain remarques how they neglect themselves , as much as the women neglect them ; notwithstanding , go but abroad into the fields ( which are the womens charge to see to ) there you shall finde the hedges broken down all at six and sevens , unlookt to , in a most careless , ruinous and destructive manner . the very walls of their cities are half down ; and that which standeth is so disgracefully framed , that the very stones seem to beg to be at mans disposure , and to abhor the ordering of womankinde . thus i travelled , as i have already given the reader an account , through most parts of the shee-lands ; but perhaps he may not for all this rest satisfied , till he ask me a question , which i am confident will be , why i passed not through that part of the modestianians , where the women of black-swanmark had their habitations ? truely , i hold my self unfortunate in that one thing alone , that i could not be so happy as to describe that state as well as the others , seeing that my minde presageth unto me , that it excelleth all the rest of the forenamed . for the present , i can say no more then thus : that there is such a people , my friend , i 'll assure thee ; but the region wherein they inhabit i could never come to discover , only the name i brought from the ancient chronicles of other states ; and that , as i said , should be black-swan-●ark , because a chaste and rare woman is , as juvenal writes , rara avis in terris , nigroque simillima cygno . indeed there are some of them that live as anchoresses , and hermetesses , in the craggy deserts , in some other part● of the shee-lands ; but these ●nhabitants are generally unknown , and almost inaccessable ; ●●●●● , notwithstanding , are the mo●●steries , whither ( as it is reported ) the ●a●●est , chastest , and most zealous of the shee-landresses do ●●l●●●●ily retire themselves : he that will take the pains to search those vast deserts , may questionless meet with some of those holy votaresses : i did light in my solitary wandrings by chance of one or two of them , whose variety of vertues , beauties , behaviours , have left me in an extasie to this very hour : but our young travellers are too idle to venture upon so hardan inquest ; that is the cause why they have no other colour to cover their slothfulness by , but by unjustly alledging the smalness of the number of modest and honest women . indeed , considering how dangerously rude those places were that i passed , i know that my reader cannot but admire and inquire how i got safely through them : faith i 'll tell thee truely how , mine age , my habit , and good advice , were my patrons and conductors in all this perilous adventure . my habit was manlike , and my face womanlike ( for i had yet no beard : ) and besides , in some places i found some of my own comerades undertakers in the same voyage with me ; and these , like true friends at need , gave such discreet directions , that ( as aeneas did by sybilla ) i following their advices , got me at length , as i have informed you , through the she-lands ; first passing through all the dirty fens of blubberick , where the women will fall a weeping upon any wager when they list ; & so through the mushrumpalian mountains , till finally i came into the confines of prince de l' amour . in this following relation i shall pursue the same course as i have all this while done , onely to take notice of the most remarkable passages and places . in the eastern parts of these dominions are two famous castles of great importance , idleness , the school of prince de l' amour ; or libertinism , or licentiousness , the paradise of venus , where the men are ordinarily oblig'd to take the governours to task , to gain free and favourable access to the court ; and towards the 〈◊〉 parts there are two houses , called beggars ▪ bush , and the lovers-●olly , like our bedlam and bridewel ; to the which , most that follow this court are forced to go seek for attestation of their life and manners . prince de l' amour , who reigns over all the people of this country , is a young prince that never grows old , nor does he easily admit of any ancient people to dwell in his land , except it be to serve for buffoons in the play : all his designs are taken at random ; for he never consults or takes counsel in any thing : 't is thought he is loves brother , the soveraign of all monarchs ; but he must then be his bastard - brother , the childe of nature and of disorder , who hath unluckily usurped his name and arms ; and 't is certain , that his affairs are mingled more with interest then affection , and the irregularities of debauchments are ever more there , then the right rule and conduct of reason . at the entrance of this court there is a place called cajolery , open on all sides , which hath been made very spacious by the ruine of another ancient temple of modesty , which also otherwhile stood in that place ; which when i was acquainted with , i sadly resented , as plainly perceiving that i should never approach modestiana , or the island of s●ame-stead , till i returned into my native country of england . to this place of cajolery , every day all the hired whisperers , the greatest admirers of little-nothing● , and many animated idols , which must be worship'd right or wrong , do constantly repair : whatsoever strangers arrive amongst them , they presently entertain them with all the pleasures that their houses and tables can afford : come to any of them with a dust - licking - congee , and some three or four vostra signiora's , spaniard-like , and either commend his good face , his perriwig , his new clothes , his fair hand , his fine house , or season but his affection with an admiring applause ; and this your obsequiousness shall purchase you an hoste , whose curtesie will imagine nothing too dear for you : good words and fair promises are the monies that these people use . this place may be called clawback , or soothing-court , it being peopled with the strangest monsters that ever man beheld ▪ ●hey bea● every one two faces , and speak with two tongues , as they know how to sooth and backbite : they carry the shapes of apes upon their foremost parts , and all behind of dogs ; so that they seem ●● be a confused composition of man , ape and dog. that there are such monsters , let reverend munster in his cosmography serve for a testimony , who describeth certain indian people that are partly thus formed . they make themselves as voluntary slaves to the magnifi●oes , as if they were born to servitude . and albeit they are so ●ot●ish , that of their own heads they can enterprise nothing praise-worthy ; yet can they imitate and counterfeit any action that they see done before them ; the world hath not the like for forging such ●●●●● resemblances . they never wear attire , never speak word , never do deed , but they see and hear the like . whilst i was there , they halted all upon one leg , and went spitting and spawling all the day long , because that signior tickle-ear , their governour , of late had hurt his foot , and withal was troubled with an old pockie catarrhe . they are most of them barbers , taylors , panders and procurers , parasites and lick-spittles : there are also by report some gallant courtiers amongst them . but however , your spanish mimick is a meer ninni-hammer to these clawback-courtiers ; speak but , or look but upon one of them , and ye shall presently have him kiss his hand , cringe in his ham , stroke with his foot two yards of dust ; and with a laborious congee , like an eccho , bandy the last word you spake all the room about ; and with an applauding ●leere , return upon you with all the gracious terms that his invention can possibly vent ; together with a whole heralds-office of titles , and top-beauty excellentiaes ; and then putting his lips together with another bascio delli mani , stand hovering at your next speech , to hear how his last stood to your liking . then do but you approve him , and talk on , and whatsoever you say ( be it scarcely sence ) shall into his table-book , as an oracle , for a more then humane conceit . then will he stand with his eyes fixt on the skies , and adore you ( as a drunkard doth bacchus ) on all four . such fellows acknowledge no god , but the man that they make choice of to serve ; and him they observe with more prayers , sacrifices and adoration then any idol could exact . now all this they do with one of their mouths onely : marry there is not a word comes out of this mouth , but the other ( their dogs mouth ) doth forthwith secretly retract , and disclaim ; for if they say to your face , god save you ; when you turn about , they mumble to themselves a backside - complement , that is , either the round pox take you , ( which is twenty poxes beaten into one ) or else the devil take you , which with them is twice farewel . in this place one may also behold walking shops well enough furnished , but that the wares are heap'd together in confusion , and great disorder ; the merchants also sell praises and incomiums , on all manner of subjects , for nothing ; onely with this condition , not to examine the goodness of the commodities , as the truth of their protestations of friendship , the sincerity of their oaths of fidelity , and the reali●● , of their idle wishes to interested persons . they have also their complaints for non-acknowledgements , their seeming despairs , and a multitude of ●ine words that these court-parrots are ever furnished with , and carry about them ; sweet expressions they have indeed , and affected regrets at your departure , together with a thousand dainty complements for a four hours tedious absence . they are permitted to deal in masks of what kinde soever , and are to be found at jealousies quarters , where they commonly make use of them to deceive rivals , and spoil sports . this city of prince de l' amours is the venus , the eye and lustre of all cities terrestial , ( for the beautiful women that inhabit there ) it being by some called ●ivit●s a●gelorum . there are in the whole circumference of the walls just sixteen gates : the geometrical form thereof is neither circular nor oval , but of a mean proportion between a cylinder , and a reversed pyramid , just like unto the pourtraiture of a mans body : your understandings cannot be unacquainted with such a general draught as this , except you are onely scioccoes , and never saw belgia in the form of a lyon ; italy , of a leg ; morea , of a plain leaf ; spain , of an ox hide ; the west-indies , of a fishes lungs ; all europe in the shape of an empress . he that hath but seen these , and shall but view this town , must needs avow directly , that he beholds the lineament either of some collossus , laid all along ; or else of prometheus , as he lyeth bound upon the mount alazar . in this city is a place called , the palace of good fortunes , where prince de l' amour receives his courtiers most secret homage . this palace of good fortunes is a house of pleasure , whose foundations were laid by nature ; upon which art hath since raised very handsome edifices and decorations . the gates are all made of false pleasures , and the rooms furnished with lost shame ; and the most secret passages may all be called a scandalous mystery . silence commands there sometimes , but for the most part indiscretion , and sometimes distaste doth let in false reports , which are fames fore-runners ; upon whose least buz , she must needs sound an alarm with her jews trump , and make a tatling with her hundred tongues . this palace stands in a valley so closely barricadoed with trees , hedges and bank● , that it is neither facile to espie or approach it ; those onely that are free can have the priviledge to enter at pleasure , though ● be the utmost aims of all the a●oroso's ; and so ambitious they are of honour , that many will often perswade people they have come from thence , when indeed they could never get in there . they are all well acquainted both where it is , and know the ways which lead thither ; but as there are many several paths , and those very differing and distant one from another ; each one takes that course which he findes most convenient , and best to agree with his own fancie and condition . some walk the plain way of delighting and pleasing ; which is indeed the fairest , and the least perilous of all . others chuse the golden path ; which without doubt is the most certain , and in which one goes farthest in a short time : but all the world cannot go this way , it being onely reserved for rich men , ( the golden calves of this age ) and others of the like gang . there are some that tread in the road of opportunity , which is none of the worst ways ; but they must be careful to look often on their watches , lest they loose their tyde and market-hour ; for take a lady in her humour , &c. others there are that rely upon the path of obligation ; but this is the farthest way about , most troublesome , and more uncertain then all the rest . last of all , there are some that make their passage through the fort of enterprises ; which is the shortest cut of all indeed , but it is dangerous ; and because of countermines , it being so inaccessible a place , oft-times the traveller is constrained to return back the same way that he came . not far from this palace of good fortunes , on the top of a mountain there standeth a castle of all ghristal , not wrought by any art of humane power , say the inhabitanrs , but by the goddess fortune ( fortuna favet fatuis , is a saying not so old as true ) she being ( upon some distaste of the gods ) banished from heaven , her blind ladyship set up her rest here , and built this her second terrestrial heaven . and from hence she spreads her goodness through the world : here she sits giving all abundance , that the most credulous servant she hath can possibly expect : nay , be his expectation constant , 't is believed he cannot chuse but obtain it : hither do men and women flock , but especially from foppiania and coxcombia ; there is not one ( almost ) high or low , in those parts of the world , but have seen this mount ( and others upon a further discovery will ascend it . ) men talk of saint james of compostella , our lady of walsingam-hall and sichem , &c. they are , or will be , desert and desolate places in respect of this : here the pilgrim lyes prostrate in the valley , in devout expectation of the goddesses call ; here the people are as thick as ever hail-stones lye in the high-way after a frosty storm : yet may not any person living approach the ascent of the hill , until such time as the priests of the castle do hang out the white banner , and that is a sign that the goddess is pleased that they shall ascend : and then they all cry with one voice , making the skies rebound again , madona scoperta ( the italians cry so , unveiling the picture of the lady of loretto ) and then , run that run may , one over another ; every one crying out of the straitness of the passage up : nor will the worst man there give place unto the best ; so that sometimes you shall have them scold one with another , like so many disagreeing neighbours in an alley ; and sometimes to it by the ears with dry blows , every one in the company thrusting on him that was before him , and flouting them that are behind . here did i see certain of them that durst not venture on the crowd , grown even hoary with expectation , and yet had not means to get up the hill. but what do they that get up ? faith , desire to have themselves called together ; nevertheless each one begged that it would be the goddess pleasure to grant him his desires first . you shall have one praying for the attainment of his way-ward love ; another , onely that it should please fortune to send him a wife that was no shrew ; a third , for honour ; a fourth for riches ; every man as he lik'd and had occasion : and there you should have twenty beseeching for such a wealthy mans death ; and as many for the burial of so many church-men , that they might pass from reversions to the possession of this or that fat benefice : there sate a crew of ill-faced-wenches , and their snir was for beauty : there was an old wife also , with as many oak trees in her mouth as teeth , and she expected to be restored to her youth again : and as many more suitors ( you must think more then i can now well remember . ) now the sign of admission being given ( as i said ) up hill go all that can go up , not on their feet ( for that were , as it is esteemed there , too much presumption ) but upon hands and knees : and with great reverence , i warrant you : being gotten on the midway , one of the priests entertains them courteously , and inquires every particular mans name and country ; which when that he heareth , he proclaimeth with a loud voice as ever had stenior , a fellow that in homer had a voice as loud as five voices , who was appointed partly to give notice to his fellows , and ( as some think ) to the goddess her self , what guests were arrived ; and partly by this means inquiring the piety of them , to know ere that they came any neerer , whether they address with the faith and purity that is required : for if they approach thither guilty of any crime , she hangs out her red banner , as a sign that they must be removed into the cloisters , where they must be kept till they are able to salute her with a purer soul , and pass the residue of their journey with a lighter purse . but if the goddess likes them at the first , the priest without any ticket admits them , and so lets them pass , with these words , believe , expect and hope ; and so god b'w'ye . on go they as cheerful as pies , until they come to an ironthreshold , a little below the steps that ascend to the castle-gate : upon which iron this distick is written . fortunam si avide vorare pergas , illam ut male concoquas necesse est . who swalloweth fortune , ere he chew it , through ill digestion needs must rue it . the castle-gates are kept by a rigorous porter ; yet money will make him to do any thing : the entrie is so narrow , that it seems to be rather a hole then a gate : but after you are crept once in , then shall you see a house more like a heavenly then an earthly ; all pearl and gold , whose lustre dazles the eye to look upon it , and whose external view promises no less then the height of happiness . i omit to speak of the form of the temple , the priests habits , orders and offices ; these , for brevities sake , i wittingly over-pass . at length , when you have viewed all ( for you must needs bestow a little time to gaze upon this pile of admiration ) comes another of the flamines to you , and taking you by the hand ( having first blindfolded you with a linnen-cloth ) he leads you through a hundred turnings , indeed whither he lists ; but as fond men believe , unto the temple of this good goddess , whom mortal eyes must not behold ; and therefore you are muffled : now you must couch , and kiss the sacred pavement ; and lye so without once moving , untill that the goddess call you by your name ; and then ask boldly what you please : do but effect what she commands without delay or distrust , and were your request ( say they ) never so hard , it shall be fulfilled . well , but ( you will ask ) what is the end of all this ceremonious observation ? by my troth a ridiculous one , able to move the gentlest spleen alive ; they are all singularly and ingeniously coney-catcht , men and women , rarely fetcht over , and with arts quintessence : and yet for all that , this art is so secret , that though no man pass this trial , that is not made an ass ; yet every one had rather blame his own slothfulness and incredulity , or else believe that he had committed some mistake , rather then so much as once to glance at any imperfection in the power of the goddess . well , having propounded your petition , ( suppose it be honour ) the goddess assents to it most graciously , commanding the suppliant first , after some hours , to take a potion , whereby his spirit may be the better adapted to the ensuing felicity ; and then to lay him down again until she call him the second time : which if he do but rightly observe , he shall assuredly ( as they say ) be crowned with his full wishes , to continue enstalled in happiness for ever , and to have always the same cause to be grateful to the goddess for her heavenly benificence . it passeth ; the suppliant taketh the cup , and drinks it all off , praising in his own thoughts the drinks delicious taste ; being utterly ignorant , that it is but onely a potion compounded of poppy , opium , lettuce , and other such procurers of sleep ● but the effect is the trial ; he falls asleep , ye may turn the house out at the window ( if you can ) and never awake him : and then is he haled up and down the room like a dead carcass , by the villains that officiate ; and when they have laught at him till they are weary , they lay him in a rich bed , in a chamber like a kings , cieled with ivory , and arched with golden pillars , where all the tables spread with rich coverings , the arras of compania , and the tapestrie of alexandria , are but sack-cloath to them . about the door stands a company of attendants all bare-headed , each in his golden chain at least , and all courtier-like accoutred , expecting when this endymion junior will awake : that minion of the moon is said to have slept fortie years together ere he ' wak'd ( this moon-calf sleeps commonly not above three daies after he hath taken the poti●n ) who then lifting up his head , ●eholds all the room with amaze●ent ( as well he may ; ) and seeing all this fair companie of shining attendants , is wholly transformed with wonder●s whilst they in the meantime approach all in order with a ceremonious revarence to salute the awaked great person , to whom they wish health and fortunate days : mass thinks he ( taking more then ordinary state on him ) this is brave . they humbly approaching him , ask him what apparel his highness will be pleased to wear to day : your suit of gold-smiths work ? your suit of tissue , imbrodered with rubies ? your cloath of gold doublet with the carbuncle-buttons , or your pearl-powdred-vest ? tissues , rubies , carbuncles , vests ? hey da ! ( he could not remember that in all his life he was concerned with taylors for any such apparel ) howsoever he was so well pleased and valiantly contented ( as he imagined the goddess fortune had made him already such a courtier ) as that he resolved never to pay any taylo● bills ; he is an endymion indeed now , and will not change states with the man in the moon , for all his fulgid glittering throne that he sits in . well , rich cloaths are brought him indeed ; every man helps this mighty person on with them , as one says , dant digitis gemmas , dant longe monilio collo . his hands with sparking gems they deck , and hang rich chains about his neck . set a diadem upon his head adorned with pearls of incredible greatness and lustre . all this goes well on still , thinks he ; yet would dinner were ready , he wished , and whispered it privately to himself : for ( though he found his own highness very hungry ) he could not , if one had told him so , believe that he had eaten no meat for three days . he no sooner thought thus ( for he imagined that it did not concern his greatness to speak to his attendants of so ordinary an affair which would follow in course : ) as i said before , he no sooner thought it , but immediately dinner was prepared and served up all in state ; such raritie of services , such brave attendants , such ravishing musick , such mirth ! pho , nineteen muses cannot give a man words to describe it . and thus the whole day was spent , as time ye know will pass : his fine holiness thought all his own still . well , night comes up with supper , and up supper comes , with as rich , nay , richer purveyance and attendance then waited on the dinner : and for a conclusion to the ●east , his i●●gined highness hath the ●other draught given him of the same holy potion , which presently lockt up his sences , in a sleep as profound as the former : and then his poor twelve hours greatness , being , as virgil says , i am simul expletus , dapibus , vinoque sepultus , gorg'd with good cheer , and wrapt in sleepy wine . is carryed out at a postern , stript out of his tissues , his rubies , and all his gold-smiths work , and re-invested in his old cloaths , ( which with his being dragged about , were made somewhat durtier then they were before ) and so laid out in the high-way for passengers to gaze upon ; where when he awakes , he falls into as great amazement as before ; and remembring how gloririous a bliss he was enthroned in but yesterday ; and finding himself now utterly deprived of all , he falls a lamenting with a heu quo decidimus , miserably deploring , and bitterly ●ursing either his own sloath , or deafness , that he did not give ear ( as the goddess had charged him ) to the second call : oh , how he cursed himself for his gross ingratitude● who being placed in so high a felicity , that he should neglect to pay the goddess her high tribute of thankfulness ! so away he goes weeping and wayling , with this word continually in his mouth , fuimus troes ; i was whilom a brave fellow ! exhorting all persons to take example by him ( as they use to say at the gallows ) he desired them never to be negligent , never thankless , but to proceed though confidently , yet withal warily , to obey what the goddess enjoyned ; and then they could not fail of felicitie . such had i once ( said he ) been , but now by mine onely folly , i have lost it all , everie part and parcel of my former greatness . now everie one that heareth him , thinks this ; i hope to take better heed then so ; and they hoodwinck themselves ere ever they come there . 't is strange that the people of these parts having two such strings to their ●ow , should so many of them neither get preferment at the court or palace , nor at the castle of the goddess fortune , being served at both in the same manner ; so that many of them precipitate themselves into the abyss of despair , which i● some distance of place , both from the palace and castle of the goddess fortune : but the wiser sort of them take sanctuarie in a place called turn-again chappel : this chappel is built on firm ground , separate from the other places by an isthmus very dfficult to pass over ; 't is under the tuition and government of captain repentance , who alone hath the power to give a free passage ; he is a melancholy , but very wise person , pious and charitable to those which address themselves to him . he doth not use to give ear to the first complaints of such as onely sigh for their misfortunes , or curse the disorder of their lives ; but he penetrates and pierces the bottom of the heart ▪ and will examine the sinceritie of it ; and never assists any but those which fix upon a constant and firm resolution to quit their impertinent , covetous and ambitious fancies ; and then he conducts them safely into that miraculous chappel , where as soon as they are arrived , their eyes are unsealed and opened , so that they clearly and evidently perceive how blind they were ; and discover that all what before they had beheld in their fancies ; was but imposture ; that all the sweetnesses of changeable fortune , are but sugared poisons ; that the false pleasures of this life do ever produce real pains ; that the happiest of them are continually on the rack , that these outward injoyments are onely vails cast over the troubles and sorrows which await them inevitably ; and that there is no place more unhappy and bad then that which is called the palace of good fortune ; that in truth it is the trap for wanton and impudent youth . thus taking better resolutions and desires , some walking a quite contrary path to that which before they had strayed in , they injoy a true and happie peace and satisfaction , which before , in the greedie prosecution of their fortunes , they had in vain sought after ; and so by this means are restored to their perfect mindes . 't is true , that behind the palace of good fortunes , there is a garden of a fair extent , which is called the court of recompence or reward . at this word there are few but will imagine and fancie that here is a terrestial paradise : but though art doth every day strive to embellish it , yet it seems to be a placè where nature brings forth nothing but troubles and miserles ; the hedges are thornie and bryerie ; there are no flowers but blasted ●pans●y● , weeping daffadills , and worm-eaten fool-coats ; and no plants but ru●● , worm-word , and floreamour ; no● any fruits but choak-pears : the fountains indeed flow on both sides , but the waters are for the most part bitter ; but set them be bitter or sweet , i am resolved no longer to tyre out my reader with this tedious preachment , but to go on jovially with my following description . in this court of prince de l' amour , are persons of all degrees , conditions , qualities and sizes . not that the subjects of this state are considered under their divers titles ; for they are distinguisht by other qualities far more illustrious . some are the sighers , ever cloathed with anxietie , and care of a deep sad thought-colour . then the wantons are always roabed with gew-gaws , nets , gins , weather-cocks , and such pretty traps and devices . the adventurers are in habits of changeable taffatie ; these run in all roads , and yet never stray far from the castle of enterprize . the glittering gallants fair without and foul within , are considerable onely for their gay trappings : these spend very much to little purpose , they are the onely make flyalls under the moon ; dogs , dice , hawks , or kites for a need , &c. are their objects ; they do nothing in the world ( next to their hatred of learning ) but invent how to spend : thus they flye out their patrimonies ( their fathers were born before them ) and when all is gone but their clothes , then farewel to them also . these are those that call one another dick , tom , jaok : and whither dost thou go to day ? to a play-house ? to an ordinary ? to a wench , & c ? alas poor gentlemen ! what 's a man but his pleasure ? when these new inhabitants have cast all their whole estate over-board , then they do either retire to other mens tables , or else are maintained at the publick charge in that same place , where stands that ancient model of cole-harbour , bearing the name of the prodigals promontory , which is appointed as a sanctuary to banckrupt debtors : thither flee all those for refuge that are cast at law , or feel themselves unsufficient to satisfie their deluded creditors ; any of whom , if they pursue their debtors hither , and force them from their protection whether they will or no , they are immediately accused as guiltie of sa●●iledge , and so are thrown headlong down from the highest tower in all the territorie . those of this countrie that have any sons , assign them their full patrimonie ●re nature allow them any beard : and in case they dye before this time ( if ●●● can believ 〈◊〉 ) they leave all their estate unto their wives to dispose as the● list afterwards , without any 〈◊〉 of progeni● : but if they have the fortune to burie their wives , then do they lavishout more upon their funerals , then would serve fo● ▪ dow●ie to the ill favoure●st of their daughters ▪ every man here a●ouches ▪ himself to be at least a gentlem●n born : and pretend most of them to shew a pedegree of ten thousand years before the world was created ( which is somewhat beyond the descent of the shentlemen of wales ) you shall have them shew you galleries all drawn with thei● lineal and collateral descents ; and yet when all comes to all , their neighbours ( without going to any heralds-office ) are able to prove , that they had coblers , carters , botchers , and costermongers ●●to their grandfathers . nor is there any of their more select gentility , but hath his countrie farms , three or four , leased out to his villia●oes , his retainers , and those are commonly clawhack-courtiers ; otherwise , as their progenitors did before them , they might have whistled for their estates . the ●abble are of all hairs , conditions & understandings ; buffoons , upstarts , braggadochioes , powdered heads , and pickled tails , which , some say ▪ of millers are become gentlemen ; others affirm , that of gentlemen they are turned millers : i know not whether is the ●ruest , since they wear the millers liverie on the head , and the gentlemans badge at the heel . there are some others that in respect of any valiant use they make of it , might be armed with tin onely . these stile themselves stout men , and strong wits ; whereas , indeed , at the first encounter with any man of mettle ( though the ladies have wept that achilles was too hard for hector ) they are pierced to the quick without making any resistance . let them swear all manner of oaths , no wise man will ever believe them to be valiant . as to their wits , they never speak but onely to shew themselves criticks , and are onely much esteemed by themselves , though they are as much scorned by others ; conceiving that they know all things ( whereas , any thing but vice is above their capacities ) omitting to learn that which is fittest for them , they would erect themselves ( what should i call them otherwise ? ) as much as in them lies ( if they could do more then what was done before ) general deformers of prince de l' amour's court. these fellows , when they have strutted to their uttermost extent , the ladies do but hate them . they do so much want ordering of themselves , though they would pretend to regulate others , that they are the most impertinent , and will be ever held ( but to little purpose ) the most importunate presumers that attend that court. they are so valiant ( as i told you before ) that none of them stir abroad unarmed : the cutlers trust them for swords ; and therefore ( as they intend never to pay for them ) they give them as freely away to their fellow-cowards , whom one may disarm ( though they swore , and stood upon terms ) with one single well-managed tobacco-pipe : for though they have their ammunition hung about them , they are but onely hired , as so many porters by mars , who hath no other occasion for them : yet one of these braggadochioes will be always so accoutred , let him go but to my neighbour johns , he will have his moveable about him . if he meet any man that will not give him the wall , catzo del diablo , 't is presently slave draw , or else prepare thy self to kiss my pump , for the refarciation of my honour . they never make any journies forth , but they alway bring blows home ; but verie seldom it is that they leave any behind them ; for they run on fore-right , and dare not so much as look backwards . if any one of them chance to kill his enemie ( it is so rare an accident for him to have such a stomack ) that you need not to question , but that he turns canibal , and feeds presently on him . they have no laws , but all goes ( when they are valiant ) by might and main . he that is so couragious , if he be wronged , must be his own evenger , or else he may go home like a fool as he came ; for his sa●acen-faced , swash-buckler-companions , out of a pale almost dead fear , leave him to shift for himself ; they 'll be sure to run without a ●ear or wound safe to the next tavern , where they fortisie themselves , and build a sconce of a victorious never payment : and these are the height of their atchievements . the fairest place of all the citie is the market , called royal , both for its excellencie , and for that the prince is lodged in the middle of it , that so he may at one view behold the rendezvouz of his courtiers ; so as at least to keep those ( if it were possible ) that are most enormons in awe . this citie is invironed with an infinite number of re●iring places , where the chiefest appointed assemblies and meetings are kept , which are so many magnificent temples consecrated to the new deities of the country : in the midst of a great many portals , stair-cases , cells , galleries , and closets richly flourished and set forth , there is always one place respected like a sanctuary , wherein there is an altar made after the fashion of those beds dedicated to the pagan gods , where , for the most part , lyes a lady exposed to the publick view ; handsome , and richly adorned ; noble , but accounted vain ; sometimes wise , but still sufficient : and thither at her feet does the most illustrious of the court resort to burn their incense , offer their prayers , and sollicite her favour to prince de l' amour , that they may obtain entrance into the palace of good fortunes . the people of this country have no true setled religion ; they have many temples indeed , but they do not go there to pray , but onely to see and to be seen , to scoff and jest , smile , wink , cavil , make matches , take assignations for debauches ; and so they make the cloak of pietie a cover of their drollery . in this citie there also is a great obelisk of black marble , on which all the fundamental laws of this state are written in letters of gold , of which these few following are the least considerable . . that modesty , discretion , and reservedness , shall have no admittance into this state , unless they may be useful to such as are obliged to play under-board . . he that hath not wherewith to bestow , must provide himself of some rich gull to defray all his charges . . after a long stay at the park , or elsewhere , a good husband that waits at home for his wife , may drink one glass of wine to drive away melancholy , but is absolutely debarred from cutting off● ▪ one bit to stay his appetite till his lady brings home her gallants with her to supper . . whoever maked profession of fidelity , shall be bound to justifie , that he is of the race of am●dis , or of the descent of celadon ; and in case that he cannot , he shall pass for an idiot . . that the husbands shall be obliged to keep those children which themselves have not gotten , without troubling of their brains to know what the right father gives underhand towards their maintenance . and though prince de l'amour receives no homage , nor grants any considerable priviledges , but onely to the natives ; yet nevertheless , for the benefit and advancement of trade , and inriching of his subjects , he suffers these four sorts of strangers to abide there . . the begulled ones , which are a people so cunningly flattered and soothed up by their wives , that they cannot believe any other participates with them in their delights . . the cravens , which are in doubt , but dare not complain for fear of correction . . the hard to be shod , thus named , because like mad-colts they kick and fling , and play the devils , to shun those knocks , which nevertheless they are sure to feel ; but the difference is this : the one is shod with the half-moon on the head , and the other at the heel . . the fourth and last are the jobelins , who know they are dubb'd , but had rather quietly conceal their horns in their pockets , then have them in the view of all the world ; besides the fear of the loss of their worshipful office , if they should understand , or the sad ship-wrack of those profits and incomes maintained by their wives industry , and the favourites benevolence . they marry wives , and love them pestilently well for a while , keeping themselves truely loyal to their espousals , until they take some occasion of dislike with their old bed-fellows , or chance to behold another fairer then she : and then farewell wife , and farewel with all my heart husband ( saith she ) there is no love lost ; for the wife is commonly as willing for to make an exchange , as the man is : assure your selves that she is as ready to take a dislike , if her husband be any way declining : just as our citizens use a man ; as long as he hath cash , you have him brow and bosome ; but that failing , my master is not within , sir. the currant coyn of this country is stampt with a city-hen on the one side , and a cuckoo on the other reverse . there are here some that are mighty courteous , many of them will use a stranger the first day , as if he were their own brother ( though they never saw him before : ) marry the next they will pass him by , and forget that ever they saw him . they seldom or never proffer any thing which they do not call back at the next breath ( you must take them at the first rebound : ) nor do they ever promise , but they afterwards forswear it ; you are never sure till it be performed : nor do they for the most part perform any thing which they do not afterwards ( though too late ) recant and be very sorrowful for . they will not sell you any commoditie to day , but that they think they might have sold it dearer to morrow . they are as inconstant in the management of their edicts , as the she-landers , for some laws they alter everie year : for it is not fit ( thus they defend it ) seeing all mans life is mutable , that the rules of life should not be mutable also , as well as the effects : besides , mans second cogitations being generally more perfect , it were a strange slaverie to be tyed to a first decree , that although the after-wi● be disliked never so much , it must not be altered . but that which ought to gain prince de l'amour a greater renown , is , that having given tax-gatherers libertie to negotiate in his dominions , yet he never suffereth them to propound any new impositions to his council , being still contented with the ancient duties ; for in this citie , he exacts nothing but frequent visits , deeps sighs , and fond ( but well dissembled ) desires , which are esteemed common duties , and a general homage to all commers ; and in these things wherein his vassals are the oftest pressed , they expose or tender onely the lips or the hands , except in some particular places where they add the breast : but in this palace of good fortunes , tribute is taken of all , both of nature and of art ; of all kindes , handsome and homely ; and of all sorts of animals young or old ; of all offices and imployments , both in citie and countrie ; keeping the courts always open to receive their payments both night and day . the most eminent and most inaccessible place , is the grand magazin , fraught and filled with all sorts of curling-irons , boxes ▪ with black-patches , sweet-powders , looking glasses , masks , ribbans , hair-bracelets , pocket-tortoise-combs , beard-irons , essences , cordials , gums , pomatums , and other like necessary utensils : and round about this magazin are the workmen , some of which are imployed to cut patches , and lay platforms how hese murderers must be planted for the best advantages , and to do the greatest execution ; which onely the master-workmen dare undertake , to compose artificial beauties , to slabber over the nose , and blanch the hands ; to make all kinds of new-fashioned trimmings , colored plumes , and sweet nose-gayes of all sorts of flowers , and those in all seasons of the year , &c. some make profession of a new art of moulding and fashioning of ladies breasts , undertaking to conceal those which are over-big , and to add a just proportion to those that are less perceptible . but their best workmen are the new-fashion mongers , screen-fan-makers , expeditioners of sweet-meats , and collations , introducers to plays , and plotters for private walks ; and nothing is more dearly bought , or further fetched then a craftie cloak to hide a wanton visie , or a quaint excuse to lye alone one night , when to be sure some stinging flea creeps in , and if discovered , then handsomely to pretend some rash mistake , or some other such like peticoat-slight , as the wit of a chamber-maid is always furnisht withal . a little without the citie there are publick schools for the industrie of the young fry , where of the seven liberal sciences they observe two onely ; to say well , and to do ill . here you may go whistle and save your labour , as well as to come to meet with the shadow of a philosopher , or to hear any lectures read . and for the laws of nations , they make use onely of the rights of nature , and common customs nor do they much care to be great doctors : everie peculiar man here , is both his own teacher , and his own auditor . there are some few gewgawiasters , who give themselves wholly to the invention of novelties , in games , buildings , or a ●a-mode fashions ; he whose device is the most exqui●ite amongst them , according to his invention hath a place assigned him . he that first devised to blow out bubbles of sope and spittle forth of a wall-nut shell , is of as great renown amongst them , as ever was the first printer or gun-founder amongst us of europe . these gewgawiaster are in great esteem there , yea and amongst the meaner sort also ; insomuch , that many of them will not put out some new a-la-mode whimsical devises without their directions ; yet these are counted scholars indeed , for the wisest of them spend all their time in great licentiousness : but that which is most honourable amongst them , is , that they have given the authority of regencie to persons of quality , who ( how ignorant soever they are ) sit in the chair . the women also keep the academies , where all run a tilt , and are very skilful to run at the heart ; they finde the rings , and the men the launces , and all other the like expences . there are certain-hangers on , who would ●ain get some allowance out of these publick schools : these fellows are like your italian mountebanks , who draw the people together to see the effects of some rare unguento , distilled water , or some other strange engines : these cheats and impostures would make these academians understand ( which as fond as they are ) they are resolved ( that as they cannot , so they will not ) that out of the basest metals , by a secret art ( and that by st. patrick a gainful one too ) can draw the purest gold. but in faith they did but laugh at them , and let wiser men but see and consider the toylsome folly of these extractors : they are gull'd , and gull'd , and terribly gull'd themselves ; yet can they not finde in their hearts to give over . a sort of them of late ( as i was there informed ) would needs go to the oracle of the castle of the goddess fortune , to know the event of that weighty business they had in hand . the oracle presently gave them this answer , travailez ; that is , take pains . pho , home they come , as if they had gotten their god mamm●n in a box : and forward they went with their circulations , their sublimations , their conjunctions , their fermentations , ( their hard words ) till all this headless action ended in put refaction , until reputation and revenues were both dead and rotten ; whereas libanius , one of their authors , if these fellows were in their right wits , hath set them down the true definition of alchimy : alchimi● est ars sine arte , cujus scire est pars ●um parte , medium est strenue mentiri , finis ; mendicatum iri . and a●rosto , that excellent italian poet deals as plainly with them in his orlando furioso : thus each man seeks to be an al●●ymist , till all be gone , and be his number mist . whereas indeed , the oracle gave them better counsel then they could comprehend , travailez , take pains , that is , a ma●●ock and a spade will get you gold so●ner then chimistry a thousand-fold . these accademians are so unfortunate to have some ▪ amongst them also which are called poets , who are never here likely to be crowned with lawrel , ( because that ●re● is an enemy to the vine : ) nor yet with ivie , for they are none of mi●ervaes birds . these drunken rimers here with their trade , are not able to purchase ale , much less sack. they are the very off-scum of the basest rabble on the surface of the earth ; i was grieved to the vary heart , to hear that any should give them that sacred name of poet , as antigenides in his apuleius was , that horn winders should be called corneteirs . they are the veryest lack latines , and the most unalphabetical rake-shames that ever bred louse : they cannot make two doughty rythmes in their mother tongue in two hours ; and yet these cocking , narrow-brim'd , tinder-cloakt-shagrags , confederates with tale-tellers , jestbreakers , made a shift to live by other mens trenchers ; these flyes are drunk in every mans glass ; every country is thwackt with them , as an orange is stuck close with cloves ; they fill all ordinaries , ale-houses , coffee-houses , and intrude into taverns with their epistles , encomiums , stanzaes , anagrams , acrosticks , epigrams , epithalamiums , madrigals , elegies , epitaphs , ( the devil in buckrom knows what ) all the pedlary ware of parnassus , such as would make you blind , if you were to see them , and would blister your ears , and make you deaf to hear them read : these are those that have the managing of masques at boarding and petty schools , and dispose of the pageants at the lord mayors shews , and do also bear the sway , and usurpover the new ballad-singers . having thus given you an account of their publick schools , i shall now acquaint you with another place , frequented with the bravest wits amongst them : it is a noble edifice which serves for a publick library for the amoroso's and amoretta's ; it is built of ridiculous imaginations , seldom accomplished wishes , and furnished with several manuscripts , hitherto unknown in our vulgar language , as canting , whereof these are the chief and the most studied . the mystery of folly in three volumes ; the first is the simpletons address ; the second is the introduction to the bedside ; and the last is the idiots behaviour there . the observations of the heavens , to know the just time and tyde of oportunity . the trick to frizzle and curle the hair according to the features of the face . an epitome of such amoretta's as repented before the latter season , with a recital of their disgraces who have been constrained to do so to their great regret . the invention how with a little cost to gain much honour . a receipt book to cure long and troublesome tumours and swellings . the misfortunes of an admirable lady whom none ever courted without a jeer. the contrasto of a pair of amoretta's upon the question , whether it were better to have a discreet or an adventurous lover , resolved in favour of the last . the master - peece or formulary of familiar declarations to be made in secret , and the different tones of the voices to be used , with an exact observation of the when and where most convenient for the important mystery . the troubles of a perplexed virgin , who having her choice of two amorosoes , fainted at the difficulty of the election , and after resolved to make use of both , that she might no more endanger life . the disguised barod , wherein is discovered the mystery of negotiating without being suspected , either by old mothers or young husbands . the mediation of the waiting-maids , with instructions how to cajole them handsomely , and gain any servants good will and assistance . the art of cheating on both sides , first to pick the pocket , and then deny the pleasure . these manuscripts and books were written by several authors ; they are to be seen and perused in no other place but in this library , where they are all of them chained , and not to be removed from thence : be that travels thither , and comes off generously with the bibliothecary , may satisfie himself further , as concerning their more secret contents . within this city there are places ordained for fine petticoat-skirmishes , and gilded chariot-turnaments . now fine petticoats are certain kinde of animals that have neither feet nor teeth , but yet are very costly . there are some petticoats which are onely of puff-work : these are subject with the least gale or gust of temptation , seconded with a fit opportunity , easily to be blown about their ears . there are other petticoat-emissaries which are the onely news-carriers from the palace of good fortunes , but in favour onely of such as will be conducted by them . some likewise are cross-grain'd liveries , which a husband never sees , but that these displeasing objects make him to have sore eyes ; howsoever ( he saves nothing by it ) he must perform his duty unaskt-for , he must nevertheless bestow them against his will. as for gilded chariots & coaches , they are pretty engines to trundle wealthy amoroso's and amoretta's about in . these have sometimes four beasts to draw them without , and half a dozen butter-flies riding within . the first that enter maiae's park , are not always the happiest , but rather the last ; for these being freed from the throng , they may the better execute their brave designs , advance , retreat , thrust forward , cast flaming darts without burning , discharge pistols without noise ; amongst which many other of the city-coaches are suffered to exercise , which though they make not so much noise , do as good execution , and many times come off and on with as great applause . in fine , amongst all their ordinary divertisements , this mystery is the most publick , and yet the least understood ; and those which cannot unriddle their winks and nods , and the stenography of their black patches , their smiles and other subtile gesticulations , will take it onely for a confused noise and throng of coaches , able to cause the meagri● in ones head . nor is it more facile to finde out the nocturnal secret of their invisible musick , which serves often but for a vail for their more private occasions , and is but a kinde of a troublesome confused noise to all that live nigh them , though it be a pleasing occupation for those who love to make merry at others costs ; whereas , those which some gallants call the evaporared ladies , will dance in any place without a fiddle , sing good prick-song without book , and speak all things without fear or wit ; nor do such harbour any malice , if you will believe them . the ladies of this court , as of others , do not all of them affect the same ways ; for some climb over the mountains of advancement , others creep under the hedge of liberty and toleration ; but most love the close way of secret solitude , and ● favourable opportunity . there are some of this sex likewise , that now and then also chuse the golden path ; but that is for the most part when they are absolutely necessitated , and led into it , by those two bad guides , old age and small desires . but the best way for them , is a ●ittle of the one , and a little of the other ; half water , and half wine ; and will be a great advantage to all such as can undergo a little , please a little , expect sometimes , and undertake other times , like dutch-men , sail with every wind ; and indeed such as these are ever most welcome to prince de l' amour's court. the lady that is most cherished in the whole court , and whose counsel is most followed , is the mode ; she is originally of france , a little wanton , but not unpleasing ; her humour is fantastical , and very various ; she condemns easily without any cause , that which she esteemed without a reason , and makes the caprichios of some renowned amoretta , become a law to all the kingdom : she is controuler of all new-fashioned stuffs and colours ; and as women cannot confine themselves within their just bounds and limits , but desire willingly to extend the same ; so she undertakes for all things , yea , to their very language , insomuch , that none dare either do or say any thing , but it must be a-la-mode ; yea , she hath so great a vogue , and is become so puissant , that having stripp'd all other amoroso's and amoretta's , of whatsoever they possessed , to appropriate it to her self , if you ask any of them now what hair have you ? what ribbands ? what head-tyes ? or the like ; they answer all , 't is a-la-mode ; nay , even their smiles and their gate is a-la-mode : in fine , 't is a general obligation to have nothing of their own , all must be a-la-mode . but the most active person in this court is an old italian , named intrigue ; she is of an obscure birth , and hitherto historians cannot discover either her father or her mother : she always goes mask'd , whether for the deformity of her vi●●ge , or to keep her self the most concealed she can , is uncertain . one cannot truly tell how she is habited , by reason she is so disguised : sometimes she adorns her self like a great person , sometimes she dresses her self like a beggar ; yea , sometimes she hides her self under a frock of as many different colours as a painters apron , getting by this means free entrance into those places , where otherwise she would become suspected . sometimes she is like a gypsie or fortune teller ; at other times she acts the part of a pedlaress , and trades in pins and needles , cut-works , fanders-laces , with all manner of such like bables . she walks more by night then by day , and oftner rides in a coach then she goes on foot : she never speaks but softly , and most commonly whispers in the ear : she vents nothing but deceipts , troubles , brawls , separation of body and goods , all manner of horn'd mischiefs . in fine , this good woman is a dissembling , ill-wishing , and the most wicked beldam in the world , who nevertheless hath free access into the stateliest closets , bed-chambers ; yea , even into hermits cells , and other places , both prophane and holy . besides these two already-discovered great mysteries , those that are most welcome , and most sought for in all this court , are the ill-match'd ones , not so called for any defect of grace or ornament , but beause they are young beauties condemned to suffer under the tyranny of some old , doting , impotent , jealous sot ; these seek for redress from the privy-council of prince de l' amour , where ( justice taking place ) they obtained a dispensation , either to maintain a lusty gentleman-usher at home , or to wander abroad ; and according to the dictates of their consciences to enjoy all their own liberties . besides these strange cattle , there were those that would force you ( whether you would or no ) to look and gaze upon them ; these were called the besmeared ones , of which there are three sorts ; the white-plaisterers , the red-painters , and the varnish-daubers , which last flye the sun as much as the other shun the rain . some of these their naked parts are so crossed over with over-gross paintings ( as they use in m●scovia ) that you would imagine you saw some statue or westminster-tomb , rather then a living creature ; such a cart-load of false colours ensconce their fairest beauties . to draw to a conclusion ; amongst these ladies there are the admirable ones , which nevertheless have nothing to be admired of them , but the name . and then the precious ones , which at present were very common and cheap . the ravishing ones , that commit more rapes upon the purse then the hearts . there are also the perplexed ones , that have still ten plots in their heads , and twenty gallants at their heels . together with the little mincing minions , which ordinarily have as slender wits as wastes . there were some also that have the titles of saints , right saint - touch-me-not , that would seem to be meer platonick idea's , which refuse all before the world , and deny nothing in a corner ; cum multis aliis . the air of this country is so temperate and wholesome , that one seldom hears of any great maladies there ; and if an amoretta findes but the least change in her complexion , as any apparent redness , or the like , she makes her complaints to all the world , as if it were a most grievous out-rage that nature had committed against love : nor are they hindred from keeping their beds , provided that it be for some advantage to diversifie their game , or any other interest , which experience alone can teach them . but indeed there is nothing more delightful to behold in all this city , then the flying-hearts , of which it is very full : they are covered with flames and large wings ; and 't is to be admired their flames are so moderate , they do not scorch their plumes : they court all the ladies they meet , and tell them fine things in their ears ; but are not much sollieitious , whether they be respected or disdained : these are a sect by themselves , whose founder , 't is said , was one certain hylas ; they have taken the history of inconstant lovers for their directory , and their motto is , qui plus en aime , plus aime : in one and the same conversation , they pearch upon one ladies shoulders , on anothers head , in a thirds lap ; and are so tame , that they may easily be taken by any fair ones hand : they do homage to this ladies eyes , to that ladies hair , and pay tribute to their lips and breasts : they flye at all , and stay with none ; laugh at every lady , and are scofft at again ; for these flying-hearts can laugh as well as speak . expect not here ( gentle reader ) any exacter description of this country , either of how i found it , or how i left it : you may better inform your selves , if you please but to take pains to give it such a visit as i did : if at your arrival there you do not sinde these countries , as i described them to you , blame not any defect in me : for their forms of government are so continually altered , that one may describe ye the shape of proteus , or the colour of a chamaelion , or tell ye what weather it will be to morrow , sooner then tender you any true knowledge of their discipline . for my part , i give the portugals free leave to brag of their travels and large discoveries ; i reached to the hight of my ambition , when with safety i saluted my native soyl. farewel . finis . ●●oks lately printed for francis kirkman , and are to be sold at his shop tender st. ethelboroughs church within bishops-gate , london . . the english rogue ; described in the life of meriton latroon a witty extravagant , being a compleat di●●very of the most eminent cheats of both sexes . the ●●rst part. the english rogue ; continued in the life of meriton latroon , and other extravagants , comprehending the most ●minent cheats of most trades and professions . the ●econd part. poor robin's jests : or , the compleat iester ; being a collection of several jests not heretofore published , now ●wly composed and written by poor robin , knight of the ●urnt-island , and well-willer to the mathematicks . the ●●rst , second , and third parts . venus looking-glass , or a rich store-house of choice ●rollery , in pro●e and verse . psitta●orum regio ; or , the she-lands , with a de●●iption of other strange adjacent countries in the domi●●ons of prince de l'amour , not hitherto found in any geo●●aphical map. by one of the late most reputed wits . poems of divers sorts , and three new plays ; viz. the obstiuate lady , a comedy . trappo●●● suppos'd a prince , a tragi-comedy . the tragedy of ovid. the spightfull sister , a comedy . money 's an asse , a comedy . all these are newly printed , and to be sold as aforesaid ; ●ere you may be furnished with all the plays that were ●r yet printed , and all sorts of histories and romances , ●●ch you may buy or have lent you to read on reasonable ●nsiderations . also you may have ready money for any ●●ary , or other parcel of books . a sermon preached at the happily-restored and reedified chappell of the right honorable the earle of exceter in his house, of s. iohns on saint stephens day. by ios. hall, deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a sermon preached at the happily-restored and reedified chappell of the right honorable the earle of exceter in his house, of s. iohns on saint stephens day. by ios. hall, deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by f. kyngston, for george winder, and are to be sold at his shop in s. dunstons churchyard, london : . the first leaf and last leaf are blank. identified as b on umi microfilm. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon preached at the happily-restored and reedified chappell of the right honorable the earle of exceter in his house , of s. iohns . on saint stephens day . . by ios . hall , deane of worcester . london , printed by f. kyngston , for george winder , and are to be sold at his shop in s. dunstons church-yard . . to the right honovrable , my singvlar good lady , the lady elizabeth , countesse of exceter . right honourable : this poore sermon both preached and penned at your motion ( that is to mee your command ) now presents itselfe to your hand , and craueth a place ( though vnworthy ) in your cabinet , yea , in your heart . that holy zeale which desired it , will also improue it . the god , whom your ld. hath thus honoured in the care and cost of his house , will not faile to honor you in yours . for me , your honour may iustly challenge mee on both sides ; both by the druries , in the right of the first petronage ; and by the cecils , in the right of my succeeding deuotions . in either , and both , that little i haue , or am , is sincerely at your ladish . seruice , as whō you haue merited to be your honours in all true obseruance and duty , ios . hall . to the worshipfvll and reverend , mr. dr. hall , deane of worcester , my worthy and much respected friend , all happinesse , with my loue in christ iesus . reuerend sir ; this sermon , i know , is at the presse before you expected : but i thought ( as this glorious chappell occasioned it , ) so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the chappell , by remaining its first monument . and altho both these were confined to the priuate ; the chappell for the family of my right honourable lord , the earle of exceter , who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster : and the copie of the sermon to the cabinet of my truly noble , and vertuous lady , his countesse ; yet both these are much and oft required to the publike ; the sermon to be an instruction , and so it is ; the chappell , to bee an example , and so it may be . the sermon to teach all , to be all glorious in their soules . the chappell to teach some , who build houses for their owne habitation , to set vp another for gods religion . the sermon was craued at the hands of my honourable lady , that it might come to the presse ; who , of her owne pious disposition , gaue forth the copie ; and for her noble esteeme of your selfe , and of the worth of your sermon , was willing and desirous to giue it way to the printer . and this i thought good to impart vnto you , and to the courteous reader , that you may be satisfied of the meanes how , and the cause why it comes in publike . and so praying for you , and desiring your prayers for me , i remaine your truly louing friend , h. baguley . a sermon preached at the reedified chappell of the right honorable , the earle of exceter , in his house of saint iohns . haggai . . the glory of the latter house , shall bee greater then of the former , saith the lord of hosts , and in this place will i giue peace , saith the lord of hosts . as we haue houses of our owne , so god hath his ; yea , as great men haue more houses then one , so hath the great god of heauen much more ; more , both in succession ( as here , the latter house , and the first ) and in varietie : he hath an house of flesh ( ye are the temples of the liuing god ; ) an house of stone ; ( salomon shal build me an house ; ) an house immateriall in the heauens , . cor. . . wherefore then hath god an house ? wherefore haue we ours ; but to dwell in ? but doth not he himselfe tell dauid , and so doth stephen the protomartyr ( vpon whose day we are falne ) tell the iewes , that he dwells not in temples made with hands ? true ; hee dwells not in his house , as we in ours , by way of comprehension ; he dwells in it by testification of presence . so doe we dwell in our houses , that our houses containe vs , that we are only within them , and they without vs. so doth he dwell in his , that yet hee is elsewhere , yea , euerywhere , that his house is within him . shortly , god dwells where he witnesses his gracious presence , that , because hee doth both in the empyreall heauen , amongst his angels and saints , and in his church vpon earth ; therefore his dwelling is both in the highest heauen in perfect glory ; & on earth , in the hearts and assemblie of his children . as of the former , our sauiour saith ; jn domo patris mei , jn my fathers house are many mansions . so also may wee say of the latter , there is much varietie and choice in it ; there was the church of the iewes , the church of the gentiles ; there is a materiall , and a spirituall house . in the one , salomons , zorobabels , such piles as this : in the other ; so much multiplicitie , as there are nations , yea , congregations that professe the name of christ . one of these was a figure of the other , the materiall , vnder the law ; of the spirituall , vnder the gospell . yee see now the first house , and the latter , the subject of our text and discourse . the latter , commended to vs comparatiuely , positiuely . comparatiuely with the former , maior gloria . positiuely , in it selfe , jn this place will j giue peace . both , set out by the stile of the promiser , and avower ; saith the lord of hosts . all which challenge your christian attention . as the first house ( which was materiall ) was a figure of the second , which is spirituall : so the glorie of that materiall , was a figure of the glorie of this spirituall . now because all the life and glorie of the spirituall , stands in christ the messias , the prophet lookes through the type of the material , at him which shal beautifie , yea , glorifie the spirituall , of whose exihibition the prophet speakes , adhuc modicum , yet a little while , and j will shake the heauens . this modicum was but some . and odde yeeres ; much to men , but a modicum to the ancient of dayes , with whom . yeeres are but one day . it is in and by him , that this latter house vnder the gospell , shall in glorie surpasse that first vnder the law. the prophets had spoken gloriously of the temple that should be ; and now , lest when the people should see the homely and cottagelike reedification of zerubbabel , they should be dis-hartned and offended , the prophet desires to draw their eyes from the stone and timber , to the spirituall inside of the euangelicall church , shewing the glorie of this latter house , to exceed the former . some grosse interpreters haue lookt with iewish eyes vpon the outward fabrick , which was threefold : salomons , zorobabels , herods . salomons , sumptuous and magnificent ; zorobabels , meane and homely ; herods , rich and maiesticall , immodico sumptu , incredibili splendore , as one sayes . salomons was before defaced . now because zorobabels was so farre from making this word good , that the people wept , when they saw the difference ( which caluin well obserues , was not without a speciall prouidence of the all-wise god ; else the iewes would so haue fixed their eyes vpon the outward splendor , that they would neuer haue looked for the spirituall and inward grace of the house of god : ) therefore they haue taken it of herods temple ; the walls and lining whereof were indeed answerable to this prophesie , more glorious . but this conceit , as it is too carnal , so is quite dissonant from the context , both in regard of the precedents , and subsequents . of the precedents : for , how did the desire of all nations come to that pile of herods ? of the subsequents : for , what peace was vnder the herodian temple ? first , the builder of it , was the chiefe oppressor of the iewish libertie : and then secondly , it gaue occasion to the perpetuall miserie of that people . pilate would expilate the treasures of it for aquae ductae ; which denied , cost the iewes much blood . vnder claudius , twenty thousand slaine in a feast of vnleauened bread . jonathas the priest slaine by theeues suborned by foelix , in the very temple ; and euer after , it was the harbour and spoyle of villaines . what hills of carcasses ? what streames of blood was in 't at the last vastation ? enough to amaze any reader : so as in that . yeeres wherein it stood ( longer it did not , ) it was no better then a stage of tragedies , a shambles of crueltie . of that therefore god could not say , dabo pacem ; it was templum adulterinum , as one calls it iustly , and had neither command nor promise : it was the spirituall temple , the euangelicall church , whose glory shal be greater then the iewish , which shall be blessed with the desire of the nations , with the assurance of peace . but why then doth the holy ghost speake of gold and siluer , the costly materials of an outward structure ? euen these very metals are figuratiue : not that god cares so much for them , but because wee doe ; because our eyes vse to bee dazled with this best parcell of earth ; therefore when hee would describe a glorious church , he borrowes the resemblance of gold , siluer , precious stones , esay . and euen by these doth he set forth his new and heauenly ierusalem , reuel . . wherein then is the glory of gods euangelicall house greater , then of the legall ? yea , wherein is it not greater ? whether yee looke to the efficient , the matter , the duration , the extent , the seruice . the efficient , that was built by man , tho directed by god : in this , god himselfe is the architect , not onely giuing the modell , but the frame . the matter , whether of structure , or ornament . the structure of the one was of stone and wood : of the other , is of liuing stones . the ornament of the one was gold and siluer : of the other , diuine graces of faith , charitie , hope , sanctitie , truth , pietie , and all other vertues , to which , gold itselfe were but trash . the duration of the one ( euen that longst-liued temple of salomon , though called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) domus seculi ) was but . yeeres . of the other , beyond time , to eternitie . the extent of the one to be measured by a few poles , yea ( though yee take in the courts , and all ) by a few acres : of the other , vniuersall , so farre as the king of heauen hath any land. the seruice in the one performed by a few men , mortal , sinful , the blood of beasts shed vpon the altar : in the other , performed by our eternall high-priest , after that higher order of melchisedech ; offring vp his owne most precious blood for our redemption . in that , christ iesus was obscurely figured : in this , really exhibited , borne , liuing , dying , rising , ascending , preached , beleeued , liued , euery way therfore both in efficient , matter , duration , extent , seruice , maiorgloria . let no man tell mee now of that iust wonder of the world , the iewish temple ; white marble without , lined with gold within , brazen pillars , golden vessels , costly vayles , an high-priesthood set forth with precious stones , rich robes , exquisite perfumes , curious musick , and what-euer that ancient goodly institution had rare and admirable , i say the clay of the gospell , is more worth then the marble of the law ; euangelicall brasse , more worth then legall gold ; the ragges of the euangelicall priesthood , more excellent then the robes of the leuiticall . in short ; the best of the law is not comparable to the basest of the gospell . iohn baptist was the ianus of both testaments ; he was to the churches , as noah was to the worlds ; he saw both the first , and the latter . it is a great word that our sauiour saith of him , that amongst those which were borne , or rather ( as ours reade it better ) begotten of women , there did not a greater then he arise : but it is a greater word that he speakes of the children of the new testament , that the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he . i stand not vpon examining the comparison , whether it bee ratione sanctitatis , or officii ; it makes either way for my purpose , therfore was john so great , because he was the last of the law , and the first of the gospell : and the old rule is minimum maximi maius est maximo minimi ; therfore is the least in this kingdome of grace greater then he , because hee is all , what john was halfe ; wholly vnder that euangelium regni , which is able to aduance him to a greater perfection , then that harbinger of christ . what a fauour then is it ( right honourable and beloued ) that god hath reserued vs to these better dayes of his gospell , wherein the helpes of saluation are more cleare , obuious , effectuall ; wherein , as the glory of the latter house exceeded the former ; so the meanes of that incomprehensible glorie of the house not made with hands , eternall in the heauens , lye more open vnto vs ? what should we doe , but both vti , and frui , gladly vse , and sweetly inioy this vnspeakable blessing , which god hath kept in store for vs , and walke worthy of so incomparable a mercy . the old iewes liued in the dawning of the day , wherein they had but a glimmering of that sunne , which would rise . wee liue after the high-noone of that happie day . if we walke not answerable to so great a light , what can we looke for , but vtter darkenesse ? yee shall now giue me leaue ( right honourable ) to carrie these words in a meet analogie to the present occasion . the temples vnder the law , were both a figure , and a patterne of the churches vnder the gospell . within this roofe , vnder which we now stand here , was both the former , and the latter house ; and euen in these walls doth god make his word good , that the glorie of this latter house shall bee greater , then of the former . the first foundation of it was , no doubt , both pious and rich . i shall not need to fetch the pedigrees of it from saint iohn baptist in ierusalem , nor to discourse of either the deuotion , or wealth of that religiously-military order , for whom these stones were first layde . imagine the altar neuer so gay , the imagerie neuer so curious ; the vestments neuer so rich ; the pillars , walls , windowes , pauement , neuer so exquisite ; yet i dare boldly say , this present glory of this house in this comely whitenesse , and well-contriued coarctation , is greater then the former . what care i ? nay , what doth god care for the worke of a lapidary , or painter , or mason ? one zealous prayer , one orthodoxe sermō is a more glorious furniture , then all the precious rarities of mechanique excellencies . i doe most willingly ( as what good hart doth not ? ) honour the vertuous actions , and godly intentions of our worthie fore-fathers , which ( no doubt ) it hath pleased god in mercy to accept and crowne , but withall it must be yeelded , that they liued vnder the tyrannous iniurie and vsurpation of those pharises , who kept the keyes of knowledge at their owne girdles , and would neither draw for them , nor suffer them to draw for themselues . blessed be god for better conditions ; the well of life lyes open to vs , neither are wee onely allowed , but inuited to those heauenly liquors , jnebriamini o charissimi , drinke , yea , drinke abundantly , o beloued , cant. . . this happie liberty of the sauing gospell of iesus christ , daily and sincerely preached to vs ( noble and beloued christians ) is worthy to bee more worth vnto vs , then all the treasures , ornaments , priuiledges , of this transitory world ; & this , since through the inestimable goodnesse of god , ye doe , and may find in this latter house . well hath god verified this word in your eies and eares ; the glorie of the latter house shall be greater , then of the former . hitherto the comparatiue prayse of the latter house ; the positiue followes in the promise of a gracious effect ; in this place will i giue peace : wherein i know not whether the blessing doth more grace the place , or the place the blessing ; both grace each other , and both blesse gods people ; in this place will i giue peace . if yee looke at the blessing it selfe , it is incomparable , peace ; that whereby the hebrews had wont to expresse all welfare in their salutations , and wel-wishes ; the apostolicall benediction dichotomizes all good things into grace and peace ; wherein , at the narrowest , by grace , all spirituall fauours were signified ; temporall , by peace . the sweet singer of israel could not wish better to gods church , then , peace be within her walls : and behold , this is it which god will giue , dabo pacem : yea , our eyes should stoope too low , if they should fixe here . the sweete quiristers of heauen , when they sung that diuine caroll , to the honour of the first christmas , next to gloria in excelsis deo , said , in terris pax : yet higher ; the great sauiour of the world , when he would leaue the most precious legacie to his deare ones on earth , that they were capeable of , he sayes , my peace i giue you . and what he there giues , he here promises , dabo pacem , i will giue it . but where ? whence ? in this place . not any where ; not euery where ; but in his own house , in his latter house , his euangelicall house ; as if this blessing were confined to his holy walls , he saith , in this place will i giue peace . this flower is not for euerie syle ; it growes not wilde , but is onely to be found in the garden of sion . it is very pregnāt which the psalmist hath , psal . . . and . . the lord that made heauen and earth , blesse thee out of sion . he doth not say , the lord that made the earth , blesse thee out of heauen ; nor , the lord that made heauen , blesse thee out of heauen ; but , blesse thee out of sion . as if hee would teach vs , that all blessings come , as immediately and primarily frō heauen , so immediatly and secondarily frō sion , where this temple stood . some philosophers haue held the moone to be the receptacle of al the influēces of the heauenly bodies , and the conueyances of thē to this inferior world , so as all the vertue of the vpper orbes and starres are deriued by her , to this elementary sphere . such doth both dauid and haggai repute the house of god ; whither , as to iosephs storehouse , doth god conuey the blessings of peace , that they may be thence transmitted to the sonnes of men . how , and why then doth god giue peace in this his house ? because here ( as bernard well ) deus & audit , & auditur , god heares , and is heard here ; audit orantes , erudit audientes ; hee heares his suppliants , and teacheth his hearers . as this place hath two vses , it is both oratorium , and auditorium : so in respect of both , doth it blesse vs with peace : our mouth procures it in the one , our care in the other ; god workes in our hearts by both . in the first , god sayes , as our sauiour cites it , domus me a domus orationis ; my house shall be called , the house of prayer . and what blessing is it , euen the best of peace , that our prayers cannot infeoffe vs in ? salomon , when hee would consecrate the church hee had built , solemnely sues to god , that he would inuest it with this priuiledge of an vniuersally-gracious audience ; and nūbring the occasions of distressed suppliants , makes it euer the foot of his request ; ( then hearken to the prayer that thy seruant shall make towards this place ; heare thou in beauen , thy dwelling place ; and when thou hearest , haue mercy . ) if euer therefore wee would haue peace outward , inward , priuate , publike , secular , spirituall : if wee would haue peace in our estate , peace in our land , peace in our church , peace in our soules , pray for it . and if euer we will pray for it , pray here , in gods house , for in this place will i giue peace . in vaine shall wee looke for it elsewhere , if we aske it not here . it is true , we are bidden euery where to lift vp pure hands to god : but they cannot bee pure , that are profane ; and they cannot be but profane , that contemne the holy ordinances of god. he said well , in templo vis orare , in te ara ; for ( know you not , that your bodies are the temples of the liuing god ? ) but let me as truly returne it ; in te vis or are , in templo ora ? wouldst thou pray with effect at home ? pray at church ; else thy deuotion is but the sacrifice of fooles ; for hee hath said it , who hath good reason to appoint the circumstances of his owne beneficence , jn this place will j giue peace . will yee then see the reason why there is so much emptie caske in the celler of god ? therfore are men void of grace , because they are voyd of deuotion . they seeke not god where he may bee found ; and therefore it is iust with god not to be found of them , where they pretend to seeke him : for , jn hoc loco ; jn this place will i giue peace . gerson distinguishes well in his sermon de angelis , that there is duplex coelum , a double heauen ; gloriae , & ecclesiae ; of glory aboue , of the church below ; the church is the heauen on earth ; where god is seene , heard , spoken vnto . where are his saints ( whose assemblies are here ; ) where are his angels : ( let the woman haue power on her head , because of the angels , . cor. . ) as the iewes then , whilest the church of god was nationall , were wont ( according to command ) to looke towards the temple , if they could not come to it , in their deuotions : so now that the church is catholike , or vniuersall , and euery of our churches is equally gods house ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) we shal gladly with peter and john , goe vp to this temple to pray ; how can wee looke for a better incouragement , then god giues vs here , in this place will i giue peace ? in the latter , as it is auditoriū , so i create the fruit of the lips to be peace ( saith god. ) naturally we are all ( euen those that applaud themselues in the best opinion of their harmeles , and faire disposition ) enemies to god : enemies both actiuely & passiuely . actiuely , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 god-haters , rom. . passiuely , filii irae , the sons of displeasure . wee fell out in adam , through our own wilfull apostasie and disobedience ; and we still stand out in the maintenance of our inward corruption . there is no way to peace , but by reconciliation ; there is no way to recōciliation ; but by the gospel of iesus christ , which is euangelium pacis ; there is no proper element for the gospell of god , but the house of god ; locus iste , jn this place will j giue peace . it is not ( i know ) for euery hart to apprehend , either the want of this peace , or the miserie of this want . this is one of those happinesses which is most brag'd of , where it is least had . the sensual securitan pleases himself in the conceit of his owne peace . all is well at home ; he quarrels not with himselfe , for hee denies himselfe nothing , god quarrels not with him ; here are no checks of a chiding conscience ; no frownes of an angrie iudge ; nothing but pulchritudo pacis ( as the prophet speakes . ) alas , my beloued , call not this peace , call it stupiditie ; euen hell it selfe is not a kingdome diuided in it selfe . there is no blessing , which is not also counterfeited , pacem veram dabo , is the stile of the prophets , ier. . . this were a needlesse epithet , if there were not a false peace ; such is this of carnall hearts . that word of eternall truth must stand : there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked . haue you seene a sore suddenly fild vp with vnsound flesh , and fairely skinned ouer , without all offence to the eie , which ere long will breake out againe , and bewray a secret , and so much-more-hardly-cured corruptiō ? such is a wicked mans peace . haue you seene a slaue sit quietly in the gally , not struggling with his chaine , not repining at his oare ( necessitas fortiter , consuetudo facile ? ) haue you heard a dying man professe , that hee felt no paine ? such is a wicked mans peace , of which he shall once say , though now all seeme smooth , and plausible ; jn pace amaritudo mea amarissima ; jn peace j had great bitternesse , esay . . neither is the want of this peace lesse perceiued , then the misery of this want . men see no difference in the face of heauen , whatsoeuer they doe ; their blasphemies and prayers find the same intertainement : therefore the carelesse man resolues , i shall haue peace , though i follow the wayes of mine owne heart . oh the miserable sottishnesse of wilfull sinners ! sinne lyes ( like a sleeping bandog ) at the doore of their heart ; they looke vpon him , as if hee would neuer wake ; or , as if though he should , yet he were so clogged , and chained , and muzled , that there can be no danger of his hurt . let god but rowze him vp a little , he shall bay them to despaire ; hee shall flie vpon them , and pull out their throats : then shall their troubled heart proiect terrible things , and they shall feele what it is to liue in the anger of a god. they shall see the almightie putting himselfe into the fearefull formes of vengeance ; who can stand before his indignation ? and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger ? his furie is powred out like fire , and the rocks are throwne downe before him , nahum . . . and if his very loue haue drawne blood of his deare ones : ( terrores domini militant contra me , saith holy iob : the terrors of the lord are set in aray against mee , iob . : ) and hee that bore the chastisements of our peace , the sonne of his loue , could lay ( my god , my god , why hast thou for saken me ? ) oh , what shall be the iudgements of his wrath ? if this be the rod of children , oh , what shall be the scorpions for his enemies ? they shall see that gulfe of fire ready to receiue them into euerlasting burnings . they shall see the deuils their incessant tormentors , ready to seize vpon their guilty soules . then , o then , shall they know , too late , what an happinesse it is , that god here promises , dabo pacem . would we then auoyde the vnspeakeable horror of this wofull condition ? would wee find the bed of our sicknesse and death , comforted with the sweete testimony of an heauenly peace betwixt god and our soules ? see whence we must fetch it ; jn this place will j giue peace . if euer we haue it , wee must haue it from the blessed ordinances of god , his word and sacraments , which this place can affoord vs. in vaine shall yee seeke for this ( deare christians ) in a licentious tauerne , in a rich counting-house , in chambers of dalliance , in full tables , in pompous courts ; no , not in thrones of earthly maiestie . alas , many of these are the make-bates betwixt heauen and vs , most of them can marre , none of them can make our peace . it is onely the despised ministery of the gospell ; the word of reconciliation , ( as it is called , . cor. . . ) which sounds in gods house , that can doe it . as yee loue your soules therefore , as you would find peace at the last , and would looke with a comfortable assurance in the face of death and iudgement ; as yee would see a gracious mercy-seate in the dreadfull tribunall of god , at the day of our last appearance , frequent the house of god ; attend reuerently and conscionably vpon the sacred institutions of god ; yeeld your selues ouer to be wrought vpon by the powerfull gospel of iesus christ . oh , be not you wanting vnto god , he will not bee wanting vnto you , but will make good this promise of his vnfaileable grace , jn this place will i giue peace . it is a great word that is heere spoken , dabo pacem ; and therfore it is vndertakē by an omnipotent agent , i will giue peace . if all the angels of heauen should haue said so , we should soone haue replied , as korah and his company did to moses and aaron ; yee took too much vpon you , numbers . . this worke is not for any finite power ; the stile of peace , is the peace of god ; the stile of god , the mediator betwixt god and man , is , the prince of peace . he is the true salomon , the other was but typicall . it is he onely , that when the disciples were tossed with contrary winds and threatning billowes , could command the winds and waues to a calme . it is hee onely , that when his church is tossed with the winds and waues of raging and impetuous enmitie , can giue outward peace . it is he only , that when the distressed soule is tossed with the winds and waues of strong temptation , of weake diffidence , can giue inward peace iustly therefore doth hee challenge this act as his owne , j will giue peace . we vse to say , it is best treating of peace with a sword in our hand . those who hauc the aduantage of the warre , may command peace : vnderlings must stoope to such conditions , as the victor will yeeld . to shew vs therefore how easily he can giue peace , god stiles himselfe the god of hosts ; a title wherein he takes no small delight , referring not to the being of the creature , but to their marshalling ; not to their naturall estate , but their militarie ; neither would god bee lookt at in it , as a creator , but as a generall . in but two of the prophets , esay and ieremy , no lesse then an hundred and thirtie times hath hee this stile giuen him . euery thing , as it hath an existence from the maker , so an order from the gouernor ; and that order is no other then warlike , wherein it doth ( militare deo ) serue vnder the colours of the almightie . all creatures are both mustred and trained , and placed in garrison , and brought forth into the field , in the seruice of their creator ; they are all excercitus pugnatorum . if yee looke into heauen , there is a company of heauenly souldiers , luke . neither was there only the construction of idolaters , vniuersa militia coeli , to which these burnt incense ; but of moses himselfe ; thus the heauen and the earth were finished , and all the host of them , gen. . . if yee looke to the earth , not men onely , whom reason hath fitted for such designes , but euen the bruite , yea , the basest and indociblest of the brute creatures are ranged into arayes : euen the very locusts , though they haue no leader , yet egrediuntur per turmas , they goe forth by bands , prou. . . and if ye looke into egypt ( where for the time was sedes belli , ) you shal find a band of frogs , that were appointed to march into the very bed-chamber , the bed , the ouens , the dishes of pharaoh ; you shal find an host of lice , of flies , of caterpillers , sent against those egyptian tyrants . else-where , yee shall find troopes of palmer-wormes , of locusts , of canker-wormes , of caterpillers to set vpon israel , ioel . . shortly , where he meanes to preserue , the fierie charrets and horsemen of heauen shall compasse dothan . where he meanes to destroy , the most despicable of his creatures shal be armed , to the ruine of the proudest . doth goliab stalke forth to the defiance of the god of israel ? a pebble out of the brooke shall straw him on the ground . doth an herod heare his flatterers gladly say , nec vox hominom sonat ? stay but a while , god sets his vermine vpon him ; all the kings guard cannot master those lice . he hath hornets for the hiuites and canaanites , exod. . mice for the philistims , iudg. ▪ rats for the couerous prelate : a flye for pope adryan : a world of creatures for either defensiue or offensiue seruices . quare fremuerunt gentes ? why doe the heathen rage , and the people imagine a vaine thing ? the kings of the earth set themselues , and the rulers take councell together against the lord , and against his anointed . presumptuous dust and ashes , that dare rise vp against the god of hosts ! if a silly ant out of a mole-hill should march forth , and proffer to wrestle a fall with a gyant , there were some proportion in this challenge , there is none of a finite power to an infinite . should all the powers of hell band themselues with those on earth , quis restitit ? what power haue they of being , of motion , but from him whom they oppose ? how easily can he blow vpon their enterprizes ? how easily can hee command these to their dust , those to their chaines ? be confounded therefore , o vaine men , whose breath is in your nosthrils ( and that not your owne neither ) when yee thinke of the power and maiestie of the god of hosts . and why are we dismayd with the rumors , or feares of the strongest oppositions ? gebal and ammon , and amalec , the philistims , with them that dwell at tyre ? ashur also is ioyned to the incestuous children of lot : ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) o thou of little faith , why fearest thou ? the lord of hosts is with vs , the god of iacob is our refuge , psal . . come , all yee bands of wickednesse , and conspire against the scepter of the kingdome ( that is , the gospell ) of iesus christ . he hath his armageddon , he hath a feast for the fowles of the aire , and the beasts of the field , whom he hath inuited to the flesh of captaines , and the flesh of kings , reuel . . . i will not bee afraid of ten thousands of people that haue set themselues against mee round about ; dominus suscepit ; the lord hath sustained me , and he is the lord of hosts . yea , why are we apalled , when we see the measures of the sonnes of anak ; the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places ? if wee looke at their number , they are legions . if to their strength , they are principalities and powers . if to their nature , they are spirits that rule in the ayre . wee are men , flesh and blood , single , weake , sinfull . what euer we are , our god is in heauen , and doth whatsoeuer hee will ; hee is the lord of hosts ; though cowards in our selues , yet in him wee are more then conquerors ; hee who is more then all power , then all truth , hath said it ; the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his church . thanks be to god , which giueth vs victory , through our lord iesus christ . lastly , he is the lord of hosts ; his vndertakings are infallible : hath hee said , that the glory of the euangelicall church shall exceede the legall ? hath hee said , that , in this place he will giue peace ? how can the church faile of glory , or the soule of peace ? his word can be no more defectiue , then himselfe impotent . trust god with his owne causes ; trust him with thy selfe ; doe that he bids ; expect what he promises ; haunt this house of his , wait on his ordinances . the lord of hosts shall giue thee that peace , which passeth all vnderstanding ; and with peace , glorie , in that vpper house of his not made with hands , eternall in the heauens . to the possession whereof , that god , who hath ordained vs , in his good time mercifully bring vs. and now , o lord god of hosts , make good thy promises to this house of thine . whensoeuer any suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee , heare thou in heauen , thy dwelling place ; and when thou hearest , haue mercy . what word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place , let it bee the sauour of life vnto life to euery hearer . what sacrament soeuer of thine shall bee in this place administred , let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer . thou that art the god of glory , and peace , giue peace and glorie to thy seruants , for thy mercies sake , for thy sonnes sake , euen the sonne of thy loue , jesus christ the just . to whom with thee , and the holy ghost , one infinite god , be giuen all praise , honour , and thanks giuing , now and for euer . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the least of the greatest is more , then the greatest of the least . gospell of the kingdome . consecrated by heraclius , patriarch of ierusalem . i wil giue peace . glory to god in the highest heauens ; in earth , peace , &c. the gospell of peace . the beauty of peace . i will giue true peace . necessitie hath taught him to beare it strongly , custome easily . who hath resisted his will ? episcopal admonition by the right reverend father in god, dr. joseph hall, late lord bishop of exeter, sent in a letter to the house of commons, april , . hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) episcopal admonition by the right reverend father in god, dr. joseph hall, late lord bishop of exeter, sent in a letter to the house of commons, april , . hall, joseph, - . sheet ([ ] p.) printed for c.g., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of england -- bishops -- early works to . episcopacy -- early works to . broadsides -- england -- london -- th century - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion episcopal admonition by the right reverend father in god , dr. joseph hall , late lord bishop of exeter , sent in a letter to the house of commons , april . . gentlemen , for god's sake be wise in your well meant zeal : why do you argue away pretious time that can never be revoked or repaired ? wo is me , while we dispute our friends perish , and we must follow them ; where are we , if we break ( and i tremble to think ) we cannot but break if we hold so stiff . our liberties and proprieties are sufficiently declared to be sure and legal ; our remedies are clear and irrefragable : what do we fear ? every subject sees the way now chalked out for future justice , and who dares henceforth tread besides it ? certainly , while parliaments live , we need not misdoubt the violations of our freedoms and rights : may we be but where the law found us , we shall sufficiently enjoy our selves and ours ; it is no season to search for more : oh let us not whilst we over-rigidly plead for an higher strain of safety , put our selves into a necessity of ruine and utter despair of redress . let us not in the suspitions of evils that may be , cast our selves into a present confusion . if you love your selves and your country , remit something of your own terms ; and since the substance is yielded by your noble patriots , stand not too vigorously upon points of circumstance . fear not to trust a good king , who after the strict laws made , must be trusted with the execution . think that your country , nay , and christendome , lies on the mercy of your present resolutions . relent , or farewel welfare . from him whose faithful heart bleeds in a vowed sacrifice for his king and country , exeter . london , printed for c. g. . an apologeticall letter to a person of quality, concerning a scandalous and malicious passage, in a conference lately held betwixt an inquisitor at white-hall and mr anthony sadler, published in his inquisitio anglicana. / written by jo. hall bishop of norwich, in vindication of himself. hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) an apologeticall letter to a person of quality, concerning a scandalous and malicious passage, in a conference lately held betwixt an inquisitor at white-hall and mr anthony sadler, published in his inquisitio anglicana. / written by jo. hall bishop of norwich, in vindication of himself. hall, joseph, - . h. s. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for n.b. and are to be sold at the marigold in s. pauls churchyard, london, : [i.e. ] "to the right reverend father in god, dr j. hall" is signed: h.s. annotation on thomason copy: "nou: "; the in the date has been crossed out and replaced with a . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sadler, anthony, b. . -- inquisitio anglicana. hall, joseph, - . libel and slander -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no an apologeticall letter to a person of quality,: concerning a scandalous and malicious passage, in a conference lately held betwixt an inqu hall, joseph c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an apologeticall letter to a person of qvality , concerning a scandalous and malicious passage , in a conference lately held betwixt an inquisitor at white-hall and mr anthony sadler , published in his inquisitio anglicana . written by jo . hall bishop of norwich , in vindication of himself . printer's device " alma mater hinc lvcem et pocvla sacra london , printed for n. b. and are to be sold at the marigold in s. pauls churchyard . to the right reverend father in god , dr j. hall , bishop of norwich . r. r. sir , with my respective remembrance : i cannot blame you , if you were much moved with that wrong which was so publickly done to your name , in that mentioned pamphlet ; whereof we that are your friends are so sensible , as that i have been advised by divers of them to publish that letter of vindication , which you were pleased to addresse privately to me : whereunto i have been easily induced to consent . for though i had at the first receipt of it , purposed to conceal it , as supposing it not needfull to take notice of that aspersion , which was thus cast upon you by a namelesse authour , well knowing that all wise men were satisfied long ago , with that full defence that you made for your self , and which was so effectually seconded by those reverend bishops , and learned doctours , who were in the height of reputation for their profound judgement , and out of all danger of suspicion of any popish inclination : yet now , perceiving that the lesse judicious , and common sort of people are apt to take offence at this imputation , which is so confidently laid upon you by some person that would seem to carry authority in his publick employment ; i have thought it requisite to let this your short vindication to flie abroad ( although thus late ) for the satisfaction of those , who either have not seen the resolutions and apologeticall answers of those learned bishops and doctours , or who are not able to judge of the state of this question , raised ( as you have truly said , and bishop davenant before you ) out of a mere misconstruction of words , and not any reall difference in matter . sir , i hope i have done nothing herein that may be displeasing to you ; since what i have done hath been out of a zealous respect to your dear reputation , which herein suffers too much in the weak opinion of vulgar readers . commending all your studies and holy endeavours to the blessing of the almighty , i take leave , and am nov. . . your much obliged friend to serve you h. s. a brief letter of apologie sent by the r. dr hall b. n. to a private friend . worthy sir , in that strange pamphlet which i received from you yesterday , you cannot marvell if i startled to meet so inexpectly with the name of bishop hall disgracefully ranked with priests and jesuites , and the man that was executed the other day . ( for so it hath pleased my unknown accuser , in his great charity , to range my unworthinesse . ) if my pale and wrinkled cheeks could be any whit capable of the tincture of shame , you may well think what change of countenance these words must needs have wrought in me . lord , ( thought i ) what so hainous crime is this , for which i am thus shamefully arraigned before all the world , now on the brink of my grave ! forsooth , bishop hall ( as the rest of those meet complices ) saith , the church of rome is a true church . [ grave crimen caie caesar . ] what an impotent malice is this , to single out my name thus ignominiously , from all the rest of my profession , for an odious paradox ; when i say no more , no other herein , then all the orthodox divines of christendome ? how must the reader now needs think , sure this bishop hall is a man of corrupt principles , singular for his dangerous mis-opinions , a greater friend to rome then all his fellows ? whenas the world knows that i have already , about yeares ago , clearly vindicated my self from this grosse misconstruction , and shewed that , in my sense , there is no knowing protestant divine that agrees not fully with me . you remember that about the time mentioned , when , upon some passages of the old religion , then published by me , mr burton and some others boggled at that expression ; namely , that the church of rome is yet a true visible church , though extremely corrupted ; and that the quarrell began to wax warm , and the presse to complain of being pestred with opposite tractates : in a due care to lay this ill-raised spirit , besides my own full and satisfactorie apology then set forth , i appealed to other unquestionable divines , the oracles of our church ; writing my publick letters to two famously learned bishops , bishop morton and bishop davenant ; and to two eminent and approvedly orthodox doctours , doctor prideaux , and doctor primrose pastor of the french church ; earnestly desiring them to declare their judgements freely and fully concerning this point . all which have not only in their published answers declared this to be an undoubted truth , in the sense proposed , proving it by sound and convincing reasons , and asserting it , not as their own private opinion , but as conceived by them to be the just and common tenet of all orthodox divines and churches : but withall affirming that those men little know what prejudice they do to the protestant cause , that hold the contrary . the instances whereof it were easy for me to give , were it not that i fear and hate to furnish the adversary with weapons to wound our selves . i wis , those our enemies are quick-eyed enough to espy their own advantages , and our exposednesse to the danger of self-wronging consequences , without our intimation . the grave and solid determination of those godly and judicious divines is still extant in a thousand hands : upon the publication whereof , the world then rested satisfied , my self acquitted , the adversary silenced , and the controversie quieted , which is now thus uncharitably and unadvisedly raked up from under the ashes of a wise and just silence . the truth is , nothing but a grosse and inconsiderate mistake is guilty of this quarrell : the homonymy of this word true , ( as master blake in his answer to master tombes ) besides the fore-named authours ( hath truly observed , ) makes all this seeming difference . if we take a true church for a true believing church ; so the church of rome is far from a true church : if we take a true church for a church truly existing in a visible profession of christianity , so it cannot be denied to be a true visible church . a thief is no true man , yet he is truly a man . so the church of rome , though false in too many of her doctrines , yet hath a true visible being . her clients vainly flatter her with the title of catholick , or universall : we expect no thanks from her to say she is universally corrupted , yet a church visible still . those grosse errours wherewith she abounds , have marred her first purity , but do not forfeit her outward church-ship . it were a strange uncharitablenesse to say that a romanist is no christian ▪ though too many of their tenets are justly branded for antichristian . and where there is a society of christians , not directly and obstinately destroying the foundation , ( though otherwise foul , and erroneous in opinion , ) there cannot be denied a visible appearance of a church . let the church of rome then go for as erroneous , impure , false in matter of opinion and practice , as she is : she cannot be denyed the face of a church , how ever rotten at the heart . all which hath been so judiciously , & amply declared by those learned & worthy contests , whom i formerly mentioned , in their publick discourses of this point , that i am confident , if mr sadler had had leisure to have considered , he would rather have distinguished then denied , and the questionist ( who ever he was ) would , upon second thoughts , have thought good to suffer my innocent name to rest in peace ; whereas now , he hath both wronged me , and himself more , in drawing upon himself an opinion of either ignorance , or uncharitablenesse , or both . god forgive him , i do . thus we too well see how apt nature is , even in those who professe an eminence in holinesse , to raise and maintain animosities against those whose calling , or person they pretend to find cause to dislike ; and perhaps also to brand with the black note of unjust infamy , those who concenter not with them in some lighter opinions , ( although indivisibly theirs , in the brotherhood of the same most holy faith , and meekly affecting to hold with them the unity of the spirit , in the bonds of peace . ) truly sir , ( to open my self freely to you ) nothing hath more wounded my soul , nor drawn deeper sighs from me in secret , then to see that , whereas our dear and blessed saviour hath so vehemently encharged all his true disciples with the duty of mutuall love ; and his chosen vessell , with so zealous importunity , cries down strife , and contention , as arguing mere carnality , and utterly inconsistent with the truth of christian disposition and practice : yet no grace is such a stranger to us ( for the most part ) as charity ; nor no imployment so universally rife amongst us , on all hands , as quarrels and brawlings , both verball and reall , arising commonly from false surmises and misconstructions ; and proceeding ( too often ) not to the scratching of faces , but to the ripping of bowels , and to the stabbing of hearts ; to the infinite scandall of the gospell of peace , and to the sport and triumph of gath and ascalon . now the god of peace , whom we all professe to serve , be pleased for his great mercies sake , to pull out of our bosomes all these roots of bitterness , and to compose our mis-alienated hearts to perfect love and concord , to the glory of his great name , and to the comfort of all those that are faithfull in his sion . sir , you will pardon me , if i have thus passionately enough unloaded my self ( into the bosome of so faithfull a friend ) of my justly conceived grief , to be thus scandalously and causelesly traduced . your love will both put the best construction upon these sudden lines ; and where you meet with this blurre undeservedly cast upon my name , wipe it off with a just and friendly vindication : wherein you shall do an office worthy of the thankfull acknowledgement of higham nov. . . your unfeignedly devoted in all christian affection jos. hall ▪ b. n. holy obseruations. lib. . also some fewe of dauids psalmes metaphrased, for a taste of the rest. by ios. hall hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) holy obseruations. lib. . also some fewe of dauids psalmes metaphrased, for a taste of the rest. by ios. hall hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by h. l[ownes] for samuel macham: and are to be sold at his shop in paules church-yard, at the signe of the bull-head, at london : . printer's name from stc. "some fewe of dauids psalms metaphrased, for a taste of the rest", unpaginated, has separate dated title page; register is continuous. the last leaf is blank except for marginal rules. reproduction of the original in harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian life -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion holy obseruations . lib . i. also some fewe of davids psalmes metaphrased , for a taste of the rest . by ios . hall . at london printed by h. l. for samuel macham : and are to be sold at his shop in paules church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to the right honorable , edward lord denny , baron of waltham , my most boūtifull patron , grace & peace . right honorable : this aduantage a scholler hath aboue others , that hee cannot be idle , and that hee can worke without instruments ▪ for , the mind inured to contemplation will set it selfe on work , when other occasions faile : and hath no more power not to study then the eye which is open hath , not to see somthing ; in which businesse it carries about his owne library , neither can complain to want books while it enioyeth it selfe . i coulde not then neglect the cōmodity of this plentifull leasure in my so easie attendance heere ; but ( though besides my course , and without the help of others writinges ) must needs busie my selfe in such thoughts as i haue heere giuen account of , to your lordship : such , as i hope will not bee vnprofitable nor vnwelcome to their patron , to their readers . i sende them forth from hence , vnder your honorable name ; to shewe you that no absence , no imployment can make mee forget my due respect to your lordship : to whom ( next vnder my gracious maister ) i haue deseruedly bequeathed my selfe and my indeuours . your goodnesse hath not wont to magnifie it selfe more in giuing thē in receiuing such like holy presents : the knowledge whereof hath intitled you to more labours of this nature ( if i haue numbred aright ) then any of your peeres . i misdoubt not either your acceptation , or their vse . that god , who hath aboue all his other fauours giuen your lordship euen in these careless times , an heart truly religious , giue you an happy increase of all his heauenly graces by my vnworthie seruice . to his gracious care i daily commende your lordship with my honorable lady ; wishing you both , all that litle ioy earth can afford you , and fulnesse of glory aboue . non-such . iuly . your lo : most humbly deuoted for euer , in all duty and obseruance , ios . hall. holy obseruations . as there is nothing sooner dry then a teare ; so there is nothing sooner out of season thē worldly sorrowe : which if it be fresh and still bleeding , findes some to comfort and pitty it ; if stale and skinned ouer with time , is rather intertained with smiles then commiseration : but the sorrowe of repētance comes neuer out of time . al times are alike vnto that eternitie , whereto we make our spirituall moanes : that which is past , that which is future , are both present with him . it is neither weake nor vncomely , for an old man to weepe for the sinnes of his youth . those teares can neuer be shed either too soon , or too late . some men liue to be their own executors for their good name ; which they see ( not honestly ) buried , before thēselues dy . some other of great place , and ill desert , part with their good name & breath , at once . there is scarce a vicious man whose name is not rottē before his carcasse . cōtrarily , the good mans name is oft times that heyr to his life ; eyther borne after the death of the parent , for that enuy wold not suffer it to come forth before : or perhaps so well growen vp in his life time , that the hope therof is the staffe of his age , and ioy of his death . a wicked mans name may be feared awhile ; soone after , it is eyther forgotten or cursed : the good mans eyther sleepeth with his bodie in peace , or waketh ( as his soule ) in glorie . oft times those which show much valor while there is equall possibility of life , when they see a presēt necessity of death , are found most shamefully timorous . their courage was before grounded vpon hope : that , cut off , leaues them at once desperate and cowardly : wheras men of feebler spirits meete more cheerefully with death ; because though their courage bee lesse , yet their expectatiō was more . i haue seldome seene the son of an excellent and famous man , excellent : but , that an ill bird hath an ill egge , is not rare ; children possessing as the bodily diseases , so the vices of their parēts . vertue is not propagated : vice is ; euē in them which haue it not raigning in themselues : the grain is sowen pure , but comes vp with chaffe & husk . hast thou a good son ? hee is gods , not thine . is he euill ? nothing but his sinne is thine : help by thy praiers and indeuors to take away that which thou hast giuen him , and to obtaine from god that which thou hast , & canst not giue : els thou maist name him a possession ; but thou shalt finde him a losse . these things be comly & pleasāt to see ; & worthy of honor frō the beholder : a young saint , an old martyr , a religious souldier , a cōscionable states-man , a great man curteous ▪ a learned man hūble , a silent woman , a child vnderstanding the ey of his parēt , a mery cōpaniō without vanitie , a friende not changed with honour , a sick man cheerefull , a soule departing with cōfort and assurance . i haue oft obserued in mery meetings solemnly made , that somewhat hath fallen out crosse , eyther in the time , or immediately vpon it ; to season ( as i thinke ) our immoderation in desiring or inioying our friends : and againe , euentes suspected haue proued euer best ; god herein blessing our awfull submission with good successe . in all these humane things , indifferency is safe . let thy doubtes bee euer equall to thy desires : so thy disappointmēt shall not bee grieuous , because thy expectation was not peremptory . you shall rarely finde a man eminent in sundry faculties of mind , or sundry manuarie trades . if his memory be excellent , his fantasie is but dull : if his fancie be busie and quick , his iudgement is but shallow : if his iudgement be deep , his vttrance is harshe : which also holds no lesse in the actiuities of the hand . and , if it happen that one man be quallifyed with skill of diuers trades , and practice this variety , you shal seldom finde such one thriuing in his estate : with spirituall giftes it is otherwise ; which are so chayned together , that who excels in one hath some eminencie in more , yea in all . look vpon faith : shee is attended with a beuie of graces : hee that beleeues , cānot but haue hope : if hope , patience . he that belieues and hopes must needes finde ioy in god : if ioy , loue of god ; hee that loues god , cannot but love his brother : his love to god breedes piety & care to please , sorrow for offending , feare to offend . his loue to men , fidelity & christian beneficēce : vices are seldō single ; but vertues go euer in troups : they go so thicke , that sometimes some are hid in the croud ; which yet are , but appear not : they may be shut out from sight ; they cannot be seuered . the heauen euer mooues , and yet is the place of our rest : earth euer rests , and yet is the place of our trouble : outwarde motion can be no enemy to inward rest ; as outwarde rest may well stand with inwarde vnquietnesse . none liue so ill , but they contēt themselues in somewhat : euen the begger likes the smell of his dish . it is a rare euill that hath not something to sweeten it , either in sense or in hope : otherwise men woulde growe desperate , mutinous , enuious of others , wearie of themselues . the better that thing is wherein wee place our comfort , the happier we liue : and the more wee loue good things , the better they are to vs. the worldlinges comfort , though it bee good to him because he loves it ; yet because it is not absolutely and eternall good , it failes him : wherein the christian hath iust aduantage of him , while hee hath all the same causes of ioy refined and exalted ; besides more and hyer , which the other knows not of : the worldling laughes more , but the christiā is more delighted . these two are easily seuered : thou seest a goodly picture , or an heap of thy gold : thou laughest not , yet thy delight is more then in a iest that shaketh thy splene : as grief , so ioy is not lesse whē it is least expressed . i haue seene the worst natures , & most depraued minds not affecting all sinnes : but still some they haue condemned in others , and abhorred in themselues : one exclaimes on couetousnesse , yet he can too wel abide riotous good fellowship : another inueighes against drunkennesse and excesse , not caring how cruel he be in vsury and oppression . one cannot indure a rough and quarrellous disposition , yet giues himselfe ouer to vnclean & lasciuious courses : another hates all wrongs , saue wrong to god. one is a ciuill atheist , another a religious vsurer , a third an honest drunkarde , a fourth an vnchaste iusticer , a fift a chaste quarreller . i know not whether euery diuel excel in all sins : i am sure some of them haue denomination from some sinnes more speciall . let no man applaude himselfe for those sinnes he wanteth , but condemn himself rather for that sin he hath . thou censurest another mans sinne , hee thine ; god curseth both . golde is the heauiest of all metalles : it is no wonder that the rich man is vsually carryed downward to his place . it is hard for the soule , clogged with manie weights , to ascēd to heauen : it must be a strong and nimble soule that can carry vp it selfe , and such a lode ; yet adam and noah flewe vp thither with the double monarchy of the worlds the patriarkes with much wealth , maoie holy kings with massie crowns and scepters . the burden of couetous desires is more heauy to an empty soule then much treasure to the full . our affections giue poise or lightnesse to earthly things . either abate of thy lode if thou finde it too pressing , whether by hauing lesse , or louing lesse : or adde to thy strength & activitie , that thou mayst yet ascend . it is more commendable , by how much more harde , to climbe into heauen with a burden . a christian in all his wayes must haue three guides : truth , charity , wisedome : truth to go before him ; charity & wisdome on eyther hand . if any of the three be absent , he walks amisse . i haue seen some doe hurt by following a truth vncharitably : and others while they would salve vp an errour with loue , haue fayled in their wisedome , and offended against iustice . a charitable vntruth , and an vncharitable truth , and an vnwise menaging of truth or loue , are all to be carefullie auoyded of him that woulde goe with a right foot in the narrow way . god brought man forth at first , not into a wildernesse , but a garden ; yet then he expected best seruice of him . i neuer finde that hee delights in the misery , but in the prosperity of his seruants . cheerfulnes pleases him better then a deiected and dull heauinesse of heart . if wee can bee good with pleasure hee grudgeth not our ioy : if not , it is best to stint our selues ; not for that these comforts are not good , but because our harts are euil : falting not their nature but our vse and corruption . the homeliest seruice that we doe in an honest calling , tho it be but to plow , or dig , if done in obedience , & cōscience of gods cōmandement , is crowned with an ample reward ; whereas the best works for their kind ( preaching , praying , offering euangelical sacrifices ) if without respect of gods iniunction and glory , are loded with curses : god loueth aduerbs ; & cares not how good , but how well . the goldē infancy of some hath proceeded to a brazen youth , and ended in a leaden age : all humane maturities have their period : onely grace hath none . i durst neuer laie too muche hope on the forwarde beginnings of witt and memorie , which haue been applauded in children . i knew they could but attaine their vigor ; and that if sooner , no whit the better : for the earlier is their perfection of wisedome , the lōger shal be their witless age . seasonablenesse is best in all these things which haue their ripenesse and decay : wee can neuer hope too much of the timely blossomes of grace , whose spring is perpetuall , and whose haruest begins with our end . a man must giue thankes for some-what which he may not pray for . it hath been sayde of courtiers , that they must receiue iniuries & giue thanks . god cannot wrong his , but hee will crosse them ▪ those crosses are beneficiall ; all benefites challenge thanks : yet i haue read that gods children have with condition prayed against them , neuer for them . in good things we pray both for them , and their good vse : in euill , for their good vse , not themselues : yet , wee must giue thankes for both . for , there is no evill of paine which god dooth not ; nothing that god doth , is not good ; no good thing but is worthy of thankes . one half of the world knowes not how the other liues : and therefore the better sort pitty not the distressed ; and the miserable enuy not those which fare better , because they knowe it not . each man iudges of others condition , by his owne . the worst sort would be too much discontented , if they sawe how farr more pleasant the life of others is : and if the better sort ( such we cal those which are greater ) could look down to the infinit miseries of inferiours , it would make them either miserable in compassion , or proude in conceite . it is good , some-times , for the delicate riche man to look into the poor mans cupboard : and seeing god in mercy gives him not to knowe their sorrowe by experience , to knowe it yet in speculation : this shall teache him more thankes to god , more mercy to men , more contentment in himselfe . such as a mans prayer is for another , it shall be in time of his extreamity for himselfe : for , though he loue himselfe more then others , yet his apprehensiō of god is alike for both . such as his praier is in a former extreamity , it shal be also in death : this way , we may haue experience euen of a thing future : if god haue been far off frō thee in a fit of thine ordinary sicknesse , feare least he will not be neerer thee in thy last : what differs that from this , but in time ? correct thy dulnesse vpon former proofs : or els at last thy deuotion shall want life before thy body . those that come to their meat as to a medicine ( as augustine reports of himself ) liue in an austere & christian tēper , & shal be sure not to ioy too much in the creature , nor to abuse themselues : those , that come to their medicine as to meate , shall be sure to liue miserablie and dye soone : to come to meate as meate , if without a gluttonous appetite & palate , is allowed to christians : to come to meat as to a sacrifice vnto the belly , is a most base & brutish idolatry . the worst that euer were , euen caine and iudas haue had some ●autors that haue honoured them for saints : and the serpent that beguyled our first parents hath in that name had diuine honour and thankes . neuer anie man trod so perilous and deepe steppes , but some haue followed , and admired him . each master of heresie hath found some clients ; euen hee , that taught all mens opinions were true : againe , no man hath been so exquisite , but some haue detracted from him , euen in those qualityes which haue seemed most worthy of wonder to others . a man shall bee sure to be backed by some , eyther in good or euil , and by some shouldred in both . it is good for a man not to stand vpon his abbetters , but his quarrell ; and not to depend vpon others , but himselfe . we see thousands of creatures dye for our vse , and neuer doe so much as pitty them : why do we think much to dye once for god ? they are not ours so much as wee are his ; nor our pleasure so much to vs as his glory to him : their liues are lost to vs , ours but chāged to him . much ornament is no good signe : paynting of the face argues an ill complexion of bodie , a worse minde . truth , hath a face both honest and comely , and lookes best in her owne colours : but , aboue all , diuine truth is most faire , and most scorneth to borrowe beautie of mans witt or tongue : she loveth to come forth in her natiue grace like a princely matrone ; and counts it the greatest indignity , to be dallyed with as a wanton strumpet : she lookes to command reuerēce , not pleasure : she would be kneeled to , not laughed at ; to pranke her vp in vaine dresses and fashions , or to sport with her in a light and youthful maner , is most abhorring from her nature : they know her not , that giue her such entertainment ; and shall first knowe her angry , when they do know her . againe shee would bee playne , but not base , not sluttish : she would be clad not garishly , but not in ragges : shee likes as little to bee set out by a base foyle , as to seeme credited with gaye colours . it is no small wisdome to know her iust guise , but more to followe it ; and so to keepe the meane , that while we please her , wee discontent not the beholders . in worldly carryage so much is a man made of , as he takes vpō himselfe : but such is gods blessing vppon true humility , that it still procureth reuerence . i neuer sawe christian lesse honored for a wise neglect of himselfe : if our deiection proceed from the conscience of our want , it is possible wee should be as little esteemed of others , as of our selues : but if wee haue true graces , and prize them not at the highest ; others shall value both them in vs , and vs for them , and with vsurie giue vs that honour wee with held modestly frō our selues . he , that takes his full liberty in what he may , shall repent him : how much more in what he shoulde not ? i neuer read of christian that repented him of too little worldlie delight . the surest course i have still found in all earthlie pleasures , to rise with an appetite , and to bee satisfied with a little . there is a time when kings goe not forth to warfare : our spirituall warre admitts no intermission : it knowes no night , no winter , abides no peace , no truce . this cals vs not into a garisō , where we may have ease and respite , but into pitched fields cōtinually : we see our enemies in the face alwaies , and are alwayes seene and assalted : euer resisting , euer defēding , receiuing and returning blowes . if eyther wee be negligent or weary , wee dy : what other hope is ther while one fights , & the other stands still ? we can neuer haue safet●● & peace , but in victory . there must our resistance be couragious and constant , whe●● both yielding is death , and all treatyes of peace mortall . neutrality in things good or euil is both odious , and preiudicial ; but in matters of an indifferent nature is safe and commendable : herein taking of parts , maketh sides , and breaketh vnitie . in an vniust cause of separation , hee that fauoureth both partes , may perhaps haue least loue of either side ; but hath most charitie in himselfe . nothing is more absurd then that epicurean resolution , let vs eat and drinke , to morrow wee shall dy : as if wee were made onely for the paunch , & liued that we might liue : yet ther was neuer any naturall man found sauor in that meat which hee knewe should be his last : wheras they should say ; let vs fast and pray , to morrow we shall die : for , to what purpose is the body strengthened that it may perish ? whose greater strength makes our death more violent . no man bestowes a costly roofe on a ruinous tenement : that mans end is easie & happy whom death finds with a weak bodie , and a strong soule . somtimes , euen things in themselues naturally good , are to bee refused for those , which ( being euil ) may be an occasion to a greater good . life is in it self good , and death-euill : els dauid , elias and many excellent martyrs would not have fled , to hold life , and auoid death ; nor ezekiah haue prayed for it , nor our sauiour haue bidden vs to flee for it , nor god promised it to his for a reward ; yet if in some cases wee hate not life , wee loue not god , nor our soules . heerein , as much as in any thing , the peruersnesse of our nature appeares , that wee wishe death , or loue life vpon wrong causes : we would liue for pleasure , or wee woulde die for payne ; iob for his sores , elias for his persecution , ionas for his gourd would presently dye , and will needs outface god that it is better for him to die , then to liue : wherin wee are like to garrison souldiers , that while they liue within safe wals , and showe themselues once a day rather for ceremony & pomp , then neede or daunger , like warrefare well enough ; but if once called foorth to the field , they wish thēselues at home . not onely the least but the worst is ever in the bottome : what shoulde god doe with the dregges of our age ? when sinne will admitt thee his clyent no longer , then god shall be beholdē to thee for thy seruice : thus is god dealt-with in all other offrings ; the worst & least sheafe must bee gods tenth : the deformedst or simplest of our children must bee gods ministers : the vncleanlyest and most carelesse house must be gods temple ; the idlest and sleepyest houres of the day must bee reserued for our praiers ; the worst part of our age for deuotion . wee woulde haue god giue vs stil of the best , and are ready to murmure at euerie little euill he sends vs : yet , nothing is bad enough for him , of whō we receiue all . nature condemnes this inequality : and tells vs , that he which is the author of good , should haue the best ; and hee which giues al should haue his choice . when we go about an euill businesse , it is strange how readie the diuell is to set vs forward ; how carefull that we should want no furtherances : so that if a man would bee lewdly witty , hee shal be sure to be furnished with store of profane iests , wherein a loose heart hath double aduātage of the conscionable . if hee would bee voluptuous , hee shall want neither obiects nor opportunities . the currant passage of ill enterprises is so far from giuing cause of incouragement , that it shoulde iustly fright a man to look back to the author ; and to consider that hee therefore goes fast , because the diuell driues him . in the choice of cōpanions for our conuersation , it is good dealing with men of good natures : for , tho grace exerciseth her power in bridling nature , yet ( sith wee are still men , at the best ) some swinge she will haue in the most mortyfied . austeritie , sullennesse , or strangenesse of disposition , and what-soeuer qualityes may make a man vnsociable , cleaue faster to our nature , then those which are morally euill . true christian loue maie bee separated from acquaintance , and acquaintance from intirenesse : these are not qualities to hinder our loue , but our familiaritie . ignorāce as it makes bold , intruding men carelesly into vnknow'n dangers ; so also it makes men oft-times causelesly fearefull . herod feared christs comming , because he mistooke it : if that tyrant had knowen the manner of his spirituall regiment , hee had spared both his own fright and the blood of others . and hence it is , that wee feare death , because wee are not acquainted with the vertue of it . nothing but innocēce & knowledge can giue sound confidence to the heart . where are diuers opinions , they may be all false ; ther can be but one true : and that one truth oft-times must be fetcht by peece-meale out of diuers branches of contrary opinions . for , it falles out not seldome , that truth is through ignorance or rash vehemency scattred into sundry parts ; and , like to a little siluer melted amongst the ruines of a burnt house , must be tried out from heapes of much superfluous ashes . ther is much paines in the search of it ; much skill in finding it : the value of it once founde requytes the coste of both . affectation of superfluitie , is in all thinges a signe of weaknesse : as , in words hee that vseth circumlocutions to expresse himselfe , showes want of memory , and want of proper speach : and much talk argues a braine feeble & distempered : what good can any earthly thing yield vs beside his vse ? and what is it but vanitie to affect that which dooth vs no good ? and what vse is in that which is superfluous ? it is a great skill to know what is enough , and great wisedome to care for no more . good things , which in absence were desired , now offring themselues to our presence are scarce intertained ; or at least not with our purposed cheerefulnesse . christs comming to vs and our going to him are in our profession wel esteemed , much wished : but when hee singleth vs out by a direct message of death , or by some fearefull signe giueth likelihood of a present returne , wee are as much affected with feare , as before with desire . all changes , although to the better , are troublesome for the time , vntill our settling : ther is no remedy herof but inward preuention : our minde must change , before our estate be changed . those are greatest enemies to religion , that are not most irreligious . atheistes , tho in themselues they be the worst , yet are seldome found hot persecuters of others : wheras those which in some one fundamentall point be hereticall , are commonly most violent in oppositions . one hurts by secret infection , the other by open resistance : one is carelesse of all truth , the other vehement for some vntruth . an atheist is worthy of more hatred , an hereticke of more feare ; both , of auoidance . wayes if neuer vsed cannot but bee faire ; if much vsed are made cōmodiously passable ; if before oft vsed , and now seldome , they become deep and dangerous . if the hart be not at al inured to meditation , it findeth no fault with it self ; not for that it is innocent , but secure ; if often , it findeth comfortable passage for his thoughts ; if rarely , and with intermission , tedious and troublesome . in things of this nature , wee onely escape complaint , if wee vse them eyther alwayes or neuer . our sensual hand holds fast whatsoeuer delight it apprehēdeth : our spirituall hand easily remitteth ; because appetite is stronger in vs thē grace : whence it is that wee so hardly deliuer our selues of earthlie pleasures , which wee haue once entertayned ; and with such difficulty draw our selues to a constant course of faith , hope , and spirituall ioy , or to the renued acts of thē once intermitted . age is naturally weak , and youth vigorous ; but in vs the olde man is strong , the newe faint and feeble : the fault is not in grace , but in vs : faith dooth not want strength , but we want faith . it is not good in worldly estates for a man to make himselfe necessary . for , herupon he is both more toyled , and more suspected : but in the sacred common-wealth of the church , a man cannot bee ingaged too deepely by his seruice : the ambition of spirituall well-doing , breedes no danger . he that doth best , and may worst be spared , is happiest . it was a fit comparison of worldly cares , to thornes : for , as they choak the word , so they prick our soules : neyther the word can grow vp amongst them , nor the heart can rest vpon them : neyther bodie nor soule can finde ease while they are within , or close to vs : spirituall cares are as sharpe ; but more profitable ; they payne vs , but leaue the soule better . they break our sleepe , but for a sweeter rest : we are not wel but either while we haue them , or after wee haue had them . it is as impossible to haue spirituall health without these , as to haue bodily strength with the other . in temporall good things , it is best to live in doubt ; not making full account of that , which we hold in so weak a tenure . in spirituall , with confidence ; not fearing that which is warranted to vs by an infallible promise & sure earnest . he lives most contētedly , that is most secure for this world , most resolute for the other . god hath in nature giuen euery man inclinatiōs to some one particular calling ; which if he follow , he excells ; if hee crosse , he proues a non-proficiēt , & changeable : but all mens natures are equally indisposed to grace , and to the common vocation of christianity : we are all borne heathens . to do well ; nature must in the first be obserued and followed , in the other crossed and ouercome . good-man , is a title given to the lowest ; wheras all titles of greatnesse , worship , honor , are obserued and attributed with choice . the speech of the world bewrayes their minde & showes the common estimation of goodnes compared with other qualities . the world therfore is an il herald , and vnskilful in the true stiles : it were happie that goodnesse were so common ; and pity that it eyther shoulde not stand with greatnesse , or not bee preferred to it . amongst all actions satan is euer busiest in the best , and most in the best part of the best ; as in the ende of prayer when the heart should close vp it selfe with most comfort . hee neuer feares vs , but when wee are well imployed : and the more likelyhood he sees of our profit , the more is his enuie , and labour to distract vs. wee shoulde loue our selues , as much as he hates vs ; and therfore striue so muche the more towardes our good , as his malice striueth to interrupt it . we doe nothing , if we contende not , when wee are resisted . the good soule is ever in contradiction ; denying what is graunted , and contending for that which is denyed ; suspecting when it is gayne-saide , and fearing libertie . god forewarnes ere he try , because he would be preuented : sathan steales vpon vs suddenly by temptations , because he would soile vs. if we relent not vppon gods premonition , and meet not the lingring pase of his punishmēts to forestall them , he punisheth more by how much his warning was more euident and more large ; gods tryals must be met when they come : satans must bee seene before they come ; and if we be not armed ere wee bee assaulted , wee shall be foyled ere wee can bee armed . it is not good to bee continuall in denunciation of iudgement : the noyse , to which wee are accustomed ( tho loud ) wakes vs not ; whereas a lesse if vnusuall stirreth vs : the next waie to make threatnings contemned , is to make them common . it is a profitable rodde that strikes sparingly , and frightes somwhat oftener then it smiteth . want of vse causeth disabilitie , and custome perfection . those that haue not vsed to praie in their closet , cannot pray in publique , but coldely and in forme . hee that discontinues meditation shal be long in recouering ; whereas the man inured to these exercises ( who is not dressed till he haue praied , nor hath supped till hee haue meditated ) dooth both these well , and with ease . he , that intermittes good duties , incurres a double losse : of the blessing that followeth good ; of the facultie of dooing it . christianitie is both an easie yoke , and an hard ; hard to take vp , easie to beare when once taken . the heart requires much labour , ere it can bee induced to stoope vnder it ; and findes as much contentment when it hath stooped . the worldling thinkes religion seruilitie : but , the christian knowes whose slaue hee was , till hee entred into this seruice ; and that no bondage can be so ill , as freedome from these bondes . it is a wonder how full of shiftes nature is ; ready to turne ouer all good purposes . if wee thinke of death , she suggests secretly , tush it shall not come yet : if of iudgement for sinne , this concernes not thee ; it shall not come at all : if of heauen and our labour to reach it ; trouble not thy selfe , it will come soone enough alone : addresse thy self to pray ; it is yet vnseasonable , stay for a better opportunitie : to giue almes ; thou knowest not thy owne future wāts : to reproue ; what neeedest thou thrust thy selfe into wilfull hatred ? euery good action hath his lett : he can neuer be good , that is not resolute . all artes are maides to diuinitie ; therefore they both vayle to her , and do her seruice : and she like a graue mistresse controlls them at pleasure : naturall philosophie teacheth , that of nothing can be nothing made ; and , that from the privation to the habite is no returne : diuinitie takes her vp , for these ; and , vpon supernaturall principles , teaches her a creation , a resurrection . philosophy teaches vs to follow sense , as an infallible guide ; diuinity tels hir , that faith is of things not seen . logick teaches vs first to discourse , then to resolue : diuinity , to assent without arguing . ciuil law teacheth , that long custome prescribeth : diuinity that old things are passed ; morall philosophie that tallying of iniuries is iustice : divinitie , that good must be returned for ill ; policie , that better is a mischiefe then an inconuenience : diuinitie , that wee maie not doe euill that good maie ensue . the schoole is well ordered , while diuinitie keepes the chaire : but , if anie other skill vsurpe it , and checke their mistresse , there can followe nothing but confusion and atheisme . much difference is to bee made betwixt a reuolter , and a man trayned vp in error . a iew and an arryan both deny christs deity : yet this opinion is not in both punished with bodily death . yea , a reuolt to a lesse error is more punishable then education in a capitall heresie . errors of iudgement , tho lesse regarded then errors of practice , yet are more pernicious : but none so deadly as theirs that once were in the truth . if truth be not sued to , it is dangerous ; but if forsaken , desperate . it is an ill argument of a good action not well done , when we are glad that it is done . to bee affected with the comfort of the conscience of wel performing it , is good : but meerly to reioyce that the act is ouer , is carnall . he neuer can begin cheerfully , that is glad he hath ended . hee that dooth not secret seruice to god with some delight , doth but counterfaite in publique . the truth of anie acte or passion is then best tryed , when it is without witnesse . openlie , manie sinister respects may draw from vs a forme of religious duties : secretly , nothing but the power of a good conscience . it is to bee feared , god hath more true & deuout seruice , in closets , thē in churches . words and diseases grow vpō vs with years . in age wee talke much , because wee haue seene much , and soone after shal cease talking for euer : wee are most diseased , because nature is weakest , and death which is neere , must have harbingers : such is the old age of the world. no maruell , if this last time bee full of writing , and weake discourse ; full of sectes and heresies , which are the sicknesses of this great and decaied body . the best ground vntilled soonest runs out into ranke weeds . such are gods children ; ouer-growne with securitie ere they are aware , vnlesse they bee wel exercised both with gods plow of affliction , and their owne industry in meditation . a man of knowledge that is eyther negligent , or vncorrected , cannot but growe wilde and godlesse . with vs vilest things are most common ; but with god the best thinges are most frequently giuen . grace which is the noblest of all gods fauours , is vnpartially b●●●●wed vpon all willing ●eceiuers ; whereas nobilitie of blood and height of place , blessings of an inferiour nature , are reserued for fewe . heerein the christian followes his father ; his prayers which are his richest portion hee communicates to al ; his substance according to his ability , to fewe . god therfore giues , because hee hath giuen ; making his former fauours , ●●●●ments for more : man therefore shuts his hand , because he hath opened it . ther is no such way to procure more from god , as to vrge him with what he hath done . all gods blessings are profitable and excellent ; not so much in themselues , as that they are inducements to greater . gods immediate actions are best , at first . the frame of his creation how exquisite was it vnder his hand ! afterwardes , blemished by our sin : mans indeuours are weake in their beginnings , and perfitter by degrees . no science , no deuise hath euer bin perfite in his cradle ; or at once hath seene his birth and maturitie : of the same nature are those actions which god worketh mediately by vs according to our measure of receit . the cause of both is , on the one side the infinitenesse of his wisedome and power which cannot bee corrected by any second assayes : on the other , our weakenes helping it selfe by former grounds and tryals . hee is an happie man that detractes nothing from gods workes , and addes most to his owne . the olde saying is more cōmon then true ; that those which are in hell know no other heauen : for this makes the damned perfitly miserable , that out of their own torment , they see the felicitie of the saints ; togither with their impossibility of attayning it . sight without hope of fruition is a torment alone : those that heere might see god and will not , or doe see him obscurely and love him not , shall once see him with anguish of soule & not enioie him . somtimes euill speeches come from good men , in their vnaduisednesse ▪ and , somtimes , euen the good speeches of men may proceede from an ill spirit . no confession coulde bee better then satan gaue of christ : it is not enough to consider what is spoken , or by whom ; but whence , & for what . the spirit is oft-times tryed by the speech : but other-times the speech must bee examined by the spirit ; and the spirit , by the rule of an higher word . greatnesse puts hie thoughts , & big words , into a man ; whereas the deiected minde takes , carelesly , what offers it selfe . euerie worldling is base-minded ; & therfore his thoughts creep stil lowe vpon the earth . the christian both is & knowes himselfe truely great ; and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spirituall , immortall , glorious , heauenly thinges . so much as the soule stoopeth to earthly thoughts ; so much is it vnregenerate . long acquaintance as it maketh those things which are euill , to seem lesse euill ; so it makes good thinges which at first were vnpleasant , delightfull . there is no euill of payne , nor no morall good action , which is not harsh at the first . continuance of euill , which might seem to weary vs , is the remedie and abatement of wearinesse : & the practice of good , as it profiteth , so it pleaseth . he that is a strāger to good and euill , findes both of them troublesome . god therefore dooth well for vs , while he exerciseth vs with long afflictions : and wee doe well to our selues while wee continually busie our selues in good exercises . sometimes it is well taken by men , that wee humble our selues lower then there is cause . thy seruant iacob , sayth that good patriarch ; to his brother , to his inferiour . and no lesse well doth god take these submisse extenuations of our selues ; i am a worme & no man : surely i am more foolish then a man , & haue not the vnderstanding of a man in mee . but i neuer finde , that anie man bragged to god although in a matter of truth , and within the compasse of his desert , and was accepted . a man may be too lowly in his dealing with men , euen vnto contempt : with god hee cannot ; but the lower hee falleth , the higher is his exaltation . the soule is fed as the bodie , starued with hunger as the body , requires proportionable diet and necessarie varietie , as the bodie . all ages and statures of the soule beare not the same nourishment . there is milk for spiritual infants , strong meate for the growen christian . the spoone is fit for one , the knife for the other . the best christian is not so growen that hee neede to scorne the spoone : but the weake christian may finde a strong feede dangerous . how manie haue beene cast away with spirituall surfets ; because being but newe-borne they haue swallowed down bigge morselles of the highest mysteries of godlinesse , which they neuer could digest ; but together with them haue cast vp their proper norishment . a man must first know the power of his stomach , ere hee knowe how with safetie and profit to frequent gods ordinary . it is verie hard for the best man , in a suddayne extreamitie of death , to satisfie himself in apprehending his staie , and reposing his heart vppon it : for the soule is so oppressed with suddaine terrour , that it cannot wel commaund it selfe , till it haue digested an euill . it were miserable for the best christian , if all his former prayers and meditations did not serue to ayde him in his last straites , and meete together in the center of his extreamitie : yielding though not sensible reliefe , yet secret benefit to the soule ; wheras the worldly man in this case , hauing not laid vp for this houre , hath no comfort from god , or from others , or from himselfe . all externall good or euill is measured by sense : neither can we account that eyther good or ill , which doth neither actually auaile , nor hurt vs : spiritually this rule holds not . all our best good is insensible . for , al our future ( which is the greatest ) good , we hold onlie in hope ; and the present fauour of god wee haue many times , and feel not . the stomach findes the best digestion euen in sleepe when we least perceiue it ; and whiles wee are most awake , this power worketh in vs eyther to further strength or disease , without our knowledge of what is done within : and on the other side , that man is most dangerously sick , in whome nature decayes without his feeling , without his complaint . to knowe our selues happie , is good : but wo were to vs christians , if wee could not bee happie , and knowe it not . there are none that euer did so much mischief to the church , as those that haue beene excellent in wit & learning . others may bee spightfull enough , but want power to accomplish their malice . an enemy that hath both strength & craft is worthy bee feared . none can sinne against the holy-ghost , but those which haue had former illumination . tell not mee what partes a man hath , but what grace : honest sottishnes is better then profane eminence . the intertainement of all spiritualll euents must bee with feare or hope ; but , of all earthly extreamities , must bee with cōtempt or derisiō . for , what is terrible , is worthy of a christians contempt ; what is pleasant , to bee turned ouer with a scorne . the meane requires a mean affection betwixt loue & hatred . we may not loue them , because of their vanitie : wee may not hate them , because of their necessarie vse . it is an hard thing to bee a wise host ; and to fit our entertainment to all comers : which if it be not done , the soule is soone wasted , eyther for want of customers , or for the mis-rule of ill guests . god and man build in a contrary order . man layes the foundatiō first , then addes the walls , the roofe last . god began the roofe first , spreading out this vault of heauen , ere he layd the base of the earth . our thoughtes must followe the order of his worke-manship . heavē must be minded first ; earth afterwarde : and so much more , as it is seene more . our meditation must herein follow our sense : a fewe miles giue boundes to our view of earth ; wheras wee may neere see half the heaven at once . hee that thinkes most both of that which is most seene , and of that which is not seene at all , is happiest . i haue euer noted it a true signe of a false heart , to be scrupulous and nice in small matters , negligent in the mayne : whereas the good soule is still curious in substātiall points , and not carelesse in things of an inferiour nature ; accounting no dutie so small as to bee neglected , and no care great enough for principall duties : not so tithing mint and cummin , that he should forget iustice and iudgement ; nor yet so regarding iudgement and iustice , that he should contemne mint & cummin . hee that thus misplaces his conscience , will bee found either hypocriticall or superstitious . it argues the world full of atheistes , that those offences which may impeach humane societie , are entertained with an answerable hatred and rigor : those which do immediately wrong the supreme maiestie of god , are turned ouer with scarce so much as dislike . if wee conuersed with god as we doe with men , his right would bee at least as precious to vs as our owne . all that conuerse not with god are without god : not only those that are against god , but those that are without god are atheists . wee may be too charitable : i feare not to say , that these our last times abound with honest atheists . the best thing corrupted , is worst : an ill man is the worst of all creatures , an ill christian the worst of all men , an ill professor the worst of all christians . naturally life is before death , and death is only a priuation of life : spiritually it is contrary : as pavl sayth of the grayne , so may wee of man in the businesse of his regeneration . hee must die before hee can liue ; yet this death presupposes a life that was once , and should bee . god chooses to haue the difficultest , first : we must bee content with the payne of dying , ere we feele the comfort of life . as wee dy to nature , ere we liue in glory : so , wee must die to sinne , ere we can live to grace . death did not first strike adam the first sinfull man : nor cain the first hypocrite ; but abel the innocent and righteous . the first soule that met with death , overcame death : the first soule that parted from earth , went to heaven . death argues not displeasure : because he whō god loved best , dyes first ; and the murtherer is punished with living . the lives of most are mis-spent , only for want of a certayne ende of their actions . wherin , they doe as vnwise archers , shoot away their arrows they know not at what mark : they liue only out of the present , not directing thēselues and their proceedings to one vniuersall scope : whence they alter vpon all change of occasions , and neuer reache anie perfection ; neither can doe other but continue in vncertaintie , and end in discomfort . others ayme at one certaine marke , but a wrong one . some ( tho fewer ) leuell at the right end , but amisse . to liue without one maine and common ende , is idlenesse and folly . to liue to a false ende is deceit and losse : true christian wisdom both shows the end , and findes the way . and as cunning politickes have many plots to compasse one and the same designe by a determined succession : so the wise christian , fayling in the meanes , yet still fetcheth about to his steadie ende with a constant change of indeuours : such one onely lives to purpose , and at last repents not that hee hath lived . the ship-wrack of a good conscience is the casting awaie of all other excellencies . it is no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her graces , and by degrees exposed to shame : so those , whom wee have knowen admired , have fall'n to bee levell with their fellows ; and from thence beneath them , to a mediocrity ; and afterwards to sottishnes and contempt , belowe the vulgar . since they haue cast awaie the best , it is iust with god to take away the worst ; and to cast off them in lesser regardes , which haue reiected him in greater . it hath euer bin counted more noble and succesfull , to set vpon an open enemie in his owne home , then to expect till hee set vppon vs , whiles wee make onely a defensiue warre . this rule serues vs for our last enemy death : whence that olde demand of epicure is easily answered ; whether it bee better death should come to vs , or that we should meete him in the waie : meet him in our minds , ere hee seize vpon our bodies . our cowardlinesse , our vnpreparation is his aduantage : wheras true boldenesse , in confronting him , dismayes and weakens his forces . happie is that soule that can sende out the scoutes of his thoughts before-hand , to discouer the power of death afarre off ; and then can resolutely incounter him at vnwares vpon aduantage : such one lives with securitie , dies with comfort . manie a man sends others to heauen , and yet goes to hell himselfe : and not fewe hauing drawn others to hell , yet themselues returne by a late repentance , to life . in a good actiō it is not good action , it is not good to searche too deeply into the intentiō of the agent , but in silēce to make our best benefit of the worke : in an euil , it is not safe to regard the qualitie of the person , or his successe , but to consider the action abstracted from all circumstances , in his owne kind . so we shall neither neglecte good deedes because they speede not well in some hands , nor affecta prosperous euill . god doth some singular actions , wherein we cannot imitate him ; some wherein wee may not ; most wherin he may and would fain be followed . he fetcheth good out of euill ; so may wee turn our owne & others sinnes to priuate or publique good : we may not doe euill for a good vse ; but wee must vse our euil once done , to good . i hope i shall not offende , to say , that the good vse which is made of sinnes is as gainefull to god , as that which arises from good actions . happie is that man , that can vse eyther his good , well , or his euill . there is no difference betwixt anger and madnesse , but continuance : for , raging ▪ anger is a short madnesse . what else argues the shaking of the hands and lippes , palenesse or rednesse , or swelling of the face , glaring of the eies , stammering of the tongue , stamping with the feet , vnsteadie motions of the whole bodie , rashe actions which wee remember not to haue done , distracted and wilde speeches ? and madnesse againe is nothing but a continued rage , yea some madnesse rageth not : such a mild madnesse is more tolerable then frequent and furious anger . those that woulde keepe state , must keepe aloofe off ; especially if their qualities bee not answerable in height to their place . for , many great persons are like a well-wrought picture vpon a course cloath ; which afarre off shewes faire , but neer hand the roundnesse of the thred marres the good workemanship . concealement of gifts , after some one commended acte , is the best way to admiration , and secret honor : but hee that would profit , must vent himselfe oft and liberally , and showe what he is , without all priuate regarde . as therefore , manie times , honour followes modestie , vnlookt for ; so , contrarily , a man may shewe no lesse pride in silence and obscuritie , then others which speake and write for glorie . and that other pride is so much more the worse , as it is more vnprofitable : for , wheras those which put forth their gifts , benefit others while they seeke themselues ; these are so wholly deuoted to themselues , that their secrecy dooth no good to others . such as a mans delightes and cares are in health , such are both his thoughtes and speeches commonly on his death-bed : the proud man talkes of his faire sutes , the glutton of his dishes , the wanton of his beastlinesse , the religious man of heauēly things . the tongue will hardly leaue that , to which the heart is inured . if we would haue good motions to visit vs while wee are sicke , wee must send for them familiarly in our health . hee is a rare man that hath not some kind of madnesse reigning in him : one a dull madnesse of melancholy , another a cōceited madnesse of pride , another a superstitious madnesse of false deuotion , a fourth of ambition , or couetousnesse , a fift the furious madnesse of anger ; a sixt the laughing madnesse of extreame mirth , a seauenth a drunken madnesse , an eightth of outragious lust , a ninth the learned madnesse of curiositie , a tenth the worst madnesse of profanenesse and atheisme . it is as hard to reckon vp all kindes of madnesses , as of dispositions . some are more noted and punished then others ; for that the mad in one kinde dooth as much condemne another , as the sober man condemnes him . onlie that man is both good , and wise and happie , that is free from all kindes of phrēsie . there bee some honest errors , wherewith i neuer found that god was offended ; that an husband should think his owne wife comely , although ill-fauoured in the eyes of others ; that a man shoulde thinke more meanely of his owne good partes then of weaker in others ; to giue charitable ( though mistaken ) constructions of doubtfull actions and persons ( which are the effectes of naturall affection , humilitie , loue ) were neuer censured by god : herein alone wee erre , if wee erre not . no maruell if the worldling escape earthly afflictions . god correctes him not ; because hee loues him not . he is base-borne and begot : god will not doe him the fauour to whip him . the world afflicts him not ; because it loues him . for each one is indulgent to his owne . god vses not the rodde where he meanes to vse the sword ; the pillory or scourge is for those malefactors which shall escape execution . vveake stomackes which can not digest large meales , feede oft and little : for our soules , that which we want in measure , we must supply in frequence . wee can neuer fully enough cōprehēd in our thoughts the ioyes of heauen , the meritorious sufferings of christ , the terrours of the secōd death : therfore wee must meditate of them often . the same thoughtes doe commonly meet vs in the same places ; as if wee had left them there till our returne . for that the minde doth secretly frame to it self me moratiue heads , wherby it recalls easily the same conceits : it is best to employ our mind there , where it is most fixed . our deuotion is so dull , it cannot haue too many aduantages . i finde but one example , in all scripture , of anie bodily cure which our sauiour wrought by degrees : onely the blind man , whose weake faith craued helpe by others , not by himself , saw men first like trees , then in their true shape . all other miraculous cures of christ were done at once , and perfect at first . contrarily , i finde but one example of a soule sully healed ( that is ) sanctified and glorified , both in a day ; all other by degrees and leasure . the steps of grace are soft & short . those external miracles hee wrought immediately by himselfe ; and therefore no maruell if they were absolute like their author . the miraculous worke of our regeneration he works together with vs ; he giueth it efficacie : wee giue it imperfection . some fewe of dauids psalms metaphrased , for a taste of the rest . by j. h. at london , printed by h. l. for samuel macham . . to my loving and learned cosen , mr samvel bvrton , archdeacon of glocester . indeede , my poetrie was long sithence out of date , & yielded hir place to grauer studies : but whose vaine would it not reuiue to looke into these heauenly songs ? i were not woorthy to be a diuine , if it should repent me to be a poet with david , after i shall haue aged in the pulpit : this worke is holy and strict , & abides not anie youthful or heathenish libertie ; but requires hands free from profanenesse , loosenesse , affectation . it is a seruice to god and the church by so much more carefully to bee regarded , as it is more common . for , who is there that will not challenge a parte in this labour ? and that shall not find himself much more affected with holy measures rightly composed ▪ wherfore i haue oft wondered , howe it coulde be offensiue to our aduersaries , that these diuine ditties which the spirit of god wrote in verse , shoulde bee sung in verse ; and that an hebrue poeme should be made english . for , if this kinde of composition had beene vnfit , god woulde neuer haue made choice of numbers , wherin to expresse himselfe ▪ yea , who knows not , that some other scriptures , which the spirit hath indited in prose , haue yet been happily & with good allowance put into strict numbers ? if histories tell vs of a wanton poet of old , which lost his eyes while he went about to turne moses into verse ; yet euerie student knowes with what good successe and commendatiō nonnvs hath turned iohns gospell into greek heroicks ; and apollinarivs that learned syrian , matched with bazil and gregory ( who lived in his time ) in the tearms of this equality , that bazils speech was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but apollinaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wrote , as svidas reports , all the hebrue scripture in heroicks , as sozomen ( somewhat more restrainedly ) all the archaiology of the iewes , till savls gouernment , in . parts ; or as socrates yet more particularly , all moses in heroicks , and all the other histories in diuerse meeters : but how euer his other labours lie hid , his metaphrase of the psalmes is still in our hands with the applause of all the learned : besides the labours of their owne flaminivs & arias montanvs ( to seeke for no more ) which haue worthily bestowed themselues in this subiect . neither doe i see how it can bee offensiue to our friends , that wee shoulde desire our english metaphrase bettered . i say nothing to the disgrace of that wee haue : i know how glad our aduersaries are of all such aduantages ; which they are ready enough to finde out without mee , euer reproachefully vpbrayding vs with these defectes . but since our whol tralation is now vniuersally reuised ; what inconuenience or showe of innouation can it beare , that the verse should accompanie the prose ? especially since it is well knowne howe rude & homely our english poësy was in those times , compared with the present ; wherin , if euer , it seeth her full perfection . i haue been solicited by som reuered friends to vndertake this taske ; as that which seemed vvell to accord with the former exercises of my youth , and my present profession . the difficulties i founde manie , the worke long & great ; yet not more painefull then beneficiall to gods church . whereto as i dare not professe anie sufficiencie ; so will i not denie my readinesse , and vtmost indeuour , if i shall bee imployed by authoritie : wherfore , in this part , i doe humbly submit my selfe to the graue censures of them , whose wisedome menageth these cōmon affaires of the church : and am readie eyther to stand stil or proceed , as i shall see their cloude or fire goe before or behinde me . onely ( howsoeuer ) i shall for my true affection to the church , wishe it done by better workemen . wherin as you approoue , so further my bolde but not vnprofitable motiō , and commend it vnto greater cares : as i doe you to the greatest . non-such iuly , . your louing kins-man , ios . hall . psal . . in the tune of . psalmes ; giue laud vnto the lord. who hath not walkt astray , in wicked mens advise , nor stood in sinners way ; nor in their companyes that scorners are , as their fit mate , in scoffing chayre , hath euer sate ; but in thy lawes diuine , o lord sets his delight , and in those lawes of thine studies all day and night ; oh , how that man thrise blessed is ! and sure shall gaine eternall blisse . he shall be like the tree , set by the water-springs , which when his seasons be most pleasant fruite forth-brings : whose boughes so greene shall neuer fade , but couered bene with comely shade . so , to this happy wight , all his designes shall thriue : whereas the man vnright , as chaff which winds do driue , with euery blast is tost on hy , nor can at last in safety lie . wherefore , in that sad doome , they dare not rise from dust : nor shall no sinner come to glory of the iust . for , god will grace the iust-mans way ; while sinners race runs to decay . psal . . in the tune of the . psalme ; those that do put their conf . why do the gentils tumults make , and nations all conspire in vain , and earthly princes counsell take against their god ; against the raigne of his deere christ ? let vs , they saine , break al their bonds : & from vs shake their thraldoms yoke , & seruile chain . vvhiles thus alas they fondly spake , he that aloft rides on the skies , laughs all their leud deuise to sco● and when his wrathfull rage shal 〈◊〉 , with plagues shal make the al forlorne , and in his fury thus replyes ; but i , my king with sacred horne anointing , shall in princely guise his head with royall crowne adorne . vpon my syons holy mount his empires glorious seat shall be . and i thus rais'd shall farre recount the tenour of his true decree : my son thou art , said god , i thee begat this daie by due account : thy scepter , do but ask of mee , all earthly kingdomes shall surmount . all nations , to thy rightfull sway , will subiect ; from furthest end of all the world : and thou shalt bray those stubborn foes that wil not bend , with iron mace ( like potters clay ) in pieces small : ye kings attend ; and ye , whom others wont obay , learne wisedome , and at last amend . see , ye serue god , with greater dread then others you : and in your feare reioice the while ; and ( lowely spred ) do homage to his sonne so deare : least he be wroth , and do you dead amids your way . if kindeled his wrath shal be ; o blessed those , that do on him their trust repose . psal . . as the . psalme ; ye children which , &c. ah lord ! how many be my foes ! how many are against me rose , that to my grieued soule haue sed , tush : god shall him no succour yield ; whiles thou lord art my praise , my shield and dost aduance my carefull head . loud with my voice to god i cri'd : his grace vnto my sute reply'd , from out his sions holy hill . i layd me downe , slept , rose againe . for thou o lord dost me sustaine , and sav'st my soule from feared ill . not if ten thousand armed foes my naked side should round enclose , would i be thereof ought a-dred . vp lord and shield me from disgrace : for thou hast broke my foe-mens face , and all the wickeds teeth hast shed . from thee o god is safe defence ; do thou thy free beneficence vpon thy people largely spred . psal . . as the x. commandements ; attend my people . thou witnesse of my truth sincere , my god vnto my poore request vouch-saue to lend thy gracious eare : thou hast my soule from thral releast . fauour me still , and daigne to heare mine humble sute . o wretched wights , how long will yee mine honour deare turn into shame through your despites ? still will ye loue what thing is vaine , and seek false hopes ? know thē at last , that god hath chose & will maintain his fauorite , whom ye disgrac't . god will regard mine instant mone . oh! tremble then , and cease offending ; and , on your silent bed alone , talk with your harts , your waies amending . offer the truest sacrifice of broken hearts ; on god besetting your only trust . the most deuise the waies of worldly treasure getting : but thou , o lord , lift vp to mee the light of that sweet lookes of thine ; so shall my soule more gladsome be , then theirs with al their corn & wine . so i in peace shall lay me down , and on my bed take quiet sleep ; whiles thou , o lord , shalt me alone from dangers all securely keep . psal . . in the tune of . psalme ; now israel may say , &c. bow downe thine eare lord to these words of mine , and well regarde the secret plaints i make . my king , my god , to thee i do betake my sad estate oh do thine eare incline to these loud cryes that to thee powred bin . at early morne thou shalt my voyce attend : for , at day breake , i will my selfe addresse thee to implore , and waite for due redresse . thou dost not lord delight in wickednesse ; nor to bad men wilt thy protection lend . the boasters proud cannot before thee stay : thou hat'st all those that are to sinne deuoted : the lying lippes , & who with bloud are spotted , thou doost abhorre , and wilt for euer slaie : but i vnto thine house shall take the way , and through thy grace aboundant shall adore , with humble feare within thine holy place . oh! lead me lord within thy righteous trace : euen for their sakes that malice me so sore , make smooth thy paths my dimmer eyes before . within their mouth no truth is euer found : pure mischiefe is their heart : a gaping toome is their wide throate ; & yet their tongues stil sound with smoothing words . o lord giue them their doom , and let them fall , in those their plots profound . in their excesse of mischiefe them destroy that rebells are ; so those that to thee flie shall all reioice and sing eternally : and whom thou dost protect , and who loue thee , and thy deare name , in thee shall euer ioy . ● since thou with blisse the righteous dost reward , and with thy grace as with a shield him guard . psal . . as the . psalme ; the mighty god , &c. let mee not lord be in thy wrath reproued : oh! scourge mee not· when thy fierce rage is moued . pity mee , lord , that do with languor pine : heale mee whose bones with paine dissolued bin ; whose weary soule is vexed aboue measure . oh lord how long shall i'bide thy displeasure ! turne thee o lord , rescue my soule distrest ; and saue me , of thy grace . mongst those that rest , in silent death can none remember thee : and in the graue how shouldst thou praised be ? weary with sighs , all night i caus'd my bed to swim : with teares my couch i watered . deepe sorrow hath consum'd my dimmed eyne , sunk in with griefe at these leud foes of mine : but now hence , hence , vaine plotters of mine ill : the lord hath heard my lamentations shrill ; god heard my suit and still attends the same : blush now , my foes , and fly with sudden shame . psal . . as the . psalme ; the man is blest that god doth feare . on thee , o lord my god , relyes mine only trust : frō bloody spight of all my raging enemies oh! let thy mercy me acquite ; least they like greedy lyons rend my soule , whiles none shal it defend ▪ oh lord ! if i this thing haue wrought , if in my hands be found such ill : if i with mischief euer sought to pay good turnes ; or did not still doe good vnto my causelesse foe , that thirsted for my ouerthrowe ; ● then let my foe , in eager chace , ore take my soule , and proudly tread my life belowe ; and with dis-grace in dust lay downe mine honor dead . rise vp in rage , o lord , eft-soone aduance thine arm against my fo'ne : and wake for me till thou fulfil my promis'd right ; so shal glad throngs of people flock vnto thine hill . for their sakes then reuenge my wrōgs , and rouse thy self . thy iudgements be o're al the world : lord iudge thou me ; as truth and honest innocence thou find'st in me , lord iudge thou 〈◊〉 settle the iust with sure defence : let me the wicked's malice see brought to an end . for thy iust eye doth hearts and inward reyns descry my safety stands in god ; who shields the sound in hart : whose doom each day to iust men and contemners yields their due . except he change his waie his sword is whet , to bloud intended , his murdring bowe is ready bended . weapons of death he hath addrest and arrowes keene to pearce my foe , who late bred mischiefe in his brest ; but when he doth on trauell goe , ● brings forth a ly . deep pits he delues , and falls into his pits himselue . ● back to his own head shall rebound his plotted mischiefe ; and his wrongs ● his crown shal craze : but i shal sound iehouah's praise with thankful songs , and will his glorious name expresse , and tell of all his righteousnesse . psal . . as the . psalme ; ye children , &c. how noble is thy mighty name , o lord o're all the worlds wid● frame whose glory is aduanc't on hye aboue the rouling heauens rack ! how for the gracelesse scorners sake , to still th' auenging enemy , hast thou by tender infants tongue , the praise of thy great name made strōg , while they hang sucking on the brest ▪ but when i see thine heauens bright , the moon & glittering stars of night ▪ by thine almighty hand addrest ; oh! what is man , poore silly man , that thou so mind'st him , & dost daine to look at his vnworthy seed ! thou hast him set not much beneath thine angels bright ; & with a wreath of glory hast adorn'd his head . thou hast him made hy souerayne of al thy works ; & stretcht his raigne vnto the heards , and beasts vntame , to foules , and to the scaly traine , that glideth through the watery main . how noble each-where is thy name ! psal . . to the tune of that knowen song , beginning ; preserue vs lord. thee & thy wondrous deeds , o god with all my soule i sound abroad my ioy , my triumph is in thee , of thy drad name my song shal be , o highest god : since put to flight , and fall'n and vanisht at thy sight , are all my foes ; for thou hast past iust sentence on my cause at last : and sitting on thy throne aboue , a rightful iudge thy selfe do'st proue : the troupes profane thy checkes haue stroid and made their name for euer void . ● where 's now , my foes , your threatned wrack ? so well you did our citties sack , and bring to dust ; whiles that ye say , their name shall dy as well as they . ● lo , in eternall state god sits , and his by throne to iustice fits : whose righteous hand the world shall weeld and to al folk iust doom shal yeeld . the poore from hy find his reliefe , the poore in needfull times of griefe : who knowes thee lord , to thee shall cleaue , that neuer do'st thy cliēts leaue . oh! sing the god that doth abide , on sion mount ; and blazon wide his worthy deeds . for , he pursues the guiltlesse bloud with vengeance due : he minds their case ; nor can passe o're sad clamours of the wronged poore . oh! mercy lord ; thou that do'st saue my soule from gates of death & graue : oh! see the wrong my foes haue done ; that i thy praise , to all that gone , through daughter sions beautious gate with thankfull songs may loud relate ▪ and may reioice in thy safe ayd . behold : the gentiles , whiles they made a deadly pit my soule to drowne , into their pit are sunken downe ; in that close snare they hid for mee , lo their owne feet entangled bee . by this iust doom the lord is known , that th' ill are punisht with their own . down shall the wicked backward fall to deepest hell , and nations all that god forget ; nor shall the poore forgotten be for euermore . the constant hope of soules opprest shall not ay dy . rise from thy rest , oh lord , let not men base and rude preuaile : iudge thou the multitude of lawelesse pagans : strike pale fear into those breasts late stubborn were : and let the gentiles feele and find , they been but men of mortall kind . psal . . as the . psalme ; o lord consider why stād'st thou lord aloof so lōg & hid'st thee in due times of need whiles leud men proudly offer wrong vnto the poore ? in their owne deed , and their deuise let them be caught . for lo , the wicked braues and boasts in his vile and outragious thought , and blesseth him that rauins most . on god he dares insult : his pride scornes to inquire of powers aboue , but his stout thoughts haue stil deni'd ther is a god ; his waies yet proue aye prosperous : thy iudgements hye doe farre surmount his dimmer sight . therfore doth he all foes defie : his heart saith ; i shal stand in spight , nor euer moue ; nor danger ' bide . his mouth is fill'd with curses foule , and with close fraud : his tongue doth hide mischief & il : he seeks the soule of harmlesse men in secret wait , and in the corners of the street , doth shed their blood ; with scorne and hate his eyes vpon the poore are set . as some fell lyon in his den , he closely lurkes the poore to spoile , he spoiles the poore and helplesse men , when once he snares them in his toile . he croucheth lowe in cunning wile , and bows his brest ; wheron whol thrōgs of poor , whom his fair showes beguile , fall to be subiect to his wrongs . god hath forgot , ( in soule he sayes ) he hides his face to neuer see . lord god arise ; thine hand vp-raise : let not thy poore forgotten be . shal these insulting wretches scorne their god ; and say thou wilt not care ? thou see'st , ( for all thou hast forborn ) thou see'st what al their mischiefs are ; that to thine hand of vengeance iust thou maist thē take : the poor distressed rely on thee with constant trust , the help of orphans and oppressed . oh! break the wickeds arme of might , and search out al their cursed trains , and let them vanish out of sight . the lord as king for euer raignes . from forth his coasts , the heathen sect are rooted quite : thou lord attēdest to poore mens suites ; thou doo'st direct their harts : to thē thine eare thou bēdest ; that thou maist rescue , frō despight , the wofull fatherlesse , and poore : that , so , the vaine and earthen wight on vs may tyrannize no more . finis . a common apologie of the church of england against the vniust challenges of the ouer-iust sect, commonly called brownists. wherein the grounds and defences, of the separation are largely discussed: occasioned, by a late pamphlet published vnder the name, of an answer to a censorious epistle, which the reader shall finde in the margent. by i.h. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a common apologie of the church of england against the vniust challenges of the ouer-iust sect, commonly called brownists. wherein the grounds and defences, of the separation are largely discussed: occasioned, by a late pamphlet published vnder the name, of an answer to a censorious epistle, which the reader shall finde in the margent. by i.h. hall, joseph, - . robinson, john, ?- . answer to a censorious epistle. [ ], , [ ] p. printed [by william stansby] for samuel macham, and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard, at the signe of the bull-head, london : . dedication signed: ios. hall. a reprinting of and reply to: "an answer to a censorious epistle" by john robinson, the separate printing of which has not survived. printer's name from stc. with two final contents leaves. running title reads: an apologie against brownists. a variant of the edition with "for eleazer edgar" in the imprint. reproduction of the original in the yale university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to 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guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng robinson, john, ?- . -- answer to a censorious epistle. church of england -- controversial literature. brownists -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a common apologie of the chvrch of england : against the vniust challenges of the ouer-iust sect , commonly called brownists . wherein the grounds and defences , of the separation are largely discussed : occasioned , by a late pamphlet published vnder the name , of an answer to a censorious epistle , which the reader shall finde in the margent . by i. h. london printed for samuel macham , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard , at the signe of the bull-head . . to ovr gratiovs and blessed mother , the church of england . the meanest of her children dedicates this her apology , and wisheth all peace and happines . no lesse then a yeare and a halfe is past ( reuerend , deare , and holy mother ) since i wrote a louing monitory letter to two of thine vnworthy sons ; which ( i heard ) were fled from thee in person , in affection , and somewhat in opinion : supposing them yet thine in the maine substance , though in some circumstances their owne . since which , one of them hath wash't of thy font-water as vnclean , and hath written desperately both against thee , and his owne fellowes : from the other , i receiued ( not two moneths since ) a stomakful pamphlet ; besides the priuate iniuries to the monitor , casting vpon thine honourable name blasphemos imputations of apostasie , antichristianisme , whoordome , rebellion : mine owne wronges i could haue contemned in silence , but , for sions sake , i cannot hold my peace : if i remember not thee , o ierusalem , let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth . it were a shame , and sinne for me , that myzeale should be lesse hote for thine innocency , then theirs to thy false disgrace . how haue i hastened therefore to let the world see thy sincere truth , and their peruerse slanders . vnto thy sacred name then ( whereto i haue in all piety deuoted my selfe ) i humbly present this my speedy and dutifull labour : whereby i hope thy weak sonnes may be confirmed , the strong encouraged , the rebellious shamed : and if any shall still obstinately accurse thee , i referre their reuenge vnto thy glorious head , who hath espoused thee to himselfe , in trueth and righteousnesse : let him whose thou art , right thee : in the meane time , we thy true sonnes , shall not onely defend , but magnifie thee : thou maiest be blacke , but thou art comely : the daughters haue seene thee , and counted thee blessed ; euen the queene , and the concubines , and they haue praised thee : thou art thy welbelouedst , and his desire is towards thee : so let it be , and so let thine be towards him for euer ; and mine towards you both , who am the least of all thy little ones , ios . hall . a common apologie against the brownists . section . i. the entrance into the worke . if truth and peace ( zacharyes two companions ) had met in our loue , this controuersie had neuer beene ; the seuering of these two hath caused this separation ; for while some vnquiet mindes haue sought trueth without peace , they haue at once lost truth , peace , loue , vs and themselues . god knowes how vnwillingly i put my hand to this vnkind quarrell : nothng so much abates the courage of a christian , as to call his brother aduersary : we must doe it ; woe to the men by whom this offence commeth : yet by how much the insultation of a brotherly enemy is more intollerable , and the griefe of our blessed mother greater , for the wrong of her owne ; so much more cause i see to breake this silence : if they will haue the last words , they may not haue all . for our carriage to them : they say , when fire the god of the chaldees had deuoured all the other wooden deities , that canopis set vpon him a caldron full of water , whose bottome was deuised with holes stop't with waxe , which no sooner felt the flame , but gaue way to the quenching of that furious idoll . if the fire of inordinate zeale , conceite , contention haue consumed all other parts in the separation , and cast forth ( more then nebuchadnezers furnace ) from their amsterdam hither ; it were well if the waters of our moderation and reason could vanquish , yea abate it : this litle hin of mine shall be spent that way : wee may trie and wish , but not hope it : the spirits of these men are too-well knowne , to admit any expectation of yeeldance : since yet , both for preuention and necessary defence this taske must be vndertaken , i craue nothing of my reader but patience and iustice : of god , victory to the truth : as for fauour , i wish no more then an enemy would giue against himselfe : with this confidence i enter into these lifts , and turne my penne to an aduersary , god knowes , whether more proud or weake . section . ii. the answerers preamble . it is a hard thing euen for those which would seem sober minded men in cases of controuersie , to vse soberly the frownes and disaduantages of causes and times : whereby whiles men are dei●cted and troden downe , they vse to behold their opposites mounted on high , too repiningly , and not without desperate enuie : & so are oftentimes moued , to shoote vp at them as from below , the bitter arrowes of spightfull and splenish discourses , thinking any hatefull opposition sufficiently charitable , to oppugne those aduersaries , which haue them ( as they feele ) at so great an aduantage : vpon this impotent malitiousnesse , it commeth to passe that this aunswerer vndertaketh thus seuerely and peremptorily , to censure that charitable censure of ignorance , which ( as shall appeare in the sequell ) he either simply , or willingly vnderstood not : and to brand a deare church of christ with apostacy , rebellion , antichristianisme : what can bee more easie then to returne accusations ? * your preamble ( with a graue bitternes ) charges me with . presumption vpon aduantages , . weake and weightlesse discourse , . ignorance of the cause censured : it had beene madnesse in me to write , if i had not presumed vpon aduantages , but of the cause , of the truth , not of the times : though ( blessed bee god ) the times fauour the truth , and vs : if you scorn them and their fauours , complaine not to be an vnderling : thinke that the times are wiser , then to bestow their fauours vpon willfull aduersaries ; but in spight of times , you are not more vnder vs in estate , then in conceipt aboue vs : so wee say the sunne is vnder a cloud , we know it is aboue it . * would god ouerlinesse and contempt were not yours , euen to them which are mounted highest vpon best desert ; and now you that haue not learned sobrietie in iust disaduantages , taxe vs , not to vse soberly the aduantages of time : there was no gall in my penne , no insultation , i wrote to you as brethren , and wish't you companions : there was more danger of flattery in my stile , then bitternesse : wherein vsed i not my aduantages soberly ? not in that i said too much , but not enough ; not in that i was too sharpe , but not weighty enough ; my opposition was not too vehement , but too sleight and slender : so , strong champions blame their aduersary , for striking too easily : you might haue forborne this fault , it was my fauour that i did not my worst : you are worthy of more weight , that complaine of ease . the discourse that i rol'd downe vpon you , was weake and weightlesse ; you shall well finde this was my lenitie , not my impotence . the fault hereof is partly in your expectation , not in my letter : i meant but a short epistle , you look't belike for a volume , or nothing ; i meant onely a generall monition ; you look't for a solide prosecution of particulars : it is not for you to giue taskes to others pennes . by what lawe must wee write , nothing but large scholasticall discourses ? such tomes as yours : may we not touch your sore vnlesse wee will launce , and search it ? i was not enough your enemie ; forgiue me this errour , and you shall smart more : but not onely my omissions were of ignorance , but my censures , though seuere and solemne : an easie imputation from so great a controuler : i pardon you , and take this as the common lot of enemies . i neuer yet could see any scribler so vnlearned , as that he durst not charge his opposite with ignorance ; if dr. whitaker , m. perkins , m. gyfford , and that oracle of our present times , dr. andrewes , went away content with this liuerie from yours ; how can i repine ? if i haue censured what cause i knew not , let me bee censured for more then ignorance , impudencie : but if you know not what i censured ( let all my trust lie on this issue ) take both ignorance , boldnesse , and malice to your selfe : is your cause so mysticall ▪ that you can feare any mans ignorance ? what cobler or spinster hath not heard of the maine holds of brownisme ? am i only a stranger in hierusalem ? if i know not all your opinions , pardon me : your owne haue not receiued this illumination ; i speake boldly , not your selfe ; euery day brings new conceites , and not one day teaches , but corrects another , you must be more constant to your selues , ere you can vpbraide ignorance or auoide it : but whether i knew your prime fancies , appeares sufficiently by a particular discourse , which aboue a yeare since was in the hands of some of your clients , and i wonder if not in yours : shortly ; am i ignorant ? if i were obstinate too , you might hope ( with the next gale ) for me , your more equall aduersarie , at amsterdam . as i am ; my want of care and skil , shal ( i hope ) loose nothing of the trueth by you , nor suffer any of your foule aspersions vpon the face of gods church and ours . but whiles we striue ; who shall be our iudge ? the christian readers : who are those ? presume not , yee more zealous and forward countrey men , that you are admitted to this bench : so farre are wee meere english , from being allowed iudges of them ; that they haue already iudged vs to be no * christians : we are goates and swine , no sheepe of god : since then none but your parlour in the west , and amsterdam , must bee our iudges , who ( i beseech you ) shall be our aduersaries ? god be iudge betwixt you and vs , and correct this your vnchristian vncharitablenesse . section . iii ▪ the parties written to , and their crime . i wrote not to you alone : what is become of your partner , yea , your guide ? woe is me , he hath renounced our christendome with our church : and hath wash't of his former water , with new : and now condemnes you all , for not separating further , no lesse then we condemne you for separating so far . as if you could not be enough out of babylon , vnlesse you be out of your selues . alas miserable countrimen , whither runne you ? religion hath but his height , beyond which is errour and madnesse : hee telles you true , your station is vnsafe , either you must forward to him , or backe to vs. * i obiected separation to you : yet not so extreame as your answere bewrayes : a late separation , not the first ; my charity hoped you lesse ill , then you will needes deserue : you graunt it odious , because it casts imputation of euil vpon the forsaken : of euill ? yea of the worst , an estate incurable and desperate . he is an ill phisitian that will leaue his patient vpon euery distemper , his departure argues the disease helpelesse ; were wee but faulty , as your landlord churches , your owne rules would not abide your flight : hence the church of england iustly matches separatists with the vilest persons : god himselfe doth so : who are more vile then patrons of evill ? yet no greater woe , is to them that speake good of euill , then those that speake euill of good : so , wise generalls punish mutinous persons , worse then robbers or adulterers : so corah and his companie ( a storie cunningly turned vpon vs by your martyr ) for their opposition to moses were more fearefully plagued then the idolatrous israelites : these sinnes are more directly against common societie , the other more personall : and if both haue like iniquitie : yet the former haue both more offence and more danger : and if not so , yet who cannot rather brooke a lewd● seruant , then an vnduetifull sonne , though pretending faire colours for his disobedience ? at least , you thinke the church of england thinkes her selfe gods church , as wel as your saints of amsterdam : you that so accurse apostacie in others , could yee expect shee should brooke it in you ? but your reasons are iust and well grounded : euery way of a man is right in his owne eyes : said wee not well , that thou art a samaritane , and hast a diuell , say the iewes ? what schisme euer did not thinke well of it selfe ? for vs : wee call heauen and earth to record , your cause hath no more iustice then your selues haue charitie . section . iiii. the kinds of separation , and which is iust . yet there is a commendable and happie separation , from the world , from the prince , and men of the world , and whatsoeuer is contrarie to god : who doubts it ? there were no heauen for vs without this , no church ; which hath her name giuen by her father and husband of calling out from other . out of the egypt of the world dooth god call his sonnes : but this separation is into the visible church from the world , not ( as yours ) out of the church , because of some particular mixtures with the world : or ( if you had rather take it of profession ) out of the world of pagans and infidels , into the visible church , not out of the world of true ( though ●aultie ) christians into a purer church . that i may here at once for all giue light to this point of separation : we finde in scripture a separation either to good , or from euill : to good , so the leuites were separated from among the children of israel to beare the arke , and to minister : so the first borne , first fruites , and cities of refuge : so paul was ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) separated , which some would haue allude to his pharisaisme , but hath plaine reference to gods owne words ( act. . . ) separate me barnabas and saul : though this is rather a destination to some worthy purpose , then a properly called separation . from euill , whither sinne or sinners : from sinne , so euery soule must eschew euill , whether of doctrine or manners , and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse , whither in himselfe or others . so s. paul charges vs to holde that which is good , and abstaine from all appearance of euill : so ieremie is charged to separate the pretious ( doctrine or practise ) from the vile . from sinners , not onely practised by god himselfe ( to omit his eternall and secret decree whereby the elect are separated from the reprobate ) both in his gratious vocation , sequestring them from nature and sinne , as also in his execution of iudgment , whether particular , as of the israelites from the tabernacles of corah , or vniuersall , and finall , of the sheepe from the goates ; but also inioyned from god to men , in respect either of our affection , or of our yoake , and familiar society , whereof saint paul : be not vnequally yoaked with infidels , come out from among them , and seperate your selues . in all this we agree : in the latitude of this last onely we differ : i finde you call for a double separation , a first separation in the gathering of the church : a second , in the managing of it : the first at our entrance into the church , the second in our continuance : the first of the church , from pagans & worldlings , by an initiatory profession : the second of leud men from the church by iust censures : you speake confusedly of your own separation , one while of both , another while of either single . for the first , either confesse it done by our baptisme , or else you shall be forced to hold we must rebaptise : but of this constitu●ine separation anone . for the second , of sinners , whether in iudgement or life , some are more grosse , haynous , incorrigible : others lesse notorious , and more tractable : those other must be separated by iust censures : not these : which censures if they be neglected , the church is foule and ( in your pastors word ) faultie , and therefore calles for our teares , not for our flight . now of churches faulty and corrupted , some race the foundation , others , on the true foundation build timber , hay , stubble : frō those we must separate , from these we may not . peters is eternall , whither shall we goe from thee , thou hast the wordes of eternall life : where these wordes are found , wo be to vs if we be not found . amongst many good separations then , yours cannot be separated from euill , for that we should so farre separate from the euill , that therefore wee should separate from gods children in the communion of the holy thinges of god , that for some ( after your worst done ) not fundamentall corruptions , wee should separate from that church , in whose wombe we were conceiued , and from betwixt whose knees wee fell to god : in a word ( as one of yours once said ) to separate not only from visible euill , but from visible good , as all antichristian : who but yours can thinke lesse then absurd and impious ? grant we should be cleane separated from the world , yet if we be not , must you be separated from vs ? doe but stay till god haue separated vs from himselfe : will the wise husbandman cast away his corne-heape for the chaffe and dust ? shall the fisher cast away a good draught because his drag-net hath weedes ? doth god separate from the faithfull soule , because it hath some corruptions , her inmates , though not her commaunders ? certainely , if you could throughly separate the world from you , you would neuer thus separate your selues from vs : beginne at home , separate all selfe-loue , and selfe-will , and vncharitablenesse from your heart , and you cannot but ioyne with that church , from which you haue separated : your doctor would perswade vs you separate from nothing but our corruptions : you are honester , and graunt it from our church : it were happie for you , if he lied not : who in the next page confutes himselfe , shewing that you separate from vs , as christ from the samaritans , namely from the church , not the corruptions only ; and not as hee did from the iewes , namely from their corruptions , not from their church : his memory saues our labour , and marres his discourse . section . v. the antiquity and examples of separation . yet if not equity , it were well you could pleade age : this your separation in the nature and causes of it ( you say ) is no lesse auncient then the first institution of enmity betwixt the two seedes , you might haue gone a little higher , and haue said , then our first parents running from god in the garden , or their separation from god by their sinne : but wee take your time , and easily beleeue that this your late separation was founded vpon that auncient enmity of the seede of the serpent , with the womans . that subtile diuell when he saw the church breath from the persecutions of tyrants , vexed her no lesse with her owne diuisions : seeking that by fraude , which by violence he could not effect . hence all the fearefull schismes of the church , whereof yours is part . this enm●ty hath not onely beene successiuely contiuued , but also too visibly manifested by the actuall ( but wilfull ) separation of heretickes and sectaries from the chuch in all ages : but i mistake you , yours is as auncient as the gospel : what ? that euangelium aeternum of the friers ? whose name they accursedly borrowed from reuel . . . or that euangelium regni of the familists ? or that euangelium aliud , whereof saint paul taxeth his galatians ? none of all these , you say ; but as that gospell of peace , of truth , of glory ; so auncient , and neuer knowne till bolton , barrow , and browne ? could it escape all the holy prophets , apostles , doctors of the old , middle , and later world , and light onely vpon these your three patriarchs ? perhaps nouatus or donatus ( those saints ) with their schooles had some little glimpse of it ; but this perfection of knowledge is but late and new : so , many rich mines haue lien long vnknown , and great parts of the world haue been discouered by late venturers . if this course haue come late to your knowledge and obedience , not so to others : for loe , it was practised successiuely in the constitution and collection of all t●ue churches , through al times , before the law , vnder the law , after it : wee haue acknowledged many separations : but as soone shall you finde the time past in the present , as your late separation , in the auncient and approued you quote scriptures , though ( to your praise ) more dainty indeed then your fellowes . who cannot doe so ? who hath not ? euen sathan himselfe cytes the word against him which was the word of his father . let vs not number , but weigh your texts : the rather , for that i finde these as your master-proofes , set as challengers in euery of your defences : in gen. . . caine a bloody fratricide is excommunicated : in gen. . . . the sonnes of god married the daughters of men . in gen. . . & . noah is approued as righteous , and enters the arke : in . pet. . , . the rest in noahs time were disobedient , and perished : what of all this ? alas , what mockage is this of the reader , and scriptures : surely , you euen ioyne scriptures , as you separate your selues : this is right as your pastor , to proue all members of the visible church , elect and pretious stones , cytes . k. . . where is speech only of salomons house in the forest of lebanon , his porch for his throne , his hall , his pallace for pharachs daughter , and when hee comes to describe the office of his imaginary doctor thwacks fourteene scriptures into the margent , whereof not any one hath any iust colour of inference to his purpose : and in his discourse of the power of the church ( that hee might seeme to honour his margent with shew of textes ) hath repeated sixe places twise ouer in the space of sixe lines . for these of yovrs : you might obiect the first to the cainites not to vs : cain was cast out worthily . doe wee either denie , or vtterly forbeare this censure ? take heed you follow him not in your voluntary exile to the land of nod. the second you might obiect to those mungrell christians that match with turkes and pagans . there are sonnes of god , that is , members of the visible church , and daughters of men , which are without the bounds , meere infidels ; it is sinne for those sonnes to yoake themselues with those daughters . what is this to vs ? noah was righteous , the multitude disobedient : who denies it ? yet noah separated not from that corrupted church till the flood separated him from the earth , but continued an auncient preacher of righteousnesse , euen to that peruerse and rebellious generation . but it sufficeth you that caine and the giants were separated from the rest : we yeelde it : what will follow hence saue onely that notorious malefactors must be cast out , and professed heathen not let into the chruch ? vve hold , and wish no lesse : your places euince no more . these , before the law : in leuit. . . . god chose out israel from other people : this was gods act , not theirs : a sequestring of his israelites from the gentiles , not of israel from it selfe : yours is your owne , and from men , in all maine points , of your owne profession : but therefore israel must be holy : if any man denie holinesse to be required of euery christian , let him feele your maranatha . in nehem. . . the israelites separated themselues from the strangers , which were infidels : whether in their marriage , or deuotion : neither gods seruice , nor an israelites bedde was for heathens . this was not the constituting of a new church , but reforming of the olde : if therefore you can parallell vs with pagans , and your selues will bee iewes , this place fittes you . lastly , what if there be an hatred betwixt the world & christs true disciples , ioh. . . ? what if peter charged his auditors to saue themselues from the errours and practise of that froward generation , whose handes were yet freshly imbrued with the blood of christ , act. . . ? what if the same which peter taught , paul practised , in separating his followers from hearing some obstinate and blasphemous iewes , act. . ? vvhat if the church of corinth , were saints by calling , . cor. . ? and therfore must be separated from the yoake of infidels , . cor. . ? are these your patternes ? are these fit matches for your brethren , baptized in the same water and name , professing euery point of the same true faith , vsing ( for substance ) the same worshippe with you ? hee that saith he is in the light , and hateth his brother is in darkenesse , . ioh. . . section . vi. what separation is to be made by churches in their planting , or restauration . bvt all these examples perhappes are not so much to warrant what you haue done , as to condemne the church of england for what shee hath not done : for such a separation she neither hath made nor doth make , but standes actually one with all that part of the world within the kingdome without separation . loe here the maine ground of this schisme , which your proto-martyr barrow hammers vpon in euery page ; an ill constitution : thus he comments vpon your wordes : for where such prophane confuse multitudes without any exception , separation , or choice were all of them from publique idolatrie , at one instant receiued or rather compel'd to be members of the church , in some parish or other , where they inhabited , without any due calling to the faith by the preaching of the gospell going before , or orderly ioyning together in the faith , there being no voluntarie or particular confession of their owne faith and dueties made , or required of any , and lastly no holy walking in the faith amongst them : who can say that these churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built , according to the rule of christs testament . in his words and yours i finde both a mis-collection , and a wronge charge . for the former : the want of noting one poore distinction breedes all this confusion of doctrine , and separation of men : for there is one case of a new church to be called from heathenisme to christianity , another of a former church to be reformed from errours , to more sincere christianity ; in the first of these is required indeede a solemne initiation by baptisme , and before that , a voluntarie and particular confession of faith , and therefore a cleare separation , and exception of the christian , from the infidell : in the latter neither is new baptisme lawfull ( though some of you belike of olde were in hand with a rebaptization : which not then speeding , succeedeth now to your shame ) nor a new voluntary and particular confession of faith besides that in baptisme ( though very commendable ) will euer be prooued simply necessary to the being of a church ; so long as the erring parties doe actually renounce their doctrines , and in open profession imbrace the truth ; and ( as generally in the publique confession ) so particularly vpon good occasion giue iust testimonies of their repentance : this is our case , we did not make a new church , but mended an old : your clifton is driuen to this hold by necessity of argument ; otherwise he sees there is no auoiding of anabaptisme : mended , saith your doctor , and yet admitted the miscelline rabble of the prophane ? say now that such separation were not made : let some few be holy , and the more part prophane : shall the lewdnesse of some disanul gods couenant with others ? this is your mercy ; gods is more : who still held israel for his , when but fewe held his pure seruice : let that diuine psalmist teach you how full the tents of israel were of mutinous rebels in the desert ; yet the piller by day & night forsooke them not ; and moses was so farre from reiecting them ; that he would not indure god should reiect them to his owne aduantage : looke into the blacke censures , and bitter complaints of all the prophets , & wonder that they separated not : looke into the increased masse of corruptions in that declined church : whereof the blessed eyes of our sauiour were witnesses , and maruell at his silent and sociable incuriousnesse : yea his charge of not separating ; yee knowe not of what spirite you are : nowe you flye to constitution , as if notorious euils were more to tollerable in the continuance , then in the collection of assembles : sar di had but a few names that had not defiled their garments ; god praises these , biddes them not separate from the rest ; thyatir● suffers a false prophetesse ? the rest that haue not this learning , yet are bidden but to hold their owne ; not to separate from the angell , which hath not separated iezebel from the church . section . vii . what separation the church of england hath made . your charge is no lesse iniurious ; that the church of england hath made no separation : concerning which , you haue learned of your martyr , and ouerseers so to speake , as if before her late disclamation of popery , in queene elizabeths time , she had not beene . her monuments could haue taught you better , and haue ledde you to her auncient pedigree not much below the apostolike daies , and in many discents haue shew'd you not a few worthy witnesses and patrons of truth ; all which with their holy and constant of-spring it might haue pleased you to haue separated from this imputation of not separating : will you know therefore how the church of england hath separated ? in her first conuersion she separated her selfe from pagans ; in her continuance she separated her selfe from grosse heretiques , and sealed her separation with blood : in her reformation she separated her selfe from wilfull papists by her publique profession of truth , and proclaimed hatred of errour ; and she daily doth separate the notoriously euil by suspensions by excommunications , though not so many as yours : besides the particular separations of many from the acknowledged corruptions , in iudgement , profession , practise . all these will be auowed in spight of all contradiction : with what forehead then can you say ; the whole church of england hath not at all separated ? after all your shifts and idle tales of constitution , you haue separated from this church against the lord , not with the lord , from it : if there be christ with vs , if the spirit of god in vs , if assemblies , if calling by the word : whatsoeuer is , or is not else in the constitution , there is whatsoeuer is required to the essence of a church , no corruption eyther in gathering or continuance can destroy the truth of being , but the grace of being well : if christ haue taken away his word and spirit , you haue iustly subduced ▪ els you haue gone from him in vs. and when you haue al done , the separatists idol , visible constitution , will proue but an appendance of an externall forme , no part of the essence of a true church : and therefore your separation no lesse vain then the ground , then the authours . lastly , if our bounty should ( which it cannot ) grant , that our collection was at first deepely faulty : cannot the ra●ihabition ( as the lawyers speake ) bee drawne backe ? in contracts ( your owne similitude ) a following consent iustifies an act done before consent , and why not in the contract betwixt god , and his visible church ? loe , he hath confirm'd it by his gratious benedictions , and as much as may bee in silence , giuen vs abundant proofes of his acceptation : that after-act , which makes your baptisme lawfull , why can it not make our church ? section . viii . constitution of a church . bbut for as much as constitution is the very state of brownisme , let vs ( i beseech you ) inquire a little into the complexion of your constitution : whether physicke , or lawe , or architecture haue lent you it : sure i am , it is in this vse , apocryphall : neuer man vsed it thus scrupulously till your times : though , what neede you the helpe of fathers or schooles , new words must expresse new paradoxes . it is no treason to coyne tearmes : what then is constitution ? your doctor can best tell vs : as the constitution of a common-wealth , or of a city is a gathering or vniting of people together into a ciuill policy : so ( saith he ) the constitution of the common-wealth of israel , and of the city of god , the new ierusalem , is a gathering and vniting of people into a diuine politie : the forme of which polity , is order : which order is requisite in all actions , and administrations of the church , as the apostle sheweth , and specially in the constitution thereof : so that next vnto faith in god , it is to be esteemed most necessary for all holy societies . hence paul reioyced in the colossians order and faith : to this constitution therefore , belong a people as the matter , secondly , a calling or gathering together as the form , wherof the church consisteth . the constitution of the church of england is false in both : vvhy so ? ha●● we not a people ? are not those people called together ? to preuent this , you say our constitution is false , not none : vvhy false ? because those people haue neither faith , nor order . for faith first : vvho are you , that dare thus boldy breake into the closets of god , the hearts of men ? and condemne them to want that , which cannot be seene by any but diuine eies ? how dare you intrude thus into the throne of your maker ? consider , and conferre seriously : vvhat faith is it , that is thus necessarily required to each member in this constitution ? your owne doctor shall define it : faith required to the receiuing in of members , is the knowledge of the doctrine of saluation by christ . cor. . . gal. . . now i beseech you in the feare of god , lay by a while all vnchristian preiudice , and peremptory verdicts of those soules , which cost christ as much blood as your owne : and tell mee ingenuously , whether you dare say , that not onely your christian brethren with whom you lately conuersed , but euen your forefathers , which liued vnder queene elizabeths ? first confused reformation , knew not the doctrine of saluation by christ : if you say they did not , your 〈◊〉 iudgement shal be punished fearefully , by him whose office you vsurpe . as you looke to answere before him that would not breake the bruised reede ; nor quench the smoaking flaxe , presume not thus aboue men and angels : if they did , then had they sufficient clayme both to true constitution and church : but this faith must be testified by obedience , so it was : if you thinke not so , yours is not testified by loue : both were weake , both were true : weakenes in any grace or worke , takes not away truth : their sinnes of ignorance could no more 〈◊〉 gods couenant with them , them multiplicity of wiues with the patriarches . section . ix . secondly ▪ order . vvhat wanted they then ? nothing but order ; and not all order , but yours : order , a thing requisite and excellent , but let the world indge whether essentiall : consider now , i beseech you in the bowels of christ iesus , whither this be a matter for which heauen and earth should be mixed : whether for want of your order , all the world must be put out of all order , and the church out of life and being : nothing ( say we ) can be more disorderly , then the confusion of your democracy , or popular state ( if not anarchy● ) where all ( in a sort ) ordaine and excommunicate ; we condemne you not for no true members of the church : what can be more order 〈◊〉 ( by your owne confusions ) then the 〈◊〉 ▪ church at amsterdam , which yet you graunt but faulty , if there be disproportion and dislocation of some parts , is it no true humane bodie ? will you rise from the feast , vnlesse the dishes be set on in your owne fashion ? is it no city , if there be mud-walles halfe-broken , low cottages vnequally built , no state house ? but your order hath more essence , then you can expresse ; and is the same which politicians in their trade call ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) an incorporating into one common ciuill body ; by a voluntary vnion , and that vnder a lawfull gouernment : our church wants both : wherein there is both constraint , and false office . take your owne resemblance and your owne asking : say that some tyrant ( as basilius of russia ) shall forceably compell a certaine number of subiects into mosco , and shall hold them in , by an awfull garison , forcing them to new lawes and magistrates , perhappes hard and bloody : they yeeld , and making the best of all , liue together in a cheerefull communion , with due commerce , louing conuersation , submissiue execution of the inioyned lawes : in such case , whether is mosco a true city , or not ? since your doctor cytes aristotle ; let it not irke him to learne of that philosopher , who can teach him , that when clisthenes had driuen out the tyrants from athens , and set vp a new gouernement , and receiued many strangers , and bondmen into the tribes , it was doubted , not which of them were citizens , but whither they were made citizens vniustly . if you should finde a company of true christians in vtmost india , would you stand vpon tearmes , and inquire how they became so ? vvhiles they haue what is necessary for that heauenly profession ; what need your curiosity trouble it selfe with the meanes ? section . x. constraint requisite . you see then what an idle plea constraint is in the constitution of a city , the ground of all your exception : but it is otherwise in gods citie , the church ; why then doth his doctor shippe parallell these two ? and why may not euen constraint it selfe haue place in the lawfull constitution or reformation of a church ? did not manisses after his comming home to god , charge and commaund 〈◊〉 to serue the lord god of israel ? did not worthy iosiah when he had made a couenant before the lord , cause all that were found in ierusalem , and beniamin to stand to it , and compelled all that were found in israel , to serue the lord their god ? what haue queene elizabeth , or king iames done more ? or what other ? did not asa vpon obeds prophesie , gather both iudae and beniamin , and al the strangers from ephraim , manasses , and simeon , and enact with them , that whosoeuer would not seeke the lord god should be slaine ? what meanes this perue●snesse ? you that teach we may not stay princes leasure to reforme , will you not allow princes to vrge others to reforme ? what crime is this , that men were not suffered to be open idolaters , that they were forced to yeeld submission to gods ordinances ? euen your owne teach that magistrates may compell infidelles to heare the doctrine of the church ; and papists , you say elsewhere ( though too roughly ) are infidells : but you say , not to be members of the church : gods people are of the willing sort : true , neither did they compell them to this : they were before entred into the visible church by true baptisme , though miserably corrupted . they were not now initiated , but purged : your 〈◊〉 doctor 〈◊〉 vs from bernard that faith is to be 〈…〉 , to bee compelled yet let him 〈◊〉 that the guests must bee compelled to come in , though not to eat when they are come . compelled , not by perswasions ; for these were the first inuitation● , therfore by further meanes ; though this conceit hath no place with vs ; where men were vrged not to receiue a new faith , but to performe the old ; to abandon that wicked idolatry which had defiled them ; and to entertaine but that truth , which the very power of their baptisme challenge that their hand ▪ but this was the old song of the donatists ; far bee it from our conscience to compell any man to the faith . if god did not draw vs , and by asweat violence bend our wils to his , when should we follow him ? either you haue not read , or not cared for the practise of the auncient church , and augustines resolution concerning the sharpe penalties , imposed vpon the donatists ( would god none of your kindred ) in his time , with his excellent defences of these proceedings . section . xi . constitution of the church of england . bvt tell vs then , what should haue beene done ? the gospell should haue beene euery where preached ; all conuer●s should haue been singled out , and haue gi●en a voluntary and particular confession of their faith , and repentance : i answere you : the gospell was long and worthily preached in the dayes of king edward ; enough to yeeld both martyres to the stake , and professors to the succeeding times : were their holy sermons , their learned writings , and their pretious blood ( which was no lesse vocall ) of no force ? afterwards , in the beginning of famous queene elizabeths reparation , what confluence was there of zealous confessors returning now from their late exile ? how painefully and diuinely did they labour in this vineyard of god ? how did they ( with their many holy partners , which had shrowded themselues during that storme of persecution , in a dangerous secrecy ) spread themselues ouer this land , and each-where drew flockes of hearers to them , and with them ? is all this nothing to their ingrateful posterity ? if you murmure that there was no more , take heede least you forget there were so many : for vs , wee doe seriously blesse god for these , and triumph in them . all this premised ; now comes a christian edict from the state , that euery man shall yeelde obedience to this truth , wherein they had beene thus instructed : it was performed by the most , whose submission , what was it but an actuall profession of their faith , and repentance ? and since such was their face , who dares iudge of their hearts ? more then this , if euer can bee shewed absolutely necessary in such a state of the church to the very constitution , and repaired . beeing thereof , i do here vow neuer to take the church of england for my mother . we know , and grieue to see how scornfully your whole sect , and amongst the rest , your resolute dr. turnes ouer these gratious entrances and proceedings of these two royall and blessed reformers ; and whom should he finde to raise his scoffes vpon , but that saint-like historian master foxe ? now ( saies master foxe ) a new face of things began to appeare , as it were in a stage , new players comming in , the olde thrust out : now ( saieth your doctors comment ) new bishoppes came in , as players vpon the olde stage of the popish church , as if the church were no whit altered , but the men : shall we say this is too much malice , or too little wit , and conscience ? euen in the lord protectors daies , that holy man reports , that after the scriptures restored , and masses abolished , greater thinges followed these softer beginnings , in the reformation of the churches : learned and godly diuines were called for from forraine parts , a separation was made ( though not so much willing , as wilfull ) of open and manifest aduersaries from professors , whether true or dissembled : commissioners were appointed to visite euery seuerall diocesse . euery bench of them had seuerall godly and learned preachers to instruct the people in the truth , and to disswade them from idolatry and superstition . the popes supremacy not thrust , but taught downe : all wil-worshippe whatsoeuer , oppugned by publique sermons : images destroyed , pilgrimages forbidden , the sacraments inioyned to be reuerently , and holily ministred , ecclesiastical persons reformed in life , in doctrine : processions laide downe , presence and attendance vpon gods word commanded , the holy expending of sabboth dayes appointed , due preparation to gods table called for , set times of teaching inioyened to bishoppes and other ministers , all shr●nes and monuments of idolatry required to be vtterly taken from publique and priuate houses : all this , before his parliament : by that , all bloody lawes against gods trueth were repealed , zealous preachers encouraged , so as ( saith that worthy historian ) god was much glorified , and the people in many places greatly edified : what neede i goe further then this first yeare ? heare this and be ashamed , and assure your selues that no man can euer read those holy monuments of the church but must needes spit at your separation . after that sweete and hopefull prince , what his renowmed sister queene elizabeth did , the present times doe speake and the future shall speake , when all these murmurers shall sleepe in the dust . the publique disputations , zealous preachings , restaurations of banished religion and men , extirpations of idolatry , christian lawes , wise and holy proceedings , and renewed couenants with god , are still fresh in the memories of some , and in the eares of all , so as all the world wil iustly say , you haue lost shame with truth , in denying it : yea to fetch the matter yet further , if the reader shall looke backe to the daies of their puissant father king henry the eight , he cannot but acknowledge ( especially during the time of queene anne , and before those sixe bloody articles ) a true face of a church ( though ouer-spreade with some morphue of corruptions ) and some commendable forwardnesse of reformation : for both the popes supremacy was abrogated , the true doctrine of iustification commonly taught , confidence in saints vntaught , the vanity of pardons declared , worshippe of images and pilgrimages forbidden , learned and godly ministers required , their absences and mis-demeaners inhibited , the scriptures translated , publickly and priuately inioyned to be read , and receiued , the word of god commaunded to be sincerely and carefully preached : and to all this , holy master foxe addeth for my conclusion , such a vigilant care was then in the king and his councell , how by all wayes and meanes to redresse religion , to reforme errours , to correct corrupt customes , to helpe ignorance , and to reduce the mis-leadings of christs flocke , drowned in blinde popery , superstitious customes , and idolatry to some better forme of reformation , whereunto he prouided not onely these articles , precepts , iniunctions aboue specified , to inform the rude people , but also procured the bishops to helpe forward the same cause of decayed doctrine , with their diligent preaching , and teaching of the people . goe now & say , that suddenly in one day , by queen elizabeths trumpet , or by the sound of a bell , in the name of antichrist , all were called to the church : goe , say with your patriarch that wee erect religions by proclamations , and parliaments . vpon these premises i dare conclude , and doubt not to maintaine against all separatists in the world that england ( to goe no higher ) had in the daies of king henry the eight , a true visible church of god , and so by consequent their succeeding seede was by true baptisme iustly admitted into the bosome therof , and therefore that euen of them without any further profession , gods church was truly constituted : if you shall say that the following idolatrie of some of them in queene maries daies excluded them : consider how hard it will be to prooue that gods couenant with any people , is presently disanulled by the sinnes of the most , whether of ignorance , or weakenesse ; and if they had herein renounced god , yet that god also mutually renounced them . to shut vppe your constitution then : there is no remedy : eyther you must goe forward to anabaptisme , or come backe to vs : all your rabbines ca●not aunswere that charge of your rebaptized brother : if wee bee a true church , you must returne , if wee bee not ( as a false church is no church of god ) you must rebaptise : if our baptisme be good , then is our constitution good . thus your owne principles teach . the outward parte of the true visible church is a vowe , promise , oathe or couenant betwixt god and the saints : now i aske , is this made by vs in baptisme , or noe ? if it be , then we haue ( by your confession ( for so much as is outwardly required ) a true visible church : so your separation is vniust : if it be not , then you must rebaptise : for the first baptisme is a nullity : and ( if ours be not ) you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any visible church . section . xii . the aunswerers title . as for the title of ring-leader , wherewith i stiled this pamphleter ; if i haue giuen him too much honour in his sect , i am sory : perhappes i should haue put him ( pardon an homely , but in this sense , not vnusall word ) in the taile of this traine : perhaps i should haue endorsed my letter to master smith , and his shadow ; so i perceiue he was : whatsoeuer , whither he lead or follow , god meetes with him : if hee lead : behold i will come against them that prophesie false dreames ( saith the lorde ) and doe tell them , and cause my people to erre by their lies . if he come behinde ; thou shalt not follow a multitude in euill ( saith god ) . if either , or both , or neither , if he will goe alone ; woe vnto the foolish prophets ( saith the lord ) which follow their owne spirits , and haue seene nothing . howsoeuer , your euill shall bee reproued by the light of gods word : your coni●●ction i cannot promise , your reproofe i dare , if therupon you shall finde grace to see and heale your errours , we should with all brotherly humblenesse attend on foote vpon your returne on horse-backe ; but if the sway of your mis-resolued conscience bee heady and vnresistable , and your retyring hopelesse ; these not solide reasons , these pretty pamphlets , these formall flourishes shall one day be fearefull and materiall euidences against you before that awefull iudge , which hath already sayd , that iudgements are prepared for the scorners , and stripes for the backe of fooles . section . xiii . the apostacie of the church of england . i professed to bestow pitie and sorrow vpon you and your wrong : you entertaine both harshly , and with a churlish repulse : what should a man do with such dispositions ? let him stroke them on the backe , they snarle at him ; and show their teeth : let him shew them a cudgell , they flie in his face : you allow not our actions , and returne our wrong ; ours is both the iniurie and complaint : how can this be ? you are the agents , we sit still , and suffer in this rent : yet ( since the cause makes the schisme ) let vs inquire , not whose the action is , but whos 's the desert : our church is deepe drencht in apostacie ; and wee crie peace , peace : no lesse then a whole church at once , & that not sprinkled , or wetshod , but drencht in apostacie ? what , did we fall off from you , or you from vs ? tell me , were we euer the true church of god ? and were we then yours ? we cannot fall vnlesse we once stood : was your church before this apostacie ? show vs your ancestours in opinion : name me but one that euer taught as you doe ; and i vow to separate : was it not ? then we fell not from you : euery apostacie of a church must needs be from the true church ; a true church , and not yours ? and yet can there be but one true ; see now whether in branding vs with apostasie , you haue not proued yours to be no true church : still i am ignorant : queene maries dayes ( you say ) had a true church , which separated from poperie , chose them ministers , serued god holily , from thence was our apostacie : but , were not the same also ( for the most part ) christians in king edvvards dayes ? did they then , in that confused allowance of the gospel , separate ? or ( i pray you ) were cranmer , latimer , ridley , hooper and the rest , parts of that church , or no ? was there any other ordination of ministers then from them ? reiect these , and all the world will hisse at you ; receiue them , and where is our apostacie ? what antichristianisme haue we , whereof these were freed ? but you leape backe ( if i vrge you farre ) from hence to the apostles times , to fe●ch our once true church from farre , that it might bee deare : you shall not carue for vs : we like not these bold ouer-leapes of so many centuries : i speake boldly , you dare not stand to the trial of any church , since theirs : now , i heare your doctor say this challenge sauors of rome : antiquitie is with you , a popish plea : we haue willingly taken vp our aduersaries , at this ( by pretence , their owne ) weapon : you debarre it in the conscience of your owne nouell singularitie : yet your pastor can be content to make vse of tertullian alone against all fathers ; that such things are iustly to be charged with vanitie , as are done without any precept either of the lord or of the apostles : and , the apostles did faithfully deliuer to the nations the discipline they receiued of christ , which we must beleeue to be the tumultuary discipline of the refined house-full at amster dam : what ? all in all ages , and places till now apostates ? say if you can , that those famous churches , wherein cyprian , athanasius , ambrose , hierome , austen , chrysostome , and the rest of those blessed lights liued , were lesse deepe in this apostacy then ours ? o apostaticall fathers , that separated not ! yea , say if you dare , that other reformed churches are not ouer the ankles with vs in this apostacy ? what hard newes is this to vs , when as , your oracle dare say not much lesse , of the reformed churches of netherlands , with whom you liue ? thus he writes : for not hearing of them in other congregations in these countries ; this i answer , that seeing by the mercie of god , we haue seene and forsaken the corruptions yet remayning in the publique ministration , and condition of these churches ( if they be all like to these of this citie ) , we cannot therfore partake with them , in such case , without declining and apostasie from the truth , which we haue our selues already receiued , and professed . see here , to partake with them in gods seruice is apostacy ; if so in the accessoryes , alas , what crime is in the principall ? it were but apostasie to heare an english sermon ; a dutch is no lesse : woe is you that you dwell still in meshech : good men ; it were not more happy for you then the church , that you were well in heauen . no lesse then apostasie ? let no reader bee appalled at so fearefull a word , this is one of the tearmes of arte familiar to this way : find but any one page of a duch printed volume without apostasie , excommunication , commingling , constitution , and suspect it not theirs : heresie is not more frequent at rome , then apostacy at amsterdam , nor indulgences more ordinary there , then here excommunications . common vse makes terrible thinges easie : their owne master sl. for holding with the dutch baptisme , and read-prayers is acknowledged to be cast our for an apostate : yea their doctor mr. a●nsworth is noted with this marke from themselues : there is much latitude ( as happy is ) in their apostasie : for when stanshall mercer and iacob iohnson were to be chosen officers in their church , and exception was taken by some at their apostacy , answere was made , it was not such apostacy as debarred them from office , it was but aslippe . iohn marke ( whether , as isychius and theophilact think , the blessed euangelist , or some other holy minister ) is by the whole parlour at amsterdam , branded with this same apostasie ; who departed indeed , but from paul in his iourney , not from christ in his faith , and therefore his ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) is expounded by ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) act. . . why do we think much to drinke of an euangelists cuppe ? yet let this ignorant epistler teach his censorious answerer one point of his owne ( that is the separatists ) skill : and tell him that hee obiects two crimes to one poore church , which are incompatible ; want of constitution and apostasie . thus writes your master of vs : if it were admitted ( which can neuer bee proued ) that they sometimes had beene true established churches . loe here , we neuer had true constitution , therefore we are not capable of apostasie : if we once had it , and so were true churches , heare , what your pastor saith : as christ giueth to all true churches their being , so wee must leaue it vnto him to take it away , when , and as he pleaseth . and therefore since he hath not remoued his candlesticke , nor taken away his kingdome , in spight of all obiected apostasies , we still continue so : and by consequent your separation vpon this ground is most vniust . an apostate had wont to bee the fearefull surname of damned iulian : tortus was an easie accusar , to whom yet , we may say with elihu , num dicis regi , apostata ? behold now so many apostates as men : holy cyprian describes him by forsaking christs colors , & taking vp arms for gentilisme in life , or herefie in iudgment : and augustine telles vs , there cannot bee a greater sinne then apostasie ; making else-where this sinner , worse then the infidell and the olde vulgar can giue no worse tearme to ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) where he findes it , yea to ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) rebels themselues . what doth this brand to a church , not christian onely ( though you denie it ) but famous : of whom is truely verefied ( after all your splene ) that which the spirit writes to the angel of ephesus : laborasti & non defecisti : say if you can , what article of the christian , and apostolike faith haue we renounced ? what heresie maintaine wee ? wherein haue wee runne from the tents of christ ? what hold we that may not stand with life in christ , and saluation ? vve challenge all men and diuels in this point , for our innocence : distinguish , for starke shame of so foule a word ; or ( which is better ) eate it whole ; and let not this blemish be left vpon your soule and name in the records of god , and the world ; that you once said of a church too good for yours , drencht in apostacy . if we crie peace , whiles you crie apostasie ; surely we flatter , whiles you rayle : betwixt these two dangerous extremes , wee know an wholsome meane , so to approue that we foster not security : so to censure , that we neither reuile , nor separate : and in one word , to doe that which your pastor could exhort the separators from your separation ( for euen this schisme hath schismes ) if we should mislike , yet to rest in our differences of iudgement , and notwithstanding peaceably to continue with the church : had you taken this course , you should neither haue needed to expect our pitie , nor to complaine of our cruelty . surely , whether our loue be cruell , or not , your hatred is , whereof , take heede least you heare from old iacob , cursed be their wrath for it was fierce , and their rage for it was cruell . how can you expect compassion , when you breath fire , and write gall ? neuer mention the fury of others indignation , till the venemous and desperate writings of barrow and greenwood bee evther worne out with time , or by the thunder-bolts of your ( not rare ) censures be strucke downe to hell , whence their maliciousnesse came . i forbeare to recapitulate , how much rather had i helpe to burie , then to reuiue such vn-christian exprobrations ? section . xiiii . the separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the church of england . ingratitude and vnnaturalnesse to your mother is obiected , in that you flie from her , yea now ( wo is me ) that you spit in her face , and mark her for an harlot : vvould god the accusation were as farre from being iust , as from being triuiall : yet perhappes you intend it not in the lightnesse of this charge , but the commonnesse : you haue caused me to smart for my charity , yet i forbeare it not : vvhat is your defence ? that you haue done her no wrong , to your knowledge . modestly spoken , but doubtfully : we know your wrong , but we know not your knowledge : it is well if your wrong be not wilful : an ignorant wrong is both in more hope of amends , and of mercie : but is not this caution added , rather for that you thinke no hard measure can possibly be a wrong to so vile a church ? i aske , and would be denied : no , you doe freely , and with all thankefulnesse acknowledge euery good thing she hath : vvhatsoeuer you doe to vs , i will not any more in fauour of you , wilfully wrong my selfe : you haue bidden men now to take you as a complete separatist : and speake this for your selfe and yours . let the reader now iudge , whether the wrong of your sect be wilful ; and acknowledgment of our good , free and thankfull . your first false-named martyr shall giue the first witnes of the titles of our church : vvho ( saith he ) that were not drunke and intoxicate with the vvhores cuppe ; could affirme this confuse babell , these cages of vncleane birds , these prisons of foule and hatefull spirits , to be the spouse of christ ? and else-where , he calles the people of our church goates and swine . is this any wrong to your knowledge ? the same author : they haue not ( saith he ) in their churches any one thing in their practise and proceedings , not one pin , naile , or hooke according to the true patterne : doe you not now freely and thankefully acknowledge our churches good things ? vvhat is more ordinary with him , and his brother in euill i. greenewood , then to call our worthie ministers baals priests , cainites , the marked seruants of antichrist , sellers of the vvhores wares , worshippers of the beast . is this yet any wrong to your knowledge ? pastor iohnson sticks not to say , that the ministerie and worshippe of the church of england were taken out of the vvhores cuppe : and plainely stiles our church ( as which of you doe not ? ) daughter of the great babilon , that mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth : yet more ; that hierarchy , worshippe , constitution and gouernement , which they professe and practise , being directly antichristian , doe vtterly destroy true christianity , so as their people and churches , cannot in that estate be iudged true christians : do you not now freely and thankfully acknowledge our good things ? what can any diuell of hell say worse against vs then this , that we are no christians ? or what good can there be in vs , if no true christianity ? if wee denied euery article of the christian creed : if we were mahumetans ( as your good pastor stickes not to compare vs ) , if the most damned heretiques vnder heauen , what could he say but no christians ? your teacher and pastour ( which is a wonder ) agree : for your doctor ainsworth makes this one head of his poysonous counterpoyson , that christ is not the head , mediatour , prophet , priest , king of the church of england : you , their disciple are not yet promoted to this height of immodestie ; yet what are your good things ? euen to you , we are apostates , traytors , rebels , babylonish : this is well for a learner : hereafter ( if you will heare me ) keepe our good things to your selfe , and report our euill . yea , that your vncharitablenesse may bee aboue all examples , monstrous ; you doe not onely denie vs any interest in the church of christ , but exclude vs ( what you may ) from all hope and possibilitie of attaining the honour of christendome : for when a godly minister protested to master barrow , the trueth of his ministerie ; vpon the approbation also of his people , hee receiued this answere from him : though you had such allowance , it could nothing auaile , but rather ouerthrow your ministerie ; they being as yet vngathered to christ , and therefore neither may not in this estate chuse them a minister , nor any exercise a ministerie vnto them , without hainous sacriledge , o desperate iudgement ; we neither are christians , nor can be : no christianitie without faith , no faith without the ministerie of the word , no word to vs without sacriledge : what are we , that the very offer of bringing vs to god should be criminall ? these are your acknowledgements of our good : who haue learned of your pastour to kisse and kill all at once : to blesse and curse with one breath : your mercies are cruell . section . xv. the vnnaturalnesse of some principall separatists . bvt who can wonder at your vnnaturalnesse to the church , that heares what measure you mete to your owne ? errour is commonly ioyned with cruelty : the outragious demeanures of the circumcelliones in augustines time ; and more then barbarous tyranny of the arrians before him are wel knowen by all histories , and not enough by any : god forbid , that i should compare you to these . heare rather of nouatus , the father of a not-vnlike sect , of whom cyprian reports , that he would neither bestow bread on his father aliue , nor buriall on him deade , but suffred him both to starue and stinke in the street : and for his wife ( least he should be mercifull to any ) hee spurned her with his heele , and slew his owne childe in her bodie : what need i seeke so far ? i grieue to thinke and report , that your owne pastor hath paralleled this cruelty : his owne brother ( which is no lesse sauadge ) though one of your sect , is the publick accuser and condemner of him in this crime to all the world : who after a pittifull relation of his eight yeares quarrels with him , and foure years excommunication , in his epistle before a large volume to this purpose , writes thus : after all these , hath not our kind , carefull , and old father come a long iourney to make peace ? hath he not laboured with you , the elders and the church , to bring you to peace ? hath hee not vsed the helpe and counsell of the reformed churches herein ? yet will you not be reclaimed , but adding that sinne aboue all , haue also ●●●strously excommunicated your father , the peace-seeker , &c. and straight ; how oft desired he you ( as if he had beene the sonne , and you the father ) euen with teares , that you would repent . in a word , how came he and i to your doore , shewing you that it might bee ( vpon his departing ) you should see his face no more , &c. yet you forced him by your ill dealing , still to leaue vpon you , his curse , and all the curses writen in gods booke against vnthankfull and disobedient children . thus farre a brother concerning a brother , against father and brother ; other strangely-vnkind vsages of both , i had rather leaue to the discouery of master white , and this miserable plaintiue , who haue written enough to make an enemy ashamed : but whereupon was all this fearefull broile in a pure church ? for nothing but a little lace , and whale-bone in his wiues sleeue . the troian warre could not be slaundered with so weighty a beginning . as for your elder , daniel studly ( whom your pastor so much extolleth ) if master whites apostasie may be your shift against his relation ; let him speake who should haue beene a fellow-elder with him , banished for your trueth , though erected by your censure : marke ( saith g. iohns . of this studly ) how the lord hath iudged him with vnnaturalnesse to his owne children , suffering them to lie at other mens feete , and hang on other mens hands , whiles he , his wife , and her daughter fared daintily , and went prankingly in apparell , euen in this place of banishment . it is no ioy to me to blazen these , or your othersins ; would god they were fewer , and lesse in vs all . onely it was fit the world should know , as how vndutiful you are to your common parent , so that father , brother , children beare part with your mother in these your cruelties . section . xvi . what the separatists thinke themselues beholden to the church of england for . if then such bee the good things of our church ; what good can you acknowledge to haue receiued from her ? nothing giues what it hath not : a baptisme perhaps ; alas , but no true sacrament , you say : yea the seale of gracelesnesse and mischiefe ; as little are you beholden to the church for that , as the church to you , for your good acceptation : why are you not rebaptized ? you that cannot abide a false church , why doe you content your selues with a false sacrament ? especially , since our church , being not yet gathered to christ is no church , and therefore her baptisme a nullity . what else doe you owe to the liberality of this step-dame ? you are close ; your pastor is lauish for you both ; who thus speakes of himselfe , and you , and vs : i confesse that whiles i was minister in your church of england , i stood in an antichristian estate , yet doubt i not , but euen then , being of the elect of god i was partaker through faith , of the mercy of god in christ to saluation , but as for you ( master iacob and his fellow-christians ) whiles you thus remaine , you cannot in that estate approue your selues to haue the promise of saluation . behold here , the church of england gaue you but an antichristian estate ; if god giue secret mercy , what is that to her ? gods superabundant grace dooth neither abate ought of her antichristianisme , nor moue you to follow him in couering , and passing by the manifold enormities in our church , wherewith those good things are inseparably commingled : your owne mouth shall condemne you : doth god passe ouer our enormites , and doe you stick , yea separate ? doth his grace couer them , and do you display them ? haue you learned to be more iust then your maker ? or if you be not aboue his iustice , why are you against his mercie ? god hath not disclaimed vs by your owne confession ; you haue preuented him . if princes leisures may not be stayed in reforming , yet shall not gods in reiecting ? your ignorance inwrapped you in our errours : his infinite wisedome sees them , and yet his infinite mercie forbeares them : so might you at once haue seene , disliked , stayed : if you did not herein goe contrary to the courses of our common god , how happy should both sides haue beene ? yea how should there be no sides ? how should wee be more inseparably commingled , then our good and euill ? but should you haue continued still in sinne that grace might haue abounded ? god forbid : you might haue continued here without sinne ( saue your owne ) and then grace would no lesse haue abounded to you , then now your sinne abounds in not continuing : what neede you to surfet of another mans trencher ? others sinnes neede no more to infect you , then your graces can sanctifie them . as for your further light , suspect it not of god : suspect it to be meere darkenesse : and if the light in you be darknesse , how great is that darkenesse ? what ? so true and glorious a light of god , and neuer seene til now ? no worlds , times , churches , patriarches , prophets , apostles , martyrs , fathers , doctors , christians euer saw this truth looke foorth besides you , vntill you ? externall light was gods first creature , and shall this spirituall light , whereby all churches should be discerned come thus late ? mistrust therefore your eyes , and your light : and feare isayes woe , and the iewes miserable disappointment : we wait for light , but loe it is darkenesse , for brightnesse , but we walke in obscuritie . section . xvii . the motherhood of the church of england , how farre it obligeth vs. the church of england is your mother , to her small comfort ; she hath borne you , and repented . alas , you haue giuen her cause to powre out iobs curses vpon your birth-day , by your not onely forsaking but cursing her : stand not vpon her faults , which you shall neuer proue capitall : note only the best parent might haue brought forth are bellious sonne to be stoned . what then ? doe we preferre duetie to piety , and so plead for our holy mother church , that we neglect our heauenly father , yea offend him ? see what you say : it must needes be an holy mother that cannot be pleased without the displeasure of god : a good wife , that opposes such an husband : a good sonne that vpbraides this vniustly : therfore is she a church , your mother , holy , because she bred you to god , cleaues to him , obeyes his commaundements , and commaunds them . and so farre is shee from this desperate contradiction , that she voweth not to hold you for her sonne , vnlesse you honour god as a father . it is a wilful slaunder , that you could not but heynously transgresse vnder her : i dare take it vpon my soule , that all your transgression which you should necessarily haue incurred by her obedience , is nothing so heynous , as your vnchariblenesse in your censures and disobedience . conscience is a common plea euen to those you hate : we inquire not how strong it is , but how well informed : not whether it suggest this , but whereuppon . to goe against the conscience is sinne , to follow a mis-informed conscience is sinne also : if you do not the first , we know you are faulty in the second : he that is greater then the conscience will not take this for an excuse : but wherein should haue beene this transgression : so vnauoidable , heynous , against conscience ? first in the want of many ordinances , to which we are most strictly bound , both by gods word , and our owne necessities . section . xviii . the want of pretended ordinances of god , whether sinfull to vs : and whether they are to be set vp without princes . can you thinke this hangs well together ? you should here want many of gods ordinances : why should you want them ? because you are not suffered to inioy them : who hinders it ? superior powers : did euer man willfully and heynously offend , . for wanting of that which he could not haue ? what hath conscience to doe with that which is out of our power ? is necessity with you become a sinne , and that haynous ? dauid is driuen to lurke in the wildernesse , and forced to want the vse of many diuine ordinances : it was his sorrow , not his transgression , he complaines of this , but doth he accuse himselfe of sinne ? not to desire them had beene sinne , no sin to be debat'd them : well might this be sauls sin but not his . haue you not sinnes enow of your owne , that you must needes borrow of others ? but i see your ground : you are bound to haue these ordinances ; and therefore without princes , yea against them : so it is your transgression to want them in spight of magistrates , gaudentius the donatist taught you this of old ; and this is one of the hebrew songs which master b●rrow sings to vs in babylon , that we care not to make christ attend vpon princes , and to be subiect to their lawes , and gouernment : and his predecessor ( the roote of your sect ) tels vs in this sense the kingdome of heauen must suffer violence ; and that it comes not with obseruation ; that men may say , loe the parliament or loe the bishops decrees : and in the same treatise . the lords kingdome must wait on your policy , forsooth ; and his church must be framed to your ciuill state &c. iust as that donatist of old , in augustine , quid vobis &c. what haue you to doe with worldly emperours ? and as that other in optatus : quid imperatori cum ecclesia ? what hath the emperour to doe with the church ? yea your martyr feares not to teach vs , that gods seruants being as yet priuate men , may and must together build his church , though all the princes of the world should prohibit the same vpon paine of death : belike then you should sin haynously , if you should not be rebels : the question is not , whether we shold aske leaue of princes to be christians ; but whether of christian princes wee should aske leaue to establish circumstances of gouernment : god must be serued , thogh we suffer ; our blood is wel bestowed vpon our maker , but in patience , not in violence . priuate profession is one thing ; publique reformation & iniunction is another ; euery man must doe that in the maine : none may doe this , but they of whom god saies , i haue said , ye are gods : and of them : there is difference betwixt christian and heathen princes : if ( at least ) al princes were not to you heathen : if these should haue beene altogether stayed for , religion had come late : if the other should not be stayed for : religion would soone be ouer layd with confusion : lastly , the body of religion is one thing , the skyrts of outward gouernment another : that may not depend on men to be imbraced , or ( with loyalty ) prosecuted : these ( vpon those generall rules christ ) both may , and doe , and must : if you cut off but one lappe of these with dauid , you shall be touched : to denie this power to gods deputies on earth , what is it , but ye take too much vpon you mo●es and aaron , all the congregation is holy : wherefore lift ye your selues aboue the congregation of the lord ? see , if herein you come not too neere the walles of that rome which ye so abhorre and accurse , in ascribing such power to the church , none to princes . let your doctor tell you , whether the best israelites in the times of abijah , asa , iehosaphat , ezekiah , iosiah , tooke vpon them to reforme without , or before , or against their princes ? yea did nehemiah himselfe without artahshaht ( though an heathen king ) set vpon the walles of gods city ? or what did zerubbabel , and ieshua without cyrus ? in whose time haggai and zechariah prophesied indeede , but built not : and when contrary letters came from aboue , they laid by both trowels and swords : they would bee iewes still , they would not be rebels for god : had those letters inioyned swines flesh , or idolatry , or forbidden the vse of the law , those which now yeelded , had suffered , and at once testified their obedience to authority , and piety to him that sittes in the assembly of these earthen gods. i vrge no more : perhaps you are more wise or lesse mutinous : you might easily therefore purge your conscience from this sinne , of wanting what you might not perforce enioy . say that your church should imploy you backe to this our babylon , for the calling out of more proselites : you are intercepted , imprisoned : shall it bee sinne in you not to heare the prophesies at amsterdam ? the clinke is a lawfull excuse : if your feete be bound , your conscience is not bound . in these negatiues , outward force takes away both sinne and blame , and alters them from the patient to the actor : so that now you see your straight bonds ( if they were such ) loosed by obedience , and ouer-ruling power . section . xix . the bonds of gods word vniustly pleaded by the separ . bvt what bonds were these straight ones ? gods word and your owne necessity : both strong and indissoluble where god hath bidden , god forbid that we should care for the forbiddance of men : i reuerence from my soule ( so doth our church their deare sister ) those worthy forraine churches which haue chosen and followed those formes of outward gouernment that are euery way fittest for their owne condition . it is enough for your sect , to censure them : i touch nothing common to them with you : a while the world standeth , where will it euer be shewed out of the sacred booke of god , that hee hath charged . let there be perpetuall lay-elders in euery congregation : let euery assembly haue a pastor and doctor , distinct in their charge and offices : let all decisions , excommunications , ordinations be performed by the whole multitude : let priuate christians ( aboue the first turne , in extremity ) agree to set ouer themselues a pastor , chosen from amongst them and receiue him with prayer , and ( vnlesse that ceremony be turned to pompe and superstition ) by imposition of hands . let there be widdowers ( which you call relieuers ) appointed euery where to the church-seruice let certaine discreete and able men which are not ministers be appointed to preach the gospell and whole truth of god to the people . all the learned diuines of other churches are in these left , yea in the most of them censured by you : hath god spoken these things to you alone ? pleade not reuelations , and wee feare you not : pardon so homely an example : as soone and by the same illumination shal g. iohns . proue to your consistory the lace of the pastors wiues sleeue , or rings , or whale-bones , or other amongst you ( as your pastor confesseth ) knit stockings , or cork-shooes forbidden flatly by scriptures , as these commanded . we see the letter of the scriptures with you : you shall fetch blood of them with strayning , ere you shal wring out this sēse : no , no ▪ ( m. r. ) neuer make god your stale : many of your ordinances came from no ●ier then your own braine : others of them though god acknowledges yet he imposed not : pretend what you will : these are but the cords of your owne conceit , not bonds of christian obedience . section . xx. the necessity of their pretended ordinances . the first of these then is easily vntwisted : your second is necessity : then which , what can bee stronger ? what law , or what remedy is against necessity ? what we must haue , we cannot want : oppose but the publique necessitie to yours : your necessity of hauing , to the publique necessity of withholding : and let one of these necessities ( like two nailes ) driue out another : so they haue done , and your owne necessity ( as the stronger ) hath preuailed ; for that other necessity might bee eluded by flight : you haue sought and found else-where , what the necessity of our lawes denied , and the necessity of your conscience required . beware lest vniustly : sinne is as strong bond to a good heart as impossibility ; christians can not doe what they ought not : contrary to the lawes of your prince and countrie , you haue fledde not onely from vs , but from our communion . either is disobedience no sinne , or might you do this euil that good may come of it ? but what necessity is this ? simple and absolute , or conditional ? is there no remedy but you must needes haue such elders , pastors , doctors , relieuers , such offices , such executions ? can there be no church , no christians without them ? what shall we say of the families of the patriarkes , of the iewish congregations vnder the law , yea of christ and his apostles ? either denie them to haue beene visible churches , or shew vs your distinct offices amongst them : but as yet ( you say ) they were not : therefore god hath had a true church ( thousands of yeares ) without them : therefore they are not of the essence of the church : you call me to the times since christ : i demand then , was there not a worthy church of god in hierusalem from the time of christs ascension , till the election of the seauen deacons . those hundred and twentie disciples , act. . . and three thousand conuerts , act. . . those continuall troupes that flocked to the apostles , were they no true church ? let the apostles and euangelists bee pastors and doctors : where were their elders , deacons , relieuers ? afterwards , when deacons were ordained , yet what news is there of elders , till act. ? yet that of hierusalem was more forward then the rest : we will not ( as you are wont ) argue from scriptures negatiuely : no proofe yet much probability is in saint paules silence : hee writes to rome , corinth , and other churches : those his diuine letters in a sweet christian ciuility salute euen ordinary christians : and would hee haue vtterly passed by all mention of these church-officers amongst his so precise acknowledgment of lesser titles in others , if they had beene ere this ordained ? yet all these more then true churches , famous some of them , rich , forward , and exemplary . onely the philippian church is stiled with bishops and deacons , but no elders besides them . the churches of christ since these , ( if at least you will graunt that christ had any church till now ) haue continued in a recorded succession through many hundreds of yeares : search the monuments of her histories : shew vs where euer in particular congregations all these your necessary offices ( as you describe them ) were either found or required . it was therefore a new-no-necessity that bound you to this course , or ( if you had rather ) a necessity of fallibility : if with these god may be well serued , he may be well serued without them . this is not that vnum necessarium that christ commends in mary : you might haue sate still with lesse trouble , and more thanks . section . xxi . the enormities of the church in common . bvt besides that we ought to haue had somewhat which we want , we haue some what which wee should haue wanted : some ? yea many antichristian enormities . to say we are absolute , and neither want nor abound , were the voice of laodicea or tyrus in the prophet : our church as shee is true , so humble : and is as farre from arrogating perfection , as acknowledging falshood : if she haue enormities yet not so many : or if many , not antichristian . your cham hath espied ninety one nakednesses in this his mother , and glories to shewe them , all his malice cannot shew one fundamentall errour : and when the foule mouth of your false martyr hath said all , they are but some spottes and blemishes , not the old running issues , and incurable botches of egypt : the particulars shall plead for themselues . these you eschue as hell : while you goe on thus vncharitably , both alike : doe you hate these more then master smith , and his faction hates yours ? his character shall be iudge : so doe we value your detestation as you his . it were well for you if you eschued these enormities lesse , and hell more : your sinfull subiection to these vnchristian humours will proue more fearefull then to our antichristian enormities . section . xxii . the church of england , is the spouse of christ. she may be your mother ( you say ) and not the lords wife . it is a good mother that hath children and no husband : why did you not call her plaine whore ? your old embleme is , as is the mother , so is the daughter . these are the modest circumlocutions of a good sonne ; who cares not to proue himselfe a bastard , that his mother may bee mark't for an harlot : be you a true lo-ammi , but england shall neuer ( i hope ) proue an apostate israel : we haue no calues in our dan and bethel none of iero●oams idolatry : vvee haue still called god ishi , and neuer burnt incense to baalim : it is your sinagogue that hath fallen away from vs , as israel from iuda : but these children were bidden to plead : gods command shields them from the note of vngracious . abraham must sacrifice his sonne and this sonne must condemne his mother ; shew vs either our equall desert , or your equall warrant . vvhere hath god proclamed our church not his ? by whose hand hath he published her diuorce ? you haue shamed her wombe , not she her bed , not god her demeanure . your tongues are your owne , who can forbid you ? vve know you will plead and excuse , and censure , and defend , till all the world be weary : we may pray with hierome to this sense that of the psalmist increpa domine bestias calami : yet wee see your pens , tongues , and presses , busie and violent . i will not apply to you that which augustine of his donatists . though truth compell you to be dumbe , yet iniquitie will not suffer you to be silent . but if you write whole marts and worlds of volumes , you shall neuer be able either to iustifie your innocence , or excuse your fault : in the meane time the noyse of your contentions is so great that your truth cannot bee heard : learned iunius , and our learnedst diuines , and neighbour churches , haue oft heard your clamors , neuer your truth : so little haue you of this and so much of the other , that we are ready to wish ( as he of old ) either our selues deafe or you dumb . section . xxiii . how the church of england , hath separated from babylon . the spirit of your proto-martyr would hardly haue digested this title of babylon , mother of gods people ; a murdering step-mother , rather : she cannot be a mother of chil●ren to god , and no church of god : notwithstanding , gods people ( would he say ) may be in her , not of her . so babylon bore them not , but sion in babylon , but i feare not your excesse of charity : you fly to your doctors challenge ; and aske what we say against you for vs , which rome wil not say for her selfe against vs : will you iustifie this plea of rome , or not ? if you will ; why doe you reuile her ? if you will not : why doe you obiect it ? heare then what we say both to you and them , our enemies both : and yet the enemies of our enemies : first we disclaime , and defie your pedigree and theirs . the church of rome was neuer our mothers mother : our christian faith came not from the seuen-hilles : neither was deriued either from augustine the monke , or pope gregory . britanny had a worthy church before either of them look't into the world : it is true that the ancient roman church was sister to ours : here was neare kindred , no dependance : and not more consanguinitie , then ( while she continued faithfull ) christian loue : now she is gone a whoring , her chast sister iustly spitteth at her : yet euen still ( if you distinguish , as your learned antagonist hath taught you , betwixt the church and papacy ) shee acknowledges her sisterhood , though she refraines her cōuersation : as she hath many slauish and factious abettors of her knowne and grosse errors ( to whom we deny this title ) affirming them the body whereof antichrist is the head , the great whore , and mother of abhominations ; so againe how many thousands hath shee , which retayning the foundation according to their knowledge , ( as our learned whitakers had wont to say of bernard ) follow absolom with a simple heart : all which to reiect from gods church , were no better thē presumptuous cruelty . it were well for you before god & the world , if you could as easiely wash your hands of vn-naturall impiety , and trecherousnesse , as we of bastardy & vniust sequestration . there can be no bastardy , where was neuer any motherhood , wee were nephews to that church , neuer sons : vnlesse as rome was the mother citie of the world , so by humane institution , we suffered our selues to bee ranged vnder her patriarchall authority , as being the most famous church of the west : a matter of courtesie , and pretended order ; no necessity , no spirituall obligation . as for our sequestration , your mouth and theirs may be stopt with this answer : as all corrupted churches , so some things the church of rome still holds aright ; a true god in three persons , true scriptures , though with addition , a true christ , though mangled with foule and erroneous consequences ; true baptisme though shamefully deformed with rotten traditions ; & many other vndenyable truths of god : some other things ( and too many ) her wicked apostasie hath deuised and maintained abhominably amisse ; the body of her antichristianisme , grosse errours , and ( by iust sequel ) heresies ; their popes supremacy , infallibility , illimitation , transubstantiation , idolatrous and superstitious worshippe , and a thousand other of this branne : in regard of all these latter , we professe to the world a iust and auncient separation from this false faith and deuotion of the romish church ; which neither you will say , nor they shall euer proue , faulty : yea rather they haue in all these separated from vs , who stil irrefragably professe to hold with the auncient , from whom they are departed . in regard of the other we are stil with them , holding and embracing with them what they holde with christ : neither will you ( i thinke ) euer prooue that in these we should differ : as for our communion , they haue separated vs by their proude and foolish excommunications : if they had not , wee would iustly haue begunne : from their tyranny and antichristianisme , from their miserable idolatrie : but as for the bodie of their poore seduced christians , which remaine amongst them vpon the true foundation ( as doubtlesse there are thousands of them which laugh at their pardons , miracles , superstitions and their trust in merites , reposing only vpon christ ) we adhere to them in loue and pitty , and haue testified our affection by our blood , ready vpon any iust call to doe it more ; neither would feare to ioyne with them in any true seruice of our common god : but the full discourse of this point , that honourable and learned plesses hath so forstalled , that whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 say , would seeme but borrowed . vnto his rich treatise i referre my reader , for full satisfaction : would god this point were throughly known , and well weighed on all partes . the neglect or ignorance whereof hath both bred and nursed your separation , and driuen the weake and inconsiderate into strange extremities . this say we for our selues in no more charity then truth : but for you ; how dare you make this shamelesse comparison ? can your heart suffer your tong to say , that there is no more diffrence betwixt rome and vs , then there is betwixt vs and you ? how many hundred errours , how many damnable heresies haue we euinced with you , in that ( so compounded ) church ? shew vs but one mis-opinion in our church that you can proue within the ken of the foundation ? let not zeale make you impudent : your doctor could say ( ingenuously sure ) that in the doctrines which she professeth , she is farr better and purer then that whore mother of rome , and your last martyr yet better : if you mean ( saith he ) by a church ( as the most doe ) that publique profession whereby men do professe saluation to be had by the death and righteousnesse of iesus christ , i am free from denying any church of christ to be in this land : for i know the doctrine touching the holy trinity , the natures and offices of the lord iesus , free iustification by him ; both the sacraments , &c. published by her maiesties authority , and commanded by her lawes , to be the lords blessed and vndoubted truthes , without the knowledge and profession whereof no saluation is to be had : thus he with some honesty , though little sense . if therfore your will do not stand in your light , you may well see , why we should thus forsake their communion , and yet not you ours . yet though their corruptions be incomparably more , wee haue not dared to separate so farre from them , as you haue done from vs for lesse : still wee holde them euen a visible church , but vnsound , sicke , dying ; sicke not of a consumption onely , but of a leprosie or plague ( so is the papacy to the church ) diseases , not more deadly then infectious . if they be not rather in sardies taking ; of whom the spirit of god saieth , thou hast a name that thou liuest , but thou art dead ; and yet in the next words bidds them awake , and strengthen the things which are ready to die . and though our iudgement and practise haue forsaken their erroneous doctrines and seruice , yet our charity ( if you take that former distinction ) hath not vtterly forsaken and condemned their persons . this is not our coolenesse , but equality : your reprobation of vs for them , hath not more zeale then headstrong vncharitablenesse . section . xxiiii the separation made by our holy martyrs . bvt how could you without blushing once name cranmer , latimer , and those other holy-martyres , which haue beene so oft obiected to the conuiction of your schisme ? those saints so forsooke the romish church , as wee haue done , died witnesses of gods truth in that church , from which you are separated : liued , preached , gouerned , shed their blood in the communion of the church of england which you disclaime and condemne as no church of god , as merely antichristian : either of necessity they were no martyrs , yea no christians , or else your separations and censures of vs are wicked . chuse whether you will ; they were in the same case with vs ; wee are in the same case with them : no difference but in time : eyther their blood will be vpon your heads , or your owne : this church had then the same constitution , the same confusion , the same worshippe , the same ministery , the same gouernement ( which you brand with antichristianisme ) swayed by the holy hands of these men of god ; condemne them , or allow vs. for their separation : they found many main errours of doctrine in the church of rome ( in the papacy nothing but errours ) worth dying for : shew vs one such in ours , and wee will not onely approue your separation , but imitate it . section . xxv . what separation england hath made . the church of england dooth not now wash her hands of babilonish abhominations , but rather shewes they are cleane . would god they were no more foule with your slander then her owne antichristianisme . here will bee found not pretences but proofes of our forsaking babylon ; of your forsaking vs , not so much as wel-coloured pretences : you beginne to be ingenuous ; while you confesse a reformation in the church of england : not of some corruptions , but many , and those many not sleight , but maine . the gifts of aduersaries are thankelesse : as ierom said of his ruffinus , so may we of you , that you wrong vs with praises : this is no more praise then your next page giues to antichrist himselfe . leaue out many , and though your commendations be more vncertaine , we shall accept it : so your indefinite proposition shall sound to vs as generall ▪ that we haue reformed the maine corruptions of the romish church : none therefore remaine vpon vs ; but sleight and superficiall blemishes , so you haue forsaken a church of a foule skinne , but of a sound heart , for want of beauty , not of truth . but you say many , not all , that if you can picke a quarrell with one , you might reiect all : yet shewe vs that one maine and substantiall error , which we haue not reformed : and you doe not more embrace those truths with vs which we haue receiued , then we will condemne that falshood which you haue reiected : and imbrace the truth of that separation which you haue practised . the degrees whereby that strumpet of babylon got on horse-back you haue learned of vs , who haue both learned and taught , that as christ came not abruptly into the world , but with many presages and prefigurations ( the day was long dawning ere this sunne arose ) . so his aduersary ( that antichrist ) breaks not suddenly vpon the church , but comes with much preparation , and long expectance : and as his rise , so his fall must be graduall , and leisurely : why say you then , that the whole church euery where must at once vtterly fall off from that church where that man of sinne sitteth ? his fall depends on the fall of others , or rather their rising from vnder him : if neither of these must be sudden , why is your hast ? but this must not be , yet ought : as there must be heresies , yet there ought not : it is one thing what god hath secretly decreede , another what must be desired of vs : if we could pull that harlot from her seate , and put her to iezebels death , it were happy : haue we not endeuoured it ? vvhat speake you of the hyest towers , and strongest pillers , or tottering remainders of babylon : we shew you all her roofes bare , her walles raced , her vaults diged vp , her monuments defaced , her altars sacrificed to desolation : shortly al her buildings demolished , not a stone vpon a stone saue in rude heapes , to tell that here once was babylon : your strife goes about to build againe that her tower of confusion . god deuides your languages : it wil be wel , if yet you build not more then we haue reserued . section . xxvi . the maine grounds of separation . yov will now be free both in your profession and gift , you giue vs to haue renounced many false doctrins in popery : and to haue imbraced so many truths : we take it vntill more : you professe where you sticke , what you mislike : in those foure famous heades , which you haue learned by heart from all your predecessors : an hatefull prelacy , a deuised ministery , a confused and prophane communion , and lastly the intermixture of grieuous errors . what if this truth were taught vnder an hatefull prelacy ? suppose it were so ? must i not imbrace the truth because i hate the prelacy ? what if israel liue vnder the hatefull egyptians ? what if ieremy liue vnder hatefull pashur ? what if the iewes liue vnder an hateful priesthood ? what if the disciples liue vnder hatefull scribes ? what are others persons to my profession . if i may be freely allowed to be a true professed christian , what care i vnder whose hands ? but why is our prelacy hatefull ? actiuely to you , or passiuely from you ? in that it hates you ? would god you were not more your owne enemies : or rather because you hate it ? your hatred is neither any newes , nor paine : who or what of ours is not hatefull to you ? our churches , belles , clothes , sacraments , preachings , prayers , singings , catechismes , courts , meetings , burialles , mariages : it is maruell that our aire infects not : and that our heauen and earth ( as optatus said of the donatists ) escape your hatred : not the forwardest of our preachers ( as you tearme thē ) haue found any other entertainment ; no enemy could be more spightfull , i speake it to your shame . rome it selfe in diuers controuersary discourses hath bewrayed lesse gall , then amsterdam : the better they are to others , you professe they are the worse : yea would to god that of paule were not verified of you : hatefull , and hating one another : but we haue learned , that of wise christians not the measure of hatred should be respected , but the desert : dauid is hatred for no cause , : michaiah for a good cause : your causes shall be examined in their places : onwards it were happy if you hated your owne sinnes more , and peace lesse : our prelacy would trouble you lesse , and you the church . section . xxvii . the truth and warrant of the ministery of england . for our deuised office of ministery , you haue giuen it a true title . it was deuised indeed by our sauiour when he said , go teach all nations and baptise ; and performed in continuance when hee gaue some to be pastors and teachers ; and not only the office of ministery in generall , but ours whom hee hath made both able to teach , and desirous , seperated vs for this cause to the worke , vpon due tryall admitted vs , ordayned vs by imposition of handes of the eldershippe , and prayer , directed vs in the right diuision of the word , committed a charge to vs ; followed our ministery with power , and blessed our labours with gratious successe , euen in the hearts of those whose tongues are thus busie to denie the truth of our vocation : behold here the deuised office of ●our ministery : what can you deuise against this ? your pastor , who ( as his brother writes ) hopes to worke wonders by his logicall skill , hath killed vs with seuen arguments , which hee professeth the quintessence of his owne , and penryes extractions , whereto your doctor referres vs as absolute . i would it were not tedious or worth a readers labour to see them scanned . i protest before , god and the world , i neuer read more grosse stuffe so boldly and peremptorily faced out : so full of tautologies and beggings of the question neuer to bee yeelded . let mee yet mention the maine heads of them , and for the rest be sory that i may not be endlesse . to proue therefore that no communion may be had with the ministery of the church of england , he vses these seuen demonstrations first , because it is not that ministery which christ gaue , and set in his church : secondly , because it is the ministerie of antichrists apostasie : thirdly , because none can communicate with the ministery of england , but he worshippes the beasts image , and yeeldeth spirituall subiection to antichrist : fourthly , because this ministery deriueth not their power and functions from christ : fiftly , because they minister the holy things of god by vertue of a false spirituall calling : sixthly , because i● is a strange ministery , not appointed by god in his word : seuenthly , because it is not from heauen , but from men . now i beseech thee christian reader , iudge whether that which this man was wont so oft to obiect to his brother ( a crack't braine ) appeare not plainely in this goodly equipage of reasons , for what is al this but one , and the same thing tumbled seuen times ouer ? which yet with seuen thousand times babling shall neuer be the more probable . that our ministery was not giuen and set in the church by christ , but antichristian , what is it else to be from men , to bee strange , to be a false spirituall calling , not to bee deriued from christ , to worship the image of the beast ? so this great challenger that hath abridged his nine arguments to seuen , might aswell haue abridged his seuen to one and a halfe . here would haue beene as much substance , but lesse glory : as for his maine defence : first , wee may not either haue , or expect now in the church that ministery which christ set : where are our apostles , prophets , euangelists ? if we must alwayes looke for the very same administration of the church which our sauiour left , why doe wee not challenge these extraordinary functions ? doe we not rather thinke , since it pleased him to beginne with those offices which should not continue , that herein he purposely intended to teach vs , that if wee haue the same heauenly busines done we should not be curious in the circumstances of the persons : but for those ordinary callings of pastors and doctors ( intended to perpetuity ) with what forehead can hee denie them to bee in our church ? how many haue we that conscionably teach and feede , or rather feede by teaching ? call them what you please , superintendents ( that is ) bishoppes , prelates , priests , lecturers , parsons , vicars , &c. if they preach christ truly , vpon true inward abilities , vpon a sufficient ( if not perfect ) outward vocation : such a one ( let all histories witnesse ) for the substance , as hath bin euer in the church since the apostles times : they are pastors and doctors allowed by christ : we stand not vpon circumstances and appendances of the fashions of ordination , manner of choyce , attire , titles , maintenance : but if for substance these be not true pastors and doctors christ had neuer any in his church , since the apostles left the earth . all the difficulty is in our outward calling : let the reader graunt our graue and learned bishoppes to be but christians , and this will easily be euinced lawfull , euen by their rules : for , if with them euery plebeian artificer hath power to elect and ordaine by vertue of his christian profession ( the act of the worthiest standing for all ) how can they deny this right to persons qualified ( besides common graces ) with wisedome , learning , experience , authority ) ? eyther their bishoppricke makes them no christians ( a position which of all the world , besides this secte , would be hissed at ) or else their handes imposed are thus farr ( by their rules of separatists ) effectual . now your best course is ( like to an hare that runnes backe from whence she was started ) to flye to your first hold : no church , therefore no ministery : so now , not the church hath deuised the ministery , but the ministery hath deuised the church : i follow you not in that idle circle : thence you haue beene hunted already : but now , since i haue giuen account of ours : i pray you tell me seriously , who deuised your office of ministery ? i dare say , not christ , not his apostles , not their successors : what church euer in the world can be produced ( vnlesse in case of extremity for one turn ) whose conspiring multitude made themselues ministers at pleasure ? what rule of christ prescribes it ? what reformed church euer did , or doth practise it ? vvhat example warrants it ? where haue the inferiors laid hands vpon their superiors ? vvhat congregation of christendome in all records affoorded you the necessary patterne of an vnteaching pastor , or an vnfeeding teacher ? it is an old policy of the faulty to complaine first : certainely there was neuer popish legend a more errand deuise of man then some parts of this ministery of yours , so much gloried in for sincere correspondence to the first institution . section . xxviii . confused communion of the prophane . yovr scornefull exception at the confused communion of the prophane multitude sauors strong of a pharisee , who thought it sinne to conuerse ( cum terrae filijs ) the base vulgar , and whose very phylacteries did say , touch me not , for i am cleaner then thou . this multitude is prophane ( you say ) and this communion confused : if some be prophane , yet not all , for then could be no confusion in the mixture : if some be not prophane , why do you not loue them as much as you hate the other ? if all maine truthes be taught amongst some godly , some prophane : why will you more shunn those prophane , then cleaue to those truths , and those godly ? if you haue duely admonished him , and detested and bewailed his sinne ; what is another mans prophanenesse to you ? if prophanenesse be not punished , or confusion be tolerated , it is their sinne , whome it concerneth to redresse them : if the officers sinne , must we runne from the church ? it is a famous and pregnant protestation of god by ezechiell : the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him , and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon himself . and if the fathers sower grapes cannot hurt the childrens teeth , how much lesse shall the neighbours ? but whither will you runne from this communion of the prophane ? the same fault you find with the dutch and french ; yea in your owne . how well you haue auoided it in your separation , let master white , george iohnson , master smith be sufficient witnesses , whose plentifull reports of your knowne vncleannesses , smothered mischiefes , malitious proceedings , corrupt packings , communicating with knowne offenders , bolstering of sinns , and willing conniuences , as they are shamefull to relate , so might well haue stopt your mouth from excepting at our confused communion of the prophane . section . xxix . our errours intermingled with truth . how many and grieuous errors are mingled with our truths shall appeare sufficiently in the sequell ; if any want , let it be the fault of the accuser , it is enough for the church of amsterdam to haue no errors . but ours are grieuous : name them , that our shame may be equall to your griefe : so many they are , and so grieuous that your martyr , when he was vrged to instance , could find none but our opinion concerning christs descent into hell ; and except hee had ouer-reached , not that . call you our doctrines some generall truthes ? looke into our confessions , apologies , articles , and compare them with any , with all other churches , and if you finde a more particular , found , christian , absolute profession of all fundamētall truths in any church since christ ascēded into heauen , renounce vs , as you do , & we wil seperate vnto you : but these truths are not soundly practised : let your pastor teach you , that if errours of practise should be stood vpon , there could bee no true church vpon earth : pull out your owne beame first : we willingly yeeld this to be one of your truths , that no truth can sanctifie errour : that one heresie makes an hereticke : but learne withall , that euery error doth not pollute all truthes : that there is hay and stubble which may burne , yet both the foundation stand , and the builder be saued : such is ours at the worst , why doe you condemne where god will saue ? no scripture is more worne with your tongus and pennes , then that of the leauen . . cor. . . if you would compare christs leauen with pauls , you should satisfie your selfe . christ sayes the kingdome of heauen is as leauen ; paule saies grosse sin is leauen : both leauens the whole lumpe : neither may be taken precisely , but in resemblance : not of equalitie , ( as he said well ) but of qualitie : for notwithstanding the leauen of the kingdome , some part you grant is vnsanctified ; so notwithstanding the leauen of sinne , some ( which haue striuen against it to their vtmost ) are not sowred : the leauening in both places must extend onely to whom it is intended : the subiects of regeneration in the one ; the partners of sinne in the other : so our sauiour saith , yee are the salt of the earth ; yet too much of the earth is vnseasoned : the trueth of the effect must bee regarded in these speeches not the quantity : it was enough for saint paule to shew them by this similitude , that grosse sins where they are tollerated haue a power to infect others : whether it be ( as hierome interprets it ) by ill example , or by procurement of iudgements : and thereupon the incestuous must be cast out : all this tends to the excōmunicating of the euill , not to the seperating of the good : did euer paule say , if the incestuous be not cast out , seperate from the church . show vs this , and wee are yours : else it is a shame for you that you are not ours : if antichrist holde many truths , and we but many , we must needes bee proud of your prayses : we holde all his truths , and haue showed you , how we hate all his forgeries , no lesse then you hate vs : yet the mistery of iniquity is still spun in the church of england ; but with a siner threed : so fine that the very eyes of your malice cannot see it , yet none of our least motes haue escaped you : thankes bee to our good god , wee haue the great mistery of godlinesse so fairely and happily spunne amongst vs , as all , but you , blesse god with vs , and for vs : as soone shall you finde charity and peace in your english church , as heresie in our church of england . section . xxx . whether our prelacy be antichristian . to the particular instances : i aske where are the proud towers of their vniuersall hierarchy : you answere roundly : one in lambeth , another in fulham , &c. what vniuersall ? did euer any of our prelates challenge all the world as his diocesse ? is this simplicitie , or malice ? if your pastor tell vs that as well a world as a prouince , let me returne it ; if he may be pastor ouer a parlour full : why not of a citie : and if of a citie , why not of a nation ? but these you will proue vnruinated towers of that babell : you aske therefore whether the office of archbishops , bishops , and the rest of that ranke , were not in queene maries daies , partes of that accursed hierarchy , and members of that man of sin . doubtlesse they were : who can deny it ? but now ( say you ) they haue the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction continued : this is your miserable sophistry : those popish arch-bishoppes , and bishoppes and clergie were members of antichrist ; not as church-gouernours , but as popish : while they swore subiection to him , while they defended him , whiles they worshipt him aboue all that is called god , and extorted this homage from others , how could they be other but limmes of that man of sinne : shall others therefore which defie him , resist , trample vpon him , spend their liues and labours in oppugnation of him be necessarily in the same case , because in the same roome ? let me helpe your anabaptists with a sound argument : the princes , peeres and magistrates of the land in queene maries dayes were shoulders and armes of antichrist ; their calling is still the same ; therefore now they are such : your master smith vppon no other ground disclaimeth infants baptisme , crying out that this is the maine relique of antichristianisme . but see how like a wise master you confute your selfe : they are still members of the bodie , though the head ( the pope ) bee cutte off : the head is antichrist , therefore the body without the head is no part of antichrist : hee that is without the head christ , is no member of christ ; so contrarily : i heare you say , the very iurisdiction and office is here antichristian , not the abuse : what ? in them , and not in al bishops since , and in the apostles times ? alas , who are you that you should oppose al churches & times ? ignorance of church-story , & not distinguishing betwixt substances and appendances , personall abuses , and callings , hath ledde you to this errour : yet since you haue reckoned vp so many popes , let me helpe you with more : was there not one in lambeth when doctor cranmer was there ? one in fulham when ridly was there : one in worcester when latimer was there ? one at winchester when philpot was there ? we will goe higher ; was not hilarius at arles , paulinus at nola. primasius at vtica , eucherius at lyons , cyrill at alexandria , chrysostome at constantinople , augustine at hippo , ambrose at milaine ? what should i be infinite ? was not cyprian at carthage ? euodius and after him ignatius in s. iohns time at antioch , polycarpus at smyrna , philip at cesarea , iames and simeon and cleophas at hierusalem , and ( by much consent of antiquity ) titus in creet , timothy at ephesus , marke at alexandria : yea to be short , was there not euery where in all ages , an allowed superiority of church-gouernours vnder this title ? looke into the frequent subscriptions of all councels , and their canons ? looke into the registers of all times , and finde your selfe aunswered : let reuerend caluin be our aduocate : i would desire no other words to confute you , but his : he shall tell you that euen in the primitiue church , the presbiters chose one out of their number in euery city , whom they titled their bishop , least dissention should arise from equality . let hemingius teach you that this was the practise of the purest church : thus it was euer , and if princes haue pleased to annexe either large maintenances , or stiles of higher dignity , and respect vnto these , doe their additions annihilate them ? hath their double honour made voide their callings ? why more then extreme needinesse ? if aristotle would not allow a priest to be a tradesman , yet paul could yeeld to homely tent-making , if your elders grow rich or noble , doe they cease to bee , or beginne to be vnlawfull ? but in how many volumes hath this point beene fully discussed ? i list not to gleane after their full carts . section . xxxi . the iudgement and practise of other reformed churches . from your owne verdict you descend to the testimonies of all reformed churches : i blush to see so wilfull a slaunder fall from the penne of a christian . that all reformed churches renounce our prelacy as antichristian , what one hath done it ? yea , what one forraine diuine of note , hath not giuen to our clergy the right hand of fellowshippe ? so farre is it from this , that i. alasco was the allowed bishoppe of our first reformed strangers in this land , so farre that when your doctor found himselfe vrged ( by m. spr. ) with a cloud of witnesses for our church and ministery , as bucer , martyr , fagius , alasco , caluin , beza , bullinger , gualter , simler , zanchius , iunius , rollocus , and others , he had nothing to say for himselfe , but though you come against vs with horse-men and chariots , yet wee will remember the name of the lord our god , and turnes it off with the accusation of a popish plea , and reference to the practise of the reformed : and if therefore they haue so renounced it , because their practise receiues it not : vvhy like a true make-bate doe you not say , that our churches haue so renounced their gouernement ? these sisters haue learned to differ , and yet to loue , and reuerence each other : and in these cases to enioy their owne formes , without prescription of necessity , or censure . let reuerend beza bee the trumpet of all the rest ; who tells you that the reformed english churches cōtinue , vpheld by the authority of bishops , & archbishopps , that they haue had men of that ranke , both famous martyrs , and worthy pastors and doctors : and lastly congratulates this blessing to our church : or let hemingius tell you the iudgement of the danish church : iudicat caeteros ministros &c. it iudgeth saith he , that other ministers should obey their bishoppes in all things , which make to the edification of the church , &c. but what doe i oppose any to his name-lesse , all ? his owne silence confutes him enough in my silence . section . xxxii . our synodes determination of things indifferent . there was neuer a more idle and beggerly cauill then your next : your christian reader must needs thinke you hard driuen for quarrels , when you are faine to fetch the popes infallibility out of our synode , whose flat decree it was of old : that euen general councels may erre , & haue erred : but wherin doth our facred synod assume this infallibility , in her determinations ? vvherefore is a synode , if not to determine ? but , of thinges reputed indifferent ? vvhat else are subiect to the constitutions of men ? good and euill are either directly , or by necessarie sequell ordered by god : these are aboue humane power . vvhat haue men to doe , if not with things indifferent ? all necessary thinges are determined by god indifferent by men from god , which are as so many particulars , extracts from the generals of god : these things ( saith learned caluin ) are indifferent , and in the power of the church : either you must allow the church this , or nothing . but these decrees are absolute , what lawes can be without a commaund ? the law that ties not , is no law : no more then that ( saith austen ) which tyes vs to euill . but for all men , and all times ? how for all ? for none ( i hope ) but our owne , and why not for them ? but without exception , and limitation : do not thus wrong our church : our late archbishopp ( if it were not piacular for you to reade ought of his ) could haue taught you in his publique writings , these fiue limitations of inioyned ceremonies : first , that they be not against the word of god : secondly , that iustification or remission of sinnes be not attributed to them : thirdly , that the church bee not troubled with their multitude : fourthly , that they be not decreede as necessary , and not to be changed : and lastly , that men be not so tyed to them , but that by occasion they may be omitted so it be without offence and contempt , you see our limits : but your feare is in this last , contrary to his . he stands vpon offence in omitting , you in vsing : as if it were a iust offence to displease a beholder , no offence to displease and violate authority : vvhat law could euer be made to offend none ? wise cato might haue taught you this , in liuie , that no lawe can bee commodious to all : those lippes which preserue knowledge , must impart so much of it to their hearers , as to preuent their offence : neither must law-giuers , euer fore-see what constructions will bee of their laws , but what ought to be : those thin●● which your consistory imposes , may you keepe them if you list ? is not the willing neglect of your owne parlor-decrees punished with excommunication ? and now what is all this to infallibilitie ? the sacred synod determines these indifferent rites for decency and comlinesse to be vsed of those , whom it concernes , therefore it arrogates to it selfe infallibilitie : a conclusion fit for a separatist . you stumble at the title of sacred : euery straw lies in your way ; your calepine could haue taught you ●hat houses , castles , religious businesses , olde age it selfe , haue this stile giuen them : and virgill ( vittasque resoluit , sacrati capitis ) no epithete is more ordinary to councelles and synods : the reason whereof may be fetched from that inscription of the elibertine synode ; of those nineteene bishops is said : vvhen the holy and religious bishops were set : how fewe councels haue not had this title ? to omit the late ; the holy synod of carthage , vnder anastasius : the holy and peaceable synode at antioch : the holy synode of god and apostolicall , at rome vnder iulius . the holy and great sinode at nice : and not to be endlesse : the holy synod of laodicea ( though but prouinciall ) . vvhat doe these idle exceptions argue but want of greater ? section . xxxiii . sinnes sold in our courts . some great men when they haue done ill , outface their shame with enacting lawes to make their sinnes lawfull . while you thus charge our practise , you bewray your owne : who hauing seperated from gods church , deuise slaunders to colour your sinne : wee must bee shamefull , that you may bee innocent : you load our ecclesiasticall consistories with a shameles reproach : farre bee it from vs to iustifie any mans personall sinnes ; yet it is safer sinning to the better part : fie on these odious comparisons : sinnes as saleable as at rome ? who knowes not that , to be the mart of all the world ? periuries , murders , treasons are there bought & sold : when euer in ours ? the popes cofers can easily confute you alone : what tell you vs of these , let me tell you : mony is as fit an aduocate in a consistory , as fauour or malice : these , some of yours haue complained of , as bitterly , as you of ours . as if we liked the abuses in courts : as if corrupt executions of wholesome lawes must be imputed to the church , whose wrongs they are . no lesse haynous , nor more true is that which followeth . true elders ( not yours ) should bee indeede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : this we call for , as vehemently ( not so tumultuously ) as your selues . that they should feede their flockes with word and doctrine , we require more then you : that patrons present , bishoppes institute , arch-deacons induct some , which are vnable , we graunt and bewaile : but that our church-lawes iustifie them , wee denie , and you slaunder ? for our law ( if you know not ) requires , that euery one to be admitted to the ministery , should vnderstand the articles of religion , not onely as they are compendiously set downe in the creede , but as they are at large in our booke of articles ; neither vnderstand them onely , but be able to proue them sufficiently out of the scripture , and that not in english onely , but in latine also : this competency would proue him ( for knowledge ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : if this be not performed , blame the persons , cleare the law . profound master hooker telles you , that both arguments from light of nature , lawes , and statutes of scripture , the canons that are taken out of ancient synodes , the decrees and constitutions of sincerest times , the sentences of all antiquity , and in a word , euery mans full consent and conscience , is against ignorance in them that haue charge and cure of soules . and in the same booke ; did any thing more aggrauate the crime of ieroboams apostasie , then that hee chose to haue his clergie the scumme and refuse of his whole land : let no man spare to te●l it them , they are not faithfull towards god ; that burden wilfully his church , with such swarmes of vnworthie creatures : neither is it long , since a zealous and learned sermon dedicated to our present lord arch-bishoppe by his owne chaplaine , hath no lesse taxed this abuse , whether of insufficiency , or negligence ( though with more discretion ) then can be expected from your malicious penne : learne henceforth not to diffuse crimes to the innocent . for the rest : your baal in our dispensations for pluralities , would thus pleade for himselfe : first hee would bidde you learne of your doctor to distinguish of sinnes : sinnes ( saith he ) are either controuertible , or manifest : if controuertible or doubtfull , men ought to bear one with anothers different iudgment ; if they doe not , &c. they sinne : such is this : if some be resolued , others doubt : and in whole volumes plead , whether conuenience , or necessity : how could your charity compare these with sinnes euicted ? secondly , he would tell you that these dispensations are intended and directed , not against the offence of god , but the danger of humane lawes : not securing from sinne , but from losse : but , for both these points of non-residence and insufficiency , if you sought not rather strife then satisfaction : his maiesties speech in the confer . at hampton court , might haue staied the course of your quarrelous pen : no reasonable minde , but would rest in that gratious and royall determination . lastly , why looke you not to your owne elders at home ? euen your handfull hath not auoided this crime of non-residency : what wonder is it , if our world of men haue not escaped ? section . xxxiiii . our loyaltie to princes cleared , theirs questioned . yov that confesse our wisedome and honesty , must now pleade for your owne : your hope is not more of vs , then our feare of you . to depose kings and dispose kingdomes is a proud worke : you want power , but what is your will ? for excommunication it is cleare enough : while you fully holde that euery priuate man hath as much power in this censure , as the pastor ; and that princes must bee equally subiect with them to these their censures : let any man now deuise , if the brownists could haue a king , how that king could stand one day vnexcommunicated ? or if this censure meddle onely with his soule , not with his scepter : how more then credible is it , that some of your assemblies in queene elizabeths daies concluded , that shee was not ( euen in our sense ) supreame head of the church , neither had authority to make lawes ecclesiasticall in the church : it is well if you wil disclaime it : but you know your receiued position ; that no one church is superior to other : no authority therefore can reuerse this decree ; your will may doe it : yea what better then rebellion appeares in your next clause ? while you accuse our loyaltie to an earthly king , as treasonable to the king of the church , christ iesus : if our loyaltie bee a sinne , where is yours ? if we be traytors in our obedience : what doe you make of him that commands it ? vvhether you would haue vs each man to play the rex , and erect a new gouernement , or whether you accuse vs as rebels to christ in obeying the old : god blesse king iames from such subiects . but whose is that so vnsauorie weede ; no bishoppe , no king ? know you whom you accuse ? let me shew you your aduersary ; it is king iames himselfe in his hampton conference : is there not now suspition in the word ? surely you had cause to feare that the king would proue no good subiect : belike , not to christ : vvhat doe you else in the next , but proclaime his opposition to the king of kings ? or ours in not opposing his ? as if we might say with the israelites . o lord our god , other lords besides thee haue ruled vs : if we would admit each of your elders to bee so many kings in the church , wee should stoope vnder christs ordinances : shewe vs your commission , and let it appeare , whether we be enemies , or you vsurpers ; alas , you both refuse the rule of his true deputy , and set vp false ; let this fearefull doome of christ light where it is most due : euen so let thine enemies perish o lord. section . xxxv . errours of free-will , &c. fained vpon the church of england . goe on to slaunder : euen that which you say you will not speake , you doe speake with much spight and no truth : vvhat hath our church to doe with errours of vniuersall grace or freewill : errors which her articles doe flatly oppose : what shamelesnesse is this ? is shee guilty euen of that which shee condemnes ? if some few priuate iudgements shall conceiue , or bring forth an error , shal the whole church doe penance ? would god that wicked and heretical anabaptisme , did not more growe vpon you then those errours vpon vs : you had more neede to defend , then accuse : but see christian reader , how this man dragges in crimes vpon vs , as cacus did his oxen : vve doe ( forsooth ) part stakes with god in our conuersion : wherein ? in a deuised ministery : the meanes of conuersion ; we ll fetch 't about : there may be a ministery without a conuersion ; and ( êconuerso ) there may be a conuersion without a ministery : vvhere now are the stakes parted ? yet thus we partstakes ( with the apostle ) that wee are gods fellow-labourers in this great worke : hee hath separated vs to it , & ioyned vs with him in it ; it is he ( as we haue proued ) that hath deuised our ministery : yea your selfe shall proue it : it is his peculiar to appoint the outward ministerie , that giues the inward grace . but hath not god giuen inward grace , by our outward ministery ? your hearts shall be our witnesses : what will follow therfore , but that our ministerie is his peculiar appointment ? section . xxxvi . kneeling at the sacrament of the lords supper . ovr kneeling you deriue ( like a good herald ) from the errour of transubstantiation : but to set downe the descent of this pedigree ; will trouble you : wee doe vtterly denie it , and challenge your proofe : how new a fiction transubstantiation is , appeares out of berengaries recantation to pope nicholas : the errour was then so young , it had not learned to speake ; shew vs the same noueltie in our kneeling : till of late men held not the bread to be god ; of old they haue held it sacred : this is the gesture of reuerence in our prayer at the receite , as master burgesse well interpreted it , not of idolatrous adoration of the bread . this was most-what in the eleuation : the abolishing wherof cleares vs of this imputation : you know we hate this conceit , why doe you thus force wrongs vpon the innocent ? neither are we alone in this vse : the church of bohemie allowes , and practises it : and why is this errour lesse palpable in the wafers of geneua ? if the king should offer vs his hand to kisse , we take it vpon our kneees : how much more when the king of heauen giues vs his sonne in these pledges ? but if there were not something more then iust reuerence , why do we solemnely kneel at the communion not at baptisme ? can you find no difference ? in this ( besides that there is both a more liuely and feeling signification of the thing represented ) we are the parties , but in the other , witnesses : this therefore i dare boldly say ; that if your partner m. smith should euer ( which god forbid ) perswade you to rebaptise , your fittest gesture ( or any others at full age ) would be to receiue that sacramentall water , kneeling : how glad you are to take all scraps , that fall from any of ours for your aduantage ? would to god this obseruation of your malitious gatherings would make all our reuerend bretheren w●ary of their censures : surely , no idolatry can be worse then that popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the bread , and the crucifixe , striue for the hier place ; if we should therefore be so tyed to kneele before the bread , as they are tyed to kneele before the crucifixe , their sentence were iust : they adore the crucifixe , not wee the bread ; they pray to the crucifixe , not we to the bread , they direct their deuotions ( at the best ) by the crucifixe to their sauiour , wee doe not so by the bread , wee kneele no more to the bread , then to the pulpit when we ioyne our prayers with the ministers : but our quarrell is not with them ; you that can approue their iudgments in dislike , might learne to followe them in approbation , and peaceable communion with the church : if there be a galled place you will be sure to light vpon that , your charitie is good : whatsoeuer your wisedome be . section . xxxvii . whether our ordinary and seruice-booke , be made idolles by vs. yet more idolatry ? and which is more , new , and strange ; such ( i dare say ) as wil neuer be found in the two first commandements , behold here two new idols , our ordinary , and our seruice-booke , a speaking idoll , and a written idoll . calecute hath one strange deity the diuell , siberia many , whose people worship euery day what they see first . rome hath many merry saints : but saint ordinary , and saint seruice-booke , were neuer heard of till your canonization . in earnest , doe you thinke wee make our ordinary an idoll ? what else ? you kneele deuoutly to him when you receiue either the oath or absolution . this must needs be religious adoration : is there no remedie ? you haue twise kneeled to our vice-chauncellour , when you were admitted to your degree ; you haue oft kneeled to your parents , and godfathers to receiue a blessing , did you make idols of them ? the partie to be ordained kneeles vnder the hand of the presbitery : dooth hee religiously adore them ? of olde they were wont to kisse the handes of these bishoppes , so they did to baal : god and our superiours haue had euer one and the same outward gesture : though here , not the agent is so much regarded ; as the action : if your ordinary would haue suffered you to haue done this peece of idolatrie , you had neuer separated . but the true god-bell and dragon of england is the humane-diuine-seruice-booke : let vs see what ashes or lumpes of pitch this daniel brings : wee worship god in and by it , as papists doe by their images : in deed we worship god in , and by the prayers contayned in it : why should we not ? tell mee why is it more idolatry for a man to worship god in , and by a praier read , or got by hart , then by a praier conceiued ? i vtter both , they are both mine , if the heart speake them both , feelingly and deuoutly , where lies the idoll ? in a conceiued prayer , is it not possible for a mans thought to stray from his tongue ? in a prayer learned by heart , or read , is it not possible for the heart to ioyne with the tongue ? if i pray therfore in spirit , and hartely vtter my desires to god , whether in mine owne wordes , or borrowed ( and so made mine ) what is the offence ? but ( say you ) if the lord iesus in his testament haue not commanded any such booke , it is accursed , and abhominable : but say i : if the lord iesus hath not any where forbidden such a booke , it is not accursed nor abhominable : shew vs the place where , that we may know it with you : nay , but i must shew you where the apostles vsed any such seruice-booke : shew you mee , where the apostles baptized in a basen : or where they receiued women to the lords table : ( for your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cor. ii. will not serue ) shew me that the bible was distinguish't into chapters and verses in the apostles time : shewe mee that they euer celebrated the sacrament of the supper at any other time then euening , as your anabaptists now doe : shew me that they vsed one prayer before their sermons alwaies , another after , that they preached euer vpon a text : where they preached ouer a table : or lastly , shewe me where the apostles vsed that prayer which you made before your last prophecy ; and a thousand such circumstances , what an idle plea is this from the apostolike times ? and if i should tell you that saint peter celebrated with the lords prayer , you will not beleeue it : yet you know the historie . but let the reader know that your quarrell is not against the matter , but against the booke , not as they are prayers , but as stinted , or prescribed : wherein , all the world besides your selues are idolaters : behold all churches that were , or are , are partners with vs in this crime . oh idolatrous geneua , and all french , scottish , danish , dutch churches : all which both haue their set prayers with vs , and approue them . quod ad formulam , &c. as concerning a forme of pra●ers and rites ecclesiastical ( saith reuerend caluin ) : i do greatly allow that it should bee set and certaine , from which it should not bee lawfull for pastors in their function to depart . iudge now of the spirit of these bold controllers , that dare thus condemne all gods churches , through the world as idolatrous : but since you call for apostolike examples : did not the apostle paul vse one set forme of apprecations , of benedictions ? what were these but lesser prayers ? the quantitie varies not the kinde : will you haue yet auncienter precedents ? the priest was appointed of olde to vse a set forme vnder the law , num. . . so the people , deut. . . , . &c. . both of them a stinted psalme for the sabboth , ps. . what saith your doctor to these ? because the lorde ( saith he ) gaue formes of prayers and psalmes , therefore the prelates may : can we thinke that ieroboam had so slender a reason for his calues ? marke ( good reader ) the shifts of these men : this aunswerer calles for examples , and will abide no stinting of prayers , because we shew no patternes from scripture : we do shew patternes from scripture , and now their doctor saith , god appointed it to them of olde , must we therefore doe it ? so , whether we bring examples or none , we are condemned : but mast. doctor , whom i beseech you should we follow , but god in his own seruices ? if god haue not appointed it , you crie out vpon inuentions : if god haue appointed it , 〈…〉 , we may not follow it : shew then where 〈…〉 inioyned an ordinary seruice to himselfe , that was not ceremoniall ( as this plainly is not ) : which should not be a direction for vs ? but if stinting our prayers be a fault ( for as yet you meddle not with our blasphemous collects ) it is well that the lords prayer it selfe beareth vs company , and is no small part of our idolatrie : vvhich , though it were giuen principally as a rule to our prayers , yet since the matter is so heauenly , a●d most wisely framed to the necessity of all christian hearts , to denie that it may be vsed intirely in our sauiours wordes , is no better then a fanaticall curiousnesse : yeelde one and all ; for if the matter be more diuine , yet the stint is no lesse faulty : this is not the lest part of our patcherie : except you vnrip this , the rest you cannot . but might not god be purely and perfectly worshipped without it ? tell mee , might not god bee purely and perfectly worshipped without churches , without houses , without garments , yea without handes or feete ? in a word , could not god bee purely worshipped , if you were not ? yet would you not seeme a superfluous creature : speake in your selfe : might not god be intirely worshipped with pure and holy worship , though there were no other bookes in the world , but the scripture ? if yea , as who can denie it , that knowes what the worshippe of god meaneth ? vvhat then doe the fathers and doctors , and learned interpreters ? to the fire with all those curious artes and volumes , as your predecessors called them : yea let me put you in minde , that god was purely and perfectly worshipped by the apostolicke church before euer 〈…〉 testament was written : see therefore the idlenesse of your proofes ; god may be serued without a prescription of prayer , but ( if all reformed churches in christendome erre not ) better with it : the word of god is perfect , and admits no addition : cursed were we , if we should add ought to it : cursed were that which should be added : but cursed be they that take ought from it , and dare say , ye shall not pray thus , ovr father , &c. doe we offer to make our prayers canonicall , do we obtrude them as parts of gods word ? vvhy cauill you thus ? vvhy doth the same prayer written adde to the worde , which spoken addeth not ? because conceiued prayer is commanded , not the other : but first , not your particular prayer : secondly , without mention either of conception , or memorie , god commaunds vs to pray in spirit , and with the heart : these circumstances onely as they are deduced from his generals , so are ours : but whence soeuer it please you to fetch our booke of publique prayer , from rome or hell ; or to what image soeuer you please to resemble it : let moderate spirits heare what the pretious iewell of england saith of it : vvee haue come as neere as we could to the church of the apostles , &c. neither onely haue we framed our doctrine , but also our sacraments , and the forme of publique prayers according to their rites and institutions . let no iewe now obiect swines-flesh to vs : hee is no iudicious man ( that i may omit the mention of cranmer , buc●r ridley , taylor , &c. some of whose handes were in it , all whose voices were for it ) with whome one iewell will not ouer-weigh tenne thousand separatists . section . xxxviii . marriage not made a sacrament by the church of england . how did confirmation escape this number ? how did ordination ? it was your ouer-sight , i feare , not your charity : some things seeme , and are not : such is this your number of our sacraments : you wil needes haue vs take in marriage into this ranke : why so ? wee doe not ( you confesse ) call it a sacrament as the vulgar , mis-interpreting pauls mysterium , ep. . why should we not if we so esteemed it ? wherefore serue names , but to denotate the nature of things ? if we were not ashamed of the opinion , wee could not be ashamed of the worde : no more ( say you ) did christ and his apostles call baptisme and the supper , sacraments ; but we doe , and you with vs : see now whether this clause doe not confute your last : where hath christ euer said , there are two sacraments ? yet you dare say so : what is this but in your sense an addition to the word : yea , we say flatly , there are but two : yet we doe ( you say ) in truth create it a sacrament : how oft , and how resolutely hath our church maintained against rome , that none but christ immediatly can create sacraments ? if they had this aduantage against vs , how could wee stand ? how wrongfull is this force , to fasten an opinion vpon our church which shee hath condemned ? but wherein stands this our creation ? it is true , the partyes to bee married , and their marriage represent christ , and his church , and their spirituall vnion : beware least you strike god through our sides : what hath gods spirit said , either lesse , or other then this ? ephe. . . . . & . . doth he not make christ the husband , the church his spouse ? doth he not from that sweet coniunction , and the effects of it : argue the deere respects that should bee in marriage ? or what doth the apostle allude elesewhere vnto , when he saies ( as moses of eue ) we are flesh of christs flesh , and bone of his bone ? and how famous amongst the ancient is that resemblance of eue taken out of adams side sleeping , to the church taken out of christs side sleeping on the crosse ? since marriage therefore so clearely represents this mistery : and this vse is holy and sacred : what error is it , to say that mariage is consecrated to this mistery ? but what is the element : the ring ; these things agree not ; you had before made the two parties to be the matter of this sacrament ? what is the matter of the sacrament , but the element ? if they be the matter , they are the element ; and so not the ring ; both cannot be ; if you will make the two parties to bee but the receiuers ; how doth all the mistery lie in their representation ? or if the ring bee the element , then all the mistery must be in the ring , not in the parties : labour to bee more perfect , ere you make any more newe sacraments : but this ring is laide vpon the seruice-booke : why not ? for readinesse , not for holinesse : nay , but it is hallowed ( you say ) by the booke : if it be a sacramentall element , it rather hallowes the booke , then the booke it : you are not mindful enough for this trade : but what exorcismes are vsed in this hallowing ? or who euer held it any other then a ciuill pledge of fidelitie ? then follow the wordes of consecration : i pray you , what difference is there betwixt hallowing , and consecration ? the ring was hallowed before by the booke ; now it must be consecrated : how idlely ? by what wordes ? in the name of the father , &c. these words you know are spoken after the ring is put on : was it euer heard of , that a sacramentall element was consecrated after it was applyed ? see how ill your slaunders are digested by you : the place is the church , the time the lords day , the minister is the actor , and is it not thus in all other reformed churches aswell as ours . behod , we are not alone : al churches in the world ( if this wil do it ) are guilty of three sacraments : tell me , would you not haue marriage solemnized publiquely ? you cannot mislike : though your founder seemes to require nothing here but notice giuen to witnesses , and then to bed : well , if publique ; you account it withall , a graue and weighty businesse : therefore such , as must be sanctified by publike prayer : what place is fitter for publicke prayer then the church ? who is fitter to offer vp the publike prayer , then the minister ? who should rather ioyne the parties in marriage , then the publique deputie of that god , who solemnly ioyned the first couple ? who rather then he which in the name of god may best blesse them ? the prayers which accompany this solemnity are parts of gods worshippe , not the contract it selfe : this is a mixt action , therefore compounded of ecclesiasticall and ciuill : imposed on the minister , not vpon necessity but expedience : neither essentiall to him , but accidentally , annexed , for greater conuenience . these two friuolous grounds haue made your cauill eyther very simple , or very wilfull . section . xxxix . commutation of penance in our church . see if this man be not hard driuen for accusations when hee is faine to repeate ouer the very same crime , which hee largely vrged before : all the world will know that you want variety , when you send in these twise-sodde coleworts : somewhat yet we finde new , commutation of penance ; our courts would tell you , that here is nothing dispensed with , but some ceremonie of shame in the confession : which in the greater sort is exchanged ( for a common benefit of the poore ) into a pecuniary mulct ; yet ( say they ) not so , as to abridge the church of her satisfaction , by the confession of the offender : and if you graunt the ceremony deuised by them , why doe you finde fault that it is altered , or commuted by them ? as for absolution , you haue a spight at it , because you sought it , and were repulsed : if the censures be but their owne ( so you hold ) why blame you the menaging of them in what manne● seemes best to the authors : this power is no more a limme of the prelacy , then our prelacy is that beast in the reuelation : and our prelacy holdes it selfe no more saint iohns beast , then it holds you saint pauls beast . phil. . section . xl. oath ex officio . i aske of auricular confession ; you send mee to our high commission court : these two are much alike : but here is also very absolute necessity of confession : true ; but as in a case of iustice . not of strife to cleare a truth , not to obtaine absolution : to a bench of iudges , not to a priests eare ; here are too many ghostly fathers for an auricular confession : but you wil mistake ; it is enough against vs , that men are constrained in these courts to confesse against themselues : why name you these courts onely ? euen in others also oathes are vrged , not onely ( ex officio merclnario , but nobili ) : the honourablest court of starre-chamber giues an oath in a criminall case to the defendant ; so doth the chancerie , & court of requests : shortly to omit forraine examples how many instāces haue you of this like proceeding in the cōmon laws of this land ? but withal you might learn that no enquiry ex officio may be thus made but vpō good grounds , as fame , scandal , vehement presumption , &c. going before , and giuing iust cause of suspition : secondly , that this proceeding is not allowed in any case of crime , whereby the life , or limmes of the examined partie , may be endangered : nor yet , where there is a iust suspition of future periury vpon such inforcement : thus is the suspected wife vrged to cleare her honesty by oath : thus the master of the house must cleare his truth , exod. . . thus achan and ionathan are vrged to bee their owne accusers , though not by oath : but if perhappes any sinister course be taken by any corrupt iusticer in their proceedings : must this be imputed to the church ? look you to your petty-courts at home ; which some of your owne haue compared in these courses , not only to the commission-court of england , but to the inquisition of spaine : see there your pastor defending himselfe to be both an accuser and iudge in the same cause : see their proceedings ex officio without commission : and if your prisons cannot witnes it , your excommunications may . section . xli . holy-daies how obserued in the church of england . we haue not lost , but cast away the idolatrous shrines of saints : their daies wee retaine ; theirs , not for worshippe of them , which our church condemneth , but partly for commemoration of their high deserts , and excellent examples : partly for distinction : indeede therefore gods daies , not theirs : their praises redound to him : shew vs where we implore them , where wee consecrate daies to their seruice : the maine end of holy-daies is for the seruice of god , and some , as socrates sets downe of olde ( quo se a laborum contentione relaxent ) for relaxation from labor : if such daies may be appointed by the church ( as were the holy-daies of purim , of the dedication of the wall of ierusalem , the dedication of the temple ) whose names should they rather beare ( though but for mere distinction ) then the blessed apostles of christ : but this is a color only : for you equally condemne those daies of christs birth , ascension , circumcision , resurrection , annunciation , which the church hath beyond all memory celebrated : what then is our fault ? we keepe these holy as the lords daie : in the same manner , though not in the same degree : indeede , we come to the church , and worshippe the god of the martyrs and saints : is this yet our offence ? no : but wee abstayne from our most lawfull labor in them ; true , yet not in conscience of the day , but in obedience to the church : if the church shall indict a solemne fast : do not you hold it contemptuous to spend that day in lawful labour ; notwithstanding that liberty of the sixe daies which god hath giuen ? why shall that be lawfull in a case of deiection , which may not in praise and exultation ? if you had not loued to cauil , you would rather haue accepted the apologie , or excuse of our fister churches in this behalfe , then aggrauated these vncharitable pleas of your owne : yet euen in this your owne synagogue at amsterdame ( if we may beleeue your owne ) is not altogether guiltlesse : your handes are still and your shoppes shut vpon festiuall daies ; but we accuse you not : would god this were your worst : the masters of our courts would tell you , that they would not care so much for this dispossession , as that it should be done by such coniurers as your selfe . section . xlii . our approbation of an vnlearned ministery disproued . your want of quarrels makes you still runne ouer the same complaints : which if you redouble a thousand times will not become iust , may become tedious : god knowes how farre we are from approuing an vnleared ministery : the protestations of our gratious king , our bishoppes , our greatest patrons of conformity in their publique writings , might make you ashamed of this bold assertion : we do not allow that it should be , we bewaile that it will be : our number of parishes compared with our number of diuines , will soone shew , that either many parishes must haue none , or some diuines must haue manie congregations , or too many congregations must haue scarce diuine-incumbents : our dread soueraigne hath promised a medicine for this disease : but withall tels you that ierusalem was not built all on a day . the violence you speake of is commonly in case of wilful contempt , not of honest and peaceable desire of further instruction , or in supposall of some tolerable ability in the ministery forsaken : wee doe heartily pray for labourers into this haruest : we doe wish that all israell could prophesie : we publish the scriptures , we preach , catechize , write , and ( lorde thou knowest ) how manie of vs ▪ would doe more , if we knew what more could be done , for the information of thy people , and remedy of this ignorance which this aduersary reproues vs to approue . we doubt not but the seruice said in our parish-churches , is as good a seruice to god , as the extemporarie deuotions in your parlors : but it is an vnknowne deuotion , you say : through whose fault ? the readers , or the hearers , or the matter ? distinct reading you cannot denie to the most parishes : the matter , is easie praiers , and english scriptures : if the hearers be regardlesse , or in some things dull of conceite , lay the fault from the seruice to the men : all yours are free from ignorance , free from wandering conceits : we annoy you not , some knowledge is no better then some ignorance , and carelesnesse is no worse then mis-regard . section . xliii . penan●es inioyned in the church of england . comming now to the vaults of popery , i aske for their penances and purgatorie ; those popish penances , which presumptuous confessors inioyned as satisfactorie , and meritorious vpon their bold absolutions : you send me to sheet-penances and purse-penances , the one , ceremonious corrections of shame , inioyned and adioyned to publique confessions of vncleannes , for the abasing of the offender , and hate of the sinne : such like , as the auncient church thought good to vse for this purpose . hence they were appointed ( as tertullian speaketh ) in sackcloth and ashes , to craue the prayers of the church , to besmeare their body with filthynesse , to throwe themselues downe before gods minister , and altar ; not to mention other more harde , and perhaps , no lesse ancient rites ; and hence , were those fiue stations of the penitent , whereby hee was at last receiued into the body of his wonted communion : the other , a pecuniarie mulct imposed vpon some ( not all , you foulely slaunder vs ) lesse hainous offences ; as a penaltie , not as a penance ; i hope you denie not : sodomy , murther , robberie , and ( which you would not ) theft it selfe , is more deepely auenged : but did euer any of ours vrge either sheet or purse as the remedy of purgatory , or inioyne them , to auoide those infernall paines ? vnlesse we doe so , our penances are not popish , and our answerer is idle . section . xliiii . the practises of the church of england , concerning the funerals of the dead . your next accusation is more ingeniously malicious ; our doctrine you graunt contrarie to purgatorie : but you will fetch it out of our practise , that we may build that which we destroy : let vs therefore purge our selues from your purgatorie : wee absolue men dying excommunicate ; a rare practise , and which yet i haue not liued to see : but if law-makers contemne rare occurrents , surely accusers do not : once is too much of an euill : marke then , doe we absolue his soule after the departure ? no , what hath the body to doe with purgatorie ? yet for the body : doe we by any absolution seeke to quit it from sinne ? nothing lesse , reason it selfe giues vs that it is vncapable either of sinne or pardon ; to lye vnburied or to be buried vnseemely , is so much a punishment , that the heathens obiected it ( though vpon the hauocke and furie of warre ) to the christians : as an argument of gods neglect . all that authoritie can do to the dead rebell , is to put his carkasse to shame , and denie him the honour of seemely sepulture : thus doth the church to those which will die in wilfull contempt . those grecian virgines that feared not death , were yet restrained with the feare of shame after death : it was a reall not imaginarie curse of iezabel . the dogges shall eate iezabel . now the absolution ( as you call it , by an vnproper , but malicious name ) is nothing else , but a libertie giuen by the church ( vpon repentance signified of the fault of the late offender ) of all those externall rites of decent funerall : death it selfe is capable of inequalitie , and vnseemelinesse : suppose a iust excommunication : what reason is it , that he which in his life and death would be as a pagan , should be as a christian in his buriall ? what is any , or all this to purgatorie . the next intimation of our purgatorie , is our christian buriall , in the place , in the maner : the place holy ground , the church , church-yard , &c. the manner ringing , singing , praying ouer the corps . thus therefore you argue , we burie the body in the church , or church-yard , &c. therefore we hold a purgatorie of the soule ; a proofe not lesse strange then the opinion : we doe neither scorne the carkasses of our friends , as the old troglodites : nor with the olde egyptians respect them more , then when they were informed with a liuing soule : but we keepe a meane course betwixt both , vsing them as the remainders of dead men , yet as dead christians : and as those which we hope one day to see glorious : wee haue learned to call no place holy in it selfe ( since the temple ) but some more holy in their vse , then others . the old ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) of the christians , wherein their bodies slept in peace , were not lesse esteemed of them , then they are scorned of you . galienus thought he did them a great fauour ( and so they tooke it ) when he gaue them the liberty not only of their churches , but of their former burying-places . in the same booke eusebius commends astyrius a noble senatour for his care , and cost of marinus his buriall . of all these rites of funerall , and choice of place , we professe to hold with augustine , that they are onely the comforts of the liuing , not helpes of the dead : yet as origen also teacheth vs , we haue learned to honour a reasonable ( much more a christian ) soule ; and to commit the instrument or case of it honourably to the graue . all this might haue taught our answerer , that wee make account of an heauen , of a resurrection ; not of a purgatory : but we ring hallowed belles for the soule : do not those belles hange in hallowed steeples too ? and do we not ring them with hallowed ropes ? what fancie is this ? if papists were so fond of olde : their folly and their belles ( for the most part ) are both out of date ; we call them soule-bels , for that they signifie the departure of the soule , not for that they helpe the passage of the soule . this is mere boyes-play : but wee pray over , or for the dead ; doe wee not sing to him also ? pardon me , i must needs tell you , here is much spight , and little wit. to pray for the consummation of the glorie of all gods elect : what is it , but thy kingdome come ? how vainely doe you seeke a knot in a rush , while you cauil at so holy a petition ? goe and learne how much better it is , to call them our brothers , which are not , in an harmelesse ouerweening , and ouer-hoping of charity : then to call them no brothers , which are in a proud and censorious vncharitablenesse : you cannot be content to tel an vntruth , but you must face it out : let any reader iudge how farre our practise in this , hath dissented from our doctrine ; would to god in nothing more : yes ( saith this good friend ) in the most other things ; our wordes professe , our deeds denie : at once you make vs hypocrites , and your selues pharises . let all the world know , that the english church at amsterdam professeth nothing which it practiseth not : we may not be so holy , or so happy . generality is a notable shelter of vntruth : manie moe , you say , popish deuises , yet name none , no , you cannot . aduanced aboue al that is called god ? surely this is a paradoxe of slaunders : you meant at once to shame vs with falshoode , and to appose vs with riddles : we say to the highest , whom haue wee in heauen but thee ? and for earth , your selfe haue granted we giue too much to princes , ( which are earthen gods ) and may come vnder pauls ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) . eyther name our deity , or craue mercy for your wrong : certainely , though you haue not remorse , yet you shall haue shame . section . xlv . the churches still retained in england . the maiesty of the romish petty-gods ( i truely told you ) was long agone with mythra and serapis , exposed to the laughter of the vulgar : you straine the comparison too farre ; yet we follow you : their priests were expelled : for ( as your doctor yeeldeth ) other actors came vpon the same stage : others in religion , else it had beene no change : their ministery and monuments exposed to vtter scorne : their masses , their oblations , their adorations , their inuocations , their anoylings , their exorcizings , their shrift their absolutions , their images , roode loftes , and whatsoeuer else of this kind : but the temples of those olde heathens were demolished and raced : here is the quarrell : ours stand still in their proude maiesty : can you see no difference betwixt our churches and their temples ? the very name it selfe ( if at least you haue vnderstood it ) kirke or church ( which is nothing but an abbreuiation of ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the lords house ) might haue taught you , that ours were dedicated to god , and theirs to the diuel , in their false gods : augustine answeres you , as directly , as if he were in my roome : the gentiles ( saith he ) to their gods erected temples , we not temples vnto our martyrs , as vnto gods , but memorials as vnto dead men , whose spirits with god are still liuing : these then if they were abused by popish idolatrie , is there no way , but downe with them , downe with them to the ground ? well fare the donatists yet , your olde friends ; they but washed the walles that were polluted by the orthodoxe . by the same token that optatus askes them , why they did not wash the bookes , which ours touched , and the heauens which they look't vpon : what , are the very stones sinfull ? what can be done with them ? the very earth where they should lie on heapes would be vncleane : but not their pollution angers you more , then their proud maiesty : what house can be too good for the maker of all things ? as god is not affected with state , so is he not delighted in basenesse . if the pompe of the temple were ceremoniall , yet it leaues this morality behinde it , that gods house should be decent , and what if goodly ? if we did put holines in the stones , as you doe vncleanenesse , it might be sinne to be costly : let mee tell you , there may bee as much pride in a clay wall as in a carued : proude maiestie is better then proud basenesse : the stone or clay will offend in neither , we may in both : if you loue cottages , the auncient christians with vs , loued to haue gods house stately , as appeares by the example of that worthie bishoppe of alexandria , and that gratious constantine , in whose daies these sacred piles began to lift vp their heads vnto this enuyed height : take you your owne choice , giue vs ours : let vs neither repine , nor scorne at each other . section . xlvi . the founders and furnitures of our churches . all this while i feared you had beene in popish idolatrie , now i finde you in heathenish : these our churches are still possessed by their flamins , and arch-flamins : i had thought none of our temples had beene so auncient : certainely i finde but one poore tuinous building , reported to haue worne out this long tyranny of time : for the most , you might haue read their age , and their founders in open records : but these were deriued from those : surely , the churches as much as the men : it is true , the flamins , and what euer other heathen priests , were put down , christian bishoppes were set vp : are these therfore deriued from those ? christianity came in the roome of iudaisme , was it therefore deriued from it ? before you tolde vs , that our prelacy came from that antichrist of rome , now from the flamins of the heathen : both no lesse , then either : if you cannot bee true , yet learne to be constant . but what meane you to charge our churches with carued and painted images ? it is wel you write to those that know them ; why did you not say wee bow our knees to them , and offer incense ? perhaps you haue espied , some old dustie statue in an obscure corner , couer'd ouer with cob-webs , with halfe a face , and that miserably blemished , or perhappes halfe a crucifixe inuerted in a church-window , and these you surely noted for english idols : no lesse dangerous glasse you might haue seene at geneua , a church that hates idolatrie , as much as you doe vs : what more ? massing copes and surplices : some copes ( if you will ) more surplices , no massing : search your bookes againe ; you shall finde albes in the masse , no surplices : as for organ-musicke , you should not haue fetch 't it from rome , but from ierusalem : in the reformed church at middleburgh , you might haue found this skirt of the harlot : which yet you grant at least crept out of babylon ; iudge now ( christian reader ) of the weight of these grand exceptions : and see whether ten thousand such were able to make vs no church , and argue vs not only in babilon , but to be babilon it selfe : thus babilonish we are to you , and thus sion-like to god : euerie true church is gods sion : euerie church that holdes the foundation is true , according to that golden rule , ephes. . . euery building that is coupled together in this corner stone , groweth vnto an holy temple in the lord : no aduersarie either man or diuell can confound vs , either in our euidences , or their owne challenges : wee may be faulty , but we are true : and if the darknes you finde in vs be light , how great is our light ? section . xlvii . on what ground separation or ceremonies was obiected . he that leaues the whole church in a grosse and wilfull error , is an hereticke ; he that leaues a particular church for appendances is a schismaticke : such are you , both in the action , and cause : the act is yeelded , the cause hath beene in part scanned , shall be more : this i vainely pretended , to be our consorting in ceremonies with the papists : behold here the groūd of your loude challenge of my ignorance : ignorance of your iudgement and practise : here is my abuse of you , of my reader : and , how durst i ? good words ( m. r. ) what i haue erred , i will confesse : i haue wronged you indeed : but in my charity : i knew the cause of brownisme , but i knew not you : for ( to say ingenuously ) i had heard and hoped , that your case had beene lesse desperate ; my intelligence was , that in dislike of these ceremonies obtruded , and an hopelesnes of future libertie , you and your fellowes had made a secession , rather then a separation from our church ; to a place , where you might haue scope to professe , and opportunity to inioy your owne conceites : whence it was , that i tearmed you ringleaders of the late separation , not followers of the first , and made your plea against our church , imperfection , not falshood : i hoped you , as not ours , so not theirs : not ours in place , so not quite theirs in pieuish opinion : i knew it to be no new thing for men inclining to these fancies , to beginne new churches at amsterdam , seuerall from the rest : witnesse the letters of some ( sometimes yours ) cited by your owne pastor : i knew the former separation , and hated it ; i hoped better of the latter separation and pittyed it : my knowledge both of * master smith whome you followed , and your selfe , would not let mee thinke of you , as you deserued : how durst i charge you with that , which perhaps you might disauow ? it was my charity therefore , that made my accusations easie : it is your vncharitablenes that accuses them of ignorance . i knew why a brownist is a true schismaticke ; i knew not you were so true a brownist . but why then did i write ? taking your seperation at best : i knew how iustly i might take occasion by it to disswade from seperation : to others good , though not to yours : now i know you better , or worse rather , i thinke you heare more : forgiue me my charity , and make the worst of my ignorance . i knew that this separation ( which now i know yours ) stands vpon foure grounds : as some beast vpon foure feete . first , god worshipped after a false manner , secondly , prophane multitude receiued , thirdly , antichristian ministery imposed , fourthly , subiection to antichristian gouernement : the ceremonies are but as some one paw in euery foote : yet if wee extend the word to the largest vse , diuiding all religion into ceremonie , and substance : i may yet , and do auerre , that your separation is meerely grounded vppon ceremonies . section . xlviii . estimation of ceremonies , and subiection to the prelates . and touching ceremonies ; you refused them formerly , but not long : and when you did refuse them , you knew not wherefore ; for immediately before your suspension , you acknowledged them to be things indifferent , and for matter of scandall by them you had not informed your selfe ( by your own confession ) of a whole quarter of a yeare after : why refused you then , but as the poet made his playes , to please the people , or as simon magus was baptized for company ? but refusing them , you submitted to the prelates spirituall iurisdiction : there was your crime ; this was your camell , the other your gnats : did euer any prelate challenge spirituall rule ouer your conscience ? this they all appropriate to the great bishoppe of our soules : and if other ; graunt them as your malice faineth : what sinne is it to be the subiect of a tyrant ? now vpon more grace , refusing the prelacy , you haue branded the ceremonies : so you did before your separation : tell vs how long was it after your suspension , and before your departure , that you could haue beene content ( vpon condition ) to haue worne this linnen badge of your man of sinne ? was not this your resolution , when you went from norwich to lincoln-shire , after your suspension ? denie it not ; my witnesses are too strong . but let vs take you as you are : these ceremonies , though too vile for you , yet are good enough for our ministers of england : as if you said , lord , i thanke thee , i am not as this publican : why , for our ministers ? because , those are the liueries , and these the sworne seruants of the antichristian bishoppes : we haue indeede sworne obedience to our ordinarie , in honest and lawfull commaundements , but seruice to christ : but dooth all obedience imply seruitude ? this obedience is , as to spirituall fathers , not to masters : yet so are wee the seruants of christ , that we are ready to giue our seruice to the least of his saints : thus vile will wee be for god : how much more to those whom god hath made ( as hierom saies ) principes ecclesiae : whiles they command for god : what doe we herein , but that which epiphanius vrged of olde against aerius ; what but the same which ignatius ( that holy and old martyr ) requires ( not once ) of all presbyters , and offers the ingagement of his owne soule for vs in this acte . as for our ceremonies , aggrauate them how you can for your aduantage , they are but ceremonies to vs : and such , as wherein we put no holinesse , but order , decency , conuenience : but they are preferred ( you say ) in our church , before the preaching of the gospell : a most wrongfull vntruth ; vvee holde preaching an essentiall part of gods seruice , ceremonies none at all : the gospell preached we holde the life and soule of the church , ceremonies eyther the garment , or the lace of the garment : the gospell preached we hold the foundation and vvals , ceremonies hardly so much as reede , or tile : but how then ( say you ) haue they ouerturned our best builders ? this is a word of rare fauor : i had thought you had held vs all ruiners , not builders : or if builders ; of babel , not of hierusalem : in which worke , the best builders are the worst . those whose hand hath beene in this act would tel you , that not so much the ceremonies are stood vpon , as obedience : if god please to trie adam but with an apple , it is enough : vvhat doe we quarrel at the value of the fruit , when we haue a prohibition ? shimei is slaine : what merely for going out of the citie ? the act was little , the bond was great : what is commaunded matters not so much , as by whom ; insult not , wee may thanke your outrage for this losse . for your retortion of my zoar and sodome : i can giue you leaue to be wittie , you vse it so seldome : but when you haue played with the allusion what you list , i must tell you that hee which will needes vrge a comparison to goe on foure feete , is not worthy to goe vpon two : zoar was neere to sodome , not part of it : zoar was reserued when sodome was destroyed : zoars neerenesse to the place where sodome stood , needed not haue giuen lot cause of remoueall . zoar might safely haue beene the harbour of lot : his feare was for want of faith : god promised him and the place security : the far-fetcht application therfore of the wickednesse of zoar to our ceremonies might wel haue been forborne and kept to your selfe : much lesse needed you ( like some anti - lot ) to call for fire and brimstone from heauen vpon your zoar. section . xlix . the state of the temple , and of our church in resemblance . how you would haue behaued your selfe in the temple to the mony-changers : you will aunswer when we proue our church to be gods temple , built of that matter , and in that form which god hath prescribed : and here you send vs to . k. . . & . chr. . . ignorantly ; as if salomons temple had stood till christs time : when neither the first , nor second ( though called beth gnolam ) out lasted more then foure hundred yeares : or as if the market had beene vnder the very roofe of that temple : whether herods were built of the same matter with salomons , and in full corespondence to it , i dispute not : it was certainely dedicated to gods seruice , and that ( which you would hardly digest ) in a solemne anniuersary holy-day ; though not erected vpon the word of any prophet . but to let passe allegories : we must proue our selues the true church of god : thus we doe it : vve are true christians , for we were baptized into the name of christ ; we truely professe our continuance in the same faith , into which we were baptized : we ioyne together in the publique seruices of god : we maintain euery point of the most ancient creeds : wee ouerthrowe not the foundation by any consequence , therefore what euer is wanting to vs , what euer is superfluous , in spight of all the gates of hell , we are the true church of god. let me aske you : were not the people of the iewes in the prophets and in christs time a confused heape of dead and defiled , and ( for i will vse your tautologies ) polluted stones , and of all rubbish , of bryers and brambles of the vvildernesse , for the most part fitter for burning then building ? can we be worse then they ? if wickednesse can defile a church , they shal iustifie vs : did either those prophets or our sauiour , rather shewe their obedience to god in departing from it , then their valour in purging it : you haue well imitated these heauenly patternes , but what ? can your charity finde nothing but rubbish ? not one square stone , not one liuing ? you will bee iudging till god iudge you : if you take not heede of these courses , you will so runn with the hee goates , that you wil stand with the goates on the left hand : that god , whose place you haue vsurped , giue you more wisedome and loue . section . l. whether ministers should endure themselues silenced . the valour of our most zealous reformers hath truely shewed it selfe in yeeldance : as in duels , so here , he is the most valiant that can so master himselfe as not to fight : you according to the common opinion of swaggerers , blame the peaceable of cowardise , and accuse them of suffering . behold a newe crime : that they suffer themselues to be driuen out : vvhat should they haue done ? should they haue taken armes , and crie the sword of god , and gedion ? you that wil not allow a prince to compell subiects , vvill you allow subiects to compell princes ? god forbidde : this were high treason against gods annointed : what then ? should they approue the ceremonies by subscription , by practise ? this you exclaime vppon as high treason against the highest : vvhat yet more ? should they haue preached with their mouthes stop't ? this is it , which you haue learned of your founder , and through not many handes receiued , and required with no lesse violence : clamour and tumult is that you desire ; still let our sinne be peaceable obedience , yours fury and opposition your headstrong conceit is , that it is a sinne to be silenced : men must preach euen when they may not : all times , before you , would haue wondred at this paradoxe : for how euer the apostles , which had not their calling from men , would not be silenced by men , yet wee finde that all their successours held that those hands which were layd vpon their heads , might be laid vpon their mouthes : looke into all histories : those constitutions ( which though not apostolike ( yet were auncient ) in the seuenth canon punish a bishop or presbiter , that vpon pretence of religion separates from his wife , with deposition : and if any presbiter shall shift his charge without licence ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and lastly inflicts the same penalty vpon fornication , adulterie , periury . the great nicene councels take the same order with some misliked bishops , and presbiters in diuers canons : gaudentius in the councell of sardi , takes it for graunted , that a bishop may by bishops be deposed : so the second councell of carthage , can. . so the fourth councell of carthage more then once imposes degradation : so leo the first threats to put some offending persons from the office of their ministrie : so ( that i may not be endlesse ) blessed cyprian aduises rogatianus a good olde bishop , which was abused by a malapert deacon , by the authority of his chaire to right himselfe , and either to depose , or suspend the offender . leontius in socrates , is depriued of his priesthood : yea , what councell or father giues not both rules and instances , of this practise ? see how farre the auncient church was from these tumultuous fancies : no , no , ( m. r. ) we well finde , it is doing that vndoes the church , not suffering : if your fellowes could haue suffered more , and done lesse , the church had bin happy : as for our church officers , you may raile vpon them with a lawlesse safety : there is a great ditch betwixt you and them : else you might pay deare for this sinne of slandering them with their cheape peny-worths : how idly doe you insult ouer those , whom your mony-changers haue driuen out of their pulpits : when you confesse ( after all your valour ) that they haue driuen you both out of church and country : who can pitty a miserable insulter ? section . li. power of reforming abuses giuen to the church : and the issue of the neglect of it . you that can graunt there will be corruptions in all other churches , will endure none in ours : if england should haue either vnleauened wafers , or drunken loue-feasts ( though no other blemishes ) she could not but be babilon : wee enuie not your fauours : these , or whatsoeuer like enormities , christ hath giuen power vnto his church to reforme : but what if the church neglect to vse it ? what if those euils , which are brought in , by humane frailty , will not by diuine authority be purged out ? now the errour ( by your doctrine ) is growne fundamentall ; so christ is lost , and the foundation raced : if wee shall then assume ( against our friends , to conuince our enemies ) the church of geneua hath been seriously dealt with , in this corruption , and disswaded by vehement importunity , yet still persisteth : how can you free them , and charge vs ? see how we loue to be miserable , with cōpany . this power to purge out all corruptions , christ hath not giuen vs : if he hath giuē it you ; you must first begin to purge out your selues : you haue done it ; but still there remaine some : would god wee had as much execution as power : our church should be as cleane as yours is schismaticall : if you should measure faculties by their exercise : naturall rest should be the greatest enemie to vertue : and the solitarie christian should be miserable : this power of ours is not dead , but sleepeth : when it awaketh vnto more frequent vse , ( which we earnestly pray for ) looke you for the first handsell of it : none can be more worthy : as it is ; we offend not more in defect then you in excesse : of whom that your lazarello of amsterdam g. i. could say , that you haue excommunications as ready as a prelate hath a prison : christ is in many that feele him not ; but wee want not the power onely , but the presence of christ : how so ? he was with vs while you were here : did he depart with you ? will the separatists engrosse our sauiour to themselues , and ( as cyprian said of pupianus ) goe to heauen alone ? yea , confine the god of heauen to amsterdam ? what insolence in this ? we haue him in his word : wee haue him in his sacraments : we haue him in our hearts : we haue him in our profession , yet this enemie dare say we want him : wherein ? i suppose in our censures : vve haue peters keyes ( as his true successours both in office , and doctrine ) : our fault is ; that we vse them not , as you would : vvhat church doth so ? your first martyr doth as zealously inueigh against the practise of geneua , and all other reformed congregations in this point , as against vs : both for the wooden dagger ( as he termes it ) of suspension , and for their consistoriall excommunications : vvoe were to all the world , if christ should limit his presence onely to your fashions : heere you found him , and heere you left him : vvould to god wee did no more grieue him with our sinnes , then you please him in your presumptuous censures : in the rest you raile against our prelates and vs : can any man think that christ hath left peaceable spirits , to goe dwell with railers ? indeed , yours is free-hold : so you wold haue it : free from subiection , free from obedience : this is loosenesse , more then liberty : you haue broken the bonds , and cast the cordes from you : but you miscall our tenure : vve hate villenage no lesse then you hate peace ; and hold ( in capite ) of him , that is the head of his body , the church : vnder whose easie yoake wee doe willingly stoope in a sweet christian freedome ; abhorring , and reprouing ( and therefore notwithstanding our personall communion auoiding ) all abhominations : in these two respects therefore of our confusion , and bondage , wee haue well seene in this discourse , how iustly your sion accounts vs babylon : since it is apparent for the one , that here is neither confusion , nor babylonish , nor without separation : for the other , no bondage , no seruility : our prelats being our fathers , not our masters : and if lords for their external dignity , yet not lords of our faith : and if both these your respects were so , yet so long as we doe inviolably hold the foundation , both directly , and by necessary sequell : any railer may terme vs , but no seperatist shall proue vs babylon : you may flye whether you list : would god yet further , vnlesse you had more loue . section . lii . the view of the sinnes and disorders of others , whereupon obiected : and how farre it should affect vs. i neede no better analyser then your selfe , saue that you doe not onely resolue my parts , but adde more : whereas euery motion hath a double terme : from whence , and whither : both these could not but fall into our discourse ; hauing therefore formerly expostulated with you for your ( since you will so terme it ) impiety , in forsaking a ceremonious babylon of your owne making in england : i thought it not vnfit to compare your choice with your refusall : england with amsterdam , which it pleaseth you to intitle a substantiall babylon : impiety and madnes are titles of your owne choice , let your guiltinesse be your owne accuser : the truth is , my charity and your vncharitablenes haue caused vs to mistake each other : my charity thus : hearing both at middleburgh , and here , that certaine companies from the parts of nottingham and lincolne ( whose harbinger had beene newly in zeland before me ) meant to retyre themselues to amsterdam , for their full libertie , not for the full approbation of your church : not fauouring your maine opinions , but emulating your freedome in too much hate of our ceremonies , and too much accordance to some grounds of your hatred : i hoped you had beene one of their guides ; both because lincoln-shire was your country , and master smith your oracle , and generall : not daring therefore to charge you with perfect brownisme , what could i thinke might bee a greater motiue to this your supposed change , then the view of our ( so oft proclaimed ) wickednesse , and the hope of lesse cause of offence in those forraine parts : this i vrged , fearing to goe deeper then i might bee sure to warrant : now comes my charitable answerer , and imputes this easines of my challenge , to my ignorance ; and therefore will needes perswade his christian reader , that i knew nothing of the first separation , because i obiected so little to the second . it were strange if i should thinke , you gather churches there by town-rowes ( as we in england ) who know that some one prison might hold all your refined flocke : you gathered here by hedge-rowes ; but there it is easier to tell how you diuide , then how you gather : let your church be an intire body , inioying her owne spirituall communion , yet if it be not a corrasiue to your heart to conuerse in the same streetes , and to be ranged in the same towne-rowes with iewes , arians , anabaptists , &c. you are no whit of kinne to him , that vexed his righteous soule with the vncleanenesses of foule sodom . that good man had nothing but ciuill society with those impure neighbours : he differed from them in religion , in practise , yet could hee not so carelesly turne off this torment : his house was gods church ; wherein they had the spirituall communion of the saints : yet whiles the citie was so vncleane , his heart was vnquiet : we may ( you graunt ) haue ciuill society with ill men , spirituall communion onely with saints : those must be accounted the world , these onely the church : your owne allegations shall condemne you . they are not of the world ( saith christ ) as i am not of the world : both christ , and they were partes of the iewish church : the iewish church was not so sanctified , but the most were extreamely ▪ vncleane : therefore wee may bee partes of a visible vnsanctified church ; and yet be separate from the world . saint paul writes to his corinthians , sanctified in christ , saints by calling : true , but not long after , he can say , ye are yet carnall . in his second epistle : come out ( saith he ) from among them : but , from whom ? from infidels by profession , not corrupted christians . section . liii . the nearenesse of the state and church , and the great errours found by the separatists in the french and dutch churches . the church and state , if they be two , yet they are twins , and that so , as eithers euill proues mutuall : the sinnes of the citie not reformed , blemish the church ; where the church hath power and in a sort comprehends the state , she cannot wash her hands of tollerated disorders in the cōmon-wealth : hence is my comparison of the church ( if you could haue seene it , not the kingdome ) of england , with that of amsterdam : i doubt not , but you could be content to sing the old song of vs , bona terra , mala gens : our land you could like well , if you might be lordes alone , thankes be to god it likes not you , and iustly thinkes the meanest corner too good for so mutinous a generation : when it is weary of peace it will recall you : you that neither in prison , nor on the seas , nor in the coasts of virginea , nor in your way , nor in netherland could liue in peace , what shall we hope of your ease at home ? where ye are , all you thankful tenants cannot in a powerful christian state moue god to distinguish betwixt the knowen sinnes of the citie , and the church : how oft hath our gratious soueraigne , and how importunately beene solicited for a tolleration of religions ? it is pittie that the papists hyred not your aduocation : who in this pointe are those true cassanders , which reuerend caluin long since confuted : their wishes herein are yours : to our shame and their excuse : his christian heart held that tolleration vnchristian and intollerable , which you either neglect or magnifie : good constantine wink 't at it in his beginning , but as dauid at the house of zeruiah : succeeding times found these canaanites to be prickes and thornes , and therefore both by mulctes and banishments sought eyther their yeeldance or voydance . if your magistrates hauing once given their names to the church , indevour not to purge this augean stable ; how can you preferre their communion to ours ? but howsoeuer now , least we should thinke your land-lords haue too iust cause to pack you away for wranglers , you turne ouer all the blame from the church to the city ; yet your pastor and church haue so found the citie in the church , and branded it with so blacke markes , as that all your smooth extenuations cannot make it a lesse babylon then the church of england : beholde now by your owne confessions either amsterdam shall be , or england shall not be babylon : these eleuen crimes you haue found and proclaimed in those dutch and french churches : first , that the assembles are so contriued that the whole church comes not together in one : so that the ministers cannot together with the flock sanctifie the lords day ; the presence of the members of the church cannot be knowne , and finally no publique action , whether excommunication , or any other can rightly be performed . could you say worse of vs ? where neither sabboth can be rightly sanctified ; nor presence or absence knowne , nor any holy action rightly performed , what can there be but mere confusion ? secondly , that they baptise the seede of them who are no members of any visible church ; of whom moreouer they haue not care as of members , neither admit their parents to the lordes supper : mere babylonisme , and sinne in constitution , yea the same that makes vs no church : for what separation can there be in such admittance ? what other but a sinfull commixture ? how is the church of amsterdam now gathered from the world ? thirdly , that in the publique worshippe of god they haue deuised , and vsed another forme of prayer , besides that which christ our lord hath prescribed , mat. . reading out of a booke certain prayers inuented and imposed by man. beholde here our fellow idolaters : and ( as followes ) a daily sacrifice of a set seruice-booke , which in stead of the sweete incense of spirituall prayers is offered to god , very swines-flesh , a new por●uise , and an equal participation with vs of the curse of addition to the word . fourthly , that rule and commandement of christ , matth. . . they neither obserue , nor suffer rightly to be obserued among them . how oft haue you said that there can bee no sound church without this course , because no separation ? beholde the maine blemish of england in the face of amsterdam ! fiftly , that they worship god in the idoll temples of antichrist : so the wine is mar'd with the vessell , their seruice abhomination with ours : neyther doe these antichristian stones want all glorious ornaments of the romish harlot , yet more . sixtly , that their ministers haue their set maintenance after another manner then christ hath ordained , . chr. . and that also such , as by which any ministery at all , whether popish or other might bee maintained : either tithes , or as ill : beholde one of the maine arguments wherby our ministery is condemned as false and antichristian , falling heauie vppon our neighbours . seuenthly , that their elders change yearely , and do not continue in their office , according to the doctrine of the apostles and practise of the primitiue church : what can our church haue worse then false gouernours ? both annuall and perpetual they cannot be : vvhat is ( if not this ) a wrong in constitution ? eightly , that they celebrate mariage in the church , as if it were a part of the ecclesiasticall administration : a foule shame and sinne : and what better then our third sacrament ? ninthly , that they vse a new censure of suspension which christ hath not appointed : no lesse then english presumption . tenthly , that they obserue daies and times , consecrating certaine daies in the yeare to the natiuity , resurrection , ascension of christ : beholde their calender as truely possessed : two commaundements solemnely broken at once ; and we not idolaters alone . eleuenth , which is last and worst , that they receiue vnrepentant excommunicates to bee members of their church , which by this meanes becomes one one body with such as be deliuered vnto sathan ; therefore none of christs bodie : england can be but a miscelline rabble of prophane men ; the dutch and french churches are belike no better , who can be worse then an vnrepentant excommunicate ? goe now and say , it is the apostasie of antichrist to haue communion with the world in the holy things of god , which are the peculiars of the church , and cannot without great sacriledge be so prostituted and prophaned ; goe say , that the plaguy-spirituall-leprosie of sinne rising vp in the foreheads of many in that church , vnshut vp , vncouered ( yea wilfully let loose ) infects all both persons and things amongst them : goe now and flie out of this babylon also , as the hee-goates before the flocke , or returne to ours : but howeuer these errours bee grosse , perhappes they are tractable ; not the sinne vndoes the church , but obstinacy ; here is no euasion : for behold , you do no more accuse those churches of corruption , then of wilfulnesse : for diuers times haue you dealt with them about these fearefull enormities : yea you haue often de●ired , that knowledge thereof might be by themselues giuen to the whole body of their church , or that ( at least ) they would take order that it might be done by you : they haue refused both ; what remaines , but they be our fellow-heathens and publicanes ? and not they alone , but all reformed churches besides in christendome , which doe ioyntly partake in all these ( except one or two personall ) abhominations : will you neuer leaue til you haue wrangled your selues out of the world ? but now i feare i haue drawne you to say , that the hellish impieties both in the citie , and church of amsterdam are but frogges , lyce , flies , moraine and other egiptian plagues , not preiudicing your goshen : say so if you dare ; i feare they would soone make the ocean your redde sea , and virginia your wildernesse . the church is noahs arke , which gaue safetie to her guests , whereof ye are part ; but remember that it had vncleane beasts also , and some sauage : if the waues drowne you not , yet ( me thinkes ) you should complaine of noysome society : sathans throne could not preiudice the church of pergamus , but did not the balaamites ( the nicolaitanes ? ) yet their heauenly communion stood , and the angell is sent away with but threates . section . liiii . conuersation with the world . as it were madnesse to denie that the church should conuerse with the world in the affaires thereof : so to denie her communion in gods holy things , with any of those of the world , which professe christianity ( as yet vncensured ) is a point of anabaptisticall apostasie : such of the world are still of the church . as my censure cannot eiect them , so their sinne ( after my priuate endeuor of redresse ) cannot defile me : i speake of priuate communicants : if an vnbidden guest come with a ragged garment , and vnwashen hands , shall i forbeare gods heauenly dainties ? the master of the feast can say , friend , how cam'st thou in hither : not , friendes why came you hither with such a guest ? god biddes me come : he hath imposed this necessity , neuer allowed this excuse : my teeth shall not bee set on edge with the sower grapes of others : if the church cast not out the knowne vnworthy , the sinne is hers : if a man will come vnworthy , the sinne is his : but if i come not because he comes , the sinne is mine : i shall not answer for that others sinne : i shall answere for mine owne neglect : an other mans fault cannot dispence with my duetie . section . lv. the impure mixtures of the church of england . as there is no element which is not through many mixtures departed from the first simplicitie : so no church euer breathed in so pure an ayre , as that it might not iustly complaine of some thicke and vnwholsome euaporations of errour and sinne . if you challenge an immunity , you are herein the true broode of the auncient puritanes : but if too many sinnes in practise haue thickened the ayre of our church , yet not one heresie : that smoake of the bottomlesse pit hath neuer corrupted it : and therefore iustly may i auerre , that here you might drawe in the cleare ayre of the gospell : no wherevpon earth more freely : and if this be but the opinion of custome , you whom absence hath helped with a more nice and dainty sent , speake your worst : shew vs our heresies , and shame vs : you haue done it , and behold foure maine infections of our english ayre : the first , the smoake of our canons : wittily : i feare the great ordinances of the church , haue troubled you more with the blow , then the smoake : for you tell vs of their plantation against the kingdome of christ : what kingdome ? the visible church : which is that ? not the reformedst peece of ours , whole best are but goats and swine : not the close nicodemians of your owne sect amongst vs , which would be loath to be visible : not forrainers , to them they extend not : none therefore in all the world , but the english parlour-full at amsterdam : can there be any truer donatisme ? crie you still out of their poysoning the ayre : we hold it the best clensed by the batteries of your idle fancies , by ridding you from our ayre , and by making this your church inuisible to vs ; smart you thus , till we complaine . the second is the plague or leprosie of sinne vnshut vp and vncouered : wee knowe that sinne is as ill , as the diuill can make it , a most loathsome thing in the eies of god , and his angels , and saints : and we grant to our griefe that among so many millions of men , there may be found some thousands of lepers : good lawes and censures meete with some , others escape : it is not so much our fault , as our griefe : but that this leprosie infects all persons , and things , is shamefully ouer-reach't : plague and leprosie haue their limits , beyond which , is no contagion ; if a man come not neare them , if hee take the winde in an open ayre , they infect not : such is sinne : it can infect none but the guiltie : those which acte or assent to , or bear with it , or detest it not , are in this pollution : but those which can mourne for it , and cannot redresse it , are free from infection : how many foule lepers spiritually did our sauiour see in the publique ayre of the iewish church ? wherewith yet he ioyned , and his , not fearing infection so much , as gracing the remnants of their ruinous church : were those seuen thousand israelites whose knees bowed not to baal , infected with the idolatrie of their neighbours ? yet continued they still partes of the same church . but this yet exceedes : not onely all persons , but all thinges ? what ? our gospell ? our heauen , earth , sea ? our bookes ; coyne , commodities ? beholde , you see the same heauen with vs , you haue no bibles but ours : our ayre in his circular motion comes to bee yours : the water that washeth our iland , perhappes washeth your handes : our vncleane siluer ( i feare ) maintaines you : our commodities ( in parte ) inrich your land-lords : and yet all things amongst vs infected ? you are content to take some euil from your neighbors . the third is our blasting hierarchie , which suffers no good thing , ( that is no brownist , no singular fancy ) ( for what good things haue we but yours ? ) to grow , or prosper amongst vs , but withers all both budde and branch , would to god the root also : the last , is the daily sacrifice of a seruice-booke : an incense , how euer vnsauorie to you , yet such as all churches in christendome hold sweete , and offer vp as fitte for the nostrils of the almightie ; we are not alone thus tainted ; al christian churches that are , or haue bin , present the same censers vnto god : but ours smels strong of the popes portuise : see whether this be any better then triuiall cauilling : if either an ill man , or a diuill shall speake that which is good ; may not a good man vse it ? if a good angell , or man shall speake that which is euill , is it euer the better for the deliuerer ? if sathan himselfe shall say of christ ; thou art the sonne of the liuing god , shall i feare to repeate it ? not the authour but the matter , in these things is worthie of regard : as ierome speakes of the poysoned workes of origen , and other dangerous treatisours , good things may be receiued from ill handes ; if the matter of any prayer be popish , fault it for what it containes , not for whence it came : what say you against vs in this , more then master smith ( your stout anabaptist ) saith of our baptizing of infants : both of them equally condemned for antichristian : still therefore wee boast of the free , and cleare ayre of the gospell , if it be annoyed with some practicall euils , we may be foule , the gospel is it selfe , and our profession holy , neither can we complaine of all euils , while we want you . section . lvi . the iudgement of our owne , and our neighbours of our church . that which followeth is but wordes , a short answere is too much : that all christendome magnifies the worthinesse of our church , in so cleare euidences of their own voyces you cannot denie ; and now when you see such testimonies abroad ( lest you should say nothing ) you fetch cauils from home : those men which ( you say ) complaine so much of their miserable condition vnder the prelates impositions , haue notwithstanding with the same pens and tongues not onely iustified our church but extold it : you haue found no sharper aduersaries in this verie accusation , for which you malitiously cyte them : how freely , how sully haue they euinced the truth ? yea the happinesse of the church of england against your false challenges : and yet your forehead dare challenge them for authors : so hath their moderation opposed some appendances , that they haue both acknowledged and defended the substance with equall vehemence to your opposition : neither doe they suffer ( as you traduce them ) for seeking another church-gouernement : looke into the millenaries petition ( the common voyce of that part ) i am deceiued , if ought of their complaints sound that way , much lesse of their sufferings : deformitie in practise is obiected to them , not indeuour of innouation ; that quarrell hath beene long silent , your motion cannot reuiue it : would god you could as much follow those men in moderate and charitable carriage , as you haue out-run them in complaint . it pleaseth you to deuise vs , like pictures vpon course canuasse , which shew fairest at farthest ; attributing forraine approbation ( which you cannot denie ) to distance , more then to desert . how is it then , that ( besides strange witnesses ) we which looke vpon this face without preiudice , commend it ( god knowes ) without flatterie : we can at once acknowledge her infirmities , and blesse god for her graces : our neighbours , ( yea our selues ) of scotland , know our church so well , that they doe with one consent praise her for one of gods best daughters ; neither doe the most rigorous amongst them , more dislike our episcopall gouernement , then embrace our church : what fraud is this , to flie from the church in common , to one circumstance ? wee can honour that noble church in scotland , may we not dislike their alienations of church-liuings ? if one thing offend , doe all displease ? yet euen this gouernment , which you would haue them resist to bonds and banishment ( who knowes not ? ) begins to find both fauour and place : what choice other churches would make , as you doubt not , so you care not : if you regarded their sentence : how durst your reuile her as a false harlot , whom they honour as a deere sister ? if you were more theirs then we , you might vpbraide vs : now you tell vs what perhaps they would doe , we tell you what they doe , and will doe : euen with one voyce , blesse god for england , as the most famous and flourishing church in christendome : your handfull onely makes faces , and enuies this true glorie ; who yet ( you say ) despise not our graces , no more then we those of rome : see how you despise vs while you say , you are free from despight : how malicious is this comparison , as if we were to you , as rome to vs : and yet you despise vs more : wee graunt rome a true baptisme , true visibilitie of a church , though monstrously corrupted : you giue not vs so much : thankes be to god , wee care lesse for your censure , then you doe for our church : we haue by gods mercy the true and right vse of the word , and sacraments , and all other essentiall giftes and graces of god ; if there might bee some further helpes in execution , to make these more effectual , we resist not : but those your other imaginary ordinances , as wee haue not , so wee want not : neither the chaldeans , nor any idolatrous enemies could make sion babylon , nor the holy vessels prophane ; so as they should cease to be fitte for gods vse : but they were brought backe at the returne of the captiuitie to ierusalem : such were our worshippe , ministery , sacraments , and those manifold subiects of your cauils , which whiles you disgrace for their former abuse , you call our good euill , and willingly despise our graces . section . lvii . the issue of separation . all the sequell of my answerer is meerely sententious : it is fitter for vs to learne , then replie : where the truth gaines ( say you ) god looseth not ▪ i tell you againe , where god looseth , the truth gaineth not , and where the church looseth , god ( which indowed her ) cannot but loose : alas what can the truth either get or saue by such vnkinde quarrels ? surely suspicion on some handes , on others reiection : for ( as optatus of his donatists ) betwixt our licet , and your non licet many poore soules wauer and doubt : neither will settle , because wee agree not : thankes are not lost , where new fauours are called for , but where olde are denied , while your posie is : such as the mother such is the daughter ; where are our olde , our any mercies ? they are vnthankfull , which know what god hath done , and confesse it not : they are vnfaithfull to god and his deputie , which knowing themselues made to obey , presume to ouer-rule , and vpon their priuate authoritie , obtrude to the church those ordinances to bee obserued , which neuer had being but in their owne idle speculation . your sequestration and our confusion , are both of them beneficial , where they should not : and as you pretend our confusion for the cause of your separation ; so is your separation the true cause of too much trouble , and confusion in the church : your odious tale of commixture hath cloyed and surfeited your reader already , and receiued aunswere to satietie : this one dish so oft brought foorth , argues your pouertie : the visible church is gods drag-net , and field , and floore , and arke , here will be euer at her best , sedge , tares , chaffe , vncleane creatures : yet is this no pretence for her neglect : the notoriously euill she casts from her brest , and knee , denying them the vse of her prayers , and ( which your leaders mislike ) of her sacrament ; if diuers through corruption of vnfaithfull officers , escape censure ; yet let not the transgressions of some , redound to the condemnation of the whole church : in gods iudgement it shall not , wee care little , if in yours . wee tell wicked men , they may goe to hell-with the water of baptisme in their faces , with the church in their mouthes , we denounce gods iudgements vnpartially against their sinnes , and them : thus we flatter , thus wee deceiue , if yet they will needs run to perdition : perditio tua ex te israel . our clergie is so romish as our baptisme : if therefore romish , because they came thence , wee haue disproued it : if therefore romish because they haue beene vsed there , we graunt and iustifie it , that auncient confession of their faith which was famous thorough the world we receiue with them : if they hold one god , one baptisme , one heauen , one christ shall we renounce it ? why should wee not cast off our christendome and humanitie , because the romanes had both ? how much rome can either challenge , or hope to gaine in our clergie and ministration is well witnessed by the blood of those martyrs , eminent in the prelacie , which in the fresh memories of many was shed for god , against that harlot : and by the excellent labours of others , both bishops and doctors : whose learned pens haue pulled downe more of the wals of rome , then all the corner-creeping brownists in the world shall euer be able to doe , while amsterdam standeth . it is you that furnish these aduersaries with aduantages , through your wilfull diuisions : take scilurus his arrowes , single out of the sheafe , the least finger breakes them , while the whole bundle feares no stresse : wee know well where the blame is , our deseruings can be no protection to you : you went from vs , not we from you . plead not our constraint , you should not haue beene compelled to forsake vs , while christ is with vs : but who compels you not to call vs brethren ? to denie vs christians ? your zeale is so farre from iustifying the wicked , that it condemnes the righteous . section . lviii . the brownists scornefull opinion of our people . how scornefully doe you turne ouer our poore rude multitude , as if they were beasts not men ; or if men , not rude , but sauage : this contempt needed not : these sonnes of the earth may goe before you to heauen : indeed as it was of old said , that all egyptians were physitions : so may it now of you : all brownists are diuines , no separatist cannot prophesie : no sooner can they looke at the skirts of this hill , but they are rapt from the ordinary pitch of men : either this change is perhaps by some strange illumination , or else your learned paucitie got their skill amongst our rude and prophane multitude : we haue still many in our rude multitude , whom wee dare compare with your teachers : neither is there any so lewd and prophane that cannot pretend a scandall from your separation : euen these soules must be regarded ( though not by you . ) such were some of you , but ye are washed , &c. the wise hearted amongst vs doe more then suspect , find out our weakenesses , and bewaile them ; yet doe they not more discouer our imperfections then acknowledge our truth : if they bee truely wise , wee cannot suspect them , they cannot forsake vs : their charitie will couer , more then their wisdomes can discouer . section . lix . the conclusion from the fearefull answere of separation . my last threat , of the easier aunsweres of whoredomes , & adulteries then separation , you think to skoffe out of countenance . i feare your conscience will not alwayes allow this mirth ; our consistories haue spared you ynough : let those which haue tryed , say , whether your corrupt eldership be more safe iudges : if ours imprison iustly , yours excommunicate vniustly ; to be in custodie is lesse grieuous , then out of the church : at least , if your censures were worth any thing , but contempt : as hierom said of the like : it is well that malice hath not so great power as will : you shall one day ( i feare ) finde the consistorie of heauen more rigorous , if you wash not this wrong with your teares ; that tribunall shall find your confidence , presumption ; your zeale , furie : you are bold , surely more then wise : to proclame , we haue no need of such criers : doubtlesse your head hath made proclamations long , now your hand begins : what proclaime yee ? separation from the communion , gouernment , ministery and worship of the church of england : what needed it ? your act might haue saued your voice : what should our eyes and eares be troubled with one bad obiect ? but why separate you from these ? because they rise vp rebelliously against the scepter of christ : the scepter of christ is his word : he holdes it out , we touch and kisse it : what one sentence of it , doe we wilfully oppose ? away with these foolish impieties , you thrust a reed into your sauiors hand , & say , haile king of the iewes , and will needes perswade vs none but this is his rodde of iron : lastly , vpon what warrant ? of his will and testament : you may wrong vs ; but how dare you fasten your lies vpon your redeemer and iudge ? what clause of his hath bid you separate ? we haue the true copies . as we hope or desire to be saued , we can find no sentence that soundeth toward the fauour of this your act : must god be accused of your wilfulnesse ? before that god and his blessed angels , and saints , we feare not to protest that we are vndoubtedly perswaded , that whosoeuer wilfully forsakes the communion , gouernement , ministerie , or worshippe of the church of england are enemies to the scepter of christ , and rebels against his church and annointed : neither doubt we to say , that the mastershippe of the hospitall at norwich , or a lease from that citie ( sued for , with repulse ) might haue procured that this separation from the communion , gouernement , and worshippe of the church of england , should not haue beene made by iohn robinson . finis . a table of all the sections contained in this booke . the entrance into the worke . fol. . the answerers preamble . fol. . the parties written to , and their crime . fol. . the kindes of separation and which is iust . fol. . the antiquitie and examples of separation . fol. . what separation is to be made by churches in their planting , or restauration . fol. . what separation the church of england hath made . fo . constitution of a church . fol. order . part of constitution , how farre requisite , and whether hindred by constraint . fol. . constraint requisite . fol. constitution of the church of england . fol. . the answerers title . fol. . the apostasie of the church of england . fol. . the separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the church of england . fol. . the vnnaturalnes of some principall separatists fol. . what the separatists thinke themselues beholden to the church of england for . fol. . the motherhood of the church of england , how farre it obligeth vs. fol. . the want of pretended ordinances of god , whether sinfull to vs : and whether they are to bee set vp without princes . fol. . the bonds of gods word vniustly pleaded by the separatists . fol. . the necessity of their pretended ordinances . fol. . the enormities of the church in common . fol. . the church of england is the spouse of christ. fol. . how the church of england hath separated from babylon . fol. . the separation made by our holy martyrs . fol. . what separation england hath made . fol. . the maine grounds of separation . fol. . the truth and warrant of the ministery of england . fol. . confused communion of the prophane . fol. . our errours intermingled with truth . fol. . whether our prelacie be antichristian . fol. . the iudgement and practise of other reformed churches . fol. . our synodes determination of things indifferent . fol. . sinnes sold in our courts . fol. . our loyaltie to princes cleared , theirs questioned . fol. . errours of free will , &c. fained vpon the church of england . fol. . kneeling at the sacrament of the lords supper . fol. . whether our ordinarie and seruice-booke , be made idols by vs. fol. . marriage not made a sacrament by the church of england . fol. . commutation of penance in our church . fol. . oath ex officio . fol. . holy-daies how obserued in the church of england . . our approbation of an vnlearned ministery disproued . fol. . penances inioyned in the church of england . fol. . the practises of the church of england , concerning the funerals of the dead . fol. . the churches still retained in england . fol. . the founders and furnitures of our churches . fol. . on what ground separation or ceremonies was obiected . fol. . estimation of ceremonies , and subiection to the prelates . fol. . the state of the temple , and of our church in resemblance . fol. . whether ministers should endure themselues silenced . fol. . power of reforming abuses giuen to the church : and the issue of the neglect of it . fol. . the view of the sinnes and disorders of others , wherupon obiected : and how farre it should affect vs. fol. . the nearenesse of the state and church , and the great errours found by the separatists in the french and dutch churches . fol. . conuersation with the world . fol. . the impure mixtures of the church of england . fo . . the iudgement of our owne , and our neighbours of our church . fol. . the issue of separation . fol. the brownists scornefull opinion of our people . fol. . the conclusion from the fearefull aunswere of separation . fol. . errata . read welbeloueds for welbelouedst . epist pa. vlt. con●iction for coniunction . pag. . line . vncharitablenesse for vnchariblenesse . pag. . line . optat. lib. . for opt. lib. . marg . pag. . rules of christ , for rules christ. pag. . line . places ; onwards . for places onwards . pag. . line . . our ministerie for your ministerie . pag. . line . that houses for what houses pag. . line . waryof , for weary of , pag. . line . shrifte for strife . pa. . l. enuie for annoy , pag. . line . ingenuously , for ingeniously , pag. . line . which are ; in , for which are in , pag. . line . besides , many quotations in the margent , are misplaced ; the matter will leade the reader to the right place : the words of the aduersarie are onely those , which haue this note of sep. set before them . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e meam iniuriam patiētertuli impietatem contra spōsam christi ferre non potui . hier ad vigilant . notes for div a -e zach. . . matth. . . otho frising . ex philon. vr. chaldaeorum ruffiin . eccl●s . hist. l. . c. . dan. . vid. treatis of certain● godly minist . ag . barr. notes for div a -e . retorted . s●p . it is a hard thing euen for sober minded men in cases of controuersie , to vse soberly the aduantages of the times : vpon which whilst men are mounted on high , they vse to behold such as they oppose too ouerlie , and not without contempt ; and so are oft times emboldened to roule vpon them as from aloft very weake and weightlesse discourses , thinking any sleight and slender opposition sufficient to oppresse those vnderlings , whom they haue ( as they suppose ) at so great an aduantage . vpon this very presumption it commeth to passe , that this author vndertaketh thus solemnly and seuerely to censure a cause , whereof ( as appeareth in the sequell of the discourse ) hee is vtterly ignorant : which had he beene but halfe so carefull to haue vnderstood , as hee hath beene forward to censure , hee would either haue beene ( i doubt not ) more equall towards it , or more weightie against it . * . confuted . * hier. marco . presbyt . de cauernis cellularum damnamus orbem ; in sacco & cinere volutati de episcopis sententiam ferimus : quid facit sub tunica paenitentis regius animus ? cypr. l. . ep. . haec sunt initia haereticorum , vt sibi placean : , vt praepositum superbo tumore contemnant . harison once theirs , in psal. . of brown. antichristian pride and bitternes . bredw . pref . m brinsly his pref . to the . part of the vvatch. optat. mil. de donat. collegae non eritis , si●o litis , fratres estis &c. disclaimed by themselues . answer against broughton page . . separat . schism . m. giff. an ignorant priest. barr. p. . confer . of d. and. & m. huchius . with barrow . m. spr. . 〈◊〉 . siderat . iren. l. . per singulos . dies nouum aliquod adsectant . &c. * bar. confer . with hutchins . fo . . browne estat● of true christians defence of true christians against the doct. of oxford . iohnson ( against iacob . ) passim . barr. against gyfford . sepa . as this epistle is come to mine hands , so i wish the answere of it may come to the hands of him that occasioned it : intreating the christian reader , in the name of the lord , vnpartially to behold without either preiudice of cause , or respect of person , what is written on both sides , and so from the court of a sound conscience to giue iust iudgement . notes for div a -e to m. smith and m. rob. ring-leaders of the late separation at amsterd . charact. of the beast , written by m. smith . pref. be it knowne therefore to all the separation , that we account them in respect of their constitution to be as very an harlot , as either her mother the church of england , or her grandmother rome is &c. iterato baptizatus scienter , it erato dominum crucifigit . de consecr . dist . . qui vis &c. * the crime of separation , how great . sep. the crime here obiected is separation , a thing very odious in the eyes of all them from whom it is made : as euermore casting vpon them the imputation of euill , whereof all men are impatient : and hence it commeth to pass● that the church of england can better brooke the vilest persons continuing communion with it , then any whomsoeuer separating from it , though vpon neuer so ▪ iust and well grounded reasons . vid. iohnson preface to his inquirie . esay . . . m. penry in his disc. of this subiect . num. . ●xod . . . prou. . . notes for div a -e sepa . and yet separation from the world , and so from the men of the world , and so from the prince of the world that raigneth in them , and so from whatsoeuer is contrarie to god , is the first steppe to our communion with god , and angels , and good men , as the first steppe to a ladder , is to leaue the earth . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . num. . : num. . . deut. . . exod. . . leuit. . . deut. . . rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . thess. vlt. ad fin . iere. . . vide tremel ▪ & iun. num. . mat. . ad fin . . chro. . . cor. . ad fin . nulla cum malis conuivia vel colloquia misceantur , simusque ab ijs tam separati , quam sunt illi ab ecclesia dei profugi . cypr. l. . epist. ad cornel. . char act . of beast praef . iohns . inquir . ioh. . . h. cl. epistle before treatis of sinne ag . holy gh. neque propter paleam relinquim are am domini , neque propter pisces malos rumpimus retia domini . august . ep. . answ. counterpoyson p. . counter p. p. & . &c notes for div a -e sep. the separation we haue made in respect of our knowledge , and obedience , is indeed late , and new yet is it in the nature and causes thereof as auncient as the gospell , which was first founded in the enmity which god himselfe put betwixt the seede of the woman , and the seede of the serpent , gen. , ●useb : h●st eccl : hen : steph. ap●l . herod . fo● a●t & monum . h. n. his booke gal. . . eph. . . colos. . . tin. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sep. which enmity hath not onely beene successiuely continued , but also visibly manifested by the actuall separation of all true churches , from the world in their collection and constitution , before the law , vnder the law , and vnder the gospell , gen. : , , & . , , & : , . with pet : , , & . i●● , , neh : , ioh : , , , act. , , & , , : cor , : iren. de valentin . l. . ianumerabil● multitudin●m scripturarum quas ipsi sin●erunt afferunt ad stuporem insensatorum . vid. preface to master iacobs and iohnsons confer . & barr. pass . descript , of true visib . ch : nihil autem ●irum fi & ex ipsius instrumento a●tentur argumenta , cum oporteat haereses esse , quae esse non possent si non & perperam scripturae intelligi possent . tertull. de resur . ibid : so barrow tearmes mast. gyff . re●ut . p. . si christianus iudaicae praeuaricanti carnaliter coniungatur , a commumone ecclesiaesegregetur . dist. . q. caue . & cap. si quis iudaicae , &c. . pet. . . . pet. . . notes for div a -e sep. which separation the church of england neither hath made , nor doth make , but stands actually one with althat part of the world within the kingdom , without separation : for which cause amongst others , we haue chosen by the grace of god , rather to separate our selues to the lord from it , then with it from him , in the visible constitution of it . in his preface to the reader , and in his causes of separ defended p. eiusdem p. resutat . of m. gyff . p . & . transgress . p , . & . & . . & . &c. inconstanc● of brown p. ●o . inquiry into m. white , confessed by fr. iohnson p. . passag . 'twixt clifton and smith : and concerning the constitution of the churches , &c. but the constituting of churches now after the defection of antichrist may more properly be called a repairing then a constituting , &c. p. . psal . . matth. . reuel : . reuel . ● . . notes for div a -e bar. p. . & . fr. iohns . ag . m. h. act. & mon. passim . troubl . and excom . pa. m. spr. p. . fr. iun. lib. de eccles. ratihabitio retroha●● , &c. subsequens consensus iacob in leam fecit cos coniuges , d. . q . s. sed obijcitur barr. ag . gyff notes for div a -e h. answ. counter p. p. ● colos. . . tertull. de prescript . tu vt homo extrimsecus vitumquemque nosti , putas quod vides , vides autem quonsque oculos habes , sed oculi domini sunt alti , homo in faciem , deus in praecordiae contemplatur . principles & inferences concerning the visible ch. an. , p : notes for div a -e part of constitution , how farr requisite , and whether hindred by constraint . d. 〈…〉 brownists . brow● 〈◊〉 of true christians inquir into m. white . answ. ibid. arist. pol. : c : . arist. pol : : c. : edesius & frumentius pueri a meropio tyrio-philosoph● in indian deportati , postea ibi christianam religionem plantarunt . ruffin . l. . ● . faemina i●ter iberos . notes for div a -e . chron. . . chr. . . . chron. ● . : barr. ag . ciff . brow. reform . without . tarry : greene wood confer with cooper . brow. refor : without tar . confer . with d. and ▪ m. hutch ▪ confer . with d. an. refor . without tar . ber. fides suadenda non : cogenda . counterpois . dixit paterfamilias seruis quoscunque inueneritis , cogite intrare &c. aug. ●p . . pless . de eccles. c. augustin . quod si cogiper legem aliquem vel ad bona licuisset , vos ipsi miseri 〈◊〉 nobis ad fidem purissimam cogi debuistis , sed absit a nostra conscientia , vt ad 〈…〉 . august . epist. . 〈◊〉 . . qui freneticum ligat , & qui 〈…〉 quod 〈◊〉 umus sanctum est . notes for div a -e bar. and greenew . pas●im : h. answ . counterp . act & monum . edit . . p. . counterp . . p. martyr . p. fagius . bucer . &c. sixe arti. pag. . col. . . act. & . monum pag. . & . act & monum edit . . p. . bar. ag . gyff . conference . with sperin . & m. egerton . greenw . & bar. arg. to m. car. twr . m. trauers , m. chark . browne reform . without . tarrying . m. smith ag . r. clifton . principl . & i●fer . pag. . notes for div a -e separ . to the title of ring-leader , wherewith it pleaseth this pistler to stile me , i answere that if the thing i haue done be good , it is good and commendable to haue beene forward in it ; if it be euill , let it be reproued by the light of gods word , and that god to whom i haue done that i haue done , will ( i doubt not ) giue me both to see , and to heale mine errour by speedy repentance : if i haue fledde away on foote , i shall returne on horse-backe : but as i durst neuer s●t foote into this way , but vpon a most sound and vnresist able conuiction of conscience by the word ier. . . ezech. . . of god ( as i was perswaded ) so must my retyring be wrought by more solide reasons from the same word then are to be found in a thousand such pretty pamphlets and formall flourishes as this is pro. . . notes for div a -e separ . your pitying of vs , and sorrowing for vs , especially for the wrong , done by vs , were in you commendable affections , if by vs iustly occasio●ed ; but if your church bee deepelye drencht in apostacie , and you crie peace peace , when suddaine and certaine desolation is at hand , it is you that do wrong , though you make the complaint : and so being cruell towards your selues , & your owne , whome you flatter : you cannot be truely pitifull towards others whom you bewaile . a treatise of the ministery of england , against m. h pag. . h. amsworth in his fore-speech to his count. inqu . into vvh . tertul. l. de orat tert. l. de praescript . so de virginib , veland . that no contin●ance of time can prejudice t●uth . sime reprehendas errantem , patere me quae so errare cum talibus , aug. hi●r . fr. iohnsonin his an●w . to t. vvh p. . aunsw ag . broughton , p. these dutch ch. offend not only in practicall disorders , but in their constitution , gouerament w●●sh p , &c. troubl . and excom . at amsterd . p. . brown charged with it by barr. letter . to m. egert . ● . iohnson ibid. p. . fr. iohnson inq. act. . . departing . ● . not going with them barr. pres. to the separation d●fend . in his obseruations p. . vve doe not there condemne the parish assemblies as separated from christ , but tr●ue them not as yet gathered to christ. so conser . ●●th sperin . p. . fr. iohnson . inquir . pag. . h. bar. obseruat . . no faults disanull the being of a church , vntill contempt of gods word be added thereunto after due conuiction ▪ the faults & errors of a church may be seuerely reproued and conuinced according to the quality thereof , and yet the church not be condemned . n. b. iob. ● . . vulg. edit . c●pr . epi ad cornel. non est maius pechcaatum quam apostat are a deo. aug. in ps. . prou. . . iob . . ezec . . apocal. . , thou hast laboured , and not giuen in . tert●l . de pat , si hominibus pla●●t●r , dominus offenditur , sivero illud entimur & laboramus vt 〈◊〉 dco piacere , & 〈◊〉 & maledicta debemus humana contemnere . confessed by m. ioh●s . loc . seq . inq. of th. vvhite p. . gen . . sep. but i will not discourage you in this affection , least we find few in the same fault : the most in stead of pitty and compassion , affoording vs nothing but fury and indignation . cypr. de s●●●plic . prael . quid facit in corde christiano luporum seritas & canum rabies ? august . confess . l. . c. . qual●a solet eructare turgens indigesta discordia ? notes for div a -e se● . the first action laid against vs , is of vnnaturalnes and ingratitude towards our mother the church of england , for our causelesse separation from her : to which vniust accusation , and triuiall querimony , our most iust defence hath beene , and is , that to our knowledge we haue done her no wrong : we do freely , and with all thankfulnesse acknowledge euery good thing she hath and which our selues haue there receiued . h. barr. praef. to the separ . defended , causes of separ . def . p. . confer . with d. andr. praef. to separ . def . gyff . refuted touch donat. obseruat . of m. h. bar. p. . fr. iohns . reas. , ag . m. iac. p. . iohns . ag . m. iac. except . . nota bene. ibid. counterpoys . pag. . & . barr. confer . with m. sperm as bar hims hath written it . pag. fr. iob. . reas. aga . iac p. . g. iohns . praef. to the pastor . notes for div a -e russin . l. . eccl. hist. c , . aug. epist. & possid . in vita aug. euseb hist. eccl . damnis grauissimis & caedibus afficiebant , armati diuersis telis . socrates l. . c. . & . cypr. l. . ep. . nouati pater in vico fame mortuns nec postea ab illo sepultus . sic optat. l. . purpurus donatista occidit sororis filios &c. g. iohns . discourse of troubles and excommunications at amsterdam printed ibid. p. . discouery of brownisme . vid. g. iohns . booke . inq. into th. vvh . discou . same epist. p. they say fi●●a ●ponsae . mihi accusatio etiam vera contra fratrem displ●cet hieron . aduersus ruffin . notes for div a -e bar. exam . before the archb. and l. anderson browne state of christians d. qui non habet quod det , quomodo det ? vox donat. opta . l. barrow . supra . fr. ●●hns . ag . m. i●cob p. . 〈◊〉 . . sep. the superabundant grace of god couering and passing by the manifolde enormiti●s in that church wherewith these good things are inseparably commingled , and wherein we also through ignorance and infirmity were inwrapp ed. sep. but what thē ? should we still haue continued in sinne , that grace might haue abounded ? if god haue caused a further truth like a light in a darke place , to shine in our hearts , should wee still haue mingled that light with darkenesse , contrary to the lords owne practise ? ge. . . and expresse precept , . cor. . . gen. . . es. . . vvoe to them that put darknesse for light . es. . . notes for div a -e deu. . ▪ . sep. but the church of england ( say you ) is our mother , and so ought not to be auoided ▪ but say i , we must not so cleaue to holy mother church , as we neglect our heauenly father , and his commandements , which we know in that estate we could not but transgresse , and that heynously , and against our consciences , not onely in the want of many christian ordinances , to which we are most straightly bound , both by gods word and our owne necessities . mater ecclesia , mater est etiam matris nostrae . aug. ep. . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemo per exteriorem violentiam corrumpitur : si interior innocentia custodiatur . c. ● . q. . custodi . &c. ad docendum populum israeliticum , omnipotens deus prophetis praeconium dedi ▪ , non regibus imperauit . aug. l. . contr . gau. c. . barr. causes of scpera , def . p. . brow. reform : without tarrying . aug. contr . petilia n. l. . optatus mileuit . lib. ● barr. . exa●●i● nation before the l. archb. and l. chiefe-iustice . compar . with his reply to m. gyff . art. . ● sam. . . num. . . counter poys . p. . . chr. . . chr. . & ▪ . chr. . . chr. . . chr. . ezr. . & . . ezr. . . ▪ notes for div a -e a august . ep. ▪ pastores autem & doctores qu●s maxime vt discernerem voluisti eosdem puto esse sicut & tibi visum est , vt non alios pastores , alios doctores intelligeremus , sed ideo cum praedixisset pastores , subiunxisse doctores , vt intelligerent pastores ad officium suum pertinere doctrinam barr. ag . gyff . inueighs for this cause against the consistory of gene●a . fr ▪ iohns . complaints of the dutch and fr. churches . discription of a visible church , cannot make a distinct. in the definition of their offices . state of christians . descript. of vis . ch. h. clap. epist before his treatise of sinne ag : the holy ghost . brownists fourth position . trouble and ●xcom . at amsterdam . fr. iohns . in a letter to m. smith . notes for div a -e nulla necessitas maior est charitate . h●eron . apol. ad ruff. fr. iun. de eccl. sed accidunt persaepe tempora quibus aut noua ecclesia generatur , aut altera pars interumpitur ( scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) et tamen ecclesia esse non d●sinit , formà nimirum essentiali adhuc permanente . act . beg . cypr. l. . ep. . meminisse diaconi debent quoniam apostolos ( id est ) episcopos & praepositos dominus elegit , diaconos autem post ascensum domini in caelos apostoli sibi constituerunt episcopatus su & ecclesiae ministros . rom. . . . cor. . . . thess. . . gal ▪ . . phil. . . notes for div a -e sep. but also in our most sinfull subiection to many antichristian enormities , which we are bound to eschue as hell . fr. iohns . ag . m. iacob . bar. gyff . refuted , i. transgress p. . notes for div a -e sep. she is our mother ▪ o may she be , and yet not the lords wife , euery mother of children is not a wife . ammi and ruhae●ah were bidden to plead with their mother apostate israel , & plead that she was not the lords wife , nor he her husband . ho. . . . cypr. de simpli● . praelator , adulterari non potest sponsa christi , incorrupta est & pudica . . kin. . . hos. . . . . sep. and though you forbid vs a thousand times , yet must we plead : not to exccuse our fault , but to iustify our innocency : and that not only nor so much in respect of our selues , as of the truth which without sacriledge we maynot suffer to be condēned vnheard . and if you yet heare her not , rather blame yourselues as deafe , then vs as dumb . hierom. ad eustoch . epitaph paulae ex psal . august . contr . epist. parmen . li. . epistol . iuni. ad separ . notes for div a -e giff. refut . . transg . sep. is not babylon the mother of gods people , whom he therefore commandeth to depart out of her , least being partakers of her sinnes , they also partake of her plagues . reuel . . . answ. for● speach to counter poys . sep. and to conclude , what say you more against vs , for your mother the church of england , then the papists do for their mother and your mothers mother , the church of rome , against you , whom they condemn as vn-naturall bastards and impious patricides in your separations from her , a simone zelota niceph. alij a ios. arimath , cuius hic sepulchrum cernitur . angli pascha graeco more celebrarunt . iacob armin. disp cant. . . fr. iun. lib ▪ sing . de eccle. phil. morn du plesses . lib. de eccles. cap. . counterp . p. . . p●nry . exam. before m. fanshaw & iust. yong. fr. iun. l. de eccles . m. hooker eccles. pol. du plesses . l. de eccl iacob . armin. disput . d. reynolds thes. d. feild of the ch. reuel . . & . notes for div a -e sep. and were not luther , zuingli● cranmer , latimer and the rest begot to the lord in the wombe of the romish church , did they not receiue the knowledge of his truth when they stood actuall members of it ? whō notwithstanding afterwards they forsooke , and that iustly for her fornications . notes for div a -e sep. but here in the name of the church of england , you wash your hands of all babylonish abominations , which you pretend you haue forsaken , and her for , and with them . and in this regard you speake thus : the reformation you haue made of the many and maine corruptions of the romish ch. we do ingenuously acknowledge , and de● withall imbrace with you all the truths which to our knowledge you haue receiued in stead of them ▪ but rome was not built all in a day . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hierom. apol. aduers. ruffi . . l. . ●tissa est mihi ●audatio tua , id est accusatio mea . bonum ex integra natura , malum ex singulari defectu . sep. the mistery of iniquity did aduance it selfe by degrees , and as the rise was , so must the fall be . that man of sinne , and lawlesse man , must languish and die away of a consumption . . thes. . and what though manie of the highest towers of babel , and of the strongest pillers also be demolished , & pulled down , yet may the building stand still , though tottering to and fro ( as it doth ) and only vnderpropped and vpheld with the shoulder and arme of flesh , without which in a very moment it would fall flat vpon , and lie leuell with the earth . notes for div a -e bar. & gr. ag . giff. confer . & eam . passim , pe●●y in his exa . sep. you haue renounced many false doctrines in popery , and in theire plac●s embraced the truth . exod. . . . &c. ier. . . ier. . vlt. but what if this truth bee taught vnder the same hatefull prelacy , in the same deuised office of ministery : and confused communion of the prophane multitude , and that mingled with many greeuous errors . iohns . pres. to his . reas. iohns . . reas. p. . tit. . . psal. . . notes for div a -e mat . . eph. . . tim. . . , tim. . . act. . . tim. . . . tim. . . tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . discourse of the trouble & excem . at amst. certaine arg. ag the com. with the minist . of england . counterpoys . vbires convenit quis non verba contemnat , ? august . de ordin . . brow. state of christians . notes for div a -e perplexae sunt istae duae ( initates in hoc seculo inuicemque permixtae donec vltimo iudicto dirimantur . aug. de ciuit. d. l. . . eze. . . orig. vnusquisque propter proprium peccatum morietur , in proprid iusticiâ viuet , &c. fr. iohns . artic. ag . the dutch & fr. answ. ag . brough ton . discouer . of brown. troubles and excom . at amst. charact. pres . cypr. ep. . iidem in publico accusatores in occulto rei , in semetipsos censores pariter & nocentes : damnant foris , quod intus operantur , notes for div a -e ●arr . conser . with m. hutchins . &c. & d. ●ndr . sep. shall some generall truth●s ( yea though few of them in the particulars may bee foundly practised ) sweeten and sanctifie the other errours ? doth not one heresie make an hereticke , and doth not a little leauen , whether in doctrine or manners le●uen the whol lumpe ? . cor. . . gal. . hag. . if antichrist held not many truthes , wherewith should he countenance so many forgeries , or how could his work be a mistery of iniquitie ? which in rome is more grosse , and palpable , but in england spun with a finer threed , and so more hardly discouered . but to wade no further in vniuersalities ; wee will take a little time to examine such particulars , as you your selfe haue picked out for your most aduantage , to see whether you bee so cleare of babels towers in your owne euidence , as you beare the world in hand . inquir . into m. white p. . mat. . . m. bredwell . hierom. in hoc ignoratis , quia malo exemplo possunt plurimi interire ? sed & per vnius delictum in omne populum indaeorum iram dei legimus adue nisse . . tim. . . notes for div a -e sep. where ( say you ) are those proud towers of their vniuersall hierarchie ? one in lambeth , another in fulham , and wheresoeuer a pontificall : prelate is , or his chauncellor , commissary , or other subordinate , there is a tower of babel vnruinated . to this end i desire to know of you whether the office of arch-bishoppes , bishoppes , and the rest of that ranke , were not parts of that accursed hierarchie in queene maries dayes , and members of that man of sinne ? if they were then as shoulders and armes vnder that head the pope , and ouer the inferiour members ; and haue now the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction deriued and continued vpon them , wherof they were possessed in the time of popery ( as it is plaine they haue by the first parliament of queene elizabeth ) why are they not still members of that body , though the head the pope be cut off ? . arg. . answ. counterpoys . character of the beast ag . r. clifton . arch-deacon . beatissimus papa passi●n in epist . ignat. ad trallian . euseb. l. . ex euseb. hier. catalog script . epiph. ●nio , &c. cal. instit l. . hieron . euagrio heming . potest . eccles. clas . . c. . hinc ecclesia purior secuta tempora apostolorum , fecit alios patriarchas , quorum erat curare vt episcupi cuiusque d●ocescos rite eligerentur , vt suum munus episcopi singuli probe administrarent &c. arist. pol. . potentia diuitiarum , & pauper tatis humilitas vel humiliorem vel inferiorem episcopum non facit . hieron . euagr. notes for div a -e sep. and so do all the reformed churches in the world ( of whose testimony you boast so loud ) renounce the prelacy of england , as part of that pseudo-clergie , and antichristian hierarchie deriued from rome . answ. counterpoys . consid. ps. . . bez. de ministr . euang. c. . cited also by d. down p. . heming . iudicat caeteros ministros suis episcopis obtem perare debere . potest . eccles. c. . notes for div a -e article . sep. infallibility of iudgement . it seemes the sacred ( so called ) synode , assumeth little lesse vnto her selfe in her determinations : otherwise , how durst she decree so absolutely as she doth touching things reputed indifferent , viz. that all men in all places must submit vnto them without exception , or limitation . except she could infallibly determine , that these her ceremonies thus absolutely imposed , should edifie all men at all times , how durst she thus impose them ? to exact obedience in and vnto them , whether they offend or offend not , whether they edifie or destroy , were intollerable presumption . obligatio fine coercione nalla . reg. iur. non iura dicenda sunt , &c. de ciuitat . l. . answ. to the admon . p. . cited also by d. sparkes . p. . aug. ep. . in his enim rebus , de quibus nih●● certi statuit scriptura diuina , mos populi dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt . li●ius decad. . l. . nulla lex satis commoda omnibus est , id ▪ modo quaeritur , si maiori parti & in summa prodest . cum consedissent sancti & religiosi episcopi . bin. tom. . p. . sancta synod . carthagi . . sub anastasio . . sancta & pacifica synod antiocben . . p. . sancta dei & apostolica synodus . peruenit ad sanctam synodum can . nic. . . sancta synod . la●dicena . . notes for div a -e sep. dispensations with the lawes of god and sins of men . to let passe your ecclesiasticall consistories wherein sins and absolutions from them , are as venall and saleable as at rome . is it not a law of the eternall god , that the ministers of the gospell , the bishops or elders should be apt and able to teach ? . tim ▪ . tit. . . and is it not their greeuous sin to be vnapt hereunto . esa . . and. yet who know-not that the patrons amongst you present , that the bishops institute , the archdeacons induct , the churces recei●e and the lawes both ciuill and ecclesiasticall allow and iustify ministers vnapt and v●able to teach . g. ioh. trou . and exco . at amste . insufficiency & 〈◊〉 reside●cy of ministers . insufficiency & non residency of ministers . sep. is it not a law of the eternall god that the elders should feede the flocke ouer which they are set , labouring amongst them in the word and doctrine ? act. . . . pet : . . . and is it not sinne to omit this duety ? can. . m. hooker . b. eccles. pol. pag. . . d. down . of the office and dignity of the mi●ist . dispensations for pluralities . sep. plead not for baall . your dispensations for non-residency & pluralities of benefices , as for two , three , or more ; yea tot quot , as many as a man will hau●e or can get are so many dispensations with the lawes of god , and sinnes of men . these things are too impious to be defended , and too manifest to be denyed . counterpoys . p. . dist. . can. lector . papa potest contra apostolum dispensare . & caus. . q. . can. sunt quidam . dispensatin euangelio &c. de concess . praebend . tit. . can. proposuit secundum plenitu● inem potestatis de iure possumus supra ius dispensare . & glossa paulo insr. papa contra apostolum dispensat . &c. sum. confer . p. . m. vvhites discou . notes for div a -e bar. ag . gyff . inconst. of brow. p. ibid. inquir . into th. vvhite . sep. disposition of kingdomes and deposition of princes . you are wiser and i hope honester then thus to attempt , thogh that receiued maxime amongst you no ceremony , no bishoppe ; no bishoppe , no king ; sauors too strongly of that weed ▪ but what though you be loyall to earthly kings and their crownes , and kingdomes , yet if you be traytors and rebels against the king of his church iesus christ , and the scepter of his kingdome , not suffering him y his lawes and officers to reigne ouer you , but in stead of them do stoupe to antichrist in his offices and ordinances : shall your loyaltie towards men excuse your treasons against the lord ? though you now crie neuer so lowd we haue no king , but caesar , ioh. . . yet is there an other king , one iesus , which shall returne , and passe a heauy doome vpon the rebellious , luc. . . these enemies which would not haue me reigne ouer them , bring them and slay them before me . p. . es. . . notes for div a -e sep. parting stakes with god in con●ersion . not to speake of the errour of vniuersall grace , and consequently , of freewil that groweth on apace amongst you , what doe you else but put in for a part with god in conuersion though not through freedome of will , yet in a deuised ministery , the meanes of conuersion : it being the lords peculiar as well to appoint the outward ministery of conuersion , as to giue the inward grace . . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a -e de consecr . d. . ego bereng . apol. sep. where ( say you ) are those rotten heapes of transubstantiating of bread ? and where , say i , learned you your deuout kneeling to or before the bread , but from that error of transubstantiatiō ? yea what lesse can it insinuate , then eyther that , or some other the like idolatrous conceipt . if there were not something more in the bread and wine then in the water at baptisme , or in the word read or preached , why should such solemne kneeling be so seuerely pressed at that time , rather then vpon the other occasions : and well and truely haue your own men affirmed that it were farre lesse sinne , and appeareance of an idolatry that is nothing so grosse , to tye men in their prayers , to kneele before a crucifixe then before the bread and wine , and the reason followeth , for that , papists commit an idolatry farre ▪ more grosse and odious in worshipping the bread , then in worshipping any other of their images or idols whatsoeuer . apol of the min. of lincoln . dioc. part . . pag. . notes for div a -e sep. adoring of images . to let passe your deuout kneeling vnto your ordinary when you take the oath of canonicall obedience , or receiue absolution at his hands , which ( as the maine actions are religious ) must needes be religious adoration , what is the adoring of your truely humane ( though called diuine ) seruice-booke in and by which you worship god , as the papists doe by their images ? if the lord iesus in his testament haue not commanded any such book , it is accursed and abhominable if you thinke he haue , shew vs the place where , that we may know it with you . or manyfest vnto vs that euer the apostles vsed themselues or commended to the churches after them any such seruice-booke . was not the lord in the apostles time , and apostolicke churches purely and perfectly worshipped , when the officers of the church in their ministration manifested the spririt of prayer which they had receiued according to the present necessities and occasions of the church , before the least parcell of this patchery came into the world . and might not the lord now be also purely and perfecty worshipped though this printed image , with the painted and carued images , were sent backe to rome , yea or cast to hell from whence both they and it came ? speake in your selfe , might not the lord be intirely worshipped with pure & holy worship , thogh none other book but the holy scriptures were brought into the church : if yea ( as who can deny it that knowes what the worship of god meaneth ) what then doth your seruice-booke there . the word of god is perfect and admitteth of none addition . cursed be he that addeth to the word of the lord , and cursed be that which is added , and so bee your great idoll the communion booke , though like nabuchadnezzars image some parte of the matter be gold and siluer , which is also so much the more detestable by how much it is the more highly aduanced amongst you . paulus . in vitae ambros. passag . twixt clifton an● smith . aegypti● vbi lautè epulati sunt , post caenam id faciunt . socr. l. . . platia . initio . caluin . ep. ad protect . angl. ep. . answ. to the minist . counterp . counterp . omnibus aricubus gr●gis ( id est ) apostolis suis dedit morem orandi , dimitte nob●s &c. aug. ep. . apolog. p. . accessimus &c. h bar. ag . gyff . notes for div a -e sep. multitudes of sacraments . the number of sacraments seemes greater amongst you by one at the least , then christ hath left in his testament , and that is marriage ; which howsoeuer you doe not in expresse tearmes call a sacrament , ( no more did christ and the apostles call baptisme and the supper sacraments , ) yet do you in truth create it a sacrament , in the administration and vse of it . there are the parties to be married and their marriage , representing christ and his church , and their spirituall vnion : to which mysterie , saith the oracle of your seruice-booke expresly , god hath consecrated them : there is the ring hallowed by the said s●ruice-booke , ( whereon it must be laid ) for the element ; there are the wordes of consecration ; in the name of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy ghost ; there is the place , the church ; the time vsually , the lords day ; the minister , the parish-priest . and being made as it is , a part of gods worship , and of the ministers office , what is it if it be not a sacrament ? it is no part of prayer , or preaching , and with a sacrament it hath the greatest consimilitude , but an idoll i am sure it is in the celebration of it , being made a ministeriall duty and part of gods worshippe , without warrant , call it by what name you will. br. state of christians . . notes for div a -e sep. power of iudulgences . your court of faculties from whence your dispensations and tolerations for non-residencie , and plurality of benefices are had ▪ together with your commuting of penances and absoluing one man for another . take away this power frō the prelats & you main the beast in a lim . notes for div a -e sep. necessity of confessions . in your high commission court very absolute , wher by the oath ex officio men are constrained to accuse themselues of such things as whereof no man will or can accuse thē ; what necessity is laid vpon men in this case , let your prisons witnes d. cosens his apol. d. andr. determ . de iure iurando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . num. . . iosh. . . . sam. . g. iohns . & m. crud . trouble at amsterd p. . non potest quis in vna causa ●●dem momento duas portare personas , vt in eodem iudicio & accusator sit & i●dex . optat. mileuit . l. . notes for div a -e sep. prosite of pilgr●mages . though you haue lost the shrines of saints , yet you reteine their daies and those holy as the lords day , and that with good profit to your spirituall carnall courts , from such as prophane them with the least & most lawfull labour , notwithstanding the libertie of the six daies labor , which the lord hath giuē : & as much would the masters of these courts be stirred at the casting of these saints daies out of the calender , as were the masters of the possessed maid , whē the spirit of diuinatiō was cast out of her , act. . . socr. l. . c. . est. . . nehem. . . . mac. . ioh. . august . ep. . sc●as a christianis catholicis n●llum col● mortuorum , nihil demque vt numen adorari quod sit factum & conditum a deo quae toto orbe terrarum , &c. sicuti quoque do●●ini passio & resurrectio & in caelum ascensus & aduentus spiritus sancti an niuersaria solemnitate celebrantur . aug. ep. . churches of fr. & flanders in harm . confes . th. vvhites discouer . p. . notes for div a -e sep. constrained and approued ignorance . if an ignorant and vnpreaching ministery be approued amongst you , and the people constrained by all kinde of violence to submit vnto it , & therewith to rest ( as what is more vsuall throughout the whole kingdome ) then let no modest man once open his mouth to deny that ignorance is constrained and approued amongst you . confer . at hampt . english seruice . sep. vnknowne deuotion . if the seruice said or sung in the parish church may be called deuotion , then sure there is good store of vnknowne deuotion , the greatest part in most parishes , neither knowing nor regarding what is said , nor wherfore . notes for div a -e sep. what are your sheete-penances for adulterie , and all your purse-penances for all other sins ? then which though some worse in poperie , yet none more cōmon . sacco & cineri incubare , corpus fordibus obscurare , presbyteris aduolui , & aris dei adganiculari . tert . de p●●it . can on . greg. neocaesar . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. notes for div a -e sep. touching purgatory , though you deny the doctrine of it and teach the contrary , yet how wel your practise sutes with it , let it be considered in these particulars . your absoluing of men dying excommunicate after they bee dead , and before they may haue christian buriall . aug. de ciuitat . l. . athenienses decreuerunt ne siquis se intersecisset sepeliretur in agro attico . &c. sep. your christian buriall in holy ground ( if the party will bee at the charges ; ) your ringing of hallowed bels for the soule : your singing the corpes to the graue from the church style ; your praying ouer or for the dead especially in these words , that god wold hasten his kingdome , that we with this our brother ( though his life were neuer so wretched and death desperate ) and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfect consummation both in body and soule . sleeping-places caemiteria . euseb. l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 splendid ssimae sepulturae tradidit . eus. l. . c. curatio funeris , conditio sepulturae , pompa exequiarum , magis sunt viuorum solatia quam subsidia mortuorum . aug. de ciuit l. . c. . si enim paterna vestis & annulus anto char . est posteris , nullo modo ipsa spernenda sunt corpora . aug de ciuit. l. . c. . orig. contr . cels. l. . rationolem animam honorare didicimus , &c. sep. your generall doctrines and your particular practises agree in this , as in the most other things , like harpe and harrow . in word you professe many truthes , which in deede you denie . these and many mo popish deuises ( by others at large discouered to the world ) both for pompe and profite , are not onely not rased and buried in the dust , but are aduanced amongst you , aboue all that is called god. notes for div a -e sep. you are farre from doing to the romish idols , as was done to the aegyptian idols mythra and serapis , whole prie●●s were expelled their ministery and monuments exposed to vtter scorn and desolation , their temples demolished and raced to the very foundation . socrat. hist. eccles. l. . c. . . bed. h●st . eccl. l. . cit. gregor . ep. aug suoc . . & edilbe●toregi c. . contra sibi &c. sed & h●r●ticorū templa vastata a constantino . euseb. l. . c. . aug. de ciuit . l. c. . hocker . b. c. id aug. contr . max●min . arian . nonne sitemplum &c. optat. mileuit●n lib. . i. auistis proculdubi● pallas , iudicate quid de codic● bus secistis : aut vtr●mque lauate aut , &c. s● quod tangit aspectus lauandum est , vt parietes . &c. videmus rectum , videmus & coelū &c. haec a vobis lauari non possunt . athanas. apol. euseb. de vita const. otho fri●ing . l. ● . c. . notes for div a -e sep. but your temples especially your cathedrall and mother churches stand still in their proude maiestie possessed by arch bishops , and lordbishops like the flamins and archssamins amongst the gentiles , from whom they were deriued lumb . lib. . d●st . . isid. l. . e●imol . cap and furnished with all manner of pompous and superstitious monuments , as ●arued and paynted images , massing copes and surplices , chaunting and organ-musicke , and many other glorious ornaments of the romish harlot , by which her maiesty is commended to , and admired by the vulgar , so farr are you in these respects for being gon , or fl●d , yea or crept either , out of babylon . theuphilus ep●s● . cum ●aeteras s●●tuas deorum confi●ngeret , v●am integram seruari i●●sst . eamque in loco publico e●exit vt gentiles tempore progrediente non inficiarentur se ●umsm●di d●us col●sse . 〈◊〉 grammat● us hac dere valded scruciatus dixit grauem plagam religioni gr●corum inct●●●m , quod illa vna statcia no● euerteretur . socrat. l. . c. . sep. now if you be thus ▪ babylonish where you repute your selues most syonlike , and thus confounded in your owne euidence , what defence could you make in the things wherof an aduersary would challenge you : if your light be darkenesse , how great is your darknes ? notes for div a -e sep. but for that not the separation but the cause makes the schismaticke ; and least you should seeme to speak euill of the thing you know not , and to condemne a cause vnheard , you lay downe in the next place the supposed cause of our separation , against which you deale as insufficiently . and that you pretend to bee , none other then your consorting with the papist in certaine ceremonies : touching which and our separation in regard of them thus you write . m. h. if you haue taken but the least knowledge of the grounds of our iudgement and practise , how dare you thus abuse both vs and the reader , as if the onely or chiefe groūd of our separatiō were your popish ceremonies ▪ but if you go only by guesse hauing neuer so much as read ouer one treatise published in our defēce , & yet stick not to passe this your censorious doom both vpon vs & it ; i leaue it to the reader to iudge whether you haue beene more lauish of your censure or credit . most vniust is the censure of a cause vnknowne , though in it selfe neuer so blame-worthy , which neuerthelesse may be prais-worthy , for ought he knowes that censures it . inq into m. vvhite . * vvhich vpon the lords prayer hath confuted some positions of that sect . bar. & . grecu● , passim . pen● . exam. notes for div a -e sep. and touching the ceremonies here spoken of , howsoeuer we haue formerly refused them , submitting ( as all others did and d●e ) to the prelates spirituall iurisdiction , ( herein through ignorance strayning at gnats and swallowing camels ) yet are we verily perswaded of them , and so were before we separated , that they are but as leaues of that tree , and as badges of that man of sinne , whereof the pope is head , and the prelates shoulders . and so we for our parts see no reason why any of the bishops sworne seruants ( as all the ministers in the church of england are canonically ) should make nice to weare their lords liueryes . which ceremonies notwithstanding wee know wel enough , howsoeuer you for aduantage extenuate , and debase them vnto vs , to be aduanced , and preferred in your church , before the preaching of the gospell . . cor. . . hierom. in ps. . heming . class . potest . eccles. c. . vtcuique suus clerus & sua plebs in his quae domini sunt , piè obsequerentur . ignat. epi. ad tarsens . sep. it is much that they being not so much as reede nor any part of the building ( as you pretend ) should ouerturne the best builders amongst you as they doe . sep. the proportion betwixt zoar & them holdes well : zoar was a neighbour vnto sodome both in place and sinne , and obnoxious to the same destruction with it : and it was ●ots errour to desire to haue it spared , gen. . , , , and so he neuer found rest nor peace in it , but forsooke it for feare of the same iust iudgement , which had ouertaken the rest of the cities , vers . . the application of this to your ceremonies i leaue to your selfe , and them to that destruction , to which they are deuoted by the lord. fidem domino habere debuerat quise cam seruaturum propter cumdixerat . mercer . in genes . notes for div a -e sep. how we wold haue behaued our selues in the temple , where the mony-changers were , and they that solde doues , we shal answere you , when you proue your church to be the temple of god , compiled and built of spiritually-hewen and liuely stones . kin. . . & . . . pet : . . and of the cedars , firs , and thyne trees of lebanon . . chr. . . framed and set together in that comely order which a greater then salomon hath prescri●ed : vnto which god hath promised his presence . but whilst we take it to be ( as it is ) a confused heape of dead and defiled , and polluted stones , and of all rubbish , of bryers and brambles of the wildernesse , for the most part , fitter for burning then building , we take our selues rather bound to shew our obedience in departing from it , then our valour in purging it , and to follow the prophets councel in flying out of babylon , as the hee goats before the flock , ie● . . notes for div a -e sep. and what i pray you is the valour which the best hearted and most zealous reformers amongst you , haue manifested in driuing out the mony-changers ? doth it not appeare in this , that they suffer ▪ themselues to be driuen out with the two stringed whippe of . ceremonies , and subscription , by the mony-changers , the chancellers and officials , which sell. sinnes like doues ; and by the chiefe priests the bishoppes which set them on worke ? so farre are the most zealous amongst you from driuing out the mony-changers , as they themselues are driuen out by them , because they will not change with them to the vtmost farthing . bar. refor , without tar. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vvee charge him not to serue any more . so can. . can. . cum compertū fuerit deponatur . can. . de clericatus honore periclitabitur . can. . e clero deponatur & sit alienus a canone . can. . et can. . a ministerio cessare debuerit concil . sardic . c. . cōcil . carth. . c. . & . . leo. ep. . sect. . cypr. l. . ep. . s●cr . l. . c. . notes for div a -e bar ▪ ag . gyff p. . & . sep. for the wafers in geneua , and disorders in corinth , they were corruptions which may and doe ( or the like vnto them ) creep into the purest churches in the world : for the reformation wherof christ hath giuen his power vnto his church , that such euils as are brought in by humane frailty , may by diuine authority bee purged out . this power and presence of christ you want , holding all by homage ( or rather by vilenage ) vnder the prelates , vnto whose sinfull yoake you stoup in more then babylonish bondage , bearing and approuing by personall communion , infinite abhominations . troubl . & excom . at amsterd . an tu solus ecclesia es ? et qui te offenderit a christo excluditur . hieron . eriphan . cypr. solus in caelum ascend . pupianus ? et ad acesium nouatianum constant. erigito tibi scalam acesi , & ad caelum solus ascendito . socr. l. . c. . bar. gyff . ref . so some of their owne haue termed their excommunication . confess . by m. iohns . inqu . p. col. . . sep. and in these two last respects principally , your babylonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your church , without separation , and your babylonish bondage vnder your spirituall lords the prelates , we account you babylon , and flie from you . amari parens & episcopus debet , non timeri . hier. ad theophilum . notes for div a -e sep. m. h hauing formerly expostulated with vs our supposed impietie in forsaking a ceremonious babylon in england , proceeds in the next place to lay downe our madnesse in chusing a substantiall babylon in amsterdam : and if it be so found by due trial , as he suggesteth , it is hard to say , whether our impiety or madnes be the greater . sep. belike m. h. thinkes we gather churches here by towne-rowes , as they doe in england , and that all within the parish procession are of the same church . wherefore else tels hee vs of iewes , arrians , and anabaptists , with whom we haue nothing common but the streetes and market-place ? it i● the condition of the church to liue in the world , and to haue ciuill society with the men of this world , . cor. . . ioh. . . but what is this to that spirituall communion of the saints , in the fellowshippe of the gospell , wherin they are separated , and sanctified from the world vnto the lord ? ioh ▪ . . . cor. . . cor. . . . separation from the world , how required . ioh. . . . cor. . . . cor. . . notes for div a -e sep. we indeed haue much wickednes in the citie where we liue ; you in the church . ●ut in earnest , doe you imagine we account the kingdome of england babylon , or the citie of amsterdam syon ▪ it is the church of england , or state ecclesiasticall , which we account babylon , and from which we withdraw in spirituall communion : ●ut for the common-wealth and kingdome , as we honor it aboue all the states in the world , so wold we thankfully embrace the meanest corner in it , at the extreamest conditions of any people in the kingdome ▪ cassand . de offic boni viri . bellar. de laicis euseb. in vita const. fr. iohns . articles ag . the fr● and dutch churches . bar. ag . gyss . counrtepoys . sep. the hellish impieties in the citie of amsterdam doe no more preiudice our heauenly communion in the church of christ , then the frogs , lyce , flyes , moraine , and other plagues ouerspreading egypt , did the israelites when goshen the portion of their inheritance was free exod . . nor then the deluge , wherewith the whole world was couered did noah , when he and his family were safe in the arke , gen. . nor then sathans throne did the church of pergamus being established in the same citie with it , re● . . , . notes for div a -e sep. it is 〈◊〉 will of god and of christ , that his church should abide in the world , and conuerse with it in the affaires therof which are common to both : but it is the apostasie of antichrist to haue communion with the vvorld in the holy things of god , which are the peculiars of the church , and cannot without great sacriledge be so prostituted and prophaned . duobus mod● non te ma●ulat malus , vid●licet si non consentis & si redarg●is d. . q. . a malis . notes for div a -e sep. the ayre of the gospell which you draw in is nothing so free and cleare as you make shevv : it is only because you are vsed to it , that makes you so iudge . . canons . sep. the thicke smoake of your canons , especially of such as are planted against the kingdome of christ the visible church , and the administration of it , do both obscure and poyson the ayre , which you all draw in , and wherein you breath . . sinne vncensured . sep. the plaguy-spirituall-leprosie of sinne rising vp in the foreheads of so many thousands in the church , vnshut vp , vncouered , infects all both persons and things amongst you . leu. . . . . . cor . , . certe nullius crimen maculat nescientem . aug. ep. . . reg. . . . heirarchy . sep. the blasting hierarchie suffers no good thing to grow , or prosper , but withers all both budde and branch . . seruice-booke . sep. the daily sacrifice of the seruice-booke which in stead of spirituall prayer sweete as incense , you offer vp morning and euening , smels so strong of the popes portuise , as it makes many hundreds amongst your selues stop their noses at it ; and yet you boast of the free and clear ayre of the gospell wherin you breath . patres nostri non solum ante cyprianum vel agrippinum , sed postea , saluberrimam consuetudinem tenuerunt , vt quicquid diuinum atque legitimum in aliqua haeresi vel schismate integrum reperirent approbarent potius quam negarent . august . notes for div a -e sep. that all christendome should so magnifie your happinesse ( as you say ) is much , and yet your selues , and the best amongst you , complain so much both in word , and writing , of your miserable condition , vnder the imperious and superstitious impositions of the prelates , yea and suffer so much also vnder them , as at this day you do for seeking the same church-gouernment and ministery , which is in vse in all other churches saue your owne . socrat. l. . c. . constant. alex. & ario. ac tamet si vos inter vos vic●ssim de re qu●piam minimi momenti dissent●tis ( siquidem neque omnes de omnibus rebus idem sentimus nihilom●nus tan● fi●ri p●terit , vt eximia concordia sincerè inter vos , integr●que s●ru●tur , & vna inter omnes communio & consociatio custodiatur . sep. the truth is , you are best liked where you are worst knowen . your next neighbours of scotland know your bishops gouernment so well , as they rather chuse to vndergoe all the miserie , of bonds and banishment , then to partake with you in your happinesse this way , so highly doe they magnifie and applaud the same which choice i doubt not other churches also would make , if the same necessitie were laid vpon them . sep. and for your graces , we despise them not nor any good thing amongst you , no more then you doe such graces and good things as are to be found in the church of rome , from which you separate notwithstanding . we haue by gods mercie the pure and right vse of the good gifts and graces of god in christs ordinance which you want . neither the lords people , nor the holy vessels could make babylon syon , though both the one and the other were captiued for a time . lastly , it is thus written , and we thus aduised . m. smiths . retort vpon m. cliston . p. , . notes for div a -e sep. where the truth is a gayner , the lord ( which is truth ) cannot be a looser . neither is the thankes of ancient fauours lost amongst them , which still presse on towards new mercies . vnthankfull are they vnto the blessed maiestie of god , and vnfaithfull also , which inter licet vestrum & non licet nostrum , nutant ac remigant animae christianorum . optat contr . parm. sep. knowing the will of their master do it not , but go on p●esumptuously in disobedience to many the holy ordinances of the lord , and of his christ , which they know , and in word also acknowledge , he hath giuen to his church to be obserued , and not for idle speculation , and disputation without obedience . it is not by our sequestration , but by your confusion , that rome and hell gaines . sep. your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your church , in whose lappe the vilest miscreants are dandled , sucking her brests , as her naturall children , and are be-blest by her ( as hauing right thereunto ) with all her holy things as prayer , sacraments , and other ceremonies , is that which aduantageth hell , in the finall obduration and perdition of the wicked , whom by these meanes you flatter and deceiue . non enim propter malos boni des●rendi , sed propter bonos mali tolerandi sunt , &c. sicut tolerau●runt prophetae &c. aug. ep. . bar. ag . gyff . sep. the romish prelacie and priesthood amongst you , with the appurtenances for their maintenance and ministrations are romes aduantage . which therefore she challengeth as her owne , and by which shee also still holdes possession amongst you , vnder the hope of regayning her full inheritance at one time or other . sep. and if the papists take aduantange at our condemnation of you , and separation from you : it concerns you , well to see where the blame is , and there to lay it , least through light , and inconsiderate iudgement , you iustifie the wicked , and condemne the righteous . notes for div a -e sep. and for the suspition of the rude multitude , you need not much feare it . they will suspect nothing that comes vnder the kings broad seale : they are ignorant of this fault . though it were the masse that came with authoritie of the magistrate , they ( for the most part ) would be without suspition of it : so ignorant and prophane are they in the most places . sam. . . it is the wise hearted amongst you that suspect your dealings , who will also suspect you yet more , as your vnfound dealing shall be further discouered . notes for div a -e troub . & excom at amster . g. iohns . professes he found better dealing in the b●shops consistories ; and might haue found better in the inquisition . hieron . cypr. de simplic . praelat . ad pacis praemium ven●re non polerunt , qui pacem domini discordiae furore ruperunt . ibid. inexpiabilis & g●auis culpa discordiae nec passione purgatur . sep lastly the terr●ble threat you vtter against vs , that euen whoredomes and murders shall abide an easier answere then separation , would certainly fall heauy vpon vs , if this answere were to bee made in your consistory courts ; or before any of your ecclesiasticall iudges ; but because we know , that not antichrist , but christ shal be our iudge , we are hold vpon the warrant of his word and testament , ( which being sealed with his blood may not bee altered ) to proclaim to all the world separation frō whatsoeuer riseth vp rebelliously , against the scepter of his kingdome , as we are vndoubtedly perswaded , the communion , gouernment , ministery , and worship of the church of england doe . iohn robinson . select thoughts, or, choice helps for a pious spirit a century of divine breathings for a ravished soule, beholding the excellencies of her lord jesus / by j. hall ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) select thoughts, or, choice helps for a pious spirit a century of divine breathings for a ravished soule, beholding the excellencies of her lord jesus / by j. hall ... hall, joseph, - . hall, joseph, - . breathings of a devout soul. [ ], - , [ ], p. printed for nath. brooke ..., london : . reproduction of original in cambridge university library. published in with title: select thoughts, one century. the second part has separate paging and caption title: the breathings of the devout soul. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng devotional literature. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion select thoughts : or , choice helps for a pious spirit . a century of divine breathings for a ravished soule , beholding the excellencies of her lord jesus . by j : hall , b. n. n b london , printed for nath : brooke , at the angel in cornhill . . to the christian reader grace and peace . it pleased the alwise and holy god , who orders all events to his own glory , to make use of my late secession for the producing of divers , not , i hope unprofitable tractates ; wherein i much rejoyce that my declined age , even in that retiredness , might be in any measure serviceable to his church : now , i send these select notions after their fellows ; of which , i wish you may finde cause to say with the wedding-guests at cana , thou hast reserved the best wine till now . the intent of this labor is to put some good thoughts ( reader ) into thy minde , which would not otherwise , perhaps have tendered themselves to thee ; such , as i hope may not a little further thee on thy journey to heaven . and if in my laboring thitherward , i shall , through gods mercy , be a means of forwarding any soul , but some steps up that steep way , how happy am i ? to which purpose , i know no means more effectual , then those meditations which conduce to the animation and vigor of christian practise : such i have propounded to my self , as most behooveful and necessary ; especially for this age , into which we are faln ; an age of more brain then heart ; and that hath almost lost piety in the chase of some litigious truths . and surely had i known how better to have placed my hours , i should gladly have changed my task : but , i must needs say , i have found this imployment so useful , and proper , as that i have looked upon those polemical discourses which have been forced from me , as no better then meer excursions . i wis , it will be long enough , ere we shall wrangle our selves into heaven : it must be true contrition , pure consciences , holy affections , heavenly dispositions , hearty devotions , sound regeneration , faith working by love , an humble walking with god that shall help us thither ; and whatsoever may tend to the advancing of any of these gracious works in us , is worthy to be dear and precious . such passages , reader , if thou shalt , according to my hopes , meet with here , bless god with me , and improve them to the best advantage of thy soul : thus shall our gain be mutual , and our account happy in the day of the lord jesus : in whom farewel . from higham , neer norwich . febr. . . select thoughts , one century . i. if miracles be ceased , yet marvails will never cease . there is no creature in the world , wherein we may not see enough to wonder at ; for there is no worm of the earth , no spire of grass , no leaf , no twig , wherein we may not see the footsteps of a deity : the best visible creature is man ; now , what man is he that can make but an hair , or a straw , much less any sensitive creature ; so as no less then an infinite power is seen in every object that presents it self to our eyes ; if therefore we look onely upon the outsides of these bodily substances , and do not see god in every thing , we are no better then brutish ; making use meerly of our sence without the least improvement of our faith , or our reason : contrary then to the opinion of those men , who hold that a wise man should admire nothing , i say , that a man truely wise and good should admire every thing , or rather that infiniteness of wisdom and omnipotence which shews it self in every visible object : lord what a beast am i that i have suffered mine eyes to be taken up with shapes , and colours and quantities , and have not lookt deeper at thee ( with awful adoration , and wonder ) in every parcel of thy great creation : henceforth let me see nothing but thee , and look at all visible things , but as the meer shadows of a glorious omnipotence . ii. our affections are then onely safe and right , when they are deduced from god , and have their rise from heaven ; then onely can i take comfort of my love , when i can love my wife , my childe , my friend , my self , my pleasures , and whatsoever contentments in god ; thus i may be sure not to offend either in the object , or measure ; no man can in god love whom he should not , nor immoderately love whom he should : this holy respect doth both direct and limit him ; and shuts up his delights in the conscience of a lawful fruition : the like must be said of our joy , and fear , and grief , and what ever other affection ; for we cannot derive our joy from god , if we place it upon any sinful thing , or if we exceed in the measure of things allowed ; we cannot fetch our fear from heaven , if it be cowardly , and desperate , nor our grief , if it be meerly worldly and heartless . and if our affections do begin from above , they will surely end there , closing up in that god , who is the author and orderer of them ; and such as our affections are , such will be the whole disposition of the soul , and the whole carriage of our actions : these are the feet of the soul , and which way the feet walk , the whole man goes ; happy is the man that can be so far the master of himself , as to entertain no affections but such as he takes upon the rebound from heaven . iii. whence is this delicate scent in this rose , and violet ? it is not from the root , that smells of nothing ; not from the stalk , that is as senceless as the root ; not from the earth whence it grows , which contributes no more to these flowers , then to the grass that grows by them ; not from the leaf , not from the bud before it be disclosed , which yields no more fragrance then the leaf , or stalk , or root ; yet here i now finde it ; neither is it here by any miraculous way , but in an ordinary course of nature ; for all violets and roses of this kinde yield the same redolence ; it cannot be , but that it was potentially in that root , and stem from which the flowers proceed , and there placed , and thence drawn by that almighty power which hath given these admirable vertues to several plants , and educes them in his due seasons to these excellent perfections . it is the same hand that works spiritually in his elect ; out of the soyl of the renewed heart , watered with the dew of heaven , and warmed with the beams of his spirit , god can , and in his own season , doth bring forth those sweet odors of grace , and holy dispositions , which are most pleasing to himself ; and if those excellencies be so closely lodged in their bosoms , that they do not discover themselves at all times , it should be no more strange to us , then that this rose and violet are not to be found , but in their own moneths ; it is enough that the same vertue is still in the root , though the flower be vanished . iiii. a man that looks at all things through the consideration of eternity , makes no more of a man , then of a flower ; that lasts some days , he lasts some years ; at their period , both fade : now , what difference is there to be made betwixt days and years in the thoughts of an eternal duration ? herein therefore i have a great advantage of a carnal heart ; such a one bounding his narrow conceits with the present condition , is ready to admire himself , and others , for what they have or are , and is therefore dejected upon every miscarriage : whereas i behold my self , or that man , in all his glory , as vanishing ; onely measuring every mans felicity by the hopes and interress which he hath in a blessed eternity . v. when i am dead and forgotten , the world will be as it is , the same successions and varieties of seasons , the same revolutions of heaven , the same changes of earth and sea , the like occurrents of natural events , and humane affairs . it is not in my power to alter the course of things , or to prevent what must be : what should i do , but quietly take my part of the present , and humbly leave the care of the future to that all-wise providence , which ordereth all things ( even the most cross events ) according to his most holy and just purposes ? vi. the scripture is the sun , the church is the clock , whose hand points us to , and whose sound tells us the hours of the day ; the sun we know to be sure , and regularly constant in his motion ; the clock as it may fall out , may go too fast , or too slow ; we are wont to look at , and listen to the clock to know the time of the day , but where we finde the variation sensible , to beleeve the sun against the clock , not the clock against the sun. as then we would condemn him of much folly , that should profess to trust the clock rather then the sun ; so we cannot but justly tax the miscredulity of those who will rather trust to the church then to the scripture . vii . what marvailous high respects hath god given to man above all his other visible creatures ! what an house hath he put him into ! how gloriously arched , how richly pavemented ! wherefore serves all the furniture of heaven and earth , but for his use ? what delicate provision hath that bountiful hand made for his palate , both of meats and liquors , by land and sea ? what rich ornaments hath he laid up for him in his wardrobe of earth and waters ? and wherefore serves the various musick of birds , but to please his ear ? for , as for the brute creatures , all harmony to them is but as silence . wherefore serves the excellent variety of flowers , surpassing solomon in all his glory , but to please his eie ? meer grass is more acceptable to beasts . yea , what creature but he is capable to survey gods wonders in the deep ? to contemplate the great fabrick of the heavens ? to observe the glorious bodies , and regular motions of the sun , moon , stars ; and ( which exceeds all conceiveable mercies , ) who but he is capable of that celestial glory , which is within that beautiful contignation ? to be a companion of the blessed angels , yea to be a limb of the mystical body of the eternal son of god , and to partake with him of his everlasting and incomprehensible glory ? lord , what is man that thou art thus mindful of him ? and how utterly unworthy are we even of common mercies , if we return not to our god , more advantage of glory , then those poor creatures that were made for us , and which cannot in nature be sensible of his favors ? viii . how plain is it that all sensitive things are ordered by an instinct from their maker ? he that gives them being , puts into them their several dispositions , inclinations , faculties , operations . if we look to birds ; the mavis , the black-bird , the red-brest have throats tuneable to any note , as we daily see they may be taught strains utterly varying from their natural tones , yet they all naturally have the same songs and accents different from each other , and fully according to their own kinde ; so as every mavis hath the same ditty with his fellows : if we mark the building of their nests , each kinde observes its own fashion and materials , some clay , others moss , hair , sticks ; yea if their very motions and restings , they are conform to their own feather , different from others . if to beasts , they all untaught observe the fashions of their several kindes . galen observes that when he was dissecting a she-goat big with young , a kid then ready to be yeaned starts out , and walks up and down the room , and there being in the same place , set several vessels of oyl , hony , water , milk , the new faln kid smells at them all , and refusing the rest falls to lapping of the milk ; whereupon he justly infers , that nature stays not for a teacher . neither is it other in flies , and all sorts of the meanest vermine , all bees build alike , and order the common-wealth of their hive in one maner ; all ants keep their own way in their housing , journeys , provisions ; all spiders do as perfectly and uniformly weave their web , as if they had been apprentises to the trade , the same instincts are seen also in the rational creatures , although in most cases overruled by their higher faculties . what an infinite providence then is this we live under , that hath distributed to every creature , as a several form , so several inclinations , qualities , motions , proper to to their own kinde , and different from other ; and keeps them in this constant uniformity , and variety , for the delight and contentment of man ! o god , that i could be capable of enough wondring at thy great works ! that i could be enough humbled under the sense of my own incapacity , that i could give thee so much more glory , as i finde more vileness in my self . ix . when i saw my precious watch ( now through an unhappy fall grown irregular ) taken asunder , and lying scattered upon the workmans shop-board ; so as here lay a wheel , there the balance , here one gimmer , there another , straight my ignorance was ready to think , when and how will all these ever peece together again in their former order ? but when the skilful artisan had taken it a while in hand , and curiously pined the joynts , it now began to return to its wonted shape , and constant motion , as if it had never been disordered : how could i chuse but see in this , the just embleme of a distempered church and state ? wherein if all seem disjoynted , and every wheel laid aside by it self , so as an unknowing beholder would dispair of a redress , yet if it shall please the great artist of heaven to put his hand unto it , how soon might it return to an happy resetlement ? even so , blessed lord , for thy great mercies sake make up the breaches of thy sion , & repair the ruines of thy jerusalem x we are , and we are not , all one mans children : our bodies once met in one root , but our mindes and dispositions do so differ , as if we had never been of kin : one man is so gentle and plausible that he would fain please all ; another is so churlish and dogged that he cares not whom he displeases , and hardly can be well pleased with himself : one so sparing and pinching that he grudges himself necessaries , another so vainly lavish , that he cares not how he squanders his estate : one is tenderly pitiful , another mercilesly cruel ; one religiously devout , another wildly profane ; one cowardly fearful , another desperately couragious : one jovially cheerful and lightsome , another sad and dumpish , even to stupidity : one petulant and wanton , another austerely continent ; one humble and low-conceited of rich indowments , another swoln big with a little . he did never read men to purpose that is too much troubled with the harsh and unpleasing contrariety of humors , which he meets with in the world ; and he shall be too unthankful to god , that finding himself better composed then others , knows not whither to ascribe it ; and too neglective of himself , that finding his own distempered , labors not to rectifie it . xi . nature , law , and grace divide all the ages of the world ; now as it is in man ( who is a lesser world ) that in every day there is a resemblance of his whole life ; the morning is his childehood , the mid-day his youth , the evening his old age ; so is it in this greater world ; the dim break of day was the state of nature , and this was the nonage of the world , wherein the light of knowledg , both of humane and divine things was but weak and obscure . the sun was risen higher in the state of the law , but yet not without thick mists and shadows , till the high-noon of that true sun of righteousness , who personally shone forth to the world ; upon whose vertical point began the age of grace , that still continues , which is the clear afternoon , and full vigour of the world , though now in its sensible declination : after this , there shall be no time , but eternity . these then are they , which both the prophets and apostles have stiled the last days ; not onely in respect of the times that went before them , but in regard that no time shall follow them : neither have we reason to bogle at the large latitude of sixteen hundred years ; there was neither of the two other periods of age , but were longer then this : besides , how ever , childehood and youth have their fixed terms which they ordinarily pass not , yet the duration of old age is indefinite : we have in our youth known some gray-heads that have continued vigorous , till we have lived to match them in the colour of their livery . and if this be ( as it is ) the evening of the world , do we not see much difference of time in the shutting in of the light ? a summers evening , is a winters day ; but if these were to the apostles the last days , how can they be other then in the last hour , yea , the last minute unto us ? why do we not put our selves into a constant expectation of the end of all things , and set our selves in a meet posture for the receit of our returning saviour ? xii . it is a feeling and experimental expression that the apostle gives of a christian , that he looks not on the things which are seen ; not that his eyes are so dim as old isaacs , that he cannot discern them , or that his inward senses are so stupified , that he cannot judg of their true value : but that , taking an exact view of these earthly things , he discries so much vanity in them , as that he findes them not worthy to be lookt at with the full bent of his desires ; like as it is not the meer sight of a strange beauty that is forbidden ( for a man may as well look upon a fair face , as upon a good picture ) but a setled and fixed aspect , that feeds the eye , and draws the heart to a sinful concupiscence : thus doth not the christian look upon the things that are seen , as making them the full scope , and aym of his desires and affections : so far he takes notice of them , as to make his best ( that is , lawful and moderate ) use of them ; not so , as to make them the chief object of his contemplation , the main drift of his cares . it is well observed by s. basil , that as there are two contrary ways , the broad , and the narrow ; so there are two guides , as contrary , sense and faith : sense presents to us the pleasing delights of this world , on the one side ; on the other , the present afflictions and persecutions that attend a good profession : faith lays before us the glorious things of a future life , and the endless miseries and torments abiding for sinful souls in the world to come : now , it is not for every one to deny al credit to his sense , alluring him with all present , and visible pleasures , and discouraging him with the terror & pain of present and visible afflictions , and to yield himself hood-winkt , to be led by faith , forepromising onely better things afar off , and foreadmonishing him of dangers , future and invisible . faith onely is that heroical vertue , which makes a man with an holy contempt to overlook all the pleasing baits of the world , and with a brave courage and fortitude to despise all the menaces , and painful inflictions of his present fury : this works our eyes , not to look upon the things which we cannot but see , the present shews of the world , whether alluring , or terrifying : had lot but lookt back on sodom ; the pleasant plain of sodom , that lay like the garden of god behinde his back , he had never escaped into the mountain : had the glorious protomartyr fixed his eyes onely upon his persecutors , his heart could not but have failed , to see the fire in their faces , the sparkling of their eyes , the grinding of their teeth , the bending of their brows , the stopping of their ears , their furious runing upon him , their violent halings and draggings ; and lastly , a whole volly of stones discharged mortally upon him ; he had been utterly daunted with such an impetuosity of death : but he , as not seeing any of this pomp , and ostentation of horror , looks up stedfastly to heaven , and there sees ( that which might well make him blinde to all other visible objects ) the heavens open , and jesus standing at the right hand of god ; and upon this sight , he shut up his eyes , and slept . the true christian then , hath with holy job , made a covenant with his eyes , not to look upon , either the cruel insolencies of the raging world with fear and dejectedness , or on the tempting vanities of the world with amorous glances ; but with a sober and constant resolution entertains the objects of both kindes . very justly did tertullian jeer that heathen philosopher , who pulled out his eyes to avoyd concupiscence ; and can tell him , that a christian can hold his eyes , and yet behold beauty unbewitched ; and can be at once open-eyed to nature , and blinde to lust : and what the apostle said of the use , he can practise of the sight of the world , and earthly objects ; he can so behold them , as if he beheld them not . how oft have we , in a deep study fixed our eyes upon that , which we , the while thought not upon , neither perceived that we saw ? so doth the christian to these worldly glories , pleasures , profits , whiles his minde and affections are on the things above , where christ sitteth on the right hand of god. there , lord , let me behold those things which cannot yet be seen , but shall , once , in the sight of them make me blessed : and let me not look on the things that are seen ; for the things that are seen are temporary , but the things which are not seen , are eternal . xiii . there is not more strangeness then significance in that charge of the apostle , that we should put on the lord jesus christ . the soul is ( as it were ) a body ; not really and properly so , according to the gross error of tertullian ; but by way of allusion : this body of the soul , then , may not be naked , but must be clad ; as our first parents were ashamed of their bodily nakedness , ( and so still are all their ( not savage ) posterity , ) so may we of our spiritual . every sinner is naked ; those rags that he hath , are so far from hiding his nakedness , that they are part of it ; his fairest moralities are but glittering sins , and his sins are his nakedness : aaron had made israel naked to their shame ; not so much in that they were stripped of their earings , as that they were enwrapped in the sin of idolatry . no marvel if we run away , and hide us from the presence of god , as our first parents did , whiles we are guilty to our selves of our spiritual deformity : as then we are bodily naked , when we come into the world , so we are spiritually naked whiles we are of the world ; neither can it be either safe , or comely for us , till we be covered : there is no clothing can fit the soul but the lord jesus christ ; all other robes in the wardrobe of earth , or heaven , are too short , too straight ; like those which the scorn of hanun put upon davids messengers , reaching but to the hams ; for though the soul of man be finite , the sin of the soul is scarce so ; and that sin must be covered , else there can be no safety for the soul , according to that of the psalmist : blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven , whose sin is covered : none therefore but the robes of an infinite righteousness , can cover the soul so wofully dressed ; none therefore but the lord jesus christ , who is god blessed for ever , can cover the soul , that it may not appear unrighteous ; or can cleanse the soul that it may not be unrighteous ; and cleansed it must be , ere the lord jesus can be put on : we shall wrong his perfit holiness , if we think we can slip him on , as a case , over our beastly rags : it is with us , as with joshua the high priest ; the filthy garments must first be taken off , and then the lord shall say unto us : behold , i have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee , and i will clothe thee with change of rayment . we put on a garment when we apply it all over to our body ; so as that part which is clothed , appears not , but is defended from the air , and from the eye : if we have truely put on the lord jesus , nothing of ours is seen , but christ is all in all , to us ; although this application goes yet deeper ; for we so put him on , that we not onely put our selves into him , but also put him into our selves , by a mutual kinde of spiritual incorporation . we put him on then , upon our intellectual parts , by knowing him , by beleeving on him . ( this is eternal life to know thee , and whom thou hast sent , saith our saviour ; ) and for faith , no grace doth so sensibly apprehend him , and make him so feelingly ours . we put him on upon our wills , and affections , when we take pleasure in him , when we love him , delight in him , and prefer him to our chiefest joy . thus do we put him on ; as our lord , in our humble and dutiful subjection ; as our jesus , in our faithful affiance ; as christ , the anointed of god , to be our king , in all holy obedience ; our priest , in our willing consecration to him ; our prophet , in our cheerful readiness to be instructed by him : how happy are we , if we be thus decked ; we prank up these poor carcasses of ours gaily , with no small expence ; and when we have done , the stuff , or the fashion , or both , wears out to nothing : but , here is a garment that will never be out of fashion ; jesus christ yesterday , and to day , and the same for ever ; yea , the same to us : here , we put him on in grace , there , in eternal glory . the israelites were fourty years in the wilderness , yet their shooes not worn , their apparel not impaired ; but this attire shall not onely hold good in the time of our wandring in this desart , but after we are come into the canaan of glory , and is best at last . wherefore do we put on our choisest attire on some high days , but to testifie the cheerfulness of our hearts : let thy garment be white , saith the preacher , for now god accepteth thy works : mephibosheth changed not his raiment since david went out , as one that would have the sorrow of his heart seen in the neglect of his clothes ; although many a one under a gay coat hath an heavy heart , but this attire doth not onely testifie , but make cheerfulness in the soul ; thou hast given me more joy of heart , then they had in the time that their corn and their wine increased ; and , in thy presence is the fulness of joy ; what can this apparel of ours do but keep us from a blast , or a showre ? it is so far from safeguarding the soul , that it many times wounds it , and that to the death . it was one of the main quarrels against the rich glutton , that he was every day clothed in purple , and byss : how many souls shall once wish that their bodies had been ever either naked , or clad with hair-cloth ? but this aray , as it is infinitely rich and beautiful , so it is as surely defensative of the soul ; and is no less then armor of proof against all assaults , all miseries . what a deal of cost and pains do we bestow upon these wretched bodies of ours , onely to make them pleasing and lovely to the eye of some beholders , as miserable , perhaps , as our selves ; and yet when we have all done , we are ( it may be ) no better then hard-favord , and unhandsome creatures , and contemptible in those eyes from whom we desired most approbation ; jezebel , for all her licking , is cast out of the window , and troden to dirt in the streets : but this robe we can not wear , and not be amiable in the eyes of the holiest : behold thou art fair , my beloved ; behold thou art fair , and there is no spot in thee : lo , in this case , the apparel makes the man ; neither is it in the power of any spiritual deformity , to make us other then lovely , in the sight of our god , whiles we have christ put on upon us . what ever therefore become of the outward man , let it be my care that my soul be vested with my lord jesus ; so shall i be sure , to be safe , rich , amiable here , and hereafter glorious . it was part of our saviours charge upon the mount , take no care what to put on ; but it must be the main care of our lives , how to put on christ upon our souls : this is the prime stole wherewith the father of the prodigal , graceth his returned son ; the heaven of heavens is not worth such another ; when i have once got this on my back , i shall say , though in a contrary sense , with the spouse in the canticles : i have put on my coat , how shall i put it off ? i have washed my feet , how shall i defile them ? xiiii . with how devout passion doth the psalmist call to all the works of the almighty to praise him ; as well supposing , that every creature ( even those that have no tongues to speak for themselves ) yet have a tongue to praise their maker ; the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy work ; day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledg : there is no speech nor language , where their voyce is not heard ; neither is the very earth defective in this duty : every plant sayes , look on me , and acknowledg , the life , colour , form , smell , fruit , force that i have from the power of my creator : every worm and flie sayes , look on me , and give god the praise of my living , sense , and motion : every bird sayes ; hear me , and praise that god who hath given me these various feathers , and taught me these several notes : every beast , whiles he bellows , bleats , brays , barks , roars , sayes , it is god that hath given me this shape , this sound ; yea the very mute fishes , are in their very silence , vocal , in magnifying the infinite wisdom and power of him that made them , and placed them in those watery habitations ; let every thing that hath breath saith the psalmist , praise the lord. yea the very winds whistle , and the sea roars out the praise of the almighty , who both raises , and allays them at pleasure ; what a shame were it for man , to whom alone god hath given an understanding heart , a nimble tongue , and articulate language , wherein he can express his rational thoughts , to be wanting to this so universal devotion ? and to be as insensible of the great works of god , as the ground that he treads upon ? if others shall be thus unthankfully dumb , yet praise thou the lord , o my soul , and all that is within me bless his holy name ; whiles i live will i praise the lord ; i will sing praises to my god whilest i have any being . but alas lord thou knowest , i cannot so much as will to praise thee , without thee ; do thou fill my heart with holy desires , and my mouth with songs of thanksgiving . xv. it may seem a strange errand upon which our saviour tells us he came into the world ; i am come to send fire on the earth : when the two fervent disciples would have had fire sent down from heaven upon but a samaritan village , our saviour rebuked them , and told them they knew not of what spirit they were ; yet here , he makes it his own business , to send fire on the earth : alas ( may we think ) we have fire too much already ; how happy were it rather , if the fire which is kindled in the world , were well quenched ; and what is the main drift of the prince of darkness but fire ? if not to send fire down from heaven , upon the inhabitants of the earth ; yet , to send the inhabitants of the earth down to the fire of hell ? as then we finde divers kindes of material fire , celestial , elementary , domestique , artificial , natural ; so there is no less variety of spiritual fires : it was in fiery , cloven , tongues , wherein the holy ghost descended upon the apostles , in their pentecost ; and even this fire did our saviour come to send down on the earth : thy word was in mee as fire , saith the prophet ; and did not our harts burn within us ( said the two disciples , in their walk to emaus ) whiles he talked with us ; this fire he also came to send : heavenly love , and holy zeal are fire ; many waters cannot quench love . my zeal hath consumed me , saith the psalmist : and these fires our saviour came to send into the hearts of men ; holy thoughts are no other then the beams of celestial fire , my heart was hot within me ; whiles i was musing , the fire burned , and these , we know he sends : he maketh his angels spirits , and his ministers a flame of fire : these he sends forth to the earth to minister for them that shall be heirs of of salvation : besides these , afflictions and persecutions are fire : we have passed through fire and water : beloved , think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal , which is to try you , as if some strange thing had happened to you : and even these are of his sending ; the lord hath kindled a fire in zion , and it hath devoured the foundations thereof . there is no evil in the city , but the lord hath done it : the lord hath done that which he had devised , he hath thrown down , and not pitied . but this expression of our saviour goes yet deeper , and alludes to the effect of separation , which follows upon the fire of our tryal : when the lump of oar is put into the furnace , the fire tryes the pure mettal from the dross , and makes an actual division of the one from the other ; so doth christ by his word , and spirit ; even he that is the prince and god of peace , comes to set division in the world . surely , there are holy quarrels worthy of his engagement ; for , as the flesh lusteth and warreth against the spirit , so the spirit fighteth against the flesh ; and this duel may well beseem god for the author , and the son of god for the setter of it : these second blows make an happy fray . nothing is more properly compared then discord to fire ; this , christ ( the first thing he does ) sets in every heart : there is all quietness , secure ease , and self-contentment in the soul , till christ come there : how should it be other , when satan sways all without resistance ? but when once christ offers to enter , there are straight civil wars in the soul betwixt the old man , and the new ; and it fares with the heart , as with an house divided in it self , wherein the husband and the wife are at variance ; nothing is to be heard , but unquiet janglings , open brawlings , secret opposition ; the houshold takes part , and professes a mutual vexation : this spiritual self-division , where ever it is , though it be troublesom , yet it is cordial ; it puts the soul into the state of rebecca●s womb ; which barren , yielded no pain ; but when an esau and jacob were conceived , and strugling within , yielded for the time , no ease ; yet this was that which caused her just joy , that she had not so much children , as nations in her womb ; even so the trouble of this inward conflict is abundantly requited with the joy of this assurance , that now christ is come into our soul , and is working his own desired ends , in , and upon us . let vain and sensual hearts please themselves in their inward peace and calmness ; there cannot be a greater signe of gracelesness and disfavor of god ; when they shall say peace , peace , then shall come upon them sudden destruction : the old word was , no safety in war ; here it is contrary , it is this intestine war of the heart , with fire and sword to our corruptions , that must bring us true rest for the present , and hereafter eternal peace and happiness . now , lord , since it is thy desire that this fire should be kindled , kindle thou and enflame my heart with a fervent desire , and endeavor that this thy desire may be accomplished in me : set me at war with my self , that i may be at peace with thee . xvi . in all that we have to do with god , he justly requires and expects from us , an awful disposition of heart towards his infiniteness ; hereupon it was that he delivered his law in thunder , fire , smoke , and all dreadful magnificence ; and when upon the same day , he would send down his spirit , for the propagation of the gospel , it was done with an astonishing majesty ; with a sound from heaven , as of a rushing mighty wind , and with the apparition of cloven and fiery tongues : and as it was thus in the descent of the holy ghost in the miraculous gifts ; so it is in the sanctifying graces : seldom ever doth god by them seize upon the heart , but with a vehement concussion going before : that of s t pauls conversion , was extraordinary and miraculous , but in some degree it is thus , in every soul ; we are struck down first , and are made sensible of our spiritual blindness , ere our full call be accomplished ; as it was with elijah in the mount of horeb , there came first a strong wind , that tore the rocks , and mountains , and after that , an earth-quake , then a fire , before the still small voyce ; so it is usually in our brests , ere the comfortable voyce of gods spirit speak to our hearts , there must be some blustrings , and flashes of the law : it is our honor , and his favor , that we are allowed to love god ; it is our duty to fear him : we may be too familiar in our love , we cannot be too awful in our fear . xvii . all valuations of these outward things are arbitrary , according to the opinion of their pleasure , or their rarity , or the necessity of their use : did not mens mindes set a price upon mettals , what were they better then some other entrails of the earth , or one better then other ? if by publike law the mint were ordained to be onely supplyed by our stanneries , how currantly would they pass for more precious then silver mines ? to an indian , a bracelet of worthless beads is estimated above his gold ; an hungry esau values a mess of pottage above his birth-right : in the siege of samaria an asses head was sold for fourscore peeces of silver ; and a kab of doves dung for five peeces : we have heard that those of angola have valued a dog at the price of many slaves . in all these earthly commodities , the market rises , and falls according to conceit , and occasion ; neither is there any intrinsecal , and setled worth in any of them ; onely spiritual things , as vertue and grace are good in themselves ; and so carry their infinite value in them , that they make their owner absolutely rich , and happy : when therefore i see a rich man hugging his bags , and admiring his wealth , i look upon that man with pity , as knowing the poorness of that pelf wherein he placeth his felicity ; neither can i behold him with other eyes , then those , wherewith , a discreet european sees a savage indian priding himself in those trifles , which our children have learned to contemn : on the other side when i see a man rich in the endowments of minde , well-fraught with knowledg , eminent in goodness , and truly gracious , i shall rise up to that man ( how homely so ever his outside be ) as the most precious and excellent peece which this world can afford . xviii . should i but see an angel , i should look ( with manoah ) to dye no other death then the sight of that glory ; and yet even that angel is fain to hide his face , as not able to behold the infinite majesty of god his creator : when moses did but talk with god in the mount , for fourty days , his face did so shine , that the israelites could not look upon the lustre of his countenance , even the very presence of the divine majesty not onely hath , but communicates glory : lord , that i could see but some glimpse of the reflection of those glorious beams of thine upon my soul ; how happy should i be in this vision , whose next degree is perfectly beatifical . xix . as good , so evil is apt to be communicative of it self ; and this so much more , as it meets with subjects more capable of evil then good ; the breath of a plague-sick man taints the air round about him ; yea , the very sight of blear eyes infects the sound ; and one yawning mouth stretcheth many jaws : how many have we known , that have been innocent in their retiredness , miserably debaucht with leud conversation ? next to being good , is , to consort with the vertuous ; it is the most merciful improvement of an holy power to separate the precious from the vile ; it is the highest praise of a constant goodness , for a lot to be righteous in the midst of sodom . xx. we are all apt to put off the blame of our miscarriages from our selves : even in paradise we did so : it was the woman , saith adam , it was the serpent , saith the woman : how have we heard fond gamesters cast the blame of their ill luck upon the standers by , which intermedled nothing but by a silent eye-sight : so the idolatrous pagans of old , though flagitiously wicked , yet could impute their publike judgments to none but the christians , whose onely innocence was their protection from utter ruine ; so foolishly partial doth our self-love render us to our own demerits , that all are guilty save our selves : yea , rather then we will want shifts , our very stars shall be blamed ; which are no more accessary to our harms , then our eyes are to the eclipses of their most eminent lights . as on the contrary , we are ready to arrogate unto our selves those blessings , which the meer bounty of divine providence hath cast upon us ; whereto we could not contribute so much as an hand to receive them , but by the mercy of the giver : it cannot be well with me , till i have learned to correct this palpable injustice in both ; challenging to my self all my errors , and guilt of sufferings , and yielding to god the praise his own free and gracious beneficence . xxi . how profitable and beneficial a thing is affliction ; especially to some dispositions more then other : i see some trees that will not thrive , unless their roots be laid bare ; unless ( besides pruning ) their bodies be gashed and sliced ; others , that are too luxuriant , except divers of their blossoms be seasonably pulld off , yield nothing : i see too rank corn , if it be not timely eaten down , may yield something to the barn , but little to the granary : i see some full bodies , that can enjoy no health without strong evacuations , blood-lettings , fontinels ; such is the condition of our spiritual part : it is a rare soul that can be kept in any constant order without these smarting remedies ; i confess mine cannot : how wilde had i run , if the rod had not been over me ? every man can say he thanks god for ease ; for me , i bless god for my troubles . xxii . when i consider what an insensible atome man is , in comparison of the whole body of the earth ; and what a meer center-point the earth is , in comparison of the vast circumference of heaven ; and what an almost-infinite distance there is betwixt this point of earth , and that large circle of the firmament ; and therewithal think of the innumerable number , and immense greatness of those heavenly luminaries : i cannot but apprehend how improbable it is , that those stars should , at such a distance , distinguish betwixt one man , and another ; betwixt one limb of the same body , and another ; betwixt one spot of earth , and another ; and in so great a mixture , and confusion of influences , should give any distinct intimation of particular events in nature ; and much more of meer contingencies of arbitrary affairs . as for the moon , by reason of her vicinity to the earth , and sensible predominance over moysture ; and for the sun , the great magazin of light and heat , i acknowledg their powerful ( but unpartial ) operations upon this whole globe of earth and waters , and every part of it , not without just wonder and astonishment ; the other stars may have their several vertues and effects , but their marvelous remoteness , and my undiscernable nothingness , may seem to forbid any certain intelligence of their distinct workings upon me : but whether these glorious lights give , or take any notice of such an imperceptible mite as i ; sure i am , there is great reason i should take notice of them ; of their beauteous lustre , of their wonderful magnitude , of their regular motion ; and be transported with admiration of that omnipotent power , wisdom , providence , which created this goodly and mighty host of heaven , and guides them in their constant march , without the least deviation from their first setting out , to the last moment of their final conflagration . o the narrowness of my wretched heart , that affords not room enough for wonder at that which i cannot but see ! xxiii . it becomes not us to be niggardly where our saviour intends bounty : how glad should we be rather to ampliate the benefit of the great work of our redeemer ? but surely , i cannot see upon what warrant that favor is grounded , that enlargeth the fruit of christs redemption , to the angels : the good needed it not , the evil were not capable of it ; onely mankinde was captiv'd , and redeemable by that invaluable ransom . doubtless those blessed spirits have their part in the joy and gratulation of the infinite mercy of our deliverance ; for if they rejoyce at the conversion of one sinner , what triumph do we think there is in heaven at the universal redemption of all beleevers ? the propriety of this favor hath reason to ingage us so much the more : lord , thy mercy is free , and boundless ; thou wouldst pass by the lapsed angels , and leave them in their sin , and their chains ; and onely rescue miserable man out of their hell. o for an heart that might be in some measure answerable to so infinite mercy ; and that might be no less captiv'd to thy love , then it is freed by thy redemption . xxiiii . men do commonly wrong themselves with a groundless expectation of good ; fore-promising to themselves all fair terms in their proceedings , and all happy success in the issue ; boding nothing to themselves but what they wish ; even the man after gods own heart could say , in my prosperity i said , tush , i shall never be removed ; wherein their misreckoning makes their disappointment so much the more grievous : had not david made such account of the strength and stability of his mountain , it could not have so much troubled him to have it levell'd with the plain ; on the contrary , the evils which we look for , fall so much the less heavily , by how much we are fore-prepared for their entertainment ; what ever by-accidents i may meet withal besides , i have two fixed matches that i must inevitably incounter with , age , and death ; the one is attended with many inconveniences , the other with much horror : let me not flatter my self with hopes of jollity , and ease . my comforts for heaven shall ( i trust ) never fail me ; but for the present world , it shall be well for me , if i can without too much difficulty scramble out of the necessary miseries of life ; and without too much sorrow crawl to my grave . xxv . heaven hath many tongues that talk of it , more eyes to behold it , but few hearts that rightly affect it : ask any christian ( especially ) whom ye shall meet with ; he will tell you , thither he shapes his course ; there he hath pitcht his hopes , and would think himself highly wronged by that man , who should make doubt of either his interest or speed : but , if we shall cast our eyes upon the lives of men , or they reflect their eyes upon their own bosomes , the hypocrisie will too palpably discover it self : for surely , which way so ever the faces look , the hands and feet of the most men move hell-ward : if malice , fraud , cruelty , oppression , injustice , excess , uncleanness , pride , contention , covetousness , lyes , heresies , blasphemies , disobedience be the way thither , wo is me , how many walk in that wide and open road to destruction ? but even there where the heart pretends to innocence , let a man strictly examine his own affections , he shall finde them so deeply earthed , that he shall be forced to confess his claim to heaven is but fashionable : ask thy self but this one question , o man , whatsoever thou art , ask it seriously ; might i this very hour go to heaven , am i willing and desirous to make a present change of this life for a better ? and tell me sincerely , what answer thou receivest from thine own heart . thy judgment cannot but tell thee that the place is a thousand times better ; that the condition would be infinitely advantageous , to exchange baseness for glory , misery for blessedness , time for eternity , a living death , for a life immortal : if thou do now fumble , and shuffle , and demur upon the resolution , be convinced of thine own worldliness , and infidelity ; and know , that if thy heart had as much of heaven as thy tongue , thou couldst not but say with the chosen vessel , i desire to depart hence , and to be with christ , which is far better . xxvi . there is no earthly pleasure whereof we shall not soon grow weary ; and be as willing to intermit , as ever we were to entertain it ; and if the use of it continue , the very frequency makes it disregarded ; so as that which at first we esteemed rare and precious , is now looked upon as common and despicable ; and if it be such , as that our impetuous affection is too much transported with a present fruition , we are so much the more distempered in the loss : on the contrary , those painful yokes , which at the first imposing seemed insupportable , grow tolerable by custom and long acquaintance ; so as i know not how it comes to pass , that time hath a contrary power , both to aggravate , and lighten evils : those pleasures are onely worthy to carry our hearts , which are measured by no less then eternity ; and those pains most justly formidable which know neither end , nor remission . xxvii . the nearer our saviour drew to his glory , the more humility he expressed : his followers , were first his servants , and he their master ; then his disciples and he their teacher ; soon after they were his friends , and he theirs ; straightways after his resurrection , and entrance into an immortal condition , they were his brethren ; go to my brethren , and say unto them , i ascend to my father , and your father . lastly , they are incorporated into him , and made partakers of his glory , that they also may be one with us , saith he , i in them , and thou in me : that they may be made perfect in one ; and the glory which thou gavest me , i have given them . o saviour , was this done for the depressing of thy self , or for the exaltation of us ; or rather for both ? how couldst thou more depress thy self , then thus to match thy self with us poor wretched creatures ? how couldst thou more exalt us , then to raise us unto this entireness with thee the all-glorious , and eternal son of god ? how should we learn of thee to improve our highest advancement to our deepest humility , and so to regard each other , that when we are greatest , we should be least ? xxviii . how apt we are to misconstrue the spirit of god , to our own disadvantage ? whiles the blessed apostle bids us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling ; he doth not bid us to work it out with doubt and distrust : it is the psalmists charge , that we should serve the lord with fear , and rejoyce in him with trembling ; so as there is a fear without diffidence , and a trembling that may consist with joy ; trembling is an effect of fear , but this fear which we must affect is reverential , not slavish , not distrustful : indeed , when we look upon our selves , and consider our own frailties and corruptions , and gods infinite justice , we have too just cause of doubt and dejection , yea ( were it not for better helps ) of utter despair ; but when we cast up our eyes to the power of him that hath undertaken for us , and the faithfulness of him that hath promised ; and the sure mercies of him that hath begun his good work in us , we can fear with confidence , and rejoyce in our trembling : for what are our sins to his mercies , our unworthiness to his infinite merits , our weaknesses to his omnipotence ! i will therefore so distrust my self , that i will be stedfastly confident in the god of my salvation ; i will so tremble before the glorious majesty of my god , that i may not abate of the joy of his never-failing mercy . xxix . what a large and open hand hath our god ? how infinitely doth his bounty transcend not the practise onely , but the admiration of man ? we think it well if upon often asking we can receive small favors : if after long delay , we can be gratified with a condescent ; and if we have received one curtesie , that is a bar to a second ; whereas our munificent god gives us not onely what we ask , but what we ask not ; and therefore before we ask : yea , it is he that gives us to ask , neither could we so much as crave good things , if he did not put into us those holy desires ; yea , he not onely gives us blessings , before we ask ; but he gives us the best things , a right to eternal glory , before we are at all , yea , before the world was ; and as he prevents us in time , so he exceeds our thoughts in measure , giving us more then we ask : rachel would have a son ; god gives her two : abraham sues that ishmael may live ; god gives him to prosper and to be the father of many princes : yet more , he gives us what we cannot ask . the dumb demoniack could not sue for himself ; his very silence was vocal , and receives what he would , and could not request : yea lastly , which is the great improvement of his mercy , he gives us against our asking ; our ignorance sues against our selves , requiring hurtful things , he will not suffer our hearts and tongues to wrong us ; but withholds what we unfitly crave , and gives us what we should , and do not crave ; as the fond childe cryes to his father for a knife ; he reaches him a spoon that may feed , and not hurt him . o the ocean of divine bounty , boundless , bottomless ; o our wretched unworthiness , if we be either niggardly to our selves in not asking blessings , or unthankful to our god in not acknowledging them ! xxx . infidelity and faith look both through the same perspective glass , but at contrary ends : infidelity looks through the wrong end of the glass , and therefore sees those objects which are neer , a far off ; and makes great things little ; diminishing the greatest spiritual blessings ; and removing far from us , threatned evils : faith looks at the right end , and brings the blessings that are far off in time , close to our eye ; and multiplies gods mercies which in a distance lost their greatness : thus the father of the faithful saw his seed possessed of the promised land , when as yet he had no seed , nor was likely to have any ; when the seed which he should have , should not enjoy it till after four hundred years ; thus that good patriark saw christs day , and rejoyced : thus our first parent comforted himself after his ejection out of paradise , with the foresight of that blessed seed of the woman , which should be exhibited almost four thousand years after : still , and ever faith is like it self ; what use were there of that grace , if it did not fetch home to my eye things future , and invisible ? that this dissolved body shall be raised out of the dust , and enlived with this very soul wherewith it is now animated ; and both of them put into a condition eternally glorious , is as clearly represented to my soul in this glass , as if it were already done . faithful is he that hath promised , which will also do it . xxxi . who can think other then with scorn of that base and unworthy conceit which hath been entertained by some , that our saviour lived here on earth upon alms ? he that vouchsafed to take upon him the shape of a servant , would have hated to take upon him the trade of a begger : service is a lawful calling ; beggery not so : he that gave life to all creatures , could take a maintenance from them without asking : he that did command the fish to bring the tribute money for himself and his disciples , and could multiply a few loaves and fishes for the relief of thousands ; could rather raise a sustenance to himself , and his , then beg it : but here was neither need , nor cause ; even ordinary means failed not ; many wealthy followers , who had received cures and miraculous deliverances ( besides heavenly doctrine ) from him , ministred to him of their substance : neither was this out of charity , but out of duty ; in the charge which he gave to his disciples ( when he sent them by payrs to preach abroad ) he tells them the laborer is worthy of his wages ; and can we think this rule doth not much more hold concerning himself ? had not himself and his family been furnished with a meet stock raised from hence ; what purse was it which judas bore ? and how could he be a theif in his office , if his bags were empty ? he therefore that could say , it is a more blessed thing to give , then to receive ; certainly would not choose ( when it was in his power ) rather to receive then give : the earth is the lords , and the fulness thereof ; and he distributes it as he pleaseth , amongst the children of men : for me , i hope i shall have the grace to be content with whatsoever share shall fall to my lot ; but my prayer shall be that i may beg of none but god. xxxii . what a madness it is in us to presume , on our interest in gods favor , for the securing of our sinfulness from judgment ? the angels were deeper in it then we mortals can ever hope to be , in these houses of clay ; yet long since are ugly devils ; and they which enjoyed the liberty of the glorious heavens , are now reserved in everlasting chains of darkness ; and if we look down upon earth , what darling had god in the world but israel ? this was his first born , his lot , his inheritance ; of whom he said , here i have a delight to dwell . and now , where is it ? o the woful desolations of that select people ! what is it to tell of the suffossion of her vineyards ? vastation of her tents ? the devouring of her land ? demolition of walls ? breaking down altars ? burning of cities ? spoyling of houses ? dashing in peices their children , ravishing their wives , killing of their priests , eating of their own children of but a span long , and a thousand such woful symptomes of war : the psalmist hath said a word for all ( in a just , but contrary sense ) destructions are come to a perpetual end ; what destruction can be more , when there is no israel ? how is that wretched nation vanished no man knows whither ! so as it was jezebels curse that nothing was left , whereof it could be said , this was jezebel , so there is not one peece of a man left in all the world , of whom we can say ; this was of one of the tribes of israel : as for those famous churches , which were , ( since that ) honored with the preaching , and pens of the blessed apostles , where are they now to be lookt for , but amongst the rubbish of cursed mahumetism ? o that we could not be high-minded , but fear . xxxiii . what a woful conversion is here ? the sting of death is sin ; and the sting of sin is death ; both meet in man , to make him perfectly miserable ; death could not have stung us ; no , could not have been at all , if it had not been for sin : and sin , though in it self extreamly heinous yet were not so dreadful , and horrible , if it were not attended with death : how do we owe our selves to the mercy of a saviour , that hath freed us from the evil of both ; having pulled out the sting of death which is sin , that it cannot hurt us ; and having taken such order with the sting of sin , which is death , that in stead of hurting , it shall turn beneficial to us : lord , into what a safe condition hast thou put us ? if neither sin , nor death can hurt us , what should we fear ? xxxiv . how unjustly hath the presumption of blasphemous cavillers been wont to cast the envy of their condemnation meerly upon the absolute will of an unrespective power , as if the damnation of the creature were onely of a supreame will , not of a just merit ; the very name of justice convinces them ; a punitive justice cannot but suppose an offence : it is not for us to rack the brains , and strain the heart-strings of plain honest christians with the subtilties of distinctions , of a negative , and positive reprobation , of causes and consequences ; truths meet for the schools : it is enough that all christian divines ; the synods both of dort and trent agree in this truth ; that never man is , was , can be miserable but for sin , yea , for his own sin ; the prophet tells us so in terms , why is the living man sorrowful , man suffereth for his sin : nothing can be more true then that of bildad the shuhite , behold , god will not cast away a perfect man : thy perdition is of thy self , o israel . it is no less then rank blasphemy to make god the author of sin : thou art the god that hast no pleasure in wickedness , neither shall any evil dwel with thee , saith the psalmist ; our sin is our own , and the wages of sin is death ; he that doth the work earns the wages ; so then the righteous god is cleared both of our sin , and our death ; onely his justice pays us what we will needs deserve ; have i any pleasure at all ( saith he ) that the wicked should die , and not that he should return from his ways and live ? wherefore return yea and live . what a wretched thing is a willful sinner that will needs be guilty of his own death ? nothing is more odious amongst men , then for a man to be a felon of himself ; besides the forfeiture of his estate , christian burial is denied him , and he is cast forth into the highway , with a stake pitcht through his body , so as every passenger that sees that woful monument is ready to say : there lyes the carcass , but where is the soul ? but so much more heinous is the self-felony of a wilful sinner , because it is immediatly acted upon the soul ; and carries him with pleasure in the ways of an eternal death . o lord , cleanse thou me from my secret faults ; keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins , lest they get the dominion over me . xxxv . we are wont to say , that we ought to give even the devil his due ; and surely , it is possible for us to wrong that malignant spirit , in casting upon him those evils which are not properly his : it is true , that he is the tempter ; and both injects evil motions , and draws them forth into act : but yet , all ill is not immediatly his ; we have enough besides , of our own : every man , saith st. james , is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust , and enticed ; then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death ; lo , both the lust , and the seducement are our own ; the sin is ours , the death ours : there are indeed diabolical suggestions which are immediatly cast into us by that wicked one ; but there are carnal tentations that are raised out of our own corrupt nature ; these need not his immediate hand ; he was the maine agent in our depravation ; but being once depraved we can act evil of our selves : and if satan be the father of sin , our will is the mother ; and sin is the cursed issue of both : he could not make our sin without our selves ; we concur to our own undoing : it was the charge of the apostle , that we should not give place to the devil ; lo , he could not take it , unless we gave it ; our will betrays us to his tyranny ; in vain shall we cry out of the malice and fraud of wicked spirits , whiles we nourish their complices in our bosomes . xxxvi . i cannot but think with what unspeakable joy old simeon dyed , when , after long waiting for the consolation of israel , he had now seen , the lords christ ; when i hear him say , lord , now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace , according to thy word , for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ; methinks i should see his soul ready to flie out of his mouth in an heavenly ravishment ; and even then upon its wing towards its glory ; for now his eyes saw , and his arms embraced , in gods salvation , his own ; in israels glory , his own : how gladly doth he now see death , when he hath the lord of life in his bosome ? or how can he wish to close up his eyes with any other object ? yet when i have seriously considered it , i cannot see wherein our condition comes short of his : he saw the childe jesus but in his swathing-bands , when he was but now entering upon the great work of our redemption ; we see him , after the full accomplishment of it , gloriously triumphing in heaven : he saw him but buckling on his armor , and entring into the lists ; we see him victorious . who is this that cometh from edom with dyed garments from bozra ; this that is glorious in his apparel , traveling in the greatness of his strength , mighty to save ? he could onely say : to us a childe is born , to us a son is given : we can say , thou hast ascended on high , thou hast led captivity captive , thou hast received gifts for men : it is true , the difference is , he saw his saviour with bodily eyes , we with mental ; but the eyes of our faith are no less sure and unfailing , then those of sense : lord , why should not i , whose eyes have no less seen thy salvation , say , now let thy servant depart , not in peace onely , but in a joyful sence of my instant glory . xxxvii . when i think on my saviour in his agony , and on his cross , my soul is so clouded with sorrow , as if it would never be clear again : those bloody drops , and those dreadful ejulations ( methinks ) should be past all reach of comfort : but when i see his happy eluctation out of these pangs , and hear him cheerfully rendring his spirit into the hands of his father ; when i finde him trampling upon his grave , attended with glorious angels , and ascending in the chariot of a cloud to his heaven ; i am so elevated with joy , as that i seem to have forgotten there was ever any cause of greif in those sufferings . i could be passionate to think , o saviour , of thy bitter and and ignominious death , and most of all , of thy vehement struglings with thy fathers wrath for my sake , but thy conquest and glory takes me off , and calls me to hallelujahs of joy and triumph ; blessing , honor , glory , and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lamb for ever and ever . xxxviii . it is not hard to observe that the more holy any person is , the more he is afflicted with others sin : lot vexed his righteous soul with the unclean conversation of the sodomites ; davids eyes gush't out rivers of water because men kept not the law ; those that can look with dry and undispleased eyes upon anothers sin , never truly mourned for their own : had they abhorred sin , as sin , the offence of a god would have been grievous to them in whomsoever : it is a godless heart that doth not finde it self concerned in gods quarrel ; and that can laugh at that , which the god of heaven frowns at ; my soul is nearest to me , my sorrow therefore for my sin must begin at home , but it may not rest there ; from thence it shall diffuse it self all the world over : who is offended , and i burn not ? who offendeth , and i weep not ? xxxix . the world little considers the good advantage that is made of sins : surely the whole church of god hath reason to bless god for thomas his unbelief , not in the act , which was odious ( after so good assurances ) but in the issue his doubt proves our evidence ; and his confession ( after his touch had convinced him ) was more noble , then his incredulity was shameful . all his attendance upon christ had not taught him so much divinity , as this one touch : often had he said , my lord , but never my god , till now : even peters confession ( though rewarded with the change of his name ) came short of this : the flame that is beaten down by the blast of the bellowes , rises higher then otherwise it would ; and the spring water that runs level in the plain , yet if it fall low , it will therefore rise , high ; the shaken tree roots the deeper : not that we should sin that grace may abound , god forbid ; he can never hope to be good that will be therefore ill , that he may be the better : but that our holy zeal should labor to improve our miscarriages to our spiritual gain , and the greater glory of that majesty whom we have offended : to be bettered by grace it is no mastery ; but to raise more holiness out of sin , is a noble imitation of that holy god , who brings light out of darkness , life out of death . xl. every man best knows his own complaints , we look upon the outsides of many , whom we think happy ; who in the meane time are secretly wrung with the inward sense of their own concealed sorrows , and under a smooth and calm countenance smother many a tempest in their bosome . there are those , whose faces smile , whiles their conscience gripes them closely within ; there are those that can dissemble their poverty , and domestick vexations , reserving their sighs till their back be turned ; that can pick their teeth abroad , when they are fasting , and hungry at home : and many a one forces a song when his heart is heavy : no doubt naomi made many a short meal after her return to bethlehem , yet did not whine to her great kinred in a bemoaning of her want : and good hannah bit in many a grief , which her insulting rival might not see : on the contrary , there are many whom we pity as miserable , that laugh in their sleeve , and applaud themselves in their secret felicity ; and would be very loath to exchange conditions with those that commiserate them . a ragged cynick likes himself at least as well as a great alexander : the mortifyed christian that knows both worlds , looks with a kinde of contented scorn upon the proud gallant , that contemns him ; as feeling that heaven within him , which the other is not capable to believe . it is no judging of mens real estate by their semblance ; nor valuing others worth by our own rate : and for our selves , if we have once laid sure grounds of our own inward contentment and happiness , it matters not greatly if we be mis-known of the world . xli . for one man to give titles to another is ordinary ; but for the great god to give titles to a poor wretched man is no less then wonderful : thus doth the lord to job ; there is none like him in the earth , a perfect and upright man : o what must he needs be , in whom his maker glories ! lo ; who would have looked for a saint in so obscure a corner of the east , and in so dark a time , before ever the law gave light to the world ? yet even then the land of uz yields a job ; no time , no place can be any bar to an infinite mercy : even this while , for ought i see , the sun shined more bright in midian then in goshen : gods election will be sure to finde out his own any where out of hell ; and if they could be there , even there also : amongst all those idolatrous heathen , job is perfect and upright ; his religion and integrity is so much the more glorious , because it is so ill neighbored ; as some rich diamond is set off by a dark foyl . o the infinite goodness of the almighty that picks out some few grains out of the large chaff-heap of the world , which he reserves for the granary of a blessed immortality : it is not of him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but of god that hath mercy . we might well imagine that such a sprig must sprout out of the stock of faithful abraham ; what other loyns were likely to yield so holy an issue ? and if his sarah must be the mother of the promised seed , yet why might he not also raise a blessed seed from keturah ? the birth doth not always follow the belly : even this second brood yields an heir of his fathers faith ; it is said , that to the sons of the concubines abraham gave gifts , and sent them away to the east : surely this son of the concubine carries away as rich a legacy of his fathers grace as ever was enjoyed by the son of the promise at home . the gifts that abraham gave to midian were nothing to those gifts which the god of abraham gives to this son of midian ; who was perfect and upright , one that feared god and eschued evil . i perceive the holy and wise god meant to make this man a patern as of patience , so of all heavenly vertues ; he could not be fit for that use if he were not exquisite ; and what can be wanting to that man , of whom god holily boasts that he is perfect ? and now what mettal is so fit to challenge the fire of affliction as this pure gold ? and who is so fit a match for the great adversary as this champion of god ? never had he been put upon so hard a combat , if god had not well known both the strength that he had given him , and the happy success of his conflict : little doth that good man know what wager is laid on his head , but strongly incounters all his tryals : the sabeans have bereft him of his oxen ; the chaldees of his camels ; the fire from heaven of his sheep ; the tempest of his children ; satan of his health ; and had not his wife been left to him for his greatest cross , and his friends for his further tormentors , i doubt whether they had escaped . lo there sits the great potentate of the east , naked and forlorn in the ashes ; as destitute of all comforts , as full of painful boyls and botches ; scraping his loathsome hide with a potsheard ; yet even in that woful posture possessing his soul in patience , maintaining his innocence , justifying his maker , cheering himself in his redeemer , and happily triumphing over all his miseries , and at last made the great miroir of divine bounty to all generations : now must job pray for his freindly persecutors , and is so high in favor with god , that it is made an argument of extream wrath against israel ; that though noah , daniel , and job were in the land they should deliver none but their own souls : o god , this saint could not have had this strength of invincible patience without thee : thou that rewardest it in him , didst bestow it upon him : it is thy great mercy to crown thine owne works in us : thy gifts are free , thou canst fortifie even my weak soul with the same powers , strengthen me with the same grace , and impose what thou wilt . xlii . as it shall be once in glory , so it is in grace , there are degrees of it : the apostle that said of his auditors , they have received the holy ghost as well as we , did not say ; they have received the holy ghost as much as we : we know the apostles had so much as to give it to others ; none besides them could do so : it is an happy thing to have any quantity of true sanctifiying grace at all ; every drop of water is water , and every grain of gold is gold , every measure of grace is precious : but who is there that when he is dry would take up with one drop of liquor when he might have more ? or if covetously minded , would sit down content with one dram of gold ? in such cases a little doth but draw on a desire of more : it is strange to see that in all other commodities we desire a fulness : if god give us fruit of our bodies , it contents us not to have an imperfect childe , but we wish it may have the full shape and proportion : and , when god hath answered us in that , we do not rest in the integrity of parts , but desire that it may attain to a fulness of understanding , and of stature ; and then lastly to a fulness of age : we would have full dishes , full cups , full cofers , full barns ; a fulness of all things , save the best of all , which is , the holy ghost . any measure of spiritual grace contents us ; so as we are ready to say with esau : i have enough my brother . there is a sinful kinde of contentation , wherewith many fashionable christians suffer themselves to be beguiled , to the utter undoing of their souls : for hereupon they grow utterly careless to get , what they think they have already : who cares to eat that is full cramed ? and by this means they live and die graceless : for had they ever tasted how sweet the lord is in the graces of his holy spirit , they could never think they had enough ; and whiles they do think so , they are utterly uncapable of either having , or desiring more : as there is a sinful ; so there is an holy covetousness , which the more it hath , the more it affects : lord make me thus covetous , and i cannot chuse but be rich ▪ xliii . what a marvelous familiarity was this which moses had with god : that the lord spake unto moses , face to face , as a man speaketh to his friend ! and yet more , that moses so spake to god! what a bold and high request was that which moses made to god : i beseech thee shew me thy glory , that is ( as it is there interpreted ) thy face ! that face which no man might see and live : lo ; god had immediately before spoken to moses even to his face , out of the cloudy pillar : that doth not satisfie his holily-ambitious soul : but , as he heard the voyce , so he must see the face of the almighty : that cloudy pillar did sufficiently represent unto him the presence of the great god of israel ; yet still he sues for a sight of his glory : this is no patern for flesh and blood ; far be it from our thoughts to aspire so high : thy face , o god , will we seek : but in thy blessed ordinances , not in thy glorious and incomprehensible essence : it is not for me as yet to presume so far as to desire to see that infinite light which thou art , or that light wherewith thou art cloathed , or that light inaccessible wherein thou dwelest : onely , now shew me the light of thy countenance in grace , and prepare my soul for that light of glory ; when i shall see as i am seen . xliv . in the waters of life , the divine scriptures , there are shallows , and there are deeps ; shallows where the lamb may wade , and deeps where the elephant may swim : if we be not wise to distinguish , we may easily mis-carry : he that can wade over the foord , cannot swim through the deep ; and if he mistake the passage he drowns : what infinite mischeif hath arisen to the church of god from the presumption of ignorant and unlettered men , that have taken upon them to interpret the most obscure scriptures , and pertinaciously defended their own sense ? how contrary is this to all practise in whatsoever vocation ? in the taylors trade , every man can stitch a seam , but every man cannot cut out a garment : in the saylers art , every one may be able to pull at a cable , but every one cannot guide the helm : in the physitians profession , every gossip can give some ordinary receits upon common experience ; but to finde the nature of the disease , and to prescribe proper remedies from the just grounds of art , is proper to the professors of that science ; and we think it absurd and dangerous to allow every ignorant mountebank to practise : in matter of law , every plain country-man knows what belongs to distraining , impounding , replevying : but to give sound counsel to a clyent in a point of difficulty , to draw firm conveyances ; to plead effectually , and to give sound judgment in the hardest cases , is for none but barristers , and benchers : and shall we think it safe that in divinity , which is the mistress of all sciences , and in matters which may concern the eternal safety of the soul , every man should take upon him to shape his own coat , to steer his own way , to give his own dose , to put and adjudg his own case ? the old word was , that artists are worthy to be trusted in their own trade : wherefore hath god given to men skill in arts and tongues ? wherefore do the aptest wits spend their times and studies from their infancy upon these sacred imployments , if men altogether inexpert in all the grounds , both of art and language , can be able to pass as sound a judgment in the depths of theological truths , as they ? how happy were it if we could all learn ( according to that word of the apostle ) to keep our selves within our own line : as christians , the scriptures are ours ; but to use , to enjoy ; to read , to hear , to learn , to meditate , to practise ; not to interpret according to our private conceit ; for this faculty we must look higher : the priests lips are to preserve knowledg : and they shall seek the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . xlv . when we see the year in his prime and pride , decked with beautiful blossoms , and all goodly varieties of flowers , cheered with the musick of birds , and stated in a sweet and moderate temper of heat and cold ; how glad we are that we have made so good an exchange for an hard and chilling winter ; and how ready we could be to wish that this pleasant and happy season might last all the year long : but herein ( were our desires satisfied ) we should wish to our own great disadvantage : for if the spring were not followed with an intension of summers heat , those fruits whose hopes we see in the bud and flower , could never come to any perfection : and even that succeeding fervor , if it should continue long , would be no less prejudicial to the health and life of all creatures ; and if there were not a relaxation of that vigorous heat in autumn , so as the sap returns back into the root , we could never look to see but one years fruit . and thus also it is spiritually : if our prosperity were not intermixed with vicissitudes of crosses ; and if the lively beams of grace were not sometimes interchanged with cold desertions , we should never know what belongs to spiritual life : what should we do then , but be both patient of , and thankful for our changes ; and make no account of any constancy , till we attain to the region of rest and blessedness ? xlvi . what fools doth the devil make of those men which would fain otherwise be accounted wise ? who would think that men could be so far forsaken of their reason , as to fall down before those stocks and stones which their own hands had carved ; to guide their enterprises by the fond auguries of the flying , or posture , or noyse of fowls ; or the inspection of the entrails of beasts ; to tye the confidence of their success to certain scrawls , and characters , which themselves have devised : to read their own or others fortunes in their hands or stars : to suffer themselves mocked with deceitful visions ? neither are his spiritual delusions less gross and palpable ; wise solomon speaks of the wickedness of folly ; and we may no less truly invert it ; the folly of wickedness , the fool , saith our saviour , builds his house upon the sand , so as it may be washt away with the next waves ; what other doth the foolish worldling , that builds all his hopes upon uncertain riches , momentany pleasures , deceitful favors ? the fool ( saith solomon ) walketh in darkness ; the sinner walks in the darkness of ignorance , through the works of darkness , to the pit of darkness : the fool , saith the preacher , knows not the way into the city : the worldling may perhaps hit the way through the golden gates of honor ; or down to the mines of wealth ; or to the flowry garden of pleasure ; but the way of true peace he knows not : he no more knows the way to heaven , then if there were none : the fool ( saith the psalmist ) hath said in his heart , there is no god ; did not the wicked man say so , he durst not wilfully sin in the face of so mighty and dreadful an avenger . lastly , the fool is apt to part with his patrimony for some gay toys : and how ready is the carnal heart to cast away the favor of god , the inheritance of heaven , the salvation of his soul , for these vain earthly trifles ? holy men are wont to pass with the world for gods fools ; ( alas ! how little do these censurers know to pass a true judgment of wisdom and folly ? he that was rapt into the third heaven , tells us , that the foolishness of god is wiser then men , and the weakness of god stronger then men ; but this we are sure of , that wicked men are the devils fools ; and that judgments are prepared for scorners , and stripes for the back of fools . xlvii . there are some things which are laudable in man , but cannot be incident into god ; as a bashful shamefastness , and holy fear : and there are some dispositions blame-worthy in men , which are yet , in a right sence , holily ascribed unto god , as unchangeableness , and irrepentance : attributes and qualities receive their limitations according to the meet subjects to which they belong ; with this sure rule , that whatsoever may import an infinite purity and perfection , we have reason to ascribe to our maker ; whatever may argue infirmitie , misery , corruption , we have reason to take to our selves : neither is it otherwise in the condition of men : one mans vertue is anothers vice ; so boldness in a woman , bashfulness in an old man , bounty in a poor man , parsimony in the great , are as foully unbeseeming , as boldness in a soldier , bashfulness in a childe , bounty in the rich , parsimony in the poor , are justly commendable . it is not enough for us to know what is good in it self , but what is proper for us : else , we may be blemished with that which is anothers honor . xlviii . it is easie to observe that there are five degrees of the digestion of our spiritual food : first it is received into the cell of the ear , and there digested by a careful attention ; then it is conveyed into the brain , and there concocted by due meditation , from thence it is sent down into the heart , and there digested by the affections ; and from thence it is conveyed to the tongue , in conference , and holy confession ; and lastly , it is thence transmitted to the hand , and there receives perfect digestion , in our action and performance : and as the life and health of the body cannot be maintained , except the material food pass through all the degrees of bodily concoction , no more can the soul live and prosper in the want of any of these spiritual degrees of digestion ; and as where the food is perfectly concocted , the body grows fat and vigorous ; so is it with the soul , where the spiritual repast is thus kindly digested : were there not failings in all these degrees , the souls of men would not be so meager and unthriving as they are . some there are that will not give so much as ear-room to the word of truth ; such are willing recusants : others will admit it perhaps , so far , but there let it rest ; these are fashionable auditors : some others can be content to let it enter into the brain , and take up some place in their thoughts and memories ; these are speculative professors ; some ( but fewer ) others let it down into their hearts , and there entertain it with secret liking , but hide it in their bosomes , not daring to make profession of it to the world ; these are close nicodemians : others take it into their mouthes , and busie their tongues in holy chat , yet do nothing ; these are formal discoursers : but alas , how few are there whose hands speak louder then their tongues ; that conscionably hear , meditate , affect , speak , do the word of their maker , and redeemer ? xlix . men that are in the same condition speed not always alike : barabbas was a theif , murderer , seditionary , and deserved hanging no less then the two theeves that were crucified with our saviour , yet he is dismissed , and they executed ; and even of these two ( as our saviour said of the two women grinding at the mill ) one was taken , the other refused ; one went before peter to paradise , the other went before judas into hell : the providence and election of a god may make a difference ; we have no reason in the same crime , to presume upon a contrary issue : if that gracious hand shall exempt us from the common judgment of our consorts in evil , we have cause 〈◊〉 less his mercy ; but if his just hand shall sweep us away in the company of our wicked consociates , we have reason to thank none but our selves for our sufferings . l. how sweet a thing is revenge to us naturally ? even the very infant rejoyces to see him beaten that hath angerd him ; and is ready with his little hand to give that sroke to the by-stander , which he would have with more force returned to the offender ; and how many have we known in mortal quarrels cheerfully bleeding out their last drop , when they have seen their enemy gasping , and dying before them : this alone shews how much there is remaining in our bosome of the sting of that old serpent , who was a murderer from the beginning , delighting in death , and enjoying our torment ; whereas , on the contrary , true grace is merciful , ready to forgive , apt to return good for evil , to pray for our persecutors ; nothing doth more clearly evince what spirit we are of , then our disposition in wrongs received : the carnal heart breathes nothing but revenge , and is straight wringing the sword out of the hands of him that hath said , vengeance is mine : the regenerate soul , contrarily , gives place to wrath , and puts on the bowels of mercies , kindness , humbleness of minde , meekness , long suffering , forbearing , forgiving : and will not be overcome with evil , but overcomes evil with good . we have so much of god , as we can remit injuries ; so much of satan , as we would revenge them . li. it is worth observing how nature hath taught all living creatures to be their own physitians ; the same power that gave them a being hath led them to the means of their own preservation : no indian is so savage , but that he knows the use of his tobacco and contra-yerva ; yea even the brute creatures are bred with this skill : the dog when he is stomack-sick can go right to his proper grass ; the cat to her nep ; the goat to his hemlock ; the weasel to rue ; the hart to dittany ; the sick lyon can cure himself with an ape ; the monkey with a spider ; the bear with an ant-heap ; the panther with mans dung ; and the stork is said to have taught man the use of the glyster ; to what purpose should we instance when the case is universal ? the toad hath recourse to his plantain-leaf ; the tortois to his peniroyal ; & in short , there is none but knows his own medicine : as for the reasonable creature , in all the civilized regions of the world , we may well say now of every nation as it was of old said of egypt , that it is a countrey of physitions : there is not an huswife , but hath an apothecaries shop in her garden ; which affords her those receipts , whereby she heals the ayls of her complaining family . onely mankinde is mortally soul-sick , and naturally neither knows , nor seeks , nor cares for remedy . o thou that art the great physitian in heaven , first cure our insensibleness ; make thou us as sick of our sins , as we have made our selves sick by sin , and then speak the word , and we shall be whole . lii . when i consider the precious ornaments of the high priest , the rich fabrick and furniture of the tabernacle , the bountiful gifts which the princes of the tribes offered at the dedication of the altar ; i cannot but think what a mass of wealth israel brought with them out of egypt ; these treasures grew not in the wilderness ; neither did jacob and his sons bring them out of canaan ; they were gathered in their goshen : it was an hard bondage under which israel was held by the latter pharaohs ; yet , as if then , in stead of the furnaces of bricks , they had been laboring in the silver mines , to their own advantage , they come out laden with precious mettals : what should i say to this ? god said , israel is my first born , and the first born was to have a double portion : what was israel but a type of gods church ? now the church of god may be held down with cruel tyranny ; but in spight of all opposition it will thrive ; and though they have lyen among the pots , yet shall they be as the wings of a dove covered with silver , and her feathers with yellow gold ; and if the spouse of christ shall be stripped of her outward ornaments ; yet the kings daughter is allglorious within ; rich in those heavenly endowments of grace and holiness , which shall make her dear and lovely in the eyes of her celestial bride-groom ; shortly , the church may be impaired in her external estate ; but if , the while , she gathers so much the more of those better treasures ▪ what hath she lost ? godliness is great gain with contentment ; if she have less of the world and more of god , what cause can she have of complaint , or her enemies of insultation ? liii . he that is a god of order loves both to set , and keep it ; for the service of his sanctuary he appointed several offices , and in those offices several degrees ; none of those might enterfer with others : the levites might not medle with the preists charge ; nor one degree of levites with another : the porters might not thrust in amongst the singers , though perhaps some of their voyces might be more tuneable ; neither might the singers change places with the porters : the sons of merari , that were to carry the boards , bars , and pillars of the tabernacle , and the court , might not change with the sons of gershon for the lighter burthen of the curtains , and hangings ; nor those of gershon , for the more holy load of the vessels of the sanctuary , committed to the sons of kohath : neither might the sons of kohath so much as go in to see the covering of those sacred utensils by aaron , and his sons ; upon no less pain then death : so punctual was god in seting every man his proper station ; and holding him to it , without either neglect , or change : and why should we think god less curious in his evangelical church ? it was the charge of him , who next under the almighty , had the marshalling of the church of the gentiles ; let every man abide in the same calling , wherein he was called : perhaps there may be a better head for policy upon plebeian shoulders then the governors : shall that man leave his rank , and thrust into the chair of government ? neither is it other in spiritual offices ; it is no thinking that the wise and holy god will be pleased with a wel-meant confusion : for all our imployments in the service of the almighty , we must consult , not with our abilities , but with our vocation . liiii . i see too many men willing to live to no purpose ; caring only to be rid of time on what terms soever , making it the onely scope of their life to live ; a disposition that may well befit brute creatures , which are not capable of any other aym save meerly their own preservation : but for men that enjoy the priviledg of reason , for christians that pretend a title to religion , too base and unworthy ; where god hath bestowed these higher faculties , he looks for other improvements ; for what a poor thing is it onely to live ? a thing common to us , with the most despised vermin , that breeds on our own corruption : but to live for some more excellent ends , is that which reason suggests , and religion perfits : here then are divers subordinations of ends , whereof one makes way for another , and all for the supream . we labor and exercise that we may eat , we eat that we may live , and maintain health and strength ; we desire health and strength that we may do good to our selves and many ; that we may be able to do service to god , king , and country ; and therein , we drive at the testimony of a good conscience , approving to god our holy desires , and endeavors ; and in all these , at the glory and salvation of our souls ; and lastly , in that , as the highest of all ends , at the glory of our blessed creator and redeemer : this is indeed to live : otherwise , we may have a being for a time upon earth , but a life i cannot call it ; and when we must cease to be , we are necessarily swallowed up with the horror of either not being at all , or of being eternally miserable . lv. all our love is moved from some good which we apprehend in the party loved ; carnal love from beauty ; worldly from gain ; spiritual from grace ; divine , from infinite goodness : it must needs be therefore , that when the ground and motive of our love faileth , the affection it self must cease ; those that are enamoured of a beautiful face , finde their passion cooled with a loathsome deformity ; those that are led by the hopes of profit , like wasps , leave buzzing about the gally-pot , when all the hony is gone ; those that could carry the rod familiarly in their hand , run from it when they see it turnd to a serpent : contrarily , when that which attracts our love is constant to it self , and everlasting , the affection set upon it is permanent , and eternal : if then i love god for riches , for preferment , for my own indempnity ; when intervening crosses strip me of the hopes of all these , i shall be ready to say , with that distempered king of israel : behold , this evil is of the lord , what should i wait on the lord any longer ? if my respects to my saviour be for the loaves , and fishes ; my heart is carried away with those baskets of fragments : but if i can love god for his goodness sake , this love shall out-last time ; and over-match death . lvi . what a wretched narrowness of heart is this which i finde in my self ; that when i may have all things , i take up with nothing ; and when i may be possessed of an infinite good , i please my self in grasping a little thick clay ? it was a large word that the apostle said to his corinthians ; whether paul , or apollo , or cephas , or the world , or life , or death , or things present , or things to come , all are yours . what , shall we think they were richer then their neighbors ? or is not this the condition of all those , of whom he can say in the next words , ye are christs ? there , there comes in all our right to this infinite wealth ; of our selves we are beggars ; in him , who is lord of all , we are feoffed in all things ; for whiles he saith , all are yours , and ye are christs , and christ is gods ; he doth in effect say , christ is yours , and in him , god is yours ; for this right is mutual : how else should all things be ours , if god were not ours ; without whom all is nothing ? and how should god the father be ours , without that son of his love , who hath said , all things that the father hath , are mine ; thou o father art in me , and i in thee : no man cometh to the father , but by me ? if then christ be mine , all is mine : and if i have so oft received him , and so often renued my union with him , how is he but mine ? o saviour , let me feel my self throughly possest of thee , whether the world slide , or sink , i am happy . lvii . god will not vouchsafe to allow so much honor to wicked instruments , as to make them the means of removing publike evils : the magicians of egypt could have power to bring some plagues upon the land , but had not the power to take them away ; certainly , there needed a greater power to give a being to the frogs , then to call them off ; yet this latter they cannot do who prevailed in the first : moses and aaron must be called to fetch off that judgment , which the sorcerers have brought upon themselves ; neither is it otherwise still : wicked men can draw down those plagues upon a nation , which onely the faithful must remove : the sins of the one make work for the others intercession : do we therefore smart , and groan under heavy calamities ? we know to whom we are beholden : thus saith the lord to this people , thus have they loved to wander ; they have not refrained their feet , therefore he will now remember their iniquity , and visit their sins ; when they fast , i will not hear their cry ; and when they offer burnt offrings and an oblation , i will not accept them ; but i will consume them by the sword , and by the famine , and by the pestilence . do we desire to be freed from the present evils and to escape an utter desolation ? they are moses and aaron that must do it ; he said that he would destroy them : had not moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath , lest he should destroy them : when our quarrel is with heaven , it is not our force , or our policy that can save us : every faithful man is a favorite of the king of glory , and can do more then command legions : then is a people in some good way towards safety , when they have learned to know their friends . whiles we have good mens prayers to grapple with wicked mens sins , there may be hopes of recovery . lviii . the ayming at a good end can be no just excuse for an unlawful act , or disposition ; but if contentment did consist in having much , it were a sore temptation to a man to be covetous ; since that contentation is the thing wherein the heart of man is wont to place it 's chief felicity : neither indeed can there be any possible happiness without it ; but the truth is , abundance is no whit guilty so much as of ease , much less of a full joy : how many have we known that have spent , more pleased and happy hours , under an house of sticks , and walls of mud , and roof of straw , then great potentates have done under marbles , and cedar ? and how many , both wise heathen , and mortified christians have rid their hands of their cumbersome store , that they might be capable of being happy ? other creatures do naturally neglect that which abused reason bids us dote upon : if we had no better powers then beast , or fowls , we should not at all care for this either white , or red earth ; and if our graces were as great as the least of saints , we should look carelesly upon the preciousest and largest treasures that the earth can afford ; now our debauched reason , in stead of stiring us up to emulate the best creatures , draws us down below the basest of them ; moving us to place our happiness in those things which have neither life , nor true worth ; much less can give that which they have not ; it is not for the generous souls of christians to look so low , as to place their contentment in any thing , whether within the bowels , or upon the face of this earth ; but to raise their thoughts up to the glorious region of their original , and rest : looking not at the things which are seen , but at the things which are not seen : for the things that are seen are temporal , but the things which are not seen are eternal . lix . the holy psalmist knew well what he said when he called the thunder in the clouds , the voyce of the lord : a voyce powerful and full of majesty : the very heathens made this the most awful act of their jupiter ; which the spirit of god expresses in a more divine language : the god of glory thundreth ; upon this dreadful sound it is , that the psalmist calls to the mighty ones , to give unto the lord glory and strength , to give unto the lord the glory due to his name : as it were advising the great commanders of the world , when they hear it thunder , to fall down on their knees , and to lift up their hands , and eyes , to that great god that speaks to them from heaven : no man needs to bid the stoutest heart to fear , when this terrible sound strikes through his ear ; which is able to drive even neroes and caligulaes into bench-holes : but this mighty voyce calls for an improvement of our fear , to the glory of that almighty power whence it proceeds : perhaps , the presumption of man will be finding out the natural causes of this fearful uproar in the clouds ; but the working by means derogates nothing from the god of nature ; neither yet are all thunders natural : that whirlwind and thunder , wherein god spake to job ; that thunder and lightning wherein god spake to moses and israel in mount sinai ; that thunder and rain wherewith god answered the prayer of samuel in wheat-harvest , for israels conviction in the unseasonable suit for their king ; that thundering voyce from heaven that answered the prayer of the son of god , for the glorifying of his name ; the seven thunders that uttered their voyces to the beloved disciple in pathmos , had nothing of ordinary nature in them : and how many have we heard , and read of , that for sleighting of this great work of god , have at once heard his voyce , and felt his stroke . shortly , if any heart can be unmoved at this mighty voyce of god , it is stiffer then the rocks in the wilderness ; for , the voyce of the lord shaketh the wilderness , the lord shaketh the wilderness of kadesh : for me , i tremble at the power , whiles i adore the mercy of that great god , that speaks so loud to me : it is my comfort that he is my father , who approves himself thus omnipotent ; his love is no less infinite then his power ; let the terror be to them that know him angry ; let my confidence overcome my fear : it is the lord , let him do what he will : all is not right with me till i have attained to tremble at him while he shineth , and to rejoyce in him whiles he thundreth . lx. we talk of mighty warriors that have done great exploits in conquering kingdoms ; but the spirit of god tells us of a greater conquest then all theirs ; whatsoever is born of god overcometh the world ; and this is the victory that overcometh the world , even our faith ; alass , the conquest of those great commanders was but poor and partial , of some small spots of the earth ; the conquest of a regenerate christian is universal , of the whole world : those other conquerors , whiles they prevailed abroad , were yet overcome at home : and whiles they were the lords of nations , were no other then vassals to their own lusts : these begin their victories at home , and enlarge their triumphs over all their spiritual enemies : the glory of those other victors was laid down with their bodies in the dust ; the glory that attends these , is eternal ; what pity it is that the true christian should not know his own greatness ; that he may raise his thoughts accordingly ; and bear himself as one that tramples the world under his feet ? for all that is in the world , is the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eyes , and the pride of life ; these he hath truly subdued in himself ; not so as to bereave them of life , but of rule ; if he have left them some kinde of being still in him , yet he hath left them no dominion ; and therefore may well stile himself the lord of the world : far , far therefore be it from him , that he should so abject , and debase himself , as to be a slave to his vassals : none but holy and high thoughts , and demeanors , may now beseem him ; and in these spiritual regards of his inward greatness , and self-conquests , his word must be ; either cesar , or nothing . lxi . i see so many kindes of phrensies in the world , and so many seemingly wise brains taken with them , that i much doubt whom i may be sure to account free from either the touch , or ( at least ) the danger of this indisposition ; how many opinions do i see raised every day , that argue no less then a meer spiritual madness ? such as if they should have been but mentioned seven years ago , would have been questioned out of what bedlam they had broken loose . and for dispositions ; how do we see one so ragingly furious , as if he had newly torn off his chaines , and escaped ; another so stupidly senseless , that you may thrust pins into him , up to the head , and he startles not at it : one so dumpishly sad , as if he would freez to death in melancholy , and hated any contentment but in sorrow ; another so apishly jocund , as if he cared for no other pastime then to play with feathers : one so superstitiously devout , that he is ready to cringe , and crouch to every stock ; another so wildly prophane , that he is ready to spit god in the face : shortly , one so censorious of others , as if he thought all men mad but himself ; another so mad , as that he thinks himself and all mad men sober , and well-witted . in this store and variety of distempers ( were i not sure of my own principles ) i could easily misdoubt my self ; now , setled on firm grounds , i can pity and bewail the woful distraction of many ; and can but send them for recovery to that divine wisdom , who calls to them in the openings of the gates , and uttereth her words , saying ; how long ye silly ones will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners delight in their scorning , and fools hate knowledg ; turn you at my reproof : o ye simple understand wisdom , and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart : blessed is the man that heareth me , watching daily at my ga●es : but he that sinneth against me , wrongeth his own soul : all they that hate me , love death . lxii . man , as he confists of a double nature , flesh and spirit , so is he placed in a middle rank betwixt an angel , which is spirit , and a beast , which is flesh ; partaking of the qualities , and performing the acts of both : he is angelical in his understanding , in his sensual affections , beastial : and to whether of these he most enclineth , and conformeth himself , that part wins more of the other , and gives a denomination to him ; so as , he that was before half angel , half beast , if he be drowned in sensuality , hath lost the angel , and is become a beast ; if he be wholly taken up with heavenly meditations , he hath quit the beast , and is improved angelical : it is hard to hold an equal temper ; either he must degenerate into a beast , or be advanced to an angel ; meer reason sufficiently apprehends the difference of the condition : could a beast be capable of that faculty , he would wish to be a man , rather then a brute , as he is : there is not more difference betwixt a man , and beast , then between an angel and a brutish man ; how must i needs therefore be worse then beast , if , when i may be preferred to that happy honor , i shall rather affect to be a beast , then an angel ? away then with the bestial delights of the sensual appetite ; let not my soul sink in this mud ; let me be wholly for those intellectual pleasures which are pure and spiritual : and let my ambition be , to come as neer to the angel as this clog of my flesh will permit . lxiii . there is great difference in mens dispositions under affliction : some there are , dead-hearted patients , that grow mopish and stupid , with too deep a sence of their sufferings ; others out of a careless jollity are insensible even of sharp and heavy crosses : we are wont to speak of some , whose inchanted flesh is invulnerable ; this is the state of those hearts , which are so bewitched with worldly pleasur●s , that they are not to be peirced with any calamity , that may befal them in their estates , children , husbands , wives , friends ; so as they can say with solomons drunkard , they have stricken me and i was not sick , they have beaten me but i felt it not ; these are dead flesh , which do no more feel the knife , then if it did not at all enter ; for whom some corrosives are necessary to make them capable of smart : this disposition , though it seem to carry a face of fortitude , and patience , yet is justly offensive ; and not a little injurious both to god , and the soul : to god ; whom it indeavors to frustrate of those holy ends which he proposeth to himself in our sufferings ; for wherefore doth he afflict us , if he would not have us afflicted ? wherefore doth the father whip the childe , but that he would have him smart ; and by smarting bettered ? he looks for cryes and tears ; and the childe that weeps not under the rod is held graceless : to the soul , whom it robs of the benefit of our suffering ; for what use can there be of patience where there is no sence of evil ? and how can patience have its perfect work , where it is not ? betwixt both these extreams , if we would have our souls prosper , a mid-disposition must be attained ; we must be so sensible of evils , that we be not stupified with them ; and so re●olute under our crosses , that we may be truly sensible of them : not so brawned under the rod , that we should not feel it ; nor yet so tender that we should over-feel it : not more patient under the stripe , then willing to kiss the hand that inflicts it . lxiv . god as he is one , so he loves singleness and simplicity in the inward parts : as therefore he hath been pleased to give us those sences double , whereby we might let in for our selves , as our eyes , and ears ; and those limbs double , whereby we might act for our selves , as our hands and feet ; so those which he would appropriate to himself , as our hearts for beleef , and our tongue for confession , he hath given us single ; neither did he ever ordain , or can abide two hearts in a bosome , two tongues in one mouth : it is then the hateful stile , which the spirit of god gives to an hypocrite ; that he is double-minded ; in the language of gods spirit , a fool hath no heart , and a dissembler hath an heart , and an heart ; and surely , as a man that hath two heads is a monster in nature , so he that hath two hearts is no less a spiritual monster to god : for the holy and wise god hath made one for one ; one minde , or soul , for one body : and if the regenerate man have two men in one ; the old man , and the new ; yet it is so , as that one is flesh , the other spirit ; the minde then is not double ; but the law of the mind is opposed to the law of the flesh ; so as here are strivings , in one heart , not the sidings of two : for surely , the god of unity can neither indure multiplication , nor division of hearts , in one brest : if then we have one heart for god , another for mammon , we may be sure god will not own this latter ; how should he , for he made it not ? yea , most justly will he disclaim both , since that which he made was but one , this double . and as the wise man hath told us , that god hates nothing which he hath made ; so may we truly say , god hateth whatsoever he made not ; since what he made not , is onely evil : when i have done my best , i shall have but a weak and a faulty heart ; but , lord , let it be but a single one : search me , o god , and know my heart , try me , and know my thoughts : and see if there be any wicked way in me , and lead me in the way everlasting . lxv . there is a kinde of not-being in sin ; for sin is not an existence of somewhat that is , but a deficiency of that rectitude which should be : it is a privation , but not without a real mischief ; as blindness is but a privation of sight , but a true misery : now , a privation cannot stand alone ; it must have some subject to lean upon ; there is no blindness but where there is an eye , no death but where there hath been a life : sin therefore supposes a soul , wherein it is , and an act whereto it cleaveth : and those acts of sin are they which the apostle calls the works of darkness ▪ so as there is a kinde of operosity in sin , in regard whereof sinners are stiled , the workers of iniquity : and surely there are sins , wherein there is more toyl and labor , then in the holiest actions : what pains and care doth the theef take in setting his match , in watching for his prey ? how doth he spend the darkest and coldest nights in the execution of his plot ? what fears , what flights , what hazards , what shifts are here to avoyd notice and punishment ? the adulterer says , that stoln waters are sweet ; but that sweet is sauced to him with many careful thoughts , with many deadly dangers : the superstitious bygot , who is himself besotted with error , how doth he traverse sea and land to make a proselyte ? what adventures doth he make , what perils doth he run , what deaths doth he challenge , to mar a soul ? so as some men take more pains to go to hell , then some others do , to go to heaven : o the sottishness of sinners , that with a temporary misery will needs purchase an eternal ! how should we think no pains sufficient for the attaining of heaven , when we see wretched men toyl so much for damnation ? lxvi . with what elegance and force doth the holy ghost express our saviours leaving of the world ; which he cals his taking home again ; or his receiving up ? in the former , implying , that the son of god was , for the time , sent out of his fathers house , to these lower regions of his exile , or pilgrimage , and was now re-admitted into those his glorious mansions ; in the latter , so intimating his triumphant ascension , that he passeth over his bitter passion : surely , he was to take death in his way ; so he told his disciples , in the walk to emaus : ought not christ to suffer these things , and to enter into his glory ? he must be lifted up to the cross , ere his ascension to heaven ; but , as if the thought of death were swallowed up in the blessed issue of his death , here is no mention of ought but his assumption : lo , death truly swallowed up in victory : neither is it otherwise proportionally with us : wholly so it cannot be ; for , as for him , death did but taste of him , could not devour him , much less put him over ; it could not but yield him whole & entire the third day , without any impairing of his nature ; yea , with an happy addition to it , of a glorious immortality : and in that glorified humanity he ascended by his own power into his heaven : for us , we must be content that one part of us lye rotting for the time , in the dust , whiles our spiritual part shall by the ministery of angels be received up to those everlasting habitations : here is an assumption therefore , true and happy , though not , as yet , total : and why should i not therefore have my heart taken up with the assured expectation of this receiving up into my glory ? why do i not look beyond death , at the eternally-blessed condition of this soul of mine ; which in my dissolution is thus crowned with immortality ? so doth the sea-beaten marriner chear up himself with the sight of that heaven , which he makes for ; so doth the travailer comfort himself , when after a tempestuous storm he sees the sun breaking forth in his brightness . i am dying ; but , o saviour , thou art the resurrection and the life ; he that beleeves in thee , though he be dead yet shall he live : awake , and sing ye that dwel in the dust ; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs , and the earth shall cast out the dead : blessed are the dead that dye in the lord for they rest from their labors , and their works follow them . lxvii . what need i be troubled that i finde in my self a fear of death ? what israelite is not ready to run away at the sight of this goliah ? this fear is natural ; and so far from being evil , that it was incident into the son of god , who was heard in that which he feared ; christianity serves not to destroy , but to rectifie nature . grace regulates this passion in us , and corrects the exorbitances of it , never intended to root it out : let me therefore entertain this fear , but so , as that i may master it ; if i cannot avoyd fear , let it be such as may be incident into a faithful man : whiles my fear apprehends just terror in the face of death , let my faith lay fast hold on that blessed saviour , who hath both overcome , and sweetned it ; on that blessed estate of glory which accompanies it ; my fear shall end in joy , my death in advantage . lxviii . it is too plain that we are faln upon the old age of the world ; the last times , and therefore nearest to the dissolution ; and if time it self did not evince it , the disposition and qualities would most evidently do it ; for to what a cold temper of charity are we grown ? what meer ice is in these spiritual veins ? the unnatural and unkindly flushings of self-love abound indeed every where ; but for true christian love it is come to old davids pass , it may be covered with clothes , but it can get no heat : besides , what whimsies , and fancies of dotage do we finde the world possessed withal , beyond the examples of all former times ? what wilde and mad opinions have been lately broached , which the setled brains of better ages could never have imagined ? unto these , how extreamly cholerick the world is grown , in these later times , there needs no other proof then the effusion of so much blood in this present age , as many preceding centuries of years have been sparing to spill . what should i speak of the moral distempers of diseases , the confluence whereof hath made this age more wickedly-miserable then all the former ? for , when ever was there so much prophaneness , atheism , blasphemy , schism , excess , disobedience , oppression , licentiousness , as we now sigh under ? lastly , that which is the common fault of age , loquacity , is a plain evidence of the worlds declinedness : for , was there ever age guilty of so much tongue , and pen as this last ? were ever the presses so cloyed with frivolous work ? every man thinks what he lists , and speaks what he thinks , and writes what he speaks , and prints what he writes ; neither would the world talk so much , did it not make account it cannot talk long . what should we do then , since we know the world truly old , and now going upon his great , and fatal climacterical , but as discreet men would carry themselves to impotent and decrepit age ; bear with the infirmities of it , pity and bewail the distempers , strive against the enormities , and prepare for the dissolution . lxix . there cannot be a stronger motive to awe and obedience , then that which saint peter enforceth ; that god is both a father and a judg : the one is a title of love and mercy ; the other of justice . what ever god is , he is all that ; he is all love and mercy ; he is all justice ; he is not so a judg , that he hath waved the title and affection of a father : he is not so a father that he will remit ought of his infinite justice as a judg : he is , he will ever be both these in one ; and we must fasten our eyes upon both these at once ; and be accordingly affected unto both : he is a father , therefore here must be a loving awe ; he is a judg , and therefore here must be an awful love and obedience . so must we lay hold upon the tender mercies of a father that we may rejoyce continually ; so must we apprehend the justice of a righteous judg , that we do lovingly tremble ; why then should man despair ? god is a father ; all the bowels of mortal and humane love , are straight to his : can a woman forget her sucking childe , that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? yea , they may forget ; yet will i not forget thee : saith the lord. that which is the title of his personality in divine relation , is also the title of his gracious relation to us , father ; neither can he be other then he is styled ; and contrarily how dare man presume , since this father is a judg ? it is for sinful flesh and blood to be partial ; foolish parents may be apt to connive at the sins of their own loyns , or bowels , because theirs ; either they will not see them , or not hate them , or not censure them , or not punish them : the infinite justice of a god cannot wink at our failings : there is no debt of our sin , but must be paid in our selves , or our surety : if then we call him father , who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work ; why do we not pass the time of our sojourning here in fear ? lxx . how terrible a motion was that , ( which was made by the two disciples ) of commanding fire to come down from heaven , and consume the inhospital samaritans ? me thinks , i could tremble but at the imagination of so dreadful a judgment , as they did not fear to sue for ; yet if we look to the offence , it was no positive act of indignity offered to christ ; but the meer not lodging of his train ; and that , not out of a rude inhumanity , but out of a religious scruple : what could they have said if these samaritans had pursued them with swords , and staves , and stones ? whom shall we hope to finde free from cruelty of revenge , when even the disciple of love was thus over-taken ? what wonder is it if natural men be transported with furious desires , when so eminent domesticks , and followers of our saviour were thus faulty ? surely nature in man is cruel ; neither is there any creature under heaven so bloody to its own kinde : even bears and wolves , and tigers devour not one another ; and if any of them fall out in single combats for a prey , here is no publique engaging for blood ; neither do they affect to enjoy each others torment ; rather entertaining one anothers complaints with pity ; let but a swine cry , the rest of the herd within the noyse , come runing in , to see and compassionate his pain ; onely man rejoyces in the misery of the same flesh and blood with himself , and loves to triumph in his revenge : whiles we are thus affected , we know not of what spirit we are ; we may soon learn ; we are even of that spirit who was a man-slayer from the beginning ; as for the good spirit , his just style is the preserver of men ; and the errand of the son of man was , not to destroy mens lives , but to save to them : and his charge to these , and all other his disciples ; be mercifull , as your father also is merciful and how easily may we observe that this very disciple ( as if in way of abundant satisfaction for this rash over-sight ) calls more for love , then all the rest of his masters train , telling us that god is love , and he that dwelleth in love , dwelleth in god , and god in him : and , beloved , let us love one another : for love is of god ; and every one that loveth is of god , and knoweth god : he that loveth not , knoweth not god : for god is love . shortly then , what would not this holy disciple have given to have recalled this fiery motion ? the more mercy and charity is in us , the more we have of god ; the more fury , and revenge ; of satan . lxxi . much caution must be had in our imitation of the actions of the holiest : cautions , both in respect of the persons , and of the actions : god himself ; yea , god cloathed in flesh , ( though the pattern of all perfection ) is not for our universal imitation ; the most of their actions are for our wonder , not for our exampling ; and amongst men ; how absurd were it in a peasant to imitate a king ? or one of the long robe , a souldier ? if moses climbe up the hill of god , sinai ; shall another israelite say , moses goes up , why not i ? so he might have paid dear for his presumption : moses was called up , the rest were limited ; and if a beast touch the hill , he shall dye . that act may beseem one , which would be very incongruous in another ; the dog fawns upon his master , and hath his back stroaked ; if the ass do the like , he is beaten : we are naturally apt to be carried with examples : it is one of the greatest improvements of wisedom to know , whom , in what , and how far we may imitate : the best have their weaknesses ; there is no copy without a blur : be ye followers of me , saith the chosen vessel ; but how ? even as i am of christ : it is safe following him that cannot erer . lxxii . god who is simply one , infinitely perfect , absolutely compleat in himself , enjoys himself fully , from all eternity , without any relation to the creature : but knowing our wants , and weaknesses , he hath ordained a society for our well-being ; and therefore even in mans innocency , could say , it is not good for man to be alone : and why lord ? why might not man have taken pleasure enough in the beauty and sweetness of his paradise , in contemplating thine heaven , in the command of thine obsequious creatures , and above all , in the fruition of thy divine presence , in that happy integrity of his nature without any accession of other helps ? surely , thou who knewest well what disposition thou hadst put into him , intendedst to fit him with all meet conveniences : and thou who madest him sociable , before he could have any society ; thoughtst fit to stead him with such a society , as might make his life comfortable to him . wise solomon observes it out of his deep experience , for a vanity under the sun , that there is one alone , and there is not a second ; and that , two are better then one , because they have a good reward for their labor . in the plantation of the evangelical church , the apostles are not reckoned single , but by pairs ; and so doth their lord send them upon the great errand of his gospel : and when he seconded that work by a commission given to his seventy disciples ; he sent them two and two before his face , into every city and place , whither he himself would come ▪ after this , when our saviour had left the earth , paul and barnabas go together ; and when they are parted , paul and silas , barnabas and mark are sorted : single indeavors seldom prosper ; many hands make the work both quick and sure : they can be no friends to the happy estate of a family or church , that labor to cause distractions ; division makes certain way for ruine . lxxiii . under the law there was difference , as of ages , so of sexes : circumcision was appropriated to the male : in the temple there was the court of the jews ; and without that , the court of the women ; neither might that sex go beyond their bounds ; and still it is so in their jewish synagogues : but in christ , there is neither male , nor female . as the soul hath no sex ; so god makes no difference in the acceptation of either : as it is the honor of the one sex , that christ the son of god was a man ; so it is the honor of the other sex , that he was born of a woman : and if the woman be ( as she is in nature ) the weaker vessel , yet she is no less capable of grace , then the stronger ; as the thinest glass may receive as precious liquor , as the best plate ▪ good anna as well as simeon , gave glory to their new-born saviour , to all that looked for redemption in jerusalem : and afterwards , the holy women were no less zealous attendants of christ , both in his life and death , then the most forward disciples ; yea , they followed him , when his domestick followers forsook him ; neither could be parted by either his cross , or his grave . and they were the first that were honored with the notice , and message of their saviours blessed resurrection , and ascension ; then which , what imployment could be more noble ? the lord gave the word , saith the psalmist , great was the company of the preacheresses ; the word is feminine : however therefore in natural , and politique respects , the philosopher might have some reason to bless god , that he had made him a man , and not a woman ; yet in spiritual ( which are the best ) regards , here is no inequality ; so that it is the great mercy and goodness of our common creator , that though he hath made a difference in the smallest matters , yet he makes none in the greatest ; and that he so indifferently peoples heaven with both sexes , that , for ought we know , the greatest saint there , is of the weaker sex. lxxiv . there is nothing more easie then for a man to be courageous in a time of safety ; and to defie those dangers which he neither feels nor sees . whiles the coast is clear , every man can be ready to say , with peter ; though all men , yet not i ; if i should dye with thee , i will not deny thee in any wise : but when the evil hour cometh , when our enemy appears armed in the lists , ready to encounter us , then to call up our spirits , and to grapple resolutely with dangers and death , it is the praise and proof of a true christian valour ▪ and this is that which the apostle calls standing ; in opposition to both falling , and fleeing : falling , out of faintness , and fleeing for fear . it shall not be possible for us thus to stand , if we shall trust to our own feet ; in , and of our selves , the best of us are but meer cowards ; neither can be able so much as to look our enemy in the face : would we be perfect victors ? we must go out of our selves , into the god of our strength : if we have made him ours , who shall , yea , who can be against us ? we can do all things through him that strengthens us : all things ; therefore conquer death and hell : if we be weakness , he is omnipotence ; put we on the lord jesus christ by a lively faith , what enemy can come within us , to do us hurt ? what time i am afraid , i will trust in thee , o god : in thee , o god , have i trusted , i will not fear what ( either ) flesh ( or spirit ) can do unto me : the lord is my rock , and my fortress , and my deliverer ; my god , my strength , in whom i will trust , my buckler , and the horn of my salvation ; i will call upon the lord , who is worthy to be praised ; so shall i be saved from mine enemies . lxxv . it is disparagement enough that the apostle casts upon all the visible things of this world , that the things which are seen are temporary : be they never so glorious , yet being transitory , they cannot be worthy of our hearts : who would care for an house of glass , if never so curiously painted , and gilded ? all things that are measured by time , are thus brittle : bodily substances of what kinde soever , lye open to the eye ; and being seen , can be in no other , then a fading condition ; even that goodly fabrick of heaven , which we see , and admire , must be changed , and in a sort dissolved : how much more vanishing are all earthly glories ? and by how much shorter their continuance is , so much lower must be their valuation : we account him foolish that will dote too much upon a flower , though never so beautiful ; because we know it can be but a moneths pleasure ; and no care , no art can preserve it from withering ; amongst the rest the hemerocallis is the least esteemed , because one day ends its beauty : what madness then were it in us to set our hearts upon these perishing contentments which we must soon mutually leave , we them , they us : eternity is that onely thing which is worthy to take up the thoughts of a wise man ; that being added to evil makes the evil infinitely more intolerable ; and being added to good , makes the good infinitely more desireable . o eternity ! thou bottomless abyss of misery to the wicked ; thou indeterminable pitch of joy to the saints of god ; what soul is able to comprehend thee ? what strength of understanding is able to conceive of thee ? be thou ever in my thoughts , ever before mine eyes : be thou the scope of all my actions , of all my indeavors : and in respect of thee , let all this visible world be to mee as nothing : and since onely the things which are not seen by the eye of sense are eternal ; lord , sharpen thou the eyes of my faith that i may see those things invisible , and may in that sight , enjoy thy blessed eternity . lxxvi . what is all the world to us in comparison of the bird in our bosome , our conscience ? in vain shall all the world acquite , and magnifie us , if that secretly condemn us ; and if that condemn us not , we have confidence towards god , and may bid defiance to men and devils : now that it may not condemn us ; it must be both pacified , and purged : pacified in respect of the guilt of sin purged in respect of the corruption : for so long as there is guilt in the soul , the clamors of an accusing , and condemning conscience can no more be stilled , then the waters of the sea can stand still in a storm : there is then no pacification without removing the guilt of sin ; no removing of guilt without remission ; no remission without satisfaction ; no satisfaction without a price of infinite value answerable to the infiniteness of the justice offended : and this is no where to be had , but in the blood of christ , god , and man : all created and finite powers are but miserable comforters , physitians of no value , to this one . and the same power that pacifieth the conscience from the guilt , must also purge it from the filthiness of sin ; even that blood of the son of god , who is made unto us of god , sanctification and redemption : that faith which brings christ home to the soul , doth by the efficacy of his blessed spirit , purifie the heart from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit : being justified by this faith , we have peace with god : when once the heart is quieted from the uproars of self-accusation , and cleansed from dead works ; what in this world can so much concern us , as to keep it so ? which shall be done , if we shall give christ the possession of our souls , and commit the keys into his onely hands ; so shall nothing be suffered to enter in , that may disturb or defile it ; if we shall settle firm resolutions in our brests , never to yield to the commission of any known , enormious sin : failings and slips there will be in the holiest of gods saints , whiles they carry their clay about them ; for these we are allowed to fetch forth a pardon of course from that infinite mercy of our god , who hath set a fountain open to the house of david , and to the inhabitants of jerusalem , for sin , and for uncleanness ; by the force of our daily prayers : but if , through an over-bold security , and spiritual negligence , we shall suffer our selves to be drawn away into some heinous wickedness , it must cost warm water to recover us : neither can it , in such a case , be safe for us , to suffer our eyes to sleep , or our eye-lids to slumber , till we have made our peace with heaven : this done , and carefully maintained , what can make us other then happily secure ? blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him , and who is not faln from his hope in the lord. lxxvii . we cannot apprehend heaven in any notion but of excellency , and glory ; that as it is in it self a place of wonderful resplendance , and majesty ; so it is the palace of the most high god , wherein he exhibites his infinite magnificence ; that it is the happy receptacle of all the elect of god ; that it is the glorious rendezvous of the blessed angels ; that we have parents , children , husband , wife , brothers , sisters , friends whom we dearly loved , there : for such is the power of love that it can endeare any place to us where the party affected , is ; much more the best ; if it be a loathsome gaol , our affection can make it a delightful bower ; yea the very grave cannot keep us off : the women could say of mary , that she was gone to the grave of lazarus to weep there : and the zeal of those holy clyents of christ carries them to seek their ( as they supposed still dead ) saviour , even in his tomb : above all conceivable apprehensions then , wherein heaven is endeared to us , there is none comparable to that , which the apostle enforceth to us , that , there christ sitteth on the right hand of god : if we have an husband , wife , childe , whom we dearly love , pent up in some tower or castle afar off , whither we are not allowed to have access ; how many longing eyes do we cast thither ; how do we please our selves to think , within those walls is he inclosed whom my soul loveth ; and who is inclosed in my heart ; but if it may be possible to have passage ( though with some difficulty and danger ) to the place , how gladly do we put our selves upon the adventure ? when therefore we hear and certainly know that our most dear saviour is above , in all heavenly glory ; and that the heavens must contain him till his coming again , with what full contentment of heart should we look up thither ? how should we break thorow all these secular distractions , and be carried up by our affections ( which are the wings of the soul ) towards an happy fruition of him ? good old jacob , when he heard that his dearling son was yet alive , in egypt , how doth he gather up his spirits , and takes up a cheerful resolution , joseph my son is yet alive , i will go and see him before i dye ? do we think his heart was any more in canaan , after he heard where his joseph was ? and shall we , when we hear , and know , where our dearest saviour ( typified by that good patriark ) is ; that he is gone before to provide a place for us in the rich goshen above , shall we be heartless in our desires towards him , and take up with earth ? how many poor souls take tedious , costly , perilous voyages to that land ( which onely the bodily presence of our saviour could denominate holy , their own wickedness justly stiles accursed ) onely to see the place , where our dear saviour trod ; where he stood , where he sate , lay , set his last footing ; and finde a kinde of contentment in this sacred curiosity , returning yet , never the holier , never the happier ; how then should i be affected with the sight of that place , where he is now in person , sitting gloriously at the right hand of majesty , adored by all the powers of heaven ? let it be a covenant between me and my eyes , never to look up at heaven , ( as how can i look beside it ? ) but i shall , in the same instant , think of my blessed saviour , sitting there in his glorified humanity , united to the incomprehensible — glorious deity , attended and worshiped by thousand thousands of saints and angels , preparing a place for me and all his elect in those eternal mansions . lxxviii . how lively doth the spirit of god describe the heavenly affections of faithful abraham ; that he looked for a city which hath foundations , whose builder and maker is god : what city was this , but the celestial jerusalem , the glorious seat of the great empire of heaven ? the main strength of any building is in the foundation ; if that be firm and sure , the fabrick well knit together will stand : but if that be either not laid , or lye loose and unsetled , the tottering frame doth but wait upon the next wind for a ruine : the good patriark had been used to dwell in tents , which were not capable of a foundation : it is like , he and his ancestors wanted not good houses in chaldea , where they were formerly planted ; god calls him forth of those fixed habitations in his own countrey , to sojourn in tabernacles , or booths in a strange land ; his faith carries him cheerfully along ; his present fruition gives way to hope of better things : in stead of those poor sheds of sticks and skins , he looks for a city ; in stead of those stakes and cords , he looks for foundations ; in stead of mens work , he looks for the architecture of god. alass , we men will be building castles , and towers here upon earth , or , in the ayr rather ; such as either have no foundation at all ; or at the best , onely a foundation in the dust ; neither can they be any other , whiles they are of mans making ; for what can he make in better condition then himself ? the city that is of gods building is deep , and firmly grounded upon the rock of his eternal decree ; and hath more foundations then one ; and all of them both sure and costly ; gods material house built by solomon had the foundation laid with great squared stone ; but the foundations of the wall of this city of god are garnished with all manner of precious stones : glorious things are spoken of thee , o thou city of god : why do i set up my rest in this house of clay , which is every day falling on my head , whiles i have the assured expectation of so glorious a dwelling above ? for we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved , we have a building of god ; an house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . lxxix . god , though he be free of his entertainments , yet is curious of his guests : we know what the great house-keeper said to the sordid guest ; friend how camest thou in hither , not having on a wedding garment ? to his feast of glory none can come but the pure ; without this disposition no man shall so much as see god , much less be entertained by him : to his feast of grace none may come but the clean , and those who upon strict examination have found themselves worthy : that we may be meet to sit at either of these tables , there must be a putting off , ere there can be a putting on ; a putting off the old garments , ere there can be a putting on the new ; the old are foul and ragged , the new clean and holy ; for if they should be worn at once ; the foul and beastly under-garment would soyl , and defile the clean ; the clean could not cleanse the foul : as it was in the jewish law of holiness , holy flesh in the skirt of the garment could not infuse an holiness into the garment ; but the touch of an unclean person might diffuse uncleanness to the garment : thus our professed holiness , and pretended graces are sure to be defiled by our secretly-maintained corruption , not our corruption sanctified by our graces ; as in common experience , if the sound person come to see the infected ; the infected may easily taint the sound ; the sound cannot by his presence heal the infected : if ever therefore we look to be welcome to the feasts of god , we must put off the old man with his deeds , and put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledg after the image of him that created him . lxxx . it is not for us to cast a disparagement upon any work of our maker ; much less upon a peece so neer , so essential to us : yet with what contempt doth the apostle seem still to mention our flesh ? and , as if he would have it sleighted for some forlorn out-cast , he charges us , not to make provision for the flesh : what ? shall we think the holy man was faln out with a part of himself ? surely , sometimes his language that he gives it , is hard : the flesh rebels against the spirit : i know that in me ( that is in my flesh ) dwelleth no good thing : but how easie is it to observe , that the flesh sometimes goes for the body of man ; sometimes for the body of sin : as the first , it is a partner with the soul ; as the latter , it is an enemy ; and the worst of enemies , spiritual : no marvel then if he would not have provision made for such an enemy : in outward and bodily enmity , the case , and his charge is otherwise : if thine enemy hunger , feed him ; if he thirst , give him drink : but here , make no provision for the flesh : what reason were there that a man should furnish , and strengthen an enemy against himself ? but if the flesh be the body of the man , it must challenge a respect ; but the very name carries an intimation of baseness ; at the best , it is that which is common to beasts with us ; there is one flesh ( saith the apostle ) of men , another flesh of beasts ; both are but flesh : alas , what is it but a clod of earth better molded , the clog of the soul , a rotten pile , a pack of dust , a feast of worms ? but even as such , provision must be made for it ; with a moderate and thrifty care , not with a solicitous : a provision for the necessities and convenience of life , not for the fulfilling of the lusts : this flesh must be fed , and clad ; not humord , not pampered : so fed as to hold up nature , not inordinateness ; shortly , such an hand must we hold over it , as that we may make it a good servant , not a lawless wanton . lxxxi . what action was ever so good , or so compleatly done , as to be well taken of all hands ? noah and lot foretel of judgments from god , upon the old world , and sodom , and are scoffed at : israel would go to sacrifice to god in the wilderness , and they are idle ; moses and aaron will be governing israel according to gods appointment ; ye take too much upon you , ye sons of levi : david will be dancing before the ark of the lord ; he uncovers himself shamelesly as one of the vain fellows : our saviour is sociable ; he is a wine-bibber , a freind of publicans and sinners : john baptist is solitary , and austere ; he hath a devil : christ casts out devils ; he doth it by beelzebub the prince of devils : he rides in an homely pomp through jerusalem ; he affects a temporal kingdom ; and he is no friend to cesar that can suffer him to live . he is by his almighty powr risen from the dead ; his disciples stole him away , whiles the soldiers slept : the spirit of god descends upon the apostles in fiery and cloven tongues , and they , thus inspired , suddenly speak all languages ; they are full of new wine . stephen preacheth christ the end of the law ; he speaks blasphemous words against moses and against god ; and what aspersions were cast upon the primitive christians , all histories witness : what can we hope to do , or say , that shall escape the censures , and mis-interpretations of men , when we see the son of god could not avoyd it ? let a man profess himself honestly conscionable , he is a scrupulous hypocrite ; let him take but a just liberty in things meerly indifferent , he is loosely profane ; let him be charitably affected to both parts ( though in a quarrel not fundamental , ) he is an odious neuter , a luke-warm laodicean : it concerns every wise christian to settle his heart in a resolved confidence of his own holy and just grounds , and then to go on in a constant course of his well-warranted judgment , and practise , with a careless dis-regard of those fools-bolts which will be sure to be shot at him , which way soever he goes . lxxxii . all gods dear and faithful ones are notably described by the apostle , to be such as love the appearing of our lord jesus : for certainly , we cannot be true friends to those whose presence we do not desire and delight in ; now this appearing is either in his coming to us , or our going to him ; whether ever it be , that he makes his glorious return to us for the judgment of the world , and the full redemption of his elect ; or , that he fetches us home to himself , for the fruition of his blessedness ; in both , or either , we enjoy his appearance : if then we can onely be content with either of these ; but do not love them , nor wish for them ; our hearts are not yet right with god : it is true that there is some terror in the way to both these ; his return to us is not without a dreadful majestie ; for the heavens shall pass away with a great noyse ; and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; and the glorious retinue of his blessed angels must needs be with an astonishing magnificence ; and on the other part our passage to him must be through the gates of death , wherein nature cannot but apprehend an horror ; but the immediate issue of both these is so infinitely advantageous , and happy , that the fear is easily swallowed up of the joy ; doth the daughter of jephtah abate ought of her timbrels and dances because she is to meet a father , whose armes are bloody with victory ? doth a loving wife entertain her returning husband otherwise then with gladness , because he comes home in a military pomp ? is the conqueror less joyful to take up his crown , because it is congratulated to him with many peals of ordnance ? certainly then , neither that heavenly state wherein christ shall return to us ; nor the fears of an harmless and beneficial death , wherein we shall pass to him , either may , nor can hinder ought of our love to his appearing : o saviour , come in whatever equipage , or fashion thou wilt , thou canst be no other then lovely , and welcome : come lord jesus , come quickly . lxxxiii . suppose a man comes to me on the same errand which the prophet delivered to hezekiah ; set thine house in order , for thou shalt dye , and not live : with what welcome do i entertain him ? do i , with that good king , turn my face to the wall , and weep ? or do i say of the messenger as david said of ahimaaz ; he is a good man , and brings good tidings ? surely , nature urges me to the former , which cannot but hold dissolution her greatest enemy ; for what can she abhor so much as a not-being ? faith perswades me to the latter ; telling me that , to dye is gain ; now , whether of these two shall prevail with me ? certainly , as each of them hath a share in me ; so shall either of them act its own part in my soul : nature shall obtain so much of me , as to fetch from me , upon the suddain apprehension of death , some thoughts of fear ; faith shall strait step in , and drive away all those weak fears ; and raise up my heart to a cheerful expectation of so gainful , and happy a change : nature shews me the gastliness of death ; faith shews me the transcendency of heavenly glory : nature represents to me a rotten carkase ; faith presents me with a glorious soul ; shortly , nature startles at the sight of death ; faith out-faces and overcomes it ; so then , i who at the first blush could say , o death how bitter is thy remembrance ; can now upon my deliberate thoughts , say , i desire to depart and to be with christ . lxxxiiii . in the carriage of our holy profession , god can neither abide us cowardly , nor indiscreet : the same mouth that bad us , when we are persecuted in one city , flee into another , said also ; he that will save his life , shall loose it ; we may neither cloak cowardice with a pretended discretion ; nor lose our discretion in a rash courage ; he that is most skilful and most valiant , may in his combat traverse his ground for an advantage ; and the stoutest commander may fall flat to avoyd a cannon-shot ; true christian wisdom , and not carnal fear , is that , wherewith we must consult for advice , when to stand to it ; and when to give back . on the one side , he dies honorably that falls in gods quarrel ; on the other , he that flies may fight again ; even our blessed leader that came purposely to give his life for the world , yet when he found that he was laid for in judea , flees into galilce . the practise of some primitive christians , that , in an ambition of martyrdom went to seek out and chalenge dangers and death , is more worthy of our wonder , and applause , then our imitation . it shall be my resolution to be warily thrifty in managing my life , when god offers me no just cause of hazard ; and to be willingly profuse of my blood , when it is called for by that saviour , who was not sparing of shedding his most precious blood for me . lxxxv . he had need to be well under-laid , that knows how to entertain the time and himself with his own thoughts : company , variety of imployments , or recreations , may wear out the day with the emptiest hearts ; but , when a man hath no society but of himself , no task to set himself upon , but what arises from his own bosome ; surely , if he have not a good stock of former notions , or an inward mint of new , he shall soon run out of all , and ( as some forlorn bankrupt ) grow weary of himself : hereupon it is that men of barren , and unexercised hearts can no more live without company , then fish out of the water : and those heremites , and other votaries , which professing onely devotion , have no mental abilities to set themselves on work , are fain to tire themselves , and their unwelcome hours , with the perpetual repetitions of the same orisons , which are now grown to a tedious , and heartless formality : those contemplative spirits that are furnished with gracious abilities , and got into acquaintance with the god of heaven , may , and can lead a life ( even in the closest restraint , or wildest solitariness , ) neerest to angelical ; but those ▪ which neither can have maries heart , nor will have marthaes hand , must needs be unprofitable to others , and wearisome to themselves . lxxxvi . there is nothing more easie then to be a christian at large ; but the beginnings of a strict and serious christianity are not without much difficulty ; for nature affects a loose kinde of liberty , which it cannot indure to have restrained : neither fares it otherwise with it , then with some wilde colt ; which at the first taking up , flings and plunges , and will stand on no ground ; but after it hath been somwhile disciplin'd at the post , is grown tractable , and quietly submits either to the saddle , or the collar : the first is the worst ; afterwards that which was tolerable , will prove easie , and that which was easie will be found pleasant : for in true practical christianity , there is a more kindly and better liberty ; standfast ( saith the apostle ) in that liberty wherewith christ hath made you free : lo here a liberty of christs making , and therefore both just , and excellent : for what other is this liberty then a freedome , as from the tyranny of the law , so from the bondage of sin ? being then made free from sin ( saith saint paul ) ye became the servants of righteousness : here are two masters , under one of which every soul must serve ; either sin , or righteousness : if we be free from the one , we are bond-men to the other ; we say truly , the service of god ( that is of righteousness ) is perfect freedom ; but to be free to sin is a perfect bondage ; and to serve sin is no other then a vassallage to the devil : from this bondage christ onely can free us ; if the son shall make you free , yee shall be free indeed ; and we are no christians , unless we be thus freed : and being thus freed , we shall rejoyce in the pleasant fetters of our voluntary and cheereful obedience to righteousness ▪ neither would we for a world return to those gieves and manacles of sin , which we once beld our most dear and comely ornaments : and can truly say , thou hast set my feet in a large room . i will walk at liberty , for i seek thy precepts . lxxxvii . i cannot but pity and lament the condition of those christians who for the hope of a little earthly dross do willingly put themselves for a continuance out of the pale of gods church : what do they else , but cast themselves quite out of the almighties protection ; who hath not bound himself to follow them out of his own walks ; or to seek them out amongst turks and infidels ? well may he say to them ( as to the chief pastor of pergamus ) i know thy works , and where thou dwellest ; even where satans seat is ; but have they any reason to expect that he should dwell with them there , under the raign of that prince of darkness ? these men put upon themselves that hard measure , which the man after gods own heart complains to be put upon him by his worst enemies : wo is me that i am constrained to dwell with meshech , and to have my habitation in the tents of kedar : that holy man could in the bitterness of his soul inveigh against his persecutors for no other terms then these men offer to themselves : cursed be they before the lord , for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the lord ; saying , go serve other gods : i speak not of those , who carry god along with them in his ordinance ; all earths are alike to us , where we may freely enjoy his presence : but of those straglers , who care not to live without god , so they may be befriended by mammon . how ill a match these poor men make for themselves , i send them to their saviour to learn what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world ; and lose his own soul ; or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? god forbid , i should give their souls for lost , but i must say , they are hazarded ; for herein doubtless , they tempt god , who hath not promised to keep them in any other , then their just wayes ; and they do in a sort tempt and challenge satan , to draw them on either to a love of error and impiety , or at least to a cooling of their care and love of truth : how unlike are these men to that wise merchant in the gospel ; he sold all that he had to buy the pearl of great price : they sell the pearl to buy a little worthless merchandize . as the greatest part of their trafick stands upon exchange ; so i heartily wish they would make this one exchange more ; of less care of their wealth , for more care of their souls . lxxxviii . even when joseph was a great lord in egypt , second to none but pharaoh , and had the command of that richest countrey of the world ▪ yet then his old father jacob thought his poor parcel of shechem worthy to be bequeathed to him , and embraced of him , as a noble patrimony ; because it was in the promised land , and the legacy of a dying father : how justly do i admire the faith both of the father and son in this donation ! jacob was now in goshen ; shechem was in canaan ; neither was the father now in the present possession ; nor were the sons in some ages to enjoy it : it was four hundred and thirty years that israel must be a sojourner in a strange countrey , ere they shall enter into the promised land ; yet now , as foreseeing the future possession , which his posterity should take of this spot of earth , so long after , jacob gives shechem to joseph , and joseph apprehends it as a rich blessing , as the double portion of the divided primogeniture : infidelity is purblinde , and can see nothing but that which is hard at hand ; faith is quick-sighted , and discerns the events of many centuries of years , yea of ages to come ; abraham saw his saviours day , and rejoyced to see it , a thousand nine hundred and fourty years off ; and adam ( before him ) almost four thousand years . as to god all things are present , even future , so to those that by a lively faith partake of him : why do i not by that faith see my saviour returning in his heavenly magnificence , as truly as now i see the heaven whence he shall come ; and my body as verily raised from the dust , and become glorious , as now i see it weak and decrepit , and falling into the dust ? lxxxix . true knowledg causeth appetite and desire ; for the will follows the understanding ; whatsoever that apprehends to be good for us , the affective part inclines to it : no man can have any regard to an unknown good : if an hungry man did not know that food would refresh and nourish him , or the thirsty that drink would satisfie him , or the naked that fire would warm him , or the sick that physick would recover him ; none of these would affect these succors : and according to our apprehension of the goodness and use of these helps , so is our appetite towards them : for the object of the will is a known good , either true , or appearing so : and if our experience can tell us of some that can say , with her in the poet ; i see and approve better things , but follow the worse : it is not for that evil , as evil , ( much less as worse ) can fall into the will ; but , that their appetite over-carries them to a misconceit of a particular good ; so as , howsoever in a generality , they do confusedly assent to the goodness of some holy act , or object , yet upon the present occasion , ( here and now , as the school speaketh ) their sensitive appetite hath prevailed to draw them to a perswasion , that this pleasure , or that profit is worthy to be imbraced : like as our first parents had a general apprehension that it was good to obey all the commands of their creator ; but when it came to the forbidden fruit ; now their eye , and their ear , and their heart tell them , it is good for them , both for pleasure , and for the gain of knowledg , to taste of that forbidden tree : so then , the miscarriage is not in that they affect that which they think not to be good ; but in that they think that to be good which is not ; for alass , for one true good there are many seeming , which delude the soul with a fair semblance : as a man in a generality esteems silver above brass , but when he meets with a rusty piece of silver , and a cleer piece of brass , he chooses rather the clear brass then the silver defaced with rust : surely , it is our ignorance that is guilty of our cool neglect of our spiritual good ; if we did know how sweet the lord is , in his sure promises , in his unfailing mercies , we could not but long after him , and remain unsatisfied till we finde him ours : would god be pleased to shine in our hearts by the light of the true knowledg of himself , we could not have cause to complain of want of heat in our affections towards his infinite goodness . did we but know how sweet and delectable , christ , the heavenly manna , is , we could not but hunger after him ; and we could not hunger , and not be satisfied ; and , in being satisfied , blessed . xc . those which we mis-cal goods , are but in their nature , indifferent , and are either good or evil as they are affected , as they are used : indeed , all their malignity , or vertue , is in the minde , in the hand of the possessor : riches ill got ill kept , ill spent are but the mammon of iniquity ; but if well , the crown of the wise is their riches : how can it be amiss to have much , when he that was the richest man of the east , was the holiest ? yea , when god himself is justly stiled the possessor of heaven , and earth ? how can it be amiss to have little ; when our saviour sayes : blessed are ye poor : and if from that divine mouth , we hear a wo to the rich ; himself interprets it of them that trust in riches : if our riches possess us , in stead of our possessing them , we have changed our god , and lost our selves ; but if we have learnt to use our wealth , and not enjoy it , we may be no less gracious then rich : if a rich man have a large and humble heart , and a just hand , he inherits the blessing of the poor : if a poor man have a proud heart , and a theevish hand , he carryes away the wo from the rich : riches ( saith wise solomon ) make themselves wings , they fly away as an eagle towards heaven ; so as we may use the matter , our souls may fly thitherward with them ; if we do good , and be rich in good works , ready to distribute , willing to communicate , laying up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come , that we may lay hold on eternal life . let me say with agur , give me neither poverty , nor riches ; but whethersoever god gives , i am both thankful and indifferent , so as whiles i am rich in estate , i may be poor in spirit ; and whiles i am poor in estate , i may be rich in grace . xci . had i been in the streets of jericho , sure , me thinks , i should have justled with zacheus for the sycomore , to see jesus ; and should have blessed my eyes for so happy a prospect : and yet , i consider that many a one saw his face on earth , which shall never see his glory in heaven : and i hear the apostle say , though we have known christ after the flesh , yet now henceforth know we him so no more . o for the eyes of a stephen , that saw the heavens opened , and the glory of god , and jesus standing on the right hand of god! that prospect did as much transcend this of zacheus , as heaven is above earth ; celestial glory above humane infirmity : and why should not the eyes of my faith behold the same object which was seen by stephens bodily eyes ? i see thee , o saviour , i see thee , as certainly , though not so clearly : do thou sharpen , and fortifie these weak eyes of mine , that in thy light i may see light . xcii . how gracious a word was that which god said to israel , i have called thee by thy name , and thou art mine . he that imposed that name upon jacob ; makes familiar use of it to his posterity : neither is the case singular , but universally common to all his spiritual issue . there is not one of them , whom he doth not both call by his name , and challenge for his own : he that tells the number of the stars , and calls them all by their names ; hath also a name for every of these earthly luminaries ; he who brought all other living creatures unto man , to see how he would call them , and would make use of adams appellation ; reserved the naming of man to himself ; neither is there any one of his innumerous posterity , whom he knowes not by name : but it is one thing to take notice of their names ; another thing to call them by their names ; that denotes his omniscience ; this his specialty of favor : none are thus graced but the true sons of israel . as gods children do not content themselves with a confused knowledg of a deity , but rest not till they have attained a distinct apprehension of their god , as he hath revealed himself to man ; so doth god again to them : it is not enough that he knows them in a general view as in the throng , wherein we see many faces , none distinctly ; but he singles them out in a familiar kinde of severalty both of knowledg and respect : as then he hath names for the several stars of heaven , cimah , cesil , mazzaroth , &c. and for the several angels , gabriel , raphael , michael , &c. and calls them by the proper names which he hath given them ; so he doth to every of his faithful ones : of one he saith , thou shalt call his name john : of another , thou art simon , thou shalt be called cephas : to one he says , zacheus , come down ; to another , cornelius , thy prayers , and thine alms are come up : in short , there is no one of his , whom he doth not both know , and call by his name . what a comfort is this to a poor wretched man to think ; here i walk obscure and contemptible upon earth , in a condition mean , and despised of men ; but the great god of heaven is pleased to take such notice of me , as even from heaven to call me by my name ; and to single me out for grace , and salvation ; and not onely to mention my name from above , in the gracious offer of his ordinances , but to write it in the eternal register of heaven ? what care i to be inglorious , yea causelesly infamous with men , whiles i am thus honored by the king of glory ? xciii . it is the great wisdom and providence of the almighty , so to order the dispositions and inclinations of men , that they affect divers and different works , and pleasures : some are for manuary trades , others for intellectual imployments : one is for the land , another for the sea ; one for husbandry , another for merchandise ; one is for architecture , another for vestiary services ; one is for fishing , another for pasturage ; and in the learned trades , one is for the mistress of sciences , divinity ; another for the law , whether civil , or municipal ; a third is for the search of the secrets of nature , and the skill and practice of physick ; and each one of these divides it self into many differing varieties ; neither is it otherwise in matter of pleasures ; one places his delight in following his hawk and hound , another in the harmony of musick ; one makes his garden his paradise , and enjoys the flourishing of his fair tulips ; another findes contentment in a choice library ; one loves his bowl , or his bowe , another pleases himself in the patient pastime of his angle : for surely , if all men affected one and the same trade of life , or pleasure of recreation , it were not possible that they could live one by another : neither could there be any use of commerce , whereby mans life is maintained ; neither could it be avoyded , but that the envy of the inevitable rivality , would cut each others throat . it is good reason we should make a right use of this gracious and provident dispensation of the almighty ; and therefore that we should improve our several dispositions and faculties to the advancing of the common stock ; and withal , that we should neither encroach upon each others profession , nor be apt to censure each others recreation . xciv . he were very quick-sighted that could perceive the growing of the grass , or the moving of the shadow upon the dial ; yet , when those are done , every eye doth easily discern them . it is no otherwise in the progress of grace ; which how it increaseth in the soul , and by what degrees , we cannot hope to perceive ; but being grown , we may see it : it is the fault of many christians , that they depend too much upon sense ; and make that the judg of their spiritual estate ; being too much dejected when they do not sensibly feel the proofs of their proficiency , and the present proceedings of their regeneration : why do they not as well question the growth of their stature , because they do not see every day how much they are thriven ? surely , it must needs be that spiritual things are less perceptible then bodily ; much more therefore must we in these , wait upon time for necessary conviction ; and well may it suffice us , if upon an impartial comparing of the present measure of our knowledg , faith , obedience with the former , we can perceive our selves any whit sensibly advanced . xcv . the wise christian hath learned to value every thing according to its own worth ; if we be too glad of these earthly things , it is the way to be too much afflicted with their losse ; and whiles we have them , to be transported into pride and wantonness ; if we esteeme them too little , it is the way to an unthankful disrespect of the giver . christianity carries the heart in a just equipoise ; when they come , they are welcom'd without too much joy ; and when they go , they part without teares : we may smile at these earthly favors , not laugh out ; we may like them , but we must take heed of being in love with them : for love , of what kinde soever it be , is not without the power of assimilation ; if we love the world , we cannot but be worldly-minded : they that are after the flesh , do minde the things of the flesh ; and to be carnally minded is death : contrarily if we love god , we are made partakers of the divine nature ; and we are such as we affect : if we be christians in earnest ; certainly the inner rooms of our hearts , which are the holy of holies , are reserved for the almighty ; the outer courts may be for the common resort of lawful cares and desires , they may come and go ; but our god shall have his fixed habitation here for ever . xcvi . nature is slie and cunning ; neither is it possible to take her without a shift : the light huswife wipes her mouth , and it was not she : rachel hath stoln her fathers teraphim , and the custom of women is upon her : saul reserves all the fat cattle of the amalekites ; it is for a sacrifice to the lord thy god : neither is it so onely in excusing an evil done , but in waving a good to be done : i am not eloquent , saith moses ; send by him , by whom thou shouldst send ; pharaoh will kill me ; there is a lyon in the way , saith the sluggard : i have marryed a wife , i cannot come , saith the sensual guest . if i give i shall want ; if i make a strict profession , i shall be censured : whereas true grace is on the one side down right , and ingenuous in its confessions ; not sparing to take shame to it self , that it may give glory to god ; on the other side , resolutely constant to its holy purposes . i and my house will serve the lord : if i perish , i perish : i am ready not to be bound onely ; but also to dye at jerusalem for the name of the lord jesus : it is not hard therefore for us to know what mistress we serve : if our care and endeavor be by witty evasions to shuffle off both evil and good , we are the vassals of nature ; but if we shall with an humble penitence acknowledg our evil ; and set our selves with firm resolutions upon the tasks of good , we are under grace , in a way to glory . xcvii . it is good for a man not always to keep his eyes at home , but sometimes to look abroad at his neighbors ; and to compare his own condition with the worse estate of others : i know i deserve no more then the meanest , no better then the worst of men ; yet how many do i see , and hear to lye groaning upon their sick beds , in great extremity of torment , whereas i walk up and down in a competency of health ? how many do i see ready to famish , and forced to either beg , or starve , whereas i eat my own bread ? how many lye roting in goals and dungeons , or are driven to wander in unknown desarts , or amongst people whose language they understand not , whereas i enjoy home and liberty ? how many are shrieking under scourges and racks , whereas i sit at ease ? and if i shall cast mine eyes upon my spiritual condition ; alass , how many do i see sit in darkness , and in the shadow of death ; whereas the sun of righteousness hath arisen to me with healing in his wings ? how many lye in a woful bondage under sin and satan , whereas my saviour hath freed me from those hellish chains , and brought me to the glorious liberty of the sons of god ? how many are miserably mis-led into the dangerous by-paths of error , whereas he hath graciously kept me in the plain and sure way of his saving truth ? if we do not sometimes make these ( not proud , but thankful ) comparisons , and look upon our selves , not with direct beams , but by reflection upon others , we shall never be sensible enough of our own mercies . xcviii . the true christian is in a very happy condition , for no man will envy him , and he can envy no body : none will envy him , for the world cannot know how happy he is ; how happy in the favor of a god ; how happy in the enjoying of that favor : those secret delights that he findes in the presence of his god ; those comfortable pledges of love , and mutual interchanges of blessed interest which pass between them , are not for worldly hearts to conceive ; and no man will envy an unknown happiness . on the other side , he cannot envy the worlds greatest favorite under heaven ; for he well knows how fickle and uncertain that mans felicity is ; he sees him walking upon ice , and perceives every foot of his sliding , and threatning a fall ; and hears that brittle pavement , at every step , crackling under him , and ready to give way to his swallowing up : and withal , findes , if those pleasures of his could be constant and permanent , how poor and unsatisfying they are , and how utterly unable to yield true contentment to the soul . the christian therefore , whiles others look upon him with pity and scorn , laughs secretly to himself in his bosom , as well knowing there is none but he , truly happy . xcix . it was an high and honorable embassie , whereon the angel gabriel was sent down to the blessed virgin ; that she should be the mother of her saviour : neither was that inferior of the glorious angel that brought the joyful tidings of the incarnation and birth of the son of god , to the shepherds of bethlehem ; but a far more happy errand was that which the lord jesus , after his resurrection , committed to the maries : go to my brethren , and say to them , i ascend to my father , and your father , and to my god , and your god : lo , he says not i am risen , but i ascend ; as if he had forgot the earth , whence he arose ; and thought onely on that heaven whither he was going : upon his easter , his minde is on his ascension day . as there had been nothing but discomfort in death , without a resurrection ; so there had been little comfort in a resurrection , without an ascension to glory . there is a contentment in the very act , i ascend ; even nature is ambitious ; and we do all affect to mount higher ; as to come down is a death ; but this height is , like the ascendent , infinite , i ascend to my father : there was the glory which he put off in his humble incarnation ; there was the glory which he was now to resume , and possess to all eternity : and , as if nature and adoption could give a like interest , he puts both together ; my father , and your father ; my god , and your god : his mercy vouchsafes to stile us brethren ; yet the distance is unmeasureable , betwixt him , the son of his eternal essence , and us the naturally-wretched sons of his gracious election ; yet , as if both he and we should be coheirs of the same blessedness ( though not in the same measure ) he says , my father , and your father : first , my father , then yours ; and indeed therefore ours , because his : it is in him that we are elected , that we are adopted : without him , god were not onely a stranger , but an enemy ; it is the son that must make us free ; it is the son that must make us sons : if we be his , the father cannot but be ours . o the unspeakable comfort and happiness of a christian ; in respect of his bodily nature , he cannot but say ( with job ) to the worm , thou art my mother , and my sister ; in his spiritual right , god the son hath here authorized him to say to the almighty , thou art my father : and if nature shall , in regard of our frail and dying condition , whiningly say , i descend to the grave ; faith makes abundant amends in him , and can as cheerfully say , i ascend to my father : and what son ( that is not altogether graceless ) would not be glad to go to his father , though it were to a meaner house then his own ? and therefore is ready to say , i will descend to my father ; how much more , when his many mansions are infinitely glorious ; and when all our happiness consists in his blessed presence , must we needs say , with a joy unspeakable , and glorious , i ascend to my father ? c. god made man the lord of his creatures ; he made him not a tyran ; he gave the creatures to man for his lawful use , not for his wanton cruelty : man may therefore exercise his just soveraignty over the beasts of the field , and fowls of the air , and fishes of the sea , not his lawless will to their needless destruction , or torment : had man made the creature , he could but challenge an absolute dominion over that work of his hands ; but now that he is onely a fellow creature to the meanest worm , what an insolent usurpation is this , so licentiously to domineer over his fellow dust ? yea , that great god , who gave a being to the creature ; and therefore hath a full and illimited power over his own workmanship , takes no pleasure to make use of that power to the unnecessary vexation , and torture of what he hath made : that all-wise and bountiful creator , who hath put into the hands of man the subordinate dominion over all the store of these inferior elements , hath made the limit of his command , not necessity onely , but convenience too ; but if man shall go beyond these bounds , and will destroy the creature onely , because he will , and put it to pain because it is his pleasure ; he abuseth his soveraignty to a sinful imperiousness , and shall be accountable for his cruelty . when the apostle , upon occasion of the law for not muzzling the mouth of the ox , asks , doth god take care for oxen ? can we think he meant to question the regard that god hath to so useful a creature ? do we not hear the psalmist say , he giveth to the beast his food , and to the young ravens that cry ? do we not hear our saviour say , that not a sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly father ? and of how much more value is an ox then many thousands of sparrows ? is not the speech therefore , both comparative and typical ? is the main care that god takes in that law , for provision to be made for the beast ; and doth he not rather under that figure give order for the maintenance of those spiritual oxen , that labor in the husbandry of the almighty ? doubtless , as even the savage creatures , the young lyons seek their meat from god ; so they finde it from him in due season ; he openeth his hand and filleth every creature with good : is god so careful for preserving , and shall man be so licentious in destroying them ? a righteous man ( saith solomon ) regardeth the life of his beast , he is no better , therefore , then a wicked man that regardeth it not : to offer violence to , and to take away the life from our fellow-creatures , without a cause , is no less then tyranny : surely , no other measure should a man offer to his beast , then that , which if his beast ( with balaams ) could expostulate with him , he could well justifie to it ; no other , then that man , if he had been made a beast , would have been content should have been offered by man to him ; no other then he shall make account to answer to a common creator . justly do we smile at the niceness of the foolish manichees , who made scruple to pull an herb or flower , and were ready to preface apologies and excuses for the reaping of their corn , and grinding the grain they fed upon , as if these vegetables were sensible of pain , and capable of our oppression ; but surely , for those creatures which enjoying a sensitive life , forgo it with no less anguish and reluctation then our selves ; and would be as willing to live , without harm , as their owners , they may well challenge both such mercy and justice at our hands , as that in the usage of them we may approve our selves to their maker : wherein i blush and grieve to see how far we are exceeded by turks and infidels ; whom meer nature hath taught more tenderness to the poor brute creatures , then we have learned from the holier rules of charitable christianity . for my part , let me rather affect and applaud the harmless humor of that mis-called saint , who in an indiscreet humility called every woolf his brother , and every sheep , yea , every ant his sister , fellowing himself with every thing that had life in it , as well as himself ; then the tyrannical disposition of those men who take pleasure in the abuse , persecution , destruction of their fellow-creatures , upon no other quarrel , then because they live . supernumeraries . i. there is a satiety in all other ( even the best ) things that i either have , or doe : i can be easily apt to complain of being wearied , or cloyed with the same objects but in the thoughts of spiritual things , mee thinkes , i can never have enough : for as there is infinite scope and variety of matter , wherein to employ my meditations , so in each one of them , there is such marvellous depth , that i should in vaine hope , after all my exquisitest search , to reach unto the bottome : yea the more i look upon the incomprehensible deity , in any one of his glorious attributes , or any one of his omnipotent works , of creation , government , redemption ; the more i long to see , and the less am i satisfied in seeing : and now i finde cause to bless that unspeakable goodness , that he hath vouchsafed to give leave to his unworthy creaturs , to contemplate those excellent glories , and those saving mysteries ; and think my self happy in so gracious a liberty of exchanging these worthless thoughts of the world , for the deare and precious meditations of heavenly things ; and now how justly do i fall out with my wretched self , that i have given way to secular distractions ? since my heart can be sometimes in heaven , why should it not be alwaies there ? ii. what is this that i see ? my saviour in an agonie , and an angel strengthening him ? oh the wonderful dispensation of the almighty ! that the eternal son of god , who promised to send the comforter to his followers , should need comfort ! that he , of whom the voice from heaven said , this is my well-beloved son in whom i am well pleased , should be strugling with his fathers wrath even to blood ! that the lord of life should in a languishing horror , say , my soul is exceeding sorrowfull , even unto death ! these , these , o saviour , are the chastisements of our peace , which both thou wouldst suffer , and thy father would inflict ; the least touch of one of those pangs , would have been no less then an hell to mee ; the whole brunt whereof thou enduredst for my soul ; what a wretch am i , to grudg a little paine from , or for thee who wert content to undergoe such pressure of torment for me , as squeezed from thee a sweat of blood ! since my miserable sinfulness deserved more load , then thou in thy merciful compassion wilt lay upon mee ; and thy pure nature , and perfect innocence merited nothing but love and glory . in this sad case , what service is it that an angel offers to do unto thee ? [ lo there appeares to thee an angel from heaven , strengthening thee ] still more wonder ! art not thou the god of spirits ? is it not thou , that gavest being , life , motion , power , glory to all the angels of heaven ? shall there be need of one single created spirit to administer strength and comfort to his creator ? were this the errand ; why did not all that blessed chore of celestial spirits joyn their forces together in so high an imployment ? where are the multitudes of that heavenly host , which at thy birth , sung , glory to god in the highest , and on earth peace ? where are those angels which ministred to thee after thy combat of temptations in the wilderness ? surely there was not so much use of their divine cordialls in the desart , as in the garden ; o my god , and saviour , thus thou wouldst have it ; it is thy holy will that is the rule and reason of all thine actions , and events ; thou that wouldst make use of the provision of men for thy maintenance on earth , wouldst employ thy servants the angels , for the supply of thy consolations ; and thou that couldst have commanded legions of those celestial spirits , wouldst be served by one ; not , but that more were present , but that onely one appeared ; all the host of them ever invisibly attended thee , as god , but as man , one onely presents himself to thy bodily eyes ; and thou , who madest thy self , for our sakes , a little lower then the angels which thou madest , wouldst humble thy self to receive comfort from those hands , to which thou gavest the capacity to bring it ; it is no marvel if that which was thy condescent , be our glory and happiness : i am not worthy , o god , to know what conflicts thou hast ordained for my weakness ; what ever they be , thou that hast appointed thine angels to be ministring spirits for the behoof of them who shall be heirs of salvation , suffer not thy servant to want the presence of those blessed emissaries of thine in any of his extremities ; let them stand by his soul in his last agonie , and after an happy eluctation conveigh it to thy glory . iii. many a one hath stumbled dangerously at a wicked mans prosperity ; and some have fallen desperately into that sin , which they have seen thrive in others hands : those carnal hearts know no other proof of good or evil but present events ; esteeming those causes holy and just which are crowned with outward success : not considering that it is one of the cunningest plots of hell , to win credit to bad enterprises by the fairest issues ; wherein , the devill deales with unwary men , like some cheating gamester , who having drawn in an unskilful and wealthy novice into play , suffers him to win a while at the first , that he may at the last , sweet away all the stakes , and some rich mannors to boote : the foolish benjaminites having twice won the field , begin to please themselves with a fale conceit of gibeahs honesty , and their own perpetual victories ; but they shall soon finde that this good speed is but a pit-fal to entrap them in an ensuing destruction . it is a great judgment of god to punish sinners with welfare ; and to render their leud waies prosperuos : wherein , how contrary are the almighties thoughts to theirs ; their seeming blessings are his heavy curse ; and the smart of his stripes are a favor too good for them to enjoy , to judge wisely of our condition , it is to be considered not so much how we fare , as upon what termes : if we stand right with heaven , every cross is a blessing , and every blessing a pledge of future happiness : if we be in gods disfavor , every of his benefits is a judgment ; and every judgment makes way for perdition : for mee , let it be my care that my disposition may be holy , and my actions righteous , let god undertake for the event . iv it is no easie thing to perswade a man that he is proud ; every one professes to hate that vice , yet cherishes it secretly in his bosome : for what is pride but an over-weening of our selves ? and such is is our natural self-love , that we can hardly be drawn to believe that in any kinde we think too well of our own : now , this pride is ever so much more dangerous , as the thing which we over-prize is more excellent ; and as our mis-apprehension of it m●y be more diffusive : to be proud of gay-cloathes , which is childish ; or , to be proud of beauty , which is a womanish vice , hath in it more fondness then malignity ; and goes no further then the brest wherein it is conceived ; finding no other entertainment in the beholders , then either smiles , or envy : but the pride of knowledg , or holy dispositions of the soul , as it is of an higher nature , so it produceth commonly more perilous effects : for as it puffes up a man above measure ; so it suffers not it self to bekept in within the narrow bounds of his own thoughts , but violently bursts out to the extream prejudice of a world of men : onely by pride commeth contention , saith wise solomon : even purse-pride is quarelous , domineering over the humble neighbourhood , and raising quarrels out of trifles ; but the spiritual arrogance is so much more mischeivous , as the soul is beyond all earthly pelf : for , when we are once come to advance , and admire our own judgments ; we are first apt to hug our own inventions ; then to esteem them too precious to be smothered within our own closets : the world must know of how happy an issue we are delivered ; and must applaud it , or abide a contestation , and expect a challenge . the fairest paradoxes cannot pass without a contradiction ; it were strange if some as bold , and forward wits as our own , should not take up the gantlet : now the fray is begun ; the multitude is divided ; sides are taken ; the world is in an uproare , from skirmishes we grow to pitcht fields : the church bleeds on both parts ; and it were marvel if kingdoms could be free : but that which most notably evinceth the deceitfulness of mans heart in this behalf , is , that this pride is too often lodged in those brests which are professedly devoted to a godly and mortified lowliness : for , as for those persons which are meer flesh , they are carelesly indifferent to error or truth ; neither are at all moved with the success of either ; but the religious minde , when it is once possessed with the conceit of some singular and important truth revealed to it , and hid from the rest of the world , is ready to say with the samaritan lepers ; i do not well ; this day is a day of good tidings , and i hold my peace ; and therefore makes it matter of conscience to trouble the church with a mis-grounded novelty : come we to the test ; let me ask these mis-guided souls that are no less confidently perswaded of their own humility then truth ; can it be any other then an height of pride , for a man to think himself wiser then the whole church of god upon earth ? wiser then the whole church of god that hath been upon earth ever since the apostles of christ inclusively , in all successions to this present time ? can they without much pride think they can look deeper into the great mysteries of godliness , then those blessed attendants of our saviour , and their gracious successors , the holy martyrs , the godly and religious guides of gods church , in all the following ages ? had not they , then , the same god ; the same scriptures , the illuminations of the same spirit ? can they imagine it less then insolent to attribute more to their own private opinion , then to the constant judgment and practise of the whole christian world in all successions of generations ? can they suppose themselves in their single capacity ( though neither prophets , nor prophets sons ) meet judges or questionists of those matters of faith which the general councils of the purer times have unanimously agreed upon as the main principles of christianity ? can they think themselves priviledged by the liberty of prophesying to coyn new articles , to deface old ? surely , if the hand of pride be not in all this , i shall never desire to be acquainted with humility ; so as it is too plain , that a man may be exceeding proudly and not know it ; this vicious habit lurks close in the soul , and unless it discover it self by some scarce — discernable effects ( which break out now and then , especially , upon occasions of opposition ) is rather more concealed from the owner , then from the eyes of a stranger : but ( if ever , ) it bewrays it self in the affectation of undue eminence , scornful under-valuation of others merits , obstinacy in opinion , sharpness of censures , and impatience of contradiction ; of all these the world is commonly no less guilty , then all these are guilty of the common miseries . lord deliver us from our pride , and our contentions will dye alone . v what a strange praise and priviledge is that which is given to enoch , above all those generations of men that peopled the first world ; of whom the spirit of god saies ; enoch walked with god , and he was not ; for god took him : doubtless , amongst all those successive families of the sons of seth , there were many religious and well-affected souls ; yet there was no one of them that had this character set upon him , that he walked with god , but he : whether it were , that god did in a more open and entire way reveal himself to that exemplary saint ; or whether that holy man did in a more close and familiar fashion , converse with the invisible deity , the presence was certain , and the acknowledgment mutual : neither was this walk short , for a turn , and away ; but constant , and continual ; even for the space of three hundred years : and what ? did the blessed man retire to some desart , far from all humane society , that he might enjoy this heavenly company alone ? did he this-while cast off all secular thoughts , and abdicate all the care of his family ? neither this , nor that ; for in this space wherein he walked with his god ; he both begat sons and daughters , and bred them like the children of such a father ; as one that knew to make the world subordinate , not opposite to it's maker : and had learn'd to reconcile the use of the creature with the fruition of the creator : what then were the steps of this walk , but pious thoughts , heavenly affections , fervent love , reverential fear , spiritual joy , holy desires , divine ravishments of spirit ; strict obediences , assiduous devotions , faithful affiances , gracious ingagements , firme resolutions , and effectual indeavors of good , and whatsoever might work a dearness of respect betwixt the soul , and the god of spirits : o god , that which thou promisedst ( as a reward ) to those few saints of sardis , that had not defile their garments , thou hast before hand fully performed to this eminent worthy of the first world ; he walked with thee in white , in the white of innocence here ; and in the shining robes of glory above ; so thou hast told us , he was not , for god took him ; lo ; being , and good were wont to pass for convertible ; but here , enochs not-being , is his blessedness ; he was not at all here ; that he might be perfectly above : the best being on earth is but miserable ; even enochs walk with god cannot exempt him from sorrows ; he must cease to be , that he may begin to be happy ; he was then happy , not for that he was not ; ( a meer privation of being can be no other then the worst of evils ) but for that god took him : the god with whom he walkt so long upon earth , takes him away from the earth to himself , for eternity : here below though he walk't with god , yet withall he conversed with sinful men , whose wickedness could not but many a time vex his righteous soul ; now he is freed from all those spiritual annoyances ; enjoying onely the glorious presence and vision of the divine majesty , the blessed angels , and the saints , co-partners of the same immortality . there can be no doubt but that the souls of his holy predecessors adam , abel , seth , returned to the god that gave them ; but had not enoch been blessed with a peculiar conveiance to his glory , it had not been said , that god took him : were onely the spirit of enoch yeilded up in the way of an ordinary death , the man had not been taken ; now , whole enoch , body and soul , is translated to an heavenly life . his father jared , and his son methuselah went to god in the common way of men , by a separation of the spirit from the flesh ; but for him , god took him ; and cloathed him living with immortality : i finde none but him and elijah that were thus fetcht to their heaven : it will be happy for us if we may pass in the common road to blessedness ; o god , give me to walk close and constantly with thee , and what end thou pleasest ; let my body pass through all the degrees of corruption , so that my soul may be immediately glorious . finis . the breathings of the devout soul. i. blessed lord god ; thou callest me to obedience ; and fain would i follow thee : but what good can this wretched heart of mine be capable of , except thou put it there ? thou know'st i cannot so much as wish to think well without thee ; i have strong powers to offend thee ; my sins are my own ; but whence should i have any inclination to good but from thee , who art only , and all good ? lord , work me to what thou requirest , and then require what thou wilt . ii. lord god , whither need i go to seek thee ? thou art so with me , as that i cannot move but in thee . i look up to heaven ; there i know thy majestie most manifests it self ; but withall , i know that being here thou art never out of thy heaven , for it is thy presence onely that makes heaven : oh give me to enjoy thee in this lowest region of thine heavenly habitation ; and as in respect of my naturall being , i live and move in thee , so let me not live and move spiritually , but with thee , and to thee . iii. whither now , o whither do ye rove o my thoughts ? can ye hope to finde rest in any of these sublunary contentments , alas ? how can they yeeld any stay to you , that have no settlement in themselves ? is there not enough in the infinite good to take you up ; but that ye will be wandring after earthly vanities ? oh my lord , how justly mightest thou cast me off with scorn , for casting any affective glances upon so base a rival ? truly lord , i am ashamed of this my hatefull inconstancy ; but it is thou only that must remedy it ; o thou that art the father of mercies pity my wildnesse , and weak distractions : take thou my heart to thee , it is thine own ; keep it with thee , tye it close to thee by the cords of love , that it may not so much as cast down an eye upon this wretched and perishing world . iiii. lord , i confesse to my shame , thou art a great loser by me ; for , besides my not improving of thy favors , i have not kept even-reckonings with thee ; i have not justly tallied up thy inestimable benefits : thy very privative mercies are both without , and beyond my account ; for every evill that i am free from , is a new blessing from thee ; that i am out of bondage , that i am out of pain and misery , that i am out of the dominion of sin ; out of the tyranny of satan , out of the agonies of an afflicted soul ; out of the torments of hell : lord , how unspeakeable mercies are these ? yet , when did i bless thee for any of them ? thy positive bounties i can feel , but with a benummed and imperfect sence . lord , do thou enlarge , and intenerate my heart ; make me truly sensible , as of my good received ; so of my escaped evils ; and take thou to thy self the glory of them both . v. ah my lord god , what heats and colds do i feel in my soul ? sometimes i finde my self so vigorous in grace , that no thought of doubt dare shew it self ; and me thinks i durst challenge my hellish enemies ; another while i feel my self so dejected and heartlesse , as if i had no interest in the god of my salvation , nor never had received any certain pledges of his favour : what shall i say to this various disposition ? whether , lord , is it my wretchednesse to suffer my self to be rob'd of thee , for the time , by temptation ? or whether is this the course of thy proceedings in the dispensation of thy graces to the sons of men ; that thou wilt have the breathings of thy spirit , as where , so how , and when thou pleasest ? surely , o my god , if i did not know thee constant to thine everlasting mercies , i should be utterly disheartened with these sad intervals ; now , when my sense failes me , i make use of my faith ; and am no lesse sure of thee , even when i feel thee not , then when i finde the clearest evidences of thy gracious presence . lord , shine upon me with the light of thy countenance ( if it may be ) alwaies ; but , when ever that is clouded , strengthen thou my faith ; so shall i be safe , even when i am comfortless . vi. o my god , i am justly ashamed to think what favors i have received from thee , and what poor returns i have made to thee : truly lord , i must needs say , thou hast thought nothing either in earth , or in heaven too good for me ; and i , on the other side , have grudg'd thee that weak and worthless obedience which thou hast required of me : alas , what pleasure could i have done to thee who art infinite , if i had sacrificed my whole self to thee , as thou commandest ? thou art , and wilt be thy self , though the world were not ; it is i , i only that could be a gainer by this happy match ; which in my own wrong i have unthankfully neglected ; i see it is not so much what we have , as how we imploy it : o thou , that hast been so bountiful , in heaping thy rich mercies upon me , vouchsafe to grant me yet one gift more ; give me grace and power to improve all thy gifts to the glory of the giver ; otherwise , it had been better for me to have been poor , then ingrateful . vii . ah lord , what strugling have i with my weak fears ? how do i anticipate my evils by distrust ? what shall i do when i am old ? how shall i be able to indure pain ? how shall i pass through the horrid gates of death ? oh my god , where is my faith that i am thus surprized ? had i not thee to up-hold , and strengthen my soul , well might i tremble and sink under these cares ; but now , that i have the assurance of so strong an helper , as commands all the powers of heaven , earth , and hell , what a shame is it for me to give so much way to my wretched infidelity , as to punish my self with the expectation of future evils ? oh for the victorie that overcomes the world , even our faith ; thou o god , art my refuge and strength , a very present help in trouble ; therefore will i not fear though the earth be removed , and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. viii . lord , i made account my daies should have been but an inch ; but thou hast made them a span long ; having drawn out the length of a crazie life beyond the period of my hopes : it is for something , sure , that thou hast thus long respited me from my grave , which look't for me many years ago : here i am , o my god , attending thy good pleasure ; thou know'st best what thou hast to do with me ; dispose of me as thou wilt ; only make me faithfull in all thy services ; resolute to trust my self with thee in all events ; carefull to be approved of thee in all my waies ; and crown my decayed age with such fruits as may be pleasing to thee , and available to the good of many ; lastly , let me live to thee , and die in thee . ix . how oft , lord , have i wondred to see the strange carriage of thine administration of these earthly affaires ; and therein to see thy marvailous wisdome , power , goodness , in fetching good out of evill ! alas , we wretched men are apt enough to fetch the worst of evils , out of the greatest good , turning the grace of thee our god into wantonnesse : but how have i seen thee , of liveless stones to raise up children to abraham , of sinners to make saints ? out of a desperate confusion to fetch order ; out of a bloudy war , an happy peace ; out of resolutions of revenge , love ; out of the rock , water ; out of a persecuter , an apostle ? how can i be discouraged with unlikelihoods , when i see thee work by contraries ? it is not for me , o my god , to examine or pre-judge thy counsailes ; take what waies thou wilt , so thou bring me to thine own end ; all paths shall be direct that shall leade me to blessedness . x. how many good purposes , o my god , have i taken up , & let fall to the ground again without effect ? how teeming hath this barren womb of my heart been of false conceptions ? but especially , when thy hand hath been smart and heavy upon me in mine affliction , how have i tasked my self with duties , and revived my firme resolutions of more strict obedience , which yet upon the continuance of my better condition , i have slackened ? lord , it is from thee that i purposed well ; it is from my own sinfull weakness that i failed in my performances ; if any good come me , the will and the deed must be both thine ; the very preparations of the heart are from thee ; and if i have devised my way , it must be thou that directest my steps : o god , do thou ripen and perfect all the good motions that thou puttest into my soul ; and make my health but such as my sickness promised . xi . every man , lord , is unwilling that his name should dye ; we are all naturally ambitious of being thought on when we are gone ; those that have not living monuments to perpetuate them , affect to have dead ; if absolon have not a son , he will yet erect a pillar : yet when we have all done , time eates us out at the last ; there is no remembrance of the wise more then of the foole for ever ; seeing that which now is , in the daies to come shall all be forgotten . o god , let it be my care and ambition , what ever become of my memory here below , that my name may be recorded in heaven . xii . thy wise providence , o god , hath so ordered it , that every mans minde seeks and findes contentment in some thing ; otherwise it could not be ( since we must meet with so frequent crosses in the world ) but that mans life would be burdensome to him ; one takes pleasure in his hauke or hound ; another in his horses and furnitures ; one in fair buildings ; another in pleasant walks and beautiful gardens ; one in travailing abroad ; another in the enioying of the profits and pleasures of his home ; one in the increase of his wealth ; another in the titles of his honor ; one in a comfortable wife , another in loving and dutiful children , but when all is done , if there be not somwhat els to uphold the heart in the evil day , it must sink . o god , do thou possesse my soul of thee ; let me place all my felicity in the fruition of thine infinite goodness ; so i am sure the worst of the world hath not power to render me other then happy . xiii . o lord god , under how opposite aspects do i stand , from the world ? how variously am i construed by men ? one pities my condition , another praises my patience ; one favors mee out of the opinion of some good that he thinks he sees in mee ; another dislikes me for some imagined evil : what are the eyes , or tongues of men to mee ? let me not know what they say , or think of me , and what am i the better or worse for them ? they can have no influence upon me without my own apprehension : all is in what termes i stand with thee , my god ; if thou be pleased to look upon me with the eye of thy tender mercy and compassion , what care i to be unjustly brow-beaten of the world ? if i may be blessed with thy favour , let me be made a gazing-stock to the world , to angels , and to men . xiv . speak lord , for thy servant heareth : what is it which thou wouldst have me do that i may finde rest to my soul ? i am willing to exercise my self in all the acts of piety which thou requirest ; i am ready to fast , to pray , to read , to hear , to meditate , to communicate , to give alms , to exhort , admonish , reprove , comfort where thou bid'st me ; and if there be any other duty appertaining to devotion , or mercy , let me serve thee in it : but , alas , o my god , howsoever i know these works are in themselves well-pleasing unto thee , yet as they fall from my wretchedness , they are stained with so many imperfections , that i have more reason to crave pardon for them , then to put confidence in them ; and if i could performe them never so exquisitely , yet one sin is more then enough to dash all my obedience . i see then , o lord , i well see there is no act that i can be capable to do unto thee , wherein i can finde any repose ; it must be thine act to me , which only can effect it ; it is thy gracious word , come unto me all ye that labour , and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest ; lo this rest must be thy gift , not my earning ; and what can be freer then gift ? thou givest it then , but to those that come to thee ; not to those that come not ; to those that come to thee laden and labouring under the sense of their own wretchedness ; not to the proud , and careless ; o saviour , thy sinner is sufficiently laden with the burden of his iniquities ; lade thou me yet more with true penitent sorrow for my sins ; and inable me then to come unto thee by a lively faith ; take thou the praise of thine own work ; give me the grace to come ; and give me rest in coming . xv. o blessed saviour , what strange variety of conceits do i finde concerning thy thousand years raign ? what riddles are in that prophesie ; which no humane tongue can aread ? where to fix the begining of that marvailous millenary , and where the end ; and what manner of raign it shall be , whether temporal , or spiritual ; on earth , or in heaven ; undergoes as many constructions , as there are pens that have undertaken it ; and yet ( when all is done ) i see thine apostle speaks onely of the souls of thy martyrs , raigning so long with thee ; not of thy raigning on earth so long with those martyrs ; how busie are the tongues of men , how are their brains taken up with the indeterminable construction of this enigmaticall truth ? when , in the mean time , the care of thy spirituall raign in their hearts , is neglected ; o my saviour , whiles others weary themselves with the disquisition of thy personall raign here upon earth for a thousand years ; let it be the whole bent and study of my soul , to make sure of my personall raign with thee in heaven to all eternity . xvi . blessed be thy name , o god , who hast made a good use even of hell it self ; how many atheous hearts have been convinced by the very operations of devils ? those which would with the stupid saducees , perswade themselves there are no spirits ; yet when they have sensibly found the marvellous effects wrought even by the base instruments of satan ; they have been forced to confesse , doubtless there is a god that rules the world ; for so great powers of evill spirits must necessarily evince the greater powers of good ; it is of thy wise and holy dispensation that thy good angels do not so frequently exhibite themselves , and give so visible demonstrations of their presence to thy saints , as the evill angels do to their vassals , though they are ever as present , and more powerfull ; what need they ; when thou so mightily over-rulest those malignant spirits , that thou forcest from them thine own glory , and advantage to thy chosen ? lord , how much more shall all thy other creatures serve to thy praise , when thy very hellish enemies shall proclaim thy justice , goodness , omnipotence . xvii . speculation , o lord , is not more easie then practice is difficult ; how many have we known , who , as it was said of the philosophers of old , know how to speak well , but live ill ; how many have written books of chymistry , and given very confident directions for the finding out of that precious stone of the philosophers , but how many have indeed made gold ? practice is that which thou , o god , chiefly requirest and respectest ; who hast said , if ye know these things , blessed are ye if you do them ; knowledg puffeth up , but love edifieth : o lord do thou enlighten mine eyes with the knowledg of thy will ; but above all , do thou rectifie my affections , guide my feet into the wayes of thy commandements ; apply my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway ; and prosper thou the work of my hands upon me , o prosper thou my handi-work . xviii . how oft have i wondred , o lord , at the boldness of those men , who knowing they must shortly die , yet dare do those things which will draw upon them eternity of torments ? what shall i say , but , the fool hath said in his heart , there is no god ; surely , men love themselves well enough ; and would be loth to do that , which would procure them an inevitable misery and pain ; did they therefore believe there were another world , and that they must be called to a strict reckoning for all their actions , and be doomed to an everlasting death for their wicked deeds , they durst not , they could not do those acts which should make them eternally miserable : let me say to the most desperate ruffian ; there is poyson in this cup , drink this draught and thou diest ; he would have the wit to keep his lips close , and cast the potion to the ground ; were it not for their infidelity , so would men do to the most plausible ( but deadly ) offers of sin . o lord , since i know thy righteous judgments ; teach me to tremble at them ; restrain thou my feet from every evill way ; and teach me so to walk , as one that looks every hour to appear before thy just , and dreadfull tribunal . xix the longer i live , o my god , the more do i wonder at all the works of thine hands : i see such admirable artifice in the very least and most despicable of all thy creatures , as doth every day more and more astonish my observation : i need not look so far as heaven for matter of marvaile ( though therein thou art infinitely glorious ) whiles i have but a spider in my window , or a bee in my garden , or a worm under my feet : every one of these overcomes me with a just amazement ; yet can i see no more then their very out-sides ; their inward form which gives them their being , and operations , i cannot pierce into ; the less i can know , o lord , the more let me wonder ; and the less i can satisfie my self with marvailing at thy works , the more let me adore the majesty and omnipotence of thee that wroughtest them . xx. alas , my lord god , what poor , weak , imperfit services are those ( even at the best ) that i can present thee withal ! how leane , lame , and blemished sacrifices do i bring to thine altar ! i know thou art worthy of more then my soul is capable to perform ; and fain would i tender thee the best of thine own : but , what i would that i do not ; yea , cannot do : surely , had i not to do with an infinite mercy , i might justly look to be punished for my very obedience : but now lord my impotence redounds to the praise of thy goodness ; for were i more answerable to thy justice the glory of thy mercy would be so much less eminent in my remission , & acceptance ; here i am before thee , to await thy good pleasure ; thou knowest whether it be better to give me more ability , or to accept of that poor ability thou hast given me ; but since , when thou hast given me most , i shall still , and ever stand in need of thy forgiveness ; let my humble suit be to thee alwaies , rather for pardon of my defects , then for a supply of thy graces . xxi . o my god ; how do i see many profane and careless souls spend their time in jollity and pleasure . the harp and the viol , the tabret and the pipe , and wine are in their feasts ; whiles i that desire to walk close with thee , in all conscionable obedience , droop and languish under a dull heaviness , and heartless dejection : i am sure i have a thousand times more cause of joy and cheerfulness , then the merriest of all those wilde and joviall spirits ; they have a world to play withall , but i have a god to rejoyce in ; their sports are triviall and momentanie ; my joy is serious , and everlasting : one dram of my mirth is worth a pound of theirs ; but , i confesse , o lord , how much i am wanting to my self in not stirring up this holy fire of spirituall joy ; but suffering it to lie raked up under the dead ashes of a sad neglect : o thou , who art the god of hope , quicken this heavenly affection in my soul ; and fill me with all joy and peace in believing ; make my heart so much more light then the worldlings , by how much my estate is happier . xxii . what shall i do lord ? i strive and tug ( what i may ) with my naturall corruptions , and with the spirituall wickednesses in high places which set upon my soul ; but sometimes i am foyled , and go halting out of the field ; it is thy mercy that i live , being so fiercely assaulted by those principalities , and powers ; it were more then wonder if i should escape such hands without a wound : even that holy servant of thine who strove with thine angel for a blessing , went limping away , though he prevailed ; what mervail is it that so weak a wretch as i , striving with many evill angels for the avoidance of a curse , come off with a maime , or a scar ? but blessed be thy name , the wounds that i receive are not mortall ; and when i fall , it is but to my knees ; whence i rise with new courage and hopes of victory ; thou who art the god of all power , and keepest the keys of hell and death , hast said , resist the devill , and he will flee from you ; lord , i do and will by thy merciful ayd still and ever resist ; make thou my faith as stedfast , as my will is resolute ; oh still teach thou my hands to war , and my fingers to fight ; arme thou my soul with strength , and at last according to thy gracious promise , crown it with victory . xxiii . oh lord god ; how ambitious , how covetous of knowledg is this soul of mine ? as the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the eare filled with hearing ; no more is the mind of man with understanding ; yea , so insatiable is my heart , that the more i know , the more i desire to know ; and the less i think i know : under heaven there can be no bounds set to this intellectuall appetite : o do thou stop the mouth of my soul with thy self , who art infinite ; whom have i in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that i desire besides thee : alas , lord , if i could know all creatures , with all their forms , qualities , workings ; if i could know as much as innocent adam , or wise solomon ; yea more , if i could know all that is done in earth or heaven , what were my soul the better , if it have not attained the knowledg of thee : since , as the preacher hath most wisely observed , in much wisdome is much grief , and he that increaseth knowledg , increaseth sorrow ; oh then , set off my heart from affecting that knowledg whose end is sorrow ; and fix it upon that knowledg , which brings eeverlasting life : and this is life eternal , to know thee the only true god ; and jesus christ whom thou hast sent . xxiv . o my god , what miserable uncertainties there are in these worldly hopes ! but yesterday i made account of an eminent advantage of my estate , which now ends in a deep loss . how did we lately feed our selves with the hope of a firme and during peace , which now shuts up in too much bloud ? how confidently did i relie upon the promised favour of some great friends , which now leave me in the suds , as the scorn of ( a mis-called ) fortune ? in how slippery places , o lord , do our feet stand ? if that may be said to stand which is ever sliding , never fixed ; and not more slippery , then brittle ; so as there is not more danger of falling , then of sinking : with thee , o god , with thee only , is a constant immutability of happiness ; there let me seek it , there let me finde it ; and over-looking all the fickle objects of this vain world , let my soul pitch it self upon that blessed immortality which ere long it hopes to enjoy with thee . xxv . lord god , what a wearisome circle do i walk in here below ; i sleep , and dress , and work , and eat , and work again , and eat again , and undress , and sleep again ; and thus wearing out my time finde a satiety in all these , troublesome ; lord , when shall i come to that state , wherein i shall do nothing but injoy thee ; do nothing but praise thee ; and in that one work shall finde such infinite contentment , that my glorified soul cannot wish to do any other ? and shall therein alone bestow a blessed eternity ? xxvi . o god , how troublesome and painful do i find this sun of thine , whose scorching beams beat upon my head ? and yet , this excellent creature of thine is that , to which , under thee , we are beholden for our very life ; and it is thy great blessing to the earth , that it may enjoy these strong and forceable rayes from it ; oh , who shall be able to endure the burning flames of thy wrath , which thou intendest for the punishment , and everlasting torment of thine enemies ? and if men shall blaspheme the name of thee the god of heaven , for the great heat of that beneficiall creature , what shall we think they will do for that fire which shall be consuming them to all eternity ? lord keep my soul from those flames , which shall be ever burning , and never , either quenched , or abated . xxvii which way , o lord , which way can i look , and not see some sad examples of misery : one wants his limbs with mephibosheth , another his sight with bartimeus , a third with lazarus wants bread , and a whole skin ; one is pained in his body , another plundred of his estate , a third troubled in minde ; one is pined in prison , another tortured on the rack , a third languisheth under the loss of a deare son , or wife or husband ; who am i lord , that , for the present , i enjoy an immunity from all these sorrows ? i am sure none grones under them that hath deserved them more : it is thy mercy , thy meer mercy , o my good god , that any of these calamities have faln beside me ; oh make me truly thankful for thine infinite goodness ; and yet onely so sensible of thy gracious indulgence this way ; as that when any of these evils shall seize upon mee , i may be no more dejected in the sense of them , then i am now over-joyed with the favor of their forbearance . xxviii . o blessed god , what variety of gifts hast thou scattered amongst the sons of men ? to one thou hast given vigor of body , to another agility , beauty to a third ; to one depth of judgment , to another quickness of apprehension ; to one readiness and rarity of invention ; to another tenacity of memorie ; to one the knowledg of liberal arts , to another the exquisiteness of manuary skill ; to one worldly wealth , to another honour ; to one a wise heart , to another an eloquent tongue ; to one more then enough , to another contentment with a little ; to one valour , to another sagacity : these favors , o lord , thou hast promiscuously dispersed amongst both thy friends , and enemies : but oh , how transcendent are those spiritual mercies which thou hast reserved for thine own ; the graces of heavenly wisdome , lively faith , fervent charity , firme hope , joy in the holy ghost and all the rest of that divine beauye . for any competency of the least of thy common blessings i desire to be thankful to thy bounty ; ( for which of them , o god , can i either merit or requite ? ) but oh for a soul truly and eagarly ambitious of those thy best mercies ; oh let me ever long for them , and ever be insatiable of them ; oh do thou fill my heart with the desire of them , and let that desire never finde it self filled . xxix . how comfortable a style is that , o god , which thine apostle gives to thine heaven , whiles he cals it the inheritance of the saints in light ? none can come there but saints ; the roomes of this lower world are taken up , commonly , with wicked men , with beasts , with devils ; but into that heavenly jerusalem no unholy thing can enter ; neither can any saint be excluded thence ; each of them have not only a share , but an entire right to thy glory : and how many just titles are there , o saviour , to that region of blessedness ; it is thy fathers gift , it is thy purchase , it is thy saints inheritance ; theirs only in thy right ; by thy gracious adoption they are sons , and as sons , heires : co-heirs with thee of that blessed patrimony ; so feoffed upon them , so possessed of them , that they can never be disseized : and , lord , how glorious an inheritance it is ! an inheritance in light : in light incomprehensible , in light inaccessible : lo , the most spirituall of all thy visible creatures is light ; and yet this light is but the effect , and emanation of one of thy creatures , the sun ; and serves only for the illumination of this visible world ; but that supernal light is from the al-glorious beams of thy divine majesty , diffusing themselves to those blessed spirits , both angels , and souls of thy saints , who live in the joyful fruition of thee , to all eternity : alas , lord , we do here dwell in darkness , and under an uncomfortable opacity , whiles thy face is clouded from us with manifold temptations there above , with thee , is pure light , a constant noon-tide of glory ; i am here under a miserable and obscure wardship ; oh teach me to despise the best of earth ; and ravish my soul with a longing desire of being possessed of that blessed inheritance of the saints in light . xxx . what outward blessing can be sweeter then civill peace ? what judgment more heavy then that of the sword ? yet , o saviour , there is a peace which thou disclaimest ; and there is a sword which thou challengest to bring ; peace with our corruptions is warr against thee ; and that war in our bosomes , wherein the spirit fighteth against the flesh , is peace with thee : o let thy good spirit raise and foment this holy and intestine war more and more within me . and as for my outward spirituall enemies ; how can there be a victory without war ; and how can i hope for a crown without victory ? o do thou ever gird me with strength to the battle ; inable thou me to resist unto bloud ; make me faithfull to the death , that thou maist give me the crown of life . xxxi . o lord god ; how subject is this wretched heart of mine to repining , and discontentment ? if it may not have what it would , how ready it is ( like a froward child ) to throw away what it hath . i know and feel this to be out of that naturall pride which is so deep rooted in me ; for could i be sensible enough of my own unworthinesse , i should think every thing too good , every thing too much for me ; my very being , o lord , is more then i am ever able to answer thee ; and how could i deserve it when i was not ? but that i have any helps of my wel-beeing here ; or hopes and means of my being glorious hereafter , how far is it beyond the reach of my soul ? lord , let me finde my own nothingness ; so shall i be thankfull for a little , and , in my very want , blesse thee . xxxii . where art thou , o my god ? whither hast thou withdrawn thy self ? it is not long , since i found thy comfortable presence with my soul ; now i misse thee , and mourn and languish for thee : nay , rather , where art thou o my soul ? my god is where he was ; neither can be any other then himself ; the change is in thee , whose inconstant disposition varies continually , and cannot finde it self fixed upon so blessed an object . it will never be better with me , o my god , until it shall please thee to stablish my heart with thy free spirit ; and to keep it close to thee , that it may not be carried away with vain distractions , with sinful temptations : lord my god , as thou art alwaies present with me , and canst no more be absent , then not be thy self ; so let me be alwaies with thee , in an humble , and faithful acknowledgment of thy presence ; as i can never be out of thine all-seeing eye ; so let mine eyes be ever bent upon thee who art invisible ; thou that hast given me eyes , improve them to thy glorie and my happiness . xxxiii . my bosome , o lord , is a rebeccaes womb , there are twins striving within it ; a jacob and esau , the old man and the new : whiles i was in the barren state of my unregeneration all was quiet within me ; now this strife is both troublesome , and paineful ; so as nature is ready to say , if it be so , why am i thus ? but withal , o my god , i bless thee for this happy unquietness ; for i know there is just cause of comfort in these inward struglings ; my soul is now not unfruitful , and is conceived with an holy seed which wrestles with my natural corruptions ; and if my esau have got the start in the priority of time ; yet my jacob shall follow him hard at the heele , and happily supplant him ; and though i must nourish them both , as mine , yet i can , through thy grace , imitate thy choice ; and say with thee , jacob have i loved , and esau have i hated ; blessed god , make thou that word of thine good in me , that the elder shall serve the younger . xxxiv . alas , my lord god , how small matters trouble me ? every petty occurrence is ready to rob me of my peace ; so as , me thinks , i am like some little cock-boat in a rough sea , which every billow topples up and down , and threats to sink : i can chide this weak pusillanimity in my self ; but it is thou that must redress it : lord , work my heart to so firme a setledness upon thee , that it may never be shaken ; no not with the violent gusts of temptation ; much lesse with the easie gales of secular mis-accidents : even when i am hardest pressed , in the multitude of the sorrows of my heart , let thy comforts refresh my soul ; but for these sleight crosses , oh teach me to despise them , as not worthy of my notice , much less of my vexation : let my heart be taken up with thee , and then , what care i whether the world smile or frown . xxxv . what a comfort it is , o saviour , that thou art the first fruits of them that sleep : those that die in thee , do but sleep : thou saidst so , once , of thy lazarus ; and maist say so of him again ; he doth but sleep still : his first sleep was but short , this latter , though longer , is no less true ; out of which he shall no less surely awake at thy second call , then he did before at thy first ; his first sleep and waking was singular , this latter is the same with ours ; we all lie down in our bed of earth , as sure to wake , as ever we can be to shut our eyes ; in , and from thee , o blessed saviour , is this our assurance ; who art the first fruits of them that sleep : the first handfull of the first fruits was not presented for it self , but for the whole field , wherein it grew : the vertue of that oblation extended it self to the whole crop : neither didst thou , o blessed jesu , rise again for thy self only , but the power and vertue of thy resurrection reaches to all thine ; so thy chosen vessel tels us : christ the first fruits , afterwards they that are christs at his coming : so as , though the resurrection be of all the dead , both just and unjust ; yet to rise by the power of thy resurrection , is so proper to thine own , as that thou , o saviour , hast styled it the resurrection of the just ; whiles the rest shall be drag'd out of their graves by the power of thy god-head to their dreadful judgment : already therefore , o jesu , are we risen in thee : and as sure shall rise in our own persons ; the loco-motive faculty is in the head ; thou who art our head art risen , we who are thy members must , and shall follow : say then , o my dying body , say boldly unto death , rejoyce not over me , o mine enemy , for though i fall , yet i shall rise again : yea , lord , the vertue of thy first fruits diffuseth it self , not to our rising only , but to a blessed immortality of these bodies of ours : for , as thou didst rise immortall and glorious , so shall we by , and with thee ; who shalt change these vile bodies , and make them like to thy glorious body . the same power that could shake off death , can put on glory and majesty : lay thee down therefore , o my body , quietly and cheerfully ; and look to rise in another hue ; thou art sown in corruption , thou shalt be raised in incorruption ; thou art sown in dishonour , thou shalt be raised in glory ; thou art sown in weaknesse , but shalt be raised in power . xxxvi . in this life , in this death of the body ; o lord , i see there are no degrees , though differences of time ; the man that dyed yesterday is as truly dead , as abel the first man that dyed in the world ; and methuselah that lived nine hundred sixty nine years , did not more truly live , then the childe that did but salute , and leave the world ; but in the life to come , and the second death , there are degrees ; degrees of blessedness to the glorified , degrees of torments to the damned ; the least whereof is unspeakable , unconceivable : oh thou that art the lord of life and death , keep my soul from those steps that go down to the chambers of death ; and once set it ( for higher i dare not sue to go ) but over the threshold of glory and blessedness . xxxvii . o lord my god , i am as very a pilgrime as ever walked upon thy earth ; why should i look to be in any better condition then my neighbours , then my forefathers ? even the best of them , that were most fixed upon their inheritance , were no other then strangers at home : it was not in the power of the world to naturalize them , much less to make them enroll themselves free-denizons here below ; they knew their country , which they sought , was above ; so infinitely rich , and pleasant , that these earthly regions which they must pass thorough , are , in comparison , worthy of nothing but contempt . my condition is no other then theirs ; i wander here in a strange country ; what wonder is it , if i meet with forrainers fare , hard usage , and neglect ? why do i intermeddle with the affaires of a nation that is not mine ? why do i clog my self in my way with the base and heavy lumber of the world ? why are not my affections homeward ? why do i not long to see and enjoy my fathers house ? o my god , thou that hast put me into the state of a pilgrim , give me a pilgrims heart ; set me off from this wretched world wherein i am ; let me hate to think of dwelling here ; let it be my only care how to pass through this miserable wilderness to the promised land of a blessed eternitie . xxxviii . one talent at the least , o lord , hast thou put into my hand ; and that sum is great to him that is not worth a dram ; but , alas , what have i done with it ? i confess i have not hid it in a napkin ; but have been laying it out to some poor advantage ; yet surely the gain is so unanswerable , that i am afraid of an audit : i see none of the approved servants in the gospel brought in an increase of less value then the receit ; i fear i shall come short of the sum . o thou , who justly holdest thy self wronged with the style of an austere master , vouchsafe to accept of my so mean improvement ; and thou , who valuedst the poor widows mites above the rich gifts cast into thy treasurie , be pleased to allow of those few pounds that my weak indevors could raise from thy stock ; and mercifully reward thy servant , not according to his success , but according to his true intentions of glorifying thee . xxxix . what a word is this which i hear from thee , o saviour ; behold i stand at the doore and knock ! thou which art the lord of life , god blessed for ever , to stand and knock at the door of a sinful heart ! oh what a praise is this of thy mercy and long suffering ? what a shame to our dull neglect and graceless ingratitude ? for a david to say i waited patiently upon the lord ; truly my soul waiteth upon god ; it is but meet and comely ; for it is no other then the duty of the greatest monarchs on earth , yea , of the highest angels in heaven to attend their maker ; but for thee the great god of heaven to wait at the door of us sinful dust and ashes , what a condescension is this , what a longanimity ? it were our happiness , o lord , if upon our greatest suit and importunity we might have the favor to entertain thee into our hearts ; but that thou shouldst importune us to admit thee , and shouldst wait at the posts of our doors , till thine head be filled with dew , and thy locks with the drops of the night , it is such a mercy , as there is not room enough in our souls to wonder at . in the mean time what shall i say to our wretched unthankfulnes ; and impious negligence ? thou hast graciously invited us to thee , and hast said ; knock and it shall be opened ; and yet thou continuest knocking at our doors , and we open not ; willingly delaying to let in our happiness ; we know how easie it were for thee to break open the brasen doors of our brests , and to come in ; but the kingdome of heaven suffers not violence from thee , though it should suffer it from us ; thou wilt do all thy works in a sweet and gracious way ; as one who will not force , but win love ; lord , i cannot open unless thou that knock'st for entrance , wilt be pleased to inable me with strength to turn the key , and to unbolt this unweldy bar of my soul . o do thou make way for thy self by the strong motions of thy blessed spirit , into the in-most rooms of my heart ; and do thou powerfully incline me to mine own happiness : els , thou shalt be ever excluded , and i shall be ever miserable . xli . in what pangs couldst thou be , o asaph , that so woful a word should fall from thee , hath god forgotten to be gracious ? surely , the temptation went so high , that the next step had been blasphemie ; had not that good god , whom thy bold weakness questions for forgetfulness , in great mercy remembred thee , and brought thee speedily to remember thy self and him , that which thou confessest to have been infirmity , had proved a sinful despair : i dare say for thee , that word washed thy cheeks with many a tear , and was worthy of more ; for , o god , what can be so dear to thee as the glory of thy mercy ? there is none of thy blessed attributes which thou desirest to set forth so much unto the sons of men , and so much abhorrest to be disparaged by our detraction , as thy mercy : thou canst , o lord , forget thy displeasure against thy people ; thou canst forget our iniquities , and cast our sins out of thy remembrance ; but thou canst no more forget to be gracious , then thou canst cease to be thy self ; o my god , i sin against thy justice hourly , and thy mercy interposes for my remission ; but oh keep me from sinning against thy mercy ; what plea can i hope for , when i have made my advocate mine enemy ? xli . how happy , o lord , is the man that hath thee for his god ? he can want nothing that is good ; he can be hurt by nothing that is evill ; his sins are pardoned , his good indeavors are accepted ; his crosses are sanctified ; his prayers are heard ; all that he hath are blessings , all that he suffers are advantages ; his life is holy , his death comfortable , his estate after death glorious ; oh that i could feel thee to be my god ; that i could enjoy an heavenly communion with thee ; in vain should earth or hell labour to make me other then blessed . xlii . how just a motion is this of thine , o thou sweet singer of israel ; o love the lord , all ye his saints ; surely they can be no saints that love not such a lord ; had he never been good to them , yet that infinite goodness which is in himself , would have commanded love from saints : yet , how could they have been saints , if he had wholly kept his goodness to himself ? in that then he hath made them saints , he hath communicated his goodness to them , and challengeth all love from them ; and being made such , how infinitely hath he obliged them with all kinds of mercies ? how can ye choose o ye saints but love the lord ? what have ye , what are ye , what can ye be , but from his meer bounty ? they are sleight favours that he hath done you for the world ; in these his very enemies share with you ; how transcendent are his spirituall obligations ! hath he not given you his angels for your attendants ; himself for your protector ; his son out of his bosome for your redeemer ; his spirit for your comforter ; his heaven for your inheritance ? if gifts can attract love ; o my god , who can have any interest in my heart but thy blessed self , that hast been so infinitely munificent to my soul ? take it to thee , thou that hast made and bought it ; enamour it thoroughly of thy goodness ; make me sick of love ; yea let me die for love of thee , who hast loved me unto death that i may fully enjoy the perfection of thy love , in the height of thy glory . xliii . lord , how have i seen men miscarried into those sins , the premonition whereof they would have thought incredible , and their yeildance thereto , impossible ? how many hazaels hath our very age yeilded , that if a prophet should have fore told their acts , would have said , is thy servant a dog that he should do these great things ? oh my god , why do not i suspect my self ? what hold have i of my self more then these other miserable examples of humane frailtie ? lord god , if thou take off thy hand from me , what wickedness shall escape me ? i know i cannot want a tempter ; and that tempter cannot want either power , or malice , or skill , or vigilance ▪ or baits , or opportunities ; and for my self , i find too well , that of my self i have no strength to resist any of his temptations : o for thy mercies sake , uphold thou me with thy mighty hand ; stand close to me in all assaults ; shew thy self strong in my weakness : keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins ; let them not have dominion over me ; then ( onely ) shall i be upright , and shall be innocent from the great transgression . xliv . it is thy title , o lord , and only thine , that thou givest songs in the night : the night is a sad and dolorous season ; as the light contrarily is the image of cheerfulness ; like as it is in bodily pains and aches , that they are still worst towards night ; so it is in the cares and griefs of mind ; then they assault us most when they are helpt on by the advantage of an uncomfortable darkness : many men can give themselves songs in the day of their prosperity ; who can but howl in the night of their affliction ; but for a paul and silas to sing in their prison at mid-night ; for an asaph to call to remembrance his song in the night , this comes onely from that spirit of thine , whose peculiar style is the comforter : and surely , as musick sounds best in the night , so those heavenly notes of praise which we sing to thee our god in the gloomy darkness of our adversity , cannot but be most pleasing in thine ears : thine apostle bids us ( which is our ordinary wont ) when we are merry to sing , when afflicted , to pray ; but if when we are afflicted we can sing , ( as also when we are merriest we can pray ) that ditty must needs be so much more acceptable to thee , as it is a more powerful effect of the joy of thy holy ghost ; o my god , i am conscious of my own infirmity ; i know i am naturally subject to a dull and heavy dumpishness , under whatsoever affliction ; thou that art the god of all comfort , remedy this heartless disposition in me ; pull this lead out of my bosome ; make me not patient only , but cheerful under my trials , fill thou my heart with joy , and my mouth with songs in the night of my tribulation . xlv . it is a true word , o lord , that thy seer said of thee long ago ; the lord seeth not as man seeth : man sees the face , thou seest the heart ; man sees things as they seem , thou seest them as they are ; many things are hid from the eyes of men , all things lie open and displaid before thee . what a madness then were it in me to come disguised into thy presence , & to seek to hide my counsels from thine al-seeing eyes ? i must be content , lord , to be deluded here by fair appearances ; for i may not offer to look into the bosoms of men , which thou hast reserved for thy self ; it is only the out-side that i can judg by ; yea , o god , if i shall cast my eyes inward , and look into my own brest , even there i find my self baffled at home ; the heart of man is deceitful above all things ; who can know it ? none but those piercing eyes of thine can discover all the windings and turnings of that intricate piece . what would it avail me , o lord , to mock the eyes of all the world with a semblance of holiness , whilst thou shouldst see me false and filthy ? should i be censured by a world of men , when i am secretly allowed by thee , i could contemn it , yea glory in their unjust reproach ; but if thine eye shall note me guilty , to what purpose is all the applause of men ? o thou that art the god of truth ; do thou open , and dissect this close heart of mine ; search every fibre that is in , or about it ; and if thou findest any ill blood there , let it out ; and if thou findest any hollowness , fill it up ; and so work upon it , that it may be approved of thee that madest it ; as for men , it shall be alike to me whether they spend their breath or save it . xlvi . lord god , what a world of treasure hast thou hid in the bowels of the earth , which no eye of man ever did , or shall , or can see ? what goodly plants hast thou brought forth of the earth , in wilde , unknown regions , which no man ever beheld ? what great wits hast thou shut up in a willing obscurity , which the world never takes notice of ? in all which thou shewest , that it is not only the use and benefit of man which thou regardest in the great variety of thy creation , and acts of administration of the world ; but thine own glory , and the fulfilling of thine own good pleasure ; and if onely the angels of heaven be witnesses of thy great works , thou canst not want a due celebration of thy praise ; it is just with thee , o god , that thou shouldst regard only thy blessed self , in all that thou doest , or hast done ; for all is thine , and thou art all : oh that i could sincerely make thee the perfect scope of all my thoughts , of all my actions ; that so we may both meet in one and the same happy end , thy glory in my eternall blessedness . xlvii . indeed , lord , as thou saist , the night commeth when no man can work ; what can we do , when the light is shut in , but shut our eyes , and sleep ? when our senses are tyed up , and our limbs laid to rest , what can we do , but yeeld our selves to a necessary repose ? o my god , i perceive my night hastening on apace , my sun draws low , the shadows lengthen , vapours rise , and the air begins to darken ; let me bestir my self for the time ; let me lose none of my few hours ; let me work hard a while ; because i shall soon rest everlastingly . xlviii . thou seest , lord , how apt i am to contemn this body of mine ; surely when i look back upon the stuffe whereof it is made , no better then that i tread upon ; and see the loathsomness of all kinds that comes from it ; and feel the pain that it oft times puts me to , and consider whither it is going , and how noisome it is above all other creatures upon the dissolution ; i have much adoe to hold good terms with so unequal a partner ; but on the other side ; when i look up to thy hand , and see how fearfully and wonderfully thou hast made it ; what infinite cost thou hast bestowed upon it , in that thou hast not thought thine own blood too dear to redeeme it ; that thou hast so far honour'd it , as to make it the temple of thy holy ghost ; and to admit it into a blessed communion with thy self ; and hast decreed to do so great things for it hereafter ; even to cloath it with immortality , and to make it like unto thy glorious body ; i can bless thee for so happy a mate ; and with patience digest all these necessary infirmities ; and now i look upon this flesh , not as it is , withered and wrinkled ; but as it will be , shining and glorified . o lord , how vile so ever this clay is in it self ; yet make mee in thine interest and my hopes so enamoured of it , as if i did already finde it made celestial . oh that my faith could prevent my change , and anticipate my ensuing glory . xlix . lord , what a dreadful favor was that which thou shewedst to thy prophet elijah , to send a fiery chariot for him , to conveigh him up to heaven ! i should have thought that the sight of so terrible a carriage should have fetcht away his soul before-hand , and have left the body groveling on the earth : but that good spirit of thine , which had fore-signified that fiery rapture , had doubtless fore-armed thy servant with an answerable resolution to expect , and undergoe it : either he knew that chariot , how ever fearful in the appearance , was onely glorious , and not penal ; or els he cheerfully resolved that such a momentany pain in the change would be followed with an eternity of happiness : o god , we are not worthy to know whereto thou hast reserved us : perhaps thou hast appointed us to be in the number of those , whom thou shalt finde alive at thy second coming ; and then the case will be ours ; we shall pass through fire to our immortality : or , if thou hast ordained us to a speedier dispatch , perhaps thou hast decreed that our way to thee shall be through a fiery triall . o god , what ever course thou in thine holy wisdom hast determined for the fetching up my soul from this vale of misery , and tears , prepare me thoroughly for it ; and do thou work my heart to so lively a faith in thee , that all the terrours of my death may be swallowed up in an assured expectation of my speedy glory : and that my last groans shall be immediately seconded with eternall allelujahs , in the glorious chore of thy saints and angels in heaven . amen . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cor. . . colos . . , . rom. . . gal. . . exod. . . psal . . . zech. . . deut. . eccles . . , . psal . . . luk. . . ephes . . cant. . . cant. . . psal . . . psa . ult . ult . psal . . . . psa . . , . luk. . . acts . joh. . . jer. . . luk. . . cant. . psal . . . psal . . psal . . . heb. . . heb. . . pet. . . lament . . . lam. . . judges . . acts . , . kings . . psal . . . phil. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . , , . psal . . luk. . . psa . . . jer. . . esa . . . psa . . . esa . . . esa . . . psa . . . lam. . . lam. . . job . . . psa . . . ezek. . . psal . . , . jam. . , . esa . . . esa . . . psa . . . revel . . . cor. . . gen. . . ezek . , . exod. . . mal. . . eccles . . . matth. . . tim . . heb . . prov. . . eccles . . . eccles . . . cor. . . pro. . : col. . . rom. . . deut. . . col. . . . rom. . . num. . psal . . . num. . . . num. . . num. . . cor. . . kings . . . cant. . . cor. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . . jer. . , . psal . . . cor. . . psal . . . psal . . . psal , . . . job . . . . . exod. . sam. . , . joh. . , . revel . . . . ps . . . joh. . . joh. . . prov. . . prov. . . prov. . , . prov. . . jam. . . rom. . . psal . . , . eph. . . luk. . . luk. . . luk. . . joh. . . esa . . . king. . . pet. . . isa . . . pet. . . joh. . . job . . . luk. ▪ . luk. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . . phil. . . cor. . . cor. . . eccl. . , , . matt. . , , , luke . . . luk. . . luk. . , . joh. . . psal . . . king iames his preface monitory . mark. . . ephes . . , . phil. . . phil. . . rom. . . psal . . , . psal . . , . cor. . . pet. . . , joh. . . heb. . . heb. . . joh. . . act. . . zechar. . . ecclu . . . colos . . . gen. . . heb. . . revel . . . cor. . . heb. . . colos . . , . haggai . . , . colos . ▪ , . rom. . . rom. . . prov. . . rom. . . cor. . . sam. . . matt. . , . act. . . act. . . tim. . . pet. . . judg. . . kin. . . sam. . . philip. i. . ecclus. . . philip. . . gal. . . rom. . . joh. . . psal . . . psal . . . revel . . . psal . . sam. . . matt. . . matt. . . . exod , . . pro . . job . . , . luke . . . luke . , . mar. . . tim. . . prov. . . tim. . , . prov. . cor. . . act. . , . psa . ▪ . . isa . . . psa . . . gen. . , . job . job . . . luk. . . joh. . . joh. . . luke . acts , . luk. . ● . rom. . , . prov. . . mal. . . joh. . . job . . cor. . . ps . . . mat. . . psal . , , . pro. . . notes for div a -e luc. . . luk. . . . heb. . . heb. . . judg. . prov. . . king. . . gen. . . gen. . . revel . . . ecculs . . . notes for div a -e joh. . . psal . . . . psal . . . jude . prov. . . prov. . . eccles . . matth. . . cor. . . psal . . . psal . . rom. . . jsa . . . rom. . . ephes . . . psal . . . eccles . . . ps . . . eccles . . . joh. . . rev. . . rom. . . ps . . . gen. . . cor. . . act. . . luk. . . micah . . phil. . . cor. . , . heb. . , , . luk. . . , , . ps . . . ps . . . cant. . . ps . ▪ . micha . . , . psal . . . kings . . . psal . . . job . . eccles . . . act. . . ps . . . sam. . . a modest confutation of a slanderous and scurrilous libell, entitvled, animadversions vpon the remonstrants defense against smectymnuus hall, joseph, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a modest confutation of a slanderous and scurrilous libell, entitvled, animadversions vpon the remonstrants defense against smectymnuus hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. s.n.] [london? : . attributed to joseph hall. cf. blc. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng smectymnuus. milton, john, - . -- animadversions upon the remonstrants defense against smectymnuus. church of england -- liturgy. a r (wing h ). civilwar no a modest confutation of a slanderous and scurrilous libell, entituled, animadversions upon the remonstrants defense against smectymnuus. hall, joseph f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a modest confutation of a slanderous and scurrilous libell , entitvled , animadversions vpon the remonstrants defense against smectymnuus . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . diog. apud lucian . de hist. conser. printed in the yeer m.dc.xlii . to the reader . reader , if thou hast any generall or particular concernment in the affairs of these times , or but naturall curiosity , thou art acquainted with the late and hot bickerings between the prelates and smectvmnuans : to make up the breaches of whose solemn scenes , ( it were too ominous to say tragicall ) there is thrust forth upon the stage , as also to take the eare of the lesse intelligent , a scurrilous mime , a personated , and ( as himself thinks ) a grim , lowring , bitter fool . i have no further notice of him , than he hath been pleased , in his immodest and injurious libell to give of himself : and therefore , as our industrious criticks for want of clearer evidence concerning the life and manners of some revived authours , must fetch his character from some scattered passages in his own writings . it seems he hath been initiated in the arts by jacke seaton , and by bishop downam confirmed a logician : and as he sayes his companions did , it is like hee spent his youth , in loytering , bezelling , and harlotting . thus being grown to an impostume in the brest of the vniversity , he was at length vomited out thence into a suburbe sinke about london ; which , since his comming up , hath groaned under two ills , him , and the plague . where his morning haunts are i wist not ; but he that would finde him after dinner , must search the play-houses , or the bordelli , for there i have traced him ; [ among old cloaks , false beards , tyres , cases , periwigs , modona vizzards , nightwalking-cudgellers , and salt lotion . ] many of late , since he was out of wit and cloaths , as stilpo merrily jeered the poore starveling * crates , he is new cloathed in serge , and confined to a parlour ; where he blasphemes god and the king , as ordinarily as erewhile he drank sack or swore . hear him speak : [ our liturgie runnes up and down like an english gallopping nun , pag. . while shee prankes her selfe in the weeds of popish masse , she provokes the jelousie of god , no otherwise than a wife affecting whorish attire , pag. . liturgie a bait for them ( papists ) to bite at , pag. . a pharisaicall and vain-glorious project , ibid. god hath taught them ( the people ) to detest your liturgie and prelacy , pag. . is liturgie good or evill ? evill ? pag. . a * meditation of yours observed at lambeth from the archiepiscopall kittens , pag. . the prelates would have saint pauls words * ramp one over another , pag. . ●et not those wretched fathers think they shall impoverish the church of willing and able supply , though they keep back their sordid sperm , begotten in the lustinesse of their avarice , pag. . lest thinking to offer them as a present to god , they dish them out for the divell , pag. . your confutation hath atchieved nothing against it , ( the reply by smectymnuus ) left nothing upon it , but a soule taste of your skillet foot ; and a more perfect and distinguishable odour of your socks than of your night-cap , pag. . ] christian , doest thou like these passages ? or doth thy heart rise against such unseemly beastlinesse ? nay , but take heed : [ this is nothing disagreeing from christian meeknesse , pag. . not unauthorised from the morall precept of solomon , — nor from the example of christ , and all his followers , in all ages , ibid. ] horrid blasphemy ! you that love christ , and know this miscreant wretch , stone him to death , lest your selves smart for his impunity . this is my adversary ; to encounter whom at his own weapons ( which he voluntarily chose pag. . as goliah his sword and spear , to defie the god and the host of israel ) i am much too weak ; and must despaire of victory , unlesse it may be gotten by the strength of a good cause , and a modest defense of it . i dare not say but there may be hid in my nature , as much venemous atheisme and profanation as hath broken out at his lips ; ( every one that is infected with the sicknesse , hath not the sores running upon him : ) of which should i be as lavish as he hath been , it might be said of us , that we encountred one the other like a toad and a spider , and each dyed of the others poyson : or whiles we would seem to fall out about some petty matters in religion ▪ we well enough agreed together to be eminently wicked . it is my prayer to god , that all those and the like scandals , with which hee hath , and i may grieve the church , may be forgiven to him , and prevented in me : and that in his good time himselfe would undertake the curing of his churches wounds , which by the ignorance of some , and malice of others , are like to be but the worse for the plaster . faerwell . the preface §. i. is apologeticall ; and well may it be so . satisfaction to tender consciences , is that which we look for , and that which you ought to give ; as having done violence through all your book to the person of an holy and religious prelate , the eares of all good christians within our church , the established laws of the kingdom , the pretious and dear name of our common master and saviour christ jesus . we must suppose you have undertaken a religious cause : that is your pretended subject ; we shall examine the truth of it by and by ; we must now look to your manner of handling it : a suspicious way you think ; and so do i. here we agree . your defense is , in such a cause , it is nothing disagreeing from christian meeknesse , the morall precept of solomon , the example of christ . what ? to weary god and man , with lewd profanations , scurrilous jests , slanderous and reproachfull calumni●s ? what morall precept in solomon countenances such language as this * [ scum , lad●es , kitchen-physick . brawn , beef , kickeshaw and crambe-prayers , motley and patcht incoherences . with hey passe , repasse , and the mysticall men of sturbridge : your barber leading in balaams asse . christ and his apostles , capon and white-broath in the same leaf . esaus red pottage , and a spur-galled galloway . bastards and centaurs of spirituall fornications . a christian ministers surplice , and an egyptian priests frock in the same suds : your primero of piety , cogging of dice into heaven . gleeking and bacchanalia , and flanks , and brickets , &c. ] such language you should scarce hear from the mouths of canting beggars , at an heathen * altar ; much lesse was it looked for in a treatise of controversall theologie , as yours might have been thought , had you not thus prevented it . as for christs example , which you blasphemously urge , surely that holy mouth was never so foul , but then when it was spit upon : yet neither was that indignity so bad as this . well , but what if the benefit of this kind of writing will make amends for the fault of it ? shall we do evill that good may come thereof ? god forbid : not if the good which followed were far better than it is like to prove : for let us see , what does it promise ? [ even this vein of laughter , as i could produce out of grave authors , hath oft times a strong and sinewy force in teaching — ] doubtlesse you mean atheism . for what else it can teach i am as far to seek , as you are of those grave authors that defend it . i care not to know what your reading hath been ; and mine own is confest small : yet * one i have met withall , who ( till you confute him with a graver ) shall speak home to the purpose . to leave all reverend compassion towards evils , all religious indignation towards faults , to turn religion into a comedy or satyr , to rip up wounds with a laughing countenance , to intermixe scripture and scurrility sometimes in one sentence , is a thing far from the devout reverence of a christian , and scant beseeming the honest regard of a sober man . is this your noble jealousie , your dear love to the souls of weak christians ! this your well-heated fervency ! for shame render not that holy fire of zeal , which burned as bright in our fore-fathers breasts , as it lyes dead in ours , any further suspected to the world ; lest anon , men think it nothing but a name , an ignis fatuus , or the lying and false bragge of some vain-glorious fools . again , it must be beleeved , you have done this not without a sad and unwilling anger , not without many hazzards : and therefore we must pardon your endevours ! who put you upon the task ? who forced an unwilling , relenting man , to commit such insolencies ? little charity doth he deserve , who will choose to ask forgivenesse , rather than not to * offend . §. ii. not to tarry longer in your preface ; the intent of it was , as of other passages in your book , rather to maintain and defend libelling , than to give any pretended satisfaction : yet at the same time you condemn it too : condemn it on the bishops side , defend it on your own . if any of their party ( for indeed thus the matter stands now ) do chance to write , then their writings are defaming * invectives ; if any of yours , then it is liberty of speaking , permission of free-writing : nothing more injurious , nothing more pinching , than the restraint of them to free-born spirits , p. . for my own part , i dislike them equally in both ; unlesse in you somewhat worse , than in all that in this kinde have wrote before , because you stand up to justifie it . that lysimachus nicanor , which you instance in , ( is but one , and truly to my remembrance i have seen no more ; one of theirs to an hundred of yours is oddes : ) i misliked and censured as much as any that i have read . but what have all the bishops , on whom you so hotly charge it , to do with that ? nay what he , in whose dish you so enviously and malitiously lay it ? no more than you had sure with newes from hell , or the protestation protested . before i answer your justification of these libels , i must tell you , you have wronged the noble ingenuity and fair memory of that wonder of our age , sir francis bacon , whom you here bring in as a witnesse against the bishops , he complains ( you say ) of the bishops uneven hand over these kind of pamphlets . you say so : hear him . [ and here i do much esteem the wisedome a●d religion of that bishop , which replyed to the first pamphlet in this kinde ; who remembred that a fool was to be answered , but not by becomming like unto him ; and considered the matter he handled , and not the person with whom he dealt . ] you will say perhaps , this was but one bishop : hear him again in the name of them all . [ i hope assuredly that my lords of the clergie have no intelligence with these other libellours , but do altogether disallow , that their dealing should be thus defended : for though i observe in him many glo●es , whereby the man would insinuate himself into their favour , yet i find too ordinary , that many pressing and fawning persons do misconjecture of men in authority ; and many times veneri immolant suem , they seek to gratifie them with that they most dislike . ] — [ for i have great reason to satisfie my self touching the judgment of my lords the bishops in this matter , by that which was written by one of them , whom i mentioned before with honour . ] whom have you wronged most now ? your authour , your reader , or the bishops ? beleeve me , who ever you are , such collusion as this is unchristian . i return to you again . this permission of free-writing ( so you are pleased to stile the most bitter and atheisticall libels ) were there no good else in it , yet at some time thus licenced , is such an unripping , &c. let the good be what it will , i am sure it is the most unworthy way of procuring it that may be . what generall , in whose brest there lived but one spark of noble valour , would first disarm the enemy , and then fight ! the just arms that they have who defend a good cause , is innocence , integrity , and repute ; which when they are deprived of , layes them open to such impotent nakednesse , as inevitably brings their ruine . [ these courses ( saith master sandys ) are base and beggarly , even when singlenesse of mind and truth do concurre with them , and far unworthy of an ingenuous and noble spirit , which soareth up to the highest and purest pathes of verity , disdaining to stand raking in these puddles of obscoenity , &c. ] when singlenesse of mind and verity concurre ; both which are wanting here in your cause : no singlenesse of mind , because these corruptions in manners are urged by you as arguments to disprove a clear and divine truth , ( which sir francis bacon will tell you , is as well now a policy of the devils , as formerly pretended holinesse was to raise errors . ) no truth , because though some corruptions , and those grievous ones , are confessed and lamented , yet not on his hand to whose person you lay them . hear then my fore-cited authour : [ but if to this basenesse of discoveries , other basenesse be also added ; if malice prefer them , if sleight increase them , if falshood and slander taint them , then do they not onely abase men from the dignity of their nature , but even associate them with the foul enemy and calumniator thereof , whose name is the slanderous accuser of his brethren . the good that arises of these libels , ( as the florentine informs me ) is , to incite the people of fury and tumult , to breed hatred , findings , factions , ruine . [ and yet it is somewhat pinching among free-born sprits , if this liberty be denyed . ] yea , some citizens have served themselves of these calumnies , and made them steps and helps to their ambitious ends . how ? by confirming the people in an ill opinion of them that do oppose , thereby to get their votes and partage . and as it depresseth that scale wherein you put all the prelates , so it raiseth that as much , wherein you put your selves . the ripping up with exceeding severity the faults of higher callings , begetteth a great good opinion of integrity , of zeale and holinesse , to such constant reprovers of sin , as by likelihood would never be so much offended at that which is evill , were they not singularly good themselves . and further ( as you have used the matter , imputing personall faults to the government in generall , of which i shall say somewhat anon ) it gets you the opinion of wise men too , that can see farther into ecclesiasticall affairs , than either the founders or conservers of this established polity . thus much of libels in generall . i come now to yours . §. iii. nor would i have done you the injury to have called it so , were it not too too manifest . for that which even you professedly disavow ( private and personall spleen , p. . lin. . ) is the greatest matter in your book ; the other businesse being handled but by the by , or not at all : and where it is , in such a wretched , loathsome manner , as once i did almost doubt me , whether or no you did not jeer at both sides , at religion , and god , and all . i shall first answer to those personall injuries , and then to the cause . only first let me satisfie you concerning my engagements and dependencie , which perhaps you may possibly think might have wrought me to this vindication . i am free , as you , or any true subiect may or need be : i have a fortune therefore good , because i am content with it : and therefore content with it , because it neither goes before , nor comes behind my merit . god hath given me a soul , eager in the search of truth ; and affections so equally tempered , that they neither too hastily adhere to the truth , before it be fully examined , nor too lazily afterward . such excesse fills the world with furious , hot-braind hereticks , schismaticks , &c. the defect , with cold speculative atheists . i have alwayes resolved that neither person nor cause shall improper me , further than they are good ; and so far it is my duty to give evidence . §. iv. he that shall weed a field of corn , bind the weeds up in sheaves , and present them at once to the eye of a stranger , that is ignorant how much good wheat the field bears , beside those weeds , may very well be deceived in censuring that field ; especially if he which presents them hath put into the heap such weeds as came from elsewhere . thus it fares with men , when the evil actions of the best are picked and culled out from their virtues , and all presented in grosse together to the eye or ear of him who is otherwise ignorant of the persons whose vices or faults they are ; what monsters do they seem ! this and more have you done to our prelate : this , in pinning upon his sleeve the faults of others : more , in that those which you pretend faults are indeed virtues . what hath the remonstrant to answer for the * scorn that is by some thrown upon our martyrs ; while it is known to all , that will not be ignorant , that he doth both honour their memories , and tread in their steps ; and that he doth not , as they did , in an holy zeal sacrifice his blood to his god , is not that he is backward to it , but that it is not yet required at his hands . god is my witnesse , i do not , neither can i flatter him : he that so patiently hath offered up his fame , his civill life , to be torn by the teeth and phangs of calumny , how shall i think he will love his blood better than that ? i know what it is that hath rendred many martyrs and their stories so suspected as they are , to wary and uncredulous men : sometime a * wrong cause ; when traytours shall engage god in a conspiracy , and then being detected and brought to execution , dye for it no lesse undauntedly than if it were for the dearest truth ; unhappily priding themselves in that , for which they ought rather to have repented . what glory is it , if when ye are buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently ? sometimes the seeking their own deaths in a good cause , out of ambition of obtaining that honour , which those first times of the church had set upon martyrdome . whence i should think it as discommendable for men to seek thus over-eagerly their own deaths , banishments , confiscations of goods , stigmatizings , as the philosopher did the seeking of * preferments : neither shall i ever esteem either their names or memories who shall thus gather sticks for their own severall piles ; and as if god knew not what honour was sit for them , be their own carvers : so may the same thorns which christ wore as the crown of humility , be upon their heads the crown of pride . otherwhiles the ignorant or malitious unfaithfulnesse of the martyrologers , in transmitting to us those church-stories , big-swoln with untrue legends , as so many invincible arguments of the truth of that cause , which those martyrs sealed with their blood . i have seen beyond sea what the jesuites of our own nation have carped at master fox his history ; which made me think , though i durst not say , that they injured them no lesse now than formerly : and if any one of ours shall do the like , i shall think he wisheth no better to the protestant cause than they do . §. v. after you have born the people in hand , that our remonstrant hath defamed the old ones , it is an easie thing to perswade them that he hath made new . so you do ; [ haled some into the gehenna at lambeth , strappado'd others with an oath ex officio — ] if that court hath been illegall , either in the constitution of it , or in its proceedings , it is more than i know : but if so , the remonstrant is as guiltlesse of such illegalities , as i am ignorant : and a fault committed there can no more prejudice him , than the divine right of episcopacy . though your bow-men here were quick in the delivery of their arrows , yet they were wide of the mark . §. vi . if you missed before , now you will be sure to hit him , [ you love toothlesse satyrs ; let me inform you , a toothlesse satyre is as improper as atoothed sleek-stone , and as bullish . ] i wonder you go no lower ; perhaps his cradle might have yeelded you some worthy observation : it was reckoned amongst saint augustines faults , faults , that in his infancy he did morosiùs flere . such a note had not been amisse here ; but vixit is enough for that ; an happy time , that you cannot invent a slander to fixe upon . you begin therefore with his youth ; the sport and leisure of his youth , even that must be raked up out of the dust , and cited to witnesse against him , as it were to disparage the holinesse of his age and calling . [ when my early sinnes are done away as a morning cloud , they shall never obscure or darken my setting sun : god will never impute them to me , man may ] hath been the comfort of many a dying saint , in the day of evill , when the iniquity of their heels have encompassed them ; many , whose first years have been as famous for * debauchednesse , as their latter for devotion : whiles this remonstrant no sooner came to be capable of the more violent impressions of sin , but his nature and it fell foul ; and because he had overcome vices in himself , he took liberty to whip them in others . which timely zeal , as it did not mis-become his youth , so can it not disparage his * prelacy ; no , not as poesic , not as satyr : the first you cannot condemn ; and the latter i will maintain , against greater criticks than you would dare boast to have been conversant with : only if i appeal to such , my fear is , i shall have no adversary . to let passe therefore your simile of the sleek-stone ( which shews that you can be as bold with a prelate , as familiar with your laundresse , ) why , in the name of philology , is a toothlesse satyr improper ? why bullish ? euge novam satyram , satyrum sine cornibus euge ! monstra , novt monstri , haec ; & satyri & satyrae ! the authour himself furnished you with the exception : and had you had but so much life or quicknesse in your pallade , as to have tasted an epigram , you might have understood he speaks there in the person of such carping poetasters as you , and your now-despised tribe , are : they say , they are monsters ; you , that they are bulls : you mean , i suppose , chymaera's ; absurd and ridiculous compositions of words , inconsistible with sense . let us therefore , if you will , take them in pieces , and see where the incongruity lyes . satyra signified anciently any kind of miscellaneous writing , which we now term * essayes ; whence varro entituled many of his books of divers subjects , * satyras suas : whence there was also a law called metaphorically * lex satyra , when by one and the same vote , divers things were enacted . last of all , it came to be restrained to such kind of writings , as contained the vices of the times , whether in verse or prose ; more commonly now of later times in verse . dens or dentatus you cannot think should come here into composition with a satyre , in the primitive or proper signification of it , so as to make satyra dentata as we say it of a child , after its teeth are grown , or before , that he hath teeth , or is toothlesse : we must seek then some other sense for it ; where i finde teeth and horns to signifie strength , used to defense or injury . nothing is more familiar in scripture , than horn for strength : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , he hath raised up an horn of salvation ; a strong salvation . so also for injurious strength , foenum habet in cornu is a common proverb . the word , matth. . . which we translate simple , or harmlesse , is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , ab {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} cornu . thus martial lib. . ep. . dente timentur apri , defendunt cornua tauros : imbelles damae , nil nisi praeda sumus . so vinum edentulum was used by the ancients for small wines , such as we say in plain english , will do a man no hurt : vinum edentulum , hoc est nullarum virium , vel saltem perexiguarum . salmuth . ex gualth . tit. . p. . in the same sense horace speaks of the effects of strong wines : tu spem reducis mentibus anxiis , viresque , & addis cornua pauperi . makes a man bold or injurious : and in this sense ( unlesse these authours are improper , it is no bull to say a toothlesse satyr , i. e. an harmlesse poem , that doth parcere personis , dicere de vitiis ; spare the person , but strike the vice : for such should a true satyrist be , — asper incolumi gravitate . horat. de art. poet . satyrae incolumes are harmlesse ( more elegantly ) toothlesse satyrs ; in opposition to satyrae mordaces , biting or toothed satyrs ; such as for their loose insolencies were by law forbidden to the ancients . quid refert dictis ignoscat * mutius annon ? to which decorum our authour professes himself to have had respect , virgidem . lib. . in prol. for look how far the ancients comedy past former satyres in her liberty , so far must mine yeeld unto them of old , 't is better to be bad than to be bold . and sir david lindsey in his satyr in prol. prudent peopill i pray ȝow all take na man grief in speciall , for we sall speik in generall for pastime and for play : thairfoir till all our rimis be rung , &c. though what was , and is denyed the stage , is got up into the pulpit : much as the manner was with chaucers pardoner . then woll i sting hem with my tonge smert in preaching , so that he shall not assert to been diffamed falsely , if that he hath trespassed to my brethren or me : for though i tell not his proper name , men shall weil know it is the same by signes or by other circumstances , thus quite i folk that doth us displeasances , thus put i out my venym under hiew of holinesse , to semen holy and true . as you have censured the remonstrants poesie , so in like manner you have justified a slip in the smectymnuans philology ; i mean , so weakly , not so malitiously , they mistook a bench for a judge ; or rather the place for the men : areopagi for areopagitae ; and you make it good : how ? [ if in dealing with an outlandish name they thought it best not to screw the english mouth to an harsh forrain termination , they did no more than the elegantest authours among the greeks , romans , italians , &c. ] every countrey , i know , takes and gives that leave in the use of forraign words , to fit them to their own easiest pronunciation and best liking : sometimes out of necessity , sometimes of choice and pleasure onely . the greeks when they met with words terminated in any of these letters , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , because such terminations were unknown to them , usually changed them . as polybius for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} writes {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . and suetonius ( as some will have it ) tells us how the romans used the old germane word ( a rutters ) which they still use to signifie horsemen in war . and so perhaps our english word ( meat ) is but mattya fashioned to our dialect : dives & ex omni posita est extructa macello coena tibi ; sed te b mattya sola juvat . mart. lib. . ep. . so the italian inciostro from the latine word c encaustum , as likewise our english word ( inke . ) encaustes d phaeton tabula tibi pictus in hac est , quid tibi vis , dypyron qui phaetonta facis ? mart lib. . epig. . [ our learned chaucer did not sticke to doe so . ] true . — there was a king that hyght ceys , and had a wyfe , the beste tha myght beare lyfe , and this queene hyght alcione . fol. . semiramus , candace and hercules , byblys , dido , tyshe and piramu● . fol. . ne like the pytte of pegace vnder pernaso where the poet● slept . ( fol. . what is all this to the purpose ? chaucer hath mollifyed a termination , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} quod valet {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : he hath not metamorphosed the name of a place into the name of a man : or if he had , it were one of those faults which ought to be forgiven ( not imitated ) in so reverend antiquity . the old latines wrote im for eum , joure for jure , nox and noctu for nocte , diequinte for die quinto : would you do so now ? yes , yes , any thing , rather than acknowledge the least errour : for either you are as dis-ingenuous in matters of grammar as of religion ; in both , purposing therefore to maintain a thing , because you have said it ; or else perhaps you have a designe to innovate as well upon our language as upon our church-government . if you be remembred , you set afranius in lucian to laugh at the bishops ; to return you an innocent jest , i will set demonax upon you . this demonax asked one a question , who answered him in old obsolete affected words ; prethee fellow ( saith he ) where are thy wits ? i ask thee a question now , and thou answerest . years ago . i ask in the sixteenth of king charls , and you answer in the first of king john . for your aula & olla , that you say is the same in old latine , i could clap you on the shoulder with a greek proverb as old , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , children and ●ools , &c. senex avarus vix sibi credens euclio , domi suae defossam multis cum opibus aulam invenit . plaut. aulular . but for your application of it in plain english [ aula and hall ] i must tell you it was an observation as unchristian & flanderous in that particular , as in the general a superstitious . §. vii . next you impugne his logick : the remonstrant had said , da - civill polity in generall notion is variable and arbitrary ; you subsume , but ri - the polity of our kingdome is civill polity : ergo , i. the polity of our kingdome is variable , &c. and thereupon you cry , treason ! and want of logick ! in the first you are uncharitable ; in the last , irrationall , only guilty of that failing which you impute to the remonstrant . for look upon your syllogism ; there is in the major proposition , fallacia ad plures interrogationes : for either we ask , what is possible only ; or what is possible and lawfull . the remonstrant answers ; it is possible civill polity may vary ; or , it is in the generall notion left of god to a various administration ; subject to divers forms , monarchy , aristocracy , democracy . you answer ; it may be lawfully done at any time , or by any what ever undertakers : for so much is inferred in your conclusion . civill polity is at any time , or by any undertakers variable and subject to a lawfull alteration : but the polity of england , &c ergo , it is at any time , by any undertakers , &c. this makes the treason , this you must and do inferre , or else you charge him with treason unjustly . in this sense , as lawfull , and , at any time , and , by any undertakers , the remonstrant denyes the particular to be inferred upon his generall . but in his own he grants it , viz. that it is possible , subject to a condition of variation , though it be treason against the highest majesty of heaven , whose substitute the king is , in him or them who do attempt a change . and in this saying he sayes no more , than all statesmen of the generall , and sir francis bacon of our particular , had said before him . [ all civill governments are restrained from god unto the generall grounds of justice and manners , but the policies and forms of them are left free ; ] free , and to the arbitrement of a people , met together and consenting by the secret impression and instinct of god , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , arist. lib. . pol. cap. . to take what form of government they please : which being setled according to the generall rules of justice , and particular rules of the best advancement of publike good , is so immediately ratified by god , by his infusion of soveraignty into him or them , who by the joint consent of all is advanced to the helm ; as also ( to us christians ) by laying so many injunctions upon the people , to obey and honour all those in authority , not for wrath , but for conscience sake ; that it is a ●inne of the highest degree , onely but in thought to meditate an alteration . the apostles distinction , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , shewes us what is the kings hold , and what is our duty . the kings hold is divine ; he hath a deputed soveraignty , which works upon the conscience , either willing or refusing to submit , in just lawfull and indifferent things : our duty is , in these things , willingly to obey : and in case of substraction of our obedience , to know that he hath {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a compulsory power , without which god had put the sword into his hands in vain ; that is , made him like a george on horse-back , with his hand and sword lift up , but not able to strike . in this point i suppose both they that labour for and against episcopacy , do agree jointly . §. viii . envie is a make-bate , alwayes doing ill offices : if it cannot compasse its own ends one way , it will another . you , not having any thing to accuse the remonstrant to the king , do it to the parliament . [ gladly you say , we beleeve you , as gladly as your faction wished for the assembling of this parliament . — whether this reflect not with ●cont●●ely upon the parliament . — ] let the theef or murderer dread the judge ; let fear dwell where it ought , in guilty bosomes . doubtlesse the remonstrant ; and those which you esteem hi● faction , are as glad of , and wish as well to this honourable assembly , as you and yours do . it is not the parliament they make head against , but you and your furious complices , who between soft flattery towards some of that house , and rough violence to others ( witnesse your libels against so many of them , as their consciences made vote contrary to some proceedings ) are like to over-turn all . they know , and so do i , that the sunne looks not upon a braver , nobler convocation , than is that of king , peeres , and commons ; whose equall justice , and wise moderation , shall eternally triumph , in that they have hitherto deferred to do , what the sowre exorbitancies on one hand , and eager solicitations on the other , not permitting them to consult with reason , would have prompted them to : who know how to ponder wise and grave a sentences , not from the number , but the worth of them that propound them . among whom , even the youngest and unskilfullest may stand a pattern and example to future times , teaching state-novices , rather to inform their judgments to the good of the next assembly , than to use them to the b prejudice of this present . the gravest and most experienced , to be what they are thought , and to deserve all that praise , with which the people c load them . so to satisfie their desires as they are just , not as they are d vehement : considering that the multitude crave only out of the sense of evils ; of which so long they will have a sense , as they are willing to obey . all conspiring unanimously , so to advance the pure religion of our dearest saviour , that it be not dispirited on one hand by gaudy ceremonious formalists ; nor lost on the other amids a crowd of sullen and ignorant sectaries : and after that ( to which it is an honour for him to submit ) the divine soveraignty and royall immunities of our most gratious master . §. ix . we must go higher yet ▪ and if we will , may beleeve the remonstrant to be [ a notorious enemy to truth , pag. . a false prophet , pag. . a belly-god , proud and covetous , pag. squeezed to a wretched , cold , and hollow-hearted confession of some prelaticall ryots , pag. . whose understanding nothing will cure but kitchin-physick , pag. . a laodicean , pag. . a dissembling joab , pag. . a dawber with untempered morter , pag , . ] good god! thou that hast promised to direct the steps of the humble , and to be with those that are of a meek heart , instruct me how to chuse some other path to walk in towards my eternity ; for this my soul hates ! let me for ever be shut out of that heaven , that is the reward of such black calumny , such malitious and divellish slanders ! and , o you my dear brethren , who are disaffected towards the prelate , look upon and give evidence to the man ! how is he an enemy to the truth , unlesse the gospel of christ be a lye ! how is he a false prophet , unlesse your selves who professe the same faith be impostors ? view well that heap of age and reverence , and say whether that clear and healthfull constitution , those fresh cheeks and quick eyes , that round tongue , agile hand , nimble invention , s●ay'd delivery , quiet calm and happy bosome , be the effects of threescore yeers surfeits and * gluttony . what time could he steal to bestow upon mammon , the god of this world , who hath given us so large an account of his idlest a minutes ? whose whole life hath been nothing but a laborious search after humane and divine truths , which having pickt out , ( as that little miracle of nature doth honey ) from weeds and flowers , he did not improper to himself , but liberally dealt them to the b good of the publike ; his toyl being impleasanted to himself , in that he loved the work he went about ; and accepted of the world , because they knew he dished out nothing to them , but what he tasted of himself ; penned nothing but what first he practised . how could he be lazie and idle , whose volumes are so many , whose preaching so frequent , whose studies so early and late ; so that it is onely questionable whether his lips did drink in more grace than they distilled ? i commend not , but vindicate . must he be therefore luke-warm , because his zeal burns not as hot as hell ? must his conscience be therefore cauterized and seared , because he brands not every christian out of the church of england with the marks of reprobation ? writes not the dreadful doom of god in the forehead of all popishly given , in france , spain , italy , germany ? sends not all russian , abassine , grecian , armenian , ethiopick churches , which all the day have flown different wayes , and laboriously cull'd ( with the bee ) such sweets as they could light upon , in the evening swarming to hell ; or presently sets not fire on their hives ? alas ! how long hath this been the doctrine of the church of england ? and i cannot yet beleeve it . shall i ever think , with that foolish anchorite , that the sun shines no where but into my cell ? or can i not enough enjoy and blesse god for the warmth of his great light , unlesse i confidently affirm , that at no time , in no measure it shines beyond our tropick . let who will confine the mercies of god in christ to so narrow limits ; i dare not . brethren , hath he forsaken the faith , that is so far an enemy to the pope , as the pope is an enemy to christ ? is it come to this now , that he must be bid part from the rest of his brethren , that holds not episcopacie to be antichristian ; all forms of prayers and liturgies to be quenching of the spirit , evill ( quatenus ipsum ; ) an equality of ministers , living upon niggard contributions ; demolishing of churches and all kind of sacriledge lawfull ? that calls not the royall , noble , and devout munificence of our ancestors , who received , cherished , and transmitted our religion to us , the price of their damnation ? doth that good spirit of god dwell no where but in dry or marishy constitutions ? will grace mixe with nothing but adust choler , or lowring morose peevishnesse ? cannot grace and nature consist ? when we deny our selves , must we deny humanity ? doth gods spirit now inspire christians , as the devill did his priests of old , by putting them out of their wits ? is conversion nothing but a turning about to this mans opinion , or that mans novelties ? a slavish imitation of some forraigne church abroad , or doting upon some great masters at home ? why else cannot a sober , modest , humble , orthodox prelate go for a christian among us ? why are we weary of him , if we be not so of our religion ? him , who had been as holy , wise , learned , temperate , bountifull , sincere a protestant , as any this day in our church , had he but been of your opinion in matters of discipline ? how almost a saint , how altogether a devill ? no preaching , no care of the peace of the church , no learned volumes writ , no hospitality , no poor fed , no holinesse of life , no church , no salvation , but in the presbytery ? worthy you of your chains and fagots , o ye martyrs , that commended this government unto us ; perish and rot the memories of those famous assemblies , that confirmed it , and bound us to the maintenance of superstition and antichristianisme ! and now that i finde them so ungratefull to the dead , it lessens my wonder , though not their impiety , that they are so to the living . away with those cheap as numerous leaves , that image forth to us his ravished and devout thoughts ; away with the clear and bright mirrour of a dispassioned soul , a rectified understanding , a liberall and christian charity ; with that sweet and heavenly * eloquence that prepares a way for the spirit of god ; that opens our eares , the gates of our soules , that the king of glory may enter in , and dwell there ; that awakens our understandings to arise and be ready to entertain that {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the engrafted word , which is able to save our souls ; yea and away with it from the earth , lest it upbraid to future ages , the tyrannous malice and affected barbarisms of these present times . blind men ! that will not see our own good ; that shut our eyes , and then complain that we want the sunne ! if you will not look upon his works , which testifie of him , ask his great master , or his noble retinue at court , whether this confession of the riots and disorders of courts , officers , palaces , city , countrey , were now squeezed from him ? whether it came not then from his lips as freely as now ? whether his reproofs seemed cold , wretched , or heartlesse ? or if there lurked hidden evils which he saw not , or those which he saw were not reformed , why doth he suffer as a countenancer , as a contriver ? it was a word fell from the boldest and most undaunted spirit that rome ever saw , * i would , but the times would not . zeal must have discretion as well as knowledge . he that pressed too hard upon the enemy and lost himself , was in the old discipline of warre accounted as infamous as he that fled . he that regulates his actions by a good conscience , rather than popular fame , however they hear abroad , findes ever the content and reward of them at home . but in good earnest , what should he do to please you ? what way , besides abjuring his prelacy , or being as wicked as you would make him , is there left for him to content you ? if he write controversies , then he is a swash-buckler against the pope ; then he careers with speare in rest , and thunders upon the steel cap of bellarmine : if he preaches , then he sermonizes and dawbes with untempered mortar : if he contemplates or meditates , then he playes with ●ambeth kittens : if at court , he is crowding for preferme●t , or accusing the people to the king : if at home , he is a belly-god , &c. o the love , and charity , and reverence of these times , to so holy , so deserving a bishop ! may ye stay for such another glorious light of the church , till ye can deserve him ! and never enjoy the benefit of this , till ye have made him amends for these injuries ! * had former times shewne him , or forraigne churches nourished him , he that is now your scorn had been your wonder : happy had that man been that could have dressed a sermon in his grave and waighty sentences , or his study with his picture : only now we wanton at the full brest , and because we are at spring-head , rather puddle the clear stream with our foot , than slake our thirst . froward spite , that makes us therefore hate , because we cannot love enough ; therefore revile , because we cannot sufficiently praise . but go on , revile , slander , belye holy men ; your selves can give us the best and truest character of what ye are : neither in this point would i ever have condemned ye , had i not heard it from your own mouths . and you , reverend sir , stand up ; the disadvantage of your old age , your spent and decayed strength , that would naturally shrink under such pressures , makes but grace more eminent in you : we can never better see how the foundation bears the weight of the building , than when the props be removed . how can any one say , lo this man leans to an arm of flesh , when he sees it withered ? the evill dayes of a man are the best of a christian : now may grace borrow her masters chariot , and triumph , saying , i have ●rod the wine-presse alone , and of the people ( feare , hope , boldnesse , glory ) there was none with me . and to thee , o god , be the praise of this exercise of his christian fortitude ; it is thou that hast shewn ( as the last and most glorious blaze of this dying light ) that he that could deserve all praise , could suffer all injury . §. x. the scraps and offall that remain of your libell , concern liturgie and episcopacie ; both which you have handled , as you esteem of them , unworthily and basely . forsooth you would give the world to know these two things ; first , that you are no bishop : secondly , that you can pray ex tempore . surely a man of strong parts , and a mortified ambition ! it was thought of old , that the philosophers did therefore contemn and speak ill of riches and pleasures and high places , because they were never born to them ; as the fox cursed the grapes that were out of his reach . but we will not think so uncharitably of you ; a rich widow , or a lecture , or both , contents you . to the first you make way , by a long , tedious , theatricall , big-mouthed , astounding prayer , put up in the name of the three kingdomes ; not so much either to please god , or benefit the weal-publike by it , as to intimate your owne good abilities to her that is your rich hopes . petit gemellus nuptias maronillae , et cupit , & instat , & precatur . because you shall never say i am envions , and go about to disgrace you , i will give this testimony of your oraisons , that there wanted but one petition to make them complete , which was , that god would forgive you the profanation of the rest of your book . to the second you make way ( a very compendious way in this age , if as honest as compendious ) by flattery and rayling : at both which you are old excellent , or as your own expression is , sufficiently tryed . how you can performe the first hath been already heard ; now let us heare the second . speak out , the parish is big . [ our great clerks think these men , because they have a trade , as christ himself and s. paul had , cannot therefore attain to some measure of knowledge , and to a reason of their actions , p. . ] as christ had ; christ preached , ergo sam. how may . take heed friend , you border upon blasphemy . our great clerks thinke , &c. truly , small clerk , you know but little of those mens mindes : i will insure you they do not think so . but why should you plead this ? methinks it were much better for you , and more conducible to your ends if it were so : for could they not attain to a reason of their actions , there were great hopes they would choose you to be their minister . but i know not how unluckily you have spoyled your own market ; if that be true which you elsewhere affirm of them [ that they are competent judges of a ministers abilities , as it will not be denyed that he may be the competent judge of a neat picture or elegant poem , that cannot limne the like , ] unlesse in your simile you recover your selfe and abuse them : for who ever accounted an ignorant gull a sufficient and competent judge of a terse poeme ? — versus reprehend●t inertes ? culpabit duros ? incomptis allinet atrum transverso calamo signum ? ambitiosa recidet ornamenta ? parum claris lucem dare coget ? arguit ambiguè dictum ? mutanda notabit ? fiet aristarchus ? — all which is the office of a critick . who but you thinks an inspired cobler may judge of apelles his workmanship ? {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , synes epist. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , arist. pol. . c. . vt de pictore , fictore , sculptore , nisi artifex judicare , ita nisi sapiens non potest perspicere sapientem , plin. lib . epist. . ( these authours testimonies , i hope sir , may be considerable against your insolent affirmation . ) who but you , against the command of god himself , dare bring not the congregation onely , but the very beasts of the people , within the borders of the mount ? sober and wise christians , i doubt not but they know where to stay ; neither will they follow such ring-leaders as you , to their own destruction : such men will acquit our great clerks well enough , of any or all your pretended slanders ; and besides tell you , ( that though against all sense and reason they make them not judges of their abilities , and against all antiquity and custome of the church , above what ever is written or practised in scripture , they receive not their ordination from them ; ) yet they both encourage them in , and blesse god for their safe knowledge , and becomming actions . go you then to your mutinous rabble , and if you can appease their furies , enthrone their sage wisedomes upon some stall or bench , and cite before them the clerks of either university : those competent judges , i guesse , will do like themselves , reject one as unsufficient ( so as they the horse which polygnotus had exquisitely painted , damned the whole piece , because contrary to the nature of that beast , he had made him with hairs on his nether eye-lids , ) onely for that he hath too little haire on his upper lip , or too much upon his fore-head ; because he useth not to wear wrought night-caps , or mastick patches . in the mean while another ( as the good-wife in plutarch judged of philopoemen ) shall be thought fitter to ●leave blocks than divide a text , because he hath a sowre or crabbed countenance ; because either his learning is too much , or that little he hath lodges , as their prentices do , in an ugly garret : whiles a third shall be deeply suspected of arminianism , because he hath a squint-eye , or is of the archbishops colledge . briefly all those glorious lights , and bright stars of eminence and lustre in either horizon , shall be no better esteemed of , than tyro in gellius observes the hyades were , which by his clownish ancestors were taken for so many sucking-pigs ; and perhaps under that name shall be driven to hogs-norton to pipe upon the organs ( if they be yet standing . ) but i leave these grave censors , these areopagi , if you will , to their own discretion ; lest while i am busied in observing of theirs , i forfeit mine : and this paragraph be taxed for that fault of your whole discourse , which in the easiest censurers mouth is but levity and digression . §. xi . of liturgie first . into which that distinction of saint pauls shall lead the way : all things are lawfull , but all things are not expedient . a thing in its own nature indifferent , and so lawfull , doth sometimes {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} become inexpedient , and so unlawfull . by this rule we will examine the point in hand . for that set forms of prayer are in themselves at least indifferent , the precept and practice of christ confirms , and no man in his right wits ever denyed . [ some set forms of prayer , by some men , in some cases may be lawfully used . ] the question is therefore of the expediency , not of the lawfulnesse of such prayers , viz. whether a set form of prayers , this in particular to which the church of england hath been , and is laudibly as piously accustomed , may {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , expediently be used , and enjoyned by all to be used , in a nationall church , as ours is . to the clearing of which point , there are two things of necessity to be done : . the conveniencies and inconveniencies of such prayers in the generall , must be weighed . . the blemishes with which this of ours in particular is charged must be examined according as we find which , for or against , our conclusion must be made . . it suits to , and agrees best with gods own proceedings in the government of his church . in which it hath pleased his divine wisdome so to order the matter , that ( since all men are not alike capable of knowledge , nor have the same abilities , ) his providence should as it were conform it self to this unequall condition of men : whence it is , he hath made choice of some to teach others , and pray for others ; chose some to be apostles , some ministers , pastors , teachers ; whereas had he not had respect to this , and purposed to go along with this weaknesse of mans nature , he could as well have infused abilities ( i mean supernaturall ) into the brest and brain of the most ignorant despicable member of the church , sufficient without other teachings or helps , to have raised him to converse with god here , and possesse god hereafter , as ever he did into the ablest of the apostles . and now having thus ordered the matter ; ( for thus it is , was , and ever will be , let men dream never so long , torture and rack scripture , to make it roare out an imaginary lying perfection ) god looks that those some which he hath chose , endued , set apart to teaching and praying , and all other offices of ministeriall function , as they are publike men , so should have a publike care of that church wherein they are : so drive , as the church may go like a flock together , a due respect had to the lambs and ewes big with young , to the weary , faint , and lame : — hanc aegram vix tytere duco : which alwayes are the most considerable number . yea , come we to the shepheards themselves : how many laborious , painfull , conscionable men are there , that if these helpes may not be allowed them , must either tempt god , fail in the performance of their duties , or give them quite up , as not sufficient for these things ? and if it come to this once , how many souls , ( every one , for ought we can say of this or that particular , being to god alike pretious , ) will here be desperately , irrecoverably lost ! for what help ? will our land afford enow such ex tempore men ? no nor the much magnified amsterdam , with geneva and new-england to boot . hope is a brave , heroick , sublimed christian virtue , but it is of things which make us not ashamed . . such liturgies and set forms are most expedient , if we look to the nature of prayers ( publike prayers . ) prayer in it self considered , is the proper act of the soul , of the will and understanding , and may be completely and perfectly offered up to god , without those subsidiary helps of invention , disposition , memory , language ; these , when we speak of private prayer , are but the vain pomp of it : when of publike , the necessary adjuncts . i will pray with the spirit , and i will pray with understanding , cor. . . this often mis-applyed text is to be understood of publike prayer , as you may see by comparing it with the second verse , he that speaketh or prayeth in an unknown tongue , speaketh or prayeth not unto men , but unto god . by spirit is meant ( not as our vain humourists would have it ) an extemporall faculty of wording it , but that gift of the spirit which saint paul mentions vers. , , &c. viz. the miraculous gift of tongues , or faculty of speaking divers languages : by understanding is meant the understanding of the people ; for he that prayeth in an unknown tongue , prayeth not unto men , that is , not to their understanding . that which i gather from hence is this ; that those publike prayers are most expedient to be used , which are most accommodated to the capacity of the people . herein i known you will agree with me . i go on . but a set form is most accommodate , ergo . this proposition is easily proved : i make it good thus . . the understanding is prae-acquainted with , and the subject otherwise difficult is thus made obvious and easie . . the matter is the same , not at the will , or passion , or ignorance , or negligence of him that prayeth to be varied : by reason of which , sometime the people cannot , sometime dare not go along with their minister . . though the language be not in it self unknown , yet the harshnesse of it in some , the length and tediousnesse of stile in others , the affected heighth of forced allegories and tropes , not to say the nonsense and ridiculously absurd variations of many pretenders to the faculty , render● it altogether as unintelligible , as it were latine or greek . if were to make good this assertion by a particular in ●ance , i would go no farther than your prayer you have given us , pag ▪ , , . which infinite of honest and simple christians would no more know how to understand , than they would doe a scene out of iohnsons cataline . but what command in scripture is there for it ? where is conceived prayer mentioned ! what such virtue is there in the extemporall wording of a prayer , that for the giving it such undoubted liberty we must run all these hazzards ? the soul may be as much inflamed that prayes in a set form , as that which doth not : and that may be as cold that prayes extempore . will you say , that every one that hath the gift , hath also affections answerable ? you dare not . that then may be belyed , and we shall admire the spirit where it is not : what is this , but to warm our selves at a painted fire ? for indeed it is not the volubility or roundnesse of tongue , that is the work of gods spirit primarily in him that hath this gift of prayer , but the enkindling of the affections : i say primarily ; for where the spirit of grace , which is as fire in the heart , findes such abilities , such naturall abilities , either actuall or potentiall , it doth catch hold of them , and make fuell as it were of them , whereby the soul burns the more ardently : but where it finds them not , god never infuseth them , ( this is meer anabaptisme ) otherwise no such abilities , no grace , no extemporall expressions , no prayer . and this being thus , doth it make a prayer ever the more acceptable to god , that it is extemporall ? doth it make a prayer unacceptable , that it is not so ? in truth , no : but this is it , there is more of the man in the extemporall prayer , and that makes us doat so much upon it ; as the fond mother commonly loves that child best , whose face is most like her , though perhaps of worst conditions . you cannot but know , that there are of the holiest men , and most able ministers about london , and elsewhere , that both use our liturgy , and accustome themselves to a set form of their own ; wisely considering as i said before , that they are publike men , and are bound to do not what they could more to their own benefit , but what they must , to the peoples . yea , those that do use extemporall expressions , i would ask them , how far they are from a set form : is not yesterdayes , to dayes , to morrows , and every dayes prayer alike , in the frame , oeconomy , or disposition of the matter ? is not the matter the same ? do they not preface , petition , conclude always alike ? not in the same words , you will say . well , but s. paul did so in all his epistles in the very same words ; and it is more than probable did so in all his prayers . if there be new emergent occasions , do not those men insert into their own ? doth not the church insert into the common-prayer book such petitions as are needfull for those occasions ? consider then in what things their prayers come near yours , and yours come near theirs , and where 's the difference ? why is the world distracted about nothing ? either you are exorbitant , or both may agree . . most expedient to attain the end such worship drives at ; order , unity , piety , and the best advancement of gods glory : whereas an unbounded liberty in extemporall and fanaticall prayers , brings forth the quite contrary ; disorder , dis-union of affections between man and man , impiety , atheism , and anarchy . ex ungue leonem . what leud demeanours , what insolent and irreligious behaviours , both towards the book of common-prayers , and the men that use them , hath this lawless time shewn ? now , while the laws are still in force that authorize them . the king and parliament devoutly use them , religious people morning and evening frequent them ; now some to spurn and tear them , others spit at them , you to call them superstitious , evill , a crambe , a kickshoe , an hotch-potch , a drench , &c. if this be not the highest degree of profanation , nothing is . surely , if we do not repent for this , our posterity will ; and besides that , blush when ever they shall be upbraided by such prodigiously atheisticall ancestors . but to proceed : what order can ever be expected ? what uniformity looked for ? what consent and harmony betwixt church and church , when every one shall differ in that which should make them truly one ? a communion of saints , even their community of prayers ? how , while some are starved , shall others be pampered ? and then what likenesse ? tell me not , that they that will shall use the churches set forms ; for either they will be wholly neglected , where others cannot be had , being so discountenanced , if left arbitrary ; discountenanced , i say , by publike authority , & depraved , condemned , damned , by private persons ; or else , whiles both are in use , it will nourish a continuall enmity betwixt the users of each . it is a requisite in the church of christ , that the particular congregations which are the members of that mysticall body , be of one heart and one minde , especially in their prayers to , and praises of god ; more especially in publike meetings , at publike deliverances , in publike dangers : how shall we be so , when we shall not know what one anothers hearts and mindes are ? no , but the designe of your dear friend , the authour of the protestation protested , and some since him , is , to have the church at length sifted and winnowed , and the grain laid apart by it self , that is your faction ; and for the chaffe , all else , let them do or be what they will , it matters not . if the kings state will maintain the faith of christ , well and good , they shall have your fair leave : if not , they shall have your leave too ; so you may enjoy your consciences you are indifferent . this is the common good that is cryed up , though indeed the publike wo : and thus you tread a fair way to it : you shall have the hold of the hearts of the people , the surest hold that may be , of their consciences , of all their religiousest actions , their prayers , supplications &c. and the state shall have none of you : not command you to pray for the king , that you say is time spent in flattery ; not for bishops , they are antichristian ; not for his subjects , that they may live godly and peaceable lives u●der him , they are dogs , shut out of the gate of the new city ▪ howling . immortale odium , & nunquam sanabile vulnus ardet adhuc ombos & tentyra — what can the end of these proceedings be , but an irreconcileable distance between party and party ; then jealousies , then provocations , then wars , then ruine ! i doubt not , but if christ had been pleased to have converted to his faith but one king and his whole state , and for to have ordered a nationall church , and have given over to us that order as a pattern , surely it should not have been any such independent anarchicall government as your platform is , nay will be if we can tell when ; for as yet the whelp is not licked into any fashion . you say that set forms of prayers are quenching the spirit ; whether it be so or no , i am sure your extemporall will set such a fire on your spirits , that they will need quenching , or the whole kingdome will burn with them . weigh these circumstances , and you will see that there is an expediency of set forms in a nationall church . . of set forms some of ye will grant , but not of these that are . your reason ? [ the form of your liturgie is phantastick and superstitious , and the end sinister , the imposition violent , pag. ● . ] phantastick ? like enough they might think so , that saw or heard you read them ; sed malè dum recitas , &c. but then the fault was not in the prayers , but your officiating . if ever you were present at a synagogue in amsterdam , and saw how the jewes with voice and ge●ure read a section of the law , or one of davids psalmes , you might justly say the men were phantastick , yet the matter was good . but the forme is so . wherein i pray ? i suppose you mean the same thing , with those importunate triflers in queen elizabeths dayes , who were offended at the short cuts or shreddings , at the intermingling of praying and reading in it , in such manner , as if supplicants should use the same to a mortall prince in proposing their suits , all the world would think them mad . if thus , the answer is , where you had the objection ; i have turned down the leaf , pray save me the labour of transcribing , and look it your self : onely the close is this ; our case were miserable , if that wherewith we most endevour to please god , were in his sight so vile and despicable , as mens disdainfull speeches would make it . though you borrow your arrowes ( your objections ) from their quiver , yet what with being new feathered with the peoples discontents , perhaps flying with the wind ; and lastly , their heads being poysoned with the gall of aspes , they pierce deeper now than formerly : then our prayers were but ridiculous , now superstitious . were they alwayes so ? yes . belike it was beyond the skill of those holy men to refine a scorpion into a fish , pag. . where then was their errour in transmitting over this superstition to us ? was it malice , or ignorance , or both ? that when we asked them bread , would give us a stone ; when we asked a fish , would give us a serpent ? [ it bribed their judgements with worldly engagements , pag. . ] o the inconsideratenesse of eager and headlong ambition ! that men , who but now were , some returned from banishment , others drawn out of prison , should in an instant be so turned about , that they would forfeit their religion , their wisedomes , their credits , yea their souls , in obtruding upon a church superstitious and damnable rules for devotion ; and all this to get a narrow incompetent bishoprick . if they had minded preferment , why looked they not abroad , where sacriledge and misdevotion had not so streightned their walkes , nor demolished their goodly prospects , nor washed out their gilded titles ? they could not have been worse there , if they were superstitious at home . i wonder not now to hear them so traduced by the papists , when our selves doe thus uncharitably misreport them . martin mar-prelate ( as master sandys can tell you ) is in the disgrace of our clergie cited by the papists , as a grave unquestionable authour : and what place your animadversions may once have in the vaticane , is yet dubious ; though it be certain that those spiders of rome cannot have a fitter subject from whence to draw poyson . but is it certain they are superstitious now ? will your smectymnuans affirm so much ? truly then they are as deeply concerned in it , as any of the rest of their brethren , who before the unhappy distaste of the late convocation , could alike swallow so much popery . however ; where is the superstition ? in this , this , or this prayer , or any of the rest ? if not in any of the parts , not in the whole . o but [ it symbolizeth with the masse , and pranks it self in popish weeds , and goes too garish upon holy-days , p. . ] they have anthems , and organs , and copes , and surplices in the church of rome : true ; and when all this is away , still they have prayers : and if you will wholly abolish them because symbolicall , antichrist will symbolize with ye {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in his creed in spite of your teeths , unlesse you mean to have no other but the christian beleef concerning bishops . that soul that can soar aloft upon the strength of his own wings , or hath its flagging pinions completely ymped with feathers from the dove , the spirit of god , shall little need such advantages as are these things which we speak of ; ( for advantages they are , and but advantages ; ) onely take you heed you do not , icarus-like , over-dare , and give all the christian world else leave to acknowledge and remedy as they may , their almost irremediable weaknesses . this outward state and glory ( sayes my fore-cited author ) being well disposed , doth ingender , quicken , encrease and nourish the inward reverence and respectfull devotion , due to so soveraign , so awfull a power : which , those whom the use thereof cannot perswade so , would easily by the want of it be caused to confesse . next , [ the end is sinister : a bait for papists to bite at . ] saving your scorn sir , such baits are laid by his direction , that made his apostles fishers of men . but what would that do ? bring them to our churches ? yes , and did : alas , what was that you will say ? i will tell you ; it was a shame to such recusant protestants as you are , that will not only not bite , but not so much as nibble . but you have answered your self : it was [ a greedy desire of winning of proselytes , by conforming to them unlawfully . ] i will confesse with you , that there was a greedy desire of winning proselytes , and is still ; but no unlawfull meanes used , till you have proved that those things , with which our church and the church of rome do symbolize , are either in their own nature , or due use , superstitious . if you know what is the meaning of that passionate entreaty of s. paul , destroy not him with thy meat for whom christ dyed : or of that which he alledgeth as his own example ; to the weak became i as weak , that i might gain the weak ; i am made all things to all men , that i might by all means save some : ] you would not call it , as you do , a vain-glorious and pha●isaicall project ; unlesse you think that a papist cannot have a tender conscience ; or if he hath , that he ought not for his satisfaction to be yeelded unto in things indifferent . neither is this end ( a respect indeed it is , that was and is had in having such forms , though not the main and ultimate ) frustrate if they do not come ; for it keeps as many protestants at church now , as it did papists at first ( till they were upon other reasons diverted ; ) many of which by so unsufferable a scandall , would either abstain from the worship of god altogether , or go where they might have it nearest to their ancient manner . in the last place , you say the imposition is violent : you mean this in respect to your selves , who have resolved never but by force to submit to any thing , how just soever : otherwise i s●e not how you can possibly call it so , since the authority is lawfull and just ; the thing in it self indifferent , and in the circumstances expedient , the extent of the imposition no farther than as it may stand together with prayers of our own framing , whether as private m●n or as publike . to conclude thi● section , you and i might hav● b●n far better busied in using those pious forms , than ●n thus d●sputing them either of the one side o● the other . §. xii . i was glad at my heart when i heard you cry out [ s●t the grave councels upon their shelves , string them hard , ] for from such your slighting of them , i conjectured your ignorance in that ki●d of learning to be , though not so ingenuously confessed , yet altogether as much and great as mine . and see , my conjecture proves true ; where my fear was most , i finde lea● cause why to fear : you have shewn that episcopacy , as it cannot be upheld but by well-grounded reason , and diligently searched antiquity , ( the scripture in this , as in a lesse materiall point , being lesse clear : ) yet it may be beaten down both by the clubs of the base rabble , and the rude fist of your false logick . for what is all your conf●tation of that holy order , but insinuative and cheating inconsequences , or spitefull and malicious rayling ; as if you intended so only to triumph over the cause , ( as lately ye did over the person of a prelate ) by throwing dirt in his face ? though your bright and new-varnisht modona vizard ( under which you so hansome●y play the hypocrite ) have deceived the people , yet ( non omnes fallis — ) others there be will know it to be but a vizard , especially wh●n i shall have rendered it more ugly , by scraping off the paint . in doing which i must follow you some what more close than formerly . animad. it had been hapty for this land , if your priests had been but onely wooden ; all england knows they have been to this iland not wood but wormwood , that have infected the third part of our waters , like that apostate . &c pag. . confut. it is an unhappy , though necessary misery , that doth accompany the church of christ ; that not only the people , but the guides of those people are subject to corruptions and depravations , as well in manners as doctrine : and it i● yet a more unhappy misery , that those corruptions have a farther mischief , viz. that too too often advantage is taken by and upon them , to discountenance , yea to ruine many truths . as here ; a bishop is incestuous or bestiall , ambitious , or tyrannicall , or hereticall , or ps●udodoxe , therefore the calling is antichristian : one is so : therefore all are so . what could make rationall men swallow such absurdities , but offense taken at those personall faults and misdemeanours ? confesse with you , that there is nothing more intolerable , more justly abominable in the eys of god and man , than a lewd , vicious , or lying prophet ; that there is nor higher nor lower among them , nor priest nor prelate , but some of them hath been and is so : what , shall we therfore have no more ministers ? is it the office , or the man , that bears this cursed fruit ? you say the office . i ask of prelacy only : why is it then that the inferiour clergy is most faulty ? how can they be so lewd , if no prelates ? or if lewd , why is not their order abolished ? hath prelacy some ill quality in it , that makes good men bad ? why are not all the prelates alike vicious ? why are there so many good men amongst them ? or look again ; were not they which have misbehaved themselves in that office , bad men before they were in it ? or those that were good before , did they not continue so ? it is the man then , the sinfull corrupt nature of man , that yeelds these bitter fruits , not episcopacy . animad. what should i te● you how the vniversities ( that men look should be fountains of learning and knowledge ) have been poysoned and choaked under your governance , &c. confut. fair and pure may those living streams ever flow , both isis and chame ! but who , iwis , hath troubled them ? yea , who goes about to dry them up ? if either they fail , or be pudled , you cannot blame episcopacy for either . if some bishops be arminians , and some scholars at either university , that infection came from beyond sea , though not in the same ship with your presbytery . was arminius a bishop ? surely no more than mr calvin : why then should that be objected to them or the cause ? or pray tell me , do you think if you have pulled down ! piscopacy that those opinions will dye ? alas , never till you can kill depraved and curious reason , which hath the start of grace in these two things ; namely , that it is sooner ●p at , and better cherished and heartned in its operations than she commonly is ; it being as naturall to man to love the one , as to hate the other . what other choaking you should mean , i● not this , i can no more conceive , than i can how it concerns the businesse in hand . animad. and if to be wooden be to be base , where could there be found among all the reformed churches , nay in the church of rome it self , a baser brood of flattering or time-serving priests ? &c confut. to recriminate is so poor a way of justification , that i should think he wants all other excuses that flyes to that ; therefore though you and your faction lye open no where more than on this part , i purposely spare you ; yet so , as i will shew you the advantage i had you at . for observe me ; what is that which you call flattery ? standing up by the king . is it not their duty ? and yours too , were ye not so great patrons of popularity ? if the kings soveraignty be inviolable , may it not lawfully be published ? may not a minister dare preach it ? yea , and if your parlour oratours have defamed , may not the pulpit vindicate ? there is difference , i hope , between a libell clapt upon whitehallgates , and a panygirick at pauls : in my opinion those flatterers shall do very ill to be silent , till either their prince be lesse vertuous , or you lesse malitious . animad. and as for your young scholars , that petition for bishopricks and deanaries to encourage them in their studies , and that many gentlemen else will not put their sons to learning , &c. that which they alledge for their encouragement , should be cut away forthwith , as the very bait of pride and ambition , the very garbage that draws together all the fowls of prey , &c. confut. it is one of those young scholars that asks your eldership , whether there were not birds and beasts of prey , that did devour the flock , before ere the church were so much beholding to the bounty of princes and nobles as now she is ? whether the devill can allure never a cobler from his awl and last under a fat prebendary ? whether a widows house be not as tempting as a bishops palace ? or there be not of those degenerate sort of men , who will desire the priesthood for a morsell of bread ? if so , how are we , or shall we be then more safe than now ? poor soul ! how envie and anger befools thee ! bethink your self better ; are not parsonages , vicarages , and lectures prey too ? and do we not see halt and dumb too often possesse the former , and crazed men the latter ? away with them then by any means . no , but away with those fowls and beasts rather , and then that prey will be meat for honest and able preachers ; or i doubt not else but sacriledg hook and his neighbour gentlemen will make many a pleasant meal on it . but in good earnest sir , for bishopricks and denaries , they are in too wise a dispencers hands to be given to vultures ; had it been otherwise , perhaps yours and your fellows mouths ere this had been stopt . anim the heathen philosophers thought , virtue was for its own sake inestimable , and the greatest gain of a teacher to make a soul virtuous . was morall virtue so lovely or so alluring , and heathen men so inamoured of her , as to teach and study her , with greatest neglect and contempt of worldly profit and advancement : and is christian piety so homely and unpleasant , and christian men so cloyed with her , as that none will study and teach her but for lucre and preferment ! o stale-grown piety ! o gospel rated as cheap as thy master ! &c. pag. . confut. now i see you know somewhat : and were i not assured that other passions distracted you , i could easily be enclined to think that this volley of expressions proceeded from a love of goodnesse : indeed so much the more easily inclined , by how much i would fain have it so . for were there no guile in them , as i do continually nourish such thoughts , so would i never desire to have them better cloathed : if at any time a floud of eloquence becomes us , it is when we expresse such a love , or such an indignation ! but it is one thing that you say , and another thing that you prove : the means is often times rested and taken up in stead of the end ; therefore the means is not the means ; or therfore the means cannot be looked at as the means : illogicall and absurd ! a philosopher loves virtue ; and a christian loves him that is the fountain of that virtue ; what then ? the philosopher , you say , loved virtue for it self ; so doth a christian love god much more . but he did it with neglect of others things , wealth , honours , &c. he came then so much short of his own philosophicall perfection : they that stood a begging in the streets , might ( if it had pleased them ) have been as liberall as their best masters ; and that philosopher that flung his gold into the sea , might have been perhaps lesse an infidell , if he had provided for himself and his family with it ; i am sure might have been more magnificent . but that offends you , that our church should use the same means to entice men to the pure service of god , that were used to tempt our saviour to the service of the d●vill . those means were neither in themselves ▪ nor as enticemen●s , any way dangerous ; but so far as they were tendered by him , from whom it was a sin to receive them to him , who could make no use of them ; for such an e●d , as it had been a sin to accept them o●herwise how could god entice the children of israel with the promise of canaan ; or solomon , with riches and honours and all kind of abundance ? but these desires mixe . as subordinate they may : the holy ghost witnesseth of mose● that he had an eye to the reward ; i ask whether in that moses sinned yea , god himself hearteneth on the church of smy●na , be thou faithfull unto the death , and i will give thee a crown of life . du moulin whose tractates you would seem to be acquainted with ) in a discourse of the love of god , tells us , the most imperfect and incomplete degree of this love is , to love god for the good we receive from him : thus children ( saith he ) say grace , that they may go to break-fast . indeed a childish love . the perfectest is , to love him and nothing else ; a love onely the glorified saints are capable of : betwixt which two he placeth a third , a mixed love ; which is , when we love god with other things ; yet so , as that we love those things for gods sake ; that is , as helps and furtherances of our own piety and his glory . either you wilfully oversee much truth , or are very ignorant . animad. a true pastor of christs sending hath this especiall marke , that for greatest labours and greate● merits in the church , he requires either nothing , if he could so subsist ; or a very common and reasonable supply of humane necessaries . we cannot do better therefore than to leave this care of ours to god ; he can easily send labourers into his harvest . — he can stir up rich fathers to bestow exquisite education upon their children and so dedicate them to the service of the gospel , he can make the sons of nobles his ministers , &c pag. . animad. no man doubts of what god can do ; but we may well doubt he will not do what we would have him , while we are thus froward and unthankfull ; while we are under persecution , poor , wretched , and despicable , fed but from hand to mouth , ( as we say ) whiles god leads his church through a desart or wildernesse : if we expect our drink to drop out of a flint , or from the shivers of a barren and dry rock ; if we spread our table to a miracle , or every morning and evening look out for a raven to feed us , it becomes our condition , and therefore god answers our expectation : but if when he hath brought his church into a land that flows with milk and honey ; when he hath made kings our nursing fathers , and queens our nursing mothers , we will then over-look all that bounty , and say god can do thus and thus , can raise out of these stone● children unto abraham , and bring up those children to his own work , at his own miraculous expences ; this is but to tempt his providence . god can do this and more , but his wayes are his own . he can rain manna into our mouths , as well as dew upon the earth . shall we be angry , because we have our corn at the second hand ? he could have sent us into the world with our cloaths on ; is it not as well that he sets the worm to the wheel to spin it for us ? doth he not shew a work of providence in preparing both for us , as well as in giving them to us ? so no doubt he could have immediately from himself supplyed the necessities of his ministers ; is it not as well that he doth it by others ? doth he not make a virtue out of what we have , in their hands through which it passeth ? is it not liberality , is it not munificence in them that give it ? why should we envie good men their piety ? or are these virtues out of date , were they only ceremoniall ? hath god impropriated all the riches of the earth for the use of the lay-men only ? are not glergy-men members of the body of christ , why should not each member thrive alike ? if these must be poor and naked , so let the rest be ; and though there be in this but little wisdome , yet will there be some indifferency . but you will say , it is too much , and ill placed ▪ any thing is so that is ill used : single out the man , and if you can make better use of it than he , i wish you had the preferment . but for church livings in generall , a judicious surveyor once said , ( and i dare say they have not been much bettered since ) that they were insufficient for the church-men : and that all the parliaments since . h. . who gave away impropriations from the church , seemed to him to stand in some sort obnoxious and obliged to god in conscience to do somewhat for the church ( he did not mean to rob it ) to reduce the patrimony thereof to a competency . animad. can a man thus employed ( in preaching , &c. ) finde himself discontented or dishonoured , for want of admittance to have a pragmaticall vote at sessions , — or be discouraged though me● call him not lord : — would he tugge for a barony , to sit and vote in parliament ? pag. . confut. yes marry , what else ? that man that was and could have still been content without those honours , will be very loath now to let them go ; yet not so much that he loves the honours or means that accompany them , as that he would not have his countrey made guilty of so shamefull a depriving him of them . why should sacriledge and injustice triumph over gods cause , whiles he hath tongue or pen to defend it ? yea , why should he or any the rest of that sacred function forsake their great master in it ? me thinks if all other arguments failed , it were sufficient proof of the goodnesse of it , that it hath him to be its defender that is defender of the faith : a prince , who if for nothing else , will therefore keep the munificence of his predecessors inviolate , that he may teach succeeding ages a reverence to his own : which indeed is so much the more estimable , in that it is exercised in so perverse an age of the world , as is so far from giving it its just value , that it scarce allows it * pardonable . alas ! what an heap of disorder and ruines had this church even now been , had not god sent it so gracious a governour ! but if , notwithstanding what divine and humane lawes , what the king and all good men vote to the contrary , such a desolation must come , may the curse which hath alwayes been wont ●o accompany such desperate robbery , be to this land turned into a blessing ; and may it never fall any whit below that happinesse , which in gods extraordinary supply of new means is and may be imagined . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- pag. . pag. . post pra● dia callirboendo . pers sat . pag. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} la e ● lib. . in vita stilp●n . bish. hath occa● . med● . * in●u● vices sub●unt , & 〈◊〉 teste moventur . iuv. sat. . notes for div a e- * see more of the same hotchp●tch in the episile . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . arist. eth. ● . c. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} latinis scurra dicitur , sumtâ metaphorâ à mendicantibus , qui ad aras & templa deum sedebant & jacebant , & à sacrificantibus stipem mendicabant . inter●a autem seipsos multis jocis & scommatis vexabant , & interdum praetereunte● conviti●s pr●scquebantur . à {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ara , & {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} jaceo seu accubo . vid. mag. co●●● eth. arist. * sir fr. bacon . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . vid. mer. casaub. in praesat ad med. mar. aur. anton. * nae tu , aule , nimium nugatores , cùm maluisti culpam deprecari quàm culpâ carere : — te oro , qu●t perpulit ut id committeres , quod priusquam faceres , peteres uti ignosceretur . cato apud macrob i● pr●fat ▪ ad saturn . notes for div a e- ask your lysimachus nicanor what d●faming inve●tives &c. p. . pag. . militum virtute non hostium imbecillite , potentia quaeri debet . them●st . apud iust. spec. europae p. ● . lond. . sandys spec. e●rop . mach. discourses upon livie , lib. . c. . vide hooker eccl. pol. in praefat. notes for div a e- foxian . confess . p. . vide donnes pseudom . pet. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . arist. pol. . c. . notes for div a e- pag . notes for div a e- ger. m●ringus in vita sancti august . primam 〈◊〉 tis par●em ●e quaera● , in coe no perdidit . ●t●es . de s. aug. * non corrumpuntur in deterius quae aliquando etiam à malis , s●d hon●sta ma●e●t . quae saepius à bonis fiunt . p●in . l. . ep. . arist. apolog. pro suis l●dic . i● . epig. ad suas satyras . farrage libelli iuv. sat. . i●●ge ●ell . mosellanus ad gell. ● . . c. . luk. . . hebraeis familiare est ( keren ) id est cornu , pro vi & ●obore usurpare , sumpta metaphora ab animalibus cornupetis . beza ad ●oc . * quis il●● mut●●s ? is qui damnavit eum qui carmine lusisset nomine expresso , l. dorleans nov. cogit . 〈◊〉 ●●rnel . tacit. pag. . a nam parum abfuit cuin à bructero quod●m occideretur . suet in t●b . som● readings for ●ruct●ro have ructe●o : ●orrentius his manuscript hath rut●ro . b mattyae seu macteae sunt bellaria , graecis {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , omne mensae secundae genus . c ex purpurâ atramenti genus conficiebatur , qu●d encaustum nominabatur : h●c soli imperatores privilegiis & literis subscribendis ●●ebantur . — unde & inchiostro postea derivatum credo , guido pancirollus rerum memorab tit encaust p . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . ab {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} uro . lege cl. salmas . in pl●v . vopisc . p. . ceys for ceyx . sir ph. sidney defense of poes . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . luc. demo●ax . pag. . a omina quaedam occultiora sumpta sunt ex rebus , locis , nominibus , vestibus . vide isa. pont. in collectan . ad macrobium . ex nominibus , roma quasi {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , robur . roma , non romula , ne male ominaretur diminutivum . ne mihi damn●m in epidamn● duas . plaut. in me●● ch. omen , non à loci aliquâ incommoditate , sed à nomine tantùm . item , s●te emem , lucridem fore confido 〈◊〉 in pers. vnde à d●s plerunque auspieata nomina : a love , diocles , diogenes , diom●des : a iunone , heraclides , heraclitus : a sole , helius , h●●od●rus , &c. hugo grotius in februis ad mart. capell . sa yricon . notes for div a e- considerations touching the church of england . rom. . . notes for div a e- pag . pag . a numerantur sententiae , non pondera●tur : nihil est tam inaequale , quàm aequalitas ip●a : nam c●m sit impar prudentia , par omnium jus est . p●in . l. . epist. . b rudes nos & imperitos reducta libertas deprehendit , cujus duleedine accensi , cogimur quaedam sac●re antequam nosse . idem l. . ep. . c senatus , humano g●ne ireverendus , o●bis terrae consilium , asylum mundi , fid●m & al●um reipublicae pectus . vide fil●sac●m l. . s●lect . t. t. sen●otus ven. sen. §. , , &c. d non considerandem est quid vir opt●mus in praesent â 〈◊〉 , sed quid semper sit probaturus . plin. l. b. ● . ep. . sunt quae non dare , sed nega●e , beneficium est . poscit aeger frigidam , ira●us serrum , &c. exorari in pernitiem rega●tium , saeva est 〈◊〉 . sen. de b●nef . notes for div a e- * apponitur coena non minus 〈◊〉 q●àm frugi , 〈◊〉 dele●ratur , 〈◊〉 afficitur ; ●nd 〈◊〉 post ● 〈◊〉 , 〈…〉 ●●rumque vigor integer , ind●agile & vi●idum cor●us , ●olaque ex●e●ecture prudentia . pl n. l b . epist . a occasio●all medit. b non ●ibi , sed operi bibunt . quint decla . . apes paupe is . see shepherds sincere conver● . christ an m●der . ex 〈◊〉 . p. . pag. . * vellem mihi , etsi non qualis in marco tullio fuit , aliquam tamen proximam ●loquentiae contingere facultatem . lactan. l. . div. inst c. . veri●as licet possit sine eloquenti● defendi , tamen claritate & nitore sermonis illustranda est , ut potentius in animos influat . idem . quid igitur ? annon adfuit paulo sua {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ? certè adfuit , quanta nulli unquam obtigit ; sed coelestis , non humana . beza ad . cor. . . — {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . naz. . in lul. — {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . idem orat. . in funere basil . * animus mihi certè nunquam defuit , tempora defuerunt . ul . philip . non prosequi , non fugere . * at si intereos quos nunquam vidimus floruisset , non solum 〈◊〉 e●us , orum etiam imagines conqui●eremus : ejusdom nunc honor praesentis & gr●tia quasi satietate langues●it : at hoc pravum malig●umq●e est , ●on admirari homine● admira ione dignissimum , quia videre , audire , alloqui , c●mplecti , n●● 〈…〉 verum etiam amare contingit . plin. lib. epist. . ●ccl . ● esa . . notes for div a e- fr. i●n●us de p●ct . vet l. ingenium galbae mal● habitat . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} suculae dictae . a. gell. l . c. . notes for div a e- cor. . . a re ringend●m est {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} 〈…〉 ●gtur , sc. indiff . lord viscoun● say and seal in his answer to the archbishop . ● cor. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . rom. . . see perkins cases of consc. of set forms of prayer . hooker eccl. pol. p. . ●pee . europ . rom. . cor. . . notes for div a e- pag. . heb. . rev. . vide hooker in praes●t . eccl. p●l . b●cons consi● . * as 〈◊〉 the kings gift , regall bounty may be excusable in giving . p. . the true peace-maker laid forth in a sermon before his maiesty at theobalds. september , . by ios. hall deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the true peace-maker laid forth in a sermon before his maiesty at theobalds. september , . by ios. hall deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by i. haviland for nath. butter, london : . reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the true peace-maker : laid forth in a sermon before his maiesty at theobalds . september , . by ios . hall deane of worcester . london , printed by j. haviland for nath. butter . . the trve peace-maker . esay . . opus iustitiae pax . the worke of iustice ( or righteousnesse ) shall be peace . my text ( you heare ) is of iustice and peace , two royall graces ; and such as flow from soueraigne maiesty : there is a double iustice , diuine and humane ; there is a double peace , outward in the state , inward in the soule : accordingly , there is a double sense of my text ; a spirituall , a ciuill sense : the spirituall concerning theologicall iustice , and inward peace ; the ciuill concerning humane iustice and outward peace . the spirituall thus ; the messias shall cause the fruit of his perfect iustice to be our inward peace with god , and our selues . the ciuill thus ; the magistrate shall cause the worke of ciuill iustice in his administration , to be our outward peace with one another : in both , or either ( as musculus well ) there is an allusion in the hebrew word to a field ; the soile is the heart or the state , the seed is iustice , the fruit peace : that which was waste ground is now a carmell , a fruitfull field ; and the fruit of this field of iustice is peace . as there is good reason , we will beginne with the spirituall iustice and peace . the great king of heauen will disforest that peece of the world , which he calls his church , and put it to tillage ; it shall bee sowne with righteousnesse , and shal yeeld a sweet crop of peace : in this only , not in the barren heaths of the prophane world shall true peace grow . at first , god and man were good friends : how should there be other than good termes betwixt heauen and paradise ? god made man iust ; and iust man ( whiles he was so ) could not chuse but loue the iust god that made him ; sinne set them at odds ; in one act and instant did man leese both his iustice and peace ; now the world is changed ; now the stile of god is fortis vltor , god the auenger , ier. . . and the stile of men ▪ filij irae , sonnes of wrath , ephes . . . there is no possible peace to bee made betwixt god and man , but by the perfect iustice of him that was both god and man : i would there were a peace in the church about this iustice ; it is pitie and shame there is not ; but there must be heresies : as there are two parts of diuinity , the law and the gospell ; so each of these haue their iustice ; there is a iustice of the law , and an euangelicall iustice ▪ the iustice of the law when a meere morall man is iustified ( out of his owne powers ) by the works of the law ; very papists will giue so much way to s. paul , so much affront to pelagius , as to renounce this ; freely anathematizing that man who by the strength of humane nature , or the doctrine of the law , shall challenge iustification ; vnlesse perhaps some andradius haue priuilege to teach , that this ethica iustitia , was enough to iustifie and saue the old philosophers . the euangelicall iustice is not without the interuention of a sauiour ▪ to which claime is laid in two kindes , either as imputatiue , or as inherent ; the inherent wrought in vs : the imputed wrought for vs. how easie were it to lead you through a thicke of distinctions into a large field of controuersie , concerning the nature , meanes , manner of our iustification ? no head in all diuinity yeelds either more , or more important problems ▪ in so much as cardinall de monte , vice-president for the time of the councell of trent , in an oration made by him in the eleuenth session , professes , that when they meant to dispatch their decree concerning iustification in fifteene daies , it cost them seuen moneths to finish , without one daies intermission ; and when all is done , they haue left the world , which was before ( as pighius ingenuously ) intricated by the thorny questions of schoolemen , rather more vnsatisfied & perplexed than they found it . it is the maine care of our liues , and deaths , what shall giue vs peace and acceptation before the dreadfull tribunall of god : what , but righteousnesse ? what righteousnesse , or whose ? ours , or christs ? ours , in the inherent graces wrought in vs , in the holy workes wrought by vs ; or christs , in his most perfect obedience , and meritorious satisfaction wrought for vs , applied to vs. the tridentine faction is for the former ; wee are for the latter ; god is as direct on our side as his word can make him ; euery where blazoning the defects of our owne righteousnesse , the imperfections of our best graces , the deadly nature of our least sinnes ; the radicall sinfulnesse of our habituall concupiscence , the pollution of our best workes : euery where extolling the perfect obedience of our redeemer , the gracious application of that obedience , the sweet comfort of that application , the assurance and vnfailablenesse of that comfort : and lastly , our happy rest in that assurance . i instance not ; open the booke , see where your eies can looke beside these ▪ satis aperti ( saith their cassander ) the scripture is cleare ours , so is all antiquity , if they beleeue that learned arbiter ; so are their more ingenuous doctors of the last age ; so would they all be , if they had grace to know god , themselues , grace , sinne , heauen , hell ; god perfectly iust , themselues miserably weake , grace sensibly imperfect , sinne vnmeasurably sinfull ; lastly , if they knew that heauen is for none but the pure , that hell is for the presumptuous . o sauiour , no man is iust through thee , but he that is sanctified by thee ; what is our inherent justice , but sanctity ? that we aspire towards , we attaine not to ; woe were vs if we were not more iust in thee , than sanctified in our selues ; we are sanctified , in part , according to the weaknesse of our receit ; we are iustified thorowly ▪ according to the perfection of thine acceptation ; were we fully sanctified here , we should be more than men ; were we not thorowly iustified , wee should be no more than sinners before thee ; whiles we stand before thee as sinners , we can haue no peace ; let others trust in the charets and horses of their owne strength , we will remember the name of the lord our god ; the worke of thy iustice shall be our peace . peace is a sweet word ; euery body would be glad of it ; especially peace at the last , as the psalmist speakes : how haue the politickly religious held out twigs for the drowning soule to catch at ? due satisfactions , vndue supererogations , patronages of saints , bargaines of indulgences , woollward pilgrimages , and at last ( after whips and haire-clothes ) leaue the dying soule to a feare of hell , doubt of heauen , assurance of purgatory flames ; how truly may it now say to these doctors , as iob to his friends , miserable comforters are yee all ; hearken , o yee deare christians , to a better voice that sounds from heauen ; come to me all yee that labour , and are heauy laden , and i will giue you rest . is there any of you whose vnquiet breast boiles continually with the conscience of any foule sinne ? whose heart is daily tyr'd vpon by the vultur of his secret guiltinesse ? whose bosome is gnawed before-hand with that hellish worme , which can no more giue ouer than die ? it boots not to aske thee if thou wouldst haue peace . peace ? rather than life ; oh wherewithall shall i come before the lord , and bow my selfe before the most high god ? shall i come before him with burnt offerings ? will the lord be pleased with thousands of rammes , or with tenne thousand riuers of oyle ? shall i giue my first borne for my transgression , the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule ? heare , o thou distracted heart ; what talkest thou of giuing to the owner ? the world is his ; thou art not thine owne ; yea , were these things thine , and not his , yet know , it is not giuing , but taking that must procure thy peace : an infinite iustice is offended ; an infinite iustice hath satisfied , an infinite mercy hath applied it ; take thou hold by the hand of faith on that infinite mercy , and justice of thy sauiour ; the worke of his iustice shall be thy peace . fly about whither thou wilt , o thou weary doue , thorow all the wide regions of the heauen , and waters , thou shalt no where finde rest for the soles of thy feet , but in this arke of christs perfect righteousnesse : in vaine shalt thou seeke it in schooles of morality , in learned libraries , in spacious fields and forrests , in pleasant gardens , in sullen retirednesse , in witty conuersation , in wanton theaters , in drunken cellers , in tables of gluttony , in beds of lust , chests of mammon , whiffes and draughts of intoxication , songs of ribaldry , sports of recreation ; no , no , the more thou seekest it in most of these , the further it flies from thee , the further thou art from finding it ; and if these things may giue some poore truce to thy thoughts , it shall soone end in a more direfull warre . there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked : stray whither thou wilt , o thou wounded heart , thorow the lawnds and woods ; alas , the shaft sticks still in thee , or if that bee shaken out , the head ; none but the soueraigne dittany of thy sauiours righteousnesse can driue it out ; and till it be out , thou canst haue no peace . in plaine termes ; wouldst thou haue peace ? none but christ can giue it thee ; he will giue it to none but the penitent , none but the faithfull ; oh spend thy selfe into the sighes and teares of true repentance ; and then raise thy humbled soule to a liuely confidence in thine all-sufficient redeemer ; set thy lord iesus betwixt god and thy sinnes ; god cannot see thy debt , but through thine acquittance ; by his stripes we are healed , by his wounds we are stanched , by his death we are quickned , by his righteousnesse we are discharged ; the worke of his righteousnesse is our peace . oh safe and blessed condition of beleeuers ; let sinne , satan , world , death , hell , doe their worst ; who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ; it is god that iustifieth : who shall condemne ? it is christ that died , yea rather , that is risen againe ; who is also at the right hand of god , and maketh intercession for vs : our enemy is now our father , our iudge is our sauiour , the offended our surety , that precious bloud our ransome , that perfect righteousnesse our euerlasting peace . thus much of our spirituall iustice , and peace . the ciuill followes : i know these two are wide termes ; iustice comprises all vertue , as peace all blessings ; for that is iust in all kinds , which hath a meet adequation to the rule ; all vertue therefore conforming vs to the law of god , which is the rule of perfection , challengeth iustly to it selfe a stile of justice . narrower bounds will serue our turne : we speake of iustice first as a single vertue . habits are distinguished by their acts ; acts by their obiects . the obiect of all morall vertue is good , as of all intellectuall , is true. the obiect of this vertue of iustice is the good of men in relation to each other ; other vertues order a man in regard to himselfe ; iustice , in regard to another . this good being either common , or priuate ; common of all , priuate of some ; the acts and vertue of iustice must bee sutable ; either , as man stands in an habitude to the whole body ; or as he stands to speciall limbs of the body : the former of these is that which philosophers and casuists call a legall and vniuersall iustice . the latter is that particular iustice , which we vse to distinguish by distribution , and commutation ; the one consisting in matter of commerce , the other in reward , or punishment ; both of them according to a meet , though different , equality : an arithmeticall equality in commutation ; a geometricall in distribution ; the former regarding the value , or worth of the thing , the latter , regarding the proportionable difference of the person . the worke of all these three iustices , is peace . first , the legall iustice is the apparent mother and nurse of publique peace : when gouernors and subiects are carefull to giue each other their owne ; when both conspire to command and obey for the common good ; when men frame their liues to the wholsome lawes of their soueraignes , not more out of feare than conscience ; when respect to the community caries men from partiall reflections vpon thēselues ; as contrarily distractions , and priuate ends are the bane of any state . when the head and members vnite their thoughts and endeuours in the center of the common good : the head to deuise and command , the eies to see , the eare to heare , the palate to taste , the heart to moue , the bellowes of the lungs to blow , the liuer to sanguifie , the stomach to digest , the guts to export , the hands to execute , the tongue to talke for the good of this naturall common-wealth of the body , all goes well and happily ; but if any of these parts will be gathering to themselues , and obstructions grow within ; and mutinous distempers arise in the humors , ruine is threatned to the whole : if either the superiors miscommand , or the inferiors disobey , it is an affront to peace . i need not tell you that good lawes are the walls of the citie , the sinewes of the politicke body , the rule of our life , the life of our state , without which men would turne brute , yea monstrous ; the world were a chaos , yea an hell . it is wisdome that makes lawes , it is iustice that keeps them ; oh let this iustice still blesse vs with a perpetuall peace ; as those that doe not thinke the world made for vs , but our selues made for the world , let vs driue at an vniuersall good ; let there be euer that sweet correspondence betwixt soueraignty and subiection , that the one may be happy in the other , both in peace . secondly , the distributiue iustice is not lesse fruitfull of peace ; when rewards of honors , & gracious respects are suited to the well-deseruing ; when malefactors smart according to their crimes ; this iustice hath stocks for the vagrant , whips for harlots , brands for pettylarzons , ropes for fellons , weights for the contumaciously silent , stakes for blasphemous hereticks , gibbets for murtherers , the hurdle , and the knife , and the pole for traitors ; and vpon all these engines of iustice hangs the garland of peace . it was not for nothing that maximilian the first , passing by the gallowes , saluted it with salue iustitia . ye neuer see iustice painted without a sword ; when that sword glitters with vse , it is well with the publique , woe be to the nation where it rusts . there can bee no more acceptable sacrifice than the bloud of the flagitious . immediatly after garnets execution , father dauid at ypre ; in a publike sermon declared the miracles showne thereat ; amongst the rest , that a spring of oyle brake forth suddenly in the place where that saint was martyred ; instead of a lie , let it be a parable ; the bloud of traitors shed by the sword of iustice , is a well of oyle to fatten , and refresh the common-wealth . i know well how mercy befits the mouths of gods ministers : the soft tongue of a diuine is no meet whetstone for the edge of seueritie ; but withall , i dare say , that iustice is a noble worke of mercy ; neither need we wish to be more charitable , than the god of mercy that saies , thine eie shall not spare the murtherer , numb . . . the tempter to idolatry , deut. . . the very sonnes of leui were appointed to win an euerlasting blessing , by consecrating their hands to god in israelitish bloud : the vniust fauour , and plausibilitie of romish doctors , towards capitall offenders , hath made their sanctuaries ( euen literally ) a denne of theeues , an harbour of villany . it is memorable of lewis of france , ( stiled the saint ) that he reuersed a pardon wrought from him to a malefactor ; vpon reading that verse in the psalme , beati qui faciunt iustitiam in omni tempore ; blessed are they that doe iustice at all times : no maruell if one of those foure things which isabell of spaine was wont to say , she loued to see ; were , a theefe vpon the ladder ; euen through his halter might she see the prospect of peace . woe bee to them that either for gaine or priuate interest ingage themselues in the suit of fauour to maliciously bloudy hands ; that , by the dam of their bribes labour to stop the due course of punitiue iustice ; these , these are the enemies of peace ; these staine the land with that crimson die , that cannot be washed out but by many wofull lauers of reuenge : farre , farre be it from any of you , generous christians , to endeuour either to corrupt , or interrupt the waies of iudgement , or for a priuate benefit to crosse the publique peace : woe be to those partiall iudges , that iustifie the wicked , and condemne the innocent ; the girdle of whose equitie saggs downe on that side where the purse hangs : lastly , woe to those vnworthy ones that raise themselues by fraud , bribes , symony , sacrilege ; therefore are these enemies to the state , because to peace ; and therefore enemies to peace , because violaters of justice , and the worke of iustice is peace . thirdly , that commutatiue iustice workes peace ; needs no other proofe than that all the reall brabbles and suits amongst men , arise from either true or pretended iniustice of contracts . let me lead you in a tearme morning to the spacious hall of iustice : what is the cause of all that concourse ? that hiue-like murmur ? that noise at the barre , but iniurious bargaines , fraudulent conueyances , false titles , disappointment of trusts , wrongfull detrusions of money , goods , lands , couzenages , oppressions , extortions : could the honesty and priuate iustice of men preuent these enormities , silence and solitude would dwell in that wide palace of iustice ; neither would there bee more pleas than cob-webs vnder that vast roofe . euery way therefore it is cleere , that the worke of iustice is peace ; in so much as the guardians of peace are called iusticers . this for the common-wealth ; if it please you to cast your eies vpon her sister the church , you shall finde that the outward peace thereof also must arise from iustice . alas ; thence is our hopelesnesse : neuer may they prosper that loue not , that wish not peace within those sacred walls ; but what possibility of peace in the peremptory repulses of iustice ? what possibility of iustice in the long vsurped tyranny of the successor of romulus ? could we hope to see iustice once shine from those seuen hills , we would make account of peace ; but , oh , the miserable iniustice of that imperious sea ; iniustice of claime , iniustice of practice . of claime , ouer kings , church , scriptures , conscience : ouer kings ; there is s. pauls super-exalted ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) his vsuall title is orbis dominus ; dominus vniuersorum in the mouthes & pens of his flatterers : and lest princes should seeme exempted ; he is rex regum , as paulus . saies of himselfe ; he is super imperatores & reges , saith their antoninus , triumphus , capistranus , and who not ? how much ? you know the calculation of the magnitude of the two great lights : how ouer them ? as the master ouer the seruant ; they are the words of their pope nicholas ; the imperiall throne is vnde nisi à nobis , saith pope adrian : what should i tel you of his bridle , stirrup , toe , cup , canopie ? let the booke of holy ceremonies say the rest ; these things are stale , the world hath long seene & blushed . ouer the church ; there is challenged a proper head-ship from whom all influences of life , sense , motion come ; as their bozius ; why said i ouer ? hee is vnder the church : for he is the foundation of the church saith bellarmine ; ouer as the head , vnder as the foundation ? what can christ be more ? thence , where are generall councells but vnder him as the streame of iesuites ; who but he is , regulafidei , as their andradius : he alone hath infallibility & indefectibility , whether in decretis fidei , or in praeceptis morum , as bellarmine . hee hath power to make new creeds , and to obtrude them to the church ; the deniall whereof was one of those articles which leo the tenth condemned in luther . ouer scriptures . there is claimed a power to authorize them for such ; a power to interpret them , sententialiter & obligatoriè , being such ; a power to dispense with them , ex causâ , though such . ouer the consciences of men ; in dispensing with their oathes , in allowance of their sinnes . it is one head of their canon law , a iuramento fidelitatis absoluit , decret . p. . caus . . qu. . and in euery oath is vnderstood a reseruation and exception of the popes power , say his parasites . i am ashamed to tell , and you would blush to heare of the dispensation reported to be granted by sixtus . to the family of the cardinall of saint lucie ; and by alexander . to peter mendoza cardinall of valentia . and as there is horrible iniustice in these claimes ; so is there no lesse in practise . take a taste for all : what can be more vniust than to cast out of the lap of the church those that oppose their nouelties , to condemne them to the stake , to hell for heretikes . what more vniust than to falsifie the writings of ancient , or moderne authors by secret expurgations by wilfull mis-editions ? what more vniust than the with holding the remedy of generall councels , and transacting all the affaires of the church by a pack't conclaue ? what more vniust than the suppression of the scriptures , and mutilation of the sacrament to the laity . what more vniust than allowance of equiuocation ; than vpholding a faction by willing falshood of rumors , than plotting the subuersion of king and state by vnnaturall conspiracies ? well may we call heauen and earth to record against the iniustice of these claimes , of these practises . what then ? is it to hope for peace , notwithstanding the continuance of all these ? so the worke of iniustice shall be peace : and an vniust and vnsound peace must it needs be that arises from iniustice ; is it to hope they will abandon these things for peace ? oh that the church of god might once be so happy : that there were but any life in that possibilitie ; in the meane time , let god and his holy angels witnesse betwixt vs , that on their part the peace faileth ; we are guiltlesse : what haue we done ? what haue wee attempted ? what haue we innouated ? onely wee haue stood vpon a iust and modest negatiue , and haue vniustly suffered . oh that all the innocent bloud wee haue shed could wash their hands from iniustice , from enmity to peace . that from them wee may returne to our selues ; for the publique , wee enioy an happy peace ; blessed be god for iustice : and if in this common harmony of peace , there be found some priuate iarres of discord , whence is it but from our owne iniustice ? the world is of another minde ; whose wont is to censure him that punishes the fault , not him that makes it ; seuerity , not guiltinesse in common opinion , breakes the peace ▪ let the question bee who is the great make-bate of the world ; begin with the family : who troubles the house ? not vnruly , head strong , debaucht , children , that are ready to throw the house out of the windowes , but the nustere father , that reproues , that corrects them ; would he winke at their disorders , all would be quiet . not carelesse , sloathfull , false , lime-fingred seruants , but the strict master , that obserues and rates , and chastises them ; would he hold his hands , and tongue , there would bee peace . not the peeuish and turbulent wife , who forgetting the ribbe , vsurps vpon the head , but the resolute husband , that hates to leesse his authority in his loue ; remembring that though the ribbe bee neare the heart , yet the head is aboue the shoulders ; would he fall from the termes of his honour , there would be peace . in the country , not the oppressing gentleman , that tyrannizes ouer his cottagers , incroches vpon his neighbours inheritance , incloses commons , depopulates villages , scruzes his tenants to death , but the poore soules that when they are crushed , yeeld the iuyce of teares , exhibit bils of complaint , throw open the new thornes , maintaine the old mounds ; would these men bee content to be quietly racked , and spoyled , there would be peace . in the city ; not the impure sodomitish brothels , that sell themselues to worke wickednesse ; not the abominable pandars , not the iugling cheater , not the counterfeit vagrant , but the marshall that drawes these to correction ; not the deceitfull merchant that sophisticates his commodities , inhanceth prices , sells euery inch of ( what he cannot warrant ) time ; not the vnconscionable and fraudulent artisan , but the promoter and the bench. in the common-wealth , not the cruell robber by sea or land , that lies in the way , like a spider in a window , for a booty , for bloud : not the bold night-walker that keepes sauage houres fit for the guiltie intentions of his burglaries , but the watch that takes him ; not the rank adulterer that neighs after his neighbours wife , and thirsts after only stolne waters , but the sworne men that present him . not the trayterous coyner , that in euery stampe reades his owne conuiction , whiles hee still renewes that face against which hee offends , but the sheriffe that attaches him . not the vnreformable drunkard , that makes a god of his liquor , a beast of himselfe , and raues , and swaggers in his cups , but the constable that punishes him ; would these officers conniue at all these villanies , there would be peace . in the church , not the chaffering patron , or periured chaplaine ; not the seducing hereticke , or seditious schismatike ; not the scandalous leuite , not the carelesse questman , not the corrupt officiall , but the clamorous preacher , or the rigorous high-commission . in the world , lastly , not the ambitious incrochers vpon others dominions , not violaters of leagues , not vsurpers of mis-gotten titles and dignities , not suborners , or abettors of conspiracies , and traitors , but the vnkinde patients that will not recipere ferrum : i wis the great potentates of the world might see a ready way to peace . thus in family , countrey , citie , commonwealth , church , world , the greatest part seeke a licentious peace in a disordered lawlessenesse ; condemning true iustice of cruelty ▪ stripping her of the honour of peace , branding her with the censure of troublesome . foolish men speake foolish things : oh noble and incomparable blessing of peace , how iniuriously art thou ascribed to vniust neglect ? oh diuine vertue of iustice , how deseruedly haue the ancients giuen thee wings , and sent thee vp to heauen in a detestation of these earthly indignities ; whence thou comst not downe at all , vnlesse it please that essentiall and infinite iustice to communicate thee to some choyce fauourites . it is but a iust word , that this iland hath beene long approued the darling of heauen ; we haue enioyed peace , to the admiration , to the enuie of neighbourhood : would we continue it ? would we traduce it to ours ? iustice must doe it for vs. both iustice , and peace , are from the throne ; peace is the kings peace ; and iustice descends from soueraignty by commission ; let me haue leaue to say with the princely prophet ( a word that was too good for the frequent text of a pope ) diligite iustitiam qui iudicatis terram . still , ô god , giue thy iudgements to the king , and thy iustice to the kings sonne . and if any shall offer wrong to the lords anointed in his person , in his seed , the worke of that iniustice shall be war ; yea bellum domini , the lords war , ( sam. . ) then let him who is both the lord of hosts , and the god of peace , rise vp mightily for his anointed , the true king of peace ; that he who hath graciously said all this while , da pacem , domine , giue peace in our time , o lord , may superscribe at the last his iust trophees , with , blessed bee the lord which teacheth my hands to warre , and my fingers to fight . ye haue heard of the spirituall iustice and peace ; yee haue heard of the ciuill ; may it please you to mix both of them together : my text alone doth it ; if you doe but with our most accurate translation , reade righteousnesse for iustice ; so shall you see the spirituall disposition of righteousnesse produce the ciuill effect of peace , what is righteousnesse , but the sincere vprightnes of the heart to god in all our waies : he is perfect with god , that would be so : what need i tell you that this is the way to true inward peace , nil conscire , a cleare heart will be a quiet one . there is no feast to a good conscience ; this is meat , musicke , welcome ; it seemes harder that true spirituall honesty should procure euen outward peace : heare wise salomon ; by the blessing of the vpright , the city is exalted , prou. . . when a mans waies please the lord , hee maketh euen his enemies to bee at peace with him , prou. . . righteousnesse exalteth a nation , but sin is a reproach to any people , prou. . . it followes then as a iust corollary , that the honestest , and conscionablest man is the best subiect : he may perhaps be plaine , perhaps poore , perhaps weake , but the state is more beholden to his integrity , than to the ablest purse , than to the strongest arme ; whereas the gracelesse , and vicious person , let him be neuer so plausible a talker , neuer so carefull an officer , neuer so valiant a leader , neuer so officious a courtier , neuer so deepe in subsidies , neuer so forward in actions , is no other than an enemy to the state , which hee professes to adore . let no philosopher tell me of , malus vir bonus ciuis ; i say from better authoritie , that a lewd man can no more be a good subiect , than an ill subiect can bee a good man : heare this then ( wheresoeuer ye are ) ye secret oppressors , ye profane scoffers , yee foule-mouth'd swearers , yee close adulterers , ye kind drūkards , and who euer come within this blacke list of wickednesse , how can ye be loyall , whiles you lodge traytors in your bosomes ? protest what ye will ; your sins breake the peace , and conspire against the sacred crowne , and dignitie of your soueraigne ; what care wee that you draw your sword , and vow your bloud , and drinke your healths to your gouernours , when in the meane while you prouoke god to anger , and set quarrels betwixt your country and heauen ? that i may winde vp this clew ; it were folly to commend to you the worth of peace ; we know that the excellency of princes is expressed by serenity ; what good hath the earth which god doth not couch vnder the name of peace ? blessed be god , and his anointed , we haue long and comfortably tasted the sweetnesse of this blessing ; the lilies and lions of our salomon haue beene iustly worded with beati pacifici . would we haue this happinesse perpetuated to vs , to posterity ? oh let prince and people meet in the ambition to be gens iusta , a righteous nation , righteous euery way ; first , let god haue his owne ; his owne daies , his owne seruices ; his feare , his loue , his all : let religion leade all our proiects , not follow them ; let our liues be led in a conscionable obedience to all the lawes of our maker : far bee all blasphemies , curses , and obscenities from our tongues , all outrages and violences from our hands ; all presumptuous and rebellious thoughts from our hearts . let our hearts , hands , tongues , liues , bodies and soules be sincerely deuoted to him . then , for men : let vs giue caesar his owne : tribute , feare , subiection , loyalty , and ( if hee need ) our liues ; let the nobility haue honour , obcisance , obseruation ; let the clergy haue their dues , and our reuerence ; let the commons haue truth , loue , fidelity in all their transactions : let there be trutinae iustae , pondera iusta : let there be no grinding of faces , no trampling on the poore ( amos . . ) no swallowing of widdowes houses , no force , no fraud , no periury , no perfidiousnesse . finally , for our selues ; let euery man possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour ; framing himselfe to all christian and heauenly temper , in all wisdome , sobriety , chastity , meeknesse , constancy , moderation , patience , and sweet contentation : so shall the worke of our righteousnesse bee peace of heart , peace of state ; priuate and publike peace ; peace with our selues , peace with the world , peace with god ; temporall peace here , eternall peace and glory aboue : vnto the fruition whereof , he who hath ordained vs , mercifully bring vs for the sake of him , who is the prince of peace , iesus christ the righteous . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e god the auenger . the sonnes of wrath . morall righteousnesse . mat. . . micah . . rom. . . psal . . . lord of the world . ouer emperours and kings . whence but from vs ? in decrees of faith or precepts of manners . he absolues from the oath of allegeance . the like discourse to this ye shall finde in conrad . schlusselburgius in his preface to his th. booke catal . haeret. not to bee guilty of ill . an ill man , a good subiect . leu. . . iust balances , iust weights . contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story. the fourth volume. by ios. hall contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story. the fourth volume. by ios. hall contemplations upon the principall passages of the holy storie. vol. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by edward griffin for henry fetherstone, london : . books - on the old testament; includes book on the new testament. a variant of the edition with n. butter's name in the imprint. reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t -- meditations -- early works to . bible. -- n.t -- meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - haley pierson sampled and proofread - haley pierson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story . by ios . hall . london printed by edward griffin for henry fetherstone . . to the right honorable , my singvlar good lord , the lord hay , baron of saley , one of his maiesties most honorable priuie covnsell . right ho : vpon how iust reason these my contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes , it were needlesse to giue account to your lo : in whose trayne i had the honor ( since my last ) to passe both the sea , and the twede . all my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my soueraigne master : no sooner could i recouer the happinesse of my quiet thoughts , then i renued this my diuine taske : wherein i cannot but professe to place so much contentment , as that i wish not any other measure of my life , then it ; what is this other , then the exaltation of isaacs delight to walke forth into the pleasant fields of the scriptures , and to meditate of nothing vnder heauen ? yea what other then iacobs sweet vision of angels , climbing vp and downe that sacred ladder , which god hath set betwixt heauen and earth ? yea ( to rise yet hyer ) what other then an imitation of holy moyses , in his conuersing with god himselfe , on the horeb of both testaments ? and if i may call your lo : forth a little from your great affaires of court and state , to blesse your eyes with this prospect , how happy shall you confesse this change of obiects ? and how vnwillingly shall you obtaine leaue of your thoughts to returne vnto these sublunary imployments ? our last discourse left gods arke amongst the philistims ; now we returne to see what it doth there , and to fetch it thence : wherein your lo : shall finde the reuenges of god neuer so deadly , as when he giues most way vnto men ; the vaine confidence of wickednes ending in a late repentance ; the fearefull plagues of a presumptuous sawcinesse with god , not preuented with the honestie of good intentions ; the mercy of god accepting the seruices of an humble faithfulnes in a meaner dresse . from thence you shall see the dangerous issue of an affected innovation , although to the better ; the errors of credulitie , and blinde affection in the holiest gouernors , guilty of the peoples discontentment ; the stubburne heddinesse of a multitude that once findes the reynes slacke in their necks , not capable of any pause , but their owne fall ; the vntrusty promises of a faire outside , and a plausible entrance , shutting vp in a wofull disappointment . what doe i forestall a discourse so full of choyce ; your lo : shall finde e●●cry line vsefull , and shall willingly confesse that the story of god can make a man not lesse wise , then good . mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise , then in these kinde of presents , and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your honor , and happinesse , which shall neuer bee wanting from your lo : sincerely and thankfully deuoted , ios : hall . contemplations . the arke and dagon . men could not arise to such height of impiety , if they did not mistake god : the acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence ; that god would send his arke captiue to the philistims , is so construed by them , as if he could not keep it : the wife of phinehas cryed out , that glory was departed from israel ; the philistims dare say in triumph , that glory is departed from the god of israel ; the arke was not israels , but gods , this victory reaches higher then to men . dagon had neuer so great a day , so many sacrifices , as now that he seemes to take the god of israel prisoner ; where should the captiue be bestowed , but in the custodie of the victor : it is not loue , but insultation , that lodges the arke close beside dagon : what a spectacle was this , to see vncircumcised philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of gods presence ? to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an idoll ? to see the two cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false god ? oh the deepe and holy wisdome of the almightie , which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature , who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe , fetches about most glory to his owne name ; he winks , and sits still on purpose , to see what men would doe , and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature , for a time , that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice , and power : that honor pleaseth god and men best , which is raised out of contempt . the arke of god was not vsed to such porters ; the philistims carry it vnto ashdod , that the victory of dagon may be more glorious : what paines superstition puts men vnto , for the triumph of a false cause ? and if profane philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the arke where they should not , what a shame is it for vs , if we doe not gladly attend it where we should ? how iustly may gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale ? if the isralites did put confidence in the arke , can we maruell that the philistims did put confidence in that power which ( as they thought ) had conquered the arke ? the lesse is euer subiect vnto the greater ; what could they now thinke , but that heauen and earth were theirs ? who shall stand out against them , when the god of israel hath yeelded ? securitie and presumption attend euer at the threshold of ruine . god will let them sleepe in this confidence ; in the morning they shall finde , how vainely they haue dreamed . now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague , and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace : dagon hath an house , when god hath but a tabernacle ; it is no measuring of religion by outward glory : into this house the proud phoenitians come , the next morning , to congratulate vnto their god , so great a captiue , such diuine spoiles , and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him , vnder whom the god of israel was fallen : and lo , where they finde their god , fallen downe on the ground vpon his face , before him , whom they thought both his prisoner , and theirs : their god is forced to doe that , which they should haue done voluntarily ; although god casts downe that dumbe riuall of his , for scorne , not for adoration . oh yee foolish philistims , could yee think that the same house could hold god & dagon ? could yee thinke a senselesse stone , a fit companion and guardian , for the liuing god ? had yee laid your dagon vpon his face , prostrate before the arke , yet would not god haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging ; but now , that yee presume to set vp your carued stone , equall to his cherubins , go read your folly in the floore of your temple , and know that hee which cast your god so low , can cast you lower . the true god owes a shame to those which will be making matches betwixt himselfe and belial . bvt this perhaps , was onely a mischance , or a neglect of attendance , lay to your hands , ô yee philistims , and raise vp dagon into his place ; it is a miserable god that needs helping vp ; had yee not beene more senselesse then that stone , how could you choose but thinke , how shall hee raise vs aboue our enemies , that cannot rise alone ? how shall he establish vs in the station of our peace , that cannot hold his own foot ? if dagon did giue the foyle vnto the god of israel , what power is it , that hath cast him vpon his face , in his owne temple ? it is iust with god , that those which want grace shall want wit too ; it is the power of superstition , to turne men into those stocks , and stones , which they worship : they that make them are like vnto them ; doubtlesse , this first fall of dagon was kept as secret , and excused as well as it might , and serued rather for astonishment , then conviction ; there was more strangenes then horror in that accident ; that whereas dagon had wont to stand , and the philistims fall downe , now dagon fell downe , and the philistims stood , and must become the patrons of their owne god ; their god worships them vpon his face , and craues more helpe from them , then euer he could giue : but if their sottishnes can digest this all is well . dagon is set in his place , and now those hands are lift vp to him , which helped to lift him vp ; and those faces are prostrate vnto him , before whom he lay prostrate . idolatry and superstition are not easily put out of countenance ; but will the ielosie of the true god put it vp thus ? shall dagon escape with an harmelesse fall ? surely , if they had let him lye still vpon the p●●ement , perhaps that insensible statue had found no other reuenge ; but now , they will be aduancing it to the rood-loft againe , and affront gods arke with it , the euent will shame them , and let them know , how much god scornes a partner , either of his owne making , or theirs . the morning is fittest for deuotion , then do the philistims flocke to the temple of their god ; what a shame is it for vs to come late to ours ? although , not so much piety as curiositie did now hasten their speed , to see what rest their dagon was allowed to get in his owne roofe ; and now behold their kinde god is come to meete them in the way ; some peeces of him salute their eyes vpon the threshold . dagons head and hands are ouer-runne their fellowes , to tell the philistims how much they were mistaken in a god . this second fall breaks the idoll in peeces , and threats the same confusion to the worshippers of it . easie warnings neglected end euer in destruction . the head is for deuising , the hand for execution ; in these two powers of their god , did the philistims cheifly trust ; these are therfore laid vnder their feet , vpon the threshold , that they might a farre of see their vanitie , and that ( if they would ) they might set their foote on that best peece of their god , whereon their heart was set . there was nothing wherein that idoll resembled a man , but in his head , and hands , the rest was but a scalie portraiture of a fish , god would therefore separate from this stone , that part , which had mocked man , with the counterfeit of himselfe ; that man might see what an vnworthy lumpe he had matched with himselfe , and set vp aboue himselfe : the iust quarrell of god is bent vpon those meanes , and that parcell which haue dared to rob him of his glory . how can the philistims now misse the sight of their owne folly ? how can they bee but enough convicted of their mad idolatry , to see their god lye broken to morsells , vnder their feete ? euery peece whereof proclaimes the power of him that brake it , and the stupiditie of those that adored it ? who would expect any other issue of this act , but to heare the philistims say , we now see how superstition hath blinded vs ? dagon is no god for vs , our hearts shall neuer more rest vpon a broken statue : that onely true god , which hath beaten ours , shall challenge vs by the right of conquest : but here was none of this ; rather a further degree of their dotage followes vpon this palpable conviction : they cannot yet suspect that god , whose head they may trample vpon , but in steed of hating their dagon , that lay broken vpon their threshold , they honor the threshold , on which dagon lay ; and dare not set their foote on that place , which was hallowed by the broken head , and hands of their deity : oh the obstinacie of idolatry , which where it hath got hold of the heart , knowes neither to blush , nor yeeld , but rather gathers strength from that which might iustly confound it . the hand of the almighty , which moued them not in falling vpon their god , falls now neerer them vpon their persons , and strikes them in their bodies , which would not feele themselues stricken in their idoll : paine shall humble them , whom shame cannot . those which had entertained the secret thoughts of abhominable idolatry within them , are now plagued in the inwardest and most secret part of their bodies , with a loathsome disease ; and now grow weary of themselues , in stead of their idolatry . i doe not heare them acknowledge it was gods hand , which had stricken dagon their god , till now , they finde themselues stricken : gods iudgements are the racke of godlesse men ; if one straine make them not confesse , let them be stretched but one wrench hyer , and they cannot be silent . the iust auenger of sinne will not loose the glory of his executions , but will haue men know from whom they smart . the emerods were not a disease beyond the compasse of naturall causes , neither was it hard for the wiser sort , to giue a reason of their complaint , yet they ascribe it to the hand of god : the knowledge and operation of secondary causes should be no preiudice to the first ; they are worse then the philistims , who when they see the meanes , doe not acknowledge the first mouer ; whose actiue and iust power is no lesse seene in imploying ordinarie agents , then in raising vp extraordinary ; neither doth hee lesse smite by a common fever , then a reuenging angell . they iudge right of the cause , what doe they resolue for the cure ? ( let not the arke of the god of israel abide with vs ) where they should haue said , let vs cast out dagon , that we may pacifie and retaine the god of israel , they determine to thrust out the arke of god , that they might peaceably inioy themselues , and dagon : wicked men are vpon all occasions glad to be rid of god , but they can with no patience , indure to part with their sins , and whiles they are weary of the hand that punishes them , they hold fast the cause of their punishment . their first and onely care is to put away him , who as hee hath corrected , so can ease them . folly is neuer separated from wickednes . their heart told them that they had no right to the arke . a counsell is called of their princes , and priests : if they had resolued to send it home , they had done wisely ; now they doe not carry it away , but they carry it about from ebenezer to ashdod , from ashdod to gath , from gath to ekron : their stomacke was greater then their conscience ; the arke was too sore for them , yet it was too good for israel ; and they will rather dye , then make israel happy . their conceit that the change of ayre could appease the arke , god vseth to his own aduantage ; for by this meanes his power is knowne , and his iudgements spred ouer all the country of the philistims : what doe these men now , but send the plague of god to their fellowes ? the iustice of god can make the sinnes of men their mutuall executioners ; it is the fashion of wicked men to draw their neighbours into the partnership of their condemnation . wheresoeuer the arke goes , there is destruction ; the best of gods ordinances , if they be not proper to vs , are deadly . the israelites did not more shout for ioy , when they saw the arke come to them , then the ekronites cry out for greefe , to see it brought amongst them : spiritual things are either soueraigne , or hurtfull , according to the disposition of the receiuers . the arke doth either saue , or kill , as it is entertained . at last , when the philistims are well weary of paine & death , they are glad to be quit of their sinne ; the voice of the princes and people is changed to the better , ( send away the arke of the god of israel , and let it returne to his owne place , ) god knowes how to bring the stubbornnest enemie vpon his knees , and makes him doe that out of feare , which his best childe would doe out of loue and dutie : how miserable was the estate of these philistims ? euery man was either dead , or sicke : those that were left liuing ( through their extremitie of paine ) enuied the dead , and the the cry of their whole cities went vp to heauen . it is happy that god hath such store of plagues and thunderbolts for the wicked : if he had not a fire of iudgment , wherewith the yron-hearts of men might be made flexible , he would want obedience , and the world peace . the arkes reuenge and returne . it had wont to be a sure rule , wheresoeuer god is among men , there is the church : here onely it failed : the testimonie of gods presence was many moneths amongst the philistims , for a punishment to his owne people , whom he left ; for a curse to those forrainers , which entertained it ; israel was seuen moneths without god : how do we thinke faithfull samuel tooke this absence ? how desolate , and forlorne did the tabernacle of god looke , without the arke ? there were still the altars of god , his preists , leuites , tables , vailes , censers , with all the legall accoustrements : these without the arke , were as the sunne without light , in the midst of an eclipse : if all these had bin taken away , and onely the arke had bin remayning , the losse had bin nothing to this , that the arke should be gone , and they left : for what are all these without god , and how all-sufficient is god without these ? there are times , wherein god withdrawes himselfe from his church , and seems to leaue her without comfort , without protection : sometimes we shall finde israel taken from the arke , other-whiles the arke is taken from israel : in either , there is a separation betwixt the arke and israel : heauy times to euery true israelite , yet such , as whose example may releeue vs in our desertions : still was this people israel ; the seed of him , that would not be left of god without a blessing ; and therefore without the testimony of his presence , was god present with them : it were wide with the faithfull , if god were not often-times with them , when there is no witnesse of his presence . one act was a mutuall penance to the israelites and philistims , i know not to whether more : israel greeued for the losse of that , whose presence greeued the philistims , their paine was therefore no other then voluntary : it is strange , that the philistims would endure seauen monthes smart with the arke , since they saw , that the presence of that prisoner would not requite , no nor mitigate to them , one houres misery : foolish men will be strugling with god , till they be vtterly either breathlesse , or impotent . their hope was , that time might abate displeasure , euen whiles they persisted to offend : the false hopes of worldly men cost them deare , they could not be so miserable , if their owne hearts did not deceiue them with mis-expectations of impossible fauour . in matters , that concerne a god , who is so fit to be consulted with , as the preists ? the princes of the philistims had before giuen their voices , yet nothing is determined , nothing is done without the direction , and assent of those , whom they accounted sacred : nature it selfe sends vs in diuine things , to those persons , whose calling is diuine : it is either distrust , or presumption , or contempt , that carries vs our owne waies in spirituall matters , without aduising with them , whose lips god hath appointed to preserue knowledge : there cannot but arise many difficulties in vs about the arke of god , whom should wee consult with but those , which haue the tongue of the learned ? dovbtles , this question of the arke did abide much debating : there wanted not faire probabilities on both sides : a wise philistim might well plead , if god had either so great care of the arke , or power to retaine it , how is it become ours ? a wiser then he would reply ; if the god of israel had wanted either care or power , dagon , and we had beene still whole ; why doe we thus grone , and dye , all that are but within the ayre of of the arke , if a diuine hand do not attend it ? their smart pleads enough for the dismission of the arke : the next demand of their preists and soothsayers , is , how it should be sent home : affliction had made them so wise , as to know , that euery fashion of parting with the arke would not satisfie the owner : oftentimes the circumstance of an action marres the substance : in diuine matters we must not onely looke , that the body of our seruice be sound , but that the clothes be fit : nothing hinders , but that sometimes good aduise may fall from the mouth of wicked men . these superstitious preists can counsell them not to send away the arke of god empty , but to giue it a sin-offering : they had not liued so farre from the smoake of the iewish altars , but that they knew , god was accustomed to manifold oblations , and cheifly to those of expiation . no israelite could haue said better : superstition is the ape of true deuotion , and if we looke not to the ground of both , many times it is hard by the very outward acts to distinguish them : nature it selfe teacheth vs , that god loues a full hand : hee that hath beene so bountifull to vs , as to giue vs all , lookes for a returne of some offering from vs ; if wee present him with nothing but our sins , how can wee looke to be accepted ? the sacrifices vnder the gospell are spirituall , with these must we come into the presence of god , if wee desire to carry away remission and fauour . the philistims knew well , that it were bootlesse for them to offer , what they listed , their next suite is to be directed in the matter of their oblation : pagans can teach vs , how vnsaf●● it is to walke in the waies of religion , without a guide , yet here , their best teachers can but guesse at their dutie , and must deuise for the people , that , which the people durst not impose vpon themselues : the golden emerods and mise were but coniecturall prescripts : with what securitie may wee consult with them , which haue their directions frō the mouth and hand of the allmighty ? god stroke the philistims at once in their god , in their bodies , in their land : in their god , by his ruine , and dismembring : ni their bodies by the emerods : in their land , by the mise : that base vermine did god send among them on purpose to shame their dagon , and them , that they might see , how vnable their god was ( which they thought the victor of the arke ) to subdue the least mouse , which the true god did create , and command to plague them : this plague vpon their fields , began together with that vpon their bodies , it was not mentioned , not complained of , till they thinke of dismissing the arke : greater crosses doe commonly swallow vp the lesse : at least , lesser euills are either silent or vnheard , while the eare is filled with the clamour of greater . their very princes were punished with the mise , as well as the emerods ; god knowes no persons in the execution of iudgements , the least and meanest of all gods creatures is sufficient to be the reuenger of his creator . god sent them mise , and emerods of flesh , and blood : they returne him both these of gold , to imply , both , that these iudgements came out from god , and that they did gladly giue him the glory of that , whereof hee gaue them paine and sorrow , and that they would willingly buy off their paine , with the best of their substance : the proportion betwixt the complaint and satisfaction is more precious to him , then the metall . there was a publike confession in this resemblance , which is so pleasing vnto god , that he rewards it , euen in wicked men , with a relaxation of outward punishment . the number was no lesse significant , then the forme : fiue golden emerods , and mise for the fiue princes , and diuisions of philistims : as god made no difference in punishing , so they make none in their oblation ; the people are comprised in them , in whom they are vnited , their seuerall princes : they were one with their prince , their offering is one with his ; as they were ring-leaders in the sinne , so must they be in the satisfaction : in a multitude , it is euer seene , as in a beast , that the body followes the head . of all others great men had neede to looke to their waies , it is in them , as in figures , one stands for a thousand : one offering serues not all , there must be fiue , according to the fiue heads of the offence . generalities will not content god ; euery man must make his seuerall peace , if not in himselfe , yet in his head : nature taught them a shadow of that , the substance and perfection wherof is taught vs by the grace of the gospell ; euery soule must satisfie god , if not in it selfe , yet in him , in whom we are both one , and absolute : we are the body , whereof christ is the head , our sinne is in our selues , our satisfaction must be in him . samvel himselfe could not haue spoken more diuinely , then these preists of dagon ; they doe not onely talke of giuing glory to the god of israel , but fall into an holy and graue expostulation ( wherefore then should yee harden your hearts , as the aegyptians , and pharaoh hardned their hearts , when hee wrought wonderfully among them ? &c. ) they confesse a supereminent , & reuenging hand of god ouer their gods , they parallell their plagues with the aegyptian , they make vse of pharaohs sinne , and iudgment ; what could be better said ? all religions haue afforded them , that could speake well : these good words left them still both philistims , and superstitious : how should men be hypocrites , if they had not good tongues ? yet ( as wickednesse can hardly hide it selfe ) these holy speeches are not without a tincture of that idolatry , wherewith the heart was infected : for they professe care not only of the persons , and lands of the philistims , but of their gods ; ( that he may take his hand from you , and from your gods . ) who would thinke , that wisdome and folly could lodge so neere together ? that the same men should haue care both of the glory of the true god , and the preseruation of the false ? that they should bee so vaine , as to take thought for those gods , which they granted to be obnoxious vnto an hyer deity ? oft-times euen one word bewrayeth a whole packe of falshood , and though superstition be a cleanly counterfet , yet some one slip of the tongue discouers it , as we say of deuils , which though they put on faire formes , yet are they knowne by their clouen feete . what other warrant these superstitious preists had for the maine substance of their aduise , i know not , sure i am , the probabilitie of the euent was faire ; that two kine neuer vsed to any yoke , should runne from their calues ( which were newly shut vp from them ) to draw the arke home in a contrary way , must needs argue an hand aboue nature ; what else should ouer-rule brute creatures to prefer a forced cariage vnto a naturall burden ? what should carry them from their owne home , towards the home of the arke ? what else should guide an vntamed and vntaught teame , in as right a path toward israel , as their teachers could haue gone ? what else could make very beasts more wise , then their masters ? there is a speciall prouidence of god in the very motions of brute creatures ; neither philistims nor israelites saw ought that droue them , yet they saw them so runne , as those that were led by a diuine conduct . the reason-lesse creatures also do the the will of their maker ; euery act that is done either by them , or to them , makes vp the decree of the almighty ; and if in extraordinary actions and euents his hand is more visible , yet it is no lesse certainly present in the common . litle did the israelites of bethshemesh looke for such a sight , whiles they were reaping their wheat in the valley , as to see the arke of god come running to them , without a conuoy ; neither can it be said , whether they were more affected with ioy , or with astonishment , with ioy at the presence of the arke , with astonishment at the miracle of the transportation : downe went their sickles , and now euery man runnes to reape the comfort of this better haruest , to meete that bread of angels , to salute those cherubims , to welcome that god , whose absence had bin their death : but , as it is hard not to ouer-ioy in a sudden prosperitie , and , to vse happinesse is no lesse difficult , then to forbeare it ; these glad israelites cannot see , but they must gaze ; they cannot gaze on the glorious outside , but they must be ( whether out of rude iollity , or curiositie , or suspition of the purloyning some of those sacred implements ) prying into the secrets of gods arke : nature is too subiect to extremities , and is euer either too dull in want , or wanton in fruition : it is no easie matter to keepe a meane , whether in good , or euill . bethshemesh was a citie of preists , they should haue knowne better , how to demeane themselues towards the arke ; this priuiledge doubled their offence : there was no malice in this curious inquisition , the same eyes that lookt into the arke , lookt also vp to heauen in their offerings , and the same hands , that touched it , offered sacrifice to the god that brought it . who could expect any thing now but acceptation ? who would suspect any danger ? it is not a following act of deuotion , that can make amends for a former sinne : there was a death owing them , immediately vpon their offence , god will take his owne time for the execution ; in the meane while , they may sacrifice , but they cannot satisfie , they cannot escape . the kine are sacrificed , the cart burnes them that drew it : here was an offering of praise , when they had more neede of a trespasse-offering ; many an heart is lifted vp in a conceit of ioy , when it hath iust cause of humiliation : god lets them alone with their sacrifice , but when that is done , he comes ouer them with a backe reckning for their sinne : fifty thousand & seuenty israelites are stroke dead for this vnreuerence to the arke : a wofull welcome for the arke of god into the borders of israel ; it killd them for looking into it , who thought it their life to see it ; it dealt blowes , and death on both hands ; to philistims , to israelites ; to both of them for prophaning it : the one with their idoll , the other with their eyes . it is a fearefull thing to vse the holy ordinances of god with an vnreuerent boldnesse . feare and trembling becomes vs in our accesse to the maiestie of the allmighty : neither was there more state , then secrecy in gods arke ; some things the wisdome of god desires to conceale : the vnreuerence of the israelites was no more faulty , then their curiositie ; secret things to god , things reuealed to vs , and to our children . the remove of the arke . i heare of the bethshemites lamentation , i hear not of their repentanc , they cōplaine of their smart , they complaine not of their sinne , and for ought i can perceiue , speake , as if god were curious , rather then they faulty : ( who is able to stand before this holy lord god , and to whom shall he goe from vs ? ) as if none could please that god , which misliked them : it is the fashion of naturall men to iustifie themselues in their own courses ; if they cannot charge any earthly thing with the blame of their suffering , they will cast it vpon heauen : that a man pleads himselfe guilty of his owne wrong , is no common worke of gods spirit . bethshemesh bordred too neere vpon the philistims ; if these men thought the very presence of the arke hurtfull , why do they send to their neighbours of kiriathiearim , that they might make themselues miserable ? where there is a misconceit of god , it is no maruell , if there be a defect of charity : how cunningly do they send their message to their neighbours ? they doe not say , the arke of god is come to vs of it owne accord , lest the men of kiriath-iearim should reply , it is come to you , let it stay with you ; they say onely , the philistims haue brought it ; they tell of the presence of the arke , they doe not tell of the successe , lest the example of their iudgement should haue discouraged the forwardnes of their releefe ; and after all , the offer was plausible ; come yee downe and take it vp to you , as if the honor had bin too great for themselus ; as if their modestie had beene such , that they would not forestall and engrosse happinesse from the rest of israel . it is no boote to teach nature , how to tell her owne tale ; smart and danger will make a man witty : he is rarely constant , that will not dissemble for ease . it is good to be suspicious of the euasions of those , which would put off miserie : those of bethshemesh were not more crafty , then these of kiriathiearim ( which was the ground of their boldnes ) faithfull : so many thousand bethshemites could not be dead , and no part of the rumor flie to them ; they heard , how thicke , not onely the philistims , but the bordring israelites fell downe dead before the arke ; yet they durst aduenture to come , and fetch it , euen from amongst the carkasses of their brethren : they had bin formerly acquainted with the arke , they knew it was holy , it could not be changeable , and therefore they well conceiued this slaughter to arise from the vnholinesse of men , not from the rigour of god , and therevpon can seeke comfort in that , which others found deadly : gods children cannot by any meanes bee discouraged from their honor , and loue to his ordinances : if they see thousands strucke downe to hell by the scepter of gods kingdome , yet they will kisse it vpon their knees , and if their sauiour be a rocke of offence , and the occasion of the fall of millions in israel , they can loue him no lesse : they can warme them at the fire , wherewith they see others burned ; they can feede temperately of that , whereof others haue surfeted to death &c. bethshemesh was a citie of preists , the leuites : kiriathiearim a citie of iuda , where we heare but of one leuite , abinadab ; yet this citie was more zealous for god , more reuerent , and conscionable in the entertainment of the arke , then the other . we heard of the taking downe of the arke by the bethshemites , when it came miraculously to them , we do not heare of any man sanctified for the attendance of it , as was done in this second lodging of the arke : grace is not tyed either to number , or meanes . it is in spirituall matters , as in the estate : small helps with good thrift enrich vs , when great patrimonies loose themselues in the neglect . shiloh was wont to be the place , which was honored with the presence of the arke ; euer since the wickednes of elies sonnes , that was forlorne , and desolate , and now kiriath-iearim succeeds into this priuiledge : it did not stand with the royall liberty of god , no not vnder the law , to tye himselfe vnto places and persons : vnworthines was euer a sufficient cause of exchange . it was not yet his time to stirre from the iewes , yet hee remoued from one prouince to another : lesse reason haue we to thinke , that so god will reside amongst vs , that none of our prouocations can driue him from vs &c. israel , which had found the misery of gods absence , is now resolued into teares of contrition , and thankfulnes , vpon his returne : there is no mention of their lamenting after the lord , while he was gone , but when he was returned , and setled in kiriath-iearim ; the mercies of god draw more teares from his children , then his iudgments doe from his enemies : there is no better signe of good nature , or grace , then to be won to repentance with kindnesse : not to thinke of god , except we be beaten vnto it , is seruile : because god was come againe to israel , therefore israel is returned to god ; if god had not come first , they had neuer come : if he , that came to them , had not made them come to him , they had bin euer parted . they were cloyed with god , while he was perpetually resident with them , now that his absence had made him dainty , they cleaue to him feruently , and penitently in his returne : this was it , that god meant in his departure , a better welcome at his comming backe . i heard no newes of samuel all this while , the arke was gone : now when the arke is returned , and placed in kiriath-iearim , i heare him treat with the people . it is not like , he was silent in this sad desertion of god ; but now he takes full aduantage of the professed contrition of israel , to deale with them effectually , for their perfect conversion vnto god , it is great wisdome in spirituall matters , to take occasion by the fore-locke , and to strike whiles the yron is hot : we may beat long enough at the dore , but till god haue opened , it is no going in , and when he hath opened , it is no delaying to enter : the tryall of sinceritie is the abandoning of our wonted sinnes : this samuel vrgeth ( if yee be come againe vnto the lord with all your heart , put away the strange gods from among you , and ashtaroth ) : in vaine had it beene to professe repentance , whilst they continued in idolatry ; god will neuer acknowledge any convert , that stayes in a knowne sinne : graces and vertues are so linckt together , that he , which hath one , hath all : the partiall conversion of men vnto god is but hatefull hypocrisie . how happily effectuall is a word spoken in season ? samuels exhortation wrought vpon the hearts of israel , and fetcht water out of their eyes , suites , and confessions , & vowes out of their lips , and their false gods out of their hands ; yet it was not meerely remorse , but feare also , that moued israel to this humble submission . the philistims stood ouer them still , and threatned them with new assaults , the memory of their late slaughter , & spoile , was yet fresh in their mindes , sorrow for the euils past , and feare of the future fetcht them downe vpon their knees : it is not more necessarie for men to be cheered with hopes , then to be awed with dangers ; where god intends the humiliation of his seruants , there shall not want means of their deiection : it was happy for israel that they had an enemie . is it possible , that the philistims after those deadly plagues , which they susteined from the god of israel , should thinke of invading israel ? those , that were so mated with the presence of the arke , that they neuer thought themselues safe , till it was out of sight , doe they now dare to thrust themselues vpon the new reuenge of the arke ? it slew them , whiles they thought to honor it , and do they thinke to escape , whilest they resist it ? it slew them in their owne coasts , and do they come to it to seeke death ? yet behold no sooner do the philistims heare , that the israelites are gathered to mizpeh , but the princes of the philistims gather themselues against them : no warnings will serue obdurate hearts , wicked men are euen ambitious of destruction ; iudgements neede not to goe finde them out , they runne to meete their bane . the philistims come vp , and the israelites feare ; they that had not the wit to feare , whilst they were not frends with god , haue not now the grace of fearelesnes , when they were reconciled to god : boldnes and feare are commonly misplaced in the best hearts ; when we should tremble , we are confident , and when we should be assured , we tremble : why should israel haue feared , since they had made their peace with the god of hostes ? nothing should affright those , which are vpright with god. the peace , which israel had made with god , was true , but tender ; they durst not trust their owne innocencie so much , as the prayers of samuel ; cease not to cry to the lord our god for vs. in temporall things nothing hinders , but we may fare better for other mens faith , then for our owne : it is no small happinesse to be interessed in them , which are fauorites in the court of heauen ; one faithfull man in these occasions is more worth then millions of the wauering and vncertaine . a good heart is easily wonne to deuotion : samuel cries , and sacrificeth to god ; he had done so , though they had intreated his silence , yea his forbearance : whiles he is offering , the philistims fight with israel , and god fights with the philistims . ( the lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the philistims , and scattered them ) : samuel fought more vpon his knees , then all israel besides : the voice of god answered the voice of samuel , and speakes confusion and death to the philistims : how were the proud philistims dead with feare , ere they died , to heare the fearefull thunder-claps of an angry god against them ? to see , that heauen it self fought against them ? hee that slew them secretly in the reuenges of his arke , now kills them with open horror in the fields : if presumption did not make wicked men madd , they would neuer lift their hand against the allmighty ; what are they in his hands , when he is disposed to vengance . the meeting of saul and samuel . samvel began his acquaintance with god early , and continued it long : he began it in his long coates , and continued to his gray haires : ( he iudged israel all the daies of his life . ) god doth not vse to cast off his old seruants ; their age indeereth them to him the more ; if we be not vnfaithfull to him , he can not be vnconstant to vs : at last his decayed age met witly ill partners , his sonnes for deputies , and saul for a king ; the wickednes of his sonnes gaue the occasion of a change : perhaps israel had neuer thought of a king , if samuels sonnes had not beene vnlike their father ; who can promise himselfe holy children , when the loynes of a samuel , and the education in the temple , yeelded monsters ? it is not likely ; that good samuel was faulty in that indulgence , for which his owne mouth had denounced gods iudgement against hely : yet this holy man succeeds hely in his crosse , as well as his place , though not in his sinne , and is afflicted with a wicked succession : god will let vs finde , that grace is by gift , not by inheritance . i feare samuel was too partiall to nature in the surrogation of his sonnes , i do not heare of gods allowance to this act : if this had beene gods choice , as well as his , it had beene like to haue receiued more blessing . now all israel had cause to rue , that these were the sonnes of samuel ; for now the question was not of their vertues , but of their blood , not of their worthinesse , but their birth ; euen the best heart may be blinded with affection . who can maruell at these errors of parents loue , when the that so holily iudged israel all his life , misiudged of his owne sonnes ? it was gods ancient purpose to raise vp a king to his people : how doth he take occasion to performe it , but by the vnruly desires of israel ? euen as we say of humane proceedings , that ill manners beget good lawes . that monarchy is the best forme of gouernment , there is no question : good things may be ill desired , so was this of israel ; if an itching desire of alteration had not possessed them , why did they not rather sue for a reformation of their gouernors , then for a change of gouernment ? were samuels sonnes so desperately euill , that there was no possibilitie of amendment ? or if they were past hope , were there not some others to haue succeeded the iustice of samuel , no lesse then these did his person ? what needed samuel to be thrust out of place ? what needed the ancient forme of administration to be altred ? he that raised vp their iudges , would haue found time to raise them vp kings : their curious , and inconstant new-fanglenes , will not abide to stay it , but with an heady importunitie labours to ouer-hasten the pace of god. where there is a setled course of good gouernment ( howsoeuer blemished with some weaknesses ) it is not safe to be ouer-forward to a change , though it should be to the better . he , by whom kings raigne , saies , they haue cast him away , that he should not raigne ouer them , because they desire a king to raigne ouer them : iudges were his own institutiō to his people , as yet kings were not ; after that kings were setled , to desire the gouernment of iudges , had bin a much more seditious inconstancy : god hath not appointed to euery time & place those formes , which are simply best in themselues , but those , which are best to them , vnto whom they are appointed ; which we may neither alter , till he begin , nor recall , when he hath altred . this busines seemed personally to concerne samuel , yet he so deales in it , not as a party , not as a iudge of his owne case , but as a prophet of god , as a freind of his opposite ; he prayes to god for aduise , he fore-tells the state and courses of their future king : wilfull men are blinde to all dangers , are deafe to all good counsells . israel must haue a king , though they pay neuer so deare for their longing : the vaine affectation of conformitie to other nations ouercomes all discouragements ; there is no readier way to error , then to make others examples the rule of our desires , ●●●nctions : if euery man haue ●●ot grounds of his owne , whereon to stand , there can be no stabilitie in his resolutions , or proceedings . since then they choose to haue a king , god will choose the king , which they shall haue . the kingdome shall begin in beniamin , which was to indure in iuda : it was no probabilitie , or reason , this first king should proue well , because he was abortiue ; their humor of innovation deserued to bee punished with their owne choise : kish the father of saul was mighty in estate ; saul was mighty in person , ouer-looking the rest of the people in stature , no lesse then he should do in dignitie : the senses of the israelites could not but be well pleased for the time , howsoeuer their hearts were afterwards ; when men are carried with outward shews , it is a signe , that god means them a delusion . how far god fetches his purposes about ? the asses of kish sauls father , are strayed away : what is that to the newes of a kingdom ? god layes these small accidents for the ground of greater designes : the asses must be lost , none but saul must goe with his fathers seruant to seeke them : samuel shall meet them in the search : saul shall be premonished of his insuing royalty ; litle can we , by the beginning of any action , guesse at gods intention in the conclusion . obedience was a fit entrance into soueraingty : the seruice was homely for the son of a great man , yet he refuseth not to goe , as a fellow to his fathers seruant , vpon so meane a search : the disobedient and scornefull are good for nothing , they are neither fit to be subiects nor gouernors : kish was a great man in his country , yet he disdaineth not to send his son saul vpon a thrifty errand , neither doth saul plead his disparagement from a refusall . pride and wantonnesse haue marred our times : great parents count it a disreputation to imploy their sonnes in courses of frugalitie ; & their pampred children think it a shame to do any thing ; and so beare themselues as those , that hold it the onely glory to be either idle or wicked neither doth saul goe fashionably to worke , but does this seruice hartily & painfully , as a man , that desires rather to effect the command , then please the commander : hee passed from ephraim to the land of shalisha , from shalisha to salim , from salim to iemini , whence his house came ; from iemini to zuph , not so much as staying with any of his kinred , so long as to vittaile himselfe : he that was afterward an ill king , approued himselfe a good sonne . as there are diuersitie of relations , and offices ; so there is of dispositions ; those , which are excellent in some , attaine not to a mediocritie in other : it is no arguing from priuate vertues to publique ; from dexteritie in one station , to the rest : a seuerall grace belongs to the particular cariage of euery place , whereto we are called , which if we want , the place may well want vs. there was more praise of his obedience in ceasing to seek , then in seeking ; he takes care , lest his father should take care for him , that whilst hee should seeme officious in the lesse , he might not neglect the greatest . a blinde obedience in some cases doth well , but it doth farre better , when it is led with the eyes of discretion ; otherwise we may more offend in pleasing , then in disobeying . great is the benefit of a wise and religious attendant , such a one puts vs into those duties and actions , which are most expedient , and least thought of . if saul had not had a discreet seruant , he had returned but as wife as hee came ; now hee is drawne in , to consult with the man of god , and heares more , then he hoped for . saul was now a sufficient iourney from his fathers house , yet his religious seruant in this remotenesse , takes knowledge of the place , where the prophet dwells , and how honorably doth hee mention him to his master ? behold , in this citie is a man of god , and he is an honorable man , all that he saith commeth to passe : gods prophets are publique persons , as their function , so their notice concernes euery man : there is no reason god should abate any of the respect due to his ministers vnder the gospell : st pauls suite is both vniuersall and euerlasting ; i beseech you , brethren , know them that labour amongst you . the cheife praise is to be able to giue good aduise ; the next is to take it . saul is easily induced to condiscend ; he , whose curiositie led him voluntarily at last , to the witch of endor , is now led at first by good counsell to the man of god ; neither is his care in going , lesse commendable , then his will to goe . for as a man , that had bin catechised not to go vnto god empty-handed , he askes , what shall we bring vnto the man ? what haue we ? the case is well altred in our times : euery man thinks , what may i keep backe ? there is no gaine so sweet , as of a robbed altar ; yet gods charge is no lesse vnder the gospell , let him that is taught , make his teacher partaker of all . as this faithfull care of saul was a iust presage of successe , more then he looked for , or could expect ; so the sacrilegious vnthankfulnes of many , bodes that ruine to their soule and estate , which they could not haue grace to feare . he that knew the prophets abode , knew also the honor of his place , hee could not but know , that samuel was a mixt person : the iudge of israel , and the seer ; yet both saul and his seruant purpose to present him with the fourth part of a shekell , to the value of about our fiue pence : they had learned , that thankfulnes was not to be measured , of good men , by the weight , but by the will of the retributor : how much more will god accept the small offerings of his weake seruants , when hee sees them proceede from great loue ? the very maides of the city can giue direction to the prophet , they had listned after the holy affaires , they had heard of the sacrifice , and could tell of the necessitie of samuels presence : those that liue within the sun shine of religion , cannot but be somewhat coloured with those beames : where there is practise and example of piety in the better for t , there will be a reflexion of it vpon the meanest : it is no small benefit to liue in religious and holy places , wee shall be much to blame , if all goodnes fall beside vs : yea so skilfull were these damzels in the fashions of their publike sacrifices , that they could instruct saul and his seruant , vnasked , how the people would not eat , till samuel came to blesse the sacrifice . this meeting was not more a sacrifice , then a feast : these two agree well , we haue neuer so much cause to reioyce in feasting , as when wee haue duely serued our god : the sacrifice was a feast to god , the other to men : the body may eat and drinke with contentment , when the soule hath bin first fed , and hath first feasted the maker of both : goe eat thy bread with ioy , and drinke thy drinke with a merry heart , for god now accepteth thy works . the sacrifice was before consecrated , when it was offered to god , but it was not consecrated to them , till samuel blessed it , his blessing made that meat holy to the guests , which was formerly hallowed to god : all creatures were made good , & tooke holinesse from him , which gaue them their being ; our sinne brought that curse vpon them ( which vnlesse our prayers remoue it ) cleaues to them still , so as we receiue them not without a curse : we are not our owne freinds , except our prayers helpe to take that away , which our sin hath brought , that so to the cleane all may be cleane : it is an vnmannerly godlessnes to take gods creatures without the leaue of their maker , and well may god with-hold his blessing from them , which haue not the grace to aske it . those guests , which were so religious , that they would not eat their sacrifice vnblessed , might haue blessed it themselues : euery man might pray , though euery man might not sacrifice ; yet would they not either eat , or blesse , whiles they looked for the presence of a prophet . euery christian may sanctifie his owne meat , but where those are present , that are peculiarly sanctified to god , this seruice is fittest for them : it is commendable to teach children the practise of thanksgiuing , but the best is euer most meere to blesse our tables , and those especially , whose office it is to offer our prayers to god. litle did saul thinke , that his comming , and his errand was so noted of god , as that it was fore-signified vnto the prophet , and now , behold samuel is told a day before of the man , the time , the place of his meeting . the eye of gods prouidenc is no lesse ouer all our actions , all our motions : we cannot goe any whither without him , he tells all our steps ; since it pleaseth god therefore to take notice of vs , much more should we take notice of him , & walke with him , in whom we moue ? saul came beside his expectation to the prophet , he had no thought of any such purpose , till his seruant made this sudden motion vnto him of visiting samuel , and yet god saies to his prophet , i will send thee a man out of the land of beniamin . the ouer ruling hand of the allmighty workes vs insensibly , and all our affaires to his owne secret determinations ; so as whiles wee thinke we doe our owne wills , we do his : our owne intentions we may know , gods purposes we know not ; we must go the way that we are called , let him lead vs to what end he pleaseth ; it is our dutie to resigne our selues , and our waies to the disposition of god , and patiently and thankfully to awaite the issue of his decrees . the same god , that fore-shewed saul to samuel , now points to him ( see this is the man ) , and commands the prophet to annoint him gouernor ouer israel : he , that told of saul before he came , knew before he came into the world , what a man , what a king hee would be ; yet he chooseth him out , and inioynes his invnction . it is one of the greatest praises of gods wisdome , that hee can turne the euill of men to his own glory : aduancement is not euer a signe of loue , either to the man , or to the place : it had bin better for saul , that his head had bin euer dry , some god raiseth vp in iudgement , that they may fall the more vneasily ; there are no men so miserable , as those , that are great and euill . it seemes that samuel bore no great port in his outside , for that saul not discerning him , either by his habit , or attendants , comes to him , and asks him for the seer ; yet was samuel as yet the iudge of israel , the substitution of his sonnes had not displaced himselfe : there is an affable familiaritie , that becommeth greatnesse ; it is not good for eminent persons to stand alwaies vpon the height of their state , but so to behaue themselues , that as their sociable cariage may not breed contempt , so their ouer-highnes may not breed a seruile fearefulnesse in their people . how kindly doth samuel intertaine , and invite saul , yet it was he onely , that should receiue wrong by the future royalty of saul ? who would not haue looked , that aged samuel should haue emulated rather the glory of his yong riuall , and haue looked churlishly vpon the man , that should rob him of his authoritie ? yet now , as if he came on purpose to gratifie him , hee bids him to the feast , he honors him with the cheife seat , he reserues a select morsell for him , hee tells him ingenuously the newes of his insuing soueraigntie ( on whom is set the desire of all israel , is it not vpon thee , and thy fathers house ? ) wise and holy men , as they are not ambitious of their owne burden , so they are not vnwilling to be eased , when god pleaseth to discharge them ; neither can they enuie those whom god lifteth aboue their heads : they make an idoll of honor , that are troubled with their owne freedome , or grudge at the promotion of others . dovbtles saul was much amased with the strange salutation , and newes of the prophet , and how modestly doth he put it off , as that , which was neither fit , nor likely ; disparaging his tribe in respect of the rest of israel , his fathers familie in respect of the tribe , and himselfe in respect of his fathers familie ; neither did his humilitie stoope below the truth : for , as beniamin was the yongest sonne of israel , so he was now by much the least tribe of israel ; they had not yet recouered that vniuersall slaughter , which they had receiued from the hands of their brethren , whereby a tribe was almost lost to israel ; yet euen out of the remainder of beniamin doth god choose the man , that shall command israel ; out of the rubbish of beniamin doth god raise the throne . that is not euer the best and fittest , which god chooseth , but that , which god chooseth is euer the fittest ; the strength or weaknes of meanes is neither spurr , nor bridle to the determinate choices of god , yea rather he holds it the greatest proofe of his freedome , and omnipotencie to aduance the vnlikeliest . it was no hollow and fained excuse , that saul makes to put of that , which hee would faine enioy , and to cause honor to follow him the more eagerly : it was the sincere truth of his humilitie , that so deiected him vnder the hand of gods prophet . faire beginnings are no found proofe of our proceedings and ending well : how often hath a bashfull childhood ended in an impudency of youth , a strict entrance in licentiousnes , early forwardnes in atheisme ? there might be a ciuill meeknes in saul , true grace there was not in him ; they that be good , beare more fruit in their age . savl had but fiue pence in his purse to giue the prophet : the prophet after much good cheere giues him the kingdome , he bestowes the oyle of royall consecration on his head , the kisses of homage vpon his face , and sends him away rich in thoughts , and expectation ; and now least his astonishment should end in distrust , he settles his assurance , by fore-warnings of those euents , which he should finde in his way : he tells him whom he shall meet , what they shall say , hovv himselfe shall be affected ; that all these , and himselfe might be so many witnesses of his following coronation ; euery word confirmed him . for well might he thinke , he that can foretell me the motions and words of others , cannot faile in mine ; especially when ( as samuel had prophesied to him ) he found himselfe to prophesie ; his prophesying did enough foretell his kingdom . no sooner did samuel turne his backe from saul , but god gaue him another heart , lifting vp his thoughts and disposition to the pitch of a king : the calling of god neuer leaues a man vnchanged , neither did god euer imploy any man in his seruice , whom he did not inable to the worke hee set him ; especially those , whom he raiseth vp to the supply of his owne place , and the representation of himselfe . it is no maruell , if princes excell the vulgar in gifts , no lesse then in dignitie : their crownes and their hearts are both in one and the same hand ; if god did not adde to their powers , as well as their honors , there would be no equalitie . the inauguration of savl . god hath secretly destined saul to the kingdome ; it could not content israel , that samuel knew this , the lots must so decide the choice , as if it had not beene predetermined ; that god , which is euer constant to his owne decrees , makes the lots to finde him out , whom samuel had annointed : if once wee haue notice of the will of god , we may be confident of the issue : there is no chance to the almighty ; euen casuall things are no lesse necessarie , in their first cause , then the naturall . so farre did saul trust the prediction , and oyle of samuel , that he hides him among the stuffe : he knew , where the lots would light , before they were cast : this was but a modest declination of that honor , which hee saw must come ; his very withdrawing shewed some expectation , why else should hee haue hid himselfe , rather then the other israelites ? yet could he not hope his subducing himselfe , could disappoint the purpose of god : he well knew , that hee , which found out and designed his name amongst the thousands of israel , would easily finde out his person in a tent : when once we know gods decree , in vaine shall wee striue against it ; before we know it , it is indifferent for vs to worke to the likeliest . i cannot blame saul for hiding himselfe from a kingdome , especially of israel : honor is heauy , when it comes vpon the best termes : how should it be otherwise , when all mens cares are cast vpon one ? but most of all in a troubled estate ? no man can put to sea without danger , but he that launcheth out in a tempest , can expect nothing , but the hardest euent ; such was the condition of israel : their old enemy the philistims were stilled with that fearefull thunder of god , as finding what it was to warre against the allmighty . there were aduersaries enow besides in their borders : it was but an hollow truce , that was betwixt israel and their heathenish neighbours ; and nahash was now at their gates . well did saul know the difference betweene a peacefull gouernment , and the perilous and wearisome tumults of warre : the quietest throne is full of cares , but the perplexed of dangers . cares & dangers droue saul into this corner to hide his head from a crowne : these made him chuse rather to lye obscurely among the baggage of his tent , then to sit gloriously in the throne of state. this hiding could doe nothing but show , that both he suspected , lest he should be chosen , and desired he should not be chosen : that god , from whom the hills and the rocks could not conceale him , brings him forth to the light , so much more longed for , as he was more vnwilling to be seene , and more applauded , as he was more longed for . now then when savl is drawne forth in the midst of the eager expectation of israel , modestie and goodlinesse shew'd themselues in his face : the prease cannot hide him , whom the stuffe had hid ; as if he had bin made to be seene , he ouerlookes all israel in height of stature , for presage of the eminence of his estate , ( from the shoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people . ) israel sees their lots are fallne vpon a noted man ; one , whose person shewed , he was borne to be a king , and now all the people shout for ioy ; they haue their longing , and applaud their owne happinesse , and their kings honor : how easie is it for vs to mistake our owne estates ? to reioyce in that , which we shall finde the iust cause of our humiliation ? the end of a thing is better then the beginning ; the safest way is to reserue our ioy , till wee haue good proofe of the worthines and fitnes of the obiect . what are we the better for hauing of a blessing , if we know not how to vse it ? the office and obseruance of a king was vncowth to israel : samuel therefore informes the people of their mutuall duties , and writes them in a booke , and laies it vp before the lord ; otherwise , nouelty might haue beene a warrant for their ignorance , & ignorance for neglect : there are reciprocall respects of princes and people , which if they be not obserued , gouernment languisheth into confusion ; these samuel faithfully teacheth them . though he may not be their iudge , yet he will be their prophet ; he will instruct , if he may not rule ; yea he will instruct him that shall rule : there is no king absolute , but he , that is the king of all gods : earthly monarchs must walke by a rule , which if they transgresse , they shall be accountable to him , that is higher then the highest , who hath deputed them . not out of care of ciuilitie , so much as conscience , must euery samuel labour to keepe euen termes betwixt kings and subiects , prescribing iust moderation to the one ; to the other obedience and loyalty , which who euer indeuors to trouble , is none of the freinds of god , or his church . the most and best applaud their new king , some wicked ones despised him , and said , how shall he saue vs ? it was not the might of his parents , the goodlinesse of his person , the priuiledge of his lot , the same of his prophesying , the panegyrick of samuel , that could sheeld him from contempt , or winne him the hearts of all : there was neuer yet any man , to whom some tooke not exceptions ; it is not possible either to please or displease all men , while some men are in loue with vice , as deeply , as others with vertue , and some ( as ill ) dislike vertue , if not for it selfe , yet for contradiction they well saw , saul chose not himselfe , they saw him worthy to haue bin chosen , if the election should haue bin caried by voices , and those voices by their eyes ; they saw him vnwilling to hold , or yeeld , when he was chosen ; yet they will enuie him : what fault could they finde in him whom god had chosen ? his parentage was equall , his person aboue them , his inward parts more aboue them , then the outward ; male-contents will rather deuise then want causes of flying out , and rather then faile , the vniuersall approbation of others is ground enough of their dislike . it is a vaine ambition of those , that would be loued of all : the spirit of god , when he inioynes vs peace with all , he adds ( if it be possible , ) and fauour is more then peace ; a mans comfort must be in himselfe , the conscience of deseruing well . the neighbouring ammonites could not but haue heard of gods fearefull vengeance vpon the philistims , and yet they will be taking vp the quarrell against israel : nahash comes vp against iabesh gilead : nothing but grace can teach vs to make vse of others iudgements ; wicked men are not moued with ought , that falls beside them ; they trust nothing , but their owne smart : what fearefull iudgements doth god execute euery day ? resolute sinners take no notice of them , and are growne so peremptory , as if god had neuer shewed dislike of their wayes . the gileadites were not more base , then naash the ammonite was cruell : the gileadites would buy their peace with seruilitie , nahash would sell them a seruile peace for their right eyes . iephtha the gileadite did yet sticke in the stomach of ammon , and now they thinke their reuenge cannot bee too bloody : it is a wonder , that he , which would offer so mercilesse a condition to israel , would yeeld to the motion of any delay ; hee meant nothing , but shame and death to the israelites , yet hee condiscends to a seuen dayes respite : perhaps his confidence made him thus carelesse . howsoeuer , it was the restraint of god that gaue this breath to israel , and this opportunitie to sauls courage and victory : the enemies of gods church can not be so malicious , as they would , cannot approue themselues so malicious , as they are ; god so holds them in sometimes , that a stander-by would thinke them fauourable . the newes of gileads distresse had ●●oone filled and afflicted israel , ●●he people thinke of no remedy , but their pity and teares ; euills are easily greeued for , not easily redressed : onely saul is more stirred with indignation , then sorrow ; that god , which put into him a spirit of prophesie , now puts into him a spirit of fortitude : hee was before appointed to the throne , not setled in the throne , hee followed the beasts in the field , when hee should haue commanded men . now as one , that would bee a king no lesse by merit , then election , he takes vpon him , and performes the rescue of gilead ; hee assembles israel , hee leads them , he raiseth the siege , breaks the troopes , cuts the throats of the ammonites : when god hath any exploit to performe , he raiseth vp the heart of some chosen instrument with heroicall motions for the atcheiuement : when all hearts are cold and dead , it is a signe of intended destruction . this day hath made saul a compleat king , and now the thankfull israelites begin to inquire after those discontented mutiners , which had refused allegeance vnto so worthy a commander , ( bring those men , that we may slay them : ) this sedition had deserued death , though saul had bin foyled at gilead ; but now his happy victory whets the people much more to a desire of this iust execution . saul , to whom the iniurie was done , hinders the reuenge , ( there shall no man dye this day , for to day the lord hath saued israel ) that his fortitude might not goe beyond his mercy . how noble were these beginnings of saul ? his prophesie shewed him miraculously wise , his battle and victory no lesse valiant , his pardon of his rebels , as mercifull : there was not more power shewed in ouercomming the ammonites , then in ouercomming himselfe , and the impotent malice of these mutinous israelites . now israel sees , they haue a king , that can both shed blood , and spare it ; that can shed the ammonites blood , and spare theirs : his mercy wins those hearts , whom his valour could not ; as in god , so in his deputies mercy and iustice should be inseparable ; wheresoeuer these two goe asunder , gouernment followes them into distraction , and ends in ruine . if it had bin a wrong offred to samuel , the forbearance of the reuenge had not bin so cōmendable , although vpon the day of so happy a deliuerance , perhaps it had not bin seasonable : a man hath reason to be most bold with himselfe ; it is no praise of mercy ( since it is a fault in iustice ) to remit an other mans satisfaction , his own he may . samuels contestation . every one can be a frend to him that prospereth ; by this victory hath saul as welll conquered the obstinacie of his owne people : now there is no israelite , that reioyceth not in sauls kingdome . no sooner haue they done obiecting to saul , then samuel begins to expostulate with them : the same day , wherein they began to be pleased , god shewes himselfe angry ; all the passages of their proceedings offended him , hee deferd to let them know it till now , that the kingdom was setled , and their hearts lifted vp ; now doth god coole their courage and ioy , with a backe reckning for their forwardnes . god will not let his people run away with the arrerages of their sins , but when they least thinke of it , calls them to an account : all this while was god angry with their reiection of samuel ; yet ( as fi there had beene nothing , but peace ) hee giues them a victory ouer their enemies , hee giues way to their ioy in their election , now hee lets them know , that after their peace-offerings , hee hath a quarrell with them . god may be angry enough with vs , whiles we outwardly prosper : it is the wisdome of god to take his best aduantages ; he suffers vs to go on , till we should come to enioy the fruit of our sinne , till wee seeme past the danger , either of conscience , or punishment ; then ( euen when we begin to be past the feeling of our sinne ) we shall begin to feele his displeasure for our sinnes : this is onely where he loues , where he would both forgiue , and reclaime ; he hath now to doe with his israel : but where hee meanes vtter vengance , he lets men harden themselues to a reprobate senselessnes , and make vp their owne measure without contradiction , as purposing to reckon with them but once for euer . samvel had disswaded them before , he reproues them not , vntill now : if he had thus bent himselfe against them , ere the setling of the election , he had troubled israel in that , which god tooke occasion by their sin to establish ; his opposition would haue sauoured of respects to himselfe , whom the wrong of this innovation chiefly concerned : now therefore , when they are sure of their king , and their king of them , when hee hath set euen termes betwixt them mutually , he lets them see , how they were at odds with god : we must euer dislike sins , we may not euer show it ; discretion in the choice of seasons for reprouing , is no lesse commendable and necessarie , then zeale and faithfulnes in reprouing : good physitians vse not to euacuate the body in extremities of heat or cold ; wise mariners do not hoyse sailes in euery winde . first doth samuel begin to cleare his owne innocence , ere he dare charge them with their sinne : he that will cast a stone at an offender must be free himselfe , otherwise he condemnes , and executes himselfe in another person : the conscience stops the mouth of the guilty man , and chokes him with that sinne , which lyes in his owne brest , and hauing not come forth by a penitent confession , cannot find the way out in a reproofe ; or if he do reproue , he doth more shame himselfe , then reforme another . he that was the iudge of israel , would not now iudge himselfe , but would be iudged by israel ; whose oxe haue i taken ? whose asse haue i taken ? or to whom haue i done wrong ? no doubt samuel found himselfe guilty before god of many priuate infirmities , but for his publike cariage , hee appeales to men : a mans heart can best iudge of himselfe ; others can best iudge of his actions . as another mans conscience & approbation can not beare vs out before god ; so cannot our owne before men : for oft-times that action is censured by the beholders , as wrong full , wherein wee applaud our own iustice . happy is that man , that can be acquited by himself in priuate , in publike by others , by god in both ; standers by may see more : it is very safe for a man to looke into himselfe by others eyes ; in vaine shall a mans heart absolue him , that is condemned by his actions . it was not so much the tryall of his cariage , that samuel appealed for , as his iustification , not for his owne comfort , so much as their conviction : his innocence hath not done him seruice enough , vnlesse it shame them , and make them confesse themselues faulty . in so many yeeres wherein samuel iudged israel , it cannot be , but many thousand causes passed his hands , wherein both parties could not possibly bee pleased ; yet so cleare doth he finde his heart , and hands , that he dare make the greeued part iudges of his iudgment : a good conscience will make a man vndauntedly confident , and dare put him vpon any tryall ; where his owne heart strikes him not , it bids him challeng all the world , and take vp all commers : how happy a thing is it for a man to be his owne frend , and patron ? he needs not to feare forraine broiles , that is at peace at home : contrarily , he that hath a false and foule heart , lyes at euery mans mercy ; liues slauishly , and is faine to dawbe vp a rotten peace with the basest conditions . truth is not afraid of any light , and therefore dare suffer her wares to be caried from a dim shop-bord vnto the street dore : perfect gold will be but the purer with trying , whereas falshood being a worke of darknes , loues darknes , and therefore seeks , where it may worke closest . this very appellation cleared samuel , but the peoples attestation cleared him more : innocency & vprightnes becomes euery man well , but most publique persons , who shall be else obnoxious to euery offender . the throne and the pulpit ( of all places ) call for holines , not more for example of good , then for liberty of controlling euill : all magistrates sweare to doe that , which samuel protesteth hee hath done ; if their oath were so verified , as samuels protestation , it were a shame for the state not to be happy : the sinnes of our teachers are the teachers of sinne ; the sins of gouernors do both command , and countenance euill this very acquiting of samuel was the accusation of themselues : for how could it be but faulty to cast off a faultlesse gouernor ? if he had not taken away an oxe , or an asse from them , why do they take away his authoritie ? they could not haue thus cleared saul at the end of his raigne , it was iust with god , since they were weary of a iust ruler , to punish them with an vniust . he that appealed to them for his owne vprightnes , durst not appeale to them for their owne wickednes , but appeales to heauen from them . men are commonly flatterers of their owne cases : it must be a strong euidence , that will make a sinner convicted in himselfe ; nature hath so many shifts to cosen it selfe in this spirituall verdict , that vnlesse it be taken in the manner , it will hardly yeeld to a truth ; either shee will denie the fact , or the fault , or the measure ; and now in this case they might seeme to haue some faire pretences : for though samuel was righteous , yet his sonnes were corrupt . to cut of all excuses therefore , samuel appeales to god ( the highest iudge ) for his sentence of their sin , and dares trust to a miraculous conviction . it was now their wheat haruest : the hot and dry ayre of that climate did not wont to afford in that season so much moist vapour , as might raise a cloud , either for raine , or thunder : he that knew god could , and would do both these , without the helpe of second causes , puts the tryall vpon this issue . had not samuel before consulted with his maker , and receiued warrant for his act , it had bin presumption and tempting of god , which was now a noble improuement of faith : rather then israel shall go cleare away with a sinne , god will accuse and arraigne them from heauen . no sooner hath samuels voice ceased , then gods voice begins : euery cracke of thunder spake iudgment against the rebellious israelites , and euery drop of raine was a witnesse of their sin , and now they found they had displeased him , which ruleth in the heauen , by rejecting the man that ruled for him on earth : the thundring voice of god , that had lately in their sight confounded the philistims , they now vnderstood to speake fearefull things against them . no maruell , if now they fell vpon their knees , not to saul , whom they had chosen , but to samuel , who being thus cast off by them , is thus countenanced in heauen . sauls sacrifice . god neuer ment the kingdom should either stay long in the tribe of beniamin , or remoue suddenly from the person of saul ; many yeres did saul reigne ouer israel , yet god computes him but two yeeres a king : that is not accounted of god to bee done , which is not lawfully done ; when god , which chose saul , rejected him , he was no more a king , but a tyrant : israel obeyed him still , but god makes no reckoning of him , as his deputy , but as an vsurper . savl was of good yeeres , when hee was aduanced to the kingdom : his sonne ionathan , the first yeere of his fathers raigne , could lead a thousand israelites into the field , and giue a foyle to the philistims : and now israel could not thinke themselues lesse happy in the●●r prince , then in their king ; ionathan is the heyre of his fathers victory , as well as of his valour , and his estate . the philistims were quiet after those first thunder-claps , all the time of samuels gouernment , now they begin to stirre vnder saul . how vtterly is israel disappointed in their hopes ? that securitie and protection , which they promised themselues in the name of a king , they found in a prophet , failed of in a warriour ; they were more safe vnder the mantle , then vnder armes : both enmity and sauegard are from heauen , goodnes hath bin euer a stronger guard , then valour : it is the surest policie alwaies to haue peace with god. we finde by the spoiles , that the philistims had some battels with israel , which are not recorded ; after the thunder had skared them into a peace , and restitution of all the bordring cities , from ekron to gath , they had taken new heart , and so beslaued israel , that they had neither weapon , nor smith left amongst them , yet euen in this miserable nakednes of israel , haue they both fought , and ouercome . now might you haue seene the vnarmed israelites marching with their slings , and ploughstaues , and hookes , and forkes , and other instruments of their husbandry against a mighty & well furnished enemie , and returning laded both with armes and victory . no armour is of proofe against the almighty , neither is he vnweapned , that caries the reuenge of god : there is the same disaduantage in our spirituall conflicts , we are turned naked to principalities , and powers ; whilst wee goe vnder the conduct of the prince of our peace , we cannot but be bold & victorious . vaine men thinke to ouer-power god with munition , and multitude : the philistims are not any way more strong , then in conceit ; thirty thousand chariots , six thousand horsemen , footmen like the sand for number , makes them scorne israel no lesse , then israel feares them . when i see the miraculous successe , which had blessed the israelites , in all their late conflicts with these very philistims , with the ammonites , i cannot but wonder , how they could feare : they , which in the time of their sinne found god to raise such trophees ouer their enemies , run now into caues , and rocks , and pits , to hide them from the faces of men , when they found god reconciled , and themselues penitent . no israelite but hath some cowardly blood in him : if we had no feare , faith would haue no maistery , yet these fearefull israelites shall cut the throats of those confident philistims ; doubt and resolution are not meet measures of our successe : a presumptuous confidence goes cōmonly bleeding ●●ome when an humble feare retu●●nes in triumph . feare driues those israelites , which dare show their heads out of the caues vnto saul , and makes them cling vnto their new king : how troublesome were the beginnings of sauls honor ? surely , if that man had not exceeded israel no lesse in courage , then in stature , he had now hid himselfe in a caue , which before hid himself among the stuffe : but now , though the israelites ran away from him , yet he ran not away from them ; it was not any doubt of sauls valour , that put his people to their heeles , it was the absence of samuel ; if the prophet had come vp , israel would neuer haue run away from their king : whiles they had a samuel alone , they were neuer well , till they had a saul , now they haue a saul , they are as farre from contentment , because they want a samuel ; vnlesse both ioyne together , they thinke there can be no safetie . where the temporall and spirituall state combine not together , there can follow nothing but distraction in the people : the prophets receiue and deliuer the will of god , kings execute it ; the prophets are directed by god , the people are directed by their kings . where men doe not see god before them in his ordinances , their hearts cannot but faile them , both in their respects to their superiors , and their courage in themselues . piety is the mother of perfect subiection : as all authoritie is deriued from heauen , so is it thence established ; those gouernors that would command the hearts of men , must shew them god in their faces . no israelite can thinke himselfe safe without a prophet : saul had giuen them good proofe of his fortitude , in his late victory ouer the ammonites , but then proclamation was made before the fight through all the country , that euery man should come vp after saul , and samuel : if samuel had not bin with saul , they would rather haue ventured the losse of their oxen , then the hazard of themselues : how much lesse should we presume of any safety in our spirituall combats , when we haue not a prophet to lead vs ? it is all one ( sauing that it fauours of more contempt ) not to haue gods seers , and not to vse them : he can be no true israelite , that is not distressed with the want of a samuel . as one , that had learned to begin his rule in obedience , saul staies seuen dayes in gilgal , according to the prophets direction , and still he lookes long for samuel , which had promised his presence ; six dayes he expects , and part of the seuenth , yet samuel is not come : the philistims draw neere , the israelites runneaway , samuel comes not , they must fight , god must be supplicated , what should saul doe ? rather then god should want a sacrifice , and the people satisfaction , saul will command that , which hee knew samuel would , if he were present , both command , and execute : it is not possible ( thinks hee ) that god should be displeased with a sacrifice , he cannot but be displeased with indeuotion : why doe the people runne from mee , but for want of meanes to make god sure ? what would samuel rather wish , then that we should be godly ? the act shall be the same , the onely differences shall be in the 〈◊〉 : if samuel be wanting to vs , we will not be wanting to god ; it is but an holy preuention to be deuout vnbidden : vpon this conceit , he commands a sacrifice ; sauls sinnes make no great show , yet are they still hainously taken , the impiety of them was more hidden , and inward from all eyes , but gods. if saul were among the prophets before , will hee now be among the preists ? can there be any deuotion in disobedience ? o vaine man ! what can it auaile thee to sacrifice to god against god ? hypocrites rest onely in formalities ; if the outward act be done , it sufficeth them , though the ground be distrust , the manner vnreuerence , the cariage presumption . what then should saul haue done ? vpon the trust of god & samuel he should haue staied out the last houre , and haue secretly sacrificed himselfe , and his praiers vnto that god , which loues obedience aboue sacrifice . our faith is most commendable in the last act ; it is no praise to hold out , vntill we be hard driuen : then , when we are forsaken of meanes , to liue by faith in our god , is worthy of a crowne : god will haue no worship of our deuising , wee may onely doe , what he bids vs , not bid , what he commands not . neuer did any true piety arise out of the corrupt puddle of mans braine ; if it flow not from heauen , it is odious to heauen : what was it , that did thus taint the valour of saul with this weaknes , but distrust ? he saw some israelites goe , hee thought all would goe , he saw the philistims come , he saw samuel came not , his diffidence was guilty of his mis-deuotion : there is no sinne , that hath not his ground from vnbeleefe ; this , as it was the first infection of our pure nature , so is the true source of all corruption , man could not sinne , if he distrusted not . the sacrifice is no sooner ended , then samuel is come , and why came he no sooner ? he could not be a seer , and not know , how much he was lookt for , how troublesome and dangerous his absence must needs be ; he , that could tell saul , that he should prophesie , could tell , that he would sacrifice ; yet he purposely forbeares to come , for the tryall of him , that must be the champion of god. samuel durst not haue done thus , but by direction from his master : it is the ordinarie course of god to proue vs by delaies , and to driue vs to exigents , that we may shew what we are : he that annointed saul , might lawfully from god controll him : there must be discretion , there may not be partiality in our censures of the greatest : god makes difference of sins , none of persons , if we make differences of sins according to persons , we are vnfaithfull both to god , and man. scarce is saul warme in his kingdome , when he hath euen now lost it : samuels first words after the inauguration , are of sauls rejection , and the choice and establishment of his successor : it was euer gods purpose to settle the kingdom in iudah ; he that tooke occasion by the peoples sinne to raise vp saul in beniamin , takes occasion by sauls sin to establish the crowne vpon dauid . in humane probabilitie the kingdom was fixed vpon saul , and his more worthy sonne : in gods decree it did but passe through the hands of beniamin to iudah . besides trouble , how fickle are these earthly glories ? saul doubtles lookt vpon ionathan , as the inheritor of his crowne , and behold , ere his peaceable possession , he hath lost it from himselfe : our sinnes strip vs not of our hopes in heauen onely , but of our earthly blessings ; the way to entaile a comfortable prosperitie vpon our seed after vs , is our conscionable obedience vnto god. jonathans victory and sauls oath . it is no wonder if saules courage were much cooled with the heauy newes of his reiection : after this he staies vnder the pomgranate tree in gibeah , he stirs not toward the garrison of the philistims : as hope is the mother of fortitude , so nothing doth more breede cowardlines , then despaire : euery thing dismaies that heart , which god hath put out of protection : worthy ionathan ( which sprung from saul , as some sweet impe growes out of a crabstock ) is therefore full of valour , because full of faith : he well knew , that hee should haue nothing , but discouragements from his fathers feare ; as rather choosing therefore , to auoide all the blocks , that might lye in the way , then to leap ouer them , he departs secretly without the dimission of his father , or notice of the people ; onely god leads him , and his armour-bearer followes him . o admirable faith of ionathan , whom neither the steepnes of rocks , nor the multitude of enemies can disswade from so vnlikely an assault ! is it possible , that two men , whereof one was weaponles , should dare to thinke of incountring so many thousands ? o diuine power of faith , that in all difficulties , and attempts , makes a man more then men , and regards no more armies of men , then swarmes of flies ! there is no restraint to the lord , ( saith he ) to saue with many , or by few : it was not so great newes , that saul should be amongst the prophets , as that such a word should come from the sonne of saul . if his father had had but so much diuinitie , he had not sacrificed : the strength of his god is the ground of his strength in god ; the question is not , what ionathan can do , but what god can do , whose power is not in the meanes , but in himself : that mans faith is well vnder-layed , that vpholds it selfe by the omnipotencie of god ; thus the father of the faithfull built his assurance vpon the power of the almighty . but many things god can doe , which he will not doe ; how knowest thou , ionathan , that god will be as forward , as he is able , to giue thee victory ? for this ( saith hee ) i haue a watchword from god , out of the mouths of the philistims : if they say , come vp , we will go vp ; for god hath deliuered them into our hands : if they say , tarie , till we come to you , we will stand still . ionathan was too wise to trust vnto a casuall presage : there might be some farre fetcht coniectures of the euent from the word ; we will come to you , was a threat of resolution ; come you to vs , was a challenge of feare ; or perhaps , come vp to vs was a word of insultation , from them , that trusted to the inaccessiblenes of the the place , & multitudes of men . insultation is from pride , pride argued a fall , but faith hath nothing to do with probabilities , as that , which acknowledgeth no argument , but demonstration ; if there had not bin an instinct from god of this assured warrant of successe , ionathan had presumed in steed of beleeuing , and had tempted that god , whom he professed to glorifie by his trust . there can be no faith , where there is no promise , and where there is a promise , there can be no presumption : words are voluntarie , the tongues of the philistims were as free to say , tary , as come : that god , in whom our very tongues moue , ouer-ruled them so , as now they shall speake that word , which shall cut their owne throats : they knew no more harme in come , then tary , both were alike safe for the sound , for the sense ; but he , that put a signification of their slaughter in the one , not in the other , did put that word into their mouth , whereby they might invite their owne destruction : the disposition of our words are from the prouidence of the almighty , god and our hearts haue not alwaies the same meaning in our speeches : in those words , which we speake at random , or out of affectation , god hath a further drift of his owne glory , and perhaps our iudgment . if wicked men say , our tongues are our owne , they could not say so , but from him , whom they defie in saying so , and who makes their tongue their executioner . no sooner doth ionathan heare this invitation , then he answers it : he , whose hands had learned neuer to faile his heart , puts himselfe vpon his hands and knees to climbe vp into this danger , the exploit was not more difficult , then the way , the paine of the passage was equall to the perill of the enterprise ; that his faith might equally triumph ouer both , he doth not say , how shall i get vp ? much lesse , which way shall i get downe againe ? but , as if the ground were leuell , and the action dangerles , he puts himselfe into the view of the philistims : faith is neuer so glorious , as when it hath most opposition , and will not see it : reason lookes euer to the meanes , faith to the end , and in steed of consulting , how to effect , resolues , what shall be effected . the way to heauen is more steepe , more painefull : o god! how perilous a passage hast thou appointed for thy labouring pilgrims ? if difficulties will discourage vs , we shall but climbe to fall : when we are lifting vp our foot to the last step , there are the philistims of death , of temptations , to grapple with ; giue vs but faith , & turne vs loose to the spight either of earth , or hell . ionathan is now on the top of the hill , and now , as if he had an army at his heeles , he flies vpon the hoste of the philistims , his hands that might haue bin weary with climbing , are immediately commanded to fight , and deale as many deaths , as blowes to the amased enemy : he needs not walke far for this execution ; himselfe , and his armour-bearer in one halfe acres space haue slaine philistims : it is not long since ionathan smote their garrison in the hill of geba , perhaps , from that time his name & presence caried terror in it , but sure if the philistims had not seene , and felt more then a man in the face , and hands of ionathan , they had not so easily groueled in death : the blowes and shrikes cannot but affect the next , who with a ghastly noise ran away from death , and affright their fellowes no lesse , then themselues are affrighted : the clamour & feare runs on like fire in a traine to the very formost ranks ; euery man would flie , and thinks there is so much more cause of flight , for that his eares apprehend all , his eyes nothing : ech man thinks his fellow stands in his way , and therefore in steed of turning vpon him , which was the cause of their flight , they bend their swords vpon those , whom they imagine to be the hinderers of their flight ; and now a miraculous astonishment hath made the philistims , ionathans champions and executioners ; he followes , and kills those , which helped to kill others ; and the more he killed , the more they feared , and fled , and the more they killed each other in the flight ; and that feare it selfe might preuent ionathan in killing them , the earth it self trembles vnder them . thus doth god at once strike them with his owne hand , with ionathans , with theirs , & makes them run away from life , whiles they would flie from an enemy : where the almighty purposes destruction to any people , hee needes not call in forreine powers , he needs not any hands or weapons , but their owne ; he can make vaste bodies dye no other death , then their owne weight : wee cannot be sure to be friends among our selues , whiles god is our enemy . the philistims flie fast , but the newes of their flight ouer-runnes them euen vnto sauls pomgranate tree : the watchmen discerne a far of , a flight and execution ; search is made , ionathan is found missing , saul will consult with the arke : hypocrites , while they haue leisure , will perhaps be holy ; for some fitts of deuotion they cannot be bettered . but when the tumult increased , sauls piety decreases : it is now no season to talke with a priest ; withdraw thine hand ahaiah , the ephod must giue place to armes : it is more time to fight , then to pray ; what needs he gods guidance , when he sees his way before him ? he that before would needs sacrifice , ere he fought , will now in the other extreme , fight in a wilfull indeuotion : worldly minds regard holy duties no further , then may stand with their own carnall purposes ; very easie occasions shall interrupt them in their religious intentions ; like vnto children , which if a bird do but flie in their way , cast their eye from their booke . bvt if saul serue not god in one kinde , he will serue him in another , if he honor him not by attending on the arke , he will honor him by a vow ; his negligence in the one is recompenced with his zeale in the other . all israel is adiured not to eat any food vntill the euening : hypocrisie is euer masked with a blinde and thankles zeale : to waite vpon the arke , and to consult with gods preist in all cases of importance was a direct commandment of god ; to eat no food in the pursuit of their enemies was not commanded : saul leaues that , which he was bidden , and does that , which he was not required : to eat no foode all day was more difficult , then to attend an howre vpon the arke ; the voluntary seruices of hypocrites are many times more painfull , then the duties inioyned by god. in what awe did all israel stand of the oath euen of saul ? it was not their owne vow , but sauls for them ; yet comming into the wood , where they saw the hony dropping , and found the meat as ready , as their appetite ; they dare not touch that sustenance , and will rather indure famine , and fainting , then an indiscreet curse : doubtlesse god had brought those bees thither on purpose to try the constancie of israel ; israel could not but thinke ( that , which ionathan said ) that the vow was vnaduised , and iniurious , yet they will rather dye , then violate it : how sacred should we hold the obligation of our owne vowes , in things iust and expedient , when the bonds of anothers rash vow is thus indissoluble ? there was a double mischeife followed vpon sauls oth , an abatement of the victory , and eating with the blood : for , on the one side , the people were so faint , that they were more likely to dye , then kill , they could neither runne , nor strike in this emptinesse ; neither hands nor feet can doe their office , when the stomach is neglected : on the other , an vnmeet forbearance causes a rauenous repast : hunger knowes neither choice , nor order , nor measure : the one of these was a wrong to israel , the other was a wrong done by israel to god : sauls zeale was guilty of both : a rash vow is seldome euer free from inconuenience ; the heart that hath vnnecessarily entangled it self , drawes mischeife either vpon it selfe , or others . ionathan was ignorant of his fathers adiuration , he knew no reason , why hee should not refresh himselfe in so profitable a seruice , with a litle taste of hony vpon his speare : full well had hee deserued this vnsought dainty ; and behold this hony is turned into gall : if it were sweet in the mouth , it was bitter in the soule ; if the eyes of his body were inlightned , the light of gods countenance was clouded by this act . after he heard of the oath , he pleads iustly against it , the losse of so faire an opportunitie of reuenge , and the trouble of israel ; yet neither his reasons against the oath , nor his ignorance of the oath , can excuse him from a sinne of ignorance in violating that , which first he knew not , & then knew vnreasonable : now sauls leisure would serue him to aske counsell of god ; as before saul would not inquire , so now god will not answer : well might saul haue found sinnes enow of his owne , whereto to impute this silence : hee hath grace enough to know that god was offended , and to guesse at the cause of his offence : sooner will an hypocrite finde out another mans sinne , then his owne , and now he sweares more rashly to punish with death , the breach of that , which he had sworne rashly : the lots were cast , and saul prayes for the decision , ionathan is taken : euen the prayers of wicked men are sometimes heard , although in iustice , not in mercy : saul himselfe was punished not a litle , in the fall of this lot vpon ionathan ; surely saul sinned more in making this vow , then ionathan in breaking it vnwittingly , and now the father smarts for the rashnes of his double vow , by the vniust sentence of death vpon so worthy a sonne : god had neuer singled out ionathan by his lot , if he had not bin displeased with his act : vowes rashly made may not be rashly broken ; if the thing wee haue vowed be not euill in it selfe , or in the effect , wee cannot violate it without euill ; ignorance cannot acquite , if it can abate our sinne : it is like , if ionathan had heard of his fathers adiuration , he had not transgressed ; his absence at the time of that oath , cannot excuse him from displeasure : what shall become of those , which may know the charge of their heauenly father , and will not ? which do know his charge , and will not keep it ? affectation of ignorance , and willing disobedience is desperate . death was too hard a censure for such an vnknowne offence : the cruell piety of saul will reuenge the breach of his owne charge , so as he would be loath , god should auenge on himselfe the breach of his diuine command : if ionathan had not found better frends then his father , so noble a victory had bin recompenced with death ; he that saued israel from the philistims , is saued by israel from the hand of his father : saul hath sworne ionathans death , the people contrarily sweare his preseruation ; his kingdome was not yet so absolute , that he could runne away with so vnmercifull a iustice ; their oath that sauoured of disobedience , preuailed against his oath , that sauoured too strong of cruelty : neither doubt i , but saul was secretly not displeased with this louing resistance : so long as his heart was not false to his oath , he could not be sorry that ionathan should liue . contemplations . the thirteenth booke . contayning saul and agag . the rejection of saul , and the choice of dauid . dauid call'd to the court. dauid and goliah . ionathans loue & sauls enuie . michals wile . dauid and ahimelec . to the right honorable sr thomas edmonds knight , treasurer of his maties houshold , and of his most honorable priuy covnsell . right ho : after your long and happy acquaintance with other courts & kingdoms , may it please you to compare with them the estate of old israel ; you shall finde the same hand swaying all scepters ; and you shall meet with such a proportion of dispositions , and occurrences , that you will say , men are still the same , if their names and faces differ ; you shall finde enuie and mutabilitie ancient courtiers ; and shall confesse the vices of men still aliue , if themselues dye ; you shall see god still honouring those that honor him , and both rescuing innocence , and crowning it . it is not for mee to anticipate your deeper , and more iudicious obseruations . i am bold to dedicate this peece of my labour to your honor , in a thankfull acknowledgment of those noble respects , i haue found from you , both in france , and at home . in lieu of all which , i can but pray for your happines , and vow my selfe your honors in all humble obseruance , ios . hall . contemplations . savl & agag . god holds it no derogation from his mercy to beare a quarrell long , where he hates : he , whose anger to the vessels of wrath is euerlasting , euen in temporall iudgement reuengeth late : the sins of his owne children are no sooner done , and repented of , then forgotten ; but the malicious sinnes of his enemies sticke fast in an infinite displeasure . ( i remember what amalek did to israel , how they laid wait for them by the way , as they came vp from aegypt ) : alas lord , ( might amalek say ) they were our forefathers , wee neuer knew their faces , no not their names , the fact was so farre from our consent , that it is almost past the memory of our histories : it is not in the power of time to raze out any of the arerages of god ; we may lay vp wrath for our posteritie : happy is that childe , whose progenitors are in heauen , he is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate , whereas wicked ancestors loose the thanke of a rich patrimonie , by the curse , that attends it : he that thinks , because punishment is deferd , that god hath forgiuen , or forgot his offence , is vnacquainted with iustice , and knowes not , that time makes no difference in eternitie . the amalekites were wicked idolaters , and therefore could not want many present sinnes , which deserued their extirpation : that god , which had taken notice of all their offences , picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers , for reuenge : amongst all their indignities , this shall beare the name of their iudgment . as in legall proceedings with malefactors , one inditement found , giues the stile to their condemnation : in the liues of those , which are notoriously wicked , god cannot looke besides a sin , yet when he drawes to an execution , he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall , others as accessaries , so as at the last , one sinne , which perhaps we make no account of , shall pay for all . the paganish idolatries of the amalekites could not but be greater sins to god , then their hard measure to israel , yet god sets this vpon the file , whiles the rest are not recorded ; their superstitions might bee of ignorance , this sinne was of malice : malicious wickednesses of all other , as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnes and mercy of god , shall be sure of the payment of greatest vengeance . the detestation of god may be measured by his reuenge , ( slay both man , and woman , both infant , and suckling , both oxe , and sheepe , camel , and asse ) not themselues onely , but euery thing that drew life either from them , or for their vse , must dye : when the god of mercies speakes such bloody words , the prouocation must needs be vehement : sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter ; spightfull sins cry loud for iudgement in the eares of god : prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther , and sharpens the sentence of death . what then was this sinne of amalek , that is called vnto this late reckning ? what ? but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of israel ; this was it , that god tooke so to heart , as that he not onely remembers it now by samuel , but he bids israel euer to remember it , by moses : remember how amalek met thee by the way , and smote the hindmost of you , all that were feeble behinde thee , when thou wast faint & weary . besides this , did amalek meet israel in a pitcht battell openly , in rephidim , for that god payed them in the present ; the hand of moses lifted vp on the hill , slew them in the valley : hee therefore repeats not that quarrell , but the cowardly , and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy , sticke still in the stomacke of the almighty : oppression and wrong vpon euen termes , are not so hainous vnto god , as those , that are vpon manifest disaduantage : in the one , there is an hazard of returne ; in the other , there is euer a tyrannous insulation ; god takes still the weaker part , and will be sure therefore to plague them , which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist . this sinne of amalek slept all the time of the iudges , those gouernors were only for rescue , and defence ; now , so soone as israel hath a king , and that king is setled in peace , god giues charge to call them to account : it was that , which god had both threatned & sworne , and now hee chooses out a fit season for the execution ; as we vse to say of winter , the iudgements of god do neuer rot in the skie , but shall fall ( if late , yet ) surely , yet seasonably : there is small comfort in the delay of vengeance , whiles we are sure it shall loose nothing in the way , by length of protraction . the kenites were the ofspring of hobab , or iethro , father in law to moses ; the affinitie of him , to whom israel owed their deliuerance , and being , was worthy of respect ; but it was the mercy of that good and wise midianite shewed vnto israel in the wildernes , by his graue aduise , cheerefull gratulation , and aide , which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity : he that is not lesse in mercy , then in iustice , as he challenged amaleks sin of their succeeding generations , so he deriues the recompence of iethros kindnes , vnto his far-descended issue : those , that were vnborne many ages after iethro's death , receiue life from his dust , and fauour from his hospitalitie ; the name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours . the seruices of our loue to gods children are neuer thanklesse , when wee are dead and rotten , they shall liue , and procure blessings to those , which neuer knew perhaps , nor heard of their progenitors : if we sowe good workes , succession shall reape them , and we shall be happy in making them so . the kenites dwelt in the borders of amalek , but in tents , ( as did their issue the rechabites ) so as they might remoue with ease : they are warned to shift their habitations , left they should perish with ill neighbours : it is the manner of god , first to separate , before he iudge , as a good husband weeds his corne , ere it be ripe for the sickle , and goes to the fanne , ere he go to the fire : when the kenites pack vp their fardels , it is time to expect iudgment ; why should not we imitate god , and separate our selues that we may not be iudged ? separate , not one kenite from another , but euery kenite from among the amalekites , else if we will needs liue with amalek , we cannot thinke much to dye with him . the kenites are no sooner remoued , then saul falls vpon the amalekites : he destroyes all the people , but spares their king : the charge of god was vniuersall , for man and beast : in the corruption of partiality , lightly the greatest escape : couetousnes , or mis-affection are commonly guilty of the impunitie of those , which are at once most eminent in dignitie , and in offence : it is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our executions of gods command , and vnder pretence of godlines to pretend gaine : the vnprofitable vulgar must dye ; agag may yeeld a rich ransome : the leane and feeble cattle , that would but spend stouer , and dye alone , shall perish by the sword of israel , the best may stock the grounds , and furnish the markets . o hypocrites , did god send you for gaine , or for reuenge ? went you to be purueyors , or executioners ? if you plead , that all those wealthy herds had bin but lost in a speedy death , thinke yee that he knew not this , which commanded it ? can that be lost , which is deuoted to the will of the owner , & creator ? or can ye think to gaine any thing by disobedience ? that man can neuer either do well , or farewell , which thinks , there can be more profit in any thing , then in his obedience to his maker : because saul spared the best of the men , the people spared the best of the cattle , ech is willing to fauour other in the sinne : the sinnes of the great command imitation , and doe as seldome goe without attendants , as their persons . savl knew well , how much he had done amisse , and yet dare meet samuel , and can say , blessed be thou of the lord , i haue fulfilled the commandement of the lord : his heart knew , that his tongue was as false , as his hands had bin , and if his heart had not bin more false , then either of them , neither of them had bin so grosse in their falshood : if hypocrisie were not either foolish , or impudent , she durst not show her head to a seer of god. could saul thinke , that samuel knew of the asses that were lost , and did not know of the oxen and sheep , that were spared ? could he foretell his thoughts , when it was , and now not know of his open actions ? much lesse when we haue to doe with god himselfe , would dissimulation presume either of safety or secrecy ? can the god that made the heart not know it ? can he , that comprehends all things , be shut out of our close corners ? saul was otherwise crafty enough , yet herein his simplicitie is palpable : sin can besot euen the wisest man , and there was neuer but folly in wickednes . no man brags so much of holines , as hee that wants it : true obedience is ioyned euer with humilitie , and feare of vnknowne errors ; falshood is bold , and can say , i haue fulfilled the commandment of the lord ; if saul had bin truly obsequious , and holy , he had made no noise of it : a gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue , but rests and reioyceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodnes , those vessels yeeld most sound , that haue the least liquor : samuel had reason to beleeue the sheep , and oxen aboue saul ; their bleating and lowing was a sufficient conviction of a denied , and outfaced disobedience : god opened their mouthes to accuse saul of their life , and his falshood ; but , as sin is crafty , and neuer wanted a cloke , where with both to hide and deck it selfe , euen this very rebellion is holy : first the act , if it were euill , was not mine , but the peoples ; and secondly , their intention makes it good . for these flocks and herds were preserued , not for gaine , but for deuotion : what needs this quarrell ? if any gaine by this act , it is the lord thy god : his altars shall smoke with these sacrifices , yee , that serue at them , shall fare so much the better ; this godly thriftines lookes for thanks rather then censure . if saul had beene in samuels clothes , perhaps this answer would haue satisfied him : surely himselfe stands out in it , as that whereto hee dare trust , and after he heares of gods angry reproofe , he auowes , and doubles his hold of his innocency ; as if the commanders shold not answer for the known sins of the people ; as if our intentions could iustifie vs to god , against god. how much adoe it is to bring sinners vpon their knees , & to make their tongues accuse their hands ? but it is no halting with the maker of the heart : he knew , it was couetousnes , and not piety , which was accessarie to this forbearance ; and if it had bin as was pretended , hee knew it was an odious impiety to raise deuotion out of disobedience : saul shall heare and finde , that hee hath delt no lesse wickedly in sparing an agag , then in killing an innocent israelite , in sparing these beasts for sacrifice , then in sacrificing beasts that had bin vncleane : why was sacrifice it selfe good , but because it was commanded ? what difference was there betwixt slaughter and sacifice , but obedience ? to sacrifice disobediently is wilfully to mocke god in honoring him . the rejection of saul and the choice of dauid . even when saul had abandoned god in disobedience , hee would not forgoe samuel , yea though he reproued him ; when he had forsaken the substance , yet hee would maintaine the formalitie ; if he cannot hold the man , he will keepe the pledge of his garment , such was the violence of sauls desire , that he will rather rend samuels coat , then part with his person . litle did saul thinke , that he had in his hand the pawne of his owne rejection , that this act of kinde importunitie should carry in it a presage of his iudgement , yet so it did ; this very rending of the coate was a reall prophesie , and did bode no lesse , then the rending of the kingdome from him , and his posteritie : wicked men , whiles they thinke by carnall meanes to make their peace , plunge themselues deeper into misery . any stander by would haue said , what a good king is this ? how deere is gods prophet vnto him ? how happy is israel in such a prince , as thus loues the messengers of god ? samuel , that saw the bottom of this hollow affection , reiects him , whom god had reiected ; he was taught to looke vpon saul , not as a king , but as an offender , and therefore refuses with no lesse vehemencie , then saul intreated : it was one thing , what he might doe , as a subiect , another what he must doe , as a prophet ; now he knowes not saul any otherwise , then as so much the greater trespasser , as his place was higher ; and therefore hee doth no more spare his greatnes , then the god against whom he sinned ; neither doth hee countenance that man with his presence , on whom he sees god to frowne . there needs no other character of hypocrisie , then saul in the cariage of this one businesse with agag and samuel : first he obeyes god where there is no gaine in disobedience , then he serues god by halues , and disobeyes , where the obedience might be losse : he giues god of the worst ; he doth that in a colour , which might seeme answerable to the charge of god ; he respects persons in the execution ; he giues good words , when his deeds were euill ; he protests his obedience against his conscience ; he faces out his protestation against a reproofe ; when hee sees no remedy hee acknowledges the fact , denies the sin , yea he iustifies the act by a profitable intention ; when he can no longer maintaine his innocence , he casts the blame from himselfe vpon the people ; he confesseth not , till the sinne be wrung from his mouth ; hee seeks his peace out of himselfe , and relies more vpon anothers virtue , then his owne penitency ; he would cloke his guiltinesse with the holinesse of anothers presence ; he is more tormented with the danger & damage of his sin , then with the offence ; he cares to hold in with men , in what termes soeuer hee stands with god ; hee fashionably serues that god , whom he hath not cared to reconcile by his repentance : no maruell if god cast him off , whose best was dissimulation . old samuel is forced to do a double execution , and that vpon no lesse then two kings : the one vpon saul , in diuiding the kingdome from him , who had diuided himself from god ; the other vpon agag , in diuiding him in peeces , whom saul should haue diuided . those holy hands were not vsed to such sacrifices , yet did he neuer spill blood more acceptably : if saul had bin truly penitent , he had in a desire of satisfaction preuented the hand of samuel in this slaughter ; now he coldly stands still , and suffers the weake hands of an aged prophet to be imbrued with that blood , which he was commanded to shed . if saul might not sacrifice in the absence of samuel , yet samuel might kill in the presence of saul : hee was yet a iudge of israel , although he suspended the execution : in sauls neglect , this charge reuerted to him ; god loues iust executions so well , that he will hardly take them ill at any hands . i do not finde , that the slaughter of agag troubled samuel ; that other act of his seueritie vpon saul , though it drew no blood , yet stroke him in the striking , and fetched teares from his eyes . good samuel mourned for him ; that had not grace to mourne for himselfe : no man in all israel might seeme to haue so much reason to reioyce in sauls ruine , as samuel , since that hee knew him raised vp in despight of his gouernment ; yet he mournes more for him , then he did for his sonnes , for himselfe ; it greeued him to see the plant , which hee had set in the garden of israel , thus soone withered : it is an vnnaturall senselessnes not to bee affected with the dangers , with the sins of our gouernors : god did not blame this sorrow , but moderated it ; how long wilt thou mourne for saul ? it was not the affection he forbad , but the measure ; in this is the difference betwixt good men and euill , that euill men mourne not for their own sins , good men do so mourne for the sins of others , that they will hardly be taken off . if samuel mourne because saul hath cast away god by his sinne , he must cease to mourne , because god hath cast away saul from raigning ouer israel in his iust punishment : a good heart hath learn'd to rest it selfe vpon the iustice of gods decree , and forgets all earthly respects , when it lookes vp to heauen . so did god meane to shew his displeasure against the person of saul , that he would show fauour to israel , he will not therefore bereaue them of a king , but change him for a better : either saul had slandred his people , or else they were partners with him in the disobedience ; yet ( because it was their rulers fault , that they were not ouer-ruled ) we do not heare of their smarting , any otherwise , then in the subiection to such a king , as was not loyall to god : the losse of saul is their gaine ; the gouernment of their first king was abortiue , no maruell if it held not . now was the maturitie of that state , and therefore god will bring them forth a kindly monarchy setled where it should : kings are of gods prouiding , it is good reason he should make choice of his own deputies ; but where goodnes meets with soueraignty , both his right , and his gift are doubled : if kings were meerly from the earth , what needs a prophet to bee seene in the choice , or inauguration ? the hand of samuel doth not now beare the scepter to rule israel , but it beares the horne for the annointing of him , that must rule : saul was sent to him , when the time was to be annointed ; but now , he is sent to annoint dauid : then israel sought a king for themselues , now god seeks a king for israel : the prophet is therefore directed to the house of ishai the bethleemite , the grand-child of ruth ; now is the faithfull loue of that good moabitess crowned with the honor of a kingdome , in the succeeding generation : god fetcht her out of moab , to bring a king vnto israel : whiles orpah wants bread in her owne countrey , ruth is growne a great lady in bethleem , and is aduanced to be great grandmother to the king of israel . the retributions of god are bountifull ; neuer any man forsooke ought for his sake , and complained of an hard bargaine . even the best of gods saints want not their infirmities ; he that neuer replied , when hee was sent to reproue the king , moueth doubts , when he is bidden to goe , and annoint his successor . ( how can i goe ? if saul heare it he will kill mee . ) perhaps desire of full direction drew from him this question , but not without a mixture of diffidence ; for the manner of doing it , doth not so much trouble him , as the successe : it is not to be expected , that the most faithfull hearts should be alwaies in an equall height of resolution . god doth not chide samuel , but instruct him : he , which is wisdome it selfe , teacheth him to hide his counsels in an honest policie : ( take an heifar with thee , and say , i am come to do sacrifice to the lord ) . this was to say true , not to say all : truth may not be crossed by denialls , or equiuocations , it may be concealed in a discreet silence : except in the case of an oath , no man is bound to speake all he knowes ; we are not only allowed , but commanded to be innocently serpentine . there were doubtles heifars enow in bethleem , ishai had both wealth and deuotion enough to haue bestowed a sacrifice vpon god , and his prophet : but to giue a more perfect colour to his intention , samuel must take an heifar with him : the act it selfe was serious and necessarie ; there was no place , no time , wherein it was not fit for a samuel to offer peace-offrings vnto god ; but when a king should be annointed , there was no lesse then necessitie in this seruice . those , which must represent god to the world , ought to be consecrated to that maiestie , whom they resemble , by publike deuotions : euery important action requires a sacrifice to blesse it , much more that act , which imports the whole church , or common-wealth . it was great newes to see samuel at bethleem , hee was no gadder abroad , none but necessarie occasions could make him stirre from ramah : the elders of the citie therefore , welcome him with trembling , not for that they were affraid of him , but of themselues ; they knew , that guest would not come to them for familiaritie , streight do they suspect , it was the purpose of some iudgment , that drew him thither : com'st thou peaceably ? it is a good thing to stand in awe of gods messengers , and to hold good termes with them vpon all occasions : the bethlemites are glad to heare of no other errand , but a sacrifice ; and now must they sanctifie themselues for so sacred a businesse : we may not presume to sacrifice vnto god vnsanctified , this were to marre an holy act , and make our selues more prophane , by prophaning that , which should be holy . all the citizens sanctifie themselues , but ishai & his sons were in a speciall fashion sanctified by samuel : this businesse was most theirs , and all israel in them ; the more god hath to do with vs , the more holy should we be . with what desire did samuel looke vpon the sonnes of ishai , that hee might see the face of the man , whom god had chosen ? and now , when eliab the eldest sonne came forth , a man of a goodly presence , whose person seemed fit to succeede saul , he thinks with himselfe ; this choice is soone made , i haue already espied the head , on which i must spend this holy oyle ; this is the man , which hath both the priuiledge of nature in his primogeniture , and of outward goodlinesse in proportion : surely the lords annointed is before him . euen the holiest prophet , when hee goes without god , runs into error : the best iudgment is subiect to deceit ; it is no trusting any mortall man , when hee speaks of himselfe : our eyes can be led by nothing but signes and appearances , and those haue commonly in them either a true falshood , or vncertaine truth . that which should haue fore-warned samuel , deceiued him ; he had seene the proofe of a goodly stature vnanswerable to their hopes , and yet his eye errs in the shape : he , that iudges by the inside both of our hearts and actions , checks samuel in this mis-conceit : ( looke not on his countenance , nor on the height of his stature , because i haue refused him ; for god seeth not as man seeth ) : the king , with whom god meant to satisfie the vntimely desires of israel , was chosen by his stature , but the king with whom god ment to please himselfe is chosen by the heart . all the seuen sonnes of ishai are presented to the prophet , no one is omitted whom their father thought capable of any respect ; if either samuel or ishai should haue chosen , dauid should neuer haue bin king : his father thought him fit to keep sheep , his brethren fit to rule men ; yet euen dauid ( the yongest sonne ) is fetcht from the folde , and by the choice of god destined to the throne : nature , which is commonly partiall to her own , could not suggest ought to ishai , to make him thinke dauid worthy to bee remembred in any competition of honor , yet him hath god singled out to the rule . god will haue his wisdom magnified in the vnlikelihoods of his election : dauids countenance was ingenuous , and beautifull , but if it had promised so much as eliabs , or abinadabs , he had not bin in the fields , whiles his brethren were at the sacrifice : if we doe altogether follow our eye , and suffer our selues to be guided by outward respects in our choice for god , or our selues , we cannot but goe amisse . what do we thinke the brethren of dauid thought , when they saw the oyle powred vpon his head ? surely ( as they were enuious enough ) they had too much repined , if they had either fully apprehended the purpose of the prophet , or else had not thought of some improbabilitie in the successe : either they vnderstood not , or beleeued not , what god would doe with their brother ; they saw him graced with gods spirit aboue his wont , but perhaps foresaw not , whither it tended : dauid ( as no whit changed in his condition ) returnes to his sheep againe , and with an humble admiration of gods gracious respect to him , casts himself vpon the wise and holy decree of the almighty , resigning himselfe to the disposition of those hands , which had chosen him ; when suddenly a messenger is sent from saul to call him in all haste , to that court , whereof he shall once be master : the occasion is no lesse from god , then the euent . dauid call'd to the covrt . that the kingdome is ( in the appointment of god ) departed from saul , it is his least losse ; now the spirit of god is also departed from him ; one spirit is no sooner gone , but another is come ; both are from god : euen the worst spirits haue not onely permission , but commission from heauen , for the infliction of iudgment . he that at first could hide himselfe among the stuffe , that he might not be king , is now so transported with this glory , that he growes passionate with the thought of forgoing it : sathan takes vantage of his melancholike dejection , and turns this passion into frenzy . god will haue euen euill spirits worke by meanes ; a distempred body , and an vnquiet minde are fit grounds for sathans vexation : sauls courtiers , as men that were more witty , then religious , aduise him to musicke : they knew the strength of that skill in allaying the fury of passions , in cheering vp the dejected spirits of their master : this was done like some fond chirurgian , that when the bone is out of ioynt , laies some soupling pultesses to the part , for the asswaging of the ach , in the meane time not caring to remedie the luxation . if they had said , sr , you know this euill comes from that god , whom you haue offended , there can be no help but in reconcilement ; how easie is it for the god of spirits to take off sathan ? labour your peace with him by a serious humiliation ; make meanes to samuel to further the attonement ; they had bin wise counsellors , diuine physicians ; whereas now they doe but skin ouer the sore , and leaue it rankled at the bottome : the c●●mu●● must euer proceed in the same steps with the disease , else in vaine shall wee seeme to heale ; there is no safety in the redresse of euills , but to strike at the root . yet since it is no better with saul and his courtiers , it is well it is no worse ; i doe not heare either the master , or seruants say , this is an ill spirit , send for some magitian , that may countermand him : there are forcible enchantments for these spirituall vexations ; if samuel will not , there are witches , that may giue ease : but as one , that would rather be ill , then do worse , hee contents himselfe to doe that , which was lawfull , if vnsufficient . it is a shame to say , that he , whom god had reiected for his sin , was yet a saint to some , that should be christians , who care not , how much they are beholden to the diuell in their distresses , affecting to cast out diuels by beelzebub : in cases of losse , or sicknes they make hell their refuge , and seeke for no patronage , but of an enemy : here is a fearefull agreement ; sathan seeks to them in his temptations , they in their consultations seeke to him , and now they haue mutually found ech other , if they euer part , it is a miracle . david had liued obscurely in his fathers house , his onely care and ambition was the wellfare of the flocke he tended , and now , whiles his father and his brothers neglected him as fit for nothing but the field , he is talked of at court : some of sauls followers had beene at ishai's house , and taken notice of dauids skill , and now that harpe , which he practised for his priuat recreation , shall make him of a shepherd a courtier : the musicke , that hee meant onely to himselfe and his sheep , brings him before kings : the wisdom of god thought fit to take this occasion of acquainting dauid with that court , which he shall once gouerne . it is good , that our education should perfect our children in all those commendable qualities , wherto they are disposed : litle do we know , what vse god meanes to make of those faculties , which wee know not how to imploy . where the almighty purposes an aduancement , obscuritie can be no preiudice ; small meanes shall set forward that , which god hath decreed . dovbtles old ishai noted ( not without admiration ) the wonderfull accordance of gods proceedings , that he , which was sent for out of the field to be annointed , should now be sent for out of the country into the court , and now he perceiued , god was making way for the execution of that which he purposed ; hee attends the issue in silence , neither shall his hand faile to giue furtherance to the proiect of god : he therefore sends his sonne laden with a present to saul : the same god , which call'd dauid to the court , wellcoms him thither ; his comelinesse , valour , and skill haue soone wonne him fauour in the eyes of saul . the giuer of all graces hath so placed his fauours , that the greatest enemies of goodnes shall see somewhat in the holiest men , which they shall affect , and for which they shall honor the persons of them , whose vertues they dislike ; as contrarily the saints on earth see somewhat to loue in the worst creatures . no doubt dauid sung to his harpe ; his harpe was not more sweet , then his song was holy : those psalmes alone had bin more powerfull to chase the euill spirit , then the musicke was to calme passions ; both together gaue ease to saul ; and god gaue this effect to both , because hee would haue saul traine vp his successor : this sacred musicke did not more dispell sathan , then wanton musicke invites him , and more cheeres him , then vs : he plaies and danceth at a filthy song , he sings at an obscure dance : our sinne is his best pastime , whereas psalmes , and hymnes , and spirituall songs are torment vnto the tempter , and musicke to the angels in heauen , whose trade is to sing alleluiahs in the chore of glory . dauid and goliah . after the newes of the philistims army , i heare no more mention of sauls frenzy : whether the noise of warr diuerted those thoughtfull passions ; or whether god for his peoples sake tooke off that euill spirit , least israel might miscarry vnder a frantick gouernor . now dauid hath leisure to returne to bethleem : the glory of the court cannot transport him to ambitious vanitie ; he had rather be his fathers shepheard , then sauls armour-bearer : all the magnificence and state , which he saw , could not put his mouth out of the taste of a retired simplicitie ; yea rather he loues his hook the better , since he saw the court ; and now his brethren serue saul in his steed . a good heart hath learnt to frame it selfe vnto all conditions , & can change estates without change of disposition , rising and falling according to occasion : the worldly minde can rise easily , but when it is once vp , knowes not how to descend either with patience , or safety . forty dayes together had the philistims & israelites faced each other , they pitched on two hills one in the sight of the other , nothing but a valley was betwixt them : both stand vpon defence and aduantage ; if they had not ment to fight , they had neuer drawne so neere ; and if they had bin eager of fight , a valley could not haue parted them : actions of hazard require deliberation ; not furie but discretion must bee the guide of warre . so had ioshua destroyed the giantly anakims out of the land of israel , that yet some were left in azzah , gath , and ashdod : both to shew israel , what aduersaries their forefathers found in canaan , & whom they mastred ; as also that god might winne glory to himselfe by these subsequent executions : of that race was goliah , whose heart was as high as his head , his strength was answerable to his stature , his weapons answerable to his strength , his pride exceeded all : because he saw his head higher , his armes stronger , his sword and speare bigger , his shield heauier then any israelite , he defies the whole host , and walking between the two armies , braues all israel with a challenge ; ( why are yee come out to set your battaile in aray ? am not i a philistim ? and you seruants to saul ? choose you a man for you , and let him come downe to me : giue me a man , that we may fight together ) . carnall hearts are carried away with presumption of their owne abilities , and not finding matches to themselues in outward appearance , insult ouer the impotencie of inferiors ; and as those , that can see no invisible opposition , promise themselues certainty of successe : insolence and selfe-confidence argues the heart to be nothing , but a lumpe of proud flesh . the first challenge of duell , that euer we finde , came out of the mouth of an vncircumcised philistim ; yet was that in open warre , and tended to the sauing of many liues , by aduenturing one or two ; and whosoeuer imitateth , nay surpasseth him in challenge to priuate duell , in the attempt partaketh of his vncircumcision , though he should ouercome , and of his manner of punishment , if in such priuat combats hee cast away his life . for of all such desperate prodigalls wee may say , that their heads are cut off by their owne sword , if not by their owne hand . wee cannot challenge men , and not challenge god , who iustly challengeth to himselfe both to take vengeance , and to giue successe . the more goliah challenges , and is vnanswered , the more is he puft vp in the pride of his owne power : and is there none of all israel , that will answer this champion otherwise then with his heeles ? where is the courage of him that was higher then all israel from the shoulders vpward ? the time was , when nahash the ammonite had made that tyrannous demand of the right eyes of the gileadites , that saul could aske vnasked , what aileth the people to weep ? and could hew his oxen in peeces to raise the spirits of israel , and now he stands still , and sees the host turne their backe , and neuer so much as asks , what aileth the people to flee ? the time was , when saul slew forty thousand philistims in one day , and perhaps goliah was in that discomfiture , and now one philistim is suffred by him to braue all israel forty dayes ; whence is this difference ? the spirit of god ( the spirit of fortitude ) was now departed from him : saul was not more aboue himselfe , when god was with him , then he is below others , now that he is left of god ; valour is not meerely of nature : nature is euer like it selfe , by this rule , hee that is once valiant , should neuer turne coward : but now we see the greatest spirits inconstant ; and those , which haue giuen good proofes of magnanimitie , at other times , haue bewrayed white liuers vnto their owne reproch ; hee that is the god of hostes , giues and takes away mens hearts at his pleasure : neither is it otherwise in our spirituall combats , sometimes the same soule dare challenge all the powers of darknes , which other-whiles giues ground to a temptation ; wee haue no strength , but what is giuen vs , and if the author of all good gifts remit his hand for our humiliation , either we fight not , or are foyled . david hath now lien long enough close amongst his flock in the fields of bethleem , god sees a time to send him to the pitcht field of israel : good old ishai , that was doubtles ioyfull to thinke , that he had afforded three sonnes to the warres of his king , is no lesse carefull of their wellfare , and prouision ; and who ( amongst all the rest of his seuen sonnes , shall be pickt out for this seruice , but his yongest sonne dauid , whose former & almost worne-out acquaintance in the court , and imployment vnder saul , seemed to fit him best for his errand ▪ early in the morning is dauid vpon his way , yet not so early , as to leaue his flock vnprouided : if his fathers command dismisse him , yet will he stay , till he haue trusted his sheep with a carefull keeper ; wee cannot be faithfull shepherds , if our spirituall charg be lesse deare vnto vs ; if when necessity cals vs from our flocks , we depute not those , which are vigilant and conscionable . ere dauids speed can bring him to the valley of elah , both the armies are on foot ready to ioyne : he takes not this excuse to stay without , as a man daunted with the horror of warre , but leauing his present with his seruant , he thrusts himselfe into the thickest of the host , and salutes his brethren , which were now thinking of nothing but killing or dying , when the proud champion of the philistims comes stalking forth before all the troopes , and renewes his insolent challenge against israel : dauid sees the man , and heares his defiance , and lookes about him , to see what answer would be giuen , and when hee espies nothing but pale faces , and bucks turned , hee wonders , not so much , that one man should dare all israel , as that all israel should runne from one man : euen while they flee from goliah , they talke of the reward , that should be giuen to that encounter , and victory , which they dare not vndertake ; so those which haue not grace to beleeue ; yet can say , there is glory laid vp for the faithfull . euer since his annointing , was dauid possessed with gods spirit , and thereby filled both with courage , and wisdome : the more strange doth it seeme to him , that all israel should be thus dastardly : those , that are themselues eminent in any grace cannot but wonder at the miserable defects of others , and the more shame they see in others imperfections , the more is their zeale in auoyding those errors in themselues . whiles base hearts are moued by example , the want of example is incouragement enough for an heroicall minde : therefore is dauid ready to vndertake the quarrell , because no man else dare do it : his eyes sparkled with holy anger , and his heart rose vp to his mouth , when he heard this proud challenger : ( who is this vncircumcised philistim , that he should reuile the host of the liuing god ? ) euen so , ô sauiour , when all the generations of men ran away affrighted from the powers of death and darknes , thou alone hast vndertaken , and confounded them . who should offer to daunt the holy courage of dauid , but his owne brethren ? the enuious heart of eliab construes this forwardnes , as his own disgrace : shall i ( thinks he ) be put downe by this puisne ? shall my fathers yongest sonne dare to attempt that , which my stomach will not serue mee to aduenture ? now therefore hee rates dauid for his presumption ; and in steed of answering to the recompence of the victory , ( which others were ready to giue ) he recompenceth the very inquiry of dauid with a check : it was for his brethrens sake , that dauid came thither , and yet his very iourney is cast vpon him by them , for a reproch ; wherefore cam'st thou downe hither ? and when their bitternes can meet with nothing else to shame him , his sheepe are cast in his teeth : is it for thee , an idle proud boy , to be medling with our martiall matters ? doth not yonder champion looke , as if hee were a fit match for thee ? what mak'st thou of thy selfe ? or what dost thou thinke of vs ? ywis it were fitter for thee to be looking to thy sheepe , then looking at goliah ; the wildernes would become thee better then the fields : wherein art thou equall to any man thou seest , but in arrogance and presumption ? the pastures of bethleem could not hold thee , but thou thought'st it a goodly matter to see the wars : i know thee , as if i were in thy bosome ; this was thy thought , there is no glory to bee got among fleeces , i will goe seeke it in armes ; now are my brethren winning honor in the troopes of israel , whiles i am basely tending on sheepe , why should not i be as forward as the best of them ? this vanity would make thee strait of a shepherd , a soldier , and of a soldier a champion ; get thee home , foolish stripling , to thy hooke , and thy harpe ; let swords & speares alone to those , that know how to vse them . it is quarrell enough amongst many to a good action , that it is not their owne ; there is no enemie so ready , or so spightfull , as the domesticall : the hatred of brethren is so much more , as their blood is neerer : the malice of strangers is simple , but of a brother is mixt with enuie : the more vnnaturall any qualitie is , the more extreame it is ; a cold winde from the south is intollerable : dauids first victory is of himselfe , next of his brother ; hee ouercomes himselfe in a patient forbearance of his brother , hee ouercomes the malicious rage of his brother with the mildnes of his answer : if dauid had wanted spirit , he had not bin troubled with the insultation of a philistim ; if he had a spirit to match goliah , how doth he so calmely receiue the affront of a brother ? what haue i now done ? is there not a cause ? that , which would haue stirred the choler of another , allayeth his : it was a brother , that wronged him , and that his eldest ; neither was it time to quarrell with a brother , whiles the philistims swords were drawne , and goliah was challenging . o that these two motiues could induce vs to peace ; if we haue iniurie in our person , in our cause , it is from brethren , and the philistims looke on : i am deceiued , if this conquest were lesse glorious , then the following : he is fit to be gods champion , that hath learned to bee victor of himselfe . it is not this sprinkling of cold water , that can quench the fire of dauids zeale , but still his courage sends vp flames of desire , still he goes on to inquire , and to proffer : he , whom the regard of others enuie can dismay , shall neuer doe ought worthy of enuie : neuer man vndertooke any exploit of worth , and receiued not some discouragement in the way , this couragious motion of dauid was not more scorned by his brother , then by the other israelites applauded : the rumor flies to the eares of the king , that there is a yong man desirous to encounter the gyant ; dauid is brought forth : saul , when he heard of a champion , that durst goe into the lists with goliah , looked for one as much higher then himselfe , as he was taller then the rest ; he expected some sterne face , and brawny arme ; yong and ruddy dauid is so far below his thoughts , that he receiues rather contempt , then thanks : his words were stout , his person was weake ; saul doth not more like his resolution , then distrust his abilitie , ( thou art not able to goe against this philistim to fight with him ; for thou art a boy , and he is a man of warre from his youth ) : euen saul seconds eliab in the conceit of this disparitie , and if eliab speak out of enuie , saul speaks out of iudgment ; both iudge ( as they were iudged of ) by the stature : all this cannot weaken that heart , which receiues his strength from faith : dauids greatest conflict is with his freinds ; the ouercomming of their disswasions , that he might fight , was more worke , then to ouercome his enemy in fighting : he must first iustifie his strength to saul , ere he may proue it vpon goliah ; valor is neuer made good , but by tryall : he pleads the tryall of his puissance vpon the beare and the lyon , that he may haue leaue to proue it vpon a worse beast then they ; thy seruant slew both the lyon and the beare , therefore this vncircumcised philistim shall be as one of them . ) experience of good successe is no small comfort to the heart , this giues possibilitie and hope , but no certainty : two things there were on which dauid built his confidence , on goliahs sin , and gods deliuerance , ( seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing god : the lord that deliuered mee out of the pawes of the lion and the beare , he will deliuer me out of the hand of this philistim ) . well did dauid know , that if this philistims skin had bin as hard as the brasse of his shield , his sinne would make it penetrable by euery stroke . after all brags of manhood he is impotent , that hath prouoked god : whiles other labour for outward fortifications , happy and safe were we , if wee could labour for innocence : he that hath found god present in one extremitie , may trust him in the next ; euery sensible fauour of the almighty , invites both his gifts , and our trust . resolvtion thus grounded , makes euen saul himselfe confident : dauid shall haue both his leaue , and his blessing : if dauid came to saul , as a shepherd , he shall go toward goliah , as a warriour : the attire of the king is not too rich for him , that shall fight for his king and country ; litle did saul thinke , that his helmet was now on that head , which should once weare his crowne : now that dauid was arrayed in the warlike habit of a king , and girded with his sword , he lookt vpon himselfe , and thought this outside glorious ; but when hee offred to walke , and found that the attire was not so strong , as vnweeldy , and that it might be more for show , then vse , he laies downe these accoustrements of honor , and as caring rather to bee an homely victor , then a glorious spoile ; he craues pardon to go in no clothes , but his owne ; he takes his staffe in steed of the speare , his shepherds scrip in steed of his brigandine , and in steed of his sword he takes his sling , and in steed of darts and iauelins , hee takes fiue smooth stones out of the brooke : let sauls coat be neuer so rich , and his armour neuer so strong , what is dauid the better , if they fit him not ? it is not to be inquired , how excellent any thing is , but how proper : those things which are helps to some may be encombrances to others : an vnmeet good may be as inconuenient , as an accustomed euill : if we could wish another mans honor , when we feele the weight of his cares , we should be glad to be in our owne cote . those , that depend vpon the strength of faith , though they neglect not meanes , yet they are not curious in the proportion of outward meanes to the effect desired : where the heart is armed with an assured confidence , a sling and a stone are weapons enow ; to the vnbeleeuing no helps are sufficient : goliah , though he were presumptuous enough , yet had one shield caried before him , another he caried on his shoulder , neither will his sword alone content him , but he takes his speare too . dauids armour is his plaine shepherds russet , and the brooke yeelds him his artillery , and he knowes , there is more safety in his cloth , then in the others brasse ; and more danger in his peebles , then the others speare . faith giues both heart , & armes : the inward munition is so much more noble , because it is of proofe for both soule and body : if wee be furnished with this , how boldly shall we meete with the powers of darknes , and goe away more then conquerors ? neither did the qualitie of dauids weapons bewray more confidence , then the number : if he will put his life and victory vpon the stones of the brooke , why doth he not fill his scrip full of them ? why will he content himselfe with fiue ? had he bin furnished with store , the aduantage of his nimblenesse might haue giuen him hope ; if one faile , that yet another might speed : but now this paucity puts the dispatch to a sudden hazard , and he hath but fiue stones cast either to death or victory ; still the fewer helps the stronger faith : dauid had an instinct from god , that he should ouercome , hee had not a particular direction , how he should ouercome . for had he bin at first resolued vpon the sling and stone , he had saued the labour of girding his sword : it seems , whiles they were addressing him to the combat , hee made account of hand-blowes , now he is purposed rather to send , then bring death to his aduersarie : in either , or both , he durst trust god with the successe , and before hand ( through the conflict ) saw the victory : it is sufficient , that we know the issue of our fight : if our weapons and wardes vary according to the occasion giuen by god , that is nothing to the euent ; sure we are , that if wee resist , wee shall ouercome , and if wee ouercome , wee shall be crowned . when dauid appeared in the lists to so vnequall an aduersarie , as many eyes were vpon him , so in those eyes , diuers affections : the israelites lookt vpon him with pity and feare , and each man thought ; alas , why is this comely stripling suffred to cast away himselfe vpon such a monster ? why will they let him go vnarmed to such an affray ? why will saul hazard the honor of israel on so vnlikely an head ? the philistims , especially their great champion , lookt vpon him with scorne , disdaining so base a combatant ; ( am i a dog , that thou com'st to mee with staues ? ) what could be said more fitly ? hadst thou bin any other , then a dog ( ô goliah ) thou hadst neuer opened thy fowle mouth to barke against the host of god , and the god of hosts : if dauid had thought thee any other then a very dog , he had neuer come to thee with a staffe and a stone . the last words , that euer the philistim shall speake , are curses and brags : ( come to me , and i will giue thy flesh vnto the fowles of the heauen , and the beasts of the field ) . seldome euer was there a good end of ostentation : presumption is at once the presage , and cause of ruine : he is a weake aduersarie , that can be killd with words : that man , which could not feare the gyants hand , cannot feare his tongue : if words shall first encounter , the philistim receiues the first foile , and shall first let in death into his eare , ere it enter into his forehead : ( thou com'st to mee with a sword , and a speare , and a shield ; but i come to thee in the name of the lord of hosts , the god of the host of israel , whom thou hast railed vpon : this day shall the lord close thee in my hand , and i shall smite thee , and take thine head from thee ) . here is another stile , not of a boaster , but of a prophet : now shall goliah know , whence to expect his bane , euen from the hands of a reuenging god , that shall smite him by dauid , and now shall learne too late , what it is to meddle with an enemie , that goes vnder the invisible protection of the almighty . no sooner hath dauid spoken , then his foot & hand second his tongue : he runs to fight with the philistim ; it is a cold courage that stands onely vpon defence : as a man , that saw no cause of feare , and was full of the ambition of victory , he flies vpon that monster , and with a stone out of his bagg smites him in the forehead : there was no part of goliah , that was capable of that danger , but the face , and that peece of the face ; the rest was defenced with a brasen wall , which a weake sling would haue tried to batter in vaine : what could goliah feare to see an aduersarie come to him without edge or point ? and behold , that one part hath god found out for the entrance of death : he that could haue caused the stone to passe through the sheild and brestplate of goliah , rather directs the stone to that part , whose nakednes gaue aduantage : where there is power , or possibilitie of nature , god vses not to worke miracles , but chooses the way that lies most open to his purposes . the vaste forehead was a faire marke , but how easily might the sling haue missed it , if there had not bin another hand in this cast besides dauids ? hee that guided dauid into this field , and raised his courage to this combat , guides the stone to his end , and lodges it in that seat of impudence : there now lies the great defier of israel groueling and grinning in death , and is not suffred to deale one blow for his life , and bites the vnwelcome earth for indignation , that he dies by the hand of a shepherd : earth and hell share him betwixt them ; such is the end of insolence , and presumption . o god , what is flesh and blood to thee , which canst make a litle peeble-stone stronger then a gyant , and when thou wilt , by the weakest meanes canst straw thine enemies in the dust ? where now are the two sheilds of goliah , that they did not beare off this stroke of death ? or wherefore serues that weauers beame , but to strike the earth in falling ? or that sword , but to behead his master ? what needed dauid load himself w th an vnnecessary weapon ? one sword can serue both goliah , and him ; if goliah had a man to beare his sheild , dauid had goliah to beare his sword , wherewith that proud blasphemous head is seuered from his shoulders : nothing more honors god , then the turning of wicked mens forces against themselues : there is none of his enemies , but caries with them their owne destruction . thus didst thou , o son of dauid , foile sathan with his owne weapon , that , whereby he ment destruction to thee and vs , vanquished him through thy mighty power , and raised thee to that glorious triumph , and super-exaltation , wherein thou art , wherein we shall be with thee . jonathans loue , and savls enuie . besides the discomfiture of the philistims , dauids victory had a double issue ; ionathans loue , and sauls enuie , which god so mixed , that the one was a remedy of the other ; a good sonne makes amends for a wayward father : how precious was that stone , that kill'd such an enemy as goliah , and purchased such a frend as ionathan ? all sauls courtiers lookt vpon dauid , none so affected him , none did match him but ionathan : that true correspondence , that was both in their faith and valour hath knit their hearts : if dauid did set vpon a beare , a lion , a gyant ; ionathan had set vpon a whole host , and preuailed : the same spirit animated both , the same faith incited both , the same hand prospered both : all israel was not worth this paire of frends , so zealously confident , so happily victorious : similitude of dispositions and estates ties the fastest knots of affection : a wise soule hath piercing eyes , and hath quickly discerned the likenes of it selfe in another , as we do no sooner looke into the glasse or water , but face answers to face ; and where it sees a perfect resemblance of it selfe , cannot chuse but loue it with the same affection , that it reflects vpon it selfe . no man saw dauid that day , which had so much cause to disaffect him ; none in all israel should be a looser by dauids successe , but ionathan : saul was sure enough setled for his time , only his successor should forgo all that , which dauid should gaine ; so as none but dauid stands in ionathans light , and yet all this cannot abate one iot , or dram of his loue : where god vniteth hearts , carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them , since that , which breaks off affection , must needs be stronger , then that which conioyneth it . ionathan doth not desire to smother his loue by concealment , but professes it in his cariage and actions : he puts off the robe , that was vpon him , and all his garments euen to his sword , and bow , and girdle , and giues them vnto his new frend : it was not perhaps without a mysterie , that sauls clothes fitted not dauid , but ionathans fitted him , and these he is as glad to weare , as he was to be disburthened of the other : that there might be a perfect resemblance , their bodies are suited , as well as their hearts : now the beholders can say , there goes ionathans other selfe ; if there bee another body vnder those clothes , there is the same soule : now dauid hath cast off his russet coat , and his scrip , and is a shepherd no more , he is suddenly become both a courtier , and a captaine , and a companion to the prince ; yet himselfe is not changed with his habit , with his condition : yea rather ( as if his wisdome had reserued it selfe for his exaltation ) he so manageth a sudden greatnes , as that he winneth all hearts : honour showes the man , and if there be any blemishes of imperfection , they will be seene in the man , that is inexpectedly lifted aboue his fellowes : he is out of the danger of folly , whom a speedy aduancement leaueth wife . ionathan loued dauid , the souldiers honored him , the court fauord him , the people applauded him , onely saul stomackt him , and therefore hated him , because he was so happy in all besides himselfe : it had bin a shame for all israel , if they had not magnified their champion : sauls owne heart could not but tell him , that they did owe the glory of that day , and the safety of himselfe and israel , vnto the sling of dauid , who in one man slew all those thousands at a blow : it was enough for the puissant king of israel to follow the chase , and to kill them , whom dauid had put to flight ; yet he , that could lend his clothes and his armour to this exploit , cannot abide to part with the honor of it to him , that hath erned it so deerly : the holy songs of dauid had not more quieted his spirits before , then now the thankfull song of the israelitish women vexes him : one litle ditty ( of saul hath slaine his thousand , and dauid his ten thousand ) sung vnto the timbrels of israel , fetcht againe that euill spirit , which dauids musicke had expelled : saul needed not the tormēt of a worse spirit , then enuie . oh the vnreasonablenes of this wicked passiō ! the women gaue saul more , and dauid lesse , then he deserued : for saul alone could not kill a thousand , and dauid in that one act of killing goliah , slew in effect , all the philistims that were slaine that day ; & yet because they giue more to dauid , then to himselfe , he that should haue endited , and begun that song of thankfulnes , repines & growes now as mad with enuie , as he was before with greefe : truth & iustice are no protectiō against malice ; enuy is blind to all obiects , saue other mens happines : if the eyes of men could be contained within their owne bounds , & not roue forth into comparisons , there could be no place for this vicious affection ; but when they haue once taken this lawless scope to themselues , they loose the knowledge of home , & care only to be imploied abroad in their own tormēt . never was sauls brest so fit a lodging for the euill spirit , as now , that it is drest vp with enuie : it is as impossible , that hell should be free from diuels , as a malicious heart ; now doth the frantick king of israel renue his old fitts , and walks , and talks distractedly ; he was mad with dauid , and who but dauid must be called to allay his madnesse ? such as dauids wisdom was , he could not but know the termes , wherein he stood with saul ; yet in the lieu of the harsh & discordous notes of his masters enuy , hee returnes pleasing musicke vnto him : he can neuer be good courtier , nor good man , that hath not learned to repay , if not iniuries with thanks , yet euill with good . whiles there was a harpe in dauids hand , there was a speare in sauls , wherewith he threatens death , as the recompence of that sweet melody : hee said ( i will smite dauid through to the wall ) . it is well for the innocent , that wicked men cannot keep their owne councell : god fetcheth their thoughts out of their mouthes , or their countenances for a seasonable preuention , which else might proceed to secret execution : it was time for dauid to withdraw himselfe , his obedience did not tye him to be the marke of a furious master ; he might ease saul with his musicke , with his blood hee might not : twise therefore doth hee auoide the presence , not the court , not the seruice of saul . one would haue thought rather , that dauid should haue bin affraid of saul , because the diuell was so strong with him , then that saul should be affraid of dauid , because the lord was with him ; yet we finde all the feare in saul of dauid , none in dauid of saul : hatred and feare are ordinary companions : dauid had wisdom and faith to dispell his feares , saul had nothing but infidelitie , & deiected , selfe-condemned , distempred thoughts , which must needs nourish them ; yet saul could not feare any hurt from dauid , whom he found so loyall , and seruiceable : he feares only too much good vnto dauid ; and the enuious feare is much more , then the distrustfull : now dauids presence begins to be more displeasing , then his musick was sweet ; despight it selfe had rather preferre him to a remote dignity , then indure him a neerer attendant : this promotion increaseth dauids honor & loue ; and this loue and honor aggrauates sauls hatred and feare . savls madnes hath not bereaued him of his craft : for perceiuing how great dauid was growne in the reputation of israel , he dares not offer any personall , or direct violence to him , but hires him into the iawes of a supposed death , by no lesse price , then his eldest daughter , ( behold mine eldest daughter merab : her will i giue thee to wife , onely be a valiant sonne to mee , and fight the lords battels ) . could euer man speake more graciously , more holily ? what could be more graciously offred by a king , then his eldest daughter ? what care could be more holy , then of the lords battels ? yet neuer did saul intend so much mischeife to dauid , or so much vnfaithfulnes to god , as when he spake thus : there is neuer so much danger of the false-hearted , as when they make the fairest weather : sauls speare bad dauid be gone , but his plausible words invite him to danger : this honor was due to dauid before , vpon the compact of his victory ; yet he , that twise inquired into the reward of that enterprise , before he vndertooke it , neuer demanded it after that atchieument ; neither had saul the iustice to offer it , as a recompence of so noble an exploit , but as a snare to an enuied victory . charity suspects not : dauid construes that , as an effect and argument of his masters loue , which was no other but a childe of enuie , but a plot of mischeife ; and though he knew his owne desert , and the iustice of his claime to merab ; yet hee in a sincere humilitie disparageth himselfe , and his parentage with a who am i ? as it was not the purpose of this modesty in dauid to reject , but to sollicite the proferd fauor of saul ; so was it not in the power of this bashfull humiliation to turne backe the edge of so keene an enuie : it helps not that dauid makes himselfe meane , whiles others magnifie his worth : whatsoeuer the colour was , saul ment nothing to dauid but danger and death ; and since all those battels will not effect that which he desired , himselfe will not effect that which he promised : if he cannot kill dauid , he will disgrace him ; dauids honor was sauls disease : it was not likely therefore , that saul would adde vnto that honor , whereof he was so sicke already : merab is giuen vnto another , neither do i heare dauid complaine of so manifest an iniustice ; hee knew , that the god , whose battels hee fought , had prouided a due reward of his patience : if merab faile , god hath a michal in store for him , shee is in loue with dauid ; his comelines and valour haue so won her heart , that shee now emulates the affection of her brother ionathan : if shee be the yonger sister , yet shee is more affectionate : saul is glad of the newes , his daughter could neuer liue to doe him better seruice , then to be a new snare to his aduersarie : shee shall bee therefore sacrificed to his enuie , and her honest and sincere loue shall bee made a baite for her worthy and innocent husband ( i will giue him her , that shee may be a snare vnto him , that the hand of the philistims may be against him ) : the purpose of any fauour is more then the value of it : euen the greatest honors may bee giuen with an intent of destruction ; many a man is raised vp for a fall . so forward is saul in the match , that he sends spokes-men to sollicite dauid vnto that honour , which he hopes will proue the high-way to death : the dowry is set ; an hundred foreskins of the philistims ; not their heads , but their fore-skins , that this victory might bee more ignominious ; still thinking , why may not one dauid miscarry , as well as an hundred philistims ? and what doth sauls enuie all this while , but enhance dauids zeale , and valour , and glory ? that good captaine litle imagining , that himselfe was the philistim , whom saul maligned , supererogates of his master , and brings two hundred for one , and returnes home safe , and renowmed : neither can saul now flie off for shame ; there is no remedy but dauid must bee a sonne , where he was a riuall , and saul must feed vpon his owne heart , since he cannot see dauids ; gods blessing graces equally together with mens malice , neither can they deuise , which way to make vs more happy , then by wishing vs euill . michals wile . this aduantage can saul yet make of dauids promotion , that as his aduersarie is raised hyer , so he is drawne neerer to the opportunitie of death ; now hath his enuie cast off all shame , and since those crafty plots succeede not , he directly subornes murtherers of his riuall : there is none in all the court that is not set on to be an executioner ; ionathan himselfe is sollicited to imbrue his hand in the blood of his frend , of his brother . saul could not but see ionathans clothes on dauids backe ; hee could not but know the league of their loue , yet because hee knew withall , how much the prosperitie of dauid would preiudice ionathan , hee hoped to haue found him his sonne in malice ; those that haue the iaundis see all things yellow ; those which are ouer-growne with malicious passions , thinke all men like themselues . i do not heare of any reply that ionathan made to his father when he gaue him that bloody charge ; but he waites for a fit time to disswade him from so cruell an iniustice : wisdome had taught him to giue way vnto rage , and in so hard an aduenture to craue aide of opportunitie : if wee be not carefull to obserue good moods when we deale with the passionate , we may exasperate , in steed of reforming ; thus did ionathan , who knowing how much better it is to be a good frend , then an ill sonne , had not onely disclosed that ill counsell , but when hee found his father in the fields , in a calmer temper , laboured to diuert it : and so farre doth the seasonable and pithy oratory of ionathan preuaile , that saul is convinced of his wrong , and sweares , as god liues , dauid shall not dye ; indeed , how could it be otherwise , vpon the plea of dauids innocence , and well deseruings ? how could saul say he should dye , whom he could accuse of nothing but faithfulnes ? why should hee designe him to death , which had giuen life to all israel ? oft-times wicked mens iudgments are forced to yeeld vnto that truth , against which their affections maintaine a rebellion : euen the foulest hearts do sometimes intertaine good motions ; like as on the contrary , the holiest soules giue way sometimes to the suggestions of euill : the flashes of lightning may be discerned in the darkest prisons . but if good thoughts look into a wicked heart , they stay not there ; as those that like not their lodging , they are soone gone ; hardly any thing distinguishes betwixt good and euill , but continuance ; the light that shines into an holy heart is constant , like that of the sunne , which keeps due times , and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions . the philistims warres renue dauids victories , and dauids victory renues sauls enuie , and sauls enuie renues the plots of dauids death : vowes & oathes are forgotten : that euill spirit which vexes saul hath found so much fauor with him , as to win him to these bloody machinations against an innocent ; his owne hands shall first bee imployed in this execution ; the speare , which hath twise before threatned death to dauid , shall now once againe goe vpon that message : wise dauid that knew the danger of an hollow frend , and reconciled enemy , and that found more cause to mind sauls earnest , then his own play , giues way by his nimblenesse , to that deadly weapon , and resigning that stroke vnto the wall , flees for his life . no man knowes how to be sure of an vnconscionable man ; if either goodnes , or merit , or affinitie , or reasons , or oathes could secure a man , dauid had bin safe ; now if his heeles do not more befrend him then all these , he is a dead man. no sooner is he gone then messengers are sped after him ; it hath bin seldome seene that wickednesse wanted executioners ; dauids house is beset with murderers , which watch at all his dores , for the opportunitie of blood : who can but wonder to see how god hath fetcht from the loynes of saul a remedy for the malice of sauls heart ? his owne children are the only meanes to crosse him in the sin , and to preserue his guiltlesse aduersary ; michal hath more then notice of the plot , and with her subtle wit countermines her father , for the rescue of an husband : shee taking the benefit of the night lets dauid downe through a window ; he is gone , and disappoints the ambushes of saul : the messengers begin to be impatient of this delay , and now thinke it time to inquire after their prisoner ; shee whiles them off , with the excuse of dauids sicknes , ( so as now her husband had good leasure for his escape ) and layes a statue in his bed ; saul likes the newes of any euill befalne to dauid , but fearing hee is not sicke enough , sends to aide his disease ; the messengers returne , and rushing into the house with their swords drawne , after some harsh words to their imagined charge , surprize a sicke statue lying with a pillow vnder his head ; and now blush to see they haue spent all their threats vpon a senselesse stocke ; and made themselues ridiculous , whiles they would be seruiceable . bvt how shall michal answer this mockage vnto her furious father ? hitherto she hath done like dauids wife ; now she begins to be sauls daughter ; ( he said to me , let me go , or else i will kill thee ) . shee whose wit had deliuered her husband from the sword of her father , now turnes the edge of her fathers wrath from herselfe to her husband ; his absence made her presume of his safety : if michal had not bin of sauls plot , he had neuer expostulated with her in those termes , why hast thou let mine enemy escape ? neither had shee framed that answer , he said , let me goe : i doe not finde any great store of religion in michal , for both shee had an image in the house , and afterwards mocked dauid for his deuotion ; yet nature hath taught her to preferre an husband to a father ; to elude a father from whom shee could not flee , to saue an husband , which durst not but flee from her : the bonds of matrimoniall loue are , and should bee stronger then those of nature ; those respects are mutuall which god appointed in the first institution of wedlocke ; that husband and wife should leaue father and mother for ech others sake . treason is euer odious , but so much more in the mariage-bed by how much the obligations are deeper . as shee lou'd her husband better then her father , so shee lou'd her selfe better then her husband ; she saued her husband by a wile , and now shee saues her selfe by a lye ; and looses halfe the thanke of her deliuerance , by an officious slander ; her act was good , but shee wants courage to maintaine it ; and therefore seeks to the weake shelter of vntruth : those that do good offices not out of conscience , but good nature or ciuilitie ; if they meet an affront of danger , seldome comes off cleanly , but are ready to catch at all excuses , though base , though iniurious ; because their grounds are not strong enough to beare them out in suffring for that , which they haue well done . whither doth dauid flee but to the sanctuary of samuel ? he doth not ( though he knew himselfe gracious with the soldiers ) raise forces , or take some strong fort , and there stand vpon his owne defence , and at defiance with his king : but hee gets him to the colledge of the prophets ; as a man that would seeke the peaceable protection of the king of heauen against the vniust furie of a king on earth : onely the wing of god shall hide him from that violence . god intended to make dauid not a warriour , and a king only , but a prophet too ; as the field fitted him for the first , and the court for the second , so naioth shall fit him for the third . doublesse ( such was dauids delight in holy meditations ) he neuer spent his time so contentedly , as when he was retyred to that diuine academie , and had so full freedom to inioy god , and to satiate himself with heauenly exercises : the onely doubt is how samuel can giue harbour to a man fled from the anger of his prince ; wherein , the very persons of both giue abundant satisfaction : for both samuel knew the counsell of god , and durst doe nothing without it ; and dauid was by samuel anointed from god : this vnction was a mutuall bond ; good reason had dauid to sue to him , which had powred the oyle on his head , for the hiding of that head which hee had anointed ; and good reason had samuel to hide him , whom god by his meanes had chosen , from him whom god had by his sentence reiected : besides , that the cause deserued commiseration ; here was not a malefactor running away from iustice , but an innocent auoyding murder ; not a traytor countenanc'd against his souerayne , but the deliuerer of israel harbored in a sanctuary of prophets till his peace might be made . even thither doth saul send to apprehend dauid : all his rage did not incense him against samuel as the abettor of his aduersarie ; such an impression of reuerence had the person , and calling of the prophet left in the minde of saul , that hee cannot thinke of lifting vp his hand against him ; the same god which did at the first put an awe of man in the fiercest creatures , hath stamped in the cruellest hearts a reuerent respect to his owne image in his ministers ; so as euen they that hate them , do yet honor them . savls messengers came to lay hold on dauid , god layes hold on them : no sooner doe they see a company of prophets busie in those diuine exercises , vnder the moderation of samuel , then they are turned from executioners to prophets . it is good going vp to naioth , into the holy assemblies , who knowes how wee may bee changed beside our intention ? many a one hath come into gods house to carpe , or scoffe , or sleepe , or gaze , that hath returned a conuert . the same heart that was thus disquieted with dauids happy successe , is now vexed with the holinesse of his other seruants . it angers him that gods spirit could find no other time to seize vpon his agents , then when he had sent them to kill : and now out of an indignation at this disappointment , himselfe will go , and be his own seruant ; his guilty soule findes it selfe out of the danger of being thus surprized ; and behold saul is no sooner come within the smell of the smoke of naioth , then hee also prophesies : the same spirit that , when hee went first from samuel , inabled him to prophesie , returnes in the same effect now that he was going ( his last ) vnto samuel : this was such a grace as might well stand with reiection ; an extraordinary gift of the spirit , but not sanctifying : many men haue had their mouthes opened to prophesie vnto others , whose hearts haue bin deafe to god ; but this ( such as it was ) was far from sauls purpose , who in steed of expostulating with samuel , falls downe before him ; and laying aside his weapons , and his robes , of a tyran proues ( for the time ) a disciple : all hearts are in the hand of their maker ; how easie is it for him that gaue them their being , to frame them to his owne bent ? who can bee afraid of malice , that knowes what hooks god hath in the nosthrills of men and diuels ? what charmes he hath for the most serpentine hearts ? david & ahimelec . who can euer iudge of the children by the parents , that knowes ionathan was the sonne of saul ? there was neuer a falser heart then sauls ; there was neuer a truer frend then ionathan ; neither the hope of a kingdome , nor the frownes of a father , nor the feare of death can remoue him from his vowed amitie : no sonne could be more officious , and dutifull to a good father ; yet he layes downe nature at the foot of grace ; and for the preseruation of his innocent riuall for the kingdom , crosses the bloody designes of his owne parent : dauid needs no other counsellor , no other aduocate , no other intelligencer then he ; it is not in the power of sauls vnnaturall reproches , or of his speare , to make ionathan any other then a frend , and patron of innocence : euen after all these difficulties , doth ionathan shoot beyond dauid , that saul may shoot short of him : in vaine are those professions of loue , which are not answered with action ; hee is no true frend that ( besides talke ) is not ready both to do , and suffer . savl is no whit the better for his prophesying ; he no sooner rises vp from before samuel , then he pursues dauid . wicked men are rather the worse for those transitorie good motions they haue receiued . if the swine be neuer so cleane washed , shee will wallow againe : that we haue good thoughts , it is no thanke to vs ; that we answer them not , it is both our sin and iudgment . david hath learned not to trust these fits of deuotion , but flyes from samuel to ionathan , from ionathan to ahimelech ; when hee was hunted from the prophet , he flees to the priest ; as one that knew iustice and compassion should dwell in those brests which are consecrated vnto god. the arke and the tabernacle were then separated ; the arke was at kiriath-iearim , the tabernacle at nob ; god was present with both : whither should dauid flee for succour but to the house of that god , which had annointed him . ahimelech was wont to see dauid attended with the troopes of israel , or with the gallants of the court ; it seems strange therefore to him , to see so great a peere and champion of israel come alone ; these are the alterations to which earthly greatnes is subiect ; not many dayes are past , since no man was honored at court but ionathan and dauid ; now they are both for the time in disgrace ; now dare not the kings sonne in law , brother to the prince both in loue and mariage , show his head at the court ; nor any of those that bowed to him , dare stirre a foote with him ; princes are as the sunne , and great subiects are like to dialls , if the sun shine not on the diall , no man will looke at it . even hee that ouercame the beare , the lyon , the gyant , is ouercome with feare : hee that had cut off two hundred foreskins of the philistims had not circumcis'd his own heart of the weake passions that follow distrust ; now that he is hard driuen , hee practises to helpe himselfe with an vnwarrantable shift : who can looke to passe this pilgrimage without infirmities , when dauid dissembleth to ahimelec ? a weake mans rules may be better then the best mans actions ; god lets vs see some blemishes in his holiest seruants , that we may neither be too highly conceited of flesh and blood , nor too much deiected when we haue bin miscarried into sinne . hitherto hath dauid gone vpright , now he begins to halt with the preist of god ; and vnder pretence of sauls imployment , drawes that fauour from ahimelech which shall afterwards cost him his head . what could ahimelech haue thought too deare for gods annointed , for gods champion ? it is not like but that if dauid had sincerely opened himselfe to the preist as he had done to the prophet , ahimelech would haue seconded samuel in some secret and safe succour of so vniust a distresse ; whereas hee is now by a false colour led to that kindnesse which shall be preiudiciall to his life : extremities of euill are commonly inconsiderate ; either for that wee haue not leasure to our thoughts , or perhaps ( so as we may be perplexed ) not thoughts to our leasure : what would dauid haue giuen afterwards to haue redeemed this ouer-sight ? vnder this pretence hee craues a double fauour of ahimelech ; the one of bread for his sustenance , the other of a sword for his defence : there was no bread vnder the hands of the preist but that which was consecrated to god ; and whereof none might taste , but the deuoted seruants of the altar ; euen that which was with solemne dedication set vpon the holy tables before the face of god ; a sacramentall bread presented to god with incense , figuring that true bread that came downe from heauen ; yet euen this bread might in case of necessitie become common and be giuen by ahimelech , and receiued by dauid and his followers : our sauiour himselfe iustifies the act of both ; ceremonies must giue place to substance ; god will haue mercy and not sacrifice ; charity is the summe and the end of the law ; that must be aymed at in all our actions ; wherin it may fall out , that the way to keepe the law may be to breake it ; the intention may be kept , and the letter violated ; and it may be a dangerous transgression of the law to obserue the words , and neglect the scope of god ; that which would haue dispensed with dauid for the substance of the act , would haue much more dispensed with him for the circumstance ; the touch of their lawfull wiues had contracted a legall impuritie , not a morall ; that could haue bin no sufficient reason why in an vrgent necessitie they might not haue partaked of the holy bread : ahimelech was no perfect casuist ; these men might not famish , if they were ceremonially impure , but this question bewrayed the care of ahimelech in distributing the holy bread ; there might be in these men a double incapacitie , the one , as they were seculars , the other , as vncleane ; he saw the one must be , he feared least the other should be ; as one that wished as litle indisposition ( as possibly might be ) in those which should be fed from gods table . it is strange that dauid should come to the preist of god for a sword ; who in all israel was so vnlikely to furnish him with weapons , as a man of peace , whose armour was onely spirituall ? doubtlesse dauid knew well where goliahs sword lay ; as the noble relique of gods victorious deliuerance , dedicated to the same god , which wonne it ; at this did that suite ayme ? none could be so fit for dauid , none could be so fit for it as dauid : who could haue so much right to that sword as he against whom it was drawn , and by whom it was taken ? there was more in that sword then mettall and forme ; dauid could neuer cast his eye vpon it , but he saw an vndoubted monument of the mercifull protection of the almighty ; there was therefore more strength in that sword , then sharpnes ; neither was dauids arme so much strengthned by it as his faith ; nothing can ouercome him , whiles he carries with him that assured signe of victory : it is good to take all occasions of renuing the remembrance of gods mercies to vs , and our obligations to him . doeg the master of sauls herdmen ( for hee that went to seeke his fathers asses before hee was king , hath herdes & droues now that he is a king ) was now in the court of the tabernacle , vpon some occasion of deuotion ; though an israelite in profession , he was an edomite no lesse in heart then in blood ; yet hee hath some vow vpon him , and not onely comes vp to gods house , but abides before the lord : hypocrites haue equall accesse to the publique places , and meanes of gods seruice : euen he that knowes the heart , yet shuts his dores vpon none , how much lesse should we dare to exclude any , which can onely iudge of the heart by the face ? doeg may set his foote as farre within the tabernacle , as dauid ; he sees the passages betwixt him , and ahimelech , and layes them vp for an aduantage ; whiles hee should haue edified himselfe by those holy seruices , he carps at the preist of god , & ( after a lewd misinterpretation of his actions ) of an attendant , proues an accuser ; to incurre fauour with an vniust master , he informes against innocent ahimelech ; and makes that his act , which was drawne from him by a cunning circumuention : when wee see our auditors before vs , litle do we know with what hearts they are there ; nor , what vse they will make of their pretended deuotion : if many come in simplicitie of heart to serue their god , some others may perhaps come to obserue their teachers , and to pick quarrels where none are ; only god and the issue can distinguish betwixt a dauid , and a doeg , when they are both in the tabernacle . honest ahimelech could litle suspect that he now offered a sacrifice for his executioner ; yea for the murtherer of all his family : oh the wise and deepe iudgements of the almighty ! god owed a reueng to the house of eli , and now by the delation of doeg , he takes occasion to pay it ; it was iust in god , which in doeg was most vniust ; sauls cruelty , and the trechery of doeg do not loose one dram of their guilt by the counsell of god ; neither doth the holy counsell of god gather any blemish by their wickednesse ; if it had pleased god to inflict death vpon them sooner without any pretence of occasion , his iustice had bin cleare from all imputations ; now , if saul and doeg be in steed of a pestilence or feuer , who can cauill ? the iudgements of god are not alwaies open , but are alwaies iust ; he knowes how by one mans sinne to punish the sinne of another , and by both their sins and punishments to glorifie himself . if his word sleep , it shall not dye ; but after long intermissions breaks forth in those effects which wee had forgotten to looke for , and ceased to feare . o lord , thou art sure when thou threatnest , and iust when thou iudgest ; keepe thou vs from the sentence of death , else in vaine shall we labour to keepe our selues from the execution . contemplations vpon the history of the new testament . the first booke : contayning the angell and zachary . the annuntiation . the birth of christ . the sages and the starre . the purification . herod and the infants . to my mvch honored , and right wor full frend , sr henry yelverton knight , atturney generall to his maiestie . right worshipfull , it is not out of any satiety , that i change from the old testament to the new ; these two , as they are the brests of the church , so they yeeld milke equally wholsome , equally pleasant vnto able nurselings . herein i thought good to haue respect vnto my reader , in whose strength there may be difference . that other brest perhaps , doth not let downe this nourishing liquor , so freely , so easily : euen so small a variety refresheth a weake infant ; neither wid there perhaps want some palates , which will finde a more quicke and pleasing rellish in this fresher sustenance ; these i thought good to please with a taste , ere they come to sate themselues with a full meale of this diuine nourishment ; in emulation of the good scribe , that brings forth both old , and new . if it please god to inable my life and opportunities , i hope at last , to present his church , with the last seruice of the historie of either page : wherein my ioy , and my crowne shall be the edification of many . in the meane time , i dedicate this part vnto your name , whom i haue so much cause to obserue , and honor : the blessing of that god ( whose church you haue euer made your cheife client ) be still vpon your head , and that honorable society which reioyces in so worthy a leader . to it , and your selfe , i shall be euer ( as i haue cause ) humbly and vnfainedly deuoted ios . hall . the angell and zachary . when things are at the worst , then god begins a change : the state of the iewish church was extreamely corrupted , immediately before the newes of the gospell ; yet , as bad as it was , not onely the preisthood , but the courses of attendance continued , euen frō dauids time till christs : it is a desperately depraued condition of a church , where no good orders are left : iudea passed many troubles , many alterations , yet this orderly combination endured aboue an eleuen hundred yeares : a setled good will not easily be defeated , but in the change of persons will remaine vnchanged , and if it be forced to giue way , leaues memorable footsteps behinde it : if dauid foresaw the perpetuation of this holy ordinance , how much did hee reioyce in the knowledge of it ? who would not be glad to do good , on condition , that it may so long out-liue him ? the successiue turnes of the legall ministration held on in a line neuer interrupted : euen in a forlorne and miserable church there may be a personall succession : how litle were the iewes better for this , when they had lost the vrim and thummim , sinceritie of doctrine and manners ? this stayed with them , euen whiles they and their sons crucified christ ; what is more ordinary , then wicked sonnes of holy parents ? it is the succession of truth and holines , that makes or institutes a church , what euer become of the persons : neuer times were so barren , as not to yeeld some good : the greatest dearth affords some few good ●●ares to the gleaners : christ would not haue come into the world , but he would haue some faithfull to entertaine him : he , that had the disposing of all times and men , would cast some holy ones into his owne times : there had bin no equalitie , that all should either ouer-runne , or follow him , and none attend him . zachary and elizabeth are iust ; both of aarons blood , and iohn baptist of theirs : whence should an holy seed spring , if not of the loines of leui ? it is not in the power of parents to traduce holinesse to their children : it is the blessing of god , that feoffes them in the vertues of their parents , as they feoffe them in their sins : there is no certainty , but there is likelihood , of an holy generation , when the parents are such : elizabeth was iust , as well as zachary , that the fore runner of a sauiour might be holy on both sides : if the stocke and the griffe be not both good , there is much danger of the fruit : it is an happy match , when the husband and the wife are one , not only in themselues , but in god , not more in flesh , then in the spirit : grace makes no difference of sexes , rather the weaker carries away the more honor , because it hath had lesse helps : it is easie to obserue , that the new testament affordeth more store of good women , then the old : elizabeth led the ring of this mercy , whose barrennesse ended in a miraculous fruit both of her body , & of her time . this religious paire made no lesse progresse in vertue , then in age , and yet their vertue could not make their best age fruitfull : elizabeth was barren : a iust soule and a barren wombe may well agree together : amongst the iewes barrennesse was not a defect onely , but a reproch , yet while this good woman was fruitfull of holy obedience , shee was barren of children : as iohn , which was miraculously conceiued by man , was a fit fore-runner of him , that was conceiued by the holy ghost , so a barren matron was meet to make way for a virgin . none , but a sonne of aaron , might offer incense to god in the temple ; and not euery son of aaron , and not any one at all seasons : god is a god of order , & hates confusion no lesse then irreligion : albeit hee hath not so straitned himselfe vnder the gospell , as to tye his seruice to persons , or places , yet his choice is now no lesse curious , because it is more large : hee allowes none , but the authorised ; hee authoriseth none but the worthy : the incense doth euer smell of the hand , that offers it ; i doubt not but that perfume was sweeter , which ascended vp from the hand of iust zachary : the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to god : there were courses of ministration in the legall seruices : god neuer purposed to burthen any of his creatures with deuotion : how vaine is the ambition of any soule , that would lode it selfe with the vniuersall charge of all men ? how thanklesse is their labour , that do wilfully ouerspend themselues in their ordinary vocations ? as zachary had a course in gods house , so he carefully obserued it ; the fauour of these respites doubled his diligence : the more high and sacred our calling is , the more dangerous is our neglect : it is our honor , that wee may be allowed to waite vpon the god of heauen in these immediate seruices : woe be to vs , if wee slacken those duties , wherein god honors vs more , then wee can honor him . many sonnes of aaron , yea of the same family serued at once in the temple , according to the variety of imployments : to auoide all difference , they agreed by lot to assigne themselues to the seuerall offices of each day ; the lot of this day called zachary to offer incense in the owter temple : i do not finde any prescription they had from god of this particular manner of designement : matters of good order in holy affaires may be ruled by the wise institution of men , according to reason and expediencie . it fell out well , that zachary was chosen by lot to this ministration , that gods immediate hand might be seene in all the passages , that concerned his great prophet , that as the person , so the occasion might bee of gods owne choosing : in lots and their seeming cusuall disposition , god can giue a reason , though we can giue none : morning and euening , twife a day their law called them to offer incense to god , that both parts of the day might be consecrate to the maker of time : the owter temple was the figure of the whole church vpon earth , like as the holy of holiest represented heauen : nothing can better resemble our faithfull prayers , then sweet perfume : these , god lookes , that we should ( all his church ouer ) send vp vnto him morning and euening : the eleuations of our hearts should be perpetuall , but if twise in the day we do not present god with our solemne invocations , wee make the gospell lesse officious , then the law . that the resemblance of prayers and incense might be apparent , whiles the preist sends vp his incense within the temple , the people must send vp their prayers without : their breath and that incense , though remote ●●n the first rising , met , ere ●●hey went vp to heauen : the people might no more goe into the holy place to offer vp the incense of prayers vnto god , then zachary might go into the holy of holies : whiles the partition wall stood betwixt iewes and gentiles , there were also partitions betwixt the iewes , and themselues : now euery man is a preist vnto god ; euery man ( since the vaile was rent ) praies within the temple : what are we the better for our greater freedome of accesse to god vnder the gospell , if wee doe not make vse of our priuiledge ? whiles they were praying to god , he sees an angell of god as gedeons angell went vp in the smoake of the sacrifice , s●● did zacharies angell ( as it were ) come downe in the fragrant smoke of his incense : it was euer great newes to see an angell of god , but now more ; because god had long with-drawne from them all the meanes of his supernaturall reuelations : as this wicked people were strangers to their god in their conuersation , so was god growne a stranger to them in his apparitions ; yet now , that the season of the gospell approched , he visited them with his angels , before hee visited them by his sonne : he sends his angell to men in the forme of man , before hee sends his sonne to take humane forme : the presence of angels is no nouelty , but their apparition ; they are alwaies with vs , but rarely seene , that wee may awfully respect their messages , when they are seene ; in the meane time our faith may see them , though our senses do not ; their assumed shapes doe not make them more present , but visible . there is an order in that heauenly hierarchy , though wee know it not : this angell , that appeared to zachary was not with him in the ordinary course of his attendances , but was purposely sent from god with this message : why was an angell sent ? and why this angell ? it had bin easie for him to haue raised vp the propheticall spirit of some simeon to this prediction ; the same holy ghost , which reuealed to that iust man , that he should not see death , ere he had seene the messias , might haue as easily reuealed vnto him the birth of the fore-runner of christ , and by him to zachary : but god would haue this voice , which should go before his son , come with a noise ; hee would haue it appeare to the world , that the harbinger of the messiah should bee conceiued by the maruelous power of that god , whose comming hee proclaimed : it was fit the first herald of the gospell should begin in wonder : the same angell , that came to the blessed virgin with the newes of christs conception , came to zachary with the newes of iohns , for the honor of him , that was the greatest of them , which were borne of women , and for his better resemblance to him , which was the seede of the woman : both had the gospell for their errand , one as the messenger of it , the other as the author ; both are foretold by the same mouth . when could it be more fit for the angell to appeare vnto zachary , then when prayers and incense were offred by him ? where could hee more fitly appeare , then in the temple ? in what part of the temple more fitly , then at the altar of incense ? and whereabouts rather , then on the right side of the altar ? those glorious spirits as they are alwaies with vs , so most in our deuotions , and as in all places , so most of all in gods house : they reioyce to bee with vs , whiles we are with god , as contrarily they turne their faces from vs , when we go about our sinnes . he that had wont to liue , and serue in the presence of the master , was now astonished at the presence of the seruant ; so much difference there is betwixt our faith , and our senses , that the apprehension of the presence of the god of spirits by faith goes downe sweetly with vs , whereas the sensible apprehension of an angell dismaies vs : holy zachary , that had wont to liue by faith , thought hee should dye , when his sense began to be set on worke ; it was the weaknes of him , that serued at the altar without horror , to be daunted with the face of his fellow seruant : in vaine do we looke for such ministers of god , as are without infirmities , when iust zachary was troubled in his deuotions with that , where with he should haue bin comforted : it was partly the suddennes , and partly the glory of the apparition , that affrighted him : the good angell was both apprehensiue , and compassionate of zacharies weaknes , and presently incourages him with a cheerfull excitation : ( feare not zacharias ) . the blessed spirts , though they doe not often vocally expresse it , doe pitty our humane frailties , and secretly suggest comfort vnto vs , when we perceiue it not : good and euill angels , as they are contrary in estate , so also in disposition ; the good desire to take away feare , the euill to bring it : it is a fruit of that deadly enmity , which is betwixt sathan and vs , that hee would , if he might , kill vs with terror ; whereas the good spirits affecting our releefe and happinesse , take no pleasure in terrifying vs , but labour altogether for our tranquilitie and cheerefulnesse . there was not more feare in the face , then comfort in the speech ; thy prayer is heard : no angell could haue told him better newes ; our desires are vttered in our prayers : what can we wish , but to haue what we would ? many good suites had zachary made , & amongst the rest for a sonne : doubtlesse it was now some space of yeeres , since he made that request : for he was now slricken in age , and had ceased to hope ; yet had god laid it vp all the while , and when he thinks not of it , brings it forth to effect : thus doth the mercy of our god deale with his patient , and faithfull suppliants : in the feruor of their expectation he many times holds them off , and when they least thinke of it , and haue forgotten their owne suite , he graciously condiscends : delay of effect may not discourage our faith , it may be god hath long granted , ere wee shall know of his grant . many a father repents him of his fruitfulnes , and hath such sonnes , as he wishes vnborne : but to haue so gracious , and happy a sonne , as the angell foretold , could not be lesse comfort , then honor to the age of zachary : the proofe of children makes them either the blessings , or crosses of their parents : to heare what his son should be before hee was ; to heare that he should haue such a sonne ; a sonne , whose birth should concerne the ioy of many ; a sonne , that should bee great in the sight of the lord ; a sonne , that should be sacred to god , filled with god , beneficiall to man ; an harbinger to him , that was god and man , was newes enough to preuent the angell , and to take away that tongue with amasement , which was after lost with incredulitie . the speech was so good , that it found not a sudden beleefe : this good newes surprized zachary ; if the intelligence had taken leisure , that his thoughts might haue had time to debate the matter , hee had easily apprehended the infinite power of him that had promised ; the patterne of abraham and sara ; and would soone haue concluded the appearance of the angell more miraculous then his prediction : whereas now , like a man maskered with the strangenesse of that he saw and heard , he misdoubts the message , and askes : how shall i know ? nature was on his side , and alledged the impossibility of the euent , both from age and barrennesse ; supernaturall tidings at the first hearing astonish the heart , and are entertained with doubts by those , which vpon further acquaintance giue them the best welcome . the weake apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not so much to be censured , as pittied : it is a sure way for the heart , to be preuented with the assurance of the omnipotent power of god , to whom nothing is impossible : so shall the hardest points of faith goe downe easily with vs : if the eye of our minde looke vpward , it shall meet with nothing to auert , or interrupt it ; but if right forward , or downeward , or round about , euery thing is a blocke in our way . there is a difference betwixt desire of assurance , & vnbeleefe , wee cannot be too carefull to raise vp to our selues arguments to settle our faith ; although it should be no faith , if it had no feet to stand vpon , but discursiue : in matters of faith , if reasons may be brought for the conuiction of the gaine-sayers , it is well , if they be helps , they cannot be grounds of our beleefe : in the most faithfull heart there are some sparks of infidelitie ; so to beleeue , that wee should haue no doubt at all , is scarse incident into flesh and blood : it is a great perfection , if we haue attained to ouercome our doubts . what did mis-lead zachary , but that , which vses to guide others , reason ? ( i am old ; and my wife is of great age , ) as if yeeres , and dry loynes could be any let to him , which is able of very stones to raise vp children vnto abraham : faith and reason haue their limits ; where reason ends , faith begins ; and if reason will bee encroching vpon the bounds of faith , shee is straight taken captiue by infidelitie : we are not fit to follow christ , if wee haue not denied our selues ; and the cheefe peece of our selues is our reason : we must yeeld god able to do that , which we cannot comprehend , and we must comprehend that by our faith , which is disclaimed by reason ; hagar must be driuen out of dores , that sara may rule alone . the authoritie of the reporter , makes way for beleefe in things , which are otherwise hard to passe ; although in the matters of god , we should not so much care , who speakes , as what is spoken , & from whom : the angell tells his name , place , office , vnasked , that zachary might not thinke any newes impossible , that was brought him by an heauenly messenger : euen where there is no vse of language , the spirits are distinguished by names , and ech knowes his owne appellation , & others : he that gaue leaue vnto man his image , to giue names vnto all his visible and inferior creatures , did himselfe put names vnto the spirituall ; and as their name is , so are they mighty and glorious : but least zachary should no lesse doubt of the stile of the messenger , then of the errand it selfe : he is at once both confirmed , and punished with dumbnesse : that tongue , which moued the doubt , must be tyed vp : he shall aske no more questions for forty weekes , because he asked this one distrustfully . neither did zachary loose his tongue for the time , but his eares also , he was not onely mute , but deafe ; for otherwise , when they came to aske his allowance for the name of his sonne , they needed not to haue demanded it by signes , but by words : god will not passe ouer slight offences , and those which may plead the most colourable pretences in his best children , without a sensible checke : it is not our holy intirenesse with god , that can beare vs out in the least sin ; yea rather the more acquaintance we haue with his maiesty , the more sure wee are of correction , when wee offend : this may procure vs more fauour in our well-doing , not lesse iustice in euill . zachary staied , and the people waited ; whether some longer discourse betwixt the angell and him , then needed to bee recorded , or whether astonishment at the apparition & newes , with-held him , i inquire not ; the multitude thought him long , yet though they could but see a farre off , they would not depart , till hee returned to bless them : their patient attendance without , shames vs , that are hardly perswaded to attend within , whiles both our senses are imployed in our diuine seruices , and we are admitted to be coagents with our ministers . at last zachary comes out speechles , and more amases them with his presence , then with his delay : the eyes of the multitude , that were not worthy to see his vision , yet see the signes of his vision , that the world might be put into the expectation of some extraordinary sequell : god makes way for his voice , by silence ; his speech could not haue said so much , as his dumbnes : zachary would faine haue spoken , and could not ; with vs too many are dumbe , and need not : negligence , feare , partialitie stop the mouthes of many , which shall once say , woe to me , because i held my peace . his hand speaks that , which he cannot with his tongue , and he makes them by signes to vnderstand that , which they might read in his face ; those powers we haue , we must vse : but though he haue ceased to speake , yet hee ceased not to minister ; hee takes not this dumbnes for a dismission , but staies out the eight daies of his course , as one , that knew the eyes , and hands , and heart would be accepted of that god , which had bereaued him of his tongue : we may not streight take occasions of with-drawing our selues from the publique seruices of our god , much less vnder the gospell : the law , which stood much vpon bodily perfection , dispensed with age for attendance : the gospell , which is all for the soule regards those inward powers , which whiles they are vigorous , exclude all excuses of our ministration . the annuntiation of christ . the spirit of god was neuer so accurate in any description , as that which concerns the incarnation of god : it was fit no circumstance should bee omitted in that story , whereon the faith and saluation of all the world dependeth : wee cannot so much as doubt of this truth , and be saued ; no not the number of the month , not the name of the angell is concealed : euery particle imports not more certainty , then excellence : the time is the sixth month after iohns conception , the prime of the spring : christ was conceiued in the spring , borne in the solstice : hee , in whom the world receiued a new life , receiues life in the same season , wherein the world receiued his first life from him ; and he which stretches out the daies of his church , and lengthens them to eternitie , appeares after all the short and dimme light of the law , and inlightens the world with his glory : the messenger is an angell ; a man was too meane to carry the newes of the conception of god : neuer any busines was conceiued in heauen , that did so much concerne the earth , as the conception of the god of heauen in a wombe of earth : no lesse then an arch-angell was worthy to beare this tidings , and neuer any angell receiued a greater honor , then of this embassage . it was fit our reparation should answer our fall ; an euill angell was the first motioner of the one to eue a virgin , then espoused to adam in the garden of eden : a good angell is the first reporter of the other to mary a virgin espoused to ioseph , in that place , which ( as the garden of galile , had a name from flourishing : no good angell could be the author of our restauration , as that euill angell was of our ruine ; but that , which those glorious spirits could not doe themselues , they are glad to report as done by the god of spirits : good newes reioyces the bearer ; with what ioy did this holy angell bring the newes of that sauiour , in whom we are redeemed to life , himselfe established in life and glory ? the first preacher of the gospell was an angell , that office must needs be glorious , that deriues it selfe from such a predecessor : god appointed his angell to be the first preacher , and hath since called his preachers angels : the message is well suited ; an angell comes to a virgin , gabriel to mary ; he that was by signification the strength of god , to her that was by signification exalted by god , to the conceiuing of him , that was the god of strength : to a maide but espowsed ; a maide for the honor of virginitie , espoused , for the honor of mariage : the mariage was in a sort made , not consummate , through the instinct of him , that ment to make her not an example , but a miracle of women : in this whole worke god would haue nothing ordinary ; it was fit , that shee should be a maried virgin , which should be a virgin-mother : hee that ment to take mans nature without mans corruption , would be the sonne of man without mans seed , would be the seede of the woman without man ; and amongst all women of a pure virgin ; but amongst virgins , of one espoused , that there might be at once a witnes , and a guardian of her fruitfull virginitie : if the same god had not bin the author of virginity and mariage , hee had neuer countenanced virginitie by mariage . whither doth this glorious angell come to finde the mother of him , that was god , but to obscure galile ? a part , which euen the iewes themselues despised , as forsaken of their priuiledges , ( out of galile ariseth no prophet ) . behold an angell comes to that galile , out of which no prophet comes , and the god of prophets and angels descends to be conceiued in that galile , out of which no prophet ariseth : he that filleth all places , makes no difference of places ; it is the person , which giues honor and priuiledge to the place , not the place to the person ; as the presence of god makes the heauen , the heauen doth not make the owner glorious : no blinde corner of nazareth can hide the blessed virgin from the angell ; the fauors of god will finde out his children , wheresoeuer they are withdrawne . it is the fashion of god to seeke out the most despised , on whom to bestow his honors , we cannot runne away as from the iudgments , so not from the mercies of our god : the cottages of galile are preferred by god to the famous pallaces of ierusalem , he cares not how homely hee conuerse with his owne : why should we be transported with the outward glory of places , whiles our god regards it not ? we are not of the angels dyet , if wee had not rather bee with the blessed virgin at nazareth , then with the proud dames , in the court of ierusalem : it is a great vanity to respect any thing aboue goodnes , and to dis-esteeme goodnes for any want . the angell salutes the virgin , he prayes not to her ; he salutes her as a saint , he prayes not to her as a goddess : for vs to salute her , as hee did , were grosse presumption ; for neither are we , as he was , neither is shee , as shee was : if hee that was a spirit saluted her , that was flesh and blood here on earth , it is not for vs , that are flesh and blood to salute her , which is a glorious spirit in heauen : for vs , to pray to her in the angels salutation , were to abuse the virgin , the angell , the salutation . but how gladly doe wee second the angell in the praise of her , which was more ours , then his ? how iustly doe we blesse her , whom the angell pronounceth blessed ? how worthily is shee honoured of men , whom the angell proclaimeth beloued of god ? o blessed mary , he cannot blesse thee , he cannot honor thee too much , that deifies thee not : that which the angell said of thee , thou hast prophesied of thy selfe , we beleeue the angell , and thee : all generations shall call thee blessed , by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed : if zachary were amased with the sight of this angell , much more the virgin : that very sexe hath more disaduantage of feare : if it had bin but a man , that had come to her in that secrecy and suddennes , shee could not but haue bin troubled ; how much more , when the shining glory of the person doubled the astonishment . the troubles of holy mindes end euer in comfort : ioy was the errand of the angell , and not terror . feare ( as all passions ) disquiets the heart , and makes it for the time vnfit to receiue the messages of god : soone hath the angell cleared these troublesome mists of passions , and sent out the beames of heauenly consolation into the remotest corner of her soule by the glad newes of her sauiour : how can ioy , but enter into her heart , out of whose womb shall come saluation ? what roome can feare finde in that brest , that is assured of fauour ? feare not mary ; for thou hast found fauour with god : let those feare , who know they are in displeasure , or know not they are gracious : thine happy estate calls for confidence , and that confidence for ioy : what should , what can they feare , who are fauoured of him , at whom the diuels tremble ? not the presence of the good angels , but the temptations of the euill strike many terrors into our weaknes ; wee could not bee dismaied with them , if we did not forget our condition : wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe , but the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry abba father : if that spirit ( o god ) witnesse with our spirits , that wee are thine , how can we feare any of those spirituall wickednesses ? giue vs assurance of thy fauor , and let the powers of hell doe their worst . it was no ordinary fauour , that the virgin found in heauen : no mortall creature was euer thus graced , that he should take part of her nature , that was the god of nature ; that hee , which made all things , should make his humane body of hers ; that her wombe should yeeld that flesh , which was personally vnited to the godhead ; that shee should beare him , that vpholds the world : lo , thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne , and shalt call his name iesus . it is a question , whether there bee more wonder in the conception , or in the fruit ; the conception of the virgin , or iesus conceiued : both are maruelous , but the former doth not more exceed all other wonders , then the latter exceedeth it . for the childe of a virgin is the reimprouement of that power , which created the world : but that god should be incarnate of a virgin , was an abasement of his maiestie , and an exaltation of the creature beyond all example . well was that childe worthy to make the mother blessed : here was a double conception ; one in the wombe of her body , the other of the soule : if that were more miraculous , this was more beneficiall ; that was her priuiledge , this was her happinesse : if that were singular to her , this is common to all his chosen : there is no renewed heart , wherein thou , o sauiour , art not formed againe . blessed be thou , that hast herein made vs blessed . for what wombe can conceiue thee , and not partake of thee ? who can partake of thee , and not be happy ? doubtlesse the virgin vnderstood the angell , as he ment , of a present conception , which made her so much more inquisitiue into the manner & meanes of this euent : how shall this be , since i know not a man ? that shee should conceiue a sonne by the knowledge of man after her mariage consummate , could haue bin no wonder : but how then should that sonne of hers be the sonne of god ? this demand was higher , how her present virginitie should bee instantly fruitfull , might be well worthy of admiration , of inquiry : here was desire of information , not doubts of infidelitie ; yea rather this question argues faith : it takes for granted , that , which an vnbeleeuing heart would haue stucke at : shee saies not , who and whence art thou ? what kingdom is this , where , & when shall it be erected ? but smoothly supposing all those strange things would be done , shee insists onely in that , which did necessarily require a further intimation , and doth not distrust , but demand : neither doth shee say , this cannot be , nor how can this be ; but how shall this be ? so doth the angell answer , as one , that knew he needed not to satisfie curiositie , but to informe iudgment , and vphold faith : he doth not therefore tell her of the manner , but of the author of this act ; the holy ghost shall come vpon thee , and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee : it is enough to know , who is the vndertaker , and what he will doe : o god , what doe wee seeke a cleare light , where thou wilt haue a shadow ? no mother knowes the manner of her naturall conception ; what presumption shall it bee for flesh and blood , to search how the sonne of god tooke flesh and blood of his creature ? it is for none , but the almighty to know those works , which he doth immediately concerning himselfe ; those that concerne vs , he hath reuealed : secrets to god , things reuealed to vs. this answer was not so full , but that a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message , yet after the angels solution , wee heare of no more obiections , no more interrogations : the faithfull heart , when it once vnderstands the good pleasure of god , argues no more , but sweetly rests it selfe in a quiet expectation ; behold the seruant of the lord , be it to me according to thy word . there is not a more noble proofe of our faith , then to captiuate all the powers of our vnderstanding and will to our creator , and without all sciscitations to goe blindfold , whither hee will lead vs : all disputations with god ( after his will knowne ) arise from infidelitie : great is the mysterie of godlines , and if we will giue nature leaue to cauill , wee cannot be christians . o god , thou art faithfull , thou art powerfull : it is enough , that thou hast said it ; in the humilitie of our obedience we resigne our selues ouer to thee : behold the seruants of the lord , bee it vnto vs , according to thy word . how fit was her wombe to conceiue the flesh of the sonne of god by the power of the spirit of god , whose brest had so soone by the power of the same spirit conceiued an assent to the will of god ; and now of an handmaid of god , she is aduanced to the mother of god : no sooner hath shee said ( be it done ) then it is done , the holy ghost ouer-shadowes her , and formes her sauiour in her owne body . this very angell , that talkes with the blessed virgin could scarse haue bin able to expresse the ioy of her heart in the sense of this diuine burden : neuer any mortall creature had so much cause of exultation : how could shee , that was full of god be other then full of ioy in that god ? greefe growes greater by concealing ; ioy by expression : the holy virgin had vnderstood by the angell , how her cozen elizabeth was no lesse of kin to her in condition ; the fruitfulnesse of whose age did somewhat suite the fruitfulnes of her virginitie : happinesse communicated doubles it selfe ; here is no strayning of curtesie ; the blessed maide , whom vigor of age had more fitted for the way , hastens her iourney into the hill-country to visit that gracious matron , whom god had made a signe of her miraculous conception : only the meeting of saints in heauen can parallell the meeting of these two cosins : the two wonders of the world are met vnder one roofe , and congratulate their mutuall happines : when wee haue christ spiritually conceiued in vs , we cannot be quiet , till we haue imparted our ioy : elizabeth that holy matron did no sooner welcome her blessed cozen , then her babe welcomes his sauiour ; both in the retired closets of their mothers wombe are sensible of ech others presence ; the one by his omniscience , the other by instinct : he did not more fore-runne christ , then ouer-runne nature : how should our hearts leap within vs , when the son of god vouchsafes to come into the secret of our soules , not to visit vs , but to dwell with vs , to dwell in vs. the birth of christ . as all the actions of men , so especially the publike actions of publike men are ordered by god to other ends then their owne : this edict went not so much out from augustus , as from the court of heauen . what did caesar know ioseph and mary ? his charge was vniuersall to a world of subiects , through all the roman empire : god intended this cension onely for the blessed virgin and her son , that christ might bee borne , where he should : caesar ment to fill his cofers , god ment to fulfill his prophesies , and so to fulfill them , that those , whom it concerned might not feele the accomplishment : if god had directly commanded the virgin to goe vp to bethleem , shee had seene the intention , & expected the issue ; but that wise moderator of all things , that works his will in vs , loues so to doe it , as may be least with our fore-sight , and acquaintance , and would haue vs fall vnder his decrees vnawares , that we may so much the more adore the depths of his prouidence : euery creature walks blindfold , onely he that dwells in light , sees whither they goe . doubtles , blessed mary ment to haue bin deliuered of her diuine burden at home , and litle thought of changing the place of conception for another of her birth : that house was honored by the angell , yea by the ouer-shadowing of the holy ghost , none could equally satisfie her hopes , or desires : it was fit , that hee , which made choice of the wombe , wherein his sonne should be conceiued , should make choice of the place , where his son should be borne : as the worke is all his , so will hee alone contriue all the circumstances to his owne ends : o the infinite wisdom of god in casting all his designes ! there needs no other proofe of christ , then caesar & bethleem , and of caesars , then augustus ; his gouernment , his edict pleads the truth of the messias : his gouernment , now was the deep peace of all the world vnder that quiet scepter , which made way for him , who was the prince of peace : if warres be a signe of the time of his second comming , peace was a signe of his first : his edict , now was the scepter departed from ivda : it was the time for shilo to come ; no power was left in the lewes , but to obey : augustus is the emperor of the world , vnder him herod is the king of iudea ; cyrenius is president of syria ; iurie hath nothing of her owne . for herod , if he were a king , yet he was no iew , and if he had bin a iew , yet he was no otherwise a king , then tributary and titular : the edict came out from augustus , was executed by cyrenius ; herod is no actor in this seruice : gaine and glory are the ends of this taxation , each man profest himselfe a subiect , and payed for the priuiledge of his seruitude : now their very heads were not their owne , but must be payed for to the head of a forreine state : they which before stood vpon the termes of their immunitie , stoope at the last : the proud suggestions of iudas the galilean might shed their blood , and swell their stomacks , but could not ease their yoke , neither was it the meaning of god , that holinesse ( if they had bin as they pretended ) should shelter them from subiection : a tribute is imposed vpon gods free people : this act of bondage brings them liberty : now when they seemed most neglected of god , they are blessed with a redeemer ; when they are most pressed with forreine soueraintie , god sends them a king of their owne , to whom caesar himself must be a subiect : the goodnes of our god picks out the most needfull times for our releefe , and comfort : our extremities giue him the most glory . whither must ioseph & mary come to be taxed , but vnto bethleem dauids citie ? the very place proues their descent : he that succeeded dauid in his throne , must succeed him in the place of his birth : so cleerely was bethleem designed to this honor by the prophets , that euen the preists and the scribes could point herod vnto it , and assure him , the king of the iewes could bee no where else borne . bethleem iustly the house of bread , the bread that came downe from heauen is there giuen to the world ; whence should we haue the bread of life , but from the house of bread ? o holy dauid , was this the well of bethleem , whereof thou didst so thirst to drinke of old , when thou saidst ; o that one would giue me drinke of the water of the well of bethleem ! surely that other water , when it was brought thee by thy worthies , thou powredst it on the ground , and wouldst not drinke of it : this was that liuing water , for which thy soule longed , whereof thou saidst elsewhere ; as the heart brayeth after the water brookes , so longeth my soule after thee o god : my soule thirsteth for god , for the living god. it was no lesse then foure daies iourney from nazareth to bethleem : how iust an excuse might the blessed virgin haue pleaded for her absence ? what woman did euer vndertake such a iourney so neere her deliuery ? and doubtles ioseph , which was now taught of god to loue and honor her , was loth to draw forth a deere wife in so vnweldy a case , into so manifest hazard : but the charge was peremptory , the obedience exemplary ; their desire of an inoffensiue obseruance euen of heathenish authoritie , digests all difficulties : we may not take easie occasions to withdraw our obedience vnto supreme commands ; yea how didst thou ( o sauiour ) by whom augustus raigned , in the womb of thy mother yeeld this homage to augustus : the first lesson , that euer thy example taught vs , was obedience . after many steps are ioseph and mary come to bethleem : the plight , wherein shee was , would not allow any speed , and the forced leisure of the ionrney causeth disappointment : the end was worse then the way ; there was no rest in the way , there was no roome in the inne : it could not be , but that there were many of the kinred of ioseph & mary at that time in bethleem : for both there were their auncestors borne , if not themselues ; and thither came vp all the cosens of their blood : yet there and then doth the holy virgin want roome to lay either her head , or her burthen . if the house of dauid had not lost all mercy and good nature , a daughter of dauid could not so neere the time of her trauell , haue bin destitute of lodging in the citie of dauid . litle did the bethleemites think , what a guest they refused . else they would gladly haue opened their dores to him , which was able to open the gates of heauen to them . now their in hospitalitie is punishment enough to it selfe : they haue lost the honor and happinesse of being host to their god : euen still , o blessed sauiour , thou standest at our dores and knockest ; euery motion of thy good spirit tells vs , thou art there : now thou commest in thy owne name , and there thou standest , whiles thy head is full of the deaw , and thy locks wet with the drops of the night : if wee suffer carnall desires , and worldly thoughts to take vp the lodgings of our heart , and reuell within vs , whiles thou waitest vpon our admission , surely our iudgment shall be so much the greater , by how much better wee know , whom we haue excluded ? what do we cry shame on the bethleemites , whilest wee are wilfully more churlish , more vnthankfull ? there is no roome in my heart for the wonder at this humilitie : he , for whom heauen is too strait , whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe , lies in the strait cabbin of the wombe , and when hee would inlarge himselfe for the world , is not allowed the roome of an inne : the many mansions of heauen were at his disposing , the earth was his , and the fullnes of it , yet he suffers himselfe to bee refused of a base cottage , and complaineth not : what measure should discontent vs wretched men , when thou ( o god ) farest thus from thy creatures ? how should we learne both to want and abound , from thee , which abounding with the glory and riches of heauen , wouldst want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth ? thou camest to thy own , & thy own receiued thee not : how can it trouble vs to be reiected of the world , which is not ours ? what wonder is it , if thy seruants wandred abroad in sheeps skins , and goats skins , destitute & afflicted , when their lord is denied harbour ? how should all the world blush at this indignitie of bethleem ? he that came to saue men , is sent for his first lodging to the beasts : the stable is become his inne , the cratch his bed : o strange cradle of that great king , which heauen it selfe may enuie ! o sauiour , thou that wert both the maker and owner of heauen , of earth , couldst haue made thee a pallace without hands , couldst haue commanded thee an empty room in those houses , which thy creatures had made ? when thou didst but bid the angels auoide their first place , they fell downe from heauen like lightning ; and when in thine humbled estate thou didst but say , i am he , who was able to stand before thee ? how easie had it bin for thee to haue made place for thy selfe in the throngs of the stateliest courts ? why wouldst thou be thus homely , but that by cōtemning worldly glories thou mightst teach vs to contemne them ? that thou mightst sanctifie pouerty to them , whom thou callest vnto want ? that since thou , which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions , wouldst be borne poore and despised , those , which must want out of necessitie , might not thinke their pouerty greeuous . here was neither frend to entertaine , nor seruant to attend , nor place wherein to be attended , onely the poore beasts gaue way to the god of all the world : it is the great mysterie of godlinesse , that god was manifested in the flesh , and seene of angels , but here , which was the top of all wonders , the very beasts might see their maker : for those spirits to see god in the flesh , it was not so strange , as for the brute creatures to see him , which was the god of spirits : he , that would be led into the wildernes amongst wilde beasts to be tempted , would come into the house of beasts to be borne , that from the height of his diuine glory his humiliation might bee the greater : how can we be abased low enough for thee ( o sauiour ) that hast thus neglected thy selfe for vs ? that the visitation might be answerable to the homelinesse of the place , attendants , prouision , who shall come to congratulate his birth , but poore shepherds ? the kings of the earth rest at home , and haue no summons to attend him , by whom they raigne : god hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty : in an obscure time ( the night ) vnto obscure men ( shepherds ) doth god manifest the light of his sonne , by glorious angels : it is not our meannesse ( o god ) that can exclude vs from the best of thy mercies ; yea thus far dost thou respect persons , that thou hast put downe the mighty , and exalted them of low degree . if these shepherds had beene snorting in their beds , they had no more seene angels , nor heard newes of their sauiour , then their neighbours ; their vigilancie is honored with this heauenly vision : those which are industrious in any calling , are capable of further blessings , whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation . no lesse then a whole chore of angels are worthy to sing the hymne , of glory to god for the incarnation of his sonne : what ioy is enough for vs , whose nature he tooke , and whom he came to restore by his incarnation ? if we had the tongues of angels , wee could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious redeemer . no sooner do the shepherds heare the newes of a sauiour , then they runne to bethleem to seeke him : those , that left their beds to tend their flocks , leaue their flocks to inquire after their sauiour : no earthly thing is too deere to bee forsaken for christ : if we suffer any worldly occasion to stay vs from bethleem , wee care more for our sheepe , then our soules : it is not possible , that a faithfull heart should heare where christ is , & not labour to the sight , to the fruition of him . where art thou ( o sauiour ) but at home in thine owne house , in the assembly of thy saints ? where art thou to be found , but in thy word and sacraments ? yea there thou seekest for vs , if there wee haste not to seeke for thee , wee are worthy to want thee , worthy that our want of thee here , should make vs want the presence of thy face for euer . the sages and the starre . the shepherdes and the cratch accorded well ; yet euen they saw nothing , which they might not cōtemne ; neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a king , then that king , whom they came to see . but oh the diuine maiestie , that shined in this basenesse ! there lies the babe in the stable , crying in the manger , whom the angels came downe from heauen to proclaime , whom the sages come from the east to adore , whom an heauenly starre notifies to the world , that now men might see , that heauen & earth serues him , that neglected himselfe . those lights , that hang low are not farre seene , but those which are high placed are equally seene in the remotest distances . thy light , o sauiour , was no lesse then heauenly : the east saw that , which bethleem might haue seene : oft-times those , which are neerest in place , are farthest off in affection : large obiects , when they are too close to the eye , doe so ouer-fill the sense , that they are not discerned . what a shame is this to bethleem ? the sages came out of the east to worship him , whom that village refused : the bethleemites were iewes ; the wisemen gentiles : this first entertainment of christ was a presage of the sequell ; the gentiles shall come from far to adore christ , whiles the iewes reiect him . those easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature , professed philosophers , them hath god singled out to the honor of the manifestation of christ : humane learning well improued makes vs capable of diuine : there is no knowledge , whereof god is not the author ; he would neuer haue bestowed any gift , that should lead vs away from himselfe ; it is an ignorant conceit , that inquiry into nature should make men atheous : no man is so apt to see the starre of christ , as a diligent disciple of philosophie : doubtlesse this light was visible vnto more , onely they followed it , which knew it had more then nature : he is truely wise , that is wise for his owne soule : if these wise men had beene acquainted with all the other starres of heauen , and had not seene the starre of christ , they had had but light enough to lead them into vtter darknesse : philosophy without the starre is but the wispe of error . these sages were in a meane betweene the angels and the shepherds : god would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures haue some to be witnesses of his sonne : the angels direct the shepherds , the starre guides the sages ; the duller capacitie hath the more cleare and powerfull helps : the wisdome of our good god proportions the meanes vnto the disposition of the persons : their astronomy had taught them this starre was not ordinary , whether in site , or in brightnes , or in motion ? the eyes of nature might well see , that some strange newes was portended to the world by it : but that this starre designed the birth of the messias , there needed yet another light : if the starre had not besides had the commentarie of a reuelation from god , it could haue led the wisemen onely into a fruitlesse wonder : giue them to bee the ofspring of balaam , yet the true prediction of that false prophet was not enough warrant : if he told them the messiah should arise , as a starre out of iacob , he did not tell them , that a starre should arise far from the posteritie of iacob , at the birth of the messiah : he that did put that prophesie into the mouth of balaam , did also put this illumination into the heart of the sages : the spirit of god is free to breath where he listeth : many shall come from the east and the west to seeke christ , when the children of the kingdome shall be shut out : euen then god did not so confine his election to the pale of the church , as that he did not sometimes looke out for speciall instruments of his glory . whither do these sages come , but to ierusalem ? where should they hope to heare of the new king , but in the mother citie of the kingdom ? the conduct of the starre was first only generall to iudea ; the rest is for a time left to inquiry : they were not brought thither for their owne sakes , but for iuries , for the worlds ; that they might helpe to make the iewes inexcusable , and the world faithfull : that their tongues therefore might blason the birth of christ , they are brought to the head citie of iudea , to report , & inquire : their wisdome could not teach them to imagine , that a king could be borne to iudea , of that note and magnificence , that a starre from heauen should publish him to the earth , and that his subiects should not know it : and therefore as presupposing a common notice , they say , where is he , that is borne king of the iewes ? there is much deceit in probabilities , especially when we meddle with spirituall matters . for god vses still to goe a way by himselfe . if we iudge according to reason and appearance , who is so likely to vnderstand heauenly truths , as the profound doctors of the world ? these god passeth ouer , and reueales his will to babes : had these sages met with the shepherds of the villages neere bethleem , they had receiued that intelligence of christ which they did vainely seeke from the learned scribes of hierusalem : the greatest clarks are not alwaies the wisest in the affaires of god ; these things go not by discourse , but by reuelation . no sooner hath the starre brought them within the noise of ierusalem , then it is vanished out of sight : god would haue their eyes lead them so farre , as till their tongues might bee set on worke to winne the vocall attestation of the cheife preists , and scribes to the fore-appointed place of our sauiours natiuitie : if the starre had caried them directly to bethleem , the learned iewes had neuer searched the truth of those prophesies , wherewith they are since iustly convinced : god neuer withdrawes our helps , but for a further aduantage : howsoeuer our hopes seeme crossed , where his name may gaine , we cannot complaine of losse . litle did the sages thinke , this question would haue troubled herod ; they had ( i feare ) concealed their message , if they had suspected this euent : sure , they thought it might be some son , or grandchild of him , which then held the throne , so as this might winne fauour from herod , rather then an vnwelcome feare of riualitie . doubtlesse they went first to the court ; where else should they aske for a king ? the more pleasing this newes had bin , if it had falne vpon herods owne loines , the more greeuous it was to light vpon a stranger : if herod had not ouer-much affected greatnesse , he had not vpon those indirect termes aspired to the crowne of iewry ; so much the more therefore did it trouble him to heare the rumor of a successor , and that not of his owne . setled greatnesse cannot abide either change , or partnership : if any of his subiects had moued this question , i feare , his head had answered it . it is well , that the name of forreyners could excuse these sages : herod could not be brought vp among the iewes , and not haue heard many and confident reports of a messias , that should ere long arise out of israel ; and now when hee heares the fame of a king borne , whom a starre from heauen signifies and attends ; hee is netled with the newes : euery thing affrights the guilty : vsurpation is full of ielousies , and feare no lesse full of proiects , and imaginations ; it makes vs think euery bush a man , and euery man a theefe . why art thou troubled ( o herod ) ? a king is borne , but such a king , as whose scepter may euer concurre with lawfull soueraignty ; yea such a king , as by whom kings doe hold their scepters , not loose them : if the wise men tell thee of a king , the starre tells thee , he is heauenly : here is good cause of securitie , none of feare : the most generall enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings ; if men could but know , how much safety and sweetnes there is in all diuine truth , it could receiue nothing from them but welcomes & gratulations : misconceits haue bin still guilty of all wrongs , and persecutions . but if herod were troubled ( as tyrannie is still suspicious ) why was all ierusalem troubled with him ? ierusalem , which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds , for a recouery of her liberty , and right ? ierusalem , which now onely had cause to lift vp her drouping head in the ioy and happinesse of a redeemer ? yet not herods court , but euen ierusalem was troubled ; so had this miserable citie beene ouer-toyled with change , that now they were setled in a condition quietly euill , they are troubled with the newes of better : they had now got an habit of seruilitie , and now they are so acquainted with the yoke , that the very noise of liberty , ( which they supposed would not come with ease ) began to be vnwelcome . to turne the causes of ioy into sorrow argues extreame deiectednes , and a distemper of iudgment no lesse then desperate : feare puts on a visor of deuotion ; herod calls his learned councell , and as not doubting , whether the messiah should be borne , he askes , where he shall be borne ? in the disparition of that other light , there is a perpetually fixed starre , shining in the writings of the prophets , that guides the cheefe preists & scribes directly vnto bethleem : as yet enuie , and preiudice had not blinded the eyes , and peruerted the hearts of the iewish teachers ; so as now , they clearely iustifie that christ , whom they afterwards condemne , and by thus iustifying him condemne themselues in reiecting him : the water , that is vntroubled yeelds the visage perfectly : if god had no more witnesse , but from his enemies , wee haue ground enough of our faith . herod feared , but dissembled his feare , as thinking it a shame , that strangers should see , there could any power arise vnder him , worthy of his respect or awe : out of an vnwillingnes therefore to discouer the impotency of his passion , hee makes litle adoe of the matter , but onely , after a priuy inquisition into the time , imploies the informers in the search of the person ; goe , and search diligently for the babe &c. it was no great iourney from ierusalem to bethleem , how easily might herods cruelty haue secretly suborned some of his bloody courtiers to this enquiry , and execution ? if god had not ment to mocke him , before hee found himselfe mocked of the wise-men , he had rather sent before their iourney , then after their disappointment : but that god , in whose hands all hearts are , did purposely besot him , that he might not finde the way to so horrible a mischeefe . there is no villany so great , but it will maske it selfe vnder a show of piety : herod will also worship the babe ; the curtesie of a false tyrant is death ; a crafty hypocrite neuer meanes so ill , as when he speaks fairest : the wise-men are vpon their way , full of expectation , full of desire ; i see no man either of the citie , or court to accompanie them ; whether distrust , or feare hindred them , i inquire not , but of so many thousand iewes , no one stirres his foote to see that king of theirs , which strangers came so farre to visit : yet were not these resolute sages discouraged with this solitarinesse , and small respect , nor drawne to repent of their iourney , as thinking , what doe we come so farre to honor a king , whom no man will acknowledge ? what meane we to trauell so many hundred miles to see that , which the inhabitants will not looke out to behold ? but cheerfully renew their iourney to that place , which the ancient light of prophesie had designed ; and now behold , god incourages their holy forwardnesse from heauen , by sending them their first guide , as if hee had said , what neede yee care for the neglect of men , when yee see heauen honors the king , whom yee seeke ? what ioy these sages conceiued , when their eyes first beheld the re-appearance of that happy starre , they onely can tell , that after a long and sad night of tentation , haue seene the louing countenance of god shining forth vpon their soules : if with obedience and courage wee can follow the calling of god , in difficult enterprises , we shall not want supplies of comfort . let not vs be wanting to god , we shall be sure , he cannot be wanting to vs. he that led israel by a pillar of fire into the land of promise , leads the wise-men by a starre , to the promised seede : all his directions partake of that light , which is in him ; for god is light : this starre moues both slowly and low , as might be fittest for the pace , for the purpose of these pilgrims : it is the goodnes of god , that in those meanes wherein we cannot reach him , hee descends vnto vs. surely when the wise-men saw the star first stand still , they looked about to see , what pallace there might be neere vnto that station , fit for the birth of a king , neither could they thinke that sory shedde was it , which the starre ment to point out ; but finding their guide setled ouer that base roofe , they go in to see , what guest it held . they enter , and , o god , what a king doe they finde ! how poore ? how contemptible ? wrapt in clowts , laid in straw , cradled in the manger , attended with beasts ! what a sight was this , after all the glorious promises of that starre , after the predictions of prophets , after the magnificence of their expectation ? all their way afforded nothing so despicable , as that babe , whom they came to worship : but as those , which could not haue bin wise-men , vnlesse they had knowne , that the greatest glories haue arisen from meane beginnings , they fall downe , and worship that hidden maiestie : this basenesse hath bred wonder in them , not contempt ; they well knew , the starre could not lye : they , which saw his starre a farre off in the east , when he lay swadled in bethleem , do also see his royalty further of , in the despised estate of his infancy : a royalty more then humane : they well know , that starres did not vse to attend earthly kings ; and if their ayme had not bin higher , what was a iewish king to persian strangers ? answerable therefore hereunto was their adoration . neither did they lift vp empty hands to him , whom they worshipt , but presented him with the most precious commodities of their country , gold , incense , myrrh ; not as thinking to enrich him with these , but by way of homage acknowledging him the lord of these : if these sages had bin kings , and had offred a princely weight of gold , the blessed virgin had not needed in her purification to haue offred two yong pigeons , as the signe of her penury : as god loues not empty hands , so he measures fulnes by the affection : let it be gold , or incense , or myrrhe , that we offer him , it cannot but please him , who doth not vse to aske , how much , but how good . the pvrification . there could be no impuritie in the son of god , and if the best substance of a pure virgin caried in it any taint of adam , that was scowred away by sanctification in the womb , and yet the sonne would be circumcised , and the mother purified : he that came to be sinne for vs , would in our persons be legally vncleane , that by satisfying the law , he might take away our vncleannesse : though hee were exempted from the common condition of our birth , yet he would not deliuer himselfe from those ordinary rites , that implied the weaknes , and blemishes of humanitie : hee would fullfill one law to abrogate it , another to satisfie it ; hee that was aboue the law , would come vnder the law , to free vs from the law : not a day would be changed , either in the circumcision of christ , or the purification of mary . here was neither conuenience of place , nor of necessaries for so painfull a worke , in the stable of bethleem , yet he that made , and gaue the law , will rather keep it with difficultie , then transgresse it with ease . why wouldest thou , o blessed sauiour , suffer that sacred foreskin to be cut off , but that by the power of thy circumcision , the same might bee done to our soules , that was done to thy body ? wee cannot bee therefore thine , if our hearts bee vncircumcised : do thou that in vs , which was done to thee for vs ; cut off the superfluitie of our maliciousnesse , that we may be holy in , and by thee , which for vs wert content to bee legally impure . there was shame in thy birth , there was paine in thy circumcision ; after a contemptible welcome into the world , that a sharp rasor should passe through thy skin for our sakes , ( which can hardly endure to bleed for our owne ) it was the praise of thy wonderfull mercy , in so early humiliation : what paine , or contempt should we refuse for thee , that hast made no spare of thy selfe for vs ? now is bethleem left with too much honor , there is christ borne , adored , circumcised : no sooner is the blessed virgin either able , or allowed to walke , then she trauels to ierusalem , to performe her holy rites for her selfe , for her sonne ; to purifie her-selfe , to present her sonne : she goes not to her owne house at nazareth , shee goes to gods house at hierusalem : if purifying were a shadow , yet thanksgiuing is a substance ; those whom god hath blessed with fruit of body , and safety of deliuerance , if they make not their first iourney to the temple of god , they partake more of the vnthankfulnes of eue , then maries deuotion . her forty daies therefore were no sooner out , then mary comes vp to the holy citie : the rumor of a new king borne at bethleem , was yet fresh at ierusalem , since the report of the wise-men , and what good newes had this bin for any pick-thank to carry to the court , here is the babe , whom the star signified , whom the sages inquired for , whom the angels proclaimed , whom the shepherds talkt of , whom the scribes and high preists notified , whom herod seeks after ? yet vnto that ierusalem , which was troubled at the report of his birth , is christ come , and all tongues are so lockt vp , that he , which sent from ierusalem to bethleem to seeke him , findes him not , who ( as to countermine herod ) is come from bethleem to ierusalem . dangers that are aloofe of , and but possible , may not hinder vs from the dutie of our deuotion : god saw it not yet time to let loose the furie of his aduersaries , whom he holds vp , like some eager mastiues , and then onely lets goe , when they shall most shame themselues , and glorifie him . well might the blessed virgin haue wrangled with the law , and challenged an immunitie from all ceremonies of purification ; what should i neede purging , which did not conceiue in sin ? this is for those mothers , whose births are vncleane , mine is from god , which is puritie it selfe : the law of moses reaches only to those women , which haue conceiued seed , i conceiued not this seed , but the holy ghost in mee : the law extends to the mothers of those sonnes , which are vnder the law , mine is aboue it : but as one , that cared more for her peace , then her priuiledg , and more desired to bee free from offence , then from labour and charge , shee dutifully fulfils the law of that god , whom shee carried in her wombe , and in her armes : like the mother of him , who though he knew the children of the kingdome free , yet would pay tribute vnto caesar : like the mother of him , whom it behoued to fulfill all righteousnes : and if shee were so officious in ceremonies , as not to admit of any excuse in the very circumstance of her obedience , how much more strict was shee in the maine duties of morality ? that soule is fit for the spirituall conception of christ , that is conscionably scrupulous in obseruing all gods commandements , whereas he hates all alliance to a negligent , or froward heart . the law of purification proclaimes our vncleannesse : the mother is not allowed after her child-birth to come vnto the sanctuary , or to touch any hallowed thing , till her set time bee expired ; what are wee , whose very birth infects the mother that beares vs ? at last , she comes to the temple , but with sacrifices , either a lambe , and a pigeon , or turtle , or ( in the meaner estate ) two turtle doues , or yong pigeons : whereof one is for a burnt offring , the other for a sinne-offring : the one for thanksgiuing , the other for expiation : for expiation of a double sinne , of the mother , that conceiued , of the childe , that was conceiued . we are all borne sinners , and it is a iust question , whether we doe more infect the world , or the world vs ? they are grosse flatterers of nature , that tell her , shee is cleane : if our liues had no sinne , we bring enough with vs ; the very infant , that liues not to sinne as adam , yet he sinn'd in adam , and is sinfull in himselfe . but oh the vnspeakable mercy of our god! we prouide the sin , he prouides the remedy : behold an expiation well neere , as early , as our sinne ; the blood of a yong lambe , or doue , yea rather the blood of him , whose innocence was represented by both , cleanseth vs presently from our filthinesse . first went circumcision , then came the sacrifice , that by two holy acts ; that which was naturally vnholy , might be hallowed vnto god ; vnder the gospell our baptisme hath the force of both : it does away our corruption by the water of the spirit ; it applies to vs the sacrifice of christs blood , whereby wee are clensed : oh that wee could magnifie this goodnesse of our god , which hath not left our very infancy without redresse , but hath prouided such helps , as whereby we may be deliuered from the danger of our hereditary euils . such is the fauorable respect of our wise god , that he would not haue vs vndoe our selues with deuotion , the seruice he requires of vs is ruled by our abilities : euery poore mother was not able to bring a lambe for her offring , there was none so poore , but might procure a paire of turtles or pigeons . these doth god both prescribe , and accept from poorer hands , no lesse , then the beasts of a thousand mountaines ; hee lookes for somewhat of euery one , not of euery one alike : since it is hee , that makes differences of abilities ( to whom it were as easie to make all rich ) his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation : the truth and heartinesse of obedience is that , which he will crowne in his meanest seruants : a mite from the poore widow is more worth to him , then the talents of the wealthy . after all the presents of those easterne worshippers ( who intended rather homage , then ditation ) the blessed virgin comes in the forme of pouerty with her two doues vnto god ; she could not without some charge lye all this while at bethleem , she could not without charge trauell from bethleem to ierusalem ; her offring confesseth her penury ; the best are not euer the wealthiest : who can despise any one for want , when the mother of christ was not rich enough to bring a lambe for her purification ? wee may be as happy in russet , as in tissue . while the blessed virgin brought her son into the temple , with that paire of doues , here were more doues then a paire : they , for whose sake that offring was brought , were more doues , then the doues that were brought for that offring : her sonne , for whom shee brought that doue to be sacrificed , was that sacrifice , which the doue represented : there was nothing in him , but perfection of innocence , and the oblation of him is that , whereby all mothers and sonnes are fully purified : since in our selues we cannot be innocent , happy are we , if we can haue the spotlesse doue sacrificed for vs to make vs innocent in him . the blessed vigin had more businesse in the temple then her owne ; shee came , as to purifie her selfe , so to present her fonne : euery male , that first opened the wombe was holy vnto the lord : he that was the sonne of god by eternall generation before times , and by miraculous conception in time , was also by common course of nature consecrate vnto god : it was fit the holy mother should present god with his own : her first borne was the first borne of all creatures : it was he , whose temple it was , that he was presented in , to whom all the first borne of all creatures were consecrated , by whom they were accepted , and now is he brought in his mothers armes to his own house , and as man is presented to himself as god : if moses had neuer written law of gods speciall propriety in the first borne , this sonne of gods essence and loue had taken possession of the temple ; his right had bin a perfect law to himselfe : now his obedience to that law , which himselfe had giuen , doth no lesse call him , thither , then the challenge of his peculiar interest . he that was the lord of all creatures ( euer since hee stroke the first borne of the aegyptians ) requires the first male of all creatures , both man and beast , to be dedicated to him ; wherein god caused a miraculous euent to second nature , which seemes to challenge the first and best for the maker : by this rule , god should haue had his seruice done onely by the heyres of israel : but since god for the honor and remuneration of levi , had chosen out that tribe to minister vnto him , now the first borne of all israel must be presented to god , as his due , but by allowance redeemed to their parents : as for beasts , the first male of the cleane beasts must bee sacrificed , of vncleane exchanged for a price : so much moralitie is there in this constitution of god , that the best of all kindes is fit to be consecrated to the lord of all . euery thing we haue is too good for vs , if we thinke any thing wee haue too good for him . how glorious did the temple now seeme , that the owner was within the walls of it ? now was the houre , and guest come , in regard whereof the second temple should surpasse the first : this was his house built for him , dedicated to him : there had hee dwelt long in his spirituall presence , in his typicall : there was nothing either placed , or done within those walls , whereby he was not resembled , and now the body of those shadowes is come , & presents himselfe , where hee had bin euer represented : ierusalem is now euery where : there is no church , no christian heart , which is not a temple of the liuing god : there is no temple of god , wherein christ is not presented to his father : looke vpon him ( o god ) in whom , thou art well pleased , and in him , and for him be well pleased with vs. vnder the gospell we are all first borne , all heires : euery soule is to bee holy vnto the lord , we are a royall generation , an holy preisthood : our baptisme as it is our circumcision , and our sacrifice of purification , so is it also our presentation vnto god : nothing can become vs but holinesse . o god , to whom we are deuoted , serue thy selfe of vs , glorifie thy selfe by vs , till we shall by thee be glorified with thee . herod and the infants . wel might these wise men haue suspected herods secrecy ; if hee had ment well , what needed that whispering ? that which they published in the streets , he asks in his priuy chamber ; yet they not misdoubting his intention , purpose to fulfill his charge : it could not in their apprehension but bee much honor to them , to make their success knowne , that now both king and people might see , it was not fancie that led them , but an assured reuelation : that god , which brought them thither , diuerted them , and caused their eyes shut to guide them the best way home . these sages made a happy voyage : for now they grew into further acquaintance with god : they are honored with a second messenger from heauen : they saw the starre in the way , the angell in their bed : the starre guided their iourney vnto christ , the angell directed their returne : they saw the starre by day , a vision by night : god spake to their eyes by the star , he speaks to their heart by a dream : no doubt , they had left much noise of christ behinde them : they , that did so publish his birth by their inquiry at ierusalem , could not be silent , when they found him at bethleem : if they had returned by herod , i feare they had come short home ; hee that ment death to the babe for the name of a king , could meane no other to those , that honored and proclaimed a new king , and erected a throne besides his : they had done what they came for ; and now that god , whose businesse they came about , takes order at once for his sonnes safety , and for theirs : god , which is perfection it selfe , neuer begins any busines , but he makes an end , & ends happily ; when our waies are his , there is no danger of miscariage . well did these wise-men know the difference , as of stars , so of dreames ; they had learn't to distinguish betweene the naturall and diuine , and once apprehending god in their sleepe , they follow him waking , and returne another way . they were no subiects to herod , his command pressed them so much the lesse , or if the being within his dominions had beene no lesse bond , then natiue subiection , yet where god did countermand herod , there could be no question , whom to obey : they say not , we are in a strange country , herod may meet with vs , it can be no lesse then death to mocke him in his owne territories , but cheerfully put themselues vpon the way , and trust god with the successe : where men command with god , wee must obey men for god , and god in men , when against him , the best obedience is to deny obedience , and to turne our backs vpon herod . the wise-men are safely arriued in the east , & fill the world full of expectation , as themselues are full of wonder : ioseph and mary are returned with the babe to that ierusalem , where the wise-men had inquired for his birth . the citie was doubtlesse still full of that rumor , and litle thinks , that he , whom they talke of , was so neere them : from thence they are , at least , in their way to nazareth , where they purpose their abode : god preuents them by his angell , and sends them for safety into aegypt ; ioseph was not wont to be so full of visions : it was not long since the angell appeared vnto him to iustifie the innocency of the mother , and the deity of the sonne ; now he appeares for the preseruation of both , & a preseruation by flight : could ioseph now choose , but thinke , is this the king , that must saue israel , that needs to be saued by me ? if he be the son of god , how is he subiect to the violence of men ? how is hee almighty , that must saue himselfe by flight ? or how must he flie to saue himselfe out of that land , which he comes to saue ? but faithfull ioseph hauing bin once tutored by the angell , and hauing heard , what the wise-men said of the starre , what simeon and anna said in the temple , labours not so much to reconcile his thoughts , as to subiect them , and as one , that knew it safer to suppress doubts , then to assoile them , can beleeue , what hee vnderstands not , and can wonder , where he cannot comprehend . oh strange condition of the king of all the world ! he could not be borne in a baser estate , yet euen this he cannot enioy with safety . there was no roome for him in bethleem , there will be no roome for him in iudea : he is no sooner come to his owne , then hee must flie from them ; that he may saue them , hee must auoide them : had it not bin easie for thee ( o sauiour ) to haue acquit thy selfe from herod , a thousand wayes ? what could an arme of flesh haue done against the god of spirits ? what had it bin for thee to haue sent herod fiue yeeres sooner vnto his place ? what to haue commanded fire from heauen on those , that should haue come to apprehend thee ? or to haue bidden the earth to receiue them aliue , whom shee ment to swallow dead ? we suffer misery , because wee must , thou , because thou wouldest : the same will that brought thee from heauen into earth , sends thee from iury to aegypt ; as thou wouldst be borne meane and miserable , so thou wouldst liue subiect to humane vexations , that thou , which hast taught vs , how good it is to beare the yoke euen in our youth , mightst sanctifie to vs early afflictions . or whether ( o father ) since it was the purpose of thy wisdom to manifest thy sonne by degrees vnto the world , was it thy will thus to hide him for a time , vnder our infirmitie ? and what other is our condition ? we are no sooner borne thine , then wee are persecuted . if the church trauell , and bring forth a male , shee is in danger of the dragons streames : what doe the members complaine of the same measure , which was offred to the head ? both our births are accompanied with teares . euen of those , whose mature age is full of trouble , yet the infancy is commonly quiet , but here life and toyle began together . o blessed virgin ! euen already did the sword begin to peirce thy soule : thou which wert forced to beare thy sonne in thy wombe from nazareth to bethleem , must now beare him in thy armes from iury into aegypt ; yet couldst thou not complaine of the way , whilest thy sauiour was with thee ; his presence alone was able to make the stable a temple , aegypt a paradise , the way more pleasing then rest . but whither then ? o whither doest thou carry that blessed burthen , by which thy selfe and the world are vpholden ? to aegypt , the slaughter-house of gods people , the furnace of israels ancient affliction , the sinke of the world : out of aegypt haue i called my sonne ( saith god ) . that thou calldst thy sonne out of aegypt , o god , is no maruell ; it is a maruell , that thou calld'st him into aegypt ; but that wee know , all earths are thine , and all places and men are like figures vpon a table , such as thy disposition makes them : what a change is here ? israel the first borne of god , flies out of aegypt into the promised land of iudea ; christ the first borne of all creatures flies from iudea into aegypt : aegypt is become the sanctuary , iudea the inquisition-house of the sonne of god : he , that is euery where the same , makes all places alike to his : hee makes the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure , the lyons denne an house of defence , the whales belly a lodging chamber , aegypt an harbour . he flees , that was able to preserue himselfe from danger , to teach vs , how lawfully we may flee from those dangers , we cannot auoide otherwise : it is a thankless fortitude to offer our throat vnto the knife : he , that came to dye for vs , fled for his owne preseruation , and hath bid vs follow him ; when they persecute you in one citie , flee into another : we haue but the vse of our liues , and we are bound to husband them to the best aduantage of god and his church : god hath made vs , not as butts to be perpetually shot at , but as the marks of rouers moueable , as the winde & sun may best serue . it was warrant enough for ioseph and mary that god commands them to flee , yet so familiar is god growne with his approued seruants , that hee giues them the reason of his commanded flight : ( for herod will seeke the yong childe to destroy him ) : what wicked men will doe , what they would do , is knowne vnto god before hand : he that is so infinitely wise to know the designes of his enemies before they are , could as easily preuent them , that they might not be , but he lets them runne on in their own courses , that he may fetch glory to himselfe out of their wickednesse . good ioseph hauing this charge in the night , staies not till the morning ; no sooner had god said arise , then he starts vp , and sets forward : it was not diffidence , but obedience that did so hasten his departure ; the charge was direct , the businesse important : he dares not linger for the light , but breaks his rest for the iourney , and taking vantage of the darke , departs toward aegypt : how knew he this occasion would abide any delay ? we cannot be too speedy in the execution of gods commands , we may be too late : here was no treasure to hide , no hangings to take down , no lands to secure ; the poore carpenter needs doe no more , but lock the dores , and away : hee goes lightly , that wants a lode : if there bee more pleasure in abundance , there is more securitie in a meane estate : the bustard or the ostridge , when he is pursued , can hardly get vpon his wings , whereas the larke mounts with ease ; the rich hath not so much aduantage of the poore in the enioying , as the poore hath of the rich in leauing . now is ioseph come downe into aegypt : aegypt was beholden to the name , as that whereto it did owe no lesse then their vniuersall preseruation : well might it repay this act of hospitalitie to that name and blood : the going downe into aegypt had not so much difficultie , as the staying there : their absence from their country was litle better , then a banishment ; but what was this other , then to serue a prentiship in the house of bondage ? to be any where saue at home , was irkesome , but to be in aegypt so many yeeres amongst idolatrous pagans , must needs be painfull to religious hearts : the command of their god , & the presence of christ makes amends for all : how long should they haue thought it to see the temple of god , if they had not had the god of the temple with them ? how long to present their sacrifices at the altar of god , if they had not had him with them , which made all sacrifices accepted , and which did accept the sacrifice of their hearts ? herod was subtle in mocking the wise-men , whiles he promised to worship him , whom he ment to kill ; now god makes the wise-men to mock him in disappointing his expectation : it is iust with god to punish those , which would beguile others with illusion : great spirits are so much more impatient of disgrace ; how did herod now rage and fret , and vainly wish to haue met with those false spies , and tells , with what torments he would reuenge their trechery , & curses himself for trusting strangers in so important a busines ? the tyrants suspition would not let him rest long : ere many daies hee sends to inquire of them , whom he sent to inquire of christ. the notice of their secret departure increaseth his ielousie , and now his anger runs mad , and his feare proues desperate : all the infants of bethleem shal bleed for this one ; and ( that he may make sure worke ) he cuts out to himself large measures both of time , and place : it was but very lately that the star appeared , that the wise-men re-appeared not : they asked for him , that was borne , they did not name , when he was borne : herod for more securitie ouer-reaches their time , and fetches into the slaughter , all the children of two yeeres age : the preists & scribes had told him , the towne of bethleem must bee the place of the messia's natiuity : he fetches in all the children of the coasts adioyning ; yea his own shall for the time be a bethleemite : a tyrannous guiltinesse neuer thinks it selfe safe , but euer seeks to assure it selfe in the excesse of cruelty : doubtlesse he , which so priuily inquired for christ , did as secretly brew this massacre : the mothers were set with their children on their laps , feeding them with the brest , or talking to them in the familiar language of their loue , when suddenly the executioner rushes in , and snatches them from their armes , and at once pulling forth his cōmission & his knife , without regard to shrikes or teares , murthers the innocent babe , and leaues the passionate mother in a meane betweene madnes and death . what cursing of herod ? what wringing of hands ? what condoling ? what exclaiming was now in the streets of bethleem ? o bloody herod , that couldst sacrifice . so many harmlesse liues to thine ambition ! what could those infants haue done ? if it were thy person , whereof thou wert affraid , what liklyhood was it , thou couldst liue , till those sucklings might endanger thee ? this newes might affect thy successors , it could not concerne thee , if the heat of an impotent and furious enuie had not made thee thirsty of blood : it is not long , that thou shalt enioy this cruelty ; after a few hatefull yeeres thy soule shall feele the weight of so many innocents , of so many iust curses . he , for whose sake thou killdst so many , shall thee strike with death , and then what wouldst thou haue giuen to haue bin as one of those infants whom thou murtherest ? in the meane time , when thine executioners returned , and told thee of their vnpartiall dispatch , thou smiledst to thinke , how thou hadst defeated thy riuall , and beguiled the starre , and deluded the prophesies ; whiles god in heauen , and his sonne on earth laugh thee to scorne , and make thy rage an occasion of further glory to him , whom thou mentest to suppress . he that could take away the liues of others , cannot protract his owne : herod is now sent home ; the coast is cleare for the return of that holy family ; now god calls them from their exile : christ and his mother had not stayed so long out of the confines of the reputed visible church , but to teach vs continuance vnder the crosse : sometimes god sees it good for vs not to sip of the cup of affliction , but to make a diet-drinke of it , for constant and common vse : if he allow vs no other liquor for many yeeres , we must take it off cheerfully , and know , that it is but the measure of our betters . ioseph and mary stirre not without a command ; their departure , stay , remoouall is ordred by the voice of god : if aegypt had beene more tedious vnto them , they durst not moue their foote , till they were bidden : it is good in our owne businesse to follow reason , or custom , but in gods businesse , if we haue any other guide but himselfe , we presume , & cannot expect a blessing . o the wonderfull dispensation of god in concealing of himselfe from men ! christ was now some fiue yeere old ; hee beares himselfe as an infant , and knowing all things , neither takes nor giues notice of ought concerning his remoouall , and disposing , but appoints that to be done by his angell , which the angell could not haue done , but by him : since hee would take our nature , he would be a perfect childe , suppressing the manifestation & exercise of that godhead , whereto that infant nature was conioyned . euen so , o sauiour , the humilitie of thine infancy was answerable to that of thy birth : the more thou hidest and abasest thy selfe for vs , the more should we magnifie thee , the more should we deiect our selues for thee . vnto thee with the father & the holy ghost be all honor and glory now and for euer . amen . finis . contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy story . the fovrth volvme . by ios . hall . london printed by edward griffin for henry fetherstone . . contemplations . the twelvth booke . contayning the arke and dagon . the arkes reuenge & returne . the remoue of the arke . the meeting of saul and samuel . the inauguration of saul . samuels contestation . sauls sacrifice . ionathans victory & sauls oath . to the right honorable , my singvlar good lord , the lord hay , baron of saley , one of his maiesties most honorable priuie covnsell . right ho : vpon how iust reason these my contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes , it were needlesse to giue account to your lo : in whose trayne i had the honor ( since my last ) to passe both the sea , and the twede . all my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my soueraigne master : no willingly confesse that the story of god can make a man not lesse wise , then good . mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise , then in these kinde of presents , and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your honor , and happinesse , which shall neuer bee wanting from your lo : sincerely and thankfully deuoted , ios : hall . contemplations . the arke and dagon . men could not arise to such height of impiety , if they did not mistake god : the acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence ; that god would send his arke captiue to the philistims , is so construed by them , as if he could not keep it : the wife of phinebas cryed out , that glory was departed from israel ; the philistims dare say in triumph , that glory is departed from the god of israel ; the arke was not israels , but gods , this victory reaches higher then to men . dagon had neuer so great a day , so many sacrifices , as now that he seemes to take the god of israel prisoner ; where should the captiue be bestowed , but in the custodie of the victor : it is not loue , but insultation , that lodges the arke close beside dagon : what a spectacle was this , to see vncircumcised philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of gods presence ? to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an idoll ? to see the two cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false god ? oh the deepe and holy wisdome of the almightie , which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature , who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe , fetches about most glory to his owne name ; he winks , and sits still on purpose , to be what men would doe , and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature , for a time , that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice , and power : that honor pleaseth god and men best , which is raised out of contempt . the arke of god was not vsed to such porters ; the philistims carry it vnto ashdod , that the victory of dagon may be more glorious : what paines superstition puts men vnto , for the triumph of a false cause ? and if profane philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the arke where they should not , what a shame is it for vs , if we doe not gladly attend it where we should ? how iustly may gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale ? if the israelites did put confidence in the arke , can we maruell that the philistims did put confidence in that power which ( as they thought ) had conquered the arke ? the lesse is euer subiect vnto the greater ; what could they now thinke , but that heauen and earth were theirs ? who shall stand out against them , when the god of israel hath yeelded ? securitie and presumption attend euer at the threshold of ruine . god will let them sleepe in this confidence ; in the morning they shall finde , how vainely they haue dreamed . now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague , and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace : dagon hath an house , when god hath but a tabernacle ; it is no measuring of religion by outward glory : into this house the proud phoenitians come , the next morning , to congratulate vnto their god , so great a captiue , such diuine spoiles , and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him , vnder whom the god of israel was fallen : and lo , where they finde their god , fallen downe on the ground vpon his face , before him , whom they thought both his prisoner , and theirs : their god is forced to doe that , which they should haue done voluntarily ; although god casts downe that dumbe riuall of his , for scorne , not for adoration . oh yee foolish philistims , could yee think that the same house could hold god & dagon ? could yee thinke a senselesse stone , a fit companion and guardian for the liuing god ? had yee laid your dagon vpon his face , prostrate before the arke , yet would not god haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging ; but now , that yee presume to set vp your carued stone , equall to his cherubins , go read your folly in the floore of your temple , and know that hee which cast your god so low , can cast you lower . the true god owes a shame to those which will be making matches betwixt himselfe and belial . bvt this perhaps , was onely a mischance , or a neglect of attendance , lay to your hands , ô yee philistims , and raise vp dagon into his place ; it is a miserable god that needs helping vp ; had yee not beene more senselesse then that stone , how could you choose but thinke , how shall hee raise vs aboue our enemies , that cannot rise alone ? how shall he establish vs in the station of our peace , that cannot hold his own foot ? if dagon did giue the soyle vnto the god of israel , what power is it , that hath cast him vpon his face , in his owne temple ? it is iust with god , that those which want grace shall want wit too ; it is the power of superstition , to turne men into those stocks , and stones , which they worship : they that make them are like vnto them ; doubtlesse , this first fall of dagon was kept as secret , and excused as well as it might , and serued rather for astonishment , then conviction ; there was more strangenes then horror in that accident ; that whereas dagon had wont to stand , and the philistims fall downe , now dagon fell downe , and the philistims stood , and must become the patrons of their owne god ; their god worships them vpon his face , and craues more helpe from them , then euer he could giue : but if their sottishnes can digest this all is well . dagon is set in his place , and now those hands are lift vp to him , which helped to lift him vp ; and those faces are prostrate vnto him , before whom he lay prostrate . idolatry and superstition are not easily put out of countenance ; but will the ielosie of the true god put it vp thus ? shall dagon escape with an harmelesse fall ? surely , if they had let him lye still vpon the pauement , perhaps that insensible statue had found no other reuenge ; but now , they will be aduancing it to the roodlost againe , and affront gods arke with it , the euent will shame them , and let them know , how much god scornes a partner , either of his owne making , or theirs . the morning is fittest for deuotion , then do the philistims flocke to the temple of their god ; what a shame is it for vs to come late to ours ? although , not so much piety as curiositie did now hasten their speed , to see what rest their dagon was allowed to get in his owne roofe ; and now behold their kinde god is come to meete them in the way ; some peeces of him salute their eyes vpon the threshold . dagons head and hands are ouer-runne their fellowes , to tell the philistims how much they were mistaken in a god . this second fall breaks the idoll in peeces , and threats the same confusion to the worshippers of it . easie warnings neglected end euer in destruction . the head is for deuising , the hand for execution ; in these two powers of their god , did the philistims cheifly trust ; these are therfore laid vnder their feet , vpon the threshold , that they might a farre of see their vanitie , and that ( if they would ) they might set their foote on that best peece of their god , whereon their heart was set . there was nothing wherein that idoll resembled a man , but in his head , and hands , the rest was but a scalie portraiture of a fish , god would therefore separate from this stone , that part , which had mocked man , with the counterfeit of himselfe ; that man might see what an vnworthy lumpe he had matched with himselfe , and set vp aboue himselfe : the iust quarrell of god is bent vpon those meanes , and that parcell which haue dared to rob him of his glory . how can the philistims now misse the sight of their owne folly ? how can they bee but enough convicted of their mad idolatry , to see their god lye broken to morsells , vnder their feete ? euery peece whereof proclaimes the power of him that brake it , and the stupiditie of those that adored it ? who would expect any other issue of this act , but to heare the philistims say , we now see how superstition hath blinded vs ? dagon is no god for vs , our hearts shall neuer more rest vpon a broken statue : that onely true god , which hath beaten ours , shall challenge vs by the right of conquest : but here was none of this ; rather a further degree of their dotage followes vpon this palpable conviction : they cannot yet suspect that god , whose head they may trample vpon , but in steed of hating their dagon , that lay broken vpon their threshold , they honor the threshold , on which dagon lay ; and dare not set their foote on that place , which was hallowed by the broken head , and hands of their deity : oh the obstinacie of idolatry , which where it hath got hold of the heart , knowes neither to blush , nor yeeld , but rather gathers strength from that which might iustly confound it . the hand of the almighty , which moued them not in falling vpon their god , falls now neerer them vpon their persons , and strikes them in their bodies , which would not feele themselues stricken in their idoll : paine shall humble them , whom shame cannot . those which had entertained the secret thoughts of abhominable idolatry within them , are now plagued in the inwardest and most secret part of their bodies , with a loathsome disease ; and now grow weary of themselues , in stead of their idolatry . i doe not heare them acknowledge it was gods hand , which had stricken dagon their god , till now , they finde themselues stricken : gods iudgements are the racke of godlesse men ; if one straine make them not confesse , let them be stretched but one wrench hyer , and they cannot be silent . the iust auenger of sinne will not loose the glory of his executions , but will haue men know from whom they smart . the emerods were not a disease beyond the compasse of naturall causes , neither was it hard for the wiser sort , to giue a reason of their complaint , yet they ascribe it to the hand of god : the knowledge and operation of secondary causes should be no preiudice to the first ; they are worse then the philistims , who when they see the meanes , doe not acknowledge the first mouer ; whose actiue and iust power is no lesse seene in imploying ordinarie agents , then in raising vp extraordinary ; neither doth hee lesse smite by a common fever , then a reuenging angell . they iudge right of the cause , what doe they resolue for the cure ? ( let not the arke of the god of israel abide with vs ) where they should haue said , let vs cast out dagon , that we may pacifie and retaine the god of israel , they determine to thrust out the arke of god , that they might peaceably inioy themselues , and dagon : wicked men are vpon all occasions glad to be rid of god , but they can with no patience , indure to part with their sins , and whiles they are weary of the hand that punishes them , they hold fast the cause of their punishment . their first and onely care is to put away him , who as hee hath corrected , so can ease them . folly is neuer separated from wickednes ▪ their heart told them that they had no right to the arke . a counsell is called of their princes , and priests : if they had resolued to send it home , they had done wisely ; now they doe not carry it away , but they carry it about from ebenezer to ashdod , from ashdod to gath , from gath to ekron : their stomacke was greater then their conscience ; the arke was too sore for them , yet it was too good for israel ; and they will rather dye , then make israel happy . their conceit that the change of ayre could appease the arke , god vseth to his own aduantage ; for by this meanes his power is knowne , and his iudgements spred ouer all the country of the philistims : what doe these men now , but send the plague of god to their fellowes ? the iustice of god can make the sinnes of men their mutuall executioners ; it is the fashion of wicked men to draw their neighbours into the partnership of their condemnation . wheresoeuer the arke goes , there is destruction ; the best of gods ordinances , if they be not proper to vs , are deadly . the israelites did not more shout for ioy , when they saw the arke come to them , then the ekronites cry out for greefe , to see it brought amongst them : spiritual things are either soueraigne , or hurtfull , according to the disposition of the receiuers . the arke doth either saue , or kill , as it is entertained . at last , when the philistims are well weary of paine & death , they are glad to be quit of their sinne ; the voice of the princes and people is changed to the better , ( send away the arke of the god of israel , and let it returne to his owne place , ) god knowes how to bring the stubbornnest enemie vpon his knees , and makes him doe that the copies of certaine letters vvhich haue passed betweene spaine and england in matter of religion concerning the generall motiues to the romane obedience. betweene master iames wadesworth, a late pensioner of the holy inquisition in siuill, and w. bedell a minister of the gospell of iesus christ in suffolke. wadsworth, james, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the copies of certaine letters vvhich haue passed betweene spaine and england in matter of religion concerning the generall motiues to the romane obedience. betweene master iames wadesworth, a late pensioner of the holy inquisition in siuill, and w. bedell a minister of the gospell of iesus christ in suffolke. wadsworth, james, ?- . bedell, william, - . aut hall, joseph, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by william stansby for william barret and robert milbourne, london : . edited by bedell, who signs the dedication. includes a letter from joseph hall. the first leaf is blank. with a final errata leaf. a variant (stc a) has "milburne" in imprint. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is 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images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the copies of certaine letters which have passed betweene spaine and england in matter of religion . concerning the generall motiues to the romane obedience . betweene master iames wadesworth , a late pensioner of the holy inquisition in siuill , and w. bedell a minister of the gospell of iesus christ in svffolke . london printed by william stansby for william barret and robert milbourne . . to the most high and excellent prince , prince charles . i should labour much in my excuse , euen to mine owne iudgement , of the highest boldnesse , in daring to present these papers to your highnes , if there were not some releeuing circumstances , that giue mee hope , it shall not be disagreeable to your higher goodnesse . there is nothing can see the light , which hath the name of spaine in it , which seemes not now properly yours , euer since it pleased you to honor that countrie with your presence . and those very motiues to the romane obedience , which had beene represented vnto you there , in case you had giuen way to the propounding them , are in these letters charitably and calmly examined . betweene a couple of friends , bred in the same colledge ( that of the foundation of sir walter mildmay of blessed memorie , whom with honor and thankfulnesse i name ) chosen his schollers at the same election , lodged in the same chamber , after ministers in the same diocesse . and that they might bee matchable abroad as well as at home , attendants in the same ranke as chaplaines , on two honorable ambassadors of the majestie of the king your father in forraine parts ; the one in italie , the other in spaine . where , one of them hauing changed his profession , and receiued a pension out of the holy inquisition house , and drawne his wife and children thither , was lately often in the eyes of your highnesse : very ioyfull i suppose to see you there , not more i am sure , then the other was solicitous to misse you here . these passages betweene vs i haue hitherto forborn to divulge , out of the hope of further answer from master wadesworth according to his promise ; though since the receipt of my last ( being silent to my selfe ) he excused him in sundrie his letters to others by his lack of health . nor should i haue changed my resolution , but that i vnderstand that presently after your highnesse departure from spaine , hee departed this life . which newes though it grieue me as it ought in respect of the losse of my friend , yet it somewhat contenteth me , not to haue beene lacking in my endeauour , to the vndeceiuing a well-meaning man touching the state of our differences in religion ; nor as i hope to haue scandalized him in the manner of handling them . and conceiuing these copies may be of some publike vse , the more being li●ted vp aboue their owne meannesse by so high patronage , i haue aduentured to prefixe your highnesse name before them . humbly beseeching the same , that if these reasons be too weake to beare vp the presumption of this dedication , it may bee charged vpon the strong desire some way to expresse the vnspeakeable joy for your highnesse happy returne into england , of one amongst many thousands , of your highnesse most humble and deuoted seruants w. bedell . the contents . . a letter of master wadesworth , contayning his motiues to the romane obedience . dated at seuill in spaine , april . . printed as all the rest out of his owne hand-writing . pag. . . another letter from him requiring answere to the former , from madrid in spaine , april . . pag. . . the answere to the last letter , dated aug. . . pag. . . a letter from master wadesworth vpon the receipt of the former . from madrid . dated oct. . . receiued may . . pag. . . the answere to the last letter . iune . . pag. . . a letter from master wadesworth , from madrid , iune . . pag. . . a letter of master doctor halls sent to master wadesworth , and returned into england with his marginall notes . pag. . . a letter returning it inclosed to master doctor hall. pag. . . a letter sent to master wadesworth , together with the examination of his motiues . octob. . . pag. . . the examination of the motiues in the first letter . pag. . the heads of the motiues reduced vnto twelue chapters , answering vnto the like figures in the margint of the first of master wadesworths letters . chap. i. of the preamble . the titles catholike , papist , traytor , idolater . the vniformitie of faith in protestant religion . pag. . chap. ii. of the contrarietie of sects pretended to be amongst reformers . their differences , how matters ●f faith. of each pretending scripture , and the holy ghost . pag. . chap. iii. of the want of a humane externall infallible iudge and interpreter . the obiections answered . first , that scriptures are oft matter of controuersie . secondly , that they are the law and rule . thirdly , that princes are no iudges . fourthly , nor a whole councell of reformers . the popes being the iudge and interpreter ouerthrown by reasons ; and by his palpable misse-interpreting the scriptures in his decretals . the style of his court. his breues about the oath of allegeance . p. . chap. iiii. of the state of the church of england , and whether it may be reconciled with rome . whether the pope be antichrist , pavlo v. vice-deo , ovr lord god the pope : the relation de moderandis titulis , with the issue of it . pag. . chap. v. of the safenesse to ioyne to the romane being confessed a true church by her opposites . master p. wottons peruersion printed at venice . the badge of christs sheepe . pag. . chap. vi. of fraud and corruption in alledging councels , fathers , and doctors . the falsifications imputed to morney , bishop iewell , master fox , tyndals testament : parsons foure falshoods in seuen lines . a taste of the for●eries of the papacy . in the ancient popes epistles , constantines donation , gratian ; the schoolemen and breuiaries by the complaint of the venettan diuines . the father 's not vntoucht . nor the hebrew text. pag. . chap. vii . of the armies of euident witnesses for the romanists . whence it seemes so to the vnexpert souldier . the censure of the centurists touching the doctrine of the ancients . danaeus of saint augustines opinion touching purgatorie . an instance or two of imposture in wresting tertullian , cyprian , augustine . p. . chap. viii . of the inuisibilitie of the church said to bee an e●asion of protestants . the promises made to the church , and her glorious titles , how they are verified out of saint augustine ; falsly applied to the whole visible church , or representatiue , or the pope . pag. . chap. ix . of lack of vniformitie in matters of faith in all ages and places . what matters of faith the church holds vniformely ; and so the 〈◊〉 . of wicliffe and hus , &c. whether they were martyrs . p. ● . chap. x. of the originall of reformation in luther , c●luin , scotland , england whether king henrie the eight were a good head of the church . of the reformers in france and holland . the originall growth and supporting of the popes monarchie considered . pag. . chap. xi . of lacke of succession , bishops , true ordinations , orders , priesthood . the fabulous ordination at the nags-head examined . the statute . elizabeth . boners sleighting the first parliament , and doctor bancrofts answere to master alablaster . the forme of priesthood inquired of . pag. . chap. xii . of the conclusion . master wadesworths agonies and protestation . the protestation and resolution of the author , and conceipt of master wadesworth , and his accompt . pag. . the copies of certaine letters , which haue passed betweene spaine and england in matter of religion . salutem in crucifi●o ▪ to the worshipfull my good friend mr. william bede●● ▪ &c. master bedell , my very louing friend after the old plaine fashion , i salute you heartily , without any new fine complements or affected phrases . and by my inquirie , vnderstanding of this bearer that after your being at 〈◊〉 ▪ you had passed to con●tantinop●e . and were returned to saint 〈◊〉 , in 〈◊〉 and with health , i was exceeding glad thereof ▪ for i wish you well as to my selfe : and hee telling mee further that to morrow , god willing ▪ he was to depart from hence to imbarke for england , and offering me to deliuer my letters if i would write vnto you , i could not omit by these hastie scribled lines to signifie vnto you the continuance of my sincere loue , neuer to be blotted out of my brest ( if you kill it not with vnkindnesse like master ioseph hall ) neither by distance of place , nor successe of time , nor difference of religion . for ( contrarie to the slanders raysed against all , because of the offences committed by some ) wee are not taught by our catholike religion , either to diminish our naturall obligation to our natiue countrie , or to alter our morall affection to our former friends . and although for my change becomming catholique , i did expect of some reuilers to be termed rather then prooued an apostata , yet i neuer looked for such termes from master hall , whom i esteemed either my friend , or a modester man ; whose flanting epistle i haue not answered , because i would not foile my hands with a poeticall rayler , more full with froth of wordes then substance of matter , and of whom according to his beginning , i could not expect any sound arguments but vaine flourishes , and so much , i pray , let him know from me if you please . vnto your selfe , my good friend , who doe vnderstand better then master hall , what the doctors in schooles doe account apostasie , and how it is more and worse then heresie , i doe referre both him and my selfe , whether i might not more probably call him heretike , then he terme me at the first dash apostata : but i would abstaine from such biting satyres . and if he , or any other , will needes fasten vpon me such bitter termes , let them first prooue that in all points of faith i haue fallen totally from christian religion , as did iulian the apostata : for so is apostasie described and differenced from heresie . apostasia est error , h●minis baptizati , contrarius fidei catholicae ex toto : and , haeresis est error pertinax , hominis baptizati , contrarius ●idei catholicae ex parte . so that hee should haue shewed , first , my errors in matters of faith ; not any error in other questions , but in decreed matters of faith ( as protestants vse to say ) necessarie vnto saluation . secondly , that such errors were maintayned with obstinate pertin●cy , and pertinacy is , where such errors are defended against the consent and determination of the catholik ▪ church ; and also knowing that the whole church teacheth the contrarie to such opinions , yet will persist in them : and yet further , if there bee any doubt , he must manifest vnto me which is the catholique church . thirdly , to make it full apostasie , he should haue conuinced mee to haue swarued and back-slidden ( as you know the greeke word signifies ) like iulian renouncing his baptisme , and forsaken totally all christian religion ▪ a horrible imputation , though false , nor so easily prooued as declaymed : but i thanke god daily that i am become catholique , as all our ancestors were till of late yeeres , and as the most of christendome still be at this present day , with whom i had rather bee mis-called a papist , a traytor , an apostata , or idolater , or what he will , then to remayne a protestant with them still for in protestant religion i could neuer finde vniformitie of a settled faith , and ●o no quietnesse of conscience , especially for three or foure yeeres before my comming away , although by reading , studying , praying , and confe●ring , i did most carefully and diligently labour to finde it among them . but your contrarietie of sects and opinions of 〈◊〉 , zwinglians , caluinists , protestants , 〈◊〉 , cartwrightists , and brownists , some of them damning each other ; many of them auouching their positions to be matters of faith ( for if they made them but schoole questions of opinion onely , they should not so much haue disquieted mee ) and all these being so contrarie , yet euery one pretending scriptures , and arrogating the holy ghost in his fauor . and aboue all ( which did most of all trouble me ) about the deciding of these and all other controuersies which might arise , i could not finde among all these sects any certaine humane externall iudge , so infallibly to interpret scriptures , and by them and by the assistance of the holy ghost so vndoubtedly to define questions of faith , that i could assure my selfe and my soule , this iudge is infallible ; and to him thou oughtest in conscience to obey and yeeld thy vnderstanding in all his determinations of faith , for he cannot erre in those points . and note that i speake now of an externall , humane , infallible iudge . for i know the holy ghost is the diuine internall and principall iudge ; and the scriptures be the law or rule by which that humane externall iudge must proceede . but the holy scriptures being often the matter of controuersie and somtime questioned which be scriptures , and which bee not , they alone of themselues cannot be iudges : and for the holy ghost likewise euery one pretending him to bee his patron , how should ● certainly know by whom he speaketh , or not ? for to men we must goe to learne , and not to angels , nor to god himselfe immediately . the head of your church was the queene ( an excellent notable prince ) but ● woman , not to speake , much lesse to be iudge in the church ; and since a learned king , like king henrie the eight , who was the first temporall prince that euer made himselfe ex regio jure , head of the church in spir●tuall matters , a new strange doctrine , and therefore iustly condemned by caluin for monstrous . but suppose hee were such a head , yet you all confesse that hee may erre in matters of faith. and so you acknowledge may your archbishops and bishops , and your whole clergie in their conuocation-house euen making articles and decrees : yea , though a councell of all your lutherans , cal●●●nists , protestants , &c. of germanie , france , engiana , &c. were all ioyned together , and should agree all ( which they neuer will doe ) to compound and determine the differences among themselues , yet by your ordinarie doctrine of most protestants they mig●t in such a councell erre , and it were possible in their decrees to be deceiued . but if they may erre , how should i know and be sure when and wherein they did or did not erre ? for though on the one side ● posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia . yet 〈◊〉 valet , and on the other side 〈…〉 potentia , quae nunquam ducitur in actu● . so that 〈◊〉 neither in generall nor in particular , in puo●●que 〈◊〉 priuate , in head nor members , ioynely nor ●euerally you haue no visible , externall , humane , infallible iudge , who cannot erre , and to whom i might haue recourse for decision of doubts in matters of faith . ● pray let master hall tell me , where should i haue fixed my foot ? for god is my witnesse , my soule was like noah dou● , a long time houering & desirous to discouer land , but seeing nothing but moueable and troublesome deceiueable water , i could find no quiet center for my conscience , nor any firme foundation for your faith in protestant religion . wherfore hearing a sound of harmon●e and consent , that the catholique church could not erre , and that onely in the catholique church , as in noahs arke was infallabilitte and possibilitie of saluation ; i was so occasioned , and i thinke had important reason , like noahs doue , to seeke out , and to enter into this arke of noah . hereupon i was occasioned to doubt , whether the church of england were the true church , or not ▪ for by consent of all , the true church cannot erre ; but the church of england , head and members , king , clergie , and people , as before is said , yea a whole councell of protestants by their owne grant may erre , ergo , no true church . if no true church , no saluation in it ; therefore come out of it : but that i was loath to doe . rather i laboured mightily to defend it , both against the puritanes , and against the catholiques : but the best arguments i could vse against t●e puritanes from the authoritie of the church , and of the ancient doctors interpreting scriptures against them , when they could not answere them , they would reiect them for popish , and f●ye to their owne arrogant spirit , by which forsooth they must controll others this i found on the one side most abs●rd , and ●o b●eede an anarchy of confusion : and yet when i come to answere the catholique arguments on ●he other side against protestants , ●rging the like authority and vniformity of the church , i perceiued the most protestants did frame euasions , in effect like those of the puritanes inclining to ●heir priuate spirit , and other vncertainties . next therefore i applied my selfe to follow their opinion , who would make the church of england and the church of rome still to be all one ●n essentiall points , and the diff●rences to be accidentall . confessing the church of rome to be a true church though sicke , or corrupted , and the protestants to be deriued from it and reformed : and to this end i laboured much to reconcile most of our particular controuersies : but in truth i found such contrar●eties , not onely betweene catholiques and protestants , but euen among protestants themselues that i could neuer settle my selfe fully in this opinion of some reconciliation , which i know many great schollers in england did fauour . for considering so many opposite great points , for which they did excommunicate and put to death each other , and making the pope to be antichrist , proper or improper , it could neuer sinke into my braine how these two could be descendent , or members ●ound nor vnfound participant each of other rather i concluded , that ●eeing many of the best learned protestants did grant the church or rome 〈…〉 true church , though 〈…〉 and contrarily , not onely the catholiques , but also the puritanes , anabaptists , brownists , &c. did all denie the church of england to be a true church : therefore it would be more safe and secure to become a romane catholique , who haue a true church by consent of both parties , then to remaine a protestant , who doe alone plead their owne cause , hauing all the other against them : for the testimony of our selues , and our contraries also , is much more sufficient , and more certaine then to iustifie our selues alone . yet i resisted and stood out still : and betooke my selfe againe to reade ouer and examine the chiefest controuersies , especially those about the church , which is , cardo negotij ( and herein because the bearer ●taies now a day or two longer , i will inlarge my selfe more then i purposed ) and so i would needes peruse the originall quotations and texts of the councels , fathers , and doctors , in the authors , themselues which were alleadged on both parts , to see if they were truely cited , and according to the meaning of the authors : a labour of much labor , and of trauell sometime to finde the books , wherein i found much fraud committed by the protestants ; and that the catholiques had farre greater and better armies of euident witnesses on their sides , much more then the protestants ; in so much , that the centurists are faine often to censure and reiect the plaine testimonies of those ancients , as if their new censure were sufficient to disaucthorize the others auncient sentences . and so i remember danaeus in commentarijs super d. augustin enchirid ▪ ad laurentium . where saint augustin plainely auoucheth purgatory : he reiects saints augustines opinion , saying , hic est naeuus augustini : but i had rather follow saint augustins opinion , then his ce●sure ; for who are they to controll the fathers ? there are indeede some few places in authors , which prima facie seeme to fauour protestants , as many heretiques alleadge some texts of scriptures , whose sound of words seeme to make for their opinions : but being well examined and interpreted , according to the analogie of faith , and according to many other places of the same authours where they doe more fully explaine their opinions ; so they appeare to be wrested , and from the purpose . in fine , i found my selfe euidently conuinced , both by many authorities , and by many arguments , which now i doe not remember all , nor can here repeate those which i doe remember : but onely some few arguments i will relate vnto you which preuailed most with me , besides those afore mentioned . first , therefore i could neuer approue the protestants euasion by inuisibility of their church : for though sometime it may be diminished and obscured , yet the catholique church must euer be visible , set on a hill , and not as light hid vnder a bushell ; for how should it enlighte●●nd teach her children , if inuisible , or how should strangers , and pagans , and others , be conuerted vnto her ? or where should any finde the sacraments , if inuisible ? also the true church in all places and all ages , euer holds one vniformitie and concord in all matters of faith , though not in all matters of ceremony or gouernment : but the protestants church hath not in all ages , nor in all places such vniforme concord , no not in one age , as is manifest to all the world , and as father parsons proued against foxes martirs , wickliffe , husse , and the res● : ergo the protestants church , not the true church . againe , by that saying , haereses ad originem reuocasse est refutasse ; and so considering luthers first rancour against the dominicans , his disobedience and contempt of his former superiours , his vowe breaking , and violent courses , euen causing rebellion against the emperour , whom he reuiles , and other princes most shamefully , surely such arrogant disobedience , scisme , and rebellions , had no warrant nor vocation of god to plant his church , but of the deuill to begin a scisme and a sect . so likewise for caluin , to say nothing of all that d. bolsecus brings against him . i doe vrge onely what master hooker , doctor bancroft , and sarauia doe proue against him , for his vnquietnesse and ambition , reuoluing the common-wealth , and so vniu●tly expelling and depriuing the bishop of geneua , and other temporall lords of their due obedience , and ancient inheritance . moreouer , i referre you to the stirres , broiles , sedition , and murders which knoxe and the geneua gospellers caused in scotland against their lawfull gouernours , against their queene , and against our king , euen in his mothers belly . nor will i insist vpon the passions which first moued king henrie violently to diuorce himselfe from his lawfull wife , to fall out with the pope his friend , to marrie the lady anne bullen , and soone after to behead her ; to disinherite queene mary , and enable queene elizabeth ; and presently to di●inherit queene elizabeth , and to restore queene mary ; to hang catholiques for traitors , and to burne protestants for heretiques , to destroy monasteries , and to pill churches : were these fit beginnings for the gospell of christ ? i pray was this man a good head of gods church ? for my part , i beseech our lord blesse me from being a member of such a head , or such a church . i come to france and holland , where you know by the hugenots and geuses all caluinistes , what ciuill wars they haue raised , how much bloud they haue shed , what rebellion , rapine , and desolations they haue occasioned principally for their new religion , founded in bloud like draecos lawes : but i would gladly know whether you can approue such bloudy broiles for religion , or no ? i know protestants de facto , doe iustifie the ciuill warres of france and holland for good against their kings , but i could neuer vnderstand of them quo lure : if the hollanders be rebels ( as they are ) why did we support them● if they be no rebels , because they fight for the pretended liberty of their ancient priuiledges , and for their new religion ; we see it is an easie matter to pretend liberties , and also why may not others as as well reuolt for their old religion : or i beseech you , why is that accounted treason against the state in catholiques , which is called reason of state in protestants ? i reduce this argument to few words , that church which is founded and begun in ma●ice disobedience , passion , bloud , and rebellion , cannot be the true church : but it is euident to the world that the protestant churches in germanie , franc● , holland , geneua , &c. were so founded , and in geneua and holland are still continued in rebellion : ergo , they are not true churches . furthermore , where is not succession both of true pastors and of true doctrine , there is no true church : but among protestants is no succession of true pastors , ( for i omit here to treate of doctrine ) ergo , no true church . i prooue the minor : where is no consecration nor ordination of bishops and priests , according to the due forme and right intention required necessarily by the church and ancient councels , there is no succession of true pastors ▪ but among protestants the said due forme and right intention are not obserued , ergo , no succession of true pastors . the said due forme and right intention are not obserued among protestants in france , holland , nor germanie , where they haue no bishops , and where lay men doe intermeddle in the making of their ministers . and for england , whereas the councels require the ordines minores of subdeacon and the rest , to goe before priesthood ; your ministers are made per saltum without euer being subdeacons . and whereas the councels require three bishops to assist at the consecration of a bishop , it is certaine that at the nags-head in cheap-side where consecration of your first bishops was attempted but not effected ( whereabout i remember the controuersie you had with one ) there was but one bishop , and i am sure there was such a matter : and although i know and haue seene the records themselues , that afterward there was a consecration of doctor parker at lambeth , and three bishops named , viz. miles couerdall of exceter , one hodgeskin suffragan of bedford , and another whose name i haue forgotten , yet it is very doubtfull that couerdall being made bishop of exceter in king edwards time ( when all councels and church canons were little obserued ) he was neuer himselfe canonically consecrated ; and so if he were no canonicall bishop , he could not make another canonicall : and the third vnnamed , as i remember ( but am not sure ) was onely a bishop elect , and not consecrated , and so was not sufficient . but hereof i am sure , that they did consecrate parker by vertue of a breue from the queene as head of the church , who indeed being no true head and a woman , i cannot see how they could make a true consecration grounded on her authoritie . furthermore , making your ministers you keepe not the right intention ; for neither doe the orderer nor the ordered giue nor receiue the orders as a sacrament ; nor with any intention of sacrificing . also they want the matter and forme with which according to the councels and canons of the church holy orders should be giuen ; namely for the matter , priesthood is giuen by the deliuerie of the patena with bread , and of the chalice with wine : deaconship by the deliuerie of the booke of the gospels ; and subdeaconship by the deliuerie of the patena alone , and of the chali●e emptie . and in the substantiall forme of priesthood you doe faile most of all , which forme consists in these wordes , accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in ecclesia pro viuis & mortuis , which are neither said no● done by you , and therefore well may you bee called ministers , as also lay men are , but you are no priests . wherefore i conclude , wanting subdeaconship , wanting vndoubted canonicall bishops , wanting right intention , wanting matter and due forme , and deriuing euen that you seeme to haue from a woman the head of your church , therefore you haue no true pastors , and consequently no true church . and so to conclude , and not to wearie my selfe and you too much , being resolued in my vnderstanding , by these and many other arguments , that the church of england was not the true church , but that the church of rome was and is the onely true church , because it alone is ancient , catholique , and apostolique , hauing succession , vnitie , and visibilitie , in all ages and places ; yet what agonies i passed with my will , here i will ouer-passe . onely i cannot pretermit to tell you , that at last hauing also mastered and subdued my will to relent vnto my vnderstanding , by meanes of prayer , and by god almighties grace principally , i came to breake through many tentations and impediments , and from a troubled vnquiet heart to a fixed and peaceable tranquilitie of minde , for which i doe most humbly thanke our sweet lord and sauiour iesus , before whom with all reuerence i doe auouch and sweare vnto you , as i shall answere it in the dreadfull day of iudgement when all hearts shal be discouered , that i forsooke protestant religion for very feare of damnation ; and became a catholique with good hope of saluation ; and that in this hope i doe continue and increase daily : and that i would not for all the world become a protestant againe . and for this which here i haue written vnto you in great haste , i know there bee many replyes and reioynders wherewith i could neuer be satisfied ; nor doe i desire any further disputation about them , but rather to spend the rest of my life in deuotion ; yet in part to giue you , my deare good friend , some account of my selfe , hauing now so good an occasion and fit a messenger , and by you if you please to render a reason of my faith to master hall , who in his said printed epistle in one place desires to know the motiues thereof , i haue thus plainly made relation of some points among many . whereunto if master hall will make any reply , i doe desire it may bee directly & fully to the points and in friendly termes , vpon which condition i doe pardon what is past : and of you i know i neede not require any such circumstances . and so most seriously intreating and praying to our gracious lord to direct and keepe vs all and euer in his holy truth , i commend you vnto his heauenly grace , and my selfe vnto your friendly loue . seuill in spaine , this first day of aprill . . your very affectionate and true louing friend , iames waddesworth . to the worshipfull his respected friend master william bedell , at his house in saint edmundsbury , or at horinger , be there deliuered in suffolke . kinde master bedell , mine old acquaintance and friend hauing heard of your health and worldly well-fare , by this bearer master austen your neighbour , and by him hauing opportunitie to salute you with these few lines , i could not omit ; though some fewe yeeres since i wrote you by one who since told mee certainly hee deliuered my letters , and that you promised answere , and so you are in my debt , which i doe not claime not vrge so much , as i doe that in truth and before our lord i speake it , you doe owe me loue in all mutuall amitie , for the heartie affectionate loue which i haue and euer did beare vnto you with all sinceritie . for though i loue not your religion ( wherein i could neuer finde solide truth , nor firme hope of saluation , as now i doe being a catholique , and our lord is my witnesse who shall be my iudge ) yet indeed i doe loue your person , and your ingenuous , honest , good , morall condition , which euer i obserued in you : nor doe i desire to haue altercations with master ioseph hall ( especially if he should proceede as satyrically as he hath begun with me ) nor with any other man , and much lesse would i haue any debate with your selfe , whom i doe esteeme and affect as before i haue written : nor would i spend the rest of my life ( which i take to be short , for my lungs are decaying ) in any questions , but rather in deuotion , wherein i doe much more desire to bee hot and feruorous , then in disputations , beseeching our lord to forgiue my coldnesse , yea my neglect therein , and to pardon and free me from all sinne , and to guide and keepe you in all happinesse euen as i wish for mine owne soule , through the redemption of our sweet sauiour , and by the inter●ession of his holy mother , and all saints , amen . written in haste from madrid , . aprill . . your assured true friend , iames waddesworth . receiued i●ne . . to the worshipfull my very good friend master iames waddesworth at madrid , deliuer this . salutem in christo iesu. the late receipt of your letters ( good master waddesworth ) did diuersly affect me with ioy and shame ; and i know not with whether most . i was glad to heare of you , and your prosperous state , much more to receiue a kinde letter from you . ashamed , therein to be called vpon for debt ; who haue euer endeuoured to liue by that rule of the apostle ; owe nothing to any man. yet not so much for that which you must vrge the debt of loue , sith by that text it appears , that it can neuer be so discharged , as there should not be more behinde to pay . and your selfe who challenge this of me , doe owe me as much or well more . for let me tell you , i haue the aduantage of you herein by my profession , for where your loue is to me as to a man , or to an honest man , nor can by your present perswasion goe any further , i can and doe loue you as my deare brother , and fellow member in the mysticall body of our lord iesus christ. and from this ground ( to his knowledge i doe appeale ) i doe heartily pray for you , and beare with you , and as the apostle enioynes , rom. . . receiue you with a true brotherly affection . i am not therefore ashamed of this debt , but doe reioyce as much in the owing of it , as in the payment . but my shame growes from the being behinde with you in the office of writing . wherein yet heare my honest and true excuse . neither will i goe about to set off one debt with another . for you may remember how at our parting you promised to write to me touching the state of religion there , which if wee shall make out a perfect reckoning , i account to be a good debt still . but this i say , when your letters of the first of april , ▪ came to my hands , i purposed to returne answere by the same b●arer , who as hee told mee , was to returne about the midsommer following . but i had a sodaine and extraordinarie iourny which came betweene , and kept me from home till after the commencement , so as that opportunitie was lost . besides , vpon the reading of your letters , i perceiued your intention was to haue them imparted to doctor hall , expecting in a sort some reply from him . to him threfore did i send them . after some moneths i receiued this answere , which though i had once purposed to conceale , as not willing to be the meane of any exasperation betweene you , yet now hoping of your wisedome and patience i send you inclosed , that it may be some euidence of my true excuse . vpon the receipt of it , i began to frame an answere to the points of your letter , according to your desire , full , and in friendly termes . i had well-nigh finished it , when i was presented to this benefice , and thereby entered into a world of distractions . these , together with the labour of writing it ouer , and vncertaintie of safe conueighing my letters to you , did make mee procrastinate my payment , till now to my shame you should neede to demand it . and that i may by the more shaming my selfe obtaine a more easie penance from you ; i confesse to you , i was sometime halfe in the minde ( hauing especially differred it so long ) to suppresse it altogether . first , out of mine owne naturall disposition , who haue euer abhorred contention : and whereas in matters of religion there ought to be the fairest wars , i could neuer yet meete with any of that side of so patient a minde , but by opposition he would be vnsetled . for your selfe , though i knew your former moderate temper , and ( as i remember i wrote to doctor hall ) beleeued you in that which you protest , that out of conscience you were such as you professe ; yet me thought i perceiued by your quick manner to him , and some passages in the conclusion of your letter , you were rather desirous to enioy the quiet possession of your owne opinion , then come to any fur●her disputation whose is the right . and in truth the time of that triall had beene proper , before your departure : nor you had to● farre engaged your selfe ; and were to iustifie by your constancie , the wisedome of your change . besides , since the sum of the errour of that side , as i haue euer conceiued it , is beleeuing rather too much , then failing in any point necessary to saluation , that notable place of the apostle , rom. . . came to my minde , especially after that i had once occasion to preach of it , where he forbids controuersies of disputations with those that are infirme in faith . who art thou ( saith he ) that iudgest another mans seruant ? he standeth or falleth to his owne master . why should i grieue you , and perhaps make my friend mine enemy ( as saint paul the galathians ) by saying the truth . the world is full enough of contentious writings , which as by your letter appeares you had seen ere ye resolued . if those had not satisfied you , what could i hope to adde to them ? these things moued me ; but as you say , they did not yet satisfie me . for all men are interessed in the defence of truth , how much more he that is called to be a preacher of it ? all christians are admonished by saint iude , to fight for the faith once giuen to the saints ; how much more those that are leaders in this warfare : how could i say i loued our lord iesus christ , if his honour being questioned i should be silent ? how could i approue to mine owne soule that i loued you , if i sufered you to enioy your owne error , suppose not damnable . besides that , you and perhaps others also might be confirmed in it , perhaps interpreting my silence for a confession that your motiues were vnanswerable . but therein i was not onely resolued selfe to the contrary , but thought it so easie to resolue any indifferent minde , as me thought it was more shame not to haue done it at the first , then praise to doe it at the last . as for the successe of my endeauour , i was to leaue it to god. many and secret are the wayes of his prouidence , which serueth it selfe sometimes euen of our errours , to the safer conduct of vs to our finall happinesse . some i had known , and heard of more , who being at first carried away with the shewes of vnity , order , succession , infallability ; when they found them emptie of truth , and the cloakes of pride , ambition , coue●ousnesse , ioyned with an obstinacie to defend all corruptions how palpable so euer , by finding the difference of these hulles from their fathers table , had with the prodigall son returned home againe . to conclude , i accounted my selfe still in debt , and was i confesse to you unwilling to die in it ; and somtimes vowed to god , in the middest of my troubles , if i might once see an end of them , to endeuour to discharge it . and now hauing by his mercy not onely attained that , but a new occasion presented me presently thereupon , by your calling for satisfaction to pay it , and meanes offered me to send it safely : i take this motion to proceede from god , and doe humbly desire his maiesty to turne it to good . it remaines therefore , good master wadesworth , that i doe intreat your pardo● of that slacknesse that is past , and gentlenesse to take it as i shall be able to pay it . my employments both ordinary and extraordinary are many : the bulke of it is to great to conuey in one letter , consisting of sundry sheetes of paper ; and at this present there lies an extraordinary taske vpon me , so as i cannot presently writ it out . i doe therefore no more now but acknowledge the debt , and promise speedy paiment . vnlesse i shall adde this also , that i doe vndertake to pay interest for the forbearance ; and according as i shall vnderstand by master austen shall be fittest , and safest , to send it in parts , or all at once . to the conclusion of your last letter , wherein you professe your desire to spend the rest of your life rather in the heate of deuotion , then of disputation , desiring pardon of coldenesse that way , and of all other your sinnes , and that it would please god to guide and keepe me in all happinesse as your selfe , through the redemption of our sweete sauiour , and by the intercession of his holy mother and all saints . i doe most thankefully and willingly subscribe amen : returning vnto you from my heart your owne best wishes . neither is it my purpose to call into question the soliditie of truth , or firmenesse of the hope of saluation , which you finde in your present way . this onely i say . * et pro nobis christus mortuus est , & pro nostra redemptione sanguinem suum fudit . peccatores quidem , sed de ipsius grege sumus , & inter eius ouiculas numeramur : this is my tenet . and if the doctrine of the holy bible doe containe solid truth , and beleeuing in the name of the son of god doe giue firme hope of saluation , according to gods own record , iohn . . . . we are perswaded we haue both . i will adde this more ; we know that wee are translated from death to life , because wee loue our brethren . with this oyle in our lampes , which we desire may be alwayes in store in our vessels also our hearts , we attend the comming of the bridegroome ; and say cheerefully , * etiam veni domine iesu. to whose gracious protection i doe most hartily commit you , and doe rest , your assured friend and louing brother , w. bedell . horningesherth this fifth of august . to the worshipfull master william bedell at horningesherth neere saint edmundsbury in suffolke , these . salutem in crucifix● . worthy sir , i was exceeding glad to perceiue by your kinde , modest , and discreete letters of . of august last , that you are still permanent in your own good nature , and constant in your loue to me : not like master ioseph hall , neither bitterly reuiling nor flourishing impertinently . vnto whom i pray you returne ▪ his scoffing railing letter , with these few marginall noates . i pray god forgiue him , and make him a more humbler and meeker man. and i for my part doe freely pardon all his foule tearmes against me . and though in gratitude and iustice i am bound and so doe loue and respect you more then him , for your greater curtesie to me , and for your better value in your selfe ; yet euen him i can and doe and am bound to loue not onely as an enemy , or a creature of god , or as i doe you for an honest , morall , good , discreete man , but euen further and beyond that which you seeme to vnderstand that we cannot by our doctrine proceede in loue : viz. as men hauing soules for whom our sauiour hath died ; and so as possible members though indeede not actuall branches of his misticall body : yea for such as may come to be ingrafted and beare fruite in him , when we may be withered , cut off , or fallen away . as for your serious apologie and excuse for not answering my first letters all this while , i doe easily admit it , and assure my selfe that all the circumstances , impediments , and occasions were such , as you affirme : nor did i expect , nor vrge , in my first nor second letters any answere about controuersies in religion ( for i euer said we could say nothing of substance which before had not beene said ) but onely gaue you by masters hals occasion some few reasons of my faith , wherein still i protest i had rather be deuout then be troubled to dispute , not for feare or doubt , but because i am so fully resolued in my selfe , and do think it a very superfluous labour toties & melius ab alijs actum agere . so that i desired rather answere of curtesie then of controuersie , which now by master astons meanes i receiued , and doe much esteeme it , and hartily thanke you for it . neuerthelesse , when your replie vnto my plaine and few reasons come , i will for your sake both read them ouer , and according to my little health , lesse leisure , and my poore abilitie ( which is least of all ) returne you some such short reioynder as it shall please almighty god to enable me , being glad to perceiue by your last that you doe subscribe to our intercession by our blessed lady , and other holy saints ; which also i hope and wish you would fully extend to our inuocation of saints as intercessors , not as redeemers , for that were blaspemie indeede and idolatrie ; from which our sweete sauiour deliuer vs , and euer keepe you my good deere friend , as i desire . madrid , in haste , . octob. . iames waddesworth . to the worshipfull my very good friend m. iames waddesworth , at madrid , deliuer this . salutem in christo iesu. your letters of the . of october ( beloued master waddesworth ) were long vpon the way and came not to my hands till the . of may. in them i receiued your curteous acceptation of my excuse for my former silence , & censure of doctor hall letter with the profession of your loue to me and him , further then i accounted you could by your doctrine proceede , viz. as redeemed by christ , and possible members of his mysticall body . truely sir , i will not change words with you here abouts , but i account still to be an honest man , restraineth from that , to be redeemed by our sauiour , since that is as large as humane nature , this is giuen to fewer , of whom a man may say as our lord doth of one in the gospell , that they are not far from the kingdome of god. howsoeuer , i haue still my intention that wee out of our profession may loue you better then you can vs : since it is more to be an actuall , then a possible member of christ ; and the communion of saints is a staighter bond , then redemption by christ , and possibilitie of being ingrafted and bearing fruite in his mysticall body . and i would to christ that of all other controuersies this were the vehementest betweene vs , which should loue each other most . wherein although i would striue and doe my best to haue the better , yet see how equally i would contend . for both i would acknowledge freely , my selfe farre short of that which i may by my profession doe in this kinde , and perswade my selfe better of your secret affection to vs , then you may by your pofession expresse . i will not easily beleeue that you can finde in your heart to count that man a dogge , and out of the church , and in state of damnation , that stedfastly beleeueth in our lord iesus christ , and by him in the b. trinitie ; that confesseth all the doctrine of holy scriptures , the summe whereof is in the creede ; that lastly , with a charitable affection embraceth all that hold this faith , throughout the world , yea euen those that hate and persecute him to the death . wherein i forbeare for the present to enlarge , because i speake more of it in my answere to your first letters ; which master aston giues me hope that himselfe ere long will consigne into your hands . now by his direction , i send you onely aduice of the receipt of your last , with heartie thankes for them , desirous not to runne further in arrerages with you in this office of writing . this one thing i adde , that where you write you are glad i doe subscribe to your intercession by the saints , wishing me fully to extend it to inuocation of saints as intercessors , though not as redeemers ; i should be very glad if i could as well content you in all other points , as that one : comming thus prepared in all controuersies with you , and all men , to yeelde whatsoeuer i may , sauing the truth . but as i conceiue it , there is great oddes betweene these two . to desire god to grant vs this or that good thing by the intercession of the saints ; and , to vse inuocation of themselues . the one supposeth onely that the saints in glory generally knowing the warfare of those on earth , are carefull for them , and omit not this act of neuer failing charitie to pray for them . these praiers it hopes , and desires of god may be helpefull to vs , by the onely merit of our lord iesus christ ; in the same sort as those of the saints wheresoeuer on earth ; as cor. . . . ephes. . . philem. ver . . the other , that the saints departed know our wants , and states in particular , and heare our prayers , and by consequent know our hearts : which is flatly contrarie to the scriptures chron. . . esay . . to omit now that you doe not onely desire them to pray for you , but aske at their hands grace and glory , trust in them , vow to them , sweare by them , offer and receiue the sacrifice of the new testament to their honour and glory , and desire it may be accepted by their patronage . wherefore as i am glad to perceiue that you doe reuerse those blasphemies indeede , salua me saluatrix ; redime me redemptrix ; and will not subscribe to those words of bellarmine , non erit absurdum si sancti viri redemptores nostri aliquo modo , id est secundum aliquid , non simpliciter ; & largo modo ; non in rigore verborum esse dicantur : and againe , cur inepte dicantur sancti viri aliquo modo passionibus suis delicta nostra posse redimere ? so i hope and wish you would doe the like for calling vpon them , and presenting their merits vnto god ; and as yee may more safely and sweetely speake vnto our iesus , who is our aduocate with the father , entered into the holy of holies to appeare before god for vs. to his gracious protection i commit you , and doe rest horningshearth this . of iune , . your assured friend and louing brother w. bedell . to the worshipfull his much respected friend master william bedell at horningshearth by saint edmundsbury in suffolke , these . my very good friend master bedell , my last vnto you was by a gentleman who went from hence about sixe moneths since ; but i haue vnderstood hee fell sicke at paris , by the way , and so was first hindered there in his iourney , and afterward againe at brussels fell to a relapse , which detained him so long , that although now very lately i heare he is recouered and gone forward into england , yet in so long delayes & so often sickenesses , i know not whether hee haue lost or forgotten my former letters : wherefore out of this consideration , and by the opportunitie of this bringer , and by the true harty affection which i beare you , being desirous to signifie vnto you the continuance of my sincere loue , i could not pretermit this so good an occasion , though hereby i haue nothing else to say , nor intreate , but if wee haue ●arres , yet our dissention may be rather in the matter and cases , then betwixt our persons , as discreete lawyers vse to pleade vehemently each for his clyents iustice , and yet remaine betwixt themselues without breach of amitie , and abstaining from opprobrious iniurie ; wherein i haue great confidence that you will proceede both more moderately in all the circumstance , and to better purpose in the substance then master ioseph hall , vnto whose letter directed to you , and by you sent vnto me , i wrote certaine marginall notes onely , and so returned the same by the aboue named gentleman , whereof also ( if it returne to your hands ) i would intreate you to send me a copie both of his text and my glosse , for then being in haste i remained with neither . our lord keepe you , and guide vs all to his truth , and to heauen . madrid , . iune , . iames waddesworth . the letter of master d. hall , mentioned in the formerwith master waddesworths marginall notes . good master bedell , what a sorry crabbe hath master waddesworth at last sent vs from siuill ? i pittie the a impotent malice of the man ; sure that hot region , and a sulphurous religion are guiltie of this his choler . for ought i see hee is not onely turned papist but spaniard too . ibi vi●itur ambitiosa paupertate : the great man would not foyle his fingers ( for that is his word ) with such an aduersarie as my selfe ; hee should haue found this conflict his foyling indeede ; but hee scornes the match ; and what wonder if he that hath all this while b sat on father creswels staires , scorne the vnworthinesse of him whom an english vniuersitie scorned not to set in the chaire of diuinitie ? but whence is this my contempt ? i see but two vices to cleare my selfe of ; poetry and c railing ; of the latter you shall acquit mee if you will but reade that my poore epistle which he sleights thus : let your eyes iudge whether euer any thing could be written more mildely , more modestly , more louingly . of the former i must acquit my selfe ; cuius vnum est sed magnum vitium poesis : what were i the worse if i were still a louer of those studies ? if he could haue had leisure to tend vpon any thing besides that fathers packets , he might haue seene most of the renowned and holy fathers of the church eminent in that profession for which i am scornd ; amongst many others tertullian , lactantius , nazianzen , prudentius , fulgentius , apollinarius , nonnus , hilarius , prosper , and now in the vpshot d deuout bernard , and why should their honour be my disgrace ? but the truth is , these were the recreations of my minoritie ; nun● oblita mihi . and if poetrie were of the deadly sinnes of their casuists , i could smart for it in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : is this a fit scandall to ●ake vp from so farre ? what my proficiencie hath beene in serious studies , if the vniuersitie and church hath pleased to testifie : what neede i stand at the mercie of e a fugitiue . but if any of f his masters should vndertake me in the cause of god , he should finde i had studied prose . as for these vaine flourishes of mine , if he had not taken a veny in them , and found it smart , he had not strooke again so g churlishly ? was it my letter that is accused of poetry ? there is neither number , nor ryme , h nor fiction in it : would the great schoole man haue had me to haue packt vp a letter of syllogismes ? which of the fathers ( whose high steppes i haue desired to tread in ) haue giuen that example ? what were to be expected of a monitorie epistle which intended onely the occasion if he had pleased of a future discourse ? wee i slanders i list not learne to write letters from beyond the pyrenees . howsoeuer , i am not sorry that his scorne hath cast him vpon an aduersarie more able to conuince him ; i am allowed onely a looker on ; therefore i will neither ward nor strike ; his hands are too full of you : my onely wish is , that you could beare him sound againe ; whereof i feare there it little hope . there was neuer aduersarie that gaue more aduantage : hee might haue serued in th●se coleworts neerer home . i professe i doe hartily k pittie him ; and so if it please you let him know from me . what apostacie ( which is the onely hard word i can be charged with ) l impute to the roman church i haue professed to the world in the first chapter of my roma irreconciliabilis : if i offend not in too much charitie , there is no feare : say what you will for me , i haue done , and will onely pray for him that answers me with contempt : farewell , and commend mee to master sotheby , and your other louing and reuerend societie ; and know mee euer , your truely louing friend and fellow labourer , ios . hall . waltam . ian , . . good master bedell , this letter hath lien thus long by me for want of carriage . i now heare you are setled at horningsherth . whereby i wish you much ioy . i am appointed to attend the ambassador into france , whither i pray you follow me with your praiers . may . to my reuerend and worthy friend master doctor hall , at waltham deliuer this . salutem in christo. good master doctor , this letter of yours since my receipt of it , hath beene a traueller , further then you or i ; which being some moneths since returned into england , i returne to you that it may relate what entertainment it hath found in forraine parts . it is now a yeare and more that i receiued a letter from master waddesworth , challenging an old debt of me , an answere to his letters which occasioned this of yours . i wrote backe , and among other things enclosed this your letter , which he hath censured as you see . his answere by reason of the sicknesse of the gentleman that brought it , first at paris , and after at bruxels came not to me till the latter end of may , and now lately another i receiued from him , wherein he desires a copie both of your text and his glosse , as he cals it , as hauing reserued none for haste . i haue not yet sent him my answere to his motiues which hath long layen by me for lacke of leisure to copie it out , and meanes safely to conuey it , being well towards a quire of paper . my auncient fault , tediousnesse . but the gentleman that brought me his former letter , hath vndertaken ere long to consigne it into his hands . therein i endeauour to vse him with the best respect i can deuise , onely oppugning the papacy and court of rome . now sir , that which i would entreate of you , is this : you know the precept of the apostle touching them that are fallen , lend me your hand to set him in ioynt againe . and be pleased not onely not to reflect vpon the weakenesse of his glosse , but not so much as vpon the strength of his stomacke ● though that bee also weakenesse , as saint augustine well cals it , * infirmitas animositatis writ a letter to him in the character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shall either goe with mine , or be sent shortly after . who can tell what god may worke ? surely , at least we shall heape coales of fire vpon his head . although if all be true that i heare , it is not to be despaired but he may be deliuered out of the snare of error , the rather because he hath not that reward or contentment which he expected . he liues now at madrid with the persian ambassador sir robert sherly , and hath good maintenance from him , being as his steward , or agent . the kinde vsage of his ancient friends , may perhaps bring him in loue with his countrie againe , &c. this for that businesse . now. &c. october ▪ . to the worshipfull my very good friend master iames waddesworth at madrid deliuer this . salutem in christo iesu. sir , i receiued by master fiston your letters of the eight of iune , and as i hope ere this time you vnderstand , the former which i mention in them : to which i wrote in answere , and deliuered the same to master aston the . of the same moneth . doctor hals letter with your marginall notes which in your last you require , i send you herein enclosed . though if i may perswade or intreate you both , neither should the text nor glosse make you multiply any more words thereabout . vpon the receipt of your letter i spake with master aston , who told me that he held his resolution for spaine , whereupon i resolued also to send by him mine answer to your first : as thinking it better to doe it more safely , though a a little later , then sooner , with lesse safetie . and here sir at length you haue it . wherein as to my moderation for the manner , i hope you shall perceiue that setting aside our difference in opinion , i am the same to you that i was when we were either schollers together in emmanuell colledge , or ministers in suffolke . for the substance , i doe endeauour still to write to the purpose , omitting nothing materiall in your letters . if sometimes i seeme ouerlong , and perhaps to digresse somewhat from the principall point more then was necessary , i hope you will pardon it , sith you required a full answere , and the delay it selfe had neede to bring you some interest for the forbearance . and because you mention the vehemencie of discreete lawyers ( although me thinkes we are rather the clients themselues , that contend , since our faith is our owne and our best freehold ) let me entreate of you this ingenuitie ) which i protest in the sight of god i bring my selfe . ) let vs not make head against euident reason , for our owne credit , or fashion , and factions sake , as lawyers sometimes are wont . neither let vs thinke we loose the victory , when truth ouercomes . we shall haue part of it rather , and the better part , since errour the common enemy to vs both , is to vs more dangerous . for truth is secure and impregnable ; we , if our errour be not conquered , must remaine seruants to corruption . it is the first praise , saith saint augustine , to hold the true opinion , the next to forsake the false . and surely that is no hard masterie to doe , when both are set before vs , if we will not be either retchlesse , or obstinate . from both which our lord of his mercy euermore helpe vs , and bring vs to his euer lasting kingdome . amen . horningshearth , octo. . . your very louing brother w. bedell . the copies of certaine letters , &c. salutem in christo iesu. chap. i. of the preamble . the titles catholique , papist , traytor , idolater . sir , i doe first returne you heartie thankes , for the truth and constancie of your loue , and those best effects of it , your wishing mee as well as to your selfe , and reioycing in my safe returne out of italy . for indeede further i was not : though reported to haue beene both at constantinople and ierusalem , by reason of the neerness● of my name to one master william bidulph , the minister of our merchants at aleppo , who visited both those places . i thanke you also , that your ancient loue towards mee , hath ( to vse that word of the apostle ) now flourished againe , in that after so many yeeres , you haue found opportunitie to accomplish your promise of writing to mee : though not as ye vndertooke of the state of religion there , yet which i confesse i no lesse desired , the motiues of the forsaking that you had professed here . whereof since it hath pleased you , as yee write , now to giue mee an account , and by me to master doctor hall , with some expectation also as it appeares of reply from one of vs , i will vse the libertie which you giue me , and as directly as i can for the matter , and in christian termes for the manner , shew you mine opinion of them , wherein i shall endeauour to obserue that precept of the apostle ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whether it be to be interpreted , louing sincerely , or seeking truth louingly . neither soothing vntruth for the dearnesse of your person , nor breaking charitie for diuersitie of opinion . with this entrance , my louing friend , and if you refuse not that old catholike name , my deare brother , i come to your letter . wherein though i might well let passe that part which concernes your quarrell with master doctor hall , with aetatem habet ; yet thus much out of the common presumption of charitie , which thinkes not euill , giue mee leaue to say for him , i am verily perswaded he neuer meant to charge you with apostasie in so horrible a sense as you count , viz. a totall falling from christian religion , like that of iulian , an obstinate pertinacy ●n denying the principles of the faith necessarie to saluation , or a renouncing your baptismee the terme apostasie , as you know , doth not alwaies sound so hainously . a monke forsaking his order , or a clerke his habit , is in the decretals stiled an apostata . granatensis saith not vntruly , that euery deadly sinne is a kinde of apostasie . the apostle saint paul speaking of antichrists times , saith , there must come an apostasie before christs second comming : and how this shall be he shewes elsewhere . men shall giue heede to spirits of error , and doctrines of deuils , and such as speake falsehood in hypocrisie● whereby it seemes that antichrist himselfe shall not professedly renounce christ and his baptisme . his kingdome is a mysterie of iniquitie ; a reuolt therefore , not from the outward profession , but inward sinceritie and power of the gospel . this kinde of apostasie might bee that which master hall was sory to finde in you , whom hee thought fallen from the truth , though not in the principles of christian doctrine , yet in sundry conclusions which the reformed churches truely out of them maintaine . he remembred our common education in the same colledge , our common oath against popery , our common calling to the same sacred function of the ministery , he could not imagine vpon what reasons you should reuerse these beginnings . and certainly , how weightie and sufficient soeuer they be , wee are not taught by our catholicke religion to reuenge our selues , and render reproch for reproch with personall termes ; much lesse to debase and auile the excellent gifts of god , as is po●sie , the honour of dauid and salom●n , by the testimony of the holy ghost himselfe . these courses are forbidden vs when wee are reiled vpon , and calumniated ; how much more when as saint peter speakes , wee are beaten for our faults ; as it falls out in your case , if these motiues of yours be weake and insufficient ; which we shall anon consider . you say , you are become catholicke . were you not then so before ? the creed whereinto you were baptized , is it not the catholicke faith ? the conclusion ●ertes of athanasius creed , which is but a declaration thereof , saith , haec est fides catholica . or is not he a catholick that holds the catholicke faith ? that which was once answered , touching the present church of england , to one in a stationers shop in venice , that would needs know what was the difference betwixt vs and the catholickes . it was told him none : for we accounted our selues good catholicks . when he vnwilling to bee put of in his answer , for lacke of due forme in his question , pressed to know what was the difference betwixt vs and them there . he was a swered , this ; that wee beleeued the catholicke faith conta●ned in the creed , but did not beleeue the thirteenth ar●●cle which the pope had put to it . when he knew not of any such article ; the extrauagant of pope boniface was brought , where hee defines●● to bee altogether of necessitie to saluation , to euery humane creature to bee vnder the bishop of rome . this thirteenth article , of the thirteenth apostle , good master wadesworth , it seemes you haue learned , and to are become , as some now speake and write catholike romane . that is in true interpretation vniuersall-particular● which because they cannot bee equalled , the one ●estraining and cutting off from the other , take heed that by streightning your faith to rome , you haue not altered it , and by becomming romane , left off to bee catholike . thus , if you say , our ancestors were all till of late yeeres . excuse mee sir , whether you call our ancestors the first christian inhabitants of this i le , or the ancient christians of the primitiue church ; neither those , nor these were roman-catholikes ; namely , the fathers of the african councell , and amongst these saint augustine : and therefore by pope boniface his sentence bee vndoubtedly damned for taking vpon them , by the deuils instinct ( if wee beleeue another * pope boniface ) to waxe proud against the church of rome . such catholikes , if yee meane the most of christendome be at this day . beware of putting your selfe vpon that issue . beleeue mee , either yee must frame a new cosmography , yes , a new world , or else yee are gone if it come to most voyces in christendome . touching the names of papist , traytor , idolater . the first is no mis-calling you , as comprizing the very character that difference●h you from all other catholikes . neither by our rhemists aduice should you be ashamed of it , sith to be a papist , by their interpretation is nothing else , but to bee a christian man , a childe of the church , and subiect to christs v●car . the wise state of venice haue a little different notion of their papaelines , excluding from sundry their consultations vnder that name , such of the nobilitie as are obliged to the pope by ecclesiasticall promotions . true it is that they apply it also to papalines in faction , such as are superstitiously deuoted to the maintaining of all the popes vsurped authoritie ; in which sense shope you are no papist . a traytor i am assured m●ster doctor hall will neuer call you , vnlesse hee know that you haue drunke so deepe of the cup of error , as to beleeue the pope ●y depose your prince ; that you are not bound to obey him being so deposed ; that in that case , it is lawfull , yea meritorious to kill him ; that they are mar●yrs that are executed 〈◊〉 plotting to blow him vp with gun-powder , though vndeposed ; hoping it would bee no lesse agreeable to hi● holinesse , then ( that which hee desired ) to haue kep● him from comming to the crowne at first . if you be thus perfectly a papist , not onely wee here in england , but i beleeue his catholicke maiestie , vnder whose obedience now ye liue , whensoeuer he should be that prince , would account you a traytor , and punish you accordingly . i hope you are farre from these furies . for idolatry , if to giue diuine honour to creatures , deserue that name , consider how you can defend or excuse those prayers to the blessed virgin , tu no● ab ●oste protege . & ●or â mortis suscipe . and to the crosse , augepus ●●stitiam re●sque dona veniam : i omit to speake of the popes omnipotencie . i hope also you keepe your selfe from this idolatry . in protestant religion , you say , you coui● neuer ●●nae v●●formitie of a settled faith. how so ? when you had that same * one onely immoueable and vnreforma●ie ●nie of ●aith as tertullian calls it , euery lords day recited ●n your ●earing , if not by your mouth . i meane the creea , of which irenaeus * saith , that hee which is able to say much of 〈◊〉 exceeds it not , nor hee that lesse 〈◊〉 . which saint augustine cals the rule common to great and 〈◊〉 ; which mig●● well enough haue settled and quieted 〈◊〉 conscience . wh●lest you laboured to finde the truth in all doubtfull questions . whereto how carefully and diligently you vsed the meanes of reading , studying , and praying for three or foure yeeres , god and your conscience best know . for conferring , i cannot yeeld you any testimonie , notwithstanding our familiaritie , and that we were not many miles asunder , and you were also priuie , that i had to doe in these controuersies with some of that side , and saw some sample of the worke . i come now to your motiues . chap. ii. of the contrarietie of sects pretanded to bee amongst reformers . in the front whereof is the comm●on exception , to our contrar●etie of sects and opinions , &c. first , what are all these to the church of england , which followeth none but christ ? then , if it be a fault of the reformed churches , that there is strife and diuision amongst them , as who will iustifie it ; yet let it finde pardon , if not for corinths sake , and the prim●tiue churches what time themistius was faine to excuse it with an oration to valens the emperour , yet euen for romes : where also you cannot but know , that in very many and most important points , diuines hold one thing and canonists another ; the french , and lately also the venetian diuines , resist to his face , him , that others say no man may bee so hardie as to aske , domine cur ita facus ? though he should draw with him innumerable soules to hell . your spanish prelates and diuines , would neuer acknowledge in the councell of trent ( the mysteries whereof are come out at last ) that episcopall authoritie was deriued from him , nor consent to that circum●enting clause proponentibus legatis , &c. and were strong that residence is , de iure diuino ; howsoeuer they were ouerruled by the italian faction : whether they haue yet changed their mindes , you can better tell then i. the old faction of the thomists and scotists is yet a foot , as i perceiue by rada his controuersies . in the beginning whereof the censor of the booke hath this sentence . qua prop●er audiendi nullatonus sunt , qui has theologicas contentiones è medio omnino expl●dendas arbitrantur . there is another lately risen betweene the dominicans and the iesuites ; both in as great matters , and pursued with as great vehemencie , as those of the reformed churches , excepting onely a few fierie spirits of saxony . but in the church of england , as reformation was not brought in by any one man , but by the ioynt consent of the whole , so it is yet continued . lutherans , zuinglians , caluinists , are not knowne among vs , saue by hearesay . whereof it is some signe , that your selfe doe not know them well , as it seemes , when you distinguish them from protestants . a name first giuen to the princes and free cities of germany , that sought reformation in the diet at spire , anno . and from them passed to vs and other countries where it was effected . who are then protestants , if the lutherans and zuinglians bee not ? for of both these there were in that diet ; the heluetians and parts adioyning of germany , hauing beene reformed at home , first by the preaching of zuinglius ; the saxons , and the remnant of luther . who much about one time and without any correspondence , began to oppose the popes indulgences , and differed not for ought that euer i could yet vnderstand , saue in the manner of christs presence in the eucharist . yea , in that also taught vniformely , that the bodie and bloud of our sauiour are present ; not to the elements , but to the receiuer , in the vse , and without transubstantiation . as for those whom you call caluinists ; and the rest puritanes , cartwrightists , and brownists , tell mee in good sooth , master wadesworth , how doe they differ from the reformed churches in helueti● , or the church of england , saue in the matter of gouernment onely ? see th●n all this contrarietie of sects meetly well reconclled . for puritanes , cartwrightists , and brownists , are in substance of doctrine all one with caluinists , and these with zwinglians , who were of the first protestants , and differ litle or nothing from those whom yee call lutherans . whereof this may bee a sensible proofe , that commonly their aduersaries and your selfe after call them by the same name , the protestant churches in germanie , france , holland , and geneua . and pope leo the tenth in his condemnatorie bull ; and likewise charles the fifth in his imperiall edict , doe reflect wholly vpon luther and his followers , without any mention of the other at all . to conclude this matter ; as it is vndoubtedly a signe of a good minde to dislike contention , and diuersities of opinions , and it may haue pardon to apprehend sometimes more then there is indeed ; like to the melancholike old man in the comedie , whose suspition makes him to multiply on this manner . qui mihi intromisisti in aedes quingentos coquos , so to muster vp emptie names , without any reall difference , as pur●tans , cartwrightists , brownists ; to make differences in a few opinions about gouernment or sacraments , sects and contrarieties , hath not the character of ingenuous and sincere dealing , which from you master waddesworth , i did and doe expect . but some of these damne each other , auouching their positions to be matters of faith , not schoole questions of opinion only . here indeed there is fault on all sides in this age , that we cannot be content with the bounds which the ancient church hath set , but euery priuate opinion must be straight-wayes an article of faith. euery decision of a pope , euery decree of a councell . and then as men are easily enamored of their owne conceits , and as gerson wisely applies that of the poet , qui amant sibi somnia fingunt ; as if the very marrow of religion consisted in those points , those that thinke otherwise are heretikes , and in state of damnation . the roman faction goes further , to fire and faggot , and all exquisite torments , as if those things that make against the papacie , were more seuerely to bee punished then the blasphemies of the iewes , or mahumetisme it selfe . i doe not excuse the reformers of this bitternesse , wherein after your departure out of england , my namelesse aduersarie that vnder-tooke master alablasters quarrell , giuing me ouer in three of his demands , ran riot in the first , about this point of opposition among our selues , and raked together all the vehement speeches of luther , and some of his followers , against those whom they call the sacramentaries . why , who will vndertake to defend lutbers speeches , or all that falls from contentious pens ? but euen out of those testimonies , which himselfe brings for the worst that hee could on the contrarie part ; it appeares , this eagrenesse is not mutuall . and in truth , both we in england , and the helue●ians , and french , doe maintaine a brotherly affection towards them of saxonie , how spitefully soeuer some of them write of vs. and euen of those whom he calls lutherans , as i perceiued while i was at norimberg , the moderater sort are alike affected towards vs. but as touching the auouching our opinions to be matters of faith ( which exception is common to you with him ) that which i should haue answered him , if i had found in him any thing but spite and scorne , i will say now to you . verily in some sort euen the least conclusions in diuinitie are matters of faith. for both faith hath to doe with them , and they are fetched by discourse , from the first principles holden by faith , whence our whole religion is called by saint iude , the faith once deliuered to the saints . and the least error in them , by consequence ouerthrowes the same principles whence they are deduced . that makes some , to mooue attention in their readers to say , the questions are not about small matters , but of the principall articles of religion , euen about the foundation . as cu●aeus whom he cites , saith , the question is of two articles of faith. first , of that which teacheth that in christ two natures are vnited . secondly , of the article , he ascended into heauen . why ? doe not both sides agree to these ? yes . but one side fetches arguments against vbiquitie from these places , and thereupon saith , the question is about these articles ; perhaps also chargeth the other to denie them . hee cites pappus writing thus , agitur inter nos de omnipotentia dei , &c. the controuersie betwixt vs , is about the omnipotencie of god. the personall vnion of the two natures in christ. the communication of properties . the glorious body of our sauiour , &c. loe againe , euery place of argument or defence is made the matter of controuersie . out of these and such like confessions on either side , my namelesse aduersarie will needes enforce , with great pompe and triumph ; what thinke yee ? that such sanctified men ( this is his scoffing language ) goe not together by the eares for moon-shine in the water . againe , that all those myrmidonian fights and bloudie encounters bee not de lanâ caprinâ aut de vmbrâ asini — why , who said they were ? i will set downe here my wordes , that you may iudge of the conscience of this man , and haue with all the substance of my answere to this obiection . and what if some outragious spirits on each side , trans●ported with passion in their oppositions , haue vsed most bitter and vnbeseeming speeches to their aduersaries , and sometimes haue shewed each other small humanitie ; are you so simple as not to discerne betweene the choller of some few opinionate men , and the consequence of their opinions ? haue you forgotten saint hierome and ruffinus deadly foe-hood , which was rung ouer the world ? or epiphanius and chrysostomes , or victors and the greeke bishops ? which proceeded so farre about a trifle , that hee excommunicated them ; which is little lesse i thinke then to condemne to the pit of hell. and yet if i should put it to your iudgement , i am perswaded you would grant they held all truth necessarie to saluation . for you must remember pope boniface had not yet coyned the new article of the faith , that i mentioned before . what shall i speake of saint paul and barnabas , which grew to such bitternesse , and that about a very little question of conueniency , that though they were sent out together by the holy ghost , they brake off companie . these be humane passions , which wisedome would we should pittie , when they grow to such extremities , vpon so small cause ; rather then from their outrage to gather there is iust cause to encrease . doe we not see that euen naturall brethren doe sometimes defie one another , and vse each other with lesse respect then strangers ? now from hence would you conclude they bee not brethren ; and hearten them on , and say to the one , that sith his halfe brother is not so neere to him , as he with whom he is thus at oddes , hee must fall out worse with him . you should well so deserue the hate of god , for a make-hate betweene brethren . these were all my wordes set downe in answere to his obiecting our owne contentions and condemning each other , to proue that therefore we could not hold continuitie with the ancient church of england , from which we dissented much more . i held as you may perceiue , that neither amongst our selues , nor from our predecessors wee disagree in any truth necessarie to saluation . hee makes me to say , our dissentions are about moone shine , and de vmbrâ asini , & de la●â caprinâ , and tr●fles , and matters of no consequence . to returne to you , good master waddesworth , let men auouch as confidently as they will touching their owne positions , est de fide. n●hil certius apud catholicos , and of their contraries crie out . they are heretikes , renew ancient heresies , race the foundation , denie the articles of the creede , gods ●●●ipoteney , &c. all because themselues by discourse , can ( as they thinke ) fasten such things vpon them : a sober christian must not giue heede to all that is said in this kinde . these things must be examined with right iudgement , and euer with much charitie , and patience , remembring that our selues know in part , and prophesie in part . in a word● this should not haue so much disquieted you . nor yet that which you adde , that euery one pretends scripture . best of all , saith saint chrysostome , for if wee should say we beleeue humane reasons , thou mightest with good reason 〈◊〉 troubled , but when as we receiue the 〈◊〉 , and they bee simple and true , it will 〈…〉 thing for 〈◊〉 to i●dge , &c. and to what purpose indeed serues the facultie of ●●●son perfected and polished with learning ? wherefore the supernaturall light of faith ? wherefore the gift of god in vs ministers con●erred by the imposition of hands ? but 〈◊〉 which side handles the word of god deceitfully , which sincerely . but here againe , each side arrogates the holy ghost in his fauour . what then ? if wee our selues haue the anointing , we shall be able as we are bidden to trie the spirits , whether they bee of god or no ? for wee will not b●leeue them , because they say they haue the spirit , or cannot bee deceiued , but because their doctrine is consonant to the principles of heauenly truth , which by the writings inspired by himselfe , the holy ghost hath grauen in our hearts . which writings are well acknowledged by you , to be the law and rule , according whereunto , in iudgement of religion we must proceede . chap. iii. of the want of a humane externall infallible iudge and interpreter . as to that you say , did about all trouble you , the want of a certaine humane externall infallible iudge to interpret scripture , and define questions of faith without error . what if you found not an externall humane iudge , if you had an internall diuine one ? and hauing an infallible rule by which your humane iudge should proceede , why should you trust another mans applying it , rather then your own , in a matter concerning your owne saluation ? but i● god haue left vs no such externall iudge , if antiquitie knew 〈◊〉 , if religion neede none , it was no iust motiue to leaue vs , that you could finde none , amongst all those sects which 〈…〉 . and how much lesse if you haue 〈…〉 amended your selfe where you are ; which we shall consider by and by ? i say then first , that to make this your motiue of any moment , it must be shewed , that god hath appointed such a iudge in his church . let that appeare out of some passage of holy scripture . for your conceit or desire that such a iudge there should be , to whom you might in conscience obey , and yeeld your selfe , because he could not err● , doth not proue it . you would know the truth , onely by the authoritie , and sole pronouncing of the iudges mouth . a short and easie way , which to most men is plausible , because it spares the paines of studie and discourse . to such especially , as either out of weaknesse dare not trust their owne iudgement , or account it shall haue the merit of humilitie , to bee led by their teachers . but what now if god will haue you call no man your father vpon earth ? if he will send you to his word ? and after you haue receiued the faith by the churches testimonie out of the easie and plaine places thereof , bid you search the scriptures , to finde the truth in the remnant , and pick it out by your owne industrie . the rich man being in hell torments ( in whose wordes i doubt not but our sauiour doth impersonate and represent the conceits of many men liuing in this world ) presumes that if one were sent from the dead his kinsmen would hearken to him , but he is remitted to moses and the prophets . the iewes as i perceiued by speech with some of them at venice , make it one of their motiues , that our lord iesus is not the christ. he should not , say they , haue come in such a fashion , to leaue his owne nation in doubt and suspence ; and scandalize so many thousands ; but so as all men might know him to be what he was . miserable men ! that will giue lawes to god. of which fault be you a ware also ( good master waddesworth ) and be content to take , not to prescribe the meanes by which you will be brought vnto the knowledge of the truth ▪ to vse what hee hath giuen , not to coniecture and diuine what he must giue . but god failes not his church in such meanes as be necessarie . let vs therefore consider the necessitie of this iudge . where i beseech you consider ( for i am sure you cannot but know it ) that all things necessary to saluation are euidently set downe in holy scripture ? this both the sciptures themselues doe teach , and the fathers auouch , namely saint augustine and saint chrysostome , and others . i forbeare to set downe their words , or further to confirme this lemma , which i proued at large against another aduersarie , and shall at all times make good if it be questioned . besides these points , there are a great manie other though not of such necessitie , yet euidently laid downe also in the same scriptures , by occasion of them . manie by iust discourse may be cleared from these , and the former . if any thing yet remaine in suspence , and vnknowne , yea or if you will erred in , so it be not wilfully and obstinately , yet shall it be euer without perill of damnation to him that ▪ receiueth what the holy ghost hath plainely deliuered . what necessitie then of your imaginarie iudge ? yes ▪ for vnitie is a goodly thing , not onely in matters necessarie , but vniuersally in all . controuersies must not bee endlesse . but how comes it to passe then that your iudge , whosoeuer hee be , doth not all this while decide the question touching the conception of the blessed virgin , that is betweene the dominicans , and franciscans , nor that betweene the dominicans and iesuites touching grace and free-will ; and all other the points that are controuerted in the schooles ; to spare contention and time ( a precious commoditie among wise men ) and giue this honour to diuinitie alone , that in ●t all doubts should be reduced to certainties ? or if it seeme no wisedome to bee hastie in deciding such questions ; wherein wittie and learned men are engaged , least in stead of changing their opinions , they should fall to challenge not onely the infallibilitie , but which were more dangerous the authoritie of their iudge : if it be thought better to leaue scope to opinions , opposition it selfe profitably seruing to the boulting out of the truth . if vnitie in all things bee as it seemes despaired of , by this your gellius himselfe ; why are wee not content with vnitie in things necessary to saluation , expresly set downe in holy scripture : and anciently thought to suffice , reseruing infallibilitie as an honour proper to god speaking there ? why should it not be thought to suffice , that euery man hauing imbraced that necessarie truth , which is the rule of our faith , thereby trie the spirits whether they be of god or no. if hee meete with any that hath not that doctrine , receiue him not to house , nor salute him . if consenting to that , but otherwise infirme or erring , yet charitably beare with him . this for euery priuate man. as for the publike order & peace of the church , god hath giuen pastors and teachers , that we should not bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine , and amongst them appointed bishops , to command that men teach no other or forraine doctrine , which was the end of timothy his leauing at ephesus , . tim. . . then , the apostles themselues by their example , haue commended to the church the wholsome vse of synodes , to determine of such controuersies as cannot by the former meanes be composed ; but still by the holy scriptures , the law or rule , as you say well , by which all these iudges must proceede . which if they doe not , then may they be deceiued themselues , and deceiue others as experience hath shewed , yet neuer bee able to extinguish the truth . to come to antiquitie . there is not any one thing belonging to christian religion , if wee consider well , of more importance , then how the puritie of the whole may bee maintayned . the ancients that write of the rest of christian doctrine , is it not a miracle , had they knowne any such infall●ble iudge , in whose oracle the securitie of all , with the perpetuall tranquillitie of the church is contayned , they should say nothing of him ? there was neuer any age wherein there haue not beene heresies , and sects ▪ to which of them was it euer obiected that they had no infallible iudge ? how soone would they haue fought to amend that defect , if it had beene a currant doctrine in those times , that the true church cannot bee without such an officer ? the fathers that dealt with them , why did they not lay aside all disputing , and appeale them only to this barre ? vnlesse perhaps that were the let which cardinall bellarmine tells the venetians , hindered saint paul from appealing to saint peter , l●st they should haue made their aduersaries to laugh at them for their labour . well : howsoeuer the cardinall hath found out a merrie reason for saint paules appealing to caesars iudgement , not peters , lest hee should expose himselfe to the laughter of pagans : what shall wee say when the fathers write professedly to instruct catholike men , of the forepleadings and aduantages to bee vsed against heretikes , euen without descending to triall by scriptures ? or of some certaine generall and ordinarie way to discerne the truth of the catholike faith from the prophane nouelties of heresies ? had they knowne of this infallible iudge , should wee not haue heard of him in this so proper a place , and as it were in a cause belonging to his owne court. nay , doth not the writing it selfe of such bookes shew , that this mattter was wholly vnknowne to antiquitie ? for had the church beene in possession of so easie and sure a court to discouer and discard heresies , they should not haue needed to taske themselues to finde out any other . but the truth is , infallibilitie is , and euer hath beene accounted proper to christs iudgement . and as hath beene said , all necessarie truth to saluation hee hath deliuered vs in his word . that word , himselfe tells vs , shall iudge at the last day . yea , in all true decisions of faith , that word euen now iudgeth , christ iudgeth , the apostle sits iudge ▪ christ speakes in the apostle . thus antiquitie . neither are they moued a whit with that obiection : that the scriptures are often the matter of controuersies . for in that case the remedie was easie which saint augustine shewes to haue recourse to the plaine a places , and manifest such b as should need no interpreter : for such there bee , by which the other may bee cleered . the same may be said , if sometimes it be questioned , which bee scriptures , which not . i thinke it was neuer heard of , in the church , that there was an externall infallible iudge , who could determine that question . arguments may be brought from the consent or dissent with other scriptures , from the attestation of antiquitie , and inherent signes of diuine authoritie , or humane infirmitie : but if the auditor or aduersarie yeeld not to these , such parts of necessitie must needes be laid aside . if all scripture be denied ( which is as it were exceptio in iudicem ante litis contestationem ) faith hath no place , onely reason remaines . to which i thinke it will scarce seeme reasonable , if you should say , though all men are liers , yet this iudge is infallible ; and to him thou oughtest in conscience to obey and yeeld thy vnderstanding in all his det●rminations , for hee cannot erre . no not if all men in the world should say it . vnlesse you first set downe there is a god , and stablish the authoritie of the bookes of holy scripture , as his voyce , and thence shew if you can , the warrant of this priuiledge . where you offi●me , the scriptures to be the law and the rule , but alone of themselues cannot bee iudges ; if you meane , without being produced , applied , and heard ; yee say truth . yet nicodemus spake not a●isse , when hee demanded , doth our law iudge any man , vnlesse it heare him first ? hee meant the same which saint paul , when hee said of the high priest , thou sittest to iudge me according to the law : and so doe we when wee say the same . neither doe wee send you to angels , or god himselfe immediately , but speaking by his spirit in the scriptures , and ( as i haue right now said ) alledged , and by discourse applied to the matters in question . as for princes , since it pleased you to make an excursion to them , if wee should make them infallible iudge , or giue them authoritie to decree in religion as they list , as gardiner did to king henry the eight , it might well bee condemned for monstrous , as it was by caluin , as for the purpose , licere regi interdicere populo vsum calicis in coena , quarè ? potestas . 〈◊〉 . summa est penes regem , quoth gardiner . this was to make the king as absolute a tyrant in the church , as the pope claimed to bee . but , that princes which obey the truth , haue commandement from god , to command good things , and forbid euill , not onely in matters pertaining to humane societie , but also the religion of god , this is no new strange doctrine , but calums , and ours , and s. augustines , is so many words . and this is all the head-ship of the church wee giue to kings . whereof a queene is as well capable as a king , since it is an act of authoritie , not ecclesiasticall ministery ; proceeding from eminencie of power , not of knowledge , or holinesse . wherein not onely a learned king , as ours is ; but a good old woman ( as queene elizabeth , besides her princely dignitie was ) may excell as your selues confesse , your infallible iudge himselfe . but in power hee saith , hee is aboue all : which not to examine for the present , in this power princes are aboue all their subiects i trow ; and saint augustine saith plainly , to command and forbid , euen in the religion of god , still according to gods word , which is the touchstone of good and euill . neither was king henry the eight , the first prince that exercised this power , witnesse dauid , and salomon , and the rest of the kings of iudah before christ , and since that kings were christians ▪ the affaires of the church haue depended vpon them , and the greatest synodes haue beene by their decree , as socrates , expresly saith . nor did king henry claime any new thing in this land , but restored to the crowne the ancient right thereof , which sundry his predecessors had exercised as our historians and lawyers with one consent affirme . the rest of your induction of archbishops , bishops , and whole clergie in their conuocation house , and a councell of all lutherans , caluinists , protestants , &c. is but a needlesse pompe of words , striuing to win by a forme of discourse , that which gladly shall bee yeelded at the first demand . they might all erre , if they were as many as the sand on the sea shoare , if they did not rightly apply the rule of holy scriptures , by which , as you acknowledge the externall iudge , which you seeke , must proceed . as to your demand therefore , how you should be sure when , and wherein they did , and did not erre ; where you should haue fixed your foot ? to forbeare to skirmish with your confirmation ( that though , à posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia , yet , aliquando valet : & , frustra dicitur potentia quae nunquam dueitur in actum . ) to the former whereof i might tell you , that without question , nunquam valet : and to the second , that i can verie well allow , that errandi potentia , among protestants be euer frustra . this i say freely , that if you come with this resolution to learne nothing by discourse , or euidence of scripture , but only by the meere pronouncing of a humane externall iudges mouth , to whom you would yeeld your vnderstanding in all his determinations : if , as the iesuites teach their schollers , you will wholly deny your owne iudgement , and resolue , that if this iudge shall say , that is blacke , which appeares to your eyes white , you will say it is blacke too ; you haue posed all the protestants ; they cannot tell how to teach you infallibly . withall i must tell you thus much , that this preparation of minde in a scholler , as you are , in a minister , yea in a christian , that had but learned his creed , much more that had from a childe knowne the holy scriptures , that are able to make vs wise to saluation , through the faith that is in christ iesus , were too great weakenesse , and to vse the apostles phrase childishnesse of vnderstanding . but at length you heard a sound of harmony and consent , that in the catholike church , as in noahs arke was infallibilitie , and possibilitie of saluation ; which occasioned you to seeke out , and to enter into this arke of noah . the sound of consent and infallibilitie is most pleasing and harmonious , and vndoubtedly euer and onely to bee found in the catholike church , to wit , in the rule of faith , and in the holy scriptures , and such necessarie doctrine as perfectly concordeth with the same . but as in song many discords doe passe in smaller notes , without offence of the eares , so should they in smaller matters of opinion in the church , without the offence of iudicious and charitable mindes . which yet i speake not to iustifie them ; nay , i am verily of the minde , that this is the thing that hath marred the church musicke in both kindes , that too much libertie is taken in descant to depart from the gound , and as one saith , notae nimium denigrantur . the fault of the italians : though they thinke themselues the onely songsters in the world . but to returne to you , tell me , i beseech you ( good master wadesworth ) was this the harmonie that transported you . the pope himselfe saith , i cannot erre , and to mee thou oughtest to haue recourse for decision of doubts in matters of faith . and whereas this is not onely denied by protestants , but hath beene euer by the french , and anciently i am sure by the spanish , lately by some italian diuines also , vnlesse hee vse due meanes to finde the truth ; yea , whereas it is the issue of all the controuersies of this age ; in this snare you fastned your foot , this was the center that settled your conscience , this the solid and firme foundation of your faith . what ? and did it not moue you , that some limit this infallibilitie of the pope thus , if hee enter canonically , if hee proceed aduisedly , and maturely , vsing that diligence that is fit to finde out the truth ; that is ( as you said before ) proceeding by the rule , the scriptures ? albeit to the fathers of the african councell it seemed incredible ( as they write in their synodall epistle to p. coelestine standing for appeales to himselfe ) that god can inspire the right i● t●iall to one , denying it to many bishops in a councell . tell vs then , who made you secure of these things ? or did you in truth , neuer so much as make question of them , but hearing this harmonious sound ; the pope is the infallible iudge , you trusted the new masters of that side , gregory de valentia , and bellarmine , that whether the pope in defining doe vse diligence or no , if hee doe define , hee shall define infallibly . alas sir ! if this were the rest you found for the soale of your foot , instead of moueable water , you fell vpon mire and puddle ; or rather like to another doue mentioned in scripture , columba seducta non habens cor , by the most chaffie shrap that euer was set before the eyes of winged fowle , were brought to the doorefall . excuse my griefe , mixed i confesse with some indignation , but more loue to you , though i thus write . many things there be in poperie inconuenient , and to my conceit weakely and vngroundedly affirmed , to say no more ; but this is so absurd and palpably a flatterie , as to omit to speake of you , for my part i cannot bee perswaded that paulus the fifth beleeues it himselfe . for consider i pray , what needed anciently the christian emperours , and sometimes at the request of the bishops of rome themselues , to haue gathered together so many bishops from so diuers parts of the world to celebrate councells , if it had beene knowne and beleeued then , that one mans sentence might haue cleered all controuersies , and put all heresies to silence ? how durst sundrie holy , and learned men haue reiected his decisions , whether right or wrong is not now the question , vnchristianly out of doubt on their parts , if hee had beene then holden the infallible oracle of our religion ? as when polycrates , with the bishops of asia , and irenaeus also yeelded not to victor , excommunicating the easterne churches about the celebration of easter , when saint cyprian , with the first councell of carthage of eightie sixe bishops had decreed , that such as were baptized by heretickes , should bee rebaptized , and certified stephanus of this decree , and he opposed it , and would haue nothing innouated , would cyprian after that haue resisted and confuted stephanus his letter , had he knowne him for infallible ? and how doth hee confute him ? as erring , writing impertinently , contrarie to himselfe . yea , let it bee obserued , that hee doth not onely not account stephanus infallible , but not so much as a iudge ouer any bishop . see the vote of cyprian , and note those wordes . neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum se esse episcoporum constituit , an t tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit , quando habeat omnis episcopus pro licentia libertatis & potestatis suae , arbitrium proprium , tanquam iudicari ab alio non possit cum nec ipse possit alterum i●dicare . sed exspectemus vniuersi iudiciū domini nostri iesu christi , qui vnus & solus habet potestatē & praeponendi in ecclesiae suae gubernatione , & de actis nostro iudicandi . a passage worthy to bee noted also , for the cleering of the independence of episcopall authoritie from the pope , which i now let passe . neither was saint cyprian herein alone : firmilianus , and the easterne bishops , resisted stephanus no lesse , as appeares by his epistle , which in the romane edition of manutiu● ▪ set forth by the command of pius the fourth , with the suruey of foure cardinalls , whereof one is now a saint , with exquisite diligence ; is wholly left out . and pamelius saith hee thinkes purposely , for himselfe is of the minde that it had beene better it had neuer come forth . but to returne to our purpose . the fathers of the councell of africke , and saint augustine amongst them , resist three popes succeeding each other , zosimus , boniface , and coelestinus , about appeales to rome ; shall we thinke they would euer haue done it , if they had knowne or imagined them to be the supreme and infallible iudges in the church ? i let passe the schisme betweene the greeke and the latin church , which had not happened , if this doctrine had beene anciently receiued . nay , it is verie plaine in storie , that the bishop of romes lifting vp himselfe to bee vniuersall bishop chiefly caused it . to conclude , neither liberius , nor honorius , to omit many other bishops of rome , had euer beene taxed of heresie , if this had anciently beene currant , that the pope is infallible . i will not stand now to examine the shamefull defence that bella●mine makes for the latter of these , bearing downe fathers , councells , stories , popes themselues , as all falsified or deoeiued herein . wherein because hee is learnedly refuted by doctor raynolds , i insist not vpon it . this i presse , that all those writers and councels , and amongst them pope leo the second accursing honorius , did not then hold , that which by pighius and the iesuites is vndertaken , that the pope is infallible . euen the councell of basil , deposing eugenius ( for obstinately resisting this truth of the catholike faith , that the councell is aboue the pope ) as an heretike , doth shew the sense of christendome euen in these latter times how corrupt soeuer , both in rule , and practice . and because you make this infallible iudge to be also an infallible interpreter of holy scripture , how happens it that damasu● bishop of rome consults with hierome about the meaning of sundrie texts of scripture , when it seems himselfe might haue taken his pen , and set him downe quickly , that which should haue taught both him and the whole church , not onely without danger but euen possibilitie of error ? sure wee are little beholding to the diligence of our ancestors , that haue not more carefully registred the commentaries ( or because they haue had for sundrie ages small time to write iust commentaries ) the expositions which in their sermons , or otherwise the bishops of rome haue made of holy scripture . a worke which if this doctrine were true , were more worth then all the fathers ; and would iustifie that blasphemie of the canon law , where by a shamefull corruption of saint augustine , the decretals of popes are inrolled amongst the canonicall scriptures . i am alreadie too long in so plaine a matter : yet one proofe more which is of all most sensible . being admonished by this your conceit of an infallible interpreter , i chanced to turne ouer the popes decretals , and obserued the interpretation of scriptures . what shall i say ? i finde them so leud , and cleane beside the purpose , yea oftentimes so childish & ridiculous , both in giuing the sense , and in the application , that i protest to you in the presence of god , nothing doth more lothe me of poperie , then the handling of holy scripture by your infallible interpreter alone . consider a few of the particulars , and especially such as concerne the popes owne authoritie . to iustifie his exacting an oath of fealtie of an archbishop , to whom he grant● the pall , is brought our lord iesus christ who committing the ●are of his sheepe to peter , did put too a condition , saying , sid diligis me pasce oues meas . christ said , if thou louest me feede my sheepe ; why may not the pope say , if you will sweare me fealtie , you shall haue the pall. but first hee corrupts the text : christ said not , if thou louest mee : then , christ puts not peters loue as a condition of feeding , but feeding as a proofe and effect of his loue . and if the feeding of christs sheepe were sought , loue to him and them might suffice to be professed , or if he would needs haue more then christ required , to be sworne . what is this to the oath of fealtie ? straight after to the obiection , that all oathes are prohibited by christ , nor any such thing can bee found appointed by the apostles after the lord , or in the councels , he vrges the wordes following in the text , sweare not at all ; quod ampli●s est à malo est , that is saith hee , euill compels vs by christs permission to exact more . it is not euill to goe from the popes obedience ? to condemne bishops without his priuitie ? to translate bishops by the kings commandement ? see the place , and tell me of your interpreters infallibilitie . treating of the translation of bishops , or such as are elected vnto other sees , hee saith : that since the spirituall bands is stronger then the carnall , it cannot be doubted but almightie god hath reserued the dissolution of the spirituall marriage that is betwixt a bishop and his church , to his owne iudgement alone ; charging that whom god hath ●oyned man seuer not . for it is not by humane but rather diuine power that spirituall marriage is dissolued , when as by translation or cession by the authoritie of the bishop of rome ( whom it is plaine to bee the vicar of iesus christ ) a bishop is remoued from his church . an admirable interpretation of the text , quos deus coni●nxit ! by which the pope not onely challengeth that which is proper to gods iudgement onely , as hee saith , viz. to dissolue the bond of spirituall wedlock ; but because that is the stronger , of ●arnall it seemes also ; when it shall please him . the anointing of a prince since christs comming is translated from the head to the shoulder , by which principalitie is fitly designed , according to that which is read , factus est principatus super humorum eius ; for signifying also whereof , samuel caused the shoulder to be set before saul . who should euer haue vnderstood these texts , if your infallible interpreter had not declared them ? but this is nothing yet to the exposition of those texts which the pope interprets in his answere to the emperor of constantinople , as subditi estote omni humanae oreaturae propter deum , &c. he tells him that saint peter wrote that to his owne subiects , to prouoke them to the merit of humilitie . for if he had meant thereby to lay the yoke of subiection vpon priests , it would follow that euery seruant were to rule ouer them , since it is said , omni humanae creaturae . after , iris not barely set downe , regi praecellenti , but there is put betweene , perhaps not without cause ; tanquam ; and that which followes , ad vindictam malefactorum , laudem vero bonorum , is not to bee vnderstood that the king or emperor hath receiued the power of the sword vpon good and euill men ; saue onely those who vsing the sword are committed to his iurisdiction according to that which the truth saith , they which take the sword shall perish with the sword . for no man ought or can iudge anothers seruant , since the seruant according to the apostle standeth or falleth to his owne lord. for the loue of god consider this interpretation , and compare it with saint chrysto●e vpon rom. . nay doe but reade the text attentiuely , and iudge of the infallibilitie of your interpreter . straight after hee tells the emperor , that hee might haue vnderstood the prerogatiue of priesthood out of that which was said , not of euery man but of god , not to the king but to the priest , not to one descending of the royall stocke but of the priestly linage of the priests , to wit , which were in anathot . behold , i haue set you ouer nations and kingdomes , to pull vp , and destroy , to build and to plant . see the prerogatiue of the priesthood out of ieremies calling to bee a prophet . o if hee had beene high priest ! this had beene a text for the nonce . but hee goes on . it is said in gods law also , * dijs non detrabes , & principem populi tui non maledices . which setting priests before kings cals them gods , and the other princes . compare this exposition with dauids and paules , psal. . and act. . . and yee shall see how the interpreter hath hit the marke . againe , yee ought to haue knowne , quod fecit deus duo magna luminaria , &c. see the exposition , and the difference betweene the pope and kings both in the text and glosse . now although the glosse writer were no excellent calculator , yet out of clauius the account may bee cleared : who tells vs the sunne exceedes the moone . times and 〈◊〉 i let passe the collection out of pasce oues meas , that ●e belongs not to christs fold that doth not acknowledge peter and his successors his masters and pastors : out of quodcuinque ligaueris , that nothing is excepted . indeed the pope excepts nothing , but looseth vowes , contracts , oathes , the bond of allegeance and fealtie betweene subiects and their princes : the commandement of christ , drinke yee all of this , &c. but our lord expounds himselfe , iohn . whose sinnes yee remit , they are remitted , &c. ex ore sedentis in throno procedebat gladius his acutus . this is , saith the pope , the sword of salomon , which cuts on both sides giuing euery man his owne . wee then who albeit vnworthy bold the place of the true salomon , by the fauour of god , doe wisely exercise this sword , when such causes as in our audience are lawfully canuassed , wee doe with iustice determine . this interpretation first corrupts the text , for it hath not , out of the mouth of him that sate on the throne , but that sate on the horse ; next , it peruerts it , for it is not the sword of iustice but of christs word , which is more piercing then any two-edged sword that issueth out of his mouth . as for that of iustice , he neuer assumed it , but renounced it rather , when hee said . man who made mee a diuider to you ? luk. . . to proue that in other regions besides the patrimonie of the church , the pope doth casually exercise temporall iurisdiction , it is said in deuteronomie , si difficile sit & ambiguum , &c. and because deuteronomie is by interpretation ●he second law , surely by the force of the word it is proued , that what is there decreed should bee obserued in the new testament . for the place which the lord did choose is knowne to bee the apostolike see. for when as peter fleeing went out of the citie , the lord minding to call him backe to the place hee had chosen , being asked of him , lord whither goest thou ? answered , i goe to rome to bee crucified agai●e . the priests of the tribe of leus are the popes coadiutors . the high priest or iudge , he to whom the lord said in peter quodcunque ligaueris , &c. his vicar who is a priest for euer after the order of melchisedeck , appointed by god the iudge of quicke and dead . he that contemnes the popes sentence is to bee excommunicated , for that is the meaning of being commanded to be put to death . doth not this well ●ollow out of the word deuteronomie ? and rome is the place that christ did choose , because he went , he said , to bee crucified there . onely there is a scruple of the high priest , for as much as he that is high priest after melchisedecks order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a priesthood that passes not into another , heb. . he addes there , that paul that hee might declare the fulnesse of power , writing to the corinthians saith : know yee not that yee shall iudge the angels ? how much more the things of the world ? is this then the popes plenitude of power , to iudge secular things ? or was corinth the apostolike see , and so many popes there euen of the meanest of the church ? what shall we say to that exposition of the famous text. t●● es petrus & super ha●● petram a edificabo ecclesiam mea● : the lord ( he saith ) taking peter i●to the fellowship of the vndiuided vnitie , would haue him to bee called that , which hee was himselfe , that the building of the eternall temple might by the maru●llous gift of god consist in peters firmenesse . what is this vndiuided vnitie ? not of the trinitie , i trow , or natures in christ. what then ? his office ? of which hee said a little before out of the apostle , that no man can lay any other foundation but iesus christ. yes : that from peter as a certaine head hee should as it were powre abroad his gifts into his whole body . that the church might stand vpon peters firmenesse . this foundation saint paul knew not , when hee blamed i am of ceph●s . peters infirmitie cannot beare vp the weight of such a building , much lesse ( which we must remember the romanists vnderstand by this iargon ) the papes his successors . such another interpretation is that of pope boniface , that makes vnum ouile & vnus pastor , the church and the pope . but it is plaine our sauiour alludes to the prophesies , ezek. . . & . . where the lord cals that one pastor his seruant dauid . what blasphemie is this , thus to vsurpe christs royalties ? what father , what councell , what catholike man euer interpreted this text on this manner ? by which the pope while hee seekes the name of the sheepherd , shuts himselfe out of christs fold ? yea the same pope cals the church his spouse also , and so other popes since . saint iohn the baptist tels them , that he that hath the bride is the bridegroome . saint paul prepared her to one husband christ , if shee bee the popes spouse with her will , shee is a harlot : if against her will , hee is a rauisher , and our lord iesus christ will deliuer her out of his leud embracements , crying out of the violence which shee suffers , as it is to be hoped shortly . that in the churches power are two swords , the spirituall and temporall , we are taught by the wordes of the gospell , saith the same boniface . for when the apostles said , behold , there be two swords here ( to wit , in the church ) when the apostles spake thus , the lord answered not that is was too much , but enough . certainly , hee that denies the temporall sword to be in peters power , doth ill obserue the speech which our lord vtters , put vp thy sword into the sheath . no doubt an infallible interpretation ; by which it should appeare that both the swords that were in our sauiours companie , hung by saint peters side , or else that some other had the spirituall , leauing none to saint peter , but that which he might not vse . the exposition is saint berenards , you will day , but in an epistle paraeneticall to the pope himselfe ; saint bernard might haue leaue to vse allusions , and after his manner to bee liberall of all that the see of rome challenged , that he might haue the more authoritie to reforme the abuses of it . as to grant peter the temporall sword , but so , as hee must not vse it . quid tu gladium denno vsurpare tentes , quem semel iussus es ponere in vaginam ? and he shews how these two swords bee the churches . the one to bee drawne out for the church , the other also by the church . this by the priests , that by the souldiers hand , but at the beck of the priest , and bidding of the emperor . but the pope in a decretall epistle , pretending to teach the world , in a point as he pronounces necessarie to saluation , with such an interpretation as this ; argues little reuerence to the word of god , and a very meane opinion of the iudgements and consciences of christen men , if they could not discerne this to be a strangers voice , not christs . besides that , he changes saint bernards wordes , and cleane peruerts his meaning . for , exerendus , he puts in exercendus . for , ille sacerdotis , is militis manu , sed sanè ad nutum sacerdotis & iussum imperatoris . pope boniface thinking iussum to absolute in the emperor , makes him to bee the executioner and ioynes him with the souldier , on this manner . ille sacerdotum , is manu regum & militum sed ad nutum & patientiam sacerdotis . saint bernard makes the executiue power to be in the souldier , the directiue in the priest , the commanding in the emperor . pope boniface makes the kings and souldiers to haue only the executiue , the directiue & permissiue to be in the priest. yea sword , he saith , must be vnder sword . for where the apostle saith , there is no power but of god , que autem sunt , à deo ordinata sunt ; more fully in the originall text , the powers that are , are ordained , that is , appointed of god : the interpreter here dreames of order and subordination , and cities a saying of dionysius , that the lowest things are reduced to the highest by the middlemost ; a conceit that makes nothing to the purpose of the apostle in that place . hee proceeds and tells vs , that of the church and power ecclesiasticall , is verified the prophecie of ieremy . behold i haue set thee this day ouer kings and kingdomes , &c. tell me , good master wadesworth , what is to peruer● the scriptures , if this bee not , to apply to the power ecclesiasticall , that which is spoken of the word and calling propheticall ? yet more , the earthly power , if it swerue out of the way shall bee iudged of the power spirituall , but if the spirituall , that is lesser ; of that which is superiour to it . but if the highest , it may bee iudged of god onely , not of man , the apostle witnessing the spirituall man iudgeth all things , but himselfe is iudged of none . wee are come at length , as it were to the fountaines of nilus to the originall of the infallibilitie of your iudge ; and if hee haue here rightly interpreted saint paul , we learne that no earthly power , no magistrate is a spirituall man , vnlesse hee bee one of the popes spiritualtie . for these be saint pauls spirituall men , that iudge all things . yet this must receiue limitation . for no man may iudge the pope , the supreme spirituall man , for of him it seemes saint paul meant it , his authoritie hee saith is not humane , but diuine , by the diuine mouth giuen to peter , and his successors , when the lord said to him , quodcunque ligaueris . for conclusion , whosoeuer resists this power thus ordered of god , resists the ordinance of god , vnlesse as manichaeus he faine two beginnings : which ( saith hee ) wee iudge to bee false and hereticall , sith by moses record , not in the beginnings , but in the beginning god created heauen and earth . who would not acknowledge the diuine authoritie and infallibilitie of your interpreter , both in confirming his purpose , and conuincing heresies from so high a beginning , as this first sentence of holy writ ? what rests now , but after so many testimonies he inferre ▪ furthermore , to be vnder the bishop of rome we declare , say , define , and pronounce that to euery humane creature it is altogether of necessitie of saluation . thus saith your infallible iudge and interpreter of scripture , the center of your conscience , and foundation of your faith , not as a priuate doctor , but as pope , in his owne law , intending to informe and bind the church , and that in matters with him of the greatest importance that may bee , touching his owne authoritie , and as hee pretends absolutely necessarie to saluation , to all the sonnes of adam . i might heape vp many more , but these may suffice for a sample . you may ( and so doe by your selfe i beseech you ) obserue these kind of interpretations in other points also , and in other the decretals & breues of popes ; which as i heare , are lately come forth in great volumes . you shall finde many mysteries in your faith , that perhaps you know not of , as , a that you cannot please god because you are married : for so is that place of the apostle interpreted , qui in carne viuunt deo placere non possunt . that not onely the wine in the chalice , but the water also is transubstaniated first into wine , then into christs bloud . that it was b not watry moisture , but the true element of water which issued out of christs side . you shall finde c confession of sins to the priest , proued by the text , corde creditur a'd iustitiam , ore autem fit confessio ad salutem . d that the good ground , that receiued the seed in the gospel , is the religion of the friers mi●●rs . e that this is that pure and immaculate religion with god and the father , which descending from the father of lights , deliuered , exemplariter & verbaliter , by the sonne , to his apostles , and then inspired by the holy ghost , into saint francis aud his followers , containes in it selfe the testimony of the trinitie . this is that , which as saint paul witnesseth , no man must be troublesome vnto , which christ hath confirmed with the prints of his passion . the text is , f decaetero nemo mihi molestus sit , ego . n. stigmata domini iesu in corpore nemo porto . it is maruell , if saint paul were not of the order of saint frances . that when christ said , * ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus , hee meant it of remaining and being with them euen by his bodily presence . saint augustine vpon the same text denies this , and saith , that according to the presence of his body hee is ascended into heauen , and is not here . that g. the father of the childe christened , and his godfathers wife may not marry , because , according to the lords word , the husband ▪ and the wife are made one flesh by marriage . h that the number of foure , doth well agree to the degrees prohibited in corporall marriage , of which the apostle saith , the man hath not the power of his owne body , but the woman , nor the woman power of her body , but the man , because there are foure humours in the body , which consist of the foure elements . for conclusion , you shall finde it by a commodious interpretation concluded , contrarie to many texts of scripture , out of scripture it selfe , that i no simple and vnlearned man presume to reach to the subtility of the scripture , because , well it was enacted in the law of god , that the beast which should touch the mountaine should be stoned . for it is written , seeke not things higher then thy selfe . for which cause the apostle saith , be not more wise then it behooueth , but be wise to sobrietie . one thing more also you shall finde , that now adayes this spirituall man and sole infallible interpreter of scripture , seldome interprets scripture , or vses it in his decretalls and br●●es , nay the stile of his court hath no manner of smack or sauour of it . a long compasse of a sentence , intricate to vnderstand , yea , euen to remember to the end , full of swelling words of vanitie , with i know not how many ampliations and alternatiues ; after the fashion of lawyers in ciuill courts , not of sober diuines , much lesse of the spirit of god in his word . some man would perhaps thinke this proceeds from an affectation of greatnesse , and the desire of retaining authoritie , which seemes to bee embased by alledging reason , or scripture , and interpreting texts . for my part , i account it comes as much from necessitie . for it is notorious , that neither the popes themselues , nor those of the court the secretaries and dataries , which pen their bull and breues , haue any vse or exercise in holy scripture , or soundnesse in the knowledge of diuinitie , or skill in the originall tongues , wherein gods word is written ; all which are necessarie to an able interpreter . and therefore it is a wise reseruednesse in them , not to intermedle with that wherein they might easily fault ; especially in a learned age , and wherein so many watchfull eyes ate continually vpon them . and to this very pouertie and cautelousnesse i do imp●te it , that the present pope in his breues about the oath of alleageance , vseth not aword of scripture : but tells his faction , that they cannot without most euident and grieu●us iniury of gods honour take the oath , the tenor whereof hee sets downe word for word ; and that done , addes . quae cum ita sint , &c. which things ( saith hee ) since they bee so , it must needs be cleere vnto you out of the wordes themselues , that such an oath cannot bee taken , with the safetie of the catholike faith , and of your soules , sith it containeth many things which are apparantly contrary to faith and saluation . hee instances in no one thing , brings neither scripture nor reason , but a quae cum ita sint , without any premisses . which loose and vngrounded proceeding , when as it is occasioned the arch-priest here , and many other of that side , to thinke those letters forged , or gotten by surreption ; hee sends another of the same tenor , with this further reason . haec aut●● est mera pura , integraque volunt as nostra . this is now to be more then an interpreter , euen to be a lord ouer the faith of his followers , to make his will a reason . what would ye haue him doe ? to alleadge a better he could not , a weake and vnsufficient one he was ashamed , hee thought it best to resolue the matter into his sole authoritie . whereby he hath proued himselfe a fallible both iudge and interpreter , yea a false witnesse against god and the truth ; commanding by the apostle christian men to be subiect , and to giue euery man their dues , feare to whom feare , honour to whom honour ; and much more ( if there be any difference ) allegiance to whom allegiance . chap. iiii. of the state of the church of england , and whether it may be reconciled with rome . bvt of your interpreters infallibilitie enough . your next doubt , whether the church of england were of the true church or no , was resolued with a paralogisme , partly by reason of equi●ocation , and diuers acception of the tearmes the church , and to erre , partly by composition and diuision in the connexion of these by those verbes [ can , or may . ] let vs examine the seuerall parts of your syllogisme . the proposition . the true church cannot erre , is confirmed by the consent of all . excuse me sir , if i withhold my consent , without some declaration and limitation . i say first it must bee declared whether you meane the catholike church , or a atrue part of the catholike church . for there is not the like reason of these to error . against the catholike church , hell gates shall not preuaile ; against particular , when christ doth remoue the candlesticke out of his place , they doe . witnesse the churches of africke , sometimes most catholike . and thus it seemes you must take this tearme , since your doubt was whether the church of england be of the true church or no , besides , i must desire to know , what manner of errours you meane ; whether euen the least , or onely deadly , and such as barre from saluation , which the apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heresies of perdition , pet. . . take now your owne choise ; for if you speake of euery errour , the proposition is false , euen of the catholike church , much more of any particular church . yea , i adde further , not onely of the catholike church by denomination from the greatest part , or by representation , as the pastors or prelates thereof met in a councill , which is still the mixt church , but euen that which is christs true body , whereof he is the sauiour , and which shall be with him for euer . as for deadly and damnable errors , this true and properly called church , both in the whole and euerie part of the mixt church , is yet priuiledged from them finally : for it is kept by the power of god to saluation , it is not possible the elect should thus be seduced . truth it is , that by such errors particular visible assemblies , vniuersally and obstinately defending them , become falsely called churches , from which wee are to seperate our selues . example in the synagogue , and in churches of the arians . now let vs see your assumption . but the church of england , head , and members , king , clergie , and people , yea awhole councell of protestants may erre by your owne grant . i answer , the church of england that is the elect in the church of england , which onely are truely called the church , can neuer deadly erre . this no protestant will grant yee . the mixt church of england , head , members , king , clergie , and the residue of the people , and a whole councell of protestants , may erre damnably , and therefore much more ●all into lesser errors . this they grant . and if they shall so erre obstinately , they shall deseruedly loose the name of a true church . but they denie they doe thus err ; yea they denie that they erre de facto , at all . what followes in conclusion ? ergo , no true church . this shortnesse in suppressing the verbe , would make a man thinke you ment to couer the fault of your discourse . and indeede you might by that meanes easily beguile another , but i cannot be perswaded you would willingly beguile your selfe . sure you were beguiled , if you ment it thus . ergo , it is no true church . see your argument in the like : a faithfull witnesse cannot lye . but socrates or aristides may lye by his owne grant . ergo , no faithfull witnesse . he that stands vpright cannot fall : but you master waddesworth by your owne grant may fall , ergo , stand not vpright . perhaps your meaning was , ergo , it may become no true church , to wit , when it shall so erre damnably . but then it followes not , there is now no saluation in it , and therefore come out of it now . when you shew that , i shall account you haue done wisely to goe out of it . shew that in anie one point , and take me with you . in the meane while , for my part , i shall sooner trust that chapman that shall say to me , loe here is a perfect yard , i will measure as truely as i can , and when i haue done take the yard and measure it your selfe ; then him that shall say here is thus much , yee shall not neede to measure it , but take it on my word : yea though one of his apprentices should stand by and say , he could not deceiue mee though hee would ; as benedictus a benedictus , tels the present pope , volens nolens errare non potes . where you relate , your endeauour to defend the church of england , and tell of the puritanes reiecting those arguments you could vse from the authoritie of the church , and of the ancient doctors interpreting scriptures against them , flying to their owne arrogant spirit : i cannot excuse them for the former , nor subscribe to your accusation in the latter . perhaps you haue met with some more fanaticall brownists or anadaptists , whom here you call puritans . but these that are commonly so called , which differ from the church of england about church gouernment and ceremonies onely , giue indeede to little to the authoritie of men , how holy , learned , or ancient soeuer . which is their fault , and their great fault , especially in matters of this nature ; yet they flye not to their owne spirit as you charge them . that which you adde that you perceiued the most protestants did frame the like euasions when you came to answere the arguments against them on the other side ; when you shall shew this in particulars , i shall beleeue it . in the meane while i beleeue you thought so ; for commonly mediocrities are aggrauated with the hatred , & slandered with the names of both extreames . but in the question betweene the popish faction and vs , you might easily haue discerned why the argument from bare authoritie , is not of such validitie . for ceremonies and matters of order may be ordered by wise men , & are not the worse , but the better if they be ancient , yea if they be common to vs with rome , which puritans will by no meanes allow . in doctrin , if holy men , yea if an angell from heauen shall innouate any thing , wee are not to admit it . now the controuersies betweene the romanists and vs , are most about doctrine , and they exceede as much in extolling the authoritie of the ancients in their priuate opinions and incommodious and strained speeches , as the puritans in depressing them . we hold the meane , and giue as much to the authoritie and testimonies of the fathers , as may stand with the truth of holy scriptures , and as themselues deferre to the writing of others , or require to be giuen to their owne . next you tell , of your following their opinion who would make the church of england and the church of rome still to be all one in essentiall points , and the differences to be accidentall . confessing the church of rome to be a true church , though sicke , or corrupted , and the protestants to be derined from it , and reformed . this opinion is not onely as you write fauoured of many great schollers in england , but is the common opinion of all the best diuines of the reformed churches that are or haue beene in the world , as i shewed in part of another worke , which as i remember you had a sight of . wherein yet i feare you mistake the tearme , accidentall , which doth no● import that our differences are but sleight and of small confideration , but that all those opinions and abuses which we reforme and cut off , are not of the faith , but superfluous and ●oraine , yea hurtfull and noisome to it , as the weedes are to the corne , which ouer-grow and choake it . and to follow this similitude , the state of the church vnder the romane obedience , and that part which is reformed , is like a field ouergrowne all with weedes , thistles , tares , cockle : some part whereof is weeded and clensed , some part remaines as it was before ; which makes such a difference to the view , as if it were not the same corne . but being better considered , it will be found all the difference is , from the weedes , which remaine there , and here are taken away . yet neither here perfectly , nor all where a like , but ac●ording to the industrie of our weeders , or conueniencie of the worke , with care of the safetie of the good corne . by this parable , you may see what is to be hoped of your labour to reconcile most of our particular controuersies . for although i doubt not but in some it may be performed , where the difference is rather verball then reall ; and in the manner of teaching , rather then in the substance of doctrine . and if moderate men had the matter in handling the flame of contention in a great many more might be troden downe and slaked , suppose the sparkes not all extinct ; yet in some other , it is as possible to make the weede and corne-friends , as your and our opinions ; where there is none other remedy but that of our sauiour , euery plant that my heauenly father hath not planted , shall be rooted out . neither doth this impossibilitie arise more out of the nature of the things , then the affection of the persons . for the pope and the court of rome , which are those that domineere on that side , doe no lesse out of the feare of their owne ruine deadly detest all reformation , then the reformed out of their present view and former feeling , the tyrannie of the papacie , which they see doth excommunicate , and put to cruell death all that are of this way . and which is a prodigious thing , where they tolerate the blasphemous and professed enemies of christ , euen with allowance of the publike exercise of their religion , there doe they burne men professing christs religion , according to the ancient and common rule thereof , with that vprightnesse of conscience , that if they had as many liues as there be articles thereof , they would giue them all rather then renounce any of them . as for the protestants making the pope antichrist , i know it is a point that inrageth much at rome . but if the apostle saint paul , if saint iohn in the reuelation , describe antichrist so , as they that doe but looke vpon the pope well , must be forced to say as the people did of the blinde man in the gospell , some , this is ●e ; others , he is very like him ; if himselfe and his flatterers doe , and speake such things , as if all others should hold their peace , doe in a sort proclaime , i am he ; what can the protestants doe with the matter ? i will take the liberty here to relate to you , what i saw while i was in venice , the rather because it is not impertinent to our present purpose . and though perhaps you may haue heard somewhat of it , yet the particulars are i suppose vnknowne in those parts . and yet it doth more import they were knowne there then otherwhere , being occasioned by a subiect of the crowne , though of a name and family whereto it is not much beholding . in the yeare . f. thomas maria carafa , of the order of the friers preachers , reader of philosophy in naples , printed a thousand theses to be disputed thrice ; once at rome in the church of saint marie super mineruam , twice in saint dominickes at naples . of these fiue hundred were in logicke , naturall philosophy , metaphysicke , and mathematickes ; fiue hundred more in diuinitie , amongst which that was one . solus petrus & success●res in totam ecclesiam illimitatam iurisdictionem habent . these were all included in the forme of a tower , and dedicated with an epistle to the present pope paulus the fift , to whose armes alluding he saith , idem draco biceps qui vtrumque polum amplexus imperio ad ecclesiae pomoerium tanquam ad amaenissimos hesperidum hortos peruigil excubat , nullius herculis vim metuens , turris etiam mea sit custos . on the top of his tower , was this representation curiously and largely cut . an altar , with two columnes , and their ornaments , according to the rules of architecture . in the middest for the altar peece was the popes picture , very liuely portraied to the breast . ouer his head was the word , vultu portendebat imperium . aboue on the toppe of the front , in three compartiments his armes thus . on the one side the spread eagle alone , the word ipse mihi fert tela pater . on the other a dragon , and by it meliora seruo . in the middest both together in one scutchion with the crosse keyes and triple crown in the crest . on either side of these colums were depending crownes and scepters , whereof sixe were on the right hand after the christian fashion . the imperial aboue , other vnderneath , and lowest the corno of the duke of venice , so they call a certaine cap the prince vseth to weare being of gold embroderie , and somewhat resembling a horne . there were also turkish turbanes , and diadems of diuers fashions , as many on the left side . by these on either side of the columnes , were two of the foure parts of the world . europe and afrike on the one , asia and america on the other , in the habite of ladies sitting vpon their proper beasts couchant , each offering vnto him that was aboue the altar of their commodities , corne , fruits , incense , &c. on the base of the columne on the christian and europaean side , was the word , et erunt reges nutritij tui . on the other , vultu in terram demisso puluerem pedum tuorum lingent , esai . . agreeable whereto there was made flying ouer their heads two angels , on each side , one with these sentences in their hands . that ouer europe and africk ; gens & regnum quod non seruierit illi , in gladio & in fame , & in peste visitabo super gentem illam ait dominus , hier. . that ouer asia and america : et dedit ei dominus potestatem & regnum , & omnes populi ipsi seruient : potestas eius potestas aeterna quae non auferetur & regnum eius quod non corrumpetur , dan. . now iust vnderneath the picture of the pope , on the foreside of the altar , was this inscription , pavlo v. vice deo christianae reip. monarchae invictissimo et pontificiae omnipotentiae conservatori acerrimo . the copies of these theses were sent as nouelles from rome , and did the more amuse men at venice , because of the controuersie that state had with the pope a little before , and the seeing their dukes corno hanged vp among his trophees , vnder all other princes crownes . but most of all the new title vice-deo , and the addition of omnipotencie gaue matter of wonder . the next day it was noised about the citie , that this was the picture of antichrist ; for that the inscription p a v l o v. v i c e-d e o , contayned exactly in the numerall letters the number of the beast in the reuelation . what anger and shame this was to the popish faction , i leaue it to you to esteeme . but whom could they blame , but themselues , who had suffered so presumptuous and shamelesse a flatterie to come forth , with publike approbation , annexing also so blasphemous an inscription , as vnawares to them by the prouidence of god , should so plainly characterize antichrist ? but to heale vp this matter againe , not long after we had fresh newes went about , that antichrist was borne in babylon , had done many miracles , was comming toward christendome with an armie . wee had an epistle stampt at venice , pretended to bee written at rome , an. . by the reuer . d. valentinus granarensis touching the birth of antichrist his stocke , progenie , countrie habitation , power , maruels , life , and death , out of the holy scriptures , and fathers , printed cum priuilegio . and as for the title vice-deus , as if they would haue it in despite of all men : one benedictus à benedictis a subiect of the venetian state , setting out a booke against doctor whitakers position , de antichrist● , at bologn● ( for at venice it was not suffered to bee printed ) reuiues it with aduantage . hee dedicates it thus , paulo quinto pontifici vniuersalis ecclesiae oecumenico , summo totius orbis episcopo atque monarchae & supremo vice-deo . these titles he heapes vpon the pope againe , and againe , and that yee may iudge of his wit by one place , in the conclusion , exhorting doctor whitakers to repentance ; hee tels him , that by his example his king , and with the same king iames the first , many englishmen , conuertentur ad dominum deum , & ipsius loco ad vice-deum confugient . and pag. . hee saith of gregorie the great . totum mundum quasi monarcha ac vice-deus optimè & irreprehensibiliter rexit , &c. hee might haue learned of him , that his other title oecumenicus pontifex , is the very name of antichrist , the name of blaspheme , by which hee doubts not to presage , that antichrist was neere , and an armie of priests readie to attend vpon him . in this if euer in any thing , it seemes your iudge was infallible . it will bee said here , it is not in the popes power what his followers will say of him , he stiles himselfe the seruant of gods seruants . if the canonists will call him , our lord god the pope , first , it may be denyed . secondly , it may be laid to the ouer-sight of the writers or printers . thirdly , if it bee shewed to bee left standing still in the glosse of the canon law , by them that were appointed to ouer-see and correct it , what maruell if one word escaped them , through negligence , or wearinesse , or much businesse ? and yet if they thought the sense of the word not so vsuall indeed in the ordinarie talke of christians , but not differing from the custome of scripture was to bee allowed to an ancient writer , the matter deserues not such outcryes . but the pope , such is his modestie , neuer vsurped this title full of arrogancy , neuer heard it with patient eares . to this , let it first bee considered , that the censors of such things as come to the presse , are not to bee imagined such babes , as not to know what will please or displease his holinesse . especially in writings dedicated to himselfe , a man may be sure they will allow nothing the second time , and after some exception and scandal taken at it , but what shall bee iustified . how much more in the popes owne towne of bologna , and when his chaplaine could not bee allowed to print it at home . but to let all these goe ; wee may haue a more sensible proofe how the pope tastes these titles . that which hee rewards hee approues : benedictus was shortly after made for his paines bishop of caorli . how worthily hee deserued it you shall iudge by his booke ; which at my request vouchsafe to reade ouer , and if there be any merit , you shall sure get great meede of patience in so doing . that you may not doubt of the popes iudgement concerning these titl●s , you shall further know , that the matter being come to the knowledge of the protestants in france , and england , made them talke and write of it broadly , namely the lord of plessis , in his mysterium iniquitatis , and the bishop of chichester in his tortura torti . this gaue occasion to the cardinall gieurè , to relate in the officio santo at rome of the scandall taken hereat , and to make a motion , de moderandis titulis . it was on foot sundrie moneths . at last the pope reuoking it to himselfe , blamed those that had spoken against these titles , and said , they were no whit greater then the authoritie of s. peters successor did beare . to returne thither whence i haue a litle digress●d . in the question whether the pope bee the antichrist or no , for my part i despaire of all reconciliation . for neither doth there appeare any inclination at all in the pope to reforme any thing in doctrine or gouernment , nay he encroacheth daily more and more vpon all degrees euen among his owne subiects , and resolues to carry all before him at the brest , with his monarchy and infallibilitie . on the other side , the reformers partly emboldned with successe , partly enforced by necessitie , chiefly tyed with band of conscience , and perswasion of truth , are not like to retract what they haue affirmed in this behalfe , and whatsoeuer their differences be in other things , in this point they haue a maruellous vn●tie amongst them . these in france hauing beene molested for calling the pope antichrist haue beene occasioned ( as i haue heard ) some few yeares since to take it into their confession , thereby to iustifie themselues accor●ing to th' edicts of pacification giuing them libertie to pro●esse their religion . in england as you know it is no part of the doctrine of our church , yet a commonly receiued opinion . howbeit this is so farre from hindering , that the reformed chu●ches and those which heretofore were , or at this present are vnder the popes obedience be one church , that is , all members of the catholike ; that the protestants without this cannot make good the other . for antichrist must sit in the temple of god , and that is in the church , as chrysostome and theophylact interpret it , and gods people could not be commanded to goe out of babell , if he had none there . chap. v. of the safenesse to ioyne to the roman being confessed a true church by her opposites . bvt you concluded hence , that seeing many of the best learned protestants did grant the church of rome to be a true church , though faultie in some things ; and contrarily not onely the romanists , but puritanes , anabaptists , and brownist denie the church of england to be so , therefore it would be more safe and secure to become a roman catholike , &c. this discourse hath a pret●e shew at the first blush , and perhaps was vsed to you since your comming to spaine , as it was to some there before . at my comming to venice i fell vpon certaine letters and reports , set forth as it was told me by f. posseuine , and not vnlike by his mindefulnesse to all occasions to aduance the credit of his societie . amongst them there is one said to be a true relation of the manner how m. pickering wotton was conuerted to the catholike roman faith , indited as it is said and subscribed by himselfe before his death . in which by a certaine father of the companie of iesus an englishman by nation , the like discourse was vsed , as it is said , to him . that hee should consider well , that he and other protestants did not denie that the catholikes might be saued in their faith , whereas all the catholikes that either liued at the present , or euer were , hold it as a most certaine article of faith , that the protestants and other heretickes cannot be saued out of the catholicke church ; therefore if he should become a catholike , he should enter into that way which was safe , by the consent of both parts . this consideration be saith moued him not much then . but after praying to god , as he was also aduised by that father , to direct him into the right way , if hee were out of it , suddenly hee saw a certaine light very clearely before his eyes in forme of a crosse . whereupon incontinently there was offered vnto him such a heape of reasons and arguments by which was shewed that the catholike faith is the onely way of saluation , and that of the protestants on the contrarie most absurd and abominable , that most euidently he was conuinced , without any the least doubt . and these reasons which then offered themselues to him , were for the most part such as hee did not remember that he had euer heard them in all his life . thereupon with vnspeakeable ioy he called backe the father , told him what had hapned , praied him to heare his confession , and he examining him vpon all the heads of the catholike religion , which he most firmely and entirely beleeued , heard his confession , &c. but this narration deserues little credit . first creating master w●tton for the greater glorie of their triumph a baron ▪ vnlesse the fathers in spaine , or posseuine in italie haue a ●acultie to create barons . next it is a very improbable thing that master wotton dying of a calenture should haue so good a memorie , as to indite so exact and artificiall a narration , with such formalitie , and enforcements in fit places , as any reader of vnderstanding must needes perceiue , came out of a diligent forge , and needed more hammering and fyling then so . but that of all other is most legendlike , that howsoeuer this motiue of yours is vsed , yet it is not made the effectuall inducement , but a heape of reasons in the twinkling of an eye , and causing him not onely to beleeue in the grosse , but to be able to giue ac●ount of all the heads of the catholike religion ( that is all the points of controuersie at this day , betweene the romists and the reformed churches ) in a fit of an ag●e , in the twinkling of an eye ? excuse mee : this is beyond the blinde begger that recouered his sight at saint albans that could tell the names of all colours as soone as hee saw them . what then ? was not master wotton reconciled ? and saw he not a light in forme of a crosse ? yes : and this your motiue was vsed to him also , and perhaps moued him more then all the heape of reasons besides . but shall i tell you here what i haue heard from the mouth of one that was himselfe then in spaine , that both could know the truth of this matter , and had no reason to tell me a lye , sith what hee said came freely from himselfe , without feare , or hope , or almost enquirie ? the gentleman being sicke , and weake in his braine , the father that posseuine tels of , brought vnder his gowne a picture , and vpon a sudden presented it before him : this might be the light in forme of a crosse ( perhaps a very image of christ crucified ) which together with the lightnesse of his fancie , occasioned that your motiue though it selfe also very light , might carrie him : as a little weight is able to sway much , where the beame it selfe is false . if this be true ( as i take the liuing god to record i faine no thing , but doe relate what hath beene told me ) as on the one side i doubt not , but god in his mercie did interpret of the gentlemans religion , according to his right iudgement and perswasion in his health , and not according to the erronious apprehension of his fancie in his sicknesse ( which euen in his best health was euer very strong in his sleep ) as some that haue conuersed with him haue tolde mee : so on the other side , they shall bea●e their iudgement whosoeuer they were , that would with so cru●ll a craftinesse take aduantage of his infirmitie , and make his storie after a stale to draw on others . as for the heape of arguments to conuince the protestants faith to bee absurd ( that must bee by the way the articles of the creed ) posseuines catholike hyperboles are well enough knowne in venice , and hee hath beene there told to his head , that if in things past , whereof hee might haue beene informed , hee proues a most lying historian , it might more easily fall out , that hee should proue a most false and ridiculous prophet in things to come . and in truth he hath proued so hitherto . wherefore , i reckon these garnishments of master wottons peruersion , to bee like the rest of his newes , touching the conquest of moscouia by demetrius that impostor , whom he boasteth in a manner to haue been the scholler of his societie . w●ere hee tells the world that the army cried out often . god and the prayers of our fathers ( the iesuites ) haue subdued the hearts of our enemies , and inclined them vnder our noble prince demetrius . that demetrius turning to the priests of the company of iesus , was heard to say [ loe that which you foretold mee , o fathers , in the time of that sorrowfull flight of ours , is now come to passe , to wit , that as the lord god had afflicted mee much , so on the contrary hee would much comfort mee , and that therefore i should not doubt of a full victory . ] these wordes posseuine stamps in his former relation in capitall letters . but when this bold enterprise was ouerthrowne , and this suborned fugitiue slaine and shamefully dragged vp and downe the streets of mosco , then loe the repors were , that a light was seene ouer his body in the night time , &c. let them that walke in darknesse follow such lights as these be . wee are no children of the night , nor of darkenesse . leauing therefore those vnheard of arguments , which posseuine hath not onely cunningly drawne a veyle ouer , that wee may not see them , but exempted by priuiledge of a miracle that wee may not try them , this which he hath shewed vs , let vs bring it a little to the cleere day-light . and euen at the first view it is apparent that this argument is meerely forraine ; not drawne from any thing , à par●e rei , as what the true church is , what it teacheth , or such like , but from opinion and testimony . what men say of that of rome , and of the reformed churches , &c. now opinions are no certaine grounds of truth , no not in naturall and ciuill matters , much lesse in religion . so this argument at the most is but topicall and probable . let vs see the parts of it . and first that ground . the testimony of our selues , and of our contraries is much more sufficient and certaine then to iustifie our selues alone . surely neither the one nor the other is sufficient , or certaine . it is true , that if other proofe faile , and we will follow coniectures . hee is in probabilitie an honester man , that others beside himselfe say well of , then hee that alone testifieth of himselfe . and yet according to truth , this latter may bee a right honest man , and dwel , as we say , by ill neighbours , or where he is not knowne , or requires not the testimony of other men : whereas the other being indeed a knaue , is either cunning to conceale it , or hath suborned other like himselfe to say for him , or dwells b● honest men that iudge and say the best . and in this very kind , our sauiour attributes so little to testimony , as he pronounces a woe to them that all men speake well of . so in our case it is more probable i grant , if there were no other argument to cleere it , but opinion , and most voyces , that you haue the true church , and are in the way of saluation then wee because we giue you a better testimony then you doe vs. but it is possible we are both deceiued in our opinions , each of other ; wee through too much charitie , and you and others through ignorance or malice . herein vndoubtedly we haue the aduantage of you and the rest , and doe take that course which is more safe and sure to auoid sinne , that if we doe faile of the truth , yet we be deceiued with the error of loue , which as the apostle saith , hopeth all things , and is not puffed vp . wee auoid at the least that gulfe of rash iudgement , which , mee thinkes , if the case bee not too to cleere wee should all feare , with what iudgement yee iudge , yee shall bee iudged . thou that iudgest another condemnest thy selfe . but that you may a little be ter consider the weaknesse of this discourse , if the testimony of our selues and our contraries were sufficient and certaine to make tru●h , and euer more safe and secure to follow that side which hath that testimony , it had beene better to haue become a iewish proselyte , in the apostles times then a christian ● for the christ●ans acknowledged the iewes to be the people of god , heires of the promises , and of christ , and stiled them brethren , notwithstanding their zeale to the ceremonies , and tradi●ions of their fathers , excused their ignorance , bare with them , laboured to giue them content in all things . whereas they to the contrarie called those that professed christ , heretickes and sectaries , accursed them , drew them out of ●heir synagogues , scourged them , cast them in prison , compelled them to blaspheme : as you doe now protestants to adiu●e , though in other cruelties i confesse you goe farre beyond them . by like reason a pagan in saint augustines time , should rather haue made himselfe a christian among the donatists , then with the catholikes . for the catholikes granted the donatists baptisme to bee true , accoun●ed them brethren . the donatists to the contrary renounced their brother-hood and baptisme both , rebaptized such as fell to their side , vsed these formes to their friends , saue thy soule , become a christian : like to those vsed by your reconcilers at this ●ay . lastly consider , if this ground of the testimony of our contraries for our part , and their lack of ours , for theirs be sure ; you haue iustified the cause of the protestants in the maine question , which is the better religion . for whatsoeuer a protestant holds , as of faith , you cannot deny to bee good and catholike , nor any christian man else . for hee binds him to his creed , to the holy scriptures , and goes no further : and in these he hath your testimony for him . but hee denies many things which you beleeue , and accounts them forreine , yea repugnant to faith , as the popes infallibilitie , transubstantiation , purgatory , worshipping of images , inuocation of saints . in all these you speake onely for your selues , in some of these you haue not vs onely , but all other christians your opposites , to say nothing of the iewes and turkes , whom i might as well chocke you withall , as you doe the protestants with anabaptists . so by this reason our profession is more safe and secure , and questionlesse is more catholike then yours . neither haue wee in this discourse the argument onely as you see very appliable and fauourable to vs , but ( which i would entreate you by the way to obserue ) the conclusion it selfe often gran●ed by moderate and sober men of your owne side , viz. that our course is in sundry things more safe then yours . as in making no image of god. in trusting onely in the merits of christ. in worshipping none but the trinitie . in directing our prayers to our lord iesus christ alone . in allowing ministers to marry . in di●ers other points also many of your side say the same with the protestants , and defend vs from the imputations which others of you lay vpon vs , as is shewed in the catholike apologie , by the reuerend bishop of chester . this to the proposition . let vs come to the assumption , where you mince too much the protestants opinion touching the church of rome , when you make them say , it is peraduenture faultie in some things : nay without peraduenture , they say , it is corrupt in doctrine , superstitious and idolatrous in religion , tyrannicall in gouernment , defiled in manners , from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot no soundnes in it , as the prophet saith of another like it ; yet the vitall parts not perished , readie to die , yet not dead . a true church though neither the catholike church , nor yet a sound member of the same . that also is false in the assumption , that the puritans denie the church of england to bee a true church . vnlesse the puritans and brownists bee with you all one , which you haue made diuers sects aboue , and then are you to blame as to multiply names ( whereof i haue told you ) before , so now againe to confound them . what is now the conclusion ? it would be more safe and secure to become a roman catholike . but the proposition wil not inferre thus much simply , but onely in this respect . for topicall arguments ( as you know ) hold onely , caeteris paribus . we must then inquire if there be no other intrinsecall arguments by which it may bee discerned , whether cause bee the better , whether pretence to the church and truth , more iust , more euident . whether it may bee warranted to returne to babell , because god hath some people there ; when as he commands those that are there to come out of it . how safe it may bee willingly to ioyne with that part of the church , which is more corrupt in doctrine and manners , when wee may continue with that which is reformed . these points were to haue been scanned , ere you concluded and executed as you did . and such arguments there want not . christ our lord hath giuen vs amongst others , two infallible notes to know his church . my sheepe , saith hee , heare my voice : and againe , by this shall all men knowe that yee are my disciples if yee loue one another . what shall wee stand vpon coniecturall arguments from that which men say ? we are partiall to our selues , malignant to our opposites . let christ bee heard who bee his , who not . and for the hearing of his voice , o that it might be the issue ! but i see you decline it , therefore i leaue it also for the present . that other is that which now i stand vpon : the badge of christs sheepe . not a likelihood , but a certaine token , whereby euery man may know them . by this , saith he , shall all men know that yee are my disciples , if yee haue charitie one towards another . thanks be to god : this marke of our sauiour is in vs , which you with our schismatikes , and other enemies want . as salomon found the true mother by her naturall affection , that chose rather to yeeld to her aduersaries plea clayming her childe , then endure it should bee cut in peeces , so may it soone bee found at this day , whether is the right mother . ours , that saith , giue her the liuing child , and kill him not ; or yours , that if shee may not haue it , is content it bee killed , rather then want of her will. alas , saith ours , euen of those that leaue her , these be my children , i haue borne them to christ in baptisme , i haue nourished them as i could with mine owne breasts his testaments . i would haue brought them vp to mans estate , as their free birth and parentage deserues . whether it bee their lightnesse or discontent , or her enticing wordes and gay shewes , they leaue me , they haue found a better mother . let them liue yet , though in bondage . i shall haue patience ; i permit the care of them to their father ; i beseech him to keepe them that they doe none euill ; if they make their peace with him , i am satisfied , they haue not hurt me at all . nay but , saith yours , i sit alone as queene and mistris of christs family ; hee that hath not me for his mother , cannot haue god for his father . mine therefore are these , either borne or adopted : and if they will not bee mine they shall bee none . so without expecting christs sentence , shee cuts in peeces with the temporall sword , hangs , burnes , drawes those that shee perceiues inclined to leaue her , or haue left her alreadie . so shee kils with the spirituall sword , those that subiect not to her , yea thousands of soules that not onely haue no meanes so to doe , but many which neuer so much as haue heard whether there be a pope of rome or no. let our salomon be iudge between them : yea iudge you ( master waddesworth ) more seriously and maturely , not by ghesses , but by the very marke of christ , which wanting your selues , you haue vnawares discouered in vs , iudge i say without passion , and partialitie , according to christs word ; which is his flock , which is his church . chap. vi. of fraud and corruption in alleaging councels , fathers , and doctors . your next motiue was , that in examining the questions especially about the church , where you laboured to peruse the originall quotations and texts of the councels , fathers , and doctors , you found , as you say , much fraud committed by the protestants . this imputation of fraud is very vsuall and common to both sides ; and verily i beleeue some on both sides are faultie . for whether out of humane infirmitie , mistaking the meaning of authors , or slips of memorie , trust of other mens q●otations , who tie not themselues to the wordes , but giue the sense they conceiue ; how easily may testimonies bee alleaged cleane besides the authors mindes ? hee that hath strongly conceited any thing , findeth it in all that euer he readeth , or falleth vpon . too much heat in contention , and desire of victorie , blindeth the iudgement , and maketh a man heedlesly lay hold vpon any thing , that hee thinkes may serue his turne . as wee see sometimes in the writings of the fathers , which had to deale with ancient heretikes , alleaging the scriptures themselues besides the purpose . sometimes haste and desire of contracting makes one cut off some wordes , and explaine and presse those that make for him ; and perhaps leaue out something materiall ▪ presently the other side cries out clipping , forgerie , falsification , and what not ? but although all this may bee called fraud in respect of the reader , who is by this meanes deceiued in his euidence , and therefore if he be not aware may pronounce amisse , yet is it nothing to that kinde , when with an euill conscience and of set purpose falshood is set forth , and truth out-faced . wherein i cannot tell what you haue found . i could haue desired , and doe yet if your leisure may serue , you would shew the particulars . i doe professe here to you , that i haue seene and euen felt with my fingers such dealing in the romish faction , as i cannot resolue whether i should account them more shamefull slanderers , and false accusers of others , of fraudulent handling ; or bold and shamelesse , in the practizing of it themselues . when the lord of plessis his booke of the sacrament came out , how was it calumniated in this kind , with falsification ? du puy in a publike chartell offered , that of . passages in the preface , he would shew as cleere as the sunne at noone day , . were falsified , corrupted , and mangled , and the rest of no importance . the bishop of eureux after cardinall , vndertooke to shew in the booke it selfe . enormous falsities by ●ale , and without hyperbole . the matter was brought to a triall before the king of france , and nine places examined of this number . and as was before-hand promised the popes nuncio , the businesse should be so carried that the aduantage should remaine on the part of the church of rome , and the pope receiue contentment , & in these very words the lie should rest with the heretikes . morney was borne downe . the kings letters to the duke of espernon of this victorie , were blowne ouer france , sent to rome , printed with a discourse thereabout , set forth at antwerp , and translated into english , with some alteration and turksing by f. parsons ▪ wherein hee saith a french iesuit fronto duc●us discouered in it at least a thousand falshoods for his part . hee accuseth bishop iewell , and master fox of the like crime ; hee saith that in two onely leaues of his booke , a certaine learned scholler did discouer thirtie wilfull and voluntarie corruptions and falsifications that cannot be excused , and himselfe besides these thirtie , noted so many other plaine falsehoods and manifest wilfull lies , as might well double the former number . and by arithmetick hee multiplies this number with the number of the leaues , the number hee saith will rise to . by which iohn fox his booke will as much exceede iohn sleidans storie in number of lies ( in which were found onely ) as it doth in bulke and bignesse . this manner of writing of these men , brings to my minde that which sir thomas more writes of tyndals new testament , wherein hee saith , were founden and noted wrong and falsely translated aboue a thousand texts by tale . the language is like , and the cause is the same . men were loath these bookes should be read . the substance of them was such as could not be controlled ; the next remedie was to forestall the readers mindes with a prejudice of falsification , that so they might not regard them , but cast them out of their hands of their owne accord . the vulgar sort would be brought out of conceit at the first hearing , with vehement accusation . euen wise men would suppose though there should not bee any thing neere so many wilfull faults , yet surely there must needes bee a very great number , and that could not happen but with a very bad meaning ; this admitted , who would vouchsafe them the reading ? and in truth among those that fauour the reformed part , i haue me● with some that out of this buzze of falsification in the lord of plessis booke , cared not for reading it ; whereby may bee thought in what account it should bee with all those who esteeme all f. parsons libels to bee oracles . but shortly : sith neither the cardinall perone , nor f. parsons haue had the meanes , or will , to decypher those hundreds and thousands of falsifications in sleidan , bishop iewell , master fox , or plessis , in these so many yeeres , as haue run since they wrote ; and as for the last , he hath set forth the booke againe , with all the authorities at large in the margent , in the authors owne words , and hath answered all those that bayed at it , till they are silent , what remaines but that we count this multiplying of f. parso●s , may be ioyned with aequi●ocation , to make vp the arte of falsehood ; wherein he and his faction may iustly claime to be the worthiest professors in the world . but without any multiplication or other arithmeticke , in the fift page of that relation of his , in the seuen first lines are foure notorious , i will not say lies or falsifications , but falshoods by tale . the first : that the triall being begun vpon the first place , that was found false . the french discourse printed at antwerp cum priuilegio , and approbation of the visitor of bookes , saith : and as to the said first article , nothing was iudged thereabout by the said commissioners , nor pronounced by my said lord the chancellor , and the king said that it should be remitted to another time to deliberate thereabout . the second : hee ( that is , plessis ) would haue passed to the second , but the bishop refused so to doe , except the ministers and protestants there present would first subscribe and testifie that this first place was falsified . hee said in the page before , that plessis appeared at last with some foure or fiue ministers on his side . there were no ministers appeared with him on his side . no protestants , no creature did subscribe , or was required so to doe . the third : which at length they did , viz. subscribe , this place was falsified . a vtter vntruth . whereof there is not a word in the said printed narration . the fourth : as well in this as in all the rest . there was no subscription , as i said , at all . the commissioners were all of the roman profession , sauing causabon ; and he no minister . they neuer pronounced , much lesse subscribed that any of those places examined were falsified . of the first place of scotus they pronounced nothing . of the second , of durand , that the opposition of durand was alleaged for the resolution . and this they would haue remitted also as the former to another time , saue that the bishop insisted , saying , it was in vaine to dispute if they would not iudge , addressing his speech diuers times to the king , to the intent hee should signifie his pleasure to the commissioners ; and then his maiestie drawing neere to them , they gaue their opinions vpon that article as before . this was that which f. parsons stumbled at when hee wrote , the ministers and protestants there present subscribed and testified , that it was falsified , and so all the rest . for being ouerioyed with this newes which hee did not well vnderstand ( to thinke the charitablest of him ) hee thought the commissioners had beene part at least protestants , and ministers : and had subscribed , whereas they pronounced their sentence viua voce , by the mouth of the chancellour , neuer vsing the tearme falsification ; yea in some of the rest they acquited the l. of plessis , as in the passage of p. crinitus though they said crinitus was deceiued . in that of bernard , that it had beene good to distinguish the two passages of saint bernard out of the same booke with an et caetera . not to stand now vpon that , that in the rest of the places he hath a reasonable and iust defence with indifferent men , for the omissions he was charged with in chrysostome , hierome , bernard , and theodorit : and in that of cyril , the king himselfe said aloud , that both sides had reason ▪ but f. parsons not hauing as it appeares receiued perfect information of the particularities of this affaire , was so hastie to write according to the partiall intelligen●e he receiued at rome , that hee faults himselfe in the same kinde , that hee imputes to another . and if he should meete with some seuere aduersarie , that would multiplie his falsehoods by his leaues and lines , as he dealeth with master fox , and then extend by proportion his pamphlet to the bignesse of master fox his booke of martyrs , he would finde , that he prouides very ill for himselfe that is to rigorous and censorious to other men . but i leaue him , and come to the fidelitie of the popish faction , whereof i shall desire you to take a taste in one of the questions which you name about the church , euen that which is indeede cardo negotij , as you say , the controuersie of the popes authoritie . for the establishing whereof : first , the epistles of the ancient bishops of rome for the space of about . yeares after christ are counterfeited . the barbarous not latine but lead of the stile , and the likenesse of them all one to another , the deepe silence of antiquitie concerning them ; the scriptures alleadged after hieromes translation , doe conuince them of falshood . and by whose practice and procurement we cannot doubt , if wee aske but as cassius was wont cui bono ? for at euery bout the authoritie of the pope , and priuiledges of the roman see are extolled and magnified . next , the donation of constantine is a sencelesse forgerie ; and so blazed by some of the learnedest of the roman church . reade it aduisedly , either in gratian , or in the decrees of syluester , with the confession , and legend of constantines baptisme , and say out of your owne iudgement if euer any thing can be more fraudulent , more sottish ? and because i haue mentioned gratian , his whole compilation is f●ll of falsification , and corruption of antiquitie : take an example or two in the matter wee haue in hand . the mileuitene and after the africane councils vnderpaine of excommunication prohibit appeales beyond the seas . which canons were made purposely to meet with the vsurpations of the bishops of rome , of which i haue spoken some what before . now in the citing this canon , gratian addes this goodly explication ; nisi forte romanam sedem appellauerint ; thus excepting that abuse which these councels directly sought to prohibit . againe , saint augustine to informe a christian man what scriptures hee should hold for canonicall , bids gratian●its ●its it thus , inter qu●● ( scripturas ) sane illae sunt quas apostolica sedes habere & ab ea alij meru●runt accipere epistolas : and accordingly , the 〈◊〉 of that canon is ; inter canonicas , the decretall epistles are numbred amongst the canonicall scriptures . true it i● , that in the end of the next canon , gratian addes a good limitation , and worth the remembering , that this must be vnderstood of such decrees , in which there is nothing found contrary to the decrees of the fathers foregoing , nor the precepts of the gospell . belike euen in gratians time it was not holden impossible , that in the sanctions and decretals of popes , something might be decreed contrary to the gospel , which may be added to your iudges infallibility , which hath beene touched before . but these be old trickes of the champions of the papacie . at this day perhaps it is better : yes , and that shall ye vnderstand by the words of the children of the church of rome themselues the venetians . but first ye are to know , that among certaine propositions set forth in defence of the state , there was one , the fourth in number of eight , that the authoritie promised by our sauiour christ to saint peter vnder the metaphor of the keyes is meerely spirituall . for confirmation whereof after other proofe was said , that the authoritie of the highest bishop is ouer sinne and ouer soules onely ; according to the words of that prayer of the church about saint peter — qui b. petro animas ligandi atque soluendi pontificium tradidisti . cardinall bellermine vndertooke to answere these propositions , and comming to this place , he saith ; that peraduenture gods prouidence to take away such deceipts , whereby the author of these propositions would deceiue the simple , with the words of the holy church misunderstood , inspired into the reformers of the breuiarie that they should take out of that prayer the word ( animas ) as anciently it was not there , nor ought to be ; because that prayer was formed out of the words of the gospell . quodcunque ligaueris , & quodcunque solueris . now marke the reioinder that is made to him by iohannes marsilius , who numbering vp his errors in the defence of euery proposition , roundly tels him ? erra xiiii . perche dice , &c. he erres in the xiv . place for that he saith , that those which haue taken out of the breuiarie the word ( animas ) were inspired by the holy ghost . i 〈…〉 quodcunque 〈◊〉 , with the word ( 〈◊〉 ) by that text which explaineth them , 〈…〉 ; sinnes being in the soule and not in the body , least any should beleeue that the pope were , domi●●s in 〈◊〉 & spiritualibus , of goods , of bodies , and of soules , and that he might loose and binde euery thing , as it seemes the l. cardi●all beleeueth . and they explained them with the word 〈◊〉 , by which explication a remedy is put vnto all those discords which may arise betweene the pope and princes 〈◊〉 & tuo , whereas those which haue lat●ly taken it away out of the breuiarie , 〈◊〉 a new stirred vp occasion of discords and cont●●tions . besides that , it is a thing knowne of all men , that in the bookes of the councels , of the canons , of other doctors , in a word , 〈◊〉 in the very br●maries and missals there haue beene and are taken away those things which are in fauour of princes of the laitie , to see if at length there might be established the opinion de illimita●a potestate pontificis in t●mporalibus . 〈…〉 he as ●e that compar●s together the bookes printed in the year● . in . and those at this day , as well of the councels as others , ●uidently 〈◊〉 the vintage , that 〈◊〉 it is , that we post vindemia● , haue found some few clusters for the defence of our gracious prince . this is a meanes if it goe on further , to make all writings to loose their credit , and to ruine the church of god. be it spoken by the occasion that the lord cardinall hath giuen ●e thereof ▪ and for charities 〈◊〉 , and for the desire that these writings be no more touched ; which be also said with all humilitie and reuerence . he erres in the xv. place , for that he saith ●hat in the ancient breuiaries there was not the word animas . and i haue seene breuiaries written with 〈◊〉 abou● . yeares agoe , and printed aboue an hundred ; in them is the word animas ; and if it were not ▪ yet ought it to be put in , to take away the occasions of discord● . thus he there ; as for the prayer corrected , or corrupted rather ; if you looke the old breuiaries , yea euen that set forth by pi●s the fifth , printed by plantine , with the priuiledge of the pope , and his catholike maiest●e , anno . vpon the nine & twentieth of iune , yee shall find it to runne thus . deus qui b. petro apostolo ●uo collatis clauibus r●gui coelestis animas ligandi atque solu●ndi ponti●icium tradid●st● , concede vt intercessionis eius auxilio peccator ●m nostrorum nexibus liberemur . per dominum ▪ now in the late correction animas , is left out , and wee vnderstand the reason . in the end of the same booke there is ●n aduertisement to the reader , the beginning whereof i will not sticke to set downe verbatim ; it is this . because in this defence i haue often said , that authors are made to recant , and that out of their bookes many things are taken away sincerely said , in fauour of the power of temporall princes , to stablish by these meanes the opinion , de supremâ authoritate papae in temporalibus ; i haue thought good to aduise the r●ader , that the quotations by mee brought , are taken , ad verbum , out of those bookes which are incorrupt , and containe the opinion of the authors sincerely . and that the more ancient the copies bee , and further from these our times , so much ●he better they bee . and in particular i desire that hee bee aduertised , that the cap. nouit de iudicijs , printed in rome the yeere . by ioseph de angelis , with licence of superiours , it the text which was followed by the author of the eight positions , and by mee ; which containes sincerely the opinion of na●arrus , and of the parisians . which in the bookes printed since , is changed in such manner as it is no more the same , but is become the contrary , to wit , that of 〈◊〉 , &c. tell mee , good master wad●sworth , in the ●ight of god , what is fraud , if this be not . and thus not onely the authors of this age any way inclining to reformation , as erasmus , rhe●anus , cassander , f●rus ; but , vines , faber , caietane , pol. virgil , guicciardine , petrarch , dante , yea authors of six or seuen hundred yeeres old , are set to schoole to learne the romane language , and agree with the trent●aith ●aith . for it is not the authoritie and monarchy of the pope alone that is sought , though that bee summa summarum , whereunto all comes at last , but no voyce must be heard discenting from that which he teaches . therefore it is , that bertramus presbyter is appointed by your spanish index printed at madrid , to bee wholly abolished . the former had catechized him to say in stead of visibiliter , inuisibiliter , with many other pretie explications , as where he saith , the elements in the lords supper , secundum creaturarum substantiam , quod prius fuerant ante consecrationem , hoc & post consistunt , the explication is , secundum externas species sacramenti . but the surest way was to take him cleane away : and so indeed in the bibliotheca patrum hee is , and that purp●sely , as marguerinus de la bigne confesseth in his preface . the ancient fathers are perhaps free . for the councell of trent appointed , that in the writings of the ancient catholikes nothing should bee changed , sa●e where by the fraud of heretikes a manifest error is crept in . but who shall bee the iudge of that ? the inquisitors and censors themselues . for my part , i cannot say that i haue spent many houres in the triall of this point , nor haue i had ancient copies thereto requisite . but i will intreat you to consider with mee one example , or rather two or three in one father , and in the matter that i named , whereby you may ghesse at the rest . in saint cyprians workes imprinted at rome , by p. manutius , sent for to venice by pius the fourth , to set forth the fathers , as himselfe saith , most perfectly clensed from all spots , the epistle of firmilianus bishop of caesarea , beginning , accepimus per rogatianum , is wholly left out ; and pamelius thinkes purposely , and addes , perhaps it had beene more wisdome it had beene neuer set out at all . saint cyprian was not of that minde , who translated it into latin , as the stile it selfe witnesses , and pamelius also is enforced to confesse . the matter is , it is to quicke and vehement against stephanus bishop of rome . hee saith hee is moued with iust indignation , at the manifest folly of stephanus , that boasting so much of the place of his bishopricke , and that hee hath the succession of peter , vpon whom the foundations of the church were set , brings in many other rockes , &c. hee saith hee hath stirred vp contentions and discords throughout the churches of the whole world . bids him not deceiue himselfe , he hath made himselfe a schismaticke , by separating himselfe from the communion of the ecclesiastical vnity , for while he thinks he can separate all from his communion , he hath separated himselfe onely from all . he taxes him for calling saint cyprian a false christ , a false apostle , and a deceitfull workeman , which being priuy to himselfe that these were his owne due , preuentingly hee obiected to another ! no maruell if this geare could not passe the presse at rome . in s. cyprians epistle , de vnitate ecclesiae , these words , & primatus petro datur , &c. & after , vnam cathedram constituit : and againe , et cathedra vna , are foisted into the text in that romane edition . in that of pamelius also besides these , another clause is added , forsooth , out of gratian , and a copie of the cambron abby [ qui cathedram petri super quam fundata est ecclesia deserit . ] these patches being all left out , the sense is neuerthelesse complete and perfect : and for the last , which speaks most for the popes chaire , the superuisors themselues of the canon law , by the commandement of gregory the thirteenth , acknowledge , that in eight copies of cyprian entire , in the vaticane librarie this sentence is not found : but besides these there is one wherein his opuscula alone are contained , and another at saint sauiours in bologna , in which it is found . but what account they make of it appeares by this , that supplying the whole sentence in another place of gratian , they leaue it out . wherein as their conscience is to bee commended , and manuti●● his modestie , or theirs who surueied that edition , that would not follow one copie against eight ; so is pamelius boldnesse to be corrected , that out of one , and that not fully agreeing with gratian , neither shames not ( as himselfe sayes , veriti non sumus ) to force in this reading into the text , against all the rest printed and manuscript , which he vsed aboue twentie in number , as he sets them downe in a catalogue in the beginning of his edition . it is now little more then two hundred yeeres agoe , that frier thomas of walden wrote against witcleff . he in the second booke of his first tome , the first article , and second chapter , cites this verie place of cyprian , and cites it to fort●fie witclefs assertion of his owne minde . for hauing recited witclefs words , he concludes them thus ; haec ibi , and then proceeds . addam●t & nos quod cyprianus dicit omnes apostolos pares fuisse & pote●tate & ho●●re . addamus quod hieronymus dicit , super omnes apostolos ex aequo fortitudo solidatur ecclesiae , &c. yet , neither in that chapter , nor in that whole discourse doth he once mention these words , now conueied into cyprian , nor any where else that i can find in all his work , though hee cite this tractate often vnder the name of liber contra haereticos & schismaticos . how fit had it beene to answere the obiection out of cyprian by cyprian , if hee had not found that gratian after his manner had been too bold or negligent in this passage . the same author in his third tome de sacramentalibus , doct. . cites a long place out of this same treatise beginning at those words . an esse sibi cum christo videtur qui aduersum sace●dotem christi facit , &c. againe , cap. . two places ; one immediately before the sentences charged with those former wordes , another after . the one beginning , loquitur dominus ad petrum ▪ ego tibi dico quia tu es petrus , &c. the other vnitatem tenere ●irmiter & vendi●are debemus , &c. certainely vnlesse waldens●s meant by fai●t-pleading to betray the cause hee vndertooke , hee would neuer haue omitted so pregnant pass●ges as these be , for peters primacie , and the popes chaire , had they beene extant in cyprians worke when hee wrote , but wee cannot doubt of his good affection to the see of rome , either for his orders sake , o● his dedicating that worke to pope marti●e the fi●th , or his approbation of the two first tomes , which hee saith , hee caused to bee seene and examined , per sollennes viros , and testifies of to bee commended of all , encouraging him to write the third . it remaines therefore that cyprian hath receiued this garnishment since waldens time . and here with this occasion of his silence about those things which are thrust into cyprian , i will , though besides my purpose ▪ vse his testimony about a certaine sentence of the author of the imperfect worke vpon matthew , ascribed to saint chrysostome , which the romish faction will needs race out . it is in the eleuenth homily , about the middle . the words are these : si enim vasa sanctificata ad priuat●s vsus transferre peccatum est & periculum , sicut docet balthasar qui bibens in calicibus sacris de regn● depositus est & de vita . si ergo haec vasa ad priuatos vsus transferre sic 〈◊〉 est [ in quibus non est verum corpus christi 〈◊〉 mysterium ●orporis eius continetur ] quanto magis vasa corporis nostri quae sibi deus ad habitaculum praeparan●● non debemus locum dare diabolo agend● in ijs quae vult . in this sentence the wordes that i haue e●closed from the rest are inserted saith bellarm●e by some schol●er of berengarius , for they are not in all copies . no maruell . that is more maruell that they are in any , since the canonizing of trans●bstantiation . but in walde●s time , and before , the words were th●s read , for in his third tome , cap. . they are thus cited , saue tha● by the error of the print ministerium , is put for mysterium , and hee addes there . 〈…〉 but , saith bellarmine , these words 〈◊〉 not to the matter in hand , for the author of the 〈◊〉 spake of the holy vessels of salomons temple , which 〈…〉 ; and in those vessels , neither was the lords true body , nor yet the mystery thereof . well , if they be not to the purpose , if they speake of the vessells of salomons temple , let them stand in the text still . what need yee purge them out of the newer editions at antwerpe , and paris . belike father iohn matthews saw further into this matter then bellarmine , for hee casts out this sentence with the dregs of the arians , although there bee no arianisme in it that i can perceiue . the truth is , the author speakes of the vessels vsed in the lords supper in his owne time . for those wordes , sicut docet balthasar , &c. are brought in by the way , for a confirmation from a like example , the sense hanging in the meane while , which is resumed againe when hee goes on , si ergo haec vasa , as any indifferent reader may perceiue . yea , take away these words , & the sinewes of the sentence are cut , for the force of the argument lies in the comparison of the prophaning of the holy vessels , and of our bodies ; that is a sin , yet christs body is not contained in them , but the mystery therof : but god himselfe dwels in these . these examples , to omit some other , doe make mee thinke , that howsoeuer the corrupting of the texts of the fathers , is not perhaps so vsuall , as of other writers , and good reason why , they know that many looke narrowly to their ●ingers , neither is there any place almost , that is of speciall pith , that hath not beene obserued and vrged in the handling of the controuersies of this age , by some one or other ; yet where there is any colour of differing copies , or any aduantage to bee taken that way , it is not slipped . and who knowes not , that sometimes the change of a letter , yea , of a point or accent ; makes the whole sentence of another meaning ? as for example● that of saint augustine , qui fecit te sine te , non iustificat te sine te . read it interrogatiuely , and it is as strong for 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 , as if it be read assertiuely , for cathar●●● and the 〈◊〉 . and in very deede when i consider the eagernesse of these men , to win their purposes , and their fearfull boldnesse with the holy word of god , i know not how a man should looke for conscience or respect at their hands in the writings of men . for to omit that the trent-fathers haue canonized the vulgar latin edition , which so many times departeth from the originall inspired by the holy ghost , adding , detracting , changing , often to a diuerse , sometimes to a contrarie sense . to let passe also how sixtus v. and clemens viii . doe tyrannize oue● and delude the faith of their followers , about that edition , binding them vnto two diuerse copies , and sometimes flat contradictorie ; and so , as the forme of each must bee inuiolably obserued , without the least particle of the text added , changed , or detracted . the former , derogating all faith and authoritie from whatsoeuer bibles hand●written , or printed , of the vulgar edition , which did not agree with that which hee set forth ad verbum & ad literam . the latter , telling , that when the same pope endeuoured to set it out , hee perceiued not a few things to haue crept into the holy bible , through the fault of the presse , and that it needed a second care , whereupon he decreed to bring the whole worke againe to the anuile , had he not beene preuented by death ; so derogating all faith from the ●ormer . whereas the truth is sixt●● did not onely endeuour to set out his bible , but prefixed his bull before it ad perpetuam rei memoriam , and sent one of the copies to the state of venice ( as i heard at my being there ) howsoeuer since it was cunningly recouered againe , set it to sale publikely , and saith in his bull , that he corrected the faults of the presse with his owne hand , and ( which most of all conuinceth pope clements preface of falshood ) the difference of these editions is not in fault of the prints , but in that the one followes the old erroneous reading , the latter the reading of other manuscripts ac●ording with the hebrew , chaldee , greeke , or the latin edition of the catholike kings bible , obserued by the industrie of the diuines of lo●aine . but to forbeare to vrge this contradiction in the very foundation of beliefe , which some man peraduenture would presse so farre , as to inferre , that the romanists haue no faith ( for hee that beleeues contradictories beleeues nothing . ) what shall we say of that impietie , to corrupt the originall text according to the vulgar latin ? see an example hereof in the first promise of the gospell , gen. . where the serpent is threatned , that the seede of the woman shall crush his head . the vulgar edition leauing here the hebrew , the seuentie , and saint hierome himselfe , as appeares by his questions vpon genesis , tran●●ates ipsa . shee shall bruise thy head . so it stands now in the authenticall scripture of the church of rome , and herein sixtus and clemens are of accord . the diuines of louaine obserue , that two manuscript copies haue ipse . that the hebr●w , chaldie , and greeke , haue it so likewise . why then did not either sixtus or clemens , or they themselues hauing copies for it , correct it , and make it so in the authenticall text ? i will tell you . by colour of this corruption , the deuill enuying christs glorie , like an obstinate enemie rather yeelding himselfe to any then his true conqueror , hath giuen this honour to the virgin mary . to her it is attributed in that worke which i thinke to bee the most vngodly and blasphemous that euer saw the sunne : the ladies psalter , wherein that which is spoken of god by the spirit of god is writhed to her . in the . psalme , quid gloriaris in malitia , ô maligne serpens , &c. why boastest thou in malice , ô thou malignant serpent and infernall dragon , submit thy head to the woman , by whose valour thou shalt be drowned in the deepe . crush him , ô lady , with the foot of thy valour , arise and scatter his malice , &c. and in the . speaking to the same serpent . noli extolli , &c. bee not lifted vp for the fall of the woman , for a woman shall crush thy head , &c. so in that anthem : haec est mulier virtutis quae contri●it caput serpentis . yea which i write with griefe and shame , to her doth good bernard apply it , hom. . super missus est , and which is more strange , expounds it , not of her bearing our sauiour , but , ipsa proculdubio , &c. shee doubtlesse crushed that poisonfull head , which brought to nought all manner of suggestion of that wicked one , both of temptation of the flesh and of pride of minde . to her doth the learned and deuout chancelor of paris apply it . has pestes vniuersas dicimus membra serpentis antiqui , cuiu● caput ipsa virgo contriuit . and what maruell in those times , when the plaine text of the scripture ran so in the foeminine gender , of a woman , and few or none had any skill of the greeke or hebrew ? who should that shee be , but shee that is blessed among women ? now although that thankes be to god , it is knowne that this is a corrupt place , out of the fountains , yea out of the riuers also the testimonies of the fathers , referring this to christ , as irenaaus , iustine , cyprian , clemens alexandrinus , hierome , yea pope leo himselfe , yet because no error of the church of rome may bee acknowledged , how palpable soeuer ; they haue cast how to shadow this corruption , and set some colour vpon it , that howsoeuer this reading cannot bee true , yet it may bee made like to truth . loe in the interlinear bible set forth by the authoritie of king philip the father of his majestie that now reignes with you , the hebrew text is reformed according to the latine , ipsa . there was some opportunitie hereunto , by reason that the letters of the text without pricks would beare both readings . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hu , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hiu . and this selfe-same word for the letters the base of reading , is so pointed in this chapter verse . and applied to eue shee is the mother of all liuing . and so elsewhere , as gen. . . and . hereunto perhaps was added , that the pricks are a late inuention of the rabbines , as many thinke , and no part of the hebrew text. and that not onely leo castro , and such as accuse the present hebrew copies as fal●ified , but those that defend them also , doe many of them confesse . hereupon it was resolued , as it seemes , to point this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for that it was not by mistaking but purposely done ▪ franciscu● lucas in his annotations vpon the place doth assure vs ; and saith it was guido fabricius his deede . and indeede other things there bee in that worke , which sauour not of the learning and integritie of arias montanus , as for example , the etymologie of missa from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but as boldnesse is not alwayes as prouident , as ignorance or malice is bold , these correctors marked not , that the gender of the verbe , and the affixe of the noune following , are both masculine . so although the orthographie would bee framed to consent , yet the syntaxe doth crie out against this sacriledge . and yet our rhemists , as i am informed , in their lately set forth bible , with a long note vpon this place , defend the applying of this text to the blessed virgin , and the old reading ipsa . what should a man say ? necessitie makes men desperate , and as the apostle saith , euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse , deceiuing and being deceiued . these be fraudes indeed , in the strictest sense , wilfully corrupting the texts of good authors , wilfully maintayning them so corrupted ; not abstayning from the holy scriptures themselues . for as to that other kinde , deprauing the sense , retayning the wordes ; it were endlesse to cite examples . bellarmine alone , as i beleeue , passeth any two protestants that euer set pen to paper , perhaps all of them put together . chap. vii . of the armies of euident witnesses for the romanists . where you adde that you found the catholikes had farre greater and better armies of euident witnesses then the protestants , it might perhaps seeme so to you , as your minde was prepared , when you had met with such cunning muster-masters as the romanists are . who sometimes bring into the fi●ld to make their number seeme more , after the old stratagem of warre , a sort of pages and lackeis , vnworthy to hold any ranke in the host of god , vnder the names of the fathers . sometimes to confirme their part , giue out a voice confidently , that all the ●orces which they see aloofe in the field are on their side , whereas when it comes to the battell they shall finde that they wil turne their armes against them . somtimes they change the quarrell it selfe ; in which case how easie is it to bring armies , as you say , into the field , to fight against no-bodie and euident witnesses , to proue that which no man denies ? for the purpose , that the bishops of rome hath had a primacie of honour , and authoritie ; when as the question is about a monarchie , and infallible iudgement , an vncontrolable iurisdiction . herein if you please , see how bellarmine alleages the fathers , greeke and latine , in the . and . chapters of his first booke , de summo pontifice . so for proofe of the veritie of christs bodie and bloud in the lords supper , hee spends a whole booke onely in citing the testimonies of the fathers . to what purpose ? when the question is not of the truth of the presence , bu● of the manner ; whether it be to the teeth and belly , or soule and faith of the receiuer . sometimes they will beare downe the vnexpert souldier their reader , that hee sees the fathers fight for them ; as pighius and bellarmine come in often with their vides in the end and application of a testimonie . whereby it comes to passe that the scholler if he be of a plyable disposition , or loath to bee counted dimme-sighted , yeelds himselfe to his teacher , and sees in the fathers that which they neuer dreamed of . but surely , sir , had you giuen that honour to the holy scriptures , which of the iewes was giuen to them , and our lord iesus christ allowes it in them ; and then employed as much trauell in the searching and looking into them , as you professe to haue done in the perusing the councels and fathers , perhaps god had opened your eyes , as those of el●sha his seruant , to haue seene , that there are more on our side then against vs , horses indeede and charets of fire , able to put to flight and scatter neuer so great armies of humane authorities and opinions . but this place of the scriptures hath no place amongst all your motiues . as touching that which you say of the centurists often consuring and reiecting the plaine testimonies of the ancients . it is true , that in the title de doctrina , they note a part , the singular and incommodious opinions the stubble and errors of the doctors . wherein to tell you my fancie , if they commit any fault , it is , that they are to rigid and strict , referring into this catalogue , euery improper and excessiue speech , which being seuered from the rest of the discourse , may often seeme absurd : as it may also seeme strange that our sauiour should teach a man to hate his father and mother , or pull out his eyes , or giue him his cloake that hath bereaued him of his coate . whereas these and the like haue in the place where they stand , admirable force and grace , being taken with an equall and commodious interpretation . but it is are cleare as the noone day , that sundry such errors and singular opinions there be in the fathers , as cannot be iustified . they speake not alwaies to your own mindes , not onely prima facie , and in sound of words , but being neuer so well examined and salued . witnesse sixtus senensis in the fift and sixt bookes of his bibliotheca . witnesse pamelius , medina ( though blamed for confessing so much by bellarmine ) yea witnesse bellarmine himselfe . wherefore if the bare authoritie of the fathers must binde vs , vndergoe the same law yee giue , if as your belgick index confesseth , you beare in them with many errors , extenuate them , excuse them , by deuising some shift , often denie them , and giue them a c●modious sense , when they are opposed in disputations , giue the libertie ye take . or if ( as we thinke ) these be base courses and vnbeseeming the ingenuitie of true christian mindes , acknowledge this honour as proper to the scriptures , to be without controuersie receiued , examine by the true touchstone of diuine authoritie all humaine writings , how holy soeuer their authors haue beene . try all things , as the apostle commands , hold fast that which is good . your instance in danaeus his commentaries , super d. aug. euchiridion ad laurentium , was not all the best chosen . for neither doth saint augustine in that booke treating professedly of purgatory , auouch it plainely , or yet obscurely . nor doth danaeus reiect his opinion with those words , hic est nae●us augustini , or the like . the heads of saint augustines discourse are these . i. that whereas some thought that such as are baptized and holde the faith of christ , though they liue and die neuer so wickedly , shall be saued , and punished with a long but not eternall fire , he thinkes them to be deceiued , out of a certaine humane pit● ; for this opinion is flatly contrarie to other sc●rptures . ii. he interprets the place of saint paul , touching the trying of euery mans worke by fire , of the fire of tribulation , through which as well he that builds gold and siluer , that is , mindes the things of god , as he that builds hay and stubble , that is , too much mindes the things of this life must passe . iii. he saith that it is not incredible , that some such thing is done after this life also ; and whether it be so or not , may be enquired of . iiii. but whether it be found or no , that some faithfull people , according as they haue more or lesse , loued these perishing things , are later or sooner saued : yet not such as of whom it is said , that they shall not possesse the kingdome of god , vnlesse repenting as they ought , they obtaine forgiuenesse ; as for the purpose , be fruitfull in almes ; which yet will not serue to purchase a licence to commit sinne . v. that the daily and lighter sinnes , without which we are neuer in this life , are blotted out by the lords prayer . and so the greater also , if a man leaue them , and forgiue others his enemies ; which is a worthy kinde of almes : but the best of all is a sinners amending of his life . loe how plainly saint augustine auo●cheth purgatorie , of which he doubts whether any such thing can be found or no. expounds that scripture that seemes most strong for it , all otherwise , and so as it cannot agree thereunto . if it be found , is sure it will not serue for greater sinnes . and for lesser defects , yea the greatest shewes , another a surer remedy , which intruth makes purgatory superfluous . in this doctrine , danaeus is so farre from controuling saint augustine , that he applauds him ; and saith , that declaring his owne opinion of purgatorie , he pronounceth plainely , that the whole defining of this matter is vncertaine , doubtfull , and rash ; which since that augustine wrote being now an old man , certainely it cannot be doubted but that hee did altogether reiect purgatorie : yea and he shewes this fire it selfe to be vnprofitable . thus danaeus there . but the censure that was in your minde , i beleeue is that vpon another passage of saint augustine in the same booke , where hee treates , whether the soules of the dead are eased by the pietie of their friends that are liuing . and thus he determines it . that when the sacrifices either of the altar , or of whatsoeuer almes are offered for all such as are deceased after baptisme , for such as are very good folke , they are thankesgiuings ; for such as are not very euill , they are propitiations : for those that are very euill , though they be no helpes to the dead , yet they are consolations , such as they be to the liuing . and to such as they are profitable vnto , it is either that they may haue full remission , or that their very damnation may be more tollerable . vpon this chapter thus saith dan●us . hoc totum caput continet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augustini , and after hee addes , itaque hic foenum & stipulam aedificat vir pius & magnus . but you , yee say , had rather follow saint augustines opinion then his censure . perhaps as one saith , rather erre with plato , then hold the truth with others . if that be your resolution , what should we vse any more words ? beleeue then if you please , that the commemoration of christs sacrifice in the lords supper , or the oblations of the faithfull , are to be made for all that decease after baptisme , in the attempting of whatsoeuer sinne they die , yea suppose in finall impenitence of any deadly crime . that such as be damned may thereby haue their damnation made more tollerable . beleeue that without any improprietie of speech , the same forme of words may be a thanksgiuing for one , and an appeasing of gods wrath for another . beleeue also ( if you can beleeue what you will ) that saint tecla deliuered the soule of falconilla out of hell , and saint gregorie the soule of traian , and that as may seeme saying masse for him , sith he was forbidden thence forth to offer any hoste for any wicked man. bele●●e that macarius continually praying for the dead , and very desirous to know whether his prayers did them any good , had answere by miracle from the scull of a dead man an idolater , that by chance was tumbled in the way . o macarius when tho● offerest prayer's for the dead , we feele some ease for the time . beleeue that on easter euen all the damned spirits in hell keep holy day , and are free from their torments . saint augustine , such is his modestie , will giue you leaue to beleeue 〈◊〉 , as well as purgatorie , if you please , as hee is not vnwilling to giue , as large scope to other mens opinions as may be , so they reuerse not the plaine and certaine grounds of holy scripture . in all these you may if you please follow authors also ; as saint damasce●● , paladius , prudentius , sigebert , and others . but giue the same libertie to others that yee take . compell no man to follow your opinion , if he had rather follow danaeus reasons . for my selfe , i would sooner with saint augustine himselfe , whose words touching saint cyprian , danaeus here borrowed , confesse this to be , 〈…〉 coopertum 〈…〉 , then be bound to iustif●e his conceit touching the commemoration of the dead in the lords supper . and as hee saith of saint cyprian , so would i adde , ego h●ius libri authoritate non teneor , 〈…〉 augustini non vt canonicas habeo , sed eas ex canonic●s considero ; & quod in ijs 〈◊〉 scriptur 〈…〉 cum 〈…〉 quod non congruit cum pace eius resp●● . which words i doe the rather set downe , that they may be luthers iustification also against f. parsons , who thinkes he hath laid sore to his charge when hee cites very solemnely his epistle ad equitem germ. anno domini . where he saith , he was tyed by the authority of no father , though neuer so holy , if hee were not approued by the iudgement of holy scripture . surely this is not to denie and contemne , as he cals it , or as you to controll the fathers , to account them subiect to humane infirmities , which themselues acknowledge . but the contrary is to boast against the truth , to seeke to fore iudge it with their mistakings , which needes not so much as require their testimonies . i will forbeare to multiply words about that , whether the testimonies of antiquitie which fauour the protestants be many or few : whether they doe indeede so , or onely seeme , prima facie ; whether they be wrested or to the purpose ; whether all this may not by iust or reason be affirmed of the passages cited by 〈◊〉 romanists out of antiquitie , setting aside matters of ceremony , and gouernment ( which your selfe confesse by and by may be diuers , without empeaching vnitie in faith ) and opinions , euer to be subiected to the triall of scriptures , by their owne free consent and desire . iudge by an instance or two , that this matter may not be a meere skirmish of generalities . tertullian in his latter times , whether as saint hierome writes through the enuie and reproach of the roman clergie , or out of the too much admiring chastitie and fasting , became a montanist , and wrote a booke de pudicitia , blaming the reconciling of adulterers and fornicators . in the very entrance almost thereof , he hath these words . audio etiam edictum esse propositum , & quidem peremptorium . pontifex scil . maximus episcopus episcoporum dicit . ego & maechis & fornicationis delict a paenitentiâ functis dimitto . pamelius in his noate vpon this place , writes thus , bene habet : & annotatu dignum quod etiamiam in haeresi constitutus , & aduersus ecclesia●● scribens , pontifice● romanum episcopum episcoporum nuncupet , & infra cap. . bonum pastorem , & benedictum papum & cap. . apostolicum . thus pamelius ; and presently la●ches forth into the priuiledges of the see of rome , and brings a number of testimonies for that forgery of constantines donation . the like note hee hath in the life of tertullian , where hee makes the pope that set forth the former edict to haue beene zephyrinus ; quem , saith hee , pontificem maximum etiam iam haereticus episcopum episcoporum appellat . baronius also makes no small account of this place , and saith , the title of the pope is here to bee noted . and indeed , prima facie ( as you say ) they haue reason . but hee that shall well examine the whole web of tertullians discourse , shall finde that hee speakes by a most bitter and scornefull ironie , as elias doth of baal , when hee saith , hee is a god. the word scilicet might haue taught them thus much . yea , the title pontifex maximus , which in those dayes , and almost two ages after , was a pagan terme , neuer attibuted to a christian bishop , first laid downe by gratian the emperour , as baronius also notes , in the yeere of our lord , . because it ●auoured of heathenish superstition , though it had beene , as a title of royalty vsed by the former christian emperours , till that time . this title , i say , might haue made them perceiue tertullians meaning ; vnlesse the immoderate desire of exalting the papacie did so blind their eyes , that seeing , they saw , and yet perceiued not . in the same character , though with more mildnesse and moderation , is the same title for the other part of it , vsed by saint cyprian , in his vote in the councell of carthage . neque . n. quisquam nostrum se esse episcopum episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit . bellarmine saith , hee speakes here of those bishops that were in the councell of carthage ; and that the bishop of rome is not included in that sentence , who is indeed bishop of bishops . what! and doth hee tyranniously inforce his colleagues to obedience also . for it is plaine that cyprian ioynes these together , the one as the presumptuous title , the other as the iniurious act answering thereto , which hee calls plaine tyranny . and as plaine it is out of firmilianus epistle , which i vouched before , that stephanus bishop of rome heard ill for his arrogancie and presuming vpon the place of his bishopricke , peters chaire , to seuer himselfe from so many churches , and breake the bond of peace , now with the churches of the east in asia , now of the south in africke . and hee was in as ill conceit with cyprian for his breaking good order , and communicating with basilides and martialis iustly depriued in spaine ; as saint cyprian was with him , when he stiled him , a false christ , and a false apostle . but the holy martyr was of a more patient and calme spirit , then to be moued with such reproaches ; nay , hee tooke occasion , as it should seeme , thereby to write of patience . from this mildnesse it was , that hee so closely taxed the presumption of him , that made himselfe bishop of bishops , and by terror ( which what it was firmilianus epistle shewes , threatning excommunication ) would compell his colleagues to his owne opinion . none of vs saith he , doth thus . as the apostle , we preach not our selues ; we commend not our selues ; wee are not as many , that adulterate the word of god , &c. bellarmine takes the first kindly . no maruell , saith hee , for this the bishop of romes due . but they goe together , hee must be content to take both , or leaue both . such another place there is in saint augustines epist. . the wordes are , petr●● etiam inquit apostolorum capu● , coeli 〈◊〉 , & ecclesia fundamentum . where in the margent , the diuines of louaine , the ouerseers of plantines edition , set this note , petrus ecclesia fundamen●●m . why might they not ? the words yee will say of the text . but these words of the text be not saint augustines , whose opinion is well enough knowne , that it is christ confessed by peter ; that is the foundation of the church ; but they are the words of an vndiscreet railer * of the citie of rome , against whom saint augustine in all that epistle most vehemently inueighs . this arrogant author endeauours so to defend the romane custome of fasting on the saturday , as hee reproaches all other churches that vsed otherwise . and that we may see with what spirit he was led , he brings the same text that is brought , in pope siricius , and innocentius epistles , against the marriage of clergie men , qui in carne sunt deo placere non possunt , and many other scrip●ures wrested , and farre from the purpose ; at last comes the authoritie of peter , and his tradition very pope-like alledged , peter , he saith , the head of the apostles , porter of heauen , and foundation of the church , hauing ouercome simon the sorc●rer , who was a figure of the deuill , not to be ouercome but by fasting , thus taught the romanes ; whose faith is famous in the whole world . i remit you to saint augustines answere to this tradition . this i note , that where your censors do race out of the margents of former editions , such notes as do expresse the very opinions of the ancients , and in their owne wordes , here they can allow and authorize such marginall notes , as are directly contrary to their meaning . yea , which are earnestly oppugned by them ; when they seeme to make for the authoritie of the pope . good sir , examine well this dealing , and iudge if this bee not wresting the fathers , and applying them cleane from their purpose . in fine , you found your selfe , you say , euidently conuinced . perswaded , i beleeue , rather then conuinced . else if the force and euidence of the arguments , and not the pliablenesse of your minde were the cause of your yeelding , mee thinkes they should worke like effect in others , no lesse seriously seeking for truth , and setting all worldly respects aside , earnestly minding their owne saluation then your selfe . which i well know they do not , neither those which hitherto haue beene examined , nor those which yet remaine to be considered in the rereward . chap. viii . of the inuisibilitie of the church , said to bee an euasion of protestants . the first whereof is , the dislike of the protestants euasion , as you call it , by the inuisibilitie of their church . giue mee leaue here to tell you plainly , yee seeme to mee not to vnderstand the protestants doctrine in this point . else yee would haue spared all that , the catholike church must euer be visible , as a citie set on a hill , otherwise how should shee teach her children , conuert pagans , dispence sacraments ? all this is yeelded with both hands . the congregations of which the catholike church doth consist are visible . but the promise made to this church , of victory against the gates of hell , the titles , of the house of god , the base and piller of truth ( an allusion , as i take it , to the bases and pillers that held vp the veile or curtaines in the tabernacle ) the body of christ , his doue , his vndefiled , are not verified of this church in the whole visible bulke of it , but in those that are called according to gods purpose , giuen to christ , and kept by him to bee raised vp to life at the last day . this doctrine is saint augustines in many place● , which it would bee too tedious to set downe at large . in his third booke , de doctrina christiana , among the rules of tychonius , there is one which hee corrects a little for the tearmes , de domini corpore bipertito ; which he saith , ought not to haue beene called so , for in truth that is not the lords body , which shal not be with him for euer , but he should haue said of the lords true body and mixt , or true and fained , or some such thing . because not onely for euer , but euen now , hypocrites are not to be said to be with him , though they seeme to be in his church . consider those resemblances taken out of the holy scripture , wherein that godly father is frequent , of chaffe and wheat in the lords floore , of good and bad fishes in the net , of spots and light in the moone . of the church carnall and spirituall , of the wicked multitudes of the church , yet not to be accounted in the church . of the lilly and the thornes ; those that are marked which mourne for the sinnes of gods people , and the rest which perish , which yet beare his sacraments . consider the last chapter of the booke , de vnitate ecclesiae , and that large treatise which he hath of that matter , epist. . the place is long , which deserues to bee read , for the obiection of the vniuersality of arianisme ( like to that of papisme in these last ages ) which saint augustine answeres in the fifth booke , de baptismo contra donatistas cap. . that number of the iust , who are called according to gods purpose , of whom it is said , the lord knoweth who are his , is the inclosed garden , the sealed fountaine , the well of liuing waters , the orchard with apples , &c. the like hee hath . l. . c. . & . he concludes , that because such are built vpon the rocke , as heare the word of god and doe it , and the rest vpon the sand : now the church is built vpon the rocke , all therefore that heare the word of god and doe it not , are out of question without the church . in the seuenth booke , cap. . quibus omnibus consideratis● — read and marke the whole chapter . out of these and many more like places , which i forbeare to mention , it appeares , that albeit the true catholike church is such as cannot bee hid , yet considering that it consists of two sorts of people , the one , which is the greater part , who doe not indeed properly belong to it : the other , the fewer , truely and properly so called , to whom all the glorious things spoken of the church doe agree . the face therefore of the mixt church may be ouer-run with scandals , as in all times almost . the greatest number may sometime bee idolaters , as in the kingdome of israel vnder achab. the principallest in authoritie may bee false teachers , as the priests and prophets in ieremies time : the sonnes of pestilence may sit in moses chaire , as they did in christs time . yet still the church is the ground and piller of truth in the elect : ipsa est praedestinata columna & firmamentum veritatis . the sheepe heare not seducers , iohn . . to wit , finally , and in any damnable point . thus was it before christ , thus since , thus in the church of england , before , yea , and since it was reformed . thus in that of rome it selfe at this day . there is a distinction of thomas , of those that be in the church , which rightly ● interpreted agrees fully herewith . there are some , de ecclesia numero tantum . some , numero & merito . the former are such as haue onely fidem informem , the latter formatam . now though the persons of such , as be in the church be visible , yet the faith and charitie of men wee see not , and to argue from the priuiledges of the church , numero & merito , to the church , numero tantum , is a perpetuall , but a palpable para●ogisme of the romish faction : which is grosser , yet when they argue to the church representatiue ; and grossest of all when one man is made the church , and he ( as themselues grant may fall out ) a deuill incarnate . chap. ix . of lacke of vniformitie in matters of faith , in all ages and places . and in this selfe same paralogisme you were beguiled with , in the next point of vniformitie and concord in matters of faith. the true church , yee say , ●uer holds such vniformitie . it is vtterly false in the visible and mixt church , both before christ and since . it is false in the church of rome it selfe ; whose new-coyned faith , patched to the creed , by pius the fourth , came in peece-meale out of priuate opinions and corrupt vsages , nor euer was in any age vniformely holden , or taught as matter of faith , euen in it , as it is at this day . so by your owne discourse it should be no true church . and taking matters of faith so largely as it seemes you doe , in opposition to such things as bee cer●m●nies or of gouernment ; it is vntrue also of the church of the elect , or properly so called . for though the faith in the principles thereof bee euer the same , yet many conclusions of faith haue sometimes lien vnsearched out , and like some parts of the world vnknowne , till by the industrie of gods seruants , occasioned also by the importunitie and opposition of heretikes , they were discouered . sundrie common errours also there haue beene , which in succeeding ages haue beene cleered and reformed : as , the ●hiliastes . that angels haue bodies : that children after they be baptized are to be communicated : that heretikes are to be rebaptized . to the assumption first , the protestants challenge not to themselues any church as their owne ; which i must aduertise you of here , because formerly also you doe vse this phrase . the church is christs , both the visible and inuisible . next , taking matters of faith for foundations or articles of faith necessarie to saluation , the church of christ hath in all ages had vniforme concord with the protestants at this day in such matters , as appeareth by the common rule of faith the creede ; and so hath also the church vnder the popes tyrannie . as to the trent-additions they are forraine to the faith , as neither principles nor conclusions thereof : neither can your selues shew vniforme consent and concord in them ( and namely , in the . of them ) in any one age , especially as matters of saluation , as now they are canonized . how much lesse can yee shew it in all other conclusions of faith ; whereabout there haue beene among you , as are now among vs , and euer will bee differences of opinions , without any prejudice for all that vnto the vnitie of the faith of the church , and title to the name of it . as for wicliffe , hus , and the rest , if they haue any of them borne record to the truth , and resisted any innouation of corrupt teachers in their times , euen to bloud , they are iustly to be termed martyrs , yea albeit they saw not all corruptions , but in some were themselues carried away with the streame of error . else , if because they erred in some things , they bee no martyrs , or because wee dissent from them in some things , we are not of the same church , both you and we must quit all claime to saint cyprian , iustine martyr , and many more whom wee count our ancients , and predecessors , and bereaue them also of the honour of martyrdome , which so long they haue enjoyed : you see , i hope , by this time the weaknesse of your argument . chap. x. of the originall of reformation in luther , caluin ; scotland , england , &c. in your next motiue taken from the originall of reformation , before i come to answere your argument shortly coucht in forme , i must endeuour to reforme your iudgement in sundrie points of storie , wherein partly you are misse-led and abused by parsons and others of that spirit , partly you haue mistaken some particulars , and out of a false imagination framed a like discourse . first for luther , it was not his ran●our against the dominicans that stirred him vp against the pope , but the shamefull merchandize of indulgences , set to sale in germanie , to the aduantage of magdalen , sister to pope leo x. beleeue herein if not sleidan yet g●●cciardine l. . and of all that mention those affaires , it is acknowledged , that at the first , and for a good time he shewed all obedience , and reuerence to the pope . the new historie of the councell of trent , written by an italian a subiect and part of the church of rome , as should appeare by the epistle dedicatorie of the reuerend and learned archbishop of spalato , prefixed to his maiestie , speaketh thus of the matter . questo diede occasione , &c. this gaue occasion to martin , to passe from indulgences to the authoritie of the pope , which being by others proclaymed for the highest in the church , by him was made subiect to a generall councell lawfully celebrated . whereof hee said that there was neede in that instant , and vrgent necessitie . and as the heat of disputation continued , by how much the more the popes power was by others exalted , so much the more was it by him abased , yet so as martin contayned himselfe within the termes of speaking modestly of the person of leo , and sauing sometimes his iudgement . againe , after his departure from the presence of cardinall cajetan at augusta , hee saith , hee wrote a letter to the cardinall , confessing that hee had beene too vehement , and excusing himselfe by the importunitie of the pardoners , and of those that had written against him , promising to vse more modestie in time to come , to satisfie the pope , and not to speake any more of indulgences , prouided that his aduersaries would doe the like . this was luthers manner at the first , till the bull of pope leo came out , dated the ninth of nouember , . wherein he declared the validitie of indulgences , and that hee as peters successor and christs vicar had power to grant them for the quicke and dead ; that this is the doctrine of the church of rome , the mother and mistris of all christians , and ought to bee receiued of all that would bee in the communion of the church . from this time forward luther began to change his stile , and ( saith he ) as before hee had for the most part reserued the person and iudgement of the pope , so after this bull he resolued to refuse it , and thereupon put forth an appeale to the councell ▪ &c. you see then how submissiuely luther at first carried himself . but extreme tyrannie ouer-comes often a well prepared patience . touching his causing rebellion also against the emperour , yee are misse-informed : his aduice was asked about the association of the protestants at smalcald , hee said plainly , hee could not see how it could bee lawfull , further then for their owne defence , ioh. bodin , in his second booke de repub . cap. . hath these wordes . we reade also that the protestant princes of almaine before they tooke armes against the emperour , demanded of martin luther if it were lawfull . he answered freely that it was not lawfull , whatsoeuer tyrannie , or impietie were pretended . he was not beleeued ; so the end thereof was miserable , and drew after it the ruine of great and illustrious houses of germanie . as for the warre in germanie it began not till after luthers death , neither was it a rebellion of the protestants ; the truth is they stood for their liues . the emperour with the helpe of the popes both mony and armes , intended to roote them out ; and although at the first the emperour did not auow his raysing armes against them to be for religion , yet the pope in his iubilee published vpon this occasion , did not let to declare to the world , that himselfe and caesar had concluded a league to reduce the h●retikes by force of armes to the obedience of the church , and therefore all should pray for the good successe of the warre . that luther euer reuiled the emperour , i did neuer till now heare or reade , and therefore would desire to know what authors you haue for it . touching other princes , namely , king henrie the eighth , i will not defend him , who condemned himselfe thereof . it is true that he was a man of a bold and high stomacke , and specially fitted thereby through the prouidence of god , to worke vpon the heauie and dull disposition of the almaines , and in so generall a lethargie , as the world then was in , hee carried himself ( as fell out somtimes ) very ●oisterously . but arrogancie , sch●sme , rebellion , were as farre from him , as the intention itself to plant a church . as to his vow-breaking lastly , if that vow were foolishly made and sinfully kept , it was iustly broken : perhaps also charitably , if hee would by his owne example reforme such , as liued in whoredome , and other vncleannes , and induce them to vse the remedie that god hath appointed for the auoiding of them , to wit , honorable marriage . all this matter touching luther , vnlesse i be ●eceiued , you haue taken from 〈◊〉 harding ; that at least touching his rancour against the dominicans , for it is his very phrase . but master harding both in this , and many things else discouereth his passion , and lack of true information in this affaire . when with one breath he affirmeth , that , first , it was a pardon of a croisade against the turkes which was preached whereas it was an indulgence to those that should put their helping hands for the building of saint peters church at rome , as the articles of this pardon printed in english , one of the copies whereof i haue my selfe , doe shew . secondly , next hee saith the preaching hereof was granted to friar iohn tetzet . it was friar iohn thecel , or tecel . thirdly , hee saith , the elector of mentz albert granted this to t●ecel and the dominicans , whereby luther was bereft of the gaine hee exspected . the truth is , it was aremboldus a bishop liuing at the court of rome , whom ( hauing before been a merchant of genoa ) magdalen the popes sister put in trust with this merchandize , that appointed the dominicans to bee the retaylers of these pardons . the archbishop of mentz had nothing to doe with it , otherwise then to allow and suffer it , which occasioned luther to write to him , as to the bishop of brandenburgh , and to leo himselfe , to represse the impudence of the pardoners . and luther saith further in one place , that the archbishop vndertooke to giue countenance to this businesse , with that condition , that the halfe of the prey should goe to the pope , and himselfe might haue the other halfe to pay for his pall. by these errors hea●ed together it may appeare what credit it is like master hardings tale be wort●y of , touching the remnant , that of rancour and malice against the dominicans , and because hee was bereaued of that sweet morsell , which in hope hee had almost swallowed downe , luther made this st●rre . a hard thing mee thinks it is , for any that liued at that day to set downe what was in luthers heart , what were his hopes , his desires , rancour , and spleene ; much more for master harding , most of all for you and mee . when the actions of men haue an appearance of good , charitie would hope the best , pietie would reserue the iudgement of the intention to god. let vs come to caluin , touching whom i maruell not much that you say nothing of all that which bolseck brings against him , who being by his meanes chased out of geneua , discouereth as i remember in the verie enetance , that hee was requested by some of his good masters to write against him . i once saw the book while i liued in cambridge ; it hath no shew of probabilitie that caluin would goe about to worke a miracle to confirme his doctrine , who teacheth that miracles are no sure and sufficient proofe of doctrine . i maruell rather that euen in reading doctor bancroft , master hooker , and sarauia , all opposites to cal●in in the question of church discipline , and therefore not all the fittest to testifie of him or his actions , all late writers , and strangers to the estate and affaires of geneua : of whom therefore besides their bare word , sufficient proofe were to bee required of what they say , you not onely receiue whatsoeuer they bring , but more then they bring . you say , they proue what neuer came in their mindes ; and what is not onely vtterly vntrue , but euen vnpossible . as that caluin by his vnquietnes and ambition reuolued the state of geneua , so vni●stly expelling and depriuing the bishop of geneua , and other temporall lords , of their due obedience , and ancient inheritance . when as the bishop and clergie of geneua , vpon the throwing downe images there by popular tumult , departed in an anger , seuen yeeres ere euer caluin se● foot within the gates of that citie . a thing not onely cleere in storie , by the writers of that time , and since , sleidan , bodine , caluins epistles , and life , but set down by those whom yee cite . master hooker in his preface speaking of caluin . hee fell at length vpon geneua , which citie the bishop and clergie thereof , had a little before , as some doe affirme , forsaken , being of likelyhood frighted with the peoples sudden attempt for the abolishment of popish religion . and a little after . at the comming of caluin thither , the forme of their regiment was popular , as it continueth at this day , &c. doctor bancroft . the same yeere that geneua was assaulted viz. by the duke of sauoy , and the bishop , as he had said before , page . ) which was anno . master caluin came thither . if caluin at his comming found the forme of the gouernment popular , if hee came thither the same yeere that the bishop made war vpon geneua to recouer his authoritie , being indeede either affrighted , or hauing forsaken the towne before , how could caluin expel him ? and in truth bodine in his second booke , de rep. chapter sixt , affirmeth , that the same yeere genoa was established in a state aristocraticall , which was , hee saith , anno . geneua was changed from a monarchy pontificall , into an estate popular , gouerned aristocratically , although that long before the towne pretended to bee free , against the earle , and against the bishop , &c. what sarauia hath written touching this point i cannot tell , as not hauing his booke . but in beza his answere to him , there is no touch vpon any such thing . he ioynes with his complaint , of the sacrilegious vsurping ecclesiasticall goods , in answere to his proême . he dissents in that sarauia accounts the seniors of the reformed churches like to that kinde which saint ambrose speakes of , brought in out of wisdome onely , to rule the disorderly . beza saith , they were not introducti , but reducti , cap. . for the rest in all that answere there is nothing of caluin , or any such reuoluing of the state as you accuse him of . which makes mee thinke , that herein your memorie deceiued you . it may be that in your younger time , falling vpon these authors , by occasion of the question of discipline , which was then much tossed , ere euer your iudgement were ripened , you formed in your minde a false impression of that which they say of caluin . you conceited them out of your zeale in the cause , to say more then they do , & thus possible vnawares receiued the seeds of dislike of the doctrine of caluin , as well as his discipline , which haue since taken root in you . but you shall doe well to remember , the difference you put a little before of these two ▪ christian doctrine is vniforme and euer the same ; gouernment is changeable in many circumstances , according to the exigence of times and persons . and euen the same men that write somewhat eagerly against master caluin , yet giue him the pra●se of wisdome to see what for that time and state was necessarie . master hooker saith of him , that he thinkes him incomparably the wisest man that euer the french church did enioy since the houre it enioyed him , and of his platforme of discipline , after hee hath laid downe the summe of it . this deuice i see not how the wisest at that time liuing could haue bettered , if wee duely consider what the present state of geneua did then require . but bee it ( and for my part i thinke no lesse ) that herein hee was mistaken , to account this to bee the true forme of church policie , by which all other churches , and at all times ought to bee gouerned ; let his error rest with him , yea , let him answere it vnto his iudge ; but to accuse him of ambition , and sedition , and that falsly , and from thence to set that brand vpon the reformation , whereof he was a worthy instrument ( though not the first either there , or any where else ) as if it could not bee from god , being so founded ; for my part i am afraide you can neuer bee able to answere it , at the same barre ; no , nor euen that of your owne conscience , or of reasonable and equall men . for the stirres , broiles , seditions , and murthers in scotland , which you impute to knox and , and the geneua gospellers , they might be occasioned perhaps by the reformers there , as the broiles which our lo●d iesus christ saith he came to set in the world by the gospell . possible also , that good men out of incōsiderate zeale , should do some things rashly . and like enough the multitude which followed them , as being foreprepared with a iusthatred of the tyrannie of their prelates , and prouoked by the opposition of the aduerse faction , & emboldned by success● , ran a great deale further then either wise men could foresee , or tell how to restraine them . which was applauded and fomented by some politicke men , who tooke aduantage of those motions to their owne ends . and as it happens in naturall bodies , that all ill humors runne to the part affected , so in ciuill , all discontented people when there is any sorance runne to one or other side ; and vnder the shew of common griefes , pursue their owne . of all which distempers , there is no reason to lay the blame vpon the seekers of reformation , more then vpon the phisitians , of such accidents as happen to the corrupted bodies which they haue in cure . the particulars of those affaires are as i beleeue alike vnknown to vs both , and since you name none , i can answere to none . for as for the pursuing our king euen before his birth , that which his maiestie speakes of some puritans , is ouer-boldly by you referred to master knox and the ministers , that were authors of reformation in scotland . briefely , consider and suruey your owne thoughts , and see if you haue not come by these degrees● first , from the inconsiderate courses of some to plant the pretended discipline in scotland , to conceiue amisse of the doctrine also . then to draw to the encreasing of your ill conceit thereof , what you finde reported of any of the puritans , a faction no lesse opposed by his maiesty in scotland then with vs in england . so when we speake of religion ( though that indeede be all one ) yee diuide vs into lutherans , zwinglians , caluinists , protestants , brownists , puritans , & cartwrightists , whensoeuer any disorder of all this number can be accused , then loe are we all one , and the faul● of any faction is the slander of all , yea of the gospell it selfe , and of reformation . iudge now vprightly if this be indifferent dealing . from scotland you come to england . where because you could finde nothing done by popular tumult , nothing but by the whole state in parliament , and clergie in conuocation , you fall vpon king henries passions , you will not insist vpon them you say ; and yet you doe , as long as vpon any one member of your induction , though it matters little whether you doe or no , since f. parsons will needes auerre that hee liued and died of your religion . here first you mention , his violent diuorcing himselfe from his lawfull wife . wee will not now debate the question how his brothers wife could bee his lawfull wife : you must now say so . whatsoeuer the scriptures , councels , almost all vniuersities of christendome determined . yet mee thinkes it should moue you that pope clement himselfe had consigned to cardinal campegius a breue formed to sentence for the king , in as ample manner as could be , howsoeuer vpon the successe of the emperours affaires , in italie and his own occasions , he sent a special messenger to him to burn it . but what violence was this that you speake of ? the matter was orderlie and iudiciouslie by the arch-bishop of canterbury with the assistance of the learnedest of the clergie according to the ancient canons of the church , and lawes of the realme heard and determined . that indeede is more to be maruelled at , what moued him to fall out with the pope his friend in whose quarrell he had so far engaged himselfe , as to write against luther , of whom also he was so rudelie handled as you mention before ; hauing receiued also for some part of recompence , the title of the defender of the faith , hauing beene so chargeablie thankefull to the pope for it . all these things considered , it must be said , this vnkindnesse and slipperie dealing of clement with him was from the lord , that hee might haue an occasion against the pope , and that it might appeare that it was not humane counsell , but diuine prouidence that brought about the banishment of the popes tyrannie from among vs. his marriage with the ladie anne bullen , her death , and the rest which you mention of the abling or disabling her issue to inherit the crown , i see not what it makes to our purpose . the suppression of the monasteries , was not his sole act , but of the whole state , with the consent also of the clergie , and taken out of cardinall wolsey his example , yea , founded vpon the popes authoritie granted to him , to dissolue the smaller houses of religion , on pretence to defray the charges of his sumptuous buildings at oxford and l●swich , wherein if it pittie you ( as i confesse it hath sometimes mee ) that such goodly buildings are defaced and ruined , wee must remember what god did to sh●loh , yea to ierusalem it selfe , and his temple there . and that oracle , euery tree that beareth not good fruit shall be cut downe , and cast into the fire . you demand , if this man , king henry , were a good head of gods church ? what if i should demand the same touching alexander the sixth , iulius the second , leo the tenth , or twentie more of the catalogue of popes , in respect of whom king henry might bee canonized for a saint ? but there is a storie in tullies offices of one lutatius , that laid a wager that he was ( bonus vir ) a good man ; and would bee iudged by one fimbria , a man of consular dignitie . hee , when he vnderstood the case , said , hee would neuer iudge that matter , least either hee should diminish the reputation of a man well esteemed of , or set downe that any man was a good man ; which hee accounted to consist in an innumerable sort of excellencies and praises . that which hee said of a good man , with much more reason may i s●y , of a good king , one of whose highest excellencies is to bee a good head of the church . and therefore it is a question which i will neuer take vpon mee to answere , whether king henry were such or no , vnlesse you will before hand interpret this word as fauourably , as guicciardine doth tell vs men are wont to doe in the censuring your heads of the church . for popes , he saith , now adayes are praised for their goodnesse , when they exceed not the wickednesse of other men . after this description of a good head of the church , or if yee will that of cominaeus , which saith hee is to bee counted a good king , whose vertues exceeds his vices . i wil not doubt to say king henry may be enrolled among the number of good kings . in speciall , for his executing that highest dutie of a good king , the imploying his authoritie in his kingdome , to command good things , and forbid euill , not onely concerning the ciuill estate of men , but the religion also of god. witnesse his authorizing the scriptures ●o be had and read in churches in our vulgar tongue , enioyning the lords prayer , the creed , and ten commandements to bee taught the people in english , abolishing superfluous holy-dayes , pulling downe those iugling idols , whereby the people were seduced , namely , the rood of grace , whose eyes and lips were moued with wires , openly shewed at pauls crosse , and pulled asunder by the people . aboue all , the abolishing of the popes tyranny , and merchandise of indulgences , & such like chafer out of england . which acts of his whosoeuer shall vnpartially consider of , may well esteeme him a better head to the chur●h of england , then any pope these thousand yeeres . in the last place you come to the hugenots and geuses , of france and holland . you lay to their charge , the raising of ciuill warres , shedding of bloud , occasioning rebellion , rapine , desolations , principally for their new religion . in the latter part you write , i confesse , somewhat reseruedly , when you say , occasioning , not causing , and principally , not onely and wholly , for religion . but the words going before , and the exigence of your argument require , that your meaning should be , they were the causers of these disorders . you bring to my minde a story , whether of the same fimbria that i mentioned before , or another , which hauing caused quintus scaeuola to bee stab'd ( as f. paulo was , while i was at venice ) after he vnderstood that he escaped with his life , brought his action against him , for not hauing receiued the weapon wholly into his body . these poore people hauing endured such barbarous cruelties , massacres , and martyrdomes , as scarce the like can be shewed in all stories , are now accused by you as the authors of all they suffered . no , no , master wadesworth , they bee the lawes of the romane religion , that are written in bloud . it is the bloudy inquisition , and the perfidious violating of the edicts of pacification , that haue set france and flanders in combustion . an euident argument whereof may b●e , for flanders , that those geuses that you mention , were not all caluinists ( as you are mis-informed ) the chiefe of them were romane catholikes ; as namely , count egmond , and horne , who lost their heads for standing , and yet onely by petition , against the new impositions , and the inquisition , which was sought to bee brought in vpon those countries . the which when the vice-roy of naples , d. petro de toledo would haue once brought in there also , the people would by no meanes abide , but rose vp in armes to the number of . which sedition could not bee appeased , but by deliuering them of that feare . the like resistance , though more quietly carried , was made when the same inquisition should haue beene put vpon millaine , sixteene yeeres after . yet these people were neither geuses nor caluinists . another great meanes to alienate the mindes of the people of the low-countries from the obedience of the catholike maiestie , hath beene the seueritie of his deputies there , one of which leauing the gouernment after hee had in a few yeeres put to death * . persons , it is reported to haue been said , the countrie was lost with too much lenitie . this speech meursius concludes his belgick history with all . and as for france , the first broiles there , were not for religion , but for the preferring the house of guis● , and disgracing the princes of the bloud . true it is that each side aduantaged themselues by the colour of religion , and vnder pretence of zeale to the romane , the guisians murthered the protestants , being in the exercise of their religion assembled together , against the kings edict , against all lawes and common humanitie . and tell ●ee in good sooth ▪ master wadesworth , doe you approue such barbarous crueltie ? doe you allow the butchery at paris ? doe you thinke subiects are bound to giue their throates to bee cut by their fellow subiects , or to their princes at their meere wills against their owne lawes and edicts ? you would know , quo iure , the protestants warres in france and holland are iustified . first , the law of nature , which not onely alloweth , but inclineth and inforceth euery liuing thing , to defend it selfe from violence . secondly , that of nations , which permitteth those that are in the protection of others , to whom they owe no more but an honourable acknowledgement , in case they goe about to make themselues absolute souereignes , and vsurpe their libertie , to resist and stand for the same . and if a lawfull prince ( which is not yet lord of his subiects liues and goods ) shall attempt to despoile them of the same , vnder colour of red●cing them to his owne religion after all humble remonstrances , they may stand vpon their owne guard , and being assailed , repell force with force , as did the macchabees vnder antiochus . in which case notwithanding , the person of the prince himselfe , ought alwaies to be sacred and inuiolable , as was sauls to dauid . lastly , if the inraged minister of a lawfull prince , will abuse his authoritie against the fundamentall lawes of the countrie , it is no rebellion to defend themselues against force , reseruing still their obedience to their souereigne inuiolate . these are the rules of which the protestants that haue borne armes in france and flanders , and the papists also both there and elsewhere , as in naples , that haue stood for the defence of their liberties , haue serued themselues . how truely i esteeme it hard for you and mee to determine , vnlesse we were more throughly acquainted with the lawes and customes of those countries , then i for my part am . once for the low-countries , the world knowes that the dukes of burgundy were not kings or absolute lords of them , which are holden partly of the crowne of france , and partly of the empire . and of holland in particular they were but earles . and whether that title carries with it such a souereigntie , as to bee able to giue new lawes , without their consents , to impose tributes , to bring in garisons of strangers , to build forts , to assubjects their honors and liues to the dangerous triall of a new court , proceeding without forme or figure of iustice , any reasonable man may well doubt ; themselues doe vtterly denie it . yet you say boldly they are rebels , and aske why wee did support them ? it seemes to some that his catholike maiestie doth absolue them in the treatie of the truce , an. . of all imputation of rebellion . and if they were rebels , especially for heresie , why did the most christian king support them ? as for queene elizabeth , if shee were aliue , shee would answer your question with another . why did spaine concurre in practice and promise aide to that detestable conspiracie that was plotted against her by pius v. as you may see at large in his life , written by girolamo catena ? it is , you say , an easie matter to pretend priuiledges . but it is no hard matter to discerne pretended priuiledges from true , and treason from reason of state , and old corruptions from old religion . but to take armes to change the lawes by the whole estate established , is treason whatsoeuer the cause or colour be : and therefore is was treason in the rebels of lincolnshire and yorkshire in king henries dayes , and in the earles of the north in queene elizabeths , though they pretended their old religion : and the same must bee said of all assasinates attempted against the persons of princes , as parryes , someruilles , squires , against queene elizab●th , and the late powder-plot the eternall shame of poperie against king iames. to your argument therefore in forme , admitting that it is no true church , which is founded and begun in malice , disobedience , passion , bloud , and rebellion , no nor yet a true reformation of a church ( for in truth the protestants pretend not to haue founded any . ) the assumption is denyed in euery part of it . and here i must needes say you haue not done vnwisely to leaue out the church of england , as against which you had no pretence , all things hauing been carried orderly , and by publike counsell . but you haue wronged those which you name , and either lightly beleeued , or vnjustly surmised your selfe , touching luther , caluin , knox , the french , and the hollanders , when you make them the raysers of rebellion and shedders of bloud . whose bloud hath beene shed like water in al parts of those countries , against all lawes of god and man against the edicts and publike faith , till necessitie enforced them to stand for their liues . yet you presume that all this is euident to the world , whereas it is so false and improbable , yea in some parts impossible , as i wonder how your heart could assure your hand to write it . giue me here leaue to set down by occasion of this your motiue , that which i professe next to the euidence of those corruptions which the court and faction of rome maintaynes , hath long moued my selfe . and thus i would enlarge your proposition . that monarchie ( as now without lisping it cals it selfe ) which was founded , supported , enlarged , and is yet maintayned by pride , ambition , rebellion , treason , murthering of princes , warres , dispensing with perjurie , and incestuous marriages , spoiles and robberie of churches , and kingdomes , worldly policie , force and falshood , forgerie , lying , and hypocrisie , is not the church of christ , and his kingdome , but the tyrannie of antichrist . the papacie falsely calling it selfe the church of rome is such . erg● . the assumption shall bee proued in euery part of it , and in truth is alreadie by the learned and truly noble lord of plessis in his mysterium iniquit at is . but his booke i suppose you cannot view , and it would require a iust volume to shew it , though but shortly . it shall bee therefore , if you will , the taske of another time . and yet because i doe not loue to leaue things wholly at randon , consider a few instances in some of these . pope b●niface iii. obtayned that proud and ambitious title of oecumenicall , so much detested by saint gregorie . pope constantine and gregorie the second , reuolted italie from the greeke emperours obedience , forbidding to pay tribute or obey them . pope zacharie animated pipine high steward of france , to depose chilperick his lord , and dispensed with the oathes of his subiects . pope stephen ii. most treacherously and vniustly perswaded the same pipine not to restore the exarchate of ranenna to the emperour , after he had recouered it from astulfus king of lombards , but to giue it to him . pope nicholas ii. and gr●gorie vii . parted the prey with the normans in calabria , and apulia , creating them dukes thereof , to hold the emperour of constantinoples countrie in vassallage of them . this latter also was the first as all historians accord , that euer attempted to depose the emperour , against whom hee most impiously stirred vp his owne children , which most lamentably brought him to his end . pope paschal ii. would not suffer ( for the full accomplishment of this tragedie ) his sonne to burie him . pope adrian iv. demanded homage of the emperor frederick , alexander iii. trode on his neck . celestine iii. crowned henrie vi. with his feet . innocent iv. stirred vp fredericke the seconds owne seruants to poison him , practised with the sultan of aegypt to breake with him . this is that innocent , of whose extortions matthew paris relates so much in our storie ; whom the learned , zealous , and holy bishop of lincolne on his death-bed proued to be antichrist , and in a vision strooke so with his crosier-staffe that hee died . boniface viii . challenged both swords , pretended to be superiour to the king of france in temporall things also . clement v. would in the vacancie of the empire , that all the cities and countries thereof should be vnder his disposition , made the duke of venice , dandalus , couch vnder his table with a chaine on his neck like a dogge , ere he would grant peace to the venetians . this clement the v. commanded the angels to carrie their soules to heauen , that should take the crosse to fight for the holy land. what shall i say more ? i am wearie with writing thus much , and yet in all this i doe not insist vpon priuate and personall faults , blasphemies , perjuries , necromancies , murthers , barbarous cruelties , euen vpon one another , aliue and dead , nor on whoredomes , incests , sodomies , open pillages , besides the perpetuall abuse of the censures of the church . i insist not vpon these , more then you did vpon king henries passions . i tell you not of him that called the gospell a fable , or another that instituted his agnus deis to strangle sinne like christs bloud . of him that dispensed with one to marrie his owne sister ( for the vncle to marrie with the neece , or a woman to marrie two brothers , a man two sisters by dispensation , is no rare thing at this day . ) the facultie to vse sodomie , the storie of pope ioane , are almost incredible , and yet they haue authors of better credit then bolseck . it may bee said that iohn the two and twentieth called a deuill incarnate , that alexander vi. the poisoner of his cardinals , the adulterer of his sonne in lawes bed , incestuous defiler of his owne daughter , and riuall in that villanie to his sonne , sinned as men , which empeacheth not the credit of their office . that paulu● v. vice-deus takes too much vpon him , when hee will bee pope-almightie ; but the chaire is without error . wherein , not to insist for the present , but admitting it as true that wickednesse of mens persons doth not impeach the holinesse of their functions , which they haue receiued of god , nor make gods ordinances , as his word and sacraments of none effect . but tell me for gods loue , master waddesworth , is it likely that this monarchie thus sought , thus gotten , thus kept , thus exercised , is of god ? are these men that wholly forsaking the feeding of the flocke of god dreame of nothing now but crowns and scepter● , serue to the church to no vse in the world , vnlesse it be to breake the ancient canons , and oppresse with their power all that shall but vtter a free word against their ambition and tyrannie , are they , i will not say with you , good heads of gods church , but members of it , and not rather limbes of satan ? consider those texts : my kingdome is not of this world , vos autem non sic . consider the charge which saint peter giues to his fellow presbyters , . pet. . , , . now i beseech our lord deliuer his church from this tyrannie , and blesse you from being a member of such a head. chap. xi . of lacke of succession , bishops , true ordinations , ord●rs , priesthood . i come now to your motiue from succession . where i maruell first , that leauing the succession of doctrine , which is farre more proper and intrinsecall to the churches being , you stand vpon that of persons and offices . yea , and about them too , immediately passe from that which is of essence , to the externall formalities in consecration and ordination , according to the ancient councels . haue you forgotten what you said right now , that matters of ceremonie and gouernment are changeable ? yea , but in france , holland , and germanie , they haue no bishops . first , what if i should defend they haue ? because a bishop and a presbyter are all one , as saint ierome maintaines , and prooues out of holy scripture , and the vse of antiquitie . of which iudgement , as medina confesseth , are sundrie of the ancient fathers , both greeke and latine● saint ambrose , augustine , seduliu● , primasius , chrysostome , theodorit , oecumenius , and theophylact : which point i haue largely treated of in another place , against him that vndertooke master alablasters quarrell . besides , those churches in germanie haue those whom they call superintendents , and generall superintendents , as out of doctor bancroft by the testimonie of zanchius , and sundrie germane diuines , you might perceiue . yea , and where these are not , as in geneua ; and the french churches , yet there are , saith zanchius , ●sually certaine chiefe men that doe in a manner beare all the sway , as if order it selfe and necessitie led them to this course . and what are these but bishops indeede , vnlesse wee shall wrangle about names , which for reason of state those churches were to abstaine from . as for that you say lay men intermed●le there with the making of their ministers , if you meane the election of them , they haue reason ; for anciently the people had alwayes a right therein , as saint cyprian writes to the churches of leon and astorga there in spaine , plebs ipsa maxime habet potestatem vel eligendi dignos sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi ; and in sundrie places of italie this vsage doth continue to this day . if yee meane it in ordination , yee are deceiued , and wrong these churches , as bellarmine himselfe will teach you , lib. de cl●ricis , cap. . for amongst the lutherans and caluinists also , saith hee , which haue taken away almost all ecclesiasticall rites , they onely lay on hands and make pastors and ministers , who though they be not pastors and bishops indeede would be so accounted and called . in england you misse first the lesser orders , and say , we are made ministers per saltum , as if all that are made priests among you were psalmists , sextens , readers , ex●rcists , torch-bearers , subdeacons , and deacons before . remember i pray what the master of the sentences saith of deaconship and priesthood . hos solos primitiu● ecclesia legitur habuisse , & de his solis praeceptum apostoli habemus . hee meanes in the epistles to t●●othy and titus . againe , subdiaeonos vere & acolythos precede●te tempore ecclesia sibi constituit . what ? and were the primitiue and apostolike churches no true churches ? or neede wee to bee ashamed to bee like them ? besides , those councels that yee speake of , it should seeme were of no great either antiquitie or authoritie , when not onely presbyters , without passing through any order , but bishops without being so much as baptized , were ordayned . as nectarius of constantinople , synesius of cyrene , ambrose of millaine , constantine ii. of rome it selfe . this therefore is a very sleight exception . your next is well worse , touching the ordination at the nags-head , where the consecration of our first bishops , as you say was attempted , but not effected . it is certaine , you say , and you are sure there was such a matter , although you know , and haue seene the records themselues , that afterward there was a consecration of doctor parker at lambeth . alas master wadesworth , if you bee resolued to beleeue lies , not onely against publike acts , and your owne eye-sight , but against all probabilitie , who can helpe it ? i had well hoped to haue found that ingenuitie in you , that i might haue vsed your testimony vnto others of that side , touching the vanitie of this fable , as hauing shewed you the copie of the record of doctor parkers consecration , which i had procured to bee transcribed out of the acts , which your selfe also at your returne from london , told mee you saw in a blacke booke . now i perceiue by your perplexed writing , and enterlining in this part of your letter , you would faine discharge your conscience , and yet vphold this lie , perhaps , as loth to offend that side where you now are : and therefore you haue deuised this temper , that the one was attempted , the other effected . but it will not bee . for first of all , if that at the nags-head were but attempted , what is that to the purpose of our ordinations , which are not deriued from it , but from the other , which as you say was effected at lambeth ? and are you sure there was such a matter ? how are you sure ? were you present there in person , or haue you heard it of those that were present ? neither of both i suppose : but if it were so that some bodie pretending to haue beene there present told you so much , how are you sure that hee lied not in saying so ; much more when you haue it but at the third , or fourth hand , perhaps the thirtieth or fortieth . but consider a little , is it probable that men of that sort , in an action of that importance , and at the beginning of the queenes reigne , when especially it concerned both them and her to prouide , that all things should bee done with reputation , would bee so hastie and heedlesse , as to take a tauerne for a church ? why might they not haue gone to the next church as well ? they thought to make the old catholike bishop drunken . thus the wisbich and framyngham priests were wont to tell the tale . is it likely that they would not forethinke that possible this good old man would not drinke so freely as to bee drunken , and if hee were , yet would not be in the humour to doe as they would haue him ? for who can make any foundation vpon what another would doe in his cups ? what a scorne would this bee to them ? men are not alwaies so prouident in their actions . true , but such men are not to bee imagined so so●tish , as to attempt so solemne an action , and ioyned commonly with some great feast , and as you obserued well out of the acts , with the queens mandate for the action to be done , and hang all vpon a drunken fit of an old man. besides , how comes it to passe that wee could neuer vnderstand the names of the old bishop , or of those whom hee should haue consecrated , or which consecrated themselues , when hee refused to doe it . for so doe your men giue it out ; howsoeuer you say , it was not there effected . and in all the space of queene elizabeths reigne , wherein so many set themselues against the reformation by her established , is it possible wee should neuer haue heard word of it , of all the english on that side the seas , if it had beene any other then a flying tale ? after fortie fiue yeeres , there is found at last an irish iesuite that dares put it in print , to proue by it as now you doe , that the parliamentary pastors lacke holy orders . but he relates sundry particulars , and brings his proofes . for the purpose , this ordainer or consecrater , hee saith , was laudasensis episcopus home senex & simplex . his name ? nay , that yee must pardon him . but of what citie or diocesse was hee bishop ? for wee haue none of that title . here i thought once that by errour it had beene put for landaffensis of landaffe in wales , saue that three times in that narration it is written la●dasensis ; which notwithstanding , i continued to bee of the same minde , because i found bishop boners name twice alike false written bomerus . but loe in the margent a direction to the booke , de schismate fol. . where hee saith this matter is touched , and it is directly affirmed , that they performed the office of bishops , without any episcopall consecration . againe , that great labour was vsed without an irish arch-bishop in prison at london to ordaine them , but hee could by no meanes be brought thereto . so it seemes we must passe out of wales into ireland , to finde the see of this bishop or archbishop . but i beleeue we may saile from thence to virginia to seeke him ; for in ireland we shal not find him . let vs come to those that he should haue ordained , what were there names ? candidati , if that wil content you , more yee get not . why they might haue been remembred as well as the nags-head , as well as boners name , and his see , and that hee was dean● of the bishops , hee meanes of the archbishopricke , sede vacante , and that he sent his chaplaine ( his name also is vnknowne ) to forbid the ordination . at least their sees . to cut the matter short . quid plura ? scoraeus monachus post herefordensis pseudo-episcopus coeteris , ex coeteris quidam , scor aeo manus imponunt : fiuntque sine patre fili● & pater à fili●s procreatur , res seculis omnibus inauditae . here is at length some certaintie : some truth mingled among , to giue the better grace , and to be as it were the vehiculum of a lie . for iohn scory , in king edward his times , bishop of chichester , and after of hereford , was one of those that ordained doctor parker , and preached at his ordination . but that was the ordination effected as you call it : wee are now in that which was not effected , but attempted onely . and here wee seeke againe , who were these quidams that laid hands on s●ory ? wee may goe looke them with la●dasensis the archbishop of ireland . well ; heare the proofes . master thomas neale , hebrew reader of oxford , which was present , told thus much to the ancient confessors , they to f. h●lywood . this proofe by tradition as you know is of little credit with protestants , and no maruell : for experience shewes that reports suffer strange alterations in the carriage , euen when the reporters are not interessed . iremeus relates from the ancient confessors , which had seene iohn the disciple , and the other apostles of the lord , and heard it from them , that christ our sauiour was betweene fortie and fiftie yeeres of age before his passion . i doe not thinke you are sure it was so . for my part , i had rather beleeue . irenaeus and those ancients hee mentions , and the apostles ; then f. haliwood and his confessors , and master neale . but possible it is , m. neale said , hee was present at matthew parkers ordination by iohn scory . these confessors being before impressed , as you are , with the buzze of the ordination at the nags-head made vp that tale ; and put it vpon him for their author . perhaps master neale did esteeme iohn scory t● bee no bishop , and so was scandalized though causelesly , at that action . perhaps master neale neuer said any such word at all . to helpe to make good this matter , hee saith , it was after inacted in parliament , that these parliamentary bishops should be holden for lawfull . i looked for some thing of the nags-head bishops , and the legend of their ordination . but the lawfulnesse that the parliament prouides for , is ( according to the authoritie the parliament hath ) ●iuill , that is , according to the lawes of the land. the parliament neuer intended to iustifie any thing as lawfull , iure diuino , which was not so ; as by the preamble it selfe of the statute may appeare . in which it is said , that diuers questions had growne vpon the making and consecrating of arch-bishops and bishops , within this realme , whether the same were , and bee duely and orderly done according to the law or not , &c. and shortly to cut off f. halywoods surmises , the case was this , as may bee gathered by the bodie of the statute . whereas in the fiue and twentieth of henry the eight , an act was made for the electing and consecrating of arch-bishops and bishops within this realme . and another in the third of edward the sixth , for the ordering and consecrating of them , and all other ecclesiasticall ministers , according to such forme as by sixe prelates , and sixe other learned men in gods law to bee appointed by the king should bee deuised , and set forth , vnder the great seale of england . which forme in the fifth of the same kings reigne , was annexed to the booke of common prayer , then explained , and perfected ; and both confirmed by the authoritie of parliament . all these acts were . mariae & . & . philippi & mariae repealed ; together with another statute of . henr. . touching the stile of supreame head to bee vsed in all letters patents and commissions , &c. these acts of repeale in the . elizabeth were againe repealed , and the act of . hen. . reuiued specially . that of . edwar. . onely concerning the booke of common prayer , &c. without any particular mention of the booke or forme of ordering ministers and bishops . hence grew one doubt , whether ordinations and consecrations according to that forme were good in law or no. another was , queene elizabeth in her letters patents touching such consecrations , ordinations had not vsed as may seeme , besides other generall words importing the highest authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall , the title of supreame head , as king henry , and king edward in their like letters patents were wont to d● : & that notwithstanding the act of . hen. . after the repeale of the former repeale might seeme ( though neuer specially ) reuiued . this as i ghosse was another exception , to those t●at by vertue of those patents were consecrated . whereupon the parliament declares . first , that the booke of common prayer , and such order and , form● for consecrating of archbishops and● bishops , &c. as was set forth in the time of king edward the sixth , and added thereto and authorised by parliament , shall stand in force and be obserued . secondly , that all acts done by any person about any consecration , confirmation , o● in●esting of any elect to the office or dignitie of arch-bishop or bishop , by vertue of the queenes letters patents or commission , since the beginning of her reigne bee good● thirdly , that all that haue beene ordered or consecrated archbishops , bishops , priests , &c. after the said forme and order , be rightly made , ordered , and consecrated , any statute , law , canon , or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding . these were the reasons of that act ; which as you see doth not make good the nags-head-ordination as f. halywood pretends , vnlesse the same were according to the forme in edward the sixth dayes . his next proofe is , that bo●er bishop of london while hee liued , alwayes set light by the statutes of the parliaments of queene elizaboth , alleadging that there wanted bishops , without whose consent by the lawes of the realme there can no firme statuee bee made . that boner despised and set not a straw by the acts of parliament in queene elizabeths time , i hold it not impossible , and yet there is no other proofe thereof , but his bare word , and the ancient confessors tradition , of which we heard before . admitting this for certaine , there might bee other reasons thereof , besides the ordination at the nags-head . the stiffenesse of that man was no lesse in king edwards time , then queene elizabeths . and indeed the want also of bishops might be the cause , why he little regarded the acts of her first parliament . for both much about the time of queene maries death dyed also cardinall poole , and sundry other bishops : and of the rest some for their contemptuous behauiour in denying to performe their dutie in the coronation of the queene were committed to prison , others absented themselues willingly . so as it is commonly reported to this day , there was none or very few there . for as for doctor parker and the rest , they were not ordained till december , . the parliament was dissolued in the may before . so not to stand now to refute boners conceit , that according to our lawes there could bee no statutes made in parliament without bishops ( wherein our parliament men wil rectifie his iudgement ) f. halywood was in this report twice deceiued , or would deceiue his reader . first , that he would make that exception which boner laid against the first parliament in queen elizabeths time , to be true of all the rest . then , that he accounts b. boner to haue excepted against this parliament , because the bishops there were no bishops as not canonically ordained : where it was , because there was no bishops true or false there at all . his last proofe is . that d. bancroft being demanded of m. al●blaster , whence their first bishops receiued their orders ? answered , that hee hoped a bishop might bee ordained of a presbyter in time of necessity . silently granting , that they were not ordained by any bishop : and therefore , saith he , the parliamentary bishops are without order episcopall , & their ministers also no priests . for priests are not made but of bishops , whence hierome . qu●d facit , &c. what doth a bishop , sauing ordination , which a presbyter doth not ? i haue not the meanes to demand of d. alablaster , whether this be true or not . nor yet whether this be all the answere he had of d. bancroft . that i affirme , that if it were , yet it followes not , that d. bancroft silently granted they had no orders of bishops . vnlesse he that in a false discourse , both where propositions be vntrue , denies the maior , doth silently grant the minor. rather he iested at the futilitie of this argument , which admitting all this lying legend of the nags-head , and more to ; suppose no ordination by any bishops had beene euer effected , notwithstanding shewes no sufficient reason why there might not be a true consecration , and true ministers made , and consequently a true church in england . for indeed necessitie dispences with gods owne positiue lawes , as our sauiour shewes in the gospel much more then with mans : and such by hieromes opinion are the lawes of the church , touching the difference of bishops and presbyters , and consequently touching their ordination by bishops onely . whereof i haue treated more at large in another place , for the iustification of other reformed churches , albeit the church of england needs it not . to confirme this argument , it pleaseth f. halywood to add● , that king edward the sixth , tooke away the catholike rite of ordaining , and in stead of it , substituted a few caluinisticall prayers . whom queene elizabeth followed , &c. and this is in effect the same thing which you say , when you adde , that couerdale being made bishop of exceter in king edwards time , when all councells and church canons were little obserued , it is very doubtfull hee was neuer himselfe canonically consecrated , and so if hee were no canonicall bishop , hee could not make another canonicall . to f. halywood i would answere , that king edward tooke not away the catholike rite of ordaining , but purged it from a number of idle and superstitious rites prescribed by the popish pontifical . and the praiers which he scoffes at if they were caluinisticall , sure it was by prophecie , for caluin neuer saw them●ill queene maries time ; when by certaine of our english exiles , the booke of common prayer was translated and shewed him ; if he saw them then . some of them , as the let any , and the hymne veni creator , &c. i hope were none of caluins deuising . to you , if you name what councells and church canons you meane , and make any certaine exception , either against bishop couerdale , or any of the rest as not canonicall bishops , i will endeauour to satisfie you . meane while remember i beseech you , that both law , and reason , and religion should induce you in doubtfull things to follow the most fauourable sentence , and not rashly out of light surmises to pronounce against a publike and solemne ordination , against the orders conferred successiuely from it , against a whole church . wherein i cannot but commend doctor carriers modestie , whose words are these . i will not determine against the succession of the clergie in england , because it is to mee very doubtfull . and the discretion of cudsemius the iesuire , which denies the english nation to be heretickes , because they remaine in a perpetuall succession of bishops . and to take away all doubt from you , that some of these ordayners were onely bishops elect , and vnconsecrated ; besides miles couerdale , in king edwards time bishop of exceter , cast in prison by queene mary , and released and sent ouer sea to the king of denmarke , know that william barlow was another ; in king edwards dayes bishop of bath and welles , in queene maries beyond the seas in the companie of the duchesse of suffolke and master b●rtie her husband ; at the time of doctor parkers ordination elect of chichester . a third was , iohn scorie , in king edwards time bishop of chichester , and at the time of the said ordination elect of hereford . a fourth was iohn hodgeskin , suffragan of bedford . and these foure , if they were all ordained according to the forme ratified in king edwards dayes , were presented by two bishops at least to the archbishop , and of him and them receiued imposition of hands , as in the said forme is appointed . one scruple yet remaines which you haue , in that these men did consecrate doctor parker by vertue of a breue from the queene , as head of the church who being no true head , and a woman , you see not how they could make a true consecrationr grounded on her authoritie . but to cleare you in this also , you must vnderstand the queenes mandate serued not to giue power to ordaine ( which those bishops had before in●rinsecally annexed to their office ) but leaue and warrant to apply that power to the person named in that mandate . a thing , vnlesse i haue beene deceiued by reports , vsed in other countries , yea in the kingdomes of his catholike maiestie himselfe . sure i am by the christian emperours in the primitiue church , as you may see in the ecclesiasticall histories , and namely , in the ordination of nectarius , that i spake of before . yea , which is more in the consecration of the bishops of rome , as of leo viii . whose decree , with the synode at rome touching this matter , is set downe by gratian , dist. . c. . taken from the example of hadria● , and another councell which gaue to charles the great , ius & potestatem eligendi pontificem , & ordinandi apostolicam sedom , as you may see in the chapter next before . see the same dist. c. . & . & . and you shall finde , that when one was chosen bishop of reate , within the popes owne prouince , by the clergie and people , and sent to him by guido the count to be consecrated , the pope durst not doe it till the emperours licence were obtained . yea , that hee writes to the emperour for colonus , that receiuing his licence hee might consecrate him either there , or in the church of tusculum , which accordingly vpon the emperors bidding he performed . yet another exception you take , to the making our ministers , that wee keepe not the right intention . first , because we neither giue nor take orders as a sacrament . by that reason we should haue no true marriages amongst vs neither , because we count not matrimonie a sacrament . this controuersie depends vpon the definition of a sacrament , which if it be put to be a signe of a holy thing , these be both so , and a many more then seuen . if a seale of the new testament , so are there but those two , which we properly call sacraments ; baptisme , and the lords supper . in which last , as to the intention of sacrificing , surely , if yee allow the doctrine of the master of the sentences , that it is called a sacrifice and oblation , which is offered and consecrated by the priest , because it is a memorie and representation of the true sacrifice and holy immolation made on the altar of the crosse. and , that christ once dyed on the crosse , and there was offered vp in himselfe , but is daily offered vp in a sacrament , because in the sacrament there is a remembrance of that which wa● once done ; which he there confirmes by the authorities of the fathers , cited by gratian in the canon law. if this doctrine , i say , may yet passe for good , and this bee the churches intention , wee want not this intention of sacrificing . adde to this the confession of melchior canus , who saith , the lutherans doe not wholly denie the sacrifice , but grant a sacrifice of thanks giuing , which they call the * eucharist : they will haue none for sinne which they call propitiatorie . if he had put hereto , vnlesse it bee in a mysterie , hee had rightly expressed the opinion of the protestants . thirdly yee object , wee want the matter and forme with which orders should be giuen : namely , for the matter in priesthood the deliuerie of the patena with bread , and the chalice with wine : in deaconship the deliuerie of the booke of the gospell , &c. by which reason the seuen first deacons had no true ordination , for then there was no gospell written to be deliuered them . nor those priests whom the pope shall make by his sole word , saying , esto sacerdos . whom notwithstanding sundrie famous canonists hold to bee well and lawfully ordained ; and innocentius himselfe saith , that if these formes of ordination were not found out , any other ordainer might in like manner make priests , with those words , or the like : for as much as these formes were in processe of time appointed by the church . and if wee list to seeke for these metaphysicall notions of matter and forme , in ordination , which at the most can bee but by analogie , how much better might wee assigne the persons deputed to sacred functions to be the matter ( as those that contract are by your selues made the matter in matrimonie ) and the imposing of hands , with the expressing the authoritie and office giuen to bee the forme ? in dionysius though falsly called the areopagite , yet an ancient author , yee shall finde nothing else ; nor which i may tell you by the way , any other orders , saue bishops , priests , and deacons . and to come to that wherein you say wee faile most of all , the substantiall forme of priesthood , tell mee ingenuously , good master wadesworth , how doe you know that our lord iesus christ made his apostles , or they others priests with this forme , which hath no mention or footstep in the gospell , or otherwhere in holy scripture ! nor so much as in the councell of carthage ; that from whence the manner of giuing other orders is fetched , nor in gratian , nor in any other ancient author that i can finde , saue in the pontificall onely . and is the present pontificall of such authoritie with you , as the forme of priesthood , the substantiall forme , can subsist in no other wordes then those that bee there expressed ? to omit the late turkesing whereof , consider what augustinus patritius writes in his preface before that which at pope innocent viii . his commandement he patched together : that there were scarce two or three bookes found that deliuered the same thing : quot libri tot varietates . ille deficit , hic superabundat , alius nihil omnino de eâre habet , raro ant nunquam conueniunt ; saepe obscuri , implicati , & librariorum vitio plerung mendosi . and in truth in this your essentiall forme of priesthood , the old pontificals before that which he set forth , either had other words at the giuing of the chalice and paten as may seeme ; or wanted both that forme and the matter also together . the master of the sentences declaring the manner of the ordination of priests , and the reason why they haue the chalice with wine , and paten with hosts giuen vnto them , saith it is , vt per hoc sciant se accepisse potestatem placabiles deo hostias offerendi . hugo in like manner , accipiunt & calicem cum vino , & patenam cum hostia de mann episcopi , quatenus potestatem se accepisse cognoscant , placabiles deo hostias offerendi . stephanus eduensis episcopus , in the same wordes : datur eis calix cum vino , & patena cum hostia , in quo traditur ijs potestas ad offerendum deo placabiles hostias . so iohannes ianuensis in his summe , intituled , catholicon , verbo presbyter . if yee ascend to the higher times of rabanus , alcuinus , isidorus , you shall finde that they mention no such matter , of deliuering chalice or paten , or wordes vsed at the deliuerie ; and no maruell , for in the canons of the fourth councel of carthage they found none . diony●ius falsly called areopagita , whom i mentioned before , setting downe the manner of ordaining in his time . the priest vpon both his knees before the altar with the bishop● right hand vpon his head , is on this manner sanctified by his consecrator with holy inuocations . here is all , s●ue that he saith , after he hath described that also which pertaines vnto the deacon , that euery one of them is signed with the crosse when the bishop blesseth them , and proclaimed , and saluted by the consecrator himselfe and euery one of that sacred order that is present . the greeke schol●ast very l●uely shewes the meaning and manner of this proclaiming . her saith , the ordayner pronounceth by name when hee signeth him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such a man is consecrated from bein● presbyter to be a bishop in the name of the father , &c. and s. in the presbyter and deacon . clemens romanus ● f. turrian and the rest of the romish ●action deceiue vs 〈…〉 be not deceiued themselues , in attributing to him the 〈◊〉 bookes of the apostolike constitutions that 〈…〉 name ) cuts the matter yet more short , and without 〈◊〉 crossing or proclaiming , appoints the bishop to lay his 〈◊〉 vpon him , in the presence of the presbyterie and the deacor● vsing a prayer , which you may see at length in him ; 〈◊〉 the increase of the church , and of the number of them that by word and worke may edifie it : for the partie elected vnto ●he ●●fice of priesthood , that being filled with the operations of healings , and word of doctrine , he may instruct gods people with meeknesse and serue him sincerely with a pure minde , and willing heart , and performe holy seruices without spot for his people through his christ , to whom &c. these last words which are in the greeke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . carol●● bouius bishop of 〈◊〉 interprets , & sacrificia pro populo tuo immaculata 〈◊〉 . maruell that he added not , tam pro 〈◊〉 quam pro defunctis . sure if saint paul , rom. . . had not added the word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee had sacrificed also . this was the ●●cient and apostolike manner of ordination , if the author be worthy of credit . but that ye may perceiue what tampering there hath beene to bring ordinations to the forme which the present pontificall prescribes , consider with me the words of amalarius bishop of triers in his second booke de ecclesiast . offic●s , where in the office of the subdeacon thus hee writes ; miror quâ de re sumptus vsus in ecclesia , &c. i maruell whence the vse was taken in our church , that very often the subdeacon should reade the lesson at masse , since this is not found committed vnto him , by the ministry giuen him in consecration , nor by the canonicall writings , nor by his name . and straight after , nam primaro tempore ; for in ancient time the deacon read not the gospell which was not yet written ; but after it was enacted by our fathers , that the deacons should reade the gospell , they appointed also that the subdeacon should reade the epistle or lesson . it appeares , then that in amalarius time , who liued with charles the great and lewes his sonne , that ridiculous fo●me was not in the pontificall , where the booke of the epistles is giuen to the subdeacons , and power to reade them in the holy church of god , as well for the quicke as the dead . the same author comming to speake of deacons , telleth of their consecration by praier , and imposition of hands , & confuteth that in the present pontificall ( which he saith he found in a little booke of holy orders ) made he knowes not by what author , that the bishop alone should lay hands on the deacon . at last he addes , there is one ministrie added to the deacon , viz. to reade the gospell , which he saith , doth well befit him , quia minister est . but of the deliuerie of the booke of the gospels , with authoritie to reade the gospell for the quicke and dead , not one word . in the next chapter of presbyters hee expounds their name , and saith further , hunc morem tenent episcopi nostri . our bishoppes haue this fashion , they annoint the hands of presbyters with oyle , which ceremonie he declares ; touching imposition of hands vpon them , he remit●●s to that he said before in the deacon . then he shewes out of ambrose , and hierome , that these are all one order with bishops , and ought to gouerne the church in common , like moses with the seuentie elders : as for deliuerie of chalice and wine , or paten and host , with power to sacrifice so well for the quicke as the dead , he makes no mention . iudge you whether these were thought to be the matter and essentiall forme of priesthood in his time . yet one author more wil iname in this matter , not onely because hee is a famous schooleman , and one of luthers first aduersaries , and therefore ought to be of more account with that side , but because he professeth the end of his writing to be , circa sacramentum ordinis cautos reddere , ne pertinax quisquam aut leuis sit circa modum tradendi aut recipiendi ordines . it is cardinall caietane , in the second tome of his opuscula , tit. de modo tradendi seu recipiendi ordines . reade the whole where these things i obserue for our present purpose . . if all be gathered together which the pontificals , or which reason or authoritie hath deliuered , the nature of all the rest of the orders except priesthood onely , will appeare very vncertaine . . the lesser orders and subdeaconship according to the master of the sentences , were instituted by the church . . the deacons instituted by the apostles , act. . were not deacons of the altar , but of the tables & widdowes . . in deaconship there seemes to be no certain forme for according to the old pontificals , the laying of hands vpon the deacon hath no certaine forme of words , but that prayer . emitte q●aesumus in eos s. sauctum : which according to the new pontificals is to be said after the imposition of hands . for the giuing of the booke of the gospels , hath indeede a forme of words , but that impresseth not the character for before any gospell was written , the apostles ordained deacons by imposition of hands . . in the subdeaconship also there is no pontificall which hath not the matter without forme , viz. the deliuery of the emptie chalice , &c. these things with more which hee there sets downe he would haue to serue to the instruction of the learned touching the vncertaintie of this whole matter to ●each men to be wise to sobrietie , that is , euery man to be content with the accustomed pontificall of the church wherein he is ordained . and if ought be omitted of those things which be added out of the new pontificals , as for example , that the booke of the epistles was not giuen , with those words ( take authoritie to reade the epistles as well for the quicke as the dead ) there is no neede of supplying this omission by a new ordination , for such new additions make no new law . learne then of your owne caietane , that the new additions of deliuery of the chalice with wine , and paten with hosts , and authoritie to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead make no new law. learn to be content with the pontificall of the church , wherein you were ordained . wherein first is verbatim all that which your pontificals had well taken out of the holy words of our sauiour , accipe spiritum sanctum quorum remisseris peccata remittuntur eis & quorum retinueris retenta sunt . which me thinkes you should rather account to containe the essentiall forme of priesthood then the former , both because they are christs owne words , and ioyned with that ceremonie of laying on hands , which anciently denominated this whole action , and do expresse the worthiest and principallest part of your commission , which the apostle cals the ministry of reconciliation , cor. . . . then , because this office is not onely deputed to consecrate the lords body , but also to preach & baptize ( which in your pontificall is wholly omitted ) in a larger , and more conuenient forme , is added out of saint paul , cor. . . and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of god and of his holy sacraments . in the name of the father , &c. as to that you adde , that we offer no sacrifice for the quicke and dead , and therefore well may be called ministers , as all lay men are , but are no priests . i haue met with sundry that pull this roape as strongly the other way , and affirme that because by the very forme of your ordination you are appointed sacrificers for the quicke and dead , well may ye be masse-priests as ye are called , but ministers of the new testament , after s. pauls phrase ye are none . for that office stands principally in preaching the word , whereof in your ordination there is no word said . and as little there is in scrip●ure of your sacrifice , which makes christ not to be a priest after the order of melchisedech , &c. with much more to this purpose . where my defence for your ministrie hath beene this , that the forme receiue the holy ghost , whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted , &c. doth sufficiently comprehend the authoritie of preaching the gospell . vse you the same equitie toward vs , and tell those hot spirits among you , that stand so much vpon formalities of words , that to be a dispenser of the word of god and his holy sacraments , is all the dutie of priesthood . and to you i adde further , that if you consider well the words of the master of the sentences which i vouched before , how that which is consecrated of the priest is called a sacrifice and oblation , because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy offering made on the altar of the crosse , and ioyne there to that of the apostle , that by that one offering christ hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified , and as he saith in another place , through that bloud of his crosse reconciled vnto god all things whether in earth or in heauen ; you shall perceiue , that we do offer sacrifice for the quick and dead , remembring , representing & mystically offering that sole sacrifice for the quicke and dead , by the which all their fins are meritoriously expiated , and desiring that by the same , wee and all the church may obtaine remission of sinnes , and all other benefits of christs passion . to the epilogue therefore of this your last motiue , i say in short . sith we haue no neede of subdeaconship , more then the churches in the apostles times , & in truth those whom wee call clerkes and sextens performe what is necessarie in this behalfe . sith we haue canonicall bishops , and lawfull succession . sith we neither want due intention to depute men to ecclesiasticall functions , nor matter or forme in giuing priesthood ; deriuing from no man or woman the authoritie of ordination , but from christ the head of he church ; yee haue alleadged no sufficient cause , why we should not haue true pastors , and consequently a true church in england . chap. xii . of the conclusion . master waddesworths agonies and protestation , &c. yet by these ( you say ) and many other arguments , you were resolued in your vnderstanding , to the contrary . it may well be that your vnderstanding out of it owne heedlesse haste , as that of our first parents while it was at the perfectest was induced into errour , by resoluing too soone out of seeming arguments , and granting too forward assent . for surely , these which you haue mentioned , could not conuince it , if it would haue taken the paines to examine them throughly , or had the patience to giue vnpartiall hearing to the motiues on the other side . bu● as if you triumphed in your owne conquest , and captiuitie , you adde that which passeth yet all that hitherto you haue set downe , viz. that the church of rome was and is the onely true church , because it alone is ancient , catholike , and apostolike , hauing succession , vnitie , and visibilitie in all ages , and places . is it onely ancient ? to omit hierusalem , are not that of antioch , where the disciples were first called christians , and alexandria , ephesus , corinth , and the rest mentioned in the scriptures ancient also ? and of antioch ancienter then rome . is it catholike and apostolike onely ? doe not these and manie more hold the catholike faith receiued from the apostles , as well as the church of rome ? for that it should be the vniuersall church , is all one as yee would say the part is the whole , one citie the world . hath it onely succession ? where to set aside the inquirie of doctrine , so manie simoniacks , and intruders haue ruled , as about fiftie of your popes together , were by your owne mens confession apostaticall , rather then apostolicall ? or vnitie , where there haue beene thirtie schismes , and one of them which endured fiftie yeares long , and at last grew into three heads , as if they would share among them the triple crowne ? and as for diffentions in doctrine , i remit you to master doctor halls peace of rome , wherein hee scores aboue three hundred mentioned in bellarmine alone ; aboue threescore in one onely head of penance out of nauarrus . as to that addition , in all ages and places ▪ i know not what to make of it , nor wher●o to refer it . consider , i beseech you , with your wonted moderation what you say , for sure vnlesse you were begu●led , i had almost said bewitched , you could neuer haue resolued to beleeue and professe , that which all the world knowes to be as false , i had ( welnigh ) said as god is true , touching the extent of the romish church to all ages and places ? concerning the agonies you passed , i will say onely thus much , if being resolued though erroniously that was truth , you were withholden from professing it with worldly respects , you did well to breake through them all . but if besides these , there were doubt of the contrarie ( as me thinks needes must be ) vnlesse you could satisfie your selfe touching those many and knowne exceptions against the court of rome , which you could not be ignorant of ) take heede , lest the rest insuing these agonies were not like sampsons sleeping on dal●lahs knees , while the locks of his strength were shauen , whereupon ( the lord departing from him ) he was taken by the philistims , had his eyes put out , and was made to grinde in the prison . but i doe not despaire , but your former resolutions shall grow againe . and as i doe beleeue your religious asseueration , that for very feare of damnation you forsooke vs ( which makes mee to haue the better hope and opinion of you , for that i see you doe so seriously minde that which is the end of our whole life ; ) so i desire from my heart the good hope of saluation you haue in your present way may be as happie , as your feare i am perswaded was causelesse . for my part , i call god to record against mine owne soule , that both before my going into italie , and since , i haue still endeauoured to finde and follow the truth in the points controuerted betweene vs , without any earthly respect in the world . neither wanted i faire opportunitie had i seene it on that side , easily , and with hope of good entertainment to haue adioyned my selfe to the church of rome , after your example . but ( to vse your words ) as i shall answere at the dreadfull day of iudgement , i neuer saw , heard , or read any thing , which did conuince me : nay , which did not finally confirme me daily more and more , in the perswasion , that in these differences it rests on our part . wherein i haue not followed humane coniectures from forraine and outward things ( as by your leaue mee thinkes you doe in these your motiues , whereby i protest to you in the sight of god , i am also much comforted and assured in the possession of the truth ) but the vndoubted voice of god in his word , which is more to my conscience then a thousand topicall arguments . in regard whereof i am no lesse assured , that if i should forsake it i should be renounced by our sauiour , before god and his angels , then in the holding it be acknowledged and saued ; which makes me resolue , not onely for no hope if it were of . worlds , but by the gracious assistance of god , without whom i know i am able to doe nothing , for no terrour or torment euer to become a papist . you see what a large distance there is betweene vs in opinion . yet for my part , i doe not take vpon me to foreiudge you , or anie other that doth not with an euill minde and selfe condemning conscience onely to maintaine a faction , differ from that which i am perswaded is the right . i account we hold one and the same faith in our lord and sauiour iesus christ , and by him in the blessed trinitie . to his iudgement we stand or fall . incomparably more and of more importance are those things wherein wee agree ; then those wherin we dissent . let vs follow therefore the things of peace , and of mutuall edification . if any be otherwise minded then he ought , god shall reueale that also to him . if any be weake or fallen , god is able to rai●e him vp . and of you good m. waddesworth , and the rest of my masters and brethren of that side , one thing i would againe desire , that according to the aposiles profession of himselfe , you would forbeare to be lords ouer our faith , nor straightway condemne of heresie , our ignorance or lacke of perswasion concerning such things as wee cannot perceiue to be founded in holy scripture . enioy your owne opinions ; but make them not articles of our faith : the analogie whereof is broken as well by addition as subtraction . and this selfe same equitie we desire to find in positiue lawes , orders , and ceremonies . wherein as euerie church hath full right to prescribe that which is decent and to edification , and to reforme abuse ; so those that are members of each are to follow what is enioyned , till by the same authoritie it be reuersed . and now to close vp this account of yours , whereof you would haue doctor hall and me to be as it were examiners and auditors . whether it be perfect and allowable or no , looke you to it . i haue here told you mine opinion of it , as directly , plainely , and freely as i can ; and as you required fully , if not tediously . i list not to contend with you about it . satisfie your owne conscience , and our common lord and master , and you shall easily satisfie me . once yet by my aduice review it , and cast it ouer againe . and if in the particulars you finde you haue taken manie nullities for signifying numbers , manie smaller signifiers for greater ▪ correct the totall . if you finde namely that out of desire of vnitie , and dislike of contention , you haue apprehended our diuersities to be more then they are : conceiued a necessitie of an externall infallible iudge , where there was none : attributed the priuiledge of the church properly called , to that which is visible and mixt . if you finde the reformed churches more charitable , the proper note of chists sheepe : the roman faction more fraudulent , and that by publike counsell , and of politicke purpose , in framing not onely all later writers , but some ancient , yea the holy scriptures for their aduantage : if you finde you haue mistaken the protestants doctrine touching inuisibilitie , your own also touching vniformitie in matters of faith : if you haue beene misinformed and too ha●●ie , of credit touching the imputations laid to the beginners of reformation : for as touching the want of succession and the fabulous ordination at the nags head , i hope you will not be stiffe , and persist in your errour , but confesse and condemne it in your selfe : if ( as i began to say ) you finde these things to be thus ; giue glorie to god , that hath heard your praier , entreating direction in his holy truth ; and withhold not that truth of his in vnrighteousnesse . vnto him that is able to restore and establish you , yea to consummate and perfect you according to his almightie power and vnspeakeable goodnesse , toward his elect in christ iesus , i doe from my heart commend you : and rest you , your very louing brother in christ iesu , w. bedell . finis . faults escaped . page . line . for them reade him . p. . l. . for 〈◊〉 v. p. . l. . for come r. came . p. . l. . for whereby r. whereof . p. . l. . for them r. thee . p. . l. . for court r. course . p. . l. . for 〈◊〉 b e●●l . r. ●ate ecclesiast . p. . l. . for bumorum r. humerum . p. . l. . for you r. thee . p. l. . for to prooue r. ● . to prooue . p. ● . l. . side , one r. side one , p. l. . for these r. those . p. . l . for to all r. to take all . p. . l. . for report r. reports . p. . l. . for adiure r. abiure . p. . l. . for word r. sword . p. . l. . for the state r. that state. l. . for gratian , neither r. gratian neither , ibid. l. . for force r. farce . p. . l. . for sernone r. ser●●●● . p. . l. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hi● . for. p. . l. . for bishops r. bishop . p. . l. . for greatest shewes , r. greatest , shewes another . p. l. . for iust or r. iuster . ibid. l. . for maechis r. maechiae . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 but the r. but that , ibid. l. ● . for such . r. ● . such . p. ● . l. . for whererein-frequent r. wherein-frequent . p. . l. for com. . r. cou● . . p. . l. . for grosser , yet r. grosser yet , ibid. l. . for and in this r and this . p. . l. . for affaires , in italy r. affaires in italy , p. . l. . for a ubiects r. assubiect . p. . l. . for both where r. where both p. . l. . for letany r. litany . p. . l. . for gospell r. gospel p. . l. . for primaro r. primaero . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * euen for vs also hath christ died , and for our redemption hath hee shed his bloud . sinners indeed we are , but of his flocke , and among his poore sheepe are we numbred . * euen so come lord iesus . a i pray see within how short a compasse he proues himself a poeticall rai●er by his epithets , not onely against me , but ●euiling a whole nation , and the religion of the best part of all christendome . a i pray see within how short a compasse he proues himself a poeticall rai●er by his epithets , not onely against me , but ●euiling a whole nation , and the religion of the best part of all christendome . b this m●cke if it were true yet would i reioyce in ●t , not onely to ●it on his staires , but to m●ke cleane his shoe●s . c i tearmed him a poeticall ra●ler , not accusing nor 〈◊〉 him for a poet 〈◊〉 taxing him for raising poe●●cally vsing the word as sometimes it is in the worst sense when it is abused : neither condemning poetrie nor ●o●rouing him for a poet ▪ out a po●ticall ra●●er : as he doth ●●●selfe by that epistle 〈…〉 better letter . d i willingly pardon 〈◊〉 is pe●●icall railing and false ●pithites , for that one true word 〈…〉 bernard to be deuout . e pardon for s. bernards sake . f a braue man a● armes , &c. g pardon for s. bernards sake . h i would there were not . i satis pro imperio . k this ap●eares by your railing on him , as hee that iustified himselfe from swearing , by ●●wd swearing by god hee did not 〈◊〉 . l this were in pro●e one a●surdi●y by a greater & to vndert● be that some one text of scripture is false or f●ged because all the whole bible is 〈◊〉 or hauing called one a iew or bas●ard &c. to make him amends by ●elling him all his kinred were such . but that book● and chapter is indeede ●ittifully professed : and by it and 〈◊〉 nuating here 〈◊〉 offence of ●oo much chari●e may be easily 〈◊〉 the ●●stance of your proficiencie on 〈◊〉 . * 〈…〉 notes for div a -e this is the ca●holike 〈◊〉 . * 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 . . cor. . . socrat. . . c. ● . plaut . aulular . hom. . 〈◊〉 act. . ioh. . . & . . luke . cic. ● . de legibus . 〈…〉 act. . . rispos●a ad vn● lettera , &c. tertull. de praescript . &c. vincent . lyrine●s . a lib. de vaitate . b eccles. c. . & . . ioh. . . institut . l. . c. . august . contr . crescō . l. . c. . proëmiol . . regula . & ● . . tim. . . . cor. . . analyst fidei cathol . pa . oseae , . ● ▪ epistol● ad pompe●um . ● . in 〈◊〉 dist. . significasti de electione . ioh. . . matth. . . inter corpor . de translatione episcopi . matth. . . de sacra vnctione . esay . . . sam. . . solicite . de maioritate . . pet , . . vers. . matth. ● . ● . ierem. ● . . exod. . ● . * thou shalt not raile on the gods , nor curse the prince of ● thy people . gen. . . io● . . . matth. . . ex ore . de his quae fiunt , tit. . heb. . ▪ per venerabil●m . qu● filij sint legitim● . deu● . . . . c●r . . ● . matth. . . cap. fundament● de elect. in . ioh. . . extra vnum testam . cant. . . c. quoniam . de immunitate . luk. . . rom. . . ierem. . . . cor. . . rom. . . gen. . . a rom. . . syricius epist. ▪ & innocent . ep. . b ioh. . . c. inter cunctas . c rom. . . d matth. ▪ . e iam. . . f gal. . . * matth. . . loe i am with you , &c. clem. . de reliq . tract . in iob . g. c. ma●●nus de cognat . spirit . . mat. . . h c. non debet de consang . . cor. . . i cum ex . de. ●aeretici● . heb. . . exod. . . ecclu . . . rom. . . math. . reuel . . . 〈…〉 〈…〉 apologia pro garneto , c. . a●uertiment●al p ant posseuino . p. . & . luk● . . . matth. . . rom. . . aug. epist. ● . & 〈…〉 . ● . de 〈◊〉 l. ● . c. . abulensis . bellarmine . faber . erasmus . cassander . hofmeister . aeneas syluius . isai . . doctor raynolds . thes. . iob . . chap. . . reuel . . . dialog . l. . c. . dist. . c. constantinus . concil . mile● . ● . . concil . a●ric . c. . c. placuit . qu. . de doctrina . christt . l. . ex decreto ▪ . conc●l . t●d . de sacram. euch. l. . c. . de verbis domini , serm. . c. . serm. de natiui●ate mar. virginis . see d. 〈◊〉 conf. with hart. c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . . relation 〈…〉 * vrbici cuinsd●m . de vnitate eccl. c. . euarrat . in psal. . com . . . . q. . ar . . pag. . pag. ● . pag. ● . sleidan l. ● . 〈◊〉 . . matth. 〈…〉 lib. . an. . . * . he●ri● 〈…〉 cap. . ●●ristophorus à sacro bosco dubliniensis . lib. . c. . 〈…〉 mark 〈…〉 pag. . de des●erata 〈◊〉 causa . ● . . c. lectis . c. reatina . c. nobis . lib. . dist . . de consecrat . dist . . l●c. the● . lib. . cap. . * f. fucharisticum . heb. . 〈◊〉 cor. . . meditations and vowes, diuine and morall. seruing for direction in christian and ciuill practise. deuided into two bookes. by ios. hall. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . 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[ ], p. printed by humfrey lownes, for iohn porter., at london : . the second book has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. in this edition the title page is all in black; b r line has "bread". signatures: a-k . incorrectly identified as stc at reel : . reproductions of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng conduct of life -- early works to . meditations -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion meditations and vowes , diuine and morall . seruing for direction in christian and ciuill practise . deuided into two bookes . by jos . hall. at london printed by humfrey lownes , for iohn porter . . votum authoris . qvas ego non vano deprompsi e pectore leges , quaeque ego vota tuli pacis honesta meae . alme deus ( nec enim sine te vouisse i●●abit , te sine nil facio , nil fugio sine te ) da placide seruem , & praesta seruando quietem , sic mihi certa salus , sic mihi sancta quies . to the right worshipfull sir robert drury , knight , my singular good patron . all increase of true ho●or a●d vertue . sir , that i haue made these my homely aphoris●es publique , needes n● other reason ; but that , though the world is furnished with other writings , eu●n to satietie and surfet : yet , of these , which reduce christianitie to practise , there is ( at least ) s●arcitie enough : wherin ( yet ) i must needs confesse , i had some eye to my selfe ; for ( hauing after a sort vowed this au●tere course of iudgement and practise to my selfe ) i thought it best to acquaint the world with it , that it might either witnesse my answerable proceeding , or check mee in my straying there-frō : by which meanes , so many men as i liue amongst , so many monitors i shall haue , which shall point me to my owne rules , and vpbrayd me with my aberrations . why i haue dedi●ated thē to your name , cannot be strange to any , that knows you , my patron ; and me , your pastor : the regard of which bond , easily drew mee on to consider , that whereas my body , which was euer weake , began of ●ate to languish more ; it would be not in-expedient ( at the worst ) to leaue behind me this little ●onument of that great respect , which i ( deseruedly ) beare you : and i● it shall please god to reprieue me , vntill a longer day ; yet●●t shall not repent me , to haue sent this vnwoorthie scrowle , to wayte vppon you , in your necessarie absences ; neither shall it be ( i hope ) bootlesse for you , to adioyne these my meane speculations , vnto those grounds of vertue , you haue so happily laid : to which , if they shall add but one scruple , it shall be to me sufficient ioy , contentment , recompence . from your halsted . dec. . your worships humbly deuoted ios . hall . the first booke , contayning a full centurie of meditations and vowes , both diuine and morall . . in meditation , those , which begin heauenly thoughts , & prosecute them not , are like those , which kindle a fire vnder greene wood , and leaue it , so soone as it but begins to flame : leesing the hope of a good beginning , for want of ●econding it with a sutable proceeding : when i set my self to meditate , i wil not giue ouer , till i come to an issue . it hath beene said by some , that the beginning is as much as the midst ; yea , more thē all : but i say , the ending is more thē the beginning . there is nothing ( but man ) that respecteth greatnes : not god , not nature , not disease , not death , not iudgement : not god , hee is no accepter of persons : not nature , we see the sonnes of princes borne as naked , as the poorest ; and the poore child as faire , wel-fauored strong , witty , as the heire of nobles : not disease , death , iudgment , they sicken a-like , die a-like , fare a-like after death : there is nothing ( besides naturall men ) of whō goodnes is not respected : i will honour greatnes in others , but for my self , i wil esteem a drā of goodnes , worth a whol world of greatnes . as there is a foolish wisedome : so there is a wise ign●rance , in not prying into gods arke : not inquiring i●to thinges not reuealed . i would faine know all that i need , and all that i may : i leaue gods secrets to himselfe . it is happy for me , that god makes me of his court , though not of his coūsell . . as there is no vacuity in nature , no more is there spiritually : euery vessell is full , if not of liquor , yet of ayre ; so is the hart of man : though ( by nature ) it is empty of grace , yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie . now , as it filleth with grace , so it is emptied of his euill qualities . as in a vessell , so much water as goes in , so much ayre goes out : but mans heart is a narrow-mouthed vessell , and receiues grace but by drops ; and therefore askes a long time to emptie and fill . now , as there be differences in degrees , and one hart is neerer to fulnes then an other : so , the best vessell is not quite full , while it is in the bodie , because there are stil remainders of corruption : i wil neither be content with that measure of grace i haue , nor impatient of gods delay : but euery day i wil endeuor to haue one drop added to the rest , so my last day shal fill vp my vessell to the brim . satan would seeme to be mannerly & reasonable , making , as i● he wold be cōtent with one halfe of the hart , wheras god challengeth all or none : as ( indeed ) he hath most reason to claime all , that made all : but this is nothing , but a craftie fetch of satan , for he knowes , that if he haue any part , god wil haue none ; so , the whole falleth to his share alone . my heart ( when it is both whole , & at the best ) is but a strait & vnwoorthy lodging for god ; if it were bigger & better● i would rescrue it all for him . sathan may look in at my doores by a temptation , but he shal not haue so much as one chamber-room setapart , for him to soiourne in . i see , that in naturall motions , the neerer anie thing comes to his end , the swifter it mooueth . i haue seene great riuers , which at their first rising out of some hills side , might be couered with a bushell , which , after many miles , fill a very broad channel ; & drawing neere to the sea , doo euen make a little sea in their owne bankes : so , the wind at the first rising , as a little vapour from the cranies of the earth , and passing forward about the earth , the further it goes , the more blustring and violent it waxeth ; a christians motion ( after he is regenerate ) is made naturall to god-ward ; and therefore , the neerer he comes to heauen , the more zealous hee is . a good man must be like the sunne ; not like ezechias sunne , that went backward , nor like iosuahs sunne , that stood stil , but dauids sunne , that ( like a bride-groome ) comes out of his chamber ; and as a champion reioyceth to runn● his race : only , herein is the difference , that when he comes to his high noon , he declineth not . how euer therefore , the mind ( in her naturall faculties ) followes the temperature of the body , yet in these supernatural things shee quite crosses it , for with the coldest complexion of age , is ioyned in those that are truly religious , the feruentest zeale and affection to good thinges : which is therfore the more reuerenced , and better acknowledged , because it cannot be ascribed to the hot spirits of youth . the deuil himselfe deuised that olde slaunder of ●arly holines ; a young saint , an olde deuill : sometimes young deuils haue prooued olde saints ; neuer the contrary ; but true saints in youth , doo alwayes prooue angels in their age . i will striue to bee euer good , but if i should not finde my selfe best at last , i should feare i was neuer good at all . consent hartneth sin , which a little dislike would haue daunted at first ; as wee say , there would be no theeues , if no receiuers : so would there not be so many open mouthes to detract and slaunder , if there were not as many open eares to entertain them . if i cannot stoppe other mens mouthes frō speaking ill● i wil either open my mouth to reproue it , or els i will stop mine eares from hearing it ; & let him see in my face , that hee hath no roome in my heart . i haue oft wondred howe fishes can retaine their fresh taste , and yet liue in salt waters ; since i see that euery other thing participates of the nature of the place , wherein it abides : so , the waters passing through the chānels of the earth , varie their sauour with the ve●nes of soyle , through vvhich they slide : so , brute creatures transported frō one region to another , alter their former qualitie , & degenerate by little and little . the like daunger haue i seene in the manners of men , conuersing with euill companions , in corrupt places : for , besides that , it blemisheth our reputation , and makes vs thought ill , though wee be good ; it breedes in vs an insensible declination to ill ; and works in vs , if not an approbation , yet a lesse dislike of those sinnes , to which , our eares & eyes are so continually inured . i may haue a bad acquaintance , i will neuer haue a wicked companion . expectation in a weake minde , makes an euill , greater ; and a good , lesse : but in a resolued minde , it digests an euill , before it come , and makes a future good , long before , present . i will expect the woorst , because it may come the best , because i know it will come . some promise what they cannot doo , as sathan to christ ; some , what they could , but meane not to doo , as the sonnes of iacob to the shechemites : some , what they meant for the time , and after retrayt , as laban to iacob ; some , what they doo also giue , but vnwillingly , as h●rod ; some , what they willingly giue , and after repent them , as ioshu● to the gibeonites . so great distrust is there in man , whether from his impotence or faithlesnes● as in other things , so in this , i see god is not like man : but what euer hee promises , hee approoues himselfe most faithfull , both in his abilitie and performances : i will therfore euer trust god on his bare word , euen with hope , besides hope , aboue hope , against hope : and onwards , i will rely on him for small matters of this life : for how shal i hope to trust him in impossibilities , if i may not in likelihoods ? how shall i depend on him , for raising my body from dust , and sauing my soule ; if i mistrust him for a crust of bread , towards my preseruation . if the world would make me his minion● he could giue me but what he hath : and what hath he to giue ? but a smoake of honour , a shadow of riches , a sound of pleasures , a blast of fame ; which , when i haue had in the best measure ; i may be worse ; i cannot be better : i can liue no whit longer , no whit merrier , no whit happier . if he professe to hate me , what can he doe but disgrace me in my name , impouerish mee in my state , afflict me in my body ? in al which , it is easie , not to be euer the more miserable : i haue beene too long beguiled with the vaine semblances of it : now hence-forth accounting my selfe borne to a better world , i will in an holy loftines , beare my self as one too good to be enamoured of the best pleasures , to be daūted with the greatest miseries of this life . i see there is no man so happy , as to haue all thinges , and no man so miserable , as not to haue some ; why should i looke for a better condition , then all others ? if i haue some-what , and that of the best thinges , i will in thankfulnes enioy them , and want the rest with contentment . cōstraint makes an easie thing toilesom , wheras againe , loue makes the greatest toile , pleasant : how many miles do we ride & run , to see one silly beast follow another , with pleasure : which , if wee were commaunded to measure vppon the charge of a superiour , we should complaine of wearines . i see the folly of the most men , that make their liues miserable , and their actions tedious , for want of loue to that , they must doo : i will first labour to ●ettle in my heart a good affection to heauēly things ; so , lord , thy yoake shall be easie , and thy burden light . i am a stranger euen at home , therefore if the doggs of the world bark at me , i neither care , no● wonder . it is the greatest madnes in the world , to bee an hypocrite in religious profession : men hate thee , because thou art a christian , so much as in appearance : god hates thee double , because thou art but in appearace : so , while thou hast the hatred of both , thou hast no comfort in thy selfe : yet if thou wilt not bee good , as thou seemest ; i hold it better to seeme ill as thou art : an open wicked man doth much hurt with notorioussinnes , but an hypocrite doth at last more shame goodnes , by seeming good ; i had rather be an open wicked man , then an hypocrite , but i had rather bee no man , then eyther of them . vvhen i cast downe mine eyes vppon my wants , vpon my sinnes , vpon my miseries ; mee thinkes no man should be woorse , no man so ill as i ; my meanes so many , so force-able , and almost violent ; my progresse so small , and insensible ; my corruptions so strong , my infirmities so frequent , and remedilesse ; my bodie so vnaunswerab●e to my minde . but when i looke vp to the blesinges that god hath enricht mee with all , mee thinkes i should soone be● induced to thinke none more happie then my selfe : god is my friend , and my father : the world not my master , but my slaue : i haue frends , not many , but so tryed , that i dare trust them . an estate not superfluous , not needy : yet neerer to defect , then abundance : a calling , if despised of men , yet honourable with god : a body not so strong , as to admit securitie , but often checking mee in occasion of pleasure : nor yet so weake , as to afflict me continually : a mind not so furnished with knowledge , that i may boast of it ; nor yet so naked , that i should despaire of obtayning it : my miseries afford me ioy , mine enemies aduantage ; my account is cast vp for another world : and if thou thinke , i haue said too much good of my selfe , either i am thus , or i would be . the worldlings life is ( of all other ) most discōfortable , for that which is his god , doth not alway fauour him , that which should bee , neuer . there are three messengers of death : casualty , sicknes , age : the two first are doubtfull , since many haue recouered them both ; the last is certaine : the two first are suddaine , the last leasurely and deliberate : as for all men vpon so many summons , so , especially for an old man , it is a shame to bee vnprepared for death : for , where other see they may die , hee sees hee must die . i was long a-gone olde enough to dye , but if i liue till age , i will thinke my selfe too olde to liue longer . i will not care what i haue , whether much or litt●e 〈◊〉 if little , my account shall bee the lesse ; if more , i shall doo the more good , and receiue the more glory . i care not for anie companion , but such as may teach mee somewhat , or learne somewhat of me . both these shall much pleasure me ; one as an agent , the other as an subiect to worke vpon , neither knowe i whether more ; for though it be an excellent thing to learne , yet i learne but to teach others . if earth ( that is prouided for mortality , and is possessed by the makers enemies ) haue so much pleasure in it ; that wor●dlinges thinke it woorth the account of their heauen : such a sun to enlighten it , such an heauen to wall it about , such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it , such variety of creatures , for the commodious vse of it : what must heauen needes be , that is prouided for god himselfe , & his friends : how can it be lesse in woorth , then god is aboue his creatures , and gods friends better , then his enemies . i will not onely be content , but desirous to bee disso●ued . it is commonly s●ene , that boldnes puts men forth before their time , before their abilitie . wherein , we haue seene many that ( like lapwings , and partridges ) haue runne away with some part of their shel on their heads : whence it followes , that as they began boldly , so they proceede vnprofitably , and conclude not without shame : i would rather bee haled by force of others to great duties , thē rush vpon them vnbidden : it were better a man shou●d want work , then that great worke● should want a manne aunswerable to theyr weight . i will vse my friends , as moses did his rodd ; while it was a rodd , he helde it familiarly in his hand ; when once a serpent , hee ranne away from it . i haue seldome seene much o●tentation ; and much learning met together : the sunne rising and declining , makes long shadowes , at mid-day when hee is at highest , none at all : besides , that skill when it is too much showne , looses the grace , as fresh-coloured wares , if they bee often opened , leese their brightnesse , and are soyled with much handling : i had rather , applaude my selfe for hauing much , that i showe not : then that others should app●a●d mee , for showing more , then i haue . an ambitious man is the greatest enemie to himselfe , of any in the world besides . for hee still tormentes himselfe with hopes , and desires● and cares , which hee might auoid , if he would remit of the height of his thoughts ; and liue ●●ietly . my onely ambition shall bee to bee in gods fauour on earth , & to be a saint in heauen . there was neuer good thing easily comne by : the heathen man could say , god sels knowledge for sweat , and so , he doth honour for ieopardie : neuer anie man hath got either wealth , or learning with ease● therfore , the greatest good must needs be most difficult . how shall i hope to get christ , if i take no paines for him ; and if in all other thinges the difficultie of obtayning , whets the mind so much the more to seeke , why should it in this alone daunt mee , i will not care what i doo , what i suffer , s● i may winne christ ; if men can endure such cutting , such lancing , searing of their bodies , to protract a miserable life , yet a while longer ; what pain shou●d i refuse for eternity ? i● i die ; the world shal misse mee but a little , i shall misse it lesse ; not it mee , because it hath such store of better men ; not i it , because it hath so much ill , & i shal haue so much happines . two thinges make a man set by , dignitie and desert , amongst fooles the first without the second is sufficient : amongst wise men , the second without the first ; let mee deserue well , though i be not aduaunced . the conscience of my woorth , shall cheere me more in others contempt , then the approbation of others can cōfort me● against the secret checke of my owne vnworthines . the best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects , that they cannot be cōmunicated to others : for , where patrimonie , & vulgar acc●unt of honour , follow the blood in many generations , vertue is not traduced in propagation , nor learning bequeathed by our will to our heires : least the giuers shou●d waxe proud , and the receiuers negligent : i wil account nothing my owne , but what i haue gotten ; nor that my owne , because it is more of gift then desert . then onely is the church most happy , when truth and peace kisse each other ; and thē miserable , when either of them balke the way , or when they meete and kisse not : for truth without peace is turbulent ; and peace without truth is secure iniustice ; thogh i loue peace well , yet i loue mayne truthes better ; and though i loue all truthes well , yet i had rather conceale a small truth , then disturbe a cōmon peace . an in-discreete good action , is little better thē a discreet mischiefe , for in this , the doer wrongs onely the patient : but in that other , the wrong is done to the good action ; for both it makes a good thing odious ( as many good tales are mar'd in telling ) & besides , it preiudice● a future oportunity : i wil rather let passe a good gale of wind ; and stay still on the shore , then launch forth , whē i know the wind wil be cōtrary . the world teaches me , that it is madnes to leaue behinde mee those goods , that i may carrie with mee : christianitie teaches mee that , what i charitably giue aliue , i carrie with me dead ; and experience teaches me , that what i leaue behind i leese ; i will carie that treasure with mee by giuing it , which the worldling looseth by keeping it ; so , while his corps shal carie nothing but a winding-cloath to his graue , i shal be richer vnder the earth , thē i was aboue it . euery worldling is an hypocrite , for while his face naturally lookes vpward to heauen , his hart grouels beneath on the earth ; yet if i would admit of any discord in the inward & outward parts ; i would haue an heart , that should looke vp to heauen , in an holy contemp●ation of the things aboue , and a countenance cast downe to the earth in humiliation ; this only dissimilitude is pleasing to god. the heart of man is a short word , a small substance , yet great in capacitie , yea , so infinite in desire , that the round globe of the world cannot fill the three corners of it ; when it desires more , and cries , giue , giue . i will set it ouer to that infinite good ; where the more it hath , it may desire more , and see more to be desired ; when it desires but what it needeth , my hands shal soone satisfie it ; either of which , if it may cōtaine it , when it is without the body , much more may both of them fill it , while it is within . with men it is a good rule to try first , and then to trust , with god it is contrary : i will first trust him as most wise , omnipotent , mercifull , and trie him afterwards : i know it is as impossible for him to deceiue me● , as not to be . as christ was both a lambe and a lyon , so is euery christian : a lambe for patience in suffering , and innocence of life . a lyon for boldnesse in his innocence : i would so order my courage and mildnesse , that i may bee neither lyon-like in my conuersation , nor sleepish in the defence of a good cause . the godly sowe in teares , reape in ioy : the seede●time is commonly waterish , and louring : i will bee content with a wet spring ; so i may bee sure of a cleare and ioyfull haruest . euerie man hath an heauen and an hell : earth is the wicked mans heauen , his hell is to come ; on the contrarie , the godly haue their hell vpon earth , where they are vexed with tentations , and afflictions by sathan and his complices ; their heauen is aboue in endlesse happines ; if it be ill with mee on earth , it is well my tormēt is so short , and so easie : i will not be so couetous , to hope for two heauens . man on his death-bed hath a double prospect , which in his life-time the interposition of pleasure and miseries debard him from : the good man lookes vpward , and sees heauen open with steuen , and the glorious angels readie to carie vp his soule . the wicked manne lookes downe-ward , and sees three terrible spectacles , death , iudgement , hell , one beyond another ; & all to be passed through by his soule : i maruell not , that the godly haue beene so cheerefull in death , that those torments , whose very sight hath ouercomne the beholders , haue seemed easie to them● i maruell not that a wicked man is so loath to heare of death , so deiected , when hee feeles sicknes , and so desperate , when hee feeles the pangues of death ; nor that euerie balaam would fain die the death of the righteous . henceforth , i will enuie none , but a good man ; i will pitie nothing so much , as the prosperitie of the wicked . not to be afflicted , is a signe of weakenesse : for therefore god imposes no more on mee , because hee sees i can beare no more : god will not make choyce of a weake champion● when i am stronger , i will looke for more ; and when i sustaine more , it shall more cōfort me , that god findes mee strong , then it shall grieue me , to be pressed with an heauy affliction . that the wicked haue peace in themselues , is no wonder , they are as sure as tentation can make them : no prince makes warre with his owne subiects : the godly are still enemies : therefore , they must look to be assaulted both by stratagems and violence : nothing shall more ioy mee , then my inward vnquietnes . a iust warre is a thousand times more happy then an ill-cōditioned peace . goodnes is so powerfull , that it can make thinges simply euill ( namely our sinns ) good to vs ; not good in nature , but good in the euent ; good , when they are done , not good to be done : sinne is so powerfull , that it can turne the holiest ordinances of god in it selfe : but heerein our sinnes goes be●ond our goodnes ; that sin defiles a man or action otherwise good ; but all the goodnes of the world cannot iustifie one sinne : as the holy ●le●h in the skirt makes not the bread holy that touches it ; but the vncleane touching an holy thing , defiles it . i will loath euery euill for it owne sake , i wil do good but not trust to it . fooles measure good actions by the euent after they are done : wise men before-hand by iudgement , vppon the rules of reason and faith : let mee doo well , let god take charge of the successe , if it bee we●l accepted , it is well . if not , my thanke is with god. hee was neuer good man , that amends not . for if hee were good , hee must needes desire to be better . grace is so sweete , that who euer tastes of it , must needes long after more : and if hee desire it , hee will endeuour it , and if h●e doo but endeuour ; god will crowne it with successe . gods familie admittes of no dwarffes ; which are vnthriuing , and stand at a stay ; but men of meas●res . what euer become of my body , or my estate ; i will euer labour to finde somewhat added to the stature of my soule . pride is the most dangerous of all sinnes , for both it is most insinuatiue , hauing crept into heaven , and paradise ; and most dangerous where it is : for where all other tentations are about euill , this alone is conuersant only about good things● and one dram of it poysons many measures of grace . i will not be more afraid of doing good things amisse , then of beeing proud , when i haue performed them . not onely commission makes a sinne : a man is guilty of all those sins he hateth not . if i cannot auoyd all , yet i will hate all . preiudice is so great an enemie to truth , that it makes the minde vncapable of it . in matters of faith , i will first lay a sure ground , and then beleeue , though i cannot argue : holding the conclusion in spight of the premises : but in other lesse matters , i will not so fore-stall my mind with resolution , as that i will not be willing to be better informed . neither wil i say in my selfe ● i will hold it , therefore it shall be truth ; but , this is truth , therefore i will hold it : i will not striue for victorie , but for truth . drunkennes and couetousnes doo much resemble one another , for the more a man drinkes , the more hee thirsteth ; and the more hee hath , still the more hee coueteth : and for their effects , besides other , both of them haue the power of transforming a man into a beast , and of all other beasts , into a swine . the former is euident to sense ; the other , though more obscure , is no more q̄uestionable : the couetous man in two thinges plainely resembleth a swine : that he cuer rootes in the earth , not so much as looking towards heauen : that hee neuer doth good , till his death : in desiring , my rule shall bee necessitie of nature , or estate ; in hauing , i will account that my good , which doth me good . i acknowledge no maister of requests in heauen but one , christ my mediatour : i know i cannot bee so happie , as not to neede him , nor so miserable , that hee should contemne mee : i will alwayes aske ; and that of none , but where i am sure to speede , but where there is so much store , that when i haue had the most , i shall leaue no lesse behind ; though numberlesse drops be in the sea , yet if one be taken out of it , hath so much the lesse , though insensibly ; but god , because hee is infinite , can admit of no diminution : therefore are men niggardly , because the more they giue , the lesse they haue : but thou , lord , maist giue what thou wilt , without abatement of thy store : good prayers neuer came weeping home ; i am sure i shall receiue either what i aske , or what i should aske . i see that a fit bootie many times makes a thiese , and many would be proud , if they had but the common causes of their neighbours : i account this none of the least fauours of god , that the world goes no better forward with me ; for i feare , if my estate were better to the world , it might bee woorse to god. as it is an happie necessitie that inforces to good , so is that next happy , that hinders from euill . it is the basest loue of all others that is for a benefit ; for heerein wee loue not another , so much as our selues : though there were no heauen , o lord , i would loue thee : now there is one , i wi●l esteeme it , i will desire it , yet still will loue thee for thy goodnesse sake ; thy selfe is reward enough , though thou broughtest no more . i see men point the fielde , and desperatelie ieopard their lyues , as prodigall of their blood , in the reuenge of a disgracefu●l word against themselues , while they can be content to heare god pulled out of heauen with blasphemie , and not feele so much as a rysing of theyr blood : which argues our colde loue to god , and our ouer-seruent affection to our selues : in my owne wrongs , i will hold patience laudable , but in gods iniuries , impious . it is an hard thing to speake well , but it is harder to be well silent , so as it may bee free from suspition of affectation , or ●ullennes , or ignorance : else loquasitie , and not silence , would be a note of wisedome . heerein i will not care how little , but how well ; hee said well for this . not that which is much , is we●l , but that which is well , is much . there is nothing more odious , then fruitlesse olde age . now , for that no tree beares fruite in autumne , vnlesse it blossome in the spring ; to the end that my age may be profitable , and laden with ripe fruit i will endeuour , that my youth may be studious , & floured with the blossomes of learning and obseruation . reuenge commonly hurts both the offerer , and sufferer : as we see in the foolish bee ( though in a ● other things commendable ) yet heerein the patterne of fonde spightfulnesse ; which in her anger inuenometh the flesh , and looseth hersting , and so liues a drone euer after . i account it the onely valour to remit a wrong , and will applaude it to my selfe , as right noble and christian , that i might hurt , and will not . hee that liues well , cannot choose but die well ; for if hee die suddainly , yet hee dies not vnpreparedly ; if by leasure , the conscience of his well-led life , makes his death more comfortable : but it is seldome seene , that hee which liues i● , dy●th well , for the cōscience of his former euils , his present paine , and the expectation and feare of greater , so take vp his heart , that he cannot seek god ; and now it is iust with god , not to be sought , or not to bee found , because hee sought to him in his life time , and was repulsed : whereas therfore , there are vsually two maine cares of good men , to liue well , & die well , i will haue but this one , to liue well . with god there is no free-man , but his seruant , though in the gallies , no slaue , but the sinner , though in a pallace , none noble , but the vertuous , if neuer so basely discended , none rich , but hee that possesseth god , euen in rags , none wise , but hee that is a foole to himselfe , and the world ; none happy , bu● him whom the world pities : let mee bee free , noble , rich , wise , happy to god ; i passe not what i am to the world . whē the mouth praieth , man heareth ; when the heart , god heareth ; euerie good prayer knockes at heauen for a blessing ; but an importunate prayer pierces it ( thogh as hard as brasse ) & makes way for it selfe , into the eares of the almighty : and as it ascends lightly vp , caried with the winges of faith , so it comes euer laden down againe vpon our heads : in my prayers , my thoughts shall not bee guided by my wordes ; but my wordes shall follow my thoughts . if that seruaunt were condemned for euill , that gaue god no more then his owne , which he had receiued , what shall become of them that rob god of his owne ; if god gaine a little glory by mee , i shall gaine more by him : i will labour so to husband the stock that god hath left in my hands , that i may returne my soule better then i receiued it ; and that hee may make it better then i returne it . heauen is compared to an hill , and therefore is figured by olympus among the heathen , by mount sion in gods booke : hell contrariwise to a pit● the ascent to the one is hard therefore , and the descent of the other easie and headlong : and so , as if wee once beginne to fall , the recouerie is most difficult : and not one of manie stayes , till hee comes to the bottome , i will be content , to pant , and blow , and sweat , in climbing vp to heauen ; as contrarily , i will bee warie of setting the first step downward towards the pit : for as there is a i●cobs ladder into heauen , so there are blind stayres that goe winding down into death , wherof each makes way for other ; from the obiect , is raysed an ill suggestion , suggestion drawes on delight , delight consent , consent endeuour , endeuour practise , practise custome , custome excuse , excuse defence , defence obstinacie , obstinacie boasting of sinne , boasting a reprobate sence : i will watch ouer my wayes , and do thou , lord , watch ouer mee , that i may auoyd the first degrees of sinne , and if those ouer-take my frailtie , yet keepe mee that presumptuous sinns preuaile not ouer mee . beginnings are with more ease and safety declined , when wee are free ; then proceedings when wee haue begun . it is fitter for youth to learne then teach , and for age to teach then learne ; and yet fitter for an olde man to learne then bee ignorant ; i know i shall neuer know so much , that i cannot learne more ; and i hope i shall neuer liue so long , as till i bee too olde to learne . i neuer loued those salamanders , that ar● neuer well , but when they are in the fire of contention ; i will rather suffer a thousand wrongs , then offer one ; i will suffer an hundreth , rather then returne one ; i will suffer many , ere i will complaine of one● and endeuour to right it by contending ; i haue euer found , that to striue with my superiour is furious , with ●y equall doubtfull , with my inferiour , sordid & base , with any , full of vnquietnes . the praise of a good speech stādeth in words & matter : matter which is as a faire and well featur'd body ; elegance of words , which is as a neat and well fashioned garment ; good matter slubbred vp in rude & carelesse wordes , is made loathsome to the hearer , as a good body mishapen with vnhandsome clothes : elegance without soundnes , is no better then a nice vanitie : although therefore the most hearers are like bees , that goe all to the flowers ; neuer regarding the good hearbes that are of as wholsome vse , as the other of faire shew ; yet let my speech striue to bee profitable ; plausible as it happens● better the coate bee mishapen , then the body . i see , that as black and white colours to the eyes , so is the vice and vertue of others to the iudgment of men : vice gathers the beames of the sight in one , that the eye may see it , and be intent vpon it . vertue scatters them abroad , and therefore hardly admits of a perfect apprehension : whence it comes to passe , that as iudgement is according to sence , we doo so soone espie , and so earnestly censure a man for one vice , letting passe many laudable qualities vndiscerned , or at least vnacknowledged ; yea , wheras euery man is once a foole , and dooth that perhaps in one fit of his folly , which hee shall at leasure repent of ; as noah in one houres drūkennes , vncouered those secrets which were hid sixe hundred yeeres before ; the world , is herevpon readie to call in question all his former integritie , and to exclude him frō the hope of any future amendment . since god hath giuen me two eyes ; the one shall bee busied about the present fault that i see , with a detesting commiseration , the other about the cōmendable qualities of the offender , not without an vnpartiall approbation of them : so shall i doo god no wrong , in robbing him of the glorie of his gifts , mixed with infirmities , nor yet in the meane time encourage vice , while i doo distinctly reserue for it a due portion of hatred . god is aboue man , the brute creatures vnder him , he set in the midst : least he should be proud that he hath infinite creatures vnder him ; that one is infinite degrees aboue him ; i doo therefore owe awe vnto god , mercy to the inferiour creatures ; knowing that they are my fellowes , in respect of creation ; whereas there is no proportion betwixt me and my maker . one saide , it is good to mure the mouth to speake well , for good speech is many times drawne into the affection ; but i would feare , that speaking well without feeling , were the next way to procure an habituall hypocri●i● : let my good workes follow good affections , not goe before them , i wil therefore speake as i thinke ; but withall , i will labour to thinke well , and then i knowe i cannot but speake well . when i consider my soule ; i could be proude to thinke of how diuine a nature and qualitie it is ; but when i cast downe mine eyes to my body , as the swanne to her blacke legges ; and see what loathsome matter issues from the mouth , nosthrils , eares , pores , and other passages , and how most carrion-like of all other creatures it is after death ; i am iustlie ashamed , to thinke that so excellent a guest dwels but in a more cleanelie dunghill . euerie worldling is a madd manne : for , besides , that hee preferres profite and pleasure to vertue , the worlde to god , earth to heauen , ti●e to eternitie ; hee pampers the bodie , and starues the soule : hee feedes one fowle an hundreth times , that it may feede him but once , and ●eekes all landes and seas for dainties ; not caring whether anie , or what repast , hee prouides for his soule : hee cloathes the body with all rich ornaments , that it may bee as faire without , as it is filthy within ; whiles his soule goes bare and naked ; hauing not a ragg of knowledge to couer it : yea , hee cares not to destroy ●is soule to please the b●dy , when for the saluation of the soule , he wil not so much as holde the body short of the least pleasure . what is , if this be not a reasonable kind of madnes ? let mee enioy my soule no longer , then i preferre it to my body ; let mee haue a deformed , leane , crooked , vnhealthfull , neglected bodie ; so that i may finde my soule ; sound , strong , well furnished , well disposed both for earth and heauen . asa was sick but of his feet , farre from the hart , yet because he sought to the phisitians , not to god ; hee escaped not : ezekiah was sicke to die , yet because he trusted to god , not to phisitians , he was restored meanes without god cannot helpe ; god without meanes can and often doth : i will vse good meanes , not to rest in them . a mans best monument is his vertuous actions , foolish is the hope ofimmortality , and future praise by the cost of a senceles●e stone ; when the passenger shall onely say , heere lyes a faire stone and a filthie carkasse : that onely can report thee rich , but for other prayses , thy selfe must build thy own monument aliue ; and write thy owne epitaph in honest and honorable actions : which are so much more noble , then the other , as liuing men are better then dead stones : nay , i knowe not if the other bee not the way to worke a perpetuall succession of infamie : whiles the censorious reader , vpon occasion thereof , shall comment vpō thy bad life ; wheras in this euerie mans heart is a toombe , and euerie mannes tongue writes an epitaph vpon the well behaued : eyther i will procure mee such a monument to bee remembred by , or else it is better to bee inglorious , then infamous . the basest thinges are euer most plentifull ; historie and experience tel vs , that some kinde of mouse breedeth . young ones in one nest , whereas the lyon , or elephant beareth but one at once . i haue euer found , the least wit yeeldeth the most words : it is both the surest and wisest way , to speake little , and thinke more . ● an euill man is clay to god , waxe to the diuell : god may stampe him into powder , or temper him a new , but none of his meanes can melt him . contrariwise , a good man is gods waxe , and sathan clay , he relents at euery looke of god , but is not stirred at any temptation . i had rather bow , then breake to god ; but for sathan , or the world , i had rather be broken in pieces with their violence , then suffer my selfe to be bowed vnto their obedience . it is an easie matter for a man to be carelesse of himselfe , & yet much easier to bee enamoured of himselfe : for if he be a christian , whiles hee contemnes the worlde perfectly , it is hard for him to reserue a competent measure of loue to himselfe : if a worldling , it is not possible but he must ouer-loue himselfe . i will striue for the meane of both ; and so hate the world , that i may care for my selfe , and so care for my selfe , that i bee not in loue with the world . i will hate popularitie and ostentation , as euer daungerous , but most of all in gods businesse : which who so affect , doo as ill spokesmen , who when they are sent to wooe for god , speake for themselues ; i knowe howe daungerous it is to haue god my riuall . earth affords no sound contentment : for what is there vnder heauen not troublesome , besides that which is called pleasure : and that in the end i finde most irksome of all other . god is euer with me , euer before me ; i know hee cannot but ouer-see me alwayes , though my eyes bee helde that i see him not ; yea , hee is still within mee , though i feele him not : neither is there anie moment , that i can liue without god ; why doo i not therefore alwayes liue with him ? why do i not account all ho●res lost , wherin i enioy him not ? there is no man so happy as the christian ; when hee lookes vp into heauen , hee thinkes , that is my home , the god that made it , and owes it , is my father ; the angels more glorious in nature then my selfe are my attendants ; mine enemies are my vassals : yea , those things , which are the terriblest of all to the wicked , are most pleasant to him : when hee heares god thunder aboue his head , hee thinkes this is the voice of my father ; whē hee remembers the tribunall of t●e last iudgement , he thinkes it is my sauiour that sits in it ; when death , he esteemes it but as the angell set before paradise ; which with one blowe admits him to eternall ioy ; and which is most of all , nothing in earth or hel can make him miserable : there is nothing in the world woorth enuying but a christian . as manne is a little world ; so euery christian is a little church within himselfe . as the church therefore is sometimes in the wane through persecution , other times in her full glorie and brightnesse : so let me expect my self somtimes drouping vnder tentations , and sadlie hanging downe the head , for the want of the feeling of gods presence ; at other times carried with the full sayle of a resolute assurance to heauen : knowing that as it is a church at the weakest stay , so shall i in my greatest deiection hold the child of god. tentations on the right hand , are more perilous then those on the left ; and destroy a thousand to the others tenne ; as the sunne more vsually causeth the trauailer to cast his cloak , then the wind : for those on the left hand miscarie men but two wayes , to distrust , and deniall of god ; more rare sinnes : but the other , to all the rest , wherewith mens lyues are so commonly defiled : the spirit of christians is like the english iet , whereof we reade , that is fired with water , quenched with oy●e . and these two , prosperity and aduersity , are like heat and colde ; the one gathers the powers of the soule together , and makes them abler to resist by vniting them , the other diffuses them , and by such separation makes them easier to conquer : i hold it therefore as praise worthy with god , for a man to contemne a profered honour , or pleasure for conscience sake , as on the rack not to denie his profession : when these are offred , i will not nibble at the bayte , that i bee not taken with the hooke . god is lord of my body also , and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture , as inward deuotion : i will euer in my prayers , either stand as a seruaunt before my maister , or kneele as a subi●ct to my prince . i haue not beene in others breasts ; but for my owne part , i neuer tasted of ought , that might deserue the name of pleasure ; and if i could , yet a thousand pleasures cannot counteruaile one torment , because the one may be exquisite , the other not without composition ; and if not one torment , much lesse a thousand ; and if not for a moment , much lesse for eternitie ; and if not the torment of a part , much lesse of the whole ; for if the paine but of a tooth bee so into lerable , what shal the racking of the whole body bee ; and if of the body , what shall that be , which is primarilie of the soule . if there bee pleasures that i heare not of , i will be wary o● buying them so ouer-deere . as hypocrisie is a cōmon counterfet of all vertues , so there is no speciall vertue , which is not to the very life of it seemingly resembled by some speciall vice : so , deuotion is counterfaited by superstition , good thrist by niggardlinesse , charity with vaine-glorious pride : for as charitie is bounteous to the poore , so is vaine-glory to the wealthy ; as charity sustaines al for truth , so pride for a vain praise ; both of them make a man curteous & affable : so the substance of euerie vertue is in the heart ; which since it hath not a window made into it by the creator of it ; but is re●erued vnder lock and key for his owne view : i will iudge onely by appearance : i had rather wrong my selfe by credulity , then others by vniust censures & suspitions . euerie man hath a kingdome within himselfe : reason as the princesse dwels in the highest & inwardest roome : the sences are the gard and attendants on the court ; without whose ayde nothing is admitted into the presence : the supreame faculties as will , memorie &c. ar● the peeres : the outward parts and inward affections are the commons : violent passions are as rebels to disturb the cōmon peace . i would not bee a stoick to haue no passions ; for that were to ouerthrow this inward gouernmēt , god hath erected in me ; but a christian , to order those i haue : and for that i see that as in commotions , one mutinous person drawes on more , so in passions , that one m●kes way for the extremitic of another ( as excesse of loue causes excesse of grie●e , vpon the losse of what we loued ) : i will doo as wise princes vse , to those they misdoubt for faction , so holde them downe , and keepe them bare , that their very impotencie & remisnesse ●hall affoorde me security . i looke vpō the things of this life , as an owner , as a stranger : as an owner in their right , as a stranger in their vse . i see that owning is but a cōceit besides vsing : i can vse ( as i lawful●y may ) other mens commodities as my owne ; walke in their woods , looke on their faire houses , with as much pleasure as my owne . yet againe , i will vse my owne , as if it were anothers , knowing that though i hold them by right , yet it is onely by tenure at will. there is none like to luthers three maist●rs . prayer , tentation , medita●ion : tentation stirres vp holy meditation , meditatiō prepares to prayer , & prayer makes profit of ●entation ; and fetcheth all diuine knowledge from heauen : o● others , i may learne the theorie of diuinitie , of ●hese onely , the practise . other maisters teach me by rote , to speake parot-like of heauenly things , these alone with feeling and vnderstanding . expectation is the greatest enemie both of doing well , and good acceptance of what is done i hold it the part of a wise man , to endeuor rather t●at fame may follow him then goe before him . i see a number which with shimei , whiles they seek their seruant , which is riches ; loose theyr soules : no worldly thing shall draw mee without the gates , within which , god hath confined mee . it is an hard thing for a man to find wearinesse in pleasure , while it ●a●teth , or contentmen● in paine while hee is vnder it : after both ( indeed ) it is easie : y●t both of these must bee found in both ; or else we shall be drunken with pleasures , and ouerwhelmed with sorrow : as those therefore which should eate some dish ouer deliciously sweete , allay it with tart sauce , that they may not be cloyed ; and those that are to receiue bitter pils , that they may not be anoyed with their vnpleasing ●ast , role them in sugar ; so in all pleasures it is best to labour , not how to make them most delightful , but how to moderate them frō excesse ; and in a●l sorrowes so to sett●e our hearts in true grounds of comfort , that wee may not care so much for being bemoned of others , as how to bee most contented in ourselues . ● in wayes , we see trauailers choose not the fairest and greenest , if it bee either crosse or contrary , but the neerest , though mirie & vneuen : so in opinions , let mee follow not the plausiblest , but the truest , though more perplexed . christian societie is like a bundle of stickes layde together , whereof one kind●es another : solitary men haue fewest prouocations to euil , but againe fewest incitations to good : so much as doing good is better then not doing euill , will i account christian good fellowship better then an eremitish & mel●ncholike solitarines . i had rather confesse my ignorance , thē falsly professe knowledge : it is no shame not to knowe all things ; but it is a iust shame to ouer-reach in any thing . suddaine extremity is anotable triall of faith , or any other disposition of the soule : for as in a suddaine feare , the blood gathers to the heart , for garding of that part which is principal ; so the powers of the soule cōbine thēselues in an hard exigent , that they may be easily iudged of : the faithfull ( more suddainly then any casualty ) can lift vp his heart to his stay in heauen : whereas the worldling standes amazed , and distraught with the euill , because he hath no refuge to fly vnto , for not beeing acquainted with god in his peace , how should he but haue him to seeke in his extremitie . when therefore some suddain stitch girds me in the side , like to be the messenger of death , or whē the sword of my enemy in an vnexpected assault threatēs my body , i will seriously note how i am affected● so the suddainest euill , as it shall not come vnlookt for , shall not goe away vnthought of : if i finde my selfe courageous , and heauenly minded , i will reioyce in the truth of gods graces in me , knowing that one dram of tryed faith , is woorth a whole pound of speculatiue : and that which once stoode by me , will neuer faile me : if deiected , and hartlesse , heerein i wil acknowledge cause of humiliation , and with all care and earnestnesse seeke to store my selfe against the dangers following . the rules of ciuill policie , may wel be applied to the minde : as therefore for a prince , that he may haue good successe against either rebels or forraine enemies , it is a sure axiome , diuide and rule : but when hee is once seated in the throne ouer loyall subiects , vnite and rule : so in the regiment of the soule , there must bee variance ' set in the iudgement , & the conscience , and affections , that that what is amisse may bee subdued ; but when all parts brought to order , it is the only course to maintaine their peace ; that all seeking to establish and helpe each other , the whole may prosper . alwayes to be at warre , is desperate ; alwayes at peace , secure , and ouer epicure-like . i doo account a secure peace , a iust occasion of this ciuill dissension , in my selfe , and a true christian peace , the end of all my secret warres ; which when i haue atchieued , i shall raigne with comfort , and neuer will bee quiet , till i haue atchieued it . i brought sinne enough with me into the world , to repent of all my life , though i should neuer actually sinne ; and sinne enough actuallie euery day to sorrow for , though i had brought none with mee into the world : but laying both together , my time is rather too short for my repentance : it were madnes in mee to spend my short life in iollity & pleasures , wherof i haue so small occasion , and neglect the oportunitie of my so iust sorrowe : especially since before i came into the world , i sinned ; after i am gone out of the world , the contagion of my sinne past , shall adde to the guilt of it ; yet in both these states i am vncapable of repentance ; i will doo that while i may , which when i haue neglected , is vnrecouerable . ambition is torment enough for an enemie , for it affordes as much discontentment in inioying , ●as in want , making men like poysoned rats , which when they haue tasted of their bane , cannot rest till they drinke , and then can much lesse rest , till their death : it is better for mee to liue in the wise-mens stocks in a contented want , then in a fooles paradise to vexe my selfe with wil●full vnquietnes . it is not possible but a conceited man must be a foole : for that ouerweening opinion , hee hath of himselfe , excludes all oportunity of purchasing knowledge . let a vessell be once full of neuer so base liquor , it will not giue roome to the costliest ; but spilles beside what so euer is infused : the proude man , though hee be empty of good substance , yet he is full of conceite : many men had proued wise , if they had not so thought themselues . i am emptie enough to receiue knowledge enough : let mee thinke my selfe but so bare as i am , & more i neede not . o lord , doo thou teach me how little , howe nothing i haue : and giue mee no more thē i know i want . euery man hath his turne of sorrow ; whereby , some more , some lesse , all men are in their times miserable , i neuer yet could meet with the man that complayned not of somewhat . before sorrow come , i will prepare for it , when it is come , i will welcome it ; when it goes , i will take but halfe a farewell of it , as still expecting his returne . there be three things that follow an iniurie , so far as it concerneth our selues ( for as the offence toucheth god , it is aboue our reach : ) reuenge , censure , satisfaction ; which must bee remitted of the merciful man ; yet not all at all times : but reuenge alwayes , leauing it to him that can , and will doo it ; censure oft times ; satisfaction sometimes ; hee that deceiues mee oft , though i must forgiue him , yet charity bindes mee not , not to censure him for vntrustie : and he that hath endammaged me much , cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking his restitution : i will so remit wrongs , as i may not encourage others to offer them : and so retayne them , as i may not induce god to retayne mine to him . garments that haue once one rent in them , are subiect to bee torne on euery nayle , and euery brere ; and glasses that are once crackt , are soon broken : such is a mans good name● once tainted with iust reproch : next to the approbation of god , and the testimonie of my owne conscience , i will seeke for a good reputation with men● not by close carriage concealing faultes , that they may not bee knowne to my shame , but auoyding all vices , that i may not deserue it : the efficacie of the agent is in the patient wel● disposed ; it is hard for mee euer to doe good , vnlesse i be reputed good . many vegetable , and many brute creatures exceede man in length of age ; which hath opened the mouthes of heathen philosophers to accuse nature , as a step-mother to man : who hath giuen him the least time to liue , that only could make vse of his time in getting knowledge : but heerein religion doth most magnifie god in his wisdom and iustice , teaching vs , that other creatures liue long , and perish to nothing ; only man recompēces the shortnes of his life , with eternity after it ; that the sooner he dies wel , the sooner he coms to the perfectiō of knowledge : which he might in vaine seeke below ; the sooner he dies ill , the lesse hurt hee doth with his knowledge : there is great reason then , why man should liue long ; greater , why hee should die early : i will neu●r blame god for making me too soone happy , for changing my ignorance for knowledge , my corruption for immortality , my infirmities for perfection● come lord lesus , come quickly . the second booke of meditations and vowes , diuine and morrall . at london printed by humfrey lownes , for iohn porter . . to the right vertuous and worshipfull lady , the lady drury , all encrease of grace . madame , i knowe your christian ingenu●ti● such , that you will not grudge others the communication of this your priu●t right : which ye● i durst not haue presumed to aduenture , if i feared that either the benefit of it would be lesse , or the acceptation . now it shall be no lesse yours , onely it shall be more knowne to be yours . vouchsase therefore to take part with your worthy husband , of these my simple meditations . and if your long and gracious experience , haue written you a larger volume of wholsome lawes , and better informed you by precepts fetcht from your owne ●eeling , then i can hope for , by my b●re speculation , yet where these my not vnlikely rules shall accord with yours , let your redoubled assent allow thē , and they cōfirme it . i made them not for the eye , ●ut for the heart ; neither doo i cōmend thē to your reading , but your practise : wherein also it shall not be enough , that you are a meere and ordinary agent , but that you be a patterne propounded vnto others imitation : so shall your vertuous and holy progresse , besides your owne peace and happinesse , be my crowne , and reioycing in the day of our common appearance . halsted . dec. . your l. humbly deuoted , ios . hall. i finde that all worldly things require a long labour in getting , and af●ord a short pleasure in enioying them . i wil not care much for what i haue , nothing for what i haue not . i see naturall bodies for●ake their owne place and condition , for the pre●eruation of the whole , but of all other creatures , man , and of all other men , christians , haue the least interest in themselues ; i will liue as giuen to others , lent only to my selfe . that which is said of the elephant , that being guilty to his deformity , he cannot abide to look on his owne face in the water , but seeks ●or troubled and muddy channels , we see well moralized in men of euill conscience , who know their soules are so filthy , that they dare not so much as view them ; but shift off all checkes of their former iniquity , wit● vaine excuses of good ●ellowship : whence it is , that euery ●inal reprehension so galles them , because it calles the eyes of the soule home to it selfe , & makes them see a glance of what they would not : so haue i seene a foolish and timerous patient , which knowing his wound very deep , would not endure the chirurgian ●o search it ; wheron what can ensue , but a festering of the part , and a daunger of the whole body● so i haue seene manie prodigall wasters runne so farre in bookes , that they cannot abide to heare of a reckoning . it hath beene an olde and true prouerbe , oft and euen reckoninges make long friends . i will oft summe vp my estate with god , that i may knowe what i haue to expect , and aunswere for : neither shall my score runne on so long with god , that i shall not knowe my debts , or feare an audit , or despaire of payment . i account this bodie nothing but a close prison to my soule , and the earth a larger prison to my body . i may not breake prison , till i bee loosed by death , but i will leaue it not vnwillingly when i am loosed . the common feares of the world are causelesse , and ill placed ; no man feares to doo ill , euery man to suffer ill : wherein if we consider it well , wee shall finde that we feare our best frends ; for my part , i haue learned more of god and of my selfe in one weekes extremity , then all my whole lyues prosperity had taught mee before : and in reason and common experience , prosperity vsually makes vs forget our death ; aduersity on the other side makes vs neglect our life : now if we measure both of these by their effects , forgetfulnes of death makes vs secure , neglect of this life makes vs carefull of a better ; so much therefore as neglect of life is better then forgetfulnesse of death ; and watchfulnes better then securitie , so much more beneficiall will i esteeme aduersitie then prosperity . euen griese it selfe is pleasant to the remembrance , when it is once past , as ioy is , whiles it is present . i will not therefore in my conceit make any so great difference betwixt ioy and griese ; sith griese past is ioyfull , and long expectation of ioy is grieuous . euery sicknes is a little death , i will bee content to die oft , that i may die once well . ofte times those things which haue been sweete in opinion , haue prooued bitter in experience ; i will therefore euer suspende my resolute iudgement , vnti●l the tryall and euent , in the meane while i will feare the worst , & hope the best . in all diuine and morrall good thinges , i would faine keepe that i haue , and get that i want ; i doo not more loath all other couetousnes , then i affect this : in all these thinges alone i professe neuer to haue enough : if i may encrease them , therfore either by labouring , or begging , or vsurie , i shall leaue no meanes vnattempted . some children are of that nature , that they are neuer well , but while the rod is ouer them : such am i to god : let him beate me , so hee amend me ; let him take all away from me , so he giue me himselfe . there must not bee one vniforme proceeding with all men in reprehension : but that must varie according to the disposition of the reprooued : i haue seene some men as thornes , which easily touched , hurt not ; but if hard and vnwarily , fetch blood of the hand● others , as nettles , which if they bee nicely handled , sting and pricke , but if hard and roughly pressed , are pulled vp without harme : before i take any man in hand , i will knowe whether hee be a thorne or a nettle . i wil account no sinne little , since there is not the least , but works out the death of the soule ; it is all one , whether i bee drowned in the ebbe● shore , or in the midst of the deepe sea. it is a base thing to get goods to keep them : i see that god which onely is infinitely rich , holdeth nothing in his owne hands , but giues all to his creatures . but if we will needes lay vp ; were should wee rather repose it , then in christs treasurie : the poore mans hand is the treasurie of christ : all my super●luitie shal be there hoorded vp , where i knowe it shall bee safely kept , and surely returned me . the schoole of god and nature require two cōtrary manners of proceeding : in the schoole of nature , we must conceiue , and then beleeue● in the schoole of god , wee must first beleeue , and then wee shall conceiue : he that beleeues no more then hee conceiues , can neuer bee a christian ; nor hee a philosopher that assents without reason . in natures schoole wee are taught to bolt out the truth by logicall discourse : god cannot endure a logitian in his schoole ; hee is the best scholler that reasons least , and assents most : in diuine things , what i may , i wil conceiue , the rest i wil beleeue and admire . not a curious head , but a credulous & plaine heart is accepted with god. no worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it , but as a bee , hauing honey in the mouth , hath a sting in the tayle ; why am i so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them ; and not rather labour to aspire to that one abso●lute good , in whom is nothing ●auouring of griefe , nothing wanting to perfect happines . a sharpe reproofe i account better then a smooth deceit ; therefore when my friend checks me , i will respect it with thankfulnesse ; when others flatter mee , i will suspect it , and rest in my owne censure of my selfe , who should bee more priuie , a●d lesse partiall to my owne deseruings . extremitie distinguisheth friends : worldlie pl●a●ures like phisitians , giues vs ouer when once wee lie a dying , and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts : christ iesus standes by his in the pangues of death ; and after death , at the barre of iudgement , not leauing them either in their bed , or graue : i will vse them therefore to my best aduantage , not trust them . but for thee ( o my lord ) which in mercy and truth canst not faile mee , whom i haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities ; kill me , yet will i trust in thee . wee haue heard of so manie thousand generations passed , and wee haue seene so many hundreths die within our knowledge , that i wōder any man can make account to liue one day . i will die daily , it is not done before the ●ime , which may bee done at all times . desire oft-times makes vs vnthankfull ; for who hopes for that , hee hath not , vsually forgets that which he hath . i will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes , least i should in the meane time contemne present benefits . in hoping well , in being ill , & fearing worse , the life of man is wholly consumed . when i am ill , i will liue in hope of better , when well , in feare of worse , neither will i at any time hope without feare , least i should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence , wherein euill shal be so much more vnwelcome & intollerable , because i looked for good ; nor againe , feare without hope , least i should be ouer-much deiected ; nor doo either of them without true contentation . what is man to the whole earth ? what is earth to the heauen ? what is heauen to his maker ? i will admire nothing in it selfe , but all things in god , and god in all things . there be three vsuall causes of ingratitude , vpon a benefit receiued , enuie , pride , couetousnesse : enuie looking more at others benefits then our owne : pride looking more at our selues , then the benefit ; couetousnesse looking more at what we would haue , then what wee haue . in good turnes i will neither respect the giuer , nor my selfe , nor the gift , nor others ; but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded ; so shall requite others great pleasures with equall good-will , and accept of small fauors with great thankfulnes . vvhereas the custome of the world , is to hate thinges present , to desire future , and magnifi● what is past● i will contrarilie esteeme that which is present , best : for both , what is past , was once present , & what is future , will bee present ; future thinges next , because they are present in hope ; what is past , least of all , because it cannot be present , yet somewhat , because it was . we pitie the folly of the larke , which while in playeth with the feather , and stoopeth to the glasse , is caught in the fowlers net ; & yet cannot see our selues a-like made fooles by sathan , who deluding vs by the vaine feathers , and glasses of the world , suddainly enwrappeth vs in his snares ; wee see not the nets indeede , it is too much that we shall feele them , and that they are not so easily escaped after , as before auoyded ; o lord keep thou mine eyes from beholding vanity , and though mine eyes see it , let not my heart stoope to it ; but loath it a farre off ; and if i stoope at any time , & bee taken , set thou my soule at liberty , that i may say , my soule is escaped euen as a birde out of the snare of the fowler ; the snare is broken , and i am de●iuered . in suffering eui●l , to looke to secondarie causes , without respect to the highest , maketh impatience ; for so we bite at the stone , and neglect him that threw it . if we take a blowe at our equall , we returne it with vsurie , if of a prince , we repine not : what matter is it , if god kill mee , whether hee doo it by an ague , or by the hand of a tyrant● againe , in expectation of good , to looke to the first cause , without care of the second , argues idlenesse , and causeth want : as wee cannot helpe our selues without god ; so god will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues ; in both , i wil look vp to god , without repining at the meanes in one , or trusting them in the other . if my money were another mans , i could but keepe it ; onely the expending showes it my own : it is greater glory , comfort , and gaine , to lay it out well , then to keepe it safely : god hath made me not his treasurer , but his steward . augustines friend nebridius , not vniustly hated a short answere to a weighty & difficult question : because the disquisition of great truthes requires time , and the determining is perilous : i will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question : for as that other wrongs the truth , so this the hearer . performance is a binder ; i will request no more fauor of any man , then i must needs : i will rather choose to make an honest shift , thē ouermuch enthrall my selfe by being beholden . the world is a stage ; euery man an actor ; and playes his part heere either in a comedie or tragedy ; the good man is a comedian , which howe euer hee begins , endes merily : but the wicked man acts a tragedie , and therefore euer ends in horror . thou seest a wicked man vant himselfe on this stage , stay till the last act , and looke to his end , as da●id did , and see whether that bee peace : thou wouldst make straunge tragedies , if thou wouldst haue but one acte : who sees an oxe grazing in a fat and rank pasture , and thinkes not that hee is neere to the slaughter ? whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoake , is farre enough from the shambles . the best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first showes , as hee is pitiable in the cōclusion . of all obiects of beneficence , i would chuse either an olde man , or a childe ; because these are most out of hope to requite : the one forgets a good turne , the other liues not to repay it . that which pythagoras said of philosophers , is more true of christians : for christianitie is nothing but a diuine & better philosophy : three sorts of men come to the market , buyers , sellers , lookers on : the two first are both busie , and carefully distracted about their market ; onely the third liue happily , vsing the world as if they vsed it not . there be three things which of all other i will neuer striue for : the wall , the way , the best seate● if i deserue well , a lowe place cannot disparage me so much , as i shall grace it ; if not , the height of my place shall add to my s●ame : whiles euery man shall condemne me of pride matched with vnworthines . i see there is not so much difference betwixt a man and a beast , as betwixt a christian and a naturall man : for wheras man liues but one life of reason , aboue the beast : a christian liues foure lyues aboue a natural man : the life of inchoate regeneration by grace : the perfect life of imputed righteousnes : the life of glory begun in the seperation of the soule ; the life of perfect glory in the society of the body , with the soule in full happinesse : the woo●st whereof is better by many degrees , then t●e best life of a naturall man : for whereas the dignitie of the life is measured by the cause of it ; in which regarde the life of the plant is basest , because it is but frō the iuice arising from the roote , administred by the earth : the life of the bruit creature better then it , because it is sensitiue ; of man better then it , because reasonable ; and the cause of this life , is the spirit of god ; so farre as the spirit of god is aboue reason , so farre doth a christian exceed a mere naturalist . i thanke god much that he hath made mee a man ; but more that hee hath made mee a christian ; without which , i know not whether it had beene better for mee , to haue beene a beast , or not to haue beene . great mens fauours , friendes promises , and dead mens s●ooes i will esteeme , but not trus● to . it is a fearefull thing to sinne , more fearefull to delight in sinne , yet worse to defend it , but worse thē worst , to boast of it : if therefore i cannot auoyd sinne , because i am a man ; yet i will auoyde the delight , defence , and boasting of sin , because i am a christian . those thinges which are most eagerly desired , are most hardly both gotten , and kept : god commonly crossing our desires , in what wee are ouer feruent . i will therefore account all thinges as too good to haue , so nothing too deere to loose . it is best to bee curteous to all , entire with few● so may we ( perhaps ) haue lesse cause of ioy , i am sure , lesse occasion of sorrow . secrecies as they are a burden to the mind ere they bee vttered , so are they no lesse charge to the receiuer , when they are vttred : i will not long after more inward secrets , least i should procure doubt to my selfe , and iealous feare to the discloser : but as my mouth shall bee shut with fidelity , not to blab them , so my eare shall not be too open to receiue them . as good physitians by one receit make way for another , so is it the safest course in practise : i will reueale a great secret to none , but whom i haue found faithfull in lesse . i will enjoy all things in god , and god in all things , nothing in it selfe : so shall my ioyes neither chaunge nor perish ; for howe euer the thinges themselues may alter , or fade , yet he in whom they are mine , is euer like himselfe , constant , and euerlasting . if i would prouoke my selfe to contentation , i will cast downe my eyes to my inferiours , and there see better men in worse condition : if to humility , i will cast them vp to my betters , and so much more de●ect my selfe to them , by how much more i see them , thought worthie to bee respected of others , and deserue better in themselues . true vertue rests in the conscience of it self , either for reward , or censur● . if therefore i know my selfe vpright , false rumours shall not daunt me ; if not answerable to the good report of my fauorers , i will my selfe finde the first fault , that i may preuent the shame of others . i will account vertue the best riches , knowledge the next , riches the worst ; and therefore will labour to bee vertuous and learned without condition ; as for riches , if they fall in my way , i refuse them not ; but if not , i desire them not . an honest word i account better then a carelesse oath , i will say nothing but what i dare sweare , & will performe , it is a shame for a christian to abide his tongue a false seruant , or his minde a loose mistresse . there is a iust and easie difference to bee put betwixt a friend , and an enemie ; betwixt a familiar and a friend ; and much good vse to bee made of all ; but of all with discretion . i will disclose my selfe no whi● to my enemie , somewhat to my friend , wholly to no man , least i should bee more others then my owne : friendship is brittle stuffe , how know i whether hee that now loues mee , may not hate me hereafter ? no man but is an easie iudge of his owne matters ; and lookers on oftentimes see the more . i will therefore submit my selfe to others , in what i am reproued , but in what i am praysed , onely to my selfe . i will not be so merry as to forget god , nor so sorrowfull to forget my selfe . as nothing makes so strong and mortall hostility , as discord in religions , so nothing in the world vnites mens harts so firmely , as the bond of faith : for whereas there are three grounds of friendship , vertue , pleasure , profit , and by all confessions , that is the surest which is vpon vertue , it must needs follow , that what is grounded on the best , & most heauenly vertue , must be the fastest● which as it vnites man to god so inseparably , that no tentations , no torments , not all the gates of h●ll can seuer him ; so it vnites one christian soule to another so firmely , that no outward occurrences , ●o imperfections in the party loued , can dissolue them ; if i loue not the childe of god for his owne sake , for his fathers sake , more then my friend for my commodity , or my kinsman for blood , i neuer receiued any spark of true heauenly loue . the good duty that is differed vpon a conceite of present vnfitnes , at last growes irksome , and there-vpon altogether neglected . i will not suffer my heart to entertaine the least thought of loathnesse towardes the taske of deuotion , wherewith i haue stinted my selfe : but violently breake through anie motion of vnwillingnes , not without a deepe check to my selfe for my backwardnes . hearing is a sense of great apprehension , yet farre more subiect to deceit then seeing ; not in the maner of apprehending , but in the vncertaintie of the obiect : words are vocal interpreters of the minde , actions reall ; and therefore how euer both should speak according to the truth of what is in the heart ; yet words do more belie the heart , then actions : i care not what wordes i heare , when i see deedes ; i am sure what a man doth , hee thinketh , not so alwayes what he speaketh : though i will not be so seuere a censor , that for some fewe euill actes i should condemne a man of false-hartednes ; yet in common course of life , i need not be so mopish , as not to beleeue rather the language of the hand , then of the tongue . hee that sayes we●l , and doth well , is without exception commendable ; but if one of these must bee seuered from the other , i like him well that doth well , and ●aith nothing . that which they say of the pelican , that when the shepheards in desire to catch her , lay fire not far from her nest , which ●he finding , and fearing the danger of her yong , seekes to blow out with her winges , so long till ●he burne her selfe , and makes her selfe a pray in an vnwi●e pittie to her young● i see morally verified in experience , of those which indiscreetly med●ling with the flame of discension kindled in the church , rather encrease then quench it ; rather fire their owne wings then help others . i had rather b●waile the fire a farre off , then stirre in the coales of it . i would not grudge my ashes to it , if those might abate the burning , but since i see it is daily encreased with partaking ; i will behold it with sorrow ; and meddle no otherwise then by prayers to god , and entreaties to men ; seeking my own safety , and the peace of the church in the freedome of my thought , & silence of my tongue . that which is said of lucillaes faction , that anger bred it , pride fostered it , and couetousnes confirm'd it , is true of all schismes , though with some inuersion : for the most are bred through pride ; whiles men vpon an high conceit of themselues , scorne to goe in the common road , and affect singularity in opinion ; are confirmed through anger , whiles they stomake & grudge any contradiction ; & are nourished through coue●ousnes , whiles they seek ability to bea●e out their part . in som other again couetousnesse obtaines the first place , anger the second , pride the ●ast : heerein therefore i haue be●ne alwayes wont to commend and admire the humi●ity of those great & profound wi●s , whom depth of knowledge hath not led to by-paths in iudgement , but wal●ing in the beaten path of the church , haue bent all their forces to the estab●ishment of receiued truthes : accounting it greater glory to confirme an ancient verity , then to deuise a new opinion ( though neuer so probable ) vnknowne to their predecessours : i will not reiect a truth for m●ere noueltie ; olde truths may come newly to light : neither is god tyed to times for the gift of his illumination , but i will suspect a nouell opinion of vntruth ; and not entertaine it , vnlesse it may be deduced from ancient grounds . the eare and the ey● are the minds rece●uers ; but the tongue is onely busied in expending the treasure receiued , if therfore the reuenues of the minde bee vttred as fast or faster then they are recei●ed , it cannot be but that the minde must needes be held bare , and can neuer lay vp for purchase . but if the receiuers take in still with no vtterance , the mind may soone grow a burden to it selfe , and vnprofitable to others . i will not lay vp too much , and vtter nothing , least i be couetous , nor spende much , and store vp little , least i be prodigall and poore . i will speake no ill of others , no good of my selfe . that which is the miserie of trauailers , to finde many hostes , and few friends , is the estate of christians in their pilgrimage to a better life : good friendes may not therefore bee easily forgone ; neither must they be vsed as sutes of apparell , which when wee haue worne thred-bare , we cast off , and call for new ; nothing but death or villanie shall diuorce me from an olde friend : but still i wil follow him so farre , as is either possible or honest : and then i wil leaue him with sorrow . true friendship necessarily requires patience , for there is no man in whom i shall not mislike somewhat ; and who shall not as iustly mislike somewhat in mee . my friends faults therefore , if little , i will swallowe and digest ; if great , i wil smot●er them ; how euer , i wil● winke at them to others , but louingly notifie them to himselfe . iniuries hurt 〈◊〉 mor● in the receiuing , then in the remembrance : a small iniurie shall goe as it comes , a great iniurie may dine or suppe with me ; but none at all shall lodge with mee ; why should i vexe my selfe , because another hath vexed me . it is good dealing with that , ouer which wee haue the most power : if my estate will not bee framed to my minde , i will labour to frame my minde to my estate . in greatest companie i wil be alone to my self ; in greatest priuacie , in company with god. griefe for things past that cannot bee remedied , and care for thinges to come that cannot bee preuented , may easilie hurt , can neuer benefit mee ; i will therefore commit my selfe to god in both , and enioy the present . let my estate bee neuer so meane , i will euer keep my selfe rather beneath ; then either leuel , or aboue it : a man may rise when hee will with honour , but cannot fall without shame . nothing doth so befoole a man as extreme passion ; this doth both make thē fooles , which otherwise are not ; and show them to be fooles that are so : violent passions , if i cannot tame thē , that they may yield to my ease ; i will at least smother thē by concealment , that they may not appeare to my shame . the minde of man , though infinite in desire , yet is finite in capacitie : since i cannot hope to know all thinges , i will labour first to knowe what i needes must for their vse ; next , what i best may for their conuenience . though time be precious to mee ( as all irreuocable good things deserue to be ) and of all other thinges i would not be lauish of it ; yet i will account no time lost , that is either lent to , or bestowed vpon my friend . i will honour good examples , but i will liue by good precepts . as charity requires forgetfulnes of euil deedes , so patience requires forgetfulnes of euill accidents● i will remember euills past to humble me , not to vexe me . it is both a misery and a shame , for a man to be a banckrupt in loue ; which he may easily pay , and bee neuer the more impouirished . i will be in no mans debt for good will ; but wil at least returne euery man his owne measure ; if not with vsurie : it is much better to be a creditor , then a debter in anie thing ; but especially of this : yet of this , i will so be content to bee a debter , that i will alwayes be paying it where i owe it ; and yet neuer will haue so payd it , that i shall not owe it more . the spanish prouerb is too true ; dead men & absent find no friends : all mouthes are boldly opened with a conceite of impunity : my ●are shall bee no graue to burie my friends good name : but as i will bee my present friends selfe , so i will bee my absent friends deputie ; to say for him what he would , and cannot speake for himselfe . the losse of my friend as it shall moderately grieue mee , so it shall another way much benefit me in recompence of his want : for it shal make mee thinke more often , and seriously of earth , and of heauen : of earth , for his body which is reposed in it : of heauen for his soule , which possesseth it before mee : of earth to put me in mind of my like frailtie and mortality : of heauen , to make mee desire , and after a sort emulate his happines and glory . varietie of obiects is wont to cause distraction ; when againe a little one lay● close to the eye , if but of a peny breadth , wholy takes vp the sight , which could else see the whole halfe heauen at once : i wil haue the eyes of my minde euer forestalled , and filled with these two obiects , the shortnes of my life , eternity after death . i see that hee is more happy , that hath nothing to leese , then hee that looseth that which he hath . i will therefore neither hope for riches , nor feare pouerty . i care not so much in anything for multitude , as for choyce ; bookes & friends i will not haue many : i had rather ●eriouslv conuerse with a fewe , then wander amongst many . the wicked man is a very coward , and is afraide of euery thing of god , because he is his enemie , of sathan , because hee is his tormenter ; of gods creatures , because they ioyning with their maker , fight against him ; of himselfe , because hee beares about him his owne accuser , and executioner : the godly man contrarily , is afraid of nothng● not of god , because hee knowes him his best friend , and therefore will not hurt him ; not of sathan , because he cannot hurt him , not of afflictions , because he knowes they proceed from a louing god , and end his owne good ; not of the creatures , since the very stones of the field are in league with him ; not of himselfe , since his conscience is at peace ; a wicked man may bee secure , because he knowes not what hee hath to feare , or desperate , through extremitie of feare ; but truely courageous hee cannot be . faithlesnes cannot chuse but bee false hearted : i will euer by my courage take tryall of my faith : by howe much more i feare , by so much lesse i beleeue . the godly man liues hardly , and like the ant toyles heere , during the sommer of his peace , holding himselfe short of his pleasures , as looking to prouide for an winter● which when it comes , hee is able to weare it out comfortably ; whereas the wicked man doth prodigally lash out all his ioyes in the time of his prosperitie : and like the grashopper , singing merily all sommer , is starued in winter . i will so enioy the present , that i wil lay vp more for heereafter . i haue wondred oft , and blushed for shame , to reade in meere philosophers ( which had no other mistresse but nature ) such strange resolution in the contempt of both fortunes ( as they call them ) ; such notable precepts for a constant setlednes and tranquilitie of minde ; and to cōpare it with my owne disposition , and practise ; whom i haue found too much drouping and deiected vnder small crosses , and easily againe carried away with little prosperitie . to see such courage and strength to ●ōtemne death in those , which thought they wholy perished in death , and to finde such faint-hartednes in my selfe at the first cōceit of death , who yet am throughlie perswaded of the future happines of my soule : i haue that benefit of nature as well as they , besides infinite more helpe that they wanted● oh the dulnes & blindnes of vs vnworthy christians , that suffer heathens by the dimme candle-light of nature , to goe further then wee by the cleare sunne of the gospell● that an indiffer●nt man could not tell by our practise , whether were the pagan . let me neuer for shame account my selfe a christian , vnlesse my art of christianitie haue imitated and gone beyond nature so farre , that i can finde the best heathen as farre belowe me in true resolution , as the vulgar sort were belowe them . else , i may shame religion , it can neither honest nor helpe me . if i wou●d bee irreligious & vnconscionable , i would make no doubt to bee rich , for if a man will defraud , dissemble , forsweare , bribe , oppresse , serue the time , make vse of all men for his owne turne , make no scruple of any wicked action for his aduantage : i cannot see how he can escape wealth and preferment . but for an vpright man to rise is difficult ; whiles his conscience straightly curbes him in from euery vniust action ; and will not alow him to aduance him selfe by indirect meanes : so riches come seldome easily to a good man ; seldome hardly to the consciencelesse . happie is that man that can bee rich with truth , or poore with cōtentment , i will not enuie the grauell in the vniust mans throte . of riches let me neuer haue more , then an honest man can beare away . god is the god of order not of confusion : as therefore in naturall thinges hee vses to proceede from one extreme to another by degrees , through the meane ; so doth hee in spirituall . the sunne rises not an once to his highest from the darknes of mid-night , but first sends forth some feeble glimmering of light in the dawning ; thē looks out with weak and waterish beames , & so by degrees ascends to the midst of heauē : so in the seasons of the yeare , we are not one day scorched with a sōmer heat , and on the next , frozen with a suddaine extremitie of cold : but winter comes on softly , first by colde dewes , then hoare frostes , vntill at last it descende to the hardest weather of all : such are gods spirituall pro●eedings● hee neuer bringes ani● man from the estate of sinne , to the estate of glorie , but through the state of grace . and in grace seldome when , any man from grosse wickednes , to any eminencie of perfection : i will be charitably iealous of those men , which from notorious lewdnesse leape at once into a suddaine forwardnes of profession . holinesse doth not like ●onas gourd grow vp in a night . i like it better to go on soft and sure , then for an hastie fit to runne my selfe out of winde , and after stand still and breath me . it hath beene saide of olde , to doo well and heare ill , is princely ; which as it is most true , by reason of the enuie which followes vpon iustice ; so is the contrarie no lesse iustified by many experiments : to doo ill , and to heare well , is the fashiō of many great men : to doo ill , because they are borne out with the assurance of impunitie . to heare well , because of abundance of parasites , which as rauens to a carkasse●●ather about great men . neither is there any so great miserie in greatnesse as this , that it conceales men from themselues ; and when they wil needs haue a sight of their own actions , it showes them a ●alfe glasse to looke in . meanenesse of state ( that i can finde ) hath none so great inconuenience . i am no whit sorrie that i am rather subiect to contempt , then flatterie . there is no earthly blessi●● so precious , as health of body , without which all other worldly good thinges are but troublesome : neither is there anie thing more difficult , then to haue a good soule in a strong and vigorous body ; for it is cōmonly seene , that the worse part drawes away the better : but to haue an healthfull and sound soule , in a weake sickly body , is no noueltie ; whiles the weaknesse of the body is an helpe to the soule : playing the part of a perpetuall monitor , to incite it to good , and check it for euill : i will not bee ouer glad of health , nor ouer fearefull of sicknes . i will more feare the spirituall hurt that may follow vpon health , then the bodily paine that accompanies sicknes . there is nothing more troublesome to a good minde then to doo nothing ; for besides the furtherance of our estate , the minde doth both delight , and better it selfe with exercise . there is but this difference then betwixt labour and idlenes ; that labour is a profi●able and pleasant trouble , idlenesse a trouble both vnprofitable and comfortl●sse . i will bee euer doing something , that either god when he cōmeth , or sathan when hee tempteth , may finde me busied . and yet since as the olde prouerbe is , better it is bee idle then effect nothing , i will not more hate dooing nothing , then doing something to no purpose . i shall doo good but a while ; let me striue to do it while i may . a faithfull man hath three eyes : the first of sense , common to him with brute creatures ; the second of reason , cōmon to all men ; the third , of faith proper to his profession : whereof each looketh beyond other , and none of them medleth with others obiect● : for neither doth the eye of sense reach to intelligible things , and matters of discourse : nor the eye of reason to those things which are supernatura●l and spirituall ; neither doth faith looke downe to thinges that may bee sensibly seene . if thou discourse to a brute beast of the depthes of philosophie neuer so plainly , hee vnderstands not , because they are beyond the viewe of his eye , which is onely of sense : if to a meere carnal man of di●ine things : he perceiueth not the thinges of god , neither indeede can doo , because they are spiritually discerned ; and therefore no wonder if those things seeme vnlikelie , incredible , impossible to him , which the faythfull manne hauing a proportionable meanes of apprehension , doth as plainely see , as his eye dooth anie sensible thing . tell a plaine country●man that the sun , or some higher or lesser starre , is much bigger then his cart-wheele ; or at least so manie scores bigger thē the whole earth ; he laughes thee to scorne , as affecting admiration , with a learned vntruth● yet the scholler by the eye of reason , doth as plainly see & acknowledge this truth , as that his hand is bigger then his pen : what a thick mist ; yea , what a palpable & more then egyptian darknesse doth the naturall man liue ? what a world is there , that hee doth not see at all , and how little doth he see in this , which is his proper element ; there is no bodily thing but the brute creatures see as well as he , & some of thē better . as for his eye of reason ; how dim is it in those things which are best fitted to it : what one thing is there in nature , which he doth perfectly know ? what hearb , or flower , or worm that hee treads on , is there , whose true essence hee knoweth ? no not so much , as what is in his owne bosome ; what it is , where it is , or whence it is that giues ●eing to himselfe : but for those things which concerne the best world , hee doth not so much as cōfusedly see thē , neither knoweth whether they be : he sees no whit into the great & awfull maiestie of god ; hee discernes him not in all his creatures , filling the world with his infinit & glorious presence ; he sees not his wise prouidence ouer●ruling all things , disposing all casuall euents , ordering all sinfull actions of men to his owne glory ; he comprehends nothing of the beauty , maiesty , power , & mercy of the sauiour of the world , sitting in his humanity at his fathers right hand : hee sees not the vnspeakable happines of the glorified soules of the saints ; hee sees not the whole heauenly cōmon-wealth of angels , ascending & descending to the behoofe of gods childrē ; waiting vpō him at all times inuisibly ; not excluded with the closenes of prisons nor desolatnes of wildernesses ; and the multitude of euill spirits passing & stāding by him to tempt him vnto euil ; but like vnto the foolish bird , whē he hath hid his head that he sees no body , he thinks himselfe altogether vnseen : & then counts himselfe solitary , when his eye can meete with no companion . it was not without cause that we cal a mere foole , a naturall ; for how euer worldlings haue still thought christians gods fooles , wee know them the fooles of the world . the deepest phylosopher that euer was ( sauing the reuerence of the schooles ) is but an ignorant sot to the simplest christian : for the weakest christian may by plaine information see somwhat into the greatest misteries of nature , because he hath the e●e of reason common with the best but the best philosopher by all the demōstration in the world , can conceiue nothing of the misteries of godlines ; because he vtterly ●ants the eye of faith . though my in-sight into matters of the world bee so shallow , that my simplicitie moueth pity , or maketh sport vnto others ; it shal bee contentment & happines , that i see further into better matters : that which i see not is worthlesse , and deserues little better then contempt ; that which i see is vnspeakeable , inestimable , for comfort , for glory . it is not possible for an inferiour to liue at peace , vnlesse hee haue learn'd to be cōtemned . for the pride of his superiours , and the malice of his equals & inferiors , shal offer him continual● and ineuitable occasions of vnquietnes . as contentatiō is the mother of inward peace with our selues ; so is humility the mother of peace with others : for if thou be vile in thine owne eyes first , it shall the lesse trouble thee to bee accounted vile of others . so that a man of an high hart in a low place , cannot want discontentment ; wheras a man of a lowly●stomak , can swallow & digest cōtempt without any distēper . for wherein can he be the worse for being contemned , who out of his owne knowledge of his deserts did most of all contemn himself● i shold bee very improuident , if in this cal●ing i did not look for daily contempt : wherein , we are made a spectacle to the world , to angels , & men : when it comes , i wil either embrace it , or contemne it . embrace it when it is within my measure , whē aboue , contemne it : so embrace it , that i may more humble my self vnder it ; & so contemne it , that i may not giue hart to him that offers it ; nor disgrace him , for whose cause i am contemned . christ raised three dead men to life : one newly departed ; another on the beere , a third smelling in the graue ; to showe vs that no degree of death is so desperate , that it is past helpe . my sinns are many , & great , yet if they were more , they are farre below the mercy of him that hath remitted them● & the value of his ransome that hath payde for them : a man hurts himselfe most by presumption , ●ut we cannot do god a greater wrong , then to despaire of forg●uenes . it is a do●ble iniurie to god , first that we offend his iustice by sinning , then that we wrong his mercy with despairing . &c. for a man to bee wearie of the worlde through miseries that he meets with , and for that cause to couet death , is neither difficult , nor cōmendable ; but rather argues a base weakenes of minde . so it may be a cowardly part to contemne the vtmost of all terrible things , in a feare of lingring miserie : but for a man either liuing happily heere on earth , or resoluing to liue miserably , yet to desire his remoouall to heauen , doth well become a true christian courage ; and argues a notable mixture of patience & faith : ●f patience , for that he can and dare abide to liue sorrowfully ; of faith , for that hee is assured of his better being otherwhere ; and therefore prefers the absent ioyes hee lookes for , to those he feeles in present : no sorrow shall make mee wish my selfe dead , that i may not bee at all : no contentment shal hinder me frō wishing my selfe with christ , that i may be happier . it was not for nothing , that the wise creator of all thinges hath placed gold & ●iluer , and all precious minerals vnder our feete to bee trod vpon ; and hath hid them low in the bowels of the earth , that they cannot without great labour be either found , or gotten ; whereas he hath placed the noblest part of his creatiō aboue our heads ; and that so open to our view , that wee cannot chuse but euery moment behold them : wherein what did he else intend , but to drawe away our minds frō these worthlesse , & yet hidden treasures , to which hee foresawe wee would be too much addicted , & to ca●l thē vnto the contemplatiō of those better things , which besides their beauty , are more ob●iuious to vs ; that in thē we might see & admire the glory of their maker , and withall seeke our owne . howe doo those men wrong thēselues , & misconstrue god , who , as if hee had hidden these things , because he would haue them sought , and layd the other open for neglect , bend themselues wholly to the seeking of these earthly cōmodities & do no more mind heauē , thē if there were non . if wee could imagine a beast to haue reaso , how could he be more absurd in his choice ? how easie is it to obserue , that still the higher wee goe , the more purity & perfectiō we finde so earth is the very drosse & dregs of all the elements , water somwhat more pure then it , yet also more ●eculent thē the aire aboue it ; the lower aire lesse pure thē his vppermost regions , & yet they as far inferior to the lowest heauens : which againe are more exceeded by the glorious and empireall seat of god , which is the heauen of the iust . yet they ( brutish men ) take vp their rest , and place their felicity in the lowest and worst of all gods workmanship ; not regarding that , which with it owne glory can make them happie . heauen is the proper place of my soule , i will sende it vp thither continually in my thoughts whiles it soiournes with mee , before it goe to dwell there for euer . a man neede not to care for more knowledge , then to know him selfe ; he needes no more pleasure then to content himse●fe ; no more victory then to ouercome himselfe , no more riches then to enioy himselfe . what fooles are they that seeke to know all other things , & are strangers in themselues ; that seeke altogether to satisfie others humors , with their owne displeasure ; that seeke to vanquish kingdoms & countries , when they are not maisters of themselues ; that haue no holde of their owne harts , yet seeke to bee possessed of all outward commodi●ies : goe home to thy selfe first , vaine hart , & when thou hast made sure worke there , in knowing , contenting , ouercomming , enioying thy selfe , spend all the superfluity of thy time & labor vpō others . it was an excellent rule that fel frō epicure , whose name is odi●us to vs for the father of loosnes . that if a man wold be rich , honorable , aged , hee should not striue so much to ad to his welth , reputation , yeares , as to detract from his desires . for certainly in these things , which stand most vpon conceite , hee hath the most that desireth least . a poore man that hath little , and desires no more , is in truth richer then the greatest monarch , that thinkes hee hath not what he should ; or what hee might , or that grieues there is no more to haue . it is not necessitie but ambition that settes mens hearts on the racke . if i haue meate , drinke , apparell , i will learne therewith to bee content . if i had the world full of wealth beside , i could enioy no more then i vse ; the rest could please mee no otherwise but by looking on ; and why can i not thus solace my self , while it is others ? an inconstant & wauering mind , as it makes a man vnfit for societie ( for that there can be no assurance of his words , or purposes , neither can we build on them without deceite ) so , besides that , it makes a man ridiculous , it hinders him from euer attaining any perfectiō in himself● for a roling stone gathers no mosse ; and the minde whi●st it would be euery thing , proues nothing ; oft changes cannot bee without losse : yea , it keepes him from enioying that which hee hath attayned , for it keepes him euer in worke : building● pulling downe , selling , changing , buying , commaunding , forbidding : so whiles hee can be no other mans frend , he is the least his owne . it is the safest course for a mans profit , credit , and ●●se , to deliberate long , to resolue surely , hardly to alter . not to enter vpon that , whose end hee fore-sees not aunswerable ; and when he is once entred , not to surcease till he haue attayned the end he fore-saw : so may he to good purpose begin a new worke , when he hath well finished the olde . the way to heauen is like that which ●onathan and his armour bearer passed betwixt two rockes , one bozez , the other sene● ; that is foule and thornie ; wherto we must make shift to climbe on our hands and knees ; but when we are comne vp , there is victorie , and triumph . gods children haue three sutes of apparel , whereof two are worn dail●y on earth , the third layd vp for the in the wardrobe of heauen ; they are euer either in black mourning , in red persecuted , or in white glorious : anie way shall be pleasant to me , that leade● vnto such an end : it matters not what ragges or what colours i weare with men , so i may walke with my sauiour in white , and raigne with him in glorie , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e pro. ● ● , cor. ● math. . . coloss● ● ● the honor of the married clergie, maintayned against the malicious challenges of c.e. masse-priest: or. the apologie written some yeeres since for the marriage of persons ecclesiasticall made good against the cauils of c.e. pseudo-catholik priest. in three books. by ios. hall, d. of diuin. deane of worcest. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the honor of the married clergie, maintayned against the malicious challenges of c.e. masse-priest: or. the apologie written some yeeres since for the marriage of persons ecclesiasticall made good against the cauils of c.e. pseudo-catholik priest. in three books. by ios. hall, d. of diuin. deane of worcest. hall, joseph, - . erasmus, desiderius, d. . an liceat sacerdotibus inire matrimonia. [ ], [i.e. ], [ ] p. printed by w. s[tansby] for h. fether[stone], london : . includes in latin and english the text of a manuscript on the subject found at corpus christi college, cambridge, and an excerpt from an epistle of erasmus on the subject of marriage and the clergy. some copies have an extra halfsheet, a , with "postscript to a second libell"; not present in all copies--stc. answers stc : coffin, edward. a refutation of m. joseph hall his apologeticall discourse, for the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons. running title reads: the honour of the married clergie. some pages missing in number only. printer's name and vendor's full name from stc. reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng coffin, edward, - . -- refutation of m. joseph hall his apologeticall discourse, for the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons. celibacy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the honor of the married clergie , maintayned against the malicious challenges of c. e. masse-priest : or , the apologie written some yeere , since for the marriage of persons ecclesiasticall , made good against the cauils of c. e. pseudo-catholik priest . in three books . by ios . hall , d. of diuin . deane of worcest . london , printed by w. s. for h. fether. . to the most reverend father in god , and my most honored lord , george , lord archbishop of canterbvrie , primate of all england , and metropolitan , one of his maiesties most honourable priuie counsaile . most reverend father , and no lesse honored lord , it was my desire and hope to spend the residue of my time and thoughts in sweete and sacred contemplation . satan enuying me this happinesse , interrupts me by the malice of an importune aduersary . twelue yeeres agoe i wrote a little apologeticall letter for the marriage of persons ecclesiasticall ; and now thus late , when i had almost forgot that i had written it , a moodie masse-priest drops out a tedious and virulent refutation ; thorow my sides striking at the most honourable , and flourishing clergie of the whole christian world ; labouring not so much for my disgrace ( what would that auaile him ? ) as the dishonour and scorne of our holy profession , in the eyes of our people . i could contemne it in silence , if the quarrell were only mine ; now my wrong cannot bee distinguished from thousands : god and his church are ingaged in this cause , which in my foile could not but sustayne losse ; neither may i be now silent with safetie , without misconstruction . let this hand and tongue bee no longer mine , then they may serue my master in heauen , and his spouse on earth . that which i wrote in some three houres , he hath answered in three quaternions of yeeres ; and what i wrote in three leaues , he hath answered in no fewer pages then . should i follow him in this proportion , hee might after some centuries of yeers expect an answere in tostatus-hydes ; whose first word should be , quis leget haec ? or if my patience would delay my reply to the iust paces of his answere , this volume of his would perhaps ▪ bee vanished into grossers shops for waste paper in thuris piperisue cucullos ; and would no more need answere then now it deserueth one . but hearing of the insultation of some popishly affected , who gloried and triumphed in this achilles pro catholicis , i addressed my selfe to the worke , with no little indignation , and no lesse speed : that my selfe-conceited aduersarie , and his seduced abettors may see how little a well-ordered marriage is guiltie of deadding our spirits , or slacking our hands ; at the beginning of this summers progresse , when it pleased his sacred maiestie to take notice of this sorrie libell , and to question with mee concerning it , i had not so much as read it ouer ; so newly was it come to my hands , ere his happie returne , ( bee it spoken to the only glorie of him that inabled me ) i had not only finished this answere , but twice written it ouer with my owne hand ; and yet made this but the recreation of the weightier businesses of my calling , which now did more then ordinarily vrge me . it was my purpose to haue answered ( as beseemeth the person à quo , not ad quem ) mildely , according to my knowne disposition , but vpon better deliberation , i found the insolencie of my refuter such , that i could not fauour him , and not bee cruell to my cause . if therefore for many ( it is his owne art and word ) railatiue pages , hee receiue from my vnwilling and enforced pen now and then , though not a relatiue to such an antecedent , yet perhaps some drop of sharper vineger , then my inke vseth to bee tempered withall , hee may forgiue mee , and must thanke himselfe : what needed this cause so furious an inuectiue ? as if the kingdome of heauen , and all religion consisted in nothing but mayden-head , or marriage ? cardinall bellarmine , when hee speakes of the greeke church , wherein a marryed clergie is both allowed and required , shuts vp moderately ; that if this were all the difference betwixt them , and the romane church , they should soone bee at peace . if my refuter had so thought , this had not beene his first controuersie : both estates meete in heauen . iohn the virgin rests in the bosome of marryed abraham ; this inordinate heate therefore of prosecution rises from faction , not from holy zeale : hence it was that my aduersary cunningly singled out this point from many others , ranged in my poore discourses , as that wherein ( by bishop iewels confession ) hee might promise to himselfe the likeliest aduantage of antiquitie ; and how gloriously doth he vaunt himselfe in the oftentation of fathers and councels ! which vaine flourish how little it auayles him , the processe shall shew ; where it shall appeare vpon what grounds no small piece of antiquitie was partiall to virginitie , and ouer-harsh to marriage , as beatus rhenanus , a learned and ingenuous papist confesseth . but this wee may boldly say , that if those holy men had out-liued the bloudie times , and scene the fearefull inconueniences which would ( after a settled peace ) insue vpon the ambition , or constraint of a denyed continency , they had doubtlesse changed their note ; and with the moderate and wisest spirits of the later times , pleaded for that libertie which the reformed church now enioyeth . the vniuersall concession whereof ( after the priuate suffrages of worthy authours ) came to a publike treaty in the romane church , amids the throng of their late tridentine councell , and it is worth the while to obserue on what grounds it receiued a repulse . if priests should be allowed marriage ( say those wily italians ) it would follow that they would cast their affections on their wiues and children , and consequently on their families , & countries , whereupon would cease that strait dependance , which the clergy hath vpon the see apostolike ; in so much as to grant their marriages , were as much as to destroy the hierarchie of the church , and to reduce the pope within the meere bounds of the romane bishopricke . this was the plea of the clergie ; their thriftie laitie , ( together with them ) enemies to the blessing , ( or , as they construe it , the curse ) of fruitfulnesse , are wont to plead , troppo teste : our gregorie martin of old computes the preiudiciall increase that might arise from these marriages to the commonwealth . it is not religion , but wit that now lyes in our way . fond men that dare thus offer to controll the wisdome of their maker , and will be tying the god of heauen to their rules of state . as it is , no church in the whole world ( except the romane ) stands vpon this restraint , whereof the consequences haue beene so notoriously shamefull , that wee might well hope , experience would haue wrought , if not redresse of their courses , yet silence of ours . and surely , if this man had not presumed that ( by reason of the long discontinuance of popery ) time had worne out of mens mindes the memory of their odious filthinesses , he durst not thus boldly haue pleaded for their abominable celibate ; the question whereof , after all busie discussions , and pretences of age , must bee resolued into no other then this , how farre the tradition of a particular church is worthy to preuayle against scripture : yea , and against other churches . a point , which a very weake iudgement will bee able to determine . in this returne of my defence , i doe neither answere euery idle clause , nor omit any essentiall : this length of mine is no lesse forced then my aduersaries continencie : wherein yet my reader shall not sigh vnder an irksome loquacitie . i presume to dedicate this vnworthy labour to your grace , whome this famous church daily blesseth , as her wise , faithfull , and vigilant ouerseer , as a renowned patterne of holy virginitie , and patrone of holy marriage . the god of heauen ( whose watch you carefully keepe ) preserue you long to his church ; and make vs long happie in your grace , and you euer happie in his plentifull blessings . such shall euer be the prayers of your graces most humbly deuoted , ios . hall . the answere to the aduertisement . the man beginnes with a threat , i may not but tremble ; he frights me with an vniuersall detection of my errours . it is almost as easie to find faults , as to make them . perhaps the time had bin as well spent in tossing of his beades : how happie a man am i that shall see all my ouersights ? my comfort is , that if my tree were fruitlesse , there would be no stone throwne at it . in the meane while , how well doth the title of a detector become him that hides himselfe ? if he be not afraid or ashamed of his cause , let his name be known that his victories may be recorded . it is an iniurious and base aduantage to strike and hide ; and after a pitch't duell to gall a fixed aduersary out of loop-holes . if his person bee vpon some treasonable act obnoxius , it is hard if some of his names be not free : but if i must needs bee matcht with the shaddow of a libeller , i will so take him , as he deciphers himselfe : c. e. cauillator egregius ; and vnder this true stile of his , am readie to incounter him , and doe here bid defiance to an insolent , and vniust aduersary : and first let mee tell my cauiller , this order is preposterous . if all my errours be at the mouth of the presse , how is it that two or three of them are thus suffered to out-runne their fellowes ? was his malice so bigge with these , that it could not stay the time of the common deliuerie ? needs must they be notorious falshoods , that are thus singled out from the rest . let them appeare in their owne shapes , vgly , ( doubtlesse ) and prodigious . the first is , that most shamelesse assertion that bellarmine vnder his own hand acknowledges , . contrarieties of doctrine amongst his catholikes . could the man but haue patience , he should finde aboue three hundred : what sayes my detector to this ? hee hath not seene the seuerals , yet ( like a braue man at armes ) he professes to kill his enemy ere hee can appeare ; and tels vs those . contrarieties , are nothing but . lyes in one assertion . that there are in them so many vntruths i easily grant ; for in contradictions one part must needs be false ; and truth is but single : they are vntruths then , ( lyes are too broad a word ) but their owne . my assertion shall only iustifie that they are told ; let him take care for the rest : but they are not in points belonging to faith and religion , only in matters vndecided , and disputable ; the sequell shall try that shift ; why doe wee fore-stall our reader ? who knowes not that there cannot bee so many points fundamentall ? let him take them as they are , i aggrauate nothing ; it is but only in such light chaffe , as this ; in the number and extent of bookes canonicall , wherein driedo , erasmvs , genebrard , caietan , sixtvs senensis are acknowledged to oppose the rest ; in the popes infallibilitie of iudgement , wherein gerson , almayne , pope adrian , eckivs , hosivs , pighivs , waldensis are at quarrell ; in the reach and originall , of spirituall iurisdiction , wherein abvlensis , tvrrecremata , fran. a victoria , alphonsvs de castro , &c. proclayme to differ : what should i instance in more ? it is but in the popes power in temporalties , in the inerrablenesse of councels , whether particular confirmed by the pope or generall ; in the authoritie of councels aboue popes , in the force of vowes , in the worship due to images , and the like . these and such other are the slight trifles ( since all cannot bee weightie ) impertinent to faith , wherin the romish doctors varie . neither doth my assertion of their discord gall him more , then of our vnitie : o the fore-head of heretikes ! i said that we in our church differ only in ceremonies , they in substance . let him giue leaue to the contra-diuision of these two , and i will take leaue to maintayne the indiuision of the church of england , in the dogmaticall points of faith. this boldnesse , together with my eminent ignorance , makes him admire the scarcitie of learned men in our countrey , that could finde no better doctors to send to dort-conference then master hall . to your griefe , sir , it was a synode , and that noble and celebrious ; neither was it out of want that your silly aduersarie was sent thither . this happie iland ( which hath no blemish but that it yeelds such vipers as your selfe ) abounds ( as you too well know ) with store of incomparable diuines ; such as may set your rome to schole . so , as the messengers of pyrrhvs long since called your italie , a country of kings , and egypt was wont to be called the countrey of physicians , so may this blessed iland of ours iustly merit the title of the region of divines . for me , i can be content to bee base enough in mine owne eyes , but if my disparagement shall redound to my betters , i dare tell him it is my comfort , that i was sent thither by a iudgement no lesse infallible , then of pavl the fift . let himselfe or any of his eaues-dropping companions ( to whom that place stood open ) say wherein i shamed those that sent me . it was my iust griefe , that the necessitie of my health , yea of my life , called mee off immaturely ; but since either death or departure must bee yeelded to , others shall iudge whether i went away more laden with infirmity , then ( howeuer vnworthy ) with approbation . but that second lye of mine is so loud , that all my brethren of dort must heare it , and they which were lately the witnesses of my sinceritie ( gracing me with the deare testimonie of their approofe ) are now made the iudges of my impudencie . what monster of falshood will come forth ? in my censure of trauel glancing at the iesuiticall bragge of their indian miracles ( whereat their very friends make sport ) i charge cardinall bellarmine for an auoucher of these coozenages , who dares auerre that his fellow xauier , not only healed the deafe , dumbe , and blinde , but raysed the dead , to which i adde ( whiles his brother acosta , after many yeeres spent in those parts , can pull him by the sleeue , and tell him in his eare , so loud that all the world may heare , prodigia nulla producimus . ) this is my indictment ; let me come to my tryall : cast mee , if yee can , yee reuerend heads ; i craue no fauour . where lyes this so lewd lye , and malicious abuse ? that bellarmine sayes thus of the iesuite xavier is not denyed ; that acosta sayes thus of himselfe , and his fellow iesuites , is granted ; the first lye yet is , acosta was neuer in the east-indies at all , nor xavier in the west ; and how then could acosta spend many yeeres in those parts ? a perilous plea ! who euer , i beseech you , mentioned either east or west ? i spake of the indies in common ; so did his bellarmine , from whom i cited this , claruit etiam in indijs omni genere miraculorum , &c. here is not one of the indies mentioned , but both or either ; if both liued in the indies , though not in one towne , in one countrey , in one indie ; wherein haue i offended ; whiles speaking of the indies in generall , i said that xavier and acosta liued there ? yet this is one lye ( he saith ) and that so long a one , as that it reacheth as far as it is from the east to the west , from the artick to the antarctick pole ; wherein i doubt not but your reuerences will easily marke the skill of this learned cosmographer . some parts of those instanced indies differ not so farre ; not to speake of the small strait of anian ; the mentioned region of mexico is not aboue foure-score degrees from iapan : either your construction must fauour him , or else this must goe into the booke of ouersights . the second lye is , that acosta pulled bellarmine by the sleeue in this assertion , as if hee denyed those easterne miracles , which hee elsewhere confesseth . indeed , this saucines were dangerous . the red hat ( you say ) is fellow to a crowne . but shall i confesse where i erred ? my dull head could not conceive that god should bee the god of the mountaynes ; and not of the valleys ; of the east-indies , not of the west ; and yet be the iesuites god in both : especially , since the reason that ioseph acosta fetches from the persons ( which should be the subject of those wonders ) holds as equally for both indies , as an almanack made for the meridian of one citie , serueth the neighbours . hitherto then the prologue of my infamous falshoods , such , as if all my writings could haue afforded any equally haynous , these had neuer beene chosen out to grace the front of his detection ; there must needes bee much terrour in the sequell . the rest of this storme falls vpon our learned professor , doctor collins ; one of the prime ornaments of our cambridge ; the partnership of whose vniust disgraces doth not a little hearten my vnworthinesse . the world knowes the eminencie of that mans learning , wit , iudgement , eloquence ; his workes prayse him enough in the gate ; yet this malapert corner-creeper doth so basely vilifie him , for ignorance , sillinesse , pratling , rusticitie , lying , as if in these only he were matchlesse . indeed whom doth the aspersion of that foule hand forbeare ? vilium est hominum alios viles facere ? i appeale to all the tribunals of learning thorow the world , whether all doway haue yeelded ought comparable to that mans pen : whether hee haue not so * coniured downe his caco-daemon ioannes , that he neuer dares to looke backe into the light againe ; whether his ephatha bee not so powerfull , that if his aduersarie were any otherwise deafe then the blocke which he worships , it might open his eare to the truth : it angers c. e. to heare that kings should not dye , or perhaps , that they whose heads are anoynted , should dye by any other then anoynted fingers ; the sentence of his cardinall and iesuites both de facto , and de iure , of deposing and murdering kings , is now beside our way ; only wee may reade afarre off in capitall letters , arise peter , kill and eate : he knowes the word , with shame enough . i will not so much wrong that worthy prouost , as to anticipate his quarrell ; rather i leaue the superfluity of this malice to the scourge of that abler hand ; from whom i doubt not but c. e. shall smart and bleed so well , that hee may spare the labour of making himselfe his owne whipping-stock on good-fryday . by reason of my necessary absence from the presse , many errata haue passed , whereof these are more obuious to my reader , which i desire him to correct . errata . page . marg. beatit . tit for filij . p. . l. . ad , redundat . p. . l. . and , redundat . p. . l. . for scholer read schole . p. . marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . affectly r. affectedly . p. . l. vlt. pacem r. parem . p. . l. . theu r. the. p. . l. ● . was r. vses . p. . l. penult . there r. thee . p. . marg. prius r. p●ius . p. . l. . vigilantius , r. vigilantius : p. . l. . dare r. cleare ▪ p. . l. . now r. ●ow . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. ● . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. l. ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . iustly r. vniustly . p. . l. vlt. prosecuted r. persecuted . p. l. . somewhat r. somewhere . p. l. . the redūdat . p. l. . ochius r. ochi●s . ibid. l. vlt. holy water r. hot water . p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . not redūdat . p. . l. . ●●tting r. sitting . p. . l. . missa r. missam . p. . l. . moreover , r. how-euer . p. . l. . apostare , r. apostatare . p. . peremptore r. peremptory . p. . f rēdundat . p. . interpraetabuitur r. interpretabitur . the honovr of the married clergie maintained , &c. the first booke . sect . i. neyther ▪ my charitie , nor my leysure , nor my readers patience , will allow me to follow my detector in all his extrauagancies , nor to change idle words of contumely with a babbler . his twelue first pages , are but the light froth of an impotent anger ; wherein he accuseth my bitternesse , and professeth his owne . for me , i appeale vnto all eyes ; if my pen haue beene sometimes zealous , it was neuer intemperate : neither can hee make me beleeue , that my passions need to appeare to my shame , in calling rome prostitute , or himselfe shamelesse ; or in citing from the quodlibet of his owne catholike priests , the art of his iesuites , in a drurying of young heires . there is neither slander , nor shame in truth . for himselfe , he confesseth to haue sharpened his pen , and to haue dipt it ( perhaps too deepe ) in gall : but where his inke is too thicke , he shall giue me leaue to put a little vineger to it , that it may flow the better . in the meane time he shall goe away with this glory , that a fouler mouth hath seldome euer wip'd it selfe vpon cleane paper . after those waste flourishes , his thirteenth page begins to strike ; wherein he chargeth me with odious basenesse , and insufficiencie , in borrowing all my proofes from bellarmines obiections , dissembling their solutions . the man were hard driuen , that would goe to borrow of an enemie . if all my proofes be fore-alledged and fore-answered by his bellarmine ; to what purpose hath this trifler blurred so much paper ? there ( he saith ) shall the reader see all my scriptures answered , the doctrine of deuils explicated ; there , that other , let him be the husband of one wife , and , marriage is honourable : answered indeed ; but as he said ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) answerlessely . such cleare beames of truth shine in the face of these scriptures , that all the cob-web vayles of a iesuites subtiltie cannot obscure them . their very citation confutes their answer . and where had we this law , that if a iesuit haue once meddled with a scripture , all pens , all tongues are barred from euer alledging it ? if satan haue mis-cited the psalme ( he shall giue his angels charge ouer thee ) for temptation , may not we make vse of it , for the comfort of protection ? briefly , let my cauiller know , that it is not the friuolous illusion of any shuffling iesuite , that can driue vs from the firme bulwarke of the holy scriptures . in this , they are clearely ours , after all pretences of solution ( as he shall well feele in the sequele ) and shall secure vs against all humane opposition . before the disquisition whereof , somewhat must of force be premised , concerning the state of our question . sect . ii. where , that all readers may see , how learnedly my wise aduersarie hath mistaken me , and himselfe ; i must tell my detector , that all his tedious discourse sits beside the cushion : for thus he writes of my epistle ( so as his whole scope is to disproue the single life of catholike priests , and thereby to impugne our doctrine in that behalfe ) vpon which conceit , he runs into a large proofe of the strong obligation of vowes , the necessitie of their obseruation , the penaltie and danger of their violation , the prayse of virginitie , the possibilitie of keeping it ; and vpon this very ground builds he the tottering wall of his whole ensuing confutation : insomuch , as ( pag. . ) he sayes , that marriage all times , without contrary iniunction , was lawfull , is not denyed ; nor wil it be proued in haste , that priests , or such as had vowed the contrary , might vse that libertie : and we say not , that virginitie is violently to be imposed on any , for it commeth by free election ; but where the vow is free , the transgression is damnable . thus he . now let all indifferent eyes see , whether the only drift of mine epistle be , not to iustifie our marriages , not to improue their singlenesse ; to defend the lawfulnesse of the marriage of our clergie , not to iustifie the marriages of the romish ; to plead for the marriage of our ecclesiastiques , not of popish votaries . in expresse termes , i dis-auowed it . the interuention of a vow makes a new state . let baal plead for himselfe . what is it to me , if the romish clergie may not be husbands ? or if , according to the french prouerbe , they haue a law not to marry , and a custome not to liue chaste ? let it be their care whom it concernes ; only i will haue leaue to speake for our owne . neither did i euer derogate ought from sacred virginitie , or lay it leuell ( whether absolutely , or in all circumstances ) with holy matrimonie ; neither did i euer conceiue of an impossibilitie of continence in some persons : take away these three grounds , ( which i vtterly disclayme before god and men ) together with his petulant raylings , and idle excursions ; and what is become of the volume of my great aduersarie ? those three vast paragraphes are shrunke into so few sheets of paper , that a mouse may as soone runne away with his booke , as with his god. my masters of doway , if ye be the superiors , vnder whose permission this worthy worke sees the light ; for shame keepe vp your lauish vnthrifts of good time , and send vs such antagonists , as may not saine occasions to emptie their note-bookes . one dash of a pen might thus iustly answer the most part of this bloughtie volume ; wherein , like a drunken man , hee makes a fray with his owne shadow , and like an idle whelpe , runnes about after his owne sterne . but , that hee may not complayne to be cast off too contemptuously , hee shall receiue a faire account or particulars . sect . iii. the theme of my epistle is plainely no other , then our marriage censured ; hee answeres , of theirs . i would there were such cause of familiaritie and intirenesse , that what is said of one , might agree to both : but the world knowes wee are two . if i say our clergie is heartily loyall to their king ; will hee straight take it , of theirs ? if , that our clergie is willingly subiect to more then the directiue power of their soueraigne , will he challenge this to theirs ? the very point which i purposely declined , he followes in hote chase . euen moderate papists ( they are the words of my epistle ) will graunt vs free , because not bound by vow , not so farre as those old germanes , pró posse & nosse : and yet all my detectors refutation still driues at the supposition of a vow . what haue we to doe with votaries ? our clergie is free , whether as clergie , or as ours : first , as persons ecclesiasticall ( qua tales ) for , holy orders , whether as orders , or as holy , are no hinderances of matrimonie , as cardinall caietan truly , and with him , the whole schoole . that which may be pretended for impediment , is either a vow annexed , or an ecclesiasticall statute . b as for the vow , it is so farre from being essentiall to holy orders , as that it is made by c some learned papists a difference betwixt the obligation of their religious , and their priests , that their religious are bound by a solemne vow to single life in the very intrinsecall nature of their profession ; their priests onely by a church-constitution , without vow . and those that goe further with their famous cardinall , and teach , that it is expressely forbidden to bishops , to ordayne any , without the promise of single life , ground this but vpon an epistle of pope gregorie d , a late and weake foundation ; and besides hold , that their vow is but semi-solemne , and accidentally incident into this profession : for so much as here is neyther a direct exhibition of the body to this purpose in the offerer , nor a direct consecration to this end in the admitter ; both which make vp the solemnitie of the vow : vpon which reason , according to them , a religious order , because it yeelds ouer the body vnto an estate repugnant to matrimonie , doth of it selfe , in it owne nature , both hinder marriage , and nullifie it ; not so the ecclesiasticall . to which wee may adde , that according to their own e doctors , solemnitie and simplicitie make no difference of the vow before god , though before the church . a distinction too slight , too newly vpstart , to ouerturne an ancient and well-grounded institution . neither need wee any better , or other proofe of the inconnexion of this vow with holy orders , then that of their owne dominicus à soto , f non est de essentia sacerdotis , &c. it is not of the essence of a priest ( saith he ) to keepe single ; for that the grecian clergy are permitted euen by the roman church to continue in the estate of marriage . what can be more cleare ? if there were a necessarie and inseparable connexion of a vowed continencie , with holy orders , then would not , neither could the roman church acknowledge a true priesthood , where it finds coniugall societie ? their act of allowance to the greeke church , implyes a faire independencie of these two , which some of their clamorous clients plead to haue indiuisibly coupled . so as now all the strength of this necessary celibate is resolued into the power of a church-statute ; and of what church , but the roman ? all other churches in the world , as of armenia , grecia , syria , ethiopia , russia , the georgians , &c. allow the coniunction of ministerie , and marriage ; and are so farre from requiring a vow of necessarie continencie , that they rather erroniously prerequire a necessitie of marriage in the persons to be ordained . it is onely the church of g rome , the great and imperious mistresse of the world , that imposes the yoke of this vow vpon her vassals . imposes it , but ad libitum ; so as her great paramour ( in whose vast bosome that whole church lyes ) may dipense with it as he lists . heare that irrefutable discourse of cardinall caietan : his wordes beare weight , and are not vnworthie the eyes of my reader . therefore ( saith he ) since the pope may at his pleasure loose the bond of that statute , it followes necessarily , that if a priest of the westerne church shall marrie by the popes leaue , without any reasonable cause , that such marriage of his is a true marriage , and the parties married are true husband and wife , and their issue truly legitimate ; although in so marrying , both the parties should sinne mortally , in doing this act against the vow of chastitie , without a reasonable , or at least a probable cause of their so licencing ; and consequently , neither should the pope himselfe bee excused from mortall sinne : but if there be any reasonable cause of dispensing with this vow of chastitie ; then the partie thus marrying , and dispensed with , may both safely marry , and liue in marriage . and hereupon it appeares , that since a reasonable cause of dispensing with this vow of chastitie , may be not onely the publike vtilitie , whether ciuill or ecclesiasticall , but any other greater good then the obseruing of that chastitie ; it iustly followes , that the pope not onely may , but with a safe conscience may dispense with a priest of the westerne ( or romane ) church , that he may marry ; euen besides the cause of a publike benefit . and therefore the determination of some hath beene too presumptuous , in affirming , that absolutely , and without such cause , the pope cannot dispence : whereas ( as we haue shewed ) the pope may doe it without any cause , though in so doing he should sinne ; and with any reasonable cause , without sinne : and in both , the matrimonie stands firme . thus he . words that need neyther paraphrase , nor inforcement . and how h vsuall the practice of this dispensation hath beene ( that we may not rest onely in speculation ) appeares enough by the ingenuous complaint of their i selected cardinals , to paul the third : who cry downe the abuse of these ouer-frequent grants , which they would not haue yeelded , but vpon publike and weightie causes ; especially ( say they ) in these times , wherein the lutherans vrge this matter with so much vehemence . neither is it long since our kind apostate m. carier gaue vs here in england ( from bigger men then himselfe ) an ouerture of the likelyhood of this liberall dispensation , from his holy father of rome , vpon the conditions of our re-subiection . would we therefore but stoope to kisse the carbuncle of that sacred toe , our clergy might as well consist with holy wedlocke , as the grecian . oh , the grosse mockerie of soules , not more ignorant , then credulous ! will his holinesse dispense with vs for our sinne ? wee can be dispensed with at home for his dispensation . it is their sorrow , that the world is growne wiser , and findes heauen no lesse neere to douer-cliffe , then to the seuen-hills . and ere we leaue this point , it is very considerable , what may be a reasonable cause of this dispensation : for those very k iesuites , which hold the power of this vow such , that the vehementest tentations and foyles of the flesh may not be relieued with an arbitrarie matrimonie , since the matter of this vow is so important , and carries so much danger in the violation , as that it is not to be left to the power of a priuate iudgement ( though morally certaine ) whether matrimonie ( all things considered ) bee in this particular expedient ( for that may be fit for a man as a singular person , which is not fit for him as part of the community ) yet they graunt , that this extreme perplexednesse and violence of carnall motions , is a iust cause of dispensation . what neede wee more ? though some l casuists be more fauourable , and graunt that in such cases , wee may not onely allow , but perswade matrimonie to the perplexed votarie : as cardinal m aeneas syluius ( who was neuer lesse pius , then when he was pius ) giues this heartie aduice to his friend iohn freiind , a roman priest , that hee should ( notwithstanding his orders ) helpe himselfe by marriage ; yet the former will serue our turne . if therefore those superiours , which haue all lawfull and spirituall authoritie ouer vs , shall haue thought good , vpon this reasonable cause , to giue a generalitie of dispensation to all such of our clergie , as shall not after all carefull and serious indeuours , find themselues able to contayne ; allowing them by these lawfull remedies to quench those impure flames : what can any iesuite or deuill except against this ? this is simply the cleere case of them whose cause i maintayne . and yet further , put case this had not beene ; if without the thought of any romish dispensation , the n eastern church neuer held it needfull to require the vow of single life in the ministers of the altar , ( they know the words of their own glosse ) why should not our church challenge the same immunitie ; for ( that from the generall consideration of ecclesiastiques , as such , wee may turne our eyes to our ecclesiastiques , in speciall ) no church vnder heauen kept it selfe more free from the bondage of those tyrannous impositions . the o clergie of this island from the beginning , neuer offered any such vow , the bishops neuer required it , for more ( if any credit be due to histories ) then a thousand yeeres after christ . the great champion of rome , master harding , was driuen to say , they did it by a becke , if not by a dieu-gard , but could neuer proue it done by either . neither is it more worth my readers note , then my aduersaries indignation , that the wise prouidence of god so pleased to contriue it of old , as that from the beginning of the first conuersion of this happy island , it rather conspired with the greeke church , then with the roman ; after the grecian account we kept our easter , in so much , as beda tells vs , that pope iohn the fourth ( about the yeere . ) was fayne to require of the english , that they would keep their pasch after the roman fashion ; a difference ( as it was then taken ) of no small importance . the storie of saint aidanus and colmannus , may be herein an abundant witnes : and for the britons , beda left them in the cloze , both of his life and historie ; fast to greece , loose from rome . after the grecian forme we celebrated the sacrament of baptisme . after the grecian libertie wee continued the marriages of persons ecclesiasticall ( through so many centuries of yeeres ) without the scandall , without the contradiction of the christian world ; so as now we are but repossessed of the ancient right of our forefathers , which the interposition of the romish tyranny , for a while , iniuriously debarred . our aduersaries haue wont to brand vs for the vncharitable censures of our forefathers , and can they thinke the successions of many generations so faithlesse , that they made solemne vowes , for no other purpose , but onely to breake them ? it was the question of the rich and precious iewell of england , to which his hardie aduersarie had neuer the face to reply . my refuters forehead is stronger , with a weaker wit ; let him trie here the power of his audacitie . and if the church of this iland , in the dayes of her forced seruitude to the roman see , maintayned this libertie ( as we proue in the sequell ) and deriued it to posteritie , how much more free shall it bee for vs to renue and inioy it , after the iust excussion of that seruile yoke ? let now c. e. goe waste good houres , and marre cleane paper in disprouing the marriage of romish votaries ; and in the meane time come as neere my question , as thames is to tiber : what is this but to mocke the reader , and abuse himselfe ? how much wiser is hee growne in the processe of his discourse , where hee graunts our marriage , and denies our clergie ? from which weake and witlesse hold , if wee beate him not , in the due place , we suffer not enough from that rude hand . sect . iiii. hauing then hitherto detected no error , no ignorance but his owne ; hee now descends to vntruths , and finds here so many mistakings , lies , falsifications , that a reader would wonder , by what arte i could couch so many of them in so small a roome ; and might verily thinke that i could out-lie the legends , and out-iuggle a iesuite . but ere i haue done , these shall appeare to bee but the fictions of a passionate fugitiue , the man shall be cooler , i shall bee innocent , and my reader shall say , that if that forehead had not beene so oft crossed , it could not haue had so little shame . my first vntruth is , that i auouch saint paul to call the single life of priests , a doctrine of deuils . reader , is my detector awake ? i said , that to maintayne the vnlawfulnes of the marriage of the ministers of god , is , according to saint paul , a doctrine or deuils ; and now hee would perswade the world , i said thus of the single life of his priests . what can wee make of this ? that single life is a doctrine ? if not truth , yet let him learne to speake sense . but , that he may not alwayes refute what i neuer affirmed ; i must ghesse at what he meant : he would elude this charge , with that stale shift , worne out with the pens of his predecessors , that saint paul is to bee vnderstood according to theodoret , of those which call marriage execrable : according to saint austin , that say , marriage is euill , and of the deuils making : according to clemens alexandrinus , of those that abhorre marriage : of manichees , and other heretikes , as ambrose and epiphanius , from which catholikes are so farre , that they approue it for a sacrament . first , the words of saint paul are ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) forbidding to marry , not condemning marriage . then , we know well , what the tacians , ebionites , encratites , montanists , marcionites , manichees , adamites , and apostoliques held of matrimonie . the apostle brands them here : but what ? them onely ? whiles he condemnes them , doth hee free those that partake with them ? the act is one , forbiddance of marriage ; whether to some , or to more , or to all , s. paul expresses not : the number doth not varie the qualitie . and if one be a part of all , then to condemne marriage in some one kind of men , can it be other then the partaking of an vniuersall condemnation of it ? this then onely hee hath gayned , that some others haue beene deeper in this euill , then themselues . but our apostle speakes of them which condemne marriage as euill in it selfe . we take what he giues : no mans mouth shall condemne my refuter , but his owne . what was hee that accused marriage of vnholynesse , out of sancti estote ; of vncleannesse , out of omnia munda mundis ; of contamination with carnall concupiscence : was it not his owne pope p innocentius ? who was hee that interpreteth of marriage , the text rom. . . those that are in the flesh cannot please god , that called the married man no lesse then the whoremonger , sectatorem libidinum , praeceptorem vitiorum ; a follower of lust , a teacher of vice ; that said , marriage was a loosing the reynes to luxury , an inhiation after obscene lusts , was it not his pope q siricius , the first founder ( if wee may beleeue their now defaced glosse ) of forced continency ? who was it that called marriage a defiling with vncleane societie , and execrable contagion ? was it not his councell of r toledo ? who was it that called marriage ( spurcitias immundas ) filthy beastlinesse ? was it not his ſ saint dunstan and oswald ? let him construe this , and then tell mee , what it is ( if this bee not ) to condemne marriage as t euill . yet more , his owne example shall conuince him : he pleades out of saint austin , that this text amongst others , intends to strike at the manichees ; now , the manichees allowed marriage to their auditors , that is ( analogically ) their laity , forbad it to their electi , that is , their clergie ; so farre approuing it in their layick-clients , that no modest pen may write u whence they fetch 't their sacramentall bread : either then the manichees must bee excluded , or papists must bee taken in for company into this doctrine of deuils . it is true , they mis-call marriage a sacrament ; so as wee may well wonder at these two extremes in one doctrine : and study in vayne how the same thing should bee sacred in a ceremonious inchoation , and in the reall consummation morally impure , how a sacrament should bee incompatible with a sacred person : these sphyngian riddles are for better heads : with what brow then can my detector adde , that with saint chrysostome and saint avsten , they doe but compare marriage , they doe not condemne it ; onely teaching marriage to be good , virginity better ; with fulgentius not so comparing virginity to corne , that they count marriage cockle ? in this where should they finde an aduersary ? but , if luxury , filthinesse , vncleanenesse , contagion , beastlinesse , vice , obscenity , bee the stiles of good , wee can well allow them to the honour of es. virginitie , and are content our marriages should passe ; for euill . sect . v. my second vntruth ( he saith ) is , that i make the single life of priests the brand of antichristianisme . shamelesse mouth ! where did i euer say so ? my words are ; were it not for this opinion , the church of rome would want one euident brand of her antichristianisme . the life is one thing , the opinion another . single life is good , the opinion of the necessitie of single life , and the vnlawfulnesse of the married , is antichristian . what can bee more plaine ; yet this wilfull slanderer tells the world , that i make the profession of continence , antichristian : whereas wee doe willingly professe , that true profession of true continency is truely laudable ; that the forceable imposition of it , as necessary to some state of men , sauours strongly of that man of sinne : now , let my reader iudge , whose vntruths my aduersarie hath hitherto detected . neither can i eate that word of mine , vnlesse i would renounce the apostle ; who seemes purposely to decipher our romanists by these lines . for , hauing immediately before described the condition of bishops , and deacons , with their wiues & children ( allowing them indifferently with others a married estate ) hee presently ( as fore-seeing that point which would bee most subiect to contradiction ) fore-tells , that the seducing spirits of antichristianisme would forbid marriage ; and this hee fore-prophesies shall bee done in the latter , or ( as their vulgar and rhemists turne it ) in the last times ; and that by them , which shall speake lyes in hypocrisie . neither of which can so exactly agree to those first heretikes ; who , as they were early in time , so also grosse in their doctrine ; wherein there was more open impietie , then secret dissimulation . sect . vi. in vaine therefore doth my refuter bring in saint paul , as an a-better of his forced continence ; whiles he saith of yonger widowes , that , when they haue begun to waxe wanton against christ , they will marry , hauing damnation , because they haue forsaken their first faith . in which place ( boulted before to the bran by many controuersers ) mine aduersarie hath learned of his bellarmine , to triumph aboue measure . this first faith ( saith hee ) all the fathers , without exception , vnderstand to be a vow , or promise , made to god of continence , in the state of widdowhood . it is a wide word ( all the fathers . ) i had thought i had read in holy x athanasivs , vae vobis qui primam fidem baptismi coelitus institutam irritant facitis ; wo to you that make void the first faith of baptisme ordayned from heauen . i had thought y hierome had somewhere said , they are not worthy of beliefe , which haue voyded their first beliefe , marcion i meane and basilides ; whom yet i neuer found condemned for the breach of any vow of continence . i had thought , the authour of the interlinear glosse , would not haue crossed all the fathers , in expounding it , fidem baptismi ; the faith of baptisme , which is indeed the first faith ; and the apostle saith ( the first ) not ( the former ; ) as for that other , which he imagines , a vow of continued viduitie , it was neither faith nor first ; let him instance ( if hee can ) where our apostle takes faith for a vow . rather , as if hee meant to expound his owne word in this very scripture , and this occasion , he cleeres this doubt , whiles he speakes of the wilfully improuident man , that he hath denyed the faith , and is worse then an infidell ; and now in the same context , he speaks of these peruerted widdowes , that they haue forsaken the faith. much lesse is it the first , whether in time , or dignitie : for , they could not haue beene church-widdowes , if not christians ; and they could not bee christians , if they should haue valued the vow of their widdowhood aboue the vow of their christendome ; yea , so farre was this from the first vow , ( if it had beene one ) as that it was the last of all ; for according to them ; their first faith must bee to their husband , their second to christ , in their initiation to religion ; their last in the vow of widdow-hood ; so as here is a fayned vow made faith , and last made first ; and all to vphold a crazy conceit of our romanists , which hath no other ground but this one ambiguity . chrysostome indeede calls it ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ad pactum ; a couenant ; but what couenant , or with whom , he expresses not ; whether of christianity , or of widdowhood , or of ministration ; some of the others that follow'd him , spake according to the glosse which the corrupt conceit of the times had set vpon him . but what neede my refuter stand vpon particular authors ( he sayes ) when he may bring . bishops all sitting in councell at carthage , all agreeing in this exposition , poynting vs to the fourth councell of carthage ( canone vlt. ) his gratian had wont to tell vs ( for the more grace ) that it was in the third councell of carthage , can. . now he is taught to change his note ; so doth c. e. with his binius , tell vs it was the fourth councell and the last canon . wee haue reason to suspect it was in neither ; the very stile and maner of discourse so different from the rest of those briefe canons , and the fashion of those times , carry in it open likelihood of bastardie : it was an easie fraud to patch it to the end of those canons ; neither ( which learned iunius taught me first to obserue ) is it found among the greeke ; then which there cannot be a worse signe . but that i may at once answere this vaunt of actiquitie , and stop the mouth of this cauiller ; let me aske him whether those fathers , whom he cites for this sense , doe not take those yong widdowes for votaries ? if they doe ( as hee cannot denie ) how can these two stand together , that they should haue damnation because against their vow , they would marry ; and yet that the apostle should wish them to marry ? can he imagine that saint paul would aduise them to incurre wilful damnation ? and if in this i should haue dissented from the interpretation of much antiquitie , i should but take to my selfe the liberty of his masters the iesuites , with whom this is no nouelty ; for instance , his not vnlearned , and bold z maldonate ( as we shall see afterwards ) vpon a text of this very question , confessing the current of the streame of antiquitie , can come in , at last , with a doctorly wipe of adduci non possum vt sequar ; i cannot goe with them : this priuiledge is for none but the fathers of the society , to controll the fathers of the church . the state then of these widdowes was shortly this : they being for their pouerty sustayned by church-alms , vpon * condition of attendance on the saints , whether sicke or trauelling , were to dedicate themselues to this seruice ; but , some of the yonger sort being inueigled by infidell-louers , were drawn to leaue , not their station only of their ministration , but their profession of christianitie : these had damnation most iustly , for casting off their first faith. their marriage was accidentally faultie , because it forced them from their holy imployment ; their apostasie was absolutely and damnably sinfull , in that they left christ , and followed after satan . the inextricable dilemma then of my detector is easily answered ; ( i demand now of master hall , whether these yong widdowes , in breaking their vowes , did sinne , or not ; if they did not ; why shall they haue damnation ; if they did sinne ( as indeed they did ) then how is the vow vnlawfull ? how the brand of antichristianisme ? ) nothing can bee more base then to beg the question ; what doe we dispute , but whether any vow were made ? and if any , whether of continence , or of seruice ? but why then shall they haue damnation ? for waxing wanton against christ , not meerely for marrying . if to marry , were to waxe wanton against christ , why would the apostle haue aduised it them ? in a word , for abandoning both their office and religion . lastly , who can but wonder at the face of our aduersaries , that dare bring forth so playne a witnesse against themselues ? for ; if the vow of continence be the first faith here spoken of , then may not any woman by the apostles charge make this vow , till shee bee threescore yeeres old ; which , how is it at this day practized in the romish church ? since , and as the caesar-augustane councell , and the agathense abated it to fortie yeeres , and the third councell of carthage yet lower to fiue and twentie ; so pope gregorie fell yet lower to eighteene ; and some other councels yet lower to twelue ; although the trent-conference very liberally rise vp to whole sixteene : either therefore let them grant that our apostle speaks not of votaries , or else let them follow his rule of the age of votaries , that the world may thinke they haue honest nunneries ; and let them confesse their change presumptuous . thus , i hope , this gordian knot , that requires more strength then master hal●s learning , and a sharper edge then alexanders sword to dissolued , or cut , is proued more easie then the knot of a friers girdle , which a very dull whittle may cut asunder ; and es. appeale to all scholers , proclaymes him ignorantly confident . sect . vii . if it had not beene for two poore words of mine ( both yet misse-vnderstood ) i wonder how c. e. could haue discouered to the world his dexteritie , in seruing out his oftsodden cole-worts ; the refuse of his bellarmine , and coccius . a threescore and foure pages , or more , hath hee brauely spent in the vindication of virginitie , which neuer honest and wise man opposed . let their shauelings ( i said ) speake for themselues , vpon whom their vnlawfull vow hath forced a wilfull and impossible necessitie . the man is angrie that i meddled with his crowne ; but if his haire had not beene longer then his wit , this deepe offence had neuer beene ; for , if he had taken my words , cum grano salis , in the sense which they will onely well beare : ( let such of their shauelings , as vpon whom an vnlawful vow hath forced an impossible necessitie , speake for themselues ) ( none other neede speaking for ) he had found the sentence so particular , that it might haue spared him both much splene and worke ; since , neither was it in my heart euer to affirme the obseruation of this vow impossible to any man , neither will hee ( i hope ) hold that it is kept by all : it is not in the power of the razor , together with the haires , to cut off inordinate affections ; some vow which cannot contayne : vpon this supposition onely , i called this necessitie impossible , and this vow vnlawful ; i cannot therefore but pitty my passionate detector , that hee hath set himselfe all on a froth , in running this wild-goose chase alone , following nothing but his owne fancy , whiles hee pursues a certayne chimericall monster , that holds continence vtterly & vniuersally impossible . and that hee may the better repent him of this witlesse waste , and preuent the spoile of good paper hereafter , let him know at once ( which perhaps hath not hitherto beene allowed him ) what wee hold concerning this point . wee doe therefore from our hearts honour true virginitie , as the most excellent estate of life , which is incident to fraile humanity ; gerson hath taught vs not to call it a vertue , but it is cousin-german to a vertue ; neither doe wee thinke that the earth affords any thing more glorious , then eunuchisme for the kingdom of heauen ; which is therefore commended by our sauiour , not as a thing meerely arbitrarie , by way of aduice , but of charge to the able . qui potest capere , capiat ; in this we can gladly subscribe to saint chrysostome , bonum est virginitas , &c. virginitie is good , i yeeld it ; and better then marriage , i confesse it . secondly , euery man therefore ( not ecclesiastiques onely ) should labour , and striue to aspire vnto this estate , as the better , vsing all holy meanes both to attayne , and to continue it : neither doe wee thinke it any other then blameable , that yong persons ( not so much as aduising with their owne abilities ) without all indeuour and ambition of so worthy a condition , leape rashly into the bands of wedlocke . thirdly , though euery man must reach for it , yet euery man cannot catch it ; since it hath pleased god to reserue this as a peculiar gift for some persons , not intending it as a common fauour to all suiters . fourthly , those then , which are vpon good triall conscious to themselues of gods call to this estate , and his gift inabling them vnto it , may lawfully make profession therof to the glorie of the giuer , and ( if need be ) may vow ( god continuing the same grace vnto them ) an holy perpetuation thereof to their end ; the obseruation whereof , if they through their owne neglect shall let fall , they cannot bee excused from b sinne , or freed from censure : but those , which after all serious indeuours find nothing but weaknesse and vncertaynties in this behalfe , shall sinne , if they absolutely vow ; shall not sinne if they marry , in what condition of life soeuer ; not sinne in marrying , how euer their marriage may haue faultie circumstances . now , my detector by this time in our assertions sees his owne folly ; if against this hee can except ought , he knowes where to find an aduersary : in the meane time , hee needed not to take it so highly , that in the romish vse of vowes , i made mention of vnlawfulnesse , of impossibility ; vnlawfulnesse in the making , impossibility in keeping ; i am readie to maintaine both , in respect of the indisposition , yea incapacitie of the votaries . sect . viii . bvt in speaking of the impossibility of some mens continencie , it was not possible for my refuter to containe himselfe from a scurrill inuectiue against luther , pellican , bucer ; and it becomes him well . his fathers , like sepulchrall dogges , tore vp the graues of gods saints , and gnawed vpon their dead bones , and now this whelpe of theirs commingit cineros , bedribbles their ashes . the heroicall spirit of luther ( for i cannot be flouted out of that word ) hated the brothelry of their cloysters ; and chose rather ( which galls them to the heart ) to be an honest husband , then a fornicating frier . what did hee other in this , then the holy fathers haue aduised him , yea then hee learned in their owne schoole ? for casting , perhaps , his eye vpon the index of their aquinas , he found there , votum vergens , &c. a vow tending to the danger of the person , may be securely broken , if a dispensation cannot bee had : what other then all their more ingenuous casuists would thinke fit to giue way vnto . if luther would haue still kept on his cowle , & but haue paid the fees of a concubine , he had liued & dyed an holy augustinian : but now all his crimes sinke downe out of sight , vna vxor supernatat ( as that father said ) his wife onely floteth : and poore honest katherine bora hath made more noyse in their papers , then ten thousand of their curtizans . neyther needs this man any other inscription on his graue to make him odious , then this , here lyes the man that held marriage better then fornication . if now doctor luther in a vehement detestation of the impuritie of their holy stewes , after the homely plainenesse of a blunt german libertie , vsed some ouer-broad speeches to expresse his owne freedome , and their abominations ; what is this to vs ? if we honor the man , must wee hold his pen impeccable ? this is enough to maintaine in their vice-god of the seuen hills . for vs , wee haue sworne into the words of no master , but that one in heauen , the eternall word of his father . but this we dare say , that this aduersaries truth is no more in fathering all these reports vpon luther , then in fathering luther vpon an incubus . one of them tels vs , that a deuil begot him : another tels vs , that ( by his owne confession ) a conference with the deuil begot his opposition to the masse : another , d that he was in league and fauour with solyman the great turke , who by his instigation was drawne to warre vpon christendome : another , e that luther would haue beene a king alone , and that from him sprang the rebellion of muntzer : another , f that leonard knoppen was his bawd , and that his katherine , for two yeeres together after her stealing away , was debauched by the schollers of wittenberge : and now lastly , comes in that malicious apostate ( which should rather haue changed the false name of iustus , g then the ouer-worthy name of caluinus ) and auouches , forsooth , that lvther was yesterday a monk , to day contracted , to morrow an husband , the next day a father . goe on , yee brazen-faced parasites of rome , lyes and bloud may bring you into the kalender . but this last , my detector countenances by the testimonie of erasmus , who , in a letter of his to his friend daniel mauchius of vlmes , deliuers the same storie in more words . reader , bee intreated to looke ouer that large volume of erasmus his epistles , and if there be no such man found there ( as there is not ) no such letter , iudge what to thinke of these mens fidelitie . yea to the plaine contrarie , my detector ( hauing not memorie enough for a true lyer ) in the page . vpon another occasiō , contemptuously citing luthers brood out of his own workes , confutes this spightfull fiction . anno . iunij . vxorem duxi , &c. in the yeere , saith hee , . on the . of iune , i marryed ; in the yeere . my eldest sonne iohn was borne : in the yeere . my daughter elizabeth , and so the rest . eyther then my man hath a new kalender of his owne , which contrarie to the gregorian begins the yeere on iune . or else luther was not a father the next day after he was an husband . but what doe i trouble my reader with this idle scoganisme ? scolds or iesters are onely fit for this combat . as for those excessiue speeches of comparison , whereby luther points forth the necessitie of carnall actions , they are spoken onely of such persons , as haue not the gift of continencie ; whom naturall inclination ( by which they are led ) carries ( without an higher restraint ) importunately vnto these desires : wherein he saies not much other then their owne saint , aqvinas , omnibus animalibus , &c. in all perfect liuing creatures there is a naturall inclination to carnall coniunction . but when luther speakes of men blessed from aboue with this gift , c. e. might haue heard him in another straine ; pleading both the possibility and worthinesse of this condition . as in his commentary vpon the h psalme . vers . . ( to giue one for all ) thus he saith , for one and the same spirit hath distributed his gifts to some after one manner , and to some after another , &c. let them therefore , to whom it is giuen to receiue this , abide in their single life , and let them glorie in the lord : on the other side , let them that are not so strong , but know and feele their infirmitie , that they cannot liue both chaste , and out of matrimonie : let these , i say , consider more their owne infirmitie , then the discommodities and troubles that belong vnto matrimonie . thus hee grauely and holily . sect . ix . now to follow my aduersary in particulars : whereas all the world sees , that the vnlawfulnesse of their vow depends vpon the inability of performance ; hee , like a true artist , begins first with the vnlawfulnesse . it is well that all these sheets of paper which he hath spent in this poynt , may serue for some necessarie vse ; this which he hath put them to , is foolishly superfluous . if the vow of chastitie be vnlawfull ( he saith ) it must be eyther in respect of the vow , or the matter vowed ; not the first , because vowes in generall are lawfull ; which he will proue out of scripture , and fathers . idle head ! who euer denied it , but the exploded lampetians ? his owne cardinall could haue taught him , that luther and caluin approue the vowing of things commanded , first ; and then of things not commanded too , to the auoyding of sinne , or other good purposes ; not the second , which hee will proue by many arguments ; some of them from the fathers , extolling virginitie , and comparing it with the state of angels , and preferring it before marriage : and who eeuer thought otherwise , except iouinian ? and perhaps not hee : and at last , after some seuere examples of penance inioyned to fornicating vow-breakers , by chrysostome and basil , to incontinencie and rape , by the ciuill lawes ( as if these concerned vs so much as themselues ) he descends to this challenge ; let mr hall ( if he be able ) produce vs some proofe , although but one classicall authoritie of any one ancient writer , where he hath euer perswaded such as haue solemnely vowed chastitie , to vse marriage as a meanes to ouercome temptations , and hee shall haue some excuse for calling it a filthie vow ; and his heroicall lvther for terming it a diabolicall thing : so hee . i take him at his word ; onely let him not flye forth vpon the shift of solemnity , which their scholer lately hatched ; that were to seeke gray hayres in infancie ; first , i bring forth that famous place of saint cyprian in his epistle written both in his owne name , and his fellow-bishops to pomponius , concerning some vowed virgins which were found in bed with men , whereof one was a deacon ; of which virgines he with his brethren passe this sentence , k quod si se ex fide christo dicauerunt , &c. if they ( saith hee ) haue faithfully dedicated themselues vnto christ , let them without all deceit perseuere in the course of chastitie , and so couragiously and constantly expect the reward of their virginitie ; si autem perseuerare nolunt , vel non possunt , &c. but if eyther they will not , or cannot perseuere , it is better that they marrie , then by their wantonnesse fall into the fire ; let them giue no scandall to their brethren and sisters . what could luther or caluin write more directly ? so that erasmus notes in the margine , etiam virginibus sacris permitit nubere ; here cyprian permits euen holy virgines to marry . l bellarmines shift hereof is ridiculous , that cyprian , by occasion of some virgins which after their vow behaued themselues dishonestly , aduised others , that if they had not a firme purpose of perseuering , they should not vow , but marrie ; whom we remit to the checke of his owne pamelius , of his conscience ; indeed , what is this but to mocke both the author , and the reader ? for doth cyprian at all varie the persons of whom hee speakes ? doth he not speake plainly of virgins deuoted to christ ? and what perseuering could there be but in that which they had vndertaken ? and what had they vndertaken , but a dedication of themselues to christ ? what is this , reader , but willingly to try his oares against the streame of truth ? to the same purpose is that noted sentence of hierome , ( m though otherwise none of the best friends to marriage ) who speaking of virgins , ascribed by their vow into the celestiall family , addes , quibus apertè dicendum , &c. whom we must openly charge that eyther they would marry , if they cannot containe , or , that they would contayne , if they will not marrie . we know the elusion of this place also ; that hierome speakes of virgins in purpose , not in vow ; but whose name , i beseech you , was defamed by their lewdnesse ? or , what was the heauenly and angelicall family , whose glory was blemished herewith ? was it of any other then professed virgins ? or could the act of a purposed virgin onely , shame virgins professed ? to the same purpose is the aduice of n basil and o epiphanius . adde to these an elder then they all , tertullian , & with him all those fathers , which interpret saint pauls ( vo●o iuniores nubere ) of vowed widdowes ; all which must needes hold , that our apostle allowes marriage for the lawfull remedie of vnable votaries . let not this malicious masse-priest then turne vs ouer to his tyberianus , or iouinian , for the first founders of our opinion , and practice , which we receiued from no other then that diuine arch-heretike , that sate at the feete of gamaliel ; from no other , then the holily-hereticall fathers and martyrs of the church ; as for those two mis-alledged authors , to whom hee ascribes vs , his skill doth palpably fayle him in both : for tyberianus , he beeing suspected of priscillianisme , wrote affectly against that heresie , at last foulely fell to that , which hee disclaymed ; whereon it was that hierome sayes , canis ad vomitum , not vpon the marriage of his daughter . and for that particular fact , it is no lesse mis-taken . hierome sayes onely , filiam virginem christo deuotam , matrimonio copulauit ; but sophronius ( who it seemes well know the storie ) turnes it ( o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ) compelled his daughter ( a consecrated virgin ) to marry . a foule fact , which we detest no lesse , then the contrary practice of those romanists , who compell their daughters ( which would marrie ) to bee consecrated virgins . it is then no lesse false that tyberian gaue beginning to vs , then it is true that tyburne hath giuen a iust end to some of them . for iouinian , what is he to vs ? when neyther our practice was his , nor his opinion ours . not our practice ; for he liued and dyed a single monke . not his opinion ; how can wee be said to admit marriage to an equall share of merit with virginitie , when wee deny merit in eyther ? againe , that eunuchisme ( not in it selfe , but ) for the kingdome of heauen , is better then it we doubt not ; but when p these two are reduced to their subiects ; their value is according to their vse . chrysostome could say r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. vse marriage with meete moderation , and thou shalt be the first in the kingdome ; and gregorie nazianzen ( besides that he saith of his sister gorgonia ) when he commends the children of bazil the elder , ſ tells vs , some of them so vsed their marriage , that it was no hindrance to them , quo minùs ad pacem virtutis gloriam aspirarent ; that they might not aspire to an equall glorie of vertue with the virgins ; and made these two rather different kinds of life , then maners of liuing . saint chrysostome then , and nazianzen , shall vsher vs into the schole of iouinian . and if iouinian were formosus monachus , crassus , nitidus , &c. a fayre , fat , spruce monke ( as hee saith ; ) mee thinkes hee should rather haue hoped to match him in their sybariticall cloysters , where they abound with meat , and drinke , and ease , then in our laborious clergie ; it is happy for vs , and for that reuerend archbishop marcus anton. de dominis , that this rayler can obiect nothing to him but an harmelesse lode of corpulencie . it moues their spleene enough , that this learned prelate hath honoured our iland with a dalmatian pall ; their cause feeles that he can ( notwithstanding ) passe into the pulpit : what speake they of this ? when , to their sorrow , they see hee could passe ouer the alpes to leaue rome . this beagle , and his balling beyerlinck , and the kennel of sorbon , may bay at him , but not one of their bandogs dare fasten . but why doe i suffer this babbler to lead mee out of my way ? what is all this sleeuelesse discourse to a man that neuer said , neuer thought euery vow of this kinde vnlawfull , nor euery breach of such vow sinlesse ? when he takes mee with this tenet , let him load mee with authorities ; till then , his now-friuolous papers may serue for any honest vse . sect . x. no lesse wise and proper is that other discourse of impossibilitie : for , to make short worke ; that no man can contayne ( though it be giuen him ) i neuer said ; that any man may contayne ( though it bee not giuen him ) either he will not say , or if he doe , he hath christ for his aduersarie . why doe wee blot paper ? how the performance of this vow is not possible only for all , but p facill also , ( which he contendeth ) the issue proues too well , and the world blushes to see it . let it not be too much burden to his patience , that i said , some of their shauelings cannot hold ; he knowes what their glosse vpon gratian said of old ( though now they haue pulled out that tongue for blabbing ) q communiter dicitur , &c. it is commonly said that a clerke ought not to bee deposed for simple fornication , cùm pauci sine illo vitio inueniantur ; since there are but a few found without that vice . this they haue wiped out of the booke , but the margarita decreti ( as happy is ) holds it still : and their honest r cassander ▪ yet more plainely , vix centesimum inuenias , you shall scarce finde one of an hundred free : and , if need were , i could tell him out of our old ſ bromiard , what the voice of a ghost said to a priest of theirs , but i will not ; only thus he shut vp ; that there came daily such store of priests to hell for their luxury , in plaine english , lechery , that hee had not thought there had beene any left vpon earth . and to these i could adde the ierks of their zealous preacher , frier menot , who fetches the threefold shame of their clergie out of the aue mary ; the second wherof ( though the first in mischiefe ) is , in mulieribus . but what should i fill carts with such stuffe , as i easily might , when the salacitie of the romish clergie , is growne to be the prouerbe , and scorne of the world ? let not my refuter scare vs with the threat of recriminations , wee know that in all professions , there may bee found lewdnesse enough . but , when all is done , we shall iustifie that which worthy b. iewell said long agoe , scortum apud nos modestiùs viuit , quàm apud vos penelope ; our strumpet is their penelope . what needed hee therefore to vpbraid vs with that frumpe of erasmvs ( que malùm est ista tanta salacitas , & c ? ) when he knowes how easily we can ouer-pay him in this coyne ? was it not erasmus , whose word it was ( which master doctor collet , deane of pauls , was wont to haue familiarly in his mouth . ) t nunc is est rerum ac temporum status , vt nusquam reperias minus inquinatam morum integritatem , quàm inter coniugatos ? now such is the state of the times , that you shall neuer find lesse corruption of manners & life , then amongst the married . was it not erasmus that said ▪ atque vtinam verè castrati sint , quicunque suis vitijs magnificum castrationis praetexunt titulum , sub vmbra castitatis turpiùs libidinantes , &c. neque enim mei pudoris esse puto commemorare , in quae dedecora saepe prolabantur qui naturae repugnant , &c. this is enough to let my detector see , wee need not die in his debt for erasmus . sect . xi . bvt it is no arguing from the act to the possibilitie . these did not contayne , but they might . what ? whether it were giuen them or no ? so seems mine aduersarie to hold , whiles hee censures luther , for saying , that this is gods gift ; and that here we can only take , and not giue . yea , but if they had asked , it would haue beene giuen them . aske , and it shall bee giuen : so sayes my refuter , out of origen , none of the best interpreters ; so his masters the iesuites ; sufficit promissio generalis , saith * bellarmine . by this rule , if the cardinall should but pray for the popedom , the three crownes must come tumbling vpon his head ; and if c. e. should but pray for a red hat , it would haue mercuriall wings and come flying to doway ; i would hee had but prayed for wit , hee had then perhaps beene silent : not considering , that virginitie , and honour , and degrees of wit ( though excellent in their kindes ) yet are such things , as without which wee may inioy god , and goe to heauen , and therefore that perhaps god sees it best for vs to aske them , and goe without . what can be more plaine then that of * hierome ; if all might be virgins , christ would neuer haue said , qui potest capere , capiat ; neither would the apostle so timorously haue perswaded to virginity ; could he euer suppose that virginitie might bee had without prayers : and yet hee sayes , if all might bee virgins , &c. who would not haue thought , that this one text of our sauiour , should haue stopt all mouthes ? his disciples had said ; if thus , it is good not to marry : he replyes ; all men cannot receiue this word , saue they to whom it is giuen ; and concludes , he that is able to receiue it , let him receiue it . yet here , see the forehead of a iesuite : maldonate vpon the place dares say thus : * that hee saith , all men doe not receiue this word , all interpreters ( almost ) doe so expound it , as if the sense were ; all men cannot performe this which you say , that is , want a wife , because all haue not the gift of chastitie , but onely those to whom it is giuen ; for which hee cites only origen , gregorie nazianzene , ambrose , concealing the rest of his , almost all ; yet after , in the same page ( forgetting himselfe ) solus d. augustinus , &c. onely saint austin vses ( saith hee ) to teach , that this gift of continencie is not giuen to all , but to some onely . it is happy yet that herein wee are granted to erre with saint austin ; and yet , ere long , we take in origen , nazianzene , ambrose , hierome , and at last , ouertake , ferè omnes ; so as wee neede not feare solitarinesse in this error . but what sayes the iesuite to this good companie ? adduci non possum vt sequar ; no maruell : marke , how well the iesuites follow iesvs himselfe : iesvs saies , all men cannot receiue this : the iesuites say , * all men may receiue it . iesvs sayes , it must bee giuen from god ; the iesuites say , a it is so the gift of god , that it is in the power of man. how can we looke to escape their opposition , when they dare thus contradict their sauiour ? for me , i shall be still in this heresie , that all their priests , and monks , and nunnes cannot contayne : and his b bonauenture shall beare me out , who teaches me , that to the third degree of chastitie ( requiri priuilegium singulare ) there is a singular priuiledge required ; for that it seemes to be aboue the pitch of naturall possibilitie , to liue in the flesh , and not to feele the faults of flesh . sect . xii . as for his holy sisters at bruxells , the touch of whom hath so much enfired his ghostly zeale ; i intended no quarrell to them in particular ; they may bee as honest , as their champion is malicious . what i said , was out of the supposition of the common frailty ; and if hee haue beene so much in their bosome , as to know they neuer repented them , it is well known , that others haue ; whose song hath been in the hearing of those i know : what shall i doe , shall i die , and neuer married be ? like vnto those vestals , faelices nuptae , moriar nisi nubere dulceest . as for the mischief following hence , the visible monuments of so many murthered infants ( if not in gregories ponds ) in the very place where i now liue and c elsewhere , conuinces it too much . but d my example ( ywis ) shall cleere his vestalls of bruxells , and all other votaries . master hall was absent ( some three moneths ) in france ; flesh is fraile , temptations frequent ( adde to these his body sickly , and well-neere to death ) yet both then , and before his marriage , hee would take it in great scorne ( as well he might ) to be suspected for dishonest . true , and might defie men and deuils in that challenge . what of this ? it followes then : if master hall could for so long together liue a chaste life , why no more ? why not alwayes ? demonstratiuely concluded : as if a man should say , c. e. doth speake some wise words , how can he at any time write thus foolishly ? a christian hath sometimes grace to auoyd a temptation , why not alwayes ? why doth hee not keepe himselfe euer from sinning ? a good swimmer may hold his breath vnder the water for some portion of a minute , why not for an houre ? why not for more ? a deuout papist may fast after his breake-fast , till his dinner in the after-noone , therefore why not a weeke ? why not a moneth ? why not so long as eue the maid of meurs ? the spirit of god ( if at least hee may bee allowed for the author of continency ) breatheth where , and when he listeth ; and that god which makes marriages in heauen , either auerts the hart from these thoughts , or inclines it at his pleasure . shortly , the great doctor of the gentiles had neuer learned this diuinitie of doway , whose charge is , e defraud not one another , except with consent for a season , that yee may giue your selues to fasting and prayer : and againe , come together , that satan tempt you not through your incontinency : he only wanted my monitor , to jogge him on the elbow , as here : what needs all this fleshlinesse ? if they can safely contayne , whiles they giue themselues to extraordinary deuotion , why not more ? why not alwayes ? it is pitty , that no man would aduise the apostle , how great a gap this doctrine of his opens to all lasciuiousnesse . let mee but haue leaue to put saint pauls name in stead of mine , into this challenge of my refuter , and thus he argues . if saint pavl say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for a while they are able to liue chaste , but not for any long while ; i aske againe , how long that while shall indure ? and what warrant they haue therein for not falling ? seeing it may so fall out , that in the while appointed , they may bee more tempted then they shall bee againe in all their liues after : how sawcy would this sophistrie bee ? how shamelesse ? the words are his ; onely the name is changed ; what the elect vessell would answere in such a case for himselfe , let c. e. suppose returned by mee . sect . xiii . the refuter hath borrowed some weapons of his master bellarmine , and knowes not how to weare them . it would moue any mans disdayne to see , how absurdly those poore arguments are blundred together ; we must distinguish them as we may . first , saint paul condemnes the young widdowes mentioned ; therfore he ouerthrowes this impossibility of contayning . i answere : saint paul aduises the young widdowes to marry , and admits none into the church-book , vnder threescore yeeres ▪ therefore he establishes in some , this impossibility . secondly , saint paul aduises timothie to liue chaste . reader , tell him the word is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which their owne vulgar , . tit. . turnes , sober ; and in . tit. . prudent ; but , to grant him his owne phrase ; can my detector descry no difference betwixt chaste and single ? did hee and his fellowes neuer heare of a coniugall chastity ? so they haue still wont to speake , as if chastity were only opposite to marriage , as if no single life could bee vnchaste . his espencaeus might haue taught him that verse in virgil , casta pudicitiam seruat domus : and hee might haue heard of that roman law of vestals , castae ex castis , purae ex puris sunto ; yea , his erasmus might haue taught him yet further , f e diuerso nihil prohibet in coniugio virginitati locum esse ; that euen in marriage there may bee virginitie . thirdly , the fathers exhort to virginity ; especially saint ambrose and saint austin . let him tell this to them that know it not , to them that dislike true chastity in virgins , not to them that condemne vnchastnesse in a pretended virginity . to what vertue doe not the fathers exhort ? yet neuer supposing them to be within our lure . lastly , where is the shame of my refuter , that cites austin as the man on whom hee depends for this vniuersall possibility of continency : when his owne maldonate professes that saint austin is the only enemie to this doctrine ? fourthly , where there is impossibility or necessity , there is no sinne , no counsaile ; as no man sinnes in not making new starres , in not doing miracles . a stale shift , that oft sounded in the eares of austin and prosper from their pelagians ; the naturall man in this deprauednesse of estate cannot but offend god , therefore hee sinnes not in sinning : counsell giuen shewes what wee should doe , not what we can . g iubendo admonet , &c. saith austin ; in commanding , he admonisheth vs both to doe what wee can , and to aske that which wee cannot doe . in continency then our indeuour is required for the attayning of that which god will giue vs ; god neuer imployed vs in making of starres ; though my refuter is euery day set on greater worke , then making of him that made starres . lastly , it is true , there is no sinne in marrying , there may be sinne ( after a vow ) in not vsing all lawfull meanes of chastity : the fathers therefore supposing a h pre-required assurance of the gift , and calling of god in those , whom mature deliberation , and long proofe had couered with the vayle of virginity , doe iustly both call for their continuance , and censure their lapses . fiftly , vpon this ground the father cannot blame his childe for incontinence ; to contayne implyes impossibility . aske him wherfore serues marriage ? yea , but to prouide an husband or a wife , is not a worke of an houres warning ; in the meane time what shall they doe ? sure , the man thinks of those hot regions of his religion , where they are so sharpe set , that they must haue stewes allowed of one sexe at least ; else what strange violence is this that he conceiues ? as our iunius answered his bellarmine , in the like , hic homo sibi videtur agere de equis admissarijs ruentibus in venerem , & de hippomane , non de hominibus ratione praeditis ; he speaks as if hee had to doe with stallions , not with men , not with christians , amongst whom is to bee supposed a decent order , and due regard of seasonablenesse , and expediency : a doughty argument , wherewith master hall is sore pressed . ( they may contayne till they marry , and therefore they may euer contayne and not marry . ) how easie is it for me to take vp this lode , and lay it vpon my sauiour , which sayd , all men cannot receiue it ; and vpon his great apostle of the gentiles , who hath taught vs an ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a proper gift , which god hath bestowed on some , not on others , and supposes a necessitie , that may bee , of giuing a virgin in marriage ? sixtly , the husband and wife are separated vpon discord , or disease : what shall they doe ? to liue continent with this man is impossible . i answere ; if only their will sunder them , that must yeeld to necessity ; dissension may not abridge them of the necessary remedy of sinne . if necessity , that findes reliefe in their prayers ; if they call on him who calls them to continencie by this hand of his , hee will heare them , and inable them to persist . and why not then in the necessitie of our vowes ? this is a necessitie of our owne making ; that is of his ; hee hath bound himselfe to keepe his owne promises , not ours . sect . xiiii . whiles his fellow , or master , maldonate , talks of confuting austin in this very point , by austin himselfe , this man will confute vs by him ; whom hee no otherwise cites for himselfe , then his ancestor pelagius cites lactantius , hilarie , ambrose , hierome , and austin in this case . the thing ( saith he ) is in our power , and though it require the assistance of gods grace , which still preuenteth our will , yet that hinders not , but that wee may ( if we list ) liue chaste all the dayes of our life , as wee may vpon the same termes beleeue in god , and loue him . what impudency is this , to make him the patron of the power of our free-will to god , whome all the world knowes to haue beene malleus pelagianorum ? and who in so many volumes damnes this conceit to the pit of hell ; euermore so establishing the naturall facultie and vse of the will against stoicall necessitie , as that hee abandons any power of the act , or exercise of it vnto good ( without grace ) against humane presumption . when hee speakes of this , here is not a cold & feeble preuention , but an effectuall inoperation , yea a powerfull creation . since my refuter then will needs bee paralelling our abilitie of contayning , and of beleeuing , let him heare that holy father say , i non solùm deus posse nostrum , &c. god doth not only giue , and helpe our power to good , but workes in vs both our will and working of good . and elsewhere ; k he is drawne to christ , to whom it is giuen to beleeue in christ : power is therefore giuen vnto them to bee made the sonnes of god , which beleeue in him , when this is giuen them to beleeue in him . and so farre is he from saying with my detector and his bellarmine , that who lists may beleeue when he lists , that he reasons thus ? quid mihi ostendis , & c ? l what dost thou tell me of thy free-will ; which can neuer bee free to do good , except thou be a sheep of god ? hee therefore that makes men to bee his sheepe , frees the wills of men to the obedience of pietie : but why doth he make these men sheepe , and those not , since with him is no respect of persons ? the apostle answeres , o homo ! &c. thus he . eyther therefore let him neuer cite s. austin against vs in this point , or else wee must bee forced to countercite him once more then we meant . m planè possumus dicere frontem haereticorum non esse frontem : and if there could bee any more on that holy fathers score , father maldonate hath paid it for vs. to conclude therefore for him ; arbitrium humanae voluntatis nequaquam destruimus : wee know no man doth well against his will ; god was not to make virgins by force ; and the same goodnesse that giues chastity to the marryed , continues virginity to the single : what of all this ? therefore ( saith he ) it is as wel in the power of al single persons to be alwayes continent , as of the marryed to keepe coniugall chastitie : an illation and conclusion worthy of my refuters logike and diuinitie ; as if he argued thus for himselfe ; the same god that disposes of orders , disposes of the popedome : therefore i may as well looke to weare three crownes , as one shauen . or the same god giues both life , and grace , and glorie . therefore all those that liue the naturall life , may also liue the spirituall , and glorious . who sees not the reason of these vnlike ? coniugall honestie is absolutely commanded of god to all marryed persons ; perpetuation of virginitie ( hee grants ) was neuer commanded ; the breach of coniugall honestie , is of it selfe , a sinne to all ; marriage is not so . against the one therefore , we may absolutely pray in n faith , against the other but with condition ; god hath promised to deliuer vs from our sinnes , not from our marriage . as for saint ambrose , wee easily grant him large in the prayse of virginitie : but no one word of all his cited authorities toucheth our assertion : the helpes of the church , the seruice of angels , the merit of the prayers of our sauiour we yeeld to bee good meanes of continence , where it is intended ; but that it is meant to all commers , we deny ; let the successe speake . neither doe we taxe the vow for any improbitie in it selfe , but for the incapacitie of the persons : the vow were good , if the men were not eyther euill , or vnfit . and here o by the way ; whereas c. e. like a masterly monitor wishes master hall to reade the diuine workes of ambrose , concerning this subiect ; master hall is bold ( in requitall ) to tell c. e. that he knowes not ambrose ; and to teach him ( since he hath not learn'd it of other masters ) that the book which he so oft , & so solemnly cites for ambroses , p ad virginem lapsam , is a noted counterfeit , a true nouatian ; which his graue ignorance might haue heard from his bellarmine and posseuine . and how much better is that other tract which hee q cites from ambrose , epist . . wherein mention is made of * venice ; which was not extant till ambrose was not ? and the comentarie of ambrose , vpon . tim. . whence hee fetches his forceablest r testimonie for forced continencie ; slit in the nose , and bored in the eare long-since by ſ salmeron , baronius , bellarmine , and francis lucas . of the same stampe ( that the reader may here see once for all how he is gulled by this false priest with foysted authorities ) is his avgvstine , de bono viduatis , t thrice by him heere quoted , not without great triumph ; branded by erasmus , hosius , lindanus : as likewise u his avgvstine , de eccles . dogmat . confessed counterfeit by bellarmine , and his friends of louaine : and x the sermons , de tempore ; cashiered by erasmus , mart. lypsius , the louanians : wherto let vs adde the booke of great athanasivs , de virginitate , y produced in great state by c. e. not without great wrong & shame fatherd vpon that saint , as ( if erasmus and nannius did not shew ) the ridiculous precepts therein contayned would speake enough . to follow all were endlesse : of this kind , lastly , is his cyprian . de disciplin . & bono pudicitiae , not more magnificently z brought foorth by c. e. then fairly eiected by erasmus , and espencaeus . these are the glorious testimonies which grace the swelling pages of mine aduersarie ; these are the pious frauds wherewith honest readers are shamefully coozened . it shall suffice thus in a word to haue thanked my reuerend monitor for his sage aduice , & to aduise my reader to know whom he trusts . for origen ; wee haue alreadie answered ; my detector could not haue chosen a better man for the proofe of the facilitie of this work , then him , who ( according to the broad tralation of his rude rhemists ) gelded himselfe , and made himselfe no man for it . that all graces are deriued to vs from the fountaine , or rather the full ocean of christs merits and mercies ( which hee shewes from saint hierome ) wee willingly teach against them ; so farre are wee from being iniurious to the passion of our deare redeemer ; but if hee will therefore inferre , that euery man may be a perpetuall virgin , he may as well hope , that therefore euery scribbler may write all true . our sauiour himselfe , which said i will draw all men vnto me , yet said , all men cannot receiue this ; not , i cannot giue it , but they cannot take it . as for that practice which hee cites from saint austin , of forcing men both into orders , & continencie , it shewes rather the fact then the equitie ; what was done in a particular church , rather then what should bee ; the refuter himselfe renounceth it in the precedent page ; ( for the church forceth none therevnto ) neyther is it any other then a direct restraint of that , which the councell of nice determined to be left free . lastly , that there may appeare to bee no lesse impossibilitie of honest truth in some men , then true chastitie , hee cites one place for all , out of saint avstin : * let not the burden of continencie affright vs , it will be light if it be of christ , it will be of christ if there bee faith , that obtaynes of him which commands the thing which he doth command . see reader , with what fidelitie , and by this esteeme the rest ; saint austin speakes thee of persons diuorced each from other , whom necessitie ( as hee supposes the case ) calls to continencie ; the detector cites him for the power of voluntarie votaries ; the very place confutes him . it will bee christs yoke ( saith avstin ) if there bee faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which he doth command : there can be no faith where is no command . now c. e. will grant there is no o command of single life to all ; therfore all cannot aske it in faith , therefore all cannot thinke it the yoke of christ , all cannot beare it . sect . xv. now at last ( like some sorrie squib that after a little hissing and sparkling ends in an vnsauourie cracke ) my refuter , after all these flourishes of their possibilitie , shuts vp in a scurrilous declamation against our ministerie ; granting it indeed impossible , amongst vs , to liue chaste ; and telling his reader that wee blush not to blaze in pulpits , and printed bookes , this brutish paradox , that chastitie is a vertue impossible to all , because so it is to such lasciuious p libertines , sensuall and sinfull people , as heretikes are , and here are sordes , dedecora , scabies libidinum : the brutish spirit of heresie , fleshly and sensuall . impure mouth ! how well doth it become the sonne of that babylonian strumpet , to call the spouse of christ harlot ? how well doth it become lips drencht in the cup of those fornications ; to vtter blasphemous slanders ( spumam cerberi ) against innocence ? by how much more brutish that paradox is , so much more deuillish is the vniust imputation of it to vs ; which of vs euer blazed it ? which of vs doth hate it lesse , then the lye that charges it vpon vs ? how many reuerend fathers haue we in the hyest chaires of our church ; how many aged diuines in our vniuersities , how many graue prebendaries in our cathedrall churches , how many worthie ministers in their rurall stations , that shine with this vertue in the eyes of the world ? if therefore the proper place of chastitie bee the church of god , ( as this cauiller pleades ) it is ours in right , q theirs in pretence : and so much more noble is this in ours , for that in ours it is r free , in them , ſ forced ; infida custos castitatis necessitas , as that father said ; neque opus passeri fugere ad montem ; in them , as chrysostome sayde long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the grace of virginitie is lost : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the world makes sport with such mayden-head . for the rest ; the god of heauen iudge betwixt vs and our enemies ; to him wee appeale how wee desire to serue him in chaste wedlocke , whom they dishonour with vncleane and false virginitie . not to put my detector in mind how honourably he now speakes of marriage , how dares he talke of our fleshlinesse , and their chastitie ? as if hee had to doe with a world that were both deafe and blinde . doe not their owne records flye in their faces ? and tell him there are but a few of them honest ? did not their owne t select cardinals complaine , that the most of their nunneries were iustly scandalized with sacrilegious incontinencies ? doe not our u histories tell vs that in the raigne of henry the third , robert grosthead the famous bishop of lincolne , in his visitation , was fayne to explore the virginitie of their nuns by nipping of their dugs , indignum scribi , as matth. paris ? doe not the x forenamed cardinals find it a common greeuance , that their curtezans rode in state thorow rome it selfe , attended euen at noone-day with the retinue of their cardinals , and with their clergie-men ? doth he find the church of england to maintaine stewes ? and to rayse rents from professed filthinesse ? can hee deny the vnnaturall beastlinesse that raignes in his italy ? but what doe i stirre this puddle ? let me heare no more brags of their chastitie , no more exprobrations of our lasciuiousnesse . sect . xvi . as if my refuter had vowed to write no true word , hee challenges mee for translating isidores turpe votum , a filthie vow : i turne to my epistle , and find it not englished by mee at all . his owne conscience , belike , so construes it ; or if some former impression of mine ( which i beleeue not ) had so turned it , here is neyther ignorance , nor vnfaithfulnesse . whersoeuer is sinne , there is filthinesse : and if a lawfull vow be property de meliore bono , can there not therefore be an vnlawfull vow ? what was that of iepthaes , or that of saint pauls fortie conspirators ? but the word there ( saith he ) signifies a promise ; as if euery vow were not a promise ; and if isidore take votum for promissum , y gregorie takes ( by his construction ) promissum , for votum , in this very case we haue in hand . this vow of theirs therefore is metonymically filthie , because it makes them such . in one word , ( that he may raue no more of epicures , turkes , pagans ) their vow is in profession glorious , filthie in effect . and now for a conclusion of this poynt , i must out of all these grosse and ignorant passages of his ( though vnproperly , yet ) truely vow to the world , that a truer bayard did neuer stumble forth into the presse . sect . xvii . he hath done with their own vowes , and now descends to vs , whom he confesses vowlesse ; his scorne cannot strip vs of the benefit of that truth , which hee confesseth ; thus then hee writes ; i freely with other catholikes grant , that our english ministers , according to their calling , make no vowes ; i grant their marriage to be lawfull ; i grant that euery one of them may be the husband of one wife , &c. and why did not this liberalitie of my wise detector tye vp his tongue in his purse all this while ? no more was required , no lesse is yeelded ; whereto is all this iangling ? but , that his grant may proue worse then a deniall , thus he proceeds : but wee denie them to bee truely clergie-men , or to haue any more authoritie in the church , then their wiues or daughters haue , and this , because they want all true calling and ordination ; for , they entred not in at the dore , like true pastors , but stole in at the window like theeues ; we denie their ministerie ( i say ) to bee lawfull , because they did runne before they were sent , tooke their places by intrusion , &c. let master hall disproue this , and i will say , tu phyllida solus habeto . thus he . a deepe crimination , and such , as if it could bee proued , would robbe our question of the state , and vs of our duely-challenged honour . reader , this vehemence shewes thee where his shoo wrings him : it is the gall of romish hearts that wee prosper , and are not theirs ; where they haue presumed vpon credulitie , they haue not stucke to say , wee are not men like others , but more frequently and boldly , that wee are no christian men ; and here most peremptorily , that we are no clergie-men : there is no church , no christianitie , no clergie not theirs ; neyther can wee bee in orders , whiles we are out of babylon . the man dreames of the nagges-head in cheap-side , where his lying oracle tradition hath not shamed to report , iewell , sands , horne , scory , grindall , and others in the beginning of queene elizabeths time ( beeing disappoynted of the catholike bishop of landaff ) to haue layd hands mutually on each other ; and that from hence haue flowed our pretended orders . this our shamelesse , * sacrobosco heard of some good old folkes , and they had it of one neale , professor ebrius in oxford ; kellison tooke it of sacrobosco , and c.e. of him . concordat cum originali ; diabolus est mendax & pater eius . and is not this a worthie engine to batter downe the wals of a whole church , to blow vp all our ordination ? is it possible that any christian face should bee so gracelesse , as to beare out such an apparent and ridiculous falshood , against so many thousands of witnesses , against the euidence of authenticall records ; against reason , and sense it selfe ? for can they hope to perswade any liuing man , that these hauing at that time a lawfull archbishop of their owne religion , legally established in the metropoliticall chayre , by an acknowledged authoritie , the sway of the times openly fauouring them , when all churches , all chappels gladly opened to them , that they would be so mad as to goe and ordayne themselues in a tauerne ? he that would beleeue this , may be perswaded that their adored blocks can weepe , and speake , and moue ; that their cake is his god ; neuer truth could be cleared , if not this ; no lesse then the whole kingdome knew , that queene mary died in the yeere , nouember ; and her cardinal ( then archbishop of canterbury ) accompanied her soule in death , the same day . the same day was queene elizabeths initium regni ; her coronation ianuary . following . that leasure enough might bee taken in these great affaires , the see of canterbury continued voide aboue a yeere . at last , in the second yeere of queen elizabeth . december . was mathew parker legally consecrated archbishop of canterburie , by foure bishops : william barlow formerly bishop of bathe , then elect of chichester . iohn scory before of chichester , now elect of hereford . miles couerdale bishop of exceter . iohn hodgeskins suffragan of bedford . mathew parker thus irrefragably settled in the archiepiscopall see , with three other bishops , in the same moneth of december , solemnely consecrated edmund grindall , and edwin sands ; the publique records are euident and particular , relating the time , sunday morning after prayers ; the place , lambeth-chappell ; the manner , imposition of hands ; the consecrators ; mathew cant. william chichester , iohn hereford , iohn bedford ; the preacher at the consecration , alexander nowell , afterwards the worthie deane of pauls ; the text , take heed to your selues , and to all the flocke , &c. the communion , lastly administred by the archbishop . for bishop iewell , he was consecrated the moneth following in the same forme by mathew cant. edmund london , richard ely , iohn bedford . lastly , for bishop horne , he was consecrated a whole yeere after this , by mathew cant. thomas s. dauids , edmund london , thomas couentry and lichfield ; the circumstances , tyme , place , forme , preacher , text , seuerally recorded . the particulars whereof , i referre to the faithfull and cleare relation of master francis mason ; whose learned and full discourse of this subiect , might haue satisfied all eyes , and stopped all mouthes . what incredible impudencie is this then , for those which pretend not christianitie onely , but the consecration of god , wilfully to rayse such shamefull slanders from the pit of hell , to the disgrace of truth , to the disparagement of our holy calling ? let mee therefore challenge my detector in this so important a point , wherein his zeale hath so far out-run his wit , and with him all the brats of that proud harlot , that no church vnder heauen can shew a more cleere , eeuen , vncontrolable , vntroubled line of the iust succession of her sacred orders , then this of ours ; if his rome , for her tyrannous primacy , could bring forth but such cardes , the world would bee too strait for her . he shall ( maugre ) be forced to confesse , that either there were neuer true orders in the church of england ( which he dares not say ) or else that they are still ours . the bishops in the time of king henry the eight , were vndoubted ; if they left rome in some corrected opinions , their character was yet , by confession a , indeleble . they laid their hands according to ecclesiasticall constitution , vpon the bishops in king edwards dayes ; and they both , vpon the bishops in the beginning of queene elizabeth ; they againe , vpon the succeeding inheritors of their holy sees , and they lastly vpon vs ; so as neuer man could shew a more certayne and exquisite pedigree from his great grand-father , then we can from the acknowledged bishops of king henries time , and thence vpwards to hundreds of generations . i confesse indeede , our archbishops and bishops haue wanted some aaronicall accoustrements , gloues , rings , sandals , miters , and pall , and such other trash ; and our inferiour orders haue wanted greazing and shauing , and some other pelting ceremonies . but let c. e. proue these essentiall which wee want , or those acts and formes not essentiall , which we haue , et phyllida solus habeto . in the meane time , the church of england is blessed with a true clergie , and glorious ; and such a one , as his italian generation may impotently enuie , and snarle at , shall neuer presume to compete with , in worthinesse and honour ; and ( as doctor taylor , that couragious martyr , said at his parting ) blessed be god for holy matrimony . sect . xviii . my cauiller purposely misse-takes my rule of basil the great , and my text of the great apostle ; whiles from both i resolue thus ; i passe not what i heare men or angels say , while i heare god say , let him bee the husband of one wife ; he will needs so construe it , as if i tooke this of saint pauls for a command , not for an allowance ; as if i meant to imply from hence , that euery bishop is bound to haue a wife : who is so blind as the wilful ? their leo b calls these words a preception , i did not : if hee knew any thing , he could not be ignorant that this sense is against the streame of our church , and no lesse then a grecian error . who knowes not the extremes of greece and rome ; and the track of truth betwixt them both ? the greeke church faith , he cannot bee in holy orders that is not married : the romish church faith , hee cannot bee in holy orders that is married : the church reformed sayes , he may be in holy orders that is married , and conuertibly ; some good friends would needs fetch vs into this idle grecisme , and to the society of the old frisons c , and ( if saint ierome take it aright ) of vigilantius , espenceus , and bellarmine and our rhemists free vs. there is no lesse difference betwixt them and vs , then betwixt may and must ; libertie and necessitie . if then ( let him bee the husband of one wife ) argue that a bishop may bee a married man , i haue what i would , and passe not for the contrary from men and angels . wee willingly grant with luther , that this charge is negatiue : non velut sanciens dicit , saith chrysostome ; but this negatiue charge implies an affirmatiue allowance ; we seeke for no more : as for the authorities which my detector hath borrowed of his vncles of rhemes , they might haue beene well spared ; he tels vs , saint ierome saies , qui vnam habuerit , non habeat ; hee who hath had one wife , not hee that hath one ; i tell him saint paul saith d ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) if any man bee the husband of one wife , not , if hee haue beene : let e saint chrysostome therein answere hierome , and epiphanius , and all other pretended opposites : obstruere pro●sus intendit haereticorum ora , qui nuptias damnant , &c. hee purpos'd in this to stop the mouthes of heretikes , that condemned marriage , shewing that that estate is faultlesse , yea , so precious , that with it a man might be aduanced to the holy episcopall chayre . thus he ; whom their learned f bishop espencaeus seconds ; and by the true force of the text cleereth this sense , against all contradiction . nec enim paulini de episcopis , &c. for ( saith he ) those places of saint pavl concerning bishops , priests , and deacons cannot be so eluded , as that they doe onely belong to men that haue beene sometimes married , and are now widdowers and single ; but the text doth plainly note out husbands ; and those that are now found in the present estate of marriage ; which is implyed , both by the word esse , and by vnius vxoris vir ; that is , hauing one wife , not ( as some haue vnderstood it ) which hath had one ; for ( as chrysostome hath noted ) the apostle would by the society of marriage and priesthood stop the mouthes of heretikes that condemned marriage ; whereto adde , that the apostle amongst the vertues of a bishop reckons vp this , that he doth gouerne his owne house well , not , that hee did gouerne it . thus he . vnto which let me yet adioyne this other consideration , that the apostle describes what manner of wife a bishop should haue ; which as in other professions he hath not done , so in this would haue beene vselesse , if he had onely aymed at an estate past , and not present . where it is a cunning tricke of the rhemists , and their vulgar , in stead of their wiues , to reade , the women , quite beside the scope and context of the apostle : as to the same purpose ; whereas their leo in the fore-cited epistle sayes , that this precept of a bishop to be the husband of one wife , was alwayes so sacred , * vt etiam de muliere sacerdotis eligenda , eadem intelligatur seruanda conditio ; bellarmine , and his mates would needes face vs out , that the copyes are corrupted , and contends to haue it read sacerdotis eligendi ; of the priest to be chosen , not , of the wife ; whom our industrious and worthy doctor iames hath refelled both by the presse , and the pen ; by the coleine edition , and manuscript authority . as for that hee cites from hierome against vigilantius , he might haue found the salue together her with the wound ; our rhemists dare vs from the imputation of his opinion . for the rest . nothing is more playn , then that our apostle ( according to the iust interpretation of chrysostome , theodoret , theophylact , and others ) alludes to the loose fashion , as of the greeks , so especially of the iewes , with whom polygamie and re-marriages , after vniust diuorces , were in ordinarie vse ; these the apostolicall spirit finds vnfit for the man of god , whom hee therefore charges to be only , the husband of one wife . neither doth it argue too much wit in my refuter , to bring two fathers vpon the stage for his purpose , and then to set them together by the eares with each other , ambrose ( i meane ) and hierome ; who in this which he cites them for , confute one another ; hierome ( though otherwise a back-friend to wedlocke ) censuring the opinion of ambrose , as sauouring too strongly of cainisme , and superstition : howeuer , euen the more vehement of the two , out of this place doth hold marriage compatible with holy orders , which is the onely thing i required : so as still , this one word shall confirme mee against all impure mouthes ; impure , not for preferring continency , as my cauiller will take it , but for deprauing of marriage , by the foule titles of fleshlinesse , and sensualitie ; such as his owne ; a worse we need not : neither doth s. ambrose at all controll me herein , whiles he teacheth that the apostle doth not here inuite vs to beget children in the priesthood ; habentem enim dixit filios , non facientem ; we did not challenge hence any command , wee challenge an allowance , which we haue and proclaime : that i may not say , some copies of ambrose run ( according as i haue learned of our eminent doctor fulke ) habentem filios , aut facientem ; hauing children , or begetting them : the difference is not worth standing for ; let it passe after his owne reading . i could stop his mouth with the ingenuous answere of his espencaevs : habentem enim , &c. for he said , hauing children , not begetting them ; debellatum hic esset , &c. this field were wonne , if either this were the text and not the glosse , or they that thus interpret it were apostles , as they are not . thus their owne bishop . but i neede not call for any ayde . the words of ambrose doe plainely driue against an inuitation , or command , which wee doe willingly disclayme . sect . xix . now vnhappie is this man that still shoots his arrowes quite besides the butt ? he prooues , forsooth , with great zeale , that the fathers neuer vnderstood a positiue command in our apostles words , which i neuer thought so much as in dreame : and then hee bends his forces against bygamie , which i no where auouched . the man of valour loues to play his prizes alone . here is no command then ( saith he ) but a permission ; how much are wee bound to him for this fauour ? permission ? thus much hee , with his holy father , yeelds to their stewes . no , here is a direct allowance . let him be the husband of one wife ; not , hee may be so : but this was only for a time , he saith , because of the paucity of single clergy-men : let him shew me the apostles limitation , and i am satisfied ; otherwise , this misse-grounded conceit ( what countenance soeuer it may find in a priuate humane authoritie ) shall passe with vs as a glosse of burdeaux , that marres the text. but how shamelesly , how fraudulently , how like himselfe , doth my refuter cite chrysostomes castigat impudicos , & c ? he checketh the incontinent ( saith that father ) whiles hee permitteth them not after their second marriages , to be preferred to the gouernement of the church , and dignitie of pastors ; and there my refuter stops , with , so he ; whereas , if hee had gone forward , the place had answered him , and it selfe : for ( saith chrysostome ) he which is found not to haue kept his beneuolence towards his wife , which is c gone from him , how should he be a good teacher to the church ? plainly shewing vs , that hee intends this to those vnchaste husbands , which after an vniust diuorce of their former wiues , haue married also a second ; not after the death of the first . the like priestly fidelitie hee vseth in the place of chrysostome , hom. . vpon iob ; the poore man had taken vp some scraps of quotations vpon trust , hauing neuer seene the authors ; for , chrysostome neuer wrote any homilies vpon the booke of iob ; onely hee hath fiue homilies of the patience of iob ; whereof this cited , is the second ; wherein his errori ignoscebat , hath reference rather to , sine crimine , which he opposeth to irreprehensibiles , then , to vir vnius vxoris , as the sequell plainly shewes . as for bigamie , it is out of our way ; but since his loquacitie will needes roue thither , let him shew that before montanus infected the world with a preiudice against second marriages after decease , they were held vnlawfull for any calling , or person , and wee will grant him clamorous to some purpose . to prooue this opinion and practice of the church , like a wise master , he brings in * tertullians authoritie , in his booke which he wrote in the time of his heresie ; whiles he was ouer the eares in montanisme ; where hee tels vs hee hath knowne some eiected for second marriages . but if hee had euer read the booke following , of monogamie , he might haue found his tertullian ( then montanizing ) to vpbraid the true & catholike church , which he calls psychicos , with the vsuall practice & allowance of the second marriages of their bishops . * quot enim & digami , &c. for how many bishops are there amongst you twice marryed ? but who-euer was matcht with so vaine a babbler ? i prooued from s. paul , that a bishop might haue one wife : hee prooues by councels and fathers , that hee may not haue two . it is pittie that his masters the iesuites haue no more trees for him to set with the rootes vpward : any thing rather then to wearie the world with this foolish clacking . out of this indiscreet and odious verbositie ( lest hee should want noyse ) he stumbles vpon the councell of constantinople before it come in his way , and spends a whole leafe only to tell vs , that he will talke of it hereafter . hereafter hee shall receiue answere enough ; what needes this disorderly anticipation ? to conclude then , this place of our apostle stands for vs vnshaken , by any the impotent blasts of his friuolous elusions , and shall warrant vs against earth and hell , that a bishop may bee the husband of one wife . sect . xx. my next place , of the honorablenesse of marriage amongst all , he smoothes ouer with a pretended concession ; professing with fulgentius , and hierome , to giue all high titles to that state , only preferring the rule of a better life ; praysing marriage , but more extolling virginitie : but who euer made the comparison ? these are faire nets to catch fooles ; whiles hee heapes vp all the reprochfull termes that spight can deuise , against the verie state of marriage , in some callings , not so much as preiudiced by vow ; how doth hee grant marriage honourable amongst all ? if the comparison bee the matter hee stands vpon , let him say , marriage is good , and lawfull for all conditions ; virginitie is better ; hee shall haue no aduersarie . and whereas ( to call him to reckoning for arrerages ) he turn'd off this place ( when it was ) with a scoffe out of bellarmine , that marriage is honourable amongst all , yet not between father and daughter , &c. the man alluded sure to their great and good alexander the sixt , and his chaste lucrece , of whom he knowes the riddle , d filia , sponsa , nurus . for vs , that it is honorable in all estates of men by apostolicall warrant , is sufficient assurance , that to no calling , or estate it can bee dishonourable and vnlawfull . but to vntye bellarmines trifling knot : i say , marriage is honourable , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but not , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : in all , but not betweene all : that is , euery man may marrie with a woman , but not with any woman whatsoeuer : as with his mother , or sister . so father and daughter may marry , but not one the other . see now what a worthy messe of sophistrie is layd in saint pauls dish by these caruers , and how easily ouer-turned : so as i might very well proclaime to all the world ( which i doe now confidently second ) that if god might be iudge of this controuersie , it were soone at an end . if my refuter make faces at this , their whole schoole shall beare me out in it . et e sane communis est scholae resolutio , &c. and in truth it is ( saith their espencaevs ) the common resolution of the schoole , that if wee insist only in those things , which were spoken by christ , and written by the apostles , in the canon of the new testament , ( secluding the lawes of the church ) holy orders , neither as orders , nor as holy , are any hinderances of matrimony . thus he . and said i any more ? any other ? by their confession then , god neuer imposed this law. my proofe was , that euen in the time of that legall strictnesse , he allowed wedlock to the ministers of his sanctuarie . herein , how am i refuted ? if hee meane ( saith my detector ) that for puritie and perfection of life , the law of moses was more strict then the gospell , the vntruth is notorious ; to which he addes out of hierome , that the greater perfection of the euangelicall sacrifice exacteth greater holinesse ; and concludes , that the permission of wiues in the aaronicall priesthood , argues euidently the imperfection of that law. so he . surely , god wanted this counsellour vpon mount sinai ; he could haue aduised him better rules of his mis-contriued priesthood . would my refuter make himselfe so ignorant , as not to know ; that notwithstanding the rather greater perfection of moralitie required vnder the gospell , yet that leuiticall law placed impuritie in many of those creatures and actions , wherein the euangelicall findeth none ? did not the touch of some . vessels or garments make a man legally vncleane ? did not the lawfull act of coniugall beneuolence ? did not the accidents of the holyest child-bed carry in them an expiable impuritie ? if hee bee not a iew , hee will not say it is still thus vnder the gospell . how iustly therefore might i inferre , that if our holy god , vnto whose wisdome it seemed good to stand of old , vpon such points of outward vncleannesses , did notwithstanding allow wedlocke to his priesthood , much more ( at least no lesse ) vnder the gospell , doth he allow it , when as all those imputations of impuritie are vanished . sect . xxi . i produced the testimonie of their pope , their cardinall , their doctor . basils rule is a sure one , that the witnesses of enemies are most conuictiue . their cardinall was panormitan , their pope pius the second . their doctor , gratian. for panormitan ; my refuter likes his words so well , that like a sawcie fellow he dare pull off his red hat , and trample it in the floore ; denying his cardinall-ship , and charging him with participation of the schisme . but first , hee cannot ( i hope ) denie him to haue beene their abbot , then their archbishop ; as for his red hat , it neuer came from wittenberge nor geneua ; it was of their owne dying ; foelix the false pope ( he sayes ) gaue it him . reader , the famous councell of basil , consisting of no lesse then foure hundred reuerend persons ; cardinals , archbishops , bishops , doctors , gathered and allowed at first , by pope martin , then by his successour eugenius the fourth , afterwards was vpon some politike considerations called off by eugenius ; the fathers of the councell finding their owne strength , stood vpon the right of their superioritie , and ( as they well might ) censur'd the pope ; hee proceeded to obstinacie ; those braue spirits ( vpon ripe consideration ) iustly deposed him . in the roome of this eugenius , ( otherwise called gabriel condulmarius ) was by iust number of voyces elected amadeus the deuout duke of sauoy , and named foelix the fift , a man too good for that see ; neither had hee euer any so great blemish in all his life , as the name of a pope : volateran can tell vs , what a kennell of hounds hee shoued to the ambassadours , namely , whole tables of poore soules daily fed by him ; all histories speake of his deuotion , and pietie ; this man called from his intended retyrednesse , must carrie the keyes . hee makes choice of archbishop panormitan for one of his cardinals : what offence is here ? but hee was a false pope . if the councell of basil were a true councell , then was foelix a true pope . it is in my readers choice whether he will beleeue foure hundred diuines representing the whole church , or a popes parasite . but panormitan dyed in the schisme against eugenius . the world knowes that the greatest blot panormitan euer had , was his violent plea for eugenius ; against the bishop of argens , against eloquēt segouius , against the whole streame of that councell ; this is the thanke hee now carries away , foelix scelus virtus vocatur ; if eugenius had not dealt vnder-hand with the dolphin of france , and frederick of austria , ( then ambitious of the empire ) and tryed all his wits , both to make new cardinals , and to diuert the neutralls , eugenius had not beene foelix ; and foelix had beene still eugenius , the true and vndoubted successour of peter : how-euer , if th●se points should be strictly stood vpon , rome would bee at a losse , which many a time hath bin to seeke for her head . but what though it were granted that panormitan was cardinalated by an intruding pope ? can this call downe the authoritie of his iudgement and writings ? especially those which he wrote before hee was cardinall or archbishop , being onely abbot : and yet may bee cited by vs vnder the name of cardinall : as bellarmines dictates and composures elder then his red hat , yet are fathered vpon that title . once , this i am sure of , that f cardinall bellarmine doubts not to stile panormitan a catholike and learned doctor . this is the man that stands with his hat off to this worshipfull clarke of doway , and tels him that continencie is not of the substance of order , nor by diuine law annexed to it ; whereto , hee shuffles out a miserable & desperate answere , as we shall see in the sequel . but in the meane time , see the cunning of my catholike cauiller ; this is not the sentence i stood vpon , of panormitan ; it was not this , whereto i proclaymed mine oyez , but another , which hee slily smothers , not daring so much as to repeat it , lest his romanizing popular ignorant readers should heare and see and smell , that the sacred celibate of priests did stinke an hundreth yeeres before luthers time . i will therefore here supply for him , and , hoping he will in his next take notice of the sentence , will represent it here againe . the words are these : melius foret , et pro bono & salute animarū salubrius , si & vniuscuiusque voluntati relinqueretur , it a vt non valentes aut non volentes continere , possint contrahere ; quia experientia docente experimus contrarium effectum sequi ex illa lege continentiae , cùm hodie plerique non viuant spiritualiter , nec sine mundi , sed emaculentur illicito coitu cum ipsorum grauissimo peccato , vbi cum propria vxore esset castitas . that is , it were better , and more wholesome for the good and saluation of soules , if it were left to euery mans will ; so as they which either cannot , or will not contayne , might marry . for wee finde by experience a contrarie effect to follow vpon that law of continencie ; since the greatest part of ( our priests ) at this day liue not spiritually , neither are chaste , but are defiled with vnlawfull copulations , not without their most hainous sinne ; whereas , with their owne wiues it should be chastitie . thus he . a sentence worthie of that epiphonema of mine , ( is this a cardinall think you or an huguenot ? ) with this , my detector deales , as their inquisition doth with a misnamed heretike ; he chokes it vp in secret , or , if hee bring it forth , it is not without a gag in the mouth : all his answere is , wee tye not our selues to euery mans opinion ; and , this sentence is censured by bellarmine as erroneous ; as if panormitan were euerie bodie , and bellarmine an oracle . it is enough for vs , that one of their owne greatest , learnedest , zealousest prelates iustifyeth our marriages , and wisheth them in vse rather then their continencie . to that other testimonie of panormitan , he answers by a graunt , yeelding vs freely , that if wee take diuine law for that which is expresly determined in scripture , it must needes bee said , that there is no euident proofe set downe of continencie in ecclesiasticall men by the apostles ; yet , that it is so insinuated , and the obseruation of it hath beene so ancient , as bellarmine noteth , that it may be truely termed apostolical ; thus hee . and euen for this are wee beholden to him ; all his friends would not haue beene so liberall . his ioannes maior , his clictouaeus , his torrensis , and all their rigorous clients would not haue said so : as , on the other side , the old glosse was not so wise , that could onely say ( which is now expunged ) apostoli docuerunt exemplo , the apostles taught this by their example . but what are these so pregnant insinuations ? good wits haue found them out ; one was , that of g innocentivs . that these men are the vessels and temples of god , therefore they may not cubilibus & immunditijs seruire , serue for chambering and wantonnesse . ywis , no lay-man is such ; therefore hee may bee allowed to be filthie . another was , of franc. torrensis , take heed lest your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse , and cares of this life : whereof bishop h espencaeus is so ashamed , that he answers it with an absit ; god forbid ( saith he ) that wee should thinke that the lord , which is the author and sanctifier of marriage , should hold it in the same ranke with surfeting and drunkennesse . another was of the same author ( i teaching vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts : ) vs , of the clergie ; belike the rest neede not ; and who knowes not the wittie and learned insinuations of their good siricius , those that are in the flesh , cannot please god ? these , and such like are the forceable insinuations of this imposed continencie , which euen very boyes and ideots can hisse out of the schooles . sect . xxii . from panormitan , hee descends to my alledged gratian , who because he speakes these words ( by way of explication ) in a continued tenor with a sentence of austin , is ( to my mortall sinne ) cited by me as speaking from austin . the position and the inference of the words is such , as might deceyue any eye that would trust a gratian ; what might the price be ( trow we ) of such a crime in the apostolique chamber ? in my next shrift , he shal heare , meâ culpà ; the words are gratians , that copula sacerdotalis vel consanguincorum , the marriage or ( as this clerkly grammarian translates it ) the carnall copulation of priests , or kinsfolkes is not forbidden by any legall , euangelicall , or apostolicall authoritie , but by ecclesiasticall law it is forbidden . wee could not hyre a proctor to say more . but herein c. e. hath detected two foule faults of the citation ; the one , that i trusted his gratian so farre , as to make him speake out of austin , which ( i trust ) a little holy-water may wash off ; the other , that i concealed the marriage of kinsfolke , within the prohibited degrees ; which ( saith hee ) although onely forbidden by ecclesiasticall law , yet dares not master hall ( i thinke ) transgresse it ; so as this law hath greater force then hee supposeth it to haue . so hee ▪ plainely , my refuter knowes not what he saith , else hee would neuer thus palpably plead against himselfe ; for what euer thing was there in all the constitutiōs of his church , more subiect to variation , then the legall supputation of the forbidden degrees ? which was a long time confined to the third degree inclusiuely ; another while extended to the fourth ; and sometime to the seuenth . let him herein reconcile his pope nicholas and gregorie , with pope innocent ; whereof the one left all free that were without the pale of the fourth degree , the other restrayned all to the seuenth ; and when he finds an vnalterablenesse in the determination of these degrees , let him plead for an equally-fatall necessitie of his ecclesiasticall continence ; in the meane time , let him take it patiently to be beaten with his owne rod. no diuine law then ( he grants ) hath inioyned this celibate , but an ecclesiasticall . what is this other then i said ? god neuer imposed this law of continencie ; who then ? k the church . and why may not i goe on , to aske , whether a good wife would gain-say what her husband willeth ? flourishing will not answer this . all the prayses of beautie and fidelitie which are giuen to the true church , argue rome to be the false . whereas therefore the priest shuts vp thus brauely ; ( and this minister who would make the one to gainsay the other , should bring some place or sentence to shew the same , ( which hee may chance to doe the next morning after the greeke calends ) or else neuer auouch so vnchristian a paradoxe . hee shall vnderstand that his greeke calends are past . the spirit of god saith , a bishop may be the husband of one wife : the church of rome sayes , a bishop may not bee the husband of any wife at all : whether is this a contradiction ? the spirit of god sayes , marriage is honourable amongst all men : the church of rome sayes , marriage is dishonourable to some . the spirit of god sayes , to auoyd fornication , let euery man haue his wife : the church of rome , like a quick-huswife , sayes , some order of men shall not haue a wife , though to auoyd fornication . let my masse-priest shew these to be no contradictions ( which he may chance to doe at the greeke calends ) or else grant this to be neyther paradox , nor vnchristian . sect . xxiii . from cardinal panormitan i ascended to pope pius the second , whom i vshered in , with this preface , let a pope himselfe speake out of peters chayre , pivs the second ; as learned as hath sit in that roome this thousand yeeres . two things my cauiller snarles at in the preface , two in the authoritie it selfe . my first manifest vntruth is , that pivs the second spake this as out of the chayre . a witlesse misprision . i hope he sate in peters chayre that spake it ; if hee spake it not as from the chayre , i care for no more . is not this sufficient to win respect from a catholique priest ? otherwise , whether it were stoole , or chayre ; or if a chayre , whether the consistoriall , or the porphyrychayre , wherein hee sits before his first triumph , l tanquam in stercoraria , it is all one to mee . themselues must first agree what it is to speake as from the chayre , ere i can affirme that pius the second so spake this . id populus curet , i referred the chayre to the man , not to the speech : in the meane time c. e. is not so good a groome to the chayre , as gregorie of valence , who attributes infallibility to a popes sentence , though it be m sine curâ & studio . my second wrong is the superlatiue lashing ( so hee calls it ) of other popes learning in comparison of this . i cry him mercie ; i did not know what sinne it was to commend a popes learning ; that is not it ( i confesse ) that carries away the crownes and the keyes : but the comparison offended ; perhaps c. e. hath knowne that chayre more learnedly furnished : it may bee , he thinkes of boniface the ninth , called before peter de thomacellis , a neapolitan , n who could neyther write , nor sing ; hardly vnderstanding the propositions of the aduocates in the consistorie ; insomuch as in his time , inscitia ferè venalis facta fuit in ipsâ curiâ ; ignorance was growne valuable . or it may be he thinks of those ancient ferule-fingred boy-popes ; one of the benedicts , a graue father of ten yeeres old ; or iohn the thirteenth an aged stripling of nineteene . or perhaps , hee alludes to those learned times ( within my compasse ) which were acknowledged in the councell of rhemes ; where when offer was made of requiring the popes iudgement , it was publiquely replied , that besides the exposednesse of that citie to sale , romae iam nullum ferè esse qui literas didicerit , there was scarce a man at rome , that could spell his letters . heu quàm perfatuae sunt tibi , roma , togae ! if i should here adde out of alphonsus de castro , that some popes were such great clerkes , o vt grammaticam penitùs ignorent , that they had no skill in grammer , c. e. would tell mee that my booke is not of a corrected edition , though it was printed at coleine . such bran hath bin cast out in their later sifting and shifting of authors . sect . xxiiii . in the authoritie it selfe , his cauils are childish ; where pius said , * sacerdotibus magnâ ratione sublatas nuptias , maiore restituendas videri ; my first fault , is that i turne sacerdotes , the clergie , instead of priests ; which word is of a larger extent , including also bishops : the silly man sees not that i translated it to his aduātage , against my owne ; for , euery sacerdos is clericus , not euery clericus , sacerdos . very frequently are bishops comprehended vnder the name of sacerdotes , as well as of clerus ; and no lesse vsually vnder the name of clerici , the superior orders are not comprehended . hee is not worthy to write himselfe priest , that vnderstands his orders no better . my second error is , that i turned the last clause of the sentence , ( is to bee restored ) whereas the words are , restituendas videri . here could be no fraud , whiles i set the latin words in the margine . the man thinks of his ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or his , videtur quod sic ; probatur quod non ; but if his grammar had not been ill learned , he had known that ( videri ) doth not alwayes signifie a doubtfull probabilitie , but sometimes a certayne euidence , as , visum est spiritui sancto & nobis ; and , qui videbantur columnae ; or ( if his logike had fully taught him the distinctions of sunt and videntur ) this quarrell had beene spared . this seeming was beeing ; or , if this lawlesse lurker had euer had any taste of the ciuill or canon law , hee might haue beene able to construe that maxime , quod quis per alium facit , per se facere videtur : and that iudged case , qui nomen debitoris legatum viuens exegerit , legatum ademisse videtur . in this stile spake this learned pope , which my vnlearned aduersarie cannot reach vnto . for , if pius , or syluius , may haue leaue to comment vpon himselfe , when the question was of suffecting amadeus , duke of sauoy , a married man , in the roome of eugenius ; ex quo constat ( saith he ) &c. it is apparant that not onely hee , which hath beene married , but hee that is married , may bee assumed to the popedome ; and a little after : fortasse peius non esset , &c. and perhaps it were not worse if more priests had wiues , for many would be saued in a married priesthood , which now in a single priesthood are damned ; hee saith directly , damnantur , they are damned , not , they seeme to bee damned . and therefore to preuent this reall damnation , marriage is really to bee restored to them , not that it should onely seeme to bee restored . to conclude , take videri , for bare seeming , surely , it must be construed , videtur mihi ; i pope pivs thinke , or iudge , that it were fit that priests should haue the liberty of marriage restored againe to them ; which together with sublatas implyeth , that in former times priests were married , and as the case now standeth ought againe so to be . which is the very state of this question , which we auouch . and in his epistle to iohn freûnd , credimus te non insulso vti consilio ; i thinke it is no ill counsell for thee ( since thou canst not contayne ) to seeke for a wife ; although that should haue beene thought of , before thou didst enter into holy orders ; but we are not all gods , that wee can fore-see future things ; since it is comne to this , that thou canst not resist the law of thy flesh , it is better for thee to marry , then to burne . thus he . for which aduice , doubtlesse , hee found good cause in his owne experience ; who hauing beene imployed formerly in this iland of ours , left two bastards behind him , the one , begotten of an english woman , the other , of a scottish ; the one wherof he commends to his father syluius , a citizen of syenna ; the other he confesses to his friend p. de noxeto : but this indeed was before his priesthood ; afterwards , it is strange what he confesses of himselfe in his . epistle : mihi herclè parum meriti est in castitate ; i cannot boast of any merit in my chastity , for to tell the truth ( magis me venus fugitat , quàm ego illam horreo ) venus doth rather flie from mee , then i abhorre it . it was not therefore out of speculation , but sense , not out of seeming , but certaintie , that syluius passes his restituendas videri . so now to shut vp this point , the blessed apostle saint paul , and ( in his attendance ) panormitan , gratian , and pius ( in their cleere suffrages for vs ) are fully acquitted from the vaine cauils of my detector ; and god is on my side , the church of rome , on his . let sinceritie iudge which scale of the ballance is heauier . sect . xxv . from the lawfulnesse of our marriages , i descended to the antiquitie ; where my refuter takes an ignorant exception . i said , some things haue nothing to plead for them but time , age hath been an old refuge for falshood ▪ then i lay for my foundation tertullians rule ; * that which is first , is truest ; my detector finds here a flat contradiction , and cryes out , doe these men wake or sleepe when they write ? there are none of his wise friends which will not bee ashamed of this grosse stupiditie ; for whether of these two sentences can he dislike ? and if both bee allowable , how can they be contradictorie ? neither am i his aduersarie herein , but tertullian . what surer way could there be , then to controll the pretences of a secondarie antiquitie by the first ? and what contradiction is in this ? the first is true , all vnder the first is obnoxious to errour ; the puisne posthumous antiquitie hath beene a refuge for falshood , the primigenious antiquitie ( which proceeded from the ancient of dayes ) is certayne . let this trifler goe learne to spell english , ere he presume to diuinitie . this antiquitie is the touch , whereby wee desire all truth to bee tried ; which easily finds all the gilded coynes of romish innouations , shamefully counterfait . not to goe backe so farre as paradise ( though i well might ) where god made the first wedding in perfect innocence . i began with moses and his leuiticall brotherhood ; to which my refuter replyes ; that yet in eating their paschall lambe they had their loynes girt . iustly concluded ! all the iewes did eate the paschall lambe with their loynes girt , for the expedition , or moment of their flight , therefore their priests and leuites did not conuerse with their wiues . if his superiours of doway doe not blush at this logike , his wit and their shame are gone together . but , they abstayned ( hee saith ) from their wiues , whiles they did minister in the sanctuarie ; what if we yeeld this ? their ministration was by courses , and had intermissions . there is an holy and decent modestie in all those which are worthy to serue at the altar , which teacheth them to giue god his due times , with respect euen of outward purity ; which is all that q eusebius by them misse-translated ; and misse-alledged by him , requireth . but what will my refuter say to the high priest himselfe ; which was bound euery day to a morning and euening sacrifice , who yet was not restrayned from a coniugall societie ? that bone hath troubled , blunted , and broken better teeth then his . but ( saith hee ) the figure of the eternall priesthood of christ ( to wit ) melchisedeck , i● not read to haue had any wife at all ; what of this ? he , whom he prefigured was onely a spirituall husband to his church . if this man bee not read to haue had a wife ; no more is he read to haue had father or mother . nay , he is read to haue had neither . why do they not thence infer that priests ought to haue neither , but to be begotten and borne of angels , not of humane kinde ? which is as good for an inference , as that fopperie is for a legendarie fable , that luther was begotten by an incubus . yet had the literall ( not mysticall ) melchisedec both father and mother : and if sem were melchisedec ( as wiser men then mine aduersarie haue vpon good probabilities thought ) he may passe , i hope , for a married man. as for the perfection of the new law aboue the old , it onely barres those institutions which had in them an imperfection , not those which god thought fit for paradise it selfe . so as the practice of the iewish church , founded by god himselfe , is an all-sufficient warrant for the marriage of his euangelicall ministers . sect . xxvi . from moses and the prophets i descend to the apostles . what did they ? c. e. answers roundly : they did not marry ; and they who were married before , did leaue their wiues . i vrge saint pauls report of the rest of the apostles , and the brethren of the lord and cephas , that they not onely had wiues , but r carried them along in their trauels . he answeres , they were not wiues , but other deuout women , which followed them to administer maintenance to them . a likely tale , if they could all agree in it ; that the apostles would cast off their owne wiues , and carry about strange women with them , vpon what-euer pretence . credat iudaeus apella , non ego . yet my shamelesse refuter cryes out of my pride and ignorāce in not allowing this , which hee dares proclaime for the receiued exposition of all the fathers , and all that euer wrote in the greek and latin church . when hee knowes that his ſ clement in his recognitions , and his owne pope in their canon law , hath expounded it contrarily , of wiues , not of strange women . t leo the ninth , against the epistle of nicetas the abbot ; where he directly affirms that the apostles did carry about their wiues , vt de mercede praedicationis sustentarentur ab ijs ; that they might be maintayned by the reward of their preaching ; making the force of the word to lie in circumducendi , non amplectendi : either therefore his pope erres in a deliberate exposition of scripture , or else i haue not erred ; and either his popes are no fathers , or c. e. hath no forehead . nothing can make the rhemists ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sister , a woman ) not ridiculous ; not that visor of age , which my refuter pleases to fasten vpon it . there wants an article ( he saith . ) our apostle should haue comne to cardinall bellarmine and him , to learne when , and where to vse it . that our last accurate translation of the english bible , hath woman in the margin , is a poore aduantage ; who seeth not that it is the manner of that exquisite edition , to set all the idiotismes of either language , and diuers readings in the margin ? euery schole-boy knowes that the word signifies both ; but whether of them is fit to be receiued into the text , our text it selfe shewes ; how wittily is saint pavls , a woman , a sister , paralelled with saint peters , viri fratres ; yee men which are brethren , is a meet predication , but , yee sisters which are women , is absurd ; neither doth saint peter say ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) brethren men , as saint paul sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sister woman . as for the authoritie of hierome , well may wee appeale from his iudgment as incompetent , whom his owne doctors accuse as partiall , and censure as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) yet euen hee against heluidius translates it , vxores circumducendi . for the rest , it is worth my readers note , how the plagiary priest hauing stolne this whole passage ( as most of the rest ) verbatim out of bellarmine , yet ouer-reaches his master ; for where bellarmine sayes , ita ferè omnes graeci & latini ; so almost all the greeke and latine ; this bayard dares say , all ( sauing clemens ) as well greeke , as latine ; and when hee hath done , names some that say nothing of it at all , as chrysostome ; another that in heresi● speakes for him one where , another where against him , as tertullian ▪ who being also himselfe a marryed priest , could say in his exhortation , licebat & apostolis nubere , & v●ores circumducere ; another tha● grounds vpon an euident mis-reading , as ambrose ; and to make vp the bulke , puts in saint bede , and saint thomas parties to the cause , & and then sings , iō paean . it is well y● that hee grants clemens of alexandria , and saint ignatius to be on our side , for this interpretation ; and when hee hath done , he must be forced to yeeld vs his pope clement , pope leo seconded by his gratian , and laurentius valla , and others cited by erasmus ; in so much as espencaeus himselfe grants herein , x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veterum , a difference amongst the ancient . and if these had neuer beene , the text cleeres it selfe , for , not to inforce the word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which implyes a power ouer the partie carryed ▪ the apostle speakes of a matter of charge to the church , by this circumduction ; now that rich matrones should follow the apostles , and minister to them of their substance , was a matter of ease to the church . neither was this attendance for ministration , so much an act of cephas , and the other apostles , as a voluntarie act of the women themselues . to conclude , in this the apostles practice should haue crossed their doctrine . for if saint paul gaue that charge ( of being the husband of one wife ) on purpose y ( as chrysostome saith ) to stop the mouth of the enemies to marriage ; how must this needes open them againe , and breed a conceit of that impuritie , which saint paul meant to oppose , that the apostles themselues as ashamed of their wiues , forsook them , and chose rather to bee attended by strangers ? so as i must take leaue to bee euer in this heresie , that the apostles had wiues , and carryed them about . sect . xxvii . bvt what boyes-play is this , to giue and take ? our doughtie champion hath granted vs clement of alexandria , and now he puls him backe againe ; clemens ( saith hee ) grants the apostles to haue had wiues , but hee denyes that they vsed them as wiues ; cunningly dissembling that which clemens said in the beginning of the same period ; for peter and philip ( saith hee ) did beget children , &c. how did peter beget them , if hee were not peter when hee begot them ? in the time of their painefull euangelicall peregrination they forbore perhaps : doth it therefore follow that they did alwayes forget to bee husbands ? whence , in all likelihood , had s. peter his petronella ? if shee were not borne after hee was peter ? whence was that inscription on pilagiaes tombe , ( if wee may beleeue z perionivs ) hic sita est sponsa dionysii , thomae apostoli filia . there is not ( i grant ) necessitie in this proofe there is probabilitie . it is therefore too boldly affirmed by my detector , that the apostles , after that publike calling vndertaken , vsed not their wiues . is that of saint ignatius nothing against him ? opto deo dignus , &c. i desire to bee found worthy of god , as peter and pavl , and the rest of the apostles which were marryed men , and a not for lusts sake , but for propagation of posterity inioyed their wiues . thus hee . so much against c. e. that c. e. is no lesse against him . the testimonie of saint ignatius ( saith hee ) is a meere forgerie ; easily answered . if ignatius had either denyed or disliked these marriages , no mans word had beene more authentike ; now , this clause hath made him falsified : hee cannot ( i hope ) say that the sentence came out of our forge ; wee take him as wee finde him ; neither doth b. espenceus , or any other ingenuous writer , take such exception , but finds the authority weighty . that more vnlikely epistle which ignatius wrote to saint iohn , and the blessed virgin ( though palpably reiected by their owne ) is classicall enough , when it may serue a coccius , or a bellarmine , or a pierre cotton ; but , here the epistle it selfe is not questioned ; only this clause is bored in the eare. and why so ? forsooth the ancient greeke copies haue it not . doubtlesse , the man hath vexed the olde greeke manuscripts ; but when he hath done , his one fellow shall giue him the lye ; who confesses it to be in all copies both greek and latine , old and new , whiles he saith , that those words ( b et alij apostoli ) ex textu abradenda . or if that will not serue ; there is yet to bee seene in baliol colledge in oxford , an olde copie of the age of seuen hundred , or eight hundred yeeres , wherein the words are found ; only the wordes ( s. paul , & the other apostles ) blurred ; yet so , as they are still to be well discerned : if the greek should want the clause , what were this ? the first edition of ignatius in greeke was ( . ) as the centurists haue noted ; and how easie was it to leaue out one sentence , that seemed preiudiciall ? let him neuer cast this vpon the graecians : they neuer so excelled in this faculty of counterfeiting as the romanes : greece in this must yeeld to italie , how-euer it pleases c pope gregorie and cardinall bellarmine herein only to giue it superioritie . amongst the rest , this very place puts mee in minde of a memorable iuggling tricke of his fellowes . the old platina printed at paris by francis regnault . an. . ( which i haue seene ) and all other olde copies , read thus of saint luke ; vixit annos . d vxorē habens in bithynia . now comes the onuphrian edition set forth at coleine . an. . from the shop of materuus colinus , and reades , vxorem non habens in bithynia ; with which authoritie espencaeus himselfe was deceiued , citing hierome for it as the fountaine , whence perhaps platina might fetch it ; but if my reader please to turne to that c catalogue of famous writers , ascribed ( not vniustly ) to hierome , there shall hee finde the very same coozenage ; the words run so indeed , in the latine printed copies ; but not acknowledged , not mentioned by sophronius in the greeke translation ; and erasmus , reading it either , hauing , or not hauing , at last shuts vp ; haec verba videntur adiecta ; quandoquidem nec adduntur apud sophronivm , nec in exemplaribus emendatioribus . these words ( saith erasmvs ) seeme patched to the rest ; since they neither are added in sophronivs , nor in the better copies . thus hee . it was fit my reader should haue a taste of the romane integritie . i alleaged the learned cardinall caietan for the likelihood of s. pauls marriage ; can my refuter denie this ? the words are plaine : f locus cogere videtur ; the place seemes to inforce it , not by demonstratiue reason but in all reasonable sense , that pavl had a wife , so he . which is all i contended for . if now hee shall thinke to choke me with a crosse testimonie of the same author , concerning saint pauls not conuersing with his wife after his apostle-ship , he may vnderstand , that i well remember caietan to haue beene a romane cardinall ; and therefore in some points necessarily vnsound ; whose ingenuitie yet in this busines i haue formerly shewed . sect . xxviii . from the practice of the apostles ( which is yet cleere for vs ) we descended to their canons . it troubles my refuter , that i say , the romish church fathers these vpon the apostles , and that their iesuite tvrrian sweats to defend it ( insinuating my contrary opinion ) and yet that i cite them for my selfe ; whereas his wisedome might haue considered that their force is no whit lesse strong against them , notwithstanding our doubt , or denyall . for example , the trent canons rore terribly to them : to vs , or the french , they are but as the pot-guns of boyes : we may cite these to them as gospell , they may cite them to vs as alchoran . by this it appeares how farre not only schoole-learning , but euen logike transcends this poore refuters capacitie , who could not distinguish betweene disputing adrem , & ad hominem . what i said in my epistle to my reuerend and worthy friend master doctor iames , the incomparably-industrious and learned bibliothecary of oxford ( a man whom their posseuine thought so well of , that he hath handsomely stolne a booke of his , and clapt it out for his owne , a man whom so base a tongue as my detectors cannot disgrace ) i professe still , that i hold those canons of the apostles vncanonicall ; and doe i hold this alone ? doth not his pope gelasius so ? doth not isidore bishop of hispalis so ? doth not leo the ninth so ? are not some of them at pleasure reiected by posseuine , baronius , bellarmine ? or , in a word , if they bee the true issue of the apostles , are they accordingly respected , and obserued of the roman church ? doth not his g medina grant to their shame , that the latine church scarce obserues six , or eight of them ? these canons then i doe not hold apostolicall ; i doe hold ancient , and not vnworthy of respect ; and such as i wonder they haue escaped the romane purgations . as for those other nine or tenne noted counterfeits , which i ioyned herewith for companie , in that epistle , his shame would serue him to iustifie , if his leasure would ; whereas there is scarce one of them whome his owne authours haue not branded . my refuter must haue a fling ; in an idle excursion therefore he iustly rayles on the protestant practice , in reiecting those fathers for bastardie one while , whome otherwhiles they cite for currant ; when his owne eminent impudencie in the very passage next going before , and in the next following ( to goe no further ) offends in the same kinde . the truth is ; the protestants take libertie to refuse those fathers , whom euen ingenuous papists haue censured as base ; the papists take libertie , when they lift , to reiect the authoritie of those fathers , whose truth they cannot denie . the instances hereof would bee endlesse . but with what face can any papist taxe vs for this , when all the world may see aboue three hundred and twentie of their authours , whome after the first allowance they haue either suppressed , or censured ? to their eternall and open conuiction , doctor iames ( whome they may reuile , but shall neuer answere ) hath collected and published the names , and pages . sect . xxix . not to follow therefore this babbling vagary of my aduersary against zuinglius , luther , musculus , whitakers , ( what puppy cannot bark at a dead lion ? ) we come close to the canon . that no bishop , presbyter , or deacon shal forsake or cast off his wife in pretence of religion , or pietie , vpon paine of deposition . wherewith how much my refuter is pressed , appeares in that he is faine with baronius to auoyd it , with , apocryphorum non est tanta authoritas ; there is no so great authoritie in apocryphall canons . where is the man that euen now vpbrayded vs with the lawlesse rejection of ancient records ; and by name would vndertake to iustifie those whom my epistle taxed for adulterine , whereof these canons of the apostles were a part ? now hee is faine to change his note , apocryphorum non est tanta authoritas . hee hath cast off ignatius alreadie , anon you shal find him reiecting socrates , sozomen , nicephorus , gratian , sigebert , h. huntingdon , and whom not ? vpon euery occasion shamelesly practizing that which hee censures . if i alleage the sixt general councell , that of constantinople , proclaiming this sense truely apostolicall , euen the sixt generall councell is reiected as neither sixt , nor generall , nor councell ; that this apostolicall canon is bent against the deniall of matrimoniall conuersation , is apparantly expressed in those canons of constantinople , how-euer the extent of it in regard of some persons is restrayned . there is no way therefore to vntye this knot , but by cutting it ; and my cauilling priest with his jesuites may gnaw long enough vpon this bone , ere they suck in any thing from hence , but the bloud of their owne iawes . any of those words single might be auoyded , but so set together , will abide no elusion , let him not vpon pretence of religion eiect his wife . the shift that c. e. borrowes from bellarmine , is grosse , and such as his owne heart cannot trust ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) saith he ) that is , * praetextu cautionis . looke ouer all the copies ; all interpretations of these canons ; that of dionysius exiguus ; that of gentianus heruetus ; that of caranza ; that which gratian , ( whome my either gracelesse or ignorant aduersarie dares name against mee ) citeth from hence ; all of them runne praetextu religionis . how cleere is that of their owne h law ? si quis docuerit sacerdotem , &c. if any man shall teach that a priest , vnder pretence of religion , may contemne his own wife , let him be accursed . and zonaras , whom both our iunius , and their espencaeus cite out of quintinus his exposition , is most cleere ; hoc enim videtur in calumniam fieri nuptiarum , &c. for this eiection ( saith hee ) would seeme to bee done in reproch of marriage , as if the matrimoniall knowledge of man and wife caused any vncleannesse . thus he . where it is plain , that he takes it not of maintenance , but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) of the coniugall act . the necessitie of which sense also is euicted by their owne * espencaeus out of saint chrysostome in his second homily vpon titus . and i balsamon no lesse directly ; because ( saith he ) before that law of ivstinian , it was lawfull for a man vpon any cause to diuorce his wife : therefore the present canon giues charge , that it shall not be lawfull for a bishop , priest , or deacon , vpon pretence of pietie , to put away his wife . thus he . from all which it is not hard to see , that in those yong dayes of the church , the mystery of iniquitie began in this point to worke ; so as marriage , according to the apostles prediction , beganne to bee in an ill name , though the cleere light of that primitiue truth would not indure the disgrace . so as in all this i haue both by moses , and the examples of that leuiticall priesthood ; by the testimonie of the apostles , by their practice , by their anciently-reputed canons , & by the testimony of the agedest fathers , so made good the lawfulnesse and antiquity of the marriages of persons ecclesiastical , that i shall not need to feare a diuorce either from my wife , or from the truth , in that my confident and iust assertion . the honovr of the married clergie maintained , &c. the second booke . sect . i. and now , since in this poynt wee haue happily wonne the day , lesse labour needs in the other . it is safe erring with moses and the prophets , with christ and his apostles ; soone after ( according to s. pauls prophesie ) spirits of errors were abroad ; and whether out of the necessarie exigence of those prosecuted times , or out of an affectation to win fauour and admiration in the eyes of gentilisme , virginitie began to rayse vp it selfe in some priuate conceits , vpon the ruines of honest wedlocke ; neyther is it hard to discerne by what degrees ; yet , neuer with such absolute successe , as to proceed to any law of restraint . i doe not therefore fayne to my selfe ( as mine idle refuter ) golden ages of mirth and k marrying , vnder those tyrannous persecutions , but in those bloudie ages , i doe auouch to him , and the world , an immunitie from the tyrannous yoke of forced continencie . this if hee could haue disproued by any iust instances , he had not giuen vs words . if he be angrie that i said , some of the pretended epistles of his ancient popes to this purpose are palpably foysted ; let him fasten where hee lists , if he haue not an answer , let me haue the shame ; in the meane time , it is enough to snarle where he dares not bite . that which i cited from origen , aduising the sonnes of clergie-men not to be proud of their parentage , he cannot deny , he can cauill at . the same perswasion ( saith he ) might bee made to s. peters daughter ( as many are of opinion that he had one ) yet will it not follow that hee knew his wife , after he was an apostle . so he . but what needs this parenthesis , if the man bee true to his owne authors ? did wee deuise the storie of petronilla ? did wee inuent the passage of her sutor flaccus ; of her feuer , the cure whereof her father denyed ? of her epitaph ingrauen in marble , by her fathers owne hand ; aureae petronillae , dilectissimae filiae , to my deare and precious petronilla , my most beloued daughter , found by paul the first ? are not these things reported by their owne volateranus , petr. natalis , l beda , vssuardus , sygebertus , platina ? still where is the man that cryes out of reiecting authorities in other cases allowed ? eyther then let him giue the lye to his histories , or else let him compute the time when flaccus , the roman count , was a sutor to her , and see if he be not forced to grant that shee was begotten of s. peter after his apostleship : and so ( for ought hee knowes ) might those sonnes bee whom origen thus dehorteth ; this man was not their mid-wife . the place of origen which hee m cites to the contrary , he tooke vp somewhat on trust : let him goe and inquire better of his creditor ; by the same token , that in the homily of origen , whither he sends vs , hee shall finde nothing but balaams asse ; an obiect fit for his meditation . as for that parcel of the testimony , which he saith my chin-cough caused mee to suppresse ( in ipsa christianitate ) it is as herbe-iohn in the pot , to the purpose of my allegation . origen speakes of that text , many that are first , shall be last , &c. which he applyes as a cooling-card to the children of christian parents , especially si fuerint ex patribus sacerdotali sede dignificatis , if they be the sonnes of them which are dignified with sacerdotall honour ; the change of the preposition is remarkeable , ex patribus , arguing that he speakes not of their education , but their descent , and therefore implying no lesse then i affirmed , that their parentage giues them a supposed cause of exaltation . sect . ii. holy n athanasivs was brought by mee in stead of a thousand histories : who tels vs that it was no rare thing to find marryed bishops in his time . my wise refuter , after hee hath idlely gone about the bush a little , comes out with this dry verdict , what will master hall hence infer ? that bishops and priests may lawfully marrie ? saint athanasivs saith it not , but onely recounteth the fact , that some marryed of both sorts , but whether they did well or ill , or whether himself did approue or condemne the same , there is no word in this sentence . thus he . we take what he giues , and seeke for no more ; wee cited athanasius in stead of many histories , not of many arguments , histories de facto , not discourses de iure ; the lawfulnesse was discussed before , the practice and vse is now inquired of . this athanasius witnesses , and c. e. yeelds ; wherein yet i may not forget to put my refuter in minde , how brittle his memorie is ; who in the same leafe contradicts himselfe ; for when hee had before confessed that athanasivs doth neyther approue nor condemne the practice , eyther as good or euill , now he plainely tels vs , that the words were not spoken by way of simple narration , but of mislike and reprehension . he would be a good lyer if he could agree with himselfe . why of dislike ? for ( saith hee ) it was neuer lawfull for monkes or bishops to beget children . ipse dixit , wee must beleeue him ; o not to tell him that chrysostome teaches vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) it is possible with marriage to doe the acts of monkes : nor to conuince him with counter-testimonies , let him tel me what fault it is , to doe or not to doe miracles ? these in this sentence of * athanasivs , goe in the same ranke with marriage . but , to cleare athanasius , he brings hierom against vigilantius , ( impudently called by him , the father of the protestants , who would haue all clergie-men to marrie ; when his verie rhemists haue checkt him for this slander ) pleading against that necessitie , from which wee haue oft washt our hands ; when as the same author against iouinian affirmes de facto , the same with athanasius , and vs. to say then that athanasius spoke this only of lewd licentious monks or bishops , is but the leud libertie of a licentious tongue that hath ouer-runne both truth and it selfe . from hence this orator , this parcell of wit , flyes out into a pleasant frumpe , as hee thinkes , but indeed an vgly , inhumane , lothsome ribaudrie , ill-beseeming the mouth of any that was borne of a woman , i will not say whether ill or well beseeming the pen of a virgine-priest , forsooth so pure and angelical , that marriage would vn-saint him . his vnmanly vnnaturall stile belcheth thus : thus lvther , of katherine bore his sow , had sixe pigs . away nasty c. e. transformed by circe ! hoy ! backe to her styes , yea thine , where thou maist freely grunnire in septis cum foedo hoc agmine clausus . then proceeds hee , enuying the the matrimoniall fruitfulnesse of bucer : who surely , had he vnder the vaile of maydenly priesthood been farre more fruitfull in a whole swarme of bastards , should neuer haue heard of it , vnlesse perhaps he had denyed to pay , taxam camerae . as for ochius , allowing polygamie , and perhaps other worse obliquities in his opinions , what are they to vs ? for the marriage of p. martyr occolampadius , pellican , &c. let him take for an acquittance that which hath beene payed them thus , nobis nostrae sunt lunones , vobis vestrae veneres . and then i aske , viuat vter nostrū cruce dignior . if this will not serue for repayment , i must eeke it out with a smal , yet currant , commoditie of two poore verses , which i learned of his mantuan at the grammar schoole : sanctus ager scurris , venerabilis ara cynaedis seruit , honorandae diuûm ganymedibus aedes . let him take this spoonefull of holy-water to digest his hogges-flesh . sect . iii. hitherto my refuters p yron hath beene as straw , his brasse as rotten wood , his sling-stones as stubble ; but now hee hath found that will kill mee dead ; and sayes no lesse then hoc habet . q cyprian is by me alledged for the historie of numidicus ; whom i auouched a married presbyter , by the same token that hee saw his wife burning ( besides him ) with the flames of martyrdome . and lord , what out-cryes are here of fraud and corruption ! and how could this masse-priest wish himselfe neere mee when i should bee vrged with this imposture , to see what face i would make thereon ? euen such a one ( good sir shorne ) as is framed by the confidence of honest innocencie . god deale so with my soule , as it meanes nothing but ingenuous sinceritie ; neyther hath my penne swarued one letter from the text : my margine sayd , numidicus presbyter ; so doth cyprian himselfe , two or three lines before this report of his wife ; so ( besides the text ) doth the margine of erasmus . and what trechery could it be to adde the word of cyprians owne explication ? but numidicus was not then priest when his wife was martyred ; rather vpon that constancie was honoured with holy orders . how appeares that , when cyprian onely sayes , numidicus presbyter ascribatur presbyterorum carthaginensium numero & nobiscum sedeat in clero . he was before a priest , for ought this libeller , or any mortall man knowes , and now was ascribed into the honoured clergie of carthage , soone after to be promoted to episcopall dignitie . before the report therefore of his wiues martyrdome , he is named a priest . what haue i offended in seconding saint cyprian ? let this peremptory babbler proue this ordination to bee after that noble proofe of his faith . i shall confesse my selfe mistaken in the time , neuer false in mine intentions . till then , he shall giue me leaue to stile the man as i find him , numidicus presbyter . if cyprian had said , numidicus , praesbyterorum numero ascribatur , the case had beene cleare ; but now doubling the word , hee implyes him a priest before ; and how long before , and whether not before his confession , it will trouble my learned aduersary to determine . how fayne would this man crow , if he could but get the colour of an aduantage ? in the meane while , this impotent insultation bewrayes nothing but malice and ignorance . sect . iiii. my refuter may transpose the historie of paphnutius , but he shall neuer answere it . after his old guise therefore hee falls to his hatchet , and when hee hath tried to bow it a little and finds it stiffe , hee cuts it vp by the rootes . what one word can hee controll in the relation of r socrates , or mine illation ? the bishops went about to bring in a new law of continency to be imposed vpon their clergie , saith socrates and sozomen ; therefore , before it was not . paphnutius reclaymed , and called that yoke heauie and vnsupportable , the vse of the marriage-bed , chastitie . the issue was , potestas permissa cuique pro arbitratu ; euery man left to his owne libertie . the storie is plaine , there is no place for cauils . the only comfort that my detector and his tutors finde in the historie , is , that paphnutius is not all ours : he calls for the vse of marriage to the wedded clergie , not for wedlocke of the vn-married . true ; therein i must retort the answere of sotus , that the good martyr gaue way to the corruption of the times ; wherein the wicked mysterie had begunne with saint pauls ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) but in the meane time , let him know , that if paphnutius plead but by halues for vs , hee pleads against them altogether ; yea , this hee knowes alreadie , else he would neuer be so audacious as to condemne the authors for vnsincere , and fabulous , yea heretical ; and to bring the clamours of his bellarmine , to discredit socrates in three grosse vntruths , and sozomen with multa mentitur . o impudency without measure , without example ! cassiodorus , and epiphanius , socrates , sozomen , nicephorus , graue and approued authors of our ecclesiasticall storie , for but reporting one piece of an historie , in fauour of clergy-mens marriages , are spit vpon , and discarded with disgrace . this is no new song ; my refuter hath learned it of copus , torrensis , bellarmine , baronius , and others . all whose mouthes together with his , in these particular exceptions , let mee stop with that ingenuous answere of * b. espencaeus , there needs no other aduocate ; excipit torrensis , &c. but torrensis excepts against socrates and sozomen , as though they had lewdly , and shamefully belyed this story of paphnvtivs , and sayes , the one was a friend of the nouatians , the other an abettor of theodorvs the heretike ; that both their histories are in this void of credit , authoritie , probabilitie . as if they could not at once be bad men , and yet good historians ; or , if they lie in any other place , they must needs lie in this ; for sozomen , tritemivs commends him for a worthy furtherer of secular learning , & well versed in the scriptures . and for socrates , hee extols him for a learned and eloquent man , for a very excellent , and greatly experienced historian . thus hee , and much more , to which ( for breuitie ) i refer my peremptorie refuter ; who shall there finde satisfaction to his obiections of the silence of other authours , and the canon alledged against the subintroduction of ( mulieres extraneae ) strange women into the houses of clergy men : his clictouaeus telling him , vxores dici non posse extranaeas , and the law made afterwards by honorius and theodosius , plainly commenting vpon this constitution . sect . v. as for his testimonie of leo the great , liuing in the time of socrates , i answere it by the testimonie of * socrates , liuing in the time of leo the great . multi enim , &c. for many ( saith hee ) in this episcopall dignitie , in their episcopall houses , in the time of their being bishops , do beget children of their wiues , whom they had before lawfully married . thus he . a place that answers for it selfe , and many others . wherin yet my refuter finds some of my faultie concealements . first , that the more , and more famous bishops and priests did the contrarie . true , they did so , but voluntarily as with vs some of the heads of our clergie , and others of the body , doe contayne , not forced , c continent sponte ac pro arbitrio ; this i thinke is not the roman fashion . secondly , they conuersed with the wiues which they married before their ordination , they did not marry after . let his wisedome shew mee vpon what reason the act of marrying should bee vnlawful , where the act of marriage is lawfull , and wee will yeeld him iustly to sticke at this difference . and when he hath done . let him bite vpon their old d glosse ( though now by them defaced . ) dicunt quod olim , ante siricium sacerdotes poterant contrahere . sect . vi. in the rest , he falls not vpon me , but the receiued historians , socrates and nicephorus ; they haue done him a spight , and hee will reuenge it . these hee will conuince of a double lye . the one , that heliodorvs was the first authour of the law of continency in thessalia , the other , that this continency was arbitrary . his reason for the former is waightie ; it is not likely ( saith hee ) that heliodorvs , which would rather lose his bishoprick then recall his lasciuious booke , would be so eager aboue the rest for the continency of his clergie . as if euer any men had beene more luxurious then the greatest enemies to marriage ; as if it were impossible for pope iohn the thirteenth ( from whom dunstan receiued his rigorous commission ) to bee vnnaturally incestuous ; as if it were impossible for his great prelate of crema , when he came to oppose the marriage of our english clergy , to be e found that night in bed with an harlot ? and here my childish aduersarie will needs make sport for boyes ; i cited in my margin heliodorus , the authour of the aethiopick historie ; as if ( saith he ) heliodorvs had written some historie of aethiopia , whereas hee onely intituled his worke , aethiopia . ridiculous head ! what schole-boy , what apprentice knows not heliodorvs ? nosque manum ferulae , &c. if this learned critick had but euer opened the booke , hee had found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; neither doth any englishman know it by any other name , then , as it is translated ( ere i was borne ) the aethiopicke historie ; yea , if a man were not resolute to shut his eyes , in the very place of socrates , which hee cites , the booke is called aethiopica , whereto what construction can bee giuen , but this of mine ? such folly is for the rod or ferule ; this is ( i confesse ) a trifle ; yet such as may giue my reader a taste of the bold blindnes of my impudent detector . sect . vii . the other stings yet more , that this episcopall and priestly continency was vpon no other termes , then f modò ipsi voluerint , and , nuliâ lege coacti ; and consuetudo inualuit . and now all in a rage my refuter will proue against socrates , that there was a law for this ; and to this purpose , he brings in two canons of the canstantinopolitane councell in trullo : marke , reader , with what iudgment . the trullan councell was aboue two hundred yeers after : socrates ended his historie in the yeere g . the trullan councell was held ( as their binius computes it ) in the yeer . and yet the canon of the trullan councell , in a matter of fact , disproues socrates . the other councels of ancyra , caesarea , and nice , are either prouincial , or against him . as for the plea of synesius , that hee might not bee a bishop , because hee would not leaue his wife , it is answered by the fact of synesius , that hee was made a bishop , and left not his wife . but what an idle and insolent boldnesse is this , for an obscure libeller , to goe about now almost . yeeres after , to controll a graue approued historian of the church , in a matter of ordinary practice , which his owne eyes and the worlds did daily witnesse ; as if he durst haue published such a report of the cōmon vse of his time , wherein all the age he liued in , could haue conuinced him ? the witlesly-malicious prosopopey , wherein my refuter brings in the reuerend and peerelesse bishop of london , pleading for his wife to his metropolitan , becomes well the mouth of a scurrile masse-priest , and is worthy of nothing but a scorne . those two incomparable prelates are the chiefe obiects of these euill eyes ; whom god hath raysed happily aboue the reach of their enuie . it galls this romish rabble , that these two ring-leaders of the english clergie ( besides their busie imployments in their carefull , prudent , and zealous gouernement ) preach more sermons in a yeere , then , perhaps , all the bishops vnder the papacy . rumpantur & ilia . sect . viii . it pleaseth his discretion to marshall my epistle as he lists , and then to complayne of disorder , and my leaping ouer hundreds of yeeres from the nicen councell to gratian the canonist ; my readers eyes can confute him , which cannot but witnesse , that i name diuers in all ages recorded for married bishops , and presbyters . this beadrole ( hee saith ) is idle , because i shew not that they then vsed their wines when they were bishops . an hard condition ; that i must bring witnesses from their bed-sides . is it not enough that wee shew they had wiues , that they had children ? no ( saith my refuter ) it must be proued that they had these children by these wiues after ordination . wee were neither their midwiues nor their gossips , to keep so strict an account . but what meanes , * cum vxoribus dormiunt ? and , tempore episcopatus filios gignunt ex proprijs vxoribus ? this wee haue shewed out of socrates . what was that which dionysius , the ancient b. of corinth , ( before euer paphnutius was ) wrote to pinytus , charging him , x ne graue seruandae castitatis onus necessariò fratribus imponat . what was that , for which eustathius , b. of sebastia , the vnworthy sonne of eulanius b. of caesarea was censured ? was not this one of the articles , y benedictionem , & c ? that he taught men to decline the blessing and communion of married priests ? away then with this either ignorant , or impudent facing of so euident a falshood . the testimonie of hierome , the example of vrbicus b. of claramont , and of genebaldus b. of laudune , shew what was the conceit and practice of those particular places wherin they liued ; and yet hierome in the same booke can say ; z quasi non hodie quoque plurimi sacerdotes habeant matrimonia . in that storie of vrbicus , related by gregor . turonensis , i can but wonder how far men may be transported by superstition ; so as to make the apostles charge giue way to an humane opinion . the wife of a vrbicus comes to his doore , and alledges s. pauls charge ; ( meet together againe , lest satan tempt you , &c. ) cur coniugem spernis , & c ? he yeelds to doe the dutie of an husband , and now in remorse , inioynes himselfe a perpetuall penance . what penance do we thinke saint paul was worthy of , for giuing this charge which shee alledged ? let my reader iudge , whether of the two was the better diuine . how insolent is tradition , thus to trample vpon scripture ? but since it pleased my refuter to lend mee this one example of gregor . turonensis , i am readie to giue him vse for it . in the second booke of turonensis he shall find b sidonius a married bishop , and his wife , a noble matrone , in all likelihood liuing with him , for ( nesciente coniuge ) without his wiues knowledge hee gaue siluer plate to the poore . c in the fourth booke hee shall find anastasius a married presbyter , feoffed in some temporalties which hee would rather die then not leaue to his issue . d in the eight booke hee shall find badegisitus , the cruell bishop of the cenomans , matched with ●n ill wife ; who yet liued with him ( as it seemes ) all his time , and had altercations with bertram , archdeacon of paris , for his goods , deceased . in these there is strength of ●egall presumption , though no necessitie of inference . but what doe i instance in these , or any other , when balsamon tells vs cleerly , that before the sixt synode e it was lawfull for bishops to haue wiues , etiam post dignitatem episcopalem ? and his owne canon law can tell him , that in the east church , their priests , matrimonio copulantur ; which his wariest masters expounding , would interpret by copulato vtuntur . iudge then , reader , what to thinke of the mettle of this mans forehead , who would beare vs downe , that no one bishop or priest was allowed , after orders , to haue any wife . yea , euen for the very contraction of marriage it selfe , after orders , f honest espencaeus can cite one g ioannes marius , a dutch-man by birth , but a french historian , to whom hee allowes the title of ( non indiligeris ) who writes , that hee knowes that in the times of pope formosus , and ludouicus balbus , priests were married , et ijs lieuisse sponsam legitimam ducere modo virginem , non verò viduam ; and that it was lawfull for them to marrie a wife , so shee were a virgine , not a widdow . as for that base slander wherewith this venomous pen besprinkles the now-glorious face of our renowned archbishop and martyr doctor cranmer , whom hee most lewdly charges with lasciuiousnesse and incontinent liuing with i know not what dutch fraw , it is worthy of no other answere then , increpet te dominus . it is true that the holy man wisely declining the danger & malignitie of the times , made not at the first any publike profession of his marriage ; as , what needed to inuite mischiefe ? but that he euer had any dishonest conuersation with her or any other , it is no other then the accent of the mouth of blasphemy . and if any one of our clergie , after a legall and iust diuorce long since , haue taken to himselfe that liberty which other reformed churches publikely allow ( as granting in some case a full release , both à thoro and à vinculo ) what ground is this for an impure wretch to cast dirt in the eyes of our clergie , and in the teeth of our church ? malicious masse-priest , cast backe those emissitious eyes to your owne infamous chaire of rome ; and if euen in that thou canst discerne no spectacles of abominable vncleannesse , spend thy spightfull censures vpon ours . i reckoned diuers examples of marryed bishops and priests out of eusebius , ruffinus , others ; amongst the rest domnus bishop of antioch , which succeeded samosatenus , for which my margent cited eusebius , in his seuenth booke and nine and twentieth chapter . my detector taxes mee for citing authours at randome ; as eusebius lib. . cap. . when as there are ( he saith ) but sixe and twenty chapters ; and for things which are not found in him ; as if the man had desperately sworne to write nothing but false . trust not me , reader ; trust thine owne eyes ; thou shalt not finde that booke of h eusebius , to haue one and thirtie chapters ; and in the cited place thou shalt duly finde the historie of domnus . whose patience would not this impudencie moue ? if i reckoned not examples enow , or such as he likes not , ( as vniustly seeming litigious , there is choice enough of more ; tertullian , prosper , hilarie , eupsychus , polycrates , and his seuen ancestors ; to which let him adde foure and twentie diocesses at once in germanie , france , spaine , anno . of married clergie-men , recorded by their owne i gebuilerus , and make vp his mouth , with that honest confession of auentine , k sacerdotes illa tempestate publicè vxores , sicut caeteri christiani habebant , filios procreabant ; priests in those dayes publikely had wiues , as other christians had , and begat children ; which the olde verse ( if hee had rather ) expresses in almost the same termes . quondam praesbyteri poterant vxoribus vti : which his mantuan hath yet spun in a finer thred , as we shall shew in this section . what l danger is there now therefore either of the breach of my promise to my worthy friend master doctor whiting , or of my diuorce , or of his victorie ? if the man and his modestie had not beene long since parted , these idle crackes had neuer beene . but whereas this mightie champion challenges me with great insultation in many passages of his brauing discourse , to name but one bishop or priest of note , which after holy orders conuersed coniugally with his wife ; without the scandall of the church , branding such ( if any were ) for infamous ; and daring to pawne his cause vpon this triall ; i doe heere accept his offer , and am readie to produce him such an example , as if all the iesuites heads in the world stood vpon his shoulders , they could not tell how to wrangle against . i doe not vrge to him that prosper of aquitaine , a bishop and a saint , whose verses to his wife are famous , and imply their inseparable conuersation . age iam precor mearum , comes irremotarerum , &c. nor yet the fore-named hilarie , bishop of poitiers , who in his olde age ( if that epistle be worthy of any credit ) writing to his daughter , confesses her yeeres so few , that through the incapacitie of her age , shee might perhaps not vnderstand the hymne or epistle ; of whom the honest carmelite mantvanvs could ingenuously confesse : non nocuit tibi progenies , non obstitit vxor legitimo coniuncta thoro . non horruit illa tempestate deus thalamos , cunabula , taedas . nor bishop simplicius , of whom m sidonius giues this prayse , that his parents were eminent either in cathedris , or tribunalibus , and that his pedigree was famous either episcopis , or praefectis : and for his wife , that shee was of the stocke of the pallvdii , qui aut literarum , aut altarium cathedras cum sui ordinis laude tenuerunt ; of whom also sidonius can say , she did respondere sacerdotijs vtriusque familiae , answere the priesthoods of eyther family . nor alcimus n auitus the french archbishop , who writing to his sister , of her parentage , hath thus , — stemma parentum , quos licet antiquo mundus donârit honore , et titulis à primaeuo insigniuerit ortu , plus tamen ornantur sacris insignibus illi , &c. nec iam atauos soror alma tibi proauosque retexam , vita sacerdotum quos reddidit inclyta claros . nor paulinus bishop of nola in campania : to whome ausonius writes , tanaquil tua nesciat istud ; and formidatamque iugatam obijcis , &c. these and such like might suffice reasonable men ; but since wee haue to doe with those aduersaries , whom saint paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; who , if we vrge hundreds of such euident examples , turne vs off with bold shifts ; and will needes put vs to proue those acts which seeke secresie ; let him and all his complices whet their wits vpon that cleare and irrefragable place of gregorie nazianzen , a man beyond all exception ; who brings in his father gregorie , whom the world knowes to haue beene bishop of the same see , speaking thus of him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. nondum tot annisunt tui , quot iam in sacris mihi sunt peracti victimis , &c. that is , the yeeres of thy age are not so many as of my priesthood . words that will conuince the most importunate gain-sayer , that gregorie nazianzen was borne to his worthy father , after the time of his holy orders . and lest any man should suspect that this ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nondum ) may reach onely to the birth , not to the begetting of gregorie nazianzen ; so as perhaps he might be borne after his fathers orders , begotten before them : let him know ( to make all sure and playne ) that gorgonia and caesarius the sister and brother of this gregorie , were by the same father begotten afterwards ; as is euident both by that verse of nazianzen ; who speaking of his mother , as then childlesse when shee begged him of god , sayes , cupiebat illa masculum foetum domi spectare , magna vt pars cupit mortalium . and the cleare testimonie of elias cretensis , quamuis enim si natiuitatem spectes , &c. although ( saith hee ) if you regard his birth , he was not the onely child of his parents , forasmuch as after him both gorgonia and caesarivs were borne . thus he . o infamous gregories , the scum of the clergie ! o irregular father , that durst defile his sacred function with so carnall an act ! o shamelesse sonne , that blushes not to proclaime his owne sinfull generation ! goe now petulant refuter , and see whether you can eyther yeeld , or answer . as for that glorious shew of antiquitie wherewith c. e. hopes to bleare his readers eyes , gracing himselfe herein with the astipulation of our reuerend iewell ; i neede not returne any other answer then of his beatus rhenanus : quanquam veteres omnes , &c. although all the ancient , and hierome himselfe were no whit equal or indifferent to marriage ; esteeming virginitie and chastity very high ; both because they thought the last-day was neere at hand , as remembring that sentence of s. pavl , tempus in collecto est ; and because they saw many impediments grow from marriage , which marred the puritie of christianitie , in those dayes , especially , when christians liued amongst heathens , and matched in marriage with them : surely it is euident , that for this cause hierome was in an ill name at rome , &c. thus he . we durst not haue said so much , for our selues . the highest antiquitie is ours , the later had bin ours , if it had not bin vpon these grounds which were then their owne , proper to the time , place , occasion . sect . ix . i descend to the testimonie of gratian ; champion e. calls this , picking of strawes . if picking of strawes be boyes-play , and argue that they which vse it are foyled , and haue lost all , as our refuter merrily pipeth , let him acknowledge how beggerly the proofs are grown of the martyrdome of their saintly iesuites and priests amongst vs , did they not stoope to picke strawes , to thresh out a miracle ( when it was ) for translating father garnet from a traytor to a martyr ; yea and that chaffe , the gullery whereof themselues smile at here , is deuoutly transported beyond the seas , and enshrined for a sacred relique , and proclaymed by their kornmānus for one of the great wonders of the dead ; ridet aruspex vbi aruspicem viderit . it is well that the great compiler of the canon law of rome is growne so base with catholique priests . he witnesses plainely , that some bishops of rome were the sonnes of priests not spurious , but begot in lawfull wedlocke ; m which was ( according to gratian ) euery-where lawful to the clergie , before the prohibition . c. e. bites the lip at this authoritie , and first he tells vs , it is the palea , not gratian. but if this be chaffe , there is no corne. reader , try by this the egregious impudence of this fellow . turne to the place , thou shalt find the words to be none but gratians ; and the notes allowed by publique authoritie , openly to confirme it : hic apertè ostendit gratianus se in ea fuisse opinione , &c. here gratian openly shewes that he was in that opinion , that heretofore the priests of the latine church might be marryed . secondly , my parenthesis displeases him ( as now , a dayes ) but what needes this quarrell ? he must grant , if the romish priests haue sonnes , they can bee no other then spurious . it is his best not to presse this poynt too farre . this idle iealousie of his can argue no good . i touched not the continencie of his paulus quintus , so much as in my thought , i onely wish that his holinesse would bestow some of the offals of his nephewes great benefices , vpon this masse-priest for the reward of his superflouos oleum peccatorum . my third vntruth , ( and that a grosse one ) is , that i say many bishops of rome followed their fathers in the pontificall chayre : whereas in this chaffe of gratian , hee findes but one : syluerius pope , sonne of syluerius bishop of rome . and what if in his chaffe hee finde but one , whiles i in my corne-heape can finde more ? did i tye my selfe in this clause onely to gratian ? was not pope iohn the eleuenth , or , in some accounts , the tenth , sonne to pope sergius ? and is there no chayre pontificall but the romane ? was not theodorus pope , sonne to theodorus bishop of ierusalem ? faelix the third , sonne to bishop valerius ? pope adrian the second , sonne to bishop taralus ? his platina can supply his gratian in these . what haue i to doe with his quarrels about hosius , faelix , agapetus , steuen ? they are their ownes ; let him wring gratian by the eare , till i feele : and surely , the poore canonist bleedes on all hands . bellarmine , baronius , posseuine , and this stout beagle , haue euerie one a snatch at him ; and he must be content to goe away with this gash , ( wee are not bound , to follow him as an infallible writer , but may with free libertie reiect him . ) yea , how merrie doth my refuter make himselfe with his despised gratian ? like a philistim hee hath pulled out the eyes of this samson , and now makes sport with him ; if doway like it well , it shall not be displeasing to vs. the man ( as ill as hee loues marriage ) will needes make a match betwixt his gratians pope steuen , and his pope ioane . iö hymen ! was euer man so mad , to make himselfe pastime with his owne shame ? was the historie of that their monstrous papesse of our making ? doe not n the whole streame of their writers of chronicles , their owne bishops , monkes , recluses , registers , record it openly to all posteritie , without the contradiction of the next ages , yea of any , till this last ? let them take to themselues therefore , this fruitfull successor in the infallible chayre ; she is their owne , they may dispose of her where they list ; and since my refuter will finde out a match for her out of the chayre of exploration , why should not we dance at the wedding ? why doe not we helpe him to a piece of an epithamium ? papa pater patrum , papissae pandito partum . o a floure that neuer came out of luthers poesie . sect . x. i see , that whiles i follow this wrangler by the foot , i am become insensibly tedious . the residue of his long-some traatise is spent vpon the councell of constantinople . gregories charge , isidores rule , hulderick , hildebrand , dunstan , and anselme , and the estate of our fore-fathers in the english clergie . the discussion of all which , as not being essentiall to our businesse , ( except only the last ) will admit more breuitie of dispatch . the vitall parts of our cause beeing secured , there will be lesse danger in the remoter limmes ; which yet , if our target gard not ▪ our sword shall . in all these , it shall be best to reduce his cauils vnto heads , that we may crop them with more speed and ease ; onely i must craue leaue to dwell somewhile in the last . concerning the councell of constantinople ( after some idle mis-taken discourse of the occasion thereof ) he insists vpō these foure points : first , that it was not generall : secondly , not the sixt : thirdly , not peremptorily ours : fourthly , not by them defaced , or torne out . first , it is no trusting what a roman priest sayes in choller of a gr●cian councel . the greek church is equally in their books with ours ; and this councell , with the synod of dort. it is an eternall quarrell , which all the vassals of rome haue against this councell , that it equalled the bishop of constantinople , with the roman : a crime that cannot be forgiuen . the inuectiues of our popish diuines , especially pighius , p bellarmine , baronius , haue made good that note of q balsamon , occidentales episcopi , &c. the westerne bishops ( saith he ) that is , the italian or latine ( ab huius synodi canonibus oportunè icti ) finding themselues galled with the canons of this synod , haue giuen it out not to be generall : thus he . and why was it not generall ? it had no forme of a councell ( saith my refuter ) no legats of the pope , no inuitation of the latine bishops , neyther were any of the other patriarkes present , or consenting . euerie word a shamelesse vntruth ; basilius bishop of gortyna the metropolis of crete , ( which was then vnder the archbishop of rome ) and the bishop of rauenna ( saith balsasamon ) were there to represent the roman church ; the bishops of thessalonica , sardinia , heraclea , corinth , were there and then the popes legates . and for the patriarkes ; basilius ( saith the same balsamon ) bishop of gortyna , which was present in the name of the roman church , is found to haue subscribed after the foure patriarkes , and certaine other metropolitans . what can be more plaine ? but s. bede ( saith c. e. ) tels vs that ivstinian the yonger commanded sergivs bishop of rome , to be carryed to constantinople , because he would not subscribe huic erraticae synodo . still mistaking and ignorance . his surius and turrian could haue taught him out of theophanes , this was another , a pseudo-synode , which the same iustinian had in his first gouernment called in fauor of the monothelites ; which was some yeeres after the true synode vnder constantine the bearded . this mans wit wanders with his erraticall synode . sect . xi . for the number of , sixt , wee need not be scrupulous ; whether it were the fift , or sixt , or both ( as balsomon calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or neither . it is enough for me , that gratian , caranza , espencaeus , and other his owne great masters call it familiarly both sixt , and generall ; in this i cannot but be safe enough . i grant , that ( to speake precisely ) the sixt synode vnder constantine published no canons , but afterwards many of the same fathers , which had formerly met in the sixt synod , and others , to the number of . being called together by the then penitent and restored iustinian ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) gathered vp , and set forth with vniuersall consent , the canons formerly made , and by them re-enforced . but what need i trouble my selfe with any other answere to all these windy cauils of my aduersarie , then that which tharasius himselfe , the patriarke of constantinople , hath most fully giuen ; r quae est haec ignorantia , & c ? what ignorance ( saith hee ) is this , wherewith many men are tainted , about these canons ? for it is a scandall to doubt whether they were the canons of the sixt synod . let these men therefore know , that the sixt synod was gathered in the time of constantine , against those which ascribe one only action and will to christ ; the fathers then condemning those heretikes , and confirming the oxthodoxe faith about the fourteenth yeere of constantine , returned home : after foure or fiue yeeres , the same fathers ( being met vnder ivstinian the son of constantine ) set forth the foresaid canons ; neither let any man doubt of this ; for those very same fathers which in the time of constantin subscribed , did also vnder ivstinian subsigne this present paper ; which thing is euident enough by the vnchangeable likenesse of their owne hands . so hee . whether therefore the computation of tharasius or theophanes , bee followed , wee haue what wee desired ; the same acts are set forth if not by altogether the same person , and ſ gratians iudgement is herein ours . sect . xii . for the third point . to proue that this synod is not peremptorily for vs ; h●e vrgeth diuers other canons of it , which in other things sound against vs. then , hee shewes the instanced thirteenth canon , not to bee so absolutely and fully ours , as is pretended . first , where finds hee this law , that no man may alledge one testimonie of a father , or a councell , but he must be tyed to iustifie all the rest ? himselfe would bee the first that would shrinke at this condition . this challenge is vnreasonable , and might turne off all allegation . for example , if a man should alledge the nicene councell , canon . . against any superstitious foole that hath made himselfe a corporall eunuch , might he straight for his iustification flie vpon the last canon of that councell , vnnecessarily inioyning vs to stand at our sundayes prayers . or if a man should cite the synod of laodicea against a deacon ( though a cardinall ) sitting before a priest , or against the worshipping of angels ; were it meet to choke him with a returne of the last canon of that councell , forbidding the apocryphall bookes ; or the . canon , forbidding his holinesse to take so much as a bible in his solemnitie , from the hands of iewes : if a man shall alledge a testimonie of cyprian , were it fit to vpbraid him with the errour of re-baptization ? or if of augustine , with the errour of the necessitie of infants communicating ? this is clauum clauo . for mee , i haue vndertaken no such taske to warrant them that once said true , from euer erring : i doe therefore herein scorne my silly refuters compassion , who is so far from crushing mee in this , that hee hurts none but his owne fists , in beating them about his owne hard head . for , if the pressing vs with the authoritie of some of these canons , bee to iustifie the rest , then the . canon of that councell beares him and his rome downe before it , whiles it sets constantinople cheeke by jole with it ▪ maugre . a point , which rather then they will yeeld , they will bee glad to abate vs all the rest : this we are sure of , that the alledged canon is peremptorily , fully , cautelously ours : for this , my credit is at the stake , which my refuter pleases himselfe with the hope to impaire , insulting in the idle fancy of a iust aduantage , whiles he shewes the canon to come short in some points of our requisition and practice ; for there , bishops are excepted , and the freedome of marriage after ordination . reader , compare the canon with the words of my ingagement , i vndertooke thou shouldest find no decree could bee made more peremptorie , more cautelous , more full and absolute for the lawfulnesse of the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons . for first ; the fathers professe herein to crosse the practice and decree of the roman church . secondly , they professe the coniugall cohabitations of sacred persons to stand by the apostolike canons , and to bee a sincere , exquisite , and orderly constitution . what could be said more ? they ( thirdly ) ratifie this libertie for euer . they ( fourthly ) giue charge that no man by the cohabitation with his lawfull wife , bee hindred from ascending to the highest degree of holy orders . ( fiftly ) that in the time of their ordination . it be not so much as required of them , to abstayne from the lawfull companying with their wiues ; which were ( say they ) to offer iniurie to marriage ordayned by god , and blessed by his presence ; and to crosse him that said , those whom god hath ioyned together , let no man separate ▪ and , marriage is honorable amongst all , &c. ( sixtly ) that if any man shall presume so farre , as to offer to debarre any priest , deacon , or subdeacon , from the coniunction and societie with his lawfull wife , he shall be deposed ; or if any priest or deacon shall voluntarily cast off his wife , vpon pretence of religion , that he shall be suspended , and ( if he goe on ) deposed . iudge now whether herein my protestation haue erred ; not that there can be no circumstance deuised , as of the extent of the persons , or time , or manner , wherein curiositie might inlarge the scope of this libertie ( so i neuer meant : ) but if this one point ( that the marriage of persons ecclesiasticall is lawfull ) can bee more fully and warily set downe , let mee lye open to censure ; if not , hate the vanitie of this idle mountebanke , and confesse with aristophanes , aduersus ictum sycophantae non inesse pharmacum . the parlamentall law in the time of king edward , was ( i grant ) more full in extending the libertie , could not bee more full in auouching the lawfulnesse of our marriages . where i must take leaue to tell my refuter , that the comparison he presumes to make of king edwards parlament , with the proceedings of iacke straw , wat tiler , &c. is , like himselfe , sedicious and trayterous . and what maruell if such repyners blow out the foggy vaporous blast of sedicious words , against our highest court of parlament , which some of their companions haue attempted to blow vp with a blast of fire ? this constitution was not ciuill onely , but synodicall : and may not a lawfull synod or conuocation , with the concurrence of the three states , and the sway of royall authoritie , make or re-establish a law agreeable to the word of god , and the receiued practice of their progenitors , but euery iacke-sawce of rome shall thus odiously dare to controll and disgrace it ? one of his capitoline gods of rome called england his asse ; so it was whiles it might beare nothing but his trumperie , and goe but where his groomes would either lead , or driue it : now that it hath taken heart , and ( with cardinall campegius his sumpter ) cast off this base lode ; and hath haply ouerrunne this seruitude ; they are readie , with the keeper of metamorphosed apuleius , to seeke a desperate remedie from the next tree . sect . xiii . svch then is the canon of constantinople , which therefore ( i said ) because they cannot blemish enough , they haue indignely torne out of the councells : and here is much vehement and brauing rhetorik spent vpon me as a shamelesse writer ; and this passage as the grossest lye , that euer was published by protestant , and now i am coniured , how blemished ? how torne ? what ? where ? how ? when ? because innocence is bold , the man will bee bold , that he may seeme innocent ; but hee shall well finde that facing will not serue his turne . is he so ignorant as not to know that all his great t masters discard this whole councell as spurious ? doth he not knew that it is ( if not torne ) yet left out in diuers of their editions of the councels ? let him learn , if hee know not , that their ancient collection of canons , which was called codex , or corpus canonum , which was in vse in leo the fourths time , mentioned by gratian , dist . c. de libellis , and printed anno at mentz , and re-printed at paris , in o lauo , anno . omits it . the other collection of councels by isidorus mercator , which began to be receiued about charles the great his time , wherein , besides the forged decretall epistles of diuers popes , are the canons of many prouinciall councels of afrike , france , spaine , &c. set forth by iac. merlin at coleine , . and which hath beene vsually receiued in the westerne church , in the times of the schoolemen , who vsually ( as doe also iuo & burchardus ) alleage them , likewise omits it . the two editions of the councels by p. crabbe , likewise omit it ; and if it had not beene for starke shame , so would the rest also . doth he not know what his anastatius & numbertus protest of some particular canons , and this for one , u haec capitula , omnino refutamus , & , nullatenùs recipiantur . and for this verie particular canon ; if he know not , there is first an attempt of a double blemish to bee cast vpon it , the one , in that they reade it so , as if the romane clergy professed quòd copulentur vxoribus non suis , as by way of scorne ; whereas the words runne , se d●inceps cum vxoribus suis non congressuros . the other , in that some of their authours would referre sacrorum virorum to constitutiones , not to nuptias ▪ marring quite the sense of the canon . this for the blemish . for the wiping out of this very canon , and denying it place with the rest ; let him heare his owne x espencaeus , telling him , that euen they which allowed this synode reiected by pighius , and others , yet hunc canonem duriter tractant , &c. vse this canon somewhat hardly , as altogether prophane , full of errour , insolence , immodestie , manifest falshood , apocryphall , and most corrupted ; and his ingenuitie is fayne to plead , in conclusion , canonem hunc legitimum esse non gratis , sed necessario donemus ▪ that they must ( not vpon courtesie , but of necessitie ) yeeld this canon for legitimate , not suppositicious . and what is this in my detectors construction , but a cashiering of this canon out of the councels , against the authoritie of gratian , and the greeke copies ? lastly , the eyes of learned chemnitius , are vndoubted witnesses to vs , what credit soeuer they find with this italianate generation ; in ●omis conciliorum prorsus expunxerunt , & omiserunt hunc canonem : y in the tomes of the councels they haue altogether wip't out , and omitted this canon : so as if we had those blurred copies which hee saw bleeding from the hand of the inquisitors , there could be no fence for this charge , but that which serues for all , impudent denyals . neither needed my refuter to take it so highly , that i obiected to them the tearing , blemishing , and defacing of this , and other records against them ; ere long the world shall see , to the foule shame of these selfe-condemned impostors , that in the writings both of ancient and later authours , they haue blotted out more then an hundred places ( some of them contayning aboue two sheets apiece ) concerning this very point , which we haue in hand . this is no newes therefore ; neither needed my detector to make it so daintie . sect . xiiii . i cited from gratian the free confession of pope steuen the second , acknowledging the open libertie of marriage to the clergie of the lasterne church ; matrimonio copulantur . a place truly irretragable ; my refuter first excepts against the number , telling vs that steuen the second liued but three or foure dayes at the most , and therfore he could not bee the man ; what spirit of cauillation possesses this masse-priest ? he cannot but know that his owne sigibertus ascribes fiue yeeres to this steuen , and hermannus , sixe : but fiue is the least : and his binius tels him that the steuen he speakes of ( sitting but two dayes exclusiuely ) z is by the most omitted in the catalogue of the romane bishops : whence it is that the chronicle names not two steuens betwixt the first and the fourth . but this man ( he saith ) called no councell ; what is that to me ? gratian affirmes it , i doe not . let him fall out , for this , with his friends . and now according to the old wont , ( after hee hath tryed to shift off , matrimonio copulantur , with the sleeulesse euasion of a false glosse ( .i. vtuntur ) which caietan hath sufficiently confuted for vs ) he fals to a flat reiection of gratian , and tels vs , out of bellarmine , that canon to be perhaps of no authoritie , but an errour of the collectors . good god! what face haue these men ? that none of their receiued authours can bee produced against them , but they are straight counterfeit ; and yet the very same , where they speake for them , canonicall ? their clyents , if they might but know these trickes , would be ashamed of their patrones . that the clergie not only of the east might matrimonio copulari , but of the west also might matrimonium contrahere ( which are the words they are vnwilling to know in their owne canon law ) shew sufficiently that they not only were marryed of old , but might marry ; but for the easterne clergie , it is freely granted by all ingenuous spirits ; in so much as espencaeus tels vs , that neuer authour , either olde or new imputed this for a fault vnto the greeke church , that their clergie was marryed . what shall wee say then to this bold bayard , that compares this toleration of marriage in the greeke church , with moseses permission of the bill of diuorce vnto the iewes ? as if marriage had beene only tolerated , not allowed ; as if vniust diuorce were a fit match for lawfull wedlocke ; whiles he here talkes of duritia cordis , well may we talke of his duritia frontis . it is true , euery church , euery countrey , hath their customes and fashions ; which ioannes maior pleades against bedaes censure of the english and scottish and brittish obseruation of easter , ) and may bee as iustly in this case pleaded for vs ; this was of olde no lesse ours , then the greekes ; and if any church will bee prescribing against god , wee haue no such custome , nor the church of god ; but what a ridiculous insinuation it is , that the greeke priests are dispensed with by supreme authoritie ecclesiasticall ? forsooth , by the pope of rome . faine would i learne wher● vpon what termes , at what rate the graecians purchased in the court of rome dispensation for their marriages . i would my refuter had the office appointed him to shuffle ouer all the records of the apostolike chamber , till hee find such a grant made propter duritiem cordis ; then should a great deale of good paper escape the miserie of being besmeared by his pen. what strange fantastike dreames are put vpon the world ? where the papacie cannot preuaile , there forsooth his holinesse dispenseth . the greeke church admitteth marryed priests , the pope dispenseth with them ; they deny and defie the popes supremacies ; i trow he dispēseth with them for that too : and why not with the church of england ? wee pay no peter-pence ; wee runne not to rome-market to buy trash , i hope his holinesse dispenseth with vs for these peccadillo's ; wee take libertie here to marrie rather then to burne , why should wee not hope to receiue that dispensation whereof wee heard the newes of late from a poore bankrupt carryer ? ad populum phaleras . sect . xv. as for the contradiction , which his sagacitie finds ( not without much scorne ) in the two parlamentall lawes of the father , and the sonne king henrie the eighth , and king edward the sixt ; whereof the one forbids , the other allowes the marriage of ecclesiastiques , it needed not haue bin any wonder to a learned priest , which might haue known councels enow , diametrally opposite to each other : what fault was it in the recouerd blind man , that he first saw men walke like trees , and after like men ? euen the best man may correct himselfe . neither was there here any contradiction . king henrie spake with the romane church , ( whose one halfe of him then was ) king edward spake with the scriptures , and purer antiquitie : king henry neuer said , god disallowed these marriages , king edward neuer said , they were allowed by the romish church . and why may not wee draw out the like absurditie out of queene maries parliaments ; wherein she reuersed many things established by king edward ; as in this very case concerning marriage of priests ? may not wee hereupon aske , what will you say to such parliaments wherein the brother is thwarted by the sister , and that with the consent of the most of the same parliament-men enacting in a few yeeres contrarily ? or as if it were any newes with popes rescindere acta praedecessorum ; euen of those which immediately preceded them ? who knowes not the storie of pope formosus , and stephanus , and the many and strong contradictions of decrees in the frequent , long , and desperate schismes of the romish church ? this lash is indifferently fit for all backes ; let him that hath no cause to smart , complaine . what needed this foule mouth then to breake forth into so palpable slanders of that holy archbishop and martyr doctor cranmer , charging him with deepe dissimulation , in soothing vp both these kings in their contrarie decrees ? when it is most manifest , that this worthy metropolitan was the only man , which durst for three daies together , openly in parliament oppose those wickedly proiected articles of king henrie ; and this in speciall . in so much , as hee was willed out of the house , till the act might passe ; which ( notwithstanding hee well knew king henry ) hee stoutly refused . would this man ( thinke we ) care to belye all the saints in heauen for an aduantage ? what will not hee dare to say , that will obiect inconstancie to him who sealed gods truth with his bloud ? the contradictions and weaknesses that hee findes in this synode of constantinople , doe no whit mooue vs ; if hee can allow and commend , and cite against vs the seuen and thirtieth canon , of the councell , for the worship of the crosse , or the fourescore and fifteenth for the holy chrisme , and yet disallow the thirteenth ; why , may not we by the same law cite and approoue the thirteenth canon against them , and yet disauow those other ? sect . xvi . neither was it for want that i mentioned only this councell of constantinople ; the more ancient constitutions of ancyra , and gangra ; and the first and fourth of toledo , besides the apostolicall and nicene , might haue bin vrged by me . it was not mine intent ( with this babbler ) to say more then all ; but only to take an handfull out of the sackes mouth for a taste to the buyer ; that faire flourish therefore of councels which he musters vp against mee herein , will bee but , arma armis contraria : wherein since my refuter will needs make himselfe so busie , let me intreat him by the way to compare the councell of a gangra , with the decree of his pope hildebrand ; the councell sayes flatly , si quis discernit presbyterum coniugatum , &c. if any man make difference of a marryed priest , so as that by occasion of his marriage hee ought not to offer , and doth therefore abstaine from his oblation , let him bee accursed ; but , his hildebrand vxoratos sacerdotes à diuino remouit officio , & laicis missá eorum audire inter dixit , nouo exemplo , &c. that is , remoued married priests from their diuine office , and forbad lay-men to heare their masses , saith b sigebert ; therefore by the sentence of the councell , pope hildebrand is accursed ; and accursed for that verie poynt which made him a romish saint . when my refuter hath gnawed awhile vpon this bone , he may hope to be rewarded with a crust . and now for his councels , to make vp the number he names for the fore-man of the quest , the councell of ancyra ( somewhat before the nicene ) one who hath passed a direct verdict against him , allowing deacons , vpon their profession , to marrie . the miserable euasions of his c binius , and baronius , in this poynt , argue both a mind & a cause desperate ; whiles ( without all colour of warrant ) they imperiously turne downe these married deacons to a lay-communion , and faine this libertie onely in a forced ordination , not in a voluntarie . as for that first canon which he citeth of the councel of arles , that a man cannot be made priest in the band of wedlocke , vnlesse he promise conuersion : it is a grosse counterfeit : and , that the world may see we vse not to passe these censures without euident reason ; it mentions the arians which were not yet hatched ; it mentions bonosus , which liued long after in the time of innocent . it mentions the concilium vasense , which was yet later , in the time of leo the first . when his authors can agree of the time , and make good the synod , he shall receiue an answer to it : in the meane time , it was eyther before the councell of nice , or after it ; if before , it was corrected by the nicene ; a prouinciall must yeeld to a generall ; if after , it was presumptuous , in decreeing that peremptorily which the generall determinately left free . the councell of arausica is cyted by him in direct termes opposite to the ancyran . hee must make them friends , ere hee can bring it forth against an enemie . as for the maine stay of this cause of his , which is the two councels of africke , lent him by his bellarmine , it is grounded ( as our learned iunius hath probably answered ) vpon mere corruption , and mis-taking ; the latin copies taking propria , for priora : the charge of the councell being onely , that deacons , priests , bishops ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) acording to their turnes of ministration , should abstaine from their wiues , which no modest diuine will not willingly subscribe vnto . moreouer , i am sure , if the one word be not corrupted , the other is ambiguous , and may as well signifie balsamons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and if these canons were first latine , and after translated into the greeke ; yet the greek shewes what was the first latine , and may well correct the mistaken originall . but to discusse the seuerall councels , which he onely thinkes fit to name , and vtter by whole-sale against vs , were a worke for a volume apart . the old word is , dolosus versatur in generalibus , there is deceit in generalities ; it were easie to shew that some of these are impertinent , others plainely against them ; others corrupted to speake against vs , as that of mentz , and wormes , whereof in the sequel ; others partiall to the faction of rome . so then , here obruimur numero ; hee thinkes to carry it by number , not by weight ; where with vs , one piece of gold is worth a whole bagge of counters . but , if after the tyrannicall impositions of his siricius and innocentius tooke place in the church , he could name for euerie one of his prouinciall synods , an hundred , it were all one to vs ; wee are not the worse , his cause no whit the better . this tradition , after that in an emulation of the montanisticall vaunt of virginitie , it had gotten head in the church , ran like fire in a trayne ; those prouinces that held correspondence at rome , according to the charge of d gregorie , spake as shee did prompt them ; what should they doe but follow their mistresse ? the greeke church , and those that eyther had dependance vpon it , or which had continued in the succession of this custome of marriage , still maintayning the lawfulnesse and vse of it inuiolable . so then , in summe . this he hath gayned , which i am readie euer to auow ; the ancientest councels are against him ; the later are against vs ; and god with vs against thē ; of which we haue e learned to say , vae vobis filij desertores , vt saceretis conciliū & non ex me . and if his mistris of rome haue elsewhere found vassals , it follows not that we may not be free . yea , it is more then manifest , by those euidences we haue already produced from their own records , that notwithstāding this cogged nūber of his prouincial synods , & priuate decrees ( as volusian termes them ) all the time of the first . yeeres , the freedome of this practice cōtinued in many parts of the christian world ; insomuch as amongst the rest , the church of armenia , for the time of the yeeres mentioned , vpheld a tradition , f not to admit of any clergie man , but those which descended ex genere sacerdotali , descended from priests ; witnesse the fathers of constantinople , in their three and thirtieth canon . where my detector should doe well to inquire what balsamons clerici chryso-bullati meanes ; sure i am , that this example sufficiently proues the practicall libertie of those churches in the questioned limits of the seuen first centuries . to which we may adde the church of bulgaria , out of his f gratian ; the church of germany out of g auentine ; the church of ireland out of i bernard , who confesses the episcopall see of armach to haue beene furnished with a lineall descent of bishops for eight generations , before the time of his malachias ; which were still both vxorati and literati . how those men were bishops , and yet sine ordinibus , is a riddle which ( i confesse ) i cannot aread . perhaps , they were without roman orders , but if they were not clerkes after the then irish fashion , what needed they be literati , that they might be bishops ? the church of our britaine ( as we shal see in the processe ) and others . these are more then enough to let the world see this restraint , for all this pretence of prouinciall and partiall councels neuer vniuersally obtayned . sect. xvii . yet the man hauing vnmercifully crusht me in pieces with this emptie bladder of windy and worthlesse authoritie , crowes ouer me , thus , in conclusion , and truely to mee hee seemeth not to bee more mad , then blind ; for otherwise he would neuer haue proclaymed this freedome of seuen hundred yeeres , seeing the very forme of words vsed by his own sacred councel , doth so strongly withstand his fond collection ; for there it is decreed , qui sunt in sacris , &c. wee will that the marriages of such as bee in holy orders , from this time forward bee firme and valid ; for in case this freedome had beene common before : why did they say , deinceps , from this time forward ? thus hee . wherein i would his superiors did but see how kindly he buffets himselfe . for if this bee the force of deinceps , or a modò , i thus argue against him ; hee hath pleaded before , that neither this nor any other church euer allowed or euer practised the celebration of marriage after ordination ; now , if hee turne to the sixth canon of this councell of constantinople , hee shall find decernimus ▪ vt nulli deinceps hypodiacono , &c. wee decree that from hence-forward no sub-deacon , deacon , or priest may marry after his ordination ; therefore by the force of his inference before this time ( for almost seuen hundred yeeres ) this was commonly practised . and now to answer my refuters deinceps : if his wit had beene any way matchable with his malice , he might haue seene that this deinceps had relation to the romane church , not to the greeke ; for , ( if he know not ) this synod meant to prescribe laws to his mistresse , and to correct that their iniurious tradition of restraynt , and to inlarge this libertie through all the territories of the vniuersall church ; for this purpose is the , deinceps , of the constantinopolitan fathers , who well knew , how much it needed in the westerne church , which had inthralled their clergie in the bondage or that vnlawfull prohibition . so as the refuter , whiles hee playes vpon my want of logicke , in not descrying the dangerous necessitie of this inference vpon mee , plainely bewrayes his owne want of braines , in not descrying the folly of his obiection ; and where he tells me ( like a dull iester ) that all the walls and windows , from the hall to the kitchin , may mourne to see an vniuersitie-man haue so little wit , i must tell him that all the dores of doway may leape off their hindges , to see their champion so childishly absurd . now then to answer his idle epilogue ; if it appeare that his owne pope and canonist , and the receyued histories of the church , and the examples of seuerall nations and persons acknowledge this ancient libertie both in the easterne and ( some ) westerne churches de facto ; and moses and the prophets , christ and his apostles , the ancient councels , with this sixt of constantinople , approue it de iure ; it followes that the necessarie imposition of professed continencie , is but a part of that sowre milke wherewith the shee-wolfe of the seuen-hils feedes the faction of her romulists and rhemists , and none of that wholesome sustenance which god and his purer church haue prouided for their children . the honovr of the married clergie maintained , &c. the third booke . sect . i. the marriage of ecclesiastiques which had the comon allowance of the first times , had in some parts but the conniuence of the subsequent , and the prohibition of the last . those churches that were not parties to the faction of rome , could not but be much moued with so peremptorie a decree of a famous councell , reducing them , in this point , to the exactnesse of apostolique institution , and professing to rectifie that roman deuiation ; no maruell therefore , if not long after , there insued a collision of opposite parts , and much scuffling betwixt the abettors of antichristian seruitude , and euangelicall libertie ; whom this hedge-creeper dare terme incontinent grecians , schismatikes , heretikes ; his pen is no slander : the multitude of his synodes , wherein was such reiteration of the same law , shewes the opposition which it still found in the church , and the preuayling vse of the contrary practice . the epistle of pope gregory the third , to the clergie of bauaria , which giues that disiunct charge , of either liuing chastely , or marrying a wife whom they may not diuorce , is no where ( forsooth ) extant , because he finds it not in his binius , or baronius ; as if no water had gone beside their mill ; and here i am threatned with the cornelian law for forgery ; no lesse crime : to auoid the perill whereof , let my far-seene detector turne to the bauarian annals of * auentine , in the third booke , there hee shall find it ; an epistle sent to viuilus , and the other clergie of bauaria , by the hands of martinian , george , dorotheus , a bishop , priest , deacon , with this expresse disiunction , aut castè viuat , aut vxorem ducat , &c. that which he brings from the successor of this gregorie , zacharias , shewes what his pope wished , when he had gotten better footing in germany , but the successe makes for vs ; for b. boniface either neuer durst , or at least neuer did vrge these rules to his germans . so , i hope , his mouth is stopt for my forged testimony of his gregorie , which could not in his conceit be other , because hee neuer saw it peepe forth before this in other mens books . ywis nothing euer lookt forth of the presse , that escaped that bookish eye : witnesse the next passage , which if his superiors could haue had the leysure to haue viewed , they had blushed at their champion . this charge of gregory ( i said ) was according to that rule of clerks , cited from isidore , and renewed in the councel of mentz ; but by our iuggling aduersaries clipped in the recitall : here the man cryes out , as before , of forgerie , so now of ignorance , telling his readers , that i haue only taken this vpon trust from anothers note-booke . reader , by this iudge of the spirit of my detractor . it is true ; isidore wrote no booke of this title : but in the second booke of his ecclesiasticall offices , he makes the title of his second chapter , de regulis clericorum ; of the rules of clerks . from this chapter , i cite a confessed passage , and am thus censured ; whereas the councell of mentz cites it by this very stile , sicut in regulâ clericorum dictum est ; as it is said in the rule of clerks . is it simplicitie that he knowes not this title of isidore ? or maliciousnesse , that hee conceales it ? one of them is vnauoidable . it is cleere then , to his shame ( if hee haue any ) that the testimonie is aright cited ; and is it lesse cleere that it is maymed , and cut off by the hammes in their moguntine councell ? compare the places , the fraud shall be manifest . that councell in the tenth chapter professes to transcribe ( verbatim ) the words of isidore in the fore-cited tract ; and where isidore saith , castimoniam inuiolati corporis perpetuò conseruare studcant , aut certè vnius matrimony vinculo foederentur ; let them liue chaste , or marry but one . their good clerks haue vtterly left out the latter clause , and make isidore charge his clerks with perpetuall continency ; let them liue chaste . he that denyes this , let him deny that there is a sunne in the heauen , or light in that sunne ; what need i say more ? let the books speake . here my refuter doth so shuffle & cut , that any man may see hee speaks against his owne heart ; for ( to omit his strayned misse-interpretation of isidore , since wee now contend not of the sense , but of the citation ) how poorely doth hee salue vp the credit of his moguntine fathers , whiles he saith , isidore spake in generall , the fathers in that councell more strictly ; when he that hath but one halfe of an eye may see , that both speake in one latitude of the same persons ? those fathers giuing the same title to that chapter , and professing to follow the letters and syllables of isidore ; both name onely clericos in that rule without distinction . away then with this gracelesse facing of wilfull frauds in your faithlesse secretaries , which haue also fetcht two canons out of carthage to wormes ; and learne to bee ashamed of your grosse falsifications , and iniurious expurgations ; else doubtlesse the world will be ashamed of you . sect . ii. i did but name huldericus his epistle in mine , as a witnesse , not as the foundation of my cause ; my refuter spends but one and thirtie whole pages vpon him : how else should he haue made a volume ? in all this what sayes hee ? little in many words ; and the same words thrice ouer for fayling . and first , hee wonders at my extreme prodigalitie of credit , and fearednesse of conscience , in citing an epistle so conuicted by bellarmine , baronius , eckius , faber , fitz-simons the iesuite , and others . why doth he not wonder that the moone will keepe her pace in the skie , whiles so many dogs barke at her below ? when these proctors of rome haue said their worst , there is more true authoritie in the very face of this letter , and better arguments in the body of it , then in an hundred decretal epistles which he adoreth . let the world wonder rather at his shamelesnesse , who relating the occasion of this fable ( as he termes it ) faynes it to be only a lutheran fiction to couer their incestuous marriages , whereas their owne cardinall aeneas syluius , almost two hundred yeeres agoe , mentions it , and reports the argument of it ; whereas it is yet extant ( as illyricus ) in the libraries of germany ; whereas hedio found an ancient copie of it in holland ; and our iohn bale ; archbishop parker , b. iewell , io. foxe , had a copie of it , remarkeable for reuerend antiquitie , in aged parchment here in england ; which , i hope to haue the meanes to produce . whereas , lastly , the very stile importeth age . as well may hee question all the records of their vatican , all report of histories , all histories of times : he that would doubt whether such an epistle were written , may as well doubt whether pope zachary wrote to b. boniface in germany a direction when to eate bacon : may doubt whether paul the fift wrote to his english catholikes to perswade them not to sweare they would be good subiects ; may doubt whether spider-catcher corner-creeper c.e. pseudo-catholike priest , wrote a scurrilous letter of aboue two quire of paper , in a twelue-yeers-answer to three leaues of i.h. it is not more sure that there is a rome , or that gregory and nicholas sate there , then that such an epistle was written thither aboue seuen hundred yeeres agoe . it was extant of old , before euer those lutheran quarrels were hatched . let him therefore goe fish for frogs in the pond of his gregory , whiles hee deriues thence the vaine pleas of improbabilitie . if there were differences in relating the circumstances of that storie ( as , i know none ) must it needs thereupon bee false ? which of their histories is not lyable to varietie of report ? to begin with the first : the succession of linus , and cletus , and clemens , is diuersly reported ; is there no truth in it ? to end with the last : the title of paul the fift to the chane of peter in the lawfulnesse of his election , is diuersly reported ; hath he therefore no true clayme to his seate ? but who euer placed gregories pond in sicilie ? this is one of the fittens of his fitz-simons . if other authours haue mentioned this narration , then all the strength of this historie lyeth not on huldericke ; if none besides him , his words vary not ; these are but trickes to out-●ace truth . the epistle , in spight of contradiction , is so ancient ; and what c● wee then for names ? whether ● were saint vdalrike , or hulderick , or volusianus , we labour not much ▪ 〈◊〉 it bee the taske of idle criticks● dispute who was hecuba●s mother , and what was her age ; no lesse vain is my refuter , that spends many waste words about his saint v●●rick , in shewing the difference of time , betwixt him , and pope nic●las ; the one dying , anno . ● other being horne , . and prouing out of his obscure sorbonist m●nchiacenus , that there were fiue bishops of auspurge , betwixt the times of the one , and the other ; whereby a simple reader might easily bee deluded , and drawne to thinke , there is nothing but impossibilitie and vntruth in our report● whereas there is nothing in all this peremptorie and colourable flourish of his , but meere ●ogging or misprision : for both illyricus apart , and the centurists , and che●nitius ( all germanes that should bee best acquainted with the state of their own ) haue long since told him , that his saint vdalrick was not the man , whome they held the authour of this epistle , but , ●lderick , another , not much different in name , but differing in time , aboue seuenty yeeres ▪ ne nominis equiuocatio lectorem ●urbet , and lest the equiuocation of the name ( faith chemn●●ivs ) should trouble the reader ; there is another vdalrick of augusta , whome aventine writes to haue dyed , anno . but this hvlderick , aenaeas sylvivs writes to haue dyed , anno . and in the yeere of his age , . thus hee ; from the authoritie of two their famousest historians ; from whose account onuphrius differs not much : but ( that my refuter may hereafter saue the labour of scanning their discordant computations ) whether it were either , or neither of them , it is not worth to vs one haire of his crown : since with our faithfull and learned foxe , we rather from the authoritie of ancient english copies , ascribe it to volusianus , whose second epistle also in the same stile , to the same purpose , is extant from the same records , not inferiour to the former ; what matters it for the name , when it appeares that the epistle it selfe is truly ancient , ponderous , reuerend , theologicall , conuictiue ; and such as the best romanes heads cannot after seuen hundred yeeres shape a iust answere vnto ? euen in some canonicall bookes , though there bee difference in the names of the pen-men , there is full assent to their diuine authoritie ; and why is it not so in humane ? thus then wee haue easily blowne away these light bubbles of discourse , which our aduersary hath raised out of the nut-shell of his computation ; from the age , person , writings of his saint vdalrick ; and returne his impuram nescio cuius nebulonis epistolam , with his ferrei oris , and plumbei cordis , backe whence it came ; to the writer cited by my aduersarie , not named : but by better due to the next hand ; whereto i am no whit beholding for leauing it vnenglished : in that c. e. spared not mee but himselfe : who is nescio quis , but he that leapeth into the presse without a name ? who nebulo , rather then he that masketh and marcheth sub nebulâ , hoping to passe in the conflict for a doughtie knight or champion sconosciuto , not daring to lift vp his beuer ? who writes impuram epistolam , but he that hath scribbled a voluminous epistle , to cry downe pure and honourable marriage for the inhauncing of impure celibate ? not that , in thesi , celibate is impure , but in hypothesi , theirs , forced and hypocriticall . sect . iii. as for the difference that hee finds in our number of pope nicolas , whether first , or second , or third , wee may thanke his gratian ; whose fashion it is ( as likewise sigeberts ) to name the popes without the note of their number ; we are sure it was not nicolas nemo which wrote to odo , bishop of vienna , reproouing him for giuing leaue to aluericus a deacon to marrie : thereupon sending his contrarie decree to the germane churches ; which it seemes , ( or the like imposition ) gaue occasion to this noble epistle . but can there bee any game amongst our english popish pamphleters , where the foxe is not in chase ? where is the shame of this romane priest , whiles he so manifestly belies our holy , reuerend , worthy master foxe , whom this scoganly pen dare say playes the goose in the inconstancie of his relation of this nicolas , first reporting him the first , then the second ; when it is most manifest in the during monuments of that industrious , and excellent authour , that hee still insists vpon nicolas the second ; reiecting by many arguments , the opinion of them which haue referred it ●o the first ? such truth there is in shorne crownes . iohn husse was a goose by name , and now iohn foxe is a goose by reproch ; two such geese are more worth then all the fawning curres of the romane capitoll . and how much more wit then fidelitie is there in my detector , whiles hee would proue that pope gregorie had then no pond ; because there are now no ponds at rome ? as if rome were now in any thing as it was ; as if twelue hundred yeeres had made no alteration ; as if the streets of troy were not now champaine ; as if his lipsius could now finde rome in rome : as if lastly that man were vncapable of a large pond , wh●se se● is vniuersall . as for the number of childrens heads , i can say no more for it then hee can against it ; this historie shall be more worth to vs then his denyall ; but this i dare say , that i know persons both of credit and honour , that saw betwixt fiftie , and threescore , cast vp out of the little mote of an abbey where i now liue : let who list cast vp the proportion . after the refusall of this worthie epistle , according to his fashion hee tryes to disgrace it with vs ; telling vs , that therein the bishop of rome is stiled supreme head and gouernour of the whole church . if it were thus , so much more powerfull is the testimonie against them , by how much more the witnesse was theirs . there must needes bee much cause , when hee that so humbly ouer-titles the person , resists the doctrine so vehemently . but the truth is , that the epistle stiles pope nicolas no otherwise in the superscription , then sanctae romanae ecclesiae prouisorem : ouer-seer of the holy romane church . and in the bodie of the letter , summae sedis pontificem ; bishop of the chiefe see ; to whome the examination of the common affaires of the church doth appertaine ; which is farre other , then in the now romane sense , the supreme head of the church . secondly , hee tels vs that this epistle both grants and allowes a vow of continencie ; nullum excipit nisi professorem continentiae ; wherein we are no other then friends ; we yeeld no lesse ; where there is good euidence of the gift and calling of god. but whiles our volusian grants the professor of continency bound , and pleads the clergie to bee free , how plainly doth hee shew vs that there was no such vow , then required of , no such made by the clergie . but what needes the man to bee so furiously angry with the good olde epistler ▪ for saying , that the apostles charge ( let euery one haue his owne wife ) is generall to all ; reaching to the clergie as well as the laitie ? excepting none but those which haue the gift of continencie . what logike , ( the want whereof he sometimes causlesly obiecteth to mee ) euer taught him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vn●squisque , was any other then vniuersall ? or what other sense can bee put vpon the words of the apostle ? could i as truly vpbraid sir refuter with reading the logike lesson , as he doth me with the rhetorike , surely i should not now bee put to the paines to teach this nouice , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( vnusquisque ) is a terme of collectiue vniuersalitie and must be extended to all , where kinde is excepted tacitely ; ex natura re● , as this case must needes bee acknowledged to bee ; fore-prizing none but such as haue the gift of continency ; which saint paul toucheth vpon in that chapter . iudge then , reader , whether the catholike bishop that wrote this , or the mis-catholike masse-priest that reprooues it , bee more worthie of bedleem . sect . iiii. lastly yet , as if in the loose he would shake hands and be friends with him , whome hee had so long defied ; hee thus closes vp : then if priests haue this gift , and haue prefixed this course to themselues in the lord , they shall not need to marrie . and this is the case of all clergy-men who vow chastitie . thus hee . beleeue him , readers ▪ if ye can : all the romish clergie , all votaries haue the gift of continencie , witnesse our fore-said volusianus in the same periods ; multos eiusdem consilij assentatores hominibus non deo pro falsâ specie continentiae placere volentes , grauiora vides committere , patrum scilicet vxores subagitare , masculorum ac pecudum amplexus non abhorrere . i will not english it for shame . would god the world did not too well finde still these proofes of romish chastitie . nunc etiam romae quidlibet audet amor. but as one that thinkes no man can be his friend , except also hee bee our enemie ; like a true make-bate , hee will tell vs a tale in our eare , that shall set a perpetuall iarre betwixt vs and our hulderick . iwis , sayes my refuter , your vdalricke is not the man you take him for ; for thus hee there writes to the pope ; wherefore , o reuerend father , it shall be your part to cause and ouer-see , that whosoeuer either with hand or mouth hath made a vow of continencie ( as all clergie men in holy orders haue ) and afterwards would forsake the same , should bee either compelled to keepe his vow , or else by lawfull authoritie should be deposed from his order . so he . but we are not so light of beliefe to lose a friēd thus easily . know then , reader , that the * parenthesis ( which is the harshest piece of this clause ) is foysted into the text , and forged by this cauiller ; the quite contrarie whereof is affirmed in the former period of our vldaricke , where thus hee writes : non parùm quippe , &c. from this holy discretion thou hast not a little swerued , when as thou wouldst haue those clergie-men , whom thou oughtest only to aduise to abstinence from marriage , compelled vnto it by a certaine imperious violence ; for is not this iustly in the iudgement of all wise men to be accounted violence , when as against the euangelicall institution , and the charge of the holy ghost , any man is constrayned to the execution of priuate decrees ? the lord in the old law appointed marriage to his priest which hee is neuer read afterwards to haue forbidden ; so he . let my refuter then reconcile his false parenthesis , with the true text , ( which hee can neuer doe , since it directly crosseth the whole scope of huldericks epistle ) and then hee shall see vs easily reconcile huldericks proposition with ours . but , not so long to delay my readers satisfaction ; the truth is ; the authour pleades for an indifferent immunitie of clergie men from the necessitie of this vow , else the epistle were contradictorie to it selfe : for if hee suppose that all the clergie had vowed , and all that had vowed should bee compelled to keepe their vow , how could he plead that the clergie should not be compelled to continence ? the drift of vldericke or volusian , then , is , that it may be equally lawfull , equally free for priests either to vow , or not to vow continencie ; which granted , if any one hauing libertie not to haue vowed , or obserued it , shall notwithstanding prefixe this course to himselfe in the lord , out of a long-settled experience and assurance of this calling and gift of god , and now , when hee hath thus ingaged himselfe to the expectation of the church , voluerit apostare , shall be froward wantonly to abandon this vow , willingly neglecting all good meanes for the continued obseruation thereof , such a one shall bee lyable either to compulsion , or deposition ; as now , if any one of ours should in the midst of freedome bind himselfe by a voluntary vow , it were pittie and shame that hee should play fast and loose at pleasure with impunitie . what wooll then is here worthy of this crie ? or wherein hath our authour offended vs ? whiles wee neither make this vow , nor can therefore euer breake it , nor euer allowed the breakers of so ▪ made vowes , guiltlesse ? one quarrell yet , hee cannot remit to master foxe , and me ; that for this fore-named hulderick , wee cite aeneas syluius in his germania ; a booke that neuer was . this great helluo librorum hath wearied all libraries ; and consulted with his tritemius & posseuine ; neither of them mention any such work of aeneas syluius ; whereas , if hee had but taken the booke next the doore , gesners bibliotheca , he had found ( if at least hee could haue seene the wood for trees ) syluius his germania ; which ( for failing ) he might haue heard of in a double edition ; the one larger , the other more contracted . the first , gesner expresses thus extat eiusdem germania , quâ continentur grauamina nationis germanicae , & confutatio eorundem , cum replicâ . the latter is , aeneae sylvii germania excerpta , &c. the germania of aenaeas sylvivs gathered out of that booke , wherein the grieuances of the germane nation obiected to the see of rome , by martine mere a lawyer of mentz , are refelled . see now , reader , whether my refuter can blush . in the one of these , which ( after denyall ) he confesseth to haue seene , hee findes somewhat that likes him not . syluius speaking of auspurge , sanctus vdalricvs huic praesidet ( saith hee ) qui papam arguit de concubinis : vdalrick is the saint of that citie , who reproued the pope concerning concubines . the bone lyes before him , let him picke out the marrow as he can ; which because he finds hard to breake , hee casts it from him in a chafe , and tels vs for the last refuge ; he hath seene a printed copie , and two manuscripts without these words . in verbo sacerdotis . and so iust haue wee found him of his word , all this while , that hee were hard-hearted that would not beleeue him . sect . v. bvt still i am taken tardie in my time , or rather doe ouer-take . i reckon this libertie to haue continued in germanie after hulderick , for some . yeeres ; whereas , betwixt s. vdalrick and gregory the seuenth , were but . yeeres . but still his saint deceiues him , and ( if i should haue erred ) his own chronologers should haue deceiued mee . for his onuphrius in his ecclesiasticall chronicle , makes our hulderick bishop of auspurge in the beginning of pope nicholas , ann. . and his sigebert , and other chroniclers cast gregorie the seuenth his opposition to priests marriage , vpon the yeere . where now is my error ? where is my ouer-reaching ? count it , reader , and see whether i cannot make my word good , and giue him fifteene yeeres in to the bargaine : and now iudge whether of vs may say , non sat commodè diuisa sunt temporibus tibi , daue , haec ; and whether of vs it is , from whom nothing commeth , sauouring of any learning or truth : & if thou thinkst it fit , blush for him . the like ( i feare ) willing error vpon the same ground is the mis-calculation of the times of leo the ninth , and nicholas the second , betwixt whose times , and vdalrick , he makes but fifty yeeres ; abating one other half of the hundred , to expose me to the laughter of his credulous clients , which may now say , loe the man which in a reckoning of . yeeres did out-lash but . when-as both their sigebert , and hermannus contractus , ( and who not ? ) make leo the ninth , pope . an. . and nicholas the second , some ten yeeres after him ; the very elder whereof , if we reckon to hulderick , an. . will be in no lesse then . yeeres distance . the man wanted eyther counters , or wit , or honestie ; truth i am sure he wants . sect . vi. antichrist , which was conceiued in the primitiue times , saw the light in boniface the third , and was growne to his stature and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in gregorie the seuenth . so as i might well say , that the bodie of antichristianisme , together with the prohibition of marriage , began to be complete in that hildebrand . the times accord better then our papists would haue them . after a thousand yeeres satan was loosed ; at that very time did this hildebrand ( otherwise gregore ) by the instigation of the deuil ( as himselfe confessed at his death ) ( witnesse cardinall benno , and sigebert ) trouble the church : belike with the violent obtrusion of this doctrine of deuils ( prohibition of marriage ) and insolent detrusion of imperiall authoritie . it is then but a sardonian laughter that my refuter takes vp at our complete antichrist ; whose supparasitation may one day cost him teares and gnashing . but ( good god! ) what saints hath the romane church ? hildebrand is one of their calender ; the legend of whose holinesse shall anon make any man saue c. e. ashamed . since it will be no better ; perge mentiri ; i am now charged with a fayre contradiction , whiles i am accused to say , that the libertie of priests marriages was vniuersall for a thousand yeeres , and yet had before granted , that in steven the second his time ( which was two hundred and fortie yeeres before ) the westerne clergie was restrayned . in all which he perswades his friends that i would fayne lye grossely , if my memorie would let mee . reader , doe but reuiew my words . these they are : after him ( that is , hulderick ) so strongly did he plead and so happily , that for two hundred yeeres more , this freedome still blessed those parts . i speake of germanie , he of italie ; i speake of those parts , hee of all . is not this a logicall and faithfull refutation ? yet more , this bold and false hand dares write , that leo the ninth , and nicholas the second , neuer meddled with the prohibition of these marriages ; onely the one made a decree against harlots , the other against concubines : neyther of which ( hee hopes ) wee will apply to our selues . wee are so vsed to these impudent assertions , that now we cease to wonder at them . let him tell mee what was that epistle which leo the ninth wrote to peter the hermite ? whose very title is incontinentiam clericorum detestatur , & puniendam describit . the epistle is bitter , like my libellers . and lest he should say we guiltily take to our selues the imputation of incontinency , it is bent against quadrimodam carnalis contagionis pollutionem , a foure-fold pollution of clergie-men : whereof one he will not sure deny to be marriage . let him tell mee what was done vnder leo in the councel of mentz , ( about the yeere . ) of which , adam bremensis ( who was there present ) writes , simoniaca haeresis & nefanda sacerdotum coniugia holographa synodi manu perpetuò damnata est , that is , a the heresie of symonie , and the wicked marriages of priests , by the consent of the synod was condemned . is this nothing done by his leo ; the leo rugiens of that time ? as for his nicholas the second ; good man , he did nothing , neyther ; onely hee stayned women as honest as himselfe , with the name of concubines , and men more holy then himselfe , with the name of nicolaitans , ( whom hee must needes loue for the names sake ) and an estate of life , as holy as his owne , with the name of filthie copulation . let his popes shamefull decrees , and his shamelesse lyes , goe both together for company whence they came . sect . vii . yet still the further wee goe , the worse . my refuter surpasses himselfe in the prizes that he playes for his pope gregory the seuenth , who first ( he saith ) did not ruine this libertie of marriages : let vincentius , and radulphus de diceto and sigibert speake for vs both ; b vxoratos sacerdotes à diuino , &c. he remoued married priests from their function , and forbad the people to heare their masses ; a new example , and as many thought , inconsiderately preiudiciall , against the iudgement of the holy fathers , &c. but he fully preuailed not ( saith my refuter . ) what thanke is that to him ? hee did his best , and kindled those coles that could neuer yet bee quenched . hee led the way to his vrban the second , and paschall the second . they followed him , and preuailed ; the broiles were his , if not the victorie . gratum opus scortatoribus ( saith auentine . ) auentine ( saith my refuter ) a late gospelling brother . for vs , we are glad of the fraternitie of so worthy an authour , whom beatus rhenanus gratulates to his germany , and calls c eruditissimum auentinum , and d variarum cognitione disciplinarum praestantem ; and erasmus , e hominem studio indefatigabili , ac reconditae lectionis . lastly , whom his iust epitaph stiles , f rerum antiquarum indagat●rem sagacissimum : but the truth is ; no man by his historie can tell his religion : the canons of augusta praise him for the light he giues to the institutions of their monasteries ; and when hee speaks of the shrines of berg , valentia , and halle , i am sure hee mentions them with too popish deuotion ; and when of io. husse and ierome of prage , hee taxes them with crimen irreligiositatis ; yet this man ( borne anno . ) when hee but speaks a famous truth of hildebrand , and the german clergie , hee is become a late gospelling brother . still let vs haue brethren that care more for their honesty , then their faction . neither yet ( to giue the deuill his due ) do we thinke so ill of those enemies of married chastitie , that they did purposely enact lawes of vnmarried loosenesse ; but that all abominable filthinesse did follow vpon the restraint of lawfull remedies , who sees not ? g sigibert himselfe ( their owne monke ) freely acknowledges it . iohn haywood our old epigrammatist told queene mary , her clergie was sawcy ; if they had not wiues , they would haue lemans . where there is not the gift of holy continency , how could it bee otherwise ? where the water is dammed vp , and yet the streame runs full , how can it choose but rise ouer the banks ? there is puritie therefore out of wedlocke , but not out of continence . and what needed my detector to trauel so farre as england for an example of incontinency in a king henrie , or any wife of his , whether falsely or truly obiected , when hee might haue looked neerer the centre of their church , and haue found his owne pope iohn ( in the very time now questioned for this prohibition ) h killed by the deuill in the act of adulterie with another mans wife ? this end of the wallet hangs behind him . sect . viii . hildebrand ( as i learned of auentine ) is as much as titio amoris . but how little hee differed in name or nature from hellebrand , titio infernalis ( as chemnitius calls him ) his historie shewes too well . and is it possible that any man should rise vp after so many hundred yeeres , to canonize saint hildebrand , euen in that for which h● condemned himselfe ? my reader must know the man a little from the witnesse of his owne conclaue , his cardinall benno , archpriest of the roman church , then liuing : others besides , tell of his beginnings in wicked necromancy , and murderous vnderminings , and tyrannicall swaying of the keyes , ere he had them : benno tells how he got them , how he vsed them gotten : hee got them by fraud , mony , violence ; vsed them with tyrannie . there was a knot , and a succession of necromancers in those dayes . gerberius , which was syluester the second , was the master of the schole : his chiefe schoilers in the blacke arte , were theophylactus ( afterwards changed into pope benedict ) and laurentius , and gratianus . these were the tutors of hildebrands yonger times , of whom hee learned both magike and policy . it is a world to see what worke these magicians made ( like the ill spirits they raysed ) in church and common-wealth ; opposing emperors , setting vp what popes they pleased , poysoning whom they disliked : at last , it came to hildebrands turne to take the chaire : i to which purpose he separated first the bishops from the cardinals auerse from him : when he had done , he compelled them by terror and force to sweare unto his part ; which done , hee was elected in spight of the canons , only by lay persons , by souldiers ; he expelled the cardinals , ●ashly excommunicated the emperor , of his owne head , without any canonicall accusation , without subscription of any cardinall ; hyred a bloudy villaine to murder the emperour ; consulted with the oracle of his breaden god , which , because it answered not , hee cast it into the fire ; hee exercised most horrible cruelties vpon many , hanging vp men at his pleasure vnconuicted ; in a word , quantis haeresibus mundum corruperit , & c ? saith benno , in his conclusion , his heresies , his periuries , can scarce be described by many pens ; clamat tamen altiùs , &c. but the christian bloud shed by his instigation and command ( saith he ) cryes yet lowder to god , yea , the bloud of the church , which the sword of his tongue in a miserable prodition hath shed , cryes out against him ; for which things , the church did most iustly depart from all communion with him . thus benno ; who yet ( to make amends ) k tells vs , that hildebrand vpon his death-bed repented of these lewd courses , and sent to the emperor and the church to cry them mercy : confessing ( as sigibert reports ) that he had by the suasion of the deuill raysed these wicked tumults . yet this is the man whom bellarmine will iustifie by seuen and twentie authors , and c. e. can adde two more to the heape ; yea , in those very things for which hee condemned himselfe . reader , if one of his euill spirits should haue stept into peters chaire , doe yee thinke hee could haue wanted proctors ? but how good an account we were like to haue of seuen and twentie authours ( if it would requite the cost to examine them ) appeares , in that l lambertus schafnaburgensis ( which is cited for the man that magnifies the miracles of this gregory ) sayes not one such word of him ; but speaks indeed the like of one anno archbishop of coleine , who liued and dyed in the time of gregory : as for gregories miracles , benno the cardinall tells vs what they were ; that hee raysed deuils familiarly , that hee shaked sparks of fire out of his sleeue by his magike . a tricke that well beseemed an hellebrand , who set all the world on fire by his wicked impetuositie . wee will not enuy rome this saint , let them inioy him , let them celebrate him , and cry downe henry the emperour , and all that opposed him . still may such as these be the tutelar gods of that holy citie ; for vs , it is comfort enough to vs , that our marriages had such a persecutor . that the churches did hereupon ring of him for antichrist , auentine is my author : pro concione , &c. in their sermons ( saith he ) they did curse hildebrand , they cryed out on him as a man transported with hatred and ambition , antichristum esse praedicant , they declared him to be antichrist ; they said that vnder the colourable title of christ he did the seruice of antichrist ; that hee sits in babylon in the temple of god , and is aduanced aboue all that is called god. so he . and little better is that which his m schafnaburgensis ( so much extolled by c. e. ) recordeth : aduersus hoc decretum infremuit tota factio clericorum , &c. against this decree ( saith he ) all the whole faction of clergy men fretted and mutined ; accusing him as an heretike ▪ and a man of peruerse opinion , who forgetting the word of christ , which said , all men cannot receiue this ▪ did by a violent exaction compell men to liue in the fashion of angels . to which if i should adde the sentence of the synod of wormes , and that of brixia , my reader would easily see , that it is not the applause of some deuoted pen , that can free him from these foule imputations of deserued infamie . that vntruth then cleered , another belike hangs vpon the score ; my refuter charges mee with falsehood , in saying , that gregory the seuenth was deposed by the french and german bishops . only the germans ( hee saith ) were actors in that tragedie . but if not at wormes , yet let him tell mee what was done at brixia , and by whom : quamobrem italiae , germaniae , galliae pontifices , &c. wherefore ( saith aventinvs ) the bishops of italy , germany , and france , the seuenth of the kalends of iuly , met at brixia in bauaria , and sentenced hildebrand to haue spoken and done against christian pietie , &c. and condemned him of heresie , impietie , sacriledge , &c. and that my refuter may find himselfe answered at once to the last of his cauils , wherein hee pleads that this deposition was not so much as pretended for the inhibition of these marriages , but for other causes , let him see the copie of the iudgement passed against him in the said councell ; wherein , after the accusation of his simoniacall climing into the chaire ( the vice which he pretended most to persecute in others ) his forceable possession , his heresie , his machinations against the emperour , his peruerting of the lawes both of god and men , his false doctrines , sacriledges , periuries , lyes , murders , by him suborned and commended , his tyrannie , his setting of discord betwixt brethren , friends , cousins ; it followes , inter coniuges diuortia facit ; suauis homo sacerdotes qui vxores habent legitimos sacrificos esse pernegat ; interim tamen scortatores , adulteros , incestuosos aris admouet , &c. he causes diuorces betwixt man and wife ; the fine man denyes those priests , which haue lawfull wiues , to be priests at all ; in the meane time he admits to the altar whore-mongers , adulterers , incestuous persons , &c. nos ergo . we therefore by the authoritie of almightie god , pronounce him deposed from his popedome . thus auentine specifies the decree ; which alone without commentarie , without inforcement , answeres all the friuolous exceptions of my wordy aduersarie . so as now , to returne his epilogue , hee hath sent backe my ten pretended lyes , with the vnreasonable and inuerted vsurie of well-neere an hundred . pauperis est numerare . sect . ix . from forraine parts , i returne at last to our owne ; so i feare hath c. e. done long since ; lurking somewhere in england for no good . these fugitiues loue not home more , then their home hath cause to hate them . his cauils of the wondrous contradiction betwixt my margin and my text , are too childish to bee honored with an answere . my text was ; the bickerings of our english clergie with their dvnstans , about this time , are memorable . my margin cites henry of huntingdon , affirming anselme to bee the first that forbad marriage : betwixt these two , saith my refuter , was an hundred yeeres difference . i grant it : but ( had my words beene thus ) if my detector were not disposed to seeke a knot in a rush , hee had easily noted that in a generall suruay of all ages , the phrase ( about that time ) admits much latitude ; and wil easily stretch without any strayne to one whole centurie of yeeres . had the quotation beene as he pleadeth , this answere were sufficient . but my words need no such reconciliation ; i stand to the censure , and disclaime the mercy of any reader : for that citation of anselme hath plaine reference to the following words ; our histories testifie how late , how repiningly our clergie stooped vnder this yoke : it is for this that my margin points to henry huntingdon , and fabian , reporting anselme the first man that prohibited these marriages . what contradiction now can his acutenesse detect in these two ? the english clergie had bickerings with their dunstans ; and stooped late and repiningly to this yoke vnder anselme . see , reader , and admire the equal truth and logique of a catholique priest , and iudge how well hee bestoweth his pages . sect . x. it is true , dunstan was the man who first with his other * two cousins and partners in canonization , opposed any appendance of the married clergie ; he wrought it with good k. edgar , by dreames , and visions , and miracles . he , who when the deuill came to tempt him to lust , a caught him by the nose with an hot paire of tongs , and made him rore out for mercy , supposed that euery clergie man had the same irons in the fire ; and therefore blew the coles to that good king , of the dislike of these clericall marriages ; and with the same breath inkindled the zeale of monkerie . the church wherein i am now interessed , and wherein i doe ( by the prouidence of god , and the bounty of my gracious master ) succeede their saint oswalds priors , yeelds me sufficient records hereof ; which because they are both worthy of publike light , and giue no smal light to the businesse in hand , i haue thought good here to insert . * nomina fundatorum ecclesiae wigorniensis , tempore ethelredi regis , &c. — constituta est sedes episcopalis wigorn : bosel episcopus primus — septimus decimus , sanctus oswaldus , tempore cuius edgarus rex dedit — mediante verò beato oswaldo , à clericis in monachos translata est sedes pontificalis honoris . then followes the charter of king edgar founding the monkes with this title , carta regis eadgari , de oswaldes law . altitonantis dei largifluâ clementiâ , qui est rex regum & dominus dominantium . ego eadgarvs anglorum basileus omnium regum insularum oceani quae britanniam circumiacent , cunctarumque nationum quae infra eam includuntur , imperator & dominus , gratias ago ipsi deo omnipotenti regi meo , qui meum imperium sic ampliauit , & exaltauit super regnum patrum meorum . — quapropter & ego christi gloriam & laudem in regno meo exaltare , & eius seruitium amplificare deuotus disposui , & per meos fideles fautores dvnstanvm videlicet , archiepiscopum , & athelwoldvm , ac oswaldvm episcopos , quos mihi patres spirituales , & consiliarios elegi , magna ex parte secundum quod disposui perfeci . — et ipsis supradictis meis cooperatoribus strenuè annitentibus , iam xl. & vii . monasteria cum monachis & sanctimonialibus constitui ; & si christus vitam mihi tam diu concesserit , vsque ad quinquagessimum remissionis numerum meae deuotae deo munificentiae oblationem protendere decreui . vnde nunc in praesenti monasterium , quod praedictus reuerendus episcopus oswaldvs in sede episcopali wereceastre , in honorem sanctae dei genitricis mariae amplificauit , & eliminatis clericorum nenijs , & spurcis lasciuijs , religiosis dei seruis monachis , meo consensu & fauore suffultus locauit , ego ipsis monasticae religionis viris regali authoritate confirmo , & consilio , & astipulatione principum & optimatum meorum corroboro , & consigno , ita vt iam amplius non sit fas , neque ius clericis reclamandi quicquam ind● , quippe qui magis elegerunt cum sui ordinis periculo , & ecclesiastici beneficij dispendi suis vxoribus adhaerere , quàm deo castè & canonicè seruire . et ideo cuncta quae illi de ecclesia possederant , cum ipsâ ecclesiâ , siue ecclesiastica , siue secularia , tam mobilia , quàm immobilia , ipsis dei seruis monachis ab hac die perpetualiter regiae munificentiae iure deinceps possidenda trado , & consigno , ita firmiter , vt nulli principum , nec etiam vlli episcopo succedenti fas sit , aut licitum quicquam inde subtrahere , aut peruadere , aut ab eorum potestate surripere , & in clericorum ius iterum traducere , quamdiu fides christiana in angliâ perdurauerit . sed & dimidium centuriatum , &c. — in the end dated thus , facta sunt haec anno dominicae natiuitatis , d. cccc.lxiiii . indictione viii . regni eadgari anglorum regis , . in regia vrbe quae ab incolis glouceastre nominatur in natale domini . in english thus . by the bountifull mercie of almightie god● , which is king of kings , and lord of lords , i edgar king of england ; and of all the kings of the ilands of the ocean lying about britanie , and of all the nations that are included within it , emperour and lord ; doe giue thankes to almightie god my king , which hath inlarged my empire , and exalted it aboue the kingdome of my fathers . — wherefore i also hauing deuoted my selfe to exalt the glorie & prayse of christ in my kingdome , and to inlarge his seruice , haue intended ; and by my faithfull well-willers , dunstan archbishop , athelwold , and oswald bishops , ( whom i haue chosen for my spirituall fathers , and counsellours ) i haue for the greatest part alreadie performed what i intended , &c. — and by the diligent indeuours of my fore-said helpers , i haue now constituted and made seuen and fortie monasteries with monkes and nunnes ; and if christ shall giue me to liue so long , i haue decreed to draw forth the oblation of this my deuout munificence vnto god , to the full number of fiftie , which is the number of my remission . * wherevpon , now for the present , i doe by my royall authoritie confirme to persons of monastical religion , and by the consent and astipulation of my princes and peeres , doe establish and consigne to them , that monasterie which the fore-said reuerend bishop oswald ( to the honour of the blessed mother of god ) hath amplified in the episcopall see of wereceastre , and expelling the wanton and filthy lasciuiousnesse of clerkes , hath , by my consent and fauour , bestowed it vpon the religious seruants of god , the monkes ; ( so as from henceforth it shall not bee lawfull for the said clerks , to challenge any thing therin , as those which haue rather chosen ( with the danger of their order , and the losse of their ecclesiasticall * benefice ) to sticke vnto their wiues , then chastly and canonically to serue god. and therefore all that euer they possessed of the said church , whether ecclesiasticall or secular , moueable or vnmoueable , together with the church it selfe , i doe from this day forward for euer , giue and consigne to the said monkes , to be possessed of them in the right of my royall munificence ; so firmely , that it shall not be lawfull for any prince or any bishop succeeding to subtract ought from them , or to withdraw any of the premisses from their power , and to deliuer it backe againe to the right and possession of clerkes , so long as the christian faith shall remaine in england , &c. — facta sunt haec , &c. these things were done in the yeere of christs natiuity , d. cccc.lxiiii . indiction viii . in the sixt yeere of the raigne of edgar king of england ; in the royall citie which by the inhabitants is named glouceastre , in the feast of the natiuitie of our lord , &c. — that dunstan did this , none euer doubted ; but withall it is considerable , who himselfe was ; an abbot ; and therefore partiall to the cloysters ; and who put him into this commission ; pope iohn the thirteenth : a monster of men , yea , of popes ; one , who ( as was articled against him in a generall councell ) had committed ●ncest with two of his owne sisters , who called to the deuill for his helpe , at dice , who defloured virgins , who lay with stephana his fathers concubine ; who dranke to the deuill , besides many other horrible criminations ; a man fit to set a saint on worke against lawfull marriages . and thirdly , what the state of the times were ; wherein libertie was degenerate into strange licentiousnesse ; euen change of wiues ( if wee may beleeue histories ) was then no wonder ; for the correcting whereof , the reformers ( according to the philosophers aduice ) laboured towards the other extreme ; as those which to straighten a sticke , bow it as much the contrarie way : and lastly , how farre this act and indeuour extended : for dunstan sought not to thrust marryed men out of the clergie , but to thrust * marryed clergie men out of cathedrall churches , which required a quotidian attendance , which is euident both by the sentence of dunstan ( aut canonicè viuendum , aut ab ecclesia excundum ) either that they must liue canonically , or get out of the church ; that is , ex ecclesijs maioribus , as historians relate it ; and by the sentence of the rood for dvnstan ; mutaretis non benè ; how much difference there was in these two , appeares in the decree of bishop lanfranc , anselme's predecessour ; which tolerating marryed seculars , driues directly against marryed canons . little needed my refuter then ( but that hee must haue something to say ) to fall vpon our right reuerend and learned bishop of hereford ( whose worthy labours haue iustly indeared him to all posteritie ) for that true comparison he makes betwixt these three saints of theirs , and anselme : they by action , hee by synodicall decree persecuted the clergy ; they bent their indeuours against cathedrall clerkes , hee against priests ; their proiect was particular , his vniuersall . that a peremptore sentence passed generally against the marriage of ecclesiastikes in a publike synod vnder dunstan , hee referres vs to binius , which at randome talkes of concilium anglicanum ; without all particulars of place , or persons ; and referres vs to surius ; as if hee had bidden vs aske his fellow if he lye : why did hee not send vs to father parsons , or his gabriel gifford ? sure , it was in some obscure hole of the peake , or some blinde dormitorie of a couent ; neyther can wee say of it with the apostle , these things were not done in a corner ; the canons , whereto the fore-alleaged charter , and the sentence of dunstan haue reference , were no other then romish ; which these monkish prelates had perswaded king edgar to receiue , and in part to vrge vpon his marryed prebendaries . the successe of his synode at reading , or winchester he knowes well enough : and is he ashamed of the miraculous sentence of his holy-rood ( which iornalensis reports ) who there openly spake for the monkes against the clergie ? absit vt hoc fiat ; that he passes ouer to that of calne , where the falling of an ouer-charged floore , crushed the marriage of clergie men . idle monkes , who for their owne turne set such a superstitious glosse vpon that accident , which ( as * henrie huntingdon more probably interpretes it ) was signum excelsi dei , quod proditione & interfectione regis sui ab amore dei casuri essent , & à diuersis gentibus digna contritione conterendi : a signe from the high god , that by their treason and murder of their king ( who was slaine the yeere after ) they should fall from the fauour of god , and be worthily crushed by other nations . thus he . such was the euent ; for the construction of it , the reader may chuse , whether he will beleeue an archdeacon of huntingdon , or a monke of malmesbury . ywis these rotten ioysts are foundation enough whereon to build the prohibition of our marriages . sect . xi . vnder these late romish saints , dunstan and anselme , i might safely say our english clergie found the first machinations against their marriage , and at last stooped perforce to this yoke of constrayned continencie . neyther doth my wit , or my logique fayle mee in this collection . if these were the men that made the first opposition to the marriage of clergie men in england , then it formerly obtayned here , without contradiction . the bare word of my refuter , is a hote shot to batter this necessary illation ; and to assure the reader that the forced celibate of the english clergie is of greater antiquitie then these his saints ; to which he adds ( in an ignorant begging of the question ) a thing so filthie , after a solemne vow to god , to take a wife , as it neuer appeared without the brand of infamie . as if our predecessors in the english clergie had beene euer charged with a vow ; as if the solemnitie of this vow had neuer had beginning ? chimericall fancies fit for a shorne head . q when as his master harding could not produce so much as a probabilitie of any vow anciently required , or vndertaken ; whether by beck , or dieu-gard . when as the ancient saxon pontificall makes not the least mention of any such profession ; yea , when girardus ( who was the second bishop of yorke after the conquest ) writes flatly to anselme concerning his owne canons , professiones verò mihi penitus abnegant canonici , &c. my canons ( saith he ) vtterly deny to giue mee profession of continencie , which without this profession haue beene disorderly aduanced to holy orders ; cùm verò ad ordines aliquos inuito , durâ ceruice renituntur , ne in ordinando castitatem profiteantur ; and when i doe inuite any to take orders , they doe resist me very stubbornely , that they will make no profession of chastitie in their ordination . thus hee . shewing vs playnely that the clergie in those times challenged no other then the libertie of their predecessors . but well may he face vs downe in this more obscure ( though certaine ) truth , when hee dares to say that greece it selfe neuer tolerated this estate in their clergie , till by bad life it fell to schisme , and from schisme to open heresie ; whiles their owne canon law ( besides all histories ) giue him the lye ; and what r espencaeus hath ingeniously spoken concerning this poynt , we haue formerly shewed . if hee did not presume vpon readers that neuer saw bookes , hee durst not bee thus impudent . this argument therefore shall euer stand good , and shall scornefully trample vpon all his vaine cauils ; ethelwold was the first , which by the command of king edgar expelled married priests out of ſ the old erection of winchester ; anno . dvnstan and oswald together with him were the men , who ( two yeeres after ) first expelled married clergie-men out of the greater houses of merceland ; as . in the dayes of king henrie the second , the secular prebendaries of waltham , were first turned out , to giue way to their irregulars ; therefore vntill these times , these places were interruptedly possessed by married clergie-men . if now he shall except ; that this possession of theirs was not of long continuance , but vpon vsurpation ; whereby the married incumbents had iniuriously incroached vpon the right of monkes ; our monkes of worcester shall herein fully conuince him ; who write vnder their oswaldus archiepiscopus ; per me fundatus fuit ex clericis monachatus , that is , by me were monks first founded out of clerkes ; which was also the fashion of all other erections of this nature ; so as it is manifest , that originally these churches were founded in marryed clergie-men ; afterwards wrongfully translated , from them to monkes ; and if the first possessors had beene t monkes , how could monkes haue been there first founded by oswald , when as ethelred had long before both founded , and furnished it ? and how out of clerkes , if monkes had beene there before ? let my refuter shew me but a verse of equal antiquitie in a contrarie ryme , per me fundatus fuit ex monachis clericatus . and i yeeld him my argument : otherwise let the world iudge , if he be not shamelesly obstinate in not yeelding . bvt to strike it dead , my aduersarie will proue the english clergie euer to haue beene continent . reader , looke now for demonstrations ; his first proofe is , that in all the pursuit of this businesse , wee neuer read of any that did stand vpon the former custome of the church . a proper argument , ab authoritate negatiuè . and what other arguments doth my detector finde vsed by the then-persecuted clergie ? histories record them not ; therefore doubtlesse they said nothing for themselues ; and if they vrged other proofes , which are not now descended to vs by any relation , why not this for one ? who can but hisse out so silly sophistry ? but to stop that clamorous mouth in this poore cauil ; doth not his owne u monke of malmesbury tell him , that the clergie vrged this plea for themselues , ingens esse & miserabile dedecus , vt nonus aduena veteres colonos migrare compellerit , &c. that it was a great and miserable shame , that these vpstarts , the monkes , should thrust out the ancient possessors of those places ; that this was neyther pleasing to god , which had giuen them that long-continued habitation , nor yet to any good man , who might iustly feare the same hard measure which was offered to them : thus they , whose plea and complaynt seemed so iust , that alfgina the queene , prince alfere , and others of the nobility ouer-threw many of those new-founded monasteries , and reinstalled the priests in their former right . his next proofe is from the letters of pope gregorie , which hee wrote to austin the monke here in england . risum teneatis ? did euer any man doubt , but that pope gregorie was desirous to establish romish lawes , and orders , amongst the english . where yet his legate found many as good christians as himselfe vnder another rule , conforme to the greeke church ? but how follows this ? this pope was willing to in-romanize the english ; therefore the staffe stands in the corner : and yet euen pope gregorie allowed marriage to those of the x english clergie , which were not within the higher orders ; appoynting them to receyue their stipends apart ; a fauour which he saw necessarily to bee yeelded to our nation , whiles he abridged others . from gregorie , hee descends to beda , a man doubtlesse venerable for his learning , and vertue ; but ( as it is in his epitaph ) monachorum nobile sydus . whether a neighbor at least to italie , by birth ( as they contend ) i am sure a disciple of abbot benedict , and so great a fautor of the roman faction , that he censures s. aidanus and colmannus , for adhering to those greek formes , which the churches of this iland had anciently followed ; whose part ioannes maior iustly takes against him . this beda in a generall speculation speakes his conceit of the voluntarie continencie which hee holds requisite in the priesthood ; sayes nothing of the particular custome of the english clergie ; rather in diuers passages insinuating the contrarie . amongst the rest , hee tells vs that in the y synod holden by archbishop theodorus , and the other bishops ( at hereford ) in the third yeere of king egfride ( which was about anno . ) their tenth and last canon was pro coniugijs ; vt nulli liceat nisi legitimum habere connubium ; for marriages ; that no man should marry vnlawfully , no man should commit incest , no man should leaue his owne wife , vnlesse ( as the gospel teacheth ) for fornication onely , &c. i know , my refuter wil plead the vniuersalitie of this canon , and will contend , that a law generally made for all christians , is not without iniurie restrayned to ecclesiastiques ; but let my reader wel consider , both the prologue and epilogue of that synod , he shal see , that they who are required to keep these lawes , are consacerdotes omnes ; and that whosoeuer shall violate them , nouerit se ab omni officio sacerdotali & nostra societate separatum ; must know himselfe separate from all sacerdotall office and society : so as it will necessarily follow , that this law did ( at least ) concerne the clergy with others , though not apart ; neyther is there any other of those canons , which concernes not the clergy only ; except the first , concerning the obseruation of easter , which principally also belonged to them . wherto it makes not a little , that in the booke of saxon canons set out for the gouerning of the secular priests , the rule is , let them also doe their indeuor , that they hold with perpetuall diligence their chastitie , in an vnspotted bodie , or else let them be coupled with the bond of one matrimony . words , wherein our clergie meant to regulate themselues ( as it seemes ) by the holy prescript of isidore , whereof wee haue spoken . lastly , my aduersarie cannot deny , that this synode giues order for many accidentall matters , concerning the clergie , for their fixed station , for their maintenance , &c. but except in this canon , there is no one word of their state of life ; neyther is there in all those canons , one syllable of this pretended celibate , as that , which the contrary receyued custome of our church would neuer haue indured ; my refuter da●es not say that these marriages were so quite out of vse , that it was needlesse to ordaine ought against them ; hee knowes that his dvnstan found here this course so inueterate , that the very age and deepe rooting of it hindred his designes . sect . xiii . from bede he comes downe to his three premised saints , dunstan , oswald , and ethelwold ; and , to make sure worke , cites an obscure z scholler of ethelwold , for an authentique witnesse against eight honest priests , and the lawfulnesse of all priests marriages . and lastly , he makes vp the mouth of his discourse with the full decree of archbishop anselme richard in the synods of london ; and why not king henries sixe article ? and why not the councel of trent ? sic conclusum est contra haereticos ; now , because his heart told him , how light these proofes were , he layes in the scales with them certaine graue ponderations , which all put together , will proue almost at weightie as the fether he wrote withall . the first is , that there cannot bee a greater nationall proofe then to haue the bishops and the king , and his nobility to define , and deliuer this poynt with ioynt consent . take this , reader , of king edward the sixt , and his parliament , and conuocation , and all is well . king edgars vtopicall decree was hatcht in a monks cowle : and to his two king henries , hee might haue added philip and mary . and why might not wee oppose king edmund to edgar , and osulphus his bishop to dunstan ? and the clergie before anselme to the clergie after him ? this match were made with some indifferencie ; but how idlely hath my refuter mislaid the comparison betwixt henrie of huntingdon , and fabian on our part , and all the clergie and laitie of theirs ? since those two authors ( if wee had no more ) report onely de facto , that priests marriages were not before forbidden ; and the cited clergie and laitie doe now thus late-ward discusse de iure ; neyther haue the clergie and laitie by him alledged , euer contradicted that which huntingdon and fabian haue out of the course of all storie affirmed ; vnto which , let mee adde a polydore virgill , seconding this their assertion ; who plainely tels vs , that for . yeeres , the restraint of marriage was neuer in vse amongst the english clergie . search not for this , reader , in the later editions , lest thou complaine of lost labour ; poore polydore may cry out of his graue with that other polydore in virgill : fas omne abrumpit polydorum obtruncat . let him then ( to answer this vaine challenge ) produce but any one author of equall authoritie to any of these , which doth auouch the contrary to that , which these three haue thus confidently deliuered , and i shall confesse my selfe herein sufficiently answered ; in the meane time , let him , and the world know , that all the ancient clergie , and laity of this iland , was for this libertie , altogether ours : whereto if hee yeeld not , let him name the man , before his dunstan , that euer in this i le opened his mouth against it ; till then , the reader cannot but see ; that whereas our proofe is , ex ●re duorum , aut trium , his side is mute ; that for our something , be can shew nothing at all ; and that our huntingdon , f. fabian and polydore , are better then c. e. and his man in the moone . sect . xiiii . his second ponderation of the sanctity of the persons , i● no truer auoir-de-poi● . that b. dunstan was an holy man , we may easily grant ; but taken from the couent of glastenbury . neither would the nobilitie of his time bee so liberall as to the king , de●libidinibus & pra●tigijs ; for ( two remarkeable qualities in his saintship ) lechery and sorcery ; whereupon hee was cast out from the court ; and that he was receiued againe , hee might thanke the kings horse , whose sudden stop on the verge of a steepe downe-fall , restored dunstan to the good opinion of the superstitious prince ; who yet was so farre from being guiltie of this deliuerance , that he did not so much as know of the danger ; an acquitall at least as causelesse as the accusation . that bishop anselme was deuout & learned , we willingly grant , but withall an italian , and taken from a norman * couent ; hee was holy , but how impetuously addicted to his owne will ; and how refractarie to authoritie , i had rather histories should speake then my selfe . neither is it any wonder if both these prelates ( how holy soeuer ) sauoured somewhat too strong of the cloisters , and of rome . something must be yeelded to times and places ; wee will not thinke but a well-meant zeale carried them into these resolutions ; but a zeale misguided with the sway of the times . the name of saints , the truth of their sanctitie did not priuiledge them from errors ; we know how to seuer their chaffe from their wheat , and to send one of them to the windes , the other to the granarie . as for the married clergie , that they were euer accounted the scumme and refuse of their order , it is but the scurrilous scummy blurre of an intemperate pen ; what was spiridion ? what was hilary ? what were both gregories ? what was sidonius ? what was tertullian , prosper , simplicius , eupsychius ? in a word , what were all those whom his damasus recounteth ? what was the father of the archdeacon of huntingdon , whom within two leaues he recordeth ( from his epitaph ) for t the starre of the clergie . this scumme is better then their broth : which though it send forth a fume , seemingly delicious , yet many times being neerer tasted , prooueth but cock-crowne pottage . these saints hee ignorantly ballanceth againe with our huntingdon , and fabian ; as if their present decree did contradict the historie of things passed ; as if we had no more histories on our side , because my margin cited them not . in the meane time , hee finds this testimonie of huntingdon so too much , that he would faine strip vs of it ; denying peremptorily , that huntingdon affirmes anselme to be the first that forbad marriage to the clergie . reader , in stead of all other ponderations weigh the words , u eodem anno ad festum s. michaelis tenuit anselmus archiepiscopus concilium , apud londoniam , in qou prohibuit vxores sacerdotibus anglorum , antea non prohibitas , i. the same yeere , on the feast of s. michael , archbishop anselme held a synod at london , wherein he forbad wiues to the priests of england , before not forbidden ; and tell me whether my detector be true . the words are too plaine ; hee will wrangle yet with the sense , and tells vs that the word , before , may signifie , perhaps , immediately before , in the reigne of the williams , and not all succession of times . it were well if hee could escape so : but this starting hole will not hide him . for ( not to send him to schole to learne the difference betwixt antea and dudum , or pridem ) . the same authour , in the following words , shewes vs the censures and conceits that passed vpon this act , as an absolute and vnheard-off noueltie ; like as in germany , the historians brand this same act in hildebrand , with a nouo exemplo , and inconsiderato praeiudicio . and for the times preceding , polydore virgil giues the very same witnesse . neither let him flie for succour to his dunstan , who neuer can be proued to haue prohibited the marriage of priests , though hee disliked that monasteries and cathedrall churches should be possessed by married clerks . lastly , where the testimonie is displeasing , the witnesse himselfe must be disgraced . curiositie led my detector to search who this h. huntingdon might be ; with one inquirie hee might find him to bee a canon regular of austins order , and for dignitie an archdeacon ; a person past exception : but for his parentage , he went no further then to the next leafe , to find that hee was the sonne of a noted , and , in those daies , eminent clergie man : his epitaph at lincolne shewes him to haue beene the starre of the clergie , no whit dimmed in his acknowledged light , or hindred in his influence , by his coniunction in lawfull wedlock : what better instance could my refuter haue giuen against himselfe ? if he thinke to insinuate that his birth made him partiall ; the reader will easily consider , that if such parentage had beene then accounted shamefull , the historian would haue had the wit to haue suppressed it ; and withall that he durst not , writing in the times when this thing was so familiarly and vniuersally knowne , haue offered such a proposition to the light , out of a vaine partialitie , to incurre the controllment of all eyes . sect . xv. as for our fabian , if c.e. find him a marchant , i finde him to haue beene sheriffe of the honourable citie of london ; a man whose credit would scorne to to bee poysed with an hundred namelesse fugitiues , parasiticall pettie-chapmen of the late small-wares of rome . neither can the name of a citizen disparage him to any wise iudge . how many haue our times yeelded of that ranke , whom both academicall education , and experience and trauell , and studie haue wrought to an eminent perfection in all artes , especially in mathematickes , and historie ! such was fabian , whose fidelity ( besides his other worths ) was neuer ( that i find ) taxed but by this insolent pen that hath learned to forbeare no man ; hee was too old for vs to bribe , and too credible for c. e. to disgrace . if he would haue lent rome but this one lye , no man had beene more authenticall ; now his truth makes him fabulous fabian . that one fault hath marred our archdeacon of huntingdon also . the story which hee tels of the cardinall of crema the popes legate taken in bed ( after his busie indeuours , against the marryed clergie ) the same day with an harlot , hath vndone his reputation . why will c.e. stirre this sinke ? no man prouoked him : if hee did not long to blazon the shame of his friends , he had rather smothered this foule occurrence ; but since hee will bee meddling , res apertissima negari non potuit , celari non debuit , saith hvntingdon . the thing was most openly knowne , it could not bee denyed , it might not bee concealed . yet now comes an vpstart-nouice , and dares tell vs from baronius , that this was a meere fable ; how publike and notorious soeuer , huntingdon makes it : with these men this rule is vniuersal , whatsoeuer may tend to the dishonour of the church of rome , is false and fabulous . indeed , i remember what their glosse said of old , x clericus amplectens mulierem , prasumitur bene agere , si ergo clericus amplectitur mulierem , interpratabuitur quòd causa benedicendi eam , hoc faciat : that is ; a clergie man imbracing a woman , must be presumed to doe well ; if therefore a clerke take a woman by the middle , it must bee interpreted that hee doth it to giue her his blessing . * perhaps , the good legate was but bestowing his ghostly blessing on so needfull a subiect , but that hee was found in bed with her , if c. e. were not as shamelesse as that cardinall , or his bed-fellow , he durst not deny ; for what impudencie is this , to cast this relation only vpon h. huntingdon , when so many vncontrollable pens haue recorded it to the world ? men of their owne stampe , for religion , for deuotion . matthew paris , ranulfus cestrensis roger houeden , polydore virgill , fabian , matthaeus westmonasteriensis , otherwise called florilegus ; dictus ioannes , qui in concilio , &c. saith he ; the said iohn which in the open councell had grieuously condemned all the y concubinary priests , was taken himselfe in the same crime . now let my reader iudge , whether this priests truth , or that cardinals honestie were greater . sect . xvi . his third ponderation is the same with the first ; euerie thing eekes . his saint dunstan and anselme , gregorie and bede are againe layd in our dish ; wee cannot feed on these ouer-oft-sod coleworts . i am challenged here , to produce any priest or deacon that liued in wedlocke before the times of dunstan ; the man presumes vpon the suppression of records . for one , i name him hundreds . who were they that dunstan and his fellow-saints found seated in the cathedrall churches of this land ? whome did they eiect ? were they not marryed priests ? what did the eiected clergie plead but ancient possession ? after that ; in the synode which archbishop a lanfranck held at winchester ( which i wonder my detectour would ouer-see : this neglect is not for nothing ; ) was it not decreed , that the canons should not haue wiues , but that the priests which dwelt in townes and villages , should not bee compelled to put away their wiues ; though caution is put in for the future ? what doth this imply , but that in those ancient times the english clergie were inoffensiuely married ? to which adde that olde record from an ancient martyrologe of the church of canterbury : lanfrancvs archiepiscopus reddidit ecclesiae sancti andreae , &c. lanfranck archbishop hath restord to saint andrewes church ; the monasterie of saint marie with the lands and houses which livingvs priest , and his wife had in london , &c. and before him , or dustan either , in king edmunds time , b bishop osulphus with athelme and vlrick , laicks , thrust out of the monkes of euesham , and placed canons ( married priests ) in their roome . lastly , iornalensis records it as king ina's law , long before these times ; si episcopi filiolus sit , sitdimidium hoc , &c. as supposing this no other then ordinarie in those times . now let my refuter comfort himselfe and his catholikes , with the weake defence of heresie , and the strong bulwarkes of romane truth ; who in the meane time must be put in minde , that he puts on me the burden which should lye vpon his own shoulders ; i haue produced histories which affirme peremptorily , that the english clergie were neuer forbidden to marrie vntil anselmes time ; it is now his taske to disprooue this assertion of theirs by equall authoritie to the contrarie , which till hee haue done , the day is ours . sect . xvii . his fourth ponderation , is the difficultie of this grant in king edwards parliament . and is it possible the man should not see the greater difficultie that was found in the inforcement of this glorious celibate ? how alfere and the nobles dispossessed the monkes of dunstan ; iustly restoring the marryed priests to their ancient right ? how lanfranck durst not speake it out ; anselme did , but preuailed little : let c girardus then archbishop of yorke witnesse . after whome roger archbishop of that see ( as neubrigensis , records ) thrust out d anselmes monkes , and stood for the libertie of marriage : in somuch as in the succession of times , euen by royall leaue also , marriage of spirituall persons yet continued ; neither could anselmes successours , radulphus , gulielmus de turbine and the rest , ( notwithstanding all their canons and practices ) preuaile against it . how plaine is that of the e saxon chronicle ? thus did the archbishop of canterburie and the bishops , which were in england ; and yet all these decrees and biddings stood not ; all held their wiues by the kings leaue , euen as they did . insomuch as archbishop william referr'd it to the king. the king decreed , that the priests should continue with their wiues still . neither were any thing more easie then to giue store of instances in this kinde . what need i giue more then that of galfride b. of ely , who was auouched before the pope himself to haue maried a wife ? which f euangelical excuse ( vxorem duxit ) was made for his not appearing at rome with the rest . of richard bishop of chichester . robert bishop of lincolne marryed men , after these decrees ; yea , good euidences of ancient charts are readie in our hands , to shew the vse and legall allowance of these marriages for no lesse then two hundred yeeres after . as for those idle wordes which his sawcinesse throwes after our reuerend martyr , archbishop cranmer , ( whome hee falsly affirmes to haue beene the first marryed archbishop of this kingdome , when as archbishop boniface sate marryed in that see three hundred yeeres before him ) and king edwards parliament , we answere them , with silence and scorne . let leesers haue leaue to talke . the approbation , and better expedience of single life in capable subiects , we doe willingly subscribe vnto ; the lawfulnesse , yea , necessitie of marriage where the gift of continence is denyed , our sauiour , and his chosen vessel iustifie with vs. so as i still conclude , he that made marriage , saith it is honorable , what care we for the dishonor of those that corrupt it ? sect . xviii . his last ponderation is leaden indeed ; that from the bickerings of our english clergy with their dvnstans , it will not follow that continencie was not ancient , but was repiningly , lately , vniustly imposed . by this reason , he will proue there was neuer theefe or malefactor in our countrey , before the time of king iames ; since all iudges haue yeerely bickerings with such people . thus he . but did euer such loose besome sweep the presse before ? reader , vouchsafe yet once more to cast thine eye vpon the close of my epistle ; doth my argument run thus wildly as hee makes it ? the english clergie had bickerings with their dvnstans , therefore continencie was repiningly and vniustly imposed ? canst thou thinke i haue met with a sober aduersarie ? my words are ; that our histories teach vs how late , how repiningly , how vniustly our english clergie stooped vnder this yoke . and what can his sophistrie make of this ? are ye not ashamed ( ye superiors of doway ? ) are ye not ashamed of such a champion ; fitter for a troupe of pigmees to traile a reed in their bickerings with cranes , then to be committed with any reasonable or scholler-like antagonist ? in the bickerings with his dunstans , the patients pleaded prescription ( as we haue shewed out of malmesbury ) and taxed his saints with nouelty ; in my bickerings with him , i plead antiquitie , scripture , reason ; and taxe him most iustly with impudence , & absurditie . how well is that man , that is matcht but with an honest aduersary ? the conclusion . the conclusion followes , a fit couer for such a dish ; the reader was not wearie enough , but hee must bee tyred out with a tedious recapitulation ; wherin my refuter recollects all his dispersed folly , that it may shew the fayrer : telling his protestant friend , what i haue bragged , what i haue vndertaken , what i haue not performed , how i haue satisfied , how i haue mistaken ; what himselfe hath in al passages performed against me , how he hath answered , how he hath conquered ; the best is , the conclusion can shew no more then the premises . by them , let me be iudged : those haue made good to my reader that c. e. hath accused much ; and proued nothing , vanted much , and done nothing ; rayled much , and hurt nothing , laboured much , and gayned nothing , talked much , and said nothing . it is a large and bold word : but if any one clause of mine be vnproued if any one clause of mine be disproued , any one exception against my defence proued iust , any one charge of his proued true , any one falshood of mine detected , any one argument of mine refelled , any one argument or propositiō of his not refelled , let me goe away conuicted with shame . but if i haue answered euery challenge , vindicated euery * authority , iustified euery proofe , wiped away euery cauill , affirmed no proposition vntruely , censured nothing vniustly ; satisfied all his malicious obiections , and warranted euery sentence of my poore epistle : let my apologie liue and passe ; and let my refuter goe as he is , c. f. cauillator egregius : let my cause be no more victorious then iust ; and let honest marriages euer hold vp their heads , in despite of rome and hell : with this farewel , i leaue my refuter , eyther to the acting of his vnbloudie executions of the sonne of god ; or the plotting of the bloudy executiōs of the deputies of god , or ( as it were his best ) to the knocking of his beads ; but if he will needs be meddling with his pen , and wil haue me , after some iubilies , to expect an answer to my sixe-weekes labour , i shall in the meane time pray , that god would giue him the grace to giue way to the knowne truth , and sometimes to say true . yet to gratifie my reader at the parting , i may not conceale from him , an ancient and worthie monument , which i had the fauour and happinesse to see in the inner librarie of corpus christi colledge in cambridge ; an excellent treatise , written ( amongst seuenteene other ) in a fayre set hand , by an author of great learning and antiquitie ; hee would needs ( suppresse his name , but describes himselfe to be rotomagensis : the time wherein it was written , appeares to be amids the heate of contention , which was betwixt the archbishop of canterburie and yorke , for precedencie ; * which quarrel fell betwixt rodulph of canterburie and thurstin of yorke , in the yeere ( . ) at which time pope paschalis wrote to king henrie concerning it ; and was renewed after about the yeere . the discourse shall speake enough for it selfe . rotomagensis . anonymvs . an liceat sacerdotibus inire matrimonia . scire volui quis primus instituit ne sacerdotes christiani inire deberent matrimonia . deus an homo ? si enim deus , eius certe sententia & tenenda & obseruanda est cum omni veneratione & reuerentia . si vero homo & non deus , de corde hominis & non ex ore dei talis egressa est traditio : ideoque nec per eam salus adquiritus si obseruetur , nec amittitur si non obseruetur . non enim est hominis saluare vel perdere aliquem pro meritis , sed dei proprium vnius est , scilicet , quod deus hoc instituerit , nec in veteri testamento nec in euangelio , ncc in apostolorum epistolis scriptum reperitur , in quibus quicquid deus hominibus praecepit insertum describitur . traditio ergo hominis est & non dei , non apostolorum institutio . quemadmodum & apostolus instituit , vt oportet episcopum esse vnius vxoris virum . quod minime instituisset , si adulterium esset quod episcopus haberet simul & vxorem , & ecclesiam quaesi duas vxores , vt quidam asserunt . quodque de scripturis sanctis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua dicitur . sancta enim ecclesia non sacerdotis vxor , non sponsa , sed christi est , sicut ioannes dicit , qui habet sponsam , sponsus est : huius inquam sponsi ecclesia sponsa est , & tamen huic sponsae licet in parte inire matrimonia ex apostolica traditione . dicit enim apostolus ad cor. propter fornicationes inquit vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat , & caetera vsque volo omnes homines esse sicut me ipsum , sed vnusquisque proprium donum habet a deo , alius quidem sic , alius vero sic . non enim omnes habent vnum donum virginitatis scilicet , & continentiae , sed quidam virgines sunt & continentes , quidam vero incontinentes , quibus concidit nuptias ne tentet eos sathanas propter incontinentiam suam & in ruinam turpitudinis corruant . sed & sacerdotes quoque alij quidem continentes sunt , alij vero incontinentes , & qui continentes sunt , continentiae suae donum a deo consecuti sunt , sine eius dono & gratia continentes esse non possunt . incontinentes vero hoc donum gratiae minime percipiunt , qui cum intemperantia suae conspersionis , tum etiam animi infirmitate per carnis desideria diffluunt . quod nullo modo facerent , si continentiae gratiam & virtutem a deo percepissent . sentiunt anim & ipsi alia● legem in membris suis repugnantem legi mentis sua , & captinantem eos in lege peccati , et quod nolunt agere cogentem , qui de corpore mortis huius liberantur gratia dei. hac itaque eos lege captiuante , & carnis concupiscentia stimulante , aut fornicari coguntur aut nubere . quarum quid melius sit apostolica docemur authoritate , qua dicitur , melius nubere quam vri . quod melius est , id certe eligendum & tenendum est . melius est inquam nubere , quia peius est vri . quia melius est nubere quam vri , conueniens est incontiuentibus vt nubant , non vt vrantur . bonae etenim sunt nuptia , sicut augustinus ait in libro super genesin ad litera● , in ipsi● commendatur bonum naturae quo incontinentiae regitur pranitas , & naturae decoratu● foecunditas . n● vtriusque senus infirmitas propendens in ruinam turpitudinis , recte excipitur honastate nuptiarum , vt quod sanis possit esse officium , s●grotis remedium . neque enim quia incontinentia malum est ideo connubium , vel quo incontinentes copulantur non est bonum . i mo vero non propter illud malum culpabile est bonum , sed propter hoc bonum veniale est illud malum : quoniam id quod bonum habent nuptiae , & quod bonae sunt nuptiae , peccatum esse nunquam potest . hoc autem tripartitum est , fides , proles , sacramentum . in fide attenditur , ne praeter vinculum coniugale , cum altera vel cum altero concubatur . in prole , vt amanter suscipiatur , benigne suscipiatur , religiose educetur . in sacramento , vt coniugium non separetur , & demissus aut demissa ne causa prolis alteri coniugatur . haec est tanquam regula nuptiarum , qua vel naturae decoratur foecunditas , vel incontinentiae regitur prauitas . hanc autem regulam nuptiarum , & hoc tripartitum bonum instituit aeterna veritas ordine decenti & lege aeterna , contra quam quicquid fit , vel dicitur , vel concupiscitur , peccatum est . quod in libro contra faustum manichaeum augustinus testatur , dicens , peccatum est factum , vel dictum , vel concupitum contrae aeternam legem . aeterna lex est diuina voluntas , siue ratio ordinem naturalem perturbari vetans , conseruari iubens . quicquid igitur ordinem naturalem perturbari iubet , conseruari vetat , exercere nuptias & earum tripartitum bonum , fidem , scilicet , prolem & sacramentum eos habere prohibet , & regulam illam aeternae veritatis qua naturae decoratur foecunditas , vel incontinentiae regitur prauitas , eos soluere praecipit , &c. quibus naturalis ordo peragitur , abhomi●ari iubet . hoc inquam mandatum naturalem ordinem conseruari vetat , perturbari iubet , & ideo contra aeternam legem fit , et peccatum est : peccant enim qui mandatum tale instituunt , quo naturalis ordo destruitur . nam etiam vt videtur , minime credunt quod de sacerdotum filijs assumat deus ad aedificandam supernam ciuitatem , & ad restaurandum angelorum numerum . si enim crederent , nunquam tale mandatum instituerent , quia scienter & nimia temeritate id efficere conarētur , vt superna ciuitas nūquam proficiatur , & angelorum numerus nunquam reperaretur : si enim superna ciuitas de filijs etiam sacerdotum perficienda est , & si angelorum numerus de ipsis etiam reperandus est , qui hoc efficere conatur vt nulli sint , quantum in ipso est , & supernam ciuitatem destruit , & angelorum numerus ne perficiatur efficit . quo quod peruersius potest fieri ? hoc enim fit contra voluntatem & praedestinationem illius , qui quae futura sint fecit . fecit enim praedestinatione quae futura sunt in opere . quicunque ergo id efficere conatur at non faciat deus in opere quae fecit in praedestinatione , ipsam praedestinationem dei conatur euacuere . si ergo deus fecit in praedestinatione vt filij sacerdotum futuri sint in opere , qui hoc efficere conatur vt non futuri sint , in opere destruere molitur facta dei quod fecit praedestinatione , & ita praedestinationem dei nititur euertere , & voluntatem dei contraire quae aeterna est . voluit enim deus ab aeterna , & ante saeculum omnes homines creare in saeculo , certo quidem ordine quo praecogitauit & praedestinauit eos se creaturum . nihil enim inordinate facit , nihil in saeculo creat , quod non ante in praedestinatione suae mentis procedente omnia saeculo disponendo praeordinauerit . quaecunque ergo in hoc saeculo ab ipso creantur , praedestinationem mentis praedisponentem ac praeordinantem omni● necessario sequuntur , quod impossibile est non fieri quod deus ab aeterno voluit & praeordinauit fieri . necesse est igitur omnes homines eo ordine creari , quo voluit ab aeterno & praeordinauit . alioquin non sicut voluit deus , neque sicut praeordinauit omnes homines sunt crea●i , sed quod hoc inconueniens est necesse est illos creari , sicut voluit ab aeterno & praecogitauit atque praeordinauit , quod omnia quae voluit fecit , & nihil vnquam fecit quae non voluit ab aeterno & praecogitauit decreto certo & incommutabili . quia nec eius voluntas irrite potest fieri , nec praecogitatio falli , nec praeordinationes commutari . quae cum ita sint , necesse est vt sicut laici , ita etiam sacerdotes de quibus homines creantur , ad ipsos creandos ministerium exhibeant diuinae voluntati & praeordinationi . parentes non sunt authores creationis filiorum , sed ministri . qui si ministerium non exhiberent , voluntatem dei & praecogitationem si possibile esset irritam facerent , ordinationique resisterent . quod si scienter facerent grauius vtique delinquerent , si nescienter minus non solum in deum patrem , sed & in coelestem ierusalem sanctorum omnium matrem , quod quantum in ipsis esset illos creari non permitterens , ex quibus ea aedificanda & coelestis patriae dantia sunt praeparanda . sed ab hoc delicto defendit eos in potentia , quod non possunt voluntati dei resistere & praeordinationi contraire . voluntas enim dei & praedestinatio lex aeterna est , in qua omnium rerum cursus d●cretus est , & paradigma est , in quo omnium saeculorum forma depicta est , quod nulla ratione aboleri potest . huic igitur ministeriū non exhibere malū est , quod exhibire bonum est & maxime cum bona fit voluntate . quod tum fit , cum parentes conueniunt causa giguendae prolis , non appetitu exercendae libidinis . gignendae prolis dico , quia & praesens ecclesia multiplicatur , & coelestis ciuitas fabricetur , & electorum numerus compleatur , quorum nihil potest fieri sine conuentione tali . si enim primi parentes sanctorum omnes aut continentes permansissent aut virgines , nullus sanctorū ex eis esset natus in saeculo , nullus gloria & honore coronatus in coelo , nullus adscitu● in angelorum numero . sed quia inestimabile bonum est , quod sancti natisunt in saeculo , quod gloria & honore coronantur in coelo , & quod adsciti sunt in angelorum numero , ex eo parentum foecunditas beatior praedicatur , & conuentus sanctior . sic ergo melius fuit eis tales filios genuisse quam non genuisse , talemque fructum nuptiarum protulisse , quam si●e fructu continentes , aut virgines extitisse . quamuis bonum fit quibusdam continentes esse , vel virgines , illis viz. quos deus v●luit ab aeterno , & praeordinauit ita creandos esse in saeculo , vt continentia vel virginitate permaneant : sicut enim voluit ab aeterno , & praeordinauit quosdam , ita creandos esse in saeculo , vt fructū nuptiarum faciant & filios generent , ita etiam voluit & praeordinauit ab aeterno , quosdam ita creandos esse , vt in continentia vel virginitate permaneant . et sicut illi ad creandos filios voluntati dei & praeordinationi ministerium exhibent , ita & isti ad conseruandam & continentiam & virginitatem voluntati dei est praeordinationi ministrant . ac per hoc & illorum foecunditas & istorum virginitas bona est atque laudabilis , quae si non ministeriū exhiberet voluntati dei et praeordinationi , nec bona esset nec laudabilis . omne enim quod voluntati dei & praeordinationi contrarium est , nec bonum est nec laudabile . si ergo voluit deus & praedestinauit alios futuros virgines , ali●s nuptiarum fructum facientes . si enim omnes essent virgines , nullus sanctorū qui vel nascitur vel nasciturus sit , in hoc saeculo natus esset , vel nasciturus . nec ipsi etiam virgines essent , quia nati non essent . ex foecunditate enim illorum orta est istorum virginitas . magnum igitur bonū est foecunditas , de qua sancta praecessit virginitas . quia autem virgines esse debeant , & qui nuptiarum fructus facientes , docet eos verbū quod deus seminat in cordibus illorum . in aliorum enim cordibus se●●at verbum bonae foecunditatis nuptiarum fructum facientis , in aliorum vero cordibus seminat verbum virginitatis , * ipsi virginitatem seruare desiderant : in quibus vero verbum nuptiarum seminat , ipsi facere nuptiarum fructum appetunt . which , for my countrimens sake i haue thus englished . i would faine know who it was that first ordayned , that christian priests might not marry , god , or man ? for , if it were god , surely , his determination is to be held and obserued with all veneration and reuerence ; but , if it were man , and not god ; and this tradition came out of the heart of man , not out of the mouth of god , then neither is saluation got by it , if it be obserued ; nor lost , if it bee not obserued : for it doth not belong to man either to saue or destroy any man for his merits , but it is proper only vnto god. that god hath ordayned this , it is neither found written in the old testament , nor in the gospell , nor in the epistles of the apostles , in all which is set downe whatsoeuer god hath inioyned vnto men . it is therefore a tradition of man , and not an institution of god , nor of his apostles : as the apostle instituted ( rather ) that a bishop should bee the husband of one wife ; which he would neuer haue appointed , if it had beene adulterie for a bishop to haue at once a wife , and a church , as it were two wiues , like as some affirme : now , that which hath not authoritie from the holy scriptures , is with the same facilitie contemned , that it is spoken : for , the holy church is not the wife , not the spouse of the priest , but of christ , as saint iohn saith , hee that hath the bride , hee is the bridegroome . of this bridegroome , i say , is the church the spouse ; and yet it is lawfull euen for this spouse in part , to marry , by apostolique tradition ; for the apostle speaks thus to the corinthians , because of fornications , let euery man haue his owne wife . and i would that all men were as i am , but euery man hath his proper gift of god , one thus , another otherwise . for , all men haue not one gift , namely , of virginitie , and continency : but some are virgins , and contayne ; others contayne not ; to whom he granteth marriage , lest satan tempt them through their incontinency , and they should miscarry in the ruine of their vncleannesse . so also of priests , some are continent , others are incontinent ; and those which are continent , haue receiued the gift of their continence from god , without whose gift and grace , they cannot be continent . but those which are incontinent , haue not receiued this gift of grace , but , whether by the intemperance of their humour , or the weaknesse of their mind run out into fleshly desires ; which they would in no wise doe , if they had receiued from god the grace and vertue of continence . for they also which are deliuered by the grace of god from the body of this death , feele another law in their members rebelling against the law of their minde , and captiuating them to the law of sinne , and compelling them to doe that which they would not . this law therefore , holding them captiue , and this concupiscence of the flesh prouoking them , they are com●lled either to fornicate , or marry : whereof whether is the better , wee are taught by the authoritie of the apostle , who tels vs it is better to marry then to burne . surely , that which is the better , is to be chosen and held ; now it is better to marry , because it is worse to burne ; and because it is better to marry then to burne , it is conuenient for those which contayne not , to marry , not to burne . for marriage is good , as augustine speaks in his booke ( super genesin ad literam ) in it is commended the good of nature , whereby the prauitie of incontinence is ruled , and the fruitfulnes of nature graced ; for the weaknesse of either sexe declining towards the ruine of filthinesse , is well relieued by the honesty of marriage , so as the same thing , which may bee the office of the sound , is also the remedie vnto the sick : neither yet , because incontinence is euill , is therefore marriage ( euen that wherewith the incontinent are ioyned ) to be reputed not good ; yea rather not for that euill , is the good faultie , but for this good , is that euill pardonable , since that good which marriage hath , yea which marriage is , can neuer bee sinne . now , this good is three-fold , the fidelitie , th●●ruit , the sacrament of that estate ; i● the fidelitie , is regarded : that besides this bond of marriage , there bee not carnall societie with any other . in the fruit of it , that it be louingly raysed and religiously bred . in the sacrament of it , that the marriage be not separated , and that the dismissed partie of either sexe , bee not ioyned to any other , no not for issues sake . this is as it were the rule of marriage , whereby the fruitfulnesse of nature is graced , or the prauitie of incontinence ruled . and this rule of marriage , and this three-fold good , the eternal truth hath appointed in the order of his decree , and that eternall law of his , against which whatsoeuer is done , spoken , or willed , is sinne ; which augustine in his booke against faustus the manichee witnesseth , saying , sinne is either deed , word , or desire against the law eternal . this eternall law is the diuine will or decree , forbidding the disturbance , and commanding the preseruation of due naturall order ; whatsoeuer therefore commands naturall order to be disturbed , forbids it to be conserued , prohibits men to vse marriage , and to attaine to the threefold good thereof , fidelitie , issue , sacrament ; and commands them to breake that rule of eternall truth , whereby the fruitfulnesse of nature is graced , or the prauitie of incontinency ruled , commands men to abhorre those things whereby naturall order is held and maintayned . this commandement , i say , forbids naturall order to be obserued , commands it to be disturbed , and therefore is against the law of god , and by consequence , is sinne : for , they sinne that ordayne such a command by which naturall order is destroyed . these men doe not ( it seemes ) beleeue , that of the children of priests , god takes for the building of his citie aboue , and for the restoring of the number of angels : for , if they did beleeue it , they would neuer ordayne such a mandate , because they should wittingly and ouer-rashly goe about to effect , that the supernall city should neuer be perfited , and the number of angels neuer repayred . for if the supernall city be to be perfited euen of the sons of priests , and if the number of angels be of them to be repayred , those that indeuour to procure that they should not be , doe ( what in them lyes ) destroy the supernall city , and labour that the number of angels may not be perfited ; then which , what can be more peruersely done ? for this is done against the wil and predestination of him which hath done those things , which shall be ; for hee hath done in his predestination those things which shall bee in effect ; whosoeuer therefore goes about to procure that god may not in effect doe those things , which he hath done in his predestination , goes about to make void the very predestination of god. if then god haue already in his predestination decreed , that the sons of priests shall once bee in effect , hee that goes about to procure that they may not bee in effect , indeuours to destroy the worke of god , because he hath already done it in predestination ; and so striues to ouerthrow gods predestination , and to gainstand that wil of god which is eternall : for god would from eternitie , and before all worlds , create all men in the world , in that certayne order wherein he pre-conceiued , and predestinated , to create them ; hee doth nothing disorderly , hee createth nothing in the world which hee hath not fore-ordayned , by disposing it in the predestination of his minde that went before all worlds . whatsoeuer therefore is by him created in this world , doth necess●rily follow the predestination of his minde predisposing , and preordayning all things ; because it is impossible that should not be done , which god from eternitie hath willed and fore-ordayned to bee done ; it is therefore necessary that all men should bee created in that very order , wherein he willed , and from eternitie fore-ordayned ; or else , all men are not created as god would haue them , nor as he fore-ordayned them ; but because this is inconuenient , it must needs bee that they are created as he willed from eternitie , and fore-thought , and fore-ordayned ; because hee hath done all things that he would , and neuer did any thing which hee willed not from euerlasting , and hath fore-conceiued in his certayne and vnchangeable decree . for neither can his will bee frustrated , nor his fore-thought deceiued , nor his fore-ordinations altered : which , since it is so ; need must it be , that as laicks , so priests also , of whom men are created , should yeeld their seruice to the diuine will and preordination to the creating of them . for parents are not the authors of the creation of their children , but the seruants ; who if they should not yeeld their seruice , they should ( if it w●re possible ) make void the fore-thought of god , and resist his ordination ; which if they should wittingly do , they should offend the more , if ignorantly , the lesse ; not only against god the father , but also against the heauenly ierusalem , the mother of all saints , because ( what in them were ) they should not suffer those to be created of whom it is to bee builded , and those things to bee prepared , whereby that celestiall countrey is bestowed . but from this offence their impotence frees them , because they cannot resist the will of god , and crosse his preordination . for the will and predestination of god is that eternall law , in which the course of al things is decreed , and the patterne wherein the forme of all ages is set forth , which can by no meanes be defaced ; not to yeeld our seruice then hereunto , is euill , because to yeeld it , is good , and especially if it bee done with a good intent ; which is then done , when as parents meete together in a desire of propagation of issue , not in an appetite of exercising their lust . of propagation , i say , that both the present church may be multiplyed , and the celestiall city built , and the number of the elect made vp , none of which could be done ▪ without such coniugall meeting . for if the first parents of the saints had continued all either continent , or virgins , no saint had beene borne of them in the world , none of them had beene crowned with glory and honour in heauen , none of them ascribed into the number of angels . but since it is an inestimable good , that saints are borne in the world , that they are crowned with glory and honor in heauen , and that they are ascribed into the number of angels : thereupon the fruitfulnesse of parents is more blessed , and their meeting holyer . so then it is better for them to haue begotten such children , then not to haue begotten them , and to haue brought forth such fruit of marriage , then to haue beene continent , or virgins , without fruit . although it is good for some to be continent , or virgins , namely , for them whom god eternally willed and pre-ordayned to be so created in the world , that they should remaine either in continence , or virginitie : for as hee hath eternally willed and fore-ordained that some should be so created in the world , as that they should yeeld the fruit of marriage , and beget children , so also hath he willed , and from eternitie fore-ordayned , some to bee so created , that they should continue in continency or virginitie : and as those other yeeld their seruice to the will and preordination of god , in the creation of children , so these also serue the will and preordination of god in conseruing their continence , and virginitie ; and hereupon is both the fruitfulnesse of the one , and the virginitie of the other good , and laudable ; which if it did not yeeld seruice to the will and preordination of god , would be neither good nor laudable : for whatsoeuer is contrary to the will and preordination of god , is neither good , nor laudable . if therefore god willed and predestinated some to bee virgins , others to yeeld the fruit of marriage ( for if all were virgins , no saint that now is , or shall be borne , should either be now or hereafter borne in the world , neither should those virgins bee at all , because they should not be born ; for of the fruitfulnes of the one arises the others virginitie ) therefore is fruitfulnesse a great good , from which holy virginity hath proceeded : now that there should bee some virgins , and others that should beare the fruits of marriage , the word which god soweth in their hearts , teacheth vs. for in the hearts 〈◊〉 some hee soweth the word of good fruitfulnesse , yeelding the increase of marriage , and in the hearts of others hee sowes the word of virginitie ; those then in whom hee sowes the word of virginitie , they desire to keepe virginitie , but those in whom hee sowes the word of marriage , they desire to yeeld the fruit of marriage . whereto i will adde for conclusion the wise and ingenuous iudgement of erasmus roterodamus ; the rather , because it pleased my refuter to lay this worthy authour in our dish . in his epistle to christopher , bishop of basill , concerning humane constitutions , thus he writes . for those things which are altogether of humane constitution , must ( like to remedies in diseases ) be attempered to the present estate of matters , and times . those things which were once religiously instituted , afterwards according to occasion , and the changed qualitie of manners and times , may bee with more religion and pietie abrogated ; which yet is not to be done by the temeritie of the people , but by the authoritie of gouernours ; that tumult may bee auoyded ; and that the publike custome may be so altred , that cōcord may not be broken : the very same is perhaps to be thought concerning the marriage of priests of old , as there was great paucitie of priests , so great pietie also ; they , that they might more freely attend those holy seruices , made themselues chaste of their owne accord . and so much were those ancients affected to chastitie , that they would hardly permit marriage vnto that christian , whom his baptisme found single , but a second marriage yet more hardly : and now that which seemed plausible in bishops and priests , was translated to deacons , and at last to sub-deacons : which voluntarily receiued custome was confirmed by the authoritie of popes . in the meane-time ▪ the number of priests increased , and their pietie decreased ; how many swarmes of priests are maintayned in monasteries and colledges ? and amongst them how few are there that liue chastly ? i speake of them which doe publikely keep concubines in their houses , instead of their wiues . i doe not now meddle with the mysteries of their more secret lusts ; i only speake of those things which are most notoriously knowne to the world : and yet , when we know these things , how easie are we to admit men into holy orders , and how difficult in releasing this constitution of single life ? when as contrarily s. pavl teaches that hands must not bee rashly layd vpon any ; and more then once hath prescribed what manner of men priests and deacons ought to bee , but of their single life , neither christ , nor his apostles haue euer giuen any law in the holy scriptures . long since hath the church abrogated the nightly vigils at the tombes of martyrs , which yet had beene receiued by the publike custome of christians , and that for diuers ages ; those fasts , which were wont to continue till the euening , it hath transferred to noone ; and many other things hath it changed according to the occasions arising : and why then doe wee so obstinatley vrge this humane constitution , especially when so many causes perswade vs to an alteration ? for first a great part of our priests liues with an ill name ; and with an vnquiet conscience handleth those holy mysteries ; and then the fruit of their labours ( for the most part ) is vtterly lost , because their doctrine is contemned of their people by reason of their shamefull life . wheras , if marriage might bee yeelded to those which doe not contayne , both they would liue more quietly , and should preach gods word to the people with authoritie , and might honestly bring vp their children , neither should the one of them bee a mutuall shame to other , &c. post-script to a second libell . the answere to one libeller drawes on another . these kinde of creatures doe best in couples : hee is cruell that neglects his owne fame ; and though in time a false rumor would die alone , yet it is best to preuent the day , and to dispatch it at once by a iust apologie ; especially , where the calumniation is growne vniuersall ; i haue therefore easily harkened to my wisest friends , in stopping the mouth of an idle clamour . there is a base paper that 〈◊〉 through all hands , 〈◊〉 rep●h of one doctor hall , whom the libeller ( in the person of his curate ) taxeth for incompetence of all ●ante ▪ pittifully complayning to his maiestie ( whom that presumptuous wretch dares to name in his lewd scroll ) that so small a thong is out out to him of so large an hide ▪ intimating the rich master whom hee serues , guiltie of a miserable parsimonie , and vnworthy neglect of his meritorious seruice ; and 〈◊〉 the more enuy vpon the ma● 〈◊〉 name he traduceth , he sets out 〈◊〉 large proportion of his supp● masters reuenues . when 〈…〉 the libell , i could not but imagine it intended to some other of ●y ( not infrequent ) name ; so v●ce ●y vnappliable 〈◊〉 i find al● those particulars to my selfe : but ●o●is●e my answere to this popish ad●ersarie was on foot , that malicious 〈◊〉 will need● appropriate the 〈…〉 with incredible 〈…〉 too well 〈…〉 kingdo● 〈…〉 the place , and i am the man , whereto they haue also added ( after their manner ) an vnwritten fiction , that his maiestie taking notice of so wit● complaynant , hath sharply rebuked 〈◊〉 for so disproportionable 〈…〉 and hath raysed me , by 〈◊〉 , vnto an higher rare ; the matter obiected were not much 〈◊〉 in another ( twelue pounds ●y the yeere were too much for a libeller ; ) the words imply more ●hen they expresse ; the heart of them is worse then the face , and my publike vowes haue turned my 〈◊〉 into beames . thus must we ( with our apostle ) passe through good as po●and euill ; yet let mee 〈…〉 and the world ) say this for my selfe ( if i must 〈…〉 subiect of this foolish 〈…〉 this 〈…〉 neuer 〈…〉 of any 〈…〉 ●esse a 〈…〉 neuer 〈…〉 yeere● 〈…〉 of soules . in the place where i now liue ( which my libeller vpbraids me with ) i receiue onely a free and liberall annuitie from my right honorable patron , the lord denny ; vpon whose onely charges also my assistent in these holy labours hath been euer both prouided and maintayned ; a truth which the towne and country can witnesse with me : how could i therefore euer make here any such agreement , how could that agreement offend , how could that offence be reproued ? many incouragements haue i had from my gracious master , neuer yet any rebukes . for my estate ( blessed bee god and the king ) it is such as affoords me no cause of complaint , much of thankfulnesse ; yet more transcending my merits , then the exigence of my charge : and is this fellowes eye euill , because my masters is good ? the arithmetick and po● of my libeller are much alike ; his summes are as false as himselfe . for my sheepe and beasts , they might soone haue beene counted : i was neuer the master of one sheepe in all my life ; they are flocks of another nature , whereto i haue deuoted my thoughts : as for beasts , if this good piece had beene euer mine , i should perhaps haue had foure ; whereas now ( since the world must needs know my store ) i haue but three . iudge now , reader , whether thou findest in the whole clergie of this kingdome , yea , in thine owne skin , a man to whom a libell of this nature may with lesse colour , yea possibilitie of truth bee applyed ▪ is not this then a worthy scrap of wit and honestie for some graue benchers to striue for copies of for some gentlemen that should bee not vnwise , not irreligious ▪ to make themselues merry with ●ter all the venom of 〈…〉 what i was , perhaps 〈…〉 should i doubt th● 〈…〉 me for the 〈…〉 in the meane time i cannot but bee sorry to see , that some professors of religion , should so lightly bee won to the beliefe of idle slanders against those , which are readie both with hand and tongue to maintayne the causes of god , and sincerely desirous to liue that gospell which they preach . if there be any one of them whose good-name is libell-proofe , let him make sport at my wrong ; but if the greatest innocence and holinesse of earth , or heauen , be no protection against mis-report , let him not without indignation intertayne those vniust reproches of another , which may , perhaps , ere to morrow , be his owne : had this libeller written him , or me , traytor , or murderer , or whateuer other malefactor , i know no defence but head and shoulders , and the conscience of innocence : neither can i promise my selfe securitie , that hereafter the worst crimes shall not bee laid vpon mee ; but , farre bee it from honest eares and eyes to incourage villany . for mee , my heart can accuse it selfe of many sinnes before my god , but for couetousnesse , i euer detested it as a most sordid and vn-schollerlike vice , and such , as if i could thinke it lurked any where within me , i should hate my selfe . if then some malicious papist , finding no iust quarrell to be pickt at my life , haue thought good to cast vpon mee this pleasant and false disgrace , let not the fauourers of the gospell second him in my causelesse persecution . for my libeller , whosoeuer hee is hee may secretly please himself with this poore flash of spightfull wit , but the god of heauen ( my iust auenger ) shall one day find him out , and pay my arrerages to his cost ▪ vnto that righteous iudgement i appeale , and since the author cannot be known● expect with patience to bee righted in the starre-chamber of heauen ▪ in the former sheets which came late to my view , i found also these errata . in the epist . dedicat. for gregory martin , reade doctor martin . pag. ● . l. . for kind , r. no kind . pag. . l. . for satisfied , r. falsified . besides , the reader must pardon diuers errors and mistakings of the presse in the latin , as viduatis pag. . mach●neris p. . m●rg . sine , for sin● p. . ●ran , ●or br● p. . marg . these ibid. epithamium p. ● ● . pall●dij p. ● . p●n● for p●rr● p. ●● . praesbyteris p. . marg . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e si errorem alium non haberent , ●acilè pax concederetur , bell. de cleric . l. . c. . b. rhenan . arg. lib. de exhor● . castit . tertull. eneas syluius . panormitan . disrandus . peresius . mantuanus . erasmus , &c. che coll ' introductione del matrimonio de' preti si farelle , che tutti voltassetto l' affetto & am●r loro alle-moglie , a'figli , & per consequenz● alla cāsa , & alla patria : onde cesserebbe la depen denza stretta che l' ordine clericale ha con la sede apostolica , & tanto sarelbe . conceder ill matrimonio a preti , quanto distrugger la hierarchia ecclesiastica , & ridur il pont. che non f●sse piu che vescouo di roma ▪ histor . concil . trid. pag. . troppo feste , troppo teste , troppo tempeste . vid. dallingt . obseru . vpon guieciard . doctor mart. against pr. m●●r . notes for div a -e ex decad. ep. . epist . . reckoned out of pappus his enumeration ; my peace of rome makes vp . obiect . sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . necessitate propellente , proditio est ea lacere quae quis stu●ios● perfecerit . chrysost . in i●la : vtinam tolerassetis , &c. bell. de notis eccles . l. . c. . ios . acosta l. . de sal . ind. c. . * this booke of doctor coll. c.e. falsly insinuateth to haue beene suppressed . all stationers shops can conuince him of a lye : nothing euer fell from that learned hand , without applause . notes for div a -e declamationes ambitiosorum opera , otiosorum cibi sunt . scal. exer. . prostituta illa ciuitas . a the particulars of this historie he shall receiue in due place . refut . p. . refut . p. . b ordini sacro debitū continentiae non est essentialiter annexū . dom. soto . l. . q. . de iure & instit . c vide caietan . opus● . de castit . act. conc. trid. alia est causa monachi , alia clerici . extr. de voto , &c. plura profitendo promittit monachus , quàm recipiendo sacrum ordinē clericus . d dist . . greg. petr. diacon . l. . ep . . caiet . vbi supra . polyd. virg. &c. e maldonat . sum . q. . art . . itē voti solennitas ex sola constitutione ecclesiae est inuenta , matrimonij vero vinculum ab ipso ecclesiae capite , rerum omnium condit●re , &c. extra . item , vinculum voti solennis , & solutio eius est ex statuto ecclesiae . antonin . simplex votum apud deum non minùs obligat quàm solenne . celest . extr . qui clerici , &c. f non est de essentia sacerdotis seruare castitatē quandoquidem . graeci etiam ab ecclesia latina permittuntur in coniugij foedere permanere . dom. sot. l. . de iure . q. . p. venetus . brocard . lud. vertomannus . ios. indus . of the christians in india and cathaia , &c. non si quid turbida roma eleuet , accedas . pers . g ecclesia statuto , nec vniuersalis , sed latinae . espenc . l. . de cont. c. . idcirco cum summus pontifex possit ad libitum , &c. caiet . opusc . de castitate . dubia causa . h sedes clementissima quae nulli deesse consueuit dummodo albi aliquid vel rubei intercedat . matth. paris . alius abusus est in dispēsationibus cum constitutis in sacr. ord. &c. i concil . selector . card. si sacerdotes non maturâ deliberatione se astrinxerunt videat rom. pont. qui circa haec solet dispensare quid sit agendum in particulariꝰ . mart. peresius , &c. k his votis astrictus , non potest matrimonium absque dispensatione i●ire , quam uis vehementissimis carnis stimulis vrgeatur , &c. sanc● . l. . de matr. imped . disp. . authoritas superioris dispensantis expectanda est . communis illa regula doctorum & nominatim caietani , nimirū quando ei q●i vouit , constat aliquid esse melius praeteritâ voti materia posse propriâ authoritate recedere . sanch. de matr. l. . de impedim . disp . l angel. matr. . imped . . in fine vera cruz . . part . spec . art . . m aen. syl. epist . . so benedict . . gaue dispensation to petrarch , archdeacon of parma , to marry , his laura ( too neere him in bloud , as it is thought ) and , ex vberiore gratia , that he should keepe all his promotions , and receiue yet more , on condition , that the said benedict might haue the vse of petrarchs sister , matth. parker . defens . of pr. marr. ex fasciculo temp. & platina , & vita petrarchae , &c. n occidentalis ( non orientalis ) ecclesia castitatis obtulit votum , in dist . . o vid. postea . epist . girard . eboracens . arch. ad anselm . huntingd. fabian . polydor. virgil. vid. post . lib. . refut . p. . nuptias execrabiles , &c. obiect . answ . bee yee holy. all things are cleane to the cleane . p innoc. exuperio tolos . episc . epist . . c. . dist . . proposuisti . q ead. dist . c. plurimos ad himersū tarraca , ep. . semoue namque differentiā peruersi nominis connubij , vnam candemque rem effecisti adulterij & coniugi● , laur. valla , canon . eccl. later . l. . de volupt . r vxorum aut quarumcunque foeminarum immanda societate , & execrabi●i contagione turpari , couc . tol. s. c. . cit . à c. e. p. ● . ſ vide regist . eccl. wigo●niensis , postea . l. . t essendo il matrimonio vn stato carnale : pleaded in the councell of trent , histor . concil . p. . u august . de haeres . ad quod-vult-deum . refut . p. . refut . p. , . and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may agree to all the ages of the church after christ , yet most to the last , and that other addition seemes to strengthen this sense . refut . p. . x l. . de trinitate de beat. tit . dei ad theophilum . et instrumenta libertatis semel concessa per iterationem infirmatis . y non sunt digni fide qui primam fidem baptismi irritam fecerunt , marcionem loquor & basilidem . hier. prooem . in epist . ad tit. refut . p. . refut . p. . z maldonat . in matth. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * de his agit quae ad ecclesiae stipem , vel ministerium recipiebantur eius sumptibus alendae , espenc . de cont. l. . c. . refut . p. , . bellar. de m●nachis , l. . c. . can. . greg. l. . epist . . sess . . c. . impossible . vnlawfull . refut . p. , . a from pag. . vsque ad . b qui statuit firmus in corde suo non habens necessitatem , potestatem habens suae voluntatis , & vouerit continentiam deo , debet eam vsque ad finem totâ mentis solicitudine custodire , aug. de sid . ad pe●r . solutio voti mala , coniugium tamen bonum . refutat . p. ▪ , . votum vergens in periculum personae , debet frangi securè , si dispensatio non possit haberi . lnd. . in ag. voce votum . plus habet hie luxuria quàm castitas . gloss . extrau . de bigam . c. hieron . ad ocean . et lupanaria thalamis praeferentur . beatus vi● cui non imput●uit dominus vxorem . refut . p. . . cocbleus . d peter frarin . louan . out of stoltius in somn. luth. e io. fowler in the translat . of frarines inuectiue . marg. f vide fulk . ag . frar . . g iustus baronius , formerly called caluinus . tom. . lat. colloq . tit. de morbis lutheri . refut . p. . . lib. . contr . gent c. . omnibus animalibus per●ectis in●st naturalis inclinatio ad coniuncti n●m carnalem . item , cum muliere semper esse , & illam non cognoscere , maius est quàm mortuum suscitare . ioan. de sanct . geminiano . simil . l. . . . h luth. in ps . . vers . . vnus idemque spir . &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . bell. l. . de monachis c. . ad negotia buius vitae expeditius peragenda aut ad vitanda peccata , aut ad alios bonos fines . refut . p. , , , vsque ad . refut . p. . vsque ad . & pag. . vsque ad finem parag. . refut . p. . k epist . l. . epist . . pudicè & castè sine vlla fabula perseuerent . melius est vt nubant , quàm in ignem delicijs suis cadunt . l lib. . de monach . c. . m hieronymus impendio semper virgini●ati fauens , & ob id nuptijs , iniquior . erasm . see the scholia of erasmus vpon the place . n basil . l. de virg . o epiphan . heres . . melius est 〈◊〉 pe●ca● habere qu●a 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 i would haue the ve●g●r widdowes to ma●rie . refut . p. . he married his daughter , being a virgin dedicated to christ . o coegit vt nuberet . vide erasm . schol. in hier. catalog . scriptor . eccle. so syagria in greg. epist . mar●to violenter sociata . p quamuis vniuersaliter dicatur hamini melius esse continentiam seruare quàm matrimonio v●i , tamen alicui hoc melius est . thum. l. . contr. gent. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys . ad hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ſ greg. naz. orat. in laudem basilij or. . hier. l. . in iouin . resut . p. . the residue of this paragraph is spent in the canon and ciuill lawes against vow breakers . quid ad rhombum ? refut . p. , , . refut . p. , , . p maius miraculum est de propria carne fomitem eradicare luxuriae , quàm expellere immundos spiritus de corporibus alienis , ioan. brom. sum . praedic . cap. castit . q distinct . . maximianus . r consult . art. . and bellarm. qui continent quos notum est non esse multos , de monach. l. . c. . ſ io. bromiard . sum praedic . voce luxuria . zelantissimus praedicator . tit. concion . cauda salax sacripculorum in prouerbium abyt . refut . p. . t erasm . apolog . pro declam . matrimonij . ibidem erasm . englished thus , and i would they were gelded indeed ; which hide their vicious courses with the glorious name of eunuchisme ; more freely following their filthy lusts , vnder the shadow of chastitie . neither will my modestie suffer mee to report , into what shameful courses they fall many times , which resist nature , &c. ex vita sacerdotum palàm dedecorosa , palàm contemnitur eorum doctrina ; & inde perit fructus verbi dei. quod si ijs qui non cōtinent concederetur matrimonium , & ipsi vi●erent quietiùs , & populo cum authoritate praedicarent verbum dei , ad christoph . epis . basil . refut . p. . refut . p. . * bell. l. . de mon. c. . * hieron . aduers . iouin . l. . * mald●n mat. . . omnes ferè , &c. i cannot bee perswaded to follow them . * omnes continere posse si velint , bellar. l. . de mon. c. . a et donum dei esse & tamen in potestate , & arbitrio hominis positum , ibid. qui potest habeat secum aurum hoc virginitatis ; qui minùs nuptiarum argentum excipiat , chrysost . in . tim. . b bonauen . in opusc . de processu relig. p. . sumptuosa turris est , & verbum grande quod non omnes capere possunt , bern. de contempt . mun. nam si generale esset , quod ●o●est vnus , & omnes possunt , primas . refut . p. , . c vid. histor . radulphi bourne augusta●ensis eccl. abbatis , qui testatur se vidi●e , in quadam ●n● in mo●iali● ab●tia , quae pro●nes d●c●batur , mul●a ●a●rum ossa , i saque corpo●a integra ibi reper●ebantur , antiq. brit. reu●c . clem. . papae , ex ●dam . murim . d refut . p. . e . cor. . . r●fut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. , . f eras . apol. pro declam . matr. secundas gradus virginitatis est matrimonij casta dilectio , opus imperf . in matth. refut . p. . ab his duabus columnis crede mihi difficile duellor . ibid ex bernardo c. e. refut . p. . g aug. l. de nat. & grat. c. . h post multam deliberationem & considerationem , &c. basil . refut . pag. . marg. of the refut . p. . . cor. . . refut . p. . refut . p. . i aug. de nat. & grat. . k cont. duas epist . pelag. l aug. l. . cont . ●ul . c. . qui igitur facit oues bomines , ipse ad obediētiam pietatis humanas liberat voluntates : sed quare istos homines oues facit , & istos non facit , apud quem non est acceptio personarum ? respondet apost . o homo . m ibid. refut . p. . n christi erit si fides aderit qua impetrat à iuuente quod iusserit , aug. de adult . con . l. . c. refut . p. . . . o refut p. . p cited foure times by c. e. vpon weightie occasions . refut . p. ● . . . . q p. . refut . * vide censur . rob. coci . p. . r p. . refut . ſ censur . coci . p. . t refut . p. . . . u refut . p. . x p. . refut . y refut . p. . z refut . p. . vid . supra . refut . p. . . refut . p. . pag. . * lib. . c. . de adulter . coniug . vid. sup . o neque enim sicut non maec●aueris , non occides ita ●●ci potest , non nubes aug. de virg. sanct. l. sing . c. refut p. . vsque ad . p illud dixerim tantùm abfuisse , vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem vicerit , &c. ( saith polydor virg. ) this i may say that it is so farre off , that this compelled chast●tie excelled the coniugall chastitie , that no crime of any offence could bring more hatred to the state of priesthood , or more disgrace to religion , or more sorrow to all good men , then the blemish of the vnchaste life of priests , &c. polyd. l. . c. . q hier. l. . in use . quicunque amare pud●citiam se simulant , vt manichaeus , marcion , arrius , tatianus , & instauratores veteris haereseos venena●o ore mella promittunt caeterum iuxta apostolum quae secre●o agunt , turpe ●st dicere . minut. fael . octau . r inuiolati corporis virginitate fruuntur potius , quàm gloriantur . ſ talis castitas quia non est spo●ta●ea , non ●ab●● magnam ret●ibutionem . ●ran . carthus . o mysieria , o mo●es , vbi necessitas imponitur castitati , authoritas datur l●bidini : itaque 〈◊〉 casta est quae metu cogitur , n●c , &c. illa pudica quae these tenetur . ambros . ● . . de virg . t council . delect . cardin. paul. . exhib . alius abusus turbat populum christianum in monialibus , &c. vbi in plaerisque monasterijs fiunt publica sacrilegia cum maximo omnium scandalo . u mat. paris hist . angl. hen. p. . et quod indignum est scribi , ad domos religiosarum veni●ns , facit exprim mammillas earundem , vt sic phyfice , &c. x in hac etiam vrbe meretrices , &c. concil . del card. prius est quàm maecha●i continentiam , ducere criminosam . de singul . cler . refut . p. . y dist . . ●reg . petro diac . l. . ep. . refut . p. . * alias , halywell the iesuite . a quis ignorat cathol . &c. & similiten ordinatos verè e●e ordinatos , quando ordinator verè episcopus fuerat & adbuc erat , saltem quantum ad characterem , bellar. de rom. pont. l. . c. . refut . p. , . b leo. ep . . ahas . . tā sacra semper est habita ista praeceptio . c espenc . lib. . de contin . c. . refut . p. , . d tit. . . e chrysost . in . tit. homil . . f esp . vbi supra . * that the same condicion is to be vnderstood of her that is to be chosen for the wife of the priest . refut . p. , . refut . p. , . refut . p. . ibid. espenc . l. praecit . refut p. . refut . p. . chrysost . in tit. hom. . c the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by them translated falsely , defunctum . refut . p. . refut .. p . * tert. exhort . ad castit . c. . * tert. de monogamia , c. . quot enim & digamipraesident apud vos , insultantes vtique apostolo , & c ? miror te vnum protraxisse in medium , cùm omnis mundus bis ordinationibus plenus sit , non dico de presbyteris , ad episcopos venio , quos si sigillatim voluero enumerare , tantus numerus congregabitur , vt ariminensis synodi multitudo superetur , her. ad ocean . de carterio hisp. ep. digamo , &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . . refut . p. . d heere lyes lucrece in name , thais in life , the same popes daughter , lemman , and his owne sonnes wife . refut . p. . e espenc . l. . de cont. c. . caiet . opus . de castit . ibid. p. . . ref. p. . . f bell. de cleric . lib. c . cat●olicum al●oquia & doctum authorem . abb. panorm . de cleric . coniugat . cap. cùm olim . refut . p. . refut . p. . g decret . p. . dist . . luk. . h esp●nc . de cont . l. . i tit. . si quis legilimam commixtionem & filiorum recreation●m , corruptionem & ●●tiaquinationem vocat , ille habet cohab●tatorem d●monem apostatam . ●gnat epist ad philadelph . refut . p. . refut . p. . k espencae . ex test . abb. l. . . c. . facerat igitur ecclesia boni medici instar , medicinam quae obsit magis quā prosit tollentis . the church should therefore doe like a good physician in remouing the medicine which it sees to doe more harme then good . refut . p. . refut .. p . l lib. sacr . cerem . m vid. rom. irrecon . n theod. niem . lib. . c. . o alphons . contra heres . li. . cap. . edit . colon. ann .. . * marriage vpon g●od reason was forbidden to priests , but vpon greater reason seemes fit to be restored . refut . p. . whiles he was cardinall , he had his concubine ; to whom at last he gaue threescore florens for her dowry , epist. . refut . p. . * rectum est quodcunque primum , adulterinum quodcunque posterius . tert. de praesc . refut . p. . q euseb . de praep . euang. l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , .i. sacra facientibus , they turne it , sacratis , &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . r . cor. . . ſ clem. recognit . l. . t dist . . omnino . refut . p. . men and brethren . * a title giuen to gregory , also in apolog. tumultuaria . refut . p. . x esp . l. . de cont. to lead about . y chrys . hom. in tit. praecitat . refut . p. . z cit. ab espen . loco citat● . here lyes the wife of bishop dionysius , daughter to thomas the apostle . a ignat. ep. ad philadelph . non libidinis causa , sed posteritatis surroganda gratia coniuges habuerunt . a bell. tom. . pag. . b those wo●ds ( and the other apostles ) are to bee razed out of the text. marga● . de la big●e . not. in epist ad philadelph . c erat consuetudo gracorum fere ordinaria corrumpendi libros , bell. li. . de pont. c. . quoniam romani sicut non acumina , ita nec imposturas habent , greg. l. . ep. . ad noorsen . d platin. in cleto . ad finem . luke liued . yeeres , hauing a wife in bithynia . hauing not a wife in bithynia . c her. catol . script . illustr . f caiet . com. in phil. c. . quia omnes apostoli exceptis ioanne & paul● ▪ vxores babuerunt , amb. &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . can. . . &c. g mic. med. de sacr . hom . contin . l. . vix . sex autocto latina ecclesia nunc obseruat . ref. p. . . vsque ad . ref. p. . . apost . can. . refut . p. . * in pretence of heedinesse . h dist . . sub obtentu religionis propriam vxorem contemnere . * espenc . l. . de cont. c. . i in canon . apost . in p●ot . in neno can. notes for div a -e refut . p. . k though amram the leuite , father to moses , married in the heat of pharaohs persecution : and dauid did the like in sauls . refut . p. . refut . p. , , . l esp . . c. . volat. . petr. nat. l. . c. . plat. vit . pauli . . sigeb . . m orig. homil. . in numer . refut . p. . n athanas . epist . ad dracont . many bishops , &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . o chrys . ad hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * athanas . ibid. we haue knowne bishops working miracles , and monkes working none ; many bishops not to haue married , &c. as likewise you may find bishops to haue beene fatherr of children , and monkes not to haue sought for marriage . pag. . p iob . refut . p. , . q cypr. l. . epist . . numideus priest . let numid . the priest be receiued into the number of the priests of carthage , &c. numid . presbyter presbyterorum carth. numero a●●r . refut . p. . r socr. l. . c. . sozom. l. . c. . refut . p . refut . p. . * espenc . l. . de contin . refut . p. , . that wiues cannot bee comprehended vnder the name of strange women . * socrat. l. . c. . refut . p. . c socr. vbi supr . they contayn of their owne accord , and at their owne choice . d dist . . cùm in pr●terito they say that of old , before siricius , priests might contract matrimonie . et quòd gregorius introduxit continentiam subdiaconis , sed presbyteris & diaconis , siricius , dist . . refut . p. . e vid. pos . l. . refut . p. . f socrat. l. . c. . if themselues will ; forced by no law. the custome hath beene . g histor . sacr. ad finem . refut p. . refut . . * they sleepe with their wiues , and in the time of being bishops , beget children of their owne wiues , socr. vbi supr . x that hee doe not necessarily impose the heauy burden of continency vpon his brethren , euseb . l. . hist . c. . y socrat. l. . c. . refut . p. . z hier l. . aduers●ouin . as if now a-dayes many priests also were not married . a greg. tur. l. . c . cur coniugem spernis , cur obturatis auribus pauli praecepta non audis ? scripsit enim reuertimini ad alterutrum , &c. ecce ego ad ●e reuer●or , ●e● ad extraneum , 〈◊〉 ad proprium vas recu●ro , &c. why desp●sest thou thy wife ? why dost thou shut thine eares against the precept of s. paul ? for hee hath written , meet together againe , lest , &c. b gregor . turon . l. . c . nat. theodos . iun. & valent. . imperat. vxor papi●illa , cum qua concerditer vixit , liberosque ex ea suscepit vtriusque sexus , ad apoll●n . epist . . l . c turon . . c. . d tur. l. . c. . e after their episcopall dignitie , balsam . in can. apost . . are ioyned in marriage , vid. supr . vse , marriage contracted . f espenc . l. . c. . g io. maior . & comptuar . concil . refut . p. . refut . p. . h vid. euseb . edit . basil . anno . i fox act & mon. in hac quest . k auent . hist . eoior . l. . their wiues called , presbyterisse , ibid. &c. honesto vocabulo , as hee there speakes . l hodie apud graecos sacerdotes post susceptum ordinem ducere vxorem , sed vnicam ac virginem , à graecis didici . proposit . erasmicorum . censur . cum declaratione . c. de caelibatu . t● vero siquid minus per atatem in hymno , & epistola intelligis . his children hurt him not , nor his wife lawfully conioyned in wedlocke . in those dayes god misliked not the marriage-bed , nor the cradle , &c. m sidon . apol. conc adiunct . ep. . l. . n alcim . auit . vien . gal. arch. l. ad sororem , circa an. . i wil not , deare sister , make report of the pedigree of thy great grandfathers , &c. whom the renowned life of priests made famous to the world. greg. naz. car. de vita sua , edit . morel . paris . to. . p. . ibid. de vita sua , &c. iamb . elias cretens . in orat. greg. naz. . arg. lib. tert. exhort . cast . matrimonio parum aequi fuerint , &c. the time is short . m dist . . cenomanens em . &c. refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. , , . refut . p. . n sigebert m●rtin . polon . platin mart. minorit . oth. fri● . flores temp. petrarcha , &c. o flor. temp. impr. vlt. . concil . . constantin . in trulio . refut . p. , vsque ad . p vid. bell. de rom. pont. l. . cap. . q balsam . in phot. nomoc. refut . p. . balsam . ibid. refut . p. . constantinus pogon●tus . quini ▪ sextam . slit-nose . r gratian. dist . . habeo librū . ſ dist . . vbi supr . refut . p. . vsque ad . synod . la●dic . can. . can. . can. . can. . refut . p. . refut . p. . vsque ad . there is no salue for the sting of a sycophant . refut . p. . . . etiam asinus meus recalcitrat ? refut . p. . vsque ad . t baron . an. nu . . & bell. l. . de verbo dei , c. . & . de ro. pont. c. . l. . de conc. c. . l. . de cleric . c. . bin. tom. . p. . &c u dist . . in no●s . these chapters we doe altogether reiect . let them by no meanes be receiued . that they are ioyned with wiues not their owne . x ●sp . l. . de conti● . vt totum scilicet profanum , error●● , ●nsolentiae , impudicitiae plenum , manifestae falsitatis apocryphum , & corruptissimum . y chemnit hist . de caelib . sacerd . p. . refut . p. . erasm . ●ang . in n●ceph 〈…〉 . sigebert . ● . th●y are ioyne● in marriage . so also funccius in his c●onol . z ●in . steph. . a pluribus è serie rom. pontificum dim●ttitur . caiet . opus . castit . refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. . . refut . p. . . refut . p. . vsque ad . refut . p. . refut . p. . . refut . p. . refut . p. . a about ann. . b sigeb . de gregor . pap ▪ an. . idem & math. paris . refut . p. . vsque ad . c vid. ●in . ibid. refut . p. . refut . p. . carthaginen . . african . can. . sub coelest . can. . secundum proprios terminos , vel propria statura . where they read it , secundum priora statuta . d ad similitudinem sedis apostolicae , eos cuncta obseruare constituat . greg. epist . l. b. . . e gnapheus orat . in desens . io. pistorij . woe to you rebellious children , that you should hold your councel , and not of mee . priuata decreta . f concil . constant . . can. . quoniam cog●uimus in armeniorum regione eos solùm in cleri ordinem referri , qui sunt ex genere sacerdotali . f dist . . g annal. boyorum , supra . i vita s . malach . lib. synod . wigorn. eccles . canon . concil . hybern . sub patricio , auxilio isernino . quicunque clericus ab ostiario vsque ad sacerdotem sine tunica visus fuerit , &c. & vxor eius sine velato capite ambulauerit , pariter à laicis contemnantur , &c. matth. park . def. of pr. mar. refut . p. . from this time forward . refut . p. . refut . p. . notes for div a -e refut . p. . refut . p. . * auent . boyorum annot. l. . refut . p. . refut . p. . cont. mogunt . . refut . p. , & . refut . p. , to . chem. hist ▪ de caelibatu . act. & m●n . p. . nunc seges est vbi troia suit . vid. qua supra , ● l. . s. . histor . radulphi bourn , &c. he excepts none , but a professor of continence . pag. . euery-one . refut . p. . propert. refut . . * ( as all clergie men in holy orders haue . ) praefixit hoc sibi in domino , ibid. refut . . there is extant the same authors germania , wherein are contayned the grieuances of the german-nation , and a confutati●n of the same with a reply . in sua germ. illyr . catal. test . lib. . aeneas . refut . . refut . p. ● . refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. . he detests the incontinencie of clerkes , and writes to haue it punished . app●ud . epist . l● . . binius . a adam . brem . l. . c. . bin. not . in synod . mogunt . refut . p. . refut . p. . b chron. sigebert . ann. . polydor. virg. exemple post homines natos imp●rtunissimo . ex qua re tam graue oritur scandalum , vt nullius haeresis tempore sancta ecclesia grauiore schismate scissa sit , sigeb . ibid. refut . p. ● . c most learned auentine . d excelling in the knowledge of all variety of learning . e a man of vnweariable paynes , and deep reading . f a most diligent and accurate searcher of antiquities . refut . p. . g pono conti●entiam pautis tenentibus , aliquibus eam modò causa quaestus ac iactantiae simulantibus ▪ multis inconti●entiam periurio aut multiplicum adulterio cumulantibus , &c. sigeb . an. . refut . p. . h io. autem pap● se cum vxore ●uiusdam oblectans , à diabolo in tempore percutitur , sigeb . an. . the brand of loue. brand of hell. refut . p. . i ben●o cardin. vita hildebr . k so our rogerus cestr●ns . l. ● . papa hildebradus labora●s in extr●mis , ●ocauit ad se cardinalem quem plus dilexerat , & confessus est se suscitasse odium & schisma inter imperatorem , & alios christianos , vnde dissoluit vincula bannorum & obijt . refut . p. . vsque ad . l lamb. schafnab . hist . rerum german . refut . p. , vsque ad . antichristi negotium agitat . m lamb. schafn●burg . l. de rebus german . refut . p. . ref. p. , . the vertues of c. e's . saint . refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . p. . * oswald and ethelwold . a gul. malmesb . it. legend , &c. * the names of the founders of the church of worcester . in the time of king ethelred was worcester made an episcopall see ; bosel was the first bishop . the . was saint oswald ; in whose time king edgar gaue , &c. and by the mediation of saint oswald was this cathedrall church translated from married clerks vnto monks . * so as it appeares , this number was set to king edg●r by dunstan for his penance . * that is , their prebend . * expulit malos praesbyteros , introduxit pe●ores monachos , polyd. from the greater churches . refut . p. . refut . p. . refut . . * h. hunt. l. . gul. malmes . refut . p. . q d. martins arg . is , priests crownes signifie their vow ; no other proofe can be brought worth talking 〈◊〉 , but from the barbers shop . antiquit. britan . def. of pr. marr. p. . r latinorum nomo vel veterium , vel recentiorum , inter graecorum erreres , aut haereses , aut schismata , hanc coniugalis vsus retentionem supputauit , non hugo eterianus , non tho. aquinas , non guido carmelita , ad . licet hic numerauerit , non alius qui vel obiter , vel peculiariter de ijs egerit ▪ espens . lib. . cap. . ſ apud winton . & monachos loco clericorum primus instituit . de edgaro . rogerus cestrens . l●b . . oswald archbishop of yorke . t a clericis in monachos translata est sedes pontif hon . vid. supr . refut . p. . non est scriptum , ergo non est factum , &c. u gul. malmes . de gest . augl . l. . c. . ref. p. . x greg. resp . ad quaest . . aug. ref. p. . the noble starre of monkes . y bed. eccles . hist . aug. l. . i forbeare the saxon word , for lacke of their characters . the reader shall find them cited in saxon by mat. parker . def. of pr. mar. ref. p. . z vulstan . in vita ethelwoldi . p. , , . ref. p. . a polyd. hist . aug. l. . anno ● . de inuentorib . l. . refut . p. . to king ath●sta● , who first brought him from his cell . * the clergy of england did so wel approue these monkish archbishops , that after anselme , and rodulph , the bishops of the land , became suiters to the king , that they might neuer haue any archbishop of canterb . chosen from the monkish profession , sax. chron. ann. . refut . p. . t stella cadit cleri , splendor marcet nicolai : stella cadens cleri , splendeat arce dei , huntingd . l. . u henr. huntingd . edit . sauil. p. . refut . p. . vid. supra . ref. p. . ref. p. . x dist . . in script . * so the chronicle tels vs of adelme , abbot of malmesbury , who when hee was stirred to the vice of the flesh , had wont to despite the deuill , and torment himselfe with holding a fayre yong virgin in his bed , so long as he might say ouer the whole psalter , vid . pask . def. polyd. suppressing the name , telleth the history . y viz. the married : so did the enemies of marriage disgracefully terme the marryed clergy ; and so are the words of the legate to be vnderstood , de latere meretricis ; hee then railing against marriage ( not whoredome properly ) was deprehended in whoredome . a ex act. concil . wint. sub . lanfr . martyrol . cant. b fox . act. & mon. if he be the sonne of a bishop , &c. refut . p. . c vid. supra . epist . ad ansel . neubr . l. . c. . d pope paschalis writing to anselme , saith , that there was at this time so great a number of priests sonnes in england , that the greater part of the clergie consisted of them . e chron. saxon. anno . chron. iornal . f habet excusationem euangelicam resp . est ab epis . arelat . alexandro papae anno . ref. . c. e. writes in the margine , master halls loose manner of disputing . ref. p. . &c. * i onely except that one slip of my pen , that i said gratian cited a sentence out of austin , which was indeed his owne . of roane in france . * as also the contention betwixt the church of roane and vienna . r●g . houed . notes for div a -e * deest ( opinor ) pars clausulae ; illi ergo in quibus seminat verbum virginitatis , &c. notes for div a -e habetur tomo nono op. eras . pag. . nam in totum quae sunt humani iuris , quemadmodum in morbis remedia , &c. inter bos quanta raritas corum qui castè viuunt ? nec enim attingo nunc secretiorum libidinum mysteria , &c. cur hic humanam constitutionem vrgemus tam obstinatè , prasertim cum tot causae suadeant mutationem ? primùm enim magna pars sacerdotum viuit cum mala famâ ; parumque requieta conscientia tractat illa sacrosancta mysteria , &c. satans fiery darts quenched, or, temptations repelled in three decades : for the help, comfort, and preservation of weak christians in these dangerous times of errour and seduction / by i.h. ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) satans fiery darts quenched, or, temptations repelled in three decades : for the help, comfort, and preservation of weak christians in these dangerous times of errour and seduction / by i.h. ... hall, joseph, - . 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review (qc) and xml conversion vera effigies-reverendi do ni iosephi hall norwici epis copi . this picture represents the forme , where dwells a mind , which nothing but that mind excells . there 's wisdome , learning , witt ; there grace & love rule over all the rest : enough to prove , against the froward conscience of this time , the reverend name of bishop is no crime . w. m. scul●●it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portrait of joseph hall satans fiery darts quenched , or , temptations repelled . in three decades . for the help , comfort , and preservation of weak christians in these dangerous times of errour and seduction . by i. h. d. d. b. n. london , printed by m. f. for n : butter . and are to be sold in pauls church-yard at the bishops-head and golden-lyon , and in corn-hill by n. brooks . . to the christian reader grace and peace . some few months are past , since a worthy and eminent divine from the west ( once part of my charge ) earnestly moved mee to undertake this taske of temptations , seconding his letters with the lines of a deare intercessour from those parts ; upon the first view , i sleighted the motion ; returning only this answer ; that i remembred this work , was already so compleatly performed by the reverend , and learned m r downame , in his christian warfare , as that who so should meddle with this subject , should but seem to gleane after his sickle : but when i had sadly considered the matter ; my second thoughts told me that there is no one point of divinity , wherein many pens have not profitably laboured in severall formes of discourse : and that the course which i was solicited unto , was in a quite different way of tractation ; namely , to furnish my fellow-christians with short and punctuall answers to the particular suggestions of our great enemy ; and that our deplored age had rifely yeelded publicke temptations of impiety , which durst not looke forth into the world in those happy daies ; i was thereupon soon convinced in my selfe , how usefull and beneficiall such a tractate might be to weak soules ; and embraced the motion as sent from god ; whose good hand i found sensibly with me in the pursuance of it ; i therefore cheerfully addressed my self to the work ; wherein what i have assaied or done , i humbly leave to the judgement of others ; with onely this ; that if in this treatise my decrepit hand can have let fall any thing that may be to the service of gods church , to the raising up of drooping hearts , to the convincing of blasphemous errours , to the preventing of the dangerous insinuations of wickednesse , i desire to be thankfull to my good god , whose grace hath been pleased to improve those few sands that remaine in my glasse to so happy an advantage : that god , the father of all mercies fetch from these poor labours of his weake servant , much glory to his own name , and much benefit to the souls of his people . and may the same god be pleased to stir up the hearts of all his faithfull ones , that shall ( through his goodnesse ) receive any help by these wel-meant indeavours , to interchange their prayers with and for me , the unworthiest of his ministers , that i may finish the small remainder of my course with joy . amen . from my cottage at higham near norwich , feb. . . a list of the hellish temptations here repelled . i. decade . i. temptation foolish sinner , thou leanest upon a broken reed whiles thou reposest all thy trust in a crucified saviour . pag. . ii. temptation still thou hast upon all occasions recourse to the scriptures as some divine oracles , and think'st thou maist safely build thy soule upon every text of that written word , as inspired from heaven , whereas indeed this is nothing but an humane devise to keep men in awe , and never came nearer heaven then the braines of those politicians that invented it . p. . iii. temptation art thou so sottish to suffer thy understanding to be captivated to ( i know not what ) divine authority , proposing unto thee things contrary to sense and reason , and therfore absurd and impossible ? be thou no other then thy self , a man : and follow the light and guidance of that which makes thee so , right reason , and whatsoever disagrees from that , turn it off as no part of thy beliefe , to those superstitious bigots which are willing to lose their reason in their faith , and to bury their braines in their heart . p . iv. temptation in how vain and causelesse awe art thou held , of dangers threatned to thy soule ; and horrors of punishment after this life ; whereas these are nothing but politique bugs , to affright simple , and credulous men ? sinne freely man ; and feare nothing ; take full scope to thy pleasures ; after this life there is nothing ; the soule dies together with the body , as in brute creatures ; there is no further reckoning to bee made . p. . v. temptation put case that the soul after the departure from the body , may live ; but art thou so foolishly credulous , as to beleeve that thy body , after it is moldred into dust , and resolved into all its elements , having passed through all the degrees of putrefaction , and annihilation shall at last return to it selfe again , and recover the former shape and substance ? dost thou not apprehend the impossibility of this so absurd assertion ? p. . vi. temptation if the soule must live , and the body shall rise , yet what needst thou affright thy selfe with the terrors of an universall judgement ? credulous soule , when shall these things be ? thou talkst of an awfull iudge , but where is the promise of his comming ? these sixteen hundred years hath he been look't and yet he is not come ; and when will he ? p. . vii . temptation if there must be a resurrection , and a judgement , yet god is not so rigid an exactor , as to call thee to account for every petty sin ; th●se great sessions are for haynous malefactors : god is too mercyfull to condemne thee for small offences : be not thou too rigorous to thy self , in denying to thy selfe the pleasure of some harmlesse sinnes . p. . viii . temptation what a vaine imagination is this wherewith thou pleasest thy self ; that thy sins are discharged in another mans person ; that anothers righteousnesse should be thine ; that thine offence should be satisfied by anothers punishment . tush , they abuse thee that perswade thee god is angry with mankind which he loves and favours ; or that his anger is appeased by the bloudy satisfaction of a saviour ; and that thou standest acquitted in heaven by that which another hath done and suffered : these are fancies not fit to find place in the heads of wise men . p. . ix . temptation how confidently thou buildest upon a promise ; and if thou have but a word for it , mak'st thy selfe sure of any blessing ; whereas thou mayst know that many of those promises which thou accountest sacred and divine , have sbrunk in the performance . how hath god promised deliverance to those that trust in him , yet how many of his faithfull servants have mis-carried ? what liberall promises hath he made of provision for those that wait upon him ; yet how many of them have miserably perished in want ? p. . x. temptation thou art more nice then needs ; your preachers are too strait-laced in their opinions ; and make the way to heaven narrower then god ever meant it : tush , man ; thou maist be saved in any religion , is it likely that god will be so cruell as to cast away all the world of men in the severall varieties of their professions ; and save onely one poor handfull of reformed christians ; away with these scruples ; a generall beliefe and a good meaning will serve to bring thee to heaven without these busie disquisitions of the articles of faith . p. . ii. decade . i. temptation were it for some few sins of ignorance or infirmity , thou might'st hope to find place for mercy ; but thy sins are , as for multitude innumerable , so for quality , haynous . presumptuous , unpardonable ; with what face canst thou look up to heaven and expect remission from a just god ? p. . ii. temptation alas poor man , how willing thou art to make thy self beleeve that thou hast truly repented ; whereas this is nothing , but some dump of melancholy , or some relenting of nature , after too much expence of spirits , or some irksome discontentment after a satiety , and wearinesse of pleasure ; or some slavish shrinking in upon the expectation of a lash ; true penitence is a spirituall businesse , an effect of that grace which was never incident into thy bosome . p. . iii. temptation thou hast small reason to beare thy selfe upon thy repentance ; it is too sleight ; seconded with too many relapses ; too late to yeeld any true comfort to thy soule . p. . iv. temptation tush , what dost thou please thy selfe with these vaine thoughts ; if god cared for thee , couldst thou be thus miserable ? p . v. temptation foolish man ! how vainly dost thou flatter thy self in calling that a chastisement , which god intends for a judgment ; in mistaking that for a rod of fatherly correction which god lays on , as a scourge of just anger and punishment . p. . vi. temptation away with these superstitious feares , and needless scruples , wherewith thou fondly troublest thy selfe ; as if god that sits above in the circle of heaven ▪ regarded these poor businesses that are done upon earth , or cared what this man doth , or that man suffereth : dost thou not see that none prosper so much in the world as those that are most noted for wickednesse ? & dost thou se any so miserable upon earth as the holiest ? could it be thus , if there were a providence that over-looks and over-rules these earthly affairs ? p. . vii . temptation if god be never so liberall in his promises , and sure in performances of mercy to his owne , yet what is that to thee ? thou art none of his ; neither canst lay any just claim to his election . p. . viii . temptation alas , poor man , how grosly deludest thou thy selfe ? thou talkest of thy faith ; and bearest thy selfe high upon this grace ; and think'st to doe great matters by it , whereas the truth is , thou hast no faith , but that which thou mis-callest so , is nothing else but meer presumption p. . ix . temptation thou thoughtst perhaps once that thou hadst some tokens of gods favour ; but now thou canst not but find that he hath utterly forsaken thee ; and withdrawing himselfe from thee hath given thee up into my hands , into which thy sins have justly forfaited thee . p. . x. temptation had god indeed ever given thee any sure testimonies of his love , thou mightst perhaps pretend to some reason of comfort and confidence ; but the truth is , god never loved thee ; he may have cast upon thee ▪ some common favours , such as he throwes away upon reprobates ; but for the tokens of any speciall love that he beares to thee , thou never didst , never shalt receive any frō him p. ● . iii. decade . i. temptation thou hast hitherto thus long given entertainment to thy sin , and no inconvenience hath ensued ; no evill hath befallen thee ; thy affaires have prospered better then thy scrupulous neighbours : why shouldst thou shake off a companion that hath been both harmlesse and pleasant ? go on man , sin fearlesly , thou shalt speed no worse then thou hast done . go on , and thrive in thine old course , whiles some precisely conscientious beg and starve in their innocency . p. . ii. temptation sin still ; thou shalt repent soon enough , when thou canst sin no more ; thine old age , and death-bed are fit seasons for those sad thoughts ; it will go hard if thou canst not , at the last , have a mouthfull of breath left thee , to cry god mercy ; and that is no sooner askt , then had ; thou hast to do with a god of mercies ; with whom no time is too late , no measure too sleight to be accepted . p. . iii. temptation . thou art one of gods chosen ; now god sees no sin in his elect ; none therefore in thee ; neither maist thou then take notice of any sin in thy self ; or needest any repentance for thy sin . p. . iv. temptation . thou maist live as thou listest ; thy destiny is irreversible ; if thou be predestined to life , thy sins cannot damne thee ; for gods election remaineth certaine : if thou be ordained to damnation , all thy good endevours cannot save thee ; please thy selfe on earth , thou canst not alter what is done in heaven . p. . v. temptation why wilt thou be singular amongst and above thy neighbours ; to draw needlesse censures upon thy self ? be wise , and do as the most . be not so over-squemish as not to dispense with thy conscience in some small matters ; lend a lye to a friend , swallow an oath for feare , be drunke sometimes for good fellowship , ●alsify thy word for an advantage , serve the time , frame thy selfe to all companies ; thus shalt thou be both warme , and safe , and well respected . p. . vi. temptation it is but for a while that thou hast to live ; and when thou art gone , all the world is gone with thee ; improve thy life to the best contentment ; take thy pleasure whiles thou maist . p. . vii . temptation it is for common wits to walk in the plain road of opinions . if thou wouldst be eminent amongst men , leave the beaten track , and tread in new paths of thine owne : neither let it content thee to guide thy steps by the dim lanterns of the antient ; he he is no body that hath not new lights either to hold out , or follow . p. . viii . temptation pretend religion , and doe any thing : what face is so foule as that maske will not cleanly cover ? seem holy , and be what thou wilt . p. . ix . temptation why shouldst thou lose any thing of thy height ? thou art not made of common mold ; neither art thou as others ; if thou knowst thy self , thou art more holy , more wise , better gifted , more inlightned then thy neighbours ; justly therefore maist thou over look the vulgar of christians , with pity , contempt , censure ; and beare thy selfe as too good for ordinary conversation , go apart , & avoid the contagion of common breath . p. . x. temptation however the zeale of your scrupulous preachers is wont to make the worst of every thing ; and to damne the least slip to no lesse then hell : yet there are certaine favourable temperaments of circumstances , which may ( if not excuse , yet ) extenuate a fault , such as age , complexion , custome , profit , importunity , necessity , which are justly pleadable at the barre both of god , and the conscience , and are sufficient to rebate the edge of divine severity . p. . march the . . i have perused this treatise , intituled , satans fiery darts quenched ; in which i find so many excellent helps for the strengthning of the christians faith , the repelling of temptations , and the comforting of afflicted consciences in the day of triall , that i judge it well worthy to be printed and published . john downame . temptations repelled . the first decade . temptations of impiety . satans fiery darts quenched . i. decade . i. temptation , foolish sinner , thou leanest upon a broken reed whiles thou reposest all thy trust in a crucified saviour , repelled . blasphemous spirit ; it is not the ignominy of the crosse that can blemish the honour of my saviour ; thou feelst to thy endlesse pain and regret , that he who would die upon the tree of shame hath triumph't victoriously over death , and all the powers of hell ; the greater his abasement was , the greater is the glory of his mercy : he that is the eternall god would put on man , that he might work mans redemption , and satisfie god for man ; who but a man could suffer ? and who but a god could conquer by suffering ? it is man that had sinned ; it is god that was offended ; who but he that was god & man could reconcile god unto man ? he was crucified through weaknesse , yet he liveth ( and triumpheth ) in the power of his ( omnipotent ) god-head ; neither was it so much weaknesse to yeeld unto death ; as it was power to vanquish it ; yea , in this very dying there was strength ; for here was no violence that could force him into his grave ; who should offer it ? i and the father are one , saith that word of truth ; and in unity there can be no constraint ; and , if the persons be divers ; he thought it no robbery to be equall with god the father ; and there is no authority over equals ; and for men or devils , what could they do to the lord of life ? i lay down my life , saith the almighty redeemer , that i might take it again ; no man taketh it from me , but i lay it down of my self . i have power to lay it down , and i have power to ●●ke it againe ; oh infinitenesse both of power and mercy met in the center of a willing death ! impudent tempter , doest thou not remember thine owne language ? the time was , indeed , when thou couldst say , if thou be the son of god ; but when thou foundest thy self quelled by that divine power , and saw'st those miraculous works fall from him which were only proper to an infinite god-head ; now thou wert forced to confesse , i know who thou art , even the holy one of god ; and againe , jesus the son of the most high god ; and yet againe , what have we to do with thee , jesus the son of god ? art thou come to torment us before the time ? lo then , even in the time of his humane weakness , thou couldst with horrour enough acknowledge him the sonne of the most high god , and dar'st thou now that he sits crowned with celestiall glory , disparage his ever-blessed deity ? thy malice hath raised up , as in the former , so in these later daies , certaine cursed imps of hereticall pravitie , who under the name of christians , have wickedly re-crucified the lord that bought them ; not sparing to call into question the eternall deity of him whom they dare call saviour ; whom if thou hadst not steeled with an hellish impudence , certainly , they could not professe to admit the word written , and yet the whiles , deny the personall word : how clear testimony doth the one of them give to the other ? when thou presumedst to set upon the son of god by thy personall temptations , he stopt thy mouth with a scriptum est ; how much more shall these pseudo-christian agents of thine be thus convinced ? surely , there is no truth , wherein those oracles of god have beene more clear and punctuall ; are we not there required to a beleeve in him as god , upon the promise of eternall life , b under the paine of everlasting condemnation ? are we not commanded c to baptize in his name as god ? is not the holy ghost d given as a seale to that baptisme ? are we not charged to give divine e honour to him ? is not this required and reported to be done not only by the f kings of the earth , but by the g saints and angels in heaven ? is he not there declared to be h equall with god ? is he not there asserted to be i one with the father ? doth he not there challenge a joynt k right with the father in all things both in heaven , and earth ? are not the great works of divine power attributed to him ? l hath not he created the earth , and man upon it ? have not his hands stretched out the heavens ? hath not he commanded all their host ? are not all the attributes of god , his ? is he not eternall ? is it not he of whom the psalmist , m thy throne o god is for ever and ever ; the scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter ? is not he the n father of eternity ; o the first and the last ; p have not his goings forth been from everlasting ? q had not he glory with the father before the world was ? is not he the r word which was in the beginning ; the word that was with god ; and the word that was god ? is he not infinite and incomprehensible ? is it not he that ſ filleth all things ; t that was in heaven , whiles he was on earth ? is he not u almighty ? even the x mighty god who upholds all things by the word of his power ▪ yea , is he not expresly stiled ▪ the lord , y jehovah , the z lord of hosts ; a god blessed for ever ; b the true god , and eternall life ; c the great god and saviour ; d the lord of glory ? hath he not abundantly convinced the world of his godhead , by those miraculous works which he did both in his owne person whiles he was here on earth , and by the hands of his followers ? works so transcending the possibility of nature , that they could not be wrought by any lesse then the god of nature ? as ejecting of devils by command ; raising the dead after degrees of putrefaction ; giving eyes to the borne blind , conquering death in his own resuscitation , ascending gloriously into heaven ? charming the winds , and waters , healing diseases by the very shadow of his transient disciples ? yea tell me , by what power was it that thine oracles ( wherby all the world was held in superstition ) were silenced ? what-power whereby the gospel so opposite to flesh and bloud hath conquered the world , and in spight of all the violence of tyrants , and oppugnation of rebellious nature , hath prevailed ? upon all these grounds how can i do lesse then cry our with the late-believing disciple , my lord , and my god ? malignant spirit , thou dost but set a face of checking me by my saviours crosse ; thou knowest and feel'st that he was the chariot of his triumph , whereupon being exalted , he dragged all the powers of hell captive after him , making a show of them openly , to their confusion , and his glory ; thou knowst that had it not been for that crosse , those infernall regions of thine had been peopled with whole mankind ; a great part whereof is now delivered out of thy hands , by that victorious redemption . never had heaven been so stored ; never had hell been so foyled , if it had not been for that crosse . and canst thou think to daunt me with the mention of that crosse , which by the eternall decree of god was determined to be the means of the deliverance of all the soules of the elect ? dost thou not hear the prophet say of old ; he was cut off from the land of the living ; for the transgression of my people was he striken ; and , he made his grave with the wicked and the rich in his death . he hath poured out his soule unto death , and he was numbred with the transgressors ; and he ●ar● the sin of many ? didst thou not hear my saviour himself , after his glorious resurrection , checking cleopas , and his fellow-traveller , for their ignorance of this predetermination ? o fools , and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken : ought not christ to have suffered these things , and to enter into his glory ? yea lastly , when had my saviour more glory then in this very act of his ignominious suffering , and crucifixion ? it is true , there hangs the son of man despicably upon the tree of shame ; he is mocked , spit upon , buffered , scourged , nail'd , revil'd , dead : now have men and devils done their worst ; but , this while , is the son of god acknowledged and magnified in his almighty power , both by earth and heaven ; the sun for three hours hides his head in darknesse , as hating to behold this tort offered to his creator ; the earth quakes to bear the weight of this suffering ; the rocks rend in peeces , the dead rise from their graves to see , and wonder at , and attend their late dying , and now risen saviour ; the vayle of the temple tears from the top to the bottome , for the blasphemous indignity offered to the god of the temple ; and the centurion upon sight of all this , is forced to say , truly , this was the son of god. and now after all these irrefragable attestations , his easter makes abundant amends for his passion ; there could not be so much weaknesse in dying , as there was power in rising from death ; his resurrection proves him the lord of life and death , and shews that he died not out of necessity , but will ; since he that could shake off the grave , could with more ease have avoided death : oh then the happy and glorious conquest of my blessed saviour , declared to be the son of god with power , according to the spirit of holinesse , by the resurrection from the dead ! go now wicked spirit , and twit me with the crosse of my saviour ; that which thou objectest to me as my shame , is my onely glory ; god forbid that i should glory save in the crosse of my lord jesus christ ; whereby the world is crucified unto me and i unto the world . ii. temptation , still thou hast ( upon all vocasions ) recourse to the scriptures as some divine oracles ; and think'st thou maist safely build thy soul upon every text of that written word , as inspired from heaven , whereas indeed this is nothing but an humane devise to keep men in awe , and never came neerer heaven , then the brains of those politicians that invented it , repelled . wicked spirit ; when thou presumedst personally to tempt my saviour ; and hadst that cursed mouth stopped by him , with an [ it is written ] thou daredst not then , to raise such a blasphemous suggestion against this word of truth : successe in wickednesse hath made thee more impudent ; and now , thou art bold to strike despitefully at the very root of religion : but know , that after all thy malicious detractions , this word shall stand , when heaven and earth shall vanish ; and is that , whereby both thou , and all thy complices shall be judged at that great day : it is not more sure that there is a god , then that this god ought to be served and worshipped by the creature : neither is it more sure that god is , then that he is most wise , most just , most holy ; this most wise just and holy god , then , requiring and expecting to be served , and worshipped by his creature , must of necessity have imparted his will to his creature , how , and in what manner he would be served , and what he would have man to believe concerning himselfe , and his proceedings ; else , man should be left to utter uncertainties , and there should be a failing of those ends , which the infinite wisdome , and justice , hath proposed to it selfe : there must be therefore some word of god , wherein he hath revealed himselfe to man ; and that this is , and must be acknowledged to be that onely word ▪ it is clear , and evident ; for that there neither was , nor is , nor can be any other word , that could , or durst stand in competition , or rivality with this word of the eternall god : and , if any other have presumed to offer a contestation , it hath soone vanished into contempt , and shame ; moreover , this is the only word , which god ownes for his ; under no lesse stile then [ thus saith the lord , ] which the son of god hath so acknowledged for the genuine word of his eternall father , as that out of it ( as such ) he hath pleased to refell both thy suggestions , and the malicious arguments of his iewish opposites . it drives wholly at the glory of god ; not sparing to disparage those very persons , whose pens are imployed in it ; in blazoning their owne infirmities in what they have offended ; which could not have been , if those pens had not been guided by an higher hand ; it discovers , and oppugnes the corruptions of nature , which to meer men are either hid ; or , if revealed , are cherished , and upheld ; it laies forth the misery , and danger of our estate under sin ; and the remedies , and means of our deliverance , which no other word hath ever pretended to undertake . besides , that there is such a majesty in the stile wherein it is written , as is unimitable by any humane author whatsoever ; the matter of it is wholly divine ; ayming altogether at purity of worship , and integrity of life ; not admitting of any the least mixture either of idolatry & superstition , or of any plausible enormities of life ; but unpartially laying forth gods judgements against these , and whatever other wickednesses . this word reveals those things which never could be known to the world by any humane skill or industry ; as the creation of the world , and the order and degrees of it ; and the course of gods administration of it , from the beginning ; thousands of years before any records of history were extant ; as it was onely the spirit of the most high god in daniel that could fetch back and give an account of a vision fore-passed ; all the soothsayers and magicians confesse this a work of no lesse then divine omniscience . and as for things future , the predictions of this word of things to be done after many hundreds , yea some thousands of years ( the events having then no pre-existence in their causes ) being accordingly accomplished , show it to proceed from an absolute unfailing , and therefore infinite prescience . and whereas there are two parts of this word ; the law , and the gospel : the law is more exact then humane braines can reach unto ; meeting with those aberrations , which the most wise and curious law-givers could not give order for ; extending it selfe to those very thoughts which nature knows not to accuse , or restrain ; the gospel is made good , as by the signes and wonders wrought in all the primitive ages ; so by the powerfull operation that it hath upon the soul ; such , as the word of the most prudent man on earth , or of the greatest angel in heaven should in vain hope to parallel : and whereas the pen-men of both these , were prophets , and apostles ; the prophets are sufficiently attested by the apostles , to be men holy , & inspired by the holy ghost ; the apostles are abundantly attested by the holy ghost powred out upon them in their pentecost , & ( besides variety of tongues ) enabling them to do such miraculous works , as astonished , & convinced their very enemies . to these may be added the perfect harmony of the law , & the gospel ; the law being a prefigured gospel , & the gospel a law consummate ; both of them lively setting forth christ the redeemer of the world , both future & exhibited . neither is it lightly to be esteemed , that this word hath been by holy men in all ages received as of sacred and divine authority ; men , whose lives and deaths have approved them eminent saints of god ; who have not only professed , but sealed with their bloud , this truth which they had learned from him that was rapt into the third heaven , that all scripture is given by inspiration of god ; a truth which cannot but be contested by their own hearts , which have sensibly found the power of this word , convincing them of sin ; working effectually in them a lively faith , and unfaigned conversion ; which no humane means could ever have effected . lastly , it is a strong evidence to my soule , that this is no other then the word of a god ; that i find it so eagerly opposed by thee , and all thy malignant instruments in all ages ; philosophers both naturall , and morall , and politique , have left large volumes behind them in their severall professions , all which are suffered to live in peace ; and to enjoy their opinions with freedome , and leave ; but , so soon as ever this sacred book of god looks forth into the world , hell is in an uproar , and raises all the forces of malice , and wit , and violence against it ; wherefore would it be thus , if there were not some more divine thing in these holy leaves , then in all the monuments of learned humanity : but the protection is yet more convictive then the opposition , that not withstanding all the machinations of the powers of darknesse this word is preserved intire ; that the simplicity of it , prevails against all worldly policy ; that the power of it subdues all nations , and triumphs over all the wickednesse of men and devils ; it is proof enough to me that the god of heaven is both the author , and owner and giver of it : shortly then , let my soul be built upon this rocky foundation of the prophets and apostles ; let thy storms rise , and thy flouds come , and thy winds blow , and beat upon it ; it shall mock at thy fury , and shall stand firme against all the rage of hell . iii. temptation , art thou so sottish to suffer thy understanding to be captivated to ( i know not what ) divine authority , proposing unto thee things contrary to sense and reason ; and therefore absurd , and impossible ? be thou no other then thy self , a man ; and follow the light and guidance of that which makes thee so , right reason ; and what soever disagrees from that , turn it off as no part of thy beliefe , to those superstitious bigots which are willing to lose their reason in their faith , and to bury their brains in their heart , repelled . wicked tempter , thou wishest me to my losse ; wo were to me if i were but a man ; and if i had no better guide to follow , then that which thou call'st reason ; it is from nature that i am a man ; it is from grace that i am a man regenerate ; nature holds forth to me as a man , the dim and weak rush-candle-light of carnall reason ; the grace of regeneration shows me the bright torch-light , yea , the sun of divine illumination ; thou bid'st me , as a man , to follow the light of reason ; god bids me as a regenerate man to follow the light of faith ; whether should i beleeve , whether should i listen to ? it is true , that reason is the great gift of my creator , and that which was intended to distinguish us from brute creatures ; but where is it in the originall purity to be found under heaven ? surely it can now appear to us in no other shape then either as corrupted by thy depravation , or by gods renovating grace restored ; as it is marred by thee , even naturall truths are too high for it ; as it is renued by god , it can apprehend and imbrace supernaturall verities : it is regenerate reason that i shall ever follow ; and that will teach me to subscribe to all those truths , which the un-erring spirit of the holy god hath revealed in his sacred word ; how ever contrary to the ratiocination of flesh , and bloud ; onely this is the right reason , which is illuminated by gods spirit , and willingly subjected to faith ; which represents to me those things , which thou suggestest to me for unreasonable and impossible , as not faisible only , but most certain . that in one deity there are three most glorious persons ; distinguished in their subsistences ; not divided in their substance ; that in one person of christ the mediator , there are two natures , divine and humane , not converted into each other ; not confounded each with other ; that the creator of all things should become a creature ; that a creature should be the mother of him that is her god ; how ever they be points which carnall reason can not put over , yet they are such , as reason illuminate and regenerate can both easily , and most comfortably digest : great is the mystery of godlinesse ; god manifested in the flesh : what mystery were there in godlinesse , if the deepest secrets of religion did lie open to the common apprehension of nature ? my saviour , who is truth it self , hath told me , that no man knoweth the father , but the son , and he to whom the son will reveal him ; and with the same breath gives thanks to his heavenly father , that he hath hid these things from the wise and prudent ( who were most likely , if reason might be the meet judge of spirituall matters , to attaine the perfect knowledge of them ) & hath revealed them to babes . it is therefore gods revelation , not the ratiocination of man that must give us light into these divine mysteries . were it a matter of humane disquisition , why did not those sages of nature , the learned philosophers of former times , reach unto it ? but now a more learned man then they , the great doctor of the gentiles , tels us , that the gospel and preaching of jesus christ yeelds forth the revelation of the mysteries , which was kept secret since the world began ; but now manifested by the scriptures of the prophets , and , according to the commandement of the everlasting god , made known to all nations , for the obedience of faith ; lo , he saith not to the obedience of reason , but of faith ; and that faith doth more transcend reason , then reason doth sense , thou urgest me therefore to be a man ; i professe my self to be a christian man ; it is reason that makes me a man , it is faith that makes me a christian ; the wise & bountifull god hath vouchsafed to hold forth four severall lights to men ; all which move in four severall orbes , one above another ; the light of sense , the light of reason , the light of faith , the light of ecstaticall , or divine vision ; and all of these are taken up with their own proper objects : sense is busied about these outward and materiall things ; reason is confined to things intelligible ; faith is imployed in matters spirituall and supernaturall ; divine vision in objects celestiall , and infinitely glorious ; none of these can exceed their bounds , and extend to a sphere above their owne ; what can the brute creature , which is led by meer sense , do , or apprehend in matters of understanding and discourse ? what can meer man who is led by reason , discerne in spirituall and supernaturall things ? what can the christian , who is led by faith , which is the evidence of things not seen attain unto in the clear vision of god , and heavenly glory ? that god , who is a god of order , hath determined due limits to all our powers , and faculties : thou that art a spirit of confusion goest about to disturb , and disorder all those just ranks ; labouring to jumble together those distinct orbes of reason , and faith ; and by the light of reason , to extinguish the light of faith ; & wouldst have us so to put on the man , as that we should put off the christian ; but i have learned in this case to defie thee ; grounding my self upon that word , which is mighty through god to the pulling down of strong holds ; casting downe imaginations , and every high thing , that exalts it selfe against the knowledge of god , and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of christ ; i will therefore follow my sense so far as that will lead me ; and not suffer my self to be beaten off from so sure a guide ; where my sense leaves me , i will betake my self to the direction of reason , and in all naturall & morall things , shall be willingly led by the guidance thereof ; but when it comes to supernaturall and divine truths ; when i have the word of a god , for my assurance , farewell reason , and welcome faith ; as when i shall have dispatcht this weary pilgrimage , and from a traveller shall come to be a comprehensor , farewel faith , & welcome vision . in the mean time i shall labour what i may to understand all revealed truths ; and where i cannot apprehend , i shall adore ; humbly submitting to that word of the great and holy god ; my thoughts are not your thoughts ; neither are your ways my ways , saith the lord ; for as the heavens are higher then the earth , so are my wayes higher then your wayes , and my thoughts , then your thoughts . iiii. temptation in how vaine and causelesse awe art thou held , of dangers threatned to thy soule ; and horrors of punishment after this life ; whereas these are nothing but politique bugs , to affright simple , and credulous men ? sin freely , man ; and feare nothing ; take full scope to thy pleasures ; after this life there is nothing ; the soule dyes together with the body , as in brute creatures ; there is no further reckoning to be made repelled . deceitfull spirit ; how thou goest about to perswade me to that , which thy selfe would be most loathe should be true ? for if the soule of man expired with the body , what subject shouldest thou have of that tyranny , and torment which thou so much affectest ? how willingly dost thou seem to fight against thy selfe , that thou mighrest overcome me ? but this dart of thine is too blunt to pierce even a rationall brest ; why dost thou not go about to perswade me that i am not a man , but a brute creature ? such i should be , if my soul were no other then theirs ; for as for bodily shape , there are of them not much unlike me : why dost thou not perswade me , that those brute creatures are men ; if their soules were as ours ; what were the difference ? canst thou hope i can so abdicate my self , as to put my selfe into the ranke of beasts ? canst thou think so to prevaile with thy suggestions , as to make reason it selfe turne irrationall ? how palpably dost thou confound thy selfe in this very act of temptation ? for , if i had not a soul beyond the condition of brute creatures , how am i capable of sinning ? why dost thou perswade me to that whereof my nature ( if but brutish ) can have no capacity ? dost thou labour to prevaile with thy temptations upon beasts ? dost thou importune their yeildance to sinfull motions ? if they had such a soul as mine , why should they not sin , as well as i ? why should they not be equally guilty ? contrarily , are those brute things capable of doing those works which may be pleasing unto god ; the performāce whereof thou so much envyest unto me ? can they desire and indeavour to be holy ? are they capable of making conscience of their waies ? know then , o thou wicked spirit , that i know my selfe animated with another , and more noble spirity , then these other materiall creatures ; and that i am sufficiently conscious of my own powers ; that i have an inmate in my bosome of a divine originall ; w ch , though it takes part with the body , whiles it is included in this case of clay ; yet , can and will ( when it is freed from this earth ) subsist alone , and be eternally happy in the present , and perpetuall vision of the god that made and redeem'd it : and in the meane time exerciseth such faculties , as well shew whence it is derived ; & farre transcend the possibility of all bodily temperament ? can it not compare one thing with another ? can it not deduce one sequel from another ? can it not attaine to the knowledg of the secrets of nature , of the perfection of arts ? can it not reach to the scanning of humane plots ; and the apprehension of divine mysteries ? yea , can it not judge of spirits ? how should it doe althis , if it were not a spirit ? how evidently then doth the present estate of my soul convince thee of the future ? al operations proceed from the formes of things ; and every thing works as it is ; canst thou now denye , that my soule whiles it is within me , can , and doth produce such actions , as have no derivation from the body , no dependence on the body ? for however in matter of sensation , it sees by the eyes , and heares by the eares , and imagines by those fantasmes that are represented unto it ; yet when it comes to the higher works of intellectuall elevations , how doth it leave the body below it ? raising to it selfe such notions , as wherein the body can challenge no interest ? how can it now denude and abstract the thing conceived from all consideration of quantity , quality , place ; and so work upon its owne object , as becomes an active spirit ? thou canst not be so impudent , as to say the body doth these things by the soule ; or that the soule doth them by the ayd & concurrence of the body ; and if the soule doth them alone , whiles it is thus clogged ; how much more operative shall it be when it is alone separated from this earthen lump ? and if the very voice of nature did not so sufficiently confute thee , that even thine owne most eminent heathens have herein taken part against thee , living and dying strong assertors of the soules immortality ; how fully might thine accursed mouth be stopped by the most sure words of divine truth ? yea , wert thou disposed to play at some smaller game , and by thy damnable clients to plead , not so much for the utter extinction , as for the dormition of the soule , those oracles of god have enough to charme thee , and them ; and can with one blow cut the throat of both those blasphemies : that penitent theefe , whose soule thou madest full account of , when he was led to his execution , ( which yet my dying saviour snatcht out of thy hands ) could hear comfortably from those blessed lips , this day thou shalt be with me in paradise : shal we think this malefactor in any other , in any better conditiō then the rest of gods saints ? doth not the chosen vessel tel us , that upon the dissolution of our earthly house ▪ of this tabernacle , we have a building of god not made with hands eternal in the heavens ? presently therfore after our flitting hence , we have a being , & that glorious ; who can think of a being in heaven without a ful sense of joy ? doth not our saviour tell us , that the soul of poor lazarus was immediately carried by angels into abrahams boome ? the damned glutton knew so wel that he was not layd there to sleep , that he sues to have him sēt on the message of his refrigeration : did not the beloved disciple , when he was in pathmos , upon the opening of the fifth feale , see under the altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of god , and for the testimony which they held ? did he not heare them cry , how long lord , holy ▪ and true ? what ? shall wee think they cryed in their sleep ? did he not see and heare the hundred forty four thousand saints , before the throne , harping , and singing a new song to the praise of their god ? canst thou perswade us they made this heavenly musick in their sleep ? doth he not tell us most plainely from the mouth of one of the heavenly elders , that those which stood before the throne & the lamb , cloathed with white robes , and palmes in their hands , were they that came out of great tribulation , and have washed their robes , and made them white in the blood of the lamb ; therefore are they before the throne of god , and serve him day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth on the throne shal dwell among them ; they shall hunger no more , neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun light on them , nor any heat ; for the lamb which is in the midst of the throne , shall feed them , and shall lead them unto living fountaines , and god shall wipe away all teares from their eyes ; this service both day and night , and 〈◊〉 leading forth can suppose nothing lesse then a perpetuall waking ; neither is this the happy condition of holy martyrs and confessors only ; but is common to all the saints of god , in what ever profession ; blessed are the dead , which dye in the lord ; how should the dead be blessed , if they did not live to know themselves blessed ? what blessednesse can be incident into those that either are not at all , or are senselesse ? they rest , but sleepe not ; they rest from their labours , not from the improvement of their glorified faculties : their works followthē : yea and overtake them , in heaven ; to what purpose should their works follow the if they lived not to injoy the comfort of their works ? this is the estate of all good soules , in despight of all thine infernall powers ; and what becomes of the wicked ones , thou too well knowest ; dissemble thou how thou wilt those torments ; and hide the sight of that pit of horrour from the eyes ofthy sinfull followers ; he that hath the keyes of hell and of death hath given us intimation enough ; feare not them which kill the body , but are not able to kill the soule ; but rather feare him , who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell : neither is he more able out of his omnipotence , then willing out of his justice , to execute this righteous vengeance on the impenitent , and unbeleevers ; tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evill . in vaine therefore dost thou seek to delude me with these pretences of indemnity , and annihilation ; since it cannot but stand with the mercy , and justice of the almighty , to dispose of every soule according to what they have beene , and what they have done ; to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality , eternall life ; but unto them that are contentious , and doe not obey the truth , but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath : shortly , after all thy devillish suggestions , on the one part , the soules of the righteous are in the hand of god , and there shall no torment touch them : on the other , in flaming fire shal vengeance be taken on them that know not god , and that obey not the gospell of our lord jesus christ : who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord , and from the glory of his power . v. temptation put case that the soule after the departure from the body may live ; but art thou so foolishly credulous , as to beleeve that thy body , after it is moldred into dust , and resolved into all its elements , having passed through al the degrees of putrefaction , and annihilation , shall at last returne to it selfe againe , and recover the former shape and substance ? dost thou not apprehend the impossibility of this so absurd assertion ? repelled . no , tempter , it is true and holy faith , which thou reproachest for fond credulity : had i to doe with no greater power then thine , or then any angels in heaven , that is , meerely finite ; i might well be censured for too light beleefe in giving my assent to so difficult a truth : but now that i have to doe with omnipotence ; it is no lesse then blasphemie in thee , to talk of impossibility : doe not thy very mahumetan vassals tell thee , that the same power which made man , can as well restore him ? and canst thou be other then apposed with the question of that jew , who asked whether it were more possible to make a mans body of water , or of earth ? all things are alike easie to an infinite power . it is true , the resuscitation of the body from its dust is a supernaturall work ; yet such as whereof god hath beene pleased to give us many images , and prefigurations even in nature it selfe ; in the face of the earth , doe we not see the image of death in winter season ; and in the spring of a cheerfull resurrection ? is not the life of all herbs , flowers , trees buried in the earth , during that whole dead season ? and doth it not rise up againe with the approching sun , into stemmes and branches ; and send forth blossomes , leaves , fruits , in all beautifull variety ? what need we any other then the apostles instance ; thou foole , that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die : and that which thou sowest , thou sowest not that body that shall be , but bare graine ; it may chance of wheat , or of some other graine ; but god giveth it a body as it pleaseth him , and to every seed his own body ; lo , it must be rottenesse and corruption that must make way for a flourishing increase : if i should come to a man that is ignorant of these fruitfull productions of the earth ; and shewing him a little naked grayne should tell him ; this which thou seest shall rot in the ground ; and after that , shall rise up a yard high , into divers stalkes , and every stalk shall beare an eare ; and every eare shall yeild twenty or thirty such graines as it selfe is ; or shewing him an akorne , should say ; this shal be buried in the earth , and after that , shall rise up twenty or thirty foot high ; and shall spread so far , as to give comfortable shade to an hundred persons ; surely , i should not win beleefe from him ; yet our experience daily makes good these ordinary proofes of the wonderful providence of the almighty ? or should i shew a man that is unacquainted with these great marvells of nature , the small seed of the silk-worme , lying scattered upon a paper , and seemingly dead , all winter long ; and should tell him , these little atomes , so soon as the mulberry tree puts forth , will yeild a worme ; which shall work it selfe into so rich a house , as the great princes of the earth shall be glad to shelter themselvs with & after that , shall turn to a large flye ; and in that shape , shall live to generate , & then speedily die ; i should seem to tell incredible things , yet this is so familiar to the experiēced that they cease t owōder at it . if from these vegetables we shall cast our eyes upon some sensitive creatures ; do we not see snayles , and flyes , & some birds lye as senslesse , and livelesse all the winter time , & yet , when the spring comes , they recover their wonted vivacity ? besides these resemblances , have we not many clear instances and examples of our resurrection ? did not the touch of elishaes bones raise up the partner of his grave ? was not lazarus called up out of his sepulcher after four daies possess●ion ; and many noysome degrees of rottenesse ? were not the graves opened of many bodies of the saints , w ch slept ? did not they arise , and come out of their graves , after my saviours resurrection , and go into the holy city , and appeare unto many ? besides examples , have we not an all sufficient pledg of our certaine rising againe , in the victorious refurrection of the lord of life ? is not he our head ? are not we his members ? is not he the first fruits of them that slept ? did not he conquer death for us ? can the head be alive and glorious , whiles the limmes doe utterly perish in a finall corruption ? certainely then , if we beleeve that iesus dyed & rose again ; even so them also which sleep in iesus , wil god bring with him . and if there were no more , that one argument wherewith my saviour of old confounded thy sadduces lives still to confound thee , god is the god of abraham , and the god of isaac , and the god of jacob ; but god is not the god of the dead , but of the living : the soule alone is not abraham ; whole abraham lives not if the body were not to be joyned to that soule . neither is it onely certain that the resurrection will be ; but also necessary that it must be : neither can the contrary consist with the infinite wisdome , goodnesse , justice , mercy of the almighty : for , first , how can it stand with the infinite goodnesse of the all-wise god , that the creature which he esteemes dearest , and loves best , should be the most miserable of all other ? man is doubtlesse the best piece of his earthly workmanship ; holy men are the best of men ; were there no resurrection , surely no creature under heaven were so miserable as the holiest man : the basest of brute creatures find a kind of contentment in their being , and ( were it not for the tyranny of man ) would live and dye at ease ; and others of them in what jollity and pleasure do they wear out their time ? as for wicked men who let the reynes loose to their licentious appetite , how doe they place their heaven here below , and glory in this that they are yet somewhere happy ? but for the mortifyed christian , were it not for the comfort and amends of a resurrection , who can expresse the miserie of his condition ? he beates down his body in the willing exercises of sharp austerity ; and ( as he would use some sturdy slave ) keeps it under , holding short the appetite ( oftentimes ) even from lawfull desires ; so as his whole life is little other then a perpetuall penance ; and as for his measure from others , how open doth he ly to the indignities , oppressions , persecutions of men ? how is he trampled upon , by scornful malignity ; how is he reputed the off-scouring of the world ? how is he made a gazing stock of reproch to the world , to angels , and to men ? did there not therefore abide for them the recompence of a better estate in another world , the earth could afford no match to them in perfect wretchednesse : which how far it abhorreth from that goodnesse which made all the world for his elect , and so loves them , that he gave his owne son for their redemption , let any enemy besides thine accursed selfe , judge : how can it stand with the infinite justice of god ( who dispenseth due rewards to good and evill ) to retribute them by halves ? the wages of sin is death , the gift of god is eternall life ; both these are given to the man not to the soule ; the body is copartner in the sin , it must therefore share in the torment ; it must therefore be raysed that it may be punished ; eternity of joy or paine , is awarded to the just , or to the sinner ; how can the body be capable of either if it should finally perish in the dust ? how can it stand with the infinite mercy of god , who hath given his sonne intirely for the ransome of the whole man , and by him salvation to every beleever , that he should shrink in his gracious performances , making good onely one part of his eternall word to the spirituall halfe , leaving the bodily part utterly forlorne to an absolute corruption ? know then , o thou wicked one , that when all the rabble of thine athenian scoffers , and atheous sadduces , and carnall epicureans shall have mis-spent all their spleene , my faith shall triumph over all their sensuall reason , and shall afford me sound comfort against all the terrors of death frō the firme assurance of my resurrection ; and shall confidently take up those precious words , which the mirror of patience wished to be written in a book , and graven with an iron pen in the rock for ever ; i know that my redeemer liveth , and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth : and though after my skin worms destroy this body , yet in my flesh shall i see god : and my soule shall set up her rest in that triumphant conclusion of the blessed apostle , this corruptible must put on incorruption ; and this mortall must put on immortality ; so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption , and this mortall shall have put on immortality , then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written , death is swallowed up in victory ? o death where is thy sting ? o grave , where is thy victory ? the sting of death is sin ; the strength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to god which giveth us the victory , through our lord jesus christ . vi. temptation if the soule must live ; and the body shall rise : yet what needest thou to affright thy selfe with the terrours of an universall judgement ? credulous soule , when shall these things be ? thou talkest of an awfull judge : but where is the promise of his comming ? these sixteene hundred yeares hath he beene lookt for : and yet he is not come , and when will he ? repelled . thy damned scoffers were betimes foreseene to move this question , even by that blessed apostle , whose eyes saw his saviour ascending up to his glory , and who then heard the angell say , ye men of galilee , why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? this same jesus , which is taken up from you into heaven , shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven . what dost thou and they but make good that sacred truth , which was delivered before so many hundred generations ? dissemble how thou wilt , that there shall be a generall assise of the world , thou knowest , and tremblest to know : what other couldst thou meane , when thou askedst my saviour that question of horror , art thou come to torment us before the time ? that time thou knowest to be the day , in which god will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance to all men , in that he hath raised him from the dead ; how clear attestation have the inspired prophets of god given of old to this truth ? the ancientest prophet that ever was , henoch the seventh from adam , in the time of the old world , foretels of this dreadful day ; behold , the lord commeth , with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgement upon all ; and to convince all that are ungodly among them , of all their ungodly deeds , which they have ungodly committed ; and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him ; from the old world is this verity deduced to the new , and through the succession of those holy seers derived to the blessed apostles ; and from them to the present generation ; yea , the sacred mouth of him , who shall come down , and sit as judge in this awfull tribunall , hath fully laid forth not the truth onely , but the manner of this universall judicature ; the sonne of man shall come in his glory , and all the holy angels with him ; then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory ; and before him shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate them one from another , as a shepheard divideth his sheep : and if this most sure word of the prophets , apostles , yea , and of the eternall son of god be not enough conviction to thee ; yet to my soul they are an abundant confirmation of this main point of my christian faith , that from heaven he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead ; indeed , thus it must be : how many condemned innocents have in the bitternesse of their souls , appealed from that unrighteous bar of men , to the supreame judge , that shall come ; those appeals are entred in heaven and sued out ; how can it stand with divine justice that they should not have a day of hearing ? as for mean oppressors , there are good laws to meet with them ; and there are higher then the highest to give life of execution to those lawes ; but if the greatest among men offend , if there were not an higher then they , what right would at last be done ? those that have the most power and will to doe the greatest mischiefe , would escape the fairest : and though there be a privy sessions in heaven upon every guilty soule , immediatly upon the dissolution ; yet the same justice , which will not admit publique offences to be passed over with a private satisfaction , thinks fit to exhibite a publique declaration of his righteous vengeance upon notorious sinners , before men and angels : so as those very bodies which have been ingaged in their wickednesse , shall be in the view of the whole world , sent downe to take part of their torment ; and indeed wherefore should those bodies be raised , if not with the intent of a further disposition either to joy , or paine ? contrarily , how can it consist with the praise of that infinite justice , that those poore saints of his , which have been vilified and condemned at every barre : persecuted , afflicted , tormented , and have passed through all manner of painful & ignominious deaths , should not at the last be gloriously righted in the face of their cruell enemies ? surely , faith the apostle , it is a righteous thing with god to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you ; and to you who are troubled rest with us , when the lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels . what is it , o thou wicked spirit , whereto thou art reserved in chaines of darknesse ? is it not the judgement of the great day ? what is it whereto the manifestation of all hidden truthes , and the accomplishment of all gods gracious promises are referred ? is it not the great day of the lord ? shall the all-wise and righteous arbiter of the world decree , and reverse ? hath he not from eternity determined , and set this day ; wherein we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ , that every one may receive the things done in his body ; according to that he hath done , whether it be good , or evill ? that there is therefore such a day of the lord ; in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse , and the elements shall melt with fervent heate , the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up ; wherein the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout , with the voice of the archangel , and with the trump of god , is no lesse certaine then that there is an heaven from whence he shall descend . all thy cavill is concerning the time ; thou , and thine are ready to say , with the evill servant in the gospell , my master defers his comming ; and was not this wicked suggestion of thine foretold many hundred yeares agoe , by the prime apostle , and by the same pen answered ? hath he not told thee that our computations of time are nothing to the infinite ? that one day with the lord , is as a thousand yeares , and a thousand yeares as one day ? hath he not told us , that this mis-construed slacknesse is in mans vaine opinion , not in gods performance ? he is slack to man that coms not when he is lookt for , he is really slack that comes not when he hath appointed to come ; had the lord broken the day which he hath set in his everlasting counsel , thou mightst have some pretence to cavill at his delay ; but now that he onely overstayes the time of our misgrounded expectation , ●he doth not slacken his pace , but correct our errour : it is true , that christians began to look for their saviour betimes ; insomuch , as the blessed apostles were fayne to perswade their eyes not to make such haste ; putting them in mind of those great occurrences of remarkable change , that must befall the church of god ( in a generall apostasie , & the revelation of the great antichrist ) before that great day of his appearance . and the prime apostle sends them to the last dayes ( which are ours ) for those scoffers , which shall say , where is the promise of his comming ? if they lookt for him too soon , we cannot expect him too late ; he that is amen , will be sure to be within his owne time ; when that comes , he that should come will come , and not tarry : in the meane while , not onely in the just observation of his owne eternall decree , but in much mercy , doth he prolong his returne , mercy to his elect , whose conversion he waits for , with infinite patience ; it is for their sake that the world stands ; the angel that was sent to destroy sodom could tell lot , that he could doe nothing till that righteous man were removed ; no sooner was lot entred into zoar , then sodome is on a flame : mercy , even to the wicked , that they may have ample leisure of repentance ; neither is it any small respect that the wise and holy god hath to the exercise of the faith , and hope , and patience of his deare servants upon earth ; faith in his promises , hope of his performances , and patience under his delayes ; whereof there could be no use in a speedy retribution . in vaine therefore dost thou , who fearest this glorious judge will come too soone , go about to perswade me , that he will not come at all : i beleeve , and know , by all the foregoing signes of his appearance that he is now even at the threshold ; lo , he commeth , he commeth for the consummation of thy torment , and my joy ; i expect him as my saviour , tremble thou at him as thy judge , who shall fully repay to thee al those blasphemies which thine accursed mouth hath dared to utter against him . vii . temptation if there must be a resurrection and a judgment ; yet god is not so rigid an exactor , as to call thee to account for every petty sin ; those great sessions are for hainous malefactors ; god is too mercifull to condemn thee for small offences ; be not thou too rigorous to thy self in denying to thy selfe the pleasure of some harmelesse sinnes . repelled . false tempter ; there is not the least of those harmelesse sinnes , which thou wilt not be ready to aggravate against me , one day , before the dreadfull tribunall of that infinite justice : those that are now small , will be then hainous ; and hardly capable of remission : thy suggestions are no meet measures of the degrees of sin : it is true that there are some sinnes more grievous then others ; there are faults , there are crimes , there are flagitious wickednesses ; if some offences be foule , others are horrible , and some others irremissible ; but that holy god , against whose onely majesty sin can be committed , hath taught me to call no sin , small : the violation of that law which is the rule of good , cannot but be evill ; and betwixt good and evill there can be no lesse then an in finite disproportion : it is no smal proofe of thy cunning , that thou hast suborned some of thy religious panders to proclaime some sinnes veniall , and such , as , in their very nature , merit pardon : neither thou , nor they , shall be casuists for me , who have heard my god say ; cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them . sin must be greater , or lesse according to the value of the command , against which it is committed ; there is , ( as my saviour hath rated it ) a least commandement ; and there are mo points then one in that least command ; now the spirit of truth hath told me , that whosoever shall keepe the whole law , and yet offend in one point , he is guilty of all ; and shall he that is guilty of the breach of the whole law escape with such ease ? i am sure a greater saint then i can ever hope to be , hath said , if i sin , thou markest me , and wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity ; and , old eli , as indulgent as he was to his wicked sonnes , could tell them ; if one man sin against another , the judge shall judg him ; but if a man sin against the lord , who shall intreat for him ? what need is there , thou sayest , of any intreaty ? gods mercy is such that he will pardon thy sinnes unasked ; neither will he ever stick at small faults ; malignant spirit , how fain wouldst thou have gods mercy , and justice clash together ? but thou shalt as soon wind thy selfe out of the power of that justice , and put thy selfe into the capacity of that mercy , as thou shalt set the least jarre between that infinite justice and mercy ; it is true , it were wide with my soule , if there were any limits to that mercy ; that mercy can doe any thing but be unjust ; it can forgive a sinner , it cannot incourage him ; forgive him upon his penitence , when he hath sinned ; not incourage him in his resolution to sin : if thou lord shouldest marke iniquities , o lord , who shall stand ? but there is forgivenesse with thee that thou maist be feared . i know therefore whither to have my recourse , when i have offended my god ; even to that throne of grace where there is plenteous redemption ; free and full remission ; i heare the heavenly voice of him that saith , i , even i , am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake , and will not remember thy sins ; but , i dare not offend because his grace aboundeth : justly doth the psalmist make the use and effect of his mercy , to be our feare : we must feare him for his mercyes ; and for his judge ments , love him ; so far am i from giving my selfe leave to sin because i have to doe with a mercifull god ; as that his judgements have not so much power to drive me , as his mercies have to draw me from my dearest sinnes . as therefore my greatest sinnes are not too bigge for his mercy to remit , so my least sinnes are great enough to deserve his eternall displeasure . he that shal come to be judge at those great assises , hath told us , that even of eve ry idle word that men shal speak they shal give an acccount ; what can be sleighter then the wind of our words ? and what words more harmelesse then those which have no evill quality in them , though no good ? such are our idle words ; yet even those may not passe without an account ; and if our thoughts be yet lesse then they ; even those must so try us , as either to accuse or excuse us ; and , if evill , may condemne us : think not therefore to draw me into sin because it is little ; the wages of sin is death ; here is no stint of quantities ; if sin be the work , death is the wages ; perswade me now , if thou canst , that there is a little death for a little sin ; perswade me that there is a lesser infinitenesse ; and a shorter eternity : til the great judge of the world reverse his most just sentence , i shall looke upon every sin as my death , and hate thee for the cause of both . but as thy suggestion shall never move me to take liberty to my selfe of yeilding to the smallest sin ; so the greatnesse of my most hainous sin , shall not daunt me whiles i rely upon an infinite mercy ; even my bloodiest sinnes are expiated by the blood of my saviour ; that my all-sufficient surety hath cleared all my scores in heaven ; in him i stand fully discharged of all my debts ; and shall ( after all thy wicked temptations ) hold resolute , as not to commit the least sin , so not feare the greatest . viii . temptation what a vaine imagination is this , wherewith thou pleasest thy selfe , that thy sins are discharged in another mans person ; that anothers righteousnesse should be thine ; that thine offences should be satisfied by anothers punishment : tush , they abuse thee that perswade thee god is angry with mankind , which he loves , and favours ; or that his anger is appeased by the bloody satisfaction of a saviour ; that thou standest acquitted in heaven by that which another hath done and suffered : these are fancies not fit to find place in the heads of wise men repelled . nay rather , these are blasphemies not fit to fall from any but a malignant devill : what is this but to flatter man , that thou maist sclander god ? is not the anger of a just god deservedly kindled against man for sin ? do not our iniquities separate between us & our god ? do not our sins hide his face from us , that he will not hear ? are we not all by nature the childrē of wrath ? doth not the wrath of god come ( for sin ) upon the children of disobedience ? doth not every willing sinner ( after his hardnesse and impenitent heart ) teasure up unto himself lest he should not have enough wrath against the day of wrath , & the revelation of the just judgment of god ? why do not thy socinian clients go about to perswade us ( as wel ) that god is not angry with thee , though he torment thee perpetually ; and hold thee in everlasting chaynes under darknesse ? what proofes can we have of anger but the effects of displeasure ? was it not from hence that man was driven out of paradise ? was it not from hence that both he , and we in him , were adjudged to death ? as it is written , by one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men , for that all men have sinned : yea , not only to a temporal death , but , by the offence of one , judgment came upon all men to condemnation . thou who art the dreadfull executioner knowest too wel who it is that had the power of death ; over those who through the feare of death were all their lives long subject unto bondage . under this wofull captivity did we lye ; sold under sinne , vassals to it , and death , and thee ; till that one mediator between god and man , the man christ iesus was pleased to give himselfe a ransome for all ; that he might redeem us from all iniquity ; who by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place making an eternall redemption for us : lo , it is not doctrine , and example , it is no lesse then blood , the blood of the sonne of god shed for our redemption , that renders him a perfect mediator , and cleanseth us from all sin , he hath loved us , and hath given himself for us , an offering and a sacrifice to god for a sweet smelling savour : he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law ; from the power of darknes ; & hath reconciled us in the body of his flesh , through death to present us holy , unblameabl ; & unreproveable in his sight , he it is that bare our sins in his own body on the tree , that we being dead to sinnes , should live unto righteousnesse . so abundant and cleare testimony hath god beene pleased to give to the infinite merit , and efficacy of the bloody satisfaction of his sonne iesus made for us , that wert thou not as unmeasurably impudent as malicious , thou couldst not indeavour to out-face so manifest a truth : thinke not to beate mee off from this sure & saving hold by suggesting the improbability of anothers satisfaction , and obedience becomming mine ; what is more familiar then this ? our sins are debts , ( so my saviour hath styled them ) how commona a thing is it for debts to be set over to anothers hand ? how ordinary for a bond to be discharged by the surety ? if the debt then be paid for me , and that payment accepted of the creditor , as mine , how fully am i acquitted ? indeed , thou dost no other then sclander our title ; the righteousnesse wherby wee stand just before our god , is not meerly anothers ; it is by application ours ; it is christs ; and christ is ours ; he is our head , we , as members , are united to him ; and by vertue of this blessed union , partake of his perfect obedience , and satisfaction : it is true , were we strangers to a saviour , his righteousnesse could have no relation to us ; but now that wee are incorporated into him , by a lively faith , his graces , his merits are so ours , that all thy malice cannot sever them : i , even i who sinned in the first adam , have satisfied in the second : the first adams sinne was mine ; the second adam was made sin for me ; i made my selfe sinfull in the first adam , and in my selfe ; my christ is made to me of god righteousnesse and redemption : the curse was my inheritance ; christ hath redeemed me from the curse of the law ; being made a curse for me , that i might be made the righteousnesse of god in him . it is thy deep envy thus to grudg unto man , the mercy of that redemption , which was not extended to thy self ; but in despight of all thy snarling , and repining , wee are safe . being justified by faith , wee have peace with god through our lord iesus christ . ix . temptation how confidently thou buildest upon a promise ; and if thou have but a word for it , mak'st thy selfe sure of any blessing : whereas thou maist know , that many of those promises , which thou accountest sacred and divine , have shrunk in the performance ; how hath god promised deliverance to those that trust in him ; yet how many of his faithfullest servants have miscarried ? what liberall promises hath he made of provision for those that wait upon him ; yet how many of them have miserably perished in want ? repelled . blasphemous spirit ; that which is thine own guise thou art ever apt to impute unto the holy one of israel ; it is indeed thy manner to draw on thy clients with golden promises of life , wealth , honour , and to say ( as once to my saviour ) all these will i give thee , when thou neither mean'st , nor canst give any thing but misery and torment . as for my god , whom thou wickedly slanderest , his just title is , holy , and true : his promises are amen , as himself : thy balaam could let fall so much truth , that god is not a man that he should lie , nor the sonne of man that he should repent ; hath he said , and shall he not do it ; or hath he spoken , and shall he not make it good ? cast thine eyes back upon his dealings with his israel , a people unthankfull enough : and deny , if thou canst , how punctuall he was in all his proceedings with them ? heare old joshua , now towards his parting , professe : behold , this day i am going the way of all flesh , & ye know in your hearts , & in all your souls , that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the lord your god spake concerning you ; all are come to passe unto you , and not one thing hath failed therof ; heare the same truth attested many ages after by the wifest king ; blessed be the lord ( saith he ) that hath given rest unto his people israel , according to all that he promised : there hath not failed one word of all his good promise , which he promised by the hand of moses his servant . and lest thou shouldst cavil that perhaps god takes greater liberty to himself in matter of his promises under the gospel , then he formerly did under the law ; let me challenge thy malice to instance in any one absolute promise , which god hath made since the beginning of the world unto this day , which he hath failed to performe ; it is not , i grant , uneasie to name divers conditionate ingagements , both of favours , and judgements , wherein god hath been pleased to vary from his former intimations ; and such alteration doth ful-well consist with the infinite wisdome , mercy , and justice of the almighty , for where the condition required , is not performed by man , how just is it with god either to with-hold a favour , or to inflict a judgement ; or , where he sees that an outward blessing promised ( such a disposition of the soul as it may meet withall ) may turn to our prejudice , and to our spirituall losse , how is it other then mercy to withdraw it ? and in stead thereof to gratifie us with a greater blessing undesired ? in all which , even our own reason is able to justifie the almighty ; for can we think god should be so obliged to us , as to force favours upon us , when we will needs render our selves uncapable of them ? or so tied up to the punctuality of a promise , as that he may not exchange it for a better ? the former was eli's case who received this message from the man of god sent to him for that purpose : the lord god of israel saith , i said indeed that thy house , and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever ; but now the lord saith ; be it far from me ; for them that honour me i will honour , and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed . god meant the honour of the priesthood to the family of eli ; but what ? was it in so absolute termes , that how ever they dishonored god , yet god was bound to honour them ? all these promises of outward favours do never other then suppose an answerable capacity in the receiver ; like as the menaces of judgement ( how ever they sound ) do still intend the favourable exception of a timely prevention by a serious repentance . and though there be no expresse mention of such condition in the promises and threatnings of the almighty : yet it is enough that he hath once for all made knowne his holy intentions to this purpose by his prophet ; at what instant i shall speak concerning a nation , and concerning a kingdome to pluck up , and to pull down , and to destroy it ; if that nation against whom i have pronounced , turn from their evill ; i will repent of the evill that i thought to do unto them ; and , at what instant i shall speak concerning a nation , and concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it ; if it do evill in my sight , that it obey not my voice , then i will repent of the good , wherewith i said i would benefit them . the message of hezekiah's death , and niniveh's destruction was , in the letter , absolute , but in the sense and intention , conditionate ; with such holy and just reservations are all the promises and threats of the almighty in these temporall regards ; whiles they alter therefore , he changeth not ; but for his spirituall ingagements , that word of his shall stand everlastingly , i will not suffer my faithfulnesse to faile ; my covenant will i not break , nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth : indeed this is the tentation , wherewith thou hast formerly set some prime saints of god , very hard : how doth the holy psalmist hereupon break out into a dangerous passion ? will the lord cast off for ever ? and will be favorable no more ? is his mercy clean gone for ever ? doth his promise faile for evermore ? hath god forgotten to be gracious ? hath he shut up his tender mercies in displeasure ? lo , the man was even falling , yet happily recovers his feet ; and i said , this is mine infirmity ; thine infirmity sure enough ( o asaph ) to make question of the veracity and unfailablenesse of the sure mercies , and promises of the god of truth : well was it for thee , that thy god , not taking advantage of thy weaknesse , puts forth his gracious hand , and staies thee with the seasonable consideration of the years of the right hand of the most high ; with the remembrance of the works of the lord , and of his wonders of old ; these were enough to teach thee the omnipotent power , the never-failing mercy of thy maker and redeemer . in no other plight through the impetuousnesse of this temptation was the man after gods owne heart , whiles he cried out ; i was greatly afflicted , i said in my haste all men are liers : the men that he mis-doubted were surely no other then gods prophets , w ch had foretold him his future prosperity , & peaceable setlement in the throne ; these ( upon the cross occurrences he met with ) is he ready to censure as lyers , and through their sides , what doth he but strike at him that sent them ? but the word was not spoke in more haste , then it was retracted ; i believed , therefore i spake ; and then sense of mercies doth so overtake the sense of his sufferings , that now he takes more care what to retribute to god for his bounty , then he did before how to receive it , & pitches himselfe upon that firme ground of all comfort , oh lord , truly i am thy servant ; i am thy servant , and the son of thy handmaid ; thou hast loosed my bonds . here shall i stay my soul against all thy suggestions of distrust , o thou malicious enemy of mankind ; building my self upon that steddy rock of israel , whose word is , i am jehovah , i change not . thou tel'st me of deliverances promised , yet ending in utter mis-carriages ; of provisions vanished into want : why dost thou not tell me that even good men die ? these promises of earthly favours to the godly declare to us the ordinary course , that god pleaseth to hold in the dispensation of his blessings : which he so ordereth , as that generally they are the lot of his faithfull ones , for the incouragement and reward of their services ; and contrarily his judgements befall his enemies , in part of payment ; but yet the great god , who is a most free agent , holds fit to leave himselfe at such liberty , as that sometimes for his own most holy purposes , hee may change the scene : which yet he never doth , but to the advantage of his owne ; so as the oppressions & wrongs which are done to them , turn favours ; the hermite in the story could thank the thiefe that rob'd him of his provision , for that he helpt him so much the sooner to his journies end ; and indeed , if being stripped of our earthly goods , we be stored with spirituall riches ; if whiles the outward man perisheth , the inward man be renewed in us ; if for a little bootlesse honour here , we be advanced to an immortall glory ; if we have exchanged a short and miserable life , for a life eternally blessed ; finally if we lose earth , and win heaven , what cause have we to be other then thankfull ? whereto we have reason to adde , that in all these gracious promises of temporall mercies , there is ever to be understood the exception of expedient castigation , and the meet portage of the crosse ; which were it not to be supplied , gods children should want one of the greatest proofs of his fatherly love towards them : which they can read even written in their own bloud ; and can blesse god in killing them for a present blessednesse . so as after all thy malice , gods promises are holy , his performances certain , his judgments just , his servants happy . x. temptation thou art more nice then needs ; your preachers are too strait-laced in their opinions , and make the way to heaven narrower then god ever meant it ; tush , man , thou maist be saved in any religion : is it likely that god will be so cruell , as to cast away all the world of men in the severall varieties of their professions , and save only one poor handfull of reformed christians ? away with these scruples ; a generall belief , and a good meaning will serve to bring thee to heaven , without these busie disquisitions of the articles of faith . repelled . it is not for good that thou makest such liberall tenders to my soule ; thou well know'st how ready mans nature is to lay hold on any just liberty that may be allowed him ; and how repiningly it stoops to a restraint ; but this which thou craftily suggestest to mee ( wicked spirit ) is not liberty , it is licentiousnesse : thou tell'st me the way to heaven is as wide as the world ; but the spirit of truth hath taught me , that strait is the gate , and narrow is the way , that leadeth unto life , and few there be that find it : i know there is but one truth , and one life , and one way to that life ; and i know who it was that said , i am the way , the truth , and the life . he who is one of these , is all ; my saviour who is life , the end of that way , is likewise the way that leads unto that end ; neither is there any way to heaven but he ; all that is besides him , is by-pathes and errour ; and if any teacher shall enlarge , or straiten this way christ , let him be accursed . and if any teacher shall presume to chalk out any other way then christ , let him be accursed ; tell not me therefore of the multitudes of men , and varieties of religions that there are in the world ; if there were as many worlds as men , and every of those men in those worlds , were severed in religion ; yet , i tell thee , there is but one heaven , and but one gate to that heaven , and but one way to that gate ; and that one gate , and way , is christ ; without whom therefore there can be no entrance . it is thy blasphemy to charge cruelty upon god , if he do not ( that , whereof thou wouldst most complaine , as the greatest loser ) set heaven open on all sides to whatsoever commers : even that god and saviours which possesseth and disposeth it , hath told us of a strait gate , and a narrow way ; and few passagers . in vaine dost thou move me to affect to be more charitable then my redeemer : he best knows what he hath to do with that mankind , for whom he hath paid so dear a price ; yet , to stop thy wicked mouth ; that way , which in comparison of the broad world is narrow , in it selfe ▪ hath a comfortable latitude ; christ extendeth himselfe largely to a world of believers : this way lies open to all ; no nation , no person under heaven is excluded from walking in it ; yea all are invited by the voice of the gospel to tread in it : and whosoever walks in it with a right foot , is accepted to salvation . how far it may please my saviour to cōmunicate himselfe to men , in an implicite way of beliefe ; and what place those generall and involved apprehensions of the redeemer may find for mercy , at the hands of god , he only knows that shall judge : this i am sure of , that without this saviour , there can be no salvation ; that in every nation he that feareth god , and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him ; that he that hath the son , hath life , and he that hath not the son hath not life . as therefore we do justly abhor that wild scope of all religions , which thou suggestest ; so we do willingly admit a large scope in one true religion ; so large as the author of it hath thought good to allow : for we have not to do with a god that stands upon curiosities of beliefe ; or that , upon pain of damnation , requires of every believer an exquisite perfection of judgment , concerning every capillar veyne of theologicall truth ; it is enough for him if we be right for the main substance of the body ; he doth not , call rigorously for every stone in the battlements , it sufficeth , for the capacity of our salvation if the foundation be hold in tire : it is thy sclander therefore that wee confine truth ; and blessednesse to a corner of reformed . christians ▪ no ; wee seek and find it every where , where god hath a church and gods church we know to be universall : let them be abassines , cophties , armeniant , georgians , jacobites , or what ever names either sclander , or distinction hath put upon them ; if they hold the foundation firme ( howsoever disgracefully built upon with wood , hay , stubble ) wee hold them christs , we hold them ours . hence it is , that the new jerusalem is for her beauty , and uniformity set forth with precious gates , ( though for use and substance , one ) for that from all coasts of heaven there is free accesse to the church of christ , and in him to life and glory . he who is the truth and the life hath said , this is eternall life to know thee , and him whom thou hast sent . this knowledge which is our way to life , is not alike at tained of all ; fome have greater light , and deeper insight into it then others , that mercy which accepts of the least degree or the true apprehension of christ , hath not promised to dispense with the wilfull neglect of those who might know him more clearly , more exactly : let those carelesse soules , therefore , which stand indifferent betwixt life and death , upon thy perswasion , content themselves with good meanings , and generalities of beliefe , but for me i shall labour to furnish my self with all requisite truths ; and above all shall aspire towards the excellency of the knowledge of my lord jesus christ ; that i may know him , and the power of his resurrection , and the fellowship of his sufferings . temptations repelled . the second decade . temptations of discouragement . ii. decade . i. temptation were it for some few sins of ignorance , or infirmity , thou might'st hope to find place for mercy ; but thy sins are , as for multitude innumerable , so ; for quality , haynous , presumptuous , unpardonable : with what face canst thou look up to heaven and expect remission from a just god ? repelled . even with the face of an humble penitent , justly confounded in himself , in the sense of his owne vilenesse , but awfully confident in a promised mercy : malicious tempter ; how like thou art to thy selfe ? when thou wouldst draw me on to my sins ; then , how small , sleight , harmlesse , plausible they were ? now thou hast fetch 't me in , to the guilt of those foule offences , they are no lesse then deadly and irremissible . may i but keep within the verge of mercy , thou canst not more aggravate my wickednesse against me , thē i do against my selfe ; thou canst not be more ready to accuse , then i to judge and condemn my selfe ; oh me , the wretchedest of all creatures , how do i hate my selfe for mine abominable sins ; done with so high a hand , against such a majesty , after such light of knowledge , such enforcements of warning , such indearments of mercy , such reluctations of spirit , such check of conscience ; what lesse then hell have i deserved from that infinite justice ? thou canst not write more bitter things against me , then i can plead against my owne soule ; but when thou hast cast up all thy venome ; and when i have passed the heaviest sentence against my selfe , i , who am in my selfe utterly lost , and forfeited to eternall death , in despight of the gates of hell shall live , and am safe , in my almighty , and ever-blessed saviour who hath conquered death and hell for me . set thou me against my selfe ; i shall set my saviour against thee ; urge thou my debts , i show his full acquittance : sue thou my bonds , i shall exhibit them cancell'd , and nayled to his crosse : presse thou my horrible crimes , i plead a pardon sealed in heaven : thou tell'st me of the multitude , and hainousnesse of my sins , i tell thee of an infinite mercy ; and what are numbers and magnitudes to the infinite ? to an illimited power what difference is there betwixt a mountaine and an ant-heape ? betwixt one and a million ? were my sins a thousand times more and worse then they are , there is worth abundantly enough in every drop of that precious blood which was shed for my redemption , to expiate them : know , o tempter , that i have to doe with a mercy which can die my scarlet sins , white as snow ; & make my crimson , as wooll ; whose grace is so boundlesse , that if thou thy selfe hadst , upon thy fall , been capable of repentance , thou hadst not everlastingly perished ; the lord is gracious , and full of compassion , slow to anger , and of great mercy ; the lord is good to all ; and his tender mercies are over all his works ; and if there be a sin of man unpardonable , it is not for the insufficiency of grace to forgive it , but for the incapacity of the subject that should receive remissision . thou feel'st to thy paine , and losse , wherefore it was that the eternall sonne of god , jesus christ , came into the world ; even to save sinners ! and if my owne heart shall conspire with thee to accuse me as the chiefe of those sinners , my repentance gives me so much the more claim , and interest in his blessed redemption : let me be the most laden with the chaines of my captivity , so i may have the greatest share in that all-sufficient ransome . and if thou who art the true fiery serpent in this miserable wildernesse , hast by sin stung my soul to death ; let me ( as i do ) with penitent and faithfull eyes but look up to that brazen serpent which is lift up far above all heavens , thy poyson cannot kill , cannot hurt me . it is the word of eternall truth , which cannot faile us , if we confesse our sins , he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse . lo , here , not mercy only , but justice on my side ; the spirit of god saith not only , if we confesse our sins , he is mercifull to forgive our sins , as he elswhere speaks by the pen of salomon : but more ; he is faithfull and just to forgive our sins ; our weaknesse and ignorance is wont to flie from the justice of our god , unto his mercy ; what can we feare , when his very justice yeilds remission ? that justice relates to his gracious promise of pardon to the penitent ; whiles i do truly repent therefore , his very justice necessarily infers mercy , and that mercy forgivenesse : think not therefore , o thou malicious spirit , to affright me with the mention of divine justice ; wo were me if god were not as just , as mercifull ; yea if he were not therefore mercifull because he is just ; mercifull in giving me repentance , just in vouchsafing me the promised mercy and forgivenesse , upon the repentance which he hath given me . after all thy hainous exaggerations of my guilt , it is not the quality of the sin , but the disposition of the sinner that damns the soule ; if we compare the offensive acts of a david , and a saul , it is not easie to judge whether were more foul ; thou which stirred'st them up both to those odious sinnes , madest account of an equall advantage against both ; but thine ayme failed thee ; the humble and true penitence of the one saved him out of thy hands , the obdurednesse , and false-heartednesse of the other gave him up , as a prey to thy malice ; it is enough for me that though i had not the grace to avoid my sinnes , yet i have the grace to hate and bewaile them ; that good spirit which thought not good to restraine me from sinning , hath beene graciously pleased to humble me for sinning . yea such is the infinite goodnesse of my god to my poor soule , that those sins which thou hast drawn me into , with an intent of my utmost prejudice , and damnation , are happily turned , through his grace , unto my greatest advantage ; for had it not been for these my sinfull miscarriages , had i ever attained to so cleare a sight of my owne frailty and wretchednesse ? so deep a contrition of soule ? so reall experience of temptation ? so hearty a detestation of sin ? such tendernesse of heart ? such awe of offending ? so fervent zeale of obedience ? so sweet a sense of mercy ? so thankfull a recognition of deliverance ? what hast thou now gained , o thou wicked spirit , by thy prevalent temptations ? what trophees hast thou cause to erect for thy victory and my soyle ? couldst thou have won me to a trade of sinning , to a resolution in evill , to a pleasure as in the commission , so in the memory of my sin , to a glorying in wickednesse , & then mightst have taken the advantage of snatching mee away in a state of unrepentance , thou mightst have had just cause to triumph in thy prey ; but now , that it hath pleased my god to shew me so much mercy , as to check me in my evill way , to work in me an abhorring of my sin , and of my selfe for it , and to pull me out of thy clutches , by a true and seasonable repentance , thou hast lost a soule , and i have found a saviour ; thou maist upbraid me with the foulnesse of my sins , i shall blesse god for their improvement . ii. temptation alas , poore man , how willing thou art to make thy selfe believe that thou hast truly repented ; whereas this is nothing but some dump of melancholy ; or some relenting of nature after too much expence of spirits ; or some irksome discontentment after a satiety and wearinesse of pleasure , or some slavish shrinking in upon the expectation of a lash ; true penitence is a spirituall business , an effect of that grace which was never incident into thy bosome repelled . malicious tempter , it is my no small happinesse that thou art not admitted to keep the key of my heart , or to look into my brest , to see what is in my bosome ; and therefore thou canst not , out of knowledge , passe any censure of my inward dispositions ; onely wilt be sure to suggest the worst ; which the falser it is , the better doth it become the father of lies ; but that good spirit which hath wrought true repentance in my heart , witnesseth , together with my heart , the truth of my repentance . canst thou hope to perswade me , that i do belie , or mis-know my own grief ? do not i feele this heart of mine bleed with a true inward remorse for my sinnes ? have i not poured out many hearty sighs , and tears for mine offences ? do i not ever looke backe upon them with a vehement loathing and detestation ? have i not with much anguish of soule confessed them before the face of that god whom i have provoked ? think not now to choak me with a cain , or saul , or judas , which did more , and repented not ; & to fasten upon me a worldly sorrow that worketh death ; no wicked one , after all thy depravations , this grief of mine looks with a farre other face then theirs , and is no other then a godly sorrow working repentance to salvation , not to be repented of ; theirs was out of the horror of punishment , mine out of the sense of displeasure ; their 's for the doom and execution of a severe judge , mine for the frownes of an offended father ; theirs attended with a wofull despaire , mine with a weeping confidence ; their 's a preface to hell , mine an introduction to salvation . and since thou wilt needs disparage , and mis-call this godly disposition of mine ; lo , i challenge this envie of thine to call it to the test , and to examine it thoroughly whether it agree not with those unfayling rules of the sympcomes and effects of the sorrow , which is according to god : hath not here been a true carefulnesse ; as to be freed and acquitted from the present guilt of my sin ; so to keep my soul unspotted for the future ; both to work my peace with my god , and to 〈◊〉 it ? hath not my heard earnestly ▪ laboured to cleare it selfe before god ▪ not with shuffling excuses , and flattering mitigations ; but by humble and syncere confessions of my owne vilenesse ? hath not my brest swell'd up with an angry indignation at my sinfull mis-carriages ? have i not seriously rated my selfe , for giving way to thy wicked temptations ? have i not trembled , not only at the apprehension of my owne danger by sin , but at the very suggestion of the like offence ? have i not been kept in awe with the jealous feares of my miserable frailties , lest i should be againe ensnared in thy mischievous ginnes ? have i not felt in my selfe a servent desire above all things to stand right , in the recovered favour of my god ; and to be strengthned in the inner man with a further increase of grace ; for the preventing of future sins ; and giving more glory to my god , and saviour ? hath not my heart within me burn'd with so much more zeale to the honour and service of that majesty which i have offended , as i have more dishonoured him by my offence ? hath it not been inflamed with just displeasure at my selfe , and all the instruments & means of my mis-leading ? lastly , have i not falne foule upon my selfe for so easie a seduction ? have i not chastised my self with sharp reproofs ▪ have i not held my appetite short , and upon these very grounds punished it with a deniall of lawfull contentments ? have i not thereupon tasked my selfe with the harder duties of obedience ▪ and doe i not now resolve , and carefully indeavour to walke conscionably in all the wayes of god ; maligne therefore how thou wilt , my repentance stands firme against all thy detractions , and is not more impugned by thee on earth , then it is accepted in heaven . iii. temptation thou hast small reason to bear thy self upon thy repentance ; it is too slight ; seconded with too many relapses , too late , to yeild any true comfort to thy soule repelled . nor thus can i be discouraged by thee , malicious spirit ; the mercy of my god hath not ●et any stint to the allowed measure of repentance ; where hath he ever said ; thus farre shall thy penitence come , else it shall not be accepted ? it is truth that he calls for , not measure ; that happy thief , whom my dying saviour rescued out of thy hands , gave no other proofe of his repentance , but , we are justly here ; and receive due reward of our deeds ; yet was admitted to attend his redeemer from his crosse to his paradise . neither do we heare any words from penitent david after his foule crimes , but , i have sinned , not that any true penitent can be afraid of too much compunction of heart ; and is ready to dry up his teares too soone ; rather pleasing himselfe with the continuance and paine of his own smart ; but that our indulgent father , who takes no pleasure in our misery , is apt to wipe away the teares from our eyes , contenting himself only w th the syncernesse , not the extremity of our contrition : thy malice is altogether for extreams ; either a wild security , or an utter desperation ; that holy and mercifull spirit , who is a professed lover of mankind , is ever for the meane ; so hating our carelesnesse that he will not suffer us to want the exercises of a due humiliation ; so abhorring despaire , that he abides not to have us driven to the brinke of that fearfull precipice . as for my repentance , therefore it is enough for me that it is sound , and serious for the substance ; yet , withall , ( thanks be to that good spirit that wrought it ) it is graciously approveable even for the measure ; i have heartily mourned for my sinnes , though i pined not away with sorrow ; i have broken my sleep for them , though i have not watered my couch with my teares ; and , next to thy selfe , i have hated them most : i have beaten my brest , though i have not rent my heart ; and what would i not have done , or given that i had not sinned ? tell not me that some worldly crosses have gone nearer to my heart , then my sins ; and that i have spent more teares upon the losse of a sonne , then the displeasure of my heavenly father ; the father of mercies will not measure our repentance by these crooked lines of thine ; he knows the flesh and bloud we are made of ; and therefore expects not we should have so quick a sense of our spirituall , as of our bodily affliction ; it contents him that we set a valuation of his favour , above all earthly things ; and esteeme his offence the greatest of all evils that can befall us : and of this judgement and affection it is not in thy power to bereave my soule . as for my relapses ; i confesse them with sorrow and shame : i know their danger ; and ( had i not to do with an infinite mercy ) their deadlinesse : yet after all my confusion of face , and thine enforcement of justice , my soul is safe ; for upon those perilous recidivations my hearty repentance hath made my peace ; the long-suffering god , whom i have offended , hath set no limits to his remission : after ten miraculous signes in egypt , his israel tempted him no lesse then ten times in the wildernesse , yet his mercy forbore them : not rewarding their reiterated sin with deserved vengeance ; hath not that gracious saviour of mankind charged us to forgive our offending brother no lesse then seventy times seven times ? and what proportion is there between our mercy , and his ? could'st thou charge mee with incouraging my selfe to continue my sin upon this presumption of pardon , thou hadst cause to boast of the advantage , but now that my remorse hath been syncere , and my falls weak , my god will not with-hold mercy from his penitent ; that hath not only confessed but forsaken his sin . as for the late season of my repentance , i confesse i have highly wronged and hazarded my soule in the delay of so often required , and so often purposed a worke ; and given thee faire advantages against my selfe , by so dangerous a neglect ; but blessed be my god that he suffer'd not these advantages to be taken ; i had been utterly lost , if thou hadst surprized me in my impenitence : but now , i can look back upon my perill well passed , and defie thy malice : no time can be prejudiciall to the king of heaven ; no season can be any barre either to our conversion , or his mercifull acceptance : it is true , that latenesse gives shrewd suspitions of the truth of repentance ; but where our repentance is true , it cannot come too late . object this to some formall soules , that having lavisht out the whole course of their lives in wilfull sensuality & profanenesse , thinke to make an abundant amends for all , on their death-beds with a fashionable , lord have mercy ; these whom thou hast mockt and drawn on with a stupid security all their days , may well be upbraided by thee , with the irrecoverable delay of what they have not grace to seek ; but that soule which is truly touched with the sense of his sin ; and in an humble contrition makes his addresse to god , and interposes christ betwixt god and it selfe , is in vain scarred with delay ; and finds that his god makes no difference of houres . do i not see the prodigall in the gospel , after he had run himselfe quite out of breath & means , yet at the last cast , returning , and accepted ▪ i do not hear his father austerely say , nay , unthrift , hadst thou come whiles thou hadst some bags left , i should have welcomed thy returne as an argument of some grace , and love : but now that thou hast spent all ; and necessity , not affection drives thee home , keep off , and starve ; but the good old man runs , and meets him ; and falls on his neck and kisses him , and calls for the best robe , and the fatted calfe : thus , thus deals our heavenly father with us wretched sinners ; if after all refuges vainly sought , and all gracious opportunities carelesly neglected , we shall yet have sincere recourse to his infinite mercy the best things in heaven shall not be too good for us . iv. temptation tush ! what doest thou please thy selfe with these vaine thoughts ? if god cared for thee couldst thou be thus miserable ? repelled . away thou lying spirit ; i am afflicted ; but it is not in thy power to make me miserable : and did i yet smart much more , wouldst thou perswade me to measure the favour of my god by these outward events ? hath not the spirit of truth taught me that in these externall matters , all things come alike to all ; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked ; to the good and cleane , and to the uncleane ; to him that sacrificeth , and to him that sacrificeth not ; as is the good , so is the sinner ; & he that sweareth , as he that feareth an oath : but if there were any judgement to be passed upon these grounds , the advantage is mine ; i smart , yea i bleed under the hand of my heavenly father ; whom the lord loveth he chasteneth ; and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth : lo , there cannot e so much paine in the stripes , as there is comfort in the love of him that layes them on ; he were not my father if he whip't me not ; truth hath said it , if ye be without chastisements , ye are bastards , and not sonnes : he cannot but love me , whiles he is my father : and let him fetch bloud on me , so he love me : after all thy malice , let me be a bleeding son to such a father ; whiles thy base-borne children enjoy their ease . impudent tempter , how canst thou from my sufferings argue gods disfavour , when thou knowest that he whom god loved best , suffered most ? the eternall sonne of his love , that could truly say , i and the father are one , indured more from the hand of that his heavenly father then all the whole world of mankind was capable to suffer ▪ surely he hath borne our griefs , and carried our sorrows ; he was wounded for oue transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities ▪ the chastisements of our peace were upon him ▪ the lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all . what poore flea bitings are these that i am afflicted with ▪ in respect of those torments which the sonne of god under went for me ? thou that sawest the bloudy sweat of his agony , the cruell tortures of his crucifixion , the pangs of worse then death , the sense of his fathers wrath & our curse , dost thou move me , whom he hath bought with so dear a price , to murmur , and recoyle upon divine providence for a petty affliction ? besides , this is the load which my blessed saviour hath with his owne hands laid upon my shoulders ; if any man will come after me , let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily , and follow me . lo , every crosse is not christs ; each man hath a crosse of his owne , and this crosse he may not think to tread upon , but he must take up ; and not once perhaps in his life , but daily , and with that weight on his neck he must follow the lord of life , not to his tabor only , but to his golgotha : and thus following him on earth , he shall surely overtake him in heaven ; for if we suffer with him , we shall also reigne with him ▪ it is still thy policy , o thou envious spirit , to fill mine eyes with the crosse , and to represent nothing to my thoughts , but the horror and paine of suffering , that so thou may'st drive me to a languishing dejectednesse of spirit , and despaire of mercy ; but my god hath raised and directed mine eyes to a better prospect , quite beyond thine , which is a crowne of glory . i see that ready to be set upon my head after my strife , and victory , which were more then enough to make amends for an hell upon earth : in vaine should i hope to obtaine it without a conflict ; how should i overcome if i strive not ? these struglings are the way to a conquest ; after all these assaults the foyle shall bee thine , and mine shall be the glory and triumph ; the god of truth hath said it : be faithfull to the death , and i will give thee a crown of life . thine advantage lies in the way , mine in the end ; the way of affliction is rugged , deep , stiffe , dangerous ; the end is faire , and greene , and strewed with flowers ; no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous , but grievous ; neverthelesse afterwards , it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby . what if i be in paine here for a while ? the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us . it is thy maliciousnesse that would make the affliction of my body the bane of my soule : but if the fault be not mine , that which thou intendest for a poyson shall prove a cordiall : let patience have her perfect work , and i am happy in my sufferings : for our light affliction , which is but for a moment , worketh for us a farre more exceeding , and eternall weight of glory ▪ lo ; it doth not only admir of glory , but works it for us ; so as we are infinitely more beholden to our paine , then to our ease ; and have reason not onely to be well apayd , but to rejoyce in tribulations ; knowing , that tribulation worketh patience , and patience experience , & experience hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed . tell mee if thou canst , which of those saints that are now shining bright in their heaven , hath got thither un-afflicted ? how many of those blessed ones have indured more , then my god wil allow thee to inflict upon my weaknesse ? some more , and some lesse sorrowes ; all some , yea many : so true is that word of the chosen vessell , that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdome of god. by this then i see that i am in my right way to that blessednesse i am travelling towards ; did i find my self in the smooth , pleasant and flowry path of carnall ease and contentment ; i should have just reason to think my selfe quite out of that happy road ; now i know i am going directly towards my home ; the abiding city which is above ; so far therefore are my sufferings from arguing me miserable , that i could not be happy if i suffered not . v. temptation foolish man , how vainly dost thou flatter thy selfe in calling that a chastisement , which god intends for a judgment ; in mistaking that for a rod of fatherly correction , which god laies on as a scourge of just anger , and punishment . repelled . it is thy maliciousnesse , o thou wicked spirit , ever to mis-interpret gods actions ; and to sclander the footsteps of the almighty ; but notwithstanding all thy mischievous suggestions , i can read mercy , and favour in my affliction ; neither shall it be in the power of thy temptation to put me out of this just construction of my sufferings ; for , what ? is it the measure of my smart that should argue gods displeasure ? how many of gods dearlings on earth have indured more ? what say'st thou to the man , with whom the almighty did once challenge and foyle thee , the great patterne of patience ; was not his calamity as much beyond mine , as my graces are short of his ? dost thou not heare the man after gods owne heart say , lord , remember david and all his troubles ? dost thou not hear the chosen vessell who was rapt up into the third heaven , complaine , we are troubled on every side , yet not distressed ; perplexed , but not in despaire ; persecuted , but not forsaken ; cast downe , but not destroyed . of the jewes five times received i forty stripes save one ; thrice was i beaten with rods ; once was i stoned ; thrice i suffered shipwrack , a night and a day i have been in the deep ; in journying often , in perils of waters , in perils of robbers , in perils by my owne countrymen , in perils by the heathen , &c. in wearinesse and painfulnesse , in watchings often , in hunger and thirst , in fastings often , in cold and nakednesse ; yea which was worse then all these , dost thou not heare him say , there was given to me a thorne in the flesh , the messenger of satan to buffet me ? dost thou not too well know ( for thou wert the maine actor in those wofull tragedies ) what cruell torments the blessed martyrs of god in all ages have undergone for their holy profession ? none upon earth ever found gods hand so heavy upon them , none upon earth were so dear to heaven ; the sharpnesse therefore of my pangs can be no proofe of the displeasure of my god ; yea contrarily , this visitation of mine ( what ever thou suggestest ) is in much love and mercy : had my god let me loose to my owne waies , and suffered me to run on carelesly in a course of sinning without check , or controll , this had been a manifest argument of an high and hainous displeasure : god is grievously angry when he punishes sinners with prosperity ; for this shows them reserved to a fearfull damnation ; but whom he reclaims from evil by a severe correction , those he loves , there cannot be a greater favour then those saving stripes ; when wee are judged , we are chastened of the lord that we should not be condemned with the world . besides , the manner of the infliction speaks nothing but mercy ; for , what a gentle hand doth my god lay upon me ? as if he said , i must correct thee , but i will not hurt thee ; what gracious respites are here ; what favourable inter-spirations ; as if god bade me to recollect my selfe ; and invited me to meet him by a seasonable humiliation ; this is not the fashion of anger and enmity ; which ayming only at destruction , indevours to surprise the adversary , and to hurry him to a sudden execution . neither is it a meer affliction that can evince either love or hatred ; all is in the attendants , and entertainment of afflictions ; where god means favour , he gives together with the crosse an humble heart , a meek spirit , a patient submission to his good pleasure , a willingnesse to kisse the rod , and the hand that wields it , a faithfull dependence upon that arme from which he smarts ; and lastly , an happy use and improvement of the suffering , to the bettering of the soule ; who so finds these dispositions in himselfe may well take up that resolution of the sweet singer of israel , it is good for me that i have been afflicted ; i know , o lord , that thy judgements are right ; and that thou in very faithfulnesse hast afflicted me : contrarily , where god smites in anger , those stroakes are followed and accompanied with wofull symptomes of a spirituall maladie ; either a stupid senslesnesse and obdurednesse of heart ; or an impatient murmuring at the stripes ; saucy and presumptuous expostulations , fretting and repining at the smart ; a perverse alienation of affection , and a rebellious swelling against god ; an utter dejection of spirit , and lastly an heartlesse despaire of mercy . those with home thou hast prevailed so far as to draw them into this deadly condition of soule , have just cause to thinke themselves smitten in displeasure , but as for me , blessed be the name of my god , my stripes are medicinall , and healing : let the righteous god thus smite me , it shall be a kindnesse ; and let him reprove me , it shall be an excellent oyle that shall not break my head . vi. temptation away with these superstitious feares , and needlesse scruples wherewith thou fondly troublest thy selfe ; as if god that sits above in the circle of heaven regarded these poore businesses that passe here below upon earth ; or cared what this man doth , or that man suffereth : dost thou not see that none prosper so much in the world as those that are most noted for wickednesse ? and dost thou see any so miserable upon earth as the holiest ? could it be thus if there were providence that over looks and over-rules these earthly affairs ? repelled . the lord rebuke thee , satan . even that great lord of heaven and earth , whom thou so wickedly blasphemest ; wouldst thou perswade me that he who is infinite in power , is not also infinite in providence ? he whose infinite power made all creatures , both in heaven above , and in earth beneath , shall not his infinite providence govern and dispose of all that he hath made ? lo , how justly the spirit of wisdome calls thee , and thy clients , fools , & brutish things ; they say , the lord shall not see , neither shall the god of jacob regard ; vnderstand ye brutish among the people ; and ye fools , when will ye be wise ? he that planted the eare , shall he not heare ? he that formed the eye , shall not he see ? he that teacheth man knowledge , shall not he know ? it was no limited power , that could make this eye to see , this eare to heare , this heart to understand ; and if that eye which he hath given us , can see all things that are within our prospect ; and that eare that he hath planted , can heare all sounds that are within our compasse ; and that heart that he hath given us , can know all matters within the reach of our comprehension ; how much more shall the sight , and hearing , and knowledge of that infinite spirit ( which can admit of no bounds ) extend to all the actions and events of all the creatures , that lie open before him that ma●e them ? it is in him that we live , and move , and have our being ; and can we be so sottish , as to think we can steale a life from him , which he knows not of ? or a motion that he discerneth not ? that word of his by whom all creatures were made , hath told me , that not one sparrow ( two whereof are sold for a farthing ) can fall to the ground without my heavenly father ; yea , that the very hairs of our heads ( though a poor , neglected excrement ) are all numbred : and can there be any thing more sleight then they ? how great care must we needs think is taken of the head , since not an haire can fall unregarded ? the lord maketh poor and maketh rich ; he bringeth down and lifteth up : he raiseth up the poor out of the dust , and lifteth up the begger from the dunghill , to set them among princes , and to make them inherit the throne of glory ; for the pillars of the earth are the lords , and he hath set the world upon them . even rabshakeh himselfe spake truer then he was aware of ; am i now comne up without the lord against this place ? no certainly , thou insolent blasphemer , thou couldst not move thy tongue , nor wag thy finger against gods inheritance , without the providence of that god , who returned answer to thy proud master , the king of assyria , i know thy abode , and thy going out , and thy comming in , and thy rage against me ; thy rage , and thy tumult is come up into my ears ; therefore i will put an hooke in thy nose , and my bridle in thy lips , and i will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest : so true is that word of elihu ; his eyes are upon the waies of man ; and he soeth all his goings ; there is no darknesse , nor shadow of death , where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves ; seconded by the holy psalmist ; the lord looketh from heaven , he beholdeth all the sons of men ; from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth . neither is this divine providence confined onely to man , the prime peece of this visible creation ; but ; it extends it self to all the workmanship of the almighty : o. lord how manifold are , thy works ; in wisdome hast thoumade them all ; the earth is full of thy riches : so is the great and wide sea ; wherein are things creeping innumerable , both small and great beasts ; these wait all upon thee , that thou maist give them their meat in due season , thou givest it them , they gather ; thou openest thy hand , they are filled with good : the young lyons roar after their prey ; and seek their meat from god ; the ravens neither sow nor reap , no● have any store-house , or barne , yet god feedeth them ; the lillies toyle not , nor sp●● , yet the great god cloaths them with more then salomons glory . who knoweth not in all these , that the hand of the lord hath wrought this ? in whose hand is the soule of every living thing ; and the breath of all mankind . what dost thou then , o thou false spirit , thinke to choak divine providence with the smalnesse , and multitude of objects ? as if quantities or numbers could make any difference in the infinite ? as if one drop of water were not all one to the almighty , with the whole deep ? one corne of sand with the whole masse of the earth ? as if that hand which graspeth the large circumference of the highest heaven could let slip the least flye , or worme upon earth ? when thou feelest , to thy paine , that this eye of omniscience , and this hand of power reaches even to thy neither most hell ; and sees and orders every of those torments wherewith thou art everlastingly punished ; and at pleasure puts bounds to thy malicious indevours against his meanest creatures upon earth ? thou tellest me of the wickedest mens prosperity ; this is no new dart of thine , but the same which thou hast throwne , of old , at many a faithfull heart ; holy job , david , jeremie felt the dint of it ; not without danger , but without hurt . it is true ; wicked men flourish ; what marvell is this ? the world loves his owne : doth any man wonder to see the weeds overtop the good herbes ? they are natives to that soyle , whereto the other are but strangers . wicked men prosper ; it is all the heaven they are like to have ; and yet , alas , at the best , it is but a wofull one ; how intermixed with sorrows and discontentments ? how full of uncertainties ? how certain of ruine , and confusion ? it is a sure and sad interchange , whereof father abraham minds the man who was now more full of torment , then formerly of wealth ; son , remember , that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , and lazarus evill ; but now he is comforted , and thou art tormented . the wicked man prospers ; but how long ? i have seen the wicked in great power ; and spreading himselfe like a green bay-tree ; yet he passed away , and , lo , he was not ; i sought him , but he could not be found . the wicked prosper ; alas , their welfare is their judgement ; god doth not owe them so much favour , as to afflict them : they walk on mertily towards a deadly precipice : the just god lets them alone ; and will not so much as molest their jollity with a painfull check . the wicked thrive in the world ; how should they do other ? mammon is the god they serve , and what can he doe lesse then blesse them with a miserable advantage ? for thus their wealth is made to them an occasion of falling ; the prosperity of fools shall destroy them . the wicked prosper ; let me never prosper if i envy them : do not i see their day coming ? do not i know that they are meerly fed up to the slaughter ? wherefore do the cram'd fowles , and fatted oxen fare better then their fellows ? is it out of favour , or is it that they are designed to the dresser ? amnon is feasted with his brethren , those that serve him see death in his face : belshazzar triumphs in mirth , and carouseth freely in the sacred vessels ; the hand writes upon the wall , thy dayes are numbred , thy kingdome finished : the revelling of the wicked , is but a lightning before an eternall death . thou tell'st me on the the contrary , that the godly are persecuted , afflicted , tormented . it is true ; none knows it better then thy selfe , who under the permission of the most high , art the author of all their sufferings . it is thou , the red dragon , that standest ready to devoure the masculine issue of gods church ; it is thou , that when the persecuted woman flees into the wildernesse , powrest out of thy mouth , after her , flouds of water to drowne her : it is thou that inspirest tyrants w th rage against the innocent saints of god ; and actuatest their hellish cruelty : but , when thou hast all done , the most wise and mighty arbiter of heaven turnes all this to the advantage of his deare ones upon earth : the bloud of the martyrs doth , and shall prove the seed of the church ; whereof every grain yeelds thirty , sixty , an hundred fold : neither had the church of god been so numerous , if there had been lesse malice in thy prosecution : and as for those severall christians , that have undergone the worst of thy fury , they are so far from finding cause of complaint , that they rejoyce and triumph in the happy issue of their intended miseries ; they can say to thee as joseph said of old , to his once-envious brethren ; thou thoughtst evill against us , but god meant it unto good ; they had not now sate so gloriously crowned in the highest heaven , if thou hadst not persecuted them unto bloud . none are so afflicted ( thou saist ) as the godly ; true , their saviour hath told them before hand what to trust to ; in the world ye shall have tribulation ; have they any reason to looke for better measure then their blessed redeemer ? if the world hate you , ( saith he ) ye know that it hated me before it hated you : if ye were of the world , the world would love his owne , but because ye are not of the world , but i have chosen you out of the world , therefore the world hateth you ; now , welcome , welcome that hate that is raised from our deare saviours love and election ; wo were us if we were not thus hated : let the world hate , and hurt us thus still , so we may be the favorites of heaven . none fare so ill on earth as the godly , both living and dead ; the dead bodies of gods servants , have they given to be meat to the fowls of the heaven , the flesh of his saints , unto the beasts of the field , their bloud have they shed like water , and there was none to bury thē ; they are become a reproach to their neighbours ; a scorn and derision to them that are round about them . oh the poor impotent malice of wicked spirits , and men ! what matters it if our carcasses rot upon earth , whiles our souls shine in heavenly glory ? what matters it , if for a while we be made a gazing-stock to the world , to angels , and to men ; whiles the son of god hath assured us of an eternall royalty ? to him that over-commeth will i grant to sit with me in my throne ; even as i also overcame and am set downe with my father in his throne . none are so ill intreated as the godly : it is true , for none are so happy as they : blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake ; for theirs is the kingdome of heaven . blessed are ye , when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and say all manner of evill of you , falsly , for my sake . rejoice , and be exceeding glad , for great is your reward in heaven : who would not endure wrongs a while to be everlastingly recompenced ? here is not place onely for patience , but for joy , and that exceeding ; in respect of a reward so infinitely glorious . it is no marvell then , if we be bidden to pray for them which despitefully use us , and persecute us ; these are the men that are our great benefactors , & ( though full sore against their wills ) contribute to our eternall blessednesse . the wicked triumph , whiles the righteous are trampled upon ; what marvell ? we are in a middle region betwixt heaven , and hell ; but nearer to this latter , which is the place of confusion : it is but staying a while ; and each place will be distinctly peopled with his owne ; there is a large and glorious heaven appointed for the everlasting receptacle of the just , an hell for the godlesse : till then , the eternall wisdome hath determined for his most holy ends to give way to this confused mixture , and to this seeming-inequality of events . how easie were it for him to make all heaven ; but he hath a justice to glorifie , as well as a mercy : and ( in the mean time ) it is the just praise of his infinite power , wisdome , goodnesse , that he can fetch the greatest good , out of the worst of evils . all things go crosse here ; the righteous droop , the wicked flourish : the end shall make amends for all ; the world is a stage ; every man acts his part ; the wise compiler of this great interlude hath so contrived it ; that the middle scenes show nothing but intricacy ; and perplexednesse ; the unskilfull spectator is ready to censure the plot ; and thinks he sees such unpleasing difficulties in the carriage of affaires , as can never be reconciled ; but by that time he have sate it out , he shall see all brought about to a meet accordance ; and all shut up in a happy applause . blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tried , he shall receive the crowne of life , which the lord hath promised to them that love him . the world is an apothecaries shop , wherein there are all manner of drugs , some poysonous , others cordiall ; an ignorant , that comes in , and knows only the quality , not the use of those receits , will straight be ready to say ; what do these unwholsome simples , these dangerous mineralls , these deadly juices here ? but the learned , and skilfull artist knows how so to temper all these noxious ingredients , that they shall turn antidotes , and serve for the health of his patient . thus doth the most high and holy god order these earthly ( though noxious ) compositions , to the glory of his great name , and to the advantage of his chosen : so as that suggestion , wherewith thou meant'st to batter the divine providence of the almighty , doth invincibly fortifie it ; his most wise permission and powerfull over-ruling of evill actions and men through the whole world to his owne honour , & the benefit of his church . vii . temptation if god be never so liberall in in his promises and sure in performances of mercy , to his own , yet what is that to thee ? thou art none of his , neither canst lay any just claime to his election ; repelled . how boldly can i defie thee , o thou lying spirit , whiles i have the assurance of him , who is the word of truth ; how confidently dare i challenge thee upon that unfailing testimony , which shall stand till heaven and earth shall passe ; ye that have believed in christ , are sealed with that holy spirit of promise , which is the earnest of our inheritance , untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory : lo here a double assurance , which all the powers of hell shall in vaine labour to defeat ; the almighties scale , and his earnest : both made , and given to the believer ; and therefore to me : in spight of all temptations i believe , and know whom i have believed ; i can accuse my faith of weaknesse , thou canst not convince it of untruth ; and all the precious promises of the gospel , and all the gracious ingagements of god , are made , not to the measure , but to the truth of our beliefe , and why should not i as truly know that i relie upon the word of my saviour , as i know that i distrust , and reject thine ? since then i am a subject truly capable of this mercy , what can hinder me from enjoying it ? cheare thy selfe up therefore , o my soule , with this undefeisible confidence , that thou hast gods seale , and his earnest for thy salvation . even an honest man will not be lesse then his word ; but if his hand have seconded his tongue , he holds the obligation yet stronger ; but if his seale shall be further added to his hand , there is nothing that can give more validity to the graunt , or contract : yet , even of the value of seales there is much difference : the seale of a private man carries so much authority as his person ; the seale of a community hath so much more security in it , as there are more persons interessed : but the signet of a king hath wont to be held , to all purposes , authenticall ; as we find ( to omit ahab ) in the signatures of ahasuerus , and darius ; who desires any better assurance for the estate of him and his posterity , then the great seale ? and behold here is no lesse then the great seale of heaven for my election and salvation ; ye are sealed with the spirit of promise . but lest thou shouldest plead this to be but a graunt of the future , and therefore , perhaps , upon some intervenient mis-deamures , or unkindnesse taken , reversible ; know that here is yet further , an actuall conveyance of this mercy to me ; in that here is an earnest given me before-hand of a perfect accomplishment : an earnest , that both binds the assurance , and stands for part of payment of that great sum of glory which abides for me in heaven . this seale i shew , this earnest i produce ; so as my securance is unfailable : and , that thou maist not plead this seale to be counterfeit , set on only with a stamp of presumption and self-love ; know that here is the true and cleare impression of gods spirit in all the lines of that gracious signanature ; a right ( though weak ) illumination of mind in the true apprehension of heavenly things , sincerity of holy desires , truth of inchoate holiness , unfainedness of christian charity , constant purposes and indeavours of perfect obedience : and as for my earnest , it can no more disappoint me , then the hand that gave it ; my soule is possessed with true ( how ever imperfect ) grace : and what is grace but the beginning of glory ? and what is glory but the consummation of grace ? what should i regard thy cavils , whiles i have these pledges of the almighty ? it is not in thy power , malicious spirit , to sever those things which gods eternall decree hath put together : our calling ▪ and election are thus conjoyned from eternity ; all the craft and force of hell cannot divorce them : whom he did predestinate them also he called ; and whom he called them he also justified ; and whom he justifieth them also he glorifieth ; it is true that outwardly many are called , but few chosen ; but none are inwardly called which are not also chosen : in which number is my poore soule , whereto god hath shewed mercy in singling it out of this wicked world , into the liberty of the sons of god ; for , do not i find my selfe sensibly changed from what i was ? am i not evidently freed from the bondage of those naturall corruptions , under which thou heldst mo miserably captiv'd ? do i not hate the courses of my former disobedience ? do i not give willing eare to the voice of the gospel ? do i not desire and indeavour to conforme my selfe wholly to the will of my god and saviour ? do i not heartily grieve for my spirituall faylings ? do not i earnestly pray for grace to resist all thy temptations ? do not i cordially affect the means of grace and salvation ? do i not labour in all things to keep a good conscience before god , and men ? are not these the infallible proofs of my calling , and the sure and certaine fruits of mine election ? canst thou hope to perswade me , that god will bestow these favours where he loves not ? that he wil repent him of such mercies ? that he will lose the thanks and honour of so gracious proceedings ? suggest what thou wilt ; i am more then confident , that he who hath begun this good work in me , will perform it untill the day of jesus christ . do not i heare the chosen vessel tell his thessalonians , that he knows them to be elected of god ? and upon what grounds doth he raise this assurance ? for ( saith he ) our gospel came not to you in word only , but also in power , and in the holy ghost : that which can assure us of another mans election , may much more secure us of our owne : the entertainment & successe of the gospel in our souls . lo , that blessed word hath wrought in me a sensible abatement of my corrupt affections ; and hath produced an apparent renovation of my mind ; and hath quickned me to a new life of grace , and obedience ; this can be no work of nature ; this can be no other then the work of that spirit , whereby i am sealed to the day of redemption ; my heart feels the power of the gospel ; my life expresses it ; maugre all thy malice ; therefore i am elected . when the gates of hell have done their worst , none of gods children can miscarry ; for if children , then they are heirs ; heirs of god , and joynt-heirs with christ . now , as many as are led by the spirit of god , they are the sons of god ; and this is the direction that i follow . there are but three guides that i can be led by ; my own will , thy suggestions , the motions of gods spirit . for my owne will , i were no christian if i had not learn'd to deny it , where it stands opposite to the will of my god ; as for thy suggestions , i hate and defie them ; they are onely therefore the motions of that good spirit which i desire to follow ; and if at any time , my owne frailty have betraied me to some aberrations , my repentance hath overtaken my offence ; and in sincerity of heart , i can say with an holier man ; i have gone astray like a sheep : seek thy servant , for i do not forget thy commandements : all thy malice therefore cannot rob me of the comfort of mine adoption . it is no marvell if thou , who art all enmity , canst not abide to heare of love ; but god , who is love , hath told me ; that love is of god , and that every one that loveth is borne of god ; and that by this we know that we have passed from death to life , because we love the brethren ; now , my heart can irrefragably witnesse to me , that i love god because he is good ; infinitely good in himself , and infinitely good to me ; and that i love good men because they are his sons , my brethren ; i am therefore as surely passed from death to life , as if i had set my foot over the threshold of heaven . viii . temptation alas , poor man , how grosly deludest thou thy selfe ? thou talk'st of thy faith , and bearest thy selfe high upon this grace ; and think'st to doe great matters by it ; whereas the truth is , thou hast no faith , but that which thou mis-callest so , is nothing else but meer presumption . repelled . is it any wonder that thou should'st sclander the graces of god , who art ever ready to calumniate the giver ? no , tempter ; canst thou challenge this faith of mine , which thou censurest , to be thine owne worke ? such it should be , if it were presumption ; were it presumption , would'st thou oppose it ? would'st thou not foster and applaud it as thine ? the presumption is thine , who darest thus derogate from the gracious work of the almighty ; and fasten sin upon the holy spirit ; mine is faith ; yet so mine , as that it is his that wrought it : there is not more difference betwixt thee , and an angel of light , then betwixt my faith , and thy presumption : true faith ( such is mine , after all thy sclanderous suggestions ) is grounded upon sound knowledge , and that knowledge upon an infallible word ; whereas presumption rests only upon opinion , and conceit , built upon the sands of self-love : whence it is that the most ignorant are ever the most presumptuous ; when the knowing soule sees what dangers it is to encounter , and provides for them with an awfull resolution . true faith never comes without carefull and diligent use of meanes ; the word , sacraments , praier , meditation are but enough with their conjoyned forces to produce so divine a work ; whereas presumption comes with ease ; it costs nothing , no strife , no labour to draw forth so worthlesse and vicious a disposition ; yea rather corrupt nature is forward not only to offer it to us , but even to force it upon our admission ; and it is no small maistery to repell it . true faith struggles with infidelity ; this iacob is wrestling with this esau in the womb of the soule ; and , if at any time , the worse part ( through the violence of a temptation ) get the start of the better , the hand laies hold on the heel , and suffers not it selfe to be any other then insensibly prevented ; but recovers the light ere the suggestion can be fully compleated ; and at last so far prevails , that the elder shall serve the younger ; this is the victory that overcomes the world , even our faith : whereas presumption is ever quiet and secure ; not fearing any perill ; not combating with any doubt ; pleasing it selfe in its owne ease and safety ; and in the confidence of a perpetuall prosperity can say , i shall never be moved . true faith , wheresoever it is , purifieth the heart , and will not suffer any known sin to harbour there ; and is ever attended with care , awfulnesse , love , obedience : whereas presumption impures the soule , and works it to boldnesse , obduration , false joy , security , senslesnesse . true faith grows daily ; like the graine of mustard-seed in the gospel , which from small beginnings arises to a tall , and large-spreading plant : presumption hath enough , and sits down contented with its own measure , applauding the happinesse of its own condition . true faith , like gold , comes out pure from the fire of temptation ; and , like to sound friendship , is most helpfull in the greatest need ; presumption , upon the easiest triall , vanisheth into smoak and drosse , and is never so sure to faile us as in the evill day . so then this firme affiance of mine , being grounded upon the most sure promises of the god of truth , upon frequent use and improvement of all holy means ; after many bickerings with thy motions of unbelief ; being attended with holy and purifying dispositions of the soule ; and gathering still more strength , and growing up dayly towards a longed-for perfection ; and which , now , thy experience convinces thee , to be most present and comfortable in the hour of temptation , is true faith , not as thou falsly suggestest , a false presumption . it is true , my unworthinesse is great , but i have to do with an infinite mercy ; so as my wretched unworthinesse doth but heighten the glory of his most mercifull pardon and acceptation . shortly then , where there is a divine promise of free grace and mercy , a true apprehension and embracing of that promise ; a warrant and acceptance of that apprehension , a willing relyance upon that warrant , a sure knowledge and sense of that relyance , there can be no place for presumption ; this is the case betwixt god and my soule ; his word of promise , and warrant that cannot deceive me , is : he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life ; and , he that believes in him that sent me hath everlasting life ; and shall not come into condemnation , but hath passed from death to life ; my owne heart irrefragably makes out the rest ; which is the truth of my apprehension , relyance , knowledge . mine therefore is the faith ; the presumption in casting sclander upon the grace of gods spirit is thine owne . ix . temptation thou thoughtest perhaps once , that thou hadst some tokens of gods favour ; but now , thou canst not but find that he hath utterly forsaken thee , and withdrawing himself from thee , hath given thee up into my hands , to which thy sins have justly forfaited thee . repelled . be not discouraged , o thou weak soule , with this malicious suggestion of the enemy : thou art not the first , nor the holiest that hath been thus assailed ; so hard was the man after gods owne heart driven with this temptation ; that he cries out in the bitternesse of his soul , will the lord cast ( me ) off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? hath god forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ? is his mercy cleane gone for ever ? doth his promise faile for evermore ? thy case was his for the sense of the desertion , why should not his case be thine for the remedy ? mark how happily and how soon he recovers himself : and i said , this is my infirmity ; but i will remember the years of the right hand of the most high ; i will remember the works of the lord ; surely i will remember the wonders of old ; i will meditate of all thy works : lo , how wisely , and faithfully david retreats back to the sure hold of gods formerlyexperimented mercies , and there finds a sensible reliefe : he , that when he was to encounter with the proud giant , could before-hand arme himselfe with the proof of gods former deliverances and victories , ( thy servant slew both the lyon and the bear ; and this uncircumcised philistim shall be as one of them ; ) now animates himself after the temptation against the spirituall goliah , with the like remembrance of gods ancient mercies , and indearments to his soule ; as well knowing that , what ever we are , god cannot but be himself ; god is not as a man , that he should lie , neither the son of man , that he should repent ; having loved his own , which were in the world , he loved them unto the end : hast thou therefore formerly found the sure testimonies of gods favour to thee , in the reall pledges of his holy graces ; live thou still , whiles thou art thus besieged with temptations , upon the old store ; know , that thou hast to do with a god , that can no more change , then not be : satan cannot be more constant to his malice then thy god is to his everlasting mercies . he may for a time be pleased to withdraw himself from thee ; but it is , that he may make thee so much more happy in his re-appearance : it is his owne word , for a small moment have i forsaken thee , but with great mercies will i gather thee . in a little wrath i hid my face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting kindnesse will i have mercy on thee , saith the lord thy redeemer . in the case wherein thou now art , thou canst be no meet judge either of gods respects to thee , or thine owne condition ; can the aguish palate passe any true judgement upon the tast of liquors ? can the child entertaine any apprehension of his parents favour whiles he is under the lash ? can any man looke that the fire should give either flame or heat , whiles it lies covered with ashes ? can any man expect fruit , or leaves from the tree in the midst of winter ? thou art now in a fit of temptation ; thou art now smarting under the rod of correction ; thy faith lies raked up under the cold ashes of a seeming desertion ; the vegetative life of thy soul is , in this hard season of thy triall , drawne inward , and run downe to the root ; thine estate is never the lesse safe for this , though more uncomfortable : wait thou upon gods leisure with all humble submission ; the event shall be happy ; when the distemper is once over , thou shalt returne to thy true relish of gods mercy ; when thine heavenly father shall smile upon thee , and take thee up in his armes , thou wilt see love in his late stripes ; when those dead ashes shall be removed , and the gleeds of grace stirred up againe in thee , thou shalt yeild both light , and warmth ; when the sun of righteousnesse shall approch to thee , and with his comfortable beams draw up the sap into the branches , thou shalt blossome and flourish ; in the meane time feare nothing ; only believe , and thou shalt see the salvation of the lord ; thy soule is in surer hands then thine owne , yea then of the greatest angel in heaven ; far out of the reach of all the powers of hell ; for our life is hid with christ in god ; hid ; not lost , not laid open to all eyes ; but hid ; hid , where satan cannot touch it , cannot find it ; even with christ in the heaven of heavens . feare not therefore , o thou feeble soule , any utter dereliction of thy god ; thou art bought with a price : god paid too deare for thee , and is too deeply ingaged to thee , to lose thee willingly ; and for any force to be offered to the almighty , what can men or devils do ? and if that malignant spirit shall challenge any forfeiture ; plead thou thy full redemption : it is true ; the eternall and inviolable law hath said , cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them ; and , the soule that sinneth shall die ; death and curse is therefore due to thee ; but thou hast paid both of these , in thy blessed redeemer ; christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us ; where sin abounded , grace did much more abound ; that as sin hath reigned unto death , even so might grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by iesus christ our lord ; it is all one to pay thy debt in thine owne person , and by thy surety ; thy gracious suerty hath staked it down for thee to the utmost farthing : be confident therefore of thy safe condition ; thou art no lesse sure , then thine adversary is malicious . x. temptation had god ever given thee any sure testimonies of his love , thou might'st perhaps pretend to some reason of comfort and confidence . but the truth is , god never loved thee ; he may have cast upon thee some common favours , such as he throwes away upon reprobates , but for the tokens of any speciall love that he bears to thee , thou never didst ; never shalt receive any from him . repelled . this is language well-befitting the professed make-bate betwixt god and man ; but know , o thou false tempter , that i have received sure and infallible testimonies of that speciall love , which is proper to his elect : first then , ( as i have to do with a bountiful god , who where he loves , there he inriches ; so ) i have received most precious gifts from his hands ; such as do not import a common , and ordinary beneficence , ( w ch he scatters promiscuously amongst the sons of men ) but such as carry in them a dearnesse , and singularity of divine favour : even the greatest gifts , that either he can give , or man receive ; for first he hath given me his spirit , the spirit of adoption , whereby i can call him father ; for the assurance whereof , the spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit , that we are the children of god : deny , if thou canst , the invaluablenesse of this heavenly gift ; and if thy malice cannot detract from the worth , but from the propriety ; yeelding it to be great , but denying it to be mine ; know , o thou envious spirit , that here is the witnesse of two spirits combined against thine ; were the testimonies single , surely i had reason to believe my owne spirit , rather then thine , which is a spirit of errour ; but now , that the spirit of god conjoines his inerrable testimony together with my spirit , against thy single suggestion , how just cause have i to be confident of my possession of that glorious , and blessed gift ? neither is that good spirit dead , or dumb , but vocall , and operative : it gives mee a tongue to call , god , father ; it teacheth me to pray ; it helpeth mine infirmities , and maketh intercession for me , with groanings which cannot be uttered ; it worketh effectually in me a sensible conversion ; even when i was dead in sins and trespasses , god , who is rich in mercy , for his great love wherewith he loved me , hath by this spirit of his quickned me together with christ , and hath raised me up together with him : by the blessed effects therefore of this regenerating spirit happily begun in my soule i find how rich a treasure the father of mercies hath conveighed into my bosome . besides , my life shows what is in my heart ; it was a gracious word , that god spake to his people of old , and holds for ever ; i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes ; i will also save you from all your uncleannesses ; the spirit of god can never be severed from obedience ; if the heart be taken up with the holy spirit , the feet must walke in gods statutes ; & both heart and life must be freed from all wilfull uncleannesses ; i feel that god hath wrought all this in me ; from him it is , that i do sincerely desire , & indevour to make straight steps in all the ways of god ; and to avoid , and abhor all those foule corruptions of my sinfull nature ; flesh and bloud hath not , would not , could not work this in me ; the spirit therefore of him who raised up jesus from the dead dwels in me ; and if this be not a pledge of his dearest love , heaven cannot yeeld one . moreover , he hath bestowed upon mee another gift , more worth then all the world ; his own son , the son of his love , the son of his nature by eternall generation ; whom he hath not only given for me , in a generality with the rest of mankind , but hath by a speciall donation conveighed unto me , and , as it were put into my bosome ; in that he hath enabled me by a lively faith to bring him home unto my soule ; and hath thus by a particular application made him mine : so as my soule is not more mine , then he is my soules ; and having given me his son , he hath with him given me all things : if there can be greater tokens of love then these , let me want them . besides his gifts , his carriage doth abundantly argue his love ; were there a strangenesse betweene god and my soule , i might well feare there were no other then overly respects from him towards me : but now , when i find he doth so freely and familiarly converse with his servant , and so graciously imparts himself to me ; renuing the daily testimonies of his holy presence in the frequent motions of his good spirit , answered by the returns of an humble and thankfull obedience ; here is not love onely , but intirenesse . what other is that poor measure of love , which our wretched meannesse can return unto our god , but a weak reflection of that fervent love which he bears unto us ? it is the word of divine wisdome , i love them that love me , and the disciple of love can tell us the due order of love , we love him , because he first loved us . the love of god therefore which is shed abroad in our hearts , by the holy ghost , which is given unto us , is an all-sufficient conviction of gods tender love unto us : my heart tels me , then , that i love god truly , though weakly ; god tels me that he embraceth me with an everlasting love , which thy malice may snarle at , but can never abate . temptations repelled . the third decade . temptations of allurement . iii. decade . i. temptation thou hast hitherto thus long given entertainment to thy sin , and no inconvenience hath ensued ; no evill hath befallen thee , thy affaires have prospered better then thy scrupulous neighbours ; why shouldst thou shake off a companion , that hath been both harmlesse , and pleasant ? go on man , sin fearlesly ; thou shalt speed no worse then thou hast done ; go on , and thrive in thine old course , whiles some precisely conscientious beg , and starve in their innocence . repelled . it is right so as wise salomon observd of old : because sentence against an evil worke is not executed speedily ; therfore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evill . wicked spirit ; what a deadly fallacy is this which thou puttest upon miserable soules ? because they have aged in their sins , therefore they must die in them : because they have lived in sin , therefore they must age in it ; because they have prospered in their sin , therefore they must live in it ; whereas all these should be strong arguments to the contrary ; there cannot be a greater proofe of gods disfavour then for a man to prosper in wickednesse ; neither can there be a more forcible inducement to a man to forsake his sin , then this , that he hath entertain'd it : what dost thou other in this then perswade the poor sinner to despise the riches of the goodnesse and forbearance , and long suffering of god ; which should lead him to repentance ; and after his hardnesse , and impenitent heart to treasure up unto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath , and revelation of the righteous judgement of god ? what an horrible abuse is this of divine mercy ? that which is intended to lead us to repentance , is now urged by thee to draw us from repentance ; should the justice of god have cut off the sinner in the flagrance of his wicked fact ; there had been no roome for his penitence , and now god gives him a faire respite for his repentance , thou turnest this into a provocation of sinning ; let the case for the present be mine ; if sin have so far bewitcht me as to win me to dally with it ; must i therefore be wedded to it ? or if i be once wedded to it , through the importunity of temptation , shall i be tyed to a perpetuall cohabitation with that fiend , and not free my self by a just divorce ? because i have once yeilded to be evill , must i therefore be worse ? because i have happily , by the mercy of my god , escaped hell in sinning , shall i wilfully run my self headlong into the pit , by continuing in sin ? no , wicked one , i know how to make better use of gods favour , and my own miscarriages : i cannot reckon it amongst my comforts , that i prospered in evill ; let obdured hearts blesse themselves in such advantages ; but i adore that goodnesse , that forbore me in my iniquity ; neither dare provoke it any more . thinke not to draw me on by the lucky successe of my sin ; which thou hast wanted no indeavour to promote ; better had it been for me , if i had fared worse in the course of my sinning ; but had i been yet outwardly more happy , do i not know that god vouchsases his showers , & his sun-shine to the fields of those , whose persons he destines to the fire ? can i be ignorant of that , which holy iob observed in his time , that the tabernacles of the wicked prosper ; and they that provoke god are secure , into whose hands god bringeth abundantly ; that they spend their days in wealth , and in a moment go downe to the grave ; and ( as the psalmist seconds him ) there are no bands in their death ; but their strength is firme ; they are not in trouble like other men , therefore pride compasseth them about as achaine ; and let these jolly men brave it out in the glorious pompe of their unjust greatnesse ; the same eyes that noted their exaltation , have also observed their downefall . they are exalted for a little while ( saith job ) but they are gone , and brought low ; they are taken out of the way , as all others ; and cut off , as the tops of the ears of corne . and in his answer to zophar ; where are the dwelling places of the wicked ? have ye not asked them that go by the way , and do ye not know their tokens ? that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction ; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath ; the eyes of the wicked ( even those scornfull and contemptuous eyes , which they have cast upon gods poor despised ones ) shall faile , and they shall not escape ; and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost . how false an inference then is this , whereby 〈◊〉 goest about to delude ●y soule ; thou hast hitherto prospered in thy wickedness , therefore thou shalt prosper in it still , and ever ; to morrow shall be as yesterday , and more abundant ; as if the just god had not set a period to iniquity ? as if he had not said to the most insolent sinner , as to the raging sea , here shalt thou stay thy proud waves : how many rich epicures have with crassus , sup't in apollo , and broken their fast with beelzebub , the prince of devils ? how many have lien downe to sleep out their furfeit , and have waked in hell ? were my times in thy hand , thou wouldst not suffer me long to enjoy my sin ; and forbeare the seizure of my soule ; but now they are in the hands of a righteous god , who is jealous of his owne glory , he will be sure not to over-pass those hours , which he hath set for thy torment , or my account . shortly therefore , i will withdraw my foot from every evil way ; and walk holily with my god ; however i speed in the world ; let me with the conscientious men beg , or starve in my innocence ; rather then thrive in my wickednesse and get hell to boot . ii. temptation sin still ; thou shall repent soon enough , when thou canst sin no more ; thine old age , and death-bed are fit seasons for those sad thoughts ; it will go hard if thou maist not , at the last , have a mouthfull of breath left thee , to cry god mercy ; and that is no sooner askt , then had ; thou hast to do with a god of mercies ; with whom no time is too late , no measure too sleight to be accepted . repelled . of all the blessed attributes of god , whereby he is willing to make himself known unto men , there is none by which he more delights to be set forth , then that of mercy ; when therefore he would proclaime his stile to moses , this is the title which he most insists upon : the lord , the lord god ; mercifull and gracious , long suffering , and abundant in goodnesse , and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity , and transgression , and sin ; and all his holy heralds the prophets have still been carefull to blazon him thus to the world ; neither is there any of those divine attributes , that is so much abused by men , as this which is most beneficiall to mankind ; for the wisdome of god every man professes to adore it ; for the power of god every man magnifies it ; for the justice of god , every man trembles at it ; but , for the mercy , and long-sufferance of god , how apt are men and devils to wrong it by a sinfull mis-application ? wicked tempter , how ready art thou to mis-improve gods patience to the encouragement of my sin ; and to perswade me therefore to offend him , because he is good ; and to continue in sin , because grace abounds ; thou bidst me sin still ; god forbids me upon paine of death to sin at all ; whether should i listen to ? god cals me to a speedy repentance , thou perswadest me to defer it ; whether counsell should i hold more safe ? surely there cannot be but danger in the delay of it ; in the speed there can be nothing but a comfortable hope of acceptation : it is not possible for me to repent too soone ; too late i may : to repent for my sin , when i can sinne no more , what would it be other then to be sory that i can no more sin ? and what thank is it to me , that i would , and am disabled to offend ? thou telst me that mine age , and death-bed are meet seasons for my repentance ; as if time and grace were in my power to command ; how know i whether i shall live till age ? yea till to morrow ? yea till the next hour ? doe not i see how fickle my life is ? and shall i with the foolish virgins , delay the buying of my oyle , till the doores be shut ? but , let me live ; have i repentance in a string , that i may pull it to me when i list ? is it not the great gift of that good spirit , which breatheth when , and where it pleaseth ? it is now offered to me in this time of grace ; if i now refuse it , perhaps i may seek it , with teares , in vaine : i know the gates of hell stand alwaies wide open to receive all commers , not so the gates of heaven ; they are shut upon the impenitent , and never opened but in the seasons of mercy ; the porches of bethesda were full of cripples expecting cure ; those waters were not alwaies sanative ; if when the angel descends and moves the water , we take not our first turne , we may wait too long : but of all other , that season whereon thou pitchest , my death-bed , is most unseasonable for this work , most serviceable for thy purpose ; how many thousand souls hast thou deluded with this plausible , but deadly , suggestion ? for then , alas , how is the whole man taken up with the sense of paine , with grapling with the disease , with answering the condoling of friends , with disposing the remainder of our estate , with repelling ( then most importunate ) temptations , with encountring the horrours and pangs of an imminent dissolution ; and what roome is there then for a serious task of repentance ? no , wicked one , i see thy drift ; thou wouldst faine perswade me to do like some idle wanton servants , who play , and talk out their candle-light , & then go darklings to bed ; i hate the motion , and do gladly embrace this happy opportunity , which god holds forth to me , of my present conversion . thou tell'st me how hard it would be , if i should not have one mouth-full of breath , at the last , to implore mercy ; i tell thee of many a one that hath not had so much ; neither hath it been hard , but just , that those who have had so many and earnest solicitations from a mercifull god , and have given a deafe eare to them ; should not at the last have a tongue to aske that mercy , which they have so often refused . but let me have wind enough left to redouble the name of mercy ; am i sure upon so short warning to obtaine it ? how many are there that shall say , lord , lord ; and yet shall be answer'd , with depart from me , i know you not ? do i not hear that god , whom vaine men frame all of mercy , say , even of his israel ; i will not pity , nor spare , nor have mercy , but destroy them ? there is a time for judgement , as well as a time for mercy ; neither of these may encroach upon other ; as judgement may not be allowed to seize upon the soule , during the season of mercy , so neither may mercy put forth it selfe to rescue the soule in an execution of judgement ; both must have their due turnes ; let me sue therefore for grace , ere the time of grace be over-passed ; heaven is as a strong castle , whereto there is but one way of entrance ; the draw-bridge is let down all the day ; all that while the passage is open ; let me stay till night ; the bridge is hoysed up , the way precluded ; i may now stand without , and call long enough for an hopelesse admittance . it shall be my care to get within those gates , ere my sun be set ; whiles the willing neglecters of mercy shal find hell open , heaven inaccessible . iii. temptation thou art one of gods chosen ; now god sees no sin in his elect ; none therefore in thee ; neither maist thou then take notice of any sin in thy selfe ; or needest any repentance for thy sin . repelled . deceitfull tempter ; now thou wouldst faine flatter me into hell ; and make gods favour a motive of my damnation ; i doubt not but i am , through gods mercy , one of his chosen ; his free grace in christ my saviour , hath put upon me this honour ; neither will i fear to challenge any of the happy priviledges of my election ; but that this should be one of the speciall prerogatives of grace , that god should see no sin in me , i hate to hear ; that god imputes no sin to his elect , is a divine truth ; but that he sees no sin in his elect , is a conceit hatch't in hell : for , tell me , thou antinomian spirit , if god see no sin in his elect , is the reason on the behalfe of god , or of the sin ? either for that there is no sin at all to be seen , or for that though there be sin in them , yet god sees it not ; if the former ; it must be either in relation to the person of the sinner , or to the act and nature of the sin : either , that he cannot do that act which is formally sinne , or , that though he do such an act , yet in him it is no sin . if the latter ; it must be either for the defect of his omniscience , or upon a willing connivence ; in each of these there is grosse errour , in some of them blasphemy : for first , what can be more evident then that the holiest of gods elect upon earth fall ( and that not infrequently ) into sin ? who can say , i have made my heart clean , i am pure from my sin ? was the just challenge of wise salomon ; and his father before him said no lesse , there is none that doeth good , no not one ; and , elswhere , who can understand his errours ? cleanse thou me from my secret faults : we all ( saith the prophet esay ) putting himself into the number , have like sheep gone astray ; we have turned every one to his owne waies : and wherefore were those legall expiations of old by the bloud of their sacrifices , but for the acknowledged sins both of priests , and people ? perswade us if thou canst , that our election exempts us from being men : for certainly , whiles we are men we cannot but be sinners : so sure is that parenthesis of salomon , there is no man that sinneth not , as that , if we say we have no sin , we both deceive our selves , and make god a lier . what then ? that which in it self is sin , is it not sin in the elect ? doth evill turne good as it falls from their person ? where did the holy god infuse such vertue into any creature ? surely , so deadly is the infection of sin , that it makes the person evill ; but that the holinesse of the person should make the sin lesse evill , is an hellish monster of opinion ; yea so far is it from that ; as that the holinesse of the person addes to the haynousnesse of the sin ; the adultery had not been so odious , if a david had not committed it ; nor the abjuration of christ so grievous , if it had not fallen from him that said , though all men , yet not i : sin is sin even in an angel ; and the worse for the eminence of the actor : for what is sin but the transgression of the law in whomsoever ? whersoever therefore transgression is ; there is guilt ; and such the best of all gods saints have acknowledged & lamented in themselves ; wo is me , saith the prophet esay , for i am undone , because i am a man of unclean lips : the evill that i would not doe , that i doe , saith the chosen vessel ; yea in many things , saith st. james , we offend all . it is true , that as the beloved disciple hath taught us , he that is borne of god sinneth not ; not that he may not fall into the same act of sin with the most carnall man , but that he sins not in the same manner ; the one sins with all his heart , with the full sway of his will , the other not without a kind of renitency : the one makes a trade of his sin ; the other steps onely aside through the vehemence of a temptation ; the one sins with an high hand , the other out of meer infirmity ; the one walks on securely and resolutely , as obfirmed in his wickednesse , the other is smitten with a seasonable remorse for his offence . the one delights and prides himselfe in his sin ; the other , as he sinned bashfully , so he hates himself for sinning ; the one grows up daily to a greater height of iniquity ; the other improves his sin to the bettering of his soule ; but this difference of sin , as it makes sin unmeasurably sinfull in the worst men ; so it doth not quite anull it in the holiest ; it is their sin still , though it raigne not in them , though it kill them not . whiles then there cannot but be sin in the elect , is it possible that god should not see it there ? is there any thing in heaven , or earth , or hell that can be hid from his all-seeing eyes ? where should this sin lurk , that he should not espy it ? do not the secrets of all hearts lie open before him ? are not his eyes a flame of fire ? is it not expresly noted , as an aggravation of evill ; iudah did evill in the sight of the lord ; and , our transgressions ( faith isaiah ) are multiplied before thee : it is out of his infinite holinesse , that he cannot abide to behold sin ; but it is out of his absolute omniscience , that there is no sin which he beholds not ; and out of his infinite justice , that he beholds no sin which he hates not . is it then for that sin hath no being , as that which is onely a failing , and privation of that rectitude and integrity which should be in us , and our actions , without any positive entity in it selfe ? upon this ground god should see no sin at all ; no not in the wickedest man upon earth ; and , whereas wicked men do nothing but sin , it should follow that god takes no notice of most of the actions that are done in the world ; whereof the very thought were blasphemy . since then it cannot bee out of defect of knowledge , that god sees not the sinnes of his elect ; is it out of a favourable connivence that he is willing not to see , what he sees ? surely , if the meaning be , that god sees not the sinnes of the penitent with a revengefull eye ; that out of a mercifull indulgence , he will not prosecute the sins whereof we have repented , with due vengeance , but passes them by , as if they had not been ; we do so gladly yeeld to this truth , that we can never blesse god enough for this wonderfull mercy to poore sinners ; it is his gracious word , which we lay redy hold upon ; i , even i am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake , and will not remember thy sinnes . but if the meaning be , that god beares with sin , because theirs ; that he so winkes at it as that he neither sees nor detests it , as it falls from so deare actors ; it is no other , then a blasphemous charge of injustice upon the holy one of israel ; your iniquities , faith isaiah , speaking of gods chosen people , have separated between you and your god ; and your sinnes have hid his face from you , that he will not hear ; who was dearer to god then the man after his own heart ; yet when he had given way to those foule sinnes of adultery and murder ; nathan tells him from god ; now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house , because thou hast despised me , and hast taken the wife of vriah the hittite to be thy wife ; thus saith the lord , behold i will raise up evill against thee out of thine owne house &c. how full and clear is that complaint of moses the man of god ? we are consumed by thine anger , and by thy wrath are we troubled ; thou hast set our iniquities before thee , our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance ; and ieremy to the same purpose ; we have transgressed and have rebelled , thou hast not pardoned ; thou hast covered with anger , and persecuted us , thou hast slaine , thou hast not pityed us : thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud , that our prayer should not passe thorough : doubtlesse then god so sees sin in his elect : that he both more notes and hates sin more in his dearest children then in any other . upon this impious supposition of gods not seeing sin in his chosen , wouldst thou raise that hellish suggestion , that a man must see no sin in himselfe ; no repentance for sin : then which , what wider gappe can be opened to a licentious stupidity ? for , that a man should commit sinne , as lot did his incest , not knowing that hee doth the fact , what is it but to bereave him of his senses ? to commit that fact which he may not know to be sin , what is it but to bereave him of reason ; not to be sorry for the sin he hath commited , what is it but to bereave him of grace ? how contrary is this to the mind and practise of al gods saints ? holy iob could say ; how many are mine iniquities and sinnes ; make me to know my transgression and my sinne ? and at last , when god had wrought accordingly upon his heart ; i abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes ; penitent david could say , i acknowledg my transgression , and my sin is ever before me ; and elsewhere , i will declare mine iniquity , and be sorry for my sin ; and solomons suppliant that would hope for audience in heaven , must know the plague of his own heart . carry on therefore thy deluded clients in a willing ignorance of their finnes , and a secure regardlesnesse of their repentance ; for me , i will ransack my heart for my secret sinnes ; and finde no peace in my soule till it bee truly sensible of my owne repentance , and gods remission . iv. temptation thou maist live as thou listest ; thy destiny is irreversible ; if thou be predestined to life , thy sins cannot damne thee ; for gods election remaineth certaine . if thou be ordained to damnation , all thy good endevours cannot save thee ; please thy selfe on earth , thou canst not alter what is done in heaven . repelled . the suggestion is pernicious ; and such , as that satans quiver hath not many shafts more deadly ; for where ever it enters , it renders a man carelesly desperate , and utterly regardlesse either of good , or evill : bereaving him at once both of grace , and wit. the story tells us of a great prince tainted with this poyson ; whom his wise physician happily cured ; for being called to the sicke bed of him , whom he knew thus dangerously resolved ; in stead of medicine , he administers to his patient this just conviction : sir , you are conscious of your stiffe opinion concerning predestination ; why doe you send to mee for the cure of your sicknesse ? either you are predestinated to recover and live , or else you are in gods decree appointed to dye : if you be ordained to live and recover , you shall live , though you take noe helps of physick from me ; but if to dye , all my art and meanes cannot save you . the convinced prince saw , and felt his errour , and recanted it : as well perceiving , how absurd , and unreasonable it is , in whatsoever decree of either temporall or spiritual good , to sever the means from the end ; being both equally determined ; and the one in way to the other : the comparison is cleare and irrefragable ; gods decree is equally both certaine , and secret , for bodily health , and life eternall ; the meanes appointed , are food and medicine for the one , and for the other , repentance , fait● , obedience : in the use of these we may live , we cannot but dye in their neglect : were it any other then madnesse in mee to relye upon a presupposed decree , willingly forbearing the while the means whereby it is brought about ? to say , if i shall live i shall live , though i eat not ; if i shall dye , though i eate i shall not live ; therefore i will not eate , but cast my self upon gods providence , whether to dye or live : in doing thus , what am i other then a selfe murderer ? it is a prevailing policy of the devill so to work by his temptations , upon the heart of man , that in temporall things he shall trust to the meanes without regard to the providence of the god that gives them ; in spirituall , he should cast himself upon the providence of a god , without respect to the meanes , whereby they are effected ; whereas , if both these goe not together , we lose either god , or our selves , or both . it is true , that if god had peremptorily declared his absolute will concerning the state or event of any creature , we might not indevour , or hope to alter his decree ; if god have said to a moses ; goe up to the mount and dye there , it is not for that obedient servant of god , to say ; yet i will lay up some years provision , if perchance i may yet live ; although , even thus , in the minatory declarations of gods purpose ( because we know not what conditions may be secretly intended ) we may use what meanes we may for a diversion : the ninivites heard that expresse word from ionah [ yet fourty daies and nineveh shall be destroyed ] and though they beleeved the prophet , yet they betooke themselves to an universall humiliation for the prevention of the judgement : david heard from the mouth of nathan ; the child that is born unto thee shall surely dye ; yet he besought god , and fasted , and lay all night upon the earth , and could say , who can tell whether god will bee gracious to mee that the child may live ? good hezekiah was sick unto death , and heares from isaiah ; set thy house in order , for thou shalt dye and not live ; yet he turnes his face to the wall , and praies ; and makes use of his bunch of figges ; and recovers ; but , where the counsell of god is altogether secret , without the least glimpse of revelation , for a man to passe a peremptory doome upon himselfe , and either thereupon wilfully to neglect the knowne meanes of his good , or to run willingly upō those courses which will necessarily work his destruction , it is the highest degree of madnesse , that can be incident into a reasonable creature . the father of mercies hath appointed meanes of the salvation of mankind , which lye open to them , if they would not be wanting to themselves ; but especially to us , who are within the bosome of his church , he hath held forth saving helpes in abundance . what warnings , what reproofes , what exhortations , what invitations , what intreaties , what importunities , hath he forborn for our conversion ? what menaces , what afflictions , what judgments hath he not made use of , for the prevention of our damnation ? can there be now any man so desperately mad , as to shut heaven gates against himselfe , which the mercifull god leaves open for him ? or , as to breake open the gates of hell , and rush violently into the pit of destruction , which god had latched against him ? thou sayst , if i be predestin'd to life , my sinnes cannot damne me . man ; thou beginnest at the wrong end ; in that thou takest thy first rise at gods eternall counsails , and then judgest doubtfully of thine owne waies ; it is not for thee to beginne first at heaven , and then to descend to earth ; this course is presumptuous and damnable ; what are those secret and closed bookes of gods eternall decree , and preordination , unto thee ? they are onely for the eyes of him that wrote them ; the lord knoweth them that are his ; look if thou wilt upon the outer seale of those divine secrets ; and , read , let every one that nameth the name of christ depart from iniquity . thy way lies from earth to heaven ; the revealed wil of god , by which onely wee are to be regulated , is ; repent , beleeve , obey , and thou shalt be saved ; live and dye in thy sinnes , impenitent , unbeleeving , thou shalt be damned ; according to this rule frame thou thy courses , and resolutions ; and if thou canst be so great an enemy to thine own soule , as determinately to contemne the meanes of salvation , and to tread wilfully in the paths of death , who can say other , but thou art faire for hell ? but if thou shalt carefully use and improve those good meanes which god hath ordained for thy conversion , and shalt thereupon find that true grace is wrought in thy soule ; that thou abhorrest al evill waies , that thou dost truly beleeve in the lord iesus , and heartily purposest , and indevourest to live holily , and conscionably in this present world , thou maiest now as assuredly know thy name written in heaven , as if thou hadst read it in those eternal characters of gods secret counsell : plainely , it is not for thee to say , i am predestinate to life , therefore thus i shall doe , and , thus i shall speed ; but contrarily , thus hath god wrought in me , therefore i am predestinate ; let me doe well , it cannot but be well with mee ; glory , and honour , and peace to every man that worketh good ; let me doe my utmost diligence to make my calling and election sure ; i am safe , and shall be happy . but if thou hast been mis-carried to lewd courses , and hast lived as without god in the world ; whiles thou dost so , thy case is fearefull : but who allowed thee to ●it judg upon thine own soule ? and to passe a peremptory doome of necessary damnation upon thy selfe ? are not the meanes of grace ( gods blessed ordinances ) stil held forth unto thee ? doth not god still gratiously invite thee to repentance ? doth not thy saviour stand ready with his armes spread abroad to receive thee into his bosome ? and canst thou be so desperately , and presumptuously mercilesse to thy selfe , as to say , i shall be damned , therefore i will sinne ? thou canst not be so wicked but there may be a possibility of thy reclamation ; whiles god gives thee respite , there may be hope ; be not thou so injurious to thy selfe as to usurpe the office both of god , and the devill ; of god , in passing a finall judgment upon thy selfe ; of the devill , in drawing thy selfe into damnation . returne therefore , o sinner , and live , break off thy sinnes by repentance , and be saved ; but if otherwise , know , that gods decree doth neither necessitate thy sin , nor thy damnation ; thou maist thank thy selfe for both ; thy perdition is of thy selfe , o israel . v. temptation why wilt thou be singular amongst and above thy neighbours ; to draw needlesse censures upon thy self ? be wise , and do as the most . be not so over-squemish as not to dispense with thy conscience in some small matters ; lend a lye to a friend , swallow an oath for feare , be drunke sometimes for good fellowship , falsify thy word for an advantage , serve the time , frame thy selfe to all companies ; thus thou shalt be both warme , and safe , and kindly respected . repelled . plausible tempter , what care wouldest thou seeme to take of my ease , and reputation , that , in the mean time , thou mightst run away with my soule ? thou perswadest mee not to be singular amongst my neighbours ; it shall not be my fault if i bee so : if my neighbours bee good , and vertuous , i am with , and for them ; let mee be hissed at , to goe alone ; but if otherwise , let me rather go upright alone , then halt with company : thou tellst mee of censures ; they are spent in vaine that would disharten mee from good , or draw me into evill ; i am too deep rooted in my resolutions of good , then to be turnd up by every slight wind , i know who it is that hath said , blessed are ye when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my names sake . let men take leave to talk their pleasure ; in what i know i do wel , i am censure-proofe . thou bidst me bee wise , and doe as the most ; these two cannot agree together ; not to follow the most , but the best , is true wisdome ; my saviour hath told me , that the many goe in the broadway , which leadeth to destruction ; and it is the charge of god , thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill ; whiles i follow the guidance of my god , i walk confidently , as knowing , i cannot goe amisse ; as for others , let them look to their own feet , they shall be no guides of mine . thou bidst me dispense with my conscience in small matters ; i have learnt to call nothing small , that may offend the majesty of the god of heaven ; dispensations must onely proceed from a greater power ; onely god is greater then my conscience ; where he dispenseth not , it were a vaine presumption for me to dispense with my selfe : and what are those small matters wherein thou solicitest my dispensation ? to lend a ly to a friend ; why dost thou not perswade mee to lend him my soule ? yea to give it unto thee for him ? it is a sure word of the wise man ; the mouth that lyeth , slayeth the soule ; how vehement a charge hath the god of truth layd upon me , to avoid this sinne , which thou , the father of lies , wouldst draw me unto ? what marvell is it , if each speak for his own ? he who is truth it selfe , and loveth truth in the inward parts , justly calles for it in the tongue ; laying aside lying ( saith the spirit of god ) speak every man truth with his neighbour ; thou , who art a lying spirit , wouldst be willing to advance thine own brood under the faire pretence offriendship ; but what ? shall i to gratifie a friend , make god mine enemy ? shall i to rescue a friend from danger , bring destruction upon my selfe ? thou shalt destroy them that speake leasings , saith the psalmist : without shall be every one that loveth , or maketh lies . if therefore my true attestation may availe my friend , my tongue is his , but if he must be supported by falshood ; my tongue is neither his , nor mine ; but is his that made it . to swallow an oath for fear ? no , tempter ; i can let down none such morsels ; an oath is too sacred , & too awfull a thing for me to put over out of any outward respects against my conscience ? if i sweare , the oath is not mine , it is gods ; and the revenge will be his , whose the offence is . it is a charge to be trembled at ; yee shall not sweare by my name falsly ; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy god , i am the lord ; and if the word of charge be so dreadfull , what terrour shall we find in the word of judgment ? lo , god sweares too ; and because there is no greater to sweare by , he swears by himself ; as i live , surely mine oath that he hath despised , and my covenant which he hath broken , even it will i recompence upon his owne head : it was one of the words that were delivered in fire and smoak and thunder and lightning , in sinai ; the lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine . i dare not therefore feare any thing so much as the displeasure of the almighty ; and ( to dye for ) will neither take an unlawfull oath , nor violate a just one . as for that sociable excesse , whereto thou temptest me , how ever the commonness of the vice may have seemed to abate of the reputation of hainousnes , in the opinion of others , yet to me it representeth it so much more hatefull ; as an universall contagion is more grievous then a local : i cannot puchase the name of good fellowship with the losse of my reason , or with the price of a curse ; dayly experience makes good that word of solomon , that wine is a mocker , robbing a man of himselfe , and leaving a beast in his roome : and what woes do i heare denounced against those that rise up earely in the morning that they may follow strong drink , that continue till night til the wine inflame them : if any man thinke he may pride himselfe in a strong brain , and a vigorous body ; woe to them that are mighty to drink wine , & men of strength to mingle strong drinkes : let the iovialists of the world drink wine in bowles , and feast themselves without feare , let me never joyne my selfe with that fellowship , where god is banisht from the companie . wouldst thou perswade me to falsifie my word for an advantage ? what advantage can be so great as the conscience of truth , and fidelity ? that man is for gods tabernacle , that sweareth to his owne hurt , and changeth not ; let me rather lose honestly , then gaine by falshood and perfidiousnesse . thou biddest me serve the time ; so i will doe ; whiles the time serves not thee ; but if thou shalt have so corrupted the time , that the whole world is set in wickednesse , i will serve my god in opposing it : gladly will i serve the time in all good offices , that may tend to rectifie it , but to serve it in a way of flattery , i hate and scorn . i shall willingly frame my selfe to all companies ; not for a partnership in their vice , but for their reclamation from evil , or incouragement in good ; the chosen vessell hath by his example taught me this charitable , and holy pliablenesse ; though i be free from all men , yet have i made my self a servant unto all , that i might gain the more . to the jewes i became as a jew , that i might gaine the jewes ; to them that are under the law , as under the law , that i might gaine them that are under the law ; to them that are without law , as without law , ( being not without law to god , but under the law to christ that i might gain them that are without law ; to the weake i became weake that i might gaine the weake ; i am made all things to all men that i might by al means save some : my onely scope shall be spirituall gaine ; for this will i ( like some good merchant ) trafique with all nations , with all persons . but for carnall respects , to put my selfe ( like the first matter ) into all formes , to be demure with the strictly-severe , to be debaucht with the drunkard , with the atheist profane , with the bigot superstitious , what were this but to give away my soule to every one , save to the god that ownes it ; and whiles i would be all , to be nothing ; and to professe an affront to him that hath charged me be not conformed to this world . shortly , let me be despicable , and starve , and perish in my innocent integrity , rather then be warme and safe , and honoured upon so evill conditions . vi. temptation it is but for a while that thou hast to live ; and when thou art gone , all the world is gone with thee ; improve thy life to the best contentment ; take thy pleasure whiles thou maist . repelled . even this was the very no●e of thine old epicurean clients , let us eat and drink , for to morrow we shall die , i acknowledg the same dart and the same hand that flings it ; a dart dipped in that deadly poison that causeth the man to dye laughing ; a dart that pierceth as deeply into the sensuall heart , as it easily retorted by the regenerate . these wilde inferences of sensuality are for those , that know no heaven , no hell : but to me that know this world to be nothing but a thorow-fare to eternity either way , they abhorre , not from grace onely , but from reason it selfe ; in the intuition of this immortality , what wise man would not rather say , my life is short , therefore it must bee holy ? i shall not live long , let me live well ; so let mee live for a while , that i may live for ever ? these have been still the thoughts of gracious hearts , moses the man of god , after he hath computed the short periods of our age , and confined it to fourescore yeares , ( so soon is it cut off , and we fly away ) inferres with the same breath , so teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisdome ; as implying that this holy arithmeticke should be an introduction to divinity ; that the search of heavenly wisdome should be the true use of our short life ; and the sweet singer of israel after he hath said , behold , thou hast made my daies as a span long , mine age is nothing to thee ; findes cause , to look up from earth to heaven , and now , lord , what wait i for ? surely my hope is even in thee : he that desired to know the measure of his life , findes it but a span ; and recompences the shortnesse of his continuance , with hopes everlasting , as the tender mercy of our god pities our frailtie , remembring that we are but flesh , a wind that passeth away , and cometh not againe ; so our frailty supports it selfe with the meditation of his blessed eternity ; my daies ( saith the psalmist ) are like a shadow that declineth , and i am withered like grasse ; but thou , o lord , shalt endure for ever , and thy remembrance to all generations . as therefore every man walketh in a vain shadow , in respect of his transitorinesse , so the good man in respect of his holy conversation , can say , i will walke before the lord in the land of the living ; and knowes himselfe made for better ends then vaine pleasure ; i shall not dye but live , and declare the works of the lord it is for them who have their portion in this life ; who have made their belly their god , and the world their heaven , to place their felicity in these carnall delights ; gods secret ones injoy their higher contentments ; thy loving kindnesse is better then life , saith the prophet ; thou hast put gladnesse in my heart , more then ( they had ) in the time that their corne and their wine increased . miserable worldlings , who walke in the vanitie of their mindes , being alienated from the life of god , through the ignorance that is in them , because of the blindnesse of their hearts ; who being past feeling , have given themselves over to lasciviousnesse , to work all uncleanenesse with greedinesse : what wonder is it , if as their life is meerely brutish , so the happinesse that they affect is no other then bestiall ; and if they snatch at those vanishing shadowes of pleasure , which a poore momentany life can afford them : according to the improvement of our best faculties , so is our felicity ; the best facultie of brute creatures is their sense , they therefore seeke their happinesse in the delectation of their senses : mans best facultie is reason ; he places his happinesse therefore in the delights of the mind , in the perfection of knowledg , and height of speculation ; the christians best sacultie is faith ; his felieity therefore consists in those things which are not perceptible by sense , not fadomeable by reason , but apprehensible by his faith , which is the evidence of things not seen , either by the eye of sense or reason : and as his felicity , so is his life , spirituall . to mee to live is christ , saith he that was rapt into the third heaven ; i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in mee , our life is hid with christ in god , and , when christ which is our life , shall appeare , then shall we also appeare with him in glory . lo then , when the worldling dies , his life dies with him , and , to him , the world is gone with both ; but when i die to nature , i have a life that lives still ; a life that cannot die ; a life that both is , and makes mee glorious : it is not for mee therefore to hunt after these unsatisfying , and momentany pleasures , which perish in their use , and shut up in repentance ; but to lay up those sure comforts , which shall never have an end , but after this transitory life shall accompany mee to eternity . tell not mee therefore of taking my full scope to the pleasures of sinne ; i know there is an hell , and i looke for an heaven ; upon this short moment of my life depends everlastingnesse . let me therfore be carefull to bestow this short life , as that i may be sure to avoid eternity of torments , and to lay up for eternity of blessednesse . vii . temptation it is for common wits to walk in the plain road of opinions . if thou wouldst be eminent amongst men , leave the beaten track , and tread in new paths of thine owne : neither let it content thee to guide thy steps by the dim lanterns of the antient ; he is no body that hath not new lights either to hold out , or follow . repelled . vvicked tempter ; i know thou wouldst have me go any waies , save good ; were those new waies , right , thou wouldst never perswade me to walk in them ; now i have just reason to mis-doubt and shun those paths which thou invitest me unto ; both as private , and as new : it is enough that they are my owne ; for canst thou think to bring me to believe my selfe wiser then the whole church of god ? who am i , that i should over-know not the present world of men only , but the eminent saints , and learned doctors of all former ages ? why should i not rather suspect my owne judgement , then oppose theirs ? when the church in that heavenly marriage-song inquires of the great shepheard of our souls ; tell me , o thou whom my soule loveth , where thou feedest , where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone ; for why should i be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions ? she receives answer ; if thou know not ( o thou fairest among women ) go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock , and feed thy kids beside the shepheards tents . lo , the tracks of the flock , and the tents of the shepheards are my direction to find my saviour ; if i turn aside , i misse him , and lose my selfe . it is more then enough that those waies are new : for truth is eternall ; and that is therefore most true , that comes nearest to eternity ; as contrarily , novelty is a brand of falshood , and errour : thus saith the lord ; stand ye in the ways , and see ; and ask for the old paths , where is the good way , and walk therein , and ye shall find rest for your soules : far be it from me then , that i should be guilty of that contempt , whereof the prophet , with the same breath , accuseth his jewes ; but they said , we will not walk therein . it is a fearfull word that i heare from the mouth of the same prophet ; because my people have forgotten me ; and have caused them to stumble in their waies from the antient paths , in a way not cast up : i will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy ; i will show them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity ; wo is me for these heavy times , wherein it is not the least part of our sin , nor the least cause of our miseries , that we have stumbled from the ancient pathes , into the untrodden waies of schisme and errour , and find not the face , but the back of our god turned to us , in this day of our calamity ; o god , thou art just ; we cannot complain that have made our selves miserable . it is true , where our forefathers have manifestly started aside like a broken bow ; and having corrupted their wayes , have burnt incense to vanity , we must be so far from making their precedent a warrant for our imitation , as that we hear god say to us , be ye not like unto your fathers ; walk not in the statutes of your forefathers , neither observe their judgements ; for those that turne aside to crooked waies , the lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity ; but where wee see them walke with a right foot , in the holy waies of god , and continue stedfastly in the faith which was once delivered to the saints , we have reason to be followers of them , who through faith and patience inherit the promises ; that walking in their waies , we may attaine to their end , the salvation of our soules . let me see those steps wherein the holy prophets have trod ; those wherein the blessed apostles have traced the prophets , those wherein the primitive fathers and martyrs have followed the apostles ; those wherein the godly and learned doctors of the succeeding ages have followed those primitive fathers ; and if i follow not them , let me wander , and perish ; it is for true men to walke in the kings high-way , theeves & suspected persons crosse over through by-paths , and make way where they find none . thou tell'st me of new lights ; i ask whence they rise : i know who it was that said , i am the light of the world , he that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse , but shall have the light of life ; and i know that light was the true light ; of whom holy david spake long before , thou art my lampe , o lord ; and the lord wil lighten my darkenesse ; and in thy light shall we see light ; those that doe truly hold forth this light shall be my guides , and i shall follow them with all confidence ; and shall find the path of the just , as the shining light , that shineth more and more unto the perfect day ; as for any new light , that should now break forth , and shine upon our waies ; certainely it is but darknesse ; such a light as bildad prophesied of long agoe ; the light of the wicked shall be put out , and the sparke of his fire shall not shine ; the light shall be darknesse in his tabernacle , and his candle shall be put out with him ; so as the seduced followers of these new lights may have just cause to take up that complaint of the prophet , we wait for light , but behold obscurity , for brightnesse , but we walk in darknesse ; we grope for the wall like the blinde , wee stumble at noone day as in the night . shortly then , that light which the father of lights hath held forth in his will revealed in his word , as it hath been interpreted by his holy church in all ages , shal be my guide , till i shall see as i am seen ; as for any other lights , they are but as those wandring fires that appear in damp marishes , which lead the travailer into a ditch . viii . temptation pretend religion , and doe any thing : what face is so foule as that maske will not cleanly cover ? seem holy , and be what thou wilt . repelled . yea , there thou wouldest have mee ; this is that deadly dart , wherewith thou hast slain millions of soules ; hence it is that the mahumetan saints may commit publique filthinesse with thanks ; hence , that corrupt christians bury such abominable crimes in their cowls hence , that false professors shroude so much villanies under the shelter of piety ; hence , that the world abounds with so many sheep without , wolves within ; faire tombes full of inward rottennesse ; filthy dunghills covered over with snow : rich herse-clothes hiding ill-sented carkasses ; broken potsheards covered with silver drosse ; hence , that the adversaries of iudah offer to zerobabel their aid in building the temple ; the harlot hath her peace offerings ; absolom hath his vow to pay ; herod will worship the infant ; iudas hath a kisse for his master ; simon magus will be a convert ; ananias and sapphira will part with all ; the angell of the church of sardis will pretend to live ; the beast hath hornes like a lamb , but speakes like a dragon ; in a word , the wickedest of men will counterfeit saints , and false saints are very devills : for so much more eminent as the vertue is , which they would seeme to put on , so much the more odious is the simulation both to god and man : now the most eminent of all vertues is holinesse : whereby we both come nearest unto god , and most resemble him : of all creatures therefore out of hell , there is none so loathsome to god as the hypocrites , & that upon a double provocation ; both for doing of evil , & for doing evil under a colour of good ; the face that the wicked man sets upon his sin , is worse then the sin it self : bring no more vain oblations , ( saith the lord ) incense is an abomination to mee ; the new moones and sabbaths , the calling of assemblies i cannot away with ; it is iniquity ; even the solemne meeting ; your new moones , and your appointed feasts my soule hateth , they are a trouble to me , i am weary to be are them . how faine wouldst thou therefore draw mee into a double condemnation both for being evill , and seeming good , both w ch are an abomination to the lord ; doe i not hear him say , for as much as this people draw neare me with their mouth , and with their lips doe honour mee , but have removed their hearts from me ; therefore behold i will proceed to doe a marvellous work amongst this people , even a marvellous work and a wonder , for the wisdome of the wise shall perish ; doe i not heare him say by his prophet jeremiah ; they will deceive every one his neghbour and will not speake the truth : their tongue is an arrow shot out , it speaketh deceit ; one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth , but in heart he layeth his wait ; shall i not visit them for these things , saith the lord : shall not my soule be avenged of such a nation as this ? indeed this is the way to beguile the eyes of men like our selves ; for who would mistrust a mortifyed face ? an eye and hand lift up to heaven ? a tongue that speakes holy things ? but when we have to doe with a searcher of hearts , what madnesse is it to think there can be any wisdome or understanding , or counsail against the lord ? woe bee to them therefore that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the lord ; and their workes are in the darke , and they say , who seeth us ; and who knoweth us ? woe bee to the rebellious children , saith the lord , that take counsell , but not of mee , that cover with a covering , but not of my spirit , that they may add sin to sin . shall i then cleanse the out-side of the cup , whiles i am within full of extortion , & excesse ? shall i fast for strife and debate , and to smite with the fist of wickednesse ? shall i under pretence of long prayers devoure widowes houses ? shal i put on thy forme , and transfigure my selfe into an angell of light ? shall not the all-seeing eye of the righteous god find me out in my damnable simulation ? hath not he said , & wil make it good , though thou wash thee with nitre , and take thee much sope , yet thine iniquity is marked before mee ? hath not my saviour , who shall be our judge , said , therefore thou shalt receive the greater damnation ? can there be any heavier doom that can fall from that awfull mouth , then , receive thy portion with hypocrites ? let those therefore that are ambitious of an higher roome in hell , maintaine a forme of godlinesse , and deny the power of it : face wickednesse with piety : stalke under religion for the aimes of policy : juggle with god and the world , case a devill with a saint , and row towards hell whiles they looke heaven-ward . for me , all the while my breath is in me , & the spirit which god gives mee , is in my nostrills , i shall walke in mine uprightnesse : all false waies , and false semblances shal my soule utterly abhorre : that so at the parting , my rejoiceing may be the testimony of my conscience , that in simplicity , and godly sincerity , not with fleshly wisdome , but by the grace of god i have had my conversation in the world . ix . temptation why shouldst thou lose any thing of thy height ? thou art not made of common mold ; neither art thou as others ; if thou knowst thy self , thou art more holy , more wise , better gifted , more inlightned then thy neighbours ; justly therefore maist thou over-look the vulgar of christians , with pity , contempt , censure ; and beare thy selfe as too good for ordinary conversation , go apart , and avoid the contagion of common breath . repelled . if pride were thy ruine , wicked spirit , how faine wouldst thou make it mine also ? this was thy first killing suggestion to our first parents in paradise , soone after thine owne fall , ( as if it had been lately before , thy owne case ) ye shall be as gods , knowing good and evill : that which thou foundest ▪ so deadly to thy selfe , thou art enviously willing to feoffe upon man , that if through thy temptation , pride may compasse him about as a chaine , he may beare thee company in those everlasting chaines wherein thou art reserved under darknesse to the judgement of the great day . thou well knowest that the ready way to make me odious unto god , is to make me proud of my selfe ; pride and arrogancy , and the evill way doth he hate ; the day of the lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty , saith the prophet : he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts , saith the blessed virgin ; god resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble , saith the apostle ; the lord will destroy the house of the proud , saith salomon ; and his father david before him , thine eyes are upon the haughty that thou maist bring them downe ; downe , indeed , even to the bottome of that pit of perdition . make me but proud therefore , & i am thine ; sure i am , god will not owne me ; and if i could be in heaven with this sin , would cast me downe headlong into hell . thou bidst me not to lose any thing of my height ; alas , ( poore wretched dwarfe that i am ! ) what height have i ? if i have but grace enough to know and bewaile my owne misery , and nothingnesse , it is the great mercy of my god ; who maketh mee to differ from another ? and what have i that i have not received ? and if i have received it , why should i glory in it as my owne ? whatsoever thou perswadest me , let me rather lose of my height , then adde to my stature , and affect too high a pitch ; that humility is rewarded with honour , this pride with ruine ; it is the word of truth himselfe , whosoever shall exalt himselfe shall be abased ; and he that shall humble himselfe shall be exalted ; the way then to lose my whole height , yea my being , is to be lifted up , in , and above my selfe ; for though i should build my nest as high as the eagle ; or advance a throne among the stars , yet how soone shall he cast me downe into the dust ; yea , ( without my repentance ) into the nethermost hell ? thou telst me that ( which the pharisee said of himselfe ) i am not as others ; true , for i can say with the chosen vessell , that i am the chiefe of sinners : thou wouldst bring me into an opinion that i am more holy , and more wise then my neighbours ; i am a stranger to other mens graces , i am acquainted with my owne wants ; yea i so well know my own sinfulness and folly that i hang downe my head in a just shame for both ; i know that he who was holier then i , could say , i know that in me ( that is , in my flesh ) dwelleth no good thing ; and he that was wiser then i , could say , surely i am more brutish then any man , and have not the understanding of a man ; i neither learned wisdome , nor have the knowledge of the holy : all the holinesse that i have attained unto is to see and lament my defects of holinesse ; and all my wisdome is to descry and complaine of my own ignorance and foolishnesse . am i better gifted then another ? thou art an ill judge of either , who enviest the gifts of both ; but if i be so , they are gifts still ; and such gifts as the donour hath not absolutely given away from himselfe to me , but hath given ( or lent them rather ) to me , for an improvement to his owne use ; which i have no more reason to be proud of , then the honest factor , of his masters stock ; received by him , not for possession , but for trafique . am i more inlightned then others ? the more do i discerne my owne darknesse ; and the more do i find cause to be humbled under the sense of it ; but if the greater light which thou saist is in me , were not of an humane imagination , but of divine irradiation , what more reason should i have to be proud of it , then that in this more temperate clime i have more sun shine then those of lapland and finland , and the rest of those more northerne nations ; so much the more reason have i to be thankfull ; none to be proud . why should i therefore over-looke the meanest of my fellow christians ; who may perhaps have more interest in god then my selfe ; for it is not our knowledge that so much indeares us to god , as our affections ; perhaps he that knows lesse may love more ; and if he had been blessed with my means , would have known more ; neither is it the distribution of the talents that argues favour , but the grace to imploy them to the benefit of the giver : if he that received the one talent had gained another , he had received more thanks then he that upon the receit of five talents had gained one . the spirit breathes where it listeth ; and there may lie secret graces in the bosome of those , who passe for common christians , that may find greater acceptation in heaven , then those whose profession makes a fairer ostentation of holinesse . i can pity therefore those that are ignorant , and apparently gracelesse ; but for those that professe both to know , and to love christ ; whiles their lives deny not the power of godlinesse , i dare not spend upon them either my contempt , or censure , lest whiles i judge wrongfully , i be justly judged : much lesse dare i separate my self from their communion as contagious ; thou knowest how little it were to thine advantage , that i should be perswaded to depart from the tents of the notoriously wicked ; and to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse ; as too well understanding that evill conversation corrupts good manners ; and that a participation in sin drawes on a partnership in judgement ; neither know i whether thou shouldst gaine more by my joyning with evill society , or my separating from good ; infection follows upon the one , distraction upon the other : those then which cast off their communion with christ and his church , whether in doctrine or practise , i shall avoid ( as the plague ) soone , and far : but those who truly professe a reall conjunction , with that head , and this body : into their secret let my soule come , and unto their assembly let mine honour be united : but if , where i find weaknesse of grace , and involuntary failings of obedience , i shall say , stand by thy selfe , come not neer me , for i am holier then thou ; how can i make other account then that this pride shall be a smoke in the nostrils of the almighty , a fire that burneth all day ; and that he will recompence it into my bosome ? shortly , i know none so fit to depart from , as from my selfe , my owne pride , self love , and the rest of my inbred corruptions ; and am so far from over-looking others , that i know none worse then my selfe . x. temptation however the zeale of your scrupulous preachers is wont to make the worst of every thing ; and to damne the least slip to no lesse then hell : yet there are certaine favour able temperaments of circumstances , which may ( if not excuse yet ) extenuate a fault , such as age , complexion , custome , profit , importunity , necessity , which are justly pleadable at the barre both of god , and the conscience , and are sufficient to rebate the edge of divine severity . repelled . vvicked tempter , i know there is nothing upon earth , that so much either troubles thee , or impairs thy kingdome of darknesse , as the zeale of conscionable preachers ; those , who lift up their voice like a trumpet , and shew gods people their transgression , and the house of jacob their sin ; this is it that rescues millions of souls from the hand of hell , and gives thee so many foyles in thy spirituall assaults ; this godly and faithful zeal represents mens sins to them as they are , and , by sins , the danger of their damnation ; which thy malicious subtilty would faine blanch over , and palliate to their destruction ; but when thou hast all done , it is not in their power to make sin worse then it is , or in thine to make it better : as for those favourable temperaments which thou mentionest , they are meere pandarismes of wickednesse ; faire visors of deformity : for to cast a glance upon each of them ; age is not a more common plea , then unjust : the young man pretends it for his wanton , and inordinate lust : the old , for his gripplenesse ; techinesse ; loquacity : all wrongfully , and not without foule abuse . youth is taught by thee to call for a swing : and to make vigour , and heate of blood , a priviledge for a wild licentiousnesse ; for which it can have no claime but from a charter sealed in hell : i am sure that god who gives this marrow to his bones , and brawne to his armes , and strength to his sinewes , and vivacity to his spirits , lookes for another improvement ; remember thy creator in the days of thy youth , saith solomon ; and his father before him ; wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereto according to thy word : lo , the young mans waies are foule with lusts and distempered passions , and they must be cleansed ; and the way to cleanse them is attendance ( not of his owne vaine pleasures , but ) of the holy ordinances of his maker : thou wouldst have him run loose like the wild asse in the desert , god tells him , it is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth ; even the yoke of the divine precepts , the stooping whereunto is the best , & truest of al freedoms , so as he may be able to say with the best courtier of the wickedest king ; i thy servant feare the lord from my youth ; the aberrations from which holy lawes of god are so far from finding an excuse from the prime of our years , as that holy iob cries out of them in the bitternesse of his soule , thou hast made mee to possesse the iniquities of my youth : and as david vehemently deprecates gods anger for them ; remember not , lord , the sins of my youth ; so zophar the naamathite notes it for an especiall brand of gods judgement upon the wicked man , that his bones are full of the sins of his youth ; and god declares it as an especiall mercy to his people ; thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth ; the more head-strong therefore my youth is , the more straite shall i curbe it , and hold it in : and the more vigorous it is , so much the fitter it is to be consecrated to that god who is most worthy to be served with the best of his own . as for old age , it hath i grant its humours and infirmities ; but rather for our humiliation , then for our excuse . it is not more common then absurd and unreasonable , that when we are necessarily leaving the world , we should be most fond in holding it ; when wee are ceasing to have any use of riches , then , to endeavour most eagerly to get them ; when we should bee laying up treasure in heaven , to be treasuring up wrath for our selves , and baggs , for we know not whom : to be unwilling to spend what we cannot keep ; and to be mad on getting what we have not the wit or grace to spend : if then thou canst perswade any man to bee so gracelesse , as to make his vicious disposition an apology for wickednesse , let him plead the faults of his age for the excuse of his avarice . as for morosity of nature , and garrulity of tongue , they are not the imperfections of the age , but of the persons ; there are meek spirits under gray haires , and wrinkled skinnes ; there are old men , who , ( as that wise heathen said of old ) can keepe silence , even at a feast ; he hath ill spent his age that hath not attained to so good an hand over himselfe , as in some meet measure to moderate both his speech and passion . if some complexions both incline us more , and crave indulgence to some sinnes , more then other , ( the sanguine to lust , the cholerick to rage , &c. ) wherfore serves grace but to correct them ? if we must be over-ruled by nature , what doe we professing christianity ? neither humours , nor stars can necessitate us to evill ; whiles thou therefore pretendest my naturall constitution , i tell thee of my spirituall regeneration ; the power whereof if it have not mortified my evill and corrupt affections , i am not ( what i professe to be ) a christian . the strongest plea for the mitigation of sinne , is custome ; the power whereof is wont to be esteemed so great , as that it hath seemed to alter the quality of the fact , and of sin , to make no sin : hence the holy patriarchs admitted many consorts into their marriage-bed , without the conscience of offending ; which , if it had not been for the mediation of custome , had beene justly esteemed no better then criminous : but however where is no contrary injunction , custome may so far usurp , as to take upon it to be no lesse then a law it selfe ; yet , where there is a just regulation of law , the plea of custome is so quite out of countenance , as that it is strongly retorted against it selfe ; neither is there any more powerfull reason for the abolition of an ill use , then that is a custome ; so much the more need therefore to be opposed and reformed . hence was that vehement charge of god to his israel : after the doings of the land of egypt , wherein ye dwelt , shall ye not do ; and after the doings of the land of canaan , whither i bring you , shall ye not do ; neither shall ye walk after their ordinances . ye shall keep mine ordinance , that ye commit not any of these abominable customes , which were committed before you ; and that ye defile not your selves therein , i am the lord your god. it is too true that the bonds of custome are so strong and close , that they are not easily loosed ; in so much as custome puts on the face of another nature ; can the ethiopian change his skin , or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good , that are accustomed to doe evill ; how stifly did the men of judah , ( after all the dreadfull threatnings of the prophet ) hold to their idolatrous customes , which they had learn't in egypt ; wee will burne incense to the queen of heaven , and poure out drink-offerings to her , as wee have done ; we , and our fathers , our kings , and our princes , in the cities of judah ▪ and in the streets of jerusalem ; it is with ill customes , as with diseases ; which if they grow inveterate , are so much the harder to be cured ; but shall i therefore hug my malady , because i have long had it ? because it will not part away with ease ? shall i bid a theefe welcome , because he had wont to rob me ? shortly then , so far is an ill custome from extenuating my sin , as that it aggravates it ; neither shall i offend the lesse , because i offend with more ; but rather double it , both , as in my act , and , as in my imitation ; in following others amisse , and in helping to make up an ill precedent for others following of me . as for the profit that may accrew by sinning ; let those carnall hearts value it , that have made the world their god ; to me , the greatest gain this way is losse : might i have that house-full of gold and silver that balaam talke of ; or all those kingdomes of the earth , and the glory of them which thou shewedst to my saviour , what are all these to the price of a sin , when they meet with a man that hath learnt from the mouth of christ ; what profit shall it be to a man , if he shall gaine the whole world , and lose his owne soule ? importunity is wont to be a prevalent suitor ; how many have been dragg'd to hell by the force of others solicitations , who never else meant to have trod in those pathes of death ? what marvell is it , if that which moved the unjust judge to do right , against the bent of his will , be able to draw the weak sinner awry ? but if in these earthly angariations , one mile ( according to our saviours counsel ) may bring on another ; yet in spirituall evill ways , no compulsion can prevaile upon a resolved spirit . it is not the change of stations , nor the building of twice seven altars , nor the sacrificing of seven bullocks and seven rams that can win a true prophet of god to curse israel ; the christian heart is fixed upon sure grounds of his own , never to be removed ; if therefore his father sue to him ; if his mother weep , and wring , and kneele ; and beseech him by the womb that bore him , and the brests that gave him suck ; if his crying children cling about his knees , and crave his yeildance to some advantageous evill , or his declining some bitter sufferings for the cause of christ , he can shake them off with an holy neglect ; and say , what do you weeping and breaking my heart ? for i am ready not to be bound only , but also to die for the name of the lord jesus ; none of these things move me , neither count i my life deare unto my self , so that i may finish my course with joy ; and if any soule be so weak , as to be led rather by the earnest motions of others , then by his owne setled determinations , he shall find no other ease before the tribunal of heaven , then our first parents did in shifting the guilt of their sin , the man to the woman , the woman to the serpent ; in the meane while that word shall ever stand with me inviolable , my son , if sinners entise thee , consent thou not . lastly , what can be the necessity which may either induce to sin ; or excuse for sinning ? what can the world do to make me say i must doe evill ? losse , restraint , exile , paine , death are the worst , that either malice can do , or patience suffer ; these may put me hard to the question , but , when all is done , they must leave me free , either to act , or indure ; i need not therefore sin , since there is a remedy against sin , suffering . it is true that we are in the hands of a most gracious and indulgent god , who considers what we are made of , pities our infirmities , and knows to put a difference betwixt wilfull rebellion and weak revolt ; his mercy can distinguish of offenders ; but his justice hath said , without shall be the fearfull ; finally then howsoever these circumstantiall temperaments may receive pardon , after the fact , for the penitent at the mercy-seat of heaven ; yet none of them can be pleadable at the bar of divine justice ; and if any sinner shall hearten himselfe to offend out of the hopes and confidence of these favorable mitigations , the comfort that i can give him , is , that he may howle in hell , with thee , for his presumption . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e m r hannibal gammon of cornwall . notes for div a -e temptations of impiety . temptations of discouragement . temptations of allurement . notes for div a -e cor. . . philip. . . joh. . , . matth. . , . mar. . . mar. . . mat. . . a joh. . , . b joh. . c mat. . . act. . . d . . e psal . . . f psal . . , . g rev. . , . & . , . h philip. . . i joh. . . joh. . . k joh. . . & . . l ●sa . . . psal . . . & . . m psal . . , . n esa . . . o revel . . . p micah . . q joh . . r joh. . . ſ ephes . . . t joh. . . u rev. . . x esa . . . y esa . . . & . , . z esa . . . esa . . . a rom. . . b joh. . . c tit. . . d cor. . . joh. . . colos . . . esa . . , . esa . . luke . , . luke . , . mat. . . mat. . . rom. . . gal. . . dan. . . rom. . . tim. . . pet. . . tim. . . mat. . , . tim. . . mat. . . mat. . . rom. . , . cor. . , . esa . . , . luk. . . cor. . . luc. . . revel . . . revel . . , . revel . . . . . . revel . . revel . . . mat. . . rom. . . ro m. ▪ . wisd . . . thess . , . cor. . , , . kings . . mat. . , . cor. . . cor. . . thes . . . mat. . . cor. . . job . , , . cor. . , , , . . pet. . . act. . . mat. . . acts . . jude . . mat. . . heb. . . thesl . . , . iude . cor. . . pet. . . thes . . . pet. . , . thess . . . pet. . . gen. ▪ . gen. . . . gal. . . deut. . . mat. . . iam. . . iob . . sam. . . psal . . , . esa . . . mat. . . rom. . . mat. . . esa . . . eph. . . eph. . . rom. . . iude . rom. : . rom. . : heb. . , . rom. : . rom. : . tim : : . tit. . : heb : . . eph. . : ioh. . . eph. . : gal. : : col. . : col. . . pet. . : mat. . : cor. . . cor. . . gal. : : cor. : . rom. . . rev. . . cor. . : revel . . numb : . . josh . . . king. . . sam. . . jer. . , , , . psal . . , . psal . . , , , . v. . psal . . , , v. , , . mat. . . act. . . joh. . . cor. . . revel . . . philip. . , . notes for div a -e esa . . . psal . . , , tim. . . joh. . . proverb . : . cor. . . cor. . . luke . . numb . . . mat. . . prov. . . luke . , , &c. eccles . . . heb. . . heb. . . esa . . , , . luk. . . mat. . . mar. . . tim. . . heb. . . rom. . . jam. . . cor. . . rom. . . act. . . cor. . . cor. . , , , , cor. . . psal . . , . psal . . , , , . act. . . mat. . . v. . sam. . , v. . kings . . kings . , . job . . psal . . , . psal . . , , . psal . . . luk. . , . job . , . luk. . . psalm . . , . prov. . . dan. . . heb. . . revel . . , , v. . act. . . gen. . . joh. . . mat. . . luk. . , . joh. . . tim. . , . psal . . , , . rev. . . cor. . . rev. . . mat. . , , . mat. . . jam. . . mat. . . ephes . . , . pet. . . rom. . . philip. . . thessal . . , . ephes . . . rom. . . rom. . . psal . . . joh. . . . . joh. . . joh. . . psal . . . act. . . joh. . . joh. . . psal . . . . . . v. , , . sam. . . num. . . joh. . . esay . , . coloss . . galat. . . galat. . . rom. . , . joh. . . rom. . , . rom. . . ephes . . , , , . ezek. . , . joh. . . rom. . . prov. . . joh. . . rom. . . notes for div a -e eccles . . . rom. . , . job . . job . . psal . . . iob . . job . . exod. . . num. . . psal . . . psal . . , . exod. . . psal . . . nehem. . , . lament . . . jona . . . mic. . . psal . . . jerem. . . prov. . . psal . . . rom. . . ps . . . esa . . . levit. . . . . num. . . kings . . joh. . , . jam. . . esa . . . rom. . . jam. . . joh. ▪ . joh. . . rev. . . king. . . esa . . . esa . . . sam. . , . psal . . . lam. . , . . iob . . iob . . ps . . . ps . . . kings . . sam. . . ▪ verse . kings . , . verse . tim. . . rom. . . pet. . mat. . . mat. . . exod. . wis . . . ioh. . lev. . . col. . . eph. . . psal . . . rev. . . exod. . . eccl. . . lev. . . ezek. . . exod. . . prov. . . esa . . . es . . . amos . . psal . . . ioh. . . cor. . . . . . rom. . . cor. . psal . . . psal . . . . psal . . . . . ps . . . ps . . , . ps . . . ps . . . ps . . . ps . . . ps . . . eph. . . . heb. . . phil. . . gal. . . col. . , . cant. . . . jer. . . jer. . . . gen. . . jer. . . chro. . . ezek. . . ps . . . gal. . . jude . heb. . . joh. . . joh. . . joh. . , . sam. . ps . . . prov. . . iob . . luc. . . iob. . . . esay . . . . math. . . mat. . . pro. . . ezr. . . pro. . . mat. . . mat. . acts . . rev. . . rev. . . pet. . . lev. . . . . isa . . . es . . . . isa . . . . ier. . . . . isa . . . isa . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . cor. . . ier. . ● . mat. . . tim. . . iob . . psal . . cor. . . gen. . psal . . . jude . prov. . . esa . . , . luke . . jam. . . pet. . . prov. . . sam. . . esa . . . cor. . . mat. . , . luc. . . . . rom. . . prov. . , . num. . , . cor. . . ephes . . . num. . . esay . . . esa . . . ecl. . . psal . . . lam. . . obadiah in kings . . iob . . psal . . . iob . . esa . . . lev. . . v. . jer. . . jer. . . num. . . mat. . . mark. . . mat . . num. . . & . act. . . act. . . prov. . . contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy storie. the first volume, in foure bookes by j.h. ... hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy storie. the first volume, in foure bookes by j.h. ... hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by m. bradwood for sa. macham, london : . signatures: [par.]⁸(-[par.] ) a-y⁸ z⁵. title in architectural border. errata: p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t. -- meditations. bible. -- o.t. -- history of biblical events. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion contemplations vpon the principall passages of the holy storie . the first volume , in foure bookes . by j. h. d. d. london , printed by m. bradwood for sa. macham . to the high and mighty prince henry prince of wales , his highnesses vnworthy seruant dedicates all his labours , and wishes all happinesse . most gracious prince , this worke of mine , which ( if my hopes and desires faile me not ) time may heereafter make great , i haue presumed both to dedicate in whole to your highnesse , and to parcell out in seuerals vnto subordinate hands . it is no maruell if bookes haue this freedome , when wee our selues can and ought to be all yours , while wee are our owne , and others vnder you . i dare say , these meditations , how rude soeuer they may fall from my pen , in regard of their subiect are fit for a prince . heere your highnesse shall see how the great patterne of princes , the king of heauen , hath euer ruled the world , how his substitutes , earthly kings , haue ruled it vnder him , and with what successe either of glorie , or ruine . both your peace and warre shall finde heere holy and great examples . and if historie and obseruation bee the best counsellours of your youth ; what storie can bee so wise and faithfull as that which god hath written for men , wherein you see both what hath beene done , and what should bee ? what obseruation so worthie as that which is both raised from god , and directed to him ? if the proprietie which your highnesse iustly hath in the worke , and author , may draw your princely eies and heart the rather to these holy speculations , your seruant shall bee happier in this fauour , than in all your outward bountie ; as one , to whom your spirituall progresse deserues to bee dearer than his owne life ; and whose daily suit is , that god would guide your steps aright in this slipperie age and continue to reioice all good hearts in the view of your gracious proceedings . your highnesses humbly deuoted seruant , ios . hall . contemplations . the first booke . the creation of the world. man. paradise . cain and abel . the deluge . to the right honovrable , thomas earle of exceter , one of his maiesties most honorable priuy counsell : all grace and happinesse . right honorable , i knew i could not bestow my thoughts better than vpon gods owne historie , so full of edification and delight : which i haue in such sort indeuoured to doe , that i shall giue occasion to my reader of some meditations , which perhaps hee would haue missed . euery helpe in this kinde deserues to be precious . i present the first part to your honour , wherein you shall see the world both made , and smoothered againe : man in the glorie of his creation , and the shame of his fall : paradise at once made and lost . the first man killing his seede , the second his brother . if in these i shall giue light to the thoughts of any reader , let him with me giue the praise to him from whom that light shone foorth to me . to whose grace and protection i humbly commend your lordship : as your honours vnfainedly deuoted in all obseruance and dutie , ios . hall . errata . page . line . read vnperfect . p. . l. . for mighty re . weighty . p. . l. . for whether r. whither . p. . l. for incensible r. insensible . p. . l. . for which vile , read which is vile . p. . l. for the r. their . p. . l. . for be otherwise r. be no otherwise . p. . l. antepen . for measure r. pleasure . p . l. . for wrought r. taught . p. . l. penult . for as r. and. p. ● . l. . for these r. those . pag. . l. . for great y r. gently . p . l. penult . for least r. lest . p. . l. for quall r. equall p. . l. . for whether r. whither . pag. l. . for should sarah r. should liue in sarah . p. l. . for neither r. either . p. . l. . for his r. this . pa. . l. . for any r. and. p. . l. . for for r. from . pa. . l. penult . for professe r. professe not . pa. . l. . for these r. those . p. . l. . for eares r. teares . pa . l for really r reall ly . p. . l. . for affliction r. affection . p. . l. vl . for vnbeleeuing r. vnbeseeming . pag. . l. . for times r. time . p. . l. . for more proficiency r. meere vnproficiency . besides the reader must be intreated to pardon the misse-pointing , especially of the three first bookes ; as the want of stops , pag , . l. . p. . l. ● . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l. vlt. p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l. penult . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l. . pag. . l. . p. . l. . pa. l. . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. . l . p. . antepen . p. . l. . p. . l. . p. l. . through fault of the copie . contemplations . the first booke . the creation . what can i see , o god , in thy creation but miracles of wonders ? thou madest something of nothing , and of that somthing all things . thou which wast without a beginning , gauest a beginning to time , and to the world in time : it is the praise of vs men if when we haue matter , we can giue fashion ; thou gauest a beeing to the matter , without forme ; thou gauest a form to that matter , and a glory to that forme ; if wee can but finish a sleight and vnperfest matter , according to a former patterne , it is the height of our skill , but to beginne that which neuer was , whereof there was no example , whereto there was no inclination , wherin there was no possibility of that which it should bee , is proper onely to such power as thine ; the infinite power of an infinite creator : with vs , not so much as a thought can arise without some matter , but heere with thee , all matter arises from nothing . how easie is it for thee to repaire all out of something , which couldest thus fetch al out of nothing ? wherin can we now distrust thee , that hast prooued thy self thus omnipotent ? behold to haue made the least clod of nothing , is more aboue wonder then to multiply a world ; but now the matter doth not more praise thy power , then the forme thy wisedome ; what beauty is heere ? what order ? what order in working ? what beauty in the worke . thou mightest haue made all the world perfect in an instant , but thou wouldest not . that wil , which caused thee to create , is reason enough why thou diddest thus create . how should we deliberate in our actions , which are so subiect to imperfection , since it pleased thine infinite perfection ( not out of need ) to take leasure . neither did thy wisedome heerein proceede in time onely , but in degrees : at first thou madest nothing absolute ; first thou madest things which should haue being without life , then those which should haue life and being ; lastly those which haue being , life , reason : so we our selues in the ordinary course of generation , first liue the life of vegetation , then of sense , of reason afterwards . that instant wherein the heauen and the earth were created in their rude matter , there was neither day nor light , but presently thou madest both light & day . whiles wee haue this example of thine , how vainely do wee hope to bee perfect at once ? it is well for vs , if through many degrees wee can rise to our consummation . but ( alas ) what was the very heuen it selfe without light ? how confused ? how formelesse ? like to a goodly body without a soule , like a soule without thee . thou art light , and in thee is no darkenesse . oh how incomprehensibly glorious is the light that is in thee , since one glimpse of this created light gaue so liuely a glory to al thy workemanship ! this , euen the bruite creatures can behold : that , not the very angels . that shines foorth onely to the other supreme world of immortality ; this to the basest part of thy creation . there is one cause of our darkenesse on earth , and of the vtter darkenesse in hell , the restraint of thy light . shine thou o god , into the vast corners of my soule , and in thy light i shall see light . but whence , o god , was that first light ? the sunne was not made till the fourth day , light the first . if man had then beene , he might haue seene all lightsome ; but whence it had come he could not haue seene : as in some great pond , we see the bancks full , wee see not the springs whence that water ariseth . thou that madest the sunne , madest the light , without the sunne , before the sunne , that so light might depend vpon thee , and not vpon thy creature . thy power will not be limited to meanes . it was easie to thee to make an heauen without a sunne , light without an heauen , day without a sunne , time without a day : it is good reason thou shouldest bee the lord of thine owne workes . all meanes serue thee : why doe wee weake wretches distrust thee ; in the want of those meanes , which thou canst either command , or forbeare . how plainly wouldst thou teach vs , that wee creatures neede not one another , so long as wee haue thee ? one day we shall haue light againe , without the sunne . thou shalt be our sunne ; thy presence shall be our light : light is sowne for the righteous . this sunne and light is but for the world below it selfe ; thine only for aboue . thou giuest this light to the sunne , which the sunne giues to the world : that light which thou shalt once giue vs , shall make vs shine like the sunne in glory . now this light which for three daies was thus dispersed thorow the whole heauens , it pleased thee at last to gather and vnite into one body of the sunne . the whole heauen was our sunne , before the sunne was created : but now one starre must be the treasury of light to the heauen and earth . how thou louest the vnion and reduction of all things of one kind to their owne head and center . so the waters must by thy command be gathered into one place , the sea ; so the vpper waters must be seuered by these aery limits from the lower : so heauy substances hasten downeward , aud light mount vp : so the generall light of the first daies must bee called into the compasse of one sunne ; so thou wilt once gather thine elect from all coasts of heauen to the participation of one glory . why doe wee abide our thoughts and affections scattered from thee , from thy saints , from thine annointed ? oh let this light which thou hast now spread abroad in the hearts of all thine , once meet in thee : wee are as thy heauens in this their first imperfection ; be thou our sunne , into which our light may be gathered . yet this light was by thee interchanged with darknes , which thou mightst as easily haue commanded to bee perpetuall . the continuance euen of the best things cloieth , and wearieth : there is nothing but thy selfe , wherein there is not satiety . so pleasing is the vicissitude of things , that the intercourse euen of those occurrents which in their owne nature are lesse worthy , giues more contentment , then the vnaltered estate of better . the day dies into night ; and rises into the morning againe ; that we might not expect any stability heere below , but in perpetuall succession● : it is alwaies daie with thee aboue : the night sauoreth onely of mortalitie : why are we not heere spiritually as wee shall be heereafter ? since thou hast made vs children of the light , and of the day , teach vs to walk euer in the light of thy presence , not in the darknesse of error and vnbeleefe . now in this thine inlightned frame , how fitly , how wisely are all the parts disposed ; that the method of the creation might answer the matter , the forme , both . behold all purity aboue ; below , the dregges and lees of all . the higher i goe , the more perfection ; each element superiour to other , not more in place then dignity ; that by these staires of ascending perfection our thoughts might climbe vnto the top of all glory , and might know thine empyreal heauen no lesse glorious aboue the visible , than those aboue the earth . oh how miserable is the place of our pilgrimage , in respect of our home ! let my soule tread a while in the steps of thine owne proceedings ; and so thinke as thou wroughtest : when wee would describe a man , wee begin not at the feete , but the head : the head of thy creation is the heauen ; how high ? how spatious ? how glorious ? it is a wonder that we can looke vp to so admirable an height , and that the very eye is not tyred in the way . if this ascending line could bee drawne right forwards , some that haue calculated curiously haue found it . yeares iourney vnto the starrie heauen . i doe not examine their arte ; o lord , i wonder rather at thine , which hast drawne so large a line about this little point of earth : for in the plainest rules of art and experience , the compasse must needs be six times as much as halfe the height . wee thinke one iland great , but the earth vnmeasurably . if wee were in that heauen with these eies , the whole earth ( were it equally inlightned ) would seeme as little to vs , as now the least starre in the firmament seemes to vs vpon earth : and indeed , how few stars are so little as it ? and yet how many void and ample spaces are there besides all the starres ? the hugenesse of this thy worke , o god , is little inferiour for admiraon to the maiesty of it . but oh what a glorious heauen is this which thou hast spred ouer our heads ? with how pretious a vault hast thou walled in this our inferior world ? what worlds of light hast thou set aboue vs ? those things which wee see are wondrous ; but those which wee beleeue and see not , are yet more . thou dost but set out these vnto view , to shew vs what there is within . how proportionable are thy works to thy selfe ? kings erect not cotages , but set foorth their magnificence in sumptuous buildings : so hast thou done , o king of glory . if the lowest pauement of that heauen of thine bee so glorious , what shall we thinke of the better parts yet vnseene ? and if this sunne of thine bee of such brightnesse and maiesty , oh what is the glory of the maker of it ? and yet if some other of thy starres were let downe as low as it , those other starres would bee sunnes to vs ; which now thou hadst rather to haue admired in their distance . and if such a skie be prepared for the vse and benefit euen of thine enemies also vpon earth , how happie shall those eternall tabernacles bee , which thou hast sequestred for thine owne ? behold then in this high and stately building of thine , i see three stages ; this lowest heauen for fowles , for vapours , for meteors : the second for the starres : the third for thine angels and saints . the first is thine outward court , open for all : the second is the body of thy couered temple , wherin are those candles of heauen perpetually burning : the third is thine holy of holies . in the first is tumult , and vanity : in the second immutability & rest : in the third glory and blessednes . the first we feele , the second we see , the third we beleeue . in these two lower is no felicity , for neither the fowles , nor starres are happy . it is the third heauen alone , where thou , o blessed trinity , enioyest thy selfe , and thy glorified spirits inioy thee . it is the manifestation of thy glorious presence that makes heauen to be it selfe ; this is the priuiledge of thy children : that they he reseeing thee which art inuisible by the eye of faith , haue already begun that heauen which the perfect sight of thee shall make perfect aboue . let my soule then let these heauens alone till it may see , as it is seeene . that wee may descend to this lowest and meanest region of heauen , wherwith our senses are more acquainted ; what maruels doe euen heere meete with vs ? there are thy clouds the bottles of raine , vessels as thin as the liquor which is contained in them : there they hange , and mooue , ( though mighty with their burden : ) how they are vpheld , and why they fall , heere , and now , wee know not , and wonder ; these thou makest one while as some aery seas to hold water : an other while , as some aery fornaces , whence thou scatterest thy sudden fires vnto all parts of the earth , astonishing the world with the fearefull noyse of that eruption : out of the midst of water thou fetchest fire ; and hard stones out of the midst of thinne vapours ; another while , as some steele glasses , wherein the sunne lookes and shewes his face in the variety of those colours which he hath not ; there are thy streames of light , blazing and falling stars , fires darted vp and downe in many formes , hollow openings , and ( as it were ) gulfes in the skie ; bright circles about the moone , and other planets , snowes , haile : in all which it is enough to admire thine hand , though wee cannot search out thine action . there are thy subtle windes , which wee heare and feele , yet neither can see their substance , nor know their causes ; whence and whither they passe , and what they are , thou knowest . there are thy fowles of all shapes , colours , notes , natures : whiles i compare these with the inhabitants of that other heauen , i find those starres , and spirits like one another : these meteors and fowles , in as many varieties , as there are seuerall creatures . why is this ? is it because man ( for whose sake these are made ) delights in change ; thou in constancie ? or is it , that in these thou maiest shew thine owne skill , and their imperfection ▪ there is no varietie in that which is perfect , because there is but one perfection ; and so much shall wee grow neerer to perfectnesse , by how much wee draw neerer to vnitie , and vniformitie . from thence , if wee goe downe to the great deepe , the wombe of moisture , the well of fountaines , the great pond of the world ; wee know not whether to wonder at the element it selfe , or the guests which it containes . how doth that sea of thine roare and fome and swell , as if it would swallow vp the earth ? thou stayest the rage of it by an incensible violence : and by a naturall miracle confinest his waues , why it mooues , and why it staies , it is ●o vs equally wonderfull : what liuing mountaines ( such are thy whales ) rowle vp and downe in those fearefull billows : for greatnesse of number , hugenesse of quantity , strangenesse of shapes , variety of fashions , neither ayre nor earth can compare with the waters : i say nothing of thy hid treasures which thy wisedome hath reposed in the bowels of the earth and sea ; how secretly , and how basely are they laide vp ? secretly , that wee might not seeke them ; basely , that we might not ouer esteeme them : i neede not dig so low as these mettals , mineries , quarres , which yeeld riches enough of obseruation to the soule . how many millions of wonders doth the very face of the earth offer mee ? which of these herbes , floures , trees , leaues , seeds , fruits , is there ? what beast , what worme , wherein wee may not see the footsteps of a deitie : wherein wee may not read infinitenesse of power of skill : and must be forced to confesse , that hee which made the angels and starres of heauen , made also the vermin on earth : o god the hart of man is too strait to admire enough euen that which he treads vpon ? what shall we say to thee the maker of all these ? o lord how wonderfull are thy works in all the world , in wisedome hast thou made them all . and in all these thou spakest , and they were done . thy wil is thy word , & thy word is thy deed . our tongue , and hand , and hart are different : all are one in thee ; which art simply one , & infinite . here needed no helps , no instruments : what could be present with the eternal : what needed , or what could bee added to the infinite ? thine hand is not shortned , thy word is still equally effectuall ; say thou the word and my soule shall be made new againe : say thou the word , & my body shall be repayred from his dust . for all things obey thee ; o lord why doe i not yeeld to the word of thy counsell ; since i must yeeld , as all thy creatures , to the word of thy command ? man. bvt ( o god ) what a little lord hast thou made ouer this great world ? the least corne of sand is not so small to the whole earth , as man is to the heauen : when i see the heauens , the sun , moone , and stars , o god what is man ? who would thinke thou shouldst make all these creatures for one , and that one , well-neere the least of all ? yet none but hee , can see what thou hast done ; none but hee can admire , and adore thee in what he seeth ; how had hee need to doe nothing but this , since hee alone must doe it ? certainly the price and vertue of things consists not in the quantity : one diamond is more woorth then manie quarries of stone , one loadstone hath more vertue then mountaines of earth : it is lawfull for vs to praise thee in our selues : all thy creation hath not more wonder in it , then one of vs : other creatures thou madest by a simple command ; man , not without a diuine consultation : others at once ; man thou didst first forme , then inspire : others in seuerall shapes like to none but themselues : man after thine own image : others with qualities fit for seruice ; man for dominion ; man had his name from thee ; they had their names from man ; how shold we be consecrated to thee aboue all others , since thou hast bestowed more cost on vs then others ? what shall i admire first ? thy prouidence in the time of our creation ? or thy power & wisedome in the act ? first thou madest the great house of the world & furnishedst it : then thou broughtest in thy tenant to possesse it ; the bare wals had beene too good for vs , but thy loue was aboue our desert : thou that madest ready the earth for vs before wee were , hast by the same mercy prepared a place in heauen for vs whiles we are on earth . the stage was first fully prepared then was man brought forth , thither , as an actor , or spectator , that he might neither be idle nor discontent , behold thou hadst addressed an earth for vse , an heauen for contemplation : after thou hadst drawne that large and reall mappe of the world ; thou didst thus abridge it into this little table of man ; hee alone consists of heauen and earth ; soule and bodie . euen this earthly part which vile in comparison of the other , as it is thine ( o god ) i dare admire it , though i can neglect it as mine owne , for loe ; this heape of earth hath an outward reference to heauen , other creatures grouel downe to their earth , and haue all their senses intent vpon it ; this is reared vp towards heauen , and hath no more power to look beside heauen , then to tread beside the earth . vnto this , euery part hath his wonder . the head is neerest to heauen , as in place , so in resemblance ; both for roundnesse of figure , and for those diuine guests which haue their seat in it ; there dwell those maiesticall powers of reson , which make a man ; all the senses as they haue their originall from thence , so they doe all agree there to manifest the vertue : how goodly proportions hast thou set in the face ; such as though oft-times we can give no reason why they please , yet transport vs to admiration ; what liuing glasses are those which thou hast placed in the midst of this visage , whereby all obiects from farre are clearly represented to the minde ? and because their tendernesse lyes open to dangers , how hast thou defenced them with hollow bones , and with prominent browes , and lids ? and least they should bee too much bent on what they ought not , thou hast giuen them peculiar nerues to pul them vp towards the seat of their rest ? what a tongue hast thou giuen him ; the instrument not of taste only , but of speech ? how sweet and excellent voyces are formed by that little loose filme of flesh , what an incredible strength hast thou giuen to the weake bonds of the iawes ? what a comely and tower-like necke , therefore most sinewye because smallest . and lest i be infinit , what able arms and actiue hands hast thou framed him , whereby he can frame all things to his owne conceit . in euery part beauty , strength , conuenience meet together . neither is there any wherof our weaknesse cannot giue reason , why it should be otherwise . how hast thou disposed of all the inward vessels , for all offices of life , nourishment , egestion , generation ; no vaine sinew , artery is ydle . there is no peece in this exquisite frame whereof the place , vse , forme , doth not admit wonder , and exceed it : yet this body if it be compared to the soule , what is it , but as a clay wall that encompasses a treasure , as the woodden boxe of a ieweller ; as a course case to a rich instrument , or as a maske to a beautifull face . man was made last , because hee was woorthiest . the soule was inspired last , because yet more noble ; if the body haue this honor to bee the companion of the soule , yet withall it is the drudge . if it bee the instrument , yet also the clog of that diuine part . the companion for life , the drudge for seruice , the instrument for action , the clog in respect of contemplation . these external works are effected by it , the internall which are more noble , hindered ; contrary to the bird which sings most in her cage , but flyes most and highest at liberty . this my soule teaches me of it selfe , that it selfe cannot conceiue how capable , how actiue it is . it can passe by her nimble thoughts from heauen to earth in a moment , it can be al things , can comprehend all things ; know that which is ; and conceiue of that which neuer was , neuer shall be : nothing can fill it , but thou which art infinite , nothing can limit it but thou which art euery were . o god which madest it , replenish it , possesse it . dwell thou in it which hast appointed it to dwel in clay . the body was made of earth common to his fellows , the soule inspired immediatly from god ; the body lay senselesse vpon the earth like it selfe , the breath of liues gaue it what it is , and that breath was from thee . sence , motion , reason , are infused into it , at once . from whence then was this quickening breath ? no ayre , no earth , no water was heere vsed to giue helpe to this worke : thou that breathedst vpon man , and gauest him the holy spirit : didst also breath vpon the body , and gauest it a liuing spirit , wee are beholden to nothing but thee for our soule . our flesh is from flesh ; our spirit is from the god of spirits . how should our soules rise vp to thee , and fixe themselues in their thoughts vpon thee who alone created them in their infusion , & infused them in their creation ? how should they long to returne backe to the fountaine of their being , and author of beeing glorious ? why may we not say that this soule as it came from thee , so it is like thee ; as thou , so it , is one , immateriall , immortall , vnderstanding spirit , distinguished into three powers which all make vp one spirit . so thou the wise creator of all things wouldest haue some things to resemble their creator . these other creatures are all body ; man is body and spirit ; the angels are all spirit , not without a kind of spirituall composition ; thou art alone after thine owne manner , simple , glorious , infinite ; no creature can bee like thee in thy proper being ; because it is a creature ; how should our finite , weake , compounded nature , giue any perfect resemblance of thine ? yet of all visible creatures thou vouchsafest man the neerest correspondence to thee : not so much in these naturall faculties , as in those diuine graces , wherewith thou beautifiest his soule . our knowledge , holines , righteousnes was like the first coppy from which they were drawne ; behold wee were not more like thee in these , then now wee are vnlike ourselues in their losse ; o god we now praise our selues to our shame , for the better we were we are the worse , as the sons of some prodigall or tainted auncestors tell of the lands , and lordships which were once theirs ; onlie doe thou whet our desires answerable to the readinesse of thy mercies , that we may redeem what we haue lost ; that wee may recouer in thee , what wee haue lost in our selues , the fault shall be ours if our damage proue not beneficiall . i doe not finde that man thus framed found the want of an helper . his fruition of god gaue him fulnesse of contentment , the sweetnesse which hee found in the contemplation of this newe workmanship , and the glory of the author , did so take him vp , that hee had neither leisure nor cause of complaint . if man had craued an helper , he had grudged at the condition of his creation , and had questioned that which he had , perfection of being . but hee that gaue him his being , and knew him better then himselfe , thinks of giuing him comfort in the creature , whiles hee sought none but in his maker ; hee sees our wants , and forecasts our releefe , when wee thinke our selues too happy to complaine : how ready will he be to helpe our necessities , that thus prouides for our perfection ? god giues the nature to his creatures , man must giue the name , that hee might see they were made for him , they shal be , to him what hee will. in stead of their first homage , they are presented to their new lord , and must see of whom they hold . he that was so carefull of mans soueraignty in his innocence , how can he be carelesse of his safety in his renouation ? if god had giuen them their names , it had not bene so great a praise of adams memory to recall them as it was now of his iudgement ( at first sight ) to impose them , hee saw the inside of all the creatures at first ; ( his posterity sees but their skins euer since ; ) and by this knowledge he fitted their names to their dispositions . all that hee saw were fit to be his seruants , none to be his companions . the same god that finds the want , supplies it . rather then mans innocency shall want an outward comfort , god will begin a new creation . not out of the earth which was the matter of man , not out of the inferiour creatures , which were the seruants of man , but out of himselfe , for dearnesse , for equality . doubtlesse such was mans power of obedience , that if god had bidden him yeeld vp his rib , waking , for this vse , he had done it cheerfully , but the bounty of god was so absolute , that hee would not so much as consult with mans will , to make him happy . as man knew not while hee was made , so shal he not know while his other selfe is made out of him : that the comfort might be greater , which was seene before it was expected . if the woman should haue bin made , not without the paine , or will of the man , she might haue bene vpbrayded with her dependance , and obligation . now shee owes nothing but to her creator : the ribbe of adam sleeping , can challenge no more of her , then the earth can of him . it was an happy change to adam of a ribbe , for an helper ; what help did that bone giue to his side ? god had not made it , if it had beene superfluous : and yet if man could not haue beene perfect without it , it had not beene taken out . many things are vse-ful & conuenient , which are not necessary , and if god had seene man might not want it , how easie had it been for him which made the woman of that bone , to turne the flesh into another bone ? but he saw man could not complaine of the want of that bone , which hee had so multiplied , so animated . o god , wee can neuer be loosers by thy changes , we haue nothing but what is thine , take from vs thine own , when thou wilt , we are sure thou canst not but giue vs better . paradise . man could no sooner see , then hee saw himselfe happie : his eye-sight and reason were both perfect at once , and the obiects of both were able to make him as happy as he would , when he first opened his eies , he saw heauen aboue him , earth vnder him , the creatures about him , god before him , hee knew what all these things meant , as if he had been long acquainted with them all : he saw the heauens glorious , but farre off , his maker thought it requisite to fit him with a paradise neerer home . if god had appointed him immediatly to heauen , his body had beene superfluous ; it was fit his body should bee answered with an earthen image of that heauen which was for his soule : had man bin made only for contemplation , it would haue serued as well to haue been placed in some vast desert , on the top of some barren mountaine ; but the same power which gaue him an hart to meditate , gaue him hands to worke ; and work fit for his hands ; neither was it the purpose of the creator that man should but liue : mesure may stand with innocence ; he that reioyced to see al he had made to be good , reioyceth to see all that hee had made to be well ; god loues to see his creatures happy ; our lawfull delight is his : they know not god that thinke to please him with making themselues miserable . the idolaters thought it a fit seruice for baal to cut and launce themselues ; neuer any holy man lookt for thanks from the true god by wronging himselfe . euery earth was not fit for adam , but a garden ; a paradise : what excellent pleasures , and rare varieties haue men found in gardens planted by the hands of men ? and yet all the world of men cannot make one twig , or leafe , or spire of grasse : when hee that made the matter vndertakes the fashion , how must it needs be beyond our capacity excellent ? no herb , no flower , no tree was wanting there , that might bee for ornament or vse ; whether for sight , or for sent , or for tast . the bounty of god wrought further then to necessity : euen to comfort and recreation : why are we niggardly to our selues when god is liberall ? but for all this ; if god had not there conuersed with man , no abundance could haue made him blessed . yet beholde that which was mans store house , was also his workehouse ; his pleasure was his taske , paradise serued not onely to feed his senses , but to exercise his hands : if happinesse had consisted in doing nothing , man had not beene employed ; all his delights could not haue made him happy in an idle life . man therefore is no sooner made , then he is set to worke : neither greatnesse nor perfection can priuiledge a foulded hand ; hee must labour because hee was happy ; how much more we , that we may bee ? this first labor of his was as without necessity , so without paines , without wearinesse ; how much more cheerefully wee goe about our businesses , so much neerer we come to our paradise : neither did these trees affoord him onely action for his hands , but instruction to his heart , for here he saw gods sacraments grow before him ; all other trees had a naturall vse ; these two in the midst of the garden , a spirituall ; life is the act of the soule , knowledge the life of the soule ; the tree of knowledge , and the tree of life then , were ordained as earthly helpes of the spirituall part : perhaps he which ordained the ende , immortality of life ; did appoint this fruit as the meanes , of that life ; it is not for vs to inquire after the life wee had ; and the meanes we should haue had , i am sure it serued to nourish the soule by a liuely representation of that liuing tree , whose fruite is eternall life , and whose leaues serue to heale the nations . o infinite mercy , man saw his sauiour before him ; ere hee had need of a sauiour , hee saw in whom hee should recouer an heauenly life , ere hee lost the earthly ; but after man had tasted of the tree of knowledge , hee might not taste of the tree of life ; that immortall food was not for a mortall stomacke : yet then did he most sauour that inuisible tree of life , when he was most restrayned from the other . o sauiour , none but a sinner can rellish thee : my tast hath bin enough seasoned with the forbidden fruit , to make it capable of thy sweetnesse ; sharpen thou as well the stomacke of my soule by repenting as by beleeuing , so shall i eate in despight of a-adam , liue for euer . the one tree was for confirmation ; the other for tryall , one shewed him what life hee should haue , the other what knowledge hee should not desire to haue : alas , he that knew al other things , knew not this one thing , that he knew enough : how diuine a thing is knowledge , whereof euen innocencie it selfe is ambitious ? satan knew what he did , if this bayt had beene gold , or honour , or pleasure , man had contemned it , who can hope to auoide error , when euen mans perfection is mistaken ? he lookt for speculatiue knowledge , hee should haue looked for experimentall : he thought it had beene good to know euill : good was large enough to haue perfected his knowledge , and therein his blessednesse . all that god made was good , and the maker of them much more good ; they good in their kinds , hee good in himselfe . it would not content him to know god , and his creatures , his curiosity affected to know that which god neuer made , euill of sin , and euill of death , which indeed himselfe made , by desiring to know them ; now we know well euill enough & smart with knowing it . how dear hath this lesson cost vs that in some cases it is better to be ignorant ; and yet do the sons of eue inherit this saucy appetite of their grandmother ; how many thousand soules miscarry with the presumptuous affectation of forbidden knowledge : o god , thou hast reuealed more then we can know , enough to make vs happy , teach me a sober knowledge and a contented ignorance . paradise was made for man , yet there i see the serpent ; what maruell is it if my corruption find the serpent in my closet , in my table , in my bed , when our holie parents found him in the midst of paradise : no sooner is he entred but he tempteth , hee can no more bee idle , then harmlesse , i doe not see him at any other tree ; hee knew there was no danger in the rest ▪ i see him at the tree forbidden . how true a serpent is he in euery point ; in his insinuation to the place ; in his choyce of the tree , in his assault of the woman , in his plausiblenes of speech to auoid terror , in his question to moue doubt , in his reply to work distrust , in his protestation of safety , in his suggestion to enuy and discontent , in his promise of gaine . and if hee were so cunning at the first , what shall wee thinke of him now , after so many thousand yeares experience ? onely thou , ( o god ) and these angels that see thy face are wiser then hee ; i doe not aske why , when hee left his goodnesse , thou didst not bereaue him of his skill ? still thou wouldst haue him an angell , though an euill one , and thou knowest how to ordaine his crait to thine owne glory ; i do not desire thee to abate of his subtilty , but to make me wise ; let me beg it without presumption , make me wiser then adam ; euen thine image which he bore , made him not ( through his owne weaknes ) wise enough to obey thee ; thou offeredst him al fruits , and restrainedst but one ; satan offered him but one and restrained not the rest ; when he chose rather to bee at satans feeding then thine , it was iust with thee to turne him out of thy gates , with a curse : why shouldest thou feede a rebell at thine owne boord ? and yet wee transgresse daily , and thou shuttest not heauen against vs : how is it that wee find more mercy then our forefathers ? his strength is worthy of seuerity , our weaknesse finds pittie . that god from whose face he fled in the garden , now makes him with shame to flye out of the garden : those angels that should haue kept him , now keep the gates of paradise against him ; it is not so easie to recouer happinesse , as to keepe it , or leese it : yea the same cause that droue man from paradise , hath also withdrawne paradise from the world . that fiery sword did not defend it against those waters wherwith the sins of men drowned the glory of that place : neither now do i care to seek where that paradise was which we lost , i know where that paradise is , which we must care to seeke ; and hope to finde ; as man was the image of god , so was that earthly paradise an image of heauen ; both the images are defaced , both the first paterns are eternall : adam was in the first , and stayed not : in the second , is the second adam which saide , this day shalt thou be with mee in paradise . there was that chosen vessell , & heard , and saw what could not bee expressed , by how much the third heauen exceeds the richest earth , so much doth that paradise wherto wee aspire exceed that which we haue lost . cain and abell . looke now ( o my soule ) vpon the two first brethren , perhaps twins ; and wonder at their contrary dispositions and estates : if the priuiledges of nature had beene worth any thing , the first borne child should not haue bin a reprobate . now that wee may ascribe all to free grace , the elder is a murderer , the yonger a saint , though goodnesse may bee repaired in our selues , yet it cannot bee propagated to ours : now might adam see the image of himselfe in cain , for after his owne image begot hee him , adam slew his posterity , cain his brother , we are too like one another in that wherein we are vnlike to god : euen the cleerest grain sends forth that chaffe from which it was fanned , ere the sowing : yet is this cain a possession , the same eue that mistooke the fruit of the garden , mistooke also the fruit of her owne body , her hope deceiued her in both ; so , many good names are ill bestowed ; and our comfortable expectations in earthly things do not seldome disappoint vs , doubtlesse their education was holy ; for adam though in paradise hee could not bee innocent , yet was a good man out of paradise ; his sinne and fall now made him circumspect , and since hee saw that his act had bereaued them of that image of god which he once had for them , hee could not but labour by all holy indeuours to repayre it in them . that so his care might make a mends for his trespasse : how plaine is it , that euen good breeding cannot alter destiny ? that which is crooked can none make straight , who would thinke that brethren , and but two brethren : should not loue each other , dispersed loue growes weake , and fewnesse of obiects vseth to vnite affections : if but two brothers bee left aliue of many , they thinke that the loue of all the rest should suruiue in them ; and now the beames of their affection are so much the hoter , because they reflect mutually in a right line vppon each other : yet behold , here are but two brothers in a world ; and one is the butcher of the other . who can wonder at dissentions amongst thousands of brethren , when he sees so deadly opposition betwixt two , the first roots of brotherhood : who can hope to liue plausibly and securely amongst so many cains , when hee sees one cain the death of one abel ? the same diuell that set enmity betwixt man and god ; sets enmity betwixt man and man , and yet god said ; i will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed , our hatred of the serpent and his seed is from god : their hatred of the holy seed is from the serpent ; behold here at once , in one person the seed of the woman and of the serpent , cains naturall parts are of the woman ; his vitious qualities of the serpent ; the woman gaue him to bee a brother , the serpent to be a manslayer , all vncharitablenesse , all quarrels are of one author : we cannot entertaine wrath , and not giue place to the diuell . certainely , so deadly an act must needs bee deepely grounded . what then was the occasion of this capitall malice ? abels sacrifice is accepted ; what was this to cain ? cains is reiected ; what could abel remedy this ? oh enuie ; the corrasiue of all ill minds ; and the root of all desperate actions : the same cause that moued satan to tempt the first man , to destroy himselfe , and his posterity , the same moues the second man to destroy the third : it should haue beene cains ioy to see his brother accepted ; it should haue bene his sorrow , to see that himselfe had deserued a reiection , his brothers example should haue excited , and directed him : could abel haue stayed gods fire from descending ? or shold he ( if he could ) reiect gods acceptation , and displease his maker , to content a brother ? was cain euer the farther from a blessing , because his brother obtained mercy ? how proud and foolish is malice ? which growes thus mad , for no other cause , but because god , or abel is not lesse good ; it hath beene an olde and happy danger to be holy ; indifferent actions must bee carefull to auoide offence ; but i care not what diuell or what cain bee angry that i doe good , or receiue good . there was neuer any nature without enuy ; euery man is born a cain ; hating that goodnes in another , which hee neglected in himselfe ; there was neuer enuie that was not bloody ; for if it eat not anothers hart , it will eat our owne , but vnlesse it be restrained it will surely feed it selfe with the blood of others , oft times in act , alwaies in affection . and that god which ( in good ) accepts the will for the deed , condemns the will for the deed in euill . if there be an euill heart , there will bee an euill eye , and if both these , there will be an euill hand how earely did martyrdome come into the world ? the first man that died , died for religion ; who dare measure gods loue by outward euents , when hee sees wicked cain standing ouer bleeding abel ; whose sacrifice was first accepted , and now himselfe is sacrificed . death was denounced to man as a curse ; yet behold it first lights vppon a saint , how soone was it altered by the mercy of that iust hand which inflicted it ? if death had beene euill , and life good ; cain had beene slaine , and abel had suruiued , now that it begins with him that god loues , o death where is thy sting ? abel sayes nothing , his blood cries : euery drop of innocent blood hath a tongue , and is not onely vocall , but importunate , what a noise then did the blood of my sauiour make in heauen , who was himselfe the shepheard and the sacrifice ; the man that was offered , and the god to whome it was offered ; the spirit that herd both saies , it spake better things then the blood of abel ; abels blood called for reuenge his for mercy ; abels pleaded his owne innocency , his , the satisfaction for all the beleeuing world : abels procured cains punishment , his , freed all repentant souls from punishment , better things indeed , then the blood of abel . better , and therfore that which abels blood said , was good : it is good that god should bee auenged of sinners , execution of iustice vpon offenders , is no lesse good , then rewards of goodnes . no sooner doth abels blood speake vnto god , then god speaks to cain ; there is no wicked man to whom god speakes not , if not to his eare , yet to his heart : what speech was this ? not an accusation , but an inquiry , yet such an enquiry as would infer an accusation , god loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe , and therefore hath he set his deputy in the brest of man , neither doth god loue this , more then nature abhors it : cain answers stubbornly : the very name of abel wounds him no lesse , then his hand had wounded abel : consciences that are without remorse , are not without horror : wickednes makes men desperate ; the murderer is angry with god , as of late for accepting his brothers oblation , so now for listening to his blood . and now he dares answer god with a question , am i my brothers keeper ? where he shold haue said , am not i my brothers murderer . behold he scorneth to keep whom he feared not to kill , good duties are base and troublesome to wicked minds , whiles euen violences of euill are pleasant , yet this miscreant which neither had grace to auoid his sinne , nor to confesse it , now that he is conuinced of sinne , and cursed for it , how he howleth , how he exclaimeth ? hee that cares not for the act of his sinne , shall care for the smart of his punishment . the damned are weary of their torments , but in vaine . how great a madnesse is it to complaine too late ; he that would not keepe his brother , is cast out from the protection of god ; he that feared not to kill his brother , feares now , that whosoeuer meets him will kill him . the troubled conscience proiecteth fearefull things , and sin makes euen cruell men cowardly : god saw it was too much fauour for him to dye : he therfore wils that which cain wils ; cain would liue ; it is yeelded him , but for a curse , how oft doth god heare sinners in anger ? hee shall liue , banished from god , carying his hell in his bosome , and the brand of gods vengeance in his forehead , god reiects him , the earth repines at him , men abhorre him ; himselfe now wishes that death which he feared , and no man dare pleasure him with a murder ; how bitter is the end of sin , yea without end ; still cain finds that he killed himselfe more then his brother , wee should neuer sin if our foresight were but as good as our sence ; the issue of sin would appeare a thousand times more horrible , then the act is pleasant . the deluge . the world was grown so foul with sin , that god saw it was time to wash it with a flood . and so close did wickednes cleaue to the authors of it , that when they were washt to nothing , yet it would not off , yea so deepe did it sticke in the very graine of the earth ; that god saw it meet to let it soke long vnder the waters . so vnder the law , the very vessels that had touched vncleane water must either be rinced , or broken , mankind began but with one , and yet he that saw the first man , liued to see the earth peopled with a world of men , yet men grew not so fast as wickednes , one man could soone and easily multiply a thousand sins , neuer man had so many children , so that when there were men enough to store the earth , there were as many sins as would reach vp to heauen , whereupon the waters came downe from heauen , and swelled vp to heauen againe , if there had not been so deepe a deluge of sin , there had beene none of the waters : from whence then was this superfluity of iniquity ? whence , but from the vnequall yoke with infidels ? these mariages did not beget men , so much as wickednesse ; from hence religious husbands both lost their piety , and gained a rebellious and godlesse generation . that which was the first occasion of sinne , was the occasion of the increase of sinne , a woman seduced adam , women betray these sons of god , the beauty of the apple betrayd the woman , the beauty of these women betrayd this holy seed , eue saw and lusted , so did they , this also was a forbidden fruit , they lusted , tasted , sinned , died ; the most sins begin at the eyes , by them commonly satan creeps into the hart that soule can neuer bee in safety that hath not couenanted with his eyes . god needed not haue giuen these men any warning of his iudgement , they gaue him no warning of their sins , no respite : yet that god might approue his mercies to the very wicked ; hee giues them an hundred & twenty yeares respite of repenting , how loath is god to strike , that threats so long , hee that delights in reuenge , surprises his aduersary , whereas hee that giues long warnings desires to be preuented if we were not wilfull , we should neuer smart . neither doth hee giue them time onely , but a faithful teacher . it is an happy thing when hee that teacheth others is righteous ; noahs hand taught them as much as his tongue . his businesse in building the arke was a reall sermon to the world , wherein at once were taught mercy and life to the beleuers ; and to the rebellious destruction . mee thinks i see those monstrous sonnes of lamech comming to noah , and asking him , what he meanes by that strange worke ; whether hee meane to saile vpon the dry land . to whom when he reports gods purpose , and his , they go away laughing at his idlenes , and tell one another , in sport , that too much holinesse hath made him mad : yet cannot they al flout noah out of his faith , he preaches and builds and finishes . doubtles more hands went to this work than his : many a one wrought vpon the arke , which yet was not saued in the arke . our outward works cannot saue vs without our faith , wee may helpe to saue others , and perish our selues : what a wonder of mercy is this that i here see ? one poor family called out of a world , and as it were eight graines of corne fanned from a whole barne ful of chaffe : one hypocrite was saued with the rest , for noahs sake , not one righteous man was swept away for companie ; for these few was the earth preserued still vnder the waters ; and all kinds of creatures vpon the waters ; which else had been all destroyed . still the world stands , for their sakes , for whom it was preserued ; else fire should consume that , which could not be cleansed by water . this difference is strange ; i see the sauagest of all creatures , lions tygers ; beares by an instinct from god come to seeke the arke , ( as we see swine foreseeing a storme , run home crying for shelter ; men i see not ; reason once debauched is worse then brutishnesse : god hath vse even of these fierce and cruell beasts , and glorie by them , even they being created for man , must liue by him , though to his punishment : how greatly do they offer & submit themselues to their preseruer ; renewing that obeysance to this repairer of the world which , they before sin , yeelded to him that first stored the world : he that shut them into the arke when they were entred , shut their mouths also while they did enter . the lions faune vpon noah , and daniel ; what hart cannot the maker of them mollifie ? the vnclean beasts god would haue to liue , the cleane to multiplie ; and therefore hee sends to noah seauen of the cleane , of the vncleane two : he knew the one would annoy man with their multitude , the other would inrich him ; those things are worthie of most respect which are of most vse . but why seven ? surely that god that created seuen daies in the week , and made one for himselfe ; did heere preserue of seuen cleane beasts , one for himselfe ; for sacrifice : he giues vs sixe for one in earthly things , that in spirituall we should be all for him . now the day is come , all the guests are entred , the ark is shut , and the windowes of heauen opened : i doubt not but many of those scoffers , when they saw the violence of the waters descending , and ascending , according to noahs prediction , came wading middle-deep vnto the ark , and importunately craued that admittance , which they once denied . but now , as they formerly reiected god , so are they iustly reiected of god : ere vengeance begin , repentance is seasonable ; but if iudgement bee once gone out , wee cry too late ; while the gospell solicites vs , the doores of the arke are open ; if wee neglect the time of grace , in vaine shal we seeke it with teares , god holds it no mercy to pitty the obstinate . others more bolde then they , hope to ouer-runne the iudgement , and climbing vp to the hye mountaines looke downe vppon the waters , with more hope then feare : and now when they see their hils become ilands , they climbe vp into the tallest trees there with palenes and horror at once looke for death , & study to auoid it , whom the waues ouertake at last halfe dead with famin and halfe with fear . lo now from the tops of the mountaines they descrie the ark floting vpon the waters , and beholde with enuy that which before they beheld with scorne . in vain doth he flie whom god pursues . there is no way to flie from his iudgements , but to flie to his mercy by repenting . the faith of the righteous cannot bee so much derided , as their successe is magnified : how securely doth noah ride out this vprore of heauen , earth , and waters ? he heares the powring downe of the raine aboue his head , the shrieking of men , and roaring , and bellowing of beasts , on both sides him , the raging and threats of the waues vnder him , hee saw the miserable shifts of the distressed vnbeleeuers ; and in the meane time sits quietly in his drye cabin , neither feeling nor fearing euill , he knew that he which owed the waters , would steere him , that hee who shut him in , would preserue him . how happy a thing is faith ? what a quiet safety , what an heauenly peace doth it worke in the soule , in the midst of all the inundations of euill ? now when god had fetcht againe all the life which he had giuen to his vnworthy creatures , and reduced the world vnto his first forme wherein waters were ouer the face of the earth , it was time for a renouation of al things to succeed this destruction ; to haue continued this deluge long , had beene to punish noah , that was righteous ; after fourty daies therefore , the heauens cleare vp , after . the waters sink downe : how soone is god weary of punishing , which is neuer weary of blessing ; yet may not the arke rest suddenly , if we did not stay som-while vnder gods hand we should not know how sweete his mercy is , and how great our thankfulnesse should bee , the arke though it was noahs sort against the waters , yet it was his prison , he was safe in it , but pent vp ; hee that gaue him life by it , now thinks time to giue him liberty out of it . god doth not reueale all things to his best seruants , beholde hee that tolde noah . yeares before , what day he should go into the arke , yet foretels him not now in the arke what day the arke should rest vpon the hils , and hee should goe forth ; noah therfore sends out his intelligencers , the rauen , and the doue : whose wings in that vaporous ayre might easily descry further then his sight : the rauen of quicke sent , of grosse ●eede , of tough constitution , no foule was so fit for discouery ; the likeliest things alwaies succeed not ; hee neither will venter farre into that solitary world for feare of want , nor yet come into the arke for loue of liberty ; but houers about in vncertainties . how many carnall minds flye out of the arke of gods church ; and imbrace the present world : rather choosing to feed vpon the vnsauory carcasses of sinfull pleasures ; then to be restrained within the straite lists of christian obedience . the doue is sent forth , a foule , both swift and simple . she like a true citizen of the arke , returnes ; and brings faithfull notice ; of the continuance of the waters by her restlesse and empty returne ; by her oliue leafe , of the abatement : how woorthy are those messengers to be welcome , which with innocence in their liues , bring glad tidings of peace , and saluation in their mouthes ? noah reioyces , and beleeues ; yet still hee waites seuen daies more : it is not good to deuoure the fauours of god too greedily ; but so take them in , that wee may digest them : oh strong faith of noah that was not weary with this delay ; some man would haue so longed for the open ayre after so long closenes , that vpon the first notice of safety hee would haue vncouered , and voyded the ark ; noah stayes seuen daies ere hee will open ; and well neere two moneths ere hee will forsake the arke ; and not then , vnlesse god that commanded to enter , had bidden him depart . there is no action good without faith : no faith without a word . happy is that man which in all things ( neglecting the counsels of flesh & blood ) depends vpon the commission of his maker . finis . contemplations . the second booke . noah . babel . abraham . isaac sacrificed . lot and sodom . imprinted at london by melch. bradwood for samuel macham , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bull-head- . to the right honourable the lord stanhope one of his maiesties most honourable priuy counsell , all grace and happinesse . right honourable : i durst appeale to the iudgment of a carnall reader ( let him not bee preiudicate ) that there is no history so pleasant as the sacred ; set aside the maiestie of the inditer ; none can compare with it , for the magnificence and antiquity of the matter , the sweetnesse of compiling , the strange variety of memorable occurrences : and if the delight bee such , what shal the profit be esteemed of that which was written by god for the saluation of men : i confesse no thoughts did euer more sweetly steale me and time away , then those which i haue employed in this subiect , and i hope none can equally benefit others , for if the meere relation of these holy things bee profitable , how much more when it is reduced to vse : this second part of the world repaired , i dedicate to your lordship , wherein you shall see noah as weake in his tent , as strong in the arke , an vngratious son reserued from the deluge to his fathers curse : modest piety rewarded with blessings , the building of babell , begun in pride , ending in confusion . abrahams faith , feare , obedience , isaac bound vpon the altar vnder the hand of a father that hath forgotten both nature , and all his hopes ; sodom burning with a double fire , from hell , and from heauen : lot rescued from that impure citie , yet after finding sodom in his caue : euery one of these passages is not more full of wonder , then of edification . that spirit which hath penned all these things for our learning , teach vs their right vse : and sanctifye these my vnworthy meditations to the good of his church . to whose abundant grace i humbly commend your lordship . your lordships vnfainedly deuoted in all due obseruance . jos . hall. the second booke . noah . no sooner is noah come out of the ark , but hee builds an altar : not an house for himselfe , but an altar to the lord : our faith will euer teach vs to preferre god to our selues ; delayed thankfulnesse is not woorthy of acceptation , of those few creatures that are least , god must haue some ; they are all his , yet his goodnesse will haue man know , that it was he , for whose sake they were preserued ; it was a priuiledge to those very bruit creatures that they were saued from the waters , to be offered vp in fire vnto god ; what a fauour is it to men to bee reserued from common destructions , to be sacrificed to their maker , and redeemer . lo this little fire of noah , through the vertue of his faith , purged the world , and ascended vp into those heuens from which the waters fell , and caused a glorious raine-bow to appeare therin for his security : all the sins of the former world were not so vnsauory vnto god , as this smoke was pleasant . no perfume can bee so sweete as the holy obedience of the faithfull . now god that was before annoyed with the ill sauor of sinne , smels a sweet sauor of rest : behold heere a new and second rest : first god rested from making the world , now hee rests from destroying it : euen while we cease not to offend , hee ceases from a publique reuenge . his worde was enough ; yet withall hee giues a signe ; which may speake the trueth of his promise to the very eies of men , thus he doth still in his blessed sacraments , which are as reall words to the soule : the raine-bow is the pledge of our safety ; which euen naturally signifies the ende of a showre ; all the signes of gods institution are proper , and fignificant . but who would looke after all this to haue found righteous noah the father of the new world , lying drunken in his tent ? who could thinke that wine should ouerthrow him that was preserued from the waters ? that hee who could not bee tainted with the sinfull examples of the former world , should begin the example of a new sinne of his owne ? what are wee men , if wee bee but our selues ? while god vpholds vs , no temptation can moue vs , when he leaues vs , no temptation is too weake to ouerthrow vs ? what liuing man had euer so noble proofes of the mercy , of the iustice of god ? mercy vpon himselfe , iustice vpon others : what man had so gratious approbation from his maker : behold hee of whom in an vncleane world god said . thee onely haue i found righteous , proues now vncleane , when the world was purged : the preacher of righteousnesse vnto the former age , the king , priest , and prophet of the world renued is the first that renues the sins of that world which he had reprooued , and which he saw condemned for sinne : gods best children haue no fence for sinnes of infirmitie : which of the saints haue not once done that , wherof they are ashamed ? god that lets vs fall knows how to make as good vse of the sins of his holy ones as of their obedience : if wee had not such patterns , who could choose but despaire at the sight of his sinnes ? yet we find noah drunken but once , one act can no more make a good heart vnrighteous , then a trade of sinne can stand with regeneration , but when i looke to the effect of this sin , i can not but blush and wonder ; lo this sinne , is worse then sinne ; other sinnes moue shame but hide it , this displayes it to the world , adam had no sooner sinned , but he saw and abhord his owne nakednes , seeking to hide it euen with bushes . noah had no sooner sinned , but hee discouers his nakednesse , & hath not so much rule o● himself , as to be ashamed , one houres drunkennes bewraies that which more then . years sobriety had modestly concealed ; he that giues himself to wine , is not his owne : what shall we thinke of this vice , which robs a man of himselfe , and layes a beast in his roome ? noahs nakednes is seene in wine , it is no vnusuall quality in this excesse , to disclose secrets ; drunkennes doth both make imperfections , & shew those wee haue , to others eyes , so would god haue it , that we might be double asham'd , both of those weaknesses which we discouer , & of that weakenes which mooued vs to discouer . noah is vncouered ; but in the midst of his owne tent : it had beene sinfull though no man had seene it : vnknowne sins haue their guilt and shame , and are iustly attended with knowne punishments . vngratious cham saw it and laughed , his fathers shame should haue been his ; the deformity of those parts from which hee had his beeing ; should haue begotten in him a secret horror , and deiection , how many gracelesse men make sport at the causes of their humiliation . twise had noah giuen him life , yet neither the name of a father , and preseruer , nor age , nor vertue could shield him from the contempt of his owne . i see that euen gods arke may nourish monsters ▪ some filthy toades may lie vnder the stones of the temple , god preserues some men in iudgement , better had it beene for cham to haue perished in the waters , then to liue vnto his fathers curse . not content to be a witnesse of this filthy sight ; he goes on to bee a proclaimer of it . sinne doth ill in the eye but worse in the tongue : as all sin is a work of darkenes , so it should bee buried in darkenesse . the report of sin is oft-times as ill , as the commission ; for it can neuer bee blazoned without vncharitablenesse ; seldome without infection ; oh the vnnaturall and more then chammish impiety of those sons which reioyce to publish the nakednesse of their spirituall parents euen to their enemies . yet it was well for noah that cham could tell it to none but his owne ; and those , gracious and dutifull sonnes . our shame is the lesse if none know our faults but our friends . behold how loue couereth sinnes , these good sonnes are so farre from going forward to see their fathers shame , that they goe backeward to hide it , the cloake is laide on both their shoulders , they both go back with quall paces , and dare not so much as looke backe lest they should vnwillingly see the cause of their shame , and will rather aduenture to stumble at their fathers body then to see his nakednesse : how did it greeue them to thinke that they which had so oft come to their holy father with reuerence must now in reuerence turn their backes vpon him ; and that they must now cloath him in pitty , which had so often clothed them in loue : and which addes more to their duty , they couered him , and saide nothing . this modest sorrow is their praise , and our example ; the sins of those wee loue and honor , we must heare of with indignation ; fearfully and vnwillingly beleeue , acknowledge with griefe and shame , hide with honest excuses , and bury in silence . how equal a regard is this both of piety and disobedience ? because c ham sinned against his father , therfore he shall be plagued in his children ; iapheth is dutifull to his father , and finds it in his posterity . because c ham was an ill sonne to his father , therefore his sonnes shall be seruans to his brethren , because iapheth set his shoulder to sems , to beare the cloake of shame , therfore shall iapheth dwel in the tents of sem ; partaking with him in blessing , as in duty . when we doe but what wee ought ; yet god is thankefull to vs ; and rewards that which wee should sin if we did not : who could euer yet shew mee a man rebelliously vndutifull to his parents that hath prospered in himselfe , and his seed ? babel . how soone are men and sins multiplied ? within one hundred yeeres the world is as full of both , as if there had beene no deluge . though men could not but see the fearefull monuments of the ruine of their ancestors , yet how quickly had they forgotten a floud ? good noah liued to see the world both populous , and wicked again . and doubtles oft-times repented to haue beene the preseruer of some whom hee saw to traduce the vices of the former world , to the renewed : it could not but grieue him to see the destroyed giants reuiue out of his own loyns , and to see them of his flesh and bloud tirannise ouer themselues . in his sight nimrod casting off the awe of his holy grandfather , grew imperious and cruell , and made his owne kinsmen seruants . how easie a thing it is for a great spirit to bee the head of a faction ; when euen brethren will stoop to seruitude ; and now when men are combined together , euill and presumptuous motions finde incouragement in multitudes ; and each man takes a pride in seeming forwardest , wee are the cheerfuller in good when wee haue the assistance of company , much more in sinning , by how much we are more prone to euill then good . it was a proud word ( come let vs build vs a citie and a towre whose top may reach to heauen . ) they were newly come down from the hils vnto the plains , and now thinke of raising vp an hill of building in the plaine , when their tents were pitched vpon the mountains of armenia they were as neere to heauen as their towre could make them ; but their ambition must needs aspire to an height of their owne raising . pride is euer discontented ; and stil seeks matter of boasting in her owne workes . how fondly doe men reckon without god , come let vs build ; as if there had beene no stop but in their own will : as if both earth and time had beene theirs : still doe all naturall men build babell ; forecasting their owne plots so resolutely , as if there were no power to countermand them : it is iust with god that peremptory determinations seldome prosper : whereas those things which are fearefully and modestly vndertaken , commonly succeed . let vs build vs a city , if they had taken god with them it had bin commendable , establishing of societies is pleasing to him that is the god of order : but a towre whose top may reach to heauen , was a shameful arrogance , an impious presumption ; who would thinke that wee little ants that creepe vpon this earth should thinke of climbing vp to heauen , by multiplying of earth ? pride euer looks at highest , the first man would know as god , these would dwell as god ; couetousnesnesse and ambition know no limits . and what if they had reacht vp to heauen , some hils are as high as they could hope to be , and yet are no whit the better ; no place alters the condition of nature , an angell is glorious , though hee bee vpon earth ; and man is but earth though he be aboue the clouds : the neerer they had beene to heauen the more subiect should they haue been to the violences of heauen ; to thunders , lightnings , and those other higher inflammations , what had beene but to thrust themselues into the hands of the reuenger of all wicked insolences ? god loues that heauen should bee lookt at , and affected with all humble desires , with the holy ambitions of faith , not with the proud imaginations of our owne atchieuements . but wherefore was all this ? not that they loued so much to bee neighbours to heauen , as to be famous vpon earth ; it was not commodity that was heere sought , not safety , but glory : whither doth not thirst of fame cary men ? whether in good or euil : it makes them seek to climbe to heauen , it makes them not fear to run down headlong to hell : euen in the best things desire of praise stands in competition with conscience , and brags to haue the more clients . one builds a temple to diana in hope of glory , intending it for one of the great wonders of the world ; another in hope of fame burnes it . hee is a rare man that hath not some babel of his owne , whereon he bestowes paines and cost , onely to be talked of . if they had done better things in a vain-glorious purpose ; their act had beene accursed ; if they had built houses to god , if they had giuen almes to men , if they had sacrificed , prayed , liued well ; the intent poisons the action ; but now both the act and the purpose are equally vain , and the issue is as vain as either . god hath a speciall indignation at pride aboue all sins , and wil crosse our endeuours not for that they are euil ( what hurt could be in laying one bricke vppon another ? ) but for that they are proudly vndertaken : hee could haue hindered the laying of the first stone ; and might as easily haue made the trench for the foundation , the graue of the builders : but hee loues to see what wicked men would doe ; and to let fooles runne themselues out of breath ; what monument should they haue had of their own madnesse , and his powerfull interruption , if the walls had risen to no height ? to stop them then in the midst of their course , he meddles not with either their hands , or their feet , but their tongues ; not by pulling them out , not by loosing their strings , not by making them say nothing , but by teching them to say too much : here is nothing varied but the sound of letters , euen this frustrates the work , and befooles the workmen : how easie is it for god tenne thousand waies to correct and forestall the greatest proiects of men ? hee that taught adam the first words , taught them words that neuer were . one cals for bricke , the other looks him in the face , and wonders what hee commands , and how and why he speaks such words , as were neuer heard , and in stead thereof brings him morter , returning him an answer as little vnderstood , ech chides with other , expressing his choler so , as hee onely can vnderstand himselfe : from heat they fall to quiet intreaties , but still with the same successe . at first euery man thinks his fellow mocks him , but now perceiuing this serious confusion their onely answere was silence , and ceasing ; they could not come together , for no man could call them to be vnderstood ; & if they had assembled nothing could be determined , because one could neuer attaine to the others purpose : no , they could not haue the honour of a generall dismission , but each man leaues his trowell and station more like a foole then hee vndertooke it , so commonly actions begun in glory , shut vp in shame . all externall actions depend vpon the tongue , no man can know others mind , if this bee not the interpreter ; hence as there were many toungs giuen to stay the building of babel , so there were as many giuen to build the new ierusalem , the euangelicall church . how deare hath babel cost all the world ? at the first when there was but one language , men did spend their time in arts ; ( so was it requisit at the first setling of the world , and so came early to perfection ) but now we stay so long ( of necessity ) vpon the shel of tongues , that we can hardly haue time to chew the sweet kernell of knowledge : surely men would haue growne too proud if there had beene no babel : it fals out oft-times that one sinne is a remedy of a greater . diuision of tongues must needs slacken any worke : multiplicitie of language had not bin giuen by the holy ghost for a blessing to the church , if the world had not beene before possessed with multiplicitie of languages , for a punishment : hence it is that the building of our sion rises no faster , because our tongues are diuided ; happy were the church of god if we al spake but one language : whiles wee differ , wee can build nothing but babel ; difference of tongues caused their babel to cease , but it builds ours . abraham . it was fit that he which should be the father and pattern of the faithful shold be throughly tried for in a set copie euery fault is important , and may proue a rule of error : of ten trials which abraham passed ; the last was the sorest : no sonne of abraham can hope to escape temptations , while hee sees that bosome in which hee desires to rest , so assaulted with difficulties . abraham must leaue his countrey and kinred , and liue among strangers ; the calling of god neuer leaues men , where it finds them , the earth is the lords ; and all places are alike to the wise and faithfull : if chaldea had not been grossely idolatrous ; abraham had not left it ; no bond must tie vs to the danger of infection : but whether must he go ? to a place he knew not , to men that knew not him : it is enough comfort to a good man , wheresoeuer he is , that hee is acquainted with god , we are neuer out of our way while wee follow the calling of god. neuer any man lost by his obedience to the highest : because abraham yeelded , god giues him the possession of canaan : i wonder more at his faith in taking this possession , then in leauing his owne ; beholde abraham takes possession for that seed which he had not ; which in nature hee was not like to haue ; of that land wherof hee should not haue one foot , wherein his seede should not bee setled of almost fiue hundred yeres after , the power of faith can preuent time ; and make future things present ; if wee be the true sonnes of abraham we haue already ( while wee soiourne heere on earth ) the possession of our land of promise : while wee seeke our country , we haue it . yet euen canaan doth not affoord him bread , which yet hee must beleeue shall flow with milk and hony to his seede : sense must yeeld to faith , wo were vs , if wee must iudge of our future estate by the present , aegypt giues releefe to abraham , when canaan cannot in outward things gods enemies may fare better , then his friends : thrise had aegypt preserued the church of god , in abraham , in iaacob , in christ ; god oft-times makes vse of the world for the behoofe of his ; though without their thanks ; as contrarily , he vses the wicked for scourges to his own inheritance , and burns them ; because in his good they intended euill . but what a change is this ? hitherto hath sarah bene abrahams wife , now aepypt hath made her his sister ; feare hath turned him from an husband to a brother ; no strength of faith can exclude some doubtings : god hath said , i will make thee a great nation , abraham saith , the egyptians will kill me : he that liued by his faith , yet shrinketh , and sinneth . how vainely shall we hope to beleeue without al feare , and to liue without infirmities ? some little aspersions of vnbeleefe cannot hinder the praise and power of faith ; abraham beleeued , and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse ; hee that through inconsideratenesse doubted twise of his owne life , doubts not of the life of his seed , euen from the dead and dry wombe of sarah , yet was it more difficult that his posterity should sarah , then that sarahs husband should liue in aegypt : this was aboue nature , yet he beleeues it ; sometimes the beleeuer stickes at easie tryalls , and yet breakes through the greatest temptations without feare : abraham was olde ere this promise and hope of a sonne ; and stil the older , the more vncapable ; yet god makes him wait twenty fiue yeares for performance , no time is long to faith which hath learned to differre hopes without fainting and irkesomnesse . abraham heard this newes from the angell , and laughed , sarah heard it , and laughed ; they did not more agree in their desire , then differ in their affection ; abraham laughed for ioy ; sarah for distrust , abraham laughed because he beleeued it would be so ; sarah because she beleeued it could not be : the same act varies in the manner of doing , and the intention of the doer , yet sarah laught but within her selfe and is bewraied : how god can find vs out in secret sins ; how easily did she now think , that he which could know of her inward laughter , could know of her conception , and now she that laughed and beleeued not , beleeueth and feareth . what a liuely patterne doe i see in abraham & sarah , of a strong faith and weake , of strong in abraham and weake in sarah : shee to make god good of his worde to abraham , knowing her owne barrennesse , substitutes an hagar , and in an ambition of seed , perswades to poligamy . abraham had neuer looked to obtaine the promise by any other then a barren wombe , if his owne wife had not importunde him to take another : when our owne apparent meanes faile , weake faith is put to shifts ; and proiects strange deuises of her owne to attaine her end . she will rather conceiue by another wombe then bee childlesse : when she heares of an impossibility to nature , she doubreth , and yet hides her diffidence ; and when she must beleeue , feareth , because she did distrust : abraham heares and beleeues and expects and reioyces ; he saith not , i am old and weake ; sarah is olde and barren , where are the many nations that shall come from these withered loynes ? it is enough to him that god hath said it , he sees not the meanes , he sees the promise . he knew that god would rather raise him vp seede from the very stones that hee trod vpon , then himselfe should want a large and happy issue . there is no faith where there is neither meanes or hopes . difficulties and impossibilities are the true obiects of beleefe : hereupon god ads to his name that which he would fetch from his loynes , and made his name as ample as his posterity : neuer any man was a looser by beleeuing : faith is euer recompensed with glory . neither is abraham content only to wait for god , but to smart for him ; god bids him cut his owne flesh ; he willingly sacrifices this parcell of his skin and blood , to him that was the owner of all : how glad he is to carry this painfull marke of the loue of his creator . how forward to seale this couenant with blood betwixt god and him , not regarding the sorenesse of his body in comparison of the confirmation of his soule ; the wound was not so grieuous as the signification was comfortable . for herein hee saw that from his loynes should come that blessed seed which should purge his soule from all corruption : well is that part of vs lost , which may giue assurance of the saluation of the whole ; our faith is not yet sound , if it haue not taught vs to neglect paine for god , and more to loue his sacraments , then our owne flesh . isaac sacrificed . bvt all these are but easie tasks of faith , all ages haue stood amazed at the next : not knowing whether they should more wonder at gods command , or abrahams obedience , many yeeres had that good patriarch waited for his isaac ; now at last hee hath ioyfully receiued him , and that with this gratious acclamation . in isaac shall thy seed bee called , and all nations blessed . behold the son of his age , the son of his loue , the son of his expectation , hee that might not indure a mocke from his brother , must now indure the knife of his father ; take thine onely sonne isaac whome thou louest and get thee to the land of moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering . neuer any gold was tried in so hot a fire . who but abraham would not haue expostulated with god ? what ? doth the god of mercies now beginne to delight in blood ? is it possible that murder should become pietie ? or if thou wilt needes take pleasure in an humane sacrifice , is there none but isaac fit for thine altar , none but abraham to offer him ? shall these hands destroy the fruit of mine owne loines ? can i not be faithfull vnlesse i be vnnaturall ? or if i must needes be the monster of all parents , will not ismael yet bee accepted ? o god where is thy mercie , where is thy iustice ? hast thou giuen me but one only sonne , and must i now slay him ? why did i wait so long for him ? why didst thou giue him me ? why didst thou promise mee a blessing in him ? what will the heathen say when they shall heare of this infamous massacre ? how can thy name , and my profession escape a perpetuall blasphemie ? with what face shall i looke vpon my wife sarah , whose sonne i haue murdered ▪ how shall shee intertaine the executioner of isaac ? or who will beleeue that i did this from thee ? how shall not all the world spit at his holy cruelty , and say there goes the man that cut the throat of his owne son . yet if hee were an vngratious or rebellious child , his deserts might giue some colour to this violence , but to lay hands on so deare , so dutifull , so hopefull a sonne , is vncapable of all pretences . but grant that thou which art the god of nature maist either alter or neglect it , what shall i say to the truth of thy promises ? can thy iustice admit contradictions ; can thy decrees be changeable , canst thou promise & disappoint ? can these two stand together , isaac shall liue to bee the father of nations ; and isaac shall now dye by the hand of his father ? when isaac is once gone where is my seed , where is my blessing ? o god if thy commands and purposes be capable of alteration , alter this bloody sentence , and let thy first word stand . these would haue beene the thoughts of a weake heart , but god knew that he spake to an abraham , and abraham knew that he had to doe with a god : faith had taught him not to argue , but obey ; in an holy wilfulnesse hee either forgets nature , or despises her , hee is sure that what god commands is good , that what he promises , is infallible , and therefore is carelesse of the means , and trusts to the end . in matters of god , whosoeuer consults with flesh and blood shall neuer offer vp his isaac , to god , there needs no counsellor when we know god is the commander ; here is neither grudging nor deliberating , nor delaying : his faith would not suffer him so much as to be sorry for that hee must do . sarah her selfe may not know of gods charge , and her husbands purpose , lest her affection should haue ouercome her faith ; lest her weakenesse now grown importunat , should haue said , disobey god any die . that which he must do , he will do , he that hath learned not to regarde the life of his son , had lerned not to regard the sorrow of his wise . it is too much tendernesse to respect the censures and constructions of others , when we haue a direct word from god. the good patriarch rises early , and addresses himselfe to his sad iourney . and now must he trauell three whole daies to do this execution , and stil must isaac be in his eye , whom all this while hee seemes to see bleeding vppon the pile of wood , which he carries ; there is nothing so miserable as to dwell vnder the expectation of a great euill ; that misery which must be , is mitigated with speed , and aggrauated with delay : all this while if abraham had repented him , hee had leisure to returne . there is no small triall , euen in the very time of tryall : now when they are come within sight of the chosen mountaine , the seruants are dismissed , what a deuotion is this that will abide no witnesses , hee will not suffer two of his owne vassals to see him do that , which soon after al the world must know he hath done , yet is not abraham afraid of that piety , which the beholders could not see without horror , without resistance , which no eare could heare of without abhomination . what stranger could haue indured to see the father carry the knife and fire , instruments of that death , which he had rather suffer then inflict ? the son securely carrying that burden which must carry him . but if abrahams hart could haue knowne how to relent , that question of his deere , innocent and religious son had melted it into compassion , my father , behold the fire and the wood , but where is the sacrifice ? i know not whether that word , my father , did not strike abraham as deep , as the knife of abraham could strike his son : yet doth he not so much as thinke , ( o miserable man that may not at once bee a sonne to such a god , and a father to such a sonne : ) still he persists , and conceales , and where he meant not , prophesies , my sonne , god shall prouide a lamb for the burnt offering : the heauy tidings was loath to come foorth , it was a death to abraham to say what he must doe : hee knows his owne faith to act this , he knows not isaacs to indure it , but now when isaac hath helped to build the altar , whereon he must be consumed ; hee heares ( not without astonishment ) the strange command of god , the finall will of his father : my sonne thou art the lambe which god hath prouided for this burnt offering ; if my blood would haue excused thee , how many thousand times had i rather to giue thee my own life , then take thine alas i am full of daies , and now of long liued not but in thee ; thou mightest haue preserued the life of thy father and haue comforted his death , but the god of vs both hath chosen thee ; hee that gaue thee vnto mee miraculously , bids me by an vnusuall meanes to returne thee vnto him . i neede not tell thee , that i sacrifice all my worldly ioyes , yea and my selfe in thee , but god must bee obeyed ; neither art thou too deere for him that calls thee : come on my son , restore the life that god hath giuen thee by mee : offer thy selfe willingly to those flames , send vp thy soule cheerefully vnto thy glorie ; and know that god loues thee aboue others , since hee requires thee alone to be consecrated in sacrifice to himselfe . who cannot imagine with what perplexed mixtures of passions , with what changes of countenance , what doubts , what fears , what amazement good isaac receiued this sudden message from the mouth of his father , how hee questioned , how he pleaded ; but when hee had somwhat digested his thoughts , and considered that the author was god , the actor abraham , the action a sacrifice , he now approoues himselfe the son of abraham ; now hee incourages the trembling hands of his father ; with whom he striues in this praise of forwardnes , and obedience ; now he offers his hands and feet to the cords , his throat to the knife , his body to the altar ; and growing ambitious of the sword and fire , intreates his father to do that , which he would haue done though hee had disswaded him ; o holy emulation of faith ! o blessed agreement of the sacrificer , and oblation : abraham is as ready to take , as isaac to giue , he binds those deare hands which are more straitly bound with the cords of duty , and resolution ; hee laies his sacrifice vpon the wood , which now before hand burnt inwardly with the heauenly fire of zeale and deuotion . and now hauing kissed him his last , not without mutual tears , hee lifts vp his hand to fetch the stroke of death at once ; not so much as thinking , perhaps god will relent after the first wound ; now the stay of abraham , the hope of the church lies on bleeding vnder the hand of a father , what bowells can choose but yearne at this spectacle ; which of the sauagest heathens that had beene now vpon the hill of moriah , and had seene through the bushes the sword of a father hanging ouer the throat of such a son would not haue beene more perplexed in his thoughts , then that vnexpected sacrifice was in those briers : yet hee whom it neerest concerned , is least touched , faith hath wrought the same in him , which cruelty would in others , not to be moued ; hee contemns all feares , and ouerlooks all impossibilities ; his heart tells him that the same hand which raised isaac from the dead womb of sarah , can raise him again from the ashes of his sacrifice : with this confidence was the hand of abraham now falling vppon the throat of isaac who had giuen himselfe for dead , and reioyced in the change ; when suddenly the angel of god interrupts him , forbids him , commends him . the voice of god was neuer so welcome , neuer so sweet , neuer so seasonable as now : it was the triall that god intended , not the fact ; isaac is sacrificed , and is yet aliue , and now both of them are more happy in that they would haue done , then they could haue beene distressed if they had done it . gods charges are oft times harsh in the beginnings , and proceeding , but in the conclusion alwaies comfortable : true spirituall comforts are commonly late and sudden : god differr's on purpose that our trials may bee perfect , our deliuerance welcome , our recompence glorious : isaac had neuer beene so pretious to his father if he had not beene recouered from death ; if he had not beene as miraculously restored as giuen : abraham had neuer bin so blessed in his seed , if hee had not neglected isaac for god. the only way to find comfort in any earthly thing is to surrender it ( in a faithfull carelesnesse ) into the hands of god : abraham came to sacrifice , he may not goe away with drye hands : god cannot abide that good purposes should be frustrate : lest either he should do that , for which he came or should want meanes of speedy thankesgiuing for so gratious a appointment . beholde a ram stands ready for the sacrifice , and as it were , proffers himselfe to this happy exchange . hee that made that beast , brings him thither , fastens him there : euen in small things there is a great prouidence what misteries there are in euery act of god ? the onely sonne of god vpon this very hill , is laid vpon the altar of the crosse ; and so becomes a true sacrifice for the world , that yet hee is raised without impeachment , and exempted from the power of death : the lambe of god which takes the sinnes of the world is heere really offered , and accepted : one sauiour in two figures ; in the one , dying ; restored in the other . so abraham whiles hee exercises his faith , confirmes it ; and reioyces more to foresee the true isaac in that place offered to death for his sinnes , then to see the carnal isaac preserued from death for the reward of his faith . whatsoeuer is dearest to vs vpon earth is our isaac ; happy are wee if we can sacrifice it to god ; those shall neuer rest with abraham that cannot sacrifice with abraham . lot and sodome . before abraham and lot grewe riche , they dwelt together ; now their wealth separates them ; their society was a greater good then their riches : many a one is a looser by his wealth ; who would account those things good which make vs worse ? it had bin the duty of yong lot to offer rather then to choose ; to yeeld rather then contend : who would not heere thinke abraham the nephew ; and lot the vncle ? it is no disparagement for greater persons to beginne treaties of peace . better doth it beseeme euery son of abraham to win with loue , then to sway with power . abraham yeelds ouer this right of his choice ; lot takes it , and behold lot is crossed in that which hee chose , abraham is blessed in that which was left him , god neuer suffers any man to leese by an humble remission of his right in a desire of peace . wealth hath made lot not only vndutifull , but couetous , hee sees the goodly plains of iordan , the richnesse of the soyle , the commodity of the riuers , the situation of the cities , and now not once inquiring into the conditions of the inhabitants , hee is in loue with sodome : outward appearances are deceitfull guides to our iudgment , or affections : they are worthie to bee deceiued that value things as they seeme : it is not long after that lot paies deere for his rashnesse . he fled for quietnesse with his vncle and fiends warre with strangers : now is hee carried prisoner with all his substance by great enemies ; abraham must rescue him , of whom hee was forsaken . that wealth which was the cause of his former quarrels , is made a pray to mercilesse heathens . that place which his eye couetously chose betraies his life and goods . how many christians whiles they haue looked at gaine , haue lost themselues ? yet this ill successe hath neither driuen out lot , nor amended sodome ; he still loues his commodity , and the sodomites their sins wicked men grow worse with afflictions , as water grows more cold after an heate : and as they leaue not sinning , so god leaues not plaguing them , but still followes them with succession of iudgements : in how few yeares hath sodome forgot she was spoiled , and led captiue ? if that wicked city had beene warned by the sword , it had escaped the fire ; but now this visitation had not made ten good men in those fiue cities : how fit was this heape for the fire , which was all chaffe ? onely lot vexed his righteous soul with the sight of their vncleannesse ; he vexed his owne soule , for who bad him stay there ? yet because he was vexed , he is deliuered . he escapeth their iudgment , for whose sinnes hee escaped . though hee would be a guest of sodome , yet because hee would not entertaine their sinnes , hee becomes an host to the angels : euen the good angels are the executioners of gods iudgement : there cannot bee a better or more noble act then to do iustice vpon obstinate malefactors . who can be ashamed of that which did not mis-beseem the very angels of god ? where should the angels lodge but with lot , the houses of holy men are full of these heauenly spirits , when they know not , they pitch their tents in ours , and visit vs when wee see not , and when we feele not , protect vs ; it is the honour of gods saints to be attended by angels : the filthy sodomites now flocke together , stirred vp with the fury of enuie , and lust , and dare require to doe that in troups which to act single , had beene too abhominable , to imagine , vnnaturall . continuance and society in euill makes wicked men outragious and impudent : it is not enough for lot to be the witnesse ; but hee must bee the baud also . ( bring forth these men that wee may know them . beholde euen the sodomites speake modestly ; though their acts and intents bee villanous . what a shame it is for those which professe impurity of heart , to speake filthily ? the good man craues and pleades the lawes of hospitality ; and when hee sees headstrong purposes of mischiefe chooses rather to be an ill father ; then an ill host : his intention was good , but his offer was faulty ; if through his allowance the sodomites had defiled his daughters ; it had beene his sinne ; if through violence they had defiled his guests ; it had beene onely theirs : there can be no warrant for vs to sinne , lest others should sinne : it is for god to preuent sinnes with iudgement , it is not for men to preuent a greater sinne with a lesse : the best minds when they are troubled ; yeeld inconsiderate motions , as water that is violently stirred ; sends vp bubbles : god meant better to lot then to suffer his weake offer to bee accepted : those which are bent vpon villanie are more exasperated by disswasion ; as some strong streames when they are resisted by flood-gates , swell ouer the bankes . many a one is hardened by the good word of god ; and in steed of receiuing the counsell , rages at the messenger : when men are growne to that passe , that they are no whit better by afflictions , and woorse with admonitions , god finds it time to strike ; now lots guests begin to shew themselues angels , and first deliuer lot in sodome , then from sodom : first strike them with blindnesse , whom they will after consume with fire : how little did the sodomites thinke that vengeance was so neere them , while they went groping in the streets , and cursing those whom they could not finde , lot with the angels is in secure light , and sees them miserable , and foresees them burning . it is the vse of god to blind and besot those whom he means to destroy : the light which they shall see shall be fiery , which shall be the beginning of an euerlasting darknesse , and a fire vnquenchable : now they haue done sinning and god begins to iudge : wickednesse hath but a time , the punishment of wickednes is beyond all time . the residue of the night was both short and dangerous . yet good lot , though sought for by the sodomites , and newly puld into his house by the angels goes forth of his house to seek his sons in law : no good man would bee saued alone ; faith makes vs charitable with neglect of all perill : hee warnes them like a prophet , and aduises them like a father , but both in vaine , he seemes to them as if he mocked , and they doe more then seeme to mocke him again . why should to morrow differ from other daies ? who euer saw it raine fire ? or whence should that brimstone come ? or if such showers must fall , how shall nothing burne but this valley ? so to carnall men preaching is foolishnesse , deuotion idlenes , the prophets mad men ; paul a babler : these mens incredulity is as woorthy of the fire , as the others vncleannesse . hee that beleeues not is condemned alreadie . the messengers of god do not onely hasten lot , but pull him by a gratious violence out of that impure citie . they thirsted at once after vengeance vpon sodom and lots safetie ; they knew god could not strike sodome , till lot were gone out , and that lot could not be safe within those wals . we are all naturally in sodome , if god did not hale vs out , whiles we linger wee should bee condemned with the world . if god meet with a very good field , hee puls vp the weeds , and lets the corne grow , if indifferent , hee lets the corne and weeds grow together ; if very ill , hee gathers the few eares of corne , and burns the weeds . oh the large bounty of god which reacheth not to vs onelie , but to ours : god saues lot for abrahams sake , and zoar for lots sake ; if sodome had not beene too wicked , it had escaped : were it not for gods deere children that are intermixed with the world it could not stand : the wicked owe their liues vnto these few good ; whom they hate and persecute . now at once the sunne rises vpon zoar , and fire falls down vpon sodome : abraham stands vpon the hill and sees the cities burning ; it is faire weather with gods children , when it is foulest with the wicked . those which burned with the fire of lust , are now consumed with the fire of vengeance they sinned against nature , and now against the course of nature ; fire descends from heauen and consumes them : lot may not so much as looke at the flame , whether for the stay of his passage , or the horror of the sight , or triall of his faith ; or feare of commiseration . small precepts from god are of importance , obedience is as well tried , and disobedience as wel punished in little , as in much : his wife doth but turne back her head , whether in curiosity , or vnbeleefe , or loue , and compassion of the place ; shee is turned into a monument of disobedience ; what doth it auaile her not to bee turned into ashes in sodom , when she is turned into a piller of salt in the playne ? he that saued a whole citie cannot saue his own wife . god cannot abide smal sinnes , in those whom he hath obliged . if we displease him , god can as well meet with vs out of sodome : lot now come into zoar maruels at the stay of her , whom hee might not before looke backe to call ; & soon after returning to seeke her beholds this change with wonder and griefe : he finds salt in steede of flesh , a piller in steed of a wife ; he finds sodome consumed , and her standing , and is more amazed with this , by how much it was both more neere him , and lesse expected . when god deliuers vs from destruction , hee doth not secure vs from all a●flictions : lot hath lost his wife , his allies , his substance , and now betakes himselfe to an vncomfortable solitarinesse . yet though he fled from company , he could not flye from sin : hee who could not bee tainted with vncleannesse in sodome , is ouertaken with drunkennesse and incest in a caue : rather then satan shal not want baits his own daughters will proue sodomites ; those which should haue comforted , betraied him : how little are some hearts mooued with iudgements ? the ashes of sodome and the piller of salt were not yet out of their eye when they dare thinke of lying with their owne father . they knew that whilest lot was sober hee could not bee vnchast : drunkennesse is the way to all bestiall affections , and acts . wine knows no difference either of persons or sinnes : no doubt lot was afterwards ashamed of his incestuous seed , and now wished hee had come alone out of sodome ; yet euen this vnnaturall bed was blessed with increase ; and one of our sauiours worthy ancestors sprung after from this line . gods election is not tied to our meanes ; neither are blessings or curses euer traduced ; the chast bedde of holy parents hath oft times bred a monstrous generation ; and contrarily god hath raised sometimes an holy seed from the drunken bed of incest , or fornication ; it hath beene seene that weighty eares of corne haue growne , out of the compasse of the tilled field : thus will god magnifie the freedom of his owne choice : and let vs know that wee are not borne , but made good . finis . contemplations . the third booke . iacob and esau . iacob and laban . dinah . iudah and thamar . ioseph . imprinted at london by melch. bradwood for samuel macham , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bull-head . . to the right honourable , the lord denny baron of waltham my singular good patron : all grace and happinesse . right honourable , i know , and in all humility confesse , how weake my discourse is , and how vnworthy of this diuine subiect which i haue vndertaken , which if an angell from heauen should say he could sufficiently comment vpon , i should distrust him . yet this let mee say , ( without any vaine boasting ) that these thoughts ( such as they are ) through the blessing of god , i haue wouen out of my selfe , as holding it ( after our sauiours rule ) better to giue then to receiue . it is easier to heape together large volumes of others labours , then to worke out lesser of our owne , and the suggestion of one new thought is better then many repeated . this part ( which together with the author is yours ) shall present to your lordship , the busiest of all the patriarchs , together with his trialls , and successe : wherein you shall see esau stripped by fraud , of that which hee willingly sold , iacobs hard aduentures for the blessing , and no lesse hard seruices for his wiues and substance , his dangerous encounters ending ioyfully , the rape of his onely daughter seconded with the trecherous murder of his sons , iudahs wrong to thamar repayd by his owne vncleannesse : iosephs sale , imprisonment , honour , piety ; the sinne of his brethren well bestowed , well answered . i so touch at the vses of all these , as one that know , it is easie to say more , and impossible to say enough . god giue a blessing to my endeuours , and a pardon to my weakenesses ; to your lordship , an increase of his graces , and perfection of all happinesse . your lordships humbly and officiously deuoted in all duty . ios . hall . the third booke . jacob and esau . of all the patriarkes none made so little noyse in the world as isaac ; none liued either so priuately , or so innocently : neither know i whether hee approued himselfe a better son or an husband . for the one ; he gaue himselfe ouer to the knife of his father , and mourned three yeeres for his mother ; for the other hee sought not to any handmaids bed , but in a chast forbearance reserued himselfe for twenty yeares space , and praied . rebecca was so long barren , his praiers prooued more effectuall then his seed . at last shee conceiued , as if shee had beene more then the daughter in law to sarah ; whose sonne was giuen her , not out of the power of nature , but of her husbands faith ; god is oft better to vs then we would : isaac praies for a son ; god giues him two at once : now , shee is no lesse troubled with the strife of the children in her womb , then before with the want of children : wee know not when we are pleased ; that which wee desire , oft-times discontents vs more in the fruition ; wee are ready to complaine both full and fasting . before rebecca conceiued shee was at ease : before spirituall regeneration there is all peace in the soule : no sooner is the new man formed in vs , but the flesh conflicts with the spirit : there is no grace where is no vnquietnes : esau alone would not haue striuen , nature will euer agree with it selfe ; neuer any rebecca conceiued only an esau ; or was so happy as to conceiue none but a iacob ; she must be the mother of both , that shee may haue both ioy and exercise . this strife began early ; euery true israelite begins his warre with his beeing . how many actions which wee know not of , are not without presage and signification ? these two were the champions of two nations , the field was their mothers womb , their quarrell , precedency and superiority : esau got the right of nature ; iacob of grace : yet that there might be some pretence of equality , lest esau should out-run his brother into the world , iacob holds him fast by the heele : so his hand was borne before the others foote : but because esau is some minutes the elder , that the yonger might haue better claime to that which god had promised he buyes that , which he could not winne : if either by strife , or purchase , or suit , we can attaine spirituall blessings wee are happy : if iaacob had come forth first , he had not knowne how much hee was bound to god for the fauour of his aduancement . there was neuer any meate except the forbidden fruit so deare bought , as this broth of iaacob ; in both , the receiuer and the eater is accursed : euery true sonne of israell will bee content to purchase spirituall fauours with earthly ; and that man hath in him too much of the blood of esau , which will not rather dye then forgoe his birth-right . but what hath carelesse esau lost , if hauing sold his birth-right , he may obtain the blessing ? or what hath iaacob gained , if his brothers venison may counteruaile his pottage ? yet thus hath old isaac decreed ; who was now not more blind in his eyes , then in his affections : god had forewarned him that the elder should serue the younger , yet isaac goes about to blesse esau . it was not so hard for abraham to reconcile gods promise and isaacs sacrifice , as for isaac to reconcile the superiority of iacob , with esaus benediction : for gods hand was in that , in this none but his owne : the deerest of gods saints haue beene sometimes transported with naturall affections : he saw himselfe preferred to ismael , though the elder ; hee saw his father wilfully forgetting nature at gods commaund , in binding him for sacrifice ; he saw esau lewdly matched with heathens ; and yet hee will remember nothing , but esau is my first borne ; but how gracious is god ; that when we would , will not let vs sinne ? and so orders our actions , that we do not what we will , but what we ought ; that god which had ordained the lordship to the yonger , will also contriue for him the blessing ; what he will haue effected , shall not want meanes : the mother shall rather defeate the son , and beguile the father , then the father shall beguile the chosen son of his blessing : what was iacob to rebecca more then esau ? or what mother doth not more affect the elder ? but now god inclines the loue of the mother to the yonger against the custom of nature , because the father loues the elder , against the promise : the affections of the parents are diuided , that the promise might bee fulfilled ; rebeccaes craft shall answer isaacs partiality : isaac wold vniustly turne esau into iacob , rebecca doth as cunningly turne iacob into esau : her desire was good , her meanes were vnlawfull ; god doth oft times effect his iust will by our weakenesses ; yet neither therby iustifying our infirmities ; nor blemishing his own actions . heere was nothing but countersaiting a fained person , a fained name , fained venison , a fained answer , & yet behold a true blessing but to the man , not to the means : those were so vnsound , that iacob himself doth more fear their curse then hope for their successe : isaac was now both simple and olde , yet if he had perceiued the fraud , iacob had beene more sure of a curse , then he could be sure , that he should not be perceiued ; those which are plaine harted in themselues , are the bitterest enemies to deceipt in others : rebecca presuming vpon the oracle of god , and her husbands simplicity , dare bee his surety for the danger , his counseller for the carriage of the busines , his cook for the diet , yea dresses both the meate and the man : and now puts words into his mouth , the dish into his hand the garments vpon his backe , the goates haire vpon the open parts of his body , and sends him in thus furnished for the blessing : standing no doubt at the dore , to see how well her lesson was learned , how well her deuise succeeded . and if olde isaac should by any of his senses haue discerned the guile ; she had soone stept in , and vndertaken the blame , and vrged him with that known will of god concerning iacobs dominion , and esaus seruitude , which either age or affection had made him forget . and now she wishes shee could borrow esaus tongue as well as his garments , that shee might securely deceiue all the senses of him , which had suffered himselfe more dangerously deceiued with his affection : but this is past her remedy : her son must name himself esau with the voice of iacob . it is hard if our tongue doe not bewray what we are , in spight of our habit . this was enough to worke isaac to a suspition , to an inquiry , not to an incredulity : he that is good of himselfe will hardly beleeue euill of another : and will rather distrust his owne senses , then the fidelity of those he trusted : all the senses are set to examine ; none sticketh at the iudgement but the eare ; to deceiue that , iacob must second his dissimulation with three lyes at one breath : i am esau , as thou badst me , my venison : one sin intertained fetcheth in another , and if it be forced to lodge alone , either departeth , or dyeth : i loue iacobs blessing , but i hate his lye , i would not doe that wilfully , which iacob did weakely , vppon condition of a blessing : hee that pardoned his infirmity , would curse my obstinatenesse . good isaac sets his hands to trie whether his eares informed him aright ; he feeles the hands of him whose voice hee suspected : that honest heart could not thinke that the skin might more easily be counterfaited , then the lungs : a small satisfaction contents those whom guiltines hath not made scrupulous : isaac beleeues , and blesses the yoonger son in the garments of the elder : if our heauenly father smell vpon our backes the sauor of our elder brothers robes , wee cannot depart from him vnblessed : no sooner is iacob gone away ful of the ioy of his blessing then esau comes in , full of the hope of the blessing : and now he cannot repent him to haue solde that in his hunger for pottage ; which in his pleasure he shal buy againe with venison : the hopes of the wicked faile them when they are at highest , whereas gods children find those comforts in extremity which they durst not expect . now hee comes in blowing , and sweating for his reward , and finds nothing but a repulse : leud men when they think they haue earned of god ; and come proudly to challenge fauour , receiue no answere but who art thou ? both the father and the sonne wonder at each other , the one with feare , the other with griefe ; isaac trembled , and esau wept ; the one vpon conscience , the other vpon enuye : isaacs hart now told him that he should not haue purposed the blessing where he did ; and that it was due to him vnto whom it was giuen , and not purposed ; hence he durst not reuerse that which hee had done , with gods will , besides his own : for now he saw that he had done vnwilling iustice : god will finde both time and meanes to reclaim his owne , to preuent their sins , to manifest and reforme their errors who would haue looked for tears from esau ? or who dare trust tears , when he sees them fal from so gracelesse eyes ? it was a good word , blesse mee also my father ; euery miscreant can wish himselfe well : no man would be miserable if it were enough to desire happinesse : why did he not rather weep to his brother , for the pottage , then to isaac for a blessing , if hee had not then solde , hee had not needed now to begge : it is iust with god to deny vs those fauours which wee were carelesse in keeping , and which wee vnder valewed in inioying ; esaus eares find no place for isaacs repentance ; except it were that he hath done that by wile , which hee should haue done vpon duty . no motiue can cause a good heart to repent that he hath done wel ; how happy a thing it is to know the seasons of grace , and not to neglect them ; how desperate to haue known & neglected them , these teares were both late and false ; the teares of rage , of enuy , of carnall desire ; worldly sorrow causeth death : yet whiles esau howles out thus for a blessing , i hear him cry out of his fathers store ( hast thou but one blessing my father ) of his brothers subtlety ( was hee not rightly called iacob ? ) i do not hear him blame his owne deserts ; he did not see , while his father was deceiued , and his brother crafty , that god was iust , and himselfe vncapable , hee knew himselfe prophane , and yet claimes a blessing . those that care not to please god , yet care for the outward fauours of god , and are ready to murmur if they want them , as if god were bound to them , and they free . and yet so mercifull is god , that hee hath second blessings for those that loue him not , and giues them all they care for . that one blessing of speciall loue is for none but israell ; but those of common kindnes are for them that can sell their birth-right : this blessing was more then esau could be worthy of , yet like a second cain , hee resolues to kill his brother , because he was more accepted , i know not whether hee were a worse son , or brother ; he hopes for his fathers death , and purposes his brothers ; and vowes to shed blood in steed of teares . but wicked men cannot bee so ill as they would ; that strong wrestler against whom iacob preuailed , preuailed with esau , and turned his wounds into kisses ; an host of men came with esau ; an army of angels met iacob , esau threatned , iacob prayed , his prayers , and presents haue melted the heart of esau into loue . and now in steed of the grimme and sterne countenance of an executioner , iacob sees the face of esau , as the face of god. both men and diuels are stinted , the stoutest heart cannot stand out against god , hee that can wrestle earnestly with god , is secure from the harmes of men . those minds which are exasperated with violence , and cannot be broken with fear , yet are bowed with loue ; when the waies of a man please god , hee will make his enemies at peace with him . jacob and laban . isaacs life was not more retyred and quiet , then iacobs was busie and troublesom . in the one i see the image of contemplation , of action in the other . none of the patriarchs saw so euill daies as he ; from whom iustly hath the church of god therefore taken her name . neither were the faithfull euer since called abrahamites , but israelites : that no time might be lost , hee began his strife in the womb ; after that , hee flies for his life from a cruel brother to a cruell vncle . with a staffe goes hee ouer iorden alone ; doubtfull and comfortlesse , not like the sonne of isaac . in the way the earth is his bed , and the stone his pillow ; yet euen there he sees a vision of angels : iacobs heart was neuer so full of ioy , as when his head lay hardest . god is most present with vs in our greatest deiection , and loues to giue comfort to those that are forsaken of their hopes . he came farre to finde out an hard friend ; and of a nephew becomes a seruant . no doubt when laban heard of his sisters son , hee looked for the camels and attendance that came to fetch his sister rebecca , not thinking that abrahams seruant could come better furnished , then isaacs son ; but now when he saw nothing but a staffe he lookes vpon him not as an vncle , but a maister . and while hee pretends to offer him a wife as the reward of his seruice , he craftily requires his seruice as the dowry of his wife . after the seruice of an hard apprentiseship hath earned her whom he loued ; his wife is changed , and hee is , in a sort , forced to an vnwilling adultery : his mother had before in a cunning disguise substituted him , who was the yonger son , for the elder ; and now not long after his father in law , by a like fraud , substitutes to him the elder daughter for the yonger : god comes oftentimes home to vs in our own kind ; and euen by the sinne of others paies vs our owne , when wee looke not for it . it is doubtfull whether it were a greater crosse to marry whom he would not , or to be disappointed of her whom he desired . and now hee must begin a new hope , where hee made account of fruition ; to raise vp an expectation once frustrate , is more difficult , then to continue a long hope drawn on with likelihoods of performance : yet thus deere is iacob content to pay for rachel , fourteene yeers seruitude : commonly gods children come not easily by their pleasures : what miseries will not loue digest and ouercome ? and if iacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day , with frost in the night to become the sonne in law to laban : what should wee refuse to bee the sonnes of god ? rachel whom he loued is barren lea which was despised , is fruitfull ; how wisely god weighs out to vs our fauours and crosses in an equall ballance ; so tempering our sorrowes that they may not oppresse , and our ioyes that they may not transport vs : each one hath some matter of enuye to others , and of griefe to himselfe . lea enuies rachels beauty , and loue ; rachel enuies leahs fruitfulnesse : yet lea would not be barren , nor rachel bleare eyed . i see in rachel the image of her grandmother sara ; both in her beauty of person , in her actions , in her successe : shee also will needs suborne her handmaid to make her a mother ; and at last beyond hope , her selfe conceiueth : it is a weake greedinesse in vs to affect gods blessings by vnlawfull meanes ; what a proofe and praise had it beene of her faith if shee had staied gods leasure , & would rather haue indured her barrennesse , then her husbands poligamy : now she shewes herselfe the daughter of laban , the father for couetousnesse , the daughters for emulation haue drawn sinne into iacobs bedde : hee offended in yeelding , but they more in solliciting him , and therefore the fact is not imputed to iacob , but to them . in those sins which satan drawes vs into , the blame is ours , in those which we moue each other vnto , the most fault and punishment lies vpon the tempter . none of the patriarchs diuided his seed into so many wombs as iacob , none was so much crossed in his seed . thus rich in nothing but wiues and children , was hee now returning to his fathers house , accounting his charge , his wealth . but god meant him yet more good . laban sees that both his familie , and his flockes were wel increased by iacobs seruice . not his loue therefore but his gain makes him loath to part . euen labans couetousnesse is made by god the meanes to inrich iacob . behold his strait master intreats him to that recompence , which made his nephew mighty , and himselfe enuious : god considering his hard seruice paid him his wages out of labans folds . those flockes and heards had but few spotted sheep , and goates , vntill iacobs couenant , then ( as if the fashion had beene altered ) they all ran into parted colours , the most and best ( as if they had bin weary of their former owner ) changed the colours of their young , that they might change their master . in the very shapes and colours of bruite creatures there is a diuine hand , which disposeth them to his owne ends . small and vnlikely meanes shal preuail where god intends an effect . little pilled stickes of hasell or poplar laid in the troughs shall inrich iacob with an increase of his spotted flockes ; labans sons might haue tried the same meanes , and failed : god would haue laban know that hee put a difference betwixt iacob and him ; that as for fourteene yeeres hee had multiplied iacobs charge of cattell to laban , so now for the last sixe yeeres hee would multiply labans flocke to iacob ? and if laban had the more , yet the better were iacobs : euen in these outward things , gods children haue many times sensible tastes of his fauours aboue the wicked . i know not whether laban were a worse vncle , or father , or master he can like well iacobs seruice , not his wealth . as the wicked haue no peace with god , so the godly haue no peace with men ; for if they prosper not , they are despised ; if they prosper , they are enuyed . this vncle whom his seruice had made his father , must now vpon his wealth be fled from as an enemie : and like an enemy pursues him : if laban had meant to haue taken a peaceable leaue , hee had neuer spent seuen daies iourny in following his innocent sonne : iacob knew his churlishnes and therefore resolued rather to be vnmanerly , then iniuried , well might hee thinke that hee whose oppression changed his wages so often , in his stay would also abridge his wages in the parting ; now therefore hee wisely prefers his owne estate to labans loue : it is not good to regard too much the vniust discontentment of wordly men , and to purchase vnprofitable fauour with too great losse . behold laban follows iacob with one troup , esau meets him with another , both with hostile intentions , both go on till the vtmost point of their execution : both are preuented ere the execution . god makes fools of the enemies of his church , hee lets them proceed that they may bee frustrate , and when they are gone to the vtmost reach of their tether he puls them backe to their stake with shame : lo now laban leaues iacob with a kisse ; esau meets him with a kisse : of the one he hath an oath , tears of the other , peace with both : who shall need to feare man that is in league with god ? but what a wonder is this : iacob receiued not so much hurt from all his enemies , as from his best friend . not one of his haires perished by laban , or esau ; yet he lost a ioynt by the angell , and was sent halting to his graue : he that knows our strength , yet will wrestle with vs for our exercise ; and loues our violence and importunity . oh happy losse of iacob , hee lost a ioynt and won a blessing : it is a fauour to halt from god , yet this fauour is seconded with a greater . he is blessed because hee would rather halt then leaue ere hee was blessed . if hee had left sooner , hee had not halted , but he had not prospered . that man shall goe away sound , but miserable , that loues a limme more then a blessing . surely if iacob had not wrestled with god , he had beene foyled with euills : how many are the troubles of the righteous . not long after , rachel ; the comfort of his life , dyeth . and when but in her trauell , and in his trauell to his father ? when hee had now before digested in his thoughts the ioy and gratulation of his aged father , for so welcome a burden . his children , ( the staffe of his age ) wound his soule to the death . reuben proues incestuous , iuda adulterous , dinah rauished ; simeon and leui murderous , er , and onan striken dead , ioseph lost ; simeon imprisoned ; beniamin , the death of his mother , the fathers right hand , indangered ; himselfe driuen by famin , in his old age , to dye amongst the aegyptians , a people that held it abhomination to eat with him . if that angel with whom he stroue , and who therefore stroue for him , had not deliuered his soule out of all aduersitie he had beene supplanted with euils , and had bene so farre from gaining the name of israel , that he had lost the name of iacob , now what son of israell can hope for good daies , when hee heares his fathers were so euill ? it is enough for vs if when we are dead we can rest with him in the land of promise . if the angell of the couenant once blesse vs , no payne , no sorrowes can make vs miserable . dinah . i find but one only daughter of iacob , who must needs therfore be a great dearling to her father ; and shee so miscarries , that shee causes her fathers griefe to bee more then his loue . as her mother leah ; so shee hath a fault in her eyes , which was , curiosity : shee will needs see , and be seene ; and whiles shee doth vainely see , shee is seene lustfully . it is not enough for vs to looke to our own thoughts , except wee beware of the prouocations of others : if we once wander out of the lists that god hath set vs in our callings , there is nothing but danger : her virginity had bene safe if she had kept home ; or if sechem had forced her in her mothers tent ; this losse of her virginity had bene without her sinne ; now shee is not innocent that gaue the occasion . her eies were guilty of this temptation : only to see , is an insufficient warrant to draw vs into places of spirituall hazard : if sechem had seene her busie at home his loue had bene free from outrage ; now the lightnes of her presence gaue incouragement to his inordinate desires . immodesty of behauiour makes way to lust ; and giues life vnto wicked hopes : yet sechem bewraies a good nature euen in filthinesse ; hee loues dinah after his sinne , and will needs marry her whom hee hath defiled . commonly lust ends in loathing : ammon abhors thamar as much , after his act , as before , hee loued her ; and beats her out of doores , whom he was sicke to bring in . but sechem wold not let dinah fare the worse for his sin . and now he goes about to intertain her with honest loue , whom the rage of his lust had dishonestly abused . her deflowring shall be no preiudice to her , since her shame shall redound to none but him , and hee will hide her dishonour with the name of an husband . what could he now doe , but sue to his father , to hers , to her selfe ; to her brethren , intreating that , with humble submission which he might haue obtained by violence . those actions which are ill begun , can hardly be salued vp with late satisfactions ; whereas good entrances giue strength vnto the proceedings , and successe to the end . the young mans father , doth not onely consent but solicit ; and is ready to purchase a daughter either with substance , or paine : the two olde men would haue ended the matter peaceably ; but youth commonly vndertakes rashly , and performes with passion , the sonnes of iacob thinke of nothing but reuenge , and ( which is worst of all ) begin their cruelty with craft , and hide their craft with religion : a smiling malice is most deadly ; and hatred doth most ranckle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled . we cannot giue our sister to an vncircumcised man ; heere was god in the mouth , and satan in the hart : the bloodiest of al proiects haue euer wont to bee coloured with religion : because the woorse any thing is , the better shew it desires to make ; and contrarily , the better colour is put vpon any vice , the more odious it is ; for as euery simulation ads to an euill , so the best ads most euil : themselues had taken the daughters and sisters of vncircumcised men ; yea iacob himselfe did so ; why might not an vncircumcised man obtaine their sister ? or if there be a difference of giuing and taking , it had bin wel if it had not bin only pretended . it had bene an happy rauishment of dinah that should haue drawn a whole country into the bosom of the church : but here was a sacrament intended , not to the good of the soul , but to murder of the body : it was an hard task for hamor and sechem not only to put the knife to their owne foreskins , but to perswade a multitude to so painful a condition . the sonnes of iacob dissemble with them , they with the people . ( shall not their flockes and substance be ours ? ) common profit is pretended ; whereas onely sechems pleasure is meant . no motiue is so powerfull to the vulgar sort , as the name of commodity ; the hope of this makes them prodigall of their skin and blood ; not the loue to the sacrament , not the loue to sechem : sinister respects draw more to the profession of religion , then conscience : if it were not for the loaues and fishes , the traine of christ would bee lesse . but the sacraments of god mis-receiued , neuer prosper in the end , these men are content to smart , so they may gaine . and now that euery man lies sore of his owne wound , simeon and leui rush in armed , & wound all the males to death : cursed be their wrath for it was fierce , and their rage for it was cruell : indeed , filthinesse should not haue beene wrought in israel ; but murder should not haue bin wrought by israell ; if they had beene fit iudges ( which were but bloodie executioners ) how farre doth the punishment exceed the fault ? to punish aboue the offence is no lesse vniustice , then to offend one offendeth , and all feele the reuenge : yea all , ( though innocent ) suffer that reuenge , which he that offended , deserued not . sechem sinned , but dinah tempted him : shee that was so light , as to wander abroad alone , onely to gaze , i feare was not ouer difficult to yeeld : and if hauing wrought her shame , heee had driuen her home with disgrace to her fathers tent , such tyrannous lust had iustly called for blood , but now hee craues , and offers , and would pay deere for but leaue to giue satisfaction . to execute rigour vpon a submisse offender is more mercilesse then iust : or if the punishment had beene both iust and proportionable from another , yet from them which had vowed peace and affinity , it was shamefully vniust . to disappoint the trust of another , and to neglect our own promise and fidelity for priuate purposes , addes faithlesnesse vnto our cruelty . that they were impotent it was through their circumcision : what impiety was this insteed of honouring an holy signe , to take an aduantage by it ? what shrieking was there now in the streets of the citie of the hiuites ? and how did the beguiled sichemites when they saw the swords of the two brethren , die cursing that sacrament in their hearts which had betraied them ? euen their curses were the sinnes of simeon and leui ; whose fact , though it were abhorred by their father , yet it was seconded by their brethren . their spoile makes good the others slaughter . who would haue looked to haue found this outrage in the familie of iacob ? how did that good patriarke when he saw dinah come home blubbered and wringing her hands , simeon and leui sprinkled with blood , wish that leah had bene barren as long as rachel : good parents haue greefe enough ( though they sustaine no blame ) for their childrens sins : what great euils arise from small beginnings . the idle curiosity of dinah hath bred all this mischiefe , rauishment sollowes vpon her wandring , vpon her rauishment murder , vpon the murder spoyle : it is holy and safe to be iealous of the first occasions of euill either done , or suffered judah and thamar . i find not many of iacobs sonnes more faulty then iudah ; who yet is singled out from all the rest , to be the royal progenitor of christ ; and to be honoured with the dignity of the birthright ; that gods election might not bee of merit , but of grace : else howsoeuer hee might haue sped alone , thamar had neuer bene ioyned with him in this line : euen iudah marries a canaanite , it is no maruel though his seed prosper not : and yet that good children may not bee too much discouraged with their vnlawfull propagation , the fathers of the promised seede are raised from an ineestuous bed : iudah was very yong , scarce from vnder the rod of his father , yet he takes no other counsell for his marriage , but from his owne eyes , which were like his sister dinahs , rouing and wanton , what better issue could be expected from such beginnings . those proud iews that glory so much of their pedigree and name from this patriarch , may now choose whether they will haue their mother a canaanite , or an harlot : euen in these things oft-times the birth follows the belly . his eldest son er , is too wicked to liue ; god strikes him dead ere hee can leaue any issue , not abiding any sience to grow out of so bad a stocke : notorious sinners god reserues to his owne vengeance , hee doth not inflict sensible iudgements vpon all his enemies , least the wicked should thinke there were no punishment abiding for them elswhere . hee doth inflict such iudgements vpon , some , least hee should seeme carelesse of euill . it were as easie for him to strike all dead , as one : but he had rather all should bee warned by one , and would haue his enemies find him mercifull , as his children iust : his brother onan sees the iudgement , and yet follows his sins . euery little thing discourages vs from good . nothing can alter the heart that is set vpon euill : er was not worthy of any loue ; but though hee were a miscreant , yet he was a brother seed should haue beene raised to him ; onan iustly leeses his life with his seed ; which hee would rather spill , then lend to a wicked brother . some duties wee owe to humanity , more to neernes of bloud ill deseruings of others can be no excuse for our iniustice , for our vncharitablenesse . that which thamar required , moses afterward , as from god , commaunded ; the succession of brothers into the barren bedde : some lawes god spake to his church long ere hee wrote them : while the author is certainly knowne , the voice and the finger of god are worthie of equall respect . iudah hath lost two sonnes , and now doth but promise the third , whom he sinnes in not giuing . it is the weakenesse of nature , rather to hazard a sinne , then a daunger . and to neglect our owne duety , for wrongfull suspicion of others : though hee had lost his sonne in giuing him : yet hee should haue giuen him : a faithfull mans promise is his debt , which no feare of damage can dispeuse with . but whereupon was this slacknesse ? iudah feared that some vnhappinesse in the bed of thamar was the cause of his sons miscarriage ; whereas it was their fault that thamar was both a widow and childlesse . those that are but the patients of euill , are many times burdened with suspitions ; and therefore are ill thought of , because they fare ill : afflictions would not be so heauy if they did not lay vs open vnto vncharitable conceipts . what difference god puts betwixt sinnes of wilfulnesse , and infirmity ? the sonnes pollution is punished with present death , the fathers incest is pardoned , and in a sort prospereth . now thamar seeks by subtlety , that which she could not haue by award of iustice ; the neglect of due retributions driues men to indirect courses ; neither know i whether they sinne more in righting themselues wrongfully , or the other in not righting them : shee therefore takes vpon her the habit of an harlot , that shee might performe the act ; if shee had not wished to seeme an whoore , she had not worn that attire , nor chosen that place , immodesty of outward fashion or gesture bewraies euill desires , the heart that means well , will neuer wish to seeme ill ; for commonly we affect to shew better then we are . many harlots wil put on the semblances of chastity , of modesty , neuer the contrary . it is no trusting those which do not wish to appeare good . iudah esteems her by her habit , and now the sight of an harlot hath stird vp in him a thought of lust ; satan finds well that a fit obiect is halfe a victory . who would not bee ashamed to see a son of iacob thus transported with filthy affections ? at the first sight is hee inflamed ; neither yet did hee see the face of her , whom hee lusted after , it was enough motiue to him that shee was a woman ; neither could the presence of his neighbour the adullamite compose those wicked thoughts , or hinder his vnchaste acts . that sinne must needs bee impudent , which can abide a witnesse : yea so hath his lust besotted him , that he cannot discerne the voice of thamar , that he cannot foresee the danger of his shame in parting with such pledges . there is no passion which doth not for the time bereaue a man of himselfe : thamar had learned not to trust him without a pawne ; he had promised his son to her as a daughter , and failed ; now hee promised a kid to her as an harlot , & performeth it , whether his pledge constrained him , or the power of his word , i inquire not : many men are faithfull in all things , saue those which are the greatest , and dearest ; if his credit had beene as much indangered in the former promise , hee had kept it : now hath thamar requited him . shee expected long the inioying of his promised son , and he performed not : but heere he performes the promise of the kid , and she staies not to expect it ; iudah is sory that hee cannot pay the hire of his lust , and now feareth lest he shall be beaten with his owne staffe , least his signet shall be vsed to confirme , and seal his reproch ; resoluing not to know them ; and wishing they were vnknowne of others . shame is the easiest wages of sin , and the surest , which euer begins first in our selues . nature is not more forward to commit sinne , then willing to hide it . i heare as yet of no remorse in iudah , but feare of shame . three moneths hath his sinne slept , and now when hee is securest , it awakes and baites him . newes is brought him that thamar begins to swell with her conception , and now he swels with rage , and cals her foorth to the flame like a rigorous iudge , without so much as staying for the time of her deliuerance ; that his cruelty in this iustice , should bee no lesse ill , then the vniustice of occasioning it . if iuda had not forgotten his sinne , his pitty had beene more then his hatred to this of his daughters : how easie is it to detest those sinnes in others which we flatter in our selues : thamar doth not deny the sinne , nor refuse punishment ; but cals for that partner in her punishment , which was her partner in the sinne : the staffe , the signet , the handkerchiefe accuse and conuince iuda , and now hee blushes at his owne sentence , much more at his act , and cryes out ( she is more righteous then i ) god will find a time to bring his children vpon their knees , and to wring from them penitent confessions : and rather then hee will not haue them soundly ashamed , hee will make them the trumpets of their owne reproch . yet doth hee not offer himselfe to the flame with her , but rather excuses her by himselfe . this relenting in his owne case shamed his former zeale : euen in the best men nature is partial to it selfe : it is good so to sentence others frailties , that yet wee remember our owne , whether those that haue beene , or may bee , with what shame , yea with what horror must iudah needs look vp-vpon the great belly of thamar , and on her two sons , the monuments of his filthinesse ? how must it needs wound his soule to hear them call him both father , and grandfather , to call her mother , and sister : if this had not cost him many a sigh , he had no more escaped his fathers curse then reuben did : i see the difference not of sins , but of men : remission goes not by the measure of the sinne , but the quality of the sinner ; yea rather , the mercy of the forgiuer : blessed is the man ( not that sins not , but ) to whom the lord imputes not his sinne . joseph . i maruell not that ioseph had the double portion of iacobs land , who had more then two parts of his sorrowes : none of his sons did so truely inherit his afflictions ; none of them was either so miserable , or so great : suffering is the way to glory : i see in him not a cleerer type of christ , then of euery christian , because wee are deere to our father , and complain of sins , therefore are we hated of our carnall brethren : if ioseph had not medled with his brothers faults , yet hee had beene enuied for his fathers affection ; but now malice is met with enuie : there is nothing more thankelesse or dangerous then to stand in the way of a resolute sinner : that which doth correct and oblige the penitent , makes the wilfull minde furious and reuengefull . all the spight of his brethren cannot make ioseph cast off the liuery of his fathers loue : what neede we care for the censures of men 〈◊〉 if our hearts can tell vs that we are in fauour with god. but what ment yoong ioseph to adde vnto his owne enuie ▪ by reporting his dreames ? the concealement of our hopes or abilities hath not more modesty , then safety : hee that was enuied for his deerenesse , and hated for his intelligence , was both enuied and hated for his dreams . surely god meant to make the relation of these dreames , a meanes to effect that which these dreames imported . wee men worke by likely meanes ; god by contraries . the main quarrel was , ( behold this dreamer commeth . ) had it not bene for his dreams ; he had not bin solde , if he had not bene sold , hee had not bin exalted . so iosephs state had not deserued enuie , if his dreams had not caused him to be enuied . full little did ioseph thinke when he went to seek his brethren that this was the last time hee should see his fathers house : full little did his brethren think when they solde him naked to the ismaelites to haue once seene him in the throne of aegypt . gods decree runnes on ; and while wee , either think not of it , or oppose it , is performed . in an honest and obedient simplicity ioseph comes to inquire of his brethrens health , and now may not returne to carry newes of his owne misery : whiles hee thinks of their welfare they are plotting his destruction . ( come let vs slay him , ) who would haue expected this cruelty in them which should bee the fathers of gods church : it was thought a fauour that reubens intreaty obtained for him that hee might be cast into the pit aliue ; to die there . he lookt for brethren , and behold murtherers ; euery mans tongue , euery mans fist was bent against him : each one striues who shall lay the first hand vppon that changeable cote , which was died with their fathers loue , and their enuie : and now they haue stript him naked , and haling him by both armes , as it were : cast him aliue into his graue . so in pretence of forbearance , they resolue to torment him with a lingring death : the sauagest robbers could not haue beene more mercilesse : for now besides ( what in them lyes ) they kill their father in their brother . nature if it once degenerate , grows more monstrous and extreme then a disposition borne to cruelty . all this while ioseph wanted neither words nor teares , but like a passionate suppliant ( bowing his bare knees to them whom hee dreamed should bow to him ) intreates and perswades by the deer name of their brotherhood , by their profession of one common god , for their fathers sake ; for their owne souls sake not to sin against his bloud : but enuy hath shut out mercy ; and makes them not only forget themselues to be brethren , but men : what stranger can thinke of poore innocent ioseph , crying naked in that desolate and drye pit ( only sauing that he moystened it with teares ) and not be moued ? yet his hard-harted brethren sit them down carelesly , with the noyse of his lamentation in their eares , to eat bread ; not once thinking by their owne hunger , what it was for ioseph to be affamisht to death . whatsoeuer they thought , god neuer meant that ioseph should perish in that pit ; and therfore he sends very ismaelites to raunsome him from his brethren ; the seed of him that persecuted his brother isaac , shal now redeem ioseph from his brethrens persecution : when they came to fetch him out of the pit , hee now hoped for a speedy dispatch ; that since they seemed not to haue so much mercy as to prolong his life , they would not continue so much cruelty as to prolong his death . and now when he hath comforted himselfe with hope of the fauour of dying , behold death exchanged for bondage : how much is seruitude to an ingenuous nature worse then death ? for this is common to all ; that , to none but the miserable : iudah meant this well , but god better : reuben saued him from the sword ; iudah from affamishing : god will euer raise vp some secret fauourers to his own amongst those that are most malicious : how well was this fauor bestowed ? if ioseph had died for hunger in the pit , both iacob and iudah , and al his brethren had died for hunger in canaan . little did the ismaelitish merchants know what a tresure they bought carryed and sold ; more pretious then al their balmes and mirrhes . little did they thinke that they had in their hands the lord of egypt , the iewell of the worlde : why should wee contemne any mans meannesse , when we know not his destiny ? one sinne is commonly vsed for the vail of another : iosephs coat is sent home dipped in blood , that whiles they should hide their owne cruelty , they might afflict their father , no lesse then their brother . they haue deuised this really to punish their olde father for his loue , with so grieuous a monument of his sorrow . hee that is mourned for in canaan as dead , prospers in egypt vnder potiphar ; and of a slaue is made a ruler : thus god meant to prepare him for a greater charge ; he must first rule potiphars house , then pharaohs kingdome : his owne seruice is his least good ; for his very presence procures a common blessing : a whole family shall fare the better for one ioseph : vertue is not lookt vpon alike with al eyes : his fellows praise him , his maister trusts him , his mistresse affects him too much . all the spight of his brethren was not so great a crosse to him , as the inordinate affection of his mistresse . temptations on the right hand are now more perilous , and hard to resist , by how much they are more plausible and glorious ; but the heart that is bent vppon god , knows how to walke steddily and indifferently betwixt the pleasures of sinne ; and feares of euill : he saw , this pleasure would aduance him : hee knew what it was to be a minion of one of the greatest ladies in egypt : yet resolues to contemne it : a good heart will rather lye in the dust , then rise by wickednesse . ( how shall i doe this , and sinne against god. he knew that all the honours of egypt could not buy off the guilt of one sinne , and therefore abhors not onely her bed , but her company : hee that will bee safe from the acts of euill , must wisely auoide the occasions , as sin ends euer in shame when it is committed , so it makes vs past shame that wee may commit it ; the impudent strumpet dare not onely solicit , but importune , but in a sort force the modesty of her good seruant ; she laies hold on his garment ; her hand seconds her tongue . good ioseph found it now time to flee ; when such an enemy pursued him ; how much had hee rather leaue his cloke , then his vertue . and to suffer his mistresse to spoile him of his liuery , rather then hee should blemish her honor , or his maisters in her , or god in either of them . this second time is ioseph stript of his garment ; before , in the violence of enuie , now of lust ; before of necessity , now of choice : before , to deceiue his father , now his maister : for behold , the pledge of his fidelity which hee left in those wicked hands , is made an euidence against him of that which he refused to doe : therfore did hee leaue his cloake because he would not doe that ; of which he is accused and condemned because he left it : what safety is there against great aduersaries , when euen arguments of innocence are vsed to conuince of euill ? lust yeelded vnto is a pleasant madnesse , but is a desperate madnesse when it is opposed : no hatred burnes so furiously as that which arises from the quenched coles of loue . malice is witty to deuise accusations of others out of their vertue , and our owne guiltinesse : ioseph either pleades not , or is not heard . doubtlesse he denied the fact , but he dare not accuse the offender : there is not only the praise of patience but oft-times of wisedome , euen in vniust sufferings : hee knew that god would finde a time to cleere his innocence , and to reward his chaste faithfulnesse . no prison would serue him , but paraohs . ioseph had lyen obscure , and not beene knowne to pharaoh , if he had not beene cast into paraohs dungeon : the afflictions of gods chidren turne euer to their aduantages . no sooner is ioseph a prisoner , then a gardian of the prisoners . trust and honor accompany him wheresoeuer he is : in his fathers house , in potiphars , in the iayle , in the court ; still hee hath both fauour and rule . so long as god is with him , he cannot but shine in spight of men the walls of that dungeon cannot hide his vertues , the yrons cannot holde them . paraohs officers are sent to witnesse his graces , which hee may not come forth to shew , the cup-bearer admires him in the iayle , but forgets him in the court. how easily doth our owne prosperity make vs forget either the deseruings , or miseries of others . but as god cannot neglect his owne , so least of all in their sorrowes . after two yeares more of iosephs patience ; that god which caused him to be lift out of the former pit to be sold ; now cals him out of the dungeon to honour . hee now puts a dreame into the head of pharaoh . hee puts the remembrance of iosephs skil into the head of the cup-bearer , who to pleasure pharaoh , not to requite ioseph ; commends the prisoner , for an interpreter : he puts an interpretation in the mouth of ioseph ▪ hee puts this choice into the heart of pharaoh of a miserable prisoner to make the ruler of egypt . beholde one houre hath changed his fetters into a chaine of gold , his rags into fine linnen , his stockes into a chariot , his iayle into a pallace , potiphars captiue into his maisters lord ; the noyse of his chains into abrech . he whose chastity refused the wanton allurements of the wife of potiphar , hath now giuen him to his wife the daughter of potipherah . humility goes before honour ; seruing and suffering are the best tutors to gouernement . how well are gods children paide for their patience ? how happy are the issues of the faithfull ? neuer any man repented him of the aduancement of a good man. pharaoh hath not more preferd ioseph then ioseph hath enriched pharaoh ; if ioseph had not ruled egypt and all bordering nations had perished ▪ the prouidence of so faithfull an officer hath both giuen the egyptians their liues , and the money , cattle , lands , bodies of the egyptians to pharaoh . both haue reason to be well pleased . the subiects owe to him their liues , the king his subiects , and his dominions , the bountie of god made ioseph able to giue more than he receiued . it is like , the seuen yeeres of plentie were not confined to egypt ; other countries adioining were no lesse fruitfull : yet in the seuen yeeres of famine egypt had corn when they wanted . see the difference betwixt a wise prouident frugalitie , and a vaine ignorant expence of the benefits of god : the sparing hand is both full and beneficiall , wheras the lauishment is not only empty , but iniurious . good iacob is pinched with the common famine . no piety can exempt vs from the euils of neighbourhood . no man can tell by outward euents , which is the patriarke , and which the canaanite . neither doth his profession lead him to the hope of a miraculous preseruation . it is a vaine tempting of god to cast our selues vppon an immediate prouision , with neglect of common means : his tenne sonnes must now leaue their flockes , and goe down into egypt , to be their fathers purueyours . and now they go to buy of him whom they had folde ; and bow the knees to him for his life , which had bowed to them before for his owne life . his age , his habit ; the place , the language kept ioseph from their knowledge ; neither had they called off their minds from their folds , to inquire of matters of forren state , or to heare that an ebrew was aduanced to the highest honour of egypt ▪ but hee can not but know them , whom hee left at their full growth , whose tongue and habit , and number were still one : whose faces had left so deep an impression in his minde , ●t their vnkind parting : it is wisedome somtimes so to conceale our knowledge , that we may not preiudice truth . hee that was hated of his brethren for beeing his fathers spye ; now accuses his brethren for common spyes of the weaknesses of egypt ; hee could not without their suspicion haue come to a perfect intelligence of his fathers estate , and theirs , if he had not obiected to them that which was not . we are not alwaies bound to go the neerest way to trueth . it is more safe in cases of inquisition to fetch far about , that he might seeme enough an egyptian , hee sweares heathenishly . how little could they suspect , this oath could proceed from the sonne of him , which swore by the feare of his father isaac ? how oft haue sinister respects drawne weake goodnes to disguise it selfe , euen with sins ? it was no small ioy to ioseph , to see this late accomplishment of his ancient dreame ; to see these suppliants ( i know not whether more brethren , or enemies ) groueling before him in an vnknowing submission : and now it doth him good to seeme merciles to them , whom he had found wilfully cruell ; to hide his loue from them which had shewed their hate to him , and to thinke how much he fauourd them , and how little they knew it : and as sporting himselfe in their seeming misery , he pleasantly imitates all those actions reciprocally vnto them , which they in despight and earnest , had done formerly to him ; hee speakes roughly , reiects their perswasions , puts them in hold , and one of them in bonds . the minde must not alwaies bee iudged by the outward face of the actions . gods countenance is oft-times as seuere , and his hand as heauy to them whom hee best loueth . many a one vnder the habit of an egyptian hath the hart of an israelite . no song could be so delightful to him , as to hear them in a late remorse condemn themselues before him , of their old cruelty towards him , who was now their vnknown witnesse and iudge . nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience , as affliction ; neither need there any other art of memory for sinne , besides misery . they had heard iosephs deprecation of their euil with teares , and had not pityed him ; yet ioseph doth but heare their mention of this euill which they had done against him , and pities them with teares , hee weeps for ioy to see their repentance , and to compare his safety and happines with the cruelty which they intended , and did , and thought they had done . yet he can abide to see his brother his prisoner ; whom no bonds could bind so strong , as his affection bound him to his captiue : simeon is left in pawne , infetters ; the rest returne , with their corne , with their mony , paying nothing for their prouision ; but their labour ; that they might be as much troubled with the benificence of that strange egyptian lord , as before with his imperious suspition . their wealth was now more irkesom to them , then their need , and they feare god means to punish them more in this superfluitie of money , then in the want of victuals . ( what is this that god hath done to vs ? ) it is a wise course to be iealous of our gaine ; and more to feare , then desire abundance . old iacob that was not vsed to simple and absolut contentments receiues the blessing of seasonable prouision , together with the affliction of that heauy message ; the losse of one sonne , and the danger of another . and knowes not whether it be better for him to die with hunger , or with griefe for the departure of that sonne of his right hand : hee driues off till the last ; protraction is a kinde of ease in euils that must come . at length ( as no plea is importunate as that of famine ) beniamin must goe ; one euill must bee hazarded for the redresse of another what would it auaile him to see whom he loued , miserable ? how iniurious were that affliction to keepe his sonne so long in his eye till they should see each other die for hunger . the ten brothers returne into egypt loaded with double mony in their sackes , and a present in their hands ; the danger of mistaking is requited , by honest minds with more then restitution . it is not enough to find our own harts clear in suspicious actions , except we satisfie others : now hath ioseph what he would , the sight and presence of his beniamin , whom he therefore borrowes of his father for a time , that he might returne him with a greater interest of ioy : and now hee feasts them whom hee formerly threatned , and turnes their feare into wonder ; all vnequall loue is not partiall ; all the brethren are intertained bountifully , but beniamin hath a fiue-fold portion : by how much his welcome was greater , by so much his pretended theft seemed more hainous , for good turnes aggrauate vnkindnesses , and our offences are increased with our obligations : how easie is it to finde aduantages , where there is a purpose to accuse : beniamins sacke makes him guilty of that whereof his heart was free : crimes seeme strange to the innocent ; well might they abiure this fact with the offer of bondage and death : for they which carefully brought againe that which they might haue taken , would neuer take that which was not giuen them . but thus ioseph would yet dally with his brethren , and make beniamin a theefe that he might make him a seruant and fright his brethren with the perill of that their charge , that he might double their ioy , and amazednesse in giuing them two brothers at once : our happinesse is greater , and sweeter when wee haue well feared , and smarted with euills . but now when iudah seriously reported the danger of his old father , and the sadnesse of his last complaint , compassion and ioy will be concealed no longer ; but breake forth violently at his voice and eies . many passions doe not well abide witnesses , because they are guilty to their owne weakenesse : ioseph sends foorth his seruants that he might freely weep . he knew he could not say , i am ioseph , without an vnbeleeuing vehemence . neuer any worde sounded so strangely as this , in the eares of the patriarkes . wonder , doubt , reuerence , ioy , feare , hope , guiltinesse stroke them at once . it was time for ioseph to say feare not ; no maruell if they stood with palenesse and silence before him ; looking on him , and on each other : the more they considered , they wondred , and the more they beleeued , the more they feared : for those words ( i am ioseph , ) seemed to sound thus much to their guilty thoughts : you are murtherers , and i am a prince in spight of you ; my power and this place , giue me all opportunities of reuenge ; my glory is your shame , my life your danger , your sinne liues together with mee . but now the teares and gratious words of ioseph haue soone assured them of pardon and loue , and haue bidden them turne their eies from their sinne against their brother , to their happinesse in him , and haue changed their doubts into hopes and ioyes ; causing them to looke vppon him without feare , though not without shame . his louing imbracements cleare their hearts of all iealousies ; and hasten to put new thoughts into them ; of fauour , and of greatnes : so that now forgetting what euill they did to their brother , they are thinking of what good their brother may doe to them : actions salued vp with a free forgiuenesse , are as not done ; and as a bone once broken is stronger after well setting , so is loue after reconcilement . but as wounds once healed leaue a scarre behind them ; so remitted iniuries leaue commonly in the actors a guilty remembrance ; which hindred these brethren from that freedom of ioy which else they had conceiued : this was their fault , not iosephs ; who striues to giue them all security of his loue , and will bee as bountifull , as they were cruell . they sent him naked to strangers , he sends them in new and rich liueryes to their father ; they tooke a small summe of money for him , he giues them great treasures ; they sent his torne cote to his father ; hee sends variety of costly raiments to his father by them : they sold him to bee the load of camels ; hee sends them home with chariots . it must be a great fauor that can appease the conscience of a great iniury . now they returne home rich and ioyfull , making themselues happy to thinke , how glad they should make their father with this news . that good old man would neuer haue hoped that egypt could haue affoorded such prouision as this . ioseph is yet aliue : this was not food , but life to him . the returne of beniamin was comfortable : but that his dead sonne was yet aliue after so many yeeres lamentation , was tidings too happy to bee beleeued , and was enough to endanger that life with excesse of ioy , which the knowledge thereof doubled . ouer-excellent obiects are dangerous in their sudden apprehensions . one graine of that ioy would haue safely cheared him , whereof a full measure ouer-laies his heart with too much sweetnesse . there is no earthly pleasure , whereof wee may not surfet : of the spirituall wee can neuer haue enough . yet his eies reuiue his minde , which his eares had thus astonished . when he saw the charets of his sonne , hee beloeued iosephs life , and refreshed his owne . he had too much before , so that hee could not enioy it : now he saith , i haue enough , ioseph my sonne is yet aliue . they told him of his honour , he speakes of his life : life is better than honour . to haue heard that ioseph liued a seruant , would haue ioied him more , than to heare that hee died honourably . the greater blessing obscures the lesse . hee is not worthy of honour that is not thankfull for life . yet iosephs life did not content iacob without his presence : ( i will go downe and see him ere i dye : ) the sight of the eye is better then to walke in desires ; good things plesure vs not in their being , but in our inioying . the height of all earthly contentment appeared in the meeting of these two ; whom their mutuall losse had more endeared to each other : the intermission of comforts hath this aduantage , that it sweetens our delight more in the returne , then was abated in the forbearance . god doth oft-times hide away our ioseph for a time that wee may bee more ioyous and thankfull in his recouery : this was the sincerest pleasure that euer iacob had , which therefore god reserued for his age . and if the meeting of earthly friends be so vnspeakeably comfortable ; how happy shall we bee in the sight of the glorious face of god our heauenly father ; of that our blessed redeemer , whom we sold to death by our sins , and which now after that noble triumph hath all power giuen him in heauen and in earth : thus did iacob reioyce when he was to go out of the land of promise to a forreine nation for iosephs sake ; being glad that hee should loose his country for his sonne . what shall our ioy bee , who must out of this forraine land of our pilgrimage to the home of our glorious inheritance , to dwell with none but our own ; in that better and more lightsome goshen-free from all the incombrances of this egypt , and full of al the riches and delights of god ? the guilty conscience can neuer thinke it selfe safe : so many yeares experience of iosephs loue could not secure his brethren of remission : those that know they haue deserued ill , are wont to misinterpret fauours , and think they cannot be beloued : all that while , his goodnes seemed but concealed , and sleeping malice ; which they feared in their fathers last sleepe would awake and bewray it selfe in reuenge : still therefore they plead the name of their father , though dead , not daring to vse their owne : good meanings cannot be more wronged , then with suspicion : it grieues ioseph to see their feare , and to find they had not forgotten their owne sinne , and to heare them so passionately craue that which they had . forgiue the trespasse of the seruants of thy fathers god : ) what a coniuration of pardon was this ? what wound could be either so deepe , or so festered , as this plaster could not cure ? they say not , the sons of thy father , for they knew iacob was dead , and they had degenerated ; but the seruants of thy fathers god : how much stronger are the bonds of religion , then of nature : if ioseph had beene rancorous , this deprecation had charmed him ; but now it resolues him into teares : they are not so ready to acknowledge their old offence as he to protest his loue ; and if he chide them for any thing , it is for that they thought they needed to intreat since they might know , it could not stand with the fellow seruant of their fathers god to harbour maliciousnesse , to purpose reuenge . am not i vnder god ? and fully to secure them ; he turnes their eyes from themselues to the decree of god , from the action to the euent ; as one that would haue them thinke , there was no cause to repent of that which proued so succesfull . euen late confession findes forgiuenesse ; ioseph had long agoe seene their sorrow , neuer but now heard their humble acknowledgment ; mercy stayes not for outward solemnities . how much more shall that infinite goodnes pardon our sinnes when he finds the truth of our repentance . finis contemplations . the fovrth booke . the affliction of israel . or the aegiptian bondage . the birth and breeding of moses . moses called . the plagues of aegypt . imprinted at london by melch. bradwood for samuel macham , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bull-head- . to the right honourable iames , lord hay : all grace and happinesse . right honourable : all that i can say for my selfe is a desire of dooing good ; which if it were as feruent in richer hearts , that church which now we see comely , would then be glorious : this honest ambition hath carried me to neglect the feare of seeming prodigall of my little : and while i see others talents resting in the earth , hath drawne me to traffick with mine in publique . i hope no aduenture that euer i made of this kind shall bee equally gainfull to this my present labour , wherein i take gods owne history for the ground , and worke vpon it by what meditations my weakenesse can afford . the diuinenes of this subiect shall make more then amends for the manifold defects of my discourse ; although also the blame of an imperfection is so much the more when it lighteth vpon so high a choice . this part which i offer to your lordship shall shew you pharaoh impotently enuious and cruell , the israelites of friends become slaues , punished onely for prospering ; moses in the weeds , in the court , in the desert , in the hill of visions ; a courtier in aegypt , a shepheard in midian , an ambassador from god , a leader of gods people , and when you see the prodigious variety of the plagues of aegypt you shall not know whether more to wonder at the miracles of moses , or pharaohs obstinacy . finally , you shall see the same waues made both a wall & a gulfe in one boure ; the aegyptians drowned , where no israelite was wetshod ; and if these passages yeeld not abundance of profitable thoughts , impute it ( not without pardon ) to the pouerty of my weake conceit ; which yet may perhaps occasion better vnto others . in all humble submission i commend them ( what they are ) to your lordships fauourable acceptation , and your selfe with them , to the gratious blessing of our god. your lordships in all dutifull obseruance at command . ios . hall . the fovrth booke . the affliction of israell . aegypt was long an harbour to the israelites ; now it proues a iayle ; the posteritye of iacob findes too late , what it was for their forefathers to sel ioseph , a slaue into egypt . those whom the egyptians honoured before as lords , they now contemne as drudges : one pharaoh aduances whom another labors to depresse : not seldome the same man changes copies , but if fauors out-liue one age they proue decrepit and hartlesse : it is a rare thing to finde posterity heires of their fathers loue : how should mens fauours bee but like themselues , variable and inconstant ? there is no certainety but in the fauour of god , in whom can bee no change ; whose loue is entayled vpon a thousand generations . yet if the israelites had beene trecherous to pharaoh , if disobedient , this great change of countenance had beene iust ; now the onely offence of israel is that he prospereth ; that which should bee the motiue of their gratulation , and friendship , is the cause of their malice . there is no more hatefull sight to a wicked man then the prosperity of the conscionable ; none but the spirit of that true harbinger of christ can teach vs to say with contentment , hee must increase , but i must decrease . and what if israel bee mightie and rich ? ( if there be warre , they may ioyne with our enemies , and get them out of the land ) behold they are afraid to part with those whom they are greeued to entertaine : either staying or going is offence enough , to those that seeke quarrels ; there were no wars , and yet they say ( if there be wars ) the israelites had neuer giuen cause of feare to reuolt , and yet they say , ( least they ioyne to our enemies to those enemies which wee may haue ; so they make their certain friends slaues , for feare of vncertaine enemies . wickednes is euer cowardly , and full of vniust suspitions ; it makes a man feare , where no feare is , flye when none pursues him . what difference there is betwixt dauid and pharaoh ; the faith of the one saies , i will not be afraid for tenne thousand that should beset me ; the feare of the other saies , lest if there be warre , they ioyne with our enemies ; therefore should he haue made much of the israelites , that they might bee his , his fauours might haue made them firme ; why might they not as wel draw their swords for him ? weake and base minds euer incline to the worse ; and seeke safety rather in an impossibility of hurt , then in the likelihood of iust aduantage : fauors had bene more binding then cruelties , yet the foolish egyptian had rather haue impotent seruants , then able friends . for their welfare alone pharaoh owes israel a mischiefe ; and how will he pay it ? ( come let vs worke wisely ; ) leud men cal wicked policies wisdom , and their successe happinesse : herein satan is wiser , then they , who both layes the plot , and makes them such fooles as to mistake villany and madnesse , for the best vertue . iniustice is vpheld by violence , whereas iust gouernments are maintained by loue : taske-masters must be set ouer israel ; they should not be the true seed of israel , if they were not still set to wrestle with god in afflictions : heauy burdens must be laid vpon them : israel is neuer but loaded , the destiny of one of iacobs sonnes is common to all . to lye downe betwixt their burdens : if they had seemed to breath them in goshen sometimes , yet euen there it was no small misery to be forrainers , and to liue among idolaters : but now the name of a slaue is added to the name of a stranger . israel had gathered some rust in idolatrous egypt , and now he must be scoured , they had born the burden of gods anger , if they had not born the burdens of the egyptians . as god afflicted them with another mind then the egyptians ; ( god to exercise them , the egyptians to suppresse them ; ) so causes hee the euent to differ . who would not haue thought with these egyptians , that so extreme misery should not haue made the israelites vnfit both for generation and resistance ; moderate exercise strengthens , extreame destroyes nature : that god which many times workes by contrarie means caused them to grow with depression , with persecution to multiply ; how can gods church but fare well , since the very malice of their enemies benefits them . o the soueraigne goodnes of our god that turnes all our poysons into cordials , gods vine beares the better with bleeding . and now the egyptians could be angry with their owne maliciousnesse , that this was the occasion of multiplying them whom they hated , and feared ; to see that this seruice gained more to the workmen , then to their maisters ; the stronger therefore the israelites grew , the more impotent grew them alice of their persecutours . and since their owne labor strengthens them , now tyranny will try what can bee done by the violence of others : since the present strength cannot bee subdued ; the hopes of succession must be preuented : women must bee suborned to bee murtherers , and those whose office is to help the birth , must destroy it . there was lesse suspition of cruelty in that sexe , and more oportunity of doing mischiefe . the male children must be borne , and dye at once ; what can bee more innocent then the child that hath not liued so much as to cry , or to see light ? it is fault enough to bee the son of an israelite : the daughters may liue for bondage , for lust a condition so much ( at the least ) woorse then death , as their sexe was weaker . o maruellous cruelty that a man should kill a man , for his sexes sake . whosoeuer hath loosed the reynes vnto cruelty is easily carryed into incredible extremities . from burdens they proceed to bondage , and from bondange to blood : from an vniust vexation of their body , to an inhumane destruction of the fruit of their body ; as the sins of the concupiscible part , from sleight motions grow on to foule executions , so doe those of the irascible ; there is no sinne whose harbour is more vnsafe then of that of malice : but oft times the power of tyrants answers not their will ; euill commanders cannot alwaies meete with equally mischieuous agents . the feare of god teaches the mid wiues to disobey an vniust command ; they well knew how no excuse it is for euill , i was bidden . god said to their harts , thou shalt not kill , this voice was louder then pharaohs . i commend their obedience in disobeying , i dare not commend their excuse , there was as much weakenesse in their answere , as strength in their practise : as they feared god in not killing , so they feared pharaoh in dissembling : oft times those that make conscience of greater sins are ouertaken with lesse . it is wel and rare if we can come forth of a dangerous action without any soyle ; and if we haue escaped the storme ; that some after drops wet vs not . who would not haue expected that the midwiues should bee murthered for not murthering ? pharaoh could not be so simple to thinke these women trusty yet his indignation had no power to reach to their punishment god prospered the mid-wiues : who can harme them ? euen the not dooing of euill is rewarded with good . and why did they prosper ? because they feared god ; not for their dissimulation but their pietie . so did god regard their mercie , that he ragarded not their infirmitie . how fondly do men lay the thank vpon the sin which is due to the vertue : true wisedome teaches to distinguish gods actions , and to ascribe them to the right causes : pardon belongs to the lye of the midwiues , remuneration to their goodnes , prosperity to their fear of god. but that which the midwiues will not , the multitudes shall do ; it were strange if wicked rulers should not finde some or other instruments of violence : all the people must drowne whom the women saued ; cruelty hath but smoked before , now it flames vp ; secret practising hath made it shamelesse , that now it dare proclaime tyranny . it is a miserable state where euery man is made an executioner : there can bee no greater argument of an ill cause then a bloody prosecution , wheras truth vpholds herselfe by mildnesse , and is promoted by patience . this is their act , what was their issue ? the people must drown their males , themselues are drowned : they died by the same means by which they caused the poore israelitish infants to dye ; that law of retaliation which god will not allow to vs , because we are fellow creatures , hee iustly practiseth in vs. god would haue vs reade our sinnes in our iudgements , that we might both repent of our sinnes ; and giue glory to his iustice . pharaoh raged before , much more now that hee receiued a message of dismission : the monitions of god make ill men worse : the waues doe not beat nor roare any where so much as at the banke which restraines them . corruption when it is checked , growes madde with rage . as the vapour in a cloud would not make that fearefull report , if it met not with opposition . a good heart yeelds at the stillest voice of god : but the most gratious motions of god harden the wicked . many would not be so desperately settled in their sinnes , if the word had not controlled them . how milde a message was this to pharaoh , and yet how galling ? wee pray thee let vs goe . god commands him that which hee feared . hee tooke pleasure in the present seruitude of israel : god cals for a release . if the suit had beene for mitigation of labour , for preseruation of their children , it might haue caried some hope , and haue found some fauour , but now god requires that which he knows will as much discontent pharaoh as pharaohs cruelty could discontent the israelites ( let vs goe ) how contrary are gods precepts to naturall minds ? and indeed , as they loue to crosse him in their practise ; so hee loues to crosse them in their commands before , & his punishments afterward ; it is a dangerous signe of an ill heart to feele gods yoake heauy . moses talkes of sacrifice , pharaoh talkes of worke . any thing seemes due worke to a carnall minde , sauing gods seruice : nothing superfluous , but religious duties . christ tels vs there is but one thing necessarie : nature tels vs there is nothing but that , needlesse . moses speakes of deuotion , pharaoh of idlenesse . it hath beene an old vse , as to cast faire colours vpon our owne vicious actions , so to cast euill a●persions vpon the good actions of others . the same diuell that spoke in pharaoh , speakes still in our scoffers , and cals religion hypocrisie , conscionable care , singularitie . euery vice hath a title , and euery vertue a disgrace . yet while possible taskes were imposed , there was some comfort . their diligence might saue their backes from stripes . the conceit of a benefit to the commander , and hope of impunitie to the labourer , might giue a good pretence to great difficulties : but to require taskes not faisible , is tyrannicall , and doth onely picke a quarrell to punish . they could neither make straw , nor finde it , yet they must haue it . doe what may be , is tolerable ; but doe what cannot bee , is cruell . those which are aboue others in place , must measure their commands , not by their owne wils , but by the strength of their inferiors . to require more of a beast than he can doe , is inhumane . the taske is not done : the taske-masters are beaten : the punishment lies where the charge is ; they must exact it of the people , pharaoh of them . it is the miserie of those which are trusted with authoritie , that their inferiours faults are beaten vpon their backes . this was not the fault to require it of the taske-masters , but to require it by the taske-masters , of the people . publike persons doe either good or ill with a thousand hands , and with no fewer shall receiue it . the birth and breediug of moses . it is a wonder that amram the father of moses ; would think of the marriage bed in so troublesome a times when he knew hee should beget children either to slauery , or slaughter : yet euen now in the heat of this bondage ▪ he marries iochebed ▪ the drowning of his sonnes was not so great an euill , as his owne burning ; the thraldom of his daughters not so great an euill , as the subiection vnto sinfull desires . he therefore vses gods remedy for his sinne ; and refers the sequell of his danger to god. how necessary is his imitation for those which haue not the power of containing ? perhaps we would haue thought it better to liue childlesse : but amram and iochebed durst not incurre the danger of a sinne , to auoid the danger of a mischiefe . no doubt when iochebed the mother of moses saw a man-childe borne of her , and him beautifull and comely , she sell into extreme passion , to thinke that the executioners hand should succeede the mid-wiues . all the time of her conception , shee could not but feare a sonne ; now shee sees him , and thinks of his birth and death at once ; her second throwes are more grieuous than her first . the paines of trauell in others are somewhat mitigated with hope , and counteruailed with ioy that a man-child is borne ; in her they are doubled with feare ; the remedie of others is her complaint : still shee lookes when some fierce egyptian would come in , & snatch her new-borne infant out of her bosome ; whose comelinesse had now also added to her affection . many times god writes presages of maiestie and honour , euen in the faces of children . little did shee thinke , that shee held in her lappe the deliuerer of israel . it is good to hazard in greatest appearances of danger . if iochebed had said , if i beare a son they will kill him , where had beene the great rescuer of israel ? happie is that resolution which can follow god hood-winkt , and let him dispose of the euent : when shee can no longer hide him in her wombe , she hides him in her house ; afraid lest euery of his cryings should guide the executioner to his cradle . and now she sees her treasure can be no longer hid , shee ships him in a barke of bulrushes , and commits him to the mercy of the waues , and ( which was more mercilesse ) to the danger of an egyptian passenger , yet doth she not leaue him without a gardian . no tyrannie can forbid her to loue him , whom shee is forbidden to keepe : her daughters eies must supply the place of her arms and if the weake affection of a mother were thus effectually carefull , what shall wee thinke of him whose loue , whose compassion is ( as himselfe ) infinite ? his eie , his hand cannot but be with vs , euen when wee forsake our selues : moses had neuer a stronger protection about him , no not when all his israelites were pitched about his tent in the wildernesse , than now when he lay sprauling alone vpon the waues : no water , no egyptian can hurt him . neither friend nor mother dare owne him , and now god challenges his custodie . when wee seeme most neglected , and forlorne in our selues , then is god most present , most vigilant . his prouidence brings pharaohs daughter thither to wash her selfe . those times looke for no great state : a princesse comes to bath her selfe in the open stream : she meant only to wash her selfe , god fetches her thither to deliuer the deliuerer of his people . his designes goe beyond ours . we know not ( when wee set our foot ouer our threshold ) what hee hath to doe with vs. this euent seemed casuall to this princesse , but predetermined , and prouided by god , before shee was : how wisely and sweetly god brings to passe his owne purposes in our ignorance and regardlesnesse . she saw the arke , opens it , findes the childe weeping ; his beautie and his teares had god prouided for the strong perswasions of mercy . this yoong and liuely oratorie preuailed . her heart is stroke with compassion , and yet her tongue could say , it is an hebrewes childe . see heere the mercifull daughter of a cruell father : it is an vncharitable and iniurious ground to iudge of the childs disposition by the parents . how well doth pitie beseeme great personages ? and most in extremities . it had beene death to another to rescue the childe of an hebrew ; in her , it was safe and noble . it is an happie thing when great ones improue their places to so much more charitie as their libertie is more . moses his sister finding the princesse compassionate , offers to procure a nurse , and fetches the mother , and who can bee so fit a nurse as a mother ? she now with glad hands receiues her childe , both with authority and reward . she would haue giuen al her substance for the life of her sonne ; and now shee hath a reward to nurse him . the exchange of the name of a mother for the name of a nurse hath gained her both her sonne , and his education , and with both , a recompence . religion doth not call vs to a weake simplicity , but allows vs as much of the serpent , as of the doue : lawfull policies haue from god both libertie in the vse and blessing in the successe . the good ladie did not breed him as some childe of almes , or as some wretched outcast for whom it might be fauor enough to liue ; but as her owne sonne . in all the delicacies , in all the learning of egypt . whatsoeuer the court , or the schoole could put into him , he wanted not ; yet all this could not make him forget that he was and hebrew . education workes wondrous changes , and is of great force either way , a little aduancement hath so puffed vp some aboue themselues , that they haue not only forgot their friends , but scorned their parents . all the honours of egypt could not winne moses not to call his nurse , mother : or weane him from a willing miserie with the israelites . if we had moses his faith , we could not but make his choice . it is onely our infidelity that bindes vs so fast to the world , and makes vs preferre the momentany pleasures of sinne , vnto that euerlasting recompence of reward . hee went foorth and looked on the burdens of israel . what needed moses to haue afflicted himselfe with the afflictions of others ? himselfe was at ease and pleasure in the court of pharaoh . a good heart cannot abide to be happy alone ; and must needes , vnbidden , share with others in their miseries . he is no true moses that is not mooued with the calamities of gods church . to see an egyptian smite an hebrew , it smote him , and mooued him to smite . hee hath no israelitish blood in him , that can endure to see an israelite striken either with hand or tongue . heere was his zeale : where was his authoritie ? doubtlesse moses had an instinct from god of his magistracie ; else how should hee thinke they would haue vnderstood what himselfe did not ? oppressions may not bee righted by violence , but by law . the redresse of euill by a person vnwarranted , is euill . moses knew that god had called him , he knew that pharaoh knew it not : therefore he hides the egyptian in the sand . those actions which may bee approoued vnto god , are not alwaies safe with men : as contrarily , too many things goe currant with men , that are not approoued of god. another hebrew is strucken , but by an hebrew : the act is the same , the agents differ : neither doth their profession more differ , than moses his proceedings . hee giues blowes to the one : to the other , words . the blowes to the egyptian were deadly ; the words to the hebrew , gentle and plausible . as god makes a difference betwixt chastisements of his owne , and punishments of strange children : so must wise gouernours learne to distinguish of sinnes and iudgements , according to circumstances . how mildly doth moses admonish ? sirs , yee are brethren . if there had beene but any dramme of good nature in these hebrewes , they had relented : now it is strange to see that being so vniuersally vexed with their common aduersarie , they should yet vex one another : one would haue thought that a common opposition should haue vnited them more , yet now priuate grudges doe thus dangerously diuide them . blowes enow were not dealt by the egyptians , their owne must adde to the violence . still satan is thus busie , and christians are thus malicious , that ( as if they wanted enemies ) they flie in one anothers faces . while we are in this egypt of the world , all vnkinde strifes would easily bee composed if wee did not forget that wee are brethren . behold an egyptian in the skinne of an hebrew : how dogged an answer doth moses receiue to so gentle a reproofe ? who would not haue expected that this hebrew had beene enough deiected with the common affliction ? but vexations may make some more miserable , not more humble . as wee see sickenesses make some tractable , others more froward ; it is no easie matter to beare a reproofe well ; if neuer so well tempered ; no sugar can bereaue a pill of his bitternesse : none but the gracious can say , let the righteous smite me . next to the not deseruing a reproofe is the well taking of it . but who is so ready to except and exclaime as the wrong-doer ? the patient replies not . one iniurie drawes on another , first to his brother , then to his reproouer . guiltinesse will make a man stirre vpon euery touch : hee that was wronged , could incline to reconciliation : malice makes men vncapable of good counsell ; and there are none so great enemies to iustice , as those which are enemies to peace . with what impatience doth a galled heart receiue an admonition ? this vnworthy israelite is the patterne of a stomackfull offender , first he is moued to choller in himself : then he cals for the authoritie of the admonisher : a smal authoritie will serue for a louing admonition . it is the duty of men , much more of christians to aduise against sinne ; yet this man askes who made thee a iudge , for but finding fault with his iniury ▪ then , hee aggrauates , and misconstrues ; wilt thou kill mee ? when moses meant onely to saue both . it was the death of his malice onely that was intended and the safety of his person . and lastly he vpbraids with former actions ; thou killedst the egyptian : what if he did ? what if vniustly ? what was this to the hebrew ? another mans sinne is no excuse for ours : a wicked heart neuer lookes inward to it selfe , but outward to the quality of the reprouer if that affoord exception , it is enough . as a dog runs first to reuenge on the stone : what matter is it to me who he be that admonishes me : let me look home into my self : let me look to his aduise . if that be good , it is more shame to me to be reprooued by an euill man. as a good mans allowance cannot warrant euill , so an euill mans reproofe may remedy euill : if this hebrew had bin well pleased , moses had not heard of his slaughter ; now in choller all will out ; and if this mans tongue had not thus cast him in the teeth with blood , he had beene surprised by pharaoh , ere he could haue known that the fact was known . now he growes iealous , flees and escapes no friend is so commodious in some eases as an aduersary ; this wound which the hebrew thought to giue moses , saued his life . as it is good for a man to haue an enemy , so it shall be our wisedome to make vse of his most cholericke obiections . the woorst of an enemy , may prooue most soueraigne to our selues . moses flees , it is no discomfort for a man to flee when his conscience pursues him not : where gods warrant will not protect vs , it is good for the heeels to supply the place of the tongue . moses when he may not in egipt , he will be doing iustice in midian . in egypt hee deliuers the oppressed israelite . in midian the wronged daughters of iethro . a good man will be doing good , wheresoeuer he is ; his trade is a compound of charity and iustice as therfore euill dispositions cannot bee changed with ayres , no more will good . now then hee sits him downe by a well in midian . there hee might haue to drinke , but where to eat he knew not . the case was altered with moses , to come from the dainties of the court of egypt , to the hunger of the fields of midian : it is a lesson that al gods children must learne to take out , to want and to abound . who can thinke strange of penury , when the great gouernour of gods people once hath nothing ? who would not haue thought in this case , moses should haue bene hartlesse and sullen ; so cast downe with his owne complaints , that he should haue had no feeling of others ; yet how hote is hee vpon iustice ? no aduersitie can make a good man neglect good duties , hee sees the oppression of the shepheards , the image of that other hee left behind him in egypt : the maids , ( daughters of so great a peere ) draw water for their flockes , the inhumane shepherds driue them away ; rudenesse hath no respect either to sexe , or condition ; if we liued not vnder lawes this were our case ; might would bee the measure of iustice : we should not so much as enioy our owne water : vniust courses will not euer prosper : moses shall rather come from egypt to midian to beate the shepheards , then they shall vexe the daughters of iethro : this act of iustice was not better done than taken . reuel requites it kindly with an hospitall entertainement . a good nature is ready to answer courtesies : we cannot do too much for a thankfull man. and if a courteous heathen reward the watering of a sheepe in this bountifull manner , how shal our god recompence but a cup of cold water , that is giuen to a disciple ? this sauor hath wonne moses , who now consents to dwel with him , though out of the church . curiositie or whatsoeuer idle occasions may not draw vs ( for our residence ) out of the bounds of the church of god : danger of life may ; wee loue not the church if wee easily leaue it : if in a case of life , we leaue it not ( vpon opportunitie ) for a time of respite , wee loue not our selues . the worst part of moses his requitall was his wife , one of those whom he had formerly protected . i doe not so much maruell that iethro gaue him his daughter ( for he saw him valiant , wise , learned , nobly bred ) as that moses would take her ; a stranger , both in blood and religion . i could plead for him necessitie : his own nation was shut vp to him ; if hee would haue tried to fetch a daughter of israel , he had endangered to leaue himselfe behinde . i could pleade some correspondence in common principles of religion ; for doubtlesse moses his zeale could not suffer him to smother the truth in himselfe : he should haue beene an vnfaithfull seruant , if hee had not beene his masters teacher . yet neither of these can make this match either safe , or good . the euent bewraies it dangerously inconuenient . this choice had like to haue cost him deare : shee stood in his way for circumcision ; god stands in his way for reuenge . though he was now in gods message , yet might he not be for borne in this neglect . no circumstance , either of the dearenesse of the solicitour ▪ or our owne ingagement , can beare out a sinne with god : those which are vnequally yoked , may not euer looke to draw one way . true loue to the person cannot long agree with dislike of the religion . he had need to be more than a man , that hath a zipporah in his bosome , and would haue true zeale in his hart . all this while moses his affection was not so tied to midian , that he could forget egypt . hee was a stranger in midian : what was he else in egypt ? surely either egypt was not his home , or a miserable one ; and yet in reference to it , he cals his sonne gershom , a stranger there . much better was it to bee a stranger there , than a dweller in egypt . how hardly can we forget the place of our abode or education , although neuer so homely ? and if hee so thought of his egyptian home , where was nothing but bondage and tyrannie , how should wee thinke of that home of ours , aboue , where is nothing but rest and blessednesse ? moses called . forty yeeres was moses a courtier , and forty yeres ( after that ) a shepheard : that great men may not be ashamed of honest vocations , the greatest that euer were haue beene content to take vp with meane trades . the contempt of honest callings in those which are well borne , argues pride , without wit : how constantly did moses sticke to his hooke ? and yet a man of great spirits , of excellent learning , of curious education , and if god , had not ( after his forty yeeres seruice ) called him off , he had so ended his daies . humble resolutions are so much more heroical , as they fall into higher subiects . there can be no fitter disposition for a leader of gods people , then constancy in his vndertakings , without either wearinesse , or change . how had he learned to subdue all ambitious desires , and to rest content with his obscurity . so hee might haue the freedome of his thoughts , and full opportunity of holy meditations , hee willingly leaues the world to others , and enuies not his proudest acquaintance of the court of pharaoh . hee that hath true worth in himselfe , and familiarity with god , finds more pleasure in the desers of midian , then others can doe in the pallaces of kings . whiles he is tending his sheep , god appeared vnto him , god neuer graces the ydle with his visions ; when hee findes vs in our callings , we find him in the tokens of his mercy : satan appeares to the idle man in manifold tentations , or rather presents himselfe , and appeares not . god was euer with moses , yet was hee not seene till now . hee is neuer absent from his , but sometimes he makes their senses witnesses of his presence . in smal matters may be great wonders . that a bush should burne is no maruell , but that it shold not consume in burning , is iustly miraculous : god chooseth not euer great subiects wherein to exercise his power . it is enough that his power is great in the smallest . when i looke vpon this burning bush with moses , me thinks i can neuer see a woorthier , and more liuely embleme of the church ; that in egypt was the furnace yet wasted not . since then how oft hath it bene flaming , neuer consumed . the same power that enlightens it , preserues it : and to none but his enemies is he a consuming fire ; moses was a great philosopher , but small skill would haue serued to know the nature of fire , and of the bush : that fire meeting with combustible matter could not but cōsume : if it had beene some solid woood it would haue yeelded later to the flame ; but bushes are of so quick dispatch , that the ioy of the wicked is compared to a fire of thorns . hee noted it a while , saw it continued , & began to wonder . it was some maruel how it should come there ; but how it should continue without supply , yea without diminution of matter , was truely admirable : doubtlesse hee went oft about it , and viewed it on all sides , and now when his eye and mind could meete with no likely causes , so farre off , resolues , i will go see it ; his curiosity ledde him neerer , and what could hee see but a bush and a flame which hee saw at first vnsatisfied ? it is good to come to the place of gods presence , howsoeuer ; god may perhaps speake to thy heart , though thou come but for nouelty : euen those which haue come vpon curiosity haue beene oft taken : absence is without hope ; if moses had not come , hee had not beene called out of the bush . to see a fire not consuming the bush , was much ; but to heere a speaking fire , this was more ; and to heare his own name out of the mouth of the fire , it was most of all . god makes way for his greatest messages by astonishment and admiration : as on the contrary , carelesnes carries vs to a more proficiency vnder the best means of god : if our hearts were more awfull , gods messages would bee more effectuall to vs. in that appearance god meant to cal moses to come ; yet when he is come inhibits him ; ( come not hither ) we must come to god , wee must not come too neere him , when wee meditate of the great mysteries of his word , wee come to him : wee come too neere him when we search into his counsels . the sunne and the fire say of themselues , come not too neere , how much more the light which none can attaine vnto ? we haue all our limits set vs : the gentiles might come into some outer courts , not into the inmost : the iewes might come into the inner court , not into the temple : the priests and leuites into the temple , not into the holy of holies ; moses to the hill , not to the bush . the waues of the sea had not more need of bounds , than mans presumption . moses must not come close to the bush at all ; and where he may stand , he may not stand with his shooes on . there is no vnholinesse in clothes : god prepared them for man at first , and that of skins ▪ lest any exception should be taken at the hides of dead beasts . this rite was significant . what are the shooes but worldly and carnall affections ? if these be not cast off when wee come to the holy place , wee make our selues vnholy ▪ how much lesse shold we dare to come with resolutions of sinne ? this is not onely to come with shooes on , but with shooes bemired with wicked filthinesse ; the touch whereof profanes the pauement of god , and makes our presence odious . moses was the sonne of amram , amram of kohath , kohath of leui , leui of iacob , iacob of isaac , isaac of abraham . god puts together both ends of his pedigree , i am the god of thy father , and of abraham , isaac , iacob . if he had said only , i am thy god , it had beene moses his duty to attend awfully ; but now that hee saies i am the god of thy father , and of abraham &c. he challenges reuerence by prescription . any thing that was our ancestors , pleases vs ; their houses ; their vessels , their cote-armour ; how much more their god ? how carefull should parents be to make holy choises ? euery precedent of theirs are so many monuments and motiues to their posteritie . what an happinesse it is to bee borne of good parents : hence god claimes an interest in vs , and wee in him , for their sake . as many a man smarteth for his fathers sinne , so the goodnesse of others is crowned in a thousand generations . neither doth god say , i was the god of abraham , isaac , iacob ; but , i am . the patriarkes still liue after so many thousand yeeres of dissolution . no length of time can separate the soules of the iust from their maker . as for their bodie , there is still a reall relation betwixt the dust of it , and the soule : and if the being of this part be more defectiue , the being of the other is more liuely , and doth more than recompence the wants of that earthly halfe . god could not describe himselfe by a more sweet name than this , i am the god of thy father , and of abraham , &c. yet moses hides his face for feare . if hee had said , i am the glorious god that made heauen and earth , that dwell in light inaccessible , whom the angels cannot behold ; or , i am god the auenger , iust and terrible , a consuming fire to mine enemies , heere had beene iust cause of terrour . but ●hy was moses so frighted with a familiar compellation ? god is no lesse awfull to his owne in his very mercies . great is thy mercie that thou maist be feared : for to them , no lesse maiestie shines in the fauours of god , than in his iudgements and iustice . the wicked heart neuer feares god but thundring , or shaking the earth ▪ or raining fire from heauen ; but the good can dread him in his very sun-shine : his louing deliuerances and blessings affect them with awfulnes moses was the true sonne of iacob , who when hee saw nothing but visions of loue and mercy , could say , how dreadfull is this place ? i see moses now at the bush hiding his face at so milde ● representation : heereafter we shall see him in this very mount betwixt heauen and earth , in thunder , lightning , smoke , earth-quakes , speaking mouth to mouth with god , bare faced , and fearelesse : god was then more terrible , but moses was lesse strange . this was his first meeting with god ; further acquaintance makes him familiar , and familiarity makes him bold : frequence of conuersation giues vs freedome of accesse to god ; and makes vs poure out our hearts to him as fully and as fearelesly as to our friends . in the meane time now at first he made not so much haste to see , but hee made as much to hide his eies : twice did moses hide his face ; once for the glory which god put vpon him , which made him so shine , that hee could not bee beheld of others ; once for gods owne glory , which he could not behold . no maruell . some of the creatures are too glorious for mortall eies : how much more when god appeares to vs in the easiest manner , must his glorie needs ouercome vs ? behold the difference betwixt our present , and future estate : then , the more maiestie of appearance , the more delight : when our sinne is quite gone , all our feare at gods presence shall be turned into ioy . god appeared to adam before his sinne with comfort , but in the same forme which after his sinne was terrible . and if moses cannot abide to looke vpon gods glory when he descends to vs in mercy , how shall wicked ones abide to see his fearefull presence when he sets vpon vengeance . in this fire hee flamed and consumed not , but in his reuenge our god is a consuming fire . first moses hides himselfe in feare , now in modestie . who am i ? none in all egypt or midian was comparably fit for this embassage . which of the israelites had beene brought vp a courtier , a scholar , an israelite by blood , by education an egyptian learned , wise , valiant , experienced ? yet , who am i ? the more fit any man is for whatsoeuer vocation , the lesse he thinkes himselfe . forwardnesse argues insufficiencie . the vnworthie thinkes still , who am i not ? modest beginnings giue hopefull proceedings , and happy endings . once before , moses had taken vpon him , and laid about him ; hoping then they would haue knowen that by his hand god meant to deliuer israel : but now when it comes to the point , who am i ? gods best seruants are not euer in an equall disposition to good duties . if wee finde differences in our selues sometimes , it argues that grace is not our owne . it is our frailtie , that those seruices which wee are forward to , aloofe off , wee shrinke at , neere hand , and fearefully misse-giue . how many of vs can bid defiances to death , and suggest answers to absent tentations , which when they come home to vs , wee flie off , and change our note , and instead of action , expostulate ? the plagues of egypt . it is too much honour for flesh and blood to receiue a message from heauen , yet here god sends a message to man , and is repulsed : well may god aske , who is man that i should regard him , but for man to aske who is the lorde , is a bolde and proud blasphemy . thus wilde is nature at the first ; but ere god haue done with pharaoh , he will be knowne of him , he will make himselfe knowne by him , to all the world : god might haue swept him away suddenly . how vnworthy is he of life , who with the same breath that hee receiues , denies the giuer of it : but he would haue him conuinced , ere he were punished ; first therefore hee workes miracles before him , then vpon him . pharaoh was now from a staffe of protection and sustentation to gods people , turned to a serpent that stung them to death ; god shewes him himselfe in this reall embleme ; doing that suddenly before him , which satan had wrought in him by leasure ; and now when hee crawles and winds , and hisses , threatning perill to israel , hee shewes him how in an instant , he can turne him into a sencelesse sticke , and make him if not vsefull , yet fearelesse : the same god which wrought this , giues satan leaue to imitate it ; the first plague that he ment to inflict vpon pharaoh , is delusion : god can be content the diuell should win himselfe credit , where hee meanes to iudge , and holds the honour of a miracle well lost , to harden an enemy , yet to show that his miracle was of power , the others of permission ; moses his serpent deuours theirs ; how easily might the egyptians haue thought , that he which caused their serpent not to be , could haue kept it from being , and that they which could not keepe their serpent from deuouring , could not secure them from being consumed ; but wise thoughts enter not into those that must perish . all gods iudgements stand ready , and waite but till they be called for . they need but a watch-word to bee giuen them : no sooner is the rodde lift vp , but they are gone forth into the world , presently the waters runne into bloud , the frogs and lice craule about , and al the other troupes of god come rushing in vpon his aduersaries : all creatures conspire to reuenge the iniuries of god. if the egyptians looke vpward , there they haue thunder , lightning , hayle , tempests , one while no light at all , another while such fearfull flashes as had more terror , then darknes . if they looke vnder them , there they see their waters changed into blood , their earth swarming with frogs and grassehoppers : if about them , one while the flyes fill both their eyes and eares , another while they see their fruites destroyed , their cattell dying , their children dead . if lastly they looke vpon themselues , they see themselues loathsome with lice , painful and deformed with scabs , biles and botches . first god begins his iudgement with the waters . as the riuer of nilus was to egypt in steed of heauen to moisten and fatten the earth ; so their confidence was more in it then in heauen ; men are sure to bee punisht most and soonest , in that which they make a corriuall with god. they had before defiled the riuers with the bloud of innocents ; and now it appeares to them , in his owne colour . the waters will no longer keepe their counsell : neuer any man delighted in blood , which had not enough of it , ere his end : they shed but some few streames , and now behold whole riuers of blood : neither was this more a monument of their slaughter , past , then an image of their future destruction . they were afterwards ouerwhelmed in the redde sea , and now before-hand they see their riuers redde with blood . how dependant and seruile is the life of man , that cannot either want one element , or endure it corrupted ; it is hard to say whether there were more horrour , or annoyance in this plague . they complain of thirst , and yet doubt whether they should dye , or quench it with bloud . their fish ( the chiefe part of their sustenance ) dyes with infection , and infecteth more by being dead . the stench of both is ready to poyson the inhabitants ; yet pharaohs curiosity carries him away quite from the sense of the iudgement , hee had rather send for his magicians to worke feats , then to humble himselfe vnder god for the remooual of this plague ; and god plagues his curiosity with deceipt , those whom he trusts , shall vndoe him with preuailing ; the glory of a second miracle shall be obscured by a false imitation , for a greater glory to god in the sequell . the rod is lift vp againe , behold , that nilus which they had before adored , was neuer so beneficiall as it is now troublesome ; yeelding them not onely a dead , but a liuing annoyance : it neuer did so store them with fish , as now it plagues them with frogs ; whatsoeuer any man makes his god , besides the true one , shall bee once his tormenter . those loathsome creatures leaue their owne element to punish them , which rebelliously detained israell from their owne . no bed , no table can be free from them , their dainty ladies cannot keep them out of their bosomes ; neither can the egyptians sooner open their mouthes , than they are ready to creepe into their throats ; as if they would tell them that they came on purpose to reuenge the wrongs of their maker : yet euen this wonder also is satan allowed to imitate . who can maruell to see the best vertues counterfeited by wicked men , when hee sees the diuell emulating the miraculous power of god ? the feates that satan plaies may harden , but cannot benefit . hee that hath leaue to bring frogs , hath neither leaue , nor power , to take them away , nor to take away the stench from them . to bring them , was but to adde to the iudgement ; to remooue them , was an act of mercy . god doth commonly vse satan in executing of iudgement , neuer in the workes of mercie to men . yet euen by thus much is pharaoh hardned , and the sorcerers growen insolent . when the diuell and his agents are in the height of their pride , god shames them in a trifle . the rod is lift vp : the very dust receiues life : lice abound euery where , and make no difference betwixt beggers and princes . though pharaoh and his courtiers abhorred to see themselues louzie , yet they hoped this miracle would be more easily imitable : but now the greater possibilitie , the greater foile . how are the great wonder-mongers of egypt abashed that they can neither make lice of their owne , nor deliuer themselues from the lice that are made . those that could make serpents and frogs , could not either make or kill lice ; to shew them that those frogs and serpents were not their owne workmanship . now pharaoh must needs see how impotent a diuell hee serued , that could not make that vermine which euery day rises voluntarily out of corruption . iannes and iambres cannot now make those lice ( so much as by delusion ) which at another time they cannot chuse but produce vnknowing , and which now they cannot auoid . that spirit which is powerfull to execute the greatest things when hee is bidden , is vnable to doe the least when he is restrained . now these corriuals of moses can say , this is the finger of god. yee foolish inchanters , was gods finger in the lice , not in the frogs , not in the blood , not in the serpent ? and why was it rather in the lesse , than in the greater ? because yee did imitate the other , not these . as if the same finger of god had not beene before in your imitation , which was now in your restraint : as if yee could haue failed in these , if yee had not beene only permitted the other . whiles wicked mindes haue their full scope , they neuer looke vp aboue themselues ; but when once god crosses them in their proceedings , their want of successe teaches them to giue god his owne . all these plagues perhaps had more horror than paine in them . the frogges creepe vpon their clothes , the lice vpon their skins , but those stinging hornets which succeed them , shall wound and kill . the water was annoied with the first plague , the earth with the second and third ; this fourth fils the aire , and besides corruption brings smart . and that they may see this winged armie comes out from an angrie god , ( not either from nature , or chance ) euen the very flies shall make a difference betwixt egypt , and goshen . he that gaue them their being , sets them their stint . they can no more sting an israelite , than fauour an egyptian . the very wings of flies are directed by a prouidence , and doe acknowledge their limits . now pharaoh findes how impossible it is for him to stand out with god , since all his power cannot rescue him from lice and flies . and now his heart begins to thaw a little : goe , doe sacrifice to your god in this land ; or ( since that will not be accepted ) go into the wildernesse , but not far : but how soone it knits againe ! good thoughts make but a thorow-fare of carnall hearts , they can neuer settle there : yea his very misse-giuing hardens him the more : that now neither the murren of his cattle , nor the botches of his seruants can stirre him a whit . hee saw his cattle strucke dead with a sudden contagion ; he saw his sorcerers ( after their contestation with gods messengers ) strucke with a scabbe in their very faces , and yet his heart is not strucke . who would think it possible that any soule could bee secure in the midst of such varietie , and frequence of iudgements ? these very plagues haue not more wonder in them , than their successe hath . to what an height of obduration will sinne leade a man , and of all sinnes , incredulity ? amidst all these storms pharaoh sleepeth , till the voice of gods mightie thunders , and haile mixed with fire rouzed him vp a little . now as betwixt sleeping and waking , hee starts vp , and saies , god is righteous , i am wicked , moses pray for vs , and presently laies downe his head againe . god hath no sooner done thundring , than hee hath done fearing . all this while you neuer finde him carefull to preuent any one euill , but desirous still to shift it off when he feeles it ; neuer holds constant to any good motion ; neuer praies for himselfe , but carelesly willes moses and aaron to pray for him ; neuer yeelds god his whole demand , but higgleth and dodgeth , like some hard chapman , that would get a release with the cheapest : first , they shall not go ; then , goe and sacrifice , but in egypt ; next , goe sacrifice in the wildernesse , but not farre off ; after , goe ye that are men ; then , goe you and your children only ; at last , goe all saue your sheepe and cattle . wheresoeuer meere nature is , she is still improuident of future good , sensible of present euill , inconstant in good purposes , vnable , through vnacquaintance , and vnwilling to speake for her selfe , niggardly in her grants , and vncheerfull . the plague of the grashoppers startled him a little ; and the more , through the importunitie of his seruants : for when he considered the fish destroied with the first blow , the cattle with the fifth , the corne with the seuenth , the fruit and leaues with this eighth , and nothing now left him but a bare fruitlesse earth to liue vpon , and that , couered ouer with locusts , necessitie droue him to relent for an aduantage : forgiue mee this once ; take from me this death only . but as constrained repentance is euer short and vnsound ; the west winde together with the grashoppers blowes away his remorse ; and now is hee ready for another iudgement . as the grashoppers tooke away the sight of the earth from him , so now a grosse darknesse takes away the sight of heauen too : other darknesses were but priuatiue , this was reall and sensible . the egyptians thought this night long , ( how could they chuse , when it was six in one ? ) and so much the more , for that no man could rise to talke with other , but was necessarily confined to his owne thoughts : one thinkes , the fault in his owne eies , which hee rubs often times in vaine : others thinke that the sunne is lost out of the firmament , and is now with-drawen for euer : others , that all things are returning to their first confusion : all thinke themselues miserable past remedie , and wish ( whatsoeuer had befallen them ) that they might haue had but light enough to see themselues die . now pharaoh prooues like to some beasts that grow mad with baiting : grace often resisted turns to desperatenesse ; get thee from mee , looke thou see my face no more ; whensoeuer thou commest in my sight , thou shalt die . as if moses could not plague him as well in absence : as if hee that could not take away the lice , flies , frogges , grashoppers , could at his pleasure take away the life of moses that procured them . what is this but to run vpon the iudgements , and runne away from the remedies ? euermore , when gods messengers are abandoned , destruction is neere . moses will see him no more till he see him dead vpon the sands ; but god will now visit him more than euer : the fearefullest plagues god still reserues for the vpshot : all the former doe but make way for the last . pharaoh may exclude moses and aaron , but gods angell hee cannot exclude : insensible messengers are vsed , when the visible are debarred . now god beginnes to call for the blood they owned him : in one night euery house hath a carcase in it and ( which is more grieuous ) of their first borne , and ( which is yet more fearefull ) in an instant . no man could comfort other ; euery man was too full of his owne sorrow , helping rather to make the noise of the lamentation more dolefull , and astonishing . how soone hath god changed the note of this tyrannicall people ! egypt was neuer so stubborne in deniing passage to israel , as now importunate to intreat it : pharaoh did not more force them to stay before , than now to depart : whom lately they would not permit , now they hire to go . their rich iewels of siluer and gold were not too deare for them whom they hated ; how much rather had they to send them away wealthy , than to haue them stay to bee their executors ? their loue to themselues obtained of them the inriching of their enemies ; and now they are glad to pay them well for their old worke , and their present iourney : gods people had staid like slaues , they goe away like conquerours , with the spoile of those that hated them : armed for securitie , and wealthie for maintenance . old iacobs seuenty souls which he brought downe into egypt in spight of their bondage & bloodshed , goe foorth six hundred thousand men , besides children . the world is well mended with israel since he went with his staffe and scrippe ouer iordan . tyrannie is too weake , where god bids increase and multiplie . i know not where else the good hearbe ouer-growes the weedes ; the church out-strips the world . i feare if they had liued in ease and delicacie , they had not beene so strong , so numerous . neuer any true israelite lost by his affliction . not only for the action , but the time , pharaohs choice meets with gods. that very night , when the . yeeres were expired , israel is gone , pharaoh neither can , nor can will to keepe them longer ; yet in this , not fulfilling gods will , but his owne . how sweetly doth god dispose of all second causes , that whiles they doe their owne will , they do his ? the israelites are equally glad of this haste : who would not be ready to goe , yea to flie out of bondage ? they haue what they wished ; it was no staying for a second inuitation . the losse of an opportunitie is many times vnrecouerable : the loue of their libertie made the burden of their dough light : who knew whether the variable minde of pharaoh might returne to a deniall , and ( after all his stubbornenesse ) repent of his obedience ? it is foolish to hazard where there is certaintie of good offers , and vncertainetie of continuance . they goe therfore ; and the same god that fetcht them out , is both their guide and protector . how carefully doth hee chuse their way ? not the neerer , but the safer . he would not haue his people so suddenly change from bondage to warre . it is the wondrous mercy of god that he hath respect , as to his owne glory , so to our infirmities . he intends them wars heereafter , but after some longer breathing , and more preparation ; his goodnes so orders all , that euils are not ready for vs , till wee be ready for them . and as hee chuses , so hee guides their way . that they might not erre in that sandy and vntracked wildernesse , himselfe goes before them : who could but follow cheerefully when hee sees god leade him ? he that lead the wise men by a starre , leads israel by a cloud : that was an higher obiect , therefore hee giues them an higher and more heauenly conduct : this was more earthly , therefore he contents himselfe with a lower representation of his presence . a piller of cloud and fire : a piller , for firmnesse ; of cloud and fire , for visibilitie and vse . the greater light extinguishes the lesse , therefore in the day he shewes them not fire , but a cloud : in the night nothing is seene without light ; therefore he shewes them not the cloud , but fire : the cloud shelters them from heat by day ; the fire digests the rawnesse of the night . the same god is both a cloud and a fire to his children , euer putting himselfe into those formes of gracious respects , that may best fit their necessities . as good motions are long ere they can enter into hard hearts , so they seldome continue long . no sooner were the backes of israel turned to depart , than pharaohs heart and face is turned after them , to fetch them backe againe . it vexes him to see so great a command , so much wealth cast away in one night ; which now he resolues to redeeme , though with more plagues . the same ambition and couetousnesse that made him weare out so many iudgements , will not leaue him , till it haue wrought out his full destrustruction . all gods vengeances haue their end , the finall perdition of his enemies , which they cannot rest till they haue attained : pharaoh therefore and his egyptians will needs go fetch their bane . they well knew that israel was fitter to serue than to fight ; weary with their seruitude , not trained vp to warre , not furnished with prouision for a field : themselues captaines and souldiers by profession , furnished with horses , and chariots of war. they gaue themselues therefore the victory beforehand , and israel either for spoile or bondage : yea the weake israelites gaue vp themselues for dead , and already are talking of their graues . they see the sea before them ; behinde them , the egyptians : they know not whether is more mercilesse , and are strucken with the feare of both . o god , how couldest thou forbeare so distrustfull a people ! they had seene all thy wonders in egypt , and in their goshen ; they saw euen now thy piller before them , and yet they did more feare egypt than beleeue thee . thy patience is no lesse miracle than thy deliuerance . but in stead of remoouing from them , the cloudy piller remooues behinde them , and stands betwixt the israelites and egyptians : as if god would haue said , they shall first ouercome mee , o israel , ere they touch thee . wonder did now iustly striue with feare in the israelites , when they saw the cloud remooue behinde them , and the sea remooue before them . they were not vsed to such bulwarkes . god stood behinde them in the cloud ; the sea reared them vp walles on both sides them . that which they feared would be their destruction , protected them : how easily can god make the cruellest of his creatures both our friends and patrons ? yet heere was faith mixed with vnbeleefe . hee was a bold israelite that set the first foot into the channell of the sea : and euery steppe that they set in that moist way , was a new exercise of their faith . pharaoh sees all this , and wonders ; yet hath not the wit or grace to thinke ( though the piller tels him so much ) that god made a difference betwixt him , and israel . hee is offended with the sea , for giuing way to his enemies , and yet sees not why hee may not trust it as well as they . hee might well haue thought that hee which gaue light in goshen , when there was darknesse in egypt , could as well distinguish in the sea : but hee cannot now either consider , or feare : it is his time to perish . god makes him faire way , and lets him run smoothly on till hee be come to the midst of the sea ; not one waue may rise vp against him to wet so much as the hoofe of his horse . extraordinary fauours to wicked men are the fore-runners of their ruine . now when god sees the egyptians too farre to returne , he findes time to strike them with their last terrour : they know not why , but they would returne too late . those chariots in which they trusted , now faile them , as hauing done seruice enough to carry them into perdition . god pursues them , and they cannot flie from him . wicked men make equall haste both to sinne , and from iudgement : but they shall one day finde that it is not more easie to runne into sinne , than impossible to runne away from iudgement : the sea will shew them , that it regards the rod of moses , not the scepter of pharaoh ; and now ( as gladde to haue got the enemies of god at such an aduantage ) shuts her mouth vpon them , and swallowes them vp in her waues , and after shee hath made sport with them a while , casts them vp on her sands , for a spectacle of triumph to their aduersaries . what a sight was this to the israelites , when they were now safe on the shore to see their enemies come floating after them vpon the billowes , and to finde among the carcases vpon the sands , their knowen oppressors , which now they can tread vpon with insultation . they did not crie more loud before , than now they sing . not their faith , but their sense teaches them now to magnifie that god after their deliuerance , whom they hardly trusted for deliuerance . finis . a sermon of publike thanksgiuing for the wonderfull mitigation of the late mortalitie preacht before his matie; vpon his gracious command, at his court of whitehall, ian. . . and vpon the same command published by ios. hall deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a sermon of publike thanksgiuing for the wonderfull mitigation of the late mortalitie preacht before his matie; vpon his gracious command, at his court of whitehall, ian. . . and vpon the same command published by ios. hall deane of worcester. hall, joseph, - . [ ], [i.e. ], [ ] p. printed by m. flesher for nath. butter, london : . the first leaf is blank. p. misnumbered . running title reads: a sermon of thanksgiuing. reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon of publike thanksgiuing for the wonderfull mitigation of the late mortalitie ; preacht before his matie ; vpon his gracious command , at his court of whitehall , jan. . . and vpon the same command published by jos . hall deane of worcester . london , printed by m. flesher for nath. butter . . psal . . vers . , . blessed be the lord , who loadeth vs daily with benefits , euen the god of our saluation . selah . he that is our god , is the god of saluation , and vnto god the lord belong the issues from death . yea , blessed bee the lord , who hath added this vnto the load of his other mercies to his vnworthy seruant , that the same tongue , which was called , not long since , to chatter out our publike mournings , in the solemne fast of this place , is now imployed in a song of praise ; and the same hand , which was here lifted vp for supplication , is now lift vp in thāksgiuing ; ye that thē accompanied me with your tears and sighs , accompany me now , i beseech you , ( in this happy chāge of note , and time ) with your ioyfull smiles , and acclamations to the god that hath wrought it . it is not more natural for the sun , when it looks vpon a moist , and well fermented earth , to cause vapors to ascend thence , thē it is for greatnes , & goodnes , when they both meet together vpon an honest hart , to draw vp holy desires of gratulation . the worth of the agent doth it not alone , without a fit disposition in the subiect ; let the sun cast his strongest beames vpon a flint , a pumice , he fetches out no steame : euen so the greatnes & goodnes of the almighty , beating vpon a dry & hard hart , preuailes nothing : here all three are happily met : in god , infinite greatnes , infinite goodnes ; such greatnes , that he is attended with thousand thousands of angels ; ( a guard fit for the king of heauen ) such goodnesse , that he receiues gifts euen for the rebellious : in dauid , a gracious heart , that in a sweet sense of the great goodnes of his god , breathes out this diuine epiphonema , blessed be the lord , who loadeth vs daily with benefits , euen the god of our saluation , &c. wherin me thinkes , the sweet singer of israel seemes to raise his note to the emulatiō of the quier of heauen , in the melody of their alleluiahs ; yea , let me say , now that he sings aboue in that blessed consort of glorious spirits , his ditty cannot be better then this , that he sung here vpon earth , and wherin we are about to beare our parts at this time : prepare , i beseech you , both your eares for dauids song , and your harts and tongues for your owne . and first in this angelicall straine , your thoughts cannot but obserue , without me , the descant , and the ground ; the descant of gratulation , blessed be the lord ; wherin is both applause and excitation ; an applause giuē to gods goodnes , and an excitation of others to giue that applause . the ground is a threefold respect . of what god is in himselfe , god and lord. of what god is , and doth to vs , which loadeth vs daily with benefits . of what hee is both in himselfe , and to vs ; the god of our saluation ; which last , ( like to some rich stone ) is set off with a darke foile , to god the lord belong the issues from death . so in the first , for his owne sake ; in the second , for our sakes , in the third for his owne , and ours ; as god , as lord , as a benefactor , as a sauiour , and deliuerer , blessed be the lord. it is not hard to obserue that dauids alleluiahs are more thē his hosannaes ; his thankes more then his suites . oft-times doth he praise god when he begs nothing : seldome euer doth he begge that fauour , for which he doth not raise vp his soule to an anticipation of thanks ; neither is this any other then the vniuersall vnder-song of all his heauenly ditties , blessed bee the lord ; praysed ( as our former translation hath it ) is too low ; honor is more then praise ; blessing is more then honor ; neither is it for nothing , that from this word ( barac ) to blesse , is deriued berec , the knee which is bowed in blessing ; and the cryer before ioseph , proclaimed abrech , calling for the honour of the knee from all beholders . gen. . . euery sleight triuiall acknowledgement of worth is a praise ; blessing is in a higher straine of gratitude , that caries the whole sway of the hart with it , in a kinde of diuine rapture : praise is in matter of complement , blessing , of deuotion . the apostles rule is that the lesse is blessed of the greater , abraham of the king of salem ; the prophets charge is , that the greater should be blessed of the lesse ; yea the greatest of the least , god of man : this agrees wel ; blessing is an act that will beare reciprocation ; god blesseth man , & man blesseth god ; god blesseth man imparatiuely , man blesseth god optatiuely ; god blesseth mā in the acts of mercy ; man blesseth god in the notions , in the expressions of thanks . god blesses man whē he makes him good and happy ; man blesseth god when he confesseth how good , how gracious how glorious he is : so as the blessing is wholly taken vp in agnition , in celebration ; in the one we acknowledg the bounty of god to vs ; in the other we magnifie him , vocally , really , for that bounty . oh see then what high account god makes of the affections and actions of his poore , silly , earth-creeping creatures ; that hee giues vs in them power to blesse himselfe , & takes it as an honor to be blessed of vs : dauid wonders that god shold so vouchsafe to blesse man , how much more must wee needs wōder at the mercy of god that will vouchsafe to be blessed by man , a worme , an atome , a nothing ? yet , both s. iames tels vs that with the tongue we blesse god ; & the psalmist cals for it here , as a seruice of deare acceptation ; blessed be the lord ; euen we mē liue not ( camelion-like ) with the aire of thanks ; nor feed ere the fatter with praises , how much lesse our maker ? o god , we know wel that whatsoeuer men or angels do , or do not , thou canst not but be infinitely blessed in thy selfe ; before euer any creature was , thou didst equally inioy thy blessed selfe , frō all eternity ; what can this worthles loose filme of flesh either adde to , or detract from thine infinitnesse ? yet , thou that humblest thy selfe to behold the things that are done in heauen , & earth , humblest thy selfe also , to accept the weake breath of our praises , that are sent vp to thee frō earth to heauen . how should this incourage the vowes , the indeuors of our hearty thankfulnes , to see thē graciously taken ? would men take vp with good words , with good desires , & quit our bōds for thanks , who wold be a debter ? with the god of mercy this cheap paiment is currant ; if he thē wil honor vs so far as to be blessed of vs , oh let vs honor him so far as to blesse him ; quare verbis parcā ? gratuita sunt : why do we spare thanks that cost vs nothing , as that wise heathen ; o giue vnto the lord , yee mighty , giue vnto the lord the praises due to his name , offer to god the sacrifice of thanksgiuing : and still let the foot of our song , be , blessed be the lord. this for the descant of gratulation ; the groūd follows ; his own sake hath reason to be first ; god will be blessed both as iah , and adonai ; the one the style of his essence , the other of his soueraigntie . euen the most accursed deist would confesse , that as a pure , simple , infinit , absolute being , god is to be blessed ; for if being be good , & these two be cōuertible , nature must needs teach him , that an absolute & infinit being must needs be absolutely and infinitly good : but what do i blur the glory of this day with mention of those monsters , whose idol is nature , whose religion is secondary atheisme , whose true region is the lowest hell ; these damned ethnicks cannot , will not conceiue of god , as he is , because they impiously seuer his essence from his inward relations ; vve chrstians can neuer be so heauenly affected to god , as we ought , till we can rise to this pitch of piety , to blesse god for what he is in himself , without the external beneficial relations to the creature ; else our respects reflect too much homeward , and we doe but look through god , at our selues . neither is it for vs only to blesse him as an absolute god , but as a soueraigne lord too ; whose power hath no more limit then his essence ; the great moderator of heauen and earth , giuing lawes to his creature , ouer-ruling all things , marshalling all euents , crushing his enemies , maintaining his church , adored by angells , trembled at by deuills ; behold here a lord worthy to be blessed . we honour , as we ought , your conspicuous greatnesse , ô yee eminent potentates of the earth ; but alas , what is this to the great lord of heauen ? when wee looke vp thither , we must craue leaue to pitty the breath of your nosthrills , the rust of your coronets , the dust of your graues , the sting of your felicities , and ( if yee take not good heed ) the blots of your memories : as ye hold all in fee from this great lord , so let it be no disparagement to you , to doe your lowliest homage to his footstoole ; homage , i meane , in action ; giue me the reall benediction ; i am sure that is the best ; they blesse god that praise him , they blesse him more , and praise him best , that obey him . there are that crouch to you great ones , who yet hate you : oh let vs take heed of offering these hollow obseruances to the searcher of hearts , if wee loue not our owne confusion . they that proclaimed christ at ierusalem , had not only hosanna in their mouths , but palmes in their hands too ; so must wee haue : let mee say then , if the hand blesse not the lord , the tongue is an hypocrite . away with the waste complements of our vaine formalities ; let our loud actions drowne the language of our words , in blessing the name of the lord. neyther must we blesse god as a soueraigne lord onely , but ( which is yet a more feeling relation ) as a munificent benefactor , who loadeth vs daily with benefits . such is mans selfe-loue , that no inward worth can so attract his praises , as outward beneficence ; whiles thou makest much of thy selfe , euery one shall speake well of thee , how much more whiles thou makest much of them ? here god hath met with vs also . not to perplexe you with scanning the variety of senses , wherewith i haue obserued this psalme aboue all other of dauids , to abound ; see here , i beseech you , a foure-fold gradation of diuine bounty . first , here are benefits ; the word is not expressed in the originall , but necessarily implyed in the sense ; for there are but three loads whereof man is capable from god , fauours , precepts , punishments ; the other two are out of the road of gratulation ; when we might therefore haue expected iudgments , behold benefits : and those secondly , not sparingly handfulld out to vs , but dealt to vs by the whole load ; loadeth with benefits . whō , thirdly , doth he load , but vs ? not worthy and well deseruing subiects , but vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebels : and lastly , this he doth , not at one doale & no more , ( as euen churles rare feasts vse to be plentifull , ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 successiuely , vnweariedly , perpetually . one fauour were too much , here are benefits ; a sprinckling were too much , here is a load ; once were too oft , here is daily largition . cast your eyes therefore , a little vpon this three-fold exaggeration of beneficence , the measure , a load of benefits ; the subiect , vnworthy vs ; the time , daily : who daily loadeth vs with benefits . where shall we begin to survey this vast load of mercies ? were it no more , but that he hath giuen vs a world to liue in , a life to enioy , ayre to breathe in , earth to tread on , fire to warme vs , water to coole and clense vs , cloaths to couer vs , food to nourish vs , sleep to refresh vs , houses to shelter vs , varietie of creatures to serue and delight vs ; here were a iust load : but now , if wee yet adde to these , ciuilitie of breeding , dearnesse of friends , competency of estate , degrees of honor , honesty or dignitie of vocation , fauor of princes , successe in imployments , domestique comforts , outward peace , good reputation , preseruation from dangers , rescue from euills , the load is well mended : if yet , ye shall come closer , and adde , due proportion of body , integrity of parts , perfection of senses , strength of nature , mediocritie of health , sufficiency of appetite , vigour of digestion , wholsome temper of seasons , freedome from cares , this course must needs heighten it yet more ; if still , yee shall adde to these , the order , and powers , and exercise of our inward faculties , inriched with wisedome , art , learning , experience , expressed by a not-vnhandsome elocution : and shall , now , lay al these together , that cōcerne estate , body , mind ; how can the axeltree of the soule but crack vnder the load of these fauours ? but , if from what god hath done for vs as men , we looke to what hee hath done for vs , as christians ; that hee hath imbraced vs with an euerlasting loue , that hee hath molded vs anew , enliued vs by his spirit , fed vs by his word and sacraments , clothed vs with his merits , bought vs with his blood , becomming vile to make vs glorious , a curse to inuest vs with blessednesse ; in a word , that he hath giuen himselfe to vs , his sonne for vs : oh the height , & depth , and breadth of the rich mercies of our god ; oh the boundlesse , to plesse , bottomlesse load of diuine benefits , whose immensity reaches from the center of this earth , to the vnlimited extent of the very empyreall heauens . oh that men would praise the lord for his goodnesse , and declare the wonders that hee doth for the children of men . these mercies are great in themselues , our vnworthinesse doth greaten them more : to do good to the well deseruing were but retribution ; hee ladeth vs , who are no lesse rebellious to him , thē he is beneficiall to vs. our strait and shallow bounty picks out the worthiest , and most capable subiect ; the greatest gift that euer god gaue , he giues vs , whiles we are enemies . it was our sauiours charge to his disciples , interrogate quis dignus ; aske who is worthy , that is , ( as hierom interprets it ) of the honour to receiue such guests ; should god stand vpon those termes with vs , what should become of vs ? see , and wonder , and be ashamed ô yee christian hearers ; god loads vs , and we load him ; god loads vs with benefits , we load him with our sinnes . behold , i am pressed vnder you , saith god , as a cart is pressed , that is full of sheaues , amos. . . he should goe away laden with our thanks , with the presents of our duty , and wee shamefully clogge him with our continuall prouocations : can there be here any danger of selfe-sacrificing with seianus , and not rather the iust danger of our shame and confusion in our selues ? how can we but hate this vnkind , and vniust , vnanswerablenesse ; yet herein shall we make an aduantage of our foulest sins , that they giue so much more lustre to the glorious mercies of our god , who ouercoms our euill with good , and loads euen , vs. the ouer-long interruption of fauours loseth their thanks ; and the best benefits languish in too much disuse . our god takes order for that , by a perpetuation of beneficence ; hee ladeth vs daily ; euery day , euery minute renues his fauours vpon vs ; semper largitor , semper donator , as hierom . to speake strictly , there is no time present ; nothing is present but an instant , and that , can no more bee called time , then a pricke can bee called a line ; yet , how swift soeuer the wings of time are , they cannot cut one instant , but they must cary with them a successiue renouation of gods gracious kindnesse to vs. this sun of his doth not rise once in an age , or once in a yeare , but euery minute since it was created , riseth to some parts of the earth , and euery day to vs ; neyther doth he once hurle downe vpon our heads some violent drops , in a storme , but he plyes vs with the sweet showers of the former , and the latter raine ; wherein the mercy of god condescends to our impotency , who are ready to perish vnder vncomfortable intermissions . non mihi sufficit ? saith that father ; it is not enough that hee hath giuen mee once , if he giue me not alwayes ; to daies ague makes vs forget yesterdaies health ; former meales doe not relieue our present hunger . this cotage of ours ruines straight , if it be not new daubed euery day ; new repaired : the liberall care of our god therfore tiles ouer one benefit with another , that it may not raine thorow . and if he bee so vnwearied in his fauours , why are wee weary of our thanks ? our bonds are renewed euery day to our god ; why not our payments ? not once in a yeare , or moone , or weeke , but euery day once ( without faile ) were the legall sacrifices reiterated ; and that , of all those creatures which were necessary for sustentation ; a lamb , flowre , wine , oyle , that is , meat , bread , drink , sauce ; why ? but that in all these wee should still daily re-acknowledge our new obligations to the giuer ? yea , ex plenitudine , & lachrymis , as it is in the originall , exod. . . of our plenty & teares , that is , ( as caietan ) of a deare , or cheape yeare must wee returne ; more , or lesse may not misse our thanks ; we need daily , we beg daily , ( giue vs this day ) we receiue daily , why do we not daily retribute to our god , and act , as some read it , blessed bee the lord daily , who loadeth vs with his benefits . it is time now to turne your eyes to that mixt respect , that reacheth both to god , and vs ; yee haue seene him a benefactor , see him a sauiour , and deliuerer ; the god of our saluation ; the vulgars salutaria , following the septuagint , differs from our [ saluation ] but as the meanes from the end . with the hebrewes , saluation is a wide word , comprising all the fauours of god , that may tend to preseruation ; and therefore the psalmist , else-where , extends this act both to man , and beast ; and as if he would comment vpon himselfe , expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saue , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosper , psal . . . it is so deare a title of god , that the prophet cannot haue enough of it ; the interposition of a selah cannot barre the redoubling of it in my text. euery deliuerance , euery preseruation fathers it selfe vpon god , yet , as the soule is the most precious thing in the world , and life is the most precious thing that belongs to the soule , and eternall life is the best of liues , and the danger and losse of this life is the fearfullest and most horrible , chiefly is this greatest saluation here meant ; wherin god intends most to blesse , and be blessed . of this saluation is he the god , by preordination , by purchase , by gift . by preordination ; in that he hath decreed it to vs , from eternitie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rom. . . by purchase , in that hee hath bought it for vs , and vs to it , by the price of his blood , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. . the last . by gift , in that hee hath feoft vs in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the gift of god is eternall life , rom. . . since therefore , hee decreed it , he bought it , hee bestowes it , iustly is hee the god of our saluation : who can , who dares arrogate to himselfe any partnership in this great worke ? what power can dispose of the soules finall condition , but the same that made it ? who can giue eternitie , but hee that onely hath it ? what but an infinite merit can purchase an infinite glory ? cursed be that spirit that will offer to share with his maker . downe with your crownes , ô yee glorious elders , at the foot of him that sits on the throne , with a , non nobis domine , not vnto vs , ô lord , not vnto vs , but to thy name giue the praise . away with the proud incroachment of the merits of the best saints , of papall largesses : only our god , is the god of our saluation . how happie are wee the while ? all actions are according to the force of the agent ; weake causes produce feeble effects , contingent , casuall ; necessarie , certaine ; our saluation therefore , being the worke of an infinitely powerfull cause , cannot bee dis-appointed ; loe the beautie of salomons , al-chum ; who hath resisted his will ? when wee looke to our owne fleshie hands here is nothing but discouragement ; when we look to our spirituall enemies , here is nothing but terror ; but when we cast vp our eyes to the mightie god , here is nothing but confidence , nothing but comfort ; comfort yee , comfort yee therefore , o yee feeble soules , and send your bold defiances to the prince of darknesse ; heauen is high and hard to reach , hell is steep and slipperie , our flesh is earthie and impotent , satan strong and rancorous , sinne suttle , the world alluring , all these , yet , god is the god of our saluation ; let those infernall lyons roare , and rampe vpon vs ; let the gates of hell doe their worst ; let the world be a cheater , our flesh a traytor , the deuill a tyrant , faithfull is hee that hath promised , who will also doe it , god is the god of our saluation . how much more then in these outward temporall occasions , when wee haue to doe with an arme of flesh ? doe the enemies of the church rage and snuffe , and breathe nothing but threats , & death ? make sure of our god , he shal be sure to make them lick our dust . great benhadad of the syrians shall come with his hempen collar , to the king of israel ; the very windes and waues shall vndertake those mahumetan , or marran powers that shall rise vp against the inheritance of the god of saluation ; saluation is rateable according to the danger from which we are deliuered ; since death therefore is the vtmost of all terribles , needes must it bee the highest improuement of saluation , that to our god belong the issues from death : death hath here a double latitude , of kinde of extent ; the kind is either temporall , or eternall ; the extent reaches not only to the last compleate act of dissolution , but to all the passages that lead towards it . thus , the issues from death belong to our god , whether by way of preseruation , or by way of rescue : how gladly doe i meet in my text with the deare and sweet name of our iesus , who conquered death by dying , and triumpht ouer hell by suffering , and carryes the keyes both of death , and hell . reuel . . . he is the god , the author and finisher of our saluation , to whom belong the issues from death . looke first at the temporary , he keepes it from vs , he fetches vs from it ; it is true , there is a statutum est , vpon it , dye wee must ; death knocks equally at the hatch of a cottage , and gate of a palace ; but our times are in gods hand ; the lord of life hath set vs our period ; whose omnipotence so contriues all euents , that neither enemie , nor casualtie , nor disease can preuent his houre , were death suffered to runne loose and wild , what boote were it to liue ? now it is tetherd vp short by that almightie hand , what can wee feare ? if enuy repine , and villanie plot against sacred soueraigntie , god hath well proued vpon all the poysons , and pistols , and poynards , and gun-powders of the two late memorable successions , that to him alone belong the issues from death . goe on then blessed soueraigne , go on couragiously in the wayes of your god , the inuisible guard of heauen shall secure your royal head , the god of our saluation shall make you a third glorious instance to all posterities , that vnto him belong the issues from death . thus , god keepes death from vs ; it is more comfort yet , that he fetches vs from it . euen the best head must at last lye downe in the dust and sleepe in death . oh vayne cracks of valour ; thou bragst thy selfe able to kill a man ; a worme hath done it , a flye hath done it . euery thing can finde the way downe vnto death , none but the omnipotent can finde the way vp out of it ; hee findes , hee makes these issues for all his ; as it was with our head , so it is with the members . death might seaze , it cannot hold : gustauit , non deglutiuit , it may nibble at vs , it shall not deuoure vs. behold the onely soueraine antidote against the sorrowes , the frights of death . who can feare to lay himselfe downe , and take a nappe in the bed of death , when his heart is assured , that hee shall awake glorious in the morning of his resurrection ; certainly , it is only our infidelity that makes death fearfull ; reioyce not ouer me , o my last enemie , though i fall , i shall rise againe : o death where is thy sting , o graue where is thy victorie . cast yet one glance of your eyes vpon the second , and eternall death ; the issues where from belong to our god ; not by way of rescue , as in the former , but of preseruation : ( exinferno nulla redemtio ) is as true , as if it were canonicall ; father abraham tels the damned glutton in the parable , there is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a great gulfe , that barres all returne . these black gates of hell are barred without , by the irreuersible decree of the almightie : those bold fabulists , therfore , whose impious legends haue deuised traian fetcht thence by the prayers of gregory , and falcon●lla by t●claes ; suspending the finall sentence vpon a ( secundum praesentem iniustitiam ) take a course to cast themselues into that pit , whence they haue presumptuously fayned the deliuerance of others . the reseue is not more hopelesse , then the preuention is comfortable ; there is none of vs but is naturally walking down to these chambers of death ; euery sinne is a pace thitherwards ; onely the gracious hand of our god stayes vs ; in our selues , in our sinnes we are already no better then brands of that hell ; blessed be the god of our saluation , that hath found happie issues from this death : what issues ? euen those bloody issues that were made in the hands , and feete , and side of our blessed sauiour ; that invaluablie precious blood of the sonne of god is that , whereby wee are redeemed , whereby we are iustified , whereby wee are saued . oh that our soules might haue had leasure to dwell awhile vpon the meditation of those dreadfull torments wee are freed from , of that infinite goodnesse that hath freed vs , of that happie exchange of a glorious condition to which wee are freed . but the publicke occasion of this day cals off my speech , and inuites me to the celebration of the sensible mercie of god , in our late temporall deliuerance . wherein let me first blesse the god of our saluation , that hath put it into the heart of his chosen seruant , to set vp an altar in this sacred threshing floore , and to offer vp this dayes sacrifice to his name , for the stay of our late mortall contagion . how well it becomes our gideon , to bee personally exemplarie , as in the beating of this earthen pitcher , in the first publicke act of humiliation , so , in the lighting of this torch of publicke ioy , and sounding the trumpet of a thankfull iubilation , and how well will it become vs to follow so pious , so gracious an example . come therefore , all yee that feare the lord , and let vs recount what hee hath done for our soules . come , let vs blesse the lord , the god of our saluation , that loadeth vs dayly with benefits ; the god to whom belong the issues of death : let vs blesse him in his infinite essence , and power , blesse him in his vnbounded and iust souerainty , blesse him in his maruelous beneficence , large , continuall , vndeserued , blesse him in his preseruations , blesse him in his deliuerances : vvee may but touch at the two last . how is our earth ready to sinke vnder the loade of his mercies ? vvhat nation vnder heauen hath not enuied , and wondred at our blessings ? i doe not carie backe your eyes to the ancient fauours of our god ; to the memorable frustrations of forraine inuasions , to the miraculous discoueries of treasons , to the succesfull maintenance of oppressed neighbourhood ; that one mercie i may not forget ; that in the shutting vp of blessed queene elizabeth , the pope and the then-king of spaine were casting lots for the crowne , and palpably plotting for their seuerally-designed successors , as appeares in the publicke posthume letters of cardinall d' ossat , a witnesse beyond exception , three seueral briefes were addressed hither by that inclement shaueling of rome for the defeating of the title and succession of our late soueraigne , of deare and blessed memorie , and his royall issue ; yet in spight of rome and hell , god brought him in , and set him peaceably vpon this iust throne of his forefathers ; and may he perpetuate it to the fruite of those loynes , till world and time shal be no more , amen . if i must follow the times , let mee rather balke that hellish sulpher-mine , then not search it , and yet , who can looke at that , any otherwise then the iewes doe at the rain-bow , with horror and astonishment ? vvhat doe i tell you of our long peace , our full plentie , our wholesome lawes , our easefull gouernement , wirh a world of of these common fauours ; it is for poore men to reckon . those two late blessings ( if no more ) were worthy of immortall memorie , the prince out of spaine , religion out of the dust ; for the one ; what a winter was there in all good hearts , when our sunne was gone so far southward ? how chearefull a spring in his returne ? for the other , who saw not how religion began ( during those purposely protracted treaties ) to droope and languish , her friends to sigh , her enemies to insult , daring to braue vs with challenges , to threaten our ruine ; the lord look't downe from heauen , and visited this poore vine of his , and hath shaken off these caterpillers from her then-wasting leaues ; now we liue , and it flourisheth . these would haue beene great fauours of god , euen to the best nation , but more to vs : vvho haue answered mercies with rebellions . o god , if proud disguises , if gluttonous pamperings , if drunken healths , if wanton dalliances , if bloody oathes , if mercilesse oppressions may earne blessings from thee , too many of vs haue supererogated ; vvoe is me , these are the measures thou hast had from too many hands ; that thou shouldst therefore inlarge thy bountie to an vnworthy , vnkind , disobedient generation , it is more then wee can wonder at , and wee could almost bee ready to say with peter , lord depart from vs , for we are sinfull men . yet , the wise iustice of the almighty meant not to cockney vs vp with meere dainties , with a loose indulgence , but hath thought fit to temper our sweetes with tartnes , and to stricke our backes , whiles he stroakes our heads , ecce in pace amaritudo amarissima , the comfort of our peace , was allayed with the bitternesse of death : hee saw that in this common plethorie it was fit for vs to bleed ; he saw vs eeles that would not bee caught , but when the waters were troubled ; he therefore sent his destroying angell abroad ; who laide about him on all sides ; vvhat slaughter , what lamentation , what horror was there in the streetes of our mother citie ? more then twentie thousand families runne from their houses , as if those had beene on fire ouer their heads ; and seeke shelter in zoar , and the mountaines . some of them are ouer-taken by the pursuer , and droppe downe in the way , and lye there as wofull spectacles of mortalitie , till necessitie , and not charitie , could find them a graue : others passe on , and for friends finde strangers : danger made men wisely , and vnwillingly vnhospitall ; the cozen , the brother forgets his own blood ; & the father looks shiely vpò his own child , and welcoms him with frownes , if not with repulses ▪ there were that repaid their grudged harbor with infection ; and those that sped best ▪ what with care for their abandoned houses , & estate ; what with griefe for the miserie of their forsaken neighbours what with the rage of those epidemiall diseases , which they found abroad , ( as it is well obserued by one , that in a contagious time all sicknesses haue some tincture of pestilence ) wore out their dayes in the deepest sorrow and heauinesse : there leaue we them & return to the miserable metropolis of this kingdome , which they left . vvho can expresse the dolefull condition of that time and place . the armes of london are the red crosse , and the sword ; what house almost wanted these ? heere was the red-crosse vpon the doore , the sword of gods iudgement within doores , and the motto was , lord haue mercy vpon vs , vvhat could we heare but alarums of death , what could we see but trophees of death ? here was nothing but groaning , and crying , and dying and burying : carts were the beeres , wide pits were the graues , mens clothes were their coffins , and the very exequies of friends were murderous . the carkasses of the dead might say , with the sons of the prophets ; behold the place where we lye is too strait for vs ; new dormitories are bought for the dead , & furnished ; neither might the corpses be allowed to lye single in their earthen beds , but are pyled vp like fagots in a stack , for the society of their future resurrection . no man suruiued , but he might say with the psalmist , that thousands fell at his side & . at his right hand ; and if we take all together , ( the mother & the daughters ) surely the number was not much short of dauids , though his time were shorter . it is not without reason , that from the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the plague , is deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a desert ; certainly the plague turnes the most populous citie into a desert . oh the wofull desolation of this place , it was almost come to herba tegit troiam ; and if some infrequent passenger crossed our streets , it was not without his medicated posie at his nose , and his zedoary or angelica in his mouth : euery roome seemed a pest-house , euery scent mortall ; heere should he meet one pale ghost muffled vp vnder the throat ; another dragging his legs after him for the tumour of his groyne ; another be-spotted with the tokens of instant death : here might hee heare one shrieking out in a frantik distraction , there , another breathing out his soule in his last groanes : what should i say more ? this glorious chamber of the kingdome seemed no other then a dreadfull dungeon to her owne , a very golgotha to all beholders ; and this proud queene of our brittish cities sat in the dust of her compassion ; howling in the rags of her sackcloth ; not mourning more then mourned for , pittied no lesse then forsaken ; vvhen the god of our saluation looked downe vpon her deepe afflictions and miraculously approoued vnto vs , that vnto him belong the issues from death . it was hee that put it into the heart of his gracious seruant to command a niniue-like humiliation , what pithie , what passionate prayers were inioyned to his disconsolate church ? vvith what holy eagernesse did wee deuoure those fasts ? how well were we pleased of the austeritie of that pious penitence ? vvhat loude cryes did beate on all sides at the gates of heauen , and with what inexpectable , vn-conceiueable mercie were they answered ? how suddenly were those many thousands brought downe to one poore vnitie ; not a number ? other euils were wont to come on horse-backe , to goe away on foote ; this mortalitie did not poste but flye away , mee thought like vnto the great y●e , it sunke at once ; only so many are stricken as may hold vs awfull , and so few as may leaue vs thankefull ; oh , how soone is our fasting and mourning turned into laughter and ioy ? how boldly doe wee now throng into this house of god , and fearelesly mixe our breaths in a common deuotion ? this is the lords doing , and it is maruailous in our eyes ; oh thou that hearest the prayer , to thee shall all flesh come ; and let all flesh come to thee with the voyce of prayse and thanksgiuing . it might haue beene iust with thee o god , to haue swept vs away in the common destruction ; what are we better then our brethren ? thou hast let vs liue that wee may praise thee . it might haue beene iust with thee to haue inlarged the commission of thy killing angell , & to haue rooted out this sinfull people from vnder heauen ; but in the midst of iudgement thou hast remembred mercy : our sins haue not made thee forget to bee gracious , nor haue shut vp thy louing kindnesse in displeasure ; thou hast wounded vs , and thou hast healed vs againe , thou hast deliuered vs , and beene mercifull to our sins for thy names sake . oh that wee could duly prayse thy name in the great congregation , oh that our tongues , our hearts , our liues might blesse and glorifie thee , that so thou mayst take pleasure to perfect this great work of our full deliuerance , and to make this nation a deare example of thy mercie , of peace , victorie , prosperitie to all the world . in the meane time , let vs call all our fellow-creatures to helpe vs beare a part in the praise of our god ; let the heauens , the stars , the winds , the waters , the dewes , the frosts , the nights , the dayes ; let the earth and sea , the mountaines , wels , trees , fishes , foules , beasts ; let men , let saints , let angels blesse the lord , praise him , and magnifie him for euer ; blessed , blessed for euer be the lord who loadeth vs daily with benefits ; euen the god of our saluation , to whom belong the issues from death : oh blessed bee the lord god of israel , who onely doth wondrous things ; and blessed bee his glorious name for euer , and euer ; and let all the earth be filled with his glorie . amen . amen . finis . the travels of don francisco de quevedo through terra australis incognita discovering the laws, customs, manners and fashions of the south indians : a novel, originally in spanish. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : or : ) the travels of don francisco de quevedo through terra australis incognita discovering the laws, customs, manners and fashions of the south indians : a novel, originally in spanish. quevedo, francisco de, - . hall, joseph, - . gentili, alberico, - . [ ], p. printed for william grantham ..., london : . engraved frontispiece. this item can be found at reels : , : and : . wing number q cancelled in wing (cd-rom, ); wing number t cancelled in wing ( nd ed.). variously attributed to joseph hall, alberico gentili, and francisco de quevedo y villegas. imperfect: pages stained and torn, with loss of print. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the travels of don francisco de quevedo , through terra australis incognita . discovering the laws , customs , manners and fashions , of the south indians . a novel . originally in spanish . omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. london , printed for william grantham , at the crown and pearl , over against exeter-change , in the strand . . quevedo's travell's . printed for william grantham booke-seller in the strand . ●draperitier . sculp . to the reader . reader , yov are not to attribute what follows , to any vanity in the translator ; as if like pigmalion he had been in love with his work ; he values popular applause , as a transient air , that vanishes into an insignificant nothing . vnder this allegory , the too much prevailing fopperies , and vices of various sorts of people , are lively represented , and exposed to the world , to the end that they may be perswaded from , or made asham'd of them . preambles and allegories , have been used in sacred writ ; yet not censured as romantick ; and though this peregrination is represented in the nature of a romance ; it is only with an intent by delightful vanity , to please and convince at the same time , omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci , profitable things intermixt with delightful are captivating . here is brisk ingenious fancy ; and satyrical enough against the usual vices , and ragnant roguries of both sexes ; ( for i think that word may be used in a feminine , as well as a masculine sence ; ) if your fancy incline to read it , you may ; if not , you may let it alone . touching the original ; know , 't was my good hap to arrive at bilboa , just when this ingenious piece of antiquity in manuscript , was taking post from a chandles shop , to the land of oblivian . by this means i had the opportunity and success , to redeem from the teeth of time , and very paw of destruction , this so admirable and pleasing a tract , originally in spanish ; whose beauty appeared to me in tatter'd robes , to be the very emblem of eternity , it having neither begining nor end ; and therefore the more justly i call it a piece of antiquity . it was very much defaced ; time or accident having worn , or torn out those characters , which serve for distinction of ages ; as also our travellers name ; except in one place , where was remaining thus much of the mouse-eaten author , don q. and from hence i concluded , it must be either quevedo , or quixot ; but that it was rather the former : i offer this reason . because , he of all the spacious and flourishing kingdom of castile , was only valiant to a miracle : he that never flinch'd at a voyage to those dangerous caverns , in plutos subterranean dominions ; was only capable to undertake this so hazardous a journey ; through the confines of terra australis incognita . but you may answer , that was but a dream , why ? may be so too ; and what if this should prove no more , for it seems as unlikely to be reall as that ; but i hope if our circumstances can prove our indefatigable don the author , it will be sufficient to gain your good opinion , and acceptance ; and pray why may not we allow him to walk in his sleep , as well upon the surface of the terrestial globe , as to the centre . and further to convince you , i assure you the spanish was excellently smooth and eloquent , in which our elaborate don was the nonsuch . but then indeed the character was black , knotty , rough and uneven ; like the notes in gamut , well understood by him ; but allmost uninteligable to a shallow capacity . and hence a seeming objection may arise , in the opinions of such as knew the fairness of his writing : but in my conceipt , is answered with this question . think you that his intimacy with the internals , could not obtain for his attendant , one of plutos secretaries , to note , and transcribe what his curiosity observed ; yes doubtless ; and 't is the rather my opinion , because it seem'd to be written with a cloven hoof . if so , how far the courtesie exceeded common favours , judg ye , when the devil to accomodate him , should leave those hot subterranean mansions , and expose himself to the sharp ayr , under the south pole , and run the hazard of getting a kentish ague . from these arguments i conclude in the affirmative , and i would have you do so too ; and then as soon as you will hoist out the boat , and ashore all hands , to make new discoveries . while i ( somewhat too stiff to complement , after so toylsom a journey ) will make bold to rest , thine in good earnest , r. s. an index . the discovery of the land of belly-all-main , a part of the south indies , called , terra australis incognita , bordering upon terra dell fuego . pag. . of eat-all-main or gluttonia . p. . of dressingburgh , the first canton of eat-all-main . p. . of banquetois , the second canton of eat-all-main . p. . of pewter-plateria , the third canton of eat-all-main . p. . of the metropolitan city of eat-all-main , called , flesh-pasti-nople . p. . the wars of the eat-all-mains . p. . of idle-burgh , and imperial free town . p. . the religion of the eat-all-mains . p. . the laws of the eat-all-mains . p. . of the election of the great duke . p. . of starvling island or hungerland . p. . of drink-all-main , the second province of belly-all-main . p. . of the shires of the province of drink-all-main . p. . the description of carousi-kanikin , the chief city of drink-all-main ; as also the fashions , and manners of the drink-all-mains . p. . of the knights of the golden tun , & the laws of the drink-all-mains . p. . of the arts , and military disciplines of the drink-all-mains . p. . of the funerals of one of the chief quagmirist's . p. . of brandy-burgh , or liquor-ardens ; and of the pilgrimage of st. brochio . p. . a description of bottles-brook . p. . the second part. the description of woman-decoia : or shee-landt , of the scituation and parts thereof . p. . how quevedo was used by the gossip-ingoesses . p. . their forms of government , and elections of persons of state. p. . the original of the shee-landesses . p. . of giglot-tangier . p. . of shrews-burgh . p. . the third part. of the scituation of fooliana and populousness thereof . pag. . the parts of fooliana , and the peoples conditions in general . p. . of fooliana the fickle . p. . of the peoples conditions & attire . p. . of fooliana the fond. p. . of ass-sex . p. . of the cities of cockscom-baya and ass-sex , and of blocks-ford the metropolitan . p. . of the marquisate of spendall-ezza . p. . of clawback-court . p. . of fooliana the fat. p. . the quality and conditions of the people . p. . of the paradice of fooliana the fat. p. . of fooliana the devout . p. . the state publick of fooliana the devout . p. . the fourth part. the description of theevingenia , its scituation . p. . the conditions of the robbers-walders . p. . the pyrates and sea-borderers of robbers waldt . p. . of lyers-bury-plain , and of the city of pick-pocket-angul ; with the nature of the liegerdemanians . p. . of the province of still-moore : or , nunquam satis . p. . a prologue . reports by hear-say , who will credit ? what though the parish-parson saidit ? but that the truth may pass for credo , i , even i my self , quevedo ; resolv'd to visit forreign islands , the southern climates , low and highlands , lands which indeed were other peoples , to view their towns , their churches , steeples ; their cities , forts , and magazines , the courts of forreign kings and queens ; their manners , habits , customs , fashions , and various kinds of habitations . such things , so tickling to my fancies , as i have read in old romances , as gyants , and inchanted castles , whose fanes & sumptuous turrets dazles the eyes of such as passed by , if they by chance look up so high ) these curiosities invite me , with hopes that travel will delight me , to lanch into the curled ocean , and hoisting sail the ship had motion , which ready lay , when we had stept in , to plow the watry plains of neptune , we having sail'd leagues , or nine miles , lost sight of landmarks , steeples , wind-mills ; now trusting only to the compass , though neptunes surly surges thump us , wee in good time got safely over ; but what our passage did discover , to tell the truth , was no great matter , for all we saw , was sky and water . well , but suppose i 'me come on shore , and then suppose but one thing more , that what so e'er is worth your notice , is in this little book , and so ' t is . the discovery of the land of belly-all-main , a part of the south indies , called , terra australis incognita , bordering upon terra dell fuego . of its scituation . the land of belly-all-main , is a region far extending both in longitude and latitude , bounded on the north with the aethiopian ocean , on the east with the sheelands , on the south with fooliana the fat , and on the west with the filching-fens . it lyeth in that undiscovered continent , where that monstrous bird rvc snatcheth up now and then a whole elephant at a stoop , and swaps him up at a bit ; touching the soyl , the fertility is most worthily admirable , and the ayr most delicately temperate . in latitude , it lieth full sixty degrees , and in longitude seventy four from cabo-de-bon-speranza , and is scituate almost directly opposite to the southern frontiers of affrica . such cosmographers as write hereof , divide it generally into two provinces , eat-all-main , called by the inhabitants gluttonia , and drink-all-main , by the natives also , called quaffonia . the former scituate in the same longitude and latitude with old england , and the later , with the two germany's : both have one prince and one law , and a little reformation would make them concur also in habits and manners . of eat-all-main or gluttonia . eat-all-main is in form triangular , and resembleth the figure of old-egypt , being full of sky towring-hills , and yet so fertile , that the very birds that flock thither from all places to feed , if they stay but three months at the admirable variety and plenty this soyl afords : they are so loaden with the luggage of their own fat , that they cannot possibly get wing so high as to over-top one of the meaner mountains , but become sworn inhabitants of this fat country all their lives after . the shores abound with plenty of fish of divers kinds , and they are naturally so ravenous and greedy , that you no sooner cast your angling-hook among them , but like cole-miners about the rope , when the candles burn blew , ( which foretells the coming of the damp ) you shall have hundreds about the line , some on the hook , and some on the string , and such as miss that opportunity will hold fast by the tayls , and fins , of such as took time by the foretop . 't would never tyre a mans patience to angle in this country , where he is as sure of sport , as the beggar , when ( with a red woollen rag put down his back ) he doth angle for lice . the land hath divers good havens , but no ship is suffered to harbour there , but such as comes fraighted with good fare , and is loaden with delicates ; the soyl bears no tree that bears no fruit , but all the hedges are stor'd with apples , pears , plumbs , and nuts of all sorts , and some hops , but not such quantities of the last as in drink-all-main , where their plenty is incredible : i conceit our western english had that kind of custome from the drink-all-mains . this territory of old , both eat-all-main , and drink-all-main , was under the government of the thrivingers , held by the succession of divers thrivonian princes , whose principal seat was eat-all-main : but foreign invasions ensuing , and those antient worthyes chased from soveraignty , whose memory is almost worn out ; by whose extirpation it fell into the hands of the eat-all-mains , as it continues at this present time. of dressing burgh , the first canton of eat-all-main . dressing-burg is the first canton of eat-all-main , which is too hot a climate for any true eat-all to inhabit ; the south-cape lying under the same latitude with the most southern part of castile , and is about . degrees distant from the equinoctial . the inhabitants are of a swarthy tawny , most of them having their skins shrivled , and withered , and their bodies plump't up like a glove upon a gridiron ; they affect deliciousness rather than excess . upon the point of this canton , called the swarthy-cape , the country is wondrously overclowded with smoak , because of the nearness of terra del fuego , the land of fire . upon the left hand thereof lyeth the city of kitchen-norton , the buildings of which are generally very lofty , and as generally smoaky and ill scented . in the midst of this city stands a goodly temple , dedicated to god all-paunch , a vast and spacious building , wherein are a thousand altars burning with continual incense ( except from shrovetide till easter ) unto the aforesaid deity . in the midst of this temple is a tower erected of incredible altitude , called by the inhabitants chimney turret , from the heighth whereof of the whole region round about have the usual signal of war given them ; for whensoever that eternal fume ceaseth to ascend in caligunous clouds , it is a certain warning that the foe approaches . and this invasion is most commonly attempted by the inhabitants of the starvling isles , otherwise called hungerlanders , for these are the most formidable enemies that the eat-all-mains have . near unto this city of kitchen-norton lyeth cistern-burgh , wherein is the famous mountain cock-alty , exceeding high , but directly opposite in nature to mount aetna ; for whereas that disgorgeth streams of fire , to the detriment of the neighbour cities , and villages ; so this stupendious mountain cock-alty sends forth continual rivers of sweet and fresh water ; to the great advantage of the neighbour cityes , especially the city of kitchen-norton . in cistern-burgh are only some few houses of entertainment , where commonly do sojourn for a small season the journying citizens of carp-o-pan , trout-on , and tench-more ; with merchandize from those marine parts , to this tradeing city of kitchen-norton . within the liberties of kitchen-norton , are certain villages , first hole-cole , a large town , consisting of a strange form of building , of caves under ground . tongs-worth , & fire-pan-wick , two small villages both in one parish ; and on the left hand you have three others , spitsted , kettle-dorp and spoons-by , all pretty towns , and well peopled ; kittle-dorp hath a fair river passeth through it , call'd ture-mois , which they say boyleth every twenty four hours . the inhabitants of spoons-by , as also another small village nigh it , called ladle-cup , are instructed in no other art , but laving , and are very expert in cleansing of ditches , fish-ponds , wells , or such places ; and these only are imployed in such services , not only in kitchen-norton , but also in all the rivers of the circum-jacent cityes of eat-all-main ; as gravy-channel in the city of flesh-pasti-nople , and sauce-bourn , which watereth the plains of pewter-plateria , but principally in those famous hot-wells , called the baths of broathington in the vallies of poringerio ; for which imployments they have the great dukes pattent , so that no others dare intrench upon their priviledges . of banquetois , the second canton of eat-all-main . passing from dressing-burgh , the first canton you enter , is the very garden of eat-all-main ; it is called banquetois , and is as it were a continual forrest of nothing but dates , almonds , figs , ollives , pomgrantes , cytrons , and nutmegs . the river oyl-brook hath its course through the heart of this goodly territory . the city of marchpane is the chief town of note it this canton , being built after a stately manner , with turrets , and obelisks , all guilt over ; but indeed it is but of a slender kind of fortification , and lyeth very open to the enemies cannon . a little above this city are certain mines called the sugar-hills , whence they dig a certain ore , in colour whitish , in touch hard , and in tast sweet . this city hath very few inhabitants of any years , that have any teeth left ; but all from eighteen to the grave , are the natural heirs of a stinking breath . next unto this , lyeth another little corporation called drugs-burgh , and here they have a law , that none must be made free of the city , but apothecaries , grocers , and boxmakers . the very heavens seems to conspire with the places fitness to increas their trading ; for at certain times of the year , you shall have the whole country covered quite over with aromatical trochices , comfits , and confections , ( congealed by the coolness of the airs middle region ) that fall from the clouds in as great abundance , ( at those times when they do fall ) as ever fell showre of hail . of pewter-plateria , the third canton of eat-all-main . as we passed the th degree beyond the line , we entered into a spacious plain ; by the inhabitants called pewter-plateria , which we entered in our map under the name of platters-plain ; it lyeth in the very heart of eat-all-main , and the first city we met with in this tract , was victualla , through the midst of which there passeth a river called sauce-bourn , whose water is somewhat tart in tast . in the market-place of this town i beheld a monument , it was no rare piece of work , but of a very antient model , the top stone being cut in form of a sea crab. i shall here omit the fruitful plains of goblet the great , and fatland forrest , together with the goodly city of sausagenia , a town rarely seated , only it stands a little too near the salt water . i shall also pass by butterkin the fenny , and cheswick , the last town of all eat-all-main , and situate upon the vory borders of quaffonia . these i slightly pass , because i would fain be at the metropolitan city of the whole region ; for that very place alone , in structure of houses , manners of inhabitants , and formality of discipline , i esteem above all the rest . of the metropolitan city of eat-all-main , called flesh-pasti-nople . here-about are but few villages , the cities having eat up most of the burroughs ; neither are their cityes so abundant in number as they are in riches , and populous inhabitants ; but of them all , the prime and mother-city is that famous flesh-pasti-nople . their old records do report , that in former ages , there were two rich and potent cityes , flesh-ton and py-nople , between whom there was long and vehement contention about the soveraignty ; py-nople stood much upon its antiquity , but flesh-ton counterpoised the others continuance with her own present glory , pleasant scituation and powerfulness . well , a parliament was called , and finally , the whole house with one consent gave the supremacy unto flesh-ton . py-nople thus disgraced , decayed to nothing , so that it is at this day almost impossible to know where it stood . now flesh-ton grew more and more in lustre , and both to add a magnificence to the name , as also to paste the foile of py-nople upon the forehead of posterity . it left the last syllable of its old name , and assumed the two last of py-nople , joyning them together with the cement whereof their antient walls were made , and so was thenceforth called flesh-pasti-nople . touching the form , it is rather vast in compass , than comely in building . it hath a rivelet of spring-water running almost through every street ; in which you shall see a thousand several impaled fishponds , wherein they keep swans , geese , ducks , teals , and all kinds of water-fowl . this current is called gravie-channel . the city is double-walled about with the bones that remained of their carnival feastings . these bones are artificially and with judgment cemented together with morter made of the whites of eggs. their houses within are neither too stately , nor too lofty . they love no assents by staires up to their doors , partly , because 't is dangerous to come down , when their brains are throughly moistned ; and partly because 't is toilesome to climb up , when their bellies are bumbasted . instead of lead , tyle and slat , their houses are all rooft with shoulder-bones of beasts very cunningly knit together . the city consists not of any but such as have one dependance or other upon rack and manger , the husbandmen , carpenters , millers , and butchers , have each their habitations assigned in the suburbs , who notwithstanding , if they can bring their bellies to a certain size , are presently summon'd to gurmands hall , and made free of the wide-throats ; no stranger can have his freedom at first , unless he be either a cook , a baker , or an inkeeper . the city is govern'd by a certain number of grave senators , peculiarly stiled alder-maws , who are not elected for their wisdom , their wealth , or their horse-tail beards ; but by the circumference of their paunches , which at a solemn set feast once every year , are measured , and the more that each mans rotundity is found to be inlarged , unto the higher place he is presently advanced : but if either sickness , or age , do chance to make any of these alder-maws cast their collops , they are immediately put off the bench ; and as they have lost their grease , so must they lose their grace at a clap : why this is hard now : but 't is true , as hard as it is i can tell you that . the geometrical form of the city is oval , and hath four gates ; at which there do daily attend course by course four alder-maws , selected to the office of supervisors of the paunchery ; and these are to examine all that come in , and go out , and to mind that none go out fasting . if they find any person so offending , he is condemned to eat two suppers . they are also to mind that none come in empty-handed : for not to go out full-bellied , and not to come in full-handed , is an heinous contempt of the cities right-healthful government . every month they are bound by law to celebrate a solemn feast , where every alder-maw of the whole society must be present , to consult about the publick good : their place of meeting is gurmonds hall , where being met , and having turned their wine into water , and their oysters into shells : every one takes his chair , and to dinner they go : now , they may not in any case have their boars , sheep , goats , lambs , &c. serv'd up in parcels and joynts , but they must have all whole . you shall see the waiters come sweating with a whole hogg , or a whole calf , upon a great pewter engine ; you would bless your self to behold it : and he that riseth before six hours be fully run , runs his head under a rigorous fine . and for the breaking up of the feast , thus is their order . they have a door in the hall , large enough for the greatest gutmonger that lives , and take him fasting . at this door they enter when they come to the feast , which being ended , he that cannot get his belly through , is let forth another way ; but he that passes as easily as he came in , is stay'd by an officer appointed for that purpose , called the sergeant of the maw , and brought back again , where he must seetle himself to a renewed rouse , untell his belly be able to kiss both the cheeks of the door at once , and then he is dismissed . they have a common hospital belonging to this city , wherein all such as have got the dropsie or the gout , or any such disease , by his valour in gurmondizing , are maintained at the publick charge . but all such as have lost their teeth by age , or by eating their broath too hot , are forthwith provided for very conveniently , and sent away into the spoon-meat islands . the citizens are generally of an unmeasurable groseness , and seemed to me , when i saw them walk , just like so many tunns , moving each upon two pottle pots ; nor is that man worthy of the least salutation that is not all cheeks to the belly , and all belly to the knees . and such shapes do the women of this city walk in also , the german froes do pretty well in imitation of these souse-barrels ; the young women may not marry , till such time as before a bench of matrons , they make a publick demonstration , that their dugs , and their chins , can meet without forceing of either . they go for the most part all naked , only their alder-maws may wear gowns , which must be only the skins of such beasts as they are able to devour alone at one sitting . their schools have no lecture read in them , but only apicius . his institutions of the art of muncherie , and there are all the young fry taught the sciences of carving , chewing , and swallowing most profoundly . the munchery lecturer , when i was there , was one doctor full-gorge ; a man most rare in his profession , and thorowly arquainted with all the fundamentals of the said sciences . their library is a large room ranked full of pots and cans of all sorts , every sort in their several classes ; so the schollers have also each his full pot , and his laden platter for his book . the fresh men have lesser measures ; the sophisters larger , and so up to the graduaits . the first perhaps has his pint , and his pullet ; the next , his quart and his goose ; the third , his pottle and his lamb , and so upwards . nor may any leave his task , or have leave to play , till he have made an end of what was injoyned him . if any one stay seven years in these schools , and benefit nothing , he is forthwith banished for ever into the starveling isles , or hungerland , to deal upon spanish dinners , furnished with half pilchards . thither also they thrust all physitians , and prescribers of diets . if any one of them be ill at ease , he presently eats a raw radish , drinks a little hot water , spews a while , and within a quarter of an hour , viah he lets fly upon ajax , and rises from his roast as sound as a bell. they love venison entirely well , but cannot tell how to catch it ; only such deer as comes willingly amongst them , those they intangle in nets , and take them . but the noble swine , oh they prise that beast above all others ! whether because of their sympathy of natures , being both fatally consecrated to the table , or by reason that the swine will feed on the coursest meat , and be soonest fed , i am uncapable to determine . if any one keep his provant while it stinks , he is forthwith condemn'd of high treason , and spitted upon a stake . only two reservations their law agreeth unto ; the first is , they may keep venison till it be all hoary , and mouldy ; and the second is , they may lay their cheese where they think good , till it be ready to creep away with maggots : to these worms they usually scrape a little fine sugar , and with the point of a knife , or a spoon , crash them up as if they were so many almond comfits . i wonder our low-dutch should be such loggerheads to follow them in this filthy fashion . the wars of the eat-all-mains . the eat-all-mains have unreconcilable wars with two other nations , the hunger landers of the starveling islands , and the thrivengers of thriveingois . the first inhabit certain western isles in the atlantick sea , not far distant from eat-all-main ; but the latter lye somwhat farther off it , by reason of a great part of the territorie of fool-i-ana , and some parcel also of shee-land , that puts in between them . their historical monuments relate , that the hungerlanders , being confederate with the thevingenians , have made many terrible invasions upon the eat-all-mains borders , and one time gave them a sore foyl , the inhabitants being forced to hide themselves in caves under ground , untill their gods pittying them , made their foes own chops their fatal destruction ; for they did so engorge themselves after this sudden change , that growing hereby all diseased , there was not a man of them left in three years . if you would have given a spanish royal for a man , no not a man to cast at a dog. the thriveingers also , the antient inhabitants of this land , have made many attempts to regain their lost possessions , but have been continually beaten back by the eat-all-mains good success . they march unto battle armed only before , ( needing no defence behind , because they cannot run away ) in ox hides , sheep-skins , and swines pelts , that you would imagine them to be a herd of cattel that were driving to the watering place . their weapons commonly are spits , and-fire forks , and some of them have cross-bows made of the bones of large oxen. but the very truth is , the drink-all-mains give them their best assistance , for had it not been for them , the eat-all-mains had been down the wind long ere this ; and there 's the main of the whole matter . of idle-burgh , an imperial free town . idle-burgh is a famous and free state , and hath a large territory under command ; it is scituate in the farthest confines of platters-plain towards fooliana . the citizens live in far more happy estate than ever monk did , having all things they can desire in abundance . the town is so strongly scituated , that it is impregnable , being built upon a rock ten german miles in height , and withall , so steep , that it is utterly inaccessible ; at the foot of this cliff runs the river idle , whereof the city taketh her name . runs did i say , hold , it seems rather to creep , being more like a lake than a river . there is but one way up to the town , that is , the townsmen leting down a basket fastned to the end of a rope , do hale up the passengers . they live all upon certain birds naturally bred amongst them , the inhabitants call them gulls , which serve the cities use with three sorts of meats , flesh , eggs , and fish : flesh from their own carkasses , eggs from their nests , and fish which they bring for the feeding their young ones in huge excess : and besides , the sticks of their nests finds the citizens with perpetual fireing ; what would you have more , and more you shall have ? their feathers serve the citizens for stuffing their beds ; yes marry do they , and some to spare also for transportation . the ground within the walls brings-forth whole vintages of delicate grapes , and whole harvests of the purest wheat . the people do live an uncurious life , they sup , they sleep , they rise , they breakfast , they dine , they sup , and so round in a ring . unless a little whoreing now and then chance to add one dance more to the round . the richer sort have many servants to attend on them ; one to open the masters eyes gently when he awaketh , another to fan a cool aire whilst he eateth , a third to pop in his victuals when he gapeth , a fourth to fit his girdle to his paunch as it riseth , and falleth : the master only exerciseth eating , digesting , and laying out . there are divers other cityes that hold of this idleburgh in capite , and under protection of her , enjoy the same priviledges with her , as sleep-on , and snort-apace , where the inhabitants are seldom or never awake ; and it is strange to see how fat they grow with this drousie lethergy . the religion of the eat-all-mains . they cannot endure jupiter , for he , when he thunders , sowers all their wines ; but they have a good devotion to god trine , because he eateth up all things before him , and shews himself therein a true eat-all-main . they have built a goodly temple unto him , in which i saw the picture of saturn eating up his children very artificially pourtraid . on shrove-tuesday , they offer sacrifice to this deity , whose power appears to them once every year in form of a huge monstrous , ravenous fowl : the inhabitants call him rvc , to whom they present whole hecatombs of raw flesh thus ordered . shrove-tuesday , as i said before , is the day of sacrifice . the place in pewter-plateria , where is a large plain , lying towards the south , incirculed with mountains ; unto this plain do all the inhabitants flock , bringing with them an ocean of victuals , as elephants , camels , oxen of the largest size , boars , sheep , goats , with a whole army of fowl , all with their feathers pluckt off : all these are put as it were into this large cage ; which done , they get them up on the top of the mountains sides , as if they took their seats in a playhouse , and with bended knees do there expect the comeing of this deity , old rvc of rucks-hall . at length sir , you shall see him come afar off , with a noise able to deaf the whole nation three hundred miles about , with a great crooked bill , as bigg almost as half the equinoctial circle , with a pair of tallons like two broad spread oakes , with two eyes in his head like two towns that were on fire , and such an inundation of harpies , ravens , vultures and hawks , about him . o! strange stupendious sight for men to behold ! and with a cry able to procure an earthquake , they approach the plain , and by and by their wings eclips the sun , and bring a midnight over the whole valley . three times they flag about the plain , while the people pour out their very bladders in tears , and all that is in their bellies in hearty prayers to this rout of religious birds . by this time general rvc , the leader of this starved regiment , hath spied his prey : for you must note , he out of all this folio catologue of carcasses , must chuse what pleaseth his tooth first . well , suppose he take some five elephants , or half a score of oxen , he is to be first served , and then every one to his shark , tag , rag , and longtail . here you shall see one fly away with a calf , there another with a lamb ; here one with a boar , and there another with a swan ; every one fitting his luggage to his strength : and thus with a reverend applause of all the spectators , they depart every one with his carriage , and leaves the rest behind them . all which the people are bound in conscience to make ready , and eat up ere they depart , whereby their bellies are so overcram'd , that they loath flesh forty dayes after ; during which space they live all upon fish : this vacancy sharpens their appetites , to fall greedily to flesh again at the time expired . as sure as death , the pope had his lent sent him out of this country , upon granting the eat-all-mains some odd indulgences , or upon dispenceing with them for ember-weeks . of the laws of the eat-all-mains . gvrmonds-hall is a stately structure built in orbicular form like a theatre , as well large and high as beautiful , set forth with fair arched windows , whose lights are of transparent horn curiously pannelled ; the roof supported by pillars , which are of the thigh bones of elephants , very artificially cemented together ; and over the front of the entrance , are these verses fairly engraven in letters of gold. let no thin jaws presume to pass this stone , the place is sacred to the plump alone . and within the hall hangs a table chained to a pillar , containing these inviolable laws . i. that eating but one meal a day be henceforth held for a capital transgression . ii. he that overthrows a full dish , or cup rashly , shall be forthwith by this statute , enjoyned standing upright on his feet , to have a dish of broth set between his heels , which he must eat all up with a thimble . iii. that none eat alone , nor violate the laws of the table by any private suppers , upon pain of eating his next meal with his heels upwards . iv. that if the mouth be full , it shall be sufficient to answer by holding up the finger . v. that breaking wind , either by belching or otherwise , be held not only lawful , but honourable . vi. that if any one hold his breath while his belly is measuring , he shall be forthwith made uncapable of advancement . vii . that no person shall leave on his trencher or plate , any piece of meat , under pretence it is too fat , or will overlay his stomak , under the penalty of being punished for a puny ; which is , that he make his next meal at a side board , out of picking the bones that remained of the last , and this in the sight of all the rest , as well for their sport , as that it may be a warning to them : for this is held of great disrepute . viii . that a register be kept of all transgressors from time to time ; and that both guilt and punishment be recorded ; as to place where , and time when ; whose offences may remain as badges of disgrace to posterity , and of fame , credit , and worthy commendations , to such as are loyal and obedient observers of the law. signed all-paunch . of the election of the great duke . there is a stately palace built upon a narrow ledg of land lying just between eat-all-main , and drink-all-main : it was built as their antient chronicles report by a gyant called all-paunch , who was of an incredible height of body , pliny's orestes : or , plutarches orian , were but dwarfs in comparison of this almighty all-paunch ; suppose rather that you saw antaeus , that was sixty cubits high , or him whose carcass was digged up at drepano , whom the symetrions judged by his thigh-bone , could be no less then two hundred cubits high . this latter , i suppose , might be the brother of all-paunch . this all-paunch was the first that by conquest drave the thrivonians out of this land , brought in a new people , and gave them new laws , and his soul they imagine to be entred into that huge bird rvc , in which shape they do yearly adore him , and have him in as great reverence as the turks their mahomet . he lyeth buried in the midst of the pallace court , where for a sacred memorial of him , is a statue erected , far higher than lysippus his brazen colossus , and upon the bases thereof , like the english inscription on the london monument , was this epigraph fairly ingraven in capital characters , in the belly-all-mic tongue . i all-paunch , duke of belly-all-main , lye here entombed , dying a lord , a victor , a prince , a deity . let none pass by me fasting , nor name me hungry , nor salute me sober : be mine heir he that can , my subject he that will , mine enemy he that dare . this dukedom is elective , their being four chief linnages or families that may stand for the election , which are the treble-chins , the bacon-chops , the wool-sacks , and the tun-bellies . the nimble-chops have pretended a tytle to their right in the election , who after some debates were cast , so that they may not attain to it , unless first by adoption into one of those four royal families . now this is the order of the election , there is yearly a tilting ordained , not with spears , but of barrels . whereunto every one comes armed with his teeth all new sharpned , and too 't they go ; where he that unhorses most meat , and lifteth most measures of wire out of their pewter sadles , is honoured with a crown of clustred-vines , and saluted by the title of lord high-steward of belly-all-main , the dukes next inferiour . the tournament ended , each one ariseth if he can , and laying his hand on the sacred tomb of dead-duke all-paunch , taketh an oath by the deities of bacchus , and the reverend all-paunch , to perform his duty in the election without partiallity . then they depart to the theatre , and take their places to behold the ceremonies of the election . and first cometh forth the new chosen lord high-steward , bringing in his hand a golden girdle , enchaced with pearls , diamonds and rubies : this they call the sacred belt of state ; then the last years duke puts it on , and taketh an exact measure of his own sowse-tub ; so do all the rest of the nobility after him , one after another ; and he that can set it on the tenters without stretching of his belly , or holding his breath ( if it sit so stiff that it must needs be let out one hole more ) he is the man that with loud acclamations both of the nobility , and mobile , is proclaimed high duke of belly-all-main . but if none exceed the magnitude of the former duke , he holds his monarchy till the next year , or till anothers guts over-vote him by pole. then cometh his cup-bearer , and upon his knees presents him with a silver tankard of some dozen quarts , and intreats his grace to drink a health to the people . who taking it , and lifting up the lid , begins an oration , and taking a fresh oath by st. all-paunch , declares that he will be a bulwark to their liberties , a drudg to their business ; a terror to their enemies ; a father to their desires ; and an increaser and inlarger of their measures ; denounceing himself a professed enemy to hunger , and thirst , to sower ale , to meagerness of wine , beer , and bodies , so long as he shall wear that royal belt ; protesting that none should fast unpunished , or be drunk unrewarded . then setting the tankard to his mouth , stole off the liquor every drop , save a little remainder which he was by custom to set upon his thumbs nail , and lick it off , and so he did ; then continuing his oration , said , from the bottom of my heart i do wish you continually drunken heads , full bellies , and fat fortunes . which ended , the audience bellow out their aplause , with long live bowsing-gut-wool-sack , caesar emperor of belly-all-main . at least a dozen times , every time inter ecco'd with a volley of acclamations . then the lord high-steward presents him with the sword and mace of the government , which are a great long knife , and a pretty golden tunn , pronouncing according to custom , these words , vse and enjoy . but then for the coronation dinner and supper , o! monstrous what piramids of platters and chargers ! what mountains of flesh and pastery ! what castles of banquetry ! and what deluges of wine , beer , ale , and brandy did i behold there ! it is impossible to particularise ; only this i declare , the streets that night were strewed so thick with drunken carkasses , that 't is my opinion there were never more memories left in the field , of the greatest massacre that ever this modern age was witness of . of starvling island : or , hungerland vve have almost lost the remembrance of starvling island ; take it therefore now as a penance for your tedious abode in eat-all-main . it lyeth under three and thirty degrees of longitude ; and four and fifty of latitude , being on the north directly opposite to cabo bianco ; and on the south unto filching-fens . it is a stony barren , grasless , sandy soyl. there are some trees in it , but they have no bark left ; no blossom nor bud ; nay the weed cannot find in its heart to make the smallest residence in these quarters . the lands natural barrenness affords no distinction either of summer or winter ; because the inhabitants snap up their herbs as soon as ever they peep out of the ground . all that dwell in these parts are exiles , and their hew is naturally between a pale and a swarthy , their skins are crumpled like half burnt parchment , and puckerd like the hide of an elephant . the alviewing sun in all his race never beheld such gastly animals ; you would swear they were anatomies cover'd over with fresh skins . here you shall have one laying a plot how to intrap the flies , there another contriving a conspiracy against the worms ; yonder another sit shaving the earths new shorn beard , to discover the roots of the ungrown grass . they have a strange and fierce wild beast rangeth continually in the nights all about the desarts of this island , which they call empty-maw ; it will keep such a terrible barking , that it makes the hollow ayr eccho again ; and whosoever in this island heareth it not bark once in twelve hours , grows immediately deaf ; but he that heareth it thrice in thirty six hours , and giveth it nothing to devour , ere twelve hours more be run , dyeth immediately , provided alwayes he can live no longer . other beasts i saw none in all this island , except a sort of wolves , and some monkyes that had eaten off great part of their tailes . indeed i durst not make any long abode in so lean a land , i think it was no great wisdom : what think you ? thus far of eat-all-main , and the adjacent isles ; now proceed we to drink-all-main , and so good night . of drink-all-main , the second province of belly-all-main . you cannot expect an exact description of drink-all-main , for i durst not for my ears enter into any city of the whole province , untill it was dark night , that all the citizens were wrap'd in wine and warm clouts ; and then how was 't possible to discover any thing to purpose ? for to tell you the truth , i feared the burgomasters bounty ; it being their fashion , as soon as any one sets a foot within the city-gate , to give him i know not how many lifts of wine for his welcome , receiving him in such pomp , and state ; and all out of the common purse of the city : all which folio cups he must take off , or else he is held an ungrateful , unmannerly fellow . nay , which is worse , a direct foe to the common good of the city . now i feared both this honour , and this danger . this province is somewhat larger than eat-all-main , being as broad , or rather broader than both the germanies . no nation under the cope of heaven , so fortunate , nor so abounding in the delicate juce of the grape as this : the peculiar wines of all our europian kingdomes are here ; the germans rhenish , the frenchmans white and red , the spaniards maligo , and the canaries purest sack ; pshau , they have all , all to excess . the temperature of their bodies are different from the eat-all-mains , who delight in the qualities of heat and drought ; whereas the drink-all-mains affect heat and moysture ; so that the bordering neighbours do jearingly call the eat-all-mains kitchen-bellies , and the drink-all-mains celerian-bellies . as they are more ingenious than the eat-all-mains , so are they more lascivious . in their youths they are generally quick-witted ; but being grown to a graver age , especially old age , they grow so forgetful , that you shall not have one amongst twenty that can remember his own name . of the shires of the province of drink-all-main . the whole province is divided into three counties , the county of wine-cester , the county of vsquebah , or brandy-bridg , and the county of hopsack-octun , or bru-malta , called by some strong-biera . wine-cester is parted from eat-all-main , on the west by the river piss-on , a salt current that ebbs and flows ; which river runs round about the dukes pallace . the philosophers of this country affirm , that it hath not its saltness from the sea , but from an airy humor that often falls upon it . the first town i came unto in this region , was called vine-spring . it is in form of a five angled trencher , whose borders extend as far as vine-prop hills ; so that some of it became part of the suburbs of cluster-beg , a prety fine city wall'd about with stones of the colour of brick , but somwhat deeper of dye . this city stands in the bottom of pressing-dale , a valley so called ; through which runs a delicate river called juce , which passeth along by three or four pretty cities , seated upon the the banks thereof , to the founders eternal commendations . their names are , first tankards-bridg , next tunning-tree , then broaching-ford , and lastly carousi-kanikin . tunning-tree is fortified with a wall of wood , and broaching ford hath never but one gate open at once ; and that when it is shut , is made fast with nothing but the end of a faggot stick . there is not in all the world any one river comparable to this , which runs through these cities ; for besides the pleasing meanders that it makes in its wanton course ; the water is so sweet and delicate , that neither the best of europes wines , nor the turks delicious zerbeth can possibly excell it . it hath but one peculiar fish belonging to it called a tap , and this fish will somtimes lye by the shore , and spout a huge deal of the water aloft ; and it is somewhat more pleasing in taste than before , and this the inhabitants watch for in boats ; and when they get it , make great store of it . this river , as i told you , passeth through tunning-tree : but hold , i had forgotten one town , it goeth from thence to celleridg , ere it come to broaching-ford , and so by broaching-ford passeth directly unto carousi-kanikin , the prime city of the whole province . the description of carousi-kanikin the chief city of drink-all-main , as also the fashions , and manners of the drink-all-mains . carousi-kanikin is a name , i understand not farther then what light i have of it from the german tongue . the city is built upon a hill , and carrieth the form of a tankard from what quarter so ever you behold it . it is of antient renown , and one of the best seated ports for traffique in all the whole land. it is strongly fortified with barricado's , and bulwarks built all of barrels , the roofs also of the houses are tiled with the boards of broken casks . in the entrance of the gate is placed a double cannon of pewter , charged to the muzzel . this their law commands to be duly observed ; the citizens call it the flaggon of hospitality , and round about it are these words engraven'd , aut bibe aut abi , drink or be packing ; and whosoever ariveth , must either drink it all off , or be carried before the magistrate to render an account of his contumacy . but by chance , i met with a traveller who was bound to the city as will a i ; who being acquainted with their fashions , brought me secretly by night into the town , and shew'd me such things as i should never have discovered of my self . the fronts of their buildings are so wholly hid with spreading vines , that had i not seen the signs hang out on every side , i should have sworn i had been in a vineyard , and not in a city : it is indeed a very pleasant prospect . in the market-place are all the measures hung up in chains , sealed with the dukes stamp . the inhabitants go all naked , but for a wreath of vines about their fore-heads ; but their skins are all painted after the manner of the ancient picts , every one after what form he pleases : you shall see some so perfectly painted like flaggons , that if one of them set but his armes a kimbo , you wou'd swear it was a living flaggon with two handles : i saw one painted so directly in the shape of a whale , that when he vomited , no man in the world , but would have taken him for a live whale spewing up the ocean . i had a great desire to see the manner of their publick feasts , and not be seen by the citizens ; and mine host with much intreaty agreed to perform my requests , giving me withal certain cautions of danger ; and likewise informed me in some necessary points of behaviour ; so mine host and i got us into the town-hall in the evening un-espyed , by and by came the feasters , and taking their places just as the eat-all-mains did , only these had less meat , and more drink . at first they began a sacrifice to bacchus , their general god , whose statue standeth at the upper end of the table , holding in his right hand supported by his left , a mighty goblet : into this standing cup , the master of the ceremonies , in the name of the whole company , pours a hogs-head of wine ( for it holds no less ) which passeth in pipes , as through veins into his body , and from thence he pisseth it , till it be all out ; and this is the hour-glass , proportioning the continuance of the feast ; for when he leaves pouring out , they must all leave pouring in , and that upon pain of sacriledge . then comes up a service ; i protest at first sight , i took it for a dish of shooing-hornes , but upon stricter observation , found they were red-herrings : there was also a dish of anchovis , with capers , and pickled-cowcumbers ; and lastly , a westphalia-gamon . then begins the full-pots to move about the table , and the empty ones against the wall ; so that one could not possibly tell , whether they were sooner fill'd to be emptied , or emptied to be fill'd . now , when one of them will drink to another , he first challengeth him with a solemn ceremonious song : then they joyn hands fast together , and giving a sound shake , the challenger advanceth his moistned weapon , and blowes it dry : he may puff a little , but the pot must be sure to be discharged of its liquor , ere it be severed from his gripe ; and then the other answers him at his own weapon . well , the seasoning banquet being devoured , and the cloath thrust up on a heap : the master of the ceremonys cryeth , healths , three times , with an audable voyce : and i supposing this had been a summons to the breaking up of the company , began to be jogging , till my host pulling me by the sleeve , told me , the feast was hardly begun : pray stay ( quoth he ) and see the conclusion ; don't you see how fast god bacchus's hour-glass runs ? so i sate down again . then steps me out one of the company , and taking off his wreath , down upon his knees he falls , ( i thought he had been going to prayers ) and presently calls for a quart. a health quoth he to great bowsing-gut wool-sack duke of belly-all-main , and presently the pot stops his breath , he drinks , he puffs , he belches , he talks , untill within a while he had gulped down as many quarts as his name had letters in it : and when he had done , falls a spewing , till all cry'd twang again . well , they all follow in order , from the highest to the lowest , each one with the same pot , execution , and ejection , proving himself thereby a faithful citizen ; this past , up starts another with this catch . a health to thee , and ev'ry swain , that wisheth well to drink-all-main . seasoning his song with many a goodly belch , and so down upon his marrow-bones , and up with the pot hand smooth , the devil a bone finds he in the drink ; and after him they must all follow ; wo be to him that hangs an ars. this showre over-blown , out steps a third , advancing a quart of plump claret to the health of all the quagmirists , which is the general name of the nobility of this famous city of carousi-kanikin ; briefly after him they go , and thus every man in order brings in his foundation of a new round . now every man having his share , they must each one in order ( pox on 't that madded me ) go play the poet , out of the inspiration of bacchus only , every one sings his own song ; and instead of harps , they have their knives and the quart pots , and truly they made fine musick on 't . one in his song commends his mistriss , another the goodness of the wine , a third relates all the passages between him and his wife at home , another rhimes all in satyr against one that was not at this drinking , every one keeping tyme with the musick . while these songs were singing , it was strange to see their several postures , and behaviours ; you shall see one for pure love weeping in his fellows bosom , another sit kissing his companion , one in an extasie of laughter , though himself knows not at what , another down upon all four in devotion to bacchus , another arguing of religion , and matters of state ; and here in a corner , you shall have another sit nodding , and slavering : 't would do a blind mans heart good to see it . but all this while the cup is not forgotten . well , the hour-glass being run all out , they rise ( if they can ) and with wheeling complements , are taking leave of each other . one thing my thought was very observable ; they have certain flamins , who are priests to bacchus , who frequent these revelling feasts , they go cloathed only in a gown of black , girt about their wastes , with a silken cord ; and seeing these amongst the rest in motion , i could not chuse but smile ; for their all black bodies , and shining rubrick faces , seemed just like so many charcoles lighted at one end , dancing the hay amongst the reeling multitude . well , but quoth i to mine host , how the devil will they get all home now ? fear nothing quoth he , don't you see those ropes there in the court , that are fastned to them iron rings , sir they have an officer who is always kept sober for the purpose , he guids each person to his ropes end , the other end being fastned to the door of each mans house , these ropes are as good to them , as the clue of thread in rosamonds bower , or ariadnes that guided theseus from the labyrinth of minotaur : very likely quoth i , but what if an unhappy wag should come in the mean time , and tye the ropes farther end to the wrong door ? why , do you think , quoth he smiling , that any are awake in this city in the night ? yet i have known it done , and the men have gone to bed to other mens wives , who perhaps being as drunk as they , never discovers the matter till next day at noon , and then , that which they ignorantly committed , they make a double sport of , and is but the preface to repeated impressions . for it is a principle here , that a drunken man can never offend , it being the effects of bacchus . well , they being gone , mine host and i broke off discourse , and very privately sneak'd home to our quarters . of the knights of the golden-tun , and the laws of the drink-all-mains . in the town-hall , properly called gulpers-court , hangeth the golden-tun , which is the antient emblem of the knights of that order . he that can drink this vessel thrice off , and go his way without indenting , for his good service is presently knighted by the great duke , and hath a chain of extraordinary value bestowed upon him . these knights have a large charter , and are allowed many goodly priviledges ; they bear absolute command in all taverns and ale-houses , as also at all publique revels , and are allow'd to furnish so many souldiers in pewter jackets , out of any mans celler in the town . these hardy men have great conflicts at every publick meeting , their weapons are full charg'd cups , and he that carrieth most of them away clear , is conqueror , and leads the rest about the town ( if they can go ) in triumph ; and by this tryal , they prove who is the victor , if he can put his finger into the flame of the candle , without playing hit i , miss i , let him spew whole fish-ponds is held a sober man , and wears the wreath of conquest for that day . over the enterance of gulpers-court is engraved this couplet in the belly-all-mic tongue . the house of youthful mirth , and lusty cheer , peace , wine , sport , rest , have all their mansions here . upon the two heads of the golden tun , in a fair character is written some of the principal laws of the drink-all-mains , which i carefully coppied . i. that all promises , bills , bonds , indentures , bargains , or any other conveyances whatsoever , made , or caused to be made in the afternoon , shall be utterly void and of no effect . ii. that if any one cast away any liquor , or bottom , which is called a snuff , he shall be forthwith enjoyned to lye flat upon the ground , and snuff up the same into his nostrils . iii. that every one pledg his challenger in the same cup , and after the same fashion , upon pain of drinking the quantity double out of a pispot . iv. that the pots be either always full or empty , for the waiter that presents a pot half filled , and the person that takes it , shall be both guilty of the breach of good fellowship . v. that he that being sober shall strike him that is drunk ; shall be thenceforth disabled for giving testimony in any cause whatsoever , but the drunken man striking the sober shall be acquitted . vi. that he that goeth from any publick meeting without staggering , shall be accounted a malefactor , in a high degree ; and if it be made appear that he counterfeiteth reeling , thereby to avoid the disgrace , he shall be proceeded against as a traytor to the laws of all-paunch . vii . that all that stay three daies in this city of carousi-kanikin , do offer sacrifice to bacchus . viii . that he that mixeth water with his wine , shall be forthwith obliged to drink a brimmer of hoggwash . ix . that he that striketh with a pot , be injoyned to have his hands tyed behind him , and take up every cup that comes to his turn in his teeth , during the continuance of the banquet . subscribed stil-yard . of the arts , and millitary disciplines of the drink-all-mains . the people of this province are almost all blear-ey'd , and troubled with the palsie . they have some poets among them whom they never crown with lawrel ( because that tree is a foe to the vine ) but with ivie : these are the very offscum of the rascally rabble , the veryest lack-latins , and most vnalphabetical raggabashes , that ever bred louse , living only by other mens trenchers . these fill all the taverns in town with epigrams , elegies , and epitaphs , which would make ones ears blister to hear them : they have had but one good poet this twenty years , and his tallent lyes in drollery ; but for the most part prose , who is an excellent observator of the times , and seasons , and can with much facility convert all occurrences to comedy , and represent all comedy in the morose habit of tragedy . these poets have the same sway over the ballad makers , as the knights of the tunn have over the barrells . the drink-all-mains go often to war in assistance of the eat-all-mains ; but they never go armed , no not so much as with a shirt on their backs , their lances are saplings of elmes , sharpned and hardned at the spires in the fire ; one would swear in beholding them at a distance , they were a moving hop-garden ; but notwithstanding ( for stand well they cannot ) 't is admirable to see both their valour in fight , and fortune in conquest . they have a law that none must go sober to the field ; so that wine maketh them as bold as lyons , audaces fortuna juvat , fortune helps the forward . of the funerals of one the chief quagmirist's . one of the quagmirist's whose house was of some height , being loose in the hilts , and intending to go where neither pope nor emperour can send an embassador , being throughly tap-shackled , mistook the window for the door , and steping rashly on , down he came with the wrong end forward , and in plain english broke his neck . his funerals was very richly set forth ; i can tell , for i was there ; every man was painted over with black for that day , and wore a cypress wreath instead of his vines . the body was not laid in a coffin , but put into a cask half full of wine , and so boarn to the grave , and rouled in rather to a cistern of sack , than a grave of earth ; and was rather drown'd , than buried ; each one having instead of rosemary , a kan of wine his hand , which they threw into the grave , kan an all ; and taking their leaves in these words , thrice repeated , adieu sweet corpulent country-man : and instead of putting finger in eye , each thrusts his finger into his mouth , and disgorges , instead of tears some quarts : then hand in hand to the tavern they go to drink his remembrance . this quagmirist it seems was well esteemed amongst them , for he had a statue erected in bacchus court , and under it these two verses in the belly-all-mic tongue . though he mistook his window for his door , his valiant death shall make his honour more . now i had staid two dayes in this city , without being demanded what i was ; but then mine host came and told me , if i staid one day longer , i must prepare my self to sacrifice to bacchus : for quoth he , i must not conceal you any longer , unless you would have me forsworn . no quoth i , pray tell me then the custom and i le either perform it , and stay longer , or get me gon presently , and rid us both from danger . well sir , quoth he , saw you not the statue of bacchus yesterday in gulpers-court ? and the great goblet he holdeth , wherein they poured the wine that issued from his yard ? yes that i did , said i. well then , quoth he , you must set your mouth to this tap , and suck till you be able to stand no longer , but fall flat to the ground , and so must you lie under the spout till all be run out upon you : how like you this ? faith not altogether so delightful qnoth i ; but pray tell me , was there ever any strangers that offered this sacrifice ? all , all , quoth he , not a man escapes it : too 't he must in spite of his nose : some will come willingly , but others are fain to be hailed to their teat , like a bear to the stake . well sir quoth i , but i le be jogging , only i intreat you to inform me what country in this tract is next in dignity to this of yours , and worthiest of a travellers observation ; and he told me brandy-burgh , by some called , liquor-ardence , it is under the government of sir limbeck-stilletory , a knight of the noble family of king cups so leading me forth , shewed me ; the way as plain as dunstable-road ; and then courteously gave me the basio les manos ; and i thanked him heartily for his valiendo , and parted . of brandy-burgh , or liquor-ardens , and of the pilgrimage of st. brochio . all alone i took my way toward the north , leaving the river forth behind me , untill i came to spews-bury , the filthiest town that ever i saw since my mother bound my head ; i staid not long there ( i had not need ) but passed on , till i came to coopers-norton , a pretty well seated village , but not a drop of water was to be got in it , for love nor mony. the reason is ( as i heard afterwards ) lest they should mix it with the wine , and so prove bad common-vvealths men . i was as much troubled with pots and flaggons in my journey , as a traveller in spain or italy is with crosses ; i could not go two miles to an end , but i should find a bouncing tankard kennell'd under an arch ; and drink i must , no gain-saying the laws . at last i overtook a traveller in a tatter'd cassock of haircloath , bare-foot and bare-headed , and demanding whither he travell'd ; sir quoth he , on pilgrimage to st. brochio of bottles-brook : i questioned him at large of the towns scituation and discipline , and also of the virtues of this st. brochio . ( quoth he ) bottles-brook is seated in the confines of brandy-burgh , in the town is a temple of bacchus-fiery-face . they call it chappel ardent . the top of this temple is all set with carbuncles and sparkling diamonds , and rubies very rich to behold : and from the embowed arch there drops ( they say ) a king of hot fuming liquor , which is received into a vessel placed for that purpose , whose virtue is such , that if one drink a large draught of it with good devotion , he shall never after either be drunk before noon , or thirst before midnight ; both which helps may do me much good , for i am a man so imployed in my country , that i can never lye in my bed till midnight for thirst , nor never rise in the morning ; but before noon , i am drunk and fast asleep again : therefore have i gone these three days without drinking , because i would merit the more of this holy saint , when i come there : nor dares any importune me to drink , or any in my company as long as i wear this weed . i was glad of so good a priviledge , and intreated his company and patronage . vvell , we went chatting on , untill i observing the soyl altered , asked where we were now ? this country ( quoth he ) ever since we came over the lake-metheglin , is called the county of vsquebah , being the first shire of brandy-burgh ; it is not so well husbanded , yet is more fertil than our county of wine-cester , both in fatness of soil , and pureness of ayr ; the people of this nation are generally slovenly , and of a fierce and terrible aspect , yet they used us very kindly ; we lodg'd in a little city , ( i have forgot the name of it ) very quietly , for we found almost all the town dead drunk , at our coming ; and left them so at our parting . and next day travelling through many craggy , fenny , woody passages , we arrived at a famous port-town called , aqua fort : ( now quoth i ) being as weary as a dog , is not this bottles-brook ? no ( quoth he ) but chear up , for we go not a foot more by land , all the rest of our journey is by vvater . vvell , to ship we went , and by this time imagine us lanched into the main ocean ; but what an eminent danger , think you we escaped there ? our marriners were all as drunk as wheelbarrows , not a man could guide himself , one was asleep at the helm , another going about to row , fell overboard ; whom two more seeking to hall up again , had not we two held them , had both fallen after ; a third quarrels and layes a fourth over the pate for not helping his fellow , he strikes again , and too 't they go , fight dog , fight bear : all the rest divided themselves into two partyes ; now flew the ponderous oars about their ears , and hand spikes and pump-staves . the water was quiet , and every one used his oar in the air ; but indeed they were easily knocked down , whose hamstrings bacchus had already cut in two , only two stood conquerors , who being too weary of the massacree fell upon us ; but we scorning to be put down by a couple of walking tankards , got up a brace of cudgels , disarm'd them , bound them fast to the mast , and play'd the sailors our selves ; but our vessel sympathizing with her antient masters , did so reel from side to side , that had not a brisk gale sprung us forward , we had laid our bones in the bottom of those seas . as we passed on , i descried as-far off a high smoaking land , and enquiring of my fellow traveller how it was called : that smoak quoth he comes out of mount dennis , wherein the souls of such as lived too sober , are purified by fire , until some of their living-friends go on pilgrimage to chappel-ardent for a bottle of st. brochio's liquor , and powring it upon their tombs they are freed . i smiled at this , and thought now sure i have found the original of purgatory . well , by that time our sailers were sober , our ship became drunk ; for we sustained a most terrible tempest , which lasted all night in most violent manner ; but growing somewhat calmer with the dayes approach , we with comfort had the prospect of our desired port , which in little time ( though with great difficulty ) we attained ; i was cold and faint , and the motion of the ship had so jumbled my brains together , that my head seem'd to turn round upon my shoulders , as if it had been set on with a swivel : i wished heartily for a dram of dr. stephens , and entering the first door i found open , got such refreshment as the country afforded , and whilest i was thus recruiting my spirits , my fellow traveller seeing a sheet or writing paper lye on the counter , exercised his skill in poetry , expressing the terror of the late storm ; at which i was very well pleased and therefore took a copy , which take you as freely . all round the horizon black clouds appear , a storm is near . darkness eclipseth the scerener sky , the winds grow high . making the surface of the ocean show , like mountains lofty , and like vallies low . the weighty seas are rouled from the deeps , in mighty heaps . and from the rocks foundations do arise , to kiss the skies . wave after wave in hills each other crouds , as though the deeps resolv'd to storm the clouds . how did the surging billows beat and roar ? against the shore . threatning to bring the land under their power , and it devour . the curled waves against the land were hurl'd , as to a choas they would shake the world. the earth did interpose the prince of light , 't was sable night . all darkness was but when the lightnings fly , and light the skye . night , thunder , lightning , rain and blustring wind , to make a storm , had all their forces joyn'd . a description of bottles-brook . we found this a pretty sweet town in truth ; it is paved with bottles , and roofed with leathern budgets ; i do not remember i saw any artificer in all the town , but leathern jack-makers , and taylors for bottle-cases . so that now i saw where the eat-all-mains had utterance for their hides . the men of this town and country , use no pure wine , but certain distilled waters , mixed with the strongest grape that they can get , which are so forcibly hot , that the brittle glass cannot hold them ; and therefore they are driven to fortify their bottles with leathern dublets , rivetted together with pitch and rozin . the citizens are fiery of face , and cholerick of conditions , and of a staggering manner of pace in their going ; but that which is most terrible of all , they drink and they belch nothing but flames : one of them is able to drink as much fire , as one of us can water . a man would veryly imagine when he saw them , that they were so many fire-drakes , or , st. george's dragons : i was in danger before of drowning in water , but now i feared nothing but stifling with fire . there i left my companion to his orisons ; i loved him well , but my self better , and the next morning got me out of this vulcans shop , this ciclops forge ; and being upon my way , began to consult whith my self , if it were not convenient to travel towards brewmaulta , to observe the manners , and fashions of the hopsackoctuns . but considering as my pilgrim had told me , it was the basest part of the land , and ( but that it is more beast-like ) differs in nothing from the other parts of drink-all-main . and while i was thus plodding on , with many cogitations in my mind what to do , to my great surprize rushes forth an ambush of armed shee-landesses , besieg'd me , took me , bound me , and carried me prisoner ( the more unfortunate man i ) a long and toylsome journey , even to the chief city of the land called gossip-pingoa . the second part. the description of woman-decoia : or , shee-landt , of the scituation and parts thereof . the new discovered woman-decoia : or , shee-landt , lieth in that part of the southern continent , which our geographers of europ called psytaccorum-regio , the land of parrots ; the north side is bounded upon lecheritania , the south upon thrivingois , the east upon two of the foolianas , the fickle , and the fat : the soyl thereof is very fruitful , but badly husbanded . it is divided into many provinces , both large and rich , yet all of several conditions , habits and languages . the principal of them are these , tatlington , soldonia , blubberick , giglot-tangier high and low , cockatrixia , sluts-burrow , shrows-burgh , and blackswans-mark , otherwise called modestiana ; many of these provinces did i pass through , though against my will ; but to speak truth , tatlington is the best country of them all , and hath many fair cities in it , as pratlingnople , tales-borne and lips-wagg ; through the last of which runneth a great river called slaver , which sometimes will overflow the banks , and drown all the lower part of the country , as far as chin-dale ; but the inhabitants have lately devised strong rampiers of bones , and bent leather , to keep it from breaking out . of all the cities of tatlington , or of all woman-decoia , gossip-ingoa is the principal , thither was i brought prisoner : therefore take first an account of their dealing with me , and then i le proceed to describe the conditions of these new nations . how quevedo was used by the gossip-ingoesses . being brought to this city , and so to the court , a bell was caused to be tolled , and presently all the inhabitants came flocking together , whose diligent eyes began to survey me narrowly , who stood bound fast enough for attempting resistance , or offering to make any escape . at length in the midst of the multitude , i could hear one baul out for silence , this by her garb and port , i supposed to be their captainess , who by many signes and much a do , had somewhat abated the claimer ; so that with an elevated voice , i could hear her adress her speech to the rest after this manner . vncontroulable and vndaunted gossip-ingoesses , be it known unto you , that we took this fellow , in the confines of that damn'd country of letcheritania , who are a people you well know that have offered us the greatest of injuries : i therefore hold it fit in taking revenge of them to begin with this prisoner , and if my advice may gain your approbation , let him be condemned to run the gantlet to morrow stark naked , through our regiment of auxilaries . she having made an end of my severe sentence , ( with much ado for the noise to be heard ) i got leave to speak for my self , declaring my nation to be old england ; ( had i said spain , i had been ruin'd to all intents and purposes . ) the cause of my wandring to make some new discoveries , of this unknown part of the earth , that i was no letcheritanian , nor had no acquaintance with any of them : telling her ladyship that it would derogate much from her nature and clemency , and from the honour of her just government , to condemn an innocent pilgrim . well , these good words i can tell you wrought so pretty well , that the poor young wenches began most of them to weep ; but the old countesses were not so soon mollified ; but to the louse house i must go , till my country , and cause of travel was more clearly made manifest before the grand-shee-councel , into whose presence i was brought with a guard next morning . where , if it had not been for my feign'd countries name , the only paradice for women , which pleaded on my side , i had received sentance immediately . which the speaker of the grand counsel called there the pratris , signified to me in these words , sir , it is the pleasure of this honourable counsel , both to remit your punnishment , and give you liberty , because they have heard that your country is famous for the freedom of females . so i was there immediately quitted by proclamation , but not without an oath ; for i was brought to janus altar , and laying my hand on the same , swore solemnly to observe all these conditions following . i. that i should never go about to injure this noble sex , by word nor deed. ii. that i should never interrupt a woman in her talk. iii. that i should commit the whole rule of the house to my wife . iv. that i should never betray any womans secrets . v. that i should never deny my wife any womans ornaments . vi. that i should continually ( no matter whether right or wrong ) declare the praise of women , for beauty , wit , and eloquence , and defend it against all men . now therefore , you see my tongue is tyed by oath , not to tell all the cunundrums that i saw amongst these mad wenches ; somewhat i may say , but no harm ; and i le venture to stretch as far as i can without violating my oath . their forms of government , and elections of persons of state. their state is popular , each one seeking superiority ; and avoiding obedience , they have no absolute laws , but do every thing by the number of their voices : but the manner of giving up their votes amazed me , being unacquainted therewith ; for they set up a cry altogether , none gives ear , but every one yells as if she were stark staring mad . they hold a continual parliament about their more weighty affairs of state ; now this continuance is necessary , because of their laws uncertainty ; for the decrees of this day may be all disanulled to morrow , but the same day they cannot , lest their law-givers should seem unconstant . every ones voice is a like in worth , the whole city through , but not every ones dignity ; for they have a certain number of chosen women , which they call gravesses ; and these have great authority and honour in each particular city ; but they are not born to this dignity , but elected . they had once a custom to elect those gravesses by vote from amongst themselves , but every one giving her vote for her self only , it bred a strange confusion ; which made them abolish that kind of election , and make a decree , that only such should have a right to vote , as would profess themselves neither young , fair , nor eloquent ; and this brought all things to as bad a pass as the other extream ; for now there was not one that would vote for any body at all ; so that the state was like to want governesses . at length they all agreed ( and that was very strange ) to pass over those places of electresses , unto twelve of the most aged matrons of old mumping-ton , a ruinous village hard by , giving them the glorious titles of electres gravessial , to set them the more agog to perform their charges . insted of scepters and swords , the gravesses have fans and glasses born before them , great square christal glasses . and allwayes as they pass along through the streets , they prink up their atires , and ornaments , and set their bulls , and curl'd towrs , in even and decent order . the original of the shee-landesses . there are few of these shee-landesses born in this nation , and those are such as are transported hither in their mothers bellies ; but the principal inhabitants , are either such as will needs wear their husbands breeches , or such as the husbands jealousie banishes ; these run flocking from all parts hither . now all such as are their husbands masters , and are thereupon banished for their unjust claim to soveraignty , these are assigned to inhabit the frontiers of shee-landt , especially in the countries of shrows-burgh , and there they are all put in garrisons . but as for those that are voluntier exiles , being generally of meek spirits , they are seated in the heart of the land , to become votaresses to peace and beauty . yet there is no fear that this weal publick should go to ruine for want of members ; and i le tell you why , because there are so many voluntiers comes to this camp , that the fear is rather want of room for new inhabitants then otherwise . i am in great fear , lest my country women should have any understanding of this state ; for if once they scent it , or get the least smatch of this land of uncontrouled liberty , we may e'ne go hang our selves ; for the devil a female will stay amongst us , nay ( which will be dreadful ) we shall not have one big-belly left , to lay the foundation of a future age by . therefore let me intreat you sir , as you love the preservation of our linneage , and the general multiplication of mankind , be silent in this so important a matter , and keep this secret , as it highly concerns us undiscovered from our giddy females , unless we can find a better means of generation . of giglot-tangier . at gossip-ingoa , i obtained , besides my freedom , the cities letters for my pasport ; and from thence took my way towards giglot-tangier , a country lying upon the south part of woman-decoia toward letcheritania : the land of it self in these parts , is the worlds paradice . it is not many leagues from loves-den , which is the first town in this road ; here i entred into an aire as delicately scented , as if all the perfumers in england had lately played their prizes here for soveraignty . the whole country round about is crowded with apothecaries and pomandrificoes . the women of this wapentake , are generally tall , and excellent●y adorned with millinery and rich laces ; only they practice the art of cheek-oyling too much , thereby to help the defects of nature , by the effects of art ; they wear nothing on their faces , nor on their breasts ; for their habit it is fair in show , light in weight , and so easie to mount with the smallest puff of ayr ; some of them have their naked parts crusted over with gross painting , but this is most commonly used by the commoners of merritrixton , who are now no entire nation , but scattered ( as are the jews in europe ) through all the provinces of shee-landt . the women of shameless ( for so they call the shire-town of giglot-tangier ) have their houses ( except four pillars that supports the roof ) built all with muscovy glass as transparent as air. it is lost labour to seek any of them at home , unless you make your inquest immediately upon their dressing-time , or somewhat before , but lay your plot to seek them at a play house , or in a tavern ; and it stands upon a good foundation , for there you may be sure to find them in droves either laughing , singing or danceing , or very diligently imployed in some such exercise all the afternoon . there is one street in this town where are more danceing schools , then there are colledges , both in oxford and cambridg , and produces more practitioners and proficients ; and since the inhabitants are so merrily conceited , take the account in four or five brace of gingles . high-clif-rad-way , for so the street is named , for frisking female academies famed . the language of the feet is there instructed , and though some brisk ones daily are deducted . from those well-peopl'd schools , whose constant trade is , to teach true vaulting to the youthful ladies . there still remains such crowds of beauteous ones , would stock a court as large as solomons . but leaving to their studies my brisk lasses , to shrows-burgh i , from giglot-tangier passes . but leaving the road on my right hand , noot a boon sax mayls an a waa bit , ( according to the pronounciation of the natives ) wide of this town of shameless , lieth sluts burrow : or , as the neighbour countries call it scotts-brough : to this town ( though it was out of my way ) i travelled , because i would pass by no curiosities ; and here i was fitted . the air i think might be wholesome , but for the stinking inhabitants . their beasts hereabouts ( as there are a great many ) are generally small , women only excepted . they have great store of fowl also , as foul houses , foul wollen , foul linnen , foul pots , foul dishes , and foul trenchers . i saw but little grass but what was in their pottage : the word hay is heathen greek to them , neither man nor beast knowes what it means . i made but small stay here , for i thought it not safe , unless a man could have ( for every morsel which he eats ) an antidote , therefore by the same way i came , i returned toward shrows-burg , and glad was i , that i was got into the fresh air again . of shrews-burg . in my return from the confines giglot-tangier , being now upon the most western angle of the same , i happened ( just as my staff fell ) into the country of shrews-burg , the only garrison of this feminine government , and the only defence it hath against foreign invasions . here i was finely gull'd , for seeing persons in the habits of men , this is good thought i , i am now gotten out of woman-decoia ; but when all came to all , i found my self palpably cousen'd with a borrowed shape ; for in this country women wear breeches and long . perriwigs , and men go with their chins naked in jesticoes and petticoats , spinning and carding wool , whilest their wives discharge the main affairs of state : the barbarians in aristotles time never used their women half so imperiously as the men are used here ; the poor snakes dare not so much as wipe their mouths unless their wives bid them , nor so much as visit the places of ease , or speak a word with their best friend , but they must first come to their wives with a petition of quaeso magristra , good mistris give me leave to go , &c. i observed this custom strictly required , and the neglect more narrowly peeped into one certain day when i was there , than at other times . the reason was , because some of the better-spirited husbands disdaining to be chained in this unmanly subjection by their tyrannizing wives , had laid a plot among themselves , to rise unanimously on an appointed night in open armes , and on a sudden , against this female government , thereby resolving to shake off this infamous and disgraceful servitude . this plot had took very good effect , had not misfortune crossed their good intentions , and valiant resolutions . which was by the means of one cowardly , low-spirited , narrow-soul'd , henhearted fellow of their confideracy , who being threatned by his wife to be soundly cudgeled , for some other private fault ; to procure himself a pardon , went and revealed the whole plat-form of the conspiracy , just the evening before the night appointed for the performance . the women sit at meat , and the men attend ; the women sleep , and the men watch ; the women scold and fight , while the men are fain to ward with their ears , head and shoulders . what an uncomly sight was it to see a distaff and spindle in a mans hand , and a sword and buckler in a womans ? yet i concealed my dislike as well as i could , desiring only to see without suffering . if any woman use her husband somewhat gentlier than ordinary , ( as some of them are tender-hearted ) she is presently informed against , and cited to appear before the high court of parliament of shrews-burg , and there indicted of high treason against the state ; her next neighbours give evidence against her with such a noise and fury , that it is strange to see their impatience . if she be but convicted by the smallest circumstance that is , she is immediately condemn'd to this punishment ; first , she must change attires with her husband , and then shave off all her hair ; and so being led by a strong guard of armed shrews-burgisses , through the market-place to the high-cross , where she must stand one whole day upon the pillory , as an object to all the fleering scoffs , and derisions of those crouds of spectatresses ; nor shall the man escape scot-free , for being so audatious to accept of the favours offered by his wife , without a modest refusal . and when the woman comes home , she must not put off those garments , or reassume her others , until she brings a cudgel into the court all died with the fresh blood of her husbands broken pate . he that out-liveth his wife , must either marry his maid , and be sworn to her service , as he was to his former wives , or else he must become slave to the next neighbours wife , wherein he hath this favour allowed , to chose whether to his right-hand neighbours , or to his left-hand neighbours ; and this law they call an act of grace . for no man in this city may be the ruler of his own house . in this country , when the wife goeth forth either to wars , consultations , or for pleasure , she leaveth her keys , and therewith her whole authority and government to her maid , or her daughter ; either of which , if the husband but once mutter against , or grumble to obey , nay , should he but pout , or go unwillingly about the performance of his duty , his shoulders are sure to suffer severely for it at his wives return , unless he can either begg or bribe the silence of the deputy-governesses . they never lye with their husbands , but when an appetite ( for you know what makes them sharp set ) for that they hold would procure too much familiarity : notwithstanding , if the husband arise not out of his cabbin in the entry , or under the stairs , before the wife be warm in her bed , and coming up stairs barefoot , knock three times very gently at her chamber door , and offer her his service in a low voice , and wait her answer , he is sure to be dissiplin'd with a bastinado next morning . the women of this country observe a fashion directly contrary to ours , for they clip their hair , and let their nailes grow long . there are also certain amongst them that are professors of the noble science of offence , and keep free-schools , wherein the rest are taught all the wards offencive and defencive , both of heels , nails and teeth ; as also the most exact and modish methods of clawing off the skin of mens faces , picking out of eyes , biting of arms , wringing of ears , and tearing of hair. these lectures they are instructed in both by precept and practice . i met many of my own country men ( was it not very strange in a country so remote ) whom i knew by sight as well as a beggar knows his dish : these acquaintance ( like true friends ) gave me cautions from their own experiences , of what inconveniencies might attend me in staying here long , or being over-curious to inspect their customs and manners ; also giving me such directions , which with heed i observed : and following their advices , found the way ( at length , though with much difficulty , ) through the dirty fens of blubberick , over the mushrum-palian mountains , and so arrived upon the confines of fooliana . but you may ask why i travelled not into that part where the modestianians ; otherwise called the women of black-swan-mark had their habitations . why truly , i hold my self infortunate in that one thing alone , that i could not come to see their state as well as the rest ; seeing that my mind presaged unto me , that it excelleth all the forenamed . there is such a people , my friend , i tell thee plainly , but the region wherein they inhabit , i could never come to discover ; only their name , i had from the antient chronicles of the others states , and that as i said , is black-swan-mark . indeed there are some of them that live as hermitisses , in the craggy-desarts of some other parts of shee-land● ; but their habitations are generally unknown , and almost inaccessible ; he that will take the pains to search those vast desarts , may by miracle meet with some of those holy votaresses . i happened , i think , unless it was a dream , to see one or two of them , whose variety of virtues , beauties and behaviours , have left me in an extasy until this very hour , which made me so eager in the pursuit of so pleasing a discovery , that i almost ransact every corner of that prodigious continent : but notwithstanding all my dilligence , could set eye of no more . therefore whosoever has a mind to embark in so desperate a voyage ; let him begin to travel in his youth , lest gray hairs overtake him ere he attains his intended discovery : as for my part i le give it over . the third part. of the scituation of fooliana and populousness thereof . foliana is the most vast and ill-husbanded region that ever mine eyes beheld ; and yet of all , the most populous ; go but upon the exchange of any town of traffick in this whole nation , and you would swear that the whole world came to trade thither . historyographers in their account of the number of people that are imagined to be in all europe , say , that italy is supposed to contain more or less ; spain a number somewhat less ; england . the low countries near as many ; germany . france as many ; sicilia . they account also that the inhabitants of china amount to . that country parallel'd with the whole country of fooliana , is rather an uninhabitable desart , than a peopled nation . it lieth just under the antartick pole , as the land of pigmies is under the artick ; and hence i gather , that the extremity of cold in both these opposed regions , is the cause both of the pigmies smalness , and the foolianders blockishness . nature graceing her self in counterpoising the defect of the body in one place , with as great defect of wit in another . fooliana on the south , butteth upon belly-all-main ; on the east , upon woman-decoia ; and the farthest corner of theving-genia : and on the west , upon the mushrom-palian mountains . the parts of fooliana and the peoples conditions in general . fooliana the great , is divided into four lesser , as namely fooliana the fickle just under the pole , fooliana the fat towards the south , fooliana the fond easternly , and fooliana the devout towards the west . the inhabitants of all these are generally tall , their hair of a pale flaxen ; their heads like sugar-loaves , their lips big like moors , and their ears thick and broad , but their conditions keep not all one form ; some things they have general amongst them , and they are these . what ever stranger arrives amongst them , they presently entertain him with all the pleasures that town , house and table can afford . if ye come to any of them all with a conge spaniard-like ; and either commend his good face , his new coat , his fine hand , or his fair house ; seasoning his affections with admiring applause : your obsequiousness will purchase you any thing , his courtesie will imagine nothing to dear for you ; for good words , and fair promises , is all the money that this nation useth . yet they have gold in abundance , which they barter away for painted feathers , glass beads , small bells , and the shels of snails . the inhabitants are of a hard constitution , going bare-breasted , and thin attired in the depth of winter , to have the more benefit of the ayr ; and wrap themselves up in rugg gowns in the midst of summer , to keep off the heat of the sun. they have some phylosotterical professors among them , that will go almost naked in the midst of winter in contempt of the cold ; and their reason is this : that seeing all creatures , except man , can be content with hair and hide only , why should not man , that is master of them all , break through all the battalions of cold , being only armed in his shirt of nature , his skin ? and i promise you it is a very sensible argument . you shall never take any of them solitary , for they continually talk and contend in argument with themselves ; sometimes one word provoking him to tears , and another immediatly to laughter , the person being all this while single by himself . they have also certain religious virtuosies , among them , who begg for scraps , wandring through the verges of fooliana ; and where they find a stone with any picture upon it , down they go upon all four with strange mimmical conges and cringes . tapers and noon-day meet ordinarily at every dinner-time among them , they whip themselves cruelly . first , because no man but themselves will undergo such severe lashes . secondly , because calves blood is a pleasing sacrifice in the nostrils of their god ; their crowns are shaved , lest the hair growing between the heaven and the brain , should be a hindrance to the mind in her celestial meditation . the women of this nation are the principal governesses , which i was told grew first upon this occasion . the shrews-burgisses had overcome the whole region of fooliana ; yet notwithstanding , by reason of the barrenness of the soy i would not possess it , but left the natives in possession , upon condition they did homage for it unto them ; paying them an ass loaden with gold yearly for tribute , which was paid a long time , until at length the foolianders brake the peace upon these terms ; though as for the gold they did not value it ; but were contented to pay it , had it been twice as much , provided the shrews-burgisses would come and fetch it themselves , when it was due . but for them to force a loving creature , and one of their native town-born country-brood , with severe strokes and lashes , to bear this burthen out of their land against his own proper will and pleasure ; this they look upon to be very hard , and in their judgment intolerable ; whereupon they revolted , refusing to perform those articles and ratifications on which their peace stood . this revolt incensed the shrews-burgisses , whereupon they repair to armes , and entring fooliana , marching without resistance through the country , even to the metropolitan city of blocks-ford , otherwise called dunce-town ; and entring the same , allarms were suddenly spread through the city , out comes all the blocks-fordians crowding themselves in heaps without armes , or order . the foe was drawn up with judgment , and marshalled in good order , who valiantly giving the on-set , down falls a citizen or two , which the rest beholding , fell prostrate upon their knees with submission , the conquerors weapons were held , so that there was a sudden cessation of arms. by and by one of the most eminent and gravest foolianders made a speech after this manner . right valiant and unconquerable shrews-burgisses , how could you be so cruel , for one poor ass , to destroy so many propper men , and pretty schollars ; for as much as one living ass might have been more serviceable to your state , than a thousand , nay ; than five and forty men being as dead as so many door-nails : now therefore , take every one an ass , and his burthen of gold , for we had rather live without them , then die for them : asses are not so scarce in this country of ours , therefore we intreat you , put up your shineing things , and spare the lives of many weaponless men. i know , and to your honour be it spoken , that your valour scornes to try the utmost against men without weapons . therefore we submitting , beseech you to spare us , and free us from our present fears . well , the conqueresses are moved by this pathetical oration , and granted their pardons , upon condition that the women of fooliana , should henceforth in all domestick imployments have preheminence of men : to which the vanquished gave their humble consents , and the army drew off , marching back ( with the spoils in a most incredible quantity ) to their own garrison of shrews-burgh , the most formidable garrison of all the provinces of woman-decoia . of fooliana the fickle . fooliana the fickle is the easternmost part of fooliana the great , and bordering upon woman-decoia or shee-landt ; but you must not expect an exact description thereof ; yet how i found it , and how i left it , you shall know as well as i ; but if you chance to go thither your self , as many fine worshipful gentlemen , and men of large possessions have done within these few years , and find not the state , as i have described it , blame not any defect in me , for their forms of government are so daily altered ; that 't is easier to describe the shape of proteus , or the colour of a camelion , than discover their form of discipline . i durst venture a wager , that the antient french were the first discoverers of this country ; for there are some monuments remaining , that that do signify as much ; as their names of towns , their most antient laws , and their chief coyns . their grounds never carry one certain form two years together ; that which is pasture this year , shall be arrable the next : that which was all high mountaines this year , shall be carried away to fill up dales the next : nay , they turn the very course of their rivers . they have many magnificent cities , but they change their fashion almost every other day . the chief of these cities , at my first coming , was called fair-felia ; but ere i went away , it was ordered in counsel , that it should thenceforth be called butter-flieux ; the whole frame of this city runs upon wheels , and may be drawn whether the counsel pleases to order ; or every particular mans house where the owner sees good . it is recorded , that the whole city hath altered its scituation a hundred times since the foundation , and thirty times hath quite lost its former shape ; when i came there , it was seated upon the river water-less : but there was an order from the counsel board , that the next winter it must be drawn up to the top of mount want-wood ; and as i was told , the last place it was wheel'd from , was barren-down . the rivers are so frozen with extream cold , that if any be weary of its old place , it may pass the waters to a new one almost every month . these cities often change their formes , for every house is separate from the next : so that as soon as they find the least fault with the old neighbourhood , away goes house , houshold and all , seating themselves in another street where they find a vacancy be the removing of others . the cities arms had lately been , in a field argent , three snails bear-in their shells passant gules : the motto on a scrowl mea mecum , i carry my own ; but now it is ( as long as it continues so ) a field vert , charged with a butterfly with wings displayed argent , flowred or , the motto vbi libit , where i list . of the peoples conditions and attire . the inhabitants go all in painted feathers , as some of the east and west indians do ; for say they , seeing that these light things are sufficient to keep the little birds warm enough : why should we desire more , being much better able to bear out the cold than these tender creatures ? now , when they would seem to have new cloaths , they change the places of their feathers ; so that that which in the morning they wore on their heads , cometh before night to wipe the dust from their heels ; and that which kept the knee warm but now , by and by sits up half a yard higher . they marry wives , and love them confoundedly for a while , till they take some occasion of dislike in their old bed-fellow : or , chance to spie another fairer ; then farwel wife : and welcome with all my heart huband , saies she to another ; for the wife is commonly as willing to change , as the husband ; and often takes the first occasion , especially if she dislike the husbands cockship . they use a stranger as kindly as if he were their own brother ; and the next day will pass by him , and forget that ever they saw him . they seldome or never proffer any thing , that they do not recall next breath ; nor do they ever promise , but they afterwards forswear it ; nor do they ever perform any thing , which they do not afterwards repent , and be sorry for ; what they sell you to day , if you dislike it , they will give you double the price you paid for it to morrow . they make their laws new every year once ; for say they , it is not fit , seeing mans life is mutable , that the rules of his life should not be mutable also ; besides second cogitations being most generally perfect , it is a slavery to be tyed to a first decree . in this city , nigh the asschange , standeth turncotes tomb ; upon which i read this following incription , in the foolianick tongue . stay , sit , walk , read : here lyeth , standing upright , tomkin turncote , who was neither forreigner nor freeman ; slave nor soldier , physitian nor fencer , cobler nor courtier , lawyer nor usurer ; but all. who lived neither in city nor country , neither at home nor abroad , neither at sea nor on land ; nor here nor elsewhere : but every where . who dyed neither of hungar nor chirst , nor poyson nor pox , nor hatchet nor halter , neither by casualty nor disease , but of all together . i p. q. being neither his debter nor creditor , nor heir nor executor , nor kinsman nor friend , nor neighbour nor stranger , but all . in his memory have erected this , neither monument nor comb , nor sepulcher nor grave ; but all these . wishing neither evil nor good , neither to thee nor mee , nor him , but all unto all. this city stands at present within few miles of the city of giggum-bobba : so famous for the invention of pendants , knots , fanns and false curls for the females : here also was found out that most incomparable fashion of sholder tassells , by which any ingenious man with careful observation , may come to know his right hand from his left , and therein readily answer the queriest without study . as i travelled along the valley capricious , i chanced to enter a town that had some shape of an university : the name they told me was gallipotilliter ; here i met with some shadows of philosophers , but no substance : it is lost labour to look for any lectors , rectors , books , or schools of the seven sciences here ; every particular man being his own teacher , and his own auditor : yet here are two colledges ; one of the scepticks , who deny that any trust is to be given to the sence ; and they are herein so absolute , that they will not believe any thing positive . steal away one of their purses , or his gown , and he presently falls in doubt , whether ever he was possessor of such a thing or no. strike one of them as hard as you can , he doubts whether you struck or not , or whether he felt any stroke or not . speak to him , or touch him , though he hears , feels and sees , yet he dares not assure himself , that any one thing of this is true . the other colledg , consisteth wholly of gewgawists , who give themselves wholly to the invention of novelties ; in sports , games , buildings , garments and governments . he that can devise a new game , or a new fashion , according to his invention , hath a place of dignity assigned him by the duke . he that first invented to blow bladders of sope and water out of a galli-pot with a tobacco-pipe , is of as great renown among them , as the inventers of printing , gun-founding , and the most ingenious of water-works are amongst us of europe . these gewgawists are in great esteem at court , and among the meaner sort too ; for many of them will not so much as have a button sewed to their coats , without first consulting their approbations . these gewgawists are not only scholars , but originals , for they have devised a new language , wherein they keep the mysteries of their knowledg only to themselves : it is called the supermonical tongue , parracelsus was provast of the colledg , whose judgment went a great way in the invention of this strange language . but indeed , i am not sure whether this tongue continues still amongst them , or has by this time given place to some language of the later edition . of fooliana the fond. this part of fooliana is the largest , and most antient of all the rest . the inhabitants of it affirm themselves the original of all other nations , as blocksford the mother of all other cities . it lieth in the midst of the rest , as the navel of this goodly body ; on the east it hath fooliana the fickle ; on the west the devout ; and on the north the fatt . the southern part of it is called cocks-combaia , of which the farthest sourthern canton is just under the pole , where there is an iron rock , just like the rock of loadstone that is under the north pole , and this is the reason why the compass ( after you are past the equinoctial ) declines toward the south . this part of the province of cocks-combaia , is peopled with sloathful inhabitants , but the northern part is possessed by more industrious and active spirits . had i not beheld the strange beviour of these southern cocks-combaians , i could never have believed that nature had bestowed so divine a gift as reason , upon such bruitish animals ; for all of them go like beasts upon all four , nor do they know any other way of travelling . there is no house in all this part of the country , because , neither the inhabitants can build any themselves , nor will suffer others to build any ; for they dare not adventure under a roof , lest it should fall upon their heads . they are every year many of them starved to death , with hunger and cold , for they can neither dress their meat , nor make themselves apparrel , or bedding ; nor can they speak one word of sence , there 's not a man of them knows his own father , nor his own son , nor wife ; nor how to return the same way he came , nor can distinguish a bear from a sheep , or a lyon from a catt ; nay , there are some of them , that cannot tell whether they should put their meat in at their mouths , nostrils , or ears . in short , imagin you saw a real ass in humane shape , and such a one is a true south-country cocks-combaian . of ass-sex . ass-sex a northern part of fooliana the fond , is somewhat better furnished with wit , and worthyer of a travellers observation ; the people account themselves wondeful wise , and profess the searching into natures most abstruce effects , never leaving till they have drawn one reason or other , from the very bottom of investigation . they have but one eye a piece ; not born so , but the parents at the childs birth plucks out the other as being useless in nature ; for say they , when one eye is shut , the other hath a stronger faculty to discern . part of this nation go all naked , to avoid the labour of caseing and uncaseing : some of them have houses built without walls , that the fresh aire may have free access ; some of them build nests like daws in the highest trees , partly because they might dwell nigher heaven , and partly to exercise themselves in climbing . every particular man has his peculiar opinion , and profession ; ambition and desire of glory , draws some of them into strange and incredible actions ; you shall have some going up and down the streets on their heads and hands , others flying about with wings made of wax and feathers . some like your italian mountebanks , draw the people together , to behold the effects of some rare vnguento , or some strange engine . others out of the basest mettals , by a secret art , can extract the purest gold ; 't is worth the laughing at , to see the toylsome folly of these extractors : these students for the phylosopher stone ; for look ye , while they hope all goes well , it being brought to the magnitude of a brick-bat , they are gull'd , and gull'd and treble gull'd , and yet can't find in their hearts to give ▪ it over , till all their gold be converted to dross , and all their land by fire turn'd to aire . one of them of late , as i was informed , would needs repair to the oracle , to know the event of this so ponderous a business ; the oracle gave him this answer , travaillex , which is , take pains ; home comes my student with such an extacy of joy , as if he had hold of his god by the finger ; and when all came to all , it was the devil by the great toe . well , to work he falls , with circulations , sublimations , conjunctions and ferminations , till all his brazen headless labour ended in putrefaction , till revenues and reputation were both dead and rotten ; whereas indeed , the oracle gave him better councel than he could comprehend , take pains . that is , a mathook , and a spade , will get thee gold , sooner than chymistry a thousand fold . of the cityes of cockscom-baya and ass-sex , and of blocks-ford the metropolitan . the first city i accosted in this country , was hollow-pate , a town of good antiquity and well contrived , but affords no rarity ; therefore i leave it , and pass on to bauble-dock , a corporation worthily famous , for the wisdom of their aldermen : these men a little before my arrival , held a court about determination of a very doubtful matter ; which was thus . the sky was very cloudy , and a terrible storm of rain or hail was generally feared . the mayor immediately calls a bench , who were to consult how to dispel the suspected storm . the first mans advice , was to ring all the bells in the town ; another advised rather to make great fires in every street ; thereby to dry up the moysture of those thick clouds ; at length , the opinion of one of the gravest aldermen was demanded , who standing up , confutes the opinions of the two former politicians , adding his advice , which was , that the only quirk to avoid the impending peremptory storm , was to issue forth immediate orders , commanding all the citizens to shroud themselves under the roofs of their own houses , and so let it all fall to the ground , that so when those biggfac'd , bragging clouds , found no resistance , they would destroy themselves , and expend their fury before they were aware ; was not this an ingenious intrigue ? yes , believe me t' was , and had the unanimous approbation of the whole bench ; twittle twattle , don't tell me , wisdom is not bound to inhabit only europe . blocks-ford the very eye of all terrestial cities is here seated , civitas angelorum , are but peas-markets in comparison of this . it stands partly on a plashy plain , and partly upon a little mountain , both lying northward , a great distance from any wood or river : the upper part of the town serves the lower with snow-water ; the lower serving the upper with spring-water . there are in the circumference of the walls , just sixteen gates , wherein ( to the founders fame ) it exceeds all the cities of the world by four ; the geometrical form is neither circuler nor oval , but like the portraiture of a mans body ; he that surveys this town , will imagine that he beholds prometheus , as he lies bound upon mount adazer : or , the lineaments of some mighty colossus . the market place is on the hills top , for that being the head of the city , administers life and nourishment to the expanded body . on this mountains top , the magnificoes and seniors of the city have their habitations , to the end , that as they are the head and eye of of the city ; so the body should lye as a fitter object to their prospect . down from this head descendeth a narrow street , which resembles the neck ; which is inhabited only with sergeants , beadles , and deputy constables : from the lower end of this street , do two other extend themselves on either side , resembling the arms and hands . these are peopled , though but sorrily , with handy-crafts men , but with few or no crafts-masters . the bulk of this fabrick lyes in a broader street , and here you have all your inns , ale-houses , and taverns , down to the loyns ; the lower parts being inhabited by scavingers , jackes-firmers , broom-men , fish-wives , and card-match wenches , which i shall let alone . the magnificoes build their houses of a stately form , and very lofty , to be thereby the nearer to heaven ; and more elevated from this unrefined dunghil of terrestial conversation . their houses are curiously depicted within , with the names of their ancestors , guests , and intimate acquaintance ; done with charcoal , or the flame of a tallow candle . the grand-dunsonions , for so the burgomasters tytle themselves , whilst i was there , held a parliament about matters of state in general ; and in particular about securing , brautifying , and advancing the publick good of this city of blocks-ford , where every one ( as is allowed ) gave his opinion , touching the commodious advantages thereof ; one advises them to cause a convenient haven to be cut through the mountains , ( though it was above five hundred miles from the sea ) that ships may trade to the city ; produceing examples of other cities , whose glory stood wholly upon the riches of a navigable trade . a second riseth , and to confute all the others arguments , discourses what a dangerous thing it is to repose confidence in such an inconstant element ; producing divers examples of cities that lay buried in the devouring womb of the seas . another rather advises , that conduits may be erected in the vallies , that will elevate , and defuse the water in smaller streams , without fear of delluges ; which may be conveyed in pipes from below to the mountains top , which is easy to be done ; saies he , for if you observe the water , how it bubbles upwards , thereby denoting , that it is willing to ascend , if it had but pipes for conveyence . well , none of these passes the approbation of the bench , but then suddenly up starts a fourth , and he is for raising a high mountain above the city , for these subsequent uses . first , because the whole world might not take notice of the actions of the blocks-fordians ; and more especially of the grand-dunsonions . secondly , that thereby the city would be better fortified . thirdly , that they might be better defended from cold , by the warm scituation of the city , under so high a mount ; and that this mountain the inhabitants of the valley should dig below , and so lay it together above the head of the city , and then a bridge should be built from one mountain to the other ; by which the city might be accommodated with necessaries . this speech ended , up steps another , and smiling , demands if it were possible that a valley should produce a mountain : but said he , should we allow a posibility , yet to build a bridg were indiscretion ; for , should a traveller stumble , or lose foot-hold ; there were no way in the world to escape present death , or which is worse , the breaking of an arm or a leg : no , but if my small experience in state-affairs , may receive approbation of this grave assembly of dunsonions , i would rather advise to an enterprise which may be easily effected , and would advance the honour and dignity of this metropolitan city , which is this : that every man according to his ability , shall erect a spire upon the top of his house ; and upon the uppermost point thereof shall advance a cock , vulgarly called a weather-cock ; either of brass , or silver , with a combe of gold , or goldsmiths work. this cock to be moveable , and to follow the express commands of the wind. and in every spire i would have chimes , or at least a clock , to strike hourly ; which being once compleated , o! what pathetick spirit can express the reduplicated delight which will redound from hence , both to the eye and ear ! to see such a glittering fulgur of lofty spires , and to hear such a sweet clamor of harmonious bells . he had not quite closed his mouth , before the whole court opens in acclamations , and approbations , of this project , so gravely and states-man like propounded , and presently the bench arose , commanding the performance , according to this so learned advice ; so that , he that in his travels shall hereafter arrive at this city , will find it in far more glorious estate then it was my hap to behold . that 's certain , for i saw some of the scaffolds raised before i came from thence . of the marquisate of spendall-ezza . nere unto blocks-ford , lyeth the marquisate of spendall-ezza , a country not long since very rich , and of antique and honourable memory ; but now it is quite gon down the wind : i observed nothing worthy of note , except a large forrest called acteons dogg-kennel , and an eight square city called hey-dice ; with another little corporation , by the inhabitants named hawks-pearch . the inhabitants of all these are the only spenders under the moon ; they study nothing in the world but the mistery of scattering ; some delighting in rich habits , some in doggs , some in hawks , some upon a pair of ivory cubes , or a pack of speckled past-boards ; and thus their patrimonies take wing , and when all is gone but garments , ene have at all , and farewell them too . the dice , or the brokers , are their ordinary chapmen ; well , what 's a man but his pleasure : but now whether this marquisate belongs to fooliana the fond : or , the fat ? that i cannot resolve : but however , i am sure 't is within the territories of fooliana the great . some lawyers and usurers have formerly inhabited about this country , but in this latter age they are all transported , and most of them dwell now about the city of pick-pocket-an-gul , in the province of thevingenia , of which i shall discourse by and by . in this continent joyning to spendall-ezza , is the antient port of cold-harbour , which is joyning to prodigalls promentory , which is a sanctuary to banckrupt debtors . to this place resorts all that are cast in law , or such as are insufficient to satisfie their deluded creditors . those in this country that have any sons , assign them their patrimonys before nature allows them any beards : and if in case they dye before this time , all the estate is left to their wives ; out of which she pays their debts by sequestration . but if they bury their wives , they lavish more on their funerals , than would serve for a portion with the foulest of their daughters . of clawback-court . between this marquisate and fooliana the fat , lieth another nation called clawback-court , which is peopled with the strangest monsters that ever man beheld ; every man has two faces , and speaks with two tongues . this nation is born to servitude , and voluntarily make themselves slaves to the magnificoes of fooliana the fat , which borders upon this country ? and though they are so sottish , that they cannot of themselves enterprise any thing worthy of commendation ; yet they can immitate , and counterfeit any action they see done before them . the world has not the like for exact resemblances ; they neither wear attire , speak word , or do deed , but they have seen the like before . when i was there , they halted all upon one leg , and went spiting and spawling from morning till night : the reason was , as i since understood , that seignor-tickle-ear their governour , had of late hurt his foot , and withall was troubled with an old pocky cough . there are by report , some gallants among them , pertaining to the court , speak to , or look but upon one of them , and you shall have him presently kiss his hand , cringe in the ham , and with a laborious congee , like an eccho , reverberate the last word you speak ; and with an applauding smile twist within you , with the most fawning terms immaginable , mustring up a whole heralds-office of titles , and top-heavie preambles . then putting his lips together , stand hovering for your next syllable , to understand how his last was approved : which if current , though scarcely sense , is presently recorded in his tables as more than humane conceipt , nay , as an adored oracle ; then standing with his eyes fixt on the element , adores you with as warm a zeal , as a drink-all-main does bacchus upon all four . these increditable courtiers are the principal gentry in these parts , or at least their outward appearance presents them so : as for the rest , they are , or look like barbers , sales-men and milleners . they acknowledge no god , but the man whom they make choice to serve ; and him they observe with more sacrifices and adoration than an idol , but it is from the the teeth outwards . the first city in this region is called , praise-all : a sight-affecting structure ; but so slightly built , that there is no hope it should stand long . it is much enriched by the traffick of the river fiction , and is often damnified by the inundations of the same . nere this town standeth a village called tongue-walk , where the inhabitants are continually talking ; this village is scituate at the foot of a mountain , from whence it ariseth as far as tickle-ear , a famous burrow-town , where stands the mannor-house of their senior ; who derives his title from hence . the inhabitants imploy themselves in continual laughters . on the other side of this mount , lieth a pleasant valley called soothing-dale ; and at the further end thereof , is a marsh called scoffstowfen , which reacheth down as far as shamesteed ; a town of infamous note , whither they use to banish all their witches , conjurers , ass-trologers and almanack-makers . of fooliana the fat. this region appears to exceed all the southern countries round about for wealth and pleasure ; and were it as it seems , i question whether the whole northern world , could find a country to parallel it : but indeed , the people generally feign to have what really they have not ; and do fairly amplify that which they possess . there is a double ledg of mountains extend some ninety german miles in length , and between them is a spacious plain of the same length ; and this is fooliana the fat , through which the river of ease , a very goodly current , hath its course , with many semi-circling meanders . do but imagine what delicate prospects , are from so many stately cities , as are ranked on the mountains sides , over the fertil plaines , so richly watred ; and stored with fat pastures , which are inviron'd with comely ranks of flourishing willows . the neatness of these cities excells their number ; yet are they but of a slight kind of building ; and though their outward forms promise all decorum ; yet within you shall find very little good order . at the mouth of the passage , through these mountains , standeth the castle of braggadril , proudly built , but beggarly stated ; and nigh unto it is backbiting-burg : by this town is a rock of incredible altitude called breakneccliff ; it is as broad at the top , as at the bottom , and beareth the form rather of a tower built by mans hand , than any work of nature . this rock is as famous for a place of execution here , as ever the tarpeian cliff was in rome . on the other side of this famous cliff stands the city of bawds-den . this city has been oftener on fire than ever was old rome ; partly through the negligence of the citizens , and partly through the aptness to take fire ; for they use in their buildings brimstone instead of lime , and brandy instead of water , which serves them instead of tarris or morter , being mixed together . adjoyning to this , is scituate another little city called puncks-nest built all of flint ; and a little further towards the frontires of idle-burg , lie those large mountains , commonly called holiday-hills ; where the people keep continual revels , and sit in judgment upon such as offend by observing working dayes . two fair cities are seated on these hills , games-bury and merry-com-twang ; and on the east side of them the river ease falls into the river idle , making three or four islands , called by the inhabitants the dancing-isles , inhabited only by organists , pipers and fidlers . the quality and conditions of the people . every individual man in this country professes himself a gentleman born. and most of them can shew pedigrees for a thousand years before the world was created ; you shall have their galleries drawn with their lineal and colateral descents , though the neighbours are able to prove , their grandfathers were either carters , costermongers , or coblers . their best sort of gentry content themselves with the poorest fare that ever attended a fasting-day ; yet some of them perhaps will make a feast once a year ; which for excess of provisions , and multitudes of guest , will put a period to the inviters revenues ; who all the year after will defraud his barking stomach , to accomodate the back with the best he can rake together ; yet will they never acknowledg or confess their defect of belly-timber , but the contrary ; where ever you meet them about dinner time , you may observe them picking their teeths , as if newly come from the destruction of a regiment of dishes . no man that knows them will lend them a groat upon their credits : therefore they are obliged to to hire their apparel at the burrow town of brokeria , or take it up at bumaree of the merchants of tallymore . they give themselves tedious long names , and delight to have their country and alliance mentioned in their titles ; which being joyned together , it is directly impossible to pronounce in a breath . the gentleman-cook at the ordinary where i dined , was named signior hernando gonzalo ribadenira de toledo ; they wear their swords generally as long as their titles ; for i hapned to be there when the youth were training , or indeed more properly trayling ; as appears by their trayling of swords at their heels , as we our pikes to accommodate the funerals of a field-officer : but hold there , stand clear a little , i am resolved to have one touch at this long sword with my verse-pen : walking the fields to view the martial train , with drums and colours marching on the plain . that which i saw which most delight affords , was pigmy-gyants , with gygantick swords . have you a barbers pole , or sign-post view'd , such was each weapon , as to longitude : but was not altogether quite so large , hung like the rudder of a western barge ? the pommel like the helm , each by his hand , steers his small burthen'd bark with , at comand . the guard or hilt i fancied did appear , like nothing more than a deep cullender . i saw one drawn ; and then it look't , me thought , like a long spit run through a porridg-pot . which on a march good service may afford , steal but a lamb and spit it on the sword ; and a good shift for rost-meat , take my word . ostridge feathers are as dear with them , as russia furs with us ; some of them will hang bells at their heels , that the noise may attract peoples eyes upon their graceful carriage as they pass the streets . one thing i marvelled at among the rest , ( as well i might ) ; most of them , instead of meat , live upon the fume of a certain herb , which they receive through a long engine made of white clay into their mouths ; from whence it issues like the fume of a brewers chimney ; i know not certainly whether they had this from the west indians , or the west indians from them : yet some affirm , that the indians of the torred zone invented the same to make themselves black within , disliking to have their inner parts of one colour , and their outward of another . some of them wa st their patrimonies upon this kind of diet , smoaking so long till all the fat be in the fire , and all the fire out of the kitchen . some of them especially in bawds-den , and punks-nest , keep certain females as long as their estates will last ; ( certain did i say ) well i was mistaken ; for when they have sweetned you out of most of your superfluous guinies : their lodgings are removed , and 't is very uncertain where , or when , either you or their landladies shall see them again . these had formerly the titles of harlots : but since their language has been more civilized , they give them the alamode name of courtezans , which the modern translation renders miss : besides a wife , these supernumeraries are allowed , to such as can maintain them both by law , and the antient custom of the country . of the paradice of fooliana the fat. there is not in all fooliana , so rare and stupendious a monument , as the paradice of fooliana the fat ; a work worthy of admiration : you shall afar off , behold a shining mountain all of pure gold , or it seems so , and that 's as good ; framed in old time by chymical art. on the top of this mountain standeth a palace of cristal , built by the goddess fortune , where she inhabits , giving freely all abundance to her credulous worshipers . hither do people flock from all the nations of the world ; but especially from fooliana the devout : there are very few in the world but have seen this mount , and ascended it . men may talk of our lady of loretto : or , st. james of compostella : they are but desarts in comparison of this . here the pilgrims lye prostrate in the valley as thick as hailstones in the road after a frosty storm , but none must approach the ascent of the hill , till they behold a white banner displayed , which is a sign the goddess is pleased they should ascend ; then unanimously with acclamations they bellow , madona scoperta ; and then run that run can , crowding one another in the narrowness of the passage ; happy is he that can get first ; each praying that it would be the goddesses pleasure to grant his desires . one prayes to attain his love ; another , that fortune would send him a wife that is no shrew : a third , for honours ; a fourth , for riches ; here you shall have a parcel of young heirs praying for the deaths of parents and vncles ; and there a crowd of beardless students , praying devoutly for the funerals of the reverend , and right reverend . their was an old fat blade cloathed with a coate paley of argent and sable , and on his head a crown of very antick fashion , almost like a dutch-womans stove-pot with the bottom out ; this kind of crown the inhabitants call a timer . this old fellow prayed heartily for the death of the present pope . another king-like person sued for the next monarchy that fell ; but he was sent away as cold as a snow-ball . here stood a flock of hard-favoured wenches , most of their suit was for beauty ; some for sweet-hearts : there a parcel of old women with as many oaken trees in their heads , as teeth ; and these expected to be set back to the age of eighteen : you must note , there were abundance more than i could take notice of . well , but how came they off ? for that take one example of a person that sought for honour : comes one of the flammins to him , blindfolds him , takes him by the hand , and leads him through a hundred turnings , to a place which he is to believe is the temple of the goddess , not to be beheld with mortal eyes , and therefore he was muffled : down he must upon all four , and kiss the pavement , and so continue without moving , till the goddess call him by his name : then let him demand what he list ; ( if he effect her commands without delay or distrust ) be his request never so difficult , it shall be fulfilled . well , he propounds his petition , which was the highest pitch of earthly honours : the goddess assents very gratiously , commanding him to receive a holy portion ; whereby his spirits should be better adapted for the ensuing felicity ; the flammin presents him the cup , which he freely drinks off , praising in his thoughts its delicious taste ; being ignorant that it is a portion prepared of poppy , opium and lettice ; and such other procurers of sleep ; well , within an hour he 's as fast , that it is as easie to remove a mountain as to awake him . then the attendants lay him in a rich bed , and in a chamber like a kings , clad with ivory , and arched with golden pillars ; all the tables spread with carpets : the arras of champania , and the tapestry of alexandria , are but sackcloath in comparison to them . about the door stands the atendants in gold chaines , and all other courtier-like accouterments , expecting when this endimmion junior will awake , which is commonly three dayes after ; who lifting up his head , beholds the room with amazement : and seeing this fair company of shining attendance , is wholly transformed with wonder . whilest they approach in order with a ceremonious reverence , saluting the awakened king , with the titles of majesty , ( i protest this is brave ) : sayes one , what apparrel will it please your majesty to wear to day ; either your suit of tissue embrodered with rubies , or your gold vest with carbuncle buttons , or your pearl-powdered campaign ? yes , yes , tissues , rubies , pearles , diamonds , carbuncles ; hay day , why the man 's an endimmion indeed ; and won't change states with the man in the moon , for all his cellar of claret . well , rich garments are brought , every one assisting to array this mighty monarch , setting a diadem upon his head ; adorned with pearles of incredible magnitude , and lustre : all this goes well still . well thinks he to himself , get dinner ready , ( as 't was time , having not eat in three dayes ) ; so thought , so done ; dinner is prepared and served up in state ; such rare services ; such brave attendants ; with such harmonious musick . nineteen muses can't furnish a man with words sufficient to describe it . thus is the whole day spent , the fine king supposing all his own still : well , night comes up with supper ; and up comes supper with more rarities , and richer attendants then waited at dinner ; and for conclusion of the feast , the royal king has tother draught given him of the holy potion , which presently locks up his sences fast enough ; and then my poor twelve-hours king is stript of his tissues and rubies , and reinvested with his own garments ; carryed out at a postern gate , and laid in the high-way for passengers to gaze on ; who when he awakes , falls into as great amazement as before , and calling to mind how glorious a state he was enthroned in yesterday ; and now finding himself utterly deprived of all ; curses his own misfortune ; not attributing the least deficiency or unwillingness to the infallable goddess . of fooliana the devout . upon the western part of the two foolianas , the fat , and the fond , lyeth fooliana the devout ; a region fertile enough in it self , but through the inhabitants negligence , altogether uncultured . the inhabitants are of opinion , that a man cannot do god better service , than in the utter neglect of himself . there are several pretty hamlets in this province ; as fragment , sirnamed the mouldy , wonderfield ; and a little way from them , lieth creep-ham-high-cross , and cringing-beck . the borders of this nation are but desarts ; and some of the villages have but few inhabitants , as lent-stow , pilgrims-inn , and scourge-nock , are left almost desolate , only once a year they are visited by some few venetians . the number of monastries in this country , exceeds the number of their towns ; there is not one free-holder inhabiting in all these parts , for the cloysters have monopolized all the land every straws bredth , to make the better cheer for their gods . four sorts of building is observed in this country , temples , monastries , hospitals , and hovels . they are all of one religion , but they know not what it is ; for they profess ignorance , and neglect enquiry , following tradition . in their pace , they make continual crosses ; one thigh thwarting the other at every step ; so likewise , they carry their armes one cross another : they have goodly temples , and yet they will down on their marrowbones in the open fields ( if they spy but an antick-face upon a stone , or an old logg ) ratling their beads at least two and fifty times over . there are more gods belonging to this country than men , some of them augmenting the number of their deities with adoration of horses , hoggs and hounds ; every day giving life to a new deity . there has been two hundred made in one temple upon one day . these foolianders never touch any thing , be it water , oyl , salt , wax , or iron , before the divel is driven out of every corner of it . in this province , is the rarest miracle that ever nature saw , or man heard of . in the hamlet of wonder-field , there is not a stone but can hear , see , weep , laugh , move , cure diseases , sweat blood , and do more than ever was done by the semones , the daemons , or all the black-guard whatsoever . the state publick of fooliana the devout . their principal governer , is a compound of emperor and priest , or half prince , and half bishop ; parte per pale , wearing a crown upon a miter : or , a miter in a crown . there is alwaies born before him , a key and a sword , the emblems of of riches and power . his key signifieth , that all the foolianders cabinets are at his command ; his sword denotes , that he may at his own pleasure take from others , and defend his own . all that comes into his presence , must kiss his toe . he is not born , but chosen , to this dignity ; yet not before he be very old , lest the people should be weary of him , before he be weary of his life . he seldom rides but upon mens shoulders , to shew that men in respect of him , are but as beasts in respect of men. he never demands a penny tribute of any subject , but what they give willingly ; he receives thankfully , and spends freely . he makes no laws , nor keeps any ; nor issues any decree , but once within two years it is out of use . he useth his servants with much familiarity ; and when he pleases , lifts them up above the greatest men in his court. i might have learned much more in this court worthy of observation ; but to tell you the truth , i was weary on 't , and did not care to tarry any longer then needs must . the fourth part. the description of theevingenia . it s scituation . theevingenia is bounded on the west with the streights of magellanus , and on the east with fooliana the devout , and part of belly-all-main . it is a soyl so utterly void of fertillity , that not a shepheard nor husbandman can be found in all the borders ; yet is it not strange that this barren country should so abound in all necessaries ; nay , and superfluities also ? there is no rarity , or excellent thing of valuable worth in the world , but they will have it by hook , or by crook ; and when they have got it , you may as soon get a fart from a dead man , as recover it again from their clutches . the easternmost part is inriched by the spoyles of the two foolianas ; the fat , and the devout . the western by the spaniards cacaplates . these are the most notable pyrates of the globe . the whole country is divided into two seigniories , robbers-waldt , and liegerdemain . the first of which butts upon fooliana , and an angle of belly-all-main : the latter lieth more west . contrary to the other thievingenians . the wandring robbers-walders keep themselves in their own bounds ; but all of them are for the most part barbarous and inhospitable . the conditions of the robbers-walders . robbers-waldt is divided from the two foolianas by the fenns , usually called the filching-fenns ; wherein there are many islands made by the turnings of the water ; the whole region is so woody and mountainous , that it seems rather a desart than a place inhabited ; and appears a place fitter for rebellion , then habitation . their language is very crabbed , and though i did not care to understand it ; i observ'd in it a mixture of welsh ; which seems to have been taught them by some antient travellers of our western brittains . this seigniority is indifferenly well peopled , but under no government ; each man holds himself born only for himself , and liveth obeying and respecting himself only ; what he gets from another is forthwith his own , as good and lawful prize . in bodily shape they are like us , only all the inlanders have claws upon their hands instead of nails ; and this is not only natural to all the robbers-walders , but to the liegerdemainists also . upon the mountaines of this soyl breedeth a kind of people called the bandity ; who usually beggs of passengers , with a fezee upon their shoulders : they are the keepers of booty forrest , a frith so called ; which is of that breadth , that the high dutch hercinian adding to it englands sherwood : they are both but a dayes journey for an irish louse , ( let her march never so fast ) if compar'd to this . i le justifie , and be as good as my word ; that if hercinia kept ten thousand thieves , ( as 't is supposed it did , booty forrest maintains a hundred thousand hercinia ! why 't is a blanket for a cat , a meer cock-pit ; nay , 't is no bigger then a tobacco-box , in comparison of booty-forrest . you shall not find any man of state but keeps a fort or garrison : and in these fortresses they keep all they purchace ; and that 's no small prize . they are no shittle-cocks ; what they have they hold . when they march out upon their expeditions ; the poor commonalty are sure to untruss their portmantles under the branches , and lay their noddles close to the root of some antient oak , ( sic fuit ab initio ) quoth the gentleman to the chandlers son ; so did your fathers , and so must you , be you never so top-gallant . some of these villiacoes lye in wait to make prize of poor passengers ; and when they catch them , they uncase them to the skin , not leaving them so much as a tatter , to serve for a curtain to the worlds propagater . the liegerdemainists of late made a decree , that no younger brothers shall have any share in the fathers land ; and this law hath added a great multitude of voluntiers to the robbers walders . the devout foolianders you know are great lovers of crossess . well , but they cannot love them so much as these hate them ; therefore if any of them hap to be taken in robbers-waldt , farewel fooliander , up they go as round as a juglers box ; and the chief reason is , because these devout foolianders do use to mock the robbers-walders , by making gibbets at them with their fingers . there is continual dissention and civil wars among themselves , about injurious booties forced from one another , or about dividing the spoyles . and take my word sir , the whole world fares the better for 't ; for should they lay their heads together against our world , we might e'n put up our pipes , and cast our caps at the moon , for any estates we should hold long . it is a great commendation , and sign of towardness in their children , to be expert at filching in their early years , which they are taught to practice from their infancyes ; you shall have the little theevelings while they suck at their mothers breast , to pick pinns out of their heads , and pence out of their purses : but if they be taken in being either too slow-handed , or to boysterous , up goes their bumms without baile . and as they grow in years , they must augment their practice , by stealing ducks , geese , and so advanceing to cattle : if trading be dead , and nothing of worth to be had , then they must keep their hands in practice , by stealing a clod from their neighbours ground , or a stake from his hedg . this is usuall among the borderers of liegerdemain ; between which , and robbers-waldt lyeth a large heath called lyers-bury-plain , of which we will discourse when we have passed the marine parts of robbers-waldt . the pyrates and sea borderors of robbers-waldt . these pyrates disperse themselves all along the shores of magellanus's streat , on the banks theevingenia , and among the isles of the filching fenns . europe affords not any sea-man that knows his bays , creeks , tides , shelfs , rocks and channels better then these men do in general ; besides , they naturally swim as the fishes themselves . their chief haven is jeer-all , a town of no great strength and compass , but of as hardy pyrates as the world affords ; it is scituate in that angle of robbers-waldt , that lyeth just upon the head of the filching-fenns , over against a part of belly-all-main . the shores hereabout are reported to be edged with rocks of loadstones , which draws the ships upon the coasts from an incredible distance . a little within the river filching there is another town called lysal , which takes tribute of all vessels that pass that way . the inhabitants lay out great hooks baited with load-stones , wherewith they angle for ships as do for trouts ; and where it once seizeth , it keepeth its hold fast . these are also good swimmers , being as expert and perfect in the art as the dolphins , and like crocodiles , or english otters , live as much in the water as on the land ; of these do our european navigators stand in great fear . of lyers-bury-plain , and of the city of pick-pocket-angul ; with the nature of the liegerdemanians . now i return to lyers-bury-plain , which lyeth upon the verges of robbers-waldt and liegerdemain ; and serves for a free common to them both ; there is a river runs through the midst of it called memento , which divides the whole plain into two parts ; and on this river are divers of the liegerdemanian towns and garrisons seated . ever since spain obtained the conquest of these indians , that border upon this continent , the liegerdemanians have tollerated the jesuits , ( those busie-bodies that will needs scald their chops in the whole worlds porridg ) to pay their visits here ; and also to inhabit this land ; which the irruptions of the robbers-walders had otherwise depopulated . here are many astrology-schools , whose professors are more in favour with the leigerdemanians , than any other artists whatsoever , except poets and lawyers . here in a little town called prediction , i set up school my self , and read the lecture of spying wonders in the heavens urinal , as methodically as any star-gazer of them all : i had my ptolomy , tycho , guido bonatus , my bencorat , my zabel , my messahalach , my abbohali , and my hali aben razehel all at my beck ; and by their prescriptions i wrote an infallible prognostication of these present times . these liegerdemanians are far more sociable , or at least more circumspect and secret in their intriegues than the robbers-walders ; for what these do in publick , the legerdemanians act privately , living under a law and a prince also , whose title is triberio-de-golden-gripo ; he keeps his state in a delicate city called free-purloyn , scituate in the very heart of lyers-bury-plain . they never budge abroad in the day time , but keep within-doors , and contrive , what they bring to action in the night : they hate the sun , and love the moon with like extreams of affection . the trees of this soyl are naturally qualified like the inhabitants : no bird can light upon them , but is presently taken as with lime-\twigs . the chief town of traffick in these parts is pick-pocket-angle , wherein are two streets , tongue-street , and pawns-brook , which in my judgment , exceeds all the streets of any one city in the world , for length and stateliness of buildings . tongue-street is the general rendezvouz of all the lawyers ; and pawns-brook of the brokers , vsurers , taylors and scriveners . 't is most certain , that no nation under the moon is stored with lawyers as this is , who if they want means of contention , play the seedsmen themselves ; sowing the seeds of animosity and discord among their peaceable neighbours . our westminster , adding all the inns of court and chancery to it , makes but a meer st. katherins-hall , in comparison of the inner-temple of this town . their numbers do daily encrease ; yet notwithstanding , it is the opinion of the wisest polititians of this land ; that they cannot continue long ; for when they have eat up the whole country , as they have almost done already ; they must needs decline for want of clyents , unless by the want of business to imploy themselves , they should fall out , and go to law one with another ; and by that means disperse abroad what they have ravenously claw'd together , among the comonalty again ; and indeed , by this means , they may leave to their posterities , a prospect of more business , and better imployment , in succeeding times . these lawyers footmen are cloathed in party-coloured liveries , like the knave of clubs , to signify that their masters are ready to take fees on either side . the usurers afford them a considerable part of their imployment ; but principally the violent current of the river fraud ; which running among the quirkney isles , eateth away one piece of land here , and casteth it up there ; and afterwards washeth it away from thence , and layes it in a third place ; changing its course now and then , and taking away one mans whole estate , gives it to another : and this is that which makes work for the lawyers . nature has wrought a very strange work upon the inhabitants of this town ; their skins do naturally attract gold and silver , with as powerful a strength as the loadstone draweth steel , and holds it as fast : if a piece of gold touch but their hands , it sticks so close , that it is impossible with all your strength or force to unloose it from thence ; a thing never seen elsewhere , and therefore the worthyer of record . pawns-brook is peopled with all sorts of artificers ; yet they open no shops , but every one attends the passenger at his own door , with a what lack you gentlemen ? and then if he gets a chapman , he leads him in , and shews him his wares in private ; one shall shew you a chain crusted over with thin plates of gold ; and swear , that india , nor arabia did never afford purer mettal . another cheats you with a counterfeit musk cod. a third with pearls so dexterously adulterated , both for weight , fashion , clearness , smoothness and bigness ; that you cannot decern them from true ones ; and there will he shew you the shells wherein they grew . here also you shall have your lapidaries , with gems of all sorts , able to delude the most decerning eye in the world : the cyprian diamond , the sicilian agate , the indian berrill , the persian eagle-stone , the affrican chalcedon , the sythian smaradg , the german corneil , the ethiopian chrysolite , and the lybian garbuncle ; here they are all , and many more ready prepared by art-forgery . here are also apothecaries in great abundance ; and these do nothing but sophisticate receipts with their quid pro quo , which would fill a volume to make a discovery of their deceits . one thing i am both amaz'd and grieved at , they are never taken in their falcifications , be they never so palpable ; but they have this prevention , they can change their shapes , voices , trades , and habits instantly , and so cunningly , that he goes about to wash a guiney-negar white , that seeks for the man to day , that bubbled him yesterday . there is a famous school in the suburbs , where art - spagirick is read to the youth of this city ; and here they have a book which they esteem as holy as the turks their alcaron ; it is called the history of mercury , wherein is related , how he in his infancy , stole neptunes trydent , mars , his sword , phoebus his bow and arrows , vulcans-tongs , and venus's girdle ; and how ingeniously he cheated jove of his thunder , being as then so young , that he must of necessity learn the theory of this art in his mothers belly : this book conteineth also , all instructions partaining to the said science , whereby the student is thoroughly furnished with all expert and methodical rules , how to pick locks , how to draw latches , how to tread without noise , how to angle in a lock'd chest , with a twine thred , how to nim the cole and never touch the purse , and how to forswear all without blushing ; and a thousand such secrets . one of these practitioners was ingeniously over-reached by a merchant trading to this city , ( no foolianian i assure you ) from whose pockets some forty royals had disimbarked themselves at the publick exchange of this city : well , our merchant resolves to fish for the angler and to put his resolution in practice , caus'd his pockets to be lin'd with fish-hooks , fastned with the points downwards , and coming upon change next day , would often clap his hands on his pockets ; this bait was a sign of care in him , and of purchase to the busie eyes of the watchful diver , who observing when he was more busie and less careful , slides his hand gently into the trap , which the gentleman all this while observed , but took no seeming notice , till he found him sunk pretty deep ; when giving a sudden half turn , my nimble artist was as fast moared , as a ship with two anchors at head , who rather then view the face of justice , disgorges the royals very willingly , and ( receiving two or three kicks on the arss very thankfully ) sneaks off . there are in this town more then a good many inn-keepers ; these are knaves rampant . a traveller dares not trust his purse under his pillow , nor in an iron trunk ; but must as the jews did when besieged , swallow their gold all the night , and rake for it in his close-stool next morning , or it would be gon every scruple . the villages are only inhabited by millers , taylors and hostlers ; or according to the antient orthography oatstealers , unless by chance you may meet with here and there a few straggling gypsies . of the province of still-more : or , nunquam . satis . not far from pick-pocket-angul , lyeth the province of still-more , antiently called nunquam satis . it is in the hands of a monstrous sort of humane creatures , such as you see depicted in the emblems of mondevill , with heads like hoggs . they go alwayes on their hands and knees , lest they should miss any thing as they pass along the streets , as is worth the taking up ; their voice is a kind of a grunting . none are allowed to dwell amongst them but old folks , their youth if they be valiant , they send into booty-forrest , or else to the schools of pick-pocket-angul . they do eat earth as the woolf does when he is to fight ; and some of them eat nothing at all , but live upon the sight of gold and silver , and never sleep but with their eyes open . they serve a god , whom they call full-chest , with all superstious reverence ; and they never go to their rests till they have seen him , nor do they eat but in his presence . in the heart of this province is a vast and bottomless lake , called the gulph of vsury ; into which divers pleasant and famous rivers , pay the last offerings of their silver streams ; though no currant can possibly be observ'd to take its head from this lake ; it being suppos'd to have some subterranean passage , which they imagine breaks out at the foot of executor hill , in the marquizate of spendaleza . on the banks of this dead sea , are seated several considerable cities , whereof extortington is the most formidable for a garrison ; it is under the government of the lord covetuous rack-rent . the citizens are unwilling to attempt any thing that is hazardous ; yet when once they are ingaged , will studdy a thousand intriegues and stratagems to preserve their interests . this city was lately invaded , by the valiant mendico , son to tatterdemallion duke of ragland . the reason of which invasion was ( as i am inform'd ) that whereas the inhabitants of this province , were obliged by certain articles , to defend and protect the tatter'd offspring of the duke of ragland : they have of late , not only withdrawn their assisting auxiliaries , but likewise committed many outrages upon his subjects , having lately murdered one of his antient and dear allies , called hospitality , and sorely bruised another , called charity , which cruelty was committed by sir lavish lackwit , son-in-law to the lord covetous rack-rent , by driving a coach full of ladies ( with six horses ) over them . the aforesaid mendico , with a mighty army of raglanders , having a confedracy with , and assistants of , two other valiant commanders , drew up his forces against this city , and besieged it : these assistants were senior gulletto , marquess of bowsington , with his regiment of journeymen-shoomakers ; and count-coucumber , with two regiments , consisting of about journeymen-taylors , all cloath'd , not as adam with figg-leaves , but what is more serviceable , cabbage ; there came also as voluntiers , a troop of old serving-men , and another of younger-brothers . during this siege , many sallies , and skirmishes happened , the besiegers for the most part being the greatest losers , especially at that resolute and fatal sally of captain tallymando , who with a party of foot , consisting of marshals-men , made great havock amongst them ; so that what with the hardships of a long siege , and being infeebled with dayly losses , they were compell'd to quit their stations , and leave the citizens to their antient liberties , whilst the recruitless raglanders with their weather-beaten troops , drew off to their winter quarters : and 't is thought poverty will hence-forward keep them in peace . touching the other cities of this province , there is swine-burrow , a filthy stinking town ; then there is gatherington , hoardsterdam , and lock-ad-a-lid , all handsome built things ; but truly i could not come to view them 〈◊〉 because every particular citizen of all these places , hath a private key to the gates , to lock at their going out , and their coming in ; so that by this meanes they prevent the access of all strangers : therefore expect no farther account of them , nor of any others , till farther discoveries are made , by a second travel . finis . the passion sermon preached at paules crosse, on good-friday. apr. . . by i.h. passion-sermon hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc a estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : b, : ) the passion sermon preached at paules crosse, on good-friday. apr. . . by i.h. passion-sermon hall, joseph, - . p. printed by w. s[tansby] for samuell macham, and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bull-head, london : . i.h. = joseph hall. printer's name from stc. a variant of the edition with e. edgar's name in the imprint (stc ). reproduction of the original in the folger shakespeare library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- passion -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the passion sermon , preached at pavles crosse on good-friday . apr. . . by i. h. london printed by w. s. for samuell macham , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the bull-head . anno. . to the onely honovr and glorie of god my deare and blessed saviovr ( which hath done and svffered all these thinges for my sovle . ) his weake and vnworthie servant hvmblie desires to consecrate himselfe and his poore labovrs : beseeching him to accept and blesse them to the pvblike good , and to the praise of his ovvne gloriovs name . to the reader . i desire not to make any apologie for the edition of this my sermon : it is motiue enough , that herein i affect a more publike and more induring good . spirituall nicenesse , is the next degree to vnfaithfulnesse : this point cannot be too much vrged , eyther by the tongue , or presse . religion and our soules depend vpon it , yet are our thoughts too much beside it . the church of rome , so fixes her selfe ( in her adoration ) vpon the crosse of christ , as if shee forgat his glory : many of vs so conceiue of him glorious , that we neglect the meditation of his crosse , the way to his glory and ours . if we would proceede aright , wee must passe from his golgotha , to the mount of oliues , and from thence to heauen , and there seeke and settle our rest . according to my weake ability , i haue led this way in my speech , beseeching my readers to follow mee with their hearts , that we may ouertake him which is entred into the true sanctuarie , euen the highest heauens , to appeare now in the sight of god for vs. the passion sermon . iohn . . verse . when iesus therefore had receiued the vineger , he said ; it is finished : and bowing the head , he gaue vp the ghost . the bitter and yet victorious passion of the sonne of god ( right honourable and beloued christians ) as it was the strangest thing that euer befell the earth : so , is both of most soueraigne vse , and lookes for the most frequent and carefull meditation . it is one of those thinges , which was once done , that it might be thought of for euer . euery day therefore must be the good-friday of a christian ▪ who , with that great doctor of the gentiles , must desire to know nothing but iesus christ , and him crucified . there is no branch or circumstance in this wonderful businesse , which yeeldes not infinite matter of discourse . according to the solemnity of this time and place , i haue chosen to commend vnto your christian attention , our sauiours farewell to nature ( for his reuiuing was aboue it ) in his last word in his last act . his last word , jt is finished , his last act , hee gaue vp the ghost : that which hee said , hee did . if there be any theam that may challenge and command our eares and hearts , this is it ; for , beholde ; the sweetest word that euer christ spake , and the most meritorious act that euer hee did , are met together in this his last breath . in the one yee shall see him triumphing ; yeelding in the other , yet so as hee ouercomes . imagine therefore , that you saw christ ●esus , in this day of his passion ( who is euery day here crucified before your eyes ) aduanced vpon the chariot of his crosse , and now , after a weary conflict , cheerefully ouerlooking the despight and shame of men , the wrath of his father , the law , sinne , death , hell ; which all lie gasping at his foote : and then you shall conceiue , with what spirite hee saith , consummatum est , it is finished . what is finished ? shortly ; all the prophesies , that were of him ; all legall obseruations , that prefigured him ; his own sufferings ; our saluation . the prophesies are accomplisht , the ceremonies abolisht , his sufferings ended , our saluation wrought : these foure heades shall limit this first part of my speech , onely let them find and leaue you attentiue . euen this very word is prophesied of ; all things that are written of me haue an end , saith christ . what end ? this , it is finished : this very end hath his end here . what therefore is finished ? not this prediction only of his last draught , as augustine , that were too particular . let our sauiour himselfe say , all things that are written of mee by the prophets . it is a sure and conuertible rule ; nothing was done by christ , which was not for tolde , nothing was euer foretolde by the prophets of christ , which was not done . it would take vp a life to compare the prophets and euangelists , the predictions and the history , & largely to discourse how the one foretels , and the other aunsweres ; let it suffice to look at them running . of all the euangelists , s. mathew hath beene most studious , in making these references and correspondences ; with whom , the burden or vndersong of euery euent , is still ( vt impleretur ) that it might bee fulfilled . thus hath hee noted ( if i haue reckoned them aright ) two and thirty seuerall prophesies concerning christ , fulfilled in his birth , life , death . ☞ ☜ ☞ ☜ esay . . mat. . . zach. . . mat. ibidem . mich. . . mat. . . iere. . . mat. . . esay . . . mat. . . psalm . . . mat. . . ier. . . mat. . . esay . . . mat. . . iudg. . . mat. . vlt. psal . . . mat. . . esa . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . esay . . . mat. . . leu. . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . esay . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . zach. . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . , lam. . . mat. . . iona. . . mat. . . esay . . . mat. . . esay . . mat. . . zac. . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . es . . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . es . . . mat. . . psal . . . mat. . . to which saint iohn adds many more . our speech must be directed to his passion ; omitting the rest , let vs insist in those . he must bee apprehended : it was fore-prophesied ; the annointed of the lord was taken in their nets , sayeth ieremie : but how ? he must be sold : for what ? thirty siluer peeces , and what must those doe ? buy a fielde , all foretolde ; and they tooke thirty siluer peeces , the price of him that was valued , and gaue them for the potters field , saith zacharie ( miswritten ieremy , by one letter mistaken in the abbreuiation , by whom ? that childe of perdition , that the scripture might bee fulfilled . which was hee ? it is foretold ; he that eateth bread with mee , saith the psalmist . and what shall his disciples doe ? runne away , so saith the prophesie : i will smite the shepheard , and the sheepe shall bee scattered , saith zacharie . what shall be done to him ? hee must be scourged and spit vpon : behold , not those filthy excrements could haue light vpon his sacred face , without a prophesie ; i hid not my face from shame and spitting , saith esay . what shall be the issue ? in short , hee shall bee led to death : it is the prophesie , the messias shall be slaine , saith daniel : what death ? hee must bee lift vp ▪ like as moses lift vp the serpent in the wildenesse , so shall the sonne of man be lift vp . chrysostome saith well , that some actions are parables ; so may i say , some actions are prophesies , such are all types of christ , and this with the formost . lift vp , whither ? to the crosse , it is the prophesie , hanging vpon a tree , saith moses , how lift vp ? nayled to it , so is the prophesie , foderunt manus , they haue pierced my hands and my feet , sayth the psalmist : with what company ? two theeues , with the wicked was hee numbred , sayth esay : where ? without the gates saith the prophesie : what becomes of his garments ? they cannot so much as cast the dice for his coate , but it is prophesied , they diuided my garments , and on my vestures cast lots , saith the psalmist : hee must die then on the crosse , but how ? voluntarily . not a bone of him shall be broken : what hinders it ? loe , there he hangs , as it were neglected , and at mercy , yet all the raging iewes , no , all the diuels in hell cannot stirre one bone in his blessed body : it was prophesied in the easter-lambe , and it must be fulfilled in him , that is the true passeouer , in spight of fiendes and men : how then ? he must be thrust in the side : behold not the very speare could touch his pretious side being dead , but it must bee guided by a prophesie ; they shall see him whome they haue thrust thorough , saith zacharie : what shall he say the while ? not his very words but are forespoken : his complaint , eli eli lamma sabactani , as the chalde , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the hebrew , psalme . . his resignation : in manus tuas , into thy bandes i commend my spirit , psalme . . his request , father forgiue them : hee prayed for the transgressors , sayth esay . and now when he saw al these prophesies were fulfilled , knowing that one remained , he said , i thirst , domine , quid sitis ? saith one , o lord , what thirstest thou for ? a strange hearing , that a man , yea that god and man dying should complaine of thirst . could he endure the scorching flames of the wrath of his father , the curse of our sins , those tortures of body , those horrours of soule , & doth he shrinke at his thirst ? no , no : he could haue borne his drought , he could not beare the scripture not fulfilled . it was not necessity of nature , but the necessity of his fathers decree , that drew forth this word , i thirst . they offered it before , hee refused it : whether it were an ordinarie potion for the condemned to hastē death ( as in the story of m. anthonie ) which is the most receiued construction , or whether it were that iewish potion , whereof the rabbines speake ; whose tradition was , that the malefactor to bee executed , should after some good counsell from two of their teachers , be taught to say ; let my death bee to the remission of all my sinnes ; and then , that hee should haue giuen him a boule of mixt wine , with a graine of frankincense , to bereaue him both of reason and paine . i durst be confident in this latter ; the rather for that saint marke calls this draught , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , myrrhe wine , mingled ( as is like ) with other ingredients . and montanus agrees with me in the end , ad stuporē & mentis alienationem ; a fashion which galatine obserues out of the sannedrim , to bee grounded vpon prouerbs , . . giue strong drinke to him that is readie to perish , i leaue it modestly in the middest ; let the learneder iudge ▪ whatsoeuer it were , hee would not die till hee had complained of thirst , and in his thirst tasted it : neither would hee haue thirsted for , or tasted any but this bitter draught ; that the scripture might bee fulfilled ; they gaue me vineger to drinke : and loe , now consūmatum est ; all is finished . if there bee any iew amongst you , that like one of iohns vnseasonable disciples , shall aske , art thou hee , or shall wee looke for another ? hee hath his aunswere ; yee men of israel , why stand you gazing and gaping for another messias ? in this alone , all the prophesies are finished ; and of him alone , all was prophesied , that was finished . paules old rule holdes still . to the jewes a stumbling blocke ; and that more auncient curse of dauid , let their table bee made a snare ; and steuens two brands sticks still in the flesh of these wretched men : one in their necke , stiffe-necked , the other in their heart ; vncircumcised ; the one , obstinacie , the other vnbeliefe : stiffe neckes indeede , that will not stoope and relent with the yoke of sixeteen hundred yeares iudgement and seruility ; vncircumcised hearts , the fi●me of whose vnbeliefe , would not be cut off with so infinit conuictions . oh mad & miserable nation : let them shew vs one prophesie that is not fulfilled , let them shew vs one other in whome all the prophesies can be fulfilled , and wee will mixe pitty with our hate : if they cannot , and yet resist ; their doome is past ; those mine enemies , that would not haue me to raigne ouer them , bring them hither , & slay them before me . so let thine enemies perish , o lord. but what goe i so farre ? euen amongst vs ( to our shame ) this riotous age hath bred a monstrous generation ( i pray god i be not now in some of your bosoms , that heare me this day ) compounded , much like to the turkish religion , of one part ▪ christian ; another , lew ; a third , worldling , a fourth , atheist : a christians face ; a iewes heart , a worldlings life ; and therefore atheous in the whole ; that acknowledge a god , and know him not ; that professe a christ , but doubt of him ; yea , belieue him not : the foole hath said in his heart , there is no christ . what shall i say of these men ? they are worse then deuils : that yeelding euill spirite , could say , iesus i know : and these miscreants are still in the old tune of that tempting deuil ; si tu es filius dei , if thou be the christ : oh god that after so cleare a gospell , so many miraculous confirmations , so many thousand martyrdomes , so many glorious victories of truth , so many open confessions of angels , men , diuels , friendes , enemies ; such conspirations of heauen and earth , such vniuersall contestations of all ages and people ; there should bee left any sparke of this damnable infidelitie in the false harts of men . behold then , yee despisers , & wonder , and vanish away : whome haue all the prophets fore-told ? or what haue the prophesies of so many hundreds , yea thousands of yeeres foresaid , that is not with this word finished ? who could foretell these thinges , but the spirite of god ? who could accomplish them , but the sonne of god ? hee spake by the mouth of his holy prophets , saith zacharie : hee hath spoken , and he hath done ; one true god in both : none other spirit could foresay these things should be done , none other power could doe these things , thus fore shewed this word therefore , can fit none but the mouth of god our sauiour , it is finished . wee know whome wee haue beleeued ; thou art the christ the sonne of the liuing god. let him that loues not the lord iesus , bee accursed to the death . thus the prophesies are finished : of the legall obseruations , with more breuity . christ is the end of the law : what law ? ceremoniall , morall . of the morall , it was kept perfectly by himselfe , satisfied fully for vs : of the ceremoniall , it was referred to him , obserued of him , fulfilled in him , abolisht by him . there were nothing more easie , then to shew you how all those iewish ceremonies lookt at christ , how circumcision , passeouer , the tabernacle , both outer and inner , the temple , the lauer , both the altars , the tables of shew-bread , the candlestickes , the vaile , the holy of holies , the arke , the propitiatory , the potte of manna , aarons rod , the high priest , his order and line , his habites , his inaugurations , his washings , annointings , sprincklings , offerings , the sacrifices , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and what euer iewish rite ; had their vertue from christ , relation to him , and their end in him . this was then their last gaspe ; for , now straight they dyed with christ , now the vayle of the temple rent : as austen well notes out of mathewes order ; it tore then , when christs last breath passed : that conceit of theophilact is witty ; that as the iewes were wont to rend their garments , when they heard blasphemie : so the temple not enduring these execrable blasphemies against the sonne of god , tore his vaile in peeces . but that is not all , the vaile rent , is the obligation of the rituall law cancelled ; the way into the heauenly sanctuarie opened ; the shadow giuing roome to the substance : in a word , it dooth that which christ saith ; consummatum est . euen now then the law of ceremonies died : it had along & solemne buriall , as augustine sayeth well , perhaps figured in moses , who died not lingringly , but was thirtie dayes mourned for : what meanes the church of rome to dig them vp , now rotten in their graues ? & that , not as if they had been buried , but sown , with a plenteous increase ; yea , with the inuerted vsurie of too many of you citizens ; ten for one . it is a graue and deep censure of that resolute hierome ; ego è contrario loquar . &c. i say , saith he , and in spite of all the world dare maintaine , that now the iewish ceremonies are pernitious and deadly , and whosoeuer shall obserue them , whether he be iew or gentile , in barathrum diaboli deuolutum ; shal frie in hell for it . still altars ? still priestes ? sacrifices still ? still washings ? still vnctions ? sprinkling , shauing , purifying ? still all , and more then all ? let them heare but augustines censure , quisquis nunc &c. whosoeuer shall now vse them , as it were , raking them vp out of their dust ; he shal not be pius deductor corporis , sed impius sepulturae violator ; an impious and sacrilegious wretch , that ran sackes the quiet tombes of the dead . i say not that all ceremonies are dead ; but the law of ceremonies , and of iewish . it is a sound distinction of them , that profound peter martyr hath in his epistle , to that worthy martyr , father , bishop hooper : some are typicall , fore-signifying christ to come : some , of order and decencie . those are abrogated , not these : the iewes had a fashion of prophesying in the churches ; so the christians from them , as ambrose : the iewes had an eminent pulpit of wood ; so wee : they gaue names at their circumcision ; so wee at baptisme : they sung psalmes melodiously in churches , so doe wee , they paide and receiued tithes , so do we , they wrapt their dead in linnen , with odors ; so we ; the iewes had sureties at their admission into the church ; so we : these instances might be infinite : the spouse of christ cannot be without her laces , and chaines , and borders . christ came not to dissolue order . but thou lorde , how long ? how long shall thy poore church find her ornamentes , her sorrows ? and see the deare sonnes of her wombe , bleeding about these apples of strife , let me so name them not for their value ( euē small things , when they are commaunded , looke for no small respect ) but for their euent : the enemy is at the gates of our syracuse ; how long will wee suffer our selues , taken vp with angles and circles in the dust : yee men brethren , & fathers , helpe ; for gods sake put to your hands , to the quenching of this common flame ▪ the one side by humility & obedience ; the other , by compassion ; both by prayers and teares : who am i , that i should reuiue to you the sweete spirit of that diuine augustine , who when he heard and saw the bitter contentions betwixt two graue & famous diuines , jerome and ruffine ; heu mihi , saith he , qui vos ali cubi simul inuenire non possum , alas that i should neuer find you two together , how i would fall at your feete , how i would embrace them and weepe vpon them , and beseech you , eyther of you for other , and each for himselfe , both of you for the church of god , but especially , for the weake , for whome christ died , who not without their owne great danger , see you two fighting in this theater of the world . yet let me do what he said hee would doe ; begge for peace , as for life : by your filiall piety to the church of god , whose ruines follow vpon our diuisions ; by your loue of gods truth ; by the graces of that one blessed spirite , whereby we are all enformed and quickened , by the pretious bloud of that sonne of god , which this day , and this howre , was shed for our redemption , bee enclined to peace & loue , & though our brains bee different , yet let our hearts bee one . it was , as i heard , the dying speech of our late reuerend , worthy and gracious diocesan ; modo me moriente viuat ac floreat ecclesia ; oh , yet if , when i am dead , the church may liue and flourish . what a spirit was here ? what a speech ? how worthy neuer to die ? how worthy of a soule so neere to his heauen ? how worthie of so happie a succession ? yee whome god hath made inheritors of this blessed care , who do no lesse long for the prosperity of siō , liue you to effect , what he did but liue to wish ; all peace with our selues , and warre with none but rome and hell. and if there bee any weyward seperatist , whose soule professeth to hate peace ; i feare to tell him pauls message , yet i must : would to god those were cut off that trouble you . how cut off ? as good theodosius saide to demophilus , a contentious prelate ; si tu pacem fugis , &c. if thou flie peace , i will make thee flie the church . alas , they doe flie it : that which should be their punishment , they make their contentment , how are they worthy of pitty ? as optatus of his donatists ; they are brethren , might be companions , and will not . oh wilfull men ; whither do they runne ? from one christ to another ? is christ diuided ? wee haue him , thanks be to our good god , and we heare him dayly ; and whither shall wee goe from thee ? thou hast the wordes of eternall life . thus the ceremonies are finished , : now heare the end of his sufferings , with like patience and deuotion : his death is here included ; it was so neare , that he spake of it as done ; and when it was done , all was done . how easie is it to lose our selues in this discourse : how hard , not to be ouerwhelmed with matter of wonder ; and to find eyther beginning or end : his sufferings found an end , our thoughts cannot . lo , with this word , hee is happily waded out of those deepes of sorrowes , whereof our conceites can finde no bottome : yet let vs with peter , gird our coat , and cast our selues a little into this sea . all his life was but a perpetuall passion : in that hee became man , hee suffered more then wee can doe , eyther while wee are men , or when we cease to be men ; hee humbled , yea , he emptied himselfe . wee , when wee cease to bee here , are cloathed vpon . . cor. . wee both winne by our being , and gaine by our losse ; hee lost , by taking our more or lesse to himselfe , that is , manhood . for , though euer as god , j and my father are one : yet as man , my father is greater then i. that man should bee turned into a beast , into a worme , into dust , into nothing ; is not so great a disparagement , as that god should become man : and yet it is not finished ; it is but begunne . but what man ? if , as the absolute monarch of the worlde , hee had commaunded the vassalage of all emperours and princes , and had trod on nothing but crowns and scepters , and the necks of kinges , and bidden all the potentates of the earth to attend his traine ; this had carried some port with it ; sutable to the heroicall maiesty of gods sonne . no such matter , here is neither forme nor beautie ; vnlesse perhappes ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the forme of a seruant : you haue made me to serue , with your sinnes . behold , he is a man to god ; a seruant to man ; and , be it spoken with holy reuerence , a drudge to his seruantes . hee is despised and reiected of men ; yea ( as himselfe , of himselfe ) a worme , and no man , the shame of men , and contempt of the people . who is the king of glory ? the lord of hoastes , he is the king of glory . set these two together ; the king of glory ; the shame of men : the more honour , the more abasement . looke backe to his cradle , there you find him re●ected of the bethlemites ; borne and laid , alas , how homely , how vnworthily ; sought for by herod , exiled to aegypt , obscurely brought vppe in the cottage of a poore foster-father , transported and tempted by sathan , derided of his kindred , blasphemously traduced by the iewes , pinched with hunger , restlesse , harbourlesse , sorrowfull , persecuted by the elders , and pharisies , solde by his owne seruant , apprehended , arraigned , scourged , condemned , and yet it is not finished . let vs , with that disciple , follow him a far off ; and passing ouer all his contemptuous vsage in the way , see him brought to his crosse . still the further wee looke , the more wonder : euery thing addes to this ignominie of suffering , & triumph of ouercomming : where was it ? not in a corner , as paul saith to festus , but in ierusalem , the eye , the heart of the world . obscurity abateth shame : publique notice heightens it : before all israel and before this sunne , saith god to dauid , when he would throughly shame him : in ierusalem , which he had honoured with his presence ; taught with his preachings , astonisht with his miracles , bewailed with his teares ; o ierusalem , ierusalem , how oft would i , and thou wouldest not : o yet , if in this thy day . cruelty and vnkindnesse , after good desert , afflict so much more , as our merite hath beene greater . where abouts ? without the gates : in caluary , among the stinking bones of execrable malefactors . before , the glory of the place , bred shame , now the vilenesse of it . when ? but in the passeouer ; a time of greatest frequence , and concourse of all iewes and proselites : an holy time , when they should receiue the figure , they reiect the substance : when they should kill and eate the sacramentall lambe , in faith , in thankefulnesse , they kill the lambe of god , our true passeouer , in cruelty and contempt . with whome ? the quality of our company , either increases or lessens shame . in the midst of thieues ( saith one ) as the prince of thieues : there was no guile in his mouth , much lesse in his handes : yet beholde hee that thought it no robbery to be equal with god , is made equall to robbers and murderers ; yea superiour in euil . what suffered hee ? as all liues are not alike pleasant , so all deathes are not equally fearefull ▪ there is not more difference betwixt some life and death , then betwixt one death and another . see the apostles gradation ? hee was made obedient to the death , euen the death of the crosse . the crosse , a lingring , tormenting , ignominious death . the iewes had foure kinds of death for malefactors ; the towell , the sword , fire , stones ; each of these aboue other in extremity . strangling with the towel , they accounted easiest ▪ the sword worse then the towell ; the fire worse then the sword : stoning worse then the fire , but this romaine death was worst of all . cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree . yet ( as ierome well ) hee is not therefore accursed , because hee hangeth ; but therefore he hangeth , because he is accursed . hee was made ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) a curse for vs. the curse was more then the shame : yet the shame is vnspeakable ; and yet not more then the paine . yet all that die the same death , are not equally miserable : the very thieues fared better in their death then he . i heare of no irrision , no inscription , no taunts , no insultation on them : they had nothing but paine to incounter , he paine and scorne . an ingenuous and noble nature , can worse brooke this then the other ; any thing rather then disdainfulnesse and derision : especially , from a base enemy . i remember , that learned father beginnes israels affliction , with ismaels persecuting laughter . the iewes , the souldiers , yea , the very thieues flouted him , and triumpht ouer his miserie ; his bloud cannot satisfie them , without his reproach . which of his senses now was not a window to let in sorrow ? his eyes saw the teares of his mother , and friends , the vnthankfull demeanure of mankinde , the cruell despight of his enemies , his eares heard the reuilings and blasphemies of the multitude ; and ( whether the place were noysome to his sent ) his touch felt the nayles , his tast the gall . looke vp o all ye beholders , looke vpon this pretious body , and see what part ye can find free ? that head which is adored and trembled at by the angelicall spirits , is all raked and harrowed with thorns : that face , of whome is said ; thou art fairer then the children of men , is all besmeared with the filthy spet●le of the iewes , and furrowed with his teares ; those eyes , clearer then the sunne , are darkened with the shadow of death ; those eares that heare the heauenly consorts of angels , now are filled with the cursed speakings & scoffes of wretched men : those lips that spake as neuer man spake , that commaund the spirits both of light and darkenesse , are scornfully wet with vinegar and gall : those feet that trample on all the powers of hell ( his enemies are made his footstoole ) are now nayled to the footstoole of the crosse : those hands that freelie sway the scepter of the heauens , now carry the reede of reproach , & are nayled to the tree of reproch : that whole body , which was conceiued by the holy ghost , was all scourged , wounded , mangled : this is the outside of his sufferings . was his heart free ? oh no , the inner part or soule of this paine , which was vnseene , is as farre beyond these outward and sensible , as the soule is beyond the body ; gods wrath beyond the malice of men : these were but loue-tricks to what his soule endured . o all yee that passe by the way , behold and see , if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow : alas , lord , what can we see of thy sorrows ? we cannot conceiue so much as the hainousnes and desert of one of those sinnes , which thou barest : wee can no more see thy paine , then we could vndergoe it ; onely this wee see , that what the infinite sins , of almost infinite men , committed against an infinite maiesty , deserued in infinite continuance ; all this thou in the short time of thy passion hast sustained . we may behold and see ; but all the glorious spirites in heauen , cannot looke into the depth of this suffering . doe but looke yet a little into the passions of this his passion : for , by the maner of his sufferings , we shall best see , what he suffered . wise and resolute men do not complaine of a little ; holy martyrs haue beene racked , and would not bee loosed ; what shall we say , if the author of their strength , god & man , bewray passions ? what would not haue ouerwhelmed men , would not haue made him shrinke ; and what made him complaine , could neuer haue beene sustained by men ▪ vvhat shall we then thinke , if he were affrighted with terrors , perplexed with sorrowes , and distracted with both these ? and lo , he was all these : for , first , here was an amazed feare ; for millions of men to dispaire , was not so much as for him to feare : and yet it was no sleight feare : he beganne ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to be astonished with terrour . which in the dayes of his flesh , offered vp prayers and supplications , with strong cries and teares , to him that was able to helpe him , and was heard in that hee feared . neuer man was so afraide of the torments of hell , as christ ( standing in our roome ) of his fathers wrath . feare is still sutable to apprehension . neuer man could so perfectly apprehend this cause of feare ; hee felt the chastisements of our peace , yea , the curse of our sins ; and therefore might well say with dauid ; i suffer thy terrours with a troubled mind ; yea , with iob , the arrows of god are in mee , and the terrors of god fight against mee . vvith feare , there was a deiecting sorow ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) my soule is on all sides heauy to the death : his strong cries ; his many teares are witnesses of this passion : hee had formerly shed teares of pity , and teares of loue , but now of anguish : he had before sent foorth cries of mercy ; neuer of complaint til now : when the son of god weeps and cries , what shall we say or thinke ? yet further , betwixt both these and his loue , what a conflict was there ? it is not amisse distinguished , that he was alwayes in agone ; but now in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a strugling passion of mixed griefe . behold , this field was not without sweate and bloud ; yea a sweate of bloud . oh what man or angell can conceiue the taking of that heart , that without all outward violence , meerely , out of the extremity of his owne passion , bled ( thorough the flesh and skinne ) not some faint dew , but solid droppes of bloud ? no thornes , no nailes , fetcht bloud from him , with so much paine as his own thoughts : he saw the fierce wrath of his father , and therefore feared : he saw the heauy burden of our sinnes to bee vndertaken ; and thereupon , besides feare , iustly grieued ; hee saw the necessity of our eternall damnation , if hee suffered not : if he did suffer , of our redemption , and therefore his loue incountered both griefe and feare . in it selfe , hee would not drinke of that cuppe : in respect of our good , and his decree , he would and did ; and while he thus striueth , hee sweates and bleedes . there was neuer such a combat , neuer such a bloudshed , and yet it is not finished ; i dare not say with some schoole-men , that the sorrow of his passion , was not so great as the sorrow of his compassion : yet that was surely exceeding great . to see the vngratious carelesnesse of mankind , the slender fruit of his sufferings , the sorrowes of his mother , disciples , friends ; to foresee from the watch-tower of his crosse , the future temptations of his children , desolations of his church ; all these must needs strike deepe into a tender heart . these hee still sees and pitties , but without passion ; then he suffered in seeing them . can we yet say any more ? loe , al these sufferings are aggrauated by his fulnes of knowledge , and want of comfort ▪ for , he did not shut his eyes , as one saith , when he drunke this cuppe : he saw how dreggish , and knew how bitter it was . sodaine euils afflict , if not lesse , shorter . he foresaw , and foresaid euery particular he should suffer : so long as he foresaw , he suffered : the expectation of euill , is not lesse then the sense : to looke long for good , is a punishment ; but for euill is a torment . no passion works vpon an vnknown obiect : as no loue , so no feare is of what we know not . hence men feare not hell , because they foresee it not : if we could see that pit opē before we come at it , it would make vs tremble at our sins , and our knees to knocke together , as baltazars , and perhaps , without faith , to run mad at the horror of iudgement . he saw the burden of all particular sinnes to be laid vpon him ; euery dramme of his fathers wrath , was measured out to him , ere he toucht this potion ; this cup was full , and hee knew that it must bee wringd , not a drop left : it must bee finished . oh yet , if as he foresaw all his sorrows , so he could haue seene some mixture of refreshing . but i found none to comfort me , no , none to pitie me . and yet it is a poore comfort that arises from pitty . euen so , o lord , thou treadest this wine-presse alone , none to accompany , none to assist thee . i remember , ruffinus in his ecclesiasticall storie reports , that one theodorus a martyr , tolde him , that when he was hanging ten howres vpon the racke for religion , vnder iulians persecution , his ioyntes distended and distorted , his body exquisitely tortured with change of executioners ; so as neuer age ( sayth hee ) could remember the like : hee felt no paine at all , but continued indeede , all the while in the sight of all men , singing and smiling ▪ for there stood a comely young man by him on his libbet ( an angell rather , in forme of a man ) which with a clean towell , still wipt off his sweat , and powred coole water vpon his racked limbs ▪ wherewith he was so refreshed , that it grieued him to bee let downe . euen the greatest torments are easie , when they haue answerable comforts : but a wounded and comfortlesse spirit , who can beare ? if yet but the same messenger of god , might haue attended his crosse , that appeared in his agony ; and might haue giuen ease to their lord , as hee did to his seruant . and yet , what can the angels helpe , where god will smite ? against the violence of men , against the fury of sathan , they haue preuailed in the cause of god , for men : they dare not , they cannot comfort , where god will afflict . vvhen our sauiour had bin wrestling with sathan in the end of his lent , then they appeared to him , and serued ; but now , while about the same time ; he is wrestling with the wrath of his father for vs , not an angell dare bee seene , to looke out of the windowes of heauen to relieue him ; for men , much lesse could they , if they would ; but what did they ? miserable comforters are yee all : the souldiers , they stript him , scorned him with his purple , crowne , reede , spat on him , smote him ; the passengers , they reui●ed him , and insulting , wagging their heads and hands at him ; hey , thou that destroyest the temple , come downe , &c the elders and scribes ; alas , they haue bought his bloud , suborned witnesses , incensed pilate preferred barabbas , vndertooke the guilte of his death , cryed out , crucifie , crucifie : ho , thou that sauedst others . his disciples , alas : they forsooke him , one of them forsweares him ; another runs away naked , rather then hee will stay and confesse him . his mother and other friendes : they looke on indeed , and sorrow with him ; but to his discomfort . where the griefe is extreame , and respectes neere , partnership doth but increase sorrow . paul chides this loue : what doe you weeping and breaking my heart ? the teares of those we loue , doe eyther slacken out hearts , or wound them . who then shall comfort him ? himselfe ? sometimes our owne thoughts find a way to succour vs , vnknowne to others : no , not himselfe . doubtles ( as aquinas ) the influence of the higher part of the soule , was restrained from the aid of the inferiour : my soule is filled with euils . psalm . . . who then ? his father ? here , here ; was his hope : if the lord had not holpen me , my soule had almost dwelt in silence : i and my father are one . but now ( alas , ) he , euen he , deliuers him into the hands of his enemies ; when he hath done , turnes his backe vpon him as a stranger ; yea ; he woundeth him as an enemy . the lord would breake him . esay , . . yet any thing is light to the soule , whiles the comfortes of god sustaine it : who can dismay , where god will relieue ? but here , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken mee ? vvhat a word was here , to come from the mouth of the sonne of god ? my disciples are men , weake and fearefull ; no maruell , if they forsake mee . the iewes are themselues , cruell and obstinate . men are men , gracelesse , and vnthankefull . diuels are according to their nature , spightfull and malitious . all these doe but their kind ; and let them doe it : but thou , o father , thou that hast said ; this is my welbeloued sonne , in whome i am well pleased : thou of whome i haue said , it is my father that glorifies mee , what ? forsaken me ? not onely brought me to this shame , smitten me , vnregarded me ; but , as it were , forgotten , yea , forsaken me ? what , euen me , my father ? how many of thy constant seruants haue suffered heauie things : yet in the multitudes of the sorrowes of their hearts , thy presence and comforts haue refreshed their souls . hast thou relieued them , and doest thou forsake me ? mee , thine onely , deare , naturall , eternall sonne . o yee heauens and earth , how could you stand , whiles the maker of you thus complained . yee stoode ; but partaking after a sort of his passion : the earth trembled and shooke , her rockes tore , her graues opened , the heauens withdrew their light , as not daring to behold this sad and fearefull spectacle . oh deare christians , how should these earthen and rocky hearts of ours shake , and rend in peeces at this meditation ? how should our faces be couered with darkenesse , and our ioy be turned into heauinesse ? all these voyces and teares , and sweats , & pangs are for vs , yea , from vs. shall the sonne of god thus smart for our sinnes , yea with our sinnes and shall not we grieue for our owne ? shall hee weepe to vs in this market place , and shall not we mourne ? nay , shall ●e sweat and bleed for vs , and shall not we weepe for our selues ? shall he thus lamentably shrieke out , vnder his fathers wrath , and shall not wee tremble ? shall the heauens and earth suffer with him , and we suffer nothing ? i call you not to a weake & idle pitty of our glorious sauiour : to what purpose ? his iniurie was our glory . no , no ; yee daughters of ierusalem , weepe not for me ; but weepe for your selues : for our sins , that haue done this ; not for his sorrow that suffered it : not for his pangs , that were ; but for our own , that should haue been , and ( if wee repent not ) shall be . oh how grieuous , how deadly are our sinnes , that cost the sonne of god ( besides blood ) so much torment ? how farre are our soules gone , that could not be ransomed with any easier price ? that that tooke so much of this infinite redeemer of men , god and man , how can it chuse but swallow vp and confound thy soule , which is but finite and sinfull ? if thy soule had been in his soules stead , what had become of it ? it shall be , if his were not in steade of thine . this weight that lies thus heauy on the son of god , and wrung from him these teares , sweat , bloud , and these vnconceiueable grones of his afflicted spirit , how should it chuse but presse downe thy soule to the bottome of hell ? & so it will doe , if he haue not suffered it for thee , thou must and shalt suffer it for thy selfe . goe now thou lewde man , and make thy selfe merry with thy sins ; laugh at the vncleanenesses , or bloodinesse of thy youth : thou little knowest the price of a sinne : thy soule shall do , thy sauiour did , when he cryed out , to the amazement of angels , & horror of men ; my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? but now no more of this ; it is finished : the greater conflict , the more happy victory . well doth he find and feele of his father , what his type said before , he will not chide alwayes , nor keepe his anger for euer . it is fearefull ; but in him , short : eternal to sinners ; short to his sonne , in whome the godhead dwelt bodily . behold ; this storme , wherewith all the powers of the world were shaken , is now ouer . the elders , pharisies , iudas , the soldiers , priests , witnesses , iudges , thieues , executioners , diuels , haue all tired them selues in vaine , with their owne malice ; and he triumphs ouer them all , vpon the throne of his crosse : his enemies are vanquisht , his father satisfied , his soule with this word at rest and glory ; it is finished . now there is no more betraying , agonies , araignements , scourgings , scoffing , crucifying , conflicts , terrors ; all is finished . alas beloued , and will we not yet let the sonne of god be at rest ? do we now againe goe about to fetch him out of his glory , to scorne and crucifie him ? i feare to say it : gods spirit dare and doth ; they crucifie againe to themselues the sonne of god , and make a mocke of him . to themselues , not in himselfe : that they cannot , it is no thanke to them ; they would doe it . see and consider , the notoriously-sinfull conuersations of those , that should be christians , offer violence vnto our glorified sauiour , they stretch their hands to heauen , and pull him downe from his throne , to his crosse : they teare him with thornes , pearce him with nayles , load him with reproches . thou hatest the iewes , spittest at the name of iudas , railest on pilate , condemnest the cruel butchers of christ ; yet , thou canst blaspheme , and sweare him quite ouer , curse , swagger , lie , oppresse , boile with lust , scoffe , riot , and liuest like a debauched man ; yea , like an humaine beast ; yea , like an vncleane diuell . cry hosanna as long as thou wilt ; thou art a pilate , a iew , a iudas , an executioner of the lord of life ; and so much greater shall thy iudgement be , by how much thy light and his glory , is more . oh , beloued , is it not enough that he died once for vs ? vvere those paines so light , that wee should euery day redouble them ? is this the entertainment that so gracious a sauiour hath deserued of vs by dying ? is this the recompence of that infinite loue of his , that thou shouldest thus cruelly vexe and wound him with thy sinnes ? euery of our sinnes is a thorne ; and nayle , and speare to him : while thou pourest down thy drunken carowses , thou giuest thy sauiour a potion of gall ; while thou despisest his poore seruants , thou spittest on his face , while thou puttest on thy proud dresses , and liftest vp thy vaine heart with high conceites , thou s●ttest a crowne of thornes on his heade : while thou wringest and oppressest his poore children , thou whippest him , and drawest bloud of his hands & feet . thou hypocrite , how darest thou offer to receiue the sacrament of god , with that hand , which is thus imbrued with the bloud of him whome thou receiuest ? in euery ordinary , thy prophane tong walkes , in the disgrace of the religious and conscionable . thou makest no scruple of thine owne sins , and scornest those that doe : not to be wicked , is crime enough : heare him that saith , saul , saul why persecutest thou me ? saul strikes at damascus : christ suffers in heauen . thou strikest ; christ iesus smarteth , and will reuenge . these are the ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) afterings of christs sufferings : in himselfe it is finished ; in his members it is not , till the world be finished . we must toile , & grone , and bleed ; that we may raigne ; if he had not done so , jt had not beene finished . this is our warfare ; this is the region of our sorow and death . now are we set vpon the sandie pauement of our theater , and are matched with all sortes of euills ; euill men , euill spirits , euill accidents ; and ( which are worst ) our owne euill heartes ; tentations , crosses , persecutions , siknesses , wants , infamies , death ; all these must in our courses , be incountered by the law of our profession . what should we doe but striue & suffer , as our generall hath done ; that we may raigne as he doth , and once triumph in our consummatum est ? god and his angells sit vpon the scaffolds of heauen , and behold vs : our crowne is ready ; our day of deliuerance shall come ; yea , our redemption is neare : when all teares shall be wipt from our eyes ; and we that haue sowne in teares , shall reape in ioy . in the mean time , let vs possesse our soules , not in patience onely , but in comfort : let vs adore and magnifie our sauiour in his sufferings , and imitate him in our owne : our sorrowes shall haue an end ; our ioyes shall not : our paines shall soone bee finished ; our glory shall bee finished , but neuer ended . thus his sufferinges are finished ; now together with them , mans saluation . who knowes not , that man had made himselfe a deepe debter , a bankrupt , an out-law to god ? our sinnes are our debts , & by sinnes , death . now , in this word and act , our sinnes are discharged , death endured , & therefore we cleared : the debt is paid , the score is crossed , the creditor satisfied , the debters acquitted , and since there was no other quarrell saued : we are all sicke and that mortally : sinne is the disease of the soule : quot vitia , ●●t febres , saith chrysostome ; so many sinnes , so many feauers , and those pestilent . what wonder is it , that wee haue so much plague , while wee haue so much sinne ? our sauiour is the physitian ? the whole need not the physitian , but the sicke : wherein ? hee healeth all our infirmities : he healeth them after a miraculous manner ; not by giuing vs receites , but by taking our receites for vs. a wonderfull physition ; a wonder full course of cure one while he would cure vs by abstinence ; our superfluity , by his forty dayes emptinesse ▪ according to that old rule ; hunger cures the diseases of gluttony . another while , by exercise : hee went vpp ▪ and downe from citie to citie , and in the day was preaching in the temple , in the night , praying in the mount. then , by dyet ; take , eate , this is my body : and , let this cuppe passe . after that yet , by sweat ; such a sweate as neuer was ; a bloudy one : yet more by incision ; they pearced his hands , feet , side : and yet againe by potion ; a bitter potion of vineger and gall . and lastly , which is both the strangest , and strongest receit of all , by dying : which dyed for vs ; that whether we wake or sleepe , wee should liue together with him . we need no more , we can go no further ; there can bee no more physicke of this kind ▪ there are cordials after these , of his resurrection and ascension ; no more penall receites . by this bloud we haue redemption , ephes , . . iustification , rom. . . reconciliation , colos . . sanctification , . pet. . . entrance into glory , heb. . . is it not now finished ? woe were vs , if hee had left but one mite of satisfaction vpon our score , to be discharged by our soules : and woe bee to them that derogate from christ , that they may charge themselues ; that botch vp these al-sufficiently meritorious sufferinges of christ , as imperfect with the superfluities of flesh and bloud . maledictus homo , qui spem ponit in homine . we may not with patience see christ wrongde by his false friendes : as that heroical luther said in the like ; cursed be the silence that here forbeareth . to be short , here be two iniuries intollerable ; both giue christ the lie vpon his crosse : it is finished . no , somewhat remaines : the fault is discharged , not the punishment . of punishments , the eternall is quit , not the temporall . it is finished by christ : no , there wants yet much ; the satisfactions of saints applyed by his vicar ; adde mens sufferings to christs , then the treasure is full ; till then , it is not finished . two qualities striue for the first place in these two opinions ; impietie and absurdity ; i know not whither to prefer . for impietie ; here is god taxed of iniustice , vnmercifulnesse , insufficiencie , falshood . of iniustice , that he forgiues a sinne , and yet punishes for that which he hath forgiuen : vnmercifulnesse , that hee forgiues not while he forgiues , but dooth it by halfes ; insufficiencie , that his raunsome must bee supplyed by men : falshood , in that hee sayth , it is finished , when it is not . for absurdity , how grosse and monstrous are these positions ? that at once the same sinne should bee remitted and retained ; that there should bee a punishment , where there is no fault : that , what could strike off our eternall punishment , did not wipe off the temporall ; that hee which paid our pounds , sticks at our farthings , that god will retain what man may discharge , that it is , and is not finished . if there bee any opinions , whose mention confutes them , these are they . none can be more vaine , none had more neede of soliditie : for , this proppe beares vppe alone , the weight of all those millions of indulgences , which rome creates and selles to the worlde . that strumpet would well neere goe naked , if this were not . these spirituall treasures , fetch in the temporall : which yet our reuerend and learned fulke , iustly cals a most blasphemous & beggerly principle : it bringes in whole chests , yea mines of gold , like the popes indies : and hath not so much as a ragge of proofe to couer it , whether of antiquity , of reason , of scripture . not of antiquity , for , these iubilie proclamations beganne but about three hundred yeares agoe . not of reason , how should one meere man pay for another , dispense with another , to another , by another ? not of scripture , which hath flatly said , the bloud of iesus christ his sonne , purgeth vs from all sinne : and yet i remember , that acute sadeel hath taught mee , that this practise is according to scripture : what scripture ? hee cast the money-changers out of the temple , and said ; yee haue made my house a denne of thieues . vvhich also joachim , their propheticall abbot , well applies to this purpose . some modest doctors of louan , would faine haue minced this antichristian blasphemie ; who beganne to teach , that the passions of the saints are not so by indulgences applyed , that they become true satisfactions ; but that they onely serue to moue god , by the sight of them , to apply vnto vs christes satisfaction . but these meal-mouthed diuines , were soon charmed ; foure seuerall popes ( as their cardinall confesseth ) fell vpon the necke of them , and their opinion ; leo the tenth , pius the fift , gregorie the thirteenth , and clemens the sixt : and with their furious bulles , bellow out threates against them , and tosse them in the ayre for hereticks , and teach them , vpon paine of a curse , to speake home with bellarmine , passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta : and straight , applicari nobis sanctorum passiones ad redimendas poenas , quas pro peccatis deo de bemus : that by the sufferinges of saintes , our sinnes are expiated ; and that , by them applyed ; wee are redeemed from those punishmentes , which wee yet owe to god. blasphemy , worthy the tearing of garments : how is it finished by christ , if men must supply ? oh blessed sauiour , was euery drop of thy bloud enough to redeeme a world , and doe we yet need the helpe of men ? how art thou a perfect sauiour , if our brethren also must be our redeemers ? oh ye blessed saints , how would you abhorre this sacrilegious glory ? and with those holie apostles , yea , that glorious angell , say , vide ne feceris ; and with those wise virgins : lest there will not bee enough for vs , and you , goe to them that sell , and buy for your selues . for vs , we enuie not their multitude ; let them haue as many sauiours as saintes , and as many saintes as men : wee know with ambrose , christi passio adiutore non eguit ; christs passion needes no helper : and therefore , with that worthy martyr , dare say , none but christ , none but christ . let our soules die , if he cannot saue them ; let them not feare their death or torment ; if he haue finished . heare this , thou languishing and afflicted soule : there is not one of thy sinnes , but it is paid for ; not one of thy debtes in the s●roll of god , but it is crossed ; not one farthing of all thine infinite ransome is vnpaide . alas , thy prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them ; yea , the confidence of prosperity : thou sayest , god is mercifull , thy sauiour bounteous , his passion absolute : all these , and yet thou mayest bee condemned . mercifull , not vniust ; bountifull , not lauish ; absolutely sufficient for all , not effectuall to all . whatsoeuer god is , what art thou ? here is the doubt : thou sayest well ; christ is the good shepheard . wherein ? hee giues his life , but for whome ? for his sheepe . what is this to thee ? ? while thou art secure , prophane , impenitent , thou art a vvolfe , or a goate : my sheepe heare my voyce : what is his voyce , but his preceptes ? where is thine obedience to his commandements ? if thou wilt not heare his law , neuer hearken to his gospel : here is no more mercy for thee , then if there were no sauiour . he hath finished , for those in whome hee hath begunne . if thou haue no beginnings of grace as yet , hope not for euer finishing of saluation ; come to me all yee that are heauie laden , saith christ : thou shalt get nothing , if thou come when he calls thee not . thou art not called , and canst not be refreshed , vnlesse thou be laden , not with sin ( this alone keepes thee away from god ) but with conscience of sinne : a broken and a contrite heart , o god , thou wilt not despise . is thy heart wounded with thy sin ? doth griefe & hatred striue within thee , whether shal be more ? are the desires of thy soule with god ? doest thou long for holines , complaine of thy imperfections , struggle against thy corruptions ? thou art the man , feare not , it is finished . that law which thou wouldest haue kept and couldest not ; thy sauiour could , and did keepe for thee , that saluation which thou couldest neuer worke out alone ( alas poor impotent creatures , what can we doe towardes heauen without him , which cannot moue on earth but in him : ) hee alone for thee hath finished . looke vp therefore boldly to the throne of god , and , vpon the truth of thy repentance and faith , know , that there is no quarrell against thee in heauen , nothing but peace and ioy : all is finished : he would be spitted on , that hee might wash thee , hee would bee couered with scornefull robes , that thy sinnes might be couered : he would be whipped , that thy soule might not be scourged eternally : he would thirst , that thy soule might be satisfied : he would beare all his fathers wrath , that thou mightest beare none ; hee would yeelde to death , that thou mightest neuer taste of it : he would be in sense for a time as forsaken of his father , that thou mightest be receiued for euer . now bid thy soule returne to her rest , and enioyne it dauids taske . prayse the lord , o my soule ; and , what shall i render to the lord for all his benefites ? i will take the cup of saluation , and call vpon the name of the lord. and , as rauisht from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy , call all the other creatures to the fellowshippe of this ioy , with that diuine esay : reioyce , o yee heauens , for the lord hath done it , showte yee lower partes of the earth , burst forth into prayses yee mountaines . for , the lord hath redeemed iacob , and will be glorified in israel . and euen now , beginne that heauenlie song , which shall neuer end with those glorified saints ; prayse and honour ; and glory , and power , be to him that sitteth vpon the throne , and to the lambe for euermore . thus , our speech of christes last wordes is finished . his last act accompanied his wordes ; our speech must follow it : let it not want your deuout & carefull attention ; hee bowed and gaue vp the ghost . the crosse was a slow death , & had more paine then speed ; whence a second violence must dispatch the crucified ; their bones must be broken , that their hearts might breake . our sauiour stayes not deaths leysure , but willingly and couragiously meetes him in the way , and like a champion that scornes to be ouercome , yea , knowes he cannot be , yeeldeth in the middest of his strength , that hee might by dying , vanquish death . hee bowed and gaue vp : not bowing , because hee had giuen vp , but because hee would . hee cried with a lowde voyce , saith matthew . nature was strong , hee might haue liued ; but hee gaue vp the ghost , and would die , to shew him selfe lord of life and death . oh wondrous example , hee that gaue life to his enemies , gaue vpp his owne : hee giues them to liue , that persecute and hate him ; and himselfe will die the whiles , for those that hate him . hee bowed and gaue vp : not they ; they might crowne his head , they could not bow it : they might vexe his spirite ; not take it away : they could not doe that without leaue ; this they could not doe , because they had no leaue . hee alone would bow his head , and giue vp his ghost : i haue power to lay downe my life : man gaue him not his life ; man could not bereaue it . no man takes it from me . alas , who could ? the high-priestes forces , when they came against him armed ; he said but , i am he , they flee and fall backward . how easie a breath disperst his enemies ? whom he might as easily haue bidden the earth , yea , hell to swallow , or fire from heauen to deuoure . who commaunded the diuels and they obeyed : could not haue beene attached by men : he must giue not onely leaue , but power to apprehend himselfe , else they had not liu'd to take him : hee is laide holde of ; peter fights : put vp saith christ , thinkest thou that i cannot pray to my father , and hee will giue mee more then . legions of angels ? vvhat an army were here ? more then threescore and twelue thousand angels , and euery angell able to subdue a world of men : hee could , but would not be rescued ; hee is led by his owne power , not by his enemies ; and stands now before pilate , like the scorne of men ; crowned , robbed , scourged , with an ecce homo ; yet thou couldest haue no power against me , vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue . behold , he himselfe must giue pilate power against himselfe , else hee could not be condemned : he will be condemned , lifted vp , nailed ; yet no death without himselfe . hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne . esay , . . no action , that sauours of constraint , can be meritorious , hee would deserue , therefore he would suffer and die . hee bowed his head , and gaue vp the ghost , o gracious and bountifull sauiour , hee might haue kept his soule within his teeth , in spight of all the world , the weakenesse of god is stronger then men : and if he had but spoken the word , the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him : but he would not . behold , when hee saw that impotent man could not take away his soule , he gaue it vp , and would die , that we might liue . see here a sauiour , that can contemne his own life for ours : & cares not to be dissolued in himselfe , that we might be vnited to his father . skinne for skinne , saith the diuell , and all that hee hath , a man will giue for his life . loe here to proue sathan a lyer , skin and life and all , hath christ iesus giuen for vs. we are besotted with the earth , and make base shifts to liue ; one with a maimed bodie , another with a periured soule , a third with a rotten name : and how many had rather neglect their soule , then their life , and will rather renounce and curse god , then die ? it is a shame to tell ; many of vs christians dote vpon life , and tremble at death ; and shew our selues fooles in our excesse of loue , cowards in our feare . peter denies christ thrice , and forsweares him ; marcellinus twice casts graines of incense into the idolles fire ; ecebolius turnes thrice ; spira reuolts and despaires : oh let mee liue , saith the fearefull soule . whither dost thou reserue thy selfe , thou weake and timorous creature ? or what wouldest thou doe with thy selfe ? thou hast not thus learned christ : hee dies voluntarily for thee , thou wilt not bee forced to die for him : hee gaue vp the ghost for thee : thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him , thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe . vvhen i looke backe to the first christians , and compare their zealous contempt of death with our backewardnesse : i am at once amased and ashamed : i see there euen women ( the feebler sexe ) running with their little ones in their armes , for the preferment of martyrdome , and ambitiously striuing for the next blow . i see holy and tender virgins , chusing rather a sore and shamefull death , then honourable espousals . i heare the blessed martyrs , intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying : jgnatius , amongst the rest , fearing least the beastes will not deuoure him : and vowing the first violence to them , that he might bee dispatched . and , what lesse courage was there , in our memorable and glorious forefathers of the last of this age ? and doe wee , their cold and feeble ofspring , looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death ; abhorre the violent , though for christ ? alas , how haue we gathered rust with our long peace ? our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration , from distrust . looke but vp to christ iesus vpon his crosse , and see him bowing his head , and breathing out his soule , and these feares shall vanish : he died , and wouldest thou liue ? he gaue vpp the ghost , and wouldest thou keepe it ? whome wouldest thou follow , if not thy redeemer ? if thou die not , if not willingly , thou goest contrary to him , and shalt neuer meete him . though thou shouldest euery day die a death for him , thou couldest neuer requite his one death , and doest thou sticke at one ? euery word hath his force , both to him & thee : hee died , which is lord of life , and commander of death ; thou art but a tenant of life , a subiect of death ; and yet it was not a dying , but a giuing vp , not of a vanishing & aerie breath , but of a spirituall soule , which after separation , hath an entire life in it selfe . he gaue vpp the ghost : he died , that hath both ouercome and sanctified , and sweetned death . what fearest thou ? hee hath puld out the sting and malignity of death . if thou bee a christian , carry it in thy bosome , it hurts thee not . darest thou not trust thy redeemer ? if hee had not dyed , death had beene a tyrant , now hee is a slaue . o death where is thy sting ? o graue where is thy victory ? yet the spirite of god saith not , he dyed , but gaue vpp the ghost . the verie heathen poet saith : hee durst not say , that a good man dies . it is worth the noting ( mee thinkes ) that when saint luke would describe to vs the death of ananias and sapphira , he sayeth ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) hee expired : but when saint iohn would describe christs death , hee saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee gaue vp the ghost : how ? how gaue hee it vpp , and whither ? so , as after a sort hee retained it : his soule parted from his body ; his godhead was neuer distracted eyther from soule or body : this vnion is not in nature , but in person . if the natures of christ could be diuided , each would haue his subsistence ; so there should be more persons . god forbid , one of the natures therefore may haue a separation in it selfe : the soule from the body : one nature cannot be separate from other , or eyther nature from the person . if you cannot conceiue , wonder : the sonne of god hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanity , without all possibility of diuorce ; the body hangs on the crosse , the soule is yeelded , the godhead is euiternally vnited to them both ; acknowledges , sustaines them both . the soule in his agonie feeles not the presence of the god head ; the body vpon the crosse feeles not the presence of the soule . yet as the fathers of chalcedon say truely , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) indiuisibly , inseparably is the godhead , with both of these , still and euer , one and the same person . the passion of christ ( as augustine ) was the sleepe of his diuinity : so i may say : the death of christ , was the sleepe of his humanity . if hee sleepe , he shall doe well , said that disciple , of lazarus ▪ death was too weake to dissolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction . let not vs christians go too much by sense ; wee may be firmely knit to god , & not feele it : thou canst not hope to be so neare to thy god as christ was , vnited personally : thou canst not feare , that god should seeme more absent from thee , then hee did from his owne sonne ; yet was hee still one with both body and soule , when they were diuided from themselues : whē he was absent to sense ; he was present to faith ; when absent in vision , yet in vnion one , and the same : so will hee be to thy soule , when it is at worst . hee is thine , and thou art his : if thy hold seeme loosened , his is not . when temptations will not let thee see him , hee sees thee , and possesses thee ; only belieue thou against sense , aboue hope ; & though he kill thee , yet trust in him . whither gaue hee it vp ? himselfe expresses ▪ father , into thy handes , and , this day thou shalt bee with mee in paradise . it is iustice to restore whence wee receiue ; into thy hands . he knew where it should be both safe & happie : true ; hee might bee bold ( thou saist ) as the sonne with the father . the seruants haue done so ; dauid before him , steuen after him . and least wee should not thinke it our common right ; father sayth hee , i will that those thou hast giuen me , may be with me , euen where i am : hee willes it , therefore it must bee . it is not presumption , but faith , to charge god with thy spirite ; neither can there euer bee any belieuing soule so meane , that hee should refuse it : all the feare is in thy selfe , how canst thou trust thy iewell with a stranger ? what sodaine familiarity is this ? god hath beene with thee , and gone by thee ; thou hast not saluted him : and now in all the hast , thou bequeathest thy soule to him ▪ on what acquaintance ? how desperate is this carelesnesse . if thou haue but a little money , whither thou keepe it , thou layest it vp in the temple of trust ; or whether thou let it ; thou art sure of good assurance , sound bonds ; if but a litle land ; how carefully dost thou make firme conueyances to thy desired heires ? if goods , thy will hath taken secure order , who shall enioy them ; wee need not teach you citizēs to make sure worke for your estates : if children , thou disposest of them in trades , with portions , onely of thy soule ( which is thy self ) thou knowest not what shall become . the world must haue it no more ; thy selfe wouldst keepe it , but thou knowest thou canst not : sathan would haue it ; and thou knowest not whether hee shall : thou wouldest haue god haue it ; and thou knowest not whether hee will ; yea , thy heart is now ready with pharaoh to say ; who is the lord ? o the fearefull and miserable estate of that man , that must part with his soule , hee knowes not whither : which , if thou wouldest auoide , ( as this very warning shall iudge thee if thou doe not ) be acquainted with god in thy life , that thou mayest make him the gardian of thy soule in thy death . giuen vp it must needs be ; but to him that hath gouerned it : if thou haue giuen it to sathan in thy life ; how canst thou hope god will in thy death entertaine it ? did you not hate mee , and expell me out of my fathers house ; how then come yee to me now in this time of your tribulation , said ieptha , to the men of gilead . no , no , eyther giue vp thy soule to god while hee calls for it in his word , in the prouocations of his loue , in his afflictions , in the holy motions of his spirit to thine : or else when thou wouldest giue it , hee will none of it , but as a iudge to deliuer it to the tormentor . what should god doe with an vncleane , drunken , prophane , proud , couetous soule ? without holinesse , it is no seeing of god : depart from me , yee wicked , i know yee not ; goe to the gods you haue serued . see how god is euen with men : they had in the time of the gospell , saide to the holy one of israel , depart from vs ; now in the time of iudgement , hee sayth to them ; depart from me , they would not know god when they might ; now god will not know them , when they would . now therefore ( beloued ) if thou wouldest not haue god scorne the offer of thy death-bed , fit thy soule for him in thy health ; furnish it with grace , inure it to a sweet conuersation with the god of heauen : then mayest thou boldly giue it vpp , and he shall as graciously receiue it , yea fetch it by his angels to his glory· he gaue vp the ghost . wee must doe as he did : not all with the same successe . giuing vp , supposes a receiuing , a returning . this inmate that wee haue in our bosome , is sent to lodge here for a time ; may not dwell here alwayes . the right of this tenure , is the lords , not ours . as he said of the hatchet : it is but lent , it must be restored : it is ours to keepe , his to dispose and require . see and consider both our priuiledge and charge . it is not with vs as with brute creatures : we haue a liuing ghost to informe vs , which yet is not ours , ( and , alas , what is ours , if our soules bee not ? ) but must be giuen vp , to him that gaue it . vvhy do we liue , as those that tooke no keepe of so glorious a guest ? as those that should neuer part with it , as those that thinke it giuen them to spend , not to returne with a reckoning ? if thou hadst no soule , if a mortall one , if thine owne , if neuer to bee required ; how couldest thou liue but sensually ? oh remember but who thou art , what thou hast , and whether thou must ; and thou shalt liue like thy selfe , while thou art , and giue vpp thy ghost confidently , when thou shalt cease to be . neither is there here more certainety of our departure then comfort ▪ carry this with thee to thy death-bed , and see if it can refresh thee , when all the worlde cannot giue thee one dramme of comfort . our spirit is our dearest riches : if wee should lose it , here were iust cause of griefe . howle and lament , if thou thinkest thy soule perisheth : it is not forfeited , but surrendered . how safely doth our soule passe through the gates of death , without any impeachment , while it is in the hands of the almighty ? woe were vs , if hee did not keepe it while we haue it ; much more when wee restore it . wee giue it vp to the same hands that created , infused , redeemed , renewed , that doe protect ; preserue , establish , and will crowne it : i know whome i haue beleeued , & am perswaded that he is able to keep that , which i haue committed to him against that day . o secure and happy estate of the godly : o blessed exchange of our condition : while our soule dwels in our breast , how is it subiect to infinite miseries ? distempred with passions , charged with sinnes , vexed with tentations ; aboue none of these : how should it bee otherwise ? this is our pilgrimage ; that our home : this our wildernesse , that our land of promise , this our bondage , that our kingdom : our impotency causeth this our sorrow . vvhen our soule is once giuen vpp , what euill shall reach vnto heauen ; and wrestle with the almighty ? our loathnes to giue vpp , comes from our ignorance and infidelity . no man goes vnwillingly to a certain preferment , i desire to bee dissolued , saith paul ; i haue serued thee , i haue beleeued thee , and now j come to thee , saith luther : the voices of saintes , not of men . if thine heart can say thus , thou shalt not need to intreat with old hilarion , egredere mea anima , egredere , quid times ? goe thy wayes forth my soule , go forth , what fearest thou ? but it shall flie vpp alone cherefully from thee ; and giue vp it selfe , into the armes of god , as a faithfull creator , and redeemer . this earth is not the element of thy soule , it is not where it should bee : it shall bee no lesse thine , when it is more the owners . thinke now seriously of this point ; gods angell is abroade , and strikes on all sides ? wee know not which of our turnes shall be the next : we are sure , we carry deaths enough within vs. if we be readie , our day can not come too soone . stir vp thy soule to an heauenly cherefulnesse , like thy sauiour : know but whither thou art going ; & thou canst not but with diuine paul , say from our sauiours mouth , euen in this sense : it is a more blessed thing to giue , then to receiue god cannot abide an vnwilling guest : giue vp that spirit to him , which hee hath giuen thee , and he will both receiue what thou giuest , and giue it thee againe with that glory and happinesse , which can neuer be conceiued , and shall neuer bee ended . euen so lord iesus , come quicklie . gloria in excelsis deo . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sit mors mea in remissio nem omnium iniquitatum mearum . vt vsus rationis tollatur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aug. ad hie. dum volunt & iudaei esse & christiani , nec iudaei sunt , nec christiani . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ex quo apparet , tunc scissum esse , cum christus emisit spiritū . ceremoniae sicut defuncta corpora necessariorū officijs deducenda erant ad sepulturam , non simulatè , sed religiosè , nec deserenda continuò . augustin . ego è contrario loquar , & reclamante mundo liberâ voce pronūciem , ceremonias iudaeorū perniciosas esse , et mortiferas , & quicunque eas obseruauerit , siue ex gentibus , in barathrum diaboli deuolutum . hier. quisquis nunc ea celebrare voluerit , tanquam sopitos cineres eruens , non erit pius , &c. si tu pacem fugis , ego te ab ecclesia fugere mando . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . & in medio la tronum tanquam latronum ●mmanissimus . luther . caput angelicis spiritibus ●●emebundii spinis coronatur , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vt nulla vnquam aetas similem meminerit . ● . thes . , maledictū silentium , quod hic conniuet . negotiatores terrae sunt ipsi sacerdotes , qui vendunt orationes & missas pro denarijs : facientes domum orationis , apothecam negotionis . jn reuel . l. . p. . bellar. l. . de indulgent . reuel . . quod emittitur voluntarium est : quod amittitur necessarium . ambr. quod si venire noluerint , ego vim faciam vt deuorer . si per singulos dies pro eo moreremur , qui nos dilexit , non sic debitum exol●eremus . chrysost . act. . . quantumcunque te deieceris , humilior non eris christo . hieron . vt contra : nullam animam recipio quae me nolente seperatur à corpore . hieron . the best bargaine a sermon preached to the court at theobalds. on sunday, sept. . . by ios. hall d.d. hall, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the best bargaine a sermon preached to the court at theobalds. on sunday, sept. . . by ios. hall d.d. hall, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by i. haviland for nath. butter, london : . reproduction of the original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the best bargaine . a sermon preached to the court at theobalds , on sunday , sept. , . by ios. hall d.d. london , printed by j. haviland for nath. butter . . to the right honorable william earle of pembroke , lord high chamberlaine ; chancellovr of the vniuersitie of oxford ; one of his maiesties most honorable priuy counsell . right honorable , let it please you to receiue from the presse what you vouchsafed to require from my pen : vnworthy i confesse either of the publike light , or the beames of your honours iudicious eies ; yet such as ( besides the motiue of common importunity ) i easily apprehended might be not a little vs full for the times ; which , if euer , require quickning : neither is it to no purpose that the world should see in what stile wee speake to the court , not without acceptation . this , and what euer seruice i may be capable of , are iustly deuoted to your lordship , whom all good hearts follow with true honour , as the great patron of learning , the sincere friend of religion , and rich purchaser of truth . the god of heauen adde to the number of such peeres , and to the measure of your lo : graces and happinesse . your honors in all humble and faithfull obseruance , ios : hall. the best bargaine . prov . . . buy the truth , and sell it not . the subiect of my text is a bargaine , and sale. a bargaine enioyned , a sale forbidden : and the subiect of both bargaine and sale , is truth ; a bargaine able to make vs all rich ; a sale able to make any of vs miserable ; buy the truth , and sell it not ; a sentence of short sound , but large extent ; the words are but seuen syllables , an easie load for our memories , the matter is a world of worke ; a long taske for our liues . and first , let me call you to this mart , which holds both now , and euer ; if ye loue your selues be ye customers at this shop of heauen ; buy the truth . in euery bargaine there is merx , and mercatura ; the commoditie , and the match ; the commoditie to bee bought is the truth ; the match made for this commoditie , is buying , buy the truth . an ill iudge may put a good interrogatorie ; yet it was a question too good for the mouth of a pilate , what is truth ? the schooles haue wearied themselues in the solution ; to what purpose should i reade a metaphysicall lecture to courtiers ? truth is as time , one in all ; yet , as time , though but one , is distinguished into past , present , future , and euery thing hath a time of it owne ; so is truth variously distinguished , according to the subiects wherein it is ; this is anselmes , cited by aquinas ; i had rather say , truth is as light : ( send forth thy truth , and thy light , saith the psalmist ) which ( though but one in all ) yet there is one light of the sunne , another of the moone , another of the starres , another of this lower ayre : there is an essentiall , and causall truth in the diuine vnderstanding , which the schooles call primo-primam ; this will not bee sold , cannot be bought ; god will not part with it , the world is not worth it ; this truth is as the light in the body of the sunne . there is an intrinsecall or formall truth in things truly existing ; for , being and true are conuertible ; and saint austen rightly defines verum est illud quod est ; all this created truth in things , is deriued exemplarily , and causally , from that increated truth of god ; this the schooles call secundo-primam ; and it is as the light of the sun-beames , cast vpon the moone , and starres . there is an extrinsecall , or secondary truth of propositions following vpon , and conformable to the truth of the things expressed : thus , verum is no other than esse declaratiuum , as hilarie ; and this truth , being in the thing it selfe subiectiuely , in words expressiuely , in the minde of man terminatiuely , presupposeth a double conformitie or adequation ; both of the vnderstanding to the matter conceiued ; and of the words to the vnderstanding ; so as truth is when we speake as we thinke , and thinke as it is ; and this truth is as the light diffused from those heauenly bodies , to the region of this lower ayre ; this is the truth we are called to buy : but this deriuatiue and relatiue truth , whether in the minde , or in the mouth , hath much multiplicitie , according to the matter either conceiued , or vttered ; there is a theologicall truth , there is a naturall , there is a morall , there is a ciuill ; all these must bee deare bought ; but the best at the highest rate , which is theologicall , or diuine ; whether in the principles , or necessary conclusions ; the principles of diuine truth are scriptura veritatis , dan. . the law of truth , mal. . the word of truth , . cor. . the necessary conclusions are they , which vpon irrefragable inferences are deduced from those holy grounds : shortly then , euery parcell of diuine truth , whether laid downe in scripture , or drawne necessarily from scripture , is this mercimonium sacrum , which wee are bidden to buy ; buy the truth . this is the commoditie ; the match is , buy ; that is , beat the price , and pay it . buy it ; of whom ? for what ? of whom , but of the owner , of the maker ? the owner ; it is veritas domini , gods truth , psal. . his stile is , the lord god of truth , psal. . the maker ; the workes of his hand are truth , and iudgement , psal. . and if any vsurping spirit of error shall haue made a free-bootie of truth , and shall with-hold it in vnrighteousnesse , we must redeeme it out of his hands with the highest ransome . what is the price ? that is the maine thing in buying ; for , buying is no other than pactio pretij : else-where god proclaimes ; hoe , euery one that thirsteth , come , buy wine and milke without money , and without price , esa. . this is a donation , in forme of sale : but , here must be a price in the hand ; god will giue mercy , and not sell it ; he will sell truth , and not giue it : for what will he sell it ? first , for labour ; the heathen poet could say , his gods sold learning for sweat ; the originall word here vsed is ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) compara ; get it any way , either labore , or precio ; yea labore , vt precio . this great foreman of gods shop tells vs we cannot haue it , vnder . prou. . . we must seeke for her as siluer , and search for her , as for hid treasures ; the veine of truth lies low , it must be digged , and delued for to the very center . if truth could bee bought with ease and pleasure , many a lazie christian would bid faire for it , who now resolue rather vpon want , than toile . the slothfull worldling will rather take vp a falshood for truth , than beat his braine to discerne truth from falshood ; an error of free-cost is better than an high-rated veritie ; labour for truth is turn'd ouer for the taske of church-men ; no life sauours to these flegmaticke spirits , but that of the lillies , neque laborant , neque nent ; they neither labour nor spin ; this dull resolution is vnworthy of a christian , yea of a reasonable soule ; and if we should take vp no other for the body , we should be fed with hunger , and cloathed with nakednesse , the earth should bee our fether-bed , and the sky our canopy , wee should abound with want , liue sauagely , and die miserably . it was the iust canon of the apostle , he that labours not , let him not eat ; certainly , he can neuer eat of the heauenly manna of truth , that will not step forth to gather it : heare this yee delicate courtiers , that would heare a sermon if yee could rise out of your beds ; that would lend god an houre , if yee could spare it from your pleasures ; the god of heauen scornes to haue his precious truth so basely vnderualued ; if yee bid god lesse than labour for truth , i can giue you no comfort , but that yee may goe to hell with ease . the markets of truth as of all other commodities varie : it is the rule of casuists , iustitia pretij non consistit in indiuiduo ; the iustice of the price doth not pitch euer vpon a point ; sometimes the price of truth hath risen , it would not be bought but for danger , sometimes , not vnder losse , not vnder disgrace , not vnder imprisonment , not vnder exile , sometimes yet dearer , not vnder paine , yea sometimes it hath not gone for lesse than bloud . it did cost elias danger , michaiah disgrace , ieremie imprisonment , the disciples losse , iohn and athanasius exile , the holy confessors paine , the holy martyrs death ; euen the highest of these is pretium legitimum , if god call for it , how euer nature may taxe it as rigorous , yea such as the franke hearts of faithfull christians haue bidden at the first word for truth ; what doe yee weeping , and breaking my heart ; for i am ready not to be bound only , but to die for the name of the lord iesus , saith s. paul , act. . skin for skin , yea all that a man hath will he giue for his life , saith satan ; but skin , & life , & all must a man giue for truth , & not thinke it an hard penny-worth ; neither count i my life deare vnto me that i may finish my course with ioy , saith the chosen vessel , to his ephesians . oh the heroicall spirits of our blessed fore-fathers , that stucke not to giue their dearest heart-bloud for but some corollaries of sacred truth ; whose burning zeale to truth consumed them before those fires of martyrdome , and sent vp their pure and glorious soules , like manoah's angell , to heauen , in the flame . blessed be god ; blessed be his anointed , vnder whose gracious scepter we haue inioyed dayes as much more happy than theirs , as their hearts were more feruent than ours : wee may now buy truth at a better hand ; stake but our labour , wee carry it with thanks ; i feare there want not those that would be glad to marre the market ; it can be only knowne to heauen what treacheries the malice of hell may be a brewing . had but that powder once taken , nothing had beene abated of the highest price of our predecessors ; we had paid for euery dram of truth , as many ounces of bloud , as euer it cost the frankest martyr ; should the deuill haue beene suffered to doe his worst , we might not haue grudged at this price of truth , non est delicata in deum , & secura confessio ; qui in me credit , debet suum sanguinem fundere , saith ierome . christian profession is no secure or delicate matter , he that beleeues must be no niggard of his bloud . but why thus deare ? not without good reason : monopolies vse to enhaunce the price : yee can buy truth at no shop but one , in coelo praeparata est veritas tua , psal. . . thy truth is prepared in heauen . and it is a iust rule of law , quisque in rebus suis est moderator , & arbiter : euery man may rate his owne : neither is this only the sole commoditie of god , but besides , deare to the owner . dilexisti veritatem ; thou hast loued truth , saith the psalmist . and it is a true rule in the cases of commerce , affectus aestimari potest , our loue may be valued in the price . yea , o god , thy loue to truth cannot be valued ; it is thy selfe , thou that art truth it selfe hast said so , i am the way , the truth , and the life ; wee cannot therefore know how much thou louest thy truth , because as thy selfe is infinite , so is thy loue to thy selfe : what should we hunt for comparisons ? if all the earth were gold , what were it ? when euen very heauen it selfe is trash to thee in respect of truth : no maruell if thou set it at an high rate ; it is not more precious to thee , than beneficiall to vs. it frees vs , ioh. . . it renues vs , iam. . . it confirmes vs , prov. . . it sanctifies vs , ioh. . . it defends vs , psal. . . shortly , it doth all for vs that god doth , for god works by his almighty word , and his word is truth , ioh. . therefore buy the truth . and if truth be thus precious , thus beneficiall ; how comes it to passe that it is neglected , contemned ? some passe by it , and doe not so much as cheapen it ; others cheapen it , but bid nothing ; others bid something , but vnder foot ; others bid well , but stake it not ; others lastly stake downe , but reuoke it . the first that passe by and cheapen it not , are carelesse vnbeleeuers ; the next that cheapen it , and bid nothing , are formall christians ; the third that bid something but not enough , are worldly semi-christians ; the fourth that bid well and stake it nor , are glorious hypocrites ; the last that stake downe and reuoke it , are damnable apostats . take all these out of the society of men ; and how many customers hath god that care to buy the truth ? if truth were some rich chattell , it would be bought ; if truth were some goodly lordship , or the reuersion of some good office , it would be bought ; if truth were some benefice ; or spirituall promotion ( oh times ! ) it would be bought ; yea , how deare are we content to pay for our filthy lusts ; wee will needs purchase them ( too oft ) with shame , beggery , disease , damnation ; only the sauing truth of god will not off hand . what is the reason of this ? first of all ; it is but bare , simple , plaine , honest , homely truth , without welt , without guard ; it will abide none but natiue colours , it scorneth to wooe fauour with farding , and licking , and counterfaisance ; it hates either bought , or borrowed beauty ; and therefore , like some natiue face among the painted , lookes course , and rusty . there are two shops that get away all the custome from truth , the shop of vanitie , the shop of error ; the one sels knacks and gew-gawes , the other false wares , and adulterate ; both of their commodities are so gilded , and gaudy , and glittering , that all fooles throng thither , and complaine to want elbow-roome , and striue who shall be first seru'd ; whereas the secret worke of artlesse , and vnpolisht truth can winne no eye to view it , no tongue to aske so much , as , what will it cost mee ? oh yee sonnes of men , how long will yee loue vanitie , and seeke after lies ? secondly , though truth in it selfe be alwaies excellent , yet the issue of it is not seldome distastfull ; veritas odium : there is one michaiah whom i hate : am i become your enemie , because i tell you the truth ? and this is the cause that frier menot alledges , why truth in this time was so vnwelcome to the court. but if truth be the mother of hatred , shee is the daughter of time , and truth hath learn't this of time , to deuoure her owne brood ; so that , in time , truth shall consume hatred ; and at the last , a galling truth shall haue more thanks , than a smoothing supparisitation . in the meane time , veritas nihil erubescit praeterquam abscondi ; truth blusheth at nothing but secrecie , as tertullian . how euer then fond , or false hearts value the truth , let vs , that should be wise christians , esteeme it as the pearle hid in the field , which the man sold all that euer he had to purchase . would it not set any heart on fire with an holy anger , to see what the enemies of truth bid , and giue for falshood , for faction ? their libertie , their country , the life of their soueraigne , the eternall state of their soules hath not seemed too deare to cast away vpon an ill bargaine of mis-religion ; and shall not wee bid so much as our zealous well-wishes , our effectuall indeuours , our carefull obseruances for the vndoubted truth of our maker and redeemer ? what shall i say to the miserable and stupid carelesnesse of these thriftlesse and godlesse times ; wherein euery thing is apprised , euery thing is bought , saue that which is most precious , most beneficiall , truth . yee great ones are made for precedents to the inferior world ; your example is able to bring either good or euill into fashion ; for gods sake , for your soules sake , what euer transactions ye make for the world , lay your plots for the blessed purchase of truth ; oh let not your fickle honors , your vnsatisfying pleasures , your worthlesse profits , yea your momentanie liues seeme deare to you in comparison of heauenly truth . it is no shame in other parts for great peeres to bee merchants ; mercatores tui erant principes , saith the angell concerning babylon , reuel . . thy merchants were the princes of the earth ; and why should not yee great ones bee the merchants of truth ? blessed bee the god of truth , yee are so . it is no proud word to say , that no court vnder heauen hath so rich a stocke of truth , as this of great britaine ; yet let mee tell you , the very angels knew not so much , but they desired to know more , ephes. . . and if yee had alreadie that vespertine knowledge of the saints , which yee shall once haue in heauen , yet know that this bargaine stands not more in the iudgement , than in the affections : what euer our speculations may be , if our hearts be not set vpon truth , we may be brokers , wee are not merchants ; brokers for others , not merchants for our selues . as our sauiour then , when hee bids vs sell all , forsake all , holds it done , when in preparation of minde wee are ready to abdicate all for his name , though we doe it not ; so doth god hold vs to buy truth , when wee bestow our best thoughts , our dearest well-wishes vpon it , though we haue it alreadie . oh stirre vp your languishing zeale , yee noble courtiers , rouze vp your drouping loue to diuine truth ; giue your hearts to it , yee cannot but giue all for it ; and if yee doe not finde the sweet gaine of this bargaine , in this lower region of error ; and confusion , yee shall once finde it in those eternall , and empireall habitations of truth , where the god of truth shall make vp the truth of his promises , with the euerlasting truth of his glorious performances ; where mercy , and truth shall so meet , and embrace one another , that both of them shall embrace the faithfull soule , for euer and euer . this for the bargaine of truth ; the forbidden sale followeth ▪ : sell it not . commonly what wee buy , we may sell. alexander , not the great , but the good , sold miters , keyes , altars ; the verse giues the reason ; emerat ille prius , hee bought them . so saint austen of simon magus , volebat emere spiritum sanctum , quia vendere volebat spiritum sanctum ; hee would buy the holy ghost , because he meant to sell it . giue me a man that buyes a seat of iudicature ; i dare not trust him for not selling of iustice ; he that sits in the chaire of symonie , will not giue orders ; will not sticke to sell soules . some things we may buy to sell , as ioseph did the egyptian corne ; some things we must sell , if we buy , as an israelites inheritance , leuit. . but here we are charged to buy what it is a sinne to sell ; buy the truth , and sell it not ; there is many a good thing ill sold ; esau sels his birth-right for pottage ; hanun and shechem sell their country for loue ; dalilah sels her louer for a bribe ; the patriarchs sell their brother for twentie siluer rings ; haman sels the iewes for nought . the gentiles sell the iewish girles for wine , ioel . . israel sels the righteous for siluer , and the poore for shooes , amos . . their iudges sell sinnes or innocence for rewards , esa. . . abab sels himselfe to wickednesse ; iudas sels his master ; demas sels the truth ; all these make an ill market ; and in all it is a surerule , the better the commoditie is , the more pernicious is the sale . the indefinitenesse of the charge implies a generalitie . buy it at any price ; at no price sell it . it is the sauour of god that it may be bought for any rate ; it is the iustice of god , that vpon any rate it should not bee sold : as buying and selling are opposites in relation ; so that for which we must not sell truth is opposite to that for which we may buy it . wee must buy it with labour , therefore wee may not sell it for ease ; if need be wee must buy it with losse , therefore we may not sell it for gaine ; we must buy it with disgrace , we may not sell it for honour ; wee must buy it with exile or imprisonment ; we may not sell it for libertie ; we must buy it with paine , we may not sell it for pleasure ; we must buy it with death , we may not sell it for life ; not for any , not for all of these may we sell truth ; this were damnosa mercatio , as chrysostome : in euery bargaine and sale there must be a proportion ; now ease , gaine , honour , libertie , pleasure , life , yea worlds of all these are no way counteruaileable to truth ; for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world , and leese his owne soule ? and hee cannot sell truth , but his soule is lost : and if any thing in the world may seeme a due price of truth , it is peace . oh sweet and deare name of peace , the good newes of angels , the ioy of good men ! who can but affect thee , who can but magnifie thee ? the god of heauen before whom i stand , from whom i speake , knowes how oft , how deeply i haue mourned for the diuisions of his church , how earnestly i haue set my hand on work vpon such poore thoughts of re-union , as my meannesse could reach ; but when all is done , i still found we may not offer to sell truth for peace . it is true that there bee some scholasticall and immateriall truths ( the infinite subdiuisions whereof haue rather troubled than informed christendome ) which for the purchase of peace might be kept in , and returned into such safe generalities as minds not vnreasonable might rest in ; but sold out they may not be ; if some truths may be contracted into a narrower roome , none may be contracted for ; qui diuinis innutriti sunt eloquijs , as that father said ; those that are trained vp in diuine truths may not change a syllable for a world . tene quod habes , hold that thou hast , is a good rule in all things ; which if in temporalties it were well obserued , we should not haue so many gallants squander away their inheritances to liue cameleon-like vpon the ayre of fauour ; but how euer this be too wel obserued in these earthly things by frugall hands , which take as if they were quicke , hold as if they were dead , yet in spirituall graces it can neuer be obserued enough ; wee get truth , we buy it as iacob did his birth-right , to keepe , to inioy , not to sell againe : if therefore the world , if satan shall offer to grease vs in the fist for truth , let vs answer him as simon peter did simon the sorcerer , thy money perish with thee , because thou hast thought the truth of god may be purchased with money . what shall we say then to those pedling petty-chapmen which we meet withall in euery market , that will be bartring away the truth of god for trifles ? surely the forme of our spirituall market is contrarie to the ciuill ; in our ciuill markets there are more buyers than sellers ; there would be but poore takings , if many did not buy of one ; but in the spirituall , there are more sellers of truth , than buyers . many a one sels that hee neuer had , that he should haue had , the truth of god ; here one chops away the truth for feare or ambition ; there another lets it goe for the old shooes of a gebeonitish pretence of antiquitie ; heere one parts with it for a painted , gilded hobby-horse of an outwardly pompous magnificence of the church ; there another for the bables of childish superstition ; one for the fancies of hope , another for the breath of a colloguing impostor ; amongst them all , diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum , psal. . truth is failed from the children of men : yea as esay complained in his time , corruit in platea veritas , esa. . . truth is fallen in the streets . what a shame it is to see , that in this cleere and glorious sunne-shine of the gospell , vnder the pious gouernment of the true defender of the faith , there should not want some soules that should trucke for the truth of god , as if it were some cheapside , or some smithfield-commoditie . commutauerunt veritatem dei ; they haue changed the truth of god into a lie , rom. . . and all their care is , that they may be deceiued good cheap . whose heart cannot bleed to see so many well-rigg'd and hopefull barkes of our young gentry , laden with the most precious merchandises of nature and grace , hall'd in euery day to these deceitfull ports of error , the owners partly cheated , partly robbed of truth , despoiled of their rich fraight , and at last turn'd ouer-boord into a sea of desperation . oh foolish galatians , who hath bewitched you , that you should not obey , that yee should not hold fast the truth ; where shall i lay the fault of this mis-carriage ? mee thinkes i could aske the disciples question , nunquid ego domine , is it wee lord ? are there of vs that preach our selues and not christ ? are there that preach christ , and liue him not ? woe to the world because of offences . it must needs be that offences should come , but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth : god forbid that we should be so bad that the seuen-hils should not iustifie vs ; but what euer we be , the truth is still , and euer it selfe , neither the better for our innocence , nor worse for our guilt . if men bee faultie , what hath truth offended ? except the sacred word of the euer-liuing god can mis-guide you , we haue set you right . we are but dust and ashes , yet , o god , giue vs thine humble vassals leaue in an awfull confidence so farre to contest with thee , the lord of heauen and earth , as to say , if we be deceiued , thou hast deceiued vs. it is thou that hast spoken by vs to thy people ; let god bee true , and euery man a lier ; whither should we goe from thee , thou hast the words of eternall life . deare christians , our fore-fathers transmitted to vs the intire inheritance of the glorious gospell of iesus christ , repurchased by the bloud of their martyrdome ; oh let not our ill husbandry impaire it ; let not posteritie once say , they might haue bin happy , but for the vnthriftines of vs their progenitors ; let it not bee said , that the coldnesse of vs the teachers , and professors of truth hath dealt with religion as rehoboam did with his shields , which hee found of gold , but left of brasse . if truth had no friends , we should plead for it , but now that we haue before our eies so powerfull an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of christian faith , that with his very pen hath so laid error vpon the backe , that all the world cannot raise it , what a shame were it to be wanting to him , to truth , to our selues ? but perhaps now , i know some of your thoughts ; you would buy truth ( ye thinke ) you would hold it , if yee could be sure to know it ; there are many slips amongst the true coyne ; either of the mothers pleaded the liuing childe to be hers , with equall protestations , oathes , teares . true ; yet a salomons sword can diuide truth from falshood ; and there is a test , and fire that can discerne true metals from adulterate ; in spight of all counterfeiting there are certaine infallible marks , to know truth from error ; take but a few of many ; whether in the originals , in the natures , in the ends of both . in the first , truth is diuine , error is humane ; what is grounded vpon the diuine word must needs be irrefragably true ; that which vpon humane traditions , either must , or may be erroneous . in the second , truth is one , conforme euer to it selfe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as one said ; omne verum omni vero consonat , all truth accords with euery truth , as gerson ; and as it is pure , so peaceable ; error is full of dissonance , of cruelty : no particulars of ours dissent from the written verity of god ; we teach no man to equiuocate ; our practise is not bloudy with treasons , and massacres . in the third , truth , as it came from god , so is referd to him ; neither hath any other end , than the glory of the god of truth ; error hath euer some self-respects ; either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , filthy lucre or vaine-glory ; profit , or pride ; we doe not prancke vp nature ; we ayme not , either to fill the cofers , or feed the ambition of men ; let your wisdomes apply and inferre , and now ( if yee can ) shut your eyes , that you should not see the truth ; and , if yee care not for your soules , when yee see it , sell it : let no false tongue perswade you there is no danger in this sale : how charitably so euer wee thinke of poore blinded soules , that liue in the forced , and inuincible darknesse of error , certainly apostasie is deadly ; how euer those speed that are robbed of truth , you cannot sell truth , and be saued . haue mercy therefore on your owne soules , for their sakes , for the sake of him that bought them , with the deare ransome of his precious bloud ; and as god hath blessed you with the inualuable treasure of truth ; so hoard it vp in your hearts , and menage it in your liues ; oh let vs be gens iusta custodiens veritatē , es. . a iust nation keeping fast the truth ; so whiles yee keepe the truth , the truth shall keepe you , both in life , in death , in iudgement ; in life vnto death , in death and iudgement vnto the consummation of that endlesse and incomprehensible glory which the god of truth hath prepared for them that ouercome . to the happy possession whereof he that hath ordained , in his good time as mercifully bring vs ; and that for the sake of the sonne of his loue , iesvs christ the righteous ; to whom with thee o father , & thy blessed spirit , one infinite god , be giuen all praise , honour , and glory , now and for euer . amen .